WEBVTT

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 Good morning.

00:00:02.940 --> 00:00:03.680
 Good morning.

00:00:04.339 --> 00:00:08.240
 I just want to say I feel really appreciative to be able to worship with all of you this morning.

00:00:08.359 --> 00:00:09.580
 It's just been amazing so far.

00:00:10.179 --> 00:00:12.800
 So as we look at the book of Galatians today,

00:00:12.800 --> 00:00:16.559
 we're actually going to be reminded of the struggles of the early church

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 with those who came into its midst,

00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:24.800
 tried to replace the gospel message of our Lord Jesus Christ with a false gospel.

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 And as we look around in our world today,

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 I think we all realize that we have the same struggles with this.

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 We may never forget how easily we can lose our focus off the true hope of Jesus.

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 So please follow me along this morning

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 with the responsive reading found on the screens behind me.

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 Father God, the lie of empty, dead religion is that

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 if we can be good enough or better than other people,

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 then you will love us.

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 But you are not impressed with our pitiful attempts to appear righteous.

00:01:00.380 --> 00:01:02.399
 We can do nothing to earn your grace,

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 and we are no better than anybody else.

00:01:06.000 --> 00:01:07.620
 It's only through your Son,

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 His life,

00:01:09.560 --> 00:01:10.180
 His death,

00:01:10.379 --> 00:01:11.299
 and His resurrection

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 that we can be made right with you.

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 Save me from religion

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 and all its self-righteousness.

00:01:20.420 --> 00:01:23.200
 Forgive me for a cheapened view of grace.

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 You see into the depths of our hearts,

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 and you know the reality of who we are.

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 Our deepest thoughts and darkest sins are not hidden from you.

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 Change my heart.

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 Give me the desire to live a life surrendered to you.

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 You don't desire a life filled with empty routines

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 or deeds that look good on the outside.

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 But Jesus died and rose to bring us into a living relationship with you,

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 that you would transform us from the inside out.

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 Help me to know you.

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 Help me to love you.

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 Help me to serve you with every part of my life.

00:02:05.120 --> 00:02:08.540
 May your compassion and grace transform our lives

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 and the lives of 95% of Hong Kong who don't yet know you.

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 Amen.

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 The scripture reading for today comes from the book of Exodus

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 and the book of Galatians chapter 1.

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 Please follow along in your bulletin.

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 As Pharaoh drew near,

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 the sons of Israel looked,

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 and behold,

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 the Egyptians were marching after them.

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 They became very frightened.

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 So the sons of Israel cried out to the Lord.

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 Then they said to Moses,

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 Is it because there were no graves in Egypt

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 that have you taken us away to die in the wilderness?

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 Why have you dealt with us in this way,

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 bringing us out of Egypt?

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 Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt,

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 saying,

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 Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians?

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 For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians

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 than to die in the wilderness.

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 Then in Galatians we read,

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 Paul,

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 an apostle not sent from man nor through the agency of man,

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 but through Jesus Christ and God the Father,

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 who raised him from the dead,

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 and not the brethren who are with me.

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 To the churches of Galatia,

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 grace to you and peace from God our Father

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 and the Lord Jesus Christ,

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 who gave himself for our sins

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 so that he might rescue us from this present evil age,

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 according to the will of our God and Father,

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 to whom be the glory forevermore.

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 Amen.

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 I'm amazed that you are so quickly deserting him

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 who called you by the grace of Christ

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 for a different gospel,

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 which is really not another,

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 only there are some who are disturbing you

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 and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

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 But even if we,

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 or an angel from heaven,

00:03:47.299 --> 00:03:48.799
 should preach to you a gospel

00:03:48.799 --> 00:03:51.019
 contrary to what we have preached to you,

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 he is to be accursed.

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 As we have said before,

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 so I say again now,

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 if any man is preaching to you a gospel

00:03:59.340 --> 00:04:01.500
 contrary to what you have received,

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 he is to be accursed.

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 For am I now seeking the favor of men

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 or of God?

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 Or am I striving to please men?

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 If I was still striving to please men,

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 I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

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 This is the reading of God's word.

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 Did you hear amen to that worship time?

00:04:20.060 --> 00:04:20.360
 Amen.

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 Was that amazing?

00:04:21.340 --> 00:04:22.280
 That was amazing.

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 How you guys doing?

00:04:25.419 --> 00:04:27.819
 I get to say that at least once in a while, right?

00:04:28.859 --> 00:04:29.659
 Hey, we are,

00:04:29.779 --> 00:04:31.319
 we're continuing our,

00:04:31.459 --> 00:04:33.500
 see if I can find a place for all my things up here.

00:04:34.219 --> 00:04:35.079
 We are continuing,

00:04:35.319 --> 00:04:36.699
 or actually we're starting a journey

00:04:36.699 --> 00:04:38.159
 in the book of Galatians.

00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:40.399
 We're putting Luke on hold

00:04:40.399 --> 00:04:42.099
 because we feel like there's a couple things

00:04:42.099 --> 00:04:43.579
 in this book of Galatians

00:04:43.579 --> 00:04:45.079
 that builds,

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 and it's something that we want to

00:04:46.739 --> 00:04:48.579
 be talking about

00:04:48.579 --> 00:04:51.099
 and getting a foundation down in our life.

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 The idea of grace

00:04:52.939 --> 00:04:54.120
 and mercy

00:04:54.120 --> 00:04:55.740
 in the gospel.

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 I don't know where you are

00:04:57.980 --> 00:04:58.920
 on your journey in here.

00:04:59.000 --> 00:05:00.000
 As I come in here,

00:05:00.500 --> 00:05:02.200
 we pray a lot

00:05:02.200 --> 00:05:02.939
 for the message

00:05:02.939 --> 00:05:03.860
 and for the worship

00:05:03.860 --> 00:05:04.600
 and for every,

00:05:04.780 --> 00:05:05.340
 I don't know if you know

00:05:05.340 --> 00:05:05.980
 that every one of you

00:05:05.980 --> 00:05:06.580
 have been prayed for

00:05:06.580 --> 00:05:07.600
 before you even get here,

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 that we pray

00:05:08.720 --> 00:05:10.260
 that God would speak to you,

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 that you would make it.

00:05:12.180 --> 00:05:12.960
 What a crazy morning.

00:05:13.080 --> 00:05:13.760
 Once I woke outside,

00:05:13.820 --> 00:05:15.760
 I saw ducks floating by my house.

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 It was raining so heavily.

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 A figure of speech,

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 I didn't really see ducks,

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 but someone will ask me that.

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 Ducks in Hong Kong?

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 Where are they?

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 Lunch.

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 You'll catch it later on

00:05:27.620 --> 00:05:28.780
 after the coffee, okay?

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 But we realize

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 that every one of us

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 is on this journey,

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 and God has us on this journey,

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 and our stories are being told,

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 and our stories are interweaving.

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 First, they're interweaving

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 with God's story.

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 God's taking our thread,

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 and he's interweaving

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 our story with his story,

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 but he's also interweaving

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 our stories with each other,

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 and it's amazing to see

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 what God does in people's lives.

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 I mean, to me,

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 that's the most amazing thing

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 as a pastor.

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 You come in,

00:05:53.539 --> 00:05:54.419
 you see people's lives

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 changed by mercy.

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 You see people's lives

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 changed by grace,

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 and as we talk about this journey,

00:06:02.099 --> 00:06:03.359
 I want to talk to you

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 that as far as I'm concerned

00:06:05.139 --> 00:06:05.779
 and with the elders

00:06:05.779 --> 00:06:06.279
 and the leaders,

00:06:06.699 --> 00:06:07.679
 that we're always going to use

00:06:07.679 --> 00:06:08.399
 God's word

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 as the filter for everything,

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 that we're not going to

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 come in here and say,

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 okay, let's put something else

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 on top of God's words

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 like our feelings

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 or our emotions

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 and filter God's words

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 through that,

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 but as long as we're

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 on this journey together,

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 we realize that God's word

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 is God's word.

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 It doesn't need to be

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 changed or altered,

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 and it's what we go to

00:06:28.340 --> 00:06:30.040
 when we have problems

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 and things we want

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 to figure out in your life,

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 and I don't know

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 how you feel about that

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 because that should

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 really bother you

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 at some stage in your life.

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 I mean, sometimes I read

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 these things,

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 and it just,

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 it drives me crazy

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 what's written in here.

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 Sometimes I read this,

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 and I try to think about

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 how am I going to apply this

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 to my life,

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 and I think about

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 the sacrifice

00:06:54.080 --> 00:06:54.699
 and what it means

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 to trust and to love,

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 and it just,

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 it drives me crazy,

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 and it's an incredible challenge,

00:07:01.660 --> 00:07:03.000
 and it bothers me sometimes.

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 It bothers me sometimes

00:07:04.560 --> 00:07:05.620
 when I do these sermons

00:07:05.620 --> 00:07:07.259
 because I have to be

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 thinking about them

00:07:07.900 --> 00:07:08.540
 for three months,

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 and you guys just think

00:07:09.300 --> 00:07:09.980
 about them for an hour,

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 and then you forget

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 when you leave here.

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 Probably.

00:07:12.319 --> 00:07:15.659
 I have to think about it

00:07:15.659 --> 00:07:16.420
 for a couple months,

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 and it drives me crazy,

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 but I realize that God

00:07:24.920 --> 00:07:26.800
 wants to speak to us,

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 and if it doesn't drive you crazy,

00:07:28.379 --> 00:07:30.060
 then maybe your God

00:07:30.060 --> 00:07:30.899
 is too small.

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 If something that I say in here

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 doesn't offend you,

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 and we're talking from God's word,

00:07:37.139 --> 00:07:39.519
 then maybe your relationship

00:07:39.519 --> 00:07:40.419
 with God is not

00:07:40.419 --> 00:07:41.459
 what you thought it was.

00:07:42.539 --> 00:07:43.579
 Maybe your view of God

00:07:43.579 --> 00:07:44.259
 is so small,

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 and you can just manage him

00:07:45.240 --> 00:07:45.680
 in a bottle,

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 so no matter what's said,

00:07:46.680 --> 00:07:48.219
 you can compromise that

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 and deal with that

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 and not think about it,

00:07:51.699 --> 00:07:54.279
 and your God is too small.

00:07:55.459 --> 00:07:57.019
 I got this letter this week,

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 and I asked permission

00:07:58.199 --> 00:07:58.839
 to read it,

00:07:58.899 --> 00:08:00.819
 so I know I share stories.

00:08:01.779 --> 00:08:03.000
 So if you send me a letter,

00:08:03.079 --> 00:08:03.579
 I usually get,

00:08:03.819 --> 00:08:04.779
 not nice letters,

00:08:04.860 --> 00:08:05.240
 but if you send me

00:08:05.240 --> 00:08:05.879
 a nice letter,

00:08:06.519 --> 00:08:07.620
 and it's in line with things,

00:08:08.699 --> 00:08:10.199
 I just think this is interesting.

00:08:10.300 --> 00:08:10.519
 He says,

00:08:10.620 --> 00:08:11.620
 Dear Pastor Tobin,

00:08:11.639 --> 00:08:12.639
 I do not normally write,

00:08:12.740 --> 00:08:13.879
 but I feel like I have to

00:08:13.879 --> 00:08:14.920
 after your last sermon.

00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:17.079
 I've been going to Watermark

00:08:17.079 --> 00:08:17.960
 since almost the beginning,

00:08:18.060 --> 00:08:19.259
 and my family loves it.

00:08:19.900 --> 00:08:20.819
 Don't try to figure out

00:08:20.819 --> 00:08:21.360
 who it is,

00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:23.259
 but as I sat listening

00:08:23.259 --> 00:08:24.240
 to your last message,

00:08:24.240 --> 00:08:25.960
 I realized that I'm lost.

00:08:27.379 --> 00:08:28.480
 I'm stuck in Egypt,

00:08:28.620 --> 00:08:30.800
 surrounded by my comfortable life,

00:08:31.800 --> 00:08:32.419
 my money,

00:08:33.580 --> 00:08:34.720
 my pride,

00:08:35.240 --> 00:08:36.740
 my idols.

00:08:37.860 --> 00:08:39.019
 I'm actually a prince

00:08:39.019 --> 00:08:39.460
 in the land,

00:08:39.519 --> 00:08:40.539
 just like Moses was.

00:08:41.840 --> 00:08:42.480
 I remember a sermon

00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:43.180
 you talked about

00:08:43.180 --> 00:08:44.940
 on a moral therapeutic deism

00:08:44.940 --> 00:08:46.360
 a while back,

00:08:46.680 --> 00:08:48.460
 and I listened to it again,

00:08:48.539 --> 00:08:49.259
 and I realized

00:08:49.259 --> 00:08:50.840
 that that was my faith

00:08:50.840 --> 00:08:52.940
 in my God.

00:08:53.139 --> 00:08:54.659
 I taught this

00:08:54.659 --> 00:08:55.460
 like six months ago,

00:08:55.539 --> 00:08:56.039
 so I went back

00:08:56.039 --> 00:08:57.440
 to the notes,

00:08:57.580 --> 00:08:58.899
 and I printed out

00:08:58.899 --> 00:09:00.240
 a PowerPoint for it,

00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:01.159
 and we said in this sermon

00:09:01.159 --> 00:09:03.000
 that according to Christian Smith,

00:09:03.080 --> 00:09:03.779
 who's a sociologist

00:09:03.779 --> 00:09:04.279
 at Notre Dame,

00:09:04.360 --> 00:09:05.919
 he said the primary expression

00:09:05.919 --> 00:09:06.839
 of faith today,

00:09:07.019 --> 00:09:08.659
 the fastest going religion

00:09:08.659 --> 00:09:09.659
 in the world,

00:09:10.139 --> 00:09:11.879
 is moral therapeutic deism,

00:09:11.959 --> 00:09:12.539
 and it's characterized

00:09:12.539 --> 00:09:13.720
 by five beliefs.

00:09:14.259 --> 00:09:14.959
 The first belief,

00:09:15.079 --> 00:09:15.419
 basically,

00:09:15.559 --> 00:09:16.199
 is there's a God

00:09:16.199 --> 00:09:16.939
 who created earth,

00:09:16.980 --> 00:09:17.939
 and he watches over it.

00:09:18.360 --> 00:09:19.139
 The second belief is

00:09:19.139 --> 00:09:19.980
 God wants people

00:09:19.980 --> 00:09:20.620
 to be nice,

00:09:20.799 --> 00:09:21.059
 fair,

00:09:21.139 --> 00:09:21.620
 and good,

00:09:22.100 --> 00:09:23.379
 as is taught in the Bible

00:09:23.379 --> 00:09:24.559
 and most other religions.

00:09:25.559 --> 00:09:27.039
 The central goal of life

00:09:27.039 --> 00:09:27.980
 is to be happy

00:09:27.980 --> 00:09:30.240
 and feel good about yourself.

00:09:30.240 --> 00:09:32.379
 God doesn't need

00:09:32.379 --> 00:09:33.019
 to be involved

00:09:33.019 --> 00:09:33.600
 in your life

00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:34.299
 except when there's

00:09:34.299 --> 00:09:35.220
 a problem that needs

00:09:35.220 --> 00:09:37.120
 heavenly performance enhancement,

00:09:37.240 --> 00:09:38.159
 like you really gotta pray.

00:09:38.259 --> 00:09:39.060
 You've lost your job,

00:09:39.399 --> 00:09:39.980
 but besides that,

00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:40.500
 you don't really want

00:09:40.500 --> 00:09:41.220
 God in your life

00:09:41.220 --> 00:09:42.659
 because he causes you

00:09:42.659 --> 00:09:43.820
 to do things

00:09:43.820 --> 00:09:44.700
 that you might not want to do

00:09:44.700 --> 00:09:45.220
 or you might have

00:09:45.220 --> 00:09:46.019
 to give away something

00:09:46.019 --> 00:09:46.460
 or you might have

00:09:46.460 --> 00:09:48.240
 to change your attitude,

00:09:49.240 --> 00:09:50.180
 and the fourth part of that

00:09:50.180 --> 00:09:51.000
 is good people

00:09:51.000 --> 00:09:51.759
 go to heaven

00:09:51.759 --> 00:09:52.460
 when they die,

00:09:53.820 --> 00:09:54.659
 and we compare that

00:09:54.659 --> 00:09:56.379
 to the gospel message,

00:09:56.379 --> 00:09:59.460
 and our friend says

00:09:59.460 --> 00:10:00.299
 that that is

00:10:00.299 --> 00:10:02.439
 what he lived.

