WEBVTT

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 Father, we live in a time, Father,

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 and you know how deeply Canadian most of us are,

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 and we're afraid to talk about certain things,

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 and we're even afraid to see certain things written in your word.

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 And so, Father, we ask that you help us not to be afraid,

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 to be secure, Father, in your word,

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 and secure in your love for us,

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 and that as your gospel becomes more real to us

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 and helps us to be more secure in who you are

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 and your great love for us,

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 and that this is your word, your world,

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 and we are your children living in your world under your care,

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 that you would help us, Father,

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 to allow your word to form us deeply and deeply,

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 knowing that as your word forms us deeply,

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 it'll form us to generosity and hospitality,

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 to righteousness and to justice and mercy,

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 and to prayerfulness.

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 So, Father, do this wonderful work in our lives,

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 and we ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior.

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 Amen.

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 Please be seated.

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 So, you might have noticed when Matt was reading,

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 but I have a full disclosure in case you didn't.

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 The first half of this, we're reading the first half of a story.

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 So, there's a story in two parts,

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 and it's the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

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 I'm also aware that it's Pride Month.

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 And so, if you're a guest here,

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 or if you're a guest online,

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 just let you know,

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 those of you,

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 if I move my head like this, it creates feedback,

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 just let you know that

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 this isn't like me throwing down the gauntlet,

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 or trying to give the finger to anybody,

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 or anything like that,

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 or a challenge.

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 I sort of,

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 I don't think about what months they are,

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 and stuff like that.

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 And those of you know,

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 we don't really do anything for Mother's Day,

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 or Father's Day,

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 or other days.

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 We just preach through books of the Bible,

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 or large sections of the Bible,

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 and it never really struck me

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 that we would be talking about this chapter,

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 during this story,

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 during Pride Month.

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 So, it's not a challenge.

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 It's,

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 but I'm not embarrassed about the story.

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 And maybe it's, in fact,

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 one of the best times

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 for us who are Christians

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 to look at a story like this

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 during Pride Week.

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 Because actually,

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 as you see this week and next week,

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 it forms us towards compassion,

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 as well as to justice and to righteousness.

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 Now, just the other thing about it,

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 it's the actual,

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 this is sort of the lead up to Sodom and Gomorrah,

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 and next week we actually have

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 the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

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 Spoiler alert,

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 but there you go,

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 it gets destroyed.

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 But interestingly enough,

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 in this lead up

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 to the story

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 of Sodom and Gomorrah

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 being destroyed,

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 the Bible actually

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 touches very,

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 in very simple ways,

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 in a very simple story,

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 with the mystery of human freedom

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 and worth and dignity,

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 and the possibility of having true meaning

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 in your life.

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 Not a meaning that you sort of grab for yourself,

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 but a meaning which is bigger than you

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 that you can enter into and walk into it.

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 So let's look,

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 open up your Bibles,

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 and we'll read this text together,

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 this scary text.

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 Part of this text has a bit of a,

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 anyway,

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 let's get into the text.

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 And it goes like this,

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 Genesis 18,

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 verse 1,

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 and we're going through the Abraham stories,

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 and we're going to end in,

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 we're going to take a week off the last week of June,

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 but then we'll finish it the first week of July

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 with the story of Isaac being sacrificed,

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 potentially sacrificed,

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 or sacrificed because of God's command.

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 Here's how this story goes.

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 And the Lord appeared to him,

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 that's Abraham,

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 by the oaks of Mamre,

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 as he sat at the door of his tent

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 in the heat of the day.

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 He lifted up his eyes and looked,

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 and behold,

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 three men were standing in front of him.

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 When he saw them,

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 he ran from the door to meet them

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 and bowed himself to the earth.

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 And I just sort of pause,

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 look again at verse 2,

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 he's at his tent,

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 and then verse 2,

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 he lifted up his eyes and looked,

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 and behold,

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 three men were standing in front of him.

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 Now, just a couple of things about this.

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 I don't want to take too long about it.

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 The first thing is,

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 is you're going to see

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 Abraham reacts in a very odd way to these men.

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 And I know there's at least two people here

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 in the service today who know Hebrew very well,

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 and so if they tell me otherwise,

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 I'll acknowledge it next week.

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 But I think part of what explains the oddness

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 that's going to happen afterwards

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 is that they just appeared.

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 He's sitting there, you know,

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 and all of a sudden there's three men.

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 Like, one moment there's none,

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 and all of a sudden there are.

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 And I think that's what helps to explain

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 the odd things that he's going to do

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 in response to it.

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 Like, in a sense, the over-the-topness

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 of how he responds to it.

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 The other thing is about these men,

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 and here's the thing,

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 is if you read the text,

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 as we read the text,

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 and as you go into it next week as well,

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 they're always called men,

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 but they're also called angels.

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 And one of the men is also called the Lord.

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 And the narrator uses the word Yahweh,

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 in a sense the covenant name for God,

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 and they also use the word Adonai.

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 Adonai, Abraham himself,

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 clearly refers to this one of the people as God.

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 So, you know, what's really going here?

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 The Bible doesn't really explain it.

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 It's not the incarnation.

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 I don't think it's the pre-incarnate Christ

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 or anything like that.

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 Using a bit of a video game analogy,

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 I think it's an avatar.

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 That may be a better way to explain it.

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 That two angels, in a sense,

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 appear or take on flesh,

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 just for the purpose of this story,

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 and are in the story.

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 And God himself, the angel of the Lord,

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 who's mentioned throughout the Old Testament

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 in different places,

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 an angel who, in a sense, represents God,

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 this also is like an avatar.

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 So that to speak to this angel

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 as if speaking to the Lord,

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 and to hear this angel speak

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 as if the Lord speaks.

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 I think that's what's going on in the text.

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 But the Bible never makes it clear,

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 other than the fact that the Bible is clear,

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 that up until the coming of Jesus,

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 no man has ever seen God and lived.

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 So I think it's like an avatar.

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 Those of you who are familiar with video games,

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 I think that's what's going on.

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 So these three humans

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 and or angels,

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 all of a sudden they're there.

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 And that's why Abraham,

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 in verse two,

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 he runs from the tent door to meet them,

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 and he bowed himself to the earth.

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 And in verse three,

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 he speaks and says,

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 O Lord,

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 if I have found favor in your sight,

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 do not pass by your servant.

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 Let a little water be brought

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 and wash your feet

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 and rest yourselves under the tree.

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 In other words, in the shade.

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 While I bring a morsel of bread,

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 just a morsel of bread,

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 that you may refresh yourselves.

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 And after that,

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 you may pass on,

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 since you have come to your servant.

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 So Abraham is showing hospitality

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 and also deference.

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 So they said,

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 do as you have said.

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 In other words,

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 they said,

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 okay,

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 we'll go and sit under the tree

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 and you go and get the little morsel ready.

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 Now just sort of pause here for a second

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 before I read the next little bit.

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 But,

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 you know,

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 I think we went,

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 all told,

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 11 days without hydro.

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 And,

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 you know,

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 such first world problems.

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 It was so frustrating.

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 I mean,

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 we had a generator connected,

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 you know,

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 but I,

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 you have to,

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 first you have to make your coffee.

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 Then you have to unplug

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 the coffee maker.

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 And then you have to plug in the toaster.

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 And then you have to make the toast

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 rather than putting the two on

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 at the same time.

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 And I'm just being a big baby.

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 But that's like tiresome

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 and stuff like that.

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 And,

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 you know,

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 and you,

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 you know yourselves as well.

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 You know,

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 some of you have virtually nothing

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 in your fridge

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 because between eating out

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 and calling Uber,

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 all you have in your fridge

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 is maybe some mustard

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 or some ketchup

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 or something like that.

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 Because we like everything quick.

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 We like everything instant.

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 We like everything eating out.

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 So this next bit

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 would drive us crazy.

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 He says,

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 let's just have a bit of

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 morsel of bread,

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 right?

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 And then look what happens

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 in verse six.

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 And Abraham went quickly

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 into the tent to Sarah

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 and said,

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 quick,

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 three seahs of fine flour.

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 Knead it

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 and make cakes

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 or bread.

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 That's 22 liters

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 of flour.

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 Take 22 liters

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 of flour,

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 get a fire going

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 and make bread

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 out of 22 liters.

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 That's a huge amount

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 of flour.

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 And then,

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 verse seven,

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 Abraham ran to the herd

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 and took a calf.

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 Well,

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 just,

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 I mean,

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 I'm a city guy.

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 I grew up in Montreal

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 and then I went to Eganville.

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 You know,

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 and then I lived in Ottawa

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 and I mainly lived in Ottawa.

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 But let me tell you,

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 like a calf isn't just

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 like a little thing

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 like this.

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 He's not talking about

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 like a baby goat,

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 like a calf.

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 It might weigh 500 pounds.

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 500 pounds.

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 So,

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 look,

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 look what's going on here.

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 It's like,

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 it's crazy.

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 For us Canadians,

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 right?

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 Have to stop for a moment.

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 A morsel of bread

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 and a bit of water,

00:10:06.099 --> 00:10:06.239
 right?

00:10:06.319 --> 00:10:06.719
 Verse seven,

00:10:07.059 --> 00:10:08.379
 and Abraham ran to the herd

00:10:08.379 --> 00:10:10.199
 and took a calf,

00:10:10.799 --> 00:10:11.879
 tender and good.

00:10:14.879 --> 00:10:16.639
 Hard text for vegetarians.

00:10:16.679 --> 00:10:18.759
 And gave it to a young man

00:10:18.759 --> 00:10:20.019
 who prepared it quickly.

00:10:20.179 --> 00:10:20.879
 In other words,

00:10:21.199 --> 00:10:22.339
 he killed it,

00:10:23.259 --> 00:10:24.599
 skinned it,

00:10:24.919 --> 00:10:26.659
 took out the guts,

00:10:27.379 --> 00:10:28.559
 starts roasting it.

00:10:28.979 --> 00:10:30.039
 This isn't just something

00:10:30.039 --> 00:10:31.379
 like getting on the phone

00:10:31.379 --> 00:10:32.419
 and hoping that

00:10:32.419 --> 00:10:33.339
 if your Uber order

00:10:33.339 --> 00:10:34.159
 is going to be longer

00:10:34.159 --> 00:10:35.259
 than 25 minutes,

00:10:35.319 --> 00:10:36.179
 you're not going to take it.

00:10:36.259 --> 00:10:36.379
 Like,

00:10:36.439 --> 00:10:37.739
 this is lots of work.

00:10:38.259 --> 00:10:39.539
 500 pounds of beef,

00:10:40.019 --> 00:10:42.299
 22 liters of flour

00:10:42.299 --> 00:10:43.120
 made into bread

00:10:43.120 --> 00:10:44.459
 and all this other stuff as well.

00:10:44.460 --> 00:10:46.519
 Then he took curds

00:10:46.519 --> 00:10:47.220
 and milk,

00:10:47.440 --> 00:10:47.960
 verse eight,

00:10:48.120 --> 00:10:48.740
 and the calf

00:10:48.740 --> 00:10:49.519
 that he had prepared

00:10:49.519 --> 00:10:51.180
 and set it before them.

00:10:51.920 --> 00:10:53.139
 And he stood

00:10:53.139 --> 00:10:54.120
 by them

00:10:54.120 --> 00:10:55.019
 under the tree

00:10:55.019 --> 00:10:56.000
 while they ate.

00:10:56.960 --> 00:10:57.340
 Now,

00:10:57.440 --> 00:10:58.060
 just sort of,

00:10:58.100 --> 00:10:58.300
 you know,

00:10:58.360 --> 00:10:59.540
 pause here for a second.

00:11:01.240 --> 00:11:02.100
 Some of you

00:11:02.100 --> 00:11:02.900
 might be thinking,

00:11:03.160 --> 00:11:03.340
 like,

00:11:03.420 --> 00:11:04.740
 this is way overkill,

00:11:04.820 --> 00:11:06.120
 this is exaggeration.

00:11:06.340 --> 00:11:07.519
 And what waste?

00:11:08.300 --> 00:11:08.620
 Like,

00:11:09.019 --> 00:11:10.160
 three dudes

00:11:10.160 --> 00:11:10.940
 cannot,

00:11:10.940 --> 00:11:12.780
 even the biggest eaters

00:11:12.780 --> 00:11:13.460
 amongst you,

00:11:13.580 --> 00:11:14.260
 if we were to pick

00:11:14.260 --> 00:11:15.020
 the three guys

00:11:15.020 --> 00:11:16.220
 with the biggest appetites,

00:11:16.320 --> 00:11:17.000
 could not eat

00:11:17.000 --> 00:11:18.940
 500 pound calf,

00:11:19.300 --> 00:11:20.480
 22 liters of stuff,

00:11:20.540 --> 00:11:21.500
 and all the other stuff.

00:11:21.780 --> 00:11:22.680
 So what's going on here?

00:11:22.940 --> 00:11:23.960
 I had a little tiny bit

00:11:23.960 --> 00:11:24.440
 of a glimpse

00:11:24.440 --> 00:11:25.980
 of what was going with this

00:11:25.980 --> 00:11:27.260
 the first time.

00:11:28.160 --> 00:11:29.260
 I got invited,

00:11:29.640 --> 00:11:30.680
 unworthy as I am,

00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:31.180
 to,

00:11:31.400 --> 00:11:32.440
 in 2003,

00:11:33.120 --> 00:11:34.640
 to go to rural Kenya.

00:11:35.040 --> 00:11:35.900
 They invited

00:11:35.900 --> 00:11:37.540
 evangelical Anglican,

00:11:38.040 --> 00:11:39.160
 evangelical Anglicans

00:11:39.159 --> 00:11:40.519
 from all over the world

00:11:40.519 --> 00:11:41.419
 to come together

00:11:41.419 --> 00:11:42.579
 for this consultation.

00:11:43.579 --> 00:11:43.839
 And,

00:11:43.939 --> 00:11:45.139
 this wasn't like

00:11:45.139 --> 00:11:46.299
 a fancy type of thing

00:11:46.299 --> 00:11:47.179
 where people on,

00:11:47.259 --> 00:11:47.439
 you know,

00:11:47.519 --> 00:11:48.860
 government expense accounts

00:11:48.860 --> 00:11:50.719
 or Apple expense accounts

00:11:50.719 --> 00:11:51.759
 or something like that go.

00:11:52.219 --> 00:11:54.159
 This was in rural Kenya

00:11:54.159 --> 00:11:54.620
 where,

00:11:54.980 --> 00:11:55.259
 like,

00:11:55.339 --> 00:11:56.240
 real Kenyans

00:11:56.240 --> 00:11:57.259
 would actually go

00:11:57.259 --> 00:11:58.639
 and real Nigerians

00:11:58.639 --> 00:11:59.919
 and real people

00:11:59.919 --> 00:12:00.699
 from the Congo

00:12:00.699 --> 00:12:01.639
 and real people

00:12:01.639 --> 00:12:02.360
 from Chile

00:12:02.360 --> 00:12:03.319
 where it goes.

00:12:03.439 --> 00:12:04.139
 So it was in rural,

00:12:04.299 --> 00:12:05.019
 it was like about

00:12:05.019 --> 00:12:06.339
 50 kilometers north

00:12:06.339 --> 00:12:06.799
 and upstream

00:12:06.799 --> 00:12:07.179
 of,

00:12:07.459 --> 00:12:08.620
 uphill from Nairobi.

