WEBVTT 00:00:00.260 --> 00:00:05.980 Father, we ask that your Holy Spirit would move in a mighty way in us as a congregation 00:00:05.980 --> 00:00:14.900 so that our heart and our plans and our thinking is to bring you glory, to do your will in 00:00:14.900 --> 00:00:22.019 your way as we bring you glory, knowing that as we bring glory to you that people are blessed. 00:00:22.900 --> 00:00:27.160 And Father, make us a congregation that wants to lift Jesus high, not only in this city 00:00:27.160 --> 00:00:28.359 and to the ends of the earth. 00:00:29.160 --> 00:00:32.920 So Father, we ask that you make us ever more generous in our pursuit of that. 00:00:33.060 --> 00:00:40.140 And now as we, Father, spend time listening to your word, we ask that your Holy Spirit would 00:00:40.140 --> 00:00:44.579 work deeply within us that we might abide a Father in your love. 00:00:44.960 --> 00:00:48.579 And we ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior. 00:00:48.780 --> 00:00:49.079 Amen. 00:00:49.980 --> 00:00:50.840 Please be seated. 00:00:50.840 --> 00:00:51.840 Amen. 00:00:53.340 --> 00:01:04.280 So, I had a bit of an unusual education in that I actually never went to a sort of an 00:01:04.280 --> 00:01:06.299 I never went to an evangelical seminary. 00:01:06.379 --> 00:01:07.799 I went to a secular university. 00:01:07.799 --> 00:01:09.500 I did secular graduate work. 00:01:09.500 --> 00:01:15.340 And then I went to a very, very, very liberal place to train to be a minister. 00:01:15.459 --> 00:01:17.579 And if you're a guest, you might not know what liberal means. 00:01:18.060 --> 00:01:23.540 It means that a lot of the sort of very standard or traditional doctrines that Christians believe 00:01:23.540 --> 00:01:27.900 would not have been believed by the faculty and my professors. 00:01:27.900 --> 00:01:33.420 And so in the Anglican Church of Canada, when I was part of that, and in that school where 00:01:33.420 --> 00:01:40.460 I did my training, they would have thought, well, if you said in a place like that that 00:01:40.460 --> 00:01:45.060 you believe that the Bible was God's word, that every word in it was a word that came 00:01:45.060 --> 00:01:48.300 from God, and that it was authoritative in your life. 00:01:48.299 --> 00:01:53.560 If you said something like that in the school that I trained at, they would have said, at 00:01:53.560 --> 00:02:02.599 least in their mind, if not with their lips, that I was, well, I was some type of fool to 00:02:02.599 --> 00:02:03.859 believe something like that. 00:02:04.120 --> 00:02:09.419 I was obviously a fundamentalist and probably not very bright. 00:02:10.579 --> 00:02:18.180 And if I was bright, I obviously wasn't very well read to believe something like that. 00:02:19.260 --> 00:02:28.980 And when I talked to non-Christians about different things about the Christian faith, they probably 00:02:28.980 --> 00:02:31.780 wouldn't call me a fundamentalist because it doesn't get to that. 00:02:32.640 --> 00:02:36.680 But, well, it would be a little bit like one fellow who's seen me working on my sermon in 00:02:36.680 --> 00:02:38.439 a coffee shop on a regular basis. 00:02:38.439 --> 00:02:41.680 And he said to me one day, he said, George, I just don't get why it is that you guys are 00:02:41.680 --> 00:02:43.100 so fixated on the Bible. 00:02:43.099 --> 00:02:46.199 Like, what's up with this? 00:02:46.500 --> 00:02:48.299 Just being so fixated with the Bible. 00:02:48.579 --> 00:02:51.039 Like, you know, there's lots of good books in the world. 00:02:52.060 --> 00:02:55.060 And there's lots of places where you can find wisdom. 00:02:55.199 --> 00:02:57.299 And there's lots of places where you can get insight. 00:02:57.300 --> 00:03:02.000 You know, it's a little bit, he said, because he knew me very well. 00:03:02.100 --> 00:03:05.980 He said, you know, when your kids are very young at a certain age, they might have one 00:03:05.980 --> 00:03:10.439 book that when you read the story to, you know, a book to your kids, there's one particular 00:03:10.439 --> 00:03:12.700 book that after you've read it, they say, could you read it again? 00:03:13.200 --> 00:03:15.439 And then after you've read it, they say, can you read it again? 00:03:15.639 --> 00:03:18.699 And then the next day you read them a story, they want to hear that book. 00:03:18.840 --> 00:03:22.800 And, you know, like in one week, they might read that one book like 20 times. 00:03:23.639 --> 00:03:27.139 And we think it's cute when they're young, but like for an adult, it's a bit embarrassing, 00:03:27.280 --> 00:03:27.819 don't you think? 00:03:27.939 --> 00:03:30.800 Just to be sort of fixated all the time on just one book. 00:03:31.460 --> 00:03:32.560 So what's up with you? 00:03:32.939 --> 00:03:33.860 Like, what's up with you guys? 00:03:34.939 --> 00:03:41.000 So the scripture text that we're going to look at right now is actually an answer to that. 00:03:41.000 --> 00:03:46.099 It explains why it is that we would be fixated in quotation marks with one book. 00:03:46.699 --> 00:03:50.659 So it'd be a great help to me if you would take your Bibles and turn to John chapter 5, 00:03:51.340 --> 00:03:52.479 beginning at verse 31. 00:03:52.659 --> 00:03:54.900 John chapter 5, beginning at verse 31. 00:03:56.379 --> 00:04:01.520 And the way the flow is, just so you know what the context is, right? 00:04:01.560 --> 00:04:02.379 Because this is a book. 00:04:03.159 --> 00:04:10.780 And just like if I was to come into a movie, you know, 10 or 15 minutes late, I might ask 00:04:10.780 --> 00:04:14.780 somebody what's going on before or something happens in the plot and I'm not sure why it 00:04:14.780 --> 00:04:15.020 happened. 00:04:15.099 --> 00:04:19.360 I might pause and ask somebody who's been watching it from the beginning what went on before I 00:04:19.360 --> 00:04:20.040 came in. 00:04:20.480 --> 00:04:26.019 So what's going on just before this is at the beginning of chapter 5, we see Jesus doing 00:04:26.019 --> 00:04:27.139 a remarkable miracle. 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:33.100 At least this is what the ancient biography tells us, that Jesus does a remarkable miracle. 00:04:33.360 --> 00:04:39.399 There's a place where invalids and the sick gathered in the hope they had some cultural 00:04:39.399 --> 00:04:44.139 belief or superstitious belief or maybe it was a place where things are just, you know, 00:04:44.519 --> 00:04:48.899 where odd things happen, but it was a place where the invalids and the sick of the world 00:04:48.899 --> 00:04:50.099 of Jerusalem gathered. 00:04:50.839 --> 00:04:55.000 And in that particular place, it's called the Pool of Bethesda, Jesus sees a man who's been 00:04:55.000 --> 00:05:00.319 an invalid for 38 years and merely by his will, Jesus heals the man. 00:05:00.319 --> 00:05:07.599 And he heals the man, not just like a teensy-weensy bit, but he heals the man so much that this man 00:05:07.599 --> 00:05:13.480 who's been an invalid for 38 years is able to stand up, pick up all of his possessions in 00:05:13.480 --> 00:05:15.180 his sleeping mat and walk away. 00:05:16.139 --> 00:05:22.740 And what happens is that this healing takes place on the Sabbath and carrying all of your 00:05:22.740 --> 00:05:28.620 possessions in your sleeping mat broke a tradition of the particular Jewish leaders in Jerusalem 00:05:28.620 --> 00:05:30.420 at that time and they see the man. 00:05:30.879 --> 00:05:33.060 There ends up being a bit of a conversation about it. 00:05:33.459 --> 00:05:36.980 They end up finding out that it was Jesus who told this guy to break their traditions. 00:05:37.139 --> 00:05:40.600 They go to Jesus and Jesus, they say, Jesus, why did he do that? 00:05:40.620 --> 00:05:46.340 And the way that Jesus answers the question really upsets them even more because they say, 00:05:46.480 --> 00:05:49.660 Jesus is talking as if he's equal to God. 00:05:51.560 --> 00:05:56.100 And then the very next bit, it's all part of the same thing, is Jesus understands what they're 00:05:56.100 --> 00:05:56.480 thinking. 00:05:56.680 --> 00:06:01.360 I mean, whether this is divine knowledge or not, it doesn't necessarily have to be divine 00:06:01.360 --> 00:06:02.720 knowledge in this particular case. 00:06:02.760 --> 00:06:05.060 We've all been in a room where we know what everybody's thinking. 00:06:05.900 --> 00:06:07.760 I mean, it's not just crazy people who do that. 00:06:08.900 --> 00:06:13.320 I mean, we can be in a room and we just know that people, you can tell by their body language 00:06:13.320 --> 00:06:13.939 and other ways. 00:06:14.100 --> 00:06:16.540 So however it is, Jesus knows what they're thinking. 