WEBVTT

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 hear your word. We acknowledge before you that unless your Holy Spirit moves in our minds and

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 hearts and wills, we cannot truly properly understand your word or receive it. So Father,

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 we ask that your Holy Spirit would do such a work in our minds and hearts and wills in the depths of

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 our souls, so that we might hear and understand your word, and not just, Father, to hear your word,

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 but to be doers of your word as well, that we might bear fruit for your glory. And this we ask in the

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 name of Jesus, your Son, and our Savior. Amen. Please be seated. I was going to stand up there for my

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 sermon, but we're a small little intimate group, and it would feel funny me standing up there for

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 an intimate gathering. I love looking at bumper stickers in cars. It's one of those things that

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 I like looking at bumper stickers, but I don't like having a car with a bumper sticker myself.

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 Anyway, probably I would put bumper stickers on my car if I got around to it, but I'd end up

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 probably regretting it after I put them on. I think they were funny or cute or absurd or something,

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 and then I'd be a bit embarrassed by it. But the other day, last Sunday, in fact, just this past

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 Sunday, when I was leaving the church to start to drive home, I saw a car with this bumper sticker on.

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 Hopefully, Andrew has it. There you go. You must have seen this bumper sticker coexist on different

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 cars. Sort of an interesting bumper sticker. There you sort of have, you know, peace, and underneath,

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 I think, if you were to blow it up, you'd see the different Christian, different faiths, Jewish,

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 Muslim, Taoism, a variety of different faiths, sort of all represented by it. I don't, maybe afterwards,

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 I'll find out that one of you has this bumper sticker on your car, and you can tell me why you

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 have it on your car. I never feel threatened by it or anything like that. I just sort of, I think

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 often it probably means some type of syncretist. That's a big $100 word that just means that a lot

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 of people in Canada believe it doesn't matter what path you follow or what religion you follow,

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 we all end up in the same place. And if we're all going to end up in the same place, we might as well

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 coexist and get along with each other. But the interesting thing about this past Sunday,

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 when I saw this bumper sticker on the car, the same car had another bumper sticker right beside it.

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 Andrew? Fiction.

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 So they obviously weren't syncretists, who just thought that all the different faiths are going

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 to get, you know, should just get along because we're all going to end up in the same place.

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 This particular car, actually it had a couple in it. So either it was that the man thought one

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 thing and the woman thought the other thing, and they'd have interesting conversations when they

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 drove. Or it meant that that was sort of their view, that, you know, once again, you see the

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 different faiths represented up there in the words that spells out the word fiction. So I guess for

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 this, the people in this particular car, they have the view that since all of the different religious

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 faiths and spiritualities are fictions, they might as well get along with each other. I mean,

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 it would be the same thing as like, why should people who like reading Jane Austen get into big

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 fights with people who like watching The Walking Dead? Like they're both just fictions. You might

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 as well just get along with each other. It'd be silly to get into any type of a fight over something

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 which is just, just a fiction. And, but, but here's the thing about this, and it sort of fits in with

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 Christmas and stuff, is that, Andrew, if you could put up the first point, Christians should often seem

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 like atheists or agnostics. That's going to be my first sort of comment. I think that in Canada,

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 it should often be that Christians seem like atheists or agnostics. Now that sort of maybe is a bit of a

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 puzzling idea to some of you, that we should seem like atheists or agnostics. But I think that, I think,

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 I think what we're going to look at in the, in the Tower of Babel in a few moments and in John's

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 Gospel, I think I can show you that that's in fact, that why we often must seem, why we should seem

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 like this. Andrew, if you could put up the next slide. Christians, the reason that we should often

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 seem like atheists or agnostics is I think that we should agree with atheists and agnostics that men

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 and women cannot know God by the working of their minds or hearts or wills. I think that's something

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 that we should agree with. That, that, in fact, so there might only be a very small number of hardcore

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 atheists who deny that you could, that there's a God that exists or hardcore agnostics that would

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 believe that even if there is a God that does exist, you couldn't possibly know it. And, and I think

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 that on a fundamental level, Christians should agree with this. They should say, I think you're

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 completely and utterly correct. I think there's good reasons to accept what you say, that it's very,

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 very hard to know whether or not there is a God that exists or whether we should practice any of

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 these particular faiths at least, because it's, I think it's probably correct that it's hard to know

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 whether God does exist just by the exercising of our minds or hearts or wills. The idea that

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 Christians should support just general spirituality is, well, in fact, I don't think that's a biblical

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 idea at all. And we can sort of see a little bit that it's not a biblical idea if we look at the story

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 of the Tower of Babel. But before we do this, I'm going to show a movie clip, which, well, I mean,

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 the people who wrote the Coexist bumper sticker and the people who wrote the fiction bumper sticker

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 wouldn't agree with this. But I'm going to show you this interesting little video, or Andrew will,

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 and it sort of shows why it is that we would begin looking at Christmas by talking about the Tower of

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 Babel, which is way back early on in the Bible. So with this very Christian idea that, in fact,

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 there's one ultimate author of scripture and that the whole, all of the Bible has one primary theme

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 and points to one primary person and what that one primary person does, if you have your Bibles,

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 let's look again at Genesis chapter 11, which is the story of the Tower of Babel. Tower of Babel,

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 I don't know how you pronounce it, actually. I'll just say Babel. And Genesis right at the beginning

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 of the Bible. And listen to this story again. It's a very, very curious story. The book of Genesis,

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 chapters 1 to 11, are the basic introduction. They set the theme and many of the problems and the

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 issues that the rest of the Bible is going to address. Genesis chapter 1 and 2 talk about the

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 creation of the earth and how everything is created good. Genesis 3 talks about how evil enters into the

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 world through Adam and Eve. And they who represent all of humanity and from whom humanity flows,

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 bent, bend, and make our human nature bent, and therefore mean that we can't

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 everything is touched by a rebellion against God. And Genesis 3 through 11 talks about this bentness

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 working itself out in a variety of important human relationships and shows how it grows.

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 And Genesis 11 is sort of the end of that. It's going to open up to Abraham in the beginning in a

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 sense of salvation history, I suppose you could call it. But Genesis 11 is a very, very curious story of

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 the tower of Babel. It goes like this, just to refresh your memory. Now the whole earth had one

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 language and the same words. And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of

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 Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, now here's what they say to each other,

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 it's giving us their impression, their understanding of what it is that they're about to do.

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 Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone and bitumen for mortar.

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 Then they said, come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens.

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 And let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.

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 Now I sort of shared this on Sunday. The word for city, the thing that characterizes a city in the Old Testament

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 is one of two things. Either a wall of fortification around a place where people live, or a strong tower

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 or a fortress that people can gather when they're attacked. So it's sort of a very, very curious thing

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 that these people want to do two things. They want to create a place that will protect them from war

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 and in a sense allow them to wage war. They're not interested in just having tents or houses

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 unprotected by fences or fortifications. They want to build fortifications.

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 And they want to do something which will allow them to build a famous name for themselves, for their own glory.

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 And they want to build something that will be able to reach heaven.

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 And they want to do all three of those things. They want to be able to be, in a sense, protected from war

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 and also probably be able to engage in war themselves. They want to be able to reach heaven

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 and they want to do it all for their own glory.

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 And you see, one of the things that the Bible does is that there will be places in the Bible

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 where ideas will be communicated just very, very straightforwardly in a sentence form.

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 But in other places, ideas are communicated through story.

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 Some people like things like creeds. They like creeds.

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 They can remember creeds.

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 Other people, abstract ideas like a creed doesn't do anything for them at all.

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 They need to hear a story.

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 And I think most human beings need a little bit of both.

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 They need the story to sort of settle into our imagination and into our mind.

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 And so at the heart of it here, we see a very, very common human idea.

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 In fact, it's the idea behind fiction in Coexist.

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 It's the idea that in Coexist, they would say that we believe that everybody can strive to know God in their own way.

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 And so Brian over there, he has his own way where he's going to try to reach for heaven.

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 And Lisa has her own way that she's going to try to reach for heaven.

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 And George has his own way that he's going to try to reach for heaven.

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 And since we're all just trying to reach for heaven ourselves,

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 we might as well try to get along while we're on the journey.

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 And we see here in this story that these people are trying to reach heaven.

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 They might not be doing it through philosophical ideas or religious ritual.

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 They might be trying to do it more physically.

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 But their physical quest is very, very common with any human quest by their own effort to reach heaven.

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 And if you think about it, people who talk about these ideas are engaged in these quests.

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 I'm not saying that they're all proud people or more proud than you or I.

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 Sometimes our character can be better than our ideas.

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 Just as sometimes our character can be worse than our ideas.

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 But if you think about it for a second, it's actually an unbelievably proud thought

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 to think that you've figured out how to reach heaven.

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 Just think about it for a second.

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 I've managed to learn the timetables.

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 I'm old enough that they still made you learn timetables in school.

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 And I've figured out, you know, seven times seven.