00:12:09.159 --> 00:12:10.039
 And on the Sunday

00:12:10.039 --> 00:12:10.719
 that I was there

00:12:10.719 --> 00:12:11.679
 we got invited to go,

00:12:11.899 --> 00:12:12.539
 me and a fellow

00:12:12.539 --> 00:12:13.600
 from India

00:12:13.600 --> 00:12:14.039
 and a fellow

00:12:14.039 --> 00:12:14.600
 from England.

00:12:15.179 --> 00:12:15.919
 The three of us

00:12:15.919 --> 00:12:16.439
 got invited

00:12:16.439 --> 00:12:18.000
 to walk several kilometers

00:12:18.000 --> 00:12:19.480
 down a road

00:12:19.480 --> 00:12:20.699
 that a car couldn't make it

00:12:20.699 --> 00:12:21.319
 to this place

00:12:21.319 --> 00:12:22.559
 where there was a church.

00:12:23.839 --> 00:12:25.120
 And we were the guests

00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:25.519
 of honor

00:12:25.519 --> 00:12:26.860
 and the English fellow

00:12:26.860 --> 00:12:27.620
 got to preach.

00:12:28.059 --> 00:12:29.219
 And it's so neat.

00:12:29.740 --> 00:12:30.240
 Some of you

00:12:30.240 --> 00:12:31.559
 have been to rural Africa

00:12:31.559 --> 00:12:32.439
 or maybe some of you

00:12:32.439 --> 00:12:33.819
 even have grown up there.

00:12:34.379 --> 00:12:35.339
 And it's not just

00:12:35.339 --> 00:12:36.079
 a church building

00:12:36.079 --> 00:12:36.639
 but there's like

00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:38.039
 a compound as well.

00:12:38.039 --> 00:12:39.679
 And so as we're coming up

00:12:39.679 --> 00:12:40.399
 for the meal

00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:41.379
 the women

00:12:41.379 --> 00:12:43.939
 are at several fires

00:12:43.939 --> 00:12:45.620
 in the church compound

00:12:45.620 --> 00:12:46.719
 making food.

00:12:47.620 --> 00:12:48.620
 And as the service

00:12:48.620 --> 00:12:49.439
 is going on

00:12:49.439 --> 00:12:50.659
 you can smell the food.

00:12:51.579 --> 00:12:52.059
 And at the end

00:12:52.059 --> 00:12:52.779
 of the service

00:12:52.779 --> 00:12:55.839
 the three of us

00:12:55.839 --> 00:12:57.259
 with the elders

00:12:57.259 --> 00:12:58.299
 of the congregation

00:12:58.299 --> 00:13:00.399
 and the lay reader

00:13:00.399 --> 00:13:01.519
 who was looking after it

00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:02.399
 we get invited

00:13:02.399 --> 00:13:03.139
 for the meal.

00:13:04.139 --> 00:13:05.559
 We're invited to stay

00:13:05.559 --> 00:13:06.039
 for the meal.

00:13:06.039 --> 00:13:07.279
 It was part of the deal

00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:07.740
 because they wanted

00:13:07.740 --> 00:13:08.419
 to honor us.

00:13:09.039 --> 00:13:09.699
 Now it was very,

00:13:09.799 --> 00:13:10.699
 very odd for me

00:13:10.699 --> 00:13:11.339
 as a Canadian

00:13:11.339 --> 00:13:12.360
 to have this meal

00:13:12.360 --> 00:13:14.259
 because basically

00:13:14.259 --> 00:13:15.919
 other than the lay reader

00:13:15.919 --> 00:13:17.199
 and the several men

00:13:17.199 --> 00:13:17.799
 who were the elders

00:13:17.799 --> 00:13:18.779
 and us three guests

00:13:18.779 --> 00:13:19.819
 nobody ate.

00:13:22.179 --> 00:13:22.939
 The women

00:13:22.939 --> 00:13:24.120
 and others

00:13:24.120 --> 00:13:25.099
 sat around us

00:13:25.099 --> 00:13:26.019
 the outside of the room

00:13:26.019 --> 00:13:27.639
 and others were outside.

00:13:28.579 --> 00:13:29.899
 And after we ate

00:13:29.899 --> 00:13:30.519
 they ate.

00:13:32.279 --> 00:13:33.159
 Now it was just

00:13:33.159 --> 00:13:33.759
 a way of them

00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:34.500
 and their culture

00:13:34.500 --> 00:13:35.459
 showing us honor.

00:13:35.460 --> 00:13:37.900
 I felt uncomfortable

00:13:37.900 --> 00:13:38.940
 like by my nature

00:13:38.940 --> 00:13:39.460
 I would have said

00:13:39.460 --> 00:13:39.660
 you know,

00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:40.759
 no, no, you have this seat.

00:13:41.120 --> 00:13:41.820
 That would have

00:13:41.820 --> 00:13:43.060
 insulted them.

00:13:43.740 --> 00:13:44.800
 They were honoring us.

00:13:45.519 --> 00:13:46.560
 So what we see here

00:13:46.560 --> 00:13:47.420
 is if you think about it

00:13:47.420 --> 00:13:47.820
 for a second

00:13:47.820 --> 00:13:49.300
 Abraham has realized

00:13:49.300 --> 00:13:50.320
 that the Lord

00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:51.560
 has showed up.

00:13:52.320 --> 00:13:53.540
 So he's not just

00:13:53.540 --> 00:13:54.100
 going to make

00:13:54.100 --> 00:13:55.400
 two pieces

00:13:55.400 --> 00:13:56.200
 of pita bread

00:13:56.200 --> 00:13:57.460
 and a couple

00:13:57.460 --> 00:13:58.480
 of dried fish

00:13:58.480 --> 00:13:59.420
 to give to the Lord.

00:14:00.139 --> 00:14:01.420
 Everybody should celebrate.

00:14:01.879 --> 00:14:02.300
 And we know

00:14:02.300 --> 00:14:03.060
 from other places

00:14:03.060 --> 00:14:03.860
 in this story

00:14:03.860 --> 00:14:04.539
 that Abraham

00:14:04.539 --> 00:14:05.600
 has many servants

00:14:05.600 --> 00:14:06.820
 many other dependents

00:14:06.820 --> 00:14:07.240
 and others.

00:14:07.399 --> 00:14:08.519
 They're all going to eat.

00:14:09.320 --> 00:14:10.080
 It's not just

00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:11.200
 for these three guys.

00:14:11.620 --> 00:14:12.860
 This is a celebration.

00:14:13.519 --> 00:14:14.200
 We're going to have

00:14:14.200 --> 00:14:15.259
 the fatted calf.

00:14:15.419 --> 00:14:16.060
 This is going to be

00:14:16.060 --> 00:14:17.039
 a great day

00:14:17.039 --> 00:14:18.460
 but as a way

00:14:18.460 --> 00:14:19.139
 to honor them

00:14:19.139 --> 00:14:20.100
 not even Abraham

00:14:20.100 --> 00:14:21.259
 in this particular case

00:14:21.259 --> 00:14:21.740
 eats with them.

00:14:21.800 --> 00:14:22.800
 Just the three people eat.

00:14:23.300 --> 00:14:24.159
 But you could be sure

00:14:24.159 --> 00:14:24.879
 that if you went back

00:14:24.879 --> 00:14:25.659
 in a time machine

00:14:25.659 --> 00:14:26.860
 after the three had eaten

00:14:26.860 --> 00:14:28.200
 everybody would eat.

00:14:28.700 --> 00:14:29.620
 It's a festival.

00:14:29.879 --> 00:14:30.740
 It's a celebration.

00:14:30.740 --> 00:14:32.019
 But it's also

00:14:32.019 --> 00:14:32.639
 showing honor

00:14:32.639 --> 00:14:33.320
 to these three.

00:14:34.560 --> 00:14:35.820
 And now we see

00:14:35.820 --> 00:14:37.240
 something that

00:14:37.240 --> 00:14:37.680
 they're going to

00:14:37.680 --> 00:14:38.539
 actually say.

00:14:39.320 --> 00:14:40.299
 Now before we read

00:14:40.299 --> 00:14:40.779
 the thing that

00:14:40.779 --> 00:14:41.820
 the angels say

00:14:41.820 --> 00:14:42.860
 and remember

00:14:42.860 --> 00:14:44.080
 this is part of the story

00:14:44.080 --> 00:14:44.740
 leading up to

00:14:44.740 --> 00:14:45.220
 the destruction

00:14:45.220 --> 00:14:46.340
 of Sodom and Gomorrah.

00:14:47.080 --> 00:14:48.399
 And one of the problems

00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:49.180
 that we Canadians

00:14:49.180 --> 00:14:50.379
 have with the Bible

00:14:50.379 --> 00:14:51.560
 is we think the Bible

00:14:51.560 --> 00:14:52.320
 is confused

00:14:52.320 --> 00:14:53.180
 and we're not.

00:14:53.659 --> 00:14:54.360
 But often

00:14:54.360 --> 00:14:55.279
 what happens

00:14:55.279 --> 00:14:56.419
 is that we are

00:14:56.419 --> 00:14:57.259
 inconsistent

00:14:57.259 --> 00:14:58.200
 and confused

00:14:58.200 --> 00:14:59.860
 and massively unaware.

00:15:01.700 --> 00:15:02.460
 Now if you think

00:15:02.460 --> 00:15:03.200
 about it for a second

00:15:03.200 --> 00:15:04.220
 and many people pray

00:15:04.220 --> 00:15:05.820
 what happens

00:15:05.820 --> 00:15:06.780
 so first of all

00:15:06.780 --> 00:15:07.440
 most of the time

00:15:07.440 --> 00:15:08.500
 we like to live our lives

00:15:08.500 --> 00:15:10.020
 and basically have God

00:15:10.020 --> 00:15:11.680
 do nothing to do with us.

00:15:12.040 --> 00:15:13.180
 We want to do our own thing

00:15:13.180 --> 00:15:13.700
 in our own way

00:15:13.700 --> 00:15:14.400
 in our own time.

00:15:15.980 --> 00:15:17.040
 But sometimes

00:15:17.040 --> 00:15:17.800
 when we're really

00:15:17.800 --> 00:15:18.660
 really really really

00:15:18.660 --> 00:15:19.660
 really in trouble

00:15:19.660 --> 00:15:21.100
 we pray

00:15:21.100 --> 00:15:22.000
 and when we pray

00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:23.280
 what do we want God to do?

00:15:23.379 --> 00:15:24.060
 We want God

00:15:24.060 --> 00:15:24.920
 to almost make

00:15:24.920 --> 00:15:26.020
 all of the people

00:15:26.020 --> 00:15:26.800
 you know

00:15:26.800 --> 00:15:28.020
 maybe the bank managers

00:15:28.019 --> 00:15:29.279
 or maybe our boss

00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:30.220
 or our parents

00:15:30.220 --> 00:15:31.799
 or our wife

00:15:31.799 --> 00:15:32.399
 or our husband

00:15:32.399 --> 00:15:33.419
 we want him almost

00:15:33.419 --> 00:15:34.600
 to make them like puppets

00:15:34.600 --> 00:15:36.079
 and he can just sort of

00:15:36.079 --> 00:15:36.720
 all of a sudden

00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:37.620
 move them around

00:15:37.620 --> 00:15:38.399
 in such a way

00:15:38.399 --> 00:15:39.079
 that the trouble

00:15:39.079 --> 00:15:39.639
 that we're in

00:15:39.639 --> 00:15:40.279
 goes away.

00:15:42.299 --> 00:15:43.360
 And other times

00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:44.480
 we pray

00:15:44.480 --> 00:15:45.279
 that we want God

00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:45.899
 to intervene

00:15:45.899 --> 00:15:46.600
 in a sense

00:15:46.600 --> 00:15:47.019
 that's like

00:15:47.019 --> 00:15:48.139
 that's almost miraculous.

00:15:48.419 --> 00:15:48.819
 We pray

00:15:48.819 --> 00:15:50.480
 because you know

00:15:50.480 --> 00:15:50.960
 somebody

00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:53.519
 is close to death's door

00:15:53.519 --> 00:15:54.919
 and we want them to live

00:15:54.919 --> 00:15:56.220
 or we know

00:15:56.220 --> 00:15:56.759
 that there's

00:15:56.759 --> 00:15:58.139
 a financial crisis

00:15:58.139 --> 00:15:59.139
 in one of

00:15:59.139 --> 00:15:59.399
 you know

00:15:59.399 --> 00:16:00.180
 for our friend

00:16:00.180 --> 00:16:01.080
 or one of our kids

00:16:01.080 --> 00:16:01.759
 and we want

00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:02.600
 we want that

00:16:02.600 --> 00:16:03.399
 to come to an end

00:16:03.399 --> 00:16:04.060
 and so in a sense

00:16:04.060 --> 00:16:05.040
 we pray for a miracle

00:16:05.040 --> 00:16:06.220
 and if you think

00:16:06.220 --> 00:16:07.080
 about it for a second

00:16:07.080 --> 00:16:07.540
 what we're

00:16:07.540 --> 00:16:08.340
 what we're showing

00:16:08.340 --> 00:16:10.060
 is that when we want it

00:16:10.060 --> 00:16:11.540
 when I want it

00:16:11.540 --> 00:16:12.680
 when you want it

00:16:12.680 --> 00:16:13.740
 I want God

00:16:13.740 --> 00:16:14.720
 to intervene

00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:18.000
 when I don't want