00:06:17.760 --> 00:06:21.360 And how he answers the question is very interesting. 00:06:21.360 --> 00:06:25.639 If you've ever talked to a Jehovah Witness, they make a lot of hay out of Jesus's answer 00:06:25.639 --> 00:06:29.759 because Jesus doesn't answer in terms of him being equal to God. 00:06:29.840 --> 00:06:34.080 In fact, a Jehovah Witness will point out to you that Jesus doesn't actually say that 00:06:34.080 --> 00:06:34.920 he's equal to God. 00:06:34.980 --> 00:06:37.819 He sort of dodges the question a little bit. 00:06:37.879 --> 00:06:38.660 That's what they'd say. 00:06:38.759 --> 00:06:45.300 But what they've missed is actually the very cleverness of Jesus's answer because what he 00:06:45.300 --> 00:06:52.540 does is he knows, if we're honest, he knows that the language of equality is problematic. 00:06:53.740 --> 00:06:55.620 We talked about this a little bit last week. 00:06:55.780 --> 00:06:57.199 Probably most of you don't remember. 00:06:57.280 --> 00:06:57.740 That's fine. 00:06:58.139 --> 00:07:03.980 But if we think about it, the language of equality always goes along with being able to do whatever 00:07:03.980 --> 00:07:05.840 you want, right? 00:07:06.319 --> 00:07:11.680 If two people here are equal in the church, then one person can't tell the other person 00:07:11.680 --> 00:07:12.280 what to do. 00:07:12.379 --> 00:07:13.980 Like we say, one moment, I'm equal with you. 00:07:13.980 --> 00:07:15.160 You can't tell me what to do. 00:07:15.259 --> 00:07:17.439 That's how we tend to understand equality. 00:07:18.100 --> 00:07:20.340 That equality means that we have power. 00:07:20.439 --> 00:07:21.640 We have power to do what we want. 00:07:21.720 --> 00:07:24.580 We have power to do something different than the other person. 00:07:25.040 --> 00:07:30.060 I think it was Oscar Wilde who said that if he asked somebody to bring him a glass of 00:07:30.060 --> 00:07:36.840 water and they brought him instead the most expensive wine, he would pour it out and not 00:07:36.840 --> 00:07:42.879 drink it and ask for the water purely for the pleasure of getting what he wanted. 00:07:43.980 --> 00:07:48.040 That the other person couldn't, in a sense, impose their taste on him. 00:07:48.060 --> 00:07:50.040 And that's how we understand equality, isn't it? 00:07:50.780 --> 00:07:53.620 And so Jesus answers in a very, very subtle way. 00:07:53.960 --> 00:07:59.420 He answers in a way that's going to point to the deep intimacy between God the Father 00:07:59.420 --> 00:08:00.280 and God the Son. 00:08:00.660 --> 00:08:07.860 And not only the deep intimacy, but a deep intimacy based on love that means that they 00:08:07.860 --> 00:08:10.480 always are of the same mind. 00:08:11.680 --> 00:08:18.000 And in the context of describing this deep intimacy between himself and his Father, an 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:23.240 intimacy that always has them doing the same thing, you know, does God the Father have 00:08:23.240 --> 00:08:24.020 life in himself? 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:26.020 Only God can have life in himself. 00:08:26.180 --> 00:08:27.040 Well, so does the Son. 00:08:27.500 --> 00:08:33.159 Does God the Father, is he the one who has authority, like a proper authority to say what 00:08:33.159 --> 00:08:33.799 is right and wrong? 00:08:34.139 --> 00:08:35.139 Well, so does the Son. 00:08:35.480 --> 00:08:40.059 Does God the Father have the, is he going to rule over all things? 00:08:40.139 --> 00:08:41.019 Well, so does the Son. 00:08:41.399 --> 00:08:45.059 Does God the Father, the one who's going to bring all things to an end and at the end 00:08:45.059 --> 00:08:45.659 judge all things? 00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:46.459 Well, so does the Son. 00:08:46.559 --> 00:08:51.219 So he describes himself as everything that's describing the Father also is describing of 00:08:51.219 --> 00:08:53.279 him, but it doesn't use the language of equality. 00:08:54.480 --> 00:08:59.459 Because he's trying to communicate something greater than mere equality, which is based on 00:08:59.460 --> 00:09:01.980 this profound intimacy and profound love. 00:09:02.700 --> 00:09:04.080 You can see it in a small way. 00:09:04.139 --> 00:09:09.500 I didn't use this analogy last week, but every one of us who've had kids, or if we haven't 00:09:09.500 --> 00:09:10.900 had kids, we've been kids. 00:09:11.180 --> 00:09:14.200 And you know how kids, like when they reach a certain age, they like to try to play the 00:09:14.200 --> 00:09:16.780 father off against the mother or the mother off against the father. 00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:21.379 They know that there's certain things that if they ask their dad this, the dad will say 00:09:21.379 --> 00:09:21.720 no. 00:09:22.580 --> 00:09:23.580 So they try the mom. 00:09:24.680 --> 00:09:29.240 You know, or if the mom says no, they won't tell the dad that the mom said no. 00:09:29.240 --> 00:09:32.659 They'll go and ask the dad for permission, hoping that the dad will say yes. 00:09:32.820 --> 00:09:38.039 And then, you know, and in a good marriage, of course, you don't get any difference in 00:09:38.039 --> 00:09:39.680 treatment between the mother and the father. 00:09:40.419 --> 00:09:44.259 And that, in a very, very tiny way, is a bit of an image of this deep unity. 00:09:44.980 --> 00:09:49.759 Unity based on love and unity based on love and intimacy between the father and the son. 00:09:50.779 --> 00:09:53.799 So that's what's happening just before this, right? 00:09:53.960 --> 00:09:58.360 So Jesus is making these most really outrageous claims in the world. 00:09:58.360 --> 00:10:00.539 And we talked about that a little bit last week. 00:10:00.659 --> 00:10:04.180 Like, crazy people say that they're God. 00:10:05.100 --> 00:10:07.200 Crazy people say they're God. 00:10:07.740 --> 00:10:11.960 But Jesus is talking as if everything that describes God, the father describes him and 00:10:11.960 --> 00:10:15.539 describes them as if they have this profound unity and this profound intimacy. 00:10:16.139 --> 00:10:18.519 And that at the heart of this is not just unity and intimacy. 00:10:18.740 --> 00:10:25.080 It's one based on the most, literally for us, beyond our imagination's love. 00:10:25.080 --> 00:10:29.400 And that brings us to where we are right now, verse 31. 00:10:30.080 --> 00:10:31.740 So it's John 5 to verse 31. 00:10:32.200 --> 00:10:37.580 And now Jesus says, if I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. 00:10:38.100 --> 00:10:38.879 Like, just pause there. 00:10:38.920 --> 00:10:40.639 Isn't that very refreshing to see that? 00:10:42.060 --> 00:10:43.460 It's very, very refreshing. 00:10:44.379 --> 00:10:48.139 Because he acknowledges that, one moment, I've just said these amazing things. 00:10:48.139 --> 00:10:52.139 Like, don't believe me just because I said it, right? 00:10:52.179 --> 00:10:53.120 That's what he wanted here. 00:10:53.699 --> 00:10:56.659 You know, he's very self-aware. 00:10:56.740 --> 00:10:59.819 And he says, listen, it's not just because I say it that you should believe it. 00:11:00.879 --> 00:11:02.039 Then, what does he go on? 00:11:02.139 --> 00:11:06.399 Verse 32, he says, there is another who bears witness about me. 00:11:07.360 --> 00:11:11.919 And I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. 00:11:11.919 --> 00:11:15.599 Now, here's just another little pause in our reading. 00:11:17.219 --> 00:11:20.379 What you don't know, if you read all the way through this, you're going to see that what 00:11:20.379 --> 00:11:24.659 Jesus is about to do is he's going to say, I have three different, first of all, the he's 00:11:24.659 --> 00:11:26.259 that he's referring to, it's a big claim. 00:11:27.019 --> 00:11:29.959 And we don't actually fully realize it for a few verses. 00:11:30.120 --> 00:11:34.599 But what he's just saying is the person who bears witness that everything that I've said 00:11:34.599 --> 00:11:35.860 is true is God the Father. 00:11:36.879 --> 00:11:38.779 Now, that's a big claim, isn't it? 00:11:38.779 --> 00:11:46.100 The person who's bearing witness that who I am and what I've done, all that who I am, 00:11:46.179 --> 00:11:52.339 that I'm going to be the one who gives eternal life, the one who bears witness to me is God 00:11:52.339 --> 00:11:52.919 the Father. 00:11:53.419 --> 00:11:56.240 And God the Father has done this in three different ways. 00:11:57.480 --> 00:12:00.299 You see that if you read all the way through it, but right now you don't see it. 00:12:00.899 --> 00:12:01.879 He's entering into it. 00:12:01.879 --> 00:12:04.559 But that's what we need to understand, that he is referring to God the Father. 