WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.839 Well, good morning, everyone. My name's Steve. I've met you before. I'll leave past here at St. Paul's. 00:00:06.379 --> 00:00:14.900 And if you've just joined into amongst us right now, just checked in for the first time in 2026, 00:00:14.900 --> 00:00:29.039 we are really beginning this year asking the question, is it still reasonable and desirable or good to be Christian in 2026? 00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:37.799 Given that 45% of our neighbourhood declare that they are not religious people at all, they are secularists, 00:00:38.439 --> 00:00:47.099 and that in our neighbourhood, we are, in fact, significantly lower than the state and national average on people who claim to be Christians. 00:00:47.519 --> 00:00:55.219 So, you know, working on the assumption that we are the minority here, is it still reasonable to be Christian in 2026? 00:00:55.219 --> 00:01:03.719 And that's kind of what we're doing. And our main focus as we do that is the bold claim of Jesus in John 14, 6, 00:01:04.280 --> 00:01:15.879 to be the way, the truth and the life, exclusively the way to God, exclusively the truth for all of humanity and the life for all of humanity. 00:01:15.879 --> 00:01:26.199 And so my focus today, as we unpack those three statements over three weeks, is the claim for Jesus to be the truth, 00:01:26.299 --> 00:01:36.039 that is exclusive truth, authority of truth for all people, all times, all cultures that exist outside of the world in which we live. 00:01:36.040 --> 00:02:06.020 So that's what we're looking at. 00:02:06.019 --> 00:02:17.299 And that is, something is regarded as being true, being truthful, if it matches external facts and reality. 00:02:18.359 --> 00:02:19.719 It corresponds with. 00:02:20.099 --> 00:02:26.919 That is, a statement is true, a proposition is true when it matches reality. 00:02:26.919 --> 00:02:45.759 Linked with the correspondence theory is the coherence theory, and that is, a statement or proposition is true if it fits logically and consistently with a whole system of other statements and propositions that fit with reality and facts. 00:02:45.759 --> 00:02:54.899 So combined together, it corresponds with, and it's internally coherent, and therefore it's true. 00:02:56.759 --> 00:03:06.340 In both cases, facts and reality are things which are external from us. 00:03:06.340 --> 00:03:16.939 In a postmodern world, which we're being marinating in for many decades now, truth is viewed as being constructed. 00:03:17.939 --> 00:03:34.879 It's constructed by beliefs, by language, by cultures, and therefore truth is not aligned to an independent reality which has authority over all people of all times. 00:03:34.879 --> 00:03:42.219 So every individual group or culture can come up with its own version of truth. 00:03:43.159 --> 00:03:48.900 We now, however, live in a time called the post-truth era. 00:03:48.900 --> 00:03:58.080 And in 2016, Oxford Dictionary selected post-truth as its word of the year. 00:03:58.819 --> 00:04:13.180 It defines post-truth as an adjective relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief. 00:04:13.180 --> 00:04:14.180 Post-truth. 00:04:14.180 --> 00:04:18.220 So post-truth as a concept exploded. 00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:29.160 It really began in 1992 with a judgment which was passed down by a Supreme Court judge in the US, 00:04:29.720 --> 00:04:43.100 but has exploded in 2016 linked to the US presidential election that saw Donald Trump elected as the president of the US. 00:04:43.180 --> 00:04:46.620 That is the concept of fake news. 00:04:46.740 --> 00:04:53.519 And post-truth exploded 2,000% in the latter stages of 2016. 00:04:54.959 --> 00:05:03.280 And I think you'd search in vain to find a more apt description of our age of expressive individualism 00:05:03.279 --> 00:05:16.959 where all forms of universal truth, any claim to universal truth, to exclusive truth, like Jesus does here in John 14, is rejected. 00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:31.719 The irony of that is to declare that there is no such thing as a universal truth is itself a claim to universal truth. 00:05:33.319 --> 00:05:34.819 That's the irony of it. 00:05:35.879 --> 00:05:37.839 It's a universal truth claim. 00:05:37.839 --> 00:05:46.219 And expressive individualism suggests that truth lies, which is the post-truth era, 00:05:46.899 --> 00:05:50.779 that truth lies within each individual. 00:05:52.399 --> 00:05:59.579 And to find true liberty, true freedom as an individual, 00:05:59.579 --> 00:06:03.419 you must discover that truth that is within you. 00:06:04.719 --> 00:06:05.459 Within you. 00:06:07.519 --> 00:06:08.740 And live it. 00:06:08.740 --> 00:06:15.919 In all its forms, regardless of any other person's opinion. 00:06:15.920 --> 00:06:22.300 Because personal liberty is the highest value, 00:06:23.060 --> 00:06:30.280 then any truth that constrains my view of myself 00:06:30.280 --> 00:06:36.980 is regarded as oppressive and therefore must be rejected. 00:06:36.980 --> 00:06:46.700 In a post-truth world, answers to life's big questions no longer need to correspond to reality, 00:06:47.080 --> 00:06:48.379 to fact at all. 00:06:49.100 --> 00:06:56.240 They just simply need to cater to my desires and my perceptions of the world. 00:07:00.439 --> 00:07:03.420 So what is it here that Jesus is saying? 00:07:03.420 --> 00:07:08.300 What is he claiming when he claims to be the truth? 00:07:10.000 --> 00:07:12.480 To answer that question, what we need to do is to step back 00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:16.840 and have a really broad sweep of the Christian worldview, if you like. 00:07:18.240 --> 00:07:28.240 The Bible begins by declaring that there was no reality except God at the very beginning. 00:07:29.139 --> 00:07:32.460 And that in that sense, God is ultimate reality. 00:07:32.459 --> 00:07:35.939 God stands outside of all things that are created. 00:07:36.099 --> 00:07:38.859 He's beyond all things that exist. 00:07:39.259 --> 00:07:41.120 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 00:07:41.219 --> 00:07:43.019 Now the earth was formless and empty. 00:07:43.319 --> 00:07:48.060 That is, before anything was made, anything could be measured, 00:07:48.359 --> 00:07:50.919 before anything could be measured, there was God. 00:07:51.060 --> 00:07:51.779 God was. 00:07:52.839 --> 00:07:56.519 And then this God speaks. 00:07:57.039 --> 00:07:58.179 He communicates. 00:07:58.180 --> 00:08:03.259 And when he speaks, he creates physical reality. 00:08:03.780 --> 00:08:04.579 He creates reality. 00:08:04.660 --> 00:08:06.660 He creates the physical universe. 00:08:06.819 --> 00:08:07.800 He creates history. 00:08:08.480 --> 00:08:13.519 Crucially, in the Christian worldview, God does not interpret history. 00:08:14.199 --> 00:08:15.420 He creates history. 00:08:15.420 --> 00:08:25.720 And that statement, that view, is a massive hurdle for people in our world, 00:08:25.939 --> 00:08:26.960 modern world today. 00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:33.480 I spoke about this two weeks ago when we kicked off this season. 00:08:33.480 --> 00:08:41.000 One of the interesting things is, with the remarkable growth in scientific discovery, 00:08:43.639 --> 00:08:54.899 science itself is increasingly and powerfully pointing to a designer behind the world, 00:08:55.259 --> 00:08:57.980 to a creator behind everything that exists. 00:08:57.980 --> 00:09:07.060 In actual fact, it is more reasonable to be a person of faith, to believe in a God, 00:09:07.500 --> 00:09:14.680 than it is to be a person to not believe in a God, based purely on scientific fact. 00:09:14.679 --> 00:09:22.699 So if you want to trust science as the arbiter for you, as to what's true and what's reality, 00:09:24.099 --> 00:09:27.919 then your science is pointing you to a creator. 00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:38.099 And so the Christian worldview, quite reasonably, begins with a God who creates all things, 00:09:38.099 --> 00:09:43.819 and therefore defines all things, because he is the one who is ultimate reality. 00:09:44.679 --> 00:09:46.179 Reality is determined. 00:09:47.139 --> 00:09:52.179 It is created, determined, and defined by God. 00:09:54.099 --> 00:10:02.219 This Christian worldview also declares that the only way that we can know what is true, 00:10:02.639 --> 00:10:08.799 what is reality and reasonable, the only way that we can know the way things actually are, 00:10:08.799 --> 00:10:13.919 is if this God was to reveal it to us. 00:10:15.959 --> 00:10:21.839 As Ash mentioned in his prayers just a moment ago, first of all, in the created order, 00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:29.799 the created order points to a design in some way, but more specifically, in very specific revelation, 00:10:29.799 --> 00:10:32.959 this created God speaks. 00:10:33.699 --> 00:10:40.179 And so the Christian worldview, Psalm 119, 160, says this about God when he speaks. 00:10:40.259 --> 00:10:44.039 All your words are true. 00:10:44.979 --> 00:10:47.359 All your righteous laws are eternal. 00:10:47.479 --> 00:10:54.339 They're true because they come from an eternal God, the ultimate reality. 00:10:54.340 --> 00:11:01.720 When God speaks, because he's ultimate reality, he reveals things the way they actually are. 00:11:02.980 --> 00:11:08.580 Regardless of whether we think it corresponds to the world as we see it, 00:11:09.240 --> 00:11:13.800 he speaks truth because it is him revealing reality. 