WEBVTT

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 Father, we give you thanks and praise that we can be in your presence.

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 We give you thanks and praise that you desire to lavish your love upon us.

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 We give you thanks and praise that we are not alone, but Jesus is with us, that the Holy Spirit is present.

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 And we ask, Father, that your Holy Spirit would work a deep work in our hearts

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 so that we might receive in a very well from you this morning in a worthy manner and respond to you.

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 And this we ask in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior. Amen.

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 Please be seated.

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 You know, we live in an odd time.

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 It seems to me, and maybe I'm just exaggerating a little bit,

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 but it seems to me as if in many areas of life there's no mercy,

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 that life has become harder,

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 that it's not even a matter of three strikes and you're out.

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 But you take one, you say the wrong thing on social media,

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 you have the wrong, you get a tweet and you forward it and it's not the right one,

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 or that if somebody finds something that you put on Instagram or Facebook

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 two years ago, five years ago, ten years ago, fifteen years ago,

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 and they find out about it,

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 you're just in lots and lots of trouble.

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 And it seems as if, I mean, there's lots of freedom in our culture,

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 and it's not like people walk around in fear all the time,

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 but it really does seem, at least in what we can sort of gather from the media,

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 that it is, it becomes, we're in a time with less and less mercy,

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 less and less mercy, and a real type of judgmentalism.

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 I was about a year or so ago talking about this to somebody that I know quite well,

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 and I guess I was a bit complaining about it because I know them very well

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 and I was comfortable with them,

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 and they just looked at me and said,

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 George, you Christians invented it.

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 Like, you just don't like it because now it's coming back to bite you.

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 But you guys invented it,

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 and now you're reaping what you sow,

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 and, you know, you were in charge and you did it,

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 showed no mercy.

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 Now other people are in charge and they show no mercy,

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 and that's just, like, in a sense, suck it up and deal with it.

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 Now, at the time, I didn't really know what to say to them,

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 and I want to really encourage you to know that I didn't know what to say to them

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 because, you know, being a public Christian,

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 letting people know that you're a Christian,

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 sometimes there'll be pushback about that,

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 and if you wait to be a public Christian

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 until you know everything to say in response to every question,

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 you'll never be a public Christian.

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 In fact, maybe what you should do is just say,

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 maybe we should all get T-shirts about public Christian,

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 and the image should be of,

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 I could be my face, could be yours,

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 with the foot in the mouth,

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 and that's just sort of a comforting thing to know

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 that it's not the end of the world

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 if you don't know what to say in response to something.

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 Because often what it means is,

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 you know what you could say later on, actually.

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 Because now, I guess, if I could go back in time,

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 I would just quote an authority that they would recognize,

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 the who.

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 And in their famous song,

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 meet the new boss,

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 same as the old boss,

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 won't be fooled again.

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 Anyway, that's probably not what I would say to them.

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 But, you know, I think they're wrong, by the way.

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 The other thing I should have said is that it's really,

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 it's not that Christians invented it,

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 but that it's a human problem,

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 and that if you get beyond our ethnocentrism

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 and look at other cultures,

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 there's lots of times in history

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 and lots of places in the world

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 where there's very little mercy that's shown.

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 But I'm not going to deny that it might very well be the case

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 that there are many Christians today

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 in North America and Canada and Ottawa,

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 maybe even in this congregation,

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 or many Christians in the past

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 that have, in fact, shown very little mercy,

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 been very judgmental,

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 and very persecution-oriented.

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 But the question is, you know,

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 I guess for me,

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 it's never a matter of

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 what Christians do

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 is what the Bible says,

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 what Christ says.

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 So is it, in fact,

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 the case that Christians

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 just need to get more in touch

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 with things that are going on in our culture

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 to try to fix this

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 if it is, in fact,

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 a bit of a Christian problem?

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 Or is it really a matter

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 that you need to get back

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 to what Jesus says

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 and to be corrected by the Bible?

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 We're looking at a very, very old text today,

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 and it actually talks about this issue

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 of mercy and our narratives,

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 et cetera, and all,

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 and it gives great wisdom.

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 So it'd be a great help to me

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 if you would turn in your Bibles

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 to Haggai chapter 2.

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 Haggai chapter 2,

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 and we're going to be looking

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 at verses 10 to 19.

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 Haggai chapter 2, verses 10 to 19.

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 And here's how it begins.

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 It goes like this.

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 On the 24th day of the ninth month

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 in the second year of Darius,

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 the word of the Lord came by Haggai the prophet.

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 Now just sort of pause there.

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 Some of you are here,

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 you're just jumping into this book.

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 This is just a bit of a context about it.

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 About 70 or so years prior to this,

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 the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem,

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 took away the leadership of the country,

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 the king of the country,

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 took them into exile,

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 most of them into Babylon.

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 And at the time of their destruction

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 of the country,

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 there were prophets like Jeremiah

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 who prophesied and said

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 that God was going to do

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 a remarkable and miraculous thing,

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 and that some approximately 70

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 or two generations almost,

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 70 years later,

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 God's going to bring some of the Jewish people

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 back to Jerusalem

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 and the temple will be rebuilt.

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 And then what happened

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 is the Babylonians are in power

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 for quite a few decades,

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 but then the Persians

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 defeat the Babylonian empire

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 and Babylonians

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 and take over their empire.

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 And that's where Darius comes in.

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 Darius is the emperor,

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 the Persian emperor.

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 And, you know,

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 you can't,

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 to try to get a bit of a sense

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 of the shock of the book of Haggai,

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 just understand that we now call Persia

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 as Iran.

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 And what happened

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 is that as soon as,

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 very shortly after,

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 Persia took over the empire,

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 God did a remarkable work

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 in the heart

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 of this Persian emperor

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 because he gave permission

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 for the Jewish people,

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 some of the Jewish people,

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 to go back

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 and to rebuild Jerusalem.

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 He wanted it.

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 It would be as if

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 the Ayatollah of Iran today

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 said that he wanted

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 to rebuild Jerusalem.

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 And just as that would be

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 a complete shock,

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 it would be front page news.

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 Ayatollah of Iran says

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 the temple must be rebuilt

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 or he wants the Jewish people

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 to thrive.

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 It was just as big of a shock

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 and just as big of a miracle

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 really back then.

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 So about 16 years prior to this,

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 some of the Jewish people

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 have returned to Jerusalem.

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 Jerusalem is in rubbles.

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 If you want to get a picture for this,

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 if you're a very visual person,

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 picture Aleppo.

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 Picture parts of Syria

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 with all the rubbles

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 and that's what Jerusalem looks like.

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 And so some of the Jewish people

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 have returned

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 and they start to restore the temple

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 but there's local pushback,

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 very serious,

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 hardcore local pushback

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 and they chicken out

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 and they stop all the work.

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 And so what they've done

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 for the intervening time period

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 is they've worked

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 on their own prosperity

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 and their own peace

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 but they've also maintained

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 the religious celebrations

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 and festivals

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 and stuff like that

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 but they've turned inward

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 and they've stopped

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 all of the work

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 on the temple.

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 And then about four months

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 prior to this,

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 in September of 520 BC,

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 we know the dates

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 because of the linking

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 to Darius

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 and all of that type of stuff.

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 Haggai gives this prophetic word

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 that shocks them

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 and we'll talk about this

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 a bit more in a moment

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 because it is relevant

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 to this bit

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 and they start to restore

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 the temple

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 and then about two months

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 after that

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 or approximately two months

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 before this,

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 there's another set

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 of prophetic words

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 and now there's this third

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 set of prophetic words.

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 So that's what's going on here,

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 just a bit of a context.

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 Jerusalem is in rubbles.

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 There are some Jewish people back.

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 They're under Persian authority

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 and they've started

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 to restore the temple

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 four months in

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 and this is now a word

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 that comes from God

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 to the Jewish people

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 but it's going to come through

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 first asking a couple

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 of questions of the priests.

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 Here's how it goes.

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 Look at verse 11.

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 Thus says the Lord of hosts,

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 ask the priest about the law.

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 If someone carries holy meat

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 in the fold of his garment

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 and touches with his fold,

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 bread or stew

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 or wine or oil

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 or any kind of food,

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 does it become holy?

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 The priest answered

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 and said no.

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 Then Haggai said,

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 if someone who is unclean

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 by contact with a dead body

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 touches any of these,

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 does it become unclean?

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 The priest answered and said,

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 yes,

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 it does become unclean.

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 Then Haggai answered and said,

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 so is it with this people

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 and with this nation

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 before me,

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 declares the Lord,

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 and so with every work

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 of their hands.

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 And what they offer there

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 is unclean.

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 So just sort of pause here

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 for a second.

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 If you are like most Canadians,

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 as soon as you start getting

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 to clean and unclean,

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 your eyes glaze over

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 and you lose the plot

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 because it doesn't really

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 make much sense

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 and it just seems like

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 a weird, bizarre type of thing.

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 And it's here where

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 it touches in this whole area

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 of our cultural narratives

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 because we start to see what,

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 so some things are clean

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 and some things are unclean.

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 Like, George,

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 this just seems exactly

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 like religion.

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 It's so lame

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 and so random.

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 Like, really?

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 Just because you touch

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 a dead body,

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 you've become unclean?

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 Like, that just sounds weird.

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 And so we interpret

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 this whole story

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 from this perspective

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 of God being,

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 like there's been

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 no mercy shown

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 and it can just be

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 as simple as

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 you like the wrong

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 Hollywood star

00:10:07.820 --> 00:10:09.759
 a day after a revelation

00:10:09.759 --> 00:10:10.799
 or something like that

00:10:10.799 --> 00:10:12.100
 and it's just,

00:10:12.220 --> 00:10:13.860
 you're being picked on by God

00:10:13.860 --> 00:10:14.740
 and this whole language

00:10:14.740 --> 00:10:15.980
 of clean and unclean

00:10:15.980 --> 00:10:16.620
 sounds like

00:10:16.620 --> 00:10:18.320
 very, very exclusive

00:10:18.320 --> 00:10:19.360
 and insiders

00:10:19.360 --> 00:10:20.179
 and outsiders

00:10:20.179 --> 00:10:21.239
 and just everything

00:10:21.239 --> 00:10:21.959
 about religion

00:10:21.959 --> 00:10:22.659
 which is bad

00:10:22.659 --> 00:10:23.839
 and we hear this

00:10:23.839 --> 00:10:24.859
 because we have

00:10:24.859 --> 00:10:26.139
 our cultural narrative.

00:10:26.359 --> 00:10:27.159
 We read the text

00:10:27.159 --> 00:10:28.399
 and that's how we interpret it

00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:29.299
 but that's not

00:10:29.299 --> 00:10:30.239
 what's going on at all.

00:10:31.179 --> 00:10:31.419
 You see,

00:10:31.539 --> 00:10:32.620
 what we don't think of

00:10:32.620 --> 00:10:33.299
 is that the Bible

00:10:33.299 --> 00:10:34.179
 has a very, very

00:10:34.179 --> 00:10:35.039
 different narrative

00:10:35.039 --> 00:10:36.539
 and this story

00:10:36.539 --> 00:10:37.479
 is part of a very,

00:10:37.599 --> 00:10:38.439
 very, very,

00:10:38.519 --> 00:10:39.539
 very different narrative

00:10:39.539 --> 00:10:40.139
 and the narrative

00:10:40.139 --> 00:10:40.719
 is this.

00:10:41.239 --> 00:10:42.620
 The narrative of the Bible

00:10:42.620 --> 00:10:44.599
 is that there is a God

00:10:44.599 --> 00:10:45.279
 that does exist,

00:10:45.439 --> 00:10:46.639
 the triune God

00:10:46.639 --> 00:10:48.159
 and this God,

00:10:48.159 --> 00:10:49.959
 well,

00:10:50.019 --> 00:10:51.259
 he made human beings,

00:10:51.379 --> 00:10:52.240
 he made creation

00:10:52.240 --> 00:10:53.559
 not because he was lonely,

00:10:54.100 --> 00:10:55.539
 not because he was bored,

00:10:56.120 --> 00:10:57.759
 not because he wanted food,

00:10:58.259 --> 00:10:59.980
 not because he wanted slaves,

00:11:00.500 --> 00:11:02.799
 not because he wanted somebody to love

00:11:02.799 --> 00:11:04.899
 and had a type of needy love,

00:11:05.019 --> 00:11:06.179
 like we hate being around

00:11:06.179 --> 00:11:07.299
 needy love people

00:11:07.299 --> 00:11:09.439
 unless they're our brand new baby

00:11:09.439 --> 00:11:10.459
 or something like that

00:11:10.459 --> 00:11:11.779
 where you want them to be needy,

00:11:11.860 --> 00:11:12.279
 but you know,

00:11:12.360 --> 00:11:14.240
 for an adult to be needy love

00:11:14.240 --> 00:11:16.339
 and it's just sort of repelling

00:11:16.340 --> 00:11:17.600
 and it's not as if God

00:11:17.600 --> 00:11:18.519
 did anything like that

00:11:18.519 --> 00:11:19.560
 but we all know

00:11:19.560 --> 00:11:20.960
 that part of the nature of love

00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:22.420
 is that love is expansive,

00:11:23.560 --> 00:11:24.860
 love is creative,

00:11:25.960 --> 00:11:27.320
 love gives,

00:11:28.120 --> 00:11:29.620
 love forgives,

00:11:30.240 --> 00:11:32.399
 love loves to see more love,

00:11:33.259 --> 00:11:33.899
 that it's just something

00:11:33.899 --> 00:11:35.180
 about the nature of love

00:11:35.180 --> 00:11:36.420
 and the God who is love

00:11:36.420 --> 00:11:37.560
 made human beings

00:11:37.560 --> 00:11:38.840
 in his own image

00:11:38.840 --> 00:11:41.080
 so that he could lavish

00:11:41.080 --> 00:11:42.360
 his love upon them.

