WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:14.339 November the 30th, 2022, so just some 10 months ago or so, some technology was unleashed in the world that would change the world forever, and definitely change students' lives forever. 00:00:14.859 --> 00:00:17.140 University students, you know what that technology was? 00:00:18.100 --> 00:00:20.100 ChatGPT, that's right, okay? 00:00:21.820 --> 00:00:27.359 No longer will university students think for themselves, but that's another story. 00:00:27.359 --> 00:00:33.600 ChatGPT, is there anything that it cannot answer, anything it doesn't know? 00:00:34.259 --> 00:00:40.659 Any question you throw at it, it seems to know and spew out an answer within three seconds, right? 00:00:41.820 --> 00:00:54.560 And yet, despite artificial intelligence, there's some questions of the human heart that are deserving of more than just an artificial intelligence answer. 00:00:54.560 --> 00:01:00.300 More, they deserve more than just a passing comment or reflection by AI. 00:01:01.359 --> 00:01:04.420 Questions such as, what is the meaning and the purpose of life? 00:01:05.460 --> 00:01:07.060 Where do I find hope? 00:01:07.820 --> 00:01:10.980 How can I be free from the fears that grip my heart? 00:01:11.579 --> 00:01:13.219 What's wrong with the world? 00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:18.320 These are real questions that deserve more than just an AI answer. 00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:29.359 Well, we as a church are working through the book of James, and James is the younger brother of Jesus, and the author of the letter that we've been studying the last few weeks. 00:01:29.459 --> 00:01:32.519 And James asks us one such question like this. 00:01:32.579 --> 00:01:38.719 It's a question that ChatGPT certainly has an answer to, but it deserves more than just an AI answer. 00:01:38.719 --> 00:01:43.719 It's a question that challenges and provokes and confronts. 00:01:44.920 --> 00:01:52.519 It's a question which, possibly now more than ever in the history of the world, deserves more than just a passing reflection. 00:01:53.480 --> 00:01:55.879 What is this question that James asks us? 00:01:56.599 --> 00:02:02.819 Well, let's listen to the reading of God's Word as James asks this question and then helps us answer it. 00:02:02.859 --> 00:02:07.239 So, Soda, can I invite you to come and read James chapter 4 for us. 00:02:07.640 --> 00:02:07.960 Thank you. 00:02:07.959 --> 00:02:08.799 Thanks, Kev. 00:02:09.599 --> 00:02:11.019 Good morning, church. 00:02:11.319 --> 00:02:14.620 The scripture reading today is in James chapter 4. 00:02:14.859 --> 00:02:19.819 You can find the scripture on the screen or your own Bible or follow along on your bulletin. 00:02:22.039 --> 00:02:25.419 James chapter 4, starting in verse 1, we read. 00:02:26.419 --> 00:02:30.039 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? 00:02:30.680 --> 00:02:34.639 Is it not these, that your passions are at war within you? 00:02:34.639 --> 00:02:39.000 You desire and do not have, so you murder. 00:02:39.639 --> 00:02:43.299 You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. 00:02:43.799 --> 00:02:46.439 You do not have because you do not ask. 00:02:46.839 --> 00:02:52.319 You ask and do not receive because you ask wrongly to spend it on your passions. 00:02:52.319 --> 00:02:54.319 You adultery people. 00:02:54.319 --> 00:02:54.859 You adultery people. 00:02:54.859 --> 00:03:01.060 Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? 00:03:01.060 --> 00:03:06.539 Therefore, whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. 00:03:06.539 --> 00:03:17.519 Or do you suppose it is to no purpose that the scripture says he yearns jealousy over the spirits that he has made to dwell in us? 00:03:17.520 --> 00:03:20.620 But he gives us more grace. 00:03:21.340 --> 00:03:26.120 Therefore, it says, God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. 00:03:27.280 --> 00:03:29.340 Submit yourselves, therefore, to God. 00:03:30.080 --> 00:03:33.500 Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 00:03:34.280 --> 00:03:37.400 Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. 00:03:38.140 --> 00:03:42.700 Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 00:03:43.240 --> 00:03:45.340 Be wretched and mourn and weep. 00:03:45.340 --> 00:03:49.560 Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. 00:03:50.180 --> 00:03:53.060 Humble yourselves before the law and he will exalt you. 00:03:54.000 --> 00:03:57.360 Do not speak evil against one another, brothers and sisters. 00:03:57.960 --> 00:04:04.439 The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother speaks evil against the law and judges the law. 00:04:05.219 --> 00:04:09.480 But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 00:04:10.120 --> 00:04:12.680 There is only one lawgiver and judge. 00:04:12.680 --> 00:04:16.139 He who is able to save and to destroy. 00:04:16.699 --> 00:04:18.639 But who are you to judge your neighbor? 00:04:19.439 --> 00:04:20.759 This is the word of God. 00:04:20.759 --> 00:04:23.800 Thank you, Soda. 00:04:24.159 --> 00:04:26.819 Hey, let me pray for us and then let's dive in. 00:04:26.899 --> 00:04:31.800 Heavenly Father, as we come to your word this morning, we want to hear you speak to us. 00:04:33.159 --> 00:04:38.699 God, James raises this pertinent question that actually affects all of us and is so real to all of us. 00:04:39.459 --> 00:04:41.159 And we want to hear your wisdom, God. 00:04:41.240 --> 00:04:42.899 We want to know what you have to say. 00:04:42.899 --> 00:04:45.319 So God, won't you speak to us? 00:04:45.379 --> 00:04:49.599 Won't you, by your spirit, come and take the words of your scripture and write them on our heart, Lord? 00:04:50.659 --> 00:04:54.859 Help us to see our own hearts and our own lives and help us to respond to you. 00:04:55.519 --> 00:04:57.939 I pray this in your wonderful and gracious name. 00:04:58.599 --> 00:04:58.859 Amen. 00:04:58.860 --> 00:05:01.420 I meant to say it earlier. 