WEBVTT

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 Father, we confess that sometimes when you give us good gifts, they don't feel like they're good gifts to us.

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 They feel like they're uncomfortable burdens.

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 And Father, we also confess before you that we think, we don't even realize that we're doing this,

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 that we take a good gift that comes from you and think of it as a burden.

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 We ask, Father, that the Holy Spirit would move with might and power and deep conviction,

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 deep within each of us and as a whole this morning, both those who are present and those online.

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 And we ask, Father, that your word would do a powerful work in our hearts,

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 that your Holy Spirit would do a powerful work in our hearts,

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 that we might grow in confidence in Jesus, in his word, in his ways, in his plans for us.

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

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 Please be seated.

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 G.K. Chesterton was sort of a famous man of letters back in the day,

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 which was the first sort of three or four decades of the 1900s.

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 And for his day and age, he was a very large man, very, very tall and very, very substantial.

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 And he was very substantial, so to speak, a big body from a very early age.

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 And he was a young man during the First World War.

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 And there's a story reported by others watching this,

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 that one day an older woman came up and tapped him on the chest and said,

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 young man, how come you are not out at the front?

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 Because, of course, the First World War was going on at that time, and there was the young man.

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 And she said, young man, why are you not out at the front?

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 And it's reported that he, without missing a beat, he smiled, and he patted his substantial stomach.

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 And he said, madam, you are mistaken.

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 And if you turn and look at me from the side, you will see I am considerably out at the front.

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 There's a variety of ways that you could tell that joke.

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 And some of you who are far more funny than I am could probably take that, cut out a couple of bits,

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 add a little bit, and make it vastly more funny.

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 And so one of the features of something like a joke is that there's some things in the joke that you really can't change.

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 You need to keep them there, and other bits you can move around and change and add or shorten.

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 And this is maybe not as obvious for a short little funny story like the one about G.K. Chesterton,

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 but my favorite joke about churches that some of you have heard, and those of you online have not heard it.

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 Now you're going to hear it for the first time.

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 If you are trying to figure out what the difference is, you know, you've not been part of the Christian church.

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 You're, you know, from a part of the country maybe, a part of the world that don't have many churches,

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 from one of the other great religions, and you can't figure out all these denominations and churches.

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 Well, here's a very, very simple way to understand the difference between the churches.

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 The Salvation Army, those are the Christians that find you in the gutter or on the street

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 and get you out of the gutter and get you giving you faith, helping you come to faith in Jesus.

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 And what are Baptists?

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 Baptists are those Christians that get you plugged into a local church and starting to trust the Bible and get you baptized.

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 Well, what about Presbyterians?

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 Well, Presbyterians are those Christians that are very good at educating you and teaching you,

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 especially in terms of a worldview and really understanding the Christian faith.

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 What about Methodists?

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 Well, they're the Christians who are very, very good at getting you concerned for holiness,

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 a great zeal for personal holiness.

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 Well, what about Pentecostals?

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 Well, Pentecostals are those Christians that really help you to get on fire for the Lord,

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 but really, more importantly, they really get you into pouring your heart out and singing God's praises

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 and into the importance of prayer.

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 What about Anglicans?

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 Well, Anglicans are very good at introducing you to society and culture,

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 and then the Salvation Army picks you up out of the gutter.

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 So in that particular joke, I could have added a couple of other denominations.

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 I could have added brethren.

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 I could have added Christian Missionary Alliance.

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 I could have added a few other little groups, charismatics maybe.

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 I could have rearranged some of those types of things.

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 But as you can see, there's a part of that joke that if you're going to tell it well,

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 there's certain things that have to just be there.

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 They have, in a sense, a greater power.

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 All the words matter in the joke, and a good comic knows that every single word matters on one level,

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 but on another level, certain words matter more than others.

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 They have a greater type of power to make the whole thing come together.

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 It's the same thing not only with jokes, but basically in novels and in any type of thing that involves words.

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 Those of you who have seen the movie The Sixth Sense, and I'm not going to give away the end of it,

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 but you know that there's a couple of key things in that movie that you could redo the whole movie,

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 and you could do it with different actors and different scenes, etc., etc.,

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 but there's a couple of key things in that movie,

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 especially something that happens right close to the end,

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 that you can't change that without making the movie a completely and utterly different movie.

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 Certain words, certain parts have a greater, in a sense, power, explanatory power to the whole.

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 Now, the Bible, of course, is also a literary thing.

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 It's made up of 66 different books, and not only as a whole, but each of the books, there's the same type of thing.

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 All of the words are important, but there's certain words that, in a sense, are more important.

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 They help you to understand the bigger character of what's going on.

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 Those of you who have been following along, we're going through the book of 2 Timothy,

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 And today, in 2 Timothy, we have one of those bits of the Bible,

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 which is very, very important to understand, not just the book of 2 Timothy, but all of the Bible.

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 And it's interesting, because this very important little bit,

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 that helps to explain lots of stuff in Christianity,

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 is something which many Christians find very, very troubling and uncomfortable.

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 Rather than seeing it as a gift, they see it as a burden.

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 And part of the reason is, is because non-Christians, most Canadians who are outside of the Christian faith,

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 see this as something completely and utterly ridiculous.

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 Something that would make your co-worker, if they found out that you believed it,

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 you would go down in their estimation.

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 They would say something like,

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 I used to think that George was a smart guy, or Victor was a smart guy,

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 or Lisa was a smart woman, but now that I hear this about her,

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 I, boy, gosh, it's, I guess they're not.

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 But it really is something that is a gift from God.

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 It's a doorway to profound hope and meaning in life.

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 So let's look at it.

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 We're 2 Timothy chapter 3.

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 The text we're going to look at today is verses 10 to 17.

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 But this bit, which you need to see, I'm going to look at it first, is verses 16 and 17.

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 2 Timothy chapter 3, verses 16 and 17.

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 And some of you have this Bible text memorized.

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 You already know what it is.

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 And just before I start reading it, just a little bit of another timeout.

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 You know I like to do this, a little bit of timeout.

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 But for those of you who are grammar geeks,

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 there's an interesting grammar geek aspect about verses 16 and 17.

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 And that is, as one academic commentator put it,

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 it's as if Paul is writing 2 Timothy, and he's writing the letter,

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 you know, da-da, da-da, da-da, da-da, da-da.

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 And then at this point in the text, it's as if he drops an anvil into the text.

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 A huge, big, hunking piece of metal.

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 And he just drops it there, and then he continues writing.

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 And at the level of the original language, that's what Paul does.

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 I guess if they were to try to translate this text

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 in a way that would maybe bring this out to us right now,

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 it would be as if you came to verses 16 and 17,

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 and all of a sudden the font is doubled and bolded.

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 And it would just be, whoa!

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 Everything else is the same size font,

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 then it comes here, double the size and bolded,

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 and it would sort of shout at you and scream at you.

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 So that's what Paul is actually doing here in this particular text.

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 And let's look at what it says.

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 It says this,

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 And I'll read it again.

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 So one of the things which is interesting about that is the first little bit,

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 all scripture.

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 And some of you, if you're using different Bible translations,

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 it might say every scripture.

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 And so one of the things which is different about English

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 than the language which this was originally written in

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 is that in the original language,

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 Paul uses some words which have two meanings at the same time.

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 So the original hearers would have heard,

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 in a sense, a double meaning here.

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 We, in English, either have to translate it all or every,

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 because English doesn't have the same feature.

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 But in the original language,

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 it's also, in a sense, I would say part of God's wisdom

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 that he chose a language where two things could be said at the same time.

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 And the first thing this is making a claim of

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 is to understand that, in a sense,

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 the Bible, whole Bible,

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 ultimately comes from God.

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 The whole Bible.

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 And some of you who are familiar with Christian circles,

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 Christian circles,

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 you're probably familiar with the idea

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 that's very common in lots of churches.

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 In fact, I would say that probably most people

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 in the Anglican Church of Canada,

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 from which we were huge,

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 at one time we were a part of it,

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 and we're no longer a part of it,

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 they would say,

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 ah, yes, that might be true.

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 You know, the whole Bible is, in a sense,

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 God's word written.

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 But it doesn't mean that every bit in the Bible is from God.

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 That, in fact, you have to discern

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 the word of God within the word of God.

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 And that's part of the attack

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 of the job of scholars.

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 But this is where what Paul says here,

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 what the Bible says,

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 is very interesting.

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 Because, in a sense, what he's saying is

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 that this, as a whole,

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 comes ultimately from God.

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 But when it says every,

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 it then also says,

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 well, if you'd open it up,

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 and every word,

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 every common,

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 every comma,

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 every semicolon,

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 every colon,

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 every phrase,

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 every sentence,

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 every paragraph,

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 every chapter,

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 every book,

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 every testament,

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 is inspired,

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 it comes ultimately from God.

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 Everything in it

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 is exactly what God wanted to be written.

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 Everything.

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 You see, that's why,

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 traditionally, Christians say

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 that the Bible is inerrant,

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 that it's infallible,

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 that it's authoritative,

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 that it's trustworthy.

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 Now, right away,

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 some of you can see why I'm saying

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 this is viewed as a little bit of a burden

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 by many Christians,

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 rather than what it should really be taken of,

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 is that this is a profound gift.

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 A profound gift

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 that opens up the door

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 to meaning

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 and to hope.

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 It should be something

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 that excites us

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 and delights us.

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 But we all know

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 that if this was to be shared

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 with our co-workers,

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 they'd go,

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 no,

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 what are the differences

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 between Canadians and Americans?

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 I don't know if any Americans

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 are watching this.

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 Canadians,

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 we Canadians tend to be

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 passive-aggressive.

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 So in other words,

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 what would happen is

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 if you let your co-workers

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 know about this,

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 they might not say anything at all,

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 but they'd go away

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 rolling their eyes

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 and going,

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 gosh,

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 I thought George

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 was a smart person,

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 but it turns out

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 he's sort of a

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 lunatic religious fanatic.

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 Like,

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 what goofball

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 would believe something like that?

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 Whereas Americans

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 might just tell you,

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 I don't know.

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 It's really funny.

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 In America,

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 when parents don't like

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 what the school board teaches,

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 they all storm the school board

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 and complain,

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 in Canada,

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 we don't do anything about it at all.

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 We just complain about it.

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 But anyway,

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 that's a whole other topic

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 and maybe I've just lost you

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 and I shouldn't have talked

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 about something like that.

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 But the point is,

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 is that we all know

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 in our bones

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 that if we were to reveal this

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 to our co-workers,

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 if we were to reveal this

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 to our neighbors,

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 that they would look down

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 their noses at us.

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 They would think that this is

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 a ridiculous type of idea.

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 That this book,

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 written,

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 the early bits

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 may be written 2000 B.C.,

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 the last bits

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 written before 70 A.D.,

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 that it's all ultimately

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 something that comes from God.

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 And actually,

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 just before I deal with it,

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 just to make it clear

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 in case you're wondering

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 whether that's in fact

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 what the Bible's claiming,

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 I sort of got out of order.

00:13:19.180 --> 00:13:20.780
 Look at the verse again,

00:13:20.900 --> 00:13:22.300
 all scripture is breathed out

00:13:22.300 --> 00:13:23.060
 by God

00:13:23.060 --> 00:13:24.240
 and profitable

00:13:24.240 --> 00:13:25.019
 for teaching,

00:13:25.200 --> 00:13:25.840
 for reproof,

00:13:25.900 --> 00:13:26.540
 for correction,

00:13:26.680 --> 00:13:27.240
 and for training

00:13:27.240 --> 00:13:27.879
 in righteousness,

00:13:28.560 --> 00:13:29.440
 that the man of God

00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:30.220
 may be complete,

00:13:30.340 --> 00:13:31.480
 equipped for every good work.

00:13:31.900 --> 00:13:32.759
 So not only is it

00:13:32.759 --> 00:13:33.420
 all scripture

00:13:33.420 --> 00:13:34.259
 or every scripture,

00:13:34.440 --> 00:13:36.280
 but breathed out by God

00:13:36.280 --> 00:13:38.620
 makes this very clear as well.

00:13:39.100 --> 00:13:40.320
 And in the original language,

00:13:40.320 --> 00:13:41.140
 what happens is

00:13:41.140 --> 00:13:42.740
 Paul invents a word.

00:13:44.140 --> 00:13:46.160
 Paul actually invents a word

00:13:46.160 --> 00:13:47.780
 to communicate this.

00:13:48.300 --> 00:13:50.060
 He takes two Greek words

00:13:50.060 --> 00:13:51.360
 and puts them together,

00:13:51.800 --> 00:13:53.020
 and it's the first place

00:13:53.020 --> 00:13:53.820
 in Greek literature,

00:13:53.820 --> 00:13:54.780
 that's my understanding,

00:13:54.879 --> 00:13:55.500
 that this word

00:13:55.500 --> 00:13:56.500
 has actually appeared.

00:13:57.220 --> 00:13:58.940
 And what he's saying is

00:13:58.940 --> 00:14:00.340
 he's using the analogy

00:14:00.340 --> 00:14:01.360
 of God breathing,

00:14:01.640 --> 00:14:03.000
 and by him breathing,

00:14:03.220 --> 00:14:03.780
 which of course

00:14:03.780 --> 00:14:05.200
 in the rest of the scripture

00:14:05.200 --> 00:14:06.620
 is resonant with the idea

00:14:06.620 --> 00:14:07.500
 of the Holy Spirit

00:14:07.500 --> 00:14:08.740
 and the winds of God

00:14:08.740 --> 00:14:10.019
 blowing over creation

00:14:10.019 --> 00:14:11.019
 and all of that,

00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:12.559
 but God breathes,

00:14:12.659 --> 00:14:13.940
 and as he breathes,

00:14:14.399 --> 00:14:15.940
 something comes into existence.

00:14:16.740 --> 00:14:18.059
 So what that text is saying

00:14:18.059 --> 00:14:19.799
 is that the source of this,

00:14:20.379 --> 00:14:21.220
 of the Bible,

00:14:21.320 --> 00:14:22.700
 is very clearly from God.

00:14:23.100 --> 00:14:24.080
 Those of you who are familiar

00:14:24.080 --> 00:14:25.419
 with the Narnia Chronicles,

00:14:25.639 --> 00:14:26.200
 you'll get,

00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:28.200
 C.S. Lewis has captured this idea

00:14:28.200 --> 00:14:28.980
 very, very well

00:14:28.980 --> 00:14:29.679
 in different parts

00:14:29.679 --> 00:14:30.700
 of the Narnia Chronicles.

00:14:31.299 --> 00:14:32.039
 So for instance,

00:14:32.220 --> 00:14:33.419
 in the book,

00:14:33.860 --> 00:14:35.039
 The Silver Chair,

00:14:35.039 --> 00:14:36.819
 when the two children,

00:14:37.819 --> 00:14:38.199
 Eunice,

00:14:38.339 --> 00:14:39.079
 not Eunice,

00:14:39.439 --> 00:14:42.199
 Eustace and Jill,

00:14:42.620 --> 00:14:43.379
 thank you,

00:14:43.860 --> 00:14:45.740
 when they meet Aslan,

00:14:46.179 --> 00:14:47.799
 Aslan is going to send them

00:14:47.799 --> 00:14:48.779
 on a big task,

00:14:48.939 --> 00:14:50.219
 and he breathes on them,

00:14:50.259 --> 00:14:51.980
 and his breath carries them

00:14:51.980 --> 00:14:54.059
 over to exactly where they are

00:14:54.059 --> 00:14:55.099
 to launch their text.

