WEBVTT

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 Hey friends, my name is George Sinclair.

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 I am rector of Church of the Messiah,

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 and it's my great privilege to open the word

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 with you this morning.

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 And we'll be looking at Philippians chapter one.

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 But before we do that,

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 hopefully you've been able to find this.

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 I know there's a bit of a double link,

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 but I'm sure hopefully you'll find this.

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 If not right now, then eventually.

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 Let's just pray.

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 Father, we ask that the Holy Spirit

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 would bring us close to Jesus,

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 that you would help us, Father,

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 to grow in our remembering of Jesus,

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 who he is, what he did for us,

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 and what the work he continues to do

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 in every person who put their faith and trust in him.

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 So Father, let the Holy Spirit fall.

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 And this we ask in Jesus' name. Amen.

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 I always start my timer after my prayer.

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 You know, it's a really interesting thing psychologically

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 that most of us think that we know other people fairly well.

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 And I shouldn't sort of phrase it that way

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 because it sounds like I'm sort of thinking

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 that you don't know or I don't know

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 what other people are like.

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 But if you think about it for a second,

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 it's a very, very common thing

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 that we meet somebody at a party

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 or at Costco or some other thing.

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 Obviously now with six, I shouldn't say party.

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 That's bringing back to those days

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 when you could do those things.

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 But we can go back in our time and our memory

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 for when we actually could spend some time

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 with people and meet them.

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 And we can talk to somebody for five or 10 minutes

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 or maybe it's the barista or the server

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 that we go to at a restaurant that we frequent.

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 And we have a basic sense that we know what they're like.

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 And we think we're probably pretty good

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 at knowing what they're like.

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 But the interesting thing is,

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 is that most of us don't think the other person

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 is as good at knowing what we're like

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 as we think we know what the other person's like.

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 I should say that again

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 because I probably mixed it up a little bit.

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 But isn't it true?

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 You meet somebody and you think,

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 you know, I have a pretty good idea

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 about what they're like, I think,

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 in terms of the way their mind works

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 or a few other things.

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 But if you ask yourself the question,

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 do you think the same thing is happening with them?

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 Do you think they actually know

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 what you're like pretty well?

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 And most of us think, nah, no.

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 I know what they're like,

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 but they don't actually know what I'm like.

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 But why is that?

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 And if you think about it,

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 a lot of our problems

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 come from that type of a sense.

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 We know what they're like.

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 We know what they think.

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 Do they know what we're like?

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 No, that's the problem.

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 They don't know what I'm really like.

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 That's the problem a lot of times in marriages,

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 with bosses, with kids and parents and all of that.

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 And it goes along with this other thing,

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 which is a very, very curious thing

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 about how we just tend to be.

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 And that other thing about how we just tend to be

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 is that a lot of times

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 when something goes wrong.

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 I mean, this, believe it or not,

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 I thought of this analogy

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 before we had problems with this.

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 And maybe I shouldn't even use it,

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 but I'm going to use it.

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 It's just a generic thing.

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 Often when something goes wrong

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 or when something bad happens to us,

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 that's actually even a more common thing,

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 that when something bad happens to us,

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 we actually think that it comes from malice.

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 In other words, a bad will,

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 a bad attitude towards us,

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 a desire to hurt us.

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 And we rarely think that it comes about

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 from incompetence.

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 But if you think about it for a second,

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 most of the things that happen to us

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 that aren't very good,

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 probably the majority of the things

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 that happen to us that aren't very good

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 are actually due to incompetence,

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 not malice.

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 But why is it that we don't automatically

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 go to incompetence,

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 and then after the incompetence thing

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 doesn't seem to explain it,

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 then we go to malice?

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 Why is it that we usually go to malice?

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 So you think about these two things

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 about human beings,

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 that we have this sort of

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 a very, very common matter

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 of assuming that we can understand

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 and read people,

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 but they can't read us,

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 and that when things that happen to us

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 that aren't really very good,

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 that they come from malice

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 from the other person

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 rather than competence.

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 Well, if you think about it,

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 it's one of the reasons

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 why so many of our relationships

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 are all messed up

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 and cause a lot of trouble.

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 So we're going to be beginning

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 a new sermon series today

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 on the book of Philippians,

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 and the passage

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 that we're going to look at today,

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 one of the things we do

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 at Church of the Messiah

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 is we read,

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 we study, pray, read, think

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 through entire books

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 from beginning to end.

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 It's how they were written.

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 It's the best way to understand them,

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 and we're going to look

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 through the book of Philippians

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 and the first 11 verses,

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 and believe it or not,

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 the first 11 verses

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 actually have some

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 very insightful things to say.

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 about this problem

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 and a way to sort of

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 understand and deal with them.

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 So if you find your Bibles,

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 it's Philippians chapter 1,

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 1 to 11,

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 or you can just listen

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 as I read through it.

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 I'm not going to read it

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 from beginning to end.

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 We're going to read

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 a couple of verses,

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 think about it,

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 talk about it,

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 a couple of others.

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 Just before you,

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 just before I start to read it,

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 for some of you,

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 many of you,

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 maybe most of you,

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 maybe all of you,

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 you don't really know

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 much about this.

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 You know, I love saying this.

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 You know, I'm reading

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 out of the Bible.

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 It looks like a Bible,

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 and it used to have

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 like gold type stuff

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 on the edge in the end.

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 Now it's all getting,

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 I use it so it gets wrecked up.

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 But this originally

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 was just a letter.

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 And it was a letter

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 towards a church in Philippi,

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 which is what we now

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 call Greece.

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 And it was written

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 around the year 60.

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 And there's just a couple

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 of things which are

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 very interesting

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 about this letter.

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 I'll say other things

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 about the letter

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 as we go into it.

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 But there's two things

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 in particular

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 that are of interest

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 about this letter

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 is that this was

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 the very, very, very,

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 very first European Christians

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 were in this church.

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 The first.

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 Like the way

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 that Christianity

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 entered Europe,

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 we tend to think

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 of Christianity

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 as being mainly

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 a European thing,

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 but the very, very way

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 that the beginning

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 of Europeans

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 hearing about the gospel,

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 it happened in Philippi.

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 So some of the people

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 reading this letter

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 back in the year 60

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 were in fact

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 the very first

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 European Christians.

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 And the second thing

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 is that Paul

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 is writing this,

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 the whole sermon series

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 is called

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 The Letter from Quarantine,

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 and then like

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 two little dots,

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 Philippians.

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 And that's because

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 Paul is writing this

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 from jail,

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 from home imprisonment

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 in Rome.

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 So he spends over

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 two years

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 in house arrest

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 in a sense,

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 a very real sense,

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 in quarantine.

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 And it's while

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 he's in quarantine

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 in Rome

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 that he writes

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 this letter.

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 And one other

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 just final interesting

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 thing about this

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 is why is he

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 in house arrest?

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 He's in house arrest

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 because he proclaims

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 that there was

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 a man named Jesus

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 who died just outside

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 the walls of Jerusalem,

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 and on the third day

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 the grave was empty,

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 and the grave was empty

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 because he had risen

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 from the dead

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 and appeared to people.

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 He's in jail

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 for that proclamation,

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 for that fact.

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 Anyway,

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 remember we're talking

00:07:03.640 --> 00:07:04.580
 about the problem

00:07:04.580 --> 00:07:05.340
 with why is it

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 that we think

00:07:05.680 --> 00:07:06.600
 we can read other people

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 but they can't read us

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 or not as well

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 as we can read them,

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 and we're also thinking

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 about this whole thing

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 about why do we tend

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 to think that problems

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 come,

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 that what happened to us

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 come more from malice

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 than incompetence,

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 and here's how it begins.

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 Paul and Timothy,

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 servants of Christ Jesus,

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 to all the saints

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 in Christ Jesus

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 who are at Philippi

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 with the overseers

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 and deacons,

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 and just pause,

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 one of the things

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 you have to understand

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 in the New Testament

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 is a saint,

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 the word saint

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 is just a way

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 of describing

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 an ordinary Christian.

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 It's not at all

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 the way we tend

00:07:42.980 --> 00:07:43.740
 to think of it today,

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 so whenever you see

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 the word saint

00:07:45.360 --> 00:07:46.579
 anywhere in the New Testament,

00:07:46.779 --> 00:07:47.920
 anywhere in the New Testament,

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 it's always just referring

00:07:49.639 --> 00:07:50.839
 to an ordinary person

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 who follows Jesus,

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 trusting him

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 as their savior and Lord.

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 Okay, so I'll just

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 read that again.

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 To all the ordinary people

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 who follow Jesus

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 and are in Christ Jesus,

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 who are at Philippi

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 with the overseers

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 and deacons,

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 grace to you

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 and peace

00:08:05.759 --> 00:08:06.919
 from God our Father

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 and the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:08:08.939 --> 00:08:10.319
 Now, this is how

00:08:10.319 --> 00:08:11.279
 he begins the letter.

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 It's very important.

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 Grace to you

00:08:13.500 --> 00:08:14.120
 and peace

00:08:14.120 --> 00:08:15.419
 from God our Father

00:08:15.419 --> 00:08:16.979
 and the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:19.079
 And just what I'm

00:08:19.079 --> 00:08:19.599
 going to do today

00:08:19.600 --> 00:08:20.340
 with my points

00:08:20.340 --> 00:08:21.180
 and I might end up

00:08:21.180 --> 00:08:21.840
 running out of time.

00:08:21.920 --> 00:08:22.860
 I have to watch the time.

00:08:23.620 --> 00:08:24.879
 And so I might end up

00:08:24.879 --> 00:08:26.120
 going through the last one

00:08:26.120 --> 00:08:27.160
 fairly quickly.

00:08:27.520 --> 00:08:28.379
 But what I want to do

00:08:28.379 --> 00:08:29.360
 is just sort of summarize

00:08:29.360 --> 00:08:31.260
 what we can learn from it

00:08:31.260 --> 00:08:32.659
 in the form of four prayers.

00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:33.840
 Four very simple,

00:08:34.060 --> 00:08:34.600
 short prayers.

00:08:35.399 --> 00:08:36.659
 And I think they're going

00:08:36.659 --> 00:08:37.700
 to show up in the notes.

00:08:38.259 --> 00:08:39.620
 And if they don't show up

00:08:39.620 --> 00:08:39.940
 in the notes,

00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:40.500
 you can always go

00:08:40.500 --> 00:08:41.320
 to the church webpage

00:08:41.320 --> 00:08:44.060
 and we post the sermon

00:08:44.060 --> 00:08:45.120
 on Monday or Tuesday.

00:08:45.840 --> 00:08:46.860
 You can always listen

00:08:46.860 --> 00:08:48.139
 to the audio version.

00:08:48.600 --> 00:08:49.899
 You can watch the video again.

00:08:50.320 --> 00:08:51.600
 But here's the first prayer.

00:08:53.220 --> 00:08:56.220
 Lord, please grow in me

00:08:56.220 --> 00:08:57.879
 a humble, trusting,

00:08:58.240 --> 00:09:00.019
 remembering of your gift

00:09:00.019 --> 00:09:02.539
 of grace and peace to me.

00:09:03.580 --> 00:09:04.480
 I'm going to phrase

00:09:04.480 --> 00:09:05.300
 all of my points

00:09:05.300 --> 00:09:06.539
 in the form of a very simple,

00:09:06.720 --> 00:09:07.240
 short prayer.

00:09:07.399 --> 00:09:08.440
 And the first one is,

00:09:08.860 --> 00:09:10.399
 Lord, please grow in me

00:09:10.399 --> 00:09:11.899
 a humble, trusting,

00:09:11.899 --> 00:09:14.259
 remembering of your gift

00:09:14.259 --> 00:09:16.500
 of grace and peace to me.

00:09:17.319 --> 00:09:18.679
 Now, here we get into

00:09:18.679 --> 00:09:20.039
 our very, very first problem.

00:09:20.879 --> 00:09:21.679
 And this is going to be

00:09:21.679 --> 00:09:22.679
 where the Bible starts

00:09:22.679 --> 00:09:23.740
 to show some great wisdom

00:09:23.740 --> 00:09:24.399
 about this.

00:09:24.939 --> 00:09:26.459
 The fact is that just

00:09:26.459 --> 00:09:27.459
 as we think,

00:09:27.600 --> 00:09:30.179
 I think that I'm pretty good

00:09:30.179 --> 00:09:30.939
 at knowing you.

00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:31.720
 If I meet you,

00:09:31.779 --> 00:09:32.819
 I think I'm pretty good

00:09:32.819 --> 00:09:34.879
 at getting a basic handle on you.

00:09:35.019 --> 00:09:36.480
 But I don't think you're very good

00:09:36.480 --> 00:09:37.620
 at getting a handle on me.

00:09:38.139 --> 00:09:38.980
 And if something

00:09:38.980 --> 00:09:40.000
 that you're involved with

00:09:40.000 --> 00:09:41.259
 goes wrong and it hurts me,

00:09:41.259 --> 00:09:42.819
 I'll tend to think of malice

00:09:42.819 --> 00:09:44.100
 rather than incompetence.

00:09:44.960 --> 00:09:46.179
 The same thing happens

00:09:46.179 --> 00:09:47.740
 when it comes to the triune God.

00:09:48.139 --> 00:09:49.039
 Let's be honest.

00:09:49.759 --> 00:09:50.879
 We think to ourselves,

00:09:51.319 --> 00:09:52.100
 oh yeah, okay,

00:09:52.720 --> 00:09:55.299
 grace and peace from God,

00:09:55.399 --> 00:09:56.059
 our Father,

00:09:56.200 --> 00:09:57.460
 and the Lord Jesus Christ.

