WEBVTT

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 Father, you know the things which preoccupy us.

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 You know that even now, Father, even a holy place,

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 even though Jesus is in our midst, even though we're talking to you,

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 even though the Holy Spirit is present,

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 Father, you know how easy it is for us to be preoccupied with so many things.

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 Maybe it's a pain. Maybe it's an appointment.

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 Maybe it's a word that somebody said to us beforehand.

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 Maybe it's a dream. Maybe it's a fantasy, an idol.

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 Father, you know how easy it is for us to be preoccupied and gripped by many things.

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 Father, we ask that in your kindness and in your mercy,

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 your Holy Spirit would fall with fresh power upon us this morning,

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 that you would make us disciples of Jesus,

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 gripped by the gospel who live for your glory.

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 And, Father, that you would help our hearts to be gripped with the words of Jesus

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 and so that we might live our lives by them.

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 Father, this we ask, and we ask it in the name of Jesus,

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 your Son and our Savior. Amen.

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 Please be seated.

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 So, I had a small, odd type of experience this morning.

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 Not that odd, but between the two services,

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 I go have a coffee at a coffee shop nearby.

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 And on the way back, I'm praying about my talk.

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 And, you know, there's always things about your talk that you...

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 I always have things about my talk I'm not sure about.

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 Anyway, I was praying about it,

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 and it was as if God told me that I had to change my introduction,

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 the one that I'd been working on all week.

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 And that's what I'm about to do,

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 because I really had this sense that God told me that I was supposed to do it.

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 Afterwards, coffee, you can ask me what my original introduction was going to be.

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 And that's this.

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 If I was to be able to tell university students and professors

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 and people who work in certain types of professions,

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 especially things like social work and in politics,

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 if I was to tell you that there were...

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 If I was to say that there were...

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 If I had a chance,

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 I would say that there's two or three passages in the Bible in particular

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 that everybody in university or in social work or in politics

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 should meditate upon deeply,

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 maybe even weekly,

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 and take deeply to heart.

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 And there'd be two or three or four texts like that

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 that I would say that are absolutely essential

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 in our day and age to develop a Christian mind.

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 And the text in Luke,

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 which I just read...

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 I didn't write it.

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 I read a few minutes ago.

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 That would be one of those texts

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 that I would say that

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 that just about every academic,

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 every university student,

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 every professor,

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 social work,

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 politician,

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 a few other professions as well,

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 economists,

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 that you need to,

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 we need to deeply meditate upon this

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 on a regular basis

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 if we want to be able to begin to think Christianly.

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 So let's look.

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 That's a pretty big claim

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 that a text like this Luke text

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 is so fundamental to developing a Christian mind.

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 It's a pretty big claim.

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 So let's look at it

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 and we'll see maybe why

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 I would make such a big claim about the text.

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 So it was Luke chapter 21

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 and we're back after a couple of weeks.

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 We'll have a few weeks,

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 you know,

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 over the next week

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 where we,

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 a few weeks where we don't look at Luke,

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 the gospel of Luke,

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 but we're moving towards

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 finishing the gospel of Luke.

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 And today we're at Luke chapter 21

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 and we'll begin at verse five again.

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 And here's how the text goes.

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 And while some were speaking of the temple,

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 how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings,

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 and just sort of pause there,

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 ancient historians,

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 both Roman and Jewish,

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 commented that

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 even though the temple

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 wasn't one of the seven wonders of the world,

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 many of them said

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 that it was more glorious

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 than the seven wonders of the world,

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 that it was a spectacular piece of architecture.

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 It was begun,

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 a rebuilding,

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 rejuvenation of the temple

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 was begun about 20 years

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 before the birth of Jesus.

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 And in fact,

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 the temple was to outlive Herod,

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 in a sense,

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 the building project outlived Herod.

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 And even while

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 they were talking about this,

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 the temple was continually

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 being added upon

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 and made more beautiful.

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 The work would continue

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 until the early 60s,

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 about another 30 years

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 after this incident.

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 So it was known in antiquity

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 as a spectacularly beautiful building.

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 And then verse 6.

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 So they say this to Jesus

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 because they're proud of it.

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 It's Jewish people.

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 They're proud of its beauty.

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 They're proud of everything

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 that it symbolizes

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 about religion

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 and God's presence with them.

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 And Jesus responds

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 in a very surprising way.

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 It would have been,

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 it'd be hard for us

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 just to imagine

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 how deeply shocking

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 it would be to them.

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 But Jesus says in verse 6,

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 as for these things that you see,

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 the days will come

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 when there will not be left here

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 one stone upon another

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 that will not be thrown down.

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 Now just sort of pause there

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 before we keep reading.

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 There's a couple of things in it.

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 The first thing is

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 that when Jesus says,

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 it translated quite well in English,

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 and for these things that you see,

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 he's saying that

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 there's going to be

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 several things connected

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 to the destruction of Jerusalem.

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 And we'll see that

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 when the people respond,

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 they understand that

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 he's talking not just narrowly

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 about the destruction

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 of the temple,

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 but that Jesus has

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 other things in mind as well.

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 And in fact,

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 for Jewish people at the time,

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 they would have seen

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 the destruction of the temple

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 as not just being a catastrophe,

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 but it would have been

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 a catastrophe for the people.

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 It would have been a sign

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 of God's judgment upon the people.

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 And so they're very,

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 very curious that Jesus

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 would say something like this

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 is about to happen.

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 And the other thing

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 which is about this text is

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 I would be one of those people

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 that would be described

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 by outsiders

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 as taking the Bible literally.

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 And there's a way

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 to understand that

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 which is true.

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 I take the Bible seriously.

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 I believe that

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 even though this was originally

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 an historical document

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 written about 30 years,

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 34 years,

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 35 years after the death

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 and resurrection of Jesus

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 as a result of historical research,

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 I would believe

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 that it is also

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 God's word written,

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 that every word

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 that God wanted

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 to have written down

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 there was written down.

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 But we have to understand

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 that people,

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 we just always talk

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 in metaphors

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 and analogies.

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 It's just the way

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 that human beings talk.

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 Human beings have always talked

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 with metaphors

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 and analogies.

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 And so when it says here

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 that there will not be

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 one stone upon another

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 that will not be thrown down,

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 Jesus is using a metaphor

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 of total and complete destruction.

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 So it's not the case

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 that if you went back in time

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 and you heard Jesus say this

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 and then in the year 70

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 when the temple was destroyed

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 you put a stone

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 on top of another stone

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 and said,

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 ha ha ha,

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 Jesus was wrong.

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 It wouldn't work like that.

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 It doesn't literally mean

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 that after the destruction

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 there isn't one stone

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 upon another.

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 It's a metaphor.

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 It's a way of talking

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 about complete

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 and total destruction,

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 unusability of the temple.

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 And that's what Jesus says.

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 Look at that verse 6 again.

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 It's for these things

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 that you see.

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 Look at the temple,

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 all of these things.

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 Okay?

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 The days will come,

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 plural,

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 so there's going to be

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 a variety of things

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 that happen,

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 when there will not be left here

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 one stone upon another

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 that will not be thrown down.

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 So the people around Jesus

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 are desperately interested

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 in this.

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 And so they say

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 in verse 7,

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 they're going to ask Jesus,

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 two questions.

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 And one of the things

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 you're going to notice

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 is that Jesus,

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 by the time we get

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 to verse 38,

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 Jesus doesn't answer

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 one of the questions.

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 He answers just

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 one of the two questions

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 and he also answers

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 a question they don't ask,

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 but they should have asked.

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 And here's what they say,

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 verse 7,

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 and they asked him,

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 teacher,

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 when will these things be

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 and what will be the sign

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 when these things

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 are about to take place?

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 So in other words,

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 when's it going to happen?

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 What are the signs

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 that it's about to happen?

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 Jesus never answers

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 the when question.

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 He's going to talk

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 about the signs,

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 but before that,

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 he takes sort of a

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 sideways look

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 at the whole question.

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 And that begins

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 in verse 8.

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 It's actually going to continue

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 right up to verse 19,

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 but we'll just read 8 and 9

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 and then pause.

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 Jesus said,

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 see that you are not

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 led astray.

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 Remember that?

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 Jesus doesn't want

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 his people to be led astray.

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 He doesn't want

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 any human being

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 to be led astray.

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 For many will come

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 in my name saying,

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 I am he,

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 and the time is at hand.

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 In other words,

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 many people will come

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 claiming to be the Messiah,

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 or they will come

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 claiming to know

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 how history is moving,

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 and they will claim

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 to know exactly

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 what the direction

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 of history

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 and the specific

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 important moment

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 that we are now in

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 in terms of

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 history's direction.

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 And Jesus says,

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 do not go after them.

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 And when you hear

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 of wars and tumults,

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 do not be terrified,

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 for these things

00:09:12.060 --> 00:09:14.240
 must first take place,

00:09:14.600 --> 00:09:15.600
 but the end

00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:17.519
 will not be at once.

00:09:18.279 --> 00:09:19.200
 Now, one of the things

00:09:19.200 --> 00:09:19.920
 I've done today,

00:09:20.840 --> 00:09:22.120
 I'm going to describe

00:09:22.120 --> 00:09:22.920
 the points,

00:09:23.180 --> 00:09:23.920
 but I've turned

00:09:23.920 --> 00:09:24.740
 all of the points

00:09:24.740 --> 00:09:25.460
 into prayers.

00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:26.980
 You see,

00:09:27.019 --> 00:09:27.480
 one of the things,

00:09:27.779 --> 00:09:29.740
 the vision for our church

00:09:29.740 --> 00:09:30.320
 is it will be

00:09:30.320 --> 00:09:31.259
 a prayerful,

00:09:31.759 --> 00:09:32.540
 Bible-teaching

00:09:32.539 --> 00:09:32.980
 church,

00:09:33.059 --> 00:09:33.879
 amongst other things.

00:09:34.000 --> 00:09:34.379
 And so,

00:09:34.480 --> 00:09:34.980
 one of the things

00:09:34.980 --> 00:09:35.959
 I want to try to do

00:09:35.959 --> 00:09:36.939
 is to help you

00:09:36.939 --> 00:09:37.639
 to learn how to pray,

00:09:37.779 --> 00:09:38.679
 help myself to learn

00:09:38.679 --> 00:09:39.139
 how to pray,

00:09:39.659 --> 00:09:41.099
 to learn to pray the Bible.

00:09:42.139 --> 00:09:42.399
 I mean,

00:09:42.439 --> 00:09:43.459
 how can you go wrong

00:09:43.459 --> 00:09:44.719
 as a follower of Jesus

00:09:44.719 --> 00:09:46.039
 if you learn to pray

00:09:46.039 --> 00:09:47.199
 in response

00:09:47.199 --> 00:09:48.319
 to what Jesus says?

00:09:48.959 --> 00:09:50.139
 So, here's the first thing.

00:09:50.199 --> 00:09:50.959
 If you could put it up,

00:09:51.039 --> 00:09:51.299
 Andrew.

00:09:52.879 --> 00:09:53.740
 Dear God,

00:09:53.959 --> 00:09:55.199
 please grow in me

00:09:55.199 --> 00:09:56.159
 a complete

00:09:56.159 --> 00:09:57.120
 and total

00:09:57.120 --> 00:09:57.919
 rejection

00:09:57.919 --> 00:09:59.079
 of every

00:09:59.079 --> 00:10:00.079
 Messianic

00:10:00.079 --> 00:10:01.319
 and Utopian

00:10:01.319 --> 00:10:02.219
 movement

00:10:02.219 --> 00:10:03.019
 and vision.

00:10:05.559 --> 00:10:06.500
 There you go.

00:10:07.079 --> 00:10:07.599
 Dear God,

00:10:07.699 --> 00:10:08.799
 please grow in me

00:10:08.799 --> 00:10:09.579
 a complete

00:10:09.579 --> 00:10:10.439
 and total

00:10:10.439 --> 00:10:11.240
 rejection

00:10:11.240 --> 00:10:12.099
 of every

00:10:12.099 --> 00:10:12.759
 Messianic

00:10:12.759 --> 00:10:14.039
 and Utopian

00:10:14.039 --> 00:10:15.000
 movement

00:10:15.000 --> 00:10:16.199
 and vision.

00:10:17.360 --> 00:10:17.860
 By the way,

00:10:17.939 --> 00:10:18.579
 this doesn't mean

00:10:18.579 --> 00:10:19.419
 that you should reject

00:10:19.419 --> 00:10:20.419
 Messianic Jews.

00:10:20.419 --> 00:10:24.240
 some Jewish people

00:10:24.240 --> 00:10:25.219
 who become Christians

00:10:25.219 --> 00:10:26.079
 refer to themselves

00:10:26.079 --> 00:10:27.159
 as Messianic Jews

00:10:27.159 --> 00:10:28.000
 because they believe

00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:28.899
 the Messiah has come.

00:10:28.959 --> 00:10:29.899
 I'm not referring to this.

00:10:30.759 --> 00:10:31.620
 Here's the thing.

00:10:31.959 --> 00:10:32.779
 This is one of the reasons,

00:10:33.039 --> 00:10:33.759
 by the way,

00:10:34.159 --> 00:10:35.419
 why I said

00:10:35.419 --> 00:10:37.099
 that every university student

00:10:37.099 --> 00:10:38.419
 and professor

00:10:38.419 --> 00:10:40.740
 and those in politics,

00:10:41.019 --> 00:10:41.839
 they need to meditate

00:10:41.839 --> 00:10:42.919
 upon this text.

00:10:43.620 --> 00:10:44.480
 What we're going to see

00:10:44.480 --> 00:10:45.879
 is that from verses

00:10:45.879 --> 00:10:47.959
 8 to 19,

00:10:48.599 --> 00:10:49.299
 Jesus gives

00:10:49.299 --> 00:10:50.199
 a whole series

00:10:50.199 --> 00:10:51.579
 of non-signs.

00:10:52.719 --> 00:10:52.859
 Okay?

00:10:53.599 --> 00:10:54.199
 In other words,

00:10:54.579 --> 00:10:56.279
 the world thinks

00:10:56.279 --> 00:10:57.359
 that these things

00:10:57.359 --> 00:10:58.120
 are very important

00:10:58.120 --> 00:10:58.740
 and the Bible's

00:10:58.740 --> 00:10:59.519
 not going to downplay it.

00:10:59.539 --> 00:11:00.379
 I'm going to get back to that.

00:11:00.459 --> 00:11:01.579
 The Bible's not dismissing

00:11:01.579 --> 00:11:02.079
 these as being

00:11:02.079 --> 00:11:03.120
 unimportant things.

00:11:03.699 --> 00:11:04.859
 What Jesus is going to say,

00:11:04.919 --> 00:11:06.039
 these are non-signs.

00:11:06.399 --> 00:11:08.179
 This is normal life.

00:11:09.259 --> 00:11:10.319
 That's what Jesus is saying.

00:11:10.359 --> 00:11:11.500
 This is normal life.

00:11:12.199 --> 00:11:13.079
 This isn't a sign

00:11:13.079 --> 00:11:13.639
 of the end.

00:11:14.379 --> 00:11:15.399
 And the reason

00:11:15.399 --> 00:11:16.879
 that those of us

00:11:16.879 --> 00:11:18.659
 who've gone far

00:11:18.659 --> 00:11:19.519
 in education

00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:20.980
 need to study

00:11:20.980 --> 00:11:21.799
 or are involved

00:11:21.799 --> 00:11:22.379
 in politics

00:11:22.379 --> 00:11:23.079
 is that,

00:11:23.179 --> 00:11:23.759
 in fact,

00:11:24.259 --> 00:11:25.919
 it's hard for modern

00:11:25.919 --> 00:11:27.219
 Canadians to think

00:11:27.219 --> 00:11:28.779
 without thinking

00:11:28.779 --> 00:11:30.439
 in terms of the categories

00:11:30.439 --> 00:11:32.259
 of messianic

00:11:32.259 --> 00:11:33.139
 and utopian

00:11:33.139 --> 00:11:33.939
 visions

00:11:33.939 --> 00:11:34.839
 and movements.

00:11:36.759 --> 00:11:37.639
 And in fact,

00:11:38.120 --> 00:11:39.360
 a significant part

00:11:39.360 --> 00:11:40.120
 of what goes on

00:11:40.120 --> 00:11:40.899
 in academia

00:11:40.899 --> 00:11:43.839
 is helping us

00:11:43.839 --> 00:11:44.500
 to become

00:11:44.500 --> 00:11:45.500
 accommodated

00:11:45.500 --> 00:11:46.700
 to different

00:11:46.700 --> 00:11:47.820
 visions

00:11:47.820 --> 00:11:48.559
 of how

00:11:48.559 --> 00:11:50.200
 history is moving,

00:11:50.879 --> 00:11:51.840
 of how morality

00:11:51.840 --> 00:11:52.759
 is progressing,

00:11:53.620 --> 00:11:54.279
 of what is

00:11:54.279 --> 00:11:55.059
 right and wrong

00:11:55.059 --> 00:11:56.019
 in terms of

00:11:56.019 --> 00:11:56.720
 utopian

00:11:56.720 --> 00:11:57.919
 or messianic

00:11:57.919 --> 00:11:58.519
 visions

00:11:58.519 --> 00:12:00.480
 or understandings

00:12:00.480 --> 00:12:01.399
 of where history

00:12:01.399 --> 00:12:01.779
 is going

00:12:01.779 --> 00:12:02.259
 to some type

00:12:02.259 --> 00:12:02.919
 of utopia.

00:12:04.000 --> 00:12:05.120
 And it's so deeply

00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:05.580
 embedded

00:12:05.580 --> 00:12:06.799
 in how we talk

00:12:06.799 --> 00:12:07.600
 and how we analyze

00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:08.179
 things.

00:12:08.700 --> 00:12:09.179
 And often,

00:12:09.419 --> 00:12:10.539
 university education,

00:12:10.899 --> 00:12:11.039
 I mean,

00:12:11.080 --> 00:12:11.759
 it does other things

00:12:11.759 --> 00:12:12.139
 as well.

00:12:12.240 --> 00:12:12.379
 I mean,

00:12:12.460 --> 00:12:13.360
 it teaches you

00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:14.399
 how to do statistics

00:12:14.399 --> 00:12:15.279
 and, you know,

00:12:15.300 --> 00:12:15.740
 there's obviously,

00:12:15.879 --> 00:12:16.840
 it does more than this.

