WEBVTT

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 I want to invite you to use your imagination with me for a few minutes here.

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 Because obviously, ancient Palestine, 2,000 years ago,

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 in the time of Jesus is very different from what we see around Cyberport.

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 Jericho was a large, prosperous city built by King Herod.

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 So when the Romans came in and occupied Palestine,

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 Caesar gave King Herod the city.

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 And he built this massive city called Jericho,

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 about a mile from the Jericho that you remember from the Old Testament.

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 Basically, it evolved as like a royal estate

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 with grand palaces and these beautiful pools fit for a king.

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 And a beautiful garden city also developed alongside of it.

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 Because it was in a warm climate, which is nice for you guys from cold winters,

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 it was actually established as the winter capital of Judea.

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 So the king would go there during the winter months

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 and have his wonderful palace and rule from there.

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 The political importance and wealth of Jericho

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 would have made it a very attractive place for tax collectors,

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 like we read today.

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 And that wealth would also draw in, I would say, beggars and people in need.

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 Because that was also a place where they could basically make their living by begging.

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 For those of you guys who have also maybe thought through

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 the development of cities and infrastructure,

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 water is essential to civilization.

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 And a lot of Jericho's success was owed to the fact that they built these ducks

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 and these different water channels to bring in water from the springs around the city.

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 So all of these things made it very much an oasis of greenery,

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 as you'll see in this photo behind you.

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 And this is just a photo from one of the tells,

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 like a mound looking into over Jericho,

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 a lush place.

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 And the next photo is a sycamore tree,

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 a very common tree in Palestine,

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 growing to about 20 to 25 feet,

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 something that you could easily climb up onto

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 if you had some ability.

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 So when you look at this next photo,

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 this artist's reconstruction of Jericho,

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 I just want you to visualize with me for a minute

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 what it might have been to be like Jesus of Nazareth,

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 this famous rabbi, this famous teacher,

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 this famous savior and messiah,

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 entering into this city for his only recorded visit to Jericho.

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 With crowds of people gathering about,

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 there's this buzz going on.

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 And outside,

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 outside the city,

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 there was this blind man,

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 laying by the roadside,

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 calling out,

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 Son of David,

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 Son of David,

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 have mercy on me.

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 There's people following,

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 there's crowds,

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 he's persistent,

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 even they tell him to be quiet.

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 He's like,

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 Son of David,

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 have mercy on me.

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 And as Jesus slowly makes his way into the city,

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 and the crowds are following,

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 there's a short, wealthy man called Zacchaeus.

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 Can't really see,

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 so he makes his way up to this tree,

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 peers around,

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 looking for Jesus,

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 looking into the crowd.

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 There's a buzz happening.

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 You know,

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 when Jesus is out and about,

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 when the crowds are there,

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 there's almost a sense of anticipation.

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 Something's happening.

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 Something's gonna happen.

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 Jesus is gonna do something amazing.

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 We're in this series on Advent,

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 which celebrates how Jesus came to us.

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 And it really gives us a chance to think about this question.

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 Well,

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 if Jesus really came to us 2,000 years ago,

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 what do we do with that fact?

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 Does it even mean anything to me?

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 So today,

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 I wanna take us through these two episodes

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 that we just read from Scripture.

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 And I wanna show you how these two figures,

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 the blind beggar on one hand,

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 the wealthy tax collector on the other hand,

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 situated in completely different places of the city,

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 both physically and economically and socially,

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 how these two figures had encounters with Jesus

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 that actually left them completely changed.

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 At the same time,

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 I also wanna show us

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 how these stories translate to us.

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 2,000 years later,

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 how do we make room for Jesus' company,

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 his presence with us

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 in 21st century Hong Kong?

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 If you notice in your Scripture reading,

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 the reading actually spans two chapters.

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 And the blind beggar story is in chapter 18,

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 and the Zacchaeus story starts at chapter 19.

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 So just as a preliminary point,

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 I want you to just remember,

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 this division is maybe understandable

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 if you consider Jesus' actual entry into Jericho

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 as the key event.

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 But actually,

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 these two episodes,

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 and I think why it's important for us

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 to read them together

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 is because they actually form a pair.

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 They actually can be read together

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 and complement each other.

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 And that's how I wanna walk us through this.

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 And just be reminded,

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 even when you're studying

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 and you're reading the Scripture on your own

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 at home tonight,

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 when you're rereading the Bible,

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 don't be sort of sucked into

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 just the chapter and verse divisions.

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 I think we've said this before,

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 but it's worth repeating.

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 I don't think the chapter and verse numbers,

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 I don't think they're divinely inspired.

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 They're more like a guide for you.

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 So when you're reading,

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 just be mindful of that.

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 Read the entire context

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 in your own study as well.

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 Let's take it from the top of that story then

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 with Bartimaeus, the blind beggar.

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 And in these two episodes,

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 I want us to see,

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 I think God wants us to see

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 that they are both outcasts.

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 Both of them are outcasts.

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 And what do I mean by outcast?

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 I think an outcast is simply

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 anyone who is refused

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 or perhaps restricted

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 from full acceptance into society.

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 The blind man,

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 and we know his name is Bartimaeus

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 from Mark's Gospel,

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 he obviously is an outcast,

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 I think,

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 because of his blindness.

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 And in that day,

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 that blindness basically stops you

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 from full participation in society.

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 And he's been relegated to begging

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 on the dirty roadside.

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 And if you notice what he says to Jesus,

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 he says what?

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 Let me recover my sight.

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 And we can't be positive about this,

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 but it's quite probable

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 that Bartimaeus had his sight at one point.

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 And for whatever reason,

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 maybe sickness or some other cause,

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 he lost that sight.

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 So Bartimaeus may even have known

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 what it was like to have sight

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 before he lost it.

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 And not only is he now physically brought low,

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 begging by the roadside,

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 you know, when he's calling out for Jesus,

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 he's calling out for help,

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 the people around him,

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 what do they do?

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 They basically tell him to shut up.

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 Right?

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 Because he's just causing a disturbance.

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 This beggar is just causing a disturbance

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 and stopping us from seeing

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 this massive Messiah,

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 this rabbi,

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 this famous person.

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 And we learned last week from Alfie

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 that a common perception in this time

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 was that sickness was often connected with sin.

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 Maybe it was a result of the person's sin

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 that caused his sickness,

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 that caused his infirmity.

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 So there may have been something like that

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 also weighing in the mind of Bartimaeus

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 and the people.

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 That's where Bartimaeus is

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 in life at that point.

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 Now, Zacchaeus was at the opposite end

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 of the spectrum, right?

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 The title of chief tax collector,

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 this is the only place it appears

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 in the New Testament.

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 But given that Jericho

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 was a major toll collection point

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 in a trade route,

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 it would have made sense

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 for there to be a chief tax collector there,

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 overseeing a bunch of other tax collectors.

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 It would have been a very logistical place

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 to gather taxes.

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 But what we can be certain about, I think,

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 is that Zacchaeus was loaded.

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 He was filthy rich,

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 if you want to use another term.

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 This man had wealth.

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 However, despite his prosperity,

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 he was despised by the average Jew.

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 Why?

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 Because as a Jewish person,

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 he symbolized the authority

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 of the Roman government

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 who had come to conquer and oppress

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 and basically take our money.

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 And he was an instrument of that.

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 He was a symbol of that.

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 The story says that the people

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 started grumbling

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 because they considered Zacchaeus

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 to be a sinner.

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 But Jesus still went to stay with them.

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 Tax collectors in the day

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 were known to overcharge

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 and basically line their own pockets

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 to get more money for themselves

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 and not just collecting

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 for the government.

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 So there were probably people

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 who were angry

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 over that sense of corruption

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 and perhaps jealous

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 over his immense wealth.

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 One commentator thinks

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 that Zacchaeus' house

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 was probably one of the finest

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 in Jericho

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 because of his position.

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 And I imagine maybe

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 if that was in Hong Kong today,

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 he would have had a nice,

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 nice, beautiful house

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 on the peak.

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 Zacchaeus probably had

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 his circle of friends,

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 his elite friends

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 and tax collecting colleagues.

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 But at the end of the day,

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 I think it would have been

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 very clear

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 that he was scorned

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 by the average person.

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 He was probably aware

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 of his reputation.

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 Wildly successful

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 in monetary wealth,

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 but despised

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 by the average person.

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 like Bartimaeus,

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 Zacchaeus

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 was also an outcast.

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 It's clear that

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 both of these men

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 recognized that something

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 wasn't right in their lives.

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 Their situations in life

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 didn't really line up

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 with the ideal.

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 They had this ideal.

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 I mean,

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 there should be acceptance.

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 There should be friendship.

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 There should be community.

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 But somehow,

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 they were outcasts.

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 For Bartimaeus,

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 we know that his blindness

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 was something

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 that burdened him.

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 Or he wouldn't have

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 called out so persistently

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 for healing.

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 Even when people

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 told him to be quiet.

00:11:30.780 --> 00:11:32.340
 Zacchaeus's inner turmoil,

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 it's not explicitly

00:11:33.580 --> 00:11:35.300
 stated in the text,

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 I think,

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 but I think when you look

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 at what he's doing,

00:11:38.160 --> 00:11:38.960
 it's something clear.

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 We get a clue

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 about his convictions.

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 We see that he actually

00:11:43.179 --> 00:11:44.279
 tried to climb

00:11:44.279 --> 00:11:45.419
 this sycamore tree

00:11:45.419 --> 00:11:47.679
 to get a glimpse of Jesus.

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 And in that culture,

00:11:50.019 --> 00:11:50.559
 it would have been

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 very undignified behavior

00:11:53.019 --> 00:11:56.480
 for a grown man

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 to climb a tree.

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 And so there's something more,

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 I think,

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 we see in the subtext.

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 Something more.

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 It wasn't just curiosity

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 that spurred Zacchaeus

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 to look,

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 to climb.

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 There was something

00:12:11.299 --> 00:12:13.479
 deeper that he was

00:12:13.479 --> 00:12:14.299
 really seeking.

00:12:17.199 --> 00:12:17.719
 So,

00:12:18.239 --> 00:12:19.459
 fast forward with me

00:12:19.459 --> 00:12:21.019
 about 2,000 years now

00:12:21.019 --> 00:12:22.519
 to Hong Kong,

00:12:23.259 --> 00:12:24.120
 to Watermark,

00:12:24.779 --> 00:12:26.979
 to these seats right now

00:12:26.979 --> 00:12:27.979
 that you're sitting in,

00:12:28.620 --> 00:12:29.479
 to the lives,

00:12:30.279 --> 00:12:32.000
 your own lives,

00:12:32.120 --> 00:12:33.079
 the lives of the people

00:12:33.079 --> 00:12:33.959
 around you.

00:12:34.379 --> 00:12:35.099
 Think about this

00:12:35.100 --> 00:12:35.680
 for a moment.

00:12:36.500 --> 00:12:37.779
 Who are the outcasts

00:12:38.940 --> 00:12:39.740
 of society?

00:12:45.080 --> 00:12:46.600
 Maybe your mind

00:12:46.600 --> 00:12:47.920
 just went to

00:12:47.920 --> 00:12:49.080
 the homeless people

00:12:49.080 --> 00:12:50.560
 down in St. Barnabas

00:12:50.560 --> 00:12:51.440
 that some of us

00:12:51.440 --> 00:12:52.159
 have been serving.

00:12:53.320 --> 00:12:54.480
 Or the working girls

00:12:54.480 --> 00:12:55.500
 and pimps down

00:12:55.500 --> 00:12:58.100
 on Lockhart Road

00:12:58.100 --> 00:13:00.060
 in the red light district.

00:13:00.200 --> 00:13:00.940
 Or the refugees

00:13:00.940 --> 00:13:02.019
 and asylum seekers

00:13:02.019 --> 00:13:03.960
 that you see around

00:13:03.960 --> 00:13:04.600
 in Hong Kong.

00:13:04.600 --> 00:13:05.660
 Or maybe the many

00:13:05.660 --> 00:13:06.800
 domestic helpers

00:13:06.800 --> 00:13:08.620
 that may be abused

00:13:08.620 --> 00:13:09.379
 or exploited

00:13:09.379 --> 00:13:10.280
 and often treated

00:13:10.280 --> 00:13:11.639
 as second-class citizens

00:13:11.639 --> 00:13:14.000
 in this world-class city.

