WEBVTT

00:00:00.980 --> 00:00:09.120
 Okay. Okay, good morning, everybody. Great to see many of you that we haven't seen for months and months.

00:00:10.019 --> 00:00:17.240
 Welcome back to church. It is really wonderful to be able to gather and to worship and to see you face to face.

00:00:17.780 --> 00:00:20.480
 So great to have you with us this morning.

00:00:21.940 --> 00:00:27.960
 The feeling I get is our family did some camping over the last few months.

00:00:27.960 --> 00:00:31.400
 And, you know, when you camp, you sleep really badly.

00:00:31.640 --> 00:00:36.340
 And so, like, every half an hour, you're looking at your watch or your phone and how long until morning.

00:00:37.000 --> 00:00:38.399
 And it's like half past two.

00:00:38.799 --> 00:00:42.679
 And you kind of doze back to sleep and you wake up and you look at your phone and it's only three o'clock.

00:00:43.240 --> 00:00:45.519
 And you're kind of waiting for the sun to rise.

00:00:45.620 --> 00:00:49.380
 And then eventually, at around half past five, you see the first rays of sun.

00:00:49.640 --> 00:00:51.519
 And it feels like morning is coming.

00:00:51.960 --> 00:00:56.960
 And in some ways, I feel like morning is coming.

00:00:56.960 --> 00:01:00.060
 The rays of sun are starting to begin to shine.

00:01:00.240 --> 00:01:03.660
 And hopefully, we are moving towards some level of normality.

00:01:03.840 --> 00:01:08.200
 But it's really wonderful to be with you all today.

00:01:08.540 --> 00:01:14.400
 Now, one of the questions I want us to ask is, we kind of like life is transitioning.

00:01:15.079 --> 00:01:18.659
 Hopefully, the fifth wave is coming to an end and is going to be buried.

00:01:18.819 --> 00:01:20.219
 Hopefully, there won't be a sixth wave.

00:01:20.219 --> 00:01:23.700
 But, you know, but for now, we're in this transition.

00:01:24.000 --> 00:01:37.299
 And what might God want to say to us as the fifth wave passes, as we go back to school and back to work, as we start together, as life starts to get back to normal, what might God want to say to us this morning?

00:01:38.500 --> 00:01:39.700
 Well, we're going to look at a passage.

00:01:39.840 --> 00:01:41.980
 Annabelle's going to come and read to us in a few minutes' time.

00:01:41.980 --> 00:01:43.380
 And we're looking at this passage.

00:01:43.960 --> 00:01:45.240
 That's a very well-known passage.

00:01:45.500 --> 00:01:53.540
 But the reason we're going to look at it is because this passage in Deuteronomy 6, the nation of Israel, are also at a time of transition.

00:01:54.159 --> 00:01:56.380
 And a time of transition for two reasons.

00:01:56.939 --> 00:02:00.859
 The one reason is because Israel is coming out of the wilderness.

00:02:01.120 --> 00:02:03.920
 If you know the story of the Bible, they left Egypt.

00:02:04.159 --> 00:02:05.280
 They came into the wilderness.

00:02:05.460 --> 00:02:07.060
 And they've been there for 40 years.

00:02:07.060 --> 00:02:17.900
 And for 40 years, they've wandered through the wilderness, kind of in this limbo stage, neither in the promised land, but also not back in Egypt, wondering, are they coming or are they going?

00:02:18.300 --> 00:02:24.379
 They've been waiting to go into the promised land, this land that is described as a place of rest, a place of milk and honey.

00:02:24.879 --> 00:02:25.759
 And they've been waiting.

00:02:25.920 --> 00:02:31.680
 And now at this juncture, they are finally ready to get into the promised land.

00:02:31.800 --> 00:02:32.800
 They're about to go in.

00:02:32.800 --> 00:02:38.660
 And so Moses speaks to them these words on the cusp of this new season.

00:02:39.640 --> 00:02:51.120
 But the other reason why Israel is in this transition is because Moses, the great leader, the guy who helped Israel come out of Egypt and into the promised land, he's not going to go in with them.

00:02:51.740 --> 00:02:54.480
 He is old and he's about to die.

00:02:54.939 --> 00:02:58.320
 And he's going to hand over the reins to Joshua, the new young leader.

00:02:58.319 --> 00:03:07.039
 And so in some ways, the book of Deuteronomy that we're going to look at is Moses' final sermon to the people of God, the nation of Israel.

00:03:07.299 --> 00:03:09.419
 It's kind of like his last words.

00:03:09.639 --> 00:03:14.439
 As they go into their next season, these are his final words to them.

00:03:14.519 --> 00:03:15.659
 He's led them out of Egypt.

00:03:15.799 --> 00:03:17.719
 He's led them through the wilderness for 40 years.

00:03:18.079 --> 00:03:19.099
 They're about to go in.

00:03:19.479 --> 00:03:20.719
 And he's not going with them.

00:03:21.340 --> 00:03:24.019
 And so this is what Moses wants to say to them.

00:03:24.680 --> 00:03:27.019
 What might God want to say to them in this next season?

00:03:27.020 --> 00:03:35.439
 And what might God want to say to us as we come out of the fifth wave and into this season of normalcy to some degree?

00:03:36.140 --> 00:03:41.020
 Well, Annabelle is going to come and read God's word to us from Deuteronomy chapter 6, and then I'll pick up again.

00:03:44.520 --> 00:03:49.800
 The scripture reading today comes from the selected portions of Deuteronomy chapter 6.

00:03:49.800 --> 00:03:54.939
 If you read along in the bulletin, note that we have the entire chapter printed for your reference.

00:03:55.260 --> 00:03:57.680
 So please skip to the appropriate verse.

00:03:58.840 --> 00:04:00.920
 Starting from verse 6, we read.

00:04:00.919 --> 00:04:06.759
 Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one.

00:04:07.379 --> 00:04:13.819
 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

00:04:14.519 --> 00:04:18.459
 And these words I command you today shall be on your heart.

00:04:19.159 --> 00:04:23.879
 You shall teach them diligently to your children and talk of them when you sit in your house

00:04:23.879 --> 00:04:27.839
 and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise.

00:04:28.420 --> 00:04:34.439
 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontless between your eyes.

00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:39.459
 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

00:04:39.459 --> 00:04:47.299
 And when the Lord your God brings you into the land that he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob,

00:04:47.799 --> 00:04:52.159
 and to give you with great and good cities that you did not build,

00:04:52.620 --> 00:04:57.859
 and houses full of good things that you did not fill, and cisterns that you did not dig,

00:04:58.399 --> 00:05:01.199
 and vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant.

00:05:01.199 --> 00:05:07.819
 And when you eat and are full, then take care, lest you forget the Lord,

00:05:08.500 --> 00:05:12.439
 who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.

00:05:13.399 --> 00:05:15.959
 It is the Lord your God you shall fear.

00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:20.240
 Him you shall serve, and by his name you shall swear.

00:05:21.300 --> 00:05:26.060
 You shall not go after other gods, the gods of the peoples who are around you.

00:05:26.779 --> 00:05:30.399
 For the Lord your God in your midst is a jealous God.

00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:34.259
 Lest the anger of the Lord your God be kindled against you,

00:05:34.459 --> 00:05:37.699
 and he destroy you from off the face of the earth.

00:05:39.239 --> 00:05:40.759
 Then from verse 20,

00:05:41.639 --> 00:05:44.599
 When your son asks you in time to come,

00:05:45.179 --> 00:05:48.579
 what is the meaning of the testimonies and the statutes and the rules

00:05:48.579 --> 00:05:50.839
 that the Lord our God has commanded you?

00:05:51.699 --> 00:05:53.759
 Then you shall say to your son,

00:05:54.560 --> 00:05:57.339
 We were Pharaoh's slaves in Egypt,

00:05:57.339 --> 00:06:01.179
 and the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand.

00:06:01.679 --> 00:06:05.099
 And the Lord showed signs and wonders, great and grievous,

00:06:05.259 --> 00:06:10.459
 against Egypt and against Pharaoh and all his household before our eyes.

00:06:11.019 --> 00:06:13.199
 And he brought us out from there,

00:06:13.439 --> 00:06:18.039
 that he might bring us in and give us the land that he swore to give to our fathers.

00:06:18.040 --> 00:06:22.160
 And the Lord commanded us to do all these statutes,

00:06:22.900 --> 00:06:26.700
 to fear the Lord our God for our good always,

00:06:27.000 --> 00:06:31.439
 that he might preserve us alive as we are this day.

00:06:32.300 --> 00:06:37.460
 And it will be righteousness for us if we are careful to do all this commandment

00:06:37.460 --> 00:06:41.020
 before the Lord our God as he has commanded us.

00:06:41.379 --> 00:06:42.560
 This is the word of God.

00:06:42.560 --> 00:06:42.680
 Amen.

00:06:46.980 --> 00:06:47.819
 Okay, great.

00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:48.280
 Thank you.

00:06:50.839 --> 00:06:53.439
 Let's just pray briefly as we look at this passage.

00:06:53.560 --> 00:06:56.280
 Heavenly Father, we come before your word this morning.

00:06:56.780 --> 00:07:00.139
 In this season where things are starting to open up,

00:07:00.220 --> 00:07:03.439
 we can start to gather as a church and worship and sing and pray.

00:07:03.939 --> 00:07:07.220
 Kids can go back to school and we can go back to the office.

00:07:07.220 --> 00:07:10.060
 God, this season of transition,

00:07:10.280 --> 00:07:13.340
 we want to steward this season ahead of us well.

00:07:14.180 --> 00:07:17.700
 We don't just want to get sucked into the rat race of life.

00:07:17.840 --> 00:07:20.620
 And before we know it, life is just the way it's always been.

00:07:20.680 --> 00:07:21.760
 And yet we forget about you.

00:07:21.880 --> 00:07:23.820
 So Father, we pray, come and speak to us.

00:07:23.900 --> 00:07:26.720
 Let your word come and find a place in our heart.

00:07:27.200 --> 00:07:29.260
 God, you know where each one of us are at this morning.

00:07:29.480 --> 00:07:32.380
 And won't you come by your spirit and meet us, God,

00:07:32.460 --> 00:07:34.880
 and both encourage us and challenge us.

00:07:34.880 --> 00:07:37.000
 And let your word speak to us.

00:07:37.800 --> 00:07:39.460
 We ask you to be here in your awesome name.

00:07:40.140 --> 00:07:40.420
 Amen.

00:07:41.720 --> 00:07:44.480
 So this passage that Annabelle read to us,

00:07:44.820 --> 00:07:46.620
 along with two other passages,

00:07:46.820 --> 00:07:49.420
 Deuteronomy 11 and Numbers 15,

00:07:50.040 --> 00:07:53.140
 in the Jewish faith is called the Shema.

00:07:53.620 --> 00:07:56.920
 And the Shema makes up the prayers,

00:07:57.040 --> 00:07:59.560
 the daily prayers that Orthodox Jews will pray

00:07:59.560 --> 00:08:01.180
 every morning and every evening.

00:08:01.180 --> 00:08:04.940
 It's like some of the most important part of their scriptures

00:08:04.940 --> 00:08:07.100
 and what they will pray on a daily basis.

00:08:07.220 --> 00:08:12.040
 And the word Shema in Hebrew means hear or listen.

00:08:12.240 --> 00:08:15.100
 And it comes from the first word in verse 4.

00:08:15.220 --> 00:08:15.960
 Annabelle read it to us.

00:08:16.060 --> 00:08:17.480
 Hear, O Israel.

00:08:17.680 --> 00:08:19.420
 In verse 3 again, I think,

00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:21.480
 Hear, therefore, O Israel.

00:08:22.000 --> 00:08:22.720
 Listen up.

00:08:23.300 --> 00:08:24.920
 Turn your attention to me.

00:08:25.900 --> 00:08:27.180
 If you have children,

00:08:27.300 --> 00:08:29.060
 I'm sure you've gone through this experience.

00:08:29.420 --> 00:08:31.720
 Claire and I had this recently at the dinner table

00:08:31.720 --> 00:08:33.600
 where we had to explain to our children

00:08:33.600 --> 00:08:36.639
 the difference between hearing and hearing.

00:08:36.920 --> 00:08:37.259
 Right?

00:08:38.059 --> 00:08:40.779
 There's a difference between hearing the audio sounds

00:08:40.779 --> 00:08:43.019
 and actually responding or paying attention.

00:08:43.179 --> 00:08:44.159
 So you say to your kids,

00:08:44.600 --> 00:08:45.580
 Okay, dinner is here.

00:08:45.759 --> 00:08:46.860
 Let's come to the table.

00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:48.500
 And they're grossed in a book

00:08:48.500 --> 00:08:49.799
 or they're drawing something

00:08:49.799 --> 00:08:51.240
 or they're watching something.

00:08:51.679 --> 00:08:52.539
 And what do they say?

00:08:52.620 --> 00:08:52.860
 They say,

00:08:52.919 --> 00:08:54.000
 Yes, yes, I'm coming now.

00:08:54.720 --> 00:08:55.919
 And then three minutes later,

00:08:55.980 --> 00:08:56.799
 you call them again.

00:08:56.919 --> 00:08:57.000
 Say,

00:08:57.039 --> 00:08:57.740
 I'm coming.

00:08:57.940 --> 00:08:59.039
 I'm just finishing the page.

00:08:59.680 --> 00:09:00.659
 And then seven minutes later,

00:09:00.720 --> 00:09:01.600
 you've got to call them again.

00:09:02.180 --> 00:09:03.180
 And they're listening.

