WEBVTT

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 For those of you who have not been in this space before, I welcome you.

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 This is the place where our Brooklyn Parish meets and worships.

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 It's a new location, and I give thanks for our volunteers who work tirelessly to manage the issues that come with any new space.

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 We also have a new sound system that we're doing our best to figure out, and so these folk are working really hard.

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 And so I'm very thankful for Adam, who has not sat down for, I don't know how many hours you've been here, but hard at work.

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 So God bless you, brother, and I'm so glad it's you and not me.

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 But we're gathered here because we want to take a look at God's Word.

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 And we're in a series now.

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 We've been doing this for the last couple of weeks, looking at Paul's letter to the Galatians,

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 which in 10 years of Church of the Advent, I can't believe that we've never really done a deep dive into this book,

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 but now is the time when we're doing that, and we're doing it because we talk as a church about being a gospel-centered community.

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 And so we want to know from time to time, what does that mean?

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 We want to remind ourselves, what's the intent of those words, and how is that meant to shape our identity as a community?

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 What does it mean to be a gospel-centered community?

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 And so we're in Galatians, and we're in this interesting place, chapter 1, verse 18, through chapter 2, verse 10.

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 Most people would not list this among their favorite Bible passages, right?

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 That this weird explanation of Titus and why Titus wasn't circumcised and the meaning of that.

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 It seems it's marked at a great job, but it's even kind of clumsy and hard to read.

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 People have found this to be a frustrating and hard-to-understand place in the Bible.

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 And yet I'm excited about it, and I think it's fantastic.

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 And the reason is because it's a perfect passage for us to consider as we bring both parishes together,

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 because it's all about the foundation for unity in God's family.

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 It gives us the reason, the rationale, but the underlying biblical truth for why we, as all these people from all these different backgrounds and places,

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 and all these different political affiliations and all of that, how we can nevertheless be completely unified as one family.

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 So the point of the passage is this, and we're going to break this out into parts.

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 But the point of this passage is essentially this, that there is only one gospel that can make one family out of all people.

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 There's only one gospel that can make one family out of all people.

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 So let's pray, and then we'll dive in.

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 Lord, we thank you for your word, and we thank you for your promise again and again and again that your word does your work in the lives of your people,

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 that you send it out and it does not return empty, that it accomplishes all that you desire for it to accomplish.

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 And we know that you have a plan and an intent for how to use this time in our hearts,

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 and we pray that your word would be like a surgical instrument.

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 And we pray that you would challenge those who have become too complacent,

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 also that you would comfort those who are overwhelmed with challenge.

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 We pray that you would illuminate your word, and that through it we would see the face of your son, Jesus Christ.

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 And it's in his name that we pray. Amen.

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 Only one gospel.

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 Why is it important to point that out?

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 Why not many gospels?

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 Paul had come into Galatia, and he was preaching this radical, strange, revolutionary message.

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 He was preaching this truth that the grace of Jesus Christ was not just meant for the Jewish people.

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 He was not just the Jewish Messiah, but he had actually come for all people.

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 He had come for Jews and Gentiles.

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 And that because of this grace, because of the cross, circumcision, which had up to this point set apart the Jewish people,

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 is irrelevant now.

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 It's irrelevant.

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 And so this primary marker of cultural identity and set-apartness for the Jews,

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 Paul was declaring utterly irrelevant.

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 And he's essentially saying that Jesus has eradicated the difference between Jews and Gentiles,

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 and this is part of the unfolding plan of salvation history.

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 It's the culmination, in fact, of the Jewish religion.

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 So, not surprisingly, he got a lot of pushback.

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 And it raised a lot of questions.

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 And the biggest question was essentially this.

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 Here's the biggest question.

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 Is Paul preaching the same gospel as the other apostles, or is Paul preaching something different?

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 You know, is there a gospel version for the Jews and then a gospel version for the Gentiles?

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 Is this even the same gospel?

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 Or has Paul distorted the gospel or twisted it?

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 Is he offering something that is a little more user-friendly for the Gentiles?

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 Maybe he doesn't want to offend them.

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 And so he's altered it slightly.

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 He's downplaying the importance of circumcision, right?

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 So this is the question that Paul's confronting.

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 And so in chapter 1, and then in the first half of chapter 2,

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 Paul is making two things absolutely clear for his people.

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 Number one, he's saying that the gospel that he's preaching is not just some distortion

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 that he got from the apostles,

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 but this is something that he has received directly from Jesus Christ.

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 So if you wonder why in the end of chapter 1 and the beginning of chapter 2,

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 he's going to great lengths to say, you know, I had this encounter with Jesus,

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 and then I went away for three years, and I barely interacted with the apostles,

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 and even when I did, it was just Peter, and it was just for 15 days.

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 The reason that he's doing all of that

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 is to tell us,

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 I didn't receive some garbled version from the other apostles.

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 This is something that was revealed to me by Jesus himself.

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 So that's the first point he's making.

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 The second point is like it.

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 He's saying,

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 even though I received this gospel from Jesus,

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 it's not a different gospel than you've already heard.

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 He says,

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 then in fact I know this because when I went and I actually shared what I had learned from Jesus

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 with the other apostles,

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 they didn't add anything to it.

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 All right, so they didn't say,

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 well, you've got it partly there,

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 but we need to talk about this, that, or the other.

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 We need to talk about circumcision.

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 He says,

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 no, no, no.

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 In fact,

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 they didn't add anything to my understanding of the gospel,

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 and they simply offered me the right hand of fellowship.

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 That is to say,

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 they endorsed my preaching of the gospel,

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 and then they sent me out to be a gospel preacher to the Gentiles,

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 just as they are preaching to the Jews.

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 So that's the flow of the passage that's happening.

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 And so Paul is saying,

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 I got it directly from Jesus,

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 and it lines up with the teachings of the other apostles.

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 Right?

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 It's rooted in the life and the ministry of Jesus,

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 and it aligns with the teachings of the other apostles.

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 So this is the first point I want to dwell on for just a little while,

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 that there's only one gospel.

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 And the way we know that we're dealing with the real gospel,

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 as opposed to a counterfeit,

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 is that first,

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 it's a message that is rooted in the life and the ministry

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 and the teaching of Jesus Christ.

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 And number two,

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 it aligns with the teachings of the apostles,

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 which we have in scripture.

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 Right?

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 And if either of those criteria are missing,

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 you're not dealing with the Christian gospel,

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 you're dealing with some other religion entirely.

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 It's all or none.

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 Now,

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 why does this matter?

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 You know,

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 we keep coming back to doctrine,

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 and some people say,

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 why quibble about doctrine?

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 Right?

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 You can have your emphasis,

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 I'll have mine.

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 Well,

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 here's one of the reasons it matters.

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 You may have heard of Leslie Newbigin,

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 who was a missionary,

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 British theologian,

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 pastor,

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 missionary.

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 And Leslie Newbigin wrote a book

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 that was profoundly influential on me,

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 Gospel in a Pluralist Society.

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 And in this book,

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 he talks about his days

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 as a young missionary in Hindu culture.

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 He spent decades as a British missionary among Hindus.

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 And here's what he says in his book.

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 He says that he would go every week

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 to the Ramakrishna mission.

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 And he would sit with the monks in this mission,

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 and they would open the gospels,

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 and they would open the Upanishads,

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 and they would study these together.

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 Right?

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 It was kind of an interreligious dialogue.

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 And he says this went on for a long time,

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 these weekly meetings at the Ramakrishna mission.

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 And he said,

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 as you walk around the Ramakrishna mission,

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 you see on the walls

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 all of these portraits

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 of all these great religious leaders

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 from all different religions.

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 And not surprisingly,

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 one of the portraits was of Jesus Christ.

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 And he says that every year on Christmas,

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 these monks would all devote that day

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 to worshiping and honoring

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 and glorifying Jesus Christ

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 as one of the divine manifestations

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 that has occurred throughout history.

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 Now, he says you might be tempted to see this

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 and to say they're worshiping Jesus once a year.

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 This is a step in the right direction.

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 This is movement.

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 They're becoming more open

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 to the truth of the gospel.

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 But in fact, Newbigin says

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 that's not what's happening.

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 What's actually happening?

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 He says this was not movement

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 toward accepting Christ as a savior

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 or a lord.

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 The monks had co-opted Jesus

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 into their existing worldview.

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 They had taken Jesus

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 and taken the truth of the gospel

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 and fit it into their existing worldview

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 and their existing religion.

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 And now you say,

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 okay, well, that's an interesting point.

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 Well, here's the kicker,

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 the thing that really got me.

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 Newbigin says this,

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 the more he reflected on this fact,

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 the more he began to realize

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 that he had done the very same thing

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 as a Christian.

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 And here's what he says.

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 Jesus had become just one figure

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 in the endless cycle

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 of karma and samsura,

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 the wheel of being

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 in which we're all caught up.

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 He had been domesticated

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 into the Hindu worldview.

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 That view remained unchallenged.

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 It was only slowly

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 through many experiences

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 that I began to see

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 that something of this domestication

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 had taken place

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 in my own Christianity.

