WEBVTT

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 The scripture reading comes from the book of Matthew chapter 11 and 12.

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 Please follow along on the bulletin or your own Bible.

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 Starting in verse 28 we read,

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 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

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 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart,

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 and you will find rest for your souls, for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

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 At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath.

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 His disciples were hungry and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat.

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 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him,

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 Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.

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 He said to them,

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 Have you not read what David did when he was hungry and those who were with him?

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 How he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the presence,

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 which it was not lawful for him to eat, nor for those who were with him,

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 but only for the priests?

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 Or have you not read in the law how on the Sabbath

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 the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless?

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 I tell you, something greater than the temple is here,

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 and if you had known what this means,

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 I desire mercy and not sacrifice,

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 you would not have condemned the guiltless,

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 for the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.

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 This is the Word of God.

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 Great. Thank you, Celeste.

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 Let's see if I can sort this out.

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 Okay, good morning, everyone.

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 Great. Good to see so many of you.

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 And it's great to be back in Matthew's Gospel.

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 I don't know if you realize this,

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 but we started Matthew's Gospel three years ago,

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 and then we took a long break,

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 and we picked it up again earlier this year,

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 and then we took some more breaks,

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 and we're back in Matthew's Gospel,

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 and we're going to just keep on working through it.

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 And it might take us five years,

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 but it's so good to be back there.

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 Let me pray for us,

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 and then we're going to dive into this passage.

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 So, Father God, once again,

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 once again, God,

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 we come and we quieten ourselves.

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 We still ourselves.

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 We come to your Word.

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 Your Word, God,

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 which for 2,000 years and more

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 has spoken life to so many people

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 in every country,

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 in every culture,

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 in every corner of the globe,

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 God, your Word has brought us face to face

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 with King Jesus.

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 And Lord, we ask you to do that again this morning.

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 We ask God that you give us clarity

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 about who you are and who we are in you.

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 We ask God that you come and speak to us.

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 God, won't you both encourage us and challenge us?

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 And ultimately, won't you bring us to the feet of Jesus?

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 Won't you help us to love you and trust you and obey you?

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 Christ, come and have your way.

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 In your wonderful and your gracious name we pray.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 I grew up in South Africa,

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 many of you will know,

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 and in South Africa,

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 one of the sports that South Africans love to play

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 is the game of rugby.

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 Okay?

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 I don't know how much you know about rugby.

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 You might say it's kind of like American football,

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 but not.

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 Sorry, Bernard and any other Australians or New Zealanders.

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 But so you've got this field

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 and there's two posts on either end

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 and there's a halfway line

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 and the one team's got to get the ball to the other side

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 and kind of put it down in the end goal area.

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 Okay?

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 But the thing with rugby is there are all these lines in the field.

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 So there's the halfway line,

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 then there's the 10-meter line,

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 then there's the 22-meter line,

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 the 5-meter line,

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 and eventually the tri-line.

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 Okay?

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 So it can be a bit confusing sometimes.

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 And I have a good friend.

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 His name is Greg.

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 And when we were at school one day,

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 Greg played on the wing,

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 which means he was pretty fast,

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 and his job was to get the ball

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 and then sprint down the wing as fast as he could

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 and get it over the tri-line.

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 And so he's playing,

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 and his team's got the ball,

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 and they're passing along,

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 passing along,

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 and eventually they pass the ball to him,

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 and Greg reckons this is his moment to shine.

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 And so he puts his head down,

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 arm under the ball,

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 and he runs like crazy down the line.

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 And he sees the line in front of him,

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 and he thinks this is his moment of glory.

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 And so he thinks all the TV cameras are on him,

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 and he dives this glorious,

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 like, super sport dive,

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 puts the ball down,

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 throws it up in the air,

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 and cheers.

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 Yeah!

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 And he catches the ball again,

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 and the opposition just come

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 and tackle him down to the ground.

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 And I'm sure you can guess what happened.

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 He dived over the wrong line, right?

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 And so he was still in the field of play,

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 and he thought he was on the tri-line,

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 and he celebrated like Cristiano Ronaldo,

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 and he had completely dived over the wrong line,

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 and it was all for nothing.

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 I'll tell you that story

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 because this morning the passage we're going to look at

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 is very similar,

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 but in a very dissimilar way.

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 It tells us,

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 this morning we're going to look at a passage

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 that shows us how dangerous it is

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 and what it's like when we're confused

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 about what's real and what's false,

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 about what it looks like in our Christian lives

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 when we get confused about the reality of who God is

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 and what he's called us to do.

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 This morning we're talking about when religion misses the point.

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 And so look at what's happening in the passage here today.

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 Matthew tells us that Jesus is walking with his disciples

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 through some grain fields.

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 It's on the Saturday morning,

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 which is, of course, the Sabbath,

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 and the disciples are a little hungry.

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 It's still a little while until yamcha,

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 and so they're picking the heads of grain,

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 and they are snacking to get them through to lunchtime, okay?

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 And while they do this,

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 some Pharisees who are the religious leaders,

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 they see what's going on,

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 and they are freaking out.

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 And so they protest at Jesus.

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 They throw their hands in the air.

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 Jesus, what are your disciples doing?

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 Look at what they say in verse 2.

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 Jesus, your disciples are doing

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 what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.

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 Now, the issue here is not that the disciples

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 are stealing some farmer's grain.

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 In the Old Testament, God made a law

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 that said the farmers, when they harvest their crops,

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 they're not to harvest the whole field.

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 They're to leave the edges

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 so that the poor and the marginalized,

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 especially widows or orphans or foreigners,

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 can pick up some of the food.

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 So the issue is not that they're taking some farmer's food.

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 The issue is that they are doing this on the Sabbath.

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 On the Sabbath.

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 Now, why is that an issue?

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 Well, in the Old Testament,

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 God commanded His people to keep the Sabbath day holy.

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 Remember, we looked at this last year

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 when we did the Ten Commandments.

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 It's a day, the purpose of observing the Sabbath

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 was threefold.

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 Firstly, it's a day of rest and no work.

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 No work to be done.

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 Secondly, it's a day of community worship,

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 of worshiping God, of filling your souls

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 with who God is, revitalizing,

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 and filling your souls,

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 delighting in who God is.

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 And these two things together,

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 no work and community worship,

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 lead us to the third thing.

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 The point of the Sabbath

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 was to remind God's people,

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 as well as the nations around them,

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 that God's people,

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 their future and their provision

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 and their safety and their security

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 was not in their hard work

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 or their abundance of their productivity,

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 but in who God was

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 and who they were in God.

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 So when all the other nations around them

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 are working seven days a week,

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 are harvesting their crops,

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 are picking up their swords and their shields

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 and defending themselves,

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 when all the other nations are saying,

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 our future depends on our hands,

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 God built this once a week rhythm

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 into play in the nation of Israel

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 so that once a week they're reminded,

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 our future doesn't depend on us,

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 Israel does not depend on hard work alone,

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 but the grace and the faithfulness of God.

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 Okay, so these three things,

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 no work, community worship,

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 delighting in God,

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 and a reminder that they're God's people

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 and that their life and their safety

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 depends not on themselves,

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 but on who God is.

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 And this is so important

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 that the people of God know and remember

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 and build this into their weekly rhythm,

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 that they're God's people,

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 not their own,

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 that observing the Sabbath

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 was a matter of life and death.

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 In the Old Testament,

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 to break the Sabbath

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 was a capital offense.

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 You could be put to death for it.

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 It was so serious,

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 and the reason it's so serious

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 is because Israel knows

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 that not only individuals' lives,

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 but the nation's life or death

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 depends on their faithfulness

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 to who God is

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 and finding their identity

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 and security in God.

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 And so Israel knows

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 that if the people of Israel

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 forsake God

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 and start taking matters

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 into their own hands,

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 if they start thinking,

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 God doesn't have us,

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 we've got ourselves,

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 or our future's in our hands,

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 Israel's in trouble.

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 But if they can remain faithful to God

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 and constantly,

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 week by week,

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 say,

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 Lord,

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 our life is not in our hands,

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 it's in you,

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 they will flourish.

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 And so the nation of Israel,

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 it's a matter of life and death.

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 As they trust God,

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 they're going to flourish

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 and grow in life.

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 As they trust themselves,

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 they're going to move towards death.

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 And so what happened is that when,

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 and so,

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 for the observance of the Sabbath

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 is like the quintessential symbol

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 of whether Israel is trusting God

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 or trusting in themselves.

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 Now,

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 the prime example of this,

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 of course,

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 of Israel trusting in themselves

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 and things going badly

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 is when Israel go to Babylon.

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 Remember,

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 we looked at this in the Daniel series.

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 For 70 years,

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 the nation of Israel

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 has marched off to Babylon.

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 They're slaves there in exile.

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 Babylon is mastering over them.

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 And all this is because

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 they've abandoned God.

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 And the prophets constantly say,

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 they pick up on this thing

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 of you've abandoned the Sabbath.

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 Rather than trusting and delighting God,

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 you've trusted and delighted in yourself.

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 And because of this,

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 we're ending up in Babylon.

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 And now 700 years fast forward,

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 Israel's in the same position.

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 Except now,

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 it's not Babylon who's mastering them,

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 it's the Romans.

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 The Romans have got Israel

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 under enemy occupation, right?

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 And so,

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 for Israel,

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 the sign that the Romans

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 are on top of them

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 is the sign

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 that they've abandoned God,

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 they've forsaken His ways,

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 they've trusted themselves,

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 and they are now in deep trouble.

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 And so,

00:10:59.460 --> 00:11:00.360
 the Pharisees,

00:11:00.500 --> 00:11:01.340
 the religious leaders

00:11:01.340 --> 00:11:02.620
 who hate the Romans,

00:11:03.360 --> 00:11:05.179
 their big idea is,

00:11:05.559 --> 00:11:07.620
 we've got to do everything we can

00:11:07.620 --> 00:11:09.039
 to get Israel

00:11:09.039 --> 00:11:10.240
 to return to God.

00:11:10.240 --> 00:11:12.860
 For the Pharisees,

00:11:13.379 --> 00:11:14.340
 returning to God,

00:11:14.419 --> 00:11:15.379
 returning to obedience,

00:11:15.560 --> 00:11:17.340
 taking God's laws seriously,

00:11:17.779 --> 00:11:19.060
 is the way to freedom

00:11:19.060 --> 00:11:20.700
 and the way to get rid of the Romans.

00:11:21.200 --> 00:11:24.139
 Because if Israel can take God's word seriously,

00:11:24.600 --> 00:11:26.299
 if they can return to Him

00:11:26.299 --> 00:11:27.159
 rather than themselves,

00:11:27.299 --> 00:11:28.200
 if they can trust in Him

00:11:28.200 --> 00:11:29.200
 rather than themselves,

00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:31.539
 God will raise up a deliverer,

00:11:31.560 --> 00:11:32.940
 a mighty king like David,

00:11:33.220 --> 00:11:34.620
 who will overthrow the Romans

00:11:34.620 --> 00:11:36.120
 and bring freedom and deliverance.

00:11:36.519 --> 00:11:38.379
 If Israel can return to God

00:11:38.379 --> 00:11:39.939
 rather than trusting in themselves,

00:11:40.299 --> 00:11:41.620
 the temple will be cleaned

00:11:41.620 --> 00:11:43.519
 and God's presence will come down.

00:11:43.980 --> 00:11:45.600
 If Israel can return to God

00:11:45.600 --> 00:11:47.259
 rather than trusting in themselves,

00:11:48.299 --> 00:11:50.700
 all the great and glorious promises

00:11:50.700 --> 00:11:52.519
 that God had spoken in His Old Testament

00:11:52.519 --> 00:11:53.879
 will be fulfilled.

00:11:54.799 --> 00:11:55.120
 And so,

00:11:55.200 --> 00:11:56.820
 the Pharisees have read the Old Testament.

00:11:56.980 --> 00:11:57.919
 They've read things like

00:11:57.919 --> 00:11:59.220
 Isaiah chapter 2

00:11:59.220 --> 00:11:59.720
 that says,

00:12:00.120 --> 00:12:01.799
 God is going to restore Israel

00:12:01.799 --> 00:12:03.100
 like a mighty mountain

00:12:03.100 --> 00:12:04.700
 and all the nations of the world

00:12:04.700 --> 00:12:05.580
 will flood

00:12:05.580 --> 00:12:07.480
 to the highest mountain on earth.

