WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:16.559 Hi, my name is George Sinclair. I'm the lead pastor of Church of the Messiah. 00:00:16.839 --> 00:00:21.820 It is wonderful that you would like to check out some of the sermons done by Church of the Messiah, 00:00:21.940 --> 00:00:25.660 either by myself or some of the others. Listen, just a couple of things. First of all, 00:00:25.660 --> 00:00:32.399 would you pray for us that we will open God's Word well to His glory and for the good of people like 00:00:32.399 --> 00:00:38.259 yourself? The second thing is, if you aren't connected to a church and if you are a Christian, 00:00:38.780 --> 00:00:43.879 I would really like to encourage you to find a good local church where they believe the Bible, 00:00:44.560 --> 00:00:50.060 they preach the gospel, and if you have some trouble finding that, send us an email. We will 00:00:50.060 --> 00:00:55.859 do what we can to help connect you with a good local church wherever you are. And if you're a 00:00:55.859 --> 00:01:00.640 non-Christian checking us out, we're really, really, really glad you're doing that. Don't 00:01:00.640 --> 00:01:05.980 hesitate to send us questions. It helps me actually to know, as I'm preaching, how to deal with the 00:01:05.980 --> 00:01:09.060 types of things that you're really struggling with. So God bless. 00:01:09.060 --> 00:01:19.620 Let's just bow our heads in prayer, please. Father, we ask that you would continue to have 00:01:19.620 --> 00:01:25.420 mercy on us and gently but deeply pour out the Holy Spirit upon each of one of us who are here. 00:01:26.079 --> 00:01:31.780 Pour out the Holy Spirit upon those who are entering into worship online, either live or even 00:01:31.780 --> 00:01:36.760 downstream, Lord, because time, that's a, you live outside of time. And so we ask, Lord, 00:01:36.760 --> 00:01:42.260 that the Holy Spirit would fall with gentle but deep and penetrating power upon each one of us. 00:01:42.800 --> 00:01:47.780 Father, help us to be able to be in your presence, to know that we are in your presence, 00:01:48.380 --> 00:01:53.180 and help us, Lord, to receive the grace and mercy you desire to give us this morning, 00:01:54.020 --> 00:02:00.160 and help us to respond in a worthy way. And we ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior. 00:02:00.780 --> 00:02:02.520 Amen. Please be seated. 00:02:02.519 --> 00:02:10.859 Amen. So a couple of weeks ago, I was having a conversation in a coffee shop. For those of you, 00:02:10.919 --> 00:02:15.680 that's a bit of a surprise that I ever talk to somebody in a coffee shop. I was having a 00:02:15.680 --> 00:02:20.840 conversation in a coffee shop a couple of weeks ago, and something happened that sort of, I guess 00:02:20.840 --> 00:02:26.879 it's happened lots of times over the years. And it sort of, we're talking, and this was like a serious 00:02:26.879 --> 00:02:35.060 talk about the Christian faith and about this person's faith, you know, her faith and the Christian 00:02:35.060 --> 00:02:41.120 faith. And I realized when we were about half of the way through it, that one of the problems was 00:02:41.120 --> 00:02:49.419 that we were using words differently. And so we started, I started to try to point this out. And 00:02:49.419 --> 00:03:00.060 basically what it came down to was that this person basically said that I had to accept her definitions. 00:03:01.019 --> 00:03:05.299 Like I had to accept how she understood words, and that was the only way we were going to have a 00:03:05.299 --> 00:03:11.919 conversation. And I pointed out to her, well, you're using words in a very odd way, and you're using words 00:03:11.919 --> 00:03:17.839 that fit with your worldview. If I accept your words, then I'm accepting your, like I've accepted 00:03:17.839 --> 00:03:23.519 your position. So there needs to be some sort of neutral way that we can talk, you know, about this 00:03:23.519 --> 00:03:28.579 and the truth. And anyway, we went round and round. And actually, I've spent the last couple of weeks 00:03:28.579 --> 00:03:35.159 thinking about the conversation, trying to figure out how to move it forward. Now, we left as friends, 00:03:35.159 --> 00:03:42.099 and, you know, we've seen each other, you know, since. But it really made me think of something that I read in the 00:03:42.099 --> 00:03:50.240 paper a couple of years ago. And that is, when people no longer believe in truth, the only way to settle 00:03:50.240 --> 00:03:59.180 differences is with your fists. When people no longer believe in truth, the only way to settle differences is with 00:03:59.180 --> 00:04:04.740 your fists. And that's obviously said very starkly. 00:04:05.159 --> 00:04:12.099 But, you know, it's really very true, a funny thing to say, isn't it, in our culture, that increasingly it doesn't 00:04:12.099 --> 00:04:20.319 seem as if there's this, like this way that two minds or two groups can meet and have a discussion about what's true. 00:04:21.519 --> 00:04:31.420 I mean, good grief. Good grief. What do you do with people who are responsible for education when they say that two plus two 00:04:31.420 --> 00:04:36.720 equals four is a patriarchal imposition to oppress people? 00:04:37.259 --> 00:04:41.580 Like, how do you have a conversation with somebody like that? 00:04:42.580 --> 00:04:46.240 Like, when you hear that, all that's left are fists. 00:04:46.240 --> 00:04:57.420 Now, the Bible text today, it's going to touch on truth, obviously. And in fact, the truth is very important to the text. 00:04:57.500 --> 00:05:07.319 But it's also talking about something else that in our culture, even amongst Christians, is both misunderstood and not 00:05:07.319 --> 00:05:17.459 wanted at all. But it's something else which is really needed if we're going to have peace in our own lives, peace in our families, peace in our neighborhoods, and peace in our world. 00:05:18.199 --> 00:05:21.779 So it's something that Canadians don't understand and they don't want. 00:05:21.779 --> 00:05:29.739 But it's also something on top of truth or beside truth or with truth that's needed if we're to have peace with ourselves, 00:05:31.399 --> 00:05:36.699 peace in our families, in our neighborhoods, with our friends, in our country, and ultimately, of course, peace with God. 00:05:36.919 --> 00:05:41.799 So let's look at it. And so we're looking at, if you're using this, it's page 66. 00:05:41.800 --> 00:05:49.139 And if you have your own Bibles, it's Mark chapter 10, verse 46, the story that I read before. 00:05:49.259 --> 00:05:50.939 But we're going to begin the verse before. 00:05:52.199 --> 00:05:54.960 Because, of course, the book is written as a book, right? 00:05:54.980 --> 00:05:58.939 It just goes from word to word, sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph, all the way through. 00:05:59.680 --> 00:06:06.040 But those of you who were here last week, you might remember that I said that this actually is a really... 00:06:06.040 --> 00:06:07.480 I mean, all the verses are important. 00:06:08.120 --> 00:06:09.980 But if you look at... Well, look at verse 45. 00:06:09.980 --> 00:06:10.900 It begins like this. 00:06:10.899 --> 00:06:12.259 It's for... 00:06:12.259 --> 00:06:16.799 Now, the word for in this case, I'm not being just a grammar nitpicky guy. 00:06:16.919 --> 00:06:17.959 It's a purpose verse. 00:06:18.279 --> 00:06:19.579 It's the purpose for. 00:06:19.879 --> 00:06:20.879 Like, what... 00:06:20.879 --> 00:06:31.699 The purpose, for even the Son of Man, Jesus is referring to himself, came not to be served, but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many. 00:06:32.639 --> 00:06:37.139 And so, as I tried to show last week in the sermon, this is a very important verse. 00:06:37.139 --> 00:06:38.139 Jesus is... 00:06:38.139 --> 00:06:40.259 This is one of the two primary times. 00:06:40.259 --> 00:06:41.420 There's another one or two. 00:06:41.519 --> 00:06:48.279 But there's one of the primary times in the gospel where Jesus tells you what the purpose of his life is. 00:06:48.599 --> 00:06:50.759 Like, what the whole purpose of the gospel is. 00:06:51.159 --> 00:06:53.199 Like, you don't have to try to figure it out yourself. 00:06:53.360 --> 00:06:58.899 You know, it's not like you have to sort of take animal entrails and try to figure out what the omens and the signs are. 00:06:58.899 --> 00:07:07.139 Or here, you know, record five of your dreams and then try to figure out what on earth is going on in your psyche or your, you know, whatever. 00:07:07.139 --> 00:07:11.120 Jesus tells us, okay, you're trying to understand everything in the gospel. 00:07:11.319 --> 00:07:13.060 I'm going to Jerusalem to die. 00:07:13.680 --> 00:07:15.060 Here's what you need to understand. 