00:09:59.740 --> 00:10:02.519
 Well, just as we tend

00:10:02.519 --> 00:10:03.340
 to think about this

00:10:03.340 --> 00:10:03.879
 as other people,

00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:04.759
 we tend to think about this

00:10:04.759 --> 00:10:06.080
 with a triune God.

00:10:07.080 --> 00:10:08.220
 Now, it's very, very odd

00:10:08.220 --> 00:10:09.000
 if you think about it.

00:10:09.039 --> 00:10:10.100
 We tend to think

00:10:10.100 --> 00:10:11.200
 that we know all about God.

00:10:12.059 --> 00:10:12.879
 We know all about

00:10:12.879 --> 00:10:13.639
 what he's like.

00:10:14.659 --> 00:10:15.340
 And in fact,

00:10:15.399 --> 00:10:15.980
 for many of us,

00:10:16.039 --> 00:10:16.519
 we're going through

00:10:16.519 --> 00:10:18.319
 a very hard time right now.

00:10:18.439 --> 00:10:19.779
 I mean, many of those of us

00:10:19.779 --> 00:10:20.639
 who are listening to this

00:10:20.639 --> 00:10:22.559
 were maybe struggling

00:10:22.559 --> 00:10:24.819
 with the whole physical isolation.

00:10:25.379 --> 00:10:26.740
 We're struggling maybe

00:10:26.740 --> 00:10:29.480
 with some relational types of things.

00:10:29.480 --> 00:10:30.539
 We're struggling maybe

00:10:30.539 --> 00:10:32.039
 with fears around the virus.

00:10:32.879 --> 00:10:34.500
 There's a variety of different ways

00:10:34.500 --> 00:10:36.200
 that we're struggling with this.

00:10:37.000 --> 00:10:38.320
 And we think we know God,

00:10:38.800 --> 00:10:39.879
 the triune God,

00:10:39.960 --> 00:10:41.300
 the God that's talked about

00:10:41.300 --> 00:10:41.740
 in the Bible.

00:10:41.960 --> 00:10:44.520
 And we tend to think

00:10:44.520 --> 00:10:47.100
 that he's not really that good.

00:10:47.180 --> 00:10:47.920
 He doesn't really know

00:10:47.920 --> 00:10:48.660
 what he's doing.

00:10:48.820 --> 00:10:49.680
 And this idea

00:10:49.680 --> 00:10:50.800
 that the fundamental thing

00:10:50.800 --> 00:10:51.680
 that comes from him

00:10:51.680 --> 00:10:53.800
 is both grace and peace,

00:10:53.800 --> 00:10:54.860
 it's something that we're

00:10:54.860 --> 00:10:57.060
 a little bit skeptical about,

00:10:57.100 --> 00:10:58.120
 more than a little bit.

00:10:58.200 --> 00:11:00.180
 It's a bit of a gag type thing

00:11:00.180 --> 00:11:01.680
 for many people.

00:11:02.079 --> 00:11:03.279
 And if for those of you

00:11:03.279 --> 00:11:04.059
 who are watching this

00:11:04.059 --> 00:11:05.659
 who wouldn't call yourselves Christians

00:11:05.659 --> 00:11:06.639
 or you're trying to figure out

00:11:06.639 --> 00:11:07.159
 what you are,

00:11:07.779 --> 00:11:08.639
 the fact of the matter is

00:11:08.639 --> 00:11:09.419
 is a lot of Christians

00:11:09.419 --> 00:11:11.079
 have that gag reflex

00:11:11.079 --> 00:11:12.259
 which they cover

00:11:12.259 --> 00:11:14.120
 when they see words like this

00:11:14.120 --> 00:11:15.539
 because we're well trained

00:11:15.539 --> 00:11:16.699
 not to show it.

00:11:17.219 --> 00:11:18.079
 But the fact is

00:11:18.079 --> 00:11:19.079
 there's something deep

00:11:19.079 --> 00:11:20.059
 within our flesh

00:11:20.059 --> 00:11:21.620
 that we just have a hard time

00:11:21.620 --> 00:11:23.500
 thinking that the fundamental thing

00:11:23.500 --> 00:11:25.120
 that comes to human beings

00:11:25.120 --> 00:11:27.819
 that God desires to give you and me

00:11:27.819 --> 00:11:29.539
 is grace and peace.

00:11:29.539 --> 00:11:31.459
 that that's the deepest,

00:11:31.799 --> 00:11:33.639
 truest, realist thing

00:11:33.639 --> 00:11:35.399
 about the triune God.

00:11:36.199 --> 00:11:37.000
 And we even wonder

00:11:37.000 --> 00:11:39.860
 how that could happen.

00:11:40.120 --> 00:11:41.779
 Now, so let's take a step back

00:11:41.779 --> 00:11:42.500
 about our problem.

00:11:44.120 --> 00:11:45.779
 Like, what does it say

00:11:45.779 --> 00:11:46.439
 about you and me

00:11:46.439 --> 00:11:47.240
 as a human being?

00:11:49.620 --> 00:11:50.620
 It's actually not really

00:11:50.620 --> 00:11:51.439
 very flattering

00:11:51.439 --> 00:11:53.899
 if we think that

00:11:53.899 --> 00:11:56.099
 every individual one of us

00:11:56.099 --> 00:11:57.740
 thinks that we know other people

00:11:57.740 --> 00:11:59.059
 better than they know us.

00:11:59.539 --> 00:12:00.899
 And some of you might say,

00:12:01.000 --> 00:12:01.419
 well, George,

00:12:01.500 --> 00:12:03.500
 it's not true for everybody else.

00:12:03.500 --> 00:12:05.360
 But it happens to be true about me.

00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:08.039
 I actually really do know people

00:12:08.039 --> 00:12:09.939
 better than they know themselves.

00:12:11.079 --> 00:12:12.939
 And then you might actually think that,

00:12:13.339 --> 00:12:13.959
 you know,

00:12:14.439 --> 00:12:15.439
 that's not what other people

00:12:15.439 --> 00:12:16.199
 think about you.

00:12:16.279 --> 00:12:17.860
 But all the other people around you

00:12:17.860 --> 00:12:18.699
 probably know that

00:12:18.699 --> 00:12:20.299
 that's actually what you really think.

00:12:20.579 --> 00:12:21.980
 That you really think

00:12:21.980 --> 00:12:23.879
 that you're better at knowing people

00:12:23.879 --> 00:12:25.259
 than they are at knowing you.

00:12:25.259 --> 00:12:26.519
 And they, in fact,

00:12:26.899 --> 00:12:28.559
 think you're full of pride

00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:29.879
 and arrogance.

00:12:31.879 --> 00:12:34.840
 But it is a problem, right?

00:12:35.220 --> 00:12:36.639
 And it's also a problem

00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:37.740
 to assume malice

00:12:37.740 --> 00:12:38.980
 rather than incompetence.

00:12:39.139 --> 00:12:40.319
 It means that there's something

00:12:40.319 --> 00:12:41.500
 bent in us.

00:12:42.059 --> 00:12:44.519
 That there's a type of pride

00:12:44.519 --> 00:12:46.019
 or self-centeredness

00:12:46.019 --> 00:12:47.539
 that's bent in us.

00:12:47.639 --> 00:12:48.600
 Because obviously,

00:12:49.120 --> 00:12:50.240
 I mean, in a good relationship,

00:12:50.240 --> 00:12:51.740
 you want to both reveal yourself

00:12:51.740 --> 00:12:52.519
 so the other person

00:12:52.519 --> 00:12:53.560
 can get to know you.

00:12:53.560 --> 00:12:57.120
 And you want them

00:12:57.120 --> 00:12:57.940
 to reveal themselves

00:12:57.940 --> 00:12:58.919
 so they can get into your life.

00:12:59.100 --> 00:13:00.960
 And you want to reveal yourself

00:13:00.960 --> 00:13:02.019
 so that that person

00:13:02.019 --> 00:13:02.820
 can get into your life.

00:13:03.100 --> 00:13:04.320
 We need,

00:13:05.019 --> 00:13:06.500
 this is what social isolation

00:13:06.500 --> 00:13:07.419
 really teaches us.

00:13:07.500 --> 00:13:08.299
 We need to have

00:13:08.299 --> 00:13:09.519
 good social interactions

00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:10.740
 and we want to have it.

00:13:11.080 --> 00:13:13.279
 But there's something bent in us

00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:14.879
 if all the time

00:13:14.879 --> 00:13:15.580
 that we're trying to go

00:13:15.580 --> 00:13:16.519
 through this process,

00:13:16.680 --> 00:13:19.240
 there is this inherent thing

00:13:19.240 --> 00:13:20.379
 that actually

00:13:20.379 --> 00:13:21.680
 they don't really know me

00:13:21.680 --> 00:13:22.620
 but I know them.

00:13:23.419 --> 00:13:24.639
 I know what they're thinking.

00:13:24.860 --> 00:13:26.360
 I know what they really want to do.

00:13:26.580 --> 00:13:27.820
 And when they screw up

00:13:27.820 --> 00:13:28.519
 and it hurts me,

00:13:28.600 --> 00:13:31.000
 it's because they are bad.

00:13:31.720 --> 00:13:32.519
 Not just because

00:13:32.519 --> 00:13:33.360
 they were incompetent.

00:13:33.700 --> 00:13:34.460
 There's something bent

00:13:34.460 --> 00:13:35.340
 and broken in us.

00:13:36.740 --> 00:13:38.019
 And the interesting thing

00:13:38.019 --> 00:13:38.879
 about the Bible is

00:13:38.879 --> 00:13:40.360
 I think that if you would actually

00:13:40.360 --> 00:13:41.560
 study the Christian faith

00:13:41.560 --> 00:13:42.480
 and you study the Bible,

00:13:42.639 --> 00:13:43.279
 you would discover

00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:44.960
 that there is no religion,

00:13:45.100 --> 00:13:45.799
 no spirituality,

00:13:46.039 --> 00:13:46.879
 no system of thought

00:13:46.879 --> 00:13:47.720
 that's more wise

00:13:47.720 --> 00:13:48.440
 and insightful

00:13:48.440 --> 00:13:50.160
 about the human condition.

00:13:50.360 --> 00:13:50.879
 I'm not saying

00:13:50.879 --> 00:13:51.700
 that you don't get wisdom

00:13:51.700 --> 00:13:52.139
 and insight

00:13:52.139 --> 00:13:53.519
 from a range of sources.

00:13:53.639 --> 00:13:55.000
 No Christian should ever say that.

00:13:55.840 --> 00:13:56.820
 But I think

00:13:56.820 --> 00:13:57.620
 if you actually look

00:13:57.620 --> 00:13:58.220
 and compare,

00:13:58.560 --> 00:13:59.899
 only the Bible actually

00:13:59.899 --> 00:14:00.840
 really accounts

00:14:00.840 --> 00:14:02.759
 for this fundamental aspect

00:14:02.759 --> 00:14:04.360
 of a sort of a bentness

00:14:04.360 --> 00:14:05.060
 within us.

00:14:05.879 --> 00:14:06.980
 And I say bentness

00:14:06.980 --> 00:14:07.700
 because obviously

00:14:07.700 --> 00:14:09.740
 we do get some true insights

00:14:09.740 --> 00:14:10.860
 about the other person.

00:14:11.360 --> 00:14:12.340
 But there's a type

00:14:12.340 --> 00:14:14.300
 of fundamental bentness

00:14:14.300 --> 00:14:15.279
 in us.

00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:17.199
 And we can't leave ourselves

00:14:17.199 --> 00:14:18.600
 to fix that bentness.

00:14:20.139 --> 00:14:21.600
 Like we carry it with us

00:14:21.600 --> 00:14:22.379
 wherever we go.

00:14:23.220 --> 00:14:23.539
 And you see,

00:14:23.620 --> 00:14:24.740
 so this is the wonderful thing

00:14:24.740 --> 00:14:25.539
 about the Gospel.

00:14:26.120 --> 00:14:28.079
 The Gospel is this profound news

00:14:28.079 --> 00:14:29.860
 that God was going

00:14:29.860 --> 00:14:31.199
 to show grace to us.

00:14:31.399 --> 00:14:33.639
 And grace is God's,

00:14:33.939 --> 00:14:35.519
 that God in his kindness

00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:38.720
 bestows unmerited favor

00:14:38.720 --> 00:14:39.659
 and blessing

00:14:39.659 --> 00:14:40.980
 upon ordinary people

00:14:40.980 --> 00:14:41.699
 like you and me.

00:14:41.700 --> 00:14:43.180
 So when it says

00:14:43.180 --> 00:14:44.460
 grace and peace to you,

00:14:44.860 --> 00:14:45.680
 grace to you and peace

00:14:45.680 --> 00:14:46.520
 from God our Father

00:14:46.520 --> 00:14:47.660
 and the Lord Jesus Christ,

00:14:48.060 --> 00:14:48.660
 it's saying that

00:14:48.660 --> 00:14:49.740
 the fundamental thing

00:14:49.740 --> 00:14:50.759
 to understand

00:14:50.759 --> 00:14:51.680
 about who Jesus,

00:14:51.940 --> 00:14:53.180
 what God is like,

00:14:53.240 --> 00:14:53.980
 what the Christian way

00:14:53.980 --> 00:14:54.259
 is like,

00:14:54.320 --> 00:14:55.400
 what Jesus is like,

00:14:55.800 --> 00:14:56.840
 is that God looks

00:14:56.840 --> 00:14:57.660
 on you and me

00:14:57.660 --> 00:14:59.720
 and in grace,

00:15:00.480 --> 00:15:02.000
 his grace means

00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:03.200
 that in his kindness

00:15:03.200 --> 00:15:06.980
 he bestows unmerited favor

00:15:06.980 --> 00:15:08.440
 and blessing upon you.