00:09:03.320 --> 00:09:03.940
 They're responding.

00:09:04.659 --> 00:09:05.639
 They're nodding their heads,

00:09:05.779 --> 00:09:07.100
 but they're not listening.

00:09:07.320 --> 00:09:07.460
 Right?

00:09:07.519 --> 00:09:09.399
 Or maybe you've had this

00:09:09.399 --> 00:09:10.659
 where you're trying to have a conversation

00:09:10.659 --> 00:09:11.259
 with somebody

00:09:11.259 --> 00:09:13.440
 and they are on their phone.

00:09:13.860 --> 00:09:14.820
 And they're nodding their head

00:09:14.820 --> 00:09:15.299
 and they're saying,

00:09:15.399 --> 00:09:15.659
 Mm-hmm.

00:09:15.860 --> 00:09:16.120
 Uh-huh.

00:09:16.200 --> 00:09:17.399
 Yeah, I'm listening to you,

00:09:17.440 --> 00:09:18.740
 but they're not really listening.

00:09:18.860 --> 00:09:19.080
 Right?

00:09:19.620 --> 00:09:22.620
 Well, God here speaks to His people.

00:09:23.180 --> 00:09:24.620
 And at this critical juncture

00:09:24.620 --> 00:09:26.519
 in Israel's life and history,

00:09:26.519 --> 00:09:28.079
 they've just come out of this

00:09:28.079 --> 00:09:29.559
 season in the wilderness

00:09:29.559 --> 00:09:31.819
 and God doesn't want them

00:09:31.819 --> 00:09:33.699
 just to politely nod their heads

00:09:33.699 --> 00:09:34.059
 and say,

00:09:34.139 --> 00:09:34.419
 Mm-hmm.

00:09:34.460 --> 00:09:34.960
 We're listening.

00:09:35.519 --> 00:09:36.620
 He wants their attention.

00:09:37.199 --> 00:09:38.500
 I'll often say to my girls

00:09:38.500 --> 00:09:39.100
 when they're not listening,

00:09:39.159 --> 00:09:39.319
 I'll say,

00:09:39.399 --> 00:09:40.340
 Okay, look me in the eye.

00:09:40.759 --> 00:09:42.699
 I want your attention.

00:09:43.419 --> 00:09:44.519
 Are you listening to me?

00:09:45.240 --> 00:09:46.019
 Hear, O Israel.

00:09:46.019 --> 00:09:46.659
 Listen up.

00:09:46.699 --> 00:09:48.000
 I've got something important

00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:49.179
 to say to you.

00:09:49.179 --> 00:09:51.100
 And what does God want to say

00:09:51.100 --> 00:09:51.799
 to His people?

00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:53.259
 Well, look what He says.

00:09:53.819 --> 00:09:54.860
 Hear, O Israel,

00:09:54.860 --> 00:09:56.639
 The Lord our God,

00:09:56.740 --> 00:09:58.279
 the Lord is one.

00:09:59.639 --> 00:10:01.340
 You shall love the Lord your God

00:10:01.340 --> 00:10:02.720
 with all your heart

00:10:02.720 --> 00:10:04.460
 and with all your soul

00:10:04.460 --> 00:10:06.519
 and with all your might.

00:10:06.639 --> 00:10:08.899
 These commands that I'm giving you today

00:10:08.899 --> 00:10:10.960
 shall be on your heart.

00:10:12.039 --> 00:10:15.139
 Now, this passage is obviously very famous

00:10:15.139 --> 00:10:16.940
 because later on, you know,

00:10:16.940 --> 00:10:18.060
 in the Bible and the Gospels,

00:10:18.300 --> 00:10:19.879
 somebody comes to Jesus and says,

00:10:19.960 --> 00:10:21.899
 Jesus, there are 600 commands

00:10:21.899 --> 00:10:22.639
 in the Old Testament.

00:10:22.639 --> 00:10:24.399
 Which one is the most important?

00:10:25.059 --> 00:10:26.299
 I mean, out of 600,

00:10:26.379 --> 00:10:27.340
 I can't do all of them.

00:10:27.580 --> 00:10:28.960
 What must I prioritize?

00:10:29.199 --> 00:10:30.840
 And Jesus picks this very verse.

00:10:31.360 --> 00:10:32.840
 You shall love the Lord your God

00:10:32.840 --> 00:10:36.059
 with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.

00:10:36.860 --> 00:10:38.360
 And so all Israel knew

00:10:38.360 --> 00:10:41.659
 this was kind of the central command

00:10:41.659 --> 00:10:43.199
 along with, you know,

00:10:43.240 --> 00:10:44.559
 the first of the Ten Commandments

00:10:44.559 --> 00:10:45.460
 in chapter 5.

00:10:45.740 --> 00:10:47.120
 You shall have no other gods before me.

00:10:47.340 --> 00:10:48.840
 This was the central command

00:10:48.840 --> 00:10:50.419
 for Israel in the Old Testament.

00:10:50.419 --> 00:10:52.639
 On Wednesday afternoons

00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:53.639
 at the office,

00:10:53.740 --> 00:10:54.759
 we have a preaching meeting

00:10:54.759 --> 00:10:55.819
 where we always review

00:10:55.819 --> 00:10:57.819
 the last Sunday sermon

00:10:57.819 --> 00:10:59.240
 and give critical feedback.

00:10:59.799 --> 00:11:01.419
 And then the preacher needs to present

00:11:01.419 --> 00:11:02.599
 some ideas and thoughts

00:11:02.599 --> 00:11:03.479
 for the coming Sunday.

00:11:03.899 --> 00:11:05.459
 And we always ask this question,

00:11:05.599 --> 00:11:06.599
 in one sentence,

00:11:06.699 --> 00:11:08.479
 what are you actually trying to say?

00:11:08.839 --> 00:11:09.959
 Because if you can't summarize

00:11:09.959 --> 00:11:10.759
 in one sentence,

00:11:10.819 --> 00:11:12.079
 you don't know what you're saying, right?

00:11:12.199 --> 00:11:13.019
 It's a good test.

00:11:13.579 --> 00:11:14.099
 In our CG,

00:11:14.299 --> 00:11:15.919
 we often say at the end of Thursday night,

00:11:16.039 --> 00:11:17.199
 okay, in one sentence,

00:11:17.200 --> 00:11:18.800
 what does God try to say to you tonight?

00:11:19.900 --> 00:11:20.460
 Summarize it.

00:11:21.160 --> 00:11:22.100
 Well, you could take

00:11:22.100 --> 00:11:23.120
 the book of Deuteronomy,

00:11:23.280 --> 00:11:24.820
 Moses' final sermon,

00:11:25.379 --> 00:11:26.259
 and in some ways,

00:11:26.420 --> 00:11:28.680
 summarize it in one sentence.

00:11:28.820 --> 00:11:30.320
 Moses, what are you saying to us?

00:11:30.360 --> 00:11:32.520
 As we go into this next season,

00:11:32.620 --> 00:11:33.520
 the promised land,

00:11:33.580 --> 00:11:34.379
 what are you saying?

00:11:35.300 --> 00:11:36.960
 You shall love the Lord your God

00:11:36.960 --> 00:11:38.640
 with all your heart,

00:11:38.740 --> 00:11:39.660
 all your soul,

00:11:40.100 --> 00:11:41.220
 all your might.

00:11:41.220 --> 00:11:43.759
 Well, Lord willing,

00:11:43.899 --> 00:11:45.580
 this won't be my final sermon

00:11:45.580 --> 00:11:46.300
 at Watermark.

00:11:46.480 --> 00:11:46.899
 Hopefully,

00:11:47.160 --> 00:11:48.779
 we've got many more years here.

00:11:49.240 --> 00:11:50.899
 But we face the same situation.

00:11:51.040 --> 00:11:52.000
 We're kind of coming out

00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:53.120
 of this holding pattern,

00:11:53.620 --> 00:11:55.500
 being neither in Egypt,

00:11:55.800 --> 00:11:57.139
 but neither in the promised land.

00:11:57.220 --> 00:11:58.460
 We're in this kind of limbo.

00:11:59.160 --> 00:12:00.519
 It hasn't quite been 40 years,

00:12:00.540 --> 00:12:01.740
 even though it might feel like that

00:12:01.740 --> 00:12:02.340
 for some of us.

00:12:02.620 --> 00:12:03.639
 But we're in this pattern.

00:12:03.759 --> 00:12:05.460
 What does God want to say to us?

00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:08.399
 Here, O people of Watermark,

00:12:08.540 --> 00:12:09.560
 people of Hong Kong,

00:12:09.960 --> 00:12:10.660
 listen up.

00:12:11.220 --> 00:12:12.480
 The Lord our God,

00:12:12.560 --> 00:12:13.300
 the Lord is one.

00:12:13.960 --> 00:12:14.920
 We shall love God

00:12:14.920 --> 00:12:15.759
 with all of our heart,

00:12:15.940 --> 00:12:17.680
 soul, mind, and strength.

00:12:18.560 --> 00:12:19.860
 Now, this passage,

00:12:19.980 --> 00:12:21.240
 this verse is very famous,

00:12:21.420 --> 00:12:23.160
 but what does it actually mean?

00:12:23.540 --> 00:12:25.100
 What does God actually say?

00:12:26.019 --> 00:12:27.779
 Well, the point that God is making here

00:12:27.779 --> 00:12:29.279
 is that God's people

00:12:29.279 --> 00:12:32.200
 are to be those who treasure God

00:12:32.200 --> 00:12:33.840
 and trust Him

00:12:33.840 --> 00:12:35.779
 and are devoted to Him

00:12:35.779 --> 00:12:37.920
 with all that they have

00:12:37.920 --> 00:12:39.920
 in every area of their life.

00:12:39.919 --> 00:12:41.620
 The point here isn't that

00:12:41.620 --> 00:12:43.539
 we are meant to spend hours debating.

00:12:43.759 --> 00:12:45.579
 What does Moses mean by heart

00:12:45.579 --> 00:12:47.019
 and what does he mean by soul?

00:12:47.139 --> 00:12:47.939
 You know, what part of you

00:12:47.939 --> 00:12:48.419
 is your heart?

00:12:48.479 --> 00:12:49.179
 What is your soul?

00:12:49.479 --> 00:12:51.179
 Why does Jesus add mind,

00:12:51.279 --> 00:12:52.839
 but Moses forgets to add mind?

00:12:53.179 --> 00:12:53.839
 The point here,

00:12:53.939 --> 00:12:55.120
 Moses isn't giving us

00:12:55.120 --> 00:12:57.199
 a diagnostic of the faculties

00:12:57.199 --> 00:12:58.099
 of the human being.

00:12:58.439 --> 00:12:59.279
 The point really is

00:12:59.279 --> 00:13:00.519
 all of your life

00:13:00.519 --> 00:13:02.879
 and every area of your life,

00:13:03.419 --> 00:13:04.679
 bring that before God

00:13:04.679 --> 00:13:05.659
 and treasure Him

00:13:05.659 --> 00:13:06.659
 and trust Him

00:13:06.659 --> 00:13:08.299
 and devote yourself to Him

00:13:08.299 --> 00:13:09.860
 in all of those areas.

00:13:10.639 --> 00:13:10.839
 In fact,

00:13:11.319 --> 00:13:13.740
 you see,

00:13:13.819 --> 00:13:14.659
 in the ancient world,

00:13:14.799 --> 00:13:16.480
 almost every culture

00:13:16.480 --> 00:13:17.919
 understood

00:13:17.919 --> 00:13:19.419
 and was quite comfortable

00:13:19.419 --> 00:13:20.319
 with the idea

00:13:20.319 --> 00:13:21.620
 of the plurality

00:13:21.620 --> 00:13:23.219
 of various deities

00:13:23.219 --> 00:13:23.919
 and gods.

00:13:24.459 --> 00:13:25.439
 And so every culture

00:13:25.439 --> 00:13:26.240
 in the ancient world

00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:27.000
 would recognize,

00:13:27.120 --> 00:13:28.419
 there's many gods, right?

00:13:28.519 --> 00:13:29.819
 There's the God of the Jews

00:13:29.819 --> 00:13:30.519
 and there's the God

00:13:30.519 --> 00:13:31.539
 of the Babylonians

00:13:31.539 --> 00:13:32.860
 and the God of the Canaanites.

00:13:33.220 --> 00:13:34.340
 There's the God of the sun

00:13:34.340 --> 00:13:35.019
 and the moon

00:13:35.019 --> 00:13:35.659
 and the water

00:13:35.659 --> 00:13:36.500
 and the war

00:13:36.500 --> 00:13:37.100
 and fertility

00:13:37.100 --> 00:13:38.019
 and all these things.

00:13:38.600 --> 00:13:40.940
 But the general consensus was,

00:13:41.419 --> 00:13:42.039
 you can worship

00:13:42.039 --> 00:13:43.220
 whatever god you want,

00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:44.399
 but when you come

00:13:44.399 --> 00:13:45.779
 into our territory,

00:13:46.379 --> 00:13:46.500
 you know,

00:13:46.519 --> 00:13:47.060
 if you're going to come

00:13:47.060 --> 00:13:48.039
 and live in Canaan,

00:13:48.139 --> 00:13:49.480
 well, then you honor our gods.

00:13:49.680 --> 00:13:50.360
 If you're going to go

00:13:50.360 --> 00:13:51.120
 and live in Babylon,

00:13:51.300 --> 00:13:51.899
 well, then you honor

00:13:51.899 --> 00:13:53.279
 the gods of the Babylonians.

00:13:53.740 --> 00:13:54.820
 So everyone was okay

00:13:54.820 --> 00:13:55.460
 with the idea

00:13:55.460 --> 00:13:56.659
 that there's many gods.