00:11:13.799 --> 00:11:19.500 And so what truth is, which is linked to the philosophical view of correspondence, 00:11:19.719 --> 00:11:30.620 but also the cohesion view, is that truth is when reality and the communication of that reality 00:11:30.620 --> 00:11:32.839 are aligned to one another. 00:11:33.579 --> 00:11:34.919 They make sense. 00:11:36.519 --> 00:11:39.479 And the opposite of that is a lie. 00:11:39.480 --> 00:11:47.840 Lies are when reality and when the communication of that reality don't correspond. 00:11:49.360 --> 00:11:57.440 You know, like the fridge is open, the ice cream tub is empty on the floor, 00:11:58.039 --> 00:12:02.060 and you've got three kids with ice cream all on their faces, 00:12:02.259 --> 00:12:04.240 and you say, who ate the ice cream? 00:12:05.680 --> 00:12:06.639 Don't know. 00:12:07.639 --> 00:12:08.560 The dog did it. 00:12:08.559 --> 00:12:11.519 You know, there's a... 00:12:11.519 --> 00:12:16.559 The facts don't correspond to reality of what you're observing there in that moment. 00:12:20.159 --> 00:12:26.559 The unique claim of Christianity is... 00:12:27.779 --> 00:12:32.839 Because what that leaves you with is, well, how do we know then reality? 00:12:32.840 --> 00:12:39.920 And the unique claim of Christianity is that the God who made reality known, 00:12:40.160 --> 00:12:46.320 the one who has communicated, who created all things, has communicated that reality. 00:12:47.379 --> 00:12:49.720 He has communicated the unknowable. 00:12:50.060 --> 00:12:54.100 The claim of Christianity is that God did not just simply write a book, 00:12:54.220 --> 00:12:57.340 like an instruction manual, like you would get with your car, 00:12:57.340 --> 00:13:01.160 on how to, you know, best look after the design of the car. 00:13:01.560 --> 00:13:07.340 It's not that he just gave us an instruction manual to tell us the way things actually are, 00:13:07.460 --> 00:13:13.500 but that this God who created reality wrote himself into the storyline. 00:13:14.780 --> 00:13:18.000 He put himself into the reality. 00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:23.779 And that's what our world has just finished celebrating. 00:13:24.279 --> 00:13:28.980 The world's biggest festival called Christmas. 00:13:29.720 --> 00:13:31.379 That is what we celebrate. 00:13:31.379 --> 00:13:36.039 And it's what the beginning of John's gospel, 00:13:36.500 --> 00:13:38.639 just chapters earlier than what Mel read out to us, 00:13:39.019 --> 00:13:40.139 actually confirms. 00:13:40.980 --> 00:13:42.740 In the beginning was the Word. 00:13:42.840 --> 00:13:44.840 That is, he existed before anything was made. 00:13:45.139 --> 00:13:46.799 And the Word was with God. 00:13:46.980 --> 00:13:48.600 And the Word was God. 00:13:50.379 --> 00:13:52.019 He was with God in the beginning. 00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:54.000 And through him, that is through the Word, 00:13:54.279 --> 00:13:55.580 all things were made. 00:13:55.679 --> 00:13:57.879 Without him, nothing was made that has been made. 00:13:57.879 --> 00:14:02.259 And then down in verse 14, you read something startling. 00:14:02.679 --> 00:14:05.379 The Word, who is God, who's made all things, 00:14:05.460 --> 00:14:08.759 became flesh and made his dwelling amongst us. 00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:10.299 And we have seen. 00:14:11.419 --> 00:14:15.700 In other words, we have seen, we have understood, 00:14:16.059 --> 00:14:20.320 the facts are there, the reality is in front of us. 00:14:21.779 --> 00:14:27.100 The glory, the glory of the God who has made all things. 00:14:27.879 --> 00:14:31.879 Who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 00:14:32.759 --> 00:14:36.240 And so the question is, well then, who is this one, 00:14:36.379 --> 00:14:38.939 this Word who is God, who existed before creation, 00:14:39.340 --> 00:14:43.700 who made everything and is full of grace and truth? 00:14:44.919 --> 00:14:47.759 A couple of verses later, grace and truth 00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:49.200 came through Jesus Christ. 00:14:49.200 --> 00:14:54.140 So what John claims here at the very beginning 00:14:54.140 --> 00:14:55.440 of his biography of Jesus, 00:14:56.040 --> 00:14:58.980 which the rest of his biography explains 00:14:58.980 --> 00:15:01.300 and defends and supports, 00:15:02.160 --> 00:15:05.960 the claim here is that the Word that was in the beginning 00:15:05.960 --> 00:15:09.940 became flesh and lived amongst us 00:15:09.940 --> 00:15:13.940 so that we could see reality. 00:15:13.940 --> 00:15:20.740 We could witness reality. 00:15:22.500 --> 00:15:26.760 And we are told five things about this Word in those verses. 00:15:27.440 --> 00:15:28.460 The Word is a person. 00:15:28.860 --> 00:15:30.700 The Word is a divine person. 00:15:31.000 --> 00:15:33.220 The Word is an eternal divine person. 00:15:33.620 --> 00:15:35.520 The Word is the eternal divine person, 00:15:35.620 --> 00:15:37.380 is the source of all things. 00:15:37.379 --> 00:15:40.360 And this Word is Jesus Christ. 00:15:41.639 --> 00:15:45.519 Now, John uses a word here that's very specific. 00:15:45.840 --> 00:15:50.139 When he says, instead of just saying, look, Jesus, 00:15:50.320 --> 00:15:52.059 he says the Word. 00:15:52.639 --> 00:15:55.419 And the Word in the original Greek language, 00:15:56.019 --> 00:15:57.740 which is what the New Testament is written in, 00:15:57.879 --> 00:15:58.820 is the word logos. 00:15:58.820 --> 00:16:03.200 And the word logos in the first century 00:16:03.200 --> 00:16:06.860 had an enormous amount of meaning 00:16:06.860 --> 00:16:09.320 in the Greco-Roman world. 00:16:09.760 --> 00:16:10.440 An enormous. 00:16:10.600 --> 00:16:12.460 It was a very loaded word. 00:16:13.940 --> 00:16:18.020 Greek philosophers, when they looked at the world, 00:16:18.940 --> 00:16:22.300 they saw balance, they saw harmony, 00:16:22.800 --> 00:16:25.120 they saw design, they saw order, 00:16:25.660 --> 00:16:27.460 they saw all of those things, 00:16:27.460 --> 00:16:31.080 and they concluded that what they observed 00:16:31.080 --> 00:16:33.580 from the reality and the facts of the world, 00:16:34.280 --> 00:16:41.440 that there is order and there is a principle, 00:16:41.720 --> 00:16:44.879 there's a design, there's a principle 00:16:44.879 --> 00:16:46.900 that sits behind the world, 00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:50.180 and they called that principle the logos, 00:16:50.780 --> 00:16:54.860 the logic that sits behind the created order. 00:16:57.460 --> 00:16:59.360 But for Greek philosophers, 00:17:00.280 --> 00:17:02.080 the logos was an impersonal, 00:17:02.700 --> 00:17:06.140 it was a divine, but it was impersonal structure 00:17:06.140 --> 00:17:09.779 behind the natural order of the universe. 00:17:11.460 --> 00:17:15.759 The logos was the purpose of the universe. 00:17:16.759 --> 00:17:19.779 It was the reason, the logic behind all things 00:17:19.779 --> 00:17:23.420 that make sense to all the individual parts. 00:17:23.420 --> 00:17:26.519 And they concluded, 00:17:27.240 --> 00:17:29.980 in order to live life well, 00:17:30.300 --> 00:17:34.380 you must align yourself to the logos, 00:17:35.120 --> 00:17:37.800 to that order, to that principle. 00:17:38.019 --> 00:17:40.400 In the same way, you want your car 00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:41.960 to not be void of warranty, 00:17:42.180 --> 00:17:43.600 you want it to work well, 00:17:43.840 --> 00:17:46.440 then you follow the instruction manual. 00:17:46.440 --> 00:17:51.779 You don't put diesel in a petrol car, 00:17:51.960 --> 00:17:52.480 for instance, 00:17:53.120 --> 00:17:54.960 and you don't try to plug electricity 00:17:54.960 --> 00:17:56.360 into a petrol car. 00:17:57.259 --> 00:17:59.340 Those things are not going to go well for you. 00:17:59.539 --> 00:18:01.940 That's the idea of the logos for them. 00:18:03.480 --> 00:18:06.440 And if you did not align yourself 00:18:06.440 --> 00:18:07.920 to the principle of the universe, 00:18:08.320 --> 00:18:10.779 then life would go badly for you. 00:18:10.779 --> 00:18:15.859 Either you would experience this sense of lack 00:18:15.859 --> 00:18:17.180 of contentment in life, 00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:18.379 at the very least, 00:18:18.500 --> 00:18:19.980 or at the very worst, 00:18:20.279 --> 00:18:22.160 you'll entirely destroy your life. 00:18:24.359 --> 00:18:26.359 You see what John is saying here? 00:18:27.639 --> 00:18:28.779 John comes along 00:18:28.779 --> 00:18:33.660 with an earth-shattering category. 00:18:35.299 --> 00:18:37.259 The logos is not a principle. 00:18:38.180 --> 00:18:39.960 The logos is a person. 00:18:40.779 --> 00:18:42.859 A person that you can know. 00:18:43.700 --> 00:18:45.039 That is, what he's saying here 00:18:45.039 --> 00:18:50.119 is that Jesus Christ is the designer. 00:18:51.500 --> 00:18:53.740 He's the source of all life 00:18:53.740 --> 00:18:55.399 and the one, therefore, 00:18:55.799 --> 00:18:58.519 that we must align our lives to 00:18:58.519 --> 00:19:03.059 in order to flourish well in life. 00:19:03.980 --> 00:19:05.899 And that is the radical claim of Christianity. 00:19:07.279 --> 00:19:10.160 Jesus is not just ultimate reality 00:19:10.160 --> 00:19:12.840 as the one behind all things, 00:19:12.840 --> 00:19:16.600 but that he comes into the reality 00:19:16.600 --> 00:19:17.860 that he has created 00:19:17.860 --> 00:19:20.560 to reveal the existence 00:19:20.560 --> 00:19:23.140 of ultimate reality, 00:19:23.519 --> 00:19:24.540 of truth. 