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 And I just know the answer to that, you know.

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 Andrew there could probably actually work with imaginary numbers,

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 like the square root of negative one.

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 It's an imaginary number.

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 I've never been able to get my mind around the square root of an imaginary number.

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 So he's sort of smarter than me.

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 I can figure out seven times seven.

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 He can figure out the square root of negative one.

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 And somebody else can figure out all the way to get to heaven?

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 That's pretty smart.

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 You have to be pretty proud to think that you're smart enough

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 to figure out all the way to get to heaven all by yourself.

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 Like, the person who says that I've figured out the spirituality

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 that will allow me to get in touch with God,

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 they might have a character which is very, very humble.

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 But the idea is actually very, very proud.

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 It's a very proud idea

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 that some human being, by their own mind,

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 their own effort, or their club,

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 or their group,

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 has managed to figure out how to reach God.

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 And in fact, you can see

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 the worry

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 of some people

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 that if you're proud enough to think

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 that you've figured out how to reach God,

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 then you probably want to do war

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 because you're smarter than other people.

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 It doesn't always happen that way

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 because often people's characters

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 are better than their ideas.

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 And so we see here in this story form

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 this fundamental human desire

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 of somehow being able to build,

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 by my effort,

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 a stairway to heaven.

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 I don't know,

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 my earlier point,

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 which Andrew put on,

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 was that Christians agree

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 with atheists and agnostics.

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 Men and women cannot know God

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 by the working of their minds

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 or hearts or wills.

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 And that's sort of shown here

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 in this story,

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 in story form.

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 What happens after their desire?

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 Well, actually,

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 it's a very ironic statement.

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 So here they are,

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 all very busily thinking

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 that they're smart enough

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 to try to reach to heaven.

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 And God's answer comes in verse 5.

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 And the Lord came down

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 to see the city.

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 And the Lord came down

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 to see the city.

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 They didn't even begin

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 to get close enough

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 to actually reach God

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 or reach heaven.

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 The Lord had to come down

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 to see the city.

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 You see,

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 that's actually,

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 it's not that God,

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 that's the,

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 you know,

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 sometimes we get so caught up,

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 we've been so,

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 we see Genesis 1 to 11

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 through the frames

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 of evolution

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 and all of that type of thing

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 and trying to figure out

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 a scientific thing.

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 We miss the irony

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 in the story

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 that the heart

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 of this particular story

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 is,

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 boy,

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 we're going to be smart enough

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 to think our way out

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 and work our way out

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 of heaven.

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 And God looks down

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 and has to come down.

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 They haven't even begun

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 to get close.

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 And,

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 and then,

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 and then the story

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 goes on about how,

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 in fact,

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 God is going to take

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 efforts in terms of

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 confusing their language

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 to make sure that

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 nothing like that

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 ever happens.

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 And you see,

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 that's why on one

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 fundamental level,

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 both in terms of God

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 actually,

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 you know,

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 sovereignly acting

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 to make sure

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 that that can happen,

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 but also that the whole

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 point of the story

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 shows that he doesn't

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 even have to really

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 do anything sovereignly

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 to make it not happen

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 because he,

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 he has to come down

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 to see them.

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 It's sort of another

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 topic of the thing,

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 you know,

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 another one of the things

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 about this story,

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 one of the ironies

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 is that all the way

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 through the book

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 of Genesis

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 from the very beginning,

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 God keeps saying to them,

00:15:27.860 --> 00:15:28.879
 I want you to be fruitful

00:15:28.879 --> 00:15:29.860
 and I want you to multiply,

00:15:30.180 --> 00:15:31.200
 so I want you to go

00:15:31.200 --> 00:15:32.580
 and be fruitful

00:15:32.580 --> 00:15:33.379
 and I want you to be

00:15:33.379 --> 00:15:34.240
 fruitful and multiply.

00:15:34.480 --> 00:15:35.440
 And what is it they do?

00:15:36.340 --> 00:15:37.480
 Because they're ultimately

00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:38.820
 seeking their own glory,

00:15:39.240 --> 00:15:40.120
 they don't want to be

00:15:40.120 --> 00:15:41.100
 fruitful and multiply,

00:15:41.279 --> 00:15:41.779
 they want to have

00:15:41.779 --> 00:15:42.940
 everybody come together

00:15:42.940 --> 00:15:43.860
 and be with them

00:15:43.860 --> 00:15:45.220
 so they can reach

00:15:45.220 --> 00:15:45.700
 for heaven.

00:15:46.539 --> 00:15:47.580
 And so God actually,

00:15:47.700 --> 00:15:48.879
 by scattering them,

00:15:49.360 --> 00:15:50.300
 continues in what

00:15:50.300 --> 00:15:51.899
 his original purpose is

00:15:51.899 --> 00:15:53.100
 to go and have them

00:15:53.100 --> 00:15:53.700
 to be fruitful

00:15:53.700 --> 00:15:54.460
 and to multiply,

00:15:54.460 --> 00:15:56.100
 that ultimately,

00:15:56.800 --> 00:15:57.980
 sort of a side topic,

00:15:58.519 --> 00:15:59.580
 we can relate to God

00:15:59.580 --> 00:16:00.420
 in one of two ways.

00:16:00.519 --> 00:16:01.420
 God's will will always

00:16:01.420 --> 00:16:01.820
 be done.

00:16:01.900 --> 00:16:02.780
 We can do his will

00:16:02.780 --> 00:16:03.440
 as his children

00:16:03.440 --> 00:16:04.420
 or we can do his will

00:16:04.420 --> 00:16:05.120
 as his tools.

00:16:05.920 --> 00:16:07.420
 But God's sovereign will

00:16:07.420 --> 00:16:08.820
 cannot be overcome.

00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:09.440
 But that's sort of

00:16:09.440 --> 00:16:10.420
 a bit of a sideline

00:16:10.420 --> 00:16:11.639
 from this fundamental thing.

00:16:12.400 --> 00:16:12.540
 Now,

00:16:13.340 --> 00:16:14.620
 some of you might say,

00:16:14.740 --> 00:16:14.940
 well, George,

00:16:14.960 --> 00:16:15.440
 this is very,

00:16:15.560 --> 00:16:16.180
 very interesting,

00:16:16.360 --> 00:16:17.560
 but don't at the same time,

00:16:17.860 --> 00:16:18.580
 don't you sort of,

00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:19.580
 doesn't the Bible

00:16:19.580 --> 00:16:20.940
 also teach that

00:16:20.940 --> 00:16:23.100
 there are ways

00:16:23.100 --> 00:16:23.800
 that we can actually

00:16:23.800 --> 00:16:24.840
 sort of know God?

00:16:26.020 --> 00:16:26.240
 And,

00:16:26.320 --> 00:16:26.760
 well,

00:16:26.760 --> 00:16:27.300
 I'm going to answer

00:16:27.300 --> 00:16:27.880
 that question,

00:16:27.960 --> 00:16:28.760
 but before I do,

00:16:29.160 --> 00:16:30.780
 let's see this other,

00:16:31.100 --> 00:16:32.540
 this other movie,

00:16:33.220 --> 00:16:35.200
 which starts to point

00:16:35.200 --> 00:16:35.820
 into a,

00:16:35.900 --> 00:16:37.280
 the completely different

00:16:37.280 --> 00:16:38.340
 direction that Christians

00:16:38.340 --> 00:16:38.920
 want to go

00:16:38.920 --> 00:16:39.720
 when it comes to things

00:16:39.720 --> 00:16:40.300
 like coexist

00:16:40.300 --> 00:16:41.480
 and fiction.

00:16:41.480 --> 00:16:49.980
 I don't know

00:16:49.980 --> 00:16:50.580
 if you can,

00:16:50.840 --> 00:16:51.340
 when it is,

00:16:51.379 --> 00:16:51.860
 if you can put up

00:16:51.860 --> 00:16:52.519
 the next point.

00:16:53.259 --> 00:16:54.159
 Christians sort of,

00:16:55.080 --> 00:16:55.899
 the reason they,

00:16:56.840 --> 00:16:57.539
 they sort of,

00:16:57.620 --> 00:16:58.420
 in a sense,

00:16:58.480 --> 00:16:59.379
 agree with that thing,

00:16:59.500 --> 00:16:59.800
 fiction,

00:16:59.940 --> 00:17:00.399
 although not with

00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:01.340
 the cross in it,

00:17:01.420 --> 00:17:03.019
 is that

00:17:03.019 --> 00:17:08.160
 atheists and agnostics

00:17:08.160 --> 00:17:09.039
 haven't considered

00:17:09.039 --> 00:17:10.440
 a particular idea.

