WEBVTT

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 Father, some of us you have blessed with really, really, really fine minds, and some of our

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 minds aren't as fine.

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 Some of our minds are still developing.

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 Some of our minds are maybe moving in a less developed direction.

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 Father, all of us have memories.

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 All of us have imaginations.

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 And Father, we confess before you, we often don't think very much about what's forming

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 our mind.

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 But we ask, Father, that your Holy Spirit would move very deeply in the very center

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 of who we are.

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 And that you would make us a people where it is the gospel that shapes our mind, that

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 it is the gospel that shapes our memory, that it is the gospel that shapes our imagination.

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 And Father, we ask that you would begin to do and continue to do this wonderful work in

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 us this morning.

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

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 Amen.

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 Please be seated.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 So, I don't know how many of you struggle with depression.

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 I don't know how many of you struggle with different types of addictive behavior.

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 I don't know how many of you, in fact, could maybe be described as an alcoholic or have,

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 as I said, some other well-diagnosed problem like that.

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 And as you know, some of the things like some forms of depression are a little bit, they

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 might be a chemical basis that's connected to your depression.

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 There might even be, in some cases, with certain types of addiction, some type of chemical

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 basis.

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 And there's no question that all of these things help to shape the chemical structure

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 of our body.

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 But often what goes along with a lot of addictive behavior are certain types of core beliefs,

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 certain types of things that those who struggle with depression or addiction, they say to themselves.

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 Because we all talk to ourselves all of the time, right?

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 And often the things that we say to ourselves are very different than the things that we say

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 outside to others.

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 But we all have an inner voice that speaks.

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 Some of our inner voice speaks time and time and time again.

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 We can't even shut it up hardly.

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 And if you were to somehow be able to listen to the inner voice of a person struggling with

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 depression or the inner voice of a person struggling with alcoholism or some type of addiction,

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 there are several types of things that you would probably hear them say to themselves on a

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 regular basis.

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 One of the things is that if people got, the more people get to know me, the less they'll

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 like me.

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 That if people were just to be able to see what I was really like, what I'm like when

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 nobody's around, what's going on inside of me, as they get to know me more and more and

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 more, they will like me less and less and less and less.

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 And another thing that often addicts and alcoholics say to themselves or those struggling with depression is that people don't really care about me and won't help me.

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 I'm basically all on my own.

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 Because if I share what I really need, if I share what I really, really, really need or long for, people won't care for that at all.

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 In fact, they're liable to do the exact opposite because it goes along with that third.

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 There's more than three, obviously, core types of beliefs or self-talk of those who struggle with addiction or those of us who struggle with depression.

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 And the third one is that there's something just wrong with me that means that there's just something wrong with me.

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 It's as if I'm cursed.

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 It's as if I'm doomed.

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 It's as if there's something faded about me that things won't work out well for me.

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 They'll work out well for other people.

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 Like, I can well understand that that person will get the promotion.

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 I can well understand that that person will have the family.

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 That person will have the relationship.

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 And I know I might get in one for right now, but it's just the fact of the matter is, is if you hang out for me for a while, you'll see that it's going to all come to ruins.

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 Because there's something about me that is just faded.

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 It's doomed to have things not work out and bad things will happen to me.

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 And that's just the way I am.

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 It's just the way I am.

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 Those of you who are guests this morning might not know that we've been going through the book of Esther.

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 And the book of Esther actually has, especially as it comes to a conclusion, this is the last sermon on the book of Esther.

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 It actually has some very, very powerful things to say for those of us who struggle with that sense of a type of a doom or a fate that is hanging over us.

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 So it'd be very helpful if you open your Bibles to the book of Esther.

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 We'll be looking at chapter 9 and 10.

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 10 is only three verses long.

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 And it's our final sermon in the series.

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 The sermon series is called The Hidden God in a Broken World.

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 And so what's going to be happening?

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 The words of the text are going to be on the screen for those of you who don't have the Bible.

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 Because about half of the sermon, a little bit more than half of the sermon, we're just going to read the story.

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 Because why?

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 Well, because my great hope every week is that you'll remember the Bible more than you'll remember what I say.

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 Because my words are just my words.

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 And the Bible is the word of God.

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 But where we come to in the story, as the story is winding to its conclusion,

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 is that genocide has been planned against the Jewish people.

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 And the architect of that genocide was a man by the name of Haman.

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 And the story is set in the peak years, the pinnacle years of the Persian Empire.

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 Xerxes is the emperor.

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 It's generally regarded in history as sort of the peak years of the empire,

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 him and sort of the emperor on either side of them.

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 Absolute peak.

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 And at the peak of this, the Persian Empire, genocide has been planned for the Jewish people.

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 The mechanisms of the state were mobilized.

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 There was an attempt to inflame public sentiment against the Jewish people,

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 that they would join in to this one day when every Jewish person,

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 whether the oldest man, a military-aged man, whether a woman, an elderly woman, a young woman,

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 whether the youngest child, that they would all be killed on the same day.

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 And as we saw in how that story develops throughout the book of Esther,

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 and as we saw last week, the part which is just before this is by God's providence,

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 by God's providence, the king's heart is changed.

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 Haman, the architect of the genocide, is killed.

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 And the king gives Mordecai and Esther, a Jewish man,

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 and Esther is one of the king's queens, and she's Jewish.

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 And Mordecai is her uncle and adopted father.

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 And they sort of now, the king says,

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 well, you come up with a plan to stop this.

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 And the plan that they come up with, we talked about it at length last week,

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 because on one level it was very bloodthirsty.

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 But basically their plan was that on the day that genocide is planned,

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 they send out a directive and say that all of the Jewish people can gather,

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 they can organize, and they can defend themselves,

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 so that the day when everybody is going to attack them

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 is the day that they're able to defend themselves.

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 And so now as the book comes to an end, we find out what happens.

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 Like, what happens if they're able to defend themselves?

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 Will they all die? Will it be a bloodbath?

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 Like, what happens?

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 Well, this is what we find out today.

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 So verse 1 starts like this.

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 Now in the 12th month, which is the month of Adar,

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 on the 13th day of the Seine,

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 when the king's command and edict were about to be carried out,

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 on the very day when the enemies of the Jewish people

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 hoped to gain the mastery over them,

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 the reverse occurred.

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 Verse 1 is in some ways a summary of the whole end of the book on one level.

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 Sorry, the reverse occurred.

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 The Jews, the Jewish people, gained mastery over those who hated them.

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 The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes.

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 I'm just going to use Xerxes.

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 It's a husirus, but I'm going to say Xerxes.

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 It's two names for the same man.

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 He's better known to history as Xerxes.

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 That's what I will say.

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 To King Xerxes, to lay hands on those who sought their harm.

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 And no one could stand against them.

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 That could stand against the Jewish people.

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 For the fear of them had fallen on all the peoples.

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 All the officials of the provinces and the satraps and the governors and the royal agents

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 also helped the Jews.

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 For the fear of Mordecai had fallen on them.

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 For Mordecai was great in the king's house.

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 And his fame spread throughout all the provinces.

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 For the man, Mordecai grew more and more powerful.

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 Now just sort of pause there.

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 This is very important to the story.

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 But the events that I was describing happening just before this in chapters 7 and 8.

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 There's about eight and a half months between those events when Mordecai is given a promotion

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 to very, very, very high up in the empire.

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 And the letter that goes from Mordecai and Esther is sent to all of the officials,

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 all of the nobles, the agents in the empire, and the citizens.

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 It's also proclaimed to the citizens.

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 And that's about eight and a half months earlier.

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 And it's a very interesting example here of a modern phenomenon.

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 And we're in fact living through it right now.

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 And the modern phenomenon that we're living through, which is sort of talked about here,

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 which is very interesting, is...

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 Well, like, 20 years ago, 20 years ago, no question, the House of Commons would have voted

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 probably 95% against same-sex marriage.

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 Just 20 years ago.

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 And probably 20 years ago, the House of Commons would have voted 100% against doctor-assisted suicide.

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 And maybe even 10 years ago, there would have been unanimous belief that transgender people

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 shouldn't be given a sort of a privileged position.

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 Now, I'm not making any type of political comment about any of these things.

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 And if you're a guest here this morning and you're in favor of those things,

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 I'm not making any particular political comment about any of these things at this point in time.

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 And I just want to point out how...

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 And many people...

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 Many people...

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 You know, many of us, we just live from day to day to day.

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 We live like a cork, bobbing around on water.

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 We might think that we're free, that we're independent, and all of that type of stuff.

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 But the fact of the matter is, is that for many of us, we just bob along on the current,

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 whatever current is going on, and we bob along on the current in such a way

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 that we don't even realize that there is a current.

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 But it's actually been quite remarkable, this huge turn in the culture.

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 It's as if there's this huge tidal wave, or this...

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 You know, if you go to the Bay of Fundy, and there's this very, very powerful tide in the Bay of Fundy,

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 and it's as if there's this whole just drift or move or powerful movement in our culture,

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 and all of a sudden, things that 20 years ago would have been just...

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 Nobody would have believed...

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 Very few people other than activists would have believed it.

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 And now everybody believes it.

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 Everybody's in favor of it.

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 And to not to believe it means that, I don't know, you're some type of knuckle-dragging,

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 cousin-marrying Neanderthal with an IQ of a turnip.

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 And it's just this huge cultural shift, and many of us don't even recognize it,

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 but we see these things going on in our own culture.

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 And it's interesting, I don't know if you noticed it, but that same thing happens here.

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 That, you know, eight and a half months previously, probably if you had polled the officials,

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 they'd say, well, you know, the king said they were to kill the Jews on this day,

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 we're going to kill the Jews.

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 And probably you said to most of the people in the culture,

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 if you could go back and there could be a Pew research team to go back

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 and do a really high-quality survey of people's attitudes,

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 they'd say, yeah, on this date, we're going to kill Jewish people.

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 And somehow or another, in that eight and a half months,

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 the force of the culture changes.

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 And they describe it as the fear of the Jews come upon them.

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 And those of us who have been reading the book,

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 we know that it's part of God's providence,

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 that everybody, it's not as if somehow or another God overwhelms people's wills.

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 If we could send a Pew research team back nine months prior to this,

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 and then a day just before these events,

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 they would just remark that everybody, by their own free will,

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 has somehow or another changed their view dramatically.

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 Not everybody, as we're going to see, because they're still fighting.

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 But there's been this huge cultural shift.

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 And it has this great power.

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 And it's very interesting.

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 And this book, set in the year 480s,

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 bears witness to something that we've seen throughout history,

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 of these big cultural shifts.

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 And so there's this great cultural shift that happens

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 in the nation, the empire of Persia.

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 And people become pro-Jewish.

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 And in fact, it says that the authorities go from maybe being anti-Jewish

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 to neutral, to in fact being pro-Jewish.

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 And it's really important that we notice this,

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 because the very next verse often troubles many people,

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 because it sounds as if great cruelty is happening.

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 But if you don't sort of just notice this cultural shift

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 and what it just says about the officials,

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 then this next verse is going to be very troubling.

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 Read verse 5 along with me,

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 because what it says in verse 5 is,

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 the Jews struck all their enemies with the sword,

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 killing and destroying them,

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 and did as they pleased to those who hated them.

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 Now, it's that did as they pleased,

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 which is, I mean, the whole verse is a bit troubling

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 to very modern people.

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 And it's especially troubling to us,

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 because we sort of, many Christians are very troubled,

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 because for many of us Christians,

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 we no longer believe the Bible,

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 but we believe a hallmark spirituality of positive thoughts.

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 In fact, sorry, what the heck, I'll say it.

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 Like, our Christian radio station in Ottawa

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 doesn't call itself a Christian radio station.

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 It calls itself a family radio station

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 with family-friendly messages.

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 And if you have a religion that is all family-friendly

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 with family-friendly messages,

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 and on our Christian radio station on Sunday afternoons,

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 all you hear is encouragement,

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 and today you will mainly hear secular Christmas music on it,

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 and of positive, uplifting messages,

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 and verses like this go,

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 it's like nails on a chalkboard.

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 But the problem is

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 that the faith has drifted from the Bible.

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 Now, I'm going to talk a little bit more.

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 I talked about this more last week,

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 and we're going to talk about it a little bit more in a moment,

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 but mainly I talked about this last week.

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 If you're very curious about it,

00:15:21.340 --> 00:15:23.460
 you should listen to last week's sermon online.

00:15:24.360 --> 00:15:25.300
 But the thing here,

00:15:25.480 --> 00:15:28.240
 though they pleased and did as they pleased

00:15:28.240 --> 00:15:29.279
 to those who hated them,

00:15:29.860 --> 00:15:31.120
 the part of that message,

00:15:31.259 --> 00:15:32.560
 for many of us, we hear this,

00:15:32.600 --> 00:15:34.080
 and what we think of is cruelty,

00:15:35.080 --> 00:15:37.700
 that they are unhinged and untethered.

00:15:37.700 --> 00:15:40.259
 They are unhinged, untethered to any type of morality,

00:15:40.379 --> 00:15:41.560
 and they did as they pleased.

00:15:41.559 --> 00:15:43.459
 And what they pleased is cruel.

00:15:43.899 --> 00:15:44.500
 It's violent.

00:15:44.659 --> 00:15:45.559
 It's merciless.

00:15:45.839 --> 00:15:47.519
 And that's not what the text means at all.

00:15:47.639 --> 00:15:49.139
 In context, what it means

00:15:49.139 --> 00:15:53.059
 is that if you were to read the book

00:15:53.059 --> 00:15:54.819
 at the end of chapter 3,

00:15:55.559 --> 00:15:57.819
 you'd know that every noble,

00:15:58.299 --> 00:15:59.199
 every soldier,

00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:00.639
 every judge,

00:16:01.059 --> 00:16:01.819
 every official,

00:16:02.039 --> 00:16:04.339
 every agent was going to come to kill you.

00:16:05.259 --> 00:16:06.719
 Now they're on the side of the Jews.

00:16:07.099 --> 00:16:08.359
 There's no external thing

00:16:08.359 --> 00:16:10.179
 to stop them from defending themselves.

00:16:10.179 --> 00:16:11.099
 That's what it means.

00:16:11.459 --> 00:16:12.479
 They did as they pleased.

00:16:13.019 --> 00:16:13.899
 They didn't have to worry

00:16:13.899 --> 00:16:15.159
 about the police showing up

00:16:15.159 --> 00:16:16.799
 to join the side of their enemies.

00:16:16.899 --> 00:16:17.759
 They didn't have to worry

00:16:17.759 --> 00:16:19.579
 about the noble showing up with his army

00:16:19.579 --> 00:16:20.719
 to help their enemies.

00:16:20.919 --> 00:16:21.979
 They did as they pleased.

00:16:22.099 --> 00:16:23.359
 That's all that the text means.

00:16:24.459 --> 00:16:27.939
 Now, it's still a bit troubling for us.

00:16:28.919 --> 00:16:31.219
 And those of you who were here last week

00:16:31.219 --> 00:16:33.000
 or who've been hunting around

00:16:33.000 --> 00:16:33.939
 as I've spoken

00:16:33.939 --> 00:16:35.399
 to look at what they say before

00:16:35.399 --> 00:16:37.000
 or after this particular text,

00:16:37.639 --> 00:16:39.620
 you'll know that I talked a little bit last week

00:16:39.620 --> 00:16:42.220
 about how the direction that Mordecai gave,

00:16:42.299 --> 00:16:44.340
 the directive that Mordecai and Esther gave

00:16:44.340 --> 00:16:45.980
 to the Jewish people

00:16:45.980 --> 00:16:48.799
 included that they could kill women and children

00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:53.120
 and included that they could plunder.

00:16:55.179 --> 00:16:56.960
 And on one level,

00:16:58.019 --> 00:17:00.200
 well, let's see what happens.

00:17:00.480 --> 00:17:01.220
 Let's see what happens.

00:17:01.299 --> 00:17:03.820
 Verses 6 to 10 of chapter 9.

00:17:03.820 --> 00:17:10.600
 In Susa, the citadel itself,

00:17:10.799 --> 00:17:14.580
 the Jews killed and destroyed 500 men

00:17:14.580 --> 00:17:16.680
 and also killed,

00:17:17.360 --> 00:17:19.059
 just pardon these with the names,

00:17:19.259 --> 00:17:22.180
 Parshandatha and Dalfon and Aspartha

00:17:22.180 --> 00:17:26.420
 and Poratha and Adalia and Araditha

00:17:26.420 --> 00:17:33.200
 and Parmeshatha and Arasai and Aradai and Vesatha,

00:17:33.840 --> 00:17:35.240
 the ten sons of Haman,

00:17:35.820 --> 00:17:37.200
 the sons of Hamadatha,

00:17:37.740 --> 00:17:38.900
 the enemy of the Jews,

00:17:39.460 --> 00:17:41.900
 but they laid no hand on the plunder.

00:17:42.900 --> 00:17:44.779
 Now, I just sort of want to pause here for a second.

00:17:45.539 --> 00:17:46.140
 The first thing,

00:17:46.180 --> 00:17:48.200
 I didn't talk about this last week very much,

00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:52.140
 but at the heart of what the Mordecai's letter

00:17:52.140 --> 00:17:53.680
 and Esther's letter was,

00:17:54.300 --> 00:17:55.920
 was basically all they did

00:17:55.920 --> 00:17:58.520
 was take what Haman had wanted to do,

00:17:58.580 --> 00:17:59.720
 the enemies of the Jews.

00:18:00.120 --> 00:18:01.420
 They just took all of the things

00:18:01.420 --> 00:18:03.340
 that said that the enemies of the Jews could do.

00:18:05.259 --> 00:18:07.460
 They're, in a sense, moral universe.

00:18:08.759 --> 00:18:09.640
 And it said, okay,

00:18:09.720 --> 00:18:11.420
 all of these things that it says,

00:18:11.780 --> 00:18:15.100
 that those who are racists and want genocide,

00:18:15.300 --> 00:18:16.800
 all of those things that they said,

00:18:17.240 --> 00:18:18.620
 the Jewish people can now do.

00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:19.600
 On one level,

00:18:19.660 --> 00:18:21.080
 it's completely and utterly fair

00:18:21.079 --> 00:18:22.199
 if you think about it, isn't it?

00:18:22.259 --> 00:18:23.259
 It's actually, on one level,

00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:26.240
 irrefutably fair.

00:18:28.879 --> 00:18:30.279
 As a bit of an aside,

00:18:30.460 --> 00:18:31.759
 it gives a bit of a window

00:18:31.759 --> 00:18:33.659
 about how God judges us,

00:18:33.720 --> 00:18:34.699
 just a bit of a window.

00:18:35.099 --> 00:18:36.919
 If you read Romans chapter 2,

00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:37.980
 and it talks about

00:18:37.980 --> 00:18:40.299
 how it is that God will judge people

00:18:40.299 --> 00:18:41.399
 who don't know the Bible,

00:18:41.639 --> 00:18:42.740
 and basically,

00:18:43.079 --> 00:18:44.859
 if you look through the language,

00:18:45.059 --> 00:18:46.859
 it can be a little bit technical at times.

00:18:46.960 --> 00:18:47.879
 It basically just says,

00:18:47.980 --> 00:18:48.199
 well, you know,

00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:48.779
 at the end of the day,

00:18:48.839 --> 00:18:49.879
 all God has to do

00:18:49.880 --> 00:18:52.440
 is just follow anybody around

00:18:52.440 --> 00:18:55.060
 and just see what their moral rules

00:18:55.060 --> 00:18:56.240
 and observations

00:18:56.240 --> 00:18:58.080
 and standards of judgments are.