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 That I too had been ready

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 to seek a reasonable Christianity,

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 a Christianity that could be defended

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 on the terms of my whole

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 intellectual formation

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 as a 20th century Englishman,

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 rather than something

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 which placed my whole

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 intellectual formation

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 under a new and critical light.

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 I too had been guilty

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 of domesticating the gospel.

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 And I think that that is

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 a powerful insight

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 that we need to take

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 and reflect on,

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 that we too

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 are constantly tempted

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 to domesticate the gospel,

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 to co-opt Jesus

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 into our existing worldviews,

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 our existing priorities,

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 our existing agendas,

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 and this happens again

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 and again and again.

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 Right?

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 So in Jewish society,

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 when they heard the news of Jesus,

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 their first instinct

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 was to co-opt Jesus

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 into the Jewish worldview.

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 So you have a Jewish,

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 the Judaizers,

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 were advocating

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 for a version of Christianity

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 that was Jewish,

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 a Jewish gospel for the Jews.

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 Right?

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 Now if you live

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 in a post-enlightenment society

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 that enthrones reason,

00:11:29.399 --> 00:11:30.679
 like Newbigin did,

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 like we do,

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 what's your temptation

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 going to be?

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 You're going to want

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 to co-opt Jesus

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 and domesticate the gospel

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 such that everything

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 aligns with

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 and appeals to

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 that enthronement of reason.

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 In other words,

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 we're going to want

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 to have a faith

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 where we can explain everything,

00:11:50.939 --> 00:11:52.100
 rationalize everything,

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 understand everything,

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 fit everything

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 into a spreadsheet.

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 And if we can't have

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 strong apologetic arguments

00:11:58.659 --> 00:11:59.759
 for every aspect

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 of the faith,

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 then we panic.

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 Right?

00:12:03.059 --> 00:12:03.619
 We're going to want

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 a reasonable Christianity.

00:12:05.839 --> 00:12:05.959
 Right?

00:12:06.339 --> 00:12:07.299
 If you live in a

00:12:07.299 --> 00:12:08.879
 consumeristic society

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 where the orientation

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 is always to get

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 our needs met

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 and you can go

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 to a 24-hour CVS

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 and get access

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 to any medication

00:12:15.519 --> 00:12:16.519
 that's ever been invented

00:12:16.519 --> 00:12:17.459
 right then and there,

00:12:17.500 --> 00:12:18.039
 if we live in that

00:12:18.039 --> 00:12:18.799
 kind of society,

00:12:19.199 --> 00:12:20.319
 then we're going to want

00:12:20.319 --> 00:12:22.199
 a consumeristic Christianity.

00:12:23.000 --> 00:12:23.479
 You know,

00:12:23.500 --> 00:12:24.159
 we're going to want

00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:25.559
 a version of Christianity,

00:12:26.119 --> 00:12:27.139
 a version of Jesus,

00:12:27.319 --> 00:12:28.419
 a version of the church

00:12:28.419 --> 00:12:30.439
 that meets our needs

00:12:30.440 --> 00:12:32.260
 and really asks

00:12:32.260 --> 00:12:33.020
 nothing of us.

00:12:34.400 --> 00:12:34.800
 Right?

00:12:34.840 --> 00:12:35.240
 We're going to want

00:12:35.240 --> 00:12:36.380
 to domesticate the gospel.

00:12:37.340 --> 00:12:38.340
 In a society

00:12:38.340 --> 00:12:39.720
 that worships politics

00:12:39.720 --> 00:12:41.080
 as the ultimate,

00:12:42.260 --> 00:12:43.000
 in a society

00:12:43.000 --> 00:12:43.760
 that has come to see

00:12:43.760 --> 00:12:44.660
 that politics

00:12:44.660 --> 00:12:45.520
 is the way

00:12:45.520 --> 00:12:46.800
 to solve all the problems

00:12:46.800 --> 00:12:47.260
 of the world

00:12:47.260 --> 00:12:48.380
 if we can just get it right,

00:12:48.740 --> 00:12:49.640
 what are we going to want?

00:12:50.740 --> 00:12:51.600
 We're going to want

00:12:51.600 --> 00:12:52.620
 a version of Jesus

00:12:52.620 --> 00:12:54.640
 who aligns

00:12:54.640 --> 00:12:56.700
 with our political leanings.

00:12:57.880 --> 00:12:58.300
 Right?

00:12:58.299 --> 00:12:58.779
 We're going to want

00:12:58.779 --> 00:12:59.679
 to co-opt Jesus

00:12:59.679 --> 00:13:00.939
 into our political agenda

00:13:00.939 --> 00:13:02.799
 and we're going to have

00:13:02.799 --> 00:13:03.659
 a hard time imagining

00:13:03.659 --> 00:13:04.519
 that Jesus could also

00:13:04.519 --> 00:13:05.479
 love the other people

00:13:05.479 --> 00:13:06.019
 on the other side

00:13:06.019 --> 00:13:06.419
 of the aisle.

00:13:07.179 --> 00:13:07.879
 No way.

00:13:08.399 --> 00:13:08.959
 Surely he knows

00:13:08.959 --> 00:13:09.579
 how evil and wicked

00:13:09.579 --> 00:13:09.979
 they are.

00:13:10.419 --> 00:13:11.219
 That's what happens

00:13:11.219 --> 00:13:11.859
 in a society.

00:13:13.219 --> 00:13:13.319
 Right?

00:13:13.579 --> 00:13:16.179
 So in this horrendous

00:13:16.179 --> 00:13:17.740
 Ford-Kavanaugh hearing

00:13:17.740 --> 00:13:18.759
 and appointment,

00:13:18.939 --> 00:13:19.099
 right,

00:13:19.339 --> 00:13:20.740
 if you aligned

00:13:20.740 --> 00:13:22.859
 with Dr. Ford

00:13:22.859 --> 00:13:24.639
 and you saw Kavanaugh

00:13:24.639 --> 00:13:25.279
 in the light

00:13:25.279 --> 00:13:26.179
 that many people cast him,

00:13:26.219 --> 00:13:27.039
 you can't imagine

00:13:27.039 --> 00:13:27.919
 that he would worship

00:13:27.919 --> 00:13:28.740
 the same God as you.

00:13:29.839 --> 00:13:30.059
 Right?

00:13:30.120 --> 00:13:31.559
 If you aligned with Kavanaugh,

00:13:31.620 --> 00:13:32.779
 this guy's been wrongfully accused

00:13:32.779 --> 00:13:33.699
 and you couldn't believe

00:13:33.699 --> 00:13:34.779
 that anybody would do this

00:13:34.779 --> 00:13:36.500
 to such an upstanding man,

00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:38.939
 how could God possibly bless

00:13:38.939 --> 00:13:39.839
 and love people

00:13:39.839 --> 00:13:40.799
 who would do something like that?

00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:41.039
 Right?

00:13:41.279 --> 00:13:42.419
 And so we began to see

00:13:42.419 --> 00:13:43.819
 the world in binary terms

00:13:43.819 --> 00:13:45.459
 because we've co-opted Jesus.

00:13:46.079 --> 00:13:46.339
 Right?

00:13:46.539 --> 00:13:47.379
 In a society

00:13:47.379 --> 00:13:48.379
 that idealizes

00:13:48.379 --> 00:13:49.459
 romantic love,

00:13:50.539 --> 00:13:51.519
 we're going to want

00:13:51.519 --> 00:13:51.899
 a Jesus

00:13:51.899 --> 00:13:53.079
 who says,

00:13:53.199 --> 00:13:53.759
 at the end of the day,

00:13:53.819 --> 00:13:54.139
 guys,

00:13:54.799 --> 00:13:55.519
 love is love

00:13:55.519 --> 00:13:57.120
 and that's all that matters.

00:13:58.079 --> 00:13:58.319
 Right?

00:13:58.639 --> 00:14:00.220
 In all of these ways,

00:14:00.319 --> 00:14:01.019
 again and again and again,

00:14:01.100 --> 00:14:02.139
 we face the temptation

00:14:02.139 --> 00:14:03.299
 as individuals,

00:14:03.500 --> 00:14:03.980
 as a church,

00:14:04.039 --> 00:14:04.699
 in a society,

00:14:05.600 --> 00:14:06.960
 of co-opting Jesus

00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:08.360
 and co-opting the gospel

00:14:08.360 --> 00:14:10.179
 and domesticating this faith.

00:14:11.819 --> 00:14:12.500
 And so we,

00:14:12.579 --> 00:14:14.100
 because we face

00:14:14.100 --> 00:14:14.879
 this temptation,

00:14:15.539 --> 00:14:17.100
 we have to relentlessly

00:14:17.100 --> 00:14:17.759
 return

00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:19.600
 to two things.