00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:18.720
 him to intervene

00:16:18.720 --> 00:16:19.580
 I want him

00:16:19.580 --> 00:16:20.160
 out of the way

00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:22.839
 but I want

00:16:22.839 --> 00:16:24.299
 him to intervene

00:16:24.299 --> 00:16:26.699
 and when he intervenes

00:16:26.699 --> 00:16:27.079
 in a way

00:16:27.079 --> 00:16:27.919
 that's like a miracle

00:16:27.919 --> 00:16:29.699
 it's like this

00:16:29.699 --> 00:16:30.759
 and if we're

00:16:30.759 --> 00:16:31.860
 in a Bible study group

00:16:31.860 --> 00:16:32.339
 or we're having

00:16:32.339 --> 00:16:33.240
 a mentoring thing

00:16:33.240 --> 00:16:34.459
 or maybe if

00:16:34.459 --> 00:16:34.839
 you know

00:16:34.839 --> 00:16:35.740
 because lots of people

00:16:35.740 --> 00:16:36.419
 who aren't Christians

00:16:36.419 --> 00:16:37.339
 and lots of people

00:16:37.339 --> 00:16:37.980
 who even consider

00:16:37.980 --> 00:16:38.839
 themselves secular

00:16:38.839 --> 00:16:39.839
 they also pray

00:16:39.839 --> 00:16:40.719
 I was talking

00:16:40.719 --> 00:16:41.399
 to a young man

00:16:41.399 --> 00:16:41.899
 this week

00:16:41.899 --> 00:16:43.120
 who has nothing

00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:43.399
 to do with

00:16:43.399 --> 00:16:44.079
 the Christian faith

00:16:44.079 --> 00:16:44.579
 but he told me

00:16:44.579 --> 00:16:45.319
 he prays

00:16:45.319 --> 00:16:46.439
 amongst other things

00:16:46.439 --> 00:16:48.019
 but you see

00:16:48.019 --> 00:16:48.839
 here's where

00:16:48.840 --> 00:16:49.700
 inconsistencies

00:16:49.700 --> 00:16:50.480
 if God

00:16:50.480 --> 00:16:51.040
 is a God

00:16:51.040 --> 00:16:52.000
 who can intervene

00:16:52.000 --> 00:16:52.639
 and we want him

00:16:52.639 --> 00:16:53.100
 to do that

00:16:53.100 --> 00:16:53.440
 why

00:16:53.440 --> 00:16:57.460
 why is it bad

00:16:57.460 --> 00:16:58.519
 if God intervenes

00:16:58.519 --> 00:16:59.639
 alright for a miracle

00:16:59.639 --> 00:17:00.660
 but not in judgment

00:17:00.660 --> 00:17:05.279
 like the reason

00:17:05.279 --> 00:17:06.039
 we have a problem

00:17:06.039 --> 00:17:06.519
 with that

00:17:06.519 --> 00:17:07.660
 it actually reveals

00:17:07.660 --> 00:17:08.360
 not only that

00:17:08.360 --> 00:17:09.140
 we're confused

00:17:09.140 --> 00:17:10.180
 but that in our

00:17:10.180 --> 00:17:10.840
 heart of hearts

00:17:10.840 --> 00:17:12.880
 I want to be God

00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:17.740
 now each of you

00:17:17.740 --> 00:17:18.059
 are saying

00:17:18.059 --> 00:17:18.360
 George

00:17:18.359 --> 00:17:19.019
 you're not God

00:17:19.019 --> 00:17:20.099
 and under your breath

00:17:20.099 --> 00:17:20.500
 you're saying

00:17:20.500 --> 00:17:21.459
 because I'm God

00:17:21.459 --> 00:17:24.659
 and that's why

00:17:24.659 --> 00:17:25.099
 there's often

00:17:25.099 --> 00:17:25.740
 conflict

00:17:25.740 --> 00:17:28.019
 you have two

00:17:28.019 --> 00:17:29.159
 people with

00:17:29.159 --> 00:17:30.059
 God projects

00:17:30.059 --> 00:17:30.839
 in denial

00:17:30.839 --> 00:17:32.439
 trying to live

00:17:32.439 --> 00:17:32.859
 together

00:17:32.859 --> 00:17:35.139
 if you have kids

00:17:35.139 --> 00:17:35.799
 you have four

00:17:35.799 --> 00:17:36.500
 five six

00:17:36.500 --> 00:17:37.139
 whatever the number

00:17:37.139 --> 00:17:37.459
 is

00:17:37.459 --> 00:17:38.559
 with God projects

00:17:38.559 --> 00:17:39.219
 all trying to live

00:17:39.219 --> 00:17:39.559
 together

00:17:39.559 --> 00:17:41.579
 so we're a bit

00:17:41.579 --> 00:17:42.699
 confused about this

00:17:42.699 --> 00:17:43.419
 but this is the

00:17:43.419 --> 00:17:44.219
 right type

00:17:44.219 --> 00:17:45.079
 of intervention

00:17:45.079 --> 00:17:45.819
 and that's

00:17:45.819 --> 00:17:46.639
 what we see here

00:17:46.640 --> 00:17:48.060
 in the next few

00:17:48.060 --> 00:17:48.300
 verses

00:17:48.300 --> 00:17:48.860
 look at verse

00:17:48.860 --> 00:17:49.259
 nine

00:17:49.259 --> 00:17:50.820
 these

00:17:50.820 --> 00:17:51.300
 that's the

00:17:51.300 --> 00:17:51.700
 guest

00:17:51.700 --> 00:17:52.180
 they said

00:17:52.180 --> 00:17:52.660
 to him

00:17:52.660 --> 00:17:54.200
 verse nine

00:17:54.200 --> 00:17:54.680
 where is

00:17:54.680 --> 00:17:55.280
 Sarah your

00:17:55.280 --> 00:17:55.680
 wife

00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:56.980
 and Abraham

00:17:56.980 --> 00:17:57.780
 said she's

00:17:57.780 --> 00:17:58.400
 in the tent

00:17:58.400 --> 00:17:59.800
 the Lord

00:17:59.800 --> 00:18:00.920
 said I will

00:18:00.920 --> 00:18:01.800
 surely return

00:18:01.800 --> 00:18:02.259
 to you about

00:18:02.259 --> 00:18:02.780
 this time

00:18:02.780 --> 00:18:03.480
 next year

00:18:03.480 --> 00:18:04.240
 and Sarah

00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:04.920
 your wife

00:18:04.920 --> 00:18:05.320
 shall have

00:18:05.320 --> 00:18:05.720
 a son

00:18:05.720 --> 00:18:08.220
 and Sarah

00:18:08.220 --> 00:18:08.880
 was listening

00:18:08.880 --> 00:18:09.620
 at the tent

00:18:09.620 --> 00:18:10.280
 door behind

00:18:10.280 --> 00:18:10.600
 him

00:18:10.599 --> 00:18:12.079
 now Abraham

00:18:12.079 --> 00:18:12.939
 and Sarah

00:18:12.939 --> 00:18:13.599
 were old

00:18:13.599 --> 00:18:14.039
 advanced

00:18:14.039 --> 00:18:14.679
 in years

00:18:14.679 --> 00:18:15.839
 the way

00:18:15.839 --> 00:18:16.579
 of women

00:18:16.579 --> 00:18:18.419
 had ceased

00:18:18.419 --> 00:18:18.899
 to be with

00:18:18.899 --> 00:18:19.259
 Sarah

00:18:19.259 --> 00:18:19.959
 now just

00:18:19.959 --> 00:18:20.299
 sort of

00:18:20.299 --> 00:18:21.000
 pause here

00:18:21.000 --> 00:18:21.980
 what the

00:18:21.980 --> 00:18:22.539
 language is

00:18:22.539 --> 00:18:23.019
 saying is

00:18:23.019 --> 00:18:23.519
 that Sarah

00:18:23.519 --> 00:18:23.919
 had been

00:18:23.919 --> 00:18:24.980
 post-menopausal

00:18:24.980 --> 00:18:25.519
 for a long

00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:25.939
 time

00:18:25.939 --> 00:18:27.299
 the original

00:18:27.299 --> 00:18:27.879
 language

00:18:27.879 --> 00:18:29.099
 the normal

00:18:29.099 --> 00:18:30.299
 menstrual cycle

00:18:30.299 --> 00:18:31.399
 that women

00:18:31.399 --> 00:18:31.939
 have

00:18:31.939 --> 00:18:33.119
 once they

00:18:33.119 --> 00:18:33.559
 get a certain

00:18:33.559 --> 00:18:33.980
 age

00:18:33.980 --> 00:18:35.099
 puberty

00:18:35.099 --> 00:18:36.000
 that has

00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:36.459
 come to an

00:18:36.459 --> 00:18:36.719
 end for

00:18:36.719 --> 00:18:37.179
 quite a long

00:18:37.179 --> 00:18:37.519
 time

00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:39.839
 one of the

00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:40.220
 things which

00:18:40.220 --> 00:18:40.720
 is going on

00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:41.000
 in this

00:18:41.000 --> 00:18:41.440
 story

00:18:41.440 --> 00:18:42.339
 is it's

00:18:42.339 --> 00:18:43.160
 very similar

00:18:43.160 --> 00:18:43.680
 to what

00:18:43.680 --> 00:18:44.339
 happens if

00:18:44.339 --> 00:18:44.619
 you read

00:18:44.619 --> 00:18:45.420
 the gospels

00:18:45.420 --> 00:18:47.420
 the eyewitness

00:18:47.420 --> 00:18:48.339
 ancient

00:18:48.339 --> 00:18:49.180
 biographies of

00:18:49.180 --> 00:18:49.539
 Jesus

00:18:49.539 --> 00:18:50.920
 is you see

00:18:50.920 --> 00:18:51.359
 as you read

00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:51.859
 the gospels

00:18:51.859 --> 00:18:52.619
 very carefully

00:18:52.619 --> 00:18:55.059
 that nobody

00:18:55.059 --> 00:18:55.700
 believed

00:18:55.700 --> 00:18:56.339
 first of all

00:18:56.339 --> 00:18:56.759
 that Jesus

00:18:56.759 --> 00:18:57.480
 would die

00:18:57.480 --> 00:18:58.160
 and then

00:18:58.160 --> 00:18:58.940
 second of all

00:18:58.940 --> 00:18:59.660
 that if he

00:18:59.660 --> 00:19:00.480
 did die

00:19:00.480 --> 00:19:01.539
 that he

00:19:01.539 --> 00:19:02.059
 would rise

00:19:02.059 --> 00:19:02.440
 from the

00:19:02.440 --> 00:19:02.599
 dead

00:19:02.599 --> 00:19:03.119
 like nobody

00:19:03.119 --> 00:19:03.799
 believed it

00:19:03.799 --> 00:19:04.160
 and the

00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:04.579
 stories

00:19:04.579 --> 00:19:05.200
 all four of

00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:05.539
 them set

00:19:05.539 --> 00:19:05.920
 this up

00:19:05.920 --> 00:19:06.940
 and this

00:19:06.940 --> 00:19:07.379
 is setting

00:19:07.380 --> 00:19:07.740
 up the

00:19:07.740 --> 00:19:08.180
 fact that

00:19:08.180 --> 00:19:09.160
 she's old

00:19:09.160 --> 00:19:09.660
 she doesn't

00:19:09.660 --> 00:19:10.060
 believe this

00:19:10.060 --> 00:19:10.340
 nobody

00:19:10.340 --> 00:19:10.960
 believes this

00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:11.360
 that God

00:19:11.360 --> 00:19:11.760
 in fact

00:19:11.760 --> 00:19:12.140
 is going

00:19:12.140 --> 00:19:12.460
 to do

00:19:12.460 --> 00:19:12.680
 this

00:19:12.680 --> 00:19:13.080
 profound

00:19:13.080 --> 00:19:13.500
 miracle

00:19:13.500 --> 00:19:13.940
 which is

00:19:13.940 --> 00:19:14.140
 going to

00:19:14.140 --> 00:19:14.420
 happen

00:19:14.420 --> 00:19:15.160
 in a

00:19:15.160 --> 00:19:15.360
 couple

00:19:15.360 --> 00:19:15.520
 of

00:19:15.520 --> 00:19:15.960
 chapters

00:19:15.960 --> 00:19:16.800
 so after

00:19:16.800 --> 00:19:17.560
 the general

00:19:17.560 --> 00:19:18.200
 promise that

00:19:18.200 --> 00:19:18.360
 there would

00:19:18.360 --> 00:19:18.780
 be a son

00:19:18.780 --> 00:19:19.240
 now it's

00:19:19.240 --> 00:19:20.060
 very specific

00:19:20.060 --> 00:19:22.040
 this son

00:19:22.040 --> 00:19:22.420
 is going to

00:19:22.420 --> 00:19:22.980
 come this

00:19:22.980 --> 00:19:23.560
 time next

00:19:23.560 --> 00:19:23.940
 year when

00:19:23.940 --> 00:19:24.280
 they come

00:19:24.280 --> 00:19:24.600
 back

00:19:24.600 --> 00:19:24.940
 Sarah

00:19:24.940 --> 00:19:25.300
 will have

00:19:25.300 --> 00:19:25.700
 a son

00:19:25.700 --> 00:19:27.060
 and it's

00:19:27.060 --> 00:19:27.460
 setting up

00:19:27.460 --> 00:19:27.980
 the miracle

00:19:27.980 --> 00:19:28.980
 verse 12

00:19:28.980 --> 00:19:29.440
 though Sarah

00:19:29.440 --> 00:19:29.980
 doesn't believe

00:19:29.980 --> 00:19:30.560
 this verse

00:19:30.560 --> 00:19:31.400
 12 so Sarah

00:19:31.400 --> 00:19:32.520
 laughed to

00:19:32.520 --> 00:19:33.120
 herself

00:19:33.120 --> 00:19:34.380
 saying

00:19:34.380 --> 00:19:36.060
 after I am

00:19:36.060 --> 00:19:36.740
 worn out

00:19:36.740 --> 00:19:37.859
 and my

00:19:37.859 --> 00:19:38.279
 Lord is

00:19:38.279 --> 00:19:38.660
 old

00:19:38.660 --> 00:19:40.140
 it's a

00:19:40.140 --> 00:19:40.819
 different word

00:19:40.819 --> 00:19:41.240
 than Lord

00:19:41.240 --> 00:19:41.579
 that's been

00:19:41.579 --> 00:19:42.000
 used all the

00:19:42.000 --> 00:19:42.299
 way through

00:19:42.299 --> 00:19:42.740
 by the way

00:19:42.740 --> 00:19:43.039
 it's

00:19:43.039 --> 00:19:44.839
 the old

00:19:44.839 --> 00:19:45.160
 guy

00:19:45.160 --> 00:19:46.839
 shall I

00:19:46.839 --> 00:19:47.039
 have

00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:47.440
 pleasure

00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:49.319
 the Lord

00:19:49.319 --> 00:19:49.700
 said to

00:19:49.700 --> 00:19:50.000
 Abraham

00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:51.539