00:13:15.460 --> 00:13:16.879
 If those people

00:13:16.879 --> 00:13:17.920
 came to mind,

00:13:18.019 --> 00:13:18.180
 well,

00:13:18.980 --> 00:13:19.820
 you're not wrong.

00:13:20.220 --> 00:13:20.759
 I think you're

00:13:20.759 --> 00:13:22.139
 absolutely correct

00:13:22.139 --> 00:13:22.940
 in maybe thinking

00:13:22.940 --> 00:13:23.900
 about these people.

00:13:24.900 --> 00:13:26.080
 Those are the obvious

00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:26.980
 examples, right?

00:13:26.980 --> 00:13:30.320
 But let's dig a little

00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:31.039
 deeper here.

00:13:31.820 --> 00:13:32.920
 Because if the issue

00:13:32.920 --> 00:13:34.700
 of being an outcast

00:13:34.700 --> 00:13:37.560
 is actually fundamentally

00:13:37.560 --> 00:13:38.580
 about finding

00:13:38.580 --> 00:13:39.779
 full acceptance

00:13:39.779 --> 00:13:41.759
 in our society,

00:13:42.139 --> 00:13:43.139
 in our communities,

00:13:43.360 --> 00:13:44.440
 amongst our peers,

00:13:45.440 --> 00:13:46.360
 then I think we're

00:13:46.360 --> 00:13:47.680
 actually all in danger

00:13:47.680 --> 00:13:48.940
 of being outcasts.

00:13:48.940 --> 00:13:49.420
 Or at least

00:13:49.420 --> 00:13:50.519
 every one of us

00:13:50.519 --> 00:13:52.480
 has a part within us

00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:54.159
 that is outcast.

00:13:54.159 --> 00:13:55.839
 You know,

00:13:55.879 --> 00:13:56.779
 we spend so much

00:13:56.779 --> 00:13:57.439
 of our lives

00:13:57.439 --> 00:13:59.039
 creating and following

00:13:59.039 --> 00:14:00.120
 all these standards.

00:14:01.139 --> 00:14:02.000
 Whether we create

00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:02.659
 them ourselves

00:14:02.659 --> 00:14:03.500
 or we see them

00:14:03.500 --> 00:14:04.279
 around us,

00:14:04.620 --> 00:14:05.719
 all these standards

00:14:05.719 --> 00:14:07.500
 that act as dividing walls,

00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:08.539
 separating the good

00:14:08.539 --> 00:14:09.459
 and the bad,

00:14:09.799 --> 00:14:10.379
 the elite

00:14:10.379 --> 00:14:11.519
 and the average,

00:14:12.279 --> 00:14:12.959
 the acceptable

00:14:12.959 --> 00:14:14.600
 and the unacceptable.

00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:16.519
 But the truth is

00:14:16.519 --> 00:14:17.659
 there are aspects

00:14:17.659 --> 00:14:18.439
 of your life

00:14:18.439 --> 00:14:20.360
 that always fall short

00:14:20.360 --> 00:14:21.059
 of these standards,

00:14:21.139 --> 00:14:21.299
 right?

00:14:21.299 --> 00:14:24.799
 And if these things,

00:14:24.879 --> 00:14:26.019
 if they were all exposed

00:14:26.019 --> 00:14:27.759
 and brought to the forefront,

00:14:28.519 --> 00:14:29.899
 you would become

00:14:29.899 --> 00:14:31.519
 an outcast in some way.

00:14:32.839 --> 00:14:33.579
 Maybe you already

00:14:33.579 --> 00:14:34.339
 feel that way.

00:14:35.219 --> 00:14:36.179
 Or if you're like

00:14:36.179 --> 00:14:36.899
 Bartimaeus,

00:14:37.039 --> 00:14:38.339
 maybe you had your sight

00:14:38.339 --> 00:14:39.539
 and you lose something

00:14:39.539 --> 00:14:40.479
 like that and boom,

00:14:41.939 --> 00:14:43.379
 everything is lost.

00:14:44.359 --> 00:14:44.919
 Outcast.

00:14:46.759 --> 00:14:48.039
 These are the parts

00:14:48.039 --> 00:14:48.759
 of our lives

00:14:48.759 --> 00:14:50.000
 that we're not proud of.

00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:52.120
 The things you do

00:14:52.120 --> 00:14:53.379
 and think that you would

00:14:53.379 --> 00:14:54.480
 never come close

00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:55.600
 to posting on Facebook.

00:14:56.500 --> 00:14:56.679
 You know?

00:14:57.220 --> 00:14:58.320
 When I whip out my phone

00:14:58.320 --> 00:14:59.580
 and I have my Facebook app,

00:14:59.639 --> 00:15:00.559
 now they always ask me

00:15:00.559 --> 00:15:01.100
 at the top

00:15:01.100 --> 00:15:02.700
 in the status update,

00:15:02.799 --> 00:15:03.580
 what's on your mind

00:15:03.580 --> 00:15:04.080
 right now?

00:15:05.039 --> 00:15:05.620
 And there's things

00:15:05.620 --> 00:15:06.500
 I would never type

00:15:06.500 --> 00:15:08.120
 on that impressed post.

00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:09.240
 Right?

00:15:10.639 --> 00:15:11.940
 It's that bad photo

00:15:11.940 --> 00:15:13.220
 that someone tagged you in,

00:15:13.259 --> 00:15:13.379
 you know,

00:15:13.419 --> 00:15:14.000
 when the angle

00:15:14.000 --> 00:15:15.240
 is coming up like this.

00:15:15.379 --> 00:15:15.740
 Right?

00:15:15.960 --> 00:15:17.100
 You hate that photo

00:15:17.100 --> 00:15:18.200
 because the double chin

00:15:18.200 --> 00:15:18.840
 is right there.

00:15:19.540 --> 00:15:19.759
 Right?

00:15:19.820 --> 00:15:20.420
 I got that.

00:15:20.779 --> 00:15:21.580
 You know what I'm talking

00:15:21.580 --> 00:15:22.100
 about, right?

00:15:22.620 --> 00:15:23.860
 And you just can't

00:15:23.860 --> 00:15:25.820
 click untag fast enough

00:15:25.820 --> 00:15:27.399
 because it's a bad

00:15:27.399 --> 00:15:28.320
 portrayal of you.

00:15:30.700 --> 00:15:31.680
 That double chin

00:15:31.680 --> 00:15:32.740
 is no good.

00:15:34.980 --> 00:15:35.580
 And I mean,

00:15:35.620 --> 00:15:36.320
 we joke about that

00:15:36.320 --> 00:15:37.360
 and that's a funny example,

00:15:37.540 --> 00:15:38.379
 but I think there's,

00:15:38.800 --> 00:15:39.920
 there is a sense

00:15:39.920 --> 00:15:41.019
 of being outcast

00:15:41.019 --> 00:15:44.039
 based on our physical beauty,

00:15:44.319 --> 00:15:44.819
 isn't there?

00:15:46.620 --> 00:15:48.019
 When you compare yourself

00:15:48.019 --> 00:15:49.059
 to a magazine cover,

00:15:51.139 --> 00:15:52.199
 there are outcasts

00:15:52.199 --> 00:15:54.299
 wrestling with their appearance.

00:15:56.079 --> 00:15:58.179
 What about relationships?

00:15:58.679 --> 00:16:00.240
 What about broken relationships

00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:01.720
 and things that seem

00:16:01.720 --> 00:16:02.860
 to have scarred us

00:16:02.860 --> 00:16:05.379
 seem to taint our lives?

00:16:06.980 --> 00:16:08.100
 What about sex

00:16:08.100 --> 00:16:09.039
 and drug addictions?

00:16:09.039 --> 00:16:11.500
 There was an article

00:16:11.500 --> 00:16:12.819
 in CNN about a year ago,

00:16:12.860 --> 00:16:13.659
 I'm sure many of you guys

00:16:13.659 --> 00:16:14.279
 read about,

00:16:14.659 --> 00:16:15.099
 read this,

00:16:15.159 --> 00:16:15.959
 it was written

00:16:15.959 --> 00:16:16.959
 by a British banker

00:16:16.959 --> 00:16:18.259
 who basically literally,

00:16:18.559 --> 00:16:19.599
 he literally wrote

00:16:19.599 --> 00:16:20.459
 the headline was,

00:16:20.699 --> 00:16:21.559
 Leaving Hong Kong

00:16:21.559 --> 00:16:22.719
 Saved My Life

00:16:22.719 --> 00:16:24.399
 Because of the Drug Culture.

00:16:26.799 --> 00:16:27.959
 And like Jericho,

00:16:28.199 --> 00:16:29.699
 this is a wealthy city,

00:16:29.860 --> 00:16:30.839
 a trade hub,

00:16:31.539 --> 00:16:32.659
 a finance hub,

00:16:33.259 --> 00:16:35.899
 with plenty of opportunities

00:16:35.899 --> 00:16:36.740
 for honest

00:16:36.740 --> 00:16:38.319
 and dishonest gain.

00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:41.500
 Have you done anything

00:16:41.500 --> 00:16:43.079
 in this city

00:16:43.079 --> 00:16:44.000
 that you're ashamed of?

00:16:44.500 --> 00:16:45.360
 I have.

00:16:48.299 --> 00:16:49.500
 And even if we're not

00:16:49.500 --> 00:16:51.059
 obvious outcasts,

00:16:51.099 --> 00:16:52.159
 there is part of us

00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:53.159
 that is anxious,

00:16:53.339 --> 00:16:53.759
 I believe,

00:16:53.839 --> 00:16:54.779
 and even terrified

00:16:54.779 --> 00:16:56.559
 of becoming an outcast.

00:16:56.659 --> 00:16:57.480
 And I think that's why

00:16:57.480 --> 00:16:58.480
 we band together

00:16:58.480 --> 00:16:59.659
 and we gossip

00:16:59.659 --> 00:17:00.599
 about other people

00:17:00.599 --> 00:17:02.639
 and we bully other people

00:17:02.639 --> 00:17:03.480
 and we scorn them

00:17:03.480 --> 00:17:04.460
 and we make fun of them.

00:17:04.460 --> 00:17:05.860
 That's why this us

00:17:05.860 --> 00:17:07.240
 versus them mentality

00:17:07.240 --> 00:17:08.200
 is so powerful

00:17:08.200 --> 00:17:09.819
 because sometimes

00:17:09.819 --> 00:17:10.640
 it's easier

00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:11.740
 to demonize

00:17:11.740 --> 00:17:12.319
 and make someone

00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:12.860
 an enemy,

00:17:13.500 --> 00:17:14.200
 right?

00:17:14.920 --> 00:17:16.079
 To make myself

00:17:16.079 --> 00:17:16.660
 feel better.

00:17:17.420 --> 00:17:18.000
 And I wonder

00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:18.740
 if some of us,

00:17:18.819 --> 00:17:19.400
 even when we think

00:17:19.400 --> 00:17:20.559
 about being made fun

00:17:20.559 --> 00:17:21.240
 and bullied,

00:17:21.420 --> 00:17:22.140
 how much some of us

00:17:22.140 --> 00:17:22.680
 maybe are still

00:17:22.680 --> 00:17:23.860
 carrying around baggage

00:17:23.860 --> 00:17:25.380
 from being bullied

00:17:25.380 --> 00:17:26.140
 when we were kids.

00:17:26.140 --> 00:17:29.400
 So we go around

00:17:29.400 --> 00:17:30.400
 with these masks,

00:17:30.600 --> 00:17:31.980
 we save face,

00:17:32.620 --> 00:17:33.380
 we pretend that

00:17:33.380 --> 00:17:35.020
 everything is perfectly fine,

00:17:35.620 --> 00:17:36.800
 even maybe on a Sunday

00:17:36.800 --> 00:17:38.520
 for worship service

00:17:38.520 --> 00:17:39.300
 because we've got to

00:17:39.300 --> 00:17:40.259
 bring our Sunday best,

00:17:40.340 --> 00:17:40.500
 right?

00:17:41.620 --> 00:17:42.600
 We've got to make sure

00:17:42.600 --> 00:17:43.940
 everything's perfectly fine.

