WEBVTT

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 Good morning, Watermark. The scripture reading comes from Ephesians chapter 1.

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 Starting in verse 1, we read,

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 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God,

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 to the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus,

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 grace to you and peace from God, our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

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 who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places,

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 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world,

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 that we should be holy and blameless before him.

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 In love, he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ,

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 according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace,

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 with which he has blessed us in the beloved.

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 In him, we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespassers,

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 according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us,

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 in all wisdom and insight, making known to us the mystery of his will,

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 according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time,

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 to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

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 In him, we have obtained an inheritance,

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 having been predestined according to the purpose of him,

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 who works all things according to the counsel of his will,

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 so that we, who are the first to hope in Christ,

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 might be to the praise of his glory.

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 In him, you also, when you heard the word of truth,

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 the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him,

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 were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,

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 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it,

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 to the praise of his glory.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Great, Iris. You read that so well. Well done. Thank you.

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 Okay, let's look at this passage.

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 And we're going to dive right in.

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 It's a very meaty, meaty passage.

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 Let's see if we can try and make sense of it.

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 He starts off, Paul, verse 1,

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 Paul, that's the guy who's writing this letter.

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 And he writes to a bunch of Christians.

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 He says, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.

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 Okay, we're going to talk a lot about the will of God

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 in a few minutes' time. Hold on to that thought.

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 And he says,

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 To the saints who are in Ephesus and are faithful in Christ Jesus.

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 Last week, we spoke a little bit about the word saints.

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 Saints doesn't mean super religious people or super holy ones.

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 It just means those that are in Christ,

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 those that are followers of Jesus.

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 And he says,

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 To those who are in Ephesus.

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 Paul is this apostle who is writing this letter

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 to this small church in the ancient city of Ephesus.

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 Now, let's talk a little bit about Ephesus.

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 Ephesus was one of the most important cities in the Roman Empire.

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 It was the fifth largest city in the Roman Empire.

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 It was the capital of the province of Asia in the Roman Empire.

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 It was given this title,

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 The First and Greatest Metropolis of Asia.

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 That was the title,

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 which sounds a lot to me like Asia's First World City.

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 Right?

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 Is that Asia's World City?

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 That's our title.

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 Okay, Ephesus, Asia's World City.

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 But that's not the only place where connections with Hong Kong end.

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 It was also a major port city.

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 It was built.

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 It had a major harbor.

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 It was built on a port.

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 It was a major trading city

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 because it was built on the trading routes in that region.

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 And so all the trade and the shipping routes that came past

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 would stop in Ephesus and do their trade.

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 So it was a very economically important and powerful city.

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 It was also a very well-educated city.

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 There was a big library called the Library of Celsus.

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 It was actually built a few years after this letter.

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 The third biggest library in the whole Roman Empire

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 had 12,000 manuscripts and documents.

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 So it was a very well-educated city.

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 It was also a very religious city.

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 Just outside of the city of Ephesus

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 was this great temple called the Temple of Artemis,

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 one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

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 Ephesians were very proud of their Temple of Artemis.

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 But it was also a very superstitious city.

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 Everywhere you walked,

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 there would be these little shrines

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 and people offering offerings to Artemis,

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 to the goddess of Artemis.

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 There's actually a great story in Acts chapter 19.

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 There's a silversmith called Demetrius,

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 and he makes silver shrines of the goddess Artemis

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 that people buy and then, you know,

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 worship and carry around in their pockets.

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 And he gets upset because the apostle Paul

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 comes to Ephesus

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 and is telling people about Jesus,

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 and now people aren't buying his silver shrines

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 because they're following Jesus.

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 And so he gets this mob together

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 to try and kill Paul and the apostles

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 or at least drive them out.

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 And this is what he says.

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 He says,

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 this guy Paul is persuading people

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 to turn away from gods made with hands,

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 saying that they're not actually gods.

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 Which that's an interesting thought, right?

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 Anyway, we can talk about that another time.

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 He says,

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 there's a danger not only to this business of ours,

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 but also the great goddess Artemis,

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 causing her to be deposed from her magnificence,

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 she whom all Asia and the whole world worship.

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 So they're getting upset

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 because now these Ephesians are hearing about Jesus,

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 who they say is the one true God,

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 not Artemis,

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 and now people are no longer buying his shrines

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 or worshiping there at their temple.

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 And so here is this great big world city,

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 this trading city,

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 this port city,

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 this harbor city,

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 an economically important city,

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 a religious and superstitious city,

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 lots of magic and spiritualists in the city.

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 And in the middle of the city

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 is this small little church.

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 It's not very impressive,

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 not very fancy.

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 They maybe met in somebody's house,

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 a house church,

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 10 people,

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 maybe 15 people.

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 And they're facing opposition and persecution

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 for following Jesus.

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 And the apostle Paul writes this letter

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 to encourage them in their faith

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 and to encourage them to follow Jesus.

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 And so that's kind of what the letter is

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 and where it's going.

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 So verse two,

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 he says,

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 grace to you and peace from God,

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 our father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

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 Now,

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 the next 12 verses

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 from verse three to 14

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 are a tsunami

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 of information

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 and doctrine

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 and theology.

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 Okay?

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 It's kind of like drinking

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 from a fire hydrant.

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 It's just you,

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 the point is to be blown away.

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 Okay?

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 And in the Greek Bible,

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 these 200 words

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 are one sentence.

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 It's probably the most complex sentence

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 in the whole Bible.

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 Paul goes all over the place

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 without a full stop.

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 And Iris did such a great job

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 of reading it,

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 but even our English,

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 we've broken down

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 to various sections.

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 Paul just is overwhelming us

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 with the tsunami of doctrine.

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 Okay?

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 And so let's try

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 and see if we can pull out the threads

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 and see something

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 of the big idea

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 of what Paul is saying

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 and what God is wanting to say to us.

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 And I think there's two big ideas here.

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 Okay?

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 The first one is this,

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 the blessings of being in Christ

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 and secondly,

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 the cosmic purpose of God in Christ.

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 Okay?

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 The blessings of being in Christ

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 for us individuals

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 and the cosmic plan of God

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 for the whole world in Christ.

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 Okay?

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 Let's see if we can try

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 and make sense of that.

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 So let's look at the first one,

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 the blessings of being in Christ.

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 Look at how Paul starts off.

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 He says,

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 blessed be

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 or praise be

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 or glory be

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 to the God and Father

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 of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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 So it's a statement of praise.

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 He's worshiping God.

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 All glory to you, God.

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 And why is he doing that?

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 Well, look what he says.

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 For he has blessed us

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 in Christ

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 with every spiritual blessing

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 in the heavenly places.

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 So he writes this declaration of praise.

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 Paul is doing

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 what we did earlier.

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 We sang.

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 Nate and Cynthia

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 and Jeremy

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 led us in songs of worship

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 and he's worshiping God.

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 Why?

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 Because of the multitude

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 of blessings

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 that God the Father

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 has given

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 or bestowed

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 on those who are in Christ.

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 Now, of course,

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 he's not talking about

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 material blessings

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 like this great job I got

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 or this house I've got

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 or my great wife

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 that I've got.

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 Those are wonderful blessings as well.

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 He's talking about

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 the spiritual blessings,

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 those that come

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 from the Holy Spirit

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 that pertain to

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 my relationship with God.

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 Praise be

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 the God and Father

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 of our Lord Jesus Christ

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 who has blessed us in Christ

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 with every spiritual blessing

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 in the heavenly places.

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 Okay,

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 well,

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 what are those blessings?

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 Well,

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 the rest of the passage

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 is jam-packed full of them.

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 Okay,

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 let's look at a couple of them.

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 Firstly,

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 look at the blessings

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 in the past.

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 He says here

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 in verse 3 and 4

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 how God has blessed us

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 in Christ

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 even before time began.

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 Okay,

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 he says here,

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 blessed be God

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 who has blessed us

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 in Christ

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 even as He chose us,

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 verse 4,

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 in Him

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 before the foundation

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 of the world.

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 So,

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 I mean,

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 that's a little mysterious.

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 I'll give it to you.

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 Okay,

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 I don't fully understand

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 how that all works.

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 But something is saying

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 before time began,

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 before the foundations

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 of the world,

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 God chose

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 to set His love

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 on His people.

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 Now,

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 I may say

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 that sounds a lot like

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 election,

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 predestination,

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 and that whole

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 big thing,

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 right?

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 And you're right.

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 That's exactly

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 what it sounds like.

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 And how does that work?

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 Well,

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 I'm not exactly sure.

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 But all we know

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 is what the Bible

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 says about it.

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 The Bible says

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 it's true.

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 God and His sovereignty

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 somehow arranged it

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 like that.

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 But Paul's point here

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 is that God's blessings

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 on His people

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 didn't originate

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 with me.

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 God didn't look at me

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 and say,

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 now,

00:10:24.100 --> 00:10:24.399
 Kevin,

00:10:24.639 --> 00:10:25.960
 there's a good guy.

00:10:26.060 --> 00:10:26.500
 There's a guy

00:10:26.500 --> 00:10:27.480
 I can really bless.

00:10:28.160 --> 00:10:28.500
 Not actually,

00:10:28.580 --> 00:10:29.279
 before I'd done

00:10:29.279 --> 00:10:30.279
 a single thing,

00:10:30.360 --> 00:10:31.060
 good or bad,

00:10:31.700 --> 00:10:32.480
 but before I'd done

00:10:32.480 --> 00:10:32.779
 anything,

00:10:32.940 --> 00:10:33.759
 God somehow

00:10:33.759 --> 00:10:34.340
 in His mind

00:10:34.340 --> 00:10:35.480
 chose to set

00:10:35.480 --> 00:10:36.220
 His love

00:10:36.220 --> 00:10:37.539
 on His people.

00:10:38.240 --> 00:10:39.259
 And if you're in Christ,

00:10:39.340 --> 00:10:39.860
 that's true

00:10:39.860 --> 00:10:41.019
 for you as well.

00:10:42.860 --> 00:10:43.600
 Christians aren't

00:10:43.600 --> 00:10:44.399
 the instigators

00:10:44.399 --> 00:10:45.320
 of God's blessing

00:10:45.320 --> 00:10:45.860
 and a favor

00:10:45.860 --> 00:10:46.360
 in our lives.

00:10:46.440 --> 00:10:47.159
 We're the recipients

00:10:47.159 --> 00:10:47.680
 of it.

00:10:47.820 --> 00:10:48.940
 God is the instigator.

00:10:49.240 --> 00:10:50.480
 It begins with Him.

00:10:51.500 --> 00:10:53.159
 God set His love

00:10:53.159 --> 00:10:53.879
 on His people.

00:10:54.740 --> 00:10:54.940
 Now,

00:10:55.039 --> 00:10:55.720
 one way you may

00:10:55.720 --> 00:10:56.399
 think about this

00:10:56.399 --> 00:10:57.220
 is if you're

00:10:57.220 --> 00:10:58.159
 a parent here,

00:10:58.659 --> 00:10:59.480
 when did you

00:10:59.480 --> 00:11:01.060
 first decide

00:11:01.060 --> 00:11:02.139
 to love your child?

00:11:02.960 --> 00:11:03.820
 Was it when they

00:11:03.820 --> 00:11:04.720
 started to make

00:11:04.720 --> 00:11:05.260
 their bed?

00:11:05.740 --> 00:11:05.940
 Right?

00:11:06.260 --> 00:11:06.980
 Or they started

00:11:06.980 --> 00:11:07.700
 to obey you

00:11:07.700 --> 00:11:08.480
 or listen to you?

00:11:08.820 --> 00:11:09.560
 Or maybe when

00:11:09.560 --> 00:11:10.200
 they were finally

00:11:10.200 --> 00:11:10.900
 potty trained,

00:11:10.980 --> 00:11:11.840
 no more diapers,

00:11:11.980 --> 00:11:12.760
 now I'm going

00:11:12.760 --> 00:11:13.760
 to love my child.

00:11:14.440 --> 00:11:14.879
 No, no, no,

00:11:14.879 --> 00:11:15.520
 before they were

00:11:15.520 --> 00:11:16.720
 even born, right?

00:11:17.260 --> 00:11:18.200
 You love them.

00:11:18.280 --> 00:11:18.900
 I remember when

00:11:18.900 --> 00:11:19.780
 Claire and I

00:11:19.780 --> 00:11:21.760
 went to have a scan.

00:11:21.900 --> 00:11:22.520
 Claire was pregnant

00:11:22.520 --> 00:11:23.100
 with Sierra,

00:11:23.200 --> 00:11:23.940
 our first child,

00:11:24.360 --> 00:11:25.460
 12 weeks pregnant.