00:18:58.580 --> 00:18:59.740
 And all he has to do then

00:18:59.740 --> 00:19:00.820
 is say that at the end of the day,

00:19:00.900 --> 00:19:01.860
 I will just use,

00:19:02.180 --> 00:19:02.720
 well, use me,

00:19:02.840 --> 00:19:04.400
 we'll just use George's rules,

00:19:04.620 --> 00:19:06.080
 and we're going to judge George

00:19:06.080 --> 00:19:07.280
 by George's rules.

00:19:07.820 --> 00:19:09.280
 And every single human being

00:19:09.280 --> 00:19:09.920
 on the planet,

00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:11.640
 if they're judged just by their own rules,

00:19:11.700 --> 00:19:12.220
 will fail.

00:19:14.100 --> 00:19:15.500
 And nobody will be able to say

00:19:15.500 --> 00:19:16.340
 that that's unfair.

00:19:16.339 --> 00:19:17.339
 Nobody.

00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:18.359
 Nobody.

00:19:19.759 --> 00:19:21.119
 And on one level,

00:19:21.240 --> 00:19:21.480
 then,

00:19:21.599 --> 00:19:23.119
 what Mordecai and Esther did

00:19:23.119 --> 00:19:24.059
 was very fair

00:19:24.059 --> 00:19:26.879
 because what the enemies of the Jews,

00:19:26.939 --> 00:19:28.419
 what those who want to genocide said

00:19:28.419 --> 00:19:29.339
 is kill all the women,

00:19:29.519 --> 00:19:30.339
 kill all the children,

00:19:30.500 --> 00:19:31.619
 kill the youngest children,

00:19:32.099 --> 00:19:33.079
 kill everybody,

00:19:33.279 --> 00:19:34.119
 and plunder them.

00:19:34.259 --> 00:19:36.059
 And all they do on one level

00:19:36.059 --> 00:19:36.959
 is say,

00:19:37.099 --> 00:19:38.399
 just do all of the same things.

00:19:38.720 --> 00:19:39.439
 But it's a very,

00:19:39.559 --> 00:19:40.699
 very interesting thing,

00:19:41.059 --> 00:19:41.980
 and this is part of the,

00:19:42.059 --> 00:19:43.339
 this is part of how to learn

00:19:43.339 --> 00:19:44.559
 how to read the Bible.

00:19:45.500 --> 00:19:47.459
 Because what the Jewish people do

00:19:47.459 --> 00:19:49.459
 is they don't listen

00:19:49.459 --> 00:19:51.059
 to what the people

00:19:51.059 --> 00:19:52.279
 who believe in genocide

00:19:52.279 --> 00:19:54.240
 say is the way to live.

00:19:54.480 --> 00:19:55.859
 What they end up doing

00:19:55.859 --> 00:19:56.779
 is they listen

00:19:56.779 --> 00:19:58.679
 to what the Bible says

00:19:58.679 --> 00:19:59.419
 you should do

00:19:59.419 --> 00:20:00.319
 in terms of living.

00:20:01.779 --> 00:20:03.119
 And you only notice it

00:20:03.119 --> 00:20:03.579
 if you read it

00:20:03.579 --> 00:20:04.539
 very, very carefully.

00:20:05.019 --> 00:20:06.500
 Because what the text says

00:20:06.500 --> 00:20:07.119
 is it says

00:20:07.119 --> 00:20:08.240
 only men are killed.

00:20:11.240 --> 00:20:12.399
 Only, in a sense,

00:20:12.400 --> 00:20:14.640
 military-aged men

00:20:14.640 --> 00:20:16.080
 are killed.

00:20:17.600 --> 00:20:18.800
 No women are killed.

00:20:18.940 --> 00:20:19.940
 No children are killed.

00:20:20.580 --> 00:20:21.880
 And it also says here

00:20:21.880 --> 00:20:23.160
 that no plunder is taken.

00:20:23.259 --> 00:20:23.620
 In fact,

00:20:23.720 --> 00:20:24.820
 the no plunder is taken

00:20:24.820 --> 00:20:25.700
 is very important.

00:20:26.140 --> 00:20:28.100
 It's repeated twice later on.

00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:29.120
 It's said three times

00:20:29.120 --> 00:20:30.120
 within a couple of verses

00:20:30.120 --> 00:20:31.880
 that no plunder is taken.

00:20:32.440 --> 00:20:34.940
 And it's at the level

00:20:34.940 --> 00:20:36.100
 of the original language

00:20:36.100 --> 00:20:36.820
 of the Hebrew.

00:20:37.019 --> 00:20:38.480
 There's some languages here

00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:39.460
 which shows

00:20:39.460 --> 00:20:40.600
 that the Jewish people

00:20:40.599 --> 00:20:41.439
 understood

00:20:41.439 --> 00:20:43.059
 from what we call

00:20:43.059 --> 00:20:43.759
 the Old Testament,

00:20:43.899 --> 00:20:44.699
 those books of the Bible

00:20:44.699 --> 00:20:45.679
 written before Jesus

00:20:45.679 --> 00:20:47.039
 and our Jewish friends

00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:48.099
 call it the Tanakh.

00:20:48.759 --> 00:20:49.559
 And what they did

00:20:49.559 --> 00:20:50.379
 is they're aware

00:20:50.379 --> 00:20:50.959
 of what it says

00:20:50.959 --> 00:20:51.500
 in Genesis.

00:20:51.740 --> 00:20:52.159
 They're aware

00:20:52.159 --> 00:20:52.699
 of what it says

00:20:52.699 --> 00:20:53.599
 in the book of Joshua.

00:20:53.759 --> 00:20:54.139
 They're aware

00:20:54.139 --> 00:20:54.639
 of what it says

00:20:54.639 --> 00:20:55.500
 in the book of Exodus.

00:20:55.899 --> 00:20:56.419
 They're aware

00:20:56.419 --> 00:20:57.019
 of what it says

00:20:57.019 --> 00:20:58.179
 in the book of Deuteronomy.

00:20:58.539 --> 00:20:59.099
 And they're aware

00:20:59.099 --> 00:21:00.379
 of all of these texts

00:21:00.379 --> 00:21:01.639
 and they're aware

00:21:01.639 --> 00:21:02.480
 of what the text says

00:21:02.480 --> 00:21:03.379
 in 1 Samuel.

00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:05.039
 And in all of these texts

00:21:05.039 --> 00:21:06.039
 there's a set of rules

00:21:06.039 --> 00:21:06.519
 that when

00:21:06.519 --> 00:21:07.579
 this is not just

00:21:07.579 --> 00:21:08.419
 any old battle

00:21:08.420 --> 00:21:09.380
 but this is a battle

00:21:09.380 --> 00:21:09.980
 where the Lord

00:21:09.980 --> 00:21:10.920
 is going to deliver

00:21:10.920 --> 00:21:11.539
 his people

00:21:11.539 --> 00:21:12.680
 and when the Lord

00:21:12.680 --> 00:21:13.600
 is going to deliver

00:21:13.600 --> 00:21:14.240
 his people

00:21:14.240 --> 00:21:16.380
 using his own people

00:21:16.380 --> 00:21:17.660
 but it's still the Lord

00:21:17.660 --> 00:21:18.300
 who is delivering

00:21:18.300 --> 00:21:18.779
 his people

00:21:18.779 --> 00:21:19.600
 they are to take

00:21:19.600 --> 00:21:20.380
 no plunder

00:21:20.380 --> 00:21:21.779
 nor are they

00:21:21.779 --> 00:21:22.380
 to kill women

00:21:22.380 --> 00:21:22.960
 and children.

00:21:23.460 --> 00:21:24.279
 And so they do not

00:21:24.279 --> 00:21:25.460
 listen to Mordecai

00:21:25.460 --> 00:21:26.360
 and Esther's letter

00:21:26.360 --> 00:21:28.080
 on one level.

00:21:28.860 --> 00:21:29.980
 They do in the sense

00:21:29.980 --> 00:21:30.940
 that they arm themselves

00:21:30.940 --> 00:21:31.519
 and fight

00:21:31.519 --> 00:21:33.160
 but they actually

00:21:33.160 --> 00:21:33.740
 are governed

00:21:33.740 --> 00:21:35.039
 by what the Tanakh says

00:21:35.039 --> 00:21:36.320
 what the Old Testament says.

00:21:36.319 --> 00:21:40.000
 which is profoundly

00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:41.559
 counter-cultural

00:21:41.559 --> 00:21:43.019
 and would have shocked

00:21:43.019 --> 00:21:44.859
 all the Persians

00:21:44.859 --> 00:21:46.539
 and all of the pagans

00:21:46.539 --> 00:21:47.919
 all of the Zoroastrians

00:21:47.919 --> 00:21:49.579
 and all of the pagans

00:21:49.579 --> 00:21:50.419
 who had observed

00:21:50.419 --> 00:21:51.939
 that no plunder

00:21:51.939 --> 00:21:52.500
 was taken

00:21:52.500 --> 00:21:52.899
 and the women

00:21:52.899 --> 00:21:53.379
 and children

00:21:53.379 --> 00:21:54.179
 were not killed.

00:21:55.460 --> 00:21:56.539
 But the military

00:21:56.539 --> 00:21:57.500
 aged males

00:21:57.500 --> 00:21:58.819
 are modern language

00:21:58.819 --> 00:21:59.779
 is how we would put it.

00:22:00.859 --> 00:22:01.700
 And it's very

00:22:01.700 --> 00:22:02.859
 very counter-cultural

00:22:02.859 --> 00:22:04.619
 but that's actually

00:22:04.619 --> 00:22:05.759
 what goes on here

00:22:05.759 --> 00:22:06.599
 in the text.

00:22:08.479 --> 00:22:09.239
 Because you see

00:22:09.239 --> 00:22:10.059
 on one level

00:22:10.059 --> 00:22:11.739
 not on one level

00:22:11.739 --> 00:22:12.559
 on every level

00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:13.279
 this is why

00:22:13.279 --> 00:22:14.319
 you know people say

00:22:14.319 --> 00:22:15.000
 you can prove anything

00:22:15.000 --> 00:22:15.539
 in the Bible

00:22:15.539 --> 00:22:16.739
 well that's not true.

00:22:17.719 --> 00:22:18.559
 Like you can prove

00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:19.379
 anything in the Bible

00:22:19.379 --> 00:22:21.079
 if you ignore context

00:22:21.079 --> 00:22:22.039
 and if you ignore

00:22:22.039 --> 00:22:23.219
 how things fit together.

00:22:23.959 --> 00:22:24.679
 And so you're right

00:22:24.679 --> 00:22:25.439
 if you take

00:22:25.439 --> 00:22:26.079
 a letter

00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:27.419
 of a genocidal

00:22:27.419 --> 00:22:29.379
 evil genocidal

00:22:29.379 --> 00:22:30.599
 genius

00:22:30.599 --> 00:22:32.259
 and say

00:22:32.259 --> 00:22:33.219
 well that's in the Bible

00:22:33.219 --> 00:22:34.039
 we can do that.

00:22:34.039 --> 00:22:36.039
 but the Bible here

00:22:36.039 --> 00:22:37.539
 shows that's not

00:22:37.539 --> 00:22:38.079
 who you're supposed

00:22:38.079 --> 00:22:38.779
 to listen to.

00:22:40.879 --> 00:22:42.000
 And what we see

00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:42.720
 actually happening

00:22:42.720 --> 00:22:43.359
 is on one level

00:22:43.359 --> 00:22:44.000
 both just

00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:44.619
 but also

00:22:44.619 --> 00:22:46.019
 a showing of mercy.

00:22:46.740 --> 00:22:47.759
 And we see in here

00:22:47.759 --> 00:22:48.279
 the beginning

00:22:48.279 --> 00:22:49.159
 of how most

00:22:49.159 --> 00:22:50.240
 Western people think

00:22:50.240 --> 00:22:51.779
 most secular people

00:22:51.779 --> 00:22:52.279
 would say

00:22:52.279 --> 00:22:53.039
 that that's the way

00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:53.720
 that you handle

00:22:53.720 --> 00:22:54.480
 something like this

00:22:54.480 --> 00:22:55.220
 even though

00:22:55.220 --> 00:22:55.839
 they don't know

00:22:55.839 --> 00:22:56.639
 that it does not

00:22:56.639 --> 00:22:57.680
 come from a study

00:22:57.680 --> 00:22:58.420
 of evolution

00:22:58.420 --> 00:22:59.339
 but it comes

00:22:59.339 --> 00:23:00.599
 from the Bible.

00:23:02.379 --> 00:23:03.680
 They have amnesia.

00:23:04.039 --> 00:23:05.180
 about the source

00:23:05.180 --> 00:23:05.960
 of their belief.

00:23:08.299 --> 00:23:08.420
 So

00:23:08.420 --> 00:23:10.579
 well

00:23:10.579 --> 00:23:13.220
 the story isn't over

00:23:13.220 --> 00:23:14.259
 we've got up to verse 10

00:23:14.259 --> 00:23:14.680
 but what about

00:23:14.680 --> 00:23:15.519
 the king of Persia?

00:23:15.639 --> 00:23:15.839
 You know

00:23:15.839 --> 00:23:16.599
 I haven't talked

00:23:16.599 --> 00:23:17.480
 about it very much.

00:23:17.960 --> 00:23:18.759
 The king of Persia

00:23:18.759 --> 00:23:19.960
 was a Zoroastrian.

00:23:20.420 --> 00:23:21.299
 He wasn't a pagan

00:23:21.299 --> 00:23:22.579
 he was a Zoroastrian.

00:23:23.259 --> 00:23:24.899
 But at the same time

00:23:24.899 --> 00:23:25.720
 within their whole

00:23:25.720 --> 00:23:26.299
 world view

00:23:26.299 --> 00:23:27.859
 he was a virtual god.

00:23:27.859 --> 00:23:30.339
 It was like

00:23:30.339 --> 00:23:31.459
 divine right of kings

00:23:31.459 --> 00:23:32.299
 and steroids.

00:23:33.119 --> 00:23:33.879
 And in their culture

00:23:33.879 --> 00:23:35.359
 basically whatever he said

00:23:35.359 --> 00:23:36.000
 was the law.

00:23:36.079 --> 00:23:36.959
 There was no law

00:23:36.959 --> 00:23:37.599
 on one level

00:23:37.599 --> 00:23:38.519
 that he had to obey.

00:23:38.859 --> 00:23:40.119
 There was no constitution

00:23:40.119 --> 00:23:41.000
 as we talked about

00:23:41.000 --> 00:23:41.759
 a couple of weeks ago.

00:23:41.839 --> 00:23:43.179
 There was no property rights

00:23:43.179 --> 00:23:44.579
 to protect people.

00:23:45.219 --> 00:23:46.240
 Basically he said it

00:23:46.240 --> 00:23:46.759
 and that's it.

00:23:47.079 --> 00:23:47.959
 And so what is the king

00:23:47.959 --> 00:23:48.839
 going to think of the fact

00:23:48.839 --> 00:23:49.779
 that all these people

00:23:49.779 --> 00:23:50.419
 have been killed?

00:23:50.519 --> 00:23:51.339
 Is he going to be happy

00:23:51.339 --> 00:23:51.719
 with it?

00:23:51.740 --> 00:23:52.759
 Is he going to be sad?

00:23:53.199 --> 00:23:54.699
 Is he going to be worried?

00:23:54.859 --> 00:23:55.979
 Want to distance himself

00:23:55.980 --> 00:23:56.700
 from Esther

00:23:56.700 --> 00:23:57.900
 one of his queens

00:23:57.900 --> 00:23:59.039
 that told them

00:23:59.039 --> 00:23:59.660
 that this is what

00:23:59.660 --> 00:24:00.079
 he should do?

00:24:00.140 --> 00:24:01.160
 Well what happens?

00:24:01.240 --> 00:24:02.099
 Verse 11 and 12

00:24:02.099 --> 00:24:03.380
 we see how the king reacts.

00:24:04.220 --> 00:24:05.900
 And it is just so typical

00:24:05.900 --> 00:24:07.960
 of people with that type of power.

00:24:09.519 --> 00:24:10.900
 Look at verse 11 and 12.

00:24:11.740 --> 00:24:12.640
 That very day

00:24:12.640 --> 00:24:13.400
 the number of those

00:24:13.400 --> 00:24:14.960
 killed in Susa the citadel

00:24:14.960 --> 00:24:16.839
 was reported to the king.

00:24:17.500 --> 00:24:18.259
 And the king said

00:24:18.259 --> 00:24:19.000
 to Queen Esther

00:24:19.000 --> 00:24:20.880
 in Susa the citadel

00:24:20.880 --> 00:24:22.099
 the Jews have killed

00:24:22.099 --> 00:24:23.660
 and destroyed 500 men

00:24:23.660 --> 00:24:25.620
 and also the 10 sons

00:24:25.619 --> 00:24:26.119
 of Haman.

00:24:26.939 --> 00:24:28.119
 What then have they done

00:24:28.119 --> 00:24:29.539
 in the rest of the king's provinces?

00:24:30.659 --> 00:24:32.079
 Now what is your wish?

00:24:32.399 --> 00:24:33.579
 It shall be granted you.

00:24:34.119 --> 00:24:36.279
 And what further is your request?

00:24:36.500 --> 00:24:37.479
 It shall be fulfilled.

00:24:37.739 --> 00:24:38.500
 He's delighted.

00:24:40.379 --> 00:24:40.899
 You know what?

00:24:40.899 --> 00:24:41.979
 It makes me mindful

00:24:41.979 --> 00:24:43.479
 of a famous quote

00:24:43.479 --> 00:24:44.239
 by Stalin.

00:24:45.439 --> 00:24:47.479
 That horrendous dictator.

00:24:48.479 --> 00:24:49.159
 And it is so

00:24:49.159 --> 00:24:51.179
 well here's how it is.

00:24:51.459 --> 00:24:52.799
 The death of one person

00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:53.579
 is a tragedy.

00:24:54.299 --> 00:24:55.279
 The death of a thousand

00:24:55.279 --> 00:24:56.699
 is a statistic.

00:25:00.079 --> 00:25:00.699
 So he's

00:25:00.699 --> 00:25:01.960
 the king is completely

00:25:01.960 --> 00:25:02.659
 and utterly unmoved.

00:25:02.740 --> 00:25:03.179
 In fact he actually

00:25:03.179 --> 00:25:04.119
 seems to like it.

00:25:04.480 --> 00:25:05.699
 So he says in a sense

00:25:05.699 --> 00:25:06.359
 okay girl

00:25:06.359 --> 00:25:07.139
 okay Esther

00:25:07.139 --> 00:25:08.819
 what do you want to do now?

00:25:10.699 --> 00:25:10.899
 And

00:25:10.899 --> 00:25:12.759
 and here's a very

00:25:12.759 --> 00:25:13.259
 very very

00:25:13.259 --> 00:25:15.319
 you know many

00:25:15.319 --> 00:25:16.240
 one of the things about

00:25:16.240 --> 00:25:18.000
 one of the things

00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:18.759
 that people think

00:25:18.759 --> 00:25:19.539
 about the Bible

00:25:19.539 --> 00:25:20.639
 people who

00:25:20.640 --> 00:25:21.540
 and unfortunately

00:25:21.540 --> 00:25:22.300
 this stereotype

00:25:22.300 --> 00:25:22.900
 is maintained

00:25:22.900 --> 00:25:23.840
 by many Christians

00:25:23.840 --> 00:25:25.340
 unfortunately

00:25:25.340 --> 00:25:27.660
 but people think

00:25:27.660 --> 00:25:28.660
 that if you read the Bible

00:25:28.660 --> 00:25:29.680
 the Bible is going to tell

00:25:29.680 --> 00:25:30.540
 women that they have

00:25:30.540 --> 00:25:31.340
 to be weak

00:25:31.340 --> 00:25:32.860
 they have to be stupid

00:25:32.860 --> 00:25:34.759
 they have to just

00:25:34.759 --> 00:25:35.120
 you know

00:25:35.120 --> 00:25:36.220
 blah blah blah blah

00:25:36.220 --> 00:25:37.140
 but it's all weak

00:25:37.140 --> 00:25:37.980
 they're all nice

00:25:37.980 --> 00:25:38.800
 they're all kind

00:25:38.800 --> 00:25:39.520
 they're all gentle

00:25:39.520 --> 00:25:40.640
 that it's all full

00:25:40.640 --> 00:25:41.560
 a whole pile

00:25:41.560 --> 00:25:42.380
 of stereotypes

00:25:42.380 --> 00:25:43.240
 but that's actually

00:25:43.240 --> 00:25:44.020
 not how the Bible

00:25:44.020 --> 00:25:44.900
 describes women.

