WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:12.439
 Good morning, everyone. Wow, look at this place. Do we appreciate this? Just this extra space corner here. Not you, Sonny, just the corner that you're sitting in.

00:00:12.439 --> 00:00:36.200
 Yeah, that was really good. Thanking mostly Agnes and Hank and Bonnie and the team for just getting it done. I think they did it in three days. They started on Tuesday and were pretty much done by Thursday. So really grateful. Doesn't look like we have loads more space. There's still people standing, but grateful that we're all here. Excited.

00:00:36.200 --> 00:00:47.440
 We finished Jonah and that was a really fun series. And actually that was a really impactful series for me just to challenge all the things that the Lord challenged us through that book.

00:00:47.940 --> 00:00:57.359
 But we're moving on now and it's the summer and the sun's out and the humidity is suffocating and it's here. So we're going to do something different. We know that there's people who are traveling different places and different times.

00:00:57.359 --> 00:01:05.920
 So we're going to do what I'm calling the summer ensemble, the summer ensemble, which is basically some of the Bible's greatest hits that we all know we all heard of.

00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:12.879
 But we're going to go through each of them and actually have a look and go, well, actually, do I understand the context of where that passage is coming from?

00:01:13.299 --> 00:01:20.239
 What is what is it actually talking about when it's going through those verses? Maybe Psalm 23 is going to be one of them. The Lord's Prayer will be another.

00:01:20.379 --> 00:01:23.519
 The Beatitudes, the Sermon on the Mount will be one of them as well.

00:01:23.519 --> 00:01:27.599
 And Gabe's actually going to take us through the armor of God on the fruit of the spirit, all these things that you've heard.

00:01:27.640 --> 00:01:30.659
 And if you grew up in Sunday school, you will know them, kind of know them.

00:01:30.739 --> 00:01:33.140
 Do you still remember the fruit of the spirit? Go on, try.

00:01:34.199 --> 00:01:40.780
 Love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, peace, gentleness, and kindness through the spirit of God.

00:01:41.399 --> 00:01:48.620
 Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. There's a song. So good.

00:01:49.060 --> 00:01:52.840
 So we're going to go through all of those and they're just going to be, I guess you could say that they're one off things.

00:01:52.840 --> 00:01:58.859
 But as a whole, the question really is, why do we why have we gravitated to these passages?

00:01:59.219 --> 00:02:01.760
 Why do we like them? Why do we remember them?

00:02:02.859 --> 00:02:05.900
 And what does the gospel have to do with them? That's the key.

00:02:06.159 --> 00:02:10.140
 Because actually this this book here, we believe is the book of good news.

00:02:10.400 --> 00:02:14.400
 And it has we're going to go through the greatest hits, but we want to really understand why they're the greatest hits,

00:02:14.879 --> 00:02:19.819
 why they impact us and how they impact us so many thousands of years later here in Hong Kong.

00:02:19.819 --> 00:02:24.500
 So that's what we're going to do. And we're going to go through today the Ten Commandments, the Ten Commandments.

00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:28.000
 Who's watched the movie? Who's old enough to have watched the movie The Ten Commandments?

00:02:28.560 --> 00:02:31.919
 Yes. Yes. Agnes is just proud. Yep. Me. That's me.

00:02:34.120 --> 00:02:36.579
 From what I remember, it's a really long movie. Right.

00:02:37.699 --> 00:02:40.939
 Yeah. Really long. We're going to go through that.

00:02:41.039 --> 00:02:42.699
 And, you know, it's something that we hear a lot.

00:02:42.699 --> 00:02:48.500
 Don't you think when people think about Christianity, they're like, oh, I can't be if you maybe if you're someone who's older,

00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:51.079
 I can't be a Christian because I've done tons of bad stuff.

00:02:51.280 --> 00:02:52.879
 I'm not good enough to be a Christian.

00:02:53.339 --> 00:02:58.379
 Or maybe the younger crowd will say, well, I don't want to be a Christian because there's so many rules, so many things,

00:02:58.459 --> 00:03:03.959
 so many things that I want to do that if I became a person of faith or religion, then I really can't do.

00:03:03.960 --> 00:03:09.060
 And so you get this kind of image of Christianity is one of just rules.

00:03:09.580 --> 00:03:13.100
 And you're not wrong. We do like rules. We do appreciate rules.

00:03:13.520 --> 00:03:20.740
 Anyone who has visited Vietnam as a pedestrian will miss the rules that drivers should abide by

00:03:20.740 --> 00:03:23.879
 because you can't walk across the road without fearing for your life.

00:03:24.240 --> 00:03:31.000
 And if only they respected the rules and respected the traffic lights, then I will know when to walk across the road.

00:03:31.420 --> 00:03:33.420
 So rules are good. You see Kowloon World City.

00:03:33.419 --> 00:03:36.399
 Anyone who lived in there will tell you rules are good.

00:03:36.939 --> 00:03:38.359
 They're not necessarily bad.

00:03:38.419 --> 00:03:44.739
 And you can see mankind when there is no rule, then all the destruction or the evil or the pain that it causes.

00:03:45.219 --> 00:03:50.419
 Ironically, even in a place like the Kowloon World City, there are still rules.

00:03:51.539 --> 00:03:53.879
 Just the rules aren't for everyone to flourish.

00:03:54.519 --> 00:03:58.919
 Rules are to oppress a certain group, to give power to another group.

00:03:59.500 --> 00:04:00.639
 But there are still rules.

00:04:00.639 --> 00:04:02.139
 So we're going to talk about that.

00:04:02.339 --> 00:04:03.619
 And we're going to talk about the Ten Commandments.

00:04:03.659 --> 00:04:06.079
 And I think it's a fascinating passage of scripture.

00:04:06.159 --> 00:04:09.959
 But maybe the first question I have is, who here knows all the Ten Commandments?

00:04:11.539 --> 00:04:12.319
 Oh, Francis.

00:04:12.639 --> 00:04:14.699
 Oh, I saw you put your hand up and then you hide.

00:04:15.259 --> 00:04:16.360
 Come back around.

00:04:17.419 --> 00:04:18.259
 Francis Chirk.

00:04:18.360 --> 00:04:18.959
 Do you know them all?

00:04:19.539 --> 00:04:19.899
 Really?

00:04:20.779 --> 00:04:21.120
 Dude.

00:04:21.120 --> 00:04:21.560
 Okay.

00:04:22.560 --> 00:04:23.540
 Can you shout them out?

00:04:29.879 --> 00:04:31.259
 Is this the Francis translation?

00:04:32.000 --> 00:04:33.540
 Number one is God first.

00:04:35.660 --> 00:04:36.019
 Okay.

00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:36.980
 We're going to need a mic.

00:04:37.019 --> 00:04:38.060
 Can you come up a little bit here?

00:04:38.120 --> 00:04:38.600
 Okay.

00:04:38.600 --> 00:04:48.820
 So number one is God first.

00:04:49.080 --> 00:04:50.100
 So know the gods before me.

00:04:51.120 --> 00:04:52.100
 Know idols.

00:04:54.360 --> 00:04:54.760
 Blasphemy.

00:04:55.180 --> 00:04:57.100
 Don't take the Lord's name in vain.

00:04:58.879 --> 00:04:59.280
 S.

00:05:00.640 --> 00:05:01.300
 What was it?

00:05:01.420 --> 00:05:01.680
 Sabbath.

00:05:01.820 --> 00:05:02.700
 Keep the Sabbath day holy.

00:05:04.640 --> 00:05:05.840
 Honor your mother and father.

00:05:05.839 --> 00:05:09.019
 Do not murder.

00:05:10.459 --> 00:05:12.299
 Do not commit adultery.

00:05:13.739 --> 00:05:14.479
 Don't steal.

00:05:14.859 --> 00:05:15.519
 Don't lie.

00:05:15.919 --> 00:05:16.479
 And then don't covet.

00:05:17.119 --> 00:05:17.519
 Wow.

00:05:24.239 --> 00:05:24.699
 Where's it?

00:05:24.739 --> 00:05:25.239
 Just like that, bro.

00:05:25.319 --> 00:05:25.979
 Yeah, bro.

00:05:26.159 --> 00:05:26.859
 That's so good.

00:05:28.699 --> 00:05:29.839
 I've never been able to do that.

00:05:29.959 --> 00:05:30.699
 It just hurts my hand.

00:05:30.699 --> 00:05:31.099
 Yeah.

00:05:32.979 --> 00:05:37.019
 So how, how, you seem to have an acronym that you were going, what was the acronym?

00:05:40.759 --> 00:05:41.979
 Oh, it's just letters.

00:05:42.199 --> 00:05:43.060
 So you just remember letters.

00:05:43.620 --> 00:05:44.920
 Man, that's impressive.

00:05:45.099 --> 00:05:45.639
 That's impressive.

00:05:46.519 --> 00:05:47.819
 So we know the Ten Commandments.

00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:49.620
 Do we know where they're found in scripture?

00:05:50.919 --> 00:05:51.899
 What book is it from?

00:05:52.680 --> 00:05:53.719
 Gracie, welcome back.

00:05:54.279 --> 00:05:54.620
 Exodus.

00:05:56.300 --> 00:05:58.480
 Any, any takers on what chapter it's from?

00:05:58.480 --> 00:05:59.480
 Crickets.

00:06:03.080 --> 00:06:03.480
 Crickets.

00:06:03.939 --> 00:06:04.420
 Oh, close.

00:06:04.560 --> 00:06:04.860
 Not 21.

00:06:05.379 --> 00:06:05.780
 23.

00:06:06.060 --> 00:06:07.600
 23 is a good number, but it's not 23.

00:06:08.200 --> 00:06:08.620
 20.

00:06:08.780 --> 00:06:09.060
 20.

00:06:09.700 --> 00:06:16.360
 So just a little bit of context of why they got the Ten Commandments, or as Lin-Manuel

00:06:16.360 --> 00:06:18.120
 Miranda calls them, the Ten Dual Commandments.

00:06:19.819 --> 00:06:20.740
 Why did they get it?

00:06:20.980 --> 00:06:25.420
 Of course, you've got the Israelites who were oppressed as slaves in Egypt for hundreds

00:06:25.420 --> 00:06:25.879
 of years.

00:06:25.879 --> 00:06:28.839
 Finally, God frees them.

00:06:29.420 --> 00:06:29.600
 Okay?

00:06:29.719 --> 00:06:30.759
 And you've got the plagues.

00:06:31.159 --> 00:06:31.980
 You've got the Passover.

00:06:32.899 --> 00:06:34.159
 And then they're in the desert.

00:06:34.519 --> 00:06:35.920
 And they're wandering around the desert.

00:06:36.159 --> 00:06:39.159
 And then they see God create water from rocks.

00:06:39.420 --> 00:06:41.100
 They make, he makes bitter water sweet.

00:06:41.180 --> 00:06:44.819
 They see bread falling down from heaven for them to eat.

00:06:45.339 --> 00:06:48.600
 And then they see, my personal favorite, just water.

00:06:48.719 --> 00:06:50.240
 Just the Red Sea, just part.

