WEBVTT

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 Well, we're thinking about our church's mission statement over these few weeks.

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 To build, to grow, to reach out.

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 And we're thinking today specifically about growing.

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 Of course, growing is something that we're called to do as churches,

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 to share the gospel with others, to grow in number.

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 But hand in hand with that, perhaps you could even say at the very root of that,

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 is this vision for us to grow spiritually in our relationship with God.

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 I'm going to ask you what is going to sound like a really, really deeply personal question.

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 But don't worry, we're not going to do the thing with the microphone and come round, okay?

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 No one's going to ask you.

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 I'm just going to ask you to think for a few moments about the question.

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 And then we'll come back to it at the end.

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 But I just want you to think for a few moments.

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 If, if you were asked to put into words what you consider your relationship with God to be like right now,

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 what words would come to mind?

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 Now don't say them.

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 Don't even whisper them to the person.

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 I just want you to think about them.

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 Just give you a few moments to think about that.

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 Now I want to ask you the question, or else it could be a hard one.

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 What do you wish you could say?

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 Or where would you like that relationship with God to be,

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 say five years from now?

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 It may be hard to actually find words to express that,

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 but just pull some images in your mind and hold them there for a few moments.

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 How do you long for that relationship to be with God over the next few years?

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 That could be quite a painful question.

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 It could be one that you really, really struggle to answer.

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 We'll come back to that at the end.

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 But what I want us to think about over these next few minutes

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 is something that is really, really fundamental to Christian faith.

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 So fundamental that perhaps sometimes we don't even say very much about it.

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 But it's this.

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 That when it comes to faith, we talk about conversion, if you like.

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 In other words, making a decision to follow Jesus.

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 We might make that decision gradually, or it might be a very sudden thing.

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 And you might be able to say, yes, I became a Christian on this particular date.

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 Or it might have been a more gradual coming to faith.

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 It might have been a mixture of both events and process.

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 But we talk about it, about making a decision to become a Christian, to follow Jesus.

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 And it's a choice that only you can make as an individual.

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 No one can make it for you.

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 But the other part that perhaps we don't really talk that much about

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 is what happens next.

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 And it's really important.

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 In fact, John Wesley, the founder of Methodism,

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 would have said that, in fact, he did say that it was as important.

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 And one of the real strengths of Wesley's theology

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 was that he emphasized not only the importance of making a decision to follow Jesus,

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 but throughout his ministry maintained that once you make that decision,

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 it continues to be a daily one.

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 The growth, to use the theological term sanctification,

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 growing in that relationship with God,

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 matters every little bit as much as the decision in the first place

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 that took you to that relationship.

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 Now that, on the one hand, could sound daunting.

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 On the other hand, it's immensely encouraging.

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 Because what it means is no matter how you feel about your relationship with God right now,

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 whether you feel that's a really great thing,

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 or whether you feel that, frankly, it feels lousy or almost non-existent,

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 according to that theology,

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 it says that God's view of things is that he wants it to be bigger,

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 and deeper, and greater.

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 That there is always more ahead.

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 You cannot exhaust the experience of God.

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 When we get to eternity, it's going to be awesome.

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 Right now, it's a struggle.

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 But right now, wherever that may be for you,

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 God's got even greater things ahead.

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 You might not be aware of it.

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 You might not know what that looks like.

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 But God does.

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 And God wants you to grow.

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 He wants every single one of us to grow.

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 That's the view that the Bible presents us with.

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 Now, the Bible is not a human book about God.

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 It is God's book about what it is to be human.

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 And so when we read through the narrative over all of those hundreds of years,

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 which was written by all of those different people,

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 we find a story that emerges,

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 that paints a picture of what God wants our lives to be like,

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 ultimately in eternity,

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 but right here on earth right now, leading up to eternity.

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 And it's a story which tells of how God wants us to grow,

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 how God wants us to live.

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 But at the same time as telling that story,

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 it also warns of the dangers and the pitfalls.

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 And talks of how the experience of being human

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 is one in which, on the one hand,

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 we feel this draw to the things of God.

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 These things deep within our being

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 that pull us towards the sense of the divine.

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 The things that are bigger, are greater, are fuller, are richer,

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 are so much better.

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 And yet at the same time, there is that pull in the other direction,

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 which the Bible talks about the draw of the devil.

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 Now, it's important for us to be quite clear

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 that what that does not mean is a sort of a picture,

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 classic picture of a creature with a tail and horns and a pitchfork.

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 It's not like that.

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 It's far more subtle.

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 But it's a reality that is there.

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 And if we take an honest look at the reality of human experience,

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 we don't have to look that far

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 to see actually it's very, very plausible.

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 That every day we face choices and decisions,

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 some that would take us in a very good, positive direction,

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 but others which would take us in a direction

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 that actually can lead to our downfall.

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 And that when we look at that direction,

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 very often it looks much more attractive.

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 But it's not.

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 Now, God wants us to live.

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 Interestingly, if you take the letters L-I-V-E that spell live

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 and you reverse them, you get the word evil.

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 And that actually is the very thing that the Bible's narrative warns us about.

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 That God wants us to grow as we go through life,

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 but the devil wants us to reverse that.

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 He wants to pull us in the other direction.

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 But it's very clever at putting things before us in our daily decisions

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 in a way that look attractive and inviting,

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 but actually will stop us from growing.

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 Very often it will run very contrary to our instincts.

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 And we will think, well, actually, I'd much rather do this.

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 It seems so much more attractive.

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 But taking a longer-term view of things,

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 if we follow that path,

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 it actually will pull us in the opposite direction

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 from life and growth.

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 Don't be fooled.

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 As a story I've shared before,

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 but I'm going to tell it again,

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 And it's apparently true

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 that how some,

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 in some parts of the world,

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 wolves are caught.

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 What they do is,

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 this is in parts of the world where it's really, really cold.

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 They get a knife,

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 and they get a dead animal,

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 and they dip the knife in the animal's blood,

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 and they freeze it.

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 And then they do it again.

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 They take the knife,

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 and they dip it in blood,

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 and they freeze another layer of blood around it.

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 And they keep on repeating this process

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 until eventually they have a block of frozen animal's blood,

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 and in the middle of that block

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 is this very sharp knife.

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 And then they put it in the snow,

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 and they leave it overnight.

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 The wolf comes along,

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 and it catches a whiff of this blood,

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 and it likes the smell of it,

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 and so it starts to lick away at the blood.

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 Now, it's very nice.

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 It's very good.

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 It represents the very meat that it's craving.

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 And so the more it gets,

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 the more it wants.

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 And it licks away,

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 and it licks away,

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 and it licks away,

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 and as it happens,

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 it's feeding its sense of craving for the blood.

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 And yet the more it gets,

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 it can't get quite enough,

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 and so it licks away more and more and more,

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 licking away layer after layer after layer

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 of the frozen blood

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 until eventually the wolf's tongue

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 is lashing away against the edge of the knife.