00:13:56.800 --> 00:13:57.860
 Just don't come

00:13:57.860 --> 00:13:59.080
 and disrespect our God

00:13:59.080 --> 00:14:00.360
 when you live here.

00:14:01.060 --> 00:14:01.600
 And of course,

00:14:01.659 --> 00:14:02.300
 they also agree

00:14:02.299 --> 00:14:03.519
 there are many gods

00:14:03.519 --> 00:14:05.000
 for many parts of your life.

00:14:05.319 --> 00:14:06.279
 You want to have a child?

00:14:06.379 --> 00:14:06.659
 Okay, well,

00:14:06.699 --> 00:14:08.000
 you pray to the God

00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:08.779
 of fertility.

00:14:08.939 --> 00:14:09.839
 You're going to go off to war?

00:14:09.959 --> 00:14:11.219
 You honor the God of war,

00:14:11.299 --> 00:14:12.079
 et cetera, et cetera.

00:14:13.899 --> 00:14:14.979
 And so what would happen

00:14:14.979 --> 00:14:16.159
 is that the nation of Israel,

00:14:16.259 --> 00:14:16.959
 they were tempted

00:14:16.959 --> 00:14:17.939
 to do the same thing,

00:14:18.000 --> 00:14:19.879
 to take on this same worldview.

00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:21.219
 And so on Sunday

00:14:21.219 --> 00:14:22.159
 or Sabbath then,

00:14:22.219 --> 00:14:23.079
 I guess they go to the,

00:14:23.179 --> 00:14:23.740
 on Saturday,

00:14:23.899 --> 00:14:24.599
 they go to the Sabbath

00:14:24.599 --> 00:14:25.939
 and they bring their offerings

00:14:25.939 --> 00:14:26.579
 and they worship

00:14:26.579 --> 00:14:28.019
 and they praise God.

00:14:28.419 --> 00:14:29.740
 But then the rest of life,

00:14:29.740 --> 00:14:30.859
 they want to do other things.

00:14:30.959 --> 00:14:31.899
 They worship those gods.

00:14:31.899 --> 00:14:32.939
 If you're going off to war,

00:14:33.039 --> 00:14:34.299
 you praise the God of war.

00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:35.159
 You want to have a child,

00:14:35.259 --> 00:14:36.659
 you honor the God of fertility.

00:14:37.500 --> 00:14:38.919
 And so like the rest

00:14:38.919 --> 00:14:39.899
 of the nations around them,

00:14:40.019 --> 00:14:41.000
 Israel was tempted

00:14:41.000 --> 00:14:42.899
 to honor God supremely,

00:14:43.779 --> 00:14:44.259
 primarily,

00:14:44.459 --> 00:14:45.559
 but have these other gods

00:14:45.559 --> 00:14:46.220
 in their lives.

00:14:47.079 --> 00:14:48.459
 I recently read a story

00:14:48.459 --> 00:14:50.279
 of a pastor from Africa.

00:14:51.459 --> 00:14:53.860
 And I didn't know him,

00:14:54.019 --> 00:14:54.559
 good thing.

00:14:54.559 --> 00:14:59.000
 He was offering various body parts

00:14:59.000 --> 00:15:01.139
 of a young lady

00:15:01.139 --> 00:15:02.599
 that had died in his village.

00:15:02.719 --> 00:15:04.119
 And so he went to the cemetery

00:15:04.119 --> 00:15:05.639
 and he bought these body parts

00:15:05.639 --> 00:15:06.679
 and he would offer them

00:15:06.679 --> 00:15:07.479
 to the spirits

00:15:07.479 --> 00:15:08.819
 as a special offering

00:15:08.819 --> 00:15:11.719
 to drive out the evil spirits

00:15:11.719 --> 00:15:14.000
 and to try and secure blessing

00:15:14.000 --> 00:15:15.819
 and prosperity for his life.

00:15:16.199 --> 00:15:16.359
 Okay?

00:15:16.439 --> 00:15:17.159
 But he's a pastor.

00:15:17.939 --> 00:15:19.000
 And so someone challenged him

00:15:19.000 --> 00:15:19.339
 and said,

00:15:19.599 --> 00:15:19.839
 hang on,

00:15:19.899 --> 00:15:20.019
 hang on,

00:15:20.179 --> 00:15:21.220
 aren't you like meant

00:15:21.220 --> 00:15:22.139
 to be a man of God?

00:15:22.220 --> 00:15:23.779
 How can you do this

00:15:23.779 --> 00:15:25.299
 spirit worship

00:15:25.299 --> 00:15:26.139
 at the same time?

00:15:26.639 --> 00:15:27.279
 And he said,

00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:27.579
 yes,

00:15:27.620 --> 00:15:28.799
 I am a man of God.

00:15:28.899 --> 00:15:29.860
 I only do this

00:15:29.860 --> 00:15:31.419
 outside of church hours.

00:15:32.179 --> 00:15:32.340
 Okay?

00:15:33.579 --> 00:15:34.799
 And we laugh at that,

00:15:34.819 --> 00:15:34.919
 right?

00:15:34.939 --> 00:15:36.179
 When I read that as well,

00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:36.460
 I thought,

00:15:36.600 --> 00:15:37.360
 you've got to be kidding.

00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:38.220
 We laugh at that

00:15:38.220 --> 00:15:38.899
 and we think that is

00:15:38.899 --> 00:15:40.179
 so primitive, right?

00:15:40.179 --> 00:15:41.860
 That is so ancient, right?

00:15:41.960 --> 00:15:43.059
 You people from Africa,

00:15:43.240 --> 00:15:44.720
 you're so primitive, right?

00:15:45.240 --> 00:15:45.879
 But don't we do

00:15:45.879 --> 00:15:46.480
 the same thing

00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:48.600
 in our own kind of way?

00:15:49.259 --> 00:15:50.180
 We come on Sundays

00:15:50.180 --> 00:15:51.180
 and we worship God

00:15:51.180 --> 00:15:51.440
 and we sing,

00:15:51.560 --> 00:15:52.980
 God and God alone.

00:15:53.279 --> 00:15:53.860
 Yes, yes,

00:15:53.879 --> 00:15:54.820
 and we worship God

00:15:54.820 --> 00:15:55.580
 and we take communion.

00:15:56.080 --> 00:15:57.259
 But on Monday to Friday,

00:15:57.740 --> 00:15:58.779
 we go into our city

00:15:58.779 --> 00:16:00.259
 and we are tempted

00:16:00.259 --> 00:16:02.340
 to offer a special offering

00:16:02.340 --> 00:16:02.820
 as the word

00:16:02.820 --> 00:16:03.639
 to the various gods

00:16:03.639 --> 00:16:05.080
 and idols of our own world.

00:16:05.779 --> 00:16:06.300
 And so on Sunday,

00:16:06.379 --> 00:16:07.080
 we worship God

00:16:07.080 --> 00:16:07.759
 and we take communion.

00:16:07.759 --> 00:16:08.560
 But on Monday,

00:16:09.240 --> 00:16:09.759
 we sacrifice

00:16:10.360 --> 00:16:11.800
 on the altar of Korea

00:16:11.800 --> 00:16:12.759
 our families

00:16:12.759 --> 00:16:13.460
 and our marriages

00:16:13.460 --> 00:16:14.180
 and our children.

00:16:14.820 --> 00:16:15.980
 Or we sacrifice

00:16:15.980 --> 00:16:16.740
 our ethics

00:16:16.740 --> 00:16:17.500
 and our principles

00:16:17.500 --> 00:16:18.500
 on the altar

00:16:18.500 --> 00:16:19.720
 of financial security

00:16:19.720 --> 00:16:20.840
 and stability.

00:16:21.500 --> 00:16:23.639
 Or we sacrifice

00:16:23.639 --> 00:16:24.960
 on the altar

00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:26.879
 of people pleasing

00:16:26.879 --> 00:16:27.779
 our convictions

00:16:27.779 --> 00:16:29.639
 and our honoring of God.

00:16:30.419 --> 00:16:31.460
 And so in the same way,

00:16:31.519 --> 00:16:32.460
 we can do exactly

00:16:32.460 --> 00:16:33.840
 what Israel

00:16:33.840 --> 00:16:35.720
 and these other people

00:16:35.720 --> 00:16:36.059
 are doing.

00:16:36.200 --> 00:16:37.399
 But God is saying here

00:16:37.399 --> 00:16:38.779
 that when we do that,

00:16:39.299 --> 00:16:40.279
 when we limit God

00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:42.039
 to one facet of our life,

00:16:42.139 --> 00:16:44.100
 to say forgiveness of sin

00:16:44.100 --> 00:16:44.840
 or to Sundays

00:16:44.840 --> 00:16:46.420
 or to eternal life

00:16:46.420 --> 00:16:47.980
 or one facet of our lives,

00:16:48.360 --> 00:16:49.820
 actually we reduce God

00:16:49.820 --> 00:16:50.660
 into an idol

00:16:50.660 --> 00:16:52.220
 just like the other idols

00:16:52.220 --> 00:16:53.639
 of the nations around us

00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:55.759
 and the idols of our lives.

00:16:55.860 --> 00:16:56.759
 But look at what God

00:16:56.759 --> 00:16:57.680
 wants to say here.

00:16:58.660 --> 00:16:59.139
 He says,

00:16:59.240 --> 00:17:00.820
 the Lord our God,

00:17:01.280 --> 00:17:02.980
 the Lord is one.

00:17:03.940 --> 00:17:05.000
 And the Hebrew there

00:17:05.000 --> 00:17:05.640
 can be translated

00:17:05.640 --> 00:17:06.519
 in various ways.

00:17:06.600 --> 00:17:07.200
 If you have a Bible,

00:17:07.299 --> 00:17:07.940
 you'll see there are probably

00:17:07.940 --> 00:17:08.819
 notes at the bottom.

00:17:08.940 --> 00:17:09.920
 There's a couple of different ways

00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:10.600
 it can be translated.

00:17:10.599 --> 00:17:12.159
 But the big idea here

00:17:12.159 --> 00:17:13.500
 is the Lord,

00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:15.000
 Yahweh is His name,

00:17:15.459 --> 00:17:17.599
 He is the one true God.

00:17:18.339 --> 00:17:18.959
 He's not just

00:17:18.959 --> 00:17:19.959
 the God of Israel.

00:17:20.079 --> 00:17:20.480
 He's not just

00:17:20.480 --> 00:17:21.299
 the God of the Jews.

00:17:21.579 --> 00:17:22.139
 He's not just

00:17:22.139 --> 00:17:23.299
 the God of salvation

00:17:23.299 --> 00:17:24.219
 or atonement

00:17:24.219 --> 00:17:25.719
 or forgiveness of sins

00:17:25.719 --> 00:17:26.159
 or the God

00:17:26.159 --> 00:17:27.419
 who got you out of Egypt.

00:17:28.000 --> 00:17:29.559
 He is not just

00:17:29.559 --> 00:17:31.000
 the bombshell to God

00:17:31.000 --> 00:17:31.599
 that we kind of

00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:32.419
 keep on standby

00:17:32.419 --> 00:17:33.799
 and when things go badly

00:17:33.799 --> 00:17:34.599
 we kind of rush

00:17:34.599 --> 00:17:35.740
 and take refuge in Him.

00:17:36.179 --> 00:17:37.599
 He is the one true,

00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:40.679
 true, eternally sovereign

00:17:40.679 --> 00:17:42.919
 Lord of all creation

00:17:42.919 --> 00:17:44.500
 of all universes.

00:17:44.500 --> 00:17:46.019
 If there are multiple universes,

00:17:46.219 --> 00:17:46.699
 that's okay.

00:17:46.799 --> 00:17:47.980
 He's Lord of all of them

00:17:47.980 --> 00:17:48.759
 as well.

00:17:49.219 --> 00:17:50.039
 He's the God

00:17:50.039 --> 00:17:53.079
 of every dimension of life

00:17:53.079 --> 00:17:55.759
 because He is the one true,

00:17:55.879 --> 00:17:59.539
 uncreated, eternally glorious,

00:17:59.980 --> 00:18:00.679
 sovereign God.

00:18:01.000 --> 00:18:01.779
 He's the God

00:18:01.779 --> 00:18:04.339
 of every facet of life,

00:18:04.359 --> 00:18:05.379
 of all peoples,

00:18:05.500 --> 00:18:06.459
 of all cultures,

00:18:06.460 --> 00:18:07.240
 of all countries

00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:08.200
 and circumstances.

00:18:08.779 --> 00:18:09.279
 He's the God

00:18:09.279 --> 00:18:10.680
 of all of life

00:18:10.680 --> 00:18:12.180
 and all of our lives

00:18:12.180 --> 00:18:12.940
 and therefore

00:18:12.940 --> 00:18:14.680
 the God of every facet

00:18:14.680 --> 00:18:17.140
 and part of our lives.

00:18:17.740 --> 00:18:18.579
 He's not just the God

00:18:18.579 --> 00:18:20.220
 we run to for salvation.

00:18:20.680 --> 00:18:21.319
 He's the God

00:18:21.319 --> 00:18:21.920
 who's Lord

00:18:21.920 --> 00:18:23.059
 over Sundays,

00:18:23.420 --> 00:18:24.039
 service,

00:18:24.299 --> 00:18:25.180
 but He's also the God

00:18:25.180 --> 00:18:25.640
 who's Lord

00:18:25.640 --> 00:18:26.960
 over the Thursday afternoon

00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:27.680
 board meeting.

