WEBVTT

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 I believe one holy, Catholic, and apostolic Church.

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 I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins,

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 and I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.

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 Amen.

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 I invite you just to remain standing and bow your heads in prayer.

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 Father, sometimes things in your word frighten us.

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 And Father, sometimes when things in your word frighten us,

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 it goes against our flesh, it goes against how the world thinks,

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 it goes against how our culture thinks, it goes against what we want to do.

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 And so, Father, it's very easy for us to almost be like the serpent and say,

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 did you really say this, Father, and to turn away from it?

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 Father, we thank you that you love us.

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 We thank you that you sent your Son to die upon the cross.

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 We thank you, Father, that your Son in his death upon the cross

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 and in his resurrection that he has done everything that needed to be done

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 so that we could be reconciled to you,

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 and that we receive this purely and only and utterly and completely by faith,

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 that we can add nothing to the finished work of your Son.

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 Father, grip us with the gospel so that as we read your word,

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 we will not be afraid,

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 but that we will be willing to repent,

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 to learn, to grow,

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 and to hold fast to your word

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 as we hold fast to you.

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 Father, do this work in our lives,

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 and we ask this in the name of Jesus,

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 your Son and our Savior.

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 Amen.

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 Please be seated.

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 So I don't know how closely you were listening while Amanda read,

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 but you might be saying,

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 George, did the Bible just say that God causes famine,

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 God causes drought,

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 God causes crops to fail,

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 God causes disease,

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 God causes plague,

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 God causes violent death.

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 Is that what...

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 I was only sort of half listening, George.

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 Is that what Amos 4 says?

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 Is that what Amanda just read for us?

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 If that's what it says,

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 it touches a really, really, really deep fear in most of our hearts.

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 And we want to turn away from it.

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 And it's in fact one of the deep fears

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 that many people in our culture have.

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 In fact, you know,

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 I've noticed increasingly in Hollywood and in paper

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 that when they talk about something being really disastrous,

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 they say it's going to be of biblical proportions.

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 It's the only time they refer to the Bible

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 when something's going to go really,

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 really, really massively badly wrong.

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 It's just sort of the way we assume that the Bible is what it says.

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 Is that what the Bible's saying?

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 Is that, George, is it...

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 That's a bit worrisome.

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 So let's look.

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 If you have your Bibles,

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 and if you don't, once again,

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 there's still some copies up there.

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 You're welcome to take one.

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 Turn to the book of Amos, chapter 4.

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 And if you're a guest here this morning,

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 one of the things we do at Church of the Messiah

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 is we preach through books of the Bible.

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 I try to make sure that every year we have at least one series,

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 one book in the Bible from the Old Testament at least,

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 because it's important for us to be able to read

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 those parts of God's Word as well.

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 And anyway, so we're going through the book of Amos this summer.

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 We'll end it on Labor Day Sunday, God's willing,

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 and then we'll move on to 2 Corinthians.

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 That will be the next book that we'll be preaching through.

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 So let's turn to it.

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 And the book, Amos,

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 that has this worrisome thing about Amos 4,

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 whether God's causing famine and plague and pestilence.

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 Actually, we all know that during the last election,

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 we all know that the conservatives caused all those things.

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 Sorry, never mind.

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 That was a bad joke.

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 Anyway,

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 just like whoever wins in the election down there,

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 it's the people who lost.

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 It's that party that causes it.

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 Anyway, never mind.

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 But the text is saying something really terrible.

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 But what begins actually with something that's a bit reassuring to us,

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 which is that God is completely and utterly opposed to robbery

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 and to oppressing the poor.

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 So Amos 4, verse 1,

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 this is how, actually, we'll read 1 to 5.

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 It begins with something comforting,

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 but actually then goes on to do something which is deeply countercultural.

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 And not only deeply countercultural,

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 but actually quite surprising to many people, I think,

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 who are outside of the Christian faith,

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 what they think that Christians would think about things.

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 Because it pairs two things together

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 that we don't always recognize that the Bible is against equally.

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 Actually, Andrew, why don't you put up my first point,

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 if you could do that?

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 What we're going to see in this very first thing,

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 it's a bit surprising,

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 but that the non-religious,

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 the irreligious,

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 the religious,

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 and the spiritual,

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 you know, the people who are spiritual, not religious,

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 each are hardening their hearts to God.

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 Each are hardening their hearts to God.

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 It's not as if the Bible is going to tell us

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 that we have to turn from capitalism

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 to embrace some type of spirituality,

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 which is what our culture would say.

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 Let's look at the text.

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 Verse 1 of Amos 4.

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 Hear this word,

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 you cows of Bashan.

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 Cows of Bashan were plump.

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 They were highly prized because they were plump.

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 They were very well cared for and very well fed,

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 and they could command a higher price.

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 Hear this word,

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 you cows of Bashan,

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 who are on the mountains of Samaria,

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 who oppress the poor,

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 who crush the needy,

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 who say to your husbands,

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 bring that we may drink.

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 The Lord God has sworn by his holiness

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 that behold,

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 the days are coming upon you

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 when they shall take you away with hooks,

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 even the last of you with fish hooks.

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 And you shall go out through the breaches,

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 each one straight ahead,

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 and you shall be cast out into Harmon,

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 declares the Lord.

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 Just before reading further,

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 it's an image of complete judgment,

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 and they'll be taken to a place of judgment

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 and losing everything,

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 completely and utterly losing everything.

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 And it will be a completely straight, unheeded way.

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 There's no wall stopping at nothing.

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 They're just completely and utterly taken

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 to having all that they have

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 and all that they trust

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 and all that they possess,

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 all of their wealth,

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 all of their power, positions, privilege,

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 completely and utterly removed

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 in a very straightforward manner.

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 That's the basic message of the text.

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 As Canadians, we like the first part

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 about oppressing.

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 It's wrong to oppress

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 and to take away things from the needy.

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 The last part we find troubling.

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 Let's go on to verse four.

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 Come to Bethel.

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 Bethel and Gilgal are two important places,

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 religious centers or spiritual centers.

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 And it would have been,

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 both of them would have been places

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 where there were both something

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 that looked very much like traditional Jewish worship,

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 hence it would look religious.

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 And there would have been something

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 that also would have looked

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 far more like spiritual, not religious.

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 To put it in like a modern place,

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 it would be a place

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 where right beside a cathedral,

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 there would be a coven.

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 Right beside a place

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 where there's a jazz vespers,

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 there's also going to be a place

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 where people are dancing

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 to call down the moon.

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 And right beside the place

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 where they would maybe be having

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 a very, very traditional sounding worship

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 and stuff that from the outside

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 looks like a choir or a praise band.

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 And right beside that,

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 there would be people

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 all meditating together,

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 trying to get in touch

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 with their more spiritual self.

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 And it's describing,

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 well, it's describing Ottawa.

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 But they use the word Bethel and Gilgal.

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 Come to Bethel and transgress,

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 verse four to Gilgal,

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 and multiply transgression.

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 Do you notice that?

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 To come to a place like this

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 is to come not to something

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 that the Bible's going to approve of.

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 It doesn't approve of religion

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 or spirituality.

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 It sees it that to be involved

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 in these things

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 is actually increasing

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 your rebellion against God.

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 The mosque and the cathedral

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 and the coven

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 and the temple

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 and the synagogue.

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 Come to Bethel and transgress

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 to Gilgal

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 and multiply transgression

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 or rebellion.

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 Some of your versions

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 might say rebellion.

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 Bring your sacrifices

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 every morning,

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 your tithes,

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 every three days.

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 Offer a sacrifice

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 of thanksgiving

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 of that which is leavened

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 and proclaim free will offerings.

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 Publish them.

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 For so you love to do,

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 O people of Israel,

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 declares the Lord.

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 So it's a very, very surprising text.

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 Because in fact,

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 as you know,

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 like Eat, Pray, Love,

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 you can think of lots of things

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 in the culture

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 and in movies and all.

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 There's this picture

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 that you get away from capitalism.

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 You get away from the rat race

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 and then maybe you go

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 and you learn how to meditate

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 and you learn how to eat

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 really good food

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 and you travel

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 and all that type of stuff

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 as well as if everybody's

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 really upper middle class

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 and rich.

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 But sorry,

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 that wasn't what I meant to say.

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 The point is that Hollywood

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 will portray that the option

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 to capitalism

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 is more like Walden Pond.

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 It's a simple life.

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 It's a spiritual life.

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 It's getting in touch with things.

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 They probably wouldn't say

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 that you'd go to a Catholic church

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 for a mass

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 or a church like ours,

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 but you get this idea.

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 But the first thing

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 is to see that the Bible

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 rejects that.

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 That's not the direction

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 God wants you to go.

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 And the other thing is just,

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 and this is a really important thing

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 for us,

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 is that when it talks about

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 the oppression of the poor

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 in verse 1

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 and it talks about

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 the crushing of the needy,

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 to think that it's referring

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 to capitalism only

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 is a grave mistake.

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 It's talking about bureaucrats

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 and socialist czars as well.

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 To think that governments

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 don't for their own purposes

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 crush their people

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 is a way to allow

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 the elite in our culture

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 to not recognize

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 not only what goes on

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 in our own culture,

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 but makes it that we don't

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 actually hear the Bible.

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 Amos chapter 4, verse 1

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 is not a socialist rant

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 against capitalism,

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 nor is it a capitalist rant

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 against socialism.

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 It's saying that,

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 you know what it's saying?

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 It's contrasting two people,

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 two types of people.

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 It's contrasting the people

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 who are basically,

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 you know,

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 whether you go on Dragon's Den

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 or some of those other places

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 and they say,

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 you know, frankly,

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 I don't care about

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 all these things.

00:10:55.519 --> 00:10:55.919
 You know, basically,

00:10:56.000 --> 00:10:57.019
 I just want to make some money

00:10:57.019 --> 00:10:58.039
 and at the end of the day,

00:10:58.159 --> 00:10:59.259
 after I've made some money,

00:10:59.299 --> 00:10:59.799
 I just want to be able

00:10:59.799 --> 00:11:00.419
 to have a drink.

00:11:01.179 --> 00:11:01.600
 And, you know,

00:11:01.899 --> 00:11:03.259
 basically, I think that

00:11:03.259 --> 00:11:04.079
 you want to meditate,

00:11:04.340 --> 00:11:05.159
 you want to go pray

00:11:05.159 --> 00:11:06.259
 or sing praise songs.

00:11:06.360 --> 00:11:07.079
 I think that is

00:11:07.079 --> 00:11:08.319
 unbelievably boring

00:11:08.319 --> 00:11:10.079
 and that a glass of Jack

00:11:10.079 --> 00:11:11.559
 while watching TV,

00:11:11.699 --> 00:11:12.899
 while watching some sports

00:11:12.899 --> 00:11:14.519
 is infinitely more relaxing

00:11:14.519 --> 00:11:16.259
 and they're completely

00:11:16.259 --> 00:11:18.159
 and utterly irreligious

00:11:18.159 --> 00:11:19.279
 and the Bible says

00:11:19.279 --> 00:11:20.039
 they're going to be judged.

00:11:21.139 --> 00:11:21.860
 And the people who go

00:11:21.860 --> 00:11:22.600
 to the cathedrals

00:11:22.600 --> 00:11:23.559
 and jazz vespers

00:11:23.559 --> 00:11:24.120
 and covens

00:11:24.120 --> 00:11:24.720
 and mosques

00:11:24.720 --> 00:11:25.639
 and synagogues,

00:11:25.639 --> 00:11:27.299
 they're also going

00:11:27.299 --> 00:11:27.819
 to be judged.

00:11:29.439 --> 00:11:29.639
 I mean,

00:11:29.659 --> 00:11:30.960
 this is a surprising thing

00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:31.919
 in our culture

00:11:31.919 --> 00:11:33.139
 and we in churches

00:11:33.139 --> 00:11:34.360
 often talk

00:11:34.360 --> 00:11:36.120
 purely and utterly

00:11:36.120 --> 00:11:37.240
 as if it's those

00:11:37.240 --> 00:11:38.019
 more capitalist

00:11:38.019 --> 00:11:39.819
 or worldly sins

00:11:39.819 --> 00:11:41.539
 that the Bible condemns.

00:11:41.659 --> 00:11:42.080
 But here,

00:11:42.220 --> 00:11:43.740
 the Bible pairs them

00:11:43.740 --> 00:11:44.340
 together.

00:11:47.039 --> 00:11:48.259
 Pairs them together.

00:11:49.659 --> 00:11:50.819
 The non-religious,

00:11:51.000 --> 00:11:51.580
 the irreligious,

00:11:51.740 --> 00:11:52.179
 the religious,

00:11:52.360 --> 00:11:53.100
 and the spiritual,

00:11:53.360 --> 00:11:54.700
 each are hardening,

00:11:54.700 --> 00:11:56.120
 their hearts

00:11:56.120 --> 00:11:58.040
 to God.

00:11:58.140 --> 00:11:58.540
 In fact,

00:11:58.740 --> 00:11:59.520
 this text,

00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:01.060
 you know,

00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:01.680
 one of the things

00:12:01.680 --> 00:12:05.800
 that we say

00:12:05.800 --> 00:12:06.820
 sort of in our culture

00:12:06.820 --> 00:12:08.620
 is that there's

00:12:08.620 --> 00:12:09.680
 many,

00:12:09.800 --> 00:12:10.740
 many different paths

00:12:10.740 --> 00:12:11.440
 to God.

00:12:12.800 --> 00:12:14.520
 And actually,

00:12:14.680 --> 00:12:15.420
 I think the Bible

00:12:15.420 --> 00:12:15.840
 would say

00:12:15.840 --> 00:12:16.259
 that that's

00:12:16.259 --> 00:12:17.220
 completely wrong.