00:17:11.480 --> 00:17:12.059
 It is,

00:17:12.220 --> 00:17:12.500
 in fact,

00:17:12.599 --> 00:17:13.420
 proud and vain,

00:17:13.500 --> 00:17:13.920
 if you could put

00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:14.680
 the next slide up,

00:17:14.700 --> 00:17:14.940
 it is,

00:17:15.019 --> 00:17:15.259
 in fact,

00:17:15.339 --> 00:17:16.019
 proud and vain

00:17:16.019 --> 00:17:16.960
 to think that

00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:17.519
 human beings

00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:18.400
 by their own minds

00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:19.480
 can reach up to heaven.

00:17:20.180 --> 00:17:21.180
 But what

00:17:21.180 --> 00:17:23.440
 if God spoke to us?

00:17:24.920 --> 00:17:25.799
 What if it has

00:17:25.799 --> 00:17:26.440
 nothing to do

00:17:26.440 --> 00:17:27.579
 with human cleverness,

00:17:28.079 --> 00:17:28.900
 human pride,

00:17:29.500 --> 00:17:30.660
 human vain glory,

00:17:31.500 --> 00:17:32.839
 human ability,

00:17:33.299 --> 00:17:34.180
 collective ability,

00:17:34.620 --> 00:17:35.220
 technology,

00:17:35.460 --> 00:17:35.940
 technique,

00:17:36.220 --> 00:17:36.539
 poetry,

00:17:36.920 --> 00:17:37.420
 spirituality,

00:17:37.880 --> 00:17:38.240
 religion,

00:17:38.339 --> 00:17:38.799
 or ritual?

00:17:39.720 --> 00:17:40.259
 What if it has

00:17:40.259 --> 00:17:40.839
 nothing to do

00:17:40.839 --> 00:17:41.740
 with any of those

00:17:41.740 --> 00:17:42.099
 things?

00:17:42.579 --> 00:17:43.480
 What if God

00:17:43.480 --> 00:17:44.839
 actually spoke?

00:17:45.220 --> 00:17:46.119
 What if God

00:17:46.119 --> 00:17:47.939
 actually stooped down?

00:17:49.500 --> 00:17:49.759
 Then,

00:17:49.859 --> 00:17:50.159
 in fact,

00:17:50.240 --> 00:17:50.959
 it's humility

00:17:50.959 --> 00:17:52.019
 rather than pride

00:17:52.019 --> 00:17:53.039
 to receive it.

00:17:53.740 --> 00:17:53.939
 See,

00:17:54.019 --> 00:17:54.500
 Christians,

00:17:55.559 --> 00:17:56.299
 Christmas is the

00:17:56.299 --> 00:17:57.459
 retelling of the story

00:17:57.459 --> 00:17:58.799
 of God stooping

00:17:58.799 --> 00:18:00.059
 to speak to

00:18:00.059 --> 00:18:01.059
 ordinary people

00:18:01.059 --> 00:18:02.000
 and to save them.

00:18:03.019 --> 00:18:04.059
 Christmas is the

00:18:04.059 --> 00:18:05.539
 retelling of the story

00:18:05.539 --> 00:18:06.759
 of God stooping

00:18:06.759 --> 00:18:07.939
 to speak to

00:18:07.939 --> 00:18:08.919
 ordinary people

00:18:08.920 --> 00:18:10.300
 and to save them.

00:18:11.220 --> 00:18:11.840
 Christians are

00:18:11.840 --> 00:18:12.480
 actually sort of

00:18:12.480 --> 00:18:13.220
 caught with two

00:18:13.220 --> 00:18:14.240
 types of ideas.

00:18:14.920 --> 00:18:15.420
 In the Bible,

00:18:15.539 --> 00:18:15.900
 they're very,

00:18:16.039 --> 00:18:16.380
 very clear,

00:18:16.460 --> 00:18:16.860
 in the Book of

00:18:16.860 --> 00:18:17.440
 Romans and other

00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:17.759
 places,

00:18:17.880 --> 00:18:18.600
 it's very clear

00:18:18.600 --> 00:18:19.580
 that when a person

00:18:19.580 --> 00:18:20.660
 appears before God

00:18:20.660 --> 00:18:21.259
 that there will be

00:18:21.259 --> 00:18:22.080
 no excuse.

00:18:22.940 --> 00:18:24.060
 It's very clear

00:18:24.060 --> 00:18:24.700
 in the Bible

00:18:24.700 --> 00:18:26.420
 that the Bible

00:18:26.420 --> 00:18:27.539
 teaches that God

00:18:27.539 --> 00:18:28.420
 has left all sorts

00:18:28.420 --> 00:18:29.980
 of clues and riddles

00:18:29.980 --> 00:18:31.340
 so that people can

00:18:31.340 --> 00:18:31.860
 know that there

00:18:31.860 --> 00:18:32.980
 must be something,

00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:33.820
 someone,

00:18:34.259 --> 00:18:35.019
 like a God.

00:18:35.019 --> 00:18:35.099
 God.

00:18:35.799 --> 00:18:36.740
 And, in fact,

00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:37.639
 I could give you

00:18:37.639 --> 00:18:38.940
 a range of

00:18:38.940 --> 00:18:39.859
 different clues

00:18:39.859 --> 00:18:40.480
 and riddles

00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:41.440
 in human existence

00:18:41.440 --> 00:18:42.720
 that would point

00:18:42.720 --> 00:18:43.200
 to the fact

00:18:43.200 --> 00:18:43.879
 that there must

00:18:43.879 --> 00:18:44.660
 be something

00:18:44.660 --> 00:18:45.440
 like a God.

00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:46.660
 Yet the fact

00:18:46.660 --> 00:18:47.059
 of the matter

00:18:47.059 --> 00:18:48.059
 is that it

00:18:48.059 --> 00:18:48.660
 would still be

00:18:48.660 --> 00:18:49.319
 the story of

00:18:49.319 --> 00:18:50.099
 Babel would still

00:18:50.099 --> 00:18:51.019
 speak against that

00:18:51.019 --> 00:18:51.579
 and how could we

00:18:51.579 --> 00:18:52.400
 possibly really

00:18:52.400 --> 00:18:53.339
 know there is a God

00:18:53.339 --> 00:18:54.579
 if all we have

00:18:54.579 --> 00:18:55.480
 are clues and riddles

00:18:55.480 --> 00:18:56.519
 and if our minds

00:18:56.519 --> 00:18:57.279
 and our efforts

00:18:57.279 --> 00:18:57.960
 and our hearts

00:18:57.960 --> 00:18:59.059
 can't reach to God.

00:18:59.779 --> 00:19:00.279
 And, in fact,

00:19:00.379 --> 00:19:01.339
 the riddles are

00:19:01.339 --> 00:19:02.299
 to create within us

00:19:02.299 --> 00:19:03.720
 a type of humility

00:19:03.720 --> 00:19:04.400
 to say,

00:19:05.039 --> 00:19:05.640
 God, there are

00:19:05.640 --> 00:19:06.600
 riddles and pointers

00:19:06.600 --> 00:19:07.440
 to your existence

00:19:07.440 --> 00:19:08.220
 but we don't know

00:19:08.220 --> 00:19:08.860
 if you exist

00:19:08.860 --> 00:19:09.680
 or what you're like.

00:19:09.779 --> 00:19:11.059
 We need you to speak.

00:19:11.240 --> 00:19:12.120
 We need you

00:19:12.120 --> 00:19:13.220
 to do something

00:19:13.220 --> 00:19:14.519
 because our power

00:19:14.519 --> 00:19:15.079
 is limited.

00:19:15.839 --> 00:19:16.100
 In fact,

00:19:16.180 --> 00:19:16.900
 all of the clues

00:19:16.900 --> 00:19:17.680
 and all of the riddles

00:19:17.680 --> 00:19:18.240
 are to bring us

00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:18.660
 to the point

00:19:18.660 --> 00:19:19.220
 of humility

00:19:19.220 --> 00:19:20.140
 and openness

00:19:20.140 --> 00:19:21.140
 and yearning

00:19:21.140 --> 00:19:22.299
 and asking for God

00:19:22.299 --> 00:19:23.039
 to do something.

00:19:23.980 --> 00:19:24.480
 And at the heart

00:19:24.480 --> 00:19:25.339
 of the Christian faith

00:19:25.339 --> 00:19:27.660
 is that God stoops

00:19:27.660 --> 00:19:28.880
 and God speaks

00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:30.000
 and God speaks

00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:30.759
 in such a way

00:19:30.759 --> 00:19:31.799
 that we can be

00:19:31.799 --> 00:19:33.220
 reconciled to him.

00:19:33.720 --> 00:19:34.559
 He doesn't merely

00:19:34.559 --> 00:19:35.660
 impart information.

00:19:36.440 --> 00:19:38.100
 He brings himself

00:19:38.100 --> 00:19:39.160
 to reconcile

00:19:39.160 --> 00:19:40.480
 ourselves to him.

00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:42.900
 In the Gospel of John,

00:19:43.660 --> 00:19:45.120
 we get this told to us

00:19:45.120 --> 00:19:46.240
 in sort of

00:19:46.240 --> 00:19:47.160
 very, very abstract

00:19:47.160 --> 00:19:48.000
 but very, very

00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:49.279
 powerful language.