00:18:28.340 --> 00:18:29.180
 He's God

00:18:29.180 --> 00:18:30.120
 of the prayer meeting

00:18:30.120 --> 00:18:30.960
 on a Thursday night,

00:18:31.120 --> 00:18:32.240
 but He's also God

00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:33.279
 of your staff meeting

00:18:33.279 --> 00:18:34.100
 on a Monday morning.

00:18:34.900 --> 00:18:35.680
 He is Lord

00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:36.960
 over creation

00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:37.580
 and cosmos,

00:18:37.840 --> 00:18:38.660
 but He's also Lord

00:18:38.660 --> 00:18:39.620
 of our finances

00:18:39.620 --> 00:18:40.539
 and our sexuality

00:18:40.539 --> 00:18:42.200
 and our relationships

00:18:42.200 --> 00:18:43.340
 and our relationships

00:18:43.340 --> 00:18:44.200
 with our parents.

00:18:44.840 --> 00:18:45.340
 He's the God

00:18:45.340 --> 00:18:46.120
 of our longings

00:18:46.120 --> 00:18:46.779
 and our fears

00:18:46.779 --> 00:18:47.720
 and our anxieties

00:18:47.720 --> 00:18:48.700
 and our worries.

00:18:49.779 --> 00:18:50.580
 The Lord,

00:18:50.680 --> 00:18:51.400
 your God,

00:18:51.779 --> 00:18:53.380
 the Lord is one.

00:18:54.080 --> 00:18:56.220
 God over every facet

00:18:56.220 --> 00:18:57.560
 of life

00:18:57.560 --> 00:18:58.860
 and therefore,

00:18:59.060 --> 00:18:59.700
 He calls us

00:18:59.700 --> 00:19:01.759
 for this undivided love

00:19:01.759 --> 00:19:02.480
 and affection,

00:19:03.039 --> 00:19:04.660
 this undivided devotion

00:19:04.660 --> 00:19:05.579
 and loyalty,

00:19:05.920 --> 00:19:06.579
 this worship

00:19:06.579 --> 00:19:07.779
 and this trust.

00:19:08.839 --> 00:19:09.759
 Hear, O Israel.

00:19:09.879 --> 00:19:10.859
 Hear, people of God.

00:19:11.160 --> 00:19:12.240
 The Lord, our God,

00:19:13.079 --> 00:19:13.480
 Yahweh,

00:19:13.559 --> 00:19:14.579
 the God of the Bible,

00:19:15.379 --> 00:19:17.180
 is the one true God.

00:19:18.140 --> 00:19:18.460
 Therefore,

00:19:18.619 --> 00:19:18.980
 love Him

00:19:18.980 --> 00:19:19.779
 with your heart,

00:19:19.879 --> 00:19:20.319
 your soul,

00:19:20.440 --> 00:19:20.900
 your mind,

00:19:20.980 --> 00:19:21.400
 your strength,

00:19:21.440 --> 00:19:22.660
 with every facet

00:19:22.660 --> 00:19:24.220
 of our lives.

00:19:25.619 --> 00:19:26.640
 In some senses,

00:19:26.759 --> 00:19:27.859
 as Israel

00:19:27.859 --> 00:19:29.079
 stands on the verge

00:19:29.079 --> 00:19:29.799
 of going into

00:19:29.799 --> 00:19:31.000
 this new season

00:19:31.000 --> 00:19:32.279
 in the nation,

00:19:32.419 --> 00:19:33.359
 the life of Israel,

00:19:34.019 --> 00:19:34.740
 God is actually

00:19:34.740 --> 00:19:35.419
 not doing anything

00:19:35.419 --> 00:19:36.199
 very new

00:19:36.199 --> 00:19:36.960
 and original.

00:19:37.839 --> 00:19:38.240
 Sometimes,

00:19:38.399 --> 00:19:38.799
 Claire and I

00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:40.000
 laugh to one another

00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:40.480
 because,

00:19:40.699 --> 00:19:41.240
 I don't know if you

00:19:41.240 --> 00:19:41.919
 ever hear this,

00:19:41.980 --> 00:19:42.960
 but we often hear

00:19:42.960 --> 00:19:43.500
 people saying,

00:19:43.939 --> 00:19:44.119
 you know,

00:19:44.199 --> 00:19:44.480
 God,

00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:45.859
 He's doing a new thing

00:19:45.859 --> 00:19:46.399
 in the world.

00:19:46.859 --> 00:19:47.500
 I really just sense

00:19:47.500 --> 00:19:48.339
 God's doing something

00:19:48.339 --> 00:19:49.339
 new in the world.

00:19:49.899 --> 00:19:50.619
 And we often laugh

00:19:50.619 --> 00:19:50.899
 and say,

00:19:51.019 --> 00:19:51.199
 no,

00:19:51.259 --> 00:19:51.859
 He's not really.

00:19:51.919 --> 00:19:52.539
 He's actually doing

00:19:52.539 --> 00:19:53.119
 the same thing

00:19:53.119 --> 00:19:53.579
 He's been doing

00:19:53.579 --> 00:19:54.679
 for millennia.

00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:55.439
 God,

00:19:55.539 --> 00:19:56.119
 by His grace,

00:19:56.199 --> 00:19:57.079
 is saving sinners

00:19:57.079 --> 00:19:57.779
 and redeeming

00:19:57.779 --> 00:19:58.339
 and rescuing

00:19:58.339 --> 00:19:59.059
 those who need Him.

00:19:59.319 --> 00:19:59.839
 And He's calling

00:19:59.839 --> 00:20:00.519
 all people

00:20:00.519 --> 00:20:01.519
 to love Him

00:20:01.519 --> 00:20:02.319
 with all their heart,

00:20:02.419 --> 00:20:02.619
 soul,

00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:03.259
 mind,

00:20:03.299 --> 00:20:03.539
 and strength.

00:20:03.639 --> 00:20:03.799
 God,

00:20:03.899 --> 00:20:04.699
 He's not really

00:20:04.699 --> 00:20:05.679
 doing all that much

00:20:05.679 --> 00:20:06.139
 new.

00:20:06.220 --> 00:20:06.879
 He's doing the same

00:20:06.879 --> 00:20:08.579
 thing He's always done.

00:20:10.099 --> 00:20:10.460
 Here,

00:20:10.619 --> 00:20:10.839
 oh,

00:20:11.379 --> 00:20:12.119
 watermark,

00:20:13.259 --> 00:20:14.980
 as the restrictions

00:20:14.980 --> 00:20:15.399
 lift,

00:20:15.460 --> 00:20:16.039
 as we go back

00:20:16.039 --> 00:20:16.599
 to school

00:20:16.599 --> 00:20:17.359
 and university,

00:20:17.579 --> 00:20:18.159
 as life,

00:20:18.439 --> 00:20:18.939
 we go into

00:20:18.939 --> 00:20:19.779
 this new season,

00:20:20.439 --> 00:20:21.119
 what does God

00:20:21.119 --> 00:20:22.000
 want to say to us?

00:20:22.559 --> 00:20:23.179
 Listen up.

00:20:23.859 --> 00:20:24.519
 I've got something

00:20:24.519 --> 00:20:25.000
 to say.

00:20:25.799 --> 00:20:26.899
 I am the one

00:20:26.899 --> 00:20:27.259
 true God.

00:20:27.419 --> 00:20:28.119
 Love me with

00:20:28.119 --> 00:20:29.459
 every facet

00:20:29.459 --> 00:20:30.619
 and dimension

00:20:30.619 --> 00:20:31.599
 of your life.

00:20:32.399 --> 00:20:32.719
 Now,

00:20:32.879 --> 00:20:34.119
 what does this

00:20:34.119 --> 00:20:34.939
 actually mean?

00:20:35.000 --> 00:20:35.279
 What are the

00:20:35.279 --> 00:20:36.339
 implications of this?

00:20:36.399 --> 00:20:37.059
 Why is this

00:20:37.059 --> 00:20:37.919
 necessary and

00:20:37.919 --> 00:20:38.759
 important for us?

00:20:38.839 --> 00:20:38.979
 Well,

00:20:39.199 --> 00:20:40.459
 let's look at this

00:20:40.459 --> 00:20:40.779
 passage,

00:20:40.939 --> 00:20:41.559
 and it's going to give us

00:20:41.559 --> 00:20:42.819
 four things briefly

00:20:42.819 --> 00:20:44.579
 why this is important

00:20:44.579 --> 00:20:44.879
 for us.

00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:45.379
 Look,

00:20:45.459 --> 00:20:45.719
 firstly,

00:20:46.159 --> 00:20:47.179
 the reason why this is

00:20:47.179 --> 00:20:48.179
 important is for our

00:20:48.179 --> 00:20:48.839
 own good.

00:20:49.299 --> 00:20:50.559
 For our own good.

00:20:50.939 --> 00:20:51.859
 Look at verse

00:20:51.859 --> 00:20:52.699
 three with me.

00:20:52.700 --> 00:20:54.580
 It wasn't read to us,

00:20:54.620 --> 00:20:55.039
 but it's in the

00:20:55.039 --> 00:20:55.480
 bulletin.

00:20:56.799 --> 00:20:57.440
 God says,

00:20:57.759 --> 00:20:58.059
 listen up,

00:20:58.120 --> 00:20:58.900
 hear my commands,

00:20:58.960 --> 00:20:59.460
 and make sure you

00:20:59.460 --> 00:20:59.900
 obey them,

00:20:59.980 --> 00:21:00.160
 you,

00:21:00.299 --> 00:21:00.740
 your children,

00:21:00.840 --> 00:21:01.120
 and your

00:21:01.120 --> 00:21:01.640
 grandchildren,

00:21:02.019 --> 00:21:02.519
 verse three,

00:21:02.980 --> 00:21:04.299
 that your days

00:21:04.299 --> 00:21:05.400
 may be long,

00:21:05.799 --> 00:21:06.740
 that it may go

00:21:06.740 --> 00:21:07.640
 well with you,

00:21:07.880 --> 00:21:08.740
 that you may

00:21:08.740 --> 00:21:10.039
 multiply greatly

00:21:10.039 --> 00:21:11.480
 in the land

00:21:11.480 --> 00:21:12.000
 that the Lord

00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:12.660
 your God,

00:21:13.019 --> 00:21:13.980
 the God of your

00:21:13.980 --> 00:21:14.319
 fathers,

00:21:14.380 --> 00:21:15.059
 has promised you,

00:21:15.120 --> 00:21:15.779
 the land flowing

00:21:15.779 --> 00:21:16.700
 with milk and honey.

00:21:17.380 --> 00:21:17.960
 God actually says

00:21:17.960 --> 00:21:18.480
 the same thing

00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:19.480
 in verse 24.

00:21:19.620 --> 00:21:19.740
 He says,

00:21:19.740 --> 00:21:30.680
 In other words,

00:21:30.940 --> 00:21:31.980
 why does God

00:21:31.980 --> 00:21:33.279
 command us

00:21:33.279 --> 00:21:34.819
 to love Him

00:21:34.819 --> 00:21:35.759
 and treasure Him

00:21:35.759 --> 00:21:37.200
 with all that we have?

00:21:38.079 --> 00:21:39.279
 To trust Him

00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:40.339
 above all things.

00:21:41.259 --> 00:21:41.660
 Well,

00:21:41.779 --> 00:21:42.779
 one of the reasons

00:21:42.779 --> 00:21:44.700
 it is God's love

00:21:44.700 --> 00:21:46.599
 that commands us

00:21:46.599 --> 00:21:47.359
 to love Him.

00:21:47.779 --> 00:21:49.200
 It's not His harshness,

00:21:49.200 --> 00:21:50.960
 it's not His severity,

00:21:51.819 --> 00:21:52.539
 it's certainly not

00:21:52.539 --> 00:21:53.580
 God's insecurity

00:21:53.580 --> 00:21:54.380
 because, you know,

00:21:54.400 --> 00:21:55.360
 He needs some love

00:21:55.360 --> 00:21:56.059
 and affirmation,

00:21:56.220 --> 00:21:57.500
 and if we don't love Him,

00:21:57.519 --> 00:21:58.420
 who's going to love Him?

00:21:58.580 --> 00:21:59.580
 So He commands us

00:21:59.580 --> 00:22:00.120
 to love Him.

00:22:00.539 --> 00:22:01.620
 It's not His insecurity

00:22:01.620 --> 00:22:02.360
 or His need

00:22:02.360 --> 00:22:03.140
 for affirmation,

00:22:03.539 --> 00:22:04.740
 it's because of

00:22:04.740 --> 00:22:05.799
 our best interest,

00:22:05.860 --> 00:22:07.100
 for our own sake.

00:22:07.940 --> 00:22:08.440
 God,

00:22:08.539 --> 00:22:09.680
 in His love,

00:22:09.779 --> 00:22:10.920
 because He's designed

00:22:10.920 --> 00:22:11.420
 the world

00:22:11.420 --> 00:22:12.500
 and designed humanity

00:22:12.500 --> 00:22:14.220
 to flourish

00:22:14.220 --> 00:22:15.600
 and to be blessed

00:22:15.600 --> 00:22:17.220
 as we obey Him,

00:22:17.220 --> 00:22:18.600
 God calls us

00:22:18.600 --> 00:22:20.100
 for our own good

00:22:20.100 --> 00:22:22.799
 because God calls us

00:22:22.799 --> 00:22:23.680
 to be fully human.

00:22:25.140 --> 00:22:26.539
 There's a pastor

00:22:26.539 --> 00:22:27.620
 by the name of N.T. Wright.

00:22:27.720 --> 00:22:28.559
 I'm sure you've heard of him.

