WEBVTT

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 Reading comes from Matthew chapter 10. Please follow a line on the screen in your bulletin or

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 your own Bible. In Matthew 10 verse 16 we read, Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst

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 of wolves, so be wise as serpent and innocent as those. Beware of men, for they will deliver you

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 over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged over, you will be dragged

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 before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles.

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 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say,

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 for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour, for it is not you who speak,

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 but the spirit of your father speaking through you. Brother will deliver brother over to death,

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 and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death,

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 and you will be hated by all for my name's sake, but the one who endures to the end will be saved.

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 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly I say to you,

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 you will not have gone through all of the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

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 A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for the disciple

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 to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have caught the master of the house

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 with Ziba, how much more will they malay those of his household? So have no fear of them,

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 for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.

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 What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops.

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 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, fear him who can destroy

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 both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for one penny? And not one of them will fall

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 to the ground apart from your father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not,

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 therefore, you are of more value than many sparrows. So everyone who acknowledges me before men,

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 I also will acknowledge before my father who is in heaven. But whoever denies me before men,

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 I also will deny before my father who is in heaven. Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the

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 earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father,

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 and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a person's

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 enemies will be those of his own household. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of

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 me. And whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And whoever does not take his

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 cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it.

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 And whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. Whoever receives you receives me. And whoever

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 receives me receives him who sent me. The one who receives a prophet because he's a prophet will

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 receive a prophet's reward. And the one who receives a righteous person because he is a righteous person

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 will receive a righteous person's reward. And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold

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 water because he's a disciple. Truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Thank you so much, Ellen, for reading that. Wow, this is a really tough passage that we're going to be

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 looking at. But before I start, I just want to say just a really massive thank you to you as a

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 congregation. We gave birth to our second child a few weeks ago, and you guys have just been awesome,

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 just praying for us, supporting us, bringing food. We are just so grateful for the way that God is at

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 work in our family, our Watermark family together. So I just want to thank you for your love and support.

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 We've really sensed that during this time. Let me just pray for us as we look into God's word together.

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 Father, let's pray. Father, I just want to thank you that you are a God of awesome, gracious, good,

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 power, kindness, compassion. You're a God who knows us. You're a God who hears us. You're a God who sees us.

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 And Father, right now it feels like even as a church family, there's just a lot of sickness going around.

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 There's just a lot of challenges that people are facing. Lord, we keep praying for Wilson and Gloria

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 and Jacob and the family there. We keep praying, Father, for Ed and Trish and the choice, for Maddie's

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 in hospital, for Cecilia, whose dad is sick right now, and for many other people who I know are struggling,

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 whether with health issues or other family issues. Lord, we just pray for them. We pray would you have

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 your healing hand on them. We pray that you would show your power and your mercy and restore, Lord.

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 Show us your grace and your kindness to each one of these families, we pray. And we pray, Lord, in this

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 city where there's just so many things going on, whether it's with COVID, whether it's with politics,

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 whether people are leaving, people are coming. Lord, just we pray in the midst of all the uncertainties,

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 we pray that you'd help us as your people to keep your eyes fixed on you. We pray that even as we

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 look into this tricky, challenging passage, Lord, that we would see the great hope that we have in

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 you. We would see that you are worth giving everything for because you are the only thing,

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 the only one who is rock solid in our lives and in this city and in our world. So, Lord, I pray that you'd

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 speak to us. Give us hearts which are open. We love you. In Jesus' name, amen. Great. So, good morning

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 again. If you don't know me, my name's Chris. I'm one of the leaders here at Watermark. And we're going

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 to look into this tricky passage today, which, to be honest, I kind of wish Jesus hadn't said some of

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 these things. But let me start by taking you back to the year 302. For 40 years, Christians had enjoyed

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 a time of peace and there'd been a lot of growth in the churches. But then the Roman emperor, Diocletian,

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 decided that he wanted to return to pagan ways and to persecute the Christians. And if you want to

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 target and a movement, you hit the leaders. And so, what Diocletian did, he got to the pastors and the

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 bishops who in every town were the guardian of the scriptures. There was just one Bible in the whole

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 town for hundreds of people. And so, these pastors, these leaders, and some other members of the

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 congregation were dragged in front of courts and the officials. And they were threatened to say,

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 either you renounce Jesus, you burn those Bible, or we'll kill you. And many of the pastors,

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 they refused and they were martyred. But some decided to take the easy way up. They renounced their faith.

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 They burnt the scriptures so that hundreds of people were denied access to God's word.

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 And they went free. Three or so years later, a new Roman emperor came into power. And just a few years

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 later, Christianity was legalized. In fact, it wasn't just legal. It now actually became beneficial

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 to be a Christian. You could get great career benefits. You could get networking opportunities.

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 There was a huge advancement that could happen if you just became a Christian. It was a time of peace.

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 And throughout the world, throughout church history, throughout the world today, and even in

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 churches today, you see this whole spectrum of what it means to follow Jesus from persecution

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 to times of peace. But do you know actually that the thing which has caused the most dishonor to Christ

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 and has been the most dangerous for Christians, whether in persecution or in peacetime, has been

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 when we have chosen our own ease and our own comfort above Christ, when we've chosen a kind of consumer

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 Christianity. And so what happens when we are tempted to do those things, to put comfort above Christ,

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 is that Jesus becomes a little bit more like your pet hamster. You keep him in a little box, confined,

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 on your desk during the week so he doesn't disturb you too much, and then you bring him out on Sundays

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 to feed him with some worship. And that just kind of suits us fine. But Matthew's gospel, which we've

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 been going through over the last few weeks, Matthew has been painting a different picture of Jesus.

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 He's been showing us that Jesus is the King, the divine Messiah who has come to bring in his kingdom.

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 And he's been preaching and teaching this kingdom, but he's also been embodying this kingdom by bringing

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 healing and restoration and forgiveness and deliverance to outcasts, to sinners, to the sick,

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 to the marginalized, to every person from every background, race, tribe, and tongue, calling them

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 to repent and believe and come into his kingdom. He's been calling people to follow him.

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 And last week, Kevin took us to Matthew chapter 10, which marks a transition in the book of Matthew

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 from where Jesus has been teaching and doing and healing and doing all these signs of the kingdom

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 to where now the focus now shifts off. He sends out his disciples to do the very things that he himself

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 has been doing. And we've seen that disciples of Jesus are people who are with Jesus. They become

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 like Jesus and they do what he does. And so as he sends them out on his mission to preach, to teach,

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 to heal, to embody the kingdom of God into our city, just as he calls us to and sends us out into

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 the neighborhoods and the areas of Hong Kong and Asia around us. So Jesus is going to up the ante a

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 little bit today. He's going to say that if we're a disciple and a follower of Jesus, who's becoming

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 like him and doing what he does, then there's going to be scars. There's going to be scars of mission,

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 but he's going to give us, there's going to be courage for mission and there is a promise for

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 mission. So that's where we're going today. There's three things, scars, courage, and a promise. So let me

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 start with the scars of mission. Jesus verse 24, he says this, a disciple is not above his teacher, nor a

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 servant above his master. It's enough for the disciple to be like his teacher. Okay. I mean, that, that, that's,

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 that's great, isn't it? In fact, in Watermark, I've just seen so many times where the, the love that

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 people are showing, the service that people are caring for one another, praying for another, I just

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 see glimpses of Jesus at work in our community. It just looks something like him and it's beautiful.

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 But Jesus goes on to say, if they have called the master of the household, Beelzebub, and the, the message

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 translation says, calls that dung face. That, that's an insult. Okay. He says, if, if they call Jesus that,

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 then how much more are they going to call those who are of his household, his followers, his family

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 members? You see, what he's saying is, if you're going to be my followers on my mission, there's going to be

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 scars. Just like me. Because my life was marked by deep love, but also deep suffering, which is where you

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 see that love. Because when the kingdom of God breaks through, there is always pushback from the

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 kingdom of darkness. You know, Jesus says it like this. He says about his own life, he says, unless a

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 grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone. But if it dies, it bears much fruit.