00:12:07.480 --> 00:12:08.220
 Now,

00:12:08.220 --> 00:12:09.539
 have you ever read Isaiah chapter 60

00:12:09.539 --> 00:12:10.019
 that says,

00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:10.779
 behold,

00:12:10.899 --> 00:12:12.340
 the light is going to shine on you

00:12:12.340 --> 00:12:13.519
 and the kings of the earth

00:12:13.519 --> 00:12:15.120
 are going to be drawn to your dawn.

00:12:15.860 --> 00:12:16.080
 And so,

00:12:16.139 --> 00:12:17.639
 the Pharisees are looking around them

00:12:17.639 --> 00:12:18.019
 and saying,

00:12:18.480 --> 00:12:19.899
 we are not obeying God.

00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:21.379
 We're not working hard enough.

00:12:21.740 --> 00:12:22.779
 We're not obeying the Sabbath.

00:12:23.279 --> 00:12:25.320
 Because of immoral people

00:12:25.320 --> 00:12:26.539
 like you disciples

00:12:26.539 --> 00:12:28.139
 that are breaking God's law,

00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:30.639
 these Romans are occupying us

00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:32.379
 and now we end the enemy occupation.

00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:33.860
 And so,

00:12:33.920 --> 00:12:35.139
 the Pharisees aren't just trying

00:12:35.139 --> 00:12:36.279
 to be religious nerds

00:12:36.279 --> 00:12:37.079
 or legalistics

00:12:37.079 --> 00:12:38.459
 or moralists.

00:12:38.759 --> 00:12:40.559
 They deeply want Israel

00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:41.639
 to be restored,

00:12:42.259 --> 00:12:43.319
 the promises of God

00:12:43.319 --> 00:12:43.919
 that He's spoken

00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:44.799
 in the Old Testament

00:12:44.799 --> 00:12:46.720
 to come to pass.

00:12:47.279 --> 00:12:48.159
 For them,

00:12:48.519 --> 00:12:50.179
 it's a matter of life

00:12:50.179 --> 00:12:51.500
 and death.

00:12:52.819 --> 00:12:53.779
 Israel's life

00:12:53.779 --> 00:12:55.500
 or Israel's death.

00:12:57.419 --> 00:12:58.139
 And so,

00:12:58.259 --> 00:12:58.740
 the Sabbath

00:12:58.740 --> 00:13:00.279
 is like the picture

00:13:00.959 --> 00:13:03.199
 of who Israel's trusting,

00:13:03.419 --> 00:13:04.720
 themselves or God.

00:13:04.720 --> 00:13:06.700
 In fact,

00:13:06.759 --> 00:13:07.080
 the Sabbath

00:13:07.080 --> 00:13:08.080
 was so important

00:13:08.080 --> 00:13:09.360
 that a couple of times

00:13:09.360 --> 00:13:10.160
 in Israel's history,

00:13:10.300 --> 00:13:11.279
 about a hundred years

00:13:11.279 --> 00:13:12.379
 before Jesus comes,

00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:14.779
 the Jews are being attacked

00:13:14.779 --> 00:13:15.899
 by another nation.

00:13:16.879 --> 00:13:18.399
 And the nation attacks them

00:13:18.399 --> 00:13:18.940
 on the Sabbath.

00:13:19.920 --> 00:13:20.879
 But the Jews figure,

00:13:21.200 --> 00:13:22.180
 it's the Sabbath day.

00:13:22.620 --> 00:13:23.660
 Rather be attacked

00:13:23.660 --> 00:13:25.080
 by our enemies

00:13:25.080 --> 00:13:26.519
 than coming to God's judgment.

00:13:26.740 --> 00:13:26.940
 And so,

00:13:27.000 --> 00:13:28.040
 they all put down their swords,

00:13:28.160 --> 00:13:29.040
 they put down their shields,

00:13:29.519 --> 00:13:31.000
 they open up the city gates,

00:13:31.000 --> 00:13:32.840
 and the enemy march in

00:13:32.840 --> 00:13:33.840
 and desecrate them.

00:13:34.600 --> 00:13:35.620
 They'd rather be killed

00:13:35.620 --> 00:13:36.299
 by the enemy

00:13:36.299 --> 00:13:37.840
 than fall under God's judgment.

00:13:38.519 --> 00:13:39.299
 It's a matter

00:13:39.299 --> 00:13:40.379
 of life and death.

00:13:41.480 --> 00:13:41.720
 Okay,

00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:42.700
 this is all kind of background.

00:13:42.980 --> 00:13:44.059
 We're getting to the passage.

00:13:44.840 --> 00:13:45.100
 Now,

00:13:45.360 --> 00:13:46.320
 to make sure

00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:47.500
 that nobody

00:13:47.500 --> 00:13:49.559
 in any possible way,

00:13:50.340 --> 00:13:51.399
 whether voluntarily

00:13:51.399 --> 00:13:52.419
 or involuntarily,

00:13:52.620 --> 00:13:53.379
 would break

00:13:53.379 --> 00:13:54.379
 the Sabbath commandments,

00:13:55.200 --> 00:13:56.019
 the Jewish leaders

00:13:56.019 --> 00:13:57.159
 came up with a list

00:13:57.159 --> 00:14:01.259
 of 39 categories of work

00:14:01.259 --> 00:14:02.100
 that no one

00:14:02.100 --> 00:14:02.819
 was allowed to do

00:14:02.819 --> 00:14:03.379
 on the Sabbath.

00:14:03.919 --> 00:14:05.100
 And each of those categories

00:14:05.100 --> 00:14:05.719
 have like

00:14:05.719 --> 00:14:06.779
 between three

00:14:06.779 --> 00:14:08.019
 and ten rules

00:14:08.019 --> 00:14:09.959
 forbidding certain things

00:14:09.959 --> 00:14:10.559
 that you can do.

00:14:10.779 --> 00:14:10.860
 Okay?

00:14:11.259 --> 00:14:11.539
 So,

00:14:11.659 --> 00:14:12.039
 for instance,

00:14:12.480 --> 00:14:13.860
 you got a glass of water,

00:14:14.299 --> 00:14:15.500
 you can't throw the water

00:14:15.500 --> 00:14:16.159
 out the window

00:14:16.159 --> 00:14:17.399
 because the water

00:14:17.399 --> 00:14:18.659
 may fall on some plants

00:14:18.659 --> 00:14:19.419
 and then you water

00:14:19.419 --> 00:14:20.120
 your crops

00:14:20.120 --> 00:14:21.480
 and then that's breaking

00:14:21.480 --> 00:14:21.939
 the Sabbath.

00:14:22.100 --> 00:14:22.240
 Okay?

00:14:23.240 --> 00:14:24.319
 One of the laws said

00:14:24.319 --> 00:14:25.480
 that if you got a building

00:14:25.480 --> 00:14:27.340
 and a wall

00:14:27.340 --> 00:14:28.279
 falls down,

00:14:28.980 --> 00:14:29.159
 okay,

00:14:29.279 --> 00:14:30.680
 the side of your building

00:14:30.680 --> 00:14:31.300
 falls down

00:14:31.300 --> 00:14:32.620
 and there are people

00:14:32.620 --> 00:14:33.560
 that are trapped underneath,

00:14:34.220 --> 00:14:35.440
 if they're still alive,

00:14:35.539 --> 00:14:36.720
 you can rescue them

00:14:36.720 --> 00:14:37.700
 because that's life or death

00:14:37.700 --> 00:14:38.440
 but if they're dead,

00:14:38.580 --> 00:14:39.460
 you can't touch it.

00:14:39.539 --> 00:14:39.940
 It's the Sabbath.

00:14:40.039 --> 00:14:40.720
 You've got to leave it

00:14:40.720 --> 00:14:41.600
 until the next day

00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:42.680
 to go and restore

00:14:42.680 --> 00:14:43.379
 the dead bodies.

00:14:43.519 --> 00:14:43.620
 Okay?

00:14:43.960 --> 00:14:44.080
 So,

00:14:44.159 --> 00:14:44.680
 there are all these

00:14:44.680 --> 00:14:45.580
 hundreds of rules,

00:14:45.680 --> 00:14:46.659
 39 categories

00:14:46.659 --> 00:14:48.580
 times 10 different rules,

00:14:48.920 --> 00:14:49.680
 hundreds of rules

00:14:49.680 --> 00:14:50.279
 of what you can

00:14:50.279 --> 00:14:50.759
 and can't do

00:14:50.759 --> 00:14:51.240
 on the Sabbath.

00:14:53.800 --> 00:14:54.399
 And this,

00:14:54.480 --> 00:14:54.840
 as we said,

00:14:54.840 --> 00:14:55.680
 isn't because they're

00:14:55.680 --> 00:14:56.220
 just trying to be

00:14:56.220 --> 00:14:56.879
 legalistic.

00:14:57.360 --> 00:14:59.920
 They so absolutely

00:14:59.920 --> 00:15:00.620
 want to make sure

00:15:00.620 --> 00:15:01.920
 that they are honoring God.

00:15:02.780 --> 00:15:04.019
 But here's what happened.

00:15:04.120 --> 00:15:04.220
 Okay?

00:15:04.220 --> 00:15:04.940
 This is the key

00:15:04.940 --> 00:15:05.600
 to understanding

00:15:05.600 --> 00:15:06.320
 this passage.

00:15:07.180 --> 00:15:08.180
 Invariably what happened

00:15:08.180 --> 00:15:09.440
 is that what was meant

00:15:09.440 --> 00:15:10.460
 to be a gift

00:15:10.460 --> 00:15:11.840
 of God's grace,

00:15:12.220 --> 00:15:12.540
 okay,

00:15:13.220 --> 00:15:15.080
 don't open your emails,

00:15:15.259 --> 00:15:16.200
 don't open your computer,

00:15:16.480 --> 00:15:17.340
 put away your phone,

00:15:17.480 --> 00:15:18.639
 don't check social media,

00:15:18.940 --> 00:15:19.800
 don't work,

00:15:20.519 --> 00:15:21.480
 quieten your soul,

00:15:21.620 --> 00:15:22.340
 focus on God.

00:15:22.560 --> 00:15:23.000
 What was meant

00:15:23.000 --> 00:15:24.240
 to be a gift of grace,

00:15:24.240 --> 00:15:25.840
 turned into a system

00:15:25.840 --> 00:15:26.620
 of rules.

00:15:27.120 --> 00:15:27.820
 Don't do this,

00:15:27.899 --> 00:15:28.539
 don't do this,

00:15:28.720 --> 00:15:29.600
 don't water the plants,

00:15:29.700 --> 00:15:30.560
 don't get in your car,

00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:32.180
 don't turn on the lights.

00:15:32.759 --> 00:15:33.000
 Okay?

00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:34.240
 And what became

00:15:34.240 --> 00:15:35.320
 a system of rules

00:15:35.320 --> 00:15:36.940
 turned into a system

00:15:36.940 --> 00:15:37.899
 of righteousness.

00:15:38.899 --> 00:15:39.720
 Who was in

00:15:39.720 --> 00:15:40.919
 and who was out?

00:15:41.299 --> 00:15:42.240
 Who was righteous

00:15:42.240 --> 00:15:43.500
 and who was a sinner?

00:15:43.799 --> 00:15:44.639
 Who was good

00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:45.379
 in God's eyes

00:15:45.379 --> 00:15:46.680
 and who was bad?

00:15:47.320 --> 00:15:48.080
 And so the person

00:15:48.080 --> 00:15:48.820
 that throws the water

00:15:48.820 --> 00:15:49.460
 out the window

00:15:49.460 --> 00:15:51.460
 is an unrighteous sinner.

00:15:52.440 --> 00:15:53.000
 But the person

00:15:53.000 --> 00:15:53.900
 that sits quietly

00:15:53.900 --> 00:15:54.400
 at home

00:15:54.400 --> 00:15:55.360
 and doesn't do anything,

00:15:55.759 --> 00:15:55.860
 well,

00:15:55.900 --> 00:15:56.280
 they're good

00:15:56.280 --> 00:15:57.019
 in God's eyes.