00:06:50.240 --> 00:06:53.960
 Just however you imagine it will be crazy.

00:06:54.560 --> 00:06:56.060
 However you do that, it will be crazy.

00:06:56.480 --> 00:06:57.759
 And they see all these things.

00:06:57.900 --> 00:06:58.819
 And they've got the freedom.

00:06:58.939 --> 00:07:00.100
 But here's an interesting thing.

00:07:00.340 --> 00:07:03.060
 To the person who says, oh, man, I don't want to be a Christian because there's so many

00:07:03.060 --> 00:07:04.160
 things that I'm not allowed to do.

00:07:04.660 --> 00:07:10.199
 Those commandments, for example, came to a group of people for hundreds of years were

00:07:10.199 --> 00:07:10.680
 in slavery.

00:07:10.680 --> 00:07:12.860
 They did not have any freedom.

00:07:12.980 --> 00:07:15.500
 It wasn't, oh, there's some things that I can do and some things I can't.

00:07:15.620 --> 00:07:17.300
 They weren't allowed to do anything.

00:07:18.600 --> 00:07:21.220
 Eat, sleep, work, repeat.

00:07:21.900 --> 00:07:23.040
 It was all they ever knew.

00:07:24.139 --> 00:07:25.519
 And yet God grants them freedom.

00:07:25.819 --> 00:07:26.920
 And they go out into the wilderness.

00:07:27.319 --> 00:07:32.199
 And it's only then, it's only after they've gone out there, God then decides to teach them

00:07:32.199 --> 00:07:32.960
 how to live.

00:07:34.300 --> 00:07:39.920
 God teaches them the way to live for them to be able to survive and for them to be able

00:07:39.920 --> 00:07:40.740
 to flourish.

00:07:41.660 --> 00:07:44.580
 They didn't know what living in harmony meant.

00:07:44.939 --> 00:07:46.379
 We're coming up to a year of this.

00:07:47.840 --> 00:07:49.920
 I feel as though we'll stop calling an experiment soon.

00:07:49.980 --> 00:07:51.180
 But we're coming up to a year of this.

00:07:51.540 --> 00:07:53.720
 We're still trying to learn how to live.

00:07:54.240 --> 00:07:56.379
 We're still trying to learn what to do.

00:07:57.080 --> 00:07:59.580
 They had a pillar of cloud and fire that was guiding them.

00:07:59.639 --> 00:08:02.460
 They knew where they were going, but they didn't really know how they were going to get

00:08:02.460 --> 00:08:04.639
 there because they were starting to bite each other's heads off.

00:08:05.220 --> 00:08:08.160
 And so then God tells Moses to go up to the mountain, to Mount Sinai.

00:08:08.160 --> 00:08:10.720
 And then he gives them two iPads, two tablets.

00:08:11.360 --> 00:08:11.500
 Okay.

00:08:11.600 --> 00:08:17.220
 And these two tablets contain the blueprint for how mankind was going to flourish.

00:08:17.820 --> 00:08:25.980
 The only thing that you see that God has handwritten himself, he writes down and he gets Moses

00:08:25.980 --> 00:08:26.780
 to take them down.

00:08:27.320 --> 00:08:28.140
 The 10 commandments.

00:08:28.740 --> 00:08:32.500
 When I tell you about the rules of Christianity, what really goes through your mind here?

00:08:32.500 --> 00:08:37.200
 You think about, okay, well, actually it's important to have some rules.

00:08:38.460 --> 00:08:39.360
 And it's interesting.

00:08:39.460 --> 00:08:41.440
 Those 10 commandments, they weren't new things.

00:08:42.080 --> 00:08:45.500
 It wasn't like, guys, turns out we're not allowed to murder.

00:08:47.000 --> 00:08:50.820
 They knew in their hearts that this is where you should be anyway.

00:08:50.899 --> 00:08:54.740
 You look at all the tribes around all the places in the world where actually they don't

00:08:54.740 --> 00:08:55.600
 even need to talk to each other.

00:08:55.799 --> 00:08:58.720
 Mankind are agreed that there are some things that you should do and some things that you

00:08:58.720 --> 00:08:59.159
 shouldn't do.

00:08:59.159 --> 00:09:02.039
 C.S. Lewis calls that the moral law in mere Christianity.

00:09:02.279 --> 00:09:06.039
 Just there's something, even without reading the Bible, as you just exist and you just

00:09:06.039 --> 00:09:08.839
 look, there are some things in your heart that you know you should do and those things

00:09:08.839 --> 00:09:09.339
 you shouldn't do.

00:09:09.559 --> 00:09:14.519
 The 10 commandments almost just articulates it in a clear ways for people to actually understand.

00:09:14.799 --> 00:09:17.079
 And actually, culture knows this too.

00:09:17.179 --> 00:09:18.299
 It's not even just the church.

00:09:18.740 --> 00:09:23.220
 The founder of Hollywood, Cecil DeMille said this, the 10 commandments are the charter and

00:09:23.220 --> 00:09:24.299
 guide of human liberty.

00:09:24.299 --> 00:09:26.899
 For there can be no liberty without law.

00:09:27.699 --> 00:09:35.799
 Even the founder of Hollywood says, actually, in order to be liberty, freedom, there must

00:09:35.799 --> 00:09:37.819
 also be law in order to guide.

00:09:38.039 --> 00:09:40.299
 You can't drive on any side of the road you want to.

00:09:40.679 --> 00:09:41.659
 That isn't freedom.

00:09:41.759 --> 00:09:42.399
 That isn't liberty.

00:09:42.519 --> 00:09:43.839
 That isn't a society flourishing.

00:09:44.059 --> 00:09:44.959
 That is chaos.

00:09:44.960 --> 00:09:52.300
 But we, when we hear people talk to us about Christianity and religion and rules, do we

00:09:52.300 --> 00:09:53.759
 know what we really should say?

00:09:54.120 --> 00:09:56.519
 Do we know how to explain to them actually what this is?

00:09:57.080 --> 00:09:58.200
 Now, we're going to go through this.

00:09:58.400 --> 00:09:58.980
 And it's interesting.

00:09:59.100 --> 00:10:04.960
 Even from the very beginning, Exodus chapter 20, if I invite you just to turn there.

00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:15.280
 Actually, I want to do something even more uncomfortable.

00:10:16.160 --> 00:10:17.840
 Let us stand for the word of God.

00:10:17.840 --> 00:10:36.259
 God, we stand for your word because we recognize his power.

00:10:38.580 --> 00:10:41.780
 Forgive us when we lose reverence for this, for these words.

00:10:41.779 --> 00:10:49.519
 We see even in these words, there is so many examples of your people, your children taking

00:10:49.519 --> 00:10:50.500
 for granted your words.

00:10:53.159 --> 00:11:00.439
 And so we imagine ourselves in the place of the Israelites standing in the desert, desperate

00:11:00.439 --> 00:11:08.839
 for direction, desperate for your word, desperate to find out who had given them freedom from

00:11:08.839 --> 00:11:09.139
 Egypt.

00:11:11.779 --> 00:11:13.339
 Desperate to find out where to go.

00:11:15.220 --> 00:11:16.399
 And we, Lord, are the same.

00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:20.339
 With the freedom that we've been granted by you, we now seek to hear your word and your

00:11:20.339 --> 00:11:22.779
 voice and ask you to show us the better way.

00:11:23.879 --> 00:11:26.699
 Exodus chapter 20, the Ten Commandments.

00:11:27.819 --> 00:11:33.779
 And God spoke all these words saying, I am the Lord your God who brought you out of the

00:11:33.779 --> 00:11:36.539
 land of Egypt, out of the house of Israel.

00:11:37.399 --> 00:11:39.679
 You shall have no other gods before me.

00:11:39.679 --> 00:11:44.919
 You shall not make for yourself a carved image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven

00:11:44.919 --> 00:11:49.179
 above or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth.

00:11:49.359 --> 00:11:51.879
 You shall not bow down to them or serve them.

00:11:52.079 --> 00:11:54.500
 For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God.

00:11:55.179 --> 00:11:59.299
 Visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation

00:11:59.299 --> 00:12:03.899
 of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and

00:12:03.899 --> 00:12:04.799
 keep my commandments.

00:12:05.500 --> 00:12:08.179
 You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.

00:12:08.459 --> 00:12:11.659
 For the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.

00:12:12.500 --> 00:12:14.559
 Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.

00:12:15.159 --> 00:12:17.340
 Six days you shall labor and do all your work.

00:12:17.419 --> 00:12:20.100
 But the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God.

00:12:20.539 --> 00:12:21.959
 On it you shall not do any work.

00:12:22.419 --> 00:12:26.779
 You or your son or your daughter, your male servant or your female servant or your livestock

00:12:26.779 --> 00:12:28.840
 or the sojourner who is within your gates.

00:12:28.840 --> 00:12:34.120
 For in six days, the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea and all that is in them and

00:12:34.120 --> 00:12:35.220
 rested on the seventh day.

00:12:35.740 --> 00:12:38.300
 Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

00:12:39.340 --> 00:12:43.540
 Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the Lord

00:12:43.540 --> 00:12:44.440
 your God is giving you.

00:12:44.899 --> 00:12:45.740
 You shall not murder.

00:12:45.980 --> 00:12:47.120
 You shall not commit adultery.

00:12:47.420 --> 00:12:48.220
 You shall not steal.

00:12:48.500 --> 00:12:50.600
 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

00:12:51.019 --> 00:12:52.759
 You shall not covet your neighbor's house.

00:12:52.840 --> 00:12:57.040
 You shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his

00:12:57.039 --> 00:12:59.799
 ox or his donkey or anything that is your neighbor's.

00:13:00.579 --> 00:13:05.399
 Now, when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the

00:13:05.399 --> 00:13:10.419
 trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled and they stood far

00:13:10.419 --> 00:13:15.659
 off and said to Moses, you speak to us and we will listen, but do not let God speak to

00:13:15.659 --> 00:13:16.740
 us lest we die.

00:13:17.519 --> 00:13:23.219
 Moses said to the people, do not fear for God has come to test you that the fear of him may

00:13:23.219 --> 00:13:25.179
 be before you, that you may not sin.

00:13:25.179 --> 00:13:31.139
 The people stood far off while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.

00:13:31.839 --> 00:13:32.939
 This is the word of the Lord.

00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:34.459
 Please take a seat.

00:13:42.779 --> 00:13:46.899
 First, I'm going to try and move this, but I'm really hoping that I don't speak and I

00:13:46.899 --> 00:13:47.859
 suddenly fall off the stage.

00:13:47.860 --> 00:13:54.300
 The first thing then, as he gives out these laws, I am the Lord, your God.

00:13:55.539 --> 00:13:56.580
 I am the Lord, your God.

00:13:56.639 --> 00:13:57.539
 Let me tell you what this means.

00:13:58.139 --> 00:14:01.100
 This means before the rules, there is relationship.

00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:03.720
 Before the rules, there is relationship.

00:14:03.960 --> 00:14:06.600
 There is relationship over the rules.