00:25:45.860 --> 00:25:46.460
 Like look what

00:25:46.460 --> 00:25:47.560
 Esther suggests.

00:25:48.040 --> 00:25:48.920
 What is it she wants

00:25:48.920 --> 00:25:50.680
 to do in verses 13 and 14

00:25:50.680 --> 00:25:52.340
 and Esther said

00:25:52.340 --> 00:25:53.320
 if it pleased the king

00:25:53.320 --> 00:25:54.000
 let the Jews

00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:54.640
 who are in Susa

00:25:54.640 --> 00:25:55.640
 be allowed tomorrow

00:25:55.640 --> 00:25:57.160
 also to do according

00:25:57.160 --> 00:25:58.220
 to this day's edict.

00:25:59.019 --> 00:25:59.400
 In other words

00:25:59.400 --> 00:25:59.779
 king

00:25:59.779 --> 00:26:01.640
 for those in greater Susa

00:26:01.640 --> 00:26:03.180
 let the fighting continue

00:26:03.180 --> 00:26:04.820
 and

00:26:04.820 --> 00:26:07.140
 let the ten sons

00:26:07.140 --> 00:26:07.660
 of Haman

00:26:07.660 --> 00:26:09.000
 be hanged on the gallows.

00:26:09.279 --> 00:26:10.539
 What she says is

00:26:10.539 --> 00:26:11.680
 king what I think

00:26:11.680 --> 00:26:12.300
 we should do

00:26:12.300 --> 00:26:13.240
 says Esther

00:26:13.240 --> 00:26:17.039
 let's let the fighting

00:26:17.039 --> 00:26:17.700
 keep going

00:26:17.700 --> 00:26:18.440
 for another day

00:26:18.440 --> 00:26:19.460
 but just in the capital

00:26:19.460 --> 00:26:20.400
 we can't get the news

00:26:20.400 --> 00:26:21.039
 to the whole kingdom

00:26:21.039 --> 00:26:21.660
 but just here

00:26:21.660 --> 00:26:22.320
 and by the way

00:26:22.320 --> 00:26:23.779
 the ten sons of Haman

00:26:23.779 --> 00:26:26.080
 impale them publicly.

00:26:29.920 --> 00:26:31.539
 That's how Esther behaves.

00:26:35.980 --> 00:26:37.400
 Like don't cross her.

00:26:39.240 --> 00:26:40.380
 Don't cross her.

00:26:41.380 --> 00:26:42.160
 So verse 14

00:26:42.160 --> 00:26:43.059
 so the king commanded

00:26:43.059 --> 00:26:43.880
 this to be done.

00:26:44.580 --> 00:26:45.480
 A decree was issued

00:26:45.480 --> 00:26:46.000
 in Susa

00:26:46.000 --> 00:26:46.940
 and the ten sons

00:26:46.940 --> 00:26:48.019
 of Haman were hanged.

00:26:48.019 --> 00:26:49.000
 The Jews who were

00:26:49.000 --> 00:26:49.579
 in Susa

00:26:49.579 --> 00:26:50.480
 also gathered

00:26:50.480 --> 00:26:51.440
 on the fourteenth

00:26:51.440 --> 00:26:52.019
 day of the month

00:26:52.019 --> 00:26:52.359
 of Edar.

00:26:52.460 --> 00:26:53.420
 They killed three hundred

00:26:53.420 --> 00:26:54.220
 men in Susa

00:26:54.220 --> 00:26:55.379
 but they laid no hands

00:26:55.379 --> 00:26:56.059
 on the plunder.

00:26:57.019 --> 00:26:58.079
 They laid no hands

00:26:58.079 --> 00:26:59.240
 on the plunder.

00:27:01.139 --> 00:27:01.440
 So

00:27:01.440 --> 00:27:02.539
 now by the way

00:27:02.539 --> 00:27:04.259
 remember I said

00:27:04.259 --> 00:27:04.740
 how

00:27:04.740 --> 00:27:06.319
 Mordecai and Esther

00:27:06.319 --> 00:27:07.279
 had this directive

00:27:07.279 --> 00:27:08.220
 but the Jewish people

00:27:08.220 --> 00:27:09.200
 actually didn't follow

00:27:09.200 --> 00:27:09.920
 it completely.

00:27:11.000 --> 00:27:11.740
 You know once again

00:27:11.740 --> 00:27:12.599
 one of the things

00:27:12.599 --> 00:27:13.200
 you can talk about

00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:14.139
 over coffee is

00:27:14.139 --> 00:27:14.839
 do you agree

00:27:14.839 --> 00:27:15.519
 with what Esther

00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:16.259
 said or not?

00:27:16.700 --> 00:27:17.539
 And you can disagree

00:27:17.539 --> 00:27:18.039
 with it because

00:27:18.039 --> 00:27:18.920
 it's just her view.

00:27:19.720 --> 00:27:20.500
 A very interesting

00:27:20.500 --> 00:27:21.279
 thing over coffee

00:27:21.279 --> 00:27:22.160
 if you had been

00:27:22.160 --> 00:27:23.220
 Esther's advisor

00:27:23.220 --> 00:27:23.859
 would you say

00:27:23.859 --> 00:27:24.619
 you go girl

00:27:24.619 --> 00:27:25.480
 that's exactly

00:27:25.480 --> 00:27:26.500
 the advice we want

00:27:26.500 --> 00:27:28.139
 impale those guys

00:27:28.139 --> 00:27:29.599
 and let the fighting go.

00:27:29.680 --> 00:27:30.359
 Is that what you'd say

00:27:30.359 --> 00:27:30.960
 is the good thing

00:27:30.960 --> 00:27:31.519
 or would you say

00:27:31.519 --> 00:27:32.859
 come on Esther

00:27:32.859 --> 00:27:34.059
 like show some mercy

00:27:34.059 --> 00:27:34.559
 like

00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:35.440
 like

00:27:35.440 --> 00:27:36.079
 ooh

00:27:36.079 --> 00:27:36.819
 do you really want

00:27:36.819 --> 00:27:37.339
 men

00:27:37.339 --> 00:27:37.900
 like anyway

00:27:37.900 --> 00:27:38.319
 whatever

00:27:38.319 --> 00:27:39.420
 like it's an interesting

00:27:39.420 --> 00:27:40.440
 point of conversation.

00:27:40.440 --> 00:27:41.840
 the Bible doesn't say

00:27:41.840 --> 00:27:42.519
 this is the right

00:27:42.519 --> 00:27:43.100
 thing to do

00:27:43.100 --> 00:27:43.600
 it says what

00:27:43.600 --> 00:27:44.259
 Esther did.

00:27:45.380 --> 00:27:46.600
 But the important

00:27:46.600 --> 00:27:47.000
 thing

00:27:47.000 --> 00:27:48.320
 in the rest

00:27:48.320 --> 00:27:48.779
 of the text

00:27:48.779 --> 00:27:49.880
 is what's happening

00:27:49.880 --> 00:27:50.620
 amongst the Jewish

00:27:50.620 --> 00:27:51.120
 people

00:27:51.120 --> 00:27:52.340
 as a result

00:27:52.340 --> 00:27:52.799
 of this.

00:27:53.019 --> 00:27:53.380
 Is this

00:27:53.380 --> 00:27:54.680
 day

00:27:54.680 --> 00:27:55.759
 amongst the Jewish

00:27:55.759 --> 00:27:56.259
 people

00:27:56.259 --> 00:27:57.680
 is it causing

00:27:57.680 --> 00:27:58.380
 them a sense

00:27:58.380 --> 00:27:59.000
 of horror

00:27:59.000 --> 00:27:59.600
 about what

00:27:59.600 --> 00:28:00.080
 they've done

00:28:00.080 --> 00:28:00.559
 as they think

00:28:00.559 --> 00:28:00.840
 about it

00:28:00.840 --> 00:28:01.500
 the next day?

00:28:01.840 --> 00:28:03.000
 Is it encouraging

00:28:03.000 --> 00:28:03.960
 them to violence?

00:28:04.660 --> 00:28:05.440
 Is it encouraging

00:28:05.440 --> 00:28:05.860
 them

00:28:05.860 --> 00:28:07.059
 like what happens?

00:28:07.220 --> 00:28:07.380
 Well

00:28:07.380 --> 00:28:08.259
 you find out

00:28:08.259 --> 00:28:08.620
 in verses

00:28:08.620 --> 00:28:10.200
 16 and 19

00:28:10.200 --> 00:28:12.100
 now the rest

00:28:12.100 --> 00:28:12.740
 of the Jews

00:28:12.740 --> 00:28:13.180
 who were in

00:28:13.180 --> 00:28:13.600
 the king's

00:28:13.600 --> 00:28:14.080
 provinces

00:28:14.080 --> 00:28:14.980
 also gathered

00:28:14.980 --> 00:28:15.519
 to defend

00:28:15.519 --> 00:28:16.299
 their lives

00:28:16.299 --> 00:28:17.620
 and got relief

00:28:17.620 --> 00:28:18.380
 from their enemies

00:28:18.380 --> 00:28:19.440
 and killed

00:28:19.440 --> 00:28:21.259
 75,000 of those

00:28:21.259 --> 00:28:21.980
 who hated them

00:28:21.980 --> 00:28:23.259
 but they laid

00:28:23.259 --> 00:28:23.779
 no hands

00:28:23.779 --> 00:28:24.380
 on the plunder.

