WEBVTT

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 Heavenly Father, we thank you for your word.

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 We thank you that we can go into a different part tonight.

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 And we pray that as we grapple with the Old Testament and stories from a long time ago,

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 that you would speak to us in a fresh way by your spirit right now

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 and grow us in our encouragement and our service of you.

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 And we pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

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 I want to be political tonight.

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 How's that? Don't do that too often.

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 Prime ministers of Australia have been coming and going through a revolving door for the last five years.

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 That's stating the obvious.

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 And I thought before I finished this sermon that we might even have another one,

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 but it hasn't happened at this stage.

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 But it's led to an insecurity and a lack of confidence in decision makers,

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 and it's not good for our country.

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 It's not good for our democracy.

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 If it has become a tyranny of vested interests or selfish people

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 who just spin that revolving door and keep it spinning.

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 When a leader changes, we go from the known to the unknown.

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 We move into a new era with new hopes and also new uncertainties.

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 So tonight, as you know, we're in Joshua.

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 We're in the sixth book of the Bible.

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 It comes immediately after the first five books of the Bible,

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 which are known as the Torah, the law.

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 And it's the first of what we call the former prophets.

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 And there's a huge transition taking place,

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 which we've already read about in the Bible readings tonight.

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 A deeply revered leader, Moses, has died,

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 and a new leader steps onto the stage.

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 And so there's these new questions, there's new hopes,

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 and there's new uncertainties.

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 And Joshua begins with these words.

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 After the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord,

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 the Lord said to Joshua, son of Nun, Moses' aid,

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 Moses, my servant, is dead.

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 There's a baton change going on.

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 The great God anointed and appointed leader of the people of Israel is dead.

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 Moses was raised in the household of the Egyptian king.

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 He was a prince of Egypt.

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 He's probably the foremost leader of the Jews in the whole of the Old Testament.

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 He was a reluctant leader.

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 When God first knocked on his door and asked him to lead,

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 Moses said, please find somebody other than me.

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 Don't take me, Lord.

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 And yet he was the man who had confronted the king, Pharaoh,

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 on numerous occasions with the word and the power of God

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 until the Egyptian king finally permitted the Israelites to leave Egypt

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 with the last terrible plague.

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 Get out of my sight and never come back again.

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 And Moses led the nation through the Red Sea.

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 The Egyptian army tried to follow.

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 God closed the sea over them.

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 He drowned the army and they were totally destroyed.

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 The Israelites continued on what was a reasonably short journey of a few weeks.

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 It only took a few weeks to get to the edge of the promised land.

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 They arrived there.

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 They're on the brink of the place that God is bringing them to

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 and they blew it.

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 They sent spies into the land.

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 And the spies returned with a mixed report.

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 They said, yes, it's a great land.

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 It's flowing with good things.

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 It's got milk and honey and all the things that God promised that there would be,

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 just like God said.

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 But it's full of giants.

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 And these guys are so big that we feel like grasshoppers in comparison to them.

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 I was on holidays before Christmas.

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 Four days on a houseboat on the beautiful Myo Lakes.

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 Never been there in my life before.

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 Pristine beauty.

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 I was very excited about going.

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 Warm water.

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 Unlimited swimming.

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 You know, all day in and out of the water.

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 And just before I went, one of my friends very kindly said to me,

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 he said, oh, watch out for the bull sharks.

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 No, it wasn't, sorry.

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 He wouldn't have done such a thing.

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 And suddenly, four days on a boat and not being able to go into the water

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 didn't sound very nice at all.

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 And I said to my friend, I think the bull shark stuff is a lot of bull dust.

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 And I found out afterwards it was.

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 There were no bull sharks in Myo Lake.

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 He was wrong.

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 But what had happened was his warning had put fear into me.

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 And uncertainty.

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 And I was wondering, I was actually wondering why we didn't go on the Hawkesbury River

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 in the first place.

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 We wouldn't have had to drive so far.

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 There are bull sharks and other sharks there.

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 It's the same with the Israelites.

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 Ten spies came back.

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 They're telling giant stories.

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 And the people become very afraid.

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 And in their fear, it's almost like they've got amnesia.

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 They've forgotten what God's just done for them.

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 They've forgotten the big signs in Egypt.

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 I mean, how big a miracle does God have to do for people to remember how great he is?

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 And he does ten of them in Egypt.

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 And then he brings them through the Red Sea and drowns the army on top of that.

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 But they forget.

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 And they stop trusting him.

