WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:15.599 Hi, my name is George Sinclair. I'm the lead pastor of Church of the Messiah. 00:00:15.599 --> 00:00:20.480 ! It is wonderful that you would like to check out some of the sermons done by Church of the Messiah, 00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:25.679 either by myself or some of the others. Listen, just a couple of things. First of all, would you pray for us 00:00:25.679 --> 00:00:32.159 that we will open God's Word well to His glory and for the good of people like yourself? 00:00:32.159 --> 00:00:37.359 The second thing is, if you aren't connected to a church and if you are a Christian, 00:00:37.359 --> 00:00:42.159 we really, I would really like to encourage you to find a good local church where they believe the 00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:48.799 Bible, they preach the gospel, and if you have some trouble finding that, send us an email. We will do 00:00:48.799 --> 00:00:55.120 what we can to help connect you with a good local church wherever you are. And if you're a non-Christian, 00:00:55.119 --> 00:01:00.320 checking us out, we're really, really, really glad you're doing that. Don't hesitate to send us 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:05.280 questions. It helps me actually to know, as I'm preaching, how to deal with the types of things 00:01:05.280 --> 00:01:17.039 that you're really struggling with. So God bless. Just bow our heads in prayer. Father, thank you so much 00:01:17.040 --> 00:01:25.440 that we can, that you are a God who speaks, that you speak to your people. And we ask, Father, that your Holy Spirit 00:01:25.440 --> 00:01:34.240 will move with gentle but deep power in our hearts, that we might recognize ourselves in your Word, that we might 00:01:34.240 --> 00:01:43.440 hear your profound and beautiful promises, and that we would claim these promises, hold them dear to our hearts. 00:01:43.439 --> 00:01:50.560 We ask, Father, that your Holy Spirit will bring your Word into our hearts to form us for our good, 00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:56.000 for the good of this world, and for your great glory. And we ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son and our 00:01:56.000 --> 00:01:58.719 Saviour. Amen. Please be seated. 00:01:58.719 --> 00:02:10.879 It hasn't happened in a couple of years, but I, when I have some of my younger grandchildren come to visit, and they 00:02:10.879 --> 00:02:19.039 haven't been to the church for, you know, for maybe a long time, and they come, and there's a set, if they haven't come, like in 00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:24.800 January or February. One of the things I like to ask me is if I would take them up on the stage, because they're very 00:02:24.800 --> 00:02:32.560 fascinated with the stage. They would find this stage today very, very, very fascinating, actually. And so one of 00:02:32.560 --> 00:02:37.120 the things they love to do is they'll come, and depending on their age, they'll take my hand, you know, I tell them I'm not 00:02:37.120 --> 00:02:43.120 allowed to run around and all of that. And, you know, I have this curtain here, but they'd love to walk through 00:02:43.120 --> 00:02:50.480 that door that way and that door this way and look behind. And they just find it so amazing that it looks so 00:02:50.480 --> 00:02:57.599 real. But they just take a step behind it, and it's just all surface. That's all it is. It's all surface, 00:02:57.599 --> 00:03:03.120 no depth. It's not real. I mean, it's a real stage, but it's not a real house. And they find that very 00:03:03.120 --> 00:03:08.400 fascinating. They get very excited about it. They want to, of course, run around and all that stuff. But 00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:17.520 here's the point about it. If you, one of the things that we struggle with in our society today 00:03:17.520 --> 00:03:27.219 is being consumed with what's superficial, all the surface of life. You know, when I think last week, 00:03:27.280 --> 00:03:32.480 I mentioned that I periodically will have Instagram on my phone, but it doesn't last very long, because 00:03:32.479 --> 00:03:38.699 before you know it, I'll have wasted 40 minutes just scrolling through the things. And I have to 00:03:38.699 --> 00:03:44.000 take it off, because I don't have... Anyway, I just have to take it off. But as a society, we're very, 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:49.359 very, very consumed with the latest, the most recent, the superficial. We don't think of it that way. We 00:03:49.359 --> 00:03:54.060 think every superficial thing is unbelievably important and don't realize that the next superficial thing, 00:03:54.179 --> 00:03:58.239 which is different, is just as unbelievably important, which means the first superficial thing 00:03:58.240 --> 00:04:02.920 wasn't important at all. And we completely forget that. And while on one hand, there's this powerful 00:04:02.920 --> 00:04:07.520 pressure in our society to get caught up in the superficial, to get caught up in the surface, 00:04:08.080 --> 00:04:13.060 there are, amongst many people in our society, a longing and a desire to find something which is 00:04:13.060 --> 00:04:20.759 solid, something which is real, something which isn't just surface and transient, something 00:04:20.759 --> 00:04:29.779 real. I can tell you right now, for those of you, those of us, who are just interested in the 00:04:29.779 --> 00:04:36.579 superficial, you will never like the Bible, like you never will. You'll find it completely and utterly 00:04:36.579 --> 00:04:43.740 unhelpful, because the Bible talks about things which are very substantial all of the time. And so, 00:04:43.899 --> 00:04:49.500 the text that we're going to look at today is a very wise and beautiful text for those of us 00:04:49.500 --> 00:04:55.980 who would like to move from being consumed with the superficial, the surface of things, and to begin 00:04:55.980 --> 00:05:01.600 to have a life and to be formed in a way that deals with things which are really solid and deep. 00:05:02.360 --> 00:05:07.779 And like a lot of things in the Bible, it doesn't look like that at first. And it does a couple of 00:05:07.779 --> 00:05:12.720 things that make Canadians uncomfortable. But it could very well be, in fact, I'm going to suggest 00:05:12.720 --> 00:05:17.160 that unless we get uncomfortable, we're not going to actually be able to progress and actually find 00:05:17.160 --> 00:05:23.040 those things which are deep, not just surface. So, if you take your Bibles and open them, we're 00:05:23.040 --> 00:05:27.920 looking at Philippians chapter 3. We're preaching through the book of Philippians. This was originally 00:05:27.920 --> 00:05:34.400 a letter written by Paul in around the year 61 or 62, while he's under Roman imprisonment. And he's 00:05:34.400 --> 00:05:40.600 writing it to a small church of people who, I mean, they still be Jewish, but they're Jewish and now 00:05:40.600 --> 00:05:46.600 Christians and also pagans who are no longer pagans. See, because a Jewish person can become 00:05:46.600 --> 00:05:50.660 a Christian and remain Jewish, but you can't really be a pagan and become a Christian and remain pagan. 00:05:51.700 --> 00:05:57.960 That's a whole other topic of conversation if you're curious about that. And he's writing this 00:05:57.960 --> 00:06:05.600 letter to them from jail, and this is how it goes. We're just preaching through verse 15. 00:06:05.600 --> 00:06:10.939 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if any of you think otherwise, God will reveal that 00:06:10.939 --> 00:06:15.220 to you also. Now, just, you know, because I go through the book, I always want to read things, 00:06:15.280 --> 00:06:19.520 even if I don't talk about them very much, just so you know I'm not playing fast and loose with the 00:06:19.520 --> 00:06:25.480 context. What he's just talked about is how Christians should know that they're not perfect, 00:06:25.620 --> 00:06:30.180 they haven't arrived, they have to keep growing and growing and growing and growing. And that's what 00:06:30.180 --> 00:06:33.540 he said, you should think this way too. Don't think, never think you're perfect. 00:06:33.540 --> 00:06:38.360 Verse 16, only let us hold true to what we have attained. In other words, just keep pressing on. 00:06:39.140 --> 00:06:43.220 And then he gets to this thing which is a bit odd, verse 17, brothers and sisters, 00:06:43.800 --> 00:06:50.660 join in imitating me and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. 00:06:51.400 --> 00:06:55.960 Which sounds a little bit narcissistic, but it isn't. And if I have time at the end, 00:06:56.020 --> 00:07:00.439 I'll mention why it's not, within the context, why it's not narcissistic. 00:07:00.439 --> 00:07:06.560 And now we get into the nub of the matter about being consumed with the superficial and the surface. 00:07:07.800 --> 00:07:12.600 And for those of us who have a longing to not live our lives on the surface and superficial, 00:07:12.939 --> 00:07:21.240 but to get to things which are real and have substance, the first thing that Paul's going to do 00:07:21.240 --> 00:07:25.300 is break a rule, a Canadian rule about what you talk about. 00:07:26.960 --> 00:07:31.319 And that rule about what Canadians aren't supposed to talk about is this. 00:07:33.400 --> 00:07:35.800 Every single one of you in this room are going to die. 00:07:38.439 --> 00:07:41.819 I mean, I'm not saying that there's a bomb outside, you're going to die the next second. 