WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:16.780 Hi, my name is George Sinclair. I'm the lead pastor of Church of the Messiah. It is wonderful 00:00:16.780 --> 00:00:20.780 that you would like to check out some of the sermons done by Church of the Messiah, either 00:00:20.780 --> 00:00:24.920 by myself or some of the others. Listen, just a couple of things. First of all, would you pray 00:00:24.920 --> 00:00:31.520 for us that we will open God's Word well to His glory and for the good of people like yourself? 00:00:32.079 --> 00:00:37.939 The second thing is, if you aren't connected to a church and if you are a Christian, we really, 00:00:38.179 --> 00:00:42.579 I would really like to encourage you to find a good local church where they believe the Bible, 00:00:43.240 --> 00:00:48.760 they preach the gospel, and if you have some trouble finding that, send us an email. We will 00:00:48.760 --> 00:00:54.560 do what we can to help connect you with a good local church wherever you are. And if you're a 00:00:54.560 --> 00:00:59.340 non-Christian checking us out, we're really, really, really glad you're doing that. Don't 00:00:59.340 --> 00:01:04.680 hesitate to send us questions. It helps me actually to know, as I'm preaching, how to deal with the 00:01:04.680 --> 00:01:07.780 types of things that you're really struggling with. So God bless. 00:01:12.659 --> 00:01:20.200 Bow our heads in prayer, remaining standing. Father, you know how easily we get startled and 00:01:20.200 --> 00:01:26.900 confused and misunderstand things. And so Father, when that happens to us, we ask that your Holy Spirit 00:01:26.900 --> 00:01:33.040 just continue to remind us that shows how much you love us and care for us, that seeing how we stumble 00:01:33.040 --> 00:01:39.300 and make mistakes, that you still, you care for us. You don't abandon us, but draw us more to yourself. 00:01:40.200 --> 00:01:45.520 So Father, we confess that there are words today that we're going to look at that you meant to provide 00:01:45.519 --> 00:01:53.519 great comfort to us, but that we take as troublesome. And so Father, we invite your Holy Spirit to move 00:01:53.519 --> 00:01:58.640 and speak deeply within our lives and to bring your word deep within us so that we might receive the 00:01:58.640 --> 00:02:04.340 comfort and the hope that you desire us to have and know and to walk in. And we ask this in Jesus's name, 00:02:04.340 --> 00:02:08.379 your Son and our Savior. Amen. Please be seated. 00:02:08.379 --> 00:02:20.519 So I don't know how many of you have ever come to the 8 a.m. service. Sometimes when people come to the 8 a.m. service 00:02:20.519 --> 00:02:27.599 after they've just been at this service, they're a bit taken aback. I wear robes and there's no screen. 00:02:27.740 --> 00:02:32.859 We have little booklets. And if you'll open up the booklets, a couple of pieces have been removed, 00:02:32.860 --> 00:02:41.160 but it's basically the 1662 Book of Common Prayer Service, which is basically the 1552 Book of Common 00:02:41.160 --> 00:02:47.360 Prayer Service and has these and those, and it's a bit of a surprise. Some of you who've been at it 00:02:47.360 --> 00:02:51.680 will know that I speak a bit differently. I mean, not only is my sermon half the length, 00:02:52.220 --> 00:02:56.740 but because I'm not on YouTube, I sometimes say things and I'll tell them, this is one of the 00:02:56.740 --> 00:03:01.020 advantages you have of coming at 8. I'm not going to say this at 10 because I'm going to be on YouTube. 00:03:01.020 --> 00:03:07.260 And this morning for my sermon, I said that, and I said a couple of things. I had a different way 00:03:07.260 --> 00:03:14.040 to opening the sermon than I'm doing right now, actually. But as the service progressed, 00:03:14.140 --> 00:03:17.900 I came under conviction that I had to start the service in a different way, which is what I'm 00:03:17.900 --> 00:03:22.960 doing now. But I'm going to say, in fact, something similar to what I said at 8 that I wasn't going to 00:03:22.960 --> 00:03:31.840 say because I'm on YouTube. And just for those, I think I'm probably fine here, but especially for 00:03:31.840 --> 00:03:36.439 those who are online or maybe online downstream, if you just give me mercy for a couple of minutes, 00:03:36.819 --> 00:03:42.740 and then you can send me an angry email potentially or do whatever it is that you're going to do. 00:03:44.740 --> 00:03:48.760 We're part of the Anglican Network in Canada. We're not part of the Anglican Church of Canada. 00:03:48.759 --> 00:03:54.659 Canada and Anglican Network in Canada, the bishops have asked that today would be Pro-Life Sunday, 00:03:55.459 --> 00:04:00.719 that in some way we make some type of comment, whether it's in the prayers of the people or in 00:04:00.719 --> 00:04:06.399 the sermon about the pro-life issue. And I, you know, I'm not embarrassed about talking about it, 00:04:06.399 --> 00:04:12.199 but I wasn't going to particularly talk about it today. But it actually, I realized, this is part of 00:04:12.199 --> 00:04:17.779 the whole insight that I had later on that talking about this today is actually a perfect introduction 00:04:17.779 --> 00:04:23.759 for the Bible text that Victor read and that I'm going to talk about. And so here's where I just 00:04:23.759 --> 00:04:32.959 need a little bit of mercy. I'm a Christian. This is a Christian congregation. We believe that Jesus is 00:04:32.959 --> 00:04:38.939 our Savior, and we believe that he is our Lord. And we believe that the Bible is words that ultimately 00:04:38.939 --> 00:04:45.259 God wanted written and he spoke to us, and that we're bound by them. And that these words are actually true 00:04:45.259 --> 00:04:50.480 words, not just for Christians, but for all people. But we as Christians have a special obligation to believe 00:04:50.480 --> 00:04:58.620 them and trust them. And that means that we do not believe that you can kill human life in the womb, 00:04:59.459 --> 00:05:05.600 that abortion is wrong. You cannot take innocent life. It's breaking one of the Ten Commandments. 00:05:05.600 --> 00:05:15.120 We believe that you cannot kill mentally ill people or elderly people or even people in pain, 00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:22.160 because that is taking innocent life. We are to care for the weak and the vulnerable. We are to figure 00:05:22.160 --> 00:05:30.920 out how to give them more resources to help them. We are not to kill them. We believe that God created all 00:05:30.920 --> 00:05:36.120 human beings and he created human beings with sexuality and sexual knowing in mind. 00:05:37.640 --> 00:05:44.439 But his intention in creation was that people would either be chased and celibate in singleness, 00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:52.120 or if they were called into marriage, that they would be chased and celibate there, the marriage of one man 00:05:52.120 --> 00:05:58.920 to one woman, one biological male to one biological female. And that outside of marriage, 00:05:58.920 --> 00:06:04.520 people were not to practice sexual knowing that they were to be celibate. That's what we believe 00:06:04.520 --> 00:06:09.879 the Bible teaches. And that means we're going to oppose things like same-sex marriage, amongst other 00:06:09.879 --> 00:06:17.000 things. We also believe that since God has created us as male and female, he didn't just create us as 00:06:17.000 --> 00:06:23.400 male and female, but we believe the Bible teaches that he's also called us to be for a man to be a male and 00:06:23.399 --> 00:06:30.599 a female to be a woman. And that the way towards wholeness is to be at peace in our body. That's 00:06:30.599 --> 00:06:35.319 always the way of wholeness. And it's the way of holiness, not just for those who are Christians, 00:06:35.319 --> 00:06:40.759 but for all people. And that means we're going to be on an opposite side of a very, very important 00:06:40.759 --> 00:06:47.639 cultural issue today, which is talked about and shouted about an awful lot. And we believe these 00:06:47.639 --> 00:06:52.360 things because we believe the Bible teaches this, but it's important for you to hear that we do not 00:06:52.360 --> 00:06:59.079 believe that any of these things that I've touched on, whether it be abortion, whether it be same-sex 00:06:59.079 --> 00:07:05.719 marriage or a whole lot of other issues connected to LGBTQ plus issues, or whether it be euthanasia 00:07:05.719 --> 00:07:11.879 or the trans issue, we do not believe that these are us versus them issues. What I need you to 00:07:11.879 --> 00:07:17.159 understand is we are not the holy and the pure. We are not the people who have never sinned. 