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 And they begin to accuse him.

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 And they say, what have you done bringing us to this place?

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 We're all going to die.

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 Two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, have a very different perspective.

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 Don't worry about the giants.

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 God can take care of them.

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 And so you've got two groups.

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 They've gone and seen the same things.

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 They face the same situation, but each deals with it in a completely different way.

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 One group is filled with fear and can't get away quick enough.

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 And the other group have this really big sense of God.

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 They're confident in God.

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 They trust his leadership of them, even in the face of giants.

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 And if we read a whole lot of the Bible, we would see that God punishes the nations for their unbelief,

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 for the nation for their unbelief.

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 They wander in the desert like refugees without a home until all the adult men of that generation die for their unfaithfulness.

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 And so now, 40 years later, there are only two survivors, Joshua and Caleb, and they are both about 80 years old.

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 Moses is dead.

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 He's not allowed to enter the land.

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 That's another big story.

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 A generation has died out.

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 God takes one great leader off the scene.

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 The nation really has lost a colossal leader, and the people are very grieved.

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 But Joshua begins with a new leader.

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 And I guess the questions are, what's he going to be like?

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 Will he take us in?

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 Will we defeat giants?

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 Should we trust in him?

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 Will he prove worthy?

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 It's funny, you know, for all of us, life is short.

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 We will all depart the stage of human history.

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 And as we go, and you see it with older people particularly,

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 with older people they may have had a pretty substantial life and done a lot of things,

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 and a lot of things that you probably remember and honour at a funeral service,

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 but they will go and a family will be left behind.

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 And some of the questions which become real questions for the people left behind are,

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 so what's going to happen to us?

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 And what will our future be like now that this person is no longer part of our life?

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 And God gives great reassurance to the new leader,

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 and I think that's what the whole of Joshua chapter 1 is about.

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 It's God's reassurance to the people at this significant point in their history.

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 Verse 2.

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 And what you see there, if you listen very carefully,

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 is that the Israelites' real leader has always been God.

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 He's working his purposes.

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 He's pulling the strings.

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 He provides the real power and the leadership.

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 Verse 2.

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 The land is what I am about to give them.

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 And verse 3.

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 I will give you what I promised Moses.

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 And God promises this vast area of land which stretches all the way from the Mediterranean Sea

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 right through to modern Iraq and Iran.

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 And they're not new promises.

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 These are promises which God has made time and time again in the past.

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 He's made the promises to Abraham in Genesis 15.

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 He's made the promises to Moses in Deuteronomy chapter 1.

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 And in verse 5, God says,

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 Just like I was with Moses, I will be with you.

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 I will never leave you or forsake you.

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 God is present and leading his people.

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 He is still on mission.

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 And so he's giving great reassurance to Joshua and also to the people.

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 Be assured, God is with us.

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 He continues to lead us.

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 His promises assure.

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 His purposes continue.

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 And Joshua is God's new man.

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 His Hebrew name means rescuer or saviour.

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 It's the same name as Jesus in the Greek.

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 I've changed my verse tonight and I've gone to Luke chapter 2 verse 12

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 where the angels announce the birth of Jesus and they say,

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 Christ is a saviour.

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 Christ is a saviour.

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 Christ is a rescuer.

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 Joshua will be a rescuer in terms of God's purposes,

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 bringing God's people into the land.

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 And then he reassures his people throughout these words

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 at the beginning of Joshua.

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 The reassurance is, I am with you.

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 You're not alone.

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 It's the same sort of reassurance which is given again and again

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 throughout the Bible.

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 In the New Testament, in John's Gospel,

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 Jesus alarms his disciples when he says, I'm going away.

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 And they're distressed.

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 And he reassures them in John 16, 16.

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 He said, I will ask the Father and he will give you another counsellor

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 to be with you forever, the spirit of truth.

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 But you know him for he lives with you and he will be in you.

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 And I will not leave you as orphans.

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 I will come to you.

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 In Matthew 28, Jesus does exactly the same things.

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 The very last words that he speaks to his disciples

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 before he goes up into heaven,

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 I am with you always to the very end of the age.

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 He promises his presence.

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 We can feel very frightened and lonely in tough times.

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 Very uncertain of what's going on around us

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 and uncertain of what lies ahead.

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 Sometimes devastated by our own sin,

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 sometimes devastatingly impacted by the sin of others.

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 Believers do shed tears

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 and in some places in the world we even shed blood.

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 Nowhere in the scriptures are we promised an easy road.

