WEBVTT

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 The reading is from Malachi 2.17-3.15.

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 The reading is from Malachi 2.17-17.

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 As in the days of old and as in former years.

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 Then I will draw near to you for judgment.

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 I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely,

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 against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless,

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 against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.

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 For I, the Lord, do not change.

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 Therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.

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 From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them.

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 Return to me and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts.

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 But you say, how shall we return?

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 Will man rob God?

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 Yet you are robbing me.

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 But you say, how have we robbed you?

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 In the tithes and contributions.

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 You are cursed with a curse.

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 For you are robbing me, the whole nation of you.

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 Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house.

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 And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts.

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 If I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need,

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 I will rebuke the devourer for you, so that it will not destroy the fruits of your soil,

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 and your vine in the field shall not fail to bear, says the Lord of hosts.

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 Then all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a land of delight, says the Lord of hosts.

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 Your words have been hard against me, says the Lord.

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 But you say, how have we spoken against you?

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 You have said, it is vain to serve God.

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 What is the profit of our keeping his charge or of walking as in mourning before the Lord of hosts?

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 And now we call the arrogant blessed.

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 Evil doers not only prosper, but they put God to the test and they escape.

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 Well, good morning, everyone.

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 The ranks certainly are thinned when you come up and stand and look out this way.

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 The concept of justice.

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 It's always been important to people.

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 Whether we're thinking about justice in our own little family unit,

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 or thinking about justice in our global village.

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 People long for justice.

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 People easily recognize acts of injustice or lack of justice.

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 And they brand the worst of those as evil.

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 And rightly so.

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 But currently in our society,

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 the longing for justice has become distorted.

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 Even malicious.

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 We see that maliciousness in what we call the social media phenomenon of moral outrage.

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 And it's got a twin that goes with it.

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 Cancer culture.

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 Cancer culture, rather.

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 Cancer culture writes people off completely and viciously.

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 Writes anyone who's not totally for us off.

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 Moral outrage is expressed as a longing for justice in pretty well everywhere in our society.

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 We've got a clamor for wages justice.

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 Legal justice.

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 Family justice.

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 Workplace justice.

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 Racial justice.

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 Even climate justice now.

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 But the thing about it is that almost always when we see and hear moral outrage and longing for justice,

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 it's distorted and driven by mixed emotions.

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 For example, we can demand justice, but in part, we're secretly hoping for revenge.

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 That is, we want the person who has wronged us to suffer as we have suffered.

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 And we, at times, aggressively demand justice,

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 but in part, we're also covering our own sense of guilt.

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 And the way that works is that we feel better about ourselves when we rant most about the failures of others.

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 In other words, we cancel others, thereby putting ourselves in the right,

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 and even in our minds, putting ourselves beyond challenge.

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 Moral outrage, I have to tell you, is not new.

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 It might feel new in our society, but it's not new.

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 I would suggest to you that in Malachi's time, God's people were expert in the cult of moral outrage.

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 That is, in chapter 1, we see God declared his unfailing love for his people.

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 God cited evidence for proof beyond doubt of his total commitment to blessing them.

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 And how do God's people respond?

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 Well, instead of owning their own failure to live in the light of God's love,

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 what do God's people do?

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 Well, they ease their guilt by responding in moral outrage.

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 That is, they blame God for everything that's wrong.

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 Everything they think is wrong, everything that is actually wrong,

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 has got to be down to God.

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 And thereby, they find themselves able to ignore the sin in their own hearts.

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 Well, through Malachi, God examines their words.

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 And we have this conversation, as it were, between God and his people.

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 And God alternates in the conversation between addressing the nation as a whole.

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 And when he addresses the nation as a whole, it's a big picture.

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 That is, it reveals how God's people as a whole thought about the Lord and responded to him generally.

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 And then, at times, the Lord zooms in and focuses on the priests.

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 And that is a zoom-in picture revealing how people thought about their sin in respect to God.

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 How they balanced their sin against God's holy character or God's holy name.

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 How they thought about the basis of relationship with the Lord.

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 And the impact of sin on that relationship.

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 And so, constantly, we're going from the big picture to the small zoom-in picture.

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 As God examines their word.

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 As God examines and gets behind their moral outrage.

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 And the tension, as we come into chapter 2, verse 17 this morning, is almost unbearable.

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 Because there's just this constant diatribe of character assassinating words.

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 Rubbish words.

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 Delivered and fired at God by his people.

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 And if you're looking at the outline, you'll see I've said that.

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 That was a bracketed thing.

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 So, we're looking at 2, 17 first.

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 And then, we'll look at chapter 3, verses 13, 14, and 15.

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 Chapter 2, verse 17.

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 You have wearied the Lord.

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 That is, you become really annoying and tiresome.

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 Says the Lord.

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 You've just been bombarding me with this constant stream of rubbish words.

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 Things that are patently untrue.

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 You just keep spewing them out.

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 And those words were more than just words.

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 They actually mocked God's character.

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 They were suggesting he was a fraud.

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 You say, how have we wearied you?

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 By saying, everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord.

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 Now, that is a big call to take up to the Lord, isn't it?

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 He delights in evil.

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 Or by asking, where is the God of justice?

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 God makes a big thing of justice.

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 But in the end, they're saying, God's not really interested in justice at all.

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 The same accusation is in chapter 3, verses 14 and 15.

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 And that brackets this whole section.

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 I'll come back in a minute and tell you why I think it's a bracket.

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 And what the power of the brackets are when we look at the intervening bit.

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 Again, in verse 14 and 15.

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 The Lord says, your words have been harsh.

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 But you say, how have we been harsh?

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 You have said, it is vain to serve God.

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 What is the profit of our keeping his charge or walking as in mourning?

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 That is, showing remorse for our sins.

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 And now we call the arrogant list.

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 Evil doers not only prosper, but they put God to the test and they escape.

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 And we'll notice that word, the test.

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 We'll come back to that in a minute as well.

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 Now, this is outrageous because arrogantly, God's people are essentially demanding,

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 God, you need to get your act together because currently, we're telling you,

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 it is not worthwhile our serving you.

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 We're doing all the right things by you, but we're not getting any benefit.

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 On the contrary, nations ignore you and they're thriving.

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 And God challenges us people.

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 And again, they manage to sound hurt and surprised, self-defensive.

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 Which of our words could possibly be tedious and tiresome and hurtful or harsh and accusatory?

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 It beggars belief that they can claim that innocence before the Lord.

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 And yet they do.

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 My friends, I would suggest to you that's moral outrage in full flight.

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 Angry at God.

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 Wanting to make him pay for failures to give them the good life of blessing and prosperity.

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 They believed they were entitled to.

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 And the truth is that they were covering something in their hearts because in their hearts,

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 they'd shown themselves actually to be more jealous of the lifestyle of surrounding nations

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 than horrified by it.

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 Moral outrage directed at God and the sin of the nations

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 allowed them to avoid the awful sin in their own hearts.

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 And so when they thought about God's justice, they thought about something out there

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 that God needed to do to people out there.

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 God should take down the nations and deliver us what we want and are entitled to.

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 A rather distorted concept of justice and judgment.

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 But then in sharp contrast, and we'll move into chapter 3 verses 1 to 12 now,

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 in between those two outrageous brackets, once again we have proof of God's steadfast love

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 for his people.

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 As we hear, God's, the Lord's healing words to his rubbish people.

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 Now I put that in inverted commas, so if you trip over that, just ignore it.

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 It might be too outrageous.

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 But I just wanted to play on the idea of rubbish.

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 Rubbish words to God.

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 And in actual fact, the real issue was that his people were being rubbish before God.

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 God's response to his people in the accusations is immediate.

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 Chapter 3 verse 1.

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 It's immediate, but it's somewhat lost in our English translation.

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 So chapter 3 verse 1 should begin,

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 Behold me.

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 Or, here I am.

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 So the accusation has been, where is the God of justice?

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 And immediately God fires back,

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 Behold me.

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 Here I am.

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 And it's got a numinous feel to it, hasn't it, in response.

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 Be careful what you ask for.

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 Here I am.

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 Now, God has already made clear, back in chapter 1 verse 14 and chapter 1 verse 11,

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 He's already made clear that he is a great king,

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 and he will act to be seen to be a great king throughout the world.

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 And now, he says, you're going to see my greatness, and feel my greatness,

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 and experience my greatness,

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 my holy character, my holiness, my justice,

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 because I am already planning to intervene.

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 I have always been concerned for justice,

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 and I intend now, even now as you call me out for being,

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 accusing me of being disinterested in justice,

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 I am planning on intervening to deliver the justice you demand.

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 And I think just in passing,

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 I think that of itself would say to God's people,

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 Now listen, that of itself,

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 if you just stopped and considered who I am,

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 that of itself would expose the emptiness of your moral outrage.

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 And the Lord continues to say,

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 Well, you've asked for my justice,

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 but I'm here to tell you

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 that my justice will be very painful,

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 and it will begin at home

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 with the sin of my own people.

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 The Lord's saying,

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 My justice will be very, very different

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 to what you guys expect

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 and demand.

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 You'll not like it

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 because

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 it will expose your horrible injustice.

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 So there's the play again, you see.

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 They question God's justice,

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 and God immediately turns the table

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 and says,

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 Well, actually,

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 I'm about to come to you guys,

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 and we'll have a look and see

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 some of your commitment to justice

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 in respect to responding to me.

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 See, God's people had come to think of God's justice

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 as a great future judgment event out there.

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 It would be directed at the nations around about Israel,

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 and to use modern parlance,

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 familiar in American politics,

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 the result of it would be

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 to make Israel great again.

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 So judgment was something

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 that was out there.

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 But the Lord corrects their thinking.

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 God's justice

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 will be experienced by God's people

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 as well as the nations.

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 And indeed,

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 the Lord is saying here in chapter 3,

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 verses 1 and 2,

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 that it's already happening in part

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 through the words of my messenger,

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 Malachi.

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 Malachi.

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 In a sense,

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 God's saying,

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 Malachi is an early warning sign,

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 an early warning system,

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 saying that I am concerned about justice,

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 and I will come,

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 and I will deal seriously

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 with the sin of my people

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 in a just,

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 judgmental way.

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 But then notice,

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 ducting in verses 3,

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 1 and 2,

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 we start to see something

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 that will come out

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 in the subsequent verses

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 that says something else

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 is happening here as well.

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 Because it says,

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 Behold,

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 I send my messenger.

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 That's how Malachi

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 was introduced.

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 Behold,

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 I send my messenger,

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 and he will prepare

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 the way before me.

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 And the Lord whom you seek

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 will suddenly come

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 to his temple,

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 and then the messenger

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 of the covenant

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 in whom you delight.

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 Behold,

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 he is coming,

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 says the Lord of hosts.

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 It seems that there are

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 two different messengers.

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 One called my messenger,

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 which probably refers

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 to Malachi.

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 Then we've got to ask,

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 well,

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 who is the messenger?

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 The fact that this person

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 is called the messenger

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 suggests it's a future

00:18:07.720 --> 00:18:09.140
 and final messenger,

00:18:09.700 --> 00:18:11.180
 the greatest messenger,

00:18:11.339 --> 00:18:11.539
 perhaps,

00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:12.359
 of God's judgment.

00:18:13.539 --> 00:18:14.279
 Who is he?

00:18:14.680 --> 00:18:14.980
 Well,

00:18:15.079 --> 00:18:16.079
 we need to look across

00:18:16.079 --> 00:18:16.920
 to chapter 4,

00:18:17.000 --> 00:18:18.119
 verse 5.

00:18:19.200 --> 00:18:19.639
 Behold,

00:18:19.759 --> 00:18:20.720
 I will send you

00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:21.379
 Elijah,

00:18:21.700 --> 00:18:22.319
 the prophet,

00:18:23.059 --> 00:18:23.899
 before the great

00:18:23.899 --> 00:18:24.720
 and awesome day

00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:25.779
 of the Lord comes.

00:18:25.940 --> 00:18:26.639
 Before the great day

00:18:26.639 --> 00:18:27.839
 of judgment comes.

00:18:28.680 --> 00:18:28.960
 So,

00:18:29.639 --> 00:18:30.379
 who is Elijah,

00:18:30.480 --> 00:18:30.779
 the prophet?

00:18:30.920 --> 00:18:32.039
 Why does he pop up here?