00:17:47.500 --> 00:17:48.340
 I want to take us

00:17:48.340 --> 00:17:49.560
 back to Jericho again.

00:17:52.540 --> 00:17:54.259
 Bartimaeus and Zacchaeus

00:17:54.259 --> 00:17:55.600
 understand that things

00:17:55.599 --> 00:17:56.659
 aren't right in their lives

00:17:56.659 --> 00:17:57.279
 and they're looking

00:17:57.279 --> 00:17:58.139
 for the one

00:17:58.139 --> 00:17:59.939
 who can change that.

00:18:02.039 --> 00:18:03.119
 For Bartimaeus,

00:18:03.199 --> 00:18:04.199
 although the crowd

00:18:04.199 --> 00:18:05.419
 introduces Jesus

00:18:05.419 --> 00:18:07.259
 as Jesus of Nazareth,

00:18:08.019 --> 00:18:10.119
 he instantly identifies him

00:18:10.119 --> 00:18:10.759
 as Jesus,

00:18:10.939 --> 00:18:12.119
 son of David.

00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:14.179
 A son of David

00:18:14.179 --> 00:18:15.519
 is actually a title

00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:16.500
 for the Messiah

00:18:16.500 --> 00:18:18.159
 who was supposed

00:18:18.159 --> 00:18:19.539
 to come and save the Jews.

00:18:19.659 --> 00:18:21.139
 So as he cries out again

00:18:21.139 --> 00:18:22.500
 despite being rebuked

00:18:22.500 --> 00:18:24.159
 by the people around him

00:18:24.159 --> 00:18:24.839
 to be quiet,

00:18:24.839 --> 00:18:25.879
 he is showing

00:18:25.879 --> 00:18:27.059
 some measure

00:18:27.059 --> 00:18:27.799
 of recognition

00:18:27.799 --> 00:18:29.199
 that Jesus is special.

00:18:30.599 --> 00:18:32.000
 He has this faith

00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:33.439
 to ask Jesus

00:18:33.439 --> 00:18:34.539
 for a miracle.

00:18:35.740 --> 00:18:36.039
 Jesus,

00:18:36.240 --> 00:18:36.879
 son of David,

00:18:37.019 --> 00:18:38.299
 help me recover

00:18:38.299 --> 00:18:39.519
 my sight.

00:18:40.980 --> 00:18:42.159
 And Jesus meets

00:18:42.159 --> 00:18:43.639
 Bartimaeus

00:18:43.639 --> 00:18:45.699
 in his deepest brokenness,

00:18:46.099 --> 00:18:47.039
 in his blindness.

00:18:49.480 --> 00:18:50.159
 For Zacchaeus,

00:18:50.220 --> 00:18:51.759
 I love what Jesus does

00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:52.619
 in his situation

00:18:52.619 --> 00:18:54.719
 because there's no indication

00:18:54.719 --> 00:18:56.379
 that Zacchaeus

00:18:56.379 --> 00:18:57.239
 had any intention

00:18:57.239 --> 00:18:58.539
 to call out to Jesus.

00:18:58.759 --> 00:18:59.939
 He was just kind of lurking

00:18:59.939 --> 00:19:01.479
 above in that tree,

00:19:02.679 --> 00:19:04.119
 in that Christmas tree

00:19:04.119 --> 00:19:05.399
 if you want to visualize it.

00:19:05.839 --> 00:19:06.439
 He was just lurking,

00:19:06.519 --> 00:19:07.179
 kind of looking,

00:19:07.719 --> 00:19:08.839
 but something was stirring

00:19:08.839 --> 00:19:09.319
 in him.

00:19:09.419 --> 00:19:10.619
 And in a crowd of people

00:19:10.619 --> 00:19:11.579
 where there was probably

00:19:11.579 --> 00:19:12.819
 a hundred things

00:19:12.819 --> 00:19:14.179
 vying for Jesus' attention,

00:19:14.959 --> 00:19:16.259
 a hundred things around him,

00:19:16.599 --> 00:19:17.559
 there's a buzz, right?

00:19:17.899 --> 00:19:18.759
 He's a celebrity.

00:19:18.879 --> 00:19:19.719
 There's a crowd.

00:19:19.720 --> 00:19:21.960
 He looks up at this stranger

00:19:21.960 --> 00:19:24.440
 and he calls Zacchaeus

00:19:24.440 --> 00:19:25.019
 by name.

00:19:26.839 --> 00:19:29.500
 Jesus knows Zacchaeus' name.

00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:33.380
 He sees Zacchaeus.

00:19:34.720 --> 00:19:35.779
 And when he declares

00:19:35.779 --> 00:19:37.000
 that he needs to enter

00:19:37.000 --> 00:19:38.799
 into this man's home

00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:40.180
 as his guest,

00:19:40.400 --> 00:19:42.539
 he is associating himself

00:19:42.539 --> 00:19:45.079
 with Zacchaeus

00:19:45.079 --> 00:19:47.200
 in a very personal,

00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:48.720
 intimate way.

00:19:48.720 --> 00:19:49.319
 way.

00:19:51.039 --> 00:19:52.180
 For Zacchaeus,

00:19:52.220 --> 00:19:52.839
 on his part,

00:19:52.920 --> 00:19:55.000
 we see that he received

00:19:55.000 --> 00:19:56.539
 Jesus gladly.

00:19:57.440 --> 00:19:58.420
 And that word in Greek

00:19:58.420 --> 00:20:00.120
 is literally rejoicing.

00:20:00.259 --> 00:20:01.079
 And it's interesting

00:20:01.079 --> 00:20:02.680
 because the word rejoicing

00:20:02.680 --> 00:20:04.259
 is used a number of times

00:20:04.259 --> 00:20:04.740
 in Luke,

00:20:05.299 --> 00:20:06.319
 in this gospel,

00:20:06.819 --> 00:20:07.620
 where Luke is trying

00:20:07.620 --> 00:20:08.660
 to describe someone

00:20:08.660 --> 00:20:10.039
 who has faith.

00:20:10.140 --> 00:20:11.480
 He's expressing faith

00:20:11.480 --> 00:20:13.920
 and he has that faith

00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:14.819
 in Jesus.

00:20:14.819 --> 00:20:19.139
 There's this genuine joy

00:20:19.139 --> 00:20:20.659
 within Zacchaeus

00:20:20.659 --> 00:20:22.039
 as he receives Jesus

00:20:22.039 --> 00:20:23.139
 into his home.

00:20:24.919 --> 00:20:26.359
 He's a changed man

00:20:26.359 --> 00:20:27.460
 because the Messiah

00:20:27.460 --> 00:20:29.419
 has come into his life

00:20:29.419 --> 00:20:30.779
 and Jesus' declaration

00:20:30.779 --> 00:20:31.879
 that he came

00:20:31.879 --> 00:20:33.899
 to seek and save the lost,

00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:35.480
 I think that indicates

00:20:35.480 --> 00:20:36.339
 that Zacchaeus

00:20:36.339 --> 00:20:37.700
 knew that he was lost.

00:20:38.220 --> 00:20:39.960
 He knew things weren't right.

00:20:39.960 --> 00:20:43.620
 And for Bartimaeus,

00:20:43.720 --> 00:20:44.559
 Jesus told him,

00:20:45.019 --> 00:20:45.759
 your faith

00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:47.720
 has made you well.

00:20:48.440 --> 00:20:49.100
 That's what we read.

00:20:49.220 --> 00:20:50.019
 It made him well.

00:20:50.100 --> 00:20:51.059
 And that Greek word

00:20:51.059 --> 00:20:52.600
 for made you well

00:20:52.600 --> 00:20:53.460
 is actually

00:20:53.460 --> 00:20:55.000
 translated

00:20:55.000 --> 00:20:55.920
 saved.

00:20:55.920 --> 00:20:58.600
 So we see that

00:20:58.600 --> 00:20:59.500
 even in the text

00:20:59.500 --> 00:21:00.480
 there may be actually

00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:02.220
 more than one aspect

00:21:02.220 --> 00:21:04.180
 of his restoration here.

00:21:04.240 --> 00:21:04.700
 Not only

00:21:04.700 --> 00:21:06.440
 is he physically healed

00:21:06.440 --> 00:21:07.440
 his sight,

00:21:08.100 --> 00:21:09.259
 but there's some aspect

00:21:09.259 --> 00:21:12.180
 of a spiritual salvation there.

00:21:12.960 --> 00:21:14.380
 And it may not have been

00:21:14.380 --> 00:21:15.300
 abundantly clear

00:21:15.300 --> 00:21:16.240
 to these two men

00:21:16.240 --> 00:21:16.740
 that there was

00:21:16.740 --> 00:21:17.960
 a spiritual dimension

00:21:17.960 --> 00:21:18.779
 of being saved,

00:21:18.900 --> 00:21:20.160
 but it's really clear

00:21:20.160 --> 00:21:22.300
 that they were no longer

00:21:22.300 --> 00:21:24.420
 outcasts in their society.

00:21:25.920 --> 00:21:27.680
 So fast forward again

00:21:27.680 --> 00:21:28.240
 to today

00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:29.960
 in this room.

00:21:30.779 --> 00:21:32.200
 When we apply that

00:21:32.200 --> 00:21:33.360
 to ourselves today,

00:21:33.420 --> 00:21:34.460
 I think it's clear

00:21:34.460 --> 00:21:35.980
 that we're all

00:21:35.980 --> 00:21:38.279
 spiritual outcasts.

00:21:39.519 --> 00:21:41.320
 Like what I was saying before,

00:21:41.660 --> 00:21:43.080
 the ultimate problem

00:21:43.080 --> 00:21:44.840
 isn't really being

00:21:44.840 --> 00:21:45.640
 an outcast

00:21:45.640 --> 00:21:47.560
 in this society

00:21:47.560 --> 00:21:49.840
 on a horizontal level.

00:21:49.920 --> 00:21:51.019
 It's being an outcast

00:21:51.019 --> 00:21:53.519
 because God created us

00:21:53.519 --> 00:21:55.480
 to be in this loving

00:21:55.480 --> 00:21:56.859
 relationship with him.

00:21:58.660 --> 00:21:59.900
 But day after day,

00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:00.960
 I find myself

00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:01.799
 forgetting him

00:22:01.799 --> 00:22:03.879
 and turning away from him,

00:22:03.940 --> 00:22:05.200
 whether consciously

00:22:05.200 --> 00:22:06.920
 or unconsciously.

00:22:08.680 --> 00:22:09.539
 God calls that

00:22:09.539 --> 00:22:10.619
 broken relationship,

00:22:11.420 --> 00:22:12.779
 that turning away from him,

00:22:13.720 --> 00:22:14.720
 one way we describe that

00:22:14.720 --> 00:22:15.180
 is sin.

00:22:16.579 --> 00:22:17.900
 And he sent his son,

00:22:18.019 --> 00:22:18.240
 Jesus,

00:22:18.400 --> 00:22:20.480
 to seek and save us,

00:22:20.859 --> 00:22:21.359
 the lost.

00:22:21.359 --> 00:22:24.439
 I think one of the reasons

00:22:24.439 --> 00:22:25.279
 why the stories

00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:26.099
 of Bartimaeus

00:22:26.099 --> 00:22:26.740
 and Zacchaeus

00:22:26.740 --> 00:22:27.740
 are actually told together

00:22:27.740 --> 00:22:28.959
 is because it's clear

00:22:28.959 --> 00:22:30.119
 that those of us

00:22:30.119 --> 00:22:31.139
 who are rich

00:22:31.139 --> 00:22:32.359
 and prosperous

00:22:32.359 --> 00:22:34.259
 like Zacchaeus

00:22:34.259 --> 00:22:35.979
 are actually

00:22:35.979 --> 00:22:37.159
 no better

00:22:37.159 --> 00:22:38.419
 than that blind beggar.

00:22:39.740 --> 00:22:40.419
 I don't know

00:22:40.419 --> 00:22:41.179
 the last time

00:22:41.179 --> 00:22:42.740
 you thought of yourself

00:22:42.740 --> 00:22:43.639
 as a blind beggar.

00:22:44.500 --> 00:22:45.299
 That's not one thing

00:22:45.299 --> 00:22:46.039
 that comes up

00:22:46.039 --> 00:22:46.979
 in my mind

00:22:46.979 --> 00:22:47.679
 when I wake up

00:22:47.679 --> 00:22:48.199
 every morning.