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 But what we can be sure of

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 and always confident about

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 is the personal presence of the Lord Jesus Christ

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 in every situation that we face.

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 I thought about this this morning.

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 You know, when you're older,

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 one of the things that you know is coming

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 is declining health and death.

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 It's going to come sometime.

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 And when you're younger,

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 you don't think about it as often,

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 but when you're older

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 and you see your friends dropping off around you,

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 it becomes almost the norm.

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 Others of you are still in high school

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 or maybe just out at the end of high school

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 and so life issues are quite different for you.

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 You have uncertainty about the future.

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 You struggle with issues in your family.

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 You see grief with mothers and fathers and families.

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 You have big life decisions coming ahead.

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 You're wondering about what you'll study.

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 You're wondering about what career that you will do.

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 You're wondering about whether you'll be married,

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 whether you'll have a family,

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 what that will look like.

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 And somewhere in between,

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 a few of the rest of us fit

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 and we've been living long enough

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 to know that some of the things that we planned for

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 and we hoped for haven't come

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 and some of the things that have happened to us

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 are not things that we've welcomed.

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 Life can be really difficult sometimes.

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 Illness or illness in a loved one,

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 in a child or in a spouse,

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 experiencing death in close family,

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 maybe it's walking through times of moral failure

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 or difficulties in our workplace.

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 God does not promise to get us out of trouble.

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 He promises his personal presence

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 in every circumstance of life.

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 You see it when we have marriages,

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 ceremonies here in church.

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 At the beginning of a marriage,

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 you know, two people stand here,

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 hopefully head over heels in love.

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 That's what it's like most of the time.

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 Maybe very stressed by the arrangements of a wedding,

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 but head over heels in love

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 and absolutely anxious to start to build a life together

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 and be together.

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 And at the heart of a service,

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 the two people will make promises to one another.

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 They read promises which recognise

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 the ups and downs of the journey

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 which is still out there ahead of them.

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 And they'll say to each other,

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 I take you for better,

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 for worse,

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 for richer,

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 for poorer,

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 in sickness and in health.

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 But you commit yourself as a friend

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 to one another in that moment

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 and the point is that you have a friend

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 which undertakes to enter into the journey of life with you.

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 A real presence,

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 a deep comforter

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 when it works right.

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 And so Joshua begins with God saying,

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 I am with you.

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 You're not alone.

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 He has a powerful presence with his people

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 on the journey of life.

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 His promises

00:16:04.459 --> 00:16:06.379
 and his purposes

00:16:06.379 --> 00:16:07.479
 continue.

00:16:11.239 --> 00:16:12.679
 But a word from God,

00:16:13.199 --> 00:16:14.279
 a promise from God,

00:16:14.279 --> 00:16:16.819
 always requires a response

00:16:16.820 --> 00:16:19.440
 from the people that it's spoken to.

00:16:20.879 --> 00:16:22.980
 Three times God says to Joshua,

00:16:23.120 --> 00:16:23.680
 be strong,

00:16:24.560 --> 00:16:25.340
 be courageous,

00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:27.379
 don't be afraid.

00:16:28.980 --> 00:16:30.000
 And in verse 18,

00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:30.920
 the people respond

00:16:30.920 --> 00:16:31.960
 by asking their leader

00:16:31.960 --> 00:16:33.980
 to be strong and courageous as well.

00:16:35.260 --> 00:16:37.260
 And it's not like grin and bear it

00:16:37.260 --> 00:16:38.440
 and battle through British

00:16:38.440 --> 00:16:40.540
 stiff upper lip stoicism.

00:16:41.400 --> 00:16:43.080
 It's about having the courage

00:16:43.080 --> 00:16:44.980
 to trust the word of God completely

00:16:44.980 --> 00:16:45.880
 and to act on it.

00:16:46.820 --> 00:16:48.879
 To rest in what God asks him to do,

00:16:48.940 --> 00:16:50.800
 to be faithful to what God says.

00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:54.379
 God's word says to him,

00:16:54.480 --> 00:16:54.920
 verse 7,

00:16:55.000 --> 00:16:56.580
 be careful to obey all the law

00:16:56.580 --> 00:16:58.200
 my servant Moses gave you.

00:16:59.180 --> 00:17:00.400
 Do not turn from it

00:17:00.400 --> 00:17:01.640
 to the right or to the left

00:17:01.640 --> 00:17:02.940
 that you may be successful

00:17:02.940 --> 00:17:03.920
 wherever you go.