00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:10.039 And he says, God the Father has provided three different ways for us to understand and know 00:12:10.039 --> 00:12:13.159 that Jesus is exactly who he says he is. 00:12:14.079 --> 00:12:15.219 So what's the first one? 00:12:15.279 --> 00:12:20.279 Well, what Jesus does is he says, he basically says to everybody, the first one is weak, but 00:12:20.279 --> 00:12:21.519 it's still something for you to know. 00:12:22.179 --> 00:12:23.059 So what's the first one? 00:12:23.139 --> 00:12:26.279 Well, that continues on at verse 33. 00:12:26.279 --> 00:12:34.039 He says, you sent to John, that means John the Baptist, and he has borne witness to the 00:12:34.039 --> 00:12:34.399 truth. 00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:41.860 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, that is from human beings, but I say 00:12:41.860 --> 00:12:44.179 these things so that you may be saved. 00:12:45.120 --> 00:12:50.360 He, that is John the Baptist, he was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice 00:12:50.360 --> 00:12:51.740 for a while in his light. 00:12:51.740 --> 00:12:54.379 Now, just sort of pause there. 00:12:54.419 --> 00:12:56.019 That's the first witness. 00:12:56.240 --> 00:13:00.659 And he says it's not really, it's actually God the Father bearing witness to John the 00:13:00.659 --> 00:13:00.919 Baptist. 00:13:01.060 --> 00:13:06.500 He's claiming that God the Father was the one who called John the Baptist to be a prophet 00:13:06.500 --> 00:13:13.820 and gave John some knowledge to make certain types of connections and identifications. 00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:18.700 And John the Baptist is the one who said, behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the 00:13:18.700 --> 00:13:18.879 world. 00:13:18.980 --> 00:13:24.420 John the Baptist is the one who said, I baptized you with water, but there is one, I've come 00:13:24.420 --> 00:13:29.440 to prepare the way for one who's far greater than me, that he doesn't just sort of pour 00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:32.520 water over you, he pours the Holy Spirit over you. 00:13:32.560 --> 00:13:35.940 And he not only pours the Holy Spirit over you, he pours the Holy Spirit into you. 00:13:35.960 --> 00:13:37.200 He's far greater than me. 00:13:37.780 --> 00:13:42.920 And it's very interesting that Jesus says this, this is an important witness, but it's a weak 00:13:42.920 --> 00:13:43.600 one, right? 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:49.200 Because he says, I don't ultimately take, we know that witnesses from human beings don't 00:13:49.200 --> 00:13:52.560 really matter that much about these things because human beings can be wrong. 00:13:53.379 --> 00:13:57.519 But it's interesting in two ways before we go any further about this identification with 00:13:57.519 --> 00:13:58.139 John the Baptist. 00:13:58.399 --> 00:14:05.460 And the first one is this, John the Baptist is no historian of the ancient world doubts the 00:14:05.460 --> 00:14:06.740 existence of John the Baptist. 00:14:08.139 --> 00:14:08.639 Why? 00:14:08.639 --> 00:14:16.799 Because an important Roman Jewish historian wrote extensively about John the Baptist. 00:14:17.120 --> 00:14:24.980 An important Roman Jewish historian who lived at the same time, whose writings are consulted 00:14:24.980 --> 00:14:31.019 about how the ancient world worked and who the emperors were and how just the empire worked 00:14:31.019 --> 00:14:35.000 and geography and all that, Josephus, he wrote about John the Baptist. 00:14:35.000 --> 00:14:40.279 He was well known as being a very, very important figure in the Jewish world at this time. 00:14:40.360 --> 00:14:46.200 So it's interesting that Jesus is referring to somebody that even today, outside of the 00:14:46.200 --> 00:14:49.379 Bible, there is lots known about John the Baptist. 00:14:50.279 --> 00:14:53.080 And John the Baptist did draw large, large crowds. 00:14:53.440 --> 00:14:57.320 And it is known that in fact that Herod did put John the Baptist to death. 00:14:57.740 --> 00:15:03.279 And so that's interesting that Jesus has chosen a weak example, but an example that historians 00:15:03.279 --> 00:15:05.159 would say, well, John the Baptist did exist. 00:15:06.279 --> 00:15:09.600 But there's also one other thing which is interesting about this. 00:15:09.759 --> 00:15:16.819 In the ancient church fathers, and then at the time of the Reformation and with the Puritans, 00:15:17.600 --> 00:15:22.419 and those who are familiar with the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, you see it reflected in 00:15:22.419 --> 00:15:24.480 the different prayers in the Book of Common Prayer. 00:15:25.139 --> 00:15:28.899 John the Baptist is taken in some ways as to be the model minister. 00:15:28.899 --> 00:15:35.139 That all ministers are to aspire to be like John the Baptist, to bear witness to Jesus as 00:15:35.139 --> 00:15:39.860 the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, to have the courage, even in the 00:15:39.860 --> 00:15:44.480 face of political power, to bear witness to Jesus, to have the courage, even under threat 00:15:44.480 --> 00:15:46.659 of death, to bear witness to the person of Jesus. 00:15:46.779 --> 00:15:53.699 So in some ways, this is actually telling us that you and I are to bear witness to Jesus. 00:15:53.700 --> 00:16:00.600 Like, if you live in cubicle land, you're to bear witness to Jesus. 00:16:01.180 --> 00:16:06.900 Obviously in inappropriate ways, but God has put you in places where there will be doors 00:16:06.900 --> 00:16:14.020 that open, opportunities for you just to bear witness to Jesus in some way, where you live, 00:16:14.160 --> 00:16:15.480 that God has placed you there. 00:16:15.860 --> 00:16:19.280 Because, you know, really, ultimately all Christians are called to be ministers. 00:16:19.279 --> 00:16:25.539 Jesus says, what does he say again? 00:16:25.620 --> 00:16:27.720 Look at verse 34. 00:16:27.839 --> 00:16:33.120 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man or from human beings, but I say these things 00:16:33.120 --> 00:16:34.179 so that you may be saved. 00:16:34.699 --> 00:16:38.699 So what's the second witness that ultimately comes from God the Father? 00:16:39.579 --> 00:16:41.000 Well, that's in verse 36. 00:16:41.139 --> 00:16:45.039 He just spends one verse on it right here, and it's verse 36. 00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:50.599 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John, still the testimony from the 00:16:50.599 --> 00:16:53.379 Father, the greater testimony than that from John the Baptist. 00:16:53.559 --> 00:16:54.039 What is it? 00:16:54.620 --> 00:17:00.120 For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I'm doing, 00:17:00.799 --> 00:17:05.159 bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. 00:17:05.859 --> 00:17:07.559 Now, what's Jesus talking about here? 00:17:07.659 --> 00:17:11.099 And here what he's talking about are miracles, amongst other things. 00:17:11.500 --> 00:17:13.139 But miracles in particular. 00:17:13.140 --> 00:17:19.480 He's saying that the miracles that I'm doing bear witness that God has sent me. 00:17:19.840 --> 00:17:23.000 Now, if you think about this for a second, this is absolutely correct. 00:17:24.140 --> 00:17:28.480 If miracles actually happen, if it is, and one of the things which is really interesting 00:17:28.480 --> 00:17:34.380 about the way that John wrote his biography of Jesus is he says in many times that if you 00:17:34.380 --> 00:17:38.920 want to understand why it is that important people like Nicodemus come to Jesus in the middle 00:17:38.920 --> 00:17:43.920 of the night and why it is that there's crowds that come and why it is that people who are 00:17:43.920 --> 00:17:48.860 35 kilometers away go through a long walk uphill just to see Jesus. 00:17:49.000 --> 00:17:52.200 If you want to understand why this is going on, you have to understand it's because that 00:17:52.200 --> 00:17:55.980 Jesus is performing miracles all over the place, public miracles. 00:17:56.840 --> 00:18:02.340 But the way that John not only says this, but he also, in writing his biography, he thought 00:18:02.339 --> 00:18:08.199 it through and he says, I'm going to pick some significant miracles that really teach a lot 00:18:08.199 --> 00:18:10.240 about who Jesus is and who God is. 00:18:10.319 --> 00:18:14.119 And I'm going to spend some time explaining this smaller number of miracles. 