 why did

00:19:51.539 --> 00:19:51.880
 Sarah

00:19:51.880 --> 00:19:52.500
 laugh

00:19:52.500 --> 00:19:54.120
 and say

00:19:54.120 --> 00:19:54.599
 shall I

00:19:54.599 --> 00:19:55.059
 indeed bear

00:19:55.059 --> 00:19:55.539
 a child

00:19:55.539 --> 00:19:55.880
 now that

00:19:55.880 --> 00:19:56.079
 I am

00:19:56.079 --> 00:19:56.400
 old

00:19:56.400 --> 00:19:58.759
 he reads

00:19:58.759 --> 00:19:59.420
 her thoughts

00:19:59.420 --> 00:20:02.880
 is anything

00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:03.740
 too hard

00:20:03.740 --> 00:20:04.120
 for the

00:20:04.120 --> 00:20:04.480
 Lord

00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:06.080
 that could

00:20:06.080 --> 00:20:06.440
 be a whole

00:20:06.440 --> 00:20:06.779
 sermon

00:20:06.779 --> 00:20:07.200
 just in

00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:07.779
 of itself

00:20:07.779 --> 00:20:09.880
 it's the

00:20:09.880 --> 00:20:10.660
 big challenge

00:20:10.660 --> 00:20:11.019
 to every

00:20:11.019 --> 00:20:11.480
 single one

00:20:11.480 --> 00:20:11.920
 of us

00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:12.460
 it's the

00:20:12.460 --> 00:20:13.060
 big challenge

00:20:13.060 --> 00:20:13.580
 of prayer

00:20:13.580 --> 00:20:15.960
 it's the

00:20:15.960 --> 00:20:16.920
 big challenge

00:20:16.920 --> 00:20:19.300
 of how

00:20:19.300 --> 00:20:19.500
 to live

00:20:19.500 --> 00:20:20.200
 our lives

00:20:20.200 --> 00:20:21.259
 with a

00:20:21.259 --> 00:20:21.600
 type of

00:20:21.600 --> 00:20:22.080
 confidence

00:20:22.080 --> 00:20:23.340
 and humility

00:20:23.340 --> 00:20:25.720
 is anything

00:20:25.720 --> 00:20:27.860
 too hard

00:20:27.860 --> 00:20:28.220
 for the

00:20:28.220 --> 00:20:28.500
 Lord

00:20:28.500 --> 00:20:31.200
 at the

00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:31.559
 appointed

00:20:31.559 --> 00:20:32.140
 time I

00:20:32.140 --> 00:20:32.700
 will return

00:20:32.700 --> 00:20:32.980
 to you

00:20:32.980 --> 00:20:33.339
 about this

00:20:33.339 --> 00:20:33.839
 time next

00:20:33.839 --> 00:20:34.079
 year

00:20:34.079 --> 00:20:34.620
 and Sarah

00:20:34.620 --> 00:20:35.100
 shall have

00:20:35.100 --> 00:20:35.519
 a son

00:20:35.519 --> 00:20:37.460
 but Sarah

00:20:37.460 --> 00:20:38.100
 she's caught

00:20:38.100 --> 00:20:39.319
 by her

00:20:39.319 --> 00:20:39.720
 lie

00:20:39.720 --> 00:20:40.660
 she's caught

00:20:40.660 --> 00:20:41.539
 by what

00:20:41.539 --> 00:20:42.220
 she her

00:20:42.220 --> 00:20:42.900
 lack of

00:20:42.900 --> 00:20:43.180
 faith

00:20:43.180 --> 00:20:43.700
 her laughing

00:20:43.700 --> 00:20:44.259
 at God

00:20:44.259 --> 00:20:45.860
 and she's

00:20:45.860 --> 00:20:46.420
 embarrassed

00:20:46.420 --> 00:20:48.120
 and so

00:20:48.120 --> 00:20:48.839
 she lies

00:20:48.839 --> 00:20:50.740
 but Sarah

00:20:50.740 --> 00:20:51.360
 denied it

00:20:51.360 --> 00:20:52.180
 saying I

00:20:52.180 --> 00:20:52.539
 did not

00:20:52.539 --> 00:20:53.000
 laugh

00:20:53.000 --> 00:20:54.200
 for she

00:20:54.200 --> 00:20:54.819
 was afraid

00:20:54.819 --> 00:20:56.319
 but the

00:20:56.319 --> 00:20:56.839
 Lord said

00:20:56.839 --> 00:20:57.500
 no you

00:20:57.500 --> 00:20:57.740
 did

00:20:57.740 --> 00:20:58.960
 you laughed

00:20:58.960 --> 00:21:01.740
 now

00:21:01.740 --> 00:21:02.559
 this is

00:21:02.559 --> 00:21:03.559
 going to be

00:21:03.559 --> 00:21:04.399
 important

00:21:04.399 --> 00:21:04.919
 at the

00:21:04.919 --> 00:21:05.399
 end of it

00:21:05.399 --> 00:21:05.839
 but we

00:21:05.839 --> 00:21:06.299
 see here

00:21:06.299 --> 00:21:07.099
 once again

00:21:07.099 --> 00:21:07.539
 we see

00:21:07.539 --> 00:21:08.000
 that the

00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:08.419
 Bible

00:21:08.419 --> 00:21:10.359
 does not

00:21:10.359 --> 00:21:10.839
 show that

00:21:10.839 --> 00:21:11.559
 Abraham and

00:21:11.559 --> 00:21:12.159
 Sarah are

00:21:12.159 --> 00:21:13.359
 perfect people

00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:15.259
 and that

00:21:15.259 --> 00:21:15.720
 God

00:21:15.720 --> 00:21:16.740
 is going to

00:21:16.740 --> 00:21:17.519
 show grace

00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:19.119
 is showing

00:21:19.119 --> 00:21:20.039
 grace to

00:21:20.039 --> 00:21:20.859
 imperfect

00:21:20.859 --> 00:21:21.839
 people

00:21:21.839 --> 00:21:22.679
 and imperfect

00:21:22.679 --> 00:21:23.339
 is not even

00:21:23.339 --> 00:21:23.919
 the right word

00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:24.900
 to use the

00:21:24.900 --> 00:21:25.580
 old fashioned

00:21:25.580 --> 00:21:26.560
 biblical word

00:21:26.560 --> 00:21:27.779
 Abraham and

00:21:27.779 --> 00:21:28.320
 Sarah are

00:21:28.320 --> 00:21:28.800
 sinners

00:21:28.800 --> 00:21:31.200
 and God

00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:31.960
 shows grace

00:21:31.960 --> 00:21:33.100
 to sinners

00:21:33.100 --> 00:21:35.640
 nothing

00:21:35.640 --> 00:21:37.759
 nothing

00:21:37.759 --> 00:21:41.240
 is too

00:21:41.240 --> 00:21:41.759
 hard for

00:21:41.759 --> 00:21:42.160
 the Lord

00:21:42.160 --> 00:21:44.560
 now we

00:21:44.560 --> 00:21:45.000
 come to

00:21:45.000 --> 00:21:45.460
 the part

00:21:45.460 --> 00:21:46.000
 that's

00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:46.640
 going to

00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:46.980
 start to

00:21:46.980 --> 00:21:47.300
 make us

00:21:47.300 --> 00:21:47.560
 a little

00:21:47.560 --> 00:21:48.279
 bit nervous

00:21:48.279 --> 00:21:52.619
 it's the

00:21:52.619 --> 00:21:53.139
 part about

00:21:53.139 --> 00:21:53.480
 what

00:21:53.480 --> 00:21:55.539
 what is

00:21:55.539 --> 00:21:55.980
 God going

00:21:55.980 --> 00:21:56.220
 to do

00:21:56.220 --> 00:21:56.539
 about

00:21:56.539 --> 00:21:57.220
 Sodom

00:21:57.220 --> 00:21:57.379
 and

00:21:57.379 --> 00:21:57.779
 Gomorrah

00:21:57.779 --> 00:22:02.200
 look at

00:22:02.200 --> 00:22:02.960
 verse 16

00:22:02.960 --> 00:22:05.099
 then the

00:22:05.099 --> 00:22:05.399
 men

00:22:05.399 --> 00:22:06.180
 set out

00:22:06.180 --> 00:22:06.639
 from there

00:22:06.639 --> 00:22:07.899
 and they

00:22:07.899 --> 00:22:08.619
 looked down

00:22:08.619 --> 00:22:09.180
 towards

00:22:09.180 --> 00:22:09.619
 Sodom

00:22:09.619 --> 00:22:11.339
 and Abraham

00:22:11.339 --> 00:22:11.899
 went out

00:22:11.899 --> 00:22:12.420
 with them

00:22:12.420 --> 00:22:13.319
 went with

00:22:13.319 --> 00:22:13.839
 them to

00:22:13.839 --> 00:22:14.220
 set them

00:22:14.220 --> 00:22:14.480
 on their

00:22:14.480 --> 00:22:14.639
 way

00:22:14.639 --> 00:22:14.960
 he's a

00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:15.839
 good host

00:22:15.839 --> 00:22:16.159
 he's going

00:22:16.159 --> 00:22:16.439
 to walk

00:22:16.439 --> 00:22:16.679
 a little

00:22:16.679 --> 00:22:16.879
 way

00:22:16.879 --> 00:22:17.319
 with them

00:22:17.319 --> 00:22:18.419
 on their

00:22:18.419 --> 00:22:18.759
 journey

00:22:18.759 --> 00:22:20.199
 and the

00:22:20.199 --> 00:22:20.799
 Lord said

00:22:20.799 --> 00:22:22.259
 shall I

00:22:22.259 --> 00:22:23.079
 hide from

00:22:23.079 --> 00:22:23.679
 Abraham

00:22:23.679 --> 00:22:24.699
 what I am

00:22:24.699 --> 00:22:25.139
 about to

00:22:25.139 --> 00:22:25.359
 do

00:22:25.359 --> 00:22:26.959
 seeing that

00:22:26.959 --> 00:22:27.379
 Abraham

00:22:27.379 --> 00:22:28.179
 shall surely

00:22:28.179 --> 00:22:28.699
 become a

00:22:28.699 --> 00:22:29.339
 great nation

00:22:29.339 --> 00:22:30.000
 a great and

00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:30.679
 mighty nation

00:22:30.679 --> 00:22:31.939
 and all the

00:22:31.939 --> 00:22:32.599
 nations of the

00:22:32.599 --> 00:22:33.179
 earth shall be

00:22:33.179 --> 00:22:33.959
 blessed in him

00:22:33.959 --> 00:22:35.339
 for I have

00:22:35.339 --> 00:22:36.099
 chosen him

00:22:36.099 --> 00:22:38.319
 and the word

00:22:38.319 --> 00:22:39.240
 there is

00:22:39.240 --> 00:22:39.980
 it's a

00:22:39.980 --> 00:22:41.059
 relational word

00:22:41.059 --> 00:22:41.819
 I know

00:22:41.819 --> 00:22:42.059
 him

00:22:42.059 --> 00:22:42.879
 I understand

00:22:42.880 --> 00:22:43.280
 him

00:22:43.280 --> 00:22:47.160
 it's not

00:22:47.160 --> 00:22:47.780
 just like

00:22:47.780 --> 00:22:48.080
 you know

00:22:48.080 --> 00:22:48.600
 eeny meeny

00:22:48.600 --> 00:22:49.220
 miny mo

00:22:49.220 --> 00:22:50.040
 there's this

00:22:50.040 --> 00:22:50.660
 idea of

00:22:50.660 --> 00:22:52.000
 the choosing

00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:52.500
 the

00:22:52.500 --> 00:22:53.880
 it's sort

00:22:53.880 --> 00:22:54.220
 of a little

00:22:54.220 --> 00:22:54.860
 bit similar

00:22:54.860 --> 00:22:55.340
 to in a

00:22:55.340 --> 00:22:55.640
 sense

00:22:55.640 --> 00:22:57.480
 the man

00:22:57.480 --> 00:22:57.980
 who's marrying

00:22:57.980 --> 00:22:58.460
 the woman

00:22:58.460 --> 00:22:59.060
 chooses

00:22:59.060 --> 00:23:00.680
 his wife

00:23:00.680 --> 00:23:01.540
 and the

00:23:01.540 --> 00:23:02.280
 woman chooses

00:23:02.280 --> 00:23:03.020
 her husband

00:23:03.020 --> 00:23:03.860
 and they

00:23:03.860 --> 00:23:04.360
 know each

00:23:04.360 --> 00:23:04.580
 other

00:23:04.580 --> 00:23:06.360
 it's not

00:23:06.360 --> 00:23:06.920
 just the

00:23:06.920 --> 00:23:07.500
 marriage ceremony

00:23:07.500 --> 00:23:08.320
 but as life

00:23:08.320 --> 00:23:08.680
 goes on

00:23:08.680 --> 00:23:09.660
 they have

00:23:09.660 --> 00:23:10.300
 a knowledge

00:23:10.300 --> 00:23:10.740
 of each

00:23:10.740 --> 00:23:10.980
 other

00:23:10.980 --> 00:23:11.720
 and that's

00:23:11.720 --> 00:23:12.060
 being

00:23:12.059 --> 00:23:12.679
 communicated

00:23:12.679 --> 00:23:12.940
 here

00:23:12.940 --> 00:23:13.299
 it's a

00:23:13.299 --> 00:23:14.319
 it's a

00:23:14.319 --> 00:23:14.899
 personal

00:23:14.899 --> 00:23:15.819
 interpersonal

00:23:15.819 --> 00:23:16.779
 relational

00:23:16.779 --> 00:23:18.000
 type of

00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:18.299
 word

00:23:18.299 --> 00:23:19.819
 verse 19

00:23:19.819 --> 00:23:20.240
 for I have

00:23:20.240 --> 00:23:20.940
 chosen him

00:23:20.940 --> 00:23:22.200
 that he

00:23:22.200 --> 00:23:23.679
 may command

00:23:23.679 --> 00:23:24.419
 his children

00:23:24.419 --> 00:23:24.899
 and his

00:23:24.899 --> 00:23:25.279
 household

00:23:25.279 --> 00:23:26.139
 after him

00:23:26.139 --> 00:23:27.179
 to keep

00:23:27.179 --> 00:23:27.619
 the way

00:23:27.619 --> 00:23:27.919
 of the

00:23:27.919 --> 00:23:28.220
 Lord

00:23:28.220 --> 00:23:29.559
 by doing

00:23:29.559 --> 00:23:30.139
 righteousness

00:23:30.139 --> 00:23:31.519
 and justice

00:23:31.519 --> 00:23:32.299
 the way

00:23:32.299 --> 00:23:32.559
 of the

00:23:32.559 --> 00:23:32.759
 Lord

00:23:32.759 --> 00:23:33.099
 is to

00:23:33.099 --> 00:23:33.279
 do

00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:33.799
 righteousness

00:23:33.799 --> 00:23:35.039
 and justice

00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:36.460
 so that

00:23:36.460 --> 00:23:36.919
 the Lord

00:23:36.919 --> 00:23:37.539
 may bring

00:23:37.539 --> 00:23:38.200
 to Abraham

00:23:38.200 --> 00:23:39.039
 what he

00:23:39.039 --> 00:23:39.599
 has promised

00:23:39.599 --> 00:23:39.899
 him

00:23:39.899 --> 00:23:40.639
 so

00:23:40.639 --> 00:23:41.519
 so God

00:23:41.519 --> 00:23:42.019
 the Lord