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 At that point,

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 it's still drinking blood,

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 but it's no longer cold.

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 It's wolf,

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 because it's the wolf's own blood.

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 Eventually, they come along in the morning,

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 and they find the dead wolf caught.

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 You're never going to eat another strawberry split ice cream

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 in the same way again.

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 I'm sorry it's a gruesome story.

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 But it paints a powerful picture

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 of the way in which,

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 it's an old-fashioned word,

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 but I'm going to use it,

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 sin works in our lives.

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 Because it has about it a certain attraction.

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 That is why the Bible warns us of its dangers.

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 If it wasn't subtle,

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 we wouldn't need to be warned.

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 If every time we face a choice,

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 and the option that was better for us

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 was actually the easier one,

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 we wouldn't need to talk about it.

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 We wouldn't need to read Scripture.

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 We wouldn't need the teachings of Jesus.

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 We wouldn't need the writings of Paul.

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 But it is difficult,

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 because it's subtle,

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 and it's not always obvious.

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 And it's how things work on our lives.

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 God wants us to grow.

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 He wants us to live.

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 But the tactics of the enemy

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 are to reverse that,

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 and to present things to us

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 in such a way that seems attractive,

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 but actually leads to our destruction.

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 What might that look like in practical terms?

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 We're going to think about it in just a moment.

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 But first of all, I just want to say this.

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 As we need to be careful

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 when we face choices in our daily lives,

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 let's not be fooled by liberal Christianity.

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 Liberal Christianity is dangerous

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 because it mis-sells the fullness

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 of the Christian gospel.

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 Years ago, a writer called A.W. Tozer

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 warned of the false freedom

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 of so-called liberal Christianity.

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 You see, liberal Christianity

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 simply lowers the bar.

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 Liberal Christianity does not take seriously

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 the intimacy of encounter

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 that lies at the very heart and soul

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 of the relationship with Jesus Christ

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 that is at the heart of the Christian gospel.

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 Liberal Christianity exchanges

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 a cheap, diluted vision of holiness

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 for the fullness of what God wants in our lives.

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 Selwyn Hughes wrote,

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 we are made for the big

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 and we are restless in our littleness.

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 We need to grow.

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 God wants us to grow.

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 And only a true, full picture

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 of what that looks like

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 can enable it to happen.

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 So let's think in practical terms then

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 and let's go to the scripture verse

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 that we've just heard read to us

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 as to what this might look like

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 in terms of growth.

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 If we are serious about growing

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 in relationship with God,

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 just to come back to that question

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 that we started with,

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 if we really want to grow,

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 then this very practical passage

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 from Thessalonians gives us,

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 happens to give us three things

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 in those verses

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 that we need to be mindful of

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 and pay attention to.

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 The first thing is this.

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 In verses four and six

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 of that passage from Thessalonians,

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 we're told to honour the body

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 that God has given us.

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 The body in which we live

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 is God's gift to you.

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 Now sometimes with the aches and pains,

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 and I know about them

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 in my mid-forties already,

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 we might not feel

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 that our bodies are God's gift to us

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 at that point in time.

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 Clive's had dentistry done this week

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 and I'm sure he might not have been

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 thinking that at the time.

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 But, you know,

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 the body that we have

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 is God's gift to us.

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 It's the thing in which

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 we live our lives.

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 And as Christians,

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 we're called to honour it.

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 Now again, let's get back

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 to that picture that we have

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 within Scripture,

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 within the Bible,

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 of the vision of life in all fullness.

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 God wants us to live.

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 That means we live within our bodies.

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 And it means that

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 when we come to believe

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 in Jesus Christ,

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 it's not just a decision

00:13:38.940 --> 00:13:40.340
 that we make with our minds,

00:13:40.960 --> 00:13:41.660
 but rather,

00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:42.240
 and this is where it's

00:13:42.240 --> 00:13:43.420
 an extraordinary vision,

00:13:44.259 --> 00:13:45.280
 the Bible presents us

00:13:45.280 --> 00:13:46.259
 with a picture that says

00:13:46.259 --> 00:13:47.960
 that when you follow Jesus,

00:13:48.120 --> 00:13:50.140
 the Holy Spirit of God

00:13:50.139 --> 00:13:52.379
 comes to live and dwell

00:13:52.379 --> 00:13:53.480
 within you.

00:13:55.159 --> 00:13:56.299
 That's quite awesome.

00:13:57.519 --> 00:13:58.439
 As Paul puts it,

00:13:58.480 --> 00:13:59.699
 he says that the body

00:13:59.699 --> 00:14:01.460
 becomes like a temple

00:14:01.460 --> 00:14:04.659
 in which the Holy Spirit dwells.

00:14:05.539 --> 00:14:06.480
 That's amazing.

00:14:07.039 --> 00:14:07.840
 Because that means

00:14:07.840 --> 00:14:08.840
 that any situation

00:14:08.840 --> 00:14:10.259
 that you face in life,

00:14:10.460 --> 00:14:11.899
 all of those tough decisions,

00:14:12.259 --> 00:14:13.480
 all of those tough places,

00:14:13.740 --> 00:14:14.939
 those places that otherwise

00:14:14.939 --> 00:14:15.679
 can make you feel

00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:16.759
 that you're a long way off

00:14:16.759 --> 00:14:17.240
 from God,

00:14:17.240 --> 00:14:18.919
 we need to remember

00:14:18.919 --> 00:14:21.100
 that when you follow Jesus,

00:14:21.240 --> 00:14:21.960
 the promise is

00:14:21.960 --> 00:14:23.159
 God's Holy Spirit

00:14:23.159 --> 00:14:24.560
 isn't only with you,

00:14:25.639 --> 00:14:26.539
 he's in you.

00:14:27.259 --> 00:14:29.440
 He dwells within you.

00:14:30.299 --> 00:14:31.840
 There's nowhere where you can be

00:14:31.840 --> 00:14:32.759
 where God isn't there

00:14:32.759 --> 00:14:34.500
 because he goes before you,

00:14:34.700 --> 00:14:36.060
 he goes with you,

00:14:36.180 --> 00:14:37.620
 he goes in you.

00:14:38.820 --> 00:14:39.419
 And so,

00:14:39.580 --> 00:14:41.019
 when we have this picture

00:14:41.019 --> 00:14:42.000
 within Scripture

00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:43.340
 of being a Christian

00:14:43.340 --> 00:14:45.360
 as being a temple

00:14:45.360 --> 00:14:46.360
 of the Holy Spirit,

00:14:46.360 --> 00:14:47.440
 it's a picture that says

00:14:47.440 --> 00:14:48.779
 God's presence,

00:14:48.940 --> 00:14:50.019
 his living presence,

00:14:50.300 --> 00:14:51.060
 the same presence

00:14:51.060 --> 00:14:52.039
 that raised Christ

00:14:52.039 --> 00:14:52.600
 from the dead,

00:14:52.919 --> 00:14:53.960
 is in you.

