WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.700 Good morning, everyone. Welcome to St Paul's. If I've not met you, my name is Steve. I'm the lead pastor here at St Paul's. 00:00:06.700 --> 00:00:14.480 Great to have you here. If you have just joined us, we are partway through the book of Esther. We've been following this story. 00:00:14.900 --> 00:00:20.179 She's a young, orphaned Jewish woman who becomes the Queen of Persia. 00:00:20.179 --> 00:00:33.700 We're doing this in this season as a church because we are looking forward into our life and ministry together as a church over the next three, five to ten years, 00:00:34.119 --> 00:00:44.159 developing a strategic plan for our next phase of our 124-year history here at St Paul's in this place at Chatswood. 00:00:44.159 --> 00:00:55.000 And particularly looking forward in a society that, in the time that we've existed here, has moved further and further away from the Christian faith. 00:00:55.339 --> 00:01:01.819 So what does it mean to be God's people in this time, in this place for such a time as this? 00:01:02.679 --> 00:01:07.459 And so what we've seen leading up to this, Esther has risked absolutely everything, 00:01:07.459 --> 00:01:14.719 used a position in the palace as Xerxes' new queen to save God's people from annihilation. 00:01:15.719 --> 00:01:21.019 An edict has gone out to the entire Persian Empire against the Jews. 00:01:21.839 --> 00:01:27.599 And that edict's got several months to run before they are all annihilated. 00:01:28.039 --> 00:01:30.479 But there's another crisis that we've just seen. 00:01:30.599 --> 00:01:32.079 It's just risen right here. 00:01:32.159 --> 00:01:33.079 It's much more immediate. 00:01:33.079 --> 00:01:43.679 And the crisis is that Haman, who is the villain in this entire book of Esther, is determined to execute Mordecai. 00:01:44.219 --> 00:01:49.159 And this plan has got literally hours to run. 00:01:49.420 --> 00:01:51.420 It's a much more immediate crisis. 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:56.900 So open up your Bibles, Esther 5, running into 6. 00:01:56.900 --> 00:02:02.320 And also, if you've got the Sir Paul's app, there's an outline for today's message, 00:02:02.500 --> 00:02:07.500 which that's the trajectory we're heading on through the course of this morning. 00:02:09.240 --> 00:02:18.780 Haman would have to be one of the most vivid and, I think, sustained case studies in the Bible 00:02:18.780 --> 00:02:23.740 about what the Bible talks about in terms of pride. 00:02:23.740 --> 00:02:31.560 And what happens when pride rages unchecked in the human heart? 00:02:32.659 --> 00:02:37.620 Haman was the highest position in the king's administration. 00:02:38.620 --> 00:02:46.560 But the odd thing with this is that Xerxes, the ruler of this empire, 00:02:47.260 --> 00:02:51.219 must, in fact, command people to kneel and to honour Haman. 00:02:51.219 --> 00:02:58.039 What is unusual about that is that this is a hierarchical traditional society 00:02:58.039 --> 00:03:02.360 where bowing and honouring is instinctive. 00:03:04.280 --> 00:03:12.319 But Xerxes has to command people to bow and honour Haman. 00:03:13.460 --> 00:03:18.759 And so we get an indication that Haman must have been a particularly obnoxious individual. 00:03:18.759 --> 00:03:22.379 And Mordecai would not honour him. 00:03:23.399 --> 00:03:29.759 And so in chapter 5, verse 9, Haman is leaving a dinner party that he's just had, 00:03:29.799 --> 00:03:32.659 a personal dinner party with Xerxes and Esther. 00:03:33.179 --> 00:03:36.019 And he is in very high spirits. 00:03:36.399 --> 00:03:39.759 Not because of the alcohol. 00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:54.239 Nevertheless, he was filled with rage against Mordecai. 00:03:54.979 --> 00:03:57.819 Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home. 00:03:58.079 --> 00:04:04.699 In other words, he went out of there in high spirits of his own importance. 00:04:04.699 --> 00:04:06.899 That was the point. 00:04:07.339 --> 00:04:13.179 And Mordecai was the pin that popped the balloon for him. 00:04:14.799 --> 00:04:18.139 He was intoxicated by his self-importance. 00:04:18.480 --> 00:04:21.519 Verse 10, here comes the true Haman, 00:04:21.860 --> 00:04:26.120 calling together his friends and Jerez, his wife Haman, 00:04:26.120 --> 00:04:30.980 both of them about his vast wealth, his many sons, 00:04:31.800 --> 00:04:34.300 and all the ways the king had honoured him 00:04:34.300 --> 00:04:39.800 and how he had elevated him above all the other nobles and officials. 00:04:41.079 --> 00:04:42.780 And then he says, that's not all. 00:04:43.819 --> 00:04:48.060 I'm the only person the Queen Esther invited to accompany the king 00:04:48.060 --> 00:04:50.060 to the banquet she gave. 00:04:50.060 --> 00:04:53.180 And she has invited me along with the king tomorrow. 00:04:53.959 --> 00:04:57.379 But all this gives me no satisfaction 00:04:57.379 --> 00:05:02.660 as long as I see that Jew Mordecai sitting at the king's gate. 00:05:04.379 --> 00:05:11.439 What we have here is a man whose fragile ego is being poked. 00:05:11.899 --> 00:05:16.120 And his whole sense of who he is 00:05:16.120 --> 00:05:18.779 has got to do with his ego. 00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:24.240 When his ego was fed, as it was moments earlier 00:05:24.240 --> 00:05:26.420 in the presence of Xerxes and Esther, 00:05:26.699 --> 00:05:29.339 he was feeling great on top of the world. 00:05:29.439 --> 00:05:31.959 But when it was dented, when he saw Mordecai, 00:05:32.340 --> 00:05:34.500 he is filled with anger and malice. 00:05:37.079 --> 00:05:38.980 The Oxford professor, C.S. Lewis, 00:05:39.660 --> 00:05:43.399 has a great definition of pride in his book, Christian Behaviour. 00:05:43.399 --> 00:05:44.139 He wrote, 00:05:44.139 --> 00:05:59.259 In other words, what he's saying is that your whole world 00:05:59.259 --> 00:06:06.939 is so desperately working to concentrate everything on me. 00:06:06.939 --> 00:06:11.879 You don't get into relationships. 00:06:13.180 --> 00:06:14.660 You don't take up a role. 00:06:15.379 --> 00:06:20.000 You don't do anything unless it affirms your perception 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:21.040 that you have of yourself. 00:06:22.819 --> 00:06:24.720 Nothing is about the thing that you're doing 00:06:24.720 --> 00:06:26.759 or the people you do it with. 00:06:26.899 --> 00:06:29.399 Everything is ultimately about you. 00:06:29.399 --> 00:06:35.859 And in that sense, pride is essentially competitive. 00:06:38.159 --> 00:06:42.399 Lewis wrote that pride gets no pleasure out of getting something, 00:06:43.699 --> 00:06:48.939 but only in having more of it than the next person. 00:06:48.939 --> 00:06:59.100 Pride turns everything into a means to an end. 00:07:00.100 --> 00:07:02.199 You never do anything for its own sake. 00:07:02.819 --> 00:07:06.360 It is a means to an end of getting respect, approval, 00:07:06.600 --> 00:07:10.600 affirming who I perceive myself to be. 00:07:11.639 --> 00:07:15.060 And so Haman here gets no satisfaction from his many accomplishments. 00:07:15.060 --> 00:07:19.899 He only has satisfaction in those things 00:07:19.899 --> 00:07:22.240 if it gives him what he really desires. 00:07:22.860 --> 00:07:27.420 And what he really, really desires is really not a wife, 00:07:27.579 --> 00:07:32.600 not his sons, it's not even his vast wealth. 00:07:33.079 --> 00:07:37.620 What he really desires is the respect and the approval of others, 00:07:38.180 --> 00:07:42.600 and Mordecai is not giving him what he thinks he deserves. 00:07:45.060 --> 00:07:50.319 When you understand pride, 00:07:50.480 --> 00:07:54.720 I mean, we can see people that we would regard as proudful. 00:07:55.019 --> 00:07:56.819 There's two, really, two forms of pride. 00:07:57.240 --> 00:07:58.920 One is obvious, one's not so obvious. 00:07:59.079 --> 00:08:00.939 There's a superiority form of pride, 00:08:01.560 --> 00:08:06.579 and that's fairly obvious amongst, you know, in the media, 00:08:07.139 --> 00:08:10.319 certain leaders of countries and things like that, 00:08:10.379 --> 00:08:12.639 we would say, very proud individual. 00:08:12.639 --> 00:08:18.120 Like the very first president of Tunisia in his public assembly 00:08:18.120 --> 00:08:23.099 has said that gifts of leadership that he has 00:08:23.099 --> 00:08:27.579 is virtually non-existent in the world. 00:08:29.219 --> 00:08:30.360 That's a proud moment. 00:08:30.439 --> 00:08:31.919 That's a superiority form of pride, 00:08:32.100 --> 00:08:33.159 and it's pretty obvious, right? 00:08:33.620 --> 00:08:36.639 But there's also an inferiority form of pride 00:08:36.639 --> 00:08:37.700 that is not so obvious. 00:08:37.700 --> 00:08:42.340 This is where a person is constantly negative about themselves. 00:08:42.759 --> 00:08:44.000 They are very self-conscious. 00:08:44.460 --> 00:08:46.280 They are always beating themselves up. 00:08:47.580 --> 00:08:51.240 Inferiority pride is when someone affirms you for something 00:08:51.240 --> 00:08:52.280 and you deflect it. 00:08:54.259 --> 00:08:55.840 You immediately talk about, 00:08:55.960 --> 00:08:57.180 yeah, I could have done it better here 00:08:57.180 --> 00:08:58.280 and I could have done it better there. 00:08:58.279 --> 00:09:04.759 Inferiority pride is doing exact same comparisons 00:09:04.759 --> 00:09:07.620 as the superiority pride, 00:09:08.120 --> 00:09:12.319 but you're just not scoring yourself as well on the assessments. 00:09:15.159 --> 00:09:20.019 And that's where I think Lewis was absolutely right 00:09:20.019 --> 00:09:24.899 when he said humility is not thinking less of yourself. 00:09:24.899 --> 00:09:28.340 It is thinking of yourself less. 00:09:31.559 --> 00:09:33.539 Humility is not self-loathing. 