00:19:49.839 --> 00:19:51.019
 If we're mindful

00:19:51.019 --> 00:19:51.720
 of the story

00:19:51.720 --> 00:19:53.059
 of the Tower of Babel

00:19:53.059 --> 00:19:54.120
 and our inability

00:19:54.120 --> 00:19:55.920
 to reach up to God,

00:19:56.519 --> 00:19:57.220
 mindful of that,

00:19:57.319 --> 00:19:58.259
 listen to how John

00:19:58.259 --> 00:19:59.019
 describes what's

00:19:59.019 --> 00:19:59.860
 happening at Christmas.

00:19:59.859 --> 00:20:01.439
 In the beginning

00:20:01.439 --> 00:20:02.379
 was the Word

00:20:02.379 --> 00:20:03.539
 and the Word

00:20:03.539 --> 00:20:04.559
 was with God

00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:05.639
 and the Word

00:20:05.639 --> 00:20:06.679
 was God.

00:20:07.359 --> 00:20:08.639
 He was in the beginning

00:20:08.639 --> 00:20:09.779
 with God.

00:20:10.559 --> 00:20:11.319
 All things

00:20:11.319 --> 00:20:11.779
 were made

00:20:11.779 --> 00:20:12.459
 through him

00:20:12.459 --> 00:20:13.459
 and without him

00:20:13.459 --> 00:20:14.719
 was not anything

00:20:14.719 --> 00:20:15.799
 made that was made.

00:20:16.599 --> 00:20:17.899
 In him was life

00:20:17.899 --> 00:20:18.719
 and the life

00:20:18.719 --> 00:20:19.379
 was the light

00:20:19.379 --> 00:20:19.899
 of men.

00:20:20.459 --> 00:20:21.359
 The light shines

00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:22.079
 in the darkness

00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:23.079
 and the darkness

00:20:23.079 --> 00:20:24.579
 has not overcome it.

00:20:25.579 --> 00:20:26.099
 See,

00:20:26.299 --> 00:20:27.459
 it's from that perspective

00:20:27.460 --> 00:20:28.360
 that you can understand

00:20:28.360 --> 00:20:29.039
 that there will be

00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:30.100
 riddles and clues.

00:20:31.079 --> 00:20:31.740
 Why is it

00:20:31.740 --> 00:20:32.259
 that we prefer

00:20:32.259 --> 00:20:33.240
 light to darkness?

00:20:33.480 --> 00:20:34.000
 Why is it

00:20:34.000 --> 00:20:34.460
 that we have

00:20:34.460 --> 00:20:35.500
 a sense of right or wrong?

00:20:35.620 --> 00:20:36.059
 Why is it

00:20:36.059 --> 00:20:36.700
 that there seems

00:20:36.700 --> 00:20:38.240
 to be design

00:20:38.240 --> 00:20:39.279
 written everywhere

00:20:39.279 --> 00:20:39.920
 in the universe?

00:20:40.180 --> 00:20:40.799
 Why is it

00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:41.360
 that we have

00:20:41.360 --> 00:20:42.160
 some sense

00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:42.680
 that there must

00:20:42.680 --> 00:20:43.519
 be something more?

00:20:43.640 --> 00:20:44.460
 Why is it

00:20:44.460 --> 00:20:46.680
 that reason

00:20:46.680 --> 00:20:47.460
 in our minds

00:20:47.460 --> 00:20:48.259
 seem to work

00:20:48.259 --> 00:20:49.039
 with this world?

00:20:49.200 --> 00:20:49.900
 Why is it

00:20:49.900 --> 00:20:51.059
 you can multiply

00:20:51.059 --> 00:20:52.299
 all these whys

00:20:52.299 --> 00:20:52.940
 and whys

00:20:52.940 --> 00:20:53.460
 and whys

00:20:53.460 --> 00:20:53.900
 and whys

00:20:53.900 --> 00:20:54.380
 and there's this

00:20:54.380 --> 00:20:55.279
 picture of God

00:20:55.279 --> 00:20:55.880
 having created

00:20:55.880 --> 00:20:56.519
 all things?

00:20:56.519 --> 00:20:58.079
 And then in verse 6

00:20:58.079 --> 00:20:59.180
 it's very interesting

00:20:59.180 --> 00:20:59.559
 it begins

00:20:59.559 --> 00:21:00.619
 there was a man

00:21:00.619 --> 00:21:02.660
 sent from God

00:21:02.660 --> 00:21:04.400
 whose name was John.

00:21:04.480 --> 00:21:05.299
 He came as a witness

00:21:05.299 --> 00:21:06.019
 to bear witness

00:21:06.019 --> 00:21:06.660
 about the light

00:21:06.660 --> 00:21:07.579
 that all might believe

00:21:07.579 --> 00:21:08.200
 through him.

00:21:08.359 --> 00:21:09.480
 He was not the light

00:21:09.480 --> 00:21:11.200
 but came to bear witness

00:21:11.200 --> 00:21:11.960
 about the light.

00:21:13.500 --> 00:21:15.319
 And contrary to Babel

00:21:15.319 --> 00:21:17.039
 then it says

00:21:17.039 --> 00:21:18.059
 in verse 9

00:21:18.059 --> 00:21:19.920
 the true light

00:21:19.920 --> 00:21:20.839
 which enlightens

00:21:20.839 --> 00:21:21.379
 everyone

00:21:21.379 --> 00:21:22.579
 was coming

00:21:22.579 --> 00:21:23.500
 into

00:21:23.500 --> 00:21:24.759
 the world.

00:21:24.759 --> 00:21:26.660
 into

00:21:26.660 --> 00:21:27.940
 the world.

00:21:28.619 --> 00:21:29.059
 He was

00:21:29.059 --> 00:21:30.140
 in the world

00:21:30.140 --> 00:21:30.859
 and the world

00:21:30.859 --> 00:21:31.400
 was made

00:21:31.400 --> 00:21:32.220
 through him

00:21:32.220 --> 00:21:33.039
 yet the world

00:21:33.039 --> 00:21:34.079
 did not know him.

00:21:34.579 --> 00:21:35.400
 He came

00:21:35.400 --> 00:21:36.519
 to his own

00:21:36.519 --> 00:21:37.420
 and his own people

00:21:37.420 --> 00:21:38.460
 did not receive him.

00:21:39.039 --> 00:21:39.619
 But to all

00:21:39.619 --> 00:21:41.259
 who did receive him

00:21:41.259 --> 00:21:42.279
 who believed

00:21:42.279 --> 00:21:42.980
 in his name

00:21:42.980 --> 00:21:44.579
 he gave

00:21:44.579 --> 00:21:45.180
 the right

00:21:45.180 --> 00:21:45.680
 to become

00:21:45.680 --> 00:21:46.579
 children of God

00:21:46.579 --> 00:21:47.140
 who were born

00:21:47.140 --> 00:21:47.879
 not of blood

00:21:47.879 --> 00:21:48.379
 or of the will

00:21:48.379 --> 00:21:48.980
 of the flesh

00:21:48.980 --> 00:21:49.920
 nor of the will

00:21:49.920 --> 00:21:50.339
 of man

00:21:50.339 --> 00:21:51.039
 but of God.

00:21:51.039 --> 00:21:52.740
 and the word

00:21:52.740 --> 00:21:54.099
 became flesh

00:21:54.099 --> 00:21:54.960
 and dwelt

00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:55.859
 among us

00:21:55.859 --> 00:21:57.339
 and we have

00:21:57.339 --> 00:21:58.200
 seen his glory

00:21:58.200 --> 00:21:59.839
 glory as of the only

00:21:59.839 --> 00:22:00.839
 son from the father

00:22:00.839 --> 00:22:02.079
 full of grace

00:22:02.079 --> 00:22:02.599
 and truth.

00:22:03.139 --> 00:22:03.720
 Before I talk

00:22:03.720 --> 00:22:04.440
 any more about that

00:22:04.440 --> 00:22:05.200
 let's look at this

00:22:05.200 --> 00:22:06.599
 next video clip

00:22:06.599 --> 00:22:08.339
 which uses

00:22:08.339 --> 00:22:08.920
 artwork

00:22:08.920 --> 00:22:10.619
 to tell the three

00:22:10.619 --> 00:22:11.720
 key moments

00:22:11.720 --> 00:22:12.259
 in the coming

00:22:12.259 --> 00:22:12.779
 of Jesus.

00:22:13.379 --> 00:22:13.940
 It might be a little

00:22:13.940 --> 00:22:14.639
 bit hard for you

00:22:14.639 --> 00:22:15.420
 to have to look

00:22:15.420 --> 00:22:16.119
 a bit closely.

00:22:16.839 --> 00:22:17.839
 It's an artist

00:22:17.839 --> 00:22:18.799
 working on a light

00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:19.799
 table with sand.