00:15:08.820 --> 00:15:10.200
 And favor doesn't mean favoritism.

00:15:10.200 --> 00:15:11.460
 It means he looks at you

00:15:11.460 --> 00:15:12.759
 far better than you deserve.

00:15:13.740 --> 00:15:14.440
 And blessing,

00:15:15.200 --> 00:15:16.420
 when it's used

00:15:16.420 --> 00:15:17.360
 in the New Testament,

00:15:17.580 --> 00:15:18.320
 blessing is always

00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:19.900
 a power from God

00:15:19.900 --> 00:15:22.160
 to move ordinary people

00:15:22.160 --> 00:15:23.200
 like you and me

00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:26.259
 towards thriving in goodness.

00:15:26.960 --> 00:15:27.900
 That's what blessing

00:15:27.900 --> 00:15:28.759
 always means.

00:15:29.180 --> 00:15:30.340
 It means it's a power

00:15:30.340 --> 00:15:31.060
 from God

00:15:31.060 --> 00:15:32.540
 to move the individual

00:15:32.540 --> 00:15:35.320
 towards thriving in goodness.

00:15:35.740 --> 00:15:36.980
 So when it says here,

00:15:37.140 --> 00:15:37.980
 grace to you and peace

00:15:37.980 --> 00:15:38.860
 from God our Father

00:15:38.860 --> 00:15:40.020
 and the Lord Jesus Christ,

00:15:40.019 --> 00:15:41.000
 and we tend to be

00:15:41.000 --> 00:15:42.220
 suspicious about God.

00:15:42.319 --> 00:15:43.899
 We tend to be suspicious

00:15:43.899 --> 00:15:45.259
 about what his motives are,

00:15:45.559 --> 00:15:46.600
 suspicious as to whether

00:15:46.600 --> 00:15:47.620
 he's actually good,

00:15:48.199 --> 00:15:49.159
 suspicious as to whether

00:15:49.159 --> 00:15:50.179
 it'll actually make

00:15:50.179 --> 00:15:51.079
 a difference to us.

00:15:51.159 --> 00:15:51.779
 We're suspicious

00:15:51.779 --> 00:15:52.799
 that if we get too close

00:15:52.799 --> 00:15:53.179
 to God,

00:15:53.259 --> 00:15:54.039
 he'll only hurt us.

00:15:54.340 --> 00:15:55.679
 We're suspicious about God

00:15:55.679 --> 00:15:56.419
 because we think

00:15:56.419 --> 00:15:57.139
 we know God

00:15:57.139 --> 00:15:58.460
 better than he knows us.

00:15:58.860 --> 00:15:59.840
 The same things

00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:00.480
 that we have

00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:02.039
 that cause us problems

00:16:02.039 --> 00:16:02.819
 as human beings

00:16:02.819 --> 00:16:03.840
 are the same things

00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:06.179
 that we put on God.

00:16:06.179 --> 00:16:08.199
 there's that bentness

00:16:08.199 --> 00:16:11.620
 in us as human beings.

00:16:11.919 --> 00:16:13.819
 And God's response to us,

00:16:14.559 --> 00:16:16.759
 because if God is real,

00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:18.859
 he actually knows you perfectly.

00:16:18.860 --> 00:16:22.700
 And you can't know him perfectly.

00:16:23.320 --> 00:16:25.399
 But the fundamental message

00:16:25.399 --> 00:16:27.560
 of the gospel is,

00:16:27.620 --> 00:16:28.740
 the thing that Paul wants

00:16:28.740 --> 00:16:30.019
 to tell everybody first

00:16:30.019 --> 00:16:31.480
 before he says anything else

00:16:31.480 --> 00:16:32.759
 is that the basic thing

00:16:32.759 --> 00:16:34.460
 is that God gives you grace.

00:16:35.279 --> 00:16:36.240
 And grace means

00:16:36.240 --> 00:16:38.399
 bestowing in his kindness

00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:39.600
 unmerited favor

00:16:39.600 --> 00:16:40.720
 and blessing upon you.

00:16:40.800 --> 00:16:41.779
 And blessing means

00:16:41.779 --> 00:16:43.680
 an actual power from God

00:16:43.680 --> 00:16:45.500
 to help you to thrive

00:16:45.500 --> 00:16:46.139
 in goodness.

00:16:46.139 --> 00:16:48.039
 You see,

00:16:48.559 --> 00:16:49.439
 how this works

00:16:49.439 --> 00:16:50.539
 is something like this.

00:16:51.259 --> 00:16:52.080
 And it's worth my while

00:16:52.080 --> 00:16:53.179
 to take some time on it,

00:16:53.199 --> 00:16:53.799
 even if it means

00:16:53.799 --> 00:16:54.779
 that some of these other points

00:16:54.779 --> 00:16:55.500
 we have to go through

00:16:55.500 --> 00:16:56.419
 very, very briefly.

00:16:57.220 --> 00:16:57.559
 You see,

00:16:57.939 --> 00:16:58.299
 God,

00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:00.220
 the good news of the Bible

00:17:00.220 --> 00:17:01.279
 is that God,

00:17:01.799 --> 00:17:02.740
 the Son of God,

00:17:02.860 --> 00:17:04.000
 sets aside his glory

00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:05.059
 and divine honor

00:17:05.059 --> 00:17:05.779
 and privileges

00:17:05.779 --> 00:17:07.259
 and all of that,

00:17:07.400 --> 00:17:08.720
 his appearance as God

00:17:08.720 --> 00:17:09.900
 and remaining fully God,

00:17:09.980 --> 00:17:11.059
 he takes into himself

00:17:11.059 --> 00:17:12.460
 our human nature.

00:17:13.339 --> 00:17:14.339
 And that when Jesus is,

00:17:14.539 --> 00:17:15.059
 and he lives

00:17:15.059 --> 00:17:15.859
 a fully human life,

00:17:15.859 --> 00:17:17.199
 and when he's living his life

00:17:17.199 --> 00:17:18.959
 and when he's dying his death

00:17:18.959 --> 00:17:19.819
 and when he's rising

00:17:19.819 --> 00:17:20.459
 from the dead,

00:17:20.579 --> 00:17:22.359
 he's doing all of that

00:17:22.359 --> 00:17:23.619
 as our representative.

00:17:23.979 --> 00:17:25.419
 That's why it can stand for you.

00:17:26.119 --> 00:17:26.859
 Some of you have heard

00:17:26.859 --> 00:17:28.039
 this analogy before.

00:17:28.919 --> 00:17:29.879
 I'll use it again

00:17:29.879 --> 00:17:31.740
 because it's a really good analogy.

00:17:32.699 --> 00:17:33.099
 Imagine

00:17:33.099 --> 00:17:36.159
 after the pandemic

00:17:36.159 --> 00:17:36.859
 is all over

00:17:36.859 --> 00:17:38.179
 and people are able to gather

00:17:38.179 --> 00:17:40.399
 that there's a group of terrorists

00:17:40.399 --> 00:17:42.000
 who one day go into

00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:43.359
 Wembley Stadium in England,

00:17:43.479 --> 00:17:44.199
 which I think holds

00:17:44.200 --> 00:17:45.740
 110,000 people,

00:17:46.360 --> 00:17:47.200
 something like that,

00:17:47.240 --> 00:17:48.440
 over 100,000 people.

00:17:48.539 --> 00:17:49.100
 And terrorists

00:17:49.100 --> 00:17:50.860
 are able to seal

00:17:50.860 --> 00:17:52.039
 and lock all the doors

00:17:52.039 --> 00:17:53.840
 and they reveal

00:17:53.840 --> 00:17:54.539
 that they've placed

00:17:54.539 --> 00:17:57.299
 a very, very large bomb,

00:17:57.400 --> 00:17:58.340
 maybe a nuclear bomb,

00:17:58.400 --> 00:17:59.340
 in the very, very center

00:17:59.340 --> 00:17:59.920
 of the stadium

00:17:59.920 --> 00:18:01.000
 and they're going to kill

00:18:01.000 --> 00:18:02.019
 everybody in the stadium

00:18:02.019 --> 00:18:04.120
 unless their demands are met.

00:18:05.100 --> 00:18:05.980
 And that, of course,

00:18:06.019 --> 00:18:06.900
 would be front page

00:18:06.900 --> 00:18:07.779
 and Twitter news

00:18:07.779 --> 00:18:09.180
 all over the world instantly.

00:18:09.360 --> 00:18:10.420
 The whole world

00:18:10.420 --> 00:18:11.120
 would be riveted.

00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:13.000
 And if, let's say,

00:18:13.059 --> 00:18:14.479
 I called them up

00:18:14.479 --> 00:18:14.759
 and said,

00:18:14.819 --> 00:18:15.919
 listen, I'll offer you a deal.

00:18:16.039 --> 00:18:16.559
 Somehow or another,

00:18:16.659 --> 00:18:18.019
 I get the terrorist number.

00:18:18.439 --> 00:18:19.099
 And I say, listen,

00:18:19.139 --> 00:18:20.199
 I'll offer you a deal.

00:18:20.279 --> 00:18:20.819
 Why don't you let

00:18:20.819 --> 00:18:22.119
 all of the crowd go

00:18:22.119 --> 00:18:23.579
 and all go and sit

00:18:23.579 --> 00:18:24.379
 on the bomb instead?

00:18:24.539 --> 00:18:25.679
 Well, they'd laugh at me

00:18:25.679 --> 00:18:26.839
 like, come on,

00:18:26.899 --> 00:18:27.339
 like, what,

00:18:27.379 --> 00:18:27.899
 we're going to give up

00:18:27.899 --> 00:18:29.179
 110,000 people

00:18:29.179 --> 00:18:29.879
 just for you?

00:18:31.099 --> 00:18:31.779
 That's dumb.

00:18:32.619 --> 00:18:33.319
 What would happen

00:18:33.319 --> 00:18:34.099
 if the Queen of England

00:18:34.099 --> 00:18:34.779
 called them up?

00:18:36.779 --> 00:18:37.539
 They'd take her.

00:18:37.539 --> 00:18:41.299
 They'd let 110,000 people go

00:18:41.299 --> 00:18:43.920
 to have the Queen of England

00:18:43.920 --> 00:18:45.819
 sitting on the bomb.

00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:48.359
 Because not only

00:18:48.359 --> 00:18:50.680
 do they have the 100,000,

00:18:50.680 --> 00:18:51.920
 they have something better

00:18:51.920 --> 00:18:53.480
 than 110,000 people.

00:18:53.599 --> 00:18:54.559
 They have England

00:18:54.559 --> 00:18:56.159
 and Scotland

00:18:56.159 --> 00:18:56.799
 and Ireland

00:18:56.799 --> 00:18:57.399
 and Wales

00:18:57.399 --> 00:18:58.220
 in their grip.

00:18:58.480 --> 00:18:59.359
 They have Canada.

00:18:59.579 --> 00:19:00.519
 They have the old,

00:19:00.599 --> 00:19:01.279
 all of the old

00:19:01.279 --> 00:19:02.240
 Commonwealth countries.

00:19:02.379 --> 00:19:03.599
 They'd have United States.

00:19:04.480 --> 00:19:05.440
 They'd have many,

00:19:05.579 --> 00:19:06.099
 many countries

00:19:06.099 --> 00:19:06.399
 in the world

00:19:06.399 --> 00:19:07.279
 would be gripped

00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:08.019
 because they're

00:19:08.019 --> 00:19:08.879
 just understanding

00:19:08.879 --> 00:19:09.519
 that the Queen

00:19:09.519 --> 00:19:10.460
 represents more than

00:19:10.460 --> 00:19:11.920
 the 110,000 people

00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:13.180
 that she, in fact,

00:19:13.259 --> 00:19:14.579
 can stand for,

00:19:14.859 --> 00:19:15.079
 in fact,

00:19:15.119 --> 00:19:15.539
 she's going to be

00:19:15.539 --> 00:19:16.379
 standing for millions,

00:19:16.539 --> 00:19:16.859
 for, in fact,

00:19:16.920 --> 00:19:17.879
 maybe even billions,

00:19:18.079 --> 00:19:19.099
 all gripped by him.

00:19:19.879 --> 00:19:20.539
 So the message

00:19:20.539 --> 00:19:21.059
 of the Bible

00:19:21.059 --> 00:19:21.879
 is that God

00:19:21.879 --> 00:19:23.119
 sees how we're bent

00:19:23.119 --> 00:19:23.920
 and how there's this,

00:19:24.399 --> 00:19:24.759
 in a sense,

00:19:24.839 --> 00:19:26.879
 inherent selfishness

00:19:26.879 --> 00:19:28.059
 and self-centeredness

00:19:28.059 --> 00:19:29.619
 and just wrongness

00:19:29.619 --> 00:19:30.579
 about us

00:19:30.579 --> 00:19:32.039
 that doesn't mean

00:19:32.039 --> 00:19:32.420
 that we never

00:19:32.420 --> 00:19:33.240
 get anything right,

00:19:33.359 --> 00:19:33.839
 but there's just

00:19:33.839 --> 00:19:35.500
 this constant something

00:19:35.500 --> 00:19:37.139
 that's not quite right

00:19:37.140 --> 00:19:38.900
 that we can't fix

00:19:38.900 --> 00:19:39.840
 with ourselves.

00:19:39.980 --> 00:19:40.640
 And what's God's

00:19:40.640 --> 00:19:41.460
 response to us?

00:19:41.520 --> 00:19:42.120
 It's kindness.

00:19:42.400 --> 00:19:43.720
 It's unmerited kindness.