00:12:17.340 --> 00:12:19.180
 But it's deeply

00:12:19.180 --> 00:12:20.740
 interwoven

00:12:20.740 --> 00:12:22.519
 into the categories

00:12:22.519 --> 00:12:23.399
 of modern thought,

00:12:23.539 --> 00:12:24.659
 increasingly into

00:12:24.659 --> 00:12:25.820
 the categories of law,

00:12:26.639 --> 00:12:27.560
 deeply interwoven

00:12:27.560 --> 00:12:28.340
 in politics,

00:12:28.840 --> 00:12:29.159
 sociology,

00:12:29.800 --> 00:12:30.419
 economics,

00:12:30.940 --> 00:12:31.860
 literary theory,

00:12:32.720 --> 00:12:33.539
 religious studies.

00:12:34.600 --> 00:12:35.700
 And what Jesus

00:12:35.700 --> 00:12:36.539
 is going to say

00:12:36.539 --> 00:12:38.480
 is that every single

00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:39.340
 one of these

00:12:39.340 --> 00:12:40.200
 utopias

00:12:40.200 --> 00:12:40.940
 and visions

00:12:40.940 --> 00:12:41.659
 is wrong.

00:12:41.920 --> 00:12:42.860
 Every one

00:12:42.860 --> 00:12:44.320
 without exception,

00:12:45.480 --> 00:12:46.279
 none of them

00:12:46.279 --> 00:12:47.659
 will take place.

00:12:48.440 --> 00:12:49.300
 Every one

00:12:49.300 --> 00:12:50.419
 will lead you

00:12:50.419 --> 00:12:50.940
 astray.

00:12:52.740 --> 00:12:53.539
 Every one.

00:12:54.720 --> 00:12:55.440
 There will not

00:12:55.440 --> 00:12:56.220
 come a time

00:12:56.220 --> 00:12:56.860
 when poverty

00:12:56.860 --> 00:12:57.740
 is eradicated.

00:12:57.919 --> 00:12:58.159
 Gosh,

00:12:58.220 --> 00:12:58.659
 aren't you glad

00:12:58.659 --> 00:12:59.340
 you came to church

00:12:59.340 --> 00:12:59.840
 this morning?

00:12:59.980 --> 00:13:00.539
 Haven't I just

00:13:00.539 --> 00:13:01.720
 lifted up your spirits?

00:13:02.200 --> 00:13:02.800
 There will never

00:13:02.800 --> 00:13:03.360
 be a time

00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:03.879
 that poverty

00:13:03.879 --> 00:13:04.560
 is eradicated.

00:13:04.680 --> 00:13:05.180
 There is never

00:13:05.180 --> 00:13:06.080
 going to be a time

00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:06.659
 when there will not

00:13:06.659 --> 00:13:07.139
 be violence.

00:13:07.279 --> 00:13:07.740
 There will never

00:13:07.740 --> 00:13:08.399
 be a time

00:13:08.399 --> 00:13:09.399
 when there will not

00:13:09.399 --> 00:13:10.840
 be war.

00:13:11.120 --> 00:13:11.720
 There will never

00:13:11.720 --> 00:13:12.259
 be a time

00:13:12.259 --> 00:13:12.659
 when there is

00:13:12.659 --> 00:13:13.679
 universal prosperity.

00:13:14.200 --> 00:13:14.960
 Star Trek

00:13:14.960 --> 00:13:16.240
 is wrong.

00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:19.200
 Yes,

00:13:19.259 --> 00:13:19.899
 I'm sorry.

00:13:20.100 --> 00:13:20.960
 I've really

00:13:20.960 --> 00:13:21.919
 ruined

00:13:21.919 --> 00:13:22.860
 some people's

00:13:22.860 --> 00:13:23.240
 weeks.

00:13:23.700 --> 00:13:24.779
 But Star Trek

00:13:24.779 --> 00:13:26.039
 is wrong.

00:13:26.819 --> 00:13:27.759
 There will not

00:13:27.759 --> 00:13:28.879
 be this time

00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:29.539
 of universal

00:13:29.539 --> 00:13:30.500
 peace on the earth

00:13:30.500 --> 00:13:31.259
 where mankind

00:13:31.259 --> 00:13:32.080
 and womankind

00:13:32.080 --> 00:13:33.080
 go boldly

00:13:33.080 --> 00:13:34.240
 to explore places

00:13:34.240 --> 00:13:35.240
 that have never

00:13:35.240 --> 00:13:35.980
 come before.

00:13:36.220 --> 00:13:37.000
 It's just

00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:37.819
 not going

00:13:37.819 --> 00:13:38.319
 to happen.

00:13:39.340 --> 00:13:40.279
 That's the claim

00:13:40.279 --> 00:13:40.699
 that Jesus

00:13:40.699 --> 00:13:41.159
 makes.

00:13:41.159 --> 00:13:42.100
 By the way,

00:13:42.939 --> 00:13:44.600
 for 2,000 years

00:13:44.600 --> 00:13:45.360
 since this,

00:13:45.579 --> 00:13:46.179
 there have been

00:13:46.179 --> 00:13:47.600
 countless secular

00:13:47.600 --> 00:13:48.399
 and religious

00:13:48.399 --> 00:13:49.899
 versions of

00:13:49.899 --> 00:13:51.360
 utopian and

00:13:51.360 --> 00:13:52.279
 messianic visions

00:13:52.279 --> 00:13:53.299
 and they've all

00:13:53.299 --> 00:13:53.860
 been wrong.

00:13:54.919 --> 00:13:56.179
 2,000 years

00:13:56.179 --> 00:13:57.000
 of Jesus being

00:13:57.000 --> 00:13:57.559
 correct.

00:13:59.539 --> 00:14:00.240
 And yet today,

00:14:00.319 --> 00:14:00.679
 and I'm not

00:14:00.679 --> 00:14:01.259
 picking on the

00:14:01.259 --> 00:14:01.600
 left,

00:14:02.220 --> 00:14:03.039
 it happens to be

00:14:03.039 --> 00:14:03.759
 that right now,

00:14:03.980 --> 00:14:04.959
 other than Star Trek,

00:14:05.079 --> 00:14:05.720
 which is sort of a

00:14:05.720 --> 00:14:06.379
 right wing,

00:14:06.379 --> 00:14:07.120
 well,

00:14:07.200 --> 00:14:07.980
 sort of soft

00:14:07.980 --> 00:14:08.539
 left,

00:14:08.759 --> 00:14:09.399
 therapeutic

00:14:09.399 --> 00:14:11.759
 version of this.

00:14:13.559 --> 00:14:13.759
 You know,

00:14:13.899 --> 00:14:15.059
 but today,

00:14:15.220 --> 00:14:15.960
 we tend to think

00:14:15.960 --> 00:14:16.639
 primarily of

00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:17.439
 progressive in

00:14:17.439 --> 00:14:18.059
 what would be

00:14:18.059 --> 00:14:18.700
 called left-wing

00:14:18.700 --> 00:14:19.159
 or liberal

00:14:19.159 --> 00:14:19.700
 categories,

00:14:19.799 --> 00:14:20.259
 but that's just

00:14:20.259 --> 00:14:20.759
 an historical

00:14:20.759 --> 00:14:21.340
 accident.

00:14:22.039 --> 00:14:22.279
 In fact,

00:14:22.340 --> 00:14:22.939
 it's only a

00:14:22.939 --> 00:14:23.620
 historical accident

00:14:23.620 --> 00:14:24.259
 in certain forms.

00:14:24.919 --> 00:14:25.740
 There's a version

00:14:25.740 --> 00:14:26.659
 of Islam,

00:14:26.899 --> 00:14:27.799
 which is inherently

00:14:27.799 --> 00:14:28.820
 messianic and

00:14:28.820 --> 00:14:29.379
 utopian,

00:14:29.879 --> 00:14:30.379
 and that's what

00:14:30.379 --> 00:14:31.360
 drives the terrorists,

00:14:31.620 --> 00:14:32.500
 and to some extent,

00:14:32.600 --> 00:14:33.679
 much Muslim thought.

00:14:34.320 --> 00:14:35.159
 There's Hindu

00:14:35.159 --> 00:14:36.159
 versions of it,

00:14:36.379 --> 00:14:37.879
 but we're far more

00:14:37.879 --> 00:14:39.259
 familiar with it

00:14:39.259 --> 00:14:39.820
 in terms of

00:14:39.820 --> 00:14:40.419
 different views

00:14:40.419 --> 00:14:41.220
 around the left

00:14:41.220 --> 00:14:42.279
 and in terms of

00:14:42.279 --> 00:14:44.019
 gender and sexuality.

00:14:44.860 --> 00:14:45.820
 But in the past,

00:14:45.879 --> 00:14:46.659
 there's been right-wing

00:14:46.659 --> 00:14:47.500
 versions of this

00:14:47.500 --> 00:14:47.899
 as well,

00:14:48.059 --> 00:14:49.860
 and even Christianized

00:14:49.860 --> 00:14:50.720
 versions using

00:14:50.720 --> 00:14:51.620
 Christian language.

00:14:52.259 --> 00:14:53.240
 And Jesus is saying

00:14:53.240 --> 00:14:53.620
 here,

00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:55.100
 I'm going to describe

00:14:55.100 --> 00:14:55.879
 normal life.

00:14:56.919 --> 00:14:57.759
 And in normal life,

00:14:57.799 --> 00:14:58.259
 as we're going to see

00:14:58.259 --> 00:14:58.659
 in a moment,

00:14:59.059 --> 00:14:59.519
 there's going to be

00:14:59.519 --> 00:14:59.860
 earthquakes,

00:15:00.019 --> 00:15:00.440
 there's going to be

00:15:00.440 --> 00:15:00.840
 famines,

00:15:00.919 --> 00:15:01.340
 there's going to be

00:15:01.340 --> 00:15:01.879
 pestilences,

00:15:02.039 --> 00:15:02.500
 there's going to be

00:15:02.500 --> 00:15:03.220
 social unrest,

00:15:03.320 --> 00:15:03.740
 there's going to be

00:15:03.740 --> 00:15:04.440
 social chaos,

00:15:04.559 --> 00:15:05.059
 there's going to be

00:15:05.059 --> 00:15:05.340
 war,

00:15:05.440 --> 00:15:05.899
 there's going to be

00:15:05.899 --> 00:15:06.959
 false messiahs,

00:15:07.240 --> 00:15:07.899
 there's going to be

00:15:07.899 --> 00:15:08.939
 religious misleaders,

00:15:09.259 --> 00:15:09.860
 there's going to be

00:15:09.860 --> 00:15:10.500
 persecution,

00:15:10.699 --> 00:15:11.139
 there's going to be

00:15:11.139 --> 00:15:11.500
 oppression,

00:15:11.620 --> 00:15:12.639
 this is normal life.

00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:15.699
 I know I've really

00:15:15.699 --> 00:15:16.559
 encouraged you,

00:15:16.860 --> 00:15:17.980
 but we'll get to some

00:15:17.980 --> 00:15:18.779
 hope and encouragement

00:15:18.779 --> 00:15:19.559
 in the midst of it.

00:15:19.559 --> 00:15:23.339
 And so the first thing

00:15:23.339 --> 00:15:23.899
 that we can pray,

00:15:24.019 --> 00:15:24.179
 in fact,

00:15:24.359 --> 00:15:24.739
 you know,

00:15:24.759 --> 00:15:26.279
 maybe if I lose you

00:15:26.279 --> 00:15:26.979
 and you fall asleep

00:15:26.979 --> 00:15:27.639
 for the rest of the

00:15:27.639 --> 00:15:27.919
 sermon,

00:15:28.459 --> 00:15:29.099
 there's this point,

00:15:29.159 --> 00:15:29.879
 maybe I'll wake you up

00:15:29.879 --> 00:15:30.839
 again later on

00:15:30.839 --> 00:15:31.739
 or something like that

00:15:31.739 --> 00:15:32.859
 or drag you off of

00:15:32.859 --> 00:15:33.959
 your Facebook updates,

00:15:34.419 --> 00:15:36.739
 but this is a really

00:15:36.739 --> 00:15:38.019
 important prayer for us

00:15:38.019 --> 00:15:38.459
 to pray,

00:15:39.119 --> 00:15:40.239
 especially if you

00:15:40.239 --> 00:15:41.000
 actually don't think

00:15:41.000 --> 00:15:41.519
 it's true.

00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:43.679
 And the more you

00:15:43.679 --> 00:15:44.599
 don't think it's true

00:15:44.599 --> 00:15:45.659
 of the economics

00:15:45.659 --> 00:15:46.479
 or sociology

00:15:46.479 --> 00:15:47.799
 or English literature

00:15:47.799 --> 00:15:48.579
 that you're taking,

00:15:49.179 --> 00:15:50.740
 then you have to

00:15:50.740 --> 00:15:51.759
 pray this the most.

00:15:52.979 --> 00:15:53.799
 Because it means

00:15:53.799 --> 00:15:55.579
 we're not even aware

00:15:55.579 --> 00:15:56.740
 of how much

00:15:56.740 --> 00:15:57.599
 Messianic and

00:15:57.599 --> 00:15:58.500
 Utopian visions

00:15:58.500 --> 00:15:59.279
 are influencing

00:15:59.279 --> 00:16:00.019
 the categories

00:16:00.019 --> 00:16:00.620
 of our thought.

00:16:02.659 --> 00:16:04.299
 So as we go on

00:16:04.299 --> 00:16:05.000
 through these next

00:16:05.000 --> 00:16:06.079
 verses,

00:16:06.259 --> 00:16:06.899
 which will go on

00:16:06.899 --> 00:16:07.859
 far quicker,

00:16:08.620 --> 00:16:10.299
 the first point is,

00:16:10.539 --> 00:16:10.899
 Dear God,

00:16:10.979 --> 00:16:11.699
 please grow in me

00:16:11.699 --> 00:16:12.620
 a complete and

00:16:12.620 --> 00:16:13.639
 total rejection

00:16:13.639 --> 00:16:15.379
 of every Messianic

00:16:15.379 --> 00:16:16.319
 and Utopian

00:16:16.319 --> 00:16:17.079
 movement

00:16:17.080 --> 00:16:17.960
 and vision.

00:16:19.180 --> 00:16:19.920
 Let's keep looking.

00:16:21.920 --> 00:16:23.100
 Some of you are going

00:16:23.100 --> 00:16:23.259
 to say,

00:16:23.340 --> 00:16:23.580
 George,

00:16:23.680 --> 00:16:24.540
 isn't this depressing?

00:16:26.060 --> 00:16:26.560
 Like, George,

00:16:26.620 --> 00:16:27.360
 you've been really,

00:16:27.500 --> 00:16:27.840
 really,

00:16:27.920 --> 00:16:28.480
 really,

00:16:28.480 --> 00:16:29.120
 really,

00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:30.400
 really bleak.

00:16:31.180 --> 00:16:31.700
 Like, George,

00:16:31.820 --> 00:16:33.000
 if this is the case,

00:16:33.340 --> 00:16:34.259
 why don't Christians

00:16:34.259 --> 00:16:35.440
 just all go build

00:16:35.440 --> 00:16:36.360
 bomb shelters

00:16:36.360 --> 00:16:38.020
 in northern Ontario

00:16:38.020 --> 00:16:39.240
 or North Dakota

00:16:39.240 --> 00:16:40.520
 or Wyoming

00:16:40.520 --> 00:16:41.360
 or Idaho

00:16:41.360 --> 00:16:42.960
 and stockpile

00:16:42.960 --> 00:16:43.920
 canned goods

00:16:43.920 --> 00:16:45.080
 and bottled waters

00:16:45.080 --> 00:16:47.060
 and just sort of

00:16:47.060 --> 00:16:47.879
 wait for the end

00:16:47.879 --> 00:16:48.240
 to come.

00:16:49.960 --> 00:16:50.860
 Well, actually,

00:16:51.100 --> 00:16:53.100
 I think historically

00:16:53.100 --> 00:16:54.160
 when Christians

00:16:54.160 --> 00:16:55.100
 take the words

00:16:55.100 --> 00:16:56.020
 of Luke 21

00:16:56.020 --> 00:16:57.220
 the most seriously,

00:16:58.139 --> 00:16:59.560
 it never leads us

00:16:59.560 --> 00:17:00.680
 to be in bomb shelters.

00:17:00.820 --> 00:17:01.080
 In fact,

00:17:01.139 --> 00:17:01.840
 Jesus is going to

00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:03.100
 tell us in a few

00:17:03.100 --> 00:17:04.000
 verses

00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:05.259
 that that's the exact

00:17:05.259 --> 00:17:06.059
 opposite thing

00:17:06.059 --> 00:17:06.819
 of what we should do.

00:17:06.920 --> 00:17:07.380
 And in fact,

00:17:07.460 --> 00:17:08.460
 it's actually really

00:17:08.460 --> 00:17:09.759
 important for us

00:17:09.759 --> 00:17:11.000
 doing concrete things

00:17:11.000 --> 00:17:12.039
 to help injustice

00:17:12.039 --> 00:17:13.019
 and help the poor.

00:17:14.460 --> 00:17:15.319
 Because, you see,

00:17:15.440 --> 00:17:16.779
 if we actually believe

00:17:16.779 --> 00:17:17.500
 wrong things

00:17:17.500 --> 00:17:18.299
 that don't work,

00:17:19.379 --> 00:17:20.700
 then it's not going

00:17:20.700 --> 00:17:21.440
 to help us

00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:22.680
 do any type

00:17:22.680 --> 00:17:23.480
 of earthly good.

00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:24.779
 It will only lead us

00:17:24.779 --> 00:17:25.720
 to do earthly harm.

00:17:26.200 --> 00:17:27.339
 Let's just continue

00:17:27.339 --> 00:17:28.200
 to see how Jesus

00:17:28.200 --> 00:17:29.399
 sort of purges our minds.

00:17:29.519 --> 00:17:30.039
 Verse 10,

00:17:30.579 --> 00:17:31.740
 Then Jesus said to them,

00:17:31.779 --> 00:17:32.500
 Nation will rise

00:17:32.500 --> 00:17:33.139
 against nation

00:17:33.139 --> 00:17:33.599
 and kingdom

00:17:33.599 --> 00:17:34.399
 against kingdom.