00:05:01.560 --> 00:05:05.620 If you have your Bible, open it up to James 4 and keep it open. 00:05:05.720 --> 00:05:07.360 We're going to look at a lot of the scripture. 00:05:07.580 --> 00:05:12.319 If you don't, in the bulletin, you would have seen there's a kind of piece of paper you can pull out. 00:05:12.860 --> 00:05:13.920 Have that in front of you. 00:05:13.980 --> 00:05:15.460 We're going to work through it. 00:05:15.520 --> 00:05:18.980 I'd love for you to watch where we're going as we look at the scripture. 00:05:19.699 --> 00:05:20.699 So let me ask you this question. 00:05:20.699 --> 00:05:27.219 When was the last time you were involved in an argument, a disagreement, a conflict with somebody? 00:05:27.659 --> 00:05:32.980 You don't need to raise your hand, but I wonder if some of us might have been in the last hour or two, right? 00:05:33.339 --> 00:05:35.980 On the way to church or something like that. 00:05:36.819 --> 00:05:42.319 But maybe a conflict with a colleague or a friend, with a family member. 00:05:42.860 --> 00:05:48.180 Maybe the neighbor across the hallway or the management company of your apartment block. 00:05:48.180 --> 00:05:54.379 The truth is we live in a world that is not immune from conflict, full of conflict. 00:05:54.879 --> 00:05:58.079 Whether it's geopolitical, Russia invading Ukraine. 00:05:58.780 --> 00:06:04.500 Whether it's social, one ethnic group or group of people against another in society. 00:06:05.379 --> 00:06:09.240 Or whether it's more commonly interpersonal, one person against some other. 00:06:10.079 --> 00:06:15.000 Conflict is an all too common part of our lives and our story and the world in which we live. 00:06:15.000 --> 00:06:19.600 And unfortunately, it doesn't end when you step into church. 00:06:20.639 --> 00:06:27.439 The conflict that we know and see and experience out there all too often spills into the church as well. 00:06:28.379 --> 00:06:32.040 This is obviously what's going on in the church where James is writing. 00:06:32.199 --> 00:06:36.000 James is writing to a bunch of people who were part of his church, then dispersed. 00:06:36.720 --> 00:06:41.439 And he's now concerned because he's hearing reports that there's conflict in the church. 00:06:41.439 --> 00:06:44.040 And so he writes and he asks him this question. 00:06:44.240 --> 00:06:48.579 What's causing this quarrel and the fights that are going on amongst you? 00:06:49.480 --> 00:06:53.219 It's a question, as we said, that is worthy of more than just a passing reflection. 00:06:54.079 --> 00:06:58.659 Friends, what causes the fights and the quarrels and the conflict in our own lives? 00:06:59.860 --> 00:07:02.120 In this passage, James is going to say four things. 00:07:02.620 --> 00:07:08.600 And he's going to help us to understand the nature of conflict and then how to resolve it. 00:07:08.939 --> 00:07:10.620 The nature of conflict and how to resolve it. 00:07:10.620 --> 00:07:11.319 So four things. 00:07:11.639 --> 00:07:12.420 The first thing is this. 00:07:12.819 --> 00:07:15.459 What causes conflict in our lives? 00:07:15.879 --> 00:07:16.879 Look at what James says here. 00:07:17.399 --> 00:07:19.959 Well, firstly, actually, think about a recent conflict you've had. 00:07:20.660 --> 00:07:23.879 What would you say is the cause of that conflict? 00:07:25.000 --> 00:07:27.259 Now, there might have been a bunch of superficial things. 00:07:27.259 --> 00:07:29.459 So there was power dynamics. 00:07:29.459 --> 00:07:31.240 There was ego at play. 00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:36.539 There was maybe misunderstanding, some miscommunication, maybe a lack of empathy. 00:07:37.259 --> 00:07:41.439 Somebody have different values, different understanding of what should or shouldn't happen. 00:07:41.439 --> 00:07:46.279 At first glance, it seems the answer to that question is quite straightforward, right? 00:07:46.579 --> 00:07:48.600 It's my irritating family member. 00:07:48.779 --> 00:07:50.300 It's my immature colleague. 00:07:50.819 --> 00:07:54.980 It's that person across the hallway that plays music at 2 a.m. in the morning. 00:07:54.980 --> 00:07:57.800 The problem is them, right? 00:07:57.879 --> 00:08:01.840 If they would just sort themselves out, peace would reign. 00:08:03.160 --> 00:08:04.520 They are the problem. 00:08:05.700 --> 00:08:07.300 But look at what the scripture says here. 00:08:07.300 --> 00:08:13.900 Now, James tells us that behind all our interpersonal conflict is the problem of self. 00:08:15.160 --> 00:08:15.759 Self. 00:08:16.860 --> 00:08:18.220 Self-centeredness. 00:08:18.699 --> 00:08:19.740 Self-righteousness. 00:08:20.879 --> 00:08:24.220 Sometimes maybe just one party, but often both parties. 00:08:25.360 --> 00:08:27.819 This longing to put myself first. 00:08:28.300 --> 00:08:29.040 Look at what he says there. 00:08:29.100 --> 00:08:31.680 He says, what causes these quarrels and fights amongst you? 00:08:31.860 --> 00:08:32.940 Is it not this? 00:08:33.060 --> 00:08:36.259 Your passions or your desires are at war within you. 00:08:36.259 --> 00:08:39.159 You desire something, but you cannot have it. 00:08:39.220 --> 00:08:40.179 So you murder. 00:08:40.960 --> 00:08:42.000 You covet something. 00:08:42.419 --> 00:08:45.799 In other words, you intensely long for something, but it isn't yours. 00:08:45.879 --> 00:08:46.899 You cannot obtain it. 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:49.279 So you fight and quarrel with each other. 00:08:50.379 --> 00:08:57.919 James says that almost behind almost all of our conflict is this insatiable desire for me to get what I want. 00:08:58.980 --> 00:09:01.000 Another word for that is entitlement. 00:09:01.000 --> 00:09:04.259 It's my self-righteousness. 00:09:04.340 --> 00:09:05.279 My self-protection. 00:09:05.419 --> 00:09:06.460 My self-promotion. 00:09:07.259 --> 00:09:10.899 There's unquenchable longing in my heart to put myself first. 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:14.960 And if you think about it, that's so true, isn't it? 