00:15:57.480 --> 00:15:58.060
 And the person

00:15:58.060 --> 00:15:58.900
 that gets in their car

00:15:58.900 --> 00:15:59.720
 to go to the shops,

00:16:00.200 --> 00:16:00.460
 oh,

00:16:00.980 --> 00:16:02.379
 what a wicked,

00:16:02.519 --> 00:16:03.180
 evil person.

00:16:03.820 --> 00:16:04.420
 But the person

00:16:04.420 --> 00:16:05.379
 that stays at home,

00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:06.139
 oh,

00:16:06.200 --> 00:16:07.000
 they must be really

00:16:07.000 --> 00:16:07.620
 God-honoring,

00:16:07.759 --> 00:16:08.200
 God-fearing.

00:16:08.340 --> 00:16:08.980
 And so what is meant

00:16:08.980 --> 00:16:10.040
 to be a gift of grace

00:16:10.040 --> 00:16:10.840
 becomes a system

00:16:10.840 --> 00:16:11.460
 of rules

00:16:11.460 --> 00:16:12.379
 and the system

00:16:12.379 --> 00:16:13.080
 of rules

00:16:13.080 --> 00:16:14.580
 becomes a system

00:16:14.580 --> 00:16:15.940
 of who's in

00:16:15.940 --> 00:16:16.519
 and who's out,

00:16:16.560 --> 00:16:17.139
 a system

00:16:17.139 --> 00:16:18.500
 of righteousness.

00:16:18.500 --> 00:16:20.159
 And so look

00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:21.019
 what happens here

00:16:21.019 --> 00:16:22.100
 with the Pharisees.

00:16:22.460 --> 00:16:24.080
 They see the disciples

00:16:24.080 --> 00:16:24.639
 of Jesus

00:16:24.639 --> 00:16:26.080
 and they see them

00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:26.659
 doing something

00:16:26.659 --> 00:16:27.500
 that they consider

00:16:27.500 --> 00:16:28.940
 a flagrant breaking

00:16:28.940 --> 00:16:29.899
 of the rules,

00:16:30.340 --> 00:16:31.379
 like rule 37

00:16:31.379 --> 00:16:32.139
 or something.

00:16:32.639 --> 00:16:33.259
 And look at what

00:16:33.259 --> 00:16:33.559
 they're doing.

00:16:33.620 --> 00:16:34.019
 They're breaking

00:16:34.019 --> 00:16:34.820
 four rules.

00:16:35.320 --> 00:16:36.720
 They are reaping,

00:16:36.919 --> 00:16:37.080
 okay,

00:16:37.159 --> 00:16:37.600
 they're picking

00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:38.480
 the harvest.

00:16:38.799 --> 00:16:39.960
 They are winnowing,

00:16:40.059 --> 00:16:40.559
 which means they're

00:16:40.559 --> 00:16:41.860
 breaking the stalk

00:16:41.860 --> 00:16:42.620
 off the head.

00:16:43.100 --> 00:16:44.159
 They are threshing,

00:16:44.539 --> 00:16:45.019
 which means they're

00:16:45.019 --> 00:16:45.820
 taking the husk

00:16:45.820 --> 00:16:47.019
 away from the actual core.

00:16:47.019 --> 00:16:48.399
 And they're preparing

00:16:48.399 --> 00:16:48.879
 a meal.

00:16:49.379 --> 00:16:50.299
 Four of these

00:16:50.299 --> 00:16:51.340
 great rules

00:16:51.340 --> 00:16:52.480
 of the Pharisees

00:16:52.480 --> 00:16:53.659
 that these disciples

00:16:53.659 --> 00:16:54.199
 are breaking.

00:16:55.059 --> 00:16:55.840
 And now they look

00:16:55.840 --> 00:16:56.500
 at Jesus and say,

00:16:56.600 --> 00:16:56.899
 Jesus,

00:16:57.019 --> 00:16:58.120
 you meant to be a rabbi

00:16:58.120 --> 00:16:59.500
 and your disciples

00:16:59.500 --> 00:17:00.519
 are breaking the rules.

00:17:01.059 --> 00:17:02.100
 Just what kind

00:17:02.100 --> 00:17:02.740
 of rabbi

00:17:02.740 --> 00:17:03.899
 are you?

00:17:06.200 --> 00:17:07.319
 So what is Jesus

00:17:07.319 --> 00:17:08.000
 going to say?

00:17:09.339 --> 00:17:10.339
 What is Jesus

00:17:10.339 --> 00:17:11.000
 going to say?

00:17:12.539 --> 00:17:13.059
 Well,

00:17:13.700 --> 00:17:14.700
 Jesus gives them

00:17:14.700 --> 00:17:15.859
 three replies,

00:17:15.980 --> 00:17:16.700
 all from the

00:17:16.700 --> 00:17:17.039
 scriptures,

00:17:17.279 --> 00:17:18.180
 to show them

00:17:18.180 --> 00:17:19.660
 how they've dived

00:17:19.660 --> 00:17:20.299
 over the wrong

00:17:20.299 --> 00:17:20.920
 trial line.

00:17:21.819 --> 00:17:22.539
 He's showing them

00:17:22.539 --> 00:17:23.259
 that though they

00:17:23.259 --> 00:17:24.380
 are fastidious

00:17:24.380 --> 00:17:25.080
 in their rules

00:17:25.080 --> 00:17:25.940
 and their regulations,

00:17:26.380 --> 00:17:27.480
 they've completely

00:17:27.480 --> 00:17:29.160
 missed the whole point.

00:17:30.819 --> 00:17:31.680
 Look what Jesus

00:17:31.680 --> 00:17:32.240
 says in verse

00:17:32.240 --> 00:17:33.059
 three to five.

00:17:34.360 --> 00:17:35.000
 He says to them,

00:17:35.200 --> 00:17:36.240
 have you not read

00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:37.220
 what David did

00:17:37.220 --> 00:17:38.120
 when he was hungry

00:17:38.120 --> 00:17:39.480
 and those who

00:17:39.480 --> 00:17:39.960
 were with him,

00:17:40.039 --> 00:17:40.779
 how he entered

00:17:40.779 --> 00:17:41.400
 into the house

00:17:41.400 --> 00:17:41.819
 of God

00:17:41.819 --> 00:17:42.539
 and ate the bread

00:17:42.539 --> 00:17:43.220
 of the presence,

00:17:43.700 --> 00:17:44.819
 which is not lawful

00:17:44.819 --> 00:17:45.539
 for him to do,

00:17:46.240 --> 00:17:47.099
 nor for those

00:17:47.099 --> 00:17:47.599
 who are with him,

00:17:47.639 --> 00:17:48.319
 but only for the

00:17:48.319 --> 00:17:48.720
 priests.

00:17:49.639 --> 00:17:49.939
 Now,

00:17:50.119 --> 00:17:50.700
 Jesus is being

00:17:50.700 --> 00:17:51.359
 a little cheeky

00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:51.919
 here because he

00:17:51.919 --> 00:17:52.179
 says,

00:17:52.659 --> 00:17:53.639
 haven't you read

00:17:53.639 --> 00:17:54.679
 your Old Testament?

00:17:55.319 --> 00:17:56.299
 But the Pharisees

00:17:56.299 --> 00:17:57.099
 haven't just read

00:17:57.099 --> 00:17:57.659
 the Old Testament,

00:17:57.779 --> 00:17:58.439
 they've memorized

00:17:58.439 --> 00:17:59.119
 the whole thing,

00:17:59.179 --> 00:17:59.720
 they know it off

00:17:59.720 --> 00:18:00.220
 by heart.

00:18:00.779 --> 00:18:01.619
 So he's kind of

00:18:01.619 --> 00:18:02.259
 digging at them

00:18:02.259 --> 00:18:02.819
 a little bit.

00:18:03.460 --> 00:18:04.059
 And he's saying

00:18:04.059 --> 00:18:04.359
 to them,

00:18:04.740 --> 00:18:05.740
 don't you remember

00:18:05.740 --> 00:18:07.240
 Samuel 21,

00:18:07.379 --> 00:18:07.639
 right?

00:18:08.179 --> 00:18:09.019
 When David,

00:18:09.220 --> 00:18:09.819
 King David,

00:18:09.980 --> 00:18:10.599
 are with his

00:18:10.599 --> 00:18:11.299
 band of soldiers.

00:18:11.440 --> 00:18:11.559
 Now,

00:18:11.619 --> 00:18:12.319
 the story here

00:18:12.319 --> 00:18:13.519
 is that David

00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:14.220
 has been anointed

00:18:14.220 --> 00:18:15.019
 king of Israel.

00:18:15.159 --> 00:18:15.899
 He's not on the

00:18:15.899 --> 00:18:16.359
 throne yet,

00:18:16.519 --> 00:18:17.059
 Saul is still

00:18:17.059 --> 00:18:17.500
 on the throne,

00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:18.579
 but David's been

00:18:18.579 --> 00:18:18.980
 anointed.

00:18:19.659 --> 00:18:20.259
 He's the king

00:18:20.259 --> 00:18:21.519
 elect.

00:18:22.279 --> 00:18:23.220
 And Saul is

00:18:23.220 --> 00:18:24.319
 jealous because

00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:24.819
 of David.

00:18:25.500 --> 00:18:26.159
 And so Saul

00:18:26.159 --> 00:18:26.819
 wants to kill

00:18:26.819 --> 00:18:27.059
 him.

00:18:27.919 --> 00:18:28.500
 And so David

00:18:28.500 --> 00:18:29.299
 and his friends

00:18:29.299 --> 00:18:30.480
 run into the

00:18:30.480 --> 00:18:30.779
 wilderness,

00:18:30.980 --> 00:18:31.759
 they flee from

00:18:31.759 --> 00:18:32.359
 Saul's army.

00:18:33.079 --> 00:18:33.740
 And while they're

00:18:33.740 --> 00:18:34.279
 in the wilderness,

00:18:34.440 --> 00:18:35.099
 they run out of

00:18:35.099 --> 00:18:35.299
 food,

00:18:35.399 --> 00:18:36.019
 but they walk

00:18:36.019 --> 00:18:36.659
 past the

00:18:36.659 --> 00:18:37.379
 tabernacle.

00:18:37.519 --> 00:18:37.639
 Now,

00:18:37.700 --> 00:18:38.299
 the tabernacle

00:18:38.299 --> 00:18:39.240
 is a precursor

00:18:39.240 --> 00:18:39.879
 to the temple.

00:18:40.500 --> 00:18:41.180
 And they know

00:18:41.180 --> 00:18:41.700
 that inside

00:18:41.700 --> 00:18:42.500
 the tabernacle

00:18:42.500 --> 00:18:43.539
 is a whole lot

00:18:43.539 --> 00:18:44.019
 of bread.

00:18:44.400 --> 00:18:45.240
 It's the holy

00:18:45.240 --> 00:18:45.920
 bread that the

00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:46.620
 priests bake

00:18:46.620 --> 00:18:48.460
 every day and

00:18:48.460 --> 00:18:49.200
 put there as a

00:18:49.200 --> 00:18:49.799
 kind of offering

00:18:49.799 --> 00:18:50.299
 to God.

00:18:51.000 --> 00:18:51.539
 And so David

00:18:51.539 --> 00:18:52.080
 goes to the

00:18:52.080 --> 00:18:52.460
 priests and

00:18:52.460 --> 00:18:52.600
 says,

00:18:52.700 --> 00:18:52.960
 listen,

00:18:53.440 --> 00:18:54.100
 we hungry,

00:18:54.500 --> 00:18:55.120
 we need some

00:18:55.120 --> 00:18:55.420
 bread,

00:18:55.620 --> 00:18:56.200
 we know there's

00:18:56.200 --> 00:18:56.700
 some bread in

00:18:56.700 --> 00:18:56.840
 there,

00:18:56.940 --> 00:18:57.600
 can we eat

00:18:57.600 --> 00:18:57.940
 the holy

00:18:57.940 --> 00:18:58.259
 bread?

00:18:58.680 --> 00:18:59.240
 And the

00:18:59.240 --> 00:18:59.480
 priests

00:18:59.480 --> 00:19:00.080
 deliberate a

00:19:00.080 --> 00:19:00.279
 bit,

00:19:00.420 --> 00:19:01.160
 I'm not so

00:19:01.160 --> 00:19:01.420
 sure,

00:19:01.519 --> 00:19:02.019
 this is breaking

00:19:02.019 --> 00:19:02.480
 the law.