00:19:45.380 --> 00:19:46.680
 And it's an unmerited

00:19:46.680 --> 00:19:47.280
 kindness

00:19:47.280 --> 00:19:48.480
 of showing favor

00:19:48.480 --> 00:19:50.520
 to those very same people

00:19:50.520 --> 00:19:52.040
 who shake our fist

00:19:52.040 --> 00:19:52.500
 at God

00:19:52.500 --> 00:19:53.440
 or laugh at God

00:19:53.440 --> 00:19:54.360
 or mock at God

00:19:54.360 --> 00:19:55.500
 or gag at God.

00:19:56.720 --> 00:19:58.220
 And it's a kindness.

00:19:58.480 --> 00:19:59.280
 It's a type of power

00:19:59.280 --> 00:19:59.880
 that changes.

00:20:00.040 --> 00:20:00.560
 And it begins

00:20:00.560 --> 00:20:01.140
 with the fact

00:20:01.140 --> 00:20:02.440
 that Jesus' life,

00:20:03.400 --> 00:20:04.660
 his life can be,

00:20:05.299 --> 00:20:06.120
 represent me,

00:20:06.660 --> 00:20:07.759
 and his death

00:20:07.759 --> 00:20:08.740
 can represent me,

00:20:08.820 --> 00:20:09.620
 and his resurrection

00:20:09.620 --> 00:20:11.440
 can represent me.

00:20:12.320 --> 00:20:13.080
 And it's not just

00:20:13.080 --> 00:20:14.640
 the way,

00:20:14.860 --> 00:20:15.480
 like, in a sense,

00:20:15.559 --> 00:20:16.420
 like our politicians,

00:20:16.640 --> 00:20:17.519
 I'm not going to be dumping,

00:20:17.700 --> 00:20:18.519
 like, both Trudeau

00:20:18.519 --> 00:20:19.039
 and Scheer

00:20:19.039 --> 00:20:19.740
 have been in the news

00:20:19.740 --> 00:20:20.620
 this past week

00:20:20.620 --> 00:20:22.519
 as to whether they

00:20:22.519 --> 00:20:23.340
 really identify

00:20:23.340 --> 00:20:23.900
 with us

00:20:23.900 --> 00:20:24.580
 in our lockdown.

00:20:24.799 --> 00:20:25.340
 Why is it that

00:20:25.340 --> 00:20:26.000
 there seems to be

00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:27.019
 a separate rule

00:20:27.019 --> 00:20:27.680
 for them?

00:20:29.039 --> 00:20:29.820
 They're not really

00:20:29.820 --> 00:20:31.039
 identifying what it's like

00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:32.059
 to be unemployed.

00:20:32.279 --> 00:20:32.960
 They're not identifying

00:20:32.960 --> 00:20:33.599
 what it's like

00:20:33.599 --> 00:20:34.139
 to not be able

00:20:34.139 --> 00:20:34.920
 to get on a plane.

00:20:35.059 --> 00:20:35.779
 They're not identifying

00:20:35.779 --> 00:20:36.599
 with those of us

00:20:36.599 --> 00:20:37.819
 who can't go to a cottage.

00:20:38.779 --> 00:20:39.480
 But here's the thing

00:20:39.480 --> 00:20:40.079
 about Jesus.

00:20:40.299 --> 00:20:41.240
 Jesus really did

00:20:41.240 --> 00:20:42.200
 identify with us.

00:20:42.259 --> 00:20:43.339
 If you read the Gospels,

00:20:43.420 --> 00:20:44.240
 you'll see he comes

00:20:44.240 --> 00:20:45.539
 and he's lower working class

00:20:45.539 --> 00:20:46.339
 and he has to work

00:20:46.339 --> 00:20:46.859
 for a living

00:20:46.859 --> 00:20:48.279
 and he's persecuted

00:20:48.279 --> 00:20:49.319
 and he's misunderstood

00:20:49.319 --> 00:20:51.379
 and he has to walk places

00:20:51.379 --> 00:20:51.819
 and he eats.

00:20:51.879 --> 00:20:52.960
 He completely and utterly

00:20:52.960 --> 00:20:54.379
 identifies with ordinary

00:20:54.379 --> 00:20:55.319
 people like me.

00:20:55.839 --> 00:20:56.480
 And so we have

00:20:56.480 --> 00:20:57.519
 this profound idea

00:20:57.519 --> 00:20:58.200
 in the Gospel,

00:20:58.659 --> 00:20:59.720
 this profound news.

00:20:59.819 --> 00:21:00.420
 It's not an idea,

00:21:00.420 --> 00:21:01.200
 it's news.

00:21:01.580 --> 00:21:02.400
 It's not just this,

00:21:02.740 --> 00:21:03.640
 wouldn't it be nice

00:21:03.640 --> 00:21:04.580
 if something like this

00:21:04.580 --> 00:21:05.120
 were the case?

00:21:05.160 --> 00:21:06.420
 It's an actual proclamation

00:21:06.420 --> 00:21:08.220
 that this actually happens,

00:21:08.400 --> 00:21:10.080
 that God sends one

00:21:10.080 --> 00:21:11.140
 who could truly be

00:21:11.140 --> 00:21:11.759
 the representative

00:21:11.759 --> 00:21:12.880
 of every human being

00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:13.740
 and he doesn't come

00:21:13.740 --> 00:21:14.420
 as a representative

00:21:14.420 --> 00:21:15.279
 who has no idea

00:21:15.279 --> 00:21:15.840
 what it's like

00:21:15.840 --> 00:21:16.660
 to be a human being,

00:21:16.779 --> 00:21:17.580
 but he comes

00:21:17.580 --> 00:21:18.300
 to represent us

00:21:18.300 --> 00:21:19.840
 and he identifies with us

00:21:19.840 --> 00:21:21.259
 and he identifies with us

00:21:21.259 --> 00:21:22.000
 even to the point

00:21:22.000 --> 00:21:22.500
 of becoming

00:21:22.500 --> 00:21:23.980
 a substitute for us.

00:21:23.980 --> 00:21:27.819
 that he lives the life

00:21:27.819 --> 00:21:28.779
 that I could not live

00:21:28.779 --> 00:21:29.640
 and dies the death

00:21:29.640 --> 00:21:31.200
 that I could not die

00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:33.480
 and deals with death

00:21:33.480 --> 00:21:34.740
 in a way that I cannot deal

00:21:34.740 --> 00:21:36.759
 by triumphant over death

00:21:36.759 --> 00:21:37.519
 in his resurrection.

00:21:38.640 --> 00:21:40.000
 And he offers that

00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:41.079
 to ordinary people

00:21:41.079 --> 00:21:41.819
 like you and me.

00:21:41.980 --> 00:21:42.200
 You see,

00:21:42.259 --> 00:21:42.980
 that's God's

00:21:43.900 --> 00:21:45.380
 unmerited kindness

00:21:45.380 --> 00:21:47.860
 being offered

00:21:47.860 --> 00:21:48.759
 to you and me

00:21:48.759 --> 00:21:50.460
 and it's not just an idea

00:21:50.460 --> 00:21:52.200
 of unmerited kindness.

00:21:52.519 --> 00:21:53.660
 It's the actual

00:21:53.660 --> 00:21:55.279
 accomplishment

00:21:55.279 --> 00:21:58.259
 of unmerited kindness

00:21:58.259 --> 00:22:00.059
 made real in the world

00:22:00.059 --> 00:22:01.700
 by one who represents you,

00:22:01.840 --> 00:22:02.740
 identifies with you,

00:22:03.039 --> 00:22:03.940
 is your substitute

00:22:03.940 --> 00:22:05.420
 and offers you

00:22:05.420 --> 00:22:07.660
 to take his...

00:22:07.660 --> 00:22:08.259
 He says,

00:22:08.420 --> 00:22:08.680
 George,

00:22:08.740 --> 00:22:09.559
 I'll take your place,

00:22:09.600 --> 00:22:10.259
 you take mine.

00:22:11.000 --> 00:22:11.559
 And you say,

00:22:11.600 --> 00:22:12.120
 well, why on earth,

00:22:12.220 --> 00:22:13.180
 Jesus, would you do that?

00:22:13.259 --> 00:22:13.440
 Do you know

00:22:13.440 --> 00:22:14.100
 what I'm really like?

00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:14.920
 Do you realize, Jesus,

00:22:15.019 --> 00:22:15.880
 that I think I know you

00:22:15.880 --> 00:22:16.759
 better than you know me?

00:22:16.840 --> 00:22:17.440
 Do you realize

00:22:17.440 --> 00:22:18.000
 that I think

00:22:18.000 --> 00:22:18.700
 that any time

00:22:18.700 --> 00:22:20.019
 something goes wrong,

00:22:20.019 --> 00:22:21.559
 it's all due to malice?

00:22:21.639 --> 00:22:22.039
 Do you know

00:22:22.039 --> 00:22:22.839
 what I'm really like?

00:22:22.859 --> 00:22:23.440
 And Jesus says,

00:22:23.500 --> 00:22:24.339
 yes, I know exactly

00:22:24.339 --> 00:22:25.059
 what you're like.

00:22:25.859 --> 00:22:27.259
 That's why my kindness

00:22:27.259 --> 00:22:28.660
 to you is unmerited.

00:22:30.839 --> 00:22:31.819
 And so when we put

00:22:31.819 --> 00:22:32.799
 our hand in the hand

00:22:32.799 --> 00:22:33.339
 of Jesus

00:22:33.339 --> 00:22:34.500
 to trust him

00:22:34.500 --> 00:22:35.099
 as our savior,

00:22:35.220 --> 00:22:35.759
 to trust him

00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:36.480
 as our representative,

00:22:36.680 --> 00:22:38.099
 to trust his life

00:22:38.099 --> 00:22:38.539
 for mine,

00:22:38.639 --> 00:22:39.480
 his death for mine,

00:22:39.539 --> 00:22:40.799
 his resurrection for mine,

00:22:41.259 --> 00:22:42.879
 because God is kind

00:22:42.879 --> 00:22:44.460
 and because he's

00:22:44.460 --> 00:22:45.480
 showing you grace,

00:22:47.639 --> 00:22:48.160
 well,

00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:50.340
 Jesus enters into you

00:22:50.340 --> 00:22:51.380
 and you enter into him.

00:22:53.700 --> 00:22:54.460
 And the very,

00:22:54.540 --> 00:22:55.380
 very, very, very,

00:22:55.380 --> 00:22:56.860
 very fundamental truth

00:22:56.860 --> 00:22:57.640
 about you now

00:22:57.640 --> 00:22:59.240
 is not that you are bent

00:22:59.240 --> 00:23:01.680
 or that I am bent.

00:23:02.560 --> 00:23:03.900
 The fundamental truth

00:23:03.900 --> 00:23:04.660
 about you and me

00:23:04.660 --> 00:23:05.700
 when we are in Jesus

00:23:05.700 --> 00:23:06.700
 is grace

00:23:06.700 --> 00:23:08.360
 and peace.

00:23:09.820 --> 00:23:10.660
 Peace means that

00:23:10.660 --> 00:23:11.259
 we're now at peace

00:23:11.259 --> 00:23:11.660
 with God.

00:23:11.660 --> 00:23:14.120
 He has made peace,

00:23:14.880 --> 00:23:15.940
 a peace for us

00:23:15.940 --> 00:23:17.440
 that we can now begin

00:23:17.440 --> 00:23:18.539
 to move towards

00:23:18.539 --> 00:23:19.340
 being in balance

00:23:19.340 --> 00:23:19.980
 and harmony

00:23:19.980 --> 00:23:21.299
 with the true

00:23:21.299 --> 00:23:22.039
 and living God.

00:23:23.340 --> 00:23:23.620
 And you see,

00:23:23.720 --> 00:23:24.220
 that's why

00:23:24.220 --> 00:23:25.620
 one of the things

00:23:25.620 --> 00:23:26.000
 that Paul,

00:23:26.100 --> 00:23:26.880
 Paul in this letter,

00:23:27.360 --> 00:23:28.279
 he's going to be talking

00:23:28.279 --> 00:23:29.620
 about selfish ambition,

00:23:30.100 --> 00:23:30.920
 he's going to be talking

00:23:30.920 --> 00:23:31.759
 about people trying

00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:33.059
 to screw up his life,

00:23:33.160 --> 00:23:33.960
 he's going to be talking

00:23:33.960 --> 00:23:34.920
 about fights,

00:23:35.460 --> 00:23:36.400
 he's going to be talking

00:23:36.400 --> 00:23:36.740
 about,

00:23:37.160 --> 00:23:37.559
 he's going to give

00:23:37.559 --> 00:23:38.680
 a profound critique

00:23:38.680 --> 00:23:39.299
 of religion

00:23:39.299 --> 00:23:40.220
 and he's going to say

00:23:40.220 --> 00:23:41.180
 that those who think

00:23:41.180 --> 00:23:41.720
 that the world

00:23:41.720 --> 00:23:42.519
 is divided between

00:23:42.519 --> 00:23:43.180
 the religion,

00:23:43.660 --> 00:23:44.700
 people who are religious

00:23:44.700 --> 00:23:45.980
 or spiritual,

00:23:46.519 --> 00:23:47.240
 being spiritual

00:23:47.240 --> 00:23:48.580
 is just being religious

00:23:48.580 --> 00:23:49.700
 in a hip way.

00:23:51.000 --> 00:23:52.059
 Let's just be honest,

00:23:52.140 --> 00:23:52.319
 right?

00:23:53.380 --> 00:23:54.680
 Unhip people are religious

00:23:54.680 --> 00:23:55.420
 but I'm hip

00:23:55.420 --> 00:23:56.319
 so I'm spiritual.

00:23:56.840 --> 00:23:58.100
 I've probably just offended

00:23:58.100 --> 00:23:59.100
 a couple of you

00:23:59.100 --> 00:24:00.480
 but that's what it really is,

00:24:00.500 --> 00:24:00.960
 isn't it, right?