00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:21.439
 The ministry

00:14:21.439 --> 00:14:22.199
 and the teaching,

00:14:22.399 --> 00:14:23.019
 the life,

00:14:23.139 --> 00:14:23.460
 the death,

00:14:23.460 --> 00:14:23.940
 the resurrection

00:14:23.940 --> 00:14:24.759
 of Jesus Christ

00:14:24.759 --> 00:14:26.500
 and we have to return

00:14:26.500 --> 00:14:27.000
 to the teachings

00:14:27.000 --> 00:14:27.639
 of the apostles

00:14:27.639 --> 00:14:29.660
 and we have to continually

00:14:29.660 --> 00:14:30.420
 be reminded

00:14:30.420 --> 00:14:31.639
 that we are not meant

00:14:31.639 --> 00:14:32.800
 to fit Jesus

00:14:32.800 --> 00:14:33.920
 into our worldview,

00:14:34.200 --> 00:14:35.660
 that our entire life

00:14:35.660 --> 00:14:36.340
 is in fact meant

00:14:36.340 --> 00:14:36.920
 to be fit

00:14:36.920 --> 00:14:38.639
 into God's unfolding story.

00:14:39.200 --> 00:14:39.600
 Right?

00:14:39.639 --> 00:14:40.519
 And that's a greater,

00:14:40.980 --> 00:14:41.259
 bigger,

00:14:41.460 --> 00:14:42.440
 more radical gospel

00:14:42.440 --> 00:14:43.100
 than anything

00:14:43.100 --> 00:14:44.460
 that we could ever cook up

00:14:44.460 --> 00:14:45.500
 as human beings.

00:14:45.500 --> 00:14:46.220
 This idea

00:14:46.220 --> 00:14:47.280
 that through the life

00:14:47.280 --> 00:14:49.080
 and the sacrificial death

00:14:49.080 --> 00:14:49.700
 for sins

00:14:49.700 --> 00:14:50.740
 and the resurrection

00:14:50.740 --> 00:14:51.379
 of Jesus,

00:14:51.379 --> 00:14:53.840
 that God is reconciling

00:14:53.840 --> 00:14:54.460
 human beings

00:14:54.460 --> 00:14:55.120
 to himself

00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:55.919
 and that God

00:14:55.919 --> 00:14:57.299
 is then reconciling

00:14:57.299 --> 00:14:57.860
 all people

00:14:57.860 --> 00:14:58.539
 to one another

00:14:58.539 --> 00:15:00.299
 as one great family

00:15:00.299 --> 00:15:01.460
 with him as father.

00:15:02.480 --> 00:15:03.679
 That that is

00:15:03.679 --> 00:15:04.799
 the only gospel

00:15:04.799 --> 00:15:05.439
 there is

00:15:05.439 --> 00:15:06.980
 and we should

00:15:06.980 --> 00:15:07.659
 never settle.

00:15:08.700 --> 00:15:09.740
 Don't ever settle

00:15:09.740 --> 00:15:10.480
 for anything less.

00:15:11.360 --> 00:15:12.179
 Don't ever settle.

00:15:13.220 --> 00:15:14.100
 So there's only

00:15:14.100 --> 00:15:14.799
 one gospel.

00:15:15.759 --> 00:15:16.360
 Now I want to go

00:15:16.360 --> 00:15:16.940
 a little further,

00:15:18.039 --> 00:15:19.399
 just one push further,

00:15:19.500 --> 00:15:20.240
 one step more.

00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:22.019
 And that is to ask,

00:15:22.100 --> 00:15:22.320
 okay,

00:15:22.419 --> 00:15:23.180
 we said there's

00:15:23.180 --> 00:15:24.460
 only one gospel

00:15:24.460 --> 00:15:25.180
 but then we said

00:15:25.180 --> 00:15:25.840
 that that gospel

00:15:25.840 --> 00:15:27.139
 can make one family

00:15:27.139 --> 00:15:28.259
 out of all people.

00:15:28.340 --> 00:15:28.860
 So I want to ask

00:15:28.860 --> 00:15:29.680
 the question of how.

00:15:30.299 --> 00:15:31.500
 How does this one gospel

00:15:31.500 --> 00:15:32.740
 actually accomplish

00:15:32.740 --> 00:15:34.100
 that kind of unity

00:15:34.100 --> 00:15:35.039
 and make one family

00:15:35.039 --> 00:15:36.159
 out of all people?

00:15:37.340 --> 00:15:38.320
 If we look

00:15:38.320 --> 00:15:40.159
 at verse 3,

00:15:40.299 --> 00:15:41.220
 it says this,

00:15:41.620 --> 00:15:42.360
 even Titus,

00:15:42.440 --> 00:15:43.120
 who was with me,

00:15:43.340 --> 00:15:44.080
 was not forced

00:15:44.080 --> 00:15:44.960
 to be circumcised,

00:15:45.080 --> 00:15:46.019
 though he was Greek.

00:15:46.580 --> 00:15:47.820
 Yet because of false brothers

00:15:47.820 --> 00:15:48.840
 secretly brought in,

00:15:48.840 --> 00:15:49.680
 who slipped in

00:15:49.680 --> 00:15:50.720
 to spy out our freedom

00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:51.220
 that we have

00:15:51.220 --> 00:15:51.980
 in Jesus Christ,

00:15:52.379 --> 00:15:53.519
 so that they might

00:15:53.519 --> 00:15:54.820
 bring us into slavery,

00:15:55.300 --> 00:15:56.200
 to them we did not

00:15:56.200 --> 00:15:57.100
 yield in submission

00:15:57.100 --> 00:15:57.980
 even for a moment,

00:15:58.100 --> 00:15:58.780
 so that the truth

00:15:58.780 --> 00:15:59.300
 of the gospel

00:15:59.300 --> 00:16:00.259
 might be preserved

00:16:00.259 --> 00:16:00.780
 for you.

00:16:01.200 --> 00:16:02.379
 So what's the truth

00:16:02.379 --> 00:16:03.420
 that he's defending?

00:16:03.780 --> 00:16:05.780
 He's willing to risk

00:16:05.780 --> 00:16:07.040
 Titus being shamed

00:16:07.040 --> 00:16:07.740
 or rejected

00:16:07.740 --> 00:16:08.780
 by the Jews

00:16:08.780 --> 00:16:09.879
 in order to defend

00:16:09.879 --> 00:16:10.379
 and protect

00:16:10.379 --> 00:16:11.600
 this gospel truth.

00:16:12.300 --> 00:16:13.360
 Well, as you are

00:16:13.360 --> 00:16:14.360
 hopefully aware by now,

00:16:14.759 --> 00:16:15.980
 the issue at the heart

00:16:15.980 --> 00:16:16.960
 of this book

00:16:16.960 --> 00:16:17.899
 is circumcision.

00:16:18.639 --> 00:16:19.180
 To us,

00:16:19.220 --> 00:16:20.279
 that sounds totally irrelevant.

00:16:20.700 --> 00:16:21.159
 To them,

00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:22.399
 it was a big deal.

00:16:23.240 --> 00:16:24.840
 The Judaizers

00:16:24.840 --> 00:16:25.700
 are insisting

00:16:25.700 --> 00:16:26.940
 that the Gentile converts

00:16:26.940 --> 00:16:28.800
 have to be circumcised

00:16:28.800 --> 00:16:29.840
 before they become Christians.

00:16:30.980 --> 00:16:32.100
 It's not legitimate

00:16:32.100 --> 00:16:33.159
 unless you're circumcised.

00:16:33.159 --> 00:16:34.039
 You have to become Jewish

00:16:34.039 --> 00:16:35.320
 and come under the Mosaic law

00:16:35.320 --> 00:16:37.080
 before you can become

00:16:37.080 --> 00:16:38.440
 saved by Christ.

00:16:39.180 --> 00:16:40.460
 And so Paul is teaching

00:16:40.460 --> 00:16:41.680
 a counter to that,

00:16:41.820 --> 00:16:42.539
 that the gospel

00:16:42.539 --> 00:16:42.980
 makes circumcision

00:16:43.500 --> 00:16:44.740
 totally irrelevant.

00:16:44.740 --> 00:16:46.700
 Now, there's a lot of ways

00:16:46.700 --> 00:16:47.480
 we could get into this,

00:16:47.580 --> 00:16:48.220
 but here's the thing

00:16:48.220 --> 00:16:49.279
 I want to focus on this morning.

00:16:49.779 --> 00:16:51.279
 The key to this issue

00:16:51.279 --> 00:16:52.600
 is understanding

00:16:52.600 --> 00:16:53.240
 the difference

00:16:53.240 --> 00:16:54.799
 between the moral law

00:16:54.799 --> 00:16:57.039
 and the ceremonial law

00:16:57.039 --> 00:16:59.759
 in the Jewish faith

00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:01.080
 and in the Christian faith.

00:17:01.440 --> 00:17:02.639
 There's a huge difference

00:17:02.639 --> 00:17:03.879
 between the moral law

00:17:03.879 --> 00:17:05.120
 and the ceremonial law.

00:17:05.620 --> 00:17:06.799
 So God had given

00:17:06.799 --> 00:17:09.039
 moral laws to his people.

00:17:09.180 --> 00:17:10.559
 What are some of the moral laws?

00:17:11.480 --> 00:17:12.599
 Well, Ten Commandments,

00:17:12.599 --> 00:17:13.940
 great place to start, right?

00:17:14.740 --> 00:17:18.220
 So worship God and God alone, right?