00:14:55.179 --> 00:14:55.959
 And there's other places

00:14:55.959 --> 00:14:57.360
 where Aslan breathes,

00:14:57.379 --> 00:14:58.419
 and when he breathes,

00:14:58.679 --> 00:15:00.500
 his breath accomplishes something.

00:15:00.879 --> 00:15:01.740
 And that's the idea

00:15:01.740 --> 00:15:02.779
 which is going on here,

00:15:02.839 --> 00:15:04.159
 is that God breathes,

00:15:04.159 --> 00:15:05.779
 and what he breathes

00:15:05.779 --> 00:15:06.939
 accomplishes something.

00:15:07.579 --> 00:15:08.399
 And if you think about it,

00:15:08.399 --> 00:15:10.179
 it's also a very intimate image.

00:15:11.100 --> 00:15:12.439
 It's in this very image

00:15:12.439 --> 00:15:14.339
 you get the very massive

00:15:14.339 --> 00:15:15.480
 worldview difference

00:15:15.480 --> 00:15:17.159
 between Christianity and Islam.

00:15:18.259 --> 00:15:19.919
 Not all people know this,

00:15:20.059 --> 00:15:20.899
 but in Islam,

00:15:21.219 --> 00:15:22.399
 Muhammad is God,

00:15:22.500 --> 00:15:23.620
 is the prophet of Allah,

00:15:24.339 --> 00:15:25.839
 but it isn't that Allah

00:15:25.839 --> 00:15:27.600
 actually gives the words

00:15:27.600 --> 00:15:28.699
 to Muhammad directly,

00:15:29.059 --> 00:15:29.699
 because you see,

00:15:29.779 --> 00:15:31.519
 at the heart of Islam

00:15:31.519 --> 00:15:33.919
 is that Allah is very separate.

00:15:34.600 --> 00:15:36.319
 Allah reveals it to an angel,

00:15:36.500 --> 00:15:38.360
 and the angel reveals it

00:15:38.360 --> 00:15:39.179
 to Muhammad.

00:15:39.839 --> 00:15:41.379
 But here we have this image

00:15:41.379 --> 00:15:42.679
 of God breathing

00:15:42.679 --> 00:15:44.399
 something into existence,

00:15:45.120 --> 00:15:47.120
 and this breath is very intimate.

00:15:47.240 --> 00:15:47.899
 It would be as if

00:15:47.899 --> 00:15:49.279
 God is so close to you

00:15:49.279 --> 00:15:50.419
 that you can feel his breath,

00:15:51.100 --> 00:15:52.079
 that God comes, in a sense,

00:15:52.139 --> 00:15:53.299
 so close into the work

00:15:53.299 --> 00:15:54.439
 of what he wants to accomplish

00:15:54.439 --> 00:15:55.740
 that you can feel his breath,

00:15:55.799 --> 00:15:56.899
 you can smell his breath,

00:15:56.980 --> 00:15:57.579
 so to speak.

00:15:58.179 --> 00:16:00.120
 And it shows the great intimacy.

00:16:00.339 --> 00:16:01.539
 But the original language

00:16:01.539 --> 00:16:02.439
 is making this very,

00:16:02.559 --> 00:16:03.480
 very stark claim.

00:16:04.379 --> 00:16:05.879
 God wanted this book

00:16:05.879 --> 00:16:07.299
 to come into existence.

00:16:08.899 --> 00:16:10.000
 The triune God

00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:10.620
 wanted this book

00:16:10.620 --> 00:16:11.620
 to come into existence.

00:16:12.399 --> 00:16:13.519
 And most Canadians

00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:15.139
 outside the Christian faith

00:16:15.139 --> 00:16:16.099
 think it's ridiculous,

00:16:16.099 --> 00:16:19.599
 and because most non-people

00:16:19.599 --> 00:16:20.599
 outside the Christian faith

00:16:20.599 --> 00:16:21.519
 thinks it's ridiculous,

00:16:21.919 --> 00:16:22.879
 many people within

00:16:22.879 --> 00:16:23.779
 the Christian faith

00:16:23.779 --> 00:16:24.939
 are uncomfortable

00:16:24.939 --> 00:16:25.799
 with the doctrine.

00:16:25.799 --> 00:16:29.819
 But we should delight in it.

00:16:31.099 --> 00:16:31.959
 Now, several things.

00:16:32.059 --> 00:16:32.859
 Just the other day,

00:16:33.000 --> 00:16:34.359
 I was, I started to have

00:16:34.359 --> 00:16:35.979
 conversations in coffee shops,

00:16:36.079 --> 00:16:37.000
 again, not as often

00:16:37.000 --> 00:16:38.259
 because it's sort of harder

00:16:38.259 --> 00:16:39.259
 and not as many people

00:16:39.259 --> 00:16:40.240
 are in them sitting down.

00:16:41.039 --> 00:16:42.479
 But I got into a conversation.

00:16:42.620 --> 00:16:43.240
 It was a Saturday.

00:16:43.379 --> 00:16:44.179
 The person saw me

00:16:44.179 --> 00:16:45.139
 working on my sermon.

00:16:45.299 --> 00:16:46.859
 He asked a little bit about it

00:16:46.859 --> 00:16:48.439
 and even why the sermon

00:16:48.439 --> 00:16:49.599
 would be based on the Bible.

00:16:50.479 --> 00:16:51.319
 I started to tell him

00:16:51.319 --> 00:16:52.599
 a little bit about this idea

00:16:52.599 --> 00:16:53.839
 of the inspiration of the Bible,

00:16:53.919 --> 00:16:54.839
 that it comes from God,

00:16:54.840 --> 00:16:56.540
 and Christians want to gather

00:16:56.540 --> 00:16:58.220
 and be taught by God

00:16:58.220 --> 00:16:59.300
 and understand from God.

00:16:59.399 --> 00:17:00.600
 And I could tell

00:17:00.600 --> 00:17:01.639
 that I was losing him.

00:17:02.139 --> 00:17:02.920
 So I said, you know,

00:17:03.320 --> 00:17:04.059
 Joe Rogan,

00:17:04.480 --> 00:17:04.819
 and he said,

00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:05.779
 you've heard of Joe Rogan?

00:17:05.799 --> 00:17:06.400
 He was surprised

00:17:06.400 --> 00:17:07.299
 that I knew of Joe Rogan.

00:17:07.360 --> 00:17:07.640
 And I said,

00:17:07.680 --> 00:17:09.340
 Joe Rogan has put it very well

00:17:09.340 --> 00:17:10.480
 how a lot of people think

00:17:10.480 --> 00:17:11.259
 outside the church.

00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:12.000
 They said,

00:17:12.039 --> 00:17:13.299
 how on earth can you trust the Bible?

00:17:13.380 --> 00:17:14.299
 Because isn't the Bible

00:17:14.299 --> 00:17:15.920
 just a translation of a translation

00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:16.660
 of a translation

00:17:16.660 --> 00:17:17.420
 of a translation

00:17:17.420 --> 00:17:18.120
 of a translation?

00:17:18.860 --> 00:17:19.900
 And by the time the Bible

00:17:19.900 --> 00:17:20.640
 has been translated,

00:17:20.819 --> 00:17:22.019
 translated, translated, translated,

00:17:22.019 --> 00:17:22.900
 there's just no way

00:17:22.900 --> 00:17:24.079
 you have the original meaning.

00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:25.699
 It's a very, very common

00:17:25.699 --> 00:17:26.559
 type of idea.

00:17:26.720 --> 00:17:27.139
 And he said,

00:17:27.179 --> 00:17:28.199
 yeah, that's sort of what I think.

00:17:28.699 --> 00:17:29.179
 I said,

00:17:29.579 --> 00:17:29.819
 well,

00:17:30.439 --> 00:17:31.539
 with all due respect

00:17:31.539 --> 00:17:32.279
 to Joe Rogan,

00:17:32.339 --> 00:17:33.259
 he's got it completely

00:17:33.259 --> 00:17:34.139
 and utterly wrong.

00:17:34.539 --> 00:17:35.000
 I said,

00:17:35.019 --> 00:17:35.839
 that's not how the Bible

00:17:35.839 --> 00:17:36.939
 actually came to be.

00:17:37.240 --> 00:17:37.559
 I said,

00:17:37.639 --> 00:17:38.839
 the Bible came to be.

00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:40.259
 When you look at this text

00:17:40.259 --> 00:17:40.939
 right here,

00:17:41.460 --> 00:17:42.259
 it's not that there's

00:17:42.259 --> 00:17:43.539
 a translation of a translation

00:17:43.539 --> 00:17:44.240
 of a translation

00:17:44.240 --> 00:17:45.000
 of a translation.

00:17:45.720 --> 00:17:46.079
 I said,

00:17:46.119 --> 00:17:46.799
 there's literally

00:17:46.799 --> 00:17:48.179
 thousands and thousands

00:17:48.179 --> 00:17:49.339
 of copies of the,

00:17:49.339 --> 00:17:49.559
 you know,

00:17:49.619 --> 00:17:50.299
 we don't have the very,

00:17:50.419 --> 00:17:51.500
 very first text

00:17:51.500 --> 00:17:52.859
 like of 2 Timothy.

00:17:53.440 --> 00:17:54.920
 But within a very short order,

00:17:55.019 --> 00:17:55.599
 we have people

00:17:55.599 --> 00:17:56.940
 who'd copied 2 Timothy

00:17:56.940 --> 00:17:58.859
 down in the original language.

00:17:58.859 --> 00:18:00.440
 And we have lots of examples

00:18:00.440 --> 00:18:01.400
 of those texts.

00:18:01.859 --> 00:18:02.200
 And I said,

00:18:02.240 --> 00:18:02.920
 there's a whole

00:18:02.920 --> 00:18:05.480
 scientific process

00:18:05.480 --> 00:18:07.140
 by which you can tell

00:18:07.140 --> 00:18:08.279
 when those different things

00:18:08.279 --> 00:18:08.619
 were written.

00:18:08.700 --> 00:18:09.200
 They can look at

00:18:09.200 --> 00:18:10.099
 the writing style.

00:18:10.200 --> 00:18:11.200
 They can look at the paper

00:18:11.200 --> 00:18:12.900
 or the medium

00:18:12.900 --> 00:18:13.819
 that it's found on.

00:18:13.819 --> 00:18:14.939
 And there's a very,

00:18:15.059 --> 00:18:16.220
 very standard way

00:18:16.220 --> 00:18:16.659
 of being able

00:18:16.659 --> 00:18:17.839
 to go back from that

00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:18.819
 and actually get back

00:18:18.819 --> 00:18:19.939
 to the original text.

00:18:20.559 --> 00:18:21.039
 And I said,

00:18:21.159 --> 00:18:21.279
 you know,

00:18:21.339 --> 00:18:21.779
 for instance,

00:18:21.879 --> 00:18:22.159
 I said,

00:18:22.259 --> 00:18:22.839
 if you read,

00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:23.879
 because you'd seen me

00:18:23.879 --> 00:18:25.259
 reading academic commentaries,

00:18:25.339 --> 00:18:25.500
 I said,

00:18:25.539 --> 00:18:26.720
 if you go to a standard

00:18:26.720 --> 00:18:27.779
 academic commentary,

00:18:28.179 --> 00:18:28.700
 one of the things

00:18:28.700 --> 00:18:29.399
 they talk about

00:18:29.399 --> 00:18:30.099
 is that.

00:18:30.399 --> 00:18:30.980
 They talk about

00:18:30.980 --> 00:18:32.519
 the different translation things.

00:18:32.639 --> 00:18:33.119
 And I said,

00:18:33.159 --> 00:18:33.919
 if you went and got

00:18:33.919 --> 00:18:35.599
 a good modern version

00:18:35.599 --> 00:18:36.200
 of the Bible,

00:18:36.419 --> 00:18:37.299
 often they'll have

00:18:37.299 --> 00:18:37.919
 little notes

00:18:37.919 --> 00:18:38.899
 about something like that.

00:18:38.939 --> 00:18:39.539
 He was completely,

00:18:39.619 --> 00:18:40.279
 and I was surprised,

00:18:40.379 --> 00:18:41.099
 completely shocked.

00:18:41.099 --> 00:18:42.699
 because it's a bit of

00:18:42.699 --> 00:18:43.919
 almost like an urban myth

00:18:43.919 --> 00:18:44.559
 that the Bible

00:18:44.559 --> 00:18:45.279
 is a translation

00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:45.879
 of a translation

00:18:45.879 --> 00:18:46.539
 of a translation

00:18:46.539 --> 00:18:47.240
 of a translation

00:18:47.240 --> 00:18:47.980
 of a translation.

00:18:48.119 --> 00:18:49.179
 And I said to him,

00:18:49.240 --> 00:18:49.539
 in fact,

00:18:49.599 --> 00:18:51.699
 you can be rock solid sure

00:18:51.699 --> 00:18:53.399
 that when you read this,

00:18:53.439 --> 00:18:54.599
 they don't translate this

00:18:54.599 --> 00:18:55.559
 from some other language

00:18:55.559 --> 00:18:56.480
 in some other language.

00:18:56.859 --> 00:18:57.819
 The people who wrote this

00:18:57.819 --> 00:18:58.799
 learned Greek,

00:18:59.679 --> 00:19:00.659
 and we know

00:19:00.659 --> 00:19:01.740
 what the Greek text is,

00:19:01.859 --> 00:19:03.439
 and so they've translated

00:19:03.439 --> 00:19:04.779
 just once into English.

00:19:05.799 --> 00:19:07.039
 This particular friend

00:19:07.039 --> 00:19:08.279
 is a Chinese speaker,

00:19:08.519 --> 00:19:09.079
 and I said,

00:19:09.179 --> 00:19:09.419
 you know,

00:19:09.480 --> 00:19:10.639
 obviously there can be

00:19:10.640 --> 00:19:11.820
 some nuances and stuff,

00:19:11.900 --> 00:19:12.320
 but that's,

00:19:12.340 --> 00:19:13.340
 it's a very accurate

00:19:13.340 --> 00:19:14.060
 type of thing.

00:19:14.400 --> 00:19:15.560
 But I even told him,

00:19:15.960 --> 00:19:16.300
 I said,

00:19:16.340 --> 00:19:16.960
 did you know this?

00:19:17.000 --> 00:19:17.840
 Most non-Christians

00:19:17.840 --> 00:19:18.380
 don't know this.

00:19:18.440 --> 00:19:19.000
 Many Christians

00:19:19.000 --> 00:19:19.980
 don't even know this.