00:17:35.059 --> 00:17:35.779
 There will be

00:17:35.779 --> 00:17:36.599
 great earthquakes

00:17:36.599 --> 00:17:38.079
 and in various places

00:17:38.079 --> 00:17:38.720
 famines

00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:39.559
 and pestilences,

00:17:39.559 --> 00:17:41.019
 and there will be

00:17:41.019 --> 00:17:41.659
 terrors

00:17:41.659 --> 00:17:42.700
 and great signs

00:17:42.700 --> 00:17:43.279
 from heaven.

00:17:44.240 --> 00:17:45.339
 But before all this,

00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:45.819
 they will lay

00:17:45.819 --> 00:17:46.839
 their hands on you,

00:17:46.899 --> 00:17:47.919
 he's talking to Christians,

00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:49.720
 and persecute you,

00:17:49.859 --> 00:17:50.559
 delivering you up

00:17:50.559 --> 00:17:51.440
 to the synagogues

00:17:51.440 --> 00:17:51.980
 and prisons,

00:17:52.159 --> 00:17:52.879
 and you will be brought

00:17:52.879 --> 00:17:53.679
 before kings

00:17:53.679 --> 00:17:54.359
 and governors

00:17:54.359 --> 00:17:56.019
 for my name's sake.

00:17:58.220 --> 00:17:58.720
 I mean,

00:17:58.740 --> 00:17:59.240
 one of the people

00:17:59.240 --> 00:18:00.119
 who's listening to this

00:18:00.119 --> 00:18:00.399
 is,

00:18:01.299 --> 00:18:02.059
 some of the people

00:18:02.059 --> 00:18:02.700
 who are listening to this,

00:18:02.759 --> 00:18:03.299
 that's exactly

00:18:03.299 --> 00:18:04.179
 what's going to happen.

00:18:04.859 --> 00:18:05.659
 That's going to happen

00:18:05.659 --> 00:18:06.000
 to them

00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:07.319
 within a few years

00:18:07.319 --> 00:18:07.619
 of this,

00:18:07.659 --> 00:18:08.079
 even though they're

00:18:08.079 --> 00:18:09.019
 not aware of it.

00:18:10.259 --> 00:18:11.200
 This will be your

00:18:11.200 --> 00:18:11.940
 opportunity

00:18:11.940 --> 00:18:13.019
 to bear witness.

00:18:13.240 --> 00:18:14.099
 Here's the first

00:18:14.099 --> 00:18:15.039
 little bit of a turn

00:18:15.039 --> 00:18:15.940
 in terms of

00:18:15.940 --> 00:18:17.559
 bearing some type

00:18:17.559 --> 00:18:18.039
 of hope.

00:18:19.240 --> 00:18:19.440
 That,

00:18:19.619 --> 00:18:21.579
 this sounds

00:18:21.579 --> 00:18:22.519
 really depressing,

00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:23.799
 especially when it

00:18:23.799 --> 00:18:24.859
 talks about persecution,

00:18:25.579 --> 00:18:26.859
 and Jesus wants us

00:18:26.859 --> 00:18:27.519
 to understand

00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:28.399
 that when persecution

00:18:28.399 --> 00:18:29.559
 happens to us,

00:18:30.039 --> 00:18:31.319
 it's not that we have

00:18:31.319 --> 00:18:32.659
 to feel really

00:18:32.659 --> 00:18:34.039
 sorry for ourselves.

00:18:34.200 --> 00:18:34.359
 I mean,

00:18:34.460 --> 00:18:35.679
 it's fine to come

00:18:35.679 --> 00:18:36.319
 to God with

00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:38.399
 our struggles

00:18:38.399 --> 00:18:38.940
 with the fact

00:18:38.940 --> 00:18:39.380
 that nobody

00:18:39.380 --> 00:18:40.340
 likes to be persecuted,

00:18:40.580 --> 00:18:41.539
 nobody likes

00:18:41.539 --> 00:18:42.360
 to be slandered,

00:18:42.519 --> 00:18:43.180
 nobody likes

00:18:43.180 --> 00:18:43.920
 to have their name

00:18:43.920 --> 00:18:44.700
 dragged through the mud,

00:18:44.820 --> 00:18:45.380
 nobody likes

00:18:45.380 --> 00:18:46.019
 to be misunderstood,

00:18:46.400 --> 00:18:46.880
 nobody likes

00:18:46.880 --> 00:18:48.680
 to be beaten up

00:18:48.680 --> 00:18:49.720
 or have bad

00:18:49.720 --> 00:18:50.539
 financial things

00:18:50.539 --> 00:18:51.180
 happen to them,

00:18:51.180 --> 00:18:52.360
 and it's fine

00:18:52.360 --> 00:18:52.880
 for us to come

00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:53.799
 to God in prayer,

00:18:54.100 --> 00:18:54.680
 pouring out our

00:18:54.680 --> 00:18:55.500
 heart about this,

00:18:55.820 --> 00:18:56.400
 but at the end

00:18:56.400 --> 00:18:56.880
 of the day,

00:18:57.259 --> 00:18:58.160
 for some reason

00:18:58.160 --> 00:18:58.740
 in the mystery

00:18:58.740 --> 00:18:59.240
 of God,

00:18:59.340 --> 00:19:00.340
 we are to understand

00:19:00.340 --> 00:19:00.820
 that we,

00:19:00.940 --> 00:19:01.539
 it's not that we've

00:19:01.539 --> 00:19:02.320
 got to do this,

00:19:02.380 --> 00:19:03.480
 that we get to do it,

00:19:03.840 --> 00:19:04.840
 we get to bear

00:19:04.840 --> 00:19:05.799
 witness to Jesus.

00:19:05.799 --> 00:19:09.259
 we get to bear

00:19:09.259 --> 00:19:10.099
 witness to Jesus.

00:19:11.019 --> 00:19:11.539
 I'm going to talk

00:19:11.539 --> 00:19:11.779
 about this,

00:19:11.779 --> 00:19:12.200
 I haven't talked

00:19:12.200 --> 00:19:12.899
 about this in a long

00:19:12.899 --> 00:19:13.279
 time,

00:19:13.379 --> 00:19:14.659
 but some of you

00:19:14.659 --> 00:19:15.339
 might or might not

00:19:15.339 --> 00:19:15.980
 know that we used

00:19:15.980 --> 00:19:16.599
 to own a church

00:19:16.599 --> 00:19:17.000
 building,

00:19:17.599 --> 00:19:18.240
 and we used to be

00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:18.960
 part of the Anglican

00:19:18.960 --> 00:19:19.839
 Diocese of Ottawa,

00:19:20.539 --> 00:19:21.720
 and just over

00:19:21.720 --> 00:19:22.399
 eight years ago,

00:19:22.579 --> 00:19:22.659
 we,

00:19:22.879 --> 00:19:24.299
 after a long period

00:19:24.299 --> 00:19:25.419
 of trying to deal

00:19:25.419 --> 00:19:26.539
 with the denomination,

00:19:26.819 --> 00:19:27.720
 we realized the time

00:19:27.720 --> 00:19:29.039
 had come when in

00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:30.199
 faithfulness to Jesus

00:19:30.199 --> 00:19:31.139
 and in trust and

00:19:31.139 --> 00:19:31.899
 belief in the Bible

00:19:31.899 --> 00:19:32.759
 that we could no

00:19:32.759 --> 00:19:33.659
 longer be part of

00:19:33.659 --> 00:19:34.399
 the denomination,

00:19:35.220 --> 00:19:36.619
 and there was all

00:19:36.619 --> 00:19:37.539
 sorts of slanderous

00:19:37.539 --> 00:19:38.379
 things said about us

00:19:38.379 --> 00:19:39.240
 in the press,

00:19:39.759 --> 00:19:40.419
 and we ended up

00:19:40.419 --> 00:19:42.199
 taking a stand,

00:19:42.319 --> 00:19:42.980
 and we left the

00:19:42.980 --> 00:19:43.539
 denomination,

00:19:43.980 --> 00:19:44.619
 we ended up,

00:19:44.799 --> 00:19:46.019
 the diocese sued us

00:19:46.019 --> 00:19:46.579
 for something that

00:19:46.579 --> 00:19:47.099
 would have eventually

00:19:47.099 --> 00:19:48.119
 cost seven figures,

00:19:48.119 --> 00:19:50.379
 and as part of a

00:19:50.379 --> 00:19:51.039
 settlement out of

00:19:51.039 --> 00:19:51.279
 court,

00:19:51.399 --> 00:19:52.239
 we walked away

00:19:52.239 --> 00:19:52.899
 from the building.

00:19:54.719 --> 00:19:55.619
 I'm just mentioning

00:19:55.619 --> 00:19:56.319
 this because,

00:19:56.919 --> 00:19:58.059
 what was one of the

00:19:58.059 --> 00:19:58.659
 things that happened

00:19:58.659 --> 00:19:59.619
 as a result of this?

00:20:01.339 --> 00:20:01.879
 I mean,

00:20:02.059 --> 00:20:02.439
 and I'm not,

00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:03.159
 this isn't a,

00:20:03.859 --> 00:20:04.659
 one of the things

00:20:04.659 --> 00:20:05.119
 that happened to this,

00:20:05.239 --> 00:20:06.139
 I got to be on

00:20:06.139 --> 00:20:06.859
 coast-to-coast

00:20:06.859 --> 00:20:08.139
 CBC morning radio.

00:20:08.739 --> 00:20:09.759
 I got to be on

00:20:09.759 --> 00:20:10.979
 CTV news across

00:20:10.979 --> 00:20:11.559
 the country,

00:20:11.859 --> 00:20:12.659
 bearing witness to

00:20:12.659 --> 00:20:13.000
 Jesus,

00:20:13.599 --> 00:20:14.299
 bearing witness to

00:20:14.299 --> 00:20:14.979
 why we took the

00:20:14.979 --> 00:20:15.699
 stand that we did.

00:20:16.359 --> 00:20:17.219
 I got to spend

00:20:17.219 --> 00:20:17.779
 time with

00:20:17.779 --> 00:20:18.399
 reporters.

00:20:19.240 --> 00:20:20.000
 I got to be,

00:20:20.139 --> 00:20:21.079
 talk to the fellow

00:20:21.079 --> 00:20:23.059
 who's now the,

00:20:23.059 --> 00:20:26.339
 the mayor of

00:20:26.339 --> 00:20:26.839
 Toronto,

00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:31.279
 about how the

00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:32.099
 Bible works to

00:20:32.099 --> 00:20:32.899
 change lives.

00:20:34.319 --> 00:20:34.920
 And I,

00:20:35.039 --> 00:20:35.359
 that wouldn't

00:20:35.359 --> 00:20:36.319
 have happened if

00:20:36.319 --> 00:20:38.240
 we hadn't been

00:20:38.240 --> 00:20:38.859
 pursued in the

00:20:38.859 --> 00:20:39.240
 courts.

00:20:40.460 --> 00:20:41.279
 Just would not

00:20:41.279 --> 00:20:41.759
 have happened.

00:20:43.160 --> 00:20:43.279
 No,

00:20:43.519 --> 00:20:44.839
 nobody's calling me

00:20:44.839 --> 00:20:45.299
 up today.

00:20:45.299 --> 00:20:47.799
 By the way,

00:20:47.919 --> 00:20:49.000
 I am not at

00:20:49.000 --> 00:20:49.659
 all missing

00:20:49.659 --> 00:20:50.899
 the feeling of

00:20:50.899 --> 00:20:51.639
 dread that comes

00:20:51.639 --> 00:20:52.039
 when you see

00:20:52.039 --> 00:20:52.440
 that it's a

00:20:52.440 --> 00:20:53.079
 reporter on

00:20:53.079 --> 00:20:54.079
 your cell phone

00:20:54.079 --> 00:20:54.399
 and you're

00:20:54.399 --> 00:20:54.639
 going to have

00:20:54.639 --> 00:20:55.079
 to talk to

00:20:55.079 --> 00:20:55.139
 them.

00:20:55.259 --> 00:20:56.799
 I don't say,

00:20:56.859 --> 00:20:57.200
 oh God,

00:20:57.299 --> 00:20:57.740
 please bring

00:20:57.740 --> 00:20:58.319
 that back to

00:20:58.319 --> 00:20:58.480
 me.

00:20:59.039 --> 00:20:59.720
 I'm not,

00:20:59.839 --> 00:21:00.299
 but you know,

00:21:00.379 --> 00:21:01.039
 God opened

00:21:01.039 --> 00:21:01.940
 doors up through

00:21:01.940 --> 00:21:02.759
 that that would

00:21:02.759 --> 00:21:03.419
 not have happened

00:21:03.419 --> 00:21:04.079
 otherwise and

00:21:04.079 --> 00:21:04.639
 might never

00:21:04.639 --> 00:21:05.319
 happen again to

00:21:05.319 --> 00:21:05.419
 me,

00:21:05.460 --> 00:21:05.839
 but I don't

00:21:05.839 --> 00:21:05.960
 know.

00:21:06.019 --> 00:21:06.460
 I don't know

00:21:06.460 --> 00:21:06.779
 the future.

00:21:06.919 --> 00:21:07.359
 I don't know

00:21:07.359 --> 00:21:07.819
 what will happen.

00:21:08.819 --> 00:21:09.759
 But here's the

00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:09.980
 thing,

00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:11.619
 that what we

00:21:11.619 --> 00:21:12.359
 have to say to

00:21:12.359 --> 00:21:13.399
 ourselves when

00:21:13.399 --> 00:21:13.859
 these things

00:21:13.859 --> 00:21:14.700
 happen to us,

00:21:15.500 --> 00:21:16.319
 we can in

00:21:16.319 --> 00:21:16.939
 private say,

00:21:17.000 --> 00:21:17.200
 God,

00:21:17.279 --> 00:21:17.740
 why me?

00:21:18.480 --> 00:21:19.679
 But God is

00:21:19.679 --> 00:21:20.279
 giving us an

00:21:20.279 --> 00:21:21.159
 opportunity and

00:21:21.159 --> 00:21:21.779
 that's what Jesus

00:21:21.779 --> 00:21:22.299
 is saying.

00:21:22.439 --> 00:21:23.039
 It's the beginning

00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:24.200
 of the hope

00:21:24.200 --> 00:21:24.819
 which comes in

00:21:24.819 --> 00:21:25.200
 the text,

00:21:25.299 --> 00:21:25.819
 the peeking

00:21:25.819 --> 00:21:27.740
 out to keep

00:21:27.740 --> 00:21:28.220
 us going.

00:21:29.200 --> 00:21:29.879
 So verse 13

00:21:29.879 --> 00:21:30.179
 again,

00:21:30.319 --> 00:21:30.980
 this will be your

00:21:30.980 --> 00:21:31.859
 opportunity to bear

00:21:31.859 --> 00:21:32.259
 witness.

00:21:32.659 --> 00:21:33.019
 Settle it,

00:21:33.139 --> 00:21:33.379
 therefore,

00:21:33.500 --> 00:21:34.220
 in your minds,

00:21:34.299 --> 00:21:35.079
 not to meditate

00:21:35.079 --> 00:21:36.179
 beforehand how to

00:21:36.179 --> 00:21:36.559
 answer.

00:21:36.559 --> 00:21:37.720
 for I will

00:21:37.720 --> 00:21:38.200
 give you a

00:21:38.200 --> 00:21:38.659
 mouth and

00:21:38.659 --> 00:21:39.559
 wisdom which

00:21:39.559 --> 00:21:39.980
 none of your

00:21:39.980 --> 00:21:40.759
 adversaries will

00:21:40.759 --> 00:21:41.220
 be able to

00:21:41.220 --> 00:21:41.859
 withstand and

00:21:41.859 --> 00:21:42.240
 contradict.

00:21:42.359 --> 00:21:42.759
 Just sort of

00:21:42.759 --> 00:21:43.440
 pause there for

00:21:43.440 --> 00:21:43.720
 a second.

00:21:45.539 --> 00:21:47.399
 The original

00:21:47.399 --> 00:21:48.339
 Greek is hard to

00:21:48.339 --> 00:21:50.099
 translate here in

00:21:50.099 --> 00:21:50.740
 a simple way.

00:21:51.259 --> 00:21:52.159
 The language about

00:21:52.159 --> 00:21:53.159
 meditating beforehand,

00:21:53.519 --> 00:21:54.440
 another way to put

00:21:54.440 --> 00:21:55.119
 it, it would have

00:21:55.119 --> 00:21:55.679
 been long and

00:21:55.679 --> 00:21:56.319
 wouldn't fit well

00:21:56.319 --> 00:21:56.779
 in English,

00:21:57.259 --> 00:21:58.220
 but basically the

00:21:58.220 --> 00:21:59.619
 image is that you

00:21:59.619 --> 00:22:00.440
 spend all of your

00:22:00.440 --> 00:22:02.019
 time rehearsing a

00:22:02.019 --> 00:22:02.799
 speech as if you're

00:22:02.799 --> 00:22:03.240
 in a play.

00:22:04.399 --> 00:22:05.679
 And what Jesus is

00:22:05.680 --> 00:22:06.640
 saying is,

00:22:06.799 --> 00:22:06.920
 okay,

00:22:07.000 --> 00:22:08.519
 don't spend all

00:22:08.519 --> 00:22:09.880
 your time back

00:22:09.880 --> 00:22:10.900
 in a practice

00:22:10.900 --> 00:22:12.539
 room rehearsing

00:22:12.539 --> 00:22:13.019
 what you're going

00:22:13.019 --> 00:22:13.380
 to say.

00:22:13.460 --> 00:22:13.920
 Go out and

00:22:13.920 --> 00:22:14.340
 live.

00:22:15.400 --> 00:22:15.840
 Go out and

00:22:15.840 --> 00:22:16.600
 bear witness.

00:22:17.380 --> 00:22:17.759
 And as we're

00:22:17.759 --> 00:22:18.180
 going to see in a

00:22:18.180 --> 00:22:18.759
 moment, go out

00:22:18.759 --> 00:22:19.660
 and help the

00:22:19.660 --> 00:22:21.779
 poor and go out

00:22:21.779 --> 00:22:22.320
 and try to deal

00:22:22.320 --> 00:22:23.440
 with injustice and

00:22:23.440 --> 00:22:24.100
 go out and share

00:22:24.100 --> 00:22:24.840
 the gospel and go

00:22:24.840 --> 00:22:25.240
 out and do all

00:22:25.240 --> 00:22:25.600
 these things.

