WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:11.140 Good morning. My name is Matthew Capone and I'm the pastor here at Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church and it's my joy to bring God's word to you this morning. 00:00:12.380 --> 00:00:16.100 Special welcome if you are new or visiting with us. We are glad you're here. 00:00:17.199 --> 00:00:24.440 And as I say every week, we're glad you're here not because you are filling a seat but because we are following after Jesus together as one community. 00:00:24.440 --> 00:00:33.320 And as we follow after Jesus, we're convinced that there's no one so good that they don't need God's grace and no one so bad that they can't have it. 00:00:34.020 --> 00:00:41.140 And so everyone needs to hear what God has to say and God has something to say to everyone in his word. 00:00:43.040 --> 00:00:46.600 If you've been with us, you know that we're going through the book of Nehemiah. 00:00:47.400 --> 00:00:51.299 And the book of Nehemiah is about a man named Nehemiah who lived during the Old Testament. 00:00:51.299 --> 00:01:00.839 He was a man who lived during the 5th century and this was the time in the history of the people of Israel when they had been in exile because of their unfaithfulness to God. 00:01:00.920 --> 00:01:02.479 And now they're returning from exile. 00:01:03.019 --> 00:01:09.120 The return from exile has started in the 6th century, so almost 100 years since we meet Nehemiah in this chapter. 00:01:09.299 --> 00:01:17.700 And it's a book I have been telling you about a man who's turned away from sin and back to God's ways to build the wall around Jerusalem. 00:01:17.700 --> 00:01:31.400 And building this wall around God's city, it was the city that he had given to his people to be a model, a light to the nations around them so that everyone in the world would know what happens, what it looks like when God's people follow after God's ways. 00:01:31.400 --> 00:01:36.580 And I was telling you the truth when I told you that, that it's a book about a wall. 00:01:38.040 --> 00:01:42.960 And the wall is now complete and we have many more chapters to go. 00:01:44.180 --> 00:01:46.719 And so it is not simply a book about a wall. 00:01:46.800 --> 00:01:54.080 As we talked about in chapter 5, this physical problem of the wall that had been broken down was a sign of a spiritual problem that Israel had. 00:01:54.079 --> 00:01:59.480 They had not just turned away, as we talked about in chapter 5, from God's wall, but also from God's ways. 00:02:00.280 --> 00:02:08.099 And we're going to see here that they had not just turned away from God's wall and God's ways, but God's people had also turned away from his word. 00:02:09.360 --> 00:02:12.579 They had not just turned away from his wall and his ways, but also his word. 00:02:13.379 --> 00:02:17.479 The last time we met, we went through chapter 7, which was a long genealogy. 00:02:17.479 --> 00:02:25.659 And I reminded all of us that even when we come to places that are difficult, that maybe seem unnecessary in our culture to our ears, 00:02:25.899 --> 00:02:28.099 we are reminded that God's word is good. 00:02:29.339 --> 00:02:30.759 That he speaks to us. 00:02:30.819 --> 00:02:33.939 That he tells us that his word is sweeter than honey. 00:02:34.399 --> 00:02:36.000 Even honey that comes from the honeycomb. 00:02:36.539 --> 00:02:39.159 That it's more precious than gold, even the finest gold. 00:02:40.060 --> 00:02:43.019 That it is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. 00:02:43.020 --> 00:02:48.200 And yet as we hear these things, it's one thing to say that. 00:02:48.900 --> 00:02:51.320 It's one thing to talk about the goodness of God's word. 00:02:51.379 --> 00:02:52.900 It's another thing to actually believe it. 00:02:53.800 --> 00:02:57.560 And when I say things like that, before we begin the reading, I would not be surprised. 00:02:57.660 --> 00:02:59.540 In fact, I would guess that some of you wonder, 00:03:00.240 --> 00:03:03.379 is it really more precious than gold? 00:03:04.080 --> 00:03:05.540 Is it really sweeter than honey? 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:11.040 Because there are times when I struggle to even pick up the Bible. 00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:16.900 And there are times when the Bible is very challenging to understand. 00:03:18.680 --> 00:03:20.500 And so there's also times that I've said things like, 00:03:20.759 --> 00:03:22.639 God speaks to us in ways that we can understand. 00:03:22.859 --> 00:03:24.859 He uses things that are helpful for us. 00:03:24.939 --> 00:03:27.719 And yet there's times when we open up the Bible and it doesn't feel like that at all. 00:03:29.219 --> 00:03:30.959 Instead, it feels incredibly confusing. 00:03:31.199 --> 00:03:33.180 We're not always sure what's being talked about. 00:03:33.180 --> 00:03:37.599 And so if God really is trying to speak to us in his word, 00:03:38.379 --> 00:03:41.640 if he longs to know us and for us to understand him, 00:03:42.219 --> 00:03:45.439 why is God's word sometimes so hard? 00:03:47.920 --> 00:03:49.939 If God really cares about us, 00:03:50.480 --> 00:03:53.180 if he truly wants to speak to us, 00:03:53.540 --> 00:03:58.060 why can it be so challenging sometimes to listen and to know what God is saying? 00:03:58.060 --> 00:04:02.719 That's the question we're going to ask as we come to chapter 8, 00:04:02.780 --> 00:04:06.140 because we're going to see God's people returning to his word, 00:04:06.420 --> 00:04:10.219 coming back to something that they have found hard at times. 00:04:10.939 --> 00:04:14.099 It was because they ignored God's word that they ended up in exile. 00:04:15.060 --> 00:04:18.600 And it's now as they turn away from sin and back to God and his mission 00:04:18.600 --> 00:04:20.800 that we return to his word as well. 00:04:21.779 --> 00:04:24.100 And so with that, we are in Nehemiah chapter 8. 00:04:24.100 --> 00:04:27.480 We're going to read the first eight verses. 00:04:28.620 --> 00:04:29.340 And as you've noticed, 00:04:29.439 --> 00:04:31.320 I've started giving homework assignments when we read. 00:04:32.180 --> 00:04:34.640 And part of that is because God's word is hard sometimes. 00:04:34.740 --> 00:04:35.760 It's hard to pay attention to. 00:04:36.320 --> 00:04:38.879 It's also because we are people who live in 2019, 00:04:39.240 --> 00:04:41.900 and so our attention spans are terrible, myself included. 00:04:42.580 --> 00:04:44.800 And so it's helpful for us to have something to focus on. 00:04:45.000 --> 00:04:46.720 So my assignment for you in chapter 8, 00:04:46.820 --> 00:04:48.580 as we read these first eight verses, 00:04:48.860 --> 00:04:50.460 is to see if you can figure out, 00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:54.000 count how many times the word people appears. 00:04:54.780 --> 00:04:55.620 This is not random. 00:04:55.740 --> 00:04:56.820 There's a reason I'm giving you this. 00:04:57.879 --> 00:05:00.580 How many times the word people appears in this section? 00:05:02.260 --> 00:05:03.700 We're in Nehemiah chapter 8. 