00:28:24.500 --> 00:28:25.460
 Just a pause

00:28:25.460 --> 00:28:26.660
 in the Old Testament

00:28:26.660 --> 00:28:28.640
 generally speaking

00:28:28.640 --> 00:28:29.220
 you don't know

00:28:29.220 --> 00:28:29.580
 whether it was

00:28:29.580 --> 00:28:30.799
 75,000 or not

00:28:30.799 --> 00:28:32.299
 75,000 means

00:28:32.299 --> 00:28:33.100
 lots and lots

00:28:33.100 --> 00:28:33.539
 and lots

00:28:33.539 --> 00:28:33.920
 and lots

00:28:33.920 --> 00:28:34.519
 just the way

00:28:34.519 --> 00:28:35.039
 that it's a

00:28:35.039 --> 00:28:36.360
 literary thing

00:28:36.360 --> 00:28:38.200
 anyway

00:28:38.200 --> 00:28:38.779
 but it means

00:28:38.779 --> 00:28:39.220
 there's a lot

00:28:39.220 --> 00:28:39.740
 who died

00:28:39.740 --> 00:28:41.200
 verse 17

00:28:41.200 --> 00:28:41.720
 this was on

00:28:41.720 --> 00:28:42.460
 the 13th day

00:28:42.460 --> 00:28:42.880
 of the month

00:28:42.880 --> 00:28:43.480
 of Adar

00:28:43.480 --> 00:28:44.319
 and on the

00:28:44.319 --> 00:28:45.059
 14th day

00:28:45.059 --> 00:28:46.079
 they rested

00:28:46.079 --> 00:28:46.740
 and made that

00:28:46.740 --> 00:28:47.359
 day a day

00:28:47.359 --> 00:28:47.980
 of feasting

00:28:47.980 --> 00:28:48.680
 and gladness

00:28:48.680 --> 00:28:50.099
 but the Jews

00:28:50.099 --> 00:28:50.839
 who were in

00:28:50.839 --> 00:28:51.160
 Susa

00:28:51.160 --> 00:28:51.740
 gathered on

00:28:51.740 --> 00:28:52.740
 the 13th day

00:28:52.740 --> 00:28:54.240
 and rested

00:28:54.240 --> 00:28:55.420
 on the 15th day

00:28:55.420 --> 00:28:56.099
 making that

00:28:56.099 --> 00:28:56.579
 a day of

00:28:56.579 --> 00:28:56.960
 feasting

00:28:56.960 --> 00:28:57.559
 and gladness

00:28:57.559 --> 00:28:59.140
 therefore the Jews

00:28:59.140 --> 00:28:59.740
 of the villages

00:28:59.740 --> 00:29:00.799
 who live

00:29:00.799 --> 00:29:02.059
 in rural towns

00:29:02.059 --> 00:29:03.259
 hold the 14th day

00:29:03.259 --> 00:29:03.640
 of the month

00:29:03.640 --> 00:29:04.220
 of Adar

00:29:04.220 --> 00:29:04.720
 as a day

00:29:04.720 --> 00:29:05.660
 for gladness

00:29:05.660 --> 00:29:06.920
 and feasting

00:29:06.920 --> 00:29:08.519
 as a holiday

00:29:08.519 --> 00:29:09.680
 and as a day

00:29:09.680 --> 00:29:10.000
 in which

00:29:10.000 --> 00:29:10.440
 they send

00:29:10.440 --> 00:29:10.840
 gifts

00:29:10.840 --> 00:29:11.860
 of food

00:29:11.860 --> 00:29:13.120
 to one another

00:29:13.120 --> 00:29:15.400
 so we see

00:29:15.400 --> 00:29:15.880
 what they do

00:29:15.880 --> 00:29:16.960
 is they don't

00:29:16.960 --> 00:29:17.660
 they're not

00:29:17.660 --> 00:29:18.580
 horrified by what

00:29:18.580 --> 00:29:19.000
 they've done

00:29:19.000 --> 00:29:19.440
 they don't have

00:29:19.440 --> 00:29:20.259
 second thoughts

00:29:20.259 --> 00:29:22.380
 they don't celebrate

00:29:22.380 --> 00:29:22.840
 the death

00:29:22.840 --> 00:29:24.340
 of 75,000 people

00:29:24.340 --> 00:29:25.140
 but they celebrate

00:29:25.140 --> 00:29:25.620
 the debt

00:29:25.620 --> 00:29:26.180
 that they have

00:29:26.180 --> 00:29:26.759
 been delivered

00:29:26.759 --> 00:29:27.700
 from their enemies

00:29:27.700 --> 00:29:28.800
 and that they are

00:29:28.800 --> 00:29:29.340
 alive

00:29:29.340 --> 00:29:31.500
 and they celebrate

00:29:31.500 --> 00:29:32.380
 it with feasting

00:29:32.380 --> 00:29:33.280
 and with the

00:29:33.280 --> 00:29:34.980
 giving of gifts

00:29:34.980 --> 00:29:37.480
 but

00:29:37.480 --> 00:29:39.880
 you know

00:29:39.880 --> 00:29:40.420
 it's

00:29:40.420 --> 00:29:42.600
 by the way

00:29:42.600 --> 00:29:43.060
 they don't tell

00:29:43.060 --> 00:29:43.660
 how many Jewish

00:29:43.660 --> 00:29:44.160
 people died

00:29:44.160 --> 00:29:44.940
 obviously Jewish

00:29:44.940 --> 00:29:45.560
 people died

00:29:45.560 --> 00:29:45.940
 in this

00:29:45.940 --> 00:29:46.940
 in this

00:29:46.940 --> 00:29:48.720
 in this whole day

00:29:48.720 --> 00:29:49.440
 but that's what

00:29:49.440 --> 00:29:50.120
 happened immediately

00:29:50.120 --> 00:29:50.800
 the day after

00:29:50.800 --> 00:29:51.540
 we can understand

00:29:51.540 --> 00:29:51.920
 that

00:29:51.920 --> 00:29:52.300
 but what

00:29:52.300 --> 00:29:53.680
 what happens

00:29:53.680 --> 00:29:54.280
 now as you

00:29:54.280 --> 00:29:54.940
 think about it

00:29:54.940 --> 00:29:56.020
 like the week

00:29:56.020 --> 00:29:56.520
 or the month

00:29:56.520 --> 00:29:57.040
 or the year

00:29:57.040 --> 00:29:57.720
 afterwards

00:29:57.720 --> 00:30:00.500
 and you think

00:30:00.500 --> 00:30:01.180
 back on that

00:30:01.180 --> 00:30:01.600
 day

00:30:01.599 --> 00:30:03.839
 like now

00:30:03.839 --> 00:30:04.240
 what are the

00:30:04.240 --> 00:30:04.859
 Jewish people

00:30:04.859 --> 00:30:05.399
 thinking

00:30:05.399 --> 00:30:07.279
 like one thing

00:30:07.279 --> 00:30:07.859
 which they could

00:30:07.859 --> 00:30:08.379
 be thinking

00:30:08.379 --> 00:30:08.859
 is you know

00:30:08.859 --> 00:30:09.480
 part of our

00:30:09.480 --> 00:30:09.980
 problem

00:30:09.980 --> 00:30:11.159
 with all of this

00:30:11.159 --> 00:30:11.859
 is that we're

00:30:11.859 --> 00:30:12.519
 too different

00:30:12.519 --> 00:30:13.659
 from the Persians

00:30:13.659 --> 00:30:15.719
 maybe what we

00:30:15.719 --> 00:30:16.279
 should do

00:30:16.279 --> 00:30:16.919
 is become

00:30:16.919 --> 00:30:17.740
 more Persian

00:30:17.740 --> 00:30:19.839
 like if we

00:30:19.839 --> 00:30:20.519
 become more

00:30:20.519 --> 00:30:21.019
 Persian

00:30:21.019 --> 00:30:21.719
 if we

00:30:21.719 --> 00:30:22.799
 worship

00:30:22.799 --> 00:30:23.519
 more similar

00:30:23.519 --> 00:30:23.919
 to them

00:30:23.919 --> 00:30:24.319
 and if we

00:30:24.319 --> 00:30:24.859
 dress more

00:30:24.859 --> 00:30:25.500
 similar to them

00:30:25.500 --> 00:30:26.039
 and if we

00:30:26.039 --> 00:30:26.919
 just sort of

00:30:26.919 --> 00:30:27.480
 add some of

00:30:27.480 --> 00:30:27.980
 their religious

00:30:27.980 --> 00:30:28.639
 practices

00:30:28.639 --> 00:30:29.179
 and their

00:30:29.179 --> 00:30:30.059
 views of how

00:30:30.059 --> 00:30:30.879
 the world

00:30:30.879 --> 00:30:31.240
 works

00:30:31.240 --> 00:30:31.680
 and if we

00:30:31.680 --> 00:30:32.660
 bring all of

00:30:32.660 --> 00:30:33.160
 that into

00:30:33.160 --> 00:30:34.319
 our life

00:30:34.319 --> 00:30:34.960
 and become

00:30:34.960 --> 00:30:35.700
 more Persian

00:30:35.700 --> 00:30:36.200
 then maybe

00:30:36.200 --> 00:30:36.759
 things like

00:30:36.759 --> 00:30:37.200
 this won't

00:30:37.200 --> 00:30:37.759
 ever have to

00:30:37.759 --> 00:30:38.299
 happen to

00:30:38.299 --> 00:30:38.660
 us again

00:30:38.660 --> 00:30:38.940
 that would

00:30:38.940 --> 00:30:39.500
 be a very

00:30:39.500 --> 00:30:40.339
 reasonable

00:30:40.339 --> 00:30:41.259
 response

00:30:41.259 --> 00:30:42.859
 you know

00:30:42.859 --> 00:30:43.240
 maybe they

00:30:43.240 --> 00:30:43.579
 would do

00:30:43.579 --> 00:30:44.279
 like often

00:30:44.279 --> 00:30:44.799
 goes on

00:30:44.799 --> 00:30:45.240
 in much of

00:30:45.240 --> 00:30:45.779
 our culture

00:30:45.779 --> 00:30:46.059
 today

00:30:46.059 --> 00:30:46.599
 amongst the

00:30:46.599 --> 00:30:46.960
 knowledge

00:30:46.960 --> 00:30:47.460
 class

00:30:47.460 --> 00:30:48.200
 is to start

00:30:48.200 --> 00:30:48.799
 to be ashamed

00:30:48.799 --> 00:30:49.160
 of what

00:30:49.160 --> 00:30:49.640
 they've done

00:30:49.640 --> 00:30:50.140
 which of

00:30:50.140 --> 00:30:50.819
 course describes

00:30:50.819 --> 00:30:51.319
 what happens

00:30:51.319 --> 00:30:51.799
 in much of

00:30:51.799 --> 00:30:52.299
 our culture

00:30:52.299 --> 00:30:54.299
 is a lack

00:30:54.299 --> 00:30:54.720
 of shame

00:30:54.720 --> 00:30:55.220
 about what

00:30:55.220 --> 00:30:55.920
 they themselves

00:30:55.920 --> 00:30:56.539
 are doing

00:30:56.539 --> 00:30:57.920
 which is wrong

00:30:57.920 --> 00:30:58.819
 but a shame

00:30:58.819 --> 00:30:59.299
 about their

00:30:59.299 --> 00:31:00.079
 past and their

00:31:00.079 --> 00:31:00.419
 tradition

00:31:00.419 --> 00:31:00.859
 is that

00:31:00.859 --> 00:31:01.539
 what's going

00:31:01.539 --> 00:31:01.939
 to happen

00:31:01.939 --> 00:31:02.799
 well the

00:31:02.799 --> 00:31:03.199
 rest of the

00:31:03.199 --> 00:31:03.559
 Bible

00:31:03.559 --> 00:31:04.240
 the rest of

00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:04.720
 the story

00:31:04.720 --> 00:31:05.379
 helps to

00:31:05.379 --> 00:31:05.839
 communicate

00:31:05.839 --> 00:31:06.899
 whether they

00:31:06.899 --> 00:31:07.679
 choose the

00:31:07.679 --> 00:31:08.839
 path of

00:31:08.839 --> 00:31:09.319
 trying to

00:31:09.319 --> 00:31:09.839
 fit in or

00:31:09.839 --> 00:31:10.559
 they choose a

00:31:10.559 --> 00:31:11.500
 very very

00:31:11.500 --> 00:31:12.240
 different path

00:31:12.240 --> 00:31:12.519
 and they

00:31:12.519 --> 00:31:12.939
 choose a

00:31:12.939 --> 00:31:13.500
 very very

00:31:13.500 --> 00:31:14.359
 well let's

00:31:14.359 --> 00:31:14.819
 just see

00:31:14.819 --> 00:31:16.879
 verse 20

00:31:16.879 --> 00:31:17.559
 and 22

00:31:17.559 --> 00:31:19.099
 and Mordecai

00:31:19.099 --> 00:31:19.859
 recorded these

00:31:19.859 --> 00:31:20.379
 things and

00:31:20.379 --> 00:31:20.919
 sent letters

00:31:20.919 --> 00:31:21.480
 to all the

00:31:21.480 --> 00:31:22.019
 Jews who

00:31:22.019 --> 00:31:22.339
 were in the

00:31:22.339 --> 00:31:23.099
 provinces of

00:31:23.099 --> 00:31:24.179
 King Xerxes

00:31:24.179 --> 00:31:25.019
 both near and

00:31:25.019 --> 00:31:26.619
 far obliging

00:31:26.619 --> 00:31:27.099
 them to keep

00:31:27.099 --> 00:31:27.919
 the 14th day

00:31:27.919 --> 00:31:28.319
 of the month

00:31:28.319 --> 00:31:28.779
 of Adar

00:31:28.779 --> 00:31:29.480
 and also the

00:31:29.480 --> 00:31:30.339
 15th day

00:31:30.339 --> 00:31:31.099
 of the same

00:31:31.099 --> 00:31:32.379
 year by year

00:31:32.379 --> 00:31:33.299
 as the days

00:31:33.299 --> 00:31:34.039
 on which

00:31:34.039 --> 00:31:34.899
 the Jews

00:31:34.899 --> 00:31:35.519
 got relief

00:31:35.519 --> 00:31:35.879
 from their

00:31:35.879 --> 00:31:36.240
 enemies

00:31:36.240 --> 00:31:37.099
 and as the

00:31:37.099 --> 00:31:37.779
 month that

00:31:37.779 --> 00:31:38.099
 had been

00:31:38.099 --> 00:31:38.659
 turned for

00:31:38.659 --> 00:31:39.500
 them from

00:31:39.500 --> 00:31:40.279
 sorrow into

00:31:40.279 --> 00:31:40.899
 gladness

00:31:40.899 --> 00:31:41.299
 and from

00:31:41.299 --> 00:31:42.019
 mourning into

00:31:42.019 --> 00:31:42.519
 a holiday

00:31:42.519 --> 00:31:43.740
 and that they

00:31:43.740 --> 00:31:44.200
 should make

00:31:44.200 --> 00:31:44.919
 them days of

00:31:44.919 --> 00:31:45.539
 feasting and

00:31:45.539 --> 00:31:46.119
 gladness

00:31:46.119 --> 00:31:46.799
 days for

00:31:46.799 --> 00:31:47.779
 sending gifts

00:31:47.779 --> 00:31:48.519
 of food to

00:31:48.519 --> 00:31:48.980
 one another

00:31:48.980 --> 00:31:50.440
 and gifts

00:31:50.440 --> 00:31:51.680
 to the poor

00:31:51.680 --> 00:31:53.319
 so we see

00:31:53.319 --> 00:31:53.839
 that actually

00:31:53.839 --> 00:31:54.539
 rather than

00:31:54.539 --> 00:31:55.639
 accommodating to

00:31:55.639 --> 00:31:56.579
 Persian culture

00:31:56.579 --> 00:31:59.039
 Mordecai has

00:31:59.039 --> 00:31:59.899
 this plan

00:31:59.899 --> 00:32:01.379
 that it's in

00:32:01.379 --> 00:32:02.159
 fact they are

00:32:02.159 --> 00:32:03.799
 to become

00:32:03.799 --> 00:32:04.799
 more Jewish

00:32:04.799 --> 00:32:05.899
 they are to

00:32:05.899 --> 00:32:06.619
 become in a

00:32:06.619 --> 00:32:07.259
 sense more

00:32:07.259 --> 00:32:07.859
 the covenant

00:32:07.859 --> 00:32:09.519
 people that

00:32:09.519 --> 00:32:10.279
 they are to

00:32:10.279 --> 00:32:11.019
 in fact not

00:32:11.019 --> 00:32:11.639
 just have this

00:32:11.639 --> 00:32:12.259
 as a one-off

00:32:12.259 --> 00:32:12.720
 but it's to

00:32:12.720 --> 00:32:13.399
 become something

00:32:13.399 --> 00:32:13.980
 that every

00:32:13.980 --> 00:32:14.700
 year they

00:32:14.700 --> 00:32:15.680
 will remember

00:32:15.680 --> 00:32:17.320
 that the

00:32:17.320 --> 00:32:18.279
 Lord delivered

00:32:18.279 --> 00:32:18.519
 them

00:32:18.519 --> 00:32:19.039
 they will

00:32:19.039 --> 00:32:20.039
 remember this

00:32:20.039 --> 00:32:20.840
 and set the

00:32:20.840 --> 00:32:21.320
 day aside

00:32:21.320 --> 00:32:21.960
 as a holiday

00:32:21.960 --> 00:32:23.019
 and they'll

00:32:23.019 --> 00:32:23.600
 remember it

00:32:23.600 --> 00:32:24.480
 by feasting

00:32:24.480 --> 00:32:24.980
 and they'll

00:32:24.980 --> 00:32:25.580
 remember it

00:32:25.580 --> 00:32:26.120
 by sending

00:32:26.120 --> 00:32:26.600
 of gifts

00:32:26.600 --> 00:32:26.980
 and they'll

00:32:26.980 --> 00:32:27.580
 remember it

00:32:27.580 --> 00:32:28.480
 by remembering

00:32:28.480 --> 00:32:29.060
 the poor

00:32:29.060 --> 00:32:29.900
 and giving

00:32:29.900 --> 00:32:30.580
 food to the

00:32:30.580 --> 00:32:30.860
 poor

00:32:30.860 --> 00:32:31.980
 and they do

00:32:31.980 --> 00:32:32.500
 more than

00:32:32.500 --> 00:32:33.039
 just that

00:32:33.039 --> 00:32:33.620
 they also

00:32:33.620 --> 00:32:34.299
 remember it

00:32:34.299 --> 00:32:34.840
 in a very

00:32:34.840 --> 00:32:35.660
 very particular

00:32:35.660 --> 00:32:36.299
 way that

00:32:36.299 --> 00:32:36.940
 sets the

00:32:36.940 --> 00:32:37.640
 Lord at

00:32:37.640 --> 00:32:38.200
 the center

00:32:38.200 --> 00:32:39.160
 but in a

00:32:39.160 --> 00:32:39.580
 sort of an

00:32:39.580 --> 00:32:40.140
 ironic

00:32:40.140 --> 00:32:41.180
 hidden way

00:32:41.180 --> 00:32:41.799
 but they put

00:32:41.799 --> 00:32:42.400
 the Lord

00:32:42.400 --> 00:32:43.320
 at the center

00:32:43.319 --> 00:32:43.980
 of their

00:32:43.980 --> 00:32:44.759
 remembrance

00:32:44.759 --> 00:32:45.700
 and it's

00:32:45.700 --> 00:32:46.079
 seen in

00:32:46.079 --> 00:32:47.000
 verses 23

00:32:47.000 --> 00:32:48.419
 through 26

00:32:48.419 --> 00:32:50.000
 here's where

00:32:50.000 --> 00:32:50.359
 it comes

00:32:50.359 --> 00:32:51.359
 so the Jews

00:32:51.359 --> 00:32:52.179
 accepted what

00:32:52.179 --> 00:32:52.700
 they had started

00:32:52.700 --> 00:32:53.159
 to do

00:32:53.159 --> 00:32:53.879
 and what

00:32:53.879 --> 00:32:54.700
 Mordecai had

00:32:54.700 --> 00:32:55.220
 written to

00:32:55.220 --> 00:32:55.819
 them

00:32:55.819 --> 00:32:57.039
 for Haman

00:32:57.039 --> 00:32:57.980
 the Haggagite

00:32:57.980 --> 00:32:58.579
 the son of

00:32:58.579 --> 00:32:59.319
 Hamadath

00:32:59.319 --> 00:32:59.839
 the enemy

00:32:59.839 --> 00:33:00.339
 of all the

00:33:00.339 --> 00:33:00.559
 Jews

00:33:00.559 --> 00:33:01.079
 had plotted

00:33:01.079 --> 00:33:01.619
 against the

00:33:01.619 --> 00:33:01.799
 Jews

00:33:01.799 --> 00:33:02.419
 to destroy

00:33:02.419 --> 00:33:02.740
 them

00:33:02.740 --> 00:33:03.419
 and had

00:33:03.419 --> 00:33:04.179
 cast pur

00:33:04.179 --> 00:33:05.159
 that is

00:33:05.159 --> 00:33:06.079
 cast lots

00:33:06.079 --> 00:33:07.079
 to crush

00:33:07.079 --> 00:33:07.379
 and to

00:33:07.379 --> 00:33:08.119
 destroy them

00:33:08.119 --> 00:33:09.299
 but when it

00:33:09.299 --> 00:33:09.939
 came before

00:33:09.939 --> 00:33:10.460
 the king

00:33:10.460 --> 00:33:10.899
 he gave

00:33:10.899 --> 00:33:11.480
 orders in

00:33:11.480 --> 00:33:11.779
 writing

00:33:11.779 --> 00:33:12.200
 that his

00:33:12.200 --> 00:33:13.119
 evil plan

00:33:13.119 --> 00:33:13.819
 that he

00:33:13.819 --> 00:33:14.419
 had devised

00:33:14.419 --> 00:33:14.919
 against the

00:33:14.919 --> 00:33:15.159
 Jews

00:33:15.159 --> 00:33:15.899
 should return

00:33:15.899 --> 00:33:16.379
 on his

00:33:16.379 --> 00:33:16.799
 own head

00:33:16.799 --> 00:33:17.099
 that's

00:33:17.099 --> 00:33:17.479
 Haman's

00:33:17.479 --> 00:33:17.699
 head

00:33:17.699 --> 00:33:18.500
 and that

00:33:18.500 --> 00:33:18.759
 he and

00:33:18.759 --> 00:33:19.199
 his son

00:33:19.199 --> 00:33:20.079
 should be

00:33:20.079 --> 00:33:20.559
 hanged on

00:33:20.559 --> 00:33:21.079
 the gallows

00:33:21.079 --> 00:33:21.759
 or impaled

00:33:21.759 --> 00:33:22.579
 on the stake

00:33:22.579 --> 00:33:23.939
 therefore they

00:33:23.939 --> 00:33:24.739
 called these

00:33:24.739 --> 00:33:25.159
 days

00:33:25.159 --> 00:33:25.919
 Purim

00:33:25.919 --> 00:33:26.919
 after the

00:33:26.919 --> 00:33:27.239
 term

00:33:27.239 --> 00:33:27.799
 pure

00:33:27.799 --> 00:33:28.959
 therefore

00:33:28.959 --> 00:33:30.159
 because of

00:33:30.159 --> 00:33:30.739
 all that was

00:33:30.739 --> 00:33:31.099
 written in

00:33:31.099 --> 00:33:31.639
 this letter

00:33:31.639 --> 00:33:32.599
 and of what

00:33:32.599 --> 00:33:32.919
 they had

00:33:32.919 --> 00:33:33.379
 faced in

00:33:33.379 --> 00:33:33.899
 this matter

00:33:33.899 --> 00:33:34.619
 and what

00:33:34.619 --> 00:33:35.000
 had happened

00:33:35.000 --> 00:33:35.399
 to them

00:33:35.399 --> 00:33:36.359
 the Jews

00:33:36.359 --> 00:33:36.839
 firmly

00:33:36.839 --> 00:33:37.559
 obligated

00:33:37.559 --> 00:33:38.079
 themselves

00:33:38.079 --> 00:33:38.559
 and their

00:33:38.559 --> 00:33:39.039
 offspring

00:33:39.039 --> 00:33:39.559
 and all

00:33:39.559 --> 00:33:40.159
 who joined

00:33:40.159 --> 00:33:40.439
 them

00:33:40.439 --> 00:33:41.279
 that without

00:33:41.279 --> 00:33:41.779
 fail

00:33:41.779 --> 00:33:42.639
 they would

00:33:42.640 --> 00:33:43.220
 keep these

00:33:43.220 --> 00:33:43.920
 two days

00:33:43.920 --> 00:33:44.920
 according to

00:33:44.920 --> 00:33:45.180
 what was

00:33:45.180 --> 00:33:45.480
 written

00:33:45.480 --> 00:33:46.000
 and at

00:33:46.000 --> 00:33:46.440
 that time

00:33:46.440 --> 00:33:46.820
 appointed

00:33:46.820 --> 00:33:47.540
 every year

00:33:47.540 --> 00:33:48.759
 that these

00:33:48.759 --> 00:33:49.320
 days should

00:33:49.320 --> 00:33:49.900
 be remembered

00:33:49.900 --> 00:33:50.440
 and kept

00:33:50.440 --> 00:33:51.000
 throughout every

00:33:51.000 --> 00:33:51.540
 generation

00:33:51.540 --> 00:33:52.060
 and every

00:33:52.060 --> 00:33:52.780
 clan and

00:33:52.780 --> 00:33:53.500
 province and

00:33:53.500 --> 00:33:53.800
 city

00:33:53.800 --> 00:33:54.540