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:17.120 Isn't that true for many of our relationships? 00:09:17.279 --> 00:09:19.220 Think about, again, a recent conflict. 00:09:19.519 --> 00:09:21.460 What was going on underneath the surface? 00:09:22.500 --> 00:09:23.919 Was it that somebody snubbed you? 00:09:24.320 --> 00:09:25.379 Somebody didn't honor you? 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:29.179 Somebody took something that you thought you were entitled to or belonged to you? 00:09:29.820 --> 00:09:30.860 And how did we feel? 00:09:31.360 --> 00:09:32.220 Yes, frustration. 00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:33.360 Yes, disappointment. 00:09:33.639 --> 00:09:34.220 That's fine. 00:09:34.740 --> 00:09:36.279 But was there more to it than that? 00:09:36.659 --> 00:09:37.960 What caused the anger? 00:09:38.720 --> 00:09:41.899 The words that came out of our mouth? 00:09:41.899 --> 00:09:48.100 James' point is that at the heart of conflict, it's not just disappointment and frustration, but entitlement. 00:09:48.919 --> 00:09:51.240 You desire, but you do not have, so you murder. 00:09:51.480 --> 00:09:54.259 I don't think he literally means in the church they were murdering each other. 00:09:54.340 --> 00:09:55.519 That wouldn't be a very good church. 00:09:55.939 --> 00:09:56.100 Okay? 00:10:02.259 --> 00:10:02.620 Sorry. 00:10:03.379 --> 00:10:03.740 How's that? 00:10:04.259 --> 00:10:09.460 Church membership goes down from 150 to 100 because of a lot of funerals in church. 00:10:09.559 --> 00:10:10.480 Okay, that's not what he means. 00:10:10.480 --> 00:10:16.779 He's using the word murder the way Jesus used the word murder, which is this hatred in our hearts. 00:10:17.600 --> 00:10:20.800 He says you covet and you cannot obtain, so you fight and you quarrel. 00:10:21.539 --> 00:10:25.279 As we so often have said, the problem is not just out there, the problem is in here. 00:10:25.899 --> 00:10:26.920 Something inside of me. 00:10:27.779 --> 00:10:28.620 And then look what he says. 00:10:28.680 --> 00:10:31.920 He says you have, you do not have because you do not ask. 00:10:32.379 --> 00:10:36.420 In other words, when there's this longing in your heart, rather than coming to God and saying, 00:10:36.419 --> 00:10:39.699 God, I'm really trusting you for that promotion. 00:10:40.379 --> 00:10:43.240 Lord, I'm really trusting you for this relationship to work out. 00:10:43.299 --> 00:10:46.439 Rather than coming to God in prayer, what do we do? 00:10:46.479 --> 00:10:47.839 We clamor and we fight. 00:10:48.459 --> 00:10:50.259 We think it's a zero-sum game. 00:10:50.699 --> 00:10:54.219 Either I get ahead or they get ahead and I get left behind. 00:10:54.959 --> 00:10:59.259 And so I've got to climb on top of those people to make sure I'm at the front of the pile. 00:10:59.259 --> 00:11:02.299 Have you ever seen something where there's a free giveaway? 00:11:03.159 --> 00:11:05.980 You know, maybe food or candy or some voucher? 00:11:06.299 --> 00:11:07.600 What happens, right? 00:11:08.159 --> 00:11:09.580 Get out my way. 00:11:09.659 --> 00:11:11.039 I need that thing. 00:11:11.700 --> 00:11:14.919 Rather than somebody coming and saying, hey, can I have one of those, please? 00:11:15.700 --> 00:11:18.840 Climbing on top of each other, making sure you get to the front. 00:11:19.679 --> 00:11:25.059 James says the reason we don't pray about these things is because our heart feels like I must have this. 00:11:26.340 --> 00:11:28.100 Oh, but sometimes we do pray about it, right? 00:11:28.100 --> 00:11:30.200 Look what he says in verse 3. 00:11:30.860 --> 00:11:33.899 Even our prayers are infected with self-centeredness. 00:11:33.960 --> 00:11:34.620 Look at verse 3. 00:11:35.100 --> 00:11:37.620 You do ask sometimes, but you do not receive. 00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:37.980 Why? 00:11:38.379 --> 00:11:41.879 Because you ask wrongly simply to spend it on your own passions. 00:11:42.840 --> 00:11:46.240 Even our prayers are sometimes saying, God, I must have this thing. 00:11:46.860 --> 00:11:48.040 Please give it to me. 00:11:49.340 --> 00:11:50.820 Friends, does this ring true of you? 00:11:51.580 --> 00:11:53.320 Does this sound familiar? 00:11:53.320 --> 00:11:58.320 I must confess, this is all too familiar in my own life, my own heart. 00:11:59.080 --> 00:12:05.820 Almost all my conflict is because there's something inside of me that's been, I want to get ahead. 00:12:06.780 --> 00:12:08.700 Now, look at verse 11 and 12. 00:12:08.860 --> 00:12:11.460 We won't read it, but James gives us one more warning here. 00:12:11.460 --> 00:12:14.960 He says, verse 11 and 12, he says, 00:12:14.960 --> 00:12:18.040 The temptation is to think, yeah, that's right. 00:12:18.700 --> 00:12:21.100 Actually, selfishness is at the problem of all conflict. 00:12:21.220 --> 00:12:23.759 I wish my sister was here to hear the sermon, right? 00:12:24.139 --> 00:12:25.980 She really needs to hear it. 00:12:27.060 --> 00:12:33.340 James tells us that when we go around pointing the finger at everybody else and thinking they are the problem, 00:12:33.340 --> 00:12:40.100 what we do is we exclude ourselves from the community of sinners and we sit above everybody else in judgment. 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:44.420 But when we sit above everybody else, what are we doing? 00:12:44.740 --> 00:12:45.960 We're actually playing God. 00:12:46.820 --> 00:12:52.300 No, James says, why don't we bring ourselves into the community and say, God, this is true of me. 00:12:53.100 --> 00:12:54.580 So what's the cause of conflict? 00:12:54.580 --> 00:13:00.200 James says under conflict is this self-centeredness, this preoccupation with self. 00:13:01.180 --> 00:13:03.700 Okay, but what's the cause of our self-centeredness? 00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:05.840 Well, glad you asked. 00:13:07.240 --> 00:13:13.140 Last week, Neil showed us that our tongues, what we do with our tongues reveals what's going on in our hearts. 