00:12:19.180 --> 00:12:20.900
 The Bible would say

00:12:20.900 --> 00:12:21.300
 that there's

00:12:21.300 --> 00:12:22.400
 many different paths

00:12:22.400 --> 00:12:22.980
 to hardening

00:12:22.980 --> 00:12:23.360
 your heart

00:12:23.360 --> 00:12:23.840
 to God.

00:12:27.220 --> 00:12:27.820
 There's not

00:12:27.820 --> 00:12:28.399
 many paths

00:12:28.399 --> 00:12:28.779
 to God,

00:12:28.860 --> 00:12:29.580
 just many paths

00:12:29.580 --> 00:12:30.159
 to hardening

00:12:30.159 --> 00:12:30.480
 your heart

00:12:30.480 --> 00:12:30.920
 to God.

00:12:31.720 --> 00:12:32.399
 For some,

00:12:32.460 --> 00:12:33.159
 it's making money

00:12:33.159 --> 00:12:34.240
 and drinking jack

00:12:34.240 --> 00:12:36.100
 and for others,

00:12:36.379 --> 00:12:37.019
 it's being

00:12:37.019 --> 00:12:37.940
 deeply spiritual.

00:12:40.279 --> 00:12:40.700
 Now,

00:12:40.800 --> 00:12:41.320
 some of you

00:12:41.320 --> 00:12:41.940
 might be saying,

00:12:42.039 --> 00:12:42.460
 George,

00:12:42.920 --> 00:12:46.080
 that is

00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:46.820
 one of the most

00:12:46.820 --> 00:12:47.560
 hard-hearted,

00:12:47.779 --> 00:12:48.800
 judgmental rants

00:12:48.800 --> 00:12:49.180
 I've heard

00:12:49.180 --> 00:12:49.980
 in a long time.

00:12:49.980 --> 00:12:50.960
 No wonder people

00:12:50.960 --> 00:12:51.399
 don't want to

00:12:51.399 --> 00:12:52.180
 come to church.

00:12:53.720 --> 00:12:54.440
 Don't you think

00:12:54.440 --> 00:12:55.279
 that's hard-hearted

00:12:55.279 --> 00:12:56.200
 and judgmental?

00:12:57.220 --> 00:12:57.399
 And,

00:12:57.519 --> 00:13:00.800
 don't you think that?

00:13:02.440 --> 00:13:02.840
 And,

00:13:02.899 --> 00:13:03.379
 I mean,

00:13:03.420 --> 00:13:04.000
 I'd have to say

00:13:04.000 --> 00:13:04.480
 that it's very,

00:13:04.600 --> 00:13:05.460
 I don't think

00:13:05.460 --> 00:13:06.360
 I was being hard-hearted

00:13:06.360 --> 00:13:06.680
 and saying,

00:13:06.759 --> 00:13:07.240
 I was just trying

00:13:07.240 --> 00:13:07.600
 to bring out

00:13:07.600 --> 00:13:08.100
 the Bible,

00:13:08.820 --> 00:13:10.019
 but I do want

00:13:10.019 --> 00:13:10.519
 to acknowledge

00:13:10.519 --> 00:13:11.200
 that it's very,

00:13:11.320 --> 00:13:12.539
 very easy for us

00:13:12.539 --> 00:13:14.420
 to read texts

00:13:14.420 --> 00:13:15.120
 like this in a way

00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:16.180
 that are very hard-hearted

00:13:16.180 --> 00:13:16.899
 and judgmental.

00:13:17.620 --> 00:13:18.539
 It's easy for me

00:13:18.539 --> 00:13:18.959
 to do it.

00:13:20.980 --> 00:13:21.899
 It's one of the reasons

00:13:21.899 --> 00:13:23.139
 why the rest of this text

00:13:23.139 --> 00:13:23.599
 is very,

00:13:23.699 --> 00:13:24.379
 very important

00:13:24.379 --> 00:13:26.019
 and that we need

00:13:26.019 --> 00:13:26.679
 to call out

00:13:26.679 --> 00:13:27.699
 to the Father

00:13:27.699 --> 00:13:28.539
 to never have

00:13:28.539 --> 00:13:29.399
 our hearts hardened

00:13:29.399 --> 00:13:30.079
 even as we read

00:13:30.079 --> 00:13:30.539
 the Bible.

00:13:31.779 --> 00:13:32.099
 You see,

00:13:32.179 --> 00:13:32.759
 one of the things

00:13:32.759 --> 00:13:34.399
 which is condemned

00:13:34.399 --> 00:13:35.519
 in verses 4 and 5

00:13:35.519 --> 00:13:36.099
 about religion

00:13:36.099 --> 00:13:36.799
 and spirituality

00:13:36.799 --> 00:13:37.919
 is that it's religion

00:13:37.919 --> 00:13:38.620
 and spirituality

00:13:38.620 --> 00:13:39.599
 that we declare

00:13:39.599 --> 00:13:40.399
 for ourselves.

00:13:40.659 --> 00:13:41.179
 We make up

00:13:41.179 --> 00:13:41.799
 for ourselves.

00:13:42.019 --> 00:13:42.959
 We set the rules.

00:13:43.639 --> 00:13:44.099
 We do it

00:13:44.099 --> 00:13:45.480
 for our own purposes

00:13:45.480 --> 00:13:47.120
 and for our own

00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:47.779
 advancement.

00:13:48.539 --> 00:13:49.919
 for our own exalting.

00:13:51.439 --> 00:13:52.740
 And it's easy

00:13:52.740 --> 00:13:53.559
 for us to slip

00:13:53.559 --> 00:13:54.339
 into doing this

00:13:54.339 --> 00:13:55.360
 even when we're

00:13:55.360 --> 00:13:56.000
 reading the Bible,

00:13:56.159 --> 00:13:56.899
 even when we're

00:13:56.899 --> 00:13:57.480
 doing things

00:13:57.480 --> 00:13:58.539
 we think in a way

00:13:58.539 --> 00:13:59.659
 that's obedient to God.

00:14:00.079 --> 00:14:01.240
 But it's very easy

00:14:01.240 --> 00:14:02.159
 for us to slip

00:14:02.159 --> 00:14:03.059
 into having everything

00:14:03.059 --> 00:14:04.059
 be around ourselves.

00:14:05.360 --> 00:14:06.139
 One of the things

00:14:06.139 --> 00:14:07.019
 I struggled with

00:14:07.019 --> 00:14:07.899
 last week

00:14:07.899 --> 00:14:09.219
 was I actually

00:14:09.219 --> 00:14:10.000
 thought my sermon

00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:10.620
 last Sunday

00:14:10.620 --> 00:14:11.139
 was one of the

00:14:11.139 --> 00:14:12.620
 worst sermons

00:14:12.620 --> 00:14:13.000
 I've done

00:14:13.000 --> 00:14:13.779
 in a long time.

00:14:13.779 --> 00:14:15.980
 I know some of you

00:14:15.980 --> 00:14:16.539
 are shocked.

00:14:16.819 --> 00:14:17.500
 You were here

00:14:17.500 --> 00:14:18.120
 last Sunday

00:14:18.120 --> 00:14:18.480
 and you thought,

00:14:18.620 --> 00:14:18.759
 George,

00:14:18.819 --> 00:14:19.319
 that wasn't even

00:14:19.319 --> 00:14:20.100
 in your top ten

00:14:20.100 --> 00:14:20.939
 of your worst sermons

00:14:20.939 --> 00:14:21.819
 in the last year.

00:14:24.439 --> 00:14:24.839
 Boy,

00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:25.539
 you've really

00:14:25.539 --> 00:14:26.480
 been missing the boat.

00:14:27.220 --> 00:14:27.740
 But I,

00:14:27.819 --> 00:14:28.559
 you know,

00:14:28.579 --> 00:14:29.379
 I really struggled

00:14:29.379 --> 00:14:30.839
 for several days

00:14:30.839 --> 00:14:31.559
 throughout the week

00:14:31.559 --> 00:14:32.459
 because I thought

00:14:32.459 --> 00:14:32.819
 I had done

00:14:32.819 --> 00:14:33.819
 such a poor job.

00:14:33.820 --> 00:14:36.680
 and then the Holy Spirit

00:14:36.680 --> 00:14:39.000
 slowly but persistently

00:14:39.000 --> 00:14:39.760
 had to do a work

00:14:39.760 --> 00:14:40.440
 in my life

00:14:40.440 --> 00:14:42.760
 because why is it

00:14:42.760 --> 00:14:43.360
 about me?

00:14:45.400 --> 00:14:45.820
 Like,

00:14:45.860 --> 00:14:46.580
 I didn't see anything

00:14:46.580 --> 00:14:47.379
 unorthodox

00:14:47.379 --> 00:14:48.660
 and I tried to explain

00:14:48.660 --> 00:14:49.100
 the Bible

00:14:49.100 --> 00:14:50.000
 and I don't think

00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:50.820
 I did a good job

00:14:50.820 --> 00:14:51.420
 and then I felt

00:14:51.420 --> 00:14:52.180
 really bad

00:14:52.180 --> 00:14:53.320
 and the reason

00:14:53.320 --> 00:14:54.180
 I felt really bad

00:14:54.180 --> 00:14:54.740
 is I thought

00:14:54.740 --> 00:14:55.120
 it was about

00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:55.920
 my performance

00:14:55.920 --> 00:14:57.560
 that I thought

00:14:57.560 --> 00:14:58.740
 it rested

00:14:58.740 --> 00:14:59.640
 on my shoulders

00:14:59.640 --> 00:15:01.840
 that I had to do

00:15:01.840 --> 00:15:02.600
 things in a different

00:15:02.600 --> 00:15:03.600
 way so that

00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:04.700
 by my efforts

00:15:04.700 --> 00:15:05.620
 things would go better

00:15:05.620 --> 00:15:06.420
 and you know what?

00:15:06.480 --> 00:15:07.159
 All of a sudden

00:15:07.159 --> 00:15:08.340
 I've moved into

00:15:08.340 --> 00:15:09.259
 an area of

00:15:09.259 --> 00:15:10.980
 self-declared,

00:15:11.860 --> 00:15:12.800
 self-centered,

00:15:13.940 --> 00:15:15.060
 self-organized,

00:15:15.840 --> 00:15:16.680
 self-structured

00:15:16.680 --> 00:15:18.019
 understanding of religion.

00:15:19.960 --> 00:15:21.240
 So I don't want you

00:15:21.240 --> 00:15:22.259
 to hear this text

00:15:22.259 --> 00:15:23.379
 and I definitely,

00:15:23.820 --> 00:15:24.840
 especially God,

00:15:24.980 --> 00:15:25.600
 really worked

00:15:25.600 --> 00:15:26.259
 in my life.

00:15:26.600 --> 00:15:27.320
 Sorry if you had to

00:15:27.320 --> 00:15:28.240
 sit through a bad sermon

00:15:28.240 --> 00:15:28.860
 last week

00:15:28.860 --> 00:15:29.540
 but God

00:15:29.540 --> 00:15:30.460
 really worked

00:15:30.460 --> 00:15:31.019
 in my life

00:15:31.019 --> 00:15:31.800
 in preparation

00:15:31.800 --> 00:15:32.680
 for Amos 4

00:15:32.679 --> 00:15:33.679
 to help me

00:15:33.679 --> 00:15:34.639
 realize

00:15:34.639 --> 00:15:35.859
 just how easy

00:15:35.859 --> 00:15:36.399
 it is

00:15:36.399 --> 00:15:38.000
 for us to take

00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:38.799
 even good things

00:15:38.799 --> 00:15:40.339
 that are really

00:15:40.339 --> 00:15:41.059
 literally coming

00:15:41.059 --> 00:15:41.579
 from God

00:15:41.579 --> 00:15:42.459
 and turn it

00:15:42.459 --> 00:15:43.139
 in a subtle

00:15:43.139 --> 00:15:44.479
 twisted fallen way

00:15:44.479 --> 00:15:45.899
 into something

00:15:45.899 --> 00:15:46.739
 which is hardening

00:15:46.739 --> 00:15:47.620
 my heart to God.

00:15:49.059 --> 00:15:49.919
 But the rest

00:15:49.919 --> 00:15:50.500
 of the text,

00:15:51.559 --> 00:15:51.879
 in fact,

00:15:51.959 --> 00:15:52.479
 the text that

00:15:52.479 --> 00:15:53.559
 really worries us

00:15:53.559 --> 00:15:54.879
 is in fact

00:15:54.879 --> 00:15:56.039
 the way

00:15:56.039 --> 00:15:56.959
 into a deeper

00:15:56.959 --> 00:15:57.799
 comfort and

00:15:57.799 --> 00:15:58.319
 confidence

00:15:58.320 --> 00:15:58.540
 confidence

00:15:58.540 --> 00:15:59.600
 with God.

00:16:01.480 --> 00:16:02.000
 So

00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:03.560
 the hard

00:16:03.560 --> 00:16:04.340
 drinking,

00:16:04.840 --> 00:16:05.600
 money-making

00:16:05.600 --> 00:16:06.980
 or bureaucratic

00:16:06.980 --> 00:16:07.980
 control

00:16:07.980 --> 00:16:08.700
 person,

00:16:09.320 --> 00:16:11.680
 that's the first

00:16:11.680 --> 00:16:12.300
 thing and then

00:16:12.300 --> 00:16:12.879
 the religious

00:16:12.879 --> 00:16:13.680
 and the spiritual

00:16:13.680 --> 00:16:14.360
 and then we get

00:16:14.360 --> 00:16:14.920
 into this very

00:16:14.920 --> 00:16:15.520
 hard part

00:16:15.520 --> 00:16:16.280
 in verse 6.

00:16:17.280 --> 00:16:17.840
 I gave you

00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:18.980
 cleanness of teeth

00:16:18.980 --> 00:16:20.140
 in all your cities.