00:07:15.180 --> 00:07:15.759 The Son of Man. 00:07:15.819 --> 00:07:19.479 I am the Son of Man, which is both on one hand means that he's... 00:07:19.479 --> 00:07:23.919 It's a way of saying that he's the representative of humanity because he's human. 00:07:23.920 --> 00:07:30.100 But it's also claiming in the book of Daniel, Daniel, the Jewish people would have had a... 00:07:30.100 --> 00:07:36.860 Couldn't have quite get their mind around it because it almost sounds like the Son of Man is God, which they couldn't get their minds around. 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:38.500 So this is what he used. 00:07:38.540 --> 00:07:40.240 When he says the Son of Man, that's what's going on. 00:07:40.780 --> 00:07:43.819 That he came not to be served, but to serve. 00:07:44.120 --> 00:07:47.300 And he didn't just come to be...to serve. 00:07:47.520 --> 00:07:49.620 He came for something even more important. 00:07:49.620 --> 00:07:53.840 And it's when this other thing is understood that you understand why you'd serve. 00:07:54.379 --> 00:07:56.579 To give his life is a ransom for many. 00:07:57.379 --> 00:08:02.120 And that word ransom, you know, I've been thinking about this a lot this last week. 00:08:02.980 --> 00:08:09.040 One of the things which you don't learn in school is that basically up until only a couple of centuries ago, 00:08:09.139 --> 00:08:16.160 and only in places where Christianity was significant, every culture was a slave culture. 00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:24.160 In fact, I think it was only around the year 2010 that there was a country in Africa that actually outlawed slavery. 00:08:25.340 --> 00:08:33.759 And as we know, of course, the Chinese Communist and the Soviet Union, atheist states, practiced in effect slavery within their own countries. 00:08:34.779 --> 00:08:39.720 So all cultures and countries up until fairly recently were slave cultures. 00:08:39.720 --> 00:08:47.240 And one of the things that's so important about this word is its acts in the Christian consciousness of the followers of Jesus 00:08:47.240 --> 00:08:54.420 as a way that slowly to move human beings who just think that slavery is natural 00:08:54.420 --> 00:08:59.259 to a state of affairs where even if it's natural, it needs to be stopped. 00:08:59.259 --> 00:09:08.919 Because at the heart of this image is an image that when a person in that time period, they're a slave, a doulos. 00:09:10.000 --> 00:09:13.879 And it could be, you know, there wouldn't be a slave because of their race. 00:09:13.960 --> 00:09:19.059 That's one of the things which was different about this time than it was, let's say, in the American South. 00:09:19.279 --> 00:09:22.439 But it could be they were captured more. 00:09:22.539 --> 00:09:23.519 It could have been because of debt. 00:09:23.519 --> 00:09:25.199 It could be for some other type of reason. 00:09:25.980 --> 00:09:33.039 But you could get out of slavery if the debt, so to speak, was paid, the debt that you were owed. 00:09:33.139 --> 00:09:36.980 In a sense, if you think about it, it would be as if, you know, I'm the conquering army. 00:09:37.079 --> 00:09:39.679 And if you fight against me, well, how dare you fight against me? 00:09:39.679 --> 00:09:41.120 I just want to take over your country. 00:09:41.240 --> 00:09:44.559 And in a sense, you sort of view that person fighting against you as now owing you a debt. 00:09:44.980 --> 00:09:46.059 You fought against this. 00:09:46.100 --> 00:09:47.299 You killed some of your soldiers. 00:09:47.379 --> 00:09:48.639 You're now in debt to me. 00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:53.120 You know, or you're just actually in literal debt because you've overextended yourself. 00:09:53.759 --> 00:10:04.220 And so, in a sense, all slaveries were understood as a way of belonging to another person and, in a sense, trying to work off your debt, which would be impossible. 00:10:04.419 --> 00:10:11.000 But it was possible for—sometimes a slave could work—save up some money and pay themselves and ransom themselves. 00:10:11.000 --> 00:10:18.440 But fundamentally, it would be that somebody else pays that debt for you and ransoms you. 00:10:19.620 --> 00:10:27.879 And in this case here, when Jesus says, for even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve and to give his life as a ransom for many, 00:10:28.460 --> 00:10:36.159 he's saying that his life and his death upon the cross and his resurrection is a pain of your debt, 00:10:36.159 --> 00:10:47.980 a debt that delivers you from slavery and transfers you into the freedom of Christ, the crucified king's kingdom. 00:10:49.860 --> 00:10:59.439 You can see how, as that becomes sort of more real to people, as the gospel becomes more real, it starts to make slavery unthinkable at a very, very deep level. 00:10:59.440 --> 00:11:07.640 And so, you have this very powerful statement by Jesus that, as you're looking through the whole gospel of Mark, 00:11:08.920 --> 00:11:11.820 keep in mind that all of those things are recorded. 00:11:12.820 --> 00:11:19.200 And part of the purpose—a very significant reason is that they're trying to communicate this profound mystery 00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:25.700 that God, the Son of God, would set aside his glory and splendor and divine prerogatives and appearance as God, 00:11:25.700 --> 00:11:29.280 but he'd still be God, but he'd take into himself our human nature. 00:11:30.200 --> 00:11:35.540 And he, in a sense, could be then as that human one that could represent all human beings. 00:11:36.300 --> 00:11:43.580 And that his death is an act of substitution and representation so that the debts that you owe are paid 00:11:43.580 --> 00:11:51.500 and you now are freed from slavery and enter into the liberty and freedom of Christ's kingdom. 00:11:52.759 --> 00:11:54.100 With Christ as your king. 00:11:54.100 --> 00:11:55.480 That's the image. 00:11:57.159 --> 00:12:00.220 Now, how does that get into you or how do you get into that? 00:12:00.659 --> 00:12:04.820 Well, I mean, there's obviously several aspects about that, 00:12:04.920 --> 00:12:12.440 but Mark wrote his gospel in such a way that almost immediately he helps you to start to understand that. 00:12:12.680 --> 00:12:13.720 And that's what happens next. 00:12:13.740 --> 00:12:14.340 Look what happens. 00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:15.200 It's very interesting. 00:12:15.200 --> 00:12:17.639 And it goes like this, verse 46. 00:12:17.639 --> 00:12:44.580 Now, just sort of pause here. 00:12:44.580 --> 00:12:48.759 I've talked a little bit before about how important stories are. 00:12:49.540 --> 00:12:54.259 Because as you learn, one of the things that we need to do, one of the things for those of you who are parents with young kids, 00:12:54.320 --> 00:12:56.580 it's really important you tell them Bible stories. 00:12:57.620 --> 00:13:00.840 Because it's really important that you tell them Bible stories. 00:13:00.960 --> 00:13:03.980 In fact, it's also important that you guard the stories they watch. 00:13:03.980 --> 00:13:08.100 You guard that. 00:13:08.220 --> 00:13:12.759 Because stories form us at a sort of a deep unconscious and subconscious level. 00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:16.240 They make certain types of things more believable. 00:13:16.240 --> 00:13:19.779 They help to form. 00:13:19.940 --> 00:13:24.860 We might have this idea in our head and not realize, you know, that as a teenager and adult that there's this idea. 00:13:25.779 --> 00:13:29.360 And not realize that it maybe came from a story. 00:13:29.680 --> 00:13:31.759 Just as an aside, and this is just crazy. 00:13:31.899 --> 00:13:33.919 I lived in a completely Jewish neighborhood. 00:13:34.080 --> 00:13:35.560 I was the only Gentile kid. 00:13:35.840 --> 00:13:38.220 Me and my brother and my sister, only Gentile kids. 00:13:39.019 --> 00:13:45.040 And when they had the Jewish holidays in the fall, and in those days, you know, there were like hundreds of kids in our school. 00:13:45.560 --> 00:13:48.100 They could take all of the non-Jewish kids. 00:13:48.300 --> 00:13:50.279 And I think there were like 500 kids in the school. 00:13:50.519 --> 00:13:55.240 And all of the non-Jewish kids added up to about 20 from all grade 1 to 8. 00:13:55.540 --> 00:13:58.220 And they could put them in one classroom, which is what they did. 00:13:58.420 --> 00:14:01.360 And after a couple of years, I said to mom, can I just stay home? 00:14:01.899 --> 00:14:03.340 And be with all the Jewish kids? 00:14:03.560 --> 00:14:03.940 And I did. 00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:06.360 But anyway, so here we have this school with a Jewish teacher. 