00:10:03.980 --> 00:10:04.679
 It's taken me

00:10:04.679 --> 00:10:05.259
 a long time

00:10:05.259 --> 00:10:06.139
 to realize this

00:10:06.139 --> 00:10:06.820
 and even to dare

00:10:06.820 --> 00:10:07.460
 to admit it

00:10:07.460 --> 00:10:08.320
 because I am surrounded

00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:09.039
 by family,

00:10:09.700 --> 00:10:10.059
 friends,

00:10:10.220 --> 00:10:10.779
 and a culture

00:10:10.779 --> 00:10:12.100
 that values safety,

00:10:13.179 --> 00:10:13.700
 security,

00:10:14.960 --> 00:10:15.720
 pragmatism

00:10:15.720 --> 00:10:17.379
 more than obedience

00:10:17.379 --> 00:10:18.080
 and holiness.

00:10:19.340 --> 00:10:20.100
 I'm haunted

00:10:20.100 --> 00:10:20.960
 by the passages

00:10:20.960 --> 00:10:22.019
 where Jesus asked

00:10:22.019 --> 00:10:22.899
 the rich young ruler

00:10:22.899 --> 00:10:24.299
 to give up everything

00:10:24.299 --> 00:10:25.080
 to follow him.

00:10:25.080 --> 00:10:29.520
 If Jesus were to ask me that,

00:10:29.580 --> 00:10:30.259
 I would laugh

00:10:30.259 --> 00:10:31.720
 and walk away,

00:10:32.280 --> 00:10:33.940
 but I'm sad about that.

00:10:34.720 --> 00:10:35.460
 In my soul,

00:10:35.560 --> 00:10:36.440
 I know there is life

00:10:36.440 --> 00:10:37.320
 and freedom there,

00:10:38.100 --> 00:10:39.139
 but I'm still stuck

00:10:39.139 --> 00:10:39.540
 in Egypt.

00:10:40.840 --> 00:10:41.820
 I'm worried about

00:10:41.820 --> 00:10:42.600
 what it will say

00:10:42.600 --> 00:10:43.680
 or what I will say

00:10:43.680 --> 00:10:44.740
 to a holy God

00:10:44.740 --> 00:10:46.040
 who asked me

00:10:46.040 --> 00:10:47.200
 to justify my life

00:10:47.200 --> 00:10:48.280
 on his accountant books.

00:10:49.640 --> 00:10:50.600
 You talk a lot

00:10:50.600 --> 00:10:51.540
 about being on a journey

00:10:51.540 --> 00:10:52.259
 and taking steps

00:10:52.259 --> 00:10:53.140
 towards the Lord.

00:10:53.139 --> 00:10:53.179
 Lord,

00:10:54.059 --> 00:10:55.480
 this letter

00:10:55.480 --> 00:10:56.439
 is my first step.

00:10:57.279 --> 00:10:58.259
 Please pray for me

00:10:58.259 --> 00:10:58.899
 as I look forward

00:10:58.899 --> 00:10:59.519
 to continuing

00:10:59.519 --> 00:11:00.639
 this journey with you.

00:11:01.720 --> 00:11:02.600
 God is amazing.

00:11:03.679 --> 00:11:04.340
 His grace,

00:11:04.460 --> 00:11:04.899
 His love,

00:11:04.960 --> 00:11:05.460
 His mercy

00:11:05.460 --> 00:11:07.019
 beyond me.

00:11:08.779 --> 00:11:09.879
 Your fellow traveler.

00:11:12.559 --> 00:11:13.720
 We're all on a journey.

00:11:14.860 --> 00:11:16.639
 We're all seeking God.

00:11:16.740 --> 00:11:18.500
 We're all asking questions.

00:11:18.700 --> 00:11:19.559
 And what I've realized

00:11:19.559 --> 00:11:20.639
 as we go on this journey

00:11:20.639 --> 00:11:21.600
 is that whenever

00:11:21.600 --> 00:11:22.840
 the gospel is preached,

00:11:23.399 --> 00:11:24.360
 and we're going to see that.

00:11:24.419 --> 00:11:25.240
 We've been talking about that

00:11:25.240 --> 00:11:25.500
 in Luke.

00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:26.879
 Whenever the gospel

00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:27.960
 is preached and taught,

00:11:28.080 --> 00:11:29.019
 amazing things happen

00:11:29.019 --> 00:11:29.960
 in people's lives.

00:11:30.940 --> 00:11:32.580
 We see people's lives change,

00:11:32.679 --> 00:11:34.419
 but then what is typical

00:11:34.419 --> 00:11:35.519
 of human beings,

00:11:35.600 --> 00:11:36.460
 of Christ followers,

00:11:36.720 --> 00:11:38.000
 we're lazy,

00:11:38.159 --> 00:11:39.259
 we're creatures of habit,

00:11:39.980 --> 00:11:41.120
 we're fickle.

00:11:42.080 --> 00:11:43.860
 And often we go back and forth

00:11:43.860 --> 00:11:44.899
 and we go back and forth

00:11:44.899 --> 00:11:46.460
 between two different types

00:11:46.460 --> 00:11:48.019
 of faith.

00:11:49.360 --> 00:11:50.759
 Two different types of extremes,

00:11:50.940 --> 00:11:52.100
 two different types of gospel.

00:11:52.660 --> 00:11:54.180
 It was true today,

00:11:55.200 --> 00:11:56.540
 and it was true in Paul's day

00:11:56.540 --> 00:11:58.300
 when he preaches the gospel

00:11:58.300 --> 00:11:59.080
 in Galatians.

00:11:59.940 --> 00:12:00.540
 Some of us,

00:12:00.600 --> 00:12:02.340
 when we hear the gospel,

00:12:03.139 --> 00:12:04.639
 think it sounds too good,

00:12:05.660 --> 00:12:06.820
 too easy to be true,

00:12:06.920 --> 00:12:07.420
 impossible.

00:12:08.040 --> 00:12:08.860
 What's the catch

00:12:08.860 --> 00:12:10.379
 is what people often say to me.

00:12:11.220 --> 00:12:12.540
 No such thing as grace

00:12:12.540 --> 00:12:13.580
 and mercy like that.

00:12:14.019 --> 00:12:15.460
 Nothing is for free.

00:12:16.460 --> 00:12:18.600
 And so we start to do things

00:12:18.600 --> 00:12:19.620
 when we hear this,

00:12:19.680 --> 00:12:20.460
 if we're like this.

00:12:20.820 --> 00:12:21.860
 We feel like we want

00:12:21.860 --> 00:12:23.080
 to help God save us,

00:12:23.360 --> 00:12:24.560
 and sometimes we even add

00:12:24.560 --> 00:12:25.540
 religious activities

00:12:25.540 --> 00:12:27.300
 to our lives to save us.

00:12:28.220 --> 00:12:29.180
 Sometimes we can even

00:12:29.180 --> 00:12:31.200
 get to a place

00:12:31.200 --> 00:12:32.120
 where we hold on

00:12:32.120 --> 00:12:33.240
 to these activities

00:12:33.240 --> 00:12:36.200
 more than our relationship

00:12:36.200 --> 00:12:37.620
 with God.

00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:40.139
 Our life is more about

00:12:40.139 --> 00:12:40.840
 doing things

00:12:40.840 --> 00:12:41.639
 than about our relationship

00:12:41.639 --> 00:12:42.259
 with Jesus.

00:12:42.259 --> 00:12:42.460
 Jesus.

00:12:43.460 --> 00:12:44.539
 And if we head down

00:12:44.539 --> 00:12:45.179
 this road,

00:12:45.539 --> 00:12:47.000
 you're going to get

00:12:47.000 --> 00:12:47.439
 exhausted.

00:12:48.639 --> 00:12:49.759
 If you try to help

00:12:49.759 --> 00:12:50.980
 God save you,

00:12:51.039 --> 00:12:51.720
 or you try to help

00:12:51.720 --> 00:12:52.480
 God justify

00:12:52.480 --> 00:12:53.799
 why he saved you,

00:12:53.960 --> 00:12:54.600
 you're going to get

00:12:54.600 --> 00:12:55.240
 worn out.

00:12:56.580 --> 00:12:57.580
 You're going to get tired

00:12:57.580 --> 00:12:58.519
 trying to do things,

00:12:58.620 --> 00:12:59.559
 and eventually you're going

00:12:59.559 --> 00:13:00.080
 to get bitter

00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:01.139
 and angry.

00:13:03.139 --> 00:13:04.299
 My fear as a pastor

00:13:04.299 --> 00:13:04.960
 is that many of us

00:13:04.960 --> 00:13:06.200
 will do all these activities

00:13:06.200 --> 00:13:08.180
 and as an end

00:13:08.180 --> 00:13:08.820
 to themselves,

00:13:09.820 --> 00:13:11.160
 but not because

00:13:11.160 --> 00:13:12.180
 we want to know

00:13:12.180 --> 00:13:12.980
 Jesus more

00:13:12.980 --> 00:13:15.720
 or because we love him.

00:13:17.920 --> 00:13:19.100
 The question we have

00:13:19.100 --> 00:13:19.820
 to ask ourselves

00:13:19.820 --> 00:13:20.640
 as we do things

00:13:20.640 --> 00:13:20.800
 is,

00:13:21.800 --> 00:13:23.379
 are we doing these things

00:13:23.379 --> 00:13:24.740
 because we love God

00:13:24.740 --> 00:13:26.600
 and we want to know

00:13:26.600 --> 00:13:27.160
 him deeper

00:13:27.160 --> 00:13:29.460
 and more truly?

00:13:31.259 --> 00:13:32.540
 John 6 is an amazing

00:13:32.540 --> 00:13:33.360
 passage I was reading

00:13:33.360 --> 00:13:33.980
 over this week.

00:13:34.920 --> 00:13:35.660
 In this passage,

00:13:35.659 --> 00:13:36.459
 Jesus is talking

00:13:36.459 --> 00:13:37.199
 to the Pharisees,

00:13:37.559 --> 00:13:38.819
 the most learned people

00:13:38.819 --> 00:13:39.559
 in his culture.

00:13:39.939 --> 00:13:40.659
 They knew everything.

00:13:40.779 --> 00:13:41.459
 They were intelligent.

00:13:41.579 --> 00:13:42.120
 They had all the

00:13:42.120 --> 00:13:42.819
 biblical answers.

00:13:44.079 --> 00:13:44.879
 And Jesus looked at them

00:13:44.879 --> 00:13:45.159
 and he said,

00:13:45.339 --> 00:13:45.679
 guys,

00:13:46.779 --> 00:13:48.980
 you study in vain.

00:13:51.159 --> 00:13:52.360
 You know all the answers.

00:13:52.500 --> 00:13:53.600
 You know all the right things.

00:13:53.679 --> 00:13:54.740
 You know how to say everything,

00:13:55.219 --> 00:13:55.939
 but in the end,

00:13:56.059 --> 00:13:57.219
 you've missed me.

00:13:57.339 --> 00:13:58.799
 You've missed grace.

00:13:58.899 --> 00:13:59.799
 You've missed mercy.

00:14:01.839 --> 00:14:02.740
 You've missed God.

00:14:04.579 --> 00:14:05.159
 Some of us,

00:14:05.159 --> 00:14:06.019
 I think we're so busy

00:14:06.019 --> 00:14:06.860
 with stuff for God

00:14:06.860 --> 00:14:07.159
 that we,

00:14:07.519 --> 00:14:07.659
 I mean,

00:14:07.860 --> 00:14:09.199
 we're going to five

00:14:09.199 --> 00:14:10.219
 Bible studies a week.

00:14:11.500 --> 00:14:12.419
 Some people in here

00:14:12.419 --> 00:14:13.719
 are going to three churches

00:14:13.719 --> 00:14:14.539
 this Sunday.

00:14:15.319 --> 00:14:16.759
 If you're going to three churches

00:14:16.759 --> 00:14:17.299
 this Sunday,

00:14:17.699 --> 00:14:18.159
 stop it.

00:14:19.620 --> 00:14:21.339
 Don't go to three churches.

00:14:21.459 --> 00:14:22.279
 Go to one church.

00:14:22.439 --> 00:14:23.799
 If this isn't the best church,

00:14:23.899 --> 00:14:24.679
 go to another church.

00:14:24.719 --> 00:14:25.579
 There's a lot of great churches

00:14:25.579 --> 00:14:26.600
 I can recommend to you.

00:14:26.919 --> 00:14:27.779
 I know the pastors

00:14:27.779 --> 00:14:28.600
 are great guys

00:14:28.600 --> 00:14:29.339
 that are walking with God,

00:14:29.340 --> 00:14:30.639
 but don't go to three churches

00:14:30.639 --> 00:14:31.120
 on Sunday.

00:14:32.259 --> 00:14:33.019
 It's crazy.

00:14:34.300 --> 00:14:35.320
 Stay in one church

00:14:35.320 --> 00:14:36.280
 and get involved in that.

00:14:36.500 --> 00:14:37.180
 Some of us are doing

00:14:37.180 --> 00:14:38.399
 hundreds of religious activities

00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:38.840
 a year,

00:14:39.100 --> 00:14:39.960
 and I think it's not

00:14:39.960 --> 00:14:41.060
 because we love God,

00:14:41.920 --> 00:14:44.580
 but I think it's because

00:14:44.580 --> 00:14:45.600
 we're actually trying

00:14:45.600 --> 00:14:48.180
 to get a love for God.

00:14:50.100 --> 00:14:50.920
 And we feel like

00:14:50.920 --> 00:14:51.759
 if we do these things,

00:14:51.820 --> 00:14:52.560
 if we are busy,

00:14:52.879 --> 00:14:53.960
 then God will love us

00:14:53.960 --> 00:14:55.080
 and we'll love him.

00:14:55.879 --> 00:14:56.960
 And what I've seen in my life

00:14:56.960 --> 00:14:57.860
 is that people often

00:14:57.860 --> 00:14:59.000
 just give up on Jesus.

00:15:01.440 --> 00:15:02.520
 They give up on church.

00:15:02.560 --> 00:15:03.300
 We said this church

00:15:03.300 --> 00:15:04.860
 was planted for the church,

00:15:04.980 --> 00:15:05.780
 the unchurched,

00:15:05.800 --> 00:15:06.700
 and the de-churched.

00:15:07.139 --> 00:15:07.920
 And the de-churched

00:15:07.920 --> 00:15:08.500
 are those people.

00:15:09.020 --> 00:15:09.920
 They grew up maybe

00:15:09.920 --> 00:15:10.980
 in a Catholic background.

00:15:11.160 --> 00:15:12.300
 They've gone to Catholic school.

00:15:12.680 --> 00:15:13.120
 They've been told

00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:13.759
 all these things

00:15:13.759 --> 00:15:14.420
 they want to do.

00:15:15.720 --> 00:15:16.560
 And they've done them

00:15:16.560 --> 00:15:18.180
 over and over and over again.

00:15:18.240 --> 00:15:19.040
 And finally they get to this point

00:15:19.040 --> 00:15:19.900
 where they're just so tired

00:15:19.900 --> 00:15:20.560
 and worn out.

00:15:21.540 --> 00:15:22.680
 And there's still this emptiness

00:15:22.680 --> 00:15:23.700
 in their soul,

00:15:23.780 --> 00:15:24.220
 and they don't know

00:15:24.220 --> 00:15:25.100
 what that emptiness is

00:15:25.100 --> 00:15:25.920
 and they just give up.

00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:28.340
 And they come in to me

00:15:28.340 --> 00:15:28.639
 and they say,

00:15:28.779 --> 00:15:29.740
 I've given up on church.

00:15:29.800 --> 00:15:30.620
 I've given up on Jesus.

00:15:30.980 --> 00:15:31.879
 And I hear their story

00:15:31.879 --> 00:15:32.500
 and what I realize

00:15:32.500 --> 00:15:33.060
 is that they never,

00:15:33.220 --> 00:15:35.440
 they never knew him.

00:15:37.860 --> 00:15:38.920
 But they've been so busy

00:15:38.920 --> 00:15:39.700
 doing things

00:15:39.700 --> 00:15:40.420
 and trying to fill

00:15:40.420 --> 00:15:41.139
 those activities

00:15:41.139 --> 00:15:42.779
 within knowing Jesus

00:15:42.779 --> 00:15:44.120
 that they don't even

00:15:44.120 --> 00:15:45.120
 really know him.