00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:21.960
 There's a standard rule

00:19:21.960 --> 00:19:22.759
 when they're looking

00:19:22.759 --> 00:19:23.280
 at like,

00:19:23.480 --> 00:19:24.060
 you know,

00:19:24.120 --> 00:19:25.860
 one Greek copy

00:19:25.860 --> 00:19:26.560
 of the New Testament,

00:19:26.680 --> 00:19:27.520
 another Greek copy

00:19:27.520 --> 00:19:28.200
 of the New Testament,

00:19:28.280 --> 00:19:28.660
 and there's a bit

00:19:28.660 --> 00:19:29.140
 of a difference

00:19:29.140 --> 00:19:29.940
 in the words.

00:19:30.980 --> 00:19:32.360
 I said to him,

00:19:32.400 --> 00:19:33.700
 there's a standard rule

00:19:33.700 --> 00:19:34.540
 that is used

00:19:34.540 --> 00:19:36.220
 that the more difficult

00:19:36.220 --> 00:19:37.759
 copy,

00:19:37.860 --> 00:19:39.280
 the more difficult wording

00:19:39.280 --> 00:19:39.980
 is the wording

00:19:39.980 --> 00:19:40.759
 that they'll accept

00:19:40.759 --> 00:19:41.480
 as original

00:19:41.480 --> 00:19:42.960
 because it's part

00:19:42.960 --> 00:19:43.900
 of human nature.

00:19:44.380 --> 00:19:45.799
 If Paul says something

00:19:45.799 --> 00:19:46.900
 that seems to contradict

00:19:46.900 --> 00:19:47.860
 something else

00:19:47.860 --> 00:19:48.380
 in the Bible,

00:19:48.500 --> 00:19:49.240
 it's human nature

00:19:49.240 --> 00:19:50.019
 for the copyist

00:19:50.019 --> 00:19:50.900
 to want to fix it.

00:19:51.319 --> 00:19:52.319
 It's not usually

00:19:52.319 --> 00:19:53.299
 part of human nature

00:19:53.299 --> 00:19:54.360
 to make it more difficult.

00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:55.759
 So I said,

00:19:55.839 --> 00:19:57.460
 when people coming to it,

00:19:57.519 --> 00:19:59.019
 they see two different wordings,

00:19:59.099 --> 00:20:00.279
 and one's a bit more difficult

00:20:00.279 --> 00:20:01.299
 and one's easy,

00:20:01.380 --> 00:20:02.079
 they always choose

00:20:02.079 --> 00:20:02.940
 the difficult one.

00:20:04.120 --> 00:20:04.599
 He just,

00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:05.240
 he didn't know,

00:20:05.240 --> 00:20:06.099
 he just didn't,

00:20:06.180 --> 00:20:06.799
 he didn't know

00:20:06.799 --> 00:20:07.539
 that that happened,

00:20:07.779 --> 00:20:08.639
 that that's how much

00:20:08.639 --> 00:20:09.460
 we can trust it.

00:20:10.460 --> 00:20:12.359
 But that's just one aspect of it.

00:20:12.440 --> 00:20:13.220
 So for many people,

00:20:13.279 --> 00:20:13.419
 okay,

00:20:13.500 --> 00:20:13.839
 they'd say,

00:20:13.919 --> 00:20:14.079
 well,

00:20:14.180 --> 00:20:14.359
 okay,

00:20:14.419 --> 00:20:16.240
 even if you get over this idea,

00:20:17.159 --> 00:20:17.359
 okay,

00:20:17.460 --> 00:20:18.960
 so let's trust that,

00:20:19.079 --> 00:20:19.240
 okay,

00:20:19.279 --> 00:20:20.220
 the Bible is in the translation

00:20:20.220 --> 00:20:20.759
 of a translation

00:20:20.759 --> 00:20:21.339
 of a translation

00:20:21.339 --> 00:20:22.119
 of a translation,

00:20:22.720 --> 00:20:24.059
 and I'll accept

00:20:24.059 --> 00:20:25.419
 that when you're reading this,

00:20:26.099 --> 00:20:30.339
 there's a 99.9999% chance

00:20:30.339 --> 00:20:31.399
 that this,

00:20:31.579 --> 00:20:33.039
 every single word you see

00:20:33.039 --> 00:20:33.839
 has been translated

00:20:33.839 --> 00:20:35.399
 from what Paul actually wrote,

00:20:35.859 --> 00:20:36.439
 but George,

00:20:36.500 --> 00:20:37.199
 the whole idea,

00:20:37.980 --> 00:20:39.299
 there's two other types

00:20:39.299 --> 00:20:40.039
 of ideas that are

00:20:40.039 --> 00:20:41.299
 in the back of people's minds

00:20:41.299 --> 00:20:43.019
 that make the whole Bible thing

00:20:43.019 --> 00:20:45.099
 completely and utterly ridiculous,

00:20:45.099 --> 00:20:46.199
 this idea that God

00:20:46.199 --> 00:20:47.019
 has actually spoken.

00:20:47.679 --> 00:20:48.839
 So one of them would be,

00:20:49.199 --> 00:20:50.939
 it goes back to the whole thing

00:20:50.939 --> 00:20:51.459
 of the elephant.

00:20:51.619 --> 00:20:51.839
 George,

00:20:51.919 --> 00:20:52.019
 you know,

00:20:52.039 --> 00:20:52.599
 you have all these

00:20:52.599 --> 00:20:53.359
 different religions,

00:20:53.599 --> 00:20:54.639
 and it's like blind men

00:20:54.639 --> 00:20:55.599
 coming up to an elephant,

00:20:56.279 --> 00:20:56.619
 and you know,

00:20:56.639 --> 00:20:57.659
 some blind man sees,

00:20:57.819 --> 00:20:58.819
 touches the tail,

00:20:58.919 --> 00:21:00.299
 and another one touches a leg,

00:21:00.359 --> 00:21:01.619
 and another one touches the trunk,

00:21:01.699 --> 00:21:03.079
 and another one touches the side,

00:21:03.079 --> 00:21:04.279
 and they all have

00:21:04.279 --> 00:21:05.720
 these limited perspectives,

00:21:06.220 --> 00:21:08.079
 and from these limited perspectives,

00:21:08.339 --> 00:21:09.099
 they try to,

00:21:09.099 --> 00:21:09.599
 you know,

00:21:09.779 --> 00:21:11.339
 think they know

00:21:11.339 --> 00:21:12.819
 everything that's going on,

00:21:12.879 --> 00:21:13.379
 but George,

00:21:13.500 --> 00:21:14.500
 it's the whole endeavor

00:21:14.500 --> 00:21:15.859
 is completely proud

00:21:15.859 --> 00:21:16.480
 and arrogant,

00:21:16.619 --> 00:21:17.839
 and it just doesn't work.

00:21:18.799 --> 00:21:19.099
 Like,

00:21:19.139 --> 00:21:20.139
 you're trying to think

00:21:20.139 --> 00:21:21.679
 that your limited perspective

00:21:21.679 --> 00:21:23.059
 and your limited words

00:21:23.059 --> 00:21:24.539
 can actually capture God.

00:21:24.619 --> 00:21:26.099
 You're just like those blind men

00:21:26.099 --> 00:21:27.720
 touching different parts

00:21:27.720 --> 00:21:28.240
 of the elephant.

00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:30.559
 And that's a very,

00:21:30.700 --> 00:21:31.279
 very popular

00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:33.200
 and very powerful image

00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:34.559
 for many people

00:21:34.559 --> 00:21:35.779
 outside of the Christian faith,

00:21:35.839 --> 00:21:37.240
 and actually for many Christians,

00:21:37.380 --> 00:21:38.259
 it troubles them.

00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:39.319
 But you see,

00:21:39.500 --> 00:21:40.900
 the particular image

00:21:40.900 --> 00:21:43.160
 has two really huge problems

00:21:43.160 --> 00:21:43.620
 with it.

00:21:44.079 --> 00:21:45.140
 The first problem

00:21:45.140 --> 00:21:46.920
 is actually insurmountable.

00:21:47.500 --> 00:21:49.000
 The person telling me that

00:21:49.000 --> 00:21:50.519
 is actually presuming

00:21:50.519 --> 00:21:52.140
 that they have knowledge

00:21:52.140 --> 00:21:52.940
 like God,

00:21:53.000 --> 00:21:53.680
 and they can see

00:21:53.680 --> 00:21:54.319
 the whole elephant.

00:21:54.319 --> 00:21:59.659
 They think they can,

00:21:59.779 --> 00:22:00.639
 so in other words,

00:22:00.700 --> 00:22:02.059
 if my friend was to say that to me,

00:22:02.079 --> 00:22:02.379
 I'd say,

00:22:02.439 --> 00:22:02.759
 one moment,

00:22:03.139 --> 00:22:03.839
 you think,

00:22:04.379 --> 00:22:05.559
 I'm blind,

00:22:05.839 --> 00:22:07.220
 but you're claiming you see,

00:22:07.279 --> 00:22:07.759
 and you can see

00:22:07.759 --> 00:22:08.379
 the whole elephant.

00:22:08.759 --> 00:22:09.039
 Like,

00:22:09.379 --> 00:22:09.980
 why on earth

00:22:09.980 --> 00:22:11.039
 do you think you can see?

00:22:12.139 --> 00:22:12.419
 Like,

00:22:12.599 --> 00:22:13.960
 who died and made you God?

00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:14.960
 I wouldn't say that to him.

00:22:14.980 --> 00:22:16.379
 That's too abusive.

00:22:18.059 --> 00:22:20.000
 But that's what's going on there.

00:22:20.399 --> 00:22:21.259
 And the second thing

00:22:21.259 --> 00:22:21.779
 is it's making

00:22:21.779 --> 00:22:23.139
 a complete and utter mistake

00:22:23.140 --> 00:22:24.420
 about what the Bible

00:22:24.420 --> 00:22:25.200
 has just claimed.

00:22:25.660 --> 00:22:25.940
 You see,

00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:26.540
 if you just remember,

00:22:26.620 --> 00:22:27.540
 it says all Scripture

00:22:27.540 --> 00:22:29.160
 is breathed out by God.

00:22:29.540 --> 00:22:30.560
 That's what the text

00:22:30.560 --> 00:22:31.040
 is claiming.

00:22:31.100 --> 00:22:32.100
 It's not saying

00:22:32.100 --> 00:22:33.140
 that Paul

00:22:33.140 --> 00:22:34.480
 had some brilliant

00:22:34.480 --> 00:22:35.560
 mystical visions

00:22:35.560 --> 00:22:36.500
 or that he had

00:22:36.500 --> 00:22:37.280
 this profound

00:22:37.280 --> 00:22:38.300
 aesthetic sense

00:22:38.300 --> 00:22:38.960
 or that he was

00:22:38.960 --> 00:22:41.340
 the best analytic philosopher

00:22:41.340 --> 00:22:42.600
 that had ever existed.

00:22:42.740 --> 00:22:43.560
 And somehow or another,

00:22:43.660 --> 00:22:44.940
 by the power of his mind,

00:22:45.020 --> 00:22:45.600
 by the power

00:22:45.600 --> 00:22:47.040
 of his mystical experiences,

00:22:47.640 --> 00:22:48.420
 by the power

00:22:48.420 --> 00:22:48.840
 of his,

00:22:49.300 --> 00:22:50.440
 of just whatever

00:22:50.440 --> 00:22:50.860
 was going on,

00:22:50.920 --> 00:22:51.520
 he is able

00:22:51.519 --> 00:22:53.299
 to ascend to God.

00:22:54.039 --> 00:22:54.420
 No,

00:22:54.599 --> 00:22:55.259
 Christians say

00:22:55.259 --> 00:22:56.200
 that's not what happened

00:22:56.200 --> 00:22:56.519
 at all.

00:22:57.099 --> 00:22:57.500
 Literally,

00:22:57.700 --> 00:22:58.420
 that's the opposite

00:22:58.420 --> 00:22:59.579
 of what the Bible says.

00:23:00.440 --> 00:23:01.660
 Paul is saying

00:23:01.660 --> 00:23:03.000
 that God breaks

00:23:03.000 --> 00:23:06.240
 into our human world

00:23:06.240 --> 00:23:07.920
 and he speaks words

00:23:07.920 --> 00:23:09.039
 that we can understand.

00:23:09.859 --> 00:23:11.259
 He gives the words.

00:23:12.019 --> 00:23:12.539
 In a sense,

00:23:12.859 --> 00:23:14.099
 to go back to my friend

00:23:14.099 --> 00:23:14.599
 in the story

00:23:14.599 --> 00:23:15.220
 with the elephant,

00:23:15.400 --> 00:23:16.220
 the only person

00:23:16.220 --> 00:23:16.960
 who could actually claim

00:23:16.960 --> 00:23:17.799
 to see the whole elephant

00:23:17.799 --> 00:23:19.819
 is God.

00:23:21.380 --> 00:23:22.620
 And while my friend

00:23:22.620 --> 00:23:23.759
 is thinking he's God

00:23:23.759 --> 00:23:24.700
 and can see the elephant,

00:23:24.860 --> 00:23:25.819
 we Christians are saying,

00:23:25.920 --> 00:23:26.519
 no, no, no, no, no.

00:23:26.579 --> 00:23:28.340
 All of us are blind men.

00:23:28.700 --> 00:23:29.559
 We're completely

00:23:29.559 --> 00:23:30.340
 and utterly dependent

00:23:30.340 --> 00:23:31.100
 upon God

00:23:31.100 --> 00:23:32.180
 to reveal the elephant

00:23:32.180 --> 00:23:32.900
 to us,

00:23:33.700 --> 00:23:36.220
 to temper our mind

00:23:36.220 --> 00:23:36.960
 and the arrogance

00:23:36.960 --> 00:23:37.940
 that we can easily

00:23:37.940 --> 00:23:38.600
 fall into.

00:23:40.640 --> 00:23:41.660
 But even if we say

00:23:41.660 --> 00:23:42.440
 something like that,

00:23:42.500 --> 00:23:43.079
 there still is

00:23:43.079 --> 00:23:44.440
 this profound sense

00:23:44.440 --> 00:23:46.519
 that there's just

00:23:46.519 --> 00:23:47.360
 something wrong

00:23:47.360 --> 00:23:48.259
 with this idea

00:23:48.259 --> 00:23:49.480
 that God would break

00:23:49.480 --> 00:23:50.920
 into our human world

00:23:50.920 --> 00:23:51.759
 and that he would

00:23:51.759 --> 00:23:53.279
 communicate by words.

00:23:53.740 --> 00:23:54.759
 Because at a very,

00:23:54.900 --> 00:23:56.580
 very fundamental level

00:23:56.580 --> 00:23:58.279
 of many, many people

00:23:58.279 --> 00:23:59.340
 outside the Christian faith,

00:23:59.420 --> 00:24:00.100
 they sort of have

00:24:00.100 --> 00:24:01.519
 this idea that words

00:24:01.519 --> 00:24:04.600
 are unworthy of God.

00:24:06.420 --> 00:24:07.680
 That it's as if surely,

00:24:08.279 --> 00:24:09.500
 if God exists,

00:24:09.640 --> 00:24:10.539
 God is more like

00:24:10.539 --> 00:24:11.940
 the force described

00:24:11.940 --> 00:24:13.740
 in Star Wars.