 and that

00:33:54.540 --> 00:33:55.080
 these days

00:33:55.080 --> 00:33:55.640
 of Purim

00:33:55.640 --> 00:33:56.520
 should never

00:33:56.520 --> 00:33:57.240
 fall into

00:33:57.240 --> 00:33:58.000
 disuse among

00:33:58.000 --> 00:33:58.620
 the Jews

00:33:58.620 --> 00:33:59.620
 nor should

00:33:59.620 --> 00:34:00.340
 the commemoration

00:34:00.340 --> 00:34:01.020
 of these days

00:34:01.020 --> 00:34:01.620
 cease among

00:34:01.620 --> 00:34:02.340
 their descendants

00:34:02.340 --> 00:34:03.780
 now

00:34:03.780 --> 00:34:05.280
 here's the

00:34:05.280 --> 00:34:05.680
 thing which

00:34:05.680 --> 00:34:06.140
 they do

00:34:06.140 --> 00:34:06.740
 in a very

00:34:06.740 --> 00:34:07.520
 very interesting

00:34:07.520 --> 00:34:07.840
 way

00:34:07.839 --> 00:34:09.219
 basically

00:34:09.219 --> 00:34:09.739
 what they

00:34:09.739 --> 00:34:09.880
 say

00:34:09.880 --> 00:34:10.179
 we're going

00:34:10.179 --> 00:34:10.480
 to name

00:34:10.480 --> 00:34:10.840
 the day

00:34:10.840 --> 00:34:11.500
 fate

00:34:11.500 --> 00:34:13.159
 because that's

00:34:13.159 --> 00:34:13.739
 what pure

00:34:13.739 --> 00:34:14.420
 means

00:34:14.420 --> 00:34:15.480
 so what

00:34:15.480 --> 00:34:16.099
 it means

00:34:16.099 --> 00:34:16.440
 is

00:34:16.440 --> 00:34:17.059
 they're

00:34:17.059 --> 00:34:17.539
 remembering

00:34:17.539 --> 00:34:18.199
 the fact

00:34:18.199 --> 00:34:19.019
 that

00:34:19.019 --> 00:34:20.619
 the might

00:34:20.619 --> 00:34:21.279
 of the

00:34:21.279 --> 00:34:21.739
 Persian

00:34:21.739 --> 00:34:22.480
 empire

00:34:22.480 --> 00:34:24.019
 had all

00:34:24.019 --> 00:34:25.000
 been organized

00:34:25.000 --> 00:34:26.059
 at every

00:34:26.059 --> 00:34:26.480
 level

00:34:26.480 --> 00:34:27.119
 all of the

00:34:27.119 --> 00:34:27.619
 bureaucracy

00:34:27.619 --> 00:34:28.539
 all of the

00:34:28.539 --> 00:34:29.039
 military

00:34:29.039 --> 00:34:29.579
 all of the

00:34:29.579 --> 00:34:30.059
 nobility

00:34:30.059 --> 00:34:30.920
 all of the

00:34:30.920 --> 00:34:31.599
 police

00:34:31.599 --> 00:34:32.219
 the judges

00:34:32.219 --> 00:34:33.099
 everything

00:34:33.099 --> 00:34:33.980
 had been

00:34:33.980 --> 00:34:34.579
 organized

00:34:34.579 --> 00:34:35.299
 and well

00:34:35.299 --> 00:34:35.840
 planned

00:34:35.840 --> 00:34:36.320
 and the

00:34:36.320 --> 00:34:36.720
 citizens

00:34:36.720 --> 00:34:37.340
 themselves

00:34:37.340 --> 00:34:38.240
 so that

00:34:38.240 --> 00:34:38.960
 the Jews

00:34:38.960 --> 00:34:39.620
 would be

00:34:39.620 --> 00:34:40.059
 killed

00:34:40.059 --> 00:34:40.780
 on one

00:34:40.780 --> 00:34:41.059
 level

00:34:41.059 --> 00:34:41.500
 from a

00:34:41.500 --> 00:34:41.820
 purely

00:34:41.820 --> 00:34:42.380
 secular

00:34:42.380 --> 00:34:42.880
 point

00:34:42.880 --> 00:34:43.059
 of

00:34:43.059 --> 00:34:43.280
 view

00:34:43.280 --> 00:34:44.140
 everything

00:34:44.140 --> 00:34:44.500
 had been

00:34:44.500 --> 00:34:45.059
 organized

00:34:45.059 --> 00:34:45.400
 so that

00:34:45.400 --> 00:34:45.940
 their fate

00:34:45.940 --> 00:34:46.620
 was sealed

00:34:46.620 --> 00:34:47.280
 they were

00:34:47.280 --> 00:34:47.760
 doomed

00:34:47.760 --> 00:34:48.660
 but more

00:34:48.660 --> 00:34:49.400
 than that

00:34:49.400 --> 00:34:50.559
 and there's

00:34:50.559 --> 00:34:50.900
 more

00:34:50.900 --> 00:34:51.440
 there's

00:34:51.440 --> 00:34:51.960
 more than

00:34:51.960 --> 00:34:52.320
 that

00:34:52.320 --> 00:34:53.400
 they also

00:34:53.400 --> 00:34:53.920
 wanted to

00:34:53.920 --> 00:34:54.360
 make sure

00:34:54.360 --> 00:34:54.760
 that the

00:34:54.760 --> 00:34:55.240
 gods

00:34:55.240 --> 00:34:55.720
 were on

00:34:55.720 --> 00:34:56.300
 their side

00:34:56.300 --> 00:34:56.720
 that the

00:34:56.720 --> 00:34:57.120
 gods

00:34:57.120 --> 00:34:57.780
 themselves

00:34:57.780 --> 00:34:58.360
 wanted to

00:34:58.360 --> 00:34:58.760
 kill all

00:34:58.760 --> 00:34:58.980
 of the

00:34:58.980 --> 00:34:59.220
 Jewish

00:34:59.220 --> 00:34:59.620
 people

00:34:59.620 --> 00:35:00.460
 and that's

00:35:00.460 --> 00:35:00.780
 why they

00:35:00.780 --> 00:35:01.360
 cast the

00:35:01.360 --> 00:35:01.680
 pure

00:35:01.680 --> 00:35:02.280
 they cast

00:35:02.280 --> 00:35:02.960
 the lots

00:35:02.960 --> 00:35:04.900
 they spent

00:35:04.900 --> 00:35:05.440
 a day

00:35:05.440 --> 00:35:06.200
 making sure

00:35:06.200 --> 00:35:06.579
 that they

00:35:06.579 --> 00:35:07.099
 would figure

00:35:07.099 --> 00:35:07.519
 out the

00:35:07.519 --> 00:35:07.960
 day

00:35:07.960 --> 00:35:08.880
 they cast

00:35:08.880 --> 00:35:09.260
 the lot

00:35:09.260 --> 00:35:09.800
 they cast

00:35:09.800 --> 00:35:10.159
 the lot

00:35:10.159 --> 00:35:10.619
 they cast

00:35:10.619 --> 00:35:10.760
 the lot

00:35:10.760 --> 00:35:11.039
 it's called

00:35:11.039 --> 00:35:11.659
 divination

00:35:11.659 --> 00:35:12.559
 and the

00:35:12.559 --> 00:35:13.079
 purpose of

00:35:13.079 --> 00:35:13.559
 it was to

00:35:13.559 --> 00:35:13.920
 find the

00:35:13.920 --> 00:35:14.200
 day and

00:35:14.200 --> 00:35:14.480
 when the

00:35:14.480 --> 00:35:14.940
 day came

00:35:14.940 --> 00:35:15.220
 they said

00:35:15.220 --> 00:35:15.539
 aha

00:35:15.539 --> 00:35:16.579
 this is

00:35:16.579 --> 00:35:16.920
 the day

00:35:16.920 --> 00:35:17.679
 the gods

00:35:17.679 --> 00:35:18.380
 themselves

00:35:18.380 --> 00:35:19.139
 have told

00:35:19.139 --> 00:35:19.539
 us

00:35:19.539 --> 00:35:20.800
 that on

00:35:20.800 --> 00:35:21.400
 this day

00:35:21.400 --> 00:35:22.159
 the gods

00:35:22.159 --> 00:35:22.880
 themselves

00:35:22.880 --> 00:35:23.780
 will bless

00:35:23.780 --> 00:35:24.780
 our efforts

00:35:24.780 --> 00:35:25.460
 to kill

00:35:25.460 --> 00:35:26.679
 every single

00:35:26.679 --> 00:35:27.639
 Jewish person

00:35:27.639 --> 00:35:28.800
 the gods

00:35:28.800 --> 00:35:29.579
 have decreed it

00:35:29.579 --> 00:35:30.579
 the virtual

00:35:30.579 --> 00:35:31.240
 god will

00:35:31.240 --> 00:35:31.820
 decree it

00:35:31.820 --> 00:35:32.960
 the bureaucracy

00:35:32.960 --> 00:35:34.119
 the nobility

00:35:34.119 --> 00:35:35.679
 the intelligentsia

00:35:35.679 --> 00:35:36.900
 the army

00:35:36.900 --> 00:35:37.539
 everybody

00:35:37.539 --> 00:35:38.199
 all have

00:35:38.199 --> 00:35:38.679
 decreed it

00:35:38.679 --> 00:35:39.059
 from the

00:35:39.059 --> 00:35:39.679
 gods

00:35:39.679 --> 00:35:40.500
 to all

00:35:40.500 --> 00:35:40.759
 of the

00:35:40.759 --> 00:35:41.199
 officials

00:35:41.199 --> 00:35:42.599
 have decreed

00:35:42.599 --> 00:35:43.440
 the fate

00:35:43.440 --> 00:35:44.000
 and the

00:35:44.000 --> 00:35:44.319
 doom

00:35:44.319 --> 00:35:44.900
 of the

00:35:44.900 --> 00:35:45.380
 Jews

00:35:45.380 --> 00:35:46.279
 and we

00:35:46.279 --> 00:35:46.940
 Jewish

00:35:46.940 --> 00:35:47.420
 people

00:35:47.420 --> 00:35:48.339
 will remember

00:35:48.339 --> 00:35:49.339
 from all

00:35:49.339 --> 00:35:50.179
 eternity

00:35:50.179 --> 00:35:51.359
 until the

00:35:51.359 --> 00:35:51.900
 Messiah

00:35:51.900 --> 00:35:52.779
 returns

00:35:52.779 --> 00:35:54.099
 this word

00:35:54.099 --> 00:35:54.940
 of doom

00:35:54.940 --> 00:35:55.759
 and fate

00:35:55.759 --> 00:35:56.940
 set by

00:35:56.940 --> 00:35:57.699
 empires

00:35:57.699 --> 00:35:58.739
 set by

00:35:58.739 --> 00:35:59.500
 the gods

00:35:59.500 --> 00:36:00.759
 was rubbish

00:36:00.760 --> 00:36:04.540
 rubbish

00:36:04.540 --> 00:36:07.640
 a delusion

00:36:07.640 --> 00:36:10.080
 a fantasy

00:36:10.080 --> 00:36:13.640
 an illusion

00:36:13.640 --> 00:36:15.820
 a lie

00:36:15.820 --> 00:36:17.840
 and they

00:36:17.840 --> 00:36:18.400
 remember it

00:36:18.400 --> 00:36:18.900
 in the name

00:36:18.900 --> 00:36:21.940
 they remember

00:36:21.940 --> 00:36:22.360
 it in the name

00:36:22.360 --> 00:36:22.860
 I'll show you

00:36:22.860 --> 00:36:23.180
 an image

00:36:23.180 --> 00:36:23.700
 in a moment

00:36:23.700 --> 00:36:27.060
 it's a long

00:36:27.060 --> 00:36:27.180
 time

00:36:27.180 --> 00:36:27.500
 I'm just going

00:36:27.500 --> 00:36:27.740
 to say

00:36:27.740 --> 00:36:28.200
 we're going

00:36:28.200 --> 00:36:28.400
 to go

00:36:28.400 --> 00:36:28.920
 now to our

00:36:28.920 --> 00:36:29.340
 other points

00:36:29.340 --> 00:36:29.680
 I just want

00:36:29.680 --> 00:36:29.900
 to say

00:36:29.900 --> 00:36:30.340
 two little

00:36:30.340 --> 00:36:30.700
 things

00:36:30.700 --> 00:36:31.140
 in the

00:36:31.140 --> 00:36:31.360
 end

00:36:31.360 --> 00:36:32.579
 just before

00:36:32.579 --> 00:36:32.860
 we get

00:36:32.860 --> 00:36:33.320
 into the

00:36:33.320 --> 00:36:33.820
 to try

00:36:33.820 --> 00:36:34.160
 to wrap

00:36:34.160 --> 00:36:34.380
 it all

00:36:34.380 --> 00:36:34.559
 up

00:36:34.559 --> 00:36:35.260
 one of

00:36:35.260 --> 00:36:35.559
 the things

00:36:35.559 --> 00:36:35.900
 which is

00:36:35.900 --> 00:36:36.660
 very interesting

00:36:36.660 --> 00:36:37.120
 if you go

00:36:37.120 --> 00:36:37.660
 back and read

00:36:37.660 --> 00:36:37.980
 the rest

00:36:37.980 --> 00:36:38.200
 of the

00:36:38.200 --> 00:36:38.500
 verses

00:36:38.500 --> 00:36:39.440
 it's not

00:36:39.440 --> 00:36:39.880
 as obvious

00:36:39.880 --> 00:36:40.320
 in English

00:36:40.320 --> 00:36:40.740
 but in the

00:36:40.740 --> 00:36:40.980
 original

00:36:40.980 --> 00:36:41.340
 language

00:36:41.340 --> 00:36:41.780
 it's very

00:36:41.780 --> 00:36:42.160
 obvious

00:36:42.160 --> 00:36:42.820
 what really

00:36:42.820 --> 00:36:43.400
 makes the

00:36:43.400 --> 00:36:43.920
 day a day

00:36:43.920 --> 00:36:44.600
 for remembrance

00:36:44.600 --> 00:36:45.120
 for the rest

00:36:45.120 --> 00:36:46.180
 of time

00:36:46.180 --> 00:36:46.500
 for the

00:36:46.500 --> 00:36:46.700
 Jewish

00:36:46.700 --> 00:36:47.079
 people

00:36:47.079 --> 00:36:47.620
 isn't that

00:36:47.620 --> 00:36:48.100
 Mordecai

00:36:48.100 --> 00:36:48.579
 says it

00:36:48.579 --> 00:36:49.840
 but Esther

00:36:49.840 --> 00:36:50.340
 says it

00:36:50.340 --> 00:36:52.559
 this is a

00:36:52.559 --> 00:36:53.100
 holiday for

00:36:53.100 --> 00:36:53.480
 the Jewish

00:36:53.480 --> 00:36:54.260
 people forever

00:36:54.260 --> 00:36:54.620
 and ever

00:36:54.620 --> 00:36:54.960
 and ever

00:36:54.960 --> 00:36:55.720
 because it

00:36:55.720 --> 00:36:56.519
 was finally

00:36:56.519 --> 00:36:57.320
 the seal

00:36:57.320 --> 00:36:57.960
 that made

00:36:57.960 --> 00:36:58.740
 it permanent

00:36:58.739 --> 00:36:59.979
 was the

00:36:59.979 --> 00:37:00.739
 decision by

00:37:00.739 --> 00:37:01.439
 the queen

00:37:01.439 --> 00:37:02.639
 not by

00:37:02.639 --> 00:37:02.939
 men

00:37:02.939 --> 00:37:05.599
 that's what

00:37:05.599 --> 00:37:05.959
 the text

00:37:05.959 --> 00:37:06.299
 says

00:37:06.299 --> 00:37:07.599
 and the other

00:37:07.599 --> 00:37:08.039
 thing which is

00:37:08.039 --> 00:37:08.679
 very interesting

00:37:08.679 --> 00:37:09.599
 and this is

00:37:09.599 --> 00:37:10.239
 very important

00:37:10.239 --> 00:37:11.159
 for all of

00:37:11.159 --> 00:37:11.399
 you

00:37:11.399 --> 00:37:12.159
 is that

00:37:12.159 --> 00:37:12.619
 Mordecai

00:37:12.619 --> 00:37:13.419
 continues in

00:37:13.419 --> 00:37:14.279
 secular work

00:37:14.279 --> 00:37:15.479
 he continues

00:37:15.479 --> 00:37:16.019
 his work in

00:37:16.019 --> 00:37:16.559
 the bureaucracy

00:37:16.559 --> 00:37:17.219
 for the good

00:37:17.219 --> 00:37:17.599
 of the city

00:37:17.599 --> 00:37:17.960
 and the good

00:37:17.960 --> 00:37:18.539
 of the nation

00:37:18.539 --> 00:37:20.900
 Andrew if you

00:37:20.900 --> 00:37:21.360
 could put up

00:37:21.360 --> 00:37:22.900
 the slide

00:37:22.900 --> 00:37:23.360
 that I said

00:37:23.360 --> 00:37:23.880
 about fate

00:37:23.880 --> 00:37:24.340
 and everything

00:37:24.340 --> 00:37:25.659
 there you go

00:37:25.659 --> 00:37:26.639
 that's what

00:37:26.639 --> 00:37:27.719
 Purim means

00:37:27.719 --> 00:37:30.279
 in a sense

00:37:30.279 --> 00:37:30.719
 when Jewish

00:37:30.719 --> 00:37:32.199
 people celebrate

00:37:32.199 --> 00:37:32.779
 Purim

00:37:32.779 --> 00:37:34.179
 it says

00:37:34.179 --> 00:37:34.739
 in a sense

00:37:34.739 --> 00:37:35.500
 what it says

00:37:35.500 --> 00:37:36.179
 is fate

00:37:36.179 --> 00:37:37.579
 but they know

00:37:37.579 --> 00:37:38.460
 in the context

00:37:38.460 --> 00:37:39.099
 of the story

00:37:39.099 --> 00:37:39.659
 that any one

00:37:39.659 --> 00:37:40.239
 of those three

00:37:40.239 --> 00:37:41.019
 things can be

00:37:41.019 --> 00:37:41.779
 the way that

00:37:41.779 --> 00:37:42.340
 it's actually

00:37:42.340 --> 00:37:43.119
 saying fate

00:37:43.119 --> 00:37:44.559
 line through it

00:37:44.559 --> 00:37:45.559
 fate not

00:37:45.559 --> 00:37:46.539
 no fate

00:37:46.539 --> 00:37:48.299
 that's what

00:37:48.299 --> 00:37:49.019
 the day reminds

00:37:49.019 --> 00:37:50.239
 so just to try

00:37:50.239 --> 00:37:50.679
 to wrap this

00:37:50.679 --> 00:37:51.360
 remember I began

00:37:51.360 --> 00:37:52.119
 by saying that

00:37:52.119 --> 00:37:53.219
 people who struggle

00:37:53.219 --> 00:37:53.900
 with depression

00:37:53.900 --> 00:37:54.539
 and addictions

00:37:54.539 --> 00:37:56.119
 they often have

00:37:56.119 --> 00:37:56.820
 some very very

00:37:56.820 --> 00:37:57.820
 powerful core

00:37:57.820 --> 00:37:58.320
 beliefs

00:37:58.320 --> 00:37:59.380
 that there's

00:37:59.380 --> 00:38:00.360
 something wrong

00:38:00.360 --> 00:38:00.759
 with them

00:38:00.759 --> 00:38:01.179
 that there's

00:38:01.179 --> 00:38:02.059
 something doomed

00:38:02.059 --> 00:38:02.599
 about them

00:38:02.599 --> 00:38:02.940
 that there's

00:38:02.940 --> 00:38:03.779
 a type of fate

00:38:03.779 --> 00:38:04.320
 about them

00:38:04.320 --> 00:38:04.659
 that it's

00:38:04.659 --> 00:38:05.699
 they can understand

00:38:05.699 --> 00:38:06.679
 how the other

00:38:06.679 --> 00:38:07.460
 person will get

00:38:07.460 --> 00:38:07.960
 the guy

00:38:07.960 --> 00:38:08.440
 or will get

00:38:08.440 --> 00:38:08.880
 the girl

00:38:08.880 --> 00:38:09.739
 the other person

00:38:09.739 --> 00:38:10.639
 will maybe

00:38:10.639 --> 00:38:12.019
 get the promotion

00:38:12.019 --> 00:38:12.840
 the other person

00:38:12.840 --> 00:38:13.659
 will get the job

00:38:13.659 --> 00:38:14.400
 the other person

00:38:14.400 --> 00:38:15.079
 will have the health

00:38:15.079 --> 00:38:15.819
 but you know

00:38:15.819 --> 00:38:16.380
 I might have

00:38:16.380 --> 00:38:16.840
 it right now

00:38:16.840 --> 00:38:17.239
 but there's

00:38:17.239 --> 00:38:17.559
 in fact

00:38:17.559 --> 00:38:18.659
 something fundamentally

00:38:18.659 --> 00:38:19.739
 doomed about me

00:38:19.739 --> 00:38:20.360
 there's something

00:38:20.360 --> 00:38:21.400
 some fate

00:38:21.400 --> 00:38:22.099
 about me

00:38:22.099 --> 00:38:23.900
 which always means

00:38:23.900 --> 00:38:24.539
 that these things

00:38:24.539 --> 00:38:25.299
 are not going

00:38:25.299 --> 00:38:26.139
 to work out

00:38:26.139 --> 00:38:27.239
 and in fact

00:38:27.239 --> 00:38:28.199
 there's many systems

00:38:28.199 --> 00:38:28.659
 of thought

00:38:28.659 --> 00:38:29.420
 that sort of

00:38:29.420 --> 00:38:30.480
 make it even worse

00:38:30.480 --> 00:38:31.559
 like Islam

00:38:31.559 --> 00:38:32.599
 struggles with

00:38:32.599 --> 00:38:34.440
 a high belief

00:38:34.440 --> 00:38:35.360
 in fate

00:38:35.360 --> 00:38:36.639
 and doom

00:38:36.639 --> 00:38:38.539
 and even Hinduism

00:38:38.539 --> 00:38:39.340
 which we often

00:38:39.340 --> 00:38:39.840
 view of

00:38:39.840 --> 00:38:40.759
 and Buddhism

00:38:40.759 --> 00:38:41.840
 as a very positive

00:38:41.840 --> 00:38:43.079
 alternative to Christianity

00:38:43.079 --> 00:38:44.360
 the fact of the matter

00:38:44.360 --> 00:38:45.360
 is that the whole

00:38:45.360 --> 00:38:46.539
 cycle of karma

00:38:46.539 --> 00:38:47.420
 is a cycle

00:38:47.420 --> 00:38:48.079
 of fate

00:38:48.079 --> 00:38:49.179
 that if you are

00:38:49.179 --> 00:38:50.340
 in this particular role

00:38:50.340 --> 00:38:50.840
 if you are

00:38:50.840 --> 00:38:51.799
 the beggar

00:38:51.799 --> 00:38:52.920
 of the beggars

00:38:52.920 --> 00:38:53.679
 of the beggars

00:38:53.679 --> 00:38:54.900
 that is your fault

00:38:54.900 --> 00:38:55.679
 you have brought

00:38:55.679 --> 00:38:56.659
 this upon yourself

00:38:56.659 --> 00:38:57.679
 in your previous life

00:38:57.679 --> 00:38:58.559
 you are trapped

00:38:58.559 --> 00:38:59.360
 in your fate

00:38:59.360 --> 00:39:00.619
 you are doomed

00:39:00.619 --> 00:39:01.980
 to that particular position

00:39:01.980 --> 00:39:03.559
 and even many systems

00:39:03.559 --> 00:39:03.920
 of thought

00:39:03.920 --> 00:39:04.699
 like the cycle

00:39:04.699 --> 00:39:05.219
 of life

00:39:05.219 --> 00:39:05.920
 but throughout

00:39:05.920 --> 00:39:06.739
 human history

00:39:06.739 --> 00:39:07.679
 this cycle

00:39:07.679 --> 00:39:08.319
 of life

00:39:08.319 --> 00:39:09.739
 is actually

00:39:09.739 --> 00:39:10.279
 not seen

00:39:10.279 --> 00:39:10.799
 as something

00:39:10.799 --> 00:39:11.380
 which is

00:39:11.380 --> 00:39:12.680
 life giving

00:39:12.680 --> 00:39:13.519
 it's something

00:39:13.519 --> 00:39:14.200
 which means

00:39:14.200 --> 00:39:15.079
 you are doomed

00:39:15.079 --> 00:39:16.680
 that there is not

00:39:16.680 --> 00:39:17.119
 going to be

00:39:17.119 --> 00:39:17.880
 any progress

00:39:17.880 --> 00:39:18.599
 there is not

00:39:18.599 --> 00:39:19.019
 going to be

00:39:19.019 --> 00:39:19.619
 any development

00:39:19.619 --> 00:39:20.400
 there is not

00:39:20.400 --> 00:39:20.800
 going to be

00:39:20.800 --> 00:39:21.599
 any story

00:39:21.599 --> 00:39:22.680
 which is new

00:39:22.680 --> 00:39:23.200
 and different

00:39:23.200 --> 00:39:23.880
 there is not

00:39:23.880 --> 00:39:24.280
 going to be

00:39:24.280 --> 00:39:24.820
 creativity

00:39:24.820 --> 00:39:25.500
 there is not

00:39:25.500 --> 00:39:25.880
 going to be

00:39:25.880 --> 00:39:26.380
 imagination

00:39:26.380 --> 00:39:27.240
 there is not

00:39:27.240 --> 00:39:27.720
 going to be

00:39:27.720 --> 00:39:28.480
 a second chance

00:39:28.480 --> 00:39:29.200
 why?