00:05:04.400 --> 00:05:06.040 And remember that this is God's word. 00:05:07.080 --> 00:05:10.800 And God does tell us that his word is a lamp to our feet 00:05:10.800 --> 00:05:12.200 and a light to our path. 00:05:12.860 --> 00:05:15.120 And so we turn to it now starting at verse 1. 00:05:15.120 --> 00:05:20.959 And all the people gathered as one man into the square before the water gate. 00:05:21.680 --> 00:05:25.199 And they told Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law of Moses 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:26.759 that the Lord had commanded Israel. 00:05:27.600 --> 00:05:29.959 So Ezra the priest brought the law before the assembly, 00:05:30.300 --> 00:05:31.180 both men and women, 00:05:31.639 --> 00:05:35.300 and all who could understand what they heard on the first day of the seventh month. 00:05:35.300 --> 00:05:39.120 And he read from it facing the square before the water gate 00:05:39.120 --> 00:05:41.100 from early morning until midday 00:05:41.100 --> 00:05:45.540 in the presence of the men and the women and those who could understand. 00:05:46.259 --> 00:05:50.080 And the ears of all the people were attentive to the book of the law. 00:05:51.080 --> 00:05:51.780 Verse 4. 00:05:51.779 --> 00:05:56.739 And Ezra the scribe stood on a wooden platform that they had made for the purpose. 00:05:57.619 --> 00:06:04.299 And beside him stood Mattathiah, Shemah, Aniah, Uriah, Hilkiah, and Maseah on his right hand. 00:06:04.839 --> 00:06:11.519 And Pad�iah, Mishael, Malkijah, Hashem, Hashbadanah, Zechariah, and Meshulam on his left hand. 00:06:12.199 --> 00:06:12.779 Verse 5. 00:06:13.639 --> 00:06:16.119 And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, 00:06:16.279 --> 00:06:17.719 for he was above all the people, 00:06:18.059 --> 00:06:20.379 and as he opened it all the people stood. 00:06:20.379 --> 00:06:21.920 Verse 6. 00:06:50.379 --> 00:07:00.139 Please pray with me as we come to this portion of God's word. 00:07:03.259 --> 00:07:08.480 Dear Father in heaven, we thank you that your word is good and that you give it to us. 00:07:09.219 --> 00:07:11.560 We also confess that sometimes it's hard. 00:07:12.620 --> 00:07:14.439 It's hard to want to read it. 00:07:15.519 --> 00:07:17.259 Sometimes it's hard to understand it. 00:07:17.259 --> 00:07:22.099 And so we ask for your help as we always do, that you would help us in the hardness, 00:07:22.319 --> 00:07:27.560 that you would send your Holy Spirit to open our eyes and unstop our ears, 00:07:28.300 --> 00:07:31.599 that you'd soften our hearts and that you'd clear our minds, 00:07:32.300 --> 00:07:38.300 that we would be able to see and know and believe everything that is written about you and your word. 00:07:39.039 --> 00:07:41.980 We ask these things in Jesus' name. Amen. 00:07:41.980 --> 00:07:49.740 Okay, we had eight verses and the word people showed up how many times? 00:07:51.360 --> 00:07:52.240 Nine times. 00:07:52.759 --> 00:07:58.040 So eight verses, nine times in the entire chapter, chapter eight, 00:07:58.340 --> 00:08:00.400 the word people is going to show up almost 20 times. 00:08:00.700 --> 00:08:03.680 And it's only going to show up in the book of Nehemiah about 60 times. 00:08:03.780 --> 00:08:08.439 So in this one single chapter, we have about a third of the occurrences of the word people. 00:08:08.439 --> 00:08:15.420 And it's fitting because we find out in verse one that it is all the people who are coming together and gathering. 00:08:16.360 --> 00:08:17.480 It's not the priests. 00:08:17.660 --> 00:08:20.519 It's not the Levites who request that God's word be read. 00:08:20.839 --> 00:08:25.680 It is the people in verse one that tell Ezra the scribe to bring the book of the law out. 00:08:26.339 --> 00:08:29.319 Most likely, this is the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament, 00:08:29.439 --> 00:08:34.039 that they are coming as one to ask that they would be taught, that they could know. 00:08:34.759 --> 00:08:37.860 These are people at this moment who are not finding God's word hard. 00:08:37.860 --> 00:08:40.519 In fact, on the other hand, they're actually begging for it. 00:08:41.180 --> 00:08:45.720 They're coming and saying, we need and want you to tell us what is in God's word. 00:08:46.740 --> 00:08:50.440 Now, the word people shows up nine times, but that's not the only thing that we see here. 00:08:50.519 --> 00:08:53.000 It's not the only way that we're told that everyone is listening. 00:08:53.139 --> 00:08:58.120 In verse two, we find out that it's both men and women, and not just men and women, 00:08:58.240 --> 00:08:59.940 but all who could understand what they heard. 00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:04.700 So this is not just adults, but children that are hearing and coming to hear God's word. 00:09:04.700 --> 00:09:11.900 We see the same thing repeated in verse three, immediately after it's men and women and those who can understand. 00:09:12.960 --> 00:09:15.960 And then we find out that they are reading and standing up for hours. 00:09:16.120 --> 00:09:18.780 Ezra, this man that they call for to read the law to them, 00:09:18.820 --> 00:09:22.460 is someone we meet in another book of the Bible named after him, the book of Ezra. 00:09:22.860 --> 00:09:27.860 And we find out there that Ezra was someone who had special skill and ability in interpreting God's word. 00:09:28.620 --> 00:09:32.220 He was someone who loved the scriptures, and he spent his time studying them. 00:09:32.220 --> 00:09:39.220 And not only did he know them well, but he also had a special gift and ability to be able to tell people what it was that God was trying to say. 00:09:40.139 --> 00:09:45.500 He had a special ability to interpret and apply so that the people of Israel could hear God's word, 00:09:45.580 --> 00:09:48.440 and they would know exactly what it was that they were supposed to do. 00:09:50.200 --> 00:09:56.240 Not just that we do, we have the people coming as one whole entity demanding to hear God's word, 00:09:56.240 --> 00:09:58.620 but we see how serious they are about it. 00:09:59.460 --> 00:10:01.899 In verse three, we see that they are reading for hours. 00:10:03.279 --> 00:10:08.560 In verse seven, we find out that they are standing during this time, remaining in their places. 00:10:09.539 --> 00:10:11.799 They are giving up everything that's going on. 00:10:11.879 --> 00:10:13.320 They're devoting all of their time. 00:10:14.740 --> 00:10:17.519 They're putting everything else aside, just like they did with the wall, 00:10:17.680 --> 00:10:19.560 so that they could hear God's word. 00:10:19.559 --> 00:10:26.439 If you are familiar with Chick-fil-A, 00:10:27.059 --> 00:10:30.539 you know that if there's a new Chick-fil-A store that opens up, 00:10:30.979 --> 00:10:32.919 there's often the first 100 event. 00:10:33.979 --> 00:10:39.699 And the first 100 event is when the first 100 people to come and show up at that Chick-fil-A 00:10:39.699 --> 00:10:42.699 receive free Chick-fil-A for an entire year. 00:10:42.700 --> 00:10:48.140 And so that means that they get one Chick-fil-A, they get 52 Chick-fil-A meals. 00:10:48.220 --> 00:10:52.080 They get a card with those meals on it, and once a week, they can go and have their Chick-fil-A. 00:10:52.160 --> 00:10:52.860 And so this is an event. 