00:17:18.320 --> 00:17:19.220
 Keep the Sabbath.

00:17:19.940 --> 00:17:21.000
 Honor your father and mother.

00:17:21.100 --> 00:17:21.580
 Don't murder.

00:17:21.940 --> 00:17:23.080
 Don't covet.

00:17:23.460 --> 00:17:24.220
 Don't steal.

00:17:24.460 --> 00:17:26.140
 These are moral laws.

00:17:26.740 --> 00:17:28.100
 And the moral law

00:17:28.100 --> 00:17:29.299
 that God has given to his people,

00:17:29.900 --> 00:17:31.180
 the moral laws reflect

00:17:31.180 --> 00:17:33.840
 God's desire for our hearts, right?

00:17:33.880 --> 00:17:34.820
 This is what he wants

00:17:34.820 --> 00:17:36.700
 our hearts to be like.

00:17:37.779 --> 00:17:38.980
 And because this is what

00:17:38.980 --> 00:17:39.920
 God desires of his people,

00:17:40.000 --> 00:17:40.640
 this is the way God

00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:42.279
 still desires us to live today.

00:17:42.279 --> 00:17:43.700
 God still desires us

00:17:43.700 --> 00:17:45.099
 to live out the reality,

00:17:45.220 --> 00:17:46.599
 the truth of the moral law

00:17:46.599 --> 00:17:47.299
 in our lives.

00:17:47.940 --> 00:17:49.319
 Now, the ceremonial law

00:17:49.319 --> 00:17:50.500
 has a different purpose.

00:17:52.079 --> 00:17:53.240
 You know, so people look at

00:17:53.240 --> 00:17:54.480
 the laws and they say,

00:17:54.539 --> 00:17:55.680
 well, why are we so arbitrary

00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:56.319
 about the law?

00:17:56.440 --> 00:17:58.180
 Why would we be so intense

00:17:58.180 --> 00:17:59.299
 on the sexual laws

00:17:59.299 --> 00:18:00.940
 that we see in the Bible,

00:18:01.059 --> 00:18:02.960
 but nobody cares

00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:04.019
 if we eat shellfish anymore?

00:18:05.019 --> 00:18:06.039
 You know, why?

00:18:06.240 --> 00:18:07.440
 And it feels like it's arbitrary.

00:18:07.559 --> 00:18:08.500
 Well, no, it's not arbitrary.

00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:10.059
 There's a big difference

00:18:10.059 --> 00:18:10.879
 between the moral law

00:18:10.879 --> 00:18:11.839
 and the ceremonial law.

00:18:12.619 --> 00:18:13.419
 The ceremonial laws

00:18:13.419 --> 00:18:14.599
 had a very different purpose.

00:18:14.779 --> 00:18:15.599
 These are laws

00:18:15.599 --> 00:18:17.259
 about eating shellfish or pork.

00:18:17.539 --> 00:18:19.059
 There are laws about menstruation.

00:18:19.179 --> 00:18:19.599
 There are laws

00:18:19.599 --> 00:18:20.720
 about nocturnal emissions.

00:18:21.259 --> 00:18:22.119
 There are laws

00:18:22.119 --> 00:18:23.679
 about associating with Gentiles.

00:18:23.779 --> 00:18:24.159
 There are laws

00:18:24.159 --> 00:18:24.819
 about associating

00:18:24.819 --> 00:18:25.460
 with dead bodies.

00:18:25.679 --> 00:18:26.740
 All of these laws

00:18:26.740 --> 00:18:27.759
 that to our eyes

00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:28.960
 look bizarre.

00:18:29.500 --> 00:18:30.339
 They're all part

00:18:30.339 --> 00:18:32.440
 of the cleanliness laws.

00:18:32.559 --> 00:18:33.240
 This is all about

00:18:33.240 --> 00:18:34.039
 teaching people

00:18:34.039 --> 00:18:35.399
 what it means to be clean.

00:18:36.399 --> 00:18:36.799
 Right?

00:18:36.839 --> 00:18:37.359
 And this is all

00:18:37.359 --> 00:18:38.319
 the ceremonial law.

00:18:38.319 --> 00:18:39.319
 And circumcision

00:18:39.319 --> 00:18:39.919
 was a part

00:18:39.919 --> 00:18:41.179
 of the ceremonial law.

00:18:43.299 --> 00:18:44.240
 Now, what's the point

00:18:44.240 --> 00:18:45.039
 of the ceremonial law?

00:18:45.139 --> 00:18:45.519
 I said, well,

00:18:45.559 --> 00:18:46.679
 the point of the moral law

00:18:46.679 --> 00:18:47.639
 is this is God's desire

00:18:47.639 --> 00:18:48.200
 for his people.

00:18:48.480 --> 00:18:49.240
 This is the character

00:18:49.240 --> 00:18:50.059
 that he wants us to have.

00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:50.839
 What's the point

00:18:50.839 --> 00:18:51.439
 of the moral law?

00:18:52.000 --> 00:18:52.960
 Is it to be clean?

00:18:56.319 --> 00:18:57.299
 It's to teach us

00:18:57.299 --> 00:18:58.700
 that cleanliness

00:18:58.700 --> 00:18:59.480
 is impossible

00:18:59.480 --> 00:19:02.799
 because you do it

00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:05.139
 as well as you can do it.

00:19:05.539 --> 00:19:07.200
 You live by these standards

00:19:07.200 --> 00:19:08.559
 as well as you can live by them.

00:19:08.759 --> 00:19:09.860
 You do all of the rituals.

00:19:10.019 --> 00:19:10.840
 You do all of the prayers.

00:19:10.980 --> 00:19:11.740
 You do all of the...

00:19:11.740 --> 00:19:13.220
 You do everything you can do

00:19:13.220 --> 00:19:14.019
 to keep yourself

00:19:14.019 --> 00:19:16.220
 ceremonially clean.

00:19:16.519 --> 00:19:17.340
 And then what happens?

00:19:18.019 --> 00:19:19.440
 You still have to go

00:19:19.440 --> 00:19:20.779
 and offer sacrifices

00:19:20.779 --> 00:19:22.080
 to atone for your sins.

00:19:23.019 --> 00:19:24.360
 And over generations,

00:19:24.360 --> 00:19:25.860
 this is teaching God's people,

00:19:26.160 --> 00:19:27.620
 no matter how hard you try,

00:19:27.880 --> 00:19:29.140
 no matter how scrupulously

00:19:29.140 --> 00:19:30.220
 and meticulously

00:19:30.220 --> 00:19:31.500
 you keep these laws,

00:19:31.700 --> 00:19:32.580
 you will never,

00:19:32.580 --> 00:19:34.480
 ever, ever be clean.

00:19:35.480 --> 00:19:36.620
 So what's the point

00:19:36.620 --> 00:19:38.180
 of this entire system?

00:19:39.039 --> 00:19:40.299
 It's to teach them

00:19:40.299 --> 00:19:41.220
 and to prepare them

00:19:41.220 --> 00:19:41.960
 as a culture,

00:19:42.059 --> 00:19:42.740
 as a society,

00:19:42.880 --> 00:19:43.839
 to be ready

00:19:43.839 --> 00:19:45.360
 for the one sacrifice

00:19:45.360 --> 00:19:46.339
 that will actually

00:19:46.339 --> 00:19:47.220
 make them clean.

00:19:48.200 --> 00:19:49.099
 And if you want to read

00:19:49.099 --> 00:19:49.980
 in detail

00:19:49.980 --> 00:19:52.460
 how this all plays out,

00:19:52.519 --> 00:19:53.220
 read the book of Hebrews.

00:19:53.299 --> 00:19:53.900
 This is what Hebrews

00:19:53.900 --> 00:19:54.640
 is all about.

00:19:55.180 --> 00:19:55.900
 It's about how

00:19:55.900 --> 00:19:57.000
 the one sacrifice

00:19:57.000 --> 00:19:57.839
 that matters

00:19:57.839 --> 00:19:58.740
 is the sacrifice

00:19:58.740 --> 00:19:59.799
 of Jesus Christ

00:19:59.799 --> 00:20:01.700
 on the cross.

00:20:01.700 --> 00:20:02.940
 And so what we see

00:20:02.940 --> 00:20:03.500
 on the cross

00:20:03.500 --> 00:20:04.240
 is that there is

00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:05.720
 one true sacrifice

00:20:05.720 --> 00:20:06.360
 necessary

00:20:06.360 --> 00:20:07.759
 to cleanse us

00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:09.120
 from all sin.

00:20:10.480 --> 00:20:11.640
 So Paul's trying

00:20:11.640 --> 00:20:12.960
 to help the Judaizers

00:20:12.960 --> 00:20:13.759
 understand this,

00:20:13.860 --> 00:20:15.400
 that through Jesus Christ

00:20:15.400 --> 00:20:16.500
 we are given the spirit

00:20:16.500 --> 00:20:17.259
 to continue

00:20:17.259 --> 00:20:18.360
 to live out

00:20:18.360 --> 00:20:19.380
 the moral law.

00:20:19.779 --> 00:20:20.259
 God's law

00:20:20.259 --> 00:20:21.460
 is written on our hearts.

