WEBVTT

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 It's good to see you all this morning.

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 Will you please go with me to prayer as we ask for the Lord's help?

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 Oh, Lord, we come to you this morning, and we come to your word.

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 And Lord, I pray this morning that we might tremble at it.

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 Lord, because it is awesome, because it is majestic, because it tells us truths.

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 It's, Lord, that we need to know and we need to hear.

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 God, I pray for our hearts this morning that we would be open to receive.

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 And Lord, in receiving, Lord, that you would press these truths deep in our hearts.

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 Lord, I pray for your help this morning.

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 Lord, in my weakness, Lord, will you give strength.

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 Lord, will you enable me to proclaim the word as I ought.

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 Lord, may we together sit under it.

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 And Lord, in response to it, worship you as truly a great God.

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 We pray these things in Jesus' name.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 Well, it's good to see you all this morning.

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 We are going to continue in our series in 1 Peter.

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 And we come to the end of the first section of the book, chapter 1-1 through verses 2, 11, and 12.

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 2, 11, and 12 is kind of a hinge chapter.

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 And so we're looking at the passage right before that, verses 4 through 12.

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 And one of the things you see is that this whole section is bracketed by Peter describing the church as exiles.

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 People who are living as strangers in a land that are not their true home.

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 And I wonder if you've ever experienced that.

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 I had the privilege of doing so for a couple years.

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 I got to live in China.

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 I remember the first week when we went, Brandy, my late wife, was on bed rest when we had first arrived.

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 And that was a serious crisis for me because she was one who knew how to speak Chinese.

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 And I didn't.

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 And so two days after we landed, I was sent out to get lunch.

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 And it could have been a movie because I'm sitting there with these transliterated Chinese characters on this piece of paper that my wife gave me trying to say,

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 can I please have eggplant and pork on rice in Chinese and failing.

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 And they kept saying, Shema, Shema, what are you saying?

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 And I would say it again.

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 They brought me menus that were all in Chinese.

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 I couldn't.

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 That didn't help.

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 It wasn't.

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 We weren't going to get anywhere doing that.

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 And it was.

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 And I felt so out of place, so alone, so helpless.

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 It was a terror.

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 Like it was a really hard experience.

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 And I was supposed to be providing for my wife who was at home on bed rest.

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 And this was her food, not just mine.

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 And it was.

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 I felt like an alien and a stranger in this world.

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 Maybe you've experienced that in cross-cultural situations.

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 Maybe you've experienced it because you follow Christ.

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 Maybe as a high schooler, your friends are full of social media mean tweets and disparaging remarks and comparisons

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 and some of the more destructive ways in which our culture tends to engage

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 while you seek to show grace and kindness to those around you.

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 Maybe in the workplace, you overhear conversations about politics or social issues

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 and you feel like there's no way to engage in the conversation

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 to express maybe or share your convictions without being seen as an alien.

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 An alien either as an invading threat to all that is good and decent in the world

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 or a hateful bigot promoting oppression and violence.

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 Maybe you've experienced it in your family.

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 You came to Christ and you've been seeking to bring redemptive and healthy patterns of relating

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 to deeply ingrained family dynamics that are destructive.

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 And you've been responded to with exclusion or anger or laughter.

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 There are lots of different ways in which we might feel like aliens, foreigners, outsiders in the places that we live.

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 And I will say this, if you don't feel this way today, I think you will.

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 I think you will in the coming days as our culture continues to move away from some shared values.

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 We will continue to feel the dislocation between what we are called to be as Christians in the world that we live in

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 unless God intervenes with a massive revival in both the church and the society.

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 And if you've ever felt this way, you know how hard it is.

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 It's crushing.

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 It's isolating.

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 It's a very hard tension.

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 We don't know where we fit in and we feel like, where do I find my bearings?

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 We lose our sense of identity and we're disoriented.

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 And often when we feel that tension, we try to resolve it.

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 One way we try to resolve that tension is we conform.

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 I'm going to become like this culture that I'm living in.

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 We lose our sense of who we are.

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 Sometimes, instead of conforming, we withdraw.

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 This happened, I saw this in China.

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 The expats created their withdrawal community where they didn't want to have anything to do with the local culture and local people.

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 They just wanted to reproduce their own culture in their own little conclave.

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 Sometimes, I think, we seek to control.

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 To resolve this tension, we want to impose upon others our expectations, our values, our ways of going in a way to enforce it on those around us.

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 We demand that the world affirm and embrace us for who we are.

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 In light of all of these dynamics, Peter's writing to this church to encourage them and to strengthen them in their Christian faith.

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 And he has pastoral insight, I believe, to help us think through how do we live as aliens and strangers in this world, as exiles.

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 So, Peter's writing as a pastor to these churches.

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 And he tells us two things in this passage that we're about to read.

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 He tells us about our identity and he tells us about our purpose.

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 Two places where we can put our feet down and know this is who we are, even as we feel like outsiders.

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 So, let's look at it together.

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 1 Peter, chapter 2, verses 4 through 10 is a passage.

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 It's 953 in the Pew Bible.

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 And let's read that together.

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 1 Peter, chapter 2, starting in verse 4.

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 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men, but in the sight of God, chosen and precious,

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 you yourselves, like living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house,

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 to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

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 For it stands in Scripture,

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 Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious,

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 and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.

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 So the honor is for you who believe.

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 But for those who do not believe, the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,

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 and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.

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 They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

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 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession,

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 that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness and into his marvelous light.

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 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people.

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 Once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

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 Friends, Peter wants to tell us this morning that as we live in this world,

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 our identity in the world is not from this world, but it is from God to be God's people.

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 And our place and purpose in this world is for God,

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 that we would live declaring his greatness in the world.

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 Structurally, this passage breaks down.

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 Verses 4 and 5 in some ways are kind of a header statement, a summary statement of these two ideas.

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 This is who you are and this is why you're here.

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 And then he defends it with a whole litany of Old Testament quotes and allusions

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 to fill out our understanding of what this means.

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 So we're going to look at these two ideas, identity and purpose,

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 and try to flesh out what Peter is telling us about them.

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 And then we're going to talk about how that applies to us.

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 So first of all, God confers to us an identity as God's people based on Christ and distinct in the world.

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 So what does it mean that we have an identity as God's people based on Christ?

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 Well, this is the idea that we see in verse 4.

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 As you come to him, and that is talking about Jesus, you can look back in the context.

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 Verse 3, having tasted the goodness of the Lord, is referring to Jesus and his salvific work for us.

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 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men.

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 And then you see as the argument goes on through the passage,

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 he is this cornerstone that God is laying.

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 Now, what is a cornerstone?

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 I'm not an architect nor a builder.

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 Maybe Antoine could tell you what a cornerstone is.

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 But from my reading, what a cornerstone is, and particularly in the first century,

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 it was the first stone that was laid from which all the lines of the building would be defined.

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 It defined level.

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 It defined the walls.

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 It defined the vertical plumbness of what was had.

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 It was the one that set all of those directions.

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 And what God says is, here, Peter is saying,

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 God has laid this cornerstone of a new building.

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 A new building which is this holy temple that is a living temple.

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 He's mixing metaphors, so you have to be creative.

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 But he's saying this is a bunch of living stones being built together into this incredible place.

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 And he's using, as he explains this idea, there's all this Old Testament richness, right?

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 Verse 6 is a quote from Isaiah 28, 16.

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 Where God says,

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 In the midst of the unfaithfulness of the leaders of Jerusalem as well as the nations around,

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 in the midst of the suffering that the people are experiencing and the threat of the northern exile,

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 he says, I'm laying a stone.

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 I'm laying something that is going to be an unmovable foundation.

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 So even though you feel so uncertain, hang in there because I have laid a cornerstone in Zion.

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 And whoever trusts in this will not be put to shame.

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 Whoever is connected to this cornerstone.

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 And he goes on and he says,

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 And this cornerstone is chosen and precious.

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 This has been God's sovereignty.

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 It wasn't like in the first century God was wandering around wondering,

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 Golly, this is a really bad situation.

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 The people are under the oppression of Rome.

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 They haven't seen the fulfillment of the promises.

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 What am I going to do?

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 Oh, look, here's a guy.

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 He's born in Galilee.

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 Maybe he'd be useful.

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 Just this Jesus guy.

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 I'll try to make him the savior of the world.

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 No.

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 God chose before the foundation of the world that Jesus would come

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 and to do this work of redemption.

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 And God chose to bring him in at just the right time

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 in the process of human history to be the savior.

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 And as such, and as God's son, the one who came from heaven to do this,

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 he is precious.

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 And Peter says, and he's not only chosen, he's not only precious,

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 but he is a living stone.

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 Because remember, Peter had seen Jesus.

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 Raised from the dead.

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 And this was the thing that made him distinct above all others.

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 This is, this is the cornerstone.

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 Peter says, this is the foundation that upon which you,

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 you, God's new people in the church are being built.

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 But he's not just a chosen and precious stone,

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 but he's also, as you see in verse four,

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 he is rejected by mankind.

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 He's rejected by humanity.

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 God's doing this work of redemption,

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 and yet in the midst of it,

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 God predicted and expected that there would be this rejection that would come.

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 Right?

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 As you look down in the verses that follow where he's defending this,

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 you see the turn in verse seven.

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 So the honor is for you who believe,

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 you who are living stones connected to the cornerstone.

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 But for the ones who do not believe,

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 he is the stone that the builders rejected.

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 And he is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense

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 to those who do not believe and who disobey God's word.

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 The quote is from Psalm 118, 22, that Antoine read earlier.

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 And you know, this idea resounds throughout the New Testament.

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 Jesus himself used these verses to describe himself

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 when he said, you need to recognize this.

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 He's confronting, particularly in that day,

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 the religious leadership of the day that was rejecting him

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 and his claim to be the savior.

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 He said, you are, I am this stone that is rejected,

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 but I'm going to be a stumbling stone for you

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 as you try to live in this world.

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 You can see that in any of the synoptic gospels,

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 Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

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 And he said this actually at the end of the parable of the wicked tenants.

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 Do you know that parable?

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 A parable where there was a land

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 and the master left this land in the purview of some people.

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 And he went away.

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 And then the people said, oh, well, we're going to take this and make it our own.

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 And then he started to send messengers back saying,

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 no, you've got to do this under me.

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 And the master's coming and you have to do this.

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 And they rejected him.

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 They rejected him.

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 Finally, he sent his son.

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 And they killed his son rather than submitting to the master's ownership and leadership.

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 And it was in the context of this parable that Jesus quoted this verse to say,

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 I am the one who's come from the father.

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 I am the son.

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 And you are going to reject me and kill me.

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 So this is not a surprise in God's plan that this happened.

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 But it is a strong dynamic that we see throughout this.

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 In Acts 4, Peter, the apostle who wrote this letter earlier,

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 right after the resurrection of Jesus and his ascension

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 and the beginning of the church, the day of Pentecost,

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 Jesus identifies, or Peter identifies Jesus as this rejected cornerstone.

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 But he goes on.

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 And I want to read these verses to you because it's a powerful connection to this idea.

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 So in Acts 4, Peter's preaching to the crowd.

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 And he's talking about Jesus whom you crucified,

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 whom God raised from the dead.

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 By him, this man is standing before you.

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 Well, this Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders,

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 which has become the cornerstone.

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 And then he goes on and he says,

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 And there is salvation in no one else.

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 For there is no other name under heaven given among men

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 by which we must be saved.

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 So this cornerstone that God is building this new people on

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 is one who is a dividing stone in the world.

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 There are some who will believe and reject him

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 and believe and be connected to him as living stones.

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 And there are some who will reject him and who will despise him and who will refuse him.