00:39:29.460 --> 00:39:30.480
 because you are

00:39:30.480 --> 00:39:31.260
 trapped

00:39:31.260 --> 00:39:32.880
 in the iron cage

00:39:32.880 --> 00:39:33.800
 of the circle

00:39:33.800 --> 00:39:34.320
 of life

00:39:34.320 --> 00:39:35.700
 you will die

00:39:35.700 --> 00:39:38.460
 and there is

00:39:38.460 --> 00:39:39.360
 nothing you can

00:39:39.360 --> 00:39:40.380
 do about it

00:39:40.380 --> 00:39:42.740
 and even

00:39:42.740 --> 00:39:43.880
 modern science

00:39:43.880 --> 00:39:44.740
 with its belief

00:39:44.740 --> 00:39:45.300
 of the fact

00:39:45.300 --> 00:39:45.840
 that everything

00:39:45.840 --> 00:39:46.720
 that comes to be

00:39:46.720 --> 00:39:47.240
 is a result

00:39:47.240 --> 00:39:47.980
 of irrational

00:39:47.980 --> 00:39:49.260
 forces and chance

00:39:49.260 --> 00:39:50.740
 with no human

00:39:50.740 --> 00:39:51.200
 purpose

00:39:51.200 --> 00:39:51.960
 no virtue

00:39:51.960 --> 00:39:52.500
 of something

00:39:52.500 --> 00:39:53.360
 good or beautiful

00:39:53.360 --> 00:39:53.880
 or love

00:39:53.880 --> 00:39:54.360
 or knowledge

00:39:54.360 --> 00:39:54.800
 or truth

00:39:54.800 --> 00:39:55.559
 that's what

00:39:55.559 --> 00:39:56.720
 naturalistic science

00:39:56.720 --> 00:39:57.260
 teaches you

00:39:57.260 --> 00:39:58.099
 it's just cause

00:39:58.099 --> 00:39:58.619
 and effect

00:39:58.619 --> 00:39:59.680
 in a sense

00:39:59.680 --> 00:40:00.800
 it's the idea

00:40:00.800 --> 00:40:01.680
 that everything

00:40:01.680 --> 00:40:02.240
 that's happening

00:40:02.240 --> 00:40:02.559
 to you

00:40:02.559 --> 00:40:03.480
 is just a result

00:40:03.480 --> 00:40:03.960
 of things

00:40:03.960 --> 00:40:04.420
 that are going

00:40:04.420 --> 00:40:05.039
 on in you

00:40:05.039 --> 00:40:06.380
 and massive

00:40:06.380 --> 00:40:06.720
 these

00:40:06.720 --> 00:40:08.460
 and you are

00:40:08.460 --> 00:40:09.099
 stuck

00:40:09.099 --> 00:40:10.000
 and to all

00:40:10.000 --> 00:40:10.380
 of these

00:40:10.380 --> 00:40:10.679
 things

00:40:10.679 --> 00:40:11.319
 the gospel

00:40:11.319 --> 00:40:12.079
 says

00:40:12.079 --> 00:40:13.500
 that

00:40:13.500 --> 00:40:17.539
 it says

00:40:17.539 --> 00:40:18.699
 no to fate

00:40:18.699 --> 00:40:19.980
 if you could

00:40:19.980 --> 00:40:20.360
 put up the

00:40:20.360 --> 00:40:20.920
 first point

00:40:20.920 --> 00:40:21.319
 Andrew

00:40:21.319 --> 00:40:22.699
 what is the

00:40:22.699 --> 00:40:23.339
 bible telling

00:40:23.339 --> 00:40:23.619
 us

00:40:23.619 --> 00:40:24.480
 the lord

00:40:24.480 --> 00:40:25.239
 exists

00:40:25.239 --> 00:40:26.579
 providence

00:40:26.579 --> 00:40:27.319
 is true

00:40:27.319 --> 00:40:28.480
 fate

00:40:28.480 --> 00:40:29.179
 is a

00:40:29.179 --> 00:40:29.679
 delusion

00:40:29.679 --> 00:40:31.299
 you are

00:40:31.299 --> 00:40:31.719
 here

00:40:31.719 --> 00:40:32.619
 and I know

00:40:32.619 --> 00:40:33.179
 that just by

00:40:33.179 --> 00:40:33.799
 willpower

00:40:33.799 --> 00:40:34.299
 and just by

00:40:34.299 --> 00:40:34.779
 a story

00:40:34.779 --> 00:40:35.299
 it can't

00:40:35.299 --> 00:40:35.679
 change you

00:40:35.679 --> 00:40:35.920
 and for

00:40:35.920 --> 00:40:36.279
 some of

00:40:36.279 --> 00:40:36.420
 you

00:40:36.420 --> 00:40:36.799
 if you're

00:40:36.799 --> 00:40:37.159
 struggling

00:40:37.159 --> 00:40:38.460
 with depression

00:40:38.460 --> 00:40:39.099
 it might be

00:40:39.099 --> 00:40:39.440
 that there's

00:40:39.440 --> 00:40:39.920
 a chemical

00:40:39.920 --> 00:40:40.399
 imbalance

00:40:40.399 --> 00:40:40.779
 that you

00:40:40.779 --> 00:40:41.179
 need some

00:40:41.179 --> 00:40:41.519
 help

00:40:41.519 --> 00:40:42.119
 medically

00:40:42.119 --> 00:40:42.940
 to help

00:40:42.940 --> 00:40:43.219
 you to

00:40:43.219 --> 00:40:43.679
 deal with

00:40:43.679 --> 00:40:43.920
 that

00:40:43.920 --> 00:40:44.319
 I am

00:40:44.319 --> 00:40:44.940
 not denying

00:40:44.940 --> 00:40:45.379
 any of

00:40:45.379 --> 00:40:45.819
 that type

00:40:45.819 --> 00:40:46.159
 of stuff

00:40:46.159 --> 00:40:46.659
 but I am

00:40:46.659 --> 00:40:47.059
 saying

00:40:47.059 --> 00:40:47.920
 that the

00:40:47.920 --> 00:40:48.279
 memory

00:40:48.279 --> 00:40:48.619
 that we

00:40:48.619 --> 00:40:49.059
 have of

00:40:49.059 --> 00:40:49.460
 our life

00:40:49.460 --> 00:40:50.059
 the way

00:40:50.059 --> 00:40:50.399
 that we

00:40:50.399 --> 00:40:50.819
 use our

00:40:50.819 --> 00:40:51.519
 imagination

00:40:51.519 --> 00:40:52.420
 the way

00:40:52.420 --> 00:40:53.139
 we structure

00:40:53.139 --> 00:40:53.739
 and talk

00:40:53.739 --> 00:40:54.500
 to ourselves

00:40:54.500 --> 00:40:55.460
 and talking

00:40:55.460 --> 00:40:56.119
 to ourselves

00:40:56.119 --> 00:40:56.879
 in such a

00:40:56.879 --> 00:40:57.359
 way as if

00:40:57.359 --> 00:40:57.639
 we are

00:40:57.639 --> 00:40:58.480
 fundamentally

00:40:58.480 --> 00:40:59.079
 faded

00:40:59.079 --> 00:40:59.759
 and doomed

00:40:59.759 --> 00:41:01.940
 the bible

00:41:01.940 --> 00:41:02.480
 is telling

00:41:02.480 --> 00:41:02.899
 us

00:41:02.899 --> 00:41:04.460
 the lord

00:41:04.460 --> 00:41:05.139
 exists

00:41:05.139 --> 00:41:06.819
 providence

00:41:06.819 --> 00:41:07.379
 is true

00:41:07.379 --> 00:41:08.000
 providence

00:41:08.000 --> 00:41:08.519
 means that

00:41:08.519 --> 00:41:08.960
 the lord

00:41:08.960 --> 00:41:09.759
 is present

00:41:09.759 --> 00:41:10.440
 powerful

00:41:10.440 --> 00:41:11.019
 active

00:41:11.019 --> 00:41:11.559
 even though

00:41:11.559 --> 00:41:11.799
 he is

00:41:11.799 --> 00:41:12.099
 hidden

00:41:12.099 --> 00:41:13.480
 and he

00:41:13.480 --> 00:41:14.039
 always

00:41:14.039 --> 00:41:14.619
 respects

00:41:14.619 --> 00:41:14.900
 our

00:41:14.900 --> 00:41:15.259
 freedom

00:41:15.259 --> 00:41:15.699
 but the

00:41:15.699 --> 00:41:16.099
 end of

00:41:16.099 --> 00:41:16.420
 the day

00:41:16.420 --> 00:41:16.839
 no matter

00:41:16.839 --> 00:41:17.359
 how much

00:41:17.359 --> 00:41:17.739
 we use

00:41:17.739 --> 00:41:18.219
 our freedom

00:41:18.219 --> 00:41:18.659
 in whatever

00:41:18.659 --> 00:41:19.099
 way we

00:41:19.099 --> 00:41:19.480
 use our

00:41:19.480 --> 00:41:19.779
 freedom

00:41:19.779 --> 00:41:20.659
 the lord

00:41:20.659 --> 00:41:21.139
 is moving

00:41:21.139 --> 00:41:21.920
 all things

00:41:21.920 --> 00:41:22.299
 to the

00:41:22.299 --> 00:41:22.599
 end

00:41:22.599 --> 00:41:23.019
 that he

00:41:23.019 --> 00:41:23.659
 has chosen

00:41:23.659 --> 00:41:24.859
 and he

00:41:24.859 --> 00:41:25.400
 does that

00:41:25.400 --> 00:41:25.859
 even though

00:41:25.859 --> 00:41:26.099
 we are

00:41:26.099 --> 00:41:26.539
 completely

00:41:26.539 --> 00:41:27.000
 and utterly

00:41:27.000 --> 00:41:27.400
 free

00:41:27.400 --> 00:41:27.859
 but the

00:41:27.859 --> 00:41:28.159
 lord

00:41:28.159 --> 00:41:28.920
 is present

00:41:28.920 --> 00:41:29.500
 powerful

00:41:29.500 --> 00:41:30.119
 and active

00:41:30.119 --> 00:41:30.420
 in the

00:41:30.420 --> 00:41:30.799
 world

00:41:30.799 --> 00:41:32.460
 and to

00:41:32.460 --> 00:41:32.879
 believe in

00:41:32.879 --> 00:41:33.219
 fate

00:41:33.219 --> 00:41:33.719
 is a

00:41:33.719 --> 00:41:34.239
 delusion

00:41:34.239 --> 00:41:36.979
 it's a

00:41:36.979 --> 00:41:37.459
 delusion

00:41:37.459 --> 00:41:39.559
 and if you

00:41:39.559 --> 00:41:39.819
 come up

00:41:39.819 --> 00:41:40.239
 the second

00:41:40.239 --> 00:41:40.659
 point

00:41:40.659 --> 00:41:41.699
 we

00:41:41.699 --> 00:41:42.179
 Christians

00:41:42.179 --> 00:41:43.000
 we believe

00:41:43.000 --> 00:41:44.319
 we accept

00:41:44.319 --> 00:41:44.779
 you know

00:41:44.779 --> 00:41:45.279
 we in a

00:41:45.279 --> 00:41:45.579
 sense

00:41:45.579 --> 00:41:46.139
 this is

00:41:46.139 --> 00:41:46.839
 our story

00:41:46.839 --> 00:41:47.199
 when we

00:41:47.199 --> 00:41:47.500
 read the

00:41:47.500 --> 00:41:47.799
 book of

00:41:47.799 --> 00:41:48.059
 Esther

00:41:48.059 --> 00:41:48.419
 because

00:41:48.419 --> 00:41:49.639
 we believe

00:41:49.639 --> 00:41:50.079
 that the

00:41:50.079 --> 00:41:50.439
 lord

00:41:50.439 --> 00:41:52.019
 promised to

00:41:52.019 --> 00:41:52.759
 deliver people

00:41:52.759 --> 00:41:53.339
 in Genesis

00:41:53.339 --> 00:41:53.699
 3

00:41:53.699 --> 00:41:54.359
 we believe

00:41:54.359 --> 00:41:54.839
 that it

00:41:54.839 --> 00:41:55.279
 was our

00:41:55.279 --> 00:41:55.879
 spiritual

00:41:55.879 --> 00:41:56.539
 ancestors

00:41:56.539 --> 00:41:56.959
 and for

00:41:56.959 --> 00:41:57.299
 some of

00:41:57.299 --> 00:41:57.439
 us

00:41:57.439 --> 00:41:57.579
 our

00:41:57.579 --> 00:41:57.979
 physical

00:41:57.979 --> 00:41:58.519
 ancestors

00:41:58.519 --> 00:41:58.919
 because

00:41:58.919 --> 00:41:59.199
 there are

00:41:59.199 --> 00:41:59.500
 Jewish

00:41:59.500 --> 00:41:59.899
 people

00:41:59.899 --> 00:42:00.439
 who have

00:42:00.439 --> 00:42:00.779
 been part

00:42:00.779 --> 00:42:01.039
 of our

00:42:01.039 --> 00:42:01.659
 congregation

00:42:01.659 --> 00:42:02.500
 and

00:42:02.500 --> 00:42:03.459
 this

00:42:03.460 --> 00:42:04.059
 is the

00:42:04.059 --> 00:42:04.460
 story

00:42:04.460 --> 00:42:04.659
 of

00:42:04.659 --> 00:42:05.139
 Israel's

00:42:05.139 --> 00:42:05.679
 deliverance

00:42:05.679 --> 00:42:05.900
 from

00:42:05.900 --> 00:42:06.260
 Egypt

00:42:06.260 --> 00:42:06.639
 out of

00:42:06.639 --> 00:42:07.059
 slavery

00:42:07.059 --> 00:42:07.619
 that is

00:42:07.619 --> 00:42:08.019
 our

00:42:08.019 --> 00:42:08.559
 history

00:42:08.559 --> 00:42:09.079
 and the

00:42:09.079 --> 00:42:09.960
 lord's

00:42:09.960 --> 00:42:10.460
 deliverance

00:42:10.460 --> 00:42:10.720
 of the

00:42:10.720 --> 00:42:10.960
 Jewish

00:42:10.960 --> 00:42:11.320
 people

00:42:11.320 --> 00:42:11.579
 in the

00:42:11.579 --> 00:42:11.900
 Persian

00:42:11.900 --> 00:42:12.260
 empire

00:42:12.260 --> 00:42:13.039
 that is

00:42:13.039 --> 00:42:13.420
 our

00:42:13.420 --> 00:42:13.940
 history

00:42:13.940 --> 00:42:14.639
 but we

00:42:14.639 --> 00:42:15.119
 believe

00:42:15.119 --> 00:42:15.480
 in an

00:42:15.480 --> 00:42:15.940
 even

00:42:15.940 --> 00:42:16.619
 greater

00:42:16.619 --> 00:42:17.480
 deliverance

00:42:17.480 --> 00:42:18.119
 and an

00:42:18.119 --> 00:42:18.440
 even

00:42:18.440 --> 00:42:19.019
 greater

00:42:19.019 --> 00:42:19.539
 reversal

00:42:19.539 --> 00:42:19.940
 because

00:42:19.940 --> 00:42:20.240
 we

00:42:20.240 --> 00:42:20.699
 believe

00:42:20.699 --> 00:42:20.980
 that

00:42:20.980 --> 00:42:21.380
 Jesus

00:42:21.380 --> 00:42:22.000
 came

00:42:22.000 --> 00:42:22.559
 and he

00:42:22.559 --> 00:42:23.019
 was born

00:42:23.019 --> 00:42:23.340
 of a

00:42:23.340 --> 00:42:23.639
 virgin

00:42:23.639 --> 00:42:23.880
 he

00:42:23.880 --> 00:42:24.179
 lived

00:42:24.179 --> 00:42:24.400
 a

00:42:24.400 --> 00:42:24.780
 sinless

00:42:24.780 --> 00:42:25.240
 life

00:42:25.240 --> 00:42:25.820
 and he

00:42:25.820 --> 00:42:26.159
 taught

00:42:26.159 --> 00:42:26.420
 many

00:42:26.420 --> 00:42:26.800
 things

00:42:26.800 --> 00:42:26.980
 he

00:42:26.980 --> 00:42:27.500
 predicted

00:42:27.500 --> 00:42:28.059
 and

00:42:28.059 --> 00:42:28.699
 prophesied

00:42:28.699 --> 00:42:29.019
 that he

00:42:29.019 --> 00:42:29.720
 would die

00:42:29.720 --> 00:42:30.179
 as the

00:42:30.179 --> 00:42:30.720
 lamb of

00:42:30.720 --> 00:42:31.079
 God

00:42:31.079 --> 00:42:31.619
 who takes

00:42:31.619 --> 00:42:32.179
 away the

00:42:32.179 --> 00:42:32.440
 sin of

00:42:32.440 --> 00:42:32.579
 the

00:42:32.579 --> 00:42:32.899
 world

00:42:32.899 --> 00:42:33.440
 that he

00:42:33.440 --> 00:42:34.119
 would die

00:42:34.119 --> 00:42:34.559
 on a

00:42:34.559 --> 00:42:34.980
 shameful

00:42:34.980 --> 00:42:35.559
 cross

00:42:35.559 --> 00:42:36.099
 that he

00:42:36.099 --> 00:42:36.559
 would be

00:42:36.559 --> 00:42:36.960
 hung

00:42:36.960 --> 00:42:37.579
 on a

00:42:37.579 --> 00:42:38.019
 gallows

00:42:38.019 --> 00:42:38.339
 and a

00:42:38.339 --> 00:42:38.599
 cross

00:42:38.599 --> 00:42:39.399
 not impaled

00:42:39.399 --> 00:42:40.259
 but hung

00:42:40.259 --> 00:42:40.919
 and that

00:42:40.919 --> 00:42:41.599
 we who are

00:42:41.599 --> 00:42:42.019
 cursed

00:42:42.019 --> 00:42:42.699
 he would

00:42:42.699 --> 00:42:43.119
 bear our

00:42:43.119 --> 00:42:43.440
 curse

00:42:43.440 --> 00:42:44.159
 we are

00:42:44.159 --> 00:42:44.719
 sinned

00:42:44.719 --> 00:42:45.339
 he would

00:42:45.339 --> 00:42:45.799
 bear our

00:42:45.799 --> 00:42:46.179
 sin

00:42:46.179 --> 00:42:47.019
 we were

00:42:47.019 --> 00:42:47.539
 ashamed

00:42:47.539 --> 00:42:48.279
 he would

00:42:48.279 --> 00:42:48.779
 bear our

00:42:48.779 --> 00:42:49.199
 shame

00:42:49.199 --> 00:42:49.819
 and he

00:42:49.819 --> 00:42:50.179
 would do

00:42:50.179 --> 00:42:50.619
 all of

00:42:50.619 --> 00:42:50.839
 that

00:42:50.839 --> 00:42:51.399
 not for

00:42:51.399 --> 00:42:51.779
 himself

00:42:51.779 --> 00:42:52.379
 but for

00:42:52.379 --> 00:42:52.819
 you and

00:42:52.819 --> 00:42:53.099
 me

00:42:53.099 --> 00:42:53.759
 and he

00:42:53.759 --> 00:42:54.339
 would offer