00:14:06.360 --> 00:14:09.960 And I remember she read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe to me. 00:14:11.159 --> 00:14:15.240 And I remember crying in the classroom. 00:14:16.180 --> 00:14:19.060 This would probably have been like grade 2 or something, or 3. 00:14:19.259 --> 00:14:23.680 And I remember crying when Aslan died for Eustace. 00:14:24.600 --> 00:14:28.600 I had no idea that this was a Christian story. 00:14:29.120 --> 00:14:31.879 But later on, it struck me, like as an adult. 00:14:31.879 --> 00:14:40.799 Gosh, that story that brought tears to my eyes of Aslan giving himself to the witch so that Eustace could go free. 00:14:41.059 --> 00:14:43.759 That's Christian. 00:14:45.259 --> 00:14:48.659 I mean, the teacher didn't tell me this was a Christian author or a Christian story. 00:14:48.679 --> 00:14:49.700 It was just a good story. 00:14:50.240 --> 00:14:52.879 And many, many kids in the class had tears in their eyes. 00:14:54.360 --> 00:14:55.679 You'll go back and you can read it. 00:14:55.720 --> 00:14:56.620 It's well worth reading. 00:14:56.620 --> 00:15:00.240 Even though it's just written for kids, it's well worth reading The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. 00:15:00.320 --> 00:15:03.500 It's a simple but very profound read. 00:15:04.379 --> 00:15:08.360 But here's the point about this story. 00:15:09.340 --> 00:15:15.879 So it's a very, very simple story about Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, begging by the side of the roadside. 00:15:16.360 --> 00:15:20.320 And he hears in verse 47 that it was Jesus of Nazareth who's going by. 00:15:20.320 --> 00:15:23.180 Now, the first thing is this. 00:15:23.520 --> 00:15:24.720 Bartimaeus is you and me. 00:15:26.560 --> 00:15:33.220 Bartimaeus, he might have been in the vicinity of Jesus doing miracles, but he never saw the miracle. 00:15:33.879 --> 00:15:36.060 He couldn't see the miracle because he was blind. 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:39.440 All he could do is hear about the miracle. 00:15:40.600 --> 00:15:41.400 Does that sound familiar? 00:15:41.480 --> 00:15:42.120 That's you and me. 00:15:43.180 --> 00:15:44.720 I can't see the miracle. 00:15:45.080 --> 00:15:46.520 I can only hear about the miracle. 00:15:46.519 --> 00:15:53.620 So Bartimaeus, in a very profound sense, is you and me. 00:15:54.819 --> 00:15:56.240 We can't see the miracle. 00:15:56.419 --> 00:15:58.259 All we can do is hear about the miracle. 00:15:59.639 --> 00:16:03.600 And the second thing is it's very interesting that there's a big crowd. 00:16:03.799 --> 00:16:05.579 And look how they describe him in verse 47. 00:16:07.240 --> 00:16:08.299 Jesus of Nazareth. 00:16:08.500 --> 00:16:11.939 And some of you who've come to the church a lot, I know it's a terror. 00:16:11.940 --> 00:16:14.500 I use this analogy over and over and over again. 00:16:15.700 --> 00:16:22.000 This is not like saying, oh, gosh, you know, that's John of Cambridge. 00:16:22.360 --> 00:16:23.980 Or that's John of Oxford. 00:16:24.220 --> 00:16:25.840 Or that's John of Harvard. 00:16:26.020 --> 00:16:28.700 Or that's Susie of Stanford. 00:16:29.380 --> 00:16:32.540 Or that's, you know, that's Rebecca of Manhattan. 00:16:32.539 --> 00:16:39.099 Or, you know, that's Sally of the city. 00:16:40.099 --> 00:16:44.919 You know, a graduate of Oxford now lives in the city, that square mile right in the very heart of London. 00:16:45.019 --> 00:16:46.199 Or wherever, of Paris. 00:16:46.899 --> 00:16:52.000 And we get, you know, go, oh, wow, like that's a significant, whoa, that's a significant place. 00:16:52.599 --> 00:16:56.919 What the crowd has just said, and it's really actually very Canadian, 00:16:56.919 --> 00:17:00.039 it's like saying that's Jesus of Brudenell. 00:17:02.339 --> 00:17:09.759 And Brudenell is a little speck on a map with, I think, just an old abandoned church and a rectory. 00:17:11.319 --> 00:17:14.220 And you pass through Brudenell from nowhere to nowhere. 00:17:15.700 --> 00:17:18.200 And so really, in a sense, they're putting Jesus down. 00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:21.200 You know, they're saying on one hand, whoa, whoa, he's a great guy. 00:17:21.539 --> 00:17:24.879 But, you know, it's like if you ever listen to a group of guys talking, 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:28.480 and the way that guys often talk is they talk by putting each other down. 00:17:28.580 --> 00:17:29.980 They make little digs at each other. 00:17:30.020 --> 00:17:32.900 I don't know if women do it as well, but it's a very guy type of thing, 00:17:32.980 --> 00:17:35.940 that they make little digs putting each other down. 00:17:36.740 --> 00:17:40.120 In fact, when I was serving in Eganville, a rural parish, 00:17:40.220 --> 00:17:44.500 I knew the guys in the church had started to accept me when I was out for my run, 00:17:44.900 --> 00:17:48.660 and they'd pull up beside me in the pickup truck, roll down their window, and insult me. 00:17:49.560 --> 00:17:52.280 I thought, I've arrived. They like me. 00:17:52.860 --> 00:17:54.120 How do I know they like me? 00:17:54.119 --> 00:17:55.579 Well, they made fun of me. 00:17:55.799 --> 00:17:57.199 That's how I know they like me. 00:17:57.299 --> 00:17:59.179 And in a sense, the same crowd is doing this. 00:17:59.339 --> 00:18:02.799 Yeah, yeah, he can do miracles and all that, but we have to remember, 00:18:03.319 --> 00:18:04.719 he's just Jesus of Brudenell. 00:18:06.259 --> 00:18:10.599 He's not Jesus of Oxford, not Jesus of Cambridge, not Jesus of Stanford, 00:18:10.819 --> 00:18:12.899 not Jesus of Madison, just Jesus of Brudenell. 00:18:13.639 --> 00:18:16.479 Like, he's not really a, you know, he thinks he's a big thing, 00:18:16.539 --> 00:18:17.599 but he's not really a big thing. 00:18:17.679 --> 00:18:19.519 But he's really fun. Let's hang around with him. 00:18:19.519 --> 00:18:25.740 And then the thing then is that Bartimaeus, who's never actually, 00:18:26.039 --> 00:18:29.160 like many of the crowd have actually seen Jesus do miracles, 00:18:29.660 --> 00:18:33.559 but they still think of him as Jesus of Brudenell. 00:18:34.559 --> 00:18:37.980 And Bartimaeus has only heard stories about Jesus. 00:18:38.160 --> 00:18:40.660 He's never seen Jesus, and he's never seen a miracle. 00:18:40.660 --> 00:18:46.680 But Bartimaeus says, Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. 00:18:47.279 --> 00:18:50.860 Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. 00:18:51.500 --> 00:18:54.360 And son of David is a messianic title. 00:18:55.000 --> 00:19:02.560 He's really saying Messiah, the Messiah of God, have mercy on me. 00:19:02.559 --> 00:19:09.639 Now, verse 48 is, once again, like we can relate to it. 00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:14.579 Like if you, many of our friends, and maybe this was true in your life, 00:19:14.679 --> 00:19:17.500 maybe you started to tell people that you were actually thinking 00:19:17.500 --> 00:19:18.619 you would become a Christian, 00:19:19.179 --> 00:19:22.759 and many of your friends would tell you not to do it. 00:19:24.119 --> 00:19:27.799 Or if they did, they'd just say, well, okay, become a Christian, 00:19:27.879 --> 00:19:29.539 but just remember he's Jesus of Brudenell. 00:19:29.539 --> 00:19:32.659 Like don't get carried away, like don't get too crazy about it. 00:19:32.740 --> 00:19:34.539 Just remember he's Jesus of Brudenell. 00:19:35.779 --> 00:19:39.099 But in verse 48, many rebuked him, telling him to be silent, 00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:44.039 but he cried out all the more, son of David, have mercy on me. 00:19:45.299 --> 00:19:48.480 Now, here's where we're going to have to have a little bit of a longer pause. 00:19:50.119 --> 00:19:53.379 And we have to take off, in a sense, our Christian hats for a second. 00:19:53.480 --> 00:19:57.259 We have to look at this phrase, son of David, have mercy on me. 00:19:57.379 --> 00:19:59.119 Son of David, have mercy on me. 00:19:59.539 --> 00:20:06.420 Now, how would most Canadians counsel Bartimaeus to speak to Jesus? 00:20:09.420 --> 00:20:14.420 And this is an important question to ask because, you see, we're Canadians. 00:20:15.740 --> 00:20:19.799 Like how would the editorial board of the CBC or the Globe and Mail 00:20:19.799 --> 00:20:24.440 or the National Post or how would the psychology faculty 00:20:24.440 --> 00:20:27.360 or other academics at the University of Ottawa, 00:20:28.200 --> 00:20:31.320 how would counselors advise you? 00:20:31.320 --> 00:20:36.120 How would coaches and lifestyle gurus 00:20:36.120 --> 00:20:39.799 and TikTok and Instagram influencers, 00:20:40.200 --> 00:20:42.380 how would they counsel you to talk to Jesus? 00:20:44.080 --> 00:20:47.640 Well, here is Bartimaeus' blind. 