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 You see, what he's saying, just as grapes need to be crushed for the beautiful wine to come out. So

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 Jesus was crushed in rejection, in insults, in, in betrayal, all the way to death. In order to bring us

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 into his kingdom in order for this fruitfulness of many lives to be transformed. And he says,

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 we as his followers should expect the same, that kingdom fruitfulness in our lives will also bear

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 the same kind of scars. You know, German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer put it like this. He said,

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 when God calls a man or a woman, he bids him come and die. That's challenging, isn't it? Because

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 many of our evangelism techniques, what we say is we say, come to Jesus, get love, peace, joy. And

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 we forget the small print, which says, actually, there's a place where you've got to die to find

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 life. And Jesus isn't, isn't covering over the small print. He's telling it like he is. Verse 16,

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 let's kind of go back to where he says, he says, behold, I'm sending you out as sheep in the midst

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 of wolves. So be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. Now just think about that image for a

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 moment. That's not particularly comforting, really, is it? I mean, because sheep, have you ever seen a

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 sheep? In Hong Kong, probably not. But sheep are defenseless. Sheep have no claws. They have no sharp

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 teeth. They can't run fast. They're a cloud on legs. But wolves are predators. They have sharp teeth.

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 They have sharp claws. They can run fast. And they like eating sheep. What is Jesus saying here?

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 What he's saying, he's saying there's a legitimate reason why many of us really find it difficult to

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 go out on mission, out of our comfort zone, because it is scary and threatening. Why? Because we're not,

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 Jesus isn't sending us out onto neutral territory. He's sending us into our neighborhoods and workplaces

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 and families where there is a clash between the kingdom of darkness and the kingdom of light.

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 They are war zones. And so he says, be wise. Like, don't be naive. Don't be naive about this.

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 Like, just think about it. You see on it, you're desperate to find somebody to date. And you look on

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 that dating app and they put Christian on the label. And you think, wow, finally. And then when

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 you meet the person, you see that they don't really go to church and they're pressurizing

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 you to sleep with them. And you go, but it says Christian. And Jesus says, be wise. Be innocent.

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 Be alert to Satan's tactics. There's a war on. And you know, you can feel the heat of the battle.

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 Sometimes with outsiders. But Jesus focuses down and says, often it's with those who are closest

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 and most precious to us that the challenge comes. He says this, people will betray, will deliver you

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 over to the courts and flock you in their synagogues. But when they deliver you over, don't be anxious.

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 And then he says, brother will deliver brother over to death. And he says a father and his child

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 and a mother. And you see, this is really challenging. You see, but the word deliver is the same word

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 that is used for betrayed when Jesus was betrayed by his close disciple Judas.

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 You see, what he's saying is Jesus himself knew opposition from those closest to us.

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 And for those who follow us, we may too.

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 And then in verse 34, he gets even stronger. He says, don't think I've come to bring peace

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 on the earth. And you go, what? He says, I have not come to bring peace on the earth,

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 but a sword. And you think, really? But I thought you were the prince of peace.

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 And it gets even stronger. He says, but I've come to set a man or divide a man against his father

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 and a daughter against his mother. And a person's enemies will be those of his own household.

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 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me.

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 For a Jewish listener, this is the equivalent of how the royal family would have received the recent interview

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 with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

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 This was shocking because every Jew at the time would agree with Michael J. Fox,

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 who says, family is not an important thing. It's everything.

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 And it's for many of us in Chinese culture, too, that's the same idea.

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 And so what is Jesus saying in this?

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 He's not saying, deliberately go against your family or just be a rebel.

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 He's not saying, kind of, be an idiot and get some response, bad response back.

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 He's not saying that because he's very strong with the religious leaders

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 of calling them to uphold the commandment to honor your father and mother.

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 Jesus is big into family.

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 He's not saying either, I'm all about violence.

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 This isn't justification for things like the Crusades.

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 What is he saying?

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 He's saying that when believers choose to follow Jesus,

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 family members may reject your profession of faith and your new identity in him

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 because they're rejecting Jesus himself.

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 And if they do, his call is to choose me,

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 even above your most precious family members.

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 You know, in Western individualistic society, we say,

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 hey, I want to do what I want to do.

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 In traditional Eastern societies, it's I do what my parents want me to do.

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 But for Jesus' disciples, it's we do what Jesus wants us to do.

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 And often that's going to be compatible with your parents' wishes.

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 But where it is not, where there are clashes,

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 Jesus says, choose me.

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 Will you follow me?

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 You know, I went to Cambodia a couple of years ago

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 and I met this church planter, a Cambodian church planter there,

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 whose father had been killed by the Khmer Rouge.

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 And he was the eldest son and he was expected to support and look after the family.

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 And his family wanted him to study at college and to become a tour guide

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 because that was a lucrative job.

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 But he became a Christian and he felt God calling him to be a pastor and a church planter.

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 And his family, his mother and the rest of his family could not believe this.

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 They threatened him with disowning him.

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 They said he dishonored the family.

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 How could he be so selfish?

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 All these things.

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 There was an emotional blackmail.

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 And he was just so torn in this time because he loved his family.

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 But he really felt God calling him.

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 And so he actually decided to leave to go to Bible college.

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 And his family disowned him.

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 Fast forward a few years' time when he'd actually been planting a number of churches.

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 And he actually managed to, because of his church planting work,

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 he actually got connected with working for an NGO,

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 which actually paid him a really decent salary.

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 And in that time, his family had seen the way that he had lived his life.

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 And some of his family members started coming to Christ.

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 And he was able to both support his family,

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 but also see them one to Jesus because they'd seen how much Jesus meant.

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 You see, Jesus loved his family more than even he did.

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 He just couldn't understand it in the moment.

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 And so that is what the call that Jesus is saying.

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 He loves our families, but he wants us to place him first

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 because placing him first is the best way to really love your family

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 with eternal consequences.

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 You know, some of us, we know just how challenging and how hard this really is.

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 Some of us, our families, our parents, they have a lot of expectations on us,

00:22:37.140 --> 00:22:39.720
 whether it's to do with marriage, whether it's to do with careers,

00:22:39.960 --> 00:22:43.720
 whether it's to do with parenting choices or finances or lifestyle decisions.

00:22:45.720 --> 00:22:50.100
 And there's often a clash of values between their values and Jesus' values.

00:22:50.099 --> 00:22:52.059
 And it's hard.

00:22:52.959 --> 00:22:54.059
 Many of us know that.

00:22:55.579 --> 00:22:59.579
 Particularly when you know your parents have just invested so much in you.

00:23:01.279 --> 00:23:04.439
 Some of us are being held back maybe from thinking about baptism

00:23:04.439 --> 00:23:05.699
 because of family pressures.

00:23:06.619 --> 00:23:09.879
 Some of us, as God is going to be calling some of our families

00:23:09.879 --> 00:23:14.240
 to really engage in the fostering and adoption program

00:23:14.240 --> 00:23:16.439
 that we're really trying to push as a church,

00:23:16.440 --> 00:23:20.100
 some of you are going to get pushback from that from close members of your family.

00:23:21.680 --> 00:23:23.240
 And Jesus says, don't be surprised.

00:23:24.180 --> 00:23:25.320
 Don't be surprised.

00:23:25.660 --> 00:23:28.360
 If you're in peacetime or if you're in persecution,

00:23:29.259 --> 00:23:30.580
 there will be pushback.

00:23:31.400 --> 00:23:35.680
 But will you follow me and trust me in this?

00:23:37.860 --> 00:23:39.380
 And you've got to think,

00:23:39.500 --> 00:23:42.799
 all this feels like a little heavy, doesn't it?

00:23:43.660 --> 00:23:44.720
 How can you do that?

00:23:44.720 --> 00:23:45.759
 That sounds scary.

00:23:46.259 --> 00:23:50.519
 Which is why Jesus then moves on to his second point,

00:23:50.640 --> 00:23:52.120
 which is the courage for mission.

00:23:53.240 --> 00:23:55.440
 Because when you hear all of these different things,

00:23:55.680 --> 00:23:58.620
 isn't often animal's natural response fear?

00:23:59.880 --> 00:24:01.740
 And Jesus knows that

00:24:01.740 --> 00:24:03.759
 because he expects it as normal.

00:24:03.980 --> 00:24:06.839
 That's why four times in this passage he goes,

00:24:07.100 --> 00:24:07.900
 don't be anxious.

00:24:08.299 --> 00:24:09.420
 Don't be afraid.

00:24:09.500 --> 00:24:10.500
 Have no fear of them.

00:24:10.700 --> 00:24:12.420
 Don't fear those who kill the body.

00:24:12.759 --> 00:24:13.319
 Fear not.