00:07:18.360 --> 00:07:23.800 Everybody, not everybody, everybody in this congregation is in fact sexually broken. 00:07:24.920 --> 00:07:32.279 We are not perfect in our sexual and your sexual knowing. And in our congregation, both today and in 00:07:32.279 --> 00:07:38.040 the past, our people who in fact have had abortions, encouraged abortions, struggle with a wide range of 00:07:38.040 --> 00:07:46.520 sexual temptations, have lived non-celibate gay or lesbian lives, and almost undoubtedly struggle with 00:07:46.520 --> 00:07:51.720 whether they are in the right gender and feel at peace with their bodies. So for us as Christians, 00:07:51.720 --> 00:07:59.640 this is not an us versus them issue. But it doesn't mean that we can be silent about it. Because you see, 00:07:59.640 --> 00:08:04.280 in the end of the day, we are very, very similar to what Charles Spurgeon said that all Christians are. 00:08:04.279 --> 00:08:14.199 Christians are beggars. We are, I'm one beggar telling another beggar where to find free bread. 00:08:16.599 --> 00:08:22.519 I am one sexually broken person telling other sexually broken people where to find the bread of life. 00:08:23.239 --> 00:08:28.039 And that's what we are. That's all we are. It's not an us versus them issue. 00:08:28.040 --> 00:08:35.720 Now, I mention all of this not only because I'm honoring my denomination and my bishop who said 00:08:35.720 --> 00:08:39.639 that we should mention something about pro-life issues this particular Sunday. 00:08:40.920 --> 00:08:45.720 I'm also mentioning it because by the providence of God, I'm not smart enough to organize things 00:08:45.720 --> 00:08:50.360 like this. I really am not. I don't know what I'm going to be preaching on in three weeks. I can 00:08:50.360 --> 00:08:55.480 tell you the scripture text, but I can't tell you what it says. I can tell you, by the way, since I'm on all the 00:08:55.480 --> 00:09:01.480 big issues, you could pray for me. Next Sunday, I know many people who are outside the Christian 00:09:01.480 --> 00:09:05.879 faith say that one of the reasons they can't be Christians is they believe that Christianity 00:09:05.879 --> 00:09:10.519 encourages slavery. I'm going to, the Bible text next week is going to look at slavery. 00:09:11.159 --> 00:09:16.600 I also know that many people say they can't be Christians because they believe the Bible oppresses 00:09:16.600 --> 00:09:22.279 women. I'm going to look at that two Sundays from now, our scripture text is wives be subject to 00:09:22.279 --> 00:09:26.039 your husbands. And there's a whole lot of other commands to the husband as well. If you can pray 00:09:26.039 --> 00:09:32.360 that I can do those things well in honoring Christ. But in this particular day, one of the things that 00:09:32.360 --> 00:09:39.799 we're going to see, there's like a foreshadowing of what's going to be the issue in a big issue in 00:09:39.799 --> 00:09:47.159 the rest of the book, which is that sometimes being a Christian costs you a lot and you're going to suffer. 00:09:47.159 --> 00:09:53.719 The topics which I just said, and those of you who are outside of the Christian faith who might be 00:09:53.719 --> 00:09:59.399 watching this, you know very well that what I have just said could easily get me canceled in a variety 00:09:59.399 --> 00:10:04.759 of careers. In fact, I'm conscious that even saying that I could run into trouble with the group that we 00:10:04.759 --> 00:10:13.720 rent this building from. And that's why it's a perfect text for today. Because it's going to start, 00:10:13.720 --> 00:10:18.440 this book of first Peter is going to begin to look at issues of rejection and suffering, 00:10:18.440 --> 00:10:23.240 suffering in general, by the way, but also rejection and suffering for following Christ. 00:10:23.879 --> 00:10:29.480 So let's turn and look and see what it says. It's a foretaste, a foreshadowing of what's going to become 00:10:29.480 --> 00:10:35.639 a far bigger theme in the book. And it's a foreshadowing, which is profoundly hopeful. So if you would turn in your 00:10:35.639 --> 00:10:46.279 Bibles with me to 1st Peter chapter 2, verse 4, we'll continue this letter that Peter, Peter is the 00:10:46.279 --> 00:10:52.840 fellow who was one of Jesus's closest disciples. He spent three years with Jesus, three plus years with 00:10:52.840 --> 00:11:00.039 Jesus in his public ministry. He would have been an eyewitness of most of the miracles that Jesus 00:11:00.039 --> 00:11:09.879 performed. He was famously denied Jesus on what we now consider to be Maundy Thursday or 00:11:12.679 --> 00:11:18.679 yeah, it's no, Good Friday, I guess he denied Jesus. But he is also one of the people who saw Jesus 00:11:18.679 --> 00:11:25.319 after he rose from the dead. He saw that the grave was empty. And Peter is writing this to a group of 00:11:25.320 --> 00:11:30.600 Christians who came out of pagan backgrounds primarily and become Christians living in what 00:11:30.600 --> 00:11:35.160 we now call Turkey. It was a circular letter to be designed to be read to a variety of different 00:11:35.160 --> 00:11:41.080 churches. And about a two year, year or two years after this letter is written, Peter will die 00:11:41.960 --> 00:11:47.160 because he will maintain that Jesus in fact did rise from the dead, that the grave was empty, 00:11:47.160 --> 00:11:52.040 that they actually saw him and he'll die for proclaiming that truth. And here's, 00:11:52.039 --> 00:12:01.799 here's what he says. Verse four, as you come to Jesus, to him, a living stone rejected by men, 00:12:01.799 --> 00:12:08.679 but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up 00:12:08.679 --> 00:12:16.360 as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through 00:12:16.360 --> 00:12:23.320 Jesus Christ. Now just sort of pause. Here's the foreshadowing that's coming. Look at verse four 00:12:23.320 --> 00:12:32.600 again. As you come to him, that's Jesus, a living stone rejected by human beings, but in the sight of 00:12:32.600 --> 00:12:40.440 God chosen and precious. Now this is going to become, you know, it's, it's, we all know this. I, I remember 00:12:40.440 --> 00:12:47.400 quite a few years ago talking to a woman who's outside the Christian faith, but a really, really 00:12:47.400 --> 00:12:54.680 great woman and she'd had a miscarriage and she was marveling with me that her woman boss was completely 00:12:54.680 --> 00:13:04.600 and utterly unsympathetic to her. But her boss, which was a guy, was very sympathetic to her, 00:13:04.600 --> 00:13:09.560 even though she just had a miscarriage and she was really, really, really struggling, struggling with 00:13:09.560 --> 00:13:16.360 it emotionally and in all sorts of ways. And we all know that, you know, just somehow the way it is 00:13:16.360 --> 00:13:21.639 that we can talk to some people who've been through situations similar to ours and they show no compassion 00:13:21.639 --> 00:13:26.600 or understanding to us. And sometimes that we can talk to people who haven't experienced anything 00:13:26.600 --> 00:13:31.480 that we have, but they just really have a gift of compassion and empathy. And we all know that that's the 00:13:31.480 --> 00:13:39.000 case, but there is something very specially precious when you come across somebody who has suffered in 00:13:39.000 --> 00:13:45.480 the same way that you have and is also compassionate. You know, there's an extra depth of empathy that you 00:13:45.480 --> 00:13:52.279 can come to them as you're dealing and sharing with these issues. And that's what, that's what Peter's 00:13:52.279 --> 00:13:56.440 beginning to give a bit of a foretaste. Later on, he's going to be talking about people who suffer for 00:13:56.440 --> 00:14:03.160 being a Christian and suffering in general. And he begins that sort of stirring that whole process 00:14:03.160 --> 00:14:08.600 by reminding people who are maybe struggling with the fact that they've been rejected from a promotion 00:14:08.600 --> 00:14:13.480 or from being in a guild or rejected by their family, but rejected by their parents, rejected by 00:14:13.480 --> 00:14:18.920 their children, rejected by their community, now are struggling financially as a result of it, 00:14:18.920 --> 00:14:24.440 that when we come to Jesus, we come to one who has been rejected by the human race. 00:14:24.440 --> 00:14:30.280 And it's very interesting in the original language. You can see it in English if you read it very 00:14:30.280 --> 00:14:35.800 carefully. The language is not as you come to him occasionally, but the implication is, is that as you 00:14:35.800 --> 00:14:41.320 come to him in your daily prayers, as you come to him in your daily Bible reading, as you come to him 00:14:41.320 --> 00:14:46.040 in your weekly small group, as you come to him on Sunday when you gather in public worship, as you're 00:14:46.040 --> 00:14:52.920 coming to him regularly, as you come to him, remember that he was rejected by human beings. 