00:11:42.360 --> 00:11:46.399
 The living God

00:11:46.399 --> 00:11:47.820
 created all things,

00:11:47.980 --> 00:11:48.779
 created human beings

00:11:48.779 --> 00:11:49.980
 so that he could lavish

00:11:49.980 --> 00:11:50.940
 his love upon them

00:11:50.940 --> 00:11:52.360
 but human beings

00:11:52.360 --> 00:11:53.379
 turned from God

00:11:53.379 --> 00:11:54.279
 and wanted to be

00:11:54.279 --> 00:11:55.019
 like God themselves.

00:11:55.279 --> 00:11:55.980
 They turned their back

00:11:55.980 --> 00:11:56.820
 on God's love

00:11:56.820 --> 00:11:57.720
 and as a result of

00:11:57.720 --> 00:11:58.300
 turning their back

00:11:58.300 --> 00:11:59.139
 on God's love,

00:11:59.940 --> 00:12:00.860
 well, shame comes

00:12:00.860 --> 00:12:01.519
 into the world

00:12:01.519 --> 00:12:02.779
 and messing up

00:12:02.779 --> 00:12:03.779
 comes into the world

00:12:03.779 --> 00:12:04.460
 and sickness

00:12:04.460 --> 00:12:05.480
 comes into the world

00:12:05.480 --> 00:12:06.039
 and death

00:12:06.039 --> 00:12:06.960
 comes into the world

00:12:06.960 --> 00:12:07.600
 and oppression

00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:09.019
 comes into the world

00:12:09.019 --> 00:12:09.720
 and racism

00:12:09.720 --> 00:12:10.460
 and hatred

00:12:10.460 --> 00:12:13.040
 and authoritarianism

00:12:13.040 --> 00:12:13.840
 and no mercy

00:12:13.840 --> 00:12:14.920
 comes into the world

00:12:14.920 --> 00:12:15.920
 and human beings

00:12:15.920 --> 00:12:17.280
 are sort of trapped in this

00:12:17.280 --> 00:12:19.060
 and so the big story

00:12:19.060 --> 00:12:19.820
 of the Bible,

00:12:20.259 --> 00:12:21.040
 if you want to read

00:12:21.040 --> 00:12:22.639
 from Genesis chapter 3

00:12:22.639 --> 00:12:24.100
 right up into the gospel

00:12:24.100 --> 00:12:25.000
 and right up to the end

00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:25.660
 of the story,

00:12:25.900 --> 00:12:26.820
 the big narrative

00:12:26.820 --> 00:12:27.600
 of the Bible

00:12:27.600 --> 00:12:28.879
 is the narrative

00:12:28.879 --> 00:12:30.360
 of the different ways

00:12:30.360 --> 00:12:31.540
 that God tries

00:12:31.540 --> 00:12:32.700
 to get the attention

00:12:32.700 --> 00:12:33.420
 of people

00:12:33.420 --> 00:12:34.840
 in their mess,

00:12:35.040 --> 00:12:36.000
 in their shame,

00:12:36.180 --> 00:12:37.139
 in their confusion,

00:12:37.680 --> 00:12:38.680
 in their successes,

00:12:39.000 --> 00:12:39.879
 in their failures,

00:12:39.879 --> 00:12:40.960
 in their shame,

00:12:41.259 --> 00:12:42.539
 in their despondency,

00:12:42.720 --> 00:12:43.480
 in their despair,

00:12:43.799 --> 00:12:44.799
 that this God

00:12:44.799 --> 00:12:45.600
 who is love

00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:47.179
 relentlessly pursues

00:12:47.179 --> 00:12:48.279
 human beings

00:12:48.279 --> 00:12:49.480
 to get their attention

00:12:49.480 --> 00:12:50.960
 so that they would turn

00:12:50.960 --> 00:12:52.620
 and allow God

00:12:52.620 --> 00:12:54.019
 to do what only God

00:12:54.019 --> 00:12:54.720
 could do

00:12:54.720 --> 00:12:56.279
 to have them

00:12:56.279 --> 00:12:58.000
 become his people,

00:12:58.159 --> 00:12:59.019
 his children,

00:12:59.220 --> 00:13:00.340
 his precious treasure

00:13:00.340 --> 00:13:01.799
 so he can lavish

00:13:01.799 --> 00:13:02.840
 his love upon them.

00:13:04.419 --> 00:13:05.720
 That's the big story

00:13:05.720 --> 00:13:06.379
 of the Bible.

00:13:06.379 --> 00:13:09.960
 a relentless pursuit

00:13:09.960 --> 00:13:10.559
 by God

00:13:10.559 --> 00:13:11.799
 to love you.

00:13:14.240 --> 00:13:14.860
 And yes,

00:13:14.899 --> 00:13:15.460
 he knows

00:13:15.460 --> 00:13:16.700
 that you're not perfect.

00:13:16.860 --> 00:13:17.279
 He knows what

00:13:17.279 --> 00:13:18.559
 your bank balance is

00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:19.679
 for those of us

00:13:19.679 --> 00:13:21.019
 who have bad bank balances.

00:13:21.580 --> 00:13:22.240
 He knows your good

00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:23.100
 bank balances too

00:13:23.100 --> 00:13:23.659
 for those of you

00:13:23.659 --> 00:13:24.360
 who have those.

00:13:25.019 --> 00:13:26.039
 But he knows

00:13:26.039 --> 00:13:27.799
 he knows you

00:13:27.799 --> 00:13:28.860
 and he wants

00:13:28.860 --> 00:13:29.360
 to lavish

00:13:29.360 --> 00:13:30.299
 his love upon you.

00:13:31.740 --> 00:13:32.139
 Well,

00:13:32.220 --> 00:13:33.059
 how does that fit in

00:13:33.059 --> 00:13:34.419
 with this weird language

00:13:34.419 --> 00:13:35.419
 of clean and unclean?

00:13:35.459 --> 00:13:36.259
 And if you got lost

00:13:36.259 --> 00:13:37.039
 in the whole story

00:13:37.039 --> 00:13:37.399
 and you don't have

00:13:37.399 --> 00:13:38.159
 your Bibles open

00:13:38.159 --> 00:13:38.759
 to look at it,

00:13:39.099 --> 00:13:40.139
 basically what the Bible

00:13:40.139 --> 00:13:40.919
 is saying is this,

00:13:40.959 --> 00:13:41.879
 is you go and perform

00:13:41.879 --> 00:13:42.599
 a sacrifice

00:13:42.599 --> 00:13:44.339
 and as part of the sacrifice

00:13:44.339 --> 00:13:45.199
 there's an animal

00:13:45.199 --> 00:13:46.479
 and as part of the sacrifice

00:13:46.479 --> 00:13:47.159
 of the animal,

00:13:47.299 --> 00:13:48.159
 sometimes there's some

00:13:48.159 --> 00:13:49.059
 of that stuff

00:13:49.059 --> 00:13:49.819
 of the sacrifice

00:13:49.819 --> 00:13:50.379
 of the grain

00:13:50.379 --> 00:13:50.899
 or the animal

00:13:50.899 --> 00:13:51.299
 or whatever

00:13:51.299 --> 00:13:52.259
 that the priest

00:13:52.259 --> 00:13:53.039
 is able to keep

00:13:53.039 --> 00:13:53.539
 to eat.

00:13:54.120 --> 00:13:54.879
 And so the priest

00:13:54.879 --> 00:13:56.000
 has done this sacrifice

00:13:56.000 --> 00:13:57.459
 that God has set for

00:13:57.459 --> 00:13:58.659
 and as he's walking away

00:13:58.659 --> 00:13:59.579
 with his sacrifice,

00:14:00.179 --> 00:14:00.879
 he comes up,

00:14:00.980 --> 00:14:02.219
 imagine we go back in time

00:14:02.219 --> 00:14:03.159
 and he touches Jono

00:14:03.159 --> 00:14:03.879
 and the question is,

00:14:03.980 --> 00:14:05.379
 does the sacrifice

00:14:05.379 --> 00:14:06.120
 is holy,

00:14:06.259 --> 00:14:06.919
 it's clean,

00:14:07.360 --> 00:14:09.379
 and if now the priest

00:14:09.379 --> 00:14:10.279
 touches Jono,

00:14:10.360 --> 00:14:11.519
 does Jono become holy?

00:14:12.659 --> 00:14:13.559
 And then if I go up

00:14:13.559 --> 00:14:14.439
 and I touch Andrew,

00:14:14.559 --> 00:14:15.620
 does Andrew become holy?

00:14:15.719 --> 00:14:16.899
 Does Daniel and Alexander

00:14:16.899 --> 00:14:17.500
 become holy?

00:14:17.600 --> 00:14:18.159
 And the priest says,

00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:18.980
 no, the Bible says

00:14:18.980 --> 00:14:19.799
 they don't become holy,

00:14:19.919 --> 00:14:20.219
 they're just,

00:14:20.579 --> 00:14:21.759
 they're completely unchanged

00:14:21.759 --> 00:14:22.759
 by you touching them.

00:14:23.980 --> 00:14:24.299
 And he says,

00:14:24.379 --> 00:14:24.659
 okay, well,

00:14:24.740 --> 00:14:26.699
 let's do another example.

00:14:26.839 --> 00:14:27.939
 What happens, George,

00:14:27.939 --> 00:14:28.959
 if there's a dead body

00:14:28.959 --> 00:14:30.120
 and you touch the dead body

00:14:30.120 --> 00:14:31.079
 and according to the Bible

00:14:31.080 --> 00:14:31.820
 what happens is

00:14:31.820 --> 00:14:33.200
 if I touch the dead body

00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:34.220
 I become unclean.

00:14:34.560 --> 00:14:35.420
 So what happens then

00:14:35.420 --> 00:14:36.540
 if I go and touch Jono

00:14:36.540 --> 00:14:36.960
 and Andrew

00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:37.940
 and Daniel and Alexander?

00:14:38.120 --> 00:14:38.980
 Well, according to the Bible

00:14:38.980 --> 00:14:40.180
 they all become unclean.

00:14:42.500 --> 00:14:43.720
 And then he says,

00:14:44.000 --> 00:14:44.280
 listen,

00:14:44.580 --> 00:14:45.700
 because of what's been going on

00:14:45.700 --> 00:14:46.280
 with you people,

00:14:46.400 --> 00:14:47.720
 your whole land is unclean.

00:14:47.800 --> 00:14:48.500
 So what's going on

00:14:48.500 --> 00:14:49.320
 with this whole thing?

00:14:50.000 --> 00:14:51.379
 So here's part of the thing

00:14:51.379 --> 00:14:52.280
 that you need to understand.

00:14:52.420 --> 00:14:52.580
 Remember,

00:14:52.759 --> 00:14:54.000
 what's the big story?

00:14:54.100 --> 00:14:54.900
 The big story

00:14:54.900 --> 00:14:56.800
 is that God knows your mess,

00:14:56.800 --> 00:14:58.420
 he knows your sin,

00:14:58.500 --> 00:14:59.320
 he knows your shame.

00:14:59.320 --> 00:15:01.760
 There's this relentless seeking of you

00:15:01.760 --> 00:15:02.480
 to love you,

00:15:02.760 --> 00:15:04.640
 to pour out his love upon you.

00:15:04.740 --> 00:15:06.160
 That's the big story of the Bible.

00:15:06.280 --> 00:15:07.900
 So how does this fit?

00:15:09.020 --> 00:15:09.220
 Well,

00:15:09.300 --> 00:15:10.980
 the first thing that wants to fit

00:15:10.980 --> 00:15:12.960
 is that no human being

00:15:12.960 --> 00:15:14.540
 can make themselves holy.

00:15:18.460 --> 00:15:21.740
 That only the holy one

00:15:21.740 --> 00:15:23.540
 can make you holy.

00:15:23.539 --> 00:15:27.620
 And you see,

00:15:27.699 --> 00:15:28.459
 that's why it's connected

00:15:28.459 --> 00:15:29.339
 to the sacrifice.