00:14:55.320 --> 00:14:56.720
 We might not always

00:14:56.720 --> 00:14:58.200
 be conscious of that presence,

00:14:58.519 --> 00:14:59.539
 but it is a presence

00:14:59.539 --> 00:15:00.360
 that is there

00:15:00.360 --> 00:15:01.820
 and that is the promise

00:15:01.820 --> 00:15:02.560
 of Scripture.

00:15:04.340 --> 00:15:06.039
 And it's for that reason

00:15:06.039 --> 00:15:07.360
 that we need to take seriously

00:15:08.120 --> 00:15:08.879
 the warning

00:15:08.879 --> 00:15:11.100
 to respect our bodies,

00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:13.500
 to honour our bodies,

00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:14.899
 to control our bodies.

00:15:16.360 --> 00:15:19.220
 And so,

00:15:19.300 --> 00:15:20.460
 when it comes to lifestyle,

00:15:21.820 --> 00:15:22.919
 within Scripture,

00:15:23.080 --> 00:15:24.039
 we're given a picture

00:15:24.039 --> 00:15:25.019
 of the God

00:15:25.019 --> 00:15:26.360
 who created our bodies,

00:15:27.399 --> 00:15:28.180
 who created

00:15:28.180 --> 00:15:29.740
 the potential

00:15:29.740 --> 00:15:30.639
 to do wonderful,

00:15:30.899 --> 00:15:31.480
 great things

00:15:31.480 --> 00:15:32.139
 with our bodies.

00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:35.360
 God created sex

00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:36.039
 and sexuality

00:15:36.039 --> 00:15:37.460
 as a gift,

00:15:38.300 --> 00:15:39.320
 and he gave us

00:15:39.320 --> 00:15:40.779
 a frame within which

00:15:40.779 --> 00:15:42.259
 it is to be honoured

00:15:42.259 --> 00:15:43.240
 and respected.

00:15:43.240 --> 00:15:45.500
 That is why

00:15:45.500 --> 00:15:46.600
 the things that we read

00:15:46.600 --> 00:15:47.240
 in Scripture

00:15:47.240 --> 00:15:49.139
 are not prohibitions,

00:15:49.960 --> 00:15:51.399
 but rather

00:15:51.399 --> 00:15:52.620
 they are safety warnings.

00:15:53.980 --> 00:15:55.139
 Just as fire

00:15:55.139 --> 00:15:56.039
 can be used

00:15:56.039 --> 00:15:56.680
 as something

00:15:56.680 --> 00:15:59.060
 that is immensely creative

00:15:59.060 --> 00:15:59.919
 and helpful

00:15:59.919 --> 00:16:01.039
 and life-saving,

00:16:01.919 --> 00:16:03.580
 when it is misused,

00:16:03.680 --> 00:16:04.919
 it can be destructive,

00:16:05.460 --> 00:16:06.360
 it can kill.

00:16:06.360 --> 00:16:09.860
 So,

00:16:10.019 --> 00:16:11.080
 we have that frame

00:16:11.080 --> 00:16:12.100
 within Scripture

00:16:12.100 --> 00:16:14.019
 which warns us

00:16:14.019 --> 00:16:15.220
 for our own safety

00:16:15.220 --> 00:16:16.879
 and for our own lives.

00:16:17.440 --> 00:16:18.879
 If we want to truly live,

00:16:19.700 --> 00:16:21.580
 we need to live

00:16:21.580 --> 00:16:22.440
 in a certain way

00:16:22.440 --> 00:16:25.240
 for the sake of freedom

00:16:25.240 --> 00:16:26.680
 and true life.

00:16:27.800 --> 00:16:28.139
 So,

00:16:28.240 --> 00:16:28.720
 two things.

00:16:29.460 --> 00:16:30.019
 Firstly,

00:16:31.019 --> 00:16:32.480
 if we find this is an area

00:16:32.480 --> 00:16:33.019
 of struggle,

00:16:33.019 --> 00:16:34.699
 if we find

00:16:34.699 --> 00:16:35.720
 that actually

00:16:35.720 --> 00:16:37.079
 thoughts are ever

00:16:37.079 --> 00:16:37.620
 being led

00:16:37.620 --> 00:16:38.399
 in a direction

00:16:38.399 --> 00:16:39.980
 that is not healthy,

00:16:41.039 --> 00:16:42.179
 don't beat yourself up

00:16:42.179 --> 00:16:43.059
 with a pile of guilt.

00:16:43.799 --> 00:16:44.159
 Because,

00:16:44.319 --> 00:16:44.539
 remember,

00:16:44.659 --> 00:16:45.519
 temptation is not

00:16:45.519 --> 00:16:46.500
 the same thing

00:16:46.500 --> 00:16:48.019
 as the reality

00:16:48.019 --> 00:16:49.379
 of destructive sin.

00:16:50.360 --> 00:16:51.120
 Martin Luther,

00:16:51.299 --> 00:16:52.259
 hundreds of years ago,

00:16:52.699 --> 00:16:54.000
 noted for his brashness,

00:16:54.460 --> 00:16:55.500
 was approached one day

00:16:55.500 --> 00:16:56.519
 by a young man

00:16:56.519 --> 00:16:56.939
 who said that

00:16:56.939 --> 00:16:58.279
 he was always having thoughts

00:16:58.279 --> 00:16:59.460
 that were taking him

00:16:59.460 --> 00:16:59.960
 into a place

00:16:59.960 --> 00:17:00.980
 where he knew was wrong

00:17:00.980 --> 00:17:02.039
 and he felt so ridden

00:17:02.039 --> 00:17:02.559
 with guilt.

00:17:03.019 --> 00:17:04.460
 Martin Luther turned around

00:17:04.460 --> 00:17:05.480
 to him and he said this,

00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:06.500
 he said,

00:17:06.579 --> 00:17:07.559
 you can't stop

00:17:07.559 --> 00:17:08.859
 the birds from flying

00:17:08.859 --> 00:17:10.639
 but you can stop

00:17:10.639 --> 00:17:12.099
 them nesting in your hair.

00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:15.519
 The second thing

00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:18.440
 is that if you've messed up

00:17:18.440 --> 00:17:19.779
 and in different ways

00:17:19.779 --> 00:17:21.579
 every single human being

00:17:21.579 --> 00:17:22.700
 in history

00:17:22.700 --> 00:17:24.279
 messes up

00:17:24.279 --> 00:17:25.460
 in some way or another,

00:17:26.259 --> 00:17:27.619
 if you've messed up,

00:17:27.859 --> 00:17:28.299
 remember,

00:17:29.079 --> 00:17:29.920
 God meets you

00:17:29.920 --> 00:17:30.740
 in that place.

