WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:16.780
 Hi, my name is George Sinclair. I'm the lead pastor of Church of the Messiah. It is wonderful

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 that you would like to check out some of the sermons done by Church of the Messiah, either

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 by myself or some of the others. Listen, just a couple of things. First of all, would you pray

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 for us that we will open God's Word well to His glory and for the good of people like yourself?

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 The second thing is, if you aren't connected to a church and if you are a Christian, we really,

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 I would really like to encourage you to find a good local church where they believe the Bible,

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 they preach the gospel, and if you have some trouble finding that, send us an email. We will

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 do what we can to help connect you with a good local church wherever you are. And if you're a

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 non-Christian checking us out, we're really, really, really glad you're doing that. Don't

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 hesitate to send us questions. It helps me actually to know, as I'm preaching, how to deal with the

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 types of things that you're really struggling with. So God bless.

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 Let's bow our heads in prayer. Father, you know the condition that we're in right now. You know,

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 Father, some of us might be filled with joy, some of us having some worries. Father, we know that you

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 know. And so, Father, we know that your Word addresses who we really are in the states of our

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 real hearts. And we know that your Word is very powerful, important to us, especially since we all

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 struggle at different times and maybe a lot with worry. So we ask, Father, that your Holy Spirit would

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 bring your Word deep into our heart, that your Word would form our heart and shape our heart and heal

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 and renew and give life to our heart. And we ask this in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior.

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 Amen. Please be seated.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 A lot of people aren't often conscious of when they worry. I mean, obviously some of us know that we're worrying,

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 but a lot of us aren't actually that conscious when we're worrying. But one of the times when worry really

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 comes home, and we all, you know, maybe you'd say that's not like me, but if you have a good friend or a sister

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 or a brother or a mom or a dad or a wife, they'd say, yeah, yeah, that's, he's talking about you.

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 You know, I say, what are you worried about? You say, no, I'm not worried. And I know that you're worried, right?

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 So, but one of the things that really brings worry home to us is when we try to sleep.

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 And things that are worried just stops us from being able to fall asleep or stay asleep or fall back to sleep.

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 That we wake up in the middle of the night for whatever reason, and then we just, the worries go around and around in our minds

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 and we just can't get back to sleep.

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 Often the worries that we worry about are more like the tip of an iceberg.

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 One way to think about worry and what it's like to be a human being with worry is to think of every one of us,

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 every human being, as we walk around throughout the day, we're actually pulling a little red wagon behind us.

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 If you don't like the color red, it can be a blue wagon, yellow wagon, whatever, orange wagon, whatever color you like.

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 But we're pulling a little wagon behind us.

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 And so something comes up that I start to worry about and I put it in that little red wagon.

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 And then something else, you know, and then there's some things maybe I've been worrying about for months, for years,

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 that just, it goes in the little red wagon.

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 And so a lot of times what we don't realize is we see human beings walking around and we don't see the invisible wagon that they're pulling.

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 And we don't realize that some people, those little collections of worries, some of them small, like just teensy-wingsy things,

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 some of them quite big.

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 But for many of us, that wagon is actually stacked higher than the ceiling here.

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 And we're pulling this wagon behind us and all these worries are tottering.

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 And in fact, actually what happens is another source of worry is that our worries are tottering and that they're going to sort of undo us.

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 And so often, even when we have worries in the middle of the night, it's the tip of the iceberg.

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 And some of us know we begin by worrying about one thing, but then we wake up in the middle of the night and we worry from this,

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 we worry about that and we worry about that.

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 But really, there's a whole little red wagon of worries that we pull around all the time and we don't often know what to deal with.

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 The psalm that we're going to look at today, that Uzo read, Psalm 67, is actually a very, very, very, very wise and helpful psalm slash prayer slash song

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 that talks about worry and is a bit of an antidote to worry.

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 And especially when, as I'm going to show you in a moment, it's connected to ancient practices,

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 it's a very, very powerful thing for us to consider trying to use more of and make more a part of our lives.

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 One of the things, I don't know how many of you have ever gone to Costco,

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 but the first maybe three or four times I went to Costco, I kept getting it wrong.

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 Now, if you've never been to Costco, you'd wonder, like, how could you go to a Costco and get things wrong?

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 Well, the first thing is, like, I go to a, you know, a Loblaws or whatever, you just walk in, right?

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 No, you can't just walk into Costco, you have to have your membership card out.

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 You have to show your membership card.

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 If you don't show them that card, you can't get in.

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 And then, like, you know, a very other simple very thing is that when it comes to the cash,

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 you don't put the cash, everybody else makes you hold on to your cart.

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 Costco makes you let go of your cart.

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 In fact, you can always tell the people who've just joined Costco when you're in the lineup,

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 and you see the people trying to bring their carts the way they normally do,

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 and the people, the staff say, no, no, no, you have to put the cart this way.

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 It's, we've been formed, we don't realize it, but, you know, Loblaws and Metro and all these grocery stores,

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 they formed us into a particular way of doing carts.

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 I've only been to England a couple of times.

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 Every time it's been very, very short, just it was a work-related thing for, like, two days or three days.

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 And I'd love to go sometime for a longer period of time.

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 But one of the worries I would have about going to England is that they, from my point of view,

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 drive on the wrong side of the road.

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 And I'm so deeply formed with driving on the right side of the road

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 that I would worry that if I was in a car, I would keep going into traffic and having accidents,

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 just because we've been deeply formed.

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 So we're a wide range of ages here, small congregation, but wide range of ages.

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 And one of the things for Christians, especially Christians under 35,

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 increasingly they are wanting, they're sort of becoming very conscious of how the world,

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 how Canada forms you, how there's, in a sense, a type of a forming power of our culture all the time.

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 And they're looking for new ways to be formed.

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 In fact, many of them are looking into ancient practices,

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 like having morning or evening prayer or something like that.

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 And so why am I saying all of this?

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 In the English Reformation, which happened in the mid-1500s,

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 one of the things that those early reformers did, which was very, very wise,

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 first of all, they didn't want to just get rid of everything in the Christian past.

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 They'd say, well, like, why would you get rid of Augustine?

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 Like, why would you get rid of John Chrysostom?

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 Like, why would you get rid of some of these really beautiful prayers that have been written?

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 Like, why would you get rid of that?

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 But they did realize that some stuff had developed over time in how Christianity was practiced.

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 And there's a lot of stuff that had to be purged.

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 Things had to be reformed to be made more biblical and to also make the gospel more clear.

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 And so that's what they did.

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 And one of the primary things that they did, this was a very, very bold vision in the mid-1500s.

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 They said, you know, we would like to see every Christian on one hand like a monk.

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 What they meant is that it had developed within Christianity that, well, I could just go ahead and live my life,

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 but the monks are supposed to pray and the monks are supposed to read the Bible, but I just go ahead and live my day.

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 And they said, no, no, it's not that the Reformation wanted to create the priesthood of all believers.

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 It wanted to create the monkhood of all believers.

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 It wanted to come to the place where the average person, the housewife, the shopkeeper, the farmer, the soldier, the business person, the artist,

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 that all of them would develop a habit of praying in the morning and in the evening and reading the Bible in the morning and in the evening.

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 And so what they did is they went and looked, and monks had developed this really complicated way of praying six times a day.

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 And they took three of them, the three for the early part of the day, and then they were sort of going to group them together,

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 cut out a whole pile of stuff that was going on there and make sure that everything that was done was biblical and reflected the gospel

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 and the three things that connected more to evening.

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 And they created this service called Morning Prayer, and it's actually something that a group of people can do together,

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 but it's actually something that the early Christians, like over almost 500 years ago,

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 they wanted people to get into this habit, that every morning they would say some prayers and read the Bible,

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 and every evening they would say some prayers and that they would read the Bible,

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 and it would be a bit of a discipline.

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 And one of the things with this type of a discipline is they wanted to make sure there were certain things

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 that really helped to form you, that were good to say every day,

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 so they made sure the Lord's Prayer was in there, that you'd pray the Lord's Prayer every morning and every evening.

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 The Creed would be there, that you would say the Apostles' Creed morning and evening,

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 because it's impossible to read the Bible without knowing the Creed.

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 I mean, not read it correctly, it's a great help.

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 And then they also sort of took these very foundational or formative texts that you could pray,

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 whether from the early church or whether it was from certain Bible texts.

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 Now this is a long introduction to say that what they thought they would do

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 is that they would say every second night we'll have people pray and read Psalm 67.

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 Every second night.

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 That's what we'll have people do.

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 Now let's just have a read about it, and you'll see why this is actually quite a brilliant thing.

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 Well, I'm going to read the whole psalm through,

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 and then I'm going to go back and say a few more things about it,

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 but just listen to this again.

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 Psalm 67.

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 And just sort of remember, you know, we...

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 See, here's the thing.

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 One of the things that we have a problem with is we think,

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 ah, you know, we're really smart Christians,

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 and we're really, you know, knowledgeable Christians,

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 and those Christians back, you know, 500 years ago,

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 like, what did they know?

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 How could they possibly know as much as we know?

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 Like, we know... No, no, no.

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 They often knew the Bible way, way better than we do.

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 And they knew the human heart better than we do.

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 And they knew there was a problem with worry.

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 And they knew there was a problem with selfishness and narcissism.

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 And they knew there was a problem of having small visions

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 and only thinking about yourself.

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 And they knew that that was the human condition.

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 And so they picked Psalm 67 as one of these texts

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 to really form you in a deep way.

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 By praying it every second night.

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 And here's... Just listen to it.

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 So here I am.

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 It's coming up to the end of the day.

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 I have my little red wagon.

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 It's really piled high with my worries.

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 And then I pray.

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 May God be gracious to us and bless us.

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 And make his face to shine upon us.

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 That your way may be known on earth.

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 Your saving health, power among all nations.

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 Let the peoples praise you, O God.

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 Let all the peoples praise you.

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 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy.

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 For you judge the peoples with equity

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 and guide the nations upon the earth.

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 Let the peoples praise you, O God.

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 Let all the peoples praise you.

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 The earth has yielded its increase.

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 God, our God, shall bless us.

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 God shall bless us.

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 Let all the ends of the earth fear him.

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 What a powerful thing to pray.

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 To pray on a regular basis.

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 To pray as you read the other bits of the Bible.

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 Now, so this, in a sense, this psalm was something

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 that they wanted you to read on a regular basis.

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 To remember all of the time as you're reading

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 the other parts of the Bible.

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 So that, in a sense, would start to form you.

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 That it could be memorized.

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 That it forms just how you think about the world

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 and see the world.

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 And it's made even more powerful

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 if you understand some of the bits in it.

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 And, in fact, I mean, I don't...

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 So, by the way, I know that Christians

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 aren't happy and upbeat all the time.

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 I mean, that would actually be sort of weird

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 if you always were.

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 Like, you know, you never get tired.

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 You never get hungry.

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 You never get grumpy.

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 Like, really?

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 We have a range of emotions.

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 But one of the things I think...

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 I mean, actually, what led me to become a Christian

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 was to see in other people

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 the emotional power and beauty of the Christian faith.

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 That's what led me to become a Christian.

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 I mean, afterwards, I discovered, you know,

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 lots of doctrines and apologetics

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 and all of that type of stuff.

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 But, you know, there is...

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 For people outside of the Christian faith,

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 they don't realize that as you enter into the Christian faith

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 and it becomes deeper, you become deeper in it

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 and it becomes deeper in you.

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 There really is something emotionally powerful

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 and beautiful in it.

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 I mean, obviously, you know, we have bad times

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 and depression and all those things.

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 But there is, in fact, still this something

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 which, as it takes hold of us,

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 is emotionally beautiful.

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 And you can see that when you look

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 at the little bits of it.

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 Let's look at verse 1.

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 We're going to camp in verse 1 for a bit.

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 But look at verse 1 of Psalm 67.

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 May God be gracious to us and bless us

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 and make his face to shine upon us.

00:14:42.779 --> 00:14:43.879
 Just a little while ago,

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 there was one of the people who works at a coffee shop

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 that I go to regularly.

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 I came up to get...

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 In that particular one, if you buy with a card,

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 you can get free refills.