00:09:35.879 --> 00:09:38.360 You see, Lewis went on to write that 00:09:38.360 --> 00:09:41.279 if we met a humble person, 00:09:41.579 --> 00:09:44.319 we would not come away thinking 00:09:44.319 --> 00:09:45.899 that they were a humble person. 00:09:47.840 --> 00:09:49.819 We would just come away thinking 00:09:49.819 --> 00:09:53.279 that they were just incredibly humble, 00:09:53.279 --> 00:09:56.620 so incredibly happy that they were stable, 00:09:57.019 --> 00:09:59.240 that they were not anxious by my presence. 00:09:59.579 --> 00:10:02.019 They were interested in me. 00:10:06.339 --> 00:10:10.480 A humble person is not thinking about themselves 00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:13.039 and how you are treating them 00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:15.559 or how you are scoring them. 00:10:16.839 --> 00:10:18.100 For a humble person, 00:10:18.360 --> 00:10:21.179 there's no ego calculation there. 00:10:21.179 --> 00:10:26.019 But it's more than that. 00:10:27.959 --> 00:10:30.699 Pride ultimately is deadly. 00:10:32.539 --> 00:10:34.659 Haman's monologue of his greatness 00:10:34.659 --> 00:10:36.620 is kind of embarrassing and awkward. 00:10:39.179 --> 00:10:41.339 But it's more than just embarrassing. 00:10:41.439 --> 00:10:44.179 Pride is more than just embarrassing and awkward. 00:10:44.959 --> 00:10:46.639 It is so much worse than that. 00:10:46.639 --> 00:10:52.439 Haman wasn't just satisfied with killing Mordecai 00:10:52.439 --> 00:10:55.100 and therefore forcing Mordecai 00:10:55.100 --> 00:10:57.439 to do the very thing that he desired of him 00:10:57.439 --> 00:10:58.500 and that was to bow. 00:10:58.740 --> 00:10:59.659 He was not going to... 00:10:59.659 --> 00:11:01.340 He's going to force Mordecai down. 00:11:02.379 --> 00:11:05.939 He wanted to make every Jew in the empire 00:11:05.939 --> 00:11:07.779 bow down to him as well 00:11:07.779 --> 00:11:09.779 by ultimately annihilating them. 00:11:09.779 --> 00:11:13.740 That is, pride is deadly. 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:15.419 It leads to devastation. 00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:18.000 It leads to ultimate destruction. 00:11:19.860 --> 00:11:20.819 Christian theology, 00:11:21.059 --> 00:11:23.279 ever since the days of St. Augustine, 00:11:23.699 --> 00:11:25.559 has acknowledged that pride 00:11:25.559 --> 00:11:31.179 is not just one of the sins of humanity, 00:11:31.179 --> 00:11:33.399 but it's the very foundation 00:11:33.399 --> 00:11:35.739 of all sins of humanity. 00:11:37.259 --> 00:11:38.479 C.S. Lewis writes, 00:11:38.959 --> 00:11:41.639 Pride leads to every other vice. 00:11:42.299 --> 00:11:45.599 It is the complete anti-God state of mind. 00:11:46.339 --> 00:11:48.039 It is the essential vice, 00:11:48.199 --> 00:11:49.899 the utmost evil, 00:11:50.339 --> 00:11:53.799 unchastity, anger, greed, drunkenness, 00:11:53.979 --> 00:11:57.039 are mere flea bites in comparison. 00:11:58.319 --> 00:11:59.019 For instance, 00:11:59.019 --> 00:12:01.059 and Lewis unpacks this more, 00:12:01.279 --> 00:12:02.179 but for instance, 00:12:02.600 --> 00:12:04.740 some of us struggle 00:12:04.740 --> 00:12:07.079 with bitterness 00:12:07.079 --> 00:12:09.419 towards other people 00:12:09.419 --> 00:12:10.519 because they've hurt us 00:12:10.519 --> 00:12:12.740 in some kind of way in the past. 00:12:13.000 --> 00:12:14.899 They've put us down. 00:12:15.539 --> 00:12:17.679 They've made us bow in one level. 00:12:18.679 --> 00:12:19.779 They've made us feel low. 00:12:19.919 --> 00:12:21.220 They've treated us 00:12:21.220 --> 00:12:23.059 as if we are below them. 00:12:23.840 --> 00:12:24.879 Ironically though, 00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:28.279 the only way that you can stay bitter 00:12:28.279 --> 00:12:30.679 towards another person 00:12:30.679 --> 00:12:34.339 is because I feel superior to them. 00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:38.959 Even my bitterness is linked to pride. 00:12:39.679 --> 00:12:41.120 You can't stay bitter with someone 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:42.759 unless you feel superior to them. 00:12:43.779 --> 00:12:45.720 And you want them to be brought low. 00:12:46.980 --> 00:12:49.159 There is no bitterness without pride. 00:12:49.159 --> 00:12:52.100 Pride says, 00:12:52.319 --> 00:12:52.639 ultimately, 00:12:52.839 --> 00:12:52.959 well, 00:12:53.000 --> 00:12:55.240 I would never treat someone like that. 00:12:55.779 --> 00:12:56.779 And with that statement, 00:12:56.919 --> 00:12:59.000 you've elevated yourself above them. 00:13:01.139 --> 00:13:03.519 Pride is the driving force 00:13:03.519 --> 00:13:05.779 of a life distorted by anger. 00:13:07.179 --> 00:13:09.699 Pride also leads to being indecisive. 00:13:09.700 --> 00:13:14.440 It makes us either too abrasive 00:13:14.440 --> 00:13:17.300 or it makes us too shy. 00:13:18.780 --> 00:13:21.740 Pride is the fuel behind racism 00:13:21.740 --> 00:13:23.340 and social injustice 00:13:23.340 --> 00:13:25.800 and classism and imperialism. 00:13:26.520 --> 00:13:28.379 Pride makes us foolish 00:13:28.379 --> 00:13:31.140 by keeping us from learning 00:13:31.140 --> 00:13:32.379 from our mistakes. 00:13:32.620 --> 00:13:35.900 It diverts us to self-justification 00:13:35.899 --> 00:13:38.199 and blame shifting consistently. 00:13:38.819 --> 00:13:40.699 When relationships are going bad 00:13:40.699 --> 00:13:42.720 or the job's not working out, 00:13:43.000 --> 00:13:45.840 it is always someone else's fault. 00:13:46.159 --> 00:13:47.860 It's a problem of circumstances. 00:13:48.500 --> 00:13:50.000 It's something else's fault. 00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:56.720 Humble people aren't always, 00:13:56.799 --> 00:13:57.879 in any sense, 00:13:58.659 --> 00:14:00.759 standing on their own dignity. 00:14:01.539 --> 00:14:03.639 Humble people are learning. 00:14:04.460 --> 00:14:05.840 When something goes wrong, 00:14:06.039 --> 00:14:08.080 they look for what they've done 00:14:08.080 --> 00:14:09.580 in terms of the contribution, 00:14:09.899 --> 00:14:11.919 even if it's not mainly their fault. 00:14:14.539 --> 00:14:17.059 And if they find the part that they own, 00:14:17.879 --> 00:14:19.159 they learn from it and grow. 00:14:20.740 --> 00:14:24.179 You see, proud people don't just not learn 00:14:24.179 --> 00:14:26.460 from mistakes in general, 00:14:26.820 --> 00:14:29.700 but they don't learn from criticism in particular. 00:14:31.279 --> 00:14:32.840 One of the ways to grow 00:14:32.840 --> 00:14:34.799 is to take criticism. 00:14:35.860 --> 00:14:38.159 The superiority type of person, 00:14:38.299 --> 00:14:40.279 of pride, dismisses criticism. 00:14:40.820 --> 00:14:43.299 The inferiority form of pride person 00:14:43.299 --> 00:14:45.779 means that you are so melted down 00:14:45.779 --> 00:14:46.639 by criticism 00:14:46.639 --> 00:14:48.120 that people are in fact 00:14:48.120 --> 00:14:49.419 too scared to give you any. 00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:51.600 Because of the mess, 00:14:51.659 --> 00:14:52.500 they've got to clean up. 00:14:54.679 --> 00:14:56.419 But what is particularly difficult 00:14:56.419 --> 00:14:57.259 about pride 00:14:57.259 --> 00:14:59.659 is that it hides itself. 00:15:01.840 --> 00:15:04.480 Pride is the carbon monoxide of sin. 00:15:05.179 --> 00:15:05.919 It's killing you, 00:15:05.940 --> 00:15:06.679 you don't know it. 00:15:06.679 --> 00:15:11.099 The prouder a person is, 00:15:11.439 --> 00:15:15.059 the less proud they think they are. 00:15:18.419 --> 00:15:20.219 Because the more they will see it 00:15:20.219 --> 00:15:21.139 in other people. 00:15:22.279 --> 00:15:23.359 That's the irony. 00:15:24.939 --> 00:15:25.799 Lewis writes, 00:15:25.799 --> 00:15:27.839 I pointed out a moment ago 00:15:27.839 --> 00:15:30.120 that the more pride one had, 00:15:30.359 --> 00:15:33.419 the more one disliked pride in others. 00:15:34.659 --> 00:15:35.219 In fact, 00:15:35.439 --> 00:15:36.879 if you want to find out 00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:38.379 how proud you are, 00:15:38.859 --> 00:15:40.259 the easiest way 00:15:40.259 --> 00:15:41.819 is to ask yourself, 00:15:42.599 --> 00:15:44.339 how much do I dislike it 00:15:44.339 --> 00:15:45.879 when other people snub me 00:15:45.879 --> 00:15:49.139 or refuse to take any notice of me 00:15:49.139 --> 00:15:51.000 or patronise me 00:15:51.000 --> 00:15:52.259 or show off? 00:15:54.980 --> 00:15:57.319 He's making a very significant point there. 00:15:58.100 --> 00:15:58.600 Traditionally, 00:15:58.779 --> 00:15:59.819 in Australian culture, 00:15:59.939 --> 00:16:02.179 we have a disdain. 00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:03.580 It's called tall poppy syndrome, 00:16:03.740 --> 00:16:05.100 but we have a disdain 00:16:05.100 --> 00:16:07.279 for what we call snobs. 00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:09.339 A snob 00:16:09.339 --> 00:16:10.559 is a slang term 00:16:10.559 --> 00:16:11.259 for someone 00:16:11.259 --> 00:16:12.279 who believes 00:16:12.279 --> 00:16:13.480 that they are superior to others 00:16:13.480 --> 00:16:16.079 due to their social class 00:16:16.079 --> 00:16:17.379 or their education 00:16:17.379 --> 00:16:19.360 or their taste 00:16:19.360 --> 00:16:21.740 in fashion or food 00:16:21.740 --> 00:16:24.339 and it often leads them 00:16:24.339 --> 00:16:27.039 to be condescending of others, 00:16:27.500 --> 00:16:28.740 disdainful of others. 00:16:29.240 --> 00:16:31.519 So we don't like snobs 00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:32.620 in Australian culture. 