00:20:22.860 --> 00:20:25.000
 But also through Jesus Christ

00:20:25.000 --> 00:20:26.319
 the ceremonial law

00:20:26.319 --> 00:20:27.480
 is done away with.

00:20:28.120 --> 00:20:28.819
 It's irrelevant.

00:20:28.819 --> 00:20:31.859
 So we can eat shellfish.

00:20:32.019 --> 00:20:33.059
 We can eat pork.

00:20:33.720 --> 00:20:35.119
 And circumcision

00:20:35.119 --> 00:20:36.399
 means nothing.

00:20:37.419 --> 00:20:38.779
 And once they begin

00:20:38.779 --> 00:20:39.599
 to realize this

00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:40.439
 they begin to realize

00:20:40.439 --> 00:20:41.359
 how radically

00:20:41.359 --> 00:20:43.019
 transformative

00:20:43.019 --> 00:20:44.099
 the gospel is

00:20:44.099 --> 00:20:44.919
 in terms of

00:20:44.919 --> 00:20:46.000
 how they see

00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:46.960
 one another.

00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:47.899
 Because they realize

00:20:47.899 --> 00:20:49.679
 this Jew-Gentile

00:20:49.679 --> 00:20:50.240
 distinction

00:20:50.240 --> 00:20:52.240
 was 100%

00:20:52.240 --> 00:20:53.399
 a function

00:20:53.399 --> 00:20:54.439
 of the ceremonial law.

00:20:54.839 --> 00:20:56.579
 And once that ceremonial law

00:20:56.579 --> 00:20:57.379
 is fulfilled

00:20:57.380 --> 00:20:59.260
 there is no longer

00:20:59.260 --> 00:20:59.820
 any difference.

00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:00.840
 Right?

00:21:00.880 --> 00:21:01.940
 So you look across the aisle

00:21:01.940 --> 00:21:02.840
 at this hated enemy

00:21:02.840 --> 00:21:05.600
 and you realize

00:21:05.600 --> 00:21:07.360
 the wall has come down.

00:21:09.000 --> 00:21:09.520
 Right?

00:21:09.600 --> 00:21:11.240
 So these are the powerful words

00:21:11.240 --> 00:21:12.780
 that we see in verse 6

00:21:12.780 --> 00:21:13.560
 that say this

00:21:13.560 --> 00:21:15.980
 God shows no partiality.

00:21:16.820 --> 00:21:18.640
 God shows no partiality.

00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:20.980
 So whether people are Jew

00:21:20.980 --> 00:21:21.520
 or Greek

00:21:21.520 --> 00:21:22.280
 whether they're male

00:21:22.280 --> 00:21:22.720
 or female

00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:23.320
 whether they're

00:21:23.320 --> 00:21:24.560
 a slave or free

00:21:24.560 --> 00:21:25.560
 whether they're influential

00:21:25.560 --> 00:21:27.920
 or inconsequential

00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:29.040
 whether they are wealthy

00:21:29.040 --> 00:21:29.920
 or poor

00:21:29.920 --> 00:21:30.540
 whether they're

00:21:30.540 --> 00:21:31.420
 an insider

00:21:31.420 --> 00:21:32.180
 or an outsider

00:21:32.180 --> 00:21:33.420
 whether they're educated

00:21:33.420 --> 00:21:34.080
 or uneducated

00:21:34.080 --> 00:21:35.840
 God shows no partiality.

00:21:36.620 --> 00:21:37.680
 No partiality.

00:21:38.180 --> 00:21:40.060
 And this is the foundation

00:21:40.060 --> 00:21:41.460
 of the unity

00:21:41.460 --> 00:21:42.460
 that can exist

00:21:42.460 --> 00:21:43.200
 in God's family.

00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:45.259
 Coming to understand

00:21:45.259 --> 00:21:46.340
 that God shows

00:21:46.339 --> 00:21:48.519
 no partiality.

00:21:49.099 --> 00:21:50.659
 No partiality over race

00:21:50.659 --> 00:21:51.699
 over gender

00:21:51.699 --> 00:21:53.079
 over social standing

00:21:53.079 --> 00:21:54.500
 no partiality.

00:21:55.459 --> 00:21:56.720
 So the point

00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:58.459
 flows pretty naturally

00:21:58.459 --> 00:21:59.339
 from that idea

00:21:59.339 --> 00:22:01.220
 God shows no partiality

00:22:01.220 --> 00:22:01.959
 therefore

00:22:01.959 --> 00:22:03.899
 neither should we.

00:22:04.419 --> 00:22:04.539
 Right?

00:22:05.019 --> 00:22:05.799
 And yet

00:22:05.799 --> 00:22:07.659
 if you're anything like me

00:22:07.659 --> 00:22:08.500
 and you look at your own heart

00:22:08.500 --> 00:22:09.039
 you realize

00:22:09.039 --> 00:22:11.419
 showing no partiality

00:22:11.419 --> 00:22:12.500
 is a lot easier

00:22:12.500 --> 00:22:13.339
 said than done.

00:22:13.339 --> 00:22:14.679
 Right?

00:22:14.740 --> 00:22:15.799
 Because human beings

00:22:15.799 --> 00:22:18.079
 naturally show partiality.

00:22:18.339 --> 00:22:19.019
 I hope I'm not

00:22:19.019 --> 00:22:19.699
 the only one.

00:22:21.619 --> 00:22:23.000
 Do you show partiality?

00:22:23.379 --> 00:22:24.139
 Can you think of

00:22:24.139 --> 00:22:24.679
 any example

00:22:24.679 --> 00:22:25.179
 where you've ever

00:22:25.179 --> 00:22:26.139
 showed partiality?

00:22:27.099 --> 00:22:28.220
 Where you've preferred

00:22:28.220 --> 00:22:28.859
 certain people

00:22:28.859 --> 00:22:29.639
 over other people?

00:22:30.699 --> 00:22:32.139
 Even for reasons

00:22:32.139 --> 00:22:32.599
 that you don't

00:22:32.599 --> 00:22:33.259
 fully understand?

00:22:34.000 --> 00:22:34.199
 Right?

00:22:34.240 --> 00:22:34.859
 It turns out

00:22:34.859 --> 00:22:35.619
 that there's actually

00:22:35.619 --> 00:22:37.000
 an instinct in us

00:22:37.000 --> 00:22:37.819
 it's just an aspect

00:22:37.819 --> 00:22:38.619
 of human nature

00:22:38.619 --> 00:22:39.759
 but it's been measured

00:22:39.759 --> 00:22:41.039
 by a huge body

00:22:41.039 --> 00:22:41.919
 of social research.

00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:43.660
 There's a phenomenon

00:22:43.660 --> 00:22:44.279
 that exists

00:22:44.279 --> 00:22:45.539
 in every human society

00:22:45.539 --> 00:22:46.380
 called the in-group

00:22:46.380 --> 00:22:47.340
 out-group bias.

00:22:48.360 --> 00:22:48.500
 Right?

00:22:48.519 --> 00:22:48.980
 If you remember

00:22:48.980 --> 00:22:50.300
 your sociology classes

00:22:50.300 --> 00:22:50.900
 that you took

00:22:50.900 --> 00:22:52.180
 and people in the social sciences

00:22:52.180 --> 00:22:52.660
 you've probably

00:22:52.660 --> 00:22:53.480
 come across this.

00:22:53.779 --> 00:22:54.700
 Big body of research

00:22:54.700 --> 00:22:55.420
 showing that we are

00:22:55.420 --> 00:22:56.360
 hardwired

00:22:56.360 --> 00:22:58.560
 to give preferential treatment

00:22:58.560 --> 00:22:59.380
 to people

00:22:59.380 --> 00:23:00.400
 that we perceive

00:23:00.400 --> 00:23:01.759
 to be in our in-group

00:23:01.759 --> 00:23:03.200
 and to view

00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:03.920
 more negatively

00:23:03.920 --> 00:23:05.000
 people that we perceive

00:23:05.000 --> 00:23:06.360
 to be on the outside

00:23:06.360 --> 00:23:06.960
 of that group

00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:07.860
 in another group.

00:23:08.039 --> 00:23:08.140
 Right?

00:23:08.320 --> 00:23:09.580
 So the us-them thinking

00:23:09.580 --> 00:23:10.940
 is hardwired into us.

00:23:10.940 --> 00:23:12.700
 So research shows

00:23:12.700 --> 00:23:13.620
 that you can just take a

00:23:13.620 --> 00:23:14.420
 so we could take a group

00:23:14.420 --> 00:23:15.100
 of people like this

00:23:15.100 --> 00:23:16.200
 and I could go down the row

00:23:16.200 --> 00:23:16.880
 and each of you

00:23:16.880 --> 00:23:17.660
 I just flip a coin

00:23:17.660 --> 00:23:18.279
 heads or tails

00:23:18.279 --> 00:23:19.380
 and some of you

00:23:19.380 --> 00:23:20.240
 would be in the heads group

00:23:20.240 --> 00:23:21.100
 and others would be

00:23:21.100 --> 00:23:21.740
 in the tails group

00:23:21.740 --> 00:23:22.779
 and guess what happens?