00:16:20.540 --> 00:16:20.980
 By the way,

00:16:21.060 --> 00:16:21.520
 in the Hebrew

00:16:21.520 --> 00:16:22.160
 the I

00:16:22.160 --> 00:16:23.080
 is emphatic.

00:16:23.960 --> 00:16:25.000
 So if we were

00:16:25.000 --> 00:16:25.760
 to almost be

00:16:25.760 --> 00:16:26.600
 re-editing this

00:16:26.600 --> 00:16:27.960
 we'd bold it.

00:16:28.980 --> 00:16:29.779
 We'd bold it

00:16:29.779 --> 00:16:30.259
 and maybe even

00:16:30.259 --> 00:16:31.120
 underline it.

00:16:32.100 --> 00:16:33.019
 I gave

00:16:33.019 --> 00:16:34.120
 you cleanness

00:16:34.120 --> 00:16:34.659
 of teeth.

00:16:34.740 --> 00:16:35.480
 It's an image

00:16:35.480 --> 00:16:36.060
 of famine.

00:16:36.920 --> 00:16:37.860
 Cleanness of teeth

00:16:37.860 --> 00:16:38.820
 in all your cities

00:16:38.820 --> 00:16:39.659
 and lack of bread

00:16:39.659 --> 00:16:40.460
 in all your places

00:16:40.460 --> 00:16:41.680
 yet you did not

00:16:41.680 --> 00:16:42.639
 return to me

00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:43.340
 declares the Lord.

00:16:43.399 --> 00:16:43.639
 And we're just

00:16:43.639 --> 00:16:44.120
 going to pause

00:16:44.120 --> 00:16:44.800
 there for a second.

00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:47.659
 And some of you

00:16:47.659 --> 00:16:48.320
 maybe are going

00:16:48.320 --> 00:16:49.460
 to think to yourself

00:16:49.460 --> 00:16:53.120
 is this

00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:54.160
 now, George,

00:16:54.220 --> 00:16:54.940
 where you tell us

00:16:54.940 --> 00:16:55.580
 that in the original

00:16:55.580 --> 00:16:56.580
 language it's not

00:16:56.580 --> 00:16:57.820
 as bad as it sounds.

00:17:00.020 --> 00:17:01.360
 Well, I looked

00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:03.379
 at two academic,

00:17:03.700 --> 00:17:04.420
 three academic

00:17:04.420 --> 00:17:05.759
 commentaries this week

00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:07.880
 and I can tell you

00:17:07.880 --> 00:17:09.440
 it's translated

00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:09.940
 the Hebrew

00:17:09.940 --> 00:17:10.860
 very accurately.

00:17:13.600 --> 00:17:14.539
 It's translated

00:17:14.539 --> 00:17:15.019
 the Hebrew

00:17:15.019 --> 00:17:15.880
 very accurately.

00:17:17.220 --> 00:17:17.640
 In fact,

00:17:17.720 --> 00:17:18.120
 the Hebrew

00:17:18.120 --> 00:17:18.960
 as I just mentioned

00:17:18.960 --> 00:17:19.680
 actually makes it

00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:20.160
 more,

00:17:21.660 --> 00:17:22.519
 for us Canadians

00:17:22.519 --> 00:17:23.039
 it makes it

00:17:23.039 --> 00:17:23.660
 actually harder

00:17:23.660 --> 00:17:24.900
 because all the way

00:17:24.900 --> 00:17:25.360
 through

00:17:25.359 --> 00:17:26.379
 every one of the

00:17:26.379 --> 00:17:27.019
 eyes

00:17:27.019 --> 00:17:28.779
 of the five

00:17:28.779 --> 00:17:29.379
 sections

00:17:29.379 --> 00:17:31.459
 is emphatic

00:17:31.459 --> 00:17:32.959
 in Hebrew.

00:17:37.439 --> 00:17:37.839
 Actually,

00:17:37.919 --> 00:17:38.179
 maybe

00:17:38.179 --> 00:17:40.759
 and so

00:17:40.759 --> 00:17:41.459
 when it says

00:17:41.459 --> 00:17:42.019
 about God

00:17:42.019 --> 00:17:42.839
 causing famine

00:17:42.839 --> 00:17:43.539
 that's actually

00:17:43.539 --> 00:17:44.240
 what it says

00:17:44.240 --> 00:17:45.339
 and I'm not

00:17:45.339 --> 00:17:45.779
 going to actually

00:17:45.779 --> 00:17:46.659
 try to explain it

00:17:46.659 --> 00:17:46.919
 away.

00:17:49.419 --> 00:17:50.379
 Maybe before I read

00:17:50.379 --> 00:17:50.859
 any further,

00:17:50.959 --> 00:17:51.139
 Andrew,

00:17:51.199 --> 00:17:51.599
 could you put up

00:17:51.599 --> 00:17:52.139
 the next point

00:17:52.140 --> 00:17:53.360
 or Rebecca,

00:17:53.480 --> 00:17:53.800
 could you put up

00:17:53.800 --> 00:17:54.360
 the next point?

00:17:55.840 --> 00:17:56.600
 In the hope

00:17:56.600 --> 00:17:57.060
 that people

00:17:57.060 --> 00:17:57.680
 will return

00:17:57.680 --> 00:17:58.200
 to him,

00:17:58.780 --> 00:17:59.560
 God does

00:17:59.560 --> 00:18:00.640
 at times

00:18:00.640 --> 00:18:02.360
 bring disaster.

00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:04.180
 That's what

00:18:04.180 --> 00:18:04.880
 the text says.

00:18:07.280 --> 00:18:07.900
 I'm not going

00:18:07.900 --> 00:18:08.580
 to spend time

00:18:08.580 --> 00:18:09.280
 about all of

00:18:09.280 --> 00:18:09.700
 the different

00:18:09.700 --> 00:18:10.960
 ways that God

00:18:10.960 --> 00:18:11.580
 interreacts

00:18:11.580 --> 00:18:12.200
 to his created

00:18:12.200 --> 00:18:12.860
 order and

00:18:12.860 --> 00:18:13.860
 know that those

00:18:13.860 --> 00:18:14.440
 of you who sat

00:18:14.440 --> 00:18:14.860
 through my

00:18:14.860 --> 00:18:15.860
 Revelation series

00:18:15.860 --> 00:18:17.180
 and when we

00:18:17.180 --> 00:18:17.520
 went through

00:18:17.520 --> 00:18:17.860
 Romans,

00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:18.320
 you know that

00:18:18.320 --> 00:18:18.900
 there's sometimes

00:18:18.900 --> 00:18:19.720
 God just allows

00:18:19.720 --> 00:18:20.299
 things and

00:18:20.299 --> 00:18:20.920
 etc.

00:18:21.039 --> 00:18:21.240
 etc.

00:18:21.299 --> 00:18:22.120
 There's a range

00:18:22.120 --> 00:18:22.519
 of different

00:18:22.519 --> 00:18:23.220
 options here

00:18:23.220 --> 00:18:23.519
 and you can

00:18:23.519 --> 00:18:23.940
 read big

00:18:23.940 --> 00:18:25.019
 complicated books

00:18:25.019 --> 00:18:25.559
 on it but

00:18:25.559 --> 00:18:26.720
 the fact of

00:18:26.720 --> 00:18:27.180
 the matter is

00:18:27.180 --> 00:18:28.059
 that this text

00:18:28.059 --> 00:18:29.299
 does tell you

00:18:29.299 --> 00:18:30.180
 just how I think

00:18:30.180 --> 00:18:31.100
 I've summarized it

00:18:31.100 --> 00:18:32.200
 in the hope

00:18:32.200 --> 00:18:32.600
 that people

00:18:32.600 --> 00:18:33.380
 will return to

00:18:33.380 --> 00:18:33.559
 him.

00:18:33.700 --> 00:18:34.259
 God does

00:18:34.259 --> 00:18:35.200
 at times

00:18:35.200 --> 00:18:36.660
 bring disaster

00:18:36.660 --> 00:18:38.660
 but the refrain

00:18:38.660 --> 00:18:39.900
 is important.

00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:41.100
 Let's read

00:18:41.100 --> 00:18:42.259
 verses 6 to 11

00:18:42.259 --> 00:18:43.460
 and I'll read

00:18:43.460 --> 00:18:44.240
 verse 6 again.

00:18:44.839 --> 00:18:45.740
 I gave you,

00:18:46.180 --> 00:18:46.799
 this is God

00:18:46.799 --> 00:18:47.240
 speaking,

00:18:47.420 --> 00:18:48.220
 cleanness of teeth

00:18:48.220 --> 00:18:49.059
 in all your cities

00:18:49.059 --> 00:18:50.019
 and lack of bread

00:18:50.019 --> 00:18:50.980
 in all your places

00:18:50.980 --> 00:18:52.619
 yet you did not

00:18:52.619 --> 00:18:53.619
 return to me

00:18:53.619 --> 00:18:54.599
 declares the Lord.

00:18:55.700 --> 00:18:57.259
 I also withheld

00:18:57.259 --> 00:18:58.359
 the rain from you

00:18:58.359 --> 00:19:00.179
 when there were

00:19:00.179 --> 00:19:01.220
 yet three months

00:19:01.220 --> 00:19:01.960
 to the harvest.

00:19:02.579 --> 00:19:03.899
 I would send

00:19:03.899 --> 00:19:05.079
 rain on one city

00:19:05.079 --> 00:19:06.240
 and send no rain

00:19:06.240 --> 00:19:07.039
 on another city.

00:19:07.179 --> 00:19:07.839
 One field

00:19:07.839 --> 00:19:08.700
 would have rain

00:19:08.700 --> 00:19:09.659
 and the field

00:19:09.659 --> 00:19:10.339
 on which it did

00:19:10.339 --> 00:19:10.799
 not rain

00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:11.319
 would wither

00:19:11.319 --> 00:19:12.740
 so two or three

00:19:12.740 --> 00:19:13.839
 cities would wander

00:19:13.839 --> 00:19:14.740
 to another city

00:19:14.740 --> 00:19:15.559
 to drink water

00:19:15.559 --> 00:19:16.279
 and would not

00:19:16.279 --> 00:19:17.039
 be satisfied.

00:19:18.039 --> 00:19:19.039
 Yet you did not

00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:20.059
 return to me

00:19:20.059 --> 00:19:21.119
 declares the Lord.

00:19:21.879 --> 00:19:23.259
 I struck you

00:19:23.259 --> 00:19:23.779
 with blight

00:19:23.779 --> 00:19:24.440
 and mildew

00:19:24.440 --> 00:19:25.619
 with your many

00:19:25.619 --> 00:19:26.159
 gardens

00:19:26.159 --> 00:19:27.039
 and your vineyards

00:19:27.039 --> 00:19:27.879
 your fig trees

00:19:27.879 --> 00:19:28.879
 and your olive trees

00:19:28.879 --> 00:19:30.059
 the locusts devoured.

00:19:31.079 --> 00:19:32.659
 Yet you did not

00:19:32.659 --> 00:19:33.619
 return to me

00:19:33.619 --> 00:19:34.539
 declares the Lord.

00:19:35.440 --> 00:19:36.619
 I sent among you

00:19:36.619 --> 00:19:37.339
 a pestilence

00:19:37.339 --> 00:19:38.059
 after the manner

00:19:38.059 --> 00:19:38.559
 of Egypt.

00:19:38.779 --> 00:19:39.759
 I killed your young

00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:40.740
 men with the sword

00:19:40.740 --> 00:19:41.539
 and carried away

00:19:41.539 --> 00:19:42.180
 your horses

00:19:42.180 --> 00:19:44.099
 and I made the stench

00:19:44.099 --> 00:19:44.740
 of your camp

00:19:44.740 --> 00:19:46.039
 go up into your nostrils.

00:19:46.039 --> 00:19:48.559
 Yet you did not

00:19:48.559 --> 00:19:49.399
 return to me

00:19:49.399 --> 00:19:50.299
 declares the Lord.

00:19:51.019 --> 00:19:52.139
 I overthrew

00:19:52.139 --> 00:19:52.799
 some of you

00:19:52.799 --> 00:19:53.799
 as when God

00:19:53.799 --> 00:19:54.680
 overthrew Sodom

00:19:54.680 --> 00:19:55.299
 and Gomorrah

00:19:55.299 --> 00:19:57.000
 and you were

00:19:57.000 --> 00:19:57.859
 as a brand

00:19:57.859 --> 00:19:58.740
 a piece of wood

00:19:58.740 --> 00:19:59.599
 plucked out

00:19:59.599 --> 00:20:00.180
 of the burning.

00:20:02.379 --> 00:20:03.740
 Yet you did not

00:20:03.740 --> 00:20:04.619
 return to me

00:20:04.619 --> 00:20:05.819
 declares the Lord.

00:20:09.899 --> 00:20:10.619
 You know this

00:20:10.619 --> 00:20:11.619
 isn't completely

00:20:11.619 --> 00:20:12.619
 you know

00:20:12.619 --> 00:20:13.220
 I'm not

00:20:13.220 --> 00:20:14.119
 I mean for some of us

00:20:14.119 --> 00:20:14.899
 this is not even

00:20:14.899 --> 00:20:15.759
 remotely abstract.

00:20:15.759 --> 00:20:16.399
 Some of you

00:20:16.399 --> 00:20:16.879
 are dealing

00:20:16.879 --> 00:20:18.699
 with maybe

00:20:18.699 --> 00:20:19.859
 really serious

00:20:19.859 --> 00:20:20.359
 illnesses

00:20:20.359 --> 00:20:21.339
 or serious

00:20:21.339 --> 00:20:22.459
 financial disasters.

