WEBVTT

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 All right, would you take God's Word with me and turn to Matthew chapter 5.

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 Matthew chapter 5, we'll read from verses 13 down through verse 16.

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 I want to take the time while you're turning to thank Greg Cox for filling in for Jared Adams,

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 a regular minister of music, while he is out of town, and also the choir and Linda and June

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 for doing the excellent job they always do as well.

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 So, special Sunday today, especially for the Dweber family with Dally getting baptized,

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 and congratulations to her and that family as well.

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 Matthew chapter 5, and let's look together at verses 13 down through 16.

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 Before we read the text together, I want to give you a little recap.

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 For some reason, Harlan, this isn't working for me.

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 Would you?

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 What's that?

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 Would you exit out of that software and then open it up again?

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 It should load.

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 All right, if we have to go slideless today, we'll go slideless, and that'll be just all right.

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 But I want to give you a little bit of a recap from what we talked about last Sunday,

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 and that is the value of salt.

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 How many of y'all knew that salt was on equal par with gold back in the ancient times?

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 Some of y'all are smarties.

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 How many of y'all knew that before last Sunday?

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 There we go.

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 All right, yeah.

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 Some of y'all actually know some things.

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 That's good.

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 I was not aware of that until I started studying in preparation for this,

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 and that was a fascinating little tidbit.

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 And of course, salt was the primary way to preserve meat back then.

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 And so they called it white gold.

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 So when Jesus says, you are the salt of the earth, well, that was an impactful statement.

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 So we see that there is inherent value that Jesus is giving and assigning to his children

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 as he is calling them the salt of the earth.

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 Specifically, he was talking to his disciples, and the crowds gathered there

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 as he is preaching this famous sermon called the Sermon on the Mount

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 that we read here in Matthew chapter 5.

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 And he takes this little parenthetical section to talk about salt and light.

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 Well, from the word salt, we get the English word salary,

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 which literally means salt money.

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 We learned last week that often Roman soldiers and others would receive their form of payment

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 not in gold or credits, but in salt.

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 So that was so valuable.

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 So it was highly impactful and meant a lot more than just the table salt that we use today

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 as Jesus called his followers the salt of the earth.

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 So we're going to get into it today now.

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 And our takeaway from last Sunday before we dive in was, are we worth our salt?

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 Are we worth our salt?

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 Well, we know that expression, don't we?

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 Are you worth your salt?

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 He's not worth his salt.

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 We now understand a little bit of context of where that comes from.

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 So when we're asking ourselves, are we worth our salt in the kingdom of God?

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 We're asking that challenging question.

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 We're called to be the salt of the earth.

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 Are we fulfilling our purpose?

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 Are we acting as a preservative to those around us,

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 to the lost world who needs to hear the truth about Jesus?

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 Are we being a preservative?

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 Are we worth our role as salt?

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 Matthew chapter 5, verses 13 through 16.

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 We'll get the screens figured out in a moment.

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 But would you all join me if you're able to?

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 Look at a copy of the Word of God if you can.

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 I'm reading from the Christian Standard Bible.

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 If you don't have a Bible with you, there should be one in the pew in front of you.

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 Salt is the theme.

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 In Matthew chapter 5, verse 13, Jesus is speaking and says,

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 You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty?

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 It's no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.

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 You are the light of the world.

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 A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden.

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 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand,

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 and it gives light for all who are in the house.

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 In the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works

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 and give glory to your Father in heaven.

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 Let's pray right now and ask God to give us wisdom from His Word.

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 God, I pray that you would enlighten us to the truth that you were teaching so many years ago,

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 but is still alive today, still relevant, still meaningful for us in this room.

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 I pray that you would give us, by your Spirit, the ability to learn what we need to learn today

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 and apply what we need to apply.

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 It's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

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 You may be seated. Thank you for standing.

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 I want to talk for a moment about salt and its many, many uses.

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 See, my wife is a baker.

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 How many of y'all have tasted one of Holly Bunnell's cookies?

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 Anybody? Or something?

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 Yeah.

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 Some people just shot their hands right up.

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 I saw you, Brian.

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 Those things are incredible.

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 If you haven't, I'm not trying to make you feel left out,

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 but you probably do feel a little left out, and I'm sorry for that.

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 I didn't mean to ruin your Sunday.

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 But look, right now it's January.

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 Everybody's trying to go on a diet.

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 It's probably good that the slides aren't working right now

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 because, y'all, I had, like, a picture of some delicious-looking baked goods

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 and candies and such with salt on top.

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 Did you know that salt enhances the flavor of sweet things?

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 I didn't know that, really, until I started being around a baker.

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 Apparently, when you add salt into dessert, it just makes it a whole lot better.

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 So if you get one of her, you know, brown butter, chocolate chip cookies,

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 whatever she does, they're great.

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 But she puts sea salt on top.

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 And the first time you see that, if you're not familiar with that concept,

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 you might say, did she mess up?

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 She meant to put sugar, and actually, she put salt?

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 No, that's a thing out there.

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 So salt actually enhances the flavor.

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 Now, you can certainly overdo it, and then the salt can take over the dish.

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 But if you use just the right amount,

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 man, it takes that up to a whole other level of deliciousness, all right?

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 It's probably good that I don't have my picture on the screen,

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 because, like I said, this is January.

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 A lot of people are trying to stick true to their diets, trying to look good,

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 and that would probably be the result of you having some cravings come back

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 and maybe cheat on your diet or something.

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 We don't want to do that.

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 So instead, we'll just talk about it a little bit

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 and understand this very deep, very profound truth

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 that maybe you were not aware of before.

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 But number one, you want to write it down, salt flavors.

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 Salt flavors.

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 Now, last week, we talked about salt as a preservative, right?

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 A lot of people knew that, but maybe some folks who were not aware

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 that that is a function of salt it can preserve.

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 But I think just about everybody knows that salt adds flavor, doesn't it?

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 That's primarily what we ordinary folks would use salt for today,

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 although it has thousands of actual uses.

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 But salt flavors.

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 And interestingly enough, that's what Jesus references

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 when he's talking right here in Matthew 5.

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 Salt flavors.

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 Now, there's a guy, and I don't have his picture,

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 so y'all just stick with me.

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 There's a guy that was kind of one of the first chefs on TV.

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 He wasn't the first, but he was one of the early chefs on TV

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 to really make an impact and gather a wide following of viewers.

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 And he was from Louisiana, I believe.

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 And he would get there in the kitchen, and he had his set up there,

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 and he would always have a live studio audience in front of him,

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 and he'd be making some delicious dish.

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 And it would look like he was about done,

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 and it was about ready to be served.

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 And then he would reach in this little dish of seasoning,

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 his special blend,

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 and he would take some of it,

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 and he would go like this.

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 Let's take it up a notch.

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 Bam!

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 Anybody know who I'm talking about?

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 Give me his name.

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 What's that? Say it again.

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 No, not Gordon Ramsay.

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 Not Justin, was it?

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 Emeril.

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 Emeril Lagasse.

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 That was the guy.

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 Emeril.

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 Emeril Lagasse.

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 Emeril Lagasse.

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 Now, maybe some others have kind of done something similar to that,

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 but the guy I'm talking to was Emeril,

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 and he would say,

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 Bam!

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 And throw his seasoning on there,

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 and everybody would love it,

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 everybody would clap,

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 and he became like as close to a household name in food TV

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 as you could get at that time,

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 kind of before the advent of how the Food Network

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 became this big old thing if you happen to watch it.

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 But Emeril always kicked his dishes up a notch with his seasoning

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 because he understood that no matter how fancy it looks

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 or how expensive the ingredients are,

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 what people really care about when it comes to food

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 is does it taste good, right?

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 So often, you might go to a real fancy restaurant,

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 and they serve a dish, and it's, you know, about that small,

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 and you taste it like,

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 Man, I'm not even sure I like this, you know?

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 It's an acquired taste.

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 Well, I haven't acquired it.