00:20:47.640 --> 00:20:51.180 Well, many, many, many, many people in our culture would say, 00:20:51.420 --> 00:20:52.540 don't be an ableist. 00:20:55.280 --> 00:20:57.100 You're just differently abled. 00:20:58.240 --> 00:21:01.320 Don't demean yourself by asking for mercy. 00:21:01.800 --> 00:21:04.220 If you demean yourself by asking for mercy, 00:21:04.940 --> 00:21:08.060 you're saying you're being an ableist. 00:21:08.059 --> 00:21:13.179 You're saying you're not fine the way you are, 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:14.779 perfect the way you are. 00:21:16.819 --> 00:21:19.819 You are giving up autonomy and authority of your life 00:21:19.819 --> 00:21:20.740 to some other person. 00:21:20.879 --> 00:21:21.980 Don't you say that. 00:21:21.980 --> 00:21:26.819 Many of them would also give the different advice. 00:21:26.900 --> 00:21:29.240 It's sort of a contradictory advice 00:21:29.240 --> 00:21:30.240 because it's one of the things 00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:32.500 which is so contradictory in our culture. 00:21:33.599 --> 00:21:36.140 In fact, it's one of those things in our culture 00:21:36.140 --> 00:21:37.640 that it's incoherent, 00:21:38.240 --> 00:21:41.140 but people aren't aware of the fact that it's incoherent. 00:21:41.700 --> 00:21:42.759 Because on one hand, 00:21:42.839 --> 00:21:44.900 you have to accept people the way they are. 00:21:44.980 --> 00:21:45.680 But on the other hand, 00:21:45.720 --> 00:21:47.380 if they don't want to be the way they are 00:21:47.380 --> 00:21:50.140 because they want to find their true self in some other way, 00:21:50.440 --> 00:21:51.620 you've got to support that. 00:21:52.180 --> 00:21:53.680 It's almost as if they've talked to you, 00:21:53.700 --> 00:21:55.000 you have to take a step back and say, 00:21:55.099 --> 00:21:55.640 okay, one moment. 00:21:56.360 --> 00:21:58.299 Okay, just time out. 00:21:58.500 --> 00:21:59.380 Let me figure this out. 00:21:59.440 --> 00:22:00.700 Am I supposed to encourage you 00:22:00.700 --> 00:22:01.680 because of the way you are 00:22:01.680 --> 00:22:04.299 or encourage you because you don't want to be the way you are 00:22:04.299 --> 00:22:05.779 to become some more authentic self? 00:22:05.900 --> 00:22:08.140 And if you guess wrong, 00:22:08.240 --> 00:22:09.660 you get yelled at, right? 00:22:11.500 --> 00:22:14.099 Or you're accused of doing something terrible. 00:22:15.220 --> 00:22:16.559 But once again, you see, 00:22:16.640 --> 00:22:17.860 the advice would be, 00:22:18.099 --> 00:22:19.860 pardon me, don't be an ableist. 00:22:19.859 --> 00:22:24.039 Like, don't degrade yourself by asking for mercy. 00:22:24.959 --> 00:22:26.439 Or in fact, just don't even, 00:22:26.539 --> 00:22:27.419 the fact of the matter is, 00:22:27.459 --> 00:22:28.219 is you just need to, 00:22:28.299 --> 00:22:28.919 you need to say, 00:22:29.000 --> 00:22:31.779 Jesus, I'd really like your support to support me 00:22:31.779 --> 00:22:34.399 as I become the man I've chosen to be. 00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:39.119 Or it might be even that we just sort of go right to rights. 00:22:40.159 --> 00:22:40.859 One of the ways, 00:22:41.059 --> 00:22:42.959 if you go back and you read the three of the, 00:22:42.959 --> 00:22:44.959 the three of the accounts of the, 00:22:44.960 --> 00:22:46.240 of this miracle, 00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:48.340 it looks as if there's a bit of a contradiction, 00:22:48.559 --> 00:22:49.120 but there's not a, 00:22:49.120 --> 00:22:49.860 not a contradiction. 00:22:50.100 --> 00:22:51.640 It's, it's, it's, it's, it's a, 00:22:52.079 --> 00:22:54.059 there was the ancient city of Jericho, 00:22:54.059 --> 00:22:55.720 which was by now mainly ruins, 00:22:55.860 --> 00:22:57.120 but it's still on the main road. 00:22:57.120 --> 00:22:58.440 And then just off the road, 00:22:58.940 --> 00:23:01.200 Herod had built this magnificent palace 00:23:01.200 --> 00:23:03.180 just outside of Jericho. 00:23:03.180 --> 00:23:03.940 And, and of course, 00:23:03.960 --> 00:23:05.700 with the palace and a magnificent palace 00:23:05.700 --> 00:23:06.759 and administrative center, 00:23:06.759 --> 00:23:07.480 that would have meant that 00:23:07.480 --> 00:23:08.940 that's where most of the stalls 00:23:08.940 --> 00:23:10.860 and market and food place 00:23:10.860 --> 00:23:11.860 would be at the new place, 00:23:11.860 --> 00:23:13.319 but it's just off the main road. 00:23:13.319 --> 00:23:15.639 And so probably what's happened is 00:23:15.639 --> 00:23:18.000 Jesus has left the main road with his disciples, 00:23:18.000 --> 00:23:19.319 gone to this other center, 00:23:19.319 --> 00:23:21.019 and then he's walking back. 00:23:21.179 --> 00:23:22.599 And, and so some people might say, 00:23:22.659 --> 00:23:23.460 you know, Jesus, 00:23:23.839 --> 00:23:24.639 and so he's walking back 00:23:24.639 --> 00:23:27.159 to the old original ruined city of Jericho. 00:23:27.319 --> 00:23:28.759 And some people might say to Bartimaeus 00:23:28.759 --> 00:23:31.119 that Jesus went by you that first time 00:23:31.119 --> 00:23:32.059 and didn't heal you. 00:23:32.980 --> 00:23:34.319 You have rights. 00:23:34.659 --> 00:23:36.299 You deserve to be healed. 00:23:37.000 --> 00:23:39.119 You don't call out for mercy to Jesus. 00:23:39.119 --> 00:23:41.740 You stand up and be a man 00:23:41.740 --> 00:23:44.400 and say, Jesus, how come you didn't heal me? 00:23:44.900 --> 00:23:46.460 I demand you heal me. 00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:48.019 I have rights to be healed. 00:23:49.279 --> 00:23:50.759 Don't say, have mercy. 00:23:51.460 --> 00:23:54.279 Say, give me the rights that I am owed. 00:23:55.279 --> 00:23:56.599 And that's how we would counsel 00:23:56.599 --> 00:24:00.099 Bartimaeus to speak to Jesus. 00:24:01.640 --> 00:24:03.000 And that is actually 00:24:03.000 --> 00:24:05.759 how many of us speak to Jesus. 00:24:05.759 --> 00:24:09.220 We say, Jesus, didn't I? 00:24:10.200 --> 00:24:11.259 Good grief, Jesus. 00:24:12.460 --> 00:24:13.779 You know, I, I, I've given, 00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:16.160 I've given money to the church. 00:24:16.299 --> 00:24:18.039 I've helped in the Sunday school. 00:24:19.539 --> 00:24:21.539 I, I've, um, you know, 00:24:21.579 --> 00:24:22.879 I've worked as a door host. 00:24:23.879 --> 00:24:25.079 I've, I've been a warden. 00:24:25.140 --> 00:24:26.420 I've been served on council. 00:24:28.140 --> 00:24:29.319 And, and don't you think 00:24:29.319 --> 00:24:31.420 after all those things I've done for you, 00:24:31.500 --> 00:24:33.480 I, I deserve to have that boyfriend. 00:24:33.480 --> 00:24:35.420 I deserve to have that marriage. 00:24:35.539 --> 00:24:37.140 I deserve to have that promotion. 00:24:37.700 --> 00:24:39.240 I deserve to have health. 00:24:39.279 --> 00:24:40.360 And that didn't help me. 00:24:41.460 --> 00:24:42.720 Jesus, I, I have, 00:24:43.660 --> 00:24:44.980 we, you see what I mean? 00:24:45.420 --> 00:24:46.279 It's in our heart. 00:24:46.860 --> 00:24:47.779 It's in my heart. 00:24:47.860 --> 00:24:48.599 It's in your heart. 00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:52.079 But there's another deeper problem here 00:24:52.079 --> 00:24:52.660 with the text, 00:24:52.740 --> 00:24:54.460 beyond the fact that most in our culture 00:24:54.460 --> 00:24:57.259 wouldn't counsel Bartimaeus 00:24:57.259 --> 00:24:59.360 to say, son of David, 00:25:00.059 --> 00:25:01.860 Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me. 00:25:01.859 --> 00:25:03.159 And the second thing is this, 00:25:03.199 --> 00:25:04.059 is that fundamentally, 00:25:04.459 --> 00:25:06.619 we don't need mercy. 00:25:09.779 --> 00:25:11.259 You and I don't need mercy. 00:25:12.079 --> 00:25:12.939 In fact, actually mercy, 00:25:13.219 --> 00:25:14.059 well, sort of mercy, 00:25:14.159 --> 00:25:15.399 it's one of those fundamental things. 00:25:15.500 --> 00:25:16.500 We sort of, maybe we sort of do 00:25:16.500 --> 00:25:17.219 and maybe we don't. 00:25:17.539 --> 00:25:18.699 See, because the fact of the matter is 00:25:18.699 --> 00:25:20.399 for most, most of our culture, 00:25:21.099 --> 00:25:23.799 what most of our culture would mean by mercy 00:25:23.799 --> 00:25:26.500 isn't actually what the Bible means by mercy. 00:25:26.659 --> 00:25:28.419 And we're either both wanting it 00:25:28.419 --> 00:25:29.699 or repelled by it. 00:25:29.700 --> 00:25:31.759 I'll give you an example. 00:25:36.259 --> 00:25:38.240 I'll give you an American political example. 