WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.320 be back again here at Cheyenne Mountain. As Matthew mentioned, my name is Andrew Goisweta. 00:00:06.700 --> 00:00:13.939 I'm one of the many RUF campus ministers, one of the many pastors that serve our college students, 00:00:13.939 --> 00:00:19.320 trying to bring the gospel to American and international colleges and universities, 00:00:19.699 --> 00:00:25.300 sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. And yes, I will be up the road in Denver next week for 00:00:25.300 --> 00:00:30.679 training. And one of the things I look forward to the most about RUF training is getting to see 00:00:30.679 --> 00:00:40.320 such dear friends from all seasons of life, including one of my dearest friends, Brother Matthew. 00:00:41.600 --> 00:00:48.260 And one of the things that I've learned from my friendship with Matthew is it is vitally important 00:00:48.260 --> 00:00:55.100 to have a friend who will ask you how they can be praying for you and will actually follow up 00:00:55.100 --> 00:01:02.240 on that and pray for you. I've also learned that it's important to have a friend who remembers your 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:09.240 kids' names. And maybe not as important, but still very cool nonetheless. It's important to have a 00:01:09.240 --> 00:01:15.379 friend who will send you a postcard while he's on vacation. Always love getting those beautiful 00:01:15.379 --> 00:01:21.599 postcards. So here's the lesson. Make sure you have a friend like Matthew Capone. Let's close in prayer. 00:01:21.599 --> 00:01:30.079 I'm just kidding. That's not the sermon. This morning's passage does indeed come from John's 00:01:30.079 --> 00:01:35.079 gospel. So if you have a copy of God's Word, I invite you to turn with me to John chapter 4. We're 00:01:35.079 --> 00:01:42.780 going to be looking at the very famous story of Jesus meeting the woman at the well. And we're going 00:01:42.780 --> 00:01:48.539 to be looking at verses 1 through 30 of chapter 4. But really, we're going to be honing in on verses 5 00:01:48.540 --> 00:01:54.260 through 7, as well as verses 28 through 30. But it's good to have the whole story in front of us 00:01:54.260 --> 00:02:01.180 for context. Before I read, I do want to mention that recently one of my students, a sophomore at 00:02:01.180 --> 00:02:08.300 Davidson, he asked me, Andrew, he said, Andrew, I grew up going to church. But I'll be honest, I've never 00:02:08.300 --> 00:02:15.939 read the Bible. But I want to start. Where should I begin? I love questions like that. And I don't know 00:02:15.939 --> 00:02:20.099 how you would answer my student. To be honest, there's lots of good answers to that question. 00:02:20.199 --> 00:02:25.319 It's hard to go wrong, right? I mean, I suppose maybe don't point him to Ecclesiastes right away 00:02:25.319 --> 00:02:29.740 or Song of Solomon or something like that. But there's lots of good answers. And in that moment, 00:02:30.099 --> 00:02:38.159 I said to him, why don't you start with the gospel of John? And the reason that I did that is because 00:02:38.159 --> 00:02:48.400 John is crystal clear about his reason for writing this book. And that reason is, well, it's very much 00:02:48.400 --> 00:02:54.500 like that banner that Ted Lasso puts over the door of his office in the locker room to AFC Richmond. 00:02:55.159 --> 00:03:02.359 You might recall, it's that yellow sign with those blue letters, one word, believe. 00:03:02.360 --> 00:03:13.280 And that, that is John's message to us and to anyone who would read his gospel account. In particular, 00:03:13.460 --> 00:03:19.660 John wants us to know that these things are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, 00:03:20.000 --> 00:03:27.260 the Son of God, and that by believing, you might have life in his name. And so as we come to John chapter 00:03:27.259 --> 00:03:33.079 four, and I'd invite you to imagine you've been reading along in John's gospel, you've been reading 00:03:33.079 --> 00:03:38.199 the first three chapters. And if that's your, if that's the case, as you're reading chapters one, 00:03:38.299 --> 00:03:42.899 two, and three, and you come to chapter four, you're going to notice that John is beating the drum 00:03:42.899 --> 00:03:51.560 of Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus is God in the flesh. He is the object of our faith. He is the entryway 00:03:51.560 --> 00:03:58.000 into the kingdom of God, into heaven. He is the Savior of the world. Believe in him. That's the drum 00:03:58.000 --> 00:04:04.400 that John has been beating. And so as we come to John four, we hear that message again, but we also 00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:13.620 hear a slightly different note too. It's a bit surprising to us. What note is that? I'd invite 00:04:13.620 --> 00:04:20.040 you to listen for it as I read John chapter four out loud for us. So this is God's word for us this 00:04:20.040 --> 00:04:26.760 morning, beginning in verse one. Now, when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus 00:04:26.760 --> 00:04:32.180 was making and baptizing more disciples than John, although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only 00:04:32.180 --> 00:04:39.120 his disciples, he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. And he had to pass through Samaria. 