00:10:52.920 --> 00:10:56.740 If you look it up on Google, you'll see pictures of people camping out overnight. 00:10:56.940 --> 00:10:59.660 You'll set up your tent in the parking lot of the new Chick-fil-A. 00:11:01.060 --> 00:11:03.960 You have to be very careful about how you leave or whether you leave. 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:08.720 People come by to check to make sure you have the right number, 00:11:08.780 --> 00:11:10.940 that you're supposed to be there, that you're not sneaking in. 00:11:11.760 --> 00:11:16.100 And so people who do this, I had friends who did this in seminary when a new Chick-fil-A opened up. 00:11:16.120 --> 00:11:18.660 You have to set aside everything else that's going on. 00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:23.820 Part of the reason I didn't do it when I was in seminary and there was a new Chick-fil-A that opened up was I had a job. 00:11:26.680 --> 00:11:28.120 And I couldn't just quit that. 00:11:28.180 --> 00:11:29.860 I had classes I was supposed to attend. 00:11:30.180 --> 00:11:35.820 But I had friends who figured out everything they needed to do to rearrange their lives so that they could pause for a day 00:11:35.820 --> 00:11:38.880 because they were so hungry for Chick-fil-A. 00:11:40.940 --> 00:11:46.240 And what we're seeing here in chapter 8 is the first 100 Chick-fil-A of the Old Testament. 00:11:47.900 --> 00:11:53.240 God's people set aside everything that could get in the way. 00:11:53.240 --> 00:11:56.899 They stopped doing what they would normally do. 00:11:58.039 --> 00:12:02.399 And instead they stand for hours to hear what it is that God has for them. 00:12:02.820 --> 00:12:05.440 They're hungry in this situation not for Chick-fil-A. 00:12:06.259 --> 00:12:08.360 But they are hungry for God's word. 00:12:09.399 --> 00:12:14.340 And while they're not camping out in tents, they are willing to stand for seven and eight hours 00:12:14.340 --> 00:12:17.440 so that they can hear everything that God has for them. 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:20.840 And so the point is this. 00:12:22.060 --> 00:12:24.180 When God's people turn back to him, 00:12:24.560 --> 00:12:29.980 when God's people turn away from sin in repentance back to him and his mission, 00:12:30.300 --> 00:12:32.320 they also return to his word. 00:12:33.680 --> 00:12:38.480 When God's people return to God, they also return to his word. 00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:45.080 If we love God, then we will love his word. 00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:48.000 We will be hungry for his word. 00:12:48.720 --> 00:12:52.039 We will be willing to make sacrifices and put things aside 00:12:52.039 --> 00:12:55.779 so that we can hear exactly what God has to say to us. 00:12:58.180 --> 00:12:59.840 By the way, that's what you've done this morning. 00:13:00.820 --> 00:13:02.060 It's daylight savings time. 00:13:02.600 --> 00:13:03.899 I don't remember if it's starting or ending. 00:13:04.000 --> 00:13:05.460 I don't keep track of those sorts of things. 00:13:05.460 --> 00:13:07.960 I just know if I'm losing an hour of sleep or gaining an hour of sleep. 00:13:08.160 --> 00:13:10.220 I know this morning that I lost an hour of sleep. 00:13:11.580 --> 00:13:13.200 And I know that you all did as well. 00:13:14.220 --> 00:13:15.740 And yet you are here this morning. 00:13:16.280 --> 00:13:19.580 And part of the reason you're here this morning is to hear what God has to say. 00:13:20.540 --> 00:13:22.320 And so this is part of what God's people do. 00:13:22.400 --> 00:13:27.400 We gather every Sunday so that we would know what it is that God has for us in his word. 00:13:28.940 --> 00:13:30.620 The question for us then is this. 00:13:30.940 --> 00:13:33.320 Are we hungry for God's word? 00:13:35.460 --> 00:13:40.340 Are we hungry to hear what God has to say to us? 00:13:41.580 --> 00:13:44.600 It does not mean that we have to be theology nerds. 00:13:46.220 --> 00:13:48.860 This does not mean that we have to go to seminary. 00:13:50.220 --> 00:13:53.759 This does not mean that we have to be the smartest person in the room 00:13:53.759 --> 00:13:55.940 and have a comprehensive knowledge of the Bible. 00:13:55.940 --> 00:14:03.660 What it does mean is that we recognize that God in his word has given us the way of life. 00:14:05.240 --> 00:14:09.300 That these words that God gives to us are the very words of life. 00:14:11.840 --> 00:14:12.840 That is the question. 00:14:12.940 --> 00:14:13.820 Do we know that? 00:14:15.020 --> 00:14:16.540 Do we hunger after it? 00:14:17.500 --> 00:14:22.220 Now there's many reasons that the people of Israel here in this chapter could be returning to God's word. 00:14:22.220 --> 00:14:23.399 But one would be this. 00:14:23.480 --> 00:14:25.240 They know what they've suffered. 00:14:26.779 --> 00:14:28.360 They know that they've been in exile. 00:14:28.560 --> 00:14:30.860 And the reason they were in exile is they wouldn't listen. 00:14:32.980 --> 00:14:35.800 God had come and told them the right way to live. 00:14:35.899 --> 00:14:40.800 He had sent prophets to them over and over telling them to walk in the way of righteousness 00:14:40.800 --> 00:14:42.100 and not in the way of sin. 00:14:42.180 --> 00:14:43.080 And they had ignored him. 00:14:43.080 --> 00:14:50.700 And so these people in Israel knew how painful it had been to turn away from God's word. 00:14:51.300 --> 00:14:53.300 They knew from real life experience. 00:14:53.580 --> 00:14:56.000 They knew from the reality of exile in Babylon 00:14:56.000 --> 00:15:00.100 what happens when they forgot and ignored the way of life. 00:15:01.680 --> 00:15:03.500 Now God's word gives us life. 00:15:03.720 --> 00:15:05.960 It gives us life in at least two different ways. 00:15:06.040 --> 00:15:08.220 There's all sorts of things we could say about God's word. 00:15:08.860 --> 00:15:12.060 And so as I say sometimes, I'm not going to say everything, but I'll say something. 00:15:13.059 --> 00:15:15.579 And so we need to keep in mind two categories. 00:15:15.819 --> 00:15:19.919 That when we think about the work of God and we think about the work of Jesus, 00:15:20.039 --> 00:15:20.879 there are two things. 00:15:21.439 --> 00:15:22.599 There's God as creator. 00:15:23.439 --> 00:15:24.879 And there's God as redeemer. 00:15:26.019 --> 00:15:27.079 There's God as creator. 00:15:27.519 --> 00:15:28.439 God as redeemer. 00:15:28.919 --> 00:15:32.059 We often tend to focus very heavily on God as redeemer. 00:15:32.059 --> 00:15:35.119 God as our redeemer is the one who tells us in his word 00:15:35.119 --> 00:15:38.059 that his wrath is being poured out on the world for our sins. 00:15:38.819 --> 00:15:41.099 That full and final justice is coming. 00:15:42.060 --> 00:15:48.139 And so our only hope, the only way we can avoid God's punishment and his wrath for our sins 00:15:48.139 --> 00:15:50.399 is through Jesus and his work on the cross. 00:15:52.279 --> 00:15:57.259 And so God's word is the way to life because it shows us that Christ is our redeemer. 