00:23:23.059 --> 00:23:24.380
 These are intelligent

00:23:24.380 --> 00:23:25.120
 thoughtful

00:23:25.120 --> 00:23:25.960
 self-aware

00:23:25.960 --> 00:23:26.559
 mature

00:23:26.559 --> 00:23:27.400
 modern people.

00:23:28.440 --> 00:23:29.279
 What happens

00:23:29.279 --> 00:23:30.200
 very soon

00:23:30.200 --> 00:23:31.680
 is that

00:23:31.680 --> 00:23:32.660
 you began to

00:23:32.660 --> 00:23:33.380
 ascribe

00:23:33.380 --> 00:23:34.920
 more positive attributes

00:23:34.920 --> 00:23:36.200
 to your group.

00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:37.420
 Well heads people

00:23:37.420 --> 00:23:37.940
 are obviously

00:23:37.940 --> 00:23:38.700
 better dressers.

00:23:39.059 --> 00:23:39.259
 You know?

00:23:39.779 --> 00:23:40.259
 Heads people

00:23:40.259 --> 00:23:41.160
 obviously kind of

00:23:41.160 --> 00:23:41.640
 got their head

00:23:41.640 --> 00:23:42.099
 on their shoulders.

00:23:42.299 --> 00:23:42.400
 Right?

00:23:42.680 --> 00:23:43.160
 And then

00:23:43.160 --> 00:23:45.339
 more negative attributes

00:23:45.339 --> 00:23:46.700
 to the other group.

00:23:46.879 --> 00:23:47.859
 And it happens again

00:23:47.859 --> 00:23:48.319
 and again

00:23:48.319 --> 00:23:48.720
 and again

00:23:48.720 --> 00:23:49.839
 and it's not rational.

00:23:50.859 --> 00:23:51.759
 It's a kind of

00:23:51.759 --> 00:23:52.759
 primal wiring

00:23:52.759 --> 00:23:54.180
 that is just in us

00:23:54.180 --> 00:23:54.900
 in our DNA.

00:23:55.279 --> 00:23:55.559
 Right?

00:23:55.819 --> 00:23:56.819
 So there's a lot of theories

00:23:56.819 --> 00:23:57.759
 about why it happens

00:23:57.759 --> 00:23:58.359
 but our focus

00:23:58.359 --> 00:23:59.019
 is simply the fact

00:23:59.019 --> 00:24:00.500
 that it does happen.

00:24:01.220 --> 00:24:02.440
 And so it didn't take long

00:24:02.440 --> 00:24:03.019
 for the Jews

00:24:03.019 --> 00:24:03.559
 to develop

00:24:03.559 --> 00:24:05.039
 very negative attitudes

00:24:05.039 --> 00:24:06.000
 toward anyone

00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:07.259
 who was not circumcised.

00:24:07.379 --> 00:24:07.559
 Right?

00:24:07.559 --> 00:24:09.819
 They weren't just Gentiles

00:24:09.819 --> 00:24:11.379
 they were unclean

00:24:11.379 --> 00:24:12.559
 Gentile dogs.

00:24:14.839 --> 00:24:15.819
 And I don't have to

00:24:15.819 --> 00:24:16.500
 make the case to you

00:24:16.500 --> 00:24:17.299
 for the negative attitudes

00:24:17.299 --> 00:24:18.079
 that have been developed

00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:18.980
 towards Jews

00:24:18.980 --> 00:24:20.779
 over the centuries.

00:24:21.179 --> 00:24:22.019
 It works both ways.

00:24:22.379 --> 00:24:23.200
 But we see this

00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:23.819
 everywhere today.

00:24:24.019 --> 00:24:25.279
 Think about sports rivalries.

00:24:26.399 --> 00:24:26.599
 Right?

00:24:26.759 --> 00:24:27.179
 I mean

00:24:27.179 --> 00:24:28.179
 I know very little

00:24:28.179 --> 00:24:28.940
 about sports

00:24:28.940 --> 00:24:29.720
 but I

00:24:29.720 --> 00:24:32.099
 but I know

00:24:32.099 --> 00:24:33.039
 that violence

00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:34.139
 among fans

00:24:34.139 --> 00:24:35.059
 in college

00:24:35.059 --> 00:24:35.819
 and professional sports

00:24:35.819 --> 00:24:37.599
 is a huge ongoing issue.

00:24:38.079 --> 00:24:38.200
 Right?

00:24:38.299 --> 00:24:38.639
 People are

00:24:38.639 --> 00:24:39.539
 people are literally

00:24:39.539 --> 00:24:40.700
 trying to kill each other

00:24:40.700 --> 00:24:42.220
 because of sports rivalries.

00:24:42.399 --> 00:24:42.539
 Right?

00:24:42.679 --> 00:24:43.879
 Think about politics.

00:24:45.000 --> 00:24:46.319
 Think about the hatred

00:24:46.319 --> 00:24:47.539
 that exists

00:24:47.539 --> 00:24:48.639
 across the aisle.

00:24:49.339 --> 00:24:50.259
 The hatred.

00:24:50.839 --> 00:24:51.480
 The vitriol.

00:24:52.460 --> 00:24:52.579
 Right?

00:24:52.759 --> 00:24:53.759
 Think about racism.

00:24:54.359 --> 00:24:54.559
 Right?

00:24:54.599 --> 00:24:55.319
 Now that's a highly

00:24:55.319 --> 00:24:56.399
 complicated issue

00:24:56.399 --> 00:24:57.339
 especially in our country.

00:24:57.619 --> 00:24:59.339
 But a part of this

00:24:59.339 --> 00:25:01.159
 is driven by that

00:25:01.159 --> 00:25:02.220
 in-group, out-group bias.

00:25:02.339 --> 00:25:03.200
 I prefer people

00:25:03.200 --> 00:25:04.039
 who look like me

00:25:04.039 --> 00:25:04.899
 who are culturally

00:25:04.899 --> 00:25:05.659
 similar to me

00:25:05.660 --> 00:25:06.440
 over people

00:25:06.440 --> 00:25:06.960
 who are different.

00:25:07.680 --> 00:25:09.100
 It's hardwired into me.

00:25:09.820 --> 00:25:10.000
 Right?

00:25:11.380 --> 00:25:12.000
 And no matter

00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:13.180
 how much awareness I get

00:25:13.180 --> 00:25:13.700
 no matter how much

00:25:13.700 --> 00:25:14.540
 education I get

00:25:14.540 --> 00:25:15.740
 there's this innate

00:25:15.740 --> 00:25:16.779
 tendency in me

00:25:16.779 --> 00:25:18.480
 toward that preference.

00:25:19.540 --> 00:25:19.940
 Right?

00:25:19.980 --> 00:25:20.820
 We see it in the church.

00:25:21.080 --> 00:25:21.779
 We see it in

00:25:21.779 --> 00:25:23.180
 between denominations.

00:25:24.200 --> 00:25:24.600
 Right?

00:25:24.740 --> 00:25:25.200
 Lots of

00:25:25.200 --> 00:25:26.720
 mistrust and hatred

00:25:26.720 --> 00:25:27.759
 between denominations.

00:25:27.960 --> 00:25:28.640
 We see it

00:25:28.640 --> 00:25:29.420
 within the church

00:25:29.420 --> 00:25:30.420
 in terms of age.

00:25:31.180 --> 00:25:31.320
 Right?

00:25:31.540 --> 00:25:32.220
 Younger people

00:25:32.220 --> 00:25:33.240
 versus older people.

00:25:33.840 --> 00:25:34.040
 Right?

00:25:34.060 --> 00:25:34.840
 And each group thinking

00:25:34.839 --> 00:25:35.339
 the others

00:25:35.339 --> 00:25:36.339
 just totally missing it.

00:25:37.119 --> 00:25:37.259
 Yeah.

00:25:37.399 --> 00:25:37.919
 You see it

00:25:37.919 --> 00:25:39.059
 and this is true

00:25:39.059 --> 00:25:39.720
 in churches

00:25:39.720 --> 00:25:40.220
 where there are

00:25:40.220 --> 00:25:40.759
 older people.

00:25:40.859 --> 00:25:41.259
 I promise.

00:25:42.379 --> 00:25:43.959
 It is true.

00:25:45.299 --> 00:25:46.199
 There are people

00:25:46.199 --> 00:25:48.099
 who are in smaller churches

00:25:48.099 --> 00:25:50.039
 who over-spiritualize

00:25:50.039 --> 00:25:50.679
 small church

00:25:50.679 --> 00:25:51.679
 and they say

00:25:51.679 --> 00:25:52.079
 well anybody

00:25:52.079 --> 00:25:52.919
 in a mega church

00:25:52.919 --> 00:25:53.759
 they're just missing it.

00:25:54.119 --> 00:25:55.059
 They've sold out.

00:25:55.119 --> 00:25:55.699
 They're corporate.

00:25:56.220 --> 00:25:56.399
 You know

00:25:56.399 --> 00:25:57.399
 they don't get it.

00:25:57.779 --> 00:25:57.939
 Right?