00:16:33.019 --> 00:16:33.659 Ironically, 00:16:33.980 --> 00:16:35.419 it is only possible 00:16:35.419 --> 00:16:37.240 to disdain a snob 00:16:37.240 --> 00:16:38.899 if you feel superior to them. 00:16:41.139 --> 00:16:41.799 That is, 00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:43.759 disdaining snobbery 00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:46.460 is snobbery. 00:16:49.279 --> 00:16:50.740 That's the irony of pride. 00:16:53.139 --> 00:16:54.080 See the problem? 00:16:55.700 --> 00:16:57.100 We can't see it. 00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:02.080 Takes a certain amount of pride, 00:17:02.200 --> 00:17:02.680 in fact, 00:17:03.159 --> 00:17:04.920 to come even to this point 00:17:04.920 --> 00:17:05.980 in this message 00:17:05.980 --> 00:17:07.440 and to be mostly 00:17:07.440 --> 00:17:08.620 think about someone else. 00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:12.640 I wish they were here 00:17:12.640 --> 00:17:13.559 with me right now 00:17:13.559 --> 00:17:15.599 listening to this. 00:17:19.019 --> 00:17:20.240 But this leads me 00:17:20.240 --> 00:17:22.039 to one more deadliness 00:17:22.039 --> 00:17:23.400 associated with pride. 00:17:23.400 --> 00:17:26.040 that there is no pride 00:17:26.040 --> 00:17:27.040 like religious pride. 00:17:28.860 --> 00:17:30.100 This brings it a bit home 00:17:30.100 --> 00:17:30.620 for us. 00:17:32.320 --> 00:17:33.519 Being religious 00:17:33.519 --> 00:17:37.340 can stifle 00:17:37.340 --> 00:17:39.100 a certain amount of, 00:17:39.560 --> 00:17:41.920 or externally constrain 00:17:41.920 --> 00:17:43.420 a certain amount 00:17:43.420 --> 00:17:46.040 of sins 00:17:46.040 --> 00:17:47.040 to a degree. 00:17:47.039 --> 00:17:48.460 You know, 00:17:48.500 --> 00:17:49.980 it can stifle greed 00:17:49.980 --> 00:17:50.819 to a degree. 00:17:51.599 --> 00:17:52.700 It can stifle 00:17:52.700 --> 00:17:53.200 lust 00:17:53.200 --> 00:17:53.940 to a degree. 00:17:54.619 --> 00:17:55.339 And a whole lot 00:17:55.339 --> 00:17:56.180 of other sins 00:17:56.180 --> 00:17:57.039 to a degree. 00:17:58.200 --> 00:17:59.960 If we work hard 00:17:59.960 --> 00:18:01.000 to live 00:18:01.000 --> 00:18:02.059 by a certain set 00:18:02.059 --> 00:18:03.139 of moral standards 00:18:03.139 --> 00:18:04.519 with the hope 00:18:04.519 --> 00:18:06.259 of life going well now 00:18:06.259 --> 00:18:07.159 or approval 00:18:07.159 --> 00:18:08.200 in the future, 00:18:09.319 --> 00:18:10.619 then we will 00:18:10.619 --> 00:18:12.159 constrain ourselves 00:18:12.159 --> 00:18:14.099 to certain constraints, 00:18:14.099 --> 00:18:15.679 be strifled 00:18:15.679 --> 00:18:17.179 as we pursue 00:18:17.179 --> 00:18:18.079 those things. 00:18:19.919 --> 00:18:21.079 That's the definition 00:18:21.079 --> 00:18:21.719 of religion. 00:18:24.019 --> 00:18:25.480 But religion 00:18:25.480 --> 00:18:27.319 fuels, 00:18:27.500 --> 00:18:28.119 it throws 00:18:28.119 --> 00:18:28.859 petrol 00:18:28.859 --> 00:18:30.039 on the fire 00:18:30.039 --> 00:18:30.759 of pride. 00:18:32.639 --> 00:18:33.519 Jonathan Edwards, 00:18:33.639 --> 00:18:35.139 an American theologian 00:18:35.139 --> 00:18:36.419 in the 1700s, 00:18:38.819 --> 00:18:39.459 he's got a, 00:18:39.659 --> 00:18:40.419 he wrote a book, 00:18:40.539 --> 00:18:41.399 a series of lectures 00:18:41.399 --> 00:18:42.619 really on humility. 00:18:42.619 --> 00:18:44.259 It's called 00:18:44.259 --> 00:18:45.759 Charity in Its 00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:46.279 Fruits. 00:18:47.279 --> 00:18:48.739 And he says 00:18:48.739 --> 00:18:49.579 this, 00:18:50.139 --> 00:18:51.079 to know that 00:18:51.079 --> 00:18:51.739 there is 00:18:51.739 --> 00:18:52.719 an infinitely 00:18:52.719 --> 00:18:54.099 great God 00:18:54.099 --> 00:18:55.079 of justice 00:18:55.079 --> 00:18:57.259 does not 00:18:57.259 --> 00:18:58.479 create humility 00:18:58.479 --> 00:19:01.079 in itself. 00:19:03.159 --> 00:19:04.339 Because either 00:19:04.339 --> 00:19:05.019 you will try 00:19:05.019 --> 00:19:06.019 to live up 00:19:06.019 --> 00:19:07.219 to this God's 00:19:07.219 --> 00:19:08.000 standard 00:19:08.000 --> 00:19:08.959 and become 00:19:08.959 --> 00:19:10.199 self-righteous 00:19:10.200 --> 00:19:11.819 as you 00:19:11.819 --> 00:19:12.660 achieve it 00:19:12.660 --> 00:19:13.779 or 00:19:13.779 --> 00:19:14.980 you'll feel 00:19:14.980 --> 00:19:15.480 like you 00:19:15.480 --> 00:19:16.279 can't live 00:19:16.279 --> 00:19:16.819 up to that 00:19:16.819 --> 00:19:17.319 standard 00:19:17.319 --> 00:19:18.600 and you'll 00:19:18.600 --> 00:19:19.240 just feel 00:19:19.240 --> 00:19:20.299 like a failure. 00:19:21.400 --> 00:19:22.220 And either 00:19:22.220 --> 00:19:22.759 way, 00:19:22.940 --> 00:19:23.940 you're focusing 00:19:23.940 --> 00:19:25.100 on yourself. 00:19:26.940 --> 00:19:27.380 Religion 00:19:27.380 --> 00:19:27.960 will either 00:19:27.960 --> 00:19:28.759 make you feel 00:19:28.759 --> 00:19:29.420 more 00:19:29.420 --> 00:19:30.720 self-consciously 00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:31.420 a failure 00:19:31.420 --> 00:19:32.799 or 00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:33.279 it will 00:19:33.279 --> 00:19:33.840 make you 00:19:33.840 --> 00:19:34.279 feel 00:19:34.279 --> 00:19:35.440 much more 00:19:35.440 --> 00:19:36.019 superior 00:19:36.019 --> 00:19:37.420 to everyone 00:19:37.420 --> 00:19:37.980 else. 00:19:38.940 --> 00:19:39.460 And either 00:19:39.460 --> 00:19:39.920 way, 00:19:40.920 --> 00:19:41.480 you're still 00:19:41.480 --> 00:19:41.800 at the 00:19:41.800 --> 00:19:42.060 centre. 00:19:44.600 --> 00:19:45.519 So what 00:19:45.519 --> 00:19:45.980 happens? 00:19:46.759 --> 00:19:47.279 Where's the 00:19:47.279 --> 00:19:47.800 cure for 00:19:47.800 --> 00:19:48.279 pride? 00:19:49.600 --> 00:19:50.460 Chapter 6, 00:19:51.220 --> 00:19:51.700 right at the 00:19:51.700 --> 00:19:52.120 beginning, 00:19:54.500 --> 00:19:55.220 Haman is 00:19:55.220 --> 00:19:56.440 arriving to 00:19:56.440 --> 00:19:57.140 see Xerxes. 00:19:58.560 --> 00:19:59.580 He's there 00:19:59.580 --> 00:20:00.420 to ask 00:20:00.420 --> 00:20:01.519 Xerxes to 00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:02.360 kill Mordecai 00:20:02.360 --> 00:20:02.840 in a pole 00:20:02.840 --> 00:20:03.400 that he's been 00:20:03.400 --> 00:20:03.920 building with 00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:04.320 his mates 00:20:04.320 --> 00:20:04.820 all night, 00:20:05.240 --> 00:20:06.320 75 foot high. 00:20:06.319 --> 00:20:07.639 Haman, 00:20:07.960 --> 00:20:08.519 he's not 00:20:08.519 --> 00:20:09.519 just satisfied, 00:20:09.720 --> 00:20:10.059 he wants 00:20:10.059 --> 00:20:10.419 to make 00:20:10.419 --> 00:20:10.980 a public 00:20:10.980 --> 00:20:12.480 spectacle 00:20:12.480 --> 00:20:14.559 of Mordecai. 00:20:15.460 --> 00:20:15.819 He doesn't 00:20:15.819 --> 00:20:16.279 send his 00:20:16.279 --> 00:20:16.819 assassins 00:20:16.819 --> 00:20:17.039 in the 00:20:17.039 --> 00:20:17.299 middle of 00:20:17.299 --> 00:20:17.519 the night, 00:20:17.619 --> 00:20:17.939 he wants 00:20:17.939 --> 00:20:18.139 to, 00:20:18.519 --> 00:20:18.839 this is 00:20:18.839 --> 00:20:20.379 the man 00:20:20.379 --> 00:20:20.740 who has 00:20:20.740 --> 00:20:21.740 made me, 00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:22.279 the public 00:20:22.279 --> 00:20:23.240 figure Haman, 00:20:23.419 --> 00:20:24.000 feel low 00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:24.460 and I'm 00:20:24.460 --> 00:20:24.879 going to 00:20:24.879 --> 00:20:25.500 show to 00:20:25.500 --> 00:20:26.019 everyone 00:20:26.019 --> 00:20:26.740 what I 00:20:26.740 --> 00:20:26.980 do to 00:20:26.980 --> 00:20:27.539 the person 00:20:27.539 --> 00:20:28.639 who makes 00:20:28.639 --> 00:20:29.099 me feel 00:20:29.099 --> 00:20:29.439 low. 00:20:30.059 --> 00:20:30.439 So he's 00:20:30.439 --> 00:20:31.000 spent the 00:20:31.000 --> 00:20:31.639 night working 00:20:31.639 --> 00:20:32.000 on his 00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:32.379 pole, 00:20:32.500 --> 00:20:32.799 he's now 00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:33.240 coming to 00:20:33.240 --> 00:20:33.579 King, 00:20:33.679 --> 00:20:34.200 asking for 00:20:34.200 --> 00:20:34.579 special 00:20:34.579 --> 00:20:35.059 permission 00:20:35.059 --> 00:20:36.159 to kill 00:20:36.159 --> 00:20:37.139 Mordecai 00:20:37.139 --> 00:20:37.440 and hang 00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:37.859 him on it. 00:20:37.940 --> 00:20:38.339 While he's 00:20:38.339 --> 00:20:38.700 there, 00:20:39.099 --> 00:20:39.519 while this 00:20:39.519 --> 00:20:39.799 is all 00:20:39.799 --> 00:20:40.299 going on, 00:20:40.339 --> 00:20:40.579 while the 00:20:40.579 --> 00:20:40.940 pole's 00:20:40.940 --> 00:20:41.679 being built, 00:20:42.279 --> 00:20:42.619 Xerxes 00:20:42.619 --> 00:20:43.500 can't sleep. 00:20:43.779 --> 00:20:44.220 Maybe it's 00:20:44.220 --> 00:20:44.740 the construction 00:20:44.740 --> 00:20:45.059 noise, 00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:45.339 we don't 00:20:45.339 --> 00:20:45.500 know, 00:20:45.799 --> 00:20:46.460 but Xerxes 00:20:46.460 --> 00:20:47.220 can't sleep. 00:20:47.899 --> 00:20:48.079 Now, 00:20:49.039 --> 00:20:50.240 here we see 00:20:50.240 --> 00:20:51.119 another one 00:20:51.119 --> 00:20:51.500 of those 00:20:51.500 --> 00:20:52.059 so-called 00:20:52.059 --> 00:20:53.039 coincidences 00:20:53.039 --> 00:20:54.879 that is God 00:20:54.879 --> 00:20:55.899 working silently 00:20:55.899 --> 00:20:56.740 and sovereignly 00:20:56.740 --> 00:20:57.899 through all 00:20:57.899 --> 00:20:58.279 of this 00:20:58.279 --> 00:20:58.779 narrative. 