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 And I like to get free refills because...

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 Free.

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 So I like free.

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 That's very powerful to me.

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 Free.

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 So I go up for my free refill

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 and I said to him,

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 I said, I just press send

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 and now my day's done.

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 I'm going to have this tea.

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 I'm going to head for home.

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 And so he said to me,

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 well, what do you do?

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 You obviously don't work in an office.

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 You work from home.

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 And then I said to him,

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 I said, well, I don't.

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 Maybe you don't know this

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 because you've only been working there about a month.

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 I said, I'm a pastor of a local church.

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 Now, here's the funny thing.

00:15:31.779 --> 00:15:34.759
 He said something which completely surprised me.

00:15:36.500 --> 00:15:37.879
 I found out later on,

00:15:37.979 --> 00:15:39.179
 I mean, he's like his grandparents,

00:15:39.339 --> 00:15:41.399
 great-grandparents were Catholics or something,

00:15:41.500 --> 00:15:44.399
 but he himself has nothing in practice.

00:15:44.519 --> 00:15:45.199
 Anyway, so I said,

00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:46.379
 I'm a pastor of a local church.

00:15:46.419 --> 00:15:46.719
 And he said,

00:15:47.079 --> 00:15:49.539
 oh, that explains how you always have

00:15:49.539 --> 00:15:51.019
 a positive attitude with us.

00:15:51.019 --> 00:15:54.199
 I thought, well, that's...

00:15:54.199 --> 00:15:56.259
 Not everybody thinks Christians are the bad guys.

00:15:56.539 --> 00:15:58.759
 I mean, that was one of the first things I thought.

00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:00.519
 But now, one of the reasons is that

00:16:00.519 --> 00:16:02.539
 I actually very self-consciously

00:16:02.539 --> 00:16:03.840
 tried to be a source,

00:16:04.019 --> 00:16:06.039
 like a type of secular blesser

00:16:06.039 --> 00:16:09.120
 to the people in the store

00:16:09.120 --> 00:16:10.980
 so that as I get to know them,

00:16:11.139 --> 00:16:12.720
 I make a point of,

00:16:13.120 --> 00:16:14.759
 like when I'm leaving, for instance,

00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:15.340
 to say,

00:16:16.059 --> 00:16:17.799
 and this is what I mean by a secular blessing,

00:16:17.939 --> 00:16:19.399
 I hope you have a really great shift.

00:16:19.399 --> 00:16:20.559
 I hope you have a great evening.

00:16:21.139 --> 00:16:22.679
 I hope you have a great rest of the day.

00:16:22.879 --> 00:16:25.100
 Like, I want to try to be an encourager to them.

00:16:26.120 --> 00:16:28.220
 And so I was really surprised when he said,

00:16:28.299 --> 00:16:29.379
 yeah, that fits.

00:16:29.480 --> 00:16:30.079
 You're a pastor.

00:16:30.340 --> 00:16:32.519
 You have this constant positive attitude.

00:16:33.000 --> 00:16:34.120
 Now, the reason I'm mentioning that

00:16:34.120 --> 00:16:34.939
 is this very word,

00:16:35.179 --> 00:16:36.860
 this very powerful word, blessing.

00:16:37.480 --> 00:16:38.579
 And it's going to be important.

00:16:38.799 --> 00:16:39.399
 Look at it again.

00:16:39.480 --> 00:16:39.919
 Verse one,

00:16:40.000 --> 00:16:41.500
 may God be gracious to us

00:16:41.500 --> 00:16:42.259
 and bless us

00:16:42.259 --> 00:16:43.879
 and make his face to shine upon us.

00:16:44.240 --> 00:16:45.519
 If you could put up the first point,

00:16:46.360 --> 00:16:47.879
 this is a bit wordy,

00:16:47.879 --> 00:16:50.080
 and I need to qualify it a little bit

00:16:50.080 --> 00:16:51.360
 and I probably should have shortened it,

00:16:51.480 --> 00:16:53.039
 but what's a blessing?

00:16:54.480 --> 00:16:58.320
 A blessing is power from the triune God

00:16:58.320 --> 00:16:59.340
 for you to thrive.

00:16:59.539 --> 00:17:01.299
 Like, that's actually the main thing to remember.

00:17:01.480 --> 00:17:06.039
 A blessing is power from the triune God

00:17:06.039 --> 00:17:07.519
 for you to thrive.

00:17:08.259 --> 00:17:10.160
 And then I've tried to make sure you understand.

00:17:10.460 --> 00:17:11.940
 It's a power for you to thrive.

00:17:13.139 --> 00:17:15.000
 And it can be one or more of this,

00:17:15.039 --> 00:17:16.940
 some combination in physical things,

00:17:17.519 --> 00:17:18.279
 like in health.

00:17:18.879 --> 00:17:20.779
 It can be what I call soulish,

00:17:20.900 --> 00:17:22.039
 because I didn't think of a better word.

00:17:22.099 --> 00:17:23.619
 I sort of made up a word, soulish.

00:17:23.619 --> 00:17:25.339
 It had a big red mark underneath it

00:17:25.339 --> 00:17:26.740
 and they didn't like it.

00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:28.839
 Google or whatever was very unhappy

00:17:28.839 --> 00:17:29.839
 that I used that word.

00:17:30.319 --> 00:17:31.099
 But soulish,

00:17:31.680 --> 00:17:33.019
 and that basically means

00:17:33.019 --> 00:17:34.859
 just like everything that goes on internally,

00:17:34.859 --> 00:17:36.439
 like, you know, your emotions,

00:17:36.779 --> 00:17:37.579
 your mind,

00:17:38.279 --> 00:17:39.019
 your will.

00:17:39.439 --> 00:17:40.719
 And then, of course, the social,

00:17:40.859 --> 00:17:42.039
 because we're, you know,

00:17:42.059 --> 00:17:43.039
 social human beings.

00:17:43.399 --> 00:17:44.479
 And it's a blessing in the,

00:17:45.000 --> 00:17:46.979
 a blessing is power from the triune God

00:17:46.979 --> 00:17:48.819
 for you to thrive in any of those spheres,

00:17:49.299 --> 00:17:50.019
 one or more.

00:17:50.500 --> 00:17:51.679
 And it's also a blessing

00:17:51.679 --> 00:17:53.839
 in terms of either the original creation,

00:17:54.059 --> 00:17:55.399
 which is what we live in right now,

00:17:55.419 --> 00:17:56.359
 or the new creation,

00:17:57.099 --> 00:17:58.319
 which is the new,

00:17:58.439 --> 00:17:59.699
 the coming new heaven and the new earth.

00:17:59.799 --> 00:18:00.759
 So what does this mean?

00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:01.339
 It means that,

00:18:01.679 --> 00:18:02.319
 so for instance,

00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:03.839
 I could pray for somebody

00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:04.859
 that God would bless them

00:18:04.859 --> 00:18:05.879
 with a good night's sleep.

00:18:07.319 --> 00:18:08.839
 Well, that's something physical

00:18:08.839 --> 00:18:10.179
 and something for their soul,

00:18:10.279 --> 00:18:11.480
 and it's something of this creation.

00:18:11.619 --> 00:18:12.759
 I could maybe pray

00:18:12.759 --> 00:18:14.619
 in my own prayer

00:18:14.619 --> 00:18:15.799
 that God would bless

00:18:15.799 --> 00:18:17.079
 a Muslim that I know,

00:18:17.480 --> 00:18:18.579
 that not only would he grant them

00:18:18.579 --> 00:18:19.399
 a good night's sleep,

00:18:19.480 --> 00:18:20.639
 but that Jesus would appear

00:18:20.639 --> 00:18:21.459
 to them in a dream.

00:18:23.159 --> 00:18:24.579
 You can pray that, by the way.

00:18:24.639 --> 00:18:25.559
 That's a good thing to pray.

00:18:26.939 --> 00:18:27.980
 Now here, obviously,

00:18:27.980 --> 00:18:28.939
 I'm not only praying

00:18:28.939 --> 00:18:30.299
 for a physical thing

00:18:30.299 --> 00:18:31.240
 that they would thrive,

00:18:31.240 --> 00:18:33.259
 but obviously a different type

00:18:33.259 --> 00:18:33.799
 of thriving

00:18:33.799 --> 00:18:35.120
 if Jesus was to appear

00:18:35.120 --> 00:18:35.799
 to them in a dream.

00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:37.559
 You know, you could pray

00:18:37.559 --> 00:18:40.059
 that there'd be harmony

00:18:40.059 --> 00:18:40.859
 in the family.

00:18:42.019 --> 00:18:43.460
 Well, that's a social thing.

00:18:43.519 --> 00:18:44.640
 That's part of this creation.

00:18:44.799 --> 00:18:45.700
 That's something that God

00:18:45.700 --> 00:18:47.839
 would obviously would like.

00:18:47.920 --> 00:18:48.380
 You could pray

00:18:48.380 --> 00:18:49.519
 that somebody would become

00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:51.019
 more prayerful.

00:18:52.140 --> 00:18:52.259
 Right?

00:18:52.359 --> 00:18:53.200
 So this is all,

00:18:53.400 --> 00:18:54.420
 this are all that God

00:18:54.420 --> 00:18:55.519
 would bless this person

00:18:55.519 --> 00:18:57.480
 with a deeper prayer life.

00:18:57.579 --> 00:18:58.819
 So that's what a blessing is.

00:18:58.819 --> 00:19:02.679
 And so it can be about,

00:19:02.740 --> 00:19:03.179
 you know, sleep,

00:19:03.299 --> 00:19:04.119
 physical things.

00:19:04.659 --> 00:19:06.000
 And it's why you can pray

00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:07.359
 blessing, God's blessing

00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:09.039
 on people outside

00:19:09.039 --> 00:19:10.019
 of the Christian faith,

00:19:10.639 --> 00:19:12.179
 on all sorts of people.

00:19:12.460 --> 00:19:13.919
 A blessing is power

00:19:13.919 --> 00:19:15.619
 that comes from the triune God

00:19:15.619 --> 00:19:16.980
 for you to thrive.

00:19:19.319 --> 00:19:22.079
 And now here's,

00:19:22.939 --> 00:19:24.039
 just look at verse one again.

00:19:24.159 --> 00:19:25.519
 May God be gracious to us

00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:26.079
 and bless us

00:19:26.079 --> 00:19:26.700
 and make his face

00:19:26.700 --> 00:19:27.619
 to shine upon us.

00:19:27.619 --> 00:19:32.279
 When I became a Christian,

00:19:32.419 --> 00:19:33.919
 I knew the Bible was special,

00:19:34.019 --> 00:19:35.059
 but if you do ask me

00:19:35.059 --> 00:19:36.459
 what the doctrine of the Bible is,

00:19:36.479 --> 00:19:37.119
 I wouldn't have been able

00:19:37.119 --> 00:19:37.879
 to tell you.

00:19:38.259 --> 00:19:38.919
 In fact, if you,

00:19:39.059 --> 00:19:39.559
 if I, if you,

00:19:39.719 --> 00:19:40.419
 if maybe in,

00:19:40.919 --> 00:19:41.119
 you know,

00:19:41.159 --> 00:19:41.919
 maybe one of the things

00:19:41.919 --> 00:19:42.759
 they'll do in heaven

00:19:42.759 --> 00:19:44.559
 for us to all have lots

00:19:44.559 --> 00:19:45.359
 of a big laugh

00:19:45.359 --> 00:19:46.019
 with each other

00:19:46.019 --> 00:19:47.279
 is to play back

00:19:47.279 --> 00:19:48.179
 what we said

00:19:48.179 --> 00:19:49.559
 when we were younger Christians.

00:19:52.259 --> 00:19:53.439
 And for some of us,

00:19:53.500 --> 00:19:54.179
 we'll be cringing

00:19:54.179 --> 00:19:54.859
 and everybody else

00:19:54.859 --> 00:19:55.859
 will have a good belly laugh

00:19:55.859 --> 00:19:56.779
 over the dumb things

00:19:56.779 --> 00:19:57.319
 that we said

00:19:57.319 --> 00:19:58.059
 or the dumb things

00:19:58.059 --> 00:19:58.579
 that we believed.