00:25:58.059 --> 00:25:58.819
 And then there are people

00:25:58.819 --> 00:25:59.819
 who are in larger churches

00:25:59.819 --> 00:26:01.199
 who over-spiritualize

00:26:01.199 --> 00:26:01.959
 being in a large church

00:26:01.960 --> 00:26:02.840
 and why wouldn't anybody

00:26:02.840 --> 00:26:04.240
 want thousands

00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:05.140
 of people in their church

00:26:05.140 --> 00:26:06.240
 and why would you

00:26:06.240 --> 00:26:07.299
 settle for a little church

00:26:07.299 --> 00:26:08.480
 that can't operate

00:26:08.480 --> 00:26:09.180
 their sound system

00:26:09.180 --> 00:26:09.819
 when you could actually

00:26:09.819 --> 00:26:10.740
 come to a really nice

00:26:10.740 --> 00:26:11.360
 big church

00:26:11.360 --> 00:26:12.960
 and get all of these

00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:13.740
 amazing services.

00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:14.440
 You know?

00:26:14.840 --> 00:26:15.779
 And so both

00:26:15.779 --> 00:26:16.400
 sort of you look

00:26:16.400 --> 00:26:16.759
 at each other

00:26:16.759 --> 00:26:17.120
 and you say

00:26:17.120 --> 00:26:20.720
 no way!

00:26:22.960 --> 00:26:23.980
 Did that just happen?

00:26:25.640 --> 00:26:26.680
 Are you messing with me?

00:26:26.680 --> 00:26:29.539
 That's awesome.

00:26:32.460 --> 00:26:33.259
 The sound guy

00:26:33.259 --> 00:26:34.060
 has power.

00:26:36.019 --> 00:26:37.140
 Don't ever forget that.

00:26:40.880 --> 00:26:42.440
 So there's these tensions

00:26:42.440 --> 00:26:43.120
 that exist.

00:26:43.220 --> 00:26:43.759
 Where was I?

00:26:43.779 --> 00:26:44.160
 I have no idea.

00:26:46.060 --> 00:26:47.299
 So differences

00:26:47.299 --> 00:26:48.640
 between liturgical

00:26:48.640 --> 00:26:49.940
 and non-liturgical.

00:26:50.240 --> 00:26:50.299
 Right?

00:26:50.400 --> 00:26:51.100
 There are the people

00:26:51.100 --> 00:26:52.279
 hugely spiritualize

00:26:52.279 --> 00:26:53.560
 liturgical worship.

00:26:53.840 --> 00:26:54.019
 Right?

00:26:54.100 --> 00:26:55.580
 And if you're not liturgical

00:26:55.579 --> 00:26:57.179
 or if you're less liturgical

00:26:57.179 --> 00:26:57.839
 right?

00:26:57.859 --> 00:26:58.579
 There's a sense that

00:26:58.579 --> 00:26:59.879
 well you're just sort of

00:26:59.879 --> 00:27:00.220
 you know

00:27:00.220 --> 00:27:01.079
 you're kind of a junior

00:27:01.079 --> 00:27:01.759
 you don't really

00:27:01.759 --> 00:27:02.519
 take this seriously

00:27:02.519 --> 00:27:03.000
 you know

00:27:03.000 --> 00:27:04.199
 you can graduate to our

00:27:04.199 --> 00:27:05.019
 and then there are people

00:27:05.019 --> 00:27:06.139
 who say the opposite.

00:27:06.359 --> 00:27:06.460
 Right?

00:27:06.539 --> 00:27:07.439
 I can't believe people

00:27:07.439 --> 00:27:08.399
 who need a liturgy.

00:27:08.539 --> 00:27:09.399
 We just want to

00:27:09.399 --> 00:27:11.339
 worship God authentically.

00:27:11.480 --> 00:27:11.619
 Right?

00:27:11.639 --> 00:27:12.619
 As an expression of our hearts

00:27:12.619 --> 00:27:13.399
 we don't need a script

00:27:13.399 --> 00:27:13.839
 for that.

00:27:13.839 --> 00:27:14.119
 You know?

00:27:14.359 --> 00:27:14.819
 And so there's

00:27:14.819 --> 00:27:16.159
 all of these ways

00:27:16.159 --> 00:27:17.659
 that we see this

00:27:17.659 --> 00:27:18.559
 in-group out-group

00:27:18.559 --> 00:27:19.639
 preferential treatment

00:27:19.639 --> 00:27:20.279
 happening.

00:27:20.439 --> 00:27:20.639
 Right?

00:27:21.000 --> 00:27:22.179
 Let's get a little more personal.

00:27:22.279 --> 00:27:23.599
 We see this in our own church.

00:27:25.579 --> 00:27:26.599
 Church of the Advent.

00:27:26.879 --> 00:27:27.679
 Yes, this church.

00:27:28.579 --> 00:27:30.139
 We see it between the parishes.

00:27:31.159 --> 00:27:31.759
 Right?

00:27:32.579 --> 00:27:34.039
 I hear this all the time.

00:27:34.819 --> 00:27:34.980
 You know

00:27:34.980 --> 00:27:36.439
 it ranges from light joking

00:27:36.439 --> 00:27:38.359
 to sometimes outright contempt

00:27:38.359 --> 00:27:39.879
 between the parishes.

00:27:40.539 --> 00:27:41.859
 We see it between people

00:27:41.859 --> 00:27:42.659
 who live in Northwest

00:27:42.659 --> 00:27:44.039
 and people who live in Northeast.

00:27:45.159 --> 00:27:45.399
 You know

00:27:45.399 --> 00:27:46.000
 this is weird

00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:47.539
 arbitrary line in D.C.

00:27:47.839 --> 00:27:48.419
 North Capital

00:27:48.419 --> 00:27:50.019
 and somehow

00:27:50.019 --> 00:27:51.419
 that has deeply divided people.

00:27:51.859 --> 00:27:52.240
 You know

00:27:52.240 --> 00:27:53.880
 in terms of perceived value

00:27:53.880 --> 00:27:54.960
 worth

00:27:54.960 --> 00:27:56.299
 you know

00:27:56.299 --> 00:27:56.740
 whatever.

00:27:57.220 --> 00:27:58.460
 We see it between moms

00:27:58.460 --> 00:27:59.579
 who work full time

00:27:59.579 --> 00:28:00.759
 and moms who stay at home

00:28:00.759 --> 00:28:02.279
 with their kids.

00:28:03.400 --> 00:28:04.599
 I would say dads

00:28:04.599 --> 00:28:05.420
 but I see it primarily

00:28:05.420 --> 00:28:06.099
 in moms

00:28:06.099 --> 00:28:06.620
 because that's mostly

00:28:06.620 --> 00:28:07.180
 what we have.

00:28:09.339 --> 00:28:10.180
 We see it

00:28:10.180 --> 00:28:11.440
 between unmarried people

00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:12.140
 and married people.

00:28:13.779 --> 00:28:14.640
 We see it between

00:28:14.640 --> 00:28:15.579
 people who have kids

00:28:15.579 --> 00:28:16.640
 and people who don't have kids.

00:28:17.880 --> 00:28:19.319
 Along all of these lines

00:28:19.319 --> 00:28:21.200
 I have personally heard

00:28:21.200 --> 00:28:23.460
 and been a part of

00:28:23.460 --> 00:28:24.200
 in some way

00:28:24.200 --> 00:28:26.000
 in group out

00:28:26.000 --> 00:28:26.539
 group bias

00:28:26.539 --> 00:28:27.679
 in our church.

00:28:28.200 --> 00:28:28.899
 And it's heartbreaking

00:28:28.899 --> 00:28:29.859
 every time we see it.

00:28:30.259 --> 00:28:30.339
 Right?

00:28:30.819 --> 00:28:31.899
 And so verse 6

00:28:31.899 --> 00:28:33.379
 hits us like a missile

00:28:33.379 --> 00:28:33.980
 to the heart.

00:28:34.099 --> 00:28:34.319
 It says

00:28:34.319 --> 00:28:36.299
 God shows no partiality.

00:28:36.500 --> 00:28:36.599
 Right?

00:28:36.740 --> 00:28:37.679
 God doesn't give a rip

00:28:37.679 --> 00:28:38.279
 about your race.

00:28:38.519 --> 00:28:39.200
 God doesn't give a rip

00:28:39.200 --> 00:28:40.200
 about North Capitol Street.

00:28:41.799 --> 00:28:42.240
 Right?

00:28:42.480 --> 00:28:43.819
 You don't stop being

00:28:43.819 --> 00:28:44.960
 white or black

00:28:44.960 --> 00:28:45.599
 or conservative

00:28:45.599 --> 00:28:46.339
 or liberal

00:28:46.339 --> 00:28:47.259
 or living in Brooklyn

00:28:47.259 --> 00:28:48.439
 or living in Columbia Heights.

00:28:48.440 --> 00:28:50.000
 You don't stop these things.

00:28:50.220 --> 00:28:51.120
 You don't stop working

00:28:51.120 --> 00:28:52.080
 full time necessarily

00:28:52.080 --> 00:28:53.440
 or stop being

00:28:53.440 --> 00:28:54.320
 a stay at home parent.