00:24:01.480 --> 00:24:02.180
 And in fact,

00:24:02.259 --> 00:24:03.080
 your irreligious friends

00:24:03.080 --> 00:24:03.400
 would say,

00:24:03.559 --> 00:24:04.319
 bang on George,

00:24:04.400 --> 00:24:05.880
 that's exactly what it is,

00:24:05.880 --> 00:24:06.799
 it's just religion

00:24:06.799 --> 00:24:07.700
 taking your hip.

00:24:09.039 --> 00:24:09.620
 By the way,

00:24:09.660 --> 00:24:10.259
 just for the record,

00:24:10.360 --> 00:24:11.740
 I'm closer to hip replacement

00:24:11.740 --> 00:24:12.259
 than hip

00:24:12.259 --> 00:24:13.080
 as you can probably

00:24:13.080 --> 00:24:13.740
 already tell.

00:24:13.740 --> 00:24:14.680
 So anyway,

00:24:15.079 --> 00:24:16.740
 to get back to this,

00:24:17.279 --> 00:24:18.440
 Paul is going to be talking

00:24:18.440 --> 00:24:19.420
 about the problems

00:24:19.420 --> 00:24:20.019
 of religion,

00:24:20.259 --> 00:24:21.339
 the problems of thinking

00:24:21.339 --> 00:24:22.319
 that it's the choices

00:24:22.319 --> 00:24:23.079
 between religion

00:24:23.079 --> 00:24:23.980
 and irreligion

00:24:23.980 --> 00:24:24.839
 and the choices never

00:24:24.839 --> 00:24:25.539
 between religion

00:24:25.539 --> 00:24:26.200
 and irreligion,

00:24:26.259 --> 00:24:27.440
 the choices between grace

00:24:27.440 --> 00:24:28.380
 and anything else.

00:24:29.859 --> 00:24:31.160
 That's the only option.

00:24:31.460 --> 00:24:32.460
 Do you receive grace

00:24:32.460 --> 00:24:33.539
 or do you turn your back

00:24:33.539 --> 00:24:34.079
 on grace?

00:24:34.319 --> 00:24:35.279
 And God's heart is

00:24:35.279 --> 00:24:36.259
 that he wants you

00:24:36.259 --> 00:24:37.160
 to receive grace.

00:24:37.380 --> 00:24:38.120
 That's his heart.

00:24:38.559 --> 00:24:39.539
 His heart about you

00:24:39.539 --> 00:24:40.180
 right now,

00:24:40.740 --> 00:24:42.039
 no matter how skeptical

00:24:42.039 --> 00:24:42.619
 you are,

00:24:42.700 --> 00:24:43.740
 how cynical you are,

00:24:43.819 --> 00:24:44.619
 how down you are

00:24:44.619 --> 00:24:45.079
 on the world,

00:24:45.200 --> 00:24:45.899
 how down you are

00:24:45.899 --> 00:24:46.359
 on yourself,

00:24:46.399 --> 00:24:47.180
 no matter how alone

00:24:47.180 --> 00:24:47.659
 you are,

00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:48.980
 or how full you are

00:24:48.980 --> 00:24:49.639
 because you're surrounded

00:24:49.639 --> 00:24:50.240
 with your kids,

00:24:50.319 --> 00:24:51.159
 you're having a great time,

00:24:51.220 --> 00:24:51.839
 you're an introvert,

00:24:51.940 --> 00:24:53.200
 you love being indoors,

00:24:53.319 --> 00:24:54.299
 the paycheck's coming in,

00:24:54.519 --> 00:24:55.539
 whoever you are,

00:24:56.180 --> 00:24:56.940
 God only wants you

00:24:56.940 --> 00:24:57.779
 to receive grace.

00:24:58.799 --> 00:24:59.539
 He only wants you

00:24:59.539 --> 00:25:00.440
 to receive grace.

00:25:01.019 --> 00:25:02.379
 That's his heart to you.

00:25:03.099 --> 00:25:03.940
 And that's why

00:25:03.940 --> 00:25:04.359
 it's going to be

00:25:04.359 --> 00:25:04.980
 really important

00:25:04.980 --> 00:25:05.799
 as we go all the way

00:25:05.799 --> 00:25:06.399
 through this letter

00:25:06.399 --> 00:25:07.299
 and it's really important

00:25:07.299 --> 00:25:08.220
 for every one of us,

00:25:08.220 --> 00:25:09.180
 if you haven't

00:25:09.180 --> 00:25:10.220
 given yourself to Jesus,

00:25:10.360 --> 00:25:11.079
 there's no better time

00:25:11.079 --> 00:25:12.039
 than to do it right now

00:25:12.039 --> 00:25:13.880
 to just stop listening

00:25:13.880 --> 00:25:15.000
 to me or press pause

00:25:15.000 --> 00:25:15.559
 and just say,

00:25:15.620 --> 00:25:15.900
 Jesus,

00:25:16.160 --> 00:25:17.000
 please,

00:25:17.600 --> 00:25:19.980
 thank you that

00:25:19.980 --> 00:25:20.940
 you were my representative.

00:25:21.420 --> 00:25:22.019
 Thank you that

00:25:22.019 --> 00:25:23.339
 you identified with me

00:25:23.339 --> 00:25:24.400
 and you know me perfectly.

00:25:25.140 --> 00:25:26.480
 Thank you that

00:25:26.480 --> 00:25:28.100
 even though you knew me,

00:25:28.420 --> 00:25:29.440
 know me perfectly,

00:25:29.960 --> 00:25:31.759
 you are only kind to me.

00:25:32.620 --> 00:25:33.759
 And I can see that

00:25:33.759 --> 00:25:34.980
 because Jesus really did

00:25:34.980 --> 00:25:35.740
 live and die

00:25:35.740 --> 00:25:36.819
 and rise from the dead

00:25:36.819 --> 00:25:37.679
 and that's what he really

00:25:37.679 --> 00:25:39.099
 did say about who he is.

00:25:39.919 --> 00:25:40.480
 And so Jesus,

00:25:40.639 --> 00:25:41.879
 be my Savior and my Lord

00:25:41.879 --> 00:25:43.259
 and thank you

00:25:43.259 --> 00:25:43.819
 that you will never

00:25:43.819 --> 00:25:44.419
 let me go.

00:25:45.659 --> 00:25:46.619
 And for those of us

00:25:46.619 --> 00:25:47.439
 who are Christians,

00:25:48.059 --> 00:25:49.279
 Paul wants us to grow

00:25:49.279 --> 00:25:49.960
 in a humble,

00:25:50.159 --> 00:25:50.519
 trusting,

00:25:50.700 --> 00:25:52.500
 remembering of your gift,

00:25:52.579 --> 00:25:53.500
 that is God's gift,

00:25:53.599 --> 00:25:54.259
 the Lord's gift

00:25:54.259 --> 00:25:55.519
 of grace and peace

00:25:55.519 --> 00:25:57.179
 to ordinary people

00:25:57.179 --> 00:25:57.879
 like you and me.

00:25:58.639 --> 00:25:59.359
 Now we're going to go

00:25:59.359 --> 00:25:59.899
 through the other

00:25:59.899 --> 00:26:01.079
 three little things.

00:26:01.419 --> 00:26:01.980
 I just picked

00:26:01.980 --> 00:26:02.839
 three other things

00:26:02.839 --> 00:26:03.779
 throughout the rest

00:26:03.779 --> 00:26:04.480
 of this text.

00:26:04.599 --> 00:26:05.179
 It's going to keep

00:26:05.179 --> 00:26:06.179
 coming down to grace.

00:26:06.180 --> 00:26:07.340
 It's going to keep

00:26:07.340 --> 00:26:08.400
 being a bit of a challenge

00:26:08.400 --> 00:26:09.220
 to the fact.

00:26:09.940 --> 00:26:10.299
 You see,

00:26:11.519 --> 00:26:12.240
 it changes.

00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:13.920
 Here, let's read

00:26:13.920 --> 00:26:15.400
 verses three to five.

00:26:15.560 --> 00:26:16.400
 Here's how it goes.

00:26:17.240 --> 00:26:18.460
 I thank my God

00:26:18.460 --> 00:26:19.640
 in all my remembrance

00:26:19.640 --> 00:26:20.299
 of you,

00:26:20.980 --> 00:26:22.519
 always in every prayer

00:26:22.519 --> 00:26:23.680
 of mine for you all,

00:26:23.799 --> 00:26:24.640
 making my prayer

00:26:24.640 --> 00:26:25.259
 with joy

00:26:25.259 --> 00:26:27.180
 because of your partnership

00:26:27.180 --> 00:26:27.920
 in the gospel

00:26:27.920 --> 00:26:28.980
 from the first day

00:26:28.980 --> 00:26:29.740
 until now.

00:26:30.060 --> 00:26:30.960
 I'm just going to read it again.

00:26:30.960 --> 00:26:32.900
 I thank my God

00:26:32.900 --> 00:26:34.120
 in all my remembrance

00:26:34.120 --> 00:26:34.680
 of you,

00:26:34.980 --> 00:26:36.259
 always in every prayer

00:26:36.259 --> 00:26:37.279
 of mine for you all,

00:26:37.400 --> 00:26:38.220
 making my prayer

00:26:38.220 --> 00:26:38.779
 with joy

00:26:38.779 --> 00:26:40.519
 because of your partnership

00:26:40.519 --> 00:26:41.220
 in the gospel

00:26:41.220 --> 00:26:42.120
 from the first day

00:26:42.120 --> 00:26:42.720
 until now.

00:26:43.360 --> 00:26:44.100
 Now, some of you

00:26:44.100 --> 00:26:44.779
 are gagging.

00:26:46.120 --> 00:26:46.940
 Okay, one moment.

00:26:47.360 --> 00:26:48.340
 Why are we gagging?

00:26:48.660 --> 00:26:49.900
 Well, because we think

00:26:49.900 --> 00:26:50.799
 we know things better

00:26:50.799 --> 00:26:51.500
 than other people.

00:26:51.600 --> 00:26:51.819
 Why?

00:26:51.940 --> 00:26:52.680
 Because we think

00:26:52.680 --> 00:26:53.559
 that malice accounts

00:26:53.559 --> 00:26:54.319
 for more things.

00:26:54.519 --> 00:26:55.680
 And if it's not malice

00:26:55.680 --> 00:26:56.539
 or it's incompetence,

00:26:56.579 --> 00:26:57.480
 it's never good.

00:26:58.059 --> 00:26:58.500
 I mean, those are

00:26:58.500 --> 00:26:59.579
 the basic options.

00:26:59.920 --> 00:27:01.339
 Malice or incompetence.

00:27:01.740 --> 00:27:03.200
 Like, there's a deep cynicism

00:27:03.200 --> 00:27:04.400
 in many of us

00:27:04.400 --> 00:27:05.599
 and there's a deep cynicism

00:27:05.599 --> 00:27:07.000
 when we see words like this.

00:27:07.059 --> 00:27:08.259
 But remember who's writing it.

00:27:08.259 --> 00:27:09.220
 It's Paul writing

00:27:09.220 --> 00:27:10.019
 from quarantine.

00:27:10.299 --> 00:27:11.140
 It's Paul writing

00:27:11.140 --> 00:27:13.259
 because he's not going to let up

00:27:13.259 --> 00:27:14.799
 on the profound truth,

00:27:14.920 --> 00:27:15.900
 the profound fact

00:27:15.900 --> 00:27:17.099
 that this man, Jesus,

00:27:17.240 --> 00:27:17.940
 did die

00:27:17.940 --> 00:27:19.920
 and that he did rise

00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:20.480
 from the dead

00:27:20.480 --> 00:27:21.980
 and the grave really was empty

00:27:21.980 --> 00:27:23.200
 and that the whole purpose

00:27:23.200 --> 00:27:24.299
 of his life and death

00:27:24.299 --> 00:27:24.819
 and resurrection

00:27:24.819 --> 00:27:26.019
 was that God's

00:27:26.019 --> 00:27:27.420
 unmerited kindness

00:27:27.420 --> 00:27:29.380
 would be offered to you

00:27:29.380 --> 00:27:30.120
 and made real

00:27:30.120 --> 00:27:30.880
 in your life

00:27:30.880 --> 00:27:31.660
 in a way that will

00:27:31.660 --> 00:27:32.960
 transform you forever.

00:27:33.480 --> 00:27:35.360
 It begins to transform you today

00:27:35.360 --> 00:27:36.160
 and it will go on

00:27:36.160 --> 00:27:36.900
 and on and on

00:27:36.900 --> 00:27:37.580
 into all eternity

00:27:37.580 --> 00:27:38.620
 and that's the ground

00:27:38.620 --> 00:27:40.060
 by which he's working on.

00:27:40.940 --> 00:27:41.960
 And so what we see here

00:27:41.960 --> 00:27:42.360
 in this prayer,

00:27:42.400 --> 00:27:43.060
 I'll just give you the prayer,

00:27:43.140 --> 00:27:43.860
 I'll try to unpack it

00:27:43.860 --> 00:27:44.600
 in another minute or two.

00:27:44.700 --> 00:27:45.700
 Lord, by your grace,

00:27:45.860 --> 00:27:46.620
 the second thing,

00:27:47.100 --> 00:27:48.080
 Lord, by your grace,

00:27:48.620 --> 00:27:49.820
 help me to die

00:27:49.820 --> 00:27:50.779
 to cynicism

00:27:50.779 --> 00:27:52.460
 and instead

00:27:52.460 --> 00:27:54.620
 grow in thankfulness to you.

00:27:55.140 --> 00:27:56.240
 Lord, by your grace,

00:27:56.240 --> 00:27:57.220
 help me to die

00:27:57.220 --> 00:27:58.140
 to cynicism

00:27:58.140 --> 00:27:59.359
 and instead

00:27:59.359 --> 00:28:02.660
 grow in thankfulness to you.