00:22:48.200 --> 00:22:50.039
 I'm just a spiritually

00:22:50.039 --> 00:22:51.360
 blind beggar.

00:22:52.799 --> 00:22:54.299
 So we need a savior

00:22:54.299 --> 00:22:56.000
 because we can't

00:22:56.000 --> 00:22:56.640
 save ourselves.

00:22:56.779 --> 00:22:58.240
 We can't be perfect.

00:22:58.360 --> 00:22:59.360
 I can't be perfect.

00:22:59.480 --> 00:22:59.960
 I've tried.

00:23:00.480 --> 00:23:01.160
 It doesn't work.

00:23:02.440 --> 00:23:03.580
 I mess up daily.

00:23:04.059 --> 00:23:05.340
 I fall short daily.

00:23:06.779 --> 00:23:08.160
 We need forgiveness.

00:23:08.440 --> 00:23:09.980
 We need unconditional love

00:23:09.980 --> 00:23:11.180
 and acceptance.

00:23:11.480 --> 00:23:12.559
 And when we receive

00:23:12.559 --> 00:23:13.259
 that gift

00:23:13.259 --> 00:23:14.500
 from the God

00:23:14.500 --> 00:23:15.740
 who created us,

00:23:15.740 --> 00:23:17.500
 we are outcast

00:23:17.500 --> 00:23:18.180
 no more.

00:23:19.839 --> 00:23:20.940
 We receive

00:23:20.940 --> 00:23:22.359
 a completely new life

00:23:22.359 --> 00:23:23.620
 and identity

00:23:23.620 --> 00:23:24.740
 as a child of God.

00:23:26.120 --> 00:23:26.759
 That's

00:23:26.759 --> 00:23:28.019
 who we were created

00:23:28.019 --> 00:23:28.519
 to be.

00:23:29.259 --> 00:23:30.420
 Children of God.

00:23:34.099 --> 00:23:34.980
 I was

00:23:34.980 --> 00:23:36.319
 just this past week

00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:36.940
 I was walking

00:23:36.940 --> 00:23:38.039
 to the MTR

00:23:38.039 --> 00:23:40.359
 and saw this little boy

00:23:40.359 --> 00:23:41.559
 maybe around

00:23:41.559 --> 00:23:42.359
 five years old

00:23:42.359 --> 00:23:42.940
 and he was

00:23:42.940 --> 00:23:43.539
 kind of just

00:23:43.539 --> 00:23:44.440
 stumbling.

00:23:44.579 --> 00:23:45.160
 Not really stumbling

00:23:45.160 --> 00:23:46.100
 but he wasn't

00:23:46.100 --> 00:23:47.000
 walking too steadily.

00:23:47.820 --> 00:23:48.180
 He was just

00:23:48.180 --> 00:23:49.040
 calling out

00:23:49.040 --> 00:23:49.580
 Baba!

00:23:50.460 --> 00:23:50.800
 Baba!

00:23:52.400 --> 00:23:53.019
 And that

00:23:53.019 --> 00:23:54.220
 means basically

00:23:54.220 --> 00:23:54.720
 dad!

00:23:54.900 --> 00:23:55.220
 Dad!

00:23:55.580 --> 00:23:56.080
 So I was kind of

00:23:56.080 --> 00:23:56.700
 taken aback

00:23:56.700 --> 00:23:57.160
 and I just

00:23:57.160 --> 00:23:57.980
 looked around

00:23:57.980 --> 00:23:58.600
 to see what was

00:23:58.600 --> 00:23:59.140
 going on.

00:24:00.060 --> 00:24:01.540
 And I think

00:24:01.540 --> 00:24:03.519
 I saw his dad

00:24:03.519 --> 00:24:03.920
 who was maybe

00:24:03.920 --> 00:24:04.759
 on the other side

00:24:04.759 --> 00:24:06.080
 maybe this far away

00:24:06.080 --> 00:24:06.759
 kind of walking

00:24:06.759 --> 00:24:07.519
 ahead of him

00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:08.680
 and it was

00:24:08.680 --> 00:24:09.480
 clear that

00:24:09.480 --> 00:24:10.600
 seemed clear at least

00:24:10.600 --> 00:24:11.279
 that maybe his dad

00:24:11.279 --> 00:24:12.040
 wasn't very happy

00:24:12.040 --> 00:24:12.900
 with him

00:24:12.900 --> 00:24:13.500
 so he was kind of

00:24:13.500 --> 00:24:14.140
 walking ahead

00:24:14.140 --> 00:24:15.000
 and only occasionally

00:24:15.000 --> 00:24:15.900
 looking back.

00:24:16.780 --> 00:24:17.340
 I know that's

00:24:17.340 --> 00:24:18.140
 kind of a small

00:24:18.140 --> 00:24:18.860
 illustration

00:24:18.860 --> 00:24:20.000
 but it just

00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:20.620
 hit me at that

00:24:20.620 --> 00:24:21.280
 point when I was

00:24:21.280 --> 00:24:22.160
 thinking about it

00:24:22.160 --> 00:24:23.480
 like

00:24:23.480 --> 00:24:25.000
 why don't I

00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:25.520
 call out

00:24:25.520 --> 00:24:26.380
 to my father

00:24:26.380 --> 00:24:27.240
 with that kind

00:24:27.240 --> 00:24:27.820
 of desperation

00:24:27.820 --> 00:24:29.100
 and that simplicity?

00:24:29.600 --> 00:24:30.500
 My heavenly father.

00:24:31.880 --> 00:24:32.540
 And he's not

00:24:32.540 --> 00:24:32.800
 quite

00:24:32.800 --> 00:24:33.620
 I don't think

00:24:33.620 --> 00:24:35.020
 our heavenly father

00:24:35.020 --> 00:24:36.640
 is like that dad

00:24:36.640 --> 00:24:36.960
 like a

00:24:36.960 --> 00:24:37.540
 kind of

00:24:37.540 --> 00:24:37.860
 he was being

00:24:37.860 --> 00:24:38.440
 kind of a jerk

00:24:38.440 --> 00:24:38.920
 I think.

00:24:38.920 --> 00:24:42.460
 our heavenly father

00:24:42.460 --> 00:24:43.380
 isn't like that.

00:24:43.920 --> 00:24:44.460
 But why

00:24:44.460 --> 00:24:45.300
 why don't I

00:24:45.300 --> 00:24:46.500
 call out to him

00:24:46.500 --> 00:24:47.039
 like that?

00:24:48.620 --> 00:24:49.440
 Like I went

00:24:49.440 --> 00:24:50.640
 I went through school

00:24:50.640 --> 00:24:51.320
 I grew up

00:24:51.320 --> 00:24:52.480
 I wear like

00:24:52.480 --> 00:24:53.480
 a nice pair of slacks

00:24:53.480 --> 00:24:54.120
 and shirt now

00:24:54.120 --> 00:24:54.500
 and I think

00:24:54.500 --> 00:24:55.019
 I've got it

00:24:55.019 --> 00:24:55.640
 figured out.

00:24:56.660 --> 00:24:56.940
 Right?

00:24:58.300 --> 00:24:59.000
 I don't know

00:24:59.000 --> 00:24:59.700
 sometimes what I'm

00:24:59.700 --> 00:25:00.160
 doing in

00:25:00.160 --> 00:25:01.360
 these nice clothes

00:25:01.360 --> 00:25:01.860
 I think maybe

00:25:01.860 --> 00:25:02.220
 I should be

00:25:02.220 --> 00:25:02.940
 wearing a onesie

00:25:02.940 --> 00:25:04.120
 or my school

00:25:04.120 --> 00:25:04.880
 uniform right?

00:25:04.940 --> 00:25:05.640
 Because that would

00:25:05.640 --> 00:25:06.860
 actually be a reminder

00:25:06.859 --> 00:25:09.259
 that in relation

00:25:09.259 --> 00:25:10.559
 to my heavenly father

00:25:10.559 --> 00:25:12.039
 I'm always a child

00:25:12.039 --> 00:25:13.459
 and I need to

00:25:13.459 --> 00:25:14.199
 come with him

00:25:14.199 --> 00:25:14.979
 come to him

00:25:14.979 --> 00:25:15.579
 with that

00:25:15.579 --> 00:25:16.519
 simplicity

00:25:16.519 --> 00:25:18.279
 just like that

00:25:18.279 --> 00:25:19.059
 little boy did.

00:25:19.819 --> 00:25:20.359
 But somehow

00:25:20.359 --> 00:25:21.039
 along the way

00:25:21.039 --> 00:25:21.959
 I thought I grew up

00:25:21.959 --> 00:25:22.939
 and I became mature

00:25:22.939 --> 00:25:23.979
 and I fear

00:25:23.979 --> 00:25:24.639
 sometimes

00:25:24.639 --> 00:25:25.659
 that I look at God

00:25:25.659 --> 00:25:26.339
 and I treat him

00:25:26.339 --> 00:25:26.859
 as an equal.

00:25:28.419 --> 00:25:29.179
 I say dad

00:25:29.179 --> 00:25:30.019
 I've grown up now

00:25:30.019 --> 00:25:31.059
 give me my inheritance

00:25:31.059 --> 00:25:32.979
 I want to sort

00:25:32.979 --> 00:25:33.619
 things out now

00:25:33.619 --> 00:25:34.079
 myself.

00:25:35.579 --> 00:25:36.059
 And that's not

00:25:36.059 --> 00:25:36.740
 the way our heavenly

00:25:36.740 --> 00:25:37.559
 father wants.

00:25:40.519 --> 00:25:41.599
 I think some of us

00:25:41.599 --> 00:25:42.079
 in this room

00:25:42.079 --> 00:25:43.419
 are like Bartimaeus.

00:25:44.579 --> 00:25:45.619
 We want to call

00:25:45.619 --> 00:25:46.299
 out to Jesus

00:25:46.299 --> 00:25:47.379
 because we know

00:25:47.379 --> 00:25:48.500
 we need him

00:25:48.500 --> 00:25:49.460
 and if that's you

00:25:49.460 --> 00:25:49.899
 today

00:25:49.899 --> 00:25:51.740
 I encourage you

00:25:51.740 --> 00:25:53.240
 be bold

00:25:53.240 --> 00:25:53.960
 and call out

00:25:53.960 --> 00:25:54.460
 to him

00:25:54.460 --> 00:25:56.399
 because our heavenly

00:25:56.399 --> 00:25:57.159
 father is not

00:25:57.159 --> 00:25:57.879
 like that father

00:25:57.879 --> 00:25:58.559
 that I saw

00:25:58.559 --> 00:25:59.879
 on the street.

00:26:00.519 --> 00:26:01.220
 He's not running

00:26:01.220 --> 00:26:02.019
 away from us

00:26:02.019 --> 00:26:02.859
 he never runs

00:26:02.859 --> 00:26:03.960
 out on us.

00:26:03.960 --> 00:26:06.519
 there's healing

00:26:06.519 --> 00:26:07.600
 to be found

00:26:07.600 --> 00:26:08.819
 through faith

00:26:08.819 --> 00:26:09.759
 in Jesus Christ.

00:26:12.500 --> 00:26:13.420
 But the truth is

00:26:13.420 --> 00:26:14.220
 I think many more

00:26:14.220 --> 00:26:14.660
 of us

00:26:14.660 --> 00:26:15.380
 are more like

00:26:15.380 --> 00:26:16.000
 Zacchaeus.

00:26:17.259 --> 00:26:17.420
 Right?

00:26:18.420 --> 00:26:18.920
 You know

00:26:18.920 --> 00:26:19.860
 we're watching

00:26:19.860 --> 00:26:20.980
 we're observing

00:26:20.980 --> 00:26:22.420
 we suspect

00:26:22.420 --> 00:26:23.600
 something's going on

00:26:23.600 --> 00:26:25.100
 we're kind of

00:26:25.100 --> 00:26:26.000
 too cool for school

00:26:26.000 --> 00:26:26.680
 I always sat

00:26:26.680 --> 00:26:27.380
 in the back row

00:26:27.380 --> 00:26:28.160
 of lectures

00:26:28.160 --> 00:26:28.720
 because I thought

00:26:28.720 --> 00:26:29.360
 I was awesome.