00:15:47.779 --> 00:15:49.220
 I think in reality

00:15:49.220 --> 00:15:50.820
 when it comes to many of us,

00:15:51.060 --> 00:15:52.500
 when we become Christians,

00:15:52.639 --> 00:15:53.779
 we have this restlessness,

00:15:53.779 --> 00:15:54.500
 this emptiness,

00:15:54.759 --> 00:15:55.339
 this void

00:15:55.339 --> 00:15:57.839
 in our lives.

00:15:59.720 --> 00:16:00.079
 I mean,

00:16:00.120 --> 00:16:01.000
 we hear the gospel

00:16:01.000 --> 00:16:01.899
 and it saves us

00:16:01.899 --> 00:16:02.279
 and we know

00:16:02.279 --> 00:16:03.059
 that we have this

00:16:03.059 --> 00:16:04.419
 fire insurance,

00:16:04.519 --> 00:16:05.120
 but we wonder,

00:16:05.379 --> 00:16:06.139
 is it good enough

00:16:06.139 --> 00:16:07.079
 to get us on

00:16:07.079 --> 00:16:07.799
 through the journey?

00:16:09.259 --> 00:16:11.000
 We invite Christ

00:16:11.000 --> 00:16:11.699
 into our hearts

00:16:11.699 --> 00:16:13.339
 and we allow him

00:16:13.339 --> 00:16:13.879
 to save us,

00:16:13.919 --> 00:16:14.480
 but we wonder,

00:16:14.899 --> 00:16:15.399
 is he enough

00:16:15.399 --> 00:16:16.860
 to walk with me every day?

00:16:17.039 --> 00:16:18.139
 Can I trust him?

00:16:19.220 --> 00:16:19.419
 I mean,

00:16:19.459 --> 00:16:19.839
 I'm just sharing

00:16:19.839 --> 00:16:20.939
 from personal experiences,

00:16:21.100 --> 00:16:21.299
 okay?

00:16:21.779 --> 00:16:22.879
 Is he really good?

00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:24.740
 Can I trust him

00:16:24.740 --> 00:16:25.219
 in his journey?

00:16:25.599 --> 00:16:26.219
 Is he enough

00:16:26.219 --> 00:16:27.240
 to get me through there?

00:16:28.659 --> 00:16:29.299
 And sometimes

00:16:29.299 --> 00:16:30.279
 I think we forget

00:16:30.279 --> 00:16:30.919
 that the gospel

00:16:30.919 --> 00:16:31.740
 is the power

00:16:31.740 --> 00:16:33.179
 not just to save us,

00:16:33.219 --> 00:16:33.839
 but it's the gospel

00:16:33.839 --> 00:16:34.379
 is the power

00:16:34.379 --> 00:16:35.039
 that keeps us going

00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:36.259
 throughout all of our life.

00:16:37.359 --> 00:16:38.379
 And it moves us

00:16:38.379 --> 00:16:39.120
 through this journey.

00:16:40.839 --> 00:16:41.299
 It's funny

00:16:41.299 --> 00:16:42.319
 that Katie quoted

00:16:42.319 --> 00:16:43.479
 this C.S. Lewis quote.

00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:44.120
 I was going to quote

00:16:44.120 --> 00:16:45.199
 the exact same quote.

00:16:46.079 --> 00:16:46.799
 Because he tells

00:16:46.799 --> 00:16:47.959
 this very interesting part

00:16:47.959 --> 00:16:48.740
 about restlessness

00:16:48.740 --> 00:16:49.500
 in our soul.

00:16:50.659 --> 00:16:51.259
 In the book

00:16:51.259 --> 00:16:52.440
 C.S. Lewis wrote,

00:16:52.500 --> 00:16:53.220
 it's very famous,

00:16:53.779 --> 00:16:54.980
 we've quoted it many times,

00:16:55.019 --> 00:16:55.279
 it's called

00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:56.220
 The Screwtape Letters.

00:16:57.060 --> 00:16:58.539
 The story of Screwtape

00:16:58.539 --> 00:16:58.960
 is there's this

00:16:58.960 --> 00:16:59.820
 high-ranking demon

00:16:59.820 --> 00:17:01.019
 and he's talking

00:17:01.019 --> 00:17:01.960
 to one of his minions

00:17:01.960 --> 00:17:02.960
 who's terrorizing

00:17:02.960 --> 00:17:03.639
 this person.

00:17:04.660 --> 00:17:06.200
 And he's giving this guy

00:17:06.200 --> 00:17:06.839
 a strategy

00:17:06.839 --> 00:17:07.819
 against Christians,

00:17:09.019 --> 00:17:09.920
 against you and I.

00:17:10.980 --> 00:17:12.259
 And the demon says this,

00:17:13.319 --> 00:17:13.759
 he says,

00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:14.960
 you have to keep them

00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:16.539
 in a state of mind

00:17:16.539 --> 00:17:17.620
 that I call

00:17:17.620 --> 00:17:18.759
 Christianity

00:17:18.759 --> 00:17:20.019
 and.

00:17:21.000 --> 00:17:21.920
 A-N-D.

00:17:23.200 --> 00:17:23.759
 Christianity

00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:24.519
 and.

00:17:25.240 --> 00:17:25.960
 In Lewis' day,

00:17:26.059 --> 00:17:26.720
 it was Christianity

00:17:26.720 --> 00:17:27.660
 and the new

00:17:27.660 --> 00:17:28.920
 psychology.

00:17:30.039 --> 00:17:30.400
 Christianity

00:17:30.400 --> 00:17:31.420
 and the new

00:17:31.420 --> 00:17:31.779
 order.

00:17:33.120 --> 00:17:33.480
 Christianity

00:17:33.480 --> 00:17:34.259
 and

00:17:34.259 --> 00:17:35.500
 faith healing.

00:17:36.340 --> 00:17:36.940
 If you can just

00:17:36.940 --> 00:17:37.720
 get them to add

00:17:37.720 --> 00:17:38.380
 something else

00:17:38.380 --> 00:17:38.980
 to their faith,

00:17:38.980 --> 00:17:39.759
 get them to add

00:17:39.759 --> 00:17:40.240
 something else

00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:40.640
 to Jesus,

00:17:41.019 --> 00:17:41.819
 get them to add

00:17:41.819 --> 00:17:42.360
 something else

00:17:42.360 --> 00:17:42.880
 to the gospel,

00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:44.080
 and if you do this,

00:17:44.340 --> 00:17:45.340
 you void out

00:17:45.340 --> 00:17:45.920
 everything

00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:47.060
 and they miss out

00:17:47.060 --> 00:17:48.180
 on the power of God.

00:17:50.020 --> 00:17:50.260
 Is that,

00:17:50.780 --> 00:17:51.200
 I just thought

00:17:51.200 --> 00:17:52.020
 that's amazing.

00:17:54.820 --> 00:17:55.320
 I mean,

00:17:55.340 --> 00:17:56.040
 I thought about that

00:17:56.040 --> 00:17:56.320
 today.

00:17:56.740 --> 00:17:58.120
 If C.S. Lewis

00:17:58.120 --> 00:17:58.860
 were around

00:17:58.860 --> 00:17:59.920
 now

00:17:59.920 --> 00:18:00.800
 and he was writing,

00:18:00.920 --> 00:18:01.500
 he would probably

00:18:01.500 --> 00:18:02.520
 add different things

00:18:02.520 --> 00:18:03.180
 for his end.

00:18:04.220 --> 00:18:04.800
 He would probably

00:18:04.800 --> 00:18:05.720
 add Christianity

00:18:05.720 --> 00:18:06.840
 in coolness.

00:18:08.520 --> 00:18:09.000
 Christianity

00:18:09.000 --> 00:18:10.440
 in self-affirmation.

00:18:12.140 --> 00:18:12.540
 Christianity

00:18:12.539 --> 00:18:13.879
 and self-improvement.

00:18:14.680 --> 00:18:15.019
 Christianity

00:18:15.019 --> 00:18:15.879
 and personal

00:18:15.879 --> 00:18:16.659
 progress.

00:18:17.599 --> 00:18:17.899
 Christianity

00:18:17.899 --> 00:18:19.099
 and social issues.

00:18:20.200 --> 00:18:20.759
 And diversity

00:18:20.759 --> 00:18:21.519
 and tolerance.

00:18:22.299 --> 00:18:22.839
 And popularity.

00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:24.659
 And success.

00:18:25.579 --> 00:18:26.299
 And power.

00:18:27.159 --> 00:18:28.279
 And social status.

00:18:29.059 --> 00:18:29.720
 And tradition.

00:18:31.759 --> 00:18:32.019
 I mean,

00:18:32.059 --> 00:18:32.899
 if you're like me,

00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:35.039
 what I struggle

00:18:35.039 --> 00:18:35.720
 with are things

00:18:35.720 --> 00:18:36.579
 like Christianity

00:18:36.579 --> 00:18:38.420
 and control.

00:18:38.420 --> 00:18:41.240
 Christianity

00:18:41.240 --> 00:18:42.700
 and achievements.

00:18:43.480 --> 00:18:43.800
 Christianity

00:18:43.800 --> 00:18:44.860
 and my strengths.

00:18:45.080 --> 00:18:45.340
 Christianity

00:18:45.340 --> 00:18:46.259
 and my reputation.

00:18:46.840 --> 00:18:47.120
 Christianity

00:18:47.120 --> 00:18:47.980
 and my relationships.

00:18:48.259 --> 00:18:48.539
 Christianity

00:18:48.539 --> 00:18:49.519
 and my family's

00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:49.980
 well-being.

00:18:50.460 --> 00:18:51.160
 My ambitions.

00:18:51.400 --> 00:18:51.940
 My goals.

00:18:52.060 --> 00:18:52.519
 My dreams.

00:18:52.620 --> 00:18:53.100
 My personal

00:18:53.100 --> 00:18:53.759
 preferences.

00:18:54.519 --> 00:18:55.759
 My spiritual growth.

00:18:55.980 --> 00:18:56.460
 I don't know

00:18:56.460 --> 00:18:57.259
 what you add

00:18:57.259 --> 00:18:58.000
 in there.

00:18:58.920 --> 00:18:59.480
 But the Bible

00:18:59.480 --> 00:19:00.400
 says that we all

00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:01.080
 do that.

00:19:02.460 --> 00:19:03.300
 And we call

00:19:03.300 --> 00:19:03.960
 those things

00:19:03.960 --> 00:19:04.440
 idols.

00:19:04.440 --> 00:19:06.299
 and they're

00:19:06.299 --> 00:19:07.539
 not a bad thing.

00:19:08.500 --> 00:19:09.279
 Personal ambition

00:19:09.279 --> 00:19:10.220
 is not a bad thing.

00:19:10.340 --> 00:19:11.059
 Family is not

00:19:11.059 --> 00:19:11.860
 a bad thing.

00:19:12.759 --> 00:19:13.539
 Growth is not

00:19:13.539 --> 00:19:14.039
 a bad thing.

00:19:14.140 --> 00:19:14.940
 Change is not

00:19:14.940 --> 00:19:15.640
 a bad thing.

00:19:16.860 --> 00:19:17.539
 But when they

00:19:17.539 --> 00:19:18.400
 become the ultimate

00:19:18.400 --> 00:19:19.059
 thing,

00:19:19.440 --> 00:19:20.420
 they become equal

00:19:20.420 --> 00:19:21.220
 to Christianity.

00:19:22.440 --> 00:19:23.200
 Then they become

00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:23.740
 our God.

00:19:25.620 --> 00:19:26.440
 And Lewis says

00:19:26.440 --> 00:19:26.940
 to the demon

00:19:26.940 --> 00:19:27.620
 that if you can

00:19:27.620 --> 00:19:28.700
 get them to do this,

00:19:28.759 --> 00:19:29.640
 if you can distract

00:19:29.640 --> 00:19:30.100
 them,

00:19:30.580 --> 00:19:31.220
 if you can get

00:19:31.220 --> 00:19:32.140
 them to hesitate,

00:19:32.380 --> 00:19:32.880
 if you can get

00:19:32.880 --> 00:19:33.580
 them to add,

00:19:33.579 --> 00:19:34.500
 you will keep

00:19:34.500 --> 00:19:35.299
 them off course.

00:19:35.419 --> 00:19:35.839
 You will keep

00:19:35.839 --> 00:19:36.419
 them powerless.

00:19:36.579 --> 00:19:36.859
 You will keep

00:19:36.859 --> 00:19:37.419
 them ineffective.

00:19:37.859 --> 00:19:38.399
 And they will

00:19:38.399 --> 00:19:39.199
 never ever

00:19:39.199 --> 00:19:40.399
 come to a place

00:19:40.399 --> 00:19:40.859
 where they will

00:19:40.859 --> 00:19:41.379
 believe that

00:19:41.379 --> 00:19:42.279
 mere Christianity

00:19:42.279 --> 00:19:43.899
 is enough.

00:19:46.339 --> 00:19:46.859
 You hear what

00:19:46.859 --> 00:19:47.379
 the demons said

00:19:47.379 --> 00:19:47.779
 to each other?

00:19:48.919 --> 00:19:49.399
 We've got to

00:19:49.399 --> 00:19:50.159
 get them so busy

00:19:50.159 --> 00:19:50.859
 in adding things

00:19:50.859 --> 00:19:51.679
 on that they

00:19:51.679 --> 00:19:52.460
 will never come

00:19:52.460 --> 00:19:53.019
 to a place

00:19:53.019 --> 00:19:53.419
 where they will

00:19:53.419 --> 00:19:53.839
 believe that

00:19:53.839 --> 00:19:55.500
 mere Christianity

00:19:55.500 --> 00:19:57.240
 is enough.

00:19:58.480 --> 00:19:59.199
 Make them feel

00:19:59.199 --> 00:19:59.679
 like they add

00:19:59.679 --> 00:20:00.079
 something onto

00:20:00.079 --> 00:20:00.500
 the gospel.

00:20:00.619 --> 00:20:01.000
 And if they add

00:20:01.000 --> 00:20:01.339
 something onto

00:20:01.339 --> 00:20:01.720
 the gospel,

00:20:01.839 --> 00:20:02.339
 then they lose

00:20:02.339 --> 00:20:02.480
 it.

00:20:03.579 --> 00:20:06.039
 That's one

00:20:06.039 --> 00:20:06.399
 of us.

00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:09.240
 One of us,

00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:09.599
 when we hear

00:20:09.599 --> 00:20:10.079
 the gospel,

00:20:10.220 --> 00:20:10.539
 we're going,

00:20:10.679 --> 00:20:10.839
 woo!

00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:12.720
 Amazing!

00:20:13.859 --> 00:20:14.220
 Incredible!

00:20:15.500 --> 00:20:15.859
 Grace!

00:20:16.059 --> 00:20:16.359
 Mercy!

00:20:16.460 --> 00:20:16.839
 I got that

00:20:16.839 --> 00:20:17.339
 going for me.

00:20:18.159 --> 00:20:18.819
 Now I can

00:20:18.819 --> 00:20:19.460
 leave here,

00:20:19.559 --> 00:20:19.919
 and I can

00:20:19.919 --> 00:20:20.259
 just do

00:20:20.259 --> 00:20:20.759
 whatever I

00:20:20.759 --> 00:20:21.059
 want.

00:20:22.159 --> 00:20:22.659
 Because I

00:20:22.659 --> 00:20:22.939
 have my

00:20:22.939 --> 00:20:23.220
 heavenly

00:20:23.220 --> 00:20:23.740
 insurance.

00:20:24.839 --> 00:20:25.039
 I mean,

00:20:25.079 --> 00:20:25.399
 we live

00:20:25.399 --> 00:20:26.079
 our lives

00:20:26.079 --> 00:20:28.099
 in compartments

00:20:28.099 --> 00:20:28.740
 and boxes.

00:20:29.740 --> 00:20:30.299
 And these

00:20:30.299 --> 00:20:31.000
 boxes have

00:20:31.000 --> 00:20:32.879
 no integrity.

00:20:32.880 --> 00:20:33.400
 They're not

00:20:33.400 --> 00:20:34.520
 built together.

00:20:34.640 --> 00:20:35.060
 There's no

00:20:35.060 --> 00:20:35.640
 connection.