00:04:39.879 --> 00:04:45.840 So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son, 00:04:45.839 --> 00:04:53.439 Joseph. Jacob's well was there. So Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the 00:04:53.439 --> 00:05:01.219 well. It was about the sixth hour. A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, 00:05:01.879 --> 00:05:08.399 give me a drink. For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. The Samaritan woman said to 00:05:08.399 --> 00:05:17.439 him, how is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria? For Jews have no dealings 00:05:17.439 --> 00:05:25.319 with Samaritans. Jesus answered her, if you knew the gift of God and who it is that is saying to you, 00:05:25.500 --> 00:05:35.179 give me a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water. The woman said to him, 00:05:35.180 --> 00:05:41.199 sir, you've got nothing to draw water with and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 00:05:41.920 --> 00:05:47.579 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself as did his sons 00:05:47.579 --> 00:05:55.199 and his livestock. Jesus said to her, everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again. 00:05:56.139 --> 00:06:02.960 But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I 00:06:02.959 --> 00:06:09.000 will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. The woman said to him, 00:06:09.799 --> 00:06:14.779 sir, give me this water so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water. 00:06:16.259 --> 00:06:23.000 Jesus said to her, go call your husband and come here. The woman answered him, I have no husband. 00:06:23.939 --> 00:06:29.039 Jesus said to her, you are right in saying I have no husband for you have had five husbands 00:06:29.040 --> 00:06:36.240 and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true. The woman said to him, 00:06:37.000 --> 00:06:42.840 sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in 00:06:42.840 --> 00:06:49.280 Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship. Jesus said to her, woman, believe me, the hour is 00:06:49.280 --> 00:06:55.820 coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the father. You worship what you do 00:06:55.819 --> 00:07:03.459 not know. We worship what we know for salvation is from the Jews, but the hour is coming and is now 00:07:03.459 --> 00:07:10.719 here when the true worshipers will worship the father in spirit and truth for the father is seeking 00:07:10.719 --> 00:07:17.740 such people to worship him. God is spirit and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. 00:07:17.740 --> 00:07:25.860 The woman said to him, I know that Messiah is coming. He who is called Christ. When he comes, 00:07:25.939 --> 00:07:34.519 he will tell us all things. Jesus said to her, I who speak to you am he. Just then his disciples came 00:07:34.519 --> 00:07:40.620 back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, what do you seek or why are 00:07:40.620 --> 00:07:46.759 you talking with her? So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, 00:07:47.420 --> 00:07:54.780 come see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ? They went out of the town and 00:07:54.780 --> 00:08:01.720 were coming to him. Grass withers and the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. 00:08:02.280 --> 00:08:10.420 Would you pray with me? Father in heaven, we ask that your word would not return to you empty 00:08:10.420 --> 00:08:15.960 this morning. We ask that it would accomplish the purpose for which you send it. And so 00:08:15.960 --> 00:08:22.439 would you be true to your promise? Would you accomplish your purposes in us and among us this 00:08:22.439 --> 00:08:30.120 morning? Would you do so through your word and by your Holy Spirit? We ask these things in Jesus's name. 00:08:30.819 --> 00:08:38.039 Amen. Well, if you are like me and you like taking notes during sermons, keeping up with an outline, 00:08:38.039 --> 00:08:45.360 I've got a very straightforward outline for you this morning. I've got three points. First, I want us to see 00:08:45.360 --> 00:08:55.539 that Jesus embraced our limitations. Second, I want us to ask why. Why did Jesus embrace our limitations? 00:08:56.639 --> 00:09:02.919 And then third and finally, I want us to ask what difference does any of this make to our lives here and now? 00:09:02.919 --> 00:09:08.879 So let's just jump in together. First, I want us to see that Jesus embraced our limitations. 00:09:09.899 --> 00:09:16.459 Would you go and look back with me at the first seven verses of our passage? You know, this story 00:09:16.459 --> 00:09:24.259 begins with Jesus trying to get from the land of Judea in the south up to Galilee in the north. 00:09:24.259 --> 00:09:32.840 And in order to do so, verse 4 says that he had to pass through the region of Samaria. 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:42.319 Now, today, if you were going to make that journey by car or by bus, that whole trip from Judea to 00:09:42.319 --> 00:09:50.139 Galilee would probably only take you roughly two hours. But for Jesus and his disciples, who didn't have a 00:09:50.139 --> 00:09:57.480 car, didn't have a bus, who were traveling by foot over roads and paths that were not nicely paved, 00:09:57.659 --> 00:10:07.819 right, no asphalt, in this hot and arid Mediterranean climate, it would have taken them two, but more 00:10:07.819 --> 00:10:13.879 likely three days to make that entire journey. You know, it would have been like walking from the 00:10:13.879 --> 00:10:19.720 northern city limits of the springs to the southern city limits of Fort Collins, if you can imagine that. 00:10:20.620 --> 00:10:26.939 And so, with that distance, we're not too, too surprised when we read in verses 5 and 6 00:10:26.939 --> 00:10:34.539 that Jesus was so wearied and tired and worn out from that journey by foot that he had to stop 00:10:34.539 --> 00:10:40.240 at the halfway point in the town of Sychar to sit down and rest by this well. 00:10:41.720 --> 00:10:48.740 If you look at verse 7, it shows us that Jesus was so thirsty, he was thirsty enough to ask for a drink 00:10:48.740 --> 00:10:58.120 of water from a Samaritan woman. Now, especially if you've heard this story before, and I'm guessing 00:10:58.120 --> 00:11:04.180 that many of you have, none of these details really surprise us. None of them really catch us off guard. 