00:14:06.940 --> 00:14:09.419
 There is relationship before the rules, after the rules.

00:14:09.519 --> 00:14:12.200
 It's much more about relationship than it is about rules.

00:14:12.200 --> 00:14:13.960
 As a parent, I'll tell you this too.

00:14:14.340 --> 00:14:20.740
 When I'm trying to put guidelines in my family's life, in how I parent my kids, what I'm striving

00:14:20.740 --> 00:14:22.140
 for isn't just compliance.

00:14:22.379 --> 00:14:22.900
 It's connection.

00:14:23.500 --> 00:14:27.340
 I'm putting these things in place so that I can have connection with my kids so that they

00:14:27.340 --> 00:14:31.540
 won't destroy themselves or they won't destroy each other because I'm craving, I'm hoping

00:14:31.540 --> 00:14:33.500
 that they would have connection with me and with each other.

00:14:34.240 --> 00:14:35.200
 Relationship before rules.

00:14:35.379 --> 00:14:39.460
 Before he even dishes out the rules, he says, I am the Lord, your God.

00:14:40.320 --> 00:14:40.940
 Your God.

00:14:40.940 --> 00:14:44.180
 God, I am yours and you are my people.

00:14:44.700 --> 00:14:49.080
 In Genesis 17, when he speaks to Abraham, he says, I will have a special covenant with

00:14:49.080 --> 00:14:51.460
 your people and with the generations that will come.

00:14:51.540 --> 00:14:52.740
 I will have a bond with you.

00:14:53.000 --> 00:14:53.860
 I am your God.

00:14:54.340 --> 00:14:58.300
 This meant a lot to the Israelites because they came from Egypt where there were tons of

00:14:58.300 --> 00:14:58.520
 gods.

00:14:59.740 --> 00:15:01.440
 And he's saying, hey, ignore the rest.

00:15:02.100 --> 00:15:02.980
 I am your God.

00:15:03.060 --> 00:15:05.780
 There is relationship before the rules.

00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:08.480
 There is grace that comes even before the law.

00:15:08.660 --> 00:15:09.300
 You see, it's interesting.

00:15:09.299 --> 00:15:13.979
 Sometimes we think I will only become a Christian when I become a good person, when I start abiding

00:15:13.979 --> 00:15:14.519
 by the rules.

00:15:14.859 --> 00:15:18.059
 Because I don't want to abide by all the rules, then I won't become a Christian and God won't

00:15:18.059 --> 00:15:18.339
 love me.

00:15:18.439 --> 00:15:20.819
 God will only love me once I become a good person.

00:15:20.899 --> 00:15:22.279
 Have we thought that before?

00:15:22.379 --> 00:15:23.679
 Have we heard someone say that before?

00:15:24.219 --> 00:15:25.039
 But here's the thing.

00:15:25.039 --> 00:15:28.120
 The Israelites were granted freedom even before the law.

00:15:28.719 --> 00:15:31.039
 God didn't have them prove themselves.

00:15:31.219 --> 00:15:33.120
 Can you abide by my commandments?

00:15:33.319 --> 00:15:37.240
 If you can abide by commandments, then maybe I will consider letting you out of Egypt.

00:15:37.299 --> 00:15:37.879
 He didn't do that.

00:15:38.879 --> 00:15:39.919
 Grace comes first.

00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:42.120
 Freedom comes first.

00:15:43.120 --> 00:15:44.860
 Relationship comes first.

00:15:44.860 --> 00:15:47.639
 So often we get it the wrong way around already.

00:15:48.139 --> 00:15:51.259
 We think we have to abide by rules and then we will have a relationship.

00:15:51.399 --> 00:15:52.340
 That is not the gospel.

00:15:52.700 --> 00:15:57.419
 And if you've heard a different one, then here is the time to kind of just surrender that

00:15:57.419 --> 00:15:57.899
 and go, no.

00:15:59.580 --> 00:16:00.720
 God gave me freedom.

00:16:01.560 --> 00:16:03.879
 God wants to have a relationship with me first.

00:16:03.879 --> 00:16:06.080
 And then the rules come second.

00:16:06.740 --> 00:16:10.879
 And the rules come second because he knows that when you're going to go out and live in

00:16:10.879 --> 00:16:12.639
 a new way, you're not slaves anymore.

00:16:13.759 --> 00:16:17.559
 Unless you put some rules in place, things aren't going to go well.

00:16:18.600 --> 00:16:23.659
 Even as my family flew off to the UK last week, I thought, even as someone who now has a lot

00:16:23.659 --> 00:16:26.740
 of freedom to do whatever I want, I still have rules that I put in place.

00:16:27.240 --> 00:16:32.580
 What time I stay up till, what time I wake up, what I do when I wake up first.

00:16:32.580 --> 00:16:37.100
 I've got the chance to put it, carve out in my schedule the time that I want to spend with

00:16:37.100 --> 00:16:38.259
 the Lord all the time in the morning.

00:16:38.360 --> 00:16:40.360
 But with parenting and life, it changes.

00:16:40.620 --> 00:16:42.280
 I got to put some rules in my place.

00:16:42.500 --> 00:16:45.540
 You see, when we get the freedom, when we get the relationship, then we want to start

00:16:45.540 --> 00:16:46.460
 putting things in place.

00:16:46.840 --> 00:16:51.100
 God here in the Ten Commandments isn't just being a stern, grumpy old man.

00:16:52.280 --> 00:16:57.740
 He's trying to help them, guide them into a flourishing relationship with them and with

00:16:57.740 --> 00:16:58.100
 each other.

00:16:58.220 --> 00:16:58.960
 And so there's ten.

00:16:59.200 --> 00:17:01.060
 So there's ten commandments here.

00:17:01.059 --> 00:17:05.000
 One to four about his relationship with the people.

00:17:05.579 --> 00:17:10.159
 The first four commandments are him basically giving them some guidelines and going, this

00:17:10.159 --> 00:17:12.319
 is how you're going to have a good connection with me.

00:17:12.460 --> 00:17:16.879
 And then five to ten, the second six are all about how you're going to have a connection

00:17:16.879 --> 00:17:17.639
 with each other.

00:17:18.599 --> 00:17:20.419
 Jesus is just deft in the way he does this.

00:17:20.500 --> 00:17:23.240
 When he comes, he just summarizes them all in two, right?

00:17:23.700 --> 00:17:26.819
 Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and love your neighbor as yourself.

00:17:26.819 --> 00:17:29.779
 And it covers really one to four and then five to ten.

00:17:31.039 --> 00:17:32.740
 But that's the first thing that we have to remember.

00:17:32.879 --> 00:17:34.220
 It is relationship first.

00:17:34.519 --> 00:17:39.500
 When you're thinking, oh man, I hate being a Christian because I don't get to do this.

00:17:39.700 --> 00:17:42.759
 My friends are all going to go do this now and I don't get to do it.

00:17:43.059 --> 00:17:44.700
 Now it's never been about that.

00:17:45.099 --> 00:17:47.659
 The question is, hey, why does God not want me to do that?

00:17:48.119 --> 00:17:50.079
 Actually, is that going to be healthy for me?

00:17:50.119 --> 00:17:51.000
 Is that going to help me?

00:17:51.259 --> 00:17:52.899
 Am I going to get joy and satisfaction from it?

00:17:52.900 --> 00:17:56.759
 Likely the things that your friends are going to do, no, maybe for a little bit they will.

00:17:57.000 --> 00:17:59.960
 But eventually, I promise you, they will get dull and they will get boring and they will get tiring.

00:18:00.780 --> 00:18:01.780
 And they will get destructive.

00:18:02.900 --> 00:18:08.560
 God puts these things in place because he wants you to live well.

00:18:08.740 --> 00:18:10.000
 He wants you to flourish.

00:18:10.140 --> 00:18:11.860
 Grace comes before the law.

00:18:11.940 --> 00:18:16.440
 And I'm just going to fly through some of these ten commandments because that's not really the main thing that I have here.

00:18:16.440 --> 00:18:22.320
 Because all of it, if there's going to be one thing that you get away, it's that those rules are in place for relationship.

00:18:22.860 --> 00:18:23.779
 It's relationship over rules.

00:18:23.880 --> 00:18:25.200
 It's connection over compliance.

00:18:26.100 --> 00:18:31.600
 And if you have a relationship with God or Christianity, which is one of just, oh, I need to hit these things.

00:18:31.600 --> 00:18:33.480
 I need to not do these things and I need to do these things.

00:18:33.539 --> 00:18:34.580
 It's so much more than that.

00:18:35.200 --> 00:18:38.160
 What you've done is reduced Christianity to just sin management.

00:18:38.779 --> 00:18:39.820
 What's the lowest bar?

00:18:40.160 --> 00:18:42.740
 What can I get away with without getting into trouble?

00:18:43.220 --> 00:18:44.220
 That's not what it is.

00:18:44.220 --> 00:18:47.160
 Sin management is simply just behavior modification.

00:18:47.160 --> 00:18:48.640
 It's just changing your behavior.

00:18:48.839 --> 00:18:52.039
 And we all know we can do things without really wanting to or feeling like it.

00:18:52.380 --> 00:18:55.579
 But God who sees into the heart isn't just into behavior modification.

00:18:56.200 --> 00:18:57.640
 He's into heart transformation.

00:18:57.960 --> 00:18:59.960
 He's into connection and relationship.

00:19:00.779 --> 00:19:10.120
 During this free time, I've been able to catch up on a couple of the books that I've been wanting to read and the secular books just to kind of see where we are as a society.

00:19:10.620 --> 00:19:12.120
 And one of them is Dare Greatly.

00:19:12.200 --> 00:19:13.180
 Dare Greatly by Brene Brown.

00:19:13.240 --> 00:19:13.620
 Who's read it?

00:19:14.220 --> 00:19:15.880
 A couple of people.

00:19:16.019 --> 00:19:19.720
 And of course, she did a very popular, famous TED talk about this.

00:19:19.799 --> 00:19:21.839
 She really studied into vulnerability and shame.

00:19:22.539 --> 00:19:24.380
 She went to study PhDs on this thing.

00:19:24.460 --> 00:19:25.360
 And you know what she came out with?

00:19:25.420 --> 00:19:26.620
 I'm just paraphrasing now.

00:19:27.059 --> 00:19:30.960
 Her thought was, after all my study and all my PhD, I realized one thing.

00:19:32.039 --> 00:19:33.420
 We were built for connection.

00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:37.120
 We were built to be with people.

00:19:37.559 --> 00:19:38.059
 That's it.

00:19:38.059 --> 00:19:44.299
 So any of you who are thinking, oh, actually, I don't need people or people have been so hurtful to me.

00:19:44.440 --> 00:19:46.099
 I'm choosing just to block them all out.

00:19:46.240 --> 00:19:48.980
 Well, that's unfortunately that won't work because we were built.

00:19:49.259 --> 00:19:52.720
 We were made from community when the Godhead decided to create humanity.

00:19:52.720 --> 00:19:55.180
 And we were made for community.

00:19:55.339 --> 00:19:56.299
 We can't get past it.