00:14:52.919 --> 00:15:01.639 In other words, this is an invitation. Peter's saying, loved my brothers and sisters, my friends, 00:15:01.639 --> 00:15:07.159 you can pour out your heart to Jesus about these issues. He understands what it means to be rejected. 00:15:08.759 --> 00:15:16.439 He understands. And it's also very hopeful because they're reminding, Peter's reminding them that Jesus 00:15:16.440 --> 00:15:24.120 was rejected by humans. But he, look at verse 4, he, in God's eyes, the triune God's eyes, 00:15:25.160 --> 00:15:30.760 was chosen and is, is chosen and precious. And then you notice what it says, verse 5, 00:15:30.760 --> 00:15:36.520 view yourselves like living stones. And there the idea is that Jesus is portrayed, we'll see why he's 00:15:36.520 --> 00:15:43.480 called a living stone in a moment. There's sort of three Old Testament references to this idea of a 00:15:43.480 --> 00:15:48.360 stone. And Peter's going to quote all of them. So he's, he's, there's a reason why he uses this 00:15:48.360 --> 00:15:53.960 analogy. But when we put our trust and faith in Christ, in a sense, we become like him. And, and, 00:15:53.960 --> 00:15:59.480 and, and in other words, like him, we might be rejected. But we are going to see as the text goes 00:15:59.480 --> 00:16:03.480 on that we are also chosen and precious to him. And that even if we are being rejected, 00:16:04.200 --> 00:16:08.240 even if there is a cost to following Jesus, look at what it says in verse 5, 00:16:08.240 --> 00:16:14.279 you yourselves like living stones are being built up. And this is a beautiful image that God is 00:16:14.279 --> 00:16:22.340 building us up, you and me up. He's building us up like a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, 00:16:22.539 --> 00:16:28.919 to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. And this is a very, very, 00:16:29.039 --> 00:16:33.100 you know, powerful issue. Those of you who've come to the church more than once know that we often pray 00:16:33.100 --> 00:16:38.379 for the persecuted church. And that's a very good thing to do in and of itself. But here's the thing, 00:16:38.420 --> 00:16:44.040 it doesn't say that he's building spiritual houses. He's not building a spiritual house called Church of 00:16:44.040 --> 00:16:49.040 the Messiah, another spiritual house called Calvary Baptist, another spiritual house called the 00:16:49.040 --> 00:16:57.700 Metropolitan Bible Church. He's only building one house. And in that house are Christians who've 00:16:57.700 --> 00:17:09.220 worshipped today earlier in the day in Korea, and in Saigon, and in Manila, and in, I think of a city 00:17:09.220 --> 00:17:18.920 in India, and all of a sudden my mind's gone blank, Chennai, and in Nairobi, and in Laos, and Lagos, 00:17:19.279 --> 00:17:25.039 and in Manhattan, and in Ottawa. He's only building one house. And it's the other thing about which is 00:17:25.039 --> 00:17:30.139 so needed, but he's only building one house. It also means that in that house is Augustine, 00:17:30.460 --> 00:17:41.119 and Athanasius, is Chrysostom. Our friend Steve here did his doctoral dissertation on the short-lived 00:17:41.119 --> 00:17:46.879 Spanish Reformation. They're all part of our house too. And he's got ordained while he was in Egypt. 00:17:47.019 --> 00:17:54.079 That's all part of the house too. Just one house. Just one house. And this idea of the spiritual worship 00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:59.579 and the spiritual house. Spiritual to us as Canadians often means it's something emotional, 00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:05.359 or something about affections, or something intellectual. But in the original language 00:18:05.359 --> 00:18:11.939 here, it's pneumatikos. And what that means is Holy Spirit empowered. So it's a Holy Spirit directed 00:18:11.939 --> 00:18:17.519 building of a house. A Holy Spirit empowered building of a house. And it also means Holy Spirit 00:18:17.519 --> 00:18:25.299 inspired sacrifices, which does not mean sacrificing animals. It means sacrificing it in the sense that 00:18:25.299 --> 00:18:31.799 money says that I should hold on to as much money as I possibly can. And a pneumatikos, a Holy Spirit 00:18:31.799 --> 00:18:39.279 inspired sacrifice is to realize that I am to give part of my money away. That, you know, that I'm to order 00:18:39.279 --> 00:18:46.299 my sexuality in one particular way. The Holy Spirit leads us to move towards, you know, chastity and, 00:18:46.299 --> 00:18:50.839 you know, repentance when we fail of that. And, you know, in terms of power, the Holy Spirit, 00:18:51.159 --> 00:18:56.119 our culture teaches us to use power in particular ways. And the Holy Spirit is leading us to use power 00:18:56.119 --> 00:19:00.359 in very different ways. And that's what's being talked about. The Holy Spirit in all of our life 00:19:00.359 --> 00:19:05.799 is forming us to live in a different way. See, when you give your life to Christ, 00:19:06.519 --> 00:19:10.720 there's all these other things that happen. And one of the things that happens is that the Holy Spirit 00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:15.619 now indwells you. You're born again. And that means the Holy Spirit is going to propel you and 00:19:15.619 --> 00:19:22.159 empower you and point you in certain types of directions, some of which are very countercultural. 00:19:23.419 --> 00:19:31.279 But now, a word of encouragement is often for many Canadians and many Canadian Christians, 00:19:31.519 --> 00:19:37.359 a word of discouragement. And we need to look at it. It should be a word of encouragement, 00:19:37.359 --> 00:19:43.479 but for many it discourages. Look what happens. Look at verse 6. It says, 00:19:43.679 --> 00:19:48.299 4. So he's going to give some Bible text to sort of back up this big claim. 00:19:49.359 --> 00:19:51.679 4. It stands in Scripture. 00:19:52.139 --> 00:19:58.759 Behold, I am laying in Zion, a stone, a cornerstone, chosen and precious, 00:19:59.319 --> 00:20:03.859 that whoever believes in him, that is the stone, which we now know as Christ, 00:20:03.859 --> 00:20:10.679 will not be put to shame. And then it stops the quote, and he has a bit of a comment. 00:20:12.119 --> 00:20:16.859 So the honor is for those who believe, but for those who do not believe, 00:20:17.539 --> 00:20:22.639 and then this Scripture quote, the stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone, 00:20:22.919 --> 00:20:29.059 and a different Scripture text is quoted, a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense. 00:20:29.059 --> 00:20:39.339 Now here's the part which is very discouraging. They stumble, and the idea behind this is like a type of eternal stumbling. 00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:44.079 It's an image of what they do and of judgment. 00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:54.119 They stumble because they disobey the word as they were destined to do. 00:20:54.119 --> 00:20:59.199 And Canadian Christians go, whoa. 00:21:01.079 --> 00:21:01.519 Whoa. 00:21:02.699 --> 00:21:03.959 Didn't see that coming. 00:21:05.659 --> 00:21:09.399 Now a couple of things I have to walk towards this text. 00:21:09.679 --> 00:21:14.119 This is actually a text that's designed to be a profound encouragement to us. 00:21:14.419 --> 00:21:16.119 It's both going to be very chastening. 00:21:16.119 --> 00:21:24.799 In other words, it's going to be very, make us go, oh, like that's harder news than I expected to have. 00:21:24.859 --> 00:21:31.759 The Bible is going to tell you your situation apart from Christ is vastly worse than you ever imagined. 00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:37.759 But your situation in Christ is vastly better than you possibly could imagine. 00:21:37.759 --> 00:21:44.019 And it's as you know that your situation apart from Christ is vastly worse, 00:21:44.500 --> 00:21:49.420 that you have a special ability to then understand how your situation in Christ is vastly better. 00:21:50.660 --> 00:21:53.559 So just a couple of things. 