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 This underlies the way that Jesus is an exclusive savior.

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 Not in the way where he intentionally is excluding people.

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 I don't believe that's the picture of him.

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 But more that he alone is the one who can do the work necessary for our salvation.

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 He alone, because of his person and his life, death, and resurrection,

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 he alone can be the savior of the world.

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 And he presents all people everywhere with this question.

00:18:09.220 --> 00:18:10.579
 What will you do with Jesus?

00:18:10.579 --> 00:18:14.659
 Will you accept him?

00:18:15.099 --> 00:18:18.079
 Will you receive him as he has revealed himself?

00:18:18.679 --> 00:18:21.740
 Will you believe in him and trust in him for your salvation?

00:18:22.199 --> 00:18:24.119
 Or will you reject him?

00:18:24.500 --> 00:18:30.319
 Will you commit yourself instead to another plan of your own self-salvation?

00:18:30.659 --> 00:18:32.939
 Will you commit yourself to some other way

00:18:32.940 --> 00:18:36.240
 that you are going to find your identity and purpose in the world?

00:18:41.320 --> 00:18:44.980
 Peter is writing to this church that's suffering,

00:18:45.640 --> 00:18:50.140
 that's feeling this dislocation of being an alien in the Roman Empire,

00:18:50.580 --> 00:18:51.600
 being in exile.

00:18:52.160 --> 00:18:53.820
 This world isn't my home.

00:18:54.420 --> 00:18:55.120
 And he's saying,

00:18:55.759 --> 00:18:58.160
 recognize that's what Jesus experienced,

00:18:58.160 --> 00:19:00.060
 and if you're going to be connected to him,

00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:02.920
 you're going to experience it too.

00:19:06.040 --> 00:19:09.460
 But recognize that when you're connected with him,

00:19:09.960 --> 00:19:11.920
 what a great privilege that is.

00:19:13.640 --> 00:19:16.420
 So Ephesians 2, Paul writes this,

00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:18.540
 so then you are no longer strangers and aliens,

00:19:18.880 --> 00:19:21.040
 but you are fellow citizens with the saints

00:19:21.040 --> 00:19:22.779
 and members of the household of God,

00:19:23.259 --> 00:19:26.340
 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets.

00:19:26.339 --> 00:19:29.659
 Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,

00:19:29.879 --> 00:19:32.559
 in whom the whole structure being joined together

00:19:32.559 --> 00:19:34.699
 grows into a holy temple in the Lord.

00:19:35.399 --> 00:19:37.659
 In him you also are being built together

00:19:37.659 --> 00:19:42.359
 into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

00:19:45.399 --> 00:19:48.679
 Church, this is what God says that we are.

00:19:48.919 --> 00:19:52.099
 We are the living stones connecting to him,

00:19:52.099 --> 00:19:54.399
 this cornerstone,

00:19:55.059 --> 00:19:56.779
 chosen by God,

00:19:56.879 --> 00:19:58.019
 but rejected by men.

00:19:58.639 --> 00:20:00.659
 And so when we experience that rejection,

00:20:00.799 --> 00:20:02.099
 we ought not be surprised,

00:20:02.480 --> 00:20:05.059
 for it's what he experienced for us first.

00:20:05.959 --> 00:20:08.159
 But then there's a second part of this identity.

00:20:08.500 --> 00:20:10.639
 If being connected to the cornerstone is the first part,

00:20:10.699 --> 00:20:12.500
 the second part is that our identity

00:20:12.500 --> 00:20:16.240
 is to be living as distinctly in the world.

00:20:16.319 --> 00:20:17.119
 And by distinct,

00:20:17.119 --> 00:20:19.419
 I don't mean weird intentionally.

00:20:19.679 --> 00:20:22.439
 I don't mean that we have to dress in a particular,

00:20:22.639 --> 00:20:22.779
 you know,

00:20:22.819 --> 00:20:24.639
 we don't have to wear doilies on our heads

00:20:24.639 --> 00:20:25.419
 or, you know,

00:20:25.500 --> 00:20:26.419
 dresses that,

00:20:26.899 --> 00:20:27.579
 or, you know,

00:20:27.699 --> 00:20:28.579
 suits the whole time

00:20:28.579 --> 00:20:30.679
 or whatever your image might be

00:20:30.679 --> 00:20:31.339
 of what,

00:20:31.339 --> 00:20:33.779
 yeah,

00:20:33.979 --> 00:20:35.399
 what cultic people

00:20:35.399 --> 00:20:37.779
 who identify themselves by dress would do.

00:20:37.939 --> 00:20:39.739
 However you want to fill in that gap.

00:20:39.740 --> 00:20:41.980
 But instead,

00:20:42.220 --> 00:20:44.180
 Peter is saying here,

00:20:44.579 --> 00:20:45.779
 we are called to live

00:20:45.779 --> 00:20:49.440
 distinctly with this close intimacy with Christ.

00:20:49.539 --> 00:20:50.180
 In verse five,

00:20:50.259 --> 00:20:50.519
 he says,

00:20:50.620 --> 00:20:52.519
 you're being built into a spiritual house,

00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:54.180
 a holy priesthood.

00:20:54.539 --> 00:20:56.259
 Nick preached on this two weeks ago.

00:20:56.359 --> 00:20:57.500
 You should go back and listen to his sermon.

00:20:57.660 --> 00:21:00.099
 But holy doesn't mean holier than thou

00:21:00.099 --> 00:21:02.120
 and more pure and self-righteous

00:21:02.120 --> 00:21:04.680
 and therefore looking down on the rest of us

00:21:04.680 --> 00:21:06.539
 for our imperfections and weaknesses.

00:21:07.000 --> 00:21:08.059
 Holy doesn't mean that.

00:21:08.059 --> 00:21:10.099
 What holy means is set apart.

00:21:10.839 --> 00:21:14.779
 Just like you might have special china in your house

00:21:14.779 --> 00:21:17.419
 that you would set apart for a special occasion

00:21:17.419 --> 00:21:20.659
 but not use commonly every day.

00:21:21.179 --> 00:21:22.279
 Jesus is saying,

00:21:22.440 --> 00:21:23.079
 God is saying,

00:21:23.220 --> 00:21:25.819
 you are set apart from this world

00:21:25.819 --> 00:21:27.379
 for particular purposes

00:21:27.379 --> 00:21:30.779
 and to be a particular people in this world

00:21:30.779 --> 00:21:34.099
 so that you might glorify me.

00:21:34.579 --> 00:21:35.559
 And he goes on then

00:21:35.559 --> 00:21:36.399
 and he describes it

00:21:36.400 --> 00:21:39.620
 and you see this is picked up in verse nine very strongly.

00:21:40.120 --> 00:21:41.860
 You are a royal priesthood,

00:21:42.759 --> 00:21:43.700
 a holy nation.

00:21:43.900 --> 00:21:45.460
 Let's make sure I get this right.

00:21:45.720 --> 00:21:46.940
 You are a chosen race,

00:21:47.080 --> 00:21:48.160
 a royal priesthood,

00:21:48.280 --> 00:21:49.340
 a holy nation.

00:21:49.680 --> 00:21:52.700
 He picks up this cascade of ideas

00:21:52.700 --> 00:21:57.000
 to say that we are the special people in the world,

00:21:58.060 --> 00:21:59.940
 a priesthood that God has set apart.

00:21:59.940 --> 00:22:01.880
 Now we need to be careful here

00:22:01.880 --> 00:22:04.340
 because priesthood sometimes could indicate

00:22:04.340 --> 00:22:06.860
 that what Peter means here

00:22:06.860 --> 00:22:10.680
 is we are priests mediating between God and the world.

00:22:11.500 --> 00:22:13.920
 And I don't actually think that's the idea here.

00:22:14.220 --> 00:22:16.240
 I think the idea here is that priests

00:22:16.240 --> 00:22:18.220
 had this immense privilege

00:22:18.220 --> 00:22:21.120
 of serving in the temple in Jerusalem

00:22:21.120 --> 00:22:24.180
 and having access to the inner courts

00:22:24.180 --> 00:22:26.500
 and the presence of God

00:22:26.500 --> 00:22:28.240
 in a way that others didn't.

00:22:28.240 --> 00:22:30.339
 And what Peter is saying here

00:22:30.339 --> 00:22:33.740
 is we all now have access to intimacy,

00:22:33.740 --> 00:22:35.519
 to the presence of God

00:22:35.519 --> 00:22:36.099
 through the,

00:22:36.440 --> 00:22:37.539
 in the Holy Spirit.

00:22:37.539 --> 00:22:40.599
 And this is what he's calling us to.

00:22:41.359 --> 00:22:42.420
 Why do I say this?

00:22:42.579 --> 00:22:43.120
 Well, look,

00:22:43.519 --> 00:22:44.900
 this is a quotation.

00:22:45.380 --> 00:22:47.640
 Verse nine is a quotation from Exodus 19.

00:22:48.339 --> 00:22:49.940
 If you remember the story of Exodus,

00:22:50.480 --> 00:22:53.380
 God has just released the people of Israel

00:22:53.380 --> 00:22:54.279
 from slavery

00:22:54.279 --> 00:22:57.319
 after 400 years of oppression in Egypt.

00:22:57.319 --> 00:23:01.179
 And he's brought them through the Red Sea.

00:23:01.579 --> 00:23:05.859
 He saved them from the marauding army of Pharaoh.

00:23:06.099 --> 00:23:09.799
 And he's brought them to the foot of Mount Sinai.

00:23:09.879 --> 00:23:11.720
 He's about to reveal to them the law.

00:23:12.099 --> 00:23:13.779
 But God comes to Moses

00:23:13.779 --> 00:23:18.319
 and he has this sort of clarifying statement

00:23:18.319 --> 00:23:19.439
 with Moses about,

00:23:19.639 --> 00:23:20.659
 this is what I'm up to.

00:23:20.660 --> 00:23:22.480
 So in Exodus 19,

00:23:22.880 --> 00:23:26.279
 God tells Moses to then say this to the people,

00:23:26.700 --> 00:23:29.060
 you yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians

00:23:29.060 --> 00:23:31.540
 and how I bore you on eagles' wings

00:23:31.540 --> 00:23:33.360
 and brought you to myself.

00:23:33.960 --> 00:23:34.680
 Now, therefore,

00:23:34.820 --> 00:23:36.500
 if you will indeed obey my voice

00:23:36.500 --> 00:23:37.420
 and keep my covenant,

00:23:37.980 --> 00:23:40.100
 you shall be my treasured possession

00:23:40.100 --> 00:23:41.580
 among all the peoples

00:23:41.580 --> 00:23:44.440
 for all the earth is mine.

00:23:44.800 --> 00:23:46.300
 And you shall be to me

00:23:46.300 --> 00:23:47.680
 a kingdom of priests

00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:49.560
 and a holy nation.

00:23:52.440 --> 00:23:54.600
 In the broader scope of redemptive history,

00:23:54.680 --> 00:23:56.580
 remember it was one man, Abraham,

00:23:56.759 --> 00:23:57.560
 who had the promise,

00:23:57.720 --> 00:23:58.799
 you will be a great nation,

00:23:58.920 --> 00:23:59.700
 you will be a blessing.

00:24:00.140 --> 00:24:01.759
 And through Abraham's descendants,

00:24:02.000 --> 00:24:03.100
 through Isaac and Jacob,

00:24:03.100 --> 00:24:04.620
 and then Jacob's children

00:24:04.620 --> 00:24:06.000
 who moved to Egypt

00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:08.519
 by God's provision and plan,

00:24:09.019 --> 00:24:10.740
 this now family line

00:24:10.740 --> 00:24:12.440
 had become a people.