00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:29.519 That's why he claims to be the truth. 00:19:29.960 --> 00:19:30.860 That's the Christian worldview. 00:19:32.259 --> 00:19:32.600 Now, 00:19:32.599 --> 00:19:35.619 there's a paradox here. 00:19:36.619 --> 00:19:39.119 Paradox of truth and freedom. 00:19:39.119 --> 00:19:39.839 You see, 00:19:39.939 --> 00:19:42.119 because the modern Westerner, 00:19:42.959 --> 00:19:43.659 ever since the, 00:19:44.099 --> 00:19:47.579 particularly the postmodern age, 00:19:47.659 --> 00:19:48.539 the modern Westerner 00:19:48.539 --> 00:19:51.939 is repelled by such an exclusive claim. 00:19:51.940 --> 00:19:54.240 And the reason is that, 00:19:54.380 --> 00:19:56.940 the view is that any claim to exclusive truth 00:19:57.500 --> 00:19:59.580 that is external from the individual 00:19:59.580 --> 00:20:03.220 is regarded as oppression. 00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:07.820 It is regarded as a constraint upon my freedom. 00:20:07.819 --> 00:20:11.980 So, 00:20:12.119 --> 00:20:12.980 in other words, 00:20:13.159 --> 00:20:15.839 we must get rid of God 00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:17.460 in order to enjoy life. 00:20:18.019 --> 00:20:19.279 The British Humanist Society, 00:20:19.599 --> 00:20:20.779 a couple of weeks ago, 00:20:20.859 --> 00:20:21.200 I mentioned this. 00:20:21.439 --> 00:20:22.460 British Humanist Society 00:20:22.460 --> 00:20:23.599 put an advertisement 00:20:23.599 --> 00:20:25.419 on the side of buses in London 00:20:25.419 --> 00:20:27.119 a number of years ago now 00:20:27.119 --> 00:20:28.099 where they said, 00:20:28.259 --> 00:20:29.079 God doesn't exist, 00:20:29.159 --> 00:20:30.039 so enjoy life. 00:20:30.700 --> 00:20:31.000 You see, 00:20:31.079 --> 00:20:31.819 there's two things there, 00:20:31.899 --> 00:20:32.700 two statements 00:20:32.700 --> 00:20:34.139 that are being made there. 00:20:34.220 --> 00:20:34.639 Number one, 00:20:34.700 --> 00:20:35.579 God doesn't exist. 00:20:35.579 --> 00:20:37.639 That's a statement of belief. 00:20:37.980 --> 00:20:38.679 But secondly, 00:20:39.799 --> 00:20:42.179 that it is the existence of God, 00:20:42.740 --> 00:20:44.899 the existence of ultimate reality, 00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:47.119 that is putting a constraint 00:20:47.119 --> 00:20:48.740 on your enjoyment of life. 00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:52.220 And that is exact opposite 00:20:52.220 --> 00:20:53.960 of what Jesus claims here. 00:20:54.319 --> 00:20:56.359 Jesus makes that connection. 00:20:57.119 --> 00:20:57.919 Absolutely right. 00:20:58.099 --> 00:20:59.779 Truth and freedom go together. 00:21:01.599 --> 00:21:04.259 But Jesus couldn't disagree with you more 00:21:04.259 --> 00:21:06.200 than the British Humanist Society. 00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:07.660 John 8, 31, 00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:09.920 if you hold to my teaching, 00:21:10.359 --> 00:21:11.839 you are really my disciples 00:21:11.839 --> 00:21:14.480 and then you will know the truth 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:17.579 and the truth will set you free. 00:21:18.980 --> 00:21:19.359 You see, 00:21:19.879 --> 00:21:21.720 verse 22 there promises freedom. 00:21:22.279 --> 00:21:22.599 But, 00:21:22.879 --> 00:21:24.460 Jesus says in the verse, 00:21:24.799 --> 00:21:26.879 it's only if you hold to his teaching, 00:21:27.160 --> 00:21:29.440 then you will experience freedom. 00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:31.839 To hold to his teaching here 00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:33.240 is to embrace it, 00:21:33.299 --> 00:21:33.839 to obey it, 00:21:33.859 --> 00:21:34.379 to live it. 00:21:35.500 --> 00:21:38.359 Much stronger than just simply agreeing with it. 00:21:40.119 --> 00:21:41.059 Jesus says 00:21:41.059 --> 00:21:43.759 that we can only be free, 00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:44.839 truly free, 00:21:45.480 --> 00:21:48.279 if we accept his constraints. 00:21:50.859 --> 00:21:52.699 That's the paradox of freedom. 00:21:52.700 --> 00:21:55.319 In his book, 00:21:55.400 --> 00:21:57.500 Two Concepts of Liberty, 00:21:58.100 --> 00:22:00.160 philosopher Isaiah Berlin 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:05.819 distinguishes between negative liberty 00:22:05.819 --> 00:22:07.440 and positive liberty. 00:22:08.819 --> 00:22:13.220 Negative liberty describes personal freedom 00:22:13.220 --> 00:22:17.860 as from all constraints, 00:22:18.080 --> 00:22:19.480 all external constraint, 00:22:19.480 --> 00:22:22.819 and anything that's an outside interference. 00:22:23.880 --> 00:22:25.480 That is negative freedom. 00:22:25.599 --> 00:22:26.240 In other words, 00:22:26.319 --> 00:22:27.000 negative freedom 00:22:27.000 --> 00:22:28.460 is the absence 00:22:28.460 --> 00:22:30.779 of all obstacles, 00:22:31.039 --> 00:22:32.839 the absence of all constraints 00:22:32.839 --> 00:22:34.519 to live any way 00:22:34.519 --> 00:22:35.759 I see fit 00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:37.880 for my personal fulfillment. 00:22:39.500 --> 00:22:40.059 That's, 00:22:40.480 --> 00:22:41.680 in its ultimate form, 00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:43.279 is expressive individualism. 00:22:45.339 --> 00:22:46.480 Positive liberty 00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:48.900 means freedom 00:22:48.900 --> 00:22:50.079 to do, 00:22:50.220 --> 00:22:51.140 not freedom from, 00:22:51.319 --> 00:22:52.460 it's freedom to do. 00:22:53.160 --> 00:22:54.099 It's the freedom 00:22:54.099 --> 00:22:55.339 to make choices, 00:22:55.799 --> 00:22:57.980 to make the right choices 00:22:57.980 --> 00:22:59.680 for, 00:22:59.920 --> 00:23:01.160 not just myself, 00:23:01.799 --> 00:23:03.220 but for a common good, 00:23:04.099 --> 00:23:05.140 for the advancement of others. 00:23:05.259 --> 00:23:07.579 Because as others advance, 00:23:08.940 --> 00:23:10.299 so do I. 00:23:12.220 --> 00:23:13.799 Negative freedom 00:23:13.799 --> 00:23:19.659 basically rules out 00:23:19.659 --> 00:23:21.480 personal relationships 00:23:21.480 --> 00:23:24.480 as central to my flourishing. 00:23:25.079 --> 00:23:26.019 Positive freedom 00:23:26.019 --> 00:23:27.480 says personal relationships 00:23:27.480 --> 00:23:29.240 are essential to my flourishing. 00:23:29.940 --> 00:23:30.779 That's the difference. 00:23:33.960 --> 00:23:34.740 And so therefore, 00:23:35.659 --> 00:23:37.500 for any sort of liberty, 00:23:37.720 --> 00:23:40.119 what Isaiah says here 00:23:40.119 --> 00:23:42.279 is that you need 00:23:42.279 --> 00:23:43.779 to take on certain constraints 00:23:43.779 --> 00:23:45.379 in order to be truly free. 00:23:46.239 --> 00:23:46.879 For example, 00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:49.299 I'm a diabetic. 00:23:49.819 --> 00:23:50.779 I've got this 00:23:50.779 --> 00:23:52.039 insulin pump 00:23:52.039 --> 00:23:52.639 attached to me 00:23:52.639 --> 00:23:53.239 all the time. 00:23:53.619 --> 00:23:54.759 It's not a pager. 00:23:54.979 --> 00:23:55.759 Those things are gone. 00:23:56.699 --> 00:23:57.719 And sometimes I tell kids 00:23:57.719 --> 00:23:58.699 it's my battery charger 00:23:58.699 --> 00:24:00.759 to keep my heart going. 00:24:00.859 --> 00:24:01.399 But, you know, 00:24:02.059 --> 00:24:03.279 that just confuses them. 00:24:05.399 --> 00:24:06.359 I'm a diabetic. 00:24:06.359 --> 00:24:08.539 What if I chose 00:24:08.539 --> 00:24:10.319 to exercise my freedom 00:24:10.319 --> 00:24:12.259 by accepting no constraints 00:24:12.259 --> 00:24:13.539 on my diet whatsoever? 00:24:14.839 --> 00:24:15.479 No, you know, 00:24:15.579 --> 00:24:17.519 like expressive individualism. 00:24:17.599 --> 00:24:18.319 I'm going to eat 00:24:18.319 --> 00:24:19.599 whatever I want. 00:24:19.959 --> 00:24:20.839 I'm going to, you know, 00:24:20.899 --> 00:24:21.659 chocolate cake 00:24:21.659 --> 00:24:22.559 and Tim Tams 00:24:22.559 --> 00:24:23.339 and rice. 00:24:23.759 --> 00:24:24.899 Rice is evil, by the way. 00:24:25.159 --> 00:24:26.419 Rice and burgers 00:24:26.419 --> 00:24:27.859 and Coke. 00:24:28.079 --> 00:24:28.339 You know, 00:24:28.419 --> 00:24:29.599 I can do whatever I want. 00:24:29.699 --> 00:24:30.579 I'm free. 00:24:32.059 --> 00:24:32.699 However, 00:24:33.559 --> 00:24:34.479 if I did that 00:24:34.479 --> 00:24:35.319 as a diabetic, 00:24:35.319 --> 00:24:36.740 it won't be long 00:24:36.740 --> 00:24:37.679 before my body 00:24:37.679 --> 00:24:38.759 will put constraints 00:24:38.759 --> 00:24:39.379 on me. 00:24:41.019 --> 00:24:42.819 I might not be free 00:24:42.819 --> 00:24:44.079 to eat. 00:24:44.759 --> 00:24:45.099 Sorry, 00:24:45.200 --> 00:24:45.759 I might be free 00:24:45.759 --> 00:24:46.819 to eat whatever I want 00:24:46.819 --> 00:24:48.159 but I won't be free 00:24:48.159 --> 00:24:49.659 to see for very long. 00:24:50.039 --> 00:24:51.179 I won't be free 00:24:51.179 --> 00:24:52.200 to run. 00:24:52.399 --> 00:24:52.980 I won't be free 00:24:52.980 --> 00:24:53.700 to walk. 00:24:53.899 --> 00:24:54.519 I won't be free 00:24:54.519 --> 00:24:55.500 to have both limbs 00:24:55.500 --> 00:24:56.240 or fingers 00:24:56.240 --> 00:24:56.839 or toes. 00:24:57.240 --> 00:24:58.379 I won't be free 00:24:58.379 --> 00:24:59.019 to live 00:24:59.019 --> 00:25:00.019 before much longer. 