00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:26.740
 And you go and

00:11:26.740 --> 00:11:27.360
 have the scan

00:11:27.360 --> 00:11:28.400
 to see if there's

00:11:28.400 --> 00:11:29.920
 any medical conditions,

00:11:30.020 --> 00:11:30.160
 right?

00:11:30.180 --> 00:11:31.060
 If there's Down syndrome

00:11:31.060 --> 00:11:31.620
 and they look at

00:11:31.620 --> 00:11:32.720
 the nose and the flesh

00:11:32.720 --> 00:11:33.740
 behind the neck,

00:11:33.820 --> 00:11:35.080
 and when you go,

00:11:35.200 --> 00:11:35.920
 the doctor says,

00:11:36.280 --> 00:11:36.700
 now listen,

00:11:36.820 --> 00:11:37.740
 these are the odds

00:11:37.740 --> 00:11:38.480
 of a Down syndrome

00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:39.680
 baby at your age

00:11:39.680 --> 00:11:40.160
 and everything.

00:11:41.000 --> 00:11:42.560
 And if the scan

00:11:42.560 --> 00:11:43.320
 reveals that there's

00:11:43.320 --> 00:11:43.980
 something wrong,

00:11:44.400 --> 00:11:45.000
 well, these are

00:11:45.000 --> 00:11:45.700
 your options,

00:11:45.800 --> 00:11:46.060
 right?

00:11:46.600 --> 00:11:47.440
 This is how we

00:11:47.440 --> 00:11:48.040
 can terminate

00:11:48.040 --> 00:11:48.600
 the pregnancy.

00:11:49.720 --> 00:11:50.060
 And Claire and I

00:11:50.060 --> 00:11:50.480
 said, no, no,

00:11:50.480 --> 00:11:51.860
 no, we've set our

00:11:51.860 --> 00:11:52.700
 hearts, we will

00:11:52.700 --> 00:11:53.580
 love this child.

00:11:54.379 --> 00:11:55.060
 Okay, there may be

00:11:55.060 --> 00:11:55.540
 some medical

00:11:55.540 --> 00:11:56.520
 challenges, okay,

00:11:56.760 --> 00:11:57.520
 we'll live with that.

00:11:57.820 --> 00:11:58.840
 No, we've decided

00:11:58.840 --> 00:11:59.700
 before this child's

00:11:59.700 --> 00:12:00.060
 even born,

00:12:00.160 --> 00:12:00.860
 before we've met

00:12:00.860 --> 00:12:01.380
 this child,

00:12:02.000 --> 00:12:03.020
 we will love

00:12:03.020 --> 00:12:03.640
 this child.

00:12:04.800 --> 00:12:05.400
 Well, think about

00:12:05.400 --> 00:12:06.280
 adoption, right?

00:12:06.980 --> 00:12:07.900
 You go and you want

00:12:07.900 --> 00:12:08.879
 to adopt a child,

00:12:09.700 --> 00:12:10.540
 the agency doesn't

00:12:10.540 --> 00:12:11.300
 say, okay,

00:12:11.379 --> 00:12:12.560
 here's five pictures,

00:12:12.720 --> 00:12:14.060
 choose which one's

00:12:14.060 --> 00:12:15.140
 got the same nose as

00:12:15.140 --> 00:12:16.460
 you and the same ears

00:12:16.460 --> 00:12:17.360
 and which one looks

00:12:17.360 --> 00:12:17.820
 cuddly.

00:12:18.360 --> 00:12:18.940
 No, they don't give

00:12:18.940 --> 00:12:19.440
 you a picture.

00:12:20.160 --> 00:12:21.060
 And the agency says,

00:12:21.160 --> 00:12:21.879
 we've got to tell you,

00:12:21.920 --> 00:12:22.440
 there may be some

00:12:22.440 --> 00:12:23.320
 medical challenges

00:12:23.320 --> 00:12:24.020
 with this child,

00:12:24.100 --> 00:12:24.840
 we don't know,

00:12:25.260 --> 00:12:25.580
 right?

00:12:26.080 --> 00:12:26.900
 And what do you say?

00:12:26.899 --> 00:12:28.959
 we have decided in

00:12:28.959 --> 00:12:29.279
 our heart,

00:12:29.360 --> 00:12:30.579
 we will love this

00:12:30.579 --> 00:12:31.659
 child as if it's our

00:12:31.659 --> 00:12:32.659
 own flesh and blood.

00:12:33.259 --> 00:12:34.659
 We have set our love

00:12:34.659 --> 00:12:35.299
 on this child.

00:12:36.340 --> 00:12:36.939
 Well, that's actually

00:12:36.939 --> 00:12:37.559
 Paul's argument.

00:12:37.659 --> 00:12:38.340
 Look what he says in

00:12:38.340 --> 00:12:39.240
 verse five.

00:12:39.899 --> 00:12:40.579
 He says,

00:12:40.580 --> 00:12:43.420
 in love,

00:12:43.520 --> 00:12:44.720
 he predestined us

00:12:44.720 --> 00:12:45.680
 for adoption

00:12:45.680 --> 00:12:47.000
 to himself

00:12:47.000 --> 00:12:47.720
 as sons

00:12:47.720 --> 00:12:49.180
 through Jesus Christ.

00:12:49.960 --> 00:12:51.000
 Praise be to God

00:12:51.000 --> 00:12:51.480
 and Father

00:12:51.480 --> 00:12:52.560
 who in eternity

00:12:52.560 --> 00:12:53.259
 past

00:12:53.259 --> 00:12:54.700
 chose to set

00:12:54.700 --> 00:12:55.780
 his love on us.

00:12:56.960 --> 00:12:57.660
 That's in the past.

00:12:57.659 --> 00:12:58.339
 Well, what about

00:12:58.339 --> 00:12:59.379
 the present blessings?

00:12:59.519 --> 00:13:00.360
 Well, look what he says.

00:13:00.919 --> 00:13:01.379
 In Christ,

00:13:01.480 --> 00:13:02.419
 we've been adopted

00:13:02.419 --> 00:13:03.399
 as sons

00:13:03.399 --> 00:13:04.659
 through Jesus Christ.

00:13:04.740 --> 00:13:05.860
 Verse five.

00:13:07.019 --> 00:13:07.899
 Adopted as sons,

00:13:08.059 --> 00:13:09.419
 welcomed into his family.

00:13:10.199 --> 00:13:10.899
 Now, you may say,

00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:12.019
 why does Paul

00:13:12.019 --> 00:13:13.240
 use the word of sons?

00:13:13.299 --> 00:13:13.939
 Why not sons

00:13:13.939 --> 00:13:14.759
 and daughters, right?

00:13:14.779 --> 00:13:16.000
 Is Paul being chauvinistic?

00:13:16.459 --> 00:13:17.360
 What's wrong with daughters?

00:13:18.019 --> 00:13:19.519
 Well, in the ancient world,

00:13:19.779 --> 00:13:20.620
 it was very common

00:13:20.620 --> 00:13:21.559
 for sons

00:13:21.559 --> 00:13:22.480
 to be adopted

00:13:22.480 --> 00:13:24.100
 by high-ranking

00:13:24.100 --> 00:13:25.139
 members of society,

00:13:25.379 --> 00:13:25.759
 senators,

00:13:25.959 --> 00:13:26.679
 and other officials

00:13:26.679 --> 00:13:28.139
 in order to ensure

00:13:28.139 --> 00:13:29.319
 that they had an heir

00:13:29.319 --> 00:13:30.959
 to pass on their name

00:13:30.959 --> 00:13:31.739
 and their inheritance.

00:13:32.699 --> 00:13:33.419
 You may remember

00:13:33.419 --> 00:13:34.719
 Caesar Augustus,

00:13:34.759 --> 00:13:35.919
 the first emperor

00:13:35.919 --> 00:13:37.159
 of the Roman Empire,

00:13:37.639 --> 00:13:38.579
 was actually not

00:13:38.579 --> 00:13:39.839
 the son of Julius Caesar.

00:13:40.259 --> 00:13:41.159
 He was adopted,

00:13:41.279 --> 00:13:42.239
 his adopted son.

00:13:42.319 --> 00:13:42.579
 And yet,

00:13:42.639 --> 00:13:43.939
 he was the heir

00:13:43.939 --> 00:13:44.819
 of Julius Caesar.

00:13:45.039 --> 00:13:45.899
 All his money,

00:13:46.039 --> 00:13:46.559
 all his wealth,

00:13:46.659 --> 00:13:47.079
 his status,

00:13:47.299 --> 00:13:48.279
 everything was passed

00:13:48.279 --> 00:13:48.859
 on to him.

00:13:49.599 --> 00:13:51.019
 In the ancient Roman world,

00:13:51.479 --> 00:13:52.000
 sons,

00:13:52.620 --> 00:13:53.839
 adopted children,

00:13:54.259 --> 00:13:55.679
 like in our day and age,

00:13:55.679 --> 00:13:58.059
 have full legal rights

00:13:58.059 --> 00:13:58.879
 and standing

00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:00.339
 as natural children

00:14:00.339 --> 00:14:01.000
 and is.

00:14:01.099 --> 00:14:02.139
 There's no difference.

00:14:03.179 --> 00:14:04.259
 Do you see what Paul's saying here?

00:14:04.539 --> 00:14:06.500
 For those who have come to Christ

00:14:06.500 --> 00:14:07.620
 in faith and repentance,

00:14:08.379 --> 00:14:09.279
 you've been given

00:14:09.279 --> 00:14:11.799
 the full legal standing

00:14:11.799 --> 00:14:12.719
 and rights

00:14:12.719 --> 00:14:14.139
 as if you are

00:14:14.139 --> 00:14:16.259
 a legitimate child

00:14:16.259 --> 00:14:17.659
 or son of God.

00:14:19.779 --> 00:14:20.759
 In Romans 8,

00:14:21.159 --> 00:14:21.879
 Paul writes this,

00:14:21.879 --> 00:14:23.039
 In Christ you've received

00:14:23.039 --> 00:14:24.159
 the spirit of your adoption

00:14:24.159 --> 00:14:25.059
 as sons,

00:14:25.600 --> 00:14:26.539
 through whom we cry,

00:14:26.659 --> 00:14:27.019
 Abba,

00:14:27.200 --> 00:14:27.679
 Father.

00:14:28.220 --> 00:14:29.139
 The spirit himself

00:14:29.139 --> 00:14:29.720
 bears witness

00:14:29.720 --> 00:14:30.399
 with our spirit

00:14:30.399 --> 00:14:31.939
 that we are children of God

00:14:31.939 --> 00:14:33.799
 and if children then heirs,

00:14:33.899 --> 00:14:34.659
 heirs of God,

00:14:34.919 --> 00:14:35.519
 and listen up,

00:14:36.200 --> 00:14:38.200
 fellow heirs with Christ,

00:14:39.080 --> 00:14:40.759
 co-heirs with Christ.

00:14:41.960 --> 00:14:42.279
 Now,

00:14:42.460 --> 00:14:43.179
 in some ways,

00:14:43.259 --> 00:14:45.639
 that sounds almost sacrilegious.

00:14:45.740 --> 00:14:45.919
 I mean,

00:14:46.299 --> 00:14:47.279
 Paul's almost saying

00:14:47.279 --> 00:14:48.699
 if you're in Christ,

00:14:49.100 --> 00:14:50.539
 you are equal

00:14:50.539 --> 00:14:51.799
 with Christ

00:14:51.799 --> 00:14:53.120
 before God the Father.

00:14:53.459 --> 00:14:53.579
 Now,

00:14:53.579 --> 00:14:53.959
 he's not saying

00:14:53.959 --> 00:14:54.659
 you're divine,

00:14:54.860 --> 00:14:55.039
 okay,

00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:56.139
 I'm sorry to break it to you,

00:14:56.179 --> 00:14:56.959
 you are not God.

00:14:57.620 --> 00:14:58.159
 He's not saying

00:14:58.159 --> 00:14:59.360
 that you're holy like Jesus,

00:14:59.720 --> 00:15:00.839
 but he's almost saying

00:15:00.839 --> 00:15:01.539
 there's something

00:15:01.539 --> 00:15:02.879
 of equality

00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:04.799
 that what Christ,

00:15:04.919 --> 00:15:05.919
 the Son of God is,

00:15:06.259 --> 00:15:08.100
 you as a son of God

00:15:08.100 --> 00:15:08.980
 or daughter of God

00:15:08.980 --> 00:15:10.639
 are a co-heir with Christ.