00:22:28.620 --> 00:22:29.380
 He's a very famous

00:22:29.380 --> 00:22:30.440
 British pastor.

00:22:30.660 --> 00:22:31.720
 He's still alive

00:22:31.720 --> 00:22:32.920
 and he writes this.

00:22:32.980 --> 00:22:33.680
 Listen to what he says.

00:22:33.759 --> 00:22:34.120
 He says,

00:22:34.119 --> 00:22:35.619
 what on earth

00:22:35.619 --> 00:22:36.639
 are we here for anyway?

00:22:37.279 --> 00:22:37.539
 I mean,

00:22:37.579 --> 00:22:38.479
 why are we here

00:22:38.479 --> 00:22:39.559
 as human beings?

00:22:40.419 --> 00:22:41.739
 The fundamental answer

00:22:41.739 --> 00:22:43.759
 is that what we are here for

00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:46.459
 is to become genuine human beings,

00:22:46.699 --> 00:22:47.979
 reflecting the God

00:22:47.979 --> 00:22:49.199
 and whose image we made,

00:22:49.659 --> 00:22:51.199
 and we're doing so

00:22:51.199 --> 00:22:52.019
 on the one hand

00:22:52.019 --> 00:22:52.759
 by worship

00:22:52.759 --> 00:22:54.459
 and on the other hand

00:22:54.459 --> 00:22:55.359
 through mission.

00:22:55.759 --> 00:22:56.379
 We do this,

00:22:56.459 --> 00:22:57.099
 not least of all,

00:22:57.139 --> 00:22:58.259
 by following Jesus.

00:22:59.279 --> 00:23:00.239
 And N.T. Wright goes on

00:23:00.239 --> 00:23:00.779
 and he says,

00:23:01.099 --> 00:23:01.720
 the way that this

00:23:01.720 --> 00:23:02.559
 actually works out

00:23:02.559 --> 00:23:04.099
 is not just by blindly

00:23:04.099 --> 00:23:05.000
 following the rules.

00:23:05.420 --> 00:23:06.859
 You don't become fully human

00:23:06.859 --> 00:23:08.559
 by just doing what God says

00:23:08.559 --> 00:23:09.200
 because that's what

00:23:09.200 --> 00:23:10.200
 the pastor tells me.

00:23:10.660 --> 00:23:11.039
 Actually,

00:23:11.139 --> 00:23:12.779
 as we give our lives to God

00:23:12.779 --> 00:23:13.059
 and say,

00:23:13.220 --> 00:23:13.440
 God,

00:23:13.519 --> 00:23:14.819
 I'm going to trust you.

00:23:15.139 --> 00:23:16.139
 With this area of my life

00:23:16.139 --> 00:23:16.859
 that's so hard,

00:23:17.119 --> 00:23:18.139
 I'm going to trust you.

00:23:18.420 --> 00:23:19.359
 What happens is that

00:23:19.359 --> 00:23:21.039
 God actually starts to change us

00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:21.980
 and transform us

00:23:21.980 --> 00:23:22.700
 from the inside

00:23:22.700 --> 00:23:24.339
 so that our hearts

00:23:24.339 --> 00:23:25.279
 correspond with

00:23:25.279 --> 00:23:26.379
 what is really true.

00:23:26.819 --> 00:23:28.059
 So that what happens

00:23:28.059 --> 00:23:29.879
 is you do start to

00:23:29.880 --> 00:23:31.360
 follow your own heart

00:23:31.360 --> 00:23:32.340
 or become authentic,

00:23:32.620 --> 00:23:32.780
 right?

00:23:32.800 --> 00:23:33.900
 We all want to become authentic

00:23:33.900 --> 00:23:35.060
 in this day and age.

00:23:35.640 --> 00:23:37.180
 So you can actually become

00:23:37.180 --> 00:23:38.220
 your authentic self.

00:23:38.340 --> 00:23:39.660
 You can follow your heart.

00:23:39.940 --> 00:23:41.300
 But at the same time,

00:23:41.340 --> 00:23:42.200
 you will also

00:23:42.200 --> 00:23:43.820
 do what God commands

00:23:43.820 --> 00:23:45.600
 because God's commands

00:23:45.600 --> 00:23:46.740
 are written on our hearts.

00:23:47.340 --> 00:23:48.080
 You see what he's saying?

00:23:48.580 --> 00:23:49.000
 He's saying,

00:23:49.100 --> 00:23:50.280
 God doesn't just call us

00:23:50.280 --> 00:23:52.220
 to just be your authentic self,

00:23:52.360 --> 00:23:53.300
 whatever your version

00:23:53.300 --> 00:23:54.020
 of truth is.

00:23:54.480 --> 00:23:54.860
 No, no, actually,

00:23:54.860 --> 00:23:55.940
 there is a thing

00:23:55.940 --> 00:23:56.580
 called truth.

00:23:57.360 --> 00:23:58.560
 But as you follow Him,

00:23:58.559 --> 00:23:59.919
 your truth,

00:24:00.179 --> 00:24:01.139
 whatever that is,

00:24:01.399 --> 00:24:02.039
 will correspond

00:24:02.039 --> 00:24:03.679
 with what is actually true

00:24:03.679 --> 00:24:05.099
 and you will be

00:24:05.099 --> 00:24:06.559
 your most authentic self

00:24:06.559 --> 00:24:08.700
 as you follow Him

00:24:08.700 --> 00:24:09.799
 and you will do

00:24:09.799 --> 00:24:10.659
 what God commands

00:24:10.659 --> 00:24:12.019
 because your life

00:24:12.019 --> 00:24:12.700
 will align

00:24:12.700 --> 00:24:14.579
 with what is ultimate reality.

00:24:16.059 --> 00:24:17.319
 What are we actually here for?

00:24:17.859 --> 00:24:18.700
 We're here to become

00:24:18.700 --> 00:24:20.179
 genuine human beings.

00:24:20.279 --> 00:24:21.200
 And how do we do that?

00:24:21.679 --> 00:24:22.139
 By saying,

00:24:22.220 --> 00:24:22.500
 Christ,

00:24:22.579 --> 00:24:23.200
 have your way

00:24:23.200 --> 00:24:24.039
 in my life.

00:24:24.039 --> 00:24:26.720
 But not only that,

00:24:27.319 --> 00:24:28.720
 not only for our own sake,

00:24:28.879 --> 00:24:30.019
 but also for the sake

00:24:30.019 --> 00:24:31.119
 of the next generation.

00:24:32.079 --> 00:24:34.519
 Look at verse 6 to 9 with me.

00:24:34.599 --> 00:24:35.920
 Look at what Moses writes here.

00:24:35.980 --> 00:24:36.180
 He says,

00:24:36.659 --> 00:24:38.839
 These words that I command you

00:24:38.839 --> 00:24:40.319
 shall be on your heart.

00:24:40.839 --> 00:24:42.159
 You shall teach them diligently

00:24:42.159 --> 00:24:43.119
 to your children.

00:24:43.480 --> 00:24:44.359
 You shall talk about them

00:24:44.359 --> 00:24:45.259
 when you sit in your house

00:24:45.259 --> 00:24:46.339
 and when you walk by the way,

00:24:46.599 --> 00:24:47.519
 when you lie down

00:24:47.519 --> 00:24:48.539
 and when you rise.

00:24:48.539 --> 00:24:49.720
 You shall write them

00:24:49.720 --> 00:24:51.259
 on the doorposts of your house

00:24:51.259 --> 00:24:53.079
 and on your gates.

00:24:54.819 --> 00:24:56.920
 D.A. Carson very famously said,

00:24:57.019 --> 00:24:57.799
 if you've been to Watermark,

00:24:57.859 --> 00:24:58.859
 you've probably heard this quote.

00:24:58.960 --> 00:24:59.220
 He says,

00:24:59.319 --> 00:25:00.680
 One generation loves

00:25:00.680 --> 00:25:01.879
 and treasures the gospel.

00:25:02.700 --> 00:25:03.960
 The next generation

00:25:03.960 --> 00:25:05.359
 just assumes the gospel.

00:25:06.299 --> 00:25:07.379
 And the third generation

00:25:07.379 --> 00:25:08.559
 denies the gospel.

00:25:11.000 --> 00:25:12.859
 Most of us who are parents

00:25:12.859 --> 00:25:15.140
 know that it doesn't matter

00:25:15.140 --> 00:25:16.579
 what you tell your kids

00:25:16.579 --> 00:25:17.740
 is most important.

00:25:18.740 --> 00:25:20.640
 Our kids are going to grow up

00:25:20.640 --> 00:25:21.680
 to love and treasure

00:25:21.680 --> 00:25:22.660
 what is actually

00:25:22.660 --> 00:25:23.840
 most important to us.

00:25:24.060 --> 00:25:24.200
 Okay?

00:25:24.560 --> 00:25:25.220
 So, men,

00:25:25.660 --> 00:25:26.860
 those of us that are fathers here,

00:25:27.960 --> 00:25:29.460
 you can tell your kids

00:25:29.460 --> 00:25:30.759
 as much as you want

00:25:30.759 --> 00:25:32.480
 to honor their mother,

00:25:32.620 --> 00:25:33.440
 your wife, right?

00:25:34.259 --> 00:25:35.840
 But if our kids see us

00:25:35.840 --> 00:25:37.920
 actually treasuring other things,

00:25:38.080 --> 00:25:39.560
 work or video games

00:25:39.560 --> 00:25:40.180
 or ourselves,

00:25:40.520 --> 00:25:41.620
 more than our wives,

00:25:42.340 --> 00:25:43.560
 you can tell them

00:25:43.560 --> 00:25:44.280
 as much as you want

00:25:44.280 --> 00:25:45.700
 our kids are not going to grow up

00:25:45.700 --> 00:25:46.840
 to honor and treasure

00:25:46.840 --> 00:25:47.759
 their mother, right?

00:25:48.120 --> 00:25:48.360
 Why?

00:25:48.359 --> 00:25:49.559
 Because our kids don't do

00:25:49.559 --> 00:25:50.759
 what we tell them to do.

00:25:51.039 --> 00:25:52.259
 They do what they actually

00:25:52.259 --> 00:25:53.000
 see us doing.

00:25:53.659 --> 00:25:54.799
 Our kids are going to value

00:25:54.799 --> 00:25:56.359
 what's most important to us,

00:25:56.419 --> 00:25:57.439
 not what we tell them

00:25:57.439 --> 00:25:59.279
 is most important to us, right?

00:26:00.000 --> 00:26:01.439
 I remember our youngest daughter,

00:26:01.559 --> 00:26:01.899
 Shiloh,

00:26:01.979 --> 00:26:03.759
 when she went to kindergarten first,

00:26:04.099 --> 00:26:05.019
 okay, here in Hong Kong.

00:26:05.299 --> 00:26:06.399
 She's three years old

00:26:06.399 --> 00:26:07.619
 and there's this boy

00:26:07.619 --> 00:26:08.299
 in her class.

00:26:08.519 --> 00:26:09.000
 We met him

00:26:09.000 --> 00:26:10.859
 and all he could talk about

00:26:10.859 --> 00:26:12.399
 was Liverpool.

00:26:12.779 --> 00:26:13.459
 Okay, I know

00:26:13.459 --> 00:26:15.039
 things are bad around here.

00:26:15.459 --> 00:26:16.079
 The state of affairs

00:26:16.079 --> 00:26:16.679
 are really bad.

00:26:16.680 --> 00:26:17.640
 All he could talk about

00:26:17.640 --> 00:26:19.180
 was Liverpool Football Club.

00:26:19.840 --> 00:26:20.320
 And I was like,

00:26:20.360 --> 00:26:21.720
 he's three years old, right?

00:26:22.220 --> 00:26:22.600
 Well, anyway,

00:26:22.680 --> 00:26:23.720
 he followed Shiloh

00:26:23.720 --> 00:26:24.880
 and went from the same kindergarten

00:26:24.880 --> 00:26:25.820
 to the same school.

00:26:26.320 --> 00:26:26.580
 And so,

00:26:27.259 --> 00:26:28.160
 even this year,

00:26:28.240 --> 00:26:28.840
 when I see him

00:26:28.840 --> 00:26:29.600
 on the way to school,

00:26:29.680 --> 00:26:29.779
 say,

00:26:29.860 --> 00:26:30.380
 hey, Lucas,

00:26:30.420 --> 00:26:30.940
 how are you?

00:26:31.340 --> 00:26:32.920
 And what is he talking about?

00:26:33.900 --> 00:26:34.600
 Football, right?

00:26:34.660 --> 00:26:35.480
 The Premier League

00:26:35.480 --> 00:26:36.500
 and which managers

00:26:36.500 --> 00:26:37.620
 have just been fired

00:26:37.620 --> 00:26:38.980
 and which ones are coming in.

00:26:39.480 --> 00:26:40.340
 And he's just talking

00:26:40.340 --> 00:26:41.080
 all about football.

00:26:41.880 --> 00:26:43.160
 And when I met his dad,

00:26:43.660 --> 00:26:44.299
 what do you think

00:26:44.299 --> 00:26:45.320
 his dad spoke about?

00:26:45.319 --> 00:26:46.980
 Football, right?

00:26:47.079 --> 00:26:47.379
 Football.

00:26:47.460 --> 00:26:48.859
 That's all they could talk about.

00:26:49.359 --> 00:26:50.700
 Now, I tried to convert them

00:26:50.700 --> 00:26:52.019
 to a proper football club,

00:26:52.259 --> 00:26:52.980
 but anyway,

00:26:53.059 --> 00:26:54.139
 we're still working on that.