00:17:30.740 --> 00:17:32.799
 He forgives you

00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:33.819
 and he sets you free

00:17:33.819 --> 00:17:34.720
 for a new beginning.

00:17:35.960 --> 00:17:36.299
 Remember,

00:17:36.440 --> 00:17:37.480
 scripture is loaded

00:17:37.480 --> 00:17:38.039
 of people

00:17:38.039 --> 00:17:39.980
 who made massive mistakes

00:17:39.980 --> 00:17:40.960
 in the way that

00:17:40.960 --> 00:17:42.680
 they abused their bodies.

00:17:43.960 --> 00:17:45.519
 David committed adultery

00:17:45.519 --> 00:17:46.400
 with Bathsheba

00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:48.000
 and sent her husband

00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:48.859
 off to the front line

00:17:48.859 --> 00:17:49.579
 and had him killed.

00:17:50.779 --> 00:17:51.519
 He was forgiven.

00:17:52.720 --> 00:17:53.839
 Jesus met the woman

00:17:53.839 --> 00:17:54.980
 who had been caught

00:17:54.980 --> 00:17:55.779
 in adultery

00:17:55.779 --> 00:17:56.599
 and they were ready

00:17:56.599 --> 00:17:57.579
 to stone her

00:17:57.579 --> 00:17:58.279
 for the shame.

00:17:58.279 --> 00:18:00.240
 and he turned around

00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:00.660
 and said

00:18:00.660 --> 00:18:03.680
 that who he or she is

00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:05.059
 commit,

00:18:05.200 --> 00:18:06.160
 who is perfect,

00:18:06.720 --> 00:18:07.720
 cast the first stone

00:18:07.720 --> 00:18:09.579
 and they were forced

00:18:09.579 --> 00:18:10.619
 to have to walk away.

00:18:11.879 --> 00:18:12.259
 You see,

00:18:13.619 --> 00:18:14.539
 the God who wants

00:18:14.539 --> 00:18:15.619
 to dwell in us

00:18:15.619 --> 00:18:16.720
 meets us

00:18:16.720 --> 00:18:17.539
 where we are at.

00:18:18.619 --> 00:18:20.019
 He won't leave us

00:18:20.019 --> 00:18:20.839
 in that place

00:18:20.839 --> 00:18:23.319
 but he meets us

00:18:23.319 --> 00:18:24.500
 where we are at

00:18:24.500 --> 00:18:26.039
 right now.

00:18:26.039 --> 00:18:28.059
 The second thing

00:18:28.059 --> 00:18:28.579
 that we're told

00:18:28.579 --> 00:18:29.519
 in that passage there

00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:30.599
 is to love one another.

00:18:30.700 --> 00:18:31.319
 If we're serious

00:18:31.319 --> 00:18:32.019
 about growing,

00:18:32.200 --> 00:18:32.899
 if we really,

00:18:33.000 --> 00:18:34.559
 really want to grow,

00:18:35.740 --> 00:18:36.379
 then we're told

00:18:36.379 --> 00:18:37.399
 to love one another.

00:18:38.259 --> 00:18:39.399
 Verses 9 and 10.

00:18:39.980 --> 00:18:40.319
 Notice,

00:18:40.500 --> 00:18:42.259
 Jesus commanded us

00:18:42.259 --> 00:18:43.079
 to love one another

00:18:43.079 --> 00:18:44.859
 if we're serious

00:18:44.859 --> 00:18:45.759
 about being disciples,

00:18:46.359 --> 00:18:47.139
 if we want to grow.

00:18:47.980 --> 00:18:49.539
 But Jesus never said

00:18:49.539 --> 00:18:50.579
 that we've got

00:18:50.579 --> 00:18:51.940
 to like one another.

00:18:51.940 --> 00:18:54.580
 And it wouldn't make sense

00:18:54.580 --> 00:18:56.180
 because like is not love.

00:18:57.140 --> 00:18:57.400
 You see,

00:18:57.519 --> 00:18:59.180
 like is a response,

00:18:59.340 --> 00:19:00.140
 it's an impulse,

00:19:00.400 --> 00:19:01.200
 it's a reaction,

00:19:01.620 --> 00:19:02.059
 it's something

00:19:02.059 --> 00:19:02.799
 almost that happens

00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:03.360
 to you

00:19:03.360 --> 00:19:04.680
 that you can't really help.

00:19:05.320 --> 00:19:06.380
 And we can't help

00:19:06.380 --> 00:19:07.620
 the things that we like

00:19:07.620 --> 00:19:08.660
 and we don't like.

00:19:09.140 --> 00:19:09.980
 It's like talking

00:19:09.980 --> 00:19:10.740
 about music

00:19:10.740 --> 00:19:11.680
 or about food

00:19:11.680 --> 00:19:12.539
 or about colour.

00:19:13.100 --> 00:19:14.360
 You can't help it

00:19:14.360 --> 00:19:16.000
 if you don't like Marmite.

00:19:16.720 --> 00:19:18.039
 I can't help it

00:19:18.039 --> 00:19:18.820
 if I don't like

00:19:18.820 --> 00:19:20.340
 the Eurovision Song Contest.

00:19:20.339 --> 00:19:25.799
 You don't choose

00:19:25.799 --> 00:19:26.539
 what you like.

00:19:27.459 --> 00:19:28.720
 But love is different.

00:19:29.839 --> 00:19:30.099
 Yes,

00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:31.500
 love can be a feeling

00:19:31.500 --> 00:19:33.099
 but it's so much more

00:19:33.099 --> 00:19:33.480
 than that

00:19:33.480 --> 00:19:34.139
 because the difference

00:19:34.139 --> 00:19:35.000
 is love

00:19:35.000 --> 00:19:37.379
 can be a choice.

00:19:38.699 --> 00:19:39.139
 Love,

00:19:39.539 --> 00:19:41.559
 in its most profound sense,

00:19:42.159 --> 00:19:42.919
 can mean

00:19:42.919 --> 00:19:45.480
 I don't like this

00:19:45.480 --> 00:19:47.319
 but I'm going to make

00:19:47.319 --> 00:19:48.179
 a decision anyway.

00:19:48.180 --> 00:19:50.160
 I'm going to make

00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:51.580
 a decision to do things

00:19:51.580 --> 00:19:52.519
 that are going to make me

00:19:52.519 --> 00:19:53.380
 feel uncomfortable,

00:19:54.220 --> 00:19:55.539
 that I don't really want to do,

00:19:55.620 --> 00:19:56.799
 that I don't like doing

00:19:56.799 --> 00:19:59.000
 but I'm going to do them

00:19:59.000 --> 00:20:00.400
 out of love.

00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:03.160
 Which means

00:20:03.160 --> 00:20:05.100
 we might not like someone.

