WEBVTT

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 Well folks do have that passage open in front of you. So critical that we have the Lord's

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 word open in front of us so you can make sure that what I'm saying is what the passage is

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 saying. So with John chapter 1 open in front of you I want to tell you about my friend

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 Terry. Okay Terry, I first met him when I was doing the Cornhill course in Glasgow.

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 So Terry is a brilliant little guy. Terry is the founder of a charity that's called Hope

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 for Glasgow. And what they do is they work to see people get off the streets, get clean

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 from substance abuse and get connected to a local church where they will be loved, cared

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 for and where they will be nurtured to come to see Jesus. And the reason Terry's heart

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 is burdened for this work is that he spent a large part of his time, previous season of

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 his life, on the streets in Glasgow. He was a self-confessed addict. And God in his kindness

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 brought people into Terry's life who helped him recover and who introduced him to Christ.

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 And Terry says as he looks back on that season of his life, he says this. He says, I had to

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 get clean in order to see how dirty I really was. Now take that in for just a minute what

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 he's saying. So once he got his mind back, he was confronted with the depths of his heart.

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 Right? His shame, his guilt, his selfishness, his anger, his deep-seated and rooted bitterness.

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 As it worked itself out in his life, both horizontally and most importantly, vertically, as he considered

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 himself in light of this holy God who he just heard about. I had to get clean in order to see

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 just how dirty I really was. And I find that a fascinating admission for two reasons. Firstly,

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 because it's not how our culture would finish that sentence. I had to get clean to realize

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 my full potential. I had to get clean in order to realize just how great I was. I had to get

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 clean to realize that I'm worth it. You know that slogan from L'Oreal? I was reading this week

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 that since it was introduced in 1971, it's been translated into over 40 different languages.

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 Pretty good, isn't it? But why? Because it doesn't matter where you are in the world.

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 We love hearing that we're worth it. And yet, here's what writer Rebecca McLaughlin points out in her

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 brilliant book, Confronting Jesus. And she's a writer, if you've not read her, she's just a brilliant

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 apologist for the Christian faith. There's a QR code there. Don't get distracted by it, but feel

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 free to click it and you can check it out later, okay? She says this in this book that I'm reading

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 just now. She says, isn't it striking that the people who are most drawn to Jesus, as you read

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 about him graciously welcoming and transforming people in the gospels, isn't it striking that it's

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 those people that believe about themselves the exact opposite? Which takes us to the second thing

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 that's striking about Terry's comment? That he would be the first to tell you that him owning it

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 proved to be for him not the gateway to despair. It proved to be for him the doorway to life.

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 And if we're wondering to ourselves how on earth that works, which I take it, whatever is going on

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 in our lives and whatever we think about the God of the Bible, we are, then this passage wonderfully

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 tells us the answer. Primarily because it shows us what God has done to deal with our dirt.

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 Now, if you've got the passage there today, you'll see John the gospel writer introduces us

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 to two men. And the first man is at verses 19 to 28, and he's a servant who's in the business

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 of pointing away. So his name is John, right? Not to be confused with John the author. This is John

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 the Baptist. John the Baptist, at this point in time, is the new kid on the block in Galilee.

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 If he was around today, he'd be trending on Twitter. His words would be getting shares on Facebook.

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 His photos would be getting liked on Instagram. John the Baptist is big news in Galilee.

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 And I think he's big news because he's not your average guy. Everything about John the Baptist,

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 as you read about him in the gospels, is strange. Okay? Strange dress sense. A garment of camel's hair

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 and a leather belt. Not going to see that one in Milan anytime soon, are we? Strange dress sense.

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 Strange eating habits. Locusts and wild honey. Again, not going to be on the menu at the Shuma anytime

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 soon, is it? Locusts and wild honey. And strange practices. So John the Baptist, it's in the name.

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 What has he been doing? He's been baptizing. That's why he's making the headlines. Now, religious washings

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 would appear to have been around at this time in the religious world, but there's clearly something

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 striking and different as to the notch that John the Baptist is upping it to and his message that goes

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 alongside it. Now, if you're in the text, verse 19, come with me.

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 The religious authorities of the day send Levites and priests on a scouting mission. Do you see it?

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 They send them to find out who this man really is. Simple question, verse 21. It's probably the one

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 that we're all asking this morning. Three words. Who are you? Candidates, do you see them in the text?

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 Are you Elijah? This Old Testament prophet who didn't die but was drawn up to heaven. Are you him?

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 Come back. Are you the prophet of Deuteronomy 18? The man that Moses said that God would raise up

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 after him who would speak to the people, the very words of God. Are you him? Who are you?

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 Well, whilst everything on the surface may appear strange with this guy,

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 look behind the scenes and John's arrival is profoundly significant when you consider the bigger

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 Bible story. Now, John the writer has already introduced us to John the Baptist at verses

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 six to eight of chapter one. Glance there if you want. Okay. He wants us to know that this man is a

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 witness. Now, if you include the word testify there, you'll notice that between those verses six to eight

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 of chapter one and our verses today, that concept comes up six times. So John the author wants us to

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 know that John the Baptist is a witness, right? What's he witnessing to? That's the question. He's

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 a witness. But John, the author, also wants us to know that John the Baptist, he also wants John

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 the Baptist to speak for himself. Verse 23, who are you, John the Baptist? He is the voice of one crying

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 in the wilderness, makes straight the way of the Lord. Now, he's quoting, and John tells us there,

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 he's quoting the Old Testament prophet Isaiah. And specifically, he's quoting chapter 40. Now,

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 if we get this, and this is a little bit of mental work, if we get this, we will see why John the Baptist

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 appearing is such brilliant news for us here today. Okay. Isaiah chapter 40, God has been making a

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 promise to his people who are in exile in Babylon. Okay. They're away from their homeland.

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 Their enemies have defeated them. They're away over there, suffering under cruel impressors. God has

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 made a promise to his people over there that he's going to come to them, he's going to rescue them,

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 and he's going to lead them out to the place where he's prepared for them. And God is saying,

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 you will know that that promise is about to kick in, that I've come to deal with your biggest problem.

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 You'll know it's about to kick in when you hear a voice telling you to get ready.

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 I'm going to send somebody up front, just out ahead, who's going to tell you that I'm coming.

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 And he's going to say, God's coming just over my shoulder. You've got to get ready. And do you know

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 what? He's coming to save us. This is the voice that God is going to send. Right? Do you know,

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 my brother sent a video last week on our family WhatsApp group? Okay. I love a family WhatsApp

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 group. Brother lives in Stockbridge, just north of the city. And so last week, I forget which day it

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 was. He goes up to Queen's Furry Roads and he goes up to see the Queen's Hearst coming into Edinburgh.

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 Right? And so he videos this thing. What an incredible thing to say that you've witnessed. And it was a

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 five minute walk from his flat. Incredible. Right? One of those once in a lifetime moments. But he sends

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 this video around. And what's striking about the video is that the first thing that you see

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 is not the hearse. The first thing that you see and you hear are the flashing lights of the police

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 motorbikes who've gone up ahead. And they've got one job. Their one job is to make sure what is clear.

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 The roads are clear. Right? People are off to the side. There's no bits of metal or anything in the road

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 that's going to burst the tires. Everything has to be ready. Clear the way. Because the car's coming

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 just behind me. And sure enough, as soon as the people in the video, we could see it. As soon as

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 they saw the bikes, there they are with their cameras out. Because they know that the bikes tell

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 them that the very thing that they're waiting on is just about to come. Friends, John the Baptist is the

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 motorbike in this day. He's gone out ahead. He's getting people ready. He's saying, God is coming.

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 You need to get ready. His message is a moral one. Okay? He's saying, get your life in gear. Change

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 your ways. Lift your eyes. Stop cheating. Stop lying. Clean up your act. Because our creator, our God,

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 is coming. And boy, do people respond when you put it together with the other gospels. All strata of

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 society respond to his message. Tax collectors respond. Roman soldiers respond. They say, what do

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 we need to do? I imagine that they respond because they're people who know that their lives are those

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 that need to get ready. But notice the attitude by which John does his baptizing. Verse 27.

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 He says, the one who comes after me, the one I'm telling you is just about to come, I'm not even

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 worthy to untie the straps of his sandals. Now listen, you might be here and see the thought of feet.

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 It gives you the heebie-jeebies, right? But just be thankful that you don't live in the first century

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 where people's feet into the bargain are sweaty and dirty. Now you read around this and a pupil,

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 is they sit under the teaching of a rabbi, right? There's many things that they would do to serve

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 their rabbi, the one that they're learning from. But the one thing that was off bounds,

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 the one thing is a no-go, the one thing that is not even a pupil should have to stoop down to

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 is washing feet. And yet John considers the greatness of the one who's just coming behind him.

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 And he says, I'm not even worthy to do that job.

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 Such is the humility. Do you not love his humility?

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 The one who's coming, don't look at me. I'm ducking out of the way. Don't look at me. Look at him who's coming.