00:23:42.019 --> 00:23:42.700
 says to

00:23:42.700 --> 00:23:43.200
 himself

00:23:43.200 --> 00:23:50.240
 you see

00:23:50.240 --> 00:23:50.599
 what

00:23:50.599 --> 00:23:51.500
 this story

00:23:51.500 --> 00:23:52.359
 is communicating

00:23:52.359 --> 00:23:52.759
 to us

00:23:52.759 --> 00:23:53.099
 in a very

00:23:53.099 --> 00:23:53.980
 powerful way

00:23:53.980 --> 00:23:54.240
 and it's

00:23:54.240 --> 00:23:54.480
 one of the

00:23:54.480 --> 00:23:54.900
 reasons you

00:23:54.900 --> 00:23:55.200
 see we

00:23:55.200 --> 00:23:56.420
 gather in

00:23:56.420 --> 00:23:56.839
 church on

00:23:56.839 --> 00:23:57.279
 a Sunday

00:23:57.279 --> 00:23:59.180
 and part

00:23:59.180 --> 00:23:59.420
 of what

00:23:59.420 --> 00:23:59.799
 gathering

00:23:59.799 --> 00:24:00.279
 in a

00:24:00.279 --> 00:24:00.579
 church

00:24:00.579 --> 00:24:01.099
 on a

00:24:01.099 --> 00:24:01.379
 Sunday

00:24:01.379 --> 00:24:01.740
 is all

00:24:01.740 --> 00:24:02.079
 about

00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:02.859
 is the

00:24:02.859 --> 00:24:03.500
 word of

00:24:03.500 --> 00:24:03.960
 the Lord

00:24:03.960 --> 00:24:05.240
 is opened

00:24:05.240 --> 00:24:06.440
 and we

00:24:06.440 --> 00:24:07.039
 spend time

00:24:07.039 --> 00:24:07.779
 thinking about

00:24:07.779 --> 00:24:08.019
 it

00:24:08.019 --> 00:24:09.259
 because God

00:24:09.259 --> 00:24:10.039
 desires to

00:24:10.039 --> 00:24:10.680
 reveal his

00:24:10.680 --> 00:24:11.259
 heart to

00:24:11.259 --> 00:24:11.599
 us

00:24:11.599 --> 00:24:12.720
 he desires

00:24:12.720 --> 00:24:13.759
 to speak

00:24:13.759 --> 00:24:14.440
 to us

00:24:14.440 --> 00:24:15.000
 and his

00:24:15.000 --> 00:24:15.539
 words are

00:24:15.539 --> 00:24:16.059
 grace

00:24:16.059 --> 00:24:17.299
 he desires

00:24:17.299 --> 00:24:17.879
 to give

00:24:17.879 --> 00:24:18.480
 to us

00:24:18.480 --> 00:24:20.220
 and he

00:24:20.220 --> 00:24:20.839
 desires us

00:24:20.839 --> 00:24:21.299
 to help him

00:24:21.299 --> 00:24:22.059
 to understand

00:24:22.059 --> 00:24:23.259
 better who

00:24:23.259 --> 00:24:24.000
 he is

00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:25.019
 and who

00:24:25.019 --> 00:24:25.619
 we are

00:24:25.619 --> 00:24:26.619
 and what

00:24:26.619 --> 00:24:27.039
 the real

00:24:27.039 --> 00:24:27.680
 world is

00:24:27.680 --> 00:24:28.039
 like

00:24:28.039 --> 00:24:28.759
 and how

00:24:28.759 --> 00:24:29.160
 to live

00:24:29.160 --> 00:24:29.420
 in the

00:24:29.420 --> 00:24:29.740
 world

00:24:29.740 --> 00:24:33.259
 and so

00:24:33.259 --> 00:24:33.680
 we see

00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:34.059
 here that

00:24:34.059 --> 00:24:34.960
 we see

00:24:34.960 --> 00:24:35.299
 here this

00:24:35.299 --> 00:24:35.700
 in a sense

00:24:35.700 --> 00:24:36.259
 how God

00:24:36.259 --> 00:24:36.700
 normally

00:24:36.700 --> 00:24:37.059
 thinks

00:24:37.059 --> 00:24:37.779
 it's brought

00:24:37.779 --> 00:24:38.240
 out here

00:24:38.240 --> 00:24:38.539
 in this

00:24:38.539 --> 00:24:39.019
 particular

00:24:39.019 --> 00:24:39.700
 story

00:24:39.700 --> 00:24:41.059
 that that's

00:24:41.059 --> 00:24:41.500
 partly what

00:24:41.500 --> 00:24:42.099
 God wants

00:24:42.099 --> 00:24:42.480
 to do

00:24:42.480 --> 00:24:43.440
 and righteousness

00:24:43.440 --> 00:24:44.400
 and justice

00:24:44.400 --> 00:24:45.319
 are put

00:24:45.319 --> 00:24:45.660
 together

00:24:45.660 --> 00:24:46.039
 it's not

00:24:46.039 --> 00:24:46.299
 that you

00:24:46.299 --> 00:24:46.660
 either be

00:24:46.660 --> 00:24:47.019
 righteous

00:24:47.019 --> 00:24:47.420
 or you

00:24:47.420 --> 00:24:48.019
 be just

00:24:48.019 --> 00:24:49.319
 that you

00:24:49.319 --> 00:24:49.559
 have to

00:24:49.559 --> 00:24:49.980
 choose one

00:24:49.980 --> 00:24:50.160
 of the

00:24:50.160 --> 00:24:50.460
 two of

00:24:50.460 --> 00:24:50.640
 them

00:24:50.640 --> 00:24:52.099
 you can't

00:24:52.099 --> 00:24:52.480
 have one

00:24:52.480 --> 00:24:52.980
 without the

00:24:52.980 --> 00:24:53.200
 other

00:24:53.200 --> 00:24:53.660
 and they

00:24:53.660 --> 00:24:54.079
 come from

00:24:54.079 --> 00:24:54.620
 the same

00:24:54.620 --> 00:24:55.140
 same

00:24:55.140 --> 00:24:55.460
 root

00:24:55.460 --> 00:24:56.180
 and

00:24:56.180 --> 00:24:56.519
 and

00:24:56.519 --> 00:24:56.980
 and

00:24:56.980 --> 00:24:57.440
 and

00:24:57.440 --> 00:24:58.599
 it's

00:24:58.599 --> 00:24:59.000
 all about

00:24:59.000 --> 00:24:59.680
 righteousness

00:24:59.680 --> 00:25:00.820
 is is

00:25:00.820 --> 00:25:01.180
 living

00:25:01.180 --> 00:25:01.740
 well

00:25:01.740 --> 00:25:03.220
 and it's

00:25:03.220 --> 00:25:03.460
 living

00:25:03.460 --> 00:25:03.880
 well in

00:25:03.880 --> 00:25:04.299
 God's

00:25:04.299 --> 00:25:04.580
 world

00:25:04.580 --> 00:25:04.960
 and it's

00:25:04.960 --> 00:25:05.140
 living

00:25:05.140 --> 00:25:05.580
 well with

00:25:05.580 --> 00:25:06.000
 God

00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:06.539
 and with

00:25:06.539 --> 00:25:07.080
 all God's

00:25:07.080 --> 00:25:07.539
 creation

00:25:07.539 --> 00:25:07.980
 with other

00:25:07.980 --> 00:25:08.420
 people

00:25:08.420 --> 00:25:09.299
 and it's

00:25:09.299 --> 00:25:09.620
 it's

00:25:09.620 --> 00:25:10.000
 righteousness

00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:10.680
 is connected

00:25:10.680 --> 00:25:11.660
 to flourishing

00:25:11.660 --> 00:25:12.660
 in that

00:25:12.660 --> 00:25:13.000
 world

00:25:13.000 --> 00:25:13.820
 and justice

00:25:13.820 --> 00:25:15.160
 is all

00:25:15.160 --> 00:25:15.560
 about

00:25:15.560 --> 00:25:16.779
 restoring

00:25:16.779 --> 00:25:18.140
 the

00:25:18.140 --> 00:25:18.960
 flourishing

00:25:18.960 --> 00:25:20.120
 of human

00:25:20.120 --> 00:25:20.759
 beings

00:25:20.759 --> 00:25:21.440
 and human

00:25:21.440 --> 00:25:22.220
 relationships

00:25:22.220 --> 00:25:24.060
 in God's

00:25:24.060 --> 00:25:24.560
 world

00:25:24.560 --> 00:25:25.660
 in God's

00:25:25.660 --> 00:25:26.200
 presence

00:25:26.200 --> 00:25:27.500
 and sometimes

00:25:27.500 --> 00:25:28.200
 you have to

00:25:28.200 --> 00:25:28.940
 restore

00:25:28.940 --> 00:25:30.360
 because we

00:25:30.360 --> 00:25:30.799
 live in a

00:25:30.799 --> 00:25:31.080
 fallen

00:25:31.080 --> 00:25:31.620
 world

00:25:31.620 --> 00:25:33.039
 and God's

00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:33.620
 people get

00:25:33.620 --> 00:25:34.240
 oppressed

00:25:34.240 --> 00:25:35.820
 and when

00:25:35.820 --> 00:25:36.460
 God's people

00:25:36.460 --> 00:25:37.340
 get oppressed

00:25:37.340 --> 00:25:38.340
 then justice

00:25:38.340 --> 00:25:39.220
 is required

00:25:39.220 --> 00:25:40.799
 the oppressors

00:25:40.799 --> 00:25:41.519
 have to be

00:25:41.519 --> 00:25:42.039
 stopped

00:25:42.039 --> 00:25:43.500
 and there

00:25:43.500 --> 00:25:43.980
 has to be

00:25:43.980 --> 00:25:44.900
 some punishment

00:25:44.900 --> 00:25:45.559
 done to

00:25:45.559 --> 00:25:45.840
 them

00:25:45.840 --> 00:25:46.820
 and the

00:25:46.820 --> 00:25:47.420
 oppressed

00:25:47.420 --> 00:25:48.720
 need to be

00:25:48.720 --> 00:25:49.160
 delivered

00:25:49.160 --> 00:25:50.320
 and set

00:25:50.320 --> 00:25:50.820
 free

00:25:50.820 --> 00:25:51.880
 to the end

00:25:51.880 --> 00:25:52.160
 that they

00:25:52.160 --> 00:25:52.920
 can flourish

00:25:52.920 --> 00:25:54.000
 and that is

00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:54.299
 the way

00:25:54.299 --> 00:25:54.580
 of the

00:25:54.580 --> 00:25:54.900
 Lord

00:25:54.900 --> 00:25:59.540
 so God

00:25:59.540 --> 00:25:59.840
 knows

00:25:59.840 --> 00:26:00.060
 what's

00:26:00.060 --> 00:26:00.259
 going to

00:26:00.259 --> 00:26:00.620
 happen

00:26:00.620 --> 00:26:02.060
 and he

00:26:02.060 --> 00:26:02.560
 realizes

00:26:02.560 --> 00:26:03.160
 or he

00:26:03.160 --> 00:26:04.100
 communicates

00:26:04.100 --> 00:26:04.440
 he's going

00:26:04.440 --> 00:26:04.720
 to let

00:26:04.720 --> 00:26:05.320
 Abraham

00:26:05.320 --> 00:26:05.759
 know

00:26:05.759 --> 00:26:06.880
 what's

00:26:06.880 --> 00:26:07.300
 happening

00:26:07.300 --> 00:26:09.259
 verse

00:26:09.259 --> 00:26:09.640
 20

00:26:09.640 --> 00:26:11.240
 and the

00:26:11.240 --> 00:26:11.480
 Lord

00:26:11.480 --> 00:26:11.920
 said

00:26:11.920 --> 00:26:13.500
 this is

00:26:13.500 --> 00:26:13.940
 now to

00:26:13.940 --> 00:26:14.500
 he's speaking

00:26:14.500 --> 00:26:15.080
 to Abraham

00:26:15.080 --> 00:26:16.340
 because the

00:26:16.340 --> 00:26:17.240
 outcry against

00:26:17.240 --> 00:26:17.800
 Sodom and

00:26:17.800 --> 00:26:18.200
 Gomorrah

00:26:18.200 --> 00:26:18.880
 is great

00:26:18.880 --> 00:26:20.120
 and their

00:26:20.120 --> 00:26:20.519
 sin is

00:26:20.519 --> 00:26:21.280
 very grave

00:26:21.279 --> 00:26:23.579
 I will

00:26:23.579 --> 00:26:24.539
 go down

00:26:24.539 --> 00:26:25.579
 to see

00:26:25.579 --> 00:26:28.399
 I will

00:26:28.399 --> 00:26:29.259
 go down

00:26:29.259 --> 00:26:29.899
 to see

00:26:29.899 --> 00:26:31.099
 whether they

00:26:31.099 --> 00:26:31.599
 have done

00:26:31.599 --> 00:26:32.319
 all together

00:26:32.319 --> 00:26:32.980
 according to

00:26:32.980 --> 00:26:33.519
 the outcry

00:26:33.519 --> 00:26:33.839
 that has

00:26:33.839 --> 00:26:34.259
 come to

00:26:34.259 --> 00:26:34.480
 me

00:26:34.480 --> 00:26:35.299
 and if

00:26:35.299 --> 00:26:35.680
 not

00:26:35.680 --> 00:26:36.680
 I will

00:26:36.680 --> 00:26:36.960
 know

00:26:36.960 --> 00:26:40.099
 now

00:26:40.099 --> 00:26:41.879
 here's the

00:26:41.879 --> 00:26:42.220
 thing about

00:26:42.220 --> 00:26:42.980
 stories

00:26:42.980 --> 00:26:43.960
 stories

00:26:43.960 --> 00:26:45.599
 work in

00:26:45.599 --> 00:26:46.079
 connection

00:26:46.079 --> 00:26:46.839
 with abstract

00:26:46.839 --> 00:26:47.700
 ideas to

00:26:47.700 --> 00:26:48.220
 help us to

00:26:48.220 --> 00:26:49.200
 understand abstract

00:26:49.200 --> 00:26:50.099
 ideas better

00:26:50.099 --> 00:26:51.919
 stories in a

00:26:51.919 --> 00:26:52.679
 sense shape

00:26:52.679 --> 00:26:54.079
 us to

00:26:54.079 --> 00:26:54.679
 understand

00:26:54.679 --> 00:26:55.740
 things

00:26:55.740 --> 00:26:57.799
 sometimes when

00:26:57.799 --> 00:26:58.399
 we realize

00:26:58.399 --> 00:26:58.819
 you know how

00:26:58.819 --> 00:26:59.299
 sometimes you

00:26:59.299 --> 00:26:59.699
 come to an

00:26:59.699 --> 00:27:00.159
 insight and

00:27:00.159 --> 00:27:00.899
 on one level

00:27:00.899 --> 00:27:01.819
 it's like you

00:27:01.819 --> 00:27:02.759
 always knew it

00:27:02.759 --> 00:27:03.240
 but you never

00:27:03.240 --> 00:27:03.879
 sort of put it

00:27:03.879 --> 00:27:04.639
 into words

00:27:04.639 --> 00:27:06.000
 and that often

00:27:06.000 --> 00:27:07.199
 happens because

00:27:07.199 --> 00:27:08.159
 stories have

00:27:08.159 --> 00:27:08.839
 formed us to

00:27:08.839 --> 00:27:09.819
 understand certain

00:27:09.819 --> 00:27:10.319
 things

00:27:10.319 --> 00:27:11.519
 so one of the

00:27:11.519 --> 00:27:12.000
 things that we've

00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:12.500
 seen I haven't

00:27:12.500 --> 00:27:12.980
 talked about it

00:27:12.980 --> 00:27:13.719
 much lately but

00:27:13.719 --> 00:27:14.439
 when they talk

00:27:14.439 --> 00:27:15.059
 all the time

00:27:15.059 --> 00:27:15.519
 throughout these

00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:16.119
 stories when they