00:15:57.779 --> 00:15:59.000 It shows us our sin. 00:15:59.000 --> 00:16:02.340 It reminds us that if we do not turn away from it in repentance, 00:16:02.600 --> 00:16:04.680 we will face God's judgment as well. 00:16:04.679 --> 00:16:11.559 But God's word also reminds us that he is our creator. 00:16:13.959 --> 00:16:19.099 So the Bible does not just tell us about the reality of sin and God's redemption from it. 00:16:19.159 --> 00:16:24.019 God's word also tells us about the right way to live in the world that God made. 00:16:24.019 --> 00:16:28.439 We may acknowledge that we're sinners. 00:16:28.579 --> 00:16:31.960 We may be repenting constantly every day of the ways that we offend God. 00:16:32.199 --> 00:16:34.019 And yet we lack wisdom. 00:16:36.019 --> 00:16:38.439 God has made the world in a specific way. 00:16:38.519 --> 00:16:44.579 And so he tells us in the Bible how it is that we can live lives that are in the grain of the world. 00:16:44.580 --> 00:16:48.980 He tells us the ways that we honor people rather than using them. 00:16:49.920 --> 00:16:52.759 He tells us the way that we manage our resources. 00:16:53.800 --> 00:16:57.639 He tells us the right way for families to be organized and run. 00:16:59.240 --> 00:17:03.540 He tells us how we speak well about other people and to other people. 00:17:05.160 --> 00:17:09.920 And so God's word is not just the way to life in terms of redemption, 00:17:10.640 --> 00:17:14.400 but it's also the way to life because it shows us the way that the world works. 00:17:15.099 --> 00:17:17.699 So that we can live in a way that's wise. 00:17:20.619 --> 00:17:23.179 And so our question was, are we hungry for God's word? 00:17:24.639 --> 00:17:27.059 Our application is that we need to get into God's word. 00:17:28.259 --> 00:17:29.879 We need to know God's word. 00:17:30.779 --> 00:17:32.699 Again, that doesn't mean that we're theology nerds. 00:17:32.699 --> 00:17:34.240 It doesn't mean that you have to go to seminary. 00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:37.879 It doesn't mean that you have to have an encyclopedic knowledge of the Bible. 00:17:38.939 --> 00:17:43.199 But it does mean that we take time in our lives to hear what God is saying to us. 00:17:43.200 --> 00:17:47.559 Now there's lots of different techniques I could give you, different strategies. 00:17:48.299 --> 00:17:49.740 And I will give you some examples. 00:17:50.779 --> 00:17:56.380 But techniques and strategies and examples are worthless to us if we don't have some conviction. 00:17:56.380 --> 00:17:59.020 So I'll tell you a story. 00:18:00.100 --> 00:18:01.540 I had a friend in seminary. 00:18:01.880 --> 00:18:02.860 One of my best friends. 00:18:02.920 --> 00:18:03.820 Actually, some of you met him. 00:18:03.960 --> 00:18:05.460 He was here for my installation service. 00:18:06.080 --> 00:18:08.000 And he took a Greek class in seminary. 00:18:08.320 --> 00:18:10.040 And he got very excited about Greek. 00:18:10.340 --> 00:18:14.480 And he decided, I really want to become very good at understanding Greek. 00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:17.640 And I know that I know it well now because I just took this class. 00:18:18.039 --> 00:18:19.740 And I don't want to lose that knowledge. 00:18:19.819 --> 00:18:22.140 I want to continue to grow and become good at Greek. 00:18:22.720 --> 00:18:26.140 So he set up office hours with a professor. 00:18:26.819 --> 00:18:28.319 And he sat down with this professor. 00:18:28.400 --> 00:18:31.380 And he said, I want to be really good at Greek. 00:18:31.880 --> 00:18:33.819 Tell me what techniques I need. 00:18:34.200 --> 00:18:34.960 What practices. 00:18:35.440 --> 00:18:37.519 What habits I need to become really good at Greek. 00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:47.819 And this professor looked at him and he said, I don't want to give you techniques and practices and habits primarily. 00:18:49.379 --> 00:18:51.680 He said, I want you to have a conviction. 00:18:53.619 --> 00:19:04.579 And I want you to have the conviction that you, when you become a pastor, will never get up and stand before God's people and tell them what God has to say without first looking at the original languages. 00:19:04.579 --> 00:19:10.519 And that's what you're going to need if you want to continue to be good at Greek. 00:19:11.879 --> 00:19:17.399 You need a conviction much more than you need any practices or habits or techniques. 00:19:19.639 --> 00:19:22.720 And then he proceeded to tell him some practices and habits and techniques. 00:19:24.379 --> 00:19:25.599 But the point is this. 00:19:26.779 --> 00:19:30.159 We can have the greatest intentions. 00:19:31.960 --> 00:19:33.339 We can have the greatest strategies. 00:19:33.339 --> 00:19:35.240 We can have the greatest Bible reading plan. 00:19:35.319 --> 00:19:36.759 But all of that is worthless. 00:19:37.379 --> 00:19:39.119 Unless we love God and his word. 00:19:40.099 --> 00:19:43.699 Unless we have the conviction that God's word is the way to life. 00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:51.059 Now if we have that conviction, there are many things that we can do. 00:19:51.119 --> 00:19:52.619 We don't have to become experts. 00:19:53.619 --> 00:19:59.439 But you can come here on a Sunday morning and make it a habit that you are here every Sunday to hear what God has to say. 00:19:59.440 --> 00:20:06.759 We have a magazine out in our narthex called Table Talk that is meant for people who have not gone to seminary. 00:20:06.840 --> 00:20:13.200 The intention is that normal, regular, everyday people who want to hear from God can understand his word better. 00:20:13.200 --> 00:20:22.420 We have Bible studies that we can come to here at the church where we can discuss and work together to figure out what God's word is. 00:20:23.240 --> 00:20:27.019 There's not a right way, but there's many different ways. 00:20:27.120 --> 00:20:29.980 And what we need is a conviction that pushes us towards those things. 00:20:30.100 --> 00:20:36.480 The conviction that God's word is good and his word is the only way to life. 00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:41.680 That's the conviction that these people have here. 00:20:41.759 --> 00:20:44.140 That's why the word people is repeated nine times. 00:20:44.500 --> 00:20:47.120 Because it's the people who are hungry to hear from God. 00:20:51.440 --> 00:20:54.360 Now it's not just our desire that makes the Bible hard. 00:20:56.440 --> 00:20:59.259 The Bible itself also can be hard. 00:20:59.259 --> 00:21:00.920 Even if we have the greatest conviction. 00:21:01.539 --> 00:21:07.240 Even if we are to our greatest core convinced and know that we need to have God's word. 00:21:08.160 --> 00:21:11.900 There's still times we read it and we really don't know what's going on, if we're honest. 00:21:14.420 --> 00:21:19.200 And so that's why I mentioned at the beginning, sometimes we wonder if God is really trying to speak so clearly, 00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:21.140 why is it so confusing sometimes? 00:21:22.700 --> 00:21:25.279 Why is the Bible difficult to understand? 