00:11:04.179 --> 00:11:06.620 But they should. 00:11:08.939 --> 00:11:17.000 Because again, what John is revealing to us is that in Jesus, who is God, right, 100% God, 00:11:17.000 --> 00:11:31.720 in Jesus, God got wearied. God got tired. God got worn out. In Jesus, the preexistent word, the logos, 00:11:32.539 --> 00:11:40.600 the one through whom and by whom all things were made, the great I am, the God of the entire universe, 00:11:40.600 --> 00:11:47.720 God of the entire universe, grew thirsty. In Jesus, Yahweh had to stop and rest a while. 00:11:49.019 --> 00:11:57.680 Y'all, when you stop and think of it, that's crazy. That's mind-blowing. Jesus, though he was fully God, 00:11:58.360 --> 00:12:06.279 didn't flee his physical needs and limitations. He embraced them. That's a big deal. 00:12:06.279 --> 00:12:14.779 So, I'd invite you to think about it this way. I'm sure many of you here have played a video game 00:12:14.779 --> 00:12:19.879 before, right? They're everywhere, right? We've played video games before, and I'm sure that some 00:12:19.879 --> 00:12:27.199 of you have probably played a video game or two that has these cheat codes built into them, right? 00:12:27.240 --> 00:12:32.839 So, the developers coded in an opportunity for you as a gamer to hit a few buttons and turn on some 00:12:32.840 --> 00:12:38.000 cheat codes, right? And I'm guessing there's a smattering of you who maybe have played a video 00:12:38.000 --> 00:12:44.540 game with a certain very particular type of cheat code that makes you invincible while you're playing. 00:12:45.160 --> 00:12:52.040 And those cheat codes are often referred to as God mode. So, imagine you're working through this 00:12:52.040 --> 00:12:57.519 video game. You get to this level that you just can't quite finish, or you come up against this, 00:12:57.519 --> 00:13:02.699 you know, this big, huge boss, and you can't defeat the boss. And so, you try as you may, you know, 00:13:02.779 --> 00:13:09.139 your health levels go down, your energy level goes down, you keep dying, you can't win. You might be 00:13:09.139 --> 00:13:16.720 tempted to hit those buttons and turn on God mode. Fully restore in an instant all your health, all your 00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:25.039 energy, you know, whoop. And not only that, make yourself invincible so that in a second, you can beat 00:13:25.039 --> 00:13:31.779 that boss, you can accomplish that level and move on to the next. It's so efficient, right? You can beat 00:13:31.779 --> 00:13:38.339 that game in record time if you turn on God mode. Why am I talking about video games? Why am I talking 00:13:38.339 --> 00:13:50.000 about cheat codes? Here's why. I want you to consider that Jesus, in a sense, had all the cheat codes to life, 00:13:50.000 --> 00:14:01.320 even and including God mode. And yet, where you or I might be tempted to cheat and turn on God mode, 00:14:01.960 --> 00:14:10.799 here we see that Jesus didn't. He didn't take the shortcuts. I mean, think about it. Jesus, again, 00:14:10.960 --> 00:14:18.000 being God, could have easily just teleported himself and the disciples from Judea and the South up to 00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:24.480 Galilee, right? That's not beyond his ability, the God of the universe. Or maybe you're thinking, 00:14:24.580 --> 00:14:30.960 okay, that's extreme. How about this? I mean, when he got tired and hungry and thirsty, Jesus could have 00:14:30.960 --> 00:14:40.740 easily called down bread, milk, honey, water, right from the heavens, and fed himself and the disciples. 00:14:40.740 --> 00:14:52.320 That's not beyond reason. And yet, Jesus didn't do that. Instead, he set out on this 120-mile journey 00:14:52.320 --> 00:15:03.700 through desert, over and down through hills and valleys, right? He didn't use his divine power. 00:15:03.700 --> 00:15:07.020 He embraced his human limitations. 00:15:10.140 --> 00:15:18.259 Why did Jesus do that? Why did he resist the convenience, the efficiency of being fully God, 00:15:18.680 --> 00:15:25.680 and instead embrace the inconvenience and inefficiency of being fully human? Why did he do that? This brings 00:15:25.680 --> 00:15:31.140 us to our second question. Not only do I want us to see that Jesus embraced our limitations, I want us to 00:15:31.139 --> 00:15:38.899 ask why. Why did Jesus embrace our humanity, our limitations in this way? And the answer that the text 00:15:38.899 --> 00:15:47.639 gives us is that had Jesus not embraced our limitations, had he not embraced his own human limitations, 00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:53.580 many would have missed out on salvation. Many would not have been saved. 00:15:53.580 --> 00:16:02.160 I mean, let's revisit the story together. I mean, remember, it begins with Jesus meeting this woman at the well. 00:16:03.280 --> 00:16:09.420 Now, this woman didn't go to the well looking for God, necessarily. She went looking to draw water, 00:16:09.740 --> 00:16:18.500 right? That's what the text says. And she did so quietly by herself. You know, in those days, 00:16:18.500 --> 00:16:24.799 women would typically go together in the early morning before the heat of the day to draw water. 00:16:25.899 --> 00:16:31.659 Not only did they not want to be out there in the scorching sun, but they wanted to go as a group 00:16:31.659 --> 00:16:38.620 to protect themselves against wild animals or men who wanted to harm them, right? So they would usually go 00:16:38.620 --> 00:16:45.480 in the very early morning before the sun rose. But here we see this woman who goes alone to the well 00:16:45.480 --> 00:16:51.000 at the sixth hour, which would have been noon. Why? 00:16:53.519 --> 00:17:01.180 Most likely, it was because she was a social outcast due to her reputation. 