00:20:59.500 --> 00:20:59.700 And so 00:20:59.700 --> 00:21:00.440 here it is, 00:21:01.240 --> 00:21:01.740 Xerxes 00:21:01.740 --> 00:21:03.200 can't 00:21:03.200 --> 00:21:04.000 sleep. 00:21:07.900 --> 00:21:08.500 Xerxes 00:21:08.500 --> 00:21:09.200 has a 00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:09.620 harem 00:21:09.620 --> 00:21:10.740 of the 00:21:10.740 --> 00:21:10.980 most 00:21:10.980 --> 00:21:11.559 beautiful 00:21:11.559 --> 00:21:12.000 women 00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:12.579 of the 00:21:12.579 --> 00:21:13.200 empire, 00:21:14.380 --> 00:21:14.539 the 00:21:14.539 --> 00:21:15.120 choicest 00:21:15.120 --> 00:21:15.759 food 00:21:15.759 --> 00:21:17.039 and wine, 00:21:18.400 --> 00:21:19.500 dances, 00:21:20.160 --> 00:21:20.579 endless 00:21:20.579 --> 00:21:21.740 options 00:21:21.740 --> 00:21:22.019 for 00:21:22.019 --> 00:21:22.799 entertainment, 00:21:24.240 --> 00:21:25.059 and in 00:21:25.059 --> 00:21:26.140 his inability 00:21:26.140 --> 00:21:27.120 to sleep 00:21:27.120 --> 00:21:27.720 and his 00:21:27.720 --> 00:21:28.460 restlessness, 00:21:29.559 --> 00:21:30.339 he says 00:21:30.339 --> 00:21:30.759 to his 00:21:30.759 --> 00:21:31.599 attendants, 00:21:32.119 --> 00:21:32.720 go and 00:21:32.720 --> 00:21:33.259 get what 00:21:33.259 --> 00:21:33.879 is equivalent 00:21:33.879 --> 00:21:34.279 to the 00:21:34.279 --> 00:21:35.000 parish council 00:21:35.000 --> 00:21:36.379 minutes and 00:21:36.379 --> 00:21:36.959 read them 00:21:36.959 --> 00:21:37.480 to me. 00:21:40.299 --> 00:21:40.819 I mean, 00:21:40.959 --> 00:21:41.579 he really 00:21:41.579 --> 00:21:42.220 did want 00:21:42.220 --> 00:21:42.699 to sleep, 00:21:42.779 --> 00:21:43.179 didn't he? 00:21:46.699 --> 00:21:47.679 And what 00:21:47.679 --> 00:21:48.339 is read 00:21:48.339 --> 00:21:49.339 out here 00:21:49.339 --> 00:21:51.579 is the 00:21:51.579 --> 00:21:52.599 record of 00:21:52.599 --> 00:21:53.339 Mordecai 00:21:53.339 --> 00:21:54.459 saving his 00:21:54.459 --> 00:21:55.019 life from 00:21:55.019 --> 00:21:55.659 assassination 00:21:55.659 --> 00:21:57.439 and now 00:21:57.439 --> 00:21:58.199 he really 00:21:58.199 --> 00:21:59.099 can't sleep 00:21:59.099 --> 00:22:00.119 because 00:22:00.119 --> 00:22:00.719 there is 00:22:00.719 --> 00:22:01.719 no record 00:22:01.719 --> 00:22:02.839 of Mordecai 00:22:02.839 --> 00:22:03.639 being rewarded 00:22:03.639 --> 00:22:04.240 for that 00:22:04.240 --> 00:22:05.299 and in 00:22:05.299 --> 00:22:06.199 that moment 00:22:06.199 --> 00:22:07.099 Xerxes 00:22:07.099 --> 00:22:08.219 knows we 00:22:08.219 --> 00:22:08.799 have a 00:22:08.799 --> 00:22:09.339 cultural 00:22:09.339 --> 00:22:10.139 crisis, 00:22:11.139 --> 00:22:15.599 a cultural 00:22:15.599 --> 00:22:16.339 crisis. 00:22:18.539 --> 00:22:19.399 You see, 00:22:19.480 --> 00:22:20.000 this is not 00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:20.799 just a mere 00:22:20.799 --> 00:22:22.299 simple oversight 00:22:22.299 --> 00:22:23.139 that poor 00:22:23.139 --> 00:22:23.719 Mordecai 00:22:23.719 --> 00:22:24.139 wasn't 00:22:24.139 --> 00:22:24.579 thanked, 00:22:24.939 --> 00:22:25.119 so, 00:22:25.240 --> 00:22:25.519 you know, 00:22:25.639 --> 00:22:25.919 guys, 00:22:26.019 --> 00:22:26.259 send him 00:22:26.259 --> 00:22:26.599 an Uber 00:22:26.599 --> 00:22:26.819 Eats 00:22:26.819 --> 00:22:27.359 voucher. 00:22:27.359 --> 00:22:29.119 This is a 00:22:29.119 --> 00:22:29.539 cultural 00:22:29.539 --> 00:22:30.319 crisis. 00:22:30.859 --> 00:22:31.359 If word 00:22:31.359 --> 00:22:32.039 got out 00:22:32.039 --> 00:22:32.919 that Xerxes 00:22:32.919 --> 00:22:33.479 does not 00:22:33.479 --> 00:22:34.339 reward those 00:22:34.339 --> 00:22:34.740 who stick 00:22:34.740 --> 00:22:35.259 their neck 00:22:35.259 --> 00:22:36.139 out and 00:22:36.139 --> 00:22:36.699 report 00:22:36.699 --> 00:22:37.539 assassination 00:22:37.539 --> 00:22:38.479 attempts and 00:22:38.479 --> 00:22:39.179 other risks 00:22:39.179 --> 00:22:39.659 to his 00:22:39.659 --> 00:22:40.559 rule, 00:22:41.519 --> 00:22:42.139 who else 00:22:42.139 --> 00:22:42.479 is going 00:22:42.479 --> 00:22:42.779 to come 00:22:42.779 --> 00:22:43.279 forward with 00:22:43.279 --> 00:22:43.859 information? 00:22:45.779 --> 00:22:46.199 And so he 00:22:46.199 --> 00:22:46.639 needs some 00:22:46.639 --> 00:22:47.359 suggestions of 00:22:47.359 --> 00:22:47.679 what do we 00:22:47.679 --> 00:22:47.899 do? 00:22:48.059 --> 00:22:48.319 You know, 00:22:48.439 --> 00:22:48.899 Uber Eats 00:22:48.899 --> 00:22:49.439 wasn't around 00:22:49.439 --> 00:22:49.839 those days, 00:22:49.879 --> 00:22:50.159 so what do 00:22:50.159 --> 00:22:50.559 we do? 00:22:51.240 --> 00:22:52.759 And who's 00:22:52.759 --> 00:22:53.419 in the court? 00:22:53.420 --> 00:22:53.940 And it 00:22:53.940 --> 00:22:54.259 just so 00:22:54.259 --> 00:22:54.779 happens that 00:22:54.779 --> 00:22:55.200 Haman's 00:22:55.200 --> 00:22:56.100 there in 00:22:56.100 --> 00:22:56.420 the middle 00:22:56.420 --> 00:22:56.680 of the 00:22:56.680 --> 00:22:56.980 night, 00:22:57.500 --> 00:22:58.120 early hours 00:22:58.120 --> 00:22:58.320 of the 00:22:58.320 --> 00:22:58.660 morning. 00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:00.120 What should 00:23:00.120 --> 00:23:00.740 be done 00:23:00.740 --> 00:23:01.440 for the 00:23:01.440 --> 00:23:02.600 man the 00:23:02.600 --> 00:23:03.340 king delights 00:23:03.340 --> 00:23:03.759 to honour? 00:23:04.800 --> 00:23:05.400 And so this 00:23:05.400 --> 00:23:05.920 is Haman 00:23:05.920 --> 00:23:06.800 desperately 00:23:06.800 --> 00:23:07.560 needing 00:23:07.560 --> 00:23:08.140 respect, 00:23:08.660 --> 00:23:09.160 desperately 00:23:09.160 --> 00:23:09.640 needing 00:23:09.640 --> 00:23:10.200 approval, 00:23:10.820 --> 00:23:11.320 desperately 00:23:11.320 --> 00:23:12.080 wanting 00:23:12.080 --> 00:23:13.060 honour 00:23:13.060 --> 00:23:14.440 and glory 00:23:14.440 --> 00:23:15.720 driven by 00:23:15.720 --> 00:23:16.460 his heart 00:23:16.460 --> 00:23:17.279 of pride 00:23:17.279 --> 00:23:18.560 is thinking 00:23:18.560 --> 00:23:19.539 as you 00:23:19.539 --> 00:23:20.279 do as 00:23:20.279 --> 00:23:21.319 a proud 00:23:21.319 --> 00:23:22.039 person. 00:23:22.619 --> 00:23:23.119 Who else 00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:23.599 could he 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:24.399 be possibly 00:23:24.399 --> 00:23:25.259 talking about 00:23:25.259 --> 00:23:25.899 than me? 00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:28.680 Verse 7, 00:23:30.359 --> 00:23:30.940 this is his 00:23:30.940 --> 00:23:31.220 response. 00:23:31.399 --> 00:23:31.500 For the 00:23:31.500 --> 00:23:31.940 man the 00:23:31.940 --> 00:23:32.539 king delights 00:23:32.539 --> 00:23:33.000 to honour, 00:23:34.399 --> 00:23:34.740 have them 00:23:34.740 --> 00:23:35.099 bring a 00:23:35.099 --> 00:23:35.859 royal robe 00:23:35.859 --> 00:23:36.279 the king 00:23:36.279 --> 00:23:36.839 has worn 00:23:36.839 --> 00:23:37.160 and a 00:23:37.160 --> 00:23:37.639 horse the 00:23:37.639 --> 00:23:38.000 king has 00:23:38.000 --> 00:23:38.339 ridden, 00:23:38.759 --> 00:23:39.299 one with 00:23:39.299 --> 00:23:39.660 a royal 00:23:39.660 --> 00:23:40.180 crest 00:23:40.180 --> 00:23:40.740 placed on 00:23:40.740 --> 00:23:41.200 its head. 00:23:41.420 --> 00:23:41.779 Now this 00:23:41.779 --> 00:23:42.259 is a bold 00:23:42.259 --> 00:23:43.339 move by 00:23:43.339 --> 00:23:43.720 Haman. 00:23:45.220 --> 00:23:45.680 What he 00:23:45.680 --> 00:23:46.339 is proposing 00:23:46.339 --> 00:23:47.059 for himself 00:23:47.059 --> 00:23:48.259 is nothing 00:23:48.259 --> 00:23:49.700 short of 00:23:49.700 --> 00:23:49.980 the 00:23:49.980 --> 00:23:50.559 honour 00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:51.160 that would 00:23:51.160 --> 00:23:51.720 be given 00:23:51.720 --> 00:23:52.259 to a 00:23:52.259 --> 00:23:52.799 conquering 00:23:52.799 --> 00:23:53.279 ruling 00:23:53.279 --> 00:23:53.819 king 00:23:53.819 --> 00:23:54.460 of an 00:23:54.460 --> 00:23:54.920 empire. 00:23:56.839 --> 00:23:57.140 A 00:23:57.140 --> 00:23:58.099 conquering 00:23:58.099 --> 00:23:58.940 conqueror's 00:23:58.940 --> 00:23:59.460 parade. 00:24:00.799 --> 00:24:01.180 Then let 00:24:01.180 --> 00:24:01.740 the robe 00:24:01.740 --> 00:24:02.059 and the 00:24:02.059 --> 00:24:02.480 horse be 00:24:02.480 --> 00:24:02.960 entrusted 00:24:02.960 --> 00:24:03.380 to one 00:24:03.380 --> 00:24:03.620 of the 00:24:03.620 --> 00:24:03.960 king's 00:24:03.960 --> 00:24:04.480 most 00:24:04.480 --> 00:24:04.960 noble 00:24:04.960 --> 00:24:05.440 princes. 00:24:06.880 --> 00:24:07.120 The 00:24:07.120 --> 00:24:07.559 greatest 00:24:07.559 --> 00:24:08.079 noble 00:24:08.079 --> 00:24:09.059 was to 00:24:09.059 --> 00:24:09.440 be put 00:24:09.440 --> 00:24:09.880 into 00:24:09.880 --> 00:24:10.200 the 00:24:10.200 --> 00:24:10.880 position 00:24:10.880 --> 00:24:12.079 of 00:24:12.079 --> 00:24:12.819 slave 00:24:12.819 --> 00:24:13.360 and to 00:24:13.360 --> 00:24:13.599 lead 00:24:13.599 --> 00:24:13.819 the 00:24:13.819 --> 00:24:14.319 horse, 00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:15.279 elevating 00:24:15.279 --> 00:24:15.759 the 00:24:15.759 --> 00:24:16.339 rider 00:24:16.339 --> 00:24:17.360 to the 00:24:17.360 --> 00:24:17.819 position 00:24:17.819 --> 00:24:18.420 of 00:24:18.420 --> 00:24:19.460 momentary 00:24:19.460 --> 00:24:20.380 king. 00:24:23.759 --> 00:24:24.319 Make 00:24:24.319 --> 00:24:24.480 the 00:24:24.480 --> 00:24:24.759 great 00:24:24.759 --> 00:24:25.000 one 00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:25.420 less 00:24:25.420 --> 00:24:25.819 and 00:24:25.819 --> 00:24:25.940 the 00:24:25.940 --> 00:24:26.120 lesser 00:24:26.120 --> 00:24:26.420 one 00:24:26.420 --> 00:24:26.940 great. 