00:26:30.440 --> 00:26:30.640
 Right?

00:26:31.259 --> 00:26:32.059
 Only the nerds

00:26:32.059 --> 00:26:32.900
 sat in the front row

00:26:32.900 --> 00:26:33.600
 no offense

00:26:33.600 --> 00:26:34.759
 because they were

00:26:34.759 --> 00:26:35.620
 asking questions

00:26:35.620 --> 00:26:35.860
 right?

00:26:35.940 --> 00:26:36.259
 And you're just like

00:26:36.259 --> 00:26:37.240
 oh stop asking

00:26:37.240 --> 00:26:37.880
 another question

00:26:37.880 --> 00:26:38.360
 I want to get

00:26:38.360 --> 00:26:39.080
 out of class.

00:26:41.519 --> 00:26:42.560
 But we suspect

00:26:42.560 --> 00:26:43.259
 something big

00:26:43.259 --> 00:26:43.920
 is going on.

00:26:44.580 --> 00:26:44.700
 You know

00:26:44.700 --> 00:26:45.519
 Jesus is here

00:26:45.519 --> 00:26:46.320
 there's a buzz

00:26:46.320 --> 00:26:47.420
 but we're not

00:26:47.420 --> 00:26:47.980
 quite sure

00:26:47.980 --> 00:26:48.759
 how to approach

00:26:48.759 --> 00:26:49.180
 it right?

00:26:49.920 --> 00:26:50.720
 Maybe we don't

00:26:50.720 --> 00:26:51.340
 think Jesus

00:26:51.340 --> 00:26:52.100
 is really

00:26:52.100 --> 00:26:53.140
 that special.