00:19:56.940 --> 00:19:58.120
 We were built for connection.

00:19:58.259 --> 00:20:01.339
 There's another book that I've been reading, which is called The Courage to be Disliked.

00:20:02.279 --> 00:20:03.539
 It's by, has anyone read that one?

00:20:03.539 --> 00:20:09.440
 No, it's actually a Japanese book that was translated into English, which actually makes a little bit of a hard read.

00:20:09.920 --> 00:20:15.920
 And it's a conversation between a Japanese old philosopher with a young, fiery man, young man.

00:20:16.379 --> 00:20:20.920
 And the old philosophers, basically philosophy, is saying the world is simple.

00:20:21.379 --> 00:20:22.079
 Life is simple.

00:20:22.700 --> 00:20:23.480
 People can change.

00:20:23.759 --> 00:20:24.579
 And people can be happy.

00:20:25.519 --> 00:20:26.200
 The world is simple.

00:20:26.339 --> 00:20:26.859
 Life is simple.

00:20:27.619 --> 00:20:28.420
 People can change.

00:20:29.420 --> 00:20:30.720
 And we can be happy.

00:20:31.000 --> 00:20:33.480
 Now, the young, fiery guy is like, no, that's not true.

00:20:33.639 --> 00:20:34.399
 I've had so much hurt.

00:20:34.460 --> 00:20:35.240
 I've had so much pain.

00:20:35.879 --> 00:20:38.359
 But how dare you say that the world is simple?

00:20:38.420 --> 00:20:38.879
 Life is simple.

00:20:38.960 --> 00:20:39.940
 Mine hasn't been simple.

00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:43.559
 And his point is actually all the problems that we face are what?

00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:45.579
 They're all intrapersonal problems.

00:20:46.500 --> 00:20:50.779
 Think about society breaking down at a family level, at a government level, whatever it is.

00:20:50.940 --> 00:20:52.259
 They're all relationship problems.

00:20:52.839 --> 00:20:54.579
 So we really have to figure this out.

00:20:55.859 --> 00:20:58.379
 We all know, Christian or not, that we need people.

00:20:58.460 --> 00:20:59.019
 We need connection.

00:20:59.099 --> 00:21:01.339
 Whether we dislike them, whether we find them annoying or not, it doesn't matter.

00:21:01.480 --> 00:21:02.159
 We need people.

00:21:02.259 --> 00:21:02.920
 We need connection.

00:21:02.920 --> 00:21:13.200
 And so God here, when he gives the Ten Commandments, is really giving them a blueprint for how to coexist, how to live, how to have connection with one another.

00:21:13.279 --> 00:21:14.800
 It's all about relationship.

00:21:14.940 --> 00:21:17.019
 It's always been about relationship.

00:21:17.420 --> 00:21:18.279
 Let's fly through these.

00:21:18.279 --> 00:21:22.259
 The Ten Commandments sometimes are called the Decalogue, the Ten Words.

00:21:23.619 --> 00:21:27.019
 And we'll go through them maybe nearly just as fast as Francis did.

00:21:27.099 --> 00:21:29.720
 First one is, you shall have no other gods before me.

00:21:30.379 --> 00:21:32.399
 You shall have no other gods before me.

00:21:32.440 --> 00:21:34.259
 Remember, Egypt, so many gods.

00:21:34.480 --> 00:21:38.079
 He's come out and they're saying, you shall have no other gods before me.

00:21:38.079 --> 00:21:42.960
 Now, the word before me isn't, hey, as long as I'm number one, you can have two, three, four, five, six, seven.

00:21:43.019 --> 00:21:43.720
 That's not what it is.

00:21:44.019 --> 00:21:46.899
 He's saying, you shall have no other gods in my vicinity.

00:21:47.259 --> 00:21:49.740
 Get them out of my face, is what he's saying.

00:21:49.859 --> 00:21:52.379
 They do not belong anywhere near me.

00:21:53.340 --> 00:21:54.140
 That's what he's saying.

00:21:55.000 --> 00:21:56.920
 And this goes back to the things that we've talked about all the time.

00:21:57.100 --> 00:22:00.500
 That God isn't just supposed to be your number one where, okay, you prioritize him first.

00:22:00.700 --> 00:22:03.760
 It's like when a single person gets asked, what kind of person are you looking for today?

00:22:03.840 --> 00:22:04.900
 Well, they have to be a Christian.

00:22:06.040 --> 00:22:07.120
 And then they have to be good looking.

00:22:07.220 --> 00:22:08.140
 And then they have to earn a lot of money.

00:22:08.180 --> 00:22:08.760
 And they're really smart.

00:22:09.360 --> 00:22:10.520
 And all these other things.

00:22:13.040 --> 00:22:13.640
 Because they're lying.

00:22:13.700 --> 00:22:15.400
 Because really, Christian is really much down the list.

00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:18.040
 It's just the first thing to say, because that's the thing that we say at church.

00:22:19.100 --> 00:22:20.880
 He's saying, hey, I can't just be number one.

00:22:20.880 --> 00:22:22.440
 I have to be the only one.

00:22:23.720 --> 00:22:25.140
 I can't just be number one.

00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:27.160
 I have to be the only one.

00:22:27.760 --> 00:22:28.680
 What does this do?

00:22:29.100 --> 00:22:30.040
 What does that actually mean?

00:22:30.080 --> 00:22:32.660
 Because you're like, okay, well, God, you're my only one.

00:22:32.720 --> 00:22:33.560
 What does that even mean?

00:22:33.940 --> 00:22:35.220
 Because I still got to work tomorrow.

00:22:35.940 --> 00:22:37.780
 I still got a family that I have to figure out.

00:22:37.860 --> 00:22:38.500
 What does that mean?

00:22:38.500 --> 00:22:40.880
 It means include me in all of those things.

00:22:41.500 --> 00:22:43.520
 I am part of all of those things.

00:22:44.460 --> 00:22:46.960
 I precede and supersede all of those things.

00:22:47.240 --> 00:22:49.440
 Let me into every part of your life.

00:22:49.440 --> 00:22:50.640
 Whether it's your career.

00:22:51.000 --> 00:22:52.460
 Whether it's your dreams, life dreams.

00:22:52.759 --> 00:22:53.700
 Whether it's your relationships.

00:22:54.039 --> 00:22:55.600
 Let me be part of all of it.

00:22:55.660 --> 00:22:57.700
 And let me be the king of all of those things.

00:22:59.840 --> 00:23:01.080
 Is God your number one?

00:23:01.400 --> 00:23:02.600
 Is your God your only one?

00:23:04.940 --> 00:23:07.080
 You shall have no other gods before me.

00:23:07.079 --> 00:23:11.159
 And then he says, and you shall not worship idols.

00:23:11.619 --> 00:23:12.240
 Carved images.

00:23:12.740 --> 00:23:14.079
 This is the invisible God here.

00:23:14.439 --> 00:23:17.559
 We all have a propensity to worship the things that we see.

00:23:18.879 --> 00:23:19.139
 Right?

00:23:19.899 --> 00:23:23.519
 Even things that seem godly.

00:23:24.139 --> 00:23:26.899
 You can end up worshiping church and have nothing to do with God.

00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:28.960
 Right?

00:23:29.619 --> 00:23:31.099
 You can end up worshiping music.

00:23:32.220 --> 00:23:33.159
 Oh, that's so nice.

00:23:33.199 --> 00:23:33.939
 That sounds so good.

00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:34.899
 That's such a great song.

00:23:34.900 --> 00:23:35.500
 Oh, tune.

00:23:36.100 --> 00:23:36.460
 Jesus.

00:23:37.600 --> 00:23:39.040
 But you're not actually worshiping Jesus.

00:23:40.800 --> 00:23:45.160
 What God is saying that, hey, don't make anything else about me other than me.

00:23:45.300 --> 00:23:46.759
 Don't even make images about me.

00:23:47.720 --> 00:23:50.640
 I'm far beyond anything that you can see or imagine or understand.

00:23:52.280 --> 00:23:53.220
 Don't have any idols.

00:23:53.340 --> 00:23:56.780
 And we talked a lot about idols in the book of Jonah, so we're not going to go through it here.

00:23:57.400 --> 00:23:59.019
 Do not take the name of the Lord in vain.

00:23:59.019 --> 00:24:04.079
 We often translate that to, hey, let's not curse.

00:24:04.400 --> 00:24:05.619
 Let's not say bad words.

00:24:05.920 --> 00:24:08.220
 But it's so much more than just that.

00:24:08.339 --> 00:24:16.299
 It's not just, oh, instead of saying, oh, my, you say, oh, my gosh, or goodness, or whatever word I'm...

00:24:16.299 --> 00:24:17.180
 It's not just...

00:24:17.180 --> 00:24:18.680
 That's the low level.

00:24:18.920 --> 00:24:19.019
 That's the...

00:24:20.019 --> 00:24:21.680
 Like, what can I get away with?

00:24:22.279 --> 00:24:23.740
 How can I swear without not swearing?

00:24:24.519 --> 00:24:24.819
 Right?

00:24:24.819 --> 00:24:26.240
 And we all have those words.

00:24:27.859 --> 00:24:29.359
 But what he's saying is something different.

00:24:30.279 --> 00:24:35.619
 He's saying, that first song that we sang, the name of Jesus is powerful, beautiful, wonderful.

00:24:36.659 --> 00:24:43.859
 We all recognize, and especially the Jewish culture would have recognized that there's something just so beautiful, so real and significant about someone's name.

00:24:44.460 --> 00:24:46.519
 And that name really means something.

00:24:46.819 --> 00:24:50.559
 And how you treat that name is how you treat that person.

00:24:50.559 --> 00:24:57.879
 How you treat that name, how you use that name will tell you whether you are filled with reverence and awe for that presence or not.

00:24:58.559 --> 00:25:00.720
 So don't take the name of the Lord in vain.

00:25:01.359 --> 00:25:03.339
 Basically means don't cheapen who he is.

00:25:04.639 --> 00:25:05.359
 He is God in heaven.

00:25:05.460 --> 00:25:06.179
 Here we are on earth.

00:25:06.240 --> 00:25:07.059
 Let our words be few.

00:25:07.119 --> 00:25:09.639
 His thoughts and ways are so much higher than ours.

00:25:10.899 --> 00:25:11.659
 That's what it is.

00:25:11.839 --> 00:25:14.659
 Have a higher view of who God is, is what he's saying.

00:25:14.660 --> 00:25:22.060
 God isn't just a genie in your back pocket, or when you stub your toe on the table, that's when you say his name.

00:25:22.320 --> 00:25:24.540
 Or when you're shocked and then you call Jesus his name.

00:25:24.620 --> 00:25:26.400
 That's not what it is.

00:25:26.480 --> 00:25:28.259
 Fascinates me that that entered into culture, though.

00:25:28.600 --> 00:25:36.860
 Those who don't even profess to even believe Jesus exists still somehow use his word when they are shocked and scared and in pain.

00:25:37.100 --> 00:25:37.960
 It's fascinating, isn't it?