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 There's a story told about Alexander the Great,

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 the great leader of ancient Greece.

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 A story told about how he proudly just

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 parades into town on his horse,

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 right?

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 Wants his people to see how great he is.

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 And he goes up to

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 an individual called

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 Diogenes. He goes up to him,

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 he puffs out his chest, gets down off the horse,

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 and this big brute of a man goes over to

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 Diogenes and says,

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 what do you want me to do for you?

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 And Diogenes

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 cheekily replies,

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 I just want you to move to the side

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 because you're blocking the sun.

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 Do you not love the

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 humility here of John the Baptist?

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 I don't want to get in the way of the sun.

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 And I take it

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 evangelistically, that's a lesson for us

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 as well, as we think about our life as disciples.

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 We just want to get

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 out of the way of the sun.

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 It's not about us.

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 It's not about us.

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 It's about him.

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 The disciples of Jesus

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 saying, don't look at me.

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 Look at him.

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 He is the

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 servant, John the Baptist, who's in the business

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 of pointing away.

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 And he's pointing away

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 secondly, verse 29 to 34,

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 to the king who's in the business

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 of taking away.

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 So back in the text, you see the next

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 day John saw Jesus

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 coming. And notice the description

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 of who John says that Jesus is.

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 And remember, John, the writer,

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 is recording all this

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 for a reason.

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 You don't waste ink in this day.

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 You don't waste thoughts.

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 It's not kind of

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 tweeting or blogging or Facebook posts.

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 There's a lot of effort goes into

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 documenting this.

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 So you want people to know this.

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 Who does John know that Jesus is?

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 He is the one who existed before me.

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 He's the one

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 who is greater than me.

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 The reason I came baptizing.

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 And at last, John answers the question.

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 Verse 31.

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 Here's the reason I came.

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 I came that he might be revealed

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 to Israel.

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 Who is he?

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 Just notice the two titles

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 that John gives Jesus here.

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 He is the

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 lamb who's come to take away

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 the sin of the world.

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 And here's what I reckon, John,

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 knowing

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 who he is,

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 what he thinks,

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 as he looks at Jesus.

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 And at this point in the narrative,

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 do you see his

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 clock dies on Jesus.

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 Here's what I reckon

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 is going through

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 John's

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 mind.

00:14:39.159 --> 00:14:39.879
 Isaiah 40.

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 God declares to his people

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 who are in exile,

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 I'm coming to rescue you

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 and take you out.

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 But right at the beginning

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 of Isaiah chapter 40,

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 the only reason

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 that God can do that

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 is because

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 he's dealt with

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 our

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 iniquity.

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 The only reason

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 it's possible

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 that God can say

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 he's coming to save

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 is because your

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 iniquity,

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 your sin

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 that caused me

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 to send you

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 into exile

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 in the first place.

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 That sin,

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 I have dealt

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 with it,

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 is pardoned,

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 is not swept

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 under the carpet,

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 is not written off

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 as a bad debt.

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 This God,

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 he's coming

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 to deal with it.

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 Now what kind of God

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 would he be

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 if that's how he treated

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 and viewed all the wrongs

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 in the world?

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 That he swept them

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 under the carpet,

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 that he wrote them off

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 as a bad debt?

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 No, this God

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 and remember

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 who he is,

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 the one who knows

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 the end from the beginning

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 as he considered

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 the lamb

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 who was slain

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 before the foundation

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 of the world.

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 This God says

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 not I will deal

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 with it,

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 this God says

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 I've dealt

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 with it.

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 But you're still

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 reading it

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 and you're asking

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 how?

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 How have you dealt

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 with it?

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 Remember that?

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 Your math teacher

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 at school,

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 remember what they said

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 you got marks for?

00:15:58.539 --> 00:15:59.740
 Not so much the answer

00:15:59.740 --> 00:16:00.659
 although that definitely

00:16:00.659 --> 00:16:01.200
 helped.

00:16:01.960 --> 00:16:03.060
 What did you get marks for?

00:16:04.360 --> 00:16:05.180
 Showing you're working,

00:16:05.279 --> 00:16:05.460
 right?

00:16:07.659 --> 00:16:08.480
 So what's happened

00:16:08.480 --> 00:16:09.220
 to that iniquity

00:16:09.220 --> 00:16:09.800
 that God said

00:16:09.800 --> 00:16:10.639
 has been pardoned?

00:16:12.980 --> 00:16:13.919
 Isaiah chapter 40,

00:16:14.000 --> 00:16:15.259
 you go on a few chapters

00:16:15.259 --> 00:16:16.279
 to Isaiah 53

00:16:16.279 --> 00:16:17.220
 and you read about

00:16:17.220 --> 00:16:18.300
 God's saviour

00:16:18.300 --> 00:16:20.580
 who will be a man

00:16:20.580 --> 00:16:21.220
 of sorrows

00:16:21.220 --> 00:16:21.879
 acquainted

00:16:21.879 --> 00:16:23.340
 with grief

00:16:23.340 --> 00:16:25.240
 who will be like

00:16:25.240 --> 00:16:27.320
 a sacrificial lamb

00:16:27.320 --> 00:16:28.860
 and who God

00:16:28.860 --> 00:16:29.480
 will take

00:16:29.480 --> 00:16:30.080
 and lead

00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:31.220
 to the slaughter

00:16:31.220 --> 00:16:32.240
 and who

00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:32.899
 on whom

00:16:32.899 --> 00:16:33.899
 God will

00:16:33.899 --> 00:16:35.860
 lay like straw

00:16:35.860 --> 00:16:37.300
 all the iniquity

00:16:37.300 --> 00:16:38.220
 of his people.

00:16:39.560 --> 00:16:40.220
 He will lay it

00:16:40.220 --> 00:16:40.820
 all on him.

00:16:40.899 --> 00:16:41.519
 This is how God

00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:42.200
 is going to pardon

00:16:42.200 --> 00:16:43.940
 his people's iniquity.

00:16:44.040 --> 00:16:44.980
 He is going to lay it

00:16:44.980 --> 00:16:46.620
 all on the sacrificial lamb.

00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:48.379
 How will God deal

00:16:48.379 --> 00:16:48.960
 with the iniquity

00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:49.800
 of his people?

00:16:51.019 --> 00:16:51.600
 He'll lay it

00:16:51.600 --> 00:16:52.139
 on the lamb.

00:16:52.139 --> 00:16:53.939
 The lamb will die

00:16:53.939 --> 00:16:55.620
 instead of the people

00:16:55.620 --> 00:16:57.080
 and the people

00:16:57.080 --> 00:16:57.659
 will live

00:16:57.659 --> 00:16:59.279
 instead of the lamb.

00:17:01.019 --> 00:17:02.259
 And in that context

00:17:02.259 --> 00:17:03.340
 you see what this does?

00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:05.740
 As John sees Jesus,

00:17:05.900 --> 00:17:06.720
 God come to save,

00:17:06.859 --> 00:17:07.859
 God coming over my shoulder,

00:17:07.980 --> 00:17:08.599
 he says,

00:17:09.819 --> 00:17:10.299
 Behold

00:17:10.299 --> 00:17:11.259
 the lamb

00:17:11.259 --> 00:17:12.339
 of God.

00:17:14.440 --> 00:17:15.720
 Because this lamb

00:17:15.720 --> 00:17:16.920
 has come

00:17:16.920 --> 00:17:18.599
 to bear

00:17:18.599 --> 00:17:20.019
 our iniquity

00:17:20.019 --> 00:17:21.779
 on himself.

00:17:22.140 --> 00:17:24.000
 words that will be

00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:24.440
 fulfilled

00:17:24.440 --> 00:17:25.340
 as Jesus goes

00:17:25.340 --> 00:17:26.200
 to the cross,

00:17:27.080 --> 00:17:28.420
 silently endures

00:17:28.420 --> 00:17:29.380
 unjust torture

00:17:29.380 --> 00:17:29.920
 and death,

00:17:30.120 --> 00:17:31.180
 bearing the punishment,

00:17:31.360 --> 00:17:32.040
 the iniquity

00:17:32.040 --> 00:17:33.040
 of his people

00:17:33.040 --> 00:17:34.380
 on himself.

00:17:34.680 --> 00:17:35.720
 He bears

00:17:35.720 --> 00:17:36.600
 their

00:17:36.600 --> 00:17:37.620
 dirt.

00:17:39.060 --> 00:17:40.000
 And if your trust

00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:40.600
 is in him

00:17:40.600 --> 00:17:41.060
 today,

00:17:41.160 --> 00:17:42.240
 no matter how weak

00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:43.480
 you think your faith

00:17:43.480 --> 00:17:44.020
 is,

00:17:44.300 --> 00:17:45.080
 if you're looking

00:17:45.080 --> 00:17:45.800
 to him,

00:17:46.140 --> 00:17:47.320
 know that the lamb

00:17:47.320 --> 00:17:48.820
 took your iniquity

00:17:48.819 --> 00:17:51.079
 on himself.