00:28:03.500 --> 00:28:04.620
 Back when I was still able

00:28:04.620 --> 00:28:05.620
 to go to coffee shops

00:28:05.620 --> 00:28:06.440
 and talk to people,

00:28:06.500 --> 00:28:08.099
 I was talking to a business person.

00:28:08.200 --> 00:28:09.200
 We're talking about attitudes

00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:11.700
 and we got talking

00:28:11.700 --> 00:28:12.200
 about the fact

00:28:12.200 --> 00:28:12.720
 that if you have

00:28:12.720 --> 00:28:14.039
 a certain type of attitude,

00:28:14.620 --> 00:28:16.140
 there's lots of foolish people

00:28:16.140 --> 00:28:16.579
 who think that

00:28:16.579 --> 00:28:17.539
 if you have a good attitude,

00:28:17.759 --> 00:28:18.579
 then only good things

00:28:18.579 --> 00:28:19.279
 will happen to you

00:28:19.279 --> 00:28:19.900
 and bad things

00:28:19.900 --> 00:28:20.740
 won't happen to you.

00:28:21.180 --> 00:28:21.960
 And we both agreed

00:28:21.960 --> 00:28:22.920
 that that's just foolish.

00:28:23.120 --> 00:28:24.460
 That's in fact not the case.

00:28:24.460 --> 00:28:25.700
 You can have the best attitude

00:28:25.700 --> 00:28:26.140
 in the world

00:28:26.140 --> 00:28:27.380
 and all sorts of crappy things

00:28:27.380 --> 00:28:28.180
 will happen to you.

00:28:28.579 --> 00:28:29.480
 But what is true

00:28:29.480 --> 00:28:30.600
 is that if you have

00:28:30.600 --> 00:28:31.700
 a better attitude,

00:28:32.019 --> 00:28:33.360
 you have far more resources

00:28:33.360 --> 00:28:34.340
 to deal with

00:28:34.340 --> 00:28:35.660
 what's in front of you.

00:28:36.100 --> 00:28:36.559
 To deal,

00:28:36.920 --> 00:28:37.340
 to in a sense,

00:28:37.440 --> 00:28:38.660
 my sleeves don't have

00:28:38.660 --> 00:28:39.259
 to be rolled up.

00:28:39.319 --> 00:28:40.660
 To roll up your sleeves

00:28:40.660 --> 00:28:41.740
 and deal with the world

00:28:41.740 --> 00:28:42.200
 as it is.

00:28:42.220 --> 00:28:42.620
 As I said,

00:28:42.680 --> 00:28:43.400
 the rest of the letter,

00:28:43.940 --> 00:28:44.980
 Paul is going to be dealing

00:28:44.980 --> 00:28:46.279
 with hypocrisy.

00:28:46.420 --> 00:28:47.100
 He's going to be dealing

00:28:47.100 --> 00:28:47.840
 with religion,

00:28:48.059 --> 00:28:48.819
 with irreligion,

00:28:48.960 --> 00:28:50.500
 with selfish ambition,

00:28:50.500 --> 00:28:53.359
 with people who think

00:28:53.359 --> 00:28:54.539
 they're super spiritual,

00:28:55.119 --> 00:28:56.420
 with people having fights.

00:28:56.559 --> 00:28:57.019
 He's going to be dealing

00:28:57.019 --> 00:28:57.799
 with a lot of different

00:28:57.799 --> 00:28:58.619
 types of things.

00:28:59.019 --> 00:28:59.759
 So it isn't as if

00:28:59.759 --> 00:29:00.380
 Paul is saying,

00:29:00.779 --> 00:29:02.339
 Lord,

00:29:02.720 --> 00:29:04.859
 give me rose-colored glasses

00:29:04.859 --> 00:29:06.119
 so I only see the world

00:29:06.119 --> 00:29:06.960
 in a certain way.

00:29:07.619 --> 00:29:08.019
 No,

00:29:08.140 --> 00:29:08.599
 the problem,

00:29:09.000 --> 00:29:09.140
 every,

00:29:09.359 --> 00:29:10.339
 one of the big problems

00:29:10.339 --> 00:29:10.880
 that people have

00:29:10.880 --> 00:29:11.619
 with reading the Bible

00:29:11.619 --> 00:29:13.259
 is that it's so profoundly

00:29:13.259 --> 00:29:13.880
 realistic,

00:29:13.880 --> 00:29:15.460
 but it's never cynical.

00:29:16.299 --> 00:29:17.279
 And that even when it talks

00:29:17.279 --> 00:29:19.180
 about the evil in the world,

00:29:19.279 --> 00:29:20.400
 it talks about the evil

00:29:20.400 --> 00:29:20.819
 in the world

00:29:20.819 --> 00:29:21.620
 and the evil in you

00:29:21.620 --> 00:29:22.220
 in such a way

00:29:22.220 --> 00:29:23.440
 that God wants to connect

00:29:23.440 --> 00:29:24.079
 with you,

00:29:24.340 --> 00:29:25.660
 not to drive you away.

00:29:26.120 --> 00:29:27.120
 That's the problem

00:29:27.120 --> 00:29:28.440
 we have when we read the Bible.

00:29:28.759 --> 00:29:29.660
 It's the opposite

00:29:29.660 --> 00:29:31.380
 from it being rose-colored glasses

00:29:31.380 --> 00:29:33.000
 as we flinch

00:29:33.000 --> 00:29:35.019
 from its moral

00:29:35.019 --> 00:29:38.220
 and psychological realism

00:29:38.220 --> 00:29:39.440
 and power

00:29:39.440 --> 00:29:40.840
 without cynicism.

00:29:42.279 --> 00:29:43.440
 And so here Paul is saying,

00:29:43.539 --> 00:29:43.700
 remember,

00:29:43.840 --> 00:29:44.900
 so why is he saying this?

00:29:44.900 --> 00:29:46.140
 And here's where

00:29:46.140 --> 00:29:46.480
 it's really,

00:29:46.660 --> 00:29:47.019
 really helpful

00:29:47.019 --> 00:29:48.120
 for us to think about it.

00:29:49.040 --> 00:29:49.960
 And by the way,

00:29:50.000 --> 00:29:50.800
 these little prayers,

00:29:51.220 --> 00:29:52.840
 I should mention this.

00:29:53.060 --> 00:29:54.519
 I forgot to mention it

00:29:54.519 --> 00:29:55.680
 because I'm trying

00:29:55.680 --> 00:29:56.720
 to spend less time

00:29:56.720 --> 00:29:57.400
 looking at my notes

00:29:57.400 --> 00:29:58.140
 and more time

00:29:58.140 --> 00:29:59.080
 actually trying

00:29:59.080 --> 00:29:59.980
 to have a conversation

00:29:59.980 --> 00:30:01.100
 with you.

00:30:02.860 --> 00:30:03.620
 These prayers

00:30:03.620 --> 00:30:04.100
 are all about

00:30:04.100 --> 00:30:05.259
 his prayers for Christians.

00:30:06.180 --> 00:30:06.800
 There's going to be

00:30:06.800 --> 00:30:07.800
 other places in the book

00:30:07.800 --> 00:30:08.740
 where he talks about

00:30:08.740 --> 00:30:09.720
 non-Christians,

00:30:09.840 --> 00:30:10.519
 but here what you're

00:30:10.519 --> 00:30:11.320
 listening into is

00:30:11.320 --> 00:30:12.080
 how a Christian

00:30:12.080 --> 00:30:12.580
 should pray

00:30:12.580 --> 00:30:13.480
 for another Christian.

00:30:13.480 --> 00:30:15.559
 And I want to tell you,

00:30:15.759 --> 00:30:16.019
 I mean,

00:30:16.259 --> 00:30:17.779
 if you're still trying

00:30:17.779 --> 00:30:18.240
 to figure out

00:30:18.240 --> 00:30:19.440
 where Christianity is

00:30:19.440 --> 00:30:20.839
 and whether it's true or not,

00:30:21.099 --> 00:30:22.099
 you already know this.

00:30:22.640 --> 00:30:23.140
 We Christians

00:30:23.140 --> 00:30:24.279
 can be just as cynical

00:30:24.279 --> 00:30:25.579
 and full of backbiting

00:30:25.579 --> 00:30:26.940
 and bad behavior

00:30:26.940 --> 00:30:28.559
 as anybody else

00:30:28.559 --> 00:30:29.279
 and especially

00:30:29.279 --> 00:30:30.299
 towards other Christians.

00:30:31.220 --> 00:30:33.339
 But here's where Paul begins

00:30:33.339 --> 00:30:34.380
 in his thinking

00:30:34.380 --> 00:30:35.380
 about other Christians.

00:30:35.519 --> 00:30:36.620
 You're getting a chance

00:30:36.620 --> 00:30:37.019
 in a sense

00:30:37.019 --> 00:30:37.720
 to hear how Paul

00:30:37.720 --> 00:30:38.920
 thinks about other Christians.

00:30:38.920 --> 00:30:39.039
 Christians.

00:30:39.800 --> 00:30:41.240
 And the better way,

00:30:41.440 --> 00:30:42.480
 the better place

00:30:42.480 --> 00:30:44.380
 to deal with problems

00:30:44.380 --> 00:30:45.580
 amongst Christians

00:30:45.580 --> 00:30:46.820
 is when we're praying

00:30:46.820 --> 00:30:48.039
 a prayer like this.

00:30:48.759 --> 00:30:50.259
 Like rather than dealing,

00:30:50.519 --> 00:30:51.279
 beginning with,

00:30:52.080 --> 00:30:54.600
 it's because of your malice

00:30:54.600 --> 00:30:55.560
 that this is screwed up

00:30:55.560 --> 00:30:57.180
 or it's because of your incompetence

00:30:57.180 --> 00:30:58.180
 that this is screwed up

00:30:58.180 --> 00:30:59.500
 or I know you

00:30:59.500 --> 00:31:00.480
 but you don't know me

00:31:00.480 --> 00:31:01.660
 and because I know you

00:31:01.660 --> 00:31:03.180
 this is what you're really doing.

00:31:03.960 --> 00:31:05.700
 A better place to begin with

00:31:05.700 --> 00:31:07.640
 is thankfulness for them

00:31:07.640 --> 00:31:09.140
 because the fact of the matter is

00:31:09.140 --> 00:31:09.780
 is that when you,

00:31:09.980 --> 00:31:10.480
 if you,

00:31:10.680 --> 00:31:12.140
 as a result of this talk

00:31:12.140 --> 00:31:13.500
 and God's grace in you,

00:31:13.560 --> 00:31:14.940
 you give your life to Jesus,

00:31:15.060 --> 00:31:15.780
 you have now become

00:31:15.780 --> 00:31:17.500
 my brother or my sister.

00:31:20.220 --> 00:31:21.540
 You have a new identity.

00:31:23.080 --> 00:31:24.040
 It might be that

00:31:24.040 --> 00:31:25.420
 before you gave your life to Jesus,

00:31:25.540 --> 00:31:26.460
 you thought of your identity

00:31:26.460 --> 00:31:27.880
 as being primarily Canadian

00:31:27.880 --> 00:31:29.080
 or primarily Chinese

00:31:29.080 --> 00:31:31.120
 or primarily black

00:31:31.120 --> 00:31:32.560
 or primarily white

00:31:32.560 --> 00:31:33.820
 or primarily PhD

00:31:33.820 --> 00:31:36.660
 or primarily working class

00:31:36.660 --> 00:31:37.880
 or primarily gay

00:31:37.880 --> 00:31:39.940
 or primarily transgender

00:31:39.940 --> 00:31:41.100
 or primarily straight

00:31:41.100 --> 00:31:42.340
 but when you give your life to Jesus,

00:31:42.460 --> 00:31:43.340
 you get a new identity.

00:31:46.279 --> 00:31:47.080
 Part of, in fact,

00:31:47.140 --> 00:31:48.140
 the Christian life

00:31:48.140 --> 00:31:49.500
 is learning to die

00:31:49.500 --> 00:31:50.920
 to all those other identities,

00:31:51.200 --> 00:31:52.380
 to receive an identity

00:31:52.380 --> 00:31:53.640
 based on grace

00:31:53.640 --> 00:31:55.900
 that goes on into all eternity

00:31:55.900 --> 00:31:57.720
 and your new identity

00:31:57.720 --> 00:31:59.160
 is brother

00:31:59.160 --> 00:32:00.380
 or sister

00:32:00.380 --> 00:32:01.820
 to me

00:32:01.820 --> 00:32:03.460
 and I

00:32:03.460 --> 00:32:04.880
 have become,

00:32:05.820 --> 00:32:07.680
 when you give your life to Jesus,

00:32:08.120 --> 00:32:08.740
 your brother.

00:32:10.660 --> 00:32:12.120
 And if, in fact,

00:32:12.840 --> 00:32:13.860
 God's grace

00:32:13.860 --> 00:32:15.180
 has been working in me,

00:32:16.360 --> 00:32:18.960
 then isn't it a wise thing

00:32:18.960 --> 00:32:19.680
 to begin

00:32:19.680 --> 00:32:20.519
 when we want to start

00:32:20.519 --> 00:32:21.860
 to deal with selfish ambition

00:32:21.860 --> 00:32:23.420
 and other types of things

00:32:23.420 --> 00:32:24.460
 because we do bad things

00:32:24.460 --> 00:32:25.019
 to each other.

00:32:25.519 --> 00:32:25.960
 Excuse me.

00:32:26.759 --> 00:32:27.360
 Excuse me.

00:32:27.580 --> 00:32:27.980
 Allergies.