00:26:56.040 --> 00:26:56.960
 Maybe we don't

00:26:56.960 --> 00:26:58.320
 think that Jesus

00:26:58.320 --> 00:26:58.940
 could really

00:26:58.940 --> 00:26:59.640
 love us

00:26:59.640 --> 00:27:00.840
 based on what

00:27:00.840 --> 00:27:01.340
 we've done

00:27:01.340 --> 00:27:01.900
 the things

00:27:01.900 --> 00:27:02.580
 we've thought

00:27:02.580 --> 00:27:03.060
 the things

00:27:03.060 --> 00:27:04.100
 we've done

00:27:04.100 --> 00:27:04.920
 the people

00:27:04.920 --> 00:27:05.560
 we've hurt

00:27:05.560 --> 00:27:09.060
 I don't know

00:27:09.060 --> 00:27:09.540
 the depths

00:27:09.540 --> 00:27:10.160
 of your heart

00:27:10.160 --> 00:27:10.660
 and mind

00:27:10.660 --> 00:27:12.500
 I know some

00:27:12.500 --> 00:27:12.940
 of you pretty

00:27:12.940 --> 00:27:13.460
 well but I

00:27:13.460 --> 00:27:13.940
 don't really

00:27:13.940 --> 00:27:14.300
 know

00:27:14.300 --> 00:27:15.680
 the very

00:27:15.680 --> 00:27:16.360
 depths of it

00:27:16.360 --> 00:27:17.080
 you might not

00:27:17.080 --> 00:27:17.480
 even know

00:27:17.480 --> 00:27:17.980
 yourself

00:27:17.980 --> 00:27:19.560
 and thankfully

00:27:19.560 --> 00:27:20.240
 I don't need

00:27:20.240 --> 00:27:20.720
 to because

00:27:20.720 --> 00:27:21.240
 I'm not

00:27:21.240 --> 00:27:21.780
 your savior

00:27:21.780 --> 00:27:24.620
 but I want

00:27:24.620 --> 00:27:25.040
 you to know

00:27:25.040 --> 00:27:25.680
 that Jesus

00:27:25.680 --> 00:27:26.480
 sees

00:27:26.480 --> 00:27:28.000
 every one

00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:28.320
 of you

00:27:28.320 --> 00:27:28.920
 in this room

00:27:28.920 --> 00:27:29.480
 right now

00:27:29.480 --> 00:27:33.640
 those of you

00:27:33.640 --> 00:27:34.240
 in the back

00:27:34.240 --> 00:27:34.800
 whom I can

00:27:34.800 --> 00:27:35.620
 barely see

00:27:35.620 --> 00:27:37.000
 well I see

00:27:37.000 --> 00:27:37.320
 Millen

00:27:37.320 --> 00:27:40.120
 but I don't

00:27:40.120 --> 00:27:40.519
 see you

00:27:40.519 --> 00:27:40.900
 clearly

00:27:40.900 --> 00:27:41.740
 people around

00:27:41.740 --> 00:27:42.240
 you might not

00:27:42.240 --> 00:27:42.820
 see you clearly

00:27:42.820 --> 00:27:43.500
 but Jesus

00:27:43.500 --> 00:27:44.660
 sees you

00:27:44.660 --> 00:27:45.480
 and he actually

00:27:45.480 --> 00:27:46.800
 calls each

00:27:46.800 --> 00:27:47.600
 and every one

00:27:47.600 --> 00:27:48.019
 of you

00:27:48.019 --> 00:27:49.320
 in this room

00:27:49.320 --> 00:27:50.320
 by name

00:27:50.320 --> 00:27:52.640
 Zacchaeus

00:27:52.640 --> 00:27:56.279
 calls you

00:27:56.279 --> 00:27:56.779
 by name

00:27:56.779 --> 00:27:58.059
 and this

00:27:58.059 --> 00:27:58.379
 might be

00:27:58.379 --> 00:27:58.839
 uncomfortable

00:27:58.839 --> 00:27:59.680
 for some

00:27:59.680 --> 00:27:59.960
 of you

00:27:59.960 --> 00:28:00.740
 but just

00:28:00.740 --> 00:28:01.319
 take a moment

00:28:01.319 --> 00:28:01.779
 right now

00:28:01.779 --> 00:28:02.639
 to reflect

00:28:02.639 --> 00:28:03.599
 on the fact

00:28:03.599 --> 00:28:04.139
 that God

00:28:04.139 --> 00:28:05.279
 sees the depths

00:28:05.279 --> 00:28:06.059
 of your heart

00:28:06.059 --> 00:28:07.019
 the depths

00:28:07.019 --> 00:28:07.619
 of your mind

00:28:07.619 --> 00:28:08.839
 he knows

00:28:08.839 --> 00:28:09.299
 every bit

00:28:09.299 --> 00:28:09.960
 of fear

00:28:09.960 --> 00:28:11.359
 anxiety

00:28:11.359 --> 00:28:12.500
 brokenness

00:28:12.500 --> 00:28:14.099
 sin

00:28:14.099 --> 00:28:14.859
 evil

00:28:14.859 --> 00:28:15.559
 that's in

00:28:15.559 --> 00:28:16.099
 your life

00:28:16.099 --> 00:28:21.660
 and despite

00:28:21.660 --> 00:28:22.259
 that he

00:28:22.259 --> 00:28:22.720
 still

00:28:22.720 --> 00:28:25.079
 wants to

00:28:25.079 --> 00:28:25.460
 love you

00:28:25.460 --> 00:28:26.620
 he still

00:28:26.620 --> 00:28:27.120
 wants to

00:28:27.120 --> 00:28:27.700
 forgive you

00:28:27.700 --> 00:28:28.279
 he still

00:28:28.279 --> 00:28:28.920
 wants to

00:28:28.920 --> 00:28:29.620
 love you

00:28:29.620 --> 00:28:30.600
 unconditionally

00:28:30.600 --> 00:28:32.900
 he's God

00:28:32.900 --> 00:28:34.620
 you may be

00:28:34.620 --> 00:28:35.079
 on that

00:28:35.079 --> 00:28:35.920
 sycamore tree

00:28:35.920 --> 00:28:36.620
 just peering

00:28:36.620 --> 00:28:37.100
 around

00:28:37.100 --> 00:28:38.299
 not really

00:28:38.299 --> 00:28:38.980
 knowing what's

00:28:38.980 --> 00:28:39.600
 going on

00:28:39.600 --> 00:28:40.880
 but he knows

00:28:40.880 --> 00:28:41.319
 you're there

00:28:41.319 --> 00:28:43.140
 and he wants

00:28:43.140 --> 00:28:43.740
 to meet you

00:28:43.740 --> 00:28:44.400
 exactly

00:28:44.400 --> 00:28:45.500
 where you're

00:28:45.500 --> 00:28:45.799
 at

00:28:45.799 --> 00:28:47.559
 no more

00:28:47.559 --> 00:28:48.880
 no less

00:28:48.880 --> 00:28:50.840
 so just be

00:28:50.840 --> 00:28:51.500
 honest about

00:28:51.500 --> 00:28:52.380
 yourself

00:28:52.380 --> 00:28:53.400
 because God

00:28:53.400 --> 00:28:54.019
 knows already

00:28:54.019 --> 00:28:58.779
 this is the

00:28:58.779 --> 00:28:59.680
 amazing message

00:28:59.680 --> 00:29:00.160
 of Advent

00:29:00.160 --> 00:29:02.019
 we see it

00:29:02.019 --> 00:29:02.660
 now even

00:29:02.660 --> 00:29:03.559
 more clearly

00:29:03.559 --> 00:29:04.720
 than Bartimaeus

00:29:04.720 --> 00:29:05.460
 because we know

00:29:05.460 --> 00:29:06.440
 Jesus came as a

00:29:06.440 --> 00:29:07.039
 baby as we've

00:29:07.039 --> 00:29:07.539
 been singing

00:29:07.539 --> 00:29:08.900
 this morning

00:29:08.900 --> 00:29:11.599
 Bartimaeus and

00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:12.339
 Zacchaeus had a

00:29:12.339 --> 00:29:13.000
 glimpse of that

00:29:13.000 --> 00:29:13.940
 but we see the

00:29:13.940 --> 00:29:14.599
 whole picture

00:29:14.599 --> 00:29:15.480
 God

00:29:15.480 --> 00:29:16.579
 the creator

00:29:16.579 --> 00:29:17.579
 of the universe

00:29:17.579 --> 00:29:18.519
 infinite

00:29:18.519 --> 00:29:19.599
 transcendent

00:29:19.599 --> 00:29:20.180
 eternal

00:29:20.180 --> 00:29:21.120
 unbound

00:29:21.120 --> 00:29:22.160
 by time

00:29:22.160 --> 00:29:24.740
 chooses to

00:29:24.740 --> 00:29:25.200
 enter

00:29:25.200 --> 00:29:26.400
 into our

00:29:26.400 --> 00:29:26.799
 world

00:29:26.799 --> 00:29:27.799
 into our

00:29:27.799 --> 00:29:28.140
 lives

00:29:28.140 --> 00:29:29.039
 into history

00:29:29.039 --> 00:29:30.440
 as a human

00:29:30.440 --> 00:29:31.080
 to bring us

00:29:31.080 --> 00:29:31.720
 back to him

00:29:31.720 --> 00:29:34.060
 someone told me

00:29:34.060 --> 00:29:34.420
 once

00:29:34.420 --> 00:29:34.960
 and I always

00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:35.259
 remember

00:29:35.259 --> 00:29:35.759
 the closest

00:29:35.759 --> 00:29:36.740
 analogy he can

00:29:36.740 --> 00:29:37.480
 think of

00:29:37.480 --> 00:29:38.680
 is

00:29:38.680 --> 00:29:40.240
 is like if

00:29:40.240 --> 00:29:40.900
 you and I

00:29:40.900 --> 00:29:41.940
 decided we love

00:29:41.940 --> 00:29:43.019
 ants

00:29:43.019 --> 00:29:43.960
 so much

00:29:43.960 --> 00:29:45.039
 that we decided

00:29:45.039 --> 00:29:45.799
 to become an

00:29:45.799 --> 00:29:46.100
 ant

00:29:46.099 --> 00:29:47.439
 so that we

00:29:47.439 --> 00:29:48.159
 can communicate

00:29:48.159 --> 00:29:48.679
 with them

00:29:48.679 --> 00:29:49.179
 that we could

00:29:49.179 --> 00:29:50.719
 talk to them

00:29:50.719 --> 00:29:51.480
 we could walk

00:29:51.480 --> 00:29:52.839
 alongside them

00:29:52.839 --> 00:29:53.480
 so that they

00:29:53.480 --> 00:29:54.319
 knew that we

00:29:54.319 --> 00:29:54.879
 identified

00:29:54.879 --> 00:29:56.139
 with them

00:29:56.139 --> 00:29:59.419
 maybe cockroaches

00:29:59.419 --> 00:30:00.159
 instead of ants

00:30:00.159 --> 00:30:01.099
 depending on your

00:30:01.099 --> 00:30:02.159
 view of humanity

00:30:02.159 --> 00:30:02.740
 right

00:30:02.740 --> 00:30:07.299
 what God

00:30:07.299 --> 00:30:08.339
 did in Advent

00:30:08.339 --> 00:30:09.980
 is infinitely

00:30:09.980 --> 00:30:11.439
 greater than that

00:30:11.439 --> 00:30:14.579
 I fear

00:30:14.579 --> 00:30:15.319
 sometimes

00:30:15.319 --> 00:30:16.220
 I just

00:30:16.220 --> 00:30:16.740
 treat Jesus

00:30:16.740 --> 00:30:17.220
 as some

00:30:17.220 --> 00:30:18.079
 maybe glorified

00:30:18.079 --> 00:30:18.700
 superhero

00:30:18.700 --> 00:30:20.500
 like Superman

00:30:20.500 --> 00:30:21.419
 I just call him

00:30:21.419 --> 00:30:22.159
 when I need help

00:30:22.159 --> 00:30:22.700
 and he comes

00:30:22.700 --> 00:30:23.139
 to me

00:30:23.139 --> 00:30:24.179
 no

00:30:24.179 --> 00:30:25.859
 this is

00:30:25.859 --> 00:30:26.559
 God

00:30:26.559 --> 00:30:27.539
 God

00:30:27.539 --> 00:30:29.220
 that sentence

00:30:29.220 --> 00:30:29.819
 we repeated

00:30:29.819 --> 00:30:30.399
 this morning

00:30:30.399 --> 00:30:30.879
 God

00:30:30.879 --> 00:30:32.000
 with us

00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:32.980
 he is

00:30:32.980 --> 00:30:33.799
 with us

00:30:33.799 --> 00:30:34.359
 God

00:30:34.359 --> 00:30:35.659
 is with us

00:30:35.659 --> 00:30:36.220
 and he came

00:30:36.220 --> 00:30:37.039
 to us

00:30:37.039 --> 00:30:37.939
 so that we

00:30:37.939 --> 00:30:38.299
 can be

00:30:38.299 --> 00:30:39.099
 unconditionally

00:30:39.099 --> 00:30:40.200
 loved and

00:30:40.200 --> 00:30:40.639
 accepted

00:30:40.639 --> 00:30:44.899
 come back

00:30:44.900 --> 00:30:45.800
 to Jericho

00:30:45.800 --> 00:30:46.660
 one last

00:30:46.660 --> 00:30:46.960
 time

00:30:46.960 --> 00:30:47.360
 with me

00:30:47.360 --> 00:30:50.080
 because the

00:30:50.080 --> 00:30:50.960
 critical element

00:30:50.960 --> 00:30:51.680
 of this story

00:30:51.680 --> 00:30:52.140
 is how

00:30:52.140 --> 00:30:52.980
 Bartimaeus

00:30:52.980 --> 00:30:54.600
 and Zacchaeus

00:30:54.600 --> 00:30:55.940
 responded

00:30:55.940 --> 00:30:57.080
 to Jesus

00:30:57.080 --> 00:31:00.460
 because when

00:31:00.460 --> 00:31:01.440
 we experience

00:31:01.440 --> 00:31:02.580
 how amazing

00:31:02.580 --> 00:31:03.800
 it is

00:31:03.800 --> 00:31:04.340
 that God

00:31:04.340 --> 00:31:05.300
 came to us

00:31:05.300 --> 00:31:05.620
 when we

00:31:05.620 --> 00:31:06.280
 experience

00:31:06.280 --> 00:31:07.019
 this love

00:31:07.019 --> 00:31:08.440
 this grace

00:31:08.440 --> 00:31:09.400
 this unconditional

00:31:09.400 --> 00:31:10.040
 acceptance

00:31:10.039 --> 00:31:11.720
 the inevitable

00:31:11.720 --> 00:31:12.920
 response

00:31:12.920 --> 00:31:13.700
 is active

00:31:13.700 --> 00:31:15.859
 it's generous

00:31:15.859 --> 00:31:18.119
 it's radical

00:31:18.119 --> 00:31:19.220
 it's a radical

00:31:19.220 --> 00:31:19.779
 love

00:31:19.779 --> 00:31:21.259
 and generosity

00:31:21.259 --> 00:31:21.839
 that comes

00:31:21.839 --> 00:31:22.339
 with that

00:31:22.339 --> 00:31:24.899
 the blind

00:31:24.899 --> 00:31:25.279
 beggar

00:31:25.279 --> 00:31:25.960
 Bartimaeus

00:31:25.960 --> 00:31:26.740
 regained his

00:31:26.740 --> 00:31:26.960
 sight

00:31:26.960 --> 00:31:27.399
 and began

00:31:27.399 --> 00:31:27.980
 following

00:31:27.980 --> 00:31:28.799
 Jesus

00:31:28.799 --> 00:31:29.339
 the text

00:31:29.339 --> 00:31:29.639
 said

00:31:29.639 --> 00:31:32.480
 glorifying

00:31:32.480 --> 00:31:32.980
 God

00:31:32.980 --> 00:31:34.359
 is what

00:31:34.359 --> 00:31:34.740
 the Bible

00:31:34.740 --> 00:31:35.099
 says

00:31:35.099 --> 00:31:35.659
 and what

00:31:35.659 --> 00:31:36.039
 happens

00:31:36.039 --> 00:31:36.899
 when all

00:31:36.899 --> 00:31:37.480
 the people

00:31:37.480 --> 00:31:38.079
 saw

00:31:38.079 --> 00:31:40.179
 his glorifying

00:31:40.179 --> 00:31:40.599
 of God

00:31:40.599 --> 00:31:41.379
 this miracle

00:31:41.379 --> 00:31:43.379
 they gave

00:31:43.379 --> 00:31:43.960
 praise to

00:31:43.960 --> 00:31:44.259
 God

00:31:44.259 --> 00:31:44.699
 you see

00:31:44.699 --> 00:31:44.960
 that

00:31:44.960 --> 00:31:46.799
 as he

00:31:46.799 --> 00:31:47.519
 glorified

00:31:47.519 --> 00:31:47.879
 God

00:31:47.879 --> 00:31:48.480
 it pointed

00:31:48.480 --> 00:31:49.059
 the people

00:31:49.059 --> 00:31:49.980
 around him

00:31:49.980 --> 00:31:51.740
 to the

00:31:51.740 --> 00:31:52.119
 one that

00:31:52.119 --> 00:31:52.439
 deserved

00:31:52.439 --> 00:31:52.859
 glory

00:31:52.859 --> 00:31:54.500
 not that

00:31:54.500 --> 00:31:55.039
 I'm amazing

00:31:55.039 --> 00:31:55.319
 now

00:31:55.319 --> 00:31:56.039
 I can see

00:31:56.039 --> 00:31:56.759
 I can do

00:31:56.759 --> 00:31:57.079
 all these

00:31:57.079 --> 00:31:57.359
 things

00:31:57.359 --> 00:31:57.679
 now

00:31:57.679 --> 00:31:58.460
 it was

00:31:58.460 --> 00:31:58.759
 the one

00:31:58.759 --> 00:31:59.159
 who gave

00:31:59.159 --> 00:31:59.359
 me

00:31:59.359 --> 00:31:59.699
 sight

00:31:59.699 --> 00:32:00.899
 he

00:32:00.899 --> 00:32:01.359
 deserves

00:32:01.359 --> 00:32:01.919
 the glory

00:32:01.920 --> 00:32:03.779
 Zacchaeus'