00:24:13.519 --> 00:24:14.360
 Do you get the idea?

00:24:14.359 --> 00:24:16.199
 He's telling us, don't fear.

00:24:17.979 --> 00:24:19.039
 Why not?

00:24:19.619 --> 00:24:20.399
 Why not?

00:24:20.879 --> 00:24:24.459
 Well, because, he says, fear God, not people.

00:24:25.059 --> 00:24:25.379
 Why?

00:24:25.819 --> 00:24:27.199
 Because two things.

00:24:27.319 --> 00:24:29.959
 One, your life and your future

00:24:29.959 --> 00:24:32.240
 and everyone's, a whole of history,

00:24:32.699 --> 00:24:33.919
 is in God's hands.

00:24:34.219 --> 00:24:34.619
 Look at it.

00:24:34.659 --> 00:24:35.279
 Verse 28.

00:24:35.279 --> 00:24:39.180
 Don't fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.

00:24:39.180 --> 00:24:45.980
 Rather, fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

00:24:46.660 --> 00:24:48.640
 And then later on in verse 39, he goes,

00:24:48.740 --> 00:24:51.060
 whoever finds his life will lose it.

00:24:51.220 --> 00:24:53.279
 And that's the same word in Greek,

00:24:53.360 --> 00:24:54.160
 just slightly different grammar,

00:24:54.279 --> 00:24:55.580
 same word as destroy.

00:24:55.799 --> 00:24:57.480
 And whoever loses, same word,

00:24:57.700 --> 00:25:00.880
 his life for my sake will find it.

00:25:00.880 --> 00:25:02.860
 What is he saying?

00:25:02.860 --> 00:25:10.140
 He's saying human beings right now may make your life uncomfortable,

00:25:10.980 --> 00:25:14.180
 can pressurize you, can intimidate you, can hurt you,

00:25:14.400 --> 00:25:17.720
 can even in the most extreme circumstances kill you.

00:25:17.720 --> 00:25:24.680
 But, they can't touch the inner core of who you are.

00:25:25.259 --> 00:25:28.700
 Because that's in the hands of the source of life,

00:25:28.940 --> 00:25:31.339
 in your creator, the God of the universe,

00:25:32.000 --> 00:25:33.259
 our Father himself.

00:25:35.000 --> 00:25:39.779
 Life itself and all of your future is held,

00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:42.120
 not in your parents' hand, not in your boss' hand,

00:25:42.180 --> 00:25:43.240
 not in anyone else's hands.

00:25:43.319 --> 00:25:45.100
 It's held in his hands.

00:25:45.099 --> 00:25:48.439
 And so he says,

00:25:49.019 --> 00:25:50.480
 fear me,

00:25:50.719 --> 00:25:52.740
 which means look to please me,

00:25:52.919 --> 00:25:54.179
 honour me first,

00:25:55.219 --> 00:25:57.199
 by being willing to proclaim me,

00:25:57.319 --> 00:25:58.779
 go public with your faith,

00:25:59.019 --> 00:26:00.319
 from the housetops.

00:26:00.879 --> 00:26:03.139
 And if you lose your own comfort now,

00:26:04.059 --> 00:26:05.939
 for the sake of making me known,

00:26:07.319 --> 00:26:08.299
 you won't miss out,

00:26:08.379 --> 00:26:10.659
 because I'm the one who holds your life itself.

00:26:12.579 --> 00:26:14.359
 So look to please me first.

00:26:15.659 --> 00:26:17.299
 But then, in the same time,

00:26:17.359 --> 00:26:18.779
 there's also this warning,

00:26:19.279 --> 00:26:19.779
 which he says,

00:26:19.980 --> 00:26:22.439
 if you live for your own comfort now,

00:26:23.519 --> 00:26:25.079
 be like a chameleon.

00:26:25.559 --> 00:26:26.559
 Like, just wanting to blend in,

00:26:26.619 --> 00:26:27.859
 just wanting a comfortable life,

00:26:27.980 --> 00:26:30.299
 so just staying, like,

00:26:30.559 --> 00:26:32.179
 Jesus light in your life.

00:26:32.719 --> 00:26:34.519
 Jesus is your hamster kind of religion.

00:26:34.519 --> 00:26:39.379
 You may avoid all the opposition from people right now.

00:26:39.460 --> 00:26:40.200
 You may have comfort,

00:26:40.319 --> 00:26:40.799
 you may not,

00:26:40.940 --> 00:26:43.079
 but you may have comfort now.

00:26:45.379 --> 00:26:47.759
 But you'll get opposition from God later on,

00:26:47.759 --> 00:26:50.000
 on judgment day.

00:26:50.940 --> 00:26:51.599
 And he says,

00:26:51.680 --> 00:26:53.079
 God is the eternal judge,

00:26:53.079 --> 00:26:55.539
 who has your entire life in his hands.

00:26:55.799 --> 00:26:58.480
 He can both give you the whole of life,

00:26:58.480 --> 00:27:00.240
 but he can also take it away.

00:27:02.819 --> 00:27:05.019
 So look to him and please him,

00:27:05.819 --> 00:27:07.819
 because he's the win-win situation.

00:27:08.759 --> 00:27:10.920
 You know, there was a tennis player,

00:27:11.220 --> 00:27:11.880
 Australian tennis player,

00:27:11.960 --> 00:27:12.559
 Margaret Court,

00:27:13.160 --> 00:27:15.360
 who's a pastor.

00:27:15.579 --> 00:27:17.539
 She got mocked for some of her disagreement

00:27:17.539 --> 00:27:20.039
 with gay marriage a few years ago.

00:27:20.039 --> 00:27:24.079
 And in a tweet by a fellow tennis player,

00:27:24.299 --> 00:27:25.420
 Martina Navratilova,

00:27:26.019 --> 00:27:28.639
 she said to her,

00:27:30.579 --> 00:27:32.319
 Margaret, hashtag,

00:27:32.680 --> 00:27:34.000
 wrong side of history.

00:27:36.460 --> 00:27:37.720
 Jesus is saying,

00:27:38.859 --> 00:27:42.639
 history is not judged by the current cultural trends

00:27:42.639 --> 00:27:44.779
 or what seems to be comfortable right now.

00:27:45.899 --> 00:27:47.519
 The true hashtag,

00:27:47.659 --> 00:27:48.599
 wrong side of history,

00:27:48.599 --> 00:27:50.559
 occurs on judgment day

00:27:50.559 --> 00:27:52.899
 when we stand before the king of the whole universe

00:27:52.899 --> 00:27:55.599
 and we want to be on the right side.

00:27:56.500 --> 00:27:59.379
 The side of those who are loved by him.

00:27:59.859 --> 00:28:00.559
 So he says,

00:28:00.859 --> 00:28:01.379
 don't fear,

00:28:01.439 --> 00:28:02.659
 look to please him first.

00:28:02.959 --> 00:28:04.039
 Your life is in his hands.

00:28:04.199 --> 00:28:04.519
 Secondly,

00:28:04.839 --> 00:28:05.339
 he says,

00:28:05.599 --> 00:28:06.359
 don't fear

00:28:06.359 --> 00:28:09.799
 because the sovereign God of the whole universe

00:28:09.799 --> 00:28:11.199
 knows you

00:28:11.199 --> 00:28:13.599
 and cares for you intimately.

00:28:14.699 --> 00:28:15.279
 I love this.

00:28:15.339 --> 00:28:16.319
 This is great.

00:28:16.319 --> 00:28:20.220
 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?

00:28:20.919 --> 00:28:23.740
 And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your father.

00:28:23.960 --> 00:28:26.359
 But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.

00:28:27.240 --> 00:28:27.679
 Fear not,

00:28:27.799 --> 00:28:28.019
 therefore,

00:28:28.119 --> 00:28:31.019
 you are more value than many sparrows.

00:28:32.019 --> 00:28:32.359
 You see,

00:28:32.579 --> 00:28:33.740
 in the first century,

00:28:34.000 --> 00:28:37.879
 a sparrow was the cheapest thing that you could buy in the market.

00:28:38.319 --> 00:28:40.639
 And so if one sparrow dropped dead,

00:28:41.639 --> 00:28:42.519
 nobody cared.

00:28:42.519 --> 00:28:43.440
 It's like,

00:28:43.480 --> 00:28:43.639
 you know,

00:28:43.680 --> 00:28:45.319
 if you walk past those vegetable stalls

00:28:45.319 --> 00:28:50.000
 and you just see like a straight grape or a mushroom just in the gutter there.