00:13:13.500 --> 00:13:16.340 Our tongues are the symptom of a deeper reality. 00:13:17.220 --> 00:13:18.980 James does the same thing here. 00:13:20.040 --> 00:13:23.300 Remember, Jesus says out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. 00:13:23.300 --> 00:13:29.300 Now, just by the way, these days, Jesus would have said out of the abundance of the heart, the fingers tweet, right? 00:13:29.299 --> 00:13:37.679 What you type on WhatsApp messages or that nasty email to that person or what you put in social media, it's a reflection of our hearts, right? 00:13:38.279 --> 00:13:39.839 James does the same thing here. 00:13:40.419 --> 00:13:43.859 He says, what is the root behind conflict? 00:13:44.099 --> 00:13:45.000 It's self-centeredness. 00:13:45.099 --> 00:13:47.339 But what's the root behind self-centeredness? 00:13:47.959 --> 00:13:52.319 Actually, James says it is a spiritual problem. 00:13:53.620 --> 00:13:54.819 Look at what he says in verse 4. 00:13:55.519 --> 00:13:56.899 You adulterous people. 00:13:56.899 --> 00:14:01.519 Now, throughout the letter, James has been very gentle and wonderful, right? 00:14:01.579 --> 00:14:04.419 My beloved brothers and sisters. 00:14:05.139 --> 00:14:07.299 Here, James kind of gets in our face. 00:14:08.039 --> 00:14:08.860 What's he saying? 00:14:09.019 --> 00:14:10.299 You adulterous people. 00:14:11.240 --> 00:14:16.519 Well, the literal word there is actually female. 00:14:16.840 --> 00:14:20.319 He actually says, you adulterousers in the Greek language here. 00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:23.179 You unfaithful wives is what he's saying. 00:14:23.179 --> 00:14:29.679 Many years ago, people thought the problem that was going on in the church is the women in the church couldn't control their passions. 00:14:30.500 --> 00:14:34.179 And so that's why he says in verse 1, what's causing conflict amongst you? 00:14:34.439 --> 00:14:36.459 Your passions are at war amongst you. 00:14:36.979 --> 00:14:40.339 And many years ago, people thought it was the women that were the problem. 00:14:40.620 --> 00:14:43.179 If only they could look after themselves, things would be fine. 00:14:43.699 --> 00:14:46.359 Well, that's not what's going on in James. 00:14:46.559 --> 00:14:48.079 James is not a misogynist. 00:14:48.159 --> 00:14:49.000 He's not against women. 00:14:49.000 --> 00:14:51.179 But, again, that's not what's going on. 00:14:51.240 --> 00:14:52.259 What's James saying here? 00:14:53.179 --> 00:14:57.720 James is saying that underneath our moral problems is actually a spiritual problem. 00:14:58.799 --> 00:15:01.299 Underneath our self-centeredness is a spiritual problem. 00:15:01.759 --> 00:15:09.259 And the breakdown in our relationships with one another horizontally is because there's first a breakdown in our relationships spiritually, vertically, with God. 00:15:10.320 --> 00:15:13.440 James is using familiar language in the Old Testament. 00:15:13.440 --> 00:15:19.240 In the Old Testament, God's people were often referred to as the bride of God or God's wife. 00:15:19.960 --> 00:15:21.340 So in Isaiah 54, he says, 00:15:21.420 --> 00:15:38.240 God's people are pictured as God's bride, his wife, his chosen one that he's entered into covenant community relationship with. 00:15:38.240 --> 00:15:44.340 And so in the Old Testament, you often hear this refrain, I will be your God, you will be my people. 00:15:44.960 --> 00:15:49.500 It's kind of like on a wedding day when you stand at the altar and you say, I now forsake all others. 00:15:49.700 --> 00:15:52.980 And with all that I am and all that I have, I give myself to you. 00:15:53.820 --> 00:16:01.139 God's people were meant to forsake all other gods, all other lovers, all other things that they hope and trust in and be devoted to God himself. 00:16:01.139 --> 00:16:08.980 Friends, if you're a Christian this morning, when you became a Christian, you said, God, you are my one true delight. 00:16:09.299 --> 00:16:10.600 You are my highest treasure. 00:16:11.220 --> 00:16:14.720 I now forsake all others and I serve you and love you supremely. 00:16:16.600 --> 00:16:20.860 James is showing us here that when self-centeredness grips our hearts, 00:16:21.360 --> 00:16:24.620 when there's something that we lock onto and say, I must have that thing, 00:16:25.240 --> 00:16:29.200 when we're even willing to fight others, climb over others, push others aside, 00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:32.340 James shows us it's not just that we're being selfish, 00:16:32.620 --> 00:16:39.560 it's that there's some treasure, there's some God, there's some idol that has stolen the affections of our hearts. 00:16:40.400 --> 00:16:45.120 There's something that in that moment, something or someone that has become more important to us, 00:16:45.240 --> 00:16:47.780 more precious to us than even God himself. 00:16:49.480 --> 00:16:53.820 And so this thing becomes the highest priority, the God that we push God aside and say, 00:16:53.920 --> 00:16:57.900 I must have that thing, I must have that promotion, I must have that honor, 00:16:57.899 --> 00:17:01.639 I must get that bonus, I must get that esteem. 00:17:02.360 --> 00:17:06.879 And God, even if I have to push you aside or climb over other people, that becomes my highest treasure. 00:17:08.200 --> 00:17:09.099 You see what he's saying? 00:17:09.759 --> 00:17:14.319 When James says you're adulterous people, he's saying something has become more precious to you, 00:17:14.339 --> 00:17:17.940 more lovely, you've fallen in love with something else more than Jesus Christ. 00:17:19.220 --> 00:17:24.799 And so our horizontal problems emerge because actually there's a problem in our relationship with God. 00:17:25.000 --> 00:17:25.859 Does that make sense? 00:17:25.859 --> 00:17:29.019 Look what he says in verse 4, he continues, he says, 00:17:29.519 --> 00:17:33.139 Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? 