00:27:16.119 --> 00:27:16.819
 talk about God

00:27:16.819 --> 00:27:17.679
 giving the land

00:27:17.679 --> 00:27:19.579
 that's a simple

00:27:19.579 --> 00:27:20.039
 way of

00:27:20.039 --> 00:27:20.899
 communicating that

00:27:20.899 --> 00:27:21.720
 God is sovereign

00:27:21.720 --> 00:27:22.299
 that he's all

00:27:22.299 --> 00:27:23.200
 powerful that he's

00:27:23.200 --> 00:27:24.000
 transcendent that

00:27:24.000 --> 00:27:24.539
 he's a higher

00:27:24.539 --> 00:27:25.460
 higher than all

00:27:25.460 --> 00:27:26.200
 those gods and I

00:27:26.200 --> 00:27:27.220
 can use words like

00:27:27.220 --> 00:27:28.579
 transcendent and I

00:27:28.579 --> 00:27:29.339
 can use words like

00:27:29.339 --> 00:27:30.700
 sovereign and we

00:27:30.700 --> 00:27:31.399
 might or might not

00:27:31.399 --> 00:27:31.940
 know what they

00:27:31.940 --> 00:27:32.720
 mean but when we

00:27:32.720 --> 00:27:33.960
 hear the Bible say

00:27:33.960 --> 00:27:34.839
 that God is going

00:27:34.839 --> 00:27:36.559
 to give the land

00:27:36.559 --> 00:27:38.539
 to Abraham that's

00:27:38.539 --> 00:27:39.399
 communicating that

00:27:39.399 --> 00:27:40.200
 God is sovereign

00:27:40.200 --> 00:27:42.500
 it's forming us to

00:27:42.500 --> 00:27:43.039
 have a bit of a

00:27:43.039 --> 00:27:43.759
 sense about what

00:27:43.759 --> 00:27:44.700
 sovereignty might

00:27:44.700 --> 00:27:45.599
 mean or all

00:27:45.599 --> 00:27:46.740
 powerful might mean

00:27:46.740 --> 00:27:48.399
 and the same thing

00:27:48.399 --> 00:27:49.819
 here it's not that

00:27:49.819 --> 00:27:50.259
 because you might

00:27:50.259 --> 00:27:51.000
 say well how did

00:27:51.000 --> 00:27:51.799
 like this doesn't

00:27:51.799 --> 00:27:52.399
 make any sense

00:27:52.399 --> 00:27:53.480
 George like I

00:27:53.480 --> 00:27:54.220
 thought God knew

00:27:54.220 --> 00:27:55.279
 all things like

00:27:55.279 --> 00:27:56.259
 didn't you just say

00:27:56.259 --> 00:27:58.339
 earlier is anything

00:27:58.339 --> 00:27:59.279
 too hard for the

00:27:59.279 --> 00:28:00.439
 Lord like isn't that

00:28:00.439 --> 00:28:01.039
 what you just said

00:28:01.039 --> 00:28:01.639
 earlier is not what

00:28:01.639 --> 00:28:02.539
 the Bible just said

00:28:02.539 --> 00:28:03.679
 so how is it that

00:28:03.679 --> 00:28:04.500
 God can't know

00:28:04.500 --> 00:28:05.339
 what's going down

00:28:05.339 --> 00:28:09.500
 there well this

00:28:09.500 --> 00:28:10.659
 story is using this

00:28:10.659 --> 00:28:12.559
 very simple type of

00:28:12.559 --> 00:28:14.000
 language to communicate

00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:15.039
 profound truths about

00:28:15.039 --> 00:28:18.259
 God and profound

00:28:18.259 --> 00:28:19.480
 truths as well once

00:28:19.480 --> 00:28:20.579
 we we understand

00:28:20.579 --> 00:28:22.220
 that who God is and

00:28:22.220 --> 00:28:22.960
 how he's made the

00:28:22.960 --> 00:28:23.980
 world and if God

00:28:23.980 --> 00:28:24.920
 does this we need to

00:28:24.920 --> 00:28:26.599
 do it we need to do

00:28:26.599 --> 00:28:28.299
 it as well and what

00:28:28.299 --> 00:28:28.819
 what's being

00:28:28.819 --> 00:28:30.220
 communicated is that

00:28:30.220 --> 00:28:31.619
 God is not petty

00:28:31.619 --> 00:28:34.299
 he's not anger

00:28:34.299 --> 00:28:37.960
 driven he's driven

00:28:37.960 --> 00:28:40.420
 by justice he's driven

00:28:40.420 --> 00:28:43.079
 by goodness he's driven

00:28:43.079 --> 00:28:46.119
 by the truth he's driven

00:28:46.119 --> 00:28:47.899
 he's deeply patient

00:28:47.899 --> 00:28:51.119
 and those are what

00:28:51.119 --> 00:28:53.879
 drive him and none

00:28:53.879 --> 00:28:56.179
 of his judgments are

00:28:56.179 --> 00:28:58.019
 done slap dash or

00:28:58.019 --> 00:28:58.859
 without knowing what's

00:28:58.859 --> 00:29:01.000
 actually gone on it's

00:29:01.000 --> 00:29:02.439
 why in many other

00:29:02.439 --> 00:29:03.799
 places in the Bible

00:29:03.799 --> 00:29:05.419
 especially in the New

00:29:05.419 --> 00:29:06.500
 Testament and you read

00:29:06.500 --> 00:29:07.960
 the book of Revelation

00:29:07.960 --> 00:29:10.799
 the constant claim made

00:29:10.799 --> 00:29:12.539
 at the end of the days

00:29:12.539 --> 00:29:14.440
 as God's judgments are

00:29:14.440 --> 00:29:15.700
 fully revealed and in

00:29:15.700 --> 00:29:17.019
 a sense we replay what's

00:29:17.019 --> 00:29:18.019
 happened both at the

00:29:18.019 --> 00:29:18.940
 end of the ages and

00:29:18.940 --> 00:29:20.440
 throughout the ages the

00:29:20.440 --> 00:29:21.819
 constant refrain is that

00:29:21.819 --> 00:29:23.940
 God was just praise

00:29:23.940 --> 00:29:25.799
 him he did what was

00:29:25.799 --> 00:29:28.019
 just and he wouldn't be

00:29:28.019 --> 00:29:29.399
 just if he did things

00:29:29.399 --> 00:29:30.759
 slap dash he wouldn't

00:29:30.759 --> 00:29:32.399
 be just if he didn't do

00:29:32.399 --> 00:29:33.859
 it with what truly had

00:29:33.859 --> 00:29:35.579
 happened what was truly

00:29:35.579 --> 00:29:36.779
 wrong who were truly

00:29:36.779 --> 00:29:37.879
 affected he wouldn't be

00:29:37.879 --> 00:29:39.619
 just he wouldn't be just

00:29:39.619 --> 00:29:40.819
 or worthy of praise if

00:29:40.819 --> 00:29:42.399
 he was driven by anger

00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:45.440
 and pettiness and so