00:25:37.960 --> 00:25:45.319
 So, no other gods before me, no images, no idols, don't take the name of the Lord in vain, and Sabbath.

00:25:46.460 --> 00:25:47.259
 Take a rest.

00:25:47.519 --> 00:25:48.759
 Isn't this the best commandment?

00:25:50.920 --> 00:25:55.860
 Like, for people who really work hard and are consumed by work and maybe have a...

00:25:55.860 --> 00:25:57.240
 Isn't this just the best commandment?

00:25:57.840 --> 00:25:59.980
 But isn't this just the one that we ignore the most?

00:26:02.000 --> 00:26:07.259
 Someone once told me that the Sabbath isn't a reward for finished work.

00:26:07.259 --> 00:26:09.740
 It is relief from unfinished work.

00:26:10.379 --> 00:26:12.019
 It is not a reward for finished work.

00:26:12.099 --> 00:26:16.240
 You don't rest only after you've completed everything.

00:26:17.240 --> 00:26:18.940
 It's relief from unfinished work.

00:26:19.000 --> 00:26:19.160
 Why?

00:26:19.319 --> 00:26:20.839
 Because the work will never be finished.

00:26:23.559 --> 00:26:29.480
 One of my favorite basketball players, Kobe Bryant, he cites one of his motivating factors was in high school.

00:26:29.480 --> 00:26:34.559
 I think his English teacher told him, don't rest in the middle, rest at the end.

00:26:34.559 --> 00:26:41.220
 And it sounds inspiring and it sounds great, but actually that's not true.

00:26:41.819 --> 00:26:43.099
 We have to rest in the middle.

00:26:43.899 --> 00:26:44.539
 If not, why?

00:26:46.099 --> 00:26:53.019
 If we could get a proper practice of rest in, there may be a lot of the problems that we're facing.

00:26:53.359 --> 00:26:54.019
 Mental health.

00:26:54.579 --> 00:26:57.619
 The rest that we need when it comes to just taking a break, taking a breather.

00:26:57.879 --> 00:26:59.200
 Something that I've realized in Hong Kong.

00:26:59.200 --> 00:27:00.200
 This city is just crazy.

00:27:00.840 --> 00:27:02.900
 It's so quick and easy to get to everywhere.

00:27:03.019 --> 00:27:05.819
 You can meet so many people all in one day, all in the same area.

00:27:08.059 --> 00:27:10.700
 And then recognizing, man, I need to stop.

00:27:11.019 --> 00:27:12.180
 I need to decompress.

00:27:12.240 --> 00:27:18.220
 And the first time I sat down, when I first came to Hong Kong five years ago and took myself away to Chongzhao and had a little bit of a rest,

00:27:18.220 --> 00:27:23.000
 I literally felt as though I was slamming the emergency brakes on my car and I was skidding.

00:27:23.880 --> 00:27:24.620
 That's how I felt.

00:27:24.799 --> 00:27:28.900
 If you've driven abroad in the cold, you'll know what that is and suddenly you use control a little bit.

00:27:29.240 --> 00:27:30.799
 I literally felt that physically.

00:27:30.940 --> 00:27:33.559
 I was like, man, I've been going so fast for so long.

00:27:35.380 --> 00:27:36.339
 Do you rest?

00:27:37.100 --> 00:27:38.579
 It's in the Ten Commandments.

00:27:38.640 --> 00:27:42.460
 Not just because he's a grumpy old man, but because he knows that we need it.

00:27:42.460 --> 00:27:49.920
 And he cites and says, even God, even God worked for six days and then had a rest.

00:27:50.279 --> 00:27:54.799
 Now, of course, there's probably a rising generation of people who agree and don't want to work at all.

00:27:55.319 --> 00:27:56.779
 And six days is way too many.

00:27:57.039 --> 00:27:58.259
 Half that is probably much better.

00:27:58.680 --> 00:28:00.100
 So, no, for you guys, you have to work.

00:28:00.180 --> 00:28:01.840
 In order to have a Sabbath, you have to work.

00:28:02.779 --> 00:28:03.700
 You have to have Sabbath.

00:28:03.779 --> 00:28:05.279
 You can't just be Sabbathing all the time.

00:28:06.440 --> 00:28:10.680
 But there's something that is so necessary.

00:28:12.460 --> 00:28:15.140
 A couple of quotes that even my brother and I were talking about.

00:28:15.259 --> 00:28:20.400
 There's a guy called Watchman Ni, who is one of the key historical figures in the church in China.

00:28:20.860 --> 00:28:22.900
 He said this about rest.

00:28:23.079 --> 00:28:25.920
 Our rest lies in looking to the Lord and not to ourselves.

00:28:26.519 --> 00:28:28.500
 Our rest lies in looking to the Lord and not to ourselves.

00:28:28.600 --> 00:28:34.259
 When you get so consumed with all the things that you have to do, whether it's school, work, family, just life in general,

00:28:34.819 --> 00:28:38.360
 the easiest thing is actually just to focus everything on yourself.

00:28:38.359 --> 00:28:42.639
 And we can get so tired and exhausted and fatigued from just looking at ourselves.

00:28:42.879 --> 00:28:46.679
 The rest comes in when we take our eyes off ourselves and we look to God.

00:28:47.879 --> 00:28:50.519
 A French philosopher, and it was one of my favorite quotes probably of all time,

00:28:50.579 --> 00:28:56.419
 is all of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to spend time alone in a room.

00:28:57.659 --> 00:29:01.740
 All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to spend time alone.

00:29:01.740 --> 00:29:03.220
 Why? We talked about this last time.

00:29:03.279 --> 00:29:09.680
 Because when you spend time alone, that's when you shrink back to the appropriate size that you actually are.

00:29:10.039 --> 00:29:14.319
 When you are busy doing all the things that you're doing, we just can't help but just inflate ourselves.

00:29:14.440 --> 00:29:15.819
 We become the center of our worlds.

00:29:16.000 --> 00:29:22.140
 But when you sit alone quietly and you just sit and you realize the world is spinning regardless of whether you're around or not,

00:29:23.140 --> 00:29:27.099
 then you'll return back to the appropriate size because we are vapor in the wind.

00:29:28.980 --> 00:29:30.519
 Because we will just pass away.

00:29:30.519 --> 00:29:36.099
 And it's great because when you return back to that moment, that burden that you put on yourself,

00:29:36.200 --> 00:29:39.200
 that pressure to please, that pressure to perform, just go.

00:29:39.319 --> 00:29:42.099
 You're like, man, I'm just a mortal human being.

00:29:42.599 --> 00:29:44.319
 I'm not supposed to impress everyone.

00:29:44.400 --> 00:29:46.059
 I'm not supposed to save the world.

00:29:46.099 --> 00:29:48.379
 I can't save the world.

00:29:49.859 --> 00:29:51.019
 Sabbath is so important.

00:29:51.160 --> 00:29:55.339
 Walter Brinkman says this, people who practice a Sabbath live all seven days differently.

00:29:55.339 --> 00:30:04.279
 When you actually spend cut out time for God, your other days will look different because you're not chasing anymore.

00:30:04.359 --> 00:30:05.240
 You're not straining anymore.

00:30:05.319 --> 00:30:06.240
 You're not stressing anymore.

00:30:06.839 --> 00:30:10.099
 That one day that you spend with him will impact the six days.

00:30:10.099 --> 00:30:15.779
 I was talking to a friend here in the church when they were for dinner and she's just so busy with so many things to do,

00:30:15.899 --> 00:30:18.559
 so many, so much to prepare for, for example.

00:30:18.779 --> 00:30:23.279
 So the question isn't, oh man, you know, we need to squeeze an hour in with God.

00:30:23.339 --> 00:30:25.519
 No, it's just squeeze in just a little bit.

00:30:26.319 --> 00:30:33.599
 Just if you're going to spend six hours studying, spend six minutes with God and watch the rest of those hours change.

00:30:33.599 --> 00:30:39.819
 Those who spend and practice Sabbath will live the seven days differently.

00:30:40.019 --> 00:30:43.000
 It comes back to that thing about that you shall have no other gods before me.

00:30:43.079 --> 00:30:48.139
 If you include him in your one day, you will realize you'll start wanting to include him in your every day.

00:30:48.500 --> 00:30:52.359
 You restrict him and limit him to just an hour and a half on a Sunday morning.

00:30:52.359 --> 00:30:58.099
 The rest of your days won't look any different and you'll be just as stressed and just as hopeless as everyone else who doesn't have him in their boat.

00:31:00.279 --> 00:31:01.179
 Practice that Sabbath.

00:31:01.419 --> 00:31:03.119
 Pull yourself away from society.

00:31:03.119 --> 00:31:04.539
 He is the only one.

00:31:04.859 --> 00:31:05.659
 It's interesting.

00:31:06.119 --> 00:31:07.500
 That's the final one, the Sabbath.

00:31:07.899 --> 00:31:09.959
 And then he jumps into the relationship ones.

00:31:10.479 --> 00:31:17.279
 It's as if in order for you to have healthy relationships, you need to first have a healthy relationship with yourself and with God.

00:31:17.839 --> 00:31:23.339
 Otherwise, if you don't have your Sabbath, if you don't restore and spend time with yourself and spend time with God,

00:31:23.459 --> 00:31:24.839
 you're going to carry all that brokenness.

00:31:25.019 --> 00:31:26.279
 You're going to carry all that anxiety.

00:31:26.479 --> 00:31:29.859
 You're going to carry all that pride into all your relationships.

00:31:29.959 --> 00:31:32.319
 So he goes, hey, sort yourself out first.

00:31:32.319 --> 00:31:33.179
 Me and you.

00:31:33.639 --> 00:31:35.480
 And then you spend time alone with me.

00:31:35.819 --> 00:31:40.480
 After that, and only after that, let's move into the relationship commands.

00:31:41.419 --> 00:31:42.019
 Interesting, right?

00:31:42.200 --> 00:31:45.240
 And so then he goes from here and he goes, the first one, our favorite.

00:31:45.500 --> 00:31:46.460
 All of us, we love it.

00:31:46.460 --> 00:31:48.160
 We love honoring our father and mother.

00:31:48.480 --> 00:31:50.440
 We love listening to everything that they say.

00:31:50.720 --> 00:31:54.840
 We love completely submitting to them in every way because they clearly know best.

00:31:54.839 --> 00:32:02.500
 Of course, submitting and obeying is different to honoring and respecting.

00:32:03.500 --> 00:32:08.139
 We've got to figure out what that line is because the generations are getting further and further apart.

00:32:08.419 --> 00:32:11.459
 There's the good old days, which are the good old days.

00:32:11.460 --> 00:32:14.660
 And then there are the future and the new.

00:32:16.860 --> 00:32:18.740
 The generation gap has never been bigger.

00:32:19.660 --> 00:32:22.960
 Whether it's globalization, whether it's technology, whether it's a bit of everything,

00:32:23.160 --> 00:32:25.620
 the generation gap has never been bigger.

00:32:25.819 --> 00:32:33.559
 Within one generation, we as a society have completely flipped in how we care for our young.