00:17:33.740 --> 00:17:37.459 Whoever wishes to be a friend with the world actually makes himself an enemy of God. 00:17:38.359 --> 00:17:43.099 Now, James is not saying that, okay, Christians should retreat into their holy little hubbles and bubbles 00:17:43.099 --> 00:17:45.259 and not engage with the world. 00:17:45.719 --> 00:17:49.019 No, we love the world, we love Hong Kong, we want to engage with the city. 00:17:49.639 --> 00:17:51.159 But think about what is a friend? 00:17:51.719 --> 00:17:53.179 A real friend, not a Facebook friend. 00:17:53.180 --> 00:17:54.799 What is a real friend? 00:17:55.420 --> 00:18:00.720 A friend is somebody that you have not just shared interest with, okay, you like tennis, I like tennis. 00:18:01.539 --> 00:18:09.360 It's somebody that you have shared values, shared principles, maybe shared goals or aspirations. 00:18:10.140 --> 00:18:11.920 It's somebody that you can rely on. 00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:14.360 And you know that they committed to you and you committed to them. 00:18:15.460 --> 00:18:20.300 James is saying that when we take on the values and the principles of our culture more than God, 00:18:20.360 --> 00:18:24.440 when that becomes more important to us, more valuable to us, more wonderful than us, 00:18:25.060 --> 00:18:26.580 actually we've pushed God aside. 00:18:27.980 --> 00:18:28.660 And what happens? 00:18:28.660 --> 00:18:32.519 We end up climbing over and causing conflict and pain in our relationships. 00:18:33.720 --> 00:18:39.519 James tells us that when self-centeredness grips our hearts, when we're fighting for ourselves to get our own way, 00:18:39.980 --> 00:18:44.500 refusing to forgive others, when we're demanding to be treated away, honored a certain way, 00:18:44.800 --> 00:18:47.900 it's a sign that something has stolen the affections of our hearts. 00:18:48.460 --> 00:18:51.500 Something has become more precious to us than even God. 00:18:52.160 --> 00:18:54.120 Okay, so do you follow the flow of thought here? 00:18:54.560 --> 00:18:55.720 What causes conflict? 00:18:55.720 --> 00:18:57.160 Self-centeredness. 00:18:57.400 --> 00:18:58.900 What causes self-centeredness? 00:18:59.319 --> 00:19:03.360 Something has stolen our hearts, become more precious to us than even Jesus. 00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:06.600 Now, how do you feel about this? 00:19:07.420 --> 00:19:10.140 When I think about this, I have two responses. 00:19:11.000 --> 00:19:13.519 My first response is, it's true. 00:19:14.400 --> 00:19:19.640 How does James, this guy who lived 2,000 years ago, how does he know my heart so well? 00:19:20.420 --> 00:19:21.819 I mean, he's amazing, right? 00:19:21.980 --> 00:19:25.180 When I think about this, I think James is absolutely right. 00:19:25.720 --> 00:19:30.980 He's like a master physician that has peered into my heart and he knows exactly what's going on. 00:19:31.819 --> 00:19:37.380 Friends, when I think of the conflict, when I think of my angry words, my nasty emails, 00:19:38.279 --> 00:19:43.980 my sarcastic responses, my lack of empathy towards other people, lack of understanding, 00:19:44.360 --> 00:19:45.700 what's going on in my heart? 00:19:45.700 --> 00:19:55.279 95% of the time, there's some self-centeredness, some self-righteousness, some self-importance that I'm holding onto that I don't want to let go. 00:19:56.000 --> 00:19:58.059 James is absolutely reading my life. 00:19:58.059 --> 00:20:06.799 But the other thing I think is, he's absolutely right because nine times out of ten, that happens when my relationship with God is somewhat fuzzy, 00:20:07.440 --> 00:20:10.859 when it's mediocre, when my time in God's word has been dry. 00:20:11.480 --> 00:20:15.879 When my relationship with God is not vivid and passionate and alive, what happens? 00:20:16.440 --> 00:20:18.159 I become more self-important. 00:20:18.899 --> 00:20:21.500 And then my relationships feel the impact of it. 00:20:22.159 --> 00:20:23.799 So I think James is absolutely right. 00:20:23.799 --> 00:20:26.240 But the other thing I feel is this. 00:20:26.879 --> 00:20:29.119 I feel a sense of despair, if I'm honest. 00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:34.740 Because the roots and the tentacles of self-centeredness go so deep into my heart. 00:20:35.319 --> 00:20:36.859 It's like, how do I even root them out? 00:20:37.319 --> 00:20:38.339 They're so deep. 00:20:38.819 --> 00:20:40.099 How do I change? 00:20:40.779 --> 00:20:44.819 God, how am I going to change and become less self-righteous, less self-centered? 00:20:45.680 --> 00:20:47.940 Where is there hope for somebody like me? 00:20:49.720 --> 00:20:52.299 Where do we find the catalyst for change? 00:20:52.980 --> 00:20:55.279 I don't know if you know Paul's words in Romans chapter 7. 00:20:55.440 --> 00:20:56.940 I resonate with this so much. 00:20:57.059 --> 00:20:57.819 Paul writes to him and says, 00:20:58.379 --> 00:21:03.299 I have the desire to do what's right, but I don't seem to have the ability to carry it out. 00:21:03.659 --> 00:21:10.859 For I do not do the good that I want to do, but the evil that I don't want to do, it seems to keep on happening in my life. 00:21:11.379 --> 00:21:17.119 When I want to do what's right and good and honest, all evil is right there close by. 00:21:17.960 --> 00:21:19.419 Oh, I resonate with that. 00:21:19.420 --> 00:21:23.259 So where do we find the power or the catalyst to change? 00:21:23.259 --> 00:21:29.759 You know, most religions, and even many Christians will tell you, enroll in this course. 00:21:30.099 --> 00:21:30.980 Do this program. 00:21:31.700 --> 00:21:33.379 Do these five steps to change. 00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:35.799 But James tells us something different. 00:21:36.799 --> 00:21:43.619 Before James tells us to do anything, he tells us firstly who God is and what God has done. 00:21:44.259 --> 00:21:47.599 He's going to tell us to do some stuff, but firstly he tells us what God has done. 00:21:47.599 --> 00:21:49.799 And what has God done? 00:21:50.439 --> 00:21:51.519 Well, look at verse 6. 00:21:52.439 --> 00:21:55.480 He gives more grace. 