00:18:32.139 --> 00:18:32.399
 Well,

00:18:32.759 --> 00:18:33.240
 if you go back

00:18:33.240 --> 00:18:33.879
 to chapter 3,

00:18:33.940 --> 00:18:34.599
 verse 1,

00:18:35.339 --> 00:18:36.460
 it talks about

00:18:36.460 --> 00:18:36.980
 the messenger

00:18:36.980 --> 00:18:37.879
 of the covenant

00:18:37.879 --> 00:18:39.420
 in whom you delight.

00:18:41.180 --> 00:18:41.619
 Behold,

00:18:41.720 --> 00:18:42.319
 he is coming.

00:18:43.420 --> 00:18:43.599
 Now,

00:18:43.599 --> 00:18:45.339
 when you go back

00:18:45.339 --> 00:18:46.019
 and think about

00:18:46.019 --> 00:18:47.759
 Elijah for the people

00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:48.179
 of Israel,

00:18:48.899 --> 00:18:49.299
 he was,

00:18:49.379 --> 00:18:49.699
 as it were,

00:18:49.819 --> 00:18:50.959
 the pin-up prophet

00:18:50.959 --> 00:18:52.059
 for God's people.

00:18:52.899 --> 00:18:53.679
 He is the one

00:18:53.679 --> 00:18:54.859
 they would look back to

00:18:54.859 --> 00:18:56.139
 as the one

00:18:56.139 --> 00:18:57.339
 who really took on

00:18:57.339 --> 00:18:57.859
 the nations

00:18:57.859 --> 00:18:58.839
 and showed

00:18:58.839 --> 00:18:59.839
 that God's people

00:18:59.839 --> 00:19:00.519
 could triumph

00:19:00.519 --> 00:19:01.599
 over foreign gods

00:19:01.599 --> 00:19:02.179
 and triumph

00:19:02.179 --> 00:19:03.139
 over foreign nations

00:19:03.139 --> 00:19:05.439
 and make Israel

00:19:05.439 --> 00:19:06.079
 great again.

00:19:07.240 --> 00:19:07.439
 Now,

00:19:07.459 --> 00:19:07.879
 that was a very

00:19:07.879 --> 00:19:08.740
 nationalistic,

00:19:08.899 --> 00:19:09.659
 narrow way of thinking

00:19:09.659 --> 00:19:10.199
 about Elijah

00:19:10.199 --> 00:19:11.139
 because he was primarily

00:19:11.139 --> 00:19:12.099
 concerned about sin

00:19:12.099 --> 00:19:13.619
 among God's people.

00:19:14.659 --> 00:19:15.039
 But no,

00:19:15.079 --> 00:19:16.399
 they had caricatured

00:19:16.399 --> 00:19:17.199
 Elijah as being

00:19:17.199 --> 00:19:17.859
 the champion

00:19:17.859 --> 00:19:18.839
 of truth

00:19:18.839 --> 00:19:21.299
 for Israel.

00:19:21.379 --> 00:19:21.919
 So they would be

00:19:21.919 --> 00:19:22.339
 delighted

00:19:22.339 --> 00:19:23.619
 to know that he was

00:19:23.619 --> 00:19:23.939
 coming

00:19:23.939 --> 00:19:26.099
 because in their mind

00:19:26.099 --> 00:19:27.119
 that would be

00:19:27.119 --> 00:19:27.839
 the very thing

00:19:27.839 --> 00:19:28.399
 they were going to

00:19:28.399 --> 00:19:28.919
 expect,

00:19:29.000 --> 00:19:29.579
 that God would

00:19:29.579 --> 00:19:30.439
 finally act

00:19:30.439 --> 00:19:31.000
 to deal with the

00:19:31.000 --> 00:19:31.359
 nations

00:19:31.359 --> 00:19:32.659
 and make Israel

00:19:32.659 --> 00:19:33.019
 great.

00:19:33.019 --> 00:19:38.599
 God then

00:19:38.599 --> 00:19:39.039
 follows up

00:19:39.039 --> 00:19:39.440
 quickly

00:19:39.440 --> 00:19:40.940
 just as they're

00:19:40.940 --> 00:19:41.440
 starting to think,

00:19:41.619 --> 00:19:41.799
 whoa,

00:19:42.019 --> 00:19:42.579
 looking forward

00:19:42.579 --> 00:19:43.099
 to this.

00:19:44.400 --> 00:19:44.900
 Verse 2,

00:19:46.500 --> 00:19:47.019
 but who can

00:19:47.019 --> 00:19:47.839
 endure the day

00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:48.440
 of his coming

00:19:48.440 --> 00:19:50.200
 and who can

00:19:50.200 --> 00:19:50.779
 stand

00:19:50.779 --> 00:19:52.160
 when he appears?

00:19:55.279 --> 00:19:56.000
 That's giving them

00:19:56.000 --> 00:19:56.720
 something to sit

00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:57.379
 back on their heels

00:19:57.379 --> 00:19:57.960
 and think about.

00:19:57.960 --> 00:20:01.460
 God's people

00:20:01.460 --> 00:20:02.559
 will not be able

00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:03.319
 to bear

00:20:03.319 --> 00:20:04.240
 that day

00:20:04.240 --> 00:20:04.860
 of justice

00:20:04.860 --> 00:20:05.400
 that they're

00:20:05.400 --> 00:20:05.860
 demanding.

00:20:07.420 --> 00:20:08.220
 Why not?

00:20:08.360 --> 00:20:09.039
 Go over to

00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:09.740
 verse 5.

00:20:12.039 --> 00:20:12.700
 God's saying

00:20:12.700 --> 00:20:13.079
 then,

00:20:13.160 --> 00:20:14.180
 and it's not

00:20:14.180 --> 00:20:14.880
 chronological,

00:20:15.059 --> 00:20:15.799
 it's simultaneously,

00:20:16.100 --> 00:20:16.380
 then,

00:20:16.740 --> 00:20:17.980
 I will draw near

00:20:17.980 --> 00:20:18.840
 to you for judgment.

00:20:19.640 --> 00:20:20.779
 I will be a swift

00:20:20.779 --> 00:20:21.799
 witness against

00:20:21.799 --> 00:20:22.720
 the sorcerers,

00:20:22.940 --> 00:20:23.920
 against the adulterers,

00:20:24.000 --> 00:20:24.460
 against those

00:20:24.460 --> 00:20:25.420
 who swear falsely,

00:20:25.759 --> 00:20:26.279
 against those

00:20:26.279 --> 00:20:26.940
 who oppress the

00:20:26.940 --> 00:20:27.539
 hired worker

00:20:27.539 --> 00:20:28.160
 and his wages,

00:20:28.519 --> 00:20:29.039
 the widow and

00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:29.599
 the fatherless,

00:20:29.899 --> 00:20:30.480
 against those

00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:31.660
 who thrust aside

00:20:31.660 --> 00:20:32.259
 the sojourner,

00:20:32.639 --> 00:20:33.559
 and do not fear

00:20:33.559 --> 00:20:33.740
 me,

00:20:33.779 --> 00:20:34.299
 says the Lord.

00:20:35.980 --> 00:20:36.339
 Ping,

00:20:36.500 --> 00:20:36.720
 ping,

00:20:36.879 --> 00:20:37.039
 ping,

00:20:37.099 --> 00:20:37.240
 ping,

00:20:37.240 --> 00:20:38.119
 every time

00:20:38.119 --> 00:20:38.799
 God speaks,

00:20:39.119 --> 00:20:39.559
 he's hitting

00:20:39.559 --> 00:20:40.160
 on his people.

00:20:44.319 --> 00:20:45.180
 You will not

00:20:45.180 --> 00:20:45.639
 be able to

00:20:45.639 --> 00:20:46.680
 bear my day

00:20:46.680 --> 00:20:47.339
 of justice

00:20:47.339 --> 00:20:48.039
 and judgment,

00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:48.700
 says the Lord,

00:20:48.759 --> 00:20:49.839
 because on that

00:20:49.839 --> 00:20:50.500
 day I will

00:20:50.500 --> 00:20:51.299
 itemize

00:20:51.299 --> 00:20:52.619
 your every sin.

00:20:53.180 --> 00:20:53.599
 And let me

00:20:53.599 --> 00:20:53.899
 tell you,

00:20:53.940 --> 00:20:54.299
 says the Lord,

00:20:54.359 --> 00:20:55.139
 it's a long

00:20:55.139 --> 00:20:55.579
 list.

00:20:56.279 --> 00:21:02.759
 God will

00:21:02.759 --> 00:21:03.480
 itemize their

00:21:03.480 --> 00:21:03.759
 sin,

00:21:04.460 --> 00:21:06.079
 proving beyond

00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:06.619
 doubt

00:21:06.619 --> 00:21:08.519
 their

00:21:08.519 --> 00:21:09.539
 faithlessness

00:21:09.539 --> 00:21:12.519
 and proving

00:21:12.519 --> 00:21:13.619
 beyond doubt

00:21:13.619 --> 00:21:14.759
 that they

00:21:14.759 --> 00:21:15.700
 deserve the

00:21:15.700 --> 00:21:16.680
 full force

00:21:16.680 --> 00:21:17.200
 of God's

00:21:17.200 --> 00:21:17.859
 justice and

00:21:17.859 --> 00:21:18.740
 judgment upon

00:21:18.740 --> 00:21:18.960
 them.

00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:24.440
 God's

00:21:24.440 --> 00:21:25.039
 The

00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:25.559
 nation of

00:21:25.559 --> 00:21:25.980
 Israel

00:21:25.980 --> 00:21:27.160
 was supposed

00:21:27.160 --> 00:21:28.539
 to reflect

00:21:28.539 --> 00:21:29.120
 God's

00:21:29.120 --> 00:21:30.259
 character to

00:21:30.259 --> 00:21:30.700
 all the

00:21:30.700 --> 00:21:31.120
 nations.

00:21:32.400 --> 00:21:33.420
 But the

00:21:33.420 --> 00:21:34.380
 reality was

00:21:34.380 --> 00:21:36.019
 that the

00:21:36.019 --> 00:21:36.480
 nation of

00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:36.860
 Israel

00:21:36.860 --> 00:21:38.900
 reflected more

00:21:38.900 --> 00:21:40.059
 of the

00:21:40.059 --> 00:21:40.620
 character of

00:21:40.620 --> 00:21:41.279
 the nations

00:21:41.279 --> 00:21:43.200
 back to

00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:43.500
 God.

00:21:43.500 --> 00:21:45.500
 God's

00:21:45.500 --> 00:21:48.980
 God's

00:21:48.980 --> 00:21:49.380
 And three

00:21:49.380 --> 00:21:50.180
 pictures then

00:21:50.180 --> 00:21:50.759
 in these

00:21:50.759 --> 00:21:51.200
 verses

00:21:51.200 --> 00:21:52.980
 describe

00:21:52.980 --> 00:21:54.740
 the

00:21:54.740 --> 00:21:55.500
 ominous,

00:21:55.779 --> 00:21:56.599
 the

00:21:56.599 --> 00:21:58.599
 impending

00:21:58.599 --> 00:21:59.579
 doom

00:21:59.579 --> 00:22:00.819
 which will

00:22:00.819 --> 00:22:01.619
 come with

00:22:01.619 --> 00:22:02.519
 God's

00:22:02.519 --> 00:22:03.180
 justice and

00:22:03.180 --> 00:22:03.480
 judgment,

00:22:03.619 --> 00:22:04.079
 which these

00:22:04.079 --> 00:22:04.579
 guys have

00:22:04.579 --> 00:22:05.980
 blithely and

00:22:05.980 --> 00:22:07.200
 carelessly

00:22:07.200 --> 00:22:07.859
 demanded.

00:22:08.579 --> 00:22:08.880
 Three

00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:09.319
 pictures.

00:22:10.319 --> 00:22:10.839
 First one,

00:22:10.940 --> 00:22:11.319
 verse two,

00:22:11.380 --> 00:22:11.819
 is a military

00:22:11.819 --> 00:22:12.119
 one.

00:22:12.119 --> 00:22:13.119
 Who can

00:22:13.119 --> 00:22:13.819
 endure the

00:22:13.819 --> 00:22:14.079
 day of

00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:14.459
 his coming?

00:22:14.739 --> 00:22:15.279
 The idea

00:22:15.279 --> 00:22:16.539
 there is of

00:22:16.539 --> 00:22:17.279
 an army

00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:18.299
 formed up

00:22:18.299 --> 00:22:18.839
 in rank

00:22:18.839 --> 00:22:20.259
 facing the

00:22:20.259 --> 00:22:22.099
 onslaught of

00:22:22.099 --> 00:22:22.819
 an enraged

00:22:22.819 --> 00:22:23.219
 enemy.