00:17:03.240 --> 00:17:10.740 I mean, she went alone in order to avoid the judgment and the scorn and just those staring eyes from 00:17:10.740 --> 00:17:16.299 the other ladies in town, right? From the glances of other women. 00:17:18.200 --> 00:17:22.700 And so she goes to the well alone by herself, but then she meets Jesus. 00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:29.539 And Jesus offers her living water, a spring of water welling up to eternal life. 00:17:29.539 --> 00:17:37.980 And he goes on to tell her in her own words, all that she ever did, thus revealing himself to truly 00:17:37.980 --> 00:17:46.180 be the Messiah, the Christ. And so what does this woman do? Look again at verses 28 and 29. 00:17:47.399 --> 00:17:54.619 This woman, she actually leaves her water jar at the well. That's an interesting little detail that 00:17:54.619 --> 00:17:58.539 John includes for us, isn't it? I mean, the whole reason she went out there in the first place was to 00:17:58.539 --> 00:18:04.039 draw water. And she leaves the water which she went for. She leaves it there at the well, maybe 00:18:04.039 --> 00:18:11.519 because she found something better, right? And she goes back into town and invites the town, the townspeople, 00:18:11.619 --> 00:18:18.619 the very people she was trying to avoid by going by herself to the well at noon. She invites the 00:18:18.619 --> 00:18:27.059 townspeople to come out and to meet Jesus. And they did. I mean, verse 30 says that they went out of the 00:18:27.059 --> 00:18:34.079 town and they were coming to him. Now, I didn't read later in verse 39, but if you have a Bible, you can look 00:18:34.079 --> 00:18:41.960 there with me. That says, many Samaritans from that town believed in Jesus because of the woman's testimony. 00:18:43.259 --> 00:18:50.119 Here's the point. Had Jesus not been a human being with human limitations, 00:18:50.119 --> 00:18:58.599 or had Jesus decided to put aside his humanity out of convenience or expediency, 00:18:59.559 --> 00:19:02.159 these people of Samaria would not have been saved. 00:19:05.399 --> 00:19:12.139 Instead, Jesus chose the inconvenience. He chose the discomfort. He chose the fatigue to save these 00:19:12.139 --> 00:19:20.099 Samaritans. But y'all, it goes beyond that. It's not just first century Samaritans that would 00:19:20.099 --> 00:19:26.799 have missed out on salvation had Jesus not embraced his humanity. You and I would have missed out on 00:19:26.799 --> 00:19:38.039 salvation as well. Jesus had to be a man in order to save humanity. And this is exactly what we celebrate 00:19:38.039 --> 00:19:44.699 during Advent and Christmas. And this is precisely what sets Christianity apart from every other religion, 00:19:44.700 --> 00:19:51.240 every other worldview, every other belief system. Because all other faiths, all other belief systems, 00:19:51.620 --> 00:19:59.080 they teach that we need to either deny or transcend our humanity in order to be saved. 00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:06.539 Think about it. We're told you need to acquire that hidden secret knowledge and be on the inside. 00:20:06.539 --> 00:20:15.559 Or you need to exercise extreme self-denial and asceticism. Or you need to completely empty yourself 00:20:15.559 --> 00:20:23.720 of worldly desires and attachments. Or you need to perform this long list of religious rites and rituals. 00:20:23.720 --> 00:20:33.420 Or you need to develop and maintain exemplary morals and virtues. Or you need to transcend your background 00:20:33.420 --> 00:20:37.920 and your biology and determine for yourself who you truly are. 00:20:39.500 --> 00:20:49.539 In all these examples, you escape, you transcend your humanity, your limitations, your finiteness in order to be saved. 00:20:49.539 --> 00:20:53.019 But this is not what the Bible teaches. 00:20:54.500 --> 00:20:57.119 The Bible teaches it's not your humanity 00:20:57.119 --> 00:20:59.980 that's the problem, but your sin. 00:21:01.779 --> 00:21:04.759 Jesus did not come to save you from your humanity. 00:21:05.659 --> 00:21:07.539 He came to save you from the sin 00:21:07.539 --> 00:21:08.960 that mars your humanity. 00:21:11.440 --> 00:21:16.019 This is why the Bible says that Jesus had to be made like us in every way except for sin. 00:21:16.019 --> 00:21:21.139 You see, he entered our humanity in order to restore our humanity. 00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:26.480 To affirm and restore the dignity that we were originally created with. 00:21:27.379 --> 00:21:29.460 And to put away all of our sin 00:21:29.460 --> 00:21:32.519 that defaces that created dignity. 00:21:33.900 --> 00:21:34.839 Let me use this image. 00:21:34.980 --> 00:21:38.519 We are all, every one of us, like broken mirrors. 00:21:40.039 --> 00:21:42.740 Imperfectly reflecting the image of God, our creator. 00:21:42.740 --> 00:21:48.640 Jesus came to put those broken pieces back together again. 00:21:49.900 --> 00:21:52.519 That we might better reflect God 00:21:52.519 --> 00:21:56.620 in all his goodness and grace and mercy and truth. 