00:07:41.819 --> 00:07:43.139 I'm not threatening you. 00:07:43.860 --> 00:07:48.000 I'm just saying, if you want to begin to have a serious life, 00:07:48.139 --> 00:07:51.099 a life dealing with things that are meaningful, 00:07:51.259 --> 00:07:53.639 you need to begin by understanding that you will all die. 00:07:56.659 --> 00:07:58.839 Well, let's see, how does he put it? 00:07:59.379 --> 00:08:00.199 Verse 18, 00:08:00.199 --> 00:08:23.719 Now, there's all sorts of things about this. 00:08:23.720 --> 00:08:28.060 And you say, George, okay, this doesn't sound like a very promising way to begin talking about 00:08:28.060 --> 00:08:33.800 getting over superficial things and surface things and looking for things which are more substantial. 00:08:35.480 --> 00:08:37.580 Well, it actually is. 00:08:37.800 --> 00:08:40.980 Begin like at verse, look at verse 19, their end is destruction. 00:08:42.560 --> 00:08:45.899 What Paul here is saying is, on one hand, there is a bit of a, 00:08:46.620 --> 00:08:49.840 there is a clear hint towards the Christian doctrine of hell, 00:08:49.920 --> 00:08:51.560 which I don't have time to talk about today. 00:08:51.559 --> 00:08:54.679 But it also is saying something far more immediate. 00:08:55.119 --> 00:08:59.099 And one of the most, the most empirical truth there is about human beings, 00:08:59.279 --> 00:09:03.439 which is that all of your lives are moving to the end of your life, 00:09:03.539 --> 00:09:05.819 where your life will be destroyed, where you will die. 00:09:06.839 --> 00:09:10.579 Death isn't something that you can take as much vitamin D as you want. 00:09:10.659 --> 00:09:11.739 You can have a perfect diet. 00:09:11.859 --> 00:09:15.039 You can exercise in the most rational, wise way. 00:09:15.239 --> 00:09:16.779 You can do all sorts of things like that. 00:09:17.759 --> 00:09:20.279 Most of it will just mean you have a better looking corpse. 00:09:21.559 --> 00:09:24.199 than another person, but you will die. 00:09:27.179 --> 00:09:28.199 That's just true. 00:09:29.699 --> 00:09:32.819 In fact, if you think about it, how can you be wise if you don't ever think about that? 00:09:33.859 --> 00:09:37.519 And just before I go anything further with this list of the five things, right? 00:09:37.779 --> 00:09:41.759 Your enemies of the cross of Christ, your end is destruction, your God is your belly, 00:09:42.339 --> 00:09:45.599 your glory and your shame, your minds are set on earthly things. 00:09:45.600 --> 00:09:51.340 This is just a very basic truth, that the Bible, when it says very hard things about us, 00:09:51.620 --> 00:09:56.379 does it not to push us away, but to connect with us, realistically. 00:09:56.779 --> 00:10:01.540 Because these are profoundly realistic and wise things to say, which I want to try to show you. 00:10:02.080 --> 00:10:03.620 Look at this thing, the thing here. 00:10:03.740 --> 00:10:04.200 We'll just jump. 00:10:04.200 --> 00:10:08.780 Their end is destruction, their God is their belly. 00:10:08.920 --> 00:10:10.960 Well, what does it mean to say their God is their belly? 00:10:11.580 --> 00:10:17.160 What it's saying is that human beings very easily fall into being driven by their appetites. 00:10:17.159 --> 00:10:22.939 And we get driven by our appetites. 00:10:23.299 --> 00:10:29.500 And when we are consumed by an appetite, when we let an appetite have more and more power over us, 00:10:30.259 --> 00:10:35.679 that thing which we want to satisfy our appetite becomes almost like a God to us. 00:10:35.719 --> 00:10:39.360 It becomes the thing that we organize around, that we think about all of the time, 00:10:39.419 --> 00:10:41.439 that we just desire very, very deeply. 00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:47.440 And if you think about it for a second, the more that human beings are controlled by their appetites, 00:10:48.200 --> 00:10:50.700 the more that human beings become like animals. 00:10:52.460 --> 00:10:54.440 And here's the thing about animals. 00:10:55.060 --> 00:10:57.840 For an animal, there is no right and wrong. 00:10:58.320 --> 00:10:59.880 There is no heaven and hell. 00:11:00.400 --> 00:11:03.220 For an animal, there is only breakfast and supper. 00:11:07.400 --> 00:11:09.760 For an animal, there is only breakfast and supper. 00:11:11.440 --> 00:11:15.440 And we all know people. 00:11:16.180 --> 00:11:20.620 And we all know that there's been times in our lives where we've been controlled by our appetites. 00:11:21.180 --> 00:11:24.300 We know how easily it is to slip into this. 00:11:25.640 --> 00:11:26.920 Well, what about this other thing? 00:11:27.000 --> 00:11:27.520 Here, look again. 00:11:27.620 --> 00:11:29.400 Their end is destruction, verse 19. 00:11:29.540 --> 00:11:34.080 Their God is their belly, and they glory in their shame with minds set on earthly things. 00:11:35.260 --> 00:11:38.600 I'm doing this one next because it helps us to understand the other phrases. 00:11:38.600 --> 00:11:43.379 What this is talking about, the word earthly things here. 00:11:44.399 --> 00:11:48.080 So one of the things we're going to be doing in September, we're going to go through the book of Ecclesiastes. 00:11:48.080 --> 00:11:56.660 And if you're familiar with the book of Ecclesiastes, it keeps going on and on about all things are vanity or all things are meaningless. 00:11:57.379 --> 00:12:06.820 But really, the phrase which we're going to look at in the fall, the Hebrew word is actually referring to vapor, to things being transient. 00:12:06.820 --> 00:12:14.480 So if you want to understand what it means, just think of what it's like to walk outside in January in Ottawa when it's minus 20. 00:12:15.000 --> 00:12:19.640 And when you walk outside when it's minus 20, your breath leaves your mouth and you can see it. 00:12:20.920 --> 00:12:24.360 Well, that's what the text is referring to in the book of Ecclesiastes. 00:12:24.820 --> 00:12:26.300 That's what life is like. 00:12:26.299 --> 00:12:32.179 When you breathe out and you can see your breath for but a second and then your breath disappears. 00:12:33.379 --> 00:12:35.759 And earthly is a similar type of idea. 00:12:35.899 --> 00:12:45.099 It's the New Testament sort of analogous, closely related idea to the Old Testament word that's translated often as vanity or meaningless. 00:12:45.839 --> 00:12:47.000 And that's the word earthly. 00:12:47.159 --> 00:12:50.719 It's referring to things which are completely and utterly transient. 00:12:50.720 --> 00:12:55.060 Now, so it says here that, what does it say here? 00:12:55.139 --> 00:12:59.320 It says our minds are set on earthly things, on transient things. 00:12:59.379 --> 00:13:01.399 And we might think that that's a little bit harsh. 00:13:01.720 --> 00:13:09.500 But just think about what we people, what Canadians set their minds on, what maybe some of us have set our minds on today before we came here. 00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:14.639 If you talk to Canadians and look at how they live, what do they live for? 00:13:14.700 --> 00:13:16.720 What do they set their mind on day by day? 00:13:16.720 --> 00:13:20.379 Well, some people say all I can do is just get through my day by day. 00:13:20.460 --> 00:13:21.519 That's my entire life. 00:13:21.600 --> 00:13:25.340 But some of them say I set my mind on the party that I'm going to go to next Friday. 00:13:25.500 --> 00:13:32.480 I set my mind on buying really, really nice clothes, nice purses, nice shoes, looking really good. 00:13:33.100 --> 00:13:36.940 I set my mind on exercise so my body will look really good. 00:13:37.019 --> 00:13:38.740 I set my mind on money. 00:13:38.940 --> 00:13:40.620 I set my mind on power. 00:13:40.940 --> 00:13:42.660 I set my mind on fame. 00:13:42.659 --> 00:13:46.740 I set my mind on being able to create music or writing. 00:13:46.919 --> 00:13:48.939 I set my mind on having a good job. 00:13:49.059 --> 00:13:50.879 I set my mind on having promotions. 00:13:51.159 --> 00:13:53.339 I set my mind on having a wife or a husband. 00:13:53.779 --> 00:13:56.039 I set my mind on having lots of sex. 00:13:56.179 --> 00:13:57.919 I set my mind on having children. 00:13:58.360 --> 00:14:00.379 I set my mind on pornography. 00:14:00.719 --> 00:14:03.000 I set my mind on having a family. 00:14:03.159 --> 00:14:04.819 I set my mind on my country. 00:14:04.980 --> 00:14:08.839 I set my mind on developing my mind and having a powerful intellect. 00:14:08.840 --> 00:14:13.720 I set my mind on knowledge, on popularity, on applause, on personal transformation, 00:14:13.720 --> 00:14:16.879 and everything in that list is transient. 00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:20.519 Too bad the Bible doesn't talk about me. 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:27.720 It's just brilliantly described human beings. 00:14:28.660 --> 00:14:35.019 It's described the average Canadian, including lots of us, all of us, to differing degrees. 00:14:35.019 --> 00:14:40.559 Our minds are set on things which are completely and utterly transient. 00:14:42.659 --> 00:14:45.699 I don't know. I've used the analogy before, but I don't know. 00:14:45.740 --> 00:14:52.319 About 18, 19, 20 years ago, I buried the man who, for many years, was one of the richest men in Ottawa. 00:14:54.100 --> 00:15:02.059 He became a Christian here, and I'd say things like this to him, and he would agree with me 100%, 00:15:02.059 --> 00:15:07.879 which is that the second after he died, if there was a street person who died at that exact same second, 00:15:08.079 --> 00:15:14.139 on the other side of death, they have the exact same bank account and financial resources, which is zero. 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:21.019 As Flannery O'Connor said, you can't be any poorer than dead. 00:15:21.019 --> 00:15:31.500 So, in fact, how does it describe us again? 