00:24:12.440 --> 00:24:14.860
 And God was now bringing this people

00:24:14.860 --> 00:24:16.539
 out of that place of slavery

00:24:16.539 --> 00:24:18.340
 into the promised land,

00:24:18.600 --> 00:24:20.519
 into the place where Jerusalem lay,

00:24:20.660 --> 00:24:22.080
 into the place where God promised

00:24:22.080 --> 00:24:24.019
 they would dwell as a nation

00:24:24.019 --> 00:24:26.200
 to display God's glory in the world.

00:24:28.019 --> 00:24:29.000
 And Peter is saying,

00:24:29.100 --> 00:24:29.759
 do you see,

00:24:30.120 --> 00:24:31.400
 this is who you are,

00:24:31.720 --> 00:24:32.960
 church in the first century

00:24:32.960 --> 00:24:34.880
 and church in the 21st century.

00:24:35.259 --> 00:24:36.759
 This is who you are,

00:24:37.080 --> 00:24:38.340
 a people distinct.

00:24:38.820 --> 00:24:40.080
 And the key thing about it,

00:24:40.160 --> 00:24:41.160
 just like in Exodus,

00:24:41.160 --> 00:24:43.440
 this God's presence was with them

00:24:43.440 --> 00:24:44.560
 and he was leading them.

00:24:44.820 --> 00:24:46.500
 So now the distinctiveness

00:24:46.500 --> 00:24:49.019
 that we have

00:24:49.019 --> 00:24:50.240
 is that God's presence

00:24:50.240 --> 00:24:51.960
 is with us.

00:24:54.240 --> 00:24:56.540
 God chose us to do this.

00:24:59.320 --> 00:25:01.100
 Do you know the power of being chosen?

00:25:02.580 --> 00:25:04.660
 Do you remember being on the playground?

00:25:04.840 --> 00:25:06.040
 I don't know if they do this anymore.

00:25:06.220 --> 00:25:07.600
 It probably doesn't happen anymore,

00:25:07.759 --> 00:25:10.440
 but bear with me in the illustration, right?

00:25:10.440 --> 00:25:12.259
 The power of being chosen

00:25:12.259 --> 00:25:15.019
 to be on the kickball team, right?

00:25:15.160 --> 00:25:16.900
 And you're standing there in the line

00:25:16.900 --> 00:25:18.100
 and they're the two captains

00:25:18.100 --> 00:25:19.180
 and they're the cool kids

00:25:19.180 --> 00:25:20.039
 and you're like,

00:25:20.120 --> 00:25:20.900
 okay, well,

00:25:21.059 --> 00:25:22.180
 maybe they'll pick me,

00:25:22.299 --> 00:25:23.279
 hopefully not last.

00:25:23.620 --> 00:25:24.480
 And the power of,

00:25:24.600 --> 00:25:25.320
 when they look at you like,

00:25:25.519 --> 00:25:26.400
 I want Brian,

00:25:26.600 --> 00:25:28.180
 I want Brian to be on my team.

00:25:28.980 --> 00:25:29.940
 It's like, yes,

00:25:30.120 --> 00:25:30.980
 I'm chosen.

00:25:31.779 --> 00:25:33.420
 How awesome is that?

00:25:34.259 --> 00:25:34.660
 Right?

00:25:35.660 --> 00:25:36.779
 Now it feels terrible

00:25:36.779 --> 00:25:37.900
 when you're the last kid, right?

00:25:38.920 --> 00:25:40.620
 So that's part,

00:25:40.779 --> 00:25:42.060
 but part of it is that

00:25:42.060 --> 00:25:43.259
 the idea here is that

00:25:43.259 --> 00:25:44.100
 there's a goodness

00:25:44.100 --> 00:25:45.380
 about being chosen.

00:25:45.900 --> 00:25:46.820
 There's a preciousness.

00:25:46.900 --> 00:25:47.860
 Here's another example

00:25:47.860 --> 00:25:48.940
 of what it feels like

00:25:48.940 --> 00:25:50.980
 when someone gets down

00:25:50.980 --> 00:25:51.880
 on their knee and says,

00:25:52.040 --> 00:25:52.840
 will you marry me?

00:25:53.240 --> 00:25:55.140
 Among all the people of the world,

00:25:55.200 --> 00:25:56.000
 I choose you.

00:25:56.500 --> 00:25:57.560
 Will you marry me?

00:25:58.500 --> 00:26:00.120
 And this is what God is saying

00:26:00.120 --> 00:26:00.920
 to his people,

00:26:01.040 --> 00:26:02.100
 his chosen people.

00:26:02.099 --> 00:26:05.240
 I've set my love on you.

00:26:05.599 --> 00:26:06.639
 Will you marry me?

00:26:07.019 --> 00:26:08.199
 Will you be mine?

00:26:09.559 --> 00:26:13.139
 Grounded in his love for us.

00:26:14.059 --> 00:26:15.299
 And we have to see

00:26:15.299 --> 00:26:16.879
 that this is based

00:26:16.879 --> 00:26:18.299
 not on our own worth.

00:26:18.439 --> 00:26:19.879
 This is where the playground thing

00:26:19.879 --> 00:26:20.679
 breaks down, right?

00:26:20.719 --> 00:26:21.379
 Because you do pick

00:26:21.379 --> 00:26:22.480
 the athletic kids first

00:26:22.480 --> 00:26:24.259
 and it's the less athletic kids

00:26:24.259 --> 00:26:25.500
 who get picked last, right?

00:26:25.639 --> 00:26:26.619
 But God says,

00:26:27.019 --> 00:26:27.919
 I haven't picked you

00:26:27.919 --> 00:26:29.740
 because you're a particularly

00:26:29.740 --> 00:26:31.399
 righteous, attractive,

00:26:31.400 --> 00:26:32.420
 skillful,

00:26:32.840 --> 00:26:34.019
 you have potential,

00:26:34.420 --> 00:26:35.460
 you know, whatever it is.

00:26:35.580 --> 00:26:36.820
 You have a nice personality.

00:26:37.160 --> 00:26:38.019
 You know, whatever it is,

00:26:38.140 --> 00:26:39.360
 God isn't choosing us

00:26:39.360 --> 00:26:41.160
 for any of those reasons.

00:26:42.660 --> 00:26:43.880
 In Deuteronomy 7,

00:26:44.300 --> 00:26:44.720
 it says,

00:26:45.120 --> 00:26:46.680
 not because you were more in number,

00:26:46.960 --> 00:26:48.820
 but because I love you.

00:26:49.860 --> 00:26:51.080
 And this is what we see

00:26:51.080 --> 00:26:52.280
 throughout Scripture.

00:26:52.920 --> 00:26:54.480
 In 1 Corinthians 1,

00:26:55.180 --> 00:26:56.380
 Paul clarifies,

00:26:56.519 --> 00:26:57.560
 God didn't choose

00:26:57.560 --> 00:26:58.640
 the wise things

00:26:58.640 --> 00:26:59.540
 and the rich things

00:26:59.540 --> 00:27:00.440
 and the powerful things

00:27:00.440 --> 00:27:00.940
 of the world,

00:27:01.059 --> 00:27:01.799
 but he chose

00:27:01.799 --> 00:27:03.080
 the weak things

00:27:03.080 --> 00:27:04.279
 and the foolish things

00:27:04.279 --> 00:27:05.440
 and the things that are not

00:27:05.440 --> 00:27:06.799
 to shame the wise

00:27:06.799 --> 00:27:08.140
 so that no one may boast

00:27:08.140 --> 00:27:09.779
 that they were chosen for God

00:27:09.779 --> 00:27:11.600
 for any merit of their own.

00:27:14.799 --> 00:27:16.259
 So Paul writes to Titus,

00:27:16.380 --> 00:27:17.080
 but when the goodness

00:27:17.080 --> 00:27:18.519
 and loving kindness

00:27:18.519 --> 00:27:20.080
 of God our Savior appeared,

00:27:20.440 --> 00:27:21.360
 he saved us,

00:27:21.600 --> 00:27:22.980
 not because of works

00:27:22.980 --> 00:27:24.240
 done by us in righteousness,

00:27:24.880 --> 00:27:26.620
 but according to his own mercy,

00:27:26.619 --> 00:27:28.819
 by the washing of regeneration

00:27:28.819 --> 00:27:30.919
 and the renewal

00:27:30.919 --> 00:27:31.799
 in the Holy Spirit.

00:27:33.959 --> 00:27:35.939
 So there is this great privilege,

00:27:36.339 --> 00:27:37.259
 but this great privilege

00:27:37.259 --> 00:27:38.699
 doesn't come with arrogance

00:27:38.699 --> 00:27:40.019
 or triumphalism,

00:27:40.259 --> 00:27:42.379
 but it does come with confidence

00:27:42.379 --> 00:27:44.039
 that the God of the universe

00:27:44.039 --> 00:27:45.839
 has chosen his church

00:27:45.839 --> 00:27:47.439
 to be his people.

00:27:47.440 --> 00:27:51.920
 And Peter wants to say,

00:27:52.160 --> 00:27:53.820
 as you live in this world

00:27:53.820 --> 00:27:55.320
 and you feel disoriented

00:27:55.320 --> 00:27:57.059
 by everything around you,

00:27:57.120 --> 00:27:58.779
 know this is the identity

00:27:58.779 --> 00:28:00.539
 that will never change,

00:28:00.720 --> 00:28:02.600
 that will never be shaken,

00:28:02.860 --> 00:28:04.940
 that will never be undermined.

00:28:04.940 --> 00:28:07.279
 In fact, more broadly,

00:28:07.420 --> 00:28:08.279
 what you see is that

00:28:08.279 --> 00:28:09.840
 the scriptures are telling us

00:28:09.840 --> 00:28:11.600
 this identity becomes

00:28:11.600 --> 00:28:13.340
 our primary identity

00:28:13.340 --> 00:28:15.720
 under which all of our other identities,

00:28:15.900 --> 00:28:17.900
 our racial and familial and gender

00:28:17.900 --> 00:28:19.360
 and all the other identities

00:28:19.360 --> 00:28:19.960
 that we have,

00:28:20.240 --> 00:28:22.259
 find their place and their purpose

00:28:22.259 --> 00:28:24.640
 where they are enriched

00:28:24.640 --> 00:28:26.480
 and find their proper place

00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:27.539
 in our lives

00:28:27.539 --> 00:28:29.400
 under this purpose

00:28:29.400 --> 00:28:31.600
 that we might be God's people.

00:28:34.940 --> 00:28:36.259
 that the church would know

00:28:36.259 --> 00:28:38.400
 who we are

00:28:38.400 --> 00:28:41.039
 because we know whose we are.

00:28:44.299 --> 00:28:45.860
 So if you're a college student

00:28:45.860 --> 00:28:47.100
 or a high schooler,

00:28:47.440 --> 00:28:49.000
 recognize that your identity

00:28:49.000 --> 00:28:50.720
 is not based on your friend groups,

00:28:51.600 --> 00:28:54.480
 not based on your awards,

00:28:54.640 --> 00:28:55.160
 your achievements,

00:28:55.380 --> 00:28:56.580
 your GPA, your resume,

00:28:57.160 --> 00:28:58.940
 not on the approval and praise

00:28:58.940 --> 00:28:59.799
 of your professors

00:28:59.799 --> 00:29:00.820
 or your teachers

00:29:00.820 --> 00:29:02.140
 or your coaches

00:29:02.140 --> 00:29:03.539
 or even your parents,

00:29:03.539 --> 00:29:07.559
 for those of us

00:29:07.559 --> 00:29:08.279
 who are adults,

00:29:08.960 --> 00:29:10.539
 we just translate those

00:29:10.539 --> 00:29:11.240
 into different things,

00:29:11.299 --> 00:29:11.579
 don't we?