00:17:51.740 --> 00:17:52.700
 You need not

00:17:52.700 --> 00:17:53.419
 pay for it

00:17:53.419 --> 00:17:54.220
 anymore

00:17:54.220 --> 00:17:55.339
 because the lamb

00:17:55.339 --> 00:17:56.099
 died

00:17:56.099 --> 00:17:57.879
 in your place.

00:17:57.960 --> 00:17:58.619
 The iniquities,

00:17:58.799 --> 00:17:59.859
 all of our iniquities

00:17:59.859 --> 00:18:01.240
 were on him

00:18:01.240 --> 00:18:01.980
 laid.

00:18:02.079 --> 00:18:02.500
 And that's why

00:18:02.500 --> 00:18:03.480
 Christians down the

00:18:03.480 --> 00:18:04.460
 centuries have

00:18:04.460 --> 00:18:05.419
 rejoiced in this

00:18:05.419 --> 00:18:06.480
 chapter of Isaiah

00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:07.839
 53.

00:18:08.639 --> 00:18:09.859
 We all like sheep

00:18:09.859 --> 00:18:10.679
 have gone astray,

00:18:10.799 --> 00:18:11.839
 each one to his own

00:18:11.839 --> 00:18:12.039
 way,

00:18:12.099 --> 00:18:12.619
 but the Lord

00:18:12.619 --> 00:18:13.399
 has laid

00:18:13.400 --> 00:18:14.480
 on him

00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:16.280
 the iniquity

00:18:16.280 --> 00:18:16.900
 of his all.

00:18:18.900 --> 00:18:19.360
 And John

00:18:19.360 --> 00:18:19.700
 says,

00:18:19.780 --> 00:18:20.259
 behold,

00:18:20.519 --> 00:18:21.220
 the lamb

00:18:21.220 --> 00:18:22.040
 of God

00:18:22.040 --> 00:18:23.400
 who takes

00:18:23.400 --> 00:18:23.940
 away

00:18:23.940 --> 00:18:25.160
 the sin

00:18:25.160 --> 00:18:25.940
 of the

00:18:25.940 --> 00:18:26.740
 world.

00:18:26.840 --> 00:18:27.280
 Brothers and

00:18:27.280 --> 00:18:27.500
 sisters,

00:18:27.500 --> 00:18:28.259
 if you are

00:18:28.259 --> 00:18:29.259
 struggling with

00:18:29.259 --> 00:18:29.960
 guilt and shame

00:18:29.960 --> 00:18:30.360
 today,

00:18:30.460 --> 00:18:30.980
 if you are

00:18:30.980 --> 00:18:31.840
 struggling with

00:18:31.840 --> 00:18:32.440
 your dirt,

00:18:33.200 --> 00:18:33.880
 look to the

00:18:33.880 --> 00:18:34.160
 lamb.

00:18:35.620 --> 00:18:36.420
 He never

00:18:36.420 --> 00:18:37.400
 ceases to be

00:18:37.400 --> 00:18:38.060
 a lamb who

00:18:38.060 --> 00:18:38.660
 was slain.

00:18:38.860 --> 00:18:39.140
 Yes,

00:18:39.160 --> 00:18:39.660
 he is king

00:18:39.660 --> 00:18:40.200
 in glory,

00:18:40.560 --> 00:18:40.960
 but what is

00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:41.720
 described in

00:18:41.720 --> 00:18:42.240
 Revelation?

00:18:42.240 --> 00:18:43.160
 At the

00:18:43.160 --> 00:18:45.000
 throne is

00:18:45.000 --> 00:18:45.539
 a lamb who

00:18:45.539 --> 00:18:46.359
 was slain.

00:18:49.039 --> 00:18:49.799
 He's died

00:18:49.799 --> 00:18:50.319
 for our

00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:51.279
 iniquity.

00:18:51.960 --> 00:18:52.500
 My sin

00:18:52.500 --> 00:18:52.900
 put him

00:18:52.900 --> 00:18:53.079
 there.

00:18:53.339 --> 00:18:53.720
 Some of you

00:18:53.720 --> 00:18:54.059
 might know

00:18:54.059 --> 00:18:55.559
 Rembrandt

00:18:55.559 --> 00:18:57.099
 famously painted

00:18:57.099 --> 00:18:58.000
 the crucifixion

00:18:58.000 --> 00:18:58.380
 scene.

00:18:59.039 --> 00:18:59.620
 What you might

00:18:59.620 --> 00:19:00.200
 not know is

00:19:00.200 --> 00:19:01.039
 that Rembrandt

00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:01.940
 painted himself

00:19:01.940 --> 00:19:02.460
 into that

00:19:02.460 --> 00:19:03.140
 crucifixion

00:19:03.140 --> 00:19:03.460
 scene.

00:19:04.559 --> 00:19:05.339
 He painted

00:19:05.339 --> 00:19:06.140
 himself into

00:19:06.140 --> 00:19:06.839
 the scene as

00:19:06.839 --> 00:19:07.359
 one of the

00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:08.019
 men who was

00:19:08.019 --> 00:19:09.079
 crucifying Jesus,

00:19:09.359 --> 00:19:10.140
 as if to say,

00:19:10.339 --> 00:19:11.099
 in one sense,

00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:11.920
 I wasn't there

00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:12.460
 that day.

00:19:14.279 --> 00:19:14.900
 But in

00:19:14.900 --> 00:19:15.700
 another sense,

00:19:16.259 --> 00:19:17.220
 I absolutely

00:19:17.220 --> 00:19:17.740
 was.

00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:19.539
 It was my

00:19:19.539 --> 00:19:20.180
 sin that put

00:19:20.180 --> 00:19:20.620
 him there.

00:19:21.000 --> 00:19:21.800
 It was my

00:19:21.800 --> 00:19:22.500
 iniquity that

00:19:22.500 --> 00:19:23.080
 he died

00:19:23.080 --> 00:19:23.900
 for.

00:19:26.400 --> 00:19:26.920
 Behold,

00:19:27.080 --> 00:19:27.480
 the Lamb

00:19:27.480 --> 00:19:28.039
 of God,

00:19:28.120 --> 00:19:28.660
 the words of

00:19:28.660 --> 00:19:29.360
 the old hymn,

00:19:29.460 --> 00:19:30.039
 t'was I that

00:19:30.039 --> 00:19:30.880
 shed the sacred

00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:31.180
 blood.

00:19:31.300 --> 00:19:31.800
 I nailed him

00:19:31.800 --> 00:19:32.440
 to the tree.

00:19:32.759 --> 00:19:33.660
 I crucified

00:19:33.660 --> 00:19:34.420
 the Christ

00:19:34.420 --> 00:19:35.039
 of God.

00:19:35.259 --> 00:19:36.160
 I joined

00:19:36.160 --> 00:19:37.420
 the mockery.

00:19:37.880 --> 00:19:38.640
 It was our

00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:39.080
 sin that he

00:19:39.080 --> 00:19:39.500
 took.

00:19:40.500 --> 00:19:41.180
 It was my

00:19:41.180 --> 00:19:41.640
 sin that

00:19:41.640 --> 00:19:42.039
 put him

00:19:42.039 --> 00:19:42.380
 there.

00:19:44.519 --> 00:19:44.960
 Don

00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:45.299
 Carson,

00:19:45.420 --> 00:19:45.720
 I think,

00:19:45.799 --> 00:19:46.359
 New Testament

00:19:46.359 --> 00:19:47.220
 commentator,

00:19:47.319 --> 00:19:48.259
 helpfully clarifies

00:19:48.259 --> 00:19:48.759
 the meaning of

00:19:48.759 --> 00:19:49.079
 the word

00:19:49.079 --> 00:19:49.839
 world here.

00:19:51.119 --> 00:19:51.720
 The Lamb

00:19:51.720 --> 00:19:52.059
 of God

00:19:52.059 --> 00:19:52.579
 takes away

00:19:52.579 --> 00:19:52.920
 the sin

00:19:52.920 --> 00:19:53.160
 of the

00:19:53.160 --> 00:19:53.579
 world.

00:19:54.039 --> 00:19:54.660
 That is to

00:19:54.660 --> 00:19:55.140
 all human

00:19:55.140 --> 00:19:55.779
 beings without

00:19:55.779 --> 00:19:56.539
 distinction,

00:19:57.539 --> 00:19:58.819
 though not to

00:19:58.819 --> 00:19:59.940
 all without

00:19:59.940 --> 00:20:01.140
 exception.