00:21:25.279 --> 00:21:31.220 Well, that's a problem that these people encountered as well. 00:21:32.220 --> 00:21:35.240 If you look at verses 7 and 8, actually first at verse 4. 00:21:35.940 --> 00:21:40.000 So Ezra's reading in verse 4 and he's surrounded by a group of other men. 00:21:40.819 --> 00:21:44.160 We're not told exactly why in verse 4 these other men are there, 00:21:44.220 --> 00:21:47.619 but my guess is that it's similar to the reason we see in verses 7 and 8. 00:21:48.559 --> 00:21:50.819 Ezra is surrounded by Levites 00:21:50.819 --> 00:21:55.299 because he needs a lot of people to help him explain the Bible. 00:21:57.279 --> 00:22:00.980 Ezra's talking, but most likely these men are circulating in small groups. 00:22:01.139 --> 00:22:06.019 They're maybe having some breakout sessions and in smaller sections helping people understand what God is saying. 00:22:06.519 --> 00:22:08.339 In fact, it literally says here in verse 7, 00:22:08.439 --> 00:22:09.819 they helped the people to understand. 00:22:11.720 --> 00:22:12.599 And then in verse 8, 00:22:12.679 --> 00:22:14.819 they read from the book, from the law of God clearly, 00:22:14.960 --> 00:22:16.039 and they gave the sense. 00:22:16.500 --> 00:22:19.579 So again, the people understood the reading. 00:22:20.819 --> 00:22:22.379 In other words, 00:22:22.919 --> 00:22:28.720 people in the Old Testament had trouble understanding the Old Testament. 00:22:31.139 --> 00:22:32.259 I'll say that again. 00:22:32.579 --> 00:22:37.220 People in the Old Testament had trouble understanding the Old Testament. 00:22:38.279 --> 00:22:40.419 And God put it in His Word. 00:22:40.420 --> 00:22:47.480 So God knows that sometimes it's difficult to understand the Bible. 00:22:49.160 --> 00:22:52.200 And He knows it so well that He put it in the Bible 00:22:52.200 --> 00:22:54.200 that sometimes it's difficult to understand. 00:22:56.000 --> 00:22:58.560 In fact, Peter, in 2 Peter at one point, 00:22:58.640 --> 00:23:01.460 talks about how he thinks that Paul is difficult to understand. 00:23:01.460 --> 00:23:07.420 And so if you find the Bible at times difficult to understand and follow, 00:23:07.559 --> 00:23:08.539 you are not alone. 00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:11.759 Other people find it difficult to understand. 00:23:12.180 --> 00:23:13.500 And even more important than that, 00:23:13.579 --> 00:23:17.000 God knows that sometimes it can be difficult to understand the Bible. 00:23:18.980 --> 00:23:20.640 He doesn't shame us for that. 00:23:21.319 --> 00:23:22.880 He doesn't condemn us for that. 00:23:22.880 --> 00:23:26.920 Instead, we have people here in this chapter of the Bible 00:23:26.920 --> 00:23:29.080 who are helping other people understand the Bible. 00:23:32.240 --> 00:23:34.280 Now that still doesn't answer our question. 00:23:35.600 --> 00:23:37.400 We know that the Bible is difficult to understand. 00:23:37.820 --> 00:23:39.700 God knows that the Bible is difficult to understand. 00:23:39.920 --> 00:23:42.740 He acknowledges that in the Bible that it's difficult to understand. 00:23:43.160 --> 00:23:44.660 Why is it difficult to understand? 00:23:44.660 --> 00:23:50.560 These are people who are living in the 5th century. 00:23:52.320 --> 00:23:55.100 And they are reading books that were written by Moses. 00:23:59.019 --> 00:24:00.880 These are people living in the 5th century. 00:24:01.080 --> 00:24:04.940 They're reading books written by Moses hundreds of years previously. 00:24:06.240 --> 00:24:09.400 The Bible is difficult to understand, partially. 00:24:10.880 --> 00:24:13.519 It's partially difficult to understand because of our sin, right? 00:24:13.519 --> 00:24:15.680 But it's also difficult to understand 00:24:15.680 --> 00:24:18.759 because God is passionate about speaking to a specific people 00:24:18.759 --> 00:24:21.139 at a specific time, at a specific place. 00:24:22.839 --> 00:24:26.160 And so imagine for a second that there was a new book of the Bible. 00:24:26.259 --> 00:24:27.339 By the way, there will not be. 00:24:27.720 --> 00:24:30.299 But let's imagine there was one written to us at Cheyenne Mountain. 00:24:31.160 --> 00:24:33.119 And there was an apostle writing to us. 00:24:33.299 --> 00:24:35.660 Just to be clear, the apostolic office has ceased. 00:24:35.779 --> 00:24:38.160 So this is a mind experiment, a thought experiment. 00:24:38.759 --> 00:24:39.779 There are no more apostles. 00:24:40.319 --> 00:24:42.200 But let's imagine an apostle wrote us a letter. 00:24:42.200 --> 00:24:45.759 And they talked about something that was going on in our community. 00:24:45.980 --> 00:24:49.460 And they mentioned that so-and-so had tweeted several times 00:24:49.460 --> 00:24:52.140 about this issue in our community. 00:24:52.600 --> 00:24:54.319 And we had all seen the tweets. 00:24:54.900 --> 00:24:57.759 And then we had gotten onto our iPhones to read about it. 00:24:57.779 --> 00:24:58.559 And this was discussed. 00:24:58.660 --> 00:24:59.539 And this had become a problem. 00:24:59.740 --> 00:25:01.819 And so we need to understand how the gospel 00:25:01.819 --> 00:25:03.680 applied to this issue in our community 00:25:03.680 --> 00:25:04.860 that people were tweeting about 00:25:04.860 --> 00:25:06.480 and we were all reading on our iPhones about. 00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:10.000 And this became part of the canon. 00:25:10.160 --> 00:25:11.440 And then 300 years later, 00:25:11.620 --> 00:25:13.220 there's a group of people reading this book. 00:25:14.480 --> 00:25:16.620 Are they going to be able to understand it clearly? 00:25:19.620 --> 00:25:21.539 No, they're going to need a Bible commentary. 00:25:22.259 --> 00:25:23.920 And this commentary is going to have a footnote 00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:27.019 explaining what it is that people in 2019 00:25:27.019 --> 00:25:28.700 were doing this thing called tweeting. 00:25:28.700 --> 00:25:32.039 And this is what the apostle was trying to say. 00:25:32.180 --> 00:25:33.799 And they had these things called iPhones. 00:25:33.940 --> 00:25:35.680 And there was this company named Apple. 00:25:35.759 --> 00:25:36.660 And it was very prominent. 00:25:36.779 --> 00:25:38.920 There were many people, mostly wealthy people. 00:25:38.980 --> 00:25:40.660 But the wealthy people who lived in 2019 00:25:40.660 --> 00:25:41.799 would own these iPhones. 00:25:42.080 --> 00:25:44.600 And so this was causing trouble in the church 00:25:44.600 --> 00:25:46.700 in Colorado Springs at Cheyenne Mountain. 00:25:46.740 --> 00:25:47.700 And it was stirring up division. 00:25:47.960 --> 00:25:51.080 And we don't have iPhones anymore in 2300. 00:25:51.160 --> 00:25:51.880 And we don't tweet. 00:25:52.200 --> 00:25:53.120 But the point is this, 00:25:53.200 --> 00:25:54.759 that God is making this point 00:25:54.759 --> 00:25:56.019 that we can apply to us today. 