00:28:50.079 --> 00:28:51.519
 Like everyone walked past it.

00:28:51.559 --> 00:28:52.220
 They trample on it.

00:28:52.379 --> 00:28:53.680
 Nobody cares about it.

00:28:54.160 --> 00:28:54.740
 At all.

00:28:55.180 --> 00:28:56.440
 It's so insignificant.

00:28:57.180 --> 00:28:57.819
 And then he goes,

00:28:57.920 --> 00:28:58.119
 actually,

00:28:58.259 --> 00:28:58.779
 your hair.

00:28:58.879 --> 00:29:02.619
 How many of you have actually itemized how many hairs you have?

00:29:03.019 --> 00:29:04.019
 I just had my hair cut,

00:29:04.160 --> 00:29:05.839
 but I didn't look at how many I lost.

00:29:07.819 --> 00:29:10.839
 Because I don't care that much about it.

00:29:11.039 --> 00:29:12.019
 We care about our hair,

00:29:12.079 --> 00:29:15.740
 but we don't care about the details of it in that intimate attention.

00:29:16.859 --> 00:29:18.139
 But Jesus is saying,

00:29:18.140 --> 00:29:24.160
 if he has itemized every hair on your head,

00:29:24.160 --> 00:29:26.140
 if he knows even that grape,

00:29:26.500 --> 00:29:28.420
 even that little mushroom there,

00:29:29.040 --> 00:29:30.440
 then don't you think,

00:29:31.080 --> 00:29:32.640
 if he cares and is attentive

00:29:32.640 --> 00:29:35.360
 and has his hands watching over even that,

00:29:35.620 --> 00:29:39.320
 that the very things which are far more significant in our lives,

00:29:39.380 --> 00:29:40.520
 that we really care about,

00:29:40.780 --> 00:29:42.120
 that our very life itself,

00:29:42.240 --> 00:29:47.180
 don't you think that he cares way more than you do about it?

00:29:47.180 --> 00:29:49.480
 Don't you think that you matter?

00:29:49.960 --> 00:29:50.500
 He says,

00:29:50.740 --> 00:29:53.100
 you are of more value to him

00:29:53.100 --> 00:29:54.380
 than many grapes,

00:29:54.519 --> 00:29:55.140
 many mushrooms,

00:29:55.320 --> 00:29:55.980
 many hairs,

00:29:56.120 --> 00:29:57.140
 many sparrows.

00:29:58.539 --> 00:29:59.620
 This is awesome.

00:30:00.340 --> 00:30:01.180
 It really is.

00:30:01.580 --> 00:30:01.880
 He says,

00:30:02.000 --> 00:30:02.259
 you know,

00:30:02.600 --> 00:30:03.240
 my daughter,

00:30:03.380 --> 00:30:04.100
 when she was born,

00:30:04.320 --> 00:30:05.340
 she was just tiny,

00:30:06.299 --> 00:30:07.200
 but she's precious.

00:30:08.519 --> 00:30:11.640
 And how do you treat someone who is precious and valuable?

00:30:12.580 --> 00:30:13.060
 Oh,

00:30:13.120 --> 00:30:15.080
 with great care and attention.

00:30:15.079 --> 00:30:18.199
 That's how Jesus,

00:30:18.599 --> 00:30:20.039
 that's how God the Father,

00:30:20.879 --> 00:30:21.939
 thinks of you.

00:30:23.359 --> 00:30:25.099
 And it doesn't matter how insignificant

00:30:25.099 --> 00:30:26.460
 or how inadequate

00:30:26.460 --> 00:30:29.220
 or how ignored,

00:30:29.519 --> 00:30:30.339
 how rejected,

00:30:30.740 --> 00:30:32.079
 how hard your life is,

00:30:32.359 --> 00:30:32.960
 he

00:30:32.960 --> 00:30:35.699
 says you matter to him.

00:30:37.659 --> 00:30:38.259
 That

00:30:38.259 --> 00:30:39.919
 is an awesome truth.

00:30:39.920 --> 00:30:42.640
 So he says,

00:30:42.700 --> 00:30:43.340
 don't fear.

00:30:45.640 --> 00:30:46.700
 But can I be honest?

00:30:47.400 --> 00:30:47.680
 Like,

00:30:47.860 --> 00:30:48.900
 just really honest for a moment.

00:30:49.000 --> 00:30:50.580
 I actually know these two truths.

00:30:52.580 --> 00:30:53.160
 And yet,

00:30:53.220 --> 00:30:54.240
 sometimes I still fear.

00:30:55.220 --> 00:30:55.500
 Right?

00:30:56.340 --> 00:30:57.580
 Sometimes I still

00:30:57.580 --> 00:30:59.160
 have fear

00:30:59.160 --> 00:31:00.840
 in speaking about Jesus

00:31:00.840 --> 00:31:01.440
 to people,

00:31:01.600 --> 00:31:03.519
 in really facing the cost

00:31:03.519 --> 00:31:04.960
 of living for his kingdom.

00:31:06.279 --> 00:31:06.440
 You know,

00:31:06.480 --> 00:31:06.920
 Tim Keller

00:31:06.920 --> 00:31:08.400
 shared this story

00:31:08.400 --> 00:31:09.280
 about a teenage girl

00:31:09.280 --> 00:31:09.840
 that he met.

00:31:10.620 --> 00:31:12.220
 And she came to him

00:31:12.220 --> 00:31:12.700
 and said,

00:31:13.320 --> 00:31:13.560
 you know,

00:31:13.680 --> 00:31:15.140
 I know Jesus loves me.

00:31:15.600 --> 00:31:16.640
 I know I'm his child.

00:31:16.800 --> 00:31:17.920
 I know I'm valued

00:31:17.920 --> 00:31:19.280
 by him immensely.

00:31:20.300 --> 00:31:20.759
 But

00:31:20.759 --> 00:31:22.360
 what's the use of that

00:31:22.360 --> 00:31:23.080
 when none of the boys

00:31:23.080 --> 00:31:23.700
 in my class

00:31:23.700 --> 00:31:24.200
 like me?

00:31:25.640 --> 00:31:27.480
 I love her honesty.

00:31:27.940 --> 00:31:28.180
 Right?

00:31:28.880 --> 00:31:29.360
 Because

00:31:29.360 --> 00:31:30.560
 what she's saying is

00:31:30.560 --> 00:31:32.100
 she fears

00:31:32.100 --> 00:31:33.300
 the social rejection,

00:31:33.460 --> 00:31:34.460
 the relational rejection

00:31:34.460 --> 00:31:35.500
 of the boys

00:31:35.500 --> 00:31:36.360
 more than she does

00:31:36.360 --> 00:31:37.440
 fear God.

00:31:37.440 --> 00:31:38.700
 she's actually saying

00:31:38.700 --> 00:31:40.080
 she loves the acceptance

00:31:40.080 --> 00:31:41.820
 of those boys around her

00:31:41.820 --> 00:31:42.500
 more than she loves

00:31:42.500 --> 00:31:43.100
 the acceptance

00:31:43.100 --> 00:31:44.120
 of Jesus.

00:31:45.100 --> 00:31:46.140
 And that's real.

00:31:46.880 --> 00:31:47.840
 Because I think

00:31:47.840 --> 00:31:48.620
 functionally

00:31:48.620 --> 00:31:50.019
 that's where many of us live.

00:31:50.440 --> 00:31:51.059
 Don't we?

00:31:52.640 --> 00:31:53.080
 But

00:31:53.080 --> 00:31:55.580
 we know these truths

00:31:55.580 --> 00:31:56.799
 but they haven't sunk

00:31:56.799 --> 00:31:57.660
 into our hearts.

00:31:58.680 --> 00:31:59.860
 And so the call to die,

00:31:59.940 --> 00:32:00.500
 the call to mission

00:32:00.500 --> 00:32:01.440
 sounds like a call

00:32:01.440 --> 00:32:02.019
 to suicide,

00:32:02.200 --> 00:32:03.019
 sounds like a call

00:32:03.019 --> 00:32:04.460
 to ruin your life

00:32:04.460 --> 00:32:06.220
 rather than a call

00:32:06.220 --> 00:32:07.519
 to finding life

00:32:07.519 --> 00:32:08.720
 as Jesus says.