00:26:54.599 --> 00:26:55.879
 But why?

00:26:56.799 --> 00:26:57.259
 Parents,

00:26:57.419 --> 00:26:58.859
 because our kids

00:26:58.859 --> 00:27:00.000
 treasure what we treasure.

00:27:00.079 --> 00:27:01.139
 Our kids love

00:27:01.139 --> 00:27:01.899
 what we love.

00:27:03.059 --> 00:27:03.379
 Friends,

00:27:03.419 --> 00:27:04.759
 if we want our children

00:27:04.759 --> 00:27:05.539
 and our kids

00:27:05.539 --> 00:27:07.539
 to love the Lord Jesus Christ

00:27:07.539 --> 00:27:08.419
 and to trust Him

00:27:08.419 --> 00:27:09.279
 and to treasure Him

00:27:09.279 --> 00:27:09.960
 above all things,

00:27:10.179 --> 00:27:11.240
 in this world

00:27:11.240 --> 00:27:12.579
 of confusion and chaos

00:27:12.579 --> 00:27:13.939
 when there's so much

00:27:13.939 --> 00:27:14.500
 that's unknown,

00:27:14.939 --> 00:27:16.480
 if we want to give our kids

00:27:16.480 --> 00:27:18.359
 rock-solid identity

00:27:18.359 --> 00:27:20.559
 that they can stand firm

00:27:20.559 --> 00:27:22.199
 in a world of sinking sand

00:27:22.199 --> 00:27:22.919
 and confusion,

00:27:23.480 --> 00:27:25.000
 we can't just drop our kids

00:27:25.000 --> 00:27:25.939
 at church on Sunday

00:27:25.939 --> 00:27:27.379
 or pray a quick prayer

00:27:27.379 --> 00:27:28.480
 before they go to bed.

00:27:29.159 --> 00:27:30.259
 We need to make sure

00:27:30.259 --> 00:27:31.179
 that we are loving

00:27:31.179 --> 00:27:31.960
 and treasuring

00:27:31.960 --> 00:27:32.879
 and delighting

00:27:32.879 --> 00:27:34.799
 and trusting

00:27:34.799 --> 00:27:35.799
 in the Lord Jesus Christ

00:27:35.799 --> 00:27:36.679
 above all things,

00:27:36.720 --> 00:27:37.559
 that we love Him

00:27:37.559 --> 00:27:38.819
 heart, soul, mind,

00:27:38.819 --> 00:27:39.419
 and strength,

00:27:40.019 --> 00:27:41.460
 that He is the most important

00:27:41.460 --> 00:27:42.960
 one in every facet

00:27:42.960 --> 00:27:45.000
 and area of our lives

00:27:45.000 --> 00:27:46.500
 so that what is glorious

00:27:46.500 --> 00:27:47.299
 and wonderful

00:27:47.299 --> 00:27:47.939
 and beautiful

00:27:47.939 --> 00:27:49.319
 about Christ to us

00:27:49.319 --> 00:27:50.659
 becomes wonderful

00:27:50.659 --> 00:27:51.200
 and glorious

00:27:51.200 --> 00:27:52.939
 and beautiful to them.

00:27:53.819 --> 00:27:54.179
 Now,

00:27:54.559 --> 00:27:55.339
 you may be here

00:27:55.339 --> 00:27:56.059
 and you may say,

00:27:56.319 --> 00:27:57.279
 okay, but I'm single

00:27:57.279 --> 00:27:58.859
 or I'm not married

00:27:58.859 --> 00:27:59.700
 or maybe you are married

00:27:59.700 --> 00:28:00.579
 but you don't have kids.

00:28:00.700 --> 00:28:01.399
 I don't, you know,

00:28:01.480 --> 00:28:02.299
 the next generation,

00:28:02.460 --> 00:28:03.579
 that's someone else's business.

00:28:04.519 --> 00:28:05.279
 Okay, but what about

00:28:05.279 --> 00:28:06.159
 the next generation

00:28:06.159 --> 00:28:06.720
 in Hong Kong?

00:28:07.599 --> 00:28:08.659
 What about the next generation

00:28:08.660 --> 00:28:09.519
 in our church?

00:28:10.240 --> 00:28:10.940
 Maybe you don't have

00:28:10.940 --> 00:28:11.880
 biological kids

00:28:11.880 --> 00:28:12.759
 but friends,

00:28:12.860 --> 00:28:13.860
 our city,

00:28:14.360 --> 00:28:15.160
 the next generation

00:28:15.160 --> 00:28:17.660
 is awash with despair

00:28:17.660 --> 00:28:18.820
 and hopelessness

00:28:18.820 --> 00:28:21.900
 and there's a call on us

00:28:21.900 --> 00:28:22.620
 even if you don't have

00:28:22.620 --> 00:28:23.640
 biological kids

00:28:23.640 --> 00:28:25.279
 to stand

00:28:25.279 --> 00:28:26.900
 and to give the next generation

00:28:26.900 --> 00:28:27.500
 hope

00:28:27.500 --> 00:28:28.500
 in the midst of all

00:28:28.500 --> 00:28:29.240
 the hopelessness

00:28:29.240 --> 00:28:30.340
 in the midst of the despair

00:28:30.340 --> 00:28:31.100
 to say,

00:28:31.400 --> 00:28:32.240
 there is a God

00:28:32.240 --> 00:28:33.300
 and He's real

00:28:33.300 --> 00:28:34.300
 and you can trust Him

00:28:34.300 --> 00:28:35.700
 and you can bank

00:28:35.700 --> 00:28:36.560
 your life on Him

00:28:36.560 --> 00:28:37.580
 and friends,

00:28:37.579 --> 00:28:38.419
 our church

00:28:38.419 --> 00:28:39.679
 is a young church.

00:28:40.079 --> 00:28:41.039
 I know a lot of the students

00:28:41.039 --> 00:28:41.839
 are away now,

00:28:41.939 --> 00:28:43.339
 they've all gone back home

00:28:43.339 --> 00:28:44.279
 but our church

00:28:44.279 --> 00:28:45.220
 is a young church

00:28:45.220 --> 00:28:46.119
 and this church

00:28:46.119 --> 00:28:48.199
 needs men and women

00:28:48.199 --> 00:28:49.379
 that are older,

00:28:49.539 --> 00:28:50.500
 that have walked the life

00:28:50.500 --> 00:28:51.319
 to show us

00:28:51.319 --> 00:28:52.220
 what it looks like

00:28:52.220 --> 00:28:53.819
 to love and trust

00:28:53.819 --> 00:28:54.859
 and honor Christ

00:28:54.859 --> 00:28:56.399
 in every area of our life

00:28:56.399 --> 00:28:57.460
 when you're 40

00:28:57.460 --> 00:28:58.319
 and you're 50

00:28:58.319 --> 00:28:59.179
 and you're 60

00:28:59.179 --> 00:29:00.000
 and you're 70.

00:29:00.980 --> 00:29:02.539
 If you are 50 plus

00:29:02.539 --> 00:29:03.460
 here this morning,

00:29:03.960 --> 00:29:04.579
 maybe your kids

00:29:04.579 --> 00:29:05.159
 have grown up

00:29:05.160 --> 00:29:06.140
 and are no longer at home,

00:29:06.380 --> 00:29:07.660
 this church needs you

00:29:07.660 --> 00:29:09.420
 because we need to know

00:29:09.420 --> 00:29:10.860
 and see what does it look like

00:29:10.860 --> 00:29:13.720
 to still trust Christ supremely

00:29:13.720 --> 00:29:15.120
 when you're in your 50s

00:29:15.120 --> 00:29:16.380
 and can I just say

00:29:16.380 --> 00:29:17.519
 if you're in your 40s,

00:29:17.540 --> 00:29:18.420
 I know your 40s

00:29:18.420 --> 00:29:19.740
 are probably a crunch period

00:29:19.740 --> 00:29:20.200
 of life,

00:29:20.560 --> 00:29:20.680
 you know,

00:29:20.740 --> 00:29:21.100
 kids,

00:29:21.320 --> 00:29:22.140
 it's full on

00:29:22.140 --> 00:29:23.620
 and work is full on,

00:29:24.120 --> 00:29:25.220
 I'm going to get there soon,

00:29:25.279 --> 00:29:25.940
 I'm almost there,

00:29:26.980 --> 00:29:27.500
 please,

00:29:27.620 --> 00:29:28.800
 if you're 40 plus,

00:29:29.920 --> 00:29:30.380
 Oscar,

00:29:30.380 --> 00:29:31.540
 one or two others,

00:29:31.780 --> 00:29:34.680
 we need you

00:29:34.680 --> 00:29:35.620
 in this church

00:29:35.620 --> 00:29:37.200
 because can I just say,

00:29:37.360 --> 00:29:37.640
 sorry,

00:29:37.800 --> 00:29:38.600
 I shouldn't have said that

00:29:38.600 --> 00:29:39.640
 but can I just say,

00:29:40.700 --> 00:29:40.940
 okay,

00:29:41.340 --> 00:29:42.440
 listen up here,

00:29:42.500 --> 00:29:43.040
 look me in the eye,

00:29:43.100 --> 00:29:43.320
 right,

00:29:43.580 --> 00:29:46.000
 when you're 20

00:29:46.000 --> 00:29:46.960
 and 25,

00:29:47.400 --> 00:29:48.340
 it's easy

00:29:48.340 --> 00:29:49.080
 to be radical

00:29:49.080 --> 00:29:49.680
 for Jesus,

00:29:50.200 --> 00:29:51.500
 you've got so much time

00:29:51.500 --> 00:29:52.120
 on your hands,

00:29:52.760 --> 00:29:52.940
 you know,

00:29:52.980 --> 00:29:53.380
 you don't have

00:29:53.380 --> 00:29:54.120
 that many demands,

00:29:54.200 --> 00:29:55.060
 I know it feels like

00:29:55.060 --> 00:29:56.000
 university is demanding

00:29:56.000 --> 00:29:56.900
 but it's not really,

00:29:57.020 --> 00:29:57.180
 okay,

00:29:57.180 --> 00:29:59.440
 and it is easy

00:29:59.440 --> 00:30:00.940
 to be radical for Jesus

00:30:00.940 --> 00:30:02.019
 and you go on mission trips

00:30:02.019 --> 00:30:03.660
 and you lead a thousand CGs

00:30:03.660 --> 00:30:05.259
 and you're always serving

00:30:05.259 --> 00:30:06.140
 in a thousand ways

00:30:06.140 --> 00:30:07.480
 but when you're 40,

00:30:07.860 --> 00:30:08.820
 it's hard,

00:30:09.560 --> 00:30:10.480
 it's hard,

00:30:11.259 --> 00:30:12.400
 your boss is breathing

00:30:12.400 --> 00:30:13.080
 down your neck

00:30:13.080 --> 00:30:13.820
 and he's wanting you

00:30:13.820 --> 00:30:14.320
 to work,

00:30:14.620 --> 00:30:14.880
 you know,

00:30:14.940 --> 00:30:15.860
 70 hours

00:30:15.860 --> 00:30:17.340
 and you're not just graduated

00:30:17.340 --> 00:30:18.259
 but you're also not

00:30:18.259 --> 00:30:19.380
 top of the pile

00:30:19.380 --> 00:30:20.320
 and so you're in that

00:30:20.320 --> 00:30:21.759
 middle management zone

00:30:21.759 --> 00:30:23.039
 and you've got kids

00:30:23.039 --> 00:30:23.799
 and you've got demands

00:30:23.799 --> 00:30:24.900
 and you've got aging parents,

00:30:25.039 --> 00:30:26.120
 it's hard to love

00:30:26.120 --> 00:30:26.680
 and trust Jesus

00:30:26.680 --> 00:30:27.620
 in every area of life.

00:30:28.380 --> 00:30:28.720
 Friends,

00:30:28.799 --> 00:30:29.740
 if you're in your 40s here,

00:30:30.180 --> 00:30:32.299
 we need you to show us

00:30:32.299 --> 00:30:34.080
 and to show the young people

00:30:34.080 --> 00:30:34.740
 in this church

00:30:34.740 --> 00:30:35.960
 what it looks like

00:30:35.960 --> 00:30:36.799
 to love God

00:30:36.799 --> 00:30:38.039
 with all of your heart

00:30:38.039 --> 00:30:38.940
 and all of your soul

00:30:38.940 --> 00:30:39.880
 and all of your mind

00:30:39.880 --> 00:30:41.039
 and all of your strength

00:30:41.039 --> 00:30:42.980
 because we need examples

00:30:42.980 --> 00:30:45.320
 and so the next generation,

00:30:45.519 --> 00:30:46.940
 not just our biological kids

00:30:46.940 --> 00:30:47.660
 but this city

00:30:47.660 --> 00:30:48.500
 and this church,

00:30:49.200 --> 00:30:49.980
 we need it,

00:30:51.160 --> 00:30:51.460
 okay,

00:30:51.660 --> 00:30:52.880
 so for our own sake,

00:30:52.960 --> 00:30:54.080
 for the sake of the next generation,

00:30:54.460 --> 00:30:54.940
 third reason,

00:30:55.019 --> 00:30:55.460
 this is quick,

00:30:55.460 --> 00:30:57.140
 because of the danger

00:30:57.140 --> 00:30:57.860
 of grace,

00:30:58.480 --> 00:30:59.819
 the danger of grace.

00:30:59.880 --> 00:31:01.360
 Now I know that sounds blasphemous

00:31:01.360 --> 00:31:03.259
 but look at verse 10

00:31:03.259 --> 00:31:04.200
 and 12 with me.