00:21:57.099 --> 00:21:58.759 He gives more grace. 00:21:59.559 --> 00:22:01.419 Thirdly, the catalyst for change. 00:22:02.019 --> 00:22:06.359 James has been talking about the fact that the reason these Christians in this church are at each other, 00:22:06.639 --> 00:22:09.699 and there's conflict, and they're fighting, and they're not able to forgive one another. 00:22:10.059 --> 00:22:12.519 The reason that is because actually they're in a dark place. 00:22:12.519 --> 00:22:19.119 But rather than saying, come on, Christians, pull yourself together, sort yourselves out, do better, 00:22:19.299 --> 00:22:21.799 rather than telling them to do better, what does he say? 00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:30.259 He washes them with who God is, and he says, this God in heaven gives more grace. 00:22:30.259 --> 00:22:41.779 In the Bible, grace is not just forgiveness of sin or pardon for wrongdoing. 00:22:42.759 --> 00:22:51.240 Grace is the way that God relates to the undeserving in such a way that it changes the relational dynamic. 00:22:52.319 --> 00:22:52.480 Okay? 00:22:52.480 --> 00:23:01.620 God's grace in Christ is not only forgiveness for sin, it's a relational dynamic that transforms our hearts 00:23:01.620 --> 00:23:04.200 and draws us into relationship with God. 00:23:04.860 --> 00:23:05.099 Okay? 00:23:05.420 --> 00:23:06.099 Does that make sense? 00:23:07.180 --> 00:23:09.599 I think that that makes sense when you think of relationships. 00:23:09.819 --> 00:23:10.880 So think of the scenario. 00:23:11.019 --> 00:23:12.059 I don't know if you've ever had this. 00:23:12.779 --> 00:23:15.720 Let's say you make some epic mistake. 00:23:16.220 --> 00:23:16.400 Okay? 00:23:16.700 --> 00:23:20.259 You mess up badly, and there's serious consequences for it. 00:23:20.259 --> 00:23:24.619 Maybe you say something stupid, and you hurt someone, and the relationship is now fractured. 00:23:25.019 --> 00:23:29.500 You make a mistake at work, and you cost the company a lot of money or maybe a client. 00:23:30.160 --> 00:23:33.579 You do something, and now there's serious consequences. 00:23:34.319 --> 00:23:39.859 And you've got to face your boss or your friend or your family member and be held accountable. 00:23:40.579 --> 00:23:44.400 And you're worried and you're anxious because this person is going to tear into you. 00:23:44.400 --> 00:23:56.380 And so with trepidation, you face your boss or your friend or your family member, and you're expecting them to tear into you and tell you what a lazy person you are and what a scoundrel you are and how could you do this. 00:23:56.980 --> 00:24:01.220 And instead, they treat you with undeserved grace and kindness. 00:24:02.460 --> 00:24:02.600 Okay? 00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:03.600 Have you ever experienced that? 00:24:04.420 --> 00:24:05.320 And they're not soft. 00:24:05.400 --> 00:24:06.300 They're not wishy-washy. 00:24:06.700 --> 00:24:10.220 They hold you accountable, but they don't give you what you deserve. 00:24:11.480 --> 00:24:14.319 They treat you with kindness, and they say, it's okay. 00:24:14.399 --> 00:24:15.339 We'll get through it together. 00:24:15.440 --> 00:24:16.279 I'm on your side. 00:24:17.259 --> 00:24:21.000 And you expect to get fired, and rather they say, it's okay. 00:24:21.079 --> 00:24:21.799 We'll work through this. 00:24:21.819 --> 00:24:22.259 Don't worry. 00:24:22.839 --> 00:24:23.819 Let's learn from this. 00:24:25.099 --> 00:24:26.659 What happens with that relationship? 00:24:26.819 --> 00:24:28.039 How do you relate to that person? 00:24:29.480 --> 00:24:32.079 Don't you love that person and respect them even more? 00:24:32.720 --> 00:24:35.859 Don't you want to throw your arms around them and say, I love you. 00:24:36.179 --> 00:24:36.779 You're amazing. 00:24:37.980 --> 00:24:39.539 That's what grace does. 00:24:40.639 --> 00:24:45.139 Grace transforms the relationship and draws us into the person. 00:24:45.140 --> 00:24:55.400 In the gospel, when we see our depth of despair and the depth of our sin because of our rebellion against God, 00:24:56.320 --> 00:25:02.900 and when we see how God responds to us in grace by going to the cross for us and taking our sin upon himself 00:25:02.900 --> 00:25:05.920 and saying, yes, you're a sinner, but it's okay. 00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:07.280 We're going to get through this together. 00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:10.420 God's grace doesn't just forgive us. 00:25:10.420 --> 00:25:15.920 It transforms us, and it transforms our hearts, and it transforms our relationship with him. 00:25:16.720 --> 00:25:19.300 Think of the story in the Bible of Zacchaeus, right? 00:25:19.779 --> 00:25:20.640 Remember Zacchaeus? 00:25:21.000 --> 00:25:22.720 Zacchaeus is the scoundrel, right? 00:25:22.940 --> 00:25:25.320 He's a thieving, greedy tax collector. 00:25:25.700 --> 00:25:27.160 He's breaking relationships. 00:25:27.640 --> 00:25:35.320 He's turning his back on his own people, stealing from the Israelites so that he can enrich himself. 00:25:35.920 --> 00:25:37.539 A bunch of guys are going off to a wedding. 00:25:37.539 --> 00:25:38.019 Okay? 00:25:39.460 --> 00:25:43.119 This is Zacchaeus, this thieving, conniving, greedy guy. 00:25:43.819 --> 00:25:45.420 And one day he encounters Jesus. 00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:46.859 And what happens? 00:25:47.339 --> 00:25:49.000 His whole world changes. 00:25:49.559 --> 00:25:50.579 What are his next lines? 00:25:51.180 --> 00:25:54.039 God, 50% of all that I have I want to give to the poor. 00:25:54.119 --> 00:25:57.619 And if I've taken anything from anyone, I'll pay them back four times what I've taken. 00:25:58.779 --> 00:26:00.299 Grace changes people. 00:26:01.240 --> 00:26:04.240 Well, think of in Acts chapter 11. 00:26:04.339 --> 00:26:05.379 There's this amazing line. 00:26:05.380 --> 00:26:12.060 It says, when Barnabas came to Antioch, he saw the grace of God, and he encouraged them to remain faithful to the Lord. 00:26:12.420 --> 00:26:14.500 How do you see the grace of God? 00:26:14.600 --> 00:26:17.300 I mean, do you walk into church and say, there's the grace, and there's the grace, and there's the grace? 