00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:11.419
 I mean,

00:15:11.439 --> 00:15:12.399
 it sounds ridiculous,

00:15:12.579 --> 00:15:12.799
 right,

00:15:13.079 --> 00:15:13.740
 that me,

00:15:13.959 --> 00:15:14.339
 sinful,

00:15:14.679 --> 00:15:15.159
 broken,

00:15:15.959 --> 00:15:16.819
 messed up me,

00:15:16.820 --> 00:15:18.340
 with all my issues

00:15:18.340 --> 00:15:19.680
 and all my idols

00:15:19.680 --> 00:15:20.540
 that I go and worship

00:15:20.540 --> 00:15:22.379
 and all my insecurities

00:15:22.379 --> 00:15:23.100
 and my fears,

00:15:23.680 --> 00:15:24.879
 God looks on me

00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:25.400
 and says,

00:15:25.920 --> 00:15:26.660
 my son,

00:15:27.260 --> 00:15:28.060
 I love you

00:15:28.060 --> 00:15:29.580
 like I love my son Jesus.

00:15:30.800 --> 00:15:31.000
 I mean,

00:15:31.020 --> 00:15:31.740
 that's incredible.

00:15:31.960 --> 00:15:32.940
 It almost feels wrong

00:15:32.940 --> 00:15:33.800
 to say that.

00:15:34.640 --> 00:15:34.780
 Oh,

00:15:34.800 --> 00:15:35.620
 but we've been adopted

00:15:35.620 --> 00:15:37.180
 as legal sons

00:15:37.180 --> 00:15:38.400
 and daughters of God.

00:15:39.220 --> 00:15:40.120
 And look at what he says

00:15:40.120 --> 00:15:40.800
 in verse 7.

00:15:41.300 --> 00:15:42.960
 In him you have redemption

00:15:42.960 --> 00:15:44.040
 through his blood.

00:15:44.820 --> 00:15:45.560
 Redemption means

00:15:45.559 --> 00:15:47.579
 you once were a slave,

00:15:48.059 --> 00:15:49.419
 you were under bondage,

00:15:49.879 --> 00:15:51.000
 a price was being paid

00:15:51.000 --> 00:15:52.059
 and now you're set free.

00:15:52.739 --> 00:15:53.259
 So think about

00:15:53.259 --> 00:15:54.019
 the ancient world,

00:15:54.079 --> 00:15:54.279
 right?

00:15:55.099 --> 00:15:56.099
 Someone's a slave,

00:15:56.759 --> 00:15:57.879
 they've got the slave master

00:15:57.879 --> 00:15:59.139
 that's cruel to them,

00:15:59.579 --> 00:16:00.879
 always telling them

00:16:00.879 --> 00:16:01.399
 what to do

00:16:01.399 --> 00:16:02.659
 and somehow

00:16:02.659 --> 00:16:04.239
 they are redeemed

00:16:04.239 --> 00:16:05.000
 from slavery.

00:16:05.199 --> 00:16:05.979
 Somebody pays

00:16:05.979 --> 00:16:06.839
 the ransom price

00:16:06.839 --> 00:16:07.519
 and they're set free.

00:16:08.339 --> 00:16:08.579
 Well,

00:16:08.599 --> 00:16:09.079
 the next day

00:16:09.079 --> 00:16:09.779
 the slave goes

00:16:09.779 --> 00:16:10.519
 into the marketplace

00:16:10.519 --> 00:16:12.099
 and their previous

00:16:12.099 --> 00:16:13.019
 slave owner comes

00:16:13.019 --> 00:16:13.239
 and says,

00:16:13.299 --> 00:16:13.779
 hey slave,

00:16:13.899 --> 00:16:14.399
 come to me,

00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:15.039
 I've got a job

00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:15.579
 for you to do.

00:16:16.279 --> 00:16:17.019
 And what does he say?

00:16:17.399 --> 00:16:18.620
 You've got no claim on me.

00:16:19.159 --> 00:16:20.059
 I've been set free.

00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:21.519
 Whatever you say

00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:22.740
 is meaningless.

00:16:24.100 --> 00:16:24.240
 Well,

00:16:24.279 --> 00:16:24.959
 Paul says here

00:16:24.959 --> 00:16:26.419
 we have been redeemed

00:16:26.419 --> 00:16:27.659
 through Christ.

00:16:28.299 --> 00:16:29.000
 In other words,

00:16:29.459 --> 00:16:30.399
 the bondage

00:16:30.399 --> 00:16:32.399
 of our shame,

00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:33.059
 the bondage

00:16:33.059 --> 00:16:33.699
 of our guilt,

00:16:33.840 --> 00:16:34.319
 the bondage

00:16:34.319 --> 00:16:35.240
 of our debt

00:16:35.240 --> 00:16:35.819
 that we owe

00:16:35.819 --> 00:16:36.860
 as a result of our sin

00:16:36.860 --> 00:16:38.500
 has no claim on us.

00:16:39.399 --> 00:16:39.840
 You know

00:16:39.840 --> 00:16:40.939
 that wonderful song

00:16:40.939 --> 00:16:41.659
 we often sing?

00:16:42.480 --> 00:16:43.519
 When Satan

00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:44.199
 tempts me

00:16:44.199 --> 00:16:45.019
 to despair

00:16:45.019 --> 00:16:46.360
 and tells me

00:16:46.360 --> 00:16:47.339
 of the guilt within,

00:16:48.139 --> 00:16:48.799
 up where I look

00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:49.679
 and see him there

00:16:49.679 --> 00:16:51.240
 who made an end

00:16:51.240 --> 00:16:52.079
 to all my sin.

00:16:53.100 --> 00:16:53.339
 Friends,

00:16:53.399 --> 00:16:54.100
 maybe this week

00:16:54.100 --> 00:16:55.120
 you messed up,

00:16:55.159 --> 00:16:55.879
 you did something wrong

00:16:55.879 --> 00:16:57.379
 and Satan comes

00:16:57.379 --> 00:16:57.740
 and says,

00:16:57.860 --> 00:16:58.779
 you're such a sinner.

00:16:59.360 --> 00:16:59.919
 How could God

00:16:59.919 --> 00:17:00.620
 ever love you?

00:17:01.120 --> 00:17:01.939
 Do you really think

00:17:01.939 --> 00:17:02.759
 God the Father

00:17:02.759 --> 00:17:03.659
 accepts you

00:17:03.659 --> 00:17:04.899
 after all the things

00:17:04.899 --> 00:17:05.579
 you've done wrong?

00:17:06.339 --> 00:17:07.599
 How could God love you?

00:17:07.659 --> 00:17:07.879
 Do you know

00:17:07.879 --> 00:17:08.339
 what you say?

00:17:08.819 --> 00:17:09.960
 I've been redeemed

00:17:09.960 --> 00:17:11.299
 by the blood of Christ.

00:17:11.840 --> 00:17:12.620
 Your accusations

00:17:12.620 --> 00:17:14.019
 have no claim on me.

00:17:14.680 --> 00:17:15.440
 We've been redeemed

00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:16.220
 by His blood.

00:17:17.160 --> 00:17:17.539
 He also says,

00:17:17.600 --> 00:17:17.940
 in Christ

00:17:17.940 --> 00:17:18.740
 we've been forgiven

00:17:18.740 --> 00:17:19.660
 of our sins,

00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:20.500
 washed,

00:17:20.700 --> 00:17:21.120
 cleansed,

00:17:21.259 --> 00:17:21.759
 justified,

00:17:22.340 --> 00:17:23.039
 treated as if

00:17:23.039 --> 00:17:24.900
 we'd never sinned.

00:17:25.640 --> 00:17:26.440
 In Christ,

00:17:26.799 --> 00:17:28.000
 the record of sin

00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:28.799
 has been nailed

00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:29.579
 to the cross.

00:17:30.340 --> 00:17:31.539
 It's been torn up.

00:17:31.980 --> 00:17:32.840
 It's been destroyed.

00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:34.460
 To justify

00:17:34.460 --> 00:17:35.039
 means

00:17:35.039 --> 00:17:36.460
 just as if

00:17:36.460 --> 00:17:37.840
 I had never sinned.

00:17:38.799 --> 00:17:39.039
 Friends,

00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:40.000
 look what he says

00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:41.920
 in verse 4.

00:17:42.700 --> 00:17:43.519
 God has chosen us

00:17:43.519 --> 00:17:44.259
 to be holy

00:17:44.259 --> 00:17:45.319
 and blameless

00:17:45.319 --> 00:17:46.440
 in His sight.

00:17:47.559 --> 00:17:48.680
 All of this

00:17:48.680 --> 00:17:49.839
 is the blessings

00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:50.960
 for those

00:17:50.960 --> 00:17:51.859
 who are in Christ.

00:17:52.359 --> 00:17:53.119
 Chosen before

00:17:53.119 --> 00:17:53.940
 the world began.

00:17:54.500 --> 00:17:55.099
 Redeemed,

00:17:55.339 --> 00:17:55.839
 adopted,

00:17:56.279 --> 00:17:56.680
 forgiven,

00:17:57.220 --> 00:17:57.839
 cleansed,

00:17:58.079 --> 00:17:59.240
 holy and blameless.

00:18:00.119 --> 00:18:00.500
 Friends,

00:18:00.579 --> 00:18:01.099
 we've been welcomed

00:18:01.099 --> 00:18:02.079
 into God's family.

00:18:03.159 --> 00:18:03.759
 Praise be

00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:04.779
 to the God and Father

00:18:04.779 --> 00:18:05.759
 of our Lord Jesus Christ

00:18:05.759 --> 00:18:07.279
 who has blessed us

00:18:07.279 --> 00:18:07.960
 in Christ

00:18:07.960 --> 00:18:09.019
 with every

00:18:09.019 --> 00:18:09.899
 spiritual blessing

00:18:09.899 --> 00:18:11.599
 in the heavenly places.

00:18:12.099 --> 00:18:12.899
 It's amazing.

00:18:13.420 --> 00:18:14.539
 It really is amazing.

00:18:15.619 --> 00:18:15.740
 Oh,

00:18:15.759 --> 00:18:16.160
 but that's just

00:18:16.160 --> 00:18:16.940
 the past blessing.

00:18:17.019 --> 00:18:17.279
 That's just

00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:18.019
 the present blessings.

00:18:18.119 --> 00:18:18.579
 We haven't even got

00:18:18.579 --> 00:18:19.519
 to the future blessings.

00:18:19.619 --> 00:18:19.960
 Look at

00:18:19.960 --> 00:18:21.879
 verse 11 to 14.

00:18:22.160 --> 00:18:23.299
 Skip over 9 and 10.

00:18:23.399 --> 00:18:23.920
 We'll come to that

00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:24.460
 a little bit later.

00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:25.539
 He says,

00:18:26.000 --> 00:18:26.519
 in Him,

00:18:26.819 --> 00:18:27.200
 we,

00:18:27.299 --> 00:18:28.319
 he's talking about the Jews,

00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:28.639
 okay,

00:18:28.720 --> 00:18:29.279
 Paul's a Jew.

00:18:29.279 --> 00:18:30.000
 In Him,

00:18:30.099 --> 00:18:30.779
 we Jews,

00:18:31.139 --> 00:18:32.019
 have obtained

00:18:32.019 --> 00:18:33.220
 or been allocated

00:18:33.220 --> 00:18:34.160
 an inheritance.

00:18:34.519 --> 00:18:35.839
 That means a future blessing.

00:18:36.599 --> 00:18:38.019
 Having been predestined

00:18:38.019 --> 00:18:39.299
 according to the purpose

00:18:39.299 --> 00:18:39.839
 of Him

00:18:39.839 --> 00:18:41.319
 who works all things

00:18:41.319 --> 00:18:42.440
 according to the counsel

00:18:42.440 --> 00:18:43.079
 of His will.

00:18:43.599 --> 00:18:43.759
 Okay,

00:18:43.759 --> 00:18:45.059
 I told you he's very wordy.

00:18:45.740 --> 00:18:46.660
 Nobody taught Paul

00:18:46.660 --> 00:18:47.779
 to write short sentences.

00:18:48.799 --> 00:18:49.079
 Zoe,

00:18:49.220 --> 00:18:49.879
 he needs to go back

00:18:49.879 --> 00:18:51.420
 to your grade 5 classes.

00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:52.420
 You can teach Paul

00:18:52.420 --> 00:18:52.940
 how to write,

00:18:53.059 --> 00:18:53.259
 okay.