00:18:14.299 --> 00:18:19.179 John's book has fewer miracles in it than it does in Matthew, Mark, and Luke because he's 00:18:19.179 --> 00:18:20.259 picked some that are significant. 00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:24.599 And already in this gospel, we've seen three significant miracles. 00:18:24.779 --> 00:18:26.859 We've seen Jesus turn water into wine. 00:18:26.859 --> 00:18:29.019 And what does the story say? 00:18:29.119 --> 00:18:34.179 That merely by his will, not as a prayer that God would do something, but merely by his will, 00:18:34.679 --> 00:18:42.099 without touching anything, merely by his will, Jesus turns water into wine. 00:18:43.139 --> 00:18:50.319 And then we see later on that merely by his will, a man who's traveled 35 kilometers to see 00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:53.419 Jesus so that Jesus would heal his son. 00:18:53.420 --> 00:19:00.960 Jesus, 35 kilometers away, merely by his will, the son is healed. 00:19:02.560 --> 00:19:08.820 And then just before this, in a very, very public way, we see Jesus perform another very, 00:19:08.940 --> 00:19:10.220 very remarkable miracle. 00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:15.840 And it's a very, very public miracle as well because this was a place you could just sort 00:19:15.840 --> 00:19:18.660 of, I mean, I, you know, I see certain street people all the time. 00:19:18.740 --> 00:19:22.800 If you go to certain places, you see certain street people and, and, and sometimes you see street 00:19:22.799 --> 00:19:23.700 people for years. 00:19:23.859 --> 00:19:27.000 And, and what we have here in Jerusalem is the pool of Bethesda. 00:19:27.119 --> 00:19:31.899 And for, for a variety of reasons, some of which are hinted in the Bible, this was a gathering 00:19:31.899 --> 00:19:33.240 place of the very sick. 00:19:33.319 --> 00:19:35.220 It was a gathering place of invalids. 00:19:35.720 --> 00:19:40.680 And, and so there's this one fellow here, he's been here for 38 years and he's been an 00:19:40.680 --> 00:19:41.899 invalid for 38 years. 00:19:41.899 --> 00:19:47.359 And merely by the exercise of his will, he doesn't, you know, he doesn't do this. 00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:48.619 He, he doesn't pray. 00:19:48.700 --> 00:19:49.839 He doesn't go through some ritual. 00:19:49.839 --> 00:19:52.419 Well, he doesn't do a whole pile of anointing just merely by his will. 00:19:52.500 --> 00:19:57.659 Jesus heals the man and heals the man in such a remarkable place that every single person 00:19:57.659 --> 00:20:02.439 in that place would know that the man had been healed because it all go, isn't that Joe? 00:20:02.959 --> 00:20:04.799 Ain't that grumpy old Joe? 00:20:05.299 --> 00:20:10.379 That's always in the same spot with all of his, you know, unwashed crap. 00:20:11.939 --> 00:20:15.839 Did he just get up and walk out of here with all this crap? 00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:17.539 Like what went on? 00:20:18.740 --> 00:20:22.639 And you could easily see that even those who didn't notice it right then, it would go on 00:20:22.639 --> 00:20:23.879 for weeks and weeks and weeks. 00:20:23.980 --> 00:20:25.879 They'd come in and they say, oh, what happened to Joe? 00:20:25.939 --> 00:20:26.539 Did he die? 00:20:27.000 --> 00:20:27.399 No. 00:20:27.859 --> 00:20:28.679 Well, why are you asking that? 00:20:28.720 --> 00:20:29.619 Well, his stuff's not here. 00:20:29.699 --> 00:20:30.299 Where's Joe? 00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:31.319 He's always here. 00:20:31.359 --> 00:20:32.899 And they said, didn't you hear he got healed? 00:20:33.579 --> 00:20:34.859 What do you mean he got healed? 00:20:35.599 --> 00:20:38.839 Well, this guy, Jesus, he just healed him. 00:20:39.919 --> 00:20:41.220 Well, how do you know he got healed? 00:20:41.220 --> 00:20:42.759 But look, his stuff's not here. 00:20:43.480 --> 00:20:46.380 He just picked everything up and he walked out and he was an invalid. 00:20:47.700 --> 00:20:49.279 And it was a public miracle. 00:20:50.380 --> 00:20:51.500 Now, here's the thing. 00:20:51.640 --> 00:20:56.880 If these miracles are true, the universe and reality itself is a very, very different place 00:20:56.880 --> 00:20:59.120 than most Canadians suspect or believe. 00:20:59.119 --> 00:21:10.739 And only God could work in his creation in such a way to create such a miracle. 00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:19.419 And Jesus, by doing it merely by his will, well, he must be God or have some very special 00:21:19.419 --> 00:21:20.779 relationship with God. 00:21:20.779 --> 00:21:27.259 But it can't be because Jesus doesn't just ask God to do it the way you and I might have. 00:21:27.700 --> 00:21:31.519 I mean, the Bible encourages us to pray for miracles, but he encourages us. 00:21:31.740 --> 00:21:38.139 The Bible encourages us to pray for a miracle. 00:21:39.579 --> 00:21:41.519 You know, Father, would you heal this person? 00:21:42.079 --> 00:21:43.960 Father, would you deliver this person? 00:21:44.079 --> 00:21:45.720 We pray, but Jesus just wills it. 00:21:45.720 --> 00:21:51.480 Now, Jesus just spends one verse on this here, but on one level, that's what the whole book 00:21:51.480 --> 00:21:51.900 is about. 00:21:52.420 --> 00:21:53.880 The whole book of John is about. 00:21:54.360 --> 00:21:57.940 The book of John records a series of very, very significant miracles. 00:21:58.120 --> 00:22:02.259 In fact, right after this story, there's two of his most significant miracles. 00:22:02.460 --> 00:22:07.480 There's the miracle of Jesus walking on water and the miracle of Jesus feeding 5,000 men with 00:22:07.480 --> 00:22:08.579 a few loaves and fishes. 00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:14.579 But at the end of the day, what really matters is that the whole book culminates in the great 00:22:14.579 --> 00:22:15.980 miracle, the grand miracle. 00:22:16.119 --> 00:22:19.779 And the great and grand miracle is Jesus dying upon the cross. 00:22:20.199 --> 00:22:24.859 And after Jesus dies upon the cross, and there's no doubt about his death, even to the point 00:22:24.859 --> 00:22:29.919 of the spear going in his side to make sure that he's completely dead, and the blood and 00:22:29.919 --> 00:22:34.779 the water which comes out, that Jesus, who's put in a tomb, and nobody expects him to rise 00:22:34.779 --> 00:22:35.759 after he's dead. 00:22:35.879 --> 00:22:38.139 On three days, he rises. 00:22:38.599 --> 00:22:43.240 And he doesn't sort of rise with a limp or sort of walking around in pain, but he rises 00:22:43.240 --> 00:22:44.579 triumphantly. 00:22:44.579 --> 00:22:45.599 The stone is rolled away. 00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:51.440 Using modern language, the soldiers are slain in the spirit, because that's what happens. 00:22:51.539 --> 00:22:52.480 They're slain in the spirit. 00:22:52.579 --> 00:22:53.599 They fall down. 00:22:54.339 --> 00:22:55.759 The stone is rolled away. 00:22:55.900 --> 00:22:56.880 Jesus is alive. 00:22:57.259 --> 00:22:58.359 The tomb is empty. 00:22:58.819 --> 00:23:00.099 And there's no other explanation. 00:23:00.519 --> 00:23:01.299 All of these other ones. 00:23:01.359 --> 00:23:04.079 Can we have historical evidence that Jesus turned water into wine? 00:23:04.120 --> 00:23:08.299 We have no historical evidence other than the four biographies of Jesus said that he does 00:23:08.299 --> 00:23:08.639 that. 00:23:08.960 --> 00:23:13.319 But when it comes to the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, there are good historical 00:23:13.319 --> 00:23:14.019 reasons. 00:23:15.460 --> 00:23:17.940 A person can say, I am a reasonable person. 00:23:18.099 --> 00:23:19.440 I am a scholarly person. 00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:21.180 I am a person who's looked at the sources. 00:23:21.559 --> 00:23:24.639 And I believe that Jesus rose from the dead. 00:23:24.639 --> 00:23:26.980 The tomb is empty and that Jesus rose from the dead. 00:23:27.159 --> 00:23:29.139 And those are not contradictory statements. 00:23:29.140 --> 00:23:34.620 And if Jesus was able to rise from the dead, then he's able to do these other miracles. 00:23:34.759 --> 00:23:40.220 And Jesus says, there's human testimony that ultimately comes from God, because God called 00:23:40.220 --> 00:23:41.800 John the Baptist to do this. 00:23:41.940 --> 00:23:44.160 But we all know that human testimony is weak. 00:23:44.840 --> 00:23:45.620 We all know that. 00:23:47.160 --> 00:23:50.480 But a far greater witness is miracles. 