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 Maybe I'm not wealthy enough to acquire it.

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 I don't know.

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 But people really just want food to taste good,

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 and seasoning, of course, the primary seasoning

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 and the primary ingredient in any seasoning blend is salt.

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 So when Jesus says,

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 You are the salt of the earth,

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 I feel like he's saying,

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 You bring the bam.

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 You kick it up a notch.

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 You are the people that make this life better.

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 You know why?

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 Because here's the second part of that profound,

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 scintillating truth that you've never heard before,

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 salt flavors,

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 but the next part is,

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 Flavor makes it better.

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 Am I wrong?

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 No.

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 Flavor makes it better, right?

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 On the rare occasion

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 that my wife makes something

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 that I feel like just isn't quite there,

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 I can't think of a time, okay,

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 but I'm sure it's happened in our years of marriage,

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 then I'll take a little salt

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 and throw it in there,

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 or what's more common for me,

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 what do I usually add to my food?

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 Hot sauce.

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 Take a little hot sauce,

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 throw it in there.

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 You know what's in hot sauce?

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 Salt.

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 I just like flavor, you know?

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 And I like the flavor of hot sauce,

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 so I'm going to add it to just about everything.

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 So flavor makes it better.

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 Jesus is calling us

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 to make the earth better,

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 make it more flavorful.

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 What do we mean by that?

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 Well, let's go to Colossians chapter 4.

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 Colossians chapter 4.

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 Are you somebody who brings the flavor?

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 Are you somebody who brings the bam?

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 Do you take it up a notch?

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 Say, man, I'm not an emerald type guy, okay?

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 I'm not that kind of personality.

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 I don't walk into a room

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 and everybody lights up.

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 That's okay.

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 That's all right.

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 We're not even talking about

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 a personality thing here.

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 We're talking much deeper than that.

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 We're talking,

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 do you bring the flavor?

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 Do you bring the salt of Jesus

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 into the world around you?

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 Your home,

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 your thoughts,

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 your decision making,

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 your friends,

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 your circle.

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 Do you bring the bam?

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 Do you bring that

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 which just makes it all better?

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 That's the challenge.

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 Colossians chapter 4 and verse 6.

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 We read this last Sunday,

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 but it applies still today.

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 Let your speech always be gracious,

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 seasoned with what?

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 Salt.

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 So that you may know

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 how you should answer each person.

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 See, there's the little secret.

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 We don't always know how to answer,

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 but the Holy Spirit can provide us

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 with the salt we need

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 to make each situation better.

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 So if you've got a conflict

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 that you can't seem to figure out

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 how to resolve,

00:13:26.980 --> 00:13:30.480
 if you've got a burden

00:13:30.480 --> 00:13:32.060
 you can't seem to lay down,

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 or things just aren't

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 how you believe they should be,

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 God brings the salt.

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 And he provides it

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 to you

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 so you can then bring it

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 to the people who need it.

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 See, God could just act

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 without us, couldn't he?

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 He could just do

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 whatever he wants on this earth

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 and not even bother

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 with the middle man.

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 But he chose a middle man.

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 He chose us

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 to be his children,

00:14:04.940 --> 00:14:06.280
 to build his kingdom,

00:14:06.780 --> 00:14:08.920
 to act as his arms and feet,

00:14:09.660 --> 00:14:10.360
 his hands,

00:14:10.360 --> 00:14:14.480
 to do what he would do,

00:14:14.680 --> 00:14:15.960
 to go where he would go,

00:14:16.120 --> 00:14:16.840
 his mouth,

00:14:16.960 --> 00:14:18.340
 to speak what he would say.

00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:19.360
 And so he said,

00:14:19.440 --> 00:14:20.279
 as you speak,

00:14:20.639 --> 00:14:23.700
 as you share with other people,

00:14:24.159 --> 00:14:26.000
 you walk through this life together,

00:14:26.440 --> 00:14:27.560
 let your words,

00:14:27.680 --> 00:14:29.580
 your speech be gracious,

00:14:30.139 --> 00:14:31.659
 seasoned with salt,

00:14:32.139 --> 00:14:34.480
 seasoned with the light of Jesus,

00:14:35.220 --> 00:14:37.259
 seasoned with the truth of God's word,

00:14:37.940 --> 00:14:39.300
 seasoned with the kind

00:14:39.299 --> 00:14:43.179
 of relational attitudes

00:14:43.179 --> 00:14:45.240
 that Jesus would have.

00:14:45.839 --> 00:14:46.819
 Well, that's hard, isn't it?

00:14:48.019 --> 00:14:49.819
 Hard to be like Jesus,

00:14:49.959 --> 00:14:51.019
 but that's what we're called

00:14:51.019 --> 00:14:52.159
 to be like.

00:14:52.240 --> 00:14:54.339
 Now, we've built this whole other thing.

00:14:55.979 --> 00:14:57.740
 Jesus called us to himself.

00:14:57.859 --> 00:14:59.179
 He said, follow me.

00:15:00.339 --> 00:15:01.759
 Walk in my footsteps.

00:15:02.299 --> 00:15:03.399
 Go where I go.

00:15:03.879 --> 00:15:04.779
 But then we've built

00:15:04.779 --> 00:15:07.379
 this whole big Christian framework

00:15:07.379 --> 00:15:08.079
 and world

00:15:08.080 --> 00:15:09.400
 that often

00:15:09.400 --> 00:15:12.020
 has veered a little bit away

00:15:12.020 --> 00:15:14.360
 from where Jesus actually is

00:15:14.360 --> 00:15:16.180
 and what he actually called us to do.

00:15:17.259 --> 00:15:19.700
 So when people think of Christianity

00:15:19.700 --> 00:15:21.900
 or religion or church,

00:15:22.020 --> 00:15:24.340
 they often don't always think

00:15:24.340 --> 00:15:25.740
 immediately of people

00:15:25.740 --> 00:15:27.460
 that act like Jesus,

00:15:28.040 --> 00:15:28.560
 unfortunately.

00:15:28.559 --> 00:15:31.379
 maybe Satan's got in there

00:15:31.379 --> 00:15:31.799
 and

00:15:31.799 --> 00:15:34.939
 woven his web

00:15:34.939 --> 00:15:35.199
 and

00:15:35.199 --> 00:15:36.779
 drawn us away

00:15:36.779 --> 00:15:37.419
 from the path

00:15:37.419 --> 00:15:38.719
 that Jesus called us to walk.

00:15:39.479 --> 00:15:40.259
 Maybe it's just

00:15:40.259 --> 00:15:41.519
 our own weak flesh

00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:42.639
 that has allowed us

00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:42.879
 to

00:15:42.879 --> 00:15:44.879
 justify different things

00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:45.419
 that we've done

00:15:45.419 --> 00:15:46.299
 in the name of Jesus.

00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:47.939
 But the truth is,

00:15:48.500 --> 00:15:50.279
 when we follow Jesus,

00:15:50.599 --> 00:15:51.939
 we act like the salt

00:15:51.939 --> 00:15:52.819
 of the earth

00:15:52.819 --> 00:15:55.000
 and we make everything better.

00:15:55.000 --> 00:15:58.139
 So, Matthew 5.13

00:15:58.139 --> 00:15:59.620
 tells us again,

00:15:59.720 --> 00:16:00.200
 and this time

00:16:00.200 --> 00:16:01.759
 I put it down

00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:02.860
 in the New Living Translation.

00:16:03.019 --> 00:16:03.240
 It says,

00:16:03.379 --> 00:16:04.399
 you are the salt of the earth,

00:16:04.500 --> 00:16:05.860
 but what good is salt

00:16:05.860 --> 00:16:08.440
 if it has lost its flavor?

00:16:09.379 --> 00:16:10.899
 Can you make it salty again?

00:16:11.659 --> 00:16:12.879
 It will be thrown out

00:16:12.879 --> 00:16:15.179
 and trampled underfoot

00:16:15.179 --> 00:16:16.600
 as worthless.