00:17:04.940 --> 00:17:06.500
 Do not let this book of the law

00:17:06.500 --> 00:17:07.620
 depart from your mouth,

00:17:07.820 --> 00:17:09.500
 meditate on it day and night

00:17:09.500 --> 00:17:11.019
 so that you may be careful

00:17:11.019 --> 00:17:12.980
 to do everything that's written in it

00:17:12.980 --> 00:17:14.500
 and then you will be prosperous

00:17:14.500 --> 00:17:15.279
 and successful.

00:17:15.279 --> 00:17:16.720
 This is not a book of rules

00:17:16.720 --> 00:17:17.619
 and regulations.

00:17:18.160 --> 00:17:18.980
 This is the book

00:17:18.980 --> 00:17:20.139
 by which they relate

00:17:20.139 --> 00:17:21.259
 in a living way

00:17:21.259 --> 00:17:22.299
 with the living God.

00:17:22.660 --> 00:17:23.920
 The scriptures were the law.

00:17:24.019 --> 00:17:25.000
 This was their Bible.

00:17:25.119 --> 00:17:26.460
 This is about knowing God.

00:17:29.059 --> 00:17:30.680
 And God gives Joshua

00:17:30.680 --> 00:17:31.759
 all that he needs

00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:32.759
 for the task ahead.

00:17:32.819 --> 00:17:33.119
 He says,

00:17:33.180 --> 00:17:33.759
 I'm with you.

00:17:33.839 --> 00:17:34.319
 Trust me.

00:17:34.399 --> 00:17:35.200
 Trust my word.

00:17:35.519 --> 00:17:36.619
 Do what I tell you to do

00:17:36.619 --> 00:17:37.859
 and don't listen to anything

00:17:37.859 --> 00:17:38.940
 or anybody else.

00:17:38.940 --> 00:17:41.660
 They are about to enter

00:17:41.660 --> 00:17:42.700
 a land of giants.

00:17:43.960 --> 00:17:44.700
 Fearsome enemies,

00:17:44.880 --> 00:17:45.620
 tough opponents

00:17:45.620 --> 00:17:47.559
 and God says,

00:17:47.799 --> 00:17:48.460
 don't be terrified,

00:17:48.779 --> 00:17:49.759
 don't be discouraged,

00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:51.840
 trust what I say completely.

00:17:54.039 --> 00:17:54.900
 Now when a preacher

00:17:54.900 --> 00:17:55.880
 says something like that

00:17:55.880 --> 00:17:56.440
 to a congregation

00:17:56.440 --> 00:17:57.340
 of God's people,

00:17:57.440 --> 00:17:58.500
 most people just sit there

00:17:58.500 --> 00:17:59.059
 and nod their heads

00:17:59.059 --> 00:17:59.400
 and say,

00:17:59.500 --> 00:17:59.960
 yeah, yeah, yeah,

00:17:59.960 --> 00:18:00.600
 we've got to do

00:18:00.600 --> 00:18:01.500
 what God tells us to do.

00:18:01.539 --> 00:18:02.460
 Of course we do that.

00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:03.860
 Pay careful attention

00:18:03.860 --> 00:18:04.559
 to God's word.

00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:06.859
 Well, what's that look like?

00:18:08.980 --> 00:18:09.899
 And it's really interesting

00:18:09.899 --> 00:18:10.700
 because you jump into

00:18:10.700 --> 00:18:11.299
 the New Testament,

00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:12.099
 you go to a passage

00:18:12.099 --> 00:18:13.299
 like Hebrews 13

00:18:13.299 --> 00:18:14.980
 and he actually picks up

00:18:14.980 --> 00:18:15.980
 on Joshua 1

00:18:15.980 --> 00:18:17.539
 and applies it to God's people

00:18:17.539 --> 00:18:18.919
 in a Christian setting.

00:18:21.779 --> 00:18:23.259
 So in Hebrews 13,

00:18:23.399 --> 00:18:23.700
 he says,

00:18:23.799 --> 00:18:24.740
 marriage should be honoured

00:18:24.740 --> 00:18:25.419
 by all

00:18:25.419 --> 00:18:26.619
 and the marriage bed

00:18:26.619 --> 00:18:27.379
 kept pure

00:18:27.379 --> 00:18:28.819
 for God will judge

00:18:28.819 --> 00:18:29.740
 the adulterer

00:18:29.740 --> 00:18:31.639
 and all sexually immoral.