00:15:30.559 --> 00:15:31.659
 That the sacrifice

00:15:31.659 --> 00:15:32.719
 is what in a sense

00:15:32.719 --> 00:15:35.500
 is making this particular thing

00:15:35.500 --> 00:15:36.480
 holy or clean.

00:15:37.259 --> 00:15:38.679
 But you can't then just go say,

00:15:38.740 --> 00:15:39.039
 oh wow,

00:15:39.099 --> 00:15:40.459
 I have a little magic wand

00:15:40.459 --> 00:15:41.980
 that makes things holy and clean

00:15:41.980 --> 00:15:42.740
 and I can run around

00:15:42.740 --> 00:15:43.360
 and touch things.

00:15:43.439 --> 00:15:43.679
 No, no,

00:15:43.699 --> 00:15:44.579
 that's not how it works.

00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:46.159
 That's taking you far away

00:15:46.159 --> 00:15:46.719
 from the fact

00:15:46.719 --> 00:15:48.500
 that God has to provide the means.

00:15:48.500 --> 00:15:48.879
 You see,

00:15:49.399 --> 00:15:52.659
 you can't sanctify yourself.

00:15:52.840 --> 00:15:54.179
 You can't make yourself holy.

00:15:54.500 --> 00:15:55.500
 You can't make yourself

00:15:56.100 --> 00:15:58.700
 be in the realm of God

00:15:58.700 --> 00:16:00.340
 to have God as your God

00:16:00.340 --> 00:16:02.340
 for him to lavish his love upon you.

00:16:02.340 --> 00:16:04.080
 You can't do that by yourself.

00:16:04.259 --> 00:16:05.139
 You need God

00:16:05.139 --> 00:16:07.240
 to make you his own.

00:16:07.480 --> 00:16:08.740
 You need God

00:16:08.740 --> 00:16:09.659
 to make you holy.

00:16:09.779 --> 00:16:10.500
 You need God

00:16:10.500 --> 00:16:11.399
 to make you clean.

00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:13.820
 You need God to do that.

00:16:15.360 --> 00:16:15.980
 And actually,

00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:17.279
 if you understand this

00:16:17.279 --> 00:16:17.740
 for a second,

00:16:17.839 --> 00:16:18.699
 that rather than this

00:16:18.699 --> 00:16:19.519
 being exclusive,

00:16:19.699 --> 00:16:21.459
 this is the most inclusive news

00:16:21.459 --> 00:16:22.079
 in the world.

00:16:22.819 --> 00:16:23.819
 No ideology,

00:16:24.259 --> 00:16:25.059
 no religion,

00:16:25.299 --> 00:16:26.299
 no spirituality,

00:16:26.740 --> 00:16:27.579
 no nation

00:16:27.579 --> 00:16:28.539
 is so inclusive.

00:16:28.959 --> 00:16:29.899
 And that's one of the reasons

00:16:29.899 --> 00:16:32.120
 why there is no body

00:16:32.120 --> 00:16:33.459
 more multicultural,

00:16:33.860 --> 00:16:35.000
 multi-ethnic

00:16:35.000 --> 00:16:38.120
 than is this profound mission

00:16:38.120 --> 00:16:38.720
 of God

00:16:38.720 --> 00:16:40.779
 that is called the gospel

00:16:40.779 --> 00:16:42.039
 and the Christian church

00:16:42.039 --> 00:16:43.339
 that looks at people

00:16:43.339 --> 00:16:44.740
 of all income levels,

00:16:44.919 --> 00:16:46.079
 all IQ levels,

00:16:46.080 --> 00:16:48.180
 all handicap-enabled levels,

00:16:48.340 --> 00:16:49.080
 all colors,

00:16:49.259 --> 00:16:50.000
 all nations,

00:16:50.360 --> 00:16:50.840
 and says,

00:16:51.100 --> 00:16:52.160
 did you know there's a God

00:16:52.160 --> 00:16:52.800
 who loves you

00:16:52.800 --> 00:16:54.460
 who wants to lavish his love upon you

00:16:54.460 --> 00:16:55.840
 and he wants to have you be his?

00:16:56.740 --> 00:16:57.580
 And you know what?

00:16:57.720 --> 00:16:59.139
 He knows all about your thing

00:16:59.139 --> 00:17:00.840
 and he knows that you can't make yourself

00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:03.040
 in his kingdom of love.

00:17:03.600 --> 00:17:06.140
 Love has to open the door for love.

00:17:07.980 --> 00:17:09.400
 Holiness has to open the door

00:17:09.400 --> 00:17:09.920
 to holiness

00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:10.900
 and to bring you in.

00:17:11.519 --> 00:17:12.200
 And so in a sense,

00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:13.299
 all of this language

00:17:13.299 --> 00:17:14.579
 of the clean and the unclean

00:17:14.579 --> 00:17:15.440
 was trying to communicate

00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:16.460
 these two things

00:17:16.460 --> 00:17:18.779
 that you can't make yourself holy.

00:17:18.879 --> 00:17:20.419
 You need to have God make you holy

00:17:20.419 --> 00:17:22.779
 and you need to receive that humbly

00:17:22.779 --> 00:17:24.200
 and that this,

00:17:24.440 --> 00:17:25.279
 rather than being exclusive,

00:17:25.500 --> 00:17:26.599
 is the most wonderful,

00:17:26.799 --> 00:17:28.359
 inclusive news in the world

00:17:28.359 --> 00:17:30.619
 because he doesn't look at your power,

00:17:30.740 --> 00:17:31.339
 your prestige,

00:17:31.399 --> 00:17:32.440
 or anything like that.

00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:33.079
 In fact,

00:17:33.180 --> 00:17:33.639
 the only,

00:17:33.960 --> 00:17:34.680
 it's like,

00:17:34.960 --> 00:17:36.559
 what's the one criteria

00:17:36.559 --> 00:17:37.680
 you need to be admitted

00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:38.899
 to be in the hospital?

00:17:38.900 --> 00:17:39.540
 Well,

00:17:39.540 --> 00:17:41.360
 that you're sick.

00:17:44.180 --> 00:17:45.720
 That's the only criteria.

00:17:46.100 --> 00:17:47.240
 The only criteria

00:17:47.240 --> 00:17:49.060
 to come to receive grace from God

00:17:49.060 --> 00:17:50.140
 is that you need grace.

00:17:50.460 --> 00:17:51.220
 That's everybody.

00:17:51.480 --> 00:17:52.220
 It's actually very,

00:17:52.360 --> 00:17:52.480
 very,

00:17:52.660 --> 00:17:53.860
 and so the sacrifices

00:17:53.860 --> 00:17:54.600
 of the clean and unclean

00:17:54.600 --> 00:17:55.320
 is to communicate.

00:17:55.580 --> 00:17:56.340
 You know what's the other thing

00:17:56.340 --> 00:17:57.360
 to communicate

00:17:57.360 --> 00:17:57.920
 is to,

00:17:58.000 --> 00:17:58.700
 once again,

00:17:59.040 --> 00:17:59.660
 and you can go back

00:17:59.660 --> 00:18:00.300
 into the food laws,

00:18:00.420 --> 00:18:01.580
 if we did a sermon series

00:18:01.580 --> 00:18:02.100
 in Leviticus,

00:18:02.160 --> 00:18:03.160
 we could talk about that,

00:18:03.380 --> 00:18:04.300
 is that all of these

00:18:04.300 --> 00:18:05.060
 different languages

00:18:05.060 --> 00:18:06.120
 of clean and unclean,

00:18:06.240 --> 00:18:07.240
 holy and unholy,

00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:08.640
 is trying to communicate,

00:18:08.779 --> 00:18:10.339
 to get into the imagination,

00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:12.079
 to get into,

00:18:12.160 --> 00:18:12.559
 in a sense,

00:18:12.620 --> 00:18:13.500
 into the bones

00:18:13.500 --> 00:18:14.640
 and the imagination

00:18:14.640 --> 00:18:16.319
 and the narratives

00:18:16.319 --> 00:18:17.180
 and the story

00:18:17.180 --> 00:18:17.819
 of the people,

00:18:17.980 --> 00:18:18.620
 what it's like

00:18:18.620 --> 00:18:20.140
 to be under God's reign,

00:18:20.380 --> 00:18:21.799
 to be under God's rule,

00:18:21.900 --> 00:18:22.859
 to be his precious

00:18:22.859 --> 00:18:24.319
 possession and treasure.

00:18:25.339 --> 00:18:26.400
 And a dead body

00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:27.279
 is dead.

00:18:29.500 --> 00:18:31.200
 To touch the dead body,

00:18:31.539 --> 00:18:32.120
 in a sense,

00:18:32.220 --> 00:18:33.019
 means you are being

00:18:33.019 --> 00:18:34.000
 reminded of the fact

00:18:34.000 --> 00:18:34.579
 that you are

00:18:34.579 --> 00:18:35.759
 in the realm of death.

00:18:35.759 --> 00:18:37.759
 But to be under

00:18:37.759 --> 00:18:38.660
 God's authority,

00:18:39.379 --> 00:18:40.119
 God is the God

00:18:40.119 --> 00:18:40.619
 of living.

00:18:41.119 --> 00:18:42.140
 He's the God of life.

00:18:42.539 --> 00:18:43.720
 He's the God of life

00:18:43.720 --> 00:18:44.720
 who gives life.

00:18:45.640 --> 00:18:46.819
 He is the God of life

00:18:46.819 --> 00:18:47.980
 who desires to give you

00:18:47.980 --> 00:18:49.680
 a life that is his,

00:18:49.980 --> 00:18:50.980
 that will go on

00:18:50.980 --> 00:18:52.980
 into all time.

00:18:54.619 --> 00:18:55.900
 And so by these things

00:18:55.900 --> 00:18:56.980
 of the different foods

00:18:56.980 --> 00:18:57.960
 and these different things,

00:18:58.039 --> 00:18:59.319
 it's trying to structure

00:18:59.319 --> 00:19:00.579
 and form the imagination

00:19:00.579 --> 00:19:01.400
 of the people

00:19:01.400 --> 00:19:02.339
 at the level

00:19:02.339 --> 00:19:03.400
 of their reflexes,

00:19:03.480 --> 00:19:04.180
 their imagination,

00:19:04.180 --> 00:19:05.000
 their bones,

00:19:05.560 --> 00:19:06.519
 their reflexes

00:19:06.519 --> 00:19:07.580
 about what it's like

00:19:07.580 --> 00:19:08.759
 to be close to God.

00:19:08.860 --> 00:19:10.019
 That the closer you get

00:19:10.019 --> 00:19:11.259
 to the true and living God,

00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:12.519
 that when he opens

00:19:12.519 --> 00:19:13.460
 the way for you

00:19:13.460 --> 00:19:14.380
 to get close to him,

00:19:14.420 --> 00:19:15.600
 the closer you get to him,

00:19:15.660 --> 00:19:16.380
 the closer you're

00:19:16.380 --> 00:19:17.220
 getting to life.

00:19:18.320 --> 00:19:19.120
 Because he is not

00:19:19.120 --> 00:19:20.140
 the God of the dead,

00:19:20.180 --> 00:19:21.080
 he is the God of life,

00:19:21.180 --> 00:19:21.580
 the living.

00:19:22.560 --> 00:19:23.940
 To become close to him

00:19:23.940 --> 00:19:25.279
 is to get close

00:19:25.279 --> 00:19:26.340
 to life.

00:19:28.320 --> 00:19:28.920
 So you say,

00:19:29.000 --> 00:19:29.460
 okay, well George,

00:19:29.480 --> 00:19:30.380
 that's very interesting,

00:19:30.560 --> 00:19:32.519
 but what's this weird stuff

00:19:32.519 --> 00:19:33.720
 about then everything they do?

00:19:33.759 --> 00:19:34.220
 You're saying that

00:19:34.220 --> 00:19:35.240
 all their work,

00:19:36.019 --> 00:19:38.039
 that all their worship,

00:19:38.299 --> 00:19:40.079
 that it's unclean?

00:19:40.359 --> 00:19:41.339
 Like what's going on here

00:19:41.339 --> 00:19:41.579
 with this?

00:19:41.619 --> 00:19:42.599
 That doesn't make any sense

00:19:42.599 --> 00:19:43.200
 from what you said,

00:19:43.259 --> 00:19:43.980
 but it actually makes,

00:19:44.480 --> 00:19:46.259
 here's some of you

00:19:46.259 --> 00:19:47.319
 who were here last week.

00:19:47.879 --> 00:19:48.279
 By the way,

00:19:48.379 --> 00:19:49.539
 people remember 10%

00:19:49.539 --> 00:19:50.139
 of what they hear,

00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:51.839
 so I sort of think

00:19:51.839 --> 00:19:52.500
 I could preach

00:19:52.500 --> 00:19:53.799
 the same sermon 10 times

00:19:53.799 --> 00:19:55.160
 before everybody's heard it once.