00:21:59.400 --> 00:22:01.779 That's exactly what Jesus did for the woman at the well. 00:22:03.000 --> 00:22:05.680 And that's what he does for everyone and anyone 00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:08.220 who acknowledges him as the Messiah, 00:22:08.740 --> 00:22:10.859 the Christ, the anointed one of God. 00:22:10.859 --> 00:22:14.859 And so before we move on to our last point, 00:22:15.139 --> 00:22:16.619 let me just take a second and summarize 00:22:16.619 --> 00:22:17.899 what we've been talking about so far. 00:22:19.379 --> 00:22:20.519 All other religions, 00:22:21.579 --> 00:22:23.399 even works-based Christianity, 00:22:24.159 --> 00:22:26.519 whether that takes on a progressive flavor 00:22:26.519 --> 00:22:27.979 or a conservative flavor, 00:22:28.839 --> 00:22:30.859 but all other religions 00:22:30.859 --> 00:22:35.059 put the emphasis on our great search for God. 00:22:35.639 --> 00:22:37.039 Or maybe they don't call it God, 00:22:37.179 --> 00:22:38.339 our great search for truth 00:22:38.339 --> 00:22:40.119 or fulfillment 00:22:40.119 --> 00:22:41.459 or enlightenment 00:22:41.459 --> 00:22:42.220 or the good life. 00:22:42.279 --> 00:22:43.919 But it's all about our striving, 00:22:44.139 --> 00:22:45.799 our searching, right? 00:22:47.000 --> 00:22:48.619 Only Christ-centered, 00:22:50.059 --> 00:22:51.099 biblical Christianity 00:22:51.099 --> 00:22:55.079 puts the emphasis on God's great search for us. 00:22:56.339 --> 00:22:58.359 It's right here in John chapter 4. 00:22:58.359 --> 00:23:00.679 Because in John chapter 4, 00:23:01.519 --> 00:23:03.299 we see that God, 00:23:03.459 --> 00:23:04.179 through Jesus, 00:23:05.119 --> 00:23:08.500 a first-century Jewish carpenter from Nazareth, 00:23:09.759 --> 00:23:10.279 in Jesus, 00:23:10.500 --> 00:23:12.019 God went looking 00:23:12.019 --> 00:23:16.379 for a notorious Samaritan woman 00:23:16.379 --> 00:23:20.419 and her idolatrous Samaritan neighbors. 00:23:20.420 --> 00:23:23.000 And in Jesus, 00:23:23.300 --> 00:23:24.160 God is looking 00:23:24.160 --> 00:23:26.400 for notorious, 00:23:26.800 --> 00:23:28.500 idolatrous men and women, 00:23:28.740 --> 00:23:29.420 boys and girls, 00:23:29.640 --> 00:23:30.320 like you 00:23:30.320 --> 00:23:31.600 and like me. 00:23:33.340 --> 00:23:35.420 So this naturally brings us 00:23:35.420 --> 00:23:36.960 to our last point. 00:23:38.240 --> 00:23:40.140 What difference does any of this make 00:23:40.140 --> 00:23:42.680 to our day-to-day lives? 00:23:43.340 --> 00:23:44.420 I just want to leave us 00:23:44.420 --> 00:23:45.779 with two key takeaways. 00:23:45.779 --> 00:23:48.639 The first key takeaway is this. 00:23:49.480 --> 00:23:51.059 Matter matters. 00:23:52.500 --> 00:23:53.740 Matter matters. 00:23:54.960 --> 00:23:57.299 Maybe you've heard people say things 00:23:57.299 --> 00:23:58.220 along the lines of, 00:23:58.920 --> 00:23:59.779 the real you 00:23:59.779 --> 00:24:01.399 is not who you are on the outside, 00:24:01.700 --> 00:24:03.259 but who you are on the inside. 00:24:04.619 --> 00:24:06.779 Or maybe you've heard someone say, 00:24:07.299 --> 00:24:09.099 you don't have a soul. 00:24:09.559 --> 00:24:11.079 You are a soul. 00:24:11.599 --> 00:24:13.379 You have a body. 00:24:13.380 --> 00:24:15.500 And these are kind of 00:24:15.500 --> 00:24:16.720 popular sentiments today. 00:24:17.260 --> 00:24:18.960 Maybe best reflected 00:24:18.960 --> 00:24:19.980 by the words 00:24:19.980 --> 00:24:22.300 of a diminutive green Jedi master 00:24:22.300 --> 00:24:24.520 spoken to, you know, 00:24:24.600 --> 00:24:26.160 his Pottawana apprentice, 00:24:26.640 --> 00:24:27.240 Luke Skywalker, 00:24:27.920 --> 00:24:29.300 in The Empire Strikes Back. 00:24:30.360 --> 00:24:31.120 And I'm not going to do 00:24:31.120 --> 00:24:32.020 my Yoda voice. 00:24:32.200 --> 00:24:32.880 Sorry to disappoint. 00:24:33.760 --> 00:24:35.020 But in The Empire Strikes Back, 00:24:35.120 --> 00:24:36.460 while Yoda is training Luke, 00:24:36.800 --> 00:24:38.020 he says to Luke, 00:24:38.760 --> 00:24:40.900 luminous beings are we, 00:24:41.560 --> 00:24:42.880 not this crude matter. 00:24:43.860 --> 00:24:44.340 Remember that? 00:24:45.040 --> 00:24:46.060 Luminous beings are we, 00:24:46.080 --> 00:24:47.000 not this crude matter. 00:24:48.800 --> 00:24:49.220 Look, 00:24:49.480 --> 00:24:50.840 according to God's word, 00:24:51.000 --> 00:24:52.140 all of these expressions, 00:24:52.360 --> 00:24:53.180 all these sentiments, 00:24:53.980 --> 00:24:55.360 they only get it half right. 00:24:57.380 --> 00:24:57.820 Yes, 00:24:57.940 --> 00:24:58.580 you are 00:24:58.580 --> 00:24:59.580 who you are 00:24:59.580 --> 00:25:00.220 on the inside. 00:25:01.760 --> 00:25:02.180 Yes, 00:25:02.220 --> 00:25:03.180 you are a soul. 00:25:04.620 --> 00:25:04.880 Yes, 00:25:04.940 --> 00:25:05.420 in a sense, 00:25:05.560 --> 00:25:06.200 you are 00:25:06.200 --> 00:25:07.780 a luminous being. 00:25:09.120 --> 00:25:10.160 But you're also 00:25:10.160 --> 00:25:11.060 this crude matter. 00:25:11.059 --> 00:25:13.659 you are 00:25:13.659 --> 00:25:14.299 also 00:25:14.299 --> 00:25:15.339 a body. 00:25:15.779 --> 00:25:16.500 That's who you are. 00:25:17.700 --> 00:25:18.720 You are also 00:25:18.720 --> 00:25:19.480 who you are 00:25:19.480 --> 00:25:20.379 on the outside. 00:25:22.619 --> 00:25:23.220 One of 00:25:23.220 --> 00:25:24.319 Matthews and mine, 00:25:24.480 --> 00:25:25.759 one of our seminary professors, 00:25:26.200 --> 00:25:27.359 he would put it this way. 00:25:27.919 --> 00:25:28.319 He would say, 00:25:28.440 --> 00:25:29.259 as a human being, 00:25:29.700 --> 00:25:30.440 you are 00:25:30.440 --> 00:25:31.179 a psychosomatic 00:25:31.879 --> 00:25:32.500 unity. 00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:33.960 He's not calling you crazy. 00:25:34.079 --> 00:25:34.839 He's not calling you psycho. 00:25:34.839 --> 00:25:36.459 But what he's saying is, 00:25:36.759 --> 00:25:37.439 you're a 00:25:37.439 --> 00:25:38.679 mind-body 00:25:38.679 --> 00:25:39.199 nexus. 00:25:40.559 --> 00:25:41.220 You're a 00:25:41.220 --> 00:25:41.919 psychosomatic 00:25:41.919 --> 00:25:42.859 unity. 