00:32:33.559 --> 00:32:36.159
 Now, I've shared this example before.

00:32:36.240 --> 00:32:37.919
 My parents, my dad was the youngest of 10.

00:32:38.200 --> 00:32:39.740
 My mom was the second youngest of 11.

00:32:40.359 --> 00:32:42.579
 And the ratio for parenting back then was what?

00:32:42.619 --> 00:32:43.099
 One to 10.

00:32:43.399 --> 00:32:44.039
 One to 11.

00:32:44.599 --> 00:32:46.179
 Actually, my dad's family, he was one of 16.

00:32:46.279 --> 00:32:50.460
 But he came from a time, I mean, yeah, my grandma would be constantly, just perpetually pregnant.

00:32:54.599 --> 00:32:55.740
 But that was the thing, right?

00:32:55.899 --> 00:32:59.460
 And then that one adult would look after all these kids.

00:33:00.559 --> 00:33:02.079
 Within the space of a few decades.

00:33:02.079 --> 00:33:04.059
 It's completely flipped.

00:33:05.039 --> 00:33:07.439
 Now one child is looked by four, five, six different adults.

00:33:09.839 --> 00:33:10.599
 One generation.

00:33:11.720 --> 00:33:13.720
 Think about how long mankind has lived on the surface.

00:33:14.259 --> 00:33:15.299
 At least in this city.

00:33:15.859 --> 00:33:17.519
 Within one generation, it's completely flipped.

00:33:17.639 --> 00:33:20.679
 And just when you're about to think, oh, yeah, you kids have it so much better.

00:33:20.759 --> 00:33:22.839
 You have so many more people to care for you and love for you.

00:33:23.939 --> 00:33:24.799
 You know what that does?

00:33:25.119 --> 00:33:28.740
 Just a word to us more experienced older folk.

00:33:28.859 --> 00:33:29.559
 You know what that does?

00:33:29.559 --> 00:33:33.720
 That just puts this crushing pressure onto our young people.

00:33:34.379 --> 00:33:41.819
 Because all of the hopes of our grandparents and our great grandparents, our parents, all are on us going, you are amazing.

00:33:41.980 --> 00:33:43.399
 You can do everything.

00:33:43.579 --> 00:33:44.579
 You can do anything.

00:33:45.039 --> 00:33:45.539
 You will.

00:33:45.659 --> 00:33:47.099
 You must deliver.

00:33:47.599 --> 00:33:48.059
 You will.

00:33:48.419 --> 00:33:49.779
 You must go to university.

00:33:49.779 --> 00:33:52.200
 Can you imagine that crushing pressure that has?

00:33:54.200 --> 00:33:57.960
 The amount of young people I meet who are like, what do you want to do?

00:33:58.000 --> 00:33:58.519
 I don't know.

00:33:59.200 --> 00:34:00.460
 I have no idea what I want to do.

00:34:00.519 --> 00:34:02.259
 I just want to be told what I'm good at.

00:34:03.799 --> 00:34:05.399
 I have so many options now.

00:34:07.019 --> 00:34:09.300
 So many options that my grandparents never, ever had.

00:34:09.300 --> 00:34:11.300
 And they never failed to remind me.

00:34:13.120 --> 00:34:14.539
 And yet I'm just crushed by the pressure.

00:34:15.280 --> 00:34:18.140
 The anxiety overtakes me because I simply just don't know what I want to do.

00:34:18.760 --> 00:34:19.539
 One generation.

00:34:21.280 --> 00:34:22.280
 A 180 almost.

00:34:23.340 --> 00:34:26.580
 So we've got to try and figure out what it means to honor our father and mother.

00:34:26.579 --> 00:34:31.599
 And I think there's a way to do it where both sides can come away and grow in dignity.

00:34:32.239 --> 00:34:36.619
 Well, let's say you have a parent who actually is trying to get you to submit and obey.

00:34:36.940 --> 00:34:39.860
 But you're like, okay, well, actually, some of those things that you're asking me to do are not godly.

00:34:39.920 --> 00:34:43.779
 Some of those things, the clearest idol here is, actually, I shall have no other gods before me.

00:34:44.380 --> 00:34:47.259
 You're actually trying to make me idolize something else.

00:34:47.299 --> 00:34:47.699
 A career.

00:34:49.239 --> 00:34:49.559
 Studies.

00:34:49.699 --> 00:34:50.199
 Whatever it is.

00:34:50.759 --> 00:34:53.019
 Don't have that as an excuse to not study hard enough, though.

00:34:53.019 --> 00:34:57.380
 Don't say, oh, Pastor James told me that my studying is an idol.

00:34:57.900 --> 00:34:59.860
 So, hey, blame him.

00:35:00.000 --> 00:35:00.780
 I can't study anymore.

00:35:00.900 --> 00:35:01.039
 I'm done.

00:35:05.219 --> 00:35:10.159
 But it's all about, okay, well, God is, there is no one else before God.

00:35:11.480 --> 00:35:12.860
 My parents have these thoughts.

00:35:13.500 --> 00:35:14.460
 Some of them from culture.

00:35:14.719 --> 00:35:15.759
 Some of them from their generation.

00:35:16.059 --> 00:35:17.440
 How can I honor them in a way?

00:35:17.440 --> 00:35:20.840
 How can I let them see that I hear them and I respect them?

00:35:21.360 --> 00:35:23.559
 And I understand where they're coming from.

00:35:25.740 --> 00:35:32.960
 And yet still, respectfully, say, actually, no, but I'm going to do my best, but actually, this isn't my biggest thing.

00:35:33.059 --> 00:35:34.200
 How do we find that line?

00:35:34.240 --> 00:35:36.720
 And I don't know what it looks like for you because every family is different.

00:35:37.320 --> 00:35:42.140
 But what God says here is honor your father and mother because it's so important.

00:35:42.139 --> 00:35:46.920
 Because the family needs to be healthy in order for society to be healthy.

00:35:48.519 --> 00:35:51.199
 Society is broken is because families are broken.

00:35:51.639 --> 00:35:55.299
 So straight away, he goes in for the relationship when he goes in for the one with your parents.

00:35:55.900 --> 00:35:56.799
 The two generations.

00:35:56.960 --> 00:35:59.019
 And yes, it says here, honor your father and mother.

00:35:59.019 --> 00:36:06.340
 But in Luke chapter 1, you see Zechariah's prophecy is actually saying that God will also turn the hearts of the parents to the children.

00:36:07.199 --> 00:36:12.239
 So it's not just one side where the younger ones have to listen regardless to anything that the older generations say.

00:36:12.460 --> 00:36:18.400
 It's that the older generation will have their hearts turned to the young people and to have humility and to have love and compassion.

00:36:18.519 --> 00:36:19.679
 And most of all, patience.

00:36:20.400 --> 00:36:22.579
 Because we all look back on our lives with rose-tinted glasses.

00:36:22.699 --> 00:36:23.659
 They are when I was young.

00:36:24.119 --> 00:36:25.800
 When I was young, I already had a family.

00:36:25.800 --> 00:36:29.500
 When I was your age, I was already doing this and I was already doing that.

00:36:29.539 --> 00:36:31.519
 And I was perfect and I never made any mistakes.

00:36:33.200 --> 00:36:35.180
 Which we know is completely untrue.

00:36:35.920 --> 00:36:40.980
 You know the most beautiful, beautiful old people that I've met are just the ones who have such humility.

00:36:42.519 --> 00:36:44.480
 Say, hey, I made my mistakes.

00:36:45.539 --> 00:36:47.580
 I'm not here to tell you how to live your life.

00:36:49.080 --> 00:36:51.840
 I'm here for you whenever you make your mistakes and you will.

00:36:51.840 --> 00:36:56.740
 But actually, there's so many things that I still don't know.

00:36:57.120 --> 00:37:00.260
 When I meet some of those people, my heart just literally explodes.

00:37:00.320 --> 00:37:05.960
 Because I see you have every right to just be prideful and egocentric and all those things.

00:37:06.039 --> 00:37:07.600
 And yet, you are just so selfless.

00:37:08.120 --> 00:37:09.079
 Have you met those people?

00:37:09.180 --> 00:37:10.500
 Not your head if you've met someone like that.

00:37:10.579 --> 00:37:13.640
 And like an older person who just has that vibe about them.

00:37:13.740 --> 00:37:16.140
 It's just beautiful.

00:37:16.260 --> 00:37:17.260
 It's what I strive to have.

00:37:17.260 --> 00:37:24.700
 Because as I grow up, I start thinking I know a lot that I've had these accomplishments that I've done well.

00:37:25.360 --> 00:37:26.560
 And I've given this example before.

00:37:27.100 --> 00:37:28.040
 Tim Keller is the one who said it.

00:37:28.060 --> 00:37:34.260
 When you look back on your previous self from five years ago, you look back at that person and go,

00:37:34.420 --> 00:37:35.620
 well, that person was a little bit silly.

00:37:36.320 --> 00:37:38.040
 They made some silly mistakes.

00:37:38.420 --> 00:37:41.060
 They worried about things they shouldn't have worried about.

00:37:41.480 --> 00:37:42.080
 Don't you have that?

00:37:42.440 --> 00:37:42.840
 Five years.

00:37:42.840 --> 00:37:43.820
 Maybe not even five years.

00:37:43.880 --> 00:37:44.580
 Maybe five months.

00:37:45.200 --> 00:37:46.060
 Maybe five days.

00:37:47.260 --> 00:37:50.980
 You look back on your previous self and you go, ah, you didn't know enough.

00:37:52.860 --> 00:37:57.900
 Which means, well, don't get all happy and comfortable now that that means you are current,

00:37:58.000 --> 00:37:59.440
 your present self is the perfect self.

00:37:59.480 --> 00:37:59.980
 That's not true.

00:38:00.140 --> 00:38:04.880
 Because you, five years from now, will look back on yourself today and think the same things.

00:38:05.740 --> 00:38:06.000
 Right?

00:38:07.540 --> 00:38:11.880
 Five years from now, you will look back at you today and go, oh, he was so worried about those things.

00:38:11.960 --> 00:38:13.060
 And he really shouldn't have.

00:38:13.059 --> 00:38:17.820
 She was so caught up in that job and that career and she got the promotion and she still wasn't happy.

00:38:18.219 --> 00:38:19.559
 And then she ended up leaving anyway.

00:38:20.539 --> 00:38:22.480
 Don't you see that?

00:38:22.699 --> 00:38:28.039
 Actually, we right now all have the capacity and ability and the need to learn to be humble.

00:38:28.039 --> 00:38:34.719
 In order for the generations to exist, the younger ones need to go to the older ones and go, there is something that I need to learn from you.

00:38:35.420 --> 00:38:43.159
 There's something about just grinding it through a job that you don't really have the feels for anymore, but you're still doing it because it's just what you need to do.

00:38:43.579 --> 00:38:44.239
 There's a resilience.

00:38:44.440 --> 00:38:46.480
 There's a strength that comes from that.

00:38:46.759 --> 00:38:47.619
 I want to learn from that.