00:19:58.740 --> 00:19:59.659
 And over time,

00:19:59.740 --> 00:20:00.359
 you learn.

00:20:00.479 --> 00:20:00.899
 That's the hope

00:20:00.899 --> 00:20:02.119
 of the Christian faith

00:20:02.119 --> 00:20:02.679
 that you learn.

00:20:03.500 --> 00:20:04.339
 And, and so,

00:20:04.419 --> 00:20:04.959
 but the Bible,

00:20:05.039 --> 00:20:05.579
 one of the things

00:20:05.579 --> 00:20:06.559
 which is so powerful

00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:07.519
 when you understand

00:20:07.519 --> 00:20:09.319
 that Jesus wants you

00:20:09.319 --> 00:20:10.699
 to know that the Bible

00:20:10.699 --> 00:20:11.899
 is God's word written,

00:20:12.099 --> 00:20:13.119
 that God was the one

00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:14.240
 ultimately responsible

00:20:14.240 --> 00:20:15.419
 for the Bible being written.

00:20:15.519 --> 00:20:16.459
 The words that are there

00:20:16.459 --> 00:20:17.259
 are the words

00:20:17.259 --> 00:20:18.079
 that he wanted.

00:20:18.079 --> 00:20:19.559
 So what you're hearing

00:20:19.559 --> 00:20:20.559
 when you hear the Bible

00:20:20.559 --> 00:20:21.859
 is you're hearing God speak.

00:20:21.960 --> 00:20:22.779
 That's what you're hearing.

00:20:23.619 --> 00:20:25.919
 And, and so this on one hand

00:20:25.919 --> 00:20:27.539
 causes trouble for people.

00:20:28.879 --> 00:20:30.759
 A bit of a pre-announcement.

00:20:30.919 --> 00:20:32.579
 The first weekend in the fall,

00:20:33.059 --> 00:20:34.659
 we're bringing Paul Copeland

00:20:34.659 --> 00:20:35.199
 to Ottawa,

00:20:35.460 --> 00:20:36.240
 the Dig and Delve

00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:37.419
 Apologetics Ministry,

00:20:37.419 --> 00:20:38.419
 because sometimes

00:20:39.079 --> 00:20:40.039
 if you read parts

00:20:40.039 --> 00:20:40.799
 of the Old Testament

00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:41.599
 in particular,

00:20:41.939 --> 00:20:43.179
 it looks as if God's

00:20:43.179 --> 00:20:44.039
 called for genocide.

00:20:44.039 --> 00:20:45.159
 It looks like he's called

00:20:45.159 --> 00:20:46.359
 for holy war.

00:20:46.359 --> 00:20:48.099
 Some people will say

00:20:48.099 --> 00:20:48.899
 that it looks as if

00:20:48.899 --> 00:20:50.359
 the text is justifying

00:20:50.359 --> 00:20:51.919
 women being captured

00:20:51.919 --> 00:20:52.500
 and raped.

00:20:53.159 --> 00:20:53.919
 It looks like

00:20:53.919 --> 00:20:55.159
 it's justifying slavery.

00:20:55.319 --> 00:20:56.699
 There's a range of issues

00:20:56.699 --> 00:20:57.339
 and people say,

00:20:57.459 --> 00:20:58.319
 well, if this is what

00:20:58.319 --> 00:20:59.479
 God's word says,

00:20:59.979 --> 00:21:00.839
 how can you,

00:21:01.000 --> 00:21:02.099
 how can I worship that God?

00:21:02.159 --> 00:21:02.859
 And we're bringing in

00:21:02.859 --> 00:21:03.799
 this fellow Paul Copeland.

00:21:04.240 --> 00:21:05.099
 Bring your questions,

00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:06.459
 bring your skeptical friends,

00:21:06.579 --> 00:21:07.699
 bring your Christian friends

00:21:07.699 --> 00:21:08.299
 who are worried

00:21:08.299 --> 00:21:09.179
 about the Christian faith.

00:21:09.559 --> 00:21:10.359
 And we're going to have

00:21:10.359 --> 00:21:11.059
 a Friday evening

00:21:11.059 --> 00:21:12.019
 and Saturday morning

00:21:12.019 --> 00:21:12.979
 and there's a chance

00:21:12.979 --> 00:21:13.479
 he's going to be

00:21:13.479 --> 00:21:14.439
 the preacher the next,

00:21:14.639 --> 00:21:15.740
 the following Sunday,

00:21:15.740 --> 00:21:17.120
 the first Sunday in October

00:21:17.120 --> 00:21:18.279
 here at Church of the Messiah.

00:21:19.059 --> 00:21:21.039
 But that's in a sense

00:21:21.039 --> 00:21:22.980
 that not the danger

00:21:22.980 --> 00:21:24.059
 because the Bible

00:21:24.059 --> 00:21:26.339
 doesn't teach those things.

00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:27.700
 It's just a matter

00:21:27.700 --> 00:21:28.400
 of understanding

00:21:28.400 --> 00:21:28.880
 what the Bible

00:21:28.880 --> 00:21:29.740
 actually says.

00:21:31.700 --> 00:21:32.140
 I mean,

00:21:32.700 --> 00:21:35.000
 I probably read the Bible

00:21:35.000 --> 00:21:35.819
 twice a year

00:21:35.819 --> 00:21:36.779
 from cover to cover.

00:21:37.759 --> 00:21:38.559
 And the more I read

00:21:38.559 --> 00:21:39.039
 the Bible,

00:21:39.160 --> 00:21:39.680
 the more I know

00:21:39.680 --> 00:21:40.380
 that it doesn't teach

00:21:40.380 --> 00:21:41.200
 any of those things.

00:21:41.200 --> 00:21:44.420
 But anyway,

00:21:44.519 --> 00:21:45.440
 that's a bit of an aside.

00:21:45.519 --> 00:21:47.080
 But here's the important thing.

00:21:47.460 --> 00:21:48.620
 If you understand

00:21:48.620 --> 00:21:49.960
 that the Bible

00:21:49.960 --> 00:21:51.559
 is God's word written,

00:21:52.360 --> 00:21:55.519
 he wants you to pray this.

00:21:57.420 --> 00:21:58.539
 Like, what is God

00:21:58.539 --> 00:21:59.920
 thinking right now in heaven?

00:22:00.080 --> 00:22:00.759
 God is thinking

00:22:00.759 --> 00:22:01.640
 right now in heaven.

00:22:02.299 --> 00:22:03.940
 I want George

00:22:03.940 --> 00:22:05.660
 to learn how to pray

00:22:05.660 --> 00:22:06.360
 like this.

00:22:07.160 --> 00:22:08.680
 I want George

00:22:08.680 --> 00:22:09.740
 to pray about things

00:22:09.740 --> 00:22:10.160
 like this.

00:22:10.279 --> 00:22:11.299
 I want the people

00:22:11.299 --> 00:22:12.220
 in Church of the Messiah

00:22:12.220 --> 00:22:12.799
 to do this.

00:22:13.579 --> 00:22:15.980
 It's not being selfish.

00:22:16.339 --> 00:22:17.819
 It's not being high.

00:22:18.059 --> 00:22:20.240
 He wants me to say,

00:22:20.339 --> 00:22:21.839
 God, be gracious to me

00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:23.559
 and bless me and us

00:22:23.559 --> 00:22:25.319
 and make your face

00:22:25.319 --> 00:22:26.700
 shine upon me and us.

00:22:26.819 --> 00:22:28.380
 He wants me to pray that.

00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:30.559
 See how it talks

00:22:30.559 --> 00:22:31.120
 about worry?

00:22:32.339 --> 00:22:33.359
 To go to bed

00:22:33.359 --> 00:22:33.859
 saying,

00:22:34.380 --> 00:22:34.779
 one moment.

00:22:35.960 --> 00:22:36.240
 Okay.

00:22:36.819 --> 00:22:37.319
 And by the way,

00:22:37.440 --> 00:22:38.099
 a lot of your worry,

00:22:38.380 --> 00:22:38.559
 you know,

00:22:38.559 --> 00:22:40.039
 they're real things.

00:22:40.440 --> 00:22:40.599
 You know,

00:22:40.720 --> 00:22:42.139
 they're real things.

00:22:43.319 --> 00:22:44.000
 You have worries

00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:45.079
 about maybe your job,

00:22:45.159 --> 00:22:46.119
 your credit card bill,

00:22:46.279 --> 00:22:47.299
 all sorts of things.

00:22:47.599 --> 00:22:48.339
 I'm not saying

00:22:48.339 --> 00:22:49.079
 there's no worries.

00:22:50.099 --> 00:22:51.200
 But as you go to bed,

00:22:51.559 --> 00:22:52.879
 God is saying to you,

00:22:53.519 --> 00:22:53.960
 George,

00:22:54.519 --> 00:22:56.539
 I know you got

00:22:56.539 --> 00:22:57.659
 that little red wagon,

00:22:58.259 --> 00:22:59.779
 but here's what

00:22:59.779 --> 00:23:00.519
 I'd like you to pray.

00:23:00.919 --> 00:23:01.819
 Here's how I'd like

00:23:01.819 --> 00:23:02.419
 you to pray.

00:23:03.419 --> 00:23:04.539
 This is what I'm hoping

00:23:04.539 --> 00:23:05.359
 you'll pray,

00:23:05.539 --> 00:23:06.819
 how you will pray.

00:23:06.819 --> 00:23:08.559
 God,

00:23:09.079 --> 00:23:11.119
 please bless me

00:23:11.119 --> 00:23:11.960
 and my family.

00:23:16.099 --> 00:23:16.619
 Please

00:23:16.619 --> 00:23:18.519
 be gracious

00:23:18.519 --> 00:23:19.299
 to us.

00:23:20.740 --> 00:23:21.839
 I know you are,

00:23:22.299 --> 00:23:23.200
 and I know

00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:24.079
 your face is

00:23:24.079 --> 00:23:25.559
 shining upon me,

00:23:25.759 --> 00:23:26.679
 and may that

00:23:26.679 --> 00:23:27.599
 be true to me.

00:23:27.679 --> 00:23:28.559
 May that become

00:23:28.559 --> 00:23:29.859
 more real to my life.

00:23:31.319 --> 00:23:32.319
 He wants you

00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:33.359
 to ask for this.

00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:34.859
 It's part of the,

00:23:34.859 --> 00:23:35.179
 see,

00:23:35.259 --> 00:23:36.000
 this is what I was saying.

00:23:36.079 --> 00:23:37.079
 It's part of the emotional

00:23:37.079 --> 00:23:38.319
 beauty of Christianity.

00:23:40.039 --> 00:23:41.479
 That as we realize,

00:23:41.679 --> 00:23:42.819
 God wants me

00:23:42.819 --> 00:23:43.500
 to pray that.

00:23:43.979 --> 00:23:44.240
 Like,

00:23:44.299 --> 00:23:45.159
 he wants me

00:23:45.159 --> 00:23:45.839
 to pray that.

00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:48.959
 In the context

00:23:48.959 --> 00:23:49.740
 of my worries

00:23:49.740 --> 00:23:50.519
 and my hopes

00:23:50.519 --> 00:23:52.839
 and my dreams.

00:23:55.219 --> 00:23:56.439
 And it's not just that.

00:23:56.500 --> 00:23:57.459
 There's something in here

00:23:57.459 --> 00:23:58.339
 which shows the,

00:23:58.699 --> 00:23:59.459
 and this is connected

00:23:59.459 --> 00:24:00.599
 to the emotional beauty

00:24:00.599 --> 00:24:01.179
 and power

00:24:01.179 --> 00:24:02.199
 of the Christian faith.

00:24:02.200 --> 00:24:02.240
 faith.

00:24:02.900 --> 00:24:03.720
 And it's something

00:24:03.720 --> 00:24:04.720
 which is completely

00:24:04.720 --> 00:24:06.039
 and utterly unique,

00:24:06.480 --> 00:24:07.259
 which is seen here

00:24:07.259 --> 00:24:07.819
 in verse 1.

00:24:07.920 --> 00:24:08.340
 It's throughout

00:24:08.340 --> 00:24:08.980
 the entire

00:24:08.980 --> 00:24:09.539
 Old Testament.