00:24:14.440 --> 00:24:15.620
 That, you know,

00:24:15.680 --> 00:24:16.840
 surely it's something

00:24:16.840 --> 00:24:17.960
 more like that,

00:24:18.059 --> 00:24:19.400
 some type of power.

00:24:19.720 --> 00:24:20.960
 It's as if somehow

00:24:20.960 --> 00:24:23.019
 or another we have,

00:24:23.160 --> 00:24:24.220
 it's sort of in the,

00:24:24.279 --> 00:24:24.840
 just in the,

00:24:25.059 --> 00:24:26.279
 underneath people's

00:24:26.279 --> 00:24:27.220
 conscious thought,

00:24:27.340 --> 00:24:28.840
 this idea that words

00:24:28.840 --> 00:24:29.900
 are somehow

00:24:29.900 --> 00:24:30.960
 or other

00:24:30.960 --> 00:24:32.559
 unworthy of God.

00:24:34.700 --> 00:24:36.039
 But if you walk

00:24:36.039 --> 00:24:37.279
 towards that for a second,

00:24:37.720 --> 00:24:38.480
 you realize that

00:24:38.480 --> 00:24:39.039
 there's a very,

00:24:39.180 --> 00:24:39.460
 very,

00:24:39.660 --> 00:24:42.960
 there's a very deep

00:24:42.960 --> 00:24:44.240
 incoherence there.

00:24:45.200 --> 00:24:47.279
 Now, just a timeout,

00:24:47.360 --> 00:24:48.360
 like a bit of a pause.

00:24:49.319 --> 00:24:49.900
 I don't,

00:24:49.900 --> 00:24:50.660
 I don't say this

00:24:50.660 --> 00:24:51.240
 to offend,

00:24:51.340 --> 00:24:52.120
 especially for those

00:24:52.120 --> 00:24:52.579
 of you who might

00:24:52.579 --> 00:24:53.640
 be watching online,

00:24:53.860 --> 00:24:55.220
 not to offend,

00:24:55.380 --> 00:24:56.079
 because I'm going to use

00:24:56.079 --> 00:24:57.259
 an example from abortion.

00:24:58.920 --> 00:24:59.360
 And,

00:24:59.480 --> 00:25:03.000
 and anytime I talk

00:25:03.000 --> 00:25:03.640
 about abortion,

00:25:03.640 --> 00:25:04.680
 like including now,

00:25:04.799 --> 00:25:04.900
 I,

00:25:04.900 --> 00:25:06.140
 I know very well

00:25:06.140 --> 00:25:07.220
 that abortion's not,

00:25:07.340 --> 00:25:08.500
 sometimes in the world

00:25:08.500 --> 00:25:09.160
 it's made it look

00:25:09.160 --> 00:25:09.880
 as if it's an us

00:25:09.880 --> 00:25:10.819
 versus them thing.

00:25:10.819 --> 00:25:11.899
 There's absolutely

00:25:11.899 --> 00:25:12.759
 no question that

00:25:12.759 --> 00:25:14.019
 there's some of us here

00:25:14.019 --> 00:25:14.740
 and some of you

00:25:14.740 --> 00:25:15.339
 who are watching

00:25:15.339 --> 00:25:16.039
 who would consider

00:25:16.039 --> 00:25:16.859
 yourselves Christians

00:25:16.859 --> 00:25:18.579
 who've had an abortion

00:25:18.579 --> 00:25:20.299
 or have,

00:25:20.519 --> 00:25:20.720
 in fact,

00:25:20.779 --> 00:25:22.139
 helped people have abortions

00:25:22.139 --> 00:25:23.559
 or encouraged abortions.

00:25:23.779 --> 00:25:24.639
 So it's not an us

00:25:24.639 --> 00:25:25.879
 versus them thing at all.

00:25:26.319 --> 00:25:26.779
 And I,

00:25:26.779 --> 00:25:27.519
 I don't say this

00:25:27.519 --> 00:25:28.079
 to condemn.

00:25:28.200 --> 00:25:28.919
 I never say this

00:25:28.919 --> 00:25:29.500
 to condemn.

00:25:30.980 --> 00:25:31.939
 And in fact,

00:25:32.039 --> 00:25:32.579
 actually,

00:25:32.879 --> 00:25:34.579
 I mean,

00:25:34.980 --> 00:25:36.139
 we Christians believe

00:25:36.139 --> 00:25:36.659
 that abortion

00:25:36.659 --> 00:25:38.019
 is to take a human life.

00:25:38.019 --> 00:25:39.779
 and so it's wrong.

00:25:40.619 --> 00:25:41.680
 But at the same time,

00:25:41.720 --> 00:25:42.559
 we also realize

00:25:42.559 --> 00:25:43.599
 that the only hope

00:25:43.599 --> 00:25:44.480
 for anybody

00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:45.700
 who's done something wrong

00:25:45.700 --> 00:25:46.680
 is to come to Jesus.

00:25:48.819 --> 00:25:49.639
 And often,

00:25:49.799 --> 00:25:50.460
 those of us

00:25:50.460 --> 00:25:51.339
 who've been involved

00:25:51.339 --> 00:25:52.160
 in an abortion,

00:25:52.379 --> 00:25:53.119
 there's other types

00:25:53.119 --> 00:25:54.139
 of feelings of guilt

00:25:54.139 --> 00:25:55.660
 and other types

00:25:55.660 --> 00:25:56.139
 of things

00:25:56.139 --> 00:25:57.779
 which can reverberate

00:25:57.779 --> 00:25:58.240
 in your life

00:25:58.240 --> 00:25:58.920
 for a long time.

00:25:58.980 --> 00:25:59.779
 And the only hope

00:25:59.779 --> 00:26:00.559
 you ever really,

00:26:00.779 --> 00:26:01.279
 truly have

00:26:01.279 --> 00:26:01.980
 of dealing with that

00:26:01.980 --> 00:26:02.639
 is actually coming

00:26:02.639 --> 00:26:03.139
 to Jesus

00:26:03.139 --> 00:26:04.960
 and to experience

00:26:04.960 --> 00:26:05.619
 his forgiveness

00:26:05.619 --> 00:26:06.240
 and his love

00:26:06.240 --> 00:26:06.920
 as an acceptance.

00:26:08.019 --> 00:26:08.639
 That he can make

00:26:08.639 --> 00:26:09.420
 all things new.

00:26:10.599 --> 00:26:11.039
 So just,

00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:12.119
 I'm not saying this

00:26:12.119 --> 00:26:12.740
 to condemn

00:26:12.740 --> 00:26:13.819
 for anybody.

00:26:14.859 --> 00:26:15.980
 But here's the problem.

00:26:16.079 --> 00:26:17.200
 What's one of the arguments

00:26:17.200 --> 00:26:18.059
 for abortion?

00:26:18.680 --> 00:26:18.839
 Well,

00:26:18.879 --> 00:26:19.559
 one of the arguments

00:26:19.559 --> 00:26:20.180
 for abortion,

00:26:20.279 --> 00:26:21.480
 I just saw a sign

00:26:21.480 --> 00:26:22.220
 the other day

00:26:22.220 --> 00:26:23.019
 that said,

00:26:23.099 --> 00:26:24.639
 abortion saves lives.

00:26:26.379 --> 00:26:27.579
 I thought to myself,

00:26:27.900 --> 00:26:28.900
 how would you have

00:26:28.900 --> 00:26:29.500
 a conversation

00:26:29.500 --> 00:26:30.019
 with somebody

00:26:30.019 --> 00:26:30.720
 who says abortion

00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:31.539
 saves lives?

00:26:32.339 --> 00:26:32.740
 Actually,

00:26:32.819 --> 00:26:33.240
 this is what I say

00:26:33.240 --> 00:26:33.579
 all the time.

00:26:33.660 --> 00:26:33.759
 I mean,

00:26:33.759 --> 00:26:34.819
 sometimes I'm a human being

00:26:34.819 --> 00:26:35.680
 and I want to mock them

00:26:35.680 --> 00:26:36.279
 and insult them

00:26:36.279 --> 00:26:37.240
 and all that type of stuff.

00:26:37.240 --> 00:26:38.160
 But regularly,

00:26:38.299 --> 00:26:38.920
 when I see things

00:26:38.920 --> 00:26:39.160
 like that,

00:26:39.200 --> 00:26:39.380
 I think,

00:26:39.440 --> 00:26:39.819
 how would I have

00:26:39.819 --> 00:26:40.500
 a conversation

00:26:40.500 --> 00:26:41.000
 with them?

00:26:42.980 --> 00:26:43.620
 How would I have

00:26:43.620 --> 00:26:44.440
 a conversation

00:26:44.440 --> 00:26:44.980
 with them?

00:26:46.079 --> 00:26:46.539
 And so,

00:26:46.759 --> 00:26:47.500
 and usually,

00:26:47.660 --> 00:26:48.319
 if you look at it,

00:26:48.359 --> 00:26:48.660
 you'd say,

00:26:48.740 --> 00:26:49.299
 what they'd say

00:26:49.299 --> 00:26:50.099
 is that whenever

00:26:50.099 --> 00:26:50.740
 the human,

00:26:51.240 --> 00:26:52.519
 what's inside the womb

00:26:52.519 --> 00:26:53.059
 doesn't become

00:26:53.059 --> 00:26:53.740
 a human being,

00:26:53.819 --> 00:26:54.559
 they don't listen

00:26:54.559 --> 00:26:55.420
 to medical evidence

00:26:55.420 --> 00:26:56.200
 because all of

00:26:56.200 --> 00:26:57.099
 the medical science

00:26:57.099 --> 00:26:57.660
 shows that

00:26:57.660 --> 00:26:59.200
 the normal life

00:26:59.200 --> 00:26:59.960
 of a human being

00:26:59.960 --> 00:27:00.579
 is it begins

00:27:00.579 --> 00:27:01.680
 as a fertilized egg

00:27:01.680 --> 00:27:03.319
 implanted on the wall

00:27:03.319 --> 00:27:03.920
 of the womb

00:27:03.920 --> 00:27:04.720
 and it ends

00:27:04.720 --> 00:27:05.560
 whenever you die

00:27:05.560 --> 00:27:06.340
 and that's just

00:27:06.340 --> 00:27:06.960
 what human life,

00:27:07.039 --> 00:27:07.940
 that's all human beings

00:27:07.940 --> 00:27:08.120
 are,

00:27:08.220 --> 00:27:08.860
 every human being

00:27:08.860 --> 00:27:09.420
 is like that.

00:27:10.000 --> 00:27:10.580
 But they'd say,

00:27:10.720 --> 00:27:10.860
 well,

00:27:11.300 --> 00:27:12.580
 you're only a human being

00:27:12.580 --> 00:27:13.820
 but often at the heart

00:27:13.820 --> 00:27:14.000
 of it,

00:27:14.060 --> 00:27:14.600
 they'll use different

00:27:14.600 --> 00:27:15.380
 type of examples

00:27:15.380 --> 00:27:16.320
 and if you don't have,

00:27:16.560 --> 00:27:17.500
 if you're not conscious,

00:27:17.660 --> 00:27:18.460
 you don't have volition,

00:27:18.600 --> 00:27:19.000
 if you don't have

00:27:19.000 --> 00:27:19.740
 these other types

00:27:19.740 --> 00:27:20.200
 of things

00:27:20.200 --> 00:27:21.480
 that make you human,

00:27:21.660 --> 00:27:22.700
 then you're not human.

00:27:22.960 --> 00:27:24.039
 But one of the things

00:27:24.039 --> 00:27:24.920
 that make you human

00:27:24.920 --> 00:27:26.680
 is being able to speak.

00:27:28.740 --> 00:27:29.500
 It's words.

00:27:29.500 --> 00:27:33.059
 So here's the incoherence.

00:27:33.880 --> 00:27:34.859
 How is it

00:27:34.859 --> 00:27:37.279
 that for the smartest

00:27:37.279 --> 00:27:38.940
 and wisest people

00:27:38.940 --> 00:27:39.779
 in our culture

00:27:39.779 --> 00:27:43.599
 that when you can

00:27:43.599 --> 00:27:44.859
 no longer use words,

00:27:44.960 --> 00:27:45.539
 you're not really

00:27:45.539 --> 00:27:46.259
 fully human

00:27:46.259 --> 00:27:47.359
 and if it's in the womb,

00:27:47.599 --> 00:27:49.640
 it's valid to stop it

00:27:49.640 --> 00:27:51.660
 and if it's at the end

00:27:51.660 --> 00:27:52.400
 of your life

00:27:52.400 --> 00:27:53.440
 and you've come

00:27:53.440 --> 00:27:54.579
 to a point in dementia

00:27:54.579 --> 00:27:56.880
 or of some other type

00:27:56.880 --> 00:27:57.779
 of medical condition

00:27:57.779 --> 00:27:59.180
 that you can no longer speak,

00:27:59.500 --> 00:28:00.480
 that the same

00:28:00.480 --> 00:28:01.900
 very bright lights

00:28:01.900 --> 00:28:03.700
 in our culture

00:28:03.700 --> 00:28:04.279
 would say

00:28:04.279 --> 00:28:05.460
 that that is not really

00:28:05.460 --> 00:28:06.640
 a human life anymore

00:28:06.640 --> 00:28:07.460
 and so therefore

00:28:07.460 --> 00:28:09.059
 another the loss of speech

00:28:09.059 --> 00:28:10.519
 means that you're

00:28:10.519 --> 00:28:11.559
 not even human.

00:28:12.119 --> 00:28:13.640
 But why at the same time

00:28:13.640 --> 00:28:14.200
 that we think

00:28:14.200 --> 00:28:15.180
 that is so important

00:28:15.180 --> 00:28:16.519
 to make a person human,

00:28:16.640 --> 00:28:17.599
 we think that words

00:28:17.599 --> 00:28:19.019
 are unworthy of God.

00:28:20.440 --> 00:28:22.299
 How does that make any sense?

00:28:24.180 --> 00:28:26.240
 That's deeply incoherent.

00:28:26.240 --> 00:28:30.579
 Like that's fundamentally

00:28:30.579 --> 00:28:31.799
 incoherent.