00:22:25.159 --> 00:22:26.000
 Who could

00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:27.359
 possibly stand

00:22:27.359 --> 00:22:27.939
 and hold

00:22:27.939 --> 00:22:30.359
 rank against

00:22:30.359 --> 00:22:31.419
 the onslaught

00:22:31.419 --> 00:22:32.039
 of God's

00:22:32.039 --> 00:22:34.519
 wrath at

00:22:34.519 --> 00:22:34.799
 the way

00:22:34.799 --> 00:22:35.079
 he's been

00:22:35.079 --> 00:22:35.339
 treated?

00:22:37.979 --> 00:22:38.759
 Then there's

00:22:38.759 --> 00:22:39.659
 the refiner's

00:22:39.659 --> 00:22:39.979
 fire.

00:22:42.119 --> 00:22:45.279
 God's

00:22:45.279 --> 00:22:45.859
 justice will

00:22:45.859 --> 00:22:46.399
 be like

00:22:46.399 --> 00:22:47.659
 an incredible

00:22:47.659 --> 00:22:48.299
 crucible,

00:22:48.659 --> 00:22:50.279
 such a

00:22:50.279 --> 00:22:51.219
 hot torch

00:22:51.219 --> 00:22:52.119
 that will

00:22:52.119 --> 00:22:52.419
 actually

00:22:52.419 --> 00:22:53.039
 literally

00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:53.879
 melt down

00:22:53.879 --> 00:22:54.279
 God's

00:22:54.279 --> 00:22:54.579
 people

00:22:54.579 --> 00:22:58.199
 and bring

00:22:58.199 --> 00:22:58.579
 to the

00:22:58.579 --> 00:22:59.019
 surface

00:22:59.019 --> 00:23:00.739
 every impurity

00:23:00.739 --> 00:23:01.079
 of their

00:23:01.079 --> 00:23:01.479
 hearts.

00:23:02.759 --> 00:23:03.679
 That's a

00:23:03.679 --> 00:23:04.000
 violent

00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:04.439
 picture.

00:23:06.719 --> 00:23:07.079
 And then

00:23:07.079 --> 00:23:07.739
 there would

00:23:07.739 --> 00:23:08.259
 be like a

00:23:08.259 --> 00:23:08.979
 launderer's

00:23:08.979 --> 00:23:09.159
 soap,

00:23:09.219 --> 00:23:09.779
 a fuller's

00:23:09.779 --> 00:23:10.000
 soap.

00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:10.640
 Now,

00:23:10.880 --> 00:23:11.759
 nobody really

00:23:11.759 --> 00:23:12.160
 knows what

00:23:12.160 --> 00:23:12.519
 this is,

00:23:12.640 --> 00:23:13.200
 but perhaps

00:23:13.200 --> 00:23:13.599
 the best

00:23:13.599 --> 00:23:14.079
 guess is

00:23:14.079 --> 00:23:14.700
 it's a

00:23:14.700 --> 00:23:16.319
 strong alkaline

00:23:16.319 --> 00:23:16.779
 solution.

00:23:17.480 --> 00:23:17.740
 And it was

00:23:17.740 --> 00:23:18.000
 used,

00:23:18.160 --> 00:23:18.700
 as Ian said,

00:23:18.759 --> 00:23:19.220
 to whiten

00:23:19.220 --> 00:23:19.759
 clothing.

00:23:21.099 --> 00:23:22.140
 And the

00:23:22.140 --> 00:23:22.400
 way it

00:23:22.400 --> 00:23:22.960
 works like a

00:23:22.960 --> 00:23:23.380
 bleach or

00:23:23.380 --> 00:23:24.220
 peroxide is,

00:23:24.279 --> 00:23:24.579
 if you know

00:23:24.579 --> 00:23:25.019
 bleach or

00:23:25.019 --> 00:23:25.400
 peroxide,

00:23:25.500 --> 00:23:25.819
 and we all

00:23:25.819 --> 00:23:26.019
 do,

00:23:26.380 --> 00:23:26.779
 it will

00:23:26.779 --> 00:23:27.599
 burn you.

00:23:30.160 --> 00:23:30.799
 Burn you

00:23:30.799 --> 00:23:31.160
 deeply.

00:23:34.220 --> 00:23:35.059
 So God's

00:23:35.059 --> 00:23:35.599
 justice

00:23:35.599 --> 00:23:37.700
 would be like

00:23:37.700 --> 00:23:38.400
 a bleach or

00:23:38.400 --> 00:23:39.000
 peroxide,

00:23:39.259 --> 00:23:39.780
 it will

00:23:39.780 --> 00:23:40.860
 burn deeply

00:23:40.860 --> 00:23:43.460
 but transform

00:23:43.460 --> 00:23:44.280
 God's people

00:23:44.280 --> 00:23:45.920
 at the same

00:23:45.920 --> 00:23:46.519
 time making

00:23:46.519 --> 00:23:47.160
 them distinctive

00:23:47.160 --> 00:23:47.660
 among the

00:23:47.660 --> 00:23:48.019
 nations.

00:23:52.759 --> 00:23:53.440
 These are

00:23:53.440 --> 00:23:54.240
 scary pictures,

00:23:54.960 --> 00:23:56.880
 but they have

00:23:56.880 --> 00:23:57.240
 to go

00:23:57.240 --> 00:23:58.980
 alongside the

00:23:58.980 --> 00:23:59.700
 concept of

00:23:59.700 --> 00:24:00.500
 God's justice

00:24:00.500 --> 00:24:01.019
 and God's

00:24:01.019 --> 00:24:01.360
 judgment.

00:24:03.100 --> 00:24:04.040
 Because God's

00:24:04.040 --> 00:24:04.580
 justice and

00:24:04.580 --> 00:24:05.200
 God's judgment

00:24:05.200 --> 00:24:05.840
 is focused

00:24:05.840 --> 00:24:07.400
 primarily on

00:24:07.400 --> 00:24:08.200
 the sin of

00:24:08.200 --> 00:24:08.660
 his people,

00:24:10.259 --> 00:24:11.980
 measured against

00:24:11.980 --> 00:24:13.180
 his holy

00:24:13.180 --> 00:24:13.900
 and just

00:24:13.900 --> 00:24:14.480
 character.

00:24:17.840 --> 00:24:19.960
 So the

00:24:19.960 --> 00:24:20.800
 clouds of doom

00:24:20.800 --> 00:24:21.100
 are just

00:24:21.100 --> 00:24:21.600
 building,

00:24:22.740 --> 00:24:23.860
 but then we're

00:24:23.860 --> 00:24:24.400
 in for another

00:24:24.400 --> 00:24:24.860
 surprise.

00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:25.460
 So the people

00:24:25.460 --> 00:24:25.720
 have been

00:24:25.720 --> 00:24:26.380
 surprised because

00:24:26.380 --> 00:24:26.759
 they want

00:24:26.759 --> 00:24:27.519
 God's justice

00:24:27.519 --> 00:24:27.860
 and that's

00:24:27.860 --> 00:24:28.259
 not going to

00:24:28.259 --> 00:24:29.100
 look like

00:24:29.100 --> 00:24:29.540
 they think

00:24:29.540 --> 00:24:29.840
 it's going

00:24:29.840 --> 00:24:30.220
 to look.

00:24:31.040 --> 00:24:31.440
 And just

00:24:31.440 --> 00:24:31.820
 as we get

00:24:31.820 --> 00:24:33.140
 used to the

00:24:33.140 --> 00:24:33.680
 heaviness of

00:24:33.680 --> 00:24:34.300
 God's justice,

00:24:34.700 --> 00:24:35.300
 then another

00:24:35.300 --> 00:24:36.019
 left field

00:24:36.019 --> 00:24:36.620
 thing comes

00:24:36.619 --> 00:24:36.839
 in.

00:24:38.399 --> 00:24:38.939
 Look at

00:24:38.939 --> 00:24:39.359
 verse 3,

00:24:39.439 --> 00:24:39.699
 the second

00:24:39.699 --> 00:24:40.019
 half of

00:24:40.019 --> 00:24:40.739
 verse 3.

00:24:40.959 --> 00:24:41.259
 He will

00:24:41.259 --> 00:24:41.639
 sit as

00:24:41.639 --> 00:24:42.299
 refiner and

00:24:42.299 --> 00:24:43.199
 purifier of

00:24:43.199 --> 00:24:44.439
 silver and

00:24:44.439 --> 00:24:44.699
 he will

00:24:44.699 --> 00:24:45.939
 purify the

00:24:45.939 --> 00:24:46.439
 sons of

00:24:46.439 --> 00:24:47.559
 Levi and

00:24:47.559 --> 00:24:48.599
 refine them

00:24:48.599 --> 00:24:49.699
 like gold

00:24:49.699 --> 00:24:50.679
 and silver and

00:24:50.679 --> 00:24:51.219
 they will bring

00:24:51.219 --> 00:24:52.079
 offerings and

00:24:52.079 --> 00:24:53.000
 righteousness to

00:24:53.000 --> 00:24:53.399
 the Lord.

00:24:54.159 --> 00:24:54.599
 Then the

00:24:54.599 --> 00:24:55.139
 offering of

00:24:55.139 --> 00:24:55.659
 Judah and

00:24:55.659 --> 00:24:56.279
 Jerusalem will

00:24:56.279 --> 00:24:57.039
 be pleasing to

00:24:57.039 --> 00:24:58.079
 the Lord as

00:24:58.079 --> 00:24:58.919
 in the days of

00:24:58.919 --> 00:25:00.039
 old and as

00:25:00.039 --> 00:25:00.639
 in former

00:25:00.639 --> 00:25:01.199
 years.

00:25:01.200 --> 00:25:06.039
 what's going

00:25:06.039 --> 00:25:06.519
 on here?

00:25:07.420 --> 00:25:08.120
 Given the

00:25:08.120 --> 00:25:08.920
 awfulness of

00:25:08.920 --> 00:25:10.059
 experience in

00:25:10.059 --> 00:25:10.759
 God's judgment

00:25:10.759 --> 00:25:11.240
 and we've just

00:25:11.240 --> 00:25:11.539
 seen the

00:25:11.539 --> 00:25:11.980
 pictures of

00:25:11.980 --> 00:25:13.600
 that and

00:25:13.600 --> 00:25:14.819
 given the

00:25:14.819 --> 00:25:15.620
 guilt of

00:25:15.620 --> 00:25:16.259
 God's people

00:25:16.259 --> 00:25:17.319
 deserving the

00:25:17.319 --> 00:25:18.059
 full force of

00:25:18.059 --> 00:25:18.720
 God's judgment

00:25:18.720 --> 00:25:19.340
 and justice,

00:25:19.940 --> 00:25:23.279
 then we

00:25:23.279 --> 00:25:23.799
 would expect

00:25:23.799 --> 00:25:24.400
 destruction.

00:25:26.140 --> 00:25:26.380
 But in

00:25:26.380 --> 00:25:27.120
 actual fact,

00:25:27.700 --> 00:25:28.259
 God is

00:25:28.259 --> 00:25:28.940
 talking here

00:25:28.940 --> 00:25:30.120
 about delivering

00:25:30.120 --> 00:25:30.920
 renewal,

00:25:31.320 --> 00:25:32.100
 not destruction.

00:25:37.019 --> 00:25:37.779
 God is

00:25:37.779 --> 00:25:38.400
 talking here

00:25:38.400 --> 00:25:38.920
 about his

00:25:38.920 --> 00:25:39.600
 justice

00:25:39.600 --> 00:25:41.120
 producing

00:25:41.120 --> 00:25:43.259
 total renewal

00:25:43.259 --> 00:25:45.080
 among God's

00:25:45.080 --> 00:25:45.320
 people.

00:25:45.500 --> 00:25:45.860
 It would

00:25:45.860 --> 00:25:46.400
 renew the

00:25:46.400 --> 00:25:47.960
 priests and

00:25:47.960 --> 00:25:48.180
 it would

00:25:48.180 --> 00:25:48.880
 renew God's

00:25:48.880 --> 00:25:49.299
 people in

00:25:49.299 --> 00:25:49.960
 generally so

00:25:49.960 --> 00:25:50.600
 that they

00:25:50.600 --> 00:25:51.080
 become a

00:25:51.080 --> 00:25:51.820
 delight to

00:25:51.820 --> 00:25:52.160
 the Lord

00:25:52.160 --> 00:25:52.480
 again.