00:20:23.079 --> 00:20:23.679
 I know that

00:20:23.679 --> 00:20:24.159
 there's a

00:20:24.159 --> 00:20:25.399
 people in this

00:20:25.399 --> 00:20:25.819
 congregation

00:20:25.819 --> 00:20:26.919
 who have survived

00:20:26.919 --> 00:20:28.119
 attempts at genocide.

00:20:28.959 --> 00:20:29.659
 People who are

00:20:29.659 --> 00:20:30.399
 going to murder them.

00:20:31.199 --> 00:20:31.679
 I mean it's a very

00:20:31.679 --> 00:20:32.599
 very small thing

00:20:32.599 --> 00:20:33.839
 but my daughter

00:20:33.839 --> 00:20:34.319
 Victoria

00:20:34.319 --> 00:20:34.859
 her husband

00:20:34.859 --> 00:20:35.419
 was in a

00:20:35.419 --> 00:20:36.439
 multiple car accident

00:20:36.439 --> 00:20:37.019
 this week

00:20:37.019 --> 00:20:37.819
 on the Queensway

00:20:37.819 --> 00:20:39.899
 and suffered a

00:20:39.899 --> 00:20:40.359
 concussion

00:20:40.359 --> 00:20:41.279
 amongst other things

00:20:41.279 --> 00:20:42.759
 as car was totaled.

00:20:42.759 --> 00:20:45.720
 And that

00:20:45.720 --> 00:20:46.400
 just happened

00:20:46.400 --> 00:20:46.940
 this week.

00:20:47.640 --> 00:20:48.299
 In fact I didn't

00:20:48.299 --> 00:20:48.799
 know about it

00:20:48.799 --> 00:20:49.339
 I was going to go

00:20:49.339 --> 00:20:50.200
 I'd been working

00:20:50.200 --> 00:20:51.140
 in a West End

00:20:51.140 --> 00:20:51.859
 coffee shop

00:20:51.859 --> 00:20:52.480
 and I went to get

00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:53.119
 on the Queensway

00:20:53.119 --> 00:20:53.700
 and it was backed

00:20:53.700 --> 00:20:54.279
 up forever

00:20:54.279 --> 00:20:55.700
 and it must have

00:20:55.700 --> 00:20:56.299
 been just a few

00:20:56.299 --> 00:20:57.039
 minutes after the

00:20:57.039 --> 00:20:57.440
 accident

00:20:57.440 --> 00:20:58.160
 and I got off

00:20:58.160 --> 00:20:58.740
 the Queensway

00:20:58.740 --> 00:20:59.259
 and went around

00:20:59.259 --> 00:21:00.160
 it and found

00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:00.720
 out later on

00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:01.940
 that Sean

00:21:01.940 --> 00:21:02.339
 had been in

00:21:02.339 --> 00:21:02.839
 the accident.

00:21:06.400 --> 00:21:07.160
 So it's not

00:21:07.160 --> 00:21:07.559
 abstract

00:21:07.559 --> 00:21:08.519
 is it for us?

00:21:09.940 --> 00:21:10.619
 So I just want

00:21:10.619 --> 00:21:11.160
 to say a couple

00:21:11.160 --> 00:21:12.079
 of things about it.

00:21:12.759 --> 00:21:14.200
 The first thing

00:21:14.200 --> 00:21:14.680
 that I want to

00:21:14.680 --> 00:21:15.279
 say about it

00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:17.000
 is that this

00:21:17.000 --> 00:21:18.299
 fact that God

00:21:18.299 --> 00:21:19.500
 does things

00:21:19.500 --> 00:21:21.779
 sometimes that

00:21:21.779 --> 00:21:22.480
 are disasters

00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:23.900
 to bring people

00:21:23.900 --> 00:21:24.940
 back to himself

00:21:24.940 --> 00:21:26.980
 it's the flip

00:21:26.980 --> 00:21:28.240
 side the exact

00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:29.319
 same doctrine

00:21:29.319 --> 00:21:31.480
 that we in

00:21:31.480 --> 00:21:32.500
 other contexts

00:21:32.500 --> 00:21:33.779
 we place so

00:21:33.779 --> 00:21:34.420
 much hope in.

00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:36.420
 Like later on

00:21:36.420 --> 00:21:36.879
 in the service

00:21:36.879 --> 00:21:37.279
 we're going to

00:21:37.279 --> 00:21:37.920
 pray for sick

00:21:37.920 --> 00:21:38.220
 people.

00:21:38.319 --> 00:21:38.740
 Why do we

00:21:38.740 --> 00:21:39.359
 pray for sick

00:21:39.359 --> 00:21:39.640
 people?

00:21:39.720 --> 00:21:40.200
 Because we

00:21:40.200 --> 00:21:40.980
 believe that God

00:21:40.980 --> 00:21:42.500
 can sometimes

00:21:42.500 --> 00:21:43.759
 heal people

00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:45.000
 slowly by

00:21:45.000 --> 00:21:45.940
 apparently natural

00:21:45.940 --> 00:21:46.299
 means.

00:21:46.460 --> 00:21:47.539
 Sometimes he

00:21:47.539 --> 00:21:48.440
 will heal people

00:21:48.440 --> 00:21:49.120
 through drugs

00:21:49.120 --> 00:21:49.740
 and medication.

00:21:49.960 --> 00:21:50.720
 Sometimes he'll

00:21:50.720 --> 00:21:51.360
 heal people

00:21:51.360 --> 00:21:52.519
 instantly through

00:21:52.519 --> 00:21:52.920
 prayer.

00:21:53.400 --> 00:21:53.880
 There are many

00:21:53.880 --> 00:21:54.460
 people here in

00:21:54.460 --> 00:21:55.019
 this congregation

00:21:55.019 --> 00:21:55.880
 who could probably

00:21:55.880 --> 00:21:56.960
 tell you stories

00:21:56.960 --> 00:21:57.519
 either in their

00:21:57.519 --> 00:21:58.259
 own lives or in

00:21:58.259 --> 00:21:58.860
 lives of people

00:21:58.860 --> 00:21:59.380
 that are close

00:21:59.380 --> 00:22:00.319
 to them of God

00:22:00.319 --> 00:22:01.079
 acting in quite

00:22:01.079 --> 00:22:01.880
 remarkable and

00:22:01.880 --> 00:22:02.860
 miraculous ways to

00:22:02.860 --> 00:22:03.420
 bring healing.

00:22:03.420 --> 00:22:03.560
 people.

00:22:05.620 --> 00:22:07.320
 And you know

00:22:07.320 --> 00:22:08.259
 one of the most

00:22:08.259 --> 00:22:09.400
 precious doctrines

00:22:09.400 --> 00:22:10.080
 for the Christian

00:22:10.080 --> 00:22:10.779
 is the doctrine

00:22:10.779 --> 00:22:11.240
 of eternal

00:22:11.240 --> 00:22:11.860
 security.

00:22:12.320 --> 00:22:13.000
 The doctrine

00:22:13.000 --> 00:22:13.460
 that when you

00:22:13.460 --> 00:22:14.220
 put your faith

00:22:14.220 --> 00:22:14.940
 and trust in

00:22:14.940 --> 00:22:16.140
 Jesus, when you

00:22:16.140 --> 00:22:16.880
 reach your hand

00:22:16.880 --> 00:22:17.600
 up to Jesus

00:22:17.600 --> 00:22:19.140
 and realize that

00:22:19.140 --> 00:22:20.240
 he is God's

00:22:20.240 --> 00:22:21.120
 provision, that

00:22:21.120 --> 00:22:22.600
 God sent his

00:22:22.600 --> 00:22:23.660
 son to die upon

00:22:23.660 --> 00:22:24.420
 the cross and

00:22:24.420 --> 00:22:25.160
 rise from the

00:22:25.160 --> 00:22:26.259
 dead to be the

00:22:26.259 --> 00:22:27.360
 means by which

00:22:27.360 --> 00:22:28.300
 human beings

00:22:28.300 --> 00:22:28.700
 could be

00:22:28.700 --> 00:22:29.480
 reconciled to

00:22:29.480 --> 00:22:30.400
 him and that

00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:31.180
 when we reached

00:22:31.180 --> 00:22:31.820
 out to Jesus

00:22:31.820 --> 00:22:32.500
 in a sense we

00:22:32.500 --> 00:22:33.619
 can't reach Jesus

00:22:33.619 --> 00:22:34.380
 but that it is

00:22:34.380 --> 00:22:35.180
 his heart to

00:22:35.180 --> 00:22:35.819
 reach down to

00:22:35.819 --> 00:22:36.640
 us and to

00:22:36.640 --> 00:22:37.519
 take our hand

00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:38.480
 in his and

00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:39.000
 that when he

00:22:39.000 --> 00:22:39.900
 takes our hand

00:22:39.900 --> 00:22:40.519
 in his because

00:22:40.519 --> 00:22:40.980
 we have put

00:22:40.980 --> 00:22:41.839
 our, we want

00:22:41.839 --> 00:22:42.259
 to, we're

00:22:42.259 --> 00:22:43.460
 trusting him to

00:22:43.460 --> 00:22:44.000
 do what only

00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:44.799
 God can do

00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:45.279
 which is to

00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:46.000
 reconcile us to

00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:46.640
 him and that

00:22:46.640 --> 00:22:47.720
 when Jesus takes

00:22:47.720 --> 00:22:48.579
 us by that hand

00:22:48.579 --> 00:22:49.599
 he will never

00:22:49.599 --> 00:22:50.460
 let us go.

00:22:53.519 --> 00:22:54.660
 He will never

00:22:54.660 --> 00:22:55.619
 let us go.

00:22:56.579 --> 00:22:57.380
 And what is

00:22:57.380 --> 00:22:57.880
 part of the

00:22:57.880 --> 00:22:58.579
 ground of that

00:22:58.579 --> 00:22:59.339
 security is that

00:22:59.339 --> 00:23:00.200
 God is sovereign.

00:23:01.079 --> 00:23:02.220
 That God knows

00:23:02.220 --> 00:23:02.640
 all of the

00:23:02.640 --> 00:23:03.220
 events in the

00:23:03.220 --> 00:23:03.480
 future.

00:23:03.600 --> 00:23:03.900
 That there's

00:23:03.900 --> 00:23:04.279
 not going to

00:23:04.279 --> 00:23:04.740
 be an event

00:23:04.740 --> 00:23:05.299
 in the future

00:23:05.299 --> 00:23:05.799
 that will mean

00:23:05.799 --> 00:23:07.120
 oh dang it I

00:23:07.120 --> 00:23:07.680
 let go of

00:23:07.680 --> 00:23:09.220
 George as he

00:23:09.220 --> 00:23:09.700
 falls.

00:23:10.299 --> 00:23:10.920
 That that just

00:23:10.920 --> 00:23:11.559
 won't happen

00:23:11.559 --> 00:23:12.279
 because God is

00:23:12.279 --> 00:23:13.180
 sovereign and

00:23:13.180 --> 00:23:13.980
 he'll never let

00:23:13.980 --> 00:23:14.380
 you go.

00:23:14.920 --> 00:23:15.720
 Jesus will never

00:23:15.720 --> 00:23:16.500
 let you go.

00:23:18.700 --> 00:23:19.120
 You know the

00:23:19.120 --> 00:23:19.660
 basis of

00:23:19.660 --> 00:23:20.900
 prophecy that we

00:23:20.900 --> 00:23:21.740
 believe that Jesus

00:23:21.740 --> 00:23:22.380
 will return.

00:23:22.500 --> 00:23:23.100
 We can believe

00:23:23.100 --> 00:23:23.799
 that Jesus will

00:23:23.799 --> 00:23:24.380
 return because he

00:23:24.380 --> 00:23:25.559
 defeated death and

00:23:25.559 --> 00:23:26.259
 he rose from the

00:23:26.259 --> 00:23:26.940
 dead and he

00:23:26.940 --> 00:23:27.380
 ascended into

00:23:27.380 --> 00:23:27.700
 heaven and he's

00:23:27.700 --> 00:23:28.000
 going to come

00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:28.559
 back and we can

00:23:28.559 --> 00:23:29.200
 trust that he's

00:23:29.200 --> 00:23:29.759
 going to do that.

00:23:29.839 --> 00:23:30.039
 Why?

00:23:30.039 --> 00:23:31.000
 Because God is

00:23:31.000 --> 00:23:31.819
 sovereign and

00:23:31.819 --> 00:23:33.539
 all powerful and

00:23:33.539 --> 00:23:34.639
 we can trust him.

00:23:36.079 --> 00:23:37.639
 But the same God

00:23:37.639 --> 00:23:39.079
 who can act in

00:23:39.079 --> 00:23:40.039
 such a way that I

00:23:40.039 --> 00:23:40.799
 will never be let

00:23:40.799 --> 00:23:40.960
 go.

00:23:41.019 --> 00:23:42.000
 The same God who

00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:43.019
 can act in such a

00:23:43.019 --> 00:23:44.299
 way that we can

00:23:44.299 --> 00:23:45.960
 pray for rain or

00:23:45.960 --> 00:23:46.579
 that we can pray

00:23:46.579 --> 00:23:47.200
 for healing.

00:23:47.799 --> 00:23:48.879
 That is a God who

00:23:48.879 --> 00:23:49.759
 can heal who can

00:23:49.759 --> 00:23:50.599
 do those things.

00:23:51.000 --> 00:23:52.119
 And it also means

00:23:52.119 --> 00:23:53.019
 that he is a God

00:23:53.019 --> 00:23:54.180
 who for his own

00:23:54.180 --> 00:23:55.500
 sovereign purposes

00:23:55.500 --> 00:23:57.980
 who only desires

00:23:57.980 --> 00:23:59.039
 that his fallen

00:23:59.039 --> 00:24:00.440
 creation and

00:24:00.440 --> 00:24:01.160
 creatures would

00:24:01.160 --> 00:24:02.019
 return to him

00:24:02.019 --> 00:24:03.819
 might sometimes

00:24:03.819 --> 00:24:05.539
 also do things

00:24:05.539 --> 00:24:08.220
 like cause famine

00:24:08.220 --> 00:24:11.420
 in the hope that

00:24:11.420 --> 00:24:12.200
 people will return

00:24:12.200 --> 00:24:12.619
 to him.