00:24:28.539 --> 00:24:29.100 Let 00:24:29.100 --> 00:24:29.819 them 00:24:29.819 --> 00:24:30.299 robe 00:24:30.299 --> 00:24:30.519 the 00:24:30.519 --> 00:24:30.940 man 00:24:30.940 --> 00:24:31.180 that 00:24:31.180 --> 00:24:31.759 the 00:24:31.759 --> 00:24:31.980 king 00:24:31.980 --> 00:24:32.440 delights 00:24:32.440 --> 00:24:32.640 to 00:24:32.640 --> 00:24:32.900 honour. 00:24:33.319 --> 00:24:33.680 In 00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:33.980 ancient 00:24:33.980 --> 00:24:34.420 times 00:24:34.420 --> 00:24:34.700 for the 00:24:34.700 --> 00:24:35.000 king 00:24:35.000 --> 00:24:35.700 to put 00:24:35.700 --> 00:24:36.039 the 00:24:36.039 --> 00:24:36.400 robe 00:24:36.400 --> 00:24:36.640 on 00:24:36.640 --> 00:24:37.240 someone 00:24:37.240 --> 00:24:37.880 is 00:24:37.880 --> 00:24:38.120 more 00:24:38.120 --> 00:24:38.279 than 00:24:38.279 --> 00:24:38.519 just 00:24:38.519 --> 00:24:38.779 giving 00:24:38.779 --> 00:24:38.960 them 00:24:38.960 --> 00:24:39.059 a 00:24:39.059 --> 00:24:39.220 high 00:24:39.220 --> 00:24:39.620 position 00:24:39.620 --> 00:24:39.880 or 00:24:39.880 --> 00:24:40.200 trying 00:24:40.200 --> 00:24:40.400 out 00:24:40.400 --> 00:24:40.539 his 00:24:40.539 --> 00:24:41.039 outfits. 00:24:42.039 --> 00:24:42.460 When 00:24:42.460 --> 00:24:42.819 Pharaoh 00:24:42.819 --> 00:24:43.200 puts 00:24:43.200 --> 00:24:43.460 his 00:24:43.460 --> 00:24:43.860 robe 00:24:43.860 --> 00:24:44.160 on 00:24:44.160 --> 00:24:44.579 Joseph 00:24:44.579 --> 00:24:45.439 in 00:24:45.439 --> 00:24:45.939 Genesis 00:24:45.939 --> 00:24:46.639 41 00:24:46.639 --> 00:24:47.159 it 00:24:47.159 --> 00:24:47.460 means 00:24:47.460 --> 00:24:48.059 Joseph 00:24:48.059 --> 00:24:48.720 is 00:24:48.720 --> 00:24:49.579 participating 00:24:49.579 --> 00:24:50.319 at that 00:24:50.319 --> 00:24:50.839 moment 00:24:50.839 --> 00:24:51.399 in 00:24:51.399 --> 00:24:51.579 the 00:24:51.579 --> 00:24:51.939 king's 00:24:51.939 --> 00:24:52.399 position. 00:24:53.460 --> 00:24:53.779 When 00:24:53.779 --> 00:24:54.240 Jonathan 00:24:54.240 --> 00:24:54.740 gives 00:24:54.740 --> 00:24:55.000 his 00:24:55.000 --> 00:24:55.439 kingly 00:24:55.439 --> 00:24:55.799 robe 00:24:55.799 --> 00:24:56.039 to 00:24:56.039 --> 00:24:56.480 David 00:24:56.480 --> 00:24:57.039 in 00:24:57.039 --> 00:24:57.319 1 00:24:57.319 --> 00:24:57.779 Samuel 00:24:57.779 --> 00:24:58.879 18 00:24:58.879 --> 00:24:59.740 it 00:24:59.740 --> 00:24:59.960 is 00:24:59.960 --> 00:25:00.679 Jonathan's 00:25:00.679 --> 00:25:00.939 way 00:25:00.939 --> 00:25:01.139 of 00:25:01.139 --> 00:25:01.619 saying 00:25:01.619 --> 00:25:02.000 even 00:25:02.000 --> 00:25:02.240 though 00:25:02.240 --> 00:25:02.579 he 00:25:02.579 --> 00:25:02.939 is 00:25:02.939 --> 00:25:03.159 the 00:25:03.159 --> 00:25:03.599 son 00:25:03.599 --> 00:25:03.819 of 00:25:03.819 --> 00:25:04.000 the 00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:04.399 king 00:25:04.399 --> 00:25:05.259 he's 00:25:05.259 --> 00:25:05.599 saying 00:25:05.599 --> 00:25:05.879 in 00:25:05.879 --> 00:25:06.079 that 00:25:06.079 --> 00:25:06.419 moment 00:25:06.419 --> 00:25:06.599 to 00:25:06.599 --> 00:25:06.899 David 00:25:06.899 --> 00:25:07.539 you 00:25:07.539 --> 00:25:08.259 are 00:25:08.259 --> 00:25:08.439 to 00:25:08.439 --> 00:25:08.639 be 00:25:08.639 --> 00:25:08.939 king. 00:25:10.939 --> 00:25:11.559 And 00:25:11.559 --> 00:25:11.740 so 00:25:11.740 --> 00:25:11.960 this 00:25:11.960 --> 00:25:12.119 is 00:25:12.119 --> 00:25:12.500 Haman's 00:25:12.500 --> 00:25:12.919 moment. 00:25:12.920 --> 00:25:14.580 If 00:25:14.580 --> 00:25:14.920 everyone 00:25:14.920 --> 00:25:15.440 saw 00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:15.680 that 00:25:15.680 --> 00:25:15.860 he 00:25:15.860 --> 00:25:16.060 is 00:25:16.060 --> 00:25:16.240 the 00:25:16.240 --> 00:25:16.700 one 00:25:16.700 --> 00:25:17.140 who 00:25:17.140 --> 00:25:17.320 is 00:25:17.320 --> 00:25:17.900 loved 00:25:17.900 --> 00:25:18.080 and 00:25:18.080 --> 00:25:18.680 approved 00:25:18.680 --> 00:25:19.080 of 00:25:19.080 --> 00:25:19.500 by 00:25:19.500 --> 00:25:19.980 someone 00:25:19.980 --> 00:25:20.240 as 00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:20.860 great 00:25:20.860 --> 00:25:21.320 the 00:25:21.320 --> 00:25:21.539 most 00:25:21.539 --> 00:25:22.060 powerful 00:25:22.060 --> 00:25:22.440 man 00:25:22.440 --> 00:25:22.560 in 00:25:22.560 --> 00:25:22.700 the 00:25:22.700 --> 00:25:22.920 world 00:25:22.920 --> 00:25:23.019 at 00:25:23.019 --> 00:25:23.180 that 00:25:23.180 --> 00:25:23.560 time 00:25:23.560 --> 00:25:24.240 Xerxes 00:25:24.240 --> 00:25:24.480 the 00:25:24.480 --> 00:25:24.880 first 00:25:24.880 --> 00:25:25.279 then 00:25:25.279 --> 00:25:25.700 everyone 00:25:25.700 --> 00:25:25.940 will 00:25:25.940 --> 00:25:26.340 know 00:25:26.340 --> 00:25:26.759 and 00:25:26.759 --> 00:25:27.019 he 00:25:27.019 --> 00:25:27.240 will 00:25:27.240 --> 00:25:27.560 know 00:25:27.560 --> 00:25:27.920 deep 00:25:27.920 --> 00:25:28.180 down 00:25:28.180 --> 00:25:28.720 inside 00:25:28.720 --> 00:25:28.920 of 00:25:28.920 --> 00:25:29.160 him 00:25:29.160 --> 00:25:29.580 how 00:25:29.580 --> 00:25:29.960 much 00:25:29.960 --> 00:25:30.120 he 00:25:30.120 --> 00:25:30.259 is 00:25:30.259 --> 00:25:30.720 valued 00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:30.720 00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:30.940 How 00:25:30.940 --> 00:25:31.160 much 00:25:31.160 --> 00:25:31.279 he 00:25:31.279 --> 00:25:31.420 is 00:25:31.420 --> 00:25:32.200 loved! 00:25:35.480 --> 00:25:35.880 Lead 00:25:35.880 --> 00:25:36.900 him 00:25:36.900 --> 00:25:37.160 on 00:25:37.160 --> 00:25:37.720 lead 00:25:37.720 --> 00:25:37.840 him 00:25:37.840 --> 00:25:37.940 on 00:25:37.940 --> 00:25:38.100 the 00:25:38.100 --> 00:25:38.440 horse 00:25:38.440 --> 00:25:38.640 through 00:25:38.640 --> 00:25:38.860 the 00:25:38.860 --> 00:25:39.140 city 00:25:39.140 --> 00:25:39.140 00:25:39.140 --> 00:25:39.660 streets 00:25:39.660 --> 00:25:39.660 00:25:39.660 --> 00:25:40.240 proclaiming 00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:40.560 before 00:25:40.560 --> 00:25:40.800 him 00:25:40.799 --> 00:25:41.579 this 00:25:41.579 --> 00:25:42.379 is 00:25:42.379 --> 00:25:42.539 the 00:25:42.539 --> 00:25:42.879 one 00:25:42.879 --> 00:25:43.159 what 00:25:43.159 --> 00:25:43.359 he's 00:25:43.359 --> 00:25:43.680 done 00:25:43.680 --> 00:25:43.879 for 00:25:43.879 --> 00:25:44.039 the 00:25:44.039 --> 00:25:44.440 man 00:25:44.440 --> 00:25:44.980 the 00:25:44.980 --> 00:25:45.220 king 00:25:45.220 --> 00:25:45.639 delights 00:25:45.639 --> 00:25:45.839 to 00:25:45.839 --> 00:25:46.059 honour 00:25:46.059 --> 00:25:50.659 his 00:25:50.659 --> 00:25:51.220 heart 00:25:51.220 --> 00:25:51.720 is 00:25:51.720 --> 00:25:52.419 so 00:25:52.419 --> 00:25:55.519 satisfied 00:25:55.519 --> 00:25:57.539 and 00:25:57.539 --> 00:25:57.799 this 00:25:57.799 --> 00:25:57.940 is 00:25:57.940 --> 00:25:58.099 when 00:25:58.099 --> 00:25:58.200 it 00:25:58.200 --> 00:25:58.359 all 00:25:58.359 --> 00:25:58.619 comes 00:25:58.619 --> 00:25:58.940 tumbling 00:25:58.940 --> 00:25:59.279 down 00:25:59.279 --> 00:26:00.720 the 00:26:00.720 --> 00:26:01.099 great 00:26:01.099 --> 00:26:01.619 reversal 00:26:01.619 --> 00:26:02.559 begins 00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:02.920 Xerxes 00:26:02.920 --> 00:26:03.259 says 00:26:03.259 --> 00:26:04.639 great 00:26:04.639 --> 00:26:05.099 plan 00:26:05.099 --> 00:26:06.180 do 00:26:06.180 --> 00:26:06.440 that 00:26:06.440 --> 00:26:06.599 for 00:26:06.599 --> 00:26:07.079 Mordecai 00:26:07.079 --> 00:26:09.900 and 00:26:09.900 --> 00:26:10.440 you 00:26:10.440 --> 00:26:12.079 lead 00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:12.259 the 00:26:12.259 --> 00:26:12.639 horse 00:26:12.639 --> 00:26:16.000 Mordecai 00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:16.220 was 00:26:16.220 --> 00:26:16.639 literally 00:26:16.639 --> 00:26:17.319 hours 00:26:17.319 --> 00:26:17.559 from 00:26:17.559 --> 00:26:18.039 death 00:26:18.039 --> 00:26:18.900 he was 00:26:18.900 --> 00:26:19.200 about 00:26:19.200 --> 00:26:19.559 to be 00:26:19.559 --> 00:26:19.900 lifted 00:26:19.900 --> 00:26:20.319 up 00:26:20.319 --> 00:26:20.619 as a 00:26:20.619 --> 00:26:20.980 public 00:26:20.980 --> 00:26:21.639 spectacle 00:26:21.639 --> 00:26:22.299 on a 00:26:22.299 --> 00:26:22.779 pole 00:26:22.779 --> 00:26:23.900 75 00:26:23.900 --> 00:26:24.400 feet 00:26:24.400 --> 00:26:24.960 high 00:26:24.960 --> 00:26:25.900 to be 00:26:25.900 --> 00:26:26.579 scorned 00:26:26.579 --> 00:26:26.819 and to 00:26:26.819 --> 00:26:26.960 be 00:26:26.960 --> 00:26:27.480 mocked 00:26:27.480 --> 00:26:27.680 by 00:26:27.680 --> 00:26:28.019 all 00:26:28.019 --> 00:26:28.240 who 00:26:28.240 --> 00:26:28.680 passed 00:26:28.680 --> 00:26:29.200 by 00:26:29.200 --> 00:26:30.700 a 00:26:30.700 --> 00:26:31.200 great 00:26:31.200 --> 00:26:31.980 humiliation 00:26:31.980 --> 00:26:33.819 and 00:26:33.819 --> 00:26:34.420 instead 00:26:34.420 --> 00:26:35.660 he is 00:26:35.660 --> 00:26:35.940 lifted 00:26:35.940 --> 00:26:36.319 up 00:26:36.319 --> 00:26:37.220 onto 00:26:37.220 --> 00:26:37.640 Xerxes 00:26:37.640 --> 00:26:38.319 horse 00:26:38.319 --> 00:26:41.100 covered 00:26:41.100 --> 00:26:41.600 with his 00:26:41.600 --> 00:26:42.019 robe 00:26:42.019 --> 00:26:43.660 and paraded 00:26:43.660 --> 00:26:44.340 in front 00:26:44.340 --> 00:26:44.720 of all 00:26:44.720 --> 00:26:45.400 and honoured 00:26:45.400 --> 00:26:45.920 in front 00:26:45.920 --> 