00:25:02.319 --> 00:25:02.799 Also, 00:25:03.500 --> 00:25:04.019 think about, 00:25:04.019 --> 00:25:05.400 forget about that. 00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:07.519 What if 00:25:07.519 --> 00:25:08.220 you've got 00:25:08.220 --> 00:25:09.079 two passions 00:25:09.079 --> 00:25:09.900 in life 00:25:09.900 --> 00:25:11.119 and you want 00:25:11.119 --> 00:25:11.960 to be free 00:25:11.960 --> 00:25:12.779 to pursue 00:25:12.779 --> 00:25:13.779 both passions 00:25:13.779 --> 00:25:15.519 and what if 00:25:15.519 --> 00:25:16.379 those passions 00:25:16.379 --> 00:25:17.519 contradict one another? 00:25:20.519 --> 00:25:21.440 What if 00:25:21.440 --> 00:25:22.379 I want to eat 00:25:22.379 --> 00:25:23.319 those foods 00:25:23.319 --> 00:25:24.579 on one hand 00:25:24.579 --> 00:25:26.480 but on the other hand 00:25:26.480 --> 00:25:27.379 another passion 00:25:27.379 --> 00:25:27.559 is, 00:25:27.700 --> 00:25:28.879 one of my great passions 00:25:28.879 --> 00:25:29.319 in life 00:25:29.319 --> 00:25:30.339 might be chocolate cake 00:25:30.339 --> 00:25:31.500 but what if 00:25:31.500 --> 00:25:32.399 the other passion 00:25:32.399 --> 00:25:33.119 in my life 00:25:33.119 --> 00:25:33.599 is to run 00:25:33.599 --> 00:25:34.599 half marathons? 00:25:36.599 --> 00:25:37.259 What if 00:25:37.259 --> 00:25:37.939 I want both 00:25:37.939 --> 00:25:38.799 of those things? 00:25:39.079 --> 00:25:39.759 They are both 00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:41.319 deeply embedded values. 00:25:42.259 --> 00:25:43.339 The only option 00:25:43.339 --> 00:25:43.859 for me 00:25:43.859 --> 00:25:45.240 is to constrain 00:25:45.240 --> 00:25:46.319 one freedom 00:25:46.319 --> 00:25:47.720 in order to pursue 00:25:47.720 --> 00:25:48.579 the other freedom. 00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:51.619 I can't have both. 00:25:53.119 --> 00:25:53.439 You see, 00:25:53.939 --> 00:25:54.759 true freedom 00:25:54.759 --> 00:25:56.059 is not the absence 00:25:56.059 --> 00:25:56.939 of constraints 00:25:56.939 --> 00:25:57.519 in life, 00:25:57.519 --> 00:25:59.119 it is choosing 00:25:59.119 --> 00:26:00.460 the liberating 00:26:00.460 --> 00:26:01.259 constraints 00:26:01.259 --> 00:26:02.099 in life. 00:26:03.619 --> 00:26:04.960 It's the strategic 00:26:04.960 --> 00:26:05.660 loss 00:26:05.660 --> 00:26:07.559 of some constraints, 00:26:08.900 --> 00:26:09.279 sorry, 00:26:09.379 --> 00:26:10.379 of some freedoms 00:26:10.379 --> 00:26:12.420 in order to gain 00:26:12.420 --> 00:26:13.019 the more 00:26:13.019 --> 00:26:14.259 liberating 00:26:14.259 --> 00:26:16.339 freedoms. 00:26:18.019 --> 00:26:19.359 The constraint 00:26:19.359 --> 00:26:20.319 of relational 00:26:20.319 --> 00:26:21.200 fatality 00:26:21.200 --> 00:26:22.559 grows 00:26:22.559 --> 00:26:23.859 into the freedom 00:26:23.859 --> 00:26:24.940 of intimacy 00:26:24.940 --> 00:26:26.299 and companionship 00:26:26.299 --> 00:26:26.920 and love. 00:26:27.519 --> 00:26:30.240 but 00:26:30.240 --> 00:26:32.099 how do we 00:26:32.099 --> 00:26:32.619 make those 00:26:32.619 --> 00:26:33.379 right choices? 00:26:34.839 --> 00:26:35.639 And that's 00:26:35.639 --> 00:26:35.980 the point 00:26:35.980 --> 00:26:37.359 Jesus is making 00:26:37.359 --> 00:26:38.779 here in John 8 00:26:38.779 --> 00:26:39.859 because what he's 00:26:39.859 --> 00:26:40.480 saying here is 00:26:40.480 --> 00:26:41.359 there is a barrier. 00:26:42.119 --> 00:26:42.859 There's a barrier 00:26:42.859 --> 00:26:43.960 to us making 00:26:43.960 --> 00:26:45.079 those right choices 00:26:45.079 --> 00:26:46.160 about what 00:26:46.160 --> 00:26:47.200 are the things 00:26:47.200 --> 00:26:48.700 that I should 00:26:48.700 --> 00:26:49.259 pursue 00:26:49.259 --> 00:26:50.680 that will 00:26:50.680 --> 00:26:51.779 result in 00:26:51.779 --> 00:26:52.420 greater and 00:26:52.420 --> 00:26:53.200 greater freedom. 00:26:53.200 --> 00:26:55.460 amazing 00:26:55.460 --> 00:26:56.319 what Jesus 00:26:56.319 --> 00:26:56.980 says here 00:26:56.980 --> 00:26:57.819 is again 00:26:57.819 --> 00:26:58.519 the exact 00:26:58.519 --> 00:26:58.900 opposite 00:26:58.900 --> 00:26:59.400 of our 00:26:59.400 --> 00:27:00.920 post-truth 00:27:00.920 --> 00:27:01.460 world. 00:27:02.460 --> 00:27:03.519 The barriers 00:27:03.519 --> 00:27:04.299 that exist 00:27:04.299 --> 00:27:05.140 for our liberty 00:27:05.140 --> 00:27:06.019 are not 00:27:06.019 --> 00:27:07.180 external barriers 00:27:07.180 --> 00:27:09.380 although I 00:27:09.380 --> 00:27:10.039 acknowledge that 00:27:10.039 --> 00:27:10.519 there are 00:27:10.519 --> 00:27:11.400 external barriers 00:27:11.400 --> 00:27:12.279 in our world 00:27:12.279 --> 00:27:12.940 that we ought 00:27:12.940 --> 00:27:13.460 to be working 00:27:13.460 --> 00:27:14.360 against for 00:27:14.360 --> 00:27:14.759 the liberty 00:27:14.759 --> 00:27:15.480 of all people. 00:27:15.480 --> 00:27:18.400 but for all 00:27:18.400 --> 00:27:18.880 people 00:27:18.880 --> 00:27:19.880 the external 00:27:19.880 --> 00:27:20.579 barriers are not 00:27:20.579 --> 00:27:20.940 laws, 00:27:21.099 --> 00:27:21.759 institutions 00:27:21.759 --> 00:27:23.240 or exclusive 00:27:23.240 --> 00:27:23.940 claims to 00:27:23.940 --> 00:27:24.460 truth 00:27:24.460 --> 00:27:25.299 it's an 00:27:25.299 --> 00:27:25.860 internal 00:27:25.860 --> 00:27:26.380 barrier. 00:27:27.500 --> 00:27:27.920 There's an 00:27:27.920 --> 00:27:28.440 internal 00:27:28.440 --> 00:27:29.019 barrier 00:27:29.019 --> 00:27:30.740 that gets 00:27:30.740 --> 00:27:31.360 in the way 00:27:31.360 --> 00:27:31.759 of our 00:27:31.759 --> 00:27:32.180 freedom 00:27:32.180 --> 00:27:34.819 and we 00:27:34.819 --> 00:27:35.480 don't know 00:27:35.480 --> 00:27:35.720 it. 00:27:35.720 --> 00:27:39.559 in verses 00:27:39.559 --> 00:27:40.220 33 and 00:27:40.220 --> 00:27:40.779 34 00:27:40.779 --> 00:27:41.920 the people 00:27:41.920 --> 00:27:42.220 Jesus 00:27:42.220 --> 00:27:42.860 speaking to 00:27:42.860 --> 00:27:43.440 push back 00:27:43.440 --> 00:27:43.779 on him 00:27:43.779 --> 00:27:44.259 suggesting 00:27:44.259 --> 00:27:44.700 that they're 00:27:44.700 --> 00:27:45.299 not free 00:27:45.299 --> 00:27:46.360 and they 00:27:46.360 --> 00:27:46.700 say we 00:27:46.700 --> 00:27:46.839 have 00:27:46.839 --> 00:27:47.000 a 00:27:47.000 --> 00:27:47.279 hand 00:27:47.279 --> 00:27:47.440 of 00:27:47.440 --> 00:27:47.779 standards 00:27:47.779 --> 00:27:48.079 and we 00:27:48.079 --> 00:27:48.220 have 00:27:48.220 --> 00:27:48.360 been 00:27:48.360 --> 00:27:48.759 slaves 00:27:48.759 --> 00:27:48.920 to 00:27:48.920 --> 00:27:49.240 anyone 00:27:49.240 --> 00:27:49.960 how can 00:27:49.960 --> 00:27:50.519 you say 00:27:50.519 --> 00:27:51.519 that we 00:27:51.519 --> 00:27:52.019 shall be 00:27:52.019 --> 00:27:52.519 free 00:27:52.519 --> 00:27:53.779 Jesus 00:27:53.779 --> 00:27:54.200 replied 00:27:54.200 --> 00:27:55.039 truly I 00:27:55.039 --> 00:27:55.640 tell you 00:27:55.640 --> 00:27:56.360 everyone 00:27:56.360 --> 00:27:57.200 who sins 00:27:57.200 --> 00:27:57.740 is a 00:27:57.740 --> 00:27:58.160 slave to 00:27:58.160 --> 00:27:58.360 sin 00:27:58.360 --> 00:28:00.380 so Jesus 00:28:00.380 --> 00:28:01.059 says 00:28:01.059 --> 00:28:01.880 everyone's 00:28:01.880 --> 00:28:02.120 biggest 00:28:02.120 --> 00:28:02.700 problem 00:28:02.700 --> 00:28:03.799 is that 00:28:03.799 --> 00:28:04.180 we are 00:28:04.180 --> 00:28:04.660 slaves 00:28:04.660 --> 00:28:05.039 that's 00:28:05.039 --> 00:28:05.259 why he 00:28:05.259 --> 00:28:05.539 uses the 00:28:05.539 --> 00:28:05.700 word 00:28:05.700 --> 00:28:06.220 everyone 00:28:06.220 --> 00:28:09.220 they say 00:28:09.220 --> 00:28:09.720 here we 00:28:09.720 --> 00:28:09.899 are 00:28:09.899 --> 00:28:10.480 Abraham's 00:28:10.480 --> 00:28:10.879 descendants 00:28:10.879 --> 00:28:11.200 we have 00:28:11.200 --> 00:28:11.500 not been 00:28:11.500 --> 00:28:11.980 slaves of 00:28:11.980 --> 00:28:12.279 anyone 00:28:12.279 --> 00:28:13.200 now these 00:28:13.200 --> 00:28:13.619 are Jewish 00:28:13.619 --> 00:28:14.240 people that 00:28:14.240 --> 00:28:14.659 he's speaking 00:28:14.659 --> 00:28:15.099 to here 00:28:15.099 --> 00:28:15.319 right 00:28:15.319 --> 00:28:17.099 and they 00:28:17.099 --> 00:28:17.700 knew 00:28:17.700 --> 00:28:19.099 that he 00:28:19.099 --> 00:28:19.639 wasn't 00:28:19.639 --> 00:28:20.299 talking 00:28:20.299 --> 00:28:21.019 about 00:28:21.019 --> 00:28:21.940 external 00:28:21.940 --> 00:28:22.680 constraints 00:28:22.680 --> 00:28:23.159 they knew 00:28:23.159 --> 00:28:23.799 Jesus wasn't 00:28:23.799 --> 00:28:24.279 talking about 00:28:24.279 --> 00:28:24.759 external 00:28:24.759 --> 00:28:25.240 constraints 00:28:25.240 --> 00:28:26.940 they knew 00:28:26.940 --> 00:28:27.779 that he 00:28:27.779 --> 00:28:28.279 was talking 00:28:28.279 --> 00:28:28.700 about 00:28:28.700 --> 00:28:29.099 inner 00:28:29.099 --> 00:28:29.559 freedom 00:28:29.559 --> 00:28:31.819 the reason 00:28:31.819 --> 00:28:32.299 they knew 00:28:32.299 --> 00:28:32.680 that 00:28:32.680 --> 00:28:33.720 is because 00:28:33.720 --> 00:28:35.039 you just 00:28:35.039 --> 00:28:35.599 look around 00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:36.000 you got 00:28:36.000 --> 00:28:36.119 the 00:28:36.119 --> 00:28:36.599 occupying 00:28:36.599 --> 00:28:37.019 Romans 00:28:37.019 --> 00:28:37.359 right 00:28:37.359 --> 00:28:37.740 there 00:28:37.740 --> 00:28:38.539 they're 00:28:38.539 --> 00:28:38.700 all 00:28:38.700 --> 00:28:39.059 there 00:28:39.059 --> 00:28:42.420 what 00:28:42.420 --> 00:28:42.599 they 00:28:42.599 --> 00:28:42.779 were 00:28:42.779 --> 