00:23:51.759 --> 00:23:53.759 Just one more thing before we move on. 00:23:53.759 --> 00:24:00.140 If miracles happened in Buddhism, it would prove that Buddhism is not true. 00:24:01.680 --> 00:24:08.339 If miracles happened in Hinduism, it would prove that Hinduism is not true. 00:24:09.500 --> 00:24:16.460 And in Islam, and obviously if miracles happened in atheism, it would prove that atheism is not 00:24:16.460 --> 00:24:16.779 true. 00:24:16.779 --> 00:24:25.480 But in Islam, Muhammad doesn't do any miracles at all. 00:24:25.639 --> 00:24:28.680 It's sort of completely separate from Islam. 00:24:29.339 --> 00:24:33.920 But for Jesus, and in the Christian faith, it's very important. 00:24:34.399 --> 00:24:43.319 And Jesus says, this is the Father's witness that Jesus is God, the Son of God, and the Savior. 00:24:43.319 --> 00:24:49.519 But what has Jesus been the longest time on in terms of the third? 00:24:49.619 --> 00:24:52.779 Remember I said Jesus will end up saying there's three different witnesses. 00:24:53.119 --> 00:24:55.500 It's all the Father, God the Father. 00:24:56.159 --> 00:24:59.439 But there's three important witnesses that God the Father has provided. 00:24:59.599 --> 00:25:00.700 The first is John the Baptist. 00:25:00.839 --> 00:25:03.539 We know that's weak because we disbelieve human beings, right? 00:25:03.559 --> 00:25:04.799 We can be skeptical about them. 00:25:05.099 --> 00:25:06.059 The second is miracles. 00:25:06.179 --> 00:25:07.419 He only spends one verse on it. 00:25:07.460 --> 00:25:10.240 But really the whole book is about the witness of miracles. 00:25:10.399 --> 00:25:10.980 What's the third? 00:25:11.299 --> 00:25:13.000 Believe it or not, the third is the Bible. 00:25:13.319 --> 00:25:17.519 The third is this. 00:25:19.339 --> 00:25:20.740 You're saying, George, no, really? 00:25:20.839 --> 00:25:21.359 Yes, look. 00:25:22.200 --> 00:25:23.019 Verse 37. 00:25:24.599 --> 00:25:25.639 Verse 37. 00:25:26.579 --> 00:25:34.319 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. 00:25:35.119 --> 00:25:35.619 Look at it. 00:25:35.619 --> 00:25:39.599 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. 00:25:39.659 --> 00:25:40.500 So, you know, just pause. 00:25:41.039 --> 00:25:41.839 Well, how has he done it? 00:25:41.839 --> 00:25:44.199 Has he done it through giving visions to people? 00:25:44.299 --> 00:25:46.220 Has he done it through a still small voice? 00:25:46.299 --> 00:25:48.720 Has he done it through a theophany? 00:25:48.839 --> 00:25:54.980 Which is where there's something that happens which is really God making himself apparent in some type of way. 00:25:54.980 --> 00:26:00.880 Like, you know, a burning pillar at night or, you know, a huge storm. 00:26:00.880 --> 00:26:02.940 Like, how has he done it? 00:26:02.940 --> 00:26:04.240 Is that what he's referring to? 00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:05.940 And Jesus says, no, no, no, no. 00:26:05.940 --> 00:26:07.940 I'm not talking about mystical experiences. 00:26:07.940 --> 00:26:09.240 I'm not talking about inner voices. 00:26:09.240 --> 00:26:10.720 I'm not talking about theophanies. 00:26:10.720 --> 00:26:12.200 I'm not talking about visions. 00:26:12.420 --> 00:26:13.279 Because he keeps on. 00:26:13.420 --> 00:26:14.599 We'll read verse 37 again. 00:26:14.740 --> 00:26:17.599 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. 00:26:18.259 --> 00:26:19.960 His voice you have never heard. 00:26:20.460 --> 00:26:22.440 His form you have never seen. 00:26:22.440 --> 00:26:26.580 And then he makes a comment which we're going to return to a little bit later. 00:26:26.700 --> 00:26:27.620 But it's very important. 00:26:27.840 --> 00:26:31.160 And you do not have his word abiding in you. 00:26:32.600 --> 00:26:35.500 For you do not believe the one whom he has sent. 00:26:35.580 --> 00:26:36.900 In other words, it's... 00:26:36.900 --> 00:26:39.960 He's not talking about some type of private revelation. 00:26:40.559 --> 00:26:44.320 He's going to talk a little bit later about the fact of having his word abide in you. 00:26:44.319 --> 00:26:47.759 But that only matters after you've come to understand who Jesus is. 00:26:47.819 --> 00:26:49.559 It's not a separate source of revelation. 00:26:51.139 --> 00:26:51.659 Verse 39. 00:26:51.839 --> 00:26:57.019 You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life. 00:26:57.460 --> 00:27:00.220 And it is they that bear witness about me. 00:27:01.559 --> 00:27:05.339 Yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. 00:27:05.519 --> 00:27:08.539 I do not receive glory from people. 00:27:08.659 --> 00:27:09.559 Now just sort of pause. 00:27:09.679 --> 00:27:11.700 Do you notice the three different ways he's put this? 00:27:11.740 --> 00:27:12.500 It's very subtle. 00:27:14.319 --> 00:27:15.599 But it's there. 00:27:16.259 --> 00:27:17.879 You look up in verse 37. 00:27:18.579 --> 00:27:22.319 The Father who has sent me has himself borne witness about me. 00:27:24.240 --> 00:27:27.039 And then you look at verse 39. 00:27:27.899 --> 00:27:30.759 You search the scriptures because you think that in them that you have eternal life. 00:27:30.839 --> 00:27:32.579 And it is they that bear witness about me. 00:27:35.419 --> 00:27:37.740 And then you see in verse 41. 00:27:38.299 --> 00:27:40.139 I do not receive glory from people. 00:27:40.919 --> 00:27:43.359 If you could put up the first point to Andrew, that would be great. 00:27:44.319 --> 00:27:55.159 Jesus said that the Bible is God the Father's written testimony about who Jesus is and what he accomplished for you and me. 00:27:55.160 --> 00:28:09.380 I'm going to say a couple more things about that because this is a very significant thing to say. 00:28:09.380 --> 00:28:13.280 But let's see how it continues on. 00:28:13.280 --> 00:28:14.360 Verse 41. 00:28:14.360 --> 00:28:19.420 I do not receive glory from people, but I know that you do not have the love of God within you. 00:28:19.820 --> 00:28:24.100 I have come in my Father's name and you do not receive me. 00:28:24.440 --> 00:28:29.760 If another comes in his own name, in his own name, look at me. 00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:31.960 I'm special. 00:28:33.400 --> 00:28:38.220 You know, if another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 00:28:38.980 --> 00:28:39.859 How does that work? 00:28:39.980 --> 00:28:41.339 Like who's being rational here? 00:28:42.160 --> 00:28:47.759 How can you believe when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 00:28:47.859 --> 00:28:50.940 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. 00:28:51.359 --> 00:28:52.900 There is one who accuses you. 00:28:52.900 --> 00:28:55.019 Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 00:28:55.380 --> 00:29:00.700 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote of me. 00:29:01.440 --> 00:29:05.519 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words? 00:29:05.759 --> 00:29:09.259 So some of you might say, I'm still standing by this. 00:29:09.620 --> 00:29:12.240 This is a very important text to understand the Bible. 00:29:12.460 --> 00:29:14.660 It shows the double authorship of the Bible. 00:29:14.660 --> 00:29:21.140 Now, if you read the Koran, the Koran has just one literary form. 00:29:22.100 --> 00:29:24.320 And it's a series of sayings. 00:29:24.960 --> 00:29:26.700 And some of the sayings are quite short. 00:29:26.820 --> 00:29:29.420 Some of them take several pages to write. 00:29:29.540 --> 00:29:30.940 But it's one literary form. 00:29:32.000 --> 00:29:36.080 And in fact, you don't necessarily read one from the other. 00:29:36.200 --> 00:29:38.900 There's a whole separate way of trying to figure out. 00:29:38.900 --> 00:29:45.600 You have to depend upon a tradition to understand the order in which the different, I think they're called sutras, are written. 00:29:46.880 --> 00:30:00.040 But what you find when you read the Bible is that God has worked in such a way that ordinary human beings, ordinary human beings wrote. 00:30:00.039 --> 00:30:03.480 And they wrote the way they wrote. 00:30:04.659 --> 00:30:05.599 Just a bit of a insight. 00:30:05.740 --> 00:30:09.579 I've had an experience a couple of times now of writing a letter for Bishop Charlie. 00:30:11.220 --> 00:30:15.299 You know, I ask him if you write a letter for something and he says he doesn't have the time. 00:30:15.379 --> 00:30:16.960 And I say, well, can I write the letter for you? 00:30:17.000 --> 00:30:18.379 I'll send it to you and you can edit it. 00:30:18.839 --> 00:30:22.039 And what I try to do when I've heard Charlie speak many, many times. 