00:18:32.980 --> 00:18:34.259
 Keep your lives free

00:18:34.259 --> 00:18:35.240
 from the love of money

00:18:35.240 --> 00:18:35.980
 and be content

00:18:35.980 --> 00:18:36.819
 with what you have

00:18:36.819 --> 00:18:38.220
 because God has said,

00:18:38.720 --> 00:18:39.859
 never will I leave you

00:18:39.859 --> 00:18:40.900
 or forsake you.

00:18:41.940 --> 00:18:43.019
 And so we can say

00:18:43.019 --> 00:18:43.799
 with confidence,

00:18:43.960 --> 00:18:44.960
 the Lord is my helper,

00:18:45.079 --> 00:18:46.180
 I will not be afraid,

00:18:46.299 --> 00:18:47.740
 what can people do to me?

00:18:50.579 --> 00:18:52.259
 See, God's presence with us

00:18:52.259 --> 00:18:53.980
 should be impacting

00:18:53.980 --> 00:18:54.720
 our behaviour.

00:18:54.980 --> 00:18:56.039
 To know Christ

00:18:56.039 --> 00:18:57.279
 should be changing

00:18:57.279 --> 00:18:58.480
 the way that we are

00:18:58.480 --> 00:19:00.099
 and the way that we live

00:19:00.099 --> 00:19:01.200
 and the people that we are.

00:19:02.359 --> 00:19:03.220
 Honour marriage,

00:19:03.220 --> 00:19:04.700
 keep the marriage bed pure.

00:19:05.519 --> 00:19:06.600
 Keep your lives free

00:19:06.600 --> 00:19:07.420
 from love of money.

00:19:07.539 --> 00:19:08.100
 Be content

00:19:08.100 --> 00:19:09.160
 with what you have.

00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:12.380
 The reason to honour God

00:19:12.380 --> 00:19:13.220
 in these things

00:19:13.220 --> 00:19:15.539
 in matters of relationship

00:19:15.539 --> 00:19:16.400
 and money

00:19:16.400 --> 00:19:17.960
 is God's faithfulness

00:19:17.960 --> 00:19:18.440
 to us

00:19:18.440 --> 00:19:19.279
 and his presence

00:19:19.279 --> 00:19:19.920
 with us.

00:19:23.420 --> 00:19:24.380
 God's given us

00:19:24.380 --> 00:19:24.860
 his word.

00:19:25.160 --> 00:19:26.339
 We know what he thinks

00:19:26.339 --> 00:19:27.120
 about the idols

00:19:27.120 --> 00:19:28.120
 of sex and money.

00:19:29.400 --> 00:19:30.299
 Preacher a while back

00:19:30.299 --> 00:19:30.519
 said,

00:19:30.620 --> 00:19:31.339
 we live in a sex

00:19:31.339 --> 00:19:32.220
 sodden society.

00:19:32.220 --> 00:19:32.619
 He's right,

00:19:32.699 --> 00:19:33.819
 I saw a movie last night

00:19:33.819 --> 00:19:36.220
 which I'll tell you

00:19:36.220 --> 00:19:37.159
 afterwards if you want to know

00:19:37.159 --> 00:19:37.879
 but it was a movie

00:19:37.879 --> 00:19:38.319
 that I thought

00:19:38.319 --> 00:19:39.079
 would have been

00:19:39.079 --> 00:19:40.019
 a great movie to see

00:19:40.019 --> 00:19:41.079
 and it was for most of us

00:19:41.079 --> 00:19:42.079
 if you like seeing people

00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:42.779
 blown away.

00:19:44.699 --> 00:19:46.000
 That sort of

00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:46.899
 light relief for me

00:19:46.899 --> 00:19:47.399
 sometimes.

00:19:47.959 --> 00:19:48.819
 Mightn't be good for you.

00:19:49.619 --> 00:19:50.519
 But something happened

00:19:50.519 --> 00:19:51.799
 at the end of that movie

00:19:51.799 --> 00:19:52.579
 that shocked me

00:19:52.579 --> 00:19:54.240
 and it was like

00:19:54.240 --> 00:19:55.579
 the pornification

00:19:55.579 --> 00:19:56.359
 of our culture.

00:19:56.659 --> 00:19:57.859
 It's like bringing

00:19:57.859 --> 00:19:58.979
 porn into mainstream.