00:20:06.560 --> 00:20:07.660
 We might not like

00:20:07.660 --> 00:20:08.680
 the things that they do

00:20:08.680 --> 00:20:10.740
 but we can resolve

00:20:10.740 --> 00:20:11.440
 to love them.

00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:13.799
 And as we do so,

00:20:13.980 --> 00:20:15.539
 that spiritual muscle

00:20:15.539 --> 00:20:16.420
 within us

00:20:16.420 --> 00:20:18.519
 begins to grow

00:20:18.519 --> 00:20:21.440
 as it is exercised

00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:22.640
 so it strengthens

00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:23.259
 and grows.

00:20:24.320 --> 00:20:24.660
 So,

00:20:24.820 --> 00:20:25.900
 respecting the body,

00:20:26.039 --> 00:20:26.779
 honouring the body,

00:20:27.299 --> 00:20:28.120
 loving one another

00:20:28.120 --> 00:20:28.820
 and lastly,

00:20:30.720 --> 00:20:31.200
 Paul says,

00:20:32.140 --> 00:20:33.259
 make it your ambition

00:20:33.259 --> 00:20:34.220
 to live

00:20:34.220 --> 00:20:35.900
 a quiet life.

00:20:36.580 --> 00:20:36.920
 Now,

00:20:36.960 --> 00:20:37.759
 what does that mean?

00:20:38.500 --> 00:20:39.200
 Because Paul

00:20:39.200 --> 00:20:40.079
 didn't exactly

00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:41.500
 live a quiet life,

00:20:41.559 --> 00:20:41.859
 did he?

00:20:42.539 --> 00:20:43.400
 Wherever he went

00:20:43.400 --> 00:20:44.339
 he seemed to spark

00:20:44.339 --> 00:20:45.420
 off the odd riot

00:20:45.420 --> 00:20:45.920
 or two

00:20:45.920 --> 00:20:46.559
 through the things

00:20:46.559 --> 00:20:47.220
 that he said

00:20:47.220 --> 00:20:47.720
 and did.

00:20:48.019 --> 00:20:48.180
 So,

00:20:48.339 --> 00:20:49.240
 what was he going on

00:20:49.240 --> 00:20:50.299
 about when Paul,

00:20:51.059 --> 00:20:51.819
 one of the most

00:20:51.819 --> 00:20:52.900
 controversial people

00:20:52.900 --> 00:20:53.619
 in history,

00:20:54.200 --> 00:20:54.920
 talked about

00:20:54.920 --> 00:20:56.519
 making it your ambition

00:20:56.519 --> 00:20:58.299
 to live a quiet life?

00:20:59.059 --> 00:20:59.279
 Well,

00:20:59.299 --> 00:20:59.960
 to understand it

00:20:59.960 --> 00:21:00.700
 we need to take

00:21:00.700 --> 00:21:01.240
 a closer look

00:21:01.240 --> 00:21:01.960
 at both one

00:21:01.960 --> 00:21:02.799
 and two

00:21:02.799 --> 00:21:03.839
 Thessalonians,

00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:04.500
 both letters.

00:21:05.099 --> 00:21:05.819
 Because a theme

00:21:05.819 --> 00:21:06.980
 in both of those letters

00:21:06.980 --> 00:21:08.140
 is that

00:21:08.140 --> 00:21:09.480
 we are to be ready

00:21:09.480 --> 00:21:11.019
 for when Christ returns.

00:21:12.400 --> 00:21:13.480
 And it's generally

00:21:13.480 --> 00:21:14.319
 considered that

00:21:14.319 --> 00:21:15.259
 at the time

00:21:15.259 --> 00:21:16.779
 when this was a big theme

00:21:16.779 --> 00:21:17.519
 among the church

00:21:17.519 --> 00:21:18.319
 in Thessalonians,

00:21:18.900 --> 00:21:19.700
 that there were

00:21:19.700 --> 00:21:21.440
 some believers

00:21:21.440 --> 00:21:23.720
 who felt that

00:21:23.720 --> 00:21:25.240
 because it was so likely

00:21:25.240 --> 00:21:26.740
 that Jesus could return

00:21:26.740 --> 00:21:27.779
 at any point

00:21:27.779 --> 00:21:28.620
 and they needed

00:21:28.620 --> 00:21:29.079
 to be ready

00:21:29.079 --> 00:21:29.720
 that they gave up

00:21:29.720 --> 00:21:30.200
 their jobs.

00:21:30.759 --> 00:21:31.680
 They stopped working.

00:21:32.680 --> 00:21:34.319
 And in their time

00:21:34.319 --> 00:21:35.839
 they found themselves

00:21:35.839 --> 00:21:37.559
 slipping into

00:21:37.559 --> 00:21:40.179
 obsessing about

00:21:40.179 --> 00:21:41.399
 Jesus who was

00:21:41.399 --> 00:21:42.019
 going to return

00:21:42.019 --> 00:21:43.339
 and slumped

00:21:43.339 --> 00:21:43.859
 into a state

00:21:43.859 --> 00:21:44.399
 of idleness.

00:21:45.339 --> 00:21:46.019
 They spent their

00:21:46.019 --> 00:21:47.119
 whole time talking,

00:21:47.839 --> 00:21:48.419
 gossiping,

00:21:48.720 --> 00:21:49.899
 and interfering

00:21:49.899 --> 00:21:51.259
 with other people's

00:21:51.259 --> 00:21:52.019
 lives,

00:21:52.679 --> 00:21:53.339
 but doing

00:21:53.339 --> 00:21:54.039
 very little

00:21:54.039 --> 00:21:54.720
 else.

00:21:56.079 --> 00:21:56.319
 Now,

00:21:56.500 --> 00:21:57.279
 what might

00:21:57.279 --> 00:21:58.779
 that reality

00:21:58.779 --> 00:22:00.480
 2,000 years ago

00:22:00.480 --> 00:22:01.559
 in another place

00:22:01.559 --> 00:22:03.519
 mean to our reality

00:22:03.519 --> 00:22:05.400
 today in this place?

00:22:06.539 --> 00:22:07.039
 Well,

00:22:07.139 --> 00:22:07.579
 there's something

00:22:07.579 --> 00:22:08.700
 in our human nature

00:22:08.700 --> 00:22:10.460
 that makes us

00:22:10.460 --> 00:22:11.740
 feel better

00:22:11.740 --> 00:22:13.059
 when we talk

00:22:13.059 --> 00:22:14.039
 about other people

00:22:14.039 --> 00:22:14.579
 in a way

00:22:14.579 --> 00:22:15.779
 that focuses in

00:22:15.779 --> 00:22:16.859
 on their faults

00:22:16.859 --> 00:22:17.599
 and their weaknesses.