00:32:09.840 --> 00:32:10.759
 But can I just share

00:32:10.759 --> 00:32:11.420
 very personally?

00:32:12.740 --> 00:32:13.000
 You know,

00:32:13.039 --> 00:32:13.779
 when I've realized

00:32:13.779 --> 00:32:14.400
 that actually

00:32:14.400 --> 00:32:15.460
 that's what's going on

00:32:15.460 --> 00:32:16.100
 in my heart

00:32:16.100 --> 00:32:17.120
 with all of my fears

00:32:17.120 --> 00:32:18.740
 and I've come before Jesus

00:32:18.740 --> 00:32:19.720
 and just repented

00:32:19.720 --> 00:32:20.880
 and asked God

00:32:20.880 --> 00:32:21.559
 to restore

00:32:21.559 --> 00:32:22.519
 a fear of him

00:32:22.519 --> 00:32:23.440
 and a love for him

00:32:23.440 --> 00:32:24.500
 and a delight in him

00:32:24.500 --> 00:32:25.720
 to know that value

00:32:25.720 --> 00:32:26.360
 in my heart.

00:32:26.759 --> 00:32:27.600
 And then he's given me

00:32:27.600 --> 00:32:28.120
 opportunities

00:32:28.120 --> 00:32:29.400
 to step out in obedience

00:32:29.400 --> 00:32:30.700
 and to share my faith

00:32:30.700 --> 00:32:32.400
 or to make significant

00:32:32.400 --> 00:32:33.700
 decisions for his kingdom

00:32:33.700 --> 00:32:34.180
 which I know

00:32:34.180 --> 00:32:34.840
 are going to cost

00:32:34.840 --> 00:32:36.200
 which get pushed back

00:32:36.200 --> 00:32:37.440
 where there is rejection

00:32:37.440 --> 00:32:39.299
 where there is discomfort

00:32:39.299 --> 00:32:40.559
 where I have felt

00:32:40.559 --> 00:32:41.779
 the shame of others.

00:32:41.960 --> 00:32:42.180
 Do you know

00:32:42.180 --> 00:32:43.059
 two things have happened?

00:32:44.000 --> 00:32:44.519
 One,

00:32:45.680 --> 00:32:47.000
 I've really felt the pain

00:32:47.000 --> 00:32:47.779
 and the wrestle

00:32:47.779 --> 00:32:49.019
 and the struggle.

00:32:49.559 --> 00:32:50.140
 It's real.

00:32:51.860 --> 00:32:52.900
 It's uncomfortable.

00:32:53.840 --> 00:32:55.460
 Dying to my own comfort

00:32:55.460 --> 00:32:56.299
 and my own approval

00:32:56.299 --> 00:32:58.279
 really is painful.

00:32:58.279 --> 00:33:03.940
 And even at the same time

00:33:03.940 --> 00:33:06.099
 as I've wrestled

00:33:06.099 --> 00:33:07.319
 I've discovered actually

00:33:07.319 --> 00:33:08.379
 increasingly

00:33:08.379 --> 00:33:10.019
 the heart of Jesus

00:33:10.019 --> 00:33:12.180
 that actually

00:33:12.180 --> 00:33:13.079
 as we are rejected

00:33:13.079 --> 00:33:14.240
 we see how incredible

00:33:14.240 --> 00:33:16.299
 his love for us is

00:33:16.299 --> 00:33:17.440
 that he was rejected

00:33:17.440 --> 00:33:18.319
 even by us

00:33:18.319 --> 00:33:19.579
 in so many ways

00:33:19.579 --> 00:33:20.420
 and yet

00:33:20.420 --> 00:33:21.700
 we just sense

00:33:21.700 --> 00:33:22.779
 more of what he's done

00:33:22.779 --> 00:33:23.480
 for us.

00:33:24.319 --> 00:33:25.299
 But secondly

00:33:25.299 --> 00:33:27.619
 I've also discovered

00:33:27.619 --> 00:33:30.259
 the liberation

00:33:30.259 --> 00:33:32.299
 from being freed

00:33:32.299 --> 00:33:33.319
 from actually

00:33:33.319 --> 00:33:34.019
 all these things

00:33:34.019 --> 00:33:34.979
 that have enslaved me

00:33:34.979 --> 00:33:35.739
 the fear of other

00:33:35.739 --> 00:33:36.579
 people's opinions

00:33:36.579 --> 00:33:37.919
 when suddenly

00:33:37.919 --> 00:33:38.919
 you're able to be bold

00:33:38.919 --> 00:33:39.739
 and actually

00:33:39.739 --> 00:33:40.359
 it doesn't matter

00:33:40.359 --> 00:33:41.419
 what people come back

00:33:41.419 --> 00:33:41.859
 with you

00:33:41.859 --> 00:33:42.979
 and you discover

00:33:42.979 --> 00:33:43.879
 that Jesus

00:33:43.879 --> 00:33:45.099
 is truly enough

00:33:45.099 --> 00:33:45.819
 that there is

00:33:45.819 --> 00:33:46.959
 this joy in Jesus

00:33:46.959 --> 00:33:48.179
 that he is truly

00:33:48.179 --> 00:33:48.879
 your life

00:33:48.879 --> 00:33:49.659
 then

00:33:49.659 --> 00:33:50.879
 the gospel penny

00:33:50.879 --> 00:33:51.979
 just drops deeper

00:33:51.979 --> 00:33:52.679
 into your heart

00:33:52.679 --> 00:33:53.639
 and you realize

00:33:53.639 --> 00:33:55.259
 that what he is saying

00:33:55.259 --> 00:33:55.919
 is true.