00:20:03.139 --> 00:20:03.899
 Some of us

00:20:03.899 --> 00:20:04.679
 have been burnt

00:20:04.679 --> 00:20:05.119
 or hurt

00:20:05.119 --> 00:20:05.779
 by our own

00:20:05.779 --> 00:20:06.599
 sexual failures

00:20:06.599 --> 00:20:07.259
 or the failures

00:20:07.259 --> 00:20:07.859
 of others

00:20:07.859 --> 00:20:08.979
 against us.

00:20:10.439 --> 00:20:11.359
 Our society

00:20:11.359 --> 00:20:11.959
 ridicules

00:20:11.959 --> 00:20:12.779
 what God teaches

00:20:12.779 --> 00:20:13.439
 about marriage

00:20:13.439 --> 00:20:14.019
 and fidelity.

00:20:15.299 --> 00:20:16.479
 The organised church

00:20:16.479 --> 00:20:18.259
 wanders like a drunken man

00:20:18.259 --> 00:20:19.179
 trying to find his way

00:20:19.179 --> 00:20:20.119
 home over issues

00:20:20.119 --> 00:20:21.299
 such as gay marriage

00:20:21.299 --> 00:20:21.959
 and practising

00:20:21.959 --> 00:20:22.679
 gay ministers.

00:20:24.519 --> 00:20:25.240
 We've moved

00:20:25.240 --> 00:20:25.819
 a long way

00:20:25.819 --> 00:20:26.579
 from God's word.

00:20:26.579 --> 00:20:27.460
 we are more likely

00:20:27.460 --> 00:20:28.159
 to say each

00:20:28.159 --> 00:20:28.879
 to his own

00:20:28.879 --> 00:20:29.659
 than to hold

00:20:29.659 --> 00:20:30.559
 to what is clear

00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:31.659
 teaching in the scriptures.

00:20:34.720 --> 00:20:35.439
 That's sex

00:20:35.439 --> 00:20:36.259
 and relationships.

00:20:36.639 --> 00:20:37.699
 What about possessions?

00:20:39.039 --> 00:20:39.859
 We're possessed

00:20:39.859 --> 00:20:40.379
 by them.

00:20:42.000 --> 00:20:43.439
 If we own homes

00:20:43.439 --> 00:20:44.919
 we want the Sydney

00:20:44.919 --> 00:20:46.000
 property market

00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:46.559
 to boom.

00:20:49.679 --> 00:20:50.500
 If you don't

00:20:50.500 --> 00:20:51.079
 own a home

00:20:51.079 --> 00:20:54.099
 you don't mind

00:20:54.099 --> 00:20:55.039
 if it crashes a bit.

00:20:55.039 --> 00:20:56.680
 I tried that

00:20:56.680 --> 00:20:57.200
 in one of our

00:20:57.200 --> 00:20:57.799
 church families

00:20:57.799 --> 00:20:58.220
 this morning

00:20:58.220 --> 00:20:58.680
 I don't think

00:20:58.680 --> 00:20:59.399
 they saw the humour

00:20:59.399 --> 00:20:59.879
 of what I was

00:20:59.879 --> 00:21:00.379
 trying to say.

00:21:01.500 --> 00:21:02.799
 I think that was shocking.

00:21:04.319 --> 00:21:05.039
 But we feel

00:21:05.039 --> 00:21:06.460
 security in our wealth.

00:21:07.359 --> 00:21:08.359
 Gives us status.

00:21:09.659 --> 00:21:10.059
 Reassurance

00:21:10.059 --> 00:21:10.960
 about who we are.

00:21:11.079 --> 00:21:11.940
 We feel powerful

00:21:11.940 --> 00:21:12.899
 because we can travel

00:21:12.899 --> 00:21:13.859
 business class.

00:21:14.920 --> 00:21:16.480
 Or we can die

00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:17.980
 in a five star

00:21:17.980 --> 00:21:19.039
 nursing home.

00:21:19.099 --> 00:21:19.960
 How good is that?

00:21:19.960 --> 00:21:25.120
 We have lots of stuff

00:21:25.120 --> 00:21:26.440
 but we are restless

00:21:26.440 --> 00:21:28.140
 and discontent

00:21:28.140 --> 00:21:29.940
 and never satisfied.

00:21:31.360 --> 00:21:33.160
 And it's a spiritual problem.

00:21:35.319 --> 00:21:36.039
 See when we turn

00:21:36.039 --> 00:21:36.480
 to money

00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:37.600
 or we misuse sex

00:21:37.600 --> 00:21:38.480
 I think we're trying

00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:39.240
 to fill deep

00:21:39.240 --> 00:21:40.340
 emptiness inside.