00:25:54.880 --> 00:25:55.640
 And so

00:25:55.640 --> 00:25:55.940
 that they

00:25:55.940 --> 00:25:56.320
 start to

00:25:56.320 --> 00:25:56.720
 act in

00:25:56.720 --> 00:25:57.240
 righteousness

00:25:57.240 --> 00:25:58.140
 again.

00:25:58.940 --> 00:26:01.180
 So verse

00:26:01.180 --> 00:26:02.320
 four, the

00:26:02.320 --> 00:26:02.980
 results of

00:26:02.980 --> 00:26:04.180
 God's just

00:26:04.180 --> 00:26:04.960
 judgment on

00:26:04.960 --> 00:26:05.400
 his priests

00:26:05.400 --> 00:26:05.620
 and his

00:26:05.620 --> 00:26:06.160
 people would

00:26:06.160 --> 00:26:06.559
 be new

00:26:06.559 --> 00:26:07.059
 righteousness,

00:26:07.360 --> 00:26:08.000
 new obedience,

00:26:08.299 --> 00:26:08.860
 new acceptance

00:26:08.860 --> 00:26:09.620
 before God,

00:26:10.080 --> 00:26:11.059
 a new desire

00:26:11.059 --> 00:26:11.779
 to honor the

00:26:11.779 --> 00:26:14.000
 Lord, who

00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:14.580
 in turn would

00:26:14.580 --> 00:26:15.059
 once again

00:26:15.059 --> 00:26:15.680
 delight in

00:26:15.680 --> 00:26:18.340
 them, rather

00:26:18.340 --> 00:26:19.100
 than find them

00:26:19.100 --> 00:26:20.960
 wearisome and

00:26:20.960 --> 00:26:22.160
 tiresome and

00:26:22.160 --> 00:26:22.559
 harsh.

00:26:22.559 --> 00:26:22.619
 change.

00:26:25.500 --> 00:26:26.200
 And then

00:26:26.200 --> 00:26:26.619
 keep going.

00:26:26.720 --> 00:26:27.259
 Verse six,

00:26:28.700 --> 00:26:29.299
 for I, the

00:26:29.299 --> 00:26:29.879
 Lord, do

00:26:29.879 --> 00:26:30.740
 not change.

00:26:32.759 --> 00:26:33.839
 Therefore, you,

00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:34.559
 O children of

00:26:34.559 --> 00:26:35.419
 Jacob, are not

00:26:35.419 --> 00:26:36.000
 consumed.

00:26:38.639 --> 00:26:39.740
 God reminds us

00:26:39.740 --> 00:26:40.839
 people that

00:26:40.839 --> 00:26:41.679
 since the

00:26:41.679 --> 00:26:42.299
 days of

00:26:42.299 --> 00:26:45.000
 Jacob, a

00:26:45.000 --> 00:26:45.899
 pattern has

00:26:45.899 --> 00:26:46.500
 been evident

00:26:46.500 --> 00:26:46.980
 that they

00:26:46.980 --> 00:26:47.440
 should have

00:26:47.440 --> 00:26:47.819
 known.

00:26:47.819 --> 00:26:49.839
 that is, that

00:26:49.839 --> 00:26:50.399
 the only

00:26:50.399 --> 00:26:51.179
 reason since

00:26:51.179 --> 00:26:51.779
 the days of

00:26:51.779 --> 00:26:52.339
 Jacob, the

00:26:52.339 --> 00:26:52.779
 only reason

00:26:52.779 --> 00:26:53.200
 they have not

00:26:53.200 --> 00:26:54.059
 been consumed

00:26:54.059 --> 00:26:54.740
 by God's

00:26:54.740 --> 00:26:55.799
 just judgment

00:26:55.799 --> 00:26:56.220
 on their

00:26:56.220 --> 00:26:56.879
 faithlessness,

00:26:57.339 --> 00:26:58.179
 their disobedience

00:26:58.179 --> 00:26:58.500
 and their

00:26:58.500 --> 00:26:59.700
 betrayal of

00:26:59.700 --> 00:27:00.259
 his name

00:27:00.259 --> 00:27:00.939
 before the

00:27:00.939 --> 00:27:01.419
 nations, the

00:27:01.419 --> 00:27:02.019
 only reason

00:27:02.019 --> 00:27:03.019
 those things

00:27:03.019 --> 00:27:03.599
 haven't led

00:27:03.599 --> 00:27:03.939
 to their

00:27:03.939 --> 00:27:04.899
 being totally

00:27:04.899 --> 00:27:07.819
 consumed, is

00:27:07.819 --> 00:27:09.639
 because God

00:27:09.639 --> 00:27:10.439
 has loved his

00:27:10.439 --> 00:27:10.619
 people.

00:27:10.700 --> 00:27:11.099
 He has stayed

00:27:11.099 --> 00:27:11.939
 true to his

00:27:11.939 --> 00:27:12.799
 covenant promise

00:27:12.799 --> 00:27:13.659
 to love them

00:27:13.659 --> 00:27:14.519
 and bless

00:27:14.519 --> 00:27:14.799
 them.

00:27:14.799 --> 00:27:22.319
 And so, we're

00:27:22.319 --> 00:27:23.059
 moving through

00:27:23.059 --> 00:27:23.980
 this dark

00:27:23.980 --> 00:27:24.599
 period of

00:27:24.599 --> 00:27:24.980
 God's

00:27:24.980 --> 00:27:28.000
 justice, but

00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:28.619
 there's a light

00:27:28.619 --> 00:27:29.240
 appearing in

00:27:29.240 --> 00:27:30.579
 it because we're

00:27:30.579 --> 00:27:31.399
 saying now that

00:27:31.399 --> 00:27:33.079
 God has always

00:27:33.079 --> 00:27:34.500
 exposed the sin

00:27:34.500 --> 00:27:35.059
 of his people.

00:27:35.240 --> 00:27:35.919
 Ever since the

00:27:35.919 --> 00:27:36.659
 days of Jacob,

00:27:37.700 --> 00:27:38.559
 and Jacob was a

00:27:38.559 --> 00:27:40.500
 bad lad, God

00:27:40.500 --> 00:27:41.319
 has always

00:27:41.319 --> 00:27:42.319
 exposed their

00:27:42.319 --> 00:27:43.079
 sin in the

00:27:43.079 --> 00:27:43.940
 context of

00:27:43.940 --> 00:27:44.720
 renewing them.

00:27:44.799 --> 00:27:46.039
 not destroying

00:27:46.039 --> 00:27:46.259
 them.

00:27:46.519 --> 00:27:47.779
 That is God's

00:27:47.779 --> 00:27:48.839
 covenant love,

00:27:49.000 --> 00:27:49.579
 God's covenant

00:27:49.579 --> 00:27:51.399
 promise at work

00:27:51.399 --> 00:27:52.259
 throughout history.

00:27:53.319 --> 00:27:54.159
 That ultimately,

00:27:54.500 --> 00:27:55.180
 as I've said, is

00:27:55.180 --> 00:27:56.119
 the only reason

00:27:56.119 --> 00:27:56.960
 they still exist

00:27:56.960 --> 00:27:57.720
 as a nation.

00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:01.240
 So what we

00:28:01.240 --> 00:28:02.200
 find now is

00:28:02.200 --> 00:28:02.759
 that God's

00:28:02.759 --> 00:28:04.220
 justice and

00:28:04.220 --> 00:28:05.299
 judgment, though

00:28:05.299 --> 00:28:06.859
 real, though

00:28:06.859 --> 00:28:09.319
 imminent, will

00:28:09.319 --> 00:28:11.759
 as always, for

00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:12.519
 God's people, be

00:28:12.519 --> 00:28:14.220
 bound by his

00:28:14.220 --> 00:28:15.079
 grace and

00:28:15.079 --> 00:28:15.460
 mercy.

00:28:17.460 --> 00:28:18.160
 And it will

00:28:18.160 --> 00:28:21.019
 result in

00:28:21.019 --> 00:28:22.960
 renewal for

00:28:22.960 --> 00:28:23.700
 God's people, but

00:28:23.700 --> 00:28:24.980
 also, next step

00:28:24.980 --> 00:28:26.440
 forward, it will

00:28:26.440 --> 00:28:27.740
 result in renewed

00:28:27.740 --> 00:28:30.500
 invitation to

00:28:30.500 --> 00:28:31.980
 return and to

00:28:31.980 --> 00:28:33.259
 test the Lord.

00:28:33.819 --> 00:28:34.420
 Verse 7,

00:28:34.420 --> 00:28:38.060
 from the days of

00:28:38.060 --> 00:28:38.840
 your fathers, you

00:28:38.840 --> 00:28:39.580
 have turned aside

00:28:39.580 --> 00:28:39.960
 from my

00:28:39.960 --> 00:28:40.860
 statutes and

00:28:40.860 --> 00:28:41.519
 have not kept

00:28:41.519 --> 00:28:41.759
 them.

00:28:43.220 --> 00:28:43.580
 Here's the

00:28:43.580 --> 00:28:45.740
 invitation, return

00:28:45.740 --> 00:28:48.420
 to me, the

00:28:48.420 --> 00:28:50.560
 promise, and I

00:28:50.560 --> 00:28:51.279
 will return to

00:28:51.279 --> 00:28:53.460
 you, says the

00:28:53.460 --> 00:28:54.039
 Lord of hosts.

00:28:54.880 --> 00:28:55.340
 Now, this is the

00:28:55.340 --> 00:28:55.800
 Lord of hosts

00:28:55.800 --> 00:28:56.039
 speaking.

00:28:56.279 --> 00:28:56.720
 This is the one

00:28:56.720 --> 00:28:57.440
 who has the

00:28:57.440 --> 00:28:58.259
 power to make it

00:28:58.259 --> 00:28:58.539
 happen.

00:28:59.240 --> 00:29:00.800
 Return to me, and

00:29:00.800 --> 00:29:02.400
 I promise, I will

00:29:02.400 --> 00:29:03.100
 return to you.

00:29:03.099 --> 00:29:10.219
 And then, he

00:29:10.219 --> 00:29:11.159
 says in verse,

00:29:12.659 --> 00:29:13.980
 let me see, verse

00:29:13.980 --> 00:29:16.659
 10, put me to

00:29:16.659 --> 00:29:17.159
 the test.

00:29:20.319 --> 00:29:21.079
 I mean, this is

00:29:21.079 --> 00:29:21.859
 the Lord saying

00:29:21.859 --> 00:29:22.259
 to his people,

00:29:22.719 --> 00:29:23.399
 come on, guys,

00:29:24.579 --> 00:29:25.539
 put me to the

00:29:25.539 --> 00:29:26.059
 test.

00:29:28.759 --> 00:29:29.299
 That's an

00:29:29.299 --> 00:29:30.259
 incredible offer

00:29:30.259 --> 00:29:30.819
 from the Lord,

00:29:30.899 --> 00:29:31.240
 is it not?

00:29:31.240 --> 00:29:33.759
 when he has

00:29:33.759 --> 00:29:34.539
 every right to

00:29:34.539 --> 00:29:35.660
 smash them off

00:29:35.660 --> 00:29:36.200
 the face of the

00:29:36.200 --> 00:29:36.920
 earth, he

00:29:36.920 --> 00:29:38.359
 invites them to

00:29:38.359 --> 00:29:38.960
 put them to the

00:29:38.960 --> 00:29:39.319
 test.

00:29:40.140 --> 00:29:40.620
 Put my

00:29:40.620 --> 00:29:41.920
 faithfulness to

00:29:41.920 --> 00:29:42.240
 the test.

00:29:42.339 --> 00:29:43.559
 Put my love to

00:29:43.559 --> 00:29:44.059
 the test.

00:29:48.120 --> 00:29:48.799
 Don't keep

00:29:48.799 --> 00:29:49.680
 spraying me with

00:29:49.680 --> 00:29:50.819
 just these empty

00:29:50.819 --> 00:29:52.720
 rubbish words that

00:29:52.720 --> 00:29:53.500
 you're whinging in

00:29:53.500 --> 00:29:54.240
 my ear with.

00:29:54.640 --> 00:29:55.900
 Actually, treat me

00:29:55.900 --> 00:29:56.920
 seriously and put

00:29:56.920 --> 00:29:57.620
 me to the test.

00:29:57.859 --> 00:29:58.940
 Try my faithfulness,

00:29:59.039 --> 00:30:00.000
 try my love, and

00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:00.400
 see if you're

00:30:00.400 --> 00:30:01.019
 disappointed in

00:30:01.019 --> 00:30:01.180
 it.