00:19:02.920 --> 00:19:03.539
 But David

00:19:03.539 --> 00:19:03.799
 says,

00:19:03.880 --> 00:19:04.080
 listen,

00:19:04.160 --> 00:19:04.620
 it's a matter

00:19:04.620 --> 00:19:05.180
 of life and

00:19:05.180 --> 00:19:05.500
 death.

00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:06.560
 And so they're

00:19:06.560 --> 00:19:06.820
 okay.

00:19:07.380 --> 00:19:08.259
 And they give

00:19:08.259 --> 00:19:09.000
 David the

00:19:09.000 --> 00:19:09.880
 holy bread.

00:19:09.880 --> 00:19:11.020
 And David

00:19:11.020 --> 00:19:11.280
 and his

00:19:11.280 --> 00:19:12.180
 friends eat

00:19:12.180 --> 00:19:12.420
 it.

00:19:13.160 --> 00:19:13.860
 And Jesus

00:19:13.860 --> 00:19:14.340
 says,

00:19:14.740 --> 00:19:15.900
 what does God

00:19:15.900 --> 00:19:16.480
 say about

00:19:16.480 --> 00:19:16.840
 this?

00:19:17.600 --> 00:19:18.100
 Is David

00:19:18.100 --> 00:19:18.560
 condemned?

00:19:19.400 --> 00:19:19.960
 Is he written

00:19:19.960 --> 00:19:20.640
 off as this

00:19:20.640 --> 00:19:21.820
 unrighteous

00:19:21.820 --> 00:19:22.120
 sinner?

00:19:23.120 --> 00:19:23.980
 The scripture

00:19:23.980 --> 00:19:25.220
 says nothing.

00:19:26.040 --> 00:19:26.580
 It doesn't

00:19:26.580 --> 00:19:27.340
 condemn him as a

00:19:27.340 --> 00:19:27.640
 heretic.

00:19:28.100 --> 00:19:28.540
 It doesn't

00:19:28.540 --> 00:19:29.260
 write him off as

00:19:29.260 --> 00:19:29.620
 a sinner.

00:19:30.040 --> 00:19:30.720
 It doesn't

00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:31.480
 moan about him as

00:19:31.480 --> 00:19:32.160
 breaking God's

00:19:32.160 --> 00:19:32.380
 law.

00:19:32.380 --> 00:19:33.640
 God's word

00:19:33.640 --> 00:19:34.380
 says nothing

00:19:34.380 --> 00:19:34.840
 about this

00:19:34.840 --> 00:19:35.580
 flagrant breaking

00:19:35.580 --> 00:19:36.160
 of the law.

00:19:37.180 --> 00:19:37.600
 Why?

00:19:38.600 --> 00:19:39.380
 Because it's a

00:19:39.380 --> 00:19:40.000
 matter of life

00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:40.240
 and death.

00:19:40.380 --> 00:19:41.040
 God knows

00:19:41.040 --> 00:19:42.020
 that David's

00:19:42.020 --> 00:19:42.440
 men,

00:19:42.600 --> 00:19:43.200
 their life is

00:19:43.200 --> 00:19:43.760
 more important

00:19:43.760 --> 00:19:44.160
 than the

00:19:44.160 --> 00:19:44.960
 technicalities

00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:45.440
 of the law.

00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:47.100
 But what does

00:19:47.100 --> 00:19:47.660
 scripture say

00:19:47.660 --> 00:19:48.200
 about David?

00:19:49.560 --> 00:19:50.340
 It says that

00:19:50.340 --> 00:19:50.820
 he's a man

00:19:50.820 --> 00:19:51.400
 after God's

00:19:51.400 --> 00:19:51.920
 own heart.

00:19:53.400 --> 00:19:54.160
 A man

00:19:54.160 --> 00:19:54.740
 after God's

00:19:54.740 --> 00:19:55.180
 own heart.

00:19:55.740 --> 00:19:56.200
 And Jesus

00:19:56.200 --> 00:19:56.880
 points that if

00:19:56.880 --> 00:19:57.440
 the great

00:19:57.440 --> 00:19:58.300
 king David

00:19:58.300 --> 00:19:59.420
 committed a

00:19:59.420 --> 00:20:00.200
 far greater

00:20:00.200 --> 00:20:00.960
 breach of the

00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:01.760
 Sabbath laws when

00:20:01.759 --> 00:20:02.579
 he was in need

00:20:02.579 --> 00:20:03.160
 when it really

00:20:03.160 --> 00:20:03.839
 was life and

00:20:03.839 --> 00:20:04.119
 death,

00:20:04.700 --> 00:20:05.279
 well then you've

00:20:05.279 --> 00:20:05.879
 got to extend a

00:20:05.879 --> 00:20:06.519
 bit of grace to

00:20:06.519 --> 00:20:07.180
 these disciples

00:20:07.180 --> 00:20:07.799
 themselves.

00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:11.000
 Now, if you

00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:11.379
 are one of the

00:20:11.379 --> 00:20:12.940
 Pharisees, what

00:20:12.940 --> 00:20:13.519
 do you say to

00:20:13.519 --> 00:20:13.819
 this?

00:20:15.079 --> 00:20:15.879
 Well I imagine

00:20:15.879 --> 00:20:16.480
 the Pharisees

00:20:16.480 --> 00:20:16.940
 have probably

00:20:16.940 --> 00:20:17.400
 said something

00:20:17.400 --> 00:20:18.259
 like, okay,

00:20:18.379 --> 00:20:18.900
 good point.

00:20:19.700 --> 00:20:21.460
 But, that's

00:20:21.460 --> 00:20:22.259
 David, right?

00:20:23.299 --> 00:20:24.440
 David is the

00:20:24.440 --> 00:20:25.200
 greatest king

00:20:25.200 --> 00:20:26.160
 Israel ever

00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:26.539
 had.

00:20:27.079 --> 00:20:27.700
 David is the

00:20:27.700 --> 00:20:28.519
 great rescuer,

00:20:28.619 --> 00:20:29.200
 the redeemer,

00:20:29.319 --> 00:20:30.220
 the restorer of

00:20:30.220 --> 00:20:30.539
 Israel.

00:20:30.539 --> 00:20:31.819
 David is the

00:20:31.819 --> 00:20:32.480
 guy who brought

00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:33.299
 us peace and

00:20:33.299 --> 00:20:33.799
 security.

00:20:34.159 --> 00:20:34.639
 When all our

00:20:34.639 --> 00:20:35.220
 enemies were

00:20:35.220 --> 00:20:35.980
 attacking us,

00:20:36.359 --> 00:20:37.000
 David is the

00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:37.920
 one guy that

00:20:37.920 --> 00:20:38.619
 brought Israel

00:20:38.619 --> 00:20:39.720
 the most peace.

00:20:40.220 --> 00:20:40.899
 David is the

00:20:40.899 --> 00:20:41.700
 greatest king

00:20:41.700 --> 00:20:42.339
 we've ever had.

00:20:42.460 --> 00:20:42.940
 Jesus, who

00:20:42.940 --> 00:20:43.339
 are you?

00:20:44.379 --> 00:20:45.200
 And that's the

00:20:45.200 --> 00:20:45.819
 question, isn't

00:20:45.819 --> 00:20:46.079
 it?

00:20:46.859 --> 00:20:47.940
 Jesus, who

00:20:47.940 --> 00:20:49.200
 are you?

00:20:51.299 --> 00:20:52.059
 Well, Jesus

00:20:52.059 --> 00:20:52.899
 doesn't answer the

00:20:52.899 --> 00:20:53.700
 question because

00:20:53.700 --> 00:20:54.819
 Jesus goes on and

00:20:54.819 --> 00:20:55.839
 he tells them another

00:20:55.839 --> 00:20:56.319
 example.

00:20:56.500 --> 00:20:57.500
 He says, well

00:20:57.500 --> 00:20:58.319
 consider the fact

00:20:58.319 --> 00:20:58.779
 that on the

00:20:58.779 --> 00:21:00.159
 Sabbath, when

00:21:00.159 --> 00:21:00.759
 everyone's meant

00:21:00.759 --> 00:21:01.259
 to be resting

00:21:01.259 --> 00:21:02.659
 from work, when

00:21:02.659 --> 00:21:03.240
 everyone's meant

00:21:03.240 --> 00:21:04.599
 to be worshipping

00:21:04.599 --> 00:21:06.319
 God, who is

00:21:06.319 --> 00:21:07.059
 running around

00:21:07.059 --> 00:21:07.839
 crazy working

00:21:07.839 --> 00:21:08.200
 hard?

00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:09.500
 It's the

00:21:09.500 --> 00:21:09.960
 priests.

00:21:10.500 --> 00:21:11.319
 The priests are

00:21:11.319 --> 00:21:11.839
 meant to be the

00:21:11.839 --> 00:21:13.200
 most sanctimonious,

00:21:13.299 --> 00:21:14.200
 the most religious,

00:21:14.339 --> 00:21:15.079
 the most dedicated

00:21:15.079 --> 00:21:15.500
 to God.

00:21:15.859 --> 00:21:16.539
 And yet they're the

00:21:16.539 --> 00:21:17.839
 one people that on

00:21:17.839 --> 00:21:18.839
 the Sabbath day are

00:21:18.839 --> 00:21:20.019
 running around working

00:21:20.019 --> 00:21:20.819
 doubly hard.

00:21:22.439 --> 00:21:23.319
 And what does

00:21:23.319 --> 00:21:24.059
 scripture say about

00:21:24.059 --> 00:21:24.279
 them?

00:21:24.379 --> 00:21:25.159
 Does God condemn

00:21:25.159 --> 00:21:25.419
 them?

00:21:25.420 --> 00:21:27.180
 No, he doesn't.

00:21:28.600 --> 00:21:29.440
 Because the

00:21:29.440 --> 00:21:30.440
 reality of

00:21:30.440 --> 00:21:32.400
 worship trumps

00:21:32.400 --> 00:21:33.920
 the regulations

00:21:33.920 --> 00:21:34.860
 about the

00:21:34.860 --> 00:21:35.180
 Sabbath.

00:21:36.019 --> 00:21:37.120
 The gift of

00:21:37.120 --> 00:21:38.940
 grace is a

00:21:38.940 --> 00:21:39.840
 means to an

00:21:39.840 --> 00:21:41.220
 end, not an

00:21:41.220 --> 00:21:42.279
 end in itself.

00:21:42.920 --> 00:21:44.000
 The purpose of

00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:44.960
 the Sabbath is

00:21:44.960 --> 00:21:45.560
 to promote

00:21:45.560 --> 00:21:46.779
 worship, not

00:21:46.779 --> 00:21:47.340
 to be

00:21:47.340 --> 00:21:47.960
 worshipped.

00:21:48.440 --> 00:21:49.140
 It promotes

00:21:49.140 --> 00:21:49.840
 rest and

00:21:49.840 --> 00:21:51.080
 faithfulness, joy,

00:21:51.080 --> 00:21:52.360
 not regulations

00:21:52.360 --> 00:21:53.300
 and rituals and

00:21:53.300 --> 00:21:53.840
 levels of

00:21:53.840 --> 00:21:54.360
 righteousness.

00:21:54.359 --> 00:21:54.559
 righteousness.

00:21:55.159 --> 00:21:55.899
 The Sabbath is

00:21:55.899 --> 00:21:56.419
 meant to lead

00:21:56.419 --> 00:21:57.299
 us to Christ,

00:21:57.539 --> 00:21:58.199
 not meant to be

00:21:58.199 --> 00:21:59.159
 a scorecard by

00:21:59.159 --> 00:21:59.939
 which we measure

00:21:59.939 --> 00:22:01.159
 how righteous

00:22:01.159 --> 00:22:01.859
 we are.

00:22:03.399 --> 00:22:04.439
 Jesus says that

00:22:04.439 --> 00:22:06.000
 worship trumps

00:22:06.000 --> 00:22:07.899
 ritual any day

00:22:07.899 --> 00:22:08.459
 of the week.

00:22:10.719 --> 00:22:11.439
 Now, if you're

00:22:11.439 --> 00:22:12.099
 the Pharisees,

00:22:12.219 --> 00:22:12.759
 what do you say

00:22:12.759 --> 00:22:13.339
 to that?