00:18:53.799 --> 00:18:54.240
 In Him,

00:18:54.339 --> 00:18:54.920
 you also,

00:18:55.119 --> 00:18:55.599
 Gentiles,

00:18:55.660 --> 00:18:56.240
 when you heard

00:18:56.240 --> 00:18:56.920
 the word of truth,

00:18:56.920 --> 00:18:57.560
 the gospel,

00:18:58.620 --> 00:18:59.759
 we're sealed

00:18:59.759 --> 00:19:00.580
 with the Holy Spirit,

00:19:00.740 --> 00:19:01.440
 a guarantee

00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:02.620
 of our inheritance

00:19:02.620 --> 00:19:04.279
 until we acquire it.

00:19:05.600 --> 00:19:06.259
 All that,

00:19:06.340 --> 00:19:07.320
 what Paul is saying is,

00:19:07.700 --> 00:19:09.200
 there's a future blessing

00:19:09.200 --> 00:19:10.039
 that is coming

00:19:10.039 --> 00:19:11.620
 for those who are in Christ.

00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:12.320
 An inheritance.

00:19:12.519 --> 00:19:13.320
 What's an inheritance?

00:19:14.240 --> 00:19:15.039
 Maybe you've got

00:19:15.039 --> 00:19:16.320
 inheritance coming your way,

00:19:16.400 --> 00:19:16.560
 okay,

00:19:16.600 --> 00:19:17.000
 one day.

00:19:17.500 --> 00:19:18.620
 Some great uncle

00:19:18.620 --> 00:19:21.039
 in the Bahamas,

00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:22.100
 you get a phone call

00:19:22.100 --> 00:19:23.100
 from a lawyer one day

00:19:23.100 --> 00:19:23.460
 saying,

00:19:23.680 --> 00:19:24.279
 your great uncle

00:19:24.279 --> 00:19:24.860
 passed away,

00:19:24.960 --> 00:19:25.920
 he left you an inheritance.

00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:27.380
 What's an inheritance?

00:19:27.820 --> 00:19:29.400
 It's a future blessing,

00:19:29.700 --> 00:19:31.060
 it's a gift of grace

00:19:31.060 --> 00:19:32.039
 that comes to you

00:19:32.039 --> 00:19:33.440
 not having earned it.

00:19:33.820 --> 00:19:34.680
 It's not a wage,

00:19:35.039 --> 00:19:35.860
 it's not a salary,

00:19:36.440 --> 00:19:37.759
 it's not a consultancy fee,

00:19:38.360 --> 00:19:39.279
 you haven't earned it,

00:19:39.340 --> 00:19:41.519
 it's just a gift of grace

00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:43.100
 that comes to you

00:19:43.100 --> 00:19:44.440
 by the kindness

00:19:44.440 --> 00:19:45.320
 of some person.

00:19:46.140 --> 00:19:46.860
 Paul says here,

00:19:47.300 --> 00:19:48.720
 we've got an inheritance,

00:19:49.259 --> 00:19:50.480
 an eternal inheritance

00:19:50.480 --> 00:19:52.240
 that will never perish,

00:19:52.720 --> 00:19:53.539
 it'll never spoil,

00:19:54.120 --> 00:19:55.019
 it'll never fade,

00:19:55.019 --> 00:19:56.660
 it won't lose its value

00:19:56.660 --> 00:19:57.579
 on the stock market,

00:19:58.440 --> 00:19:58.639
 okay,

00:19:59.059 --> 00:19:59.960
 many people have lost

00:19:59.960 --> 00:20:00.480
 a lot of money

00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:01.220
 on the stock market,

00:20:01.420 --> 00:20:02.160
 you'll never lose

00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:02.639
 your inheritance,

00:20:03.119 --> 00:20:04.779
 it cannot be taken from you,

00:20:05.240 --> 00:20:06.200
 no one's got to break

00:20:06.200 --> 00:20:07.660
 into your cryptocurrency account

00:20:07.660 --> 00:20:08.720
 and steal it from you,

00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:09.379
 the algorithms,

00:20:09.940 --> 00:20:10.980
 you've got an inheritance

00:20:10.980 --> 00:20:11.879
 in Christ

00:20:11.879 --> 00:20:12.440
 that is coming,

00:20:12.799 --> 00:20:14.299
 an eternal inheritance

00:20:14.299 --> 00:20:16.440
 that can never be taken

00:20:16.440 --> 00:20:17.859
 away from you.

00:20:17.859 --> 00:20:20.319
 praise be to the God

00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:20.799
 and Father

00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:21.919
 of our Lord Jesus Christ

00:20:21.919 --> 00:20:23.439
 who has blessed us

00:20:23.439 --> 00:20:24.379
 in Christ

00:20:24.379 --> 00:20:26.459
 with every spiritual blessing

00:20:26.459 --> 00:20:28.459
 in the heavenly places.

00:20:30.539 --> 00:20:31.099
 Now,

00:20:31.219 --> 00:20:32.119
 why is that?

00:20:33.079 --> 00:20:34.299
 Why is it

00:20:34.299 --> 00:20:35.639
 that you,

00:20:36.199 --> 00:20:37.079
 or I,

00:20:37.479 --> 00:20:38.399
 should be blessed

00:20:38.399 --> 00:20:39.459
 with all these great blessings?

00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:39.839
 I mean,

00:20:40.019 --> 00:20:41.199
 I'm not a very nice guy,

00:20:41.939 --> 00:20:42.779
 there's nothing special

00:20:42.779 --> 00:20:43.299
 about me,

00:20:43.879 --> 00:20:45.000
 sorry to reveal to you,

00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:45.939
 there's nothing particularly

00:20:45.940 --> 00:20:46.880
 special about you,

00:20:47.860 --> 00:20:48.640
 I know your parents

00:20:48.640 --> 00:20:49.600
 told you that you're special,

00:20:49.980 --> 00:20:50.160
 but,

00:20:50.160 --> 00:20:50.420
 but,

00:20:50.660 --> 00:20:51.660
 but why not everyone?

00:20:51.820 --> 00:20:51.940
 Why,

00:20:51.980 --> 00:20:53.080
 why not the bus driver?

00:20:53.240 --> 00:20:53.380
 Why,

00:20:53.480 --> 00:20:54.320
 what's,

00:20:54.320 --> 00:20:55.039
 what's different?

00:20:55.960 --> 00:20:56.220
 Well,

00:20:56.259 --> 00:20:57.360
 there's one little phrase

00:20:57.360 --> 00:20:58.160
 that appears

00:20:58.160 --> 00:20:59.759
 about 15 times

00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:01.019
 in this passage.

00:21:01.480 --> 00:21:02.559
 I wonder if you noticed it

00:21:02.559 --> 00:21:04.000
 when Iris was reading,

00:21:04.100 --> 00:21:04.960
 I just couldn't hear,

00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:06.440
 I couldn't help but smile

00:21:06.440 --> 00:21:07.279
 at the repetition.

00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:09.160
 Did you see it

00:21:09.160 --> 00:21:09.680
 in your passage?

00:21:10.440 --> 00:21:11.320
 Look at how many times

00:21:11.320 --> 00:21:12.259
 he says the phrase

00:21:12.259 --> 00:21:13.539
 in Christ,

00:21:13.799 --> 00:21:14.500
 in Him,

00:21:14.940 --> 00:21:15.880
 in the Beloved,

00:21:15.940 --> 00:21:17.120
 in Christ Jesus.

00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:18.340
 Look at verse 3,

00:21:18.720 --> 00:21:19.539
 He has blessed us

00:21:19.539 --> 00:21:20.320
 in Christ.

00:21:20.460 --> 00:21:20.960
 Verse 4,

00:21:21.240 --> 00:21:22.519
 chosen in Christ.

00:21:23.019 --> 00:21:23.420
 Verse 4,

00:21:23.519 --> 00:21:24.740
 made holy and blameless

00:21:24.740 --> 00:21:26.039
 before Him.

00:21:26.279 --> 00:21:26.820
 Verse 5,

00:21:27.180 --> 00:21:28.299
 adopted as heirs

00:21:28.299 --> 00:21:29.860
 through Jesus Christ.

00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:30.440
 Verse 6,

00:21:30.740 --> 00:21:32.400
 blessed in the Beloved.

00:21:32.559 --> 00:21:33.080
 Verse 7,

00:21:33.340 --> 00:21:34.160
 in the Beloved

00:21:34.160 --> 00:21:35.039
 we have redemption.

00:21:35.700 --> 00:21:36.900
 Through His blood

00:21:36.900 --> 00:21:37.580
 we have forgiveness

00:21:37.580 --> 00:21:38.220
 of sins.

00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:39.039
 Verse 11,

00:21:39.480 --> 00:21:40.759
 in Him we have obtained

00:21:40.759 --> 00:21:41.360
 an inheritance.

00:21:42.000 --> 00:21:43.220
 In Him you are sealed

00:21:43.220 --> 00:21:44.640
 with the promised Holy Spirit.

00:21:44.640 --> 00:21:46.460
 Do we get the message?

00:21:46.960 --> 00:21:47.920
 The point is,

00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:49.820
 it's all in Jesus.

00:21:50.600 --> 00:21:52.259
 Every spiritual blessing,

00:21:52.420 --> 00:21:53.840
 every gift of grace,

00:21:54.340 --> 00:21:55.860
 everything that you want

00:21:55.860 --> 00:21:56.600
 and desire

00:21:56.600 --> 00:21:58.160
 and need in life

00:21:58.160 --> 00:22:00.200
 is found in Christ,

00:22:00.780 --> 00:22:01.620
 in Jesus.

00:22:02.660 --> 00:22:03.880
 And apart from Him,

00:22:04.340 --> 00:22:06.220
 you have nothing

00:22:06.220 --> 00:22:08.200
 of eternal significance.

00:22:08.200 --> 00:22:11.160
 Oh, you may be a billionaire,

00:22:11.920 --> 00:22:12.900
 you may have houses

00:22:12.900 --> 00:22:13.840
 all over the world

00:22:13.840 --> 00:22:14.860
 and accolades

00:22:14.860 --> 00:22:16.460
 and have your name

00:22:16.460 --> 00:22:17.440
 in lights,

00:22:18.019 --> 00:22:19.200
 but you'll have nothing

00:22:19.200 --> 00:22:20.480
 of eternal significance,

00:22:20.740 --> 00:22:21.940
 nothing that's going to last,

00:22:22.580 --> 00:22:24.220
 nothing that a thousand years

00:22:24.220 --> 00:22:24.640
 from now

00:22:24.640 --> 00:22:25.840
 anybody's going to actually

00:22:25.840 --> 00:22:27.940
 give any rocks about.

00:22:28.559 --> 00:22:28.720
 Okay?

00:22:29.140 --> 00:22:30.160
 Nobody's going to care.

00:22:30.980 --> 00:22:31.980
 But in Christ,

00:22:32.500 --> 00:22:34.000
 you have everything

00:22:34.000 --> 00:22:35.259
 you need

00:22:35.259 --> 00:22:36.559
 both now

00:22:36.559 --> 00:22:38.619
 and for all eternity.

00:22:42.319 --> 00:22:43.180
 Praise be

00:22:43.180 --> 00:22:44.339
 to the God and Father

00:22:44.339 --> 00:22:45.680
 of our Lord Jesus Christ

00:22:45.680 --> 00:22:46.759
 who has blessed us

00:22:46.759 --> 00:22:48.019
 in Christ

00:22:48.019 --> 00:22:49.960
 with everything we need

00:22:49.960 --> 00:22:51.519
 in the heavenly places.

00:22:52.059 --> 00:22:53.579
 All this is because of Jesus.

00:22:54.880 --> 00:22:55.140
 Okay,

00:22:55.299 --> 00:22:56.160
 that's the first point,

00:22:56.220 --> 00:22:56.940
 the blessings

00:22:56.940 --> 00:22:58.039
 of being in Christ.

00:22:58.400 --> 00:22:59.119
 Now, to be honest,

00:22:59.359 --> 00:23:00.140
 we've only just

00:23:00.140 --> 00:23:01.220
 scratched the surface.

00:23:01.319 --> 00:23:01.460
 I mean,

00:23:01.460 --> 00:23:02.920
 there's so much more here,

00:23:03.120 --> 00:23:03.279
 right?

00:23:03.420 --> 00:23:04.519
 And there's so much more

00:23:04.519 --> 00:23:05.180
 that the New Testament

00:23:05.180 --> 00:23:05.860
 talks about.

00:23:06.779 --> 00:23:08.299
 Now, all that we said

00:23:08.299 --> 00:23:09.620
 is good and true.

00:23:09.740 --> 00:23:10.460
 I hope you can see

00:23:10.460 --> 00:23:11.120
 it's in the Bible.

00:23:11.259 --> 00:23:12.039
 I didn't make it up.