00:25:43.379 --> 00:25:44.919 You're a soul-body 00:25:44.919 --> 00:25:46.079 unity. 00:25:48.279 --> 00:25:49.079 People, 00:25:49.339 --> 00:25:49.779 or even 00:25:49.779 --> 00:25:50.659 little green 00:25:50.659 --> 00:25:51.299 Jedi masters, 00:25:51.720 --> 00:25:52.980 who put 00:25:52.980 --> 00:25:54.539 these sharp lines 00:25:54.539 --> 00:25:55.539 between the spiritual 00:25:55.539 --> 00:25:56.339 and the physical, 00:25:57.419 --> 00:25:58.939 they take their cues 00:25:58.939 --> 00:25:59.939 more so from 00:25:59.939 --> 00:26:01.199 platonic dualism 00:26:01.199 --> 00:26:01.959 than the Bible, 00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:03.359 than God's word. 00:26:03.359 --> 00:26:06.159 Now, 00:26:06.419 --> 00:26:07.419 someone might 00:26:07.419 --> 00:26:08.159 want to push 00:26:08.159 --> 00:26:09.119 back on me 00:26:09.119 --> 00:26:09.899 a little bit here, 00:26:10.240 --> 00:26:10.539 right? 00:26:11.339 --> 00:26:12.279 Because you're thinking, 00:26:12.439 --> 00:26:12.799 wait a second, 00:26:12.899 --> 00:26:13.079 Andrew, 00:26:13.179 --> 00:26:14.219 doesn't the Bible teach 00:26:14.219 --> 00:26:16.259 that we are, 00:26:16.399 --> 00:26:17.099 that human beings 00:26:17.099 --> 00:26:19.079 are two distinct, 00:26:19.219 --> 00:26:20.179 two separate parts? 00:26:21.179 --> 00:26:22.379 Maybe you're thinking, 00:26:22.539 --> 00:26:22.899 wait a second, 00:26:22.959 --> 00:26:23.779 didn't Jesus say 00:26:23.779 --> 00:26:24.899 to the thief on the cross, 00:26:25.500 --> 00:26:26.159 the dying thief 00:26:26.159 --> 00:26:26.619 on the cross, 00:26:26.979 --> 00:26:27.519 today, 00:26:28.159 --> 00:26:28.839 you will be with me 00:26:28.839 --> 00:26:29.299 in paradise? 00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:31.059 How is that going to happen 00:26:31.059 --> 00:26:32.240 if his body stays 00:26:32.240 --> 00:26:32.799 on the cross, 00:26:32.919 --> 00:26:33.139 right? 00:26:33.140 --> 00:26:33.540 The thief, 00:26:33.620 --> 00:26:34.080 that is, 00:26:34.280 --> 00:26:34.480 right? 00:26:34.880 --> 00:26:35.920 Doesn't that suggest 00:26:35.920 --> 00:26:36.740 two separate parts? 00:26:36.860 --> 00:26:37.680 Or maybe you're thinking, 00:26:38.080 --> 00:26:39.640 didn't the Apostle Paul 00:26:39.640 --> 00:26:40.660 say that he would 00:26:40.660 --> 00:26:42.140 rather be absent 00:26:42.140 --> 00:26:42.680 from the body 00:26:42.680 --> 00:26:43.200 to be present 00:26:43.200 --> 00:26:43.640 with the Lord, 00:26:43.720 --> 00:26:44.380 that that was better, 00:26:44.560 --> 00:26:44.820 right? 00:26:46.840 --> 00:26:47.580 Well done. 00:26:47.880 --> 00:26:48.600 You're remembering 00:26:48.600 --> 00:26:48.980 Scripture. 00:26:49.300 --> 00:26:50.120 I applaud that. 00:26:51.140 --> 00:26:51.720 But here, 00:26:51.860 --> 00:26:52.340 if that's where 00:26:52.340 --> 00:26:53.480 your mind is, 00:26:53.600 --> 00:26:55.140 let me just say this 00:26:55.140 --> 00:26:56.720 as a loving response. 00:26:58.420 --> 00:26:59.540 Be careful about 00:26:59.540 --> 00:27:00.500 basing your argument 00:27:00.500 --> 00:27:01.519 about the nature 00:27:01.519 --> 00:27:02.759 of being human 00:27:02.759 --> 00:27:04.279 on death. 00:27:06.779 --> 00:27:08.559 Death is inherently 00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:10.240 unnatural 00:27:10.240 --> 00:27:12.259 and abnormal. 00:27:14.539 --> 00:27:15.019 Right? 00:27:15.099 --> 00:27:16.119 Death is an intruder 00:27:16.119 --> 00:27:17.720 into God's good world. 00:27:18.460 --> 00:27:19.220 Death is the enemy. 00:27:20.220 --> 00:27:21.299 The enemy that Christ 00:27:21.299 --> 00:27:22.099 came to destroy, 00:27:22.240 --> 00:27:22.480 right? 00:27:23.480 --> 00:27:24.460 And so death 00:27:24.460 --> 00:27:25.380 separates what was 00:27:25.380 --> 00:27:25.960 never meant 00:27:25.960 --> 00:27:26.700 to be separated. 00:27:26.700 --> 00:27:29.059 And so instead 00:27:29.059 --> 00:27:30.140 of taking your cue 00:27:30.140 --> 00:27:30.819 from death, 00:27:31.140 --> 00:27:31.799 I'd invite you 00:27:31.799 --> 00:27:32.620 to take your cue 00:27:32.620 --> 00:27:34.059 from creation 00:27:34.059 --> 00:27:35.559 and the new creation 00:27:35.559 --> 00:27:36.140 in Christ. 00:27:36.779 --> 00:27:37.640 Because when you look 00:27:37.640 --> 00:27:38.140 at creation 00:27:38.140 --> 00:27:38.519 and when you look 00:27:38.519 --> 00:27:39.059 at the new creation 00:27:39.059 --> 00:27:39.559 in Jesus, 00:27:39.840 --> 00:27:40.720 what do you see? 00:27:41.440 --> 00:27:42.799 Let me ask it this way. 00:27:43.500 --> 00:27:44.980 How was Jesus raised? 00:27:46.319 --> 00:27:47.220 Was he raised 00:27:47.220 --> 00:27:47.940 just a spirit? 00:27:50.279 --> 00:27:50.720 No. 00:27:50.720 --> 00:27:52.539 I mean, 00:27:52.579 --> 00:27:53.960 Jesus was raised 00:27:53.960 --> 00:27:55.400 a whole man, 00:27:56.319 --> 00:27:57.680 a glorified body, 00:27:58.100 --> 00:27:59.740 right? 00:27:59.839 --> 00:28:00.960 As the first fruits 00:28:00.960 --> 00:28:01.839 of our resurrection. 00:28:02.759 --> 00:28:02.940 I mean, 00:28:02.980 --> 00:28:04.039 his glorified body 00:28:04.039 --> 00:28:04.980 is the first fruits 00:28:04.980 --> 00:28:06.500 of our future 00:28:06.500 --> 00:28:08.039 glorified bodies. 00:28:09.559 --> 00:28:10.160 Right? 00:28:11.640 --> 00:28:13.400 And so what we do 00:28:13.400 --> 00:28:14.220 in, with, 00:28:14.319 --> 00:28:15.460 and to our bodies, 00:28:15.620 --> 00:28:16.920 it matters to God. 00:28:18.360 --> 00:28:19.600 Because he loves us 00:28:19.600 --> 00:28:20.539 and we belong to him. 00:28:21.720 --> 00:28:22.700 And the Apostle Paul says, 00:28:22.799 --> 00:28:23.600 do you not know 00:28:23.600 --> 00:28:24.240 that your body 00:28:24.240 --> 00:28:24.740 is a temple 00:28:24.740 --> 00:28:25.559 of the Holy Spirit 00:28:25.559 --> 00:28:26.460 within you, 00:28:27.200 --> 00:28:27.799 whom you have 00:28:27.799 --> 00:28:28.360 from God? 00:28:28.680 --> 00:28:29.860 You are not your own, 00:28:30.740 --> 00:28:31.339 for you were bought 00:28:31.339 --> 00:28:32.019 with a price. 