00:32:28.320 --> 00:32:29.380
 It makes me a bit,

00:32:30.340 --> 00:32:31.660
 sound a bit rough sometimes.

00:32:32.460 --> 00:32:32.900
 But, Lord,

00:32:33.000 --> 00:32:33.620
 by your grace,

00:32:33.700 --> 00:32:34.519
 help me to die

00:32:34.519 --> 00:32:35.580
 to cynicism

00:32:35.580 --> 00:32:37.060
 and instead

00:32:37.060 --> 00:32:38.200
 grow in thankfulness

00:32:38.200 --> 00:32:38.580
 to you

00:32:38.580 --> 00:32:40.019
 when I think of other Christians

00:32:40.019 --> 00:32:41.180
 to begin with thankfulness.

00:32:41.580 --> 00:32:41.960
 Why?

00:32:42.080 --> 00:32:42.800
 Because they're my brothers

00:32:42.800 --> 00:32:43.860
 and sisters in Christ.

00:32:45.960 --> 00:32:47.740
 And it's a far better place

00:32:47.740 --> 00:32:48.440
 to begin with

00:32:48.440 --> 00:32:49.580
 to walk through

00:32:49.580 --> 00:32:50.340
 and to think through

00:32:50.340 --> 00:32:53.460
 the different problems

00:32:53.460 --> 00:32:54.759
 that I have to face.

00:32:54.840 --> 00:32:55.420
 It looks like

00:32:55.420 --> 00:32:56.039
 somebody's going to be

00:32:56.039 --> 00:32:57.059
 bringing me some water.

00:32:57.799 --> 00:32:58.680
 We're live.

00:33:02.960 --> 00:33:03.779
 That will help.

00:33:03.860 --> 00:33:04.920
 Thank you very much, Daniel.

00:33:05.799 --> 00:33:06.200
 So,

00:33:06.840 --> 00:33:08.340
 that's just a beginning prayer

00:33:08.340 --> 00:33:10.680
 for you and for me

00:33:10.680 --> 00:33:12.160
 to try to combat it.

00:33:12.320 --> 00:33:12.740
 And by the way,

00:33:12.759 --> 00:33:13.660
 it's a really interesting thing.

00:33:13.759 --> 00:33:14.700
 Notice here again in it,

00:33:15.120 --> 00:33:16.000
 I thank my God

00:33:16.000 --> 00:33:17.360
 in all my remembrance of you.

00:33:17.440 --> 00:33:17.960
 Verse 3,

00:33:17.960 --> 00:33:19.559
 always in every prayer of mine

00:33:19.559 --> 00:33:20.420
 for you all,

00:33:20.519 --> 00:33:21.860
 making my prayer with joy

00:33:21.860 --> 00:33:23.539
 because of your partnership

00:33:23.539 --> 00:33:24.259
 in the gospel

00:33:24.259 --> 00:33:25.700
 from the first day until now.

00:33:26.360 --> 00:33:27.480
 Just a bit of an aside.

00:33:27.700 --> 00:33:28.900
 If you seek joy,

00:33:28.980 --> 00:33:30.100
 you'll never find it.

00:33:31.180 --> 00:33:32.400
 Joy is a byproduct.

00:33:33.980 --> 00:33:35.279
 If you want to increase

00:33:35.279 --> 00:33:36.680
 the joy in your life,

00:33:37.819 --> 00:33:40.519
 begin with thanking God

00:33:40.519 --> 00:33:41.360
 for his grace

00:33:41.360 --> 00:33:43.480
 and being thankful to God.

00:33:45.220 --> 00:33:46.140
 And that's something

00:33:46.140 --> 00:33:47.240
 you can work on.

00:33:47.960 --> 00:33:50.160
 Trying to push yourself

00:33:50.160 --> 00:33:51.660
 to start being more joyful,

00:33:51.880 --> 00:33:53.840
 that's just psychological manipulation.

00:33:55.259 --> 00:33:56.259
 But in fact,

00:33:56.319 --> 00:33:57.559
 if God has taken a person

00:33:57.559 --> 00:33:58.460
 like you and me

00:33:58.460 --> 00:34:01.079
 and bestowed upon us

00:34:01.079 --> 00:34:02.019
 unmerited favor,

00:34:02.019 --> 00:34:05.759
 that will go on

00:34:05.759 --> 00:34:06.619
 into all eternity,

00:34:07.619 --> 00:34:08.800
 thankfulness is always

00:34:08.800 --> 00:34:09.980
 the right place to begin.

00:34:10.300 --> 00:34:11.019
 And it's the right place

00:34:11.019 --> 00:34:11.519
 to begin

00:34:11.519 --> 00:34:13.300
 when we want to solve problems

00:34:13.300 --> 00:34:14.559
 with other Christians.

00:34:15.659 --> 00:34:16.780
 A couple of other points.

00:34:16.860 --> 00:34:17.880
 Let's look at verse 6.

00:34:20.079 --> 00:34:21.380
 And I am sure of this,

00:34:22.079 --> 00:34:23.039
 that he who began

00:34:23.039 --> 00:34:24.320
 a good work in you

00:34:24.320 --> 00:34:26.059
 will bring it to completion

00:34:26.059 --> 00:34:27.719
 at the day of Jesus Christ.

00:34:27.759 --> 00:34:28.539
 It's referring to

00:34:28.539 --> 00:34:30.400
 the fact that Jesus will return.

00:34:30.400 --> 00:34:32.059
 It is right

00:34:32.059 --> 00:34:33.760
 for me to feel,

00:34:34.139 --> 00:34:35.180
 and actually the word

00:34:35.180 --> 00:34:36.160
 is more than feel,

00:34:36.240 --> 00:34:37.599
 it's talking about affection.

00:34:38.180 --> 00:34:39.019
 It's talking about

00:34:39.019 --> 00:34:40.860
 both a mindset

00:34:40.860 --> 00:34:42.300
 and an attitude

00:34:42.300 --> 00:34:44.220
 and a habit of thinking.

00:34:44.980 --> 00:34:46.380
 And it uses the word here,

00:34:46.539 --> 00:34:46.860
 feel,

00:34:47.019 --> 00:34:47.880
 because there's not really

00:34:47.880 --> 00:34:49.039
 a good English

00:34:49.039 --> 00:34:50.000
 single,

00:34:51.000 --> 00:34:52.220
 simple,

00:34:52.599 --> 00:34:54.240
 I'm a communicator,

00:34:54.340 --> 00:34:54.940
 as you can tell,

00:34:55.360 --> 00:34:58.240
 simple English word for it.

00:34:58.239 --> 00:34:58.919
 But it's a combination

00:34:58.919 --> 00:34:59.719
 of a mindset,

00:34:59.919 --> 00:35:00.599
 an attitude,

00:35:01.379 --> 00:35:03.419
 a habit of thinking.

00:35:03.419 --> 00:35:04.699
 It's a type of affection

00:35:04.699 --> 00:35:05.539
 for the others.

00:35:05.699 --> 00:35:05.819
 So,

00:35:06.259 --> 00:35:07.139
 it is right for me

00:35:07.139 --> 00:35:08.279
 to have this affection,

00:35:08.459 --> 00:35:09.359
 to think this way

00:35:09.359 --> 00:35:10.239
 about you all,

00:35:10.319 --> 00:35:11.359
 because I hold you

00:35:11.359 --> 00:35:12.000
 in my heart.

00:35:12.459 --> 00:35:14.000
 For you are all partakers

00:35:14.000 --> 00:35:15.439
 with me of grace,

00:35:15.919 --> 00:35:17.339
 both in my imprisonment

00:35:17.339 --> 00:35:18.319
 and in the defense

00:35:18.319 --> 00:35:19.019
 and confirmation

00:35:19.019 --> 00:35:19.919
 of the gospel.

00:35:20.500 --> 00:35:21.659
 For God is my witness,

00:35:21.759 --> 00:35:22.939
 how I yearn for you all

00:35:22.939 --> 00:35:24.099
 with the affection

00:35:24.099 --> 00:35:25.679
 of Christ Jesus.

00:35:25.679 --> 00:35:25.799
 Jesus,

00:35:26.359 --> 00:35:27.480
 here's the third prayer.

00:35:28.219 --> 00:35:29.000
 It really comes out

00:35:29.000 --> 00:35:29.679
 of verse 6.

00:35:30.359 --> 00:35:30.519
 Lord,

00:35:30.619 --> 00:35:31.379
 by your grace,

00:35:31.940 --> 00:35:33.179
 help me to put to death

00:35:33.179 --> 00:35:34.039
 my confidence

00:35:34.039 --> 00:35:35.379
 in my work

00:35:35.379 --> 00:35:36.799
 and instead,

00:35:37.839 --> 00:35:38.759
 grow in me

00:35:38.759 --> 00:35:40.019
 great confidence

00:35:40.019 --> 00:35:43.159
 that you work in me

00:35:43.159 --> 00:35:44.099
 for my eternal good.

00:35:44.139 --> 00:35:45.259
 I can't read my own writing.

00:35:45.579 --> 00:35:46.599
 I'll say it again.

00:35:47.259 --> 00:35:47.739
 Lord,

00:35:47.859 --> 00:35:48.719
 by your grace,

00:35:49.159 --> 00:35:50.399
 help me to put to death

00:35:50.399 --> 00:35:51.239
 my confidence

00:35:51.239 --> 00:35:52.440
 in my work

00:35:52.440 --> 00:35:53.759
 and instead,

00:35:54.159 --> 00:35:54.879
 grow in me

00:35:54.880 --> 00:35:55.800
 great confidence

00:35:55.800 --> 00:35:57.860
 that you work in me

00:35:57.860 --> 00:35:59.180
 for my eternal good.

00:35:59.599 --> 00:35:59.880
 You see,

00:35:59.940 --> 00:36:00.880
 if we begin by praying

00:36:00.880 --> 00:36:01.700
 that for ourselves,

00:36:01.820 --> 00:36:02.619
 then we can pray that

00:36:02.619 --> 00:36:03.440
 for other people

00:36:03.440 --> 00:36:05.980
 because that's the emphasis here.

00:36:06.059 --> 00:36:06.260
 You see,

00:36:06.320 --> 00:36:07.160
 look at verse 6.

00:36:07.380 --> 00:36:07.920
 It says,

00:36:08.000 --> 00:36:09.079
 I am sure of this

00:36:09.079 --> 00:36:10.079
 that he who began

00:36:10.079 --> 00:36:11.000
 a good work in you

00:36:11.000 --> 00:36:12.240
 will bring it to completion

00:36:12.240 --> 00:36:13.900
 at the day of Jesus Christ.

00:36:13.960 --> 00:36:14.400
 In other words,

00:36:14.940 --> 00:36:16.140
 the work of grace,

00:36:16.160 --> 00:36:16.960
 when you receive

00:36:16.960 --> 00:36:17.980
 God's grace,

00:36:18.360 --> 00:36:19.820
 his unmerited kindness

00:36:19.820 --> 00:36:20.980
 to you

00:36:20.980 --> 00:36:21.660
 in a way

00:36:21.660 --> 00:36:23.000
 which is a power

00:36:23.000 --> 00:36:24.280
 in your life

00:36:24.280 --> 00:36:25.440
 to have you thrive

00:36:25.440 --> 00:36:27.880
 towards what is truly good.

00:36:28.280 --> 00:36:29.739
 He begins that in you.

00:36:29.860 --> 00:36:31.659
 Jesus comes to enter into you

00:36:31.659 --> 00:36:32.880
 and you enter into him.

00:36:32.940 --> 00:36:34.380
 The Holy Spirit comes into you.

00:36:34.420 --> 00:36:36.300
 The Father makes his home in you

00:36:36.300 --> 00:36:37.800
 and that will continue.

00:36:37.980 --> 00:36:38.820
 That work

00:36:38.820 --> 00:36:41.360
 of changing you

00:36:41.360 --> 00:36:42.820
 to live out of grace

00:36:42.820 --> 00:36:44.559
 is something

00:36:44.559 --> 00:36:45.980
 that you're never going to get perfect

00:36:45.980 --> 00:36:46.900
 but it's going to continue

00:36:46.900 --> 00:36:47.659
 to work in you

00:36:47.659 --> 00:36:48.659
 because not because

00:36:48.659 --> 00:36:50.059
 you're so good at doing it

00:36:50.059 --> 00:36:51.840
 but because it's God doing it.

00:36:51.840 --> 00:36:53.079
 The same God

00:36:53.079 --> 00:36:53.800
 who's showing you

00:36:53.800 --> 00:36:55.240
 unmerited kindness

00:36:55.240 --> 00:36:56.220
 with power

00:36:56.220 --> 00:36:57.800
 for your true good

00:36:57.800 --> 00:36:59.400
 and he's going to do it

00:36:59.400 --> 00:36:59.840
 and do it

00:36:59.840 --> 00:37:01.160
 and do it every day

00:37:01.160 --> 00:37:02.440
 and some days

00:37:02.440 --> 00:37:03.780
 you're going to really feel it

00:37:03.780 --> 00:37:04.480
 and it'll be good

00:37:04.480 --> 00:37:05.120
 and some days

00:37:05.120 --> 00:37:05.900
 you won't feel it

00:37:05.900 --> 00:37:07.480
 and you'll maybe feel

00:37:07.480 --> 00:37:08.740
 like the dark night of the soul

00:37:08.740 --> 00:37:09.440
 and some days

00:37:09.440 --> 00:37:09.940
 you'll realize

00:37:09.940 --> 00:37:11.559
 how much you transgressed against it

00:37:11.559 --> 00:37:12.539
 and the point is

00:37:12.539 --> 00:37:12.940
 to remember

00:37:12.940 --> 00:37:14.019
 that it's his work

00:37:14.019 --> 00:37:14.380
 in you

00:37:14.380 --> 00:37:15.200
 not your work

00:37:15.200 --> 00:37:17.120
 and if that's true of you

00:37:17.120 --> 00:37:17.920
 then it can be true

00:37:17.920 --> 00:37:19.320
 of the brothers and sisters

00:37:19.320 --> 00:37:20.539
 that you need to pray for.