00:22:21.039 --> 00:22:26.039
 We were able

00:22:26.039 --> 00:22:26.819
 to follow that.

00:22:27.039 --> 00:22:27.339
 It was

00:22:27.339 --> 00:22:28.700
 she drew

00:22:28.700 --> 00:22:29.359
 the annunciation

00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:30.619
 and then she drew

00:22:30.619 --> 00:22:32.480
 the birth

00:22:32.480 --> 00:22:33.379
 and then she drew

00:22:33.379 --> 00:22:33.839
 the visit

00:22:33.839 --> 00:22:34.920
 of the wise men

00:22:34.920 --> 00:22:37.399
 and I can't draw

00:22:37.399 --> 00:22:38.000
 stick figures

00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:38.599
 I always find it

00:22:38.599 --> 00:22:39.440
 amazing that people

00:22:39.440 --> 00:22:40.099
 could do something

00:22:40.099 --> 00:22:40.559
 like that

00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:41.359
 with their hands

00:22:41.359 --> 00:22:44.379
 and so

00:22:44.379 --> 00:22:46.500
 the Christians

00:22:46.500 --> 00:22:48.599
 believe that

00:22:48.599 --> 00:22:49.740
 there is natural

00:22:49.740 --> 00:22:50.319
 revelation

00:22:50.319 --> 00:22:51.039
 but natural

00:22:51.039 --> 00:22:51.819
 revelation's

00:22:51.819 --> 00:22:52.679
 purpose is to

00:22:52.679 --> 00:22:53.039
 make us

00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:53.879
 humble

00:22:53.879 --> 00:22:55.000
 and to make

00:22:55.000 --> 00:22:55.619
 us yearn

00:22:55.619 --> 00:22:57.059
 and we are

00:22:57.059 --> 00:22:57.579
 to be made

00:22:57.579 --> 00:22:58.119
 humble

00:22:58.119 --> 00:22:58.859
 and we are

00:22:58.859 --> 00:22:59.639
 to yearn

00:22:59.639 --> 00:23:00.679
 for God

00:23:00.679 --> 00:23:01.439
 to speak

00:23:01.439 --> 00:23:03.000
 and to recognize

00:23:03.000 --> 00:23:03.740
 when God

00:23:03.740 --> 00:23:04.259
 speaks

00:23:04.259 --> 00:23:04.839
 and God

00:23:04.839 --> 00:23:05.339
 acts

00:23:05.339 --> 00:23:06.200
 because unless

00:23:06.200 --> 00:23:07.220
 he does it

00:23:07.220 --> 00:23:08.460
 we are helpless

00:23:08.460 --> 00:23:11.539
 and so Christians

00:23:11.539 --> 00:23:13.240
 believe that

00:23:13.240 --> 00:23:14.000
 if you could put

00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:14.779
 the next one up

00:23:14.779 --> 00:23:15.120
 Andrew

00:23:15.120 --> 00:23:16.680
 Jesus is God

00:23:16.680 --> 00:23:17.620
 come down

00:23:17.620 --> 00:23:18.299
 to earth

00:23:18.299 --> 00:23:20.000
 to make himself

00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:20.400
 known

00:23:20.400 --> 00:23:21.640
 and to redeem

00:23:21.640 --> 00:23:22.600
 all who turn

00:23:22.600 --> 00:23:23.039
 to him

00:23:23.039 --> 00:23:23.900
 in repentance

00:23:23.900 --> 00:23:24.600
 and faith

00:23:24.600 --> 00:23:27.120
 Jesus is God

00:23:27.120 --> 00:23:27.819
 come down

00:23:27.819 --> 00:23:28.319
 to earth

00:23:28.319 --> 00:23:29.340
 to make himself

00:23:29.340 --> 00:23:29.759
 known

00:23:29.759 --> 00:23:30.940
 and to redeem

00:23:30.940 --> 00:23:31.940
 all who turn

00:23:31.940 --> 00:23:32.400
 to him

00:23:32.400 --> 00:23:33.500
 in repentance

00:23:33.500 --> 00:23:34.200
 and faith

00:23:34.200 --> 00:23:35.299
 and that's

00:23:35.299 --> 00:23:35.900
 what we celebrate

00:23:35.900 --> 00:23:36.480
 at Christmas

00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:38.539
 the good

00:23:38.539 --> 00:23:39.259
 invasion

00:23:39.259 --> 00:23:40.500
 the return

00:23:40.500 --> 00:23:41.480
 of the true

00:23:41.480 --> 00:23:41.940
 king

00:23:41.940 --> 00:23:43.759
 come to deliver

00:23:43.759 --> 00:23:44.200
 us

00:23:44.200 --> 00:23:45.539
 and return

00:23:45.539 --> 00:23:46.539
 those who put

00:23:46.539 --> 00:23:47.039
 their faith

00:23:47.039 --> 00:23:47.539
 and trust

00:23:47.539 --> 00:23:48.019
 in him

00:23:48.019 --> 00:23:49.259
 to himself

00:23:49.259 --> 00:23:50.660
 the good

00:23:50.660 --> 00:23:51.700
 invasion

00:23:51.700 --> 00:23:52.920
 we're going

00:23:52.920 --> 00:23:53.299
 to now look

00:23:53.299 --> 00:23:53.680
 at another

00:23:53.680 --> 00:23:54.120
 movie

00:23:54.120 --> 00:23:55.319
 which

00:23:55.319 --> 00:23:56.900
 talks about

00:23:56.900 --> 00:23:57.240
 war

00:23:57.240 --> 00:23:58.160
 but makes

00:23:58.160 --> 00:23:58.480
 a really

00:23:58.480 --> 00:23:59.000
 important

00:23:59.000 --> 00:23:59.580
 distinction

00:23:59.580 --> 00:24:00.220
 between

00:24:00.220 --> 00:24:01.519
 celebrations

00:24:01.519 --> 00:24:03.080
 and festivals

00:24:03.080 --> 00:24:04.200
 and the

00:24:04.200 --> 00:24:04.720
 person

00:24:04.720 --> 00:24:06.019
 let's watch

00:24:06.019 --> 00:24:07.319
 it

00:24:07.319 --> 00:24:17.720
 sort of

00:24:17.720 --> 00:24:18.039
 just

00:24:18.039 --> 00:24:18.980
 wrapping up

00:24:18.980 --> 00:24:19.680
 Christians

00:24:19.680 --> 00:24:20.340
 agree with

00:24:20.340 --> 00:24:20.860
 atheists

00:24:20.860 --> 00:24:21.680
 and agnostics

00:24:21.680 --> 00:24:22.860
 men and

00:24:22.860 --> 00:24:23.080
 women

00:24:23.080 --> 00:24:23.539
 cannot

00:24:23.539 --> 00:24:23.900
 know

00:24:23.900 --> 00:24:24.220
 God

00:24:24.220 --> 00:24:24.580
 by the

00:24:24.580 --> 00:24:24.860
 working

00:24:24.860 --> 00:24:25.200
 of their

00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:25.600
 minds

00:24:25.600 --> 00:24:26.200
 or hearts

00:24:26.200 --> 00:24:27.039
 or wills

00:24:27.039 --> 00:24:28.180
 but at

00:24:28.180 --> 00:24:28.600
 Christmas

00:24:28.600 --> 00:24:30.640
 we remember

00:24:30.640 --> 00:24:31.600
 God doing

00:24:31.600 --> 00:24:32.039
 something

00:24:32.039 --> 00:24:32.880
 which is a

00:24:32.880 --> 00:24:33.600
 surprise to

00:24:33.600 --> 00:24:34.180
 atheists and

00:24:34.180 --> 00:24:34.920
 agnostics

00:24:34.920 --> 00:24:35.640
 and is a

00:24:35.640 --> 00:24:36.120
 completely

00:24:36.120 --> 00:24:36.640
 and utterly

00:24:36.640 --> 00:24:37.560
 different claim

00:24:37.560 --> 00:24:38.539
 than any

00:24:38.539 --> 00:24:39.140
 other religious

00:24:39.140 --> 00:24:39.600
 figure

00:24:39.600 --> 00:24:41.279
 Muhammad said

00:24:41.279 --> 00:24:41.740
 he could

00:24:41.740 --> 00:24:42.420
 point to

00:24:42.420 --> 00:24:42.720
 the way

00:24:42.720 --> 00:24:43.680
 Buddha

00:24:43.680 --> 00:24:44.120
 could

00:24:44.120 --> 00:24:44.840
 point

00:24:44.840 --> 00:24:45.539
 to the way

00:24:45.539 --> 00:24:46.660
 every

00:24:46.660 --> 00:24:47.240