00:28:32.620 --> 00:28:34.039 So glorify God 00:28:34.039 --> 00:28:35.279 in your body. 00:28:36.720 --> 00:28:37.140 And so that's 00:28:37.140 --> 00:28:37.819 the first takeaway 00:28:37.819 --> 00:28:38.720 this morning 00:28:38.720 --> 00:28:40.579 is matter matters. 00:28:41.000 --> 00:28:42.079 Matter matters. 00:28:43.519 --> 00:28:44.440 And then second 00:28:44.440 --> 00:28:44.900 and finally, 00:28:45.180 --> 00:28:45.600 our second 00:28:45.600 --> 00:28:46.940 and last takeaway 00:28:46.940 --> 00:28:48.740 is that we need 00:28:48.740 --> 00:28:49.980 to embrace our need. 00:28:49.980 --> 00:28:51.339 So matter matters 00:28:51.339 --> 00:28:52.480 and we need 00:28:52.480 --> 00:28:53.819 to embrace our need. 00:28:54.500 --> 00:28:55.480 Let's be honest, 00:28:55.880 --> 00:28:57.920 we hate to feel needy. 00:28:58.799 --> 00:28:59.440 Don't we? 00:29:00.860 --> 00:29:01.140 I mean, 00:29:01.299 --> 00:29:02.839 there's a former 00:29:02.839 --> 00:29:03.519 campus minister, 00:29:03.759 --> 00:29:04.360 I'll quote him 00:29:04.360 --> 00:29:05.019 as saying this. 00:29:05.059 --> 00:29:05.420 He says, 00:29:05.980 --> 00:29:06.620 the word needy, 00:29:06.660 --> 00:29:07.440 he says needy 00:29:07.440 --> 00:29:09.160 is like the sweatiest, 00:29:09.480 --> 00:29:10.480 clammiest word 00:29:10.480 --> 00:29:11.220 in the entire 00:29:11.220 --> 00:29:12.599 English language. 00:29:13.059 --> 00:29:13.279 Like, 00:29:13.360 --> 00:29:14.519 you're just so needy. 00:29:14.980 --> 00:29:16.279 If someone calls you needy, 00:29:16.339 --> 00:29:17.220 it's like one of the worst 00:29:17.220 --> 00:29:18.279 insults there is, 00:29:18.360 --> 00:29:18.640 right? 00:29:19.200 --> 00:29:19.579 Like, 00:29:19.660 --> 00:29:20.759 he is so needy. 00:29:20.920 --> 00:29:21.180 Oof. 00:29:22.160 --> 00:29:22.400 Oh, 00:29:22.759 --> 00:29:23.400 we hate that. 00:29:23.920 --> 00:29:25.180 We hate to feel needy. 00:29:25.700 --> 00:29:26.960 We like to feel capable. 00:29:28.519 --> 00:29:28.920 Right? 00:29:29.279 --> 00:29:30.660 We like to feel independent, 00:29:30.920 --> 00:29:31.660 not dependent. 00:29:33.579 --> 00:29:34.480 But Jesus, 00:29:34.720 --> 00:29:35.960 we see here in John 4, 00:29:36.079 --> 00:29:37.759 Jesus experienced need. 00:29:38.860 --> 00:29:39.680 And I say this 00:29:39.680 --> 00:29:40.180 with reverence 00:29:40.180 --> 00:29:40.660 for our Savior, 00:29:40.799 --> 00:29:42.680 but Jesus was needy. 00:29:42.680 --> 00:29:45.279 He needed rest. 00:29:45.920 --> 00:29:47.279 He needed food and water. 00:29:47.620 --> 00:29:49.700 He needed times of solitude 00:29:49.700 --> 00:29:50.420 where he'd withdraw 00:29:50.420 --> 00:29:51.200 from the crowds, 00:29:51.360 --> 00:29:51.620 right? 00:29:52.060 --> 00:29:53.539 He needed to be 00:29:53.539 --> 00:29:54.840 in his father's house. 00:29:55.240 --> 00:29:56.080 He needed to be 00:29:56.080 --> 00:29:57.580 about his father's work. 00:29:58.400 --> 00:29:59.360 I would argue 00:29:59.360 --> 00:30:00.060 that Jesus 00:30:00.060 --> 00:30:01.740 was the neediest 00:30:01.740 --> 00:30:02.740 human being 00:30:02.740 --> 00:30:04.259 there ever was. 00:30:05.900 --> 00:30:07.220 If you don't believe me, 00:30:07.880 --> 00:30:08.539 think about 00:30:08.539 --> 00:30:09.900 some of his own words. 00:30:10.640 --> 00:30:10.820 I mean, 00:30:10.820 --> 00:30:12.140 our Savior said, 00:30:12.680 --> 00:30:14.100 I can do nothing 00:30:14.100 --> 00:30:16.039 on my own. 00:30:17.860 --> 00:30:19.340 I can only do 00:30:19.340 --> 00:30:20.519 what I see my father doing. 00:30:22.160 --> 00:30:23.279 Imagine you went out 00:30:23.279 --> 00:30:24.380 to lunch after this, 00:30:24.519 --> 00:30:25.440 assuming that the restaurants 00:30:25.440 --> 00:30:26.080 were still open 00:30:26.080 --> 00:30:26.740 with the snow, 00:30:27.220 --> 00:30:29.180 and you overheard 00:30:29.180 --> 00:30:32.039 an adult male 00:30:32.039 --> 00:30:33.380 in his 30s 00:30:33.380 --> 00:30:35.480 say out loud publicly, 00:30:35.840 --> 00:30:37.279 I can do nothing 00:30:37.279 --> 00:30:38.039 on my own. 00:30:39.160 --> 00:30:40.160 I can only see what, 00:30:40.160 --> 00:30:40.740 I can only do 00:30:40.740 --> 00:30:41.860 what I see my father doing. 00:30:42.680 --> 00:30:43.519 If you saw that 00:30:43.519 --> 00:30:44.400 at a restaurant today, 00:30:44.460 --> 00:30:45.039 you would think, 00:30:45.860 --> 00:30:46.279 man, this guy 00:30:46.279 --> 00:30:47.080 needs to grow up. 00:30:47.920 --> 00:30:49.060 Like, he needs to go 00:30:49.060 --> 00:30:50.600 and learn to be 00:30:50.600 --> 00:30:51.680 a fully functioning, 00:30:51.860 --> 00:30:52.120 you know, 00:30:52.279 --> 00:30:53.220 adult human being, 00:30:53.320 --> 00:30:54.060 independent, right? 00:30:54.680 --> 00:30:55.160 And yet, 00:30:55.200 --> 00:30:56.060 this is precisely 00:30:56.060 --> 00:30:58.019 what Jesus said. 00:30:58.680 --> 00:30:59.360 So I just want 00:30:59.360 --> 00:31:00.039 to highlight for us 00:31:00.039 --> 00:31:00.799 that the difference 00:31:00.799 --> 00:31:02.019 between us and Jesus 00:31:02.019 --> 00:31:03.599 is that Jesus 00:31:03.599 --> 00:31:05.099 was never ashamed 00:31:05.099 --> 00:31:06.059 of his need. 00:31:08.460 --> 00:31:10.079 He never repented 00:31:10.079 --> 00:31:11.279 of his complete 00:31:11.279 --> 00:31:12.259 and utter dependence 00:31:12.259 --> 00:31:13.319 upon his heavenly father. 