00:33:57.619 --> 00:34:00.039
 you will never

00:34:00.039 --> 00:34:01.019
 understand

00:34:01.019 --> 00:34:01.959
 brothers and sisters

00:34:01.959 --> 00:34:03.979
 just how valued

00:34:03.979 --> 00:34:04.879
 and how loved

00:34:04.879 --> 00:34:05.379
 you are

00:34:05.379 --> 00:34:05.979
 by the king

00:34:05.979 --> 00:34:06.619
 of the universe

00:34:06.619 --> 00:34:08.440
 by simply sitting

00:34:08.440 --> 00:34:09.440
 and listening to sermons

00:34:09.440 --> 00:34:10.659
 or simply doing

00:34:10.659 --> 00:34:11.519
 bible studies

00:34:11.519 --> 00:34:12.440
 though good

00:34:12.440 --> 00:34:13.159
 though those are

00:34:13.159 --> 00:34:14.799
 we've got to take

00:34:14.799 --> 00:34:15.739
 our faith public

00:34:15.739 --> 00:34:17.339
 and as we do

00:34:17.339 --> 00:34:19.019
 we will experience

00:34:19.019 --> 00:34:19.799
 all kinds of

00:34:19.799 --> 00:34:20.359
 different things

00:34:20.359 --> 00:34:20.880
 will happen

00:34:20.880 --> 00:34:21.779
 rejection

00:34:21.779 --> 00:34:22.920
 for some

00:34:22.920 --> 00:34:23.579
 death

00:34:23.579 --> 00:34:24.639
 even for others

00:34:24.639 --> 00:34:25.699
 but we'll begin

00:34:25.699 --> 00:34:26.440
 to taste

00:34:26.440 --> 00:34:27.460
 life

00:34:27.460 --> 00:34:28.539
 in him

00:34:28.539 --> 00:34:29.500
 in a richer

00:34:29.500 --> 00:34:30.339
 deeper way

00:34:30.339 --> 00:34:32.599
 this is the courage

00:34:32.599 --> 00:34:33.139
 we have

00:34:33.139 --> 00:34:34.339
 as God calls us

00:34:34.339 --> 00:34:35.379
 and sends us out

00:34:35.379 --> 00:34:36.339
 on his mission

00:34:36.339 --> 00:34:37.359
 but finally

00:34:37.359 --> 00:34:39.599
 the promise

00:34:39.599 --> 00:34:40.960
 of mission

00:34:40.960 --> 00:34:42.400
 and again

00:34:42.400 --> 00:34:44.539
 this is just amazing

00:34:44.539 --> 00:34:45.159
 because Jesus

00:34:45.159 --> 00:34:45.940
 though he promises

00:34:45.940 --> 00:34:46.539
 suffering

00:34:46.539 --> 00:34:48.039
 in his mission

00:34:48.039 --> 00:34:50.659
 he doesn't

00:34:50.659 --> 00:34:51.239
 leave it there

00:34:51.239 --> 00:34:52.860
 he's got this

00:34:52.860 --> 00:34:53.980
 extraordinary promise

00:34:53.980 --> 00:34:54.300
 for us

00:34:54.300 --> 00:34:55.199
 as we go out

00:34:55.199 --> 00:34:55.880
 into loving

00:34:55.880 --> 00:34:56.500
 the city

00:34:56.500 --> 00:34:57.420
 the end of April

00:34:57.420 --> 00:34:58.460
 as we go out

00:34:58.460 --> 00:34:59.000
 into all the

00:34:59.000 --> 00:34:59.639
 different things

00:34:59.639 --> 00:35:00.400
 that God is calling

00:35:00.400 --> 00:35:00.840
 us to

00:35:00.840 --> 00:35:01.480
 in the neighbourhood

00:35:01.480 --> 00:35:02.039
 in the love

00:35:02.039 --> 00:35:02.460
 offering

00:35:02.460 --> 00:35:04.840
 he gives us

00:35:04.840 --> 00:35:05.679
 this promise

00:35:05.679 --> 00:35:07.079
 verse 40

00:35:07.079 --> 00:35:08.420
 whoever receives

00:35:08.420 --> 00:35:08.739
 you

00:35:08.739 --> 00:35:09.739
 watermark family

00:35:09.739 --> 00:35:10.800
 receives me

00:35:10.800 --> 00:35:11.559
 and whoever

00:35:11.559 --> 00:35:12.360
 receives me

00:35:12.360 --> 00:35:13.199
 receives him

00:35:13.199 --> 00:35:13.980
 who sent me

00:35:13.980 --> 00:35:15.619
 now think about

00:35:15.619 --> 00:35:15.820
 this

00:35:15.820 --> 00:35:16.980
 this is incredible

00:35:16.980 --> 00:35:17.900
 it just blew me away

00:35:17.900 --> 00:35:18.620
 when I read this

00:35:18.620 --> 00:35:19.760
 you see what he's saying

00:35:19.760 --> 00:35:21.120
 is do you know

00:35:21.120 --> 00:35:22.080
 how the kingdom

00:35:22.080 --> 00:35:22.820
 of God

00:35:22.820 --> 00:35:24.039
 comes

00:35:24.039 --> 00:35:25.580
 and spreads

00:35:25.580 --> 00:35:26.800
 in Hong Kong

00:35:26.800 --> 00:35:27.420
 and in Asia

00:35:27.420 --> 00:35:28.340
 and around the world

00:35:28.340 --> 00:35:30.340
 how Jesus the king

00:35:30.340 --> 00:35:31.900
 the sovereign creator

00:35:31.900 --> 00:35:32.860
 of all the galaxies

00:35:32.860 --> 00:35:33.559
 the one who has

00:35:33.559 --> 00:35:34.780
 all power in his hands

00:35:34.780 --> 00:35:35.820
 the one who could

00:35:35.820 --> 00:35:37.059
 who breathes

00:35:37.059 --> 00:35:38.019
 and speaks

00:35:38.019 --> 00:35:39.539
 and life happens

00:35:39.539 --> 00:35:40.600
 that God

00:35:40.600 --> 00:35:41.580
 has chosen

00:35:41.580 --> 00:35:43.700
 to reveal

00:35:43.700 --> 00:35:44.380
 his kingdom

00:35:44.380 --> 00:35:45.519
 and to draw people

00:35:45.519 --> 00:35:47.219
 to his kingdom

00:35:47.219 --> 00:35:48.019
 to restore

00:35:48.019 --> 00:35:48.940
 and to heal

00:35:48.940 --> 00:35:49.980
 through

00:35:49.980 --> 00:35:50.900
 ordinary

00:35:50.900 --> 00:35:51.659
 broken

00:35:51.659 --> 00:35:52.599
 individuals

00:35:52.599 --> 00:35:53.699
 like you

00:35:53.699 --> 00:35:54.599
 and me

00:35:54.599 --> 00:35:56.159
 that as we go out

00:35:56.159 --> 00:35:56.980
 and the people

00:35:56.980 --> 00:35:58.400
 who do receive us

00:35:58.400 --> 00:35:59.699
 they receive Jesus

00:35:59.699 --> 00:36:00.480
 and they receive

00:36:00.480 --> 00:36:01.139
 the father

00:36:01.139 --> 00:36:01.820
 and they receive

00:36:01.820 --> 00:36:02.480
 the kingdom

00:36:02.480 --> 00:36:06.039
 that's awesome

00:36:06.039 --> 00:36:06.980
 right

00:36:06.980 --> 00:36:08.500
 you see

00:36:08.500 --> 00:36:09.059
 marriages

00:36:09.059 --> 00:36:10.039
 will be broken

00:36:10.039 --> 00:36:10.500
 which will

00:36:10.500 --> 00:36:11.039
 be restored

00:36:11.039 --> 00:36:12.099
 as we go out

00:36:12.099 --> 00:36:13.179
 self-centered

00:36:13.179 --> 00:36:13.980
 individuals

00:36:13.980 --> 00:36:14.599
 will become

00:36:14.599 --> 00:36:15.539
 those who have

00:36:15.539 --> 00:36:16.299
 compassion

00:36:16.299 --> 00:36:17.400
 and serve

00:36:17.400 --> 00:36:18.179
 other people

00:36:18.179 --> 00:36:19.360
 divided families

00:36:19.360 --> 00:36:20.319
 will find healing

00:36:20.319 --> 00:36:21.159
 the sick

00:36:21.159 --> 00:36:22.360
 will be restored

00:36:22.360 --> 00:36:23.299
 there will be

00:36:23.299 --> 00:36:24.099
 lives which

00:36:24.099 --> 00:36:24.440
 will just

00:36:24.440 --> 00:36:25.000
 crushed

00:36:25.000 --> 00:36:25.900
 and hopeless

00:36:25.900 --> 00:36:28.659
 which find

00:36:28.659 --> 00:36:29.579
 a savior

00:36:29.579 --> 00:36:31.639
 who restores

00:36:31.639 --> 00:36:32.940
 and gives them

00:36:32.940 --> 00:36:34.339
 a life

00:36:34.339 --> 00:36:35.099
 to live

00:36:35.099 --> 00:36:36.059
 and hope

00:36:36.059 --> 00:36:37.099
 for the future

00:36:37.099 --> 00:36:37.839
 you know

00:36:37.839 --> 00:36:38.460