00:25:56.019 --> 00:26:01.359 God's word is hard to understand 00:26:01.359 --> 00:26:03.160 because God's passionate about communicating 00:26:03.160 --> 00:26:04.400 to a specific people 00:26:04.400 --> 00:26:06.519 at a specific place in a specific time. 00:26:07.839 --> 00:26:09.639 And so if he has written to a people 00:26:09.639 --> 00:26:11.480 and we are not in that specific place 00:26:11.480 --> 00:26:12.720 in that specific time, 00:26:12.740 --> 00:26:14.379 it's going to be challenging for us 00:26:14.379 --> 00:26:15.639 to translate it. 00:26:16.720 --> 00:26:18.059 It's in a different language. 00:26:19.400 --> 00:26:20.859 And so we're going to need people 00:26:20.859 --> 00:26:22.059 who have studied those places 00:26:22.059 --> 00:26:23.519 and those times to explain 00:26:23.519 --> 00:26:25.220 and help us to understand. 00:26:26.019 --> 00:26:28.359 And so that's true today, 00:26:28.460 --> 00:26:30.119 but it was also true in the Old Testament. 00:26:31.960 --> 00:26:33.980 Now I've given you a bunch of bad news 00:26:33.980 --> 00:26:36.619 that the Bible is difficult to understand. 00:26:38.259 --> 00:26:39.500 Here's the good news. 00:26:41.539 --> 00:26:43.940 The Bible is difficult to understand 00:26:43.940 --> 00:26:45.240 because it is different 00:26:45.240 --> 00:26:47.440 from other religious traditions 00:26:47.440 --> 00:26:48.500 and religious books. 00:26:50.039 --> 00:26:51.519 Other religious traditions 00:26:51.519 --> 00:26:52.440 and religious books 00:26:52.440 --> 00:26:54.539 are written primarily at one time 00:26:54.539 --> 00:26:55.759 in one place 00:26:55.759 --> 00:26:56.879 in one language. 00:26:59.599 --> 00:27:00.079 Instead, 00:27:00.799 --> 00:27:02.059 the Bible has been written 00:27:02.059 --> 00:27:03.079 at many times 00:27:03.079 --> 00:27:04.480 and many places 00:27:04.480 --> 00:27:06.200 in multiple languages. 00:27:06.559 --> 00:27:07.639 Hebrew in the Old Testament, 00:27:08.079 --> 00:27:09.099 Greek in the New Testament, 00:27:09.480 --> 00:27:11.059 some Aramaic in the Old Testament. 00:27:11.059 --> 00:27:17.440 And so the point is this. 00:27:18.379 --> 00:27:19.779 The fact that the Bible 00:27:19.779 --> 00:27:21.159 is difficult to understand 00:27:21.159 --> 00:27:22.879 is a result of the fact 00:27:22.879 --> 00:27:24.579 that God can speak clearly 00:27:24.579 --> 00:27:25.720 one message 00:27:25.720 --> 00:27:26.859 in different cultures 00:27:26.859 --> 00:27:27.899 and different places 00:27:27.899 --> 00:27:28.899 at different times. 00:27:30.319 --> 00:27:32.079 And so as we look at these things 00:27:32.079 --> 00:27:33.539 that are difficult to understand, 00:27:33.539 --> 00:27:34.559 that is actually something 00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:35.379 that gives us reason 00:27:35.379 --> 00:27:36.059 to believe 00:27:36.059 --> 00:27:38.059 and have faith 00:27:38.059 --> 00:27:39.779 and take confidence 00:27:39.779 --> 00:27:40.960 in God's Word. 00:27:42.200 --> 00:27:43.440 Because God's Word 00:27:43.440 --> 00:27:44.419 is not the product 00:27:44.419 --> 00:27:45.379 of one culture. 00:27:46.059 --> 00:27:47.319 It is not the product 00:27:47.319 --> 00:27:48.700 of one way of thinking. 00:27:49.500 --> 00:27:49.919 Instead, 00:27:50.159 --> 00:27:51.000 it is the product 00:27:51.000 --> 00:27:52.000 of one God 00:27:52.000 --> 00:27:52.779 who is speaking 00:27:52.779 --> 00:27:54.339 clearly to His people 00:27:54.339 --> 00:27:56.019 over and over again. 00:27:56.119 --> 00:27:57.679 One single message. 00:27:59.339 --> 00:28:00.299 It's a message 00:28:00.299 --> 00:28:01.220 that's not tied 00:28:01.220 --> 00:28:02.559 to a specific group. 00:28:02.559 --> 00:28:06.220 And so this is part 00:28:06.220 --> 00:28:06.619 of the reason 00:28:06.619 --> 00:28:07.839 the Bible's difficulty 00:28:07.839 --> 00:28:09.639 is part of the reason 00:28:09.639 --> 00:28:10.539 that we trust it. 00:28:11.220 --> 00:28:12.200 It's part of the reason 00:28:12.200 --> 00:28:13.639 that we have confidence in it. 00:28:13.960 --> 00:28:14.799 It's part of the reason 00:28:14.799 --> 00:28:15.899 that we believe it. 00:28:16.240 --> 00:28:17.159 Because we know 00:28:17.159 --> 00:28:18.240 that it's not simply 00:28:18.240 --> 00:28:19.480 something for people 00:28:19.480 --> 00:28:21.700 of our socioeconomic class 00:28:21.700 --> 00:28:23.519 and our race 00:28:23.519 --> 00:28:24.960 in this specific place 00:28:24.960 --> 00:28:25.879 in Colorado Springs. 00:28:28.579 --> 00:28:29.720 To double down 00:28:29.720 --> 00:28:30.579 on it even more, 00:28:31.220 --> 00:28:32.419 so other religious traditions, 00:28:32.559 --> 00:28:33.519 their books primarily 00:28:33.519 --> 00:28:34.579 are written at one time 00:28:34.579 --> 00:28:35.240 in one place 00:28:35.240 --> 00:28:36.019 in one language, 00:28:36.980 --> 00:28:38.059 other religious traditions 00:28:38.059 --> 00:28:40.399 are also still centered 00:28:40.399 --> 00:28:41.240 geographically 00:28:41.240 --> 00:28:41.779 in the place 00:28:41.779 --> 00:28:42.440 where they started. 00:28:44.379 --> 00:28:46.299 But because God's Word 00:28:46.299 --> 00:28:48.480 is for multiple people 00:28:48.480 --> 00:28:49.599 at multiple places 00:28:49.599 --> 00:28:50.639 and multiple times, 00:28:51.099 --> 00:28:52.379 the center of Christianity 00:28:52.379 --> 00:28:53.259 throughout history 00:28:53.259 --> 00:28:54.539 continues to shift. 00:28:56.039 --> 00:28:57.059 We're reading a book 00:28:57.059 --> 00:28:58.059 from the ancient Near East. 00:28:59.079 --> 00:29:00.079 The ancient Near East 00:29:00.079 --> 00:29:00.879 is no longer 00:29:00.879 --> 00:29:02.039 the center of Christianity. 00:29:02.559 --> 00:29:05.159 If you read the New Testament, 00:29:05.279 --> 00:29:05.919 you're reading a book 00:29:05.919 --> 00:29:06.419 that was written 00:29:06.419 --> 00:29:07.539 in the area of the Mediterranean 00:29:07.539 --> 00:29:08.319 in Asia Minor. 00:29:08.740 --> 00:29:09.839 That is no longer 00:29:09.839 --> 00:29:11.139 the center of Christianity. 00:29:12.139 --> 00:29:13.259 The center of Christianity 00:29:13.259 --> 00:29:13.720 right now 00:29:13.720 --> 00:29:14.379 is actually moving 00:29:14.379 --> 00:29:15.359 to the global south, 00:29:16.019 --> 00:29:18.240 which is South America, 00:29:18.599 --> 00:29:18.940 Africa. 00:29:19.740 --> 00:29:20.500 And so as we 00:29:20.500 --> 00:29:21.419 in North America 00:29:21.419 --> 00:29:22.000 read it, 00:29:22.460 --> 00:29:23.559 we are not reading 00:29:23.559 --> 00:29:24.619 a North American book. 00:29:25.579 --> 00:29:26.279 And as people 00:29:26.279 --> 00:29:27.220 in South America 00:29:27.220 --> 00:29:28.099 read the Bible, 00:29:28.240 --> 00:29:29.059 they are not reading 00:29:29.059 --> 00:29:30.240 a South American book. 00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:31.599 Instead, 00:29:31.819 --> 00:29:32.380 they are reading 00:29:32.380 --> 00:29:33.480 God's Word 00:29:33.480 --> 00:29:35.640 that He has given 00:29:35.640 --> 00:29:36.700 over time 00:29:36.700 --> 00:29:37.779 in different places, 00:29:37.920 --> 00:29:38.640 in different ways, 00:29:38.759 --> 00:29:39.640 in different languages. 