00:20:35.800 --> 00:20:36.280
 There's nowhere

00:20:36.280 --> 00:20:36.640
 where the

00:20:36.640 --> 00:20:37.760
 gospel goes

00:20:37.760 --> 00:20:38.140
 through every

00:20:38.140 --> 00:20:39.160
 part of our

00:20:39.160 --> 00:20:39.420
 lives.

00:20:39.520 --> 00:20:40.000
 We think we

00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:40.520
 can come to

00:20:40.520 --> 00:20:40.800
 church,

00:20:40.860 --> 00:20:41.220
 we can come

00:20:41.220 --> 00:20:41.620
 to community

00:20:41.620 --> 00:20:41.860
 group,

00:20:42.140 --> 00:20:42.580
 we can do

00:20:42.580 --> 00:20:43.120
 two hours,

00:20:43.420 --> 00:20:43.880
 and then at

00:20:43.880 --> 00:20:44.240
 the end of

00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:44.660
 the rest of

00:20:44.660 --> 00:20:44.920
 the week,

00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:45.560
 we just do

00:20:45.560 --> 00:20:45.880
 whatever we

00:20:45.880 --> 00:20:46.200
 want.

00:20:47.020 --> 00:20:47.160
 I mean,

00:20:47.200 --> 00:20:47.600
 watch out.

00:20:47.660 --> 00:20:48.340
 I can lie.

00:20:48.920 --> 00:20:49.580
 I can cheat.

00:20:50.080 --> 00:20:50.760
 I can defraud

00:20:50.760 --> 00:20:51.020
 people.

00:20:51.100 --> 00:20:51.480
 I can treat

00:20:51.480 --> 00:20:52.040
 people poorly.

00:20:52.400 --> 00:20:52.760
 I can treat

00:20:52.760 --> 00:20:53.220
 people poorly

00:20:53.220 --> 00:20:53.660
 at work,

00:20:53.700 --> 00:20:54.240
 at my family.

00:20:54.360 --> 00:20:54.680
 I can treat

00:20:54.680 --> 00:20:55.240
 my wife like

00:20:55.240 --> 00:20:55.580
 crap.

00:20:55.880 --> 00:20:56.380
 I can treat

00:20:56.380 --> 00:20:56.960
 my friends as

00:20:56.960 --> 00:20:57.940
 disposable friends.

00:20:58.340 --> 00:20:58.520
 Hey,

00:20:58.580 --> 00:20:58.940
 it's okay

00:20:58.940 --> 00:20:59.480
 because I go to

00:21:02.880 --> 00:21:06.320
 the gospel,

00:21:06.900 --> 00:21:07.680
 the sacrifice

00:21:07.680 --> 00:21:08.240
 of Jesus

00:21:08.240 --> 00:21:08.780
 Christ.

00:21:09.720 --> 00:21:10.540
 What he has

00:21:10.540 --> 00:21:11.580
 done for us

00:21:11.580 --> 00:21:14.040
 has made no

00:21:14.040 --> 00:21:14.520
 difference in

00:21:14.520 --> 00:21:15.100
 our lives.

00:21:17.120 --> 00:21:17.560
 And so we

00:21:17.560 --> 00:21:18.300
 walk out of

00:21:18.300 --> 00:21:18.920
 these doors

00:21:18.920 --> 00:21:20.020
 with this

00:21:20.020 --> 00:21:21.020
 false sense

00:21:21.020 --> 00:21:21.860
 of security

00:21:21.860 --> 00:21:23.900
 because we

00:21:23.900 --> 00:21:24.280
 come to

00:21:24.280 --> 00:21:24.640
 church.

00:21:26.460 --> 00:21:26.780
 I think

00:21:26.780 --> 00:21:27.440
 sometimes we

00:21:27.440 --> 00:21:27.860
 think that we

00:21:27.860 --> 00:21:28.360
 know Jesus,

00:21:28.480 --> 00:21:28.860
 but we don't

00:21:28.860 --> 00:21:29.220
 have this

00:21:29.220 --> 00:21:29.640
 overwhelming

00:21:29.640 --> 00:21:30.340
 sense of

00:21:30.340 --> 00:21:31.040
 God's holiness.

00:21:31.440 --> 00:21:31.780
 We don't

00:21:31.780 --> 00:21:32.060
 have the

00:21:32.059 --> 00:21:32.559
 overwhelming

00:21:32.559 --> 00:21:33.559
 sense of

00:21:33.559 --> 00:21:34.099
 how desperate

00:21:34.099 --> 00:21:34.559
 we are.

00:21:34.619 --> 00:21:34.839
 We don't

00:21:34.839 --> 00:21:35.099
 have an

00:21:35.099 --> 00:21:35.440
 overwhelming

00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:36.220
 sense of

00:21:36.220 --> 00:21:36.859
 our brokenness,

00:21:36.940 --> 00:21:37.259
 of our

00:21:37.259 --> 00:21:37.940
 lostness.

00:21:38.339 --> 00:21:38.759
 We don't

00:21:38.759 --> 00:21:39.679
 understand God's

00:21:39.679 --> 00:21:40.220
 mercy and

00:21:40.220 --> 00:21:40.599
 grace and

00:21:40.599 --> 00:21:40.960
 how God

00:21:40.960 --> 00:21:41.379
 wants to be

00:21:41.379 --> 00:21:41.679
 with us

00:21:41.679 --> 00:21:42.419
 every day

00:21:42.419 --> 00:21:42.679
 and to

00:21:42.679 --> 00:21:42.960
 change

00:21:42.960 --> 00:21:43.399
 everything

00:21:43.399 --> 00:21:43.819
 and every

00:21:43.819 --> 00:21:44.399
 moment God

00:21:44.399 --> 00:21:44.839
 is there to

00:21:44.839 --> 00:21:45.099
 take you

00:21:45.099 --> 00:21:45.319
 on the

00:21:45.319 --> 00:21:45.559
 journey.

00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:48.220
 And we

00:21:48.220 --> 00:21:48.960
 lose that

00:21:48.960 --> 00:21:50.700
 because our

00:21:50.700 --> 00:21:51.179
 lives are

00:21:51.179 --> 00:21:52.299
 compartmentalized.

00:21:53.059 --> 00:21:53.500
 And we

00:21:53.500 --> 00:21:53.940
 just think this

00:21:53.940 --> 00:21:54.240
 is what I

00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:54.659
 do here and

00:21:54.659 --> 00:21:54.980
 this is what

00:21:54.980 --> 00:21:55.399
 I do there

00:21:55.399 --> 00:21:55.679
 and this is

00:21:55.679 --> 00:21:55.919
 what I do

00:21:55.919 --> 00:21:56.139
 there,

00:21:56.220 --> 00:21:56.659
 but none

00:21:56.659 --> 00:21:56.899
 of these

00:21:56.899 --> 00:21:57.359
 things ever

00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:58.839
 come together.

00:21:58.839 --> 00:22:01.899
 we lose

00:22:01.899 --> 00:22:02.319
 all of

00:22:02.319 --> 00:22:02.639
 God's

00:22:02.639 --> 00:22:03.019
 grace.

00:22:05.720 --> 00:22:06.480
 Some of

00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:07.119
 us, we

00:22:07.119 --> 00:22:08.159
 go tonight

00:22:08.159 --> 00:22:08.899
 to family

00:22:08.899 --> 00:22:09.419
 dim sum

00:22:09.419 --> 00:22:09.919
 compartment,

00:22:10.339 --> 00:22:11.339
 then we

00:22:11.339 --> 00:22:11.599
 go to

00:22:11.599 --> 00:22:12.179
 Sunday night

00:22:12.179 --> 00:22:12.720
 compartment,

00:22:13.339 --> 00:22:14.199
 to our

00:22:14.199 --> 00:22:14.439
 Monday

00:22:14.439 --> 00:22:15.240
 work box,

00:22:16.339 --> 00:22:16.980
 to our

00:22:16.980 --> 00:22:17.579
 Monday evening

00:22:17.579 --> 00:22:18.279
 work box,

00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:19.539
 to our

00:22:19.539 --> 00:22:20.039
 Friday at

00:22:20.039 --> 00:22:20.399
 Leng Kui

00:22:20.399 --> 00:22:21.079
 Fung box,

00:22:21.859 --> 00:22:22.500
 and in

00:22:22.500 --> 00:22:22.759
 none of

00:22:22.759 --> 00:22:23.279
 these areas

00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:24.039
 does God's

00:22:24.039 --> 00:22:24.500
 glory,

00:22:24.500 --> 00:22:24.559
 glory,

00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:27.119
 in none

00:22:27.119 --> 00:22:27.420
 of these

00:22:27.420 --> 00:22:29.539
 areas does

00:22:29.539 --> 00:22:29.940
 God's

00:22:29.940 --> 00:22:31.700
 glory or

00:22:31.700 --> 00:22:33.380
 holiness or

00:22:33.380 --> 00:22:35.079
 grace or

00:22:35.079 --> 00:22:35.700
 the gospel

00:22:35.700 --> 00:22:38.059
 change anything.

00:22:42.240 --> 00:22:43.279
 Jesus might

00:22:43.279 --> 00:22:43.819
 be something

00:22:43.819 --> 00:22:44.440
 to us, but

00:22:44.440 --> 00:22:44.940
 he's a very

00:22:44.940 --> 00:22:45.619
 small something,

00:22:45.720 --> 00:22:46.059
 he's not

00:22:46.059 --> 00:22:46.440
 everything.

00:22:48.460 --> 00:22:48.880
 And if

00:22:48.880 --> 00:22:49.279
 you're in one

00:22:49.279 --> 00:22:49.720
 of these two

00:22:49.720 --> 00:22:50.279
 categories,

00:22:50.539 --> 00:22:51.039
 congratulations,

00:22:51.299 --> 00:22:51.740
 because we

00:22:51.740 --> 00:22:52.319
 all are.

00:22:52.319 --> 00:22:54.279
 And what

00:22:54.279 --> 00:22:54.740
 is true

00:22:54.740 --> 00:22:56.079
 today is

00:22:56.079 --> 00:22:56.639
 true for

00:22:56.639 --> 00:22:57.379
 us as it

00:22:57.379 --> 00:22:57.819
 was for

00:22:57.819 --> 00:22:59.079
 Paul when

00:22:59.079 --> 00:22:59.460
 he wrote

00:22:59.460 --> 00:23:00.019
 the book

00:23:00.019 --> 00:23:00.759
 of Galatians.

00:23:02.119 --> 00:23:02.460
 And so if

00:23:02.460 --> 00:23:02.919
 you turn in

00:23:02.919 --> 00:23:03.439
 your bulletin,

00:23:03.460 --> 00:23:03.960
 I wrote out

00:23:03.960 --> 00:23:04.359
 the first

00:23:04.359 --> 00:23:04.839
 eight verses,

00:23:04.939 --> 00:23:05.220
 we're just

00:23:05.220 --> 00:23:05.639
 going to fly

00:23:05.639 --> 00:23:06.099
 through those

00:23:06.099 --> 00:23:06.279
 things,

00:23:06.519 --> 00:23:06.879
 we're going

00:23:06.879 --> 00:23:07.200
 to do this

00:23:07.200 --> 00:23:07.659
 for five

00:23:07.659 --> 00:23:07.899
 weeks,

00:23:07.939 --> 00:23:08.139
 we're going

00:23:08.139 --> 00:23:08.299
 to look

00:23:08.299 --> 00:23:08.799
 at Galatians

00:23:08.799 --> 00:23:09.139
 because I

00:23:09.139 --> 00:23:09.399
 think there's

00:23:09.399 --> 00:23:09.740
 some things

00:23:09.740 --> 00:23:10.079
 in there

00:23:10.079 --> 00:23:10.700
 that we

00:23:10.700 --> 00:23:11.099
 really have

00:23:11.099 --> 00:23:11.519
 to understand,

00:23:11.599 --> 00:23:11.839
 we really

00:23:11.839 --> 00:23:12.139
 have to get

00:23:12.139 --> 00:23:12.399
 our heads

00:23:12.399 --> 00:23:12.659
 around.

00:23:14.419 --> 00:23:14.819
 First,

00:23:14.919 --> 00:23:15.519
 Galatians was

00:23:15.519 --> 00:23:16.079
 written by

00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:16.480
 Paul,

00:23:17.079 --> 00:23:17.579
 his Jewish

00:23:17.579 --> 00:23:18.059
 name is

00:23:18.059 --> 00:23:18.460
 Saul,

00:23:19.819 --> 00:23:20.279
 and he was

00:23:20.279 --> 00:23:20.740
 a brilliant

00:23:20.740 --> 00:23:21.419
 opponent and

00:23:21.419 --> 00:23:22.039
 persecutor of

00:23:22.039 --> 00:23:22.299
 the early

00:23:22.299 --> 00:23:22.700
 church.

00:23:23.659 --> 00:23:24.440
 He had the

00:23:24.440 --> 00:23:24.980
 best teacher

00:23:24.980 --> 00:23:25.700
 in Torah in

00:23:25.700 --> 00:23:26.200
 the world at

00:23:26.200 --> 00:23:26.639
 that time.

00:23:27.359 --> 00:23:27.940
 He was the

00:23:27.940 --> 00:23:28.680
 highest educated

00:23:28.680 --> 00:23:29.079
 person.

00:23:29.559 --> 00:23:30.220
 He starts to

00:23:30.220 --> 00:23:30.740
 attack the

00:23:30.740 --> 00:23:31.099
 church and

00:23:31.099 --> 00:23:31.539
 in the books

00:23:31.539 --> 00:23:32.180
 of Acts,

00:23:32.259 --> 00:23:32.680
 we see this

00:23:32.680 --> 00:23:33.920
 amazing come

00:23:33.920 --> 00:23:34.399
 to Jesus

00:23:34.399 --> 00:23:35.839
 experience where

00:23:35.839 --> 00:23:36.720
 Jesus actually

00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:37.539
 appears to

00:23:37.539 --> 00:23:38.659
 Paul and

00:23:38.659 --> 00:23:39.579
 blinds him and

00:23:39.579 --> 00:23:40.339
 changes his

00:23:40.339 --> 00:23:41.399
 life and

00:23:41.399 --> 00:23:42.960
 Paul does

00:23:42.960 --> 00:23:43.940
 this incredible

00:23:43.940 --> 00:23:44.720
 180.

00:23:46.119 --> 00:23:46.700
 He becomes a

00:23:46.700 --> 00:23:47.139
 leader in the

00:23:47.139 --> 00:23:47.839
 church, he's

00:23:47.839 --> 00:23:48.299
 an amazing

00:23:48.299 --> 00:23:48.920
 church planner,

00:23:49.240 --> 00:23:50.139
 he plants church

00:23:50.139 --> 00:23:50.720
 after church

00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:51.159
 after church,

00:23:51.220 --> 00:23:51.680
 he plants a

00:23:51.680 --> 00:23:52.060
 series of

00:23:52.060 --> 00:23:52.480
 churches in

00:23:52.480 --> 00:23:52.860
 Galatia.

00:23:53.900 --> 00:23:54.080
 And then

00:23:54.080 --> 00:23:54.440
 after he's

00:23:54.440 --> 00:23:54.860
 done playing

00:23:54.860 --> 00:23:55.120
 them and

00:23:55.120 --> 00:23:55.680
 putting in

00:23:55.680 --> 00:23:56.779
 elders, this

00:23:56.779 --> 00:23:57.140
 group of

00:23:57.140 --> 00:23:57.640
 men called

00:23:57.640 --> 00:23:58.500
 Judaizers come

00:23:58.500 --> 00:23:58.720
 in.

00:24:00.060 --> 00:24:00.380
 Now these

00:24:00.380 --> 00:24:00.900
 Judaizers,

00:24:01.080 --> 00:24:02.420
 they're Jews,

00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:03.039
 and they come

00:24:03.039 --> 00:24:04.120
 in to the

00:24:04.120 --> 00:24:04.860
 church and

00:24:04.860 --> 00:24:05.500
 they try to

00:24:05.500 --> 00:24:05.840
 lead the

00:24:05.840 --> 00:24:06.640
 people astray.