00:24:09.660 --> 00:24:10.200
 Look at it again.

00:24:10.299 --> 00:24:11.299
 May God be gracious

00:24:11.299 --> 00:24:12.480
 to us and bless us

00:24:12.480 --> 00:24:14.759
 and make his face

00:24:14.759 --> 00:24:16.100
 to shine

00:24:16.100 --> 00:24:17.580
 upon us

00:24:17.580 --> 00:24:18.920
 or upon you.

00:24:20.380 --> 00:24:20.819
 You know,

00:24:20.880 --> 00:24:21.200
 I've had,

00:24:21.279 --> 00:24:22.200
 I had my times

00:24:22.200 --> 00:24:22.799
 after I became

00:24:22.799 --> 00:24:23.580
 a Christian faith

00:24:23.580 --> 00:24:24.779
 where I had doubts

00:24:24.779 --> 00:24:25.940
 about the Christian faith.

00:24:26.360 --> 00:24:27.580
 And as I've shared before,

00:24:27.580 --> 00:24:28.259
 for me,

00:24:28.400 --> 00:24:29.340
 at that time,

00:24:29.339 --> 00:24:31.439
 that I wasn't losing

00:24:31.439 --> 00:24:32.439
 my Christian faith

00:24:32.439 --> 00:24:33.279
 to become a,

00:24:33.359 --> 00:24:33.639
 you know,

00:24:34.000 --> 00:24:35.399
 like a Buddhist

00:24:35.399 --> 00:24:36.199
 or a Muslim

00:24:36.199 --> 00:24:36.659
 or any,

00:24:36.799 --> 00:24:36.899
 I,

00:24:37.399 --> 00:24:37.819
 for me,

00:24:37.859 --> 00:24:38.659
 it was atheism.

00:24:39.559 --> 00:24:41.019
 It's always been atheism.

00:24:41.179 --> 00:24:41.859
 That was my,

00:24:42.259 --> 00:24:43.059
 that was a source

00:24:43.059 --> 00:24:43.619
 of my doubt.

00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:44.699
 But, you know,

00:24:44.740 --> 00:24:45.480
 one of the things,

00:24:45.699 --> 00:24:46.939
 it was both the low point

00:24:46.939 --> 00:24:47.839
 of my atheism

00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:48.459
 but in some,

00:24:48.619 --> 00:24:49.899
 like my doubting

00:24:49.899 --> 00:24:50.799
 my Christian faith

00:24:50.799 --> 00:24:51.679
 and being pulled

00:24:51.679 --> 00:24:53.079
 towards atheism

00:24:53.079 --> 00:24:54.459
 or not wondering

00:24:54.459 --> 00:24:55.079
 whether Christianity

00:24:55.079 --> 00:24:56.279
 could be possibly true

00:24:56.279 --> 00:24:56.920
 and whether,

00:24:57.579 --> 00:24:57.759
 you know,

00:24:57.779 --> 00:24:59.039
 all of secularism

00:24:59.039 --> 00:25:00.240
 and agnosticism

00:25:00.240 --> 00:25:01.859
 and there is no God

00:25:01.859 --> 00:25:02.779
 and all of that,

00:25:02.839 --> 00:25:03.420
 that that's actually

00:25:03.420 --> 00:25:04.019
 the true thing.

00:25:04.119 --> 00:25:04.879
 And it was both

00:25:04.879 --> 00:25:05.680
 on one level

00:25:05.680 --> 00:25:07.299
 the depths of it

00:25:07.299 --> 00:25:09.920
 but also a turning point

00:25:09.920 --> 00:25:10.779
 I remember

00:25:10.779 --> 00:25:11.779
 almost in every case

00:25:11.779 --> 00:25:13.180
 that I'd be in some place

00:25:13.180 --> 00:25:13.759
 where you could actually

00:25:13.759 --> 00:25:14.799
 see the starry sky

00:25:14.799 --> 00:25:15.519
 maybe a little bit

00:25:15.519 --> 00:25:16.279
 outside the city

00:25:16.279 --> 00:25:18.240
 and I could see

00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:18.899
 the stars

00:25:18.899 --> 00:25:19.700
 and the black

00:25:19.700 --> 00:25:20.259
 but you know what,

00:25:20.279 --> 00:25:21.339
 I didn't see the stars

00:25:21.339 --> 00:25:22.500
 and I didn't see their beauty,

00:25:22.599 --> 00:25:23.440
 I saw the emptiness.

00:25:26.279 --> 00:25:27.740
 I saw the void.

00:25:30.660 --> 00:25:31.799
 That's the faith

00:25:31.799 --> 00:25:32.500
 of atheism

00:25:32.500 --> 00:25:33.440
 and secularism.

00:25:34.619 --> 00:25:36.000
 It's the void.

00:25:38.119 --> 00:25:38.839
 Lifeless,

00:25:39.539 --> 00:25:40.139
 indifferent,

00:25:41.160 --> 00:25:42.859
 empty space.

00:25:44.720 --> 00:25:46.420
 It is not the God

00:25:46.420 --> 00:25:48.879
 who you can become

00:25:48.879 --> 00:25:49.599
 in such a way

00:25:49.599 --> 00:25:50.619
 that his face

00:25:50.619 --> 00:25:53.279
 shines upon you.

00:25:53.279 --> 00:25:56.680
 To my friends

00:25:56.680 --> 00:25:58.799
 of other faiths,

00:25:59.240 --> 00:26:00.839
 you cannot possibly

00:26:00.839 --> 00:26:01.599
 imagine

00:26:01.599 --> 00:26:02.819
 a text like this

00:26:02.819 --> 00:26:03.500
 about Allah.

00:26:05.500 --> 00:26:07.279
 There is no possible way

00:26:07.279 --> 00:26:07.859
 that there would be

00:26:07.859 --> 00:26:09.019
 any text like this

00:26:09.019 --> 00:26:11.180
 that says Allah's face

00:26:11.180 --> 00:26:12.940
 smiles upon you,

00:26:13.819 --> 00:26:15.039
 shines upon you.

00:26:18.399 --> 00:26:20.180
 There is a sternness

00:26:20.180 --> 00:26:21.399
 and an indifference

00:26:21.400 --> 00:26:22.580
 to Allah.

00:26:23.740 --> 00:26:24.400
 For Buddha?

00:26:25.540 --> 00:26:26.019
 Well,

00:26:26.280 --> 00:26:27.440
 even in my neighborhood

00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:28.360
 I have lots of,

00:26:28.500 --> 00:26:29.640
 I drive by places

00:26:29.640 --> 00:26:30.400
 that have statues

00:26:30.400 --> 00:26:31.019
 of the Buddha

00:26:31.019 --> 00:26:32.960
 and

00:26:32.960 --> 00:26:34.620
 the Buddha,

00:26:35.400 --> 00:26:36.180
 the way Buddhism

00:26:36.180 --> 00:26:36.960
 is portrayed

00:26:36.960 --> 00:26:38.220
 is not

00:26:38.220 --> 00:26:39.320
 that at the end

00:26:39.320 --> 00:26:39.880
 of the day

00:26:39.880 --> 00:26:41.280
 you will appear

00:26:41.280 --> 00:26:42.600
 before a person

00:26:42.600 --> 00:26:43.940
 whose face

00:26:43.940 --> 00:26:46.080
 can shine

00:26:46.080 --> 00:26:47.240
 upon you.

00:26:48.180 --> 00:26:48.620
 The Buddha

00:26:48.620 --> 00:26:50.060
 is self-contained.

00:26:50.059 --> 00:26:53.960
 learning to be

00:26:53.960 --> 00:26:54.379
 indifferent

00:26:54.379 --> 00:26:55.119
 to desire.

00:26:59.079 --> 00:26:59.899
 And here is

00:26:59.899 --> 00:27:00.740
 the wonderful thing

00:27:00.740 --> 00:27:01.200
 when it says

00:27:01.200 --> 00:27:01.700
 his face

00:27:01.700 --> 00:27:02.899
 to shine upon you

00:27:02.899 --> 00:27:03.639
 and especially

00:27:03.639 --> 00:27:04.240
 as you go throughout

00:27:04.240 --> 00:27:05.039
 the rest of the Bible

00:27:05.039 --> 00:27:06.079
 and even in this psalm,

00:27:06.919 --> 00:27:07.879
 it is a smile.

00:27:08.460 --> 00:27:10.119
 It is a beaming smile.

00:27:10.779 --> 00:27:11.899
 It is a smile

00:27:11.899 --> 00:27:12.879
 that reflects

00:27:12.879 --> 00:27:13.619
 goodness.

00:27:14.679 --> 00:27:16.399
 It is a smile

00:27:16.399 --> 00:27:17.940
 that is pure.

00:27:17.940 --> 00:27:20.299
 It is not the smile

00:27:20.299 --> 00:27:21.460
 of a salesman

00:27:21.460 --> 00:27:21.840
 hoping

00:27:21.840 --> 00:27:22.580
 or a saleswoman

00:27:22.580 --> 00:27:23.279
 hoping they can

00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:24.019
 manipulate you

00:27:24.019 --> 00:27:24.940
 into buying something.

00:27:25.039 --> 00:27:26.559
 It is not the smile

00:27:26.559 --> 00:27:27.320
 of a person

00:27:27.320 --> 00:27:28.440
 hoping they can

00:27:28.440 --> 00:27:29.200
 so charm you

00:27:29.200 --> 00:27:29.700
 that they can

00:27:29.700 --> 00:27:30.620
 get you into bed.

00:27:30.720 --> 00:27:31.759
 It is not anything

00:27:31.759 --> 00:27:32.660
 which is impure.

00:27:32.759 --> 00:27:33.740
 There is a purity

00:27:33.740 --> 00:27:35.660
 to his shining

00:27:35.660 --> 00:27:36.400
 upon you.

00:27:36.640 --> 00:27:37.960
 It is affection.

00:27:38.720 --> 00:27:39.680
 It is delight.

00:27:40.360 --> 00:27:41.559
 It is love.

00:27:41.559 --> 00:27:43.299
 And this is how

00:27:43.299 --> 00:27:44.619
 God is described.

00:27:48.619 --> 00:27:49.659
 This is what

00:27:49.659 --> 00:27:51.960
 the ancient reformer

00:27:51.960 --> 00:27:52.339
 said,

00:27:52.659 --> 00:27:53.079
 you're going to go

00:27:53.079 --> 00:27:53.599
 to sleep.

00:27:54.359 --> 00:27:55.559
 As you go to sleep,

00:27:56.039 --> 00:27:57.039
 remember

00:27:57.039 --> 00:27:58.460
 that if you are

00:27:58.460 --> 00:27:59.059
 in Christ,

00:27:59.679 --> 00:28:00.940
 this is how God

00:28:00.940 --> 00:28:01.740
 is looking at you

00:28:01.740 --> 00:28:02.379
 right now.

00:28:04.559 --> 00:28:05.379
 Some of you

00:28:05.379 --> 00:28:06.000
 are worrying

00:28:06.000 --> 00:28:06.679
 about very,

00:28:06.819 --> 00:28:08.119
 very hard things

00:28:08.119 --> 00:28:08.799
 and some of you

00:28:08.799 --> 00:28:09.720
 might be in a position

00:28:09.720 --> 00:28:11.380
 where you are

00:28:11.380 --> 00:28:12.380
 very emotionally

00:28:12.380 --> 00:28:12.900
 down.

00:28:14.220 --> 00:28:15.539
 I have no authority

00:28:15.539 --> 00:28:16.400
 in and of myself

00:28:16.400 --> 00:28:17.120
 to say this.

00:28:17.279 --> 00:28:17.960
 All I have

00:28:17.960 --> 00:28:18.559
 is the authority

00:28:18.559 --> 00:28:19.299
 of God's word

00:28:19.299 --> 00:28:19.900
 to say that

00:28:19.900 --> 00:28:20.779
 if you are in Christ

00:28:20.779 --> 00:28:21.819
 right now,

00:28:22.880 --> 00:28:23.539
 God's face

00:28:23.539 --> 00:28:24.660
 is shining upon you.

