WEBVTT

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 Well, good morning, everyone.

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 My name's Dave.

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 I'm one of the pastors here.

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 Would you please pray with me as we come to God's word?

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 Our Father in heaven, we are scared of coming too close to you

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 because we know that the light of your truth exposes us.

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 But Lord, I pray that you would convince our hearts this morning

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 that you are good and that you want good for us.

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 And so your truth is good for us.

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 So please open our hearts to hear you through your word this morning.

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 In Jesus' name, amen.

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 Amen.

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 Well, so far in the series, as David introduced this morning,

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 we've heard that God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

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 is complete and secure in himself.

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 He's perfect in knowledge, in power, love.

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 And so he alone is worthy of all our worship.

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 But if we're to know God as he actually is, he needs to reveal himself to us.

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 And the good news is he has spoken to us.

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 His words are spoken through people's words recorded in the Bible

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 so that we can understand him and have life.

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 And we've heard that this one true and living God alone created the universe

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 and rules the world.

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 And so our lives belong to him.

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 And so our lives belong to him.

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 He created us unique to know him personally, to represent him, to be like him,

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 to be with him.

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 So if we were created to know God and be like him in his character

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 and to live for him in joyful worship as his people, as his community,

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 why is there such a thing called genocide?

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 Why is there such a thing called domestic violence?

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 Tax evasion, theft, pornography, adultery, sex, trafficking,

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 royal commissions into sexual abuse?

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 Why is there such a thing as breast and prostate cancer,

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 economic depression, psychological depression,

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 rage on social media, poverty, homelessness, chronic illness, war,

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 refugee camps, terror attacks?

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 Why is there such a thing as bullying, anxiety, gossip,

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 drought, suicide, bankruptcy, unemployment, discrimination, divorce, funerals?

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 I could go on.

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 But I think we sufficiently get the point and we feel miserable enough.

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 This world has the marks of once being paradise.

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 But the longer we live in it, experience tells us that wherever we look,

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 whatever part we look at, everything screams at us,

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 something is wrong.

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 Something is seriously wrong.

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 What is it?

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 Depending on where you grow up, depending on what culture you live in,

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 there's going to be a variety of answers to this question.

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 And they range from evil spiritual forces

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 through to corrupt social systems,

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 through to really bad policies, government policies,

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 through to just individual personality flaws or psychological brokenness.

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 And some people will even say there's not a problem at all.

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 It's just the way things is.

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 The question is, will we listen to the one who made us?

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 Will you listen to what he says the problem is?

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 The whole Bible is God's words and actions to fix this problem.

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 You cannot, you cannot understand a single page of the Bible

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 if you don't take this problem seriously.

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 You cannot understand Jesus.

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 You cannot love Jesus if we ignore it.

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 And because the whole Bible is God's response to this problem,

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 we're only going to scratch the surface this morning.

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 Next week, Rob will focus on God's solution to the problem.

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 So please make every effort to hear that sermon.

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 So what does God say the problem is?

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 Throughout the Bible, both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament,

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 the most common word used to describe our problem,

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 as Alex has helpfully described and shown us,

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 is along the lines of failing to hit the mark.

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 It's falling short of the standard.

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 Now, I think we can all easily understand what this means

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 when it comes to our own standards for ourself.

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 So instead of me suggesting ways that we fall short,

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 let me just ask a very simple question.

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 Are you the person you want to be?

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 We don't like to dwell on that question too long, do we?

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 And that's just our own standards.

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 God has made us to be like him in his character.

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 Are you the person God wants you to be?

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 None of us are, not even close.

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 We have fallen so far short.

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 And we've fallen short because we refuse to let God be God.

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 Have a listen to how James Packer describes what this is in his book,

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 God's Words.

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 I like his description.

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 What is the essence of sin?

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 Playing God.

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 Playing God.

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 And as a means to this, refusing to allow the creator to be God so far as you are concerned.

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 Living not for him but for yourself.

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 Loving and serving and pleasing yourself without reference to the creator.

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 Trying to be as far as possible independent of him.

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 Taking yourself out of his hands.

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 Holding him at arm's length.

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 Keeping the reins of life in your own hands.

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 Acting as if you and your pleasure were the end to which all else, God included,

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 must be made to function as a means.