00:30:08.620 --> 00:30:09.980
 Their unjust,

00:30:10.360 --> 00:30:11.200
 shameful treatment

00:30:11.200 --> 00:30:12.019
 of God was

00:30:12.019 --> 00:30:13.040
 systematic and

00:30:13.040 --> 00:30:13.860
 habitual over

00:30:13.860 --> 00:30:14.440
 generations.

00:30:15.920 --> 00:30:16.820
 And yet, God

00:30:16.820 --> 00:30:18.040
 continues to

00:30:18.040 --> 00:30:20.060
 offer immediate

00:30:20.060 --> 00:30:21.380
 hope of healing

00:30:21.380 --> 00:30:22.280
 and restoration

00:30:22.280 --> 00:30:23.120
 for God's

00:30:23.120 --> 00:30:23.340
 people.

00:30:24.340 --> 00:30:25.680
 If only they

00:30:25.680 --> 00:30:26.259
 would repent.

00:30:26.259 --> 00:30:32.220
 turn back to

00:30:32.220 --> 00:30:33.019
 God and lean

00:30:33.019 --> 00:30:35.200
 into his love

00:30:35.200 --> 00:30:36.319
 and grace and

00:30:36.319 --> 00:30:36.640
 mercy.

00:30:39.220 --> 00:30:40.079
 And in that

00:30:40.079 --> 00:30:40.960
 context, even

00:30:40.960 --> 00:30:41.720
 more generously,

00:30:42.720 --> 00:30:43.839
 the Lord invites

00:30:43.839 --> 00:30:44.700
 his people to test

00:30:44.700 --> 00:30:45.460
 his faithfulness

00:30:45.460 --> 00:30:45.839
 properly.

00:30:47.180 --> 00:30:48.500
 Now, that takes

00:30:48.500 --> 00:30:48.960
 us into that

00:30:48.960 --> 00:30:49.859
 section where,

00:30:50.059 --> 00:30:50.680
 I'll read it

00:30:50.680 --> 00:30:50.940
 again,

00:30:50.940 --> 00:30:53.559
 to do with

00:30:53.559 --> 00:30:54.180
 tithing and

00:30:54.180 --> 00:30:54.420
 money.

00:30:54.620 --> 00:30:55.360
 So, let's

00:30:55.360 --> 00:30:55.860
 just read

00:30:55.860 --> 00:30:56.279
 through it.

00:31:01.279 --> 00:31:02.080
 Will man

00:31:02.080 --> 00:31:02.880
 rob God?

00:31:03.000 --> 00:31:03.360
 Picking up

00:31:03.360 --> 00:31:03.680
 with verse

00:31:03.680 --> 00:31:03.920
 8.

00:31:04.920 --> 00:31:05.539
 Yet you are

00:31:05.539 --> 00:31:06.180
 robbing me.

00:31:07.640 --> 00:31:08.180
 So, they're

00:31:08.180 --> 00:31:08.960
 taking something

00:31:08.960 --> 00:31:10.340
 and treating

00:31:10.340 --> 00:31:10.759
 it as their

00:31:10.759 --> 00:31:11.160
 own,

00:31:12.160 --> 00:31:13.600
 which they

00:31:13.600 --> 00:31:13.860
 have no

00:31:13.860 --> 00:31:14.440
 right to do,

00:31:15.059 --> 00:31:16.160
 which belongs

00:31:16.160 --> 00:31:16.660
 to somebody

00:31:16.660 --> 00:31:16.940
 else, in

00:31:16.940 --> 00:31:17.279
 this case,

00:31:17.340 --> 00:31:17.680
 the Lord.

00:31:17.680 --> 00:31:20.519
 But you

00:31:20.519 --> 00:31:21.200
 say, how

00:31:21.200 --> 00:31:21.460
 have we

00:31:21.460 --> 00:31:21.980
 robbed you?

00:31:23.440 --> 00:31:24.100
 Well, here's

00:31:24.100 --> 00:31:24.500
 the answer.

00:31:25.400 --> 00:31:25.799
 In your

00:31:25.799 --> 00:31:26.940
 tithes and

00:31:26.940 --> 00:31:27.519
 contributions.

00:31:28.900 --> 00:31:29.320
 You are

00:31:29.320 --> 00:31:30.019
 cursed with

00:31:30.019 --> 00:31:30.480
 a curse,

00:31:30.620 --> 00:31:31.160
 for you are

00:31:31.160 --> 00:31:31.860
 robbing me,

00:31:32.320 --> 00:31:32.700
 the whole

00:31:32.700 --> 00:31:33.299
 nation of

00:31:33.299 --> 00:31:33.440
 you.

00:31:34.820 --> 00:31:35.299
 Bring the

00:31:35.299 --> 00:31:36.279
 full tithes

00:31:36.279 --> 00:31:36.940
 into the

00:31:36.940 --> 00:31:37.500
 storehouse,

00:31:37.759 --> 00:31:38.480
 that there

00:31:38.480 --> 00:31:39.100
 may be food

00:31:39.100 --> 00:31:39.539
 in my

00:31:39.539 --> 00:31:40.039
 house, and

00:31:40.039 --> 00:31:41.180
 thereby put

00:31:41.180 --> 00:31:41.620
 me to the

00:31:41.620 --> 00:31:42.100
 test, says

00:31:42.100 --> 00:31:42.420
 the Lord

00:31:42.420 --> 00:31:42.860
 of hosts.

00:31:43.620 --> 00:31:44.019
 Put me to

00:31:44.019 --> 00:31:44.519
 the test if

00:31:44.519 --> 00:31:45.039
 I will not

00:31:45.039 --> 00:31:45.460
 open the

00:31:45.460 --> 00:31:46.019
 window of

00:31:46.019 --> 00:31:46.539
 heaven for

00:31:46.539 --> 00:31:47.160
 you, and

00:31:47.160 --> 00:31:47.759
 pour down

00:31:47.759 --> 00:31:48.160
 for you a

00:31:48.160 --> 00:31:49.140
 blessing, until

00:31:49.140 --> 00:31:49.759
 there is no

00:31:49.759 --> 00:31:50.360
 more need.

00:31:52.220 --> 00:31:52.759
 I will

00:31:52.759 --> 00:31:53.259
 rebuke the

00:31:53.259 --> 00:31:53.880
 devourer for

00:31:53.880 --> 00:31:54.640
 you, so it

00:31:54.640 --> 00:31:55.019
 will not

00:31:55.019 --> 00:31:55.560
 destroy the

00:31:55.560 --> 00:31:55.920
 fruits of

00:31:55.920 --> 00:31:56.460
 your soil, and

00:31:56.460 --> 00:31:56.960
 your vine in

00:31:56.960 --> 00:31:57.320
 the fields

00:31:57.320 --> 00:31:57.759
 shall not

00:31:57.759 --> 00:31:58.220
 fail to

00:31:58.220 --> 00:31:58.660
 bear, says

00:31:58.660 --> 00:31:58.980
 the Lord

00:31:58.980 --> 00:31:59.440
 of hosts.

00:32:00.300 --> 00:32:01.160
 Then all

00:32:01.160 --> 00:32:01.860
 nations will

00:32:01.860 --> 00:32:02.420
 call you

00:32:02.420 --> 00:32:03.940
 blessed, for

00:32:03.940 --> 00:32:04.500
 you will be a

00:32:04.500 --> 00:32:04.980
 land of

00:32:04.980 --> 00:32:05.360
 delight.

00:32:08.720 --> 00:32:09.340
 So what's

00:32:09.340 --> 00:32:09.640
 going on

00:32:09.640 --> 00:32:09.880
 there?

00:32:10.320 --> 00:32:10.840
 Well, I

00:32:10.840 --> 00:32:11.100
 think it's

00:32:11.100 --> 00:32:11.620
 something like

00:32:11.620 --> 00:32:11.940
 this.

00:32:14.360 --> 00:32:14.900
 Because of

00:32:14.900 --> 00:32:15.340
 the covenant,

00:32:15.680 --> 00:32:16.140
 God had

00:32:16.140 --> 00:32:16.620
 committed

00:32:16.619 --> 00:32:18.179
 to providing

00:32:18.179 --> 00:32:19.439
 every need

00:32:19.439 --> 00:32:20.199
 of his

00:32:20.199 --> 00:32:20.519
 people.

00:32:23.219 --> 00:32:23.779
 In

00:32:23.779 --> 00:32:24.500
 response to

00:32:24.500 --> 00:32:26.219
 that, God's

00:32:26.219 --> 00:32:26.759
 people were

00:32:26.759 --> 00:32:27.419
 to acknowledge

00:32:27.419 --> 00:32:29.359
 that every

00:32:29.359 --> 00:32:30.079
 single thing

00:32:30.079 --> 00:32:31.359
 they had and

00:32:31.359 --> 00:32:33.059
 were was

00:32:33.059 --> 00:32:33.500
 down to

00:32:33.500 --> 00:32:34.539
 God, and

00:32:34.539 --> 00:32:35.219
 it was

00:32:35.219 --> 00:32:36.219
 actually God's

00:32:36.219 --> 00:32:37.679
 entrust to

00:32:37.679 --> 00:32:37.859
 them.

00:32:37.859 --> 00:32:43.139
 God was

00:32:43.139 --> 00:32:44.319
 to do his

00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:45.500
 part, and

00:32:45.500 --> 00:32:46.339
 they were

00:32:46.339 --> 00:32:47.079
 to respond,

00:32:47.519 --> 00:32:47.839
 and the

00:32:47.839 --> 00:32:48.279
 way they

00:32:48.279 --> 00:32:48.919
 showed

00:32:48.919 --> 00:32:49.839
 acknowledgement

00:32:49.839 --> 00:32:51.179
 of everything

00:32:51.179 --> 00:32:51.819
 belonging to

00:32:51.819 --> 00:32:52.899
 the Lord was

00:32:52.899 --> 00:32:53.819
 to commit to

00:32:53.819 --> 00:32:54.339
 paying a

00:32:54.339 --> 00:32:55.279
 tithe, a

00:32:55.279 --> 00:32:56.619
 percentage of

00:32:56.619 --> 00:32:57.179
 all their

00:32:57.179 --> 00:32:58.099
 possessions, all

00:32:58.099 --> 00:32:58.719
 their income,

00:32:58.959 --> 00:32:59.599
 all their

00:32:59.599 --> 00:33:00.179
 worth, all

00:33:00.179 --> 00:33:02.159
 their assets,

00:33:02.740 --> 00:33:04.219
 back to the

00:33:04.219 --> 00:33:04.439
 Lord.

00:33:04.440 --> 00:33:05.279
 So it

00:33:05.279 --> 00:33:05.539
 was a

00:33:05.539 --> 00:33:05.940
 symbolic

00:33:05.940 --> 00:33:06.360
 thing.

00:33:07.299 --> 00:33:07.700
 But this

00:33:07.700 --> 00:33:08.519
 tithe, or

00:33:08.519 --> 00:33:09.960
 the tenth, was

00:33:09.960 --> 00:33:10.799
 a symbol that

00:33:10.799 --> 00:33:12.059
 all that they

00:33:12.059 --> 00:33:13.160
 had belonged

00:33:13.160 --> 00:33:13.680
 to the Lord.

00:33:15.059 --> 00:33:16.240
 Now, how

00:33:16.240 --> 00:33:16.740
 did God's

00:33:16.740 --> 00:33:17.279
 people rob

00:33:17.279 --> 00:33:17.640
 him then?

00:33:17.840 --> 00:33:18.840
 Well, God's

00:33:18.840 --> 00:33:19.559
 people robbed

00:33:19.559 --> 00:33:20.200
 him of the

00:33:20.200 --> 00:33:21.799
 honour, of

00:33:21.799 --> 00:33:23.180
 his honour, by

00:33:23.180 --> 00:33:23.920
 acting as

00:33:23.920 --> 00:33:24.960
 though the

00:33:24.960 --> 00:33:25.620
 things they

00:33:25.620 --> 00:33:27.340
 had were

00:33:27.340 --> 00:33:28.000
 produced by

00:33:28.000 --> 00:33:29.039
 themselves, and

00:33:29.039 --> 00:33:29.640
 were owned by

00:33:29.640 --> 00:33:30.400
 themselves, and

00:33:30.400 --> 00:33:30.880
 were therefore

00:33:30.880 --> 00:33:31.860
 there for

00:33:31.860 --> 00:33:32.500
 themselves to

00:33:32.500 --> 00:33:33.539
 dispose of as

00:33:33.539 --> 00:33:34.220
 they pleased.