00:28:30.240 --> 00:28:30.759
 You see,

00:28:30.819 --> 00:28:31.180
 in a sense,

00:28:31.259 --> 00:28:31.799
 this prayer

00:28:31.799 --> 00:28:32.819
 of Psalm 67

00:28:32.819 --> 00:28:34.380
 is forming me

00:28:34.380 --> 00:28:34.940
 to ask,

00:28:35.160 --> 00:28:35.400
 Father,

00:28:35.640 --> 00:28:36.380
 may you

00:28:36.380 --> 00:28:37.440
 help me

00:28:37.440 --> 00:28:38.700
 to have a humble

00:28:38.700 --> 00:28:40.140
 walking

00:28:40.140 --> 00:28:40.900
 knowing

00:28:40.900 --> 00:28:43.860
 that in Christ

00:28:43.860 --> 00:28:46.340
 you look at me

00:28:46.340 --> 00:28:47.240
 and your face

00:28:47.240 --> 00:28:47.940
 shines

00:28:47.940 --> 00:28:49.000
 as you look

00:28:49.000 --> 00:28:49.440
 at me.

00:28:59.039 --> 00:28:59.600
 Now,

00:28:59.840 --> 00:29:01.759
 let me tell you

00:29:01.759 --> 00:29:03.180
 what I've just said

00:29:03.180 --> 00:29:03.779
 about God

00:29:03.779 --> 00:29:05.180
 being described here.

00:29:05.680 --> 00:29:06.200
 Obviously,

00:29:06.319 --> 00:29:07.019
 that's not a proof

00:29:07.019 --> 00:29:07.819
 for Christianity.

00:29:08.619 --> 00:29:09.160
 But if you're

00:29:09.160 --> 00:29:10.019
 outside the Christian

00:29:10.019 --> 00:29:10.440
 faith,

00:29:14.539 --> 00:29:15.660
 don't you want

00:29:15.660 --> 00:29:16.559
 this to be true?

00:29:19.579 --> 00:29:20.019
 Like,

00:29:20.059 --> 00:29:20.740
 don't you want

00:29:20.740 --> 00:29:21.599
 this to be true?

00:29:24.079 --> 00:29:24.579
 I mean,

00:29:24.639 --> 00:29:25.160
 for everyone

00:29:25.160 --> 00:29:25.980
 who is outside

00:29:25.980 --> 00:29:26.960
 the Christian faith,

00:29:27.299 --> 00:29:27.579
 I mean,

00:29:27.700 --> 00:29:28.720
 you have reasons

00:29:28.720 --> 00:29:29.599
 why you're not a Christian.

00:29:29.740 --> 00:29:30.920
 I acknowledge that.

00:29:31.259 --> 00:29:32.019
 I know that.

00:29:32.099 --> 00:29:32.900
 I know that

00:29:32.900 --> 00:29:33.680
 from the inside

00:29:33.680 --> 00:29:34.960
 in my earlier life.

00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:35.900
 But there's also

00:29:35.900 --> 00:29:36.480
 a part of you

00:29:36.480 --> 00:29:37.180
 that doesn't want

00:29:37.180 --> 00:29:38.360
 Christianity to be true.

00:29:38.799 --> 00:29:40.039
 But when you hear this,

00:29:40.100 --> 00:29:40.840
 don't you want it

00:29:40.840 --> 00:29:41.420
 to be true?

00:29:45.200 --> 00:29:45.579
 Now,

00:29:45.600 --> 00:29:45.940
 some of you

00:29:45.940 --> 00:29:46.340
 might say,

00:29:46.420 --> 00:29:46.559
 well,

00:29:46.600 --> 00:29:46.960
 George,

00:29:47.799 --> 00:29:49.319
 this just sounds

00:29:49.319 --> 00:29:49.740
 to me like

00:29:49.740 --> 00:29:50.220
 the type of

00:29:50.220 --> 00:29:50.840
 a narcissist

00:29:50.840 --> 00:29:51.500
 prayer.

00:29:51.960 --> 00:29:52.700
 Bless me,

00:29:52.840 --> 00:29:53.920
 face shine upon me.

00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:54.519
 It's the prayer

00:29:54.519 --> 00:29:55.279
 of a tyrant.

00:29:56.120 --> 00:29:56.500
 Well,

00:29:56.559 --> 00:29:57.600
 there's a couple

00:29:57.600 --> 00:29:58.039
 of reasons

00:29:58.039 --> 00:29:59.160
 why that is not

00:29:59.160 --> 00:29:59.680
 the case.

00:29:59.680 --> 00:30:00.539
 And the first one

00:30:00.539 --> 00:30:00.720
 of them

00:30:00.720 --> 00:30:01.319
 is just seen

00:30:01.319 --> 00:30:03.099
 in verse 2.

00:30:04.119 --> 00:30:05.019
 So verse 1 is,

00:30:05.179 --> 00:30:05.939
 may God be gracious

00:30:05.939 --> 00:30:06.359
 to us

00:30:06.359 --> 00:30:06.980
 and bless us

00:30:06.980 --> 00:30:07.700
 and make his face

00:30:07.700 --> 00:30:08.639
 to shine upon us.

00:30:08.700 --> 00:30:09.379
 And it's all part

00:30:09.379 --> 00:30:10.359
 of the same sentence.

00:30:11.399 --> 00:30:12.559
 The ESV preserves

00:30:12.559 --> 00:30:13.779
 that it's one sentence.

00:30:14.539 --> 00:30:14.819
 You know,

00:30:14.879 --> 00:30:15.720
 two stanzas

00:30:15.720 --> 00:30:16.639
 but one sentence.

00:30:17.179 --> 00:30:18.399
 So may God be gracious

00:30:18.399 --> 00:30:18.799
 to us

00:30:18.799 --> 00:30:19.399
 and bless us

00:30:19.399 --> 00:30:19.980
 and make his face

00:30:19.980 --> 00:30:20.759
 to shine upon us

00:30:20.759 --> 00:30:21.399
 that,

00:30:21.740 --> 00:30:23.339
 that,

00:30:23.859 --> 00:30:24.799
 your way

00:30:24.799 --> 00:30:26.119
 may be known

00:30:26.119 --> 00:30:26.859
 on earth,

00:30:27.259 --> 00:30:29.139
 your saving power

00:30:29.139 --> 00:30:30.599
 among all nations.

00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:32.720
 So,

00:30:32.980 --> 00:30:34.339
 if you could put up

00:30:34.339 --> 00:30:34.899
 the second point,

00:30:34.960 --> 00:30:35.779
 that would be very helpful.

00:30:36.279 --> 00:30:37.480
 He blesses you

00:30:37.480 --> 00:30:39.179
 to be a means

00:30:39.179 --> 00:30:39.799
 by which

00:30:39.799 --> 00:30:41.259
 he blesses others

00:30:41.259 --> 00:30:42.839
 from every nation.

00:30:44.159 --> 00:30:45.619
 He blesses you

00:30:45.619 --> 00:30:48.500
 not so you can just

00:30:48.500 --> 00:30:49.559
 get bloated

00:30:49.559 --> 00:30:50.659
 with his blessings

00:30:50.659 --> 00:30:52.339
 and just get bigger

00:30:52.339 --> 00:30:53.059
 and fatter

00:30:53.059 --> 00:30:54.159
 with his blessing.

00:30:56.200 --> 00:30:57.139
 Looking within,

00:30:57.279 --> 00:30:58.339
 happy at your blessing.

00:30:59.000 --> 00:30:59.939
 Everything in the world

00:30:59.939 --> 00:31:00.659
 is going to hell

00:31:00.660 --> 00:31:01.400
 and a hand card

00:31:01.400 --> 00:31:01.860
 and you're just

00:31:01.860 --> 00:31:02.640
 getting fatter

00:31:02.640 --> 00:31:03.519
 with his blessing.

00:31:04.200 --> 00:31:04.580
 No.

00:31:07.380 --> 00:31:07.880
 I mean,

00:31:07.920 --> 00:31:08.560
 that's one of the things

00:31:08.560 --> 00:31:09.259
 he does is

00:31:09.259 --> 00:31:10.600
 when that starts

00:31:10.600 --> 00:31:11.320
 to happen to us,

00:31:11.360 --> 00:31:12.279
 he punctures us.

00:31:14.000 --> 00:31:16.060
 He punctures us

00:31:16.060 --> 00:31:16.960
 because that's not

00:31:16.960 --> 00:31:17.800
 blessing inside,

00:31:17.900 --> 00:31:18.840
 that's hot gas.

00:31:20.720 --> 00:31:21.460
 That's something

00:31:21.460 --> 00:31:21.960
 foul

00:31:21.960 --> 00:31:23.700
 that's making us

00:31:23.700 --> 00:31:24.740
 really big like that.

00:31:25.120 --> 00:31:26.960
 He punctures that.

00:31:26.960 --> 00:31:28.660
 His word punctures that.

00:31:30.600 --> 00:31:31.079
 It's,

00:31:31.079 --> 00:31:31.100
 it's,

00:31:31.340 --> 00:31:33.059
 it's,

00:31:33.160 --> 00:31:34.120
 this is teaching me

00:31:34.120 --> 00:31:35.100
 to ask the complete

00:31:35.100 --> 00:31:36.620
 opposite of narcissistic

00:31:36.620 --> 00:31:37.200
 questions.

00:31:38.779 --> 00:31:39.940
 If I've been blessed

00:31:39.940 --> 00:31:40.900
 with a good mind,

00:31:41.420 --> 00:31:43.140
 the question for me

00:31:43.140 --> 00:31:44.120
 is God has blessed me

00:31:44.120 --> 00:31:44.880
 with a good mind.

00:31:45.360 --> 00:31:46.440
 How does he want me

00:31:46.440 --> 00:31:47.440
 to use my mind

00:31:47.440 --> 00:31:48.559
 to bless others?

00:31:50.299 --> 00:31:51.740
 If God has blessed you

00:31:51.740 --> 00:31:52.180
 with good,

00:31:52.299 --> 00:31:54.279
 large financial resources,

00:31:55.140 --> 00:31:56.039
 now he's not asking you

00:31:56.039 --> 00:31:56.819
 to give it all away,

00:31:56.960 --> 00:31:57.559
 but the question

00:31:57.559 --> 00:31:58.420
 you need to ask

00:31:58.420 --> 00:31:59.299
 if you have really

00:31:59.299 --> 00:32:00.559
 good financial resources

00:32:00.559 --> 00:32:01.899
 is,

00:32:02.259 --> 00:32:02.460
 okay,

00:32:02.519 --> 00:32:03.139
 he's blessed me

00:32:03.139 --> 00:32:04.379
 with these financial resources.

00:32:04.559 --> 00:32:05.200
 How does he want me

00:32:05.200 --> 00:32:06.339
 to give my money away

00:32:06.339 --> 00:32:08.500
 to be a blessing?

00:32:09.619 --> 00:32:09.839
 You know,

00:32:09.839 --> 00:32:10.680
 maybe he's blessed you

00:32:10.680 --> 00:32:11.399
 with time,

00:32:12.319 --> 00:32:13.159
 you know,

00:32:13.200 --> 00:32:13.759
 and leisure.

00:32:14.480 --> 00:32:15.259
 Not that you just

00:32:15.259 --> 00:32:16.159
 have to do all of your,

00:32:16.299 --> 00:32:17.339
 you only spend all your time

00:32:17.339 --> 00:32:17.659
 in,

00:32:17.759 --> 00:32:18.059
 you know,

00:32:18.180 --> 00:32:18.539
 doing,

00:32:19.000 --> 00:32:19.279
 you know,

00:32:19.319 --> 00:32:19.579
 praying,

00:32:19.700 --> 00:32:21.019
 but God's blessed me

00:32:21.019 --> 00:32:21.879
 with this time,

00:32:21.980 --> 00:32:22.559
 with this leisure.

00:32:22.799 --> 00:32:23.960
 How am I to use this

00:32:23.960 --> 00:32:25.000
 to bless others?