00:29:11.619 --> 00:29:13.059
 The success in our workplace,

00:29:14.500 --> 00:29:16.180
 whether it be a homework,

00:29:16.500 --> 00:29:17.720
 work that we do at home

00:29:17.720 --> 00:29:18.440
 or work in,

00:29:19.000 --> 00:29:20.559
 out in the workplace.

00:29:22.659 --> 00:29:23.319
 I think sometimes

00:29:23.319 --> 00:29:24.200
 even our families,

00:29:25.039 --> 00:29:26.480
 our roles as sons and daughters,

00:29:26.700 --> 00:29:27.839
 wives and husbands,

00:29:28.079 --> 00:29:28.779
 fathers, mothers,

00:29:30.899 --> 00:29:32.740
 our roles as lots of things,

00:29:32.740 --> 00:29:33.839
 we look at these things

00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:34.599
 and we want them

00:29:34.599 --> 00:29:35.660
 to give us our identity.

00:29:36.759 --> 00:29:37.680
 Peter says to us,

00:29:37.779 --> 00:29:38.880
 you are a living member

00:29:38.880 --> 00:29:40.480
 of the people of God.

00:29:41.559 --> 00:29:42.940
 This is a greater thing

00:29:42.940 --> 00:29:44.019
 than any of those

00:29:44.019 --> 00:29:45.099
 will ever give you.

00:29:47.420 --> 00:29:49.339
 And when you feel out of step,

00:29:50.140 --> 00:29:52.500
 when you feel like an exile,

00:29:54.500 --> 00:29:56.359
 relax into this truth.

00:29:56.359 --> 00:29:59.199
 you are a chosen people of God.

00:30:01.139 --> 00:30:02.819
 He has set his love on you

00:30:02.819 --> 00:30:05.240
 and has called you in salvation

00:30:05.240 --> 00:30:06.559
 to be a living stone

00:30:06.559 --> 00:30:08.679
 connected to the cornerstone of Christ

00:30:08.679 --> 00:30:10.759
 who was rejected by the world

00:30:10.759 --> 00:30:13.439
 but chosen and precious by God.

00:30:14.659 --> 00:30:16.519
 This is the honor that is

00:30:16.519 --> 00:30:17.799
 the churches

00:30:17.799 --> 00:30:20.079
 to hold humbly

00:30:20.079 --> 00:30:21.379
 in this world.

00:30:21.380 --> 00:30:25.480
 I've spent most of the time

00:30:25.480 --> 00:30:26.000
 on identity

00:30:26.000 --> 00:30:27.020
 because I think it's most

00:30:27.020 --> 00:30:28.220
 of what the passage talks about

00:30:28.220 --> 00:30:29.920
 but it's not just identity

00:30:29.920 --> 00:30:30.740
 that Peter says,

00:30:30.880 --> 00:30:32.140
 it's also purpose.

00:30:32.660 --> 00:30:33.460
 We see this,

00:30:33.840 --> 00:30:34.780
 this is then my main,

00:30:34.980 --> 00:30:36.100
 my big second point

00:30:36.100 --> 00:30:36.900
 if you're taking notes.

00:30:37.260 --> 00:30:38.280
 Here's my big second point

00:30:38.280 --> 00:30:39.740
 which is our purpose

00:30:39.740 --> 00:30:41.560
 is to proclaim

00:30:41.560 --> 00:30:42.660
 the greatness of God

00:30:42.660 --> 00:30:43.780
 in our words and actions.

00:30:44.460 --> 00:30:45.280
 This is what we see

00:30:45.280 --> 00:30:45.940
 in verse five.

00:30:46.040 --> 00:30:46.600
 Peter says,

00:30:46.960 --> 00:30:47.700
 he's called you

00:30:47.700 --> 00:30:48.940
 as you come to him,

00:30:49.020 --> 00:30:49.860
 you're being built up

00:30:49.859 --> 00:30:50.859
 into this temple

00:30:50.859 --> 00:30:52.419
 in order to present

00:30:52.419 --> 00:30:54.139
 spiritual sacrifices

00:30:54.139 --> 00:30:55.539
 acceptable to God

00:30:55.539 --> 00:30:56.379
 through Jesus.

00:30:56.679 --> 00:30:57.579
 What in the world

00:30:57.579 --> 00:30:58.539
 does he mean by that?

00:30:58.619 --> 00:30:59.459
 He's not talking about

00:30:59.459 --> 00:31:01.740
 going back to a religious ritual

00:31:01.740 --> 00:31:03.039
 or a sacrificial system.

00:31:03.459 --> 00:31:05.279
 I think actually verse nine

00:31:05.279 --> 00:31:07.139
 clarifies and fills out

00:31:07.139 --> 00:31:08.219
 what he means by that.

00:31:08.599 --> 00:31:09.679
 Verse nine you see

00:31:09.679 --> 00:31:12.619
 that Peter is saying,

00:31:12.740 --> 00:31:13.799
 you are a chosen race,

00:31:13.839 --> 00:31:14.519
 a royal priesthood,

00:31:14.539 --> 00:31:15.240
 a holy nation,

00:31:15.659 --> 00:31:16.939
 a people for his own possessions,

00:31:16.939 --> 00:31:17.899
 for a purpose.

00:31:17.900 --> 00:31:19.280
 So that,

00:31:19.600 --> 00:31:21.280
 so that you may proclaim

00:31:21.280 --> 00:31:22.740
 the excellencies of him

00:31:22.740 --> 00:31:23.860
 who called you out of darkness

00:31:23.860 --> 00:31:27.220
 and into his marvelous light.

00:31:29.920 --> 00:31:31.300
 This is the purpose

00:31:31.300 --> 00:31:32.519
 we have in this world,

00:31:32.680 --> 00:31:34.040
 to bear witness

00:31:34.040 --> 00:31:36.320
 to what God has done,

00:31:37.200 --> 00:31:40.220
 has done in our lives individually,

00:31:40.580 --> 00:31:42.500
 in our lives corporately.

00:31:42.680 --> 00:31:44.440
 He has rescued us from darkness

00:31:44.440 --> 00:31:45.900
 and brought us into

00:31:45.900 --> 00:31:47.660
 the kingdom of light

00:31:47.660 --> 00:31:49.000
 in relationship

00:31:49.000 --> 00:31:50.940
 to this living cornerstone,

00:31:51.140 --> 00:31:53.500
 this new eternal kingdom

00:31:53.500 --> 00:31:54.559
 that he has started.

00:31:55.360 --> 00:31:57.120
 This is what God is doing

00:31:57.120 --> 00:31:57.779
 in the world.

00:31:58.400 --> 00:31:59.820
 And this is our purpose.

00:32:00.840 --> 00:32:01.420
 And yes,

00:32:01.460 --> 00:32:02.460
 we may do this

00:32:02.460 --> 00:32:03.600
 in our workplaces

00:32:03.600 --> 00:32:04.680
 and in our families

00:32:04.680 --> 00:32:05.740
 and in our studies

00:32:05.740 --> 00:32:07.019
 and in our schooling

00:32:07.019 --> 00:32:08.460
 and in our retirement

00:32:08.460 --> 00:32:09.620
 and in our recreation.

00:32:09.619 --> 00:32:10.379
 And we may do it

00:32:10.379 --> 00:32:12.439
 in lots of different contexts.

00:32:12.819 --> 00:32:14.319
 But this is our purpose.

00:32:16.839 --> 00:32:18.699
 To make much of God

00:32:18.699 --> 00:32:19.739
 in the world.

00:32:21.239 --> 00:32:22.500
 How do we do this?

00:32:23.000 --> 00:32:24.039
 Well, the first thing is

00:32:24.039 --> 00:32:25.239
 we do this through worship.

00:32:25.779 --> 00:32:27.359
 We do this as we gather

00:32:27.359 --> 00:32:28.519
 in corporate settings

00:32:28.519 --> 00:32:31.659
 to declare the goodness of God.

00:32:31.859 --> 00:32:33.239
 I don't know if you think about

00:32:33.239 --> 00:32:34.299
 why you come to church.

00:32:34.419 --> 00:32:35.779
 Maybe it's to connect to friends.

00:32:36.179 --> 00:32:36.779
 Maybe it's because

00:32:36.779 --> 00:32:37.839
 you don't want to feel guilty.

00:32:37.839 --> 00:32:39.539
 There could be all sorts of reasons.

00:32:40.039 --> 00:32:41.399
 But Peter is giving us

00:32:41.399 --> 00:32:42.139
 one purpose

00:32:42.139 --> 00:32:44.339
 that will give you a reason

00:32:44.339 --> 00:32:45.699
 to get up every Sunday.

00:32:46.000 --> 00:32:47.159
 I get to go to church

00:32:47.159 --> 00:32:48.439
 so I can declare

00:32:48.439 --> 00:32:50.059
 that God is great.

00:32:51.179 --> 00:32:53.000
 And sometimes I feel like it

00:32:53.000 --> 00:32:54.439
 and that's really exciting.

00:32:54.720 --> 00:32:56.720
 And sometimes I'm dragging myself

00:32:56.720 --> 00:32:57.399
 out of bed

00:32:57.399 --> 00:32:59.859
 and I'm desperately saying that

00:32:59.859 --> 00:33:02.559
 because I need to remind myself of it

00:33:02.559 --> 00:33:04.039
 and I need to be with other people

00:33:04.039 --> 00:33:05.399
 who are reminding me of it.

00:33:05.819 --> 00:33:07.319
 But we gather together

00:33:07.319 --> 00:33:08.059
 to declare

00:33:08.059 --> 00:33:09.059
 this is what we do

00:33:09.059 --> 00:33:09.819
 when we sing.

00:33:10.019 --> 00:33:10.960
 This is what we do

00:33:10.960 --> 00:33:11.619
 when we preach.

00:33:11.720 --> 00:33:12.399
 This is what we do

00:33:12.399 --> 00:33:12.960
 when we pray.

00:33:13.299 --> 00:33:14.000
 This is what we do

00:33:14.000 --> 00:33:15.359
 when we share testimonies.

00:33:15.819 --> 00:33:17.799
 It's so that we would remember

00:33:17.799 --> 00:33:19.740
 how great God is.

00:33:20.000 --> 00:33:21.200
 That's why we call this

00:33:21.200 --> 00:33:22.200
 a worship service.

00:33:22.480 --> 00:33:23.759
 So we would lift up

00:33:23.759 --> 00:33:25.200
 the worthiness of God

00:33:25.200 --> 00:33:26.079
 in our midst.

00:33:26.079 --> 00:33:31.819
 It's not only here though.

00:33:32.519 --> 00:33:33.319
 It's also

00:33:33.319 --> 00:33:35.939
 in our everyday lives.

00:33:36.159 --> 00:33:37.439
 Romans 12, 1 and 2

00:33:37.439 --> 00:33:38.539
 offer your bodies

00:33:38.539 --> 00:33:40.559
 as living sacrifices

00:33:40.559 --> 00:33:41.319
 to the Lord.

00:33:41.960 --> 00:33:43.240
 Be not conformed to the world

00:33:43.240 --> 00:33:44.099
 but be transformed

00:33:44.099 --> 00:33:45.679
 by the renewing of your mind.

00:33:46.299 --> 00:33:47.279
 So recognize that

00:33:47.279 --> 00:33:48.240
 we are called

00:33:48.240 --> 00:33:49.519
 to live out this calling

00:33:49.519 --> 00:33:51.059
 not just as we gather

00:33:51.059 --> 00:33:51.899
 in the church building

00:33:51.899 --> 00:33:53.099
 but also as we scatter

00:33:53.099 --> 00:33:54.480
 into all the places

00:33:54.480 --> 00:33:55.919
 where we live every day.