00:26:17.620 --> 00:26:19.220 How do you see the grace of God? 00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:23.360 You see it in the transformed lives, how God has changed people. 00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:26.940 This person used to be so self-centered, and now they're not. 00:26:27.340 --> 00:26:30.500 This person used to live for themselves, and now they're living for others. 00:26:30.500 --> 00:26:33.259 Or think of Paul's words to Titus. 00:26:33.359 --> 00:26:41.140 He says, the grace of God appeared, offering salvation to all people, teaching us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions. 00:26:41.539 --> 00:26:44.700 And now to live self-controlled, upright, godly lives. 00:26:45.359 --> 00:26:48.640 God's grace doesn't just forgive us, it changes us. 00:26:48.640 --> 00:26:54.100 I think the greatest example of this in modern history, John Newton, right? 00:26:54.759 --> 00:26:57.080 John Newton was this captain of a slave ship. 00:26:57.600 --> 00:27:05.420 He was engaged in the African slave trade, going to Africa, taking people, like packing them on the ships. 00:27:05.600 --> 00:27:10.200 Many of them died, didn't care, taking them to England so that they could be shipped off to America. 00:27:10.640 --> 00:27:12.180 Many of them died on his ships. 00:27:12.180 --> 00:27:18.700 When he was too old to be a captain of the slave ships, he then invested in the slave industry, made money from it. 00:27:19.600 --> 00:27:24.900 One day he encounters the kindness of God and the grace of God, and his whole world changes. 00:27:25.660 --> 00:27:28.900 He becomes a leading voice to end slavery in the British Empire. 00:27:29.680 --> 00:27:31.120 And of course you know how the story ends. 00:27:31.160 --> 00:27:32.340 He writes that amazing hymn, 00:27:33.019 --> 00:27:37.400 Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. 00:27:37.400 --> 00:27:42.380 I once was lost, but now I'm found, was blind, but now I see. 00:27:43.160 --> 00:27:47.660 It was grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved. 00:27:48.220 --> 00:27:52.500 How precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed. 00:27:53.580 --> 00:27:58.320 Friends, grace doesn't just forgive sinners like us, it changes us. 00:27:58.800 --> 00:28:04.800 And it changes when we see what God's grace does to us, it changes our relationship with God, 00:28:04.799 --> 00:28:10.019 and it humbles our proud hearts, but that then changes the way we relate to others. 00:28:10.899 --> 00:28:12.659 Grace changes people. 00:28:13.440 --> 00:28:20.680 Grace isn't just a concept or an idea, it's a relational dynamic between a living God and living people 00:28:20.680 --> 00:28:23.000 that changes our hearts. 00:28:23.720 --> 00:28:28.740 Christ's grace is dealing with people not as we deserve, but as we don't deserve. 00:28:28.839 --> 00:28:31.460 And that's so powerful, it won't leave you the same. 00:28:32.159 --> 00:28:32.859 It can't. 00:28:32.859 --> 00:28:35.500 But God's grace changes people. 00:28:36.659 --> 00:28:42.500 Friends, God's purpose for humanity is that we live in deep, secure, loving relationship with Him. 00:28:43.519 --> 00:28:47.059 And out of that relationship, we overflow into love for others. 00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:52.919 And yet, because of our rebellion against God, we've pushed God aside, we've forsaken Him, 00:28:52.959 --> 00:28:56.240 and we've gone after other lovers, primarily ourself. 00:28:56.719 --> 00:29:00.679 And this relationship is fractured, and now this relationship is fractured as well. 00:29:00.680 --> 00:29:06.500 But in the gospel, Jesus Christ comes to people like us, people like you and people like me, 00:29:06.900 --> 00:29:11.140 people like John Newton, people like Zacchaeus, people like the Apostle Paul, 00:29:11.620 --> 00:29:13.660 people like tax collectors and prostitutes and sinners. 00:29:13.799 --> 00:29:20.039 Jesus comes to us and treats us not as we deserve, and He gives more grace. 00:29:20.039 --> 00:29:20.099 God's grace. 00:29:21.299 --> 00:29:27.639 As the Apostle Paul said in Romans chapter 5, where sin abounds, God's grace super abounds all the more. 00:29:28.279 --> 00:29:31.500 Friends, God's standards is high, but oh, His grace is higher. 00:29:32.659 --> 00:29:34.899 He gives more grace. 00:29:34.900 --> 00:29:38.560 The catalyst for change. 00:29:39.280 --> 00:29:40.259 How do we change? 00:29:40.880 --> 00:29:45.720 You don't just hear the pastor saying, be a better person, be a better Christian, stop acting like that. 00:29:46.160 --> 00:29:48.259 You encounter the grace and the kindness of God. 00:29:49.340 --> 00:29:51.259 James has got one last thing to say to us. 00:29:52.380 --> 00:29:55.120 The question is this, how do we take hold of this grace? 00:29:55.440 --> 00:29:56.940 How do we actually access it? 00:29:57.300 --> 00:30:00.640 What a tragic thing to come to church and hear, grace changes you. 00:30:01.020 --> 00:30:01.759 Okay, go home. 00:30:02.000 --> 00:30:04.280 And not actually know, how do we access this grace? 00:30:05.100 --> 00:30:07.300 James wants us to know how to access it. 00:30:07.340 --> 00:30:10.580 And so he tells us the last thing, the condition for grace. 00:30:11.000 --> 00:30:11.160 Okay? 00:30:11.560 --> 00:30:15.540 The cause for conflict, the cause of selfishness, the catalyst for change. 00:30:15.720 --> 00:30:18.840 Fourthly, the condition or the criteria for grace. 00:30:19.280 --> 00:30:20.620 How do we obtain this grace? 00:30:21.080 --> 00:30:22.660 Who are the recipients of this grace? 00:30:23.140 --> 00:30:26.680 Well, it can't be the deserving or those that have got it all together, 00:30:26.900 --> 00:30:29.800 because that goes against the very nature of grace itself, right? 00:30:29.799 --> 00:30:31.579 Grace is for the undeserving. 