00:32:26.039 --> 00:32:26.279
 I mean,

00:32:26.299 --> 00:32:26.740
 one of the things

00:32:26.740 --> 00:32:28.700
 I sometimes tell people

00:32:28.700 --> 00:32:29.420
 that are older,

00:32:29.639 --> 00:32:29.839
 that are,

00:32:29.899 --> 00:32:30.099
 you know,

00:32:30.180 --> 00:32:30.460
 that are,

00:32:30.460 --> 00:32:32.879
 you know,

00:32:32.920 --> 00:32:33.819
 retired and everything

00:32:33.819 --> 00:32:34.279
 like that,

00:32:34.319 --> 00:32:34.680
 is I said,

00:32:34.720 --> 00:32:34.960
 you know,

00:32:35.379 --> 00:32:37.200
 if you have a harried mom

00:32:37.200 --> 00:32:39.079
 who's doing,

00:32:39.339 --> 00:32:40.859
 trying to keep her sanity

00:32:40.859 --> 00:32:41.980
 while looking after

00:32:41.980 --> 00:32:43.180
 three young kids

00:32:43.180 --> 00:32:44.119
 under six,

00:32:44.480 --> 00:32:45.599
 if she manages

00:32:45.599 --> 00:32:46.859
 one minute of prayer,

00:32:46.960 --> 00:32:47.940
 that actually might be

00:32:47.940 --> 00:32:48.599
 worth an hour

00:32:48.599 --> 00:32:49.599
 of prayer for you.

00:32:50.000 --> 00:32:52.240
 I'm a bit nicer than that

00:32:52.240 --> 00:32:53.139
 and not sort of mean,

00:32:53.539 --> 00:32:53.779
 right?

00:32:53.779 --> 00:32:54.319
 Because gosh,

00:32:54.379 --> 00:32:55.019
 it's just so hard

00:32:55.019 --> 00:32:55.740
 when you're harried

00:32:55.740 --> 00:32:56.240
 with kids,

00:32:56.339 --> 00:32:56.740
 but you know,

00:32:57.079 --> 00:32:59.180
 but it forces me

00:32:59.180 --> 00:32:59.720
 to ask,

00:32:59.940 --> 00:33:00.119
 you know,

00:33:00.160 --> 00:33:00.859
 and it forces us

00:33:00.859 --> 00:33:01.579
 as a congregation

00:33:01.579 --> 00:33:02.519
 to ask these very,

00:33:02.660 --> 00:33:04.839
 very non-narcissistic questions.

00:33:04.940 --> 00:33:05.759
 If God has blessed you

00:33:05.759 --> 00:33:06.539
 with a good house,

00:33:06.819 --> 00:33:07.599
 why has he blessed you

00:33:07.599 --> 00:33:08.200
 with a good house?

00:33:08.259 --> 00:33:09.240
 Is it to show hospitality

00:33:09.240 --> 00:33:09.980
 to people?

00:33:10.460 --> 00:33:11.740
 Is it to have people over?

00:33:12.259 --> 00:33:13.019
 Is it to have people

00:33:13.019 --> 00:33:13.960
 from the congregation

00:33:13.960 --> 00:33:15.119
 who maybe are single

00:33:15.119 --> 00:33:15.799
 or lonely

00:33:15.799 --> 00:33:16.940
 into the congregation

00:33:16.940 --> 00:33:17.779
 to invite your neighbor?

00:33:17.779 --> 00:33:18.680
 Like, see,

00:33:18.859 --> 00:33:19.980
 this psalmist force

00:33:19.980 --> 00:33:20.879
 is inviting us

00:33:20.879 --> 00:33:22.240
 to ask this other question

00:33:22.240 --> 00:33:23.599
 because he blesses you.

00:33:24.019 --> 00:33:25.339
 He blesses you.

00:33:25.960 --> 00:33:27.399
 He blesses you.

00:33:28.000 --> 00:33:29.500
 He blesses us.

00:33:30.559 --> 00:33:31.399
 What do we do

00:33:31.399 --> 00:33:31.960
 with the blessing?

00:33:34.799 --> 00:33:36.200
 And it's one of the things

00:33:36.200 --> 00:33:37.000
 which is so wonderful

00:33:37.000 --> 00:33:38.399
 about this in Psalm 67.

00:33:38.859 --> 00:33:40.240
 It's a big vision.

00:33:41.220 --> 00:33:42.639
 Okay, he didn't just bless me

00:33:42.639 --> 00:33:43.779
 so that I can bless

00:33:43.779 --> 00:33:44.500
 the other people

00:33:44.500 --> 00:33:46.000
 who have my political views,

00:33:46.139 --> 00:33:47.599
 like the same type of music.

00:33:48.220 --> 00:33:49.019
 No, no, no.

00:33:49.119 --> 00:33:50.259
 There's these nations

00:33:50.259 --> 00:33:51.639
 that have come from

00:33:51.639 --> 00:33:52.460
 all over the world

00:33:52.460 --> 00:33:53.259
 to come to Canada.

00:33:53.339 --> 00:33:54.399
 How do I bless them?

00:33:54.899 --> 00:33:56.359
 How do I bless...

00:33:56.359 --> 00:33:57.240
 I mean, this is why

00:33:57.240 --> 00:33:58.579
 we support missionaries

00:33:58.579 --> 00:33:59.539
 in Angola,

00:33:59.660 --> 00:34:01.319
 why we support missionaries

00:34:01.319 --> 00:34:03.379
 in Northern Africa.

00:34:04.059 --> 00:34:05.119
 I'm going to be recommending

00:34:05.119 --> 00:34:05.879
 to the council

00:34:05.879 --> 00:34:07.299
 because we have some extra money

00:34:07.299 --> 00:34:08.079
 to give to missions

00:34:08.079 --> 00:34:09.360
 that we adopt a mission

00:34:09.360 --> 00:34:12.099
 by the end of the summer

00:34:12.099 --> 00:34:13.739
 that's trying to bring

00:34:13.739 --> 00:34:14.820
 the Christian message

00:34:14.820 --> 00:34:16.759
 to Afghanistanese

00:34:16.760 --> 00:34:18.080
 in Derry.

00:34:19.380 --> 00:34:20.360
 Isn't that something

00:34:20.360 --> 00:34:21.500
 we should want to do?

00:34:22.940 --> 00:34:24.620
 Help somebody tell people

00:34:24.620 --> 00:34:25.280
 about Jesus

00:34:25.280 --> 00:34:27.140
 stuck in Afghanistan

00:34:27.140 --> 00:34:30.000
 in the Derry language.

00:34:31.000 --> 00:34:31.900
 It's why we want

00:34:31.900 --> 00:34:32.840
 to plant churches.

00:34:33.100 --> 00:34:33.680
 It's why we want

00:34:33.680 --> 00:34:34.720
 to have a seminary.

00:34:35.340 --> 00:34:36.160
 And more and more,

00:34:36.300 --> 00:34:37.160
 how can...

00:34:37.160 --> 00:34:38.240
 God is blessing us.

00:34:38.800 --> 00:34:39.780
 How is that supposed

00:34:39.780 --> 00:34:40.400
 to go out?

00:34:40.560 --> 00:34:41.540
 That's what this psalm

00:34:41.540 --> 00:34:42.160
 is teaching us.

00:34:42.159 --> 00:34:42.940
 It's teaching us

00:34:42.940 --> 00:34:44.699
 a really, really big vision.

00:34:44.799 --> 00:34:45.599
 It's the opposite

00:34:45.599 --> 00:34:46.679
 of narcissism.

00:34:49.879 --> 00:34:52.460
 Now, I have to wrap things up

00:34:52.460 --> 00:34:53.639
 in a moment,

00:34:53.859 --> 00:34:55.139
 but there's something in here

00:34:55.139 --> 00:34:55.920
 which is going to get

00:34:55.920 --> 00:34:57.199
 at the deepest part

00:34:57.199 --> 00:34:58.019
 of how God wants

00:34:58.019 --> 00:34:58.679
 to bless us,

00:34:58.779 --> 00:34:59.619
 and it's found

00:34:59.619 --> 00:35:00.879
 in a type of a riddle.

00:35:01.899 --> 00:35:03.539
 Look at verse 2 again.

00:35:03.539 --> 00:35:05.340
 that your way

00:35:05.340 --> 00:35:07.099
 may be known on earth.

00:35:08.460 --> 00:35:08.539
 Your...

00:35:09.139 --> 00:35:09.779
 Look at this.

00:35:10.279 --> 00:35:11.380
 Saving power.

00:35:13.000 --> 00:35:13.599
 I mean, this gets

00:35:13.599 --> 00:35:15.199
 a lot of Canadians nervous.

00:35:15.380 --> 00:35:15.960
 Your way?

00:35:17.440 --> 00:35:18.500
 The good news is

00:35:18.500 --> 00:35:21.400
 that God has made a way.

00:35:23.739 --> 00:35:24.719
 Let me tell you.

00:35:24.960 --> 00:35:26.059
 If I give you a way

00:35:26.059 --> 00:35:27.159
 to make to reach God,

00:35:27.559 --> 00:35:31.000
 get a beer instead.

00:35:31.119 --> 00:35:31.900
 Don't listen to me.

00:35:31.900 --> 00:35:33.039
 I can't reach God.

00:35:33.180 --> 00:35:33.680
 Good grief.

00:35:33.780 --> 00:35:34.980
 What a ridiculous idea.

00:35:36.099 --> 00:35:38.300
 The Bible is the biggest critique

00:35:38.300 --> 00:35:39.760
 of religion and spirituality,

00:35:40.380 --> 00:35:41.840
 but what if God made a way?

00:35:43.019 --> 00:35:44.280
 And what if his way

00:35:44.280 --> 00:35:45.619
 that he made to us

00:35:45.619 --> 00:35:46.480
 was a way

00:35:46.480 --> 00:35:48.619
 where his saving power

00:35:48.619 --> 00:35:50.460
 can come to ordinary people

00:35:50.460 --> 00:35:51.220
 like you and me?

00:35:52.019 --> 00:35:52.820
 And then it continues,

00:35:52.960 --> 00:35:53.300
 verse 3,

00:35:53.360 --> 00:35:54.820
 let the peoples praise you,

00:35:54.900 --> 00:35:55.240
 O God.

00:35:55.760 --> 00:35:57.400
 Let all the peoples praise you.

00:35:58.160 --> 00:35:59.500
 Let the nations be glad

00:35:59.500 --> 00:36:00.420
 and sing for joy,

00:36:00.420 --> 00:36:01.900
 for you judge the peoples

00:36:01.900 --> 00:36:02.680
 with equity

00:36:02.680 --> 00:36:03.720
 and guide the nations

00:36:03.720 --> 00:36:04.420
 upon the earth.

00:36:04.519 --> 00:36:05.720
 Let the peoples praise you,

00:36:05.820 --> 00:36:06.000
 O God.

00:36:06.039 --> 00:36:07.579
 Let all the peoples praise you.

00:36:08.700 --> 00:36:10.159
 So here's the riddle,

00:36:11.059 --> 00:36:12.460
 which is within this text.

00:36:13.539 --> 00:36:14.820
 The Bible is rejecting

00:36:14.820 --> 00:36:15.780
 self-salvation.

00:36:15.920 --> 00:36:17.139
 It says it doesn't work.

00:36:17.260 --> 00:36:18.720
 You have to receive

00:36:18.720 --> 00:36:20.159
 or surrender to

00:36:20.159 --> 00:36:21.180
 or come into

00:36:21.180 --> 00:36:23.840
 what God has provided.

00:36:23.920 --> 00:36:24.360
 In fact, actually,

00:36:24.440 --> 00:36:24.760
 you could put up

00:36:24.760 --> 00:36:25.340
 the third point.

00:36:25.420 --> 00:36:26.099
 That would be very good.

00:36:26.200 --> 00:36:26.340
 Claire,

00:36:26.340 --> 00:36:27.340
 the greatest blessing

00:36:27.340 --> 00:36:28.240
 is to surrender

00:36:28.240 --> 00:36:29.240
 to God's power

00:36:29.240 --> 00:36:30.200
 to save you

00:36:30.200 --> 00:36:31.780
 through faith in Jesus.