00:28:54.759 --> 00:28:55.519
 But what happens

00:28:55.519 --> 00:28:56.460
 to all of these identities

00:28:56.460 --> 00:28:57.940
 is they're subsumed

00:28:57.940 --> 00:29:00.000
 into this larger

00:29:00.000 --> 00:29:00.880
 greater

00:29:00.880 --> 00:29:02.539
 overarching identity.

00:29:03.720 --> 00:29:04.759
 They're subsumed

00:29:04.759 --> 00:29:05.400
 into the truth

00:29:05.400 --> 00:29:06.320
 that in Christ

00:29:06.320 --> 00:29:07.519
 you become a member

00:29:07.519 --> 00:29:08.600
 of God's family.

00:29:09.380 --> 00:29:10.720
 Which means you're a child

00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:11.580
 in God's household.

00:29:12.360 --> 00:29:13.559
 Which means when God

00:29:13.559 --> 00:29:15.059
 looks at every single person

00:29:15.059 --> 00:29:15.799
 in his household

00:29:15.799 --> 00:29:17.620
 he shows no partiality.

00:29:18.439 --> 00:29:18.539
 Right?

00:29:18.579 --> 00:29:20.000
 He loves and blesses

00:29:20.000 --> 00:29:20.859
 all of his children

00:29:20.859 --> 00:29:21.679
 as he does

00:29:21.679 --> 00:29:22.939
 his son Jesus Christ.

00:29:24.839 --> 00:29:26.599
 So with all of the focus

00:29:26.599 --> 00:29:27.699
 in our culture

00:29:27.699 --> 00:29:28.539
 it's interesting

00:29:28.539 --> 00:29:30.199
 all of the focus

00:29:30.199 --> 00:29:30.799
 in our culture now

00:29:30.799 --> 00:29:31.679
 more than when I was

00:29:31.679 --> 00:29:32.739
 growing up by far.

00:29:33.339 --> 00:29:33.759
 You know for the last

00:29:33.759 --> 00:29:34.419
 several decades

00:29:34.419 --> 00:29:35.079
 since civil rights

00:29:35.079 --> 00:29:36.000
 there's been an increasing

00:29:36.000 --> 00:29:37.299
 strong push

00:29:37.299 --> 00:29:38.919
 toward values

00:29:38.919 --> 00:29:40.619
 like understanding

00:29:40.619 --> 00:29:41.719
 the value of your own

00:29:41.719 --> 00:29:42.279
 identity

00:29:42.279 --> 00:29:43.319
 relative to other

00:29:43.319 --> 00:29:44.059
 culture groups

00:29:44.059 --> 00:29:45.559
 the increase

00:29:45.559 --> 00:29:46.200
 in the focus

00:29:46.200 --> 00:29:47.399
 on multiculturalism

00:29:47.399 --> 00:29:47.980
 the increase

00:29:47.980 --> 00:29:48.500
 in the focus

00:29:48.500 --> 00:29:49.299
 on inclusion

00:29:49.299 --> 00:29:50.440
 and tolerance

00:29:50.440 --> 00:29:51.259
 and all of these things

00:29:51.259 --> 00:29:53.039
 have just steadily increased

00:29:53.039 --> 00:29:54.399
 and along with these

00:29:54.399 --> 00:29:55.220
 the focus on

00:29:55.220 --> 00:29:56.119
 raising awareness

00:29:56.119 --> 00:29:56.980
 the focus on

00:29:56.980 --> 00:29:58.279
 changing legislation

00:29:58.279 --> 00:29:59.339
 the focus on

00:29:59.339 --> 00:30:00.839
 creating enough

00:30:00.839 --> 00:30:02.139
 social pressure

00:30:02.139 --> 00:30:03.960
 so that we can actually

00:30:03.960 --> 00:30:04.879
 bring about change

00:30:04.879 --> 00:30:05.799
 and establish a more

00:30:05.799 --> 00:30:06.259
 equal

00:30:06.259 --> 00:30:07.720
 just inclusive society.

00:30:07.879 --> 00:30:08.659
 This has been the dialogue

00:30:08.659 --> 00:30:10.559
 for all my 41 years

00:30:10.559 --> 00:30:11.759
 of life

00:30:11.759 --> 00:30:13.480
 this has steadily increased

00:30:13.480 --> 00:30:15.180
 and yet the fascinating

00:30:15.180 --> 00:30:15.640
 thing is

00:30:15.640 --> 00:30:16.519
 whatever good

00:30:16.519 --> 00:30:17.200
 that has done

00:30:17.200 --> 00:30:17.740
 and I do think

00:30:17.740 --> 00:30:18.500
 it's done some good

00:30:18.500 --> 00:30:20.879
 it has also done what?

00:30:21.099 --> 00:30:21.940
 In my opinion

00:30:21.940 --> 00:30:24.059
 it's done what

00:30:24.059 --> 00:30:25.460
 every form of legalism

00:30:25.460 --> 00:30:26.440
 ultimately does

00:30:26.440 --> 00:30:27.379
 it's actually

00:30:27.379 --> 00:30:28.319
 hardened hearts

00:30:28.319 --> 00:30:30.099
 and I look at

00:30:30.099 --> 00:30:31.200
 I look at society now

00:30:31.200 --> 00:30:33.279
 and it feels more divided

00:30:33.279 --> 00:30:35.379
 on all these lines

00:30:35.379 --> 00:30:37.759
 and we realize

00:30:37.759 --> 00:30:39.000
 that whenever you try

00:30:39.000 --> 00:30:40.019
 to use social pressure

00:30:40.019 --> 00:30:40.879
 and shame

00:30:40.880 --> 00:30:42.760
 to change behavior

00:30:42.760 --> 00:30:43.400
 you're ultimately

00:30:43.400 --> 00:30:44.900
 taking an outside-in approach

00:30:44.900 --> 00:30:46.460
 and that hardens hearts

00:30:46.460 --> 00:30:47.740
 right?

00:30:47.840 --> 00:30:49.260
 So there's value in it

00:30:49.260 --> 00:30:51.280
 but this is not going to

00:30:51.280 --> 00:30:52.120
 get us all the way there

00:30:52.120 --> 00:30:52.860
 right?

00:30:52.920 --> 00:30:53.660
 The only thing

00:30:53.660 --> 00:30:54.340
 that's going to

00:30:54.340 --> 00:30:55.960
 truly unify

00:30:55.960 --> 00:30:57.140
 human beings

00:30:57.140 --> 00:30:57.780
 who have this

00:30:57.780 --> 00:30:58.840
 innate hard wiring

00:30:58.840 --> 00:30:59.420
 of bias

00:30:59.420 --> 00:31:01.100
 is an inside-out

00:31:01.100 --> 00:31:01.760
 transformation

00:31:01.760 --> 00:31:03.340
 right?

00:31:03.360 --> 00:31:04.500
 So there's only one gospel

00:31:04.500 --> 00:31:05.720
 that can make one family

00:31:05.720 --> 00:31:06.540
 out of all people

00:31:06.540 --> 00:31:07.400
 and when your identity

00:31:07.400 --> 00:31:08.520
 is in Christ alone

00:31:08.519 --> 00:31:10.700
 Jesus plus nothing

00:31:10.700 --> 00:31:11.500
 right?

00:31:11.599 --> 00:31:12.180
 Jesus plus

00:31:12.180 --> 00:31:13.639
 no other marker

00:31:13.639 --> 00:31:14.839
 Jesus plus nothing

00:31:14.839 --> 00:31:16.460
 then all of the dividing

00:31:16.460 --> 00:31:17.440
 walls between you

00:31:17.440 --> 00:31:18.220
 and other believers

00:31:18.220 --> 00:31:19.299
 start to come

00:31:19.299 --> 00:31:20.119
 crashing down

00:31:20.119 --> 00:31:21.680
 and that's the only way

00:31:21.680 --> 00:31:22.660
 to begin to eradicate

00:31:22.660 --> 00:31:23.259
 that in-group

00:31:23.259 --> 00:31:23.980
 out-group bias

00:31:23.980 --> 00:31:24.940
 when I can look at you

00:31:24.940 --> 00:31:25.619
 and say

00:31:25.619 --> 00:31:26.379
 this is my brother

00:31:26.379 --> 00:31:27.700
 this is my sister

00:31:27.700 --> 00:31:28.519
 because we have

00:31:28.519 --> 00:31:29.160
 the same father

00:31:29.160 --> 00:31:31.799
 and that's how I believe

00:31:31.799 --> 00:31:33.799
 we as a community

00:31:33.799 --> 00:31:34.539
 can genuinely

00:31:34.539 --> 00:31:35.460
 begin to move

00:31:35.460 --> 00:31:36.079
 in the direction

00:31:36.079 --> 00:31:36.659
 of becoming

00:31:36.659 --> 00:31:37.480
 the kind of family

00:31:37.480 --> 00:31:38.339
 that God intends

00:31:38.339 --> 00:31:39.679
 a family in which

00:31:39.679 --> 00:31:41.099
 there is no partiality

00:31:41.099 --> 00:31:42.319
 let's pray