00:22:25.700 --> 00:22:26.460
 Don't spend all

00:22:26.460 --> 00:22:28.080
 your time rehearsing

00:22:28.080 --> 00:22:28.799
 what you're going

00:22:28.799 --> 00:22:29.380
 to say like you're

00:22:29.380 --> 00:22:29.820
 in a play.

00:22:30.259 --> 00:22:30.500
 Okay?

00:22:31.140 --> 00:22:31.759
 Go out.

00:22:31.960 --> 00:22:32.380
 Go out.

00:22:32.380 --> 00:22:34.800
 Get on your

00:22:34.800 --> 00:22:35.820
 knees, then stand

00:22:35.820 --> 00:22:36.620
 up and get off

00:22:36.620 --> 00:22:37.420
 your duff and go

00:22:37.420 --> 00:22:37.800
 out and do

00:22:37.800 --> 00:22:38.220
 things.

00:22:39.020 --> 00:22:39.640
 And that's what

00:22:39.640 --> 00:22:40.460
 Jesus is saying.

00:22:41.160 --> 00:22:42.160
 And also notice

00:22:42.160 --> 00:22:42.740
 here a very, very

00:22:42.740 --> 00:22:43.460
 subtle way that

00:22:43.460 --> 00:22:44.480
 Jesus is making a

00:22:44.480 --> 00:22:45.340
 claim to be God

00:22:45.340 --> 00:22:45.940
 and he's claiming

00:22:45.940 --> 00:22:46.740
 to rise from the

00:22:46.740 --> 00:22:46.980
 dead.

00:22:47.380 --> 00:22:48.260
 Look at verse 15

00:22:48.260 --> 00:22:48.540
 again.

00:22:48.680 --> 00:22:51.940
 For I, I will

00:22:51.940 --> 00:22:52.880
 give you a mouth

00:22:52.880 --> 00:22:53.460
 and wisdom.

00:22:54.220 --> 00:22:55.820
 I will give you

00:22:55.820 --> 00:22:56.520
 these words.

00:22:57.420 --> 00:22:59.380
 This is dynamite.

00:22:59.380 --> 00:23:02.160
 This is dynamite.

00:23:03.320 --> 00:23:04.060
 Part of the flow

00:23:04.060 --> 00:23:05.000
 of the book is

00:23:05.000 --> 00:23:05.880
 that Jesus is

00:23:05.880 --> 00:23:07.640
 saying this right

00:23:07.640 --> 00:23:08.480
 from Luke chapter

00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:10.060
 9 on to here.

00:23:10.180 --> 00:23:10.920
 Jesus is saying,

00:23:11.060 --> 00:23:11.460
 I'm going to

00:23:11.460 --> 00:23:12.280
 Jerusalem to die.

00:23:12.400 --> 00:23:12.900
 I'm going to

00:23:12.900 --> 00:23:13.600
 Jerusalem to die.

00:23:13.700 --> 00:23:14.220
 I'm going to

00:23:14.220 --> 00:23:14.980
 Jerusalem to die.

00:23:15.400 --> 00:23:16.320
 Jesus is now in

00:23:16.320 --> 00:23:16.760
 Jerusalem.

00:23:17.420 --> 00:23:18.380
 And when we next

00:23:18.380 --> 00:23:18.980
 look at the next

00:23:18.980 --> 00:23:19.720
 chapter, the next

00:23:19.720 --> 00:23:20.640
 chapter is about

00:23:20.640 --> 00:23:22.300
 the finalizing of

00:23:22.300 --> 00:23:23.000
 the plot to put

00:23:23.000 --> 00:23:23.720
 Jesus to death.

00:23:23.800 --> 00:23:24.240
 It's about the

00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:25.000
 last supper and

00:23:25.000 --> 00:23:25.740
 about, in other

00:23:25.740 --> 00:23:26.400
 words, like 48

00:23:26.400 --> 00:23:27.460
 hours after Jesus

00:23:27.460 --> 00:23:28.120
 says this, he's

00:23:28.120 --> 00:23:28.720
 going to be dying

00:23:28.720 --> 00:23:29.360
 on a cross.

00:23:29.380 --> 00:23:31.700
 And he's

00:23:31.700 --> 00:23:32.440
 pointing to the

00:23:32.440 --> 00:23:33.020
 fact that he's

00:23:33.020 --> 00:23:33.520
 going to rise,

00:23:33.600 --> 00:23:34.140
 which he's also

00:23:34.140 --> 00:23:35.000
 been telling people

00:23:35.000 --> 00:23:35.860
 since Luke chapter

00:23:35.860 --> 00:23:36.140
 9.

00:23:36.360 --> 00:23:36.740
 I'm going to

00:23:36.740 --> 00:23:37.300
 rise from the

00:23:37.300 --> 00:23:37.520
 dead.

00:23:37.920 --> 00:23:38.540
 And he gives

00:23:38.540 --> 00:23:39.340
 himself the type

00:23:39.340 --> 00:23:39.980
 of power that

00:23:39.980 --> 00:23:40.960
 only God can

00:23:40.960 --> 00:23:41.340
 give.

00:23:42.780 --> 00:23:43.500
 What is Jesus

00:23:43.500 --> 00:23:43.900
 saying?

00:23:44.020 --> 00:23:44.880
 If George had

00:23:44.880 --> 00:23:47.020
 any degree of

00:23:47.020 --> 00:23:48.180
 ability to speak

00:23:48.180 --> 00:23:49.520
 to the fellow who

00:23:49.520 --> 00:23:50.220
 is now the mayor

00:23:50.220 --> 00:23:51.700
 of Toronto, it's

00:23:51.700 --> 00:23:52.760
 not because George

00:23:52.760 --> 00:23:54.240
 is clever, but

00:23:54.240 --> 00:23:56.080
 because Jesus gave

00:23:56.080 --> 00:23:56.760
 me the words.

00:23:56.759 --> 00:23:59.619
 That is a

00:23:59.619 --> 00:24:02.000
 profound claim that

00:24:02.000 --> 00:24:02.920
 Jesus is making,

00:24:03.379 --> 00:24:04.019
 that he will

00:24:04.019 --> 00:24:05.379
 conquer sin and

00:24:05.379 --> 00:24:05.900
 death and all

00:24:05.900 --> 00:24:06.940
 hostile spiritual

00:24:06.940 --> 00:24:08.680
 powers as he

00:24:08.680 --> 00:24:09.440
 dies and rises,

00:24:09.660 --> 00:24:10.200
 and that he is

00:24:10.200 --> 00:24:10.599
 God.

00:24:12.680 --> 00:24:13.400
 We'll continue

00:24:13.400 --> 00:24:13.759
 on.

00:24:14.079 --> 00:24:15.440
 Verse 16, you

00:24:15.440 --> 00:24:15.980
 will be delivered

00:24:15.980 --> 00:24:17.119
 up even by parents

00:24:17.119 --> 00:24:17.859
 and brothers and

00:24:17.859 --> 00:24:18.779
 sisters and relatives

00:24:18.779 --> 00:24:19.579
 and friends, and

00:24:19.579 --> 00:24:20.140
 some of you they

00:24:20.140 --> 00:24:20.940
 will put to death.

00:24:21.019 --> 00:24:21.559
 You will be hated

00:24:21.559 --> 00:24:22.379
 by all for my

00:24:22.379 --> 00:24:23.099
 name's sake.

00:24:23.099 --> 00:24:23.859
 Who would want

00:24:23.859 --> 00:24:24.339
 to become a

00:24:24.339 --> 00:24:24.879
 Christian, eh?

00:24:25.139 --> 00:24:26.419
 But not a hair of

00:24:26.419 --> 00:24:27.059
 your head will

00:24:27.059 --> 00:24:27.619
 perish.

00:24:28.099 --> 00:24:29.039
 Once again, this is

00:24:29.039 --> 00:24:30.000
 a symbol.

00:24:30.159 --> 00:24:30.759
 It's not literal.

00:24:31.339 --> 00:24:32.259
 It's not that if

00:24:32.259 --> 00:24:33.119
 all of a sudden you

00:24:33.119 --> 00:24:34.059
 came up to me and

00:24:34.059 --> 00:24:35.619
 said, cut some of my

00:24:35.619 --> 00:24:36.199
 hair, he said,

00:24:36.259 --> 00:24:37.139
 aha, Jesus is

00:24:37.139 --> 00:24:37.379
 wrong.

00:24:37.459 --> 00:24:37.740
 No.

00:24:38.500 --> 00:24:39.279
 It doesn't

00:24:39.279 --> 00:24:40.099
 contradict it.

00:24:40.699 --> 00:24:41.519
 Jesus is saying,

00:24:42.439 --> 00:24:44.299
 God, I care for

00:24:44.299 --> 00:24:44.619
 you.

00:24:44.959 --> 00:24:46.039
 You become my

00:24:46.039 --> 00:24:46.559
 disciple.

00:24:47.419 --> 00:24:49.000
 You trust me with

00:24:49.000 --> 00:24:49.579
 your life.

00:24:49.939 --> 00:24:50.799
 You let me into

00:24:50.799 --> 00:24:51.179
 your life.

00:24:51.179 --> 00:24:52.779
 I let you into my

00:24:52.779 --> 00:24:54.019
 life and I care

00:24:54.019 --> 00:24:54.440
 for you.

00:24:54.639 --> 00:24:55.859
 I care for even

00:24:55.859 --> 00:24:57.220
 the tiniest details.

00:24:58.160 --> 00:24:59.160
 And Jeremiah has

00:24:59.160 --> 00:24:59.980
 had us singing this

00:24:59.980 --> 00:25:00.779
 song for the last,

00:25:00.859 --> 00:25:01.099
 I don't know,

00:25:01.160 --> 00:25:01.859
 four or five months.

00:25:01.920 --> 00:25:02.879
 It has a spectacular

00:25:02.879 --> 00:25:04.099
 line and a deeply

00:25:04.099 --> 00:25:04.819
 biblical line.

00:25:05.139 --> 00:25:06.220
 In fact, I meant

00:25:06.220 --> 00:25:07.359
 to ask him to sing

00:25:07.359 --> 00:25:07.980
 it and I forgot

00:25:07.980 --> 00:25:08.740
 to do it.

00:25:10.420 --> 00:25:12.000
 Earth has no sorrow

00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:13.779
 that heaven can't

00:25:13.779 --> 00:25:14.019
 heal.

00:25:15.000 --> 00:25:15.819
 Or won't heal,

00:25:15.920 --> 00:25:16.240
 can't heal?

00:25:16.279 --> 00:25:16.859
 I think it's can't

00:25:16.859 --> 00:25:17.019
 heal.

00:25:17.879 --> 00:25:19.119
 Earth has no sorrow

00:25:19.119 --> 00:25:20.379
 that heaven can't

00:25:20.379 --> 00:25:20.559
 heal.

00:25:20.559 --> 00:25:21.339
 That's what Jesus

00:25:21.339 --> 00:25:21.859
 is saying.

00:25:22.779 --> 00:25:24.000
 Earth has no sorrow

00:25:24.000 --> 00:25:24.899
 that heaven can't

00:25:24.899 --> 00:25:25.119
 heal.

00:25:25.420 --> 00:25:26.259
 And even to the

00:25:26.259 --> 00:25:27.139
 hairs of your head,

00:25:27.500 --> 00:25:28.339
 you matter to me.

00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:30.680
 Verse 19,

00:25:30.759 --> 00:25:31.619
 by your endurance,

00:25:31.839 --> 00:25:32.519
 you will gain your

00:25:32.519 --> 00:25:32.980
 lives.

00:25:34.660 --> 00:25:35.460
 It's a very,

00:25:35.559 --> 00:25:35.700
 very,

00:25:35.779 --> 00:25:36.559
 very powerful

00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:36.980
 thing.

00:25:38.440 --> 00:25:38.660
 Now,

00:25:38.819 --> 00:25:41.039
 now,

00:25:41.180 --> 00:25:42.299
 Jesus is going

00:25:42.299 --> 00:25:44.740
 to say something

00:25:44.740 --> 00:25:45.359
 which has

00:25:45.359 --> 00:25:46.899
 created,

00:25:47.399 --> 00:25:48.819
 has killed a lot

00:25:48.819 --> 00:25:49.460
 of trees.

00:25:51.240 --> 00:25:52.740
 If you go and

00:25:52.740 --> 00:25:53.319
 try to read some

00:25:53.319 --> 00:25:54.500
 academic commentaries

00:25:54.500 --> 00:25:55.259
 on Luke,

00:25:55.500 --> 00:25:56.299
 if you go read

00:25:56.299 --> 00:25:57.159
 some journal articles

00:25:57.159 --> 00:25:57.619
 on Luke,

00:25:57.659 --> 00:25:58.919
 you'll see that

00:25:58.919 --> 00:26:00.419
 there's been lots

00:26:00.419 --> 00:26:01.819
 of pages and

00:26:01.819 --> 00:26:02.679
 books written

00:26:02.679 --> 00:26:03.819
 to what about

00:26:03.819 --> 00:26:04.679
 Jesus is about

00:26:04.679 --> 00:26:05.159
 to say.

00:26:06.500 --> 00:26:07.679
 Because what

00:26:07.679 --> 00:26:08.619
 Jesus is about

00:26:08.619 --> 00:26:10.220
 to do is to

00:26:10.220 --> 00:26:11.319
 predict something

00:26:11.319 --> 00:26:12.799
 that took place

00:26:12.799 --> 00:26:15.419
 33 years

00:26:15.419 --> 00:26:16.000
 after his

00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:16.319
 death.

00:26:18.259 --> 00:26:18.539
 And,

00:26:18.700 --> 00:26:19.299
 in fact,

00:26:19.460 --> 00:26:20.059
 one of the

00:26:20.059 --> 00:26:20.599
 reasons that

00:26:20.599 --> 00:26:21.119
 many people

00:26:21.119 --> 00:26:21.720
 will say that

00:26:21.720 --> 00:26:22.220
 the Gospel

00:26:22.220 --> 00:26:22.619
 of Luke

00:26:22.619 --> 00:26:23.159
 was written

00:26:23.159 --> 00:26:24.579
 in the late

00:26:24.579 --> 00:26:25.500
 70s or the

00:26:25.500 --> 00:26:26.519
 early 80s

00:26:26.519 --> 00:26:27.799
 is because

00:26:27.799 --> 00:26:29.039
 the commentators

00:26:29.039 --> 00:26:29.799
 say we all

00:26:29.799 --> 00:26:30.500
 know that no

00:26:30.500 --> 00:26:31.039
 one knows

00:26:31.039 --> 00:26:31.639
 the future.

00:26:31.640 --> 00:26:33.840
 And,

00:26:33.840 --> 00:26:34.460
 because we

00:26:34.460 --> 00:26:34.900
 know that

00:26:34.900 --> 00:26:35.300
 no one

00:26:35.300 --> 00:26:35.800
 knows the

00:26:35.800 --> 00:26:36.300
 future,

00:26:36.980 --> 00:26:37.380
 therefore,

00:26:37.660 --> 00:26:38.480
 in this text

00:26:38.480 --> 00:26:39.020
 of Scripture,

00:26:39.160 --> 00:26:39.700
 when Jesus

00:26:39.700 --> 00:26:40.820
 describes the

00:26:40.820 --> 00:26:41.460
 destruction of

00:26:41.460 --> 00:26:41.900
 Jerusalem,

00:26:42.180 --> 00:26:42.920
 we know that

00:26:42.920 --> 00:26:43.540
 he can't have

00:26:43.540 --> 00:26:44.160
 done that.

00:26:44.600 --> 00:26:44.860
 So,

00:26:44.920 --> 00:26:45.300
 therefore,

00:26:45.780 --> 00:26:46.900
 it was added

00:26:46.900 --> 00:26:48.040
 by Christians

00:26:48.040 --> 00:26:48.680
 afterwards.

00:26:49.940 --> 00:26:50.120
 Now,

00:26:50.360 --> 00:26:51.000
 I'm not going

00:26:51.000 --> 00:26:51.320
 to try to,

00:26:51.640 --> 00:26:52.540
 there's a very,

00:26:52.680 --> 00:26:53.280
 very significant

00:26:53.280 --> 00:26:54.340
 piece of evidence

00:26:54.340 --> 00:26:55.920
 as to why

00:26:55.920 --> 00:26:57.100
 this is a

00:26:57.100 --> 00:26:58.740
 false claim.

00:26:59.120 --> 00:26:59.420
 In fact,

00:27:00.220 --> 00:27:00.960
 the words

00:27:00.960 --> 00:27:01.440
 of Jesus

00:27:01.440 --> 00:27:02.120
 have a very

00:27:02.120 --> 00:27:03.100
 peculiar and

00:27:03.100 --> 00:27:03.880
 powerful

00:27:03.880 --> 00:27:05.740
 historical proof

00:27:05.740 --> 00:27:06.960
 that he said

00:27:06.960 --> 00:27:07.600
 them before

00:27:07.600 --> 00:27:09.240
 and that it

00:27:09.240 --> 00:27:09.740
 was known

00:27:09.740 --> 00:27:10.279
 and that they

00:27:10.279 --> 00:27:10.740
 took it to

00:27:10.740 --> 00:27:10.940
 heart.

00:27:13.900 --> 00:27:13.960
 And,

00:27:13.960 --> 00:27:14.860
 well,

00:27:14.880 --> 00:27:15.500
 let's read it

00:27:15.500 --> 00:27:16.019
 and then I'll

00:27:16.019 --> 00:27:16.440
 tell you what

00:27:16.440 --> 00:27:16.860
 happened.

00:27:17.680 --> 00:27:18.480
 Verse 20,

00:27:18.820 --> 00:27:19.299
 but when you

00:27:19.299 --> 00:27:19.920
 see Jerusalem

00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:20.740
 surrounded by

00:27:20.740 --> 00:27:21.360
 armies,

00:27:21.980 --> 00:27:22.519
 then know that

00:27:22.519 --> 00:27:23.559
 its desolation

00:27:23.559 --> 00:27:24.500
 has come near.