00:15:34.139 --> 00:15:35.419 Their end is destruction. 00:15:35.639 --> 00:15:37.159 In other words, we're all going to die. 00:15:37.539 --> 00:15:39.079 We don't even want to think about it in Canada. 00:15:39.179 --> 00:15:40.860 You're not allowed to talk about it in Canada. 00:15:41.840 --> 00:15:45.919 Even in funerals, you don't really talk about it. 00:15:46.319 --> 00:15:47.039 Good grief. 00:15:47.039 --> 00:15:48.500 You know? 00:15:50.659 --> 00:15:52.980 Their God is their belly, their appetites. 00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:56.019 They glory in their shame with minds set on earthly things. 00:15:56.099 --> 00:15:58.480 Well, what does it mean to say glory in your shame? 00:15:59.759 --> 00:16:03.599 You know, one of the ways to help us to understand what it means and why it's true is 00:16:03.599 --> 00:16:06.399 when we come time to do communion, 00:16:07.419 --> 00:16:11.799 one of the things that we say in the communion service 00:16:11.799 --> 00:16:18.459 is we ask God to help us to feed on our hearts by faith in Christ. 00:16:19.519 --> 00:16:23.919 Feed on him in, I'll say to you, you know, that the body of our Lord Jesus Christ, 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:24.899 which was given for you, 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:28.379 preserve your body and soul unto everlasting life. 00:16:28.479 --> 00:16:31.240 Take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died on you, for you. 00:16:31.359 --> 00:16:34.859 Feed on him in your hearts by faith with thanksgiving. 00:16:35.279 --> 00:16:38.399 When I go along here saying communion to you, that's what I say. 00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:40.519 I'll say it as I'm walking along. 00:16:40.659 --> 00:16:42.620 The body of our Lord Jesus Christ given for you. 00:16:42.799 --> 00:16:45.039 Preserve your body and soul unto everlasting life. 00:16:45.139 --> 00:16:47.419 Take and eat this in remembrance that Christ died for you. 00:16:47.519 --> 00:16:50.159 Feed on him in your hearts by faith with thanksgiving. 00:16:50.600 --> 00:16:52.980 Feed on him in your hearts. 00:16:53.799 --> 00:16:56.559 So this is a very profound thing to say, 00:16:56.620 --> 00:16:57.980 and it's not something that I invented. 00:16:58.179 --> 00:17:00.199 It's in this ancient liturgy. 00:17:00.200 --> 00:17:03.000 Because what do we feed on in our hearts? 00:17:04.200 --> 00:17:07.279 I was really convicted with this a couple of weeks ago. 00:17:08.100 --> 00:17:12.920 Well, many of us, if we're honest, we feed on thoughts of revenge. 00:17:14.440 --> 00:17:16.400 We think on unforgiveness. 00:17:17.840 --> 00:17:19.539 We think on greed. 00:17:20.940 --> 00:17:23.059 We think on adultery. 00:17:23.059 --> 00:17:27.539 We feed on envy. 00:17:28.039 --> 00:17:30.319 Very huge problem in Canada. 00:17:30.839 --> 00:17:35.919 If Canada has one besetting sin, it's not our sexual problems, which we have. 00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:38.279 It's actually the greatest sin is the sin of envy, 00:17:39.359 --> 00:17:46.159 which is thinking, being upset by those who have things that we don't, 00:17:46.299 --> 00:17:49.339 that we value, and wanting them to get lowered and destroyed, 00:17:49.779 --> 00:17:52.339 even if we don't get enriched in the process. 00:17:52.339 --> 00:17:54.220 It's a very huge problem in Canada. 00:17:55.279 --> 00:17:57.079 And that's what we feed on in our hearts. 00:17:57.699 --> 00:18:01.379 It's what we think about during coffee breaks when we're falling asleep. 00:18:02.339 --> 00:18:05.019 I'm not saying we're all completely evil all of the time, 00:18:05.119 --> 00:18:06.980 but these are shameful things. 00:18:08.500 --> 00:18:09.919 And that's what we feed on. 00:18:10.699 --> 00:18:11.279 Isn't it? 00:18:14.240 --> 00:18:15.599 More than you think about this, 00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:18.679 their end is destruction, their God is their belly, 00:18:18.819 --> 00:18:20.220 they glory in their shame. 00:18:20.220 --> 00:18:22.660 When they say their glory in their shame, 00:18:22.759 --> 00:18:25.440 it's what they feed on it, and they have a confidence in it. 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:27.640 Like, they think it's a good thing. 00:18:27.740 --> 00:18:30.460 We think it's a good thing when we think of these things. 00:18:32.640 --> 00:18:34.839 And our minds are set on earthly things. 00:18:34.839 --> 00:18:39.279 And then why does it say that we're enemies of the cross? 00:18:39.319 --> 00:18:41.299 Because most people would say that's not true. 00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:44.019 That most people would say, I mean, I never give Jesus a thought. 00:18:44.220 --> 00:18:46.879 Why would you say that I'm an enemy to the cross of Christ? 00:18:46.880 --> 00:18:55.980 Well, we see that when we come face to face with the Bible saying something, 00:18:56.360 --> 00:19:00.980 a no, to something that our appetite desires, 00:19:01.180 --> 00:19:02.780 or we want to set our minds on. 00:19:03.880 --> 00:19:07.240 So you ask, you tell a very, very rich person, 00:19:07.540 --> 00:19:09.620 if I was to tell a very, very rich person, 00:19:09.619 --> 00:19:13.019 that it's not that having money is a sin, 00:19:13.439 --> 00:19:17.079 but if you earn your money in such a way that people are oppressed, 00:19:17.239 --> 00:19:18.059 that's wrong. 00:19:18.419 --> 00:19:19.459 You should stop it. 00:19:20.579 --> 00:19:24.319 And that the highest form of living is not amassing a fortune, 00:19:24.779 --> 00:19:25.939 but being more generous. 00:19:26.839 --> 00:19:30.579 So God says you should begin by giving away 10% of your wealth, 00:19:30.619 --> 00:19:31.699 and because you can afford it, 00:19:31.739 --> 00:19:33.619 maybe it should be 20 or 30 or 40%. 00:19:33.619 --> 00:19:38.159 And can you imagine me saying this to a very rich stockbroker or business person? 00:19:41.399 --> 00:19:43.619 You expect it to be used as an example about sex. 00:19:43.719 --> 00:19:44.699 Let's not use about that. 00:19:44.779 --> 00:19:46.679 Let's just talk about anything from forgiveness. 00:19:48.099 --> 00:19:49.119 You know, you should forgive. 00:19:49.559 --> 00:19:50.619 What do you mean, I should forgive? 00:19:53.000 --> 00:19:59.439 And as soon as God's commands intersect in a way which is pointy enough 00:19:59.439 --> 00:20:03.039 that we might actually feel, well, how do we feel? 00:20:03.619 --> 00:20:05.519 Who is God to say that to me? 00:20:06.579 --> 00:20:09.799 We want to go against God with our elbows up. 00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:15.939 And we want to stop our elbows up because we want to give him the finger, 00:20:16.299 --> 00:20:18.419 which it's hard to do that with your elbows up, 00:20:18.479 --> 00:20:19.759 so you have to go back and forward. 00:20:22.819 --> 00:20:26.919 You see, at that point in time, you realize that even though God is a God of grace and mercy, 00:20:26.920 --> 00:20:29.840 that in fact, if it impinges on it, 00:20:29.840 --> 00:20:33.800 we experience him as an enemy, as a threat. 00:20:35.320 --> 00:20:37.140 Now, just before we go anything further, 00:20:37.259 --> 00:20:39.140 you can begin to see that in some ways, 00:20:39.279 --> 00:20:42.960 the whole Bible text today is about two different ways. 00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:47.840 And the hope is that you will choose to continue to walk in one way 00:20:47.840 --> 00:20:49.840 or move to one way if you aren't already, 00:20:49.840 --> 00:20:55.220 and then some advice and beautiful wisdom about how you deepen and walk in that way. 00:20:55.340 --> 00:20:56.980 And one way is the way of destruction. 00:20:57.500 --> 00:21:01.600 The other way is the way of undeserved kindness from God, 00:21:01.779 --> 00:21:03.960 undeserved mercy from God, 00:21:04.140 --> 00:21:07.240 undeserved unearned grace from God. 00:21:07.240 --> 00:21:08.279 Those are the two ways. 00:21:09.079 --> 00:21:10.299 But before we go any further, 00:21:10.500 --> 00:21:12.160 Paul here is not othering. 00:21:14.160 --> 00:21:15.339 It's far from it. 00:21:15.380 --> 00:21:17.220 It's the exact opposite of othering. 00:21:17.579 --> 00:21:19.019 He's not pointing a finger. 00:21:19.180 --> 00:21:20.339 It's like that old analogy. 00:21:20.420 --> 00:21:21.539 If I point a finger at you, 00:21:21.579 --> 00:21:23.880 I have three fingers pointing back at myself. 00:21:25.559 --> 00:21:27.079 And he would be the first to say, 00:21:27.220 --> 00:21:29.220 not only if I could point my thumb backwards, 00:21:29.380 --> 00:21:30.339 I would do that too. 00:21:30.620 --> 00:21:31.720 I mean, just before this, 00:21:31.759 --> 00:21:34.079 he's talked about how he used to boast in the fact 00:21:34.079 --> 00:21:36.920 that he persecuted Christians and put them in jail and killed them. 00:21:37.720 --> 00:21:39.420 Something for which he's now ashamed. 00:21:40.900 --> 00:21:43.960 You see, the Bible would say that all human beings, 00:21:44.279 --> 00:21:44.680 in a sense, 00:21:44.759 --> 00:21:45.440 when the Bible says, 00:21:45.599 --> 00:21:47.680 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 00:21:47.839 --> 00:21:49.240 in a sense what the Bible is saying, 00:21:49.319 --> 00:21:51.660 for all human beings walk in the way of destruction. 00:21:53.000 --> 00:21:54.900 And it's only by God's grace and mercy, 00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:56.220 his undeserved kindness, 00:21:56.380 --> 00:21:58.039 that Jesus takes me, in a sense, 00:21:58.120 --> 00:22:00.400 out of one way and puts me in the other way. 00:22:00.839 --> 00:22:02.519 That's what the cross is all about. 