00:23:12.819 --> 00:23:13.660
 But actually,

00:23:13.880 --> 00:23:15.200
 that's not the main point

00:23:15.200 --> 00:23:15.779
 of the passage.

00:23:16.920 --> 00:23:18.100
 Everything we've just said

00:23:18.100 --> 00:23:18.920
 is secondary

00:23:18.920 --> 00:23:19.980
 to the main point

00:23:19.980 --> 00:23:20.700
 of the passage.

00:23:21.279 --> 00:23:22.460
 The main point

00:23:22.460 --> 00:23:23.720
 is actually found

00:23:23.720 --> 00:23:24.799
 in verse 9 and 10.

00:23:24.900 --> 00:23:25.960
 We skipped over it.

00:23:28.100 --> 00:23:29.500
 Look at how often

00:23:29.500 --> 00:23:31.900
 Paul talks about

00:23:31.900 --> 00:23:33.660
 God's plan

00:23:33.660 --> 00:23:35.019
 or His purpose

00:23:35.019 --> 00:23:36.660
 or His will.

00:23:37.240 --> 00:23:37.420
 Okay?

00:23:38.200 --> 00:23:39.259
 The main point here

00:23:39.259 --> 00:23:41.619
 is God has a cosmic plan

00:23:41.619 --> 00:23:43.720
 for the whole of creation

00:23:43.720 --> 00:23:45.420
 that He is working towards.

00:23:45.500 --> 00:23:47.140
 Look at verse 5.

00:23:47.700 --> 00:23:49.359
 In love He predestined us

00:23:49.359 --> 00:23:51.160
 according to the purpose

00:23:51.160 --> 00:23:52.359
 of His will.

00:23:52.779 --> 00:23:53.680
 Verse 11.

00:23:54.099 --> 00:23:54.720
 In Him

00:23:54.720 --> 00:23:55.799
 we have obtained

00:23:55.799 --> 00:23:56.460
 an inheritance

00:23:56.460 --> 00:23:58.279
 having been predestined

00:23:58.279 --> 00:24:00.099
 according to the purpose

00:24:00.099 --> 00:24:01.779
 of Him

00:24:01.779 --> 00:24:03.460
 who works all things

00:24:03.460 --> 00:24:04.639
 according to the counsel

00:24:04.639 --> 00:24:05.420
 of His will.

00:24:06.299 --> 00:24:07.119
 In verse 9,

00:24:07.220 --> 00:24:08.639
 the great climax

00:24:08.639 --> 00:24:10.240
 in the gospel

00:24:10.240 --> 00:24:11.399
 He has made known to us

00:24:11.399 --> 00:24:12.920
 the mystery of His will

00:24:12.920 --> 00:24:15.359
 according to His purpose

00:24:15.359 --> 00:24:17.379
 which He set forth in Christ

00:24:17.379 --> 00:24:18.720
 as a plan

00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:20.180
 for the fullness of time.

00:24:20.180 --> 00:24:23.440
 What Paul is telling us here

00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:25.140
 is there is a great

00:24:25.140 --> 00:24:26.799
 big cosmic

00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:29.060
 universal plan,

00:24:29.200 --> 00:24:29.920
 a purpose

00:24:29.920 --> 00:24:32.000
 that will be revealed

00:24:32.000 --> 00:24:33.120
 at the fullness of time,

00:24:33.200 --> 00:24:33.920
 the end of time,

00:24:34.180 --> 00:24:35.380
 to which the whole

00:24:35.380 --> 00:24:36.080
 of creation

00:24:36.080 --> 00:24:37.539
 is moving towards.

00:24:37.960 --> 00:24:39.580
 There is a cosmic arc

00:24:39.580 --> 00:24:40.560
 for the whole

00:24:40.560 --> 00:24:41.400
 of the universe

00:24:41.400 --> 00:24:43.299
 that God is orchestrating

00:24:43.299 --> 00:24:44.220
 together.

00:24:45.320 --> 00:24:46.400
 So just recently

00:24:46.400 --> 00:24:47.220
 we looked at the book

00:24:47.220 --> 00:24:48.140
 of Ecclesiastes,

00:24:48.400 --> 00:24:48.640
 right?

00:24:48.640 --> 00:24:49.759
 If you remember that.

00:24:50.140 --> 00:24:51.140
 And we meet this guy

00:24:51.140 --> 00:24:51.900
 called Kohelet,

00:24:52.120 --> 00:24:52.660
 the teacher.

00:24:53.240 --> 00:24:54.540
 And remember his worldview?

00:24:54.700 --> 00:24:55.740
 What does Kohelet say?

00:24:57.120 --> 00:24:57.600
 Anybody?

00:24:59.240 --> 00:24:59.720
 Meaningless,

00:24:59.860 --> 00:25:00.280
 meaningless.

00:25:00.500 --> 00:25:01.920
 Everything is meaningless,

00:25:02.160 --> 00:25:02.420
 right?

00:25:02.759 --> 00:25:03.640
 You wake up,

00:25:03.759 --> 00:25:04.500
 you go to work,

00:25:04.660 --> 00:25:05.200
 you eat,

00:25:05.400 --> 00:25:06.020
 you sleep,

00:25:06.400 --> 00:25:06.960
 tomorrow you're going

00:25:06.960 --> 00:25:07.700
 to do the same thing.

00:25:08.160 --> 00:25:08.980
 The sun rises,

00:25:09.560 --> 00:25:10.300
 the sun sets,

00:25:10.680 --> 00:25:11.320
 tomorrow it's going

00:25:11.320 --> 00:25:12.120
 to do the same thing.

00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:13.120
 Meaningless,

00:25:13.280 --> 00:25:13.580
 meaningless.

00:25:13.740 --> 00:25:15.400
 Everything is meaningless.

00:25:15.400 --> 00:25:16.960
 Well,

00:25:17.060 --> 00:25:17.940
 Paul here

00:25:17.940 --> 00:25:19.620
 looks Kohelet in the eye

00:25:19.620 --> 00:25:20.519
 and says,

00:25:20.680 --> 00:25:22.280
 you've lost your marbles.

00:25:22.460 --> 00:25:23.120
 It's not meaningless.

00:25:23.240 --> 00:25:25.220
 There is a great big purpose

00:25:25.220 --> 00:25:26.220
 and a plan

00:25:26.220 --> 00:25:28.259
 for all of creation.

00:25:28.500 --> 00:25:28.880
 Nothing

00:25:28.880 --> 00:25:30.140
 is meaningless.

00:25:31.100 --> 00:25:31.740
 The problem,

00:25:31.880 --> 00:25:32.140
 of course,

00:25:32.200 --> 00:25:33.220
 is that we can't see it.

00:25:33.280 --> 00:25:34.259
 We're blind to it.

00:25:34.740 --> 00:25:35.580
 Which is why

00:25:35.580 --> 00:25:36.580
 in verse 18,

00:25:36.780 --> 00:25:37.720
 in the next page,

00:25:37.740 --> 00:25:38.420
 we're going to look at it

00:25:38.420 --> 00:25:38.880
 next week,

00:25:39.380 --> 00:25:40.840
 Paul prays this great prayer

00:25:40.840 --> 00:25:41.160
 and he says,

00:25:41.160 --> 00:25:41.480
 God,

00:25:41.560 --> 00:25:43.320
 I pray that the eyes

00:25:43.320 --> 00:25:44.100
 of their hearts

00:25:44.100 --> 00:25:44.880
 will be opened

00:25:44.880 --> 00:25:46.220
 to see the hope

00:25:46.220 --> 00:25:47.340
 of the gospel.

00:25:48.279 --> 00:25:49.080
 The problem is

00:25:49.080 --> 00:25:50.300
 we can't see the great plan

00:25:50.300 --> 00:25:50.700
 which is why

00:25:50.700 --> 00:25:51.519
 we need our Bibles

00:25:51.519 --> 00:25:52.140
 because we'll never

00:25:52.140 --> 00:25:53.240
 discover it on our own.

00:25:54.160 --> 00:25:55.100
 But Paul's point here

00:25:55.100 --> 00:25:56.180
 is that God

00:25:56.180 --> 00:25:56.940
 is not just this

00:25:56.940 --> 00:25:58.259
 watch keeper God.

00:25:58.900 --> 00:25:59.019
 He,

00:25:59.019 --> 00:26:00.220
 you know,

00:26:00.320 --> 00:26:01.900
 dialed up the watch

00:26:01.900 --> 00:26:02.820
 and then he put it aside

00:26:02.820 --> 00:26:03.140
 and said,

00:26:03.220 --> 00:26:04.220
 let me just sit back

00:26:04.220 --> 00:26:05.300
 and let life happen

00:26:05.300 --> 00:26:05.700
 on its own.

00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:06.580
 No,

00:26:06.640 --> 00:26:07.680
 God is working

00:26:07.680 --> 00:26:08.320
 all things.

00:26:08.400 --> 00:26:09.100
 There's a plan,

00:26:09.220 --> 00:26:09.900
 there's a purpose,

00:26:10.019 --> 00:26:11.140
 there's a narrative arc

00:26:11.140 --> 00:26:12.560
 to which the whole world

00:26:12.560 --> 00:26:13.140
 is ended.

00:26:13.780 --> 00:26:14.880
 There's a teleos,

00:26:14.940 --> 00:26:15.759
 an end point

00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:17.440
 for all of creation.

00:26:18.920 --> 00:26:19.740
 And what is that

00:26:19.740 --> 00:26:20.820
 great end point?

00:26:20.920 --> 00:26:22.000
 What is that great big plan?

00:26:22.800 --> 00:26:22.980
 Well,

00:26:23.020 --> 00:26:24.280
 look at verse 9 and 10.

00:26:26.320 --> 00:26:28.220
 The point of the entire passage

00:26:28.220 --> 00:26:29.460
 and actually the point

00:26:29.460 --> 00:26:30.520
 of the whole of Ephesians

00:26:30.520 --> 00:26:32.080
 is here in verse 9 and 10.

00:26:32.740 --> 00:26:33.000
 It says,

00:26:33.420 --> 00:26:34.100
 God in the gospel

00:26:34.100 --> 00:26:35.480
 is making known to us

00:26:35.480 --> 00:26:37.340
 the mystery of his will.

00:26:37.440 --> 00:26:38.520
 So there's this will

00:26:38.520 --> 00:26:39.340
 that's been hidden

00:26:39.340 --> 00:26:40.460
 for generations.

00:26:41.140 --> 00:26:42.480
 And now he's made it known

00:26:42.480 --> 00:26:43.140
 in the gospel,

00:26:43.920 --> 00:26:45.400
 according to his purpose,

00:26:45.980 --> 00:26:46.840
 which he set forth

00:26:46.840 --> 00:26:47.440
 in Christ,

00:26:48.140 --> 00:26:49.140
 a plan

00:26:49.140 --> 00:26:50.320
 for the fullness

00:26:50.320 --> 00:26:50.960
 of time.

00:26:51.020 --> 00:26:52.120
 That means when time

00:26:52.120 --> 00:26:53.200
 reaches its fulfillment,

00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:54.759
 and here it is,

00:26:54.980 --> 00:26:56.040
 to unite

00:26:56.040 --> 00:26:57.000
 all things

00:26:57.000 --> 00:26:57.640
 in Christ,

00:26:57.780 --> 00:26:58.780
 things in heaven

00:26:58.780 --> 00:27:00.700
 and on earth.

00:27:01.460 --> 00:27:01.660
 Okay,

00:27:01.780 --> 00:27:02.480
 there it is.

00:27:02.680 --> 00:27:03.960
 Paul has just revealed

00:27:03.960 --> 00:27:04.800
 the grand purpose

00:27:04.800 --> 00:27:06.100
 of the whole of creation.

00:27:06.900 --> 00:27:07.660
 There is coming

00:27:07.660 --> 00:27:08.160
 a time

00:27:08.160 --> 00:27:09.360
 when God

00:27:09.360 --> 00:27:10.240
 will unite

00:27:10.240 --> 00:27:10.759
 together

00:27:10.759 --> 00:27:11.640
 in Christ

00:27:11.640 --> 00:27:12.620
 all things

00:27:12.620 --> 00:27:13.340
 in heaven

00:27:13.340 --> 00:27:14.580
 and on earth

00:27:14.580 --> 00:27:16.000
 under the headship

00:27:16.000 --> 00:27:16.800
 of Christ.

00:27:17.680 --> 00:27:18.360
 The word unite

00:27:18.360 --> 00:27:18.920
 there means

00:27:18.920 --> 00:27:20.300
 to sum up

00:27:20.300 --> 00:27:20.759
 or to bring

00:27:20.759 --> 00:27:21.940
 a summary statement,

00:27:22.080 --> 00:27:22.340
 right,

00:27:23.000 --> 00:27:23.960
 under the headship

00:27:23.960 --> 00:27:24.460
 of something.