00:22:14.279 --> 00:22:15.059
 Say, okay,

00:22:15.199 --> 00:22:15.899
 good point.

00:22:16.439 --> 00:22:17.919
 But, those

00:22:17.919 --> 00:22:18.259
 are the

00:22:18.259 --> 00:22:18.779
 priests.

00:22:19.339 --> 00:22:19.779
 I mean, the

00:22:19.779 --> 00:22:20.179
 priests are

00:22:20.179 --> 00:22:20.679
 those that are

00:22:20.679 --> 00:22:21.559
 anointed and

00:22:21.559 --> 00:22:22.359
 set apart for

00:22:22.359 --> 00:22:23.059
 God's service.

00:22:23.059 --> 00:22:24.259
 the priests

00:22:24.259 --> 00:22:24.659
 are the ones

00:22:24.659 --> 00:22:25.200
 that bring us

00:22:25.200 --> 00:22:25.980
 forgiveness of

00:22:25.980 --> 00:22:26.399
 sins and

00:22:26.399 --> 00:22:27.899
 offer sacrifice

00:22:27.899 --> 00:22:28.539
 and offering.

00:22:28.919 --> 00:22:29.700
 If the priests

00:22:29.700 --> 00:22:30.480
 stop doing their

00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:31.419
 work, who's

00:22:31.419 --> 00:22:31.799
 going to bring

00:22:31.799 --> 00:22:32.279
 us forgiveness?

00:22:32.859 --> 00:22:33.379
 Who's going to

00:22:33.379 --> 00:22:34.059
 atone for our

00:22:34.059 --> 00:22:34.299
 guilt?

00:22:34.759 --> 00:22:35.279
 Who's going to

00:22:35.279 --> 00:22:35.700
 offer the

00:22:35.700 --> 00:22:36.539
 sacrifices and

00:22:36.539 --> 00:22:36.919
 the offerings?

00:22:37.200 --> 00:22:38.039
 If the priests

00:22:38.039 --> 00:22:38.679
 stop doing their

00:22:38.679 --> 00:22:39.919
 work, Israel's

00:22:39.919 --> 00:22:40.460
 in trouble.

00:22:41.500 --> 00:22:42.740
 Jesus, we need

00:22:42.740 --> 00:22:43.460
 the priests, but

00:22:43.460 --> 00:22:44.279
 Jesus, who are

00:22:44.279 --> 00:22:44.539
 you?

00:22:44.539 --> 00:22:48.379
 And Jesus

00:22:48.379 --> 00:22:49.339
 gives them an

00:22:49.339 --> 00:22:51.159
 answer, which

00:22:51.159 --> 00:22:51.779
 may sound

00:22:51.779 --> 00:22:52.480
 simple and

00:22:52.480 --> 00:22:53.319
 well-established

00:22:53.319 --> 00:22:54.799
 to us, but

00:22:54.799 --> 00:22:55.319
 if you're

00:22:55.319 --> 00:22:56.159
 first-century

00:22:56.159 --> 00:22:57.720
 Israel, it

00:22:57.720 --> 00:22:58.200
 is a

00:22:58.200 --> 00:22:59.039
 bombshell.

00:22:59.379 --> 00:23:00.079
 Jesus says

00:23:00.079 --> 00:23:00.680
 something that

00:23:00.680 --> 00:23:01.119
 is so

00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:02.359
 provocative, so

00:23:02.359 --> 00:23:04.500
 blasphemous, that

00:23:04.500 --> 00:23:05.259
 it gets the

00:23:05.259 --> 00:23:05.759
 hair on the

00:23:05.759 --> 00:23:06.180
 back of the

00:23:06.180 --> 00:23:06.920
 neck standing

00:23:06.920 --> 00:23:07.119
 up.

00:23:07.180 --> 00:23:07.539
 Look at what

00:23:07.539 --> 00:23:08.299
 Jesus says in

00:23:08.299 --> 00:23:08.859
 verse 6.

00:23:08.859 --> 00:23:10.359
 He says,

00:23:10.399 --> 00:23:10.899
 I tell you

00:23:10.899 --> 00:23:11.479
 the truth,

00:23:12.339 --> 00:23:13.519
 something greater

00:23:13.519 --> 00:23:14.759
 than the

00:23:14.759 --> 00:23:15.579
 temple is here.

00:23:17.559 --> 00:23:18.119
 Now, if you're

00:23:18.119 --> 00:23:18.659
 first-century

00:23:18.659 --> 00:23:19.879
 Jew, that is

00:23:19.879 --> 00:23:20.619
 like the worst

00:23:20.619 --> 00:23:21.019
 thing in the

00:23:21.019 --> 00:23:21.619
 whole world that

00:23:21.619 --> 00:23:22.179
 you can say,

00:23:22.299 --> 00:23:22.519
 right?

00:23:23.099 --> 00:23:24.240
 The temple is

00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:24.979
 the one place

00:23:24.979 --> 00:23:25.519
 where God's

00:23:25.519 --> 00:23:26.579
 presence dwells.

00:23:26.899 --> 00:23:27.699
 The temple is

00:23:27.699 --> 00:23:28.339
 the one place

00:23:28.339 --> 00:23:29.000
 that is so

00:23:29.000 --> 00:23:30.219
 holy, so

00:23:30.219 --> 00:23:31.379
 sacred, that

00:23:31.379 --> 00:23:32.099
 the high priest

00:23:32.099 --> 00:23:33.019
 can only go in

00:23:33.019 --> 00:23:33.759
 there in the

00:23:33.759 --> 00:23:35.039
 holy place once

00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:35.419
 a year.

00:23:35.979 --> 00:23:36.719
 The temple is

00:23:36.719 --> 00:23:37.199
 the place where

00:23:37.199 --> 00:23:37.939
 the Shekinah

00:23:37.939 --> 00:23:38.839
 glory of God

00:23:38.839 --> 00:23:39.179
 dwells.

00:23:39.399 --> 00:23:40.179
 Remember when

00:23:40.179 --> 00:23:42.439
 Uzzah, the

00:23:42.439 --> 00:23:43.819
 cart, the

00:23:43.819 --> 00:23:44.679
 ark is being

00:23:44.679 --> 00:23:45.259
 brought back to

00:23:45.259 --> 00:23:46.179
 Israel, Uzzah

00:23:46.179 --> 00:23:46.779
 reaches out and

00:23:46.779 --> 00:23:47.439
 touches it and

00:23:47.439 --> 00:23:47.980
 he falls down

00:23:47.980 --> 00:23:48.539
 dead because

00:23:48.539 --> 00:23:49.240
 God's glory

00:23:49.240 --> 00:23:49.899
 strikes him?

00:23:50.480 --> 00:23:50.899
 Well, the

00:23:50.899 --> 00:23:51.480
 temple is the

00:23:51.480 --> 00:23:51.839
 place where

00:23:51.839 --> 00:23:52.720
 God's glory

00:23:52.720 --> 00:23:53.339
 dwells.

00:23:53.619 --> 00:23:54.299
 It's heaven

00:23:54.299 --> 00:23:54.959
 on earth and

00:23:54.959 --> 00:23:56.439
 Jesus, this

00:23:56.439 --> 00:23:57.119
 man whose

00:23:57.119 --> 00:23:57.939
 disciples are

00:23:57.939 --> 00:23:58.939
 breaking his

00:23:58.939 --> 00:24:00.000
 Sabbath rules,

00:24:00.519 --> 00:24:00.799
 says,

00:24:01.759 --> 00:24:02.839
 something greater

00:24:02.839 --> 00:24:03.319
 than the

00:24:03.319 --> 00:24:03.980
 temple is in

00:24:03.980 --> 00:24:04.480
 your midst.

00:24:05.859 --> 00:24:06.179
 Me.

00:24:07.379 --> 00:24:08.159
 What's Jesus

00:24:08.159 --> 00:24:08.539
 saying?

00:24:09.679 --> 00:24:10.299
 He's saying

00:24:10.299 --> 00:24:11.240
 all those

00:24:11.240 --> 00:24:12.659
 sacrifices, all

00:24:12.659 --> 00:24:13.480
 those offerings,

00:24:14.019 --> 00:24:14.439
 all the

00:24:14.439 --> 00:24:15.259
 thousands of

00:24:15.259 --> 00:24:15.959
 rules that are

00:24:15.959 --> 00:24:16.679
 all surrounded

00:24:16.679 --> 00:24:18.079
 the temple are

00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:19.319
 ultimately found

00:24:19.319 --> 00:24:20.519
 in me.

00:24:21.259 --> 00:24:22.139
 And if you

00:24:22.139 --> 00:24:22.959
 don't come to

00:24:22.959 --> 00:24:23.759
 me, if you

00:24:23.759 --> 00:24:24.759
 obey all those

00:24:24.759 --> 00:24:25.399
 rules but you

00:24:25.399 --> 00:24:25.959
 don't come to

00:24:25.959 --> 00:24:27.119
 me, you've

00:24:27.119 --> 00:24:27.599
 missed the

00:24:27.599 --> 00:24:28.599
 point completely.

00:24:28.599 --> 00:24:31.199
 Jesus doesn't

00:24:31.199 --> 00:24:32.019
 say it, but I

00:24:32.019 --> 00:24:32.619
 think the

00:24:32.619 --> 00:24:33.259
 disciples would

00:24:33.259 --> 00:24:33.539
 have picked

00:24:33.539 --> 00:24:34.119
 up on it,

00:24:34.699 --> 00:24:35.759
 someone greater

00:24:35.759 --> 00:24:36.980
 than David is

00:24:36.980 --> 00:24:37.240
 here.

00:24:38.319 --> 00:24:38.899
 David, the

00:24:38.899 --> 00:24:39.500
 great king of

00:24:39.500 --> 00:24:40.000
 Israel who

00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:40.639
 brought peace

00:24:40.639 --> 00:24:41.299
 and security,

00:24:42.399 --> 00:24:43.240
 the true and

00:24:43.240 --> 00:24:44.079
 better David is

00:24:44.079 --> 00:24:44.359
 here.

00:24:45.399 --> 00:24:46.019
 David, the

00:24:46.019 --> 00:24:46.740
 great king, the

00:24:46.740 --> 00:24:47.579
 redeemer and the

00:24:47.579 --> 00:24:48.779
 restorer, the

00:24:48.779 --> 00:24:49.379
 one that fought

00:24:49.379 --> 00:24:50.059
 off their enemies

00:24:50.059 --> 00:24:50.819
 and brought peace

00:24:50.819 --> 00:24:51.500
 and security,

00:24:52.419 --> 00:24:53.399
 Jesus is the

00:24:53.399 --> 00:24:53.980
 true and better

00:24:53.980 --> 00:24:55.620
 David is here.

00:24:56.480 --> 00:24:57.299
 In other words,

00:24:57.360 --> 00:24:58.019
 if you have a

00:24:58.019 --> 00:24:59.180
 thousand Davids in

00:24:59.180 --> 00:25:00.240
 your midst, a

00:25:00.240 --> 00:25:01.079
 thousand great

00:25:01.079 --> 00:25:02.019
 kings and leaders

00:25:02.019 --> 00:25:02.960
 and rescuers and

00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:04.539
 restorers, but you

00:25:04.539 --> 00:25:06.640
 have not me, you

00:25:06.640 --> 00:25:08.240
 have nothing.

00:25:12.559 --> 00:25:13.360
 You see what

00:25:13.360 --> 00:25:13.980
 Jesus is saying?

00:25:15.339 --> 00:25:16.200
 Jesus is saying

00:25:16.200 --> 00:25:17.400
 that everything in

00:25:17.400 --> 00:25:18.120
 the Old Testament,

00:25:18.740 --> 00:25:20.039
 all the writings,

00:25:20.259 --> 00:25:20.980
 all the rules,

00:25:21.140 --> 00:25:22.039
 all the promises,

00:25:22.240 --> 00:25:23.039
 all the hopes,

00:25:23.039 --> 00:25:24.139
 everything the

00:25:24.139 --> 00:25:25.299
 Pharisees longed

00:25:25.299 --> 00:25:26.299
 for and were

00:25:26.299 --> 00:25:27.299
 praying for and

00:25:27.299 --> 00:25:29.460
 hoping for, all

00:25:29.460 --> 00:25:30.460
 of it comes down

00:25:30.460 --> 00:25:31.799
 to him.