00:28:33.900 --> 00:28:37.180
 If we were to find some way

00:28:37.180 --> 00:28:38.500
 of using wormholes

00:28:38.500 --> 00:28:39.079
 and all of that

00:28:39.079 --> 00:28:39.839
 to go to some other

00:28:39.839 --> 00:28:40.799
 distant galaxy

00:28:40.799 --> 00:28:43.579
 and we saw things

00:28:43.579 --> 00:28:44.839
 that maybe were life forms,

00:28:44.900 --> 00:28:45.420
 we might think

00:28:45.420 --> 00:28:46.059
 that they were life

00:28:46.059 --> 00:28:46.620
 and they were very,

00:28:46.740 --> 00:28:47.319
 very interesting,

00:28:47.400 --> 00:28:48.240
 but we would treat it

00:28:48.240 --> 00:28:49.180
 very differently

00:28:49.180 --> 00:28:51.200
 if that life form

00:28:51.200 --> 00:28:51.880
 was able to go

00:28:51.880 --> 00:28:52.380
 beep,

00:28:52.740 --> 00:28:53.160
 beep,

00:28:53.480 --> 00:28:53.759
 beep,

00:28:54.019 --> 00:28:54.259
 beep,

00:28:54.380 --> 00:28:54.560
 beep,

00:28:54.640 --> 00:28:54.880
 beep,

00:28:55.120 --> 00:28:55.539
 beep,

00:28:55.539 --> 00:28:55.880
 beep,

00:28:55.880 --> 00:28:56.160
 beep,

00:28:56.160 --> 00:28:56.560
 beep,

00:28:56.560 --> 00:28:56.620
 beep,

00:28:56.620 --> 00:28:56.640
 beep,

00:28:56.640 --> 00:28:56.799
 beep,

00:28:56.799 --> 00:28:57.440
 and we would go,

00:28:58.759 --> 00:29:03.180
 it's not just a plant

00:29:03.180 --> 00:29:05.140
 and it's not just an animal,

00:29:05.580 --> 00:29:07.120
 it's communicating.

00:29:07.119 --> 00:29:11.599
 Well,

00:29:11.619 --> 00:29:12.919
 why is it that we use words

00:29:12.919 --> 00:29:13.579
 as a sign

00:29:13.579 --> 00:29:14.959
 of a higher thing

00:29:14.959 --> 00:29:16.699
 but when it comes to God

00:29:16.699 --> 00:29:17.559
 we think that somehow

00:29:17.559 --> 00:29:18.219
 or another words

00:29:18.219 --> 00:29:19.359
 are unworthy of Him?

00:29:21.199 --> 00:29:22.279
 The problem isn't

00:29:22.279 --> 00:29:23.199
 that we're so wise

00:29:23.199 --> 00:29:24.379
 is that we don't realize

00:29:24.379 --> 00:29:25.059
 there's a profound

00:29:25.059 --> 00:29:26.079
 incoherence.

00:29:27.979 --> 00:29:29.799
 And so this news

00:29:29.799 --> 00:29:32.219
 that the triune God

00:29:32.219 --> 00:29:34.699
 has broken into our world

00:29:34.699 --> 00:29:36.359
 to reveal Himself

00:29:36.359 --> 00:29:38.459
 should be something

00:29:38.459 --> 00:29:40.039
 that excites us.

00:29:40.919 --> 00:29:41.639
 And here again

00:29:41.639 --> 00:29:42.859
 science fiction movies

00:29:42.859 --> 00:29:43.479
 help to show

00:29:43.479 --> 00:29:44.559
 the double aspect

00:29:44.559 --> 00:29:45.459
 of our culture.

00:29:46.579 --> 00:29:47.779
 If you see any type

00:29:47.779 --> 00:29:48.959
 of a science fiction movie

00:29:48.959 --> 00:29:49.799
 that's going to involve

00:29:49.799 --> 00:29:51.379
 first contact with aliens,

00:29:51.519 --> 00:29:52.159
 well, first of all

00:29:52.159 --> 00:29:52.779
 if it involves

00:29:52.779 --> 00:29:53.719
 Bruce Willis

00:29:53.719 --> 00:29:55.899
 or Arnold Schwarzenegger

00:29:55.899 --> 00:29:56.539
 you know they're going

00:29:56.539 --> 00:29:57.299
 to have to fight them

00:29:57.299 --> 00:29:57.879
 and kill them

00:29:57.879 --> 00:29:58.759
 because they're bad.

00:29:59.539 --> 00:30:01.159
 And if it involves

00:30:01.159 --> 00:30:01.779
 some type of

00:30:01.779 --> 00:30:02.639
 thoughtful actress

00:30:02.639 --> 00:30:03.359
 you know it's probably

00:30:03.359 --> 00:30:04.459
 going to be something good

00:30:04.459 --> 00:30:04.939
 where you're going to

00:30:04.939 --> 00:30:05.859
 learn something from them

00:30:05.859 --> 00:30:06.439
 but that's part of

00:30:06.439 --> 00:30:06.779
 the nightmare

00:30:06.779 --> 00:30:07.519
 of our culture.

00:30:07.519 --> 00:30:08.839
 If we were to actually

00:30:08.839 --> 00:30:09.699
 meet life,

00:30:10.359 --> 00:30:10.879
 aliens,

00:30:11.539 --> 00:30:12.719
 would they be someone

00:30:12.719 --> 00:30:14.139
 that's a higher civilization

00:30:14.139 --> 00:30:15.399
 that could just add

00:30:15.399 --> 00:30:16.619
 huge value to us

00:30:16.619 --> 00:30:17.379
 maybe teach us

00:30:17.379 --> 00:30:18.619
 how to stop being at war

00:30:18.619 --> 00:30:20.199
 bring an end to pollution

00:30:20.199 --> 00:30:22.240
 bring great prosperity

00:30:22.240 --> 00:30:23.539
 or would they be somebody

00:30:23.539 --> 00:30:24.359
 who wants to come

00:30:24.359 --> 00:30:25.039
 and invade us

00:30:25.039 --> 00:30:25.939
 and eat us?

00:30:27.979 --> 00:30:30.019
 Well you'd know early on

00:30:30.019 --> 00:30:31.939
 in how they treat us.