00:19:57.019 --> 00:19:57.960
 And so some things

00:19:57.960 --> 00:19:58.680
 could be repeated

00:19:58.680 --> 00:19:59.879
 more than once,

00:19:59.900 --> 00:20:00.440
 that's fine.

00:20:00.440 --> 00:20:02.039
 But so just here

00:20:02.039 --> 00:20:03.160
 to try to understand

00:20:03.160 --> 00:20:03.779
 what's going on.

00:20:03.840 --> 00:20:04.320
 So remember,

00:20:04.500 --> 00:20:05.420
 what has happened

00:20:05.420 --> 00:20:06.420
 is they've come back to

00:20:06.420 --> 00:20:08.640
 God does this remarkable miracle.

00:20:09.299 --> 00:20:11.380
 He gets the Ayatollah

00:20:11.380 --> 00:20:13.700
 of Iran to say,

00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:15.360
 I want to see Jewish people

00:20:15.360 --> 00:20:16.779
 in Jerusalem with a temple.

00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:18.500
 Like, whoa,

00:20:18.680 --> 00:20:20.580
 that should knock your socks off

00:20:20.580 --> 00:20:23.259
 in terms of a remarkable thing.

00:20:23.720 --> 00:20:25.400
 Just knock your socks off,

00:20:25.460 --> 00:20:26.600
 blow your hair back.

00:20:26.779 --> 00:20:26.980
 Like,

00:20:27.420 --> 00:20:29.500
 that's just crazy.

00:20:29.500 --> 00:20:30.140
 But they go

00:20:30.140 --> 00:20:31.000
 and they start to rebuild

00:20:31.000 --> 00:20:31.440
 the temple

00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:32.579
 and a couple of people say,

00:20:32.660 --> 00:20:33.099
 I don't know,

00:20:33.240 --> 00:20:33.440
 you know,

00:20:33.539 --> 00:20:34.160
 it looks ugly,

00:20:34.259 --> 00:20:34.900
 you look ugly,

00:20:34.980 --> 00:20:35.680
 I don't like you,

00:20:35.720 --> 00:20:36.380
 I hate your guts,

00:20:36.420 --> 00:20:37.940
 and they just turn away.

00:20:39.259 --> 00:20:40.279
 And so they turn away

00:20:40.279 --> 00:20:41.000
 and they just say,

00:20:41.039 --> 00:20:41.500
 I'm just going to make

00:20:41.500 --> 00:20:42.380
 my own house really nice.

00:20:42.460 --> 00:20:42.619
 Boom,

00:20:42.660 --> 00:20:43.539
 we're going to keep the worship

00:20:43.539 --> 00:20:44.640
 and all of that type of stuff.

00:20:45.500 --> 00:20:46.519
 And so,

00:20:46.799 --> 00:20:47.220
 you know,

00:20:47.259 --> 00:20:48.059
 so what's going on here?

00:20:48.339 --> 00:20:49.440
 So now they're coming in,

00:20:49.460 --> 00:20:50.240
 they're finally starting to build

00:20:50.240 --> 00:20:51.180
 and he's trying to make a point

00:20:51.180 --> 00:20:51.980
 that's going to make up in here.

00:20:52.019 --> 00:20:52.799
 But here's the point.

00:20:53.180 --> 00:20:54.000
 Imagine for a moment

00:20:54.000 --> 00:20:54.759
 that I decided

00:20:54.759 --> 00:20:55.980
 it's really time for me

00:20:55.980 --> 00:20:57.380
 to get into a deeper relationship

00:20:57.380 --> 00:20:58.220
 with my wife,

00:20:58.400 --> 00:20:58.740
 Louise.

00:20:59.320 --> 00:20:59.680
 You know,

00:20:59.720 --> 00:21:01.260
 better than we have right now.

00:21:01.320 --> 00:21:02.360
 And so I consult

00:21:02.360 --> 00:21:03.260
 some counselors,

00:21:03.720 --> 00:21:04.560
 I call up,

00:21:04.600 --> 00:21:04.740
 you know,

00:21:04.760 --> 00:21:05.520
 some other people

00:21:05.520 --> 00:21:05.980
 and I say,

00:21:06.060 --> 00:21:07.200
 what's the type of conversations

00:21:07.200 --> 00:21:08.200
 I should have?

00:21:08.900 --> 00:21:09.380
 You know,

00:21:09.460 --> 00:21:11.180
 what should I be open about?

00:21:11.940 --> 00:21:13.860
 What should I be vulnerable with?

00:21:13.980 --> 00:21:14.180
 Like,

00:21:14.220 --> 00:21:15.740
 how would a really good conversation

00:21:15.740 --> 00:21:16.440
 like that go?

00:21:16.480 --> 00:21:17.140
 And I get it all

00:21:17.140 --> 00:21:18.080
 and I learn it

00:21:18.080 --> 00:21:18.420
 and I think,

00:21:18.500 --> 00:21:18.620
 okay,

00:21:18.620 --> 00:21:20.340
 I'm going to ace this,

00:21:20.460 --> 00:21:20.720
 okay?

00:21:21.240 --> 00:21:22.260
 So we get in the car

00:21:22.260 --> 00:21:23.060
 to go to the restaurant

00:21:23.060 --> 00:21:24.000
 and have this conversation

00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:25.240
 and before we get into the car

00:21:25.240 --> 00:21:26.779
 I take my wedding band off

00:21:26.779 --> 00:21:29.559
 and I leave it at home.

00:21:31.119 --> 00:21:32.099
 How many of you think

00:21:32.099 --> 00:21:32.880
 Louise would notice

00:21:32.880 --> 00:21:33.319
 in the car

00:21:33.319 --> 00:21:33.799
 that I didn't have

00:21:33.799 --> 00:21:34.740
 my wedding band on?

00:21:36.660 --> 00:21:37.819
 Every single one of you

00:21:37.819 --> 00:21:39.279
 would know

00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:40.759
 that Louise will notice.

00:21:42.359 --> 00:21:43.059
 How do you think

00:21:43.059 --> 00:21:44.660
 my conversation with Louise

00:21:44.660 --> 00:21:45.759
 will go in the restaurant?

00:21:49.859 --> 00:21:50.779
 I've consulted

00:21:50.779 --> 00:21:52.019
 the best psychologists

00:21:52.019 --> 00:21:53.160
 and marriage therapists

00:21:53.160 --> 00:21:53.779
 in the world.

00:21:53.980 --> 00:21:55.119
 I have all the things

00:21:55.119 --> 00:21:56.039
 that I need to say

00:21:56.039 --> 00:21:57.119
 to have the conversation

00:21:57.119 --> 00:21:57.720
 go well.

00:21:57.819 --> 00:21:58.139
 Do you think

00:21:58.139 --> 00:21:58.839
 my conversation

00:21:58.839 --> 00:21:59.500
 will go well?

00:22:00.119 --> 00:22:00.480
 No.

00:22:01.900 --> 00:22:02.319
 In fact,

00:22:02.519 --> 00:22:02.980
 you know what?

00:22:03.299 --> 00:22:04.259
 If 10 minutes

00:22:04.259 --> 00:22:04.920
 into the meal

00:22:04.920 --> 00:22:06.220
 Louise was to send

00:22:06.220 --> 00:22:06.639
 a message

00:22:06.639 --> 00:22:07.660
 to the whole congregation

00:22:07.660 --> 00:22:08.240
 and just say,

00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:09.400
 George is having

00:22:09.400 --> 00:22:10.099
 a conversation

00:22:10.099 --> 00:22:10.819
 with me at a restaurant

00:22:10.819 --> 00:22:11.160
 and he took

00:22:11.160 --> 00:22:12.299
 his wedding band off.

00:22:12.799 --> 00:22:13.160
 Like,

00:22:13.200 --> 00:22:13.559
 what do you think

00:22:13.559 --> 00:22:14.139
 is going on?

00:22:14.200 --> 00:22:14.920
 And you'd all go,

00:22:17.339 --> 00:22:18.180
 girl,

00:22:18.440 --> 00:22:19.700
 let him have it.

00:22:19.960 --> 00:22:20.200
 Like,

00:22:20.900 --> 00:22:21.200
 he's,

00:22:21.200 --> 00:22:22.000
 what's going wrong

00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:22.580
 with George?

00:22:22.660 --> 00:22:23.380
 He's nuts.

00:22:23.920 --> 00:22:24.240
 Okay?

00:22:24.519 --> 00:22:24.840
 Like,

00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:25.840
 there's something bad

00:22:25.840 --> 00:22:26.600
 going on here,

00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:26.860
 right?

00:22:27.720 --> 00:22:28.240
 Because I took

00:22:28.240 --> 00:22:29.259
 my wedding band off.

00:22:29.779 --> 00:22:30.799
 So here's the thing

00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:31.759
 connected to the text

00:22:31.759 --> 00:22:32.880
 to make us understand this.

00:22:32.920 --> 00:22:33.140
 Remember,

00:22:33.220 --> 00:22:34.000
 what does God say?

00:22:34.340 --> 00:22:35.360
 The whole big narrative

00:22:35.360 --> 00:22:36.039
 of the story

00:22:36.039 --> 00:22:36.700
 is that I want

00:22:36.700 --> 00:22:37.420
 to be with you.

00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:38.600
 I want to have you

00:22:38.600 --> 00:22:39.960
 as my precious treasure.

00:22:40.400 --> 00:22:41.519
 I want to give

00:22:41.519 --> 00:22:42.559
 my life to you

00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:43.819
 and have your life

00:22:43.819 --> 00:22:44.580
 come under mine.

00:22:44.640 --> 00:22:45.539
 I want to lavish

00:22:45.539 --> 00:22:46.779
 love and life upon you.

00:22:46.840 --> 00:22:48.039
 That's the desire

00:22:48.039 --> 00:22:48.779
 of my heart.

00:22:48.920 --> 00:22:49.340
 That's my,

00:22:49.660 --> 00:22:50.960
 that's what I want to do.

00:22:51.420 --> 00:22:52.940
 And so you gather together

00:22:52.940 --> 00:22:54.539
 and the temple's

00:22:54.539 --> 00:22:55.380
 not being rebuilt.

00:22:55.539 --> 00:22:56.460
 And God doesn't need

00:22:56.460 --> 00:22:57.059
 a temple.

00:22:57.660 --> 00:22:57.880
 Like,

00:22:57.920 --> 00:22:59.039
 the temple is like nothing.

00:22:59.259 --> 00:22:59.700
 Just like,

00:22:59.759 --> 00:22:59.900
 you know,

00:22:59.920 --> 00:23:00.259
 in a sense,

00:23:00.360 --> 00:23:01.420
 Louise doesn't need the,

00:23:01.759 --> 00:23:02.100
 I don't know,

00:23:02.180 --> 00:23:02.960
 like the three dollars

00:23:02.960 --> 00:23:04.160
 of gold in my ring

00:23:04.160 --> 00:23:04.980
 or anything like that.

00:23:05.039 --> 00:23:05.140
 Like,

00:23:05.140 --> 00:23:05.819
 she doesn't need it.

00:23:06.140 --> 00:23:07.940
 But the ring symbolizes

00:23:07.940 --> 00:23:09.340
 our marriage.

00:23:09.500 --> 00:23:10.759
 The ring symbolizes

00:23:10.759 --> 00:23:12.120
 that I'm married to Louise,

00:23:12.299 --> 00:23:14.160
 that I first,

00:23:14.299 --> 00:23:15.299
 I'm trying to

00:23:15.299 --> 00:23:16.340
 and successfully

00:23:16.340 --> 00:23:17.740
 forsaking all others

00:23:17.740 --> 00:23:18.759
 to just be with her,

00:23:18.759 --> 00:23:19.819
 that I want to be with her,

00:23:19.819 --> 00:23:21.579
 that we're husband and wife.

00:23:21.919 --> 00:23:22.799
 And to take it off

00:23:22.799 --> 00:23:23.339
 in public

00:23:23.339 --> 00:23:24.379
 is to say something

00:23:24.379 --> 00:23:24.799
 very,

00:23:24.919 --> 00:23:25.500
 very different.

00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:27.019
 And if you go back

00:23:27.019 --> 00:23:28.279
 and you read Genesis chapter 1

00:23:28.279 --> 00:23:29.379
 and Genesis chapter 2,

00:23:29.460 --> 00:23:30.519
 especially chapter 2,

00:23:30.599 --> 00:23:31.460
 you see that basically

00:23:31.460 --> 00:23:32.339
 what's going on

00:23:32.339 --> 00:23:33.819
 is that the Garden of Eden

00:23:33.819 --> 00:23:34.500
 is in a sense

00:23:34.500 --> 00:23:35.139
 the temple.

00:23:35.299 --> 00:23:36.279
 It's the dwelling place

00:23:36.279 --> 00:23:36.799
 of God.