00:25:40.120 --> 00:25:41.759 What, in fact, if it turns out 00:25:41.759 --> 00:25:44.779 that Hunter Biden has been selling influence 00:25:44.779 --> 00:25:47.600 to the Chinese and his dad knew about it? 00:25:51.759 --> 00:25:52.720 Now, if you're a Democrat, 00:25:53.220 --> 00:25:53.860 what are you going to want? 00:25:53.920 --> 00:25:55.000 You're going to say, give him some mercy. 00:25:55.000 --> 00:25:56.880 What does mercy mean? 00:25:57.220 --> 00:25:57.920 A pass. 00:25:58.900 --> 00:25:59.819 Give him a pass. 00:26:01.539 --> 00:26:02.359 On the other hand, 00:26:02.460 --> 00:26:03.380 what if it turns out 00:26:03.380 --> 00:26:04.819 that Trump actually did collude 00:26:04.819 --> 00:26:05.480 with the Russians 00:26:05.480 --> 00:26:07.059 to fix the election that he won 00:26:07.059 --> 00:26:09.619 in 2016? 00:26:11.420 --> 00:26:12.460 Like they prove it. 00:26:12.619 --> 00:26:13.259 Like prove it. 00:26:13.319 --> 00:26:14.440 They finally prove it. 00:26:14.440 --> 00:26:18.940 Well, Democrats are going to want his head 00:26:18.940 --> 00:26:20.740 and people who like Trump 00:26:20.740 --> 00:26:22.279 are going to say, give him mercy. 00:26:22.440 --> 00:26:23.320 What does mercy mean? 00:26:23.420 --> 00:26:24.000 A pass. 00:26:28.059 --> 00:26:28.420 Right? 00:26:29.779 --> 00:26:31.700 Of course, we're all way better 00:26:31.700 --> 00:26:33.140 than all those other people. 00:26:33.840 --> 00:26:34.200 Not. 00:26:34.200 --> 00:26:39.100 I was talking to somebody the other day 00:26:39.100 --> 00:26:40.279 about a couple of months ago 00:26:40.279 --> 00:26:42.100 and they made some comment about, 00:26:42.220 --> 00:26:43.000 oh, you don't have to worry 00:26:43.000 --> 00:26:44.059 about that thing's a church. 00:26:44.160 --> 00:26:44.880 Everybody in the church 00:26:44.880 --> 00:26:45.759 are good people, right? 00:26:45.819 --> 00:26:46.340 And I felt like, 00:26:46.480 --> 00:26:47.880 afterwards I kicked myself. 00:26:48.059 --> 00:26:49.400 I said I should have told them 00:26:49.400 --> 00:26:51.500 a church isn't where good people meet. 00:26:51.600 --> 00:26:54.580 A church is a hospital for sinners. 00:26:55.980 --> 00:26:57.180 That's what a church is. 00:26:57.200 --> 00:26:58.259 A hospital for sinners. 00:26:59.039 --> 00:27:01.039 But you see, here's the problem, right? 00:27:01.660 --> 00:27:03.539 For basically, the problem is 00:27:03.539 --> 00:27:08.599 for us, mercy, 00:27:08.720 --> 00:27:09.960 and it goes along with forgiveness, 00:27:11.000 --> 00:27:13.960 is basically letting yourself 00:27:13.960 --> 00:27:15.859 or your friends have a pass. 00:27:16.940 --> 00:27:17.460 But in the Bible, 00:27:17.539 --> 00:27:19.259 and that's why on one end we want it, 00:27:19.279 --> 00:27:20.720 on the other hand we don't want it. 00:27:23.240 --> 00:27:25.519 And so texts like this, 00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:26.779 not only will we never counsel them, 00:27:26.819 --> 00:27:28.639 but it doesn't really make any sense to us. 00:27:28.980 --> 00:27:30.279 Because you see, here's the thing, 00:27:30.759 --> 00:27:32.879 is the Bible understands mercy 00:27:32.880 --> 00:27:35.680 as being at one with justice 00:27:35.680 --> 00:27:37.420 and at one with truth. 00:27:38.600 --> 00:27:40.020 And that's one of the reasons why justice, 00:27:40.320 --> 00:27:41.820 that's one of the reasons why mercy, 00:27:42.520 --> 00:27:43.980 when you see real mercy, 00:27:44.420 --> 00:27:46.340 is deeply beautiful. 00:27:47.940 --> 00:27:51.640 It's deeply, deeply beautiful. 00:27:51.640 --> 00:27:55.259 Now, how do I say that? 00:27:55.259 --> 00:27:56.140 Well, because you see, 00:27:56.259 --> 00:27:57.000 that's, remember, 00:27:57.180 --> 00:27:58.920 it all began with verse 45. 00:28:00.060 --> 00:28:01.040 For even the Son of Man 00:28:01.040 --> 00:28:02.080 came not to be served, 00:28:02.160 --> 00:28:02.700 but to serve, 00:28:02.780 --> 00:28:03.620 and to give his life 00:28:03.620 --> 00:28:04.720 as a ransom for many. 00:28:05.220 --> 00:28:05.980 And what does that mean? 00:28:08.240 --> 00:28:09.980 Jesus looked at my life, 00:28:10.440 --> 00:28:11.820 and he saw George 00:28:11.820 --> 00:28:13.200 as George really is. 00:28:14.980 --> 00:28:16.320 Jesus knows the dreams 00:28:16.320 --> 00:28:16.980 I have at night 00:28:16.980 --> 00:28:18.320 that I forget when I wake up. 00:28:18.319 --> 00:28:21.019 Jesus knows the different masks 00:28:21.019 --> 00:28:21.740 and fronts 00:28:21.740 --> 00:28:23.119 which I put up 00:28:23.119 --> 00:28:24.939 to keep people at a distance. 00:28:25.319 --> 00:28:26.819 And he knows every mask. 00:28:27.599 --> 00:28:29.159 He knows every false front. 00:28:29.700 --> 00:28:31.419 He knows the order I put them in. 00:28:32.399 --> 00:28:33.279 He knows the way 00:28:33.279 --> 00:28:34.700 I will use those masks 00:28:34.700 --> 00:28:36.119 to keep people from seeing 00:28:36.119 --> 00:28:37.139 who I really am. 00:28:38.139 --> 00:28:39.839 And he knows every single thing 00:28:39.839 --> 00:28:40.659 about my life 00:28:40.659 --> 00:28:41.899 from the moment I was born 00:28:41.899 --> 00:28:43.059 to even for me, 00:28:43.279 --> 00:28:44.659 which, unless he comes back, 00:28:44.700 --> 00:28:46.319 I hope it's not for another 40 years, 00:28:46.319 --> 00:28:47.319 my moment of death. 00:28:49.579 --> 00:28:51.279 And he knows every single thing. 00:28:51.399 --> 00:28:52.639 He knows everything I've done 00:28:52.639 --> 00:28:53.700 that I'm ashamed of. 00:28:54.119 --> 00:28:55.200 He knows every single thing 00:28:55.200 --> 00:28:56.220 I've done that I've wronged. 00:28:56.659 --> 00:28:57.740 He knows all those times 00:28:57.740 --> 00:28:58.960 I could have done something right 00:28:58.960 --> 00:28:59.740 and I didn't do it. 00:28:59.779 --> 00:29:00.779 I closed my eyes. 00:29:00.960 --> 00:29:02.500 And he knows all those, 00:29:03.480 --> 00:29:06.079 he knows how I talk about other drivers 00:29:06.079 --> 00:29:07.879 or how I talk about people. 00:29:08.059 --> 00:29:10.299 And he knows all that self-talk in my head. 00:29:10.299 --> 00:29:12.700 And he sees every single aspect 00:29:12.700 --> 00:29:14.240 of that completely, truly. 00:29:17.440 --> 00:29:18.379 And mercy says, 00:29:18.460 --> 00:29:19.319 he still died for me. 00:29:22.539 --> 00:29:23.419 And in his mercy, 00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:24.759 not only does he die for me, 00:29:24.879 --> 00:29:25.759 you see, what happens is, 00:29:25.819 --> 00:29:27.019 remember I said in slavery, 00:29:27.919 --> 00:29:28.980 in a sense what happens 00:29:28.980 --> 00:29:30.200 is the debt is accrued. 00:29:30.299 --> 00:29:31.539 And one of the ways to understand 00:29:31.539 --> 00:29:32.659 anybody wronging you, 00:29:32.720 --> 00:29:33.440 in some ways, 00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:35.139 they owe you a debt. 00:29:35.140 --> 00:29:38.500 It might be that they've, 00:29:38.500 --> 00:29:40.340 you know, punched you or something 00:29:40.340 --> 00:29:42.020 and scarred you physically 00:29:42.020 --> 00:29:44.080 and you might have to bear that scar 00:29:44.080 --> 00:29:45.120 for the rest of your life 00:29:45.120 --> 00:29:46.640 and you feel that you've been wrong. 00:29:46.759 --> 00:29:48.500 Something's been stolen from you. 00:29:49.460 --> 00:29:50.460 Maybe it's been something 00:29:50.460 --> 00:29:51.259 in their language 00:29:51.259 --> 00:29:52.940 or they've lied about you 00:29:52.940 --> 00:29:54.400 and you've had some type of a punishment. 00:29:54.720 --> 00:29:55.340 And in a sense, 00:29:55.480 --> 00:29:57.900 you've had something taken away from you. 00:29:59.080 --> 00:30:01.460 They've taken something from you. 00:30:02.640 --> 00:30:04.440 And part of life is 00:30:04.440 --> 00:30:06.180 that you want to try to get that back 00:30:06.180 --> 00:30:07.940 and, but you can never really 00:30:07.940 --> 00:30:09.080 always get it back. 00:30:09.120 --> 00:30:10.900 Even if the person goes to jail 00:30:10.900 --> 00:30:12.700 and even if it's actually 00:30:12.700 --> 00:30:15.400 a just, a just sentence. 00:30:16.539 --> 00:30:17.920 Not one of those times 00:30:17.920 --> 00:30:19.120 where judges do something, 00:30:19.519 --> 00:30:20.380 you go, what? 00:30:22.460 --> 00:30:23.220 Like what? 00:30:25.539 --> 00:30:26.980 Even when those things happen, 00:30:27.059 --> 00:30:28.700 it's still not a full 00:30:28.700 --> 00:30:31.880 repaying of that debt 00:30:31.880 --> 00:30:33.840 of something that's been stolen from you. 00:30:34.440 --> 00:30:37.980 But what we see here 00:30:37.980 --> 00:30:40.320 is that Jesus sees everything 00:30:40.320 --> 00:30:41.539 there is to see about you 00:30:41.539 --> 00:30:42.519 and he says, 00:30:42.880 --> 00:30:44.320 remember I said that as son of man, 00:30:44.460 --> 00:30:45.380 he's the only, 00:30:45.480 --> 00:30:47.160 he can actually represent you. 00:30:48.400 --> 00:30:50.140 And because he can represent you, 00:30:50.240 --> 00:30:51.580 he can become your substitute. 