00:29:40.759 --> 00:29:41.779 And so that is the reason 00:29:41.779 --> 00:29:42.460 we believe 00:29:42.460 --> 00:29:43.500 and have faith 00:29:43.500 --> 00:29:44.359 and confidence 00:29:44.359 --> 00:29:44.980 in what God 00:29:44.980 --> 00:29:45.819 has said to us. 00:29:46.640 --> 00:29:48.519 Because He is the only God 00:29:48.519 --> 00:29:49.859 who is powerful enough 00:29:49.859 --> 00:29:50.420 to speak 00:29:50.420 --> 00:29:51.440 in different languages, 00:29:51.620 --> 00:29:52.299 in different places, 00:29:52.400 --> 00:29:53.099 in different times. 00:29:53.099 --> 00:29:56.839 So when we come up 00:29:56.839 --> 00:29:57.759 against the difficulty 00:29:57.759 --> 00:29:58.500 and challenge 00:29:58.500 --> 00:29:59.259 of God's Word, 00:29:59.339 --> 00:30:00.139 it is a reminder 00:30:00.139 --> 00:30:00.719 to us 00:30:00.719 --> 00:30:01.879 of God's power. 00:30:03.899 --> 00:30:05.480 He is the powerful, 00:30:06.019 --> 00:30:07.059 multicultural God 00:30:07.059 --> 00:30:07.859 who can speak 00:30:07.859 --> 00:30:09.579 into those things. 00:30:13.359 --> 00:30:14.159 And the Bible 00:30:14.159 --> 00:30:14.679 is still hard 00:30:14.679 --> 00:30:15.159 to understand. 00:30:18.119 --> 00:30:19.939 One of my mom's 00:30:19.939 --> 00:30:20.459 favorite movies 00:30:20.459 --> 00:30:21.019 that we watched 00:30:21.019 --> 00:30:21.539 over and over 00:30:21.539 --> 00:30:22.099 growing up 00:30:22.099 --> 00:30:22.439 was called 00:30:22.439 --> 00:30:23.519 A League of Their Own. 00:30:23.939 --> 00:30:24.799 And if you are familiar 00:30:24.799 --> 00:30:25.579 with A League of Their Own, 00:30:25.639 --> 00:30:26.899 you know it is a movie 00:30:26.899 --> 00:30:28.719 about what happened 00:30:28.719 --> 00:30:29.480 in World War II 00:30:29.480 --> 00:30:30.119 when all the men 00:30:30.119 --> 00:30:30.559 went away 00:30:30.559 --> 00:30:30.899 and the women 00:30:30.899 --> 00:30:31.399 were left. 00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:32.579 What were they going 00:30:32.579 --> 00:30:33.219 to do to fill 00:30:33.219 --> 00:30:34.019 some of these jobs? 00:30:34.139 --> 00:30:34.659 And one of the things 00:30:34.659 --> 00:30:35.259 they did was start 00:30:35.259 --> 00:30:36.279 their own baseball league. 00:30:37.319 --> 00:30:38.059 And so replacing 00:30:38.059 --> 00:30:38.859 the men who had left 00:30:38.859 --> 00:30:39.379 who were no longer 00:30:39.379 --> 00:30:40.039 playing baseball, 00:30:40.179 --> 00:30:40.659 they replaced it 00:30:40.659 --> 00:30:41.399 with women's leagues. 00:30:42.240 --> 00:30:43.759 And there comes 00:30:43.759 --> 00:30:44.719 a point at the movie 00:30:44.719 --> 00:30:45.859 when one of the main 00:30:45.859 --> 00:30:46.619 characters, Dottie, 00:30:46.659 --> 00:30:47.379 decides she wants 00:30:47.379 --> 00:30:48.259 to quit the team. 00:30:49.059 --> 00:30:49.539 She is tired 00:30:49.539 --> 00:30:50.759 of playing baseball. 00:30:50.759 --> 00:30:53.819 And so her coach, 00:30:53.920 --> 00:30:54.420 Tom Hanks, 00:30:54.960 --> 00:30:55.900 comes up to her 00:30:55.900 --> 00:30:56.579 and confronts her 00:30:56.579 --> 00:30:57.059 about this 00:30:57.059 --> 00:30:57.879 as she's heading out 00:30:57.879 --> 00:30:58.539 and he says, 00:30:59.140 --> 00:31:00.119 sneaking out like this, 00:31:00.220 --> 00:31:00.420 quitting, 00:31:01.559 --> 00:31:02.539 you'll regret it 00:31:02.539 --> 00:31:03.019 for the rest 00:31:03.019 --> 00:31:03.599 of your life. 00:31:05.079 --> 00:31:05.940 Baseball is what 00:31:05.940 --> 00:31:06.960 gets inside you. 00:31:07.500 --> 00:31:08.720 It's what lights you up. 00:31:09.319 --> 00:31:10.500 You can't deny that. 00:31:12.460 --> 00:31:13.240 And Dottie says, 00:31:13.579 --> 00:31:15.819 it just got too hard. 00:31:15.819 --> 00:31:19.019 And without skipping a beat, 00:31:19.099 --> 00:31:19.879 Tom Hanks says, 00:31:20.179 --> 00:31:21.500 it is supposed to be hard. 00:31:22.859 --> 00:31:24.220 If it wasn't hard, 00:31:24.559 --> 00:31:25.500 everyone would do it. 00:31:26.299 --> 00:31:27.899 The hard is what 00:31:27.899 --> 00:31:28.679 makes it great. 00:31:31.460 --> 00:31:32.659 If we are Christians 00:31:32.659 --> 00:31:34.279 and we love God 00:31:34.279 --> 00:31:35.559 and we love his word, 00:31:36.720 --> 00:31:37.399 then we can say 00:31:37.399 --> 00:31:37.960 that his word 00:31:37.960 --> 00:31:39.299 is what gets inside us. 00:31:40.460 --> 00:31:42.079 It is what lights us up. 00:31:42.079 --> 00:31:44.500 And it is supposed 00:31:44.500 --> 00:31:45.079 to be hard. 00:31:47.039 --> 00:31:48.099 But it's the hard 00:31:48.099 --> 00:31:49.259 that makes it great. 00:31:51.059 --> 00:31:52.000 It's the hard 00:31:52.000 --> 00:31:52.879 that reminds us 00:31:52.879 --> 00:31:54.379 that this is a powerful God 00:31:54.379 --> 00:31:55.059 who speaks 00:31:55.059 --> 00:31:55.839 in different languages. 00:31:56.779 --> 00:31:57.659 That our God 00:31:57.659 --> 00:31:58.619 does not just 00:31:58.619 --> 00:31:59.879 speak English. 00:32:01.659 --> 00:32:02.720 And he's not just 00:32:02.720 --> 00:32:03.439 in North America. 00:32:03.440 --> 00:32:06.600 but he's more powerful 00:32:06.600 --> 00:32:08.299 than any of those things. 00:32:11.820 --> 00:32:13.059 Not only is he passionate 00:32:13.059 --> 00:32:14.660 about speaking to people 00:32:14.660 --> 00:32:15.360 in different places 00:32:15.360 --> 00:32:16.000 at different times, 00:32:16.100 --> 00:32:16.920 speaking directly 00:32:16.920 --> 00:32:17.519 to people 00:32:17.519 --> 00:32:18.799 in a specific culture, 00:32:19.539 --> 00:32:20.840 but showing up 00:32:20.840 --> 00:32:21.960 in a particular time 00:32:21.960 --> 00:32:22.519 and culture 00:32:22.519 --> 00:32:23.200 and place 00:32:23.200 --> 00:32:23.799 was God's 00:32:23.799 --> 00:32:24.920 always his intention. 00:32:26.779 --> 00:32:27.740 We've talked a lot 00:32:27.740 --> 00:32:28.519 about the word 00:32:28.519 --> 00:32:29.559 as what's been written. 00:32:30.840 --> 00:32:31.759 But if you were paying 00:32:31.759 --> 00:32:32.880 attention in our service today, 00:32:32.880 --> 00:32:33.920 you know our New Testament 00:32:33.920 --> 00:32:35.060 reading talked about 00:32:35.060 --> 00:32:36.080 a different word. 00:32:38.060 --> 00:32:39.260 Not about a word 00:32:39.260 --> 00:32:40.240 that was written down, 00:32:41.160 --> 00:32:42.180 but about a word 00:32:42.180 --> 00:32:42.900 that came 00:32:42.900 --> 00:32:44.080 and became flesh. 00:32:45.620 --> 00:32:46.280 God's not just 00:32:46.280 --> 00:32:46.920 passionate about 00:32:46.920 --> 00:32:47.420 speaking 00:32:47.420 --> 00:32:48.760 in a specific time 00:32:48.760 --> 00:32:49.320 and place. 00:32:50.400 --> 00:32:51.220 But he actually 00:32:51.220 --> 00:32:52.200 sent his son 00:32:52.200 --> 00:32:53.820 to be a real human 00:32:53.820 --> 00:32:55.220 in a specific time 00:32:55.220 --> 00:32:56.380 and a specific place 00:32:56.380 --> 00:32:57.260 so that he could 00:32:57.260 --> 00:32:57.960 speak to us 00:32:57.960 --> 00:32:58.860 and we could understand. 00:32:58.859 --> 00:33:02.959 The incarnation, 00:33:03.479 --> 00:33:04.599 Jesus becoming man, 00:33:04.679 --> 00:33:05.819 is the greatest example 00:33:05.819 --> 00:33:06.319 of God 00:33:06.319 --> 00:33:07.299 taking his word 00:33:07.299 --> 00:33:08.459 and giving it 00:33:08.459 --> 00:33:09.559 in a specific way 00:33:09.559 --> 00:33:10.599 to specific people. 