00:23:37.319 --> 00:23:38.559
 And that the point

00:23:38.559 --> 00:23:40.139
 of the Garden of Eden

00:23:40.139 --> 00:23:41.059
 is that it would eventually

00:23:41.059 --> 00:23:42.220
 take up the whole earth.

00:23:42.519 --> 00:23:43.099
 And who knows,

00:23:43.139 --> 00:23:43.899
 if we hadn't fallen,

00:23:44.000 --> 00:23:44.720
 maybe it would take up

00:23:44.720 --> 00:23:45.740
 the moon and Mars

00:23:45.740 --> 00:23:46.399
 and Saturn

00:23:46.400 --> 00:23:47.540
 and some other planets.

00:23:48.100 --> 00:23:48.720
 And because God

00:23:48.720 --> 00:23:49.320
 doesn't need

00:23:49.320 --> 00:23:50.860
 a particular place,

00:23:50.860 --> 00:23:52.000
 but the temple

00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:53.980
 represents God's presence

00:23:53.980 --> 00:23:54.860
 in their midst

00:23:54.860 --> 00:23:56.019
 as their God

00:23:56.019 --> 00:23:57.720
 that it matters to them.

00:23:58.540 --> 00:23:59.440
 In a sense,

00:23:59.540 --> 00:24:00.759
 the temple is the ring.

00:24:04.820 --> 00:24:06.460
 So just as

00:24:06.460 --> 00:24:08.560
 they can do

00:24:08.560 --> 00:24:10.200
 all the sacrifices

00:24:10.200 --> 00:24:10.900
 they want

00:24:10.900 --> 00:24:11.640
 and they could be

00:24:11.640 --> 00:24:12.980
 the most assiduous

00:24:12.980 --> 00:24:14.000
 Jewish people

00:24:14.000 --> 00:24:14.640
 in the history

00:24:14.640 --> 00:24:15.400
 of the planet

00:24:15.400 --> 00:24:16.960
 with getting everything

00:24:16.960 --> 00:24:18.579
 according to every word

00:24:18.579 --> 00:24:19.440
 in Leviticus

00:24:19.440 --> 00:24:20.359
 and Exodus

00:24:20.359 --> 00:24:21.460
 and Deuteronomy,

00:24:21.599 --> 00:24:22.680
 but they don't have

00:24:22.680 --> 00:24:23.180
 the temple.

00:24:23.299 --> 00:24:23.960
 And just as I could

00:24:23.960 --> 00:24:24.799
 have a conversation,

00:24:24.940 --> 00:24:25.359
 I could have

00:24:25.359 --> 00:24:27.259
 psychologists in my little,

00:24:27.339 --> 00:24:28.059
 I have an earpiece

00:24:28.059 --> 00:24:29.220
 telling me what to say.

00:24:30.119 --> 00:24:30.859
 Wouldn't matter.

00:24:33.380 --> 00:24:34.339
 Then they realize,

00:24:34.500 --> 00:24:35.119
 what's going on?

00:24:35.420 --> 00:24:36.279
 He took off his ring.

00:24:36.380 --> 00:24:36.640
 George,

00:24:36.740 --> 00:24:37.779
 put your bleepity,

00:24:37.880 --> 00:24:38.460
 bleep, bleep, bleep,

00:24:38.460 --> 00:24:39.500
 ring back on

00:24:39.500 --> 00:24:40.339
 right now.

00:24:40.720 --> 00:24:41.319
 And then we'll

00:24:41.319 --> 00:24:41.900
 coach you through

00:24:41.900 --> 00:24:42.460
 apologies

00:24:42.460 --> 00:24:43.700
 and repentance.

00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:45.140
 And all of that stuff.

00:24:47.380 --> 00:24:48.579
 That's what's going on here.

00:24:49.339 --> 00:24:50.240
 That's why it's

00:24:50.240 --> 00:24:52.119
 them functionally showing

00:24:52.119 --> 00:24:54.180
 that they don't want

00:24:54.180 --> 00:24:54.839
 God in their midst.

00:24:55.000 --> 00:24:55.759
 And so what's happened

00:24:55.759 --> 00:24:56.480
 to the Jewish people,

00:24:56.519 --> 00:24:57.000
 and that's what's going

00:24:57.000 --> 00:24:57.980
 to be very relevant

00:24:57.980 --> 00:24:58.579
 right now

00:24:58.579 --> 00:24:59.980
 in the next little bit,

00:25:00.059 --> 00:25:02.059
 is that four months earlier

00:25:02.059 --> 00:25:03.720
 their heart was pierced.

00:25:05.240 --> 00:25:06.200
 And this is part of,

00:25:06.220 --> 00:25:06.480
 you see,

00:25:06.640 --> 00:25:07.680
 the grace that God

00:25:07.680 --> 00:25:08.099
 doesn't say,

00:25:08.319 --> 00:25:08.799
 well, okay,

00:25:09.059 --> 00:25:10.539
 I'm waiting for

00:25:10.539 --> 00:25:11.819
 a really nice big house

00:25:11.819 --> 00:25:12.740
 and after I get

00:25:12.740 --> 00:25:13.400
 the big house

00:25:13.400 --> 00:25:13.860
 that I'm going

00:25:13.860 --> 00:25:14.320
 to love you.

00:25:14.380 --> 00:25:14.960
 No, no, no.

00:25:15.040 --> 00:25:16.040
 As soon as he senses

00:25:16.040 --> 00:25:17.500
 because he's God,

00:25:17.600 --> 00:25:18.380
 the turning of their

00:25:18.380 --> 00:25:20.400
 heart towards him

00:25:20.400 --> 00:25:22.060
 and their own

00:25:22.060 --> 00:25:22.880
 little efforts

00:25:22.880 --> 00:25:23.780
 that picking up

00:25:23.780 --> 00:25:24.759
 that first piece

00:25:24.759 --> 00:25:25.280
 of rubble

00:25:25.280 --> 00:25:26.140
 and trying to put it

00:25:26.140 --> 00:25:26.880
 in the right spot

00:25:26.880 --> 00:25:27.519
 to rebuild,

00:25:28.360 --> 00:25:29.560
 then there's the turn

00:25:29.560 --> 00:25:30.380
 in his relationship

00:25:30.380 --> 00:25:30.800
 with him.

00:25:30.880 --> 00:25:31.019
 You see,

00:25:31.100 --> 00:25:32.440
 because all of the

00:25:32.440 --> 00:25:33.160
 sacrifices,

00:25:33.160 --> 00:25:34.700
 all of them

00:25:34.700 --> 00:25:35.920
 show God's grace.

00:25:37.040 --> 00:25:38.000
 And as we now know

00:25:38.000 --> 00:25:38.560
 as Christians,

00:25:38.700 --> 00:25:39.460
 all of them point

00:25:39.460 --> 00:25:40.620
 to the great sacrifice

00:25:40.620 --> 00:25:41.200
 that Jesus

00:25:41.200 --> 00:25:42.620
 is going to perform

00:25:42.620 --> 00:25:43.720
 for us on the cross,

00:25:43.940 --> 00:25:44.900
 that he is in fact

00:25:44.900 --> 00:25:45.740
 the Lamb of God

00:25:45.740 --> 00:25:46.420
 who takes away

00:25:46.420 --> 00:25:47.240
 the sin of the world.

00:25:47.620 --> 00:25:48.820
 They all show his grace.

00:25:48.940 --> 00:25:49.880
 And God doesn't wait

00:25:49.880 --> 00:25:51.400
 for them to have measured up

00:25:51.400 --> 00:25:52.900
 because why?

00:25:53.380 --> 00:25:55.019
 He knows we can't.

00:25:55.900 --> 00:25:56.820
 And he just wants

00:25:56.820 --> 00:25:58.040
 to lavish his love.

00:25:58.819 --> 00:25:59.599
 And he takes that

00:25:59.599 --> 00:26:01.119
 first turning of our heart

00:26:01.119 --> 00:26:02.659
 to begin to have a change

00:26:02.659 --> 00:26:04.000
 to be with him

00:26:04.000 --> 00:26:04.740
 in a different way.

00:26:05.359 --> 00:26:06.259
 So mindful of that,

00:26:06.339 --> 00:26:07.639
 let's listen to what

00:26:07.639 --> 00:26:08.980
 it said here,

00:26:09.099 --> 00:26:11.440
 verses 15 and following.

00:26:12.480 --> 00:26:13.399
 Now then consider

00:26:13.399 --> 00:26:14.559
 from this day onward.

00:26:15.680 --> 00:26:16.559
 Now, yeah,

00:26:16.639 --> 00:26:17.559
 I'll finish reading it.

00:26:17.639 --> 00:26:18.819
 Now then consider,

00:26:18.940 --> 00:26:19.480
 verse 15,

00:26:19.599 --> 00:26:20.980
 consider from this day onward.

00:26:21.460 --> 00:26:22.720
 Before stone was placed

00:26:22.720 --> 00:26:23.440
 upon stone

00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:24.460
 in the temple of the Lord,

00:26:24.779 --> 00:26:25.500
 how did you fare?

00:26:26.159 --> 00:26:27.279
 When one came to a heap

00:26:27.279 --> 00:26:28.319
 of 20 measures,

00:26:28.720 --> 00:26:29.660
 there were but 10.

00:26:29.799 --> 00:26:31.160
 When one came to the wine vat

00:26:31.160 --> 00:26:32.319
 to draw 50 measures,

00:26:32.460 --> 00:26:33.299
 there were but 20.

00:26:35.819 --> 00:26:37.500
 I struck you

00:26:37.500 --> 00:26:38.940
 and all the products

00:26:38.940 --> 00:26:39.819
 of your toil

00:26:39.819 --> 00:26:40.799
 with blight

00:26:40.799 --> 00:26:41.819
 and with mildew

00:26:41.819 --> 00:26:42.639
 and with hail,

00:26:43.420 --> 00:26:44.680
 yet you did not turn

00:26:44.680 --> 00:26:45.180
 to me,

00:26:45.279 --> 00:26:46.180
 declares the Lord.

00:26:47.359 --> 00:26:48.740
 Consider from this day onward,

00:26:48.799 --> 00:26:49.759
 from the 24th day

00:26:49.759 --> 00:26:50.519
 of the ninth month,

00:26:50.599 --> 00:26:51.200
 since the day

00:26:51.200 --> 00:26:51.920
 that the foundation

00:26:51.920 --> 00:26:52.759
 of the Lord's temple

00:26:52.759 --> 00:26:53.240
 was laid,

00:26:53.299 --> 00:26:54.139
 or a better way to say it

00:26:54.139 --> 00:26:55.279
 is from the day

00:26:55.279 --> 00:26:56.779
 that the restoration began,

00:26:57.279 --> 00:26:58.099
 consider,

00:26:58.680 --> 00:26:59.480
 is the seed yet

00:26:59.480 --> 00:27:00.500
 in the barn?

00:27:00.899 --> 00:27:01.279
 Indeed,

00:27:01.440 --> 00:27:01.839
 the vine,

00:27:01.940 --> 00:27:02.539
 the fig tree,

00:27:02.639 --> 00:27:03.339
 the pomegranate,

00:27:03.359 --> 00:27:04.039
 and the olive tree

00:27:04.039 --> 00:27:04.759
 have yielded nothing,

00:27:04.920 --> 00:27:05.960
 but from this day on

00:27:05.960 --> 00:27:06.859
 I will bless you.

00:27:07.720 --> 00:27:08.139
 Now,

00:27:08.220 --> 00:27:09.220
 a couple of things here

00:27:09.220 --> 00:27:09.779
 to sort of,

00:27:09.819 --> 00:27:10.039
 you know,

00:27:10.039 --> 00:27:10.940
 to wrap this up.

00:27:10.940 --> 00:27:12.960
 So,

00:27:13.100 --> 00:27:14.420
 the first thing is this,

00:27:14.539 --> 00:27:14.759
 that,

00:27:14.980 --> 00:27:19.460
 like,

00:27:19.519 --> 00:27:20.720
 I could well imagine

00:27:20.720 --> 00:27:22.299
 if I was to say

00:27:22.299 --> 00:27:24.500
 to a barista,

00:27:24.980 --> 00:27:25.200
 like,

00:27:25.539 --> 00:27:26.259
 for a lot of people,

00:27:26.680 --> 00:27:27.019
 I mean,

00:27:27.100 --> 00:27:27.920
 part of this thing

00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:28.680
 is just all weird.

00:27:28.759 --> 00:27:29.680
 The idea that somehow

00:27:29.680 --> 00:27:30.000
 or another

00:27:30.000 --> 00:27:30.680
 that God

00:27:30.680 --> 00:27:32.519
 actually actively

00:27:32.519 --> 00:27:34.580
 stopped the crop

00:27:34.580 --> 00:27:35.400
 from being good

00:27:35.400 --> 00:27:36.059
 and the wine

00:27:36.059 --> 00:27:36.980
 from being good,

00:27:37.380 --> 00:27:38.440
 and somehow or another

00:27:38.440 --> 00:27:39.620
 if he stops this,

00:27:39.619 --> 00:27:40.659
 he thinks it's going to have

00:27:40.659 --> 00:27:41.779
 people turn to him.