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 That is the attitude in which sin essentially consists.

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 Playing God.

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 This can be seen in really obvious ways or it could be really subtle.

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 This can have huge social implications, consequences.

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 Or it might have very little effect on those around us.

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 And when we play God, it can feel like we're succeeding.

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 We don't even feel bad.

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 We actually think we're doing what's right.

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 So even though dodgy behaviour and the damage we do to others in our own conscience,

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 all these will testify against us very clearly.

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 The essence of our problem can't be fully measured by these things.

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 We only see what we're truly like when we look at the perfection of what God is like.

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 He's got to be our reference point.

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 So what's seriously wrong with us?

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 We fall short of being like God because we refuse to let God be God.

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 And instead we play God.

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 How serious is this condition?

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 What's the extent of it?

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 What's epidemic?

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 It's universal.

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 Every person in every culture, every country, throughout all human history,

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 has fallen short of honouring God because of their refusal to let God be God.

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 Everyone.

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 Except one person.

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 And it isn't me, in case you're wondering.

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 When our ancestor Adam, the first man on earth,

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 who walked with God, knowing him and being like him,

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 and everything in the world was as it should have been,

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 when Adam chose to start playing God himself by disobeying God,

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 because he is the head of the human race,

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 he represented the entire human race.

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 And so we all feel the consequences of his choice.

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 It's in the family.

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 But we also inherit the same attitude from Adam.

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 That attitude of refusing to let God be God.

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 And so we too produce the same rotten fruit.

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 The one unifying factor across all people

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 is the world's refusal to let God be God.

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 Our condition is universal.

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 And within each individual, it's total.

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 It is spread all over.

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 Now, this doesn't mean that we're as rotten as we could be.

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 By God's grace, we're not.

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 But it does mean that our refusal to let God be God

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 dominates every aspect,

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 from our choices

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 to our ability to think wisely,

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 and even the desires of our heart.

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 So if you look at the first verse of Psalm 36,

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 transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart.

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 The desire to go against God is constantly speaking,

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 influencing the very core of our being,

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 the centre from which the rest of our lives flow.

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 So if you think of a nature reserve,

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 so Blackbutt Reserve,

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 when I first moved to Newcastle,

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 I was so confused by Blackbutt Reserve.

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 One second I'm driving at night

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 and there's civilisation all around me.

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 I take a turn

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 and suddenly I'm surrounded by bushland.

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 It's untouched by civilisation.

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 It's a beautiful spot.

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 Go for a walk there sometime.

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 But within the make-up of the human person,

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 there is no nature reserve.

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 There's no part of us that hasn't been infiltrated by sin.

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 Our thinking, verse 4,

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 he plots trouble while on his bed.

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 Our choices.

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 He sets himself in a way that is not good.

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 Our words and behaviour, verse 3.

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 The words of his mouth are trouble and lies, deceit.

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 He has ceased to act wisely and do good.

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 Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his or her heart.

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 There is no nature reserve.

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 And therefore we are unable to change ourselves.

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 We are unable to respond to God as we should.

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 We are unable to do good.

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 We can do good in terms of being better than others

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 when we compare ourselves to others.

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 But in the sight of God,

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 we can't do good.

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 Sin is affecting everything.

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 So where does this leave us?

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 Where do we stand with God?

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 We are lifeless towards him.

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 Even though he created us to know him,

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 to be like him,

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 to worship him,

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 enjoy him forever,

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 in our fallen Adam-like condition,

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 we are totally insensitive and apathetic to what God says.

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 There could be a great amount of religious activity on the outside.

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 But Jesus called the Pharisees whitewashed tombs.

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 They were dead on the inside.

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 No affection,

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 no sensitivity towards God

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 as he has revealed himself in his word.

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 Never tasting the life that is

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 to be in right relationship with God.

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 Spiritually lifeless and dead.

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 We do not know God.

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 And the end result of refusing to let God be God

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 is pictured in verse 12.

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 There the evildoers lie fallen.

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 They are thrust down,

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 unable to rise.

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 Falling short of honouring God

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 as God will result in God

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 causing that person

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 to lie fallen forever.