00:25:34.519 --> 00:25:35.339
 In the New

00:25:35.339 --> 00:25:36.039
 Testament book of

00:25:36.039 --> 00:25:36.920
 Colossians, the

00:25:36.920 --> 00:25:38.259
 Apostle Paul writes

00:25:38.259 --> 00:25:39.480
 this in chapter 2

00:25:39.480 --> 00:25:40.460
 verse 16, he

00:25:40.460 --> 00:25:40.859
 says,

00:25:41.759 --> 00:25:42.759
 Let no one pass

00:25:42.759 --> 00:25:43.819
 judgment on you

00:25:43.819 --> 00:25:45.220
 in questions of

00:25:45.220 --> 00:25:47.259
 food or drink or

00:25:47.259 --> 00:25:48.180
 with regard to a

00:25:48.180 --> 00:25:49.139
 festival or a new

00:25:49.139 --> 00:25:49.779
 moon or the

00:25:49.779 --> 00:25:50.059
 Sabbath.

00:25:51.059 --> 00:25:52.119
 These are but a

00:25:52.119 --> 00:25:53.000
 shadow of the

00:25:53.000 --> 00:25:53.740
 things to come,

00:25:53.880 --> 00:25:54.819
 but the substance

00:25:54.819 --> 00:25:56.480
 belongs to Christ.

00:25:57.680 --> 00:25:58.859
 These things are a

00:25:58.859 --> 00:25:59.440
 shadow.

00:26:01.599 --> 00:26:02.380
 It's like a

00:26:02.380 --> 00:26:02.740
 silhouette.

00:26:03.880 --> 00:26:04.400
 Have you ever

00:26:04.400 --> 00:26:05.519
 seen a silhouette

00:26:05.519 --> 00:26:06.839
 and you go up,

00:26:06.880 --> 00:26:07.319
 have you ever tried

00:26:07.319 --> 00:26:08.299
 to give a silhouette

00:26:08.299 --> 00:26:08.819
 a hug?

00:26:09.740 --> 00:26:10.240
 Or have you ever

00:26:10.240 --> 00:26:10.660
 tried to have a

00:26:10.660 --> 00:26:11.420
 conversation with

00:26:11.420 --> 00:26:11.799
 the silhouette?

00:26:12.140 --> 00:26:12.599
 It's not going to

00:26:12.599 --> 00:26:13.259
 be very fruitful.

00:26:14.519 --> 00:26:15.619
 All the thousands

00:26:15.619 --> 00:26:16.380
 of things, the

00:26:16.380 --> 00:26:16.980
 rules and the

00:26:16.980 --> 00:26:17.819
 regulations, the

00:26:17.819 --> 00:26:18.440
 Sabbath, the

00:26:18.440 --> 00:26:19.460
 sacrifices, the

00:26:19.460 --> 00:26:20.160
 offerings, the

00:26:20.160 --> 00:26:20.880
 temple, the

00:26:20.880 --> 00:26:21.920
 priests, the

00:26:21.920 --> 00:26:22.560
 thousands of

00:26:22.560 --> 00:26:23.240
 things in God's

00:26:23.240 --> 00:26:24.539
 word are all

00:26:24.539 --> 00:26:25.600
 just a shadow, a

00:26:25.600 --> 00:26:27.340
 silhouette, but the

00:26:27.340 --> 00:26:28.340
 substance is in

00:26:28.340 --> 00:26:28.660
 Jesus.

00:26:29.920 --> 00:26:31.140
 And what Jesus is

00:26:31.140 --> 00:26:31.900
 saying here is

00:26:31.900 --> 00:26:33.240
 that the Pharisees

00:26:33.240 --> 00:26:33.940
 are freaking out

00:26:33.940 --> 00:26:34.560
 because his

00:26:34.560 --> 00:26:35.279
 disciples are

00:26:35.279 --> 00:26:35.860
 breaking their

00:26:35.860 --> 00:26:36.660
 man-made rules.

00:26:36.820 --> 00:26:37.400
 They think they're

00:26:37.400 --> 00:26:38.180
 desecrating the

00:26:38.180 --> 00:26:39.360
 Sabbath because

00:26:39.360 --> 00:26:40.060
 they're making a

00:26:40.060 --> 00:26:40.660
 mockery of all

00:26:40.660 --> 00:26:41.360
 that's sacred and

00:26:41.360 --> 00:26:41.660
 holy.

00:26:42.420 --> 00:26:43.240
 And Jesus says

00:26:43.240 --> 00:26:44.220
 that the true and

00:26:44.220 --> 00:26:45.320
 ultimate embodiment

00:26:45.320 --> 00:26:46.259
 and fulfillment of

00:26:46.259 --> 00:26:47.220
 everything God's

00:26:47.220 --> 00:26:48.900
 law spoke about is

00:26:48.900 --> 00:26:49.539
 found in him.

00:26:49.539 --> 00:26:52.099
 Friends, you know

00:26:52.099 --> 00:26:52.700
 that we do the

00:26:52.700 --> 00:26:53.200
 same thing?

00:26:54.240 --> 00:26:55.259
 We can be so

00:26:55.259 --> 00:26:56.200
 busy in church.

00:26:56.279 --> 00:26:56.799
 We can run

00:26:56.799 --> 00:26:57.399
 around and we

00:26:57.399 --> 00:26:58.240
 can serve in

00:26:58.240 --> 00:26:59.420
 ICF and serve in

00:26:59.420 --> 00:27:00.379
 youth ministry and

00:27:00.379 --> 00:27:01.019
 serve in kids

00:27:01.019 --> 00:27:01.759
 ministry and serve

00:27:01.759 --> 00:27:02.240
 in the band.

00:27:02.579 --> 00:27:03.139
 We can run

00:27:03.139 --> 00:27:03.779
 around doing a

00:27:03.779 --> 00:27:05.980
 thousand things and

00:27:05.980 --> 00:27:06.559
 miss Jesus.

00:27:07.519 --> 00:27:08.420
 And we can come

00:27:08.420 --> 00:27:09.019
 to church and we

00:27:09.019 --> 00:27:09.779
 can sing the songs

00:27:09.779 --> 00:27:10.379
 and we can take

00:27:10.379 --> 00:27:11.519
 communion and we

00:27:11.519 --> 00:27:12.119
 can pray with

00:27:12.119 --> 00:27:12.940
 people afterwards

00:27:12.940 --> 00:27:14.359
 and we can miss

00:27:14.359 --> 00:27:14.740
 Jesus.

00:27:15.659 --> 00:27:16.220
 And we can be

00:27:16.220 --> 00:27:17.139
 involved in outreach

00:27:17.139 --> 00:27:18.119
 opportunities and

00:27:18.119 --> 00:27:19.000
 serve the poor and

00:27:19.000 --> 00:27:20.000
 be part of a CG

00:27:20.000 --> 00:27:20.759
 and be part of a

00:27:20.759 --> 00:27:21.740
 TG and be part of

00:27:21.740 --> 00:27:22.680
 an FG and be a

00:27:22.680 --> 00:27:23.420
 part of some

00:27:23.420 --> 00:27:24.640
 other G and do

00:27:24.640 --> 00:27:25.759
 a thousand things

00:27:25.759 --> 00:27:27.420
 and our hearts

00:27:27.420 --> 00:27:29.799
 can be cold and

00:27:29.799 --> 00:27:31.480
 numb to Jesus.

00:27:35.359 --> 00:27:36.220
 Friends, Jesus

00:27:36.220 --> 00:27:37.200
 says the true and

00:27:37.200 --> 00:27:38.519
 lasting rest is not

00:27:38.519 --> 00:27:39.799
 found in a Sabbath

00:27:39.799 --> 00:27:41.759
 or in one day of

00:27:41.759 --> 00:27:42.079
 the week.

00:27:42.180 --> 00:27:43.180
 It's found in

00:27:43.180 --> 00:27:43.960
 coming to him.

00:27:45.440 --> 00:27:46.500
 Jesus says that

00:27:46.500 --> 00:27:48.779
 peace with God is

00:27:48.779 --> 00:27:50.220
 not found in the

00:27:50.220 --> 00:27:51.279
 sacrifices and the

00:27:51.279 --> 00:27:51.720
 offerings.

00:27:52.079 --> 00:27:53.119
 It's found in

00:27:53.119 --> 00:27:54.240
 coming to him.

00:27:55.660 --> 00:27:56.799
 Jesus says that

00:27:56.799 --> 00:27:57.599
 forgiveness and

00:27:57.599 --> 00:27:58.319
 cleansing and

00:27:58.319 --> 00:27:59.940
 redemption from

00:27:59.940 --> 00:28:02.220
 judgment to come is

00:28:02.220 --> 00:28:02.940
 not found in

00:28:02.940 --> 00:28:03.920
 traveling hundreds of

00:28:03.920 --> 00:28:04.619
 miles to the

00:28:04.619 --> 00:28:05.000
 temple.

00:28:05.779 --> 00:28:07.519
 It's found in the

00:28:07.519 --> 00:28:08.379
 sacrifice and the

00:28:08.379 --> 00:28:09.399
 offering that Jesus

00:28:09.399 --> 00:28:10.160
 would offer on the

00:28:10.160 --> 00:28:10.519
 cross.

00:28:10.960 --> 00:28:12.119
 It's found in him.

00:28:13.440 --> 00:28:14.940
 And Jesus claims to

00:28:14.940 --> 00:28:15.920
 be embodiment of

00:28:15.920 --> 00:28:17.119
 everything that Israel

00:28:17.119 --> 00:28:17.899
 held sacred.

00:28:18.439 --> 00:28:19.839
 The temple, the

00:28:19.839 --> 00:28:20.619
 perfection of the

00:28:20.619 --> 00:28:21.859
 law, the Sabbath day

00:28:21.859 --> 00:28:23.459
 principle, the great

00:28:23.459 --> 00:28:24.279
 king David.

00:28:24.839 --> 00:28:25.979
 Jesus says all of

00:28:25.979 --> 00:28:27.559
 these come to me.

00:28:28.219 --> 00:28:29.099
 And therefore Jesus

00:28:29.099 --> 00:28:29.519
 is saying that

00:28:29.519 --> 00:28:30.719
 salvation, not just

00:28:30.719 --> 00:28:31.659
 from judgment and

00:28:31.659 --> 00:28:32.679
 hell, that's true,

00:28:33.039 --> 00:28:34.579
 but the life that God

00:28:34.579 --> 00:28:36.179
 offers, the fullness

00:28:36.179 --> 00:28:36.779
 of life, the

00:28:36.779 --> 00:28:38.059
 abundance of life that

00:28:38.059 --> 00:28:39.619
 Christianity preaches

00:28:39.619 --> 00:28:40.939
 and declares are not

00:28:40.939 --> 00:28:42.779
 found in any ritual or

00:28:42.779 --> 00:28:44.879
 tradition or system of

00:28:44.880 --> 00:28:46.220
 righteousness, they're

00:28:46.220 --> 00:28:47.380
 not even found in the

00:28:47.380 --> 00:28:48.760
 gifts that God gives

00:28:48.760 --> 00:28:50.300
 us, they are found in

00:28:50.300 --> 00:28:51.480
 those gifts leading us

00:28:51.480 --> 00:28:52.240
 to King Jesus.

00:28:53.580 --> 00:28:54.680
 For the Jews, the

00:28:54.680 --> 00:28:55.780
 Sabbath was a matter of

00:28:55.780 --> 00:28:56.880
 life and death, but

00:28:56.880 --> 00:28:59.040
 friends, it's so true for

00:28:59.040 --> 00:28:59.680
 us as well.

00:28:59.800 --> 00:29:00.980
 It's a matter of life

00:29:00.980 --> 00:29:02.560
 and death whether we

00:29:02.560 --> 00:29:03.580
 come to Jesus.

00:29:05.160 --> 00:29:06.660
 Sam Albury tells this

00:29:06.660 --> 00:29:08.420
 great story and I want

00:29:08.420 --> 00:29:09.140
 to share it with you.

00:29:10.100 --> 00:29:12.280
 He tells the story of he

00:29:12.280 --> 00:29:13.640
 had a friend who wanted

00:29:13.640 --> 00:29:15.360
 to become a pastor and

00:29:15.360 --> 00:29:16.520
 so he went off to

00:29:16.520 --> 00:29:17.000
 seminary.