00:22:03.140 --> 00:22:04.240 The cross is not, 00:22:04.240 --> 00:22:05.620 look at all those bad people 00:22:05.619 --> 00:22:07.219 and we're the pure people in here. 00:22:07.939 --> 00:22:10.299 And hopefully it's come forward in how I'm talking. 00:22:10.419 --> 00:22:12.139 It's me, it's me, it's me, 00:22:12.179 --> 00:22:14.299 oh Lord, standing in the need of prayer. 00:22:14.899 --> 00:22:17.019 It's why Spurgeon so truly said, 00:22:17.139 --> 00:22:19.519 the Christian way is not a way of othering, 00:22:19.919 --> 00:22:22.319 but it is one beggar telling another beggar 00:22:22.319 --> 00:22:23.619 where to get free bread, 00:22:23.739 --> 00:22:25.559 the free bread of eternal life. 00:22:25.639 --> 00:22:27.159 And that's what I am here to tell you about. 00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:28.919 There is a better way. 00:22:28.920 --> 00:22:33.779 There is a way that you enter purely and utterly 00:22:33.779 --> 00:22:38.400 by God's grace, his mercy, his kindness, and his beauty 00:22:38.400 --> 00:22:42.880 coming to you in a way which is unmerited and undeserved. 00:22:43.720 --> 00:22:45.539 And that's how it came to me. 00:22:45.660 --> 00:22:47.660 It's the only way it comes to anybody 00:22:47.660 --> 00:22:49.019 when his grace comes to you, 00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:51.400 completely unmerited and undeserved. 00:22:52.080 --> 00:22:53.720 And that's the next bit. 00:22:53.860 --> 00:22:55.200 Look at verse 20. 00:22:55.200 --> 00:22:59.759 One of the things which is really important in the Bible 00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:01.880 is the Bible, the New Testament especially, 00:23:02.100 --> 00:23:04.120 is the book of big butts. 00:23:05.640 --> 00:23:07.860 It's big butts in the sense that there's a but 00:23:07.860 --> 00:23:09.059 after something like that. 00:23:09.100 --> 00:23:09.940 And it's a big but. 00:23:10.100 --> 00:23:11.860 You need to really pay attention to it. 00:23:12.559 --> 00:23:13.600 So look at verse 20. 00:23:13.779 --> 00:23:17.039 But, he's going to talk about another way. 00:23:17.120 --> 00:23:19.100 Our citizenship is in heaven. 00:23:19.740 --> 00:23:23.140 And from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, 00:23:23.140 --> 00:23:27.300 who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body 00:23:27.300 --> 00:23:31.640 by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. 00:23:31.720 --> 00:23:32.700 A very dense text. 00:23:32.820 --> 00:23:34.160 Let's sort of try to one. 00:23:34.520 --> 00:23:36.660 This is the way of undeserved grace. 00:23:36.920 --> 00:23:39.920 And it gives us truths to remember and to rehearse 00:23:39.920 --> 00:23:41.780 and to tell each other. 00:23:42.300 --> 00:23:44.320 And the first thing here is it's not telling us 00:23:44.320 --> 00:23:48.620 to be so super spiritually that we don't deal with the real. 00:23:48.680 --> 00:23:51.320 The way to deal with those things is all laid out here. 00:23:51.319 --> 00:23:52.419 Look at verse 20 again. 00:23:52.839 --> 00:23:54.279 Our citizenship is in heaven. 00:23:54.779 --> 00:23:57.679 I just want to tell you, for a lot of us in this room, 00:23:57.759 --> 00:23:59.960 we don't appreciate that word citizenship. 00:24:00.859 --> 00:24:03.099 But I also know that there are people in this room 00:24:03.099 --> 00:24:05.059 who came to Canada as refugees. 00:24:07.579 --> 00:24:10.200 They understand the importance of citizenship. 00:24:10.200 --> 00:24:14.259 There are people here who've come as immigrants. 00:24:14.259 --> 00:24:19.980 They understand the value of citizenship in the right place. 00:24:22.220 --> 00:24:24.960 And when it says our citizenship is in heaven, 00:24:25.879 --> 00:24:28.180 heaven is the place where God rules. 00:24:29.779 --> 00:24:31.440 Friends, brothers and sisters, 00:24:32.440 --> 00:24:37.079 someday Max Carney will not be the Prime Minister of Canada. 00:24:37.879 --> 00:24:40.140 Our citizenship will still be in heaven. 00:24:40.140 --> 00:24:43.240 There will be a time when Trump is not... 00:24:43.240 --> 00:24:44.600 Even if you don't like Trump, 00:24:44.740 --> 00:24:46.040 our citizenship is not in heaven. 00:24:46.300 --> 00:24:47.840 Sorry, our citizenship is in heaven. 00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:49.000 There will be a time when he's not... 00:24:49.000 --> 00:24:50.180 Our citizenship is in heaven. 00:24:50.280 --> 00:24:51.720 Heaven is the place where God rules. 00:24:52.280 --> 00:24:53.200 He rules from it. 00:24:53.460 --> 00:24:55.280 What does Jesus teach us in the Lord's Prayer? 00:24:55.400 --> 00:24:56.860 Our Father who art in heaven, 00:24:57.000 --> 00:24:57.940 hallowed be thy name. 00:24:58.020 --> 00:24:59.220 Thy kingdom come. 00:24:59.320 --> 00:25:01.720 Thy will be done on earth 00:25:01.720 --> 00:25:04.140 as it is in heaven. 00:25:04.140 --> 00:25:04.700 Heaven. 00:25:04.700 --> 00:25:08.740 It's to understand that 00:25:08.740 --> 00:25:12.279 while we are to be the best Canadians we could possibly be 00:25:12.279 --> 00:25:14.640 and the best Ottawaans we could possibly be, 00:25:14.740 --> 00:25:15.680 at the end of the day, 00:25:16.740 --> 00:25:18.779 Max Carney is our Prime Minister. 00:25:19.080 --> 00:25:22.180 King Charles II or III, I think it is, 00:25:22.200 --> 00:25:23.039 is our king. 00:25:23.240 --> 00:25:24.480 But our true king, 00:25:24.600 --> 00:25:26.440 the King of kings and Lord of lords, 00:25:27.160 --> 00:25:29.319 is our saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:25:32.319 --> 00:25:34.059 That's the first thing that it tells you, 00:25:34.059 --> 00:25:35.639 that he is our ruler. 00:25:36.359 --> 00:25:38.139 And then it tells you that he will return. 00:25:38.299 --> 00:25:38.759 Look at this. 00:25:38.879 --> 00:25:40.419 But our citizenship is in heaven 00:25:40.419 --> 00:25:43.019 and from him we await a saviour. 00:25:43.460 --> 00:25:45.259 It's not that we have to wait for him to come. 00:25:45.319 --> 00:25:46.019 He's already come. 00:25:46.139 --> 00:25:48.000 We're waiting for him to come the second time. 00:25:48.339 --> 00:25:50.259 Christians should be deeply uncertain 00:25:50.259 --> 00:25:51.859 about when he will return, 00:25:52.019 --> 00:25:54.220 but we should be spectacularly certain 00:25:54.220 --> 00:25:55.559 that he will return. 00:25:57.240 --> 00:25:58.799 It changes how you think. 00:25:59.599 --> 00:26:01.339 And he is described as our saviour, 00:26:01.440 --> 00:26:02.720 the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:26:02.720 --> 00:26:04.720 And this is a profoundly... 00:26:05.460 --> 00:26:06.200 You see, people, 00:26:06.380 --> 00:26:09.319 as people from the outside of the Christian faith, 00:26:09.420 --> 00:26:09.980 you don't understand, 00:26:10.160 --> 00:26:11.140 they don't understand, 00:26:11.240 --> 00:26:12.500 and Christians don't understand often 00:26:12.500 --> 00:26:13.839 when they first become Christians, 00:26:13.900 --> 00:26:14.860 or maybe they do at first, 00:26:14.940 --> 00:26:16.039 their grasp with the beauty. 00:26:16.519 --> 00:26:17.900 But the beauty is deeper 00:26:17.900 --> 00:26:19.759 as you get deeper into the Christian faith. 00:26:19.799 --> 00:26:22.380 Because when you see this simple phrase, 00:26:22.860 --> 00:26:25.120 our saviour, Lord Jesus Christ, 00:26:25.460 --> 00:26:27.140 there's something emotionally powerful 00:26:27.140 --> 00:26:28.240 and beautiful about it. 00:26:28.240 --> 00:26:29.799 Because, you know, 00:26:29.900 --> 00:26:33.019 you just think about the average Canadian, 00:26:33.140 --> 00:26:35.019 just person just formed by Canada. 00:26:35.019 --> 00:26:36.859 We have a particular origin, 00:26:37.000 --> 00:26:38.160 which is evolution. 00:26:38.500 --> 00:26:39.900 And then we have a particular way 00:26:39.900 --> 00:26:41.440 to try to think of what's right and wrong. 00:26:41.779 --> 00:26:43.319 And then we have another particular way 00:26:43.319 --> 00:26:45.000 to think about how we're going to be spiritual. 00:26:45.339 --> 00:26:47.019 And we have another particular way 00:26:47.019 --> 00:26:48.559 to think how about we're going to be practical 00:26:48.559 --> 00:26:49.279 in this life. 00:26:49.440 --> 00:26:50.440 And we have another way 00:26:50.440 --> 00:26:51.819 where we have to deal with the laws. 00:26:51.880 --> 00:26:53.559 And then we have another thing about death 00:26:53.559 --> 00:26:55.019 and what happens when we die. 00:26:55.019 --> 00:26:57.119 And then we have this whole other thing 00:26:57.119 --> 00:26:57.960 about longings. 00:26:58.039 --> 00:26:59.920 And that longings is sort of a separate thing 00:26:59.920 --> 00:27:01.039 from the spiritual thing 00:27:01.039 --> 00:27:01.779 or sort of connected 00:27:01.779 --> 00:27:02.779 and separate from morals, 00:27:02.920 --> 00:27:04.000 but sort of connected. 00:27:04.379 --> 00:27:05.400 And then for some Canadians, 00:27:05.579 --> 00:27:06.440 there's beauty. 00:27:06.579 --> 00:27:07.819 And there's all these completely 00:27:07.819 --> 00:27:09.400 and utterly separate categories. 00:27:10.099 --> 00:27:13.619 But that's not there in the Bible. 00:27:14.579 --> 00:27:16.859 We have, what do we have here? 00:27:16.940 --> 00:27:18.259 We have our saviour, 00:27:18.359 --> 00:27:19.619 the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:20.940 There's just one 00:27:20.940 --> 00:27:23.299 who will transform our lowly body 00:27:23.299 --> 00:27:24.879 to be like his glorious body 00:27:24.879 --> 00:27:26.619 and by the power that enables him 00:27:26.619 --> 00:27:28.379 even to subject all things to himself. 