00:22:18.119 --> 00:22:19.019
 We do it

00:22:19.019 --> 00:22:20.000
 as human beings,

00:22:20.519 --> 00:22:21.400
 probably because

00:22:21.400 --> 00:22:22.299
 it detracts us

00:22:22.299 --> 00:22:22.799
 away from

00:22:22.799 --> 00:22:24.220
 our own faults

00:22:24.220 --> 00:22:24.900
 that we'd rather

00:22:24.900 --> 00:22:25.680
 not think about.

00:22:26.839 --> 00:22:27.980
 But the place

00:22:27.980 --> 00:22:29.299
 where we are

00:22:29.299 --> 00:22:30.139
 most susceptible

00:22:30.139 --> 00:22:31.119
 to do that

00:22:31.119 --> 00:22:33.019
 is when we have

00:22:33.019 --> 00:22:33.859
 no active

00:22:33.859 --> 00:22:34.559
 responsibility.

00:22:35.719 --> 00:22:36.000
 Now,

00:22:36.059 --> 00:22:36.739
 just as those people

00:22:36.739 --> 00:22:37.219
 that Paul was

00:22:37.219 --> 00:22:37.759
 writing to

00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:38.639
 had no active

00:22:38.639 --> 00:22:39.059
 responsibility

00:22:39.059 --> 00:22:39.479
 because they'd

00:22:39.479 --> 00:22:39.979
 given up their

00:22:39.979 --> 00:22:40.259
 jobs,

00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:41.219
 convinced that

00:22:41.219 --> 00:22:41.799
 Jesus was going

00:22:41.799 --> 00:22:42.359
 to return any

00:22:42.359 --> 00:22:42.699
 day,

00:22:42.919 --> 00:22:43.599
 but then quickly

00:22:43.599 --> 00:22:44.539
 slumped into

00:22:44.539 --> 00:22:45.719
 gossip and

00:22:45.719 --> 00:22:46.139
 idleness.

00:22:47.619 --> 00:22:48.599
 So that can

00:22:48.599 --> 00:22:49.519
 happen to us

00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:50.939
 when we don't

00:22:50.939 --> 00:22:51.959
 take responsibility

00:22:51.959 --> 00:22:53.299
 for the stuff

00:22:53.299 --> 00:22:53.939
 of the kingdom.

00:22:54.539 --> 00:22:54.879
 Let me say

00:22:54.879 --> 00:22:55.399
 what I mean.

00:22:56.259 --> 00:22:57.079
 When I was

00:22:57.079 --> 00:22:57.779
 training for

00:22:57.779 --> 00:22:58.219
 ministry,

00:22:58.220 --> 00:23:00.980
 I know

00:23:00.980 --> 00:23:02.360
 that I was

00:23:02.360 --> 00:23:03.279
 at my most

00:23:03.279 --> 00:23:03.900
 cynical

00:23:03.900 --> 00:23:05.380
 when I had

00:23:05.380 --> 00:23:06.240
 no responsibility.

00:23:06.980 --> 00:23:07.640
 When I wasn't

00:23:07.640 --> 00:23:08.279
 on placement,

00:23:08.700 --> 00:23:09.500
 and I come from

00:23:09.500 --> 00:23:10.259
 a position of

00:23:10.259 --> 00:23:11.400
 being in church

00:23:11.400 --> 00:23:12.220
 leadership before

00:23:12.220 --> 00:23:12.720
 training,

00:23:13.100 --> 00:23:13.559
 but I found

00:23:13.559 --> 00:23:14.279
 myself then

00:23:14.279 --> 00:23:15.160
 training with

00:23:15.160 --> 00:23:16.240
 no responsibility.

00:23:16.420 --> 00:23:17.180
 It was different

00:23:17.180 --> 00:23:17.799
 when I was out

00:23:17.799 --> 00:23:18.319
 on placement,

00:23:18.500 --> 00:23:19.360
 but when I wasn't

00:23:19.360 --> 00:23:20.000
 on placement

00:23:20.000 --> 00:23:21.259
 and I was just

00:23:21.259 --> 00:23:22.019
 there in the

00:23:22.019 --> 00:23:22.579
 college and then

00:23:22.579 --> 00:23:23.200
 going off to

00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:23.940
 different churches,

00:23:24.039 --> 00:23:24.620
 I would sit

00:23:24.620 --> 00:23:25.839
 there and I

00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:26.559
 suddenly clicked

00:23:26.559 --> 00:23:27.480
 into critical

00:23:27.480 --> 00:23:28.000
 mode.

00:23:28.220 --> 00:23:29.079
 And I'm

00:23:29.079 --> 00:23:29.779
 convinced it's

00:23:29.779 --> 00:23:30.259
 because I had

00:23:30.259 --> 00:23:31.079
 no responsibility.

00:23:32.620 --> 00:23:33.779
 Now, last

00:23:33.779 --> 00:23:34.460
 year I was

00:23:34.460 --> 00:23:35.279
 on sabbatical.

00:23:35.680 --> 00:23:36.299
 Again, I had

00:23:36.299 --> 00:23:37.380
 no responsibility

00:23:37.380 --> 00:23:38.519
 for 12 weeks.

00:23:39.240 --> 00:23:40.339
 And I went

00:23:40.339 --> 00:23:40.759
 to different

00:23:40.759 --> 00:23:41.539
 churches during

00:23:41.539 --> 00:23:42.299
 that time to

00:23:42.299 --> 00:23:42.920
 see how different

00:23:42.920 --> 00:23:43.579
 churches did

00:23:43.579 --> 00:23:43.940
 things.

00:23:44.240 --> 00:23:44.740
 It was a

00:23:44.740 --> 00:23:45.779
 wonderful experience.

00:23:46.519 --> 00:23:47.220
 Now, I didn't

00:23:47.220 --> 00:23:48.380
 stick around any

00:23:48.380 --> 00:23:48.980
 of these ones

00:23:48.980 --> 00:23:50.100
 long enough to

00:23:50.100 --> 00:23:51.079
 slump into

00:23:51.079 --> 00:23:52.180
 cynicism,

00:23:53.180 --> 00:23:53.940
 but I think

00:23:53.940 --> 00:23:54.500
 that had I

00:23:54.500 --> 00:23:55.120
 done so,

00:23:55.740 --> 00:23:56.120
 it wouldn't

00:23:56.120 --> 00:23:56.480
 have been that

00:23:56.480 --> 00:23:57.059
 long before I

00:23:57.059 --> 00:23:57.299
 would have

00:23:57.299 --> 00:23:57.539
 done.

00:23:58.220 --> 00:23:58.860
 Because I

00:23:58.860 --> 00:23:59.180
 know the

00:23:59.180 --> 00:23:59.900
 reality of

00:23:59.900 --> 00:24:00.259
 how I

00:24:00.259 --> 00:24:00.819
 function as

00:24:00.819 --> 00:24:01.180
 a human

00:24:01.180 --> 00:24:01.600
 being.