00:33:12.799 --> 00:33:13.939 It's God's pattern 00:33:13.939 --> 00:33:15.119 to always pursue 00:33:15.119 --> 00:33:15.719 his people 00:33:15.719 --> 00:33:16.799 and speak to them. 00:33:16.899 --> 00:33:17.379 And so that's why 00:33:17.379 --> 00:33:18.479 we find out in Colossians 00:33:18.479 --> 00:33:19.319 that Jesus 00:33:19.319 --> 00:33:21.339 was God's greatest 00:33:21.339 --> 00:33:22.659 communication to us. 00:33:23.859 --> 00:33:24.799 It was the way 00:33:24.799 --> 00:33:25.839 that he made himself 00:33:25.839 --> 00:33:26.859 visible to us 00:33:26.859 --> 00:33:28.019 that we could see him. 00:33:28.740 --> 00:33:29.479 Paul says this 00:33:29.479 --> 00:33:30.619 in Colossians 1.15, 00:33:30.740 --> 00:33:31.539 he is the image 00:33:31.539 --> 00:33:32.919 of the invisible God, 00:33:33.000 --> 00:33:33.619 the firstborn 00:33:33.619 --> 00:33:34.339 of all creation. 00:33:35.079 --> 00:33:35.699 In other words, 00:33:35.740 --> 00:33:36.500 as one person 00:33:36.500 --> 00:33:38.039 has put it, 00:33:39.259 --> 00:33:40.419 God does not hide 00:33:40.419 --> 00:33:41.019 from us 00:33:41.019 --> 00:33:41.879 in the ways 00:33:41.879 --> 00:33:42.740 that we hide from him. 00:33:44.000 --> 00:33:45.179 God has shown himself 00:33:45.179 --> 00:33:45.579 to us, 00:33:45.639 --> 00:33:46.539 he's revealed himself 00:33:46.539 --> 00:33:46.979 to us, 00:33:47.019 --> 00:33:47.559 that Jesus 00:33:47.559 --> 00:33:48.579 is the way 00:33:48.579 --> 00:33:49.199 that we know 00:33:49.199 --> 00:33:49.959 who God is. 00:33:52.339 --> 00:33:53.139 And so God 00:33:53.139 --> 00:33:53.759 doesn't just put 00:33:53.759 --> 00:33:54.459 his words 00:33:54.459 --> 00:33:55.519 into our language 00:33:55.519 --> 00:33:56.139 and our time. 00:33:57.339 --> 00:33:59.039 God also puts himself 00:33:59.039 --> 00:34:01.199 into our place 00:34:01.199 --> 00:34:01.979 and our language 00:34:01.979 --> 00:34:02.599 and our time. 00:34:02.719 --> 00:34:03.399 Jesus spoke 00:34:03.399 --> 00:34:04.859 a specific language. 00:34:05.759 --> 00:34:06.319 He lived 00:34:06.319 --> 00:34:07.379 in a specific place 00:34:07.379 --> 00:34:08.559 at a specific time. 00:34:10.000 --> 00:34:10.960 And that is 00:34:10.960 --> 00:34:11.579 our hope. 00:34:11.859 --> 00:34:12.739 That is what gives us 00:34:12.739 --> 00:34:13.619 reason to believe 00:34:13.619 --> 00:34:14.299 and have faith 00:34:14.299 --> 00:34:15.039 and confidence 00:34:15.039 --> 00:34:15.980 in God's word. 00:34:16.559 --> 00:34:17.619 Not just because 00:34:17.619 --> 00:34:18.460 the words itself 00:34:18.460 --> 00:34:19.299 were in different places 00:34:19.299 --> 00:34:20.019 and different times, 00:34:20.099 --> 00:34:20.799 but because God 00:34:20.799 --> 00:34:22.139 gave us his word 00:34:22.139 --> 00:34:23.480 at a specific place 00:34:23.480 --> 00:34:24.500 and a specific time. 00:34:25.460 --> 00:34:26.039 And that word 00:34:26.039 --> 00:34:26.619 was Jesus. 00:34:26.619 --> 00:34:27.579 Jesus is the one, 00:34:28.039 --> 00:34:28.539 while we've talked 00:34:28.539 --> 00:34:29.199 about creation 00:34:29.199 --> 00:34:29.819 and redemption, 00:34:30.019 --> 00:34:30.440 he's the one 00:34:30.440 --> 00:34:31.559 who provides redemption, 00:34:31.679 --> 00:34:32.420 that God speaks 00:34:32.420 --> 00:34:33.059 to us 00:34:33.059 --> 00:34:34.079 because we are not 00:34:34.079 --> 00:34:35.159 alienated from him 00:34:35.159 --> 00:34:35.559 anymore. 00:34:36.619 --> 00:34:37.400 He speaks to us 00:34:37.400 --> 00:34:37.960 because Jesus 00:34:37.960 --> 00:34:39.139 has taken the full 00:34:39.139 --> 00:34:40.400 penalty for our sins 00:34:40.400 --> 00:34:41.659 as God pours out 00:34:41.659 --> 00:34:42.679 the wrath 00:34:42.679 --> 00:34:43.239 and justice 00:34:43.239 --> 00:34:43.920 on this earth. 00:34:44.019 --> 00:34:44.579 He does not 00:34:44.579 --> 00:34:45.759 pour it out on us 00:34:45.759 --> 00:34:46.880 if we're following 00:34:46.880 --> 00:34:47.799 after his word, 00:34:48.619 --> 00:34:49.259 if we're following 00:34:49.259 --> 00:34:49.940 after Jesus 00:34:49.940 --> 00:34:51.139 who became 00:34:51.139 --> 00:34:52.159 flesh for us. 00:34:52.159 --> 00:34:55.960 God continues 00:34:55.960 --> 00:34:56.799 to do that 00:34:56.799 --> 00:34:57.559 even today. 00:34:58.839 --> 00:34:59.440 Jesus is still 00:34:59.440 --> 00:35:00.199 interceding for us, 00:35:00.279 --> 00:35:00.839 but God knows 00:35:00.839 --> 00:35:01.679 we need specific 00:35:01.679 --> 00:35:02.639 things at specific 00:35:02.639 --> 00:35:03.000 times, 00:35:03.079 --> 00:35:03.440 things that are 00:35:03.440 --> 00:35:04.039 physical that we 00:35:04.039 --> 00:35:04.699 can understand. 00:35:05.879 --> 00:35:06.379 That's what we're 00:35:06.379 --> 00:35:06.960 going to transition 00:35:06.960 --> 00:35:07.500 to now. 00:35:07.619 --> 00:35:08.339 The Lord's Supper 00:35:08.339 --> 00:35:09.859 is one of the ways 00:35:09.859 --> 00:35:10.619 that God speaks 00:35:10.619 --> 00:35:11.480 to us clearly. 00:35:12.039 --> 00:35:12.819 It's one of the ways 00:35:12.819 --> 00:35:13.659 that he communicates 00:35:13.659 --> 00:35:14.099 to us. 00:35:14.960 --> 00:35:15.739 It's one of the ways 00:35:15.739 --> 00:35:16.739 that he reminds us 00:35:16.739 --> 00:35:18.219 of who Jesus is 00:35:18.219 --> 00:35:18.779 and the fact that 00:35:18.779 --> 00:35:19.579 he is the one 00:35:19.579 --> 00:35:20.539 who brings our 00:35:20.539 --> 00:35:20.860 redemption. 00:35:22.079 --> 00:35:22.440 And so we're 00:35:22.440 --> 00:35:23.539 going to go to 00:35:23.539 --> 00:35:25.039 our closing hymn 00:35:25.039 --> 00:35:25.400 for a couple 00:35:25.400 --> 00:35:25.960 verses and then 00:35:25.960 --> 00:35:26.259 we're going to 00:35:26.259 --> 00:35:26.639 come to the 00:35:26.639 --> 00:35:27.139 Lord's table. 00:35:27.599 --> 00:35:27.980 And I'm going to 00:35:27.980 --> 00:35:28.639 pray for us now 00:35:28.639 --> 00:35:29.299 first, so please 00:35:29.299 --> 00:35:29.840 pray with me. 00:35:31.259 --> 00:35:32.099 Dear Father in 00:35:32.099 --> 00:35:32.880 heaven, we thank 00:35:32.880 --> 00:35:33.559 you for your word 00:35:33.559 --> 00:35:34.139 that you have 00:35:34.139 --> 00:35:35.000 spoken clearly to 00:35:35.000 --> 00:35:35.259 us. 00:35:36.079 --> 00:35:36.880 We ask that you 00:35:36.880 --> 00:35:37.779 would stir up a 00:35:37.779 --> 00:35:38.619 desire within us 00:35:38.619 --> 00:35:39.059 that we would 00:35:39.059 --> 00:35:40.159 long to return to 00:35:40.159 --> 00:35:40.860 you and your 00:35:40.860 --> 00:35:41.159 word. 00:35:42.559 --> 00:35:43.420 That you remind 00:35:43.420 --> 00:35:44.340 us of your power, 00:35:45.420 --> 00:35:45.980 that it's your 00:35:45.980 --> 00:35:47.440 word that gives 00:35:47.440 --> 00:35:48.639 us confidence and 00:35:48.639 --> 00:35:49.480 faith and 00:35:49.480 --> 00:35:50.639 belief in you. 00:35:51.380 --> 00:35:52.360 We ask all these 00:35:52.360 --> 00:35:52.960 things in the name 00:35:52.960 --> 00:35:53.500 of your son. 00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:54.500 Amen.