00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:04.299
 I was reading

00:20:04.299 --> 00:20:04.960
 an article this

00:20:04.960 --> 00:20:05.500
 week in the

00:20:05.500 --> 00:20:07.160
 Telegraph that

00:20:07.160 --> 00:20:07.859
 reflected on the

00:20:07.859 --> 00:20:08.459
 events of the

00:20:08.459 --> 00:20:09.379
 last ten days

00:20:09.379 --> 00:20:10.379
 and it was

00:20:10.379 --> 00:20:11.000
 reflecting on the

00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:11.500
 fact that

00:20:11.500 --> 00:20:12.479
 subconsciously,

00:20:12.959 --> 00:20:13.319
 and I think

00:20:13.319 --> 00:20:13.899
 this is true,

00:20:14.959 --> 00:20:15.599
 we kind of all

00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:16.079
 believed the

00:20:16.079 --> 00:20:16.500
 Queen was going

00:20:16.500 --> 00:20:17.079
 to live forever.

00:20:18.419 --> 00:20:18.839
 She was just

00:20:18.839 --> 00:20:19.539
 always there.

00:20:19.599 --> 00:20:20.059
 How many people

00:20:20.059 --> 00:20:20.699
 have you heard

00:20:20.699 --> 00:20:21.779
 reflect on the

00:20:21.779 --> 00:20:22.299
 fact that our

00:20:22.299 --> 00:20:22.899
 whole life she

00:20:22.899 --> 00:20:23.459
 was just always

00:20:23.459 --> 00:20:23.779
 there?

00:20:26.119 --> 00:20:26.679
 And how this

00:20:26.679 --> 00:20:27.179
 week we've all

00:20:27.179 --> 00:20:27.879
 been reminded of

00:20:27.879 --> 00:20:28.939
 our own mortality.

00:20:30.879 --> 00:20:31.859
 Everyone dies.

00:20:32.159 --> 00:20:32.819
 Here then is an

00:20:32.819 --> 00:20:34.059
 invitation to all

00:20:34.059 --> 00:20:36.179
 the world to

00:20:36.180 --> 00:20:37.120
 trust in Jesus

00:20:37.120 --> 00:20:38.120
 and by faith

00:20:38.120 --> 00:20:38.940
 know the truth

00:20:38.940 --> 00:20:40.000
 that there is

00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:41.640
 forgiveness in

00:20:41.640 --> 00:20:43.160
 the Lamb who

00:20:43.160 --> 00:20:45.120
 takes away our

00:20:45.120 --> 00:20:46.100
 sin.

00:20:47.019 --> 00:20:47.600
 And let me just

00:20:47.600 --> 00:20:48.320
 lovingly say by

00:20:48.320 --> 00:20:50.779
 implication, all

00:20:50.779 --> 00:20:51.420
 those who don't

00:20:51.420 --> 00:20:52.060
 trust in the

00:20:52.060 --> 00:20:53.700
 Lamb, the math

00:20:53.700 --> 00:20:54.980
 says that that

00:20:54.980 --> 00:20:55.920
 iniquity still

00:20:55.920 --> 00:20:58.140
 sits on you.

00:20:59.660 --> 00:21:00.440
 We're all going

00:21:00.440 --> 00:21:00.900
 to have to give

00:21:00.900 --> 00:21:01.779
 an account in the

00:21:01.779 --> 00:21:02.620
 end before our

00:21:02.620 --> 00:21:04.279
 righteous and

00:21:04.279 --> 00:21:05.359
 just creator.

00:21:05.980 --> 00:21:07.000
 How we've lived

00:21:07.000 --> 00:21:07.940
 before him.

00:21:09.639 --> 00:21:10.200
 And in light,

00:21:10.339 --> 00:21:10.680
 friends, of who

00:21:10.680 --> 00:21:11.940
 we all are, do

00:21:11.940 --> 00:21:12.460
 see the good

00:21:12.460 --> 00:21:13.139
 news that the

00:21:13.139 --> 00:21:13.779
 Lamb of God has

00:21:13.779 --> 00:21:14.359
 come to take

00:21:14.359 --> 00:21:16.359
 away the sin of

00:21:16.359 --> 00:21:16.899
 the world.

00:21:17.379 --> 00:21:18.940
 He is the

00:21:18.940 --> 00:21:20.500
 Lamb of God

00:21:20.500 --> 00:21:22.339
 and he is the

00:21:22.339 --> 00:21:23.480
 Lamb, verse 33,

00:21:24.759 --> 00:21:26.099
 who gives the

00:21:26.099 --> 00:21:26.460
 spirit.

00:21:28.940 --> 00:21:29.619
 As Jesus is

00:21:29.619 --> 00:21:30.440
 baptized, and I

00:21:30.440 --> 00:21:30.839
 think that's what

00:21:30.839 --> 00:21:31.559
 John is reflecting

00:21:31.559 --> 00:21:32.099
 on here.

00:21:32.099 --> 00:21:33.079
 Jesus baptized,

00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:34.559
 and be clear on

00:21:34.559 --> 00:21:35.000
 this, not to

00:21:35.000 --> 00:21:35.659
 repent of his

00:21:35.659 --> 00:21:38.099
 own sin, but to

00:21:38.099 --> 00:21:39.359
 associate himself

00:21:39.359 --> 00:21:40.699
 with the very

00:21:40.699 --> 00:21:41.419
 people that he's

00:21:41.419 --> 00:21:42.240
 come to save.

00:21:43.500 --> 00:21:44.500
 The Holy Spirit

00:21:44.500 --> 00:21:45.379
 comes down, do

00:21:45.379 --> 00:21:45.939
 you notice in the

00:21:45.939 --> 00:21:46.799
 text, in the

00:21:46.799 --> 00:21:48.079
 form of a

00:21:48.079 --> 00:21:48.379
 dove?

00:21:49.619 --> 00:21:49.779
 Right?

00:21:49.879 --> 00:21:52.199
 Likely a, I

00:21:52.199 --> 00:21:52.719
 don't fall out,

00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:53.559
 maybe disagree

00:21:53.559 --> 00:21:54.119
 over this, but

00:21:54.119 --> 00:21:54.859
 likely a symbolic

00:21:54.859 --> 00:21:55.919
 presence of God's

00:21:55.919 --> 00:21:56.359
 peace.

00:21:57.339 --> 00:21:58.099
 Okay, just as in

00:21:58.099 --> 00:21:58.879
 the days of Noah,

00:21:59.079 --> 00:22:01.000
 the dove returns,

00:22:01.000 --> 00:22:02.400
 symbolizing that

00:22:02.400 --> 00:22:03.539
 peace between God

00:22:03.539 --> 00:22:04.140
 and man was

00:22:04.140 --> 00:22:04.500
 here.

00:22:05.660 --> 00:22:06.420
 I think similarly,

00:22:06.579 --> 00:22:07.299
 the ultimate peace

00:22:07.299 --> 00:22:08.039
 between God and

00:22:08.039 --> 00:22:09.599
 man that that no

00:22:09.599 --> 00:22:10.579
 episode points us

00:22:10.579 --> 00:22:11.380
 to will be what

00:22:11.380 --> 00:22:12.099
 Jesus is.

00:22:12.480 --> 00:22:13.400
 Death and resurrection

00:22:13.400 --> 00:22:14.440
 will accomplish for

00:22:14.440 --> 00:22:15.220
 all who believe,

00:22:15.339 --> 00:22:16.039
 peace with God.

00:22:16.980 --> 00:22:17.740
 But John's

00:22:17.740 --> 00:22:19.640
 emphasis here is

00:22:19.640 --> 00:22:20.339
 that that dove,

00:22:20.440 --> 00:22:20.980
 the spirit,

00:22:22.519 --> 00:22:23.700
 remains on Jesus.

00:22:24.519 --> 00:22:24.900
 So the word

00:22:24.900 --> 00:22:25.619
 remains, I think,

00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:26.099
 with the emphasis

00:22:26.099 --> 00:22:27.380
 is he remains on

00:22:27.380 --> 00:22:27.839
 Christ.

00:22:29.460 --> 00:22:29.819
 You see, in the

00:22:29.819 --> 00:22:30.539
 Old Testament, the

00:22:30.539 --> 00:22:31.500
 spirit came on an

00:22:31.500 --> 00:22:32.859
 individual, empowered

00:22:32.859 --> 00:22:33.899
 them for a God-given

00:22:33.899 --> 00:22:34.519
 task.

00:22:35.519 --> 00:22:36.220
 But in those

00:22:36.220 --> 00:22:37.059
 instances, the

00:22:37.059 --> 00:22:38.059
 spirit empowering

00:22:38.059 --> 00:22:39.299
 was temporary.

00:22:40.379 --> 00:22:41.220
 So it's striking

00:22:41.220 --> 00:22:42.179
 here then that John

00:22:42.179 --> 00:22:42.980
 wants us to know

00:22:42.980 --> 00:22:43.960
 that the spirit, as

00:22:43.960 --> 00:22:45.039
 the spirit falls on

00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:46.919
 Jesus, remains.

00:22:48.419 --> 00:22:48.859
 Right?

00:22:49.000 --> 00:22:49.980
 Enabling him to

00:22:49.980 --> 00:22:50.740
 live the perfect

00:22:50.740 --> 00:22:51.700
 life, I take it

00:22:51.700 --> 00:22:52.579
 enabling him to

00:22:52.579 --> 00:22:53.399
 know the love of

00:22:53.399 --> 00:22:54.019
 his father.