00:33:56.699 --> 00:33:57.419
 And this is what

00:33:57.419 --> 00:33:58.399
 Peter is addressing

00:33:58.399 --> 00:34:00.980
 as we live as exiles

00:34:00.980 --> 00:34:01.939
 in this world

00:34:01.939 --> 00:34:03.459
 that we're to live

00:34:03.459 --> 00:34:04.500
 distinctly

00:34:04.500 --> 00:34:05.839
 in a way that points

00:34:05.839 --> 00:34:06.839
 people to

00:34:06.839 --> 00:34:08.799
 the person of God.

00:34:09.039 --> 00:34:10.099
 He'll say this later

00:34:10.099 --> 00:34:10.900
 in chapter 3.

00:34:11.000 --> 00:34:11.259
 He'll say

00:34:11.259 --> 00:34:13.219
 be ready to give an answer

00:34:13.219 --> 00:34:14.719
 to all who ask you

00:34:14.719 --> 00:34:15.339
 about the hope

00:34:15.339 --> 00:34:15.940
 that's within you.

00:34:16.099 --> 00:34:16.759
 How do you know

00:34:16.759 --> 00:34:17.460
 there's that hope?

00:34:17.619 --> 00:34:18.920
 Well because you live with it.

00:34:19.159 --> 00:34:20.279
 Because you go out

00:34:20.280 --> 00:34:20.920
 in the world

00:34:20.920 --> 00:34:22.700
 and verses 3 through 9

00:34:22.700 --> 00:34:24.580
 of chapter 1

00:34:24.580 --> 00:34:25.720
 shape the way

00:34:25.720 --> 00:34:26.720
 that you approach

00:34:26.720 --> 00:34:27.920
 your everyday life.

00:34:28.120 --> 00:34:29.140
 Though you're encountering

00:34:29.140 --> 00:34:29.900
 various trials

00:34:29.900 --> 00:34:30.519
 you are living

00:34:30.519 --> 00:34:32.140
 with hopeful confidence

00:34:32.140 --> 00:34:33.640
 in what God has done for you

00:34:33.640 --> 00:34:35.519
 and you're able to have joy

00:34:35.519 --> 00:34:36.200
 in the midst

00:34:36.200 --> 00:34:36.980
 of the suffering.

00:34:38.780 --> 00:34:39.960
 And not only that

00:34:39.960 --> 00:34:41.420
 but then we're going to live

00:34:41.420 --> 00:34:42.420
 distinctly

00:34:42.420 --> 00:34:43.360
 in the world

00:34:43.360 --> 00:34:44.640
 as he said

00:34:44.640 --> 00:34:45.760
 in verses 13

00:34:45.760 --> 00:34:46.660
 and following

00:34:46.660 --> 00:34:48.420
 that we're going to live

00:34:48.420 --> 00:34:49.760
 distinctly living

00:34:49.760 --> 00:34:50.540
 as those

00:34:50.540 --> 00:34:51.520
 who know

00:34:51.520 --> 00:34:51.980
 that they have

00:34:51.980 --> 00:34:52.820
 a heavenly father

00:34:52.820 --> 00:34:53.720
 who will judge the world

00:34:53.720 --> 00:34:54.620
 but who has accepted

00:34:54.620 --> 00:34:55.560
 them in Christ.

00:34:58.500 --> 00:34:59.300
 We're going to live

00:34:59.300 --> 00:34:59.740
 as people

00:34:59.740 --> 00:35:00.380
 who following

00:35:00.380 --> 00:35:01.320
 in chapter 1

00:35:01.320 --> 00:35:01.960
 verse 22

00:35:01.960 --> 00:35:02.400
 and following

00:35:02.400 --> 00:35:03.420
 we're going to live

00:35:03.420 --> 00:35:04.140
 as those

00:35:04.140 --> 00:35:04.960
 who love

00:35:04.960 --> 00:35:06.220
 one another.

00:35:06.980 --> 00:35:07.620
 And by this

00:35:07.620 --> 00:35:09.180
 all men will know

00:35:09.180 --> 00:35:11.840
 that you are my disciples

00:35:11.840 --> 00:35:13.320
 because you love

00:35:13.320 --> 00:35:14.720
 one another.

00:35:16.880 --> 00:35:18.440
 And so all of these

00:35:18.440 --> 00:35:19.660
 are acts of worship

00:35:19.659 --> 00:35:21.460
 spiritual sacrifices

00:35:21.460 --> 00:35:22.819
 that we offer up

00:35:22.819 --> 00:35:25.659
 so that people

00:35:25.659 --> 00:35:26.259
 would know

00:35:26.259 --> 00:35:27.859
 how great God is.

00:35:28.559 --> 00:35:29.940
 It's not about us

00:35:29.940 --> 00:35:31.379
 building our tribe

00:35:31.379 --> 00:35:32.559
 so that we can be

00:35:32.559 --> 00:35:33.379
 the conquerors.

00:35:33.519 --> 00:35:34.379
 It's not about

00:35:34.379 --> 00:35:35.460
 protecting ourselves

00:35:35.460 --> 00:35:36.319
 from the world

00:35:36.319 --> 00:35:38.359
 by withdrawing

00:35:38.359 --> 00:35:39.239
 away from them.

00:35:39.799 --> 00:35:41.279
 It's about engaging

00:35:41.279 --> 00:35:42.940
 as the people of God

00:35:42.940 --> 00:35:44.259
 being the lights

00:35:44.259 --> 00:35:45.119
 in the darkness

00:35:45.119 --> 00:35:46.339
 because God has called us

00:35:46.339 --> 00:35:47.039
 out of darkness

00:35:47.039 --> 00:35:47.880
 into light

00:35:47.880 --> 00:35:49.420
 so that we can

00:35:49.420 --> 00:35:49.960
 bear witness

00:35:49.960 --> 00:35:50.719
 to a God

00:35:50.719 --> 00:35:52.219
 who is here

00:35:52.219 --> 00:35:53.219
 to rescue

00:35:53.219 --> 00:35:54.219
 and save

00:35:54.219 --> 00:35:55.940
 sinners like us.

00:35:59.940 --> 00:36:01.099
 And we will see

00:36:01.099 --> 00:36:02.079
 in the weeks to come

00:36:02.079 --> 00:36:03.699
 what it looks like

00:36:03.699 --> 00:36:04.259
 to live

00:36:04.259 --> 00:36:05.380
 as this special

00:36:05.380 --> 00:36:06.320
 people of God

00:36:06.320 --> 00:36:07.579
 as we relate

00:36:07.579 --> 00:36:08.300
 to things like

00:36:08.300 --> 00:36:08.840
 government

00:36:08.840 --> 00:36:10.340
 and slavery

00:36:10.340 --> 00:36:11.920
 and gender roles

00:36:11.920 --> 00:36:12.619
 in marriage.

00:36:13.619 --> 00:36:14.559
 Buckle your seatbelts.

00:36:14.559 --> 00:36:15.860
 We're ready to go.

00:36:15.980 --> 00:36:16.579
 Two weeks.

00:36:16.719 --> 00:36:17.500
 We're doing it.

00:36:17.659 --> 00:36:18.639
 It's going to be great.

00:36:19.360 --> 00:36:20.159
 God's word is going

00:36:20.159 --> 00:36:20.940
 to speak to us

00:36:20.940 --> 00:36:21.699
 and instruct us

00:36:21.699 --> 00:36:22.059
 and it's going

00:36:22.059 --> 00:36:22.759
 to be wonderful.

00:36:23.820 --> 00:36:24.579
 But recognize

00:36:24.579 --> 00:36:26.059
 that all of this

00:36:26.059 --> 00:36:26.840
 is couched

00:36:26.840 --> 00:36:27.460
 in this broad

00:36:27.460 --> 00:36:28.719
 of how do we

00:36:28.719 --> 00:36:29.519
 live out this

00:36:29.519 --> 00:36:30.940
 life of worship

00:36:30.940 --> 00:36:31.759
 declaring the

00:36:31.759 --> 00:36:32.579
 greatness of God.

00:36:34.539 --> 00:36:35.900
 But it's not just that.

00:36:36.699 --> 00:36:37.779
 It's not just doing that.

00:36:37.860 --> 00:36:39.039
 It's also specifically

00:36:39.039 --> 00:36:40.299
 in evangelism.

00:36:40.679 --> 00:36:41.599
 It's specifically

00:36:41.599 --> 00:36:43.139
 in making known

00:36:43.139 --> 00:36:44.400
 the work

00:36:44.400 --> 00:36:47.380
 and the character

00:36:47.380 --> 00:36:48.699
 of God

00:36:48.699 --> 00:36:50.400
 in his salvation

00:36:50.400 --> 00:36:52.239
 through Jesus Christ.

00:36:54.440 --> 00:36:55.299
 Maybe many,

00:36:55.480 --> 00:36:55.860
 some of you

00:36:55.860 --> 00:36:56.860
 have heard the phrase

00:36:56.860 --> 00:36:58.159
 that's quoted,

00:36:58.460 --> 00:36:59.779
 sort of quoted

00:36:59.779 --> 00:37:00.860
 to Francis of Assisi.

00:37:01.039 --> 00:37:01.739
 Preach the gospel

00:37:01.739 --> 00:37:02.900
 and if necessary

00:37:02.900 --> 00:37:03.619
 use words.

00:37:03.779 --> 00:37:04.719
 That's not actually

00:37:04.719 --> 00:37:05.659
 a biblical idea.

00:37:07.119 --> 00:37:08.219
 It is true

00:37:08.219 --> 00:37:08.679
 that we need

00:37:08.679 --> 00:37:09.380
 to live it out.

00:37:09.619 --> 00:37:10.239
 Our actions

00:37:10.239 --> 00:37:11.500
 need to be

00:37:11.500 --> 00:37:12.159
 consistent

00:37:12.159 --> 00:37:13.359
 with how we live

00:37:13.359 --> 00:37:14.279
 but the Bible

00:37:14.279 --> 00:37:15.099
 is consistently

00:37:15.099 --> 00:37:15.759
 saying that

00:37:15.759 --> 00:37:16.439
 we are to use

00:37:16.439 --> 00:37:17.199
 our mouth

00:37:17.199 --> 00:37:18.339
 and our words

00:37:18.339 --> 00:37:19.479
 to tell of

00:37:19.479 --> 00:37:19.959
 the greatness

00:37:19.959 --> 00:37:20.699
 of God.

00:37:21.199 --> 00:37:22.139
 To proclaim

00:37:22.139 --> 00:37:23.619
 him to the world.

00:37:24.979 --> 00:37:25.779
 This is what you see

00:37:25.779 --> 00:37:26.599
 this word here

00:37:26.599 --> 00:37:27.500
 proclaim

00:37:27.500 --> 00:37:28.899
 or to declare

00:37:28.899 --> 00:37:30.119
 it's a public

00:37:30.119 --> 00:37:31.319
 speaking thing.

00:37:31.439 --> 00:37:32.579
 It's not a private

00:37:32.579 --> 00:37:33.059
 thing.

00:37:33.399 --> 00:37:34.199
 It's not something

00:37:34.199 --> 00:37:35.259
 that I say to myself.

00:37:35.539 --> 00:37:36.419
 Something that I say

00:37:36.419 --> 00:37:37.619
 out to others.