00:30:52.180 --> 00:30:53.100 And he says, 00:30:53.380 --> 00:30:53.820 George, 00:30:54.320 --> 00:30:56.240 you're sitting on that chair over there 00:30:56.240 --> 00:30:58.580 and the judgment is read out about you 00:30:58.580 --> 00:30:59.299 and the list, 00:30:59.299 --> 00:31:01.339 it just goes on and on and on and on 00:31:01.339 --> 00:31:04.059 and you cannot possibly pay that debt. 00:31:04.299 --> 00:31:05.879 All those people you've wronged, 00:31:05.980 --> 00:31:07.059 the ways you've even wronged, 00:31:07.059 --> 00:31:07.919 the created order 00:31:07.919 --> 00:31:09.460 and wronged God. 00:31:11.460 --> 00:31:11.619 And he, 00:31:11.859 --> 00:31:12.659 and Jesus says, 00:31:12.779 --> 00:31:13.259 George, 00:31:13.339 --> 00:31:14.440 you can get off that chair, 00:31:15.180 --> 00:31:16.139 the chair of judgment, 00:31:16.140 --> 00:31:19.000 and I will sit in that chair in your place. 00:31:21.400 --> 00:31:23.600 And I will pay the price 00:31:23.600 --> 00:31:24.900 that you cannot pay. 00:31:25.720 --> 00:31:26.820 And I will do it, 00:31:27.040 --> 00:31:28.020 knowing full well 00:31:28.020 --> 00:31:29.320 all the wrong you've done 00:31:29.320 --> 00:31:31.240 and knowing that justice 00:31:31.240 --> 00:31:32.320 is needed to be done. 00:31:33.100 --> 00:31:35.020 And I will do it for you. 00:31:35.019 --> 00:31:36.859 And I will do it 00:31:36.859 --> 00:31:38.299 out of mercy. 00:31:40.059 --> 00:31:41.019 The word mercy 00:31:41.019 --> 00:31:42.299 comes from a Latin word. 00:31:42.420 --> 00:31:43.799 You know what the Latin word means? 00:31:44.680 --> 00:31:45.879 Price paid. 00:31:48.259 --> 00:31:49.759 Price paid. 00:31:52.900 --> 00:31:54.000 Those little Christians 00:31:54.000 --> 00:31:55.359 knew what they were talking about. 00:31:57.279 --> 00:31:58.240 And so you see, 00:31:58.339 --> 00:31:59.000 for Christians, 00:31:59.460 --> 00:32:00.700 we understand mercy 00:32:00.700 --> 00:32:01.740 as being something 00:32:01.740 --> 00:32:04.440 which is at one with justice, 00:32:05.019 --> 00:32:06.180 you see, 00:32:06.339 --> 00:32:07.700 if it's unjust, 00:32:07.839 --> 00:32:08.839 it's not mercy. 00:32:10.279 --> 00:32:11.779 And if it's not true, 00:32:11.940 --> 00:32:13.000 it's not mercy. 00:32:17.139 --> 00:32:20.160 And on this side of the grave, 00:32:20.279 --> 00:32:21.519 it's very, very hard 00:32:21.519 --> 00:32:23.680 for us to get those things 00:32:23.680 --> 00:32:24.279 all straight. 00:32:24.379 --> 00:32:25.759 But that's the model 00:32:25.759 --> 00:32:27.299 by which we understand mercy. 00:32:28.660 --> 00:32:29.859 I'm sort of jumping ahead 00:32:29.859 --> 00:32:30.420 a little bit, 00:32:30.579 --> 00:32:31.200 but I think I need 00:32:31.200 --> 00:32:32.039 to say it right now. 00:32:32.940 --> 00:32:33.579 Remember at the beginning, 00:32:33.680 --> 00:32:34.099 some of you, 00:32:34.240 --> 00:32:34.900 if I haven't put you 00:32:34.900 --> 00:32:35.320 to sleep, 00:32:35.900 --> 00:32:37.380 I told you how 00:32:37.380 --> 00:32:38.180 that thing, 00:32:38.460 --> 00:32:39.580 that if you no longer 00:32:39.580 --> 00:32:40.540 believe in something 00:32:40.540 --> 00:32:41.320 like truth, 00:32:42.160 --> 00:32:43.140 where you can meet 00:32:43.140 --> 00:32:44.160 and discuss things 00:32:44.160 --> 00:32:44.940 and work things out, 00:32:44.980 --> 00:32:46.120 all that's left are fists. 00:32:46.860 --> 00:32:47.360 And I said, 00:32:47.420 --> 00:32:48.080 there's something else 00:32:48.080 --> 00:32:49.220 which is deeply needed 00:32:49.220 --> 00:32:50.200 for there to be peace 00:32:50.200 --> 00:32:51.000 within your life 00:32:51.000 --> 00:32:52.140 and peace in families 00:32:52.140 --> 00:32:53.620 and peace in our culture. 00:32:53.720 --> 00:32:54.900 And what is needed 00:32:54.900 --> 00:32:55.960 is what is no longer 00:32:55.960 --> 00:32:56.900 found in our culture, 00:32:57.000 --> 00:32:57.740 which is mercy. 00:33:00.160 --> 00:33:01.220 We need mercy. 00:33:01.220 --> 00:33:03.140 We need people 00:33:03.140 --> 00:33:04.600 to start showing mercy. 00:33:06.380 --> 00:33:07.339 And a mercy 00:33:07.339 --> 00:33:08.100 which is at one 00:33:08.100 --> 00:33:08.839 with justice 00:33:08.839 --> 00:33:09.900 and at one 00:33:09.900 --> 00:33:12.680 with truth 00:33:12.680 --> 00:33:14.600 that isn't just 00:33:14.600 --> 00:33:15.600 favoritism 00:33:15.600 --> 00:33:16.240 and passes 00:33:16.240 --> 00:33:17.500 for your tribe. 00:33:20.779 --> 00:33:21.839 And you see, 00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:22.860 for a Christian 00:33:22.860 --> 00:33:24.799 who follows Jesus 00:33:24.799 --> 00:33:25.799 and the gospel 00:33:25.799 --> 00:33:26.660 starts to become, 00:33:26.660 --> 00:33:27.160 one of the things 00:33:27.160 --> 00:33:30.019 I pray very regularly 00:33:30.019 --> 00:33:31.180 is that the gospel, 00:33:32.300 --> 00:33:32.500 you know, 00:33:32.540 --> 00:33:33.060 this thing that 00:33:33.060 --> 00:33:34.360 Jesus died as a ransom 00:33:34.360 --> 00:33:34.860 for me, 00:33:34.920 --> 00:33:35.860 he didn't come to serve 00:33:35.860 --> 00:33:36.759 but to be served in, 00:33:37.160 --> 00:33:38.860 I pray very regularly 00:33:38.860 --> 00:33:39.740 that this will become 00:33:39.740 --> 00:33:40.960 more true to my heart. 00:33:42.860 --> 00:33:43.640 It will become 00:33:43.640 --> 00:33:44.860 more true to my heart, 00:33:45.000 --> 00:33:46.380 very center of who I am. 00:33:47.960 --> 00:33:48.740 And you see, 00:33:48.960 --> 00:33:50.519 as it becomes more true 00:33:50.519 --> 00:33:51.500 to who you are, 00:33:51.600 --> 00:33:52.519 as you understand 00:33:52.519 --> 00:33:53.440 that this is what 00:33:53.440 --> 00:33:55.100 Jesus has done for you 00:33:55.099 --> 00:33:56.219 so that you can now be 00:33:56.219 --> 00:33:57.119 in his kingdom 00:33:57.119 --> 00:34:00.219 as a full citizen, 00:34:00.439 --> 00:34:02.000 you're reconciled to God 00:34:02.000 --> 00:34:02.759 because of his 00:34:02.759 --> 00:34:03.799 profound mercy. 00:34:04.480 --> 00:34:05.719 And as that shapes you, 00:34:05.819 --> 00:34:07.159 it has to shape you 00:34:07.159 --> 00:34:08.219 to start to say, 00:34:08.480 --> 00:34:09.739 I need to show mercy. 00:34:10.819 --> 00:34:12.059 And I have a model 00:34:12.059 --> 00:34:13.299 for how mercy is. 00:34:14.639 --> 00:34:15.420 And you see, 00:34:15.519 --> 00:34:16.199 all mercy 00:34:16.199 --> 00:34:17.159 and all forgiveness 00:34:17.159 --> 00:34:18.259 is always going 00:34:18.259 --> 00:34:19.019 to involve 00:34:19.019 --> 00:34:20.199 you accepting 00:34:20.199 --> 00:34:22.099 and accepting 00:34:22.099 --> 00:34:23.099 to pay yourself 00:34:23.099 --> 00:34:25.519 part of the price 00:34:25.519 --> 00:34:27.920 of the wrong 00:34:27.920 --> 00:34:29.079 that was done to you. 00:34:30.519 --> 00:34:31.480 And you do it 00:34:31.480 --> 00:34:32.239 not because 00:34:32.239 --> 00:34:33.460 your mom forced you, 00:34:33.519 --> 00:34:34.420 not because people 00:34:34.420 --> 00:34:35.559 say it didn't matter, 00:34:35.699 --> 00:34:36.579 not because people 00:34:36.579 --> 00:34:37.539 say it didn't happen, 00:34:37.679 --> 00:34:38.500 not because people 00:34:38.500 --> 00:34:39.519 say they suffered enough, 00:34:39.799 --> 00:34:41.099 not for any of those reasons 00:34:41.099 --> 00:34:42.440 because those are lies. 00:34:42.559 --> 00:34:43.339 They're untruth 00:34:43.339 --> 00:34:44.519 and they're unjust. 00:34:44.880 --> 00:34:45.500 And it's not 00:34:45.500 --> 00:34:46.500 that you listen to lies. 00:34:46.619 --> 00:34:47.900 Don't listen to them 00:34:47.900 --> 00:34:48.500 when they say 00:34:48.500 --> 00:34:49.239 that it didn't happen. 00:34:49.380 --> 00:34:50.179 Don't listen to them 00:34:50.179 --> 00:34:50.619 when they say 00:34:50.619 --> 00:34:51.199 it didn't matter. 00:34:51.259 --> 00:34:51.940 It did matter. 00:34:51.940 --> 00:34:52.980 It did happen. 00:34:53.159 --> 00:34:54.740 Don't say 00:34:54.740 --> 00:34:55.500 they suffered enough. 00:34:55.559 --> 00:34:56.500 No, they did not 00:34:56.500 --> 00:34:57.280 suffer enough. 