 above us

00:36:38.460 --> 00:36:39.739
 where we live

00:36:39.739 --> 00:36:41.559
 there's a

00:36:41.559 --> 00:36:42.059
 there's a couple

00:36:42.059 --> 00:36:42.460
 there's actually

00:36:42.460 --> 00:36:42.719
 a couple

00:36:42.719 --> 00:36:43.460
 of units

00:36:43.460 --> 00:36:43.759
 but there's

00:36:43.759 --> 00:36:44.139
 a couple

00:36:44.139 --> 00:36:45.340
 with a young

00:36:45.340 --> 00:36:45.699
 child

00:36:45.699 --> 00:36:46.000
 that have

00:36:46.000 --> 00:36:46.400
 just moved

00:36:46.400 --> 00:36:46.619
 in

00:36:46.619 --> 00:36:47.500
 and I got

00:36:47.500 --> 00:36:48.000
 chatting to

00:36:48.000 --> 00:36:48.400
 them the other

00:36:48.400 --> 00:36:48.699
 day

00:36:48.699 --> 00:36:49.420
 and they've

00:36:49.420 --> 00:36:49.779
 actually just

00:36:49.779 --> 00:36:50.400
 moved in

00:36:50.400 --> 00:36:50.940
 to

00:36:50.940 --> 00:36:52.440
 sorry

00:36:52.440 --> 00:36:53.539
 they left

00:36:53.539 --> 00:36:55.059
 some very

00:36:55.059 --> 00:36:56.159
 successful careers

00:36:56.159 --> 00:36:56.599
 they're still

00:36:56.599 --> 00:36:57.059
 quite young

00:36:57.059 --> 00:36:59.199
 to work

00:36:59.199 --> 00:36:59.900
 and serve

00:36:59.900 --> 00:37:00.699
 amongst some

00:37:00.699 --> 00:37:01.440
 teenage girls

00:37:01.440 --> 00:37:01.840
 who were

00:37:01.840 --> 00:37:02.960
 school dropouts

00:37:02.960 --> 00:37:04.099
 whose parents

00:37:04.099 --> 00:37:04.659
 had abandoned

00:37:04.659 --> 00:37:05.019
 them

00:37:05.019 --> 00:37:06.099
 or just in

00:37:06.099 --> 00:37:07.019
 a whole load

00:37:07.019 --> 00:37:07.799
 of messy

00:37:07.799 --> 00:37:08.460
 situations

00:37:08.460 --> 00:37:09.039
 and they've got

00:37:09.039 --> 00:37:09.460
 two or three

00:37:09.460 --> 00:37:09.880
 of these girls

00:37:09.880 --> 00:37:10.360
 living with

00:37:10.360 --> 00:37:10.519
 them

00:37:10.519 --> 00:37:11.980
 and they

00:37:11.980 --> 00:37:12.240
 said at

00:37:12.240 --> 00:37:12.720
 times it's

00:37:12.720 --> 00:37:12.980
 just been

00:37:12.980 --> 00:37:13.360
 a nightmare

00:37:13.360 --> 00:37:14.579
 because troubled

00:37:14.579 --> 00:37:15.180
 kids have

00:37:15.180 --> 00:37:15.980
 issues right

00:37:15.980 --> 00:37:16.680
 and when they're

00:37:16.680 --> 00:37:17.180
 in your home

00:37:17.180 --> 00:37:17.680
 that makes it

00:37:17.680 --> 00:37:18.059
 even more

00:37:18.059 --> 00:37:18.380
 real

00:37:18.380 --> 00:37:20.460
 but they

00:37:20.460 --> 00:37:21.220
 said each

00:37:21.220 --> 00:37:21.640
 one of these

00:37:21.640 --> 00:37:22.059
 girls has

00:37:22.059 --> 00:37:22.460
 actually come

00:37:22.460 --> 00:37:23.000
 to faith

00:37:23.000 --> 00:37:25.900
 and they

00:37:25.900 --> 00:37:26.680
 have experienced

00:37:26.680 --> 00:37:27.000
 they're now

00:37:27.000 --> 00:37:27.480
 getting back

00:37:27.480 --> 00:37:27.860
 into the

00:37:27.860 --> 00:37:28.140
 schooling

00:37:28.140 --> 00:37:28.680
 system

00:37:28.680 --> 00:37:29.579
 their lives

00:37:29.579 --> 00:37:29.860
 are being

00:37:29.860 --> 00:37:30.619
 turned around

00:37:30.619 --> 00:37:33.880
 and these

00:37:33.880 --> 00:37:34.340
 couple are

00:37:34.340 --> 00:37:34.640
 not being

00:37:34.640 --> 00:37:35.079
 hauled in

00:37:35.079 --> 00:37:35.440
 front of the

00:37:35.440 --> 00:37:35.780
 courts

00:37:35.780 --> 00:37:37.079
 in fact the

00:37:37.079 --> 00:37:37.700
 social security

00:37:37.700 --> 00:37:39.019
 system are

00:37:39.019 --> 00:37:40.500
 referring cases

00:37:40.500 --> 00:37:40.940
 to them

00:37:40.940 --> 00:37:42.900
 but they

00:37:42.900 --> 00:37:43.619
 are looking

00:37:43.619 --> 00:37:45.019
 like Jesus

00:37:45.019 --> 00:37:45.920
 and they are

00:37:45.920 --> 00:37:46.500
 learning to

00:37:46.500 --> 00:37:47.559
 die to their

00:37:47.559 --> 00:37:48.139
 own comfort

00:37:48.139 --> 00:37:49.119
 and follow

00:37:49.119 --> 00:37:49.639
 where Jesus

00:37:49.639 --> 00:37:50.300
 takes them

00:37:50.300 --> 00:37:53.019
 you see God

00:37:53.019 --> 00:37:53.820
 is calling us

00:37:53.820 --> 00:37:54.420
 out on his

00:37:54.420 --> 00:37:54.759
 mission

00:37:54.759 --> 00:37:56.579
 to follow him

00:37:56.579 --> 00:37:57.559
 for every one

00:37:57.559 --> 00:37:57.980
 of us it's

00:37:57.980 --> 00:37:58.320
 going to look

00:37:58.320 --> 00:37:58.679
 different

00:37:58.679 --> 00:37:59.699
 it's going to

00:37:59.699 --> 00:38:00.179
 look different

00:38:00.179 --> 00:38:01.619
 but are we

00:38:01.619 --> 00:38:03.059
 willing to

00:38:03.059 --> 00:38:03.780
 say yes

00:38:03.780 --> 00:38:04.380
 as Jesus

00:38:04.380 --> 00:38:04.960
 sends us

00:38:04.960 --> 00:38:05.259
 out

00:38:05.259 --> 00:38:06.860
 because as

00:38:06.860 --> 00:38:07.539
 we move out

00:38:07.539 --> 00:38:08.000
 into our

00:38:08.000 --> 00:38:08.500
 city even

00:38:08.500 --> 00:38:08.860
 over these

00:38:08.860 --> 00:38:09.340
 next few

00:38:09.340 --> 00:38:09.760
 weeks

00:38:09.760 --> 00:38:11.480
 this promise

00:38:11.480 --> 00:38:12.360
 Jesus says

00:38:12.360 --> 00:38:13.739
 if you

00:38:13.739 --> 00:38:14.480
 acknowledge me

00:38:14.480 --> 00:38:15.139
 if you go

00:38:15.139 --> 00:38:15.980
 public about

00:38:15.980 --> 00:38:16.300
 me

00:38:16.300 --> 00:38:17.059
 do you know

00:38:17.059 --> 00:38:18.000
 what I

00:38:18.000 --> 00:38:18.380
 will go

00:38:18.380 --> 00:38:19.239
 public about

00:38:19.239 --> 00:38:21.000
 you before

00:38:21.000 --> 00:38:22.000
 my father in

00:38:22.000 --> 00:38:23.840
 heaven I love

00:38:23.840 --> 00:38:24.500
 to imagine it

00:38:24.500 --> 00:38:24.980
 like this and

00:38:24.980 --> 00:38:25.219
 I'm going to

00:38:25.219 --> 00:38:25.820
 close here

00:38:25.820 --> 00:38:27.960
 but when we

00:38:27.960 --> 00:38:30.380
 die we come

00:38:30.380 --> 00:38:31.219
 before our

00:38:31.219 --> 00:38:31.980
 father who in

00:38:31.980 --> 00:38:32.900
 his dazzling

00:38:32.900 --> 00:38:34.239
 glory we can

00:38:34.239 --> 00:38:35.320
 hardly breathe

00:38:35.320 --> 00:38:36.160
 but if we

00:38:36.160 --> 00:38:36.860
 get a chance

00:38:36.860 --> 00:38:37.160
 to

00:38:37.160 --> 00:38:40.300
 what we

00:38:40.300 --> 00:38:40.720
 would want

00:38:40.720 --> 00:38:41.080
 to start

00:38:41.080 --> 00:38:42.039
 saying when

00:38:42.039 --> 00:38:42.620
 he says to

00:38:42.620 --> 00:38:43.720
 us hey how

00:38:43.720 --> 00:38:44.280
 did you follow

00:38:44.280 --> 00:38:44.960
 me in life

00:38:44.960 --> 00:38:47.260
 and we'll go

00:38:47.260 --> 00:38:48.120
 hey I just

00:38:48.120 --> 00:38:48.559
 think I didn't

00:38:48.559 --> 00:38:49.019