00:31:04.740 --> 00:31:06.319
 What Moses is going to say here

00:31:06.319 --> 00:31:09.319
 is that God's blessings

00:31:09.319 --> 00:31:11.019
 apart from covenant relationship

00:31:11.019 --> 00:31:11.519
 with God

00:31:11.519 --> 00:31:13.079
 are actually a dangerous thing.

00:31:13.799 --> 00:31:14.519
 Look at verse 10.

00:31:14.519 --> 00:31:15.299
 It says,

00:31:15.299 --> 00:31:16.259
 when the Lord your God

00:31:16.259 --> 00:31:17.299
 brings you into the land

00:31:17.299 --> 00:31:18.379
 that He swore to your fathers

00:31:18.379 --> 00:31:19.079
 to give you

00:31:19.079 --> 00:31:20.500
 with great and good cities

00:31:20.500 --> 00:31:21.480
 that you didn't build

00:31:21.480 --> 00:31:23.639
 and houses full of good things

00:31:23.639 --> 00:31:24.519
 that you didn't fill

00:31:24.519 --> 00:31:26.660
 and cisterns that you didn't dig

00:31:26.660 --> 00:31:28.579
 and vineyards and olive trees

00:31:28.579 --> 00:31:29.799
 that you didn't plant

00:31:29.799 --> 00:31:31.240
 and when you eat

00:31:31.240 --> 00:31:32.879
 and are full and satisfied,

00:31:33.420 --> 00:31:34.599
 then take care

00:31:34.599 --> 00:31:35.599
 lest you forget

00:31:35.599 --> 00:31:36.680
 the Lord your God

00:31:36.680 --> 00:31:37.720
 who brought you

00:31:37.720 --> 00:31:38.660
 out of the land of Egypt,

00:31:39.059 --> 00:31:40.299
 out of the house of slavery.

00:31:40.299 --> 00:31:43.519
 What God is saying here

00:31:43.519 --> 00:31:44.519
 is that,

00:31:44.839 --> 00:31:45.599
 oh let me say it this way,

00:31:45.639 --> 00:31:46.940
 I know it sounds blasphemous

00:31:46.940 --> 00:31:47.919
 to talk about grace

00:31:47.919 --> 00:31:48.799
 as a dangerous thing

00:31:48.799 --> 00:31:49.919
 because at the very heart

00:31:49.919 --> 00:31:50.559
 of Christianity

00:31:50.559 --> 00:31:52.079
 and the heart of who God is

00:31:52.079 --> 00:31:54.139
 is the fact that God relates to us

00:31:54.139 --> 00:31:55.220
 on the basis of grace,

00:31:55.599 --> 00:31:56.659
 not what we earn

00:31:56.659 --> 00:31:57.480
 or our effort

00:31:57.480 --> 00:31:59.139
 or our good works.

00:31:59.480 --> 00:32:00.599
 It's God's grace.

00:32:01.460 --> 00:32:02.980
 But the whole point of the Bible

00:32:02.980 --> 00:32:04.579
 is that people are saved by grace

00:32:04.579 --> 00:32:05.220
 not by works.

00:32:05.779 --> 00:32:06.980
 But look at this passage

00:32:06.980 --> 00:32:07.579
 that's saying to us,

00:32:07.720 --> 00:32:09.940
 God in His incredible kindness to us

00:32:09.940 --> 00:32:11.600
 if that kindness,

00:32:11.720 --> 00:32:12.680
 if the blessings of God

00:32:12.680 --> 00:32:13.920
 are untethered,

00:32:14.019 --> 00:32:14.660
 disconnected

00:32:14.660 --> 00:32:17.680
 from covenant relationship to Him,

00:32:18.100 --> 00:32:20.180
 those blessings actually have a way

00:32:20.180 --> 00:32:21.660
 of becoming a snare to us,

00:32:22.059 --> 00:32:23.259
 of tripping us up

00:32:23.259 --> 00:32:25.940
 because it's easy to fall more in love

00:32:25.940 --> 00:32:27.019
 with those blessings

00:32:27.019 --> 00:32:29.640
 than the one who gives those blessings

00:32:29.640 --> 00:32:30.600
 in the first place.

00:32:31.600 --> 00:32:33.360
 And so His very blessings

00:32:33.360 --> 00:32:35.460
 can actually destroy us.

00:32:36.480 --> 00:32:37.660
 And so He says here

00:32:37.660 --> 00:32:39.940
 that these things become more important

00:32:39.940 --> 00:32:42.000
 and we get cut off

00:32:42.000 --> 00:32:42.700
 from the very one

00:32:42.700 --> 00:32:44.240
 who gives those blessings to us.

00:32:44.320 --> 00:32:45.080
 Look at verse 11.

00:32:45.440 --> 00:32:46.759
 When you eat and are full,

00:32:46.900 --> 00:32:48.380
 take care lest you forget

00:32:48.380 --> 00:32:49.340
 the Lord your God.

00:32:49.779 --> 00:32:50.320
 In the Bible,

00:32:50.440 --> 00:32:51.220
 to forget God

00:32:51.220 --> 00:32:52.759
 doesn't mean to have a lapse of memory.

00:32:53.279 --> 00:32:54.580
 It means God fades

00:32:54.580 --> 00:32:55.440
 into the background

00:32:55.440 --> 00:32:56.460
 and is no longer

00:32:56.460 --> 00:32:57.400
 in our consciousness.

00:32:58.700 --> 00:32:59.700
 And so how do we stop

00:32:59.700 --> 00:33:01.120
 the gifts of God's grace

00:33:01.120 --> 00:33:02.580
 becoming a snare to us?

00:33:02.580 --> 00:33:03.779
 How do we stop ourselves

00:33:03.779 --> 00:33:05.279
 loving God's kindnesses

00:33:05.279 --> 00:33:06.299
 more than God Himself?

00:33:07.299 --> 00:33:08.240
 Hear, O Israel.

00:33:08.839 --> 00:33:09.839
 The Lord is one.

00:33:10.680 --> 00:33:11.799
 Love the Lord your God

00:33:11.799 --> 00:33:13.740
 with every facet of your life,

00:33:13.799 --> 00:33:14.720
 all your heart, soul,

00:33:15.279 --> 00:33:15.960
 mind, and strength.

00:33:16.879 --> 00:33:17.619
 And that brings us

00:33:17.619 --> 00:33:18.899
 to the last and the final point

00:33:18.899 --> 00:33:19.440
 is this.

00:33:20.119 --> 00:33:22.059
 Because God loved us first.

00:33:22.819 --> 00:33:25.460
 Look at verse 20 to 22 with me.

00:33:26.339 --> 00:33:27.180
 This is amazing.

00:33:27.920 --> 00:33:28.279
 It says,

00:33:28.279 --> 00:33:29.879
 When your son or your daughter

00:33:29.879 --> 00:33:31.299
 asks you in time to come,

00:33:31.460 --> 00:33:32.200
 what is the meaning

00:33:32.200 --> 00:33:33.180
 of the testimonies

00:33:33.180 --> 00:33:33.839
 and the commands

00:33:33.839 --> 00:33:34.619
 and the statutes?

00:33:34.619 --> 00:33:36.379
 that the Lord God commanded us.

00:33:36.399 --> 00:33:36.839
 In other words,

00:33:37.279 --> 00:33:38.019
 your son or your daughter

00:33:38.019 --> 00:33:38.659
 comes to you and says,

00:33:39.059 --> 00:33:40.099
 Why should we obey God?

00:33:40.519 --> 00:33:40.739
 I mean,

00:33:40.739 --> 00:33:41.419
 why should we do

00:33:41.419 --> 00:33:42.399
 all this stuff anyway?

00:33:43.339 --> 00:33:45.039
 Then you shall say to your son,

00:33:45.439 --> 00:33:46.739
 Well, Moses told us to.

00:33:46.819 --> 00:33:47.259
 I don't know.

00:33:47.339 --> 00:33:48.899
 I'm just doing what Moses said.

00:33:49.859 --> 00:33:51.119
 Because Kevin the pastor

00:33:51.119 --> 00:33:52.000
 just told me to.

00:33:52.619 --> 00:33:53.159
 No, no, no.

00:33:53.199 --> 00:33:54.000
 That's not what you say.

00:33:54.079 --> 00:33:54.819
 What you say is,

00:33:55.219 --> 00:33:57.379
 We were Pharaoh's slaves in Egypt.

00:33:57.619 --> 00:33:59.599
 And God brought us out of Egypt

00:33:59.599 --> 00:34:01.239
 by a mighty hand.

00:34:01.859 --> 00:34:02.599
 In other words,

00:34:03.019 --> 00:34:04.339
 when your children come to you

00:34:04.339 --> 00:34:04.519
 and say,

00:34:04.679 --> 00:34:05.919
 Why do we do these things?

00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:07.259
 Why do we obey God?

00:34:07.319 --> 00:34:08.639
 And why should we do

00:34:08.639 --> 00:34:09.319
 all these things?

00:34:10.000 --> 00:34:11.259
 You tell them.

00:34:11.779 --> 00:34:13.619
 There was once upon a time.

00:34:14.079 --> 00:34:15.019
 You remind them

00:34:15.019 --> 00:34:15.799
 of the salvation

00:34:15.799 --> 00:34:16.920
 and the deliverance

00:34:16.920 --> 00:34:18.599
 that God accomplished for you

00:34:18.599 --> 00:34:20.179
 when they had no way

00:34:20.179 --> 00:34:21.380
 of saving themselves.

00:34:22.380 --> 00:34:23.500
 What's Moses saying here?

00:34:24.500 --> 00:34:25.099
 He's saying,

00:34:25.279 --> 00:34:27.179
 You tell them the gospel.

00:34:27.380 --> 00:34:27.559
 Right?

00:34:28.380 --> 00:34:28.639
 You know,

00:34:28.679 --> 00:34:29.259
 in the Old Testament,

00:34:29.380 --> 00:34:30.079
 the story of God

00:34:30.079 --> 00:34:31.259
 saving His people

00:34:31.260 --> 00:34:32.720
 out of slavery in Egypt

00:34:32.720 --> 00:34:33.720
 and bringing them

00:34:33.720 --> 00:34:34.320
 into freedom

00:34:34.320 --> 00:34:35.620
 by the blood of the Lamb

00:34:35.620 --> 00:34:37.160
 is always a picture

00:34:37.160 --> 00:34:38.180
 of an analogy

00:34:38.180 --> 00:34:39.220
 of a signpost

00:34:39.220 --> 00:34:40.340
 to point them towards

00:34:40.340 --> 00:34:41.660
 the cross.

00:34:41.720 --> 00:34:41.940
 Right?

00:34:42.360 --> 00:34:43.740
 The way that we were slaves

00:34:43.740 --> 00:34:44.540
 to sin and death

00:34:44.540 --> 00:34:45.040
 and darkness

00:34:45.040 --> 00:34:46.280
 and we were delivered

00:34:46.280 --> 00:34:47.480
 out of that slavery

00:34:47.480 --> 00:34:48.900
 and brought into freedom

00:34:48.900 --> 00:34:49.780
 by the blood

00:34:49.780 --> 00:34:50.820
 of the true and better Lamb,

00:34:51.180 --> 00:34:51.920
 Jesus Christ.

00:34:52.560 --> 00:34:52.900
 In other words,

00:34:53.040 --> 00:34:53.900
 so when God says,

00:34:54.200 --> 00:34:55.580
 Why should we do these things?

00:34:55.880 --> 00:34:56.980
 Why do we honor God?

00:34:56.980 --> 00:34:58.059
 Why do we obey God

00:34:58.059 --> 00:34:59.179
 in every area of our life?

00:34:59.500 --> 00:35:00.860
 Because once upon a time,

00:35:00.960 --> 00:35:01.159
 friends,

00:35:01.260 --> 00:35:02.699
 you and I were slaves to sin.

00:35:03.500 --> 00:35:04.360
 Once upon a time,

00:35:04.460 --> 00:35:05.380
 we were unlovable

00:35:05.380 --> 00:35:06.659
 in our natural state.

00:35:07.019 --> 00:35:07.900
 We were unlovable

00:35:07.900 --> 00:35:08.780
 in our depravity.

00:35:08.920 --> 00:35:10.099
 We were dead in our sin.

00:35:10.460 --> 00:35:11.500
 We were deservedly

00:35:11.500 --> 00:35:12.960
 objects of God's wrath.

00:35:13.639 --> 00:35:14.380
 But God,

00:35:14.500 --> 00:35:16.079
 in His supreme mercy,

00:35:16.639 --> 00:35:18.500
 in His unmerited grace,

00:35:18.659 --> 00:35:20.380
 God poured out for us

00:35:20.380 --> 00:35:21.539
 riches and mercy

00:35:21.539 --> 00:35:22.960
 by sending His Son

00:35:22.960 --> 00:35:23.639
 to the cross,

00:35:24.019 --> 00:35:26.019
 by dying in our place

00:35:26.019 --> 00:35:27.699
 so that we could come

00:35:27.699 --> 00:35:28.679
 out of that place

00:35:28.679 --> 00:35:29.860
 and be reconciled

00:35:29.860 --> 00:35:30.699
 and be welcomed

00:35:30.699 --> 00:35:31.579
 into His family,

00:35:31.739 --> 00:35:32.880
 that we could be set free

00:35:32.880 --> 00:35:34.099
 from bondage to sin

00:35:34.099 --> 00:35:35.599
 and live for God.

00:35:36.460 --> 00:35:37.559
 Do you know that amazing verse

00:35:37.559 --> 00:35:38.539
 in 1 John?