00:31:14.579 --> 00:31:15.799 He never tried 00:31:15.799 --> 00:31:17.079 to hide or flee 00:31:17.079 --> 00:31:17.920 from his natural 00:31:17.920 --> 00:31:18.740 human limitations. 00:31:20.420 --> 00:31:20.639 And so, 00:31:20.700 --> 00:31:21.420 brothers and sisters, 00:31:21.420 --> 00:31:22.220 I just want 00:31:22.220 --> 00:31:23.019 to remind us 00:31:23.019 --> 00:31:24.519 that we do not 00:31:24.519 --> 00:31:26.019 need to repent 00:31:26.019 --> 00:31:26.859 of our need, 00:31:27.420 --> 00:31:28.779 of our limitations, 00:31:28.779 --> 00:31:30.680 of our finiteness. 00:31:31.660 --> 00:31:32.859 We don't need 00:31:32.859 --> 00:31:33.279 to repent 00:31:33.279 --> 00:31:34.000 of our inability 00:31:34.000 --> 00:31:34.980 to be everywhere 00:31:34.980 --> 00:31:36.859 and do everything 00:31:36.859 --> 00:31:38.339 and know everything. 00:31:40.440 --> 00:31:41.339 Because Jesus 00:31:41.339 --> 00:31:42.319 did not come 00:31:42.319 --> 00:31:43.059 to make us 00:31:43.059 --> 00:31:44.180 more than human. 00:31:44.740 --> 00:31:45.660 He came 00:31:45.660 --> 00:31:46.579 to make us 00:31:46.579 --> 00:31:47.440 more human. 00:31:49.559 --> 00:31:51.039 And to be a human 00:31:51.039 --> 00:31:53.099 is to be in need. 00:31:53.099 --> 00:31:55.919 So would you 00:31:55.919 --> 00:31:56.939 embrace your need? 00:31:58.559 --> 00:31:59.199 Would you 00:31:59.199 --> 00:32:00.319 embrace your limitations? 00:32:02.199 --> 00:32:03.000 As one author 00:32:03.000 --> 00:32:03.439 puts it, 00:32:03.500 --> 00:32:03.879 and I'll end 00:32:03.879 --> 00:32:04.299 with this, 00:32:04.339 --> 00:32:04.959 it's actually a quote 00:32:04.959 --> 00:32:05.379 in the back 00:32:05.379 --> 00:32:05.959 of your bulletin. 00:32:07.740 --> 00:32:08.339 He says, 00:32:08.439 --> 00:32:09.179 the Christian life 00:32:09.179 --> 00:32:10.099 and ministry 00:32:10.099 --> 00:32:12.139 is an apprenticeship 00:32:12.139 --> 00:32:13.039 with Jesus 00:32:13.039 --> 00:32:14.740 in recovering 00:32:14.740 --> 00:32:15.679 our humanity. 00:32:17.000 --> 00:32:17.839 Did you hear that? 00:32:18.699 --> 00:32:19.399 Christian life 00:32:19.399 --> 00:32:20.019 is an apprenticeship 00:32:20.019 --> 00:32:20.599 with Jesus 00:32:20.599 --> 00:32:21.399 in recovering 00:32:21.399 --> 00:32:22.319 our humanity 00:32:22.319 --> 00:32:23.579 and through 00:32:23.579 --> 00:32:24.200 his spirit 00:32:24.200 --> 00:32:25.019 helping our neighbors 00:32:25.019 --> 00:32:25.759 to do the same. 00:32:27.619 --> 00:32:28.319 And so I'd 00:32:28.319 --> 00:32:28.839 invite you 00:32:28.839 --> 00:32:29.379 this morning, 00:32:30.500 --> 00:32:31.619 apprentice with Jesus. 00:32:33.839 --> 00:32:34.879 Embrace your limitations. 00:32:36.119 --> 00:32:37.200 Embrace your humanity. 00:32:38.139 --> 00:32:38.960 And go 00:32:38.960 --> 00:32:40.019 and help others 00:32:40.019 --> 00:32:41.480 do the same. 00:32:42.879 --> 00:32:43.960 Would you pray with me? 00:32:52.319 --> 00:32:53.339 Lord Jesus, 00:32:53.480 --> 00:32:54.299 we thank you 00:32:54.299 --> 00:32:55.179 for, 00:32:56.000 --> 00:32:56.960 in the fullness 00:32:56.960 --> 00:32:57.599 of time, 00:32:58.200 --> 00:33:00.200 for emptying yourself 00:33:00.200 --> 00:33:01.839 and taking the form 00:33:01.839 --> 00:33:02.399 of a servant, 00:33:03.279 --> 00:33:05.299 for entering 00:33:05.299 --> 00:33:06.379 your own creation 00:33:06.379 --> 00:33:09.599 as a child, 00:33:10.139 --> 00:33:12.500 a child who needed 00:33:12.500 --> 00:33:13.220 to be fed, 00:33:14.659 --> 00:33:16.240 a child who needed 00:33:16.240 --> 00:33:17.119 changing, 00:33:18.720 --> 00:33:19.759 a child who needed 00:33:19.759 --> 00:33:20.279 to learn 00:33:20.279 --> 00:33:20.900 to walk 00:33:20.900 --> 00:33:21.559 and talk. 00:33:22.759 --> 00:33:23.660 That was not 00:33:23.660 --> 00:33:24.460 beneath you. 00:33:26.019 --> 00:33:26.539 Man, 00:33:27.680 --> 00:33:28.700 would help me 00:33:28.700 --> 00:33:30.660 to embrace 00:33:30.660 --> 00:33:31.900 my need. 00:33:32.539 --> 00:33:33.359 Help us, 00:33:33.440 --> 00:33:33.879 help my brothers 00:33:33.879 --> 00:33:34.299 and sisters 00:33:34.299 --> 00:33:34.839 in this room 00:33:34.839 --> 00:33:35.359 to embrace 00:33:35.359 --> 00:33:36.039 our need. 00:33:37.579 --> 00:33:38.720 Help us to realize 00:33:38.720 --> 00:33:39.859 that you're 00:33:39.859 --> 00:33:40.379 on a mission 00:33:40.379 --> 00:33:42.119 to make us 00:33:42.119 --> 00:33:43.539 more, 00:33:43.680 --> 00:33:44.420 not less, 00:33:44.740 --> 00:33:45.059 dependent 00:33:45.059 --> 00:33:46.779 upon you, 00:33:47.019 --> 00:33:47.200 Father, 00:33:47.359 --> 00:33:47.640 Son, 00:33:47.640 --> 00:33:48.540 and Holy Spirit. 00:33:49.540 --> 00:33:50.100 I pray that you 00:33:50.100 --> 00:33:50.500 would do that 00:33:50.500 --> 00:33:51.020 this morning. 00:33:51.200 --> 00:33:51.640 I pray that you 00:33:51.640 --> 00:33:52.080 would do that 00:33:52.080 --> 00:33:52.800 through this Advent 00:33:52.800 --> 00:33:53.320 season. 00:33:55.420 --> 00:33:56.380 As we look 00:33:56.380 --> 00:33:57.580 back, 00:33:57.759 --> 00:33:58.740 not just towards 00:33:58.740 --> 00:33:59.600 your first coming 00:33:59.600 --> 00:34:00.440 as a human, 00:34:01.340 --> 00:34:02.200 but we look forward 00:34:02.200 --> 00:34:03.540 to your second coming 00:34:03.540 --> 00:34:05.520 as a glorified human. 00:34:06.340 --> 00:34:06.740 Lord, 00:34:06.840 --> 00:34:07.759 fill us with hope 00:34:07.759 --> 00:34:08.220 and longing 00:34:08.220 --> 00:34:09.440 as we wait for you. 00:34:10.160 --> 00:34:10.920 I pray this all 00:34:10.920 --> 00:34:12.079 in Jesus' name. 00:34:12.660 --> 00:34:12.860 Amen. 00:34:12.860 --> 00:34:12.960 Amen.