 do a great

00:38:49.019 --> 00:38:49.880
 job I was

00:38:49.880 --> 00:38:50.720
 sometimes I was

00:38:50.720 --> 00:38:51.380
 cowardly

00:38:51.380 --> 00:38:52.539
 sometimes I just

00:38:52.539 --> 00:38:53.420
 felt like things

00:38:53.420 --> 00:38:54.160
 didn't work the

00:38:54.160 --> 00:38:54.620
 way I wanted

00:38:54.620 --> 00:38:55.140
 them to

00:38:55.140 --> 00:38:55.760
 sometimes it's

00:38:55.760 --> 00:38:56.380
 frustrating

00:38:56.380 --> 00:38:57.500
 sometimes I

00:38:57.500 --> 00:38:58.080
 fumbled over

00:38:58.080 --> 00:38:58.680
 my words I

00:38:58.680 --> 00:38:59.519
 tried to share

00:38:59.519 --> 00:39:00.000
 with people

00:39:00.000 --> 00:39:00.559
 didn't always

00:39:00.559 --> 00:39:01.420
 work I tried

00:39:01.420 --> 00:39:01.980
 to live for

00:39:01.980 --> 00:39:02.820
 you but you

00:39:02.820 --> 00:39:04.420
 know and just

00:39:04.420 --> 00:39:04.980
 as we're kind

00:39:04.980 --> 00:39:05.699
 of going through

00:39:05.699 --> 00:39:06.260
 this Jesus will

00:39:06.260 --> 00:39:08.099
 cut us off and

00:39:08.099 --> 00:39:09.019
 he'll say turn

00:39:09.019 --> 00:39:10.880
 around and behind

00:39:10.880 --> 00:39:12.059
 us there will be

00:39:12.059 --> 00:39:13.039
 this queue of

00:39:13.039 --> 00:39:13.860
 hundreds and

00:39:13.860 --> 00:39:14.500
 hundreds of

00:39:14.500 --> 00:39:15.400
 people snaking

00:39:15.400 --> 00:39:16.440
 around longer

00:39:16.440 --> 00:39:17.219
 than a queue for

00:39:17.219 --> 00:39:18.139
 an iPhone new

00:39:18.139 --> 00:39:20.940
 iPhone launch and

00:39:20.940 --> 00:39:21.639
 some of the people

00:39:21.639 --> 00:39:23.539
 you'll recognize and

00:39:23.539 --> 00:39:24.179
 some of the people

00:39:24.179 --> 00:39:26.579
 you won't and

00:39:26.579 --> 00:39:27.440
 each one of them

00:39:27.440 --> 00:39:27.940
 will have a

00:39:27.940 --> 00:39:29.480
 testimony to share

00:39:29.480 --> 00:39:31.159
 of how God had

00:39:31.159 --> 00:39:31.779
 used you to

00:39:31.779 --> 00:39:32.319
 bring him into

00:39:32.319 --> 00:39:34.159
 the kingdom and

00:39:34.159 --> 00:39:35.079
 Jesus will say to

00:39:35.079 --> 00:39:37.719
 the father look

00:39:37.719 --> 00:39:40.219
 father this is

00:39:40.219 --> 00:39:41.119
 what you did

00:39:41.119 --> 00:39:42.139
 through your

00:39:42.139 --> 00:39:43.379
 faithful servant

00:39:43.379 --> 00:39:46.799
 Yidi Echo Greg

00:39:46.799 --> 00:39:50.219
 Gary Margo Kathy

00:39:50.219 --> 00:39:53.059
 Brian Henry Joe

00:39:53.059 --> 00:39:56.179
 Chris carry on the

00:39:56.179 --> 00:39:56.699
 list of water

00:39:56.699 --> 00:39:58.259
 markers and the

00:39:58.259 --> 00:39:59.019
 whole of heaven

00:39:59.019 --> 00:40:00.099
 will stand on its

00:40:00.099 --> 00:40:01.099
 feet in applause

00:40:01.099 --> 00:40:03.480
 a resounding

00:40:03.480 --> 00:40:04.460
 standing ovation

00:40:04.460 --> 00:40:06.239
 not for you but

00:40:06.239 --> 00:40:07.139
 for the father the

00:40:07.139 --> 00:40:08.000
 son and the Holy

00:40:08.000 --> 00:40:09.019
 Spirit for the work

00:40:09.019 --> 00:40:10.099
 that they did in

00:40:10.099 --> 00:40:11.079
 your lives that the

00:40:11.079 --> 00:40:11.900
 fruit of Jesus

00:40:11.900 --> 00:40:15.339
 death was that

00:40:15.339 --> 00:40:16.380
 people ordinary

00:40:16.380 --> 00:40:17.339
 broken people like

00:40:17.339 --> 00:40:19.119
 you and me were

00:40:19.119 --> 00:40:19.940
 willing to have

00:40:19.940 --> 00:40:22.219
 scars on us but

00:40:22.219 --> 00:40:23.619
 bore so much fruit

00:40:23.619 --> 00:40:25.679
 in our lives and he

00:40:25.679 --> 00:40:26.559
 will get the glory

00:40:26.559 --> 00:40:28.500
 let's pray

00:40:28.500 --> 00:40:38.239
 father I pray that

00:40:38.239 --> 00:40:39.679
 even as we hear

00:40:39.679 --> 00:40:42.659
 what is just a

00:40:42.659 --> 00:40:43.860
 it's just really

00:40:43.860 --> 00:40:44.759
 challenging Lord

00:40:44.759 --> 00:40:47.679
 but Lord you

00:40:47.679 --> 00:40:48.639
 promise that you

00:40:48.639 --> 00:40:49.380
 are going to be with

00:40:49.380 --> 00:40:49.719
 us

00:40:49.719 --> 00:40:52.360
 and so I pray for

00:40:52.360 --> 00:40:53.279
 us even as we

00:40:53.279 --> 00:40:54.820
 hear this Lord I

00:40:54.820 --> 00:40:55.580
 pray that in our

00:40:55.580 --> 00:40:58.280
 hearts that

00:40:58.280 --> 00:40:59.400
 actually we'd feel

00:40:59.400 --> 00:41:00.900
 that sense of fear

00:41:00.900 --> 00:41:01.880
 of what it really

00:41:01.880 --> 00:41:02.840
 means to follow you

00:41:02.840 --> 00:41:05.780
 but then we would

00:41:05.780 --> 00:41:07.519
 look up and see

00:41:07.519 --> 00:41:08.380
 what a kind of

00:41:08.380 --> 00:41:09.300
 saviour you are

00:41:09.300 --> 00:41:10.680
 what a kind of

00:41:10.680 --> 00:41:11.440
 awesome but

00:41:11.440 --> 00:41:12.539
 compassionate and

00:41:12.539 --> 00:41:13.559
 gracious God you

00:41:13.559 --> 00:41:15.420
 are and Lord that

00:41:15.420 --> 00:41:16.660
 we would bank our

00:41:16.660 --> 00:41:17.539
 lives on you and

00:41:17.539 --> 00:41:18.420
 you would send us

00:41:18.420 --> 00:41:19.660
 out this week you

00:41:19.660 --> 00:41:20.460
 would send us out

00:41:20.460 --> 00:41:21.740
 every single one of

00:41:21.740 --> 00:41:22.600
 us into loving the

00:41:22.599 --> 00:41:23.239
 city Lord every

00:41:23.239 --> 00:41:24.339
 excuse that we put

00:41:24.339 --> 00:41:25.279
 up Lord I pray that

00:41:25.279 --> 00:41:25.880
 you would remove

00:41:25.880 --> 00:41:26.960
 that because we see

00:41:26.960 --> 00:41:28.579
 that in your hands is

00:41:28.579 --> 00:41:29.839
 our life our lives are

00:41:29.839 --> 00:41:30.759
 not in our busyness

00:41:30.759 --> 00:41:31.579
 our lives are not in

00:41:31.579 --> 00:41:32.719
 our exams our lives are

00:41:32.719 --> 00:41:34.019
 not in our studies our

00:41:34.019 --> 00:41:34.739
 lives are not in our

00:41:34.739 --> 00:41:35.920
 workplaces our lives are

00:41:35.920 --> 00:41:36.739
 not even in our

00:41:36.739 --> 00:41:37.980
 families good gifts

00:41:37.980 --> 00:41:38.679
 though all of these

00:41:38.679 --> 00:41:40.119
 are our lives are

00:41:40.119 --> 00:41:41.519
 held in you and so I

00:41:41.519 --> 00:41:42.559
 pray that you'd make

00:41:42.559 --> 00:41:43.619
 us a people of faith

00:41:43.619 --> 00:41:45.079
 a people have so many

00:41:45.079 --> 00:41:46.920
 stories to tell of how

00:41:46.920 --> 00:41:49.039
 you broke through and

00:41:49.039 --> 00:41:51.279
 used us insignificant

00:41:51.280 --> 00:41:52.960
 though we are for your

00:41:52.960 --> 00:41:54.080
 glory and your kingdom

00:41:54.080 --> 00:41:56.880
 in Jesus name Amen