00:27:25.200 --> 00:27:25.960
 Then let those

00:27:25.960 --> 00:27:26.320
 who are in

00:27:26.320 --> 00:27:27.180
 Judea flee to

00:27:27.180 --> 00:27:27.660
 the mountains

00:27:27.660 --> 00:27:28.440
 and let those

00:27:28.440 --> 00:27:29.360
 who are inside

00:27:29.360 --> 00:27:29.920
 the city

00:27:29.920 --> 00:27:30.519
 depart

00:27:30.519 --> 00:27:31.639
 and let

00:27:31.639 --> 00:27:32.200
 not those

00:27:32.200 --> 00:27:32.599
 who are out

00:27:32.599 --> 00:27:33.200
 in the country

00:27:33.200 --> 00:27:33.799
 enter it

00:27:33.799 --> 00:27:34.680
 for these

00:27:34.680 --> 00:27:35.139
 are days

00:27:35.139 --> 00:27:35.779
 of vengeance

00:27:35.779 --> 00:27:36.460
 to fulfill

00:27:36.460 --> 00:27:37.019
 all that is

00:27:37.019 --> 00:27:37.279
 written.

00:27:38.039 --> 00:27:38.680
 Alas for

00:27:38.680 --> 00:27:39.200
 women who

00:27:39.200 --> 00:27:39.720
 are pregnant

00:27:39.720 --> 00:27:40.099
 and for

00:27:40.099 --> 00:27:40.500
 those who

00:27:40.500 --> 00:27:40.879
 are nursing

00:27:40.879 --> 00:27:41.579
 infants in

00:27:41.579 --> 00:27:42.139
 those days

00:27:42.139 --> 00:27:42.940
 for there

00:27:42.940 --> 00:27:43.220
 will be

00:27:43.220 --> 00:27:43.920
 great distress

00:27:43.920 --> 00:27:44.440
 upon the

00:27:44.440 --> 00:27:44.819
 earth and

00:27:44.819 --> 00:27:45.259
 wrath.

00:27:46.180 --> 00:27:46.859
 God's wrath

00:27:46.859 --> 00:27:47.680
 against this

00:27:47.680 --> 00:27:48.039
 people.

00:27:48.759 --> 00:27:48.960
 They will

00:27:48.960 --> 00:27:49.579
 fall by the

00:27:49.579 --> 00:27:50.000
 edge of the

00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:50.480
 sword and

00:27:50.480 --> 00:27:50.799
 be led

00:27:50.799 --> 00:27:51.519
 captive among

00:27:51.519 --> 00:27:52.200
 all nations

00:27:52.200 --> 00:27:53.440
 and Jerusalem

00:27:53.440 --> 00:27:53.879
 will be

00:27:53.879 --> 00:27:54.279
 trampled

00:27:54.279 --> 00:27:55.039
 underfoot by

00:27:55.039 --> 00:27:55.819
 the Gentiles

00:27:55.819 --> 00:27:56.819
 until the

00:27:56.819 --> 00:27:57.660
 time of the

00:27:57.660 --> 00:27:58.259
 Gentiles

00:27:58.259 --> 00:27:58.639
 or the

00:27:58.639 --> 00:27:59.139
 pagans

00:27:59.140 --> 00:28:00.120
 are fulfilled.

00:28:01.400 --> 00:28:02.220
 In the

00:28:02.220 --> 00:28:03.200
 year 66

00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:04.700
 approximately

00:28:04.700 --> 00:28:05.560
 33 years

00:28:05.560 --> 00:28:06.080
 after this

00:28:06.080 --> 00:28:06.520
 was written

00:28:06.520 --> 00:28:08.240
 the Jewish

00:28:08.240 --> 00:28:09.280
 revolt against

00:28:09.280 --> 00:28:09.940
 Rome began

00:28:09.940 --> 00:28:12.120
 and Rome

00:28:12.120 --> 00:28:12.600
 sent a

00:28:12.600 --> 00:28:12.920
 general

00:28:12.920 --> 00:28:13.980
 to deal

00:28:13.980 --> 00:28:14.380
 with it

00:28:14.380 --> 00:28:15.300
 and the

00:28:15.300 --> 00:28:15.700
 general

00:28:15.700 --> 00:28:16.540
 had a

00:28:16.540 --> 00:28:16.880
 partial

00:28:16.880 --> 00:28:17.380
 surrounding

00:28:17.380 --> 00:28:18.020
 of Jerusalem

00:28:18.020 --> 00:28:19.300
 and actually

00:28:19.300 --> 00:28:19.700
 entered

00:28:19.700 --> 00:28:20.200
 Jerusalem

00:28:20.200 --> 00:28:21.259
 but the

00:28:21.259 --> 00:28:21.500
 Jewish

00:28:21.500 --> 00:28:22.000
 forces

00:28:22.000 --> 00:28:22.560
 were able

00:28:22.560 --> 00:28:23.640
 to drive

00:28:23.640 --> 00:28:23.940
 him out

00:28:23.940 --> 00:28:24.160
 of the

00:28:24.160 --> 00:28:24.440
 city

00:28:24.440 --> 00:28:25.500
 and when

00:28:25.500 --> 00:28:26.440
 he left

00:28:26.440 --> 00:28:26.840
 the city

00:28:26.839 --> 00:28:27.740
 they were

00:28:27.740 --> 00:28:28.099
 able to

00:28:28.099 --> 00:28:28.619
 successfully

00:28:28.619 --> 00:28:29.159
 ambush

00:28:29.159 --> 00:28:29.500
 him

00:28:29.500 --> 00:28:30.720
 and basically

00:28:30.720 --> 00:28:31.939
 destroy

00:28:31.939 --> 00:28:32.559
 his army.

00:28:33.099 --> 00:28:33.519
 It was

00:28:33.519 --> 00:28:34.099
 profoundly

00:28:34.099 --> 00:28:34.740
 shocking

00:28:34.740 --> 00:28:36.459
 to Rome

00:28:36.459 --> 00:28:37.500
 at the

00:28:37.500 --> 00:28:38.059
 success

00:28:38.059 --> 00:28:38.399
 and the

00:28:38.399 --> 00:28:38.859
 power

00:28:38.859 --> 00:28:39.359
 of the

00:28:39.359 --> 00:28:39.720
 Jewish

00:28:39.720 --> 00:28:40.179
 armed

00:28:40.179 --> 00:28:40.839
 resistance

00:28:40.839 --> 00:28:42.539
 against

00:28:42.539 --> 00:28:43.000
 Roman

00:28:43.000 --> 00:28:43.720
 imperial

00:28:43.720 --> 00:28:44.359
 power.

00:28:45.220 --> 00:28:45.599
 So they

00:28:45.599 --> 00:28:46.159
 sent one

00:28:46.159 --> 00:28:46.399
 of their

00:28:46.399 --> 00:28:46.659
 most

00:28:46.659 --> 00:28:47.259
 competent

00:28:47.259 --> 00:28:48.159
 generals

00:28:48.159 --> 00:28:49.279
 Vespasian

00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:50.339
 to go

00:28:50.339 --> 00:28:50.639
 and to

00:28:50.639 --> 00:28:51.099
 deal with

00:28:51.099 --> 00:28:51.339
 these

00:28:51.339 --> 00:28:51.879
 troublesome

00:28:51.879 --> 00:28:52.500
 Jews

00:28:52.500 --> 00:28:53.799
 and so

00:28:53.799 --> 00:28:54.659
 Vespasian

00:28:54.659 --> 00:28:55.599
 organized a

00:28:55.599 --> 00:28:56.139
 variety of

00:28:56.140 --> 00:28:56.640
 armies,

00:28:57.540 --> 00:28:57.880
 Roman

00:28:57.880 --> 00:28:58.500
 legions

00:28:58.500 --> 00:28:59.980
 and first

00:28:59.980 --> 00:29:00.759
 he quelled

00:29:00.759 --> 00:29:01.560
 the uprising

00:29:01.560 --> 00:29:02.300
 in Galilee

00:29:02.300 --> 00:29:02.800
 and a few

00:29:02.800 --> 00:29:03.560
 other areas

00:29:03.560 --> 00:29:03.960
 and then

00:29:03.960 --> 00:29:04.820
 after he

00:29:04.820 --> 00:29:05.259
 quelled

00:29:05.259 --> 00:29:06.080
 the uprising

00:29:06.080 --> 00:29:07.060
 with great

00:29:07.060 --> 00:29:07.440
 success,

00:29:07.560 --> 00:29:07.840
 he was a

00:29:07.840 --> 00:29:08.520
 very competent

00:29:08.520 --> 00:29:08.960
 general,

00:29:09.440 --> 00:29:10.180
 he gathered

00:29:10.180 --> 00:29:10.900
 the legions

00:29:10.900 --> 00:29:11.560
 and surrounded

00:29:11.560 --> 00:29:12.100
 Jerusalem

00:29:12.100 --> 00:29:12.920
 and it

00:29:12.920 --> 00:29:13.280
 looked as

00:29:13.280 --> 00:29:14.100
 if Jerusalem's

00:29:14.100 --> 00:29:14.560
 doom was

00:29:14.560 --> 00:29:14.880
 near.

00:29:15.480 --> 00:29:16.040
 But then

00:29:16.040 --> 00:29:19.100
 the emperor

00:29:19.100 --> 00:29:19.580
 Nero

00:29:19.580 --> 00:29:20.200
 committed

00:29:20.200 --> 00:29:20.900
 suicide

00:29:20.900 --> 00:29:21.759
 in Rome

00:29:21.759 --> 00:29:22.520
 thousands

00:29:22.520 --> 00:29:23.040
 of miles

00:29:23.040 --> 00:29:23.400
 away.

00:29:23.400 --> 00:29:25.900
 committed

00:29:25.900 --> 00:29:26.580
 suicide

00:29:26.580 --> 00:29:28.280
 and then

00:29:28.280 --> 00:29:29.300
 thus began

00:29:29.300 --> 00:29:30.860
 what historians

00:29:30.860 --> 00:29:32.480
 now refer

00:29:32.480 --> 00:29:33.400
 to as the

00:29:33.400 --> 00:29:34.440
 year of

00:29:34.440 --> 00:29:34.880
 the four

00:29:34.880 --> 00:29:35.620
 emperors

00:29:35.620 --> 00:29:37.240
 because a

00:29:37.240 --> 00:29:38.160
 massive power

00:29:38.160 --> 00:29:38.720
 struggle

00:29:38.720 --> 00:29:39.560
 emerged in

00:29:39.560 --> 00:29:39.840
 Rome.

00:29:40.080 --> 00:29:40.940
 In the course

00:29:40.940 --> 00:29:41.700
 of approximately

00:29:41.700 --> 00:29:42.620
 12 months

00:29:42.620 --> 00:29:43.580
 four different

00:29:43.580 --> 00:29:44.860
 people became

00:29:44.860 --> 00:29:45.380
 the emperor

00:29:45.380 --> 00:29:45.820
 of the Roman

00:29:45.820 --> 00:29:46.280
 Empire

00:29:46.280 --> 00:29:47.940
 and in the

00:29:47.940 --> 00:29:48.480
 midst of all

00:29:48.480 --> 00:29:48.780
 of that

00:29:48.780 --> 00:29:49.360
 turmoil

00:29:49.360 --> 00:29:50.540
 as Vespasian

00:29:50.540 --> 00:29:51.519
 has surrounded

00:29:51.519 --> 00:29:52.480
 Jerusalem with

00:29:52.480 --> 00:29:53.099
 armies to

00:29:53.099 --> 00:29:53.980
 destroy it.

00:29:54.920 --> 00:29:55.819
 He is called

00:29:55.819 --> 00:29:57.120
 back from

00:29:57.120 --> 00:29:58.039
 Jerusalem to

00:29:58.039 --> 00:29:58.559
 Rome to

00:29:58.559 --> 00:29:59.039
 deal with

00:29:59.039 --> 00:30:00.259
 it and he

00:30:00.259 --> 00:30:00.860
 goes and he

00:30:00.860 --> 00:30:01.720
 is successfully

00:30:01.720 --> 00:30:02.799
 able to deal

00:30:02.799 --> 00:30:03.220
 with the

00:30:03.220 --> 00:30:04.079
 political turmoil

00:30:04.079 --> 00:30:04.660
 and he

00:30:04.660 --> 00:30:05.559
 becomes the

00:30:05.559 --> 00:30:06.059
 emperor,

00:30:07.000 --> 00:30:07.700
 Vespasian.

00:30:08.720 --> 00:30:08.980
 And he

00:30:08.980 --> 00:30:09.460
 sends,

00:30:09.860 --> 00:30:10.400
 after he

00:30:10.400 --> 00:30:11.579
 has cemented

00:30:11.579 --> 00:30:12.460
 power in

00:30:12.460 --> 00:30:13.460
 Rome in

00:30:13.460 --> 00:30:13.799
 the year

00:30:13.799 --> 00:30:14.380
 69,

00:30:14.740 --> 00:30:15.480
 he sends a

00:30:15.480 --> 00:30:16.019
 message to

00:30:16.019 --> 00:30:16.759
 his son who

00:30:16.759 --> 00:30:17.380
 is now the

00:30:17.380 --> 00:30:18.759
 general to

00:30:18.759 --> 00:30:20.039
 return to

00:30:20.039 --> 00:30:20.920
 the siege and

00:30:20.920 --> 00:30:21.559
 the destruction

00:30:21.559 --> 00:30:22.559
 of Jerusalem.

00:30:23.399 --> 00:30:23.940
 And in the

00:30:23.940 --> 00:30:24.720
 year 70,

00:30:24.919 --> 00:30:25.720
 in August,

00:30:26.359 --> 00:30:26.839
 Jerusalem

00:30:26.839 --> 00:30:27.639
 falls.

00:30:29.019 --> 00:30:29.759
 And as is

00:30:29.759 --> 00:30:30.480
 reported by

00:30:30.480 --> 00:30:31.299
 Josephus,

00:30:31.819 --> 00:30:32.480
 approximately

00:30:32.480 --> 00:30:33.500
 one million

00:30:33.500 --> 00:30:34.359
 Jewish people

00:30:34.359 --> 00:30:35.659
 die in that

00:30:35.659 --> 00:30:36.440
 Jewish revolt

00:30:36.440 --> 00:30:37.359
 and a hundred

00:30:37.359 --> 00:30:38.179
 thousand of

00:30:38.179 --> 00:30:38.460
 them are

00:30:38.460 --> 00:30:38.960
 carried away

00:30:38.960 --> 00:30:39.519
 as slaves

00:30:39.519 --> 00:30:40.339
 into captivity.

00:30:40.819 --> 00:30:41.480
 And here's

00:30:41.480 --> 00:30:42.119
 the thing

00:30:42.119 --> 00:30:42.919
 about this.

00:30:44.480 --> 00:30:45.240
 Historians

00:30:45.240 --> 00:30:47.079
 record that

00:30:47.079 --> 00:30:48.119
 when Vespasian

00:30:48.119 --> 00:30:50.139
 left and the

00:30:50.139 --> 00:30:50.639
 siege of

00:30:50.640 --> 00:30:51.320
 Jerusalem was

00:30:51.320 --> 00:30:51.840
 temporarily

00:30:51.840 --> 00:30:52.360
 lifted,

00:30:53.320 --> 00:30:54.060
 the Christian

00:30:54.060 --> 00:30:55.160
 church left.

00:30:57.640 --> 00:30:58.440
 Christians did

00:30:58.440 --> 00:30:59.840
 not die in

00:30:59.840 --> 00:31:00.700
 the sack and

00:31:00.700 --> 00:31:01.360
 destruction of

00:31:01.360 --> 00:31:01.740
 Jerusalem.

00:31:02.580 --> 00:31:03.980
 They relocated

00:31:03.980 --> 00:31:05.320
 far away.

00:31:09.320 --> 00:31:09.960
 Historical

00:31:09.960 --> 00:31:10.540
 record.

00:31:14.400 --> 00:31:15.259
 Don't you

00:31:15.259 --> 00:31:15.820
 think it is

00:31:15.820 --> 00:31:16.640
 reasonable to

00:31:16.640 --> 00:31:17.900
 say that they

00:31:17.900 --> 00:31:18.620
 remembered the

00:31:18.619 --> 00:31:19.119
 words of

00:31:19.119 --> 00:31:20.339
 Jesus, but

00:31:20.339 --> 00:31:20.739
 when you

00:31:20.739 --> 00:31:21.539
 see Jerusalem

00:31:21.539 --> 00:31:22.359
 surrounded by

00:31:22.359 --> 00:31:23.039
 armies, then

00:31:23.039 --> 00:31:23.679
 know that its

00:31:23.679 --> 00:31:24.579
 desolation has

00:31:24.579 --> 00:31:25.159
 come near.

00:31:25.779 --> 00:31:26.699
 Then let those

00:31:26.699 --> 00:31:27.159
 who are in

00:31:27.159 --> 00:31:28.019
 Judea flee to

00:31:28.019 --> 00:31:28.899
 the mountains and

00:31:28.899 --> 00:31:29.539
 let those who

00:31:29.539 --> 00:31:30.379
 are inside the

00:31:30.379 --> 00:31:31.819
 city depart, and

00:31:31.819 --> 00:31:32.659
 let not those

00:31:32.659 --> 00:31:33.219
 who are out in

00:31:33.219 --> 00:31:33.739
 the country

00:31:33.739 --> 00:31:34.419
 enter it.

00:31:35.699 --> 00:31:36.319
 Here's the

00:31:36.319 --> 00:31:36.939
 thing, folks,

00:31:37.759 --> 00:31:38.179
 and I've

00:31:38.179 --> 00:31:38.839
 turned it into a

00:31:38.839 --> 00:31:39.099
 prayer.

00:31:40.479 --> 00:31:41.139
 Dear God,

00:31:41.619 --> 00:31:42.539
 please help me to

00:31:42.539 --> 00:31:43.379
 remember that the

00:31:43.379 --> 00:31:44.219
 words of Jesus

00:31:44.219 --> 00:31:45.199
 have come true in

00:31:45.200 --> 00:31:46.559
 the past, and

00:31:46.559 --> 00:31:47.380
 please grow in

00:31:47.380 --> 00:31:48.680
 me a trusting

00:31:48.680 --> 00:31:49.660
 knowledge that his

00:31:49.660 --> 00:31:50.500
 words are true

00:31:50.500 --> 00:31:51.900
 today and every

00:31:51.900 --> 00:31:53.180
 day until the

00:31:53.180 --> 00:31:53.460
 end.