00:21:53.640 --> 00:22:00.299 The first thing to notice with these images is that if there was a buffet of spirituality and religions, 00:22:00.920 --> 00:22:02.259 Jesus is not on the menu. 00:22:03.019 --> 00:22:04.339 He's not on the buffet table. 00:22:04.339 --> 00:22:15.079 The normal way that Canadians think now about things like religion or worldviews or spirituality or therapies or ideologies 00:22:15.079 --> 00:22:17.759 is that it's a little bit like a buffet table. 00:22:18.899 --> 00:22:24.099 And so, you know, Steve and I and Stella and Louise, we might be walking along the buffet table 00:22:24.099 --> 00:22:29.099 and we, you know, maybe I pile up on one thing and, you know, Steve on another thing 00:22:29.099 --> 00:22:33.039 and Stella on another thing and Louise on another thing and we do bits and pieces of this. 00:22:33.039 --> 00:22:35.079 And at the end, we sit down and we all have our meal. 00:22:35.180 --> 00:22:37.759 We look and maybe say, you know, I was thinking of taking some of that. 00:22:37.819 --> 00:22:38.859 What's it taste like, you know? 00:22:39.220 --> 00:22:39.940 And so it is today. 00:22:40.019 --> 00:22:43.099 You know, take a little bit of Buddhism, maybe take a little bit of Sufism, 00:22:43.379 --> 00:22:44.500 take a little bit of Islam. 00:22:45.259 --> 00:22:47.059 You know, you take a little bit of Wicca. 00:22:47.399 --> 00:22:51.240 You take a little bit of, I don't know, like some crystals and stuff like that. 00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:53.899 And then just because, just to show that you're edgy, 00:22:54.279 --> 00:23:00.299 a little bit of Christopher Hitchens and, you know, a little bit maybe of depth therapy or psychology 00:23:00.299 --> 00:23:02.159 and you throw it all together and it's like a buffet. 00:23:03.099 --> 00:23:06.059 And maybe occasionally at a gathering you look and you compare. 00:23:06.180 --> 00:23:09.139 Oh, so you've been trying this type of therapy, have you? 00:23:09.200 --> 00:23:10.000 Like, how's it working? 00:23:10.139 --> 00:23:12.720 Like, you know, from Jordan Peterson, you really got into Jung, yeah. 00:23:13.180 --> 00:23:15.839 But you know, I'm more into Buddhism and a little bit of this. 00:23:15.940 --> 00:23:17.799 Buddhism and Hitchens, I think they're really neat. 00:23:17.859 --> 00:23:19.680 And you have a bit of a conversation about that. 00:23:19.680 --> 00:23:22.759 And everybody's very, very cheerful about it. 00:23:23.860 --> 00:23:29.360 I guess it could be the same if you're in a country that's been very influenced by Buddhism or Hinduism 00:23:29.360 --> 00:23:31.180 and there's many gods and goddesses. 00:23:31.860 --> 00:23:33.980 And you don't get into fights about it. 00:23:34.039 --> 00:23:35.200 You just sort of may be interested. 00:23:35.320 --> 00:23:39.200 Oh, you find this sort of god or goddess very helpful in terms of your walk. 00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:40.980 That's who you offer your sacrifices to. 00:23:42.279 --> 00:23:46.519 What this text is saying is that Jesus is completely and utterly different than that. 00:23:46.519 --> 00:23:53.240 That, in fact, your whole eternal destiny of not just you, but every human being, 00:23:53.379 --> 00:23:55.119 turns on how you respond to Jesus. 00:23:55.259 --> 00:23:57.700 There's only two ways to respond to Jesus. 00:23:59.099 --> 00:24:04.440 You either come across him and then you realize that he is that living stone, 00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:08.059 that cornerstone upon which you are to base your entire life in 00:24:08.059 --> 00:24:12.019 because he really is God's son and humanity's savior. 00:24:12.279 --> 00:24:15.379 He really is the one who will reconcile you to God. 00:24:15.380 --> 00:24:21.080 He really is the one who has defeated death and hell and sin and his resurrection. 00:24:21.500 --> 00:24:24.260 And he really is the one that you are to build your life on, 00:24:24.380 --> 00:24:26.100 imperfect as you might be doing that. 00:24:26.800 --> 00:24:33.100 Or you are offended by him and you reject him and you disobey him. 00:24:34.060 --> 00:24:37.120 And then the Bible says if that's the case, then you stumble over him 00:24:37.120 --> 00:24:39.620 and you're stumbling as an eternal type of stumbling. 00:24:39.619 --> 00:24:47.479 And then it adds to our shock, as they, as you, were destined to do. 00:24:49.099 --> 00:24:51.819 So what's going on here in this particular text? 00:24:52.299 --> 00:24:53.719 How are we to understand it? 00:24:54.559 --> 00:24:58.899 Why is it good news and not something that we should be embarrassed about? 00:24:59.739 --> 00:25:02.659 Well, the first thing is that this says the word destined, not fated. 00:25:04.539 --> 00:25:05.699 Destined, not fated. 00:25:05.700 --> 00:25:07.380 That's a very important distinction. 00:25:08.580 --> 00:25:11.220 You see, if I'm fated to do something, 00:25:12.240 --> 00:25:16.180 you can think of, you know, the story in the Greek myth of Oedipus, 00:25:16.279 --> 00:25:19.600 that no matter what he tries to do to avoid his particular fate, 00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:23.279 he's still going to, that it's, the gods have determined this. 00:25:23.340 --> 00:25:26.140 It doesn't matter how much he tries to fight against the gods 00:25:26.140 --> 00:25:27.720 or maneuver or do this or that. 00:25:27.940 --> 00:25:30.759 He is fated to do this particular thing 00:25:30.759 --> 00:25:33.299 or have this particular tragedy happen to his life. 00:25:33.299 --> 00:25:37.279 But destiny is something that comes from within each human being. 00:25:37.639 --> 00:25:40.619 It's something, in a sense, that you are building by your habits, 00:25:40.819 --> 00:25:43.839 by your thoughts, by the choices that you make, 00:25:43.940 --> 00:25:46.539 by the micro choices and the big choices that you make. 00:25:47.119 --> 00:25:50.240 It would be, in a sense, to use a very sort of silly example, 00:25:50.359 --> 00:25:55.480 that if I had a grandson who dreamed of playing in the NHL at some point in time, 00:25:55.480 --> 00:25:59.380 but as he grows older, all he does when he comes home from school 00:25:59.380 --> 00:26:02.039 is go immediately to the basement to play video games 00:26:02.039 --> 00:26:06.720 and eat copious amounts of potato chips and never exercise whatsoever, 00:26:07.140 --> 00:26:10.720 we'd all say that he is not destined to play in the NHL. 00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:13.740 That, in fact, he is destined to be overweight 00:26:13.740 --> 00:26:18.220 and probably have a whole pile of other heart and other body problems. 00:26:18.440 --> 00:26:20.420 And his life, rather than being famous, 00:26:20.799 --> 00:26:23.299 might be very short if he continues in that. 00:26:23.299 --> 00:26:25.419 And then as he gets older and he can use Uber, 00:26:25.539 --> 00:26:28.619 he adds poutine regularly to his diet. 00:26:29.940 --> 00:26:30.960 That's destiny. 00:26:32.099 --> 00:26:33.559 And the Bible here says, 00:26:34.359 --> 00:26:37.139 not that you were fated to it, 00:26:37.220 --> 00:26:39.680 but as you were destined to. 00:26:40.399 --> 00:26:44.159 The second thing is that 00:26:44.160 --> 00:26:53.040 it's not the case that the Bible is saying, 00:26:54.140 --> 00:26:55.980 here's George, 00:26:57.040 --> 00:26:59.060 I read the Bible, 00:26:59.820 --> 00:27:01.860 I'm still married to the same woman, 00:27:02.860 --> 00:27:04.560 I have a master's degree, 00:27:04.900 --> 00:27:05.960 go on and on and on, 00:27:06.360 --> 00:27:08.320 I'm obviously destined for heaven. 00:27:08.319 --> 00:27:11.299 You, on the other hand, 00:27:11.599 --> 00:27:12.679 or you, on the other hand, 00:27:12.720 --> 00:27:13.099 out there, 00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:13.799 look at you, 00:27:13.899 --> 00:27:15.639 you're obviously destined to eternal. 00:27:15.779 --> 00:27:16.259 No, no, no, 00:27:16.259 --> 00:27:17.579 that's not what the Bible is saying. 00:27:18.240 --> 00:27:20.200 Here's the part which is very sobering. 00:27:22.379 --> 00:27:24.299 Before I responded to Christ, 00:27:24.960 --> 00:27:26.319 I was destined 00:27:26.319 --> 00:27:28.419 to stumble forever. 