00:24:14.380 --> 00:24:15.819
 For me to deny

00:24:15.819 --> 00:24:17.740
 this text would

00:24:17.740 --> 00:24:18.680
 be to deny that

00:24:18.680 --> 00:24:19.279
 we can pray.

00:24:20.599 --> 00:24:21.319
 It would be to

00:24:21.319 --> 00:24:22.160
 deny that we can

00:24:22.160 --> 00:24:22.720
 have eternal

00:24:22.720 --> 00:24:23.319
 security.

00:24:23.319 --> 00:24:25.019
 It would be to

00:24:25.019 --> 00:24:25.720
 deny that we can

00:24:25.720 --> 00:24:26.319
 have any hope.

00:24:29.819 --> 00:24:30.659
 You can't have

00:24:30.659 --> 00:24:31.319
 one without the

00:24:31.319 --> 00:24:31.539
 other.

00:24:35.000 --> 00:24:35.779
 You can't have

00:24:35.779 --> 00:24:36.439
 one without the

00:24:36.439 --> 00:24:36.659
 other.

00:24:38.220 --> 00:24:38.740
 But there's

00:24:38.740 --> 00:24:39.500
 something else as

00:24:39.500 --> 00:24:39.619
 well.

00:24:39.759 --> 00:24:40.259
 And by the way,

00:24:40.299 --> 00:24:40.819
 this is one of the

00:24:40.819 --> 00:24:41.240
 things here.

00:24:41.359 --> 00:24:42.139
 This, you know,

00:24:42.240 --> 00:24:42.919
 if you read, for

00:24:42.919 --> 00:24:43.519
 those of you who

00:24:43.519 --> 00:24:44.319
 come to faith in

00:24:44.319 --> 00:24:45.720
 Jesus and you

00:24:45.720 --> 00:24:46.379
 start to read the

00:24:46.379 --> 00:24:48.139
 Bible, every

00:24:48.139 --> 00:24:48.879
 Christian at

00:24:48.879 --> 00:24:49.740
 different times in

00:24:49.740 --> 00:24:50.559
 their life, they're

00:24:50.559 --> 00:24:51.139
 going to have to

00:24:51.139 --> 00:24:51.899
 make a decision.

00:24:53.319 --> 00:24:56.039
 will I trust the

00:24:56.039 --> 00:24:58.379
 Bible and want

00:24:58.379 --> 00:24:59.460
 to have my mind

00:24:59.460 --> 00:25:00.319
 conformed to the

00:25:00.319 --> 00:25:00.659
 Bible?

00:25:03.240 --> 00:25:04.139
 Or will I do

00:25:04.139 --> 00:25:04.519
 this?

00:25:07.779 --> 00:25:08.740
 For many of us,

00:25:08.759 --> 00:25:09.240
 this is one of

00:25:09.240 --> 00:25:09.919
 those times.

00:25:11.059 --> 00:25:11.879
 But I want to say

00:25:11.879 --> 00:25:12.700
 something else about

00:25:12.700 --> 00:25:13.359
 this text.

00:25:13.359 --> 00:25:14.319
 If you could put up

00:25:14.319 --> 00:25:14.919
 the next point,

00:25:15.099 --> 00:25:15.740
 Rebecca, please.

00:25:15.740 --> 00:25:18.900
 It is only because

00:25:18.900 --> 00:25:20.000
 God is sovereign

00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:22.059
 and all-powerful that

00:25:22.059 --> 00:25:24.059
 human beings have

00:25:24.059 --> 00:25:24.920
 freedom and hope.

00:25:25.660 --> 00:25:27.740
 It is only because

00:25:27.740 --> 00:25:29.539
 God is sovereign,

00:25:30.140 --> 00:25:31.519
 that means he rules

00:25:31.519 --> 00:25:34.380
 and has authority,

00:25:34.380 --> 00:25:36.240
 and he's all-powerful

00:25:36.240 --> 00:25:37.599
 that human beings have

00:25:37.599 --> 00:25:38.299
 freedom and hope.

00:25:40.400 --> 00:25:41.559
 Just this, a few

00:25:41.559 --> 00:25:42.500
 months ago, our

00:25:42.500 --> 00:25:43.420
 church, people from

00:25:43.420 --> 00:25:44.640
 our church joined up

00:25:44.640 --> 00:25:45.220
 with a few other

00:25:45.220 --> 00:25:45.960
 people as well,

00:25:46.080 --> 00:25:46.580
 and the Dig and

00:25:46.580 --> 00:25:47.440
 Delve Apologetics

00:25:47.440 --> 00:25:48.360
 organization to

00:25:48.360 --> 00:25:49.560
 sponsor a conversation,

00:25:49.700 --> 00:25:50.540
 a dialogue between

00:25:50.540 --> 00:25:51.180
 Aus Guinness.

00:25:52.080 --> 00:25:53.680
 We worked with the

00:25:53.680 --> 00:25:54.960
 main atheist

00:25:54.960 --> 00:25:56.000
 organization in

00:25:56.000 --> 00:25:57.540
 Ottawa, and they

00:25:57.540 --> 00:25:58.900
 picked a person to

00:25:58.900 --> 00:25:59.980
 speak, and we got

00:25:59.980 --> 00:26:00.660
 Aus Guinness.

00:26:01.060 --> 00:26:02.340
 It actually happened

00:26:02.340 --> 00:26:02.960
 to be right here.

00:26:03.040 --> 00:26:03.720
 They sat down.

00:26:03.800 --> 00:26:04.280
 Some of you were

00:26:04.280 --> 00:26:04.940
 here for it and had

00:26:04.940 --> 00:26:05.720
 a conversation.

00:26:06.440 --> 00:26:08.020
 He is a philosophy

00:26:08.020 --> 00:26:08.860
 professor from the

00:26:08.860 --> 00:26:09.680
 University of Toronto,

00:26:10.300 --> 00:26:11.640
 and Aus Guinness is a

00:26:11.640 --> 00:26:13.040
 D. Phil from Oxford,

00:26:13.039 --> 00:26:14.500
 well-published speaker,

00:26:15.159 --> 00:26:16.839
 and if you go dig and

00:26:16.839 --> 00:26:18.220
 delve and you Google

00:26:18.220 --> 00:26:19.920
 it, Aus Guinness, in

00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:20.720
 this debate here in

00:26:20.720 --> 00:26:21.700
 Ottawa, you'll see

00:26:21.700 --> 00:26:22.700
 something very, very,

00:26:22.779 --> 00:26:23.579
 very remarkable.

00:26:23.759 --> 00:26:24.440
 The debate, the

00:26:24.440 --> 00:26:25.559
 conversation was over

00:26:25.559 --> 00:26:26.879
 whether you can have

00:26:26.879 --> 00:26:27.819
 meaning in life without

00:26:27.819 --> 00:26:28.240
 God.

00:26:29.599 --> 00:26:31.019
 And I think for many,

00:26:31.139 --> 00:26:31.859
 many people who were

00:26:31.859 --> 00:26:32.740
 there, the shocking

00:26:32.740 --> 00:26:34.099
 thing for us was how

00:26:34.099 --> 00:26:35.319
 weak the atheist case

00:26:35.319 --> 00:26:35.700
 was.

00:26:36.579 --> 00:26:37.420
 And one of the many

00:26:37.420 --> 00:26:39.180
 shocking things is that

00:26:39.180 --> 00:26:40.500
 he actually wasn't able

00:26:40.500 --> 00:26:41.819
 to say whether we have

00:26:41.819 --> 00:26:42.960
 any freedom from an

00:26:42.960 --> 00:26:43.839
 atheist perspective.

00:26:44.619 --> 00:26:45.720
 If you don't believe me,

00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:46.759
 go looking for it.

00:26:47.859 --> 00:26:48.420
 Dig and delve.

00:26:48.460 --> 00:26:49.359
 If you can't find it

00:26:49.359 --> 00:26:50.640
 easily, email the office

00:26:50.640 --> 00:26:51.900
 or email me this week.

00:26:52.279 --> 00:26:53.079
 No, I'm going on

00:26:53.079 --> 00:26:53.660
 holidays soon.

00:26:53.759 --> 00:26:54.619
 Anyway, just, we'll

00:26:54.619 --> 00:26:55.539
 let you, we'll find it

00:26:55.539 --> 00:26:56.059
 for you somehow.

00:26:56.200 --> 00:26:57.019
 Somebody will check it,

00:26:57.079 --> 00:26:57.619
 we'll send it about,

00:26:57.740 --> 00:26:58.720
 but you Google it.

00:26:58.900 --> 00:26:59.680
 So here's the thing

00:26:59.680 --> 00:27:00.400
 about all of this.

00:27:01.059 --> 00:27:02.059
 This is a very, very

00:27:02.059 --> 00:27:02.819
 shocking truth.

00:27:02.880 --> 00:27:03.779
 It's a very hard truth.

00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:04.960
 But one of the things

00:27:04.960 --> 00:27:06.579
 is many people, when they

00:27:06.579 --> 00:27:07.539
 think about this truth,

00:27:07.539 --> 00:27:08.480
 they just think about

00:27:08.480 --> 00:27:09.720
 this idea that God can

00:27:09.720 --> 00:27:10.839
 cause these terrible

00:27:10.839 --> 00:27:12.940
 things, and they don't

00:27:12.940 --> 00:27:13.460
 like it.

00:27:13.519 --> 00:27:14.240
 They don't like the idea

00:27:14.240 --> 00:27:15.200
 of God being sovereign.

00:27:15.339 --> 00:27:16.160
 They don't like the idea

00:27:16.160 --> 00:27:17.039
 that human freedom,

00:27:17.599 --> 00:27:19.059
 here's the thing, every

00:27:19.059 --> 00:27:20.500
 system of, there's no

00:27:20.500 --> 00:27:21.539
 neutral place.

00:27:22.319 --> 00:27:23.599
 Every system of thought

00:27:23.599 --> 00:27:24.579
 has to come to term

00:27:24.579 --> 00:27:25.299
 with the fact that on

00:27:25.299 --> 00:27:26.180
 one hand we seem to

00:27:26.180 --> 00:27:27.500
 have human freedom, and

00:27:27.500 --> 00:27:28.299
 on the other hand there

00:27:28.299 --> 00:27:29.599
 seems to be causality.

00:27:30.880 --> 00:27:32.200
 Every system of thought.

00:27:32.940 --> 00:27:33.759
 And so it isn't as if

00:27:33.759 --> 00:27:34.319
 somebody might say,

00:27:34.400 --> 00:27:35.240
 this is terrible, I'm

00:27:35.240 --> 00:27:36.039
 going to reject this,

00:27:36.079 --> 00:27:37.059
 this is completely and

00:27:37.059 --> 00:27:38.160
 utterly a horrible thing.

00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:39.620
 Well, one moment, how

00:27:39.620 --> 00:27:40.700
 do Muslims deal with

00:27:40.700 --> 00:27:40.800
 it?

00:27:40.840 --> 00:27:41.779
 How do Buddhists deal

00:27:41.779 --> 00:27:42.080
 with it?

00:27:42.240 --> 00:27:43.400
 How do Hindus deal

00:27:43.400 --> 00:27:43.720
 with it?

00:27:43.900 --> 00:27:45.060
 How do atheists deal

00:27:45.060 --> 00:27:45.480
 with it?

00:27:46.140 --> 00:27:47.080
 And I want to tell you

00:27:47.080 --> 00:27:48.060
 this, I want to challenge

00:27:48.060 --> 00:27:49.360
 you and say, if you're

00:27:49.360 --> 00:27:50.720
 there horrified at this,

00:27:50.940 --> 00:27:51.880
 that if you end up

00:27:51.880 --> 00:27:52.840
 looking at Muslim

00:27:52.840 --> 00:27:53.820
 thought, and you look

00:27:53.820 --> 00:27:54.620
 at Hindu and Buddhist

00:27:54.620 --> 00:27:55.440
 thought, and you look

00:27:55.440 --> 00:27:57.080
 at atheist thought and

00:27:57.080 --> 00:27:58.080
 secular thought on this,

00:27:58.180 --> 00:27:59.019
 you will end up

00:27:59.019 --> 00:27:59.640
 thinking, you know

00:27:59.640 --> 00:27:59.940
 what?

00:28:01.680 --> 00:28:03.060
 The Bible makes the

00:28:03.060 --> 00:28:03.820
 most sense.

00:28:03.819 --> 00:28:08.619
 because, you know,

00:28:08.659 --> 00:28:09.240
 you think about it

00:28:09.240 --> 00:28:10.259
 from a fundamental

00:28:10.259 --> 00:28:11.439
 secular point of view

00:28:11.439 --> 00:28:12.359
 that everything is just

00:28:12.359 --> 00:28:13.659
 a result of causality.

00:28:14.919 --> 00:28:17.279
 Then really, if you're

00:28:17.279 --> 00:28:18.579
 on a mountain and an

00:28:18.579 --> 00:28:19.819
 avalanche starts to come

00:28:19.819 --> 00:28:21.539
 towards you, you have a

00:28:21.539 --> 00:28:23.119
 perfect image of human

00:28:23.119 --> 00:28:23.519
 life.

00:28:27.939 --> 00:28:29.319
 And if an avalanche is

00:28:29.319 --> 00:28:31.500
 coming towards you, you

00:28:31.500 --> 00:28:32.639
 have no freedom and you

00:28:32.640 --> 00:28:33.380
 have no hope.