00:36:32.620 --> 00:36:33.900
 The greatest blessing

00:36:33.900 --> 00:36:34.860
 is to surrender

00:36:34.860 --> 00:36:36.000
 to God's power

00:36:36.000 --> 00:36:36.760
 to save you

00:36:36.760 --> 00:36:37.820
 through faith in Jesus.

00:36:38.860 --> 00:36:40.900
 Well, how can this work

00:36:40.900 --> 00:36:41.480
 and how does this

00:36:41.480 --> 00:36:42.240
 make any sense?

00:36:42.820 --> 00:36:43.180
 So you see,

00:36:43.280 --> 00:36:44.200
 the big problem

00:36:44.200 --> 00:36:45.400
 is,

00:36:47.300 --> 00:36:47.900
 and basically,

00:36:48.079 --> 00:36:48.800
 every religion

00:36:48.800 --> 00:36:49.539
 or spirituality

00:36:49.539 --> 00:36:50.860
 other than Christianity,

00:36:50.980 --> 00:36:52.240
 which is absolutely unique,

00:36:52.480 --> 00:36:53.900
 doesn't solve this issue.

00:36:53.900 --> 00:36:55.660
 You see,

00:36:55.740 --> 00:36:56.780
 really what happens,

00:36:56.920 --> 00:36:57.579
 like if you think

00:36:57.579 --> 00:36:58.820
 of something like Islam,

00:36:59.820 --> 00:37:01.079
 what you actually just have

00:37:01.079 --> 00:37:02.340
 is that God has favorites.

00:37:03.800 --> 00:37:04.599
 Sucks to be you,

00:37:04.760 --> 00:37:05.440
 sucks to be you,

00:37:05.539 --> 00:37:06.200
 sucks to be you,

00:37:06.300 --> 00:37:06.980
 sucks to be you,

00:37:07.059 --> 00:37:07.599
 sucks to be you.

00:37:07.660 --> 00:37:08.340
 Oh, like you,

00:37:08.500 --> 00:37:08.820
 boop,

00:37:08.960 --> 00:37:10.139
 sucks to be you.

00:37:10.460 --> 00:37:10.639
 You know,

00:37:10.660 --> 00:37:11.500
 he just has favorites.

00:37:11.760 --> 00:37:12.460
 It's sort of like

00:37:12.460 --> 00:37:14.320
 when Biden,

00:37:14.920 --> 00:37:15.900
 or whatever's going to happen

00:37:15.900 --> 00:37:16.539
 now with Biden,

00:37:16.619 --> 00:37:17.420
 but when he steps down,

00:37:17.460 --> 00:37:18.420
 he's going to give pardons,

00:37:18.500 --> 00:37:18.660
 right?

00:37:18.660 --> 00:37:19.559
 I've used this analogy

00:37:19.559 --> 00:37:20.200
 many times,

00:37:20.240 --> 00:37:20.920
 and most people

00:37:20.920 --> 00:37:22.039
 don't think it's justice.

00:37:22.180 --> 00:37:22.780
 It's just think

00:37:22.780 --> 00:37:24.460
 he's letting his cronies off,

00:37:24.580 --> 00:37:25.400
 and a Republican

00:37:25.400 --> 00:37:26.400
 will do the same thing.

00:37:26.480 --> 00:37:26.960
 This isn't any

00:37:26.960 --> 00:37:28.060
 political type of comment,

00:37:28.140 --> 00:37:29.000
 and nobody thinks

00:37:29.000 --> 00:37:29.680
 that these are all

00:37:29.680 --> 00:37:30.860
 profound acts of justice.

00:37:31.140 --> 00:37:31.500
 Occasionally,

00:37:31.580 --> 00:37:31.900
 they are,

00:37:32.340 --> 00:37:33.340
 that they'll give a pardon

00:37:33.340 --> 00:37:33.960
 to where there's been

00:37:33.960 --> 00:37:35.100
 a clear miscarriage of it,

00:37:35.140 --> 00:37:35.640
 but usually,

00:37:35.820 --> 00:37:37.140
 it's just their business cronies,

00:37:37.240 --> 00:37:38.180
 their political cronies,

00:37:38.260 --> 00:37:38.760
 their friends,

00:37:39.100 --> 00:37:40.480
 and they just give them a pass,

00:37:40.540 --> 00:37:41.620
 and that's what a lot of people

00:37:41.620 --> 00:37:42.540
 basically think

00:37:42.540 --> 00:37:44.080
 in terms of how salvation works,

00:37:44.240 --> 00:37:45.040
 but that's not

00:37:45.040 --> 00:37:45.980
 what Christianity is.

00:37:45.980 --> 00:37:46.740
 In Christianity,

00:37:47.060 --> 00:37:49.519
 grace isn't unjust,

00:37:50.160 --> 00:37:52.320
 and grace is not favoritism.

00:37:52.780 --> 00:37:54.640
 justice and the demands

00:37:54.640 --> 00:37:56.260
 of justice is met

00:37:56.260 --> 00:37:57.460
 in a way

00:37:57.460 --> 00:37:59.620
 that if it grabs you,

00:37:59.700 --> 00:38:01.019
 should just gobsmack you,

00:38:01.100 --> 00:38:02.340
 and I haven't used this analogy

00:38:02.340 --> 00:38:03.360
 for a long time,

00:38:03.600 --> 00:38:05.000
 but I'll use it again

00:38:05.000 --> 00:38:06.260
 because it's a brilliant analogy.

00:38:06.440 --> 00:38:07.720
 I actually learned about it

00:38:07.720 --> 00:38:09.720
 from a person from Thailand

00:38:09.720 --> 00:38:11.900
 who'd converted from Buddhism

00:38:11.900 --> 00:38:12.840
 to Christianity,

00:38:13.840 --> 00:38:15.340
 and here's the analogy.

00:38:15.600 --> 00:38:15.980
 Imagine,

00:38:16.180 --> 00:38:17.040
 we're going to have to go back

00:38:17.040 --> 00:38:17.440
 a few years.

00:38:17.519 --> 00:38:18.680
 I can't remember the last time

00:38:18.680 --> 00:38:20.420
 that England was in the Euro Cup

00:38:20.420 --> 00:38:21.480
 and made it to the finals,

00:38:22.260 --> 00:38:23.880
 but, you know,

00:38:23.920 --> 00:38:24.119
 whatever,

00:38:24.240 --> 00:38:25.240
 10 or 12 years ago.

00:38:25.360 --> 00:38:26.340
 Imagine that England

00:38:26.340 --> 00:38:27.820
 finally won the Euro Cup.

00:38:28.059 --> 00:38:29.139
 It's hard for us to imagine.

00:38:29.500 --> 00:38:30.599
 Go watch some things.

00:38:30.700 --> 00:38:31.639
 When your country wins,

00:38:31.720 --> 00:38:33.039
 they go completely berserk,

00:38:33.200 --> 00:38:34.220
 bananas with joy.

00:38:34.920 --> 00:38:36.139
 So England wins

00:38:36.139 --> 00:38:37.519
 the Euro Cup.

00:38:37.700 --> 00:38:38.700
 First thing they've won

00:38:38.700 --> 00:38:40.000
 since they won the World Cup

00:38:40.000 --> 00:38:42.099
 in 66 or something like that,

00:38:42.099 --> 00:38:43.920
 and there's a big victory celebration

00:38:43.920 --> 00:38:45.220
 in Wembley Stadium.

00:38:45.780 --> 00:38:47.539
 Sits 110,000 people,

00:38:47.980 --> 00:38:49.700
 and the English soccer team is there.

00:38:49.780 --> 00:38:51.119
 There are 110,000 people

00:38:51.119 --> 00:38:52.380
 going completely crazy.

00:38:52.539 --> 00:38:53.980
 British rock stars are singing

00:38:53.980 --> 00:38:55.920
 and all of that type of stuff,

00:38:56.079 --> 00:38:57.440
 and then all of a sudden,

00:38:57.860 --> 00:38:59.099
 the lights go down.

00:38:59.519 --> 00:39:02.119
 A voice comes on and says,

00:39:02.519 --> 00:39:04.079
 all of the exits have been lost.

00:39:04.300 --> 00:39:05.840
 There's a small nuclear device

00:39:05.840 --> 00:39:07.760
 in the very center of Wembley Stadium,

00:39:07.760 --> 00:39:09.039
 and we're going to blow it up

00:39:09.039 --> 00:39:11.079
 because it's time for England

00:39:11.079 --> 00:39:12.400
 to pay for its crimes,

00:39:13.360 --> 00:39:15.019
 and we're going to blow it up.

00:39:16.619 --> 00:39:17.739
 Goes out on the Internet,

00:39:18.119 --> 00:39:19.079
 goes out on the radio.

00:39:19.279 --> 00:39:21.199
 If the police try to do anything

00:39:21.199 --> 00:39:22.539
 to try to let the people come out,

00:39:22.599 --> 00:39:23.319
 do anything at all,

00:39:23.519 --> 00:39:24.480
 we're going to push the button.

00:39:24.559 --> 00:39:25.400
 We're going to kill everybody,

00:39:25.500 --> 00:39:26.440
 but we want to have a time

00:39:26.440 --> 00:39:28.779
 to humiliate the nation first.

00:39:30.500 --> 00:39:31.940
 And especially now

00:39:31.940 --> 00:39:33.239
 in the age of the Internet

00:39:33.239 --> 00:39:34.239
 and social media,

00:39:34.239 --> 00:39:35.960
 that would go around the world instantly.

00:39:36.679 --> 00:39:38.079
 In fact, large parts of the world

00:39:38.079 --> 00:39:40.880
 would stop looking at

00:39:40.880 --> 00:39:42.920
 what's happening in Wembley Stadium.

00:39:44.160 --> 00:39:45.640
 Now, I've used this analogy before,

00:39:45.700 --> 00:39:46.599
 but it's still a good analogy.

00:39:46.720 --> 00:39:48.500
 If I was to somehow or another,

00:39:49.039 --> 00:39:50.140
 you know, I found out

00:39:50.140 --> 00:39:51.440
 that one of you is actually a hacker,

00:39:51.599 --> 00:39:52.599
 and they're able to hack in,

00:39:52.680 --> 00:39:53.940
 and I call up the terrorists

00:39:53.940 --> 00:39:54.519
 and say, listen,

00:39:54.860 --> 00:39:56.579
 let the 110,000 people go

00:39:56.579 --> 00:39:58.460
 and all go sit in the nuclear device.

00:39:58.860 --> 00:39:59.579
 They'd laugh.

00:40:00.200 --> 00:40:01.300
 Why would we do that?

00:40:02.059 --> 00:40:02.780
 That's stupid.

00:40:02.780 --> 00:40:07.100
 But if the Queen of England

00:40:07.100 --> 00:40:08.320
 was to call them up

00:40:08.320 --> 00:40:10.840
 and say,

00:40:11.260 --> 00:40:13.840
 I will go and sit on that nuclear device

00:40:13.840 --> 00:40:16.120
 if you let the 110,000 people go,

00:40:17.280 --> 00:40:18.260
 they would take it.

00:40:20.560 --> 00:40:22.080
 They would take it in a moment.

00:40:24.720 --> 00:40:26.840
 You think the whole world is watching

00:40:26.840 --> 00:40:29.280
 while 110,000 English people

00:40:29.280 --> 00:40:30.360
 are in Wembley Stadium?

00:40:30.360 --> 00:40:31.780
 Just imagine what would happen

00:40:31.780 --> 00:40:32.599
 if the Queen of England

00:40:32.599 --> 00:40:34.220
 was sitting on that nuclear device.

00:40:36.039 --> 00:40:37.940
 They'd know they have all of England

00:40:37.940 --> 00:40:39.780
 in their grip.

00:40:40.860 --> 00:40:43.039
 England's past and present and future.

00:40:44.500 --> 00:40:46.160
 And all the Commonwealth nations,

00:40:46.300 --> 00:40:47.780
 they have them in their grip

00:40:47.780 --> 00:40:50.320
 because that's who the Queen can represent.