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 Our physical death

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 is a foretaste

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 of the judgment

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 that awaits everyone

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 who remains spiritually

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 lifeless towards God.

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 And yet despite this,

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 there is no fear of God

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 before their eyes.

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 no fear of the judge

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 of all the earth

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 who will hold us accountable.

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 I've been watching

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 a detective show recently

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 based on real events,

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 which is a little disturbing.

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 But the crimes can be horrific.

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 But there's a difference

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 between criminals.

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 There's one type of criminal

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 who clearly regret

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 what they did.

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 And they're afraid of the police.

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 And so they hide.

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 They cover up.

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 They're afraid.

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 But then there's

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 just a few who

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 in the depths

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 of their evil intent,

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 they're not even afraid

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 of the consequences.

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 verse 1.

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 There is no fear

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 of God

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 before his eyes.

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 Falling short

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 of honouring God

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 because we refuse

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 to let him be God,

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 this condition

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 is universal.

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 It is total.

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 It makes us spiritually

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 lifeless towards God.

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 We have no fear

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 of God.

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 And therefore,

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 we're destined to receive

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 what the Lord

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 is right to give us,

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 which is death.

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 death.

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 It's heavy,

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 isn't it?

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 This dark picture

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 of our condition

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 is so bleak.

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 I think it raises

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 the question,

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 if it's really this bad,

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 why doesn't it always

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 feel this serious?

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 I think verse 2

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 gives us the reason.

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 For he flatters himself

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 in his own eyes

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 that his iniquity

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 cannot be found out

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 and hated.

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 We flatter ourselves.

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 I think we can flatter

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 ourselves in two different ways

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 and I'm sure there's more.

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 First,

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 we flatter ourselves

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 by living up to the standards

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 of our society,

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 our world,

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 which just lowers the bar,

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 changes the bar,

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 however they see fit.

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 So a very small example

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 of this is

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 there's a trend

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 at the moment

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 where it's socially good

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 to be conscious

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 about buying things

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 that are ethically produced.

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 Now that's excellent.

00:20:22.960 --> 00:20:23.720
 That's a good trend,

00:20:23.799 --> 00:20:24.140
 isn't it?

00:20:24.140 --> 00:20:27.120
 It's brilliant.

00:20:29.800 --> 00:20:31.280
 But it still falls short.

00:20:33.080 --> 00:20:33.680
 Jesus says,

00:20:34.100 --> 00:20:35.580
 life does not consist

00:20:35.580 --> 00:20:36.880
 in the abundance

00:20:36.880 --> 00:20:38.740
 of your possessions.

00:20:40.740 --> 00:20:42.020
 So our society

00:20:42.020 --> 00:20:43.320
 tries to be ethical

00:20:43.320 --> 00:20:44.360
 all the while

00:20:44.360 --> 00:20:45.920
 remaining thoroughly

00:20:45.920 --> 00:20:46.540
 committed

00:20:46.540 --> 00:20:48.620
 to materialism.

00:20:48.619 --> 00:20:54.319
 so long as we measure

00:20:54.319 --> 00:20:54.879
 ourselves

00:20:54.879 --> 00:20:56.579
 by society's standards,

00:20:56.699 --> 00:20:57.759
 we can flatter ourselves

00:20:57.759 --> 00:20:59.779
 that we are by and large

00:20:59.779 --> 00:21:01.379
 doing what is right.

00:21:01.539 --> 00:21:02.719
 I'm a good person.

00:21:06.719 --> 00:21:08.579
 But we need to remember

00:21:08.579 --> 00:21:09.599
 that the world

00:21:09.599 --> 00:21:10.919
 is against God.

00:21:10.920 --> 00:21:16.900
 We need to take seriously

00:21:16.900 --> 00:21:17.600
 the warning

00:21:17.600 --> 00:21:19.200
 in James 4.4

00:21:19.200 --> 00:21:20.460
 which says,

00:21:20.580 --> 00:21:21.340
 whoever wishes

00:21:21.340 --> 00:21:22.580
 to be a friend of the world

00:21:22.580 --> 00:21:23.420
 makes himself

00:21:23.420 --> 00:21:24.740
 an enemy of God.