00:28:35.780 --> 00:28:39.020
 But if it's God who is

00:28:39.020 --> 00:28:41.040
 using a hard time in

00:28:41.040 --> 00:28:43.620
 your life, you can call

00:28:43.620 --> 00:28:44.720
 out to him for mercy.

00:28:49.480 --> 00:28:51.020
 Or you can call out to

00:28:51.020 --> 00:28:52.100
 him and know that he will

00:28:52.100 --> 00:28:54.440
 be with you in the midst

00:28:54.440 --> 00:28:56.380
 of that really hard time.

00:28:58.240 --> 00:28:59.620
 You see, it goes beyond

00:28:59.620 --> 00:29:00.180
 this sermon.

00:29:00.400 --> 00:29:01.480
 Sometimes when very hard

00:29:01.480 --> 00:29:02.600
 times come, maybe it

00:29:02.599 --> 00:29:03.419
 is something that God

00:29:03.419 --> 00:29:04.480
 is specifically doing

00:29:04.480 --> 00:29:05.919
 and we have to call

00:29:05.919 --> 00:29:06.419
 out to him.

00:29:06.919 --> 00:29:08.159
 Maybe he is trying to

00:29:08.159 --> 00:29:09.179
 get our attention because

00:29:09.179 --> 00:29:10.419
 we have to repent or we

00:29:10.419 --> 00:29:11.559
 have to return to him.

00:29:13.179 --> 00:29:14.199
 Maybe it's something

00:29:14.199 --> 00:29:17.139
 that is just something

00:29:17.139 --> 00:29:17.839
 that we're going to have

00:29:17.839 --> 00:29:19.259
 to endure because our

00:29:19.259 --> 00:29:21.299
 enduring will endure in a

00:29:21.299 --> 00:29:22.119
 way that brings him

00:29:22.119 --> 00:29:22.480
 glory.

00:29:24.059 --> 00:29:24.959
 I mean, I just think,

00:29:25.039 --> 00:29:25.719
 again, I've mentioned

00:29:25.719 --> 00:29:26.559
 her many, many, many

00:29:26.559 --> 00:29:28.259
 times that in my early

00:29:28.259 --> 00:29:29.059
 ministry, one of the

00:29:29.059 --> 00:29:30.919
 most horrible things,

00:29:30.920 --> 00:29:31.620
 one of the hardest

00:29:31.620 --> 00:29:32.539
 things I had to do was

00:29:32.539 --> 00:29:33.259
 to visit a woman.

00:29:33.860 --> 00:29:34.519
 I think she had a

00:29:34.519 --> 00:29:35.580
 Lou Gehrig's disease in

00:29:35.580 --> 00:29:36.740
 the very, very final,

00:29:36.900 --> 00:29:38.640
 final year of her life

00:29:38.640 --> 00:29:40.300
 and she could, by the

00:29:40.300 --> 00:29:41.220
 end of it, all she could

00:29:41.220 --> 00:29:42.019
 do, she couldn't move

00:29:42.019 --> 00:29:42.480
 anything.

00:29:42.620 --> 00:29:43.279
 She could hardly even

00:29:43.279 --> 00:29:43.600
 blink.

00:29:44.140 --> 00:29:45.259
 She'd move her eyes and

00:29:45.259 --> 00:29:45.740
 look at me.

00:29:45.800 --> 00:29:46.500
 She had these haunting

00:29:46.500 --> 00:29:46.820
 eyes.

00:29:46.880 --> 00:29:47.680
 They'd follow you around

00:29:47.680 --> 00:29:48.060
 the room.

00:29:48.860 --> 00:29:50.460
 She had a little tube

00:29:50.460 --> 00:29:51.620
 right here by her mouth

00:29:51.620 --> 00:29:54.519
 and all she could do is

00:29:54.519 --> 00:29:56.620
 just, she'd speak into it,

00:29:56.680 --> 00:29:57.880
 try to amplify her voice

00:29:57.880 --> 00:29:58.840
 and half the time I

00:29:58.840 --> 00:29:59.520
 could only understand,

00:29:59.620 --> 00:30:00.200
 most of the time I

00:30:00.200 --> 00:30:00.480
 could only understand

00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:01.380
 half what she said.

00:30:04.560 --> 00:30:07.260
 And she loved Jesus.

00:30:09.440 --> 00:30:10.660
 I didn't bring her any

00:30:10.660 --> 00:30:11.760
 comfort at all, I think,

00:30:11.880 --> 00:30:12.920
 when I went to visit her

00:30:12.920 --> 00:30:14.780
 because I was so deeply

00:30:14.780 --> 00:30:15.800
 addicted to wanting to

00:30:15.800 --> 00:30:16.620
 be able to pray for

00:30:16.620 --> 00:30:17.960
 healing or do something

00:30:17.960 --> 00:30:18.800
 to fix it.

00:30:19.300 --> 00:30:20.660
 And there was nothing to

00:30:20.660 --> 00:30:22.580
 fix, only to endure.

00:30:23.640 --> 00:30:24.480
 And let me tell you,

00:30:24.520 --> 00:30:25.140
 wouldn't you rather

00:30:25.140 --> 00:30:26.380
 endure that knowing that

00:30:26.380 --> 00:30:27.580
 you can talk to God and

00:30:27.579 --> 00:30:28.319
 that he loves you?

00:30:30.759 --> 00:30:33.240
 That after a short time

00:30:33.240 --> 00:30:34.399
 in comparison to

00:30:34.399 --> 00:30:37.539
 eternity, that we will

00:30:37.539 --> 00:30:38.839
 have resurrection bodies

00:30:38.839 --> 00:30:39.779
 and that we will be with

00:30:39.779 --> 00:30:40.720
 him for all eternity?

00:30:42.039 --> 00:30:42.919
 Wouldn't you rather

00:30:42.919 --> 00:30:44.639
 endure that knowing that

00:30:44.639 --> 00:30:45.639
 you have a Savior who

00:30:45.639 --> 00:30:47.039
 died on the cross because

00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:47.740
 he loved you?

00:30:49.599 --> 00:30:51.099
 Than to endure it like

00:30:51.099 --> 00:30:52.079
 being on the slope of a

00:30:52.079 --> 00:30:52.939
 mountain, seeing the

00:30:52.939 --> 00:30:54.199
 avalanche coming at you?

00:30:54.200 --> 00:30:56.620
 And you are powerless

00:30:56.620 --> 00:30:57.759
 and hopeless.

00:30:59.279 --> 00:31:00.400
 And I don't want you to

00:31:00.400 --> 00:31:01.340
 choose it because one of

00:31:01.340 --> 00:31:02.700
 them is a fanciful tale,

00:31:03.120 --> 00:31:04.319
 an imaginary tale that

00:31:04.319 --> 00:31:05.059
 gives you hope.

00:31:06.160 --> 00:31:08.740
 Our hope ultimately is on

00:31:08.740 --> 00:31:11.640
 the fact that God sent

00:31:11.640 --> 00:31:12.220
 his son.

00:31:16.380 --> 00:31:17.700
 That God worked a miracle

00:31:17.700 --> 00:31:19.940
 in the womb of Mary and

00:31:19.940 --> 00:31:21.480
 he sent his son and that

00:31:21.480 --> 00:31:22.860
 his son walked amongst us

00:31:22.859 --> 00:31:24.159
 and that eventually his

00:31:24.159 --> 00:31:25.500
 son died upon the cross.

00:31:26.439 --> 00:31:27.500
 And that which seemed like

00:31:27.500 --> 00:31:29.339
 the defeat of evil and the

00:31:29.339 --> 00:31:30.559
 defeat of empire and the

00:31:30.559 --> 00:31:32.599
 and that which seemed like

00:31:32.599 --> 00:31:34.019
 a victory of empire and a

00:31:34.019 --> 00:31:35.699
 victory of armed might and a

00:31:35.699 --> 00:31:36.959
 victory of religion and a

00:31:36.959 --> 00:31:39.240
 victory of spirituality over

00:31:39.240 --> 00:31:41.219
 God's own son ended up

00:31:41.219 --> 00:31:42.819
 being in fact the means that

00:31:42.819 --> 00:31:44.740
 God used to reconcile

00:31:44.740 --> 00:31:46.539
 fallen human beings to

00:31:46.539 --> 00:31:46.899
 himself.

00:31:46.900 --> 00:31:49.300
 Why don't you return to me?

00:31:51.620 --> 00:31:52.840
 And we have a sure and

00:31:52.840 --> 00:31:53.980
 certain hope because on the

00:31:53.980 --> 00:31:55.160
 third day the grave was

00:31:55.160 --> 00:31:55.519
 empty.

00:31:56.300 --> 00:31:57.960
 The grave was empty because

00:31:57.960 --> 00:31:59.140
 he was no longer there.

00:31:59.259 --> 00:31:59.880
 He was risen.

00:32:00.860 --> 00:32:01.740
 And he will come again.

00:32:02.660 --> 00:32:03.620
 And there's other things you

00:32:03.620 --> 00:32:04.600
 can say in terms of the

00:32:04.600 --> 00:32:05.720
 wisdom of the philosophy and

00:32:05.720 --> 00:32:07.380
 the power of the narrative.

00:32:08.220 --> 00:32:10.000
 But we Christians have a

00:32:10.000 --> 00:32:11.019
 sure and certain hope.

00:32:11.019 --> 00:32:20.379
 Some of us our response is

00:32:20.379 --> 00:32:21.099
 still going to be

00:32:21.099 --> 00:32:24.819
 I don't like having to

00:32:24.819 --> 00:32:25.440
 decide George.

00:32:25.539 --> 00:32:26.879
 I would I even hate thinking

00:32:26.879 --> 00:32:27.940
 about the fact that God

00:32:27.940 --> 00:32:28.799
 would do something like

00:32:28.799 --> 00:32:28.960
 this.

00:32:29.019 --> 00:32:30.379
 It just makes me angry.

00:32:31.139 --> 00:32:31.900
 I mean I know that there's

00:32:31.900 --> 00:32:32.960
 people in this room that

00:32:32.960 --> 00:32:34.139
 they know people who've left

00:32:34.139 --> 00:32:35.500
 the Christian faith because

00:32:35.500 --> 00:32:36.599
 of something that happened

00:32:36.599 --> 00:32:37.759
 to a person that was really

00:32:37.759 --> 00:32:38.220
 good.

00:32:38.220 --> 00:32:41.140
 And it makes them angry at

00:32:41.140 --> 00:32:41.400
 God.

00:32:41.480 --> 00:32:43.240
 It makes them hate God.

00:32:43.279 --> 00:32:44.660
 And they don't like this

00:32:44.660 --> 00:32:46.100
 language of return.

00:32:46.220 --> 00:32:47.380
 It's just the whole thing.

00:32:48.019 --> 00:32:49.059
 George it might very well

00:32:49.059 --> 00:32:50.039
 be the case that if I

00:32:50.039 --> 00:32:51.160
 studied Islam and if I

00:32:51.160 --> 00:32:52.700
 studied natural sciences

00:32:52.700 --> 00:32:53.960
 and if I studied atheism

00:32:53.960 --> 00:32:55.019
 and if I studied Buddhism

00:32:55.019 --> 00:32:56.460
 and Hinduism I still might

00:32:56.460 --> 00:32:57.360
 come to the conclusion

00:32:57.360 --> 00:32:59.579
 George that the Christian

00:32:59.579 --> 00:33:00.860
 answer is a better way to

00:33:00.860 --> 00:33:02.120
 understand how human

00:33:02.120 --> 00:33:02.779
 beings work.

00:33:02.960 --> 00:33:04.539
 That it's only the Bible

00:33:04.539 --> 00:33:05.819
 that ultimately can really

00:33:05.819 --> 00:33:07.480
 account that causality is

00:33:07.480 --> 00:33:08.960
 really causality yet human

00:33:08.960 --> 00:33:10.240
 beings really have freedom

00:33:10.240 --> 00:33:11.740
 and if we have freedom and

00:33:11.740 --> 00:33:12.779
 if there is a God that does

00:33:12.779 --> 00:33:14.019
 exist and he sent his son to

00:33:14.019 --> 00:33:15.000
 die upon the cross that we

00:33:15.000 --> 00:33:16.059
 can have some hope but it

00:33:16.059 --> 00:33:17.120
 still makes me angry.

00:33:19.220 --> 00:33:20.380
 I'm going to turn my back

00:33:20.380 --> 00:33:21.880
 away and I'll have to deal

00:33:21.880 --> 00:33:22.480
 with it.

00:33:25.200 --> 00:33:26.599
 Just before we read the last

00:33:26.599 --> 00:33:29.539
 two verses here's the thing

00:33:29.539 --> 00:33:30.700
 that this whole text is

00:33:30.700 --> 00:33:31.980
 trying to communicate to us.

00:33:32.099 --> 00:33:33.680
 If you could put it up for me

00:33:33.680 --> 00:33:34.039
 please.

00:33:34.039 --> 00:33:38.759
 God is untamed and untamable.

00:33:39.799 --> 00:33:42.579
 He is only good and wholly

00:33:42.579 --> 00:33:43.019
 just.

00:33:43.960 --> 00:33:46.180
 He is present and he is

00:33:46.180 --> 00:33:47.019
 all powerful.

00:33:47.859 --> 00:33:50.659
 He is truly real and he is

00:33:50.659 --> 00:33:52.700
 inescapable.

00:33:55.519 --> 00:33:58.180
 He is inescapable.

00:33:58.180 --> 00:34:00.880
 So heed him when he speaks.

00:34:01.440 --> 00:34:02.400
 Receive the gospel.

00:34:03.180 --> 00:34:05.000
 And live each day knowing

00:34:05.000 --> 00:34:06.759
 you will meet him.