00:27:24.580 --> 00:27:24.720
 So,

00:27:25.140 --> 00:27:26.840
 if you've got your Bible,

00:27:26.940 --> 00:27:27.519
 there's a heading.

00:27:28.820 --> 00:27:30.320
 It's a summary statement,

00:27:30.400 --> 00:27:30.560
 right,

00:27:30.620 --> 00:27:31.840
 the supremacy of Christ

00:27:31.840 --> 00:27:32.920
 or the spiritual blessings

00:27:32.920 --> 00:27:33.460
 of Christ.

00:27:34.120 --> 00:27:34.920
 Paul says that

00:27:34.920 --> 00:27:36.100
 God has set forth,

00:27:36.180 --> 00:27:36.680
 he's enacted

00:27:36.680 --> 00:27:37.759
 some plan,

00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:39.060
 some purpose

00:27:39.060 --> 00:27:40.400
 that will be realized

00:27:40.400 --> 00:27:41.519
 at the fulfillment

00:27:41.519 --> 00:27:42.200
 of time.

00:27:42.900 --> 00:27:43.820
 And what is that plan?

00:27:44.259 --> 00:27:45.259
 That in Christ

00:27:45.259 --> 00:27:46.160
 all things

00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:47.140
 in heaven and earth

00:27:47.140 --> 00:27:48.320
 will be brought together

00:27:48.320 --> 00:27:49.920
 under his headship,

00:27:50.019 --> 00:27:50.700
 his rule,

00:27:51.120 --> 00:27:51.900
 his leadership.

00:27:53.279 --> 00:27:53.500
 Okay,

00:27:53.580 --> 00:27:54.100
 now I know this

00:27:54.100 --> 00:27:54.840
 sounds a little bit

00:27:54.840 --> 00:27:55.320
 philosophical,

00:27:55.680 --> 00:27:56.700
 but we'll get

00:27:56.700 --> 00:27:57.440
 to the applications

00:27:57.440 --> 00:27:57.920
 in a minute.

00:27:59.720 --> 00:28:00.240
 So,

00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:03.559
 at the moment,

00:28:04.019 --> 00:28:05.420
 the world,

00:28:05.559 --> 00:28:06.099
 the universe,

00:28:06.259 --> 00:28:07.460
 is in disconnect.

00:28:07.700 --> 00:28:09.220
 There is a discord

00:28:09.220 --> 00:28:10.200
 in the universe.

00:28:10.980 --> 00:28:11.279
 Do you remember

00:28:11.279 --> 00:28:12.160
 in the Garden of Eden,

00:28:12.440 --> 00:28:13.380
 God and man

00:28:13.380 --> 00:28:14.359
 dwell together,

00:28:14.539 --> 00:28:14.839
 right?

00:28:15.380 --> 00:28:16.059
 And in the book

00:28:16.059 --> 00:28:16.599
 of Revelation,

00:28:16.740 --> 00:28:17.380
 at the end of the Bible,

00:28:17.500 --> 00:28:18.640
 it says the dwelling place

00:28:18.640 --> 00:28:19.799
 of God is with man.

00:28:19.880 --> 00:28:20.259
 There's going to be

00:28:20.259 --> 00:28:21.420
 this unity together.

00:28:22.039 --> 00:28:22.880
 But we don't see

00:28:22.880 --> 00:28:23.759
 this unity at the moment.

00:28:23.900 --> 00:28:24.680
 The heavens and earth

00:28:24.680 --> 00:28:25.279
 are separated.

00:28:25.440 --> 00:28:26.259
 There's a discord.

00:28:26.440 --> 00:28:27.359
 C.S. Lewis called it

00:28:27.359 --> 00:28:28.660
 the great divorce.

00:28:28.759 --> 00:28:30.099
 There's like a breakdown

00:28:30.099 --> 00:28:31.079
 in the relationship

00:28:31.079 --> 00:28:32.439
 between heaven and earth,

00:28:32.559 --> 00:28:33.379
 God and mankind.

00:28:34.699 --> 00:28:34.919
 In fact,

00:28:34.939 --> 00:28:35.599
 all the discord

00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:36.599
 that we see in the world,

00:28:36.779 --> 00:28:37.159
 racism,

00:28:37.579 --> 00:28:38.099
 sexism,

00:28:38.319 --> 00:28:38.799
 wars,

00:28:39.339 --> 00:28:39.899
 animosity,

00:28:40.500 --> 00:28:41.480
 that's just a mirror

00:28:41.480 --> 00:28:42.299
 of the breakdown

00:28:42.299 --> 00:28:42.859
 that's happened

00:28:42.859 --> 00:28:44.079
 between God and man.

00:28:44.199 --> 00:28:44.740
 It's a picture

00:28:44.740 --> 00:28:45.899
 of what's happened.

00:28:47.019 --> 00:28:47.859
 But it won't always

00:28:47.859 --> 00:28:48.379
 be like this.

00:28:48.500 --> 00:28:49.939
 God is going to restore

00:28:49.939 --> 00:28:51.279
 heaven and earth together.

00:28:51.879 --> 00:28:52.519
 There's going to be

00:28:52.519 --> 00:28:52.980
 a unity.

00:28:53.139 --> 00:28:53.959
 That's why in Revelation

00:28:53.959 --> 00:28:54.399
 it says,

00:28:54.859 --> 00:28:55.619
 the dwelling place

00:28:55.619 --> 00:28:56.519
 of God is with man.

00:28:56.599 --> 00:28:57.639
 It's like a marriage.

00:28:57.759 --> 00:28:58.439
 The two are going

00:28:58.439 --> 00:28:59.639
 to become one again.

00:29:00.099 --> 00:29:01.439
 They're going to be reunited.

00:29:02.579 --> 00:29:03.079
 Heaven and earth

00:29:03.079 --> 00:29:03.480
 are going to be

00:29:03.480 --> 00:29:04.359
 joined together

00:29:04.359 --> 00:29:05.259
 in the one new

00:29:05.259 --> 00:29:06.000
 heaven and earth.

00:29:07.079 --> 00:29:07.480
 Reunited.

00:29:08.359 --> 00:29:09.379
 And Christ is going

00:29:09.379 --> 00:29:09.879
 to be the head.

00:29:10.019 --> 00:29:10.559
 Christ is going

00:29:10.559 --> 00:29:11.619
 to be Lord of all.

00:29:12.039 --> 00:29:12.399
 Heaven and earth

00:29:12.399 --> 00:29:12.759
 are going to be

00:29:12.759 --> 00:29:13.539
 brought together

00:29:13.539 --> 00:29:14.480
 in Christ,

00:29:14.619 --> 00:29:15.240
 under Christ,

00:29:15.339 --> 00:29:16.399
 in His leadership.

00:29:17.159 --> 00:29:17.659
 Look at how

00:29:17.659 --> 00:29:19.019
 Colossians 1 says it.

00:29:19.019 --> 00:29:20.400
 For by Him,

00:29:20.599 --> 00:29:20.859
 Jesus,

00:29:21.000 --> 00:29:22.139
 all things were created

00:29:22.139 --> 00:29:23.400
 in heaven and on earth,

00:29:23.759 --> 00:29:24.740
 visible and invisible,

00:29:25.000 --> 00:29:25.319
 thrones,

00:29:25.400 --> 00:29:25.900
 dominions,

00:29:26.039 --> 00:29:26.259
 rulers,

00:29:26.379 --> 00:29:26.920
 and authorities.

00:29:27.359 --> 00:29:28.539
 All things were created

00:29:28.539 --> 00:29:29.420
 through Him

00:29:29.420 --> 00:29:30.139
 and for Him.

00:29:30.619 --> 00:29:31.779
 And through Jesus,

00:29:32.079 --> 00:29:33.299
 He will reconcile

00:29:33.299 --> 00:29:34.220
 to Himself

00:29:34.220 --> 00:29:35.079
 all things,

00:29:35.180 --> 00:29:36.139
 whether on earth

00:29:36.139 --> 00:29:37.759
 or in heaven.

00:29:38.859 --> 00:29:39.359
 Right now,

00:29:39.420 --> 00:29:40.099
 Jesus is the head

00:29:40.099 --> 00:29:40.859
 of this church.

00:29:41.379 --> 00:29:41.759
 One day,

00:29:41.779 --> 00:29:42.400
 He will be the head

00:29:42.400 --> 00:29:44.119
 of all the cosmos,

00:29:44.299 --> 00:29:45.139
 all creation.

00:29:45.140 --> 00:29:47.080
 For all eternity,

00:29:47.740 --> 00:29:48.800
 things will be united

00:29:48.800 --> 00:29:49.759
 under the heavens

00:29:49.759 --> 00:29:50.040
 and earth

00:29:50.040 --> 00:29:50.740
 with Christ

00:29:50.740 --> 00:29:51.720
 as the head

00:29:51.720 --> 00:29:52.640
 and the Lord.

00:29:53.800 --> 00:29:54.980
 And why is God

00:29:54.980 --> 00:29:55.560
 doing this?

00:29:56.100 --> 00:29:57.600
 What is His motivation

00:29:57.600 --> 00:29:58.200
 for it?

00:29:58.940 --> 00:29:59.220
 Well,

00:29:59.660 --> 00:30:00.759
 there's one more phrase

00:30:00.759 --> 00:30:01.620
 that Paul repeats

00:30:01.620 --> 00:30:02.460
 three times

00:30:02.460 --> 00:30:03.320
 in this passage.

00:30:03.860 --> 00:30:04.380
 I wonder if you

00:30:04.380 --> 00:30:04.960
 picked it up.

00:30:05.040 --> 00:30:06.060
 Look at verse 6.

00:30:06.880 --> 00:30:07.160
 He says,

00:30:07.259 --> 00:30:07.520
 In love,

00:30:07.620 --> 00:30:08.600
 He predestined us

00:30:08.600 --> 00:30:09.259
 for adoption,

00:30:10.020 --> 00:30:10.800
 according to purpose

00:30:10.800 --> 00:30:11.259
 of His will,

00:30:11.620 --> 00:30:12.720
 to the praise

00:30:12.720 --> 00:30:13.640
 of His glory.

00:30:13.940 --> 00:30:14.100
 Okay,

00:30:14.100 --> 00:30:14.840
 we sang about that

00:30:14.840 --> 00:30:15.120
 earlier.

00:30:15.259 --> 00:30:15.920
 Jeremy introduced

00:30:15.920 --> 00:30:16.360
 that song,

00:30:16.440 --> 00:30:16.980
 to the praise

00:30:16.980 --> 00:30:17.500
 of His glory.

00:30:17.860 --> 00:30:18.460
 Verse 11.

00:30:19.060 --> 00:30:19.660
 We have obtained

00:30:19.660 --> 00:30:20.240
 an inheritance

00:30:20.240 --> 00:30:20.920
 in Christ,

00:30:21.259 --> 00:30:22.140
 being predestined,

00:30:22.259 --> 00:30:23.020
 coined the purpose

00:30:23.020 --> 00:30:23.540
 of His will,

00:30:23.920 --> 00:30:24.860
 to the praise

00:30:24.860 --> 00:30:25.620
 of His glory.

00:30:25.880 --> 00:30:26.780
 Look at verse 14.

00:30:27.220 --> 00:30:27.820
 The Holy Spirit

00:30:27.820 --> 00:30:28.620
 is our guarantee

00:30:28.620 --> 00:30:30.380
 to the praise

00:30:30.380 --> 00:30:31.560
 of His glory.

00:30:33.720 --> 00:30:33.980
 Friends,

00:30:34.040 --> 00:30:35.100
 sometimes we feel

00:30:35.100 --> 00:30:36.640
 like life is so arbitrary,

00:30:36.860 --> 00:30:37.759
 so meaningless,

00:30:37.960 --> 00:30:38.840
 so random,

00:30:39.180 --> 00:30:39.460
 right?

00:30:40.240 --> 00:30:41.100
 And Ephesians

00:30:41.100 --> 00:30:42.480
 is meant to arrest

00:30:42.480 --> 00:30:43.500
 the futility

00:30:43.500 --> 00:30:44.759
 and the randomness

00:30:44.759 --> 00:30:45.119
 of life

00:30:45.119 --> 00:30:45.440
 and say,

00:30:45.500 --> 00:30:46.259
 it's not random

00:30:46.259 --> 00:30:46.720
 at all.

00:30:47.359 --> 00:30:48.640
 God has a plan

00:30:48.640 --> 00:30:49.440
 and a purpose.