00:29:45.440 --> 00:29:46.600
 this is communicating in

00:29:46.600 --> 00:29:48.320
 a very simple but easily

00:29:48.320 --> 00:29:49.200
 to remember what like

00:29:49.200 --> 00:29:50.700
 you can tell this story

00:29:50.700 --> 00:29:53.259
 to young children and

00:29:53.259 --> 00:29:54.420
 and read it to them over

00:29:54.420 --> 00:29:55.360
 and over and over again

00:29:55.360 --> 00:29:56.360
 and as you read it over

00:29:56.360 --> 00:29:57.100
 and over and over to

00:29:57.100 --> 00:29:58.259
 them it's it's forming

00:29:58.259 --> 00:29:59.480
 within them this idea

00:29:59.480 --> 00:30:01.060
 God is not anger driven

00:30:01.060 --> 00:30:02.640
 God wants to know the

00:30:02.640 --> 00:30:04.460
 truth and and God acts

00:30:04.460 --> 00:30:05.420
 out of the truth and God

00:30:05.420 --> 00:30:06.460
 acts in a way that's

00:30:06.460 --> 00:30:07.640
 just he acts in a way

00:30:07.640 --> 00:30:09.660
 that's fair and that's

00:30:09.660 --> 00:30:10.519
 what's being communicated

00:30:10.519 --> 00:30:11.759
 here in this particular

00:30:11.759 --> 00:30:12.299
 thing

00:30:12.299 --> 00:30:16.000
 but there's something

00:30:16.000 --> 00:30:16.920
 else that still has to

00:30:16.920 --> 00:30:18.139
 be revealed about God

00:30:18.139 --> 00:30:22.859
 and that is his mercy

00:30:22.859 --> 00:30:26.359
 even before the story of

00:30:26.359 --> 00:30:27.539
 the destruction of Sodom

00:30:27.539 --> 00:30:29.299
 and Gomorrah the question

00:30:29.299 --> 00:30:31.059
 is is God merciful

00:30:31.059 --> 00:30:34.559
 well that's what's going to

00:30:34.559 --> 00:30:35.559
 be communicated very

00:30:35.559 --> 00:30:37.859
 powerfully and not only

00:30:37.859 --> 00:30:39.079
 powerfully it's going to

00:30:39.079 --> 00:30:40.419
 be communicated in such a

00:30:40.419 --> 00:30:41.659
 way that it gives us a

00:30:41.659 --> 00:30:43.859
 an insight about the

00:30:43.859 --> 00:30:45.899
 profound dignity and

00:30:45.899 --> 00:30:47.279
 worth of human beings

00:30:47.279 --> 00:30:50.079
 here's how it goes and

00:30:50.079 --> 00:30:50.639
 some of you will

00:30:50.639 --> 00:30:51.659
 recognize this is a very

00:30:51.659 --> 00:30:53.159
 famous story and at

00:30:53.159 --> 00:30:54.939
 least in some circles it

00:30:54.939 --> 00:30:56.159
 goes like this verse 22

00:30:56.159 --> 00:30:58.619
 so the men turned from

00:30:58.619 --> 00:30:59.480
 there and went towards

00:30:59.480 --> 00:31:01.799
 Sodom but Abraham still

00:31:01.799 --> 00:31:02.859
 stood before the Lord

00:31:02.859 --> 00:31:05.639
 then Abraham drew near and

00:31:05.639 --> 00:31:07.019
 said in other words

00:31:07.019 --> 00:31:08.259
 Abraham comes right up to

00:31:08.259 --> 00:31:09.640
 the Lord this is an image

00:31:09.640 --> 00:31:10.539
 of prayer by the way

00:31:10.539 --> 00:31:12.960
 right coming near to the

00:31:12.960 --> 00:31:15.160
 Lord to speak to him and

00:31:15.160 --> 00:31:16.259
 to hear him speak to you

00:31:16.259 --> 00:31:20.299
 verse 23 then Abraham drew

00:31:20.299 --> 00:31:23.000
 near and said will you

00:31:23.000 --> 00:31:24.319
 indeed sweep away the

00:31:24.319 --> 00:31:25.359
 righteous with the wicked

00:31:25.359 --> 00:31:29.259
 in other words you've said

00:31:29.259 --> 00:31:32.039
 you're just will you sweep

00:31:32.039 --> 00:31:33.359
 away the righteous with the

00:31:33.359 --> 00:31:35.500
 wicked suppose there are 50

00:31:35.500 --> 00:31:36.779
 righteous within the city

00:31:36.779 --> 00:31:39.039
 will you then sweep away the

00:31:39.039 --> 00:31:41.319
 place and not spare it for

00:31:41.319 --> 00:31:42.579
 the 50 righteous who are in

00:31:42.579 --> 00:31:44.960
 it now by the way just pause

00:31:44.960 --> 00:31:47.579
 here for a second the

00:31:47.579 --> 00:31:49.460
 assumed subtext of all of

00:31:49.460 --> 00:31:50.799
 this is two things which are

00:31:50.799 --> 00:31:52.019
 very important to grasp

00:31:52.019 --> 00:31:54.480
 Abraham knows Sodom and

00:31:54.480 --> 00:31:59.640
 Gomorrah and he knows that if

00:31:59.640 --> 00:32:03.400
 God goes and looks they will be

00:32:03.400 --> 00:32:08.259
 swept away see part of what's

00:32:08.259 --> 00:32:10.480
 being shown here about us as

00:32:10.480 --> 00:32:12.900
 Christians is that we are to

00:32:12.900 --> 00:32:14.120
 pray for all sorts and

00:32:14.120 --> 00:32:15.360
 conditions of men and women

00:32:15.360 --> 00:32:19.900
 now obviously you do not make

00:32:19.900 --> 00:32:21.259
 the mistake of praying for

00:32:21.259 --> 00:32:24.259
 Putin the way you pray for the

00:32:24.259 --> 00:32:26.560
 Ukrainian freedom fighter but

00:32:26.560 --> 00:32:28.940
 you are to pray for both but not

00:32:28.940 --> 00:32:31.580
 with moral equivalence but you

00:32:31.579 --> 00:32:35.259
 pray for both so Abraham knows

00:32:35.259 --> 00:32:36.919
 and believes two things that if

00:32:36.919 --> 00:32:40.139
 God actually comes down the city

00:32:40.139 --> 00:32:43.839
 is destroyed so this isn't moral

00:32:43.839 --> 00:32:47.439
 relativism this isn't moral

00:32:47.439 --> 00:32:51.240
 indifference but this is Abraham

00:32:51.240 --> 00:32:55.619
 interceding for very bad people

00:32:55.619 --> 00:33:00.479
 verse 23 again then Abraham drew

00:33:00.479 --> 00:33:01.799
 near and said will you indeed

00:33:01.799 --> 00:33:03.619
 sweep away the righteous with the

00:33:03.619 --> 00:33:05.459
 wicked suppose there are 50

00:33:05.459 --> 00:33:06.899
 righteous within the city will you

00:33:06.899 --> 00:33:09.079
 then sweep away the place and not

00:33:09.079 --> 00:33:10.939
 spare it for the 50 righteous who are

00:33:10.939 --> 00:33:14.319
 in it far be it from you to do such a

00:33:14.319 --> 00:33:15.879
 thing to put the righteous to death

00:33:15.879 --> 00:33:17.399
 with the wicked so that the

00:33:17.399 --> 00:33:19.579
 righteous fair is the wicked far be

00:33:19.579 --> 00:33:22.879
 that from you shall not the judge of

00:33:22.880 --> 00:33:25.660
 all the earth do what is just and the

00:33:25.660 --> 00:33:28.500
 Lord said if I find it Sodom 50

00:33:28.500 --> 00:33:30.100
 righteous in the city I will spare

00:33:30.100 --> 00:33:31.460
 the whole place for their sake

00:33:31.460 --> 00:33:36.700
 Abraham answered and said behold I

00:33:36.700 --> 00:33:39.340
 have undertaken to speak to the Lord I

00:33:39.340 --> 00:33:42.020
 who am but dust and ashes suppose

00:33:42.020 --> 00:33:44.620
 five of the 50 are righteous are

00:33:44.620 --> 00:33:46.500
 lacking will you destroy the whole

00:33:46.500 --> 00:33:49.100
 city for lack of five and the Lord

00:33:49.099 --> 00:33:52.279
 said I will not destroy it if I find

00:33:52.279 --> 00:33:56.119
 45 there again Abraham spoke to the

00:33:56.119 --> 00:33:57.980
 Lord and said suppose 40 are found

00:33:57.980 --> 00:34:00.480
 there and the Lord answered for the

00:34:00.480 --> 00:34:04.099
 sake of 40 I will not do it then

00:34:04.099 --> 00:34:06.219
 Abraham said oh let not the Lord be

00:34:06.219 --> 00:34:09.059
 angry and I will speak suppose 30 are

00:34:09.059 --> 00:34:12.319
 found there and the Lord answered I

00:34:12.319 --> 00:34:14.199
 will not do it if I find 30 there

00:34:14.199 --> 00:34:18.179
 Abraham said behold I have undertaken

00:34:18.179 --> 00:34:21.460
 to speak to the Lord suppose 20 are

00:34:21.460 --> 00:34:24.179
 found there and the Lord answered for

00:34:24.739 --> 00:34:27.179
 the sake of 20 I will not destroy it

00:34:27.699 --> 00:34:31.239
 then Abraham said oh let not the Lord

00:34:31.239 --> 00:34:33.419
 be angry and I will speak again but

00:34:33.419 --> 00:34:38.179
 this one suppose 10 are found there and

00:34:38.839 --> 00:34:41.179
 the Lord answered for the sake of 10 I

00:34:42.159 --> 00:34:45.239
 will not destroy it and the Lord went

00:34:45.239 --> 00:34:46.779
 his way when he had finished speaking to

00:34:46.780 --> 00:34:48.620
 Abraham and Abraham returned to his

00:34:48.620 --> 00:34:52.540
 place I did a bit of an inner internet

00:34:52.540 --> 00:34:54.340
 search and I'm not sure if this is

00:34:54.340 --> 00:34:57.360
 connected to it but in modern Judaism

00:34:57.360 --> 00:34:59.519
 and it's been mod this for for quite a

00:34:59.519 --> 00:35:02.700
 few centuries you need 10 men for

00:35:02.700 --> 00:35:05.680
 synagogue you have less than 10 you

00:35:05.680 --> 00:35:07.720
 don't have a synagogue and I don't

00:35:07.720 --> 00:35:09.800
 know if it's connected to this at all but

00:35:09.800 --> 00:35:11.780
 the idea that you need that the 10 that

00:35:11.780 --> 00:35:13.780
 one righteous community praying and

00:35:16.140 --> 00:35:20.120
 bearing witness in that community so

00:35:20.120 --> 00:35:24.220
 what's going on here does God does

00:35:24.220 --> 00:35:33.740
 Abraham change God's mind one of the

00:35:33.740 --> 00:35:35.820
 biggest crises I had in my young

00:35:35.820 --> 00:35:39.000
 Christian life and it affected me for

00:35:39.000 --> 00:35:41.300
 quite a few months and I wasn't able to

00:35:41.300 --> 00:35:44.559
 find any help when I talked to

00:35:44.559 --> 00:35:47.920
 Christians about it was that I was

00:35:47.920 --> 00:35:50.059
 challenged by I guess what I would now

00:35:50.059 --> 00:35:54.420
 know to be naturalist philosophers people

00:35:54.420 --> 00:35:56.579
 who believe that really all there is is

00:35:56.579 --> 00:35:59.179
 what science can discover if you can't

00:35:59.179 --> 00:36:01.460
 weigh it if you can't measure it if you

00:36:01.460 --> 00:36:03.539
 can't do scientific experiments on it it's

00:36:03.539 --> 00:36:06.159
 not real and in this world where there's

00:36:06.159 --> 00:36:08.159
 matter and there's energy things just

00:36:08.159 --> 00:36:11.159
 happen it's like a billiard ball the you

00:36:11.159 --> 00:36:12.899
 hit the ball and the ball hits other

00:36:12.899 --> 00:36:15.159
 balls and the balls all move around and

00:36:15.839 --> 00:36:17.859
 and they hit different things and and it's

00:36:17.859 --> 00:36:19.980
 just cause and effect and that effect

00:36:19.980 --> 00:36:23.359
 becomes a cause and I might think that I

00:36:23.359 --> 00:36:26.440
 have free will and I might think that I've

00:36:26.440 --> 00:36:28.159
 chosen to be a Christian but it's just all

00:36:28.159 --> 00:36:32.460
 cause and effect and and that I almost

00:36:32.460 --> 00:36:36.559
 lost my faith over it and it's in effect on

00:36:36.559 --> 00:36:38.460
 one level it's the dominant philosophy

00:36:39.019 --> 00:36:41.220
 underlying all of Canada although most

00:36:41.220 --> 00:36:42.860
 people haven't really thought through what

00:36:42.860 --> 00:36:47.340
 it actually means if it's true if there's

00:36:47.340 --> 00:36:49.480
 only cause and effect which becomes

00:36:49.480 --> 00:36:51.440
 another cause it's just really an endless

00:36:51.440 --> 00:36:54.280
 series of causes and all of the causes are

00:36:54.280 --> 00:36:57.000
 material and physical if that's the case

00:36:57.000 --> 00:37:00.340
 there is no freedom and in a sense there

00:37:00.340 --> 00:37:05.559
 is no you and if there is no freedom and

00:37:05.559 --> 00:37:07.139
 there is no you life doesn't have any

00:37:07.139 --> 00:37:10.820
 meaning and really ultimately have

00:37:10.820 --> 00:37:17.039
 absolutely no type of dignity and that in

00:37:17.039 --> 00:37:21.699
 fact is a problem and usually in

00:37:21.699 --> 00:37:24.019
 naturalistic philosophers and thinkers they

00:37:24.019 --> 00:37:26.659
 try to get around it in some way one of

00:37:26.659 --> 00:37:28.280
 the things that they'll try to do now is

00:37:28.280 --> 00:37:30.360
 create things like multiverses and stuff

00:37:30.360 --> 00:37:31.960
 like that but it doesn't get around that

00:37:31.960 --> 00:37:34.940
 fundamental problem that if a human being

00:37:34.940 --> 00:37:37.259
 is really just a biological organism and

00:37:37.259 --> 00:37:39.320
 biology can be reduced to chemistry and

00:37:39.320 --> 00:37:41.179
 chemistry can be reduced to physics and

00:37:41.179 --> 00:37:43.139
 it's just cause and effect then you really

00:37:43.139 --> 00:37:45.300
 have no particular identity and you have

00:37:45.300 --> 00:37:48.619
 no freedom and you have ultimately no

00:37:48.619 --> 00:37:51.079
 meaning to your life and no type of a of

00:37:51.079 --> 00:37:55.420
 worth and of course there's other ways of

00:37:55.420 --> 00:37:57.079
 thinking about this in the world but you

00:37:57.079 --> 00:37:58.920
 know the other two ways of thinking about

00:37:58.920 --> 00:38:00.799
 it in the world apart from the Christian

00:38:00.799 --> 00:38:02.519
 one have their own types of problems

00:38:02.519 --> 00:38:06.819
 that if you take seriously ideas of karma

00:38:06.819 --> 00:38:09.819
 and death and rebirth and and the fact

00:38:09.819 --> 00:38:11.639
 that there was originally some type of

00:38:11.639 --> 00:38:14.279
 cosmic accident or tragedy that left to

00:38:14.279 --> 00:38:17.539
 distinct entities but every distinct

00:38:17.539 --> 00:38:20.980
 entity is really ultimately just not the way

00:38:20.980 --> 00:38:23.240
 things should be there should just be the

00:38:23.240 --> 00:38:25.740
 one and at some point in time we will

00:38:25.740 --> 00:38:28.039
 return to the one and if if we don't

00:38:28.039 --> 00:38:30.280
 really have an identity and and and we do

00:38:30.280 --> 00:38:32.980
 have some type of a of dignity in the

00:38:32.980 --> 00:38:34.599
 sense that we do different things and it

00:38:34.599 --> 00:38:36.440
 might move but it all it's doing is

00:38:36.440 --> 00:38:38.240
 moving us towards that day when we lose

00:38:38.240 --> 00:38:41.679
 who we are and we become like one and and

00:38:41.679 --> 00:38:44.980
 in our for our Muslim friends I mean

00:38:44.980 --> 00:38:47.960
 obviously people live better than this

00:38:47.960 --> 00:38:51.699
 because you see on one level at at a very

00:38:51.699 --> 00:38:56.460
 deep level we know that we have that

00:38:56.460 --> 00:38:59.139
 there should be meaning to life and we

00:38:59.139 --> 00:39:01.260
 know that we have some freedom and we

00:39:01.260 --> 00:39:03.220
 know that we should have dignity even if

00:39:03.220 --> 00:39:05.699
 that doesn't fit with our religions and

00:39:05.699 --> 00:39:08.980
 our philosophies and and in Islam you

00:39:08.980 --> 00:39:12.079
 just have divine command Allah just wills

00:39:12.079 --> 00:39:15.139
 it it's written on who you are when you

00:39:15.139 --> 00:39:18.460
 are born what your destiny is going to be

00:39:18.460 --> 00:39:20.599
 and everything is just the will of Allah

00:39:20.599 --> 00:39:26.879
 but here we see and and here I mean it's

00:39:26.879 --> 00:39:28.319
 not obviously talking about the Trinity

00:39:28.319 --> 00:39:31.819
 but the the Christian you know what when

00:39:31.819 --> 00:39:34.400
 Jesus the Jesus brings to clarity what

00:39:34.400 --> 00:39:36.379
 the Old Testament teaches and Jesus

00:39:36.379 --> 00:39:41.400
 reveals how he is both God and the Father

00:39:41.400 --> 00:39:44.300
 is God and both are God but there's not

00:39:44.300 --> 00:39:47.139
 two gods but just one God and then as he

00:39:47.139 --> 00:39:49.420
 talks about the Holy Spirit in such a way

00:39:49.420 --> 00:39:51.180
 that it's very clear that the Holy Spirit

00:39:51.180 --> 00:39:54.160
 is God and the Holy Spirit isn't Jesus and

00:39:54.160 --> 00:39:56.160
 there's just ultimately there's ultimately

00:39:56.160 --> 00:39:58.260
 only one God but there's these three

00:39:58.260 --> 00:40:01.780
 persons you actually only in Christianity

00:40:01.780 --> 00:40:03.820
 do you have at a very very very deep

00:40:03.820 --> 00:40:09.580
 level this picture of difference and

00:40:09.580 --> 00:40:18.740
 freedom and action but without there being

00:40:18.740 --> 00:40:23.640
 any sin and it's this Trinity that creates

00:40:23.640 --> 00:40:26.519
 human beings and he creates us in his

00:40:26.519 --> 00:40:29.820
 image and so what you see working out in

00:40:29.820 --> 00:40:37.980
 here is that God gives the dignity of

00:40:37.980 --> 00:40:42.559
 causality and provides the context that

00:40:42.559 --> 00:40:46.820
 human beings can have true causality and

00:40:46.820 --> 00:40:49.519
 not just causality in the physical world

00:40:49.519 --> 00:40:53.360
 and the mental world and the emotional

00:40:53.360 --> 00:40:56.820
 world but also in the spiritual world that

00:40:56.820 --> 00:41:01.160
 that God gives human beings we have a mind

00:41:01.160 --> 00:41:06.820
 we have a soul and our soul is enfleshed

00:41:08.140 --> 00:41:09.880
 or another way to look at it would be that

00:41:09.880 --> 00:41:13.820
 our flesh our physical biology is ensouled two

00:41:14.360 --> 00:41:16.820
 different ways of saying the same thing and

00:41:17.500 --> 00:41:19.900
 that means we are part of a world of cause and

00:41:19.900 --> 00:41:22.860
 effect and flow but there's always part of us that

00:41:22.860 --> 00:41:25.019
 part made in the image of God and likeness of

00:41:25.019 --> 00:41:30.759
 God which is separate but connected not

00:41:30.759 --> 00:41:33.259
 completely determined that really does have

00:41:33.259 --> 00:41:37.239
 freedom that's made in the image of God and

00:41:37.239 --> 00:41:39.880
 part of the way that God created human beings

00:41:39.880 --> 00:41:42.780
 was that human beings would have the dignity

00:41:42.780 --> 00:41:46.920
 the worth of being able to cause things to be

00:41:46.920 --> 00:42:05.539
 to create to choose to build to plant to dance to sing to flourish and that goes not just for the physical world but for the emotional world the mental world and the spiritual world in prayer

00:42:05.539 --> 00:42:09.779
 and God in his sovereignty

00:42:09.779 --> 00:42:13.380
 his will

00:42:13.380 --> 00:42:19.800
 in a sense is intermingled without ever diminishing his will at any time whatsoever

00:42:19.800 --> 00:42:22.860
 is intermingled with our prayers

00:42:22.860 --> 00:42:26.699
 as he is sovereign over the entire earth

00:42:26.699 --> 00:42:32.439
 and that is what's being seen here very very powerfully and simply in this very simple dialogue

00:42:32.439 --> 00:42:43.879
 between Abraham and the Lord Abraham praying to the Lord and what we see here is that the Lord not only is not anger driven but that he's truth driven

00:42:43.879 --> 00:42:50.219
 he's justice driven he's goodness driven but he's also concerned with mercy

00:42:50.219 --> 00:42:54.439
 now Abraham has made a mistake

00:42:54.439 --> 00:43:01.980
 his mistake is to think that the distinction between the righteous and the unrighteous is the distinction between persons

00:43:01.980 --> 00:43:04.119
 and that's a mistake

00:43:04.119 --> 00:43:08.299
 it's not that I'm righteous and one of you is unrighteous

00:43:08.299 --> 00:43:13.859
 but the Bible as it goes on and as more is revealed and as more is revealed in

00:43:13.859 --> 00:43:17.079
 in Genesis and Exodus and all the way into the New Testament

00:43:17.079 --> 00:43:21.239
 the line between the righteous and the unrighteous does not go between people

00:43:21.239 --> 00:43:23.279
 does not go between people groups

00:43:23.279 --> 00:43:24.579
 it does not go between nations

00:43:24.579 --> 00:43:27.079
 it goes right down every single human being

00:43:27.079 --> 00:43:31.259
 there are parts of me that are very very good

00:43:31.259 --> 00:43:32.480
 and made in the image of God

00:43:32.480 --> 00:43:35.219
 and there are parts of me that are very very bad and wicked

00:43:35.219 --> 00:43:41.340
 and Abraham could only conceive

00:43:41.340 --> 00:43:43.659
 of God coming down to wipe away

00:43:43.659 --> 00:43:53.139
 but the very fact that this story shows mercy points to that greater time in the future

00:43:53.139 --> 00:43:56.259
 when God would come down and live amongst us

00:43:56.259 --> 00:43:58.379
 and his name was Emmanuel

00:43:58.379 --> 00:44:02.899
 he came and dwelt and lived amongst us

00:44:02.899 --> 00:44:05.119
 not so that we would be destroyed

00:44:05.119 --> 00:44:11.659
 but that in his life and in his death upon the cross

00:44:11.659 --> 00:44:13.219
 justice and mercy meet

00:44:13.219 --> 00:44:14.940
 they kiss

00:44:14.940 --> 00:44:16.599
 they embrace

00:44:16.599 --> 00:44:19.859
 and you see the perfect justice of God

00:44:19.859 --> 00:44:21.420
 and the perfect mercy of God

00:44:21.420 --> 00:44:22.960
 and the perfect goodness of God

00:44:22.960 --> 00:44:25.359
 and even amidst all of the blood and the pain

00:44:25.359 --> 00:44:27.159
 the beauty of God

00:44:27.159 --> 00:44:30.779
 God the Son of God

00:44:30.779 --> 00:44:33.940
 Emmanuel coming and dwelling amongst us in our mess