00:30:22.139 --> 00:30:23.259 We've been on the phone lots. 00:30:23.740 --> 00:30:24.920 I've heard him speak in public. 00:30:25.019 --> 00:30:27.359 And I try to write so that it sounds like Charlie. 00:30:27.359 --> 00:30:31.039 And sometimes he'll send back to you and he'll say, well, I made a few changes. 00:30:31.139 --> 00:30:32.039 But he said, it's remarkable. 00:30:32.519 --> 00:30:34.559 Like it just sounds the way I speak. 00:30:35.679 --> 00:30:43.559 And if you heard Charlie speak and if you heard me speak, you'd be able to tell, even if for some reason our voices were, well, you'd just know that Charlie and I don't speak the same way. 00:30:43.639 --> 00:30:45.299 Our cadences are a little bit different. 00:30:45.399 --> 00:30:47.459 The way our minds work are a little bit different. 00:30:48.500 --> 00:30:52.359 And Charlie has Charlie-isms and I have George-isms. 00:30:53.359 --> 00:30:54.079 And you know what? 00:30:54.079 --> 00:31:01.839 Bob has Bob-isms and Jonathan has Jonathan-isms and Leah has Leah-isms and Anton has Anton-isms and Renee has Renee-isms. 00:31:02.039 --> 00:31:03.019 And we all have them, right? 00:31:03.699 --> 00:31:13.399 And so what it is is that not everybody who was writing in the Bible knew that it wasn't always as if God just speaks through them in a sense overwhelming them. 00:31:13.519 --> 00:31:16.919 But Moses wrote because there was a need for him to write. 00:31:16.920 --> 00:31:23.000 Like, and David wrote, and Moses writes these biographies, I mean these laws and these histories. 00:31:23.140 --> 00:31:24.480 And David writes his poetry. 00:31:24.800 --> 00:31:31.820 And historians who wrote Nehemiah and who wrote 1 and 2 Kings and 1 and 2 Chronicles, they wrote like historians. 00:31:32.380 --> 00:31:34.180 And the prophets wrote like prophets. 00:31:34.180 --> 00:31:40.560 And they all have their Ezekiel-isms and their Isaiah-isms and whoever wrote the Chronicles, the Chronicle-isms. 00:31:41.320 --> 00:31:45.460 And what Jesus is saying here is that there's a double authorship of Scripture. 00:31:46.160 --> 00:31:49.080 Which is why when we read the Bible, we have to try to read it. 00:31:49.080 --> 00:31:52.759 And God says, in a sense, these people write. 00:31:52.759 --> 00:32:01.019 But God oversaw the whole process so that the final product is exactly what God wanted to have written. 00:32:01.420 --> 00:32:07.859 So that what you hear isn't just Moses' testimony or Isaiah's testimony or John's testimony. 00:32:07.859 --> 00:32:13.960 That ultimately God is the one who is giving testimony of Jesus. 00:32:13.960 --> 00:32:21.200 So when you read the Bible, you are hearing the Father speak. 00:32:22.759 --> 00:32:29.640 You see, this is so wonderful, isn't it? 00:32:30.500 --> 00:32:32.079 What is it that many of us want? 00:32:32.200 --> 00:32:35.740 Many of us say, why couldn't God have just revealed himself through music? 00:32:37.559 --> 00:32:39.140 Like, wouldn't that be so much better? 00:32:39.339 --> 00:32:41.519 You know how music can just so move you? 00:32:42.240 --> 00:32:45.299 And why couldn't God have revealed himself by music? 00:32:46.379 --> 00:32:47.799 Well, amongst other things, you know what? 00:32:47.839 --> 00:32:49.619 You can't obey music, can you? 00:32:49.619 --> 00:32:55.599 You can't have a relationship with somebody if there's never anything to obey. 00:32:57.359 --> 00:33:00.459 And obey is a bit of a scary word, but I used the analogy last week. 00:33:00.519 --> 00:33:03.019 If Louise said, can you take the milk down for me? 00:33:03.039 --> 00:33:04.219 I've just come in from Costco. 00:33:04.219 --> 00:33:05.659 Can you take the milk down for me? 00:33:06.039 --> 00:33:07.959 Well, when I do it, I'm obeying, right? 00:33:08.959 --> 00:33:12.839 And if there's never an ask in a relationship, you don't have a relationship. 00:33:12.839 --> 00:33:16.480 You can't obey music, and you can't obey a painting. 00:33:18.819 --> 00:33:22.720 And why do we want secret knowledge, like just private knowledge in our soul? 00:33:22.839 --> 00:33:24.579 You know why people like secret knowledge? 00:33:25.319 --> 00:33:28.279 For power and pride. 00:33:30.359 --> 00:33:31.799 I'm part of the Illuminati. 00:33:32.579 --> 00:33:35.099 I know things that ordinary human beings don't know. 00:33:35.099 --> 00:33:39.099 And isn't it just so wonderful? 00:33:40.759 --> 00:33:46.399 God's revelation is open and public, and anybody who has ears to hear, who can understand language, 00:33:47.159 --> 00:33:52.199 a little two-and-a-half-year-old who can't read, you can read the Bible to them. 00:33:55.599 --> 00:33:58.919 I, in my previous congregation, had several people who were illiterate. 00:33:58.920 --> 00:34:00.480 But they knew Jesus. 00:34:01.039 --> 00:34:02.340 They knew about the faith. 00:34:02.960 --> 00:34:03.900 They had ears. 00:34:04.580 --> 00:34:06.080 They could hear the Bible read. 00:34:08.780 --> 00:34:13.980 And God has revealed this witness about Jesus in a way which is open and public. 00:34:14.240 --> 00:34:15.700 It deconstructs power. 00:34:15.920 --> 00:34:17.260 It deconstructs arrogance. 00:34:18.240 --> 00:34:20.500 And it opens the door. 00:34:22.099 --> 00:34:24.880 It opens the door to literacy. 00:34:25.880 --> 00:34:28.519 It opens the door to curiosity. 00:34:28.920 --> 00:34:33.780 It's saying, keep reading. 00:34:35.639 --> 00:34:37.400 Keep being curious. 00:34:38.880 --> 00:34:41.059 And write that poetry. 00:34:41.320 --> 00:34:42.539 And write those laws. 00:34:42.700 --> 00:34:43.940 And write those judgments. 00:34:44.200 --> 00:34:45.180 And be curious. 00:34:45.420 --> 00:34:45.900 And read. 00:34:46.019 --> 00:34:46.539 And write. 00:34:46.880 --> 00:34:47.659 And paint. 00:34:47.800 --> 00:34:48.440 And dance. 00:34:48.579 --> 00:34:49.400 And sing. 00:34:49.840 --> 00:34:50.740 And build. 00:34:50.940 --> 00:34:51.920 And have a life. 00:34:51.920 --> 00:34:54.820 And be fully human. 00:34:55.019 --> 00:34:56.200 And be fully alive. 00:34:56.199 --> 00:34:59.859 But in all the trillions of words that have ever been written. 00:34:59.980 --> 00:35:02.359 Why is it that we read this over and over and over again? 00:35:02.419 --> 00:35:04.179 Because there's trillions of words. 00:35:04.259 --> 00:35:05.319 And some of it's amusing. 00:35:05.799 --> 00:35:06.939 Lots of it's fun. 00:35:07.179 --> 00:35:08.179 Some of it's wise. 00:35:08.259 --> 00:35:12.819 But only these words are words that ultimately God the Father wrote. 00:35:12.820 --> 00:35:13.820 God the Father. 00:35:13.820 --> 00:35:15.019 To tell us about Jesus. 00:35:16.840 --> 00:35:18.820 And so we want to read his word. 00:35:18.900 --> 00:35:19.920 We want to read it daily. 00:35:20.080 --> 00:35:21.960 We want to have his word come into our lives. 00:35:22.039 --> 00:35:23.720 And we want to memorize his word. 00:35:24.280 --> 00:35:26.120 Because it's the Father speaking. 00:35:26.900 --> 00:35:31.240 God the Father bearing witness and testimony about Jesus. 00:35:31.239 --> 00:35:35.439 Can you put up the next point please? 00:35:36.479 --> 00:35:39.199 God the Father caused the Bible to be written. 00:35:39.359 --> 00:35:41.139 So that we might believe in Jesus. 00:35:41.339 --> 00:35:42.739 And receive eternal life. 00:35:44.339 --> 00:35:46.859 It's not just that he wants to give us some information. 00:35:48.079 --> 00:35:49.459 But he wants to give us eternal. 00:35:49.619 --> 00:35:50.019 He wants. 00:35:50.239 --> 00:35:52.419 It's Jesus who gives us eternal life. 00:35:52.579 --> 00:35:55.619 And the Father wants us to know him. 00:35:57.679 --> 00:36:00.759 But there's two problems that we have with reading. 00:36:01.239 --> 00:36:03.599 We all know that. 00:36:04.159 --> 00:36:05.319 Well with more than two problems. 00:36:05.419 --> 00:36:06.659 By the way just as a bit of an aside. 00:36:06.819 --> 00:36:07.979 A couple of chapters later. 00:36:08.099 --> 00:36:10.179 There's an important fourth witness to Jesus. 00:36:10.799 --> 00:36:11.879 That's the Holy Spirit. 00:36:13.019 --> 00:36:14.419 And in a couple of chapters. 00:36:14.579 --> 00:36:16.619 Jesus is going to go on at quite a bit of length. 00:36:16.619 --> 00:36:18.359 Of the importance of the Holy Spirit. 00:36:19.319 --> 00:36:21.899 Of this singular witness to Jesus. 00:36:22.079 --> 00:36:24.079 The singular witness of John the Baptist. 00:36:24.239 --> 00:36:26.459 And through that ministers in a sense by extension. 00:36:26.959 --> 00:36:28.599 The singular witness of miracles. 00:36:28.759 --> 00:36:30.219 The singular witness of the Bible. 