00:37:20.539 --> 00:37:23.920
 Because the fact of the matter is

00:37:23.920 --> 00:37:25.480
 my brother and my sister

00:37:25.480 --> 00:37:28.599
 if you have opened yourself

00:37:28.599 --> 00:37:29.619
 to God's grace

00:37:29.619 --> 00:37:32.019
 the same thing that is true of me

00:37:32.019 --> 00:37:32.860
 is true of you.

00:37:34.779 --> 00:37:37.139
 It's confidence in his work in you

00:37:37.139 --> 00:37:38.159
 not your work

00:37:38.159 --> 00:37:41.239
 which we really need to be gripped by

00:37:41.239 --> 00:37:43.139
 to begin to be changed

00:37:43.139 --> 00:37:44.099
 and transformed.

00:37:45.000 --> 00:37:46.159
 One final thing

00:37:46.159 --> 00:37:47.759
 the final sentence

00:37:47.760 --> 00:37:48.600
 in the original Greek

00:37:48.600 --> 00:37:49.000
 by the way

00:37:49.000 --> 00:37:50.120
 a little nerdish point

00:37:50.120 --> 00:37:51.100
 verses 3 to 8

00:37:51.100 --> 00:37:52.420
 are one sentence in Greek

00:37:52.420 --> 00:37:53.980
 and verses 9 through 11

00:37:53.980 --> 00:37:55.940
 are a second sentence in Greek

00:37:55.940 --> 00:37:57.020
 and this one

00:37:57.020 --> 00:37:57.820
 just as we read it

00:37:57.820 --> 00:37:59.240
 because I've run out of time

00:37:59.240 --> 00:38:00.500
 the point will be

00:38:00.500 --> 00:38:01.140
 the fourth point

00:38:01.140 --> 00:38:01.440
 will be

00:38:01.440 --> 00:38:02.460
 Lord by your grace

00:38:02.460 --> 00:38:03.540
 please teach me

00:38:03.540 --> 00:38:04.080
 and help me

00:38:04.080 --> 00:38:05.340
 to pray for others.

00:38:06.540 --> 00:38:07.660
 Lord by your grace

00:38:07.660 --> 00:38:08.680
 please teach me

00:38:08.680 --> 00:38:09.180
 and help me

00:38:09.180 --> 00:38:09.980
 to pray for others

00:38:09.980 --> 00:38:10.380
 and this

00:38:10.380 --> 00:38:11.620
 this is in a sense

00:38:11.620 --> 00:38:13.160
 a bit of an outline of prayer

00:38:13.160 --> 00:38:14.760
 a bit of a lesson in prayer

00:38:14.760 --> 00:38:15.940
 about how you and I

00:38:15.940 --> 00:38:17.400
 should be praying for each other

00:38:17.400 --> 00:38:19.000
 listen to what he says

00:38:19.000 --> 00:38:20.579
 this is one of those texts

00:38:20.579 --> 00:38:21.559
 like you should memorize

00:38:21.559 --> 00:38:22.840
 verse 6 by the way

00:38:22.840 --> 00:38:23.179
 you should

00:38:23.179 --> 00:38:23.639
 you know

00:38:23.639 --> 00:38:24.980
 if you want to do something helpful

00:38:24.980 --> 00:38:26.460
 memorize verse 2

00:38:26.460 --> 00:38:28.619
 and then after you've memorized

00:38:28.619 --> 00:38:29.220
 verse 2

00:38:29.220 --> 00:38:30.800
 memorize verse 6

00:38:30.800 --> 00:38:32.780
 and then maybe

00:38:32.780 --> 00:38:33.740
 as a way to

00:38:33.740 --> 00:38:35.220
 to learn how to pray

00:38:35.220 --> 00:38:36.780
 take verses 9 to 11

00:38:36.780 --> 00:38:38.460
 and use it as a bit of a guide

00:38:38.460 --> 00:38:40.280
 as to how you can be praying for me

00:38:40.280 --> 00:38:42.519
 or for people in your local church

00:38:42.519 --> 00:38:45.679
 it's a brilliant

00:38:45.679 --> 00:38:47.480
 guide to prayer

00:38:47.480 --> 00:38:48.300
 that's why I said

00:38:48.300 --> 00:38:49.199
 Lord by your grace

00:38:49.199 --> 00:38:49.980
 please teach me

00:38:49.980 --> 00:38:51.199
 and help me to pray for others

00:38:51.199 --> 00:38:52.219
 and listen to what it says

00:38:52.219 --> 00:38:53.920
 and it is my prayer

00:38:53.920 --> 00:38:54.559
 verse 9

00:38:54.559 --> 00:38:56.000
 that your love

00:38:56.000 --> 00:38:57.280
 may abound

00:38:57.280 --> 00:38:58.860
 more and more

00:38:58.860 --> 00:39:01.119
 isn't that a wonderful thing

00:39:01.119 --> 00:39:02.039
 to pray for people

00:39:02.039 --> 00:39:02.800
 and love here

00:39:02.800 --> 00:39:03.960
 doesn't mean feelings

00:39:03.960 --> 00:39:05.119
 love is a verb

00:39:05.119 --> 00:39:06.099
 it's

00:39:06.099 --> 00:39:06.519
 an

00:39:06.519 --> 00:39:07.019
 an

00:39:07.019 --> 00:39:07.519
 an

00:39:07.519 --> 00:39:07.699
 an

00:39:07.699 --> 00:39:08.259
 action

00:39:08.259 --> 00:39:09.199
 an orientation

00:39:09.199 --> 00:39:09.980
 an action

00:39:09.980 --> 00:39:10.780
 towards seeking

00:39:10.780 --> 00:39:11.559
 the true good

00:39:11.559 --> 00:39:12.500
 of the other person

00:39:12.500 --> 00:39:14.420
 so he says

00:39:14.420 --> 00:39:15.340
 here's how you pray

00:39:15.340 --> 00:39:17.119
 that your love

00:39:17.119 --> 00:39:17.940
 may abound

00:39:17.940 --> 00:39:18.659
 more and more

00:39:18.659 --> 00:39:20.360
 and not only that

00:39:20.360 --> 00:39:20.880
 but you're

00:39:20.880 --> 00:39:21.900
 you're at the same time

00:39:21.900 --> 00:39:22.679
 that you want their love

00:39:22.679 --> 00:39:23.299
 to grow

00:39:23.299 --> 00:39:24.480
 you want their knowledge

00:39:24.480 --> 00:39:25.320
 and discernment

00:39:25.320 --> 00:39:26.099
 to grow as well

00:39:26.099 --> 00:39:26.779
 with knowledge

00:39:26.779 --> 00:39:28.019
 and all discernment

00:39:28.019 --> 00:39:28.739
 verse 10

00:39:28.739 --> 00:39:30.679
 why so that you may approve

00:39:30.679 --> 00:39:31.559
 what is excellent

00:39:31.559 --> 00:39:32.440
 and excellent here

00:39:32.440 --> 00:39:33.699
 means what is necessary

00:39:33.699 --> 00:39:35.320
 to thrive in the Christian life

00:39:35.320 --> 00:39:36.639
 that's what it means

00:39:36.639 --> 00:39:37.199
 it doesn't mean

00:39:37.199 --> 00:39:38.699
 Shakespeare and Bach

00:39:38.699 --> 00:39:40.559
 it means what's necessary

00:39:40.559 --> 00:39:41.340
 to thrive

00:39:41.340 --> 00:39:42.699
 in the Christian life

00:39:42.699 --> 00:39:43.820
 why

00:39:43.820 --> 00:39:45.039
 and so be pure

00:39:45.039 --> 00:39:45.799
 and blameless

00:39:45.799 --> 00:39:46.759
 for the day of Christ

00:39:46.759 --> 00:39:47.880
 we want to pray

00:39:47.880 --> 00:39:49.299
 that people are pure

00:39:49.299 --> 00:39:51.340
 that we're not insincere

00:39:51.340 --> 00:39:52.500
 we're not manipulative

00:39:52.500 --> 00:39:53.500
 that we're pure

00:39:53.500 --> 00:39:53.920
 and that

00:39:53.920 --> 00:39:55.039
 that we're

00:39:55.039 --> 00:39:56.320
 that what you see

00:39:56.320 --> 00:39:57.039
 is what you get

00:39:57.039 --> 00:39:57.579
 and and

00:39:57.579 --> 00:39:59.059
 and if we try to show love

00:39:59.059 --> 00:39:59.579
 it's not

00:39:59.579 --> 00:40:00.759
 out of manipulation

00:40:00.759 --> 00:40:01.940
 not out of get private gain

00:40:01.940 --> 00:40:02.860
 that's why by the way

00:40:02.860 --> 00:40:03.159
 you know

00:40:03.159 --> 00:40:04.679
 if we can help you

00:40:04.679 --> 00:40:05.380
 in some way

00:40:05.380 --> 00:40:06.199
 let us know

00:40:06.199 --> 00:40:07.119
 we'd love to help you

00:40:07.119 --> 00:40:08.819
 we'll do our best

00:40:08.819 --> 00:40:09.739
 to try to help you

00:40:09.739 --> 00:40:11.179
 and then

00:40:11.179 --> 00:40:12.199
 and then verse 11

00:40:12.199 --> 00:40:13.359
 filled with the fruit

00:40:13.359 --> 00:40:14.019
 of righteousness

00:40:14.019 --> 00:40:15.139
 that comes through

00:40:15.139 --> 00:40:16.079
 Jesus Christ

00:40:16.079 --> 00:40:17.099
 to the glory

00:40:17.099 --> 00:40:18.119
 and praise of God

00:40:18.119 --> 00:40:19.880
 Lord by your grace

00:40:19.880 --> 00:40:20.759
 please teach me

00:40:20.759 --> 00:40:21.259
 and help me

00:40:21.259 --> 00:40:22.319
 to pray for others

00:40:22.319 --> 00:40:23.559
 and verses 9 to 11

00:40:23.559 --> 00:40:24.579
 are a brilliant way

00:40:24.579 --> 00:40:25.359
 to learn how to pray

00:40:25.359 --> 00:40:25.719
 for others

00:40:25.719 --> 00:40:27.380
 just want to wrap it up

00:40:27.380 --> 00:40:28.420
 friends

00:40:28.420 --> 00:40:31.239
 as I hope

00:40:31.239 --> 00:40:32.380
 you've seen with this

00:40:32.380 --> 00:40:32.880
 by the way

00:40:32.880 --> 00:40:33.699
 I'm not saying

00:40:33.699 --> 00:40:35.199
 that I've arrived

00:40:35.199 --> 00:40:35.980
 I've made it

00:40:35.980 --> 00:40:36.719
 or anything like that

00:40:36.719 --> 00:40:37.299
 but what I know

00:40:37.299 --> 00:40:38.379
 is is this

00:40:38.379 --> 00:40:40.960
 God's fundamental way

00:40:40.960 --> 00:40:42.619
 fundamental way

00:40:42.619 --> 00:40:43.179
 of wanting to deal

00:40:43.179 --> 00:40:44.019
 with you is grace

00:40:44.019 --> 00:40:45.399
 he offers you

00:40:45.399 --> 00:40:46.079
 his grace

00:40:46.079 --> 00:40:47.099
 and that's why

00:40:47.099 --> 00:40:48.099
 the very first prayers

00:40:48.099 --> 00:40:49.199
 may be the most important

00:40:49.199 --> 00:40:50.019
 one for all of this

00:40:50.019 --> 00:40:50.619
 is a takeaway

00:40:50.619 --> 00:40:51.839
 Lord please grow in me

00:40:51.839 --> 00:40:52.439
 a humble

00:40:52.439 --> 00:40:53.399
 trusting

00:40:53.399 --> 00:40:54.339
 remembering

00:40:54.339 --> 00:40:55.639
 of your gift

00:40:55.639 --> 00:40:56.579
 of grace

00:40:56.579 --> 00:40:57.879
 and peace to me

00:40:57.879 --> 00:40:59.139
 that can be a prayer

00:40:59.139 --> 00:41:00.259
 for the rest of your life

00:41:00.259 --> 00:41:01.259
 let's pray

00:41:01.259 --> 00:41:03.059
 Father we ask

00:41:03.059 --> 00:41:04.219
 that the Holy Spirit

00:41:04.219 --> 00:41:04.719
 would fall

00:41:04.719 --> 00:41:05.619
 with might and power

00:41:05.619 --> 00:41:06.419
 and deep conviction

00:41:06.419 --> 00:41:07.719
 upon all who are

00:41:07.719 --> 00:41:08.359
 listening in

00:41:08.359 --> 00:41:09.179
 and watching in

00:41:09.179 --> 00:41:10.399
 we ask Lord

00:41:10.399 --> 00:41:11.139
 that you would grow

00:41:11.139 --> 00:41:12.099
 in each one of us

00:41:12.099 --> 00:41:12.839
 grow in me

00:41:12.839 --> 00:41:13.519
 a humble

00:41:13.519 --> 00:41:14.699
 trusting remembering

00:41:14.699 --> 00:41:15.779
 of your gift

00:41:15.779 --> 00:41:16.279
 of grace

00:41:16.279 --> 00:41:16.879
 and peace

00:41:16.879 --> 00:41:17.739
 to me

00:41:17.739 --> 00:41:19.239
 and all God's people

00:41:19.239 --> 00:41:19.559
 said

00:41:19.559 --> 00:41:20.379
 Amen