00:24:02.220 --> 00:24:02.819
 That when I

00:24:02.819 --> 00:24:03.240
 have no

00:24:03.240 --> 00:24:04.279
 responsibility for

00:24:04.279 --> 00:24:05.180
 something, the

00:24:05.180 --> 00:24:06.019
 very worst of

00:24:06.019 --> 00:24:06.980
 my cynical

00:24:06.980 --> 00:24:08.059
 instincts come

00:24:08.059 --> 00:24:08.380
 out.

00:24:09.039 --> 00:24:09.819
 And it becomes

00:24:09.819 --> 00:24:10.819
 very easy for

00:24:10.819 --> 00:24:11.779
 us to criticise

00:24:11.779 --> 00:24:13.220
 other people when

00:24:13.220 --> 00:24:13.900
 we're not doing

00:24:13.900 --> 00:24:14.759
 things ourselves.

00:24:15.680 --> 00:24:16.579
 And I think it's

00:24:16.579 --> 00:24:17.700
 in that respect that

00:24:17.700 --> 00:24:18.460
 these words of

00:24:18.460 --> 00:24:19.559
 Paul have something

00:24:19.559 --> 00:24:20.920
 important to say to

00:24:20.920 --> 00:24:21.900
 each one of us by

00:24:21.900 --> 00:24:22.819
 way of a challenge.

00:24:22.819 --> 00:24:26.119
 that if we find

00:24:26.119 --> 00:24:26.879
 ourselves in that

00:24:26.879 --> 00:24:28.319
 place of gossip,

00:24:28.759 --> 00:24:29.779
 in that place of

00:24:29.779 --> 00:24:30.799
 criticising what

00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:31.639
 others are doing,

00:24:31.879 --> 00:24:33.200
 we perhaps need to

00:24:33.200 --> 00:24:34.059
 turn the challenge

00:24:34.059 --> 00:24:35.179
 back to ourselves

00:24:35.179 --> 00:24:36.099
 and ask ourselves

00:24:36.099 --> 00:24:36.679
 the questions,

00:24:37.039 --> 00:24:38.519
 what are we doing

00:24:38.519 --> 00:24:39.419
 with our lives?

00:24:41.419 --> 00:24:42.519
 The seedbed of

00:24:42.519 --> 00:24:43.839
 destructive cynicism,

00:24:44.960 --> 00:24:45.240
 gossip,

00:24:45.779 --> 00:24:47.079
 and judgmentalism

00:24:47.079 --> 00:24:48.779
 is where we take

00:24:48.779 --> 00:24:49.619
 a back seat

00:24:49.619 --> 00:24:50.980
 in our

00:24:50.980 --> 00:24:51.480
 Christianity

00:24:51.480 --> 00:24:53.019
 and become

00:24:53.019 --> 00:24:53.779
 armchair

00:24:53.779 --> 00:24:54.579
 spectators.

00:24:55.699 --> 00:24:56.679
 If we want to

00:24:56.679 --> 00:24:58.019
 grow, if we're

00:24:58.019 --> 00:24:58.939
 serious about

00:24:58.939 --> 00:24:59.939
 growing in our

00:24:59.939 --> 00:25:00.960
 relationship with

00:25:00.960 --> 00:25:02.679
 God, we need to

00:25:02.679 --> 00:25:03.500
 do something and

00:25:03.500 --> 00:25:04.519
 to exercise that

00:25:04.519 --> 00:25:05.500
 spiritual muscle.

00:25:06.599 --> 00:25:07.279
 So here's a

00:25:07.279 --> 00:25:07.720
 challenge.

00:25:09.019 --> 00:25:10.699
 All of us are

00:25:10.699 --> 00:25:11.179
 getting older.

00:25:11.619 --> 00:25:12.740
 We're all one

00:25:12.740 --> 00:25:13.679
 hour older than

00:25:13.679 --> 00:25:15.419
 we were when we

00:25:15.419 --> 00:25:16.079
 came into this

00:25:16.079 --> 00:25:16.859
 place this morning.

00:25:17.799 --> 00:25:18.339
 Here we go.

00:25:19.639 --> 00:25:20.240
 But as we go

00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:20.859
 through our lives,

00:25:20.939 --> 00:25:21.599
 we all get older,

00:25:21.699 --> 00:25:22.619
 but we don't all

00:25:22.619 --> 00:25:24.720
 necessarily all

00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:25.099
 grow.

00:25:26.460 --> 00:25:27.939
 So let's come back

00:25:27.939 --> 00:25:28.519
 to where we

00:25:28.519 --> 00:25:28.960
 started.

00:25:30.259 --> 00:25:30.899
 Where do you

00:25:30.899 --> 00:25:31.299
 want to be?

00:25:32.259 --> 00:25:32.899
 Where would you

00:25:32.899 --> 00:25:33.460
 love to be?

00:25:34.960 --> 00:25:35.259
 You know,

00:25:35.819 --> 00:25:37.799
 it's very easy

00:25:37.799 --> 00:25:38.579
 for us to slump

00:25:38.579 --> 00:25:39.259
 into a sense of

00:25:39.259 --> 00:25:40.019
 guilt when thinking

00:25:40.019 --> 00:25:40.839
 about these things.

00:25:41.679 --> 00:25:42.539
 Guilt can be very

00:25:42.539 --> 00:25:43.079
 destructive.

00:25:44.159 --> 00:25:44.980
 Guilt can also

00:25:44.980 --> 00:25:46.480
 be creative.

00:25:46.480 --> 00:25:47.319
 There is such a

00:25:47.319 --> 00:25:48.019
 thing as productive

00:25:48.019 --> 00:25:48.519
 guilt.

00:25:49.160 --> 00:25:49.880
 It can take a

00:25:49.880 --> 00:25:50.740
 creative role.

00:25:50.920 --> 00:25:51.900
 So if we start to

00:25:51.900 --> 00:25:52.559
 feel uncomfortable,

00:25:52.759 --> 00:25:53.360
 that can be a

00:25:53.360 --> 00:25:53.920
 helpful thing.

00:25:54.299 --> 00:25:55.140
 One man was once

00:25:55.140 --> 00:25:56.000
 writing a letter to

00:25:56.000 --> 00:25:56.920
 the Inland Revenue,

00:25:57.279 --> 00:25:58.120
 and in his letter he

00:25:58.120 --> 00:25:58.599
 wrote this,

00:25:58.599 --> 00:25:59.539
 I can't sleep at

00:25:59.539 --> 00:26:00.599
 night, and so I'm

00:26:00.599 --> 00:26:02.460
 enclosing 100 pounds

00:26:02.460 --> 00:26:04.380
 that I omitted to

00:26:04.380 --> 00:26:04.819
 declare.