00:27:43.099 --> 00:27:43.219
 And,

00:27:43.319 --> 00:27:43.479
 like,

00:27:43.559 --> 00:27:44.359
 you could well imagine

00:27:44.359 --> 00:27:44.839
 people say,

00:27:44.899 --> 00:27:45.119
 George,

00:27:45.179 --> 00:27:45.359
 you know,

00:27:45.439 --> 00:27:46.219
 if I found out

00:27:46.219 --> 00:27:47.500
 that somebody

00:27:47.500 --> 00:27:48.699
 was stealing my tips,

00:27:48.799 --> 00:27:49.439
 I'm a barista,

00:27:50.899 --> 00:27:52.439
 or just taking the tips

00:27:52.439 --> 00:27:53.099
 and throwing them

00:27:53.099 --> 00:27:53.699
 out the window

00:27:53.699 --> 00:27:54.759
 so nothing happened,

00:27:54.859 --> 00:27:55.019
 like,

00:27:55.279 --> 00:27:55.539
 George,

00:27:55.639 --> 00:27:56.199
 why do you think

00:27:56.199 --> 00:27:56.739
 that would make,

00:27:56.919 --> 00:27:58.459
 I'd be mad at that person.

00:27:58.559 --> 00:27:59.419
 Shouldn't they be mad

00:27:59.419 --> 00:27:59.799
 at him?

00:28:01.059 --> 00:28:01.759
 At God?

00:28:01.859 --> 00:28:02.699
 Rather than actually

00:28:02.699 --> 00:28:03.559
 turn to him?

00:28:04.339 --> 00:28:04.459
 Well,

00:28:04.519 --> 00:28:04.759
 you see,

00:28:04.859 --> 00:28:05.019
 that's,

00:28:05.199 --> 00:28:05.779
 once again,

00:28:05.819 --> 00:28:06.459
 it's the case of

00:28:06.459 --> 00:28:06.919
 we're bringing

00:28:06.919 --> 00:28:07.719
 our narrative

00:28:07.719 --> 00:28:08.319
 to the story,

00:28:08.379 --> 00:28:09.439
 not the biblical narrative.

00:28:10.559 --> 00:28:10.779
 And,

00:28:10.879 --> 00:28:11.839
 in our narrative,

00:28:12.539 --> 00:28:13.359
 it would look

00:28:13.359 --> 00:28:13.659
 as if,

00:28:13.719 --> 00:28:14.319
 if I just sort of

00:28:14.319 --> 00:28:14.639
 went in

00:28:14.639 --> 00:28:15.279
 and started taking

00:28:15.279 --> 00:28:16.199
 money from somebody

00:28:16.199 --> 00:28:16.459
 or other

00:28:16.459 --> 00:28:17.059
 and making you

00:28:17.059 --> 00:28:18.399
 not get a promotion

00:28:18.399 --> 00:28:19.179
 or something like that,

00:28:19.239 --> 00:28:20.099
 that you'd be right

00:28:20.099 --> 00:28:20.779
 to get mad at me,

00:28:20.819 --> 00:28:21.739
 but that's not the narrative

00:28:21.739 --> 00:28:22.559
 that's going on here.

00:28:22.879 --> 00:28:23.339
 The narrative

00:28:23.339 --> 00:28:24.119
 that's going on here

00:28:24.119 --> 00:28:25.039
 is that God wants

00:28:25.039 --> 00:28:25.939
 to be almost as if

00:28:25.939 --> 00:28:26.759
 he's their husband.

00:28:26.879 --> 00:28:27.539
 He wants to be as if

00:28:27.539 --> 00:28:28.500
 he's their dad.

00:28:28.599 --> 00:28:29.099
 He wants to be

00:28:29.099 --> 00:28:30.699
 in a covenant

00:28:30.699 --> 00:28:31.759
 relationship

00:28:31.759 --> 00:28:32.619
 that's real

00:28:32.619 --> 00:28:33.979
 where he can lavish

00:28:33.979 --> 00:28:34.939
 his love upon them.

00:28:35.299 --> 00:28:35.519
 So,

00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:36.659
 here's a different story.

00:28:36.779 --> 00:28:37.879
 If you heard tonight,

00:28:38.159 --> 00:28:38.899
 you go home,

00:28:38.900 --> 00:28:40.100
 and you heard tonight

00:28:40.100 --> 00:28:41.560
 that your best friend,

00:28:41.960 --> 00:28:43.160
 that she found out

00:28:43.160 --> 00:28:44.340
 that her husband

00:28:44.340 --> 00:28:47.759
 was being unfaithful

00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:48.320
 to her,

00:28:49.320 --> 00:28:51.300
 and when he came home,

00:28:51.840 --> 00:28:52.560
 he discovered

00:28:52.560 --> 00:28:54.440
 that she had locked him

00:28:54.440 --> 00:28:55.300
 out of the house

00:28:55.300 --> 00:28:56.680
 and changed the locks.

00:28:56.680 --> 00:29:00.519
 would you think

00:29:00.519 --> 00:29:00.960
 she had done

00:29:00.960 --> 00:29:01.500
 the right thing

00:29:01.500 --> 00:29:02.200
 or the wrong thing?

00:29:04.640 --> 00:29:05.259
 You'd say,

00:29:05.400 --> 00:29:06.180
 you go, girl.

00:29:07.920 --> 00:29:08.840
 Don't let that guy

00:29:08.840 --> 00:29:09.900
 take advantage of you.

00:29:10.740 --> 00:29:12.180
 You need to affect

00:29:12.180 --> 00:29:13.740
 where he can sleep tonight.

00:29:13.740 --> 00:29:15.880
 You need to diminish him

00:29:15.880 --> 00:29:16.740
 so he understands

00:29:17.380 --> 00:29:18.299
 this is serious

00:29:18.299 --> 00:29:19.820
 so he can return to you.

00:29:20.820 --> 00:29:21.720
 That's exactly

00:29:21.720 --> 00:29:22.400
 what God did.

00:29:22.400 --> 00:29:31.660
 He wants to lavish

00:29:31.660 --> 00:29:32.700
 his love upon them.

00:29:33.680 --> 00:29:34.800
 He does something

00:29:34.800 --> 00:29:35.880
 to get their attention.

00:29:39.100 --> 00:29:39.860
 You see,

00:29:39.980 --> 00:29:40.600
 the narrative

00:29:40.600 --> 00:29:41.460
 of the story

00:29:41.460 --> 00:29:42.120
 is of God

00:29:42.120 --> 00:29:43.259
 desiring to lavish

00:29:43.259 --> 00:29:44.280
 his love upon you.

00:29:44.279 --> 00:29:48.059
 And the other thing

00:29:48.059 --> 00:29:48.700
 about this

00:29:48.700 --> 00:29:51.379
 is that

00:29:51.379 --> 00:29:52.299
 two things

00:29:52.299 --> 00:29:53.000
 just in closing.

00:29:53.119 --> 00:29:53.639
 The first thing

00:29:53.639 --> 00:29:54.139
 is this.

00:29:55.579 --> 00:29:56.059
 Sanctity

00:29:56.059 --> 00:29:56.879
 or holiness

00:29:56.879 --> 00:29:58.119
 or being God

00:29:58.119 --> 00:30:00.819
 is its own reward

00:30:00.819 --> 00:30:03.180
 but it always brings

00:30:03.180 --> 00:30:04.279
 other goods

00:30:04.279 --> 00:30:05.339
 in its train.

00:30:06.579 --> 00:30:07.119
 Sanctity

00:30:07.119 --> 00:30:08.339
 is its own reward

00:30:08.339 --> 00:30:08.980
 or holiness

00:30:08.980 --> 00:30:09.940
 or being God

00:30:09.940 --> 00:30:11.259
 is its own reward

00:30:11.259 --> 00:30:13.379
 but it always brings

00:30:13.380 --> 00:30:14.380
 other goods

00:30:14.380 --> 00:30:15.540
 in its train.

00:30:17.140 --> 00:30:17.860
 And the other one

00:30:17.860 --> 00:30:18.200
 is this

00:30:18.200 --> 00:30:19.380
 that the triune God

00:30:19.380 --> 00:30:20.420
 defines blessing

00:30:20.420 --> 00:30:21.720
 not you

00:30:21.720 --> 00:30:22.280
 or Canada

00:30:22.280 --> 00:30:23.060
 or Hollywood

00:30:23.060 --> 00:30:23.900
 or Bay Street

00:30:23.900 --> 00:30:24.680
 or Wall Street.

00:30:25.820 --> 00:30:26.020
 See,

00:30:26.140 --> 00:30:26.840
 that's why people

00:30:26.840 --> 00:30:27.360
 who take this

00:30:27.360 --> 00:30:27.760
 as a health

00:30:27.760 --> 00:30:28.520
 and wealth gospel

00:30:28.520 --> 00:30:29.360
 type of direction

00:30:29.360 --> 00:30:29.840
 that somehow

00:30:29.840 --> 00:30:30.100
 or another

00:30:30.100 --> 00:30:30.620
 God's going to

00:30:30.620 --> 00:30:31.420
 give them new cars

00:30:31.420 --> 00:30:31.800
 he's going to

00:30:31.800 --> 00:30:32.260
 give them this

00:30:32.260 --> 00:30:32.520
 he's going to

00:30:32.520 --> 00:30:32.960
 give them that

00:30:32.960 --> 00:30:33.640
 that they're not

00:30:33.640 --> 00:30:34.340
 reading the text

00:30:34.340 --> 00:30:34.540
 right

00:30:34.540 --> 00:30:35.000
 because God

00:30:35.000 --> 00:30:35.860
 defines blessing

00:30:35.860 --> 00:30:38.320
 and holiness

00:30:38.320 --> 00:30:38.940
 always has

00:30:38.940 --> 00:30:39.540
 its own rewards.

00:30:39.720 --> 00:30:40.280
 I'll give you

00:30:40.280 --> 00:30:41.260
 just two

00:30:41.260 --> 00:30:41.880
 illustrations

00:30:41.880 --> 00:30:42.980
 to try to

00:30:42.980 --> 00:30:44.440
 try to get you

00:30:44.440 --> 00:30:45.720
 to bring this

00:30:45.720 --> 00:30:46.200
 home to you

00:30:46.200 --> 00:30:47.019
 by what I mean

00:30:47.019 --> 00:30:47.420
 with them.

00:30:48.460 --> 00:30:49.099
 When I was

00:30:49.099 --> 00:30:50.000
 in my rural parish

00:30:50.000 --> 00:30:51.019
 in Eganville

00:30:51.019 --> 00:30:51.720
 I was there

00:30:51.720 --> 00:30:53.039
 from 88 to 95

00:30:53.039 --> 00:30:55.220
 and one of the

00:30:55.220 --> 00:30:55.680
 things that the

00:30:55.680 --> 00:30:56.200
 church did in

00:30:56.200 --> 00:30:56.640
 Eganville

00:30:56.640 --> 00:30:57.259
 is they

00:30:57.259 --> 00:30:58.660
 would tire

00:30:58.660 --> 00:30:59.240
 themselves out

00:30:59.240 --> 00:30:59.980
 about three times

00:30:59.980 --> 00:31:00.220
 a year

00:31:00.220 --> 00:31:00.700
 they would do

00:31:00.700 --> 00:31:01.259
 these huge

00:31:01.259 --> 00:31:02.180
 fundraising things

00:31:02.180 --> 00:31:02.599
 to try to

00:31:02.599 --> 00:31:03.120
 make money

00:31:03.120 --> 00:31:03.900
 from the community

00:31:03.900 --> 00:31:04.759
 to keep the

00:31:04.759 --> 00:31:05.259
 church open.

00:31:05.620 --> 00:31:06.000
 It's a very

00:31:06.000 --> 00:31:06.799
 common thing

00:31:06.799 --> 00:31:07.480
 if you talk

00:31:07.480 --> 00:31:08.120
 to some old

00:31:08.120 --> 00:31:08.680
 Anglicans

00:31:08.680 --> 00:31:09.519
 who were Anglicans

00:31:09.519 --> 00:31:10.180
 back in the late

00:31:10.180 --> 00:31:10.480
 80s

00:31:10.480 --> 00:31:11.200
 the early 90s

00:31:11.200 --> 00:31:11.539
 they'd say

00:31:11.539 --> 00:31:12.079
 yeah yeah yeah

00:31:12.079 --> 00:31:12.899
 I mean this

00:31:12.899 --> 00:31:13.460
 church we had

00:31:13.460 --> 00:31:14.000
 a strawberry

00:31:14.000 --> 00:31:14.480
 social

00:31:14.480 --> 00:31:14.839
 we had

00:31:14.839 --> 00:31:15.259
 another thing

00:31:15.259 --> 00:31:15.639
 in November

00:31:15.639 --> 00:31:16.039
 I think we had

00:31:16.039 --> 00:31:16.639
 a third thing

00:31:16.639 --> 00:31:17.079
 we had at least

00:31:17.079 --> 00:31:17.579
 three things

00:31:17.579 --> 00:31:17.879
 a year.