00:30:31.940 --> 00:30:33.880
 and so we have

00:30:33.880 --> 00:30:34.740
 this fundamental

00:30:34.740 --> 00:30:37.920
 divide within us

00:30:37.920 --> 00:30:38.840
 as human beings

00:30:38.840 --> 00:30:40.120
 in terms of science fiction

00:30:40.120 --> 00:30:41.380
 movies and what it reveals

00:30:41.380 --> 00:30:42.720
 and this is why

00:30:42.720 --> 00:30:44.200
 what happens here

00:30:44.200 --> 00:30:45.360
 that all scripture

00:30:45.360 --> 00:30:46.000
 is breathed out

00:30:46.000 --> 00:30:46.480
 by God

00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:47.039
 and profitable

00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:47.720
 for teaching

00:30:47.720 --> 00:30:48.400
 for reproof

00:30:48.400 --> 00:30:48.960
 for correction

00:30:48.960 --> 00:30:49.580
 and for training

00:30:49.580 --> 00:30:50.180
 in righteousness

00:30:50.180 --> 00:30:51.120
 that the man of God

00:30:51.120 --> 00:30:51.820
 may be completely

00:30:51.820 --> 00:30:52.840
 equipped for every

00:30:52.840 --> 00:30:53.519
 good work

00:30:53.519 --> 00:30:54.799
 we see this

00:30:54.799 --> 00:30:56.059
 profound message

00:30:56.059 --> 00:30:57.039
 that it's done

00:30:57.039 --> 00:30:58.080
 within the context

00:30:58.080 --> 00:30:59.259
 of how do we know

00:30:59.259 --> 00:30:59.640
 that this

00:30:59.640 --> 00:31:00.440
 how do we ultimately

00:31:00.440 --> 00:31:01.019
 believe anything

00:31:01.019 --> 00:31:01.599
 in the Bible

00:31:01.599 --> 00:31:02.900
 it's because

00:31:02.900 --> 00:31:03.879
 for God so loved

00:31:03.879 --> 00:31:04.299
 the world

00:31:04.299 --> 00:31:04.819
 that he gave

00:31:04.819 --> 00:31:06.000
 his only begotten son

00:31:06.000 --> 00:31:06.440
 to the end

00:31:06.440 --> 00:31:06.879
 that anyone

00:31:06.879 --> 00:31:07.819
 who believes in him

00:31:07.819 --> 00:31:08.680
 will not perish

00:31:08.680 --> 00:31:10.460
 but have everlasting life

00:31:10.460 --> 00:31:11.960
 that ultimately

00:31:11.960 --> 00:31:13.480
 God has revealed himself

00:31:13.480 --> 00:31:14.559
 has made contact

00:31:14.559 --> 00:31:15.220
 with us

00:31:15.220 --> 00:31:16.220
 first contact

00:31:16.220 --> 00:31:17.259
 has already happened

00:31:17.259 --> 00:31:18.140
 and it's been made

00:31:18.140 --> 00:31:18.779
 with us

00:31:18.779 --> 00:31:19.940
 in his word

00:31:19.940 --> 00:31:20.799
 and in acts

00:31:20.799 --> 00:31:21.819
 of deliverance

00:31:21.819 --> 00:31:23.000
 and we can even see it

00:31:23.000 --> 00:31:23.900
 in a very small way

00:31:23.900 --> 00:31:24.960
 within this text

00:31:24.960 --> 00:31:26.740
 look again

00:31:26.740 --> 00:31:27.140
 what it says

00:31:27.140 --> 00:31:27.759
 all scripture

00:31:27.759 --> 00:31:28.359
 is breathed out

00:31:28.359 --> 00:31:28.799
 by God

00:31:28.799 --> 00:31:29.359
 and profitable

00:31:29.359 --> 00:31:30.039
 for teaching

00:31:30.039 --> 00:31:30.740
 for reproof

00:31:30.740 --> 00:31:31.299
 for correction

00:31:31.299 --> 00:31:31.919
 and for training

00:31:31.919 --> 00:31:32.500
 in righteousness

00:31:32.500 --> 00:31:33.699
 that the man of God

00:31:33.699 --> 00:31:34.459
 may be completely

00:31:34.459 --> 00:31:35.139
 equipped for every

00:31:35.139 --> 00:31:35.659
 good work

00:31:35.659 --> 00:31:36.699
 and some of your

00:31:36.699 --> 00:31:37.359
 English versions

00:31:37.359 --> 00:31:38.099
 will take away

00:31:38.099 --> 00:31:39.019
 the word man of God

00:31:39.019 --> 00:31:39.659
 and translate it

00:31:39.659 --> 00:31:40.399
 in a different way

00:31:40.399 --> 00:31:41.439
 I'm going to have

00:31:41.439 --> 00:31:42.019
 to have another drink

00:31:42.019 --> 00:31:42.399
 in a moment

00:31:42.399 --> 00:31:44.359
 but that's a mistake

00:31:44.359 --> 00:31:46.039
 here's what's going

00:31:46.039 --> 00:31:46.500
 on there

00:31:46.500 --> 00:31:50.859
 why is it

00:31:50.859 --> 00:31:53.519
 that the Christian faith

00:31:53.519 --> 00:31:54.459
 exploded most

00:31:54.459 --> 00:31:55.219
 amongst slaves

00:31:55.219 --> 00:31:55.699
 and women

00:31:55.700 --> 00:31:57.279
 in the first

00:31:57.279 --> 00:31:57.980
 several centuries

00:31:57.980 --> 00:31:59.059
 of the Christian faith

00:31:59.059 --> 00:32:01.200
 well

00:32:01.200 --> 00:32:02.019
 one of the reasons

00:32:02.019 --> 00:32:03.319
 is for this word

00:32:03.319 --> 00:32:04.039
 man of God

00:32:04.039 --> 00:32:05.880
 you see

00:32:05.880 --> 00:32:06.460
 man of God

00:32:06.460 --> 00:32:07.299
 is an Old Testament

00:32:07.299 --> 00:32:08.340
 title

00:32:08.340 --> 00:32:09.440
 and not just

00:32:09.440 --> 00:32:10.420
 an Old Testament title

00:32:10.420 --> 00:32:11.660
 but a great term

00:32:11.660 --> 00:32:13.620
 of respect

00:32:13.620 --> 00:32:14.980
 and importance

00:32:14.980 --> 00:32:15.740
 and significance

00:32:15.740 --> 00:32:17.740
 and what this text

00:32:17.740 --> 00:32:18.380
 is saying

00:32:18.380 --> 00:32:19.660
 is that

00:32:19.660 --> 00:32:20.640
 a man of God

00:32:20.640 --> 00:32:21.460
 they're talking

00:32:21.460 --> 00:32:22.200
 about Moses

00:32:22.200 --> 00:32:23.759
 they're talking

00:32:23.759 --> 00:32:25.700
 about Daniel

00:32:25.700 --> 00:32:27.100
 they're talking

00:32:27.100 --> 00:32:27.779
 about Elijah

00:32:27.779 --> 00:32:28.840
 they're talking

00:32:28.840 --> 00:32:29.759
 about King David

00:32:29.759 --> 00:32:31.420
 a man of God

00:32:31.420 --> 00:32:32.559
 a mighty man of God

00:32:32.559 --> 00:32:33.440
 someone that God

00:32:33.440 --> 00:32:34.319
 mightily uses

00:32:34.319 --> 00:32:35.519
 and why is the Bible

00:32:35.519 --> 00:32:36.680
 so important to Christians

00:32:36.680 --> 00:32:37.580
 why did it grow

00:32:37.580 --> 00:32:38.180
 so quickly

00:32:38.180 --> 00:32:38.779
 amongst women

00:32:38.779 --> 00:32:39.440
 and slaves

00:32:39.440 --> 00:32:41.200
 this text is saying

00:32:41.200 --> 00:32:42.019
 that Ashley

00:32:42.019 --> 00:32:43.400
 when she becomes

00:32:43.400 --> 00:32:44.000
 a Christian

00:32:44.000 --> 00:32:46.799
 is a mighty man

00:32:46.799 --> 00:32:47.279
 of God

00:32:47.279 --> 00:32:48.840
 that Sue

00:32:48.840 --> 00:32:50.319
 that Amanda

00:32:50.319 --> 00:32:52.139
 that Karen

00:32:52.139 --> 00:32:54.019
 that Diane

00:32:54.019 --> 00:32:54.960
 that Kristen

00:32:54.960 --> 00:32:57.480
 when they become

00:32:57.480 --> 00:32:58.139
 a Christian

00:32:58.139 --> 00:32:59.779
 God

00:32:59.779 --> 00:33:01.240
 is making them

00:33:01.240 --> 00:33:02.339
 through his word

00:33:02.339 --> 00:33:03.220
 a mighty

00:33:03.220 --> 00:33:04.679
 man of God

00:33:04.679 --> 00:33:05.679
 a Daniel

00:33:05.679 --> 00:33:06.819
 a Moses

00:33:06.819 --> 00:33:08.419
 an Elijah

00:33:08.419 --> 00:33:10.460
 a David

00:33:10.460 --> 00:33:14.460
 you see

00:33:14.460 --> 00:33:15.439
 in the book of Romans

00:33:15.439 --> 00:33:16.039
 when it uses

00:33:16.039 --> 00:33:16.779
 the word heir

00:33:16.779 --> 00:33:18.079
 and uses masculine

00:33:18.079 --> 00:33:18.679
 language

00:33:18.679 --> 00:33:19.899
 in terms of

00:33:19.900 --> 00:33:20.340
 a person

00:33:20.340 --> 00:33:21.220
 becoming a Christian

00:33:21.220 --> 00:33:23.360
 and modern translations

00:33:23.360 --> 00:33:24.519
 take away the masculine

00:33:24.519 --> 00:33:25.080
 they're missing

00:33:25.080 --> 00:33:25.660
 what's happened

00:33:25.660 --> 00:33:26.580
 because why was this

00:33:26.580 --> 00:33:27.880
 exciting to women

00:33:27.880 --> 00:33:29.000
 in the Roman world

00:33:29.000 --> 00:33:30.000
 a woman was either

00:33:30.000 --> 00:33:31.820
 somebody who's just

00:33:31.820 --> 00:33:33.240
 going to clean

00:33:33.240 --> 00:33:33.900
 for a man

00:33:33.900 --> 00:33:34.900
 and cook for a man

00:33:34.900 --> 00:33:35.700
 where a man

00:33:35.700 --> 00:33:36.920
 can have sexual relations

00:33:36.920 --> 00:33:37.340
 with her

00:33:37.340 --> 00:33:38.100
 just to fulfill

00:33:38.100 --> 00:33:38.880
 his desires

00:33:38.880 --> 00:33:39.780
 a woman

00:33:39.780 --> 00:33:40.540
 is basically

00:33:40.540 --> 00:33:41.280
 a wife

00:33:41.280 --> 00:33:42.160
 was just basically

00:33:42.160 --> 00:33:42.720
 a person

00:33:42.720 --> 00:33:43.280
 who was there

00:33:43.280 --> 00:33:43.880
 to make sure

00:33:43.880 --> 00:33:44.519
 that the man

00:33:44.519 --> 00:33:45.240
 is able to get

00:33:45.240 --> 00:33:45.700
 an heir

00:33:45.700 --> 00:33:46.259
 to continue

00:33:46.259 --> 00:33:46.980
 the estate

00:33:46.980 --> 00:33:48.200
 and that's really

00:33:48.200 --> 00:33:49.000
 their function

00:33:49.000 --> 00:33:50.900
 and the Bible

00:33:50.900 --> 00:33:51.579
 is saying

00:33:51.579 --> 00:33:53.059
 that if you

00:33:53.059 --> 00:33:54.259
 come to Christ

00:33:54.259 --> 00:33:56.640
 and you accept

00:33:56.640 --> 00:33:57.059
 him as your

00:33:57.059 --> 00:33:57.880
 savior and lord

00:33:57.880 --> 00:33:58.579
 a woman

00:33:58.579 --> 00:33:59.819
 has the status

00:33:59.819 --> 00:34:00.900
 of the oldest

00:34:00.900 --> 00:34:01.839
 son who will

00:34:01.839 --> 00:34:02.819
 inherit everything

00:34:02.819 --> 00:34:04.220
 that a woman

00:34:04.220 --> 00:34:05.339
 is not just

00:34:05.339 --> 00:34:07.019
 a baby producer

00:34:07.019 --> 00:34:08.340
 she has this

00:34:08.340 --> 00:34:09.320
 status of

00:34:09.320 --> 00:34:10.179
 a David

00:34:10.179 --> 00:34:11.239
 a Daniel

00:34:11.239 --> 00:34:11.960
 a Moses

00:34:11.960 --> 00:34:12.800
 a mighty man

00:34:12.800 --> 00:34:13.219
 of God

00:34:13.219 --> 00:34:14.000
 that can make

00:34:14.000 --> 00:34:15.019
 profound difference

00:34:15.019 --> 00:34:15.699
 in the world

00:34:15.699 --> 00:34:18.139
 and this is

00:34:18.139 --> 00:34:19.199
 first contact

00:34:19.199 --> 00:34:22.759
 this is why

00:34:22.759 --> 00:34:23.239
 the Bible

00:34:23.239 --> 00:34:23.659
 is such

00:34:23.659 --> 00:34:24.360
 good news

00:34:24.360 --> 00:34:24.719
 and why

00:34:24.719 --> 00:34:25.159
 we should

00:34:25.159 --> 00:34:25.940
 rejoice

00:34:25.940 --> 00:34:26.619
 in the fact

00:34:26.619 --> 00:34:27.579
 that this text

00:34:27.579 --> 00:34:27.980
 is saying

00:34:27.980 --> 00:34:28.679
 that God

00:34:28.679 --> 00:34:29.300
 has broken

00:34:29.300 --> 00:34:30.440
 into the world

00:34:30.440 --> 00:34:31.599
 to speak

00:34:31.599 --> 00:34:33.699
 and his message

00:34:33.699 --> 00:34:34.239
 is

00:34:34.239 --> 00:34:35.400
 for God

00:34:35.400 --> 00:34:35.860
 so loved

00:34:35.860 --> 00:34:36.239
 the world

00:34:36.239 --> 00:34:36.719
 that he gave

00:34:36.719 --> 00:34:37.039
 his only

00:34:37.039 --> 00:34:37.920
 begotten son

00:34:37.920 --> 00:34:38.980
 to the end

00:34:38.980 --> 00:34:39.280
 that all

00:34:39.280 --> 00:34:39.719
 that believe

00:34:39.719 --> 00:34:39.980
 in him

00:34:39.980 --> 00:34:40.659
 will not perish

00:34:40.659 --> 00:34:41.099
 but have

00:34:41.099 --> 00:34:42.139
 everlasting life

00:34:42.139 --> 00:34:45.219
 come to me

00:34:45.219 --> 00:34:46.039
 all who weary

00:34:46.039 --> 00:34:46.619
 and are heavy

00:34:46.619 --> 00:34:47.000
 laden

00:34:47.000 --> 00:34:47.379
 and I will

00:34:47.379 --> 00:34:48.059
 give you rest

00:34:48.059 --> 00:34:48.819
 take my yoke

00:34:48.819 --> 00:34:49.339
 upon you

00:34:49.339 --> 00:34:50.199
 and learn from me

00:34:50.199 --> 00:34:51.179
 for I am gentle

00:34:51.179 --> 00:34:52.159
 and lowly of heart

00:34:52.159 --> 00:34:53.159
 and you will find

00:34:53.159 --> 00:34:53.819
 rest for your

00:34:53.819 --> 00:34:54.759
 souls

00:34:54.759 --> 00:34:59.000
 that's the message

00:34:59.000 --> 00:35:02.500
 daughter of Eve

00:35:02.500 --> 00:35:04.379
 come to me

00:35:04.379 --> 00:35:05.099
 and I will make

00:35:05.099 --> 00:35:05.779
 you inherit

00:35:05.779 --> 00:35:06.719
 as the firstborn

00:35:06.719 --> 00:35:07.139
 son

00:35:07.139 --> 00:35:07.839
 and I will make

00:35:07.839 --> 00:35:08.500
 you a Moses

00:35:08.500 --> 00:35:10.079
 and a Daniel

00:35:10.079 --> 00:35:11.719
 and an Elijah

00:35:11.719 --> 00:35:13.079
 in your context

00:35:13.079 --> 00:35:14.239
 in your situation

00:35:14.239 --> 00:35:19.519
 there's profound

00:35:19.519 --> 00:35:20.199
 good news

00:35:20.199 --> 00:35:24.859
 if you could put up

00:35:24.859 --> 00:35:25.539
 the points

00:35:25.539 --> 00:35:28.239
 just very briefly

00:35:28.239 --> 00:35:29.159
 I have to wrap it up

00:35:29.159 --> 00:35:30.480
 the triune God

00:35:30.480 --> 00:35:31.279
 is the ultimate

00:35:31.279 --> 00:35:32.399
 author of the Bible

00:35:32.399 --> 00:35:34.279
 the words in it

00:35:34.279 --> 00:35:34.899
 are the words

00:35:34.899 --> 00:35:35.599
 he wanted

00:35:35.599 --> 00:35:36.480
 in it

00:35:36.480 --> 00:35:37.919
 the triune God

00:35:37.919 --> 00:35:38.639
 is the ultimate

00:35:38.639 --> 00:35:39.679
 author of the Bible

00:35:39.679 --> 00:35:40.359
 the words

00:35:40.360 --> 00:35:41.059
 in it

00:35:41.059 --> 00:35:41.880
 are the words

00:35:41.880 --> 00:35:42.380
 he wanted

00:35:42.380 --> 00:35:42.960
 in it

00:35:42.960 --> 00:35:44.400
 and the second

00:35:44.400 --> 00:35:45.120
 is that from

00:35:45.120 --> 00:35:46.120
 each particular

00:35:46.120 --> 00:35:47.860
 word in the Bible

00:35:47.860 --> 00:35:48.740
 to the Bible

00:35:48.740 --> 00:35:49.360
 as a whole

00:35:49.360 --> 00:35:50.760
 and for every

00:35:50.760 --> 00:35:51.760
 literary unit

00:35:51.760 --> 00:35:52.420
 in between

00:35:52.420 --> 00:35:53.579
 the Bible

00:35:53.579 --> 00:35:54.720
 is God's word

00:35:54.720 --> 00:35:55.059
 written

00:35:55.059 --> 00:35:57.740
 from each particular

00:35:57.740 --> 00:35:58.620
 word in the Bible

00:35:58.620 --> 00:35:59.240
 to the Bible

00:35:59.240 --> 00:35:59.780
 as a whole

00:35:59.780 --> 00:36:01.260
 and for every

00:36:01.260 --> 00:36:01.900
 literary unit

00:36:01.900 --> 00:36:03.039
 in between

00:36:03.039 --> 00:36:03.079
 in between

00:36:03.079 --> 00:36:03.680
 the Bible

00:36:03.680 --> 00:36:04.700
 is God's word

00:36:04.700 --> 00:36:05.160
 written

00:36:05.160 --> 00:36:06.920
 now

00:36:06.920 --> 00:36:12.880
 a couple of things

00:36:12.880 --> 00:36:14.180
 just to wrap this up

00:36:14.180 --> 00:36:16.079