00:24:07.980 --> 00:24:08.640
 They try to

00:24:08.640 --> 00:24:09.279
 say, well,

00:24:09.299 --> 00:24:09.720
 this is what

00:24:09.720 --> 00:24:10.400
 Paul taught,

00:24:10.460 --> 00:24:10.779
 and they're not

00:24:10.779 --> 00:24:11.039
 going to say

00:24:11.039 --> 00:24:11.940
 that's wrong,

00:24:12.660 --> 00:24:13.140
 because right

00:24:13.140 --> 00:24:13.640
 away people's

00:24:13.640 --> 00:24:14.060
 ears will go,

00:24:14.120 --> 00:24:14.259
 whoop.

00:24:15.060 --> 00:24:15.480
 I mean, if I

00:24:15.480 --> 00:24:16.060
 came in here and

00:24:16.060 --> 00:24:16.320
 said, you know,

00:24:16.360 --> 00:24:16.820
 Jesus didn't really

00:24:16.820 --> 00:24:17.340
 die on the cross

00:24:17.340 --> 00:24:17.660
 for you,

00:24:19.120 --> 00:24:19.420
 you'd go,

00:24:19.420 --> 00:24:19.779
 whoa, wow,

00:24:19.960 --> 00:24:21.120
 whoa, that's

00:24:21.120 --> 00:24:23.039
 totally against

00:24:23.039 --> 00:24:24.720
 Christian doctrine

00:24:24.720 --> 00:24:26.080
 and everything

00:24:26.080 --> 00:24:26.300
 else.

00:24:26.300 --> 00:24:26.600
 That's not

00:24:26.600 --> 00:24:27.160
 orthodox.

00:24:28.240 --> 00:24:28.640
 But if I

00:24:28.640 --> 00:24:29.800
 said, Jesus

00:24:29.800 --> 00:24:30.460
 died on the

00:24:30.460 --> 00:24:31.300
 cross for you

00:24:31.300 --> 00:24:32.460
 so that you

00:24:32.460 --> 00:24:33.180
 could earn

00:24:33.180 --> 00:24:34.900
 your way to

00:24:34.900 --> 00:24:37.300
 heaven, he

00:24:37.300 --> 00:24:37.759
 opened the

00:24:37.759 --> 00:24:39.120
 door so that

00:24:39.120 --> 00:24:39.580
 you could work

00:24:39.580 --> 00:24:40.120
 hard enough

00:24:40.120 --> 00:24:41.840
 now, well,

00:24:41.880 --> 00:24:42.259
 maybe some

00:24:42.259 --> 00:24:42.640
 people would

00:24:42.640 --> 00:24:44.060
 say, I

00:24:44.060 --> 00:24:44.519
 don't know.

00:24:44.519 --> 00:24:47.079
 Maybe that's

00:24:47.079 --> 00:24:47.400
 true.

00:24:48.700 --> 00:24:49.200
 I mean, sure,

00:24:49.299 --> 00:24:50.059
 nothing's free,

00:24:50.200 --> 00:24:50.440
 right?

00:24:51.559 --> 00:24:52.180
 So maybe I

00:24:52.180 --> 00:24:52.519
 need to do

00:24:52.519 --> 00:24:52.839
 something.

00:24:54.259 --> 00:24:54.720
 So that was

00:24:54.720 --> 00:24:55.119
 what was

00:24:55.119 --> 00:24:55.759
 happening in

00:24:55.759 --> 00:24:56.420
 Paul's church.

00:24:56.500 --> 00:24:56.900
 These guys

00:24:56.900 --> 00:24:57.400
 came in and

00:24:57.400 --> 00:24:57.639
 they were

00:24:57.639 --> 00:24:58.400
 Jewish and

00:24:58.400 --> 00:24:58.660
 they said,

00:24:58.740 --> 00:24:58.920
 you've got to

00:24:58.920 --> 00:24:59.279
 do all the

00:24:59.279 --> 00:24:59.639
 rules.

00:25:00.940 --> 00:25:01.220
 You've got to

00:25:01.220 --> 00:25:01.579
 do all the

00:25:01.579 --> 00:25:02.019
 ceremonies.

00:25:02.940 --> 00:25:03.259
 You've got to

00:25:03.259 --> 00:25:03.680
 go all the

00:25:03.680 --> 00:25:04.059
 festivals.

00:25:05.379 --> 00:25:05.819
 And so Paul

00:25:05.819 --> 00:25:06.420
 hears this and

00:25:06.420 --> 00:25:07.019
 he reacts

00:25:07.019 --> 00:25:08.420
 incredibly strong.

00:25:09.099 --> 00:25:09.379
 I mean, he

00:25:09.379 --> 00:25:10.359
 breaks cultural

00:25:10.359 --> 00:25:11.200
 norms in writing

00:25:11.200 --> 00:25:12.160
 this letter because

00:25:12.160 --> 00:25:13.200
 he skips parts

00:25:13.200 --> 00:25:14.180
 of it, like

00:25:14.180 --> 00:25:14.620
 a greeting,

00:25:14.820 --> 00:25:15.480
 a salutation,

00:25:15.660 --> 00:25:16.000
 a welcome,

00:25:16.160 --> 00:25:16.799
 because he's

00:25:16.799 --> 00:25:17.519
 so upset about

00:25:17.519 --> 00:25:18.080
 what's happening.

00:25:19.360 --> 00:25:20.279
 Because people's

00:25:20.279 --> 00:25:20.900
 lives are in

00:25:20.900 --> 00:25:21.220
 danger.

00:25:21.340 --> 00:25:21.660
 They're in

00:25:21.660 --> 00:25:22.320
 danger of

00:25:22.320 --> 00:25:23.580
 falling away

00:25:23.580 --> 00:25:23.980
 and not

00:25:23.980 --> 00:25:24.480
 understanding

00:25:24.480 --> 00:25:26.980
 Jesus and

00:25:26.980 --> 00:25:27.740
 the gospel and

00:25:27.740 --> 00:25:28.519
 grace and

00:25:28.519 --> 00:25:28.920
 mercy.

00:25:30.500 --> 00:25:30.720
 And so

00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:31.500
 around 49

00:25:31.500 --> 00:25:32.940
 AD, Paul

00:25:32.940 --> 00:25:33.539
 writes this

00:25:33.539 --> 00:25:34.120
 letter 15

00:25:34.120 --> 00:25:34.980
 years after the

00:25:34.980 --> 00:25:36.039
 death and

00:25:36.039 --> 00:25:36.779
 resurrection of

00:25:36.779 --> 00:25:37.100
 Jesus.

00:25:37.820 --> 00:25:38.500
 And he writes

00:25:38.500 --> 00:25:39.140
 to these churches

00:25:39.140 --> 00:25:39.960
 and he warns

00:25:39.960 --> 00:25:40.680
 them and he

00:25:40.680 --> 00:25:41.620
 uses very strong

00:25:41.620 --> 00:25:42.519
 language and he

00:25:42.519 --> 00:25:43.019
 basically says,

00:25:43.220 --> 00:25:43.620
 you are in

00:25:43.620 --> 00:25:44.140
 danger of

00:25:44.140 --> 00:25:45.700
 losing Jesus.

00:25:50.180 --> 00:25:50.980
 You're in

00:25:50.980 --> 00:25:52.320
 danger of

00:25:52.320 --> 00:25:53.100
 being separated

00:25:53.100 --> 00:25:53.540
 from the

00:25:53.540 --> 00:25:53.900
 thing that

00:25:53.900 --> 00:25:55.080
 we've struggled

00:25:55.080 --> 00:25:56.120
 so much for.

00:25:58.160 --> 00:25:58.940
 And he

00:25:58.940 --> 00:25:59.440
 writes this

00:25:59.440 --> 00:26:00.300
 letter to

00:26:00.300 --> 00:26:00.840
 these men.

00:26:01.759 --> 00:26:02.580
 Paul, an

00:26:02.580 --> 00:26:04.900
 apostle, big

00:26:04.900 --> 00:26:06.700
 A, a

00:26:06.700 --> 00:26:07.520
 messenger sent

00:26:07.520 --> 00:26:09.000
 out, not

00:26:09.000 --> 00:26:09.540
 sent from

00:26:09.540 --> 00:26:10.220
 men nor

00:26:10.220 --> 00:26:10.560
 through the

00:26:10.560 --> 00:26:11.240
 agency of

00:26:11.240 --> 00:26:11.680
 men but

00:26:11.680 --> 00:26:12.180
 through Jesus

00:26:12.180 --> 00:26:12.780
 Christ and

00:26:12.780 --> 00:26:13.140
 God the

00:26:13.140 --> 00:26:13.560
 Father who

00:26:13.559 --> 00:26:13.940
 raised him

00:26:13.940 --> 00:26:14.220
 from the

00:26:14.220 --> 00:26:14.519
 dead.

00:26:15.519 --> 00:26:15.859
 And all

00:26:15.859 --> 00:26:16.279
 the brethren

00:26:16.279 --> 00:26:16.559
 who are

00:26:16.559 --> 00:26:17.000
 with me.

00:26:17.359 --> 00:26:17.839
 So Paul

00:26:17.839 --> 00:26:18.379
 writes out and

00:26:18.379 --> 00:26:18.679
 he says, hey,

00:26:18.700 --> 00:26:19.259
 I'm an apostle.

00:26:20.740 --> 00:26:21.460
 I'm gathered

00:26:21.460 --> 00:26:21.879
 with the

00:26:21.879 --> 00:26:22.279
 twelve.

00:26:22.859 --> 00:26:23.240
 God has

00:26:23.240 --> 00:26:23.919
 given me a

00:26:23.919 --> 00:26:24.559
 special message.

00:26:24.700 --> 00:26:25.000
 God has

00:26:25.000 --> 00:26:25.519
 given me a

00:26:25.519 --> 00:26:26.339
 special mission.

00:26:26.940 --> 00:26:27.359
 He's given

00:26:27.359 --> 00:26:27.899
 me a special

00:26:27.899 --> 00:26:28.259
 purpose.

00:26:28.339 --> 00:26:28.619
 He's given

00:26:28.619 --> 00:26:29.099
 me a special

00:26:29.099 --> 00:26:29.480
 power.

00:26:29.740 --> 00:26:30.099
 And I'm

00:26:30.099 --> 00:26:31.240
 going out to

00:26:31.240 --> 00:26:32.019
 preach this

00:26:32.019 --> 00:26:32.639
 gospel to

00:26:32.639 --> 00:26:32.960
 you.

00:26:32.960 --> 00:26:40.759
 grace to

00:26:40.759 --> 00:26:41.220
 you.

00:26:42.180 --> 00:26:42.819
 That word is

00:26:42.819 --> 00:26:43.340
 unmerited

00:26:43.340 --> 00:26:43.860
 favor.

00:26:44.900 --> 00:26:45.519
 It's the

00:26:45.519 --> 00:26:45.940
 gospel.

00:26:47.380 --> 00:26:48.000
 It's something

00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:48.279
 you don't

00:26:48.279 --> 00:26:48.799
 deserve and

00:26:48.799 --> 00:26:49.620
 God gives

00:26:49.620 --> 00:26:51.240
 to you.

00:26:52.759 --> 00:26:53.299
 Grace and

00:26:53.299 --> 00:26:53.799
 peace from

00:26:53.799 --> 00:26:54.200
 God our

00:26:54.200 --> 00:26:54.620
 Father and

00:26:54.620 --> 00:26:54.880
 the Lord

00:26:54.880 --> 00:26:55.500
 Jesus Christ

00:26:55.500 --> 00:26:55.940
 who gave

00:26:55.940 --> 00:26:56.559
 himself for

00:26:56.559 --> 00:26:57.120
 our sins

00:26:57.120 --> 00:26:58.019
 so that he

00:26:58.019 --> 00:26:58.680
 might rescue

00:26:58.680 --> 00:26:59.319
 us from this

00:26:59.319 --> 00:27:00.880
 present evil

00:27:00.880 --> 00:27:01.400
 age.

00:27:03.760 --> 00:27:04.400
 Are we

00:27:04.400 --> 00:27:04.980
 living in a

00:27:04.980 --> 00:27:07.020
 present evil

00:27:07.020 --> 00:27:07.400
 age?

00:27:09.360 --> 00:27:09.980
 He's not

00:27:09.980 --> 00:27:10.360
 just talking

00:27:10.360 --> 00:27:11.380
 about what's

00:27:11.380 --> 00:27:12.060
 going on

00:27:12.060 --> 00:27:12.720
 around us

00:27:12.720 --> 00:27:12.940
 but he's

00:27:12.940 --> 00:27:13.640
 looking forward

00:27:13.640 --> 00:27:13.940
 to the

00:27:13.940 --> 00:27:14.160
 future.

00:27:14.260 --> 00:27:14.480
 He's looking

00:27:14.480 --> 00:27:14.840
 forward to

00:27:14.840 --> 00:27:15.140
 what's going

00:27:15.140 --> 00:27:15.740
 into our

00:27:15.740 --> 00:27:16.660
 heart.

00:27:24.840 --> 00:27:25.400
 Verse

00:27:25.400 --> 00:27:26.240
 four.

00:27:26.700 --> 00:27:27.060
 He gave

00:27:27.060 --> 00:27:27.720
 himself for

00:27:27.720 --> 00:27:28.220
 our sins

00:27:28.220 --> 00:27:28.500
 that he

00:27:28.500 --> 00:27:29.100
 might rescue

00:27:29.100 --> 00:27:29.500
 us from

00:27:29.500 --> 00:27:29.960
 this present

00:27:29.960 --> 00:27:30.560
 evil age

00:27:30.559 --> 00:27:31.139
 according to

00:27:31.139 --> 00:27:31.579
 the will

00:27:31.579 --> 00:27:32.000
 of our

00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:32.480
 God and

00:27:32.480 --> 00:27:32.859
 Father.

00:27:33.599 --> 00:27:34.099
 To whom

00:27:34.099 --> 00:27:34.440
 be the

00:27:34.440 --> 00:27:34.740
 glory

00:27:34.740 --> 00:27:35.539
 forevermore.

00:27:35.720 --> 00:27:35.980
 Amen.

00:27:37.159 --> 00:27:38.359
 I am so

00:27:38.359 --> 00:27:40.039
 amazed that

00:27:40.039 --> 00:27:40.579
 you are so

00:27:40.579 --> 00:27:41.440
 quickly deserting

00:27:41.440 --> 00:27:41.960
 him who

00:27:41.960 --> 00:27:42.599
 called you

00:27:42.599 --> 00:27:43.559
 by the grace

00:27:43.559 --> 00:27:44.139
 of Christ

00:27:44.139 --> 00:27:45.359
 for a

00:27:45.359 --> 00:27:45.579
 different

00:27:45.579 --> 00:27:46.000
 gospel.

00:27:47.279 --> 00:27:48.139
 Paul uses

00:27:48.139 --> 00:27:48.940
 incredibly

00:27:48.940 --> 00:27:50.139
 strong language

00:27:50.139 --> 00:27:50.480
 here.

00:27:51.419 --> 00:27:51.859
 And he says

00:27:51.859 --> 00:27:52.460
 guys you were

00:27:52.460 --> 00:27:52.899
 walking,

00:27:53.240 --> 00:27:53.460
 you were

00:27:53.460 --> 00:27:53.740
 running,

00:27:54.019 --> 00:27:54.379
 you knew

00:27:54.379 --> 00:27:54.700
 what it

00:27:54.700 --> 00:27:55.039
 meant to

00:27:55.039 --> 00:27:55.319
 put your

00:27:55.319 --> 00:27:55.720
 faith and

00:27:55.720 --> 00:27:56.119
 trust in

00:27:56.119 --> 00:27:56.799
 Christ and

00:27:56.799 --> 00:27:57.200
 all of a

00:27:57.200 --> 00:27:57.480
 sudden these

00:27:57.480 --> 00:27:57.899
 men come

00:27:57.899 --> 00:27:58.440
 in and

00:27:58.440 --> 00:27:59.079
 without blinking

00:27:59.079 --> 00:28:00.019
 an eye I'm

00:28:00.019 --> 00:28:00.480
 amazed,

00:28:00.599 --> 00:28:01.319
 I'm astonished,

00:28:01.519 --> 00:28:02.319
 I'm shocked

00:28:02.319 --> 00:28:03.059
 that you've

00:28:03.059 --> 00:28:03.519
 gone to this

00:28:03.519 --> 00:28:03.799
 gospel.