00:38:47.619 --> 00:38:52.699
 I want to learn the selfless sacrifice that you had, the grandparents.

00:38:53.480 --> 00:39:03.380
 And then the older people can look back on, look down, look to the young people and go, well, can you teach me how to do this on my phone?

00:39:04.639 --> 00:39:05.980
 Hey, how do I put this setting on?

00:39:05.980 --> 00:39:07.839
 How do I?

00:39:08.420 --> 00:39:12.000
 Actually, can you tell me what you young people are thinking about when it comes to this?

00:39:12.000 --> 00:39:17.679
 I'm so shocked and disgusted from what I'm seeing and how society is going.

00:39:17.980 --> 00:39:21.820
 Can you help me understand what the thought process is?

00:39:22.099 --> 00:39:24.079
 Don't just come down and say, I don't agree.

00:39:25.059 --> 00:39:25.960
 Help me understand.

00:39:26.619 --> 00:39:27.440
 I'm trying to listen.

00:39:28.659 --> 00:39:33.440
 I'm trying to understand and recognize that I'm still slow to understand, but I really want to.

00:39:33.559 --> 00:39:33.800
 Why?

00:39:34.719 --> 00:39:37.719
 Not because I want to win the argument, but because I want relationship with you.

00:39:38.739 --> 00:39:39.860
 It's always been about that.

00:39:42.000 --> 00:39:45.380
 It's a delicate maneuver how you honor your parents.

00:39:46.760 --> 00:39:56.019
 But I think if we can do it right, if we can follow the spirit's guiding, if we can be filled with humility, we can do it in a way that both sides will grow in dignity.

00:39:57.480 --> 00:39:59.300
 Grow in looking more like Jesus.

00:39:59.739 --> 00:40:00.519
 Honor your father and mother.

00:40:00.840 --> 00:40:02.260
 The next few I'm not really going to go through.

00:40:02.360 --> 00:40:02.780
 Not murder.

00:40:03.079 --> 00:40:03.780
 Don't kill anyone.

00:40:05.320 --> 00:40:06.440
 Do not commit adultery.

00:40:07.519 --> 00:40:08.760
 One wife is more than enough.

00:40:08.760 --> 00:40:10.059
 Don't try and get another one.

00:40:12.000 --> 00:40:14.340
 Anyway, any more than that?

00:40:15.880 --> 00:40:16.480
 Don't steal.

00:40:17.260 --> 00:40:18.900
 If it's not yours, it's not yours.

00:40:20.039 --> 00:40:21.619
 Okay, so that's self-explanatory.

00:40:23.659 --> 00:40:27.920
 Do not bear false witness versus any neighbor.

00:40:28.000 --> 00:40:29.360
 Actually, this isn't just about lying.

00:40:30.360 --> 00:40:31.159
 This is more than that.

00:40:31.159 --> 00:40:43.119
 God knew that the Israelites going into the wilderness, starting a city of their own, starting a culture of their own, what you need is actually for there to be justice.

00:40:44.039 --> 00:40:47.059
 You cannot tolerate lying in the courtroom.

00:40:48.099 --> 00:40:48.920
 That can't happen.

00:40:48.920 --> 00:40:56.760
 Israel will die unless there is a system that actually promotes justice, that isn't corrupt.

00:40:57.980 --> 00:40:58.940
 Because you can't have it.

00:40:58.980 --> 00:41:00.860
 We all know that there is a truth.

00:41:01.559 --> 00:41:06.539
 A healthy judiciary system is absolutely, absolutely essential for a society to flourish.

00:41:07.240 --> 00:41:08.180
 And that's what he's saying here.

00:41:08.300 --> 00:41:09.119
 Do not bear false witness.

00:41:09.200 --> 00:41:10.420
 Don't go into a courtroom and lie.

00:41:10.420 --> 00:41:12.500
 Because if you do that, then all bets are off.

00:41:13.760 --> 00:41:15.579
 Then you might as well violate all the other commandments.

00:41:16.599 --> 00:41:17.700
 This society won't last.

00:41:19.300 --> 00:41:20.880
 And finally, do not covet.

00:41:21.800 --> 00:41:23.039
 This is a dangerous one, right?

00:41:24.059 --> 00:41:27.360
 Covet is looking at someone else and seeing what they have.

00:41:28.480 --> 00:41:29.559
 And Josh!

00:41:30.280 --> 00:41:31.500
 Welcome back, Josh.

00:41:32.900 --> 00:41:35.780
 He hates attention, so can we give him a round of applause?

00:41:35.780 --> 00:41:37.760
 He's been away for a whole month.

00:41:41.580 --> 00:41:42.460
 Welcome back.

00:41:43.460 --> 00:41:47.019
 And Josh helped us design the formatting of this new space as well.

00:41:47.140 --> 00:41:47.940
 Really good to see you.

00:41:50.800 --> 00:41:53.800
 Envy is looking at someone else, coveting and looking at someone else and going,

00:41:54.040 --> 00:41:56.380
 man, I wish I had that.

00:41:57.040 --> 00:41:57.800
 Have we had that?

00:41:59.440 --> 00:42:03.000
 Can you put your hand up if you have never envied anyone?

00:42:03.000 --> 00:42:05.980
 Okay, there are no liars in the room.

00:42:06.039 --> 00:42:06.360
 That's good.

00:42:07.739 --> 00:42:11.119
 But actually, envy is worse than just looking at someone and saying,

00:42:11.480 --> 00:42:12.960
 I wish I had that.

00:42:14.239 --> 00:42:15.440
 It's actually even more.

00:42:16.300 --> 00:42:18.199
 It's looking at someone and not just saying,

00:42:18.619 --> 00:42:20.079
 I wish I had what you had.

00:42:20.460 --> 00:42:22.659
 It's that, actually, if I can't have it, neither can you.

00:42:24.780 --> 00:42:26.480
 That's toxic.

00:42:26.619 --> 00:42:27.099
 That's dangerous.

00:42:28.380 --> 00:42:32.079
 When we look at someone, and I do this regularly with anyone who has hair.

00:42:33.000 --> 00:42:39.460
 I look at them and go, man, what a waste of hair.

00:42:41.179 --> 00:42:42.679
 Like, do you not have this, Aaron?

00:42:42.880 --> 00:42:43.579
 Do you feel this?

00:42:44.260 --> 00:42:44.460
 Right?

00:42:44.719 --> 00:42:47.019
 People just don't use their hair well enough.

00:42:48.219 --> 00:42:53.239
 If I had hair, it would look so much better than that.

00:42:53.239 --> 00:43:01.379
 But I step into covet envy territory when I look at you and go, well, if you're not going to use your hair well, I wish you would be bald too.

00:43:01.380 --> 00:43:08.420
 But we look at people who have a car that we want.

00:43:08.900 --> 00:43:10.599
 We look at the people who have a lifestyle that we want.

00:43:10.940 --> 00:43:12.740
 We look at people who have a spouse that we want.

00:43:13.619 --> 00:43:15.940
 We look at people who have the job that we want.

00:43:16.019 --> 00:43:17.860
 And we go, oh, if only I had that.

00:43:18.740 --> 00:43:23.119
 Honestly, the joy of missing out, what a beautiful thing, Juju.

00:43:24.039 --> 00:43:25.440
 And I've said this before.

00:43:25.579 --> 00:43:28.139
 Social media is just so dangerous and so toxic for that.

00:43:29.079 --> 00:43:34.179
 I think that's the only objective of social media is to keep you scrolling.

00:43:34.779 --> 00:43:38.559
 And so you can look at other people, feel worse about yourself, and so you just keep scrolling.

00:43:39.319 --> 00:43:43.659
 And then, of course, when you're scrolling and you're feeling bad about yourself, then you will say, okay, well, I need to post something myself.

00:43:44.440 --> 00:43:45.759
 Oh, this matcha latte looks pretty good.

00:43:45.779 --> 00:43:46.960
 I want to post a picture of this.

00:43:47.599 --> 00:43:49.480
 And so it looks like I'm having a cool life.

00:43:49.480 --> 00:43:52.679
 And then we just continually just have this cycle.

00:43:53.559 --> 00:43:54.579
 It is so dangerous.

00:43:54.659 --> 00:43:55.320
 It is so toxic.

00:43:55.420 --> 00:43:56.380
 And I've told you this before.

00:43:57.099 --> 00:44:03.740
 I'm still on social media, but I've taken it off my phone because I don't like it on my phone, I realized, because I don't like doom scrolling.

00:44:04.420 --> 00:44:05.780
 Because I know what it does to me.

00:44:06.320 --> 00:44:15.500
 Every time I scroll, and I have great friends who have great lives, and I feel as though I have a beautiful life, and I look, and I see them, and I see them doing things, and I'm like, why wasn't I invited to that?

00:44:16.599 --> 00:44:17.880
 Why are you guys hanging out?

00:44:17.880 --> 00:44:21.519
 Why wasn't I invited to your grandmother's birthday party?

00:44:23.559 --> 00:44:25.800
 Why didn't you pay for me to go to the Maldives with you?

00:44:26.960 --> 00:44:27.840
 Like, don't you have that?

00:44:28.240 --> 00:44:29.840
 And then I'm just looking like, oh, man.

00:44:30.900 --> 00:44:34.200
 And honestly, for you young people, you're like, oh, but it's okay, James, because you seem to have everything.

00:44:34.260 --> 00:44:40.960
 Other than the hair, you pretty much have, you've got a beautiful wife, you've got kids, you love God, you do all these things.

00:44:41.180 --> 00:44:42.400
 What have you got to be jealous of?

00:44:42.460 --> 00:44:43.360
 I've got everything.

00:44:43.360 --> 00:44:50.220
 And honestly, and I'll tell you here as a grown man, with what the world says, you've ticked all the boxes.

00:44:51.000 --> 00:44:52.019
 Like, I'm ready to die now.

00:44:52.400 --> 00:44:53.620
 There's nothing else I need to tick.

00:44:53.619 --> 00:44:56.579
 Even I, when I look at social media, I'm like, oh, man.

00:44:57.900 --> 00:44:58.839
 That is so much nicer.

00:45:00.500 --> 00:45:02.960
 Hank's Omega swatch color is so much nicer than my one.

00:45:03.539 --> 00:45:04.480
 I'm going to get his one.

00:45:05.299 --> 00:45:06.099
 I need all of them.

00:45:06.199 --> 00:45:06.880
 I need all the planets.

00:45:07.199 --> 00:45:07.960
 I've got to catch them all.

00:45:10.159 --> 00:45:10.779
 Paul's Pokemon.

00:45:10.900 --> 00:45:11.559
 I've got to catch them all.

00:45:11.559 --> 00:45:15.500
 Honestly, there's so many things.

00:45:15.659 --> 00:45:19.820
 And if you feel that, then you should just consider doing the same.

00:45:19.980 --> 00:45:20.659
 It's freed me.

00:45:21.279 --> 00:45:22.299
 And I realized something.

00:45:22.739 --> 00:45:29.840
 Once I took it off my phone, and once I, I thought the world was going to kind of really go into some trouble and chaos without me being on Instagram.