00:22:56.419 --> 00:22:57.299
 John's baptism

00:22:57.299 --> 00:22:58.019
 could only really

00:22:58.019 --> 00:22:58.879
 instruct somebody

00:22:58.879 --> 00:22:59.740
 externally.

00:23:00.799 --> 00:23:01.180
 It could only

00:23:01.180 --> 00:23:02.519
 really encourage

00:23:02.519 --> 00:23:03.839
 somebody morally.

00:23:05.099 --> 00:23:06.019
 But Jesus is

00:23:06.019 --> 00:23:06.500
 baptism.

00:23:07.859 --> 00:23:08.379
 Not the

00:23:08.379 --> 00:23:08.920
 baptism as

00:23:08.920 --> 00:23:09.799
 anything special.

00:23:10.200 --> 00:23:10.639
 But understand,

00:23:10.759 --> 00:23:11.119
 it's what it

00:23:11.119 --> 00:23:11.779
 symbolizes.

00:23:12.440 --> 00:23:13.279
 As our lives

00:23:13.279 --> 00:23:14.259
 become wholly

00:23:14.259 --> 00:23:14.940
 bound to his,

00:23:15.000 --> 00:23:15.420
 that's what we're

00:23:15.420 --> 00:23:16.059
 doing as we go

00:23:16.059 --> 00:23:16.619
 under the water

00:23:16.619 --> 00:23:17.420
 and come back up.

00:23:17.759 --> 00:23:18.220
 The shape of

00:23:18.220 --> 00:23:19.259
 Jesus' life is the

00:23:19.259 --> 00:23:19.720
 shape of our

00:23:19.720 --> 00:23:20.240
 lives now.

00:23:21.019 --> 00:23:21.319
 If you haven't

00:23:21.319 --> 00:23:21.819
 been baptized,

00:23:22.359 --> 00:23:22.839
 you've got to do

00:23:22.839 --> 00:23:23.019
 it.

00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:24.220
 Come and do it.

00:23:24.359 --> 00:23:24.900
 Make it happen.

00:23:25.859 --> 00:23:27.000
 That baptism is

00:23:27.000 --> 00:23:27.859
 Jesus gives us

00:23:27.859 --> 00:23:28.460
 the spirit,

00:23:29.599 --> 00:23:30.759
 the very presence

00:23:30.759 --> 00:23:31.440
 of God coming

00:23:31.440 --> 00:23:32.140
 to live inside

00:23:32.140 --> 00:23:32.579
 of us.

00:23:33.019 --> 00:23:33.859
 That baptism

00:23:33.859 --> 00:23:36.200
 doesn't change

00:23:36.200 --> 00:23:36.819
 us externally.

00:23:38.500 --> 00:23:39.220
 It changes

00:23:39.220 --> 00:23:40.660
 us internally.

00:23:42.539 --> 00:23:43.319
 As the very

00:23:43.319 --> 00:23:43.980
 presence of God

00:23:43.980 --> 00:23:44.799
 takes up residence

00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:46.539
 in the life's

00:23:46.539 --> 00:23:47.500
 of his people.

00:23:49.019 --> 00:23:49.579
 And he

00:23:49.579 --> 00:23:50.220
 transforms us

00:23:50.220 --> 00:23:50.700
 from the inside

00:23:50.700 --> 00:23:51.000
 out.

00:23:52.160 --> 00:23:52.720
 That's what

00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:53.339
 John's baptism

00:23:53.339 --> 00:23:54.019
 couldn't do.

00:23:55.299 --> 00:23:55.759
 That this is

00:23:55.759 --> 00:23:56.160
 what Jesus'

00:23:56.379 --> 00:23:57.859
 baptism will

00:23:57.859 --> 00:23:58.119
 do.

00:24:01.059 --> 00:24:01.500
 And so the

00:24:01.500 --> 00:24:02.319
 question is,

00:24:02.740 --> 00:24:03.400
 as we respond

00:24:03.400 --> 00:24:03.940
 to this this

00:24:03.940 --> 00:24:04.200
 morning,

00:24:05.039 --> 00:24:06.779
 are we living

00:24:06.779 --> 00:24:07.660
 our every day

00:24:07.660 --> 00:24:09.519
 in light of

00:24:09.519 --> 00:24:09.920
 the Lamb?

00:24:12.720 --> 00:24:12.960
 You know,

00:24:13.000 --> 00:24:13.400
 just as we

00:24:13.400 --> 00:24:13.619
 close,

00:24:13.680 --> 00:24:13.980
 and maybe to

00:24:13.980 --> 00:24:14.319
 help us

00:24:14.319 --> 00:24:15.099
 think about

00:24:15.099 --> 00:24:15.379
 it,

00:24:17.940 --> 00:24:18.339
 friends,

00:24:18.420 --> 00:24:18.720
 let me tell

00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:19.019
 you about the

00:24:19.019 --> 00:24:19.559
 car that we

00:24:19.559 --> 00:24:19.879
 drove in

00:24:19.879 --> 00:24:20.299
 America.

00:24:23.160 --> 00:24:23.660
 John and

00:24:23.660 --> 00:24:25.099
 Kelsey generously

00:24:25.099 --> 00:24:25.719
 lent us their

00:24:25.719 --> 00:24:26.839
 car when we

00:24:26.839 --> 00:24:27.139
 were over

00:24:27.139 --> 00:24:27.419
 there.

00:24:28.259 --> 00:24:28.539
 Olin,

00:24:28.619 --> 00:24:28.939
 who's here,

00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:29.379
 drove it down

00:24:29.379 --> 00:24:29.919
 to Chicago,

00:24:30.039 --> 00:24:30.419
 we picked it

00:24:30.419 --> 00:24:30.779
 up there.

00:24:31.740 --> 00:24:32.139
 Incredibly

00:24:32.139 --> 00:24:33.419
 generous of

00:24:33.419 --> 00:24:33.559
 them.

00:24:34.779 --> 00:24:35.399
 But the

00:24:35.399 --> 00:24:35.799
 minute I

00:24:35.799 --> 00:24:36.240
 stepped into

00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:36.779
 this car,

00:24:37.859 --> 00:24:38.639
 I realised

00:24:38.639 --> 00:24:39.039
 that things

00:24:39.039 --> 00:24:39.599
 were different.

00:24:42.399 --> 00:24:42.879
 Automatic,

00:24:44.379 --> 00:24:45.079
 steering wheel

00:24:45.079 --> 00:24:45.419
 on the other

00:24:45.419 --> 00:24:45.839
 side,

00:24:46.879 --> 00:24:47.619
 driving on

00:24:47.619 --> 00:24:48.379
 the right

00:24:48.379 --> 00:24:48.919
 side of the

00:24:48.919 --> 00:24:49.119
 road.

00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:49.839
 That is a

00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:50.719
 royal flush

00:24:50.719 --> 00:24:51.879
 of differences.

00:24:51.880 --> 00:24:54.060
 for the

00:24:54.060 --> 00:24:54.540
 first few

00:24:54.540 --> 00:24:54.920
 days,

00:24:55.060 --> 00:24:55.640
 all I

00:24:55.640 --> 00:24:56.020
 heard in

00:24:56.020 --> 00:24:56.480
 the car

00:24:56.480 --> 00:24:58.540
 was beep,

00:24:58.580 --> 00:24:58.700
 beep,

00:24:58.760 --> 00:24:58.860
 beep,

00:24:58.940 --> 00:24:59.080
 beep,

00:24:59.120 --> 00:24:59.260
 beep,

00:24:59.300 --> 00:24:59.420
 beep,

00:24:59.500 --> 00:24:59.680
 beep.

00:25:02.240 --> 00:25:02.940
 No idea

00:25:02.940 --> 00:25:03.240
 what this

00:25:03.240 --> 00:25:03.800
 noise is.

00:25:04.660 --> 00:25:04.860
 Beep,

00:25:04.900 --> 00:25:05.000
 beep,

00:25:05.040 --> 00:25:05.140
 beep,

00:25:05.240 --> 00:25:05.380
 beep,

00:25:05.380 --> 00:25:05.540
 beep,

00:25:05.540 --> 00:25:05.700
 beep,

00:25:05.760 --> 00:25:05.960
 beep.

00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:06.380
 Okay,

00:25:06.460 --> 00:25:06.800
 that's

00:25:06.800 --> 00:25:07.000
 getting

00:25:07.000 --> 00:25:07.360
 annoying.

00:25:08.620 --> 00:25:08.840
 Beep,

00:25:08.880 --> 00:25:08.980
 beep,

00:25:09.020 --> 00:25:09.160
 beep,

00:25:09.220 --> 00:25:09.360
 beep,

00:25:09.360 --> 00:25:09.500
 beep,

00:25:09.720 --> 00:25:09.860
 beep,

00:25:09.860 --> 00:25:09.880
 beep.