00:31:54.860 --> 00:31:55.940
 It's a prayer that

00:31:55.940 --> 00:31:56.799
 many of us need to

00:31:56.799 --> 00:31:57.519
 pray, isn't it?

00:31:58.460 --> 00:31:59.480
 Dear God, please

00:31:59.480 --> 00:32:00.039
 help me to

00:32:00.039 --> 00:32:00.759
 remember that the

00:32:00.759 --> 00:32:01.539
 words of Jesus

00:32:01.539 --> 00:32:02.440
 have come true in

00:32:02.440 --> 00:32:03.660
 the past, and

00:32:03.660 --> 00:32:04.580
 please grow in me a

00:32:04.580 --> 00:32:05.559
 trusting knowledge

00:32:05.559 --> 00:32:07.600
 that his words are

00:32:07.600 --> 00:32:08.740
 true today and

00:32:08.740 --> 00:32:10.019
 every day until

00:32:10.019 --> 00:32:10.500
 the end.

00:32:10.500 --> 00:32:13.119
 By the way, if

00:32:13.119 --> 00:32:13.539
 you don't have

00:32:13.539 --> 00:32:13.980
 time to write

00:32:13.980 --> 00:32:14.779
 these down, the

00:32:14.779 --> 00:32:16.259
 notes for the

00:32:16.259 --> 00:32:17.160
 sermon and the

00:32:17.160 --> 00:32:17.700
 audio of the

00:32:17.700 --> 00:32:18.259
 sermon go on the

00:32:18.259 --> 00:32:19.259
 webpage, hopefully

00:32:19.259 --> 00:32:20.559
 on Monday or

00:32:20.559 --> 00:32:21.920
 soon after that, if

00:32:21.920 --> 00:32:23.460
 these are helpful

00:32:23.460 --> 00:32:24.779
 to you in terms of

00:32:24.779 --> 00:32:25.299
 forming your

00:32:25.299 --> 00:32:25.579
 prayer.

00:32:26.599 --> 00:32:27.160
 But some of you

00:32:27.160 --> 00:32:27.619
 might be saying,

00:32:27.720 --> 00:32:28.240
 George, that's all

00:32:28.240 --> 00:32:29.099
 very, very moving,

00:32:29.240 --> 00:32:29.980
 but you skipped

00:32:29.980 --> 00:32:32.460
 over the judgment

00:32:32.460 --> 00:32:33.079
 part.

00:32:33.660 --> 00:32:34.279
 Like, George, you

00:32:34.279 --> 00:32:35.079
 skipped over.

00:32:36.000 --> 00:32:37.039
 Surely you have to

00:32:37.039 --> 00:32:37.720
 talk about this.

00:32:37.839 --> 00:32:38.579
 George, surely,

00:32:39.619 --> 00:32:40.480
 okay, so

00:32:40.480 --> 00:32:41.440
 Jesus, you know,

00:32:41.559 --> 00:32:43.039
 he says this, he's

00:32:43.039 --> 00:32:44.019
 right, and you

00:32:44.019 --> 00:32:44.819
 know, you also

00:32:44.819 --> 00:32:45.360
 say that he

00:32:45.360 --> 00:32:46.140
 predicts his death

00:32:46.140 --> 00:32:47.000
 upon the cross and

00:32:47.000 --> 00:32:48.319
 his resurrection, and

00:32:48.319 --> 00:32:49.019
 you know, last week

00:32:49.019 --> 00:32:49.700
 you talked about the

00:32:49.700 --> 00:32:50.819
 historical evidence for

00:32:50.819 --> 00:32:51.980
 the reality of the

00:32:51.980 --> 00:32:53.140
 resurrection and the

00:32:53.140 --> 00:32:53.640
 meaning of the

00:32:53.640 --> 00:32:54.360
 resurrection, but

00:32:54.360 --> 00:32:55.339
 George, George,

00:32:55.480 --> 00:32:56.240
 George, George,

00:32:56.480 --> 00:32:57.259
 look at verse 20

00:32:57.259 --> 00:32:57.819
 again, but when you

00:32:57.819 --> 00:32:58.360
 see Jerusalem

00:32:58.360 --> 00:32:59.240
 surrounded by armies

00:32:59.240 --> 00:32:59.900
 and know that its

00:32:59.900 --> 00:33:01.319
 desolation has come

00:33:01.319 --> 00:33:02.539
 near, then let those

00:33:02.539 --> 00:33:03.319
 who are in Judea flee

00:33:03.319 --> 00:33:04.019
 to the mountains and

00:33:04.019 --> 00:33:04.519
 let those who are

00:33:04.519 --> 00:33:05.120
 inside the city

00:33:05.120 --> 00:33:05.940
 depart and let not

00:33:05.940 --> 00:33:06.640
 those who are out in

00:33:06.640 --> 00:33:07.539
 the country enter it,

00:33:07.819 --> 00:33:08.720
 for these are days of

00:33:08.720 --> 00:33:09.559
 vengeance, also

00:33:09.559 --> 00:33:10.240
 could be translated

00:33:10.240 --> 00:33:11.680
 as judgment to

00:33:11.680 --> 00:33:12.599
 fulfill all that is

00:33:12.599 --> 00:33:14.660
 written, and then,

00:33:14.759 --> 00:33:15.519
 you know, alas for

00:33:15.519 --> 00:33:16.420
 women who are pregnant

00:33:16.420 --> 00:33:17.160
 and for those who are

00:33:17.160 --> 00:33:17.940
 nursing infants in

00:33:17.940 --> 00:33:18.700
 those days, for there

00:33:18.700 --> 00:33:19.839
 will be great distress

00:33:19.839 --> 00:33:20.660
 upon the earth and

00:33:20.660 --> 00:33:21.579
 wrath, and it's the

00:33:21.579 --> 00:33:22.420
 wrath of God against

00:33:22.420 --> 00:33:22.940
 this people.

00:33:23.779 --> 00:33:27.359
 George, how can you,

00:33:28.019 --> 00:33:29.640
 how, George, how can I

00:33:29.640 --> 00:33:30.400
 take this seriously?

00:33:30.400 --> 00:33:33.940
 You know, one of the

00:33:33.940 --> 00:33:35.560
 dangers of messianic and

00:33:35.560 --> 00:33:37.080
 utopian movements is

00:33:37.080 --> 00:33:38.240
 that they always leave

00:33:38.240 --> 00:33:39.360
 lots of people dead.

00:33:42.660 --> 00:33:43.880
 Messianic movement in

00:33:43.880 --> 00:33:46.460
 Cambodia, Pol Pot, a

00:33:46.460 --> 00:33:47.340
 third of the population,

00:33:48.920 --> 00:33:50.420
 Soviet forced famines in

00:33:50.420 --> 00:33:52.519
 Ukraine, Maosy Tong's

00:33:52.519 --> 00:33:53.300
 Great Revolution.

00:33:54.140 --> 00:33:56.440
 Even today, I'm going to be

00:33:56.440 --> 00:33:57.880
 a bad boy, but, you know,

00:33:57.880 --> 00:33:59.480
 as our society becomes

00:33:59.480 --> 00:34:01.000
 more post-Christian, and

00:34:01.000 --> 00:34:02.820
 whatever that's going to

00:34:02.820 --> 00:34:04.480
 be like, it's no, people

00:34:04.480 --> 00:34:05.220
 probably don't even think

00:34:05.220 --> 00:34:06.120
 of it as post-Christian

00:34:06.120 --> 00:34:07.320
 now because it's post-

00:34:07.320 --> 00:34:10.700
 post-Christian, and now we

00:34:10.700 --> 00:34:11.920
 want to give doctors the

00:34:11.920 --> 00:34:14.980
 power to kill the weak, and

00:34:14.980 --> 00:34:16.400
 we're already killing the

00:34:16.400 --> 00:34:17.559
 babies in the womb, and

00:34:17.559 --> 00:34:19.780
 when you have utopian

00:34:19.780 --> 00:34:20.980
 movements and visions,

00:34:21.180 --> 00:34:24.200
 people die, and even when we

00:34:24.200 --> 00:34:25.720
 talk about climate change, I'm

00:34:25.719 --> 00:34:26.439
 not going to enter into

00:34:26.439 --> 00:34:27.799
 whether or not I, a few

00:34:27.799 --> 00:34:29.159
 weeks ago, I talked about

00:34:29.159 --> 00:34:30.239
 this as an example, and I

00:34:30.239 --> 00:34:31.059
 didn't say that it was a

00:34:31.059 --> 00:34:33.359
 fact, and I got a very nice

00:34:33.359 --> 00:34:34.819
 email rebuking me for not

00:34:34.819 --> 00:34:35.679
 saying that it was a fact.

00:34:35.799 --> 00:34:36.500
 You know, I think if it's

00:34:36.500 --> 00:34:37.619
 science, it's always open for

00:34:37.619 --> 00:34:41.000
 debate, but, you know, it's

00:34:41.000 --> 00:34:41.859
 either some type of

00:34:41.859 --> 00:34:43.500
 historical inevitability that

00:34:43.500 --> 00:34:45.480
 leads people to die, or

00:34:45.480 --> 00:34:47.759
 because the end justifies the

00:34:47.759 --> 00:34:49.679
 means, it means that some

00:34:49.679 --> 00:34:52.279
 people have to die, and on

00:34:52.279 --> 00:34:53.899
 one hand, it can just sound as

00:34:53.900 --> 00:34:55.720
 if we're not aware of the

00:34:55.720 --> 00:34:57.039
 cruelties often of the

00:34:57.039 --> 00:34:58.619
 messianic movements and

00:34:58.619 --> 00:34:59.900
 utopias that we believe this

00:34:59.900 --> 00:35:01.180
 moment, it's easier for us to

00:35:01.180 --> 00:35:02.579
 see the cruelties of the ones

00:35:02.579 --> 00:35:05.180
 that are in the past, although

00:35:05.180 --> 00:35:06.539
 even then, now, as you know,

00:35:06.579 --> 00:35:08.619
 with the controversy around the

00:35:08.619 --> 00:35:11.180
 memorial to the victims of

00:35:11.180 --> 00:35:12.180
 communism, there are still

00:35:12.180 --> 00:35:13.160
 people who don't want to

00:35:13.160 --> 00:35:16.280
 acknowledge that they backed a

00:35:16.280 --> 00:35:19.180
 completely evil social system

00:35:19.180 --> 00:35:20.880
 with all of their power for

00:35:20.880 --> 00:35:22.019
 decades, and they don't want to

00:35:22.019 --> 00:35:23.400
 acknowledge that, but it's easy

00:35:23.400 --> 00:35:24.800
 if you go far enough back that

00:35:24.800 --> 00:35:26.039
 you can see it in the past, you

00:35:26.039 --> 00:35:27.320
 can't see it in the present, but

00:35:27.320 --> 00:35:29.119
 people die, and there's no

00:35:29.119 --> 00:35:31.000
 mercy, and here's the thing for

00:35:31.000 --> 00:35:32.500
 us as we listen to this text,

00:35:33.079 --> 00:35:34.699
 as we listen to this text, it's a

00:35:34.699 --> 00:35:36.579
 very, very un-Canadian idea, I'm

00:35:36.579 --> 00:35:37.599
 not going to be able to sell it

00:35:37.599 --> 00:35:38.480
 to you, all I'm going to be able

00:35:38.480 --> 00:35:40.539
 to say is this, that the Bible

00:35:40.539 --> 00:35:42.400
 says that we are rebels against

00:35:42.400 --> 00:35:44.980
 God, and that every single human

00:35:44.980 --> 00:35:46.860
 being will be judged, that that is

00:35:46.860 --> 00:35:48.079
 completely and utterly

00:35:48.079 --> 00:35:50.679
 inevitable, but this is not just

00:35:50.679 --> 00:35:52.480
 another messianic thing where it's

00:35:52.480 --> 00:35:53.699
 just going to be, it sucks to be

00:35:53.699 --> 00:35:54.859
 you, and you're all going to die,

00:35:54.919 --> 00:35:55.839
 and you're just all under the

00:35:55.839 --> 00:35:58.139
 judgment of God, that as Jesus is

00:35:58.139 --> 00:36:00.359
 saying this, he is saying this,

00:36:00.679 --> 00:36:02.399
 the day before he does the,

00:36:02.500 --> 00:36:05.119
 introduces the Lord's Supper, and

00:36:05.119 --> 00:36:06.619
 that night he'll be betrayed, and

00:36:06.619 --> 00:36:08.879
 the next day he will hang upon the

00:36:08.879 --> 00:36:11.440
 cross, and the great promise of the

00:36:11.440 --> 00:36:14.440
 scriptures is that God gives every

00:36:14.440 --> 00:36:16.679
 human being a choice, that's why

00:36:16.679 --> 00:36:18.619
 there are evangelists, this is why

00:36:18.619 --> 00:36:20.259
 there are missionaries who go to

00:36:20.259 --> 00:36:22.440
 even unreached peoples, and the

00:36:22.440 --> 00:36:24.940
 choice that God gives to us is the

00:36:24.940 --> 00:36:27.779
 judgment of God must surely fall, and

00:36:27.779 --> 00:36:30.179
 the choice before us is whether it

00:36:30.179 --> 00:36:32.980
 falls on me, or whether it falls on

00:36:32.980 --> 00:36:38.339
 Jesus in my stead, and in my place, that

00:36:38.339 --> 00:36:42.480
 is the human choice, we Canadians filled

00:36:42.480 --> 00:36:44.259
 with pride think that it is a terrible

00:36:44.259 --> 00:36:46.139
 thing that everybody is not in heaven,

00:36:46.139 --> 00:36:48.599
 and it breaks God's heart that not

00:36:48.599 --> 00:36:51.359
 everybody will be in heaven, but we

00:36:51.359 --> 00:36:53.960
 should view it that even having one

00:36:53.960 --> 00:36:57.299
 person in heaven is a miracle of God

00:36:57.299 --> 00:37:00.920
 that required the death of God, the Son of

00:37:00.920 --> 00:37:03.859
 God, upon the cross, to bear the

00:37:03.859 --> 00:37:07.259
 desolation and the judgment that you and

00:37:07.259 --> 00:37:07.859
 I deserve.

00:37:09.219 --> 00:37:10.679
 If you could put it up, Andrew, I've

00:37:10.679 --> 00:37:11.639
 turned it into a prayer.

00:37:11.639 --> 00:37:14.719
 Dear God, I thank you that by your

00:37:14.719 --> 00:37:17.279
 grace, the judgment that I deserved

00:37:17.279 --> 00:37:20.679
 fell on Jesus, and that you bestowed on

00:37:20.679 --> 00:37:24.639
 me the life that he deserved.

00:37:26.039 --> 00:37:28.400
 Please grow in me a grateful, humble,

00:37:28.599 --> 00:37:30.779
 trusting knowing of what Jesus did for

00:37:30.779 --> 00:37:30.960
 me.

00:37:32.139 --> 00:37:33.619
 Dear God, I thank you that by your

00:37:33.619 --> 00:37:35.339
 grace, the judgment that I deserved

00:37:35.339 --> 00:37:37.539
 fell on Jesus, and that you bestowed on

00:37:37.539 --> 00:37:39.679
 me the life that he shared, that he

00:37:39.679 --> 00:37:40.699
 deserved.

00:37:41.299 --> 00:37:43.179
 Please grow in me a grateful, humble,

00:37:43.359 --> 00:37:45.339
 trusting knowing of what Jesus did for

00:37:45.339 --> 00:37:45.539
 me.

00:37:46.699 --> 00:37:48.719
 That's the context to understand this.

00:37:49.960 --> 00:37:51.619
 I mean, there's other issues, but that's

00:37:51.619 --> 00:37:54.419
 no Christian can understand the whole

00:37:54.419 --> 00:37:56.579
 issue of judgment without first thinking

00:37:56.579 --> 00:37:57.500
 about the cross.

00:37:58.980 --> 00:38:01.059
 And, you know, this is a profound, if any

00:38:01.059 --> 00:38:03.299
 of you are here and you have this sense of

00:38:03.299 --> 00:38:05.159
 doom about your life, if any of you are

00:38:05.159 --> 00:38:07.440
 here struggling with shame, that there is

00:38:07.440 --> 00:38:09.320
 something that's not just that you've done

00:38:09.320 --> 00:38:10.800
 wrong things, but that there's something

00:38:10.800 --> 00:38:12.900
 fundamentally wrong for you, if you are

00:38:12.900 --> 00:38:15.019
 here thinking that fundamentally bad things

00:38:15.019 --> 00:38:16.300
 are going to happen to you, that good

00:38:16.300 --> 00:38:18.920
 things will never happen to you, if doom

00:38:18.920 --> 00:38:23.420
 characterizes your life, the story of the

00:38:23.420 --> 00:38:27.099
 gospel is the doom that you deserved fell on

00:38:27.099 --> 00:38:30.760
 Jesus, and the life that he deserved is

00:38:30.760 --> 00:38:32.000
 offered to you today.

00:38:32.000 --> 00:38:35.679
 All because Jesus loves you.

00:38:39.420 --> 00:38:41.239
 We have to wrap this up.

00:38:42.780 --> 00:38:44.980
 And some of you might be saying, George, you

00:38:44.980 --> 00:38:47.159
 haven't even started to talk about the

00:38:47.159 --> 00:38:48.480
 second coming of Jesus yet.

00:38:49.139 --> 00:38:51.980
 But, by the way, one of the things that I do

00:38:51.980 --> 00:38:54.199
 here, you know, it would be a very different

00:38:54.199 --> 00:38:56.219
 sermon if I took Matthew and Mark and Luke

00:38:56.219 --> 00:38:57.940
 and tried to show how they were all similar and

00:38:57.940 --> 00:38:58.760
 how they were all different.

00:38:58.760 --> 00:39:02.680
 In our Going Deeper this week, I just, those

00:39:02.680 --> 00:39:04.920
 of you who do Going Deeper, which is in the

00:39:04.920 --> 00:39:07.240
 bulletin, I give you the three parallel

00:39:07.240 --> 00:39:09.020
 texts, and you can look at them and talk

00:39:09.020 --> 00:39:10.600
 about the similarities and differences in

00:39:10.600 --> 00:39:11.160
 the same text.

00:39:11.580 --> 00:39:12.820
 We're just camping in Luke.