00:16:17.879 --> 00:16:18.620
 Thrown out

00:16:18.620 --> 00:16:20.240
 and trampled underfoot

00:16:20.240 --> 00:16:21.580
 as worthless.

00:16:21.580 --> 00:16:24.060
 Guys, it is terrifying

00:16:24.060 --> 00:16:24.780
 to think

00:16:24.780 --> 00:16:26.420
 of being thrown out

00:16:26.420 --> 00:16:27.300
 and trampled

00:16:27.300 --> 00:16:28.379
 under people's feet.

00:16:30.540 --> 00:16:31.420
 Has anybody

00:16:31.420 --> 00:16:32.980
 seen something

00:16:32.980 --> 00:16:33.920
 like that happen?

00:16:34.200 --> 00:16:35.060
 Or maybe been

00:16:35.060 --> 00:16:35.840
 at a concert

00:16:35.840 --> 00:16:36.520
 or something

00:16:36.520 --> 00:16:37.500
 where there was just

00:16:37.500 --> 00:16:38.980
 a rush of people

00:16:38.980 --> 00:16:40.440
 and somebody went down

00:16:40.440 --> 00:16:41.360
 and got trampled?

00:16:42.160 --> 00:16:43.040
 That's terrifying,

00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:43.560
 isn't it?

00:16:44.740 --> 00:16:45.980
 I know some of you

00:16:45.980 --> 00:16:46.740
 have experience

00:16:46.740 --> 00:16:48.020
 maybe on the ranches

00:16:48.020 --> 00:16:48.560
 or something

00:16:48.560 --> 00:16:49.120
 of getting,

00:16:50.259 --> 00:16:51.200
 losing your feet

00:16:51.200 --> 00:16:52.340
 and going to the ground

00:16:52.340 --> 00:16:53.379
 and getting trampled

00:16:53.379 --> 00:16:54.100
 by animals

00:16:54.100 --> 00:16:55.379
 and that's no fun,

00:16:55.420 --> 00:16:55.780
 is it?

00:16:59.120 --> 00:17:00.340
 Let me share something

00:17:00.340 --> 00:17:01.220
 about this passage.

00:17:02.200 --> 00:17:03.320
 It's a hard thing

00:17:03.320 --> 00:17:03.860
 to read

00:17:03.860 --> 00:17:05.160
 that salt

00:17:05.160 --> 00:17:06.519
 that's lost its flavor

00:17:06.519 --> 00:17:08.200
 is no good

00:17:08.200 --> 00:17:08.720
 for anything

00:17:08.720 --> 00:17:10.039
 except to be thrown out

00:17:10.039 --> 00:17:10.840
 and trampled

00:17:10.840 --> 00:17:11.840
 under people's feet.

00:17:12.759 --> 00:17:13.500
 Number one,

00:17:13.539 --> 00:17:14.080
 if you want to mark

00:17:14.080 --> 00:17:14.480
 this down,

00:17:14.559 --> 00:17:14.779
 do it.

00:17:14.900 --> 00:17:15.500
 Number one,

00:17:16.500 --> 00:17:18.019
 God's image bearers

00:17:18.019 --> 00:17:19.900
 hold the highest value

00:17:19.900 --> 00:17:21.200
 in his eyes.

00:17:21.200 --> 00:17:22.339
 Let me say it again.

00:17:22.980 --> 00:17:25.240
 God's image bearers

00:17:25.240 --> 00:17:27.700
 hold the highest value

00:17:27.700 --> 00:17:29.099
 in his eyes.

00:17:29.940 --> 00:17:31.160
 Am I talking about

00:17:31.160 --> 00:17:32.500
 Christians exclusively here?

00:17:33.639 --> 00:17:35.240
 Who's an image bearer

00:17:35.240 --> 00:17:35.740
 of God?

00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:37.839
 Somebody tell me.

00:17:39.599 --> 00:17:40.779
 All mankind, right?

00:17:41.319 --> 00:17:42.700
 We're all created

00:17:42.700 --> 00:17:44.299
 in his image.

00:17:44.299 --> 00:17:45.879
 doesn't mean

00:17:45.879 --> 00:17:47.419
 we reflect his image well,

00:17:48.099 --> 00:17:49.639
 but we're all made

00:17:49.639 --> 00:17:51.419
 in the image of God

00:17:51.419 --> 00:17:53.519
 and God's image bearers

00:17:53.519 --> 00:17:55.259
 hold the highest value

00:17:55.259 --> 00:17:56.680
 in his eyes.

00:17:56.940 --> 00:17:58.460
 Such high value

00:17:58.460 --> 00:17:59.899
 that he sent his son

00:17:59.899 --> 00:18:01.059
 to the cross

00:18:01.059 --> 00:18:02.599
 to die

00:18:02.599 --> 00:18:03.899
 as a sacrifice

00:18:03.899 --> 00:18:05.720
 for our sin.

00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:07.500
 And he raised him

00:18:07.500 --> 00:18:08.019
 from the dead

00:18:08.019 --> 00:18:09.419
 and he is alive today

00:18:09.419 --> 00:18:10.299
 and he is who we can

00:18:10.299 --> 00:18:11.099
 have our faith in.

00:18:11.099 --> 00:18:12.679
 But,

00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:14.859
 God's image bearers

00:18:14.859 --> 00:18:16.319
 hold his highest value.

00:18:16.659 --> 00:18:16.799
 Now,

00:18:17.919 --> 00:18:19.359
 sin can ruin that,

00:18:20.099 --> 00:18:21.719
 but he can redeem it.

00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:24.259
 Sin can ruin that,

00:18:24.839 --> 00:18:26.480
 but he can redeem it.

00:18:27.359 --> 00:18:29.079
 So God's image bearers

00:18:29.079 --> 00:18:31.299
 hold this higher value

00:18:31.299 --> 00:18:32.299
 than anything else

00:18:32.299 --> 00:18:33.119
 in his creation.

00:18:34.079 --> 00:18:35.019
 But sin

00:18:35.019 --> 00:18:36.719
 can ruin

00:18:36.719 --> 00:18:37.779
 our effectiveness.

00:18:37.779 --> 00:18:40.000
 But then God

00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:41.119
 can redeem it.

00:18:42.000 --> 00:18:43.319
 Notice what he said here.

00:18:43.980 --> 00:18:44.879
 You are the salt

00:18:44.879 --> 00:18:45.799
 of the earth.

00:18:46.819 --> 00:18:47.920
 What good is the salt

00:18:47.920 --> 00:18:49.119
 if it's lost its flavor?

00:18:49.960 --> 00:18:52.059
 Can you make it salty again?

00:18:52.920 --> 00:18:55.399
 Can it be made salty again?

00:18:55.879 --> 00:18:56.220
 No.

00:18:57.680 --> 00:18:58.859
 But God can.

00:18:59.839 --> 00:19:01.339
 God can redeem it.

00:19:02.240 --> 00:19:03.759
 How do you add salt?

00:19:04.299 --> 00:19:05.740
 How do you add the flavor

00:19:05.740 --> 00:19:07.139
 back to salt?

00:19:07.140 --> 00:19:07.440
 Well,

00:19:07.580 --> 00:19:08.200
 truth is,

00:19:08.720 --> 00:19:10.220
 salt can't lose its flavor.

00:19:11.540 --> 00:19:12.920
 It's scientifically impossible

00:19:12.920 --> 00:19:14.860
 for salt to lose its flavor.

00:19:15.380 --> 00:19:16.320
 What you can do

00:19:16.320 --> 00:19:17.220
 is dilute it.

00:19:18.360 --> 00:19:19.800
 You can add something

00:19:19.800 --> 00:19:21.680
 that can counteract

00:19:21.680 --> 00:19:23.840
 the flavor of salt

00:19:23.840 --> 00:19:25.280
 and that can go bad

00:19:25.280 --> 00:19:25.920
 over time.