00:25:09.940 --> 00:25:10.180
 This is

00:25:10.180 --> 00:25:10.720
 a four-hour

00:25:10.720 --> 00:25:11.120
 journey,

00:25:11.760 --> 00:25:12.240
 and I'm

00:25:12.240 --> 00:25:12.420
 going to

00:25:12.420 --> 00:25:12.720
 follow up

00:25:12.720 --> 00:25:12.940
 with someone

00:25:12.940 --> 00:25:13.260
 if I don't

00:25:13.260 --> 00:25:13.560
 find out

00:25:13.560 --> 00:25:13.800
 what this

00:25:13.800 --> 00:25:14.400
 noise is.

00:25:15.480 --> 00:25:15.800
 Beep,

00:25:15.800 --> 00:25:15.920
 beep,

00:25:15.980 --> 00:25:16.080
 beep,

00:25:16.160 --> 00:25:16.280
 beep,

00:25:16.340 --> 00:25:16.500
 beep,

00:25:16.540 --> 00:25:16.620
 beep.

00:25:16.620 --> 00:25:16.660
 Do you

00:25:16.660 --> 00:25:16.840
 know what

00:25:21.880 --> 00:25:22.420
 telling me

00:25:22.420 --> 00:25:22.640
 that I

00:25:22.640 --> 00:25:23.080
 was drifting?

00:25:24.860 --> 00:25:25.340
 And beep,

00:25:25.380 --> 00:25:25.480
 beep,

00:25:25.520 --> 00:25:25.640
 beep,

00:25:25.680 --> 00:25:25.800
 beep,

00:25:25.880 --> 00:25:27.200
 beep was

00:25:27.200 --> 00:25:27.960
 code for

00:25:27.960 --> 00:25:29.820
 get yourself

00:25:29.820 --> 00:25:30.200
 back to

00:25:30.200 --> 00:25:30.600
 the center.

00:25:33.000 --> 00:25:33.440
 Friends,

00:25:33.480 --> 00:25:33.820
 what we've

00:25:33.820 --> 00:25:34.160
 looked at

00:25:34.160 --> 00:25:34.580
 this morning,

00:25:34.700 --> 00:25:35.120
 the lamb

00:25:35.120 --> 00:25:35.620
 who takes

00:25:35.620 --> 00:25:36.140
 away the

00:25:36.140 --> 00:25:36.480
 sin of

00:25:36.480 --> 00:25:37.020
 the world,

00:25:37.540 --> 00:25:38.260
 the gospel,

00:25:39.180 --> 00:25:40.440
 is the

00:25:40.440 --> 00:25:41.160
 center of

00:25:41.160 --> 00:25:41.600
 Christianity.

00:25:43.040 --> 00:25:43.820
 It is

00:25:43.820 --> 00:25:45.460
 the wondrous

00:25:45.460 --> 00:25:46.320
 heartbeat

00:25:46.320 --> 00:25:47.780
 of God,

00:25:48.880 --> 00:25:49.700
 the center

00:25:49.700 --> 00:25:50.500
 of our

00:25:50.500 --> 00:25:51.700
 faith,

00:25:51.880 --> 00:25:53.660
 and the

00:25:53.660 --> 00:25:54.300
 question is,

00:25:54.360 --> 00:25:54.520
 friends,

00:25:54.640 --> 00:25:55.260
 is it the

00:25:55.260 --> 00:25:56.420
 center of

00:25:56.420 --> 00:25:58.300
 our lives?

00:25:58.500 --> 00:25:58.820
 And as we

00:25:58.820 --> 00:25:59.300
 think about

00:25:59.300 --> 00:25:59.960
 our lives in

00:25:59.960 --> 00:26:00.560
 response to

00:26:00.560 --> 00:26:01.100
 this passage

00:26:01.100 --> 00:26:01.460
 today,

00:26:01.600 --> 00:26:02.120
 here's an

00:26:02.120 --> 00:26:02.680
 observation.

00:26:04.500 --> 00:26:05.300
 How easy

00:26:05.300 --> 00:26:05.860
 is it to

00:26:05.860 --> 00:26:06.240
 drift?

00:26:08.200 --> 00:26:09.200
 How easy

00:26:09.200 --> 00:26:10.600
 is it to

00:26:10.600 --> 00:26:11.180
 think to

00:26:11.180 --> 00:26:12.200
 myself as I

00:26:12.200 --> 00:26:13.000
 go about my

00:26:13.000 --> 00:26:14.100
 day every

00:26:14.100 --> 00:26:14.620
 day,

00:26:15.580 --> 00:26:16.540
 do I really

00:26:16.540 --> 00:26:17.080
 need the

00:26:17.080 --> 00:26:17.400
 lamb?

00:26:19.080 --> 00:26:19.980
 Do I really

00:26:19.980 --> 00:26:21.080
 need him?

00:26:21.320 --> 00:26:21.840
 Does he make

00:26:21.839 --> 00:26:22.899
 any difference

00:26:22.899 --> 00:26:23.399
 to my

00:26:23.399 --> 00:26:23.939
 life?

00:26:25.019 --> 00:26:25.220
 Do you

00:26:25.220 --> 00:26:25.559
 know how I

00:26:25.559 --> 00:26:26.039
 see myself

00:26:26.039 --> 00:26:26.379
 drifting?

00:26:27.539 --> 00:26:28.259
 Two ways.

00:26:30.019 --> 00:26:30.519
 It's when my

00:26:30.519 --> 00:26:31.279
 default reaction

00:26:31.279 --> 00:26:31.980
 to my sin is

00:26:31.980 --> 00:26:32.359
 one of two

00:26:32.359 --> 00:26:32.759
 things.

00:26:34.099 --> 00:26:34.500
 Firstly,

00:26:35.039 --> 00:26:35.779
 it's that I

00:26:35.779 --> 00:26:36.179
 try and

00:26:36.179 --> 00:26:36.779
 cover up.

00:26:38.659 --> 00:26:39.299
 When I get

00:26:39.299 --> 00:26:39.639
 it wrong,

00:26:39.759 --> 00:26:40.399
 it's just to

00:26:40.399 --> 00:26:41.240
 write it off.

00:26:41.319 --> 00:26:41.619
 It's not

00:26:41.619 --> 00:26:42.079
 really that

00:26:42.079 --> 00:26:42.599
 big a deal,

00:26:42.679 --> 00:26:43.139
 my sin.

00:26:43.500 --> 00:26:44.019
 I try and

00:26:44.019 --> 00:26:44.959
 justify it to

00:26:44.959 --> 00:26:45.779
 myself that I

00:26:45.779 --> 00:26:46.539
 only thought that

00:26:46.539 --> 00:26:47.099
 or said that

00:26:47.099 --> 00:26:47.679
 because it was

00:26:47.679 --> 00:26:48.259
 the other

00:26:48.259 --> 00:26:50.220
 person's fault.

00:26:50.220 --> 00:26:50.920
 they're the

00:26:50.920 --> 00:26:51.440
 ones that got

00:26:51.440 --> 00:26:52.279
 me riled up.

00:26:52.539 --> 00:26:52.920
 It's their

00:26:52.920 --> 00:26:53.400
 sin.

00:26:53.500 --> 00:26:53.620
 No,

00:26:53.680 --> 00:26:54.299
 it's not.

00:26:56.120 --> 00:26:56.799
 It's my

00:26:56.799 --> 00:26:57.180
 sin.

00:26:58.539 --> 00:26:59.039
 It's my

00:26:59.039 --> 00:26:59.420
 sin.

00:27:01.140 --> 00:27:01.539
 Friends,

00:27:01.559 --> 00:27:01.839
 let me just

00:27:01.839 --> 00:27:02.120
 ask you,

00:27:02.160 --> 00:27:02.460
 when was the

00:27:02.460 --> 00:27:03.019
 last time you

00:27:03.019 --> 00:27:03.620
 said sorry?

00:27:04.980 --> 00:27:05.380
 When was the

00:27:05.380 --> 00:27:05.839
 last time you

00:27:05.839 --> 00:27:08.100
 got clean and

00:27:08.100 --> 00:27:09.380
 said a costly,

00:27:09.559 --> 00:27:10.259
 I got it

00:27:10.259 --> 00:27:10.740
 wrong,

00:27:11.839 --> 00:27:12.339
 to your

00:27:12.339 --> 00:27:12.880
 spouse,

00:27:13.960 --> 00:27:14.960
 to your

00:27:14.960 --> 00:27:15.539
 children?

00:27:15.539 --> 00:27:17.859
 Most

00:27:17.859 --> 00:27:18.220
 importantly,

00:27:18.299 --> 00:27:18.420
 our

00:27:18.420 --> 00:27:18.700
 children,

00:27:18.779 --> 00:27:19.200
 I say this

00:27:19.200 --> 00:27:19.460
 all the

00:27:19.460 --> 00:27:19.659
 time,

00:27:19.759 --> 00:27:19.879
 listen,

00:27:19.980 --> 00:27:20.440
 daddy needs

00:27:20.440 --> 00:27:21.079
 Jesus just

00:27:21.079 --> 00:27:21.599
 as much as

00:27:21.599 --> 00:27:22.099
 you do.