00:21:26.500 --> 00:21:27.960
 We flatter ourselves

00:21:27.960 --> 00:21:29.640
 by just comparing ourselves

00:21:29.640 --> 00:21:32.140
 to the world around us.

00:21:32.560 --> 00:21:33.640
 The world that wants

00:21:33.640 --> 00:21:34.660
 nothing to do with God.

00:21:36.220 --> 00:21:37.519
 And I think we can flatter

00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:38.480
 ourselves by letting

00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:39.759
 something other than God

00:21:39.759 --> 00:21:40.779
 rule our life.

00:21:40.920 --> 00:21:44.519
 So I use money

00:21:44.519 --> 00:21:46.100
 to try and demonstrate this.

00:21:46.200 --> 00:21:47.080
 Money is a big one.

00:21:48.860 --> 00:21:49.900
 The Bible has a lot

00:21:49.900 --> 00:21:50.700
 to say about it.

00:21:52.880 --> 00:21:54.080
 Money can be more

00:21:54.080 --> 00:21:55.039
 important to us

00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:55.460
 than God.

00:21:55.560 --> 00:21:57.080
 It fills our imagination.

00:21:58.600 --> 00:21:59.880
 And we look to money

00:21:59.880 --> 00:22:00.880
 to give us all

00:22:00.880 --> 00:22:01.560
 that God alone

00:22:01.560 --> 00:22:02.160
 can give us.

00:22:02.800 --> 00:22:03.240
 Security,

00:22:03.740 --> 00:22:04.380
 status,

00:22:05.080 --> 00:22:05.440
 provisions.

00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:08.779
 And so we let money

00:22:08.779 --> 00:22:09.900
 rule our lives.

00:22:10.920 --> 00:22:12.880
 But then if we let money

00:22:12.880 --> 00:22:13.820
 rule our lives,

00:22:13.900 --> 00:22:14.740
 we let money

00:22:14.740 --> 00:22:16.900
 tell us

00:22:16.900 --> 00:22:18.860
 what's right or wrong.

00:22:20.400 --> 00:22:21.580
 The love of money

00:22:21.580 --> 00:22:22.880
 starts telling us

00:22:22.880 --> 00:22:24.480
 keep it for yourself.

00:22:24.840 --> 00:22:25.360
 Invest.

00:22:27.360 --> 00:22:28.100
 God says,

00:22:28.480 --> 00:22:29.460
 give cheerfully.

00:22:31.200 --> 00:22:32.460
 Love of money says,

00:22:32.700 --> 00:22:34.380
 work to spend on yourself.

00:22:34.380 --> 00:22:35.560
 God says,

00:22:35.560 --> 00:22:36.640
 work so that you have

00:22:36.640 --> 00:22:37.900
 plenty to share

00:22:37.900 --> 00:22:38.420
 with others.

00:22:39.340 --> 00:22:40.360
 Love of money says,

00:22:40.540 --> 00:22:40.860
 worry,

00:22:41.120 --> 00:22:42.280
 you never have enough.

00:22:43.300 --> 00:22:44.140
 God says,

00:22:44.240 --> 00:22:44.800
 don't worry,

00:22:45.580 --> 00:22:46.420
 you have me.

00:22:49.520 --> 00:22:50.620
 When we allow

00:22:50.620 --> 00:22:51.400
 the love of money

00:22:51.400 --> 00:22:52.720
 to rule our lives,

00:22:52.820 --> 00:22:54.080
 we excuse ourselves

00:22:54.080 --> 00:22:55.040
 for doing wrong

00:22:55.040 --> 00:22:56.160
 and for not doing

00:22:56.160 --> 00:22:56.700
 what's right.

00:22:56.700 --> 00:22:58.200
 we call greed

00:22:58.200 --> 00:22:59.759
 being responsible.

00:23:03.360 --> 00:23:05.100
 And we flatter ourselves

00:23:05.100 --> 00:23:06.539
 and hide

00:23:06.539 --> 00:23:08.220
 from God's standards

00:23:08.220 --> 00:23:11.380
 by letting something else

00:23:11.380 --> 00:23:12.299
 rule our lives.