00:32:03.900 --> 00:32:04.360
 response

00:32:04.360 --> 00:32:05.320
 is astounding

00:32:05.320 --> 00:32:06.900
 half of

00:32:06.900 --> 00:32:07.580
 his possessions

00:32:07.580 --> 00:32:08.440
 he gives

00:32:08.440 --> 00:32:08.720
 to the

00:32:08.720 --> 00:32:09.000
 poor

00:32:09.000 --> 00:32:11.180
 and

00:32:11.180 --> 00:32:12.039
 fourfold

00:32:12.039 --> 00:32:12.759
 repayment

00:32:12.759 --> 00:32:13.700
 for anyone

00:32:13.700 --> 00:32:14.620
 that he

00:32:14.620 --> 00:32:15.100
 had cheated

00:32:15.100 --> 00:32:15.600
 before

00:32:15.600 --> 00:32:18.320
 now if you

00:32:18.320 --> 00:32:18.700
 look into

00:32:18.700 --> 00:32:19.180
 this under

00:32:19.180 --> 00:32:19.860
 the Mosaic

00:32:19.860 --> 00:32:20.740
 law

00:32:20.740 --> 00:32:21.140
 the law

00:32:21.140 --> 00:32:21.560
 of Moses

00:32:21.560 --> 00:32:22.460
 if a thief

00:32:22.460 --> 00:32:23.580
 voluntarily

00:32:23.580 --> 00:32:24.480
 confessed

00:32:24.480 --> 00:32:25.460
 his crime

00:32:25.460 --> 00:32:26.400
 he only

00:32:26.400 --> 00:32:26.880
 had to

00:32:26.880 --> 00:32:27.279
 restore

00:32:27.279 --> 00:32:27.700
 what he

00:32:27.700 --> 00:32:28.060
 took

00:32:28.060 --> 00:32:29.519
 plus 20%

00:32:29.519 --> 00:32:30.060
 on top

00:32:30.060 --> 00:32:30.380
 of that

00:32:30.380 --> 00:32:30.779
 so a

00:32:30.779 --> 00:32:31.019
 fifth

00:32:31.019 --> 00:32:32.400
 that was

00:32:32.400 --> 00:32:32.700
 sort of

00:32:32.700 --> 00:32:34.000
 the repayment

00:32:34.000 --> 00:32:35.019
 the restitution

00:32:35.019 --> 00:32:36.240
 if he

00:32:36.240 --> 00:32:36.519
 stole

00:32:36.519 --> 00:32:36.900
 something

00:32:36.900 --> 00:32:37.299
 that he

00:32:37.299 --> 00:32:37.920
 could not

00:32:37.920 --> 00:32:38.559
 restore

00:32:38.559 --> 00:32:40.200
 then he

00:32:40.200 --> 00:32:40.579
 had to

00:32:40.579 --> 00:32:40.940
 pay

00:32:40.940 --> 00:32:41.859
 fourfold

00:32:41.859 --> 00:32:42.660
 the value

00:32:42.660 --> 00:32:43.539
 of that

00:32:43.539 --> 00:32:45.019
 so you see

00:32:45.019 --> 00:32:45.480
 Zacchaeus

00:32:45.480 --> 00:32:46.059
 probably

00:32:46.059 --> 00:32:46.980
 could have

00:32:46.980 --> 00:32:47.339
 at least

00:32:47.339 --> 00:32:47.839
 quibbled

00:32:47.839 --> 00:32:48.420
 and argued

00:32:48.420 --> 00:32:49.119
 I can

00:32:49.119 --> 00:32:50.059
 just pay

00:32:50.059 --> 00:32:50.420
 back

00:32:50.420 --> 00:32:51.319
 20%

00:32:51.319 --> 00:32:51.859
 on top

00:32:51.859 --> 00:32:52.559
 of what

00:32:52.559 --> 00:32:52.940
 I cheated

00:32:52.940 --> 00:32:53.379
 but no

00:32:53.379 --> 00:32:54.240
 his instant

00:32:54.240 --> 00:32:54.740
 reaction

00:32:54.740 --> 00:32:55.319
 is I'm

00:32:55.319 --> 00:32:55.500
 going to

00:32:55.500 --> 00:32:55.920
 pay back

00:32:55.920 --> 00:32:56.539
 fourfold

00:32:56.539 --> 00:32:57.460
 to anyone

00:32:57.460 --> 00:32:58.099
 who I

00:32:58.099 --> 00:32:58.400
 may have

00:32:58.400 --> 00:32:59.000
 cheated

00:32:59.000 --> 00:32:59.299
 and you see

00:32:59.299 --> 00:32:59.879
 what happens

00:32:59.879 --> 00:33:00.039
 there

00:33:00.039 --> 00:33:01.399
 when grace

00:33:01.399 --> 00:33:02.099
 touches your

00:33:02.099 --> 00:33:02.420
 life

00:33:02.420 --> 00:33:03.619
 when something

00:33:03.619 --> 00:33:04.500
 as amazing

00:33:04.500 --> 00:33:05.119
 as Jesus

00:33:05.119 --> 00:33:06.200
 comes into

00:33:06.200 --> 00:33:06.619
 your life

00:33:06.619 --> 00:33:07.059
 and shows

00:33:07.059 --> 00:33:07.500
 that he

00:33:07.500 --> 00:33:07.879
 is all

00:33:07.879 --> 00:33:08.359
 you need

00:33:08.359 --> 00:33:09.019
 you don't

00:33:09.019 --> 00:33:09.359
 quibble

00:33:09.359 --> 00:33:09.920
 about things

00:33:09.920 --> 00:33:10.440
 like that

00:33:10.440 --> 00:33:11.519
 you don't

00:33:11.519 --> 00:33:11.759
 quibble

00:33:11.759 --> 00:33:12.259
 about money

00:33:12.259 --> 00:33:12.700
 and what you

00:33:12.700 --> 00:33:12.920
 owe

00:33:12.920 --> 00:33:13.279
 and what you

00:33:13.279 --> 00:33:13.799
 don't owe

00:33:13.799 --> 00:33:16.500
 radically

00:33:16.500 --> 00:33:17.180
 generous

00:33:17.180 --> 00:33:19.159
 fourfold

00:33:19.159 --> 00:33:20.139
 anyone

00:33:20.139 --> 00:33:20.559
 he had

00:33:20.559 --> 00:33:20.879
 cheated

00:33:20.879 --> 00:33:22.960
 the money

00:33:22.960 --> 00:33:23.460
 just didn't

00:33:23.460 --> 00:33:23.740
 matter

00:33:23.740 --> 00:33:24.119
 anymore

00:33:24.119 --> 00:33:24.799
 to Zacchaeus

00:33:24.799 --> 00:33:26.680
 and if

00:33:26.680 --> 00:33:26.980
 he was

00:33:26.980 --> 00:33:27.379
 struggling

00:33:27.379 --> 00:33:27.819
 maybe

00:33:27.819 --> 00:33:28.139
 with

00:33:28.139 --> 00:33:28.559
 finding

00:33:28.559 --> 00:33:28.799
 his

00:33:28.799 --> 00:33:29.259
 identity

00:33:29.259 --> 00:33:30.119
 in

00:33:30.119 --> 00:33:30.319
 his

00:33:30.319 --> 00:33:30.639
 wealth

00:33:30.639 --> 00:33:30.899
 then

00:33:30.899 --> 00:33:31.339
 surely

00:33:31.339 --> 00:33:31.740
 it

00:33:31.740 --> 00:33:32.259
 demonstrates

00:33:32.259 --> 00:33:32.700
 that

00:33:32.700 --> 00:33:33.139
 having

00:33:33.139 --> 00:33:33.919
 a

00:33:33.919 --> 00:33:34.559
 relationship

00:33:34.559 --> 00:33:35.619
 with

00:33:35.619 --> 00:33:35.980
 Jesus

00:33:35.980 --> 00:33:36.759
 changed

00:33:36.759 --> 00:33:38.339
 everything

00:33:38.339 --> 00:33:42.919
 and in

00:33:42.919 --> 00:33:43.240
 giving

00:33:43.240 --> 00:33:44.159
 specifically

00:33:44.159 --> 00:33:44.679
 to the

00:33:44.679 --> 00:33:45.079
 poor

00:33:45.079 --> 00:33:46.399
 as we

00:33:46.399 --> 00:33:46.679
 read in

00:33:46.679 --> 00:33:47.039
 the text

00:33:47.039 --> 00:33:47.359
 I think

00:33:47.359 --> 00:33:48.019
 Zacchaeus

00:33:48.019 --> 00:33:48.819
 there's a

00:33:48.819 --> 00:33:49.199
 hint that

00:33:49.199 --> 00:33:49.679
 he also

00:33:49.679 --> 00:33:50.179
 begins

00:33:50.179 --> 00:33:50.959
 to see

00:33:50.959 --> 00:33:51.859
 the

00:33:51.859 --> 00:33:52.720
 outcasts

00:33:52.720 --> 00:33:53.359
 around him

00:33:53.359 --> 00:33:54.459
 the

00:33:54.459 --> 00:33:55.059
 outcasts

00:33:55.059 --> 00:33:55.659
 of society

00:33:55.659 --> 00:33:57.839
 when

00:33:57.839 --> 00:33:58.099
 Jesus

00:33:58.099 --> 00:33:58.879
 comes into

00:33:58.879 --> 00:33:59.779
 our lives

00:33:59.779 --> 00:34:00.579
 we begin

00:34:00.579 --> 00:34:01.199
 following

00:34:01.199 --> 00:34:01.759
 him

00:34:01.759 --> 00:34:02.799
 I think

00:34:02.799 --> 00:34:03.079
 our

00:34:03.079 --> 00:34:03.660
 response

00:34:03.660 --> 00:34:04.220
 is also

00:34:04.220 --> 00:34:04.819
 to begin

00:34:04.819 --> 00:34:05.299
 seeing

00:34:05.299 --> 00:34:05.519
 the

00:34:05.519 --> 00:34:05.819
 things

00:34:05.819 --> 00:34:06.019
 he

00:34:06.019 --> 00:34:06.440
 sees

00:34:06.440 --> 00:34:08.219
 caring

00:34:08.219 --> 00:34:08.539
 about

00:34:08.539 --> 00:34:08.760
 the

00:34:08.760 --> 00:34:09.079
 things

00:34:09.079 --> 00:34:09.300
 he

00:34:09.300 --> 00:34:09.599
 cares

00:34:09.599 --> 00:34:09.940
 about

00:34:09.940 --> 00:34:11.980
 we

00:34:11.980 --> 00:34:12.199
 really

00:34:12.199 --> 00:34:12.480
 start

00:34:12.480 --> 00:34:12.639
 to

00:34:12.639 --> 00:34:12.880
 care

00:34:12.880 --> 00:34:13.219
 about

00:34:13.219 --> 00:34:13.639
 the

00:34:13.639 --> 00:34:15.019
 outcasts

00:34:15.019 --> 00:34:15.360
 whether

00:34:15.360 --> 00:34:15.599
 they're

00:34:15.599 --> 00:34:15.860
 rich

00:34:15.860 --> 00:34:16.099
 or

00:34:16.099 --> 00:34:16.440
 poor

00:34:16.440 --> 00:34:17.840
 we

00:34:17.840 --> 00:34:18.159
 care

00:34:18.159 --> 00:34:18.380
 about

00:34:18.380 --> 00:34:18.559
 the

00:34:18.559 --> 00:34:18.900
 people

00:34:18.900 --> 00:34:19.119
 who

00:34:19.119 --> 00:34:19.260
 are

00:34:19.260 --> 00:34:19.840
 marginalized

00:34:19.840 --> 00:34:20.400
 and

00:34:20.400 --> 00:34:20.820
 oppressed

00:34:20.820 --> 00:34:21.059
 we

00:34:21.059 --> 00:34:21.460
 care

00:34:21.460 --> 00:34:22.179
 about

00:34:22.179 --> 00:34:22.619
 social

00:34:22.619 --> 00:34:23.099
 justice

00:34:23.099 --> 00:34:23.519
 because

00:34:23.519 --> 00:34:23.900
 God

00:34:23.900 --> 00:34:24.099
 has

00:34:24.099 --> 00:34:24.260
 a

00:34:24.260 --> 00:34:24.599
 heart

00:34:24.599 --> 00:34:25.280
 of

00:34:25.280 --> 00:34:25.820
 justice

00:34:25.820 --> 00:34:26.460
 and

00:34:26.460 --> 00:34:26.880
 mercy

00:34:26.880 --> 00:34:27.619
 for

00:34:27.619 --> 00:34:27.780
 the

00:34:27.780 --> 00:34:28.119
 poor

00:34:28.119 --> 00:34:29.980
 we

00:34:29.980 --> 00:34:30.199
 want

00:34:30.199 --> 00:34:30.739
 to see

00:34:30.739 --> 00:34:31.000
 and

00:34:31.000 --> 00:34:31.619
 experience

00:34:31.619 --> 00:34:32.339
 God

00:34:32.339 --> 00:34:33.219
 and

00:34:33.219 --> 00:34:33.319
 we

00:34:33.319 --> 00:34:33.480
 want

00:34:33.480 --> 00:34:33.819
 other

00:34:33.819 --> 00:34:34.239
 people

00:34:34.239 --> 00:34:35.059
 to do

00:34:35.059 --> 00:34:35.259
 the

00:34:35.259 --> 00:34:35.599
 same

00:34:35.599 --> 00:34:36.039
 just

00:34:36.039 --> 00:34:36.239
 like

00:34:36.239 --> 00:34:36.839
 Bartimaeus

00:34:36.839 --> 00:34:37.079
 did

00:34:37.079 --> 00:34:40.159
 above

00:34:40.159 --> 00:34:40.460
 all

00:34:40.460 --> 00:34:40.639
 we

00:34:40.639 --> 00:34:40.940
 don't

00:34:40.940 --> 00:34:41.319
 have

00:34:41.319 --> 00:34:41.719
 to

00:34:41.719 --> 00:34:42.679
 walk

00:34:42.679 --> 00:34:43.000
 around

00:34:43.000 --> 00:34:43.259
 wearing

00:34:43.259 --> 00:34:43.519
 these

00:34:43.519 --> 00:34:43.920