00:26:46.380 of all 00:26:46.380 --> 00:26:48.200 and 00:26:48.200 --> 00:26:48.560 Haman 00:26:48.560 --> 00:26:48.920 thinking 00:26:48.920 --> 00:26:49.460 he was 00:26:49.460 --> 00:26:49.740 about 00:26:49.740 --> 00:26:50.080 to be 00:26:50.080 --> 00:26:50.320 lifted 00:26:50.320 --> 00:26:50.580 up 00:26:50.580 --> 00:26:50.760 even 00:26:50.760 --> 00:26:51.100 higher 00:26:51.100 --> 00:26:51.300 than 00:26:51.300 --> 00:26:51.460 what 00:26:51.460 --> 00:26:51.580 he 00:26:51.580 --> 00:26:51.960 currently 00:26:51.960 --> 00:26:52.440 is 00:26:52.440 --> 00:26:53.400 and honoured 00:26:53.400 --> 00:26:54.540 is now 00:26:54.540 --> 00:26:55.000 down at 00:26:55.000 --> 00:26:55.440 the feet 00:26:55.440 --> 00:26:55.800 of the 00:26:55.800 --> 00:26:56.100 one 00:26:56.100 --> 00:26:56.340 who 00:26:56.340 --> 00:26:56.780 refused 00:26:56.780 --> 00:26:57.300 to bow 00:26:57.300 --> 00:26:58.840 in the 00:26:58.840 --> 00:26:59.160 role of 00:26:59.160 --> 00:26:59.620 the servant 00:26:59.620 --> 00:27:00.160 leading the 00:27:00.160 --> 00:27:00.560 horse 00:27:00.560 --> 00:27:01.720 as a 00:27:01.720 --> 00:27:02.160 slave 00:27:02.160 --> 00:27:05.220 and in 00:27:05.220 --> 00:27:05.740 verse 12 00:27:05.740 --> 00:27:06.020 Haman 00:27:06.020 --> 00:27:06.520 rushed 00:27:06.520 --> 00:27:06.920 home 00:27:06.920 --> 00:27:07.340 with his 00:27:07.340 --> 00:27:07.580 head 00:27:07.580 --> 00:27:08.020 covered 00:27:08.020 --> 00:27:08.380 in 00:27:08.380 --> 00:27:08.900 grief 00:27:08.900 --> 00:27:12.500 and 00:27:12.500 --> 00:27:13.160 Haman's 00:27:13.160 --> 00:27:14.440 reversal 00:27:14.440 --> 00:27:15.140 here 00:27:15.140 --> 00:27:16.480 signals 00:27:16.480 --> 00:27:16.780 the 00:27:16.780 --> 00:27:17.280 great 00:27:17.280 --> 00:27:17.880 reversal 00:27:17.880 --> 00:27:18.240 of 00:27:18.240 --> 00:27:18.680 God's 00:27:18.680 --> 00:27:19.060 people 00:27:19.060 --> 00:27:19.500 here 00:27:19.500 --> 00:27:19.780 in 00:27:19.780 --> 00:27:19.900 the 00:27:19.900 --> 00:27:20.040 book 00:27:20.040 --> 00:27:20.180 of 00:27:20.180 --> 00:27:20.519 Esther 00:27:20.519 --> 00:27:22.480 God 00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:24.000 stands 00:27:24.000 --> 00:27:24.620 against 00:27:24.620 --> 00:27:24.860 the 00:27:24.860 --> 00:27:25.280 proud 00:27:25.280 --> 00:27:28.700 it's 00:27:28.700 --> 00:27:28.800 an 00:27:28.800 --> 00:27:29.040 ethic 00:27:29.040 --> 00:27:29.259 that 00:27:29.259 --> 00:27:29.660 runs 00:27:29.660 --> 00:27:30.300 right 00:27:30.300 --> 00:27:30.759 throughout 00:27:30.759 --> 00:27:31.700 the 00:27:31.700 --> 00:27:32.080 Bible 00:27:32.080 --> 00:27:33.220 the 00:27:33.220 --> 00:27:33.519 first 00:27:33.519 --> 00:27:33.700 will 00:27:33.700 --> 00:27:33.820 be 00:27:33.820 --> 00:27:34.240 last 00:27:34.240 --> 00:27:34.380 and 00:27:34.380 --> 00:27:34.480 the 00:27:34.480 --> 00:27:34.720 last 00:27:34.720 --> 00:27:34.820 will 00:27:34.820 --> 00:27:34.940 be 00:27:34.940 --> 00:27:35.320 first 00:27:35.320 --> 00:27:35.759 if 00:27:35.759 --> 00:27:35.900 we 00:27:35.900 --> 00:27:36.160 humble 00:27:36.160 --> 00:27:36.660 ourselves 00:27:36.660 --> 00:27:36.940 we 00:27:36.940 --> 00:27:37.040 will 00:27:37.040 --> 00:27:37.220 be 00:27:37.220 --> 00:27:37.680 exalted 00:27:37.680 --> 00:27:38.240 but 00:27:38.240 --> 00:27:38.400 if 00:27:38.400 --> 00:27:38.560 we 00:27:38.559 --> 00:27:38.940 exalt 00:27:38.940 --> 00:27:39.379 ourselves 00:27:39.379 --> 00:27:39.659 we 00:27:39.659 --> 00:27:40.000 will 00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:40.460 be 00:27:40.460 --> 00:27:40.799 humbled 00:27:40.799 --> 00:27:41.339 as C.S. 00:27:41.399 --> 00:27:41.559 Lewis 00:27:41.559 --> 00:27:42.179 put it 00:27:42.179 --> 00:27:43.399 lose 00:27:43.399 --> 00:27:44.019 yourself 00:27:44.019 --> 00:27:45.079 that 00:27:45.079 --> 00:27:45.259 you 00:27:45.259 --> 00:27:45.480 might 00:27:45.480 --> 00:27:45.819 find 00:27:45.819 --> 00:27:46.299 yourself 00:27:46.299 --> 00:27:48.579 the 00:27:48.579 --> 00:27:48.899 principle 00:27:48.899 --> 00:27:49.299 runs 00:27:49.299 --> 00:27:49.779 right 00:27:49.779 --> 00:27:50.059 throughout 00:27:50.059 --> 00:27:50.440 life 00:27:50.440 --> 00:27:50.659 from 00:27:50.659 --> 00:27:50.879 top 00:27:50.879 --> 00:27:51.059 to 00:27:51.059 --> 00:27:51.339 bottom 00:27:51.339 --> 00:27:52.779 lose 00:27:52.779 --> 00:27:53.000 your 00:27:53.000 --> 00:27:53.379 life 00:27:53.379 --> 00:27:53.899 and 00:27:53.899 --> 00:27:54.039 you 00:27:54.039 --> 00:27:54.200 will 00:27:54.200 --> 00:27:54.519 save 00:27:54.519 --> 00:27:55.480 it 00:27:55.480 --> 00:27:55.960 for 00:27:55.960 --> 00:27:56.299 instance 00:27:56.299 --> 00:27:56.779 I haven't 00:27:56.779 --> 00:27:57.019 got time 00:27:57.019 --> 00:27:57.339 to unpack 00:27:57.339 --> 00:27:57.559 this 00:27:57.559 --> 00:27:57.919 in every 00:27:57.919 --> 00:27:58.079 area 00:27:58.079 --> 00:27:58.359 sphere 00:27:58.359 --> 00:27:58.619 of life 00:27:58.619 --> 00:27:58.779 but 00:27:58.779 --> 00:27:59.099 in 00:27:59.099 --> 00:27:59.460 social 00:27:59.460 --> 00:27:59.879 life 00:27:59.879 --> 00:28:01.039 you 00:28:01.039 --> 00:28:01.579 never 00:28:01.579 --> 00:28:02.279 actually 00:28:02.279 --> 00:28:02.639 make 00:28:02.639 --> 00:28:02.919 a 00:28:02.919 --> 00:28:03.119 good 00:28:03.119 --> 00:28:03.659 impression 00:28:03.659 --> 00:28:03.940 on 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00:28:18.299 --> 00:28:21.799 Haman 00:28:21.799 --> 00:28:23.180 wanted 00:28:23.180 --> 00:28:23.559 the 00:28:23.559 --> 00:28:24.019 one 00:28:24.019 --> 00:28:24.659 thing 00:28:24.659 --> 00:28:25.440 that 00:28:25.440 --> 00:28:25.960 we 00:28:25.960 --> 00:28:26.339 are 00:28:26.339 --> 00:28:26.799 all 00:28:26.799 --> 00:28:27.440 humanities 00:28:27.440 --> 00:28:28.119 created 00:28:28.119 --> 00:28:28.359 to 00:28:28.359 --> 00:28:28.680 want 00:28:28.680 --> 00:28:29.240 and 00:28:29.240 --> 00:28:29.519 that 00:28:29.519 --> 00:28:30.000 is 00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:30.960 the 00:28:30.960 --> 00:28:31.799 approval 00:28:31.799 --> 00:28:32.240 the 00:28:32.240 --> 00:28:32.919 love 00:28:32.919 --> 00:28:35.779 of 00:28:35.779 --> 00:28:36.099 the 00:28:36.099 --> 00:28:38.099 lovable 00:28:38.099 --> 00:28:41.939 what 00:28:41.939 --> 00:28:42.159 we 00:28:42.159 --> 00:28:42.759 need 00:28:42.759 --> 00:28:41.939 what 00:28:41.939 --> 00:28:42.159 we 00:28:42.159 --> 00:28:42.759 need 00:28:42.759 --> 00:28:43.259 is 00:28:43.259 --> 00:28:43.919 the 00:28:43.919 --> 00:28:44.459 ultimate 00:28:44.459 --> 00:28:45.139 assurance 00:28:45.139 --> 00:28:45.359 of 00:28:45.359 --> 00:28:45.579 who 00:28:45.579 --> 00:28:45.859 we 00:28:45.859 --> 00:28:46.399 are 00:28:46.399 --> 00:28:47.699 assurance 00:28:47.699 --> 00:28:48.480 ultimate 00:28:48.480 --> 00:28:48.959 assurance 00:28:48.959 --> 00:28:49.259 of our 00:28:49.259 --> 00:28:49.659 worth 00:28:49.659 --> 00:28:50.339 what we 00:28:50.339 --> 00:28:50.839 all 00:28:50.839 --> 00:28:51.359 need 00:28:51.359 --> 00:28:51.799 is 00:28:51.799 --> 00:28:52.039 the 00:28:52.039 --> 00:28:52.599 praise 00:28:52.599 --> 00:28:53.000 and the 00:28:53.000 --> 00:28:53.740 affirmation 00:28:53.740 --> 00:28:54.119 and the 00:28:54.119 --> 00:28:54.559 approval 00:28:54.559 --> 00:28:55.000 and the 00:28:55.000 --> 00:28:55.480 love 00:28:55.480 --> 00:28:56.119 of the 00:28:56.119 --> 00:28:56.740 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00:29:13.980 he 00:29:13.980 --> 00:29:14.399 didn't 00:29:14.399 --> 00:29:14.839 ask 00:29:14.839 --> 00:29:15.259 Xerxes 00:29:15.259 --> 00:29:15.759 for the 00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:16.019 wrong 00:29:16.019 --> 00:29:16.579 thing 00:29:16.579 --> 00:29:18.879 he 00:29:18.879 --> 00:29:19.159 just 00:29:19.159 --> 00:29:19.579 asked 00:29:19.579 --> 00:29:19.759 the 00:29:19.759 --> 00:29:19.980 wrong 00:29:19.980 --> 00:29:20.439 king 00:29:20.439 --> 00:29:22.179 that's 00:29:22.179 --> 00:29:22.319 his 00:29:22.319 --> 00:29:22.779 problem 00:29:22.779 --> 00:29:23.619 he 00:29:23.619 --> 00:29:24.019 asked 00:29:24.019 --> 00:29:24.199 the 00:29:24.199 --> 00:29:24.439 wrong 00:29:24.439 --> 00:29:24.859 king 00:29:24.859 --> 00:29:26.879 there 00:29:26.879 --> 00:29:27.019 is 00:29:27.019 --> 00:29:27.139 a 00:29:27.139 --> 00:29:27.279 better 00:29:27.279 --> 00:29:27.720 king 00:29:27.720 --> 00:29:29.579 there 00:29:29.579 --> 00:29:29.699 is 00:29:29.699 --> 00:29:29.879 a 00:29:29.879 --> 00:29:30.220 king 00:29:30.220 --> 00:29:30.460 with 00:29:30.460 --> 00:29:30.939 ultimate 00:29:30.939 --> 00:29:31.460 glory 00:29:31.460 --> 00:29:31.699 who 00:29:31.699 --> 00:29:32.059 came 00:29:32.059 --> 00:29:32.279 to 00:29:32.279 --> 00:29:32.599 earth 00:29:32.599 --> 00:29:32.839 was 00:29:32.839 --> 00:29:33.319 stripped 00:29:33.319 --> 00:29:33.339 ! 