00:28:03.879 --> 00:28:04.059
 And the

00:28:04.059 --> 00:28:04.599
 gospel isn't

00:28:04.599 --> 00:28:04.940
 a different

00:28:04.940 --> 00:28:05.279
 gospel,

00:28:05.619 --> 00:28:06.099
 it's a

00:28:06.099 --> 00:28:07.039
 false gospel.

00:28:08.119 --> 00:28:08.400
 I mean these

00:28:08.400 --> 00:28:08.759
 guys had

00:28:08.759 --> 00:28:09.220
 come in and

00:28:09.220 --> 00:28:09.599
 they'd taken

00:28:09.599 --> 00:28:10.119
 the Bible

00:28:10.119 --> 00:28:11.539
 and they'd

00:28:11.539 --> 00:28:12.240
 laid Judaism

00:28:12.240 --> 00:28:12.740
 on it.

00:28:13.740 --> 00:28:14.059
 And so the

00:28:14.059 --> 00:28:14.660
 Bible is good

00:28:14.660 --> 00:28:14.900
 but you've

00:28:14.900 --> 00:28:15.180
 got to make

00:28:15.180 --> 00:28:15.599
 sure that you

00:28:15.599 --> 00:28:16.139
 practice all

00:28:16.139 --> 00:28:16.579
 the rules

00:28:16.579 --> 00:28:16.879
 too.

00:28:17.720 --> 00:28:18.019
 You've got to

00:28:18.019 --> 00:28:18.319
 make sure you

00:28:18.319 --> 00:28:18.680
 do all the

00:28:18.680 --> 00:28:19.039
 ceremonies,

00:28:19.139 --> 00:28:19.299
 you've got to

00:28:19.299 --> 00:28:19.680
 make sure you're

00:28:19.680 --> 00:28:20.460
 clean, you've

00:28:20.460 --> 00:28:20.799
 got to do all

00:28:20.799 --> 00:28:21.619
 these things and

00:28:21.619 --> 00:28:22.160
 if you do all

00:28:22.160 --> 00:28:22.759
 these things then

00:28:22.759 --> 00:28:23.279
 you'll understand

00:28:23.279 --> 00:28:23.960
 everything that's

00:28:23.960 --> 00:28:24.440
 going on in

00:28:24.440 --> 00:28:25.000
 this word.

00:28:25.000 --> 00:28:27.319
 And Paul

00:28:27.319 --> 00:28:28.440
 says don't

00:28:28.440 --> 00:28:28.880
 listen to

00:28:28.880 --> 00:28:32.359
 them because

00:28:32.359 --> 00:28:32.920
 they're changing

00:28:32.920 --> 00:28:33.440
 this.

00:28:35.059 --> 00:28:35.539
 And this

00:28:35.539 --> 00:28:35.960
 should be the

00:28:35.960 --> 00:28:36.380
 thing that goes

00:28:36.380 --> 00:28:37.079
 above everything.

00:28:37.619 --> 00:28:38.220
 It goes above

00:28:38.220 --> 00:28:38.920
 our family, it

00:28:38.920 --> 00:28:39.380
 goes above what

00:28:39.380 --> 00:28:40.000
 we believe, it

00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:40.579
 goes above where

00:28:40.579 --> 00:28:41.059
 we work.

00:28:43.980 --> 00:28:44.940
 In Paul's day

00:28:44.940 --> 00:28:45.680
 it was Judaism,

00:28:46.039 --> 00:28:46.660
 maybe today

00:28:46.660 --> 00:28:49.259
 people put the

00:28:49.259 --> 00:28:49.799
 Book of Mormon.

00:28:49.799 --> 00:28:52.960
 Maybe somebody

00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:53.859
 you've heard puts

00:28:53.859 --> 00:28:55.259
 Scientology tracks

00:28:55.259 --> 00:28:55.799
 or Jehovah

00:28:55.799 --> 00:28:56.579
 Witnesses watch

00:28:56.579 --> 00:28:57.299
 tower up there.

00:28:58.539 --> 00:28:59.200
 Maybe some of

00:28:59.200 --> 00:29:00.079
 us put Marxist

00:29:00.079 --> 00:29:00.720
 doctrine or

00:29:00.720 --> 00:29:01.659
 communist belief.

00:29:03.000 --> 00:29:03.779
 Maybe some of

00:29:03.779 --> 00:29:05.680
 us put our

00:29:05.680 --> 00:29:06.919
 own personal

00:29:06.919 --> 00:29:07.759
 experience.

00:29:09.319 --> 00:29:09.599
 Well I know

00:29:09.599 --> 00:29:10.059
 that's what it

00:29:10.059 --> 00:29:10.519
 says but you

00:29:10.519 --> 00:29:10.960
 know I've never

00:29:10.960 --> 00:29:11.960
 really felt that.

00:29:13.599 --> 00:29:14.000
 Well I know

00:29:14.000 --> 00:29:14.519
 that's what it

00:29:14.519 --> 00:29:15.019
 said but that's

00:29:15.019 --> 00:29:16.000
 totally unpractical.

00:29:16.839 --> 00:29:17.299
 Do I really

00:29:17.299 --> 00:29:17.779
 need to do

00:29:17.779 --> 00:29:18.119
 that?

00:29:19.799 --> 00:29:20.579
 And Paul says

00:29:20.579 --> 00:29:21.079
 these men have

00:29:21.079 --> 00:29:21.599
 come in and

00:29:21.599 --> 00:29:22.180
 they've placed

00:29:22.180 --> 00:29:23.440
 stuff above the

00:29:23.440 --> 00:29:24.220
 Bible and

00:29:24.220 --> 00:29:24.720
 they're reading

00:29:24.720 --> 00:29:25.720
 through those

00:29:25.720 --> 00:29:26.559
 things to

00:29:26.559 --> 00:29:27.220
 interpret the

00:29:27.220 --> 00:29:27.919
 scripture and

00:29:27.919 --> 00:29:28.599
 he says if you

00:29:28.599 --> 00:29:29.279
 do that you're

00:29:29.279 --> 00:29:30.059
 going to die.

00:29:33.000 --> 00:29:33.700
 Does that sound

00:29:33.700 --> 00:29:34.159
 intense?

00:29:35.539 --> 00:29:36.059
 I mean when you

00:29:36.059 --> 00:29:36.539
 read this you're

00:29:36.539 --> 00:29:38.419
 like whoa, these

00:29:38.419 --> 00:29:39.359
 are strong words.

00:29:42.579 --> 00:29:43.240
 Because he knew

00:29:43.240 --> 00:29:43.779
 that what was in

00:29:43.779 --> 00:29:44.700
 here was so

00:29:44.700 --> 00:29:46.039
 precious that if

00:29:46.039 --> 00:29:46.700
 you take it and

00:29:46.700 --> 00:29:47.639
 you change it just

00:29:47.639 --> 00:29:48.339
 a little bit,

00:29:48.339 --> 00:29:50.500
 you lose the

00:29:50.500 --> 00:29:51.419
 power of God's

00:29:51.419 --> 00:29:52.259
 spirit, you lose

00:29:52.259 --> 00:29:53.019
 the power of

00:29:53.019 --> 00:29:54.039
 Jesus Christ, you

00:29:54.039 --> 00:29:55.039
 lose the reason why

00:29:55.039 --> 00:29:55.879
 Christ died on a

00:29:55.879 --> 00:29:56.679
 cross for us.

00:29:58.599 --> 00:29:59.199
 And so he's

00:29:59.199 --> 00:29:59.939
 warning them very

00:29:59.939 --> 00:30:00.240
 heavily.

00:30:01.220 --> 00:30:01.939
 In verse 7 he

00:30:01.939 --> 00:30:03.419
 says it's not just a

00:30:03.419 --> 00:30:04.220
 different gospel but

00:30:04.220 --> 00:30:05.179
 it's really not

00:30:05.179 --> 00:30:05.539
 another.

00:30:06.579 --> 00:30:07.500
 Only there are some

00:30:07.500 --> 00:30:08.220
 who are disturbing

00:30:08.220 --> 00:30:08.919
 you and they want

00:30:08.919 --> 00:30:09.980
 to distort and that

00:30:09.980 --> 00:30:11.679
 word is pervert to

00:30:11.679 --> 00:30:12.659
 change to make

00:30:12.659 --> 00:30:14.000
 look unrecognizable

00:30:14.000 --> 00:30:14.740
 the gospel of

00:30:14.740 --> 00:30:15.119
 Christ.

00:30:15.119 --> 00:30:17.079
 Christ, he

00:30:17.079 --> 00:30:17.719
 goes on and he

00:30:17.719 --> 00:30:18.519
 says these words

00:30:18.519 --> 00:30:20.039
 be careful of

00:30:20.039 --> 00:30:20.639
 these people.

00:30:23.299 --> 00:30:24.119
 Basically what he's

00:30:24.119 --> 00:30:24.679
 saying is if you

00:30:24.679 --> 00:30:25.619
 change the gospel

00:30:25.619 --> 00:30:27.399
 you lose the

00:30:27.399 --> 00:30:27.719
 gospel.

00:30:29.679 --> 00:30:30.479
 Basically what he's

00:30:30.479 --> 00:30:31.479
 saying is every one

00:30:31.479 --> 00:30:33.519
 of us have a choice

00:30:33.519 --> 00:30:33.919
 in here.

00:30:35.459 --> 00:30:36.739
 We can place our

00:30:36.739 --> 00:30:39.299
 life in our

00:30:39.299 --> 00:30:40.939
 future in the

00:30:40.939 --> 00:30:43.779
 hands of God or we

00:30:43.779 --> 00:30:44.420
 can place our

00:30:44.420 --> 00:30:46.339
 life and our

00:30:46.339 --> 00:30:48.359
 future in our

00:30:48.359 --> 00:30:48.720
 hands.

00:30:51.160 --> 00:30:51.799
 And Paul says

00:30:51.799 --> 00:30:53.000
 there's only two

00:30:53.000 --> 00:30:53.680
 choices there.

00:30:53.740 --> 00:30:54.500
 You have to choose

00:30:54.500 --> 00:30:55.079
 which one are you

00:30:55.079 --> 00:30:55.420
 going to do?

00:30:55.639 --> 00:30:56.059
 Are you going to

00:30:56.059 --> 00:30:56.599
 choose God?

00:30:56.660 --> 00:30:57.019
 Are you going to

00:30:57.019 --> 00:30:58.000
 choose man?

00:30:58.059 --> 00:30:58.579
 And he says be

00:30:58.579 --> 00:31:00.480
 careful because when

00:31:00.480 --> 00:31:01.339
 these false gospels

00:31:01.339 --> 00:31:01.899
 come in what they

00:31:01.899 --> 00:31:02.579
 tend to do is they

00:31:02.579 --> 00:31:03.359
 diminish your

00:31:03.359 --> 00:31:03.920
 sinfulness.

00:31:05.180 --> 00:31:05.899
 And they look at

00:31:05.899 --> 00:31:06.359
 you and say you

00:31:06.359 --> 00:31:06.779
 know you're really

00:31:06.779 --> 00:31:07.539
 not that bad.

00:31:08.399 --> 00:31:08.879
 I mean if you just

00:31:08.879 --> 00:31:09.299
 went to a couple

00:31:09.299 --> 00:31:09.940
 more Bible studies

00:31:09.940 --> 00:31:10.559
 you'd be great.

00:31:12.039 --> 00:31:12.440
 You know you're

00:31:12.440 --> 00:31:13.180
 really not that

00:31:13.180 --> 00:31:13.640
 sinful.

00:31:15.039 --> 00:31:16.680
 I mean those

00:31:16.680 --> 00:31:17.440
 really conservative

00:31:17.440 --> 00:31:18.400
 Christians think you

00:31:18.400 --> 00:31:19.880
 are but you're

00:31:19.880 --> 00:31:20.400
 really not.

00:31:21.620 --> 00:31:22.299
 I mean you can fix

00:31:22.299 --> 00:31:22.700
 yourself.

00:31:24.019 --> 00:31:24.840
 You can do it.

00:31:24.920 --> 00:31:25.799
 I mean don't worry

00:31:25.799 --> 00:31:26.080
 about that.

00:31:26.160 --> 00:31:26.640
 And you know God

00:31:26.640 --> 00:31:27.779
 we used to think he's

00:31:27.779 --> 00:31:28.440
 really big but he's

00:31:28.440 --> 00:31:29.059
 really kind of like

00:31:29.059 --> 00:31:29.460
 that.

00:31:31.100 --> 00:31:32.440
 In fact God you want

00:31:32.440 --> 00:31:33.600
 to get God so small

00:31:33.600 --> 00:31:34.220
 that you can put him

00:31:34.220 --> 00:31:36.559
 in your pocket and

00:31:36.559 --> 00:31:37.140
 you can carry him

00:31:37.140 --> 00:31:37.519
 around.

00:31:38.900 --> 00:31:39.460
 And so when you need

00:31:39.460 --> 00:31:39.900
 him you can bring

00:31:39.900 --> 00:31:40.420
 him out and you can

00:31:40.420 --> 00:31:41.220
 rub on him and blow.

00:31:41.660 --> 00:31:42.380
 Okay I need this.

00:31:42.440 --> 00:31:44.680
 That's moral

00:31:44.680 --> 00:31:45.559
 therapeutic deism

00:31:45.559 --> 00:31:45.920
 right?

00:31:47.100 --> 00:31:48.019
 And Paul says be

00:31:48.019 --> 00:31:49.420
 careful how you

00:31:49.420 --> 00:31:50.539
 choose your gospels

00:31:50.539 --> 00:31:51.700
 because there's not

00:31:51.700 --> 00:31:53.180
 two different gospels

00:31:53.180 --> 00:31:54.019
 there's not three

00:31:54.019 --> 00:31:54.700
 different gospels

00:31:54.700 --> 00:31:56.640
 there's one gospel.

00:31:58.240 --> 00:31:59.180
 He goes on in

00:31:59.180 --> 00:32:00.200
 really strong words

00:32:00.200 --> 00:32:01.180
 in verses 8 and 9

00:32:01.180 --> 00:32:02.340
 he says but even

00:32:02.340 --> 00:32:04.559
 if we Paul

00:32:04.559 --> 00:32:07.039
 Tobin the elders

00:32:07.039 --> 00:32:08.299
 of Watermark the

00:32:08.299 --> 00:32:08.980
 elders and leaders

00:32:08.980 --> 00:32:09.740
 of any church you

00:32:09.740 --> 00:32:11.120
 go to even if we

00:32:11.119 --> 00:32:12.219
 are an angel from

00:32:12.219 --> 00:32:12.559
 heaven.

00:32:14.639 --> 00:32:15.659
 How did Mormonism

00:32:15.659 --> 00:32:16.019
 start?

00:32:17.759 --> 00:32:18.719
 An angel from

00:32:18.719 --> 00:32:19.399
 heaven came

00:32:19.399 --> 00:32:21.479
 and they had a

00:32:21.479 --> 00:32:22.019
 special book

00:32:22.019 --> 00:32:24.019
 and they wanted to

00:32:24.019 --> 00:32:24.539
 give the leaders

00:32:24.539 --> 00:32:26.259
 and they said if you

00:32:26.259 --> 00:32:26.959
 put this book on top

00:32:26.959 --> 00:32:27.439
 of the Bible

00:32:27.439 --> 00:32:29.079
 you're going to

00:32:29.079 --> 00:32:29.899
 understand everything.

00:32:31.899 --> 00:32:32.519
 And Paul says be

00:32:32.519 --> 00:32:33.500
 careful of that.

00:32:33.699 --> 00:32:34.639
 Even if an angel

00:32:34.639 --> 00:32:35.599
 appears before you

00:32:35.599 --> 00:32:36.899
 and they say something

00:32:36.899 --> 00:32:37.839
 different than what I've

00:32:37.839 --> 00:32:39.119
 said if they preach a

00:32:39.119 --> 00:32:39.959
 gospel contrary to

00:32:39.959 --> 00:32:40.599
 what you've preached

00:32:40.599 --> 00:32:42.119
 he is to be cursed

00:32:42.119 --> 00:32:42.699
 and the word is

00:32:42.699 --> 00:32:43.399
 damned and it's one

00:32:43.399 --> 00:32:43.879
 of the strongest

00:32:43.879 --> 00:32:44.619
 words in Greek.

00:32:45.720 --> 00:32:46.379
 To be lost.

00:32:47.899 --> 00:32:48.679
 So be careful who

00:32:48.679 --> 00:32:49.279
 you let in.