 and I apologize

00:36:16.079 --> 00:36:17.400
 I don't have the time

00:36:17.400 --> 00:36:18.059
 to go into it

00:36:18.059 --> 00:36:18.820
 like I wanted to

00:36:18.820 --> 00:36:20.099
 go up to verse 10

00:36:20.099 --> 00:36:21.780
 there's a couple of other

00:36:21.780 --> 00:36:22.240
 things here

00:36:22.240 --> 00:36:23.340
 which are very surprising

00:36:23.340 --> 00:36:24.240
 and very humbling

00:36:24.240 --> 00:36:25.380
 but very important to know

00:36:25.380 --> 00:36:25.960
 and I just want to

00:36:25.960 --> 00:36:26.820
 quickly point them out

00:36:26.820 --> 00:36:27.059
 to you

00:36:27.059 --> 00:36:27.800
 look at verse 10

00:36:27.800 --> 00:36:28.320
 and following

00:36:28.320 --> 00:36:29.940
 you however

00:36:29.940 --> 00:36:30.500
 have followed

00:36:30.500 --> 00:36:31.180
 my teaching

00:36:31.180 --> 00:36:31.920
 my conduct

00:36:31.920 --> 00:36:32.780
 my aim in life

00:36:32.780 --> 00:36:33.400
 my faith

00:36:33.400 --> 00:36:34.180
 my patience

00:36:34.180 --> 00:36:34.800
 my love

00:36:34.800 --> 00:36:35.840
 my steadfastness

00:36:35.840 --> 00:36:36.940
 my persecutions

00:36:36.940 --> 00:36:37.760
 and sufferings

00:36:37.760 --> 00:36:38.920
 that happened to me

00:36:38.920 --> 00:36:39.640
 at Antioch

00:36:39.640 --> 00:36:40.820
 at Iconium

00:36:40.820 --> 00:36:41.480
 and at Lystra

00:36:41.480 --> 00:36:43.039
 which persecutions

00:36:43.039 --> 00:36:43.720
 I endured

00:36:43.720 --> 00:36:44.940
 yet from them

00:36:44.940 --> 00:36:45.660
 all the Lord

00:36:45.660 --> 00:36:46.380
 rescued me

00:36:46.380 --> 00:36:47.960
 indeed all who desire

00:36:47.960 --> 00:36:49.120
 to live a godly life

00:36:49.120 --> 00:36:49.880
 in Christ Jesus

00:36:49.880 --> 00:36:50.900
 will be persecuted

00:36:50.900 --> 00:36:52.400
 while evil people

00:36:52.400 --> 00:36:53.160
 and imposters

00:36:53.160 --> 00:36:54.160
 will go from bad

00:36:54.160 --> 00:36:54.640
 to worse

00:36:54.640 --> 00:36:55.160
 deceiving

00:36:55.160 --> 00:36:56.120
 and being deceived

00:36:56.120 --> 00:36:57.600
 but as for you

00:36:57.599 --> 00:36:58.599
 continue in what

00:36:58.599 --> 00:36:59.239
 you have learned

00:36:59.239 --> 00:37:00.319
 and firmly believe

00:37:00.319 --> 00:37:01.199
 knowing from whom

00:37:01.199 --> 00:37:01.719
 you learned it

00:37:01.719 --> 00:37:03.579
 just a couple of things here

00:37:03.579 --> 00:37:04.880
 what the Bible

00:37:04.880 --> 00:37:05.559
 is saying here

00:37:05.559 --> 00:37:05.980
 is that

00:37:05.980 --> 00:37:07.659
 there's these little

00:37:07.659 --> 00:37:08.980
 micro decisions

00:37:08.980 --> 00:37:09.980
 that we need to make

00:37:09.980 --> 00:37:10.619
 all the time

00:37:10.619 --> 00:37:11.139
 and sometimes

00:37:11.139 --> 00:37:12.360
 there's macro decisions

00:37:12.360 --> 00:37:13.779
 and one of the

00:37:13.779 --> 00:37:14.739
 micro decisions

00:37:14.739 --> 00:37:15.739
 is will you choose

00:37:15.739 --> 00:37:16.339
 godliness

00:37:16.339 --> 00:37:18.559
 if you don't choose

00:37:18.559 --> 00:37:19.099
 godliness

00:37:19.099 --> 00:37:19.880
 what you're actually

00:37:19.880 --> 00:37:20.860
 choosing is to be

00:37:20.860 --> 00:37:21.440
 deceived

00:37:21.440 --> 00:37:22.739
 or to be evil

00:37:22.739 --> 00:37:23.360
 and to go from

00:37:23.360 --> 00:37:24.199
 bad to worse

00:37:24.199 --> 00:37:25.420
 that's part of

00:37:25.420 --> 00:37:26.059
 what's going on

00:37:26.059 --> 00:37:26.559
 you see

00:37:26.559 --> 00:37:28.739
 we can choose

00:37:28.739 --> 00:37:29.340
 godliness

00:37:29.340 --> 00:37:30.460
 or if we don't

00:37:30.460 --> 00:37:31.099
 choose godly

00:37:31.099 --> 00:37:32.039
 and with it

00:37:32.039 --> 00:37:32.639
 persecution

00:37:32.639 --> 00:37:33.820
 or we can avoid

00:37:33.820 --> 00:37:34.420
 the godliness

00:37:34.420 --> 00:37:35.139
 and persecution

00:37:35.139 --> 00:37:36.059
 but what we're doing

00:37:36.059 --> 00:37:37.480
 is actually choosing

00:37:37.480 --> 00:37:38.000
 deception

00:37:38.000 --> 00:37:38.799
 self-deception

00:37:38.799 --> 00:37:39.340
 and evil

00:37:39.340 --> 00:37:40.840
 so for instance

00:37:40.840 --> 00:37:41.779
 to actually have it

00:37:41.779 --> 00:37:42.719
 come out in conversation

00:37:42.719 --> 00:37:43.539
 you believe the Bible

00:37:43.539 --> 00:37:44.219
 is God's word

00:37:44.219 --> 00:37:45.619
 and have your co-workers

00:37:45.619 --> 00:37:46.579
 think less of you

00:37:46.579 --> 00:37:48.699
 and so you'd be quiet

00:37:48.699 --> 00:37:49.380
 about that

00:37:49.380 --> 00:37:51.559
 to avoid the persecution

00:37:51.559 --> 00:37:52.519
 but what you're actually

00:37:52.519 --> 00:37:53.279
 entering into

00:37:53.279 --> 00:37:54.539
 is these micro decisions

00:37:54.539 --> 00:37:56.039
 of deception

00:37:56.039 --> 00:37:57.179
 of self-deception

00:37:57.179 --> 00:37:59.820
 and that's one of the things

00:37:59.820 --> 00:38:00.679
 which is going on here

00:38:00.679 --> 00:38:01.559
 but the other thing

00:38:01.559 --> 00:38:01.920
 is this

00:38:01.920 --> 00:38:02.179
 that

00:38:02.179 --> 00:38:05.659
 maybe if you could put up

00:38:05.659 --> 00:38:06.719
 the third point

00:38:06.719 --> 00:38:08.480
 that would be very handy

00:38:08.480 --> 00:38:09.360
 the Lord's plan

00:38:09.360 --> 00:38:10.139
 is surprising

00:38:10.139 --> 00:38:10.779
 and humbling

00:38:10.779 --> 00:38:12.199
 the main way

00:38:12.199 --> 00:38:12.960
 to understand

00:38:12.960 --> 00:38:13.900
 his word written

00:38:13.900 --> 00:38:15.380
 is by the teaching

00:38:15.380 --> 00:38:16.219
 and example

00:38:16.219 --> 00:38:17.579
 of ordinary Christians

00:38:17.579 --> 00:38:18.420
 in the church

00:38:18.420 --> 00:38:20.139
 see the word

00:38:20.139 --> 00:38:20.679
 whom

00:38:20.679 --> 00:38:21.599
 you know whom

00:38:21.599 --> 00:38:22.119
 you've learned

00:38:22.119 --> 00:38:22.920
 the Bible from

00:38:22.920 --> 00:38:23.500
 is plural

00:38:23.500 --> 00:38:25.500
 and when Paul

00:38:25.500 --> 00:38:26.240
 is talking about

00:38:26.240 --> 00:38:27.180
 it's not just

00:38:27.180 --> 00:38:27.840
 that we can somehow

00:38:27.840 --> 00:38:28.099
 or another

00:38:28.099 --> 00:38:29.119
 just read the Bible

00:38:29.119 --> 00:38:30.720
 by our fallen human minds

00:38:30.720 --> 00:38:31.780
 and put it together

00:38:31.780 --> 00:38:32.780
 any particular way

00:38:32.780 --> 00:38:33.480
 that we want

00:38:33.480 --> 00:38:34.940
 that we need to look

00:38:34.940 --> 00:38:35.760
 at the book of Acts

00:38:35.760 --> 00:38:36.619
 and we need to look at this

00:38:36.619 --> 00:38:37.820
 and we need to get a sense

00:38:37.820 --> 00:38:39.139
 of what Paul's heart is

00:38:39.139 --> 00:38:39.960
 and the fact that he's willing

00:38:39.960 --> 00:38:41.240
 to endure persecutions

00:38:41.240 --> 00:38:42.760
 and that he won't deny

00:38:42.760 --> 00:38:44.059
 on the truth of God's word

00:38:44.059 --> 00:38:45.860
 he won't compromise

00:38:45.860 --> 00:38:46.720
 on the fact that

00:38:46.720 --> 00:38:47.940
 the grave was empty

00:38:47.940 --> 00:38:49.119
 the tomb was empty

00:38:49.119 --> 00:38:51.139
 that Jesus rose from the dead

00:38:51.139 --> 00:38:51.880
 that he appeared

00:38:51.880 --> 00:38:53.280
 and you need to see

00:38:53.280 --> 00:38:53.780
 these things

00:38:53.780 --> 00:38:55.000
 which are uncompromising

00:38:55.000 --> 00:38:56.280
 you need to see gentleness

00:38:56.280 --> 00:38:57.280
 you need to see love

00:38:57.280 --> 00:38:58.200
 you need to see respect

00:38:58.200 --> 00:38:59.160
 you need to see these

00:38:59.160 --> 00:39:00.519
 patterns of life

00:39:00.519 --> 00:39:01.180
 and interpretation

00:39:01.180 --> 00:39:02.360
 that help you

00:39:02.360 --> 00:39:03.640
 to understand the Bible

00:39:03.640 --> 00:39:04.440
 and put it together

00:39:04.440 --> 00:39:05.140
 and make it real

00:39:05.140 --> 00:39:05.960
 for your own life

00:39:05.960 --> 00:39:07.099
 and it's not a

00:39:07.099 --> 00:39:07.680
 it's not a

00:39:07.680 --> 00:39:08.820
 in a sense a bug

00:39:08.820 --> 00:39:11.000
 a flaw in the system

00:39:11.000 --> 00:39:11.680
 but it's actually

00:39:11.680 --> 00:39:12.840
 a characteristic

00:39:12.840 --> 00:39:14.039
 of the design system

00:39:14.039 --> 00:39:15.140
 that God wanted

00:39:15.140 --> 00:39:17.240
 local congregations

00:39:17.240 --> 00:39:18.260
 and local Christians

00:39:18.260 --> 00:39:19.460
 to teach the Bible

00:39:19.460 --> 00:39:20.900
 and he wanted it

00:39:20.900 --> 00:39:22.019
 to have this situation

00:39:22.019 --> 00:39:22.760
 that kids

00:39:22.760 --> 00:39:24.079
 not only do they learn

00:39:24.079 --> 00:39:24.960
 the Bible from me

00:39:24.960 --> 00:39:25.340
 preaching

00:39:25.340 --> 00:39:26.420
 but they learn the Bible

00:39:26.420 --> 00:39:27.240
 from their mom

00:39:27.240 --> 00:39:28.480
 and their dad

00:39:28.480 --> 00:39:30.139
 reading them Bible stories

00:39:30.139 --> 00:39:31.340
 and praying for them

00:39:31.340 --> 00:39:32.400
 and we learn about

00:39:32.400 --> 00:39:33.139
 the Christian faith

00:39:33.139 --> 00:39:34.380
 by going to Bible studies

00:39:34.380 --> 00:39:35.340
 and having mentors

00:39:35.340 --> 00:39:38.720
 and we try to live examples

00:39:38.720 --> 00:39:39.940
 of what the Christian life

00:39:39.940 --> 00:39:40.360
 is like

00:39:40.360 --> 00:39:40.940
 so that we can

00:39:40.940 --> 00:39:41.639
 not only model

00:39:41.639 --> 00:39:42.880
 we not only teach it

00:39:42.880 --> 00:39:43.740
 but we model it

00:39:43.740 --> 00:39:45.019
 and this isn't sort of

00:39:45.019 --> 00:39:46.300
 a weakness in the system

00:39:46.300 --> 00:39:47.860
 that's how God intended it

00:39:47.860 --> 00:39:49.940
 he intended to use

00:39:49.940 --> 00:39:51.760
 let's be frank

00:39:51.760 --> 00:39:53.780
 really imperfect people

00:39:53.780 --> 00:39:56.900
 to do this

00:39:56.900 --> 00:39:58.079
 some of us have had

00:39:58.079 --> 00:39:59.559
 very imperfect weeks

00:39:59.559 --> 00:40:04.720
 but he uses imperfect people

00:40:04.720 --> 00:40:07.280
 in the power of the Holy Spirit

00:40:07.280 --> 00:40:08.900
 it's part of his design function

00:40:08.900 --> 00:40:11.280
 and one final thing

00:40:11.280 --> 00:40:13.780
 let's read verses 15 to 17

00:40:13.780 --> 00:40:16.720
 and how from childhood

00:40:16.719 --> 00:40:17.579
 you have been acquainted

00:40:17.579 --> 00:40:18.739
 with the sacred writings

00:40:18.739 --> 00:40:20.219
 which are able to make you wise

00:40:20.219 --> 00:40:20.919
 for salvation

00:40:20.919 --> 00:40:22.399
 through faith in Christ Jesus

00:40:22.399 --> 00:40:24.539
 all scripture is breathed out

00:40:24.539 --> 00:40:25.059
 by God

00:40:25.059 --> 00:40:25.639
 and profitable

00:40:25.639 --> 00:40:26.399
 for teaching

00:40:26.399 --> 00:40:27.159
 for reproof

00:40:27.159 --> 00:40:27.759
 for correction

00:40:27.759 --> 00:40:28.419
 and for training

00:40:28.419 --> 00:40:29.079
 in righteousness

00:40:29.079 --> 00:40:30.919
 that the man of God

00:40:30.919 --> 00:40:31.679
 may be complete

00:40:31.679 --> 00:40:33.099
 equipped for every good work

00:40:33.099 --> 00:40:34.719
 if you could put up the point

00:40:34.719 --> 00:40:35.779
 Claire that would be wonderful

00:40:35.779 --> 00:40:36.299
 or Andrew

00:40:36.299 --> 00:40:37.739
 I think it's Claire

00:40:37.739 --> 00:40:38.779
 reading the Bible

00:40:38.779 --> 00:40:40.559
 as the triune God intended

00:40:40.559 --> 00:40:41.959
 is a means of grace

00:40:41.959 --> 00:40:43.759
 preaching and teaching

00:40:43.759 --> 00:40:44.339
 the Bible

00:40:44.340 --> 00:40:46.120
 as the triune God intended

00:40:46.120 --> 00:40:47.900
 is a means of grace

00:40:47.900 --> 00:40:49.940
 what do I mean for that?

00:40:51.200 --> 00:40:52.220
 so the best way

00:40:52.220 --> 00:40:53.539
 to understand means of grace

00:40:53.539 --> 00:40:55.340
 as I say time and time again

00:40:55.340 --> 00:40:56.360
 is to think of the story

00:40:56.360 --> 00:40:57.460
 of Jesus turning the water

00:40:57.460 --> 00:40:58.039
 into wine

00:40:58.039 --> 00:40:59.900
 and here's how a means

00:40:59.900 --> 00:41:00.880
 of grace works

00:41:00.880 --> 00:41:02.320
 we all know

00:41:02.320 --> 00:41:03.840
 that if we had Hudson

00:41:03.840 --> 00:41:05.860
 and Matthew and Anne

00:41:05.860 --> 00:41:08.500
 design some stone water containers

00:41:08.500 --> 00:41:09.880
 just like they used

00:41:09.880 --> 00:41:10.800
 in the time of Jesus

00:41:10.800 --> 00:41:12.480
 and then they filled them

00:41:12.480 --> 00:41:13.000
 with water

00:41:13.000 --> 00:41:14.700
 and carried them 40 yards

00:41:14.700 --> 00:41:15.900
 the water wouldn't turn

00:41:15.900 --> 00:41:16.400
 into wine

00:41:16.400 --> 00:41:18.600
 and then if you said

00:41:18.600 --> 00:41:19.200
 okay well maybe

00:41:19.200 --> 00:41:19.920
 we just need to be

00:41:19.920 --> 00:41:21.100
 where Jesus actually was

00:41:21.100 --> 00:41:22.280
 originally when he did it

00:41:22.280 --> 00:41:23.340
 so you figure out

00:41:23.340 --> 00:41:24.120
 archaeologically

00:41:24.120 --> 00:41:25.460
 where it actually happened

00:41:25.460 --> 00:41:28.039
 and you get your stone containers

00:41:28.039 --> 00:41:29.120
 you fill them with water

00:41:29.120 --> 00:41:30.800
 you carry them the 40 yards

00:41:30.800 --> 00:41:31.740
 and you look

00:41:31.740 --> 00:41:33.660
 and it didn't turn into wine

00:41:33.660 --> 00:41:37.680
 so how do means of grace work?

00:41:38.280 --> 00:41:39.300
 means of grace work

00:41:39.300 --> 00:41:40.580
 when you just humbly obey

00:41:40.580 --> 00:41:41.519
 and do what Jesus

00:41:41.519 --> 00:41:42.380
 asks you to do

00:41:42.380 --> 00:41:46.100
 and when you humbly

00:41:46.100 --> 00:41:47.380
 do what Jesus

00:41:47.380 --> 00:41:48.480
 has asked you to do

00:41:48.480 --> 00:41:51.960
 it's a means of grace

00:41:51.960 --> 00:41:54.320
 God takes what's going on

00:41:54.320 --> 00:41:54.960
 in your life

00:41:54.960 --> 00:41:56.160
 which is just water

00:41:56.160 --> 00:41:57.220
 and turns it into wine

00:41:57.220 --> 00:42:01.720
 so is there something magical

00:42:01.720 --> 00:42:02.880
 about reading the Bible?