00:23:18.039 --> 00:23:19.299
 So if our condition

00:23:19.299 --> 00:23:21.660
 is as serious

00:23:21.660 --> 00:23:22.779
 as God says it is,

00:23:22.860 --> 00:23:24.220
 how can we treat it

00:23:24.220 --> 00:23:24.940
 as seriously?

00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:33.240
 It's only when

00:23:33.240 --> 00:23:34.559
 we measure ourselves

00:23:34.559 --> 00:23:35.680
 to the perfection

00:23:35.680 --> 00:23:36.559
 of God

00:23:36.559 --> 00:23:38.079
 will we see

00:23:38.079 --> 00:23:38.720
 how far

00:23:38.720 --> 00:23:39.779
 we have fallen short.

00:23:41.259 --> 00:23:42.640
 It is only then

00:23:42.640 --> 00:23:44.120
 that we can begin

00:23:44.120 --> 00:23:44.900
 to hate

00:23:44.900 --> 00:23:47.120
 our condition.

00:23:50.319 --> 00:23:51.519
 And it's only

00:23:51.519 --> 00:23:52.559
 when we appreciate

00:23:52.559 --> 00:23:53.799
 that there is no

00:23:53.799 --> 00:23:55.240
 nature reserve

00:23:55.240 --> 00:23:55.859
 in us

00:23:55.859 --> 00:23:56.940
 that we begin

00:23:56.940 --> 00:23:58.059
 to look for a solution

00:23:58.059 --> 00:23:59.899
 outside of ourself,

00:24:01.279 --> 00:24:01.819
 outside

00:24:01.819 --> 00:24:03.519
 of our world,

00:24:05.339 --> 00:24:06.980
 outside of our own efforts.

00:24:06.980 --> 00:24:23.319
 this is exactly

00:24:23.319 --> 00:24:23.860
 why

00:24:23.860 --> 00:24:25.380
 the psalm

00:24:25.380 --> 00:24:26.480
 changes tone

00:24:26.480 --> 00:24:28.839
 so drastically

00:24:28.839 --> 00:24:31.319
 from verse 5 onwards.

00:24:31.759 --> 00:24:32.480
 Read or listen,

00:24:32.660 --> 00:24:33.299
 I don't mind.

00:24:33.299 --> 00:24:36.259
 your steadfast love,

00:24:36.359 --> 00:24:36.839
 O Lord,

00:24:36.980 --> 00:24:38.460
 extends to the heavens,

00:24:38.779 --> 00:24:39.980
 your faithfulness

00:24:39.980 --> 00:24:40.759
 to the clouds,

00:24:41.139 --> 00:24:41.960
 your righteousness

00:24:41.960 --> 00:24:43.339
 is like the mountains

00:24:43.339 --> 00:24:44.019
 of God,

00:24:44.099 --> 00:24:44.819
 your judgments

00:24:44.819 --> 00:24:45.940
 are like the great deep.

00:24:46.299 --> 00:24:47.119
 Man and beast,

00:24:47.279 --> 00:24:48.240
 you save,

00:24:48.639 --> 00:24:49.279
 O Lord.

00:24:50.019 --> 00:24:50.799
 And listen to what

00:24:50.799 --> 00:24:51.899
 God wants to give us

00:24:51.899 --> 00:24:53.059
 instead of what we deserve.

00:24:53.319 --> 00:24:54.059
 How precious

00:24:54.059 --> 00:24:55.779
 is your steadfast love,

00:24:55.859 --> 00:24:56.299
 O God.

00:24:56.460 --> 00:24:57.700
 The children of mankind

00:24:57.700 --> 00:24:58.980
 take refuge

00:24:58.980 --> 00:24:59.740
 in the shadow

00:24:59.740 --> 00:25:00.480
 of your wings.

00:25:00.480 --> 00:25:01.579
 They feast

00:25:01.579 --> 00:25:02.380
 on the abundance

00:25:02.380 --> 00:25:03.160
 of your house

00:25:03.160 --> 00:25:04.039
 and you give them

00:25:04.039 --> 00:25:05.079
 drink from the river

00:25:05.079 --> 00:25:06.120
 of your delights.

00:25:06.240 --> 00:25:06.880
 With you

00:25:06.880 --> 00:25:08.039
 is the fountain

00:25:08.039 --> 00:25:08.779
 of life.