00:29:17.100 --> 00:29:17.860
 Now seminary is like

00:29:17.860 --> 00:29:18.600
 where you train to

00:29:18.600 --> 00:29:19.320
 become a pastor.

00:29:20.060 --> 00:29:21.560
 And so his friend goes

00:29:21.560 --> 00:29:23.420
 to seminary and he's

00:29:23.420 --> 00:29:24.440
 learning all these

00:29:24.440 --> 00:29:25.780
 amazing things about the

00:29:25.780 --> 00:29:27.540
 Greek New Testament and

00:29:27.540 --> 00:29:28.340
 the Hebrew Old

00:29:28.340 --> 00:29:29.740
 Testament and these big

00:29:29.740 --> 00:29:30.980
 words and how to study

00:29:30.980 --> 00:29:33.100
 the Bible and homiletics

00:29:33.100 --> 00:29:33.980
 and all these wonderful

00:29:33.980 --> 00:29:36.320
 things and he's so proud

00:29:36.320 --> 00:29:37.140
 of himself and what he's

00:29:37.140 --> 00:29:38.540
 learning and how well he

00:29:38.540 --> 00:29:39.220
 knows the Bible.

00:29:40.160 --> 00:29:40.880
 And during one of his

00:29:40.880 --> 00:29:42.259
 school holidays, he goes

00:29:42.259 --> 00:29:44.480
 back home to his small

00:29:44.480 --> 00:29:46.940
 rural town and he goes

00:29:46.940 --> 00:29:47.799
 to church with his

00:29:47.799 --> 00:29:49.720
 family and the pastor

00:29:49.720 --> 00:29:51.920
 uses some big words

00:29:51.920 --> 00:29:53.680
 like eschatological or

00:29:53.680 --> 00:29:54.460
 something like that.

00:29:55.420 --> 00:29:56.720
 And he's so proud of

00:29:56.720 --> 00:29:57.500
 himself that he knows

00:29:57.500 --> 00:29:58.200
 what this means.

00:29:58.799 --> 00:29:59.519
 And so he turns to his

00:29:59.519 --> 00:30:00.079
 dad and he says,

00:30:00.819 --> 00:30:02.500
 Hey dad, do you know

00:30:02.500 --> 00:30:03.980
 what eschatology means?

00:30:05.299 --> 00:30:07.660
 And his dad just whispers,

00:30:07.660 --> 00:30:09.740
 isn't that when you love

00:30:09.740 --> 00:30:11.460
 Jesus very, very much?

00:30:13.540 --> 00:30:14.600
 And what his dad was

00:30:14.600 --> 00:30:16.500
 saying was, you can know

00:30:16.500 --> 00:30:18.360
 all the big words, son, but

00:30:18.360 --> 00:30:20.320
 if you don't love Jesus, it's

00:30:20.320 --> 00:30:21.360
 all a pile of nothing.

00:30:22.060 --> 00:30:24.019
 And his dad was just very

00:30:24.019 --> 00:30:27.759
 deliberately, very subtly

00:30:27.759 --> 00:30:30.220
 saying, who cares about the

00:30:30.220 --> 00:30:31.140
 big words in all your

00:30:31.140 --> 00:30:31.620
 education?

00:30:31.800 --> 00:30:32.900
 You can know the Greek and

00:30:32.900 --> 00:30:33.320
 the Hebrew.

00:30:33.460 --> 00:30:34.880
 You can know eschatology and

00:30:34.880 --> 00:30:36.720
 homiletics and soteriology and

00:30:36.720 --> 00:30:37.420
 all those things.

00:30:37.980 --> 00:30:39.160
 But if that doesn't lead you

00:30:39.160 --> 00:30:41.140
 to love Jesus, it's all for

00:30:41.140 --> 00:30:41.440
 nothing.

00:30:43.140 --> 00:30:44.460
 Friends, what about you and

00:30:44.460 --> 00:30:44.720
 I?

00:30:45.799 --> 00:30:47.360
 I know that as a church, we're

00:30:47.360 --> 00:30:48.380
 really busy and we're doing

00:30:48.380 --> 00:30:48.940
 lots of things.

00:30:49.000 --> 00:30:49.880
 We'll talk about that in a

00:30:49.880 --> 00:30:50.059
 minute.

00:30:51.220 --> 00:30:52.940
 Are God's gifts of grace like

00:30:52.940 --> 00:30:55.740
 CG and church worship and

00:30:55.740 --> 00:30:57.839
 Bible reading and prayer, are

00:30:57.839 --> 00:30:59.240
 these things leading you to

00:30:59.240 --> 00:31:00.279
 the wonder and the beauty of

00:31:00.279 --> 00:31:00.559
 Jesus?

00:31:01.480 --> 00:31:02.799
 Are these things leading you to

00:31:02.799 --> 00:31:04.240
 love and trust Jesus more?

00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:07.680
 Are these just gifts of grace

00:31:07.680 --> 00:31:08.799
 that have become rules of

00:31:08.799 --> 00:31:11.019
 regulation that are soon going

00:31:11.019 --> 00:31:12.079
 to become rules of

00:31:12.079 --> 00:31:12.539
 righteousness?

00:31:14.079 --> 00:31:15.799
 Friends, Jesus calls us back to

00:31:15.799 --> 00:31:16.900
 himself and says, what are you

00:31:16.900 --> 00:31:17.579
 doing with me?

00:31:18.500 --> 00:31:20.000
 What are you doing with me?

00:31:21.380 --> 00:31:22.480
 John Stott says that the

00:31:22.480 --> 00:31:24.059
 Pharisees were so anxious to

00:31:24.059 --> 00:31:25.359
 study what the scriptures said

00:31:25.359 --> 00:31:27.079
 that they could not see what the

00:31:27.079 --> 00:31:27.880
 scriptures meant.

00:31:28.519 --> 00:31:29.740
 And what is the meaning of

00:31:29.740 --> 00:31:30.000
 scripture?

00:31:30.000 --> 00:31:31.200
 The meaning of the scripture

00:31:31.200 --> 00:31:33.279
 is actually what Celeste read to

00:31:33.279 --> 00:31:34.440
 us in chapter 11.

00:31:34.559 --> 00:31:36.619
 Look at how Jesus puts it in

00:31:36.619 --> 00:31:37.380
 chapter 11.

00:31:38.460 --> 00:31:41.579
 He says, you who are weary and

00:31:41.579 --> 00:31:44.539
 heavy laden, you who are so

00:31:44.539 --> 00:31:46.460
 burdened by the rules of the law,

00:31:47.140 --> 00:31:48.680
 you who are so burdened by the

00:31:48.680 --> 00:31:50.339
 rules and this and that and do

00:31:50.339 --> 00:31:51.779
 this and don't do this and the

00:31:51.779 --> 00:31:53.279
 Sabbath day and this and this and

00:31:53.279 --> 00:31:55.259
 that, you who are anxious and

00:31:55.259 --> 00:31:57.200
 weary and exhausted and burnt out,

00:31:57.200 --> 00:31:58.880
 come to me.

00:32:00.100 --> 00:32:02.539
 Come to me, all you who labor and

00:32:02.539 --> 00:32:05.039
 are heavy laden and I, says Jesus,

00:32:05.140 --> 00:32:05.920
 will give you rest.

00:32:06.880 --> 00:32:08.759
 Take my yoke upon you and learn

00:32:08.759 --> 00:32:11.720
 from me for I am gentle and lowly in

00:32:11.720 --> 00:32:14.640
 heart and you will find rest for

00:32:14.640 --> 00:32:18.759
 your souls for my yoke is easy and

00:32:18.759 --> 00:32:20.200
 my burden is light.

00:32:21.580 --> 00:32:23.620
 Friends, are you exhausted or burnt

00:32:23.620 --> 00:32:24.799
 out from all your serving?

00:32:25.799 --> 00:32:27.059
 Maybe each time you walk into

00:32:27.059 --> 00:32:29.119
 church, you think to yourself, I

00:32:29.119 --> 00:32:30.819
 hope nobody asks me to do anything

00:32:30.819 --> 00:32:31.220
 today.

00:32:32.139 --> 00:32:33.619
 Or maybe worse, you walk into

00:32:33.619 --> 00:32:35.299
 church and you think, what is God

00:32:35.299 --> 00:32:36.539
 going to ask me to do today?

00:32:37.299 --> 00:32:39.399
 One more burden, one more thing

00:32:39.399 --> 00:32:41.119
 that the preacher in the front is

00:32:41.119 --> 00:32:42.019
 going to tell me to do.

00:32:42.119 --> 00:32:44.919
 One more duty to perform to be a

00:32:44.919 --> 00:32:45.500
 good Christian.

00:32:46.680 --> 00:32:47.859
 Friends, are you exhausted and

00:32:47.859 --> 00:32:48.379
 burnt out?

00:32:49.899 --> 00:32:51.740
 Do you feel like your shoulders are

00:32:51.740 --> 00:32:54.220
 weighed down by all the things that

00:32:54.220 --> 00:32:56.100
 God and church and preachers and

00:32:56.100 --> 00:32:57.299
 Christians ask you to do?

00:32:58.240 --> 00:33:00.019
 Friends, you may be extremely busy

00:33:00.019 --> 00:33:01.819
 doing a thousand things and may not

00:33:01.819 --> 00:33:03.039
 even be a Christian at all because

00:33:03.779 --> 00:33:05.640
 you've never come to Jesus and found

00:33:05.640 --> 00:33:06.440
 your rest in Him.

00:33:08.480 --> 00:33:10.980
 Jesus says, come to me.

00:33:12.120 --> 00:33:13.880
 Come to me.

00:33:13.880 --> 00:33:38.000
 Now, before we get to application, there's one

00:33:38.000 --> 00:33:39.840
 last thing we need to see in this passage and

00:33:39.839 --> 00:33:43.839
 that is Jesus gives us a clue, a hint, almost

00:33:43.839 --> 00:33:47.139
 a symptom that we can see of how we know

00:33:47.139 --> 00:33:49.079
 whether our religion is missing the point.

00:33:49.500 --> 00:33:52.419
 How we know whether we are coming to Jesus

00:33:52.419 --> 00:33:53.639
 or whether we are religious.

00:33:54.379 --> 00:33:56.319
 Because let's be honest, it's pretty hard

00:33:56.319 --> 00:33:56.859
 to tell.

00:33:57.679 --> 00:33:59.259
 Sometimes we come to church and we do all

00:33:59.259 --> 00:34:01.599
 the things and we think we're on track and

00:34:01.599 --> 00:34:04.619
 we actually have not even realized that we've

00:34:04.619 --> 00:34:05.639
 missed the point completely.

00:34:05.640 --> 00:34:08.320
 Look at what Jesus says in verse 7.

00:34:09.300 --> 00:34:11.680
 Jesus actually tells us how we know whether

00:34:11.680 --> 00:34:13.640
 we're missing Jesus or whether we are

00:34:13.640 --> 00:34:15.500
 whether we are coming to Jesus or whether

00:34:15.500 --> 00:34:17.740
 we're being religious is the way that we

00:34:17.740 --> 00:34:18.880
 treat other people.

00:34:19.200 --> 00:34:20.660
 Look what He says in verse 7.

00:34:21.539 --> 00:34:23.960
 If you had known what this means, I desire

00:34:23.960 --> 00:34:26.980
 mercy and not sacrifice, you would not have

00:34:26.980 --> 00:34:28.740
 condemned the guiltless.

00:34:29.640 --> 00:34:32.420
 Now, Jesus is quoting from Hosea chapter 6.

00:34:32.519 --> 00:34:33.619
 It's one of His favorite quotes.

00:34:33.720 --> 00:34:35.260
 He quotes it a couple of times throughout the

00:34:35.260 --> 00:34:35.720
 gospels.

00:34:36.400 --> 00:34:39.200
 And when Hosea says that God desires mercy,

00:34:39.500 --> 00:34:41.720
 He's not talking about the mercy we receive

00:34:41.720 --> 00:34:42.280
 from God.

00:34:42.620 --> 00:34:45.460
 He's not talking about the mercy we give to

00:34:45.460 --> 00:34:45.780
 God.