 spiritual

00:24:47.240 --> 00:24:47.820
 teacher

00:24:47.820 --> 00:24:48.539
 and religious

00:24:48.539 --> 00:24:49.060
 advisor

00:24:49.060 --> 00:24:50.039
 can point

00:24:50.039 --> 00:24:50.759
 to the way

00:24:50.759 --> 00:24:52.119
 Confucius

00:24:52.119 --> 00:24:52.940
 can point

00:24:52.940 --> 00:24:53.539
 to the way

00:24:53.539 --> 00:24:54.200
 Jesus

00:24:54.200 --> 00:24:55.079
 says he

00:24:55.079 --> 00:24:56.240
 is the

00:24:56.240 --> 00:24:56.480
 way

00:24:56.480 --> 00:24:58.099
 all other

00:24:58.099 --> 00:24:59.039
 spiritualities

00:24:59.039 --> 00:24:59.720
 can point

00:24:59.720 --> 00:25:00.779
 towards God

00:25:00.779 --> 00:25:01.819
 Jesus

00:25:01.819 --> 00:25:02.539
 claims

00:25:02.539 --> 00:25:04.000
 well

00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:04.920
 the Bible

00:25:04.920 --> 00:25:05.420
 claims

00:25:05.420 --> 00:25:06.079
 that Christmas

00:25:06.079 --> 00:25:06.960
 is the retelling

00:25:06.960 --> 00:25:07.660
 of the story

00:25:07.660 --> 00:25:08.140
 of God

00:25:08.140 --> 00:25:08.920
 stooping

00:25:08.920 --> 00:25:10.140
 to speak

00:25:10.140 --> 00:25:10.779
 to ordinary

00:25:10.779 --> 00:25:11.359
 people

00:25:11.359 --> 00:25:12.220
 and to

00:25:12.220 --> 00:25:12.900
 save them

00:25:12.900 --> 00:25:14.680
 Jesus

00:25:14.680 --> 00:25:15.319
 is God

00:25:15.319 --> 00:25:16.000
 come down

00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:16.480
 to earth

00:25:16.480 --> 00:25:16.920
 to make

00:25:16.920 --> 00:25:17.359
 himself

00:25:17.359 --> 00:25:17.759
 known

00:25:17.759 --> 00:25:18.460
 and to

00:25:18.460 --> 00:25:18.779
 redeem

00:25:18.779 --> 00:25:19.259
 all

00:25:19.259 --> 00:25:19.500
 who

00:25:19.500 --> 00:25:19.960
 turn

00:25:19.960 --> 00:25:20.500
 to him

00:25:20.500 --> 00:25:21.200
 in

00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:21.680
 repentance

00:25:21.680 --> 00:25:22.379
 and faith

00:25:22.379 --> 00:25:23.799
 last night

00:25:23.799 --> 00:25:24.920
 I shared

00:25:24.920 --> 00:25:25.859
 with the

00:25:25.859 --> 00:25:26.420
 congregation

00:25:26.420 --> 00:25:26.779
 who was

00:25:26.779 --> 00:25:26.980
 here

00:25:26.980 --> 00:25:27.740
 a story

00:25:27.740 --> 00:25:28.599
 I was

00:25:28.599 --> 00:25:28.900
 in a

00:25:28.900 --> 00:25:29.240
 Starbucks

00:25:29.240 --> 00:25:29.619
 in the

00:25:29.619 --> 00:25:29.859
 corner

00:25:29.859 --> 00:25:30.059
 of

00:25:30.059 --> 00:25:30.379
 Laurier

00:25:30.379 --> 00:25:31.039
 and O'Connor

00:25:31.039 --> 00:25:32.500
 yesterday

00:25:32.500 --> 00:25:32.940
 morning

00:25:32.940 --> 00:25:33.420
 trying to

00:25:33.420 --> 00:25:34.079
 finish my

00:25:34.079 --> 00:25:34.839
 talk for

00:25:34.839 --> 00:25:35.359
 last night

00:25:35.359 --> 00:25:35.660
 and my

00:25:35.660 --> 00:25:36.119
 talk for

00:25:36.119 --> 00:25:36.400
 today

00:25:36.400 --> 00:25:37.420
 and I

00:25:37.420 --> 00:25:38.000
 was into

00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:38.220
 it for

00:25:38.220 --> 00:25:38.500
 about an

00:25:38.500 --> 00:25:38.759
 hour and

00:25:38.759 --> 00:25:39.119
 a half

00:25:39.119 --> 00:25:39.980
 and to

00:25:39.980 --> 00:25:40.559
 a table

00:25:40.559 --> 00:25:40.779
 there was

00:25:40.779 --> 00:25:41.039
 an empty

00:25:41.039 --> 00:25:41.359
 table

00:25:41.359 --> 00:25:41.579
 and a

00:25:41.579 --> 00:25:41.779
 table

00:25:41.779 --> 00:25:42.379
 beside me

00:25:42.379 --> 00:25:42.619
 there was

00:25:42.619 --> 00:25:43.000
 a younger

00:25:43.000 --> 00:25:43.359
 woman

00:25:43.359 --> 00:25:43.900
 probably in her

00:25:43.900 --> 00:25:44.119
 early

00:25:44.119 --> 00:25:44.539
 twenties

00:25:44.539 --> 00:25:45.079
 and a

00:25:45.079 --> 00:25:45.359
 woman

00:25:45.359 --> 00:25:46.399
 closer to

00:25:46.399 --> 00:25:47.000
 my age

00:25:47.000 --> 00:25:47.979
 not old

00:25:47.979 --> 00:25:48.279
 yet

00:25:48.279 --> 00:25:49.539
 and they

00:25:49.539 --> 00:25:50.319
 came and

00:25:50.319 --> 00:25:50.839
 sat down

00:25:50.839 --> 00:25:51.119
 in that

00:25:51.119 --> 00:25:51.500
 table

00:25:51.500 --> 00:25:52.819
 and they're

00:25:52.819 --> 00:25:53.519
 just talking

00:25:53.519 --> 00:25:53.879
 and I

00:25:53.879 --> 00:25:54.559
 overhear bits

00:25:54.559 --> 00:25:54.939
 and pieces

00:25:54.939 --> 00:25:55.179
 of the

00:25:55.179 --> 00:25:55.759
 conversation

00:25:55.759 --> 00:25:56.459
 and then I

00:25:56.459 --> 00:25:56.839
 see the

00:25:56.839 --> 00:25:57.299
 young woman

00:25:57.299 --> 00:25:57.839
 open up

00:25:57.839 --> 00:25:58.339
 a Bible

00:25:58.339 --> 00:26:02.079
 and I

00:26:02.079 --> 00:26:02.579
 realized

00:26:02.579 --> 00:26:02.979
 that the

00:26:02.979 --> 00:26:03.500
 young woman

00:26:03.500 --> 00:26:04.000
 is trying

00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:04.419
 to lead

00:26:04.419 --> 00:26:04.959
 the older

00:26:04.959 --> 00:26:05.259
 woman

00:26:05.259 --> 00:26:05.779
 to give

00:26:05.779 --> 00:26:06.099
 her life

00:26:06.099 --> 00:26:06.619
 to Jesus

00:26:06.619 --> 00:26:07.939
 and I

00:26:07.939 --> 00:26:08.299
 realized

00:26:08.299 --> 00:26:08.699
 that part

00:26:08.699 --> 00:26:08.859
 of the

00:26:08.859 --> 00:26:09.219
 reason I

00:26:09.219 --> 00:26:09.619
 was there

00:26:09.619 --> 00:26:10.459
 that morning

00:26:10.459 --> 00:26:10.839
 was not

00:26:10.839 --> 00:26:11.199
 just to

00:26:11.199 --> 00:26:11.579
 prepare a

00:26:11.579 --> 00:26:11.959
 talk for

00:26:11.959 --> 00:26:12.439
 last night

00:26:12.439 --> 00:26:12.799
 and tonight

00:26:12.799 --> 00:26:13.619
 but to

00:26:13.619 --> 00:26:14.059
 pray for

00:26:14.059 --> 00:26:14.359
 the two

00:26:14.359 --> 00:26:14.679
 of them

00:26:14.680 --> 00:26:16.740
 as the

00:26:16.740 --> 00:26:16.920
 woman

00:26:16.920 --> 00:26:17.400
 just shared

00:26:17.400 --> 00:26:17.700
 about

00:26:17.700 --> 00:26:18.120
 Jesus

00:26:18.120 --> 00:26:19.080
 and what

00:26:19.080 --> 00:26:19.380
 a better

00:26:19.380 --> 00:26:19.860
 time to

00:26:19.860 --> 00:26:20.140
 give your

00:26:20.140 --> 00:26:20.539
 life to

00:26:20.539 --> 00:26:20.840
 Jesus

00:26:20.840 --> 00:26:21.240
 than at

00:26:21.240 --> 00:26:21.620
 Christmas

00:26:21.620 --> 00:26:23.160
 because

00:26:23.160 --> 00:26:23.620
 Christmas

00:26:23.620 --> 00:26:24.039
 is all