00:40:50.320 --> 00:40:54.180
 And if they ended up detonating

00:40:54.180 --> 00:40:55.260
 and killing her,

00:40:56.400 --> 00:40:57.580
 there'd be more mourning,

00:40:57.820 --> 00:40:58.280
 almost,

00:40:58.640 --> 00:41:00.620
 over her death than 110,000.

00:41:04.360 --> 00:41:07.200
 We can all see how the one

00:41:07.200 --> 00:41:08.440
 can represent the many.

00:41:09.820 --> 00:41:10.800
 And this is the power

00:41:10.800 --> 00:41:11.980
 and the beauty of Christianity.

00:41:12.960 --> 00:41:14.260
 God, the Son of God,

00:41:14.320 --> 00:41:15.940
 the Queen can represent all of England.

00:41:16.120 --> 00:41:18.640
 The Queen can represent the democracies.

00:41:18.639 --> 00:41:20.679
 The Queen can represent the Commonwealth.

00:41:21.960 --> 00:41:23.639
 Only God, the Son of God,

00:41:23.699 --> 00:41:25.199
 can represent every human being

00:41:25.199 --> 00:41:26.019
 who has ever lived.

00:41:27.159 --> 00:41:28.500
 And He is the one

00:41:28.500 --> 00:41:30.379
 who took our place.

00:41:31.480 --> 00:41:33.940
 And He willingly took upon Himself

00:41:33.940 --> 00:41:35.940
 the judgment.

00:41:35.940 --> 00:41:41.539
 If you could put up the point,

00:41:41.940 --> 00:41:42.760
 that would be great.

00:41:43.519 --> 00:41:44.380
 The greatest blessing

00:41:44.380 --> 00:41:45.880
 is to surrender to God's power

00:41:45.880 --> 00:41:46.599
 to save you

00:41:46.599 --> 00:41:47.840
 through faith in Jesus.

00:41:48.900 --> 00:41:50.099
 Now, I need to wrap up.

00:41:50.360 --> 00:41:51.760
 My time is up.

00:41:51.840 --> 00:41:53.380
 If you could just put...

00:41:53.380 --> 00:41:54.220
 Actually, we'll just read

00:41:54.220 --> 00:41:56.139
 verses 5 to 7 in closing

00:41:56.139 --> 00:41:57.700
 and then put up the point, Claire.

00:41:58.559 --> 00:41:59.260
 So it continues.

00:41:59.380 --> 00:42:00.619
 Let the peoples praise you, God.

00:42:00.679 --> 00:42:01.880
 Let all the peoples praise you.

00:42:01.920 --> 00:42:02.800
 The earth is yielded.

00:42:02.840 --> 00:42:03.320
 It's increased.

00:42:03.480 --> 00:42:04.559
 God, our God,

00:42:04.559 --> 00:42:05.559
 shall bless us.

00:42:05.699 --> 00:42:07.099
 God shall bless us.

00:42:07.360 --> 00:42:08.779
 Let all the ends of the earth

00:42:08.779 --> 00:42:09.719
 fear Him.

00:42:10.099 --> 00:42:11.340
 If you could put up the final point.

00:42:12.480 --> 00:42:13.340
 Why is it

00:42:13.340 --> 00:42:14.880
 that I pray

00:42:14.880 --> 00:42:16.259
 that people I know

00:42:16.259 --> 00:42:17.960
 come to a saving faith in Jesus?

00:42:18.460 --> 00:42:19.360
 Why is it

00:42:19.360 --> 00:42:20.239
 that I think

00:42:20.239 --> 00:42:21.019
 it's so important

00:42:21.019 --> 00:42:21.860
 to plant churches?

00:42:22.099 --> 00:42:22.739
 Why is it

00:42:22.739 --> 00:42:23.699
 that I think it's important

00:42:23.699 --> 00:42:24.840
 to support missionaries?

00:42:25.420 --> 00:42:26.380
 Why is it?

00:42:26.480 --> 00:42:26.739
 Well,

00:42:27.099 --> 00:42:28.480
 the Lord desires

00:42:28.480 --> 00:42:29.579
 more and more

00:42:29.579 --> 00:42:30.820
 ordinary people

00:42:30.820 --> 00:42:32.079
 from every nation

00:42:32.079 --> 00:42:33.319
 to know the joy

00:42:33.319 --> 00:42:34.599
 of worshiping Him?

00:42:35.659 --> 00:42:36.659
 That's why you pray.

00:42:38.880 --> 00:42:39.239
 Listen,

00:42:39.360 --> 00:42:40.400
 your testimony might be,

00:42:40.519 --> 00:42:40.659
 listen,

00:42:40.980 --> 00:42:41.659
 I'm not going to tell you

00:42:41.659 --> 00:42:42.519
 about necessarily

00:42:42.519 --> 00:42:43.199
 what God is doing

00:42:43.199 --> 00:42:43.779
 in my life right now

00:42:43.779 --> 00:42:44.539
 because really right now

00:42:44.539 --> 00:42:45.340
 I, frankly,

00:42:45.579 --> 00:42:47.299
 I'm having a really hard time.

00:42:47.719 --> 00:42:48.159
 But I know

00:42:48.159 --> 00:42:48.759
 that my Savior

00:42:48.759 --> 00:42:49.539
 is my Savior.

00:42:53.299 --> 00:42:54.639
 I know there will be joy.

00:42:54.880 --> 00:42:55.460
 It has been joy.

00:42:55.539 --> 00:42:56.319
 There will be joy.

00:42:56.940 --> 00:42:57.759
 Why do we pray

00:42:57.759 --> 00:42:58.259
 for others

00:42:58.259 --> 00:42:59.179
 to become Christians?

00:42:59.179 --> 00:43:01.319
 The Lord desires

00:43:01.319 --> 00:43:02.039
 more and more

00:43:02.039 --> 00:43:03.099
 ordinary people

00:43:03.099 --> 00:43:04.039
 from every nation

00:43:04.039 --> 00:43:05.179
 to know the joy

00:43:05.179 --> 00:43:06.339
 of worshiping Him.

00:43:07.480 --> 00:43:08.699
 The greatest blessing?

00:43:09.460 --> 00:43:09.980
 Surrender

00:43:09.980 --> 00:43:11.879
 to a saving power

00:43:11.879 --> 00:43:12.859
 by putting your faith

00:43:12.859 --> 00:43:13.419
 in Christ.

00:43:15.319 --> 00:43:15.879
 Remember

00:43:15.879 --> 00:43:16.739
 that God

00:43:16.739 --> 00:43:17.779
 is blessing you

00:43:17.779 --> 00:43:19.119
 to bless others.

00:43:19.339 --> 00:43:19.859
 Remember

00:43:19.859 --> 00:43:21.599
 that when you are

00:43:21.599 --> 00:43:22.259
 in Christ,

00:43:22.799 --> 00:43:23.719
 like right now,

00:43:24.579 --> 00:43:26.559
 I can't say this

00:43:26.559 --> 00:43:27.960
 in my own humanistic power,

00:43:27.960 --> 00:43:28.599
 but right now,

00:43:28.679 --> 00:43:29.860
 God is looking at us

00:43:29.860 --> 00:43:30.740
 and His face

00:43:30.740 --> 00:43:31.900
 is shining upon us.

00:43:32.659 --> 00:43:33.440
 Like right now.

00:43:36.880 --> 00:43:37.460
 Let's pray

00:43:37.460 --> 00:43:38.220
 that we live

00:43:38.220 --> 00:43:39.119
 out of that truth.

00:43:39.380 --> 00:43:40.179
 I invite you to stand.

00:43:53.880 --> 00:43:54.240
 Father,

00:43:54.320 --> 00:43:54.720
 we give you

00:43:54.720 --> 00:43:55.639
 thanks and praise

00:43:55.639 --> 00:43:57.259
 that you are a person,

00:43:57.400 --> 00:43:58.039
 that you love us

00:43:58.039 --> 00:43:58.900
 and you made us

00:43:58.900 --> 00:43:59.480
 as people

00:43:59.480 --> 00:44:00.139
 to know you

00:44:00.139 --> 00:44:00.819
 and to love you,

00:44:00.920 --> 00:44:03.179
 that you made us

00:44:03.179 --> 00:44:05.480
 to glorify you

00:44:05.480 --> 00:44:07.159
 and enjoy you forever.

00:44:07.659 --> 00:44:08.900
 That's why you made us.

00:44:09.099 --> 00:44:10.339
 That's what you made us for,

00:44:10.440 --> 00:44:11.539
 to glorify you

00:44:11.539 --> 00:44:13.759
 and to enjoy you forever.

00:44:14.519 --> 00:44:15.619
 That you desire

00:44:15.619 --> 00:44:17.279
 that even on this side

00:44:17.279 --> 00:44:17.920
 of the grave

00:44:17.920 --> 00:44:19.319
 that we would know

00:44:19.319 --> 00:44:20.920
 the joy of worshipping you,

00:44:22.299 --> 00:44:23.539
 of self-effacing

00:44:23.539 --> 00:44:24.480
 looking at you

00:44:24.480 --> 00:44:25.400
 and what you have done.

00:44:25.480 --> 00:44:26.119
 And we thank you

00:44:26.119 --> 00:44:26.679
 for Jesus.

00:44:26.920 --> 00:44:27.360
 We thank you

00:44:27.360 --> 00:44:27.860
 for what he did

00:44:27.860 --> 00:44:28.740
 for us on the cross.

00:44:29.760 --> 00:44:30.139
 Father,

00:44:30.219 --> 00:44:31.079
 if there are any here

00:44:31.079 --> 00:44:31.940
 or any online

00:44:31.940 --> 00:44:33.119
 or watching downstream

00:44:33.119 --> 00:44:34.460
 who have not put their faith

00:44:34.460 --> 00:44:35.300
 and trust in Jesus,

00:44:35.480 --> 00:44:35.679
 Father,

00:44:35.760 --> 00:44:36.519
 help them even now

00:44:36.519 --> 00:44:37.340
 just to surrender.

00:44:38.179 --> 00:44:39.480
 Surrender into his hands.

00:44:39.880 --> 00:44:40.480
 Surrender and say,

00:44:40.559 --> 00:44:40.780
 Jesus,

00:44:40.920 --> 00:44:41.519
 you are Savior.

00:44:41.760 --> 00:44:42.460
 You are Lord.

00:44:42.900 --> 00:44:43.659
 I am yours.

00:44:44.940 --> 00:44:45.860
 Knowing that he will

00:44:45.860 --> 00:44:46.780
 take all

00:44:46.780 --> 00:44:48.039
 who say that to him.

00:44:48.740 --> 00:44:49.400
 And Father,

00:44:49.460 --> 00:44:50.460
 we ask that you help us

00:44:50.460 --> 00:44:51.340
 not only to count

00:44:51.340 --> 00:44:51.980
 our blessings,

00:44:52.440 --> 00:44:53.519
 but as we count

00:44:53.519 --> 00:44:54.200
 each blessing

00:44:54.200 --> 00:44:55.220
 to also think

00:44:55.220 --> 00:44:56.200
 how is it,

00:44:56.360 --> 00:44:57.039
 why is it

00:44:57.039 --> 00:44:58.000
 that you have blessed me

00:44:58.000 --> 00:44:58.360
 with this?

00:44:58.680 --> 00:44:59.260
 How is it

00:44:59.260 --> 00:45:00.039
 that this is to be

00:45:00.039 --> 00:45:00.460
 a blessing

00:45:00.460 --> 00:45:01.360
 that I can use

00:45:01.360 --> 00:45:02.640
 to bless others?

00:45:03.680 --> 00:45:04.059
 Father,

00:45:04.140 --> 00:45:05.000
 we ask that you do that

00:45:05.000 --> 00:45:05.980
 for us as individuals,

00:45:06.380 --> 00:45:06.980
 that you help us

00:45:06.980 --> 00:45:07.940
 to do it as a church.

00:45:08.840 --> 00:45:10.920
 And we ask all these things

00:45:10.920 --> 00:45:12.100
 in the name of Jesus,

00:45:12.360 --> 00:45:12.920
 your Son,

00:45:13.100 --> 00:45:13.760
 and our Savior.

00:45:14.200 --> 00:45:15.420
 And all God's people said,

00:45:16.019 --> 00:45:16.519
 Amen.