00:27:28.420 --> 00:27:32.440 And so were you. 00:27:33.220 --> 00:27:34.300 And so were you. 00:27:34.539 --> 00:27:35.080 And you. 00:27:35.279 --> 00:27:35.800 And you. 00:27:36.019 --> 00:27:36.539 And you. 00:27:36.700 --> 00:27:37.180 And you. 00:27:37.360 --> 00:27:37.800 And you. 00:27:37.940 --> 00:27:38.380 And you. 00:27:38.539 --> 00:27:38.940 And you. 00:27:39.060 --> 00:27:39.420 And you. 00:27:39.539 --> 00:27:39.920 And you. 00:27:40.080 --> 00:27:40.400 And you. 00:27:40.539 --> 00:27:40.800 And you. 00:27:40.840 --> 00:27:42.860 There is nobody in this congregation 00:27:42.860 --> 00:27:44.980 worshiping here today 00:27:44.980 --> 00:27:46.860 that apart from Christ 00:27:46.860 --> 00:27:48.680 we're destined to anything other 00:27:48.680 --> 00:27:52.320 than to eternally stumble over Christ. 00:27:52.319 --> 00:27:58.539 Paul and Romans said, 00:27:58.700 --> 00:27:59.559 for all have sinned 00:27:59.559 --> 00:28:01.019 and fall short of the glory of God. 00:28:01.099 --> 00:28:01.759 And in a sense, 00:28:01.879 --> 00:28:02.559 Peter is saying, 00:28:02.679 --> 00:28:03.659 all were destined 00:28:03.659 --> 00:28:05.259 to fall 00:28:05.259 --> 00:28:07.700 and fall short of the glory of God 00:28:07.700 --> 00:28:09.299 unless Christ intervened. 00:28:10.740 --> 00:28:12.379 And Christ intervened 00:28:12.379 --> 00:28:15.639 in a very, very powerful way. 00:28:16.639 --> 00:28:17.659 Could you just skip ahead 00:28:17.659 --> 00:28:18.779 to verse 10, Claire? 00:28:19.279 --> 00:28:21.079 We'll go back to verse 9 in a moment. 00:28:21.200 --> 00:28:22.179 But look at verse 10. 00:28:22.319 --> 00:28:26.480 And once you were not a people 00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:28.220 but now you are God's people. 00:28:28.619 --> 00:28:30.859 Once you had not received mercy 00:28:30.859 --> 00:28:34.119 but now you have received mercy. 00:28:36.500 --> 00:28:37.639 The Bible is saying 00:28:37.639 --> 00:28:39.279 that the difference isn't between 00:28:39.279 --> 00:28:42.059 some of us are destined to hell 00:28:42.059 --> 00:28:43.099 and some of us in a sense 00:28:43.099 --> 00:28:45.919 are destined towards eternal life. 00:28:46.200 --> 00:28:47.559 Not in the way that destined 00:28:47.559 --> 00:28:49.599 is used here in this particular case. 00:28:50.480 --> 00:28:51.559 But that some of us 00:28:51.559 --> 00:28:52.460 have received mercy 00:28:52.460 --> 00:28:53.159 and some of us 00:28:53.159 --> 00:28:54.200 have refused mercy. 00:28:56.919 --> 00:28:58.339 That in a sense, 00:28:59.339 --> 00:29:00.139 the difference is 00:29:00.139 --> 00:29:01.960 that God in his mercy 00:29:01.960 --> 00:29:04.419 called and saved me 00:29:04.419 --> 00:29:06.179 out of my destiny. 00:29:07.319 --> 00:29:08.720 God in his mercy 00:29:08.720 --> 00:29:10.720 called and saved you 00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:13.200 out of your destiny. 00:29:13.200 --> 00:29:13.259 mercy. 00:29:18.360 --> 00:29:19.440 Now what is mercy? 00:29:20.640 --> 00:29:21.660 I talked about that 00:29:21.660 --> 00:29:22.380 a few weeks ago. 00:29:22.440 --> 00:29:23.500 I'm going to talk about it again 00:29:23.500 --> 00:29:24.200 very briefly. 00:29:25.400 --> 00:29:26.600 Mercy is compassion 00:29:26.600 --> 00:29:27.779 to the guilty 00:29:27.779 --> 00:29:29.059 and undeserving. 00:29:30.200 --> 00:29:31.440 Mercy is compassion 00:29:31.440 --> 00:29:32.180 to the guilty 00:29:32.180 --> 00:29:33.480 and to the undeserving. 00:29:34.279 --> 00:29:35.720 If you are, in fact, 00:29:35.779 --> 00:29:36.700 not guilty 00:29:36.700 --> 00:29:36.799 mercy, 00:29:37.600 --> 00:29:41.539 then you don't deserve mercy. 00:29:41.680 --> 00:29:43.039 You deserve justice. 00:29:47.480 --> 00:29:48.900 If you are, in fact, 00:29:48.980 --> 00:29:49.400 guilty 00:29:49.400 --> 00:29:52.279 and therefore undeserving 00:29:52.279 --> 00:29:53.940 of any type of 00:29:53.940 --> 00:29:55.279 clemency or compassion, 00:29:55.279 --> 00:29:57.240 you have no right 00:29:57.240 --> 00:29:58.400 to mercy. 00:29:59.080 --> 00:30:00.900 If you have a right 00:30:00.900 --> 00:30:01.720 to mercy, 00:30:01.920 --> 00:30:02.819 it's not mercy 00:30:02.819 --> 00:30:03.860 that you have a right to. 00:30:03.859 --> 00:30:05.559 You have a right 00:30:05.559 --> 00:30:07.000 for some type of favor 00:30:07.000 --> 00:30:08.819 to be shown to you 00:30:08.819 --> 00:30:09.679 or you have a right 00:30:09.679 --> 00:30:10.319 for justice 00:30:10.319 --> 00:30:11.519 to be shown to you. 00:30:12.459 --> 00:30:13.779 At the same time, 00:30:14.000 --> 00:30:16.179 mercy cannot ignore justice. 00:30:16.859 --> 00:30:18.959 If mercy ignores justice, 00:30:19.299 --> 00:30:20.519 it is not mercy. 00:30:21.079 --> 00:30:24.099 It is unjust favoritism. 00:30:26.119 --> 00:30:28.759 In a few months' time, 00:30:28.859 --> 00:30:30.259 if Biden loses the election 00:30:30.259 --> 00:30:31.819 and he gives a whole pile 00:30:31.819 --> 00:30:32.379 of people 00:30:32.380 --> 00:30:35.200 a pass on their jail sentences 00:30:35.200 --> 00:30:36.580 or criminal prosecution 00:30:36.580 --> 00:30:37.840 and they're all his buddies, 00:30:38.180 --> 00:30:39.660 nobody other than Democrats 00:30:39.660 --> 00:30:41.320 will think that justice was done. 00:30:41.420 --> 00:30:41.920 We'll all know 00:30:41.920 --> 00:30:43.620 that it was unjust favoritism. 00:30:44.260 --> 00:30:44.840 And just to show 00:30:44.840 --> 00:30:45.880 that I'm nonpartisan, 00:30:46.460 --> 00:30:48.000 if by chance Trump wins 00:30:48.000 --> 00:30:48.980 and then down 00:30:48.980 --> 00:30:49.840 when he finishes 00:30:49.840 --> 00:30:50.860 and he does it, 00:30:52.120 --> 00:30:53.780 other than some crazed 00:30:53.780 --> 00:30:54.720 Trump loyalists, 00:30:54.800 --> 00:30:55.340 just like there's 00:30:55.340 --> 00:30:56.580 crazed Biden loyalists, 00:30:56.640 --> 00:30:57.180 we'll all know 00:30:57.180 --> 00:30:57.840 that what he did 00:30:57.840 --> 00:30:58.780 was not just, 00:30:59.320 --> 00:31:01.020 that it was unjust favoritism. 00:31:01.019 --> 00:31:03.859 Mercy is not unjust favoritism. 00:31:04.660 --> 00:31:04.920 You see, 00:31:04.980 --> 00:31:05.700 that's the beauty 00:31:05.700 --> 00:31:06.559 of the gospel. 00:31:07.220 --> 00:31:08.480 The beauty of the gospel 00:31:08.480 --> 00:31:09.059 is this. 00:31:09.599 --> 00:31:11.420 By my natural nature 00:31:11.420 --> 00:31:12.839 and by my choices, 00:31:13.059 --> 00:31:14.099 there are things 00:31:14.099 --> 00:31:15.220 that in me 00:31:15.220 --> 00:31:16.420 are very dark. 00:31:16.559 --> 00:31:16.779 You see, 00:31:16.819 --> 00:31:17.420 on one hand, 00:31:17.500 --> 00:31:18.619 this biblical teaching 00:31:18.619 --> 00:31:19.740 is something 00:31:19.740 --> 00:31:20.619 that offends us, 00:31:20.680 --> 00:31:21.440 but we all know 00:31:21.440 --> 00:31:22.099 on one level 00:31:22.099 --> 00:31:22.759 that it's true. 00:31:23.099 --> 00:31:24.000 There are things 00:31:24.000 --> 00:31:25.119 in every human being 00:31:25.119 --> 00:31:25.859 that are dark. 00:31:26.019 --> 00:31:26.799 There are things 00:31:26.799 --> 00:31:27.700 inside of us 00:31:27.700 --> 00:31:29.400 that desire to roar, 00:31:29.599 --> 00:31:30.519 to be ravenous, 00:31:30.519 --> 00:31:31.259 and maybe it's 00:31:31.259 --> 00:31:32.319 with greed, 00:31:32.579 --> 00:31:33.539 maybe it's 00:31:33.539 --> 00:31:35.079 with a love of power, 00:31:35.259 --> 00:31:35.799 maybe it's 00:31:35.799 --> 00:31:36.359 a complete 00:31:36.359 --> 00:31:38.099 unwillingness 00:31:38.099 --> 00:31:38.900 to forgive, 00:31:39.139 --> 00:31:39.859 but in effect 00:31:39.859 --> 00:31:40.720 to destroy 00:31:40.720 --> 00:31:41.720 or to stomp 00:31:41.720 --> 00:31:43.920 or to hoard money 00:31:43.920 --> 00:31:45.000 or to hoard power 00:31:45.000 --> 00:31:46.859 or to hoard influence 00:31:46.859 --> 00:31:47.879 or there's things 00:31:47.879 --> 00:31:49.000 within every human being 00:31:49.000 --> 00:31:49.960 which are very dark. 00:31:50.119 --> 00:31:50.660 There's things 00:31:50.660 --> 00:31:51.980 within human beings 00:31:51.980 --> 00:31:53.980 that want to reject God. 00:31:54.119 --> 00:31:54.819 They want to reject 00:31:54.819 --> 00:31:55.660 the triune God. 00:31:55.779 --> 00:31:56.480 They are offended 00:31:56.480 --> 00:31:57.920 by the triune God. 00:31:57.920 --> 00:31:58.880 They say, 00:31:59.060 --> 00:31:59.279 God, 00:31:59.380 --> 00:32:00.560 how dare you ask me 00:32:00.560 --> 00:32:01.200 to obey that? 00:32:01.279 --> 00:32:02.480 How dare you ask me 00:32:02.480 --> 00:32:03.300 to obey that? 00:32:03.560 --> 00:32:04.340 And there are things 00:32:04.340 --> 00:32:05.400 in every single one 00:32:05.400 --> 00:32:06.480 of us as human beings 00:32:06.480 --> 00:32:06.860 which are, 00:32:07.400 --> 00:32:09.360 and that describes us. 00:32:11.440 --> 00:32:11.740 In fact, 00:32:11.779 --> 00:32:12.519 it can describe 00:32:12.519 --> 00:32:13.340 even more 00:32:13.340 --> 00:32:13.920 the people 00:32:13.920 --> 00:32:15.060 who have the custom 00:32:15.060 --> 00:32:16.300 and the skills 00:32:16.300 --> 00:32:17.180 and the training 00:32:17.180 --> 00:32:18.960 and the class background 00:32:18.960 --> 00:32:19.700 that they can always 00:32:19.700 --> 00:32:20.940 have a very pleasant front 00:32:20.940 --> 00:32:22.140 while inwardly 00:32:22.140 --> 00:32:23.120 they burn 00:32:23.120 --> 00:32:24.340 and rage. 00:32:24.339 --> 00:32:28.419 And God, 00:32:28.500 --> 00:32:29.199 the Son of God, 00:32:29.299 --> 00:32:30.099 comes up beside 00:32:30.099 --> 00:32:31.059 George Sinclair 00:32:31.059 --> 00:32:36.039 and he says, 00:32:36.159 --> 00:32:36.500 George, 00:32:36.819 --> 00:32:38.500 you deserve judgment 00:32:38.500 --> 00:32:40.419 and you deserve shame 00:32:40.419 --> 00:32:45.039 and that's what you deserve. 