00:30:49.599 --> 00:30:50.539
 He is working

00:30:50.539 --> 00:30:51.980
 the whole of creation

00:30:51.980 --> 00:30:52.599
 together

00:30:52.599 --> 00:30:53.879
 to an end point

00:30:53.879 --> 00:30:54.779
 to unite things

00:30:54.779 --> 00:30:55.539
 all under Christ

00:30:55.539 --> 00:30:56.759
 to the praise

00:30:56.759 --> 00:30:58.480
 of His glory.

00:30:59.819 --> 00:31:00.539
 Sometimes we get

00:31:00.539 --> 00:31:01.099
 so focused

00:31:01.099 --> 00:31:02.460
 on our little lives,

00:31:02.839 --> 00:31:03.640
 our problems,

00:31:03.740 --> 00:31:04.440
 our challenges,

00:31:05.019 --> 00:31:06.259
 what's in front of us,

00:31:06.319 --> 00:31:06.519
 right?

00:31:07.059 --> 00:31:07.279
 Oh,

00:31:07.279 --> 00:31:08.160
 that job promotion.

00:31:08.160 --> 00:31:09.080
 I really need

00:31:09.080 --> 00:31:09.920
 that job promotion.

00:31:10.680 --> 00:31:11.040
 Or,

00:31:11.380 --> 00:31:12.360
 the soccer scores.

00:31:12.759 --> 00:31:13.519
 What's happening

00:31:13.519 --> 00:31:14.279
 with my team?

00:31:14.900 --> 00:31:15.220
 Or,

00:31:15.700 --> 00:31:17.360
 that social media post.

00:31:17.540 --> 00:31:17.779
 Oh,

00:31:17.840 --> 00:31:19.380
 I only got 300 likes

00:31:19.380 --> 00:31:19.880
 and last time

00:31:19.880 --> 00:31:20.500
 I got 400

00:31:20.500 --> 00:31:21.660
 and what's wrong with me?

00:31:22.320 --> 00:31:22.779
 Or,

00:31:22.900 --> 00:31:24.160
 maybe that text message

00:31:24.160 --> 00:31:25.019
 somebody sends you

00:31:25.019 --> 00:31:26.200
 that's not very nice

00:31:26.200 --> 00:31:27.980
 and you get all worked up

00:31:27.980 --> 00:31:29.240
 and you can't sleep at night

00:31:29.240 --> 00:31:30.840
 and then you get all worked up

00:31:30.840 --> 00:31:31.880
 and we get consumed

00:31:31.880 --> 00:31:32.800
 with our little things

00:31:32.799 --> 00:31:33.919
 and Paul wants to

00:31:33.919 --> 00:31:35.000
 blow open

00:31:35.000 --> 00:31:36.119
 our mindset

00:31:36.119 --> 00:31:36.559
 and see,

00:31:36.899 --> 00:31:38.180
 just take a step back

00:31:38.180 --> 00:31:38.859
 and seeing

00:31:38.859 --> 00:31:40.259
 the world

00:31:40.259 --> 00:31:41.539
 is not about you.

00:31:42.259 --> 00:31:43.579
 That's Paul's point here.

00:31:43.659 --> 00:31:44.119
 He says,

00:31:44.480 --> 00:31:45.500
 there is a great

00:31:45.500 --> 00:31:46.740
 cosmic purpose

00:31:46.740 --> 00:31:47.500
 and design

00:31:47.500 --> 00:31:48.859
 for all creation

00:31:48.859 --> 00:31:50.599
 and it's not about you.

00:31:51.359 --> 00:31:51.879
 Yes,

00:31:52.039 --> 00:31:53.099
 you are very blessed.

00:31:53.200 --> 00:31:53.659
 We read about

00:31:53.659 --> 00:31:54.819
 all the amazing blessings.

00:31:55.519 --> 00:31:55.759
 Yes,

00:31:55.799 --> 00:31:57.220
 it has implications for you

00:31:57.220 --> 00:31:58.339
 but actually

00:31:58.339 --> 00:31:59.299
 it's not about you.

00:32:00.440 --> 00:32:01.639
 God is uniting

00:32:01.639 --> 00:32:02.779
 all things together

00:32:02.779 --> 00:32:03.859
 in Christ

00:32:03.859 --> 00:32:05.180
 for the praise

00:32:05.180 --> 00:32:06.180
 of His glory.

00:32:07.639 --> 00:32:08.139
 Now,

00:32:08.200 --> 00:32:09.099
 we're coming into land.

00:32:10.279 --> 00:32:11.180
 John Stott,

00:32:11.379 --> 00:32:12.899
 look at how John Stott said it.

00:32:12.940 --> 00:32:14.139
 I think we should have it up here.

00:32:15.160 --> 00:32:16.220
 John Stott says this,

00:32:17.000 --> 00:32:18.660
 How did we become God's people?

00:32:19.440 --> 00:32:20.059
 The answer,

00:32:20.920 --> 00:32:22.039
 according to the pleasure

00:32:22.039 --> 00:32:22.799
 of His will.

00:32:23.680 --> 00:32:25.460
 And why did He make us His people?

00:32:26.059 --> 00:32:26.579
 Answer,

00:32:27.079 --> 00:32:27.960
 for the praise

00:32:27.960 --> 00:32:28.639
 of the glory

00:32:28.639 --> 00:32:29.519
 of His grace.

00:32:30.420 --> 00:32:31.639
 Everything we have

00:32:31.639 --> 00:32:32.759
 and everything we are

00:32:32.759 --> 00:32:33.799
 in Christ

00:32:33.799 --> 00:32:35.259
 comes both from God

00:32:35.259 --> 00:32:36.700
 and returns to God.

00:32:36.700 --> 00:32:38.440
 It begins with His will

00:32:38.440 --> 00:32:39.799
 and it ends in His glory.

00:32:40.319 --> 00:32:41.740
 For this is where

00:32:41.740 --> 00:32:42.960
 everything begins

00:32:42.960 --> 00:32:44.019
 and ends.

00:32:45.039 --> 00:32:45.420
 Friends,

00:32:45.500 --> 00:32:46.539
 what's really going on

00:32:46.539 --> 00:32:47.079
 in the world?

00:32:47.980 --> 00:32:49.279
 What's the narrative arc

00:32:49.279 --> 00:32:50.079
 of all of history?

00:32:50.799 --> 00:32:51.779
 That one day

00:32:51.779 --> 00:32:52.720
 all things

00:32:52.720 --> 00:32:53.379
 will either be

00:32:53.379 --> 00:32:54.319
 banished to hell

00:32:54.319 --> 00:32:55.559
 or united

00:32:55.559 --> 00:32:56.519
 under Christ

00:32:56.519 --> 00:32:57.480
 and His Lordship

00:32:57.480 --> 00:32:58.819
 for the praise

00:32:58.819 --> 00:32:59.599
 of His glory.

00:32:59.599 --> 00:33:01.799
 and so what that means

00:33:01.799 --> 00:33:02.219
 is that

00:33:02.219 --> 00:33:03.740
 our little things

00:33:03.740 --> 00:33:04.339
 in life

00:33:04.339 --> 00:33:06.379
 don't need to consume

00:33:06.379 --> 00:33:06.980
 us anymore.

00:33:08.139 --> 00:33:08.579
 You know,

00:33:08.619 --> 00:33:09.579
 sometimes we get so,

00:33:09.639 --> 00:33:10.459
 I said fixated

00:33:10.459 --> 00:33:11.179
 in the little things

00:33:11.179 --> 00:33:11.459
 in life.

00:33:11.539 --> 00:33:11.980
 It's like

00:33:11.980 --> 00:33:13.019
 you're missing

00:33:13.019 --> 00:33:14.579
 the birth of your child

00:33:14.579 --> 00:33:15.539
 because you're scrolling

00:33:15.539 --> 00:33:16.219
 on Instagram,

00:33:16.619 --> 00:33:16.939
 right?

00:33:16.940 --> 00:33:18.299
 that's a really

00:33:18.299 --> 00:33:19.180
 dumb thing to do.

00:33:19.539 --> 00:33:20.539
 Don't do that.

00:33:21.120 --> 00:33:22.340
 Nobody would do that.

00:33:22.980 --> 00:33:23.140
 Oh,

00:33:23.180 --> 00:33:23.960
 but we all do it

00:33:23.960 --> 00:33:24.660
 all the time.

00:33:25.039 --> 00:33:26.120
 We miss the great

00:33:26.120 --> 00:33:27.400
 big cosmic plan

00:33:27.400 --> 00:33:28.039
 of God

00:33:28.039 --> 00:33:29.720
 because we're so fixated

00:33:29.720 --> 00:33:30.840
 on our little things

00:33:30.840 --> 00:33:31.920
 and our little problems.

00:33:33.559 --> 00:33:34.039
 Friends,

00:33:34.120 --> 00:33:35.740
 God's great cosmic plan

00:33:35.740 --> 00:33:36.799
 is to unite

00:33:36.799 --> 00:33:37.299
 all things

00:33:37.299 --> 00:33:37.960
 under Christ

00:33:37.960 --> 00:33:38.740
 to the praise

00:33:38.740 --> 00:33:39.620
 of His glory.

00:33:40.480 --> 00:33:41.299
 And so as we come

00:33:41.299 --> 00:33:41.680
 to close,

00:33:41.740 --> 00:33:42.340
 let me ask you

00:33:42.340 --> 00:33:43.320
 this question.

00:33:43.319 --> 00:33:44.679
 what is the connection

00:33:44.679 --> 00:33:46.119
 between the first point,

00:33:46.579 --> 00:33:47.980
 the multitude of blessings

00:33:47.980 --> 00:33:48.599
 in Christ,

00:33:48.759 --> 00:33:50.059
 and the second point,

00:33:50.379 --> 00:33:51.519
 the purposes of God

00:33:51.519 --> 00:33:52.059
 in Christ?

00:33:53.000 --> 00:33:54.259
 And the answer is this.

00:33:54.980 --> 00:33:55.759
 Let me see how I wrote here.

00:33:56.099 --> 00:33:57.919
 As you pick up your cross

00:33:57.919 --> 00:33:58.899
 and follow Jesus,

00:33:59.480 --> 00:34:00.879
 as you give your life

00:34:00.879 --> 00:34:02.039
 to what God is doing

00:34:02.039 --> 00:34:02.619
 in the world,

00:34:03.099 --> 00:34:04.759
 all the blessings of God

00:34:04.759 --> 00:34:06.359
 will be given to you

00:34:06.359 --> 00:34:08.119
 not as an end

00:34:08.119 --> 00:34:08.819
 of themselves

00:34:08.819 --> 00:34:10.679
 but as a foretaste

00:34:10.679 --> 00:34:11.539
 of what will be

00:34:11.539 --> 00:34:13.219
 your eternal reality

00:34:13.219 --> 00:34:14.159
 forever.

00:34:14.919 --> 00:34:15.079
 Okay,

00:34:15.139 --> 00:34:15.899
 does that make sense?

00:34:16.599 --> 00:34:16.779
 You know,

00:34:16.819 --> 00:34:17.619
 sometimes we look

00:34:17.619 --> 00:34:18.159
 at the blessings

00:34:18.159 --> 00:34:18.699
 and we say,

00:34:19.439 --> 00:34:19.639
 oh,

00:34:19.779 --> 00:34:20.639
 isn't it wonderful

00:34:20.639 --> 00:34:21.859
 I'm adopted

00:34:21.859 --> 00:34:22.819
 into God's family.

00:34:23.579 --> 00:34:23.939
 Praise God,

00:34:24.000 --> 00:34:24.719
 isn't it wonderful

00:34:24.719 --> 00:34:26.239
 my sins have been forgiven?

00:34:27.000 --> 00:34:27.959
 Isn't it wonderful

00:34:27.959 --> 00:34:29.919
 that I've got an inheritance

00:34:29.919 --> 00:34:31.119
 with my name in it?

00:34:31.279 --> 00:34:31.679
 Wonderful.

00:34:32.500 --> 00:34:32.939
 But actually,

00:34:33.079 --> 00:34:33.819
 all those

00:34:33.819 --> 00:34:34.759
 are secondary

00:34:34.759 --> 00:34:36.359
 to those

00:34:36.359 --> 00:34:37.599
 come as a byproduct

00:34:37.599 --> 00:34:38.459
 of what God

00:34:38.459 --> 00:34:39.319
 is doing in the world.

00:34:40.119 --> 00:34:41.719
 He is uniting things

00:34:41.719 --> 00:34:42.319
 under Christ.

00:34:42.320 --> 00:34:43.039
 So let me give you

00:34:43.039 --> 00:34:43.580
 this analogy.