00:42:03.120 --> 00:42:04.260
 no there's nothing magical

00:42:04.260 --> 00:42:05.200
 about reading the Bible

00:42:05.200 --> 00:42:06.800
 but what the Bible

00:42:06.800 --> 00:42:08.539
 what we're hearing here

00:42:08.539 --> 00:42:09.739
 is that to read the Bible

00:42:09.739 --> 00:42:10.779
 is a means of grace

00:42:10.779 --> 00:42:12.619
 if you want to be delivered

00:42:12.619 --> 00:42:14.139
 from lies and know the truth

00:42:14.139 --> 00:42:16.559
 if you want to be rebuked

00:42:16.559 --> 00:42:17.480
 because you're going down

00:42:17.480 --> 00:42:18.480
 a wrong path

00:42:18.480 --> 00:42:20.059
 if you want to be corrected

00:42:20.059 --> 00:42:21.440
 in terms of the right path

00:42:21.440 --> 00:42:22.639
 if you want to live in a way

00:42:22.639 --> 00:42:23.559
 which means that you're

00:42:23.559 --> 00:42:24.440
 connected to God

00:42:24.440 --> 00:42:25.259
 and you're living in a way

00:42:25.259 --> 00:42:26.279
 that pleases God

00:42:26.279 --> 00:42:27.599
 and if you live in a way

00:42:27.599 --> 00:42:28.380
 that pleases God

00:42:28.380 --> 00:42:29.420
 it's going to be good for you

00:42:29.420 --> 00:42:30.139
 it's going to be good

00:42:30.139 --> 00:42:30.840
 for your family

00:42:30.840 --> 00:42:31.559
 it's going to be good

00:42:31.559 --> 00:42:32.219
 for your neighborhood

00:42:32.219 --> 00:42:32.800
 your church

00:42:32.800 --> 00:42:33.340
 your community

00:42:33.340 --> 00:42:34.340
 the city and the world

00:42:34.340 --> 00:42:36.199
 and if you want to do that

00:42:36.199 --> 00:42:37.019
 you need to be reading

00:42:37.019 --> 00:42:37.639
 the scriptures

00:42:37.639 --> 00:42:38.759
 you need to be understanding

00:42:38.759 --> 00:42:39.239
 the scriptures

00:42:39.239 --> 00:42:40.400
 and discussing the scriptures

00:42:40.400 --> 00:42:41.440
 because that's what God

00:42:41.440 --> 00:42:42.559
 does through his word

00:42:42.559 --> 00:42:44.380
 but he doesn't do it

00:42:44.380 --> 00:42:45.519
 as a magical act

00:42:45.519 --> 00:42:46.239
 as a technique

00:42:46.239 --> 00:42:46.940
 he does it

00:42:46.940 --> 00:42:47.360
 he says

00:42:47.360 --> 00:42:48.619
 just do this in obedience

00:42:48.619 --> 00:42:49.300
 to me

00:42:49.300 --> 00:42:51.539
 many of you have had

00:42:51.539 --> 00:42:52.199
 the experience

00:42:52.199 --> 00:42:53.019
 you read the Bible

00:42:53.019 --> 00:42:53.920
 and it's while you're

00:42:53.920 --> 00:42:54.559
 reading the Bible

00:42:54.559 --> 00:42:55.320
 that all of a sudden

00:42:55.320 --> 00:42:56.119
 you might realize

00:42:56.119 --> 00:42:56.880
 it might not even be

00:42:56.880 --> 00:42:57.800
 talking about forgiveness

00:42:57.800 --> 00:42:58.559
 but you have this

00:42:58.559 --> 00:42:59.559
 overwhelming sense

00:42:59.559 --> 00:43:00.059
 that you need to

00:43:00.059 --> 00:43:00.900
 forgive somebody

00:43:00.900 --> 00:43:03.179
 you see it's not

00:43:03.179 --> 00:43:04.179
 a direct one to one

00:43:04.179 --> 00:43:04.840
 relationship

00:43:04.840 --> 00:43:05.579
 it's not as if

00:43:05.579 --> 00:43:06.360
 you just read a text

00:43:06.360 --> 00:43:06.800
 about this

00:43:06.800 --> 00:43:07.599
 and God does this

00:43:07.599 --> 00:43:08.079
 in your life

00:43:08.079 --> 00:43:08.680
 he just says

00:43:08.680 --> 00:43:10.019
 trust me

00:43:10.019 --> 00:43:11.079
 I've given you

00:43:11.079 --> 00:43:11.760
 this word

00:43:11.760 --> 00:43:12.940
 read you the word

00:43:12.940 --> 00:43:14.559
 read the word

00:43:14.559 --> 00:43:15.620
 in a way to understand

00:43:15.620 --> 00:43:16.539
 me and to understand

00:43:16.539 --> 00:43:17.079
 yourself

00:43:17.079 --> 00:43:18.980
 and spend time

00:43:18.980 --> 00:43:19.820
 reading it with others

00:43:19.820 --> 00:43:20.780
 and teaching others

00:43:20.780 --> 00:43:21.800
 and when you do that

00:43:21.800 --> 00:43:22.840
 God does something

00:43:22.840 --> 00:43:23.640
 in your life

00:43:23.640 --> 00:43:25.900
 it's a means of grace

00:43:25.900 --> 00:43:33.079
 and so we should

00:43:33.079 --> 00:43:34.160
 take the means of grace

00:43:34.160 --> 00:43:35.059
 that come from him

00:43:35.059 --> 00:43:38.759
 you see the means

00:43:38.759 --> 00:43:39.119
 of grace

00:43:39.119 --> 00:43:39.880
 is we find out

00:43:39.880 --> 00:43:40.579
 from the Bible

00:43:40.579 --> 00:43:41.440
 that God so loved

00:43:41.440 --> 00:43:41.820
 the world

00:43:41.820 --> 00:43:42.259
 that he gave

00:43:42.259 --> 00:43:43.039
 his only begotten

00:43:43.039 --> 00:43:43.779
 son to the end

00:43:43.779 --> 00:43:44.239
 that all that

00:43:44.239 --> 00:43:44.900
 believe in him

00:43:44.900 --> 00:43:45.619
 should not perish

00:43:45.619 --> 00:43:46.400
 and have everlasting

00:43:46.400 --> 00:43:46.739
 life

00:43:46.739 --> 00:43:47.500
 we hear the words

00:43:47.500 --> 00:43:47.960
 of Jesus

00:43:47.960 --> 00:43:49.019
 come to me

00:43:49.019 --> 00:43:49.579
 who are weary

00:43:49.579 --> 00:43:50.380
 and burdened

00:43:50.380 --> 00:43:51.440
 and I will give

00:43:51.440 --> 00:43:51.900
 you rest

00:43:51.900 --> 00:43:53.039
 take my yoke upon

00:43:53.039 --> 00:43:53.599
 you and learn

00:43:53.599 --> 00:43:54.039
 from me

00:43:54.039 --> 00:43:54.759
 for I am gentle

00:43:54.759 --> 00:43:55.639
 and lowly of heart

00:43:55.639 --> 00:43:56.219
 and you will find

00:43:56.219 --> 00:43:57.340
 rest for your souls

00:43:57.340 --> 00:43:58.480
 for my burden

00:43:58.480 --> 00:43:59.320
 is easy

00:43:59.320 --> 00:44:00.119
 and my

00:44:00.119 --> 00:44:01.739
 I got the rest

00:44:01.739 --> 00:44:01.979
 of it

00:44:01.979 --> 00:44:02.579
 I didn't remember

00:44:02.579 --> 00:44:03.059
 it correctly

00:44:03.059 --> 00:44:03.879
 but you get the idea

00:44:03.879 --> 00:44:05.119
 my yoke is easy

00:44:05.119 --> 00:44:05.739
 but my burden

00:44:05.739 --> 00:44:06.139
 is light

00:44:06.139 --> 00:44:07.859
 my yoke is easy

00:44:07.859 --> 00:44:08.339
 and the burden

00:44:08.339 --> 00:44:08.859
 is light

00:44:08.859 --> 00:44:12.699
 and the Christian

00:44:12.699 --> 00:44:13.099
 faith

00:44:13.099 --> 00:44:14.199
 to become wise

00:44:14.199 --> 00:44:14.799
 for salvation

00:44:14.799 --> 00:44:15.439
 is that when we

00:44:15.439 --> 00:44:16.019
 take Jesus

00:44:16.019 --> 00:44:16.679
 at his word

00:44:16.679 --> 00:44:17.439
 and trust him

00:44:17.439 --> 00:44:20.059
 that he will

00:44:20.059 --> 00:44:20.699
 take our heavy

00:44:20.699 --> 00:44:21.119
 heart

00:44:21.119 --> 00:44:23.379
 he will fit us

00:44:23.379 --> 00:44:23.879
 for heaven

00:44:23.879 --> 00:44:26.019
 he has swallowed

00:44:26.019 --> 00:44:26.979
 your doom

00:44:26.979 --> 00:44:27.559
 and mine

00:44:27.559 --> 00:44:29.019
 in his death

00:44:29.019 --> 00:44:29.919
 upon the cross

00:44:29.920 --> 00:44:31.280
 and when we

00:44:31.280 --> 00:44:32.039
 put our hands

00:44:32.039 --> 00:44:33.079
 in his hands

00:44:33.079 --> 00:44:33.900
 he will not

00:44:33.900 --> 00:44:34.519
 turn us away

00:44:34.519 --> 00:44:35.700
 but take our hands

00:44:35.700 --> 00:44:37.800
 and as our hands

00:44:37.800 --> 00:44:38.820
 touch his hands

00:44:38.820 --> 00:44:39.579
 by faith

00:44:39.579 --> 00:44:40.280
 our doom

00:44:40.280 --> 00:44:41.180
 is taken away

00:44:41.180 --> 00:44:42.360
 and the destiny

00:44:42.360 --> 00:44:43.159
 that he deserved

00:44:43.159 --> 00:44:44.460
 is bestowed upon us

00:44:44.460 --> 00:44:46.579
 all out of grace

00:44:46.579 --> 00:44:47.440
 and all out of love

00:44:47.440 --> 00:44:50.680
 and just as that

00:44:50.680 --> 00:44:51.059
 is the way

00:44:51.059 --> 00:44:51.820
 the Christian life

00:44:51.820 --> 00:44:52.340
 begins

00:44:52.340 --> 00:44:53.500
 so the Christian life

00:44:53.500 --> 00:44:54.380
 grows by

00:44:54.380 --> 00:44:55.539
 reading the Bible

00:44:55.539 --> 00:44:56.480
 you look at it

00:44:56.480 --> 00:44:57.099
 and it looks weird

00:44:57.099 --> 00:44:58.079
 it's hard to understand

00:44:58.079 --> 00:44:58.680
 that's fine

00:44:58.680 --> 00:44:59.519
 read the Bible

00:44:59.519 --> 00:45:00.980
 don't understand

00:45:00.980 --> 00:45:01.500
 that's fine

00:45:01.500 --> 00:45:01.960
 read the Bible

00:45:01.960 --> 00:45:02.599
 talk to others

00:45:02.599 --> 00:45:03.039
 about it

00:45:03.039 --> 00:45:03.659
 start to learn

00:45:03.659 --> 00:45:04.679
 how to understand it

00:45:04.679 --> 00:45:05.960
 and as you do it

00:45:05.960 --> 00:45:07.360
 God does something

00:45:07.360 --> 00:45:08.079
 in your life

00:45:08.079 --> 00:45:09.719
 because the Bible

00:45:09.719 --> 00:45:11.119
 is his profound

00:45:11.119 --> 00:45:12.079
 powerful

00:45:12.079 --> 00:45:12.960
 means

00:45:12.960 --> 00:45:13.900
 of grace

00:45:13.900 --> 00:45:15.719
 please stand

00:45:15.719 --> 00:45:20.559
 let's bow our heads

00:45:20.559 --> 00:45:21.039
 in prayer

00:45:21.039 --> 00:45:24.599
 Father we

00:45:24.599 --> 00:45:29.579
 I began

00:45:29.579 --> 00:45:29.599
 I began

00:45:29.599 --> 00:45:29.920
 Father

00:45:29.920 --> 00:45:30.619
 by praying

00:45:30.619 --> 00:45:31.339
 and acknowledging

00:45:31.339 --> 00:45:32.179
 how sometimes

00:45:32.179 --> 00:45:32.719
 the things

00:45:32.719 --> 00:45:34.239
 that you give us

00:45:34.239 --> 00:45:34.860
 that are really

00:45:34.860 --> 00:45:36.019
 very profound gifts

00:45:36.019 --> 00:45:36.839
 that we actually

00:45:36.839 --> 00:45:37.860
 sort of look at them

00:45:37.860 --> 00:45:38.519
 askance

00:45:38.519 --> 00:45:39.380
 thinking that maybe

00:45:39.380 --> 00:45:40.179
 they're more of a burden

00:45:40.179 --> 00:45:40.679
 than a gift

00:45:40.679 --> 00:45:42.159
 because the world

00:45:42.159 --> 00:45:43.679
 would see that gift

00:45:43.679 --> 00:45:44.719
 as something ridiculous

00:45:44.719 --> 00:45:46.579
 we ask Father

00:45:46.579 --> 00:45:47.339
 that you would

00:45:47.339 --> 00:45:48.039
 continue to do

00:45:48.039 --> 00:45:48.920
 your wonderful work

00:45:48.920 --> 00:45:49.380
 of healing

00:45:49.380 --> 00:45:50.079
 in our hearts

00:45:50.079 --> 00:45:50.659
 and minds

00:45:50.659 --> 00:45:51.279
 and lives

00:45:51.279 --> 00:45:52.079
 as we trust

00:45:52.079 --> 00:45:53.000
 your means of grace

00:45:53.000 --> 00:45:54.139
 as we trust your word

00:45:54.139 --> 00:45:55.639
 and we give you

00:45:55.639 --> 00:45:56.460
 thanks and praise

00:45:56.460 --> 00:45:56.820
 Father

00:45:56.820 --> 00:45:57.320
 that you have

00:45:57.320 --> 00:45:58.199
 spoken to us

00:45:58.199 --> 00:45:58.860
 and that your word

00:45:58.860 --> 00:45:59.920
 is a means of grace

00:45:59.920 --> 00:46:00.699
 it's the means

00:46:00.699 --> 00:46:01.519
 by which we know

00:46:01.519 --> 00:46:01.880
 Jesus

00:46:01.880 --> 00:46:02.639
 and come to a

00:46:02.639 --> 00:46:03.239
 saving faith

00:46:03.239 --> 00:46:03.760
 in Christ

00:46:03.760 --> 00:46:05.159
 it is the means

00:46:05.159 --> 00:46:06.139
 by which you speak

00:46:06.139 --> 00:46:06.900
 into our heart

00:46:06.900 --> 00:46:07.420
 to rule

00:46:07.420 --> 00:46:08.139
 and change our

00:46:08.139 --> 00:46:09.059
 hearts and lives

00:46:09.059 --> 00:46:10.360
 to teach us

00:46:10.360 --> 00:46:10.820
 the truth

00:46:10.820 --> 00:46:11.539
 to deliver us

00:46:11.539 --> 00:46:12.739
 from this self-deception

00:46:12.739 --> 00:46:13.480
 to deliver us

00:46:13.480 --> 00:46:14.099
 from lies

00:46:14.099 --> 00:46:14.739
 and idols

00:46:14.739 --> 00:46:15.500
 and errors

00:46:15.500 --> 00:46:16.599
 to point us

00:46:16.599 --> 00:46:17.559
 in the right direction

00:46:17.559 --> 00:46:18.619
 when we go astray

00:46:18.619 --> 00:46:19.400
 and to keep us

00:46:19.400 --> 00:46:20.500
 in the right direction

00:46:20.500 --> 00:46:22.159
 and to actually receive

00:46:22.159 --> 00:46:23.079
 life from you

00:46:23.079 --> 00:46:24.259
 as we read your word

00:46:24.259 --> 00:46:25.179
 and follow Jesus

00:46:25.179 --> 00:46:26.159
 and we ask Father

00:46:26.159 --> 00:46:27.039
 that you would help us

00:46:27.039 --> 00:46:28.119
 to be students

00:46:28.119 --> 00:46:28.859
 of your word

00:46:28.859 --> 00:46:29.940
 and humbly come

00:46:29.940 --> 00:46:30.639
 to your word

00:46:30.639 --> 00:46:31.960
 trusting that you will

00:46:31.960 --> 00:46:32.899
 do a work of grace

00:46:32.899 --> 00:46:33.619
 in our lives

00:46:33.619 --> 00:46:34.859
 for our good

00:46:34.859 --> 00:46:36.199
 for the good of our city

00:46:36.199 --> 00:46:37.379
 and for your great glory

00:46:37.379 --> 00:46:38.500
 and we ask this

00:46:38.500 --> 00:46:39.339
 in the name of Jesus

00:46:39.339 --> 00:46:40.019
 your son

00:46:40.019 --> 00:46:40.739
 and our savior

00:46:40.739 --> 00:46:41.739
 amen