00:27:28.480 --> 00:27:29.259 20 and 21. 00:27:29.700 --> 00:27:30.940 There is one God in heaven 00:27:30.940 --> 00:27:32.059 who's created all things, 00:27:32.139 --> 00:27:33.399 who sustains all things, 00:27:33.700 --> 00:27:34.680 who will bring all things 00:27:34.680 --> 00:27:35.659 to their proper end. 00:27:35.940 --> 00:27:37.440 There is that one God in heaven, 00:27:37.519 --> 00:27:38.980 the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit 00:27:38.980 --> 00:27:40.200 who have worked together. 00:27:40.680 --> 00:27:41.799 They are a God of love 00:27:41.799 --> 00:27:42.879 because from all eternity, 00:27:43.019 --> 00:27:44.139 the Father has loved the Son 00:27:44.139 --> 00:27:45.139 and the Son has loved the Father. 00:27:45.240 --> 00:27:46.240 I miss that there's a whole other 00:27:46.240 --> 00:27:48.339 separate principle of love for Canadians 00:27:48.339 --> 00:27:49.980 and how that love fits with meaning 00:27:49.980 --> 00:27:51.419 and beauty and right and wrong. 00:27:51.779 --> 00:27:53.279 Those things can be all complicated. 00:27:53.299 --> 00:27:54.180 And it can be complicated 00:27:54.180 --> 00:27:55.299 for us to figure out how they are. 00:27:55.559 --> 00:27:56.419 But at the end of the day, 00:27:56.659 --> 00:27:58.659 there is just the Father, 00:27:58.779 --> 00:27:59.779 the Son, and the Holy Spirit 00:27:59.779 --> 00:28:00.759 with love and beauty 00:28:00.759 --> 00:28:01.579 from all eternity. 00:28:01.779 --> 00:28:02.859 And it's the same God, 00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:04.379 the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit 00:28:04.379 --> 00:28:05.879 who has saved us. 00:28:06.139 --> 00:28:07.259 And God is good 00:28:07.259 --> 00:28:08.680 and goodness comes from that. 00:28:08.720 --> 00:28:09.759 And because he's the creator, 00:28:09.879 --> 00:28:11.299 how to live wisely and well 00:28:11.299 --> 00:28:12.700 comes from understanding his word. 00:28:12.859 --> 00:28:16.279 And there is this profound unity 00:28:16.279 --> 00:28:20.119 and coherence in all of it. 00:28:20.119 --> 00:28:25.179 And that's who we're looking forward 00:28:25.179 --> 00:28:26.500 to having come back. 00:28:26.599 --> 00:28:27.859 And then there's this whole thing 00:28:27.859 --> 00:28:28.679 about our body, 00:28:28.799 --> 00:28:30.199 which is just so precious. 00:28:35.000 --> 00:28:36.239 You know what it says here? 00:28:36.299 --> 00:28:37.799 Look at verse 21, 00:28:37.939 --> 00:28:39.939 who will transform our lowly body. 00:28:40.019 --> 00:28:41.799 And lowly is a very, very good way 00:28:41.799 --> 00:28:42.599 to translate it. 00:28:42.659 --> 00:28:44.059 But you know what it literally says? 00:28:44.059 --> 00:28:44.139 It says, 00:28:44.960 --> 00:28:47.399 the body, our humiliated body. 00:28:49.319 --> 00:28:50.940 Now some of you are too young 00:28:50.940 --> 00:28:52.480 and too healthy to understand 00:28:52.480 --> 00:28:53.879 how your body can be a source 00:28:53.879 --> 00:28:54.659 of humiliation. 00:28:55.799 --> 00:28:57.599 Others of us have realized 00:28:57.599 --> 00:28:59.359 that we're covered with dimples 00:28:59.359 --> 00:29:00.139 that aren't cute. 00:29:04.259 --> 00:29:07.599 And uncute dimples just grow with age, 00:29:07.599 --> 00:29:08.960 as well as a whole pile 00:29:08.960 --> 00:29:10.339 of other types of things. 00:29:10.339 --> 00:29:11.799 And we become very conscious 00:29:11.799 --> 00:29:14.759 of the humiliation of our body, 00:29:14.879 --> 00:29:15.740 especially considering 00:29:15.740 --> 00:29:16.919 to what God wants to be. 00:29:17.039 --> 00:29:17.519 But it says, 00:29:17.679 --> 00:29:18.480 who will transform? 00:29:18.759 --> 00:29:20.539 He will transform our lowly body 00:29:20.539 --> 00:29:22.599 to be like his glorious body. 00:29:22.679 --> 00:29:23.799 And you know what that means 00:29:23.799 --> 00:29:25.459 literally in the original language? 00:29:25.959 --> 00:29:26.919 It's a body. 00:29:27.779 --> 00:29:29.000 And so it has matter. 00:29:29.659 --> 00:29:32.079 But it's a body of glory. 00:29:32.079 --> 00:29:32.220 Glory. 00:29:35.759 --> 00:29:37.220 It's made of glory. 00:29:37.220 --> 00:29:41.200 And of matter and energy. 00:29:41.460 --> 00:29:42.380 Matter and energy 00:29:42.380 --> 00:29:43.660 and God's glory 00:29:43.660 --> 00:29:45.100 is what our new bodies 00:29:45.100 --> 00:29:45.759 will be like. 00:29:47.680 --> 00:29:48.220 You see, 00:29:48.380 --> 00:29:48.839 this is, 00:29:48.960 --> 00:29:49.880 what this is saying, 00:29:50.519 --> 00:29:51.259 what this is saying, 00:29:51.380 --> 00:29:52.259 and when you realize 00:29:52.259 --> 00:29:52.920 that this is what 00:29:52.920 --> 00:29:53.900 the Bible teaches, 00:29:55.920 --> 00:29:57.220 you realize 00:29:57.799 --> 00:29:59.500 how you can only be saved 00:29:59.500 --> 00:30:01.240 by God doing something, 00:30:01.339 --> 00:30:02.779 by putting your faith 00:30:02.779 --> 00:30:03.220 in Christ 00:30:03.220 --> 00:30:05.240 and he transfers you 00:30:05.240 --> 00:30:06.000 out of one way 00:30:06.000 --> 00:30:06.980 into another way, 00:30:07.079 --> 00:30:07.819 another area 00:30:07.819 --> 00:30:08.839 where you are a citizen 00:30:08.839 --> 00:30:09.599 of his kingdom, 00:30:09.720 --> 00:30:10.279 of his people. 00:30:10.380 --> 00:30:11.279 It's a covenant idea 00:30:11.279 --> 00:30:12.200 and he is your king. 00:30:13.039 --> 00:30:14.359 And what it's saying is this. 00:30:16.160 --> 00:30:17.099 In Christ, 00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:18.440 what we see here 00:30:18.440 --> 00:30:19.839 is the final act 00:30:19.839 --> 00:30:21.400 and word about us. 00:30:22.420 --> 00:30:24.299 You or I might die in pain. 00:30:24.980 --> 00:30:26.140 We might die alone. 00:30:26.720 --> 00:30:28.519 We might die with no one grieving. 00:30:29.940 --> 00:30:31.180 In some places 00:30:31.180 --> 00:30:32.839 where Christians die, 00:30:32.839 --> 00:30:34.779 they die with people cheering. 00:30:36.000 --> 00:30:38.680 And they think they've won. 00:30:39.880 --> 00:30:41.900 Some die in the haze 00:30:41.900 --> 00:30:43.259 of Alzheimer's 00:30:43.259 --> 00:30:46.000 with terrible diseases. 00:30:47.500 --> 00:30:48.859 But what this is saying 00:30:48.859 --> 00:30:50.160 is that if you are in Christ, 00:30:50.559 --> 00:30:51.259 this death 00:30:51.259 --> 00:30:52.180 and the humiliation 00:30:52.180 --> 00:30:52.920 of your body 00:30:52.920 --> 00:30:54.039 is not the final word 00:30:54.039 --> 00:30:54.599 about you. 00:30:56.539 --> 00:30:57.960 The moment your eyes 00:30:57.960 --> 00:30:59.400 close on this world 00:30:59.400 --> 00:31:00.819 will be the moment 00:31:00.819 --> 00:31:01.980 your eyes open 00:31:01.980 --> 00:31:02.740 in the presence 00:31:02.740 --> 00:31:04.079 of the triune God 00:31:04.079 --> 00:31:06.259 and you will awake 00:31:06.259 --> 00:31:08.180 with a resurrected body, 00:31:09.180 --> 00:31:10.839 one made alive 00:31:10.839 --> 00:31:11.599 and healed, 00:31:13.160 --> 00:31:13.839 suffused 00:31:13.839 --> 00:31:15.259 and infused 00:31:15.259 --> 00:31:17.279 with the glory of God. 00:31:17.279 --> 00:31:27.599 that is the Christian truth. 00:31:30.599 --> 00:31:31.480 And we 00:31:31.480 --> 00:31:33.660 come into this way 00:31:33.660 --> 00:31:35.099 of undeserved, 00:31:35.399 --> 00:31:36.259 unearned, 00:31:36.460 --> 00:31:37.319 unmerited 00:31:37.319 --> 00:31:38.139 beauty 00:31:38.139 --> 00:31:39.019 and goodness 00:31:39.019 --> 00:31:39.759 and grace 00:31:39.759 --> 00:31:41.099 because of what 00:31:41.099 --> 00:31:42.399 our Savior Jesus Christ 00:31:42.399 --> 00:31:43.119 has done for us 00:31:43.119 --> 00:31:43.779 on the cross. 00:31:43.779 --> 00:31:45.460 and we are called 00:31:45.460 --> 00:31:46.180 to put our faith 00:31:46.180 --> 00:31:47.160 and trust in Him 00:31:47.160 --> 00:31:50.799 as He transfers us 00:31:50.799 --> 00:31:51.579 from one way 00:31:51.579 --> 00:31:52.619 to another. 00:31:54.420 --> 00:31:54.779 You know, 00:31:55.039 --> 00:31:56.559 who better to listen to 00:31:56.559 --> 00:31:57.200 than Jesus 00:31:57.200 --> 00:31:58.200 on this? 00:31:59.859 --> 00:32:00.359 I mean, 00:32:00.399 --> 00:32:01.000 He is the one 00:32:01.000 --> 00:32:02.119 who died upon the cross 00:32:02.119 --> 00:32:02.639 for you 00:32:02.639 --> 00:32:04.619 because of His miracles. 00:32:04.799 --> 00:32:06.160 If you read His biographies, 00:32:06.339 --> 00:32:07.639 the biographies of Him, 00:32:07.700 --> 00:32:08.240 you see that 00:32:08.240 --> 00:32:09.259 it has to have been 00:32:09.259 --> 00:32:09.759 His love 00:32:09.759 --> 00:32:10.420 which kept Him 00:32:10.420 --> 00:32:11.059 on the cross. 00:32:11.799 --> 00:32:12.859 A man who could walk 00:32:12.859 --> 00:32:13.440 on water, 00:32:13.559 --> 00:32:14.179 a man who could 00:32:14.179 --> 00:32:15.259 knock soldiers down 00:32:15.259 --> 00:32:16.519 just by a single word 00:32:16.519 --> 00:32:17.299 could never have been 00:32:17.299 --> 00:32:18.039 held on a cross 00:32:18.039 --> 00:32:18.960 unless He willed 00:32:18.960 --> 00:32:19.960 to die on the cross, 00:32:20.399 --> 00:32:21.319 unless it was His love 00:32:21.319 --> 00:32:21.799 that led Him 00:32:21.799 --> 00:32:22.819 to die on the cross. 00:32:23.480 --> 00:32:24.579 And the grave 00:32:24.579 --> 00:32:25.579 is empty, 00:32:25.700 --> 00:32:26.440 the body has never 00:32:26.440 --> 00:32:27.000 been found 00:32:27.000 --> 00:32:27.740 and He has appeared 00:32:27.740 --> 00:32:29.019 alive to many people. 