00:27:23.059 --> 00:27:23.220
 Oh,

00:27:23.220 --> 00:27:23.399
 friends,

00:27:23.480 --> 00:27:23.759
 to your

00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:24.339
 colleagues,

00:27:25.000 --> 00:27:25.420
 to your

00:27:25.420 --> 00:27:26.159
 flatmates,

00:27:26.599 --> 00:27:27.339
 how easy

00:27:27.339 --> 00:27:28.059
 is it to

00:27:28.059 --> 00:27:28.920
 cover up

00:27:28.920 --> 00:27:30.240
 our sin?

00:27:32.579 --> 00:27:33.579
 Or secondly,

00:27:33.799 --> 00:27:34.279
 I try and

00:27:34.279 --> 00:27:34.779
 cover up,

00:27:34.960 --> 00:27:35.339
 secondly,

00:27:35.480 --> 00:27:36.039
 I try and

00:27:36.039 --> 00:27:36.680
 make up.

00:27:36.960 --> 00:27:37.460
 I think to

00:27:37.460 --> 00:27:37.720
 myself,

00:27:37.799 --> 00:27:38.440
 tomorrow is

00:27:38.440 --> 00:27:38.799
 going to be

00:27:38.799 --> 00:27:39.220
 a better

00:27:39.220 --> 00:27:39.500
 day,

00:27:39.599 --> 00:27:40.180
 tomorrow I'm

00:27:40.180 --> 00:27:40.359
 going to

00:27:40.359 --> 00:27:40.819
 get up at

00:27:40.819 --> 00:27:41.319
 five o'clock

00:27:41.319 --> 00:27:41.740
 and read my

00:27:41.740 --> 00:27:42.079
 Bible,

00:27:42.460 --> 00:27:43.000
 tomorrow I'm

00:27:43.000 --> 00:27:43.220
 going to

00:27:43.220 --> 00:27:43.960
 try harder.

00:27:45.539 --> 00:27:46.039
 Well,

00:27:46.099 --> 00:27:46.359
 friends,

00:27:46.899 --> 00:27:47.720
 covering up

00:27:47.720 --> 00:27:49.659
 and making

00:27:49.659 --> 00:27:49.980
 up,

00:27:50.119 --> 00:27:50.599
 not only

00:27:50.599 --> 00:27:50.980
 are they

00:27:50.980 --> 00:27:51.779
 exhausting

00:27:51.779 --> 00:27:52.399
 ways to

00:27:52.399 --> 00:27:52.720
 live,

00:27:54.399 --> 00:27:54.759
 but they

00:27:54.759 --> 00:27:55.559
 are deeply

00:27:55.559 --> 00:27:56.839
 anti-gospel,

00:27:57.079 --> 00:27:57.940
 anti-Lamb

00:27:57.940 --> 00:27:58.899
 ways of

00:27:58.899 --> 00:27:59.960
 living that

00:27:59.960 --> 00:28:00.779
 rob us of

00:28:00.779 --> 00:28:01.399
 knowing the

00:28:01.399 --> 00:28:02.980
 sweetness of

00:28:02.980 --> 00:28:03.460
 Jesus'

00:28:03.759 --> 00:28:04.259
 forgiveness

00:28:04.259 --> 00:28:05.859
 and grace.

00:28:06.899 --> 00:28:07.440
 And the

00:28:07.440 --> 00:28:08.519
 liberating news

00:28:08.519 --> 00:28:09.139
 here,

00:28:09.639 --> 00:28:10.500
 because the

00:28:10.500 --> 00:28:11.059
 Lamb has

00:28:11.059 --> 00:28:11.579
 paid for

00:28:11.579 --> 00:28:12.420
 my sin,

00:28:12.659 --> 00:28:13.359
 my past

00:28:13.359 --> 00:28:13.799
 sin,

00:28:14.240 --> 00:28:14.980
 my present

00:28:14.980 --> 00:28:15.339
 sin,

00:28:15.339 --> 00:28:16.099
 my future

00:28:16.099 --> 00:28:16.579
 sin,

00:28:16.919 --> 00:28:17.439
 as I

00:28:17.439 --> 00:28:18.259
 contemplate

00:28:18.259 --> 00:28:19.199
 my dirt,

00:28:20.119 --> 00:28:20.879
 the news

00:28:20.879 --> 00:28:21.959
 is that I

00:28:21.959 --> 00:28:22.419
 don't need

00:28:22.419 --> 00:28:23.119
 to pretend

00:28:23.119 --> 00:28:23.559
 that I'm

00:28:23.559 --> 00:28:24.139
 sorted.

00:28:25.220 --> 00:28:25.599
 This

00:28:25.599 --> 00:28:26.619
 liberates me

00:28:26.619 --> 00:28:27.139
 to hold

00:28:27.139 --> 00:28:27.699
 my hands

00:28:27.699 --> 00:28:28.019
 up and

00:28:28.019 --> 00:28:28.299
 say,

00:28:28.539 --> 00:28:29.000
 here is

00:28:29.000 --> 00:28:29.419
 a sinner

00:28:29.419 --> 00:28:30.059
 who's also

00:28:30.059 --> 00:28:30.599
 in need

00:28:30.599 --> 00:28:31.399
 of God's

00:28:31.399 --> 00:28:32.099
 grace.

00:28:32.319 --> 00:28:32.699
 Not a

00:28:32.699 --> 00:28:33.519
 once-in-a-lifetime

00:28:33.519 --> 00:28:34.039
 decision,

00:28:35.639 --> 00:28:36.059
 it's a

00:28:36.059 --> 00:28:36.480
 lifetime.

00:28:36.779 --> 00:28:37.259
 John Calvin

00:28:37.259 --> 00:28:37.659
 called the

00:28:37.659 --> 00:28:38.220
 Christian life

00:28:38.220 --> 00:28:38.679
 a lifetime

00:28:38.679 --> 00:28:39.339
 of repentance.

00:28:40.119 --> 00:28:40.519
 It's why

00:28:40.519 --> 00:28:40.839
 we do

00:28:40.839 --> 00:28:41.279
 what we do

00:28:41.279 --> 00:28:42.079
 every Sunday.

00:28:42.279 --> 00:28:42.480
 Let me

00:28:42.480 --> 00:28:42.819
 just say,

00:28:42.879 --> 00:28:43.259
 have you ever

00:28:43.259 --> 00:28:43.839
 clocked that?

00:28:44.099 --> 00:28:44.659
 There's a lot

00:28:44.660 --> 00:28:44.980
 of effort

00:28:44.980 --> 00:28:45.460
 goes into

00:28:45.460 --> 00:28:45.940
 picking the

00:28:45.940 --> 00:28:46.500
 readings and

00:28:46.500 --> 00:28:47.019
 the songs

00:28:47.019 --> 00:28:47.420
 and everything

00:28:47.420 --> 00:28:47.779
 else that

00:28:47.779 --> 00:28:48.160
 goes on

00:28:48.160 --> 00:28:48.480
 here.

00:28:48.900 --> 00:28:49.220
 Why?

00:28:49.660 --> 00:28:50.480
 Because all

00:28:50.480 --> 00:28:50.759
 of us

00:28:50.759 --> 00:28:51.160
 drift.

00:28:52.000 --> 00:28:52.500
 What do we

00:28:52.500 --> 00:28:52.940
 need as we

00:28:52.940 --> 00:28:53.480
 come in here

00:28:53.480 --> 00:28:54.040
 on a Sunday?

00:28:54.140 --> 00:28:54.400
 And let me

00:28:54.400 --> 00:28:54.880
 just say,

00:28:55.300 --> 00:28:55.820
 this is why

00:28:55.820 --> 00:28:56.480
 church membership

00:28:56.480 --> 00:28:57.360
 is so important.

00:28:57.740 --> 00:28:58.320
 What do we do

00:28:58.320 --> 00:28:58.980
 to one another

00:28:58.980 --> 00:28:59.519
 when we gather

00:28:59.519 --> 00:29:00.160
 on a Sunday?

00:29:00.259 --> 00:29:00.600
 What do we

00:29:00.600 --> 00:29:01.420
 remind ourselves

00:29:01.420 --> 00:29:01.860
 of?

00:29:02.060 --> 00:29:02.519
 What do we

00:29:02.519 --> 00:29:03.080
 read about?

00:29:03.300 --> 00:29:03.759
 What do we

00:29:03.759 --> 00:29:04.279
 celebrate?

00:29:04.540 --> 00:29:04.900
 What do we

00:29:04.900 --> 00:29:05.440
 sing?

00:29:07.160 --> 00:29:07.820
 We sing

00:29:07.820 --> 00:29:08.180
 about the

00:29:08.180 --> 00:29:08.540
 center.