00:28:43.259 blamed 00:28:43.259 --> 00:28:43.680 to 00:28:43.680 --> 00:28:44.700 is an 00:28:44.700 --> 00:28:45.059 inner 00:28:45.059 --> 00:28:45.700 slavery 00:28:45.700 --> 00:28:46.940 an 00:28:46.940 --> 00:28:47.339 inner 00:28:47.339 --> 00:28:47.960 slavery 00:28:47.960 --> 00:28:48.319 to 00:28:48.319 --> 00:28:48.940 wrong 00:28:48.940 --> 00:28:50.079 decisions 00:28:50.079 --> 00:28:51.279 wrong 00:28:51.279 --> 00:28:51.799 choices 00:28:51.799 --> 00:28:53.019 you see 00:28:53.019 --> 00:28:53.480 these people 00:28:53.480 --> 00:28:53.799 thought they 00:28:53.799 --> 00:28:54.099 were right 00:28:54.099 --> 00:28:54.659 with God 00:28:54.659 --> 00:28:55.240 and that 00:28:55.240 --> 00:28:55.500 they were 00:28:55.500 --> 00:28:55.759 in fact 00:28:55.759 --> 00:28:56.139 true to 00:28:56.139 --> 00:28:56.619 themselves 00:28:56.619 --> 00:28:58.299 but inwardly 00:28:58.299 --> 00:28:58.639 they were 00:28:58.639 --> 00:28:59.220 slaves to 00:28:59.220 --> 00:28:59.519 sin 00:28:59.519 --> 00:28:59.960 that's why 00:28:59.960 --> 00:29:00.759 Jesus 00:29:00.759 --> 00:29:01.660 includes 00:29:01.660 --> 00:29:02.099 us 00:29:02.099 --> 00:29:02.579 in verse 00:29:02.579 --> 00:29:03.059 34 00:29:03.059 --> 00:29:03.420 with the 00:29:03.420 --> 00:29:03.680 words 00:29:03.680 --> 00:29:04.359 everyone 00:29:04.359 --> 00:29:06.559 he's 00:29:06.559 --> 00:29:06.839 saying 00:29:06.839 --> 00:29:07.019 what 00:29:07.019 --> 00:29:07.200 Jesus 00:29:07.200 --> 00:29:07.319 is 00:29:07.319 --> 00:29:07.500 saying 00:29:07.500 --> 00:29:07.700 is 00:29:07.700 --> 00:29:07.859 that 00:29:07.859 --> 00:29:08.359 sin 00:29:08.359 --> 00:29:09.259 is a 00:29:09.259 --> 00:29:09.660 power 00:29:09.660 --> 00:29:10.160 in our 00:29:10.160 --> 00:29:10.740 hearts 00:29:10.740 --> 00:29:12.740 and over 00:29:12.740 --> 00:29:13.460 our lives 00:29:13.460 --> 00:29:13.980 that 00:29:13.980 --> 00:29:14.639 makes 00:29:14.639 --> 00:29:15.299 us 00:29:15.299 --> 00:29:16.359 that 00:29:16.359 --> 00:29:17.019 results 00:29:17.019 --> 00:29:17.900 in us 00:29:17.900 --> 00:29:18.700 doing 00:29:18.700 --> 00:29:19.519 bad 00:29:19.519 --> 00:29:19.879 making 00:29:19.879 --> 00:29:20.240 bad 00:29:20.240 --> 00:29:20.700 choices 00:29:20.700 --> 00:29:21.339 and doing 00:29:21.339 --> 00:29:21.680 bad 00:29:21.680 --> 00:29:22.299 things 00:29:22.299 --> 00:29:23.019 sin 00:29:23.019 --> 00:29:23.359 sets 00:29:23.359 --> 00:29:23.559 us 00:29:23.559 --> 00:29:23.859 up 00:29:23.859 --> 00:29:24.400 against 00:29:24.400 --> 00:29:24.680 not 00:29:24.680 --> 00:29:25.099 just 00:29:25.099 --> 00:29:25.960 God 00:29:25.960 --> 00:29:26.539 but 00:29:26.539 --> 00:29:26.960 also 00:29:26.960 --> 00:29:27.500 against 00:29:27.500 --> 00:29:27.839 other 00:29:27.839 --> 00:29:28.259 people 00:29:28.259 --> 00:29:28.859 every 00:29:28.859 --> 00:29:29.339 person 00:29:29.339 --> 00:29:29.619 is 00:29:29.619 --> 00:29:30.160 enslaved 00:29:30.160 --> 00:29:30.359 to 00:29:30.359 --> 00:29:30.720 sin 00:29:30.720 --> 00:29:32.099 but 00:29:32.099 --> 00:29:32.480 every 00:29:32.480 --> 00:29:33.000 person 00:29:33.000 --> 00:29:33.420 is 00:29:33.420 --> 00:29:34.279 blinded 00:29:34.279 --> 00:29:34.720 to 00:29:34.720 --> 00:29:34.960 the 00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:35.460 deepest 00:29:35.460 --> 00:29:36.339 reality 00:29:36.339 --> 00:29:36.880 of 00:29:36.880 --> 00:29:37.119 that 00:29:37.119 --> 00:29:37.380 sin 00:29:37.380 --> 00:29:37.500 in 00:29:37.500 --> 00:29:37.700 our 00:29:37.700 --> 00:29:38.140 life 00:29:38.140 --> 00:29:39.339 our 00:29:39.339 --> 00:29:40.200 deepest 00:29:40.200 --> 00:29:41.140 deepest 00:29:41.140 --> 00:29:42.180 deepest 00:29:42.180 --> 00:29:43.559 desire 00:29:43.559 --> 00:29:43.900 in the 00:29:43.900 --> 00:29:44.259 heart 00:29:44.259 --> 00:29:44.740 is what 00:29:44.740 --> 00:29:45.119 Martin 00:29:45.119 --> 00:29:45.579 Luther 00:29:45.579 --> 00:29:46.339 called 00:29:46.339 --> 00:29:48.339 I 00:29:48.339 --> 00:29:48.579 just 00:29:48.579 --> 00:29:49.440 couldn't 00:29:49.440 --> 00:29:49.700 remember 00:29:49.700 --> 00:29:49.839 the 00:29:49.839 --> 00:29:50.019 Latin 00:29:50.019 --> 00:29:50.500 phrase 00:29:50.500 --> 00:29:51.079 it would 00:29:51.079 --> 00:29:51.200 just 00:29:51.200 --> 00:29:51.359 sound 00:29:51.359 --> 00:29:51.720 impressive 00:29:51.720 --> 00:29:51.920 I 00:29:51.920 --> 00:29:52.079 could 00:29:52.079 --> 00:29:52.359 remember 00:29:52.359 --> 00:29:52.480 it 00:29:52.480 --> 00:29:52.599 but 00:29:52.599 --> 00:29:52.880 anyway 00:29:52.880 --> 00:29:54.200 it's 00:29:54.200 --> 00:29:54.559 curved 00:29:54.559 --> 00:29:54.819 in 00:29:54.819 --> 00:29:54.960 on 00:29:54.960 --> 00:29:55.519 itself 00:29:55.519 --> 00:29:57.099 that's 00:29:57.099 --> 00:29:57.219 the 00:29:57.219 --> 00:29:57.379 English 00:29:57.379 --> 00:29:57.699 version 00:29:57.699 --> 00:29:57.859 of 00:29:57.859 --> 00:29:58.259 it 00:29:58.259 --> 00:29:58.679 curved 00:29:58.679 --> 00:30:00.000 in 00:30:00.000 --> 00:30:00.119 on 00:30:00.119 --> 00:30:00.299 itself 00:30:00.299 --> 00:30:00.719 every 00:30:00.719 --> 00:30:01.179 single 00:30:01.179 --> 00:30:01.559 human 00:30:01.559 --> 00:30:02.000 sin 00:30:02.000 --> 00:30:02.500 means 00:30:02.500 --> 00:30:03.919 expressive 00:30:03.919 --> 00:30:04.919 individualism 00:30:04.919 --> 00:30:05.219 is at 00:30:05.219 --> 00:30:05.859 the deepest 00:30:05.859 --> 00:30:06.500 sense 00:30:06.500 --> 00:30:07.099 of my 00:30:07.099 --> 00:30:07.740 life 00:30:07.740 --> 00:30:10.740 and 00:30:10.740 --> 00:30:11.480 most 00:30:11.480 --> 00:30:11.819 part 00:30:11.819 --> 00:30:12.259 we go 00:30:12.259 --> 00:30:12.619 about 00:30:12.619 --> 00:30:12.879 our 00:30:12.879 --> 00:30:13.159 daily 00:30:13.159 --> 00:30:13.659 lives 00:30:13.659 --> 00:30:13.959 thinking 00:30:13.959 --> 00:30:14.319 that we 00:30:14.319 --> 00:30:14.480 are 00:30:14.480 --> 00:30:14.919 free 00:30:14.919 --> 00:30:15.579 but 00:30:15.579 --> 00:30:15.759 we 00:30:15.759 --> 00:30:15.899 are 00:30:15.899 --> 00:30:16.299 not 00:30:16.299 --> 00:30:16.819 we're 00:30:16.819 --> 00:30:18.000 enslaved 00:30:18.000 --> 00:30:18.699 to 00:30:18.699 --> 00:30:19.539 ourselves 00:30:19.539 --> 00:30:20.919 enslaved 00:30:20.919 --> 00:30:21.119 to 00:30:21.119 --> 00:30:21.319 sin 00:30:21.319 --> 00:30:22.139 and 00:30:22.139 --> 00:30:22.259 the 00:30:22.259 --> 00:30:22.459 Bible 00:30:22.459 --> 00:30:22.879 tells 00:30:22.879 --> 00:30:23.059 us 00:30:23.059 --> 00:30:23.240 that 00:30:23.240 --> 00:30:23.399 the 00:30:23.399 --> 00:30:23.779 wages 00:30:23.779 --> 00:30:24.179 of 00:30:24.179 --> 00:30:24.459 sin 00:30:24.459 --> 00:30:24.740 is 00:30:24.740 --> 00:30:25.199 death 00:30:25.199 --> 00:30:25.719 and 00:30:25.719 --> 00:30:25.959 unless 00:30:25.959 --> 00:30:26.199 that 00:30:26.199 --> 00:30:26.699 wage 00:30:26.700 --> 00:30:26.960 is 00:30:26.960 --> 00:30:27.480 paid 00:30:27.480 --> 00:30:28.220 we 00:30:28.220 --> 00:30:28.480 are 00:30:28.480 --> 00:30:28.700 not 00:30:28.700 --> 00:30:29.120 free 00:30:29.120 --> 00:30:29.340 in 00:30:29.340 --> 00:30:29.460 the 00:30:29.460 --> 00:30:29.720 same 00:30:29.720 --> 00:30:30.140 way 00:30:30.140 --> 00:30:30.680 you 00:30:30.680 --> 00:30:30.880 might 00:30:30.880 --> 00:30:31.019 have 00:30:31.019 --> 00:30:31.180 the 00:30:31.180 --> 00:30:31.500 freedom 00:30:31.500 --> 00:30:31.740 of 00:30:31.740 --> 00:30:32.019 opening 00:30:32.019 --> 00:30:32.180 up 00:30:32.180 --> 00:30:32.319 the 00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:32.519 own 00:30:32.519 --> 00:30:32.700 door 00:30:32.700 --> 00:30:32.819 to 00:30:32.819 --> 00:30:32.960 your 00:30:32.960 --> 00:30:33.620 home 00:30:33.620 --> 00:30:34.200 but 00:30:34.200 --> 00:30:34.860 until 00:30:34.860 --> 00:30:35.539 it 00:30:35.539 --> 00:30:35.700 is 00:30:35.700 --> 00:30:36.220 entirely 00:30:36.220 --> 00:30:36.799 yours 00:30:36.799 --> 00:30:37.019 you're 00:30:37.019 --> 00:30:37.500 enslaved 00:30:37.500 --> 00:30:37.660 to 00:30:37.660 --> 00:30:37.779 the 00:30:37.779 --> 00:30:38.279 mortgage 00:30:38.279 --> 00:30:39.340 even 00:30:39.340 --> 00:30:39.500 though 00:30:39.500 --> 00:30:39.640 you 00:30:39.640 --> 00:30:39.840 feel 00:30:39.840 --> 00:30:40.160 free 00:30:40.160 --> 00:30:40.279 in 00:30:40.279 --> 00:30:40.400 your 00:30:40.400 --> 00:30:40.600 own 00:30:40.600 --> 00:30:41.000 home 00:30:41.000 --> 00:30:42.299 that 00:30:42.299 --> 00:30:43.220 freedom 00:30:43.220 --> 00:30:43.620 happens 00:30:43.620 --> 00:30:44.059 until 00:30:44.059 --> 00:30:44.700 the 00:30:44.700 --> 00:30:46.559 bank 00:30:46.559 --> 00:30:47.039 comes 00:30:47.039 --> 00:30:47.360 in 00:30:47.360 --> 00:30:47.720 and 00:30:47.720 --> 00:30:48.120 takes 00:30:48.120 --> 00:30:48.440 over 00:30:48.440 --> 00:30:48.620 the 00:30:48.620 --> 00:30:49.080 mortgage 00:30:49.080 --> 00:30:50.240 in 00:30:50.240 --> 00:30:51.160 other 00:30:51.160 --> 00:30:51.539 words 00:30:51.539 --> 00:30:52.000 all of 00:30:52.000 --> 00:30:52.100 us 00:30:52.100 --> 00:30:52.180 have 00:30:52.180 --> 00:30:52.299 got 00:30:52.299 --> 00:30:52.460 a 00:30:52.460 --> 00:30:52.720 debt 00:30:52.720 --> 00:30:53.640 and 00:30:53.640 --> 00:30:53.779 we're 00:30:53.779 --> 00:30:54.240 enslaved 00:30:54.240 --> 00:30:54.400 to 00:30:54.400 --> 00:30:54.600 that 00:30:54.600 --> 00:30:54.900 debt 00:30:54.900 --> 00:30:57.560 now 00:30:57.560 --> 00:30:57.900 Jesus 00:30:57.900 --> 00:30:58.360 doesn't 00:30:58.360 --> 00:30:58.920 unpack 00:30:58.920 --> 