00:32:29.639 --> 00:32:29.940 And so, 00:32:30.139 --> 00:32:31.259 who is there better 00:32:31.259 --> 00:32:32.179 to listen to 00:32:32.179 --> 00:32:32.740 and trust 00:32:32.740 --> 00:32:33.399 than Jesus 00:32:33.399 --> 00:32:34.339 who loves you, 00:32:34.460 --> 00:32:35.720 Jesus who saves you, 00:32:36.319 --> 00:32:37.460 Jesus who 00:32:37.460 --> 00:32:40.119 is the Lord Jesus Christ, 00:32:40.339 --> 00:32:40.960 sovereign over 00:32:40.960 --> 00:32:41.620 all things, 00:32:41.700 --> 00:32:42.559 who will transform 00:32:42.559 --> 00:32:43.660 your body 00:32:43.660 --> 00:32:45.440 into His glorious body, 00:32:45.519 --> 00:32:46.380 who is there better 00:32:46.380 --> 00:32:47.120 to listen to 00:32:47.120 --> 00:32:47.660 and trust 00:32:47.660 --> 00:32:48.180 than Him? 00:32:50.680 --> 00:32:51.460 And that's why 00:32:51.460 --> 00:32:52.620 it says to stand firm 00:32:52.620 --> 00:32:52.860 in it. 00:32:52.920 --> 00:32:53.539 Look at what it goes 00:32:53.539 --> 00:32:54.160 on to say. 00:32:55.360 --> 00:32:56.039 And therefore, 00:32:56.200 --> 00:32:57.200 my brothers and sisters, 00:32:57.360 --> 00:32:58.160 verse chapter 4, 00:32:58.240 --> 00:32:58.740 verse 1, 00:32:58.840 --> 00:32:59.340 whom I love 00:32:59.340 --> 00:32:59.920 and long for 00:32:59.920 --> 00:33:00.460 my joy 00:33:00.460 --> 00:33:01.140 and my crown, 00:33:01.299 --> 00:33:02.200 stand firm thus 00:33:02.200 --> 00:33:02.620 in the Lord 00:33:02.620 --> 00:33:03.259 and be saved. 00:33:03.360 --> 00:33:03.500 So, 00:33:03.860 --> 00:33:04.319 there is this 00:33:04.319 --> 00:33:05.620 constant sociological 00:33:05.620 --> 00:33:06.720 and cultural pressure 00:33:06.720 --> 00:33:08.440 to forget these things 00:33:08.440 --> 00:33:09.400 if you're in Christ, 00:33:09.400 --> 00:33:10.860 to think of other things, 00:33:10.940 --> 00:33:11.900 to move towards 00:33:11.900 --> 00:33:12.940 superficiality 00:33:12.940 --> 00:33:13.460 or to move 00:33:13.460 --> 00:33:14.380 to false gods. 00:33:14.920 --> 00:33:16.040 And Paul is here 00:33:16.040 --> 00:33:16.300 saying, 00:33:16.440 --> 00:33:17.019 stand firm 00:33:17.019 --> 00:33:17.519 in thinking 00:33:17.519 --> 00:33:18.060 and remembering 00:33:18.060 --> 00:33:18.580 about this 00:33:18.580 --> 00:33:19.100 and walking 00:33:19.100 --> 00:33:19.640 on the way. 00:33:20.900 --> 00:33:21.460 And then, 00:33:22.040 --> 00:33:23.019 we need to get 00:33:23.019 --> 00:33:23.620 to this other thing 00:33:23.620 --> 00:33:24.320 in terms of 00:33:24.320 --> 00:33:25.019 how you live 00:33:25.019 --> 00:33:25.780 this way. 00:33:26.140 --> 00:33:26.759 We'll read 00:33:26.759 --> 00:33:27.700 verses 2 and 3 00:33:27.700 --> 00:33:28.820 to get to this 00:33:28.820 --> 00:33:29.340 in closing. 00:33:29.560 --> 00:33:29.680 But, 00:33:29.680 --> 00:33:30.440 I entreat 00:33:30.440 --> 00:33:30.940 Iodia 00:33:30.940 --> 00:33:31.600 and I entreat 00:33:31.600 --> 00:33:32.120 Syntica 00:33:32.120 --> 00:33:33.000 to agree 00:33:33.000 --> 00:33:33.460 in the Lord. 00:33:33.560 --> 00:33:33.720 Yes, 00:33:33.740 --> 00:33:34.240 I ask you 00:33:34.240 --> 00:33:34.560 also, 00:33:34.759 --> 00:33:35.460 true companions, 00:33:35.700 --> 00:33:36.440 to help those 00:33:36.440 --> 00:33:37.519 women who have 00:33:37.519 --> 00:33:38.779 labored side by side 00:33:38.779 --> 00:33:39.580 with me in the gospel 00:33:39.580 --> 00:33:40.539 together with Clement 00:33:40.539 --> 00:33:41.360 and the rest of my 00:33:41.360 --> 00:33:42.000 fellow workers 00:33:42.000 --> 00:33:42.480 whose names 00:33:42.480 --> 00:33:43.279 are in the book of life. 00:33:43.420 --> 00:33:44.259 And that's just, 00:33:45.039 --> 00:33:46.060 for our purposes 00:33:46.060 --> 00:33:46.480 right now, 00:33:46.539 --> 00:33:47.340 reminding us that 00:33:47.340 --> 00:33:48.060 just because these 00:33:48.060 --> 00:33:48.660 things are true 00:33:48.660 --> 00:33:49.259 in us doesn't mean 00:33:49.259 --> 00:33:49.779 we're instantly 00:33:49.779 --> 00:33:51.060 transformed. 00:33:51.680 --> 00:33:53.000 Our life in Christ 00:33:53.000 --> 00:33:53.880 is a quest, 00:33:54.519 --> 00:33:55.340 a continuing, 00:33:55.900 --> 00:33:56.720 pressing into 00:33:56.720 --> 00:33:57.539 these things 00:33:57.539 --> 00:33:58.500 in a way 00:33:58.500 --> 00:33:59.799 that changes us 00:33:59.799 --> 00:34:01.039 because we aren't 00:34:01.039 --> 00:34:01.500 perfect. 00:34:01.839 --> 00:34:02.299 And that's why 00:34:02.299 --> 00:34:02.899 we have to have 00:34:02.899 --> 00:34:03.500 penitent, 00:34:03.779 --> 00:34:04.420 humble hearts. 00:34:04.759 --> 00:34:05.440 But here's the 00:34:05.440 --> 00:34:06.220 primary lesson 00:34:06.220 --> 00:34:07.039 I want to leave you 00:34:07.039 --> 00:34:07.240 with. 00:34:07.339 --> 00:34:07.960 Verse 4, 00:34:08.340 --> 00:34:09.239 Rejoice in the Lord 00:34:09.239 --> 00:34:09.619 always, 00:34:09.759 --> 00:34:10.480 again I will say 00:34:10.480 --> 00:34:10.940 rejoice. 00:34:11.420 --> 00:34:12.300 Rejoice in the Lord 00:34:12.300 --> 00:34:12.659 always, 00:34:12.759 --> 00:34:13.420 again I will say 00:34:13.420 --> 00:34:13.860 rejoice. 00:34:14.259 --> 00:34:15.039 Rejoice in the Lord 00:34:15.039 --> 00:34:15.380 always, 00:34:15.480 --> 00:34:16.239 again I will say 00:34:16.239 --> 00:34:16.719 rejoice. 00:34:16.960 --> 00:34:18.059 So what's going on 00:34:18.059 --> 00:34:18.619 here with this 00:34:18.619 --> 00:34:19.500 particular text? 00:34:19.659 --> 00:34:20.599 The Bible is not 00:34:20.599 --> 00:34:21.480 being foolish. 00:34:22.019 --> 00:34:22.920 The Bible is not 00:34:22.920 --> 00:34:24.460 saying that you 00:34:24.460 --> 00:34:24.800 all, 00:34:24.980 --> 00:34:25.860 you can only have 00:34:25.860 --> 00:34:26.599 one emotion 00:34:26.599 --> 00:34:27.119 which is 00:34:27.119 --> 00:34:27.679 rejoicing. 00:34:27.900 --> 00:34:28.799 The Bible isn't 00:34:28.799 --> 00:34:29.139 naive. 00:34:29.420 --> 00:34:30.079 It's not telling 00:34:30.079 --> 00:34:31.519 you just be, 00:34:31.679 --> 00:34:32.299 just rejoice. 00:34:32.699 --> 00:34:33.599 It's not trying 00:34:33.599 --> 00:34:34.579 to manipulate you. 00:34:34.639 --> 00:34:35.279 It's not saying 00:34:35.279 --> 00:34:38.059 listen if something 00:34:38.059 --> 00:34:39.339 just terribly tragic 00:34:39.339 --> 00:34:40.039 has just happened 00:34:40.039 --> 00:34:40.299 to you, 00:34:40.339 --> 00:34:40.839 you're not allowed 00:34:40.839 --> 00:34:41.440 to be sad, 00:34:41.519 --> 00:34:41.880 you've got to 00:34:41.880 --> 00:34:42.940 think happy thoughts. 00:34:43.259 --> 00:34:43.619 You've got to 00:34:43.619 --> 00:34:44.299 think rejoicing 00:34:44.299 --> 00:34:44.579 thoughts. 00:34:44.699 --> 00:34:45.400 The Bible isn't 00:34:45.400 --> 00:34:46.380 telling you that 00:34:46.380 --> 00:34:47.579 this type of 00:34:47.579 --> 00:34:48.380 emotion is the 00:34:48.380 --> 00:34:49.259 emotion that real 00:34:49.259 --> 00:34:50.119 Christians have 00:34:50.119 --> 00:34:50.940 that overwhelms 00:34:50.940 --> 00:34:51.460 all of your 00:34:51.460 --> 00:34:52.099 other emotions. 00:34:52.500 --> 00:34:52.960 The Bible 00:34:52.960 --> 00:34:53.880 understands that 00:34:53.880 --> 00:34:54.339 you can have 00:34:54.339 --> 00:34:54.940 things which are 00:34:54.940 --> 00:34:56.339 sad and tragic 00:34:56.340 --> 00:34:57.380 and conditions 00:34:57.380 --> 00:34:58.019 in your life 00:34:58.019 --> 00:34:58.860 that are very, 00:34:58.960 --> 00:34:59.140 very, 00:34:59.260 --> 00:34:59.880 very hard 00:34:59.880 --> 00:35:00.680 and very, 00:35:00.760 --> 00:35:00.960 very, 00:35:01.059 --> 00:35:01.700 very difficult. 00:35:01.860 --> 00:35:02.400 And it's not 00:35:02.400 --> 00:35:03.059 telling you to 00:35:03.059 --> 00:35:03.900 ignore all of 00:35:03.900 --> 00:35:04.380 these things 00:35:04.380 --> 00:35:05.120 and turn away 00:35:05.120 --> 00:35:05.680 from them. 00:35:05.680 --> 00:35:06.780 But it is telling 00:35:06.780 --> 00:35:07.960 you to rejoice 00:35:07.960 --> 00:35:08.579 in the Lord. 00:35:08.720 --> 00:35:09.240 And what does 00:35:09.240 --> 00:35:09.960 that mean? 00:35:11.640 --> 00:35:12.740 Ten times I think 00:35:12.740 --> 00:35:13.400 it is in the book 00:35:13.400 --> 00:35:13.960 of Philippians 00:35:13.960 --> 00:35:14.680 it tells you to 00:35:14.680 --> 00:35:14.980 rejoice. 00:35:15.120 --> 00:35:15.720 I think it's the 00:35:15.720 --> 00:35:16.300 same number of 00:35:16.300 --> 00:35:16.900 times that the 00:35:16.900 --> 00:35:17.440 book tells you 00:35:17.440 --> 00:35:18.760 to glory or boast 00:35:18.760 --> 00:35:19.360 in the Lord. 00:35:19.800 --> 00:35:20.620 And those 20 00:35:20.620 --> 00:35:21.500 times they're 00:35:21.500 --> 00:35:21.880 connected. 00:35:22.019 --> 00:35:22.480 It's the same 00:35:22.480 --> 00:35:23.280 type of idea. 00:35:23.280 --> 00:35:24.540 And what is 00:35:24.540 --> 00:35:24.680 it? 00:35:25.300 --> 00:35:26.019 Why did the 00:35:26.019 --> 00:35:26.580 Leafs, 00:35:26.860 --> 00:35:27.400 why did the 00:35:27.400 --> 00:35:28.200 Leaf fans think 00:35:28.200 --> 00:35:28.760 the Leafs were 00:35:28.760 --> 00:35:29.120 going to win 00:35:29.120 --> 00:35:29.960 the Stanley Cup? 00:35:30.240 --> 00:35:30.940 Sorry if I'm 00:35:30.940 --> 00:35:31.700 touching a wound. 00:35:33.000 --> 00:35:33.620 Well, what 00:35:33.620 --> 00:35:34.160 would they tell 00:35:34.160 --> 00:35:34.360 you? 00:35:35.019 --> 00:35:35.620 We're going to 00:35:35.620 --> 00:35:36.140 win a Stanley 00:35:36.140 --> 00:35:36.480 Cup. 00:35:36.820 --> 00:35:37.140 We got 00:35:37.140 --> 00:35:37.580 Marner. 