00:32:45.799 --> 00:32:46.119 But George, 00:32:46.179 --> 00:32:47.139 you were made in my image 00:32:47.139 --> 00:32:49.099 and because you were made 00:32:49.099 --> 00:32:49.879 in my image, 00:32:50.480 --> 00:32:52.299 I can stand for you 00:32:52.299 --> 00:32:55.200 and I will take your place. 00:32:55.279 --> 00:32:56.419 I will stand for you. 00:32:57.059 --> 00:32:58.519 The shame that you deserve 00:32:58.519 --> 00:32:59.779 very justly, 00:33:00.419 --> 00:33:02.159 I will have that 00:33:02.159 --> 00:33:03.559 fall on my shoulders, 00:33:04.500 --> 00:33:05.759 permeate who I am. 00:33:06.720 --> 00:33:07.319 The things that you 00:33:07.319 --> 00:33:08.079 were done wrong 00:33:08.079 --> 00:33:08.720 that are guilty, 00:33:08.859 --> 00:33:09.440 the things that you 00:33:09.440 --> 00:33:10.079 should have done right 00:33:10.079 --> 00:33:10.839 that you didn't do 00:33:10.839 --> 00:33:12.399 that deserve punishment, 00:33:12.539 --> 00:33:14.960 they deserve public punishment, 00:33:15.700 --> 00:33:17.019 I will take those 00:33:17.019 --> 00:33:18.079 on myself 00:33:18.079 --> 00:33:19.220 for you. 00:33:20.399 --> 00:33:21.119 And the demands 00:33:21.119 --> 00:33:21.919 of justice 00:33:21.919 --> 00:33:23.939 that I cannot meet 00:33:23.939 --> 00:33:24.399 without 00:33:24.399 --> 00:33:27.259 being unmade 00:33:27.259 --> 00:33:29.159 were laid on him. 00:33:31.099 --> 00:33:32.319 And he did that 00:33:32.319 --> 00:33:33.119 out of mercy 00:33:33.119 --> 00:33:36.219 and justice was met. 00:33:37.719 --> 00:33:39.199 He looked at me 00:33:39.199 --> 00:33:40.039 and he looks at 00:33:40.039 --> 00:33:41.039 every one of you 00:33:41.039 --> 00:33:42.559 who are in him 00:33:42.559 --> 00:33:43.579 and he looks at you 00:33:43.579 --> 00:33:44.899 with eyes of compassion. 00:33:46.819 --> 00:33:47.599 And that shame 00:33:47.599 --> 00:33:48.339 became his, 00:33:48.459 --> 00:33:48.919 that guilt 00:33:48.919 --> 00:33:49.619 became his, 00:33:49.619 --> 00:33:50.279 the punishment 00:33:50.279 --> 00:33:50.959 they deserved 00:33:50.959 --> 00:33:51.979 became his. 00:33:53.439 --> 00:33:55.019 And he offers you 00:33:55.019 --> 00:33:55.959 mercy, 00:33:56.959 --> 00:33:58.139 new life. 00:33:59.819 --> 00:34:00.919 He takes 00:34:00.919 --> 00:34:01.519 what you were 00:34:01.519 --> 00:34:02.519 destined for. 00:34:05.619 --> 00:34:06.619 And when you 00:34:06.619 --> 00:34:08.400 take that offer, 00:34:09.179 --> 00:34:10.659 you find 00:34:10.659 --> 00:34:11.440 on the other side 00:34:11.440 --> 00:34:12.139 of that mercy 00:34:12.139 --> 00:34:12.779 that now 00:34:12.779 --> 00:34:13.339 you are 00:34:13.339 --> 00:34:14.639 God's special, 00:34:14.880 --> 00:34:15.319 precious, 00:34:15.619 --> 00:34:16.460 treasured possession. 00:34:16.460 --> 00:34:17.119 the mercy 00:34:17.119 --> 00:34:17.740 is great, 00:34:17.920 --> 00:34:18.320 the mercy 00:34:18.320 --> 00:34:19.039 is deep, 00:34:19.440 --> 00:34:19.940 the mercy 00:34:19.940 --> 00:34:20.559 is thick, 00:34:20.679 --> 00:34:21.059 the mercy 00:34:21.059 --> 00:34:21.679 is wide, 00:34:21.820 --> 00:34:22.199 the mercy 00:34:22.199 --> 00:34:22.740 is high. 00:34:31.079 --> 00:34:32.159 And he calls 00:34:32.159 --> 00:34:32.480 me 00:34:32.480 --> 00:34:35.619 and I respond 00:34:35.619 --> 00:34:36.420 to that call. 00:34:37.099 --> 00:34:37.880 He helps me 00:34:37.880 --> 00:34:39.380 to hear that call 00:34:39.380 --> 00:34:40.480 and to respond 00:34:40.480 --> 00:34:41.159 to that call 00:34:41.159 --> 00:34:42.780 to receive the mercy 00:34:42.780 --> 00:34:43.400 from him. 00:34:43.400 --> 00:34:45.220 And I want 00:34:45.220 --> 00:34:45.740 to say to you 00:34:45.740 --> 00:34:46.240 who are here, 00:34:46.340 --> 00:34:46.820 those of you 00:34:46.820 --> 00:34:47.460 who are online, 00:34:48.360 --> 00:34:49.920 if you feel 00:34:49.920 --> 00:34:50.720 that tug, 00:34:51.320 --> 00:34:52.119 maybe wishing 00:34:52.119 --> 00:34:52.720 it was true, 00:34:52.820 --> 00:34:53.360 maybe you're even 00:34:53.360 --> 00:34:54.079 feeling the tug 00:34:54.079 --> 00:34:54.820 still have bothered 00:34:54.820 --> 00:34:55.400 and offended 00:34:55.400 --> 00:34:56.000 by some of 00:34:56.000 --> 00:34:56.619 these aspects, 00:34:57.320 --> 00:34:58.139 I want to tell 00:34:58.139 --> 00:34:58.820 you that that's 00:34:58.820 --> 00:34:59.340 the sign 00:34:59.340 --> 00:34:59.880 that Jesus 00:34:59.880 --> 00:35:00.920 is calling you 00:35:00.920 --> 00:35:01.920 right now. 00:35:03.079 --> 00:35:03.539 How do you 00:35:03.539 --> 00:35:04.019 respond? 00:35:04.180 --> 00:35:04.559 There's really 00:35:04.559 --> 00:35:04.960 at the end 00:35:04.960 --> 00:35:05.300 of the day, 00:35:05.380 --> 00:35:05.820 I mean I could 00:35:05.820 --> 00:35:06.480 tell you words 00:35:06.480 --> 00:35:06.960 to pray 00:35:06.960 --> 00:35:07.500 and all of that, 00:35:07.579 --> 00:35:07.940 but it really 00:35:07.940 --> 00:35:08.820 goes with that 00:35:08.820 --> 00:35:09.660 inner disposition 00:35:09.660 --> 00:35:11.059 as you look 00:35:11.059 --> 00:35:11.519 to him 00:35:11.519 --> 00:35:12.759 and it really 00:35:12.759 --> 00:35:13.340 comes with 00:35:13.340 --> 00:35:13.780 just doing 00:35:13.780 --> 00:35:14.159 this. 00:35:15.960 --> 00:35:16.980 I give up. 00:35:19.380 --> 00:35:20.360 I surrender. 00:35:25.159 --> 00:35:25.920 Take me. 00:35:29.400 --> 00:35:30.139 Nothing more 00:35:30.139 --> 00:35:30.960 profound than that, 00:35:31.340 --> 00:35:31.820 but there is 00:35:31.820 --> 00:35:32.280 nothing more 00:35:32.280 --> 00:35:33.079 profound than that. 00:35:35.380 --> 00:35:36.340 Why did God 00:35:36.340 --> 00:35:37.280 show me mercy? 00:35:38.659 --> 00:35:39.059 At the end 00:35:39.059 --> 00:35:39.440 of the day, 00:35:39.519 --> 00:35:40.259 the Bible said 00:35:40.259 --> 00:35:40.800 there's nothing 00:35:40.800 --> 00:35:42.019 particularly in me, 00:35:42.100 --> 00:35:42.480 if there was 00:35:42.480 --> 00:35:43.360 something particularly 00:35:43.360 --> 00:35:44.400 in me, 00:35:44.480 --> 00:35:44.980 that it wouldn't 00:35:44.980 --> 00:35:45.519 be mercy, 00:35:45.640 --> 00:35:45.980 it would be 00:35:45.980 --> 00:35:46.440 some type 00:35:46.440 --> 00:35:47.280 of favoritism. 00:35:48.120 --> 00:35:48.980 All the Bible 00:35:48.980 --> 00:35:49.820 says is that 00:35:49.820 --> 00:35:50.580 he chose me 00:35:50.580 --> 00:35:51.580 because he loves. 00:35:52.100 --> 00:35:53.039 He is love. 00:35:55.440 --> 00:35:56.400 And why do I 00:35:56.400 --> 00:35:56.880 want to have 00:35:56.880 --> 00:35:57.740 something deeper 00:35:57.740 --> 00:35:58.700 than love? 00:35:59.340 --> 00:36:00.080 What can be 00:36:00.080 --> 00:36:00.660 deeper than 00:36:00.660 --> 00:36:01.400 God's love? 00:36:02.580 --> 00:36:03.100 Like what's 00:36:03.100 --> 00:36:03.960 better than that? 00:36:06.780 --> 00:36:07.340 Like is me 00:36:07.340 --> 00:36:08.000 being able to 00:36:08.000 --> 00:36:08.640 say that it's, 00:36:08.760 --> 00:36:08.980 I don't know, 00:36:09.039 --> 00:36:10.000 my smile or 00:36:10.000 --> 00:36:10.700 my wit? 00:36:11.800 --> 00:36:12.620 Those things 00:36:12.620 --> 00:36:13.660 fade and die. 00:36:14.580 --> 00:36:15.160 But God's love 00:36:15.160 --> 00:36:15.720 is eternal. 00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:16.600 What's deeper 00:36:16.600 --> 00:36:17.300 or better than 00:36:17.300 --> 00:36:17.700 that? 00:36:18.240 --> 00:36:18.900 See, this is why 00:36:18.900 --> 00:36:19.539 this is such a 00:36:19.539 --> 00:36:20.580 profound encouragement. 