00:29:08.539 --> 00:29:10.299
 we sing

00:29:10.299 --> 00:29:11.379
 about the

00:29:11.379 --> 00:29:12.159
 lamb who

00:29:12.159 --> 00:29:12.899
 was slain

00:29:12.899 --> 00:29:14.420
 before the

00:29:14.420 --> 00:29:15.019
 foundation of

00:29:15.019 --> 00:29:15.339
 the world.

00:29:15.440 --> 00:29:15.759
 We sing

00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:16.139
 about the

00:29:16.139 --> 00:29:16.519
 lamb who

00:29:16.519 --> 00:29:17.180
 was slain

00:29:17.180 --> 00:29:17.879
 for the

00:29:17.879 --> 00:29:18.740
 sins of

00:29:18.740 --> 00:29:19.119
 the world.

00:29:19.180 --> 00:29:19.500
 We sing

00:29:19.500 --> 00:29:19.819
 about the

00:29:19.819 --> 00:29:20.139
 lamb who

00:29:20.139 --> 00:29:20.559
 has come

00:29:20.559 --> 00:29:21.039
 to deal

00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:21.440
 with the

00:29:21.440 --> 00:29:22.180
 dirt of

00:29:22.180 --> 00:29:22.819
 his people.

00:29:23.259 --> 00:29:23.680
 We sing

00:29:23.680 --> 00:29:24.000
 about the

00:29:24.000 --> 00:29:24.319
 lamb who

00:29:24.319 --> 00:29:24.700
 takes away

00:29:24.700 --> 00:29:25.019
 the sin

00:29:25.019 --> 00:29:25.240
 of the

00:29:25.240 --> 00:29:25.539
 world.

00:29:25.940 --> 00:29:26.299
 So brothers

00:29:26.299 --> 00:29:26.700
 and sisters,

00:29:26.700 --> 00:29:27.059
 as we

00:29:27.059 --> 00:29:27.299
 close,

00:29:27.420 --> 00:29:27.980
 is this

00:29:27.980 --> 00:29:28.659
 the center?

00:29:28.779 --> 00:29:29.099
 Have you

00:29:29.099 --> 00:29:29.759
 drifted this

00:29:29.759 --> 00:29:30.079
 morning?

00:29:31.159 --> 00:29:31.539
 Have you

00:29:31.539 --> 00:29:32.019
 drifted?

00:29:32.019 --> 00:29:34.319
 come back

00:29:34.319 --> 00:29:34.779
 to him.

00:29:36.039 --> 00:29:36.400
 Isn't it

00:29:36.400 --> 00:29:36.859
 amazing that

00:29:36.859 --> 00:29:37.339
 Jesus is

00:29:37.339 --> 00:29:37.599
 here?

00:29:38.720 --> 00:29:39.079
 The lamb

00:29:39.079 --> 00:29:39.339
 who has

00:29:39.339 --> 00:29:40.980
 come to

00:29:40.980 --> 00:29:41.559
 take away

00:29:41.559 --> 00:29:42.799
 the sin

00:29:42.799 --> 00:29:43.039
 of the

00:29:43.039 --> 00:29:43.359
 world.

00:29:44.039 --> 00:29:44.539
 Let's

00:29:44.539 --> 00:29:44.759
 pray.

00:29:49.039 --> 00:29:49.539
 So

00:29:49.539 --> 00:29:49.839
 father, we

00:29:49.839 --> 00:29:50.379
 just thank

00:29:50.379 --> 00:29:50.740
 you this

00:29:50.740 --> 00:29:52.240
 morning for

00:29:52.240 --> 00:29:52.700
 John's

00:29:52.700 --> 00:29:53.119
 gospel.

00:29:54.299 --> 00:29:55.160
 We thank

00:29:55.160 --> 00:29:55.339
 you,

00:29:55.519 --> 00:29:55.980
 Lord, that

00:29:55.980 --> 00:29:56.480
 we have it

00:29:56.480 --> 00:29:56.759
 in our

00:29:56.759 --> 00:29:57.259
 language.

00:29:58.200 --> 00:29:58.879
 We thank

00:29:58.879 --> 00:29:59.039
 you,

00:29:59.139 --> 00:29:59.519
 father, that

00:29:59.519 --> 00:29:59.819
 we can

00:29:59.819 --> 00:30:00.680
 understand it.

00:30:01.200 --> 00:30:02.000
 We thank

00:30:02.000 --> 00:30:02.420
 you most

00:30:02.420 --> 00:30:02.920
 of all that

00:30:02.920 --> 00:30:03.380
 you are a

00:30:03.380 --> 00:30:03.779
 God who

00:30:03.779 --> 00:30:04.539
 has revealed

00:30:04.539 --> 00:30:05.779
 yourself and

00:30:05.779 --> 00:30:06.819
 done something

00:30:06.819 --> 00:30:07.700
 to save us

00:30:07.700 --> 00:30:08.279
 from our

00:30:08.279 --> 00:30:08.859
 deepest

00:30:08.859 --> 00:30:09.519
 problem.

00:30:11.099 --> 00:30:11.799
 Father, would

00:30:11.799 --> 00:30:12.420
 you help us

00:30:12.420 --> 00:30:13.059
 this morning as

00:30:13.059 --> 00:30:13.559
 a local

00:30:13.559 --> 00:30:14.259
 church, as

00:30:14.259 --> 00:30:14.880
 a family,

00:30:16.099 --> 00:30:16.640
 oh, Lord, to

00:30:16.640 --> 00:30:17.180
 help one

00:30:17.180 --> 00:30:18.279
 another, keep

00:30:18.279 --> 00:30:18.980
 each other's

00:30:18.980 --> 00:30:20.099
 eyes on the

00:30:20.099 --> 00:30:20.440
 lamb.

00:30:21.599 --> 00:30:22.279
 Thank you

00:30:22.279 --> 00:30:22.660
 that our

00:30:22.660 --> 00:30:23.319
 lives are

00:30:23.319 --> 00:30:24.119
 caught up

00:30:24.119 --> 00:30:25.140
 with him.

00:30:25.660 --> 00:30:26.200
 Thank you

00:30:26.200 --> 00:30:26.759
 that his

00:30:26.759 --> 00:30:27.680
 death is

00:30:27.680 --> 00:30:28.579
 our death.

00:30:29.000 --> 00:30:29.319
 Thank you

00:30:29.319 --> 00:30:29.799
 that his

00:30:29.799 --> 00:30:30.920
 life is

00:30:30.920 --> 00:30:31.799
 our life.

00:30:32.000 --> 00:30:33.819
 Father, I

00:30:33.819 --> 00:30:34.259
 pray that if

00:30:34.259 --> 00:30:34.940
 there's any

00:30:34.940 --> 00:30:35.380
 here this

00:30:35.380 --> 00:30:35.799
 morning who

00:30:35.799 --> 00:30:36.539
 don't know

00:30:36.539 --> 00:30:37.579
 the lamb,

00:30:38.759 --> 00:30:39.180
 oh, Father,

00:30:39.259 --> 00:30:39.619
 by your

00:30:39.619 --> 00:30:40.079
 spirit, you

00:30:40.079 --> 00:30:40.420
 would open

00:30:40.420 --> 00:30:40.900
 their eyes

00:30:40.900 --> 00:30:42.339
 to see the

00:30:42.339 --> 00:30:43.019
 grace and

00:30:43.019 --> 00:30:43.480
 truth that

00:30:43.480 --> 00:30:43.799
 are to be

00:30:43.799 --> 00:30:44.980
 found in

00:30:44.980 --> 00:30:45.880
 Jesus Christ.

00:30:47.480 --> 00:30:48.039
 Father, we

00:30:48.039 --> 00:30:48.539
 thank you for

00:30:48.539 --> 00:30:49.019
 this morning.

00:30:49.140 --> 00:30:49.619
 Be with us,

00:30:49.740 --> 00:30:50.799
 Lord, as we

00:30:50.799 --> 00:30:51.480
 sing, as we

00:30:51.480 --> 00:30:52.059
 close, and as

00:30:52.059 --> 00:30:52.660
 we spend

00:30:52.660 --> 00:30:53.500
 time together.

00:30:54.099 --> 00:30:54.420
 Oh, Father,

00:30:54.500 --> 00:30:55.299
 may we know

00:30:55.299 --> 00:30:56.420
 just a sweet

00:30:56.420 --> 00:30:58.420
 time of

00:30:58.420 --> 00:30:59.000
 knowing your

00:30:59.000 --> 00:30:59.500
 peace and your

00:30:59.500 --> 00:31:00.140
 greatness together.

00:31:00.140 --> 00:31:00.380
 Father, in

00:31:00.380 --> 00:31:00.920
 Jesus' name

00:31:00.920 --> 00:31:01.420
 we ask.

00:31:02.000 --> 00:31:02.360
 Amen.

00:31:02.359 --> 00:31:02.459
 Amen.