00:33:42.899 --> 00:33:43.539
 And they

00:33:43.539 --> 00:33:44.180
 failed, therefore,

00:33:44.279 --> 00:33:45.019
 to give God

00:33:45.019 --> 00:33:45.680
 what was his.

00:33:48.220 --> 00:33:48.799
 And we're

00:33:48.799 --> 00:33:49.319
 told then in

00:33:49.319 --> 00:33:51.299
 verse 9, that

00:33:51.299 --> 00:33:51.899
 the result of

00:33:51.899 --> 00:33:52.619
 that was they

00:33:52.619 --> 00:33:53.220
 brought a

00:33:53.220 --> 00:33:53.940
 covenant curse

00:33:53.940 --> 00:33:54.559
 upon themselves,

00:33:54.659 --> 00:33:55.099
 whatever that

00:33:55.099 --> 00:33:55.579
 was, some

00:33:55.579 --> 00:33:57.579
 sort of disease

00:33:57.579 --> 00:33:58.139
 through the

00:33:58.139 --> 00:33:58.519
 crops, or

00:33:58.519 --> 00:33:58.920
 whatever it

00:33:58.920 --> 00:33:59.119
 was.

00:33:59.259 --> 00:33:59.960
 But God

00:33:59.960 --> 00:34:00.379
 said, there's

00:34:00.379 --> 00:34:00.779
 a penalty

00:34:00.779 --> 00:34:01.200
 for that.

00:34:01.500 --> 00:34:02.139
 I'm making

00:34:02.139 --> 00:34:02.639
 you guys

00:34:02.639 --> 00:34:03.500
 realise what's

00:34:03.500 --> 00:34:03.880
 going on

00:34:03.880 --> 00:34:04.099
 here.

00:34:09.539 --> 00:34:10.280
 God says

00:34:10.280 --> 00:34:11.260
 then, test

00:34:11.260 --> 00:34:11.559
 me.

00:34:13.360 --> 00:34:13.840
 Stop

00:34:13.840 --> 00:34:15.019
 pretending to

00:34:15.019 --> 00:34:16.159
 be self-reliant.

00:34:16.320 --> 00:34:17.159
 Stop acting

00:34:17.159 --> 00:34:17.739
 as though you're

00:34:17.739 --> 00:34:18.780
 self-reliant and

00:34:18.780 --> 00:34:19.699
 self-existent.

00:34:20.539 --> 00:34:21.820
 Stop acting as

00:34:21.820 --> 00:34:22.199
 though you can

00:34:22.199 --> 00:34:22.800
 provide for

00:34:22.800 --> 00:34:23.639
 yourselves and

00:34:23.639 --> 00:34:24.119
 that everything

00:34:24.119 --> 00:34:24.940
 you have is

00:34:24.940 --> 00:34:25.460
 yours to

00:34:25.460 --> 00:34:26.239
 dispose of as

00:34:26.239 --> 00:34:26.860
 you please.

00:34:26.860 --> 00:34:28.660
 rather, says

00:34:28.660 --> 00:34:28.980
 the Lord,

00:34:29.099 --> 00:34:30.280
 entrust yourselves

00:34:30.280 --> 00:34:31.760
 to my faithful

00:34:31.760 --> 00:34:32.539
 care and

00:34:32.539 --> 00:34:33.700
 provision and

00:34:33.700 --> 00:34:34.460
 see that I

00:34:34.460 --> 00:34:35.000
 will deliver

00:34:35.000 --> 00:34:36.019
 extravagant,

00:34:36.360 --> 00:34:36.920
 satisfying

00:34:36.920 --> 00:34:38.000
 blessings every

00:34:38.000 --> 00:34:38.500
 day of your

00:34:38.500 --> 00:34:38.820
 life.

00:34:43.039 --> 00:34:43.620
 That's it.

00:34:43.900 --> 00:34:44.340
 God's people

00:34:44.340 --> 00:34:44.740
 thought, well,

00:34:44.820 --> 00:34:45.620
 we'll just give

00:34:45.620 --> 00:34:46.559
 less because,

00:34:46.720 --> 00:34:47.559
 well, we need

00:34:47.559 --> 00:34:48.260
 that money over

00:34:48.260 --> 00:34:48.880
 here for doing

00:34:48.880 --> 00:34:49.420
 this and this and

00:34:49.420 --> 00:34:49.840
 this and this.

00:34:50.220 --> 00:34:50.820
 And if we give

00:34:50.820 --> 00:34:51.400
 too much here,

00:34:51.460 --> 00:34:51.820
 then we'll be

00:34:51.820 --> 00:34:52.460
 short over here.

00:34:52.460 --> 00:34:53.420
 And so they

00:34:53.420 --> 00:34:54.380
 just arranged it

00:34:54.380 --> 00:34:55.039
 for themselves as

00:34:55.039 --> 00:34:56.240
 if all of that

00:34:56.240 --> 00:34:56.960
 was theirs to

00:34:56.960 --> 00:34:57.480
 arrange.

00:35:00.300 --> 00:35:01.139
 And God is

00:35:01.139 --> 00:35:02.599
 horrified and

00:35:02.599 --> 00:35:05.000
 shamed at

00:35:05.000 --> 00:35:06.039
 their self-reliance.

00:35:07.639 --> 00:35:07.960
 Now, friends,

00:35:08.000 --> 00:35:09.980
 how awful, if we

00:35:09.980 --> 00:35:10.980
 just ponder in

00:35:10.980 --> 00:35:11.320
 that for a

00:35:11.320 --> 00:35:11.780
 moment, how

00:35:11.780 --> 00:35:13.579
 awful that God's

00:35:13.579 --> 00:35:14.480
 people seem to

00:35:14.480 --> 00:35:15.500
 have lost any

00:35:15.500 --> 00:35:16.300
 sense of

00:35:16.300 --> 00:35:17.619
 indebtedness to

00:35:17.619 --> 00:35:18.980
 the Lord, have

00:35:18.980 --> 00:35:19.340
 seemed to have

00:35:19.340 --> 00:35:20.340
 lost any sense of

00:35:20.340 --> 00:35:21.260
 God's generosity

00:35:21.260 --> 00:35:21.980
 and grace.

00:35:22.460 --> 00:35:24.380
 have seemed to

00:35:24.380 --> 00:35:25.220
 sort of become

00:35:25.220 --> 00:35:26.240
 so independent

00:35:26.240 --> 00:35:26.780
 from the Lord

00:35:26.780 --> 00:35:27.519
 that they think

00:35:27.519 --> 00:35:28.019
 that what they

00:35:28.019 --> 00:35:28.639
 are and what

00:35:28.639 --> 00:35:29.159
 they've been in

00:35:29.159 --> 00:35:30.139
 history is all

00:35:30.139 --> 00:35:30.500
 down to

00:35:30.500 --> 00:35:31.099
 themselves.

00:35:35.340 --> 00:35:36.019
 And I think

00:35:36.019 --> 00:35:36.579
 coming back, I

00:35:36.579 --> 00:35:36.840
 said I would

00:35:36.840 --> 00:35:37.280
 come back to the

00:35:37.280 --> 00:35:37.519
 brackets.

00:35:37.800 --> 00:35:38.340
 I think that's

00:35:38.340 --> 00:35:39.659
 why verse 13,

00:35:39.740 --> 00:35:41.119
 14, 15 are

00:35:41.119 --> 00:35:42.619
 after what the

00:35:42.619 --> 00:35:43.320
 Lord says because

00:35:43.320 --> 00:35:44.880
 2, 17 and

00:35:44.880 --> 00:35:45.900
 13, 14, 15,

00:35:46.420 --> 00:35:47.960
 they just bracket

00:35:47.960 --> 00:35:50.360
 the awfulness of

00:35:50.360 --> 00:35:51.000
 God's people.

00:35:52.460 --> 00:35:53.599
 And thereby

00:35:53.599 --> 00:35:54.280
 throw into

00:35:54.280 --> 00:35:55.820
 highlight the

00:35:55.820 --> 00:35:56.980
 graciousness of

00:35:56.980 --> 00:35:57.840
 God's response.

00:36:00.420 --> 00:36:01.420
 And again,

00:36:02.760 --> 00:36:03.800
 through the

00:36:03.800 --> 00:36:04.639
 graciousness of

00:36:04.639 --> 00:36:05.220
 God's loving

00:36:05.220 --> 00:36:05.860
 commitment in

00:36:05.860 --> 00:36:06.539
 those verses,

00:36:07.199 --> 00:36:07.960
 once again we

00:36:07.960 --> 00:36:08.280
 hear the

00:36:08.280 --> 00:36:08.760
 whisper of

00:36:08.760 --> 00:36:09.099
 Jesus.

00:36:12.039 --> 00:36:12.900
 Three or four

00:36:12.900 --> 00:36:13.639
 questions just as

00:36:13.639 --> 00:36:14.380
 I tidy up here.

00:36:14.960 --> 00:36:15.460
 We ask the

00:36:15.460 --> 00:36:16.579
 question, why

00:36:16.579 --> 00:36:17.280
 the need for

00:36:17.280 --> 00:36:18.000
 justice and

00:36:18.000 --> 00:36:18.300
 judgment?

00:36:18.300 --> 00:36:20.220
 Well, very

00:36:20.220 --> 00:36:20.500
 simple.

00:36:21.240 --> 00:36:22.220
 God has always

00:36:22.220 --> 00:36:22.900
 demanded

00:36:22.900 --> 00:36:24.340
 righteousness or

00:36:24.340 --> 00:36:25.120
 obedience from

00:36:25.120 --> 00:36:26.080
 his people.

00:36:27.720 --> 00:36:28.660
 And God knows

00:36:28.660 --> 00:36:29.280
 that a sinful

00:36:29.280 --> 00:36:30.700
 people cannot

00:36:30.700 --> 00:36:34.280
 deliver his

00:36:34.280 --> 00:36:34.860
 demands.

00:36:37.340 --> 00:36:38.260
 Their rebellion,

00:36:38.420 --> 00:36:38.860
 their sin in

00:36:38.860 --> 00:36:39.300
 their hearts,

00:36:39.500 --> 00:36:39.920
 meant they could

00:36:39.920 --> 00:36:40.560
 never deliver.

00:36:40.940 --> 00:36:42.160
 Even worse, they

00:36:42.160 --> 00:36:43.160
 would continue to

00:36:43.160 --> 00:36:43.960
 walk away from

00:36:43.960 --> 00:36:44.840
 him rather than

00:36:44.840 --> 00:36:45.780
 have any desire to

00:36:45.780 --> 00:36:46.400
 return to him.

00:36:46.400 --> 00:36:47.180
 The Lord just

00:36:47.180 --> 00:36:47.599
 knows that.

00:36:47.639 --> 00:36:48.539
 That's been shown

00:36:48.539 --> 00:36:49.180
 in history.

00:36:50.220 --> 00:36:51.059
 The history of

00:36:51.059 --> 00:36:51.579
 God's people.

00:36:53.079 --> 00:36:53.880
 So why do we

00:36:53.880 --> 00:36:54.920
 need justice and

00:36:54.920 --> 00:36:55.099
 judgment?

00:36:55.780 --> 00:36:56.420
 Because the

00:36:56.420 --> 00:36:57.360
 awfulness of sin

00:36:57.360 --> 00:36:57.860
 and rebellion

00:36:57.860 --> 00:36:58.599
 demands it.

00:37:01.160 --> 00:37:01.880
 What is their

00:37:01.880 --> 00:37:02.700
 hope of healing

00:37:02.700 --> 00:37:04.440
 in the face of

00:37:04.440 --> 00:37:04.980
 God's judgment?

00:37:06.440 --> 00:37:07.559
 Well, God's

00:37:07.559 --> 00:37:08.460
 people need more

00:37:08.460 --> 00:37:08.840
 than just

00:37:08.840 --> 00:37:10.460
 reminders or

00:37:10.460 --> 00:37:11.320
 even threats.

00:37:13.360 --> 00:37:13.980
 God's people

00:37:13.980 --> 00:37:15.420
 need God to

00:37:15.420 --> 00:37:17.460
 intervene and

00:37:17.460 --> 00:37:18.400
 rebuild them

00:37:18.400 --> 00:37:19.019
 from the

00:37:19.019 --> 00:37:19.780
 inside out.