00:37:37.619 --> 00:37:40.880
 And I know

00:37:40.880 --> 00:37:41.440
 friends,

00:37:41.940 --> 00:37:42.859
 I know it feels

00:37:42.859 --> 00:37:43.219
 weird,

00:37:43.299 --> 00:37:43.819
 doesn't it?

00:37:45.440 --> 00:37:46.000
 Because we get

00:37:46.000 --> 00:37:46.639
 caught up with

00:37:46.639 --> 00:37:47.599
 feeling this.

00:37:48.019 --> 00:37:49.319
 Aren't you imposing

00:37:49.319 --> 00:37:50.359
 your beliefs on me?

00:37:50.900 --> 00:37:52.920
 Aren't you telling me

00:37:52.920 --> 00:37:54.420
 that I have to agree

00:37:54.420 --> 00:37:54.859
 to this

00:37:54.859 --> 00:37:55.779
 or I have to respect?

00:37:56.000 --> 00:37:57.199
 Isn't it disrespectful

00:37:57.199 --> 00:37:58.759
 to barge into

00:37:58.759 --> 00:37:59.759
 my life

00:37:59.759 --> 00:38:00.639
 with your religious

00:38:00.639 --> 00:38:01.259
 beliefs?

00:38:02.500 --> 00:38:03.319
 But Peter here

00:38:03.319 --> 00:38:03.940
 is helping us

00:38:03.940 --> 00:38:04.639
 reframe

00:38:04.639 --> 00:38:05.639
 what we are doing

00:38:05.639 --> 00:38:06.920
 so that we can

00:38:06.920 --> 00:38:07.599
 understand what

00:38:07.599 --> 00:38:08.019
 we are doing

00:38:08.019 --> 00:38:08.819
 and hopefully

00:38:08.819 --> 00:38:09.559
 so that it will

00:38:09.559 --> 00:38:10.219
 have a different

00:38:10.219 --> 00:38:11.420
 impact on those

00:38:11.420 --> 00:38:12.159
 around us.

00:38:13.359 --> 00:38:14.239
 Peter is saying

00:38:14.239 --> 00:38:16.039
 God is so great.

00:38:16.940 --> 00:38:18.139
 He has rescued

00:38:18.139 --> 00:38:19.879
 you from darkness

00:38:19.879 --> 00:38:21.239
 and into light.

00:38:23.699 --> 00:38:24.879
 If God is that

00:38:24.879 --> 00:38:25.359
 great,

00:38:27.079 --> 00:38:28.980
 how can we not

00:38:28.980 --> 00:38:30.339
 tell someone

00:38:30.339 --> 00:38:31.179
 about that?

00:38:32.379 --> 00:38:32.719
 Okay?

00:38:32.719 --> 00:38:33.939
 If I get

00:38:33.939 --> 00:38:34.559
 a new

00:38:34.559 --> 00:38:35.439
 iPod

00:38:35.439 --> 00:38:36.579
 that has

00:38:36.579 --> 00:38:37.480
 cool gadgets

00:38:37.480 --> 00:38:38.159
 that I've never

00:38:38.159 --> 00:38:38.859
 seen before

00:38:38.859 --> 00:38:40.019
 and I get

00:38:40.019 --> 00:38:40.379
 to start

00:38:40.379 --> 00:38:40.959
 using it

00:38:40.959 --> 00:38:41.839
 and it's awesome,

00:38:42.439 --> 00:38:43.399
 I don't stick

00:38:43.399 --> 00:38:44.099
 it in my pocket

00:38:44.099 --> 00:38:45.480
 and never

00:38:45.480 --> 00:38:46.199
 talk about it.

00:38:46.519 --> 00:38:47.059
 I usually

00:38:47.059 --> 00:38:47.319
 like,

00:38:47.480 --> 00:38:47.859
 hey Nick,

00:38:48.199 --> 00:38:48.879
 check this out.

00:38:49.199 --> 00:38:49.379
 Do you know

00:38:49.379 --> 00:38:49.939
 what this does?

00:38:50.059 --> 00:38:50.619
 This is really

00:38:50.619 --> 00:38:50.980
 cool.

00:38:53.559 --> 00:38:54.439
 That's a very

00:38:54.439 --> 00:38:55.039
 small,

00:38:55.219 --> 00:38:55.839
 very mundane

00:38:55.839 --> 00:38:56.419
 example

00:38:56.419 --> 00:38:57.459
 of what God

00:38:57.459 --> 00:38:57.839
 is saying

00:38:57.839 --> 00:38:58.579
 our purpose

00:38:58.579 --> 00:38:59.119
 in the world

00:38:59.119 --> 00:38:59.459
 is.

00:38:59.959 --> 00:39:00.439
 Because

00:39:00.439 --> 00:39:01.259
 not that we

00:39:01.259 --> 00:39:01.699
 have found

00:39:01.699 --> 00:39:02.099
 God

00:39:02.099 --> 00:39:03.279
 and that

00:39:03.279 --> 00:39:03.559
 God is

00:39:03.559 --> 00:39:03.939
 trying to

00:39:03.939 --> 00:39:04.539
 sell himself

00:39:04.539 --> 00:39:05.039
 and that

00:39:05.039 --> 00:39:05.279
 we are

00:39:05.279 --> 00:39:05.659
 trying to

00:39:05.659 --> 00:39:06.139
 sell God

00:39:06.139 --> 00:39:06.799
 but what

00:39:06.799 --> 00:39:07.199
 we're saying

00:39:07.199 --> 00:39:07.919
 is we

00:39:07.919 --> 00:39:09.019
 have been

00:39:09.019 --> 00:39:09.960
 called into

00:39:09.960 --> 00:39:10.919
 a relationship

00:39:10.919 --> 00:39:11.719
 with this

00:39:11.719 --> 00:39:12.839
 most amazing

00:39:12.839 --> 00:39:13.619
 being

00:39:13.619 --> 00:39:14.299
 who has

00:39:14.299 --> 00:39:14.679
 called us

00:39:14.679 --> 00:39:14.919
 out of

00:39:14.919 --> 00:39:15.179
 darkness

00:39:15.179 --> 00:39:15.799
 into light

00:39:15.799 --> 00:39:17.339
 and we

00:39:17.339 --> 00:39:17.759
 get to

00:39:17.759 --> 00:39:18.619
 tell you

00:39:18.619 --> 00:39:19.179
 about it.

00:39:19.519 --> 00:39:20.379
 How awesome

00:39:20.379 --> 00:39:21.000
 is that?

00:39:21.279 --> 00:39:21.619
 Can you

00:39:21.619 --> 00:39:22.279
 imagine

00:39:22.279 --> 00:39:22.679
 what it

00:39:22.679 --> 00:39:22.980
 would be

00:39:22.980 --> 00:39:23.679
 like for

00:39:23.679 --> 00:39:24.059
 you to

00:39:24.059 --> 00:39:24.519
 experience

00:39:24.519 --> 00:39:24.939
 a God

00:39:24.939 --> 00:39:25.759
 who loves

00:39:25.759 --> 00:39:26.159
 you the

00:39:26.159 --> 00:39:26.699
 way that

00:39:26.699 --> 00:39:27.299
 God loves

00:39:27.299 --> 00:39:27.599
 you in

00:39:27.599 --> 00:39:28.059
 Christ?

00:39:28.059 --> 00:39:33.239
 evangelism

00:39:33.239 --> 00:39:34.179
 is not

00:39:34.179 --> 00:39:34.639
 a duty

00:39:34.639 --> 00:39:35.320
 for us

00:39:35.320 --> 00:39:36.539
 nor is

00:39:36.539 --> 00:39:36.820
 it a

00:39:36.820 --> 00:39:37.099
 mission

00:39:37.099 --> 00:39:37.699
 where we

00:39:37.699 --> 00:39:37.980
 are to

00:39:37.980 --> 00:39:38.519
 beat people

00:39:38.519 --> 00:39:39.019
 over the

00:39:39.019 --> 00:39:39.279
 head

00:39:39.279 --> 00:39:39.659
 with a

00:39:39.659 --> 00:39:39.940
 message

00:39:39.940 --> 00:39:40.360
 that they

00:39:40.360 --> 00:39:40.799
 don't want

00:39:40.799 --> 00:39:41.219
 to hear

00:39:41.219 --> 00:39:42.199
 but it

00:39:42.199 --> 00:39:42.519
 is an

00:39:42.519 --> 00:39:43.239
 exuberant

00:39:43.239 --> 00:39:43.799
 response

00:39:43.799 --> 00:39:44.259
 to our

00:39:44.259 --> 00:39:44.759
 salvation.

00:39:44.759 --> 00:39:45.699
 It is an

00:39:45.699 --> 00:39:46.239
 overflow

00:39:46.239 --> 00:39:46.820
 of the

00:39:46.820 --> 00:39:47.400
 joy and

00:39:47.400 --> 00:39:47.719
 worship

00:39:47.719 --> 00:39:48.340
 that we

00:39:48.340 --> 00:39:48.920
 have

00:39:48.920 --> 00:39:49.699
 where we

00:39:49.699 --> 00:39:50.219
 share

00:39:50.219 --> 00:39:50.500
 with

00:39:50.500 --> 00:39:51.019
 others

00:39:51.019 --> 00:39:51.539
 the

00:39:51.539 --> 00:39:52.320
 amazing

00:39:52.320 --> 00:39:52.960
 things

00:39:52.960 --> 00:39:53.980
 that God

00:39:53.980 --> 00:39:54.619
 has done

00:39:54.619 --> 00:39:55.259
 and the

00:39:55.259 --> 00:39:55.880
 amazing

00:39:55.880 --> 00:39:56.659
 one

00:39:56.659 --> 00:39:57.440
 that we

00:39:57.440 --> 00:39:57.659
 have

00:39:57.659 --> 00:39:58.059
 found

00:39:58.059 --> 00:39:58.519
 in

00:39:58.519 --> 00:39:58.960
 Jesus.

00:40:01.359 --> 00:40:02.000
 And friends

00:40:02.000 --> 00:40:02.500
 this brings

00:40:02.500 --> 00:40:02.759
 us to

00:40:02.759 --> 00:40:03.019
 the end

00:40:03.019 --> 00:40:03.279
 of our

00:40:03.279 --> 00:40:03.759
 passage

00:40:03.759 --> 00:40:04.960
 because in

00:40:04.960 --> 00:40:05.539
 verse 10

00:40:05.539 --> 00:40:05.960
 Peter

00:40:05.960 --> 00:40:06.719
 reminds us

00:40:06.719 --> 00:40:07.079
 of this

00:40:07.079 --> 00:40:07.519
 again.

00:40:09.359 --> 00:40:10.039
 He says

00:40:10.039 --> 00:40:10.480
 once you

00:40:10.480 --> 00:40:10.739
 were not

00:40:10.739 --> 00:40:11.099
 a people

00:40:11.099 --> 00:40:11.460
 but you

00:40:11.460 --> 00:40:11.920
 are now

00:40:11.920 --> 00:40:12.420
 God's

00:40:12.420 --> 00:40:12.679
 people.

00:40:12.839 --> 00:40:13.179
 Once you

00:40:13.179 --> 00:40:13.519
 had not

00:40:13.519 --> 00:40:13.900
 received

00:40:13.900 --> 00:40:14.259
 mercy

00:40:14.259 --> 00:40:14.819
 but now

00:40:14.819 --> 00:40:15.359
 you have

00:40:15.359 --> 00:40:15.759
 received

00:40:15.759 --> 00:40:16.179
 mercy.