00:34:46.080 --> 00:34:48.100
 He's talking about the mercy that we extend

00:34:48.100 --> 00:34:48.940
 to one another.

00:34:50.380 --> 00:34:52.660
 What God is saying here is that you can come

00:34:52.660 --> 00:34:54.840
 to church and offer a hundred thousand

00:34:54.840 --> 00:34:57.760
 bills as sacrifice or drop a million dollars

00:34:57.760 --> 00:34:58.680
 in the offering basket.

00:34:59.200 --> 00:35:02.040
 But if you've trampled over the beggar on the

00:35:02.040 --> 00:35:04.420
 way to church or if you've screamed and

00:35:04.420 --> 00:35:06.240
 shouted at your spouse and told them what an

00:35:06.240 --> 00:35:08.000
 idiot they are and then you come and worship

00:35:08.000 --> 00:35:11.380
 Christ at church, it's all for nothing.

00:35:12.579 --> 00:35:15.920
 I desire mercy and steadfast love to the

00:35:15.920 --> 00:35:18.720
 brothers and sisters around you far more than I

00:35:18.720 --> 00:35:21.159
 desire offering and sacrifice.

00:35:21.159 --> 00:35:24.799
 And what Jesus is saying is that one of the symptoms

00:35:24.799 --> 00:35:27.159
 that we know whether we really come to Him,

00:35:27.219 --> 00:35:29.339
 whether our hearts are really trusting in Him,

00:35:29.879 --> 00:35:32.159
 whether we're loving and trusting and obeying Jesus

00:35:32.159 --> 00:35:35.399
 as opposed to ourselves, will be manifest in the way

00:35:35.399 --> 00:35:37.359
 that we treat one another.

00:35:37.360 --> 00:35:41.680
 Friends, maybe I can ask you, are you bitter and angry?

00:35:43.120 --> 00:35:45.740
 Do you sometimes come to church and you think if one

00:35:45.740 --> 00:35:49.360
 person asks one more thing of me, I swear I'm going to

00:35:49.360 --> 00:35:49.660
 snap?

00:35:50.920 --> 00:35:53.599
 Friends, maybe you've served in so many ways and you think,

00:35:53.980 --> 00:35:56.400
 I'm doing everything I have got.

00:35:56.519 --> 00:35:57.539
 I've given everything I have.

00:35:57.579 --> 00:35:58.980
 I can't give anything more.

00:35:58.980 --> 00:36:07.400
 Friends, come to Jesus.

00:36:08.740 --> 00:36:10.599
 Don't come to Him with what you've done for Him.

00:36:11.280 --> 00:36:12.240
 Come empty-handed.

00:36:13.139 --> 00:36:14.579
 Come weary and heavy-laden.

00:36:15.460 --> 00:36:17.320
 Come to Him and find your rest.

00:36:17.579 --> 00:36:19.340
 Find your identity, find your security.

00:36:20.300 --> 00:36:21.860
 Come and find your rest in Him.

00:36:23.380 --> 00:36:24.480
 This is the big idea.

00:36:24.639 --> 00:36:28.480
 Jesus says, true Sabbath rest is found not in what you do

00:36:28.480 --> 00:36:30.360
 for Him, it's found in what He's done for you.

00:36:31.139 --> 00:36:34.159
 Jesus is the true and better King, David, who brings us

00:36:34.159 --> 00:36:35.360
 true peace and security.

00:36:36.260 --> 00:36:39.480
 Jesus is the true and better sacrifice that atones for our

00:36:39.480 --> 00:36:41.619
 sin and reconciles us with God.

00:36:42.199 --> 00:36:45.119
 Jesus is the true and better offering that presents us

00:36:45.119 --> 00:36:46.579
 acceptable to God.

00:36:46.760 --> 00:36:49.760
 Jesus is the true and better Lord, the one who really tells

00:36:49.760 --> 00:36:50.659
 us how to live.

00:36:51.599 --> 00:36:53.900
 Now, what does all this mean?

00:36:53.900 --> 00:36:58.660
 Well, I've got two applications for us before we close.

00:36:59.160 --> 00:37:02.420
 One corporate for us as a church family, one individual.

00:37:03.460 --> 00:37:04.579
 The corporate one first.

00:37:06.000 --> 00:37:11.619
 Watermark family, in case you haven't noticed, we are a very

00:37:11.619 --> 00:37:12.840
 busy church.

00:37:13.680 --> 00:37:17.320
 And over the last two years, we've become even more busy.

00:37:18.519 --> 00:37:21.000
 I was just thinking this week of some of the things that we do.

00:37:21.000 --> 00:37:25.099
 As elders, we've got a weekly prayer meeting where we pray for

00:37:25.099 --> 00:37:25.940
 the church each week.

00:37:26.039 --> 00:37:29.880
 We started about a year and a half ago a monthly prayer meeting

00:37:29.880 --> 00:37:32.880
 where we as a church gather to pray together.

00:37:33.420 --> 00:37:37.920
 We are trying to take massive ground in the social justice space.

00:37:38.019 --> 00:37:41.320
 So we're doing things with safe families and single moms.

00:37:41.500 --> 00:37:43.480
 We are looking after vulnerable children.

00:37:44.000 --> 00:37:46.900
 We're trying to engage with ethnic minorities in Hong Kong.

00:37:47.019 --> 00:37:50.219
 We are serving ladies in the red light districts of Hong Kong.

00:37:50.219 --> 00:37:53.819
 We are trying to love and serve the foreign domestic workers of Hong Kong.

00:37:54.379 --> 00:37:59.099
 We are looking to start an afternoon congregation in the coming months.

00:37:59.500 --> 00:38:02.619
 We have revamped our youth ministry, and youth is going.

00:38:02.939 --> 00:38:07.179
 Our university ministry, we just heard, is kicking it out the park and doing great stuff.

00:38:07.619 --> 00:38:09.919
 We've started a couple of CGs this year.

00:38:10.000 --> 00:38:11.879
 We've started one-to-one Bible reading.

00:38:12.239 --> 00:38:15.319
 We are trying to better equip parents on how to disciple their kids.

00:38:15.659 --> 00:38:17.579
 And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

00:38:17.579 --> 00:38:20.380
 Would you agree with me?

00:38:20.659 --> 00:38:21.699
 We are a busy church.

00:38:22.319 --> 00:38:25.460
 And we're doing this because we want to be faithful to Jesus.

00:38:25.599 --> 00:38:28.920
 We want to become the kind of church that Jesus wants us to be.

00:38:30.039 --> 00:38:35.559
 And yet the danger is what is meant to be gifts of grace that lead us to Jesus

00:38:35.559 --> 00:38:44.139
 can easily become systems of rules and regulations that then become systems of righteousness and justification.

00:38:45.940 --> 00:38:52.059
 And like the Pharisees in Jesus' day, we can be utterly convinced this is what it means to serve Jesus.

00:38:52.900 --> 00:38:56.860
 And yet we do not come to Him because we are exhausted and burnt out,

00:38:57.239 --> 00:39:00.360
 and the means of grace have become rules and regulations.

00:39:00.360 --> 00:39:04.140
 And maybe this is a bad idea.

00:39:05.519 --> 00:39:07.599
 Elders, you can veto me at any point.

00:39:08.620 --> 00:39:12.420
 But maybe, just maybe, we need to kill half the programs

00:39:12.420 --> 00:39:16.059
 and become a church that just focuses on prayer and worship

00:39:16.059 --> 00:39:21.019
 and coming to Jesus again and finding our rest in Him.

00:39:22.940 --> 00:39:26.200
 Watermark, we are a busy church, and we are a wonderful church.

00:39:26.199 --> 00:39:28.159
 But is it leading us to Jesus?

00:39:28.299 --> 00:39:30.399
 Is it helping us trust Him and love Him and obey Him?

00:39:31.379 --> 00:39:34.739
 Or is it becoming a system by which we pat ourselves on the back and say,

00:39:34.919 --> 00:39:35.739
 look how busy we are?

00:39:36.519 --> 00:39:37.559
 That's the corporate one.

00:39:37.619 --> 00:39:38.579
 Here's the individual one.

00:39:40.259 --> 00:39:45.219
 I think one of the warnings of this passage is that Jesus wants to demonstrate to us

00:39:45.219 --> 00:39:50.259
 how easily the human heart turns gifts of grace into idols of justification.

00:39:50.260 --> 00:39:56.240
 For the Jews in Jesus' day, the Sabbath became a means of self-righteousness,

00:39:56.320 --> 00:39:59.540
 a system of justifying how good and righteous and devout they were.

00:40:00.220 --> 00:40:04.440
 And yet the irony is that it kept them from finding the one person

00:40:04.440 --> 00:40:08.420
 in whom their righteousness, justification, and redemption was really held.

00:40:09.780 --> 00:40:14.620
 Friends, every one of us, Jesus calls us to engage in spiritual disciplines.

00:40:15.340 --> 00:40:16.900
 But all those leading us to Jesus.

00:40:16.900 --> 00:40:20.920
 And so tomorrow morning, I hope that most of us are going to get up early

00:40:20.920 --> 00:40:24.440
 and we're going to read our Bibles and we're going to spend time in confession and repentance.

00:40:24.599 --> 00:40:28.099
 And we're going to spend time and pray before we go to work and start off our day.

00:40:28.880 --> 00:40:32.880
 But at the end of that time, is that going to be a box that we tick and say,

00:40:32.940 --> 00:40:33.720
 I've done my job?

00:40:34.139 --> 00:40:37.200
 Or is that going to lead us to come to Jesus,

00:40:37.940 --> 00:40:41.420
 weary and heavy laden, and find our rest in Him?

00:40:42.360 --> 00:40:46.360
 Friends, tomorrow morning, I hope each one of us get up early and spend time in God's Word.

00:40:46.900 --> 00:40:48.559
 But let it lead you to King Jesus.

00:40:48.700 --> 00:40:50.160
 Let it lead you to the Gospel.

00:40:50.340 --> 00:40:56.380
 Let it lead you to His grace and remember the Gospel and remind us that our life is found in Him.

00:40:57.500 --> 00:40:58.940
 Jesus, our true and better King.

00:40:59.599 --> 00:41:00.920
 Jesus, the true and better temple.

00:41:01.660 --> 00:41:02.920
 Jesus, our true and better Sabbath.

00:41:03.800 --> 00:41:05.380
 Jesus, the one that it's all about.

00:41:05.380 --> 00:41:06.960
 Jesus says,

00:41:07.180 --> 00:41:10.220
 Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden,

00:41:10.680 --> 00:41:12.140
 and I will give you rest.

00:41:12.940 --> 00:41:15.680
 Come and take my yoke upon you and learn from me,

00:41:15.720 --> 00:41:17.640
 for I'm gentle and lowly in heart,

00:41:18.000 --> 00:41:20.099
 and you will find rest for your souls.

00:41:20.760 --> 00:41:22.079
 For my yoke is easy,

00:41:22.619 --> 00:41:24.380
 and my burden is light.

00:41:25.140 --> 00:41:26.140
 Let's pray together.

00:41:26.139 --> 00:41:30.960
 Lord Jesus Christ,

00:41:31.099 --> 00:41:34.779
 we confess, God,

00:41:35.079 --> 00:41:38.440
 that so easily we become like the Pharisees,

00:41:38.480 --> 00:41:41.420
 and we turn what's meant to be a gift of grace

00:41:41.420 --> 00:41:44.219
 into a system of rules and regulations,

00:41:45.480 --> 00:41:47.400
 into a system of self-justification.

00:41:47.400 --> 00:41:53.079
 Father, won't you open our eyes once again to see you for who you are?

00:41:53.920 --> 00:41:58.099
 Father, won't you open our eyes to see our desperate need to you,

00:41:58.240 --> 00:41:59.460
 to see that rest,

00:41:59.700 --> 00:42:00.559
 true Sabbath rest,

00:42:00.639 --> 00:42:05.539
 that everything that the great Sabbath was all about is found in coming to you.

00:42:08.220 --> 00:42:11.320
 Jesus, for those of us that are anxious and weary,

00:42:11.639 --> 00:42:12.780
 tired and exhausted,

00:42:14.019 --> 00:42:15.460
 draw us to yourself, we pray,

00:42:15.460 --> 00:42:19.900
 and come and help us to find our rest in you.

00:42:21.059 --> 00:42:21.500
 Amen.