00:30:59.480 here 00:30:59.480 --> 00:30:59.759 what 00:30:59.759 --> 00:31:00.019 sin 00:31:00.019 --> 00:31:00.280 is 00:31:00.280 --> 00:31:00.440 but 00:31:00.440 --> 00:31:00.580 the 00:31:00.580 --> 00:31:00.740 rest 00:31:00.740 --> 00:31:00.840 of 00:31:00.840 --> 00:31:00.940 the 00:31:00.940 --> 00:31:01.140 Bible 00:31:01.140 --> 00:31:01.620 does 00:31:01.620 --> 00:31:02.740 sin 00:31:02.740 --> 00:31:03.420 is 00:31:03.420 --> 00:31:04.019 resisting 00:31:04.019 --> 00:31:04.380 our 00:31:04.380 --> 00:31:04.840 creator 00:31:04.840 --> 00:31:05.280 deep 00:31:05.280 --> 00:31:05.720 inside 00:31:05.720 --> 00:31:05.920 the 00:31:05.920 --> 00:31:06.200 human 00:31:06.200 --> 00:31:06.620 heart 00:31:06.620 --> 00:31:07.080 is 00:31:07.080 --> 00:31:07.300 an 00:31:07.300 --> 00:31:07.960 impulse 00:31:07.960 --> 00:31:08.620 that 00:31:08.620 --> 00:31:09.820 resists 00:31:09.820 --> 00:31:10.380 anyone 00:31:10.380 --> 00:31:11.280 telling 00:31:11.280 --> 00:31:11.560 us 00:31:11.560 --> 00:31:11.880 how to 00:31:11.880 --> 00:31:12.019 live 00:31:12.019 --> 00:31:12.200 our 00:31:12.200 --> 00:31:12.640 lives 00:31:12.640 --> 00:31:13.140 and 00:31:13.140 --> 00:31:13.360 the 00:31:13.360 --> 00:31:13.820 ultimate 00:31:13.820 --> 00:31:14.340 trigger 00:31:14.340 --> 00:31:14.680 for 00:31:14.680 --> 00:31:14.920 that 00:31:14.920 --> 00:31:15.580 impulse 00:31:15.580 --> 00:31:16.259 is 00:31:16.259 --> 00:31:16.620 God 00:31:16.620 --> 00:31:17.120 himself 00:31:17.120 --> 00:31:18.160 Romans 00:31:18.160 --> 00:31:18.440 1 00:31:18.440 --> 00:31:18.780 puts 00:31:18.779 --> 00:31:19.259 us 00:31:19.259 --> 00:31:20.079 put 00:31:20.079 --> 00:31:20.220 our 00:31:20.220 --> 00:31:20.559 resisting 00:31:20.559 --> 00:31:20.920 in 00:31:20.920 --> 00:31:21.180 these 00:31:21.180 --> 00:31:21.619 terms 00:31:21.619 --> 00:31:22.259 and 00:31:22.259 --> 00:31:22.420 it's 00:31:22.420 --> 00:31:22.539 in 00:31:22.539 --> 00:31:22.680 the 00:31:22.680 --> 00:31:23.160 terms 00:31:23.160 --> 00:31:23.440 of 00:31:23.440 --> 00:31:24.019 rejecting 00:31:24.019 --> 00:31:25.319 truth 00:31:25.319 --> 00:31:26.839 the 00:31:26.839 --> 00:31:27.039 wrath 00:31:27.039 --> 00:31:27.220 of 00:31:27.220 --> 00:31:27.519 God 00:31:27.519 --> 00:31:27.819 is 00:31:27.819 --> 00:31:28.059 being 00:31:28.059 --> 00:31:28.480 revealed 00:31:28.480 --> 00:31:28.700 from 00:31:28.700 --> 00:31:28.920 heaven 00:31:28.920 --> 00:31:29.279 against 00:31:29.279 --> 00:31:29.559 all 00:31:29.559 --> 00:31:29.720 the 00:31:29.720 --> 00:31:30.160 godliness 00:31:30.160 --> 00:31:30.519 and 00:31:30.519 --> 00:31:31.000 wickedness 00:31:31.000 --> 00:31:31.160 of 00:31:31.160 --> 00:31:31.500 people 00:31:31.500 --> 00:31:32.019 who 00:31:32.019 --> 00:31:32.839 suppress 00:31:32.839 --> 00:31:33.680 the 00:31:33.680 --> 00:31:34.299 truth 00:31:34.299 --> 00:31:35.359 by 00:31:35.359 --> 00:31:35.799 their 00:31:35.799 --> 00:31:36.519 wickedness 00:31:36.519 --> 00:31:37.099 since 00:31:37.099 --> 00:31:37.359 what 00:31:37.359 --> 00:31:37.759 may be 00:31:37.759 --> 00:31:38.339 known 00:31:38.339 --> 00:31:38.740 about 00:31:38.740 --> 00:31:39.099 God 00:31:39.099 --> 00:31:39.339 is 00:31:39.339 --> 00:31:39.680 plain 00:31:39.680 --> 00:31:39.819 to 00:31:39.819 --> 00:31:39.920 them 00:31:39.920 --> 00:31:40.139 because 00:31:40.139 --> 00:31:40.399 God 00:31:40.399 --> 00:31:40.539 has 00:31:40.539 --> 00:31:40.720 made 00:31:40.720 --> 00:31:40.819 it 00:31:40.819 --> 00:31:41.000 plain 00:31:41.000 --> 00:31:41.119 to 00:31:41.119 --> 00:31:41.279 them 00:31:41.279 --> 00:31:41.599 for 00:31:41.599 --> 00:31:41.799 since 00:31:41.799 --> 00:31:41.920 the 00:31:41.920 --> 00:31:42.240 creation 00:31:42.240 --> 00:31:42.420 of 00:31:42.420 --> 00:31:42.579 world 00:31:42.579 --> 00:31:42.920 God's 00:31:42.920 --> 00:31:43.299 invisible 00:31:43.299 --> 00:31:43.859 qualities 00:31:43.859 --> 00:31:44.319 his 00:31:44.319 --> 00:31:44.700 eternal 00:31:44.700 --> 00:31:44.799 ! 00:31:48.779 --> 00:31:59.200 And so 00:31:59.200 --> 00:31:59.359 the 00:31:59.359 --> 00:31:59.779 question 00:31:59.779 --> 00:32:00.119 that we 00:32:00.119 --> 00:32:00.440 are left 00:32:00.440 --> 00:32:00.639 with 00:32:00.639 --> 00:32:00.920 here 00:32:00.920 --> 00:32:01.339 if 00:32:01.339 --> 00:32:01.680 that's 00:32:01.680 --> 00:32:01.859 the 00:32:01.859 --> 00:32:02.319 problem 00:32:02.319 --> 00:32:03.319 if 00:32:03.319 --> 00:32:03.519 my 00:32:03.519 --> 00:32:03.839 deepest 00:32:03.839 --> 00:32:04.440 issue 00:32:04.440 --> 00:32:05.639 is 00:32:05.639 --> 00:32:06.079 sin 00:32:06.079 --> 00:32:07.599 who 00:32:07.599 --> 00:32:07.940 is 00:32:07.940 --> 00:32:08.119 going 00:32:08.119 --> 00:32:08.259 to 00:32:08.259 --> 00:32:08.519 set 00:32:08.519 --> 00:32:08.799 me 00:32:08.799 --> 00:32:09.359 free? 00:32:11.539 --> 00:32:12.059 Verses 00:32:12.059 --> 00:32:12.819 35 00:32:12.819 --> 00:32:13.559 and 36 00:32:13.559 --> 00:32:13.779 in 00:32:13.779 --> 00:32:14.139 John 8 00:32:14.139 --> 00:32:14.480 give us 00:32:14.480 --> 00:32:14.660 the 00:32:14.660 --> 00:32:15.200 source 00:32:15.200 --> 00:32:15.460 of 00:32:15.460 --> 00:32:15.680 true 00:32:15.680 --> 00:32:16.079 freedom 00:32:16.079 --> 00:32:17.200 now 00:32:17.200 --> 00:32:17.379 a 00:32:17.379 --> 00:32:17.660 slave 00:32:17.660 --> 00:32:17.839 has 00:32:17.839 --> 00:32:18.000 no 00:32:18.000 --> 00:32:18.339 permanent 00:32:18.339 --> 00:32:18.799 place 00:32:18.799 --> 00:32:18.959 in 00:32:18.959 --> 00:32:19.119 the 00:32:19.119 --> 00:32:19.599 family 00:32:19.599 --> 00:32:20.679 but 00:32:20.679 --> 00:32:20.939 a 00:32:20.939 --> 00:32:21.319 son 00:32:21.319 --> 00:32:22.000 belongs 00:32:22.000 --> 00:32:22.299 to 00:32:22.299 --> 00:32:22.459 it 00:32:22.459 --> 00:32:22.879 forever 00:32:22.879 --> 00:32:24.299 so 00:32:24.299 --> 00:32:24.539 if 00:32:24.539 --> 00:32:24.799 the 00:32:24.799 --> 00:32:25.379 son 00:32:25.379 --> 00:32:26.359 sets 00:32:26.359 --> 00:32:26.559 you 00:32:26.559 --> 00:32:27.139 free 00:32:27.139 --> 00:32:27.839 you'll 00:32:27.839 --> 00:32:27.959 be 00:32:27.959 --> 00:32:28.220 free 00:32:28.220 --> 00:32:28.639 indeed 00:32:28.639 --> 00:32:29.839 the 00:32:29.839 --> 00:32:30.119 image 00:32:30.119 --> 00:32:30.299 here 00:32:30.299 --> 00:32:30.439 that 00:32:30.439 --> 00:32:30.699 Jesus 00:32:30.699 --> 00:32:31.259 uses 00:32:31.259 --> 00:32:32.000 is 00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:32.179 that 00:32:32.179 --> 00:32:32.500 a 00:32:32.500 --> 00:32:33.039 servant 00:32:33.039 --> 00:32:34.019 might 00:32:34.019 --> 00:32:34.399 get 00:32:34.399 --> 00:32:35.039 to 00:32:35.039 --> 00:32:36.480 imagine 00:32:36.480 --> 00:32:36.720 a 00:32:36.720 --> 00:32:36.859 servant 00:32:36.859 --> 00:32:37.419 in a 00:32:37.419 --> 00:32:37.799 rich 00:32:37.799 --> 00:32:38.459 family 00:32:38.459 --> 00:32:39.799 they're 00:32:39.799 --> 00:32:39.959 the 00:32:39.959 --> 00:32:40.859 butler 00:32:40.859 --> 00:32:41.019 or 00:32:41.019 --> 00:32:41.199 something 00:32:41.199 --> 00:32:41.439 like 00:32:41.439 --> 00:32:41.679 that 00:32:41.679 --> 00:32:42.099 they 00:32:42.099 --> 00:32:42.480 might 00:32:42.480 --> 00:32:42.679 get 00:32:42.679 --> 00:32:42.839 to 00:32:42.839 --> 00:32:43.059 live 00:32:43.059 --> 00:32:43.179 in 00:32:43.179 --> 00:32:43.299 the 00:32:43.299 --> 00:32:43.639 mansion 00:32:43.639 --> 00:32:43.859 they 00:32:43.859 --> 00:32:44.019 might 00:32:44.019 --> 00:32:44.179 get 00:32:44.179 --> 00:32:44.319 their 00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:44.519 little 00:32:44.519 --> 00:32:44.879 section 00:32:44.879 --> 00:32:45.019 in 00:32:45.019 --> 00:32:45.119 the 00:32:45.119 --> 00:32:45.419 mansion 00:32:45.419 --> 00:32:45.619 they 00:32:45.619 --> 00:32:45.839 might 00:32:45.839 --> 00:32:45.959 in 00:32:45.959 --> 00:32:46.079 fact 00:32:46.079 --> 00:32:46.259 get 00:32:46.259 --> 00:32:46.399 to 00:32:46.399 --> 00:32:46.720 drive 00:32:46.720 --> 00:32:47.120 around 00:32:47.120 --> 00:32:47.819 in 00:32:47.819 --> 00:32:48.120 the 00:32:48.120 --> 00:32:48.920 family's 00:32:48.920 --> 00:32:49.460 limousine 00:32:49.460 --> 00:32:49.900 they 00:32:49.900 --> 00:32:50.100 might 00:32:50.100 --> 00:32:50.279 even 00:32:50.279 --> 00:32:50.539 get 00:32:50.539 --> 00:32:50.860 to 00:32:50.860 --> 00:32:51.620 accompany 00:32:51.620 --> 00:32:51.960 them 00:32:51.960 --> 00:32:52.319 on 00:32:52.319 --> 00:32:52.839 overseas 00:32:52.839 --> 00:32:53.259 trips 00:32:53.259 --> 00:32:53.440 in 00:32:53.440 --> 00:32:53.559 the 00:32:53.559 --> 00:32:53.860 private 00:32:53.860 --> 00:32:54.240 jet 00:32:54.240 --> 00:32:55.000 they 00:32:55.000 --> 00:32:55.200 might 00:32:55.200 --> 00:32:55.360 even 00:32:55.360 --> 00:32:55.500 have 00:32:55.500 --> 00:32:55.620 a 00:32:55.620 --> 00:32:55.980 great 00:32:55.980 --> 00:32:56.660 relationship 00:32:56.660 --> 00:32:57.000 with 00:32:57.000 --> 00:32:57.140 them 00:32:57.140 --> 00:32:57.360 over 00:32:57.360 --> 00:32:57.700 many 00:32:57.700 --> 00:32:57.920 many 00:32:57.920 --> 00:32:58.660 years 00:32:58.660 --> 00:33:00.319 but 00:33:00.319 --> 00:33:00.740 their 00:33:00.740 --> 00:33:01.620 relationship 00:33:01.620 --> 00:33:02.240 is a 00:33:02.240 --> 00:33:03.039 relationship 00:33:03.039 --> 00:33:04.579 with 00:33:04.579 --> 00:33:05.059 the 00:33:05.059 --> 00:33:05.460 boss 00:33:05.460 --> 00:33:06.920 purely 00:33:06.920 --> 00:33:07.259 that 00:33:07.259 --> 00:33:07.920 it's 00:33:07.920 --> 00:33:08.180 based 00:33:08.180 --> 00:33:08.380 on 