00:31:18.399 --> 00:31:18.759
 So one of the

00:31:18.759 --> 00:31:19.240
 things that I did

00:31:19.240 --> 00:31:19.839
 to the congregation

00:31:19.839 --> 00:31:21.159
 is I was part of

00:31:21.159 --> 00:31:21.720
 that first you have

00:31:21.720 --> 00:31:22.399
 to convert them

00:31:22.399 --> 00:31:23.039
 and let them know

00:31:23.039 --> 00:31:23.419
 the gospel

00:31:23.419 --> 00:31:23.879
 and then in light

00:31:23.879 --> 00:31:24.359
 of the gospel

00:31:24.359 --> 00:31:25.559
 say do you really

00:31:25.559 --> 00:31:26.299
 think it's wise

00:31:26.299 --> 00:31:27.099
 to go and seek

00:31:27.099 --> 00:31:28.019
 the non-Christians

00:31:28.019 --> 00:31:28.599
 in the community

00:31:28.599 --> 00:31:29.419
 to give money

00:31:29.419 --> 00:31:30.079
 to the church

00:31:30.079 --> 00:31:30.899
 to keep the church

00:31:30.899 --> 00:31:31.259
 open?

00:31:32.259 --> 00:31:32.939
 Like shouldn't it

00:31:32.939 --> 00:31:33.759
 really be that

00:31:33.759 --> 00:31:34.500
 the church wants

00:31:34.500 --> 00:31:35.159
 to bless the

00:31:35.159 --> 00:31:35.619
 community?

00:31:37.199 --> 00:31:37.740
 Like shouldn't it

00:31:37.740 --> 00:31:38.439
 be like we have

00:31:38.440 --> 00:31:39.000
 it backwards?

00:31:40.320 --> 00:31:42.460
 And so I finally

00:31:42.460 --> 00:31:43.380
 and I can also

00:31:43.380 --> 00:31:43.820
 tell you another

00:31:43.820 --> 00:31:44.259
 thing and I

00:31:44.259 --> 00:31:44.840
 you know they all

00:31:44.840 --> 00:31:45.500
 sort of knew this

00:31:45.500 --> 00:31:45.940
 as well

00:31:45.940 --> 00:31:47.019
 so a lot of times

00:31:47.019 --> 00:31:47.539
 what would happen

00:31:47.539 --> 00:31:48.259
 is they do all

00:31:48.259 --> 00:31:49.279
 this work to make

00:31:49.279 --> 00:31:50.340
 chicken suppers

00:31:50.340 --> 00:31:50.940
 or something

00:31:50.940 --> 00:31:51.840
 or other like that

00:31:51.840 --> 00:31:52.779
 and all that would

00:31:52.779 --> 00:31:53.500
 happen is at the

00:31:53.500 --> 00:31:54.279
 end of the day

00:31:54.279 --> 00:31:55.759
 everybody's exhausted

00:31:55.759 --> 00:31:57.120
 you actually make

00:31:57.120 --> 00:31:58.059
 very little money

00:31:58.059 --> 00:32:00.320
 and then like people

00:32:00.320 --> 00:32:01.120
 don't come to church

00:32:01.120 --> 00:32:01.799
 like for the next

00:32:01.799 --> 00:32:02.299
 month because

00:32:02.299 --> 00:32:02.799
 they've done their

00:32:02.799 --> 00:32:04.220
 bit and offerings

00:32:04.220 --> 00:32:04.980
 go down for the

00:32:04.980 --> 00:32:05.519
 next month

00:32:05.519 --> 00:32:06.619
 and you know

00:32:06.619 --> 00:32:07.339
 sometimes people

00:32:07.339 --> 00:32:07.940
 would actually say

00:32:07.940 --> 00:32:08.319
 to me you know

00:32:08.319 --> 00:32:08.839
 George if we'd

00:32:08.839 --> 00:32:09.480
 actually just gone

00:32:09.480 --> 00:32:10.119
 and worked for a

00:32:10.119 --> 00:32:11.119
 local worker for a

00:32:11.119 --> 00:32:11.779
 day for minimum

00:32:11.779 --> 00:32:12.779
 wage and then gave

00:32:12.779 --> 00:32:13.379
 the money to the

00:32:13.379 --> 00:32:13.900
 church it would have

00:32:13.900 --> 00:32:14.639
 been less tiring

00:32:14.639 --> 00:32:15.079
 and we would have

00:32:15.079 --> 00:32:15.720
 had more money

00:32:15.720 --> 00:32:17.259
 so anyway finally

00:32:17.259 --> 00:32:18.440
 after like I've

00:32:18.440 --> 00:32:19.019
 been there seven

00:32:19.019 --> 00:32:19.900
 years or almost

00:32:19.900 --> 00:32:20.700
 seven years and I

00:32:20.700 --> 00:32:21.339
 finally convinced

00:32:21.339 --> 00:32:21.759
 them that we would

00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:22.240
 do something

00:32:22.240 --> 00:32:22.859
 different we

00:32:22.859 --> 00:32:23.259
 weren't going to

00:32:23.259 --> 00:32:24.480
 do this fundraiser

00:32:24.480 --> 00:32:25.180
 thing in February

00:32:25.180 --> 00:32:25.740
 we would do

00:32:25.740 --> 00:32:26.539
 something completely

00:32:26.539 --> 00:32:27.200
 different we would

00:32:27.200 --> 00:32:27.859
 do something in

00:32:27.859 --> 00:32:29.000
 keeping with being

00:32:29.000 --> 00:32:29.859
 gods and wanting

00:32:29.859 --> 00:32:31.639
 to lavish his love

00:32:31.639 --> 00:32:33.460
 upon people and so

00:32:33.460 --> 00:32:34.119
 we made an

00:32:34.119 --> 00:32:34.859
 arrangement that we

00:32:34.859 --> 00:32:35.319
 had a we

00:32:35.319 --> 00:32:35.980
 connected with the

00:32:35.980 --> 00:32:36.899
 international student

00:32:36.899 --> 00:32:37.700
 christian fellowship

00:32:37.700 --> 00:32:39.200
 here in Ottawa at

00:32:39.200 --> 00:32:40.500
 Ottawa U and we

00:32:40.500 --> 00:32:41.839
 said if you guys can

00:32:41.839 --> 00:32:42.960
 get up to Eganville

00:32:42.960 --> 00:32:44.919
 for a day we will

00:32:44.919 --> 00:32:45.740
 give you a free

00:32:45.740 --> 00:32:46.879
 lunch a free supper

00:32:46.879 --> 00:32:47.879
 we will give you an

00:32:47.879 --> 00:32:48.879
 opportunity to see

00:32:48.879 --> 00:32:50.720
 what rural Canadian

00:32:50.720 --> 00:32:51.919
 life is like we'll

00:32:51.919 --> 00:32:53.139
 organize ice fishing

00:32:53.139 --> 00:32:54.240
 we'll organize cross

00:32:54.240 --> 00:32:55.179
 country skiing we'll

00:32:55.179 --> 00:32:55.960
 organize snow

00:32:55.960 --> 00:32:57.919
 mobiling we'll take

00:32:57.919 --> 00:32:58.599
 you out to some of

00:32:58.599 --> 00:32:59.759
 the local farms to

00:32:59.759 --> 00:33:00.359
 visit some of the

00:33:00.359 --> 00:33:02.000
 local people we'll

00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:02.740
 give you free lunch