00:36:30.219 --> 00:36:32.399 And the singular witness of the Holy Spirit. 00:36:32.559 --> 00:36:33.959 Ultimately all coming from God. 00:36:34.039 --> 00:36:37.299 And all desperately important for us understanding who Jesus is. 00:36:37.339 --> 00:36:38.459 That we might have eternal life. 00:36:38.879 --> 00:36:42.319 But Jesus points out two reasons why we have problems reading the Bible. 00:36:42.879 --> 00:36:44.000 I don't know if you noticed them. 00:36:44.679 --> 00:36:46.500 And if you could put up the first one. 00:36:46.579 --> 00:36:47.399 And then I'll show you where it is. 00:36:47.439 --> 00:36:48.679 It's point number three Andrew. 00:36:48.679 --> 00:36:52.699 Your problem is not that your sins are too many. 00:36:53.359 --> 00:36:54.519 Or too foul. 00:36:55.639 --> 00:37:00.379 Your problem is that you refuse to come to Jesus that you may have life. 00:37:01.500 --> 00:37:02.859 This is really important. 00:37:04.159 --> 00:37:06.239 Do you think your sins are really foul? 00:37:07.299 --> 00:37:10.219 Well, they're probably actually fouler than you think. 00:37:10.219 --> 00:37:13.539 They're fouler than I think in my own case. 00:37:14.319 --> 00:37:16.739 And you think there are too many that God could ever love you? 00:37:16.839 --> 00:37:17.419 Well, you know what? 00:37:17.439 --> 00:37:19.619 You probably only know a tiny fraction of your sins. 00:37:19.699 --> 00:37:20.799 And they're even more than you think. 00:37:20.919 --> 00:37:21.379 But you know what? 00:37:21.419 --> 00:37:24.679 The problem is never that anybody's sins are too foul. 00:37:25.179 --> 00:37:26.079 Or too many. 00:37:27.079 --> 00:37:33.539 The problem is that even when we start to feel Jesus closing in. 00:37:33.539 --> 00:37:36.360 Even when we read the Bible. 00:37:36.860 --> 00:37:39.360 And I remember when I came to faith. 00:37:40.099 --> 00:37:44.539 You know, it took me a year of refusing to come to Jesus before I finally succumbed. 00:37:48.079 --> 00:37:49.420 Because I just refused. 00:37:51.360 --> 00:37:53.219 Did you see where Jesus talks about that? 00:37:53.300 --> 00:37:54.619 I wrote it down here somewhere. 00:37:54.719 --> 00:37:55.619 Yes, verse 40. 00:37:57.099 --> 00:37:58.340 This is what Jesus says. 00:37:58.420 --> 00:37:59.380 We're beginning at verse 39. 00:37:59.380 --> 00:38:03.840 You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life. 00:38:04.019 --> 00:38:05.700 And it is they that bear witness about me. 00:38:06.160 --> 00:38:12.700 Yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. 00:38:13.079 --> 00:38:14.480 Now, here's a really important thing. 00:38:14.539 --> 00:38:16.099 Why does Jesus say this to us? 00:38:16.460 --> 00:38:18.599 It's not to make us feel guilty and ashamed. 00:38:20.140 --> 00:38:23.099 Jesus confronts us to connect with us. 00:38:23.420 --> 00:38:24.860 That's why he confronts us. 00:38:25.840 --> 00:38:27.000 He doesn't confront it. 00:38:27.000 --> 00:38:32.400 He doesn't say this so as we just feel, oh, I hate you, Jesus, that you said that. 00:38:32.539 --> 00:38:33.139 He says that. 00:38:33.340 --> 00:38:34.960 You know what our response should be? 00:38:36.300 --> 00:38:38.000 Jesus, you've just described me. 00:38:38.099 --> 00:38:38.880 Really help me. 00:38:39.340 --> 00:38:40.219 Help me, Jesus. 00:38:42.440 --> 00:38:43.119 Help me. 00:38:44.539 --> 00:38:47.239 It's so good that you know me and still you love me. 00:38:47.539 --> 00:38:48.039 Help me. 00:38:48.699 --> 00:38:49.860 Have mercy on me. 00:38:50.780 --> 00:38:51.940 Pour out your Holy Spirit. 00:38:52.099 --> 00:38:54.019 Help me to no longer refuse you. 00:38:54.019 --> 00:38:57.440 And what's the second thing? 00:38:59.199 --> 00:39:02.500 The second thing is very, very powerful and very, very subtle as well. 00:39:02.539 --> 00:39:04.420 If you could put up point number four, Andrew. 00:39:05.239 --> 00:39:08.559 The more I am a glory from people seeker, 00:39:09.099 --> 00:39:13.800 the less I will be a seek God's glory person. 00:39:14.380 --> 00:39:17.460 And the less I will understand the Bible. 00:39:17.460 --> 00:39:22.159 The more I am a glory from people seeker. 00:39:23.119 --> 00:39:24.659 I want people to like me. 00:39:24.760 --> 00:39:25.740 I want to get praise. 00:39:25.980 --> 00:39:27.519 I want to be well thought of. 00:39:27.579 --> 00:39:30.079 I want people to say, gosh, he's a smart guy. 00:39:30.619 --> 00:39:31.840 Gosh, he's well read. 00:39:32.360 --> 00:39:33.380 Gosh, he's kind. 00:39:33.880 --> 00:39:34.880 Gosh, he's nice. 00:39:37.099 --> 00:39:43.500 I want to be a Canadian and get along with people and be well received. 00:39:43.500 --> 00:39:47.380 I want to come into a room and people say, oh, there's George. 00:39:49.019 --> 00:39:53.139 And the more I seek that, the less I will be a seek God's glory person. 00:39:53.320 --> 00:39:57.539 And because I'm less a seek God's glory person, I will understand the Bible. 00:39:57.659 --> 00:40:00.980 Just a couple of years ago, sorry, I don't want to raise wounds with this, 00:40:01.059 --> 00:40:02.840 but I was having a conversation with somebody. 00:40:02.840 --> 00:40:05.380 And they were a Christian. 00:40:05.519 --> 00:40:06.460 They were part of a church. 00:40:06.900 --> 00:40:12.160 Their denomination had made a decision that believing that God calls Christians 00:40:12.160 --> 00:40:16.620 to bless same-sex marriages, they knew that we had taken a stand on this. 00:40:16.680 --> 00:40:19.059 I had taken a stand on it, that the Bible doesn't teach this. 00:40:19.120 --> 00:40:21.300 And she said to me, George, it's just so complicated. 00:40:23.280 --> 00:40:25.280 And I said to her, no, it's not. 00:40:26.360 --> 00:40:28.160 The problem is it's really simple. 00:40:29.900 --> 00:40:31.300 But very unpopular. 00:40:31.300 --> 00:40:35.720 The problem is it's very simple and clear. 00:40:36.580 --> 00:40:38.080 But very unpopular. 00:40:42.080 --> 00:40:44.440 And it's just a very, very, you know, 00:40:46.960 --> 00:40:54.320 the more you want to be well-liked by everybody around you, 00:40:55.800 --> 00:40:57.200 and you read the Bible and you go, 00:40:57.199 --> 00:41:07.039 Jesus is the only way? 00:41:07.039 --> 00:41:12.259 Well, only, there's different senses of only. 00:41:14.259 --> 00:41:16.539 And there's different senses of the. 00:41:16.539 --> 00:41:27.840 And let me tell you, one of the really wonderful things about our society becoming actually very post-Christian, 00:41:29.420 --> 00:41:31.860 one of the very wonderful things about it, 00:41:32.820 --> 00:41:37.219 is that if they hear you trying to do all these mental gymnastics about it, 00:41:37.259 --> 00:41:38.460 they'll just not respect you. 00:41:38.460 --> 00:41:44.340 Like, in a sense, many people are so far from the Christian faith, 00:41:44.420 --> 00:41:46.360 they have no pony in this race. 00:41:46.460 --> 00:41:47.740 They have no dog in this race. 00:41:47.900 --> 00:41:51.780 They have, they just go, like, in fact, they'd say, like, 00:41:52.320 --> 00:41:54.480 well, why, like, why don't you just explain it? 00:41:54.480 --> 00:41:59.219 Like, it doesn't impress them if you try to say, 00:41:59.300 --> 00:42:01.079 well, there's different senses of only, 00:42:02.039 --> 00:42:06.380 and way can mean, you know, this. 00:42:07.440 --> 00:42:10.599 Maybe you're hoping they'll think that it's spelled W-H-E-Y, 00:42:10.699 --> 00:42:13.579 a byproduct of the cheese process or something like that, 00:42:13.639 --> 00:42:15.440 and not know that it means the way. 00:42:16.059 --> 00:42:17.740 But in fact, it's just very true. 00:42:17.860 --> 00:42:19.500 The more we want to fit in with people, 00:42:19.599 --> 00:42:22.179 the more harder it is to understand the Bible. 00:42:22.179 --> 00:42:24.159 And why does Jesus say this to us? 00:42:24.239 --> 00:42:26.059 Because he knows your heart and mine. 00:42:27.739 --> 00:42:30.460 And so it's an invitation for us to say to Jesus, 00:42:31.239 --> 00:42:33.139 Jesus, help me. 00:42:34.960 --> 00:42:37.299 This tug of wanting to fit in with other people, 00:42:37.379 --> 00:42:38.960 that's really strong in me. 00:42:40.579 --> 00:42:42.440 Like, I don't mind offending this group, 00:42:42.519 --> 00:42:44.359 but I really want to fit in with this group. 00:42:44.480 --> 00:42:45.559 I really like them. 00:42:45.639 --> 00:42:46.319 I admire them. 00:42:46.440 --> 00:42:48.039 I like the food they eat. 00:42:48.139 --> 00:42:49.759 I like the way they dress. 00:42:49.760 --> 00:42:52.760 I just want to fit in. 00:42:53.400 --> 00:42:55.740 And help me, Jesus. 