00:34:08.760 --> 00:34:10.220
 Every one of us meets God

00:34:10.220 --> 00:34:10.960
 every day.

00:34:11.820 --> 00:34:13.619
 But we meet God every day in a

00:34:13.619 --> 00:34:15.159
 way that we don't recognize it.

00:34:16.059 --> 00:34:17.980
 We don't thank him for air

00:34:17.980 --> 00:34:18.460
 conditioning.

00:34:18.659 --> 00:34:19.579
 We don't thank him for the

00:34:19.579 --> 00:34:20.760
 breeze that cools us.

00:34:21.639 --> 00:34:22.860
 We don't thank him for our

00:34:22.860 --> 00:34:24.180
 breath or for our thoughts.

00:34:25.200 --> 00:34:27.180
 We don't thank him for even the

00:34:27.179 --> 00:34:28.379
 tiniest bit of health that we

00:34:28.379 --> 00:34:29.659
 have or the fact that we have

00:34:29.659 --> 00:34:29.960
 money.

00:34:30.619 --> 00:34:32.719
 We don't recognize his design and

00:34:32.719 --> 00:34:34.099
 order and that he's all around

00:34:34.099 --> 00:34:36.099
 us and that he's present to us

00:34:36.099 --> 00:34:37.259
 that he's closer to our breath.

00:34:37.339 --> 00:34:40.699
 But the time will come when the

00:34:40.699 --> 00:34:43.919
 inescapable God will be

00:34:43.919 --> 00:34:45.579
 inescapably recognized.

00:34:48.219 --> 00:34:49.579
 Verses 12 and 13.

00:34:50.460 --> 00:34:51.980
 And note in the Hebrew how he

00:34:51.980 --> 00:34:53.199
 repeats himself twice.

00:34:53.339 --> 00:34:54.039
 It's for emphasis.

00:34:54.039 --> 00:34:56.920
 Therefore thus I will do to you

00:34:56.920 --> 00:34:58.880
 O Israel because I will do this

00:34:58.880 --> 00:34:59.759
 to you O Israel.

00:35:00.279 --> 00:35:03.340
 Prepare to meet your God O Israel.

00:35:04.699 --> 00:35:05.820
 Many of you have heard that

00:35:05.820 --> 00:35:06.980
 phrase prepare to meet your God.

00:35:07.099 --> 00:35:08.480
 This is where it is in the Bible.

00:35:09.360 --> 00:35:09.900
 Amos 4.

00:35:10.880 --> 00:35:13.820
 Prepare to meet your God O Israel.

00:35:14.420 --> 00:35:16.179
 For behold he who forms the

00:35:16.179 --> 00:35:16.639
 mountains.

00:35:17.019 --> 00:35:18.500
 Who creates the wind.

00:35:18.960 --> 00:35:20.820
 Who declares to man what is his

00:35:20.820 --> 00:35:21.220
 thought.

00:35:21.539 --> 00:35:25.559
 Who makes the dawn darkness and

00:35:25.559 --> 00:35:26.920
 treads on the heights of the

00:35:26.920 --> 00:35:27.120
 earth.

00:35:27.240 --> 00:35:27.780
 The Lord.

00:35:28.140 --> 00:35:29.120
 The God of hosts.

00:35:29.760 --> 00:35:30.900
 Is his name.

00:35:32.019 --> 00:35:33.059
 Is his name.

00:35:38.720 --> 00:35:40.220
 You know it's very very

00:35:40.220 --> 00:35:41.120
 interesting thing.

00:35:41.460 --> 00:35:42.700
 This is a text of mercy.

00:35:42.840 --> 00:35:43.680
 You know all the way through it

00:35:43.680 --> 00:35:45.000
 says yet you did not return to me.

00:35:45.039 --> 00:35:46.120
 Yet you did not return to me.

00:35:46.160 --> 00:35:47.120
 Yet you did not return to me.

00:35:47.160 --> 00:35:48.220
 Why does it say that?

00:35:48.219 --> 00:35:51.059
 Many of us are familiar with this

00:35:51.059 --> 00:35:52.439
 famous line for Augustine.

00:35:52.639 --> 00:35:53.919
 You have made us for yourself.

00:35:54.939 --> 00:35:56.819
 And our hearts are restless.

00:35:57.539 --> 00:35:58.839
 Until they rest in you.

00:36:02.439 --> 00:36:03.279
 It's funny.

00:36:03.519 --> 00:36:05.699
 It's a sign of how deeply

00:36:05.699 --> 00:36:07.500
 addicted we are to being God.

00:36:08.659 --> 00:36:10.299
 That we are bothered by being

00:36:10.299 --> 00:36:11.819
 told that we are a creature.

00:36:14.000 --> 00:36:17.500
 A creature created by a creator.

00:36:18.219 --> 00:36:21.679
 And when our creator created you

00:36:21.679 --> 00:36:22.099
 and me.

00:36:22.959 --> 00:36:25.839
 He made us in our in his image.

00:36:27.319 --> 00:36:30.779
 And we were always meant to be in

00:36:30.779 --> 00:36:31.939
 relationship with him.

00:36:32.339 --> 00:36:34.859
 And when we turned away from him

00:36:34.859 --> 00:36:36.399
 and decided to become God

00:36:36.399 --> 00:36:38.599
 ourselves there was a rending of

00:36:38.599 --> 00:36:39.559
 that relationship.

00:36:40.000 --> 00:36:42.939
 But every human being has a God

00:36:42.939 --> 00:36:45.599
 shaped space in their life.

00:36:45.599 --> 00:36:48.059
 And we might try to fill it with

00:36:48.059 --> 00:36:50.420
 robbing and drinking and having

00:36:50.420 --> 00:36:51.139
 lots of money.

00:36:51.259 --> 00:36:52.319
 We might try to fill it with

00:36:52.319 --> 00:36:52.900
 meditation.

00:36:53.119 --> 00:36:54.119
 We might try to fill it with

00:36:54.119 --> 00:36:55.599
 religious rituals of our own

00:36:55.599 --> 00:36:56.079
 choosing.

00:36:56.779 --> 00:36:58.099
 But at the end of the day it can

00:36:58.099 --> 00:36:59.039
 only be filled.

00:37:00.739 --> 00:37:01.880
 By our creator.

00:37:04.139 --> 00:37:05.579
 And that's why it says return.

00:37:07.119 --> 00:37:08.339
 That's why it says return.

00:37:08.339 --> 00:37:08.679
 Return.

00:37:09.079 --> 00:37:09.400
 Return.

00:37:09.639 --> 00:37:10.000
 Return.

00:37:10.199 --> 00:37:10.500
 Return.

00:37:10.500 --> 00:37:10.619
 Return.

00:37:11.079 --> 00:37:12.659
 And then it's very very surprising

00:37:12.659 --> 00:37:14.579
 because still God shows grace.

00:37:15.539 --> 00:37:16.760
 Because we don't return.

00:37:16.880 --> 00:37:17.440
 We don't return.

00:37:17.539 --> 00:37:18.099
 We don't return.

00:37:18.199 --> 00:37:18.760
 We don't return.

00:37:18.860 --> 00:37:19.440
 We don't return.

00:37:19.519 --> 00:37:20.119
 We don't return.

00:37:20.440 --> 00:37:22.380
 And then it doesn't say prepare to

00:37:22.380 --> 00:37:23.340
 meet your doom.

00:37:26.739 --> 00:37:27.219
 No.

00:37:27.699 --> 00:37:28.840
 There's still time.

00:37:30.139 --> 00:37:32.300
 It says prepare to meet your God.

00:37:32.860 --> 00:37:34.619
 And the phrase your God is only

00:37:34.619 --> 00:37:36.199
 found two times in the book of

00:37:36.199 --> 00:37:36.559
 Amos.

00:37:36.559 --> 00:37:39.059
 And the time the second time it is

00:37:39.059 --> 00:37:40.320
 found in the book of Amos is the

00:37:40.320 --> 00:37:42.519
 very end of the book of Amos where

00:37:42.519 --> 00:37:45.059
 God talks about how he will restore.

00:37:45.219 --> 00:37:46.099
 He will redeem.

00:37:46.340 --> 00:37:47.279
 He will ransom.

00:37:47.579 --> 00:37:48.480
 He will reconcile.

00:37:48.940 --> 00:37:50.920
 And he will provide a means by which

00:37:50.920 --> 00:37:54.759
 his people are in relationship with

00:37:54.759 --> 00:37:54.960
 him.

00:37:56.739 --> 00:37:58.099
 So there's a choice.

00:37:59.099 --> 00:38:00.259
 We can say.

00:38:02.599 --> 00:38:04.579
 Lord at first when I heard about the

00:38:04.579 --> 00:38:06.139
 fact that you caused all of these

00:38:06.139 --> 00:38:06.679
 things.

00:38:07.319 --> 00:38:08.380
 I always knew.

00:38:08.460 --> 00:38:09.659
 I think I said this last week.

00:38:09.759 --> 00:38:12.539
 I always believed that you hated me.

00:38:12.799 --> 00:38:14.599
 I've had so many bad things that

00:38:14.599 --> 00:38:15.039
 happened to me.

00:38:15.119 --> 00:38:16.819
 I just believed you hated me.

00:38:17.360 --> 00:38:19.460
 But now I hear that you don't hate me.

00:38:19.719 --> 00:38:21.860
 That you want me to return to you.

00:38:22.480 --> 00:38:25.319
 And that even now I can prepare to

00:38:25.319 --> 00:38:25.840
 meet you.

00:38:27.840 --> 00:38:29.239
 If we don't prepare.

00:38:30.239 --> 00:38:31.900
 We still will meet God.

00:38:31.900 --> 00:38:35.519
 And then it will be our doom.

00:38:37.920 --> 00:38:39.500
 We'll be crying just like that.

00:38:39.780 --> 00:38:40.539
 Only a lot worse.

00:38:44.240 --> 00:38:46.780
 But this is does not have to be your

00:38:46.780 --> 00:38:49.740
 fate because it says prepare to meet

00:38:49.740 --> 00:38:50.079
 me.

00:38:52.900 --> 00:38:55.420
 I will be your God.

00:38:55.420 --> 00:38:55.460
 God.

00:38:56.460 --> 00:38:59.579
 You can be my child.

00:39:01.980 --> 00:39:03.340
 By adoption and grace.

00:39:04.059 --> 00:39:04.960
 Prepare for it.

00:39:07.780 --> 00:39:09.960
 And then it just reminds us to make

00:39:09.960 --> 00:39:11.320
 sure that we don't understand that we

00:39:11.320 --> 00:39:12.760
 are to meet God in our own image.

00:39:12.860 --> 00:39:15.300
 And in verse 13 in five these little

00:39:15.300 --> 00:39:17.300
 descriptions six descriptions it gives

00:39:17.300 --> 00:39:19.659
 us in just like you know how some

00:39:19.659 --> 00:39:22.200
 people can take a drawing and just I can

00:39:22.200 --> 00:39:23.840
 hardly draw a stick figure but they can

00:39:23.840 --> 00:39:25.820
 just like oh this they go like this and

00:39:25.820 --> 00:39:26.860
 they can go like this and they can go

00:39:26.860 --> 00:39:28.460
 like and with just five or six lines you

00:39:28.460 --> 00:39:30.000
 can say that's a person I recognize

00:39:30.000 --> 00:39:31.720
 that and that's what that's what he

00:39:31.720 --> 00:39:33.039
 does here in poetic imagery.

00:39:33.420 --> 00:39:34.100
 Who is God?

00:39:34.940 --> 00:39:36.820
 He is the one who forms the mountains.

00:39:38.420 --> 00:39:40.340
 If you go to Vancouver and you see the

00:39:40.340 --> 00:39:43.460
 Rockies just think those look really

00:39:43.460 --> 00:39:45.240
 big they're really majestic it rains all

00:39:45.240 --> 00:39:47.160
 the time in Vancouver but people always

00:39:47.160 --> 00:39:48.720
 tell me but it's always worth it because

00:39:48.720 --> 00:39:50.700
 every once in a while the rain goes

00:39:50.700 --> 00:39:52.519
 away the clouds go away the sun comes

00:39:52.519 --> 00:39:57.920
 out and there are the Rockies and they

00:39:57.920 --> 00:39:58.500
 are awesome.

00:39:59.420 --> 00:40:00.099
 God is bigger.

00:40:00.920 --> 00:40:02.539
 God formed them with his hand.

00:40:04.019 --> 00:40:06.360
 He formed them so they would be just so.

00:40:08.159 --> 00:40:09.900
 God is bigger than the mountains.

00:40:10.059 --> 00:40:10.860
 He formed them.

00:40:11.300 --> 00:40:12.759
 He creates the wind.

00:40:13.440 --> 00:40:16.360
 In the Hebrew there's different words

00:40:16.360 --> 00:40:17.920
 for the word creation and the word

00:40:17.920 --> 00:40:19.759
 that's used here in the Hebrew is only

00:40:19.760 --> 00:40:20.880
 used of God creating.

00:40:21.320 --> 00:40:22.900
 In fact ultimately the Bible would say

00:40:22.900 --> 00:40:24.420
 that human beings don't create.

00:40:24.560 --> 00:40:25.880
 We're not creators in the same way that

00:40:25.880 --> 00:40:26.240
 God is.

00:40:26.540 --> 00:40:29.420
 We are sub creators because in a sense

00:40:29.420 --> 00:40:31.420
 only God creates but God creates the

00:40:31.420 --> 00:40:31.900
 wind.

00:40:33.160 --> 00:40:34.160
 If you go out and there's a beautiful

00:40:34.160 --> 00:40:36.080
 breeze God creates that wind.