00:42:54.339 --> 00:42:55.000
 for us

00:42:55.000 --> 00:42:55.699
 his

00:42:55.699 --> 00:42:56.440
 perfect

00:42:56.440 --> 00:42:57.199
 obedience

00:42:57.199 --> 00:42:57.960
 and intimacy

00:42:57.960 --> 00:42:58.480
 to the

00:42:58.480 --> 00:42:58.859
 father

00:42:58.860 --> 00:42:59.579
 he would

00:42:59.579 --> 00:43:00.039
 offer

00:43:00.039 --> 00:43:00.900
 he would

00:43:00.900 --> 00:43:01.260
 offer

00:43:01.260 --> 00:43:01.780
 to trade

00:43:01.780 --> 00:43:02.180
 our

00:43:02.180 --> 00:43:03.059
 disobedience

00:43:03.059 --> 00:43:03.700
 for his

00:43:03.700 --> 00:43:04.140
 obedience

00:43:04.140 --> 00:43:05.340
 our impurity

00:43:05.340 --> 00:43:06.200
 for his

00:43:06.200 --> 00:43:06.700
 purity

00:43:06.700 --> 00:43:07.320
 our

00:43:07.320 --> 00:43:08.320
 uncleanness

00:43:08.320 --> 00:43:08.960
 for his

00:43:08.960 --> 00:43:09.519
 cleanness

00:43:09.519 --> 00:43:10.240
 and this

00:43:10.240 --> 00:43:11.160
 profound

00:43:11.160 --> 00:43:12.260
 transaction

00:43:12.260 --> 00:43:13.000
 on the

00:43:13.000 --> 00:43:13.519
 cross

00:43:13.519 --> 00:43:14.160
 is a

00:43:14.160 --> 00:43:14.579
 far

00:43:14.579 --> 00:43:15.360
 greater

00:43:15.360 --> 00:43:16.559
 deliverance

00:43:16.559 --> 00:43:19.280
 and we

00:43:19.280 --> 00:43:19.559
 are to

00:43:19.559 --> 00:43:20.220
 proclaim that

00:43:20.220 --> 00:43:20.599
 in a way

00:43:20.599 --> 00:43:20.960
 that we

00:43:20.960 --> 00:43:21.539
 understand

00:43:21.539 --> 00:43:22.480
 that everyone

00:43:22.480 --> 00:43:23.280
 who hears

00:43:23.280 --> 00:43:24.240
 it is

00:43:24.240 --> 00:43:24.760
 invited

00:43:24.760 --> 00:43:26.160
 to receive

00:43:26.160 --> 00:43:26.420
 it

00:43:26.420 --> 00:43:29.280
 the

00:43:29.280 --> 00:43:29.579
 Lord

00:43:29.579 --> 00:43:29.760
 is

00:43:29.760 --> 00:43:30.139
 risen

00:43:30.139 --> 00:43:31.619
 deliverance

00:43:31.619 --> 00:43:31.820
 is

00:43:31.820 --> 00:43:32.180
 real

00:43:32.180 --> 00:43:33.760
 damnation

00:43:33.760 --> 00:43:36.000
 that's

00:43:36.000 --> 00:43:36.119
 an

00:43:36.119 --> 00:43:36.500
 eternity

00:43:36.500 --> 00:43:36.980
 separate

00:43:36.980 --> 00:43:37.220
 from

00:43:37.220 --> 00:43:37.619
 God

00:43:37.619 --> 00:43:40.380
 at

00:43:40.380 --> 00:43:40.700
 first I

00:43:40.700 --> 00:43:40.900
 was going

00:43:40.900 --> 00:43:41.119
 to use

00:43:41.119 --> 00:43:41.380
 the word

00:43:41.380 --> 00:43:41.980
 tragedy

00:43:41.980 --> 00:43:43.000
 but the

00:43:43.000 --> 00:43:43.240
 problem

00:43:43.240 --> 00:43:43.400
 with

00:43:43.400 --> 00:43:43.860
 tragedy

00:43:43.860 --> 00:43:44.200
 is that

00:43:44.200 --> 00:43:44.400
 there's

00:43:44.400 --> 00:43:44.720
 something

00:43:44.720 --> 00:43:45.200
 noble

00:43:45.200 --> 00:43:46.680
 in the

00:43:46.680 --> 00:43:47.019
 tragic

00:43:47.019 --> 00:43:47.360
 figure

00:43:47.360 --> 00:43:47.760
 and it's

00:43:47.760 --> 00:43:48.059
 not a

00:43:48.059 --> 00:43:48.500
 tragedy

00:43:48.500 --> 00:43:48.920
 it is

00:43:48.920 --> 00:43:49.079
 a

00:43:49.079 --> 00:43:49.639
 calamity

00:43:49.639 --> 00:43:50.880
 there's

00:43:50.880 --> 00:43:51.200
 nothing

00:43:51.200 --> 00:43:52.480
 noble

00:43:52.480 --> 00:43:53.440
 it is

00:43:53.440 --> 00:43:54.159
 just

00:43:54.159 --> 00:43:56.539
 a

00:43:56.539 --> 00:43:57.219
 disaster

00:43:57.219 --> 00:44:00.279
 if we

00:44:00.279 --> 00:44:00.759
 turn our

00:44:00.759 --> 00:44:01.279
 backs on

00:44:01.279 --> 00:44:01.739
 that

00:44:01.739 --> 00:44:02.659
 his

00:44:02.659 --> 00:44:02.960
 risen

00:44:02.960 --> 00:44:03.259
 and his

00:44:03.259 --> 00:44:03.879
 deliverance

00:44:03.879 --> 00:44:05.279
 to choose

00:44:05.279 --> 00:44:05.739
 ourselves

00:44:05.739 --> 00:44:06.019
 as you

00:44:06.019 --> 00:44:06.159
 could

00:44:06.159 --> 00:44:06.420
 wrap the

00:44:06.420 --> 00:44:07.099
 next slide

00:44:07.099 --> 00:44:07.619
 Andrew

00:44:07.619 --> 00:44:09.440
 grace

00:44:09.440 --> 00:44:10.099
 is real

00:44:10.099 --> 00:44:11.119
 repentance

00:44:11.119 --> 00:44:11.799
 is always

00:44:11.799 --> 00:44:12.539
 an option

00:44:12.539 --> 00:44:13.480
 and

00:44:13.480 --> 00:44:14.659
 intransigence

00:44:14.659 --> 00:44:15.839
 is a

00:44:15.839 --> 00:44:16.339
 fantasy

00:44:16.339 --> 00:44:18.079
 I know

00:44:18.079 --> 00:44:18.759
 some of

00:44:18.759 --> 00:44:19.000
 you have

00:44:19.000 --> 00:44:19.239
 to look

00:44:19.239 --> 00:44:19.460
 up what

00:44:19.460 --> 00:44:20.139
 intransigence

00:44:20.139 --> 00:44:20.659
 means

00:44:20.659 --> 00:44:21.819
 it means

00:44:21.819 --> 00:44:22.480
 a complete

00:44:22.480 --> 00:44:23.159
 and utter

00:44:23.159 --> 00:44:23.819
 refusal

00:44:23.820 --> 00:44:24.580
 to change

00:44:24.580 --> 00:44:25.340
 I've

00:44:25.340 --> 00:44:25.500
 just

00:44:25.500 --> 00:44:25.800
 started

00:44:25.800 --> 00:44:26.080
 reading

00:44:26.080 --> 00:44:26.620
 a very

00:44:26.620 --> 00:44:26.900
 very

00:44:26.900 --> 00:44:28.460
 good

00:44:28.460 --> 00:44:28.800
 book

00:44:28.800 --> 00:44:29.019
 by

00:44:29.019 --> 00:44:29.440
 Jackie

00:44:29.440 --> 00:44:29.720
 Hill

00:44:29.720 --> 00:44:30.100
 Perry

00:44:30.100 --> 00:44:30.940
 it has

00:44:30.940 --> 00:44:31.360
 a very

00:44:31.360 --> 00:44:31.840
 intriguing

00:44:31.840 --> 00:44:32.380
 title

00:44:32.380 --> 00:44:33.100
 it's

00:44:33.100 --> 00:44:33.640
 called

00:44:33.640 --> 00:44:34.120
 Gay

00:44:34.120 --> 00:44:34.720
 Girl

00:44:34.720 --> 00:44:35.900
 Good

00:44:35.900 --> 00:44:36.420
 God

00:44:36.420 --> 00:44:37.620
 Gay

00:44:37.620 --> 00:44:37.960
 Girl

00:44:37.960 --> 00:44:38.260
 Good

00:44:38.260 --> 00:44:38.680
 God

00:44:38.680 --> 00:44:39.720
 by

00:44:39.720 --> 00:44:40.100
 Jackie

00:44:40.100 --> 00:44:40.340
 Hill

00:44:40.340 --> 00:44:40.700
 Perry

00:44:40.700 --> 00:44:41.800
 and one

00:44:41.800 --> 00:44:42.019
 of the

00:44:42.019 --> 00:44:42.400
 opening

00:44:42.400 --> 00:44:42.960
 lines

00:44:42.960 --> 00:44:43.480
 in it

00:44:43.480 --> 00:44:44.280
 is she

00:44:44.280 --> 00:44:44.720
 talks

00:44:44.720 --> 00:44:45.140
 about her

00:44:45.140 --> 00:44:45.760
 experience

00:44:45.760 --> 00:44:46.080
 as a

00:44:46.080 --> 00:44:46.420
 lesbian

00:44:46.420 --> 00:44:48.480
 and she

00:44:48.480 --> 00:44:49.019
 said that

00:44:49.019 --> 00:44:49.600
 part of

00:44:49.600 --> 00:44:50.019
 the core

00:44:50.019 --> 00:44:50.400
 belief

00:44:50.400 --> 00:44:50.740
 for her

00:44:50.740 --> 00:44:51.059
 as a

00:44:51.059 --> 00:44:51.440
 lesbian

00:44:51.440 --> 00:44:52.620
 is that

00:44:52.620 --> 00:44:53.039
 I

00:44:53.039 --> 00:44:53.500
 as a

00:44:53.500 --> 00:44:53.900
 lesbian

00:44:53.900 --> 00:44:54.659
 cannot

00:44:54.659 --> 00:44:55.659
 change

00:44:55.659 --> 00:44:56.900
 therefore

00:44:56.900 --> 00:44:57.420
 God

00:44:57.420 --> 00:44:57.880
 has to

00:44:57.880 --> 00:44:58.360
 change

00:44:58.360 --> 00:44:59.759
 his

00:44:59.759 --> 00:45:00.139
 word

00:45:00.139 --> 00:45:00.639
 has to

00:45:00.639 --> 00:45:01.119
 change

00:45:01.119 --> 00:45:02.759
 his

00:45:02.759 --> 00:45:03.119
 will

00:45:03.119 --> 00:45:03.619
 has to

00:45:03.619 --> 00:45:04.099
 change

00:45:04.099 --> 00:45:05.039
 because

00:45:05.039 --> 00:45:05.659
 I

00:45:05.659 --> 00:45:07.619
 cannot

00:45:07.619 --> 00:45:08.860
 will

00:45:08.860 --> 00:45:09.300
 not

00:45:09.300 --> 00:45:10.460
 change

00:45:10.460 --> 00:45:11.279
 that

00:45:11.279 --> 00:45:11.960
 is

00:45:11.960 --> 00:45:12.900
 intransigence

00:45:12.900 --> 00:45:13.820
 and the

00:45:13.820 --> 00:45:14.300
 very next

00:45:14.300 --> 00:45:14.779
 line

00:45:14.779 --> 00:45:16.059
 she says

00:45:16.059 --> 00:45:16.360
 it's an

00:45:16.360 --> 00:45:16.719
 illusion

00:45:16.719 --> 00:45:17.079
 and a

00:45:17.079 --> 00:45:17.500
 fantasy

00:45:17.500 --> 00:45:17.980
 which is

00:45:17.980 --> 00:45:18.219
 not

00:45:18.219 --> 00:45:18.579
 true

00:45:18.579 --> 00:45:19.880
 God

00:45:19.880 --> 00:45:20.099
 will

00:45:20.099 --> 00:45:20.300
 never

00:45:20.300 --> 00:45:20.779
 change

00:45:20.780 --> 00:45:21.100
 because

00:45:21.100 --> 00:45:21.400
 God

00:45:21.400 --> 00:45:21.540
 is

00:45:21.540 --> 00:45:21.860
 always

00:45:21.860 --> 00:45:22.240
 good

00:45:22.240 --> 00:45:24.620
 and all

00:45:24.620 --> 00:45:24.900
 I

00:45:24.900 --> 00:45:25.120
 can

00:45:25.120 --> 00:45:25.340
 do

00:45:25.340 --> 00:45:25.500
 is

00:45:25.500 --> 00:45:26.120
 change

00:45:26.120 --> 00:45:26.620
 as a

00:45:26.620 --> 00:45:26.980
 result

00:45:26.980 --> 00:45:27.400
 of the

00:45:27.400 --> 00:45:27.700
 goodness

00:45:27.700 --> 00:45:28.100
 and the

00:45:28.100 --> 00:45:28.400
 grace

00:45:28.400 --> 00:45:29.000
 of God

00:45:29.000 --> 00:45:30.900
 and my

00:45:30.900 --> 00:45:31.400
 refusal

00:45:31.400 --> 00:45:32.019
 to bend

00:45:32.019 --> 00:45:32.720
 my knee

00:45:32.720 --> 00:45:34.000
 is intransigence

00:45:34.000 --> 00:45:35.160
 and not

00:45:35.160 --> 00:45:35.640
 something

00:45:35.640 --> 00:45:36.040
 which is

00:45:36.040 --> 00:45:36.740
 impossible

00:45:36.740 --> 00:45:38.940
 and whether

00:45:38.940 --> 00:45:39.540
 it's that

00:45:39.540 --> 00:45:39.840
 whether

00:45:39.840 --> 00:45:40.280
 it's

00:45:40.280 --> 00:45:41.260
 any type

00:45:41.260 --> 00:45:41.820
 of sin

00:45:41.820 --> 00:45:42.180
 that we

00:45:42.180 --> 00:45:42.540
 cling

00:45:42.540 --> 00:45:42.780
 to

00:45:42.780 --> 00:45:43.060
 that we

00:45:43.060 --> 00:45:43.320
 think

00:45:43.320 --> 00:45:43.500
 we

00:45:43.500 --> 00:45:43.880
 cannot

00:45:43.880 --> 00:45:44.320
 live

00:45:44.320 --> 00:45:44.560
 our

00:45:44.560 --> 00:45:44.980
 lives

00:45:44.980 --> 00:45:45.220
 without

00:45:45.220 --> 00:45:45.560
 this

00:45:45.560 --> 00:45:45.980
 idol

00:45:45.980 --> 00:45:46.300
 without

00:45:46.300 --> 00:45:46.700
 this

00:45:46.700 --> 00:45:47.060
 sin

00:45:47.060 --> 00:45:47.760
 that it's

00:45:47.760 --> 00:45:48.300
 impossible

00:45:48.300 --> 00:45:48.920
 and somehow

00:45:48.920 --> 00:45:49.240
 or another

00:45:49.239 --> 00:45:49.679
 everything

00:45:49.679 --> 00:45:50.000
 else

00:45:50.000 --> 00:45:50.339
 has to

00:45:50.339 --> 00:45:50.579
 change

00:45:50.579 --> 00:45:50.779
 that

00:45:50.779 --> 00:45:50.939
 is

00:45:50.939 --> 00:45:51.799
 intransigence

00:45:51.799 --> 00:45:52.619
 it is

00:45:52.619 --> 00:45:52.779
 a

00:45:52.779 --> 00:45:53.339
 fantasy

00:45:53.339 --> 00:45:54.779
 for the

00:45:54.779 --> 00:45:55.039
 fact

00:45:55.039 --> 00:45:55.419
 the matter

00:45:55.419 --> 00:45:55.759
 is

00:45:55.759 --> 00:45:56.119
 is that

00:45:56.119 --> 00:45:56.659
 God's

00:45:56.659 --> 00:45:57.479
 unmerited

00:45:57.479 --> 00:45:58.159
 kindness

00:45:58.159 --> 00:45:58.919
 and goodness

00:45:58.919 --> 00:45:59.519
 to human

00:45:59.519 --> 00:46:00.039
 beings

00:46:00.039 --> 00:46:00.819
 through the

00:46:00.819 --> 00:46:01.379
 cross

00:46:01.379 --> 00:46:02.479
 is real

00:46:02.479 --> 00:46:03.779
 and for

00:46:03.779 --> 00:46:04.259
 Jesus

00:46:04.259 --> 00:46:05.119
 for the

00:46:05.119 --> 00:46:05.479
 Father

00:46:05.479 --> 00:46:05.979
 the Son

00:46:05.979 --> 00:46:06.219
 and the

00:46:06.219 --> 00:46:06.839
 Holy Spirit

00:46:06.839 --> 00:46:07.679
 three persons

00:46:07.679 --> 00:46:08.379
 one God

00:46:08.379 --> 00:46:08.799
 forever

00:46:08.799 --> 00:46:09.319
 and ever

00:46:09.319 --> 00:46:09.679
 and ever

00:46:09.679 --> 00:46:10.299
 repentance

00:46:10.299 --> 00:46:11.219
 is not

00:46:11.219 --> 00:46:12.259
 only always

00:46:12.259 --> 00:46:13.019
 an option

00:46:13.019 --> 00:46:13.519
 no matter

00:46:13.519 --> 00:46:14.079
 where you

00:46:14.079 --> 00:46:14.439
 are in

00:46:14.439 --> 00:46:15.079
 your life

00:46:15.079 --> 00:46:15.919
 it is

00:46:15.919 --> 00:46:16.399
 always

00:46:16.399 --> 00:46:17.039
 God's

00:46:17.039 --> 00:46:17.519
 preferred

00:46:17.519 --> 00:46:18.219
 option

00:46:18.219 --> 00:46:19.119
 for you

00:46:19.119 --> 00:46:20.279
 repentance

00:46:20.279 --> 00:46:21.059
 is

00:46:21.059 --> 00:46:21.880
 possible

00:46:21.880 --> 00:46:24.559
 it is

00:46:24.559 --> 00:46:25.380
 possible

00:46:25.380 --> 00:46:28.359
 intransigence

00:46:28.359 --> 00:46:29.420
 is a

00:46:29.420 --> 00:46:29.940
 fantasy

00:46:29.940 --> 00:46:30.519
 you will

00:46:30.519 --> 00:46:30.900
 die

00:46:30.900 --> 00:46:31.599
 you will

00:46:31.599 --> 00:46:32.159
 change

00:46:32.159 --> 00:46:34.759
 to think

00:46:34.759 --> 00:46:35.400
 you won't

00:46:35.400 --> 00:46:38.279
 fantasy

00:46:38.279 --> 00:46:42.400
 if you

00:46:42.400 --> 00:46:42.619
 could put

00:46:42.619 --> 00:46:42.799
 up the

00:46:42.799 --> 00:46:43.219
 next point

00:46:43.219 --> 00:46:43.599
 Andrew

00:46:43.599 --> 00:46:44.900
 here's

00:46:44.900 --> 00:46:45.199
 the big

00:46:45.199 --> 00:46:45.599
 question

00:46:45.599 --> 00:46:46.059
 because you

00:46:46.059 --> 00:46:46.579
 see not

00:46:46.579 --> 00:46:46.960
 only is

00:46:46.960 --> 00:46:47.239
 the book

00:46:47.239 --> 00:46:47.659
 of Esther

00:46:47.659 --> 00:46:48.480
 about the