00:19:27.720 --> 00:19:28.020
 So,

00:19:28.420 --> 00:19:29.800
 additives can go bad.

00:19:30.360 --> 00:19:31.380
 You can counteract

00:19:31.380 --> 00:19:31.860
 the flavor

00:19:31.860 --> 00:19:32.800
 with something else.

00:19:33.259 --> 00:19:33.680
 How many of you

00:19:33.680 --> 00:19:34.140
 ever put

00:19:34.140 --> 00:19:35.200
 too much salt

00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:35.780
 into a dish

00:19:35.780 --> 00:19:36.420
 that you were making?

00:19:36.420 --> 00:19:36.900
 Anybody?

00:19:37.700 --> 00:19:38.320
 One time,

00:19:38.380 --> 00:19:39.160
 I was making chili.

00:19:39.340 --> 00:19:40.160
 And just so you know,

00:19:40.259 --> 00:19:41.440
 I make the world's best chili.

00:19:42.040 --> 00:19:42.280
 Now,

00:19:42.340 --> 00:19:42.920
 I'm not going to enter

00:19:42.920 --> 00:19:43.759
 your chili cook-off

00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:44.960
 and have that put to the test.

00:19:45.480 --> 00:19:46.540
 But just so you know,

00:19:46.640 --> 00:19:47.840
 I make the world's best chili.

00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:48.120
 Okay?

00:19:48.560 --> 00:19:49.420
 It was handed down

00:19:49.420 --> 00:19:50.560
 from generation to generation.

00:19:51.420 --> 00:19:52.640
 It's all about ranch-style beans.

00:19:52.840 --> 00:19:53.100
 All right.

00:19:54.240 --> 00:19:55.540
 But I put too much salt

00:19:55.540 --> 00:19:57.200
 in the family chili one time.

00:19:57.300 --> 00:19:59.140
 And that was not a good thing

00:19:59.140 --> 00:20:00.280
 because it's the family chili.

00:20:00.700 --> 00:20:00.980
 So,

00:20:01.040 --> 00:20:01.680
 you don't mess it up.

00:20:01.680 --> 00:20:04.019
 I didn't tell anybody

00:20:04.019 --> 00:20:04.720
 because I would have had

00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:05.960
 my chili-making rights

00:20:05.960 --> 00:20:06.560
 taken away.

00:20:06.759 --> 00:20:07.100
 However,

00:20:07.740 --> 00:20:08.920
 I'm Googling on the internet,

00:20:09.060 --> 00:20:09.900
 what do you do

00:20:09.900 --> 00:20:10.880
 to make

00:20:10.880 --> 00:20:12.740
 something less salty?

00:20:13.019 --> 00:20:13.259
 Well,

00:20:13.440 --> 00:20:14.140
 truth is,

00:20:14.580 --> 00:20:15.660
 you can't really

00:20:15.660 --> 00:20:17.019
 take the salt out.

00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:18.980
 Once it's there,

00:20:19.120 --> 00:20:19.759
 it's there.

00:20:20.900 --> 00:20:21.860
 You can try

00:20:21.860 --> 00:20:22.759
 to counteract it

00:20:22.759 --> 00:20:23.480
 with some vinegar.

00:20:23.799 --> 00:20:24.259
 You can try

00:20:24.259 --> 00:20:25.400
 to add some sugar in.

00:20:25.480 --> 00:20:25.880
 You can try

00:20:25.880 --> 00:20:26.960
 to just add more

00:20:26.960 --> 00:20:28.019
 of everything else

00:20:28.019 --> 00:20:29.080
 to make the salt

00:20:29.080 --> 00:20:30.240
 spread out a little more.

00:20:30.720 --> 00:20:31.840
 But the truth is,

00:20:32.180 --> 00:20:33.420
 if it's over-salted,

00:20:33.860 --> 00:20:34.160
 I mean,

00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:35.100
 you're going to have

00:20:35.100 --> 00:20:36.160
 the dickens of a time

00:20:36.160 --> 00:20:37.519
 trying to get that thing

00:20:37.519 --> 00:20:39.340
 to be the right amount

00:20:39.340 --> 00:20:39.840
 of salt.

00:20:43.680 --> 00:20:44.860
 But you can dilute it.

00:20:48.980 --> 00:20:50.000
 And I think that's what

00:20:50.000 --> 00:20:51.060
 happens with us sometimes.

00:20:52.320 --> 00:20:53.360
 We're supposed to be

00:20:53.360 --> 00:20:54.200
 the salt of the earth.

00:20:55.400 --> 00:20:56.180
 But we get diluted.

00:20:58.480 --> 00:20:59.680
 Our saltiness

00:20:59.680 --> 00:21:02.100
 becomes a little less salty

00:21:02.100 --> 00:21:04.680
 because of everything else

00:21:04.680 --> 00:21:06.560
 that comes in

00:21:06.560 --> 00:21:08.160
 and swamps us.

00:21:09.080 --> 00:21:10.040
 Everything else,

00:21:12.160 --> 00:21:13.140
 whether it's

00:21:13.140 --> 00:21:14.000
 the lust of the flesh,

00:21:14.100 --> 00:21:14.840
 the lust of the eyes,

00:21:14.920 --> 00:21:15.759
 the pride of life.

00:21:15.880 --> 00:21:16.400
 We've talked about

00:21:16.400 --> 00:21:17.400
 there's all these warnings

00:21:18.259 --> 00:21:19.340
 about the pitfalls

00:21:19.340 --> 00:21:20.400
 of sin and errors

00:21:21.220 --> 00:21:21.960
 and mistakes.

00:21:22.259 --> 00:21:23.280
 And this life

00:21:23.280 --> 00:21:24.400
 has so many distractions

00:21:24.400 --> 00:21:25.320
 distractions.

00:21:26.100 --> 00:21:26.540
 At night,

00:21:26.620 --> 00:21:27.019
 we're reading

00:21:27.019 --> 00:21:27.880
 Pilgrim's Progress

00:21:27.880 --> 00:21:28.840
 with our boys

00:21:28.840 --> 00:21:30.560
 at devotions time.

00:21:30.780 --> 00:21:32.680
 And there's so many

00:21:32.680 --> 00:21:33.380
 accurate,

00:21:33.640 --> 00:21:34.360
 and let me say

00:21:34.360 --> 00:21:35.540
 that there's certain things,

00:21:35.580 --> 00:21:36.680
 that's not a one-for-one

00:21:36.680 --> 00:21:39.019
 example of the Christian life

00:21:39.019 --> 00:21:40.140
 with exact truth.

00:21:40.220 --> 00:21:40.920
 It's not the Bible.

00:21:41.280 --> 00:21:42.900
 Never look at another book

00:21:42.900 --> 00:21:43.820
 as a substitute

00:21:43.820 --> 00:21:44.920
 or equal value

00:21:44.920 --> 00:21:45.560
 to the Bible.

00:21:46.060 --> 00:21:46.800
 So I'm not saying

00:21:46.800 --> 00:21:47.340
 that everything

00:21:47.340 --> 00:21:48.240
 in Pilgrim's Progress

00:21:48.240 --> 00:21:49.960
 is exactly as Scripture teaches.

00:21:49.960 --> 00:21:51.460
 but it can be

00:21:51.460 --> 00:21:51.960
 effective,

00:21:52.259 --> 00:21:53.400
 an effective illustration

00:21:53.400 --> 00:21:54.279
 of the narrative

00:21:54.279 --> 00:21:55.440
 of walking through

00:21:55.440 --> 00:21:57.660
 this life with Jesus.

00:21:57.860 --> 00:21:58.680
 And you see

00:21:58.680 --> 00:22:00.779
 all these distractions,

00:22:01.039 --> 00:22:02.000
 all these dangers

00:22:02.000 --> 00:22:02.940
 that try to pull

00:22:02.940 --> 00:22:03.620
 little Christian

00:22:03.620 --> 00:22:04.640
 off his path.