00:34:45.580 --> 00:34:46.539
 In the Ukraine

00:34:46.539 --> 00:34:47.860
 there's been this terrible war

00:34:47.860 --> 00:34:48.360
 at the moment,

00:34:48.460 --> 00:34:48.640
 right?

00:34:48.700 --> 00:34:49.640
 We all know about it.

00:34:50.080 --> 00:34:51.280
 Absolutely disastrous.

00:34:51.500 --> 00:34:52.600
 Just terrible.

00:34:53.640 --> 00:34:55.019
 And millions of people

00:34:55.019 --> 00:34:56.280
 are needing to be evacuated

00:34:56.280 --> 00:34:57.000
 out of Ukraine.

00:34:57.980 --> 00:34:58.840
 And so imagine this,

00:34:58.940 --> 00:35:00.200
 at the south of Ukraine

00:35:00.200 --> 00:35:01.460
 they say,

00:35:01.960 --> 00:35:03.000
 there are all these children

00:35:03.000 --> 00:35:04.980
 and women and children,

00:35:05.140 --> 00:35:06.620
 we've got a great big ship

00:35:06.620 --> 00:35:07.420
 that is going to come

00:35:07.420 --> 00:35:08.580
 and evacuate you

00:35:08.580 --> 00:35:09.420
 out of Ukraine.

00:35:09.420 --> 00:35:10.820
 All you've got to do

00:35:10.820 --> 00:35:12.260
 is get to this port town,

00:35:12.400 --> 00:35:13.539
 this harbor front

00:35:13.539 --> 00:35:15.000
 and you will get on the ship

00:35:15.000 --> 00:35:16.220
 and be evacuated out.

00:35:17.119 --> 00:35:17.980
 And so these women

00:35:17.980 --> 00:35:18.380
 and children,

00:35:18.539 --> 00:35:18.900
 they leave

00:35:18.900 --> 00:35:19.740
 and they get to the harbor

00:35:19.740 --> 00:35:21.019
 and there in front of them

00:35:21.019 --> 00:35:23.159
 is this great big cruise liner.

00:35:23.720 --> 00:35:23.960
 I mean,

00:35:24.019 --> 00:35:25.200
 the best cruise liner

00:35:25.200 --> 00:35:25.840
 you've ever seen.

00:35:26.360 --> 00:35:27.639
 And there's water slides

00:35:27.639 --> 00:35:29.119
 and there's basketball courts

00:35:29.119 --> 00:35:31.119
 and there's golf simulators

00:35:31.119 --> 00:35:32.680
 and there's endless food

00:35:32.680 --> 00:35:33.780
 and there's movie theaters

00:35:33.780 --> 00:35:35.059
 and there's like the greatest

00:35:35.059 --> 00:35:35.740
 cruise liner

00:35:35.740 --> 00:35:36.340
 you've ever seen

00:35:36.340 --> 00:35:36.920
 in your life.

00:35:36.920 --> 00:35:39.200
 And they get on the cruise ship

00:35:39.200 --> 00:35:40.480
 to be taken away

00:35:40.480 --> 00:35:41.460
 and while they're there

00:35:41.460 --> 00:35:42.220
 for three weeks

00:35:42.220 --> 00:35:42.880
 they have the time

00:35:42.880 --> 00:35:43.740
 of their life, right?

00:35:44.880 --> 00:35:46.539
 But the point of the cruise liner

00:35:46.539 --> 00:35:47.720
 isn't just to have a holiday.

00:35:48.639 --> 00:35:50.180
 The point isn't just to enjoy

00:35:50.180 --> 00:35:50.840
 all the benefits

00:35:50.840 --> 00:35:51.720
 and then turn around

00:35:51.720 --> 00:35:51.980
 and say,

00:35:52.079 --> 00:35:52.720
 well that was fun,

00:35:52.800 --> 00:35:54.139
 let's go back to Ukraine now.

00:35:54.440 --> 00:35:55.059
 Best of luck.

00:35:55.619 --> 00:35:56.940
 The point is to take them

00:35:56.940 --> 00:35:57.860
 to a new home

00:35:57.860 --> 00:35:59.159
 and there they're going

00:35:59.159 --> 00:35:59.760
 to be established

00:35:59.760 --> 00:36:00.480
 and they're going to be

00:36:00.480 --> 00:36:01.599
 given new passports

00:36:01.599 --> 00:36:02.880
 and a new home

00:36:02.880 --> 00:36:03.920
 and the new home

00:36:03.920 --> 00:36:04.619
 is going to be set up.

00:36:04.700 --> 00:36:05.599
 A place where there is

00:36:05.599 --> 00:36:06.259
 no more war

00:36:06.259 --> 00:36:07.839
 and there is no more suffering

00:36:07.839 --> 00:36:09.119
 and there are no more tears

00:36:09.119 --> 00:36:10.239
 and their family

00:36:10.239 --> 00:36:11.199
 will be taken there

00:36:11.199 --> 00:36:12.819
 and a whole new life

00:36:12.819 --> 00:36:13.699
 awaits them there.

00:36:14.559 --> 00:36:15.380
 And for them to stay

00:36:15.380 --> 00:36:15.920
 on the cruise ship

00:36:15.920 --> 00:36:16.119
 and say,

00:36:16.239 --> 00:36:17.119
 I want to stay here

00:36:17.119 --> 00:36:18.019
 because this is so fun

00:36:18.019 --> 00:36:18.900
 is not the point

00:36:18.900 --> 00:36:19.900
 of being evacuated.

00:36:21.139 --> 00:36:23.039
 It's a pretty bad analogy

00:36:23.039 --> 00:36:24.319
 but the point is this,

00:36:24.880 --> 00:36:25.900
 in this life

00:36:25.900 --> 00:36:27.079
 God has blessed us

00:36:27.079 --> 00:36:27.839
 amazingly,

00:36:28.360 --> 00:36:29.119
 wonderfully,

00:36:29.539 --> 00:36:30.679
 all these blessings

00:36:30.679 --> 00:36:31.339
 in Christ.

00:36:32.039 --> 00:36:33.000
 But that's not

00:36:33.000 --> 00:36:33.920
 the end of the story.

00:36:33.920 --> 00:36:34.840
 The end of the story

00:36:34.840 --> 00:36:36.340
 is God is orchestrating

00:36:36.340 --> 00:36:37.119
 all things.

00:36:37.240 --> 00:36:38.619
 He's making a new heavens

00:36:38.619 --> 00:36:39.320
 and a new earth.

00:36:39.740 --> 00:36:40.740
 There is a cosmic

00:36:40.740 --> 00:36:41.980
 great big plan

00:36:41.980 --> 00:36:43.760
 that God has got in store

00:36:43.760 --> 00:36:45.300
 for the whole world

00:36:45.300 --> 00:36:47.000
 and He plans for you

00:36:47.000 --> 00:36:47.820
 to be a part of it

00:36:47.820 --> 00:36:49.460
 if you are in Christ.

00:36:50.220 --> 00:36:50.900
 And the blessings

00:36:50.900 --> 00:36:51.980
 that God gives you

00:36:51.980 --> 00:36:53.260
 are not an end

00:36:53.260 --> 00:36:53.920
 in themselves,

00:36:54.079 --> 00:36:55.180
 they're a foretaste

00:36:55.180 --> 00:36:56.619
 of what will be true

00:36:56.619 --> 00:36:57.079
 for you

00:36:57.079 --> 00:36:58.920
 for all eternity.

00:37:00.139 --> 00:37:01.139
 And so we end off

00:37:01.139 --> 00:37:01.879
 where we started.

00:37:02.960 --> 00:37:04.219
 Praise be the God

00:37:04.219 --> 00:37:04.699
 and Father

00:37:04.699 --> 00:37:06.059
 of our Lord Jesus Christ

00:37:06.059 --> 00:37:07.699
 who has blessed us

00:37:07.699 --> 00:37:08.199
 in Christ

00:37:08.199 --> 00:37:10.179
 with every spiritual blessing

00:37:10.179 --> 00:37:12.259
 according to the purpose

00:37:12.259 --> 00:37:13.079
 of His will

00:37:13.079 --> 00:37:14.739
 with which He set forth

00:37:14.739 --> 00:37:15.279
 in Christ

00:37:15.279 --> 00:37:16.859
 for a fullness of time

00:37:16.859 --> 00:37:18.699
 to unite all things

00:37:18.699 --> 00:37:19.119
 in Him,

00:37:19.659 --> 00:37:20.480
 things in heaven

00:37:20.480 --> 00:37:21.579
 and on earth

00:37:21.579 --> 00:37:22.940
 to the praise

00:37:22.940 --> 00:37:24.599
 of His glorious grace.

00:37:25.420 --> 00:37:25.759
 Amen.

00:37:25.920 --> 00:37:26.699
 Let's pray together.

00:37:26.699 --> 00:37:26.799
 Father,

00:37:27.699 --> 00:37:28.699
 Father,

00:37:29.419 --> 00:37:30.579
 as we've looked

00:37:30.579 --> 00:37:32.879
 at this very complex passage

00:37:32.879 --> 00:37:34.439
 with a multitude

00:37:34.439 --> 00:37:37.699
 of threads

00:37:38.460 --> 00:37:39.279
 and truths

00:37:39.279 --> 00:37:40.619
 and doctrinal statements,

00:37:41.399 --> 00:37:42.000
 God,

00:37:42.059 --> 00:37:42.659
 the end result

00:37:42.659 --> 00:37:44.019
 is that we get on our knees

00:37:44.019 --> 00:37:44.759
 and we join

00:37:44.759 --> 00:37:45.679
 the Apostle Paul

00:37:45.679 --> 00:37:47.019
 and we say all praise to You,

00:37:47.099 --> 00:37:48.000
 all glory to You

00:37:48.000 --> 00:37:48.819
 for what You've done.

00:37:49.739 --> 00:37:50.119
 God,

00:37:50.179 --> 00:37:50.699
 thank You for the

00:37:51.419 --> 00:37:52.819
 infinite blessings

00:37:52.819 --> 00:37:54.179
 that we have in Christ.

00:37:54.179 --> 00:37:56.519
 God,

00:37:56.579 --> 00:37:57.079
 for those of us

00:37:57.079 --> 00:37:57.940
 that are not in Christ,

00:37:58.059 --> 00:37:58.879
 I pray that You

00:37:58.879 --> 00:37:59.659
 open the eyes

00:37:59.659 --> 00:38:00.379
 of our hearts

00:38:00.379 --> 00:38:01.299
 to see You

00:38:01.299 --> 00:38:02.139
 and to know You,

00:38:02.219 --> 00:38:03.000
 to know the hope

00:38:03.000 --> 00:38:03.639
 of the gospel

00:38:03.639 --> 00:38:05.460
 and to join You,

00:38:05.579 --> 00:38:05.819
 God,

00:38:06.199 --> 00:38:07.699
 in Your great big cosmic plan

00:38:07.699 --> 00:38:09.019
 for all creation.

00:38:10.199 --> 00:38:10.440
 God,

00:38:10.500 --> 00:38:11.659
 I pray that we won't

00:38:11.659 --> 00:38:12.399
 be consumed

00:38:12.399 --> 00:38:13.219
 with small,

00:38:13.460 --> 00:38:14.519
 pithy things in our lives,

00:38:14.559 --> 00:38:15.099
 that our lives

00:38:15.099 --> 00:38:16.279
 won't be consumed

00:38:16.279 --> 00:38:17.480
 with Instagram posts

00:38:17.480 --> 00:38:19.219
 and other meaningless things,

00:38:19.259 --> 00:38:19.859
 that God,

00:38:19.940 --> 00:38:20.739
 You'll open the eyes

00:38:20.739 --> 00:38:21.099
 of our hearts.

00:38:21.219 --> 00:38:22.659
 You'll give us a window

00:38:22.659 --> 00:38:23.779
 into what You're doing

00:38:23.780 --> 00:38:24.320
 that we will

00:38:24.320 --> 00:38:26.300
 spend our lives,

00:38:26.500 --> 00:38:27.800
 pouring out our lives

00:38:27.800 --> 00:38:29.940
 according to Your plan

00:38:29.940 --> 00:38:31.860
 and that therein

00:38:31.860 --> 00:38:32.780
 we will be blessed.

00:38:32.920 --> 00:38:33.100
 God,

00:38:33.160 --> 00:38:33.980
 we pray this

00:38:33.980 --> 00:38:35.460
 in Your great

00:38:35.460 --> 00:38:36.480
 and Your gracious name.

00:38:37.360 --> 00:38:37.700
 Amen.