00:33:02.740 --> 00:33:03.579
 free supper and

00:33:03.579 --> 00:33:04.359
 we're also going to

00:33:04.359 --> 00:33:05.019
 have even song and

00:33:05.019 --> 00:33:06.200
 share the gospel and

00:33:06.200 --> 00:33:06.559
 I don't know what

00:33:06.559 --> 00:33:07.259
 it was like 50

00:33:07.259 --> 00:33:08.200
 some odd people all

00:33:08.200 --> 00:33:09.079
 came up people from

00:33:09.079 --> 00:33:10.339
 China and Africa all

00:33:10.339 --> 00:33:11.859
 over they came up to

00:33:11.859 --> 00:33:13.599
 Eganville and we gave

00:33:13.599 --> 00:33:14.879
 them and you know

00:33:14.879 --> 00:33:15.599
 anything about country

00:33:15.599 --> 00:33:17.259
 people you never just

00:33:17.259 --> 00:33:18.639
 offer one meat when you

00:33:18.639 --> 00:33:20.299
 can offer three like you

00:33:20.299 --> 00:33:21.359
 never just offer one

00:33:21.359 --> 00:33:22.299
 type of salad when you

00:33:22.299 --> 00:33:23.500
 can offer four right so

00:33:23.500 --> 00:33:25.319
 they just stuff them like

00:33:25.319 --> 00:33:27.359
 for lunch one of my big

00:33:27.359 --> 00:33:28.420
 memories of this it's so

00:33:28.420 --> 00:33:30.379
 cool but the the Asian

00:33:30.379 --> 00:33:31.440
 students and the Chinese

00:33:31.440 --> 00:33:33.420
 students in particular they

00:33:33.420 --> 00:33:35.060
 loved being at the farm

00:33:35.060 --> 00:33:36.580
 spending their time having

00:33:36.580 --> 00:33:37.720
 their pictures taken with

00:33:37.720 --> 00:33:39.039
 the cows I don't know

00:33:39.039 --> 00:33:41.100
 why but that was a big

00:33:41.100 --> 00:33:43.300
 thing and and the by the

00:33:43.300 --> 00:33:43.940
 end you know we gave

00:33:43.940 --> 00:33:45.180
 them supper we had an

00:33:45.180 --> 00:33:46.480
 even song we shared the

00:33:46.480 --> 00:33:47.660
 gospel by the time they

00:33:47.660 --> 00:33:49.300
 were going home they they

00:33:49.300 --> 00:33:51.060
 loved us they they just

00:33:51.060 --> 00:33:52.360
 had such the greatest time

00:33:52.360 --> 00:33:53.660
 in the world everybody was

00:33:53.660 --> 00:33:55.080
 so thankful and the

00:33:55.080 --> 00:33:56.680
 congregation had not

00:33:56.680 --> 00:33:58.300
 raised a single penny they'd

00:33:58.300 --> 00:34:00.940
 spent money in a sense to

00:34:00.940 --> 00:34:02.400
 be honest they were poor at

00:34:02.400 --> 00:34:03.140
 the end of the day than

00:34:03.140 --> 00:34:04.019
 they were at the beginning

00:34:04.019 --> 00:34:05.920
 but you know what the

00:34:05.920 --> 00:34:07.420
 whole congregation was so

00:34:07.420 --> 00:34:10.679
 pumped for the next month

00:34:10.679 --> 00:34:12.360
 or two attendance in my

00:34:12.360 --> 00:34:14.880
 church was way up and the

00:34:14.880 --> 00:34:17.639
 offerings were way up and by

00:34:17.639 --> 00:34:18.720
 the end of the two months we

00:34:18.720 --> 00:34:20.320
 had way more money than if we

00:34:20.320 --> 00:34:21.480
 had done a stupid chicken

00:34:21.480 --> 00:34:24.920
 barbecue or some other type of

00:34:24.920 --> 00:34:28.539
 thing you see holiness is its

00:34:28.539 --> 00:34:30.079
 own reward but it brings other

00:34:30.079 --> 00:34:34.380
 goods in its train and this

00:34:34.380 --> 00:34:35.360
 also fits with the other

00:34:35.360 --> 00:34:36.820
 thing is that God defines the

00:34:36.820 --> 00:34:41.719
 blessing not Canada not Wall

00:34:41.719 --> 00:34:43.960
 Street not Hollywood now

00:34:43.960 --> 00:34:45.079
 obviously one of the reasons

00:34:45.079 --> 00:34:46.659
 that Haggai was recognized as a

00:34:46.659 --> 00:34:47.719
 prophet is there must have

00:34:47.719 --> 00:34:48.860
 been see one of the things

00:34:48.860 --> 00:34:49.980
 about this prophecy is it

00:34:49.980 --> 00:34:51.920
 comes the late rains in early

00:34:51.920 --> 00:34:53.219
 late October early November

00:34:53.219 --> 00:34:54.960
 that makes a hard soil around

00:34:54.960 --> 00:34:56.820
 Jerusalem soft so they could

00:34:56.820 --> 00:34:58.260
 plant and then there's some

00:34:58.260 --> 00:34:59.559
 other rains and so in

00:34:59.559 --> 00:35:01.160
 December everything's planted

00:35:01.160 --> 00:35:03.019
 but nothing's been harvested

00:35:03.019 --> 00:35:04.960
 and so obviously there was

00:35:04.960 --> 00:35:06.820
 enough of an increase in food

00:35:06.820 --> 00:35:08.580
 that people could see that the

00:35:08.580 --> 00:35:10.260
 prophecy by Haggai was true

00:35:10.260 --> 00:35:11.660
 it's one of the reasons that

00:35:11.660 --> 00:35:12.780
 they must have said we need to

00:35:12.780 --> 00:35:14.019
 keep this book and read this

00:35:14.019 --> 00:35:15.180
 book and study this book and

00:35:15.180 --> 00:35:17.260
 pray for this book we need to

00:35:17.260 --> 00:35:18.580
 understand that when we draw

00:35:18.580 --> 00:35:20.220
 close to God that's its own

00:35:20.220 --> 00:35:22.120
 reward but he will also bless us

00:35:22.120 --> 00:35:24.380
 in other ways and there must

00:35:24.380 --> 00:35:25.840
 have been enough there but you

00:35:25.840 --> 00:35:27.340
 know it's more than just having

00:35:27.340 --> 00:35:30.120
 enough food we live in a time

00:35:30.120 --> 00:35:31.160
 when there's a crisis of

00:35:31.160 --> 00:35:33.160
 meaning part of the reason

00:35:33.160 --> 00:35:34.480
 there's so much anxiety in

00:35:34.480 --> 00:35:35.579
 Canada is that there's no

00:35:35.579 --> 00:35:39.460
 meaning there's no meaning

00:35:39.460 --> 00:35:43.180
 people feel alone and they feel

00:35:43.180 --> 00:35:44.880
 isolated and they feel guilty

00:35:44.880 --> 00:35:46.420
 and they feel insufficient and

00:35:46.420 --> 00:35:47.840
 they have anxiety and all these

00:35:47.840 --> 00:35:50.280
 issues but you hear this story

00:35:50.280 --> 00:35:51.940
 and God wants to lavish his love

00:35:51.940 --> 00:35:54.820
 upon you and and he wants you to

00:35:54.820 --> 00:35:58.139
 be his and when you're his he

00:35:58.139 --> 00:35:59.559
 wants to lavish his love upon

00:35:59.559 --> 00:36:00.960
 you and he wants you to be part

00:36:00.960 --> 00:36:02.380
 of his great mission that the

00:36:02.380 --> 00:36:04.220
 world will know that he exists

00:36:04.220 --> 00:36:05.300
 that he loves you that he wants

00:36:05.300 --> 00:36:07.059
 to lavish his love he wants a

00:36:07.059 --> 00:36:08.659
 lavish life upon you he will give

00:36:08.659 --> 00:36:09.880
 you love and life that begins

00:36:09.880 --> 00:36:12.220
 today that goes on through into

00:36:12.220 --> 00:36:15.300
 all eternity and so there must have

00:36:15.300 --> 00:36:16.579
 been enough for them to have more

00:36:16.579 --> 00:36:20.360
 that's completely fine but you see

00:36:20.360 --> 00:36:21.780
 like think about that story of that

00:36:21.780 --> 00:36:23.420
 congregation in Eganville let me

00:36:23.420 --> 00:36:28.300
 tell you this being generous is way

00:36:28.300 --> 00:36:30.440
 more whole and freeing than hoarding

00:36:30.440 --> 00:36:35.780
 money forgiving is way more whole and

00:36:35.780 --> 00:36:40.160
 freeing than being judgmental and

00:36:40.160 --> 00:36:44.380
 attacking you know what embracing

00:36:44.380 --> 00:36:46.720
 people who are of different cultures

00:36:46.720 --> 00:36:48.660
 are you and befriending them or

00:36:48.659 --> 00:36:50.599
 different colors of you or different

00:36:50.599 --> 00:36:52.119
 religions of you and befriending

00:36:52.119 --> 00:36:54.539
 them is way more freeing than the

00:36:54.539 --> 00:36:55.659
 person who's afraid of them

00:36:55.659 --> 00:37:03.639
 and being able to turn the other

00:37:03.639 --> 00:37:07.179
 cheek when somebody hurts you is way

00:37:07.179 --> 00:37:10.279
 more freeing than being able to be a

00:37:10.279 --> 00:37:11.759
 really good person at punching them

00:37:11.759 --> 00:37:14.679
 back and the person who gives rather

00:37:14.679 --> 00:37:16.879
 than hoards will have a far softer

00:37:16.880 --> 00:37:19.099
 pillow at night the person who

00:37:19.099 --> 00:37:21.740
 forgives rather than seek revenge

00:37:21.740 --> 00:37:23.420
 will have a far softer pillow at

00:37:23.420 --> 00:37:23.760
 night

00:37:23.760 --> 00:37:30.380
 see it's not just about the stuff

00:37:30.380 --> 00:37:31.539
 although obviously there was this

00:37:31.539 --> 00:37:34.180
 stuff is that when God blesses you

00:37:34.180 --> 00:37:36.119
 God blesses you the whole one simple

00:37:36.119 --> 00:37:37.800
 way to understand blessing is that God

00:37:37.800 --> 00:37:40.760
 wants you to thrive but not by the

00:37:40.760 --> 00:37:43.380
 standards of Canada by the God who's

00:37:43.380 --> 00:37:44.619
 created all things who wants to

00:37:44.619 --> 00:37:47.559
 lavish his love upon you and life

00:37:47.559 --> 00:37:48.380
 upon you

00:37:48.380 --> 00:37:54.420
 and so that's this message here of

00:37:54.420 --> 00:37:57.019
 this book that we are to put God

00:37:57.019 --> 00:38:00.059
 first that we are in a sense to once

00:38:00.059 --> 00:38:01.799
 again just understand the importance

00:38:01.799 --> 00:38:03.599
 of being gripped by the gospel and

00:38:03.599 --> 00:38:06.440
 how when we start to realize that it

00:38:06.440 --> 00:38:08.279
 makes far more sense to put him first

00:38:08.279 --> 00:38:10.619
 in his mission to transform human

00:38:11.299 --> 00:38:13.239
 lives and human communities through the

00:38:13.239 --> 00:38:14.819
 gospel so that more and more people

00:38:14.819 --> 00:38:16.779
 will understand that God just wants to

00:38:16.779 --> 00:38:18.419
 lavish his love and life upon you and

00:38:18.419 --> 00:38:21.079
 to be part of that is to be meaning

00:38:21.079 --> 00:38:22.579
 to understand that you're making

00:38:22.579 --> 00:38:23.959
 something you're not just teaching

00:38:23.959 --> 00:38:25.399
 Sunday school you're not just

00:38:25.399 --> 00:38:27.159
 greeting somebody at the door you're

00:38:27.159 --> 00:38:29.659
 not just helping a new Canadian learn

00:38:29.659 --> 00:38:32.019
 how to speak English better when you're

00:38:32.019 --> 00:38:33.139
 in for the name of Jesus you're not

00:38:33.139 --> 00:38:34.859
 just doing these meaningless things

00:38:34.859 --> 00:38:36.779
 you are doing something that's part of

00:38:36.779 --> 00:38:39.139
 this profound mission of God this

00:38:39.139 --> 00:38:41.199
 narrative and story of God that

00:38:41.199 --> 00:38:43.239
 transforms human lives that will

00:38:43.239 --> 00:38:45.139
 transform them beyond death and into

00:38:45.139 --> 00:38:46.819
 all eternity and that is what God is

00:38:46.819 --> 00:38:49.279
 asking you to do and so why would you

00:38:49.279 --> 00:38:51.559
 take such a great ambition and pursue

00:38:51.559 --> 00:38:55.139
 ephemeral things

00:38:55.139 --> 00:38:59.739
 I'm not saying that to you if I say that

00:38:59.739 --> 00:39:01.000
 to you I have three fingers pointing

00:39:01.000 --> 00:39:02.859
 back at me and one up to Jesus Jesus

00:39:02.859 --> 00:39:06.239
 help me let me see me let's just pray

00:39:06.239 --> 00:39:08.159
 that the Lord will help us to be so

00:39:08.159 --> 00:39:10.379
 gripped with this story of Jesus and

00:39:10.379 --> 00:39:12.019
 of God's grace and his lavishing his

00:39:12.019 --> 00:39:14.199
 love upon us that it it changes how we

00:39:14.199 --> 00:39:16.079
 do our church which changes how we live

00:39:16.079 --> 00:39:18.159
 our lives that time and time and time

00:39:18.159 --> 00:39:19.839
 again we come to him and say Lord this

00:39:19.839 --> 00:39:21.399
 week I've messed up or I've done good

00:39:21.399 --> 00:39:24.359
 I so need to hear this story again to

00:39:24.359 --> 00:39:26.119
 help me get where true north is and

00:39:26.119 --> 00:39:27.940
 what life is all about that I can once

00:39:27.940 --> 00:39:31.219
 again I recommit to you I recommit to

00:39:31.219 --> 00:39:33.879
 you not in a way that I'm now saved

00:39:33.879 --> 00:39:36.519
 because Jesus never lets us go it's all

00:39:36.519 --> 00:39:38.519
 grace he's opened the door not us he's

00:39:38.519 --> 00:39:40.139
 opened the way not us let's stand

00:39:40.139 --> 00:39:42.360
 close in prayer

00:39:42.360 --> 00:39:48.039
 father we give you thanks and praise

00:39:48.039 --> 00:39:48.380
 that

00:39:48.380 --> 00:39:52.920
 you want to lavish your love and your

00:39:52.920 --> 00:39:55.619
 life upon us and that you want to not

00:39:55.619 --> 00:39:57.340
 only do that here on this side of the

00:39:57.340 --> 00:39:58.840
 grave but that you want to do that

00:39:58.840 --> 00:40:01.320
 begin that work in our lives and grow

00:40:01.320 --> 00:40:04.159
 that work in our lives that will go on

00:40:04.159 --> 00:40:06.480
 and survive death and go on into all

00:40:06.480 --> 00:40:08.099
 eternity into the new heaven and the

00:40:08.099 --> 00:40:10.940
 new earth so father we give you thanks

00:40:10.940 --> 00:40:12.579
 and praise that that is who you are

00:40:12.579 --> 00:40:14.079
 that is what you want to do that is

00:40:14.079 --> 00:40:16.579
 what you want us to understand and so we

00:40:16.579 --> 00:40:18.159
 ask father we give you thanks and

00:40:18.159 --> 00:40:19.759
 praise that this on the Sabbath the

00:40:19.759 --> 00:40:22.259
 Lord's day that we can gather and hear

00:40:22.259 --> 00:40:24.719
 your word and be reminded about what is

00:40:24.719 --> 00:40:26.460
 true and what is real and what is

00:40:26.460 --> 00:40:28.799
 meaningful and what is significant and

00:40:28.799 --> 00:40:31.839
 and and father that that we can double

00:40:31.840 --> 00:40:33.940
 down and commit to this and if we

00:40:33.940 --> 00:40:35.940
 haven't entered into this story that

00:40:35.940 --> 00:40:37.980
 if we have not realized that that's

00:40:37.980 --> 00:40:39.340
 why God's trying to get our attention

00:40:39.340 --> 00:40:40.800
 so that we would give our life to

00:40:40.800 --> 00:40:42.660
 Jesus said that but if there's anyone

00:40:42.660 --> 00:40:44.280
 here in that or listening on that that

00:40:44.280 --> 00:40:46.640
 they would say father I want to stop

00:40:46.640 --> 00:40:48.519
 running I want to be Jesus's I want

00:40:48.519 --> 00:40:50.360
 him to be my Savior and my Lord and I

00:40:50.360 --> 00:40:52.720
 want you to never let me go and I want

00:40:52.720 --> 00:40:54.260
 you to bless me and with your love in

00:40:54.260 --> 00:40:56.780
 your life and I want to be blessed by

00:40:56.780 --> 00:40:58.280
 you so that I might be a blessing

00:40:58.280 --> 00:41:00.620
 father I want that to be the new and

00:41:00.619 --> 00:41:03.059
 final story of my life and father we

00:41:03.059 --> 00:41:05.159
 ask for them we ask for us that once

00:41:05.159 --> 00:41:09.539
 again we will recommit father draw us

00:41:09.539 --> 00:41:11.859
 close to yourself through your son in

00:41:11.859 --> 00:41:15.259
 the power of the Holy Spirit make us

00:41:15.259 --> 00:41:17.460
 open to receiving your blessing so

00:41:17.460 --> 00:41:19.079
 that we might be a blessing to others

00:41:19.079 --> 00:41:21.839
 for our great good the good of our city

00:41:21.839 --> 00:41:23.359
 the good of our nation the good of the

00:41:23.359 --> 00:41:25.900
 world and for your great glory and we

00:41:25.900 --> 00:41:27.319
 ask these things in the name of Jesus

00:41:27.320 --> 00:41:29.440
 your son and our Savior amen