00:40:17.059 --> 00:40:17.480
 This

00:40:17.480 --> 00:40:18.739
 is a

00:40:18.739 --> 00:40:19.480
 paraphrase

00:40:19.480 --> 00:40:20.380
 a

00:40:20.380 --> 00:40:21.019
 significant

00:40:21.019 --> 00:40:21.759
 quotation

00:40:21.759 --> 00:40:22.880
 from the

00:40:22.880 --> 00:40:23.159
 book of

00:40:23.159 --> 00:40:23.679
 Hosea.

00:40:23.679 --> 00:40:24.460
 If you

00:40:24.460 --> 00:40:24.659
 don't

00:40:24.659 --> 00:40:24.980
 know the

00:40:24.980 --> 00:40:25.440
 story of

00:40:25.440 --> 00:40:25.899
 Hosea

00:40:25.899 --> 00:40:26.679
 Hosea is

00:40:26.679 --> 00:40:27.239
 a prophet.

00:40:27.799 --> 00:40:28.000
 God

00:40:28.000 --> 00:40:28.559
 tells him

00:40:28.559 --> 00:40:29.139
 to go

00:40:29.139 --> 00:40:29.799
 and marry

00:40:29.799 --> 00:40:30.279
 a woman

00:40:30.279 --> 00:40:30.639
 who is

00:40:30.639 --> 00:40:31.019
 going to

00:40:31.019 --> 00:40:31.819
 be unfaithful

00:40:31.819 --> 00:40:32.359
 and wayward.

00:40:33.719 --> 00:40:33.980
 And so

00:40:33.980 --> 00:40:34.480
 he goes

00:40:34.480 --> 00:40:34.759
 and he

00:40:34.759 --> 00:40:35.059
 marries

00:40:35.059 --> 00:40:35.480
 this woman

00:40:35.480 --> 00:40:35.819
 and then

00:40:35.819 --> 00:40:36.259
 this woman

00:40:36.259 --> 00:40:36.879
 wanders

00:40:36.879 --> 00:40:37.299
 off.

00:40:38.699 --> 00:40:39.099
 And it's

00:40:39.099 --> 00:40:40.000
 this parable

00:40:40.000 --> 00:40:40.639
 of how

00:40:40.639 --> 00:40:41.419
 God has

00:40:41.419 --> 00:40:41.919
 been treated

00:40:41.919 --> 00:40:42.399
 by his

00:40:42.399 --> 00:40:43.279
 people and

00:40:43.279 --> 00:40:43.739
 how God

00:40:43.739 --> 00:40:44.539
 is responding

00:40:44.539 --> 00:40:45.359
 to the

00:40:45.359 --> 00:40:46.059
 waywardness

00:40:46.059 --> 00:40:47.279
 and unfaithfulness

00:40:47.279 --> 00:40:47.739
 of his

00:40:47.739 --> 00:40:49.079
 people with

00:40:49.079 --> 00:40:49.739
 patient

00:40:49.739 --> 00:40:50.919
 persevering

00:40:50.919 --> 00:40:51.579
 pursuing

00:40:51.579 --> 00:40:52.699
 love

00:40:52.699 --> 00:40:53.939
 for her.