00:37:22.200 --> 00:37:22.980
 History has

00:37:22.980 --> 00:37:23.480
 shown that

00:37:23.480 --> 00:37:24.099
 God's people

00:37:24.099 --> 00:37:25.000
 will not come

00:37:25.000 --> 00:37:25.480
 to him.

00:37:26.700 --> 00:37:27.300
 So what does

00:37:27.300 --> 00:37:27.940
 God do in

00:37:27.940 --> 00:37:28.659
 his graciousness?

00:37:29.440 --> 00:37:30.099
 He has planned

00:37:30.099 --> 00:37:31.139
 all along that

00:37:31.139 --> 00:37:32.039
 he will come to

00:37:32.039 --> 00:37:33.420
 them in the

00:37:33.420 --> 00:37:33.860
 person of

00:37:33.860 --> 00:37:34.139
 Jesus.

00:37:37.200 --> 00:37:38.099
 How amazing

00:37:38.099 --> 00:37:38.539
 is that?

00:37:38.539 --> 00:37:39.539
 How amazing

00:37:39.539 --> 00:37:40.539
 is that?

00:37:40.539 --> 00:37:41.539
 How amazing

00:37:41.539 --> 00:37:42.539
 is that

00:37:42.539 --> 00:37:44.539
 God's

00:37:44.539 --> 00:37:44.579
 God's

00:37:44.579 --> 00:37:45.139
 character?

00:37:45.139 --> 00:37:47.320
 Nothing, I

00:37:47.320 --> 00:37:48.059
 think, displays

00:37:48.059 --> 00:37:49.079
 God's character,

00:37:49.239 --> 00:37:49.880
 God's gracious

00:37:49.880 --> 00:37:50.659
 character more

00:37:50.659 --> 00:37:51.199
 clearly than

00:37:51.199 --> 00:37:51.500
 that.

00:37:54.019 --> 00:37:54.860
 But then the

00:37:54.860 --> 00:37:55.579
 big question is

00:37:55.579 --> 00:37:55.759
 this.

00:37:55.840 --> 00:37:56.539
 How can God's

00:37:56.539 --> 00:37:57.940
 people be healed,

00:37:58.219 --> 00:37:58.900
 cleansed, and

00:37:58.900 --> 00:38:00.360
 renewed at the

00:38:00.360 --> 00:38:01.300
 same time as God

00:38:01.300 --> 00:38:01.860
 says he's going to

00:38:01.860 --> 00:38:03.039
 apply the full force

00:38:03.039 --> 00:38:03.860
 of justice and

00:38:03.860 --> 00:38:04.519
 judgment upon

00:38:04.519 --> 00:38:04.960
 their sin?

00:38:06.659 --> 00:38:07.659
 The two seem

00:38:07.659 --> 00:38:08.519
 incompatible.

00:38:08.519 --> 00:38:11.119
 answer?

00:38:13.380 --> 00:38:14.480
 Because God

00:38:14.480 --> 00:38:15.300
 had always

00:38:15.300 --> 00:38:17.360
 intended that

00:38:17.360 --> 00:38:18.380
 the penalty for

00:38:18.380 --> 00:38:19.219
 sin would not

00:38:19.219 --> 00:38:20.059
 fall on his

00:38:20.059 --> 00:38:21.800
 people but

00:38:21.800 --> 00:38:22.639
 would fall on

00:38:22.639 --> 00:38:23.259
 his suffering

00:38:23.259 --> 00:38:24.239
 servant Jesus.

00:38:31.300 --> 00:38:32.179
 And we see

00:38:32.179 --> 00:38:32.920
 something more

00:38:32.920 --> 00:38:33.420
 of God's

00:38:33.420 --> 00:38:34.539
 gracious, loving

00:38:34.539 --> 00:38:35.280
 commitment to

00:38:35.280 --> 00:38:35.880
 us as people.

00:38:38.519 --> 00:38:39.780
 God's justice

00:38:39.780 --> 00:38:40.619
 would be

00:38:40.619 --> 00:38:41.259
 demonstrated.

00:38:43.039 --> 00:38:44.320
 His offense at

00:38:44.320 --> 00:38:45.219
 sin would be

00:38:45.219 --> 00:38:45.739
 satisfied.

00:38:47.940 --> 00:38:51.079
 And with

00:38:51.079 --> 00:38:52.039
 God's plan,

00:38:52.840 --> 00:38:53.519
 God's people

00:38:53.519 --> 00:38:54.300
 would not only

00:38:54.300 --> 00:38:56.199
 survive but

00:38:56.199 --> 00:38:57.340
 would thrive in

00:38:57.340 --> 00:38:58.199
 news of life and

00:38:58.199 --> 00:38:58.840
 relationship with

00:38:58.840 --> 00:38:59.139
 the Lord.

00:39:05.139 --> 00:39:05.820
 Wow.

00:39:05.820 --> 00:39:05.900
 Wow.

00:39:08.519 --> 00:39:11.639
 Jesus would be,

00:39:11.759 --> 00:39:12.280
 as we've said

00:39:12.280 --> 00:39:12.960
 each week here,

00:39:13.059 --> 00:39:13.659
 Jesus would be

00:39:13.659 --> 00:39:14.840
 the true priest

00:39:14.840 --> 00:39:17.259
 who would truly

00:39:17.259 --> 00:39:18.519
 mediate with God

00:39:18.519 --> 00:39:19.480
 on behalf of the

00:39:19.480 --> 00:39:19.759
 people.

00:39:20.659 --> 00:39:21.159
 He would be a

00:39:21.159 --> 00:39:21.780
 true priest

00:39:21.780 --> 00:39:22.920
 offering himself

00:39:22.920 --> 00:39:24.280
 as the true

00:39:24.280 --> 00:39:25.159
 sacrifice.

00:39:26.320 --> 00:39:27.280
 The sacrifice

00:39:27.280 --> 00:39:28.340
 of righteousness

00:39:28.340 --> 00:39:28.980
 which would

00:39:28.980 --> 00:39:30.559
 turn the Lord

00:39:30.559 --> 00:39:31.380
 to see his

00:39:31.380 --> 00:39:31.860
 people with

00:39:31.860 --> 00:39:32.380
 delight

00:39:32.380 --> 00:39:35.820
 and enable

00:39:35.820 --> 00:39:36.139
 them to

00:39:36.139 --> 00:39:36.719
 renew them.

00:39:36.719 --> 00:39:40.259
 my friends,

00:39:40.339 --> 00:39:40.739
 as Christians,

00:39:40.879 --> 00:39:41.579
 we've already

00:39:41.579 --> 00:39:42.480
 experienced

00:39:42.480 --> 00:39:44.759
 the reality

00:39:44.759 --> 00:39:46.639
 of God's

00:39:46.639 --> 00:39:47.099
 judgment

00:39:47.099 --> 00:39:49.199
 in full

00:39:49.199 --> 00:39:52.319
 as we

00:39:52.319 --> 00:39:52.719
 observe

00:39:52.719 --> 00:39:53.319
 Christ

00:39:53.319 --> 00:39:54.480
 destroyed

00:39:54.480 --> 00:39:55.139
 by the

00:39:55.139 --> 00:39:55.399
 Lord,

00:39:55.500 --> 00:39:56.039
 the Father

00:39:56.039 --> 00:39:56.819
 on the

00:39:56.819 --> 00:39:57.159
 cross.

00:39:59.159 --> 00:39:59.719
 That's

00:39:59.719 --> 00:40:00.000
 God's

00:40:00.000 --> 00:40:00.500
 justice

00:40:00.500 --> 00:40:01.899
 unleashed.

00:40:03.519 --> 00:40:04.459
 But quite

00:40:04.459 --> 00:40:04.919
 literally,

00:40:05.139 --> 00:40:05.739
 and this is not a

00:40:05.739 --> 00:40:06.079
 swear word,

00:40:06.159 --> 00:40:06.899
 quite literally,

00:40:07.159 --> 00:40:08.039
 thank God

00:40:08.039 --> 00:40:09.859
 that it was

00:40:09.859 --> 00:40:10.500
 unleashed on

00:40:10.500 --> 00:40:11.359
 Jesus and not

00:40:11.359 --> 00:40:11.679
 us.

00:40:18.359 --> 00:40:19.079
 We've already

00:40:19.079 --> 00:40:19.699
 been healed

00:40:19.699 --> 00:40:20.739
 from the inside

00:40:20.739 --> 00:40:21.039
 out,

00:40:21.099 --> 00:40:21.399
 renewed.

00:40:22.039 --> 00:40:22.419
 We're not

00:40:22.419 --> 00:40:23.559
 complete yet,

00:40:24.199 --> 00:40:24.879
 but it's real

00:40:24.879 --> 00:40:25.519
 and substantial

00:40:25.519 --> 00:40:26.159
 that which we

00:40:26.159 --> 00:40:27.179
 have in fullness

00:40:27.179 --> 00:40:27.659
 in the Lord

00:40:27.659 --> 00:40:28.319
 Jesus Christ.

00:40:29.039 --> 00:40:29.659
 So my friends,

00:40:31.099 --> 00:40:32.159
 let's respond

00:40:32.159 --> 00:40:32.819
 to God's

00:40:32.819 --> 00:40:33.639
 love

00:40:33.639 --> 00:40:34.819
 wholeheartedly

00:40:34.819 --> 00:40:36.699
 and indeed

00:40:36.699 --> 00:40:37.379
 whole of

00:40:37.379 --> 00:40:37.679
 life.

00:40:38.039 --> 00:40:38.699
 That's what God

00:40:38.699 --> 00:40:39.199
 was calling

00:40:39.199 --> 00:40:39.639
 his people to

00:40:39.639 --> 00:40:40.559
 come back

00:40:40.559 --> 00:40:41.139
 and worship

00:40:41.139 --> 00:40:41.619
 me with

00:40:41.619 --> 00:40:42.460
 whole hearts

00:40:42.460 --> 00:40:42.859
 and whole

00:40:42.859 --> 00:40:43.420
 minds.

00:40:44.619 --> 00:40:44.960
 It had

00:40:44.960 --> 00:40:45.379
 particular

00:40:45.379 --> 00:40:46.500
 form in

00:40:46.500 --> 00:40:47.339
 Malachi's day,

00:40:47.920 --> 00:40:48.359
 got very

00:40:48.359 --> 00:40:49.059
 different form

00:40:49.059 --> 00:40:49.679
 in our day

00:40:49.679 --> 00:40:50.399
 under Jesus.

00:40:51.259 --> 00:40:51.879
 Romans 12,

00:40:51.960 --> 00:40:52.319
 1 and 2,

00:40:52.460 --> 00:40:53.339
 come back and

00:40:53.339 --> 00:40:54.159
 worship me with

00:40:54.159 --> 00:40:54.859
 the whole of

00:40:54.859 --> 00:40:55.179
 life,

00:40:55.299 --> 00:40:55.739
 whole of

00:40:55.739 --> 00:40:56.119
 heart,

00:40:56.119 --> 00:40:59.619
 because that's

00:40:59.619 --> 00:41:00.219
 the appropriate

00:41:00.219 --> 00:41:01.639
 response to

00:41:01.639 --> 00:41:02.239
 my loving

00:41:02.239 --> 00:41:02.940
 kindness to

00:41:02.940 --> 00:41:03.139
 you.

00:41:05.819 --> 00:41:06.420
 And what

00:41:06.420 --> 00:41:06.779
 does whole

00:41:06.779 --> 00:41:07.460
 of life look

00:41:07.460 --> 00:41:07.779
 like?

00:41:08.619 --> 00:41:09.219
 Well, we can

00:41:09.219 --> 00:41:09.759
 go back and

00:41:09.759 --> 00:41:10.219
 look at the

00:41:10.219 --> 00:41:10.839
 tithing there.

00:41:12.159 --> 00:41:12.759
 Whole of life

00:41:12.759 --> 00:41:14.599
 means all

00:41:14.599 --> 00:41:15.799
 are recognizing

00:41:15.799 --> 00:41:16.559
 that all we

00:41:16.559 --> 00:41:18.440
 are and all

00:41:18.440 --> 00:41:20.639
 we have is

00:41:20.639 --> 00:41:21.659
 God's goodness

00:41:21.659 --> 00:41:22.420
 and kindness

00:41:22.420 --> 00:41:22.980
 and provision

00:41:22.980 --> 00:41:23.420
 to us.