00:36:22.260 --> 00:36:23.019 That if you have 00:36:23.019 --> 00:36:23.580 given your life 00:36:23.580 --> 00:36:24.100 to Christ, 00:36:24.200 --> 00:36:24.840 it's because he 00:36:24.840 --> 00:36:25.860 called you 00:36:25.860 --> 00:36:28.100 and saved you. 00:36:29.160 --> 00:36:29.780 And now, 00:36:29.880 --> 00:36:30.400 well, let's look 00:36:30.400 --> 00:36:31.220 what he describes. 00:36:31.360 --> 00:36:31.880 When I became 00:36:31.880 --> 00:36:32.420 a Christian, 00:36:33.280 --> 00:36:33.960 the people I 00:36:33.960 --> 00:36:34.700 became a Christian 00:36:34.700 --> 00:36:35.140 with gave me 00:36:35.140 --> 00:36:36.820 a little piece 00:36:36.820 --> 00:36:37.940 of cardboard 00:36:37.940 --> 00:36:38.400 on it. 00:36:38.480 --> 00:36:38.800 There were a 00:36:38.800 --> 00:36:39.500 variety of Bible 00:36:39.500 --> 00:36:40.280 passages that 00:36:40.280 --> 00:36:40.920 they wanted me 00:36:40.920 --> 00:36:41.300 to memorize. 00:36:41.519 --> 00:36:41.880 And this was 00:36:41.880 --> 00:36:42.340 one of them. 00:36:43.000 --> 00:36:43.579 I don't remember 00:36:43.579 --> 00:36:44.039 all of them. 00:36:44.119 --> 00:36:44.659 I remember that 00:36:44.659 --> 00:36:45.119 one of them was 00:36:45.119 --> 00:36:46.099 John 3, 16, 00:36:46.199 --> 00:36:46.860 for God so loved 00:36:46.860 --> 00:36:47.360 the world, 00:36:48.360 --> 00:36:49.139 you know, 00:36:49.380 --> 00:36:50.480 that whoever 00:36:50.480 --> 00:36:51.159 believes in him 00:36:51.159 --> 00:36:51.780 will not perish 00:36:51.780 --> 00:36:52.659 but have everlasting 00:36:52.659 --> 00:36:53.420 life like God 00:36:53.420 --> 00:36:54.019 gave his only son. 00:36:54.019 --> 00:36:54.599 I remember that. 00:36:54.719 --> 00:36:55.099 And another one 00:36:55.099 --> 00:36:56.300 was Proverbs 3, 00:36:56.420 --> 00:36:56.539 you know, 00:36:56.599 --> 00:36:57.280 trust in the Lord 00:36:57.280 --> 00:36:58.300 with all your heart 00:36:58.300 --> 00:36:58.920 and lean not on 00:36:58.920 --> 00:36:59.960 your own understanding 00:36:59.960 --> 00:37:00.579 and in all your ways 00:37:00.579 --> 00:37:01.260 acknowledge him 00:37:01.260 --> 00:37:02.699 and he will 00:37:02.699 --> 00:37:03.699 direct your paths. 00:37:03.840 --> 00:37:04.440 And another one 00:37:04.440 --> 00:37:05.260 was Romans 12, 00:37:05.380 --> 00:37:05.820 1 and 2, 00:37:05.920 --> 00:37:06.500 about not being 00:37:06.500 --> 00:37:07.280 conformed to this 00:37:07.280 --> 00:37:07.860 world but being 00:37:07.860 --> 00:37:08.600 transformed and 00:37:08.600 --> 00:37:08.920 one of them 00:37:08.920 --> 00:37:09.640 was this text. 00:37:10.519 --> 00:37:11.140 They wanted me 00:37:11.140 --> 00:37:11.600 to memorize 00:37:11.600 --> 00:37:12.740 verses 9 and 10. 00:37:12.820 --> 00:37:13.240 They're a beautiful 00:37:13.240 --> 00:37:13.740 text. 00:37:13.980 --> 00:37:15.000 This is what happens 00:37:15.000 --> 00:37:16.220 as a result of 00:37:16.220 --> 00:37:17.019 God's call 00:37:17.019 --> 00:37:17.660 out of mercy 00:37:17.660 --> 00:37:18.100 to you. 00:37:18.160 --> 00:37:18.680 Look at what it 00:37:18.680 --> 00:37:18.860 says, 00:37:18.940 --> 00:37:19.460 verse 9, 00:37:19.860 --> 00:37:20.580 but you are a 00:37:20.580 --> 00:37:22.200 chosen race. 00:37:22.420 --> 00:37:22.980 I'll tell you 00:37:22.980 --> 00:37:23.240 in a moment 00:37:23.240 --> 00:37:23.900 what that is 00:37:23.900 --> 00:37:24.240 and what it 00:37:24.240 --> 00:37:24.660 doesn't mean 00:37:24.660 --> 00:37:24.960 and what it 00:37:24.960 --> 00:37:25.280 does mean. 00:37:25.740 --> 00:37:26.340 You are a 00:37:26.340 --> 00:37:27.580 chosen race, 00:37:28.300 --> 00:37:29.960 a royal priesthood, 00:37:30.440 --> 00:37:32.180 a holy nation, 00:37:32.519 --> 00:37:33.660 a holy people group, 00:37:34.360 --> 00:37:35.640 a people for his 00:37:35.639 --> 00:37:36.400 own possession. 00:37:36.699 --> 00:37:37.059 And in the 00:37:37.059 --> 00:37:37.920 original language 00:37:37.920 --> 00:37:38.779 this means his 00:37:38.779 --> 00:37:39.920 treasured possession, 00:37:40.179 --> 00:37:42.099 his precious possession. 00:37:42.639 --> 00:37:43.460 That's who you 00:37:43.460 --> 00:37:44.559 are in Christ. 00:37:45.079 --> 00:37:45.879 And why are you, 00:37:46.079 --> 00:37:47.139 what's the point 00:37:47.139 --> 00:37:47.559 of all that? 00:37:47.619 --> 00:37:48.279 That you may 00:37:48.279 --> 00:37:49.900 proclaim the 00:37:49.900 --> 00:37:51.259 excellencies of 00:37:51.259 --> 00:37:52.379 him who called 00:37:52.379 --> 00:37:52.719 you, 00:37:53.179 --> 00:37:54.219 who called you 00:37:54.219 --> 00:37:55.559 out of darkness, 00:37:55.699 --> 00:37:56.619 the darkness of 00:37:56.619 --> 00:37:57.119 what you were 00:37:57.119 --> 00:37:57.879 destined for. 00:37:58.139 --> 00:37:59.139 He called you 00:37:59.139 --> 00:37:59.519 out of the 00:37:59.519 --> 00:38:00.339 darkness that you 00:38:00.339 --> 00:38:01.639 were destined for 00:38:01.639 --> 00:38:02.579 into his 00:38:02.579 --> 00:38:03.519 marvelous light. 00:38:03.779 --> 00:38:04.519 Once you were 00:38:04.519 --> 00:38:05.139 not a people 00:38:05.139 --> 00:38:05.799 but now you 00:38:05.799 --> 00:38:06.400 are God's 00:38:06.400 --> 00:38:06.639 people. 00:38:06.779 --> 00:38:07.179 Once you 00:38:07.179 --> 00:38:07.599 had not 00:38:07.599 --> 00:38:08.420 received mercy 00:38:08.420 --> 00:38:10.219 but now you 00:38:10.219 --> 00:38:10.920 have received 00:38:10.920 --> 00:38:11.359 mercy. 00:38:12.619 --> 00:38:13.500 See back to my 00:38:13.500 --> 00:38:14.179 beginning of the 00:38:14.179 --> 00:38:14.460 sermon. 00:38:14.940 --> 00:38:15.460 See that's why 00:38:15.460 --> 00:38:16.119 this is not an 00:38:16.119 --> 00:38:17.119 us versus them 00:38:17.119 --> 00:38:17.480 issue. 00:38:17.940 --> 00:38:19.199 That is why it 00:38:19.199 --> 00:38:20.079 is not the case 00:38:20.079 --> 00:38:20.719 that nobody in 00:38:20.719 --> 00:38:22.019 this congregation 00:38:22.019 --> 00:38:22.799 is sexually 00:38:22.799 --> 00:38:23.960 perfect and has 00:38:23.960 --> 00:38:24.900 no problems with 00:38:24.900 --> 00:38:25.420 feeling at home 00:38:25.420 --> 00:38:26.099 with their body 00:38:26.099 --> 00:38:27.099 or has never 00:38:27.099 --> 00:38:27.859 been involved in 00:38:27.859 --> 00:38:28.859 abortion or never 00:38:28.859 --> 00:38:29.900 encouraged somebody 00:38:29.900 --> 00:38:30.639 to commit, you 00:38:30.639 --> 00:38:31.279 know, to do 00:38:31.279 --> 00:38:32.159 euthanasia, never 00:38:32.159 --> 00:38:32.719 in their entire 00:38:32.719 --> 00:38:32.940 life. 00:38:33.940 --> 00:38:34.420 No! 00:38:35.139 --> 00:38:36.960 We are not 00:38:36.960 --> 00:38:37.579 the perfect 00:38:37.579 --> 00:38:38.299 destined for 00:38:38.299 --> 00:38:38.719 eternity. 00:38:38.940 --> 00:38:39.719 We were those 00:38:39.719 --> 00:38:40.920 stumbling and 00:38:40.920 --> 00:38:41.879 disobedient and 00:38:41.879 --> 00:38:42.799 offending against 00:38:42.799 --> 00:38:43.519 God and we 00:38:43.519 --> 00:38:44.539 stand before God 00:38:44.539 --> 00:38:45.559 purely and utterly 00:38:45.559 --> 00:38:46.779 because he calls 00:38:46.779 --> 00:38:48.659 people who reject 00:38:48.659 --> 00:38:50.179 him to himself 00:38:50.179 --> 00:38:51.139 and saves them 00:38:51.139 --> 00:38:51.839 by what Jesus 00:38:51.839 --> 00:38:52.339 has done. 00:38:52.420 --> 00:38:53.019 That's who we 00:38:53.019 --> 00:38:53.359 are. 00:38:54.299 --> 00:38:54.879 So all we can 00:38:54.879 --> 00:38:55.639 do is proclaim 00:38:55.639 --> 00:38:56.379 that that's what 00:38:56.379 --> 00:38:57.019 he does. 00:38:57.699 --> 00:38:58.179 That it's not 00:38:58.179 --> 00:38:58.699 just for us, 00:38:58.739 --> 00:38:59.500 it's for you. 00:38:59.500 --> 00:39:04.480 Just in closing, 00:39:04.739 --> 00:39:05.699 that beautiful, 00:39:06.380 --> 00:39:06.980 but you are a 00:39:06.980 --> 00:39:07.559 chosen race. 00:39:07.639 --> 00:39:08.000 Some of you 00:39:08.000 --> 00:39:08.559 might remember 00:39:08.559 --> 00:39:09.119 when I've talked 00:39:09.119 --> 00:39:09.760 about racism 00:39:09.760 --> 00:39:10.460 that the Bible 00:39:10.460 --> 00:39:11.239 doesn't talk about 00:39:11.239 --> 00:39:12.920 race and in some 00:39:12.920 --> 00:39:13.960 ways this is an 00:39:13.960 --> 00:39:15.159 unfortunate translation. 00:39:15.440 --> 00:39:16.159 Literally it says, 00:39:16.340 --> 00:39:16.820 but you are a 00:39:16.820 --> 00:39:18.400 chosen lineage. 00:39:20.280 --> 00:39:20.719 Lineage. 00:39:20.820 --> 00:39:21.340 That's what's so 00:39:21.340 --> 00:39:21.719 beautiful. 