00:25:09.059 --> 00:25:10.000
 In your light

00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:11.259
 do we see light.

00:25:15.140 --> 00:25:16.860
 There is only one person

00:25:16.860 --> 00:25:17.839
 who has ever walked

00:25:17.839 --> 00:25:18.500
 this earth

00:25:18.500 --> 00:25:19.420
 who is free

00:25:19.420 --> 00:25:20.200
 of this condition,

00:25:20.360 --> 00:25:21.059
 who is free

00:25:21.059 --> 00:25:22.299
 and able to save us.

00:25:22.519 --> 00:25:23.759
 His name is Jesus.

00:25:25.759 --> 00:25:26.720
 We'll hear more

00:25:26.720 --> 00:25:27.579
 about him next week.

00:25:27.700 --> 00:25:28.420
 Please make sure

00:25:28.420 --> 00:25:29.019
 you hear it.

00:25:30.480 --> 00:25:33.240
 God invites you.

00:25:33.319 --> 00:25:33.640
 In fact,

00:25:33.680 --> 00:25:34.400
 he tells you,

00:25:34.700 --> 00:25:35.980
 take refuge in me.

00:25:37.819 --> 00:25:38.460
 Feast

00:25:38.460 --> 00:25:39.740
 from my abundance,

00:25:41.059 --> 00:25:42.420
 my steadfast

00:25:42.420 --> 00:25:43.599
 love.

00:25:44.880 --> 00:25:45.440
 Drink

00:25:45.440 --> 00:25:46.420
 from my delight.

00:25:47.059 --> 00:25:47.740
 I am

00:25:47.740 --> 00:25:48.240
 the fountain

00:25:48.240 --> 00:25:48.960
 of life.

00:25:50.539 --> 00:25:51.259
 Don't stay

00:25:51.259 --> 00:25:51.819
 in darkness.

00:25:52.579 --> 00:25:53.039
 Come

00:25:53.039 --> 00:25:53.960
 into my light.

00:25:57.500 --> 00:25:58.059
 Something

00:25:58.059 --> 00:25:58.960
 is seriously

00:25:58.960 --> 00:25:59.460
 wrong.

00:26:00.480 --> 00:26:01.440
 Don't look

00:26:01.440 --> 00:26:02.360
 inside yourself.

00:26:02.839 --> 00:26:03.319
 Don't look

00:26:03.319 --> 00:26:04.099
 to the world

00:26:04.099 --> 00:26:04.860
 for an answer,

00:26:05.120 --> 00:26:05.839
 for a remedy.

00:26:06.440 --> 00:26:07.200
 You will not

00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:07.740
 find it.

00:26:11.539 --> 00:26:12.279
 Will you

00:26:12.279 --> 00:26:12.880
 keep flattering

00:26:12.880 --> 00:26:13.360
 yourself?

00:26:16.900 --> 00:26:17.680
 Or will you

00:26:17.680 --> 00:26:18.339
 come near

00:26:18.339 --> 00:26:18.880
 to God

00:26:18.880 --> 00:26:21.759
 as he has

00:26:21.759 --> 00:26:22.559
 revealed himself

00:26:22.559 --> 00:26:23.180
 in his word?

00:26:23.180 --> 00:26:24.860
 even

00:26:24.860 --> 00:26:24.880
 even

00:26:24.880 --> 00:26:25.100
 though

00:26:25.100 --> 00:26:25.799
 his light

00:26:25.799 --> 00:26:26.539
 will

00:26:26.539 --> 00:26:27.620
 increasingly

00:26:27.620 --> 00:26:28.880
 expose

00:26:28.880 --> 00:26:30.000
 how far

00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:30.340
 you have

00:26:30.340 --> 00:26:31.039
 fallen short.

00:26:31.340 --> 00:26:31.680
 Will you

00:26:31.680 --> 00:26:32.420
 come to him

00:26:32.420 --> 00:26:33.660
 who is the

00:26:33.660 --> 00:26:34.039
 fountain

00:26:34.039 --> 00:26:34.880
 of life

00:26:34.880 --> 00:26:38.340
 and make

00:26:38.340 --> 00:26:40.000
 this psalm

00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:40.640
 your words?