00:34:57.400 --> 00:34:57.980 Don't listen 00:34:57.980 --> 00:34:59.079 to any of that. 00:35:00.000 --> 00:35:01.519 But you can listen 00:35:01.519 --> 00:35:02.720 to the one 00:35:02.720 --> 00:35:03.400 who came 00:35:03.400 --> 00:35:05.619 to give his life 00:35:05.619 --> 00:35:06.200 as a ransom 00:35:06.200 --> 00:35:06.840 for many. 00:35:08.119 --> 00:35:09.039 And you can say, 00:35:09.159 --> 00:35:09.420 you know, 00:35:10.440 --> 00:35:11.179 there will never be 00:35:11.179 --> 00:35:11.780 any peace 00:35:11.780 --> 00:35:12.599 in my family 00:35:12.599 --> 00:35:13.800 if I don't forgive, 00:35:14.440 --> 00:35:15.300 if I, in a sense, 00:35:15.360 --> 00:35:16.139 don't swallow 00:35:16.139 --> 00:35:17.619 part of the wrong 00:35:17.619 --> 00:35:18.679 that was done for me. 00:35:18.679 --> 00:35:21.819 and recognize 00:35:21.819 --> 00:35:23.419 I need to set aside 00:35:23.419 --> 00:35:24.819 the desire for revenge 00:35:24.819 --> 00:35:25.539 or the hatred, 00:35:26.440 --> 00:35:27.599 the slander I desire 00:35:27.599 --> 00:35:28.579 to do the other person 00:35:28.579 --> 00:35:29.039 because I want 00:35:29.039 --> 00:35:29.839 to make them pay. 00:35:29.960 --> 00:35:31.059 I want to make them pay. 00:35:31.299 --> 00:35:32.579 I want to make them pay. 00:35:33.239 --> 00:35:34.399 And I don't have peace 00:35:34.399 --> 00:35:35.379 until they've paid. 00:35:36.519 --> 00:35:38.460 And even if they never repent 00:35:38.460 --> 00:35:39.440 and even if they never 00:35:39.440 --> 00:35:40.199 do anything wrong, 00:35:40.299 --> 00:35:42.599 the Bible is so unbelievably wise 00:35:42.599 --> 00:35:43.719 that you and I need 00:35:43.719 --> 00:35:44.879 to learn to show mercy 00:35:44.879 --> 00:35:45.759 and have forgiveness 00:35:45.760 --> 00:35:47.900 because to go through 00:35:47.900 --> 00:35:48.720 your life 00:35:48.720 --> 00:35:50.900 wanting them to pay, 00:35:53.020 --> 00:35:53.600 well, you know what, 00:35:53.680 --> 00:35:54.720 that's like 00:35:54.720 --> 00:35:56.800 every day 00:35:56.800 --> 00:35:58.640 you have 10X laxes 00:35:58.640 --> 00:35:59.800 hoping they get 00:35:59.800 --> 00:36:00.620 diarrhea. 00:36:01.940 --> 00:36:03.000 And it just doesn't work. 00:36:03.400 --> 00:36:04.360 It just beats you up 00:36:04.360 --> 00:36:05.600 and bends you out of shape. 00:36:09.000 --> 00:36:09.680 So you see, 00:36:09.740 --> 00:36:10.220 we don't think 00:36:10.220 --> 00:36:11.020 we need mercy 00:36:11.020 --> 00:36:11.880 and we wouldn't 00:36:11.880 --> 00:36:12.700 counsel people 00:36:12.699 --> 00:36:16.659 to be like Bartimaeus 00:36:16.659 --> 00:36:17.639 and pray for mercy, 00:36:17.839 --> 00:36:18.960 but mercy is exactly 00:36:18.960 --> 00:36:19.699 what every single 00:36:19.699 --> 00:36:20.359 one of us needs. 00:36:20.419 --> 00:36:20.719 In fact, 00:36:20.759 --> 00:36:21.779 if you meet a person 00:36:21.779 --> 00:36:23.879 who only thinks 00:36:23.879 --> 00:36:24.859 they need justice 00:36:24.859 --> 00:36:25.679 and they don't think 00:36:25.679 --> 00:36:26.359 that there's anything 00:36:26.359 --> 00:36:27.079 in their life, 00:36:27.179 --> 00:36:28.179 anything about the way 00:36:28.179 --> 00:36:28.679 they've treated 00:36:28.679 --> 00:36:29.399 other people, 00:36:29.879 --> 00:36:30.879 treated the created order, 00:36:31.039 --> 00:36:31.939 treated their pets, 00:36:32.659 --> 00:36:33.460 that there's never been 00:36:33.460 --> 00:36:34.199 a single thing 00:36:34.199 --> 00:36:35.159 that they've ever done 00:36:35.159 --> 00:36:36.199 that they need forgiveness 00:36:36.199 --> 00:36:36.879 and mercy for, 00:36:36.960 --> 00:36:38.199 that all they ever need 00:36:38.199 --> 00:36:38.779 is justice 00:36:38.779 --> 00:36:39.559 and their rights, 00:36:41.339 --> 00:36:41.679 well, you know 00:36:41.679 --> 00:36:42.359 there's something wrong 00:36:42.360 --> 00:36:43.059 with that person, 00:36:43.300 --> 00:36:43.720 don't you? 00:36:45.200 --> 00:36:46.200 You say to yourself, 00:36:46.380 --> 00:36:48.039 well, they think 00:36:48.039 --> 00:36:49.840 they're at the number 00:36:49.840 --> 00:36:50.500 twos they do 00:36:50.500 --> 00:36:51.039 in the toilet, 00:36:51.180 --> 00:36:51.840 don't smell like 00:36:51.840 --> 00:36:53.740 everybody else's, 00:36:53.800 --> 00:36:54.380 but they do. 00:36:54.800 --> 00:36:55.820 They're just a 00:36:55.820 --> 00:36:57.400 self-righteous person 00:36:57.400 --> 00:36:59.440 who's unfeeling 00:36:59.440 --> 00:37:00.680 and uncaring 00:37:00.680 --> 00:37:01.940 about how they 00:37:01.940 --> 00:37:02.780 treat other people. 00:37:06.140 --> 00:37:06.960 So the Bible 00:37:06.960 --> 00:37:08.539 very wisely tells us 00:37:08.539 --> 00:37:09.400 in a way that 00:37:09.400 --> 00:37:10.360 reminds us that 00:37:10.360 --> 00:37:11.300 what we need 00:37:11.300 --> 00:37:12.000 is truth, 00:37:12.360 --> 00:37:13.579 for to have peace 00:37:13.579 --> 00:37:15.620 and in our culture 00:37:15.620 --> 00:37:16.460 and in our own lives 00:37:16.460 --> 00:37:17.539 we need to show mercy 00:37:17.539 --> 00:37:19.620 and we need to receive 00:37:19.620 --> 00:37:20.720 mercy from Christ. 00:37:22.160 --> 00:37:23.420 Just very quickly 00:37:23.420 --> 00:37:24.099 wrapping it up, 00:37:24.260 --> 00:37:25.440 the last little bit 00:37:25.440 --> 00:37:26.440 is also very important. 00:37:26.539 --> 00:37:27.220 Verse 49, 00:37:28.059 --> 00:37:29.039 and Jesus stopped 00:37:29.039 --> 00:37:29.519 and said, 00:37:29.980 --> 00:37:30.340 call him. 00:37:30.880 --> 00:37:32.160 They called the blind man 00:37:32.160 --> 00:37:32.680 saying to him, 00:37:32.740 --> 00:37:33.160 take heart, 00:37:33.280 --> 00:37:33.579 get up, 00:37:33.640 --> 00:37:34.320 he's calling you. 00:37:35.039 --> 00:37:35.660 And throwing off 00:37:35.660 --> 00:37:36.160 his cloak, 00:37:36.300 --> 00:37:37.099 he sprang up 00:37:37.099 --> 00:37:38.079 and came to Jesus. 00:37:38.720 --> 00:37:39.579 Verse 51, 00:37:39.579 --> 00:37:40.480 and Jesus said to him, 00:37:40.659 --> 00:37:41.239 what do you want 00:37:41.239 --> 00:37:41.960 me to do for you? 00:37:43.799 --> 00:37:44.159 Now, 00:37:44.239 --> 00:37:44.819 this question 00:37:44.819 --> 00:37:45.659 is one of those things 00:37:45.659 --> 00:37:47.039 that has lots of layers. 00:37:49.679 --> 00:37:51.059 And the part of the layers 00:37:51.059 --> 00:37:51.980 are seen in the next 00:37:51.980 --> 00:37:52.699 few lines. 00:37:53.460 --> 00:37:54.159 And the blind man 00:37:54.159 --> 00:37:54.719 said to him, 00:37:54.759 --> 00:37:55.019 Rabbi, 00:37:55.480 --> 00:37:56.880 let me recover my sight. 00:37:57.519 --> 00:37:58.340 And there's no way 00:37:58.340 --> 00:37:58.719 in English 00:37:58.719 --> 00:37:59.799 to communicate this, 00:37:59.900 --> 00:38:00.559 but there's two 00:38:00.559 --> 00:38:01.340 different words 00:38:01.340 --> 00:38:02.279 in the original language 00:38:02.279 --> 00:38:02.819 for Rabbi. 00:38:02.820 --> 00:38:02.940 Rabbi. 00:38:04.180 --> 00:38:05.320 And most of the time 00:38:05.320 --> 00:38:06.420 the word that's translated 00:38:06.420 --> 00:38:07.820 is the word for teacher. 00:38:09.300 --> 00:38:10.320 But there's another 00:38:10.320 --> 00:38:11.539 rarer word 00:38:11.539 --> 00:38:13.380 that usually 00:38:13.380 --> 00:38:14.400 in Greek literature 00:38:14.400 --> 00:38:15.320 when it's used 00:38:15.320 --> 00:38:17.000 is only used 00:38:17.000 --> 00:38:17.600 of God. 00:38:19.740 --> 00:38:20.600 It's only used 00:38:20.600 --> 00:38:21.080 of God. 00:38:24.680 --> 00:38:25.400 That God 00:38:25.400 --> 00:38:25.980 is teacher. 00:38:27.460 --> 00:38:28.200 And that's what 00:38:28.200 --> 00:38:29.180 Bartimaeus says 00:38:29.180 --> 00:38:30.360 to Jesus, 00:38:31.200 --> 00:38:31.980 the son of David. 00:38:33.680 --> 00:38:34.300 He says, 00:38:34.360 --> 00:38:35.260 God who teaches. 00:38:38.220 --> 00:38:38.620 Messiah, 00:38:39.180 --> 00:38:40.000 let me recover 00:38:40.000 --> 00:38:40.600 my sight. 00:38:41.480 --> 00:38:42.360 Verse 52, 00:38:42.500 --> 00:38:43.340 and Jesus said to him, 00:38:43.420 --> 00:38:43.940 go your way, 00:38:44.019 --> 00:38:45.500 your faith has made you well. 00:38:46.160 --> 00:38:46.980 And you don't see it 00:38:46.980 --> 00:38:47.740 in this version. 00:38:48.380 --> 00:38:48.680 I mean, 00:38:48.700 --> 00:38:49.240 you would if you had 00:38:49.240 --> 00:38:49.559 a different, 00:38:49.860 --> 00:38:51.059 but in some of your Bibles 00:38:51.059 --> 00:38:52.380 it'll have a little note there 00:38:52.380 --> 00:38:52.940 and it'll say 00:38:52.940 --> 00:38:54.120 your faith has saved you 00:38:54.120 --> 00:38:55.240 and it can be translated 00:38:55.240 --> 00:38:56.360 equally either way. 00:38:57.059 --> 00:38:58.840 But it's a very important 00:38:58.840 --> 00:38:59.700 double meaning. 