00:40:55.059 --> 00:40:55.619
 And this

00:40:55.619 --> 00:40:55.919
 is a

00:40:55.919 --> 00:40:56.239
 quote

00:40:56.239 --> 00:40:58.379
 where

00:40:58.379 --> 00:40:59.019
 the

00:40:59.019 --> 00:40:59.419
 children

00:40:59.419 --> 00:41:00.299
 of this

00:41:00.299 --> 00:41:01.219
 wayward

00:41:01.219 --> 00:41:01.699
 woman

00:41:01.699 --> 00:41:03.480
 are being

00:41:03.480 --> 00:41:03.739
 given

00:41:03.739 --> 00:41:04.500
 names

00:41:04.500 --> 00:41:05.339
 not a

00:41:05.339 --> 00:41:05.759
 person

00:41:05.759 --> 00:41:06.519
 or not

00:41:06.519 --> 00:41:06.719
 my

00:41:06.719 --> 00:41:07.079
 people

00:41:07.079 --> 00:41:07.439
 my

00:41:07.439 --> 00:41:07.939
 people

00:41:07.939 --> 00:41:10.419
 not

00:41:10.419 --> 00:41:10.819
 receive

00:41:10.819 --> 00:41:11.199
 mercy

00:41:11.199 --> 00:41:11.839
 receiving

00:41:11.839 --> 00:41:12.339
 mercy

00:41:12.339 --> 00:41:13.000
 these

00:41:13.000 --> 00:41:13.460
 names

00:41:13.460 --> 00:41:13.659
 are

00:41:13.659 --> 00:41:14.119
 given

00:41:14.119 --> 00:41:14.919
 and

00:41:14.919 --> 00:41:16.460
 Peter's

00:41:16.460 --> 00:41:17.179
 drawing in

00:41:17.179 --> 00:41:17.359
 this

00:41:17.359 --> 00:41:18.179
 Old Testament

00:41:18.179 --> 00:41:19.039
 story

00:41:19.039 --> 00:41:20.219
 to say

00:41:20.219 --> 00:41:20.659
 don't

00:41:20.659 --> 00:41:21.339
 you see

00:41:21.339 --> 00:41:23.000
 don't

00:41:23.000 --> 00:41:23.619
 you see

00:41:23.619 --> 00:41:24.759
 we are

00:41:24.759 --> 00:41:25.519
 all

00:41:25.519 --> 00:41:26.859
 everyone

00:41:26.859 --> 00:41:27.279
 in this

00:41:27.279 --> 00:41:27.539
 world

00:41:27.539 --> 00:41:28.139
 are like

00:41:28.139 --> 00:41:28.379
 the

00:41:28.379 --> 00:41:28.779
 wayward

00:41:28.779 --> 00:41:29.059
 woman

00:41:29.059 --> 00:41:29.579
 we have

00:41:29.579 --> 00:41:30.239
 all

00:41:30.239 --> 00:41:30.919
 gone

00:41:30.919 --> 00:41:31.399
 astray

00:41:31.399 --> 00:41:32.319
 we all

00:41:32.319 --> 00:41:32.579
 like

00:41:32.579 --> 00:41:32.859
 sheep

00:41:32.859 --> 00:41:33.019
 have

00:41:33.019 --> 00:41:33.199
 gone

00:41:33.199 --> 00:41:33.460
 astray

00:41:33.460 --> 00:41:33.759
 we've

00:41:33.759 --> 00:41:33.940
 gone

00:41:33.940 --> 00:41:34.099
 our

00:41:34.099 --> 00:41:34.419
 own

00:41:34.419 --> 00:41:34.759
 way

00:41:34.759 --> 00:41:35.419
 we've

00:41:35.419 --> 00:41:35.960
 rejected

00:41:35.960 --> 00:41:36.339
 God

00:41:36.339 --> 00:41:36.539
 and

00:41:36.539 --> 00:41:36.899
 chosen

00:41:36.899 --> 00:41:37.179
 our

00:41:37.179 --> 00:41:37.500
 own

00:41:37.500 --> 00:41:37.960
 thing

00:41:37.960 --> 00:41:38.639
 and

00:41:38.639 --> 00:41:38.859
 this

00:41:38.859 --> 00:41:39.019
 is

00:41:39.019 --> 00:41:39.199
 the

00:41:39.199 --> 00:41:39.379
 root

00:41:39.379 --> 00:41:39.559
 of

00:41:39.559 --> 00:41:39.859
 sin

00:41:39.859 --> 00:41:40.019
 and

00:41:40.019 --> 00:41:40.739
 alienation

00:41:40.739 --> 00:41:40.980
 with

00:41:40.980 --> 00:41:41.259
 God

00:41:41.259 --> 00:41:41.719
 but

00:41:41.719 --> 00:41:42.059
 God

00:41:42.059 --> 00:41:42.199
 in

00:41:42.199 --> 00:41:42.359
 his

00:41:42.359 --> 00:41:42.859
 loving

00:41:42.859 --> 00:41:43.359
 kindness

00:41:43.359 --> 00:41:43.639
 has

00:41:43.639 --> 00:41:44.339
 pursued

00:41:44.339 --> 00:41:44.899
 us

00:41:44.899 --> 00:41:45.500
 has

00:41:45.500 --> 00:41:45.980
 pursued

00:41:45.980 --> 00:41:46.199
 us

00:41:46.199 --> 00:41:46.519
 to the

00:41:46.519 --> 00:41:46.799
 point

00:41:46.800 --> 00:41:46.960
 of

00:41:46.960 --> 00:41:47.200
 sending

00:41:47.200 --> 00:41:47.420
 his

00:41:47.420 --> 00:41:47.720
 very

00:41:47.720 --> 00:41:48.000
 own

00:41:48.000 --> 00:41:48.280
 son

00:41:48.280 --> 00:41:48.720
 to

00:41:48.720 --> 00:41:49.039
 die

00:41:49.039 --> 00:41:49.180
 on

00:41:49.180 --> 00:41:49.300
 the

00:41:49.300 --> 00:41:49.640
 cross

00:41:49.640 --> 00:41:49.860
 for

00:41:49.860 --> 00:41:50.180
 our

00:41:50.180 --> 00:41:50.539
 sins

00:41:50.539 --> 00:41:51.039
 to

00:41:51.039 --> 00:41:51.519
 take

00:41:51.519 --> 00:41:52.000
 away

00:41:52.000 --> 00:41:52.240
 the

00:41:52.240 --> 00:41:52.580
 penalty

00:41:52.580 --> 00:41:52.760
 and

00:41:52.760 --> 00:41:52.880
 the

00:41:52.880 --> 00:41:53.260
 offense

00:41:53.260 --> 00:41:53.420
 of

00:41:53.420 --> 00:41:53.600
 our

00:41:53.600 --> 00:41:53.780
 sin

00:41:53.780 --> 00:41:54.240
 so

00:41:54.240 --> 00:41:54.400
 that

00:41:54.400 --> 00:41:54.580
 we

00:41:54.580 --> 00:41:54.820
 might

00:41:54.820 --> 00:41:55.000
 be

00:41:55.000 --> 00:41:55.560
 restored

00:41:55.560 --> 00:41:55.800
 and

00:41:55.800 --> 00:41:56.420
 reconciled

00:41:56.420 --> 00:41:56.760
 to a

00:41:56.760 --> 00:41:57.039
 living

00:41:57.039 --> 00:41:57.700
 relationship

00:41:57.700 --> 00:41:58.400
 with

00:41:58.400 --> 00:41:58.760
 him

00:41:58.760 --> 00:41:59.660
 forever

00:41:59.660 --> 00:42:02.539
 this

00:42:02.539 --> 00:42:02.740
 is

00:42:02.740 --> 00:42:03.039
 Jesus

00:42:03.039 --> 00:42:03.380
 for

00:42:03.380 --> 00:42:03.780
 us

00:42:03.780 --> 00:42:06.039
 and

00:42:06.039 --> 00:42:06.240
 what

00:42:06.240 --> 00:42:06.780
 Peter

00:42:06.780 --> 00:42:07.120
 says

00:42:07.120 --> 00:42:07.260
 is

00:42:07.260 --> 00:42:07.480
 when

00:42:07.480 --> 00:42:07.680
 we

00:42:07.680 --> 00:42:08.440
 understand

00:42:08.440 --> 00:42:09.160
 that

00:42:09.160 --> 00:42:12.120
 that

00:42:12.120 --> 00:42:12.760
 through

00:42:12.760 --> 00:42:13.160
 that

00:42:13.160 --> 00:42:13.420
 we

00:42:13.420 --> 00:42:13.580
 have

00:42:13.580 --> 00:42:14.100
 become

00:42:14.100 --> 00:42:14.340
 the

00:42:14.340 --> 00:42:14.740
 people

00:42:14.740 --> 00:42:14.960
 of

00:42:14.960 --> 00:42:15.380
 God

00:42:15.380 --> 00:42:16.619
 then

00:42:16.619 --> 00:42:17.240
 declaring

00:42:17.240 --> 00:42:17.539
 the

00:42:17.539 --> 00:42:17.960
 greatness

00:42:17.960 --> 00:42:18.240
 of

00:42:18.240 --> 00:42:18.440
 this

00:42:18.440 --> 00:42:18.840
 God

00:42:18.840 --> 00:42:19.780
 doesn't

00:42:19.780 --> 00:42:20.000
 seem

00:42:20.000 --> 00:42:20.180
 that

00:42:20.180 --> 00:42:20.460
 hard

00:42:20.460 --> 00:42:20.780
 does

00:42:20.780 --> 00:42:20.980
 it

00:42:20.980 --> 00:42:24.280
 it

00:42:24.280 --> 00:42:24.619
 doesn't

00:42:24.619 --> 00:42:24.980
 seem

00:42:24.980 --> 00:42:25.440
 awkward

00:42:25.440 --> 00:42:26.780
 it's

00:42:26.780 --> 00:42:27.059
 going to

00:42:27.059 --> 00:42:27.300
 be

00:42:27.300 --> 00:42:27.599
 counter

00:42:27.599 --> 00:42:28.079
 cultural

00:42:28.079 --> 00:42:28.660
 it's

00:42:28.660 --> 00:42:28.900
 going to

00:42:28.900 --> 00:42:29.039
 be

00:42:29.039 --> 00:42:29.539
 different

00:42:29.539 --> 00:42:32.460
 but

00:42:32.460 --> 00:42:32.619
 it

00:42:32.619 --> 00:42:32.900
 seems

00:42:32.900 --> 00:42:33.420
 right

00:42:33.420 --> 00:42:34.300
 because

00:42:34.300 --> 00:42:34.619
 of the

00:42:34.619 --> 00:42:34.940
 greatness

00:42:34.940 --> 00:42:35.619
 of who

00:42:35.619 --> 00:42:36.539
 God

00:42:36.539 --> 00:42:37.039
 is

00:42:37.039 --> 00:42:38.579
 so

00:42:38.579 --> 00:42:38.900
 Peter

00:42:38.900 --> 00:42:39.059
 is

00:42:39.059 --> 00:42:39.360
 writing

00:42:39.360 --> 00:42:39.579
 to

00:42:39.579 --> 00:42:39.820
 this

00:42:39.820 --> 00:42:40.180
 church

00:42:40.180 --> 00:42:41.559
 and

00:42:41.559 --> 00:42:41.800
 writing

00:42:41.800 --> 00:42:42.000
 to

00:42:42.000 --> 00:42:42.260
 us

00:42:42.260 --> 00:42:42.500
 saying

00:42:42.500 --> 00:42:42.720
 have

00:42:42.720 --> 00:42:43.320
 confidence

00:42:43.320 --> 00:42:45.140
 not

00:42:45.140 --> 00:42:45.260
 in

00:42:45.260 --> 00:42:45.420
 your

00:42:45.420 --> 00:42:45.780
 greatness

00:42:45.780 --> 00:42:46.100
 but

00:42:46.100 --> 00:42:46.240
 in

00:42:46.240 --> 00:42:46.360
 the

00:42:46.360 --> 00:42:46.640
 greatness

00:42:46.640 --> 00:42:46.880
 of

00:42:46.880 --> 00:42:47.000
 what

00:42:47.000 --> 00:42:47.260
 God

00:42:47.260 --> 00:42:47.460
 has

00:42:47.460 --> 00:42:47.780
 done

00:42:47.780 --> 00:42:48.320
 for

00:42:48.320 --> 00:42:48.660
 you

00:42:48.660 --> 00:42:50.400
 and

00:42:50.400 --> 00:42:50.519
 in

00:42:50.519 --> 00:42:50.660
 the

00:42:50.660 --> 00:42:50.960
 calling

00:42:50.960 --> 00:42:51.160
 that

00:42:51.160 --> 00:42:51.260
 he

00:42:51.260 --> 00:42:51.380
 has

00:42:51.380 --> 00:42:51.600
 given

00:42:51.600 --> 00:42:51.840
 to

00:42:51.840 --> 00:42:52.059
 you

00:42:52.059 --> 00:42:52.220
 as

00:42:52.220 --> 00:42:52.480
 living

00:42:52.480 --> 00:42:52.700
 as

00:42:52.700 --> 00:42:53.240
 exiles

00:42:53.240 --> 00:42:53.720
 awaiting

00:42:53.720 --> 00:42:54.760
 our

00:42:54.760 --> 00:42:55.019
 true

00:42:55.019 --> 00:42:55.320
 home

00:42:55.320 --> 00:42:55.840
 with

00:42:55.840 --> 00:42:56.140
 God

00:42:56.140 --> 00:42:56.320
 in

00:42:56.320 --> 00:42:56.600
 heaven

00:42:56.600 --> 00:42:57.860
 but

00:42:57.860 --> 00:42:58.300
 now

00:42:58.300 --> 00:42:58.780
 knowing

00:42:58.780 --> 00:42:59.000
 your

00:42:59.000 --> 00:42:59.559
 identity

00:42:59.559 --> 00:43:00.500
 in

00:43:00.500 --> 00:43:01.000
 Christ

00:43:01.000 --> 00:43:02.220
 and

00:43:02.220 --> 00:43:02.500
 living

00:43:02.500 --> 00:43:02.680
 out

00:43:02.680 --> 00:43:02.900
 this

00:43:02.900 --> 00:43:03.480
 purpose

00:43:03.480 --> 00:43:03.740
 of

00:43:03.740 --> 00:43:04.260
 declaring

00:43:04.260 --> 00:43:04.580
 his

00:43:04.580 --> 00:43:04.860
 greatness

00:43:04.860 --> 00:43:05.140
 in

00:43:05.140 --> 00:43:05.280
 the

00:43:05.280 --> 00:43:05.600
 world

00:43:05.600 --> 00:43:07.000
 this

00:43:07.000 --> 00:43:07.160
 is

00:43:07.160 --> 00:43:07.320
 what

00:43:07.320 --> 00:43:07.500
 he's

00:43:07.500 --> 00:43:07.720
 called

00:43:07.720 --> 00:43:07.900
 us

00:43:07.900 --> 00:43:08.080
 to

00:43:08.080 --> 00:43:08.420
 let's

00:43:08.420 --> 00:43:08.620
 pray

00:43:08.619 --> 00:43:17.159
 Lord

00:43:17.159 --> 00:43:17.500
 Jesus

00:43:17.500 --> 00:43:20.559
 we

00:43:20.559 --> 00:43:21.079
 confess

00:43:21.079 --> 00:43:21.380
 how

00:43:21.380 --> 00:43:22.119
 often

00:43:22.119 --> 00:43:22.759
 Lord

00:43:22.759 --> 00:43:23.039
 our

00:43:23.039 --> 00:43:23.339
 hearts

00:43:23.339 --> 00:43:23.599
 grow

00:43:23.599 --> 00:43:24.079
 cold

00:43:24.079 --> 00:43:24.880
 and

00:43:24.880 --> 00:43:25.059
 the

00:43:25.059 --> 00:43:25.539
 wonder

00:43:25.539 --> 00:43:26.019
 and

00:43:26.019 --> 00:43:26.480
 awe

00:43:26.480 --> 00:43:26.819
 of

00:43:26.819 --> 00:43:27.039
 our

00:43:27.039 --> 00:43:27.579
 salvation

00:43:27.579 --> 00:43:29.159
 is

00:43:29.159 --> 00:43:29.719
 replaced

00:43:29.719 --> 00:43:30.359
 with

00:43:30.359 --> 00:43:35.319
 a

00:43:35.319 --> 00:43:35.599
 lack

00:43:35.599 --> 00:43:35.859
 of

00:43:35.859 --> 00:43:36.920
 enthusiasm

00:43:36.920 --> 00:43:38.220
 Lord

00:43:38.220 --> 00:43:40.200
 disparagement

00:43:40.200 --> 00:43:40.700
 Lord

00:43:40.700 --> 00:43:40.900
 we

00:43:40.900 --> 00:43:41.360
 diminish

00:43:41.360 --> 00:43:41.639
 it

00:43:41.639 --> 00:43:41.900
 in

00:43:41.900 --> 00:43:42.079
 our

00:43:42.079 --> 00:43:42.260
 own

00:43:42.260 --> 00:43:42.700
 hearts

00:43:42.700 --> 00:43:43.820
 and

00:43:43.820 --> 00:43:43.980
 Lord

00:43:43.980 --> 00:43:44.119
 as

00:43:44.119 --> 00:43:44.280
 we

00:43:44.280 --> 00:43:44.480
 do

00:43:44.480 --> 00:43:44.720
 so

00:43:44.720 --> 00:43:44.900
 we

00:43:44.900 --> 00:43:45.159
 lose

00:43:45.159 --> 00:43:45.440
 sight

00:43:45.440 --> 00:43:45.579
 of

00:43:45.579 --> 00:43:45.720
 who

00:43:45.720 --> 00:43:45.900
 we

00:43:45.900 --> 00:43:46.159
 are

00:43:46.159 --> 00:43:46.720
 and

00:43:46.720 --> 00:43:46.920
 why

00:43:46.920 --> 00:43:47.099
 we

00:43:47.099 --> 00:43:47.220
 are

00:43:47.220 --> 00:43:47.500
 here

00:43:47.500 --> 00:43:48.420
 God

00:43:48.420 --> 00:43:48.559
 I

00:43:48.559 --> 00:43:48.740
 pray

00:43:48.740 --> 00:43:48.960
 this

00:43:48.960 --> 00:43:49.260
 morning

00:43:49.260 --> 00:43:49.639
 that

00:43:49.639 --> 00:43:49.860
 this

00:43:49.860 --> 00:43:50.360
 passage

00:43:50.360 --> 00:43:50.619
 would

00:43:50.619 --> 00:43:50.920
 help

00:43:50.920 --> 00:43:51.300
 us

00:43:51.300 --> 00:43:53.019
 Lord

00:43:53.019 --> 00:43:54.740
 restore

00:43:54.740 --> 00:43:55.639
 to

00:43:55.639 --> 00:43:55.940
 us

00:43:55.940 --> 00:43:56.180
 the

00:43:56.180 --> 00:43:56.400
 joy

00:43:56.400 --> 00:43:56.559
 of

00:43:56.559 --> 00:43:56.740
 our

00:43:56.740 --> 00:43:57.220
 salvation

00:43:57.220 --> 00:43:58.079
 that

00:43:58.079 --> 00:43:58.240
 we

00:43:58.240 --> 00:43:58.420
 may

00:43:58.420 --> 00:43:58.639
 know

00:43:58.639 --> 00:43:58.940
 who

00:43:58.940 --> 00:43:59.200
 we

00:43:59.200 --> 00:43:59.500
 are

00:43:59.500 --> 00:44:00.240
 and

00:44:00.240 --> 00:44:00.460
 why

00:44:00.460 --> 00:44:00.639
 we

00:44:00.639 --> 00:44:00.760
 are

00:44:00.760 --> 00:44:01.059
 here

00:44:01.059 --> 00:44:01.900
 we

00:44:01.900 --> 00:44:02.099
 pray

00:44:02.099 --> 00:44:02.320
 this

00:44:02.320 --> 00:44:02.480
 in

00:44:02.480 --> 00:44:02.680
 Jesus

00:44:02.680 --> 00:44:03.039
 name

00:44:03.039 --> 00:44:03.680
 Amen