 masks

00:34:43.920 --> 00:34:44.380
 anymore

00:34:44.380 --> 00:34:45.539
 because

00:34:45.539 --> 00:34:45.859
 when

00:34:45.859 --> 00:34:46.400
 God

00:34:46.400 --> 00:34:46.880
 the

00:34:46.880 --> 00:34:47.039
 one

00:34:47.039 --> 00:34:47.199
 who

00:34:47.199 --> 00:34:47.539
 created

00:34:47.539 --> 00:34:47.759
 you

00:34:47.759 --> 00:34:47.920
 the

00:34:47.920 --> 00:34:48.119
 one

00:34:48.119 --> 00:34:48.279
 who

00:34:48.279 --> 00:34:48.880
 determines

00:34:48.880 --> 00:34:49.699
 what

00:34:49.699 --> 00:34:49.940
 has

00:34:49.940 --> 00:34:50.319
 value

00:34:50.319 --> 00:34:50.519
 and

00:34:50.519 --> 00:34:50.779
 does

00:34:50.779 --> 00:34:51.000
 not

00:34:51.000 --> 00:34:51.239
 have

00:34:51.239 --> 00:34:51.579
 value

00:34:51.579 --> 00:34:51.839
 when

00:34:51.839 --> 00:34:52.339
 he

00:34:52.339 --> 00:34:53.239
 accepts

00:34:53.239 --> 00:34:53.539
 you

00:34:53.539 --> 00:34:53.940
 and

00:34:53.940 --> 00:34:54.099
 when

00:34:54.099 --> 00:34:54.500
 he

00:34:54.500 --> 00:34:55.219
 loves

00:34:55.219 --> 00:34:55.519
 you

00:34:55.519 --> 00:34:56.799
 you

00:34:56.799 --> 00:34:56.940
 don't

00:34:56.940 --> 00:34:57.079
 have

00:34:57.079 --> 00:34:57.199
 to

00:34:57.199 --> 00:34:57.420
 walk

00:34:57.420 --> 00:34:57.699
 around

00:34:57.699 --> 00:34:58.199
 pretending

00:34:58.199 --> 00:34:58.719
 anymore

00:34:58.719 --> 00:35:00.920
 you

00:35:00.920 --> 00:35:01.079
 don't

00:35:01.079 --> 00:35:01.280
 have

00:35:01.280 --> 00:35:01.400
 to

00:35:01.400 --> 00:35:01.599
 keep

00:35:01.599 --> 00:35:02.019
 faking

00:35:02.019 --> 00:35:02.340
 it

00:35:02.340 --> 00:35:03.880
 you

00:35:03.880 --> 00:35:03.980
 can

00:35:03.980 --> 00:35:04.180
 put

00:35:04.180 --> 00:35:04.400
 down

00:35:04.400 --> 00:35:04.599
 that

00:35:04.599 --> 00:35:04.960
 mask

00:35:04.960 --> 00:35:05.260
 and be

00:35:05.260 --> 00:35:05.619
 real

00:35:05.619 --> 00:35:07.420
 and

00:35:07.420 --> 00:35:07.559
 there's

00:35:07.559 --> 00:35:07.700
 no

00:35:07.700 --> 00:35:08.000
 basis

00:35:08.000 --> 00:35:08.360
 for you

00:35:08.360 --> 00:35:08.519
 to

00:35:08.519 --> 00:35:08.780
 judge

00:35:08.780 --> 00:35:09.220
 others

00:35:09.220 --> 00:35:10.220
 anymore

00:35:10.220 --> 00:35:11.780
 because you

00:35:11.780 --> 00:35:11.980
 don't need

00:35:11.980 --> 00:35:12.480
 to compare

00:35:12.480 --> 00:35:12.900
 yourself

00:35:12.900 --> 00:35:13.300
 with them

00:35:13.300 --> 00:35:16.120
 we're

00:35:16.120 --> 00:35:16.320
 just

00:35:16.320 --> 00:35:16.800
 on a

00:35:16.800 --> 00:35:17.140
 spiritual

00:35:17.140 --> 00:35:17.580
 journey

00:35:17.580 --> 00:35:18.060
 together

00:35:18.060 --> 00:35:20.200
 and

00:35:20.200 --> 00:35:20.320
 we're

00:35:20.320 --> 00:35:20.460
 just

00:35:20.460 --> 00:35:20.700
 trying

00:35:20.700 --> 00:35:20.800
 to

00:35:20.800 --> 00:35:21.060
 become

00:35:21.060 --> 00:35:21.340
 more

00:35:21.340 --> 00:35:21.480
 and

00:35:21.480 --> 00:35:21.640
 more

00:35:21.640 --> 00:35:21.880
 like

00:35:21.880 --> 00:35:22.220
 Jesus

00:35:22.220 --> 00:35:26.160
 I

00:35:26.160 --> 00:35:26.300
 just

00:35:26.300 --> 00:35:26.460
 want

00:35:26.460 --> 00:35:26.560
 to

00:35:26.560 --> 00:35:26.880
 invite

00:35:26.880 --> 00:35:27.560
 the

00:35:27.560 --> 00:35:27.780
 band

00:35:27.780 --> 00:35:27.960
 to

00:35:27.960 --> 00:35:28.120
 come

00:35:28.120 --> 00:35:28.360
 back

00:35:28.360 --> 00:35:28.580
 up

00:35:28.580 --> 00:35:28.780
 right

00:35:28.780 --> 00:35:29.019
 now

00:35:29.019 --> 00:35:29.240
 and

00:35:29.240 --> 00:35:31.280
 feel

00:35:31.280 --> 00:35:31.440
 free

00:35:31.440 --> 00:35:31.580
 to

00:35:31.580 --> 00:35:31.840
 start

00:35:31.840 --> 00:35:32.260
 playing

00:35:32.260 --> 00:35:34.140
 and

00:35:34.140 --> 00:35:34.300
 the

00:35:34.300 --> 00:35:34.860
 question

00:35:34.860 --> 00:35:35.320
 I

00:35:35.320 --> 00:35:35.720
 want

00:35:35.720 --> 00:35:36.260
 to

00:35:36.260 --> 00:35:37.519
 leave

00:35:37.519 --> 00:35:37.820
 with

00:35:37.820 --> 00:35:37.980
 you

00:35:37.980 --> 00:35:38.120
 is

00:35:38.120 --> 00:35:38.400
 very

00:35:38.400 --> 00:35:38.880
 simple

00:35:38.880 --> 00:35:40.460
 let's

00:35:40.460 --> 00:35:40.640
 take

00:35:40.640 --> 00:35:40.780
 a

00:35:40.780 --> 00:35:40.900
 minute

00:35:40.900 --> 00:35:41.140
 to

00:35:41.140 --> 00:35:41.500
 reflect

00:35:41.500 --> 00:35:41.720
 on

00:35:41.720 --> 00:35:41.980
 that

00:35:41.980 --> 00:35:44.519
 what's

00:35:44.519 --> 00:35:44.659
 your

00:35:44.659 --> 00:35:45.360
 response

00:35:45.360 --> 00:35:45.699
 to

00:35:45.699 --> 00:35:46.159
 Jesus

00:35:46.159 --> 00:35:47.880
 calling

00:35:47.880 --> 00:35:48.260
 you

00:35:48.260 --> 00:35:49.320
 and

00:35:49.320 --> 00:35:49.639
 coming

00:35:49.639 --> 00:35:49.980
 into

00:35:49.980 --> 00:35:50.159
 your

00:35:50.159 --> 00:35:50.539
 life

00:35:50.539 --> 00:35:51.420
 this

00:35:51.420 --> 00:35:51.740
 Advent

00:35:51.740 --> 00:35:52.199
 season

00:35:52.199 --> 00:35:54.599
 for

00:35:54.599 --> 00:35:54.880
 some

00:35:54.880 --> 00:35:55.159
 of you

00:35:55.159 --> 00:35:55.420
 maybe

00:35:55.420 --> 00:35:56.079
 Zacchaeus

00:35:56.079 --> 00:35:56.420
 is

00:35:56.420 --> 00:35:56.619
 your

00:35:56.619 --> 00:35:57.079
 example

00:35:57.079 --> 00:35:59.000
 and

00:35:59.000 --> 00:35:59.159
 your

00:35:59.159 --> 00:35:59.579
 response

00:35:59.579 --> 00:35:59.880
 is to

00:35:59.880 --> 00:36:00.019
 give

00:36:00.019 --> 00:36:00.300
 half

00:36:00.300 --> 00:36:00.460
 your

00:36:00.460 --> 00:36:00.900
 possessions

00:36:00.900 --> 00:36:01.179
 to

00:36:01.179 --> 00:36:01.320
 the

00:36:01.320 --> 00:36:01.539
 poor

00:36:01.539 --> 00:36:01.740
 I

00:36:01.740 --> 00:36:01.880
 don't

00:36:01.880 --> 00:36:02.119
 know

00:36:02.119 --> 00:36:03.139
 that's

00:36:03.139 --> 00:36:03.420
 between

00:36:03.420 --> 00:36:03.679
 you

00:36:03.679 --> 00:36:03.840
 and

00:36:03.840 --> 00:36:04.159
 God

00:36:04.159 --> 00:36:06.980
 but

00:36:06.980 --> 00:36:07.159
 what

00:36:07.159 --> 00:36:07.340
 is

00:36:07.340 --> 00:36:07.519
 your

00:36:07.519 --> 00:36:08.219
 response

00:36:08.219 --> 00:36:10.579
 it's

00:36:10.579 --> 00:36:11.000
 Advent

00:36:11.000 --> 00:36:12.239
 Jesus

00:36:12.239 --> 00:36:12.519
 is

00:36:12.519 --> 00:36:12.940
 coming

00:36:12.940 --> 00:36:13.780
 he's

00:36:13.780 --> 00:36:14.260
 calling

00:36:14.260 --> 00:36:15.920
 he

00:36:15.920 --> 00:36:16.239
 wants

00:36:16.239 --> 00:36:16.380
 you

00:36:16.380 --> 00:36:16.579
 to

00:36:16.579 --> 00:36:16.820
 know

00:36:16.820 --> 00:36:17.039
 that

00:36:17.039 --> 00:36:17.219
 he

00:36:17.219 --> 00:36:17.739
 loves

00:36:17.739 --> 00:36:18.179
 you

00:36:18.179 --> 00:36:18.900
 no

00:36:18.900 --> 00:36:19.059
 matter

00:36:19.059 --> 00:36:19.440
 what's

00:36:19.440 --> 00:36:19.539
 in

00:36:19.539 --> 00:36:19.679
 your

00:36:19.679 --> 00:36:19.920
 heart

00:36:19.920 --> 00:36:20.139
 right

00:36:20.139 --> 00:36:20.380
 now

00:36:20.380 --> 00:36:22.820
 you

00:36:22.820 --> 00:36:22.980
 don't

00:36:22.980 --> 00:36:23.239
 have

00:36:23.239 --> 00:36:23.380
 to

00:36:23.380 --> 00:36:23.519
 be

00:36:23.519 --> 00:36:23.639
 an

00:36:23.639 --> 00:36:24.179
 outcast

00:36:24.179 --> 00:36:24.659
 anymore

00:36:24.659 --> 00:36:28.099
 you

00:36:28.099 --> 00:36:28.239
 don't

00:36:28.239 --> 00:36:28.420
 have

00:36:28.420 --> 00:36:28.519
 to

00:36:28.519 --> 00:36:28.659
 be

00:36:28.659 --> 00:36:29.179
 afraid

00:36:29.179 --> 00:36:29.820
 or

00:36:29.820 --> 00:36:30.159
 anxious

00:36:30.159 --> 00:36:30.500
 about

00:36:30.500 --> 00:36:30.940
 becoming

00:36:30.940 --> 00:36:31.119
 an

00:36:31.119 --> 00:36:31.619
 outcast

00:36:31.619 --> 00:36:33.639
 you

00:36:33.639 --> 00:36:33.800
 can

00:36:33.800 --> 00:36:33.960
 be

00:36:33.960 --> 00:36:34.119
 a

00:36:34.119 --> 00:36:34.480
 child

00:36:34.480 --> 00:36:34.679
 of

00:36:34.679 --> 00:36:35.019
 God

00:36:35.019 --> 00:36:35.239
 your

00:36:35.239 --> 00:36:35.579
 heavenly

00:36:35.579 --> 00:36:36.039
 father

00:36:36.039 --> 00:36:37.800
 so

00:36:37.800 --> 00:36:38.079
 what's

00:36:38.079 --> 00:36:38.199
 your

00:36:38.199 --> 00:36:38.679
 response

00:36:38.679 --> 00:36:39.219
 idol

00:36:39.219 --> 00:36:41.319
 doesn grades

00:36:41.319 --> 00:36:43.759
 that

00:36:45.139 --> 00:36:45.719
 could

00:36:45.739 --> 00:36:45.899
 be

00:36:45.899 --> 00:36:46.379
 lifted

00:36:46.379 --> 00:36:46.639
 our

00:36:46.639 --> 00:36:47.779
 way

00:36:47.779 --> 00:36:47.839
 or

00:36:47.839 --> 00:36:47.859
 partir

00:36:47.879 --> 00:36:48.639
 or

00:36:48.639 --> 00:36:48.919
 he

00:36:48.919 --> 00:36:49.960
 is

00:36:49.960 --> 00:36:50.059
 different

00:36:50.059 --> 00:36:51.519
 Certainly

00:36:51.519 --> 00:36:53.219
 we

00:36:53.219 --> 00:36:53.319
 can

00:36:54.279 --> 00:36:55.199
 with

00:36:55.199 --> 00:36:55.599
 Mang

00:36:55.599 --> 00:36:55.719
 those

00:36:55.719 --> 00:36:56.019
 things

00:36:56.019 --> 00:36:56.319
 we

00:36:56.319 --> 00:36:57.299
 know

00:36:57.299 --> 00:36:58.019
 together

00:36:58.019 --> 00:36:58.419
 We

00:36:58.419 --> 00:36:59.359
 can

00:36:59.359 --> 00:36:59.539
 change

00:36:59.940 --> 00:37:00.519
 these

00:37:00.519 --> 00:37:01.440
 to

00:37:01.440 --> 00:37:02.059
 damn

00:37:02.059 --> 00:37:02.879
 them

00:37:02.879 --> 00:37:04.139
 It's

00:37:04.139 --> 00:37:04.179
 that

00:37:04.179 --> 00:37:04.460
 you

00:37:05.259 --> 00:37:06.099
 can

00:37:06.099 --> 00:37:06.480
 enjoy