00:26:40.759 --> 00:26:41.720
 How precious

00:26:41.720 --> 00:26:43.820
 is your

00:26:43.820 --> 00:26:45.000
 steadfast love,

00:26:45.120 --> 00:26:45.580
 oh God.

00:26:49.019 --> 00:26:49.519
 Will you

00:26:49.519 --> 00:26:50.019
 pray with me?

00:26:50.380 --> 00:26:50.680
 Let's pray.

00:26:50.680 --> 00:27:02.060
 Father,

00:27:02.259 --> 00:27:02.720
 judge of

00:27:02.720 --> 00:27:03.019
 all the

00:27:03.019 --> 00:27:03.279
 earth,

00:27:03.380 --> 00:27:04.420
 nothing is

00:27:04.420 --> 00:27:05.180
 hidden from

00:27:05.180 --> 00:27:05.779
 your sight.

00:27:07.220 --> 00:27:07.880
 We can

00:27:07.880 --> 00:27:08.259
 fool

00:27:08.259 --> 00:27:08.720
 ourselves,

00:27:09.720 --> 00:27:10.620
 we can

00:27:10.620 --> 00:27:11.140
 fool those

00:27:11.140 --> 00:27:11.860
 around us,

00:27:12.980 --> 00:27:13.400
 but you

00:27:13.400 --> 00:27:13.900
 search our

00:27:13.900 --> 00:27:14.320
 hearts.

00:27:14.319 --> 00:27:19.599
 why you

00:27:19.599 --> 00:27:20.159
 would invite

00:27:20.159 --> 00:27:20.500
 us to

00:27:20.500 --> 00:27:20.879
 come to

00:27:20.879 --> 00:27:21.319
 you for

00:27:21.319 --> 00:27:21.779
 safety

00:27:21.779 --> 00:27:22.439
 and life

00:27:22.439 --> 00:27:24.539
 instead of

00:27:24.539 --> 00:27:25.059
 making us

00:27:25.059 --> 00:27:25.819
 life fallen.

00:27:26.019 --> 00:27:26.480
 We can't

00:27:26.480 --> 00:27:27.079
 fully say.

00:27:27.220 --> 00:27:27.700
 All we can

00:27:27.700 --> 00:27:28.519
 say is how

00:27:28.519 --> 00:27:30.679
 precious is

00:27:30.679 --> 00:27:31.980
 your steadfast

00:27:31.980 --> 00:27:32.599
 love,

00:27:33.200 --> 00:27:33.899
 oh God.

00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:35.759
 Continue

00:27:35.759 --> 00:27:38.079
 your steadfast

00:27:38.079 --> 00:27:38.819
 love to us,

00:27:38.899 --> 00:27:39.399
 your people,

00:27:39.759 --> 00:27:40.139
 who have

00:27:40.139 --> 00:27:40.980
 taken refuge

00:27:40.980 --> 00:27:41.379
 in our

00:27:41.379 --> 00:27:41.919
 Lord Jesus

00:27:41.919 --> 00:27:42.480
 Christ.

00:27:42.480 --> 00:27:44.299
 keep

00:27:44.299 --> 00:27:45.259
 drawing us

00:27:45.259 --> 00:27:45.960
 individually

00:27:45.960 --> 00:27:46.620
 and as a

00:27:46.620 --> 00:27:47.279
 church into

00:27:47.279 --> 00:27:47.900
 your light.

00:27:48.940 --> 00:27:50.039
 Not afraid

00:27:50.039 --> 00:27:50.700
 to let our

00:27:50.700 --> 00:27:51.519
 sin be exposed

00:27:51.519 --> 00:27:52.259
 because you

00:27:52.259 --> 00:27:52.880
 are the

00:27:52.880 --> 00:27:53.620
 fountain of

00:27:53.620 --> 00:27:54.019
 life.

00:27:56.160 --> 00:27:56.579
 And by

00:27:56.579 --> 00:27:57.019
 your light

00:27:57.019 --> 00:27:57.420
 we see

00:27:57.420 --> 00:27:57.759
 light.

00:27:58.420 --> 00:27:58.900
 In Jesus'

00:27:59.099 --> 00:27:59.259
 name,

00:27:59.440 --> 00:27:59.720
 Amen.