00:33:08.380 --> 00:33:08.620 good 00:33:08.620 --> 00:33:09.100 works 00:33:09.099 --> 00:33:10.379 it's 00:33:10.379 --> 00:33:10.699 based 00:33:10.699 --> 00:33:10.919 on 00:33:10.919 --> 00:33:11.059 the 00:33:11.059 --> 00:33:11.359 fact 00:33:11.359 --> 00:33:11.559 that 00:33:11.559 --> 00:33:11.779 they 00:33:11.779 --> 00:33:12.399 perform 00:33:12.399 --> 00:33:14.019 if 00:33:14.019 --> 00:33:14.139 you 00:33:14.139 --> 00:33:14.339 do 00:33:14.339 --> 00:33:14.539 your 00:33:14.539 --> 00:33:14.899 job 00:33:14.899 --> 00:33:15.539 you 00:33:15.539 --> 00:33:15.919 obey 00:33:15.919 --> 00:33:16.179 the 00:33:16.179 --> 00:33:16.679 rules 00:33:16.679 --> 00:33:17.399 you 00:33:17.399 --> 00:33:17.599 could 00:33:17.599 --> 00:33:18.179 exist 00:33:18.179 --> 00:33:18.480 in 00:33:18.480 --> 00:33:18.659 that 00:33:18.659 --> 00:33:19.159 environment 00:33:19.159 --> 00:33:19.579 and have 00:33:19.579 --> 00:33:19.919 all the 00:33:19.919 --> 00:33:20.519 the 00:33:20.519 --> 00:33:21.599 benefits 00:33:21.599 --> 00:33:21.959 of that 00:33:21.959 --> 00:33:22.480 environment 00:33:22.480 --> 00:33:23.559 and if 00:33:23.559 --> 00:33:23.699 you 00:33:23.699 --> 00:33:24.279 don't 00:33:24.279 --> 00:33:25.240 you're 00:33:25.240 --> 00:33:25.519 out 00:33:25.519 --> 00:33:27.719 you 00:33:27.719 --> 00:33:27.899 don't 00:33:27.899 --> 00:33:28.079 get 00:33:28.079 --> 00:33:28.339 to do 00:33:28.339 --> 00:33:28.480 the 00:33:28.480 --> 00:33:28.939 private jet 00:33:28.939 --> 00:33:29.459 limousine 00:33:29.459 --> 00:33:29.679 in the 00:33:29.679 --> 00:33:30.119 mansion 00:33:30.119 --> 00:33:30.639 anymore 00:33:30.639 --> 00:33:33.859 but 00:33:33.859 --> 00:33:34.240 Jesus 00:33:34.240 --> 00:33:34.519 says 00:33:34.519 --> 00:33:34.939 it's 00:33:34.939 --> 00:33:35.119 an 00:33:35.119 --> 00:33:35.819 entirely 00:33:35.819 --> 00:33:36.199 different 00:33:36.199 --> 00:33:36.740 relationship 00:33:36.740 --> 00:33:37.779 with the 00:33:37.779 --> 00:33:38.160 children 00:33:38.160 --> 00:33:38.900 of the 00:33:38.900 --> 00:33:39.220 owner 00:33:39.220 --> 00:33:40.660 one 00:33:40.660 --> 00:33:41.279 relationship 00:33:41.279 --> 00:33:42.039 is based 00:33:42.039 --> 00:33:42.420 on 00:33:42.420 --> 00:33:42.940 good 00:33:42.940 --> 00:33:43.339 works 00:33:43.339 --> 00:33:43.559 the 00:33:43.559 --> 00:33:43.859 other 00:33:43.859 --> 00:33:44.500 relationship 00:33:44.500 --> 00:33:45.140 is based 00:33:45.140 --> 00:33:45.380 on 00:33:45.380 --> 00:33:46.039 unconditional 00:33:46.039 --> 00:33:46.980 love 00:33:46.980 --> 00:33:49.359 the 00:33:49.359 --> 00:33:49.640 son 00:33:49.640 --> 00:33:49.859 the 00:33:49.859 --> 00:33:50.160 daughter 00:33:50.160 --> 00:33:51.039 of a 00:33:51.039 --> 00:33:52.000 wealthy 00:33:52.000 --> 00:33:52.519 person 00:33:52.519 --> 00:33:52.779 may 00:33:52.779 --> 00:33:53.319 disappoint 00:33:53.319 --> 00:33:53.599 their 00:33:53.599 --> 00:33:54.299 parents 00:33:54.299 --> 00:33:56.700 but 00:33:56.700 --> 00:33:56.859 they're 00:33:56.859 --> 00:33:57.000 not 00:33:57.000 --> 00:33:57.359 always 00:33:57.359 --> 00:33:57.620 kicked 00:33:57.620 --> 00:33:57.960 out 00:33:57.960 --> 00:34:02.180 only 00:34:02.180 --> 00:34:03.299 unconditional 00:34:03.299 --> 00:34:04.220 love 00:34:04.220 --> 00:34:06.120 sets us 00:34:06.120 --> 00:34:06.460 free 00:34:06.460 --> 00:34:08.139 the 00:34:08.139 --> 00:34:08.500 only 00:34:08.500 --> 00:34:08.800 way 00:34:08.800 --> 00:34:09.000 that 00:34:09.000 --> 00:34:09.340 sin 00:34:09.340 --> 00:34:09.559 in 00:34:09.559 --> 00:34:09.740 our 00:34:09.740 --> 00:34:10.039 life 00:34:10.039 --> 00:34:10.159 will 00:34:10.159 --> 00:34:10.280 be 00:34:10.280 --> 00:34:10.579 dealt 00:34:10.579 --> 00:34:10.960 with 00:34:10.960 --> 00:34:11.860 is 00:34:11.860 --> 00:34:12.099 if 00:34:12.099 --> 00:34:12.659 Jesus 00:34:12.659 --> 00:34:12.960 the 00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:13.460 son 00:34:13.460 --> 00:34:13.780 is 00:34:13.780 --> 00:34:13.920 the 00:34:13.920 --> 00:34:14.159 one 00:34:14.159 --> 00:34:14.360 who 00:34:14.360 --> 00:34:14.720 sets 00:34:14.720 --> 00:34:14.920 us 00:34:14.920 --> 00:34:15.260 free 00:34:15.260 --> 00:34:16.260 the 00:34:16.260 --> 00:34:16.480 only 00:34:16.480 --> 00:34:16.679 one 00:34:16.679 --> 00:34:16.800 who 00:34:16.800 --> 00:34:16.960 can 00:34:16.960 --> 00:34:17.340 change 00:34:17.340 --> 00:34:17.480 us 00:34:17.480 --> 00:34:17.619 from 00:34:17.619 --> 00:34:17.800 being 00:34:17.800 --> 00:34:18.360 slaves 00:34:18.360 --> 00:34:18.579 to 00:34:18.579 --> 00:34:19.019 sin 00:34:19.019 --> 00:34:20.039 to 00:34:20.039 --> 00:34:20.500 children 00:34:20.500 --> 00:34:20.740 of 00:34:20.740 --> 00:34:21.019 God 00:34:21.019 --> 00:34:21.300 is 00:34:21.300 --> 00:34:21.880 Jesus 00:34:21.880 --> 00:34:24.240 that's 00:34:24.240 --> 00:34:24.420 what 00:34:24.420 --> 00:34:25.340 John 00:34:25.340 --> 00:34:25.599 looked 00:34:25.599 --> 00:34:25.860 at 00:34:25.860 --> 00:34:26.440 last 00:34:26.440 --> 00:34:26.840 week 00:34:26.840 --> 00:34:27.760 in 00:34:27.760 --> 00:34:27.880 that 00:34:27.880 --> 00:34:28.000 he 00:34:28.000 --> 00:34:28.159 is 00:34:28.159 --> 00:34:28.300 the 00:34:28.300 --> 00:34:28.659 way 00:34:28.659 --> 00:34:30.139 sorry 00:34:30.139 --> 00:34:30.699 Nick 00:34:30.699 --> 00:34:30.940 looked 00:34:30.940 --> 00:34:31.099 at 00:34:31.099 --> 00:34:31.400 last 00:34:31.400 --> 00:34:31.720 week 00:34:31.720 --> 00:34:32.199 he 00:34:32.199 --> 00:34:32.320 is 00:34:32.320 --> 00:34:32.440 the 00:34:32.440 --> 00:34:32.679 way 00:34:32.679 --> 00:34:33.159 they're 00:34:33.159 --> 00:34:33.400 just 00:34:33.400 --> 00:34:33.980 your 00:34:33.980 --> 00:34:34.420 twins 00:34:34.420 --> 00:34:34.440 ! 00:34:36.460 --> 00:34:37.639 Can we 00:34:37.639 --> 00:34:38.059 see how 00:34:38.059 --> 00:34:38.320 Jesus 00:34:38.320 --> 00:34:38.720 does 00:34:38.720 --> 00:34:38.980 that 00:34:38.980 --> 00:34:39.220 right 00:34:39.220 --> 00:34:39.380 at the 00:34:39.380 --> 00:34:39.539 very 00:34:39.539 --> 00:34:39.840 end 00:34:39.840 --> 00:34:40.000 of 00:34:40.000 --> 00:34:42.159 John 00:34:42.159 --> 00:34:42.559 8 00:34:42.559 --> 00:34:43.260 58 00:34:43.260 --> 00:34:44.079 very 00:34:44.079 --> 00:34:44.519 truly 00:34:44.519 --> 00:34:44.760 I 00:34:44.760 --> 00:34:45.119 tell 00:34:45.119 --> 00:34:45.320 you 00:34:45.320 --> 00:34:45.679 Jesus 00:34:45.679 --> 00:34:46.220 answered 00:34:46.220 --> 00:34:46.659 before 00:34:46.659 --> 00:34:47.159 Abraham 00:34:47.159 --> 00:34:47.860 was 00:34:47.860 --> 00:34:48.619 born 00:34:48.619 --> 00:34:49.240 I 00:34:49.240 --> 00:34:49.980 am 00:34:49.980 --> 00:34:51.599 this 00:34:51.599 --> 00:34:51.679 is 00:34:51.679 --> 00:34:51.599 this 00:34:51.599 --> 00:34:51.679 is 00:34:51.679 --> 00:34:51.820 where 00:34:51.820 --> 00:34:51.900 we 00:34:51.900 --> 00:34:52.019 get 00:34:52.019 --> 00:34:52.119 a 00:34:52.119 --> 00:34:52.320 glimpse 00:34:52.320 --> 00:34:52.460 of 00:34:52.460 --> 00:34:52.699 how 00:34:52.699 --> 00:34:52.860 he 00:34:52.860 --> 00:34:53.059 does 00:34:53.059 --> 00:34:53.240 it 00:34:53.240 --> 00:34:53.800 how 00:34:53.800 --> 00:34:54.000 he 00:34:54.000 --> 00:34:54.199 sets 00:34:54.199 --> 00:34:54.360 us 00:34:54.360 --> 00:34:54.699 free 00:34:54.699 --> 00:34:55.599 now 00:34:55.599 --> 00:34:55.719 the 00:34:55.719 --> 00:34:55.860 way 00:34:55.860 --> 00:34:56.000 you 00:34:56.000 --> 00:34:56.159 might 00:34:56.159 --> 00:34:56.559 expect 00:34:56.559 --> 00:34:56.860 Jesus 00:34:56.860 --> 00:34:57.079 to 00:34:57.079 --> 00:34:57.340 say 00:34:57.340 --> 00:34:57.659 that 00:34:57.659 --> 00:34:57.960 is 00:34:57.960 --> 00:34:58.199 something 00:34:58.199 --> 00:34:58.440 like 00:34:58.440 --> 00:34:58.719 before 00:34:58.719 --> 00:34:59.099 Abraham 00:34:59.099 --> 00:34:59.340 was 00:34:59.340 --> 00:34:59.659 born 00:34:59.659 --> 00:34:59.920 I 00:34:59.920 --> 00:35:00.420 was 00:35:00.420 --> 00:35:01.380 but 00:35:01.380 --> 00:35:01.519 he 00:35:01.519 --> 00:35:01.820 says 00:35:01.820 --> 00:35:02.099 before 00:35:02.099 --> 00:35:02.340 Abraham 00:35:02.340 --> 00:35:02.519 born 00:35:02.519 --> 00:35:02.920 I 00:35:02.920 --> 00:35:03.500 am 00:35:03.500 --> 00:35:03.840 he 00:35:03.840 --> 00:35:04.240 uses 00:35:04.240 --> 00:35:04.420 the 00:35:04.420 --> 00:35:04.579 word 00:35:04.579 --> 00:35:04.800 I 00:35:04.800 --> 00:35:05.139 am 00:35:05.139 --> 00:35:05.460 very 00:35:05.460 --> 00:35:06.079 specifically 00:35:06.079 --> 00:35:07.240 because 00:35:07.240 --> 00:35:08.519 it 00:35:08.519 --> 00:35:08.880 is 00:35:08.880 --> 00:35:09.099 the 00:35:09.099 --> 00:35:09.500 personal 00:35:09.500 --> 00:35:10.159 declaration 00:35:10.159 --> 00:35:10.480 from 00:35:10.480 --> 00:35:10.639 the 00:35:10.639 --> 00:35:10.860 Old 00:35:10.860 --> 00:35:11.300 Testament 00:35:11.300 --> 00:35:11.579 in 00:35:11.579 --> 00:35:11.920 Exodus 00:35:11.920 --> 00:35:12.400 3 00:35:12.400 --> 00:35:13.320 when 00:35:13.320 --> 00:35:14.360 God 00:35:14.360 --> 00:35:15.000 reveals 00:35:15.000 --> 00:35:15.340 himself 00:35:15.340 --> 00:35:15.539 to 00:35:15.539 --> 00:35:15.860 Moses 00:35:15.860 --> 00:35:16.059 and 00:35:19.980 --> 00:35:23.119 is claiming to be the truth. 00:35:23.940 --> 00:35:26.519 He's claiming to be God himself. 00:35:26.840 --> 00:35:29.960 And so the people around him immediately pick up stones 00:35:29.960 --> 00:35:33.099 in order to stone Jesus' death for blasphemy. 00:35:33.599 --> 00:35:34.760 Outrageous claim. 