00:39:13.320 --> 00:39:14.780
 One of the things to understand about the

00:39:14.780 --> 00:39:16.360
 destruction of Jerusalem, and especially

00:39:16.360 --> 00:39:18.400
 comes if you look at Matthew's account of

00:39:18.400 --> 00:39:21.340
 it, is that in some ways, it's almost as if

00:39:21.340 --> 00:39:23.520
 what happens in Jerusalem is maybe like a

00:39:23.520 --> 00:39:27.160
 bit of a prototype or a bit of a precursor

00:39:27.159 --> 00:39:29.639
 of what the end might be, that in some ways,

00:39:29.779 --> 00:39:31.539
 Jerusalem will probably be involved in

00:39:31.539 --> 00:39:32.619
 whatever the end is.

00:39:32.940 --> 00:39:35.539
 And even here in Jesus' teaching, he basically

00:39:35.539 --> 00:39:38.099
 implies that Israel will come back together

00:39:38.099 --> 00:39:40.059
 again, that there will be a Jewish nation and

00:39:40.059 --> 00:39:40.679
 Jewish people.

00:39:40.679 --> 00:39:45.119
 But Jesus goes and moves very, very quickly

00:39:45.119 --> 00:39:48.500
 into now into the fact that literally,

00:39:48.799 --> 00:39:50.899
 literally, and I mean literally the way people

00:39:50.899 --> 00:39:52.839
 used to mean literally as meaning not sort of

00:39:52.839 --> 00:39:54.460
 like vaguely like, but I actually like

00:39:54.460 --> 00:39:56.059
 literally, literally, literally.

00:39:56.059 --> 00:39:58.519
 It's really hard because there used to be a

00:39:58.519 --> 00:40:00.079
 word called literally that meant something

00:40:00.079 --> 00:40:01.719
 and now literally doesn't mean what it

00:40:01.719 --> 00:40:05.400
 literally used to mean for all people.

00:40:05.619 --> 00:40:08.039
 And so somebody needs to reinvent a word

00:40:08.039 --> 00:40:10.460
 that now means what literally used to mean

00:40:10.460 --> 00:40:11.779
 like 10 years ago.

00:40:12.119 --> 00:40:14.980
 But I mean like actual, okay?

00:40:15.059 --> 00:40:18.480
 Jesus actually says that he will return and

00:40:18.480 --> 00:40:20.900
 he uses the title, he uses constantly throughout

00:40:20.900 --> 00:40:24.500
 the Gospel of Luke, the title of the Son of Man.

00:40:24.500 --> 00:40:26.880
 In fact, just before we read it, if you could put

00:40:26.880 --> 00:40:29.719
 up the next point, Andrew, as the prayer to sort

00:40:29.719 --> 00:40:31.400
 of remind us of this.

00:40:31.920 --> 00:40:34.320
 Dear God, please grow in me an ever-deepening

00:40:34.320 --> 00:40:36.860
 confidence and longing for the return of Jesus

00:40:36.860 --> 00:40:37.420
 Messiah.

00:40:37.579 --> 00:40:39.840
 Dear God, please grow in me an ever-deepening

00:40:39.840 --> 00:40:42.239
 confidence and longing for the return of Jesus

00:40:42.239 --> 00:40:42.659
 Messiah.

00:40:43.000 --> 00:40:45.460
 This is the flip side of what I said earlier about

00:40:45.460 --> 00:40:49.039
 students and academics and over-educated people

00:40:49.039 --> 00:40:53.099
 like myself that not only do we have to rid our minds

00:40:53.099 --> 00:40:55.579
 of messianic and utopian visions and movements,

00:40:55.579 --> 00:40:59.960
 but we have to grasp and be gripped by the real

00:40:59.960 --> 00:41:00.739
 return of Jesus.

00:41:01.980 --> 00:41:03.980
 And here's what he says in verse 25.

00:41:04.980 --> 00:41:08.019
 And there will be signs and sun and moon and stars and

00:41:08.019 --> 00:41:11.920
 on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of

00:41:11.920 --> 00:41:13.619
 the roaring of the sea and the waves.

00:41:14.039 --> 00:41:17.199
 People fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is

00:41:17.199 --> 00:41:20.980
 coming on the world, for the powers of the heavens will be

00:41:20.980 --> 00:41:21.299
 shaken.

00:41:22.000 --> 00:41:25.339
 This, verses 25 and 26, are up until now it's been

00:41:25.339 --> 00:41:26.019
 non-signs.

00:41:26.159 --> 00:41:26.799
 These are signs.

00:41:28.480 --> 00:41:29.460
 And then verse 27.

00:41:29.919 --> 00:41:32.319
 And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with

00:41:32.319 --> 00:41:33.480
 power and great glory.

00:41:34.939 --> 00:41:36.779
 Now when these things begin to take place,

00:41:37.039 --> 00:41:40.599
 straighten up, raise your heads because your redemption,

00:41:40.919 --> 00:41:43.219
 your glorification is drawing near.

00:41:43.219 --> 00:41:50.139
 One of the things that divides Christians is whether you're

00:41:50.139 --> 00:41:52.259
 post-millennial, pre-millennial, amillennial.

00:41:52.539 --> 00:41:55.019
 And if you're pre-millennial, are you pre-millennial

00:41:55.019 --> 00:41:57.799
 dispensationalist or historic pre-millennial?

00:41:58.339 --> 00:42:01.219
 And if you're pre-millennial, are you pre-trib,

00:42:01.379 --> 00:42:03.079
 mid-trib, or post-trib?

00:42:03.919 --> 00:42:08.739
 And those actually divide churches and Christians.

00:42:08.739 --> 00:42:17.000
 And what I'd like to suggest is that we have to act,

00:42:17.219 --> 00:42:19.699
 you know, everybody, if you haven't read it, you should go

00:42:19.699 --> 00:42:22.719
 and read the C.S. Lewis Narnia Chronicle book called

00:42:22.719 --> 00:42:26.939
 The Silver Chair, which has Puddleglum the Marsh Wiggle.

00:42:27.679 --> 00:42:32.859
 And in The Silver Chair, Aslan gives these two kids a task,

00:42:33.139 --> 00:42:37.019
 which is that they have to go and rescue the crown prince of

00:42:37.019 --> 00:42:38.679
 Narnia from The Wicked Witch.

00:42:39.380 --> 00:42:40.900
 And he said, I'm going to give you some help,

00:42:40.980 --> 00:42:42.539
 which is this Puddleglum the Marsh Wiggle.

00:42:42.860 --> 00:42:44.639
 And he gives them, I think it's four signs.

00:42:44.739 --> 00:42:48.599
 And he gives them these four signs that they are to seek and follow.

00:42:49.179 --> 00:42:51.059
 And if they follow them, they'll find the prince

00:42:51.059 --> 00:42:52.000
 and they'll be successful.

00:42:52.139 --> 00:42:53.099
 And he tells them what they are.

00:42:53.159 --> 00:42:54.099
 He has them memorize them.

00:42:54.099 --> 00:42:56.019
 And he says, yes, they have to memorize them every day.

00:42:56.900 --> 00:43:01.280
 And of course, part of the dynamic of the book is they squabble,

00:43:01.360 --> 00:43:02.980
 they fight, they, you know, they do all these things.

00:43:03.019 --> 00:43:04.900
 They forget the signs and they remember the signs.

00:43:04.900 --> 00:43:07.500
 But every one of the signs, eventually they come to,

00:43:07.579 --> 00:43:11.420
 they eventually recognize the sign and it does leave them to the prince.

00:43:11.500 --> 00:43:13.900
 And I won't tell you anything more in case it spoils the end of the book.

00:43:14.139 --> 00:43:15.220
 But here's the thing.

00:43:15.980 --> 00:43:22.660
 We spend way too much time learning theories about the second coming of Jesus

00:43:22.660 --> 00:43:28.019
 when we should just really probably try to remember the signs of the second coming of Jesus.

00:43:28.760 --> 00:43:31.360
 In fact, it would probably be a point of unity amongst Christians

00:43:31.360 --> 00:43:36.099
 if we said, well, okay, you can be premillennial, pre-trib, you know, blah, blah, blah.

00:43:36.220 --> 00:43:38.019
 And you can be amillennial, you can be this.

00:43:38.260 --> 00:43:40.260
 Let's just all memorize the signs.

00:43:41.740 --> 00:43:44.880
 Because it could be that we're so busy arguing about the theory

00:43:44.880 --> 00:43:48.539
 that we forget what the signs are and miss the end,

00:43:48.599 --> 00:43:51.340
 which would be deeply, deeply, deeply ironic.

00:43:51.660 --> 00:43:53.480
 And we'll probably make God chuckle

00:43:53.480 --> 00:43:57.780
 and just at how foolish us biped human beings are.

00:43:58.639 --> 00:43:59.440
 Here's the thing.

00:44:00.219 --> 00:44:01.079
 Andrew, the next point.

00:44:01.179 --> 00:44:05.659
 Dear God, please help me to remember the signs and the non-signs

00:44:05.659 --> 00:44:07.420
 of the return of Jesus Messiah.

00:44:07.559 --> 00:44:10.280
 Dear God, please help me to remember the signs and the non-signs

00:44:10.280 --> 00:44:12.320
 of the return of Jesus Messiah.

00:44:12.619 --> 00:44:14.400
 Look at them again for verse 25 and 26.

00:44:14.519 --> 00:44:15.679
 And I want to say something here.

00:44:16.039 --> 00:44:18.559
 So people like me stand up on stages like this,

00:44:18.619 --> 00:44:21.619
 but usually when they do it, there's like 4,000 or 5,000 people

00:44:21.619 --> 00:44:23.299
 and there's a television show and all of that.

00:44:23.380 --> 00:44:23.739
 None of that.

00:44:23.980 --> 00:44:25.079
 We don't have that.

00:44:25.619 --> 00:44:27.960
 But usually what they'll do is they'll tell you when they say,

00:44:28.059 --> 00:44:30.199
 and there will be signs and sun and moon and stars

00:44:30.199 --> 00:44:33.420
 and on the earth distress of nations and perplexity

00:44:33.420 --> 00:44:35.099
 because of the roaring of the sea and the waves,

00:44:35.460 --> 00:44:37.179
 people fainting with fear and with foreboding

00:44:37.179 --> 00:44:38.279
 of what is coming on the world,

00:44:38.579 --> 00:44:40.000
 for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

00:44:40.119 --> 00:44:42.759
 And then they'll tell you exactly what that means and looks like.

00:44:43.579 --> 00:44:43.880
 Okay?

00:44:44.000 --> 00:44:45.539
 I'm going to get in trouble, but I'm going to say it.

00:44:45.679 --> 00:44:46.779
 I won't get in trouble with you guys

00:44:46.779 --> 00:44:47.900
 because, you know, you come here

00:44:47.900 --> 00:44:49.839
 and most of you are more or less like me.

00:44:50.239 --> 00:44:50.759
 Here's the thing.

00:44:50.760 --> 00:44:53.740
 Anybody who tells you that they know what these things are

00:44:53.740 --> 00:44:56.660
 and what are liberal and sort of what are literal

00:44:56.660 --> 00:44:57.620
 and what are symbolic,

00:44:58.460 --> 00:45:00.320
 they don't know.

00:45:01.680 --> 00:45:03.940
 They can't know.

00:45:05.080 --> 00:45:07.980
 They can never know.

00:45:09.420 --> 00:45:11.960
 When it happens, then we'll say,

00:45:12.440 --> 00:45:13.600
 oh, I guess that was literal.

00:45:14.240 --> 00:45:15.380
 I guess that was symbolic.

00:45:15.740 --> 00:45:18.100
 Until it happens, you won't know what's literal

00:45:18.100 --> 00:45:19.860
 and what's symbolic.

00:45:19.860 --> 00:45:20.820
 You just won't.

00:45:20.940 --> 00:45:21.599
 You can't.

00:45:22.900 --> 00:45:24.340
 So just remember the signs.

00:45:25.320 --> 00:45:26.420
 Just remember the signs.

00:45:30.480 --> 00:45:32.200
 I guess I think just with the time,

00:45:32.420 --> 00:45:33.720
 let's just read the text

00:45:33.720 --> 00:45:35.380
 and then I'll just wrap it all up.

00:45:35.440 --> 00:45:37.200
 Remember I said to you a little bit earlier

00:45:37.200 --> 00:45:37.880
 about the,

00:45:39.280 --> 00:45:42.380
 this actually doesn't lead us to inaction,

00:45:42.519 --> 00:45:43.260
 but to action.

00:45:43.260 --> 00:45:46.940
 And let's look at verse 29.

00:45:46.940 --> 00:45:48.100
 And he told them a parable.

00:45:48.240 --> 00:45:49.640
 Look at the fig tree and all the trees.

00:45:50.380 --> 00:45:51.620
 As soon as they come out in leaf,

00:45:51.720 --> 00:45:54.520
 you see for yourselves and know that summer is already near.

00:45:55.120 --> 00:45:57.400
 So also when you see these things taking place,

00:45:57.500 --> 00:45:59.200
 you know that the kingdom of God is near.

00:46:00.040 --> 00:46:01.020
 Truly I say to you,

00:46:01.060 --> 00:46:02.760
 this generation will not pass away

00:46:02.760 --> 00:46:04.180
 until all has taken place.

00:46:05.020 --> 00:46:06.380
 Heaven and earth will pass away,

00:46:06.880 --> 00:46:08.720
 but my words will not pass away.

00:46:08.719 --> 00:46:09.759
 And just sort of pause.

00:46:10.699 --> 00:46:12.159
 Generation probably means that

00:46:12.159 --> 00:46:14.339
 the end will come suddenly

00:46:14.339 --> 00:46:16.079
 and the people who begin to see the signs

00:46:16.079 --> 00:46:18.439
 will be there to see the end of the whole thing.

00:46:18.899 --> 00:46:19.899
 It could also mean,

00:46:20.439 --> 00:46:22.699
 because of some odd oddities in the Greek language,

00:46:22.819 --> 00:46:24.039
 it could mean that the Jewish people

00:46:24.039 --> 00:46:24.959
 will always survive

00:46:24.959 --> 00:46:26.719
 until the second coming of Jesus.

00:46:27.219 --> 00:46:28.539
 But the important thing here,

00:46:29.299 --> 00:46:30.799
 it's the memory verse for the week,

00:46:30.919 --> 00:46:32.339
 is heaven and earth will pass away,

00:46:32.419 --> 00:46:33.919
 but my words will not pass away.

00:46:33.920 --> 00:46:36.119
 It's the Christian basis

00:46:36.119 --> 00:46:38.440
 for us understanding the New Testament

00:46:38.440 --> 00:46:39.760
 that it needed to be written.

00:46:40.680 --> 00:46:42.980
 That Jesus says that his words and teaching

00:46:42.980 --> 00:46:44.220
 will not pass away.

00:46:44.840 --> 00:46:46.480
 And what we have in the New Testament

00:46:46.480 --> 00:46:49.220
 is the words of Jesus

00:46:49.220 --> 00:46:50.740
 and the teaching of Jesus

00:46:50.740 --> 00:46:52.480
 recorded for us to read.

00:46:53.119 --> 00:46:54.740
 Andrew, if you could put up the sixth point.

00:46:56.240 --> 00:46:56.940
 Dear God,

00:46:57.340 --> 00:46:59.200
 please help me to read the Bible

00:46:59.200 --> 00:47:01.500
 knowing that heaven and earth will pass away,

00:47:01.500 --> 00:47:04.179
 but that the words and teaching of Jesus

00:47:04.179 --> 00:47:06.619
 will not pass away.

00:47:07.219 --> 00:47:07.900
 Dear God,

00:47:07.980 --> 00:47:09.300
 please help me to read the Bible

00:47:09.300 --> 00:47:11.400
 knowing that heaven and earth will pass away,

00:47:11.840 --> 00:47:13.500
 but that the words and teaching of Jesus

00:47:13.500 --> 00:47:14.440
 will not pass away.

00:47:15.059 --> 00:47:15.280
 You know,

00:47:15.320 --> 00:47:17.219
 the reason I accept this as being true

00:47:17.219 --> 00:47:18.460
 is because I believe that Jesus

00:47:18.460 --> 00:47:19.800
 really did rise from the dead.

00:47:22.059 --> 00:47:25.239
 That it vindicates and justifies

00:47:25.239 --> 00:47:26.320
 what he taught.

00:47:27.039 --> 00:47:28.179
 That he's my savior.

00:47:29.639 --> 00:47:30.380
 And that therefore,

00:47:30.380 --> 00:47:31.900
 when I read all of the Bible,

00:47:32.480 --> 00:47:33.660
 I read all of the Bible

00:47:33.660 --> 00:47:35.720
 mindful that heaven and earth will pass away,

00:47:35.820 --> 00:47:36.840
 but the words of Jesus

00:47:36.840 --> 00:47:38.000
 will not pass away.

00:47:38.640 --> 00:47:39.940
 And that's to be the filter

00:47:39.940 --> 00:47:41.380
 of how I understand,

00:47:41.480 --> 00:47:42.500
 why I understand

00:47:42.500 --> 00:47:43.740
 that the Bible is important.

00:47:43.840 --> 00:47:45.380
 I need to get it into my mind,

00:47:45.860 --> 00:47:46.660
 into my heart,

00:47:46.740 --> 00:47:47.559
 and into my will,

00:47:47.640 --> 00:47:48.579
 and into my heart,

00:47:48.680 --> 00:47:49.519
 into my soul.

00:47:49.880 --> 00:47:51.360
 I need to get it into me.

00:47:51.480 --> 00:47:52.800
 I need to have it for me.

00:47:53.519 --> 00:47:54.599
 I need to trust it.

00:47:54.640 --> 00:47:56.280
 I need to build my life upon it.

00:47:56.340 --> 00:47:57.260
 I need to preach it.

00:47:57.320 --> 00:47:58.240
 I need to teach it.

00:47:58.300 --> 00:47:59.619
 I need to bear witness to it.

00:47:59.619 --> 00:48:02.619
 Because the one who died for me,

00:48:02.699 --> 00:48:04.079
 who bore my judgment,

00:48:04.579 --> 00:48:06.380
 and defeated sin and death and hell

00:48:06.380 --> 00:48:08.139
 and all hostile spiritual powers,

00:48:08.239 --> 00:48:09.759
 he truly rose from the dead.

00:48:11.559 --> 00:48:12.880
 And one final prayer.