00:32:49.539 --> 00:32:49.980
 Be careful who

00:32:49.980 --> 00:32:50.539
 teaches to you.

00:32:50.619 --> 00:32:51.179
 Be careful what you

00:32:51.179 --> 00:32:51.659
 listen to.

00:32:51.959 --> 00:32:52.579
 Be careful what you

00:32:52.579 --> 00:32:53.759
 read besides your

00:32:53.759 --> 00:32:54.939
 scripture because those

00:32:54.939 --> 00:32:55.539
 things are going to

00:32:55.539 --> 00:32:56.439
 filter everything that

00:32:56.439 --> 00:32:56.959
 you read.

00:32:58.759 --> 00:32:59.799
 And be careful of

00:32:59.799 --> 00:33:01.720
 that or you're in

00:33:01.720 --> 00:33:02.039
 trouble.

00:33:03.459 --> 00:33:04.819
 Paul in 9 goes on

00:33:04.819 --> 00:33:05.480
 and he says again

00:33:05.480 --> 00:33:06.339
 let them be damned.

00:33:06.459 --> 00:33:07.240
 Let them be accursed.

00:33:07.240 --> 00:33:08.880
 He later on in

00:33:08.880 --> 00:33:09.720
 Galatians basically

00:33:09.720 --> 00:33:10.420
 says that you're

00:33:10.420 --> 00:33:11.680
 teaching death.

00:33:15.019 --> 00:33:15.779
 They're teaching

00:33:15.779 --> 00:33:16.680
 poison to you.

00:33:18.880 --> 00:33:19.720
 You know eight

00:33:19.720 --> 00:33:20.380
 years ago I had a

00:33:20.380 --> 00:33:22.940
 heart attack and I

00:33:22.940 --> 00:33:23.779
 still take heart

00:33:23.779 --> 00:33:24.440
 medicine today.

00:33:26.680 --> 00:33:27.460
 What do you think

00:33:27.460 --> 00:33:28.420
 would happen if all

00:33:28.420 --> 00:33:28.839
 of a sudden I

00:33:28.839 --> 00:33:29.640
 realized that the

00:33:29.640 --> 00:33:30.319
 heart medicine I

00:33:30.319 --> 00:33:30.900
 was taking was

00:33:30.900 --> 00:33:31.500
 counterfeit?

00:33:34.220 --> 00:33:34.960
 You think that

00:33:34.960 --> 00:33:35.240
 would be something

00:33:35.240 --> 00:33:35.579
 I should be

00:33:35.579 --> 00:33:36.279
 concerned about?

00:33:38.000 --> 00:33:38.779
 I mean the thing

00:33:38.779 --> 00:33:39.500
 that I was hoping

00:33:39.500 --> 00:33:39.880
 that was going to

00:33:39.880 --> 00:33:40.720
 give me life, the

00:33:40.720 --> 00:33:41.220
 thing that I was

00:33:41.220 --> 00:33:41.660
 hoping that was

00:33:41.660 --> 00:33:42.140
 going to make my

00:33:42.140 --> 00:33:43.180
 life better, it was

00:33:43.180 --> 00:33:43.900
 going to extend me,

00:33:43.960 --> 00:33:44.319
 it was going to

00:33:44.319 --> 00:33:44.740
 heal me.

00:33:44.980 --> 00:33:45.960
 What if I found out

00:33:45.960 --> 00:33:46.779
 that the thing, the

00:33:46.779 --> 00:33:47.640
 medicine I was taking

00:33:47.640 --> 00:33:48.400
 was counterfeit?

00:33:50.480 --> 00:33:51.200
 It was actually

00:33:51.200 --> 00:33:51.700
 poison.

00:33:55.200 --> 00:33:56.059
 Should I react to

00:33:56.059 --> 00:33:56.259
 that?

00:33:56.259 --> 00:33:59.960
 that's one of the

00:33:59.960 --> 00:34:00.640
 first things my wife

00:34:00.640 --> 00:34:00.859
 said.

00:34:00.940 --> 00:34:01.660
 She goes, now where

00:34:01.660 --> 00:34:02.119
 are you buying that

00:34:02.119 --> 00:34:02.440
 medicine?

00:34:03.319 --> 00:34:03.759
 You need to get that

00:34:03.759 --> 00:34:05.680
 checked out because I

00:34:05.680 --> 00:34:06.400
 wanted to make sure that

00:34:06.400 --> 00:34:07.259
 what I was taking was

00:34:07.259 --> 00:34:08.099
 real and true.

00:34:09.639 --> 00:34:10.840
 And Paul says to the

00:34:10.840 --> 00:34:11.619
 church and he says to

00:34:11.619 --> 00:34:13.059
 us, in the same way,

00:34:13.360 --> 00:34:14.219
 you guys need to make

00:34:14.219 --> 00:34:14.780
 sure that what you're

00:34:14.780 --> 00:34:15.519
 taking, what you're

00:34:15.519 --> 00:34:16.800
 believing is real and

00:34:16.800 --> 00:34:17.880
 true because you might

00:34:17.880 --> 00:34:19.820
 be taking something that

00:34:19.820 --> 00:34:23.519
 you think is life and it's

00:34:23.519 --> 00:34:24.199
 going to kill you.

00:34:26.259 --> 00:34:27.159
 It's going to work you

00:34:27.159 --> 00:34:27.579
 to death.

00:34:28.860 --> 00:34:29.579
 It's going to make you

00:34:29.579 --> 00:34:30.039
 feel like you got to do

00:34:30.039 --> 00:34:30.800
 all these things.

00:34:31.639 --> 00:34:32.179
 It's going to make you

00:34:32.179 --> 00:34:32.840
 feel like you can do

00:34:32.840 --> 00:34:33.619
 whatever you want because

00:34:33.619 --> 00:34:34.239
 you're going to heaven

00:34:34.239 --> 00:34:35.159
 because Jesus loves you.

00:34:35.480 --> 00:34:36.059
 He's my dude.

00:34:37.679 --> 00:34:38.639
 Paul says be careful.

00:34:41.000 --> 00:34:41.940
 Examine your life.

00:34:42.139 --> 00:34:43.079
 Examine your actions.

00:34:43.280 --> 00:34:44.119
 Examine your heart.

00:34:44.659 --> 00:34:45.460
 What do you really

00:34:45.460 --> 00:34:46.519
 believe and how are you

00:34:46.519 --> 00:34:47.639
 really living that out?

00:34:48.019 --> 00:34:49.400
 Does grace in the

00:34:49.400 --> 00:34:51.340
 gospel message change

00:34:51.340 --> 00:34:52.599
 anything?

00:34:53.519 --> 00:34:55.119
 that you think or do.

00:34:58.619 --> 00:34:59.659
 And Paul says if it

00:34:59.659 --> 00:35:02.320
 doesn't, then you're

00:35:02.320 --> 00:35:03.519
 probably taking poison.

00:35:05.900 --> 00:35:06.800
 And ultimately it's

00:35:06.800 --> 00:35:07.440
 going to kill you.

00:35:10.300 --> 00:35:11.480
 And the hard thing about

00:35:11.480 --> 00:35:12.519
 this type of poison is

00:35:12.519 --> 00:35:14.219
 it's spiritual death.

00:35:17.340 --> 00:35:18.559
 And it can be passed on

00:35:18.559 --> 00:35:19.440
 to those around you.

00:35:21.380 --> 00:35:22.780
 So Paul says be careful.

00:35:22.780 --> 00:35:23.519
 Make sure you're taking

00:35:23.519 --> 00:35:24.340
 the genuine gospel.

00:35:24.820 --> 00:35:25.500
 Make sure you understand

00:35:25.500 --> 00:35:25.860
 what it is.

00:35:26.120 --> 00:35:27.180
 And the true gospel I think

00:35:27.180 --> 00:35:28.420
 is found in verse 3 through 5

00:35:28.420 --> 00:35:29.200
 and we're going to end here.

00:35:29.680 --> 00:35:30.500
 Because if you just take

00:35:30.500 --> 00:35:32.260
 verse 4, that is the whole

00:35:32.260 --> 00:35:33.220
 message of this passage.

00:35:33.300 --> 00:35:34.040
 That's the whole message

00:35:34.040 --> 00:35:35.080
 of the book of Galatians.

00:35:36.100 --> 00:35:37.760
 The true gospel is this.

00:35:38.200 --> 00:35:39.660
 Verse 4, it tells us what.

00:35:39.940 --> 00:35:40.980
 What did Jesus do?

00:35:41.320 --> 00:35:42.100
 Jesus came.

00:35:42.220 --> 00:35:43.040
 Read that again with me.

00:35:43.420 --> 00:35:44.580
 Jesus came to give himself

00:35:44.580 --> 00:35:46.180
 for our sins so that he

00:35:46.180 --> 00:35:47.120
 might rescue us.

00:35:47.280 --> 00:35:48.260
 What did he come to do?

00:35:48.800 --> 00:35:49.980
 He came to rescue us.

00:35:49.980 --> 00:35:53.219
 I mean, Christianity is

00:35:53.219 --> 00:35:55.059
 the only religion in the

00:35:55.059 --> 00:35:56.179
 world where the leader

00:35:56.179 --> 00:35:57.920
 sacrifices himself.

00:35:58.099 --> 00:35:59.480
 He jumps in the water

00:35:59.480 --> 00:36:00.940
 to rescue the people.

00:36:01.900 --> 00:36:03.260
 Every other religion says,

00:36:03.599 --> 00:36:04.159
 hey, you're drowning?

00:36:04.840 --> 00:36:05.519
 Here, let me give you this

00:36:05.519 --> 00:36:05.760
 book.

00:36:05.820 --> 00:36:06.519
 I'll teach you how to swim.

00:36:07.740 --> 00:36:08.679
 Turn to page 48.

00:36:09.280 --> 00:36:09.800
 Really quickly.

00:36:10.679 --> 00:36:10.920
 Okay.

00:36:11.119 --> 00:36:11.980
 If you do that, you're saved.

00:36:12.679 --> 00:36:13.920
 Every other religion says,

00:36:14.019 --> 00:36:14.559
 do that.

00:36:14.679 --> 00:36:15.400
 Let me give you something

00:36:15.400 --> 00:36:16.139
 and you're going to learn

00:36:16.139 --> 00:36:17.119
 how to be good yourself.

00:36:17.119 --> 00:36:19.659
 But Christianity, the gospel

00:36:19.659 --> 00:36:21.559
 message is that Jesus Christ

00:36:21.559 --> 00:36:24.319
 came and he rescued you.

00:36:25.900 --> 00:36:27.440
 He jumped in the water.

00:36:27.980 --> 00:36:28.940
 And not only did he jump

00:36:28.940 --> 00:36:30.679
 in the water, he pushed you

00:36:30.679 --> 00:36:32.079
 out of the water into a

00:36:32.079 --> 00:36:32.500
 lifeboat.

00:36:33.619 --> 00:36:34.880
 And not only did he push you

00:36:34.880 --> 00:36:35.900
 out of the water into the

00:36:35.900 --> 00:36:37.199
 lifeboat, as he did that,

00:36:37.259 --> 00:36:37.799
 he died.

00:36:42.799 --> 00:36:43.559
 He died.

00:36:43.559 --> 00:36:43.599
 He died.

00:36:47.119 --> 00:36:47.980
 When we were praying about

00:36:47.980 --> 00:36:49.839
 starting Watermark, I met

00:36:49.839 --> 00:36:52.239
 with two professors at the

00:36:52.239 --> 00:36:53.019
 University of Hong Kong.

00:36:53.119 --> 00:36:54.259
 We prayed and we dreamed

00:36:54.259 --> 00:36:55.000
 about what it would look

00:36:55.000 --> 00:36:55.900
 like to have a college

00:36:55.900 --> 00:36:56.480
 ministry there.

00:36:56.519 --> 00:36:57.259
 We had no leaders.

00:36:57.400 --> 00:36:58.079
 We had no idea.

00:36:58.179 --> 00:36:59.059
 We knew what was going on.

00:36:59.460 --> 00:37:00.400
 One of those guys was Chris

00:37:00.400 --> 00:37:00.679
 Beeling.

00:37:00.819 --> 00:37:02.699
 And as we sat in TGI Fridays

00:37:02.699 --> 00:37:03.539
 and we talked about it and

00:37:03.539 --> 00:37:04.219
 we dreamed about it and we

00:37:04.219 --> 00:37:05.380
 wrote down on that, little

00:37:05.380 --> 00:37:06.779
 did I know that that summer,

00:37:08.059 --> 00:37:09.460
 he would no longer be here.

00:37:10.579 --> 00:37:11.839
 Because as he went swimming

00:37:11.839 --> 00:37:13.059
 with his friends, his

00:37:13.059 --> 00:37:13.880
 relatives, and one of the

00:37:13.880 --> 00:37:14.880
 nieces got caught in his

00:37:14.880 --> 00:37:16.099
 undertow and was going to

00:37:16.099 --> 00:37:17.759
 drown and he ran out and he

00:37:17.759 --> 00:37:19.679
 swam out and he saved his

00:37:19.679 --> 00:37:22.259
 niece and he brought her out

00:37:22.259 --> 00:37:23.239
 of the water and in doing

00:37:23.239 --> 00:37:24.079
 that he had a heart attack

00:37:24.079 --> 00:37:24.619
 and he died.

00:37:30.219 --> 00:37:31.420
 So he's not with us anymore.

00:37:33.400 --> 00:37:35.639
 And in the same way, Paul says

00:37:35.639 --> 00:37:36.500
 to the church of Galatians,

00:37:36.799 --> 00:37:37.920
 this is what Jesus does.

00:37:38.000 --> 00:37:38.940
 He jumps into the water.

00:37:39.279 --> 00:37:40.119
 He rescues us.

00:37:40.179 --> 00:37:41.199
 He doesn't teach us how to be

00:37:41.199 --> 00:37:41.559
 rescued.

00:37:41.880 --> 00:37:43.619
 He rescues us and he shows us

00:37:43.619 --> 00:37:45.799
 that we need him and we only

00:37:45.799 --> 00:37:46.980
 can make it with him.

00:37:51.079 --> 00:37:52.519
 Jesus jumps in and he throws

00:37:52.519 --> 00:37:53.500
 himself into the water.

00:37:54.739 --> 00:37:55.940
 How does he do that or what

00:37:55.940 --> 00:37:56.859
 does he do to save us?

00:37:56.920 --> 00:37:58.659
 He says, it says in verse 4,

00:37:58.739 --> 00:38:00.960
 he gave himself for our sins.

00:38:01.880 --> 00:38:03.380
 So he gives himself for our

00:38:03.380 --> 00:38:03.539
 sins.

00:38:03.619 --> 00:38:04.960
 In Greek it says he gives

00:38:04.960 --> 00:38:06.880
 himself on behalf of our sins.

00:38:09.039 --> 00:38:11.420
 Jesus dies in our place.

00:38:11.420 --> 00:38:13.200
 He doesn't die in our place to

00:38:13.200 --> 00:38:14.260
 give us a second chance.

00:38:16.420 --> 00:38:18.760
 He dies in our place to give us

00:38:18.760 --> 00:38:19.079
 life.

00:38:21.000 --> 00:38:22.220
 Because if he had a second chance

00:38:22.220 --> 00:38:22.900
 you would ruin it.

00:38:25.000 --> 00:38:26.840
 And what the gospel says is he

00:38:26.840 --> 00:38:29.039
 jumps in the water and he saves

00:38:29.039 --> 00:38:29.300
 us.

00:38:29.380 --> 00:38:31.119
 He saves us by dying for our

00:38:31.119 --> 00:38:32.820
 sins to give us a second chance.

00:38:33.240 --> 00:38:34.680
 And in verse 5 he says, why does

00:38:34.680 --> 00:38:35.340
 he save us?

00:38:36.559 --> 00:38:37.900
 According to the will of God our

00:38:37.900 --> 00:38:38.200
 father.

00:38:39.400 --> 00:38:41.460
 To whom be the glory forever and

00:38:41.460 --> 00:38:41.720
 ever.

00:38:42.340 --> 00:38:42.660
 Amen.

00:38:44.660 --> 00:38:45.420
 It's grace.

00:38:47.559 --> 00:38:49.300
 You and I are here right now not

00:38:49.300 --> 00:38:50.500
 because we're cool and not because

00:38:50.500 --> 00:38:52.380
 God thought he really needed to

00:38:52.380 --> 00:38:53.300
 save us because he needed an

00:38:53.300 --> 00:38:54.139
 accountant as a Christian.