00:35:38.460 --> 00:35:39.080 We got 00:35:39.080 --> 00:35:40.420 Austin Matthews. 00:35:40.780 --> 00:35:41.300 We got 00:35:41.300 --> 00:35:42.180 Nylander. 00:35:42.420 --> 00:35:43.019 We got a 00:35:43.019 --> 00:35:43.880 great coach. 00:35:44.840 --> 00:35:45.519 We got a 00:35:45.519 --> 00:35:46.220 great jersey. 00:35:46.900 --> 00:35:47.320 We're going 00:35:47.320 --> 00:35:47.740 to win. 00:35:48.400 --> 00:35:49.040 Why did the 00:35:49.040 --> 00:35:49.560 Liberals think 00:35:49.560 --> 00:35:49.940 they were going 00:35:49.940 --> 00:35:50.300 to win the 00:35:50.300 --> 00:35:50.660 election? 00:35:51.360 --> 00:35:52.180 We don't got 00:35:52.179 --> 00:35:52.719 Trudeau. 00:35:53.079 --> 00:35:53.779 We got the 00:35:53.779 --> 00:35:54.399 man with the 00:35:54.399 --> 00:35:55.099 terrible orange 00:35:55.099 --> 00:35:56.019 hair frightening 00:35:56.019 --> 00:35:56.839 all of Canada. 00:35:57.179 --> 00:35:58.059 We got Max 00:35:58.059 --> 00:35:58.500 Carney. 00:35:58.799 --> 00:35:59.259 We're going 00:35:59.259 --> 00:35:59.719 to win. 00:36:03.399 --> 00:36:04.319 Rejoice and 00:36:04.319 --> 00:36:04.919 glory and 00:36:04.919 --> 00:36:05.719 boasting is 00:36:05.719 --> 00:36:06.460 saying, what 00:36:06.460 --> 00:36:06.839 do you put 00:36:06.839 --> 00:36:07.460 your confidence 00:36:07.460 --> 00:36:08.539 in for success? 00:36:11.079 --> 00:36:11.919 What do you 00:36:11.919 --> 00:36:13.460 think will 00:36:13.460 --> 00:36:14.219 help you, will 00:36:14.219 --> 00:36:14.699 make you 00:36:14.699 --> 00:36:15.659 succeed and 00:36:15.659 --> 00:36:15.940 win? 00:36:19.039 --> 00:36:19.719 So the 00:36:19.719 --> 00:36:20.399 text is not 00:36:20.399 --> 00:36:21.019 telling you to 00:36:21.019 --> 00:36:21.779 try to manipulate 00:36:21.780 --> 00:36:22.560 yourself into 00:36:22.560 --> 00:36:23.360 feeling certain 00:36:23.360 --> 00:36:23.880 emotions. 00:36:24.880 --> 00:36:25.680 It's telling 00:36:25.680 --> 00:36:26.660 you to 00:36:26.660 --> 00:36:27.580 think about 00:36:27.580 --> 00:36:28.140 the greatness 00:36:28.140 --> 00:36:28.600 and the 00:36:28.600 --> 00:36:29.180 goodness of 00:36:29.180 --> 00:36:31.740 God and 00:36:31.740 --> 00:36:32.200 what the 00:36:32.200 --> 00:36:32.880 kindness and 00:36:32.880 --> 00:36:33.260 what he's 00:36:33.260 --> 00:36:33.740 done for 00:36:33.740 --> 00:36:34.060 us. 00:36:35.740 --> 00:36:36.700 In a sense, 00:36:36.800 --> 00:36:37.340 what it is, 00:36:37.460 --> 00:36:37.700 you know, 00:36:37.740 --> 00:36:38.320 there's an old 00:36:38.320 --> 00:36:38.760 hymn that 00:36:38.760 --> 00:36:39.660 says, count 00:36:39.660 --> 00:36:40.340 your blessings, 00:36:40.519 --> 00:36:41.019 name them one 00:36:41.019 --> 00:36:41.800 by one, and 00:36:41.800 --> 00:36:42.519 it will surprise 00:36:42.519 --> 00:36:43.019 you what the 00:36:43.019 --> 00:36:43.880 Lord has 00:36:43.880 --> 00:36:44.380 done. 00:36:45.340 --> 00:36:46.460 And what 00:36:46.460 --> 00:36:46.820 you could 00:36:46.820 --> 00:36:47.480 almost say 00:36:47.480 --> 00:36:48.060 here is that 00:36:48.060 --> 00:36:48.720 the text is 00:36:48.720 --> 00:36:49.500 saying, count 00:36:49.500 --> 00:36:50.360 his character, 00:36:50.680 --> 00:36:51.080 count his 00:36:51.079 --> 00:36:52.159 attributes, count 00:36:52.159 --> 00:36:52.860 his promises 00:36:52.860 --> 00:36:53.980 one by one. 00:36:55.960 --> 00:36:56.559 Count them 00:36:56.559 --> 00:36:57.079 every day. 00:36:58.219 --> 00:36:58.779 In the 00:36:58.779 --> 00:36:59.159 moment of 00:36:59.159 --> 00:36:59.519 your greatest 00:36:59.519 --> 00:37:00.860 sadness, in 00:37:00.860 --> 00:37:01.219 the moment 00:37:01.219 --> 00:37:01.579 when you're 00:37:01.579 --> 00:37:02.019 having to 00:37:02.019 --> 00:37:02.639 consider whether 00:37:02.639 --> 00:37:02.940 you're going 00:37:02.940 --> 00:37:03.460 to take on 00:37:03.460 --> 00:37:04.259 a new job, 00:37:04.719 --> 00:37:05.119 whether you're 00:37:05.119 --> 00:37:05.500 going to move 00:37:05.500 --> 00:37:05.900 to another 00:37:05.900 --> 00:37:06.500 country, 00:37:07.159 --> 00:37:07.719 whether you're 00:37:07.719 --> 00:37:09.360 going to deal 00:37:09.360 --> 00:37:09.980 with huge 00:37:09.980 --> 00:37:10.940 disappointments or 00:37:10.940 --> 00:37:11.779 consider taking 00:37:11.779 --> 00:37:12.699 big opportunities. 00:37:13.579 --> 00:37:13.920 What you 00:37:13.920 --> 00:37:15.099 obviously think 00:37:15.099 --> 00:37:15.599 about all of 00:37:15.599 --> 00:37:16.059 these things 00:37:16.059 --> 00:37:16.960 practically, but 00:37:16.960 --> 00:37:17.519 what you need 00:37:17.519 --> 00:37:18.059 to think about 00:37:18.059 --> 00:37:18.599 most of 00:37:18.599 --> 00:37:19.179 all, if 00:37:19.179 --> 00:37:19.480 you want 00:37:19.480 --> 00:37:19.840 to be on 00:37:19.840 --> 00:37:20.299 the way 00:37:20.299 --> 00:37:21.279 of undeserved 00:37:21.279 --> 00:37:21.920 mercy and 00:37:21.920 --> 00:37:22.500 kindness and 00:37:22.500 --> 00:37:24.699 grace, is 00:37:24.699 --> 00:37:25.420 I do have a 00:37:25.420 --> 00:37:26.039 Savior who's 00:37:26.039 --> 00:37:26.679 triumphed over 00:37:26.679 --> 00:37:27.079 death. 00:37:28.559 --> 00:37:29.259 Yes, I have 00:37:29.259 --> 00:37:29.820 this cancer 00:37:29.820 --> 00:37:30.860 diagnosis, yes, 00:37:30.900 --> 00:37:31.400 I have this 00:37:31.400 --> 00:37:32.380 Alzheimer's 00:37:32.380 --> 00:37:34.519 diagnosis, but 00:37:34.519 --> 00:37:34.960 I have a 00:37:34.960 --> 00:37:35.599 Savior who's 00:37:35.599 --> 00:37:37.519 triumphed over 00:37:37.519 --> 00:37:37.840 death. 00:37:38.159 --> 00:37:38.639 I have the 00:37:38.639 --> 00:37:39.340 promise of a 00:37:39.340 --> 00:37:40.320 resurrected body. 00:37:41.139 --> 00:37:41.480 Political 00:37:41.480 --> 00:37:42.179 leaders will 00:37:42.179 --> 00:37:42.840 come and go, 00:37:42.960 --> 00:37:43.279 but my 00:37:43.279 --> 00:37:43.739 Lord and 00:37:43.739 --> 00:37:44.380 Savior Jesus 00:37:44.380 --> 00:37:45.019 Christ will 00:37:45.019 --> 00:37:45.480 return. 00:37:45.639 --> 00:37:46.059 I have a 00:37:46.059 --> 00:37:46.639 Father in 00:37:46.639 --> 00:37:47.099 Heaven who 00:37:47.099 --> 00:37:47.779 loves me, who 00:37:47.779 --> 00:37:48.339 hears my 00:37:48.339 --> 00:37:48.859 prayers. 00:37:50.400 --> 00:37:51.019 And that even 00:37:51.019 --> 00:37:52.279 if I have a 00:37:52.279 --> 00:37:53.299 very hard time 00:37:53.299 --> 00:37:53.940 here between 00:37:53.940 --> 00:37:54.639 the moment 00:37:54.639 --> 00:37:55.339 now and my 00:37:55.339 --> 00:37:56.139 death, none 00:37:56.139 --> 00:37:56.759 of those hard 00:37:56.759 --> 00:37:57.500 times are the 00:37:57.500 --> 00:37:58.519 true word about 00:37:58.519 --> 00:38:00.000 me because my 00:38:00.000 --> 00:38:00.739 Father in 00:38:00.739 --> 00:38:01.579 Heaven loves me 00:38:01.579 --> 00:38:01.940 and I will 00:38:01.940 --> 00:38:02.599 spend eternity 00:38:02.599 --> 00:38:03.199 with Him. 00:38:04.900 --> 00:38:05.699 Those are the 00:38:05.699 --> 00:38:06.319 things which we 00:38:06.319 --> 00:38:07.099 are to remember 00:38:07.099 --> 00:38:08.719 and have form 00:38:08.719 --> 00:38:09.739 us, to 00:38:09.739 --> 00:38:10.359 remember and 00:38:10.359 --> 00:38:11.119 to form us. 00:38:13.739 --> 00:38:15.819 Just in the 00:38:15.820 --> 00:38:16.720 final little 00:38:16.720 --> 00:38:17.180 bit about 00:38:17.180 --> 00:38:19.140 this, why 00:38:19.140 --> 00:38:19.760 is this text 00:38:19.760 --> 00:38:20.240 so helpful? 00:38:20.320 --> 00:38:20.840 I mean, obviously 00:38:20.840 --> 00:38:21.500 it's telling us 00:38:21.500 --> 00:38:22.080 to think and 00:38:22.080 --> 00:38:22.500 rejoice. 00:38:22.740 --> 00:38:23.260 You see, the 00:38:23.260 --> 00:38:24.940 rejoicing comes 00:38:24.940 --> 00:38:25.900 sideways when 00:38:25.900 --> 00:38:26.480 you think about 00:38:26.480 --> 00:38:26.860 this. 00:38:27.480 --> 00:38:28.120 If you try to 00:38:28.120 --> 00:38:28.740 force yourself 00:38:28.740 --> 00:38:29.380 to have a 00:38:29.380 --> 00:38:30.140 smile on the 00:38:30.140 --> 00:38:30.559 face of 00:38:30.559 --> 00:38:31.260 sadness and 00:38:31.260 --> 00:38:32.160 heartbreak and 00:38:32.160 --> 00:38:32.700 disappointment, 00:38:33.300 --> 00:38:34.039 that's emotional 00:38:34.039 --> 00:38:34.740 manipulation. 00:38:35.620 --> 00:38:36.019 But it might 00:38:36.019 --> 00:38:36.840 very well be 00:38:36.840 --> 00:38:37.200 that in the 00:38:37.200 --> 00:38:37.680 midst of your 00:38:37.680 --> 00:38:39.539 sadness, when 00:38:39.539 --> 00:38:40.120 you remember 00:38:40.120 --> 00:38:41.019 Jesus and what 00:38:41.019 --> 00:38:41.539 He's done for 00:38:41.539 --> 00:38:41.920 you on the 00:38:41.920 --> 00:38:42.420 cross, when 00:38:42.420 --> 00:38:42.920 you remember 00:38:42.920 --> 00:38:43.320 that you have 00:38:43.320 --> 00:38:43.940 a Father in 00:38:43.940 --> 00:38:44.340 Heaven who 00:38:44.340 --> 00:38:44.900 rules over 00:38:44.900 --> 00:38:45.679 all, when 00:38:45.679 --> 00:38:46.119 you remember 00:38:46.119 --> 00:38:46.700 the promises 00:38:46.700 --> 00:38:47.380 of the Bible, 00:38:47.519 --> 00:38:48.000 before you 00:38:48.000 --> 00:38:48.360 know it, 00:38:48.480 --> 00:38:50.619 unbidden, the 00:38:50.619 --> 00:38:51.220 corner of a 00:38:51.220 --> 00:38:52.000 smile appears 00:38:52.000 --> 00:38:52.740 on your face. 00:38:54.820 --> 00:38:55.480 And there's a 00:38:55.480 --> 00:38:55.780 bit of a 00:38:55.780 --> 00:38:56.380 lightness that 00:38:56.380 --> 00:38:56.780 comes to 00:38:56.780 --> 00:38:57.320 your step, 00:38:58.920 --> 00:38:59.440 unbidden, 00:38:59.980 --> 00:39:00.539 indirectly, 00:39:00.980 --> 00:39:01.400 sideways. 