00:41:23.819 --> 00:41:24.219
 All our

00:41:24.219 --> 00:41:25.699
 money, all

00:41:25.699 --> 00:41:26.319
 our assets,

00:41:27.019 --> 00:41:27.500
 all our

00:41:27.500 --> 00:41:28.779
 time, all

00:41:28.779 --> 00:41:29.359
 our energies,

00:41:29.899 --> 00:41:30.319
 all our

00:41:30.319 --> 00:41:30.980
 giftedness,

00:41:31.519 --> 00:41:32.480
 all of it is

00:41:32.480 --> 00:41:33.159
 down to the

00:41:33.159 --> 00:41:33.719
 Lord's goodness

00:41:33.719 --> 00:41:34.399
 in our lives.

00:41:35.399 --> 00:41:35.859
 What does the

00:41:35.859 --> 00:41:36.339
 Lord want in

00:41:36.339 --> 00:41:36.819
 response for

00:41:36.819 --> 00:41:37.039
 his life?

00:41:38.119 --> 00:41:39.179
 No longer a

00:41:39.179 --> 00:41:41.139
 tithe, as per

00:41:41.139 --> 00:41:41.539
 the old

00:41:41.539 --> 00:41:42.719
 covenant, but

00:41:42.719 --> 00:41:43.239
 he does want

00:41:43.239 --> 00:41:45.919
 acknowledgement of

00:41:45.919 --> 00:41:46.460
 his goodness.

00:41:46.879 --> 00:41:47.539
 That acknowledgement

00:41:47.539 --> 00:41:48.339
 is a whole of

00:41:48.339 --> 00:41:48.739
 life.

00:41:49.839 --> 00:41:50.359
 Since we've

00:41:50.359 --> 00:41:51.039
 been redeemed,

00:41:52.179 --> 00:41:53.699
 everything is

00:41:53.699 --> 00:41:54.519
 the Lord's.

00:41:55.699 --> 00:41:56.699
 God's.

00:41:56.699 --> 00:41:58.960
 So the

00:41:58.960 --> 00:41:59.279
 question is

00:41:59.279 --> 00:41:59.739
 very simple

00:41:59.739 --> 00:42:00.359
 to you this

00:42:00.359 --> 00:42:00.859
 morning, brother

00:42:00.859 --> 00:42:01.439
 and sister, if

00:42:01.439 --> 00:42:01.739
 you're in

00:42:01.739 --> 00:42:02.119
 Christ.

00:42:03.319 --> 00:42:03.960
 Are you

00:42:03.960 --> 00:42:06.519
 worshipping or

00:42:06.519 --> 00:42:07.079
 robbing?

00:42:12.399 --> 00:42:12.919
 And there'll

00:42:12.919 --> 00:42:13.279
 be some here

00:42:13.279 --> 00:42:13.619
 this morning

00:42:13.619 --> 00:42:14.319
 who aren't yet

00:42:14.319 --> 00:42:16.579
 Christians, which

00:42:16.579 --> 00:42:17.119
 means that you're

00:42:17.119 --> 00:42:17.699
 in immediate

00:42:17.699 --> 00:42:18.919
 danger of

00:42:18.919 --> 00:42:20.079
 experiencing the

00:42:20.079 --> 00:42:20.960
 awfulness and the

00:42:20.960 --> 00:42:21.799
 fullness of God's

00:42:21.799 --> 00:42:22.399
 justice and

00:42:22.399 --> 00:42:22.679
 judgment.

00:42:22.679 --> 00:42:25.099
 my friend, don't

00:42:25.099 --> 00:42:25.899
 make light of

00:42:25.899 --> 00:42:26.119
 that.

00:42:26.339 --> 00:42:27.239
 Our world thinks

00:42:27.239 --> 00:42:28.279
 little of this

00:42:28.279 --> 00:42:28.779
 sort of stuff

00:42:28.779 --> 00:42:29.460
 writes it off as

00:42:29.460 --> 00:42:29.819
 nonsense.

00:42:30.559 --> 00:42:31.059
 Well, you've

00:42:31.059 --> 00:42:31.599
 heard God's

00:42:31.599 --> 00:42:31.960
 word this

00:42:31.960 --> 00:42:32.239
 morning.

00:42:33.859 --> 00:42:34.699
 If you write it

00:42:34.699 --> 00:42:35.359
 off as nonsense,

00:42:36.259 --> 00:42:37.399
 well, that's a

00:42:37.399 --> 00:42:38.039
 dangerous thing to

00:42:38.039 --> 00:42:39.079
 do without at

00:42:39.079 --> 00:42:39.739
 least giving it a

00:42:39.739 --> 00:42:40.539
 good hard think.

00:42:44.359 --> 00:42:45.359
 I would encourage

00:42:45.359 --> 00:42:46.139
 you not to just

00:42:46.139 --> 00:42:46.779
 write it off as

00:42:46.779 --> 00:42:47.440
 nonsense, but I

00:42:47.440 --> 00:42:48.079
 would encourage you

00:42:48.079 --> 00:42:48.639
 to hear these

00:42:48.639 --> 00:42:49.619
 heavy words of

00:42:49.619 --> 00:42:51.759
 justice, impending

00:42:51.759 --> 00:42:53.319
 justice on the

00:42:53.319 --> 00:42:53.960
 sin of God's

00:42:53.960 --> 00:42:55.339
 people so that

00:42:55.339 --> 00:42:56.119
 God will be shown

00:42:56.119 --> 00:42:56.679
 to be the great

00:42:56.679 --> 00:42:56.900
 king.

00:42:57.279 --> 00:42:57.920
 Rather than just

00:42:57.920 --> 00:42:58.819
 write them off as

00:42:58.819 --> 00:42:59.659
 nonsense or

00:42:59.659 --> 00:43:01.019
 fairy tales, think

00:43:01.019 --> 00:43:01.980
 of it like a

00:43:01.980 --> 00:43:02.559
 smoke alarm.

00:43:02.960 --> 00:43:03.279
 You know the

00:43:03.279 --> 00:43:03.719
 smoke alarms?

00:43:05.099 --> 00:43:06.460
 Incredibly loud

00:43:06.460 --> 00:43:06.960
 noise.

00:43:07.460 --> 00:43:08.059
 Dare I say it,

00:43:08.059 --> 00:43:09.139
 an annoying noise.

00:43:09.980 --> 00:43:10.539
 And you just want

00:43:10.539 --> 00:43:11.179
 to get rid of the

00:43:11.179 --> 00:43:11.539
 noise.

00:43:13.099 --> 00:43:13.779
 But when you

00:43:13.779 --> 00:43:14.319
 stop and think

00:43:14.319 --> 00:43:14.719
 about it, the

00:43:14.719 --> 00:43:15.380
 smoke alarm is

00:43:15.380 --> 00:43:15.920
 there to tell

00:43:15.920 --> 00:43:16.219
 you there's

00:43:16.219 --> 00:43:16.739
 danger.

00:43:16.739 --> 00:43:16.799
 There's danger.

00:43:19.619 --> 00:43:21.799
 You've heard

00:43:21.799 --> 00:43:22.359
 God's word.

00:43:23.059 --> 00:43:23.639
 Consider the

00:43:23.639 --> 00:43:24.519
 danger you are

00:43:24.519 --> 00:43:25.199
 in if you're not

00:43:25.199 --> 00:43:25.819
 yet a believer.

00:43:27.960 --> 00:43:29.239
 And then look to

00:43:29.239 --> 00:43:29.659
 what the Lord

00:43:29.659 --> 00:43:30.099
 says.

00:43:31.159 --> 00:43:31.739
 The Lord says

00:43:31.739 --> 00:43:32.559
 to you, as he

00:43:32.559 --> 00:43:33.139
 said in Malachi

00:43:33.139 --> 00:43:33.460
 has to say,

00:43:33.779 --> 00:43:34.719
 return to me

00:43:34.719 --> 00:43:36.079
 and I will

00:43:36.079 --> 00:43:36.839
 return to you.

00:43:40.059 --> 00:43:40.719
 Put it in

00:43:40.719 --> 00:43:41.319
 layman's language.

00:43:41.659 --> 00:43:42.339
 God says, I

00:43:42.339 --> 00:43:43.279
 will if you

00:43:43.279 --> 00:43:43.480
 will.

00:43:44.619 --> 00:43:45.359
 So, what

00:43:45.359 --> 00:43:45.859
 say you?

00:43:46.859 --> 00:43:47.359
 What say

00:43:47.359 --> 00:43:47.559
 you?

00:43:49.619 --> 00:43:50.199
 Pray with me

00:43:50.199 --> 00:43:50.500
 please.

00:43:56.299 --> 00:43:56.819
 Lord, we

00:43:56.819 --> 00:43:57.900
 find it very,

00:43:58.019 --> 00:43:58.440
 very difficult

00:43:58.440 --> 00:43:59.980
 to balance and

00:43:59.980 --> 00:44:00.380
 keep the

00:44:00.380 --> 00:44:01.000
 tensions of

00:44:01.000 --> 00:44:01.460
 your word.

00:44:02.539 --> 00:44:03.139
 For Lord, here

00:44:03.139 --> 00:44:03.859
 we have the

00:44:03.859 --> 00:44:05.239
 incredible tensions

00:44:05.239 --> 00:44:06.019
 between the

00:44:06.019 --> 00:44:06.699
 heaviness of your

00:44:06.699 --> 00:44:07.359
 justice and

00:44:07.359 --> 00:44:07.679
 judgment.

00:44:08.920 --> 00:44:09.500
 And yet, Lord,

00:44:09.579 --> 00:44:10.539
 the path of

00:44:10.539 --> 00:44:11.239
 escape and

00:44:11.239 --> 00:44:11.880
 renewal you've

00:44:11.880 --> 00:44:12.400
 provided for

00:44:12.400 --> 00:44:12.779
 your people.

00:44:14.159 --> 00:44:14.799
 Lord, so

00:44:14.799 --> 00:44:15.500
 quickly we

00:44:15.500 --> 00:44:16.599
 move from

00:44:16.599 --> 00:44:17.099
 there to

00:44:17.099 --> 00:44:19.339
 undercutting

00:44:19.339 --> 00:44:20.019
 your justice

00:44:20.019 --> 00:44:22.139
 and playing

00:44:22.139 --> 00:44:23.059
 it down and

00:44:23.059 --> 00:44:23.719
 playing up our

00:44:23.719 --> 00:44:24.900
 safety without

00:44:24.900 --> 00:44:25.759
 realizing the

00:44:25.759 --> 00:44:27.199
 enormous cost that

00:44:27.199 --> 00:44:28.219
 our safety as

00:44:28.219 --> 00:44:28.940
 Christians has

00:44:28.940 --> 00:44:29.659
 been to you in

00:44:29.659 --> 00:44:30.099
 the death of

00:44:30.099 --> 00:44:30.440
 your son.

00:44:31.299 --> 00:44:32.039
 Lord, help us

00:44:32.039 --> 00:44:34.339
 to focus on

00:44:34.339 --> 00:44:35.539
 both and bounce

00:44:35.539 --> 00:44:36.219
 from one to

00:44:36.219 --> 00:44:36.759
 the other so

00:44:36.759 --> 00:44:37.599
 that each might

00:44:37.599 --> 00:44:38.440
 illuminate the

00:44:38.440 --> 00:44:39.460
 other and

00:44:39.460 --> 00:44:40.099
 enrich the

00:44:40.099 --> 00:44:40.360
 other.

00:44:41.139 --> 00:44:41.539
 And Lord, that

00:44:41.539 --> 00:44:42.400
 each might stir

00:44:42.400 --> 00:44:43.079
 us up to love

00:44:43.079 --> 00:44:43.739
 and good deeds

00:44:43.739 --> 00:44:44.779
 as servants of

00:44:44.779 --> 00:44:44.960
 you.

00:44:45.420 --> 00:44:45.980
 Help us to

00:44:45.980 --> 00:44:46.539
 worship you,

00:44:46.679 --> 00:44:48.059
 Lord, with

00:44:48.059 --> 00:44:48.940
 whole of life,

00:44:49.460 --> 00:44:50.139
 whole of heart

00:44:50.139 --> 00:44:50.760
 commitment.

00:44:51.760 --> 00:44:52.380
 Lord, that is

00:44:52.380 --> 00:44:53.460
 exactly what we've

00:44:53.460 --> 00:44:54.219
 experienced from

00:44:54.219 --> 00:44:54.920
 you in the

00:44:54.920 --> 00:44:55.340
 Lord Jesus

00:44:55.340 --> 00:44:55.780
 Christ.

00:44:57.039 --> 00:44:57.300
 Amen.