00:22:04.900 --> 00:22:05.500
 We're reading

00:22:05.500 --> 00:22:06.140
 the kid's version,

00:22:06.279 --> 00:22:07.059
 so he's a little guy

00:22:07.059 --> 00:22:07.700
 in our book.

00:22:08.400 --> 00:22:09.160
 He's actually a rabbit.

00:22:10.840 --> 00:22:11.120
 Yeah,

00:22:11.380 --> 00:22:11.779
 that's fun.

00:22:12.539 --> 00:22:13.259
 Christian the rabbit.

00:22:14.440 --> 00:22:15.500
 But it's fascinating

00:22:15.500 --> 00:22:16.039
 to see

00:22:16.039 --> 00:22:17.500
 and how it parallels

00:22:17.500 --> 00:22:19.279
 with the distractions

00:22:19.279 --> 00:22:20.440
 that you and I face,

00:22:21.180 --> 00:22:22.079
 with the things

00:22:22.079 --> 00:22:23.220
 that try to pull us

00:22:23.220 --> 00:22:24.039
 off course.

00:22:25.579 --> 00:22:26.220
 And that's really

00:22:26.220 --> 00:22:27.240
 the only way

00:22:27.240 --> 00:22:28.880
 that our salt

00:22:28.880 --> 00:22:29.539
 can be made

00:22:29.539 --> 00:22:30.220
 less effective.

00:22:31.099 --> 00:22:32.400
 It's when it's diluted

00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:34.259
 with everything else

00:22:34.259 --> 00:22:35.240
 around us.

00:22:36.960 --> 00:22:37.980
 But let me say,

00:22:38.180 --> 00:22:39.079
 tell you something else.

00:22:40.500 --> 00:22:40.960
 First,

00:22:41.140 --> 00:22:42.400
 God's image bearers

00:22:42.400 --> 00:22:43.380
 hold the highest value

00:22:43.380 --> 00:22:43.940
 in his eyes.

00:22:44.079 --> 00:22:45.039
 Sin can ruin that,

00:22:45.339 --> 00:22:46.839
 but he can redeem it.

00:22:46.900 --> 00:22:47.480
 And number two,

00:22:48.440 --> 00:22:49.799
 God does not throw

00:22:49.799 --> 00:22:50.619
 anyone out

00:22:50.619 --> 00:22:51.880
 to be trampled

00:22:51.880 --> 00:22:52.380
 underfoot.

00:22:53.160 --> 00:22:54.160
 People do that.

00:22:55.619 --> 00:22:57.099
 God does not throw

00:22:57.099 --> 00:22:58.119
 anyone out

00:22:58.119 --> 00:22:59.319
 to be trampled

00:22:59.319 --> 00:22:59.980
 underfoot.

00:23:00.599 --> 00:23:01.799
 People do that.

00:23:02.799 --> 00:23:03.839
 We do that.

00:23:04.519 --> 00:23:05.500
 We hurt each other.

00:23:06.200 --> 00:23:07.420
 We run over each other.

00:23:07.539 --> 00:23:08.559
 We trample each other.

00:23:09.019 --> 00:23:09.960
 That's not God.

00:23:10.619 --> 00:23:11.640
 That's never been God.

00:23:11.720 --> 00:23:12.759
 It never will be God.

00:23:13.680 --> 00:23:14.220
 Unfortunately,

00:23:14.700 --> 00:23:15.920
 many will die

00:23:15.920 --> 00:23:16.900
 without Jesus

00:23:16.900 --> 00:23:17.640
 and the Bible

00:23:17.640 --> 00:23:18.420
 teaches us

00:23:18.420 --> 00:23:19.400
 that they will have

00:23:19.400 --> 00:23:20.300
 to go and suffer

00:23:20.300 --> 00:23:21.220
 eternal torment

00:23:21.220 --> 00:23:22.820
 in this terrible place

00:23:22.820 --> 00:23:23.360
 called hell.

00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:24.220
 It was never created

00:23:24.220 --> 00:23:24.740
 for them.

00:23:24.940 --> 00:23:25.580
 It was created

00:23:25.580 --> 00:23:26.240
 for Satan

00:23:26.240 --> 00:23:27.120
 and his demons,

00:23:28.120 --> 00:23:29.300
 the master of lies,

00:23:29.400 --> 00:23:30.540
 the master of deceit,

00:23:30.980 --> 00:23:32.340
 the architect of sin.

00:23:32.339 --> 00:23:33.720
 God doesn't want to be

00:23:33.720 --> 00:23:34.339
 God's sin.

00:23:34.339 --> 00:23:34.839
 But,

00:23:34.839 --> 00:23:36.139
 if we die

00:23:36.139 --> 00:23:38.119
 without being justified,

00:23:38.379 --> 00:23:39.259
 being made right

00:23:39.259 --> 00:23:40.179
 in our relationship

00:23:40.179 --> 00:23:40.819
 with God,

00:23:41.459 --> 00:23:42.939
 then we will be

00:23:42.939 --> 00:23:43.799
 resigned to the fate

00:23:43.799 --> 00:23:44.480
 of having to pay

00:23:44.480 --> 00:23:44.919
 the punishment

00:23:44.919 --> 00:23:45.619
 for our sin.

00:23:46.279 --> 00:23:47.339
 God doesn't want that.

00:23:48.339 --> 00:23:50.439
 He's not throwing us out.

00:23:50.440 --> 00:23:54.600
 He invites us all

00:23:54.600 --> 00:23:56.240
 to come into his family.

00:23:56.799 --> 00:23:57.940
 He invites us all

00:23:57.940 --> 00:23:59.340
 to become the salt

00:23:59.340 --> 00:23:59.920
 of the earth.

00:24:00.940 --> 00:24:01.759
 Many reject.

00:24:02.480 --> 00:24:03.220
 Many won't listen.

00:24:04.740 --> 00:24:05.720
 So God will never

00:24:05.720 --> 00:24:06.360
 throw us out.

00:24:08.880 --> 00:24:09.660
 You know the interesting

00:24:09.660 --> 00:24:10.180
 thing is?

00:24:13.180 --> 00:24:13.980
 The only thing

00:24:13.980 --> 00:24:14.880
 that can restore

00:24:14.880 --> 00:24:16.680
 the effectiveness

00:24:16.680 --> 00:24:18.360
 of diluted salt,

00:24:19.400 --> 00:24:20.120
 you know what it is?

00:24:21.299 --> 00:24:22.080
 More salt.

00:24:23.360 --> 00:24:24.039
 More salt.

00:24:26.240 --> 00:24:27.820
 So if you find yourself

00:24:27.820 --> 00:24:28.539
 realistically

00:24:28.539 --> 00:24:30.640
 less effective

00:24:30.640 --> 00:24:31.519
 than the salt

00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:32.640
 that God intended you to be,

00:24:33.740 --> 00:24:35.240
 get back into his word.

00:24:36.039 --> 00:24:37.140
 Spend more time with him.

00:24:38.019 --> 00:24:39.039
 Immerse yourself

00:24:39.039 --> 00:24:40.680
 with the gospel of Jesus.

00:24:41.320 --> 00:24:42.320
 That's the salt

00:24:42.320 --> 00:24:42.900
 that we need.

00:24:43.900 --> 00:24:45.480
 That's how we regain

00:24:45.480 --> 00:24:46.819
 our saltiness.

00:24:47.380 --> 00:24:48.920
 Add more salt back.

00:24:49.500 --> 00:24:50.620
 Coat ourselves again

00:24:50.620 --> 00:24:51.259
 with the salt

00:24:51.259 --> 00:24:52.099
 and then see

00:24:52.099 --> 00:24:52.799
 how effective

00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:54.519
 we can be

00:24:54.519 --> 00:24:55.960
 with God's power.

00:24:56.200 --> 00:24:56.420
 So,

00:24:56.839 --> 00:24:57.940
 salt flavors.