00:46:48.480 --> 00:46:48.859
 fact that

00:46:48.859 --> 00:46:49.440
 fate is

00:46:49.440 --> 00:46:50.019
 a delusion

00:46:50.019 --> 00:46:51.000
 that God's

00:46:51.000 --> 00:46:51.480
 providence

00:46:51.480 --> 00:46:52.059
 is real

00:46:52.059 --> 00:46:52.719
 it's a

00:46:52.719 --> 00:46:53.179
 book about

00:46:53.179 --> 00:46:53.559
 the fact

00:46:53.559 --> 00:46:54.699
 that deliverance

00:46:54.699 --> 00:46:55.179
 is real

00:46:55.179 --> 00:46:56.000
 it's also

00:46:56.000 --> 00:46:56.359
 a book

00:46:56.359 --> 00:46:56.839
 about how

00:46:56.839 --> 00:46:57.659
 grace and

00:46:57.659 --> 00:46:58.079
 repentance

00:46:58.079 --> 00:46:58.539
 is real

00:46:58.539 --> 00:46:58.980
 I didn't

00:46:58.980 --> 00:46:59.339
 talk about

00:46:59.339 --> 00:46:59.619
 it much

00:46:59.619 --> 00:47:00.819
 everybody

00:47:00.819 --> 00:47:01.239
 in the

00:47:01.239 --> 00:47:01.579
 empire

00:47:01.579 --> 00:47:01.879
 had

00:47:01.879 --> 00:47:02.460
 eight and a

00:47:02.460 --> 00:47:02.719
 half

00:47:02.719 --> 00:47:03.119
 months

00:47:03.119 --> 00:47:03.819
 to change

00:47:03.819 --> 00:47:04.399
 their views

00:47:04.399 --> 00:47:04.739
 on the

00:47:04.739 --> 00:47:05.039
 Jewish

00:47:05.039 --> 00:47:05.559
 people

00:47:05.559 --> 00:47:07.119
 eight and

00:47:07.119 --> 00:47:07.559
 a half

00:47:07.559 --> 00:47:08.179
 months

00:47:08.179 --> 00:47:12.379
 and 75

00:47:12.379 --> 00:47:13.039
 thousand

00:47:13.039 --> 00:47:13.440
 men

00:47:13.440 --> 00:47:14.179
 chose

00:47:14.179 --> 00:47:16.239
 to not

00:47:16.239 --> 00:47:16.839
 repent

00:47:16.839 --> 00:47:19.739
 but to

00:47:19.739 --> 00:47:20.299
 have an

00:47:20.299 --> 00:47:21.559
 intransigence

00:47:21.559 --> 00:47:22.699
 around

00:47:22.699 --> 00:47:23.599
 genocide

00:47:23.599 --> 00:47:26.679
 what a

00:47:26.679 --> 00:47:27.500
 calamity

00:47:27.500 --> 00:47:28.379
 that you

00:47:28.379 --> 00:47:28.859
 would be

00:47:28.859 --> 00:47:30.219
 intransigent

00:47:30.219 --> 00:47:31.419
 around the

00:47:31.419 --> 00:47:32.819
 desire of

00:47:32.819 --> 00:47:33.440
 racism

00:47:33.440 --> 00:47:34.739
 and genocide

00:47:34.739 --> 00:47:36.339
 and that's

00:47:36.339 --> 00:47:36.619
 what the

00:47:36.619 --> 00:47:36.980
 book is

00:47:36.980 --> 00:47:37.359
 about

00:47:37.360 --> 00:47:39.940
 intransigence

00:47:39.940 --> 00:47:41.800
 in evil

00:47:41.800 --> 00:47:45.440
 and the

00:47:45.440 --> 00:47:45.960
 book ends

00:47:45.960 --> 00:47:46.300
 with a

00:47:46.300 --> 00:47:46.820
 call to

00:47:46.820 --> 00:47:47.320
 remember

00:47:47.320 --> 00:47:48.860
 and if

00:47:48.860 --> 00:47:49.480
 the gospel

00:47:49.480 --> 00:47:50.120
 is true

00:47:50.120 --> 00:47:51.380
 why have

00:47:51.380 --> 00:47:51.880
 anything

00:47:51.880 --> 00:47:52.680
 other than

00:47:52.680 --> 00:47:53.360
 the gospel

00:47:53.360 --> 00:47:54.059
 shape your

00:47:54.059 --> 00:47:54.620
 memory and

00:47:54.620 --> 00:47:55.240
 your imagination

00:47:55.240 --> 00:47:55.860
 that's the

00:47:55.860 --> 00:47:56.360
 challenge of

00:47:56.360 --> 00:47:56.640
 Esther

00:47:56.640 --> 00:47:57.599
 why choose

00:47:57.599 --> 00:47:58.480
 anything else

00:47:58.480 --> 00:47:59.900
 why choose

00:47:59.900 --> 00:48:00.760
 commercialism

00:48:00.760 --> 00:48:01.280
 why choose

00:48:01.280 --> 00:48:01.620
 money

00:48:01.620 --> 00:48:02.200
 why choose

00:48:02.200 --> 00:48:02.640
 your career

00:48:02.640 --> 00:48:03.340
 why just

00:48:03.340 --> 00:48:03.620
 choose

00:48:03.620 --> 00:48:03.980
 whatever

00:48:03.980 --> 00:48:04.780
 comes out

00:48:04.780 --> 00:48:05.180
 of your

00:48:05.180 --> 00:48:06.240
 subconscious

00:48:06.240 --> 00:48:07.099
 unconscious

00:48:07.099 --> 00:48:07.900
 whatever

00:48:07.900 --> 00:48:09.079
 accusations

00:48:09.079 --> 00:48:09.799
 whatever

00:48:09.799 --> 00:48:10.519
 delusions

00:48:10.519 --> 00:48:10.920
 of how

00:48:10.920 --> 00:48:11.500
 great you

00:48:11.500 --> 00:48:11.659
 are

00:48:11.659 --> 00:48:12.139
 a legend

00:48:12.139 --> 00:48:12.440
 in your

00:48:12.440 --> 00:48:12.579
 own

00:48:12.579 --> 00:48:12.759
 mind

00:48:12.759 --> 00:48:13.500
 why have

00:48:13.500 --> 00:48:14.039
 anything

00:48:14.039 --> 00:48:14.860
 form your

00:48:14.860 --> 00:48:15.400
 memory and

00:48:15.400 --> 00:48:16.039
 your imagination

00:48:16.039 --> 00:48:16.940
 other than the

00:48:16.940 --> 00:48:17.639
 gospel if the

00:48:17.639 --> 00:48:18.219
 gospel is

00:48:18.219 --> 00:48:18.659
 true

00:48:18.659 --> 00:48:23.539
 you see that's

00:48:23.539 --> 00:48:24.079
 why it's the

00:48:24.079 --> 00:48:24.579
 lord's day

00:48:24.579 --> 00:48:25.059
 why out of

00:48:25.059 --> 00:48:25.619
 every seven

00:48:25.619 --> 00:48:26.219
 day there's a

00:48:26.219 --> 00:48:26.839
 lord's day and

00:48:26.839 --> 00:48:27.579
 the heart of the

00:48:27.579 --> 00:48:28.279
 lord's day is that

00:48:28.279 --> 00:48:29.119
 the people of god

00:48:29.119 --> 00:48:30.039
 would gather and

00:48:30.039 --> 00:48:31.539
 every lord's day the

00:48:31.539 --> 00:48:32.619
 gospel is proclaimed

00:48:32.619 --> 00:48:34.339
 to christians and

00:48:34.339 --> 00:48:35.500
 non-christians alike

00:48:35.500 --> 00:48:36.420
 whoever gathers

00:48:36.420 --> 00:48:37.920
 why because there is the

00:48:37.920 --> 00:48:39.159
 desire of the lord that the

00:48:39.159 --> 00:48:40.279
 gospel would start to be

00:48:40.279 --> 00:48:41.179
 that which shapes our

00:48:41.179 --> 00:48:42.179
 memory and our

00:48:42.179 --> 00:48:42.699
 imagination

00:48:42.699 --> 00:48:43.719
 salvation it's why

00:48:43.719 --> 00:48:44.859
 ancient christians came

00:48:44.859 --> 00:48:45.659
 up with the christian

00:48:45.659 --> 00:48:46.980
 year of advent and

00:48:46.980 --> 00:48:48.779
 christmas and easter so

00:48:48.779 --> 00:48:50.500
 that time itself would

00:48:50.500 --> 00:48:51.679
 help us to remember the

00:48:51.679 --> 00:48:53.000
 great acts of salvation

00:48:53.000 --> 00:48:55.119
 it's why churches have

00:48:55.119 --> 00:48:57.179
 small life groups so that

00:48:57.179 --> 00:48:58.259
 you can gather together

00:48:58.259 --> 00:48:59.519
 and you can do life with

00:48:59.519 --> 00:49:01.139
 other people because the

00:49:01.139 --> 00:49:02.219
 fact of the matter is is

00:49:02.219 --> 00:49:03.259
 that our minds and our

00:49:03.259 --> 00:49:03.939
 memories and our

00:49:03.939 --> 00:49:05.379
 imaginations untethered

00:49:05.379 --> 00:49:06.699
 will have all sorts of

00:49:06.699 --> 00:49:08.159
 accusations and all sorts

00:49:08.159 --> 00:49:09.539
 of denunciations and all

00:49:09.539 --> 00:49:10.879
 sorts of ways that the

00:49:10.880 --> 00:49:11.900
 devil speaks into our

00:49:11.900 --> 00:49:13.300
 life to make us feel bad

00:49:13.300 --> 00:49:14.680
 about ourselves or feel

00:49:14.680 --> 00:49:15.460
 like we're completely

00:49:15.460 --> 00:49:16.579
 and utterly proud or as

00:49:16.579 --> 00:49:18.079
 if we can't repent and so

00:49:18.079 --> 00:49:19.140
 we need to live life

00:49:19.140 --> 00:49:19.940
 together with other

00:49:19.940 --> 00:49:22.140
 christians it's why we

00:49:22.140 --> 00:49:23.360
 memorize the bible it's

00:49:23.360 --> 00:49:24.519
 why we read the bible it's

00:49:24.519 --> 00:49:25.380
 why we have the daily

00:49:25.380 --> 00:49:26.860
 offices or daily quiet

00:49:26.860 --> 00:49:28.340
 times it's why we do

00:49:28.340 --> 00:49:29.599
 those things and it

00:49:29.599 --> 00:49:30.599
 should all be done not

00:49:30.599 --> 00:49:31.320
 just that it's a

00:49:31.320 --> 00:49:32.900
 religious duty but we do

00:49:32.900 --> 00:49:34.660
 it with the next prayer if

00:49:34.660 --> 00:49:35.740
 you could put up the final

00:49:35.740 --> 00:49:38.000
 prayer lord please grow in

00:49:38.000 --> 00:49:39.000
 me the habits and

00:49:39.000 --> 00:49:40.500
 disciplines i need

00:49:40.500 --> 00:49:42.400
 so that your gospel

00:49:42.400 --> 00:49:43.940
 shapes my shapes my

00:49:43.940 --> 00:49:44.699
 memory and my

00:49:44.699 --> 00:49:48.019
 imagination and as the

00:49:48.019 --> 00:49:49.380
 gospel shapes our memory

00:49:49.380 --> 00:49:50.440
 and imagination as the

00:49:50.440 --> 00:49:51.860
 gospel grips us we grow in

00:49:51.860 --> 00:49:52.320
 freedom

00:49:52.320 --> 00:49:56.360
 living not out of evil

00:49:56.360 --> 00:50:00.079
 but living for god's glory

00:50:00.079 --> 00:50:03.659
 that's the gospel that's the

00:50:03.659 --> 00:50:06.539
 message of ester it's not

00:50:06.539 --> 00:50:07.719
 the word of george it's the

00:50:07.719 --> 00:50:09.539
 word of the lord please

00:50:09.539 --> 00:50:09.980
 stand

00:50:09.980 --> 00:50:21.420
 just want to say as we

00:50:21.420 --> 00:50:22.539
 as we close i'm going to

00:50:22.539 --> 00:50:23.539
 invite you to all pray that

00:50:23.539 --> 00:50:24.420
 prayer with me

00:50:24.420 --> 00:50:29.539
 here's the wonderful thing

00:50:29.539 --> 00:50:30.940
 you know the wonderful thing

00:50:30.940 --> 00:50:32.019
 about the lord is the lord

00:50:32.019 --> 00:50:33.559
 sometimes can change you like

00:50:33.559 --> 00:50:36.360
 that you really can and you've

00:50:36.360 --> 00:50:37.519
 probably met people who are

00:50:37.519 --> 00:50:39.099
 able to stop drinking or stop

00:50:39.099 --> 00:50:42.059
 drugs or stops or stops you

00:50:42.059 --> 00:50:44.460
 know smoking or or stop you

00:50:44.460 --> 00:50:45.599
 know be able to forgive just

00:50:45.599 --> 00:50:47.280
 like that and that's very true

00:50:47.280 --> 00:50:48.659
 and you can ask the lord to do

00:50:48.659 --> 00:50:48.980
 that

00:50:48.980 --> 00:50:50.639
 ask the lord to do that

00:50:50.639 --> 00:50:53.780
 but for a lot of things in our

00:50:53.780 --> 00:50:55.380
 lives it's a slower process

00:50:55.380 --> 00:50:59.820
 it's it's week by week of the

00:50:59.820 --> 00:51:01.460
 lord's day in god's people it's

00:51:01.460 --> 00:51:04.239
 it's it's small victories and it

00:51:04.239 --> 00:51:05.479
 might be that over the course of

00:51:05.479 --> 00:51:07.519
 the year it's it is 53 steps

00:51:07.519 --> 00:51:09.239
 back but it's actually been 74

00:51:09.239 --> 00:51:10.559
 steps forward and that's

00:51:10.559 --> 00:51:12.679
 actually a net gain of 21 steps

00:51:12.679 --> 00:51:15.839
 in the right direction and a lot

00:51:15.839 --> 00:51:17.379
 of times we might not see very much

00:51:17.379 --> 00:51:18.679
 change in a day but you can see a

00:51:18.679 --> 00:51:21.459
 lot of change in a year and so i

00:51:21.459 --> 00:51:23.099
 just want to say that for some of

00:51:23.099 --> 00:51:24.659
 us who struggle with addictions and

00:51:24.659 --> 00:51:26.219
 some of us who struggle with

00:51:26.219 --> 00:51:27.779
 alcoholism and some of us who

00:51:27.779 --> 00:51:29.299
 struggle with depression and some of

00:51:29.299 --> 00:51:31.239
 us who struggle with dark thoughts i'm

00:51:31.239 --> 00:51:33.299
 not saying if you pray that prayer

00:51:33.299 --> 00:51:34.539
 it's going to instantly change you

00:51:34.539 --> 00:51:36.579
 i'm not it might and pray that the

00:51:36.579 --> 00:51:37.719
 lord that it will might and if it

00:51:37.719 --> 00:51:41.159
 does we will all go hip hip hooray

00:51:41.159 --> 00:51:44.419
 yahoo praise god hallelujah that's

00:51:44.419 --> 00:51:45.559
 what god's people should do

00:51:45.559 --> 00:51:50.159
 and um but for for many of us the

00:51:50.159 --> 00:51:52.639
 lord hears that prayer he he wants to

00:51:52.639 --> 00:51:55.239
 shape us by the gospel he wants to

00:51:55.239 --> 00:51:56.979
 shape our memory by the gospel and he

00:51:56.979 --> 00:51:58.439
 wants to shape our imagination

00:51:58.440 --> 00:52:01.179
 because you see what's what's anxiety

00:52:01.179 --> 00:52:04.119
 anxiety is a waste of the imagination

00:52:04.119 --> 00:52:08.440
 it's imagining the worst and fate and

00:52:08.440 --> 00:52:10.800
 doom and that's why memory and

00:52:10.800 --> 00:52:13.639
 imagination are so closely connected

00:52:13.639 --> 00:52:15.599
 so i just want to challenge you for

00:52:15.599 --> 00:52:17.679
 some of you this is also maybe a

00:52:17.679 --> 00:52:19.400
 conversion prayer for you that you're

00:52:19.400 --> 00:52:21.039
 asking the lord to be your lord and

00:52:21.039 --> 00:52:24.079
 your savior but i invite you to pray

00:52:24.079 --> 00:52:25.460
 with me and at the end of it it's not

00:52:25.460 --> 00:52:27.460
 says amen up here but if you'll all say

00:52:27.460 --> 00:52:29.579
 uh amen at the end that would be great

00:52:29.579 --> 00:52:34.059
 as well let's pray lord please grow in

00:52:34.059 --> 00:52:37.800
 me the habits and disciplines i need so

00:52:37.800 --> 00:52:40.880
 that your gospel shapes my memory and my

00:52:40.880 --> 00:52:44.820
 imagination and i grow in freedom living

00:52:44.820 --> 00:52:47.760
 for your glory and all god's people said

00:52:47.760 --> 00:52:48.880
 amen

00:52:48.880 --> 00:52:53.619
 everything

00:52:53.619 --> 00:52:57.619
 for right

00:52:57.940 --> 00:52:58.480
 okay

00:52:58.480 --> 00:53:00.720
 and

00:53:00.720 --> 00:53:02.860
 what

00:53:02.860 --> 00:53:07.539
 yeah