00:26:24.039 --> 00:26:24.279
 about

00:26:24.279 --> 00:26:24.580
 God

00:26:24.580 --> 00:26:25.200
 stooping

00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:25.759
 to save

00:26:25.759 --> 00:26:26.160
 us

00:26:26.160 --> 00:26:27.299
 and

00:26:27.299 --> 00:26:28.539
 you know

00:26:28.539 --> 00:26:28.860
 so

00:26:28.860 --> 00:26:30.259
 this very

00:26:30.259 --> 00:26:30.900
 last movie

00:26:30.900 --> 00:26:31.279
 which we're

00:26:31.279 --> 00:26:31.740
 about to

00:26:31.740 --> 00:26:32.120
 show

00:26:32.120 --> 00:26:33.460
 makes the

00:26:33.460 --> 00:26:34.240
 very clear

00:26:34.240 --> 00:26:34.799
 connection

00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:35.360
 between the

00:26:35.360 --> 00:26:35.700
 Christmas

00:26:35.700 --> 00:26:36.299
 gospel

00:26:36.299 --> 00:26:37.400
 the Christmas

00:26:37.400 --> 00:26:38.160
 story

00:26:38.160 --> 00:26:38.720
 and the

00:26:38.720 --> 00:26:39.160
 gospel

00:26:39.160 --> 00:26:40.440
 and there

00:26:40.440 --> 00:26:40.900
 is no

00:26:40.900 --> 00:26:41.539
 better time

00:26:41.539 --> 00:26:42.140
 than Christmas

00:26:42.140 --> 00:26:42.920
 to either

00:26:42.920 --> 00:26:43.340
 give our

00:26:43.340 --> 00:26:43.840
 lives to

00:26:43.840 --> 00:26:44.140
 Jesus

00:26:44.140 --> 00:26:44.780
 in repentance

00:26:44.780 --> 00:26:45.400
 and faith

00:26:45.400 --> 00:26:46.200
 or to

00:26:46.200 --> 00:26:46.780
 recommit

00:26:46.780 --> 00:26:47.460
 our lives

00:26:47.460 --> 00:26:48.140
 to Jesus

00:26:48.140 --> 00:26:49.360
 in repentance

00:26:49.360 --> 00:26:50.000
 and faith

00:26:50.000 --> 00:26:51.280
 let's watch

00:26:51.280 --> 00:26:52.140
 it

00:26:52.140 --> 00:27:01.259
 let's stand

00:27:01.259 --> 00:27:07.500
 father we

00:27:07.500 --> 00:27:08.019
 give you

00:27:08.019 --> 00:27:08.559
 thanks and

00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:09.000
 praise

00:27:09.000 --> 00:27:11.200
 that your

00:27:11.200 --> 00:27:12.200
 son would

00:27:12.200 --> 00:27:14.200
 in obedience

00:27:14.200 --> 00:27:15.119
 to you

00:27:15.119 --> 00:27:16.500
 and in

00:27:16.500 --> 00:27:17.180
 love for us

00:27:17.180 --> 00:27:17.619
 would set

00:27:17.619 --> 00:27:18.200
 aside his

00:27:18.200 --> 00:27:19.559
 glory and

00:27:19.559 --> 00:27:19.900
 divine

00:27:19.900 --> 00:27:20.599
 prerogatives

00:27:20.599 --> 00:27:21.779
 his appearance

00:27:21.779 --> 00:27:22.420
 as God

00:27:22.420 --> 00:27:23.440
 that he

00:27:23.440 --> 00:27:23.779
 would set

00:27:23.779 --> 00:27:24.119
 aside

00:27:24.119 --> 00:27:24.700
 everything

00:27:24.700 --> 00:27:25.740
 father of

00:27:25.740 --> 00:27:26.379
 God except

00:27:26.379 --> 00:27:27.039
 the fact that

00:27:27.039 --> 00:27:27.640
 he never set

00:27:27.640 --> 00:27:28.180
 aside his

00:27:28.180 --> 00:27:28.839
 nature as

00:27:28.839 --> 00:27:29.480
 God and

00:27:29.480 --> 00:27:29.919
 we thank

00:27:29.919 --> 00:27:30.899
 you that

00:27:30.899 --> 00:27:31.339
 he set

00:27:31.339 --> 00:27:31.899
 all that

00:27:31.899 --> 00:27:33.259
 aside and

00:27:33.259 --> 00:27:34.899
 stooping took

00:27:34.899 --> 00:27:35.720
 into himself

00:27:35.720 --> 00:27:36.299
 our human

00:27:36.299 --> 00:27:36.839
 nature and

00:27:36.839 --> 00:27:37.339
 walked among

00:27:37.339 --> 00:27:38.459
 us we

00:27:38.459 --> 00:27:38.879
 thank you

00:27:38.879 --> 00:27:39.639
 father that

00:27:39.639 --> 00:27:40.559
 he came

00:27:40.559 --> 00:27:41.139
 to die

00:27:41.139 --> 00:27:42.279
 that he

00:27:42.279 --> 00:27:43.059
 father was

00:27:43.059 --> 00:27:43.459
 the only

00:27:43.459 --> 00:27:44.199
 baby born

00:27:44.199 --> 00:27:44.740
 to die

00:27:44.740 --> 00:27:46.220
 as his

00:27:46.220 --> 00:27:47.240
 express purpose

00:27:47.240 --> 00:27:48.000
 and we

00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:48.379
 thank and

00:27:48.379 --> 00:27:48.879
 praise you

00:27:48.879 --> 00:27:49.559
 father that

00:27:49.559 --> 00:27:50.279
 he died for

00:27:50.279 --> 00:27:50.720
 us on the

00:27:50.720 --> 00:27:52.279
 cross taking

00:27:52.279 --> 00:27:53.339
 our doom

00:27:53.339 --> 00:27:54.679
 upon him and

00:27:54.679 --> 00:27:55.579
 offering us

00:27:55.579 --> 00:27:56.859
 his destiny

00:27:56.859 --> 00:27:58.199
 we give you

00:27:58.199 --> 00:27:58.720
 thanks and

00:27:58.720 --> 00:27:59.419
 praise father

00:27:59.419 --> 00:28:00.039
 that you did

00:28:00.039 --> 00:28:00.639
 not merely

00:28:00.639 --> 00:28:01.059
 give us

00:28:01.059 --> 00:28:01.659
 information

00:28:01.659 --> 00:28:03.259
 but that you

00:28:03.259 --> 00:28:04.019
 spoke true

00:28:04.019 --> 00:28:04.740
 words to

00:28:04.740 --> 00:28:06.240
 us words

00:28:06.240 --> 00:28:06.899
 that point to

00:28:06.899 --> 00:28:07.720
 Jesus that

00:28:07.720 --> 00:28:08.299
 will also

00:28:08.299 --> 00:28:09.099
 redeem us

00:28:09.099 --> 00:28:10.220
 and if we

00:28:10.220 --> 00:28:10.919
 heed them

00:28:10.919 --> 00:28:11.699
 and accept

00:28:11.699 --> 00:28:12.899
 them reconcile

00:28:12.899 --> 00:28:13.659
 us to you

00:28:13.659 --> 00:28:14.460
 and make us

00:28:14.460 --> 00:28:15.099
 your children

00:28:15.099 --> 00:28:15.859
 by adoption

00:28:15.859 --> 00:28:16.439
 and grace

00:28:16.439 --> 00:28:17.779
 father

00:28:17.779 --> 00:28:19.480
 everything that

00:28:19.480 --> 00:28:20.339
 we can possibly

00:28:20.339 --> 00:28:21.339
 receive all

00:28:21.339 --> 00:28:22.039
 comes from

00:28:22.039 --> 00:28:22.679
 you it's

00:28:22.679 --> 00:28:23.460
 only you

00:28:23.460 --> 00:28:24.740
 your son

00:28:24.740 --> 00:28:25.240
 the holy

00:28:25.240 --> 00:28:25.980
 spirit who

00:28:25.980 --> 00:28:26.440
 leads us

00:28:26.440 --> 00:28:26.779
 to your

00:28:26.779 --> 00:28:27.140
 son

00:28:27.140 --> 00:28:28.460
 the sealing

00:28:28.460 --> 00:28:30.460
 of your

00:28:30.460 --> 00:28:30.960
 redemption

00:28:30.960 --> 00:28:31.660
 in our lives

00:28:31.660 --> 00:28:32.359
 it's all a

00:28:32.359 --> 00:28:32.740
 gift that

00:28:32.740 --> 00:28:33.319
 comes from

00:28:33.319 --> 00:28:33.539
 you

00:28:33.539 --> 00:28:34.559
 we ask

00:28:34.559 --> 00:28:35.160
 father that

00:28:35.160 --> 00:28:35.920
 this Christmas

00:28:35.920 --> 00:28:36.319
 that we

00:28:36.319 --> 00:28:36.779
 might be

00:28:36.779 --> 00:28:37.420
 gripped by

00:28:37.420 --> 00:28:38.079