00:39:00.840 --> 00:39:01.120 You see, 00:39:01.200 --> 00:39:02.800 salvation is Christ's 00:39:02.800 --> 00:39:03.620 making you well. 00:39:05.539 --> 00:39:07.120 Our deepest need, 00:39:08.080 --> 00:39:09.220 we were made 00:39:09.220 --> 00:39:10.760 to have a relationship 00:39:10.760 --> 00:39:12.180 with the triune God. 00:39:12.260 --> 00:39:13.100 As Augustine said, 00:39:13.160 --> 00:39:14.720 our hearts are restless 00:39:14.720 --> 00:39:17.019 until they rest in you. 00:39:17.180 --> 00:39:17.840 You have made us 00:39:17.840 --> 00:39:18.460 for yourself 00:39:18.460 --> 00:39:19.740 and our hearts 00:39:19.740 --> 00:39:20.300 are restless 00:39:20.300 --> 00:39:21.560 until they rest in you. 00:39:21.559 --> 00:39:25.840 and we can't rest in him 00:39:25.840 --> 00:39:27.320 unless we receive mercy 00:39:27.320 --> 00:39:28.059 from him 00:39:28.059 --> 00:39:29.099 and he takes us 00:39:29.099 --> 00:39:29.759 to himself. 00:39:35.579 --> 00:39:37.019 And so the act of salvation 00:39:37.019 --> 00:39:38.320 is an act of being made well. 00:39:39.039 --> 00:39:40.360 That's a way to understand 00:39:40.360 --> 00:39:41.440 what salvation is. 00:39:41.900 --> 00:39:42.880 He makes me well. 00:39:43.099 --> 00:39:44.340 He begins to make me well 00:39:44.340 --> 00:39:45.360 on this side of the grave 00:39:45.360 --> 00:39:46.099 and one day, 00:39:46.799 --> 00:39:47.719 on one day, 00:39:47.719 --> 00:39:49.399 on one day, 00:39:49.399 --> 00:39:50.359 I can say 00:39:50.359 --> 00:39:51.959 with complete confidence, 00:39:51.959 --> 00:39:53.579 it is well with my soul. 00:39:53.839 --> 00:39:54.599 I am well. 00:39:55.139 --> 00:39:56.199 Free at last. 00:39:56.679 --> 00:39:57.539 Free at last. 00:39:58.139 --> 00:39:59.319 Thank God almighty. 00:39:59.819 --> 00:40:01.219 I'm free at last. 00:40:01.219 --> 00:40:05.459 That is our destiny in Christ. 00:40:06.879 --> 00:40:07.579 And immediately, 00:40:08.339 --> 00:40:09.759 Bartimaeus recovered his sight 00:40:09.759 --> 00:40:10.679 and look at this. 00:40:10.759 --> 00:40:12.079 Not only does he have faith 00:40:12.079 --> 00:40:14.399 to call out to Jesus for mercy, 00:40:15.019 --> 00:40:17.219 but he follows Jesus 00:40:17.219 --> 00:40:19.619 on the way. 00:40:21.439 --> 00:40:22.879 It's not just that we 00:40:22.879 --> 00:40:25.959 have him make us well. 00:40:26.719 --> 00:40:27.859 We follow him. 00:40:28.899 --> 00:40:29.719 We follow him. 00:40:29.719 --> 00:40:31.919 He sees when we follow him 00:40:31.919 --> 00:40:32.799 that we start to learn 00:40:32.799 --> 00:40:33.679 how to show mercy. 00:40:35.039 --> 00:40:36.259 Because unless there starts 00:40:36.259 --> 00:40:37.019 to be some mercy 00:40:37.019 --> 00:40:37.659 in our culture, 00:40:37.779 --> 00:40:38.639 all that's going to be left 00:40:38.639 --> 00:40:39.279 is fights. 00:40:40.099 --> 00:40:41.000 Just fights. 00:40:42.379 --> 00:40:43.699 Fights upon fights. 00:40:49.019 --> 00:40:50.119 And even if others 00:40:50.119 --> 00:40:51.139 don't show mercy, 00:40:51.139 --> 00:40:52.739 it is good for our soul 00:40:52.739 --> 00:40:54.899 to receive mercy from Christ 00:40:54.899 --> 00:40:56.719 and learn the way 00:40:56.719 --> 00:40:57.559 of showing mercy 00:40:57.559 --> 00:40:58.239 and forgiveness. 00:40:59.719 --> 00:41:00.439 That is the way 00:41:00.439 --> 00:41:01.559 for wholeness 00:41:01.559 --> 00:41:03.839 and completeness 00:41:03.839 --> 00:41:06.259 and freedom 00:41:06.259 --> 00:41:08.299 and dignity 00:41:08.299 --> 00:41:10.919 when we can learn 00:41:10.919 --> 00:41:11.859 to do these things. 00:41:11.860 --> 00:41:17.740 one of the things 00:41:17.740 --> 00:41:18.760 I said to my friend 00:41:18.760 --> 00:41:20.039 a couple of weeks ago 00:41:20.039 --> 00:41:21.579 who couldn't agree on words 00:41:21.579 --> 00:41:22.480 is I said, 00:41:22.559 --> 00:41:22.620 you know, 00:41:22.660 --> 00:41:24.220 there's no logical connection 00:41:24.220 --> 00:41:25.480 or necessity 00:41:25.480 --> 00:41:27.120 to go from the fact 00:41:27.120 --> 00:41:28.200 that if Jesus really did 00:41:28.200 --> 00:41:29.180 rise from the dead, 00:41:29.500 --> 00:41:30.820 if he really did 00:41:30.820 --> 00:41:31.500 in history, 00:41:31.660 --> 00:41:32.220 in truth, 00:41:32.300 --> 00:41:32.900 in history, 00:41:33.019 --> 00:41:33.980 rise from the dead, 00:41:34.559 --> 00:41:35.519 it doesn't prove 00:41:35.519 --> 00:41:36.820 anything on one level. 00:41:36.820 --> 00:41:38.480 but we know as a matter 00:41:38.480 --> 00:41:39.900 of practical knowledge, 00:41:40.420 --> 00:41:41.900 how do you know 00:41:41.900 --> 00:41:42.460 that Jesus 00:41:42.460 --> 00:41:44.480 can save him? 00:41:44.900 --> 00:41:45.920 Because Jesus 00:41:45.920 --> 00:41:48.080 made the blind man see. 00:41:48.079 --> 00:41:50.579 how do you know 00:41:50.579 --> 00:41:51.079 that Jesus 00:41:51.079 --> 00:41:51.840 is God, 00:41:51.920 --> 00:41:52.699 the Son of God? 00:41:53.380 --> 00:41:54.039 How do you know 00:41:54.039 --> 00:41:54.880 that his life 00:41:54.880 --> 00:41:55.360 and death 00:41:55.360 --> 00:41:55.980 and resurrection 00:41:55.980 --> 00:41:56.699 is a ransom? 00:41:57.860 --> 00:41:59.099 Because he rose 00:41:59.099 --> 00:41:59.739 from the dead 00:41:59.739 --> 00:42:00.900 in truth, 00:42:01.039 --> 00:42:01.779 in history, 00:42:01.920 --> 00:42:02.599 in time 00:42:02.599 --> 00:42:03.539 and space, 00:42:04.139 --> 00:42:05.819 recorded by Greek 00:42:05.819 --> 00:42:07.099 and Jewish historians 00:42:07.099 --> 00:42:08.699 as being the central 00:42:08.699 --> 00:42:09.840 Christian claim 00:42:09.840 --> 00:42:11.139 almost immediately. 00:42:11.139 --> 00:42:14.460 he did it. 00:42:14.839 --> 00:42:15.519 It's true. 00:42:16.940 --> 00:42:17.960 And since it's true, 00:42:18.179 --> 00:42:19.000 I urge you 00:42:19.000 --> 00:42:20.839 to turn to him 00:42:20.839 --> 00:42:21.279 in faith 00:42:21.279 --> 00:42:22.299 and follow him. 00:42:23.199 --> 00:42:23.980 I invite you to stand. 00:42:24.339 --> 00:42:24.920 Please stand. 00:42:29.259 --> 00:42:30.179 I invite you to 00:42:30.179 --> 00:42:31.319 just bow your head 00:42:31.319 --> 00:42:32.079 as we stand. 00:42:32.599 --> 00:42:33.739 It's also sort of a chance 00:42:33.739 --> 00:42:34.279 to get a bit 00:42:34.279 --> 00:42:35.359 of a prayer stretch. 00:42:37.039 --> 00:42:38.059 Let's just bow our heads. 00:42:38.179 --> 00:42:38.420 Father, 00:42:39.379 --> 00:42:40.339 if there are any here 00:42:40.340 --> 00:42:42.180 who have not yet 00:42:42.180 --> 00:42:45.579 come to Christ 00:42:45.579 --> 00:42:46.260 as their Savior, 00:42:46.380 --> 00:42:46.620 and Lord, 00:42:46.680 --> 00:42:47.260 I ask, Father, 00:42:47.380 --> 00:42:48.960 that your Holy Spirit 00:42:48.960 --> 00:42:51.780 would move and work 00:42:51.780 --> 00:42:52.500 in their lives, 00:42:52.559 --> 00:42:53.380 whether they're here 00:42:53.380 --> 00:42:54.340 or whether they're online, 00:42:54.579 --> 00:42:55.260 and Father, 00:42:55.480 --> 00:42:56.460 I just ask 00:42:56.460 --> 00:42:57.260 as they hear Jesus 00:42:57.260 --> 00:42:58.539 knocking on their heart, 00:42:59.700 --> 00:43:00.079 Father, 00:43:00.180 --> 00:43:01.180 that you would help them 00:43:01.180 --> 00:43:02.180 sort of, in a sense, 00:43:02.260 --> 00:43:03.340 stop listening to me 00:43:03.340 --> 00:43:04.019 at this prayer 00:43:04.019 --> 00:43:05.519 and speak to Jesus 00:43:05.519 --> 00:43:07.019 and open the door 00:43:07.019 --> 00:43:07.620 of their heart 00:43:07.620 --> 00:43:09.140 and let Jesus come in. 00:43:10.340 --> 00:43:11.019 That his mercy 00:43:11.019 --> 00:43:11.840 might come in 00:43:11.840 --> 00:43:12.860 and that he might come in 00:43:12.860 --> 00:43:13.780 as Savior and Lord 00:43:13.780 --> 00:43:14.720 to make them well. 00:43:16.120 --> 00:43:16.420 Father, 00:43:16.480 --> 00:43:17.140 I ask that you would 00:43:17.140 --> 00:43:18.100 help them 00:43:18.100 --> 00:43:19.700 to navigate that step, 00:43:20.280 --> 00:43:21.800 that interior step of faith 00:43:21.800 --> 00:43:22.559 and to do it now. 00:43:23.680 --> 00:43:24.059 And Father, 00:43:24.180 --> 00:43:24.880 for each of us, 00:43:24.980 --> 00:43:25.380 you know, 00:43:25.940 --> 00:43:26.180 Father, 00:43:26.400 --> 00:43:28.300 how easy it is 00:43:28.300 --> 00:43:29.019 for us to forget 00:43:29.019 --> 00:43:29.600 the gospel 00:43:29.600 --> 00:43:30.340 and to live out 00:43:30.340 --> 00:43:31.180 of other scripts 00:43:31.180 --> 00:43:32.120 and other narratives 00:43:32.120 --> 00:43:33.180 and other stories 00:43:33.180 --> 00:43:34.320 and live out 00:43:34.320 --> 00:43:35.019 of our wounds 00:43:35.019 --> 00:43:35.720 and live out 00:43:35.720 --> 00:43:36.680 of our prejudices 00:43:36.680 --> 00:43:37.420 and live out 00:43:37.420 --> 00:43:38.400 of our hatreds 00:43:38.400 --> 00:43:38.840 and live out 00:43:38.840 --> 00:43:39.639 of our egos. 00:43:40.380 --> 00:43:40.740 Father, 00:43:40.820 --> 00:43:41.599 you know how easy 00:43:41.599 --> 00:43:42.300 it is for us 00:43:42.300 --> 00:43:42.920 just to revert 00:43:42.920 --> 00:43:43.200 it.