00:24:58.099 --> 00:24:58.980
 Well, we knew that, right?

00:24:59.160 --> 00:25:00.360
 And flavor makes it better.

00:25:00.880 --> 00:25:01.220
 Secondly,

00:25:01.500 --> 00:25:02.160
 salt makes

00:25:02.160 --> 00:25:03.420
 a permanent difference.

00:25:03.940 --> 00:25:04.559
 Salt makes

00:25:04.559 --> 00:25:06.059
 a permanent difference.

00:25:07.519 --> 00:25:08.319
 There's a quote

00:25:08.319 --> 00:25:08.860
 I wanted to share

00:25:08.860 --> 00:25:09.319
 with you

00:25:09.319 --> 00:25:09.980
 from a pastor

00:25:09.980 --> 00:25:10.819
 named John Piper.

00:25:10.960 --> 00:25:11.279
 He says,

00:25:11.620 --> 00:25:13.160
 people don't enjoy salt.

00:25:15.480 --> 00:25:16.039
 How many of you

00:25:16.039 --> 00:25:16.720
 would beg to differ?

00:25:18.099 --> 00:25:18.880
 Yeah, right?

00:25:19.500 --> 00:25:20.579
 Well, give him a minute here.

00:25:20.660 --> 00:25:21.700
 He's going to explain himself.

00:25:21.860 --> 00:25:23.500
 People don't enjoy salt.

00:25:23.920 --> 00:25:24.860
 They enjoy

00:25:24.860 --> 00:25:25.920
 what is salted.

00:25:27.539 --> 00:25:28.599
 They enjoy

00:25:28.599 --> 00:25:29.440
 how salt

00:25:29.440 --> 00:25:30.319
 can improve

00:25:30.319 --> 00:25:31.299
 something else.

00:25:31.860 --> 00:25:32.380
 They like

00:25:32.380 --> 00:25:33.680
 what salt does.

00:25:34.299 --> 00:25:34.920
 I don't know

00:25:34.920 --> 00:25:35.900
 of anybody in here

00:25:35.900 --> 00:25:36.539
 who just wants

00:25:36.539 --> 00:25:37.579
 to take a salt shaker

00:25:37.579 --> 00:25:38.519
 and shake it

00:25:38.519 --> 00:25:39.200
 into their mouth.

00:25:39.620 --> 00:25:39.980
 Ah!

00:25:41.380 --> 00:25:42.680
 Tasty lunch, right?

00:25:43.220 --> 00:25:44.000
 Should I try it?

00:25:44.900 --> 00:25:45.299
 No?

00:25:45.880 --> 00:25:46.180
 I mean,

00:25:46.200 --> 00:25:47.220
 I've eaten a sardine

00:25:47.220 --> 00:25:48.180
 up here on this stage

00:25:48.180 --> 00:25:48.519
 before,

00:25:48.640 --> 00:25:49.279
 last VBS.

00:25:49.620 --> 00:25:50.460
 It can't be worse

00:25:50.460 --> 00:25:51.140
 than that, right?

00:25:54.779 --> 00:25:55.600
 That's disgusting.

00:25:58.060 --> 00:25:59.080
 Nobody likes that.

00:26:00.360 --> 00:26:01.120
 But you give me

00:26:01.120 --> 00:26:02.160
 some tortilla chips

00:26:02.160 --> 00:26:03.500
 and a bowl of salsa,

00:26:04.019 --> 00:26:04.460
 I'm going to take

00:26:04.460 --> 00:26:05.060
 that salt shaker

00:26:05.060 --> 00:26:05.480
 and shake it

00:26:05.480 --> 00:26:06.019
 on those chips.

00:26:07.580 --> 00:26:08.539
 Give me a recipe,

00:26:09.140 --> 00:26:09.840
 we're going to put

00:26:09.840 --> 00:26:10.480
 some of that salt

00:26:10.480 --> 00:26:10.779
 in there.

00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:11.840
 Man, that's really gross.

00:26:12.680 --> 00:26:13.560
 That's why I brought water.

00:26:18.440 --> 00:26:19.299
 Tastes like the ocean.

00:26:19.539 --> 00:26:19.740
 Alright.

00:26:22.880 --> 00:26:23.759
 Salt makes

00:26:23.759 --> 00:26:25.060
 a permanent difference,

00:26:25.259 --> 00:26:26.720
 but salt on its own,

00:26:28.519 --> 00:26:28.820
 eesh,

00:26:29.440 --> 00:26:30.100
 that's tough.

00:26:30.680 --> 00:26:31.960
 But when you add it

00:26:31.960 --> 00:26:34.580
 to what needs salt,

00:26:34.940 --> 00:26:36.000
 it makes it

00:26:36.000 --> 00:26:36.779
 so much better.

00:26:38.539 --> 00:26:40.180
 We don't exist

00:26:40.180 --> 00:26:41.299
 for ourselves,

00:26:41.299 --> 00:26:43.039
 we exist

00:26:43.039 --> 00:26:44.480
 for our purpose

00:26:44.480 --> 00:26:45.579
 on this earth.

00:26:45.799 --> 00:26:46.879
 And God told us

00:26:46.879 --> 00:26:47.740
 what our purpose is.

00:26:47.859 --> 00:26:49.759
 It's to act like salt.

00:26:50.359 --> 00:26:51.599
 Now the truth is,

00:26:51.960 --> 00:26:53.740
 when you add salt,

00:26:54.079 --> 00:26:54.919
 you can't really

00:26:54.919 --> 00:26:55.680
 take it away.

00:26:56.339 --> 00:26:57.500
 So the truth is,

00:26:57.559 --> 00:26:58.480
 you add salt,

00:26:59.159 --> 00:27:00.480
 you can't get rid of it.

00:27:01.539 --> 00:27:03.159
 The salt will remain.

00:27:03.500 --> 00:27:04.299
 The salt will be there.

00:27:04.519 --> 00:27:05.440
 Turn to your Bibles again.

00:27:05.779 --> 00:27:06.279
 I don't want you

00:27:06.279 --> 00:27:06.980
 to fall asleep on me.

00:27:07.039 --> 00:27:07.659
 Turn to your Bibles

00:27:07.660 --> 00:27:09.259
 to 1 Peter 1.

00:27:09.880 --> 00:27:11.080
 1 Peter 1.

00:27:11.240 --> 00:27:12.180
 Let's read this together.

00:27:12.980 --> 00:27:13.620
 For sake of time,

00:27:13.660 --> 00:27:14.100
 I'm going to go ahead

00:27:14.100 --> 00:27:14.940
 and read while you're turning.

00:27:16.380 --> 00:27:17.300
 1 Peter 1,

00:27:17.360 --> 00:27:18.019
 verse 18.

00:27:18.259 --> 00:27:19.100
 Verse 18.

00:27:19.220 --> 00:27:19.360
 Ready?

00:27:19.500 --> 00:27:20.080
 For you know

00:27:20.080 --> 00:27:21.060
 that you were redeemed

00:27:21.060 --> 00:27:22.519
 from your empty way of life,

00:27:22.620 --> 00:27:23.860
 inherited from your fathers,

00:27:24.060 --> 00:27:25.640
 not with perishable things

00:27:25.640 --> 00:27:26.940
 like silver or gold,

00:27:27.160 --> 00:27:29.160
 but with the precious blood

00:27:29.160 --> 00:27:30.000
 of Christ,

00:27:30.400 --> 00:27:32.140
 like that of an unblemished

00:27:32.140 --> 00:27:34.120
 and spotless lamb.

00:27:34.940 --> 00:27:35.620
 Do you see that?

00:27:35.619 --> 00:27:36.979
 It wasn't perishable.