00:38:54.480 --> 00:38:56.800
 He just came in and he saved us.

00:38:58.760 --> 00:39:00.780
 His grace poured out upon us on

00:39:00.780 --> 00:39:02.500
 the cross and the reason that we're

00:39:02.500 --> 00:39:04.400
 here is because of God's glory.

00:39:04.400 --> 00:39:08.360
 In God's goodness.

00:39:09.800 --> 00:39:10.980
 In God's mercy.

00:39:12.280 --> 00:39:13.380
 In God's grace.

00:39:13.660 --> 00:39:15.000
 And Paul wants us to remember

00:39:15.000 --> 00:39:15.200
 that.

00:39:15.280 --> 00:39:16.740
 He wants to challenge us to say

00:39:16.740 --> 00:39:18.579
 don't forget the gospel.

00:39:19.559 --> 00:39:21.019
 Don't forget the messages that

00:39:21.019 --> 00:39:21.760
 Jesus rescues.

00:39:21.860 --> 00:39:22.860
 Don't forget the messages that

00:39:22.860 --> 00:39:23.400
 Jesus sacrifices.

00:39:24.260 --> 00:39:25.420
 Don't forget the messages that

00:39:25.420 --> 00:39:26.680
 Jesus did it.

00:39:28.539 --> 00:39:29.660
 Because he just did it.

00:39:31.260 --> 00:39:32.480
 And the reason you and I are

00:39:32.480 --> 00:39:34.220
 sitting here is not because we

00:39:34.219 --> 00:39:35.619
 have our acts together because I

00:39:35.619 --> 00:39:36.939
 know you and you know me and we

00:39:36.939 --> 00:39:37.919
 don't have our acts together.

00:39:38.199 --> 00:39:39.399
 The reason we sit here is because

00:39:39.399 --> 00:39:42.139
 God poured out his mercy and his

00:39:42.139 --> 00:39:42.799
 grace on us.

00:39:45.199 --> 00:39:46.779
 And that's the message that Paul

00:39:46.779 --> 00:39:48.079
 wants the church to take away.

00:39:48.379 --> 00:39:49.519
 That's the message that he wants

00:39:49.519 --> 00:39:50.059
 us to remember.

00:39:50.419 --> 00:39:51.619
 That's the message that we walk

00:39:51.619 --> 00:39:53.000
 through our daily lives and we

00:39:53.000 --> 00:39:54.699
 don't just enter into Christian

00:39:54.699 --> 00:39:56.899
 family and life through God's

00:39:56.899 --> 00:39:58.679
 blood but we walk every day

00:39:58.679 --> 00:39:59.399
 through his blood.

00:40:00.119 --> 00:40:01.439
 When we feel that emptiness in

00:40:01.439 --> 00:40:03.099
 our life we have to realize that

00:40:03.099 --> 00:40:04.579
 that emptiness is there because

00:40:04.579 --> 00:40:05.860
 there's a void and that void can

00:40:05.860 --> 00:40:08.719
 only be filled by Christ in the

00:40:08.719 --> 00:40:09.039
 gospel.

00:40:11.319 --> 00:40:12.339
 Some of us are going to feel that

00:40:12.339 --> 00:40:12.900
 emptiness and we're going to

00:40:12.900 --> 00:40:14.019
 think well I can fill it with a

00:40:14.019 --> 00:40:15.619
 watch or I can fill it with going

00:40:15.619 --> 00:40:16.360
 to another Bible study.

00:40:16.400 --> 00:40:17.299
 I need to go to another church

00:40:17.299 --> 00:40:17.960
 today and really get that

00:40:17.960 --> 00:40:18.699
 emptiness filled up.

00:40:18.940 --> 00:40:20.259
 But the message that Paul is

00:40:20.259 --> 00:40:21.179
 trying to share to the church is

00:40:21.179 --> 00:40:22.559
 if you do that you're living a

00:40:22.559 --> 00:40:23.519
 false gospel.

00:40:25.279 --> 00:40:26.960
 And it will eventually kill you.

00:40:26.960 --> 00:40:30.699
 But the message is that as you

00:40:30.699 --> 00:40:32.220
 walk with him moment by moment

00:40:32.220 --> 00:40:34.380
 every day that his mercy, his

00:40:34.380 --> 00:40:36.159
 grace is poured out upon you.

00:40:36.440 --> 00:40:38.480
 He dances, he loves, he hugs.

00:40:38.820 --> 00:40:40.199
 The only time in heaven when

00:40:40.199 --> 00:40:41.619
 people stand, when Jesus stands,

00:40:41.780 --> 00:40:43.320
 is when people come to faith.

00:40:45.380 --> 00:40:46.760
 And Paul wants the church, he

00:40:46.760 --> 00:40:48.099
 wants us to understand that.

00:40:49.380 --> 00:40:50.679
 Because the minute we forget that,

00:40:50.720 --> 00:40:51.480
 the minute we just kind of go,

00:40:51.699 --> 00:40:52.980
 yeah, I'm saved.

00:40:52.980 --> 00:40:55.099
 What's for lunch?

00:40:56.960 --> 00:40:58.199
 Well, I'm saved and, you know,

00:40:58.240 --> 00:40:59.699
 I don't know if this is going to

00:40:59.699 --> 00:41:01.740
 affect my business transaction

00:41:01.740 --> 00:41:02.079
 today.

00:41:02.159 --> 00:41:03.139
 Maybe I can just put that in this

00:41:03.139 --> 00:41:03.740
 other compartment.

00:41:04.860 --> 00:41:06.059
 Well, I'm saved but I need to do

00:41:06.059 --> 00:41:07.099
 some more things just to make

00:41:07.099 --> 00:41:08.139
 sure that I'm really saved.

00:41:09.159 --> 00:41:10.360
 The minute we forget that,

00:41:10.880 --> 00:41:14.980
 Paul says we take poison instead

00:41:15.800 --> 00:41:16.280
 of life.

00:41:18.380 --> 00:41:20.260
 And I think we all struggle with

00:41:20.260 --> 00:41:20.559
 this.

00:41:20.559 --> 00:41:22.900
 I struggle with this every

00:41:22.900 --> 00:41:23.940
 moment of my day.

00:41:25.079 --> 00:41:27.420
 I have to ask myself, why is that

00:41:27.420 --> 00:41:29.480
 emptiness there and why am I not

00:41:29.480 --> 00:41:30.940
 allowing God to fill that up with

00:41:30.940 --> 00:41:31.340
 his son?

00:41:32.900 --> 00:41:34.679
 Do I really believe getting another

00:41:34.679 --> 00:41:36.019
 title or degree will fill that

00:41:36.019 --> 00:41:36.299
 emptiness?

00:41:38.679 --> 00:41:40.099
 Do I really believe getting more

00:41:40.099 --> 00:41:40.900
 money is going to fill that

00:41:40.900 --> 00:41:41.139
 emptiness?

00:41:42.900 --> 00:41:44.460
 And Paul is yelling and he's

00:41:44.460 --> 00:41:45.239
 shouting out and he's saying,

00:41:45.360 --> 00:41:46.840
 guys, be careful.

00:41:46.840 --> 00:41:50.360
 Paul, verse three, he says,

00:41:50.519 --> 00:41:52.880
 grace and peace from God, our

00:41:52.880 --> 00:41:53.880
 father and our Lord, Jesus

00:41:53.880 --> 00:41:54.380
 Christ.

00:41:54.760 --> 00:41:55.820
 And that's how the book of

00:41:55.820 --> 00:41:57.280
 Galatians is encapsulated.

00:41:57.620 --> 00:41:58.900
 It starts off with grace and

00:41:58.900 --> 00:42:00.640
 peace and it ends with grace and

00:42:00.640 --> 00:42:00.880
 peace.

00:42:01.120 --> 00:42:02.300
 And in the middle is gospel,

00:42:02.640 --> 00:42:04.240
 God's love, his sacrifice,

00:42:04.900 --> 00:42:06.240
 how much he's crazy about you,

00:42:06.460 --> 00:42:07.420
 how much he wants to go on a

00:42:07.420 --> 00:42:08.620
 journey with you, how much he

00:42:08.620 --> 00:42:09.640
 wants to write into your story,

00:42:09.800 --> 00:42:10.920
 how much he wants you to trust

00:42:10.920 --> 00:42:11.160
 him.

00:42:11.159 --> 00:42:13.059
 And the question is, will we do

00:42:13.059 --> 00:42:13.299
 that?

00:42:16.119 --> 00:42:19.719
 Will we surrender to him and allow

00:42:19.719 --> 00:42:20.420
 him to do that?

00:42:22.739 --> 00:42:24.960
 Or will we live a different

00:42:24.960 --> 00:42:25.339
 gospel?

00:42:27.859 --> 00:42:29.279
 The gospel of my invention.

00:42:32.399 --> 00:42:33.739
 You guys, you're going to be in

00:42:33.739 --> 00:42:35.559
 for an amazing ride these next five

00:42:35.559 --> 00:42:36.739
 weeks as we go through Galatians.

00:42:36.799 --> 00:42:37.799
 I want to encourage you to stick

00:42:37.799 --> 00:42:40.119
 with it, think about it, deal with

00:42:40.119 --> 00:42:41.380
 it, ask questions.

00:42:41.460 --> 00:42:42.219
 If I said something that makes

00:42:42.219 --> 00:42:43.859
 you angry, come up here and

00:42:43.859 --> 00:42:44.339
 punch me.

00:42:44.980 --> 00:42:46.239
 Not in the face, but in the arm,

00:42:46.299 --> 00:42:47.159
 okay, or something like that.

00:42:47.579 --> 00:42:48.699
 Let's talk about it.

00:42:48.980 --> 00:42:50.059
 Because you should be angry.

00:42:51.539 --> 00:42:52.679
 It should freak you out.

00:42:56.239 --> 00:42:57.359
 That's why Paul had to speak so

00:42:57.359 --> 00:42:57.719
 strongly.

00:42:59.239 --> 00:43:00.199
 Don't just walk away and go,

00:43:00.259 --> 00:43:01.099
 that was really cool, that was

00:43:01.099 --> 00:43:02.639
 just another sermon and I'll go

00:43:02.639 --> 00:43:03.619
 live my life the way I want to.

00:43:04.359 --> 00:43:05.599
 Paul says if you do that, you

00:43:05.599 --> 00:43:06.519
 take death.

00:43:06.519 --> 00:43:10.259
 And we don't want you to take

00:43:10.259 --> 00:43:10.619
 death.

00:43:12.880 --> 00:43:13.900
 We want you to take life.

00:43:15.920 --> 00:43:17.099
 Father, I just thank you for this

00:43:17.099 --> 00:43:17.440
 day.

00:43:18.280 --> 00:43:19.699
 I thank you for your word that is

00:43:19.699 --> 00:43:21.099
 incredibly powerful and

00:43:21.099 --> 00:43:21.500
 challenging.

00:43:22.559 --> 00:43:24.059
 I thank you how your spirit goes

00:43:24.059 --> 00:43:25.659
 out through your word and changes

00:43:25.659 --> 00:43:27.840
 people's lives and impacts them in

00:43:27.840 --> 00:43:29.759
 ways that we will never know until

00:43:29.759 --> 00:43:30.320
 we get to heaven.

00:43:33.320 --> 00:43:34.719
 Father, I pray for those of us in

00:43:34.719 --> 00:43:35.899
 here who are struggling with

00:43:35.899 --> 00:43:38.299
 performance and doing and feeling

00:43:38.299 --> 00:43:39.639
 like we just haven't done enough

00:43:39.639 --> 00:43:41.679
 and does God really accept me and

00:43:41.679 --> 00:43:46.139
 now my life is still crap and how's

00:43:46.139 --> 00:43:47.399
 that going to get fixed out and

00:43:47.399 --> 00:43:49.079
 surely God doesn't want to deal

00:43:49.079 --> 00:43:49.419
 with that.

00:43:49.579 --> 00:43:50.399
 He wants me to deal with it.

00:43:50.459 --> 00:43:51.319
 That's why I have all these books

00:43:51.319 --> 00:43:52.799
 to read and all these other

00:43:52.799 --> 00:43:53.939
 things and Father, I just pray for

00:43:53.939 --> 00:43:56.500
 those because we're all at places

00:43:56.500 --> 00:43:57.919
 like that sometime in our life.

00:43:59.359 --> 00:44:00.519
 And I pray that your spirit would

00:44:00.519 --> 00:44:01.639
 just enter into their life and they

00:44:01.639 --> 00:44:03.099
 would feel your gospel and your

00:44:03.099 --> 00:44:04.819
 presence and your love and your

00:44:04.819 --> 00:44:06.239
 gentleness and your compassion and

00:44:06.239 --> 00:44:07.219
 they would just be overwhelmed by

00:44:07.219 --> 00:44:07.860
 your goodness.

00:44:09.279 --> 00:44:10.579
 How much you desire to be with

00:44:10.579 --> 00:44:10.799
 them.

00:44:12.900 --> 00:44:14.339
 Father, I pray for those of us who

00:44:14.339 --> 00:44:15.900
 live here and we just do our two

00:44:15.900 --> 00:44:17.519
 hours and we walk out and our lives

00:44:17.519 --> 00:44:18.099
 are no different.

00:44:18.599 --> 00:44:19.880
 Father, I pray this week that our

00:44:19.880 --> 00:44:20.619
 lives would be different.

00:44:20.699 --> 00:44:21.960
 I pray that you would just smack us

00:44:21.960 --> 00:44:23.179
 right in the head with a two by four.

00:44:26.179 --> 00:44:27.259
 Help us to realize that we're

00:44:27.259 --> 00:44:28.920
 treating our family in ways we

00:44:28.920 --> 00:44:29.279
 shouldn't.

00:44:29.360 --> 00:44:30.259
 Help us to realize we're treating

00:44:30.260 --> 00:44:31.500
 our spouses in ways that we

00:44:31.500 --> 00:44:32.960
 shouldn't, that we're treating

00:44:32.960 --> 00:44:34.800
 our workers and our coworkers and

00:44:34.800 --> 00:44:36.800
 everything in ways that would be

00:44:36.800 --> 00:44:38.760
 totally dishonoring to you and

00:44:38.760 --> 00:44:39.720
 displeasing to you.

00:44:41.600 --> 00:44:43.240
 Help us to integrate our lives with

00:44:43.240 --> 00:44:44.760
 your son in the gospel and realize

00:44:44.760 --> 00:44:46.380
 that it's not just one little

00:44:46.380 --> 00:44:47.640
 section but it's everything.

00:44:49.820 --> 00:44:50.760
 That you're everything.

00:44:52.760 --> 00:44:54.540
 Father, help us to have a God who's

00:44:54.540 --> 00:44:58.260
 not so small that we can control

00:44:58.260 --> 00:45:01.720
 him but help us to realize that you

00:45:01.720 --> 00:45:04.260
 are God who's the creator of all

00:45:04.260 --> 00:45:08.760
 things and yet you came to earth and

00:45:08.760 --> 00:45:11.220
 put on an earth suit and lived and

00:45:11.220 --> 00:45:13.080
 died and jumped in the water to save

00:45:13.080 --> 00:45:15.640
 us because we were drowning and you

00:45:15.640 --> 00:45:18.580
 pushed us into the boat and you

00:45:18.580 --> 00:45:25.620
 sacrificed yourself purely because you

00:45:25.619 --> 00:45:29.819
 love us and you wanted to glorify your

00:45:29.819 --> 00:45:30.119
 father.

00:45:32.339 --> 00:45:34.539
 Lord, we come to you and just are

00:45:34.539 --> 00:45:36.299
 humble and we open our hearts.

00:45:38.239 --> 00:45:38.980
 Heal us.

00:45:40.219 --> 00:45:40.839
 Change us.

00:45:42.099 --> 00:45:42.759
 Bring us to you.

00:45:43.859 --> 00:45:44.719
 We love you.

00:45:45.859 --> 00:45:47.139
 And we need you desperately.

00:45:48.299 --> 00:45:49.659
 We pray these things in your son Jesus'

00:45:49.880 --> 00:45:50.119
 name.

00:45:50.579 --> 00:45:50.799
 Amen.

00:45:51.960 --> 00:45:52.319
 Amen.