00:48:13.480 --> 00:48:14.359
 Andrew, if you could put it up,

00:48:14.400 --> 00:48:15.579
 this will be our closing prayer.

00:48:17.460 --> 00:48:17.880
 Dear God,

00:48:17.960 --> 00:48:19.639
 please make me a disciple of Jesus

00:48:19.639 --> 00:48:20.779
 gripped by the gospel,

00:48:21.139 --> 00:48:22.779
 who daily rises from prayer

00:48:22.779 --> 00:48:25.299
 to stand straight with head held high,

00:48:25.659 --> 00:48:27.019
 to bear witness to you,

00:48:27.019 --> 00:48:27.940
 and to do good,

00:48:28.420 --> 00:48:29.380
 all for your glory.

00:48:30.599 --> 00:48:31.559
 When those of us

00:48:31.559 --> 00:48:33.679
 were going into the lawyers' meetings

00:48:33.679 --> 00:48:36.820
 because of the lawsuit

00:48:36.820 --> 00:48:38.559
 that was made against the church,

00:48:40.300 --> 00:48:40.579
 you know,

00:48:40.639 --> 00:48:41.619
 that's what we'd sort of do.

00:48:42.900 --> 00:48:44.759
 We wouldn't sort of go in like this.

00:48:46.259 --> 00:48:47.920
 You'd realize that the way you go in

00:48:47.920 --> 00:48:49.659
 is you stand straight,

00:48:50.559 --> 00:48:51.380
 head held high,

00:48:51.380 --> 00:48:52.880
 and you go in.

00:48:53.960 --> 00:48:54.840
 And while the world

00:48:54.840 --> 00:48:55.559
 has been overcome

00:48:55.559 --> 00:48:57.340
 with the fear of all of these things,

00:48:57.440 --> 00:48:59.519
 and while we go from one utopia

00:48:59.519 --> 00:49:00.180
 to another,

00:49:00.320 --> 00:49:01.320
 all of which fail,

00:49:02.539 --> 00:49:03.920
 the Bible here is saying

00:49:03.920 --> 00:49:05.340
 that we get on our knees in prayer,

00:49:06.340 --> 00:49:08.420
 we think about the words of Jesus,

00:49:09.059 --> 00:49:10.380
 then we stand straight

00:49:10.380 --> 00:49:11.680
 with our heads held high,

00:49:11.800 --> 00:49:13.099
 and we go out to do good.

00:49:14.240 --> 00:49:15.119
 See, the thing is,

00:49:15.420 --> 00:49:16.880
 the Bible tells us

00:49:16.880 --> 00:49:19.500
 that poverty will never be eradicated,

00:49:19.500 --> 00:49:21.280
 but it also tells us

00:49:21.280 --> 00:49:23.119
 that we have a constant obligation

00:49:23.119 --> 00:49:23.820
 for the poor.

00:49:24.719 --> 00:49:25.980
 The Bible tells us

00:49:25.980 --> 00:49:27.280
 that there will never be a time

00:49:27.280 --> 00:49:28.940
 of universal prosperity,

00:49:29.400 --> 00:49:30.780
 but the Bible tells us

00:49:30.780 --> 00:49:31.599
 that we are to pray

00:49:31.599 --> 00:49:32.539
 for the prosperity

00:49:32.539 --> 00:49:34.360
 and work for the prosperity

00:49:34.360 --> 00:49:36.360
 and the blessing of this city

00:49:36.360 --> 00:49:37.639
 and of this nation.

00:49:38.760 --> 00:49:39.340
 And so,

00:49:39.519 --> 00:49:40.679
 we are to go ahead

00:49:40.679 --> 00:49:42.059
 and we are to do that.

00:49:42.400 --> 00:49:43.840
 We are to do that confident

00:49:43.840 --> 00:49:46.000
 that God is sovereign over history,

00:49:46.400 --> 00:49:46.960
 that Jesus,

00:49:47.199 --> 00:49:48.019
 who is the same one

00:49:48.019 --> 00:49:49.139
 who died upon the cross

00:49:49.139 --> 00:49:50.639
 and rose again,

00:49:50.679 --> 00:49:51.480
 is the same one

00:49:51.480 --> 00:49:52.279
 who will return,

00:49:52.619 --> 00:49:54.779
 that our labor is not in vain,

00:49:55.420 --> 00:49:56.619
 that we do not have to try

00:49:56.619 --> 00:49:57.759
 to wait to help

00:49:57.759 --> 00:49:59.119
 a particular poor person

00:49:59.119 --> 00:49:59.940
 until we figure out

00:49:59.940 --> 00:50:00.759
 how to eradicate

00:50:00.759 --> 00:50:01.799
 all of poverty,

00:50:02.159 --> 00:50:03.019
 that we are to care

00:50:03.019 --> 00:50:04.159
 for the poor in this city,

00:50:04.239 --> 00:50:04.940
 that we are to pray

00:50:04.940 --> 00:50:05.839
 for the prosperity

00:50:05.839 --> 00:50:06.659
 of this city,

00:50:06.960 --> 00:50:08.119
 that if you're a young man

00:50:08.119 --> 00:50:08.779
 or a young woman

00:50:08.779 --> 00:50:09.400
 or an old man

00:50:09.400 --> 00:50:10.119
 or an old woman

00:50:10.119 --> 00:50:12.079
 and you have an entrepreneurial bend,

00:50:12.379 --> 00:50:13.579
 start that business.

00:50:14.579 --> 00:50:15.440
 Hire people.

00:50:16.440 --> 00:50:18.780
 That we are to be aware

00:50:18.780 --> 00:50:19.820
 of the poor

00:50:19.820 --> 00:50:20.500
 in our neighborhood

00:50:20.500 --> 00:50:21.039
 and we are to try

00:50:21.039 --> 00:50:21.679
 to feed them

00:50:21.679 --> 00:50:22.200
 and we are to try

00:50:22.200 --> 00:50:22.760
 to go out

00:50:22.760 --> 00:50:23.800
 and do what we can

00:50:23.800 --> 00:50:24.280
 to help them.

00:50:24.519 --> 00:50:25.559
 And if you're in politics,

00:50:25.880 --> 00:50:26.960
 well then you can't

00:50:26.960 --> 00:50:27.659
 just think in terms

00:50:27.659 --> 00:50:28.179
 of politics

00:50:28.179 --> 00:50:29.159
 in terms of powerful

00:50:29.159 --> 00:50:29.880
 interest groups,

00:50:30.380 --> 00:50:31.599
 but you have to be aware

00:50:31.599 --> 00:50:32.500
 of how the economy

00:50:32.500 --> 00:50:33.420
 affects the poor

00:50:33.420 --> 00:50:34.800
 and you have to be aware

00:50:34.800 --> 00:50:35.659
 of how to work

00:50:35.659 --> 00:50:36.639
 an economy and pray

00:50:36.639 --> 00:50:37.440
 to try to figure out

00:50:37.440 --> 00:50:38.220
 how to work the economy.

00:50:38.360 --> 00:50:39.380
 Use the best of your mind

00:50:39.380 --> 00:50:40.420
 so that it leads

00:50:40.420 --> 00:50:41.159
 to prosperity

00:50:41.159 --> 00:50:41.980
 for our nation

00:50:41.980 --> 00:50:42.579
 and prosperity

00:50:42.579 --> 00:50:43.519
 for our city.

00:50:44.000 --> 00:50:45.440
 That these texts,

00:50:45.619 --> 00:50:46.659
 they give us a ground

00:50:46.659 --> 00:50:47.440
 for hope.

00:50:48.840 --> 00:50:49.940
 And so we believe

00:50:49.940 --> 00:50:50.819
 the words of Jesus

00:50:50.819 --> 00:50:51.460
 that poverty

00:50:51.460 --> 00:50:52.500
 will never be eradicated,

00:50:52.559 --> 00:50:53.380
 but we also believe

00:50:53.380 --> 00:50:54.079
 the words of Jesus

00:50:54.079 --> 00:50:54.779
 that we are to care

00:50:54.779 --> 00:50:55.319
 for the poor.

00:50:56.539 --> 00:50:57.239
 We're to believe

00:50:57.239 --> 00:50:57.840
 the Bible

00:50:57.840 --> 00:51:00.299
 that there will not be,

00:51:00.380 --> 00:51:01.000
 that Star Trek

00:51:01.000 --> 00:51:01.659
 is false.

00:51:02.799 --> 00:51:03.799
 But then we're also

00:51:03.799 --> 00:51:04.679
 to believe the Bible

00:51:04.679 --> 00:51:05.519
 and to pray and work

00:51:05.519 --> 00:51:06.319
 for the prosperity

00:51:06.319 --> 00:51:06.779
 of the city.

00:51:07.159 --> 00:51:08.039
 We get on our knees

00:51:08.039 --> 00:51:08.519
 and pray.

00:51:09.480 --> 00:51:10.420
 We think and read

00:51:10.420 --> 00:51:11.079
 God's word.

00:51:11.199 --> 00:51:12.039
 We trust the words

00:51:12.039 --> 00:51:12.480
 of Jesus

00:51:12.480 --> 00:51:13.380
 and then we stand

00:51:13.380 --> 00:51:13.960
 up straight

00:51:13.960 --> 00:51:14.559
 with our head

00:51:14.559 --> 00:51:15.139
 held high

00:51:15.139 --> 00:51:16.739
 and we do good

00:51:16.739 --> 00:51:17.699
 and bear witness

00:51:17.699 --> 00:51:18.759
 all for the glory

00:51:18.759 --> 00:51:19.239
 of God.

00:51:19.739 --> 00:51:20.320
 Please stand.

00:51:27.199 --> 00:51:28.380
 You've been very patient.

00:51:28.539 --> 00:51:29.279
 I went a little bit

00:51:29.279 --> 00:51:30.400
 longer than usual

00:51:30.400 --> 00:51:32.019
 and I had to skip over

00:51:32.019 --> 00:51:33.239
 some of the passage,

00:51:33.440 --> 00:51:34.739
 but you know,

00:51:35.360 --> 00:51:37.840
 this is such a glorious,

00:51:38.079 --> 00:51:38.480
 glorious,

00:51:38.739 --> 00:51:39.719
 glorious hope

00:51:39.719 --> 00:51:39.839
 hope.

00:51:40.639 --> 00:51:43.139
 And it's just so like God

00:51:43.139 --> 00:51:44.199
 that he would even

00:51:44.199 --> 00:51:45.480
 place into this thing

00:51:45.480 --> 00:51:46.959
 which gives harbingers

00:51:46.959 --> 00:51:47.500
 of the end

00:51:47.500 --> 00:51:48.359
 the fact that

00:51:48.359 --> 00:51:49.480
 Jesus' words

00:51:49.480 --> 00:51:50.439
 were even fulfilled

00:51:50.439 --> 00:51:51.379
 in Jerusalem

00:51:51.379 --> 00:51:52.259
 and Judea

00:51:52.259 --> 00:51:53.619
 in the late 60s,

00:51:53.659 --> 00:51:54.319
 within 30,

00:51:54.439 --> 00:51:55.319
 35 years

00:51:55.319 --> 00:51:56.599
 of the death

00:51:56.599 --> 00:51:56.939
 and resurrection,

00:51:57.099 --> 00:51:57.879
 of Jesus speaking

00:51:57.879 --> 00:51:58.519
 these words.

00:51:59.439 --> 00:52:00.879
 So my prayer for you

00:52:00.879 --> 00:52:01.419
 is that you'll have

00:52:01.419 --> 00:52:02.339
 a deep confidence

00:52:02.339 --> 00:52:03.000
 in Jesus

00:52:03.000 --> 00:52:04.219
 and a deep confidence

00:52:04.219 --> 00:52:05.000
 in his word.

00:52:05.980 --> 00:52:06.900
 And that if you do not

00:52:06.900 --> 00:52:07.780
 yet know Jesus,

00:52:07.920 --> 00:52:08.420
 if you haven't given

00:52:08.420 --> 00:52:09.320
 your life to Jesus,

00:52:09.519 --> 00:52:10.860
 that you just call out

00:52:10.860 --> 00:52:11.380
 with your heart

00:52:11.380 --> 00:52:11.699
 and say,

00:52:11.820 --> 00:52:12.099
 Jesus,

00:52:12.500 --> 00:52:14.139
 thank you that you

00:52:14.139 --> 00:52:15.119
 died upon the cross

00:52:15.119 --> 00:52:15.539
 for me.

00:52:15.699 --> 00:52:16.360
 Thank you that you

00:52:16.360 --> 00:52:17.280
 took my place.

00:52:17.480 --> 00:52:18.360
 Thank you that bestow

00:52:18.360 --> 00:52:19.079
 upon me life.

00:52:19.579 --> 00:52:19.840
 Jesus,

00:52:20.000 --> 00:52:20.760
 be in my life.

00:52:20.840 --> 00:52:21.900
 I want to be in your life.

00:52:22.019 --> 00:52:22.820
 Be my savior.

00:52:23.000 --> 00:52:23.840
 I want to follow you

00:52:23.840 --> 00:52:24.119
 as Lord.

00:52:24.199 --> 00:52:25.159
 There's no better time

00:52:25.159 --> 00:52:25.860
 than today to say

00:52:25.860 --> 00:52:26.460
 such a prayer.

00:52:27.500 --> 00:52:28.460
 And for all of us,

00:52:28.719 --> 00:52:29.920
 those who've taken

00:52:29.920 --> 00:52:30.639
 that step,

00:52:31.119 --> 00:52:31.920
 then just pray

00:52:31.920 --> 00:52:33.099
 the mission of the church

00:52:33.099 --> 00:52:33.940
 over ourselves.

00:52:33.940 --> 00:52:34.539
 Father,

00:52:34.900 --> 00:52:36.720
 make me a disciple

00:52:36.720 --> 00:52:37.559
 of Jesus

00:52:37.559 --> 00:52:39.139
 gripped by the gospel

00:52:39.139 --> 00:52:40.679
 who lives for your glory.

00:52:41.480 --> 00:52:42.220
 That's a prayer

00:52:42.220 --> 00:52:42.920
 we can pray

00:52:42.920 --> 00:52:44.280
 for ourselves

00:52:44.280 --> 00:52:45.720
 every day of our lives.

00:52:46.300 --> 00:52:46.860
 Let's brow

00:52:46.860 --> 00:52:47.980
 our heads in prayer.

00:52:51.760 --> 00:52:52.360
 Father,

00:52:52.539 --> 00:52:53.579
 pour out your Holy Spirit

00:52:53.579 --> 00:52:54.159
 upon us.

00:52:55.159 --> 00:52:55.920
 Cleanse us

00:52:55.920 --> 00:52:57.300
 and cause us

00:52:57.300 --> 00:52:57.760
 to reject

00:52:57.760 --> 00:52:59.340
 all false messiahs

00:52:59.340 --> 00:53:00.059
 and utopias

00:53:00.059 --> 00:53:01.320
 and all messianic

00:53:01.320 --> 00:53:02.360
 and utopian visions.

00:53:03.260 --> 00:53:03.539
 Father,

00:53:03.539 --> 00:53:04.019
 help us

00:53:04.019 --> 00:53:04.960
 to put those things

00:53:04.960 --> 00:53:05.779
 to death in us.

00:53:06.800 --> 00:53:07.199
 And Father,

00:53:07.279 --> 00:53:08.139
 at the same time,

00:53:08.219 --> 00:53:09.219
 we ask that you help us

00:53:09.219 --> 00:53:11.500
 to be gripped

00:53:11.500 --> 00:53:12.599
 by what Jesus did

00:53:12.599 --> 00:53:13.559
 for us on the cross.

00:53:13.719 --> 00:53:14.900
 Be gripped by the fact

00:53:14.900 --> 00:53:16.159
 that his word is true

00:53:16.159 --> 00:53:17.559
 and that it will never fail,

00:53:18.000 --> 00:53:18.779
 that we can build

00:53:18.779 --> 00:53:19.960
 our lives around it

00:53:19.960 --> 00:53:20.460
 and upon it.

00:53:20.539 --> 00:53:20.880
 And Father,

00:53:21.380 --> 00:53:22.579
 grip us with the promise

00:53:22.579 --> 00:53:23.420
 of his return.

00:53:23.659 --> 00:53:24.079
 Grip us,

00:53:24.340 --> 00:53:24.420
 Father,

00:53:24.519 --> 00:53:24.980
 with this.

00:53:25.079 --> 00:53:25.440
 May this,

00:53:25.940 --> 00:53:25.980
 Father,

00:53:26.099 --> 00:53:27.019
 be our blessed hope.

00:53:27.199 --> 00:53:27.800
 Fan into flame

00:53:27.800 --> 00:53:28.219
 within us

00:53:28.219 --> 00:53:29.559
 an ever deeper longing

00:53:29.559 --> 00:53:30.159
 and yearning

00:53:30.159 --> 00:53:31.779
 for the return of Jesus.

00:53:32.279 --> 00:53:33.079
 Fan into flame

00:53:33.079 --> 00:53:33.500
 within us

00:53:33.500 --> 00:53:34.679
 an ever deeper longing

00:53:34.679 --> 00:53:35.279
 and yearning

00:53:35.279 --> 00:53:36.279
 to be with him,

00:53:36.360 --> 00:53:37.360
 to see his face,

00:53:37.639 --> 00:53:38.659
 to have him see us.

00:53:39.019 --> 00:53:39.239
 Father,

00:53:39.400 --> 00:53:40.360
 make us disciples

00:53:40.360 --> 00:53:40.960
 of Jesus

00:53:40.960 --> 00:53:42.139
 gripped by the gospel

00:53:42.139 --> 00:53:44.299
 who live day by day

00:53:44.299 --> 00:53:45.480
 to do good

00:53:45.480 --> 00:53:47.000
 and to bring you glory,

00:53:47.279 --> 00:53:48.139
 all to your glory,

00:53:48.340 --> 00:53:49.179
 bearing witness to you,

00:53:49.299 --> 00:53:50.039
 all to your glory.

00:53:50.199 --> 00:53:50.440
 Father,

00:53:50.599 --> 00:53:51.779
 make us such disciples.

00:53:52.179 --> 00:53:52.819
 And this we ask

00:53:52.819 --> 00:53:53.759
 in Jesus' name.

00:53:54.179 --> 00:53:54.460
 Amen.