00:27:38.500 --> 00:27:39.759
 We were redeemed

00:27:39.759 --> 00:27:41.379
 from our empty way of life,

00:27:41.379 --> 00:27:43.979
 not with things that perish

00:27:43.979 --> 00:27:45.279
 like silver or gold,

00:27:45.419 --> 00:27:46.379
 not with something

00:27:46.379 --> 00:27:47.619
 that can waste away,

00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:49.359
 but instead with something

00:27:49.359 --> 00:27:50.619
 that cannot perish,

00:27:51.079 --> 00:27:52.479
 the precious blood of Christ.

00:27:53.139 --> 00:27:53.619
 Verse 20.

00:27:53.719 --> 00:27:54.319
 He was foreknown

00:27:54.319 --> 00:27:55.179
 before the foundation

00:27:55.179 --> 00:27:55.619
 of the world,

00:27:55.699 --> 00:27:56.419
 but he was revealed

00:27:56.419 --> 00:27:57.919
 in these last times for you.

00:27:58.299 --> 00:27:59.419
 Thank God he was revealed

00:27:59.419 --> 00:28:00.139
 to us.

00:28:00.599 --> 00:28:01.199
 Through him,

00:28:01.259 --> 00:28:02.279
 you believe in God,

00:28:02.459 --> 00:28:04.119
 who raised him from the dead

00:28:04.119 --> 00:28:05.099
 and gave him glory

00:28:05.099 --> 00:28:06.379
 so that your faith

00:28:06.379 --> 00:28:07.859
 and hope are in God.

00:28:07.939 --> 00:28:09.039
 Man, just a side note.

00:28:09.259 --> 00:28:10.859
 If you don't have faith in me,

00:28:11.439 --> 00:28:12.359
 if you don't have faith

00:28:12.359 --> 00:28:13.179
 in this church,

00:28:13.479 --> 00:28:14.319
 you don't have faith

00:28:14.319 --> 00:28:15.579
 in this community,

00:28:16.179 --> 00:28:16.799
 you don't have faith

00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:17.479
 in this country,

00:28:17.579 --> 00:28:18.199
 you don't have faith

00:28:18.199 --> 00:28:19.299
 in the political system,

00:28:19.459 --> 00:28:20.439
 in the legal system,

00:28:20.539 --> 00:28:21.179
 you don't have faith

00:28:21.179 --> 00:28:21.939
 in your bank account

00:28:21.939 --> 00:28:23.099
 or your retirement savings,

00:28:23.379 --> 00:28:24.259
 or you don't have faith

00:28:24.259 --> 00:28:25.239
 in anything else,

00:28:25.319 --> 00:28:26.039
 maybe you don't even

00:28:26.039 --> 00:28:27.219
 have faith in yourself.

00:28:28.159 --> 00:28:30.099
 You can have your faith

00:28:30.099 --> 00:28:31.319
 and hope in God.

00:28:31.759 --> 00:28:33.099
 It's the one safe place

00:28:33.099 --> 00:28:33.779
 to put it.

00:28:34.719 --> 00:28:36.500
 Your faith and hope

00:28:36.500 --> 00:28:37.980
 are in God.

00:28:38.459 --> 00:28:38.819
 Why?

00:28:39.439 --> 00:28:41.299
 Because he raised his son

00:28:41.299 --> 00:28:42.000
 from the dead.

00:28:43.099 --> 00:28:44.039
 That's the power

00:28:44.039 --> 00:28:46.099
 that we can't match.

00:28:46.819 --> 00:28:47.719
 That's the thing

00:28:47.719 --> 00:28:48.980
 that we can't do.

00:28:50.379 --> 00:28:51.240
 And Jesus did it.

00:28:52.219 --> 00:28:53.399
 We can have our faith

00:28:53.399 --> 00:28:54.679
 and hope in him.

00:28:54.919 --> 00:28:55.500
 Verse 22,

00:28:55.639 --> 00:28:57.099
 since you have purified yourselves

00:28:57.099 --> 00:28:58.159
 by your obedience

00:28:58.160 --> 00:28:58.779
 to the truth

00:28:58.779 --> 00:28:59.640
 so that you show

00:28:59.640 --> 00:29:01.480
 sincere brotherly love

00:29:01.480 --> 00:29:02.860
 for each other

00:29:02.860 --> 00:29:04.960
 from a pure heart,

00:29:05.400 --> 00:29:06.900
 love one another constantly.

00:29:07.980 --> 00:29:09.940
 Well, that's a nice thing to say,

00:29:10.620 --> 00:29:11.920
 but why should we love

00:29:11.920 --> 00:29:12.820
 each other constantly?

00:29:13.140 --> 00:29:13.720
 Because,

00:29:14.320 --> 00:29:15.019
 verse 23,

00:29:15.700 --> 00:29:17.860
 you have been born again

00:29:17.860 --> 00:29:20.960
 not of perishable seed,

00:29:21.680 --> 00:29:23.440
 but of imperishable.

00:29:24.340 --> 00:29:26.019
 Something that is permanent.

00:29:26.019 --> 00:29:28.539
 Something that can't go away.

00:29:29.299 --> 00:29:29.980
 What is it?

00:29:30.400 --> 00:29:31.400
 It's the living

00:29:31.400 --> 00:29:33.779
 and enduring word of God.

00:29:34.799 --> 00:29:36.059
 Because all flesh

00:29:36.059 --> 00:29:37.139
 is like grass.

00:29:37.619 --> 00:29:39.240
 You and I are like grass.

00:29:39.819 --> 00:29:40.740
 What do you mean by that?

00:29:41.900 --> 00:29:43.619
 All the glory of flesh

00:29:43.619 --> 00:29:45.859
 is like the flower

00:29:45.859 --> 00:29:47.279
 that grows in the grass.

00:29:48.920 --> 00:29:49.920
 What do you mean?

00:29:50.079 --> 00:29:51.299
 The grass withers.

00:29:51.440 --> 00:29:52.460
 The grass will die.

00:29:52.759 --> 00:29:54.139
 The flower will fall.

00:29:54.140 --> 00:29:55.980
 There is a time span

00:29:55.980 --> 00:29:56.800
 on all of this

00:29:56.800 --> 00:29:58.280
 and there's a time span

00:29:58.280 --> 00:29:59.080
 on you and me.

00:29:59.680 --> 00:30:00.759
 There's a ticking clock.

00:30:00.880 --> 00:30:02.160
 There's an expiration date.

00:30:02.520 --> 00:30:03.220
 At some point,

00:30:03.360 --> 00:30:04.780
 our time is going to be over.

00:30:05.340 --> 00:30:05.560
 But,

00:30:05.700 --> 00:30:06.320
 verse 25,

00:30:06.920 --> 00:30:08.060
 the word of the Lord

00:30:08.060 --> 00:30:09.700
 endures forever.

00:30:10.920 --> 00:30:12.220
 It will not expire.

00:30:12.600 --> 00:30:13.560
 It will not end.

00:30:13.960 --> 00:30:15.259
 In verse 25,

00:30:15.360 --> 00:30:15.720
 the end,

00:30:15.800 --> 00:30:16.180
 it says,

00:30:16.520 --> 00:30:17.620
 this word

00:30:17.620 --> 00:30:18.560
 that it's talking about,

00:30:18.620 --> 00:30:19.240
 the word of the Lord

00:30:19.240 --> 00:30:19.960
 endures forever.

00:30:19.960 --> 00:30:20.740
 This word

00:30:20.740 --> 00:30:22.120
 is the gospel

00:30:22.120 --> 00:30:23.640
 that was proclaimed

00:30:23.640 --> 00:30:24.420
 or preached

00:30:24.420 --> 00:30:25.000
 to you.

00:30:26.319 --> 00:30:27.259
 That's why we preach

00:30:27.259 --> 00:30:27.880
 the gospel here.

00:30:28.319 --> 00:30:29.220
 That's why we preach

00:30:29.220 --> 00:30:29.819
 the word here.

00:30:30.420 --> 00:30:31.740
 Because it will endure.

00:30:32.340 --> 00:30:33.100
 It's the thing

00:30:33.100 --> 00:30:34.319
 we can put our faith

00:30:34.319 --> 00:30:34.860
 and hope in.