 the gospel

00:28:38.079 --> 00:28:39.319
 more and

00:28:39.319 --> 00:28:40.220
 more so

00:28:40.220 --> 00:28:40.519
 that it

00:28:40.519 --> 00:28:41.200
 becomes the

00:28:41.200 --> 00:28:41.779
 means by

00:28:41.779 --> 00:28:42.220
 which we

00:28:42.220 --> 00:28:43.039
 live and

00:28:43.039 --> 00:28:43.400
 the means

00:28:43.400 --> 00:28:43.880
 by which

00:28:43.880 --> 00:28:44.299
 we see

00:28:44.299 --> 00:28:44.880
 and understand

00:28:44.880 --> 00:28:45.519
 ourselves

00:28:45.519 --> 00:28:45.859
 in the

00:28:45.859 --> 00:28:46.160
 world

00:28:46.160 --> 00:28:47.120
 and this

00:28:47.120 --> 00:28:47.620
 we ask

00:28:47.620 --> 00:28:47.940
 in the

00:28:47.940 --> 00:28:48.279
 name of

00:28:48.279 --> 00:28:48.599
 Jesus

00:28:48.599 --> 00:28:49.460
 your son

00:28:49.460 --> 00:28:49.980
 and our

00:28:49.980 --> 00:28:50.339
 savior

00:28:50.339 --> 00:28:51.460
 amen

00:28:51.460 --> 00:28:53.500
 please take

00:28:53.500 --> 00:28:54.319
 a posture

00:28:54.319 --> 00:28:54.879
 of prayer

00:28:54.879 --> 00:28:55.659
 and we'll

00:28:55.659 --> 00:28:56.159
 have a

00:28:56.159 --> 00:28:56.960
 brief time

00:28:56.960 --> 00:28:57.839
 of intercession

00:28:57.839 --> 00:29:03.279
 the responses

00:29:03.279 --> 00:29:03.759
 to the

00:29:03.759 --> 00:29:04.379
 different parts

00:29:04.379 --> 00:29:04.639
 of the

00:29:04.639 --> 00:29:05.179
 intercession

00:29:05.179 --> 00:29:05.679
 will be on

00:29:05.679 --> 00:29:06.179
 the screen

00:29:06.179 --> 00:29:08.399
 father we

00:29:08.399 --> 00:29:08.819
 all have

00:29:08.819 --> 00:29:09.480
 loved ones

00:29:09.480 --> 00:29:09.740
 who are

00:29:09.740 --> 00:29:10.220
 traveling

00:29:10.220 --> 00:29:10.720
 at this

00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:11.159
 time

00:29:11.159 --> 00:29:12.539
 maybe not

00:29:12.539 --> 00:29:13.220
 today but

00:29:13.220 --> 00:29:14.259
 over the

00:29:14.259 --> 00:29:15.299
 days before

00:29:15.299 --> 00:29:16.000
 and the

00:29:16.000 --> 00:29:16.599
 days to

00:29:16.599 --> 00:29:16.899
 come

00:29:16.899 --> 00:29:18.179
 we commend

00:29:18.179 --> 00:29:18.639
 into your

00:29:18.639 --> 00:29:19.319
 hands all

00:29:19.319 --> 00:29:19.980
 who travel

00:29:19.980 --> 00:29:21.519
 Jesus precious

00:29:21.519 --> 00:29:22.059
 savior

00:29:22.059 --> 00:29:23.399
 have mercy

00:29:23.399 --> 00:29:24.099
 upon us

00:29:24.099 --> 00:29:25.500
 father we

00:29:25.500 --> 00:29:25.799
 give you

00:29:25.799 --> 00:29:26.339
 thanks and

00:29:26.339 --> 00:29:26.859
 praise for

00:29:26.859 --> 00:29:27.279
 those in

00:29:27.279 --> 00:29:27.759
 our armed

00:29:27.759 --> 00:29:28.899
 forces who

00:29:28.899 --> 00:29:29.939
 serve overseas

00:29:29.939 --> 00:29:32.579
 heavenly father

00:29:32.579 --> 00:29:33.159
 we commend

00:29:33.159 --> 00:29:33.639
 into your

00:29:33.639 --> 00:29:34.339
 hands those

00:29:34.339 --> 00:29:34.679
 in our

00:29:34.679 --> 00:29:35.519
 canadian armed

00:29:35.519 --> 00:29:36.500
 forces serving

00:29:36.500 --> 00:29:38.319
 overseas and

00:29:38.319 --> 00:29:39.159
 we also commend

00:29:39.159 --> 00:29:39.579
 into your

00:29:39.579 --> 00:29:40.079
 hands their

00:29:40.079 --> 00:29:40.899
 loved ones who

00:29:40.899 --> 00:29:41.399
 wait for them

00:29:41.399 --> 00:29:41.799
 at home

00:29:41.799 --> 00:29:43.859
 Jesus precious

00:29:43.859 --> 00:29:45.299
 savior have

00:29:45.299 --> 00:29:46.379
 mercy upon us

00:29:46.379 --> 00:29:47.679
 father we

00:29:47.679 --> 00:29:48.539
 remember before

00:29:48.539 --> 00:29:49.259
 you the church

00:29:49.259 --> 00:29:49.699
 in north

00:29:49.699 --> 00:29:51.379
 korea we

00:29:51.379 --> 00:29:52.079
 remember before

00:29:52.079 --> 00:29:52.740
 you the church

00:29:52.740 --> 00:29:53.380
 in china

00:29:53.380 --> 00:29:54.980
 we remember

00:29:54.980 --> 00:29:55.799
 before you the

00:29:55.799 --> 00:29:56.599
 church in

00:29:56.599 --> 00:29:57.599
 syria and

00:29:57.599 --> 00:29:58.240
 egypt

00:29:58.240 --> 00:30:00.120
 we remember

00:30:00.120 --> 00:30:00.720
 before you

00:30:00.720 --> 00:30:01.339
 father the

00:30:01.339 --> 00:30:01.819
 church in

00:30:01.819 --> 00:30:03.339
 pakistan and

00:30:03.339 --> 00:30:03.819
 in northern

00:30:03.819 --> 00:30:04.700
 nigeria

00:30:04.700 --> 00:30:06.779
 heavenly father

00:30:06.779 --> 00:30:07.339
 we commend

00:30:07.339 --> 00:30:07.759
 into your

00:30:07.759 --> 00:30:08.279
 hands the

00:30:08.279 --> 00:30:08.839
 persecuted

00:30:08.839 --> 00:30:09.440
 church

00:30:09.440 --> 00:30:11.120
 Jesus precious

00:30:11.120 --> 00:30:12.620
 savior have

00:30:12.620 --> 00:30:13.680
 mercy upon us

00:30:13.680 --> 00:30:15.140
 father we

00:30:15.140 --> 00:30:16.400
 thank you for

00:30:16.400 --> 00:30:17.440
 the missionaries

00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:18.440
 that we have

00:30:18.440 --> 00:30:19.339
 the privilege to

00:30:19.339 --> 00:30:20.000
 be in

00:30:20.000 --> 00:30:21.140
 fellowship and

00:30:21.140 --> 00:30:21.900
 communion with

00:30:21.900 --> 00:30:23.420
 we ask your

00:30:23.420 --> 00:30:24.119
 blessing today

00:30:24.119 --> 00:30:25.079
 father for those

00:30:25.079 --> 00:30:25.799
 missionaries in

00:30:25.799 --> 00:30:26.779
 particular from our

00:30:26.779 --> 00:30:27.680
 own congregation

00:30:27.680 --> 00:30:29.819
 for brian as he

00:30:29.819 --> 00:30:31.099
 prepares to return

00:30:31.099 --> 00:30:33.019
 to china for

00:30:33.019 --> 00:30:34.019
 phil and janine in

00:30:34.019 --> 00:30:36.380
 kassagstan for

00:30:36.380 --> 00:30:38.480
 steve and his

00:30:38.480 --> 00:30:39.480
 wife stella in

00:30:39.480 --> 00:30:40.480
 new delhi india

00:30:40.480 --> 00:30:42.420
 for richard in

00:30:42.420 --> 00:30:43.299
 his work in

00:30:43.299 --> 00:30:44.140
 ottawa with

00:30:44.140 --> 00:30:45.059
 love ottawa and

00:30:45.059 --> 00:30:46.059
 across canada with

00:30:46.059 --> 00:30:46.900
 together canada

00:30:46.900 --> 00:30:48.600
 we ask father for

00:30:48.600 --> 00:30:48.940
 the other

00:30:48.940 --> 00:30:49.720
 missionaries that

00:30:49.720 --> 00:30:51.300
 we support we

00:30:51.300 --> 00:30:52.240
 think father of

00:30:52.240 --> 00:30:53.140
 diana with

00:30:53.140 --> 00:30:54.120
 pioneer missions

00:30:54.119 --> 00:31:06.799
 of great

00:31:06.799 --> 00:31:12.619
 as