00:21:41.299 --> 00:21:42.120
 More porn

00:21:42.120 --> 00:21:44.160
 a new sexual partner

00:21:44.160 --> 00:21:45.680
 great wealth

00:21:45.680 --> 00:21:47.560
 and the things

00:21:47.560 --> 00:21:48.220
 that I can do

00:21:48.220 --> 00:21:48.640
 and buy

00:21:48.640 --> 00:21:49.240
 and we're trying

00:21:49.240 --> 00:21:50.560
 to fill this hole

00:21:50.560 --> 00:21:51.759
 that only Jesus

00:21:51.759 --> 00:21:53.340
 can truly satisfy.

00:21:56.680 --> 00:21:57.700
 We had a lovely

00:21:57.700 --> 00:21:58.640
 experience this week

00:21:58.640 --> 00:21:59.060
 at church.

00:21:59.180 --> 00:21:59.940
 Somebody from

00:21:59.940 --> 00:22:00.660
 one of our church

00:22:00.660 --> 00:22:01.060
 families

00:22:01.060 --> 00:22:01.779
 morning church

00:22:01.779 --> 00:22:04.259
 was serving

00:22:04.259 --> 00:22:06.080
 in the school

00:22:06.080 --> 00:22:07.840
 and on the counter.

00:22:08.019 --> 00:22:08.340
 They were a great

00:22:08.340 --> 00:22:08.940
 public face

00:22:08.940 --> 00:22:09.580
 for our church.

00:22:09.579 --> 00:22:12.319
 and she was telling

00:22:12.319 --> 00:22:12.980
 the story

00:22:12.980 --> 00:22:14.019
 of her conversion.

00:22:14.159 --> 00:22:15.059
 She's come from Iran

00:22:15.059 --> 00:22:17.299
 and she was converted

00:22:17.299 --> 00:22:17.899
 in India.

00:22:19.159 --> 00:22:19.859
 A friend talked

00:22:19.859 --> 00:22:20.659
 to her about Jesus

00:22:20.659 --> 00:22:21.379
 and she came

00:22:21.379 --> 00:22:21.939
 to Christ

00:22:21.939 --> 00:22:23.819
 and she said

00:22:23.819 --> 00:22:25.399
 I fell in love

00:22:25.399 --> 00:22:26.119
 with Jesus.

00:22:27.399 --> 00:22:28.599
 I fell in love

00:22:28.599 --> 00:22:29.159
 with Jesus

00:22:29.159 --> 00:22:31.059
 and boy

00:22:31.059 --> 00:22:31.740
 he shines

00:22:31.740 --> 00:22:32.299
 out of her.

00:22:34.480 --> 00:22:35.659
 The Lord Jesus

00:22:35.659 --> 00:22:37.240
 richly invites us

00:22:37.240 --> 00:22:38.179
 into his personal

00:22:38.179 --> 00:22:38.779
 presence

00:22:38.779 --> 00:22:39.879
 and into relationship

00:22:39.879 --> 00:22:40.500
 with him.

00:22:41.559 --> 00:22:42.319
 He says to us

00:22:42.319 --> 00:22:43.180
 in Matthew 11

00:22:43.180 --> 00:22:43.899
 come to me

00:22:43.899 --> 00:22:44.799
 all you who are

00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:45.720
 weary and burdened

00:22:45.720 --> 00:22:46.879
 and I will give you rest.

00:22:47.819 --> 00:22:48.819
 Take my yoke

00:22:48.819 --> 00:22:49.299
 upon you

00:22:49.299 --> 00:22:50.220
 and learn from me

00:22:50.220 --> 00:22:51.160
 for I am gentle

00:22:51.160 --> 00:22:52.660
 and humble in heart

00:22:52.660 --> 00:22:53.420
 and you will find

00:22:53.420 --> 00:22:54.559
 rest for your souls.

00:22:56.700 --> 00:22:58.000
 The people of Israel

00:22:58.000 --> 00:22:58.839
 have been brought

00:22:58.839 --> 00:23:00.099
 to a brand new day.

00:23:01.440 --> 00:23:02.319
 God has dealt

00:23:02.319 --> 00:23:03.220
 with the offenses

00:23:03.220 --> 00:23:04.220
 of their past.