00:29:33.339 --> 00:29:34.259 allowed 00:29:34.259 --> 00:29:34.699 himself 00:29:34.699 --> 00:29:35.000 to be 00:29:35.000 --> 00:29:35.319 stripped 00:29:35.319 --> 00:29:35.319 00:29:35.460 --> 00:29:35.539 He 00:29:35.539 --> 00:29:36.059 chose 00:29:36.059 --> 00:29:36.240 to 00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:36.699 strip 00:29:36.700 --> 00:29:37.100 himself 00:29:37.100 --> 00:29:37.519 of 00:29:37.519 --> 00:29:37.960 all 00:29:37.960 --> 00:29:38.100 of 00:29:38.100 --> 00:29:38.279 his 00:29:38.279 --> 00:29:38.740 glory 00:29:38.740 --> 00:29:39.480 why? 00:29:41.340 --> 00:29:41.980 because 00:29:41.980 --> 00:29:42.400 he 00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:42.680 was 00:29:42.680 --> 00:29:43.080 trading 00:29:43.080 --> 00:29:43.539 places 00:29:43.539 --> 00:29:43.840 with 00:29:43.840 --> 00:29:44.299 us 00:29:44.299 --> 00:29:48.759 Mordecai 00:29:48.759 --> 00:29:49.160 was 00:29:49.160 --> 00:29:49.720 saved 00:29:49.720 --> 00:29:50.259 because 00:29:50.259 --> 00:29:50.779 Haman 00:29:50.779 --> 00:29:51.480 swapped 00:29:51.480 --> 00:29:51.980 places 00:29:51.980 --> 00:29:52.279 with 00:29:52.279 --> 00:29:52.600 him 00:29:52.600 --> 00:29:53.519 but 00:29:53.519 --> 00:29:53.980 Haman 00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:54.640 did 00:29:54.640 --> 00:29:54.900 it 00:29:54.900 --> 00:29:55.940 involuntarily 00:29:55.940 --> 00:29:58.200 and 00:29:58.200 --> 00:29:58.559 if this 00:29:58.559 --> 00:29:58.960 is new 00:29:58.960 --> 00:29:59.220 to you 00:29:59.220 --> 00:29:59.500 let me 00:29:59.500 --> 00:29:59.680 just 00:29:59.680 --> 00:29:59.920 say 00:29:59.920 --> 00:30:00.279 that 00:30:00.279 --> 00:30:00.480 the 00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:00.960 uniqueness 00:30:00.960 --> 00:30:01.880 and 00:30:01.880 --> 00:30:02.080 the 00:30:02.080 --> 00:30:02.580 truth 00:30:02.580 --> 00:30:02.900 and 00:30:02.900 --> 00:30:03.120 the 00:30:03.120 --> 00:30:03.480 goodness 00:30:03.480 --> 00:30:04.079 and 00:30:04.079 --> 00:30:04.720 beauty 00:30:04.720 --> 00:30:05.579 of 00:30:05.579 --> 00:30:05.839 the 00:30:05.839 --> 00:30:06.259 Christian 00:30:06.259 --> 00:30:06.860 faith 00:30:06.860 --> 00:30:07.480 is 00:30:07.480 --> 00:30:07.740 that 00:30:07.740 --> 00:30:08.059 it's 00:30:08.059 --> 00:30:08.539 very 00:30:08.539 --> 00:30:09.299 central 00:30:09.299 --> 00:30:10.019 message 00:30:10.019 --> 00:30:10.599 that 00:30:10.599 --> 00:30:11.099 all 00:30:11.099 --> 00:30:11.500 things 00:30:11.500 --> 00:30:11.819 flow 00:30:11.819 --> 00:30:12.000 out 00:30:12.000 --> 00:30:12.160 the 00:30:12.160 --> 00:30:12.460 very 00:30:12.460 --> 00:30:12.960 central 00:30:12.960 --> 00:30:13.319 message 00:30:13.319 --> 00:30:13.519 what 00:30:13.519 --> 00:30:13.680 we 00:30:13.680 --> 00:30:14.079 call 00:30:14.079 --> 00:30:14.500 the 00:30:14.500 --> 00:30:14.920 gospel 00:30:14.920 --> 00:30:15.140 the 00:30:15.140 --> 00:30:15.420 good 00:30:15.420 --> 00:30:15.880 news 00:30:15.880 --> 00:30:16.099 of 00:30:16.099 --> 00:30:16.220 the 00:30:16.220 --> 00:30:16.500 Christian 00:30:16.500 --> 00:30:17.079 faith 00:30:17.079 --> 00:30:18.000 is 00:30:18.000 --> 00:30:18.240 that 00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:18.720 Jesus 00:30:18.720 --> 00:30:19.279 Christ 00:30:19.279 --> 00:30:19.839 the 00:30:19.839 --> 00:30:20.220 son 00:30:20.220 --> 00:30:20.399 of 00:30:20.399 --> 00:30:20.859 God 00:30:20.859 --> 00:30:21.240 the 00:30:21.240 --> 00:30:21.500 one 00:30:21.500 --> 00:30:21.659 of 00:30:21.659 --> 00:30:22.259 infinite 00:30:22.259 --> 00:30:22.899 glory 00:30:22.899 --> 00:30:23.240 and 00:30:23.240 --> 00:30:23.919 majesty 00:30:23.919 --> 00:30:24.319 and 00:30:24.319 --> 00:30:25.379 splendor 00:30:25.379 --> 00:30:27.259 has 00:30:27.259 --> 00:30:27.740 traded 00:30:27.740 --> 00:30:28.500 places 00:30:28.500 --> 00:30:29.439 with 00:30:29.439 --> 00:30:29.939 us 00:30:29.939 --> 00:30:31.740 just 00:30:31.740 --> 00:30:32.119 in a 00:30:32.119 --> 00:30:32.639 number 00:30:32.639 --> 00:30:32.859 of 00:30:32.859 --> 00:30:33.199 weeks 00:30:33.199 --> 00:30:33.480 we 00:30:33.480 --> 00:30:33.659 will 00:30:33.659 --> 00:30:33.980 be 00:30:33.980 --> 00:30:35.819 celebrating 00:30:35.819 --> 00:30:36.639 him 00:30:36.639 --> 00:30:37.099 taking 00:30:37.099 --> 00:30:37.619 on 00:30:37.619 --> 00:30:38.839 human 00:30:38.839 --> 00:30:39.599 form 00:30:39.599 --> 00:30:41.500 to 00:30:41.500 --> 00:30:41.799 trade 00:30:41.799 --> 00:30:42.279 places 00:30:42.279 --> 00:30:42.559 with 00:30:42.559 --> 00:30:43.000 us 00:30:43.000 --> 00:30:44.240 but 00:30:44.240 --> 00:30:44.379 he 00:30:44.379 --> 00:30:44.599 did 00:30:44.599 --> 00:30:44.740 it 00:30:44.740 --> 00:30:45.379 voluntarily 00:30:45.380 --> 00:30:47.000 you see 00:30:47.000 --> 00:30:47.320 Jesus 00:30:47.320 --> 00:30:47.660 is the 00:30:47.660 --> 00:30:48.040 ultimate 00:30:48.040 --> 00:30:48.420 king 00:30:48.420 --> 00:30:48.720 he's 00:30:48.720 --> 00:30:48.880 the 00:30:48.880 --> 00:30:49.700 king 00:30:49.700 --> 00:30:50.000 with 00:30:50.000 --> 00:30:50.440 ultimate 00:30:50.440 --> 00:30:51.020 splendor 00:30:51.020 --> 00:30:51.220 and 00:30:51.220 --> 00:30:51.600 glory 00:30:51.600 --> 00:30:52.020 and 00:30:52.020 --> 00:30:52.220 an 00:30:52.220 --> 00:30:52.600 infinite 00:30:52.600 --> 00:30:52.980 cost 00:30:52.980 --> 00:30:53.100 to 00:30:53.100 --> 00:30:53.680 himself 00:30:53.680 --> 00:30:56.000 he 00:30:56.000 --> 00:30:57.260 did 00:30:57.260 --> 00:30:57.400 the 00:30:57.400 --> 00:30:57.680 great 00:30:57.680 --> 00:30:58.180 reversal 00:30:58.180 --> 00:30:59.340 he 00:30:59.340 --> 00:30:59.940 reversed 00:30:59.940 --> 00:31:00.460 places 00:31:00.460 --> 00:31:00.680 with 00:31:00.680 --> 00:31:00.980 us 00:31:00.980 --> 00:31:01.940 you see 00:31:01.940 --> 00:31:02.260 in 00:31:02.260 --> 00:31:02.720 Jesus 00:31:02.720 --> 00:31:04.620 voluntary 00:31:04.620 --> 00:31:05.220 act 00:31:05.220 --> 00:31:05.500 of 00:31:05.500 --> 00:31:05.920 trading 00:31:05.920 --> 00:31:06.460 places 00:31:06.460 --> 00:31:06.720 with 00:31:06.720 --> 00:31:06.960 us 00:31:06.960 --> 00:31:07.160 we 00:31:07.160 --> 00:31:07.400 see 00:31:07.400 --> 00:31:07.620 the 00:31:07.620 --> 00:31:08.400 consequences 00:31:08.400 --> 00:31:08.820 of 00:31:08.820 --> 00:31:09.020 our 00:31:09.020 --> 00:31:09.560 pride 00:31:09.560 --> 00:31:10.280 and 00:31:10.280 --> 00:31:10.540 the 00:31:10.540 --> 00:31:10.880 cure 00:31:10.880 --> 00:31:11.160 for 00:31:11.160 --> 00:31:11.360 our 00:31:11.360 --> 00:31:11.840 pride 00:31:11.840 --> 00:31:13.280 2 00:31:13.280 --> 00:31:13.600 Corinthians 00:31:13.600 --> 00:31:14.000 5 00:31:14.000 --> 00:31:14.420 21 00:31:14.420 --> 00:31:14.740 puts 00:31:14.740 --> 00:31:14.840 it 00:31:14.840 --> 00:31:15.020 like 00:31:15.020 --> 00:31:15.280 this 00:31:15.279 --> 00:31:15.859 God 00:31:15.859 --> 00:31:16.160 made 00:31:16.160 --> 00:31:16.420 him 00:31:16.420 --> 00:31:16.700 talking 00:31:16.700 --> 00:31:16.960 about 00:31:16.960 --> 00:31:17.460 Jesus 00:31:17.460 --> 00:31:18.759 he 00:31:18.759 --> 00:31:19.059 made 00:31:19.059 --> 00:31:19.379 him 00:31:19.379 --> 00:31:19.980 sin 00:31:19.980 --> 00:31:20.639 who 00:31:20.639 --> 00:31:20.859 knew 00:31:20.859 --> 00:31:21.220 no 00:31:21.220 --> 00:31:21.599 sin 00:31:21.599 --> 00:31:22.319 perfectly 00:31:22.319 --> 00:31:23.920 that 00:31:23.920 --> 00:31:24.160 we 00:31:24.160 --> 00:31:24.440 might 00:31:24.440 --> 00:31:25.099 become 00:31:25.099 --> 00:31:25.599 the 00:31:25.599 --> 00:31:26.139 righteousness 00:31:26.139 --> 00:31:26.720 of 00:31:26.720 --> 00:31:27.000 God 00:31:27.000 --> 00:31:27.299 in 00:31:27.299 --> 00:31:27.660 him 00:31:27.660 --> 00:31:28.299 that 00:31:28.299 --> 00:31:28.480 he 00:31:28.480 --> 00:31:28.799 might 00:31:28.799 --> 00:31:29.599 give 00:31:29.599 --> 00:31:30.139 his 00:31:30.139 --> 00:31:30.680 royal 00:31:30.680 --> 00:31:31.240 robes 00:31:31.240 --> 00:31:31.460 to 00:31:31.460 --> 00:31:32.039 us 00:31:32.039 --> 00:31:34.200 he 00:31:34.200 --> 00:31:34.440 was 00:31:34.440 --> 00:31:34.839 stripped 00:31:34.839 --> 00:31:35.359 naked 00:31:35.359 --> 00:31:35.799 nailed 00:31:35.799 --> 00:31:36.259 to a 00:31:36.259 --> 00:31:36.660 stake 00:31:36.660 --> 00:31:37.220 for 00:31:37.220 --> 00:31:37.559 our 00:31:37.559 --> 00:31:38.000 sin 00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:39.339 and 00:31:39.339 --> 00:31:39.500 that 00:31:39.500 --> 00:31:40.019 all 00:31:40.019 --> 00:31:40.680 would 00:31:40.680 --> 00:31:40.960 walk 00:31:40.960 --> 00:31:41.420 past 00:31:41.420 --> 00:31:41.579 him 00:31:41.579 --> 00:31:41.740 and 00:31:41.740 --> 00:31:42.200 mock 00:31:42.200 --> 00:31:42.579 him 00:31:42.579 --> 00:31:43.379 and 00:31:43.379 --> 00:31:44.039 scorn 00:31:44.039 --> 00:31:44.359 him 00:31:44.359 --> 00:31:44.799 as a 00:31:44.799 --> 00:31:45.179 public 00:31:45.179 --> 00:31:45.939 spectacle 00:31:45.939 --> 00:31:47.299 humiliated 00:31:47.299 --> 00:31:51.799 so that 00:31:51.799 --> 00:31:52.279 we could 00:31:52.279 --> 00:31:52.919 be raised 00:31:52.919 --> 00:31:53.500 up and 00:31:53.500 --> 00:31:54.000 clothed in 00:31:54.000 --> 00:31:54.740 his perfect 00:31:54.740 --> 00:31:55.679 righteousness 00:31:55.679 --> 00:31:56.139 and 00:31:56.139 --> 00:31:56.659 honoured 00:31:56.659 --> 00:31:59.299 he takes 00:31:59.299 --> 00:31:59.699 what we 00:31:59.699 --> 00:32:00.219 deserve so 00:32:00.219 --> 00:32:00.479 that we 00:32:00.479 --> 00:32:00.819 can get 00:32:00.819 --> 00:32:01.179 what he 00:32:01.179 --> 00:32:01.719 deserves 00:32:01.719 --> 00:32:04.479 John 17 00:32:04.479 --> 00:32:05.339 in the 00:32:05.339 --> 00:32:05.500 New 00:32:05.500 --> 00:32:05.939 Testament 00:32:05.939 --> 00:32:06.779 reads what 00:32:06.779 --> 00:32:07.339 this means 00:32:07.339 --> 00:32:08.039 for those 00:32:08.039 --> 00:32:09.279 who bow 00:32:09.279 --> 00:32:09.699 to Jesus 00:32:09.699 --> 00:32:10.199 now 00:32:10.200 --> 00:32:12.900 father 00:32:12.900 --> 00:32:12.900 00:32:12.900 --> 00:32:13.319 I want 00:32:13.319 --> 00:32:14.960 those 00:32:14.960 --> 00:32:15.299 you have 00:32:15.299 --> 00:32:15.940 given me 00:32:15.940 --> 00:32:16.400 to be 00:32:16.400 --> 00:32:16.860 with me 00:32:16.860 --> 00:32:17.259 where I 00:32:17.259 --> 00:32:17.600 am 00:32:17.600 --> 00:32:17.960 and to 00:32:17.960 --> 00:32:18.400 see my 00:32:18.400 --> 00:32:18.900 glory 00:32:18.900 --> 00:32:20.200 the glory 00:32:20.200 --> 00:32:20.680 that you 00:32:20.680 --> 00:32:21.220 have