00:26:05.720 --> 00:26:06.579
 He went off, he

00:26:06.579 --> 00:26:07.539
 thought a little bit,

00:26:07.599 --> 00:26:08.400
 and he came back

00:26:08.400 --> 00:26:10.259
 and said, if I still

00:26:10.259 --> 00:26:11.440
 can't sleep, I'll

00:26:11.440 --> 00:26:12.180
 send the rest.

00:26:16.680 --> 00:26:17.740
 Guilt can have a

00:26:17.740 --> 00:26:18.640
 creative function,

00:26:19.060 --> 00:26:21.600
 but it can also be

00:26:21.600 --> 00:26:22.080
 destructive.

00:26:23.720 --> 00:26:24.860
 Jesus did not come

00:26:24.860 --> 00:26:26.160
 to rub it in,

00:26:26.700 --> 00:26:27.900
 he came to rub it

00:26:27.900 --> 00:26:29.720
 out, and that's

00:26:29.720 --> 00:26:30.120
 important.

00:26:31.259 --> 00:26:32.180
 He wants you and

00:26:32.180 --> 00:26:32.780
 I to grow.

00:26:33.780 --> 00:26:34.960
 Wherever we are at

00:26:34.960 --> 00:26:36.759
 right now, he not

00:26:36.759 --> 00:26:37.599
 only wants us to

00:26:37.599 --> 00:26:39.379
 grow, but he wants

00:26:39.379 --> 00:26:40.200
 to help us to

00:26:40.200 --> 00:26:40.480
 grow.

00:26:41.440 --> 00:26:42.299
 So let's just come

00:26:42.299 --> 00:26:42.980
 back to where we

00:26:42.980 --> 00:26:43.799
 started, to that

00:26:43.799 --> 00:26:45.440
 question, where are

00:26:45.440 --> 00:26:46.420
 you right now, and

00:26:46.420 --> 00:26:47.400
 where do you long to

00:26:47.400 --> 00:26:47.700
 be?

00:26:50.599 --> 00:26:51.539
 The writer Rick

00:26:51.539 --> 00:26:53.460
 Warren painted a

00:26:53.460 --> 00:26:54.160
 picture, and I want

00:26:54.160 --> 00:26:54.839
 to finish with this.

00:26:55.940 --> 00:26:57.220
 He said, imagine

00:26:57.220 --> 00:26:59.220
 that you're in a

00:26:59.220 --> 00:27:00.920
 speedboat on a

00:27:00.920 --> 00:27:03.900
 lake, and you've

00:27:03.900 --> 00:27:05.140
 got an autopilot on

00:27:05.140 --> 00:27:06.519
 that speedboat that's

00:27:06.519 --> 00:27:07.660
 been set to take

00:27:07.660 --> 00:27:08.200
 you east.

00:27:09.400 --> 00:27:10.319
 And you make a

00:27:10.319 --> 00:27:10.960
 decision that you're

00:27:10.960 --> 00:27:11.539
 not going to go in

00:27:11.539 --> 00:27:12.660
 that direction, you

00:27:12.660 --> 00:27:13.440
 want to go west.

00:27:14.500 --> 00:27:15.819
 You can do one of

00:27:15.819 --> 00:27:17.480
 two things to make

00:27:17.480 --> 00:27:18.500
 that change direction.

00:27:18.819 --> 00:27:19.660
 The first thing you

00:27:19.660 --> 00:27:20.220
 can do is you can

00:27:20.220 --> 00:27:20.960
 grab hold of the

00:27:20.960 --> 00:27:21.740
 steering wheel, and

00:27:21.740 --> 00:27:22.660
 you can force the

00:27:22.660 --> 00:27:23.339
 boat to change

00:27:23.339 --> 00:27:23.819
 direction.

00:27:24.160 --> 00:27:25.980
 That will work for

00:27:25.980 --> 00:27:26.400
 a while.

00:27:27.339 --> 00:27:28.500
 But continual

00:27:28.500 --> 00:27:30.319
 resistance will be

00:27:30.319 --> 00:27:31.279
 your experience.

00:27:32.059 --> 00:27:32.940
 Your arms will

00:27:32.940 --> 00:27:33.839
 begin to ache and to

00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:35.539
 get tired, and

00:27:35.539 --> 00:27:36.619
 eventually you'll

00:27:36.619 --> 00:27:37.920
 probably let go, and

00:27:37.920 --> 00:27:38.700
 the boat will head

00:27:38.700 --> 00:27:39.599
 back west.

00:27:41.139 --> 00:27:42.200
 Now, willpower is

00:27:42.200 --> 00:27:42.599
 important.

00:27:42.720 --> 00:27:43.659
 It's an important

00:27:43.659 --> 00:27:45.259
 part in life when it

00:27:45.259 --> 00:27:46.359
 comes to growing, but

00:27:46.359 --> 00:27:48.680
 willpower alone will

00:27:48.680 --> 00:27:49.819
 only get you so far.

00:27:51.500 --> 00:27:52.279
 See, the other thing

00:27:52.279 --> 00:27:53.079
 you could do with that

00:27:53.079 --> 00:27:55.500
 boat is you could just

00:27:55.500 --> 00:27:56.779
 change the autopilot.

00:27:56.779 --> 00:28:01.460
 Paul writes, do not

00:28:01.460 --> 00:28:03.200
 be conformed to the

00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:03.819
 thinking of this

00:28:03.819 --> 00:28:05.579
 world, but be

00:28:05.579 --> 00:28:08.920
 transformed by the

00:28:08.920 --> 00:28:09.660
 renewing of your

00:28:09.660 --> 00:28:10.059
 mind.

00:28:11.519 --> 00:28:12.559
 So as we come to

00:28:12.559 --> 00:28:15.160
 pray now, let's ask

00:28:15.160 --> 00:28:16.539
 God to meet us where

00:28:16.539 --> 00:28:17.399
 we are, and that's

00:28:17.399 --> 00:28:18.180
 good because that is

00:28:18.180 --> 00:28:19.220
 always where he meets

00:28:19.220 --> 00:28:22.480
 us, and to move us in

00:28:22.480 --> 00:28:23.960
 the direction that he

00:28:23.960 --> 00:28:24.720
 wants us to take.

00:28:24.720 --> 00:28:25.940
 Thank you.

00:28:26.120 --> 00:28:26.500
 Thank you.

00:28:26.819 --> 00:28:27.940
 I'm

00:28:28.100 --> 00:28:29.140
 thank you.

00:28:29.720 --> 00:28:30.220
 Thank you I'm

00:28:30.220 --> 00:28:31.640
 doubling

00:28:31.839 --> 00:28:36.420
 for

00:28:37.259 --> 00:28:37.640
 we want to

00:28:38.579 --> 00:28:41.059
 get

00:28:41.059 --> 00:28:41.819
 over

00:28:42.240 --> 00:28:44.059
 percent the