00:39:04.700 --> 00:39:05.360 So part of 00:39:05.360 --> 00:39:05.619 the big 00:39:05.619 --> 00:39:06.240 problem in 00:39:06.240 --> 00:39:06.900 life is this. 00:39:07.260 --> 00:39:08.220 I was a 00:39:08.220 --> 00:39:08.940 humongous 00:39:08.940 --> 00:39:09.940 hockey fan, 00:39:10.039 --> 00:39:10.720 true confession, 00:39:11.000 --> 00:39:11.539 it was before, 00:39:11.619 --> 00:39:11.940 of course, the 00:39:11.940 --> 00:39:12.480 Ottawa Senators. 00:39:12.480 --> 00:39:13.280 I was a huge 00:39:13.280 --> 00:39:13.840 Toronto Maple 00:39:13.840 --> 00:39:14.420 Leafs fan. 00:39:15.380 --> 00:39:16.099 And I remember 00:39:16.099 --> 00:39:16.719 I'd become a 00:39:16.719 --> 00:39:17.219 Christian, I 00:39:17.219 --> 00:39:17.920 remember walking 00:39:17.920 --> 00:39:18.719 to school one 00:39:18.719 --> 00:39:19.199 day, and I 00:39:19.199 --> 00:39:20.139 was devastated 00:39:20.139 --> 00:39:20.820 that the Leafs 00:39:20.820 --> 00:39:21.500 had lost, and 00:39:21.500 --> 00:39:21.980 it was as if 00:39:21.980 --> 00:39:22.619 the Holy Spirit 00:39:22.619 --> 00:39:23.199 said to me, 00:39:23.679 --> 00:39:24.699 why do you 00:39:24.699 --> 00:39:25.539 care so much 00:39:25.539 --> 00:39:25.960 about a 00:39:25.960 --> 00:39:26.679 hockey team? 00:39:29.079 --> 00:39:29.960 Like, George, 00:39:30.019 --> 00:39:30.300 really? 00:39:31.579 --> 00:39:32.480 The Holy Spirit 00:39:32.480 --> 00:39:33.159 didn't say that, 00:39:33.360 --> 00:39:33.940 but sort of. 00:39:35.280 --> 00:39:36.420 You see, when 00:39:36.420 --> 00:39:37.079 it says about 00:39:37.079 --> 00:39:38.000 earthly things, 00:39:38.139 --> 00:39:38.820 the Bible isn't 00:39:38.820 --> 00:39:39.380 saying that you 00:39:39.380 --> 00:39:40.199 should never care 00:39:40.199 --> 00:39:40.880 about having a 00:39:40.880 --> 00:39:41.639 really good cup of 00:39:41.639 --> 00:39:42.300 coffee or a 00:39:42.300 --> 00:39:42.900 really delicious 00:39:42.900 --> 00:39:44.000 chocolate milkshake 00:39:44.000 --> 00:39:44.860 or a well-done 00:39:44.860 --> 00:39:46.340 steak or having 00:39:46.340 --> 00:39:47.180 a good job or 00:39:47.180 --> 00:39:47.660 being able to 00:39:47.660 --> 00:39:48.440 have good clothes 00:39:48.440 --> 00:39:49.100 or provide for 00:39:49.100 --> 00:39:49.820 your family or 00:39:49.820 --> 00:39:50.480 have friends, it's 00:39:50.480 --> 00:39:51.120 not saying that you 00:39:51.120 --> 00:39:51.760 shouldn't care about 00:39:51.760 --> 00:39:52.300 all of those 00:39:52.300 --> 00:39:52.680 things. 00:39:53.260 --> 00:39:54.180 What it's saying is 00:39:54.180 --> 00:39:54.840 a little bit about 00:39:54.840 --> 00:39:55.500 what I talked about 00:39:55.500 --> 00:39:56.840 last week, that the 00:39:56.840 --> 00:39:57.840 human problem is our 00:39:57.840 --> 00:39:58.880 loves are disordered, 00:39:59.420 --> 00:40:01.980 and we were made to 00:40:01.980 --> 00:40:02.640 have our loves 00:40:02.640 --> 00:40:03.060 ordered. 00:40:03.260 --> 00:40:03.960 And what happens 00:40:03.960 --> 00:40:05.019 for human beings is 00:40:05.019 --> 00:40:05.820 when the thing which 00:40:05.820 --> 00:40:06.400 should be their 00:40:06.400 --> 00:40:07.940 biggest love isn't in 00:40:07.940 --> 00:40:08.840 that biggest love 00:40:08.840 --> 00:40:10.039 place, and here 00:40:10.039 --> 00:40:11.039 obviously the biggest 00:40:11.039 --> 00:40:12.000 love should be the 00:40:12.000 --> 00:40:12.900 triune God, it 00:40:12.900 --> 00:40:14.139 should be our Lord 00:40:14.139 --> 00:40:14.920 and Savior Jesus 00:40:14.920 --> 00:40:15.679 Christ, and if we 00:40:15.679 --> 00:40:16.539 don't have something 00:40:16.539 --> 00:40:17.199 to put in that 00:40:17.199 --> 00:40:18.679 biggest spot, all 00:40:18.679 --> 00:40:19.699 these other smaller 00:40:19.699 --> 00:40:21.079 loves will scurry up 00:40:21.079 --> 00:40:22.039 to take that biggest 00:40:22.039 --> 00:40:23.119 spot, and then all 00:40:23.119 --> 00:40:23.780 of our loves are 00:40:23.780 --> 00:40:24.099 going to be 00:40:24.099 --> 00:40:24.559 disordered. 00:40:24.780 --> 00:40:25.519 We end up loving 00:40:25.519 --> 00:40:26.400 the maple leafs too 00:40:26.400 --> 00:40:26.920 much, or the 00:40:26.920 --> 00:40:28.000 senators too much, or 00:40:28.000 --> 00:40:28.880 food too much, or 00:40:28.880 --> 00:40:30.079 sex too much, because 00:40:30.079 --> 00:40:31.920 we were made to love 00:40:31.920 --> 00:40:32.800 the biggest thing the 00:40:32.800 --> 00:40:34.300 biggest amount, and 00:40:34.300 --> 00:40:34.880 not that we don't 00:40:34.880 --> 00:40:36.119 love anything else, but 00:40:36.119 --> 00:40:36.940 that you love small 00:40:36.940 --> 00:40:37.920 things a small amount, 00:40:38.019 --> 00:40:38.900 and medium things a 00:40:38.900 --> 00:40:39.860 medium amount, and 00:40:39.860 --> 00:40:41.179 big things a big amount, 00:40:41.179 --> 00:40:41.879 and the biggest 00:40:41.879 --> 00:40:42.679 thing the biggest 00:40:42.679 --> 00:40:44.899 amount, and part of 00:40:44.899 --> 00:40:46.379 what discipleship is, is 00:40:46.379 --> 00:40:47.619 walking with Jesus and 00:40:47.619 --> 00:40:48.619 reading the word, and 00:40:48.619 --> 00:40:49.219 being with other 00:40:49.219 --> 00:40:50.279 Christians, not just in 00:40:50.279 --> 00:40:51.119 a local church, but 00:40:51.119 --> 00:40:51.719 from a global 00:40:51.719 --> 00:40:52.819 perspective, because we 00:40:52.819 --> 00:40:53.539 need the help of 00:40:53.539 --> 00:40:54.319 Christians from around 00:40:54.319 --> 00:40:55.579 the world, and from the 00:40:55.579 --> 00:40:57.619 past, is the slow 00:40:57.619 --> 00:40:59.379 process of having our 00:40:59.379 --> 00:41:01.199 loves ordered the way 00:41:01.199 --> 00:41:02.099 they should be ordered, 00:41:02.460 --> 00:41:04.940 and it begins by putting 00:41:04.940 --> 00:41:07.079 the biggest love, the 00:41:07.079 --> 00:41:07.919 biggest thing that you 00:41:07.920 --> 00:41:10.119 should love, and having 00:41:10.119 --> 00:41:10.840 that as your biggest 00:41:10.840 --> 00:41:11.240 love. 00:41:12.240 --> 00:41:13.139 Please stand. 00:41:20.700 --> 00:41:21.579 Bow our heads in 00:41:21.579 --> 00:41:21.860 prayer. 00:41:24.280 --> 00:41:25.180 Father, we give you 00:41:25.180 --> 00:41:26.599 thanks and praise that 00:41:26.599 --> 00:41:28.000 your word addresses the 00:41:28.000 --> 00:41:29.200 real us in the real 00:41:29.200 --> 00:41:31.400 world, that it's not a 00:41:31.400 --> 00:41:33.559 hallmark book, but 00:41:33.559 --> 00:41:34.860 confronts us about real 00:41:34.860 --> 00:41:37.380 things that both 00:41:37.380 --> 00:41:39.579 delight us, and that we 00:41:39.579 --> 00:41:40.940 long for, but also 00:41:40.940 --> 00:41:41.860 things that we should 00:41:41.860 --> 00:41:44.440 be ashamed of, and 00:41:44.440 --> 00:41:45.000 repent of. 00:41:45.079 --> 00:41:45.960 We thank you that it 00:41:45.960 --> 00:41:47.239 speaks about the real 00:41:47.239 --> 00:41:48.920 us in the real world, and 00:41:48.920 --> 00:41:49.699 we thank you, Father, 00:41:49.799 --> 00:41:50.980 that your word speaks to 00:41:50.980 --> 00:41:52.599 us in such a realistic 00:41:52.599 --> 00:41:53.920 way, but also in a way 00:41:53.920 --> 00:41:55.000 of deep love, that it 00:41:55.000 --> 00:41:56.079 comes, Father, from your 00:41:56.079 --> 00:41:57.159 heart, that you do not 00:41:57.159 --> 00:41:59.219 delight that anyone would 00:41:59.219 --> 00:41:59.739 perish. 00:41:59.900 --> 00:42:01.059 Your longing and yearning 00:42:01.059 --> 00:42:02.320 is that all would repent 00:42:02.320 --> 00:42:04.199 and call out to you, 00:42:04.420 --> 00:42:05.759 Father, to Jesus to be 00:42:05.759 --> 00:42:06.719 their Savior, that we 00:42:06.719 --> 00:42:08.519 might begin to walk that 00:42:08.519 --> 00:42:09.840 way, that path of 00:42:09.840 --> 00:42:11.139 undeserved mercy, of 00:42:11.139 --> 00:42:12.400 undeserved beauty, of 00:42:12.400 --> 00:42:13.860 undeserved goodness and 00:42:13.860 --> 00:42:15.119 grace and kindness that 00:42:15.119 --> 00:42:15.860 comes from you. 00:42:16.659 --> 00:42:18.099 And we ask, Father, that 00:42:18.099 --> 00:42:19.440 your Holy Spirit would do 00:42:19.440 --> 00:42:21.179 a gentle but deep work in 00:42:21.179 --> 00:42:23.659 us, that day by day we 00:42:23.659 --> 00:42:25.019 might remember your 00:42:25.019 --> 00:42:26.320 greatness, your goodness, 00:42:26.519 --> 00:42:27.480 your kindness, your 00:42:27.480 --> 00:42:28.699 promises, that those 00:42:28.699 --> 00:42:29.820 might be the things that 00:42:29.820 --> 00:42:31.100 we think about the most, 00:42:31.660 --> 00:42:33.200 that we feed on in our 00:42:33.200 --> 00:42:35.240 hearts, that we might 00:42:35.240 --> 00:42:36.559 think about them in our 00:42:36.559 --> 00:42:37.980 own minds and share them 00:42:37.980 --> 00:42:39.080 with others and come 00:42:39.080 --> 00:42:40.600 Sunday by Sunday to be 00:42:40.600 --> 00:42:41.580 reminded of the greatest 00:42:41.580 --> 00:42:42.120 things. 00:42:43.019 --> 00:42:44.160 And so now, Father, as 00:42:44.160 --> 00:42:45.980 this service, this part of 00:42:45.980 --> 00:42:47.220 the service comes to the 00:42:47.220 --> 00:42:49.100 end and we prepare for 00:42:49.100 --> 00:42:49.920 the next part of the 00:42:49.920 --> 00:42:51.019 service when we receive 00:42:51.019 --> 00:42:52.400 communion, we ask that you 00:42:52.400 --> 00:42:53.880 would help us to feed on 00:42:53.880 --> 00:42:56.920 Jesus in our hearts by 00:42:56.920 --> 00:42:58.660 faith with thanksgiving. 00:42:58.659 --> 00:43:00.379 And we ask these things in 00:43:00.379 --> 00:43:02.199 Jesus' name and all God's 00:43:02.199 --> 00:43:03.799 people said, Amen.