00:39:22.760 --> 00:39:24.980 Listen, some of us 00:39:24.980 --> 00:39:26.260 humanly speaking 00:39:26.260 --> 00:39:27.239 have terrible 00:39:27.239 --> 00:39:27.920 lineages. 00:39:27.920 --> 00:39:28.639 I don't talk 00:39:28.639 --> 00:39:29.220 about this very 00:39:29.220 --> 00:39:29.380 much. 00:39:29.460 --> 00:39:30.079 My dad spent 00:39:30.079 --> 00:39:30.680 time in jail 00:39:30.680 --> 00:39:31.420 as a pedophile. 00:39:32.360 --> 00:39:33.139 I don't have a 00:39:33.139 --> 00:39:33.840 great lineage. 00:39:37.019 --> 00:39:37.960 Like I don't. 00:39:41.460 --> 00:39:42.500 In my flesh. 00:39:43.280 --> 00:39:44.000 But that's the 00:39:44.000 --> 00:39:44.619 wonder of it. 00:39:45.079 --> 00:39:46.159 A person today in 00:39:46.159 --> 00:39:47.119 Malaysia who gives 00:39:47.119 --> 00:39:47.680 their life to 00:39:47.680 --> 00:39:49.220 Christ, me who's 00:39:49.220 --> 00:39:50.019 given my life to 00:39:50.019 --> 00:39:51.260 Christ, somebody in 00:39:51.260 --> 00:39:52.639 Rwanda, somebody in 00:39:52.639 --> 00:39:54.139 India, somebody in 00:39:54.139 --> 00:39:56.539 Iran, somebody in 00:39:56.539 --> 00:39:57.680 Israel, somebody in 00:39:57.679 --> 00:39:58.519 Gaza, when we give 00:39:58.519 --> 00:39:59.079 our lives to 00:39:59.079 --> 00:40:00.019 Christ, we all have 00:40:00.019 --> 00:40:00.960 the same lineage. 00:40:01.679 --> 00:40:02.799 A new lineage. 00:40:04.299 --> 00:40:05.539 Our lineage is from 00:40:05.539 --> 00:40:05.859 him. 00:40:08.000 --> 00:40:08.980 It is the most 00:40:08.980 --> 00:40:11.159 profoundly anti-racist 00:40:11.159 --> 00:40:12.159 text you could 00:40:12.159 --> 00:40:13.339 possibly imagine. 00:40:13.619 --> 00:40:15.159 It is the thing, 00:40:16.000 --> 00:40:16.619 we're going to talk 00:40:16.619 --> 00:40:17.239 about this a little 00:40:17.239 --> 00:40:18.579 bit in next week 00:40:18.579 --> 00:40:19.239 when we talk about 00:40:19.239 --> 00:40:19.719 slavery. 00:40:19.859 --> 00:40:20.779 The ancient mind 00:40:20.779 --> 00:40:22.159 could not imagine a 00:40:22.159 --> 00:40:22.799 world without 00:40:22.799 --> 00:40:23.399 slavery. 00:40:23.400 --> 00:40:23.500 slavery. 00:40:25.460 --> 00:40:26.980 This little tiny 00:40:26.980 --> 00:40:28.740 virus is eventually 00:40:28.740 --> 00:40:29.619 going to blow up 00:40:29.619 --> 00:40:30.380 the world. 00:40:32.019 --> 00:40:33.099 That and the whole 00:40:33.099 --> 00:40:33.940 teaching in Genesis 00:40:33.940 --> 00:40:35.019 chapter 1 and 2. 00:40:37.079 --> 00:40:38.639 If I owned a slave 00:40:38.639 --> 00:40:40.960 and we both become 00:40:40.960 --> 00:40:41.860 Christians, we have 00:40:41.860 --> 00:40:42.700 the same lineage. 00:40:42.700 --> 00:40:43.760 All of a sudden by 00:40:43.760 --> 00:40:44.240 grace. 00:40:45.680 --> 00:40:46.740 What's our vocation? 00:40:47.059 --> 00:40:48.139 To proclaim his 00:40:48.139 --> 00:40:50.380 excellencies in word 00:40:50.380 --> 00:40:52.700 and deed and how we 00:40:52.700 --> 00:40:53.800 spend our time and 00:40:53.800 --> 00:40:54.559 how we deal with 00:40:54.559 --> 00:40:55.619 power, how we deal 00:40:55.619 --> 00:40:56.760 with sexuality, how 00:40:56.760 --> 00:40:57.380 we deal with our 00:40:57.380 --> 00:40:59.019 money, how we deal 00:40:59.019 --> 00:41:00.140 with our families, how 00:41:00.140 --> 00:41:00.640 we deal with our 00:41:00.640 --> 00:41:01.780 relationships, how we 00:41:01.780 --> 00:41:02.440 deal with being 00:41:02.440 --> 00:41:04.000 wronged, how we deal 00:41:04.000 --> 00:41:04.980 with forgiveness, how 00:41:04.980 --> 00:41:05.420 we deal with 00:41:05.420 --> 00:41:07.400 reconciliation in all 00:41:07.400 --> 00:41:08.559 of life to proclaim 00:41:08.559 --> 00:41:11.780 his excellencies to 00:41:11.780 --> 00:41:12.480 the ends of the 00:41:12.480 --> 00:41:13.599 earth, to every 00:41:13.599 --> 00:41:14.400 people group. 00:41:14.720 --> 00:41:15.880 That is our vocation. 00:41:16.440 --> 00:41:17.240 Please stand. 00:41:17.239 --> 00:41:24.059 Bow our heads in 00:41:24.059 --> 00:41:24.339 prayer. 00:41:31.479 --> 00:41:32.500 Father, we give you 00:41:32.500 --> 00:41:33.659 thanks and praise that 00:41:33.659 --> 00:41:34.979 when we respond to 00:41:34.979 --> 00:41:36.819 your call, your 00:41:36.819 --> 00:41:38.179 call, your merciful 00:41:38.179 --> 00:41:39.559 call, and we come to 00:41:39.559 --> 00:41:40.939 Jesus who saves us, 00:41:41.899 --> 00:41:42.879 Father, that we 00:41:42.879 --> 00:41:45.000 become this chosen 00:41:45.000 --> 00:41:46.899 lineage that we 00:41:46.900 --> 00:41:47.980 share in common 00:41:47.980 --> 00:41:48.980 with people of 00:41:48.980 --> 00:41:50.860 all different, you 00:41:50.860 --> 00:41:51.079 know, with 00:41:51.079 --> 00:41:52.119 handicapped people 00:41:52.119 --> 00:41:53.260 and brilliant 00:41:53.260 --> 00:41:55.320 people and physically 00:41:55.320 --> 00:41:56.920 gifted people and 00:41:56.920 --> 00:41:58.320 poor people and 00:41:58.320 --> 00:41:59.200 rich people. 00:41:59.300 --> 00:42:00.220 All those things, 00:42:00.500 --> 00:42:01.119 Father, and all of 00:42:01.119 --> 00:42:02.059 the lineages that 00:42:02.059 --> 00:42:02.680 brought them to 00:42:02.680 --> 00:42:03.700 those places, those 00:42:03.700 --> 00:42:04.860 things, on one 00:42:04.860 --> 00:42:05.680 hand, we still have 00:42:05.680 --> 00:42:06.300 to live with them 00:42:06.300 --> 00:42:06.960 and deal with them, 00:42:07.019 --> 00:42:07.599 but Father, that 00:42:07.599 --> 00:42:09.480 they fall away, that 00:42:09.480 --> 00:42:10.440 by grace, we are 00:42:10.440 --> 00:42:11.200 given this whole 00:42:11.200 --> 00:42:12.320 brand new lineage 00:42:12.320 --> 00:42:14.539 with you, Jesus, the 00:42:14.539 --> 00:42:16.280 second Adam, that we 00:42:16.280 --> 00:42:17.680 become yours and we 00:42:17.680 --> 00:42:18.620 become your precious 00:42:18.620 --> 00:42:19.160 possession. 00:42:19.320 --> 00:42:20.260 We ask, Father, that 00:42:20.260 --> 00:42:22.440 you bring these truths 00:42:22.440 --> 00:42:23.740 of our identity deep 00:42:23.740 --> 00:42:24.940 within our lives and 00:42:24.940 --> 00:42:26.820 may these identities 00:42:26.820 --> 00:42:27.580 form us. 00:42:28.460 --> 00:42:29.420 And Father, grant us 00:42:29.420 --> 00:42:30.500 the courage and the 00:42:30.500 --> 00:42:31.320 gentleness and the 00:42:31.320 --> 00:42:32.820 ability to proclaim 00:42:32.820 --> 00:42:33.820 your excellencies, 00:42:34.860 --> 00:42:35.880 proclaim them to our 00:42:35.880 --> 00:42:37.040 children and to our 00:42:37.040 --> 00:42:37.800 family and our 00:42:37.800 --> 00:42:38.720 friends and in our 00:42:38.720 --> 00:42:40.100 workplaces and to our 00:42:40.100 --> 00:42:41.680 nation and to other 00:42:41.680 --> 00:42:43.300 people groups in the 00:42:43.300 --> 00:42:44.460 city and other people 00:42:44.460 --> 00:42:45.300 groups to the very 00:42:45.300 --> 00:42:46.160 end of the age. 00:42:46.220 --> 00:42:46.820 And we give you 00:42:46.820 --> 00:42:48.420 thanks and praise that 00:42:48.420 --> 00:42:49.420 we don't do this all 00:42:49.420 --> 00:42:50.620 by ourselves, that 00:42:50.620 --> 00:42:51.760 there are Christians 00:42:51.760 --> 00:42:52.940 today, Father, in 00:42:52.940 --> 00:42:54.280 Nairobi and Seoul, 00:42:54.440 --> 00:42:55.920 South Korea, and in 00:42:55.920 --> 00:43:00.380 Rwanda and in Iran 00:43:00.380 --> 00:43:03.260 and China and India 00:43:03.260 --> 00:43:04.180 that are all, Father, 00:43:04.300 --> 00:43:05.539 that we are doing this 00:43:05.539 --> 00:43:06.400 together because you 00:43:06.400 --> 00:43:07.460 just have one house. 00:43:08.060 --> 00:43:09.180 You just have one 00:43:09.180 --> 00:43:10.400 house and one 00:43:10.400 --> 00:43:12.360 lineage, one chosen 00:43:12.360 --> 00:43:12.880 lineage. 00:43:13.440 --> 00:43:14.200 And Father, we thank 00:43:14.200 --> 00:43:14.940 you for grace and 00:43:14.940 --> 00:43:15.200 mercy. 00:43:15.720 --> 00:43:16.619 Help us to live up to 00:43:16.619 --> 00:43:17.300 our vocation. 00:43:18.039 --> 00:43:18.940 You know how weak we 00:43:18.940 --> 00:43:19.119 are. 00:43:19.260 --> 00:43:20.059 We need your help. 00:43:20.400 --> 00:43:20.960 We need the Holy 00:43:20.960 --> 00:43:21.360 Spirit. 00:43:21.840 --> 00:43:22.820 Help us to live in such 00:43:22.820 --> 00:43:23.079 a way. 00:43:23.539 --> 00:43:24.480 And we ask this in the 00:43:24.480 --> 00:43:25.579 name of Jesus and all 00:43:25.579 --> 00:43:26.500 God's people said, 00:43:27.139 --> 00:43:27.660 Amen.