00:35:35.179 --> 00:35:39.340 Jesus claims to be the all-powerful, all-present, unrestricted, 00:35:39.460 --> 00:35:42.139 totally free God, the ultimate reality, 00:35:42.619 --> 00:35:45.780 the revelation of God himself right here. 00:35:45.780 --> 00:35:49.880 And so they pick up stones to kill him for blasphemy. 00:35:49.980 --> 00:35:56.139 And in that moment, we get a foreshadowing of how it is 00:35:56.139 --> 00:36:00.480 that Jesus actually sets us free from our sin. 00:36:03.800 --> 00:36:08.619 They will kill him, but it will be Jesus' plan 00:36:08.619 --> 00:36:12.179 in order to make us children of God, to set us free from sin. 00:36:12.179 --> 00:36:15.740 You see, Jesus Christ, God the Son, 00:36:16.340 --> 00:36:19.340 gives up his ultimate and infinite freedom 00:36:19.340 --> 00:36:23.500 as ultimate reality, comes into his creation, 00:36:23.660 --> 00:36:27.640 takes on all the constraints of being in a human body, 00:36:27.840 --> 00:36:29.160 being born of a woman. 00:36:30.640 --> 00:36:33.300 He descends further still in humility 00:36:33.300 --> 00:36:36.800 by eventually surrendering himself to a Roman cross. 00:36:37.640 --> 00:36:40.900 He gave power to those Romans in the first place. 00:36:40.900 --> 00:36:45.639 His liberty is taken away by nails through his wrists 00:36:45.639 --> 00:36:49.260 and in his feet, nailed to a cross. 00:36:50.480 --> 00:36:55.920 And then the author of life itself surrenders himself to death 00:36:55.920 --> 00:36:59.800 and faces the constraints of a tomb 00:36:59.800 --> 00:37:07.640 so that we, the slaves deserving of death, 00:37:08.340 --> 00:37:10.980 could have the freedom of being children of God forever. 00:37:11.980 --> 00:37:15.780 He was bound to a cross and death 00:37:15.780 --> 00:37:18.260 so that we could be free and live. 00:37:18.260 --> 00:37:23.800 As he died for us, he was plunged into the unimaginable darkness 00:37:23.800 --> 00:37:30.760 of sin and despair and rejection and loneliness 00:37:30.760 --> 00:37:36.180 so that we could see he is the light of life 00:37:36.180 --> 00:37:41.640 and in seeing, have life and have freedom and have acceptance. 00:37:41.639 --> 00:37:44.599 From the manger to the cross, 00:37:45.139 --> 00:37:48.359 Jesus Christ gives up his freedom consistently 00:37:48.359 --> 00:37:51.119 to set us free 00:37:51.119 --> 00:37:57.319 from the freedom that we cannot get, 00:37:57.579 --> 00:37:58.739 set us free from ourselves, 00:37:59.539 --> 00:38:02.960 the deep slavery in the human heart of sin, 00:38:05.119 --> 00:38:08.619 the slavery because we have rejected the one true God 00:38:08.619 --> 00:38:11.480 and choose to live life our way. 00:38:11.639 --> 00:38:16.159 And we see, once we see what he has done for us, 00:38:17.179 --> 00:38:22.379 it transforms us from being slaves to a child of God. 00:38:23.299 --> 00:38:26.460 Jesus is truth that causes the blind to see, 00:38:26.559 --> 00:38:29.259 for darkness to be extinguished, death to be defeated, 00:38:29.420 --> 00:38:32.519 eternal life granted and freedom experienced. 00:38:33.879 --> 00:38:37.460 It is remarkable, earlier Ash on the screen 00:38:37.460 --> 00:38:38.960 told us about Joni Erickson. 00:38:38.960 --> 00:38:44.480 Joni says now, having been a quadriplegic 00:38:44.480 --> 00:38:49.059 for virtually seven decades, I think, 00:38:50.199 --> 00:38:55.420 says she would again, willingly, 00:38:56.559 --> 00:38:59.179 live again another entire life 00:38:59.179 --> 00:39:03.740 constrained to a wheelchair with Jesus 00:39:03.739 --> 00:39:07.779 rather than having the full function of her legs 00:39:07.779 --> 00:39:09.039 and her arms without him. 00:39:09.559 --> 00:39:12.479 She feels freer in a wheelchair with Jesus 00:39:12.479 --> 00:39:15.119 than life without him 00:39:15.119 --> 00:39:21.699 because of the freedom and the peace inside. 00:39:21.699 --> 00:39:27.179 So let me just really quickly wrap up how we embrace. 00:39:28.739 --> 00:39:30.319 Verse 31, Jesus says, 00:39:30.980 --> 00:39:34.199 his true followers are those who hold to his teaching. 00:39:34.259 --> 00:39:35.679 The word hold there, as I mentioned, 00:39:36.079 --> 00:39:38.679 means to abide in, to align your life with. 00:39:39.019 --> 00:39:41.639 In other words, freedom comes 00:39:41.639 --> 00:39:45.460 by the constraints of obedience, 00:39:45.679 --> 00:39:49.579 living by Jesus, his teaching. 00:39:50.659 --> 00:39:52.679 It means accepting God's word 00:39:52.679 --> 00:39:55.879 and all that it reveals as supremely true for you in life. 00:39:56.420 --> 00:39:58.539 It has the final authority for you in life. 00:39:59.940 --> 00:40:02.579 And to take that truth into your life 00:40:02.579 --> 00:40:05.440 and live into how God has designed you. 00:40:05.440 --> 00:40:08.559 So even if it conflicts with your worldview, 00:40:09.639 --> 00:40:11.340 at several points, 00:40:11.400 --> 00:40:14.119 what we see is that Jesus, as the truth, 00:40:14.500 --> 00:40:16.720 confirms the historic Christian scriptures, 00:40:16.880 --> 00:40:19.519 the Bible as God revealing reality. 00:40:20.179 --> 00:40:22.780 He confirms the Bible as true, 00:40:23.679 --> 00:40:25.940 as reflecting ultimate reality, 00:40:27.260 --> 00:40:29.840 the revealing the way things actually are. 00:40:30.079 --> 00:40:33.000 And therefore the Bible is authoritative 00:40:33.000 --> 00:40:35.159 over all of life for all people 00:40:35.159 --> 00:40:36.239 and all times. 00:40:36.779 --> 00:40:39.619 And it's also by his Holy Spirit, 00:40:39.879 --> 00:40:41.679 as John tells us a little bit later 00:40:41.679 --> 00:40:42.480 in his biography, 00:40:43.199 --> 00:40:44.460 by his Holy Spirit, 00:40:44.599 --> 00:40:46.599 we are led into truth. 00:40:47.399 --> 00:40:48.739 It's where we meet God. 00:40:48.819 --> 00:40:49.819 It's where we meet him personally. 00:40:49.980 --> 00:40:51.940 It's where we engage with God. 00:40:52.500 --> 00:40:53.920 It is not a dead letter book. 00:40:54.019 --> 00:40:54.859 I mean, it's so intimate. 00:40:55.079 --> 00:40:57.699 2 Timothy 3 talks about like this, 00:40:57.699 --> 00:41:00.579 all scripture is God breathed. 00:41:00.940 --> 00:41:02.199 God's speaking to us. 00:41:02.199 --> 00:41:04.039 And he's useful for teaching, 00:41:04.259 --> 00:41:04.679 correcting, 00:41:04.980 --> 00:41:05.519 rebuking, 00:41:05.919 --> 00:41:06.599 training in righteousness. 00:41:06.719 --> 00:41:07.099 In other words, 00:41:07.219 --> 00:41:08.319 shaping our lives, 00:41:09.259 --> 00:41:10.759 conforming it to Jesus. 00:41:11.980 --> 00:41:12.960 In the Bible, 00:41:13.139 --> 00:41:15.359 God gives us knowledge of himself, 00:41:15.480 --> 00:41:15.939 his will, 00:41:16.039 --> 00:41:16.919 his work in his world, 00:41:17.079 --> 00:41:17.359 wisdom, 00:41:17.539 --> 00:41:17.759 meaning, 00:41:17.919 --> 00:41:18.259 purpose, 00:41:18.379 --> 00:41:21.139 to navigate all the complexities of life. 00:41:21.139 --> 00:41:27.799 His word is a liberating constraint. 00:41:29.759 --> 00:41:31.299 And when we hold to it 00:41:31.299 --> 00:41:33.699 and align our lives to it repeatedly 00:41:33.699 --> 00:41:35.299 to do what it says, 00:41:35.299 --> 00:41:39.019 we will increasingly grow in freedom. 00:41:41.199 --> 00:41:41.799 Freer, 00:41:42.980 --> 00:41:44.119 like a Johnny Anderson. 00:41:45.539 --> 00:41:46.659 Free from sin, 00:41:47.279 --> 00:41:47.900 free from guilt, 00:41:48.059 --> 00:41:48.739 free from shame, 00:41:48.900 --> 00:41:50.379 free from condemnation, 00:41:50.380 --> 00:41:52.740 free from enslaving emotions and desires, 00:41:53.160 --> 00:41:54.660 free from what people think of us, 00:41:55.440 --> 00:41:57.380 free from needing to prove ourselves, 00:41:57.539 --> 00:41:58.340 free from fear, 00:41:58.800 --> 00:41:59.760 free from loneliness, 00:42:00.059 --> 00:42:01.360 free from the fear of failure, 00:42:01.559 --> 00:42:03.160 free from the fear of sickness, 00:42:03.300 --> 00:42:04.640 from the fear of insecurity, 00:42:05.640 --> 00:42:08.240 free from vulnerability, 00:42:08.700 --> 00:42:11.000 and free from the commitment to other people, 00:42:11.880 --> 00:42:14.079 free from the fear of death itself, 00:42:14.079 --> 00:42:17.699 and free to love, 00:42:18.639 --> 00:42:19.420 to sacrifice, 00:42:20.420 --> 00:42:21.299 to be generous, 00:42:22.059 --> 00:42:24.219 to celebrate the other people's wins, 00:42:24.400 --> 00:42:25.400 free to serve others, 00:42:25.400 --> 00:42:30.900 free to live within our design, 00:42:31.900 --> 00:42:33.199 free to forgive, 00:42:33.199 --> 00:42:36.619 and therefore set free to flourish. 00:42:38.179 --> 00:42:39.839 When Jesus sets us free, 00:42:40.379 --> 00:42:41.659 we are free indeed. 00:42:42.159 --> 00:42:44.339 But to grow into that freedom 00:42:44.339 --> 00:42:47.139 will mean constraints. 00:42:49.139 --> 00:42:50.719 It might mean, for instance, 00:42:50.899 --> 00:42:51.859 constraining your, 00:42:52.980 --> 00:42:54.539 picking up your Bible 00:42:54.539 --> 00:42:55.919 before you pick up your phone 00:42:55.919 --> 00:42:57.399 in the morning, for instance. 00:42:58.719 --> 00:43:00.079 Constraints on your time. 00:43:00.079 --> 00:43:02.079 It will result in things like that. 00:43:03.539 --> 00:43:04.319 Constraining on, 00:43:04.539 --> 00:43:06.039 fighting back fire with fire. 00:43:06.139 --> 00:43:07.079 There are all sorts of things. 00:43:07.920 --> 00:43:09.679 It will put constraints on you. 00:43:10.199 --> 00:43:12.259 But what you'll discover over time 00:43:12.259 --> 00:43:14.400 is that when the Son sets you free, 00:43:14.940 --> 00:43:16.340 you will be free indeed.