00:45:30.320 --> 00:45:32.279
 I thought everyone was going to really lose their minds.

00:45:32.280 --> 00:45:37.500
 And yet, it just carried on.

00:45:38.840 --> 00:45:40.840
 It just, I picked it up.

00:45:40.960 --> 00:45:44.019
 I just, when I used the laptop and went, oh, oh, it's still the same.

00:45:45.120 --> 00:45:46.640
 That grandma's having another birthday party.

00:45:46.700 --> 00:45:47.320
 She's not dead yet.

00:45:50.500 --> 00:45:53.840
 It's just a constant, it's just a constant thing.

00:45:54.140 --> 00:45:54.800
 It doesn't stop.

00:45:55.360 --> 00:45:57.980
 And God here, in his love for us, says, don't do it.

00:45:58.140 --> 00:45:58.480
 Why?

00:45:58.700 --> 00:46:01.200
 Because actually, it's not even about what that person has.

00:46:01.199 --> 00:46:05.519
 What you're most discontent with is actually you don't think I'm giving it to you.

00:46:05.759 --> 00:46:07.279
 You're most discontent with me.

00:46:08.679 --> 00:46:11.500
 It makes you look down on other people, and it makes you mistrust me.

00:46:12.399 --> 00:46:13.259
 That's the danger.

00:46:14.019 --> 00:46:14.659
 Don't do it.

00:46:15.379 --> 00:46:16.000
 Do not covet.

00:46:16.139 --> 00:46:16.639
 Do not envy.

00:46:17.239 --> 00:46:22.539
 Whether it's your neighbor's servant or wife or car or donkey, whatever it might be, don't want.

00:46:23.139 --> 00:46:25.619
 Be happy with what I've given you.

00:46:27.000 --> 00:46:29.939
 And we've all known this, where we've got something beautiful and great,

00:46:29.940 --> 00:46:35.260
 and then someone else shows up with something shinier and bigger, and we're like, oh, it ruins the thing that you have.

00:46:36.300 --> 00:46:36.800
 Don't do it.

00:46:38.059 --> 00:46:38.559
 That's it.

00:46:38.599 --> 00:46:45.099
 The Decalogue, the Ten Commandments, stand as a way to help humans flourish with each other.

00:46:46.260 --> 00:46:48.220
 It's relationship before the rules.

00:46:48.619 --> 00:46:49.280
 It's freedom.

00:46:49.420 --> 00:46:51.539
 It's grace before the law.

00:46:51.619 --> 00:46:53.700
 It's connection over compliance.

00:46:54.400 --> 00:46:55.220
 Do you understand that?

00:46:55.219 --> 00:46:56.539
 Do you feel that?

00:46:56.579 --> 00:47:00.119
 Because if you don't, then you will look at these laws, and you will just be grumpy about them.

00:47:00.939 --> 00:47:03.919
 You will just look at Christianity and go, oh, I'm not meeting the mark.

00:47:04.219 --> 00:47:06.899
 I'm not fulfilling everything I need to fulfill.

00:47:07.959 --> 00:47:12.639
 But one final thing, and this is where I'll conclude, because grace comes before the law, but it also comes after the law.

00:47:12.639 --> 00:47:15.039
 Because there's something else.

00:47:15.519 --> 00:47:23.339
 When he gives these laws, and actually there's tons of other things that he gives guidance for, we know we fall short.

00:47:23.420 --> 00:47:24.259
 He knows we fall short.

00:47:24.319 --> 00:47:25.819
 We all fall short of the glory of God.

00:47:26.519 --> 00:47:28.059
 And so we all stand guilty.

00:47:28.779 --> 00:47:31.420
 We all stand guilty because we have violated one of these laws.

00:47:31.480 --> 00:47:34.279
 Well, you say, well, I have not murdered, and I have not stolen.

00:47:34.639 --> 00:47:39.679
 Though I'm of the thought that everyone has stolen something, especially from a tuck shop when you were a child and having some snacks and some sweets.

00:47:39.679 --> 00:47:42.359
 You say, oh, I haven't, well, you have.

00:47:43.440 --> 00:47:44.940
 Because you have had other gods before you.

00:47:45.779 --> 00:47:47.719
 You have had other idols that you've worshipped.

00:47:48.039 --> 00:47:50.539
 You've had other people's approval that you've sought more than gods.

00:47:51.219 --> 00:47:53.239
 We all fall short.

00:47:53.500 --> 00:47:54.399
 We all stand guilty.

00:47:55.519 --> 00:47:56.079
 Here's the problem.

00:47:56.299 --> 00:48:01.639
 Because we stand guilty, if God was completely fair, then we would be condemned.

00:48:02.739 --> 00:48:03.799
 We would be condemned.

00:48:04.859 --> 00:48:05.919
 Because we fall short.

00:48:05.920 --> 00:48:09.820
 But yet we are all justified freely by his grace as a gift.

00:48:10.900 --> 00:48:11.440
 As a gift.

00:48:11.500 --> 00:48:12.500
 And you say, how does that happen?

00:48:13.019 --> 00:48:15.360
 We've got the law, but we're not fulfilling it.

00:48:15.440 --> 00:48:15.900
 Well, how?

00:48:16.900 --> 00:48:18.420
 But if you let us off, then you're not fair.

00:48:18.460 --> 00:48:19.159
 Then you're not just.

00:48:19.840 --> 00:48:20.980
 Well, that's where Jesus comes in.

00:48:21.940 --> 00:48:22.680
 Romans 8 says this.

00:48:22.740 --> 00:48:27.079
 There is therefore now no new condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

00:48:27.200 --> 00:48:30.039
 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, couldn't do.

00:48:30.039 --> 00:48:35.159
 And he fulfilled the requirements of the law through Jesus.

00:48:35.500 --> 00:48:38.880
 And he tells us not to set our minds on the things of the flesh, because that will lead to death.

00:48:38.980 --> 00:48:41.699
 But to set our minds on the spirit, and that will lead to life.

00:48:41.739 --> 00:48:46.380
 And the same power that brought Christ up from the grave is the same power that will help you and I.

00:48:46.960 --> 00:48:52.239
 And because of that, because that spirit is inside us, we no longer have the spirit of slavery and fear inside us.

00:48:52.239 --> 00:48:56.360
 Because we are now adopted as children, and we can cry, Abba, Father, to him.

00:48:56.360 --> 00:49:00.380
 Jesus was the one that fulfilled the law for us.

00:49:01.200 --> 00:49:02.099
 John 1 says this.

00:49:02.200 --> 00:49:03.440
 The law came through Moses.

00:49:03.640 --> 00:49:07.500
 This law, the Decalogue, the Ten Commandments, they came through Moses from Mount Sinai.

00:49:07.740 --> 00:49:10.220
 But grace and truth come through Jesus Christ.

00:49:11.039 --> 00:49:17.079
 Because of what Jesus did, we now stand free.

00:49:18.280 --> 00:49:20.000
 Free to have a relationship with him.

00:49:20.360 --> 00:49:21.920
 Free to have a connection with him.

00:49:22.019 --> 00:49:24.079
 Yes, there are things that we should comply to.

00:49:24.260 --> 00:49:25.980
 There are the rules that we should abide by.

00:49:25.980 --> 00:49:30.719
 But not because he just wants us to, because he wants our lives to be miserable.

00:49:30.860 --> 00:49:32.500
 Because he wants us to flourish.

00:49:34.139 --> 00:49:35.960
 Do we get that in our heart of hearts?

00:49:36.719 --> 00:49:40.240
 Jesus says, be perfect for your heavenly Father who is perfect.

00:49:41.539 --> 00:49:45.199
 And you're like, well, yeah, those laws and all the other things that you Christians do, I can't fulfill.

00:49:46.300 --> 00:49:49.639
 Does that mean I have no hope?

00:49:49.679 --> 00:49:49.860
 No.

00:49:49.860 --> 00:49:52.519
 That is why you have hope.

00:49:52.599 --> 00:49:58.460
 Because Jesus saw that, knows that, and came and saved you and died for you so that you would no longer be dead to sin.

00:49:59.539 --> 00:50:02.019
 No longer be dead to sin and you would be freed.

00:50:02.019 --> 00:50:07.880
 When he says that, he's not talking about an absolute moral perfection that the Greeks would have understood it to be.

00:50:07.880 --> 00:50:16.860
 He's not talking about having the judicial restraints in society, a concession that the human heart is hard.

00:50:17.140 --> 00:50:22.099
 In fact, Jesus himself knew in John 2, he said he didn't, scripture says he didn't entrust himself to man.

00:50:22.099 --> 00:50:25.500
 Because he knew what was in the heart of man.

00:50:26.079 --> 00:50:26.860
 So he knows.

00:50:27.779 --> 00:50:29.059
 And yet he still died for us.

00:50:30.559 --> 00:50:33.179
 And his love covers a multitude of sins.

00:50:34.019 --> 00:50:38.319
 And he finishes and summarizes the Ten Commandments with just those two simple things.

00:50:39.639 --> 00:50:41.480
 Love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

00:50:41.880 --> 00:50:43.639
 And love your neighbor as yourself.

00:50:43.839 --> 00:50:47.400
 And then he says, just love each other as I have loved you.

00:50:48.579 --> 00:50:49.699
 And you'll be just fine.

00:50:51.059 --> 00:50:51.940
 Relationship over rules.

00:50:52.420 --> 00:50:54.299
 Connection over compliance.

00:50:57.119 --> 00:50:58.279
 Grace before the law.

00:50:58.539 --> 00:50:59.420
 Grace after the law.

00:50:59.860 --> 00:51:00.599
 Isn't that beautiful?

00:51:01.519 --> 00:51:02.299
 Isn't that incredible?

00:51:03.219 --> 00:51:05.539
 Let us be a people who understand that.

00:51:06.159 --> 00:51:09.059
 Understand how much we are loved by God.

00:51:09.159 --> 00:51:14.000
 It's funny, at the end, and this is where I'll finish, the Israelites hear the Ten Commandments and they're like freaking out.

00:51:14.099 --> 00:51:15.339
 They're like, thunder, lightning.

00:51:15.679 --> 00:51:17.059
 Moses, you go to him.

00:51:17.219 --> 00:51:18.279
 We're just going to stay back here.

00:51:18.339 --> 00:51:18.639
 We're good.

00:51:19.639 --> 00:51:21.239
 And then Moses says, don't be afraid.

00:51:21.239 --> 00:51:22.599
 Yes, there are rules.

00:51:22.639 --> 00:51:23.059
 Yes, there are laws.

00:51:23.139 --> 00:51:25.819
 But this God just wants you to not turn away from him.

00:51:27.500 --> 00:51:28.679
 Would you turn to him?

00:51:29.059 --> 00:51:29.879
 Would you trust him?

00:51:29.880 --> 00:51:35.460
 Would you abide by his commandments, knowing that they are for your good?

00:51:37.200 --> 00:51:38.000
 And not just his.

00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:51:38.159


00:51:38.159 --> 00:52:08.139
 Thank you.