00:40:37.560 --> 00:40:40.980
 He creates the invisible that still has

00:40:40.980 --> 00:40:42.740
 such an impact and an influence in your

00:40:42.740 --> 00:40:43.120
 life.

00:40:43.660 --> 00:40:45.620
 And that God is not just something who is

00:40:45.620 --> 00:40:48.020
 big and makes mountains and and sort of

00:40:48.019 --> 00:40:49.940
 invisible and can cause the wind that we

00:40:49.940 --> 00:40:51.440
 cannot see yet it feels us.

00:40:51.820 --> 00:40:53.559
 God is closer than our thoughts.

00:40:54.239 --> 00:40:55.679
 He knows every thought you have.

00:40:55.759 --> 00:40:58.039
 He's there right in the he's closer than

00:40:58.039 --> 00:40:58.519
 our breath.

00:40:58.920 --> 00:41:00.440
 He declares to man what is his thoughts.

00:41:00.519 --> 00:41:02.380
 He's present so close.

00:41:02.940 --> 00:41:05.119
 He's as close as my thinking as close as

00:41:05.119 --> 00:41:08.679
 my words as close as the imagination as

00:41:08.679 --> 00:41:10.280
 close as all of the things that go on in

00:41:10.280 --> 00:41:10.860
 my head.

00:41:11.360 --> 00:41:12.500
 He's closer than that.

00:41:12.519 --> 00:41:13.480
 He sees it all.

00:41:13.480 --> 00:41:17.019
 And then there's this wonderful line and

00:41:17.019 --> 00:41:18.760
 in Hebrew there's the in English they try

00:41:18.760 --> 00:41:19.579
 to smooth it out.

00:41:20.460 --> 00:41:22.460
 It's actually the way Yoda would speak.

00:41:23.539 --> 00:41:25.099
 It really is a need to have a Yoda version

00:41:25.099 --> 00:41:25.679
 of the Bible.

00:41:27.139 --> 00:41:32.280
 The maker of maker of dawn comma darkness.

00:41:33.059 --> 00:41:34.500
 That's what actually says literally in

00:41:34.500 --> 00:41:38.480
 Hebrew maker of dawn comma darkness.

00:41:38.480 --> 00:41:39.119
 Darkness.

00:41:42.119 --> 00:41:43.260
 Light and dark.

00:41:43.840 --> 00:41:45.039
 The beginning and the end.

00:41:45.719 --> 00:41:46.960
 The presence and the absence.

00:41:48.800 --> 00:41:51.039
 And he treads on the heights of the earth.

00:41:52.519 --> 00:41:55.059
 But he is not an impersonal God.

00:41:55.159 --> 00:41:56.400
 He is not a force.

00:41:56.619 --> 00:41:57.760
 Merely a force.

00:41:58.440 --> 00:42:00.240
 You cannot call God it.

00:42:01.059 --> 00:42:03.199
 We can tame it eventually.

00:42:04.099 --> 00:42:05.659
 You cannot tame God.

00:42:05.659 --> 00:42:07.619
 He is the Lord.

00:42:08.699 --> 00:42:10.339
 That is the name of the covenant God.

00:42:10.420 --> 00:42:12.119
 The God who desires to be in a covenant

00:42:12.119 --> 00:42:13.500
 relationship with people.

00:42:14.379 --> 00:42:16.799
 He is the God of hosts.

00:42:16.940 --> 00:42:18.219
 The God of the angel armies.

00:42:18.980 --> 00:42:20.079
 And it's his name.

00:42:20.940 --> 00:42:21.739
 He is a he.

00:42:21.879 --> 00:42:22.480
 A person.

00:42:29.279 --> 00:42:30.819
 So given such a God.

00:42:31.440 --> 00:42:34.099
 How on earth can we prepare to meet him?

00:42:34.099 --> 00:42:36.179
 In Amos' time.

00:42:36.339 --> 00:42:38.839
 750 years before the birth of Jesus.

00:42:40.839 --> 00:42:45.980
 The first thing that he could do is realize that the God who was a person speaks.

00:42:46.739 --> 00:42:47.900
 So maybe I should listen.

00:42:48.980 --> 00:42:50.139
 See that's the problem.

00:42:51.139 --> 00:42:55.579
 That's the problem with the rich and the bureaucrats.

00:42:55.779 --> 00:43:00.119
 Who don't listen to the voice of conscience or revealed religion.

00:43:00.119 --> 00:43:03.960
 That it's wrong to oppress the poor and to oppress the needy.

00:43:04.599 --> 00:43:05.460
 And it's a problem.

00:43:05.579 --> 00:43:06.539
 It's very interesting.

00:43:06.639 --> 00:43:07.359
 They talk about leaven.

00:43:07.460 --> 00:43:11.099
 In other words, it's even when the worship seems to be very, very traditional and religious.

00:43:11.400 --> 00:43:14.239
 They still completely and utterly stop listening to God.

00:43:14.980 --> 00:43:17.219
 The Bible says not to put leaven in the worship.

00:43:17.420 --> 00:43:18.799
 In your sacrifices.

00:43:18.940 --> 00:43:20.279
 And they go ahead and put leaven in the thing.

00:43:20.280 --> 00:43:23.380
 Even when it's most apparently traditional.

00:43:23.500 --> 00:43:25.480
 Even if it's a very, very fancy cathedral.

00:43:25.480 --> 00:43:27.560
 And they're all walking around very, very solemn.

00:43:28.240 --> 00:43:30.560
 It doesn't, you know, if they're all walking around very, very solemn.

00:43:30.660 --> 00:43:31.740
 And it's to an organ music.

00:43:31.740 --> 00:43:33.980
 But they're singing to God as she.

00:43:34.420 --> 00:43:36.560
 And they're going to celebrate a same-sex marriage.

00:43:36.680 --> 00:43:38.860
 I've just been very controversial.

00:43:39.920 --> 00:43:43.160
 The Bible says that all you're doing is refusing to listen to me.

00:43:43.240 --> 00:43:44.380
 And hardening your heart.

00:43:44.380 --> 00:43:53.079
 See, it's why we need to pray that our church is reformed by the Bible.

00:43:53.599 --> 00:43:55.740
 And is always reformed by the Bible.

00:43:55.940 --> 00:43:59.200
 Because it's so easy for us to go astray.

00:44:00.680 --> 00:44:02.099
 So first we can listen.

00:44:02.980 --> 00:44:08.500
 But for people in Amos' time, they would realize that there is no way they can prepare to meet a God

00:44:08.500 --> 00:44:15.960
 who's so close that he's closer than their thoughts and can shape, can create the wind and can shape mountains.

00:44:16.280 --> 00:44:19.739
 And how can you ever prepare for that?

00:44:21.500 --> 00:44:25.679
 And so before the cross, all they could do is say, Lord, have mercy.

00:44:26.800 --> 00:44:29.440
 There is a riddle here in what you've asked.

00:44:29.539 --> 00:44:31.800
 And I don't understand how you're going to solve the riddle.

00:44:31.800 --> 00:44:44.100
 All I can do is call out to you for mercy, trusting that you will solve the riddle of how I listen and prepare to meet my God.

00:44:45.000 --> 00:44:47.700
 I have to throw myself on your mercy.

00:44:49.600 --> 00:44:51.080
 If you could put up the next point.

00:44:52.160 --> 00:44:53.240
 Three scripture texts.

00:44:53.600 --> 00:44:55.700
 Amos, prepare to meet your God.

00:44:56.760 --> 00:44:59.480
 Second one, found in Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

00:44:59.480 --> 00:45:01.400
 This is my beloved son.

00:45:01.679 --> 00:45:02.340
 Listen to him.

00:45:03.199 --> 00:45:06.420
 And the third quote from John, Jesus himself.

00:45:07.099 --> 00:45:17.300
 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

00:45:18.219 --> 00:45:29.460
 For God so loved the world that he gave his son, his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

00:45:29.480 --> 00:45:33.740
 On the cross, Jesus bore our doom.

00:45:33.739 --> 00:45:48.519
 And on the cross, when we put our faith and trust in Jesus, we are not only exchanging places with Jesus so that he has borne our doom, but he offers to us his perfect standing for the Father.

00:45:48.739 --> 00:45:52.399
 His righteousness can stand for mine.

00:45:52.400 --> 00:45:59.760
 So this is not, this then means that it's not that we have to all of a sudden deny the world or anything like that.

00:45:59.820 --> 00:46:04.639
 It's a matter of being gripped with the gospel and then living in the world as God's creatures.

00:46:08.059 --> 00:46:10.500
 Living, reconciled to our creator.

00:46:12.639 --> 00:46:15.700
 Saying no to being the center of the universe in God.

00:46:15.699 --> 00:46:19.699
 Knowing we're going to keep messing up and being gripped by the gospel.

00:46:20.239 --> 00:46:21.759
 If you could put up the final prayer.

00:46:25.659 --> 00:46:35.339
 You see, this text is calling us to hear it because we're so blessed that we're reading in this text after the cross.

00:46:35.340 --> 00:46:38.600
 That we have to be gripped by the gospel.

00:46:38.740 --> 00:46:40.720
 It's not just calling us to religious busyness.

00:46:41.720 --> 00:46:45.019
 And we're being called to be a disciple of Jesus, to know him.

00:46:45.800 --> 00:46:47.960
 The Bible isn't another type of religion.

00:46:48.079 --> 00:46:49.200
 It's not calling us to religion.

00:46:49.360 --> 00:46:53.340
 It's calling us to a relationship with God.

00:46:53.340 --> 00:46:57.440
 In response to good news from God.

00:46:57.960 --> 00:47:00.460
 About what he's done for us in the person of his son.

00:47:02.260 --> 00:47:05.360
 It's inviting us to live a relationship with God.

00:47:05.740 --> 00:47:12.000
 Always mindful that the only basis we have is not because we are better than other people.

00:47:12.140 --> 00:47:16.100
 But purely and utterly because of what Jesus has done for us on the cross.

00:47:16.300 --> 00:47:20.360
 And that when we receive that, we are responding to the cry of God.

00:47:20.519 --> 00:47:22.640
 Why won't you return to me?

00:47:22.639 --> 00:47:24.839
 Why won't you return to me?

00:47:24.900 --> 00:47:27.599
 Every single person you see today on the street.

00:47:28.059 --> 00:47:29.219
 God is saying to them.

00:47:29.440 --> 00:47:31.299
 Why won't you return to me?

00:47:31.420 --> 00:47:34.480
 If we say some small thing pointing them to Jesus.

00:47:34.739 --> 00:47:39.839
 All we are doing is acting in accordance with the direction of the heart of God.

00:47:39.900 --> 00:47:41.319
 Who says to each human being.

00:47:41.559 --> 00:47:43.799
 Why won't you return to me?

00:47:44.859 --> 00:47:46.239
 Because that is his heart.

00:47:46.239 --> 00:47:53.219
 And this text is inviting us to be gripped by the gospel.

00:47:53.359 --> 00:47:55.239
 Now living for his glory not our own.

00:47:56.059 --> 00:47:58.159
 Calling us to obey his word.

00:47:58.759 --> 00:48:02.219
 And to live every day in a growing knowledge.

00:48:02.759 --> 00:48:04.219
 That God is all powerful.

00:48:04.579 --> 00:48:05.719
 That he's real.

00:48:06.039 --> 00:48:07.119
 That he's good.

00:48:07.500 --> 00:48:08.699
 That he's untamed.

00:48:08.939 --> 00:48:10.359
 He's inescapable.

00:48:10.360 --> 00:48:12.400
 To live.

00:48:12.400 --> 00:48:18.660
 To begin to learn to live every day knowing that God is inescapable.

00:48:20.519 --> 00:48:25.500
 For a Christian, a non-Christian, this prayer is the beginning of your Christian walk.

00:48:26.099 --> 00:48:30.980
 For a Christian, it's an entering into deeper discipleship.

00:48:31.460 --> 00:48:34.599
 God is inescapable.

00:48:34.599 --> 00:48:36.299
 Please stand.

00:48:41.440 --> 00:48:43.799
 And I invite you to pray this prayer with me.

00:48:45.719 --> 00:48:52.059
 As I said, for some of you, if you have never given your life to Jesus, then, you know, there's nothing special about these words.

00:48:52.159 --> 00:48:55.259
 And I know some purists would say it's missing this little aspect or this little.

00:48:55.360 --> 00:49:01.299
 You know, if it's your words to be connected to God for the first time as his child, then pray it out.

00:49:01.300 --> 00:49:08.880
 And for those of us who God is touching, it's a call for us to live each day knowing that he is inescapable.

00:49:09.000 --> 00:49:12.140
 That he's bigger than every promise, every problem we face.

00:49:13.519 --> 00:49:18.720
 And that we can live not as religious people or as spiritual people, but as people gripped by the gospel.

00:49:19.880 --> 00:49:21.560
 I invite you to pray it with me.

00:49:21.559 --> 00:49:42.159
 Dear Lord, please make me a disciple of Jesus, gripped by the gospel, who is living for your glory, by daily obeying your word, and growing in the knowledge that you are all-powerful, really real, only good, untamed, and inescapable.

00:49:42.440 --> 00:49:44.179
 In Jesus' name, amen.

00:49:44.440 --> 00:49:46.380
 Father, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us.

00:49:46.480 --> 00:49:47.400
 Make us such a people.

00:49:47.539 --> 00:49:49.119
 Father, make me such a man.

00:49:49.679 --> 00:49:50.920
 Make me such a pastor.

00:49:50.920 --> 00:49:52.619
 This I pray in Jesus' name.

00:49:53.059 --> 00:49:53.400
 Amen.

00:49:54.119 --> 00:49:57.440
 Please be seated as we go into a time of intercession.

00:50:04.920 --> 00:50:10.559
 As we enter this time of prayer, please feel free to take whatever position helps you to communicate with us.