00:42:57.840 --> 00:42:59.280 That's why he says this. 00:43:01.060 --> 00:43:02.380 Could you put up the fifth point? 00:43:03.980 --> 00:43:06.500 Lord, please help me to daily search the scriptures 00:43:06.500 --> 00:43:09.020 so that your word and your love abides in me. 00:43:09.080 --> 00:43:10.620 That's, in a sense, what we are to pray. 00:43:10.619 --> 00:43:15.199 Lord, please help me to daily search the scriptures 00:43:15.199 --> 00:43:20.400 so that your word and your love abides in me. 00:43:20.599 --> 00:43:22.599 I'm just going to say one final thing in closing. 00:43:22.779 --> 00:43:25.259 And this just, and this is, this is, 00:43:26.139 --> 00:43:28.619 yeah, just, I know I've gone on a while. 00:43:30.019 --> 00:43:32.239 In this text is the word saved. 00:43:32.239 --> 00:43:36.219 So here's the thing. 00:43:36.779 --> 00:43:40.199 When I'm, when I'm talking about Jesus with non-Christians, 00:43:40.479 --> 00:43:42.659 I never say to them, are you saved? 00:43:42.759 --> 00:43:43.759 Or you need to be saved. 00:43:43.899 --> 00:43:45.039 Why do I never say that? 00:43:45.500 --> 00:43:47.259 Well, because if I use the word saved with them, 00:43:47.319 --> 00:43:47.939 they'll do this. 00:43:51.899 --> 00:43:54.139 If I use the word saved to them, 00:43:54.379 --> 00:43:55.859 it turns their brain off. 00:43:56.399 --> 00:43:57.479 So I don't use it. 00:43:57.959 --> 00:43:59.019 But here's the thing. 00:43:59.019 --> 00:44:02.719 It's an important word for us to grasp. 00:44:04.960 --> 00:44:07.059 One of the things that we need to pray about ourselves 00:44:07.059 --> 00:44:08.739 as a church is that we once again 00:44:08.739 --> 00:44:11.059 rediscover the lostness of the lost 00:44:11.059 --> 00:44:14.420 and the importance of being saved. 00:44:15.119 --> 00:44:17.239 It's a wonderful Christian word. 00:44:17.900 --> 00:44:21.119 It's a word that's a Bible word that Jesus uses, 00:44:21.239 --> 00:44:23.960 that God the Father bears testimony about Jesus, 00:44:24.880 --> 00:44:27.900 that Jesus came to save us. 00:44:29.019 --> 00:44:30.559 Friends, if you are here 00:44:30.559 --> 00:44:32.480 and if you put your faith and trust in Jesus, 00:44:32.619 --> 00:44:33.400 you are saved. 00:44:35.139 --> 00:44:36.340 You are saved. 00:44:37.119 --> 00:44:39.719 You are saved from an eternity 00:44:39.719 --> 00:44:42.820 of separation from the Father. 00:44:43.000 --> 00:44:45.679 You are saved from eternal perishing. 00:44:46.460 --> 00:44:48.659 When you put your faith and trust in Jesus, 00:44:48.900 --> 00:44:51.059 you who are dying and are separate from God, 00:44:51.400 --> 00:44:52.420 you are saved. 00:44:53.119 --> 00:44:54.800 And the Bible says that he has put 00:44:54.800 --> 00:44:56.259 his eternal life in you. 00:44:56.260 --> 00:45:00.500 Some of us have bodies that have lots of pain. 00:45:01.860 --> 00:45:04.740 And some of us might be even now struggling 00:45:04.740 --> 00:45:07.800 with a diagnosis that isn't very positive 00:45:07.800 --> 00:45:08.820 and very hopeful. 00:45:09.380 --> 00:45:10.840 But for every person, 00:45:10.920 --> 00:45:12.780 an ordinary person who puts their faith 00:45:12.780 --> 00:45:13.640 and trust in Jesus, 00:45:13.800 --> 00:45:14.620 you are saved. 00:45:15.340 --> 00:45:17.400 And when you put your faith and trust in Jesus, 00:45:17.800 --> 00:45:20.660 his eternal life comes into you. 00:45:20.659 --> 00:45:25.399 And it means that when you die, 00:45:26.199 --> 00:45:28.839 it's just a beginning 00:45:28.839 --> 00:45:31.579 of being in the new heaven and the new earth 00:45:31.579 --> 00:45:34.759 to walk in the garden in the cool of the day 00:45:34.759 --> 00:45:37.639 with the Father God who created you 00:45:37.639 --> 00:45:40.219 and to feel his arm around you 00:45:40.219 --> 00:45:41.399 and to know his smile. 00:45:42.480 --> 00:45:43.699 You are saved. 00:45:43.699 --> 00:45:46.299 And if you are here today 00:45:46.299 --> 00:45:48.559 and you have not yet prayed that prayer, 00:45:48.799 --> 00:45:49.699 I urge you, 00:45:49.779 --> 00:45:51.259 there is no better time than today 00:45:51.259 --> 00:45:51.679 to say, 00:45:51.799 --> 00:45:52.099 Jesus, 00:45:52.779 --> 00:45:54.719 be my Savior, 00:45:56.000 --> 00:45:57.079 save me, 00:45:58.019 --> 00:45:59.939 and be my Lord forever. 00:46:00.239 --> 00:46:00.919 Please stand. 00:46:00.920 --> 00:46:11.720 Father, 00:46:12.720 --> 00:46:14.760 you know how each of us 00:46:14.760 --> 00:46:16.039 at different times in our life 00:46:16.039 --> 00:46:17.139 and maybe even now, 00:46:17.280 --> 00:46:19.559 we know the Bible 00:46:19.559 --> 00:46:20.519 and we know what it says, 00:46:20.599 --> 00:46:22.180 but we refuse to come to you 00:46:22.180 --> 00:46:23.099 that we might have life. 00:46:23.340 --> 00:46:23.519 Father, 00:46:24.059 --> 00:46:25.300 may your Holy Spirit 00:46:25.300 --> 00:46:26.920 come and move in our lives 00:46:26.920 --> 00:46:27.840 and move in the lives 00:46:27.840 --> 00:46:28.780 of everyone who is here, 00:46:28.840 --> 00:46:29.639 those who we know, 00:46:29.639 --> 00:46:31.900 that they will no longer refuse, 00:46:32.019 --> 00:46:33.559 that we will no longer refuse, 00:46:33.659 --> 00:46:34.480 but that we will say, 00:46:34.579 --> 00:46:34.859 Jesus, 00:46:35.019 --> 00:46:36.500 I come to you for life. 00:46:36.599 --> 00:46:37.319 I come to you 00:46:37.319 --> 00:46:38.619 that you will save me 00:46:38.619 --> 00:46:40.420 and be my Savior 00:46:40.420 --> 00:46:41.699 and my Lord forever. 00:46:42.739 --> 00:46:43.179 Father, 00:46:43.319 --> 00:46:45.059 may your Holy Spirit 00:46:45.059 --> 00:46:46.420 do what our will 00:46:46.420 --> 00:46:48.259 is having a hard time doing. 00:46:48.359 --> 00:46:49.199 May your Holy Spirit 00:46:49.199 --> 00:46:50.079 help our will 00:46:50.079 --> 00:46:51.420 to come to Jesus 00:46:51.420 --> 00:46:52.900 to be saved 00:46:52.900 --> 00:46:53.960 and have eternal life. 00:46:54.039 --> 00:46:54.480 And Father, 00:46:55.059 --> 00:46:55.679 you know 00:46:55.679 --> 00:46:56.940 how powerful 00:46:56.940 --> 00:46:58.400 the opinions of others 00:46:58.400 --> 00:46:58.920 are 00:46:58.920 --> 00:47:00.099 in how we think 00:47:00.099 --> 00:47:01.019 and how we read 00:47:01.019 --> 00:47:01.840 and how we live. 00:47:02.220 --> 00:47:02.559 Father, 00:47:02.639 --> 00:47:04.139 we ask that you would help us. 00:47:04.240 --> 00:47:05.579 We ask that you would grip us 00:47:05.579 --> 00:47:06.240 with the gospel. 00:47:06.400 --> 00:47:07.700 We ask that your Holy Spirit 00:47:07.700 --> 00:47:08.920 would come into our lives 00:47:08.920 --> 00:47:10.619 so that we know 00:47:10.619 --> 00:47:11.619 what people think. 00:47:12.780 --> 00:47:13.220 Father, 00:47:13.340 --> 00:47:15.619 we don't want to be sociopaths. 00:47:16.180 --> 00:47:17.599 We don't want to be clueless. 00:47:17.740 --> 00:47:17.920 Father, 00:47:18.099 --> 00:47:19.579 we ask that your Holy Spirit 00:47:19.579 --> 00:47:20.539 would so grip us 00:47:20.539 --> 00:47:21.300 with the gospel 00:47:21.300 --> 00:47:22.220 that we know 00:47:22.220 --> 00:47:23.240 what people think, 00:47:24.059 --> 00:47:25.059 but that we have, 00:47:25.380 --> 00:47:25.460 Father, 00:47:25.559 --> 00:47:26.260 that freedom 00:47:26.260 --> 00:47:27.400 and that peace 00:47:27.400 --> 00:47:29.940 and that sense 00:47:29.940 --> 00:47:31.200 of love from you 00:47:31.200 --> 00:47:32.320 that grants us 00:47:32.320 --> 00:47:33.480 a freedom 00:47:33.480 --> 00:47:35.460 as we live 00:47:35.460 --> 00:47:36.280 and as we walk 00:47:36.280 --> 00:47:37.160 and as we bear witness 00:47:37.160 --> 00:47:37.620 to you 00:47:37.620 --> 00:47:38.420 in the midst 00:47:38.420 --> 00:47:39.560 of how people think of us. 00:47:39.680 --> 00:47:39.860 Father, 00:47:39.980 --> 00:47:40.920 grant us that peace 00:47:40.920 --> 00:47:41.780 that comes in you, 00:47:42.160 --> 00:47:43.540 that love that comes from you, 00:47:43.840 --> 00:47:44.540 that abiding 00:47:44.540 --> 00:47:45.440 that comes from you 00:47:45.440 --> 00:47:46.940 in the midst 00:47:46.940 --> 00:47:47.940 of how people think, 00:47:48.200 --> 00:47:49.260 that we might be 00:47:49.260 --> 00:47:50.200 like John the Baptist 00:47:50.200 --> 00:47:51.040 and bear witness 00:47:51.040 --> 00:47:51.700 to Jesus. 00:47:52.120 --> 00:47:52.340 Father, 00:47:52.440 --> 00:47:53.200 we ask that you do 00:47:53.200 --> 00:47:54.200 this work in our lives, 00:47:54.199 --> 00:47:55.359 and we ask this 00:47:55.359 --> 00:47:56.159 in the precious name 00:47:56.159 --> 00:47:56.619 of Jesus. 00:47:57.339 --> 00:47:57.679 Amen.