00:23:05.599 --> 00:23:06.579
 He's given them

00:23:06.579 --> 00:23:07.279
 the opportunity

00:23:07.279 --> 00:23:08.240
 to enjoy

00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:09.019
 new life

00:23:09.019 --> 00:23:09.519
 with him

00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:10.359
 in this brand

00:23:10.359 --> 00:23:11.160
 new land

00:23:11.160 --> 00:23:13.640
 and yes

00:23:13.640 --> 00:23:14.720
 there are lots

00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:15.240
 of things

00:23:15.240 --> 00:23:15.859
 that they could

00:23:15.859 --> 00:23:16.759
 be afraid about

00:23:16.759 --> 00:23:19.579
 but God

00:23:19.579 --> 00:23:20.400
 speaks to their

00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:21.059
 situation

00:23:21.059 --> 00:23:21.559
 and he says

00:23:21.559 --> 00:23:22.440
 I am with you

00:23:22.440 --> 00:23:24.640
 I will never

00:23:24.640 --> 00:23:25.299
 leave you

00:23:25.299 --> 00:23:26.819
 and never forsake you

00:23:26.819 --> 00:23:29.359
 and then he calls

00:23:29.359 --> 00:23:30.339
 them to make

00:23:30.339 --> 00:23:31.200
 a strong

00:23:31.200 --> 00:23:31.939
 and trusting

00:23:31.939 --> 00:23:32.960
 response to him

00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:33.799
 be strong

00:23:33.799 --> 00:23:35.359
 be courageous

00:23:35.359 --> 00:23:37.299
 don't be afraid

00:23:37.299 --> 00:23:38.819
 the Lord

00:23:38.819 --> 00:23:39.539
 your God

00:23:39.539 --> 00:23:40.399
 will be with you

00:23:40.399 --> 00:23:41.480
 wherever you go

00:23:41.480 --> 00:23:43.960
 and brothers

00:23:43.960 --> 00:23:44.500
 and sisters

00:23:44.500 --> 00:23:46.579
 I have no idea

00:23:46.579 --> 00:23:47.160
 what giants

00:23:47.160 --> 00:23:47.759
 you are facing

00:23:47.759 --> 00:23:48.400
 in your life

00:23:48.400 --> 00:23:48.960
 right now

00:23:48.960 --> 00:23:49.620
 and I am sure

00:23:49.620 --> 00:23:50.200
 amongst us

00:23:50.200 --> 00:23:50.880
 even a congregation

00:23:50.880 --> 00:23:51.799
 this size

00:23:51.799 --> 00:23:53.440
 that some of us

00:23:53.440 --> 00:23:54.620
 have very large

00:23:54.620 --> 00:23:55.160
 giants

00:23:55.160 --> 00:23:56.319
 staring them down

00:23:56.319 --> 00:23:59.740
 but this passage

00:23:59.740 --> 00:24:00.159
 says

00:24:00.159 --> 00:24:00.879
 don't try to

00:24:00.879 --> 00:24:01.939
 satisfy your own

00:24:01.939 --> 00:24:02.859
 hearts with things

00:24:02.859 --> 00:24:03.519
 that cause

00:24:03.519 --> 00:24:04.519
 greater heartache

00:24:04.519 --> 00:24:06.899
 make righteous

00:24:06.899 --> 00:24:07.599
 choices

00:24:07.599 --> 00:24:09.799
 pursue the Lord

00:24:09.799 --> 00:24:10.899
 Jesus in love

00:24:10.899 --> 00:24:12.879
 be strong

00:24:12.879 --> 00:24:14.619
 be courageous

00:24:14.619 --> 00:24:16.500
 continue to

00:24:16.500 --> 00:24:17.079
 cling to the

00:24:17.079 --> 00:24:17.679
 Lord Jesus

00:24:17.679 --> 00:24:18.299
 who says

00:24:18.299 --> 00:24:19.099
 I am with you

00:24:19.099 --> 00:24:20.039
 always to the

00:24:20.039 --> 00:24:21.039
 very end of the

00:24:21.039 --> 00:24:21.519
 age

00:24:21.519 --> 00:24:23.700
 the Lord

00:24:23.700 --> 00:24:24.099
 Jesus

00:24:24.099 --> 00:24:25.039
 who is with us

00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:25.819
 is greater

00:24:25.819 --> 00:24:26.819
 than every

00:24:26.819 --> 00:24:27.319
 giant

00:24:27.319 --> 00:24:28.379
 that makes us

00:24:28.379 --> 00:24:28.740
 fear

00:24:28.740 --> 00:24:30.339
 Amen