00:35:38.619 --> 00:35:39.159
 It says this,

00:35:39.559 --> 00:35:40.980
 In this the love of God

00:35:40.980 --> 00:35:42.460
 was made manifest for us

00:35:42.460 --> 00:35:44.099
 that God sent His Son

00:35:44.099 --> 00:35:45.679
 to die that we might

00:35:45.679 --> 00:35:46.400
 live through Him.

00:35:46.820 --> 00:35:47.860
 This is love.

00:35:47.960 --> 00:35:49.780
 Not that we love God first,

00:35:50.139 --> 00:35:51.679
 but that He loved us

00:35:51.679 --> 00:35:53.099
 and sent His Son

00:35:53.099 --> 00:35:54.780
 to be an atoning sacrifice

00:35:54.780 --> 00:35:55.420
 for us.

00:35:56.019 --> 00:35:56.619
 You see,

00:35:56.759 --> 00:35:58.019
 in Deuteronomy chapter 7,

00:35:58.179 --> 00:35:59.099
 the very next chapter,

00:35:59.719 --> 00:36:00.860
 God says to His people,

00:36:01.340 --> 00:36:02.119
 It's not because

00:36:02.119 --> 00:36:04.039
 you were the biggest nation

00:36:04.039 --> 00:36:05.539
 or the most powerful nation

00:36:05.539 --> 00:36:07.019
 that I rescued you.

00:36:07.360 --> 00:36:07.679
 In fact,

00:36:07.719 --> 00:36:08.420
 you were the smallest

00:36:08.420 --> 00:36:09.380
 out of all the nations.

00:36:09.980 --> 00:36:10.940
 I rescued you

00:36:10.940 --> 00:36:12.559
 simply because I loved you.

00:36:13.119 --> 00:36:13.880
 And chapter 8,

00:36:13.920 --> 00:36:14.199
 He says,

00:36:14.500 --> 00:36:15.039
 It's not because

00:36:15.039 --> 00:36:16.360
 you were the wisest nation

00:36:16.360 --> 00:36:18.039
 and had it all going for you.

00:36:18.380 --> 00:36:18.719
 No, no,

00:36:18.759 --> 00:36:20.059
 you weren't very wise at all.

00:36:20.300 --> 00:36:21.460
 But I rescued you

00:36:21.460 --> 00:36:22.159
 simply because

00:36:22.159 --> 00:36:23.900
 I set my love upon you.

00:36:24.380 --> 00:36:25.239
 And chapter 9,

00:36:25.239 --> 00:36:25.819
 He's going to say,

00:36:26.179 --> 00:36:26.739
 It's not because

00:36:26.739 --> 00:36:28.279
 you were the most righteous nation.

00:36:28.839 --> 00:36:29.339
 No, no, no.

00:36:29.339 --> 00:36:30.539
 You were just as unrighteous

00:36:30.539 --> 00:36:31.219
 as everyone else.

00:36:31.759 --> 00:36:32.819
 I chose you

00:36:32.819 --> 00:36:33.819
 and loved you

00:36:33.819 --> 00:36:35.379
 simply because

00:36:35.379 --> 00:36:37.399
 I chose to love you.

00:36:38.579 --> 00:36:39.259
 So friends,

00:36:39.339 --> 00:36:40.019
 why do we love

00:36:40.019 --> 00:36:41.079
 the Lord Jesus Christ

00:36:41.079 --> 00:36:42.319
 with all of our heart

00:36:42.319 --> 00:36:43.039
 and soul

00:36:43.039 --> 00:36:43.819
 and mind

00:36:43.819 --> 00:36:44.539
 and strength?

00:36:45.139 --> 00:36:47.179
 Because when we were unlovable

00:36:47.179 --> 00:36:48.819
 and had nothing

00:36:48.819 --> 00:36:49.919
 to bring to God,

00:36:50.519 --> 00:36:51.879
 He loved us

00:36:51.879 --> 00:36:53.419
 by sending His Son

00:36:53.419 --> 00:36:55.059
 to die on the cross.

00:36:56.039 --> 00:36:56.539
 And so friends,

00:36:56.619 --> 00:36:58.139
 when our children say to us,

00:36:58.480 --> 00:37:00.019
 why do we need to obey God

00:37:00.019 --> 00:37:00.980
 and do what He asks?

00:37:01.239 --> 00:37:02.819
 Why do we go to church on Sunday

00:37:02.819 --> 00:37:03.819
 rather than going to

00:37:03.819 --> 00:37:04.779
 soccer club

00:37:04.779 --> 00:37:05.539
 and rugby club

00:37:05.539 --> 00:37:06.319
 and tennis club?

00:37:06.699 --> 00:37:08.299
 Why do we do family devotions

00:37:08.299 --> 00:37:09.179
 around the dinner table

00:37:09.179 --> 00:37:10.579
 rather than just watching TV?

00:37:11.199 --> 00:37:12.879
 Why do we take communion regularly

00:37:12.879 --> 00:37:13.480
 and ask God

00:37:13.480 --> 00:37:14.679
 to forgive us of our sins?

00:37:15.319 --> 00:37:16.480
 The answer is

00:37:16.480 --> 00:37:18.219
 not because we're Christians

00:37:18.219 --> 00:37:19.419
 and that's what Christians do.

00:37:20.119 --> 00:37:20.960
 The answer is

00:37:20.960 --> 00:37:22.399
 you tell them the gospel.

00:37:23.279 --> 00:37:24.119
 You tell them that

00:37:24.119 --> 00:37:25.339
 once upon a time

00:37:25.339 --> 00:37:26.719
 I was God's enemy

00:37:26.719 --> 00:37:28.079
 worthy of hell

00:37:28.079 --> 00:37:30.859
 but Jesus sent His love upon me

00:37:30.859 --> 00:37:31.899
 and died on the cross

00:37:31.899 --> 00:37:33.079
 so that I could be ransomed,

00:37:33.339 --> 00:37:35.059
 healed, restored, forgiven,

00:37:35.379 --> 00:37:36.399
 that I could be brought

00:37:36.399 --> 00:37:37.379
 into His family.

00:37:38.099 --> 00:37:39.139
 God loved me

00:37:39.139 --> 00:37:40.919
 so that now I can love Him.

00:37:41.799 --> 00:37:42.159
 And friends,

00:37:42.219 --> 00:37:43.059
 when your colleagues

00:37:43.059 --> 00:37:44.699
 or your workmates

00:37:44.699 --> 00:37:46.019
 or your school friends

00:37:46.019 --> 00:37:48.039
 or your university friends

00:37:48.039 --> 00:37:48.880
 say to you,

00:37:49.259 --> 00:37:50.820
 why don't you just sleep

00:37:50.820 --> 00:37:51.400
 with your boyfriend

00:37:51.400 --> 00:37:51.960
 or your girlfriend?

00:37:52.219 --> 00:37:53.179
 If it feels right,

00:37:53.219 --> 00:37:54.039
 it must be right.

00:37:54.500 --> 00:37:55.739
 Or why do you give a portion

00:37:55.739 --> 00:37:56.739
 of your income to the church?

00:37:56.799 --> 00:37:57.699
 I mean, that sounds crazy.

00:37:57.799 --> 00:37:58.699
 Why would you do that?

00:37:59.139 --> 00:38:00.619
 Or why not cheat on this test?

00:38:00.699 --> 00:38:02.539
 Or why not just exaggerate

00:38:02.539 --> 00:38:03.259
 on your resume

00:38:03.259 --> 00:38:04.259
 and get that job?

00:38:04.699 --> 00:38:05.699
 The answer is not

00:38:05.699 --> 00:38:06.860
 because I'm a Christian

00:38:06.860 --> 00:38:08.059
 and this is what Christians do.

00:38:08.059 --> 00:38:09.500
 The answer is

00:38:09.500 --> 00:38:11.619
 because I once was lost

00:38:11.619 --> 00:38:12.639
 and hopeless

00:38:12.639 --> 00:38:14.119
 and worthy of hell.

00:38:14.759 --> 00:38:15.799
 And Jesus Christ

00:38:15.799 --> 00:38:17.340
 set His love upon me

00:38:17.340 --> 00:38:18.880
 and woke up my heart

00:38:18.880 --> 00:38:20.079
 so that I can love Him.

00:38:20.659 --> 00:38:21.579
 Ransomed, healed,

00:38:21.759 --> 00:38:22.559
 restored, forgiven.

00:38:23.420 --> 00:38:25.239
 Now because Jesus loves me,

00:38:25.340 --> 00:38:26.019
 I love Him

00:38:26.019 --> 00:38:27.539
 with every facet of my life.

00:38:28.460 --> 00:38:29.059
 And friends,

00:38:29.440 --> 00:38:30.340
 when your own heart

00:38:30.340 --> 00:38:31.099
 questions you

00:38:31.099 --> 00:38:32.139
 and that voice

00:38:32.139 --> 00:38:33.139
 in your head says,

00:38:33.599 --> 00:38:34.880
 why do you honor God?

00:38:35.299 --> 00:38:36.099
 Why don't you do

00:38:36.099 --> 00:38:37.360
 just what feels good?

00:38:37.360 --> 00:38:38.099
 Why don't you just

00:38:38.099 --> 00:38:38.860
 live for yourself?

00:38:39.380 --> 00:38:40.440
 And when that voice comes

00:38:40.440 --> 00:38:40.720
 and says,

00:38:40.820 --> 00:38:41.440
 why don't you hold

00:38:41.440 --> 00:38:42.300
 on to that grudge

00:38:42.300 --> 00:38:44.059
 and just bear

00:38:44.059 --> 00:38:45.180
 and not forgive that person

00:38:45.180 --> 00:38:46.380
 that's treated you so badly?

00:38:46.940 --> 00:38:47.800
 The answer is not,

00:38:47.920 --> 00:38:48.599
 I'm a Christian,

00:38:48.700 --> 00:38:49.900
 I guess I better forgive them.

00:38:50.360 --> 00:38:52.200
 You preach to your own heart

00:38:52.200 --> 00:38:52.840
 the gospel

00:38:52.840 --> 00:38:54.620
 that once you were

00:38:54.620 --> 00:38:55.880
 an enemy of God

00:38:55.880 --> 00:38:57.620
 and for no doing

00:38:57.620 --> 00:38:58.539
 of your own accord,

00:38:58.700 --> 00:39:00.840
 God set His love upon you

00:39:00.840 --> 00:39:02.440
 and He sent His Son

00:39:02.440 --> 00:39:03.380
 to die on the cross

00:39:03.380 --> 00:39:05.140
 so that you may be rescued,

00:39:05.360 --> 00:39:06.260
 ransomed, healed,

00:39:06.260 --> 00:39:07.620
 restored, forgiven,

00:39:07.620 --> 00:39:10.340
 that you may love Him

00:39:10.340 --> 00:39:13.020
 because with all of your life

00:39:13.020 --> 00:39:15.600
 because Jesus loved you

00:39:15.600 --> 00:39:17.760
 with all of His life.

00:39:20.040 --> 00:39:21.180
 Friends, as we come

00:39:21.180 --> 00:39:22.100
 to this juncture,

00:39:23.000 --> 00:39:24.500
 hear, O people of God,

00:39:24.580 --> 00:39:25.560
 the Lord our God,

00:39:25.640 --> 00:39:26.700
 the Lord is one.

00:39:27.640 --> 00:39:29.080
 Let's love the Lord our God

00:39:29.080 --> 00:39:30.080
 with all of our heart

00:39:30.080 --> 00:39:31.000
 and all of our soul

00:39:31.000 --> 00:39:32.760
 and all of our mind

00:39:32.760 --> 00:39:34.700
 and all of our strength.

00:39:37.240 --> 00:39:38.880
 Let's take a few minutes

00:39:38.880 --> 00:39:39.600
 and respond

00:39:39.600 --> 00:39:41.260
 and we're going to take communion

00:39:41.260 --> 00:39:42.300
 in a few minutes' time

00:39:42.300 --> 00:39:42.960
 but I want to,

00:39:43.040 --> 00:39:43.940
 before we get there,

00:39:45.180 --> 00:39:46.240
 I want to just give us

00:39:46.240 --> 00:39:47.600
 three minutes

00:39:47.600 --> 00:39:48.800
 just to sit quietly

00:39:48.800 --> 00:39:49.500
 and Nate,

00:39:49.560 --> 00:39:50.240
 maybe you want to come

00:39:50.240 --> 00:39:51.660
 and just play the keys for us

00:39:51.660 --> 00:39:53.740
 and let's just think,

00:39:53.900 --> 00:39:55.020
 what has God

00:39:55.020 --> 00:39:56.340
 been saying to you today?

00:39:57.420 --> 00:39:58.500
 And then what does it look like

00:39:58.500 --> 00:39:59.060
 to respond?

00:39:59.059 --> 00:40:01.139
 Maybe you want to think

00:40:01.139 --> 00:40:01.880
 specifically,

00:40:02.559 --> 00:40:04.239
 is there an area of life

00:40:04.239 --> 00:40:05.420
 where I'm still holding on?

00:40:06.739 --> 00:40:07.539
 I've allowed Jesus

00:40:07.539 --> 00:40:08.759
 to be Lord of this area

00:40:08.759 --> 00:40:09.440
 and this area

00:40:09.440 --> 00:40:10.039
 and this area

00:40:10.039 --> 00:40:10.579
 and this area

00:40:10.579 --> 00:40:11.619
 but there's one area

00:40:11.619 --> 00:40:13.400
 that I don't want to let go.

00:40:17.779 --> 00:40:18.860
 Let's respond to God

00:40:18.860 --> 00:40:19.340
 this morning.