given 00:32:21.220 --> 00:32:21.600 me 00:32:21.600 --> 00:32:22.299 because you 00:32:22.299 --> 00:32:23.000 loved me 00:32:23.000 --> 00:32:23.480 before the 00:32:23.480 --> 00:32:24.180 creation of 00:32:24.180 --> 00:32:24.700 the world 00:32:24.700 --> 00:32:25.759 he's talking 00:32:25.759 --> 00:32:26.180 about his 00:32:26.180 --> 00:32:26.759 glory there 00:32:26.759 --> 00:32:28.440 the father 00:32:28.440 --> 00:32:28.880 has given 00:32:28.880 --> 00:32:29.539 Jesus glory 00:32:29.539 --> 00:32:30.019 and then he 00:32:30.019 --> 00:32:30.460 says something 00:32:30.460 --> 00:32:31.080 remarkable 00:32:31.080 --> 00:32:32.039 a couple of 00:32:32.039 --> 00:32:32.559 verses earlier 00:32:32.559 --> 00:32:33.180 I have 00:32:33.180 --> 00:32:34.160 given them 00:32:34.160 --> 00:32:35.319 the glory 00:32:35.319 --> 00:32:35.759 that you 00:32:35.759 --> 00:32:36.420 gave me 00:32:36.420 --> 00:32:39.500 I have 00:32:39.500 --> 00:32:40.279 made them 00:32:40.279 --> 00:32:42.640 what I 00:32:42.640 --> 00:32:43.000 am 00:32:43.000 --> 00:32:44.580 that is 00:32:44.580 --> 00:32:46.700 unbelievable 00:32:46.700 --> 00:32:47.259 you see 00:32:47.259 --> 00:32:47.920 glory is 00:32:47.920 --> 00:32:48.680 not fairy 00:32:48.680 --> 00:32:49.160 dust 00:32:49.160 --> 00:32:51.060 glory is 00:32:51.060 --> 00:32:51.660 delight 00:32:51.660 --> 00:32:52.320 it is 00:32:52.320 --> 00:32:52.700 honour 00:32:52.700 --> 00:32:53.320 for those 00:32:53.320 --> 00:32:53.940 who bow 00:32:53.940 --> 00:32:54.600 in submission 00:32:54.600 --> 00:32:55.320 to Jesus 00:32:55.320 --> 00:32:56.380 who hand 00:32:56.380 --> 00:32:57.200 their life 00:32:57.200 --> 00:32:57.900 over and 00:32:57.900 --> 00:32:58.759 follow Jesus 00:32:58.759 --> 00:33:00.100 what awaits 00:33:00.100 --> 00:33:00.860 is not 00:33:00.860 --> 00:33:02.600 a life 00:33:02.600 --> 00:33:03.240 of religious 00:33:03.240 --> 00:33:04.279 subjugation 00:33:04.279 --> 00:33:06.460 what becomes 00:33:06.460 --> 00:33:07.119 ours 00:33:07.119 --> 00:33:07.660 is the 00:33:07.660 --> 00:33:08.339 praise 00:33:08.339 --> 00:33:09.279 of the 00:33:09.279 --> 00:33:09.839 ultimate 00:33:09.839 --> 00:33:10.259 one 00:33:10.259 --> 00:33:10.579 who's 00:33:10.579 --> 00:33:10.980 worthy 00:33:10.980 --> 00:33:11.220 of 00:33:11.220 --> 00:33:11.720 praise 00:33:11.720 --> 00:33:13.299 the glory 00:33:13.299 --> 00:33:13.839 and honour 00:33:13.839 --> 00:33:14.319 and the 00:33:14.319 --> 00:33:14.740 robes 00:33:14.740 --> 00:33:15.079 of the 00:33:15.079 --> 00:33:15.480 ultimate 00:33:15.480 --> 00:33:15.940 eternal 00:33:15.940 --> 00:33:16.399 king 00:33:16.399 --> 00:33:17.099 and when 00:33:17.099 --> 00:33:17.700 we know 00:33:17.700 --> 00:33:18.139 Jesus 00:33:18.139 --> 00:33:18.759 loves us 00:33:18.759 --> 00:33:19.339 like that 00:33:19.339 --> 00:33:21.220 when we 00:33:21.220 --> 00:33:21.700 know that 00:33:21.700 --> 00:33:22.299 the horror 00:33:22.299 --> 00:33:22.819 of the 00:33:22.819 --> 00:33:23.359 cross 00:33:23.359 --> 00:33:24.160 was the 00:33:24.160 --> 00:33:24.720 cost 00:33:24.720 --> 00:33:25.319 of our 00:33:25.319 --> 00:33:26.359 pride 00:33:26.359 --> 00:33:27.759 and the 00:33:27.759 --> 00:33:28.319 solution 00:33:28.319 --> 00:33:29.019 to our 00:33:29.019 --> 00:33:29.619 pride 00:33:29.619 --> 00:33:33.119 that in 00:33:33.119 --> 00:33:33.539 fact is 00:33:33.539 --> 00:33:33.939 what our 00:33:33.939 --> 00:33:35.099 ego needs 00:33:35.099 --> 00:33:37.619 to divert 00:33:37.619 --> 00:33:37.979 it from 00:33:37.979 --> 00:33:38.459 us 00:33:38.459 --> 00:33:39.199 and constant 00:33:39.199 --> 00:33:40.039 self-assessment 00:33:40.039 --> 00:33:41.079 to look to 00:33:41.079 --> 00:33:41.399 him 00:33:41.399 --> 00:33:42.979 and to 00:33:42.979 --> 00:33:43.839 finally be 00:33:43.839 --> 00:33:45.159 self-forgetful 00:33:45.159 --> 00:33:45.619 and at 00:33:45.619 --> 00:33:46.039 rest 00:33:46.039 --> 00:33:48.259 you see 00:33:48.259 --> 00:33:48.619 it's not 00:33:48.619 --> 00:33:49.179 enough just 00:33:49.179 --> 00:33:49.459 to say 00:33:49.459 --> 00:33:49.719 well I 00:33:49.719 --> 00:33:50.099 believe that 00:33:50.099 --> 00:33:50.819 God exists 00:33:50.819 --> 00:33:52.459 that doesn't 00:33:52.459 --> 00:33:52.919 make us 00:33:52.919 --> 00:33:53.319 humble 00:33:53.319 --> 00:33:54.879 what we 00:33:54.879 --> 00:33:55.519 must see 00:33:55.519 --> 00:33:56.119 and know 00:33:56.119 --> 00:33:56.559 and push 00:33:56.559 --> 00:33:57.299 down into 00:33:57.299 --> 00:33:57.899 the driving 00:33:57.899 --> 00:33:58.439 centre of 00:33:58.439 --> 00:33:59.119 our life 00:33:59.119 --> 00:34:01.079 is God 00:34:01.079 --> 00:34:02.139 coming down 00:34:02.139 --> 00:34:03.639 and reversing 00:34:03.639 --> 00:34:04.459 places 00:34:04.459 --> 00:34:05.739 with us 00:34:05.739 --> 00:34:07.439 at infinite 00:34:07.439 --> 00:34:08.119 cost 00:34:08.119 --> 00:34:09.519 to himself 00:34:09.519 --> 00:34:11.619 to know 00:34:11.619 --> 00:34:12.119 that he 00:34:12.119 --> 00:34:13.000 had to 00:34:13.000 --> 00:34:13.440 die 00:34:13.440 --> 00:34:14.339 for us 00:34:14.339 --> 00:34:15.359 humbles 00:34:15.359 --> 00:34:15.940 us 00:34:15.940 --> 00:34:17.619 to know 00:34:17.619 --> 00:34:18.019 that he 00:34:18.019 --> 00:34:19.159 was glad 00:34:19.159 --> 00:34:19.699 to do 00:34:19.699 --> 00:34:19.980 it 00:34:19.980 --> 00:34:21.059 chose 00:34:21.059 --> 00:34:21.480 to do 00:34:21.480 --> 00:34:21.799 it 00:34:21.799 --> 00:34:23.219 actually 00:34:23.219 --> 00:34:23.940 affirms 00:34:23.940 --> 00:34:24.239 you 00:34:24.239 --> 00:34:25.019 in a 00:34:25.019 --> 00:34:25.699 really 00:34:25.699 --> 00:34:27.000 infinite 00:34:27.000 --> 00:34:27.480 way 00:34:27.480 --> 00:34:30.619 and that 00:34:30.619 --> 00:34:31.139 ultimately 00:34:31.139 --> 00:34:31.719 is what 00:34:31.719 --> 00:34:32.619 causes the 00:34:32.619 --> 00:34:32.980 Christian 00:34:32.980 --> 00:34:33.400 to be 00:34:33.400 --> 00:34:33.880 strong 00:34:33.880 --> 00:34:34.139 enough 00:34:34.139 --> 00:34:34.480 to be 00:34:34.480 --> 00:34:34.860 weak 00:34:34.860 --> 00:34:38.159 strong 00:34:38.159 --> 00:34:38.400 enough 00:34:38.400 --> 00:34:38.940 to learn 00:34:38.940 --> 00:34:39.159 from 00:34:39.159 --> 00:34:39.820 mistakes 00:34:39.820 --> 00:34:42.719 strong 00:34:42.719 --> 00:34:43.139 enough 00:34:43.139 --> 00:34:43.960 and humble 00:34:43.960 --> 00:34:44.400 enough 00:34:44.400 --> 00:34:45.500 to not 00:34:45.500 --> 00:34:45.960 try to 00:34:45.960 --> 00:34:46.320 exert 00:34:46.320 --> 00:34:46.960 power 00:34:46.960 --> 00:34:48.099 or influence 00:34:48.099 --> 00:34:48.960 people in a 00:34:48.960 --> 00:34:49.240 negative 00:34:49.240 --> 00:34:49.679 way 00:34:49.679 --> 00:34:51.280 strong 00:34:51.280 --> 00:34:51.500 enough 00:34:51.500 --> 00:34:51.900 to take 00:34:51.900 --> 00:34:52.260 jobs 00:34:52.260 --> 00:34:52.539 and get 00:34:52.539 --> 00:34:52.940 involved 00:34:52.940 --> 00:34:53.119 in 00:34:53.119 --> 00:34:53.740 relationships 00:34:53.739 --> 00:34:54.179 and to 00:34:54.179 --> 00:34:54.399 serve 00:34:54.399 --> 00:34:54.839 others 00:34:54.839 --> 00:34:56.199 that don't 00:34:56.199 --> 00:34:56.679 just make 00:34:56.679 --> 00:34:57.199 us feel 00:34:57.199 --> 00:34:57.579 good 00:34:57.579 --> 00:34:57.979 about 00:34:57.979 --> 00:34:58.519 ourselves 00:34:58.519 --> 00:35:00.879 it means 00:35:00.879 --> 00:35:01.639 we won't 00:35:01.639 --> 00:35:02.399 be constantly 00:35:02.399 --> 00:35:03.099 down on 00:35:03.099 --> 00:35:03.639 ourselves 00:35:03.639 --> 00:35:04.739 or constantly 00:35:04.739 --> 00:35:05.399 elevating 00:35:05.399 --> 00:35:06.099 ourselves 00:35:06.099 --> 00:35:08.019 or in fact 00:35:08.019 --> 00:35:08.759 anything about 00:35:08.759 --> 00:35:09.279 ourselves 00:35:09.279 --> 00:35:12.459 it is a 00:35:12.459 --> 00:35:12.959 place 00:35:12.959 --> 00:35:13.659 of 00:35:13.659 --> 00:35:15.739 stability 00:35:15.739 --> 00:35:16.939 of 00:35:16.939 --> 00:35:17.679 freedom 00:35:17.679 --> 00:35:20.099 so 00:35:20.099 --> 00:35:20.579 freeing 00:35:20.579 --> 00:35:20.879 so 00:35:20.879 --> 00:35:21.399 refreshing 00:35:21.399 --> 00:35:21.899 so 00:35:21.899 --> 00:35:22.559 restful 00:35:22.559 --> 00:35:23.460 and so 00:35:23.460 --> 00:35:24.019 beautiful 00:35:24.019 --> 00:35:28.319 and that's 00:35:28.319 --> 00:35:28.599 what we 00:35:28.599 --> 00:35:29.159 offer our 00:35:29.159 --> 00:35:29.679 society 00:35:29.679 --> 00:35:30.099 as we 00:35:30.099 --> 00:35:30.539 look forward 00:35:30.539 --> 00:35:30.839 as a 00:35:30.839 --> 00:35:31.219 church 00:35:31.219 --> 00:35:32.559 a church 00:35:32.559 --> 00:35:33.440 of 00:35:33.440 --> 00:35:34.299 diverse 00:35:34.299 --> 00:35:35.000 people 00:35:35.000 --> 00:35:36.399 growing 00:35:36.399 --> 00:35:37.019 downward 00:35:37.019 --> 00:35:37.379 in 00:35:37.379 --> 00:35:37.980 humility 00:35:37.980 --> 00:35:39.960 as we 00:35:39.960 --> 00:35:40.259 grow 00:35:40.259 --> 00:35:40.940 upward 00:35:40.940 --> 00:35:41.799 embracing 00:35:41.799 --> 00:35:42.239 the Lord 00:35:42.239 --> 00:35:42.599 Jesus 00:35:42.599 --> 00:35:43.299 and all 00:35:43.299 --> 00:35:43.599 that he 00:35:43.599 --> 00:35:43.980 has done 00:35:43.980 --> 00:35:44.539 for us 00:35:44.539 --> 00:35:47.099 a church 00:35:47.099 --> 00:35:47.619 that is so 00:35:47.619 --> 00:35:48.279 beautifully 00:35:48.279 --> 00:35:50.019 countercultural 00:35:50.019 --> 00:35:51.460 that it 00:35:51.460 --> 00:35:51.940 makes in 00:35:51.940 --> 00:35:52.500 fact Jesus 00:35:52.500 --> 00:35:53.360 and Christianity 00:35:53.360 --> 00:35:54.219 compelling to 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.940 our society 00:35:54.940 --> 00:35:58.320 Amen