00:44:33.940 --> 00:44:36.099
 and seeing

00:44:36.099 --> 00:44:39.359
 eye to eye our great need

00:44:39.360 --> 00:44:41.500
 and his response

00:44:41.500 --> 00:44:43.260
 is to die

00:44:43.260 --> 00:44:46.740
 his response

00:44:46.740 --> 00:44:49.300
 is to have mercy

00:44:49.300 --> 00:44:53.059
 and so the justice of God is met

00:44:53.059 --> 00:44:56.380
 the things that I have done wrong

00:44:56.380 --> 00:44:58.519
 that would demand God's justice and payment

00:44:58.519 --> 00:44:59.599
 are paid by him

00:44:59.599 --> 00:45:01.860
 and his mercy is met

00:45:01.860 --> 00:45:03.640
 and that it's

00:45:03.640 --> 00:45:05.660
 I am clothed with his righteousness

00:45:05.660 --> 00:45:06.980
 as a gift

00:45:06.980 --> 00:45:10.719
 and you see then

00:45:10.719 --> 00:45:11.780
 that it's not

00:45:11.780 --> 00:45:13.719
 that we practice hospitality

00:45:13.719 --> 00:45:15.619
 and if we practice hospitality

00:45:15.619 --> 00:45:16.920
 and hospitality enough

00:45:16.920 --> 00:45:19.039
 that maybe God will like us

00:45:19.039 --> 00:45:20.699
 and it's not that maybe

00:45:20.699 --> 00:45:22.360
 if we practice justice enough

00:45:22.360 --> 00:45:23.460
 that God would like us

00:45:23.460 --> 00:45:25.139
 or that we practice mercy enough

00:45:25.139 --> 00:45:26.260
 that God would like us

00:45:26.260 --> 00:45:27.920
 or if we pray enough

00:45:27.920 --> 00:45:29.240
 that God would like us

00:45:29.240 --> 00:45:31.539
 but that when we understand

00:45:31.539 --> 00:45:33.980
 that Emmanuel came down

00:45:33.980 --> 00:45:36.780
 that justice and mercy

00:45:36.780 --> 00:45:37.500
 in a sense

00:45:37.500 --> 00:45:39.000
 meet on the cross

00:45:39.000 --> 00:45:40.360
 and that

00:45:40.360 --> 00:45:41.119
 I

00:45:41.119 --> 00:45:42.480
 who have a part of me

00:45:42.480 --> 00:45:43.500
 that is unrighteous

00:45:43.500 --> 00:45:45.019
 that I cannot fix for myself

00:45:45.019 --> 00:45:46.119
 that that is dealt with

00:45:46.119 --> 00:45:46.860
 by a pure

00:45:46.860 --> 00:45:47.780
 and utter gift

00:45:47.780 --> 00:45:48.519
 of God

00:45:48.519 --> 00:45:49.980
 that is given to me

00:45:49.980 --> 00:45:52.420
 as I reflect upon that

00:45:52.420 --> 00:45:54.119
 and as I receive that gift

00:45:54.119 --> 00:45:55.460
 that gift

00:45:55.460 --> 00:45:56.500
 forms me

00:45:56.500 --> 00:45:58.240
 to be more hospitable

00:45:58.240 --> 00:46:00.740
 it forms me

00:46:00.740 --> 00:46:02.079
 not to live in fear

00:46:02.079 --> 00:46:02.980
 of other people

00:46:02.980 --> 00:46:04.380
 but to be hospitable

00:46:04.380 --> 00:46:06.659
 it forms me

00:46:06.659 --> 00:46:08.239
 to show mercy

00:46:08.239 --> 00:46:10.360
 it forms me

00:46:10.360 --> 00:46:11.139
 to pray

00:46:11.139 --> 00:46:13.380
 even for very bad people

00:46:13.380 --> 00:46:15.619
 it forms me

00:46:15.619 --> 00:46:16.420
 to pray

00:46:16.420 --> 00:46:18.079
 even for the impossible

00:46:18.079 --> 00:46:19.199
 why?

00:46:19.779 --> 00:46:21.139
 God showed hospitality

00:46:21.139 --> 00:46:21.860
 to me

00:46:21.860 --> 00:46:23.079
 when he died upon the cross

00:46:23.079 --> 00:46:24.340
 God showed mercy to me

00:46:24.340 --> 00:46:25.139
 when he died for me

00:46:25.139 --> 00:46:25.819
 on the cross

00:46:25.819 --> 00:46:27.699
 God

00:46:27.699 --> 00:46:29.179
 did something

00:46:29.179 --> 00:46:30.239
 for a bad person

00:46:30.239 --> 00:46:30.759
 like me

00:46:30.760 --> 00:46:31.940
 when he died upon the cross

00:46:31.940 --> 00:46:33.160
 and God did something

00:46:33.160 --> 00:46:33.780
 impossible

00:46:33.780 --> 00:46:35.860
 for me

00:46:35.860 --> 00:46:38.300
 when he died upon the cross

00:46:38.300 --> 00:46:39.120
 and he brought a sinner

00:46:39.120 --> 00:46:39.820
 like myself

00:46:39.820 --> 00:46:40.520
 to himself

00:46:40.520 --> 00:46:41.740
 and so that

00:46:41.740 --> 00:46:43.100
 as this gift

00:46:43.100 --> 00:46:43.880
 of Emmanuel

00:46:43.880 --> 00:46:45.400
 becomes more clear

00:46:45.400 --> 00:46:45.840
 to us

00:46:45.840 --> 00:46:46.560
 this time

00:46:46.560 --> 00:46:47.700
 when the true

00:46:47.700 --> 00:46:48.400
 and greater

00:46:48.400 --> 00:46:49.660
 story

00:46:49.660 --> 00:46:50.620
 the true

00:46:50.620 --> 00:46:51.420
 and greater story

00:46:51.420 --> 00:46:53.540
 of Genesis 18

00:46:53.540 --> 00:46:54.660
 when Jesus walks

00:46:54.660 --> 00:46:55.180
 amongst us

00:46:55.180 --> 00:46:55.760
 is Emmanuel

00:46:55.760 --> 00:46:58.920
 as we realize

00:46:58.920 --> 00:46:59.420
 the gift

00:46:59.420 --> 00:47:00.159
 of who he is

00:47:00.159 --> 00:47:01.280
 it forms us

00:47:01.280 --> 00:47:03.780
 it forms us

00:47:03.780 --> 00:47:04.559
 he was hospitable

00:47:04.559 --> 00:47:05.099
 to us

00:47:05.099 --> 00:47:06.820
 I am to be hospitable

00:47:06.820 --> 00:47:08.900
 out of his hospitality

00:47:08.900 --> 00:47:09.920
 he has shown mercy

00:47:09.920 --> 00:47:10.300
 to me

00:47:10.300 --> 00:47:11.220
 out of his mercy

00:47:11.220 --> 00:47:12.320
 I am to show mercy

00:47:12.320 --> 00:47:14.280
 out of his care

00:47:14.280 --> 00:47:14.820
 for the bad

00:47:14.820 --> 00:47:15.480
 I am to care

00:47:15.480 --> 00:47:16.159
 for the bad

00:47:16.159 --> 00:47:17.539
 out of his doing

00:47:17.539 --> 00:47:18.159
 the impossible

00:47:18.159 --> 00:47:18.920
 I am to pray

00:47:18.920 --> 00:47:19.800
 for the impossible

00:47:19.800 --> 00:47:22.460
 that is the gospel

00:47:22.460 --> 00:47:23.900
 that's how it forms us

00:47:23.900 --> 00:47:26.159
 please stand

00:47:26.159 --> 00:47:32.960
 let us bow our heads

00:47:32.960 --> 00:47:33.399
 in prayer

00:47:33.399 --> 00:47:35.159
 father

00:47:35.159 --> 00:47:35.879
 if there are any

00:47:35.879 --> 00:47:36.759
 here who are

00:47:36.759 --> 00:47:37.219
 listening

00:47:37.219 --> 00:47:38.539
 who would not

00:47:38.539 --> 00:47:39.219
 have described

00:47:39.219 --> 00:47:39.980
 themselves as

00:47:39.980 --> 00:47:40.399
 Christians

00:47:40.399 --> 00:47:42.019
 and father

00:47:42.019 --> 00:47:42.779
 ask that your

00:47:42.779 --> 00:47:43.440
 holy spirit

00:47:43.440 --> 00:47:43.859
 would move

00:47:43.859 --> 00:47:44.239
 and work

00:47:44.239 --> 00:47:45.000
 in their lives

00:47:45.000 --> 00:47:47.099
 to help them

00:47:47.099 --> 00:47:48.399
 to bow

00:47:48.399 --> 00:47:48.859
 the knee

00:47:48.859 --> 00:47:49.359
 to you

00:47:49.359 --> 00:47:50.039
 and to ask

00:47:50.039 --> 00:47:50.719
 Jesus to be

00:47:50.719 --> 00:47:51.259
 their savior

00:47:51.259 --> 00:47:51.879
 and their lord

00:47:51.880 --> 00:47:53.280
 and father

00:47:53.280 --> 00:47:53.960
 for us

00:47:53.960 --> 00:47:55.559
 father

00:47:55.559 --> 00:47:56.180
 you know

00:47:56.180 --> 00:47:57.320
 we can get

00:47:57.320 --> 00:47:57.940
 very upset

00:47:57.940 --> 00:47:58.860
 about the badness

00:47:58.860 --> 00:47:59.400
 of the world

00:47:59.400 --> 00:48:00.000
 we can

00:48:00.000 --> 00:48:01.160
 wish that we

00:48:01.160 --> 00:48:01.660
 could just have

00:48:01.660 --> 00:48:02.800
 rose colored glasses

00:48:02.800 --> 00:48:03.700
 to no longer

00:48:03.700 --> 00:48:04.599
 see the world

00:48:04.599 --> 00:48:05.380
 and the badness

00:48:05.380 --> 00:48:05.880
 but father

00:48:05.880 --> 00:48:07.099
 we thank you

00:48:07.099 --> 00:48:07.820
 for stories

00:48:07.820 --> 00:48:08.519
 like this

00:48:08.519 --> 00:48:10.059
 we ask lord

00:48:10.059 --> 00:48:10.619
 that as we

00:48:10.619 --> 00:48:11.780
 deal with the

00:48:11.780 --> 00:48:12.840
 badness of the world

00:48:12.840 --> 00:48:13.440
 and the goodness

00:48:13.440 --> 00:48:14.260
 of the world

00:48:14.260 --> 00:48:15.519
 as we

00:48:15.519 --> 00:48:17.300
 that father

00:48:17.300 --> 00:48:18.000
 that it's not

00:48:18.000 --> 00:48:18.500
 be that we

00:48:18.500 --> 00:48:19.800
 want rose colored

00:48:19.800 --> 00:48:20.380
 glasses

00:48:20.380 --> 00:48:21.440
 but that we want

00:48:21.440 --> 00:48:22.099
 the gospel

00:48:22.099 --> 00:48:23.039
 to be more real

00:48:23.039 --> 00:48:23.920
 to our hearts

00:48:23.920 --> 00:48:24.519
 so that we

00:48:24.519 --> 00:48:25.539
 can see the world

00:48:25.539 --> 00:48:26.559
 as it really is

00:48:26.559 --> 00:48:28.460
 but as we see

00:48:28.460 --> 00:48:28.900
 the world

00:48:28.900 --> 00:48:29.900
 as it really is

00:48:29.900 --> 00:48:31.539
 it creates

00:48:31.539 --> 00:48:32.119
 within us

00:48:32.119 --> 00:48:32.840
 as we reflect

00:48:32.840 --> 00:48:33.679
 upon the gospel

00:48:33.679 --> 00:48:34.420
 this desire

00:48:34.420 --> 00:48:35.280
 to be hospitable

00:48:35.280 --> 00:48:36.320
 to see mercy

00:48:36.320 --> 00:48:37.780
 to see justice

00:48:37.780 --> 00:48:39.900
 to see goodness

00:48:39.900 --> 00:48:41.639
 to pray

00:48:41.639 --> 00:48:43.320
 even for the worst

00:48:43.320 --> 00:48:44.980
 to pray

00:48:44.980 --> 00:48:46.260
 even for that

00:48:46.260 --> 00:48:47.280
 which is impossible

00:48:47.280 --> 00:48:49.900
 and father

00:48:49.900 --> 00:48:51.079
 mindful of

00:48:51.079 --> 00:48:52.139
 of how long

00:48:52.139 --> 00:48:53.119
 Sarah and Abraham

00:48:53.119 --> 00:48:53.900
 had to work

00:48:53.900 --> 00:48:54.759
 to wait

00:48:54.759 --> 00:48:55.719
 that you would

00:48:55.719 --> 00:48:56.239
 grant us

00:48:56.239 --> 00:48:57.159
 a great patience

00:48:57.159 --> 00:48:57.980
 and persistence

00:48:57.980 --> 00:48:58.719
 in prayer

00:48:58.719 --> 00:49:00.139
 that we would

00:49:00.139 --> 00:49:00.819
 not just pray

00:49:00.819 --> 00:49:01.699
 for an hour

00:49:01.699 --> 00:49:02.599
 or for a day

00:49:02.599 --> 00:49:03.179
 or a week

00:49:03.179 --> 00:49:03.739
 but that you

00:49:03.739 --> 00:49:04.219
 would put it

00:49:04.219 --> 00:49:04.940
 within our hearts

00:49:04.940 --> 00:49:05.639
 to be people

00:49:05.639 --> 00:49:06.340
 who would pray

00:49:06.340 --> 00:49:07.699
 in some cases

00:49:07.699 --> 00:49:08.840
 for years

00:49:08.840 --> 00:49:09.799
 and for decades

00:49:09.799 --> 00:49:11.880
 father form us

00:49:11.880 --> 00:49:12.480
 and shape us

00:49:12.480 --> 00:49:13.239
 by the gospel

00:49:13.239 --> 00:49:13.819
 the gospel

00:49:13.819 --> 00:49:14.739
 that we have received

00:49:14.739 --> 00:49:16.019
 and we ask this

00:49:16.019 --> 00:49:16.880
 in the name of Jesus

00:49:16.880 --> 00:49:17.400
 your son

00:49:17.400 --> 00:49:18.039
 and our savior

00:49:18.039 --> 00:49:19.159
 amen

00:49:19.159 --> 00:49:23.159
 and the آf

00:49:23.539 --> 00:49:24.460
 the gospel

00:49:24.460 --> 00:49:25.199
 but that we offer

00:49:25.199 --> 00:49:26.159
 and the winding

00:49:26.159 --> 00:49:26.980
 on the šil

00:49:26.980 --> 00:49:27.719
 and your side

00:49:27.719 --> 00:49:28.019
 and our savior

00:49:28.019 --> 00:49:28.819
 to find them

00:49:28.819 --> 00:49:29.559
 so that we have

00:49:29.559 --> 00:49:30.339
 opportunity

00:49:30.339 --> 00:49:31.219
 to discrete

00:49:31.219 --> 00:49:32.079
 the captain

00:49:32.079 --> 00:49:32.759
 and he stated

00:49:32.759 --> 00:49:33.099
 no behind

00:49:33.099 --> 00:49:33.759
 but no behind

00:49:33.759 --> 00:49:34.039
 that we are

00:49:34.039 --> 00:49:34.679
 we have

00:49:34.679 --> 00:49:35.099
 the clang

00:49:35.099 --> 00:49:36.079
 that's

00:49:36.079 --> 00:49:36.679
 again

00:49:36.679 --> 00:49:37.219
 and our speaker

00:49:37.219 --> 00:49:37.619
 with the

00:49:37.619 --> 00:49:38.119
 family

00:49:38.119 --> 00:49:38.920
 and the people

00:49:38.920 --> 00:49:40.219
 who already

00:49:40.219 --> 00:49:42.259
ойд

00:49:42.259 --> 00:49:42.299
 and then

00:49:42.299 --> 00:49:42.839
 and then

00:49:42.839 --> 00:49:43.099
 you

00:49:43.099 --> 00:49:44.219
 have