00:30:32.480 --> 00:30:34.460 So who accesses this grace? 00:30:35.000 --> 00:30:35.879 Look at what he says. 00:30:36.680 --> 00:30:39.000 But God gives more grace, verse 6. 00:30:39.319 --> 00:30:45.240 Therefore, it says, God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 00:30:45.799 --> 00:30:46.940 So what is the one condition? 00:30:47.399 --> 00:30:48.159 The one criteria? 00:30:48.960 --> 00:30:53.039 Humble yourself enough to admit that you need this grace. 00:30:53.720 --> 00:30:54.899 It's the one thing. 00:30:55.599 --> 00:30:56.779 It's the only condition. 00:30:56.779 --> 00:31:02.420 God's grace is for everybody and anybody on one condition? 00:31:03.160 --> 00:31:04.399 That you see that you need it. 00:31:05.299 --> 00:31:06.539 Look at how he says this. 00:31:06.960 --> 00:31:10.599 God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble. 00:31:10.940 --> 00:31:11.399 Verse 7. 00:31:11.400 --> 00:31:40.820 Friends, if these words, 00:31:40.819 --> 00:31:42.759 sound harsh or offensive, 00:31:43.240 --> 00:31:49.439 it's because James wants us to feel the seriousness of what he's saying. 00:31:49.919 --> 00:31:54.559 He wants us to feel the despair that our only hope is in Christ and Christ alone. 00:31:54.559 --> 00:31:57.919 And so in this section, James gives us 10 commands. 00:31:58.539 --> 00:31:59.179 Humble yourselves. 00:31:59.379 --> 00:32:00.299 Draw near to God. 00:32:00.779 --> 00:32:01.519 Wash your hands. 00:32:01.679 --> 00:32:02.519 Purify your hearts. 00:32:02.679 --> 00:32:03.319 Draw near to him. 00:32:03.419 --> 00:32:05.200 Resist the evil one. 00:32:05.779 --> 00:32:07.859 But all of this is saying one thing. 00:32:08.700 --> 00:32:13.059 Let God be your God. 00:32:14.099 --> 00:32:14.940 Don't resist him. 00:32:15.919 --> 00:32:16.819 Don't fight him. 00:32:16.819 --> 00:32:19.299 Don't push him off for another day. 00:32:20.039 --> 00:32:21.919 Don't say, yeah, I'll get to that next week. 00:32:22.599 --> 00:32:25.960 I'm just looking after my own interests for now, but I'll get to God. 00:32:26.500 --> 00:32:26.960 No, no, friends. 00:32:27.059 --> 00:32:28.259 Let God be your God. 00:32:29.000 --> 00:32:29.919 Draw near to him. 00:32:32.279 --> 00:32:33.759 Let him be your God. 00:32:34.619 --> 00:32:36.139 Relinquish your own self-sovereignty. 00:32:37.139 --> 00:32:38.439 And let him be your king and your ruler. 00:32:39.200 --> 00:32:41.920 Friends, God's transforming grace is available to all people. 00:32:42.000 --> 00:32:45.120 Whether you think you deserve it or not, none are too far gone. 00:32:45.400 --> 00:32:47.559 None are too far undeserving. 00:32:48.039 --> 00:32:50.180 Available to all who admit they need it. 00:32:50.840 --> 00:32:52.340 God's calling is high. 00:32:53.019 --> 00:32:54.400 His grace is higher still. 00:32:55.160 --> 00:32:55.940 So what about you? 00:32:56.840 --> 00:32:58.539 Where are your relationships like at the moment? 00:33:00.720 --> 00:33:01.920 What's causing conflict? 00:33:02.860 --> 00:33:03.220 Agony. 00:33:04.360 --> 00:33:04.799 Despair. 00:33:04.799 --> 00:33:09.279 James reminds us, it's not just the circumstances of our lives. 00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:12.119 The economy, pressure at work, not enough sleep. 00:33:12.720 --> 00:33:14.619 James says there's something going on in our hearts. 00:33:15.379 --> 00:33:17.879 But the reason for that is actually we've lost sight of God. 00:33:18.559 --> 00:33:19.839 We've forgotten who he is. 00:33:20.759 --> 00:33:23.139 But even though that's the case, God gives more grace. 00:33:23.220 --> 00:33:27.059 And he moves towards us when we were moving away from him. 00:33:27.819 --> 00:33:30.460 It's now he calls us to do one thing. 00:33:30.460 --> 00:33:31.680 To draw near to him. 00:33:32.220 --> 00:33:33.399 To humble ourselves. 00:33:33.400 --> 00:33:36.200 And to receive the grace that we so desperately need. 00:33:36.940 --> 00:33:39.320 He gives more grace. 00:33:40.040 --> 00:33:41.200 So friends, why don't you come to him? 00:33:41.780 --> 00:33:43.400 Why don't you come to him today and surrender? 00:33:44.259 --> 00:33:45.480 Why don't you bow down before him? 00:33:46.360 --> 00:33:48.120 Why don't you admit that you need him? 00:33:48.540 --> 00:33:49.540 And you need his grace? 00:33:50.440 --> 00:33:51.580 He'll change your heart. 00:33:52.320 --> 00:33:53.660 He'll change your relationship with him. 00:33:54.140 --> 00:33:56.980 But he'll also change your relationship with others. 00:33:57.880 --> 00:33:58.800 Let's pray together. 00:33:58.799 --> 00:34:02.480 Oh, heavenly father, we come before you now. 00:34:02.599 --> 00:34:06.779 And we confess and admit, God, it is so true. 00:34:07.379 --> 00:34:08.519 We need you. 00:34:09.559 --> 00:34:13.019 God, the state of our relationships. 00:34:13.559 --> 00:34:14.360 James is right. 00:34:14.460 --> 00:34:16.099 It's a reflection of the state of our hearts. 00:34:16.099 --> 00:34:20.920 And the state of our hearts, God, is a reflection of our relationship with you. 00:34:21.980 --> 00:34:23.819 God, I pray for each one of us, Lord. 00:34:23.860 --> 00:34:26.480 I pray that you will help us to see our hearts. 00:34:27.259 --> 00:34:29.279 But God, also you'll help us to see your grace. 00:34:30.259 --> 00:34:33.000 Jesus, when we were lost, you moved towards us. 00:34:33.079 --> 00:34:35.799 You left the throne room of heaven. 00:34:35.800 --> 00:34:41.200 And came to die on a cross to reconcile us, to pour grace into our lives. 00:34:41.980 --> 00:34:45.920 God, won't your grace draw us in and change us? 00:34:46.760 --> 00:34:48.140 Won't you humble us, God? 00:34:49.420 --> 00:34:52.280 God, won't you rid us of the self-sufficiency in our hearts? 00:34:53.260 --> 00:34:57.440 And help us to see how wonderful and beautiful and glorious you really are. 00:34:58.620 --> 00:34:59.900 Christ, I pray, help us. 00:35:00.840 --> 00:35:02.720 In your great and gracious name. 00:35:04.120 --> 00:35:04.460 Amen. 00:35:04.460 --> 00:35:04.620 Amen. 00:35:05.800 --> 00:35:06.160 Amen.