00:30:35.380 --> 00:30:36.240
 That's why we keep

00:30:36.240 --> 00:30:37.120
 going back to it

00:30:37.120 --> 00:30:38.500
 time and time again.

00:30:39.180 --> 00:30:41.400
 It's what will last.

00:30:42.440 --> 00:30:43.360
 One last passage,

00:30:43.519 --> 00:30:44.779
 2 Corinthians chapter 4.

00:30:45.400 --> 00:30:46.680
 Flip back a few pages,

00:30:46.799 --> 00:30:47.700
 probably not too many.

00:30:47.700 --> 00:30:49.860
 2 Corinthians chapter 4

00:30:49.860 --> 00:30:50.720
 and verse 18.

00:30:50.860 --> 00:30:51.460
 We're just going to read

00:30:51.460 --> 00:30:52.059
 one verse.

00:30:53.000 --> 00:30:54.200
 2 Corinthians 4

00:30:54.200 --> 00:30:55.220
 and verse 18.

00:30:55.440 --> 00:30:56.940
 So we do not focus

00:30:56.940 --> 00:30:58.519
 on what is seen,

00:30:59.059 --> 00:31:01.680
 but on what is unseen.

00:31:02.620 --> 00:31:03.819
 For what is seen

00:31:03.819 --> 00:31:04.640
 is temporary,

00:31:05.640 --> 00:31:06.960
 but what is unseen

00:31:06.960 --> 00:31:08.380
 is eternal.

00:31:11.279 --> 00:31:12.880
 We do not focus

00:31:12.880 --> 00:31:14.220
 on what is seen,

00:31:15.019 --> 00:31:16.519
 because what is seen,

00:31:16.519 --> 00:31:17.379
 what you can see

00:31:17.379 --> 00:31:18.240
 with your eyes,

00:31:18.799 --> 00:31:19.960
 that's going to fade away.

00:31:20.879 --> 00:31:22.240
 But what you can't see,

00:31:23.339 --> 00:31:24.139
 God's power,

00:31:24.680 --> 00:31:25.420
 God's word,

00:31:25.759 --> 00:31:26.359
 the effectiveness

00:31:26.359 --> 00:31:27.200
 of the gospel,

00:31:27.379 --> 00:31:28.160
 how he moves

00:31:28.160 --> 00:31:29.259
 and acts in this world,

00:31:29.559 --> 00:31:31.700
 that will never end.

00:31:32.019 --> 00:31:33.259
 That is eternal.

00:31:33.599 --> 00:31:34.240
 That is forever.

00:31:34.420 --> 00:31:35.039
 So that's what

00:31:35.039 --> 00:31:36.279
 we focus on.

00:31:36.639 --> 00:31:38.099
 That's what he called us

00:31:38.099 --> 00:31:38.599
 to be,

00:31:39.299 --> 00:31:40.440
 to bring to this world.

00:31:40.720 --> 00:31:41.400
 He didn't give us

00:31:41.400 --> 00:31:42.299
 the job of fixing

00:31:42.299 --> 00:31:43.460
 this world on our own.

00:31:43.859 --> 00:31:44.279
 Christians,

00:31:44.279 --> 00:31:45.059
 you figure out

00:31:45.059 --> 00:31:45.559
 a solution

00:31:45.559 --> 00:31:47.180
 to world peace.

00:31:47.460 --> 00:31:48.139
 You figure out

00:31:48.139 --> 00:31:48.619
 a solution

00:31:48.619 --> 00:31:49.299
 to poverty.

00:31:49.779 --> 00:31:50.460
 You figure out

00:31:50.460 --> 00:31:50.899
 a solution

00:31:50.899 --> 00:31:51.859
 to all the injustice

00:31:51.859 --> 00:31:52.399
 out there.

00:31:52.639 --> 00:31:53.460
 Y'all figure it out.

00:31:53.559 --> 00:31:54.519
 You made your mess,

00:31:54.639 --> 00:31:55.579
 you cleaned it up.

00:31:56.539 --> 00:31:57.619
 You made your bed,

00:31:57.700 --> 00:31:58.319
 now lie in it.

00:31:59.680 --> 00:32:00.299
 That's probably

00:32:00.299 --> 00:32:00.980
 how we would handle

00:32:00.980 --> 00:32:01.519
 the situation

00:32:01.519 --> 00:32:02.160
 if we were God,

00:32:02.220 --> 00:32:02.420
 right?

00:32:03.240 --> 00:32:03.879
 Created these

00:32:03.879 --> 00:32:04.759
 ungrateful people

00:32:04.759 --> 00:32:05.299
 and they just

00:32:05.299 --> 00:32:06.160
 messed it all up.

00:32:06.220 --> 00:32:06.940
 Well, y'all figure out

00:32:06.940 --> 00:32:07.680
 a solution to it.

00:32:08.259 --> 00:32:08.500
 No.

00:32:09.359 --> 00:32:09.759
 Instead,

00:32:10.099 --> 00:32:10.899
 he gave us

00:32:10.900 --> 00:32:11.820
 a power source.

00:32:12.240 --> 00:32:12.740
 He gave us

00:32:12.740 --> 00:32:15.060
 an unseen spirit.

00:32:16.160 --> 00:32:17.000
 There's an old hymn

00:32:17.000 --> 00:32:18.540
 called the unseen hand.

00:32:20.120 --> 00:32:20.900
 And God is always

00:32:20.900 --> 00:32:23.340
 moving through us.

00:32:23.900 --> 00:32:24.880
 So he called us

00:32:24.880 --> 00:32:26.180
 to be the solution,

00:32:26.640 --> 00:32:28.060
 but he is providing

00:32:28.060 --> 00:32:28.740
 the power.

00:32:30.100 --> 00:32:31.820
 I need a volunteer.

00:32:34.400 --> 00:32:35.019
 Come on.

00:32:35.580 --> 00:32:36.259
 Let's go, CJ.

00:32:37.400 --> 00:32:38.420
 He shot his hand

00:32:38.420 --> 00:32:38.880
 right up.

00:32:38.880 --> 00:32:40.520
 You don't even know

00:32:40.520 --> 00:32:41.380
 what you're volunteering for.

00:32:41.480 --> 00:32:42.140
 You might regret it

00:32:42.140 --> 00:32:42.820
 once you get up here,

00:32:42.880 --> 00:32:43.480
 but come on, dude.

00:32:45.220 --> 00:32:45.600
 All right,

00:32:45.620 --> 00:32:46.260
 here we go, y'all.

00:32:50.980 --> 00:32:51.520
 He's already

00:32:51.520 --> 00:32:52.640
 regretting his life choices.

00:32:53.360 --> 00:32:54.000
 Come on, buddy.

00:32:55.640 --> 00:32:56.360
 Here's what we're doing,

00:32:56.440 --> 00:32:56.720
 all right?

00:32:56.880 --> 00:32:57.500
 Here, you hold this

00:32:57.500 --> 00:32:58.060
 for a second, would you?

00:32:58.700 --> 00:32:59.060
 Thank you.

00:32:59.080 --> 00:32:59.540
 I'm going to move this

00:32:59.540 --> 00:32:59.880
 out of the way

00:32:59.880 --> 00:33:00.500
 so everybody can see.

00:33:02.880 --> 00:33:03.160
 Now,

00:33:04.280 --> 00:33:05.820
 full disclosure,

00:33:07.500 --> 00:33:08.140
 Karen Schaffner

00:33:08.140 --> 00:33:09.180
 gave me this idea

00:33:09.180 --> 00:33:10.520
 for a sermon illustration,

00:33:10.700 --> 00:33:10.880
 okay?

00:33:10.960 --> 00:33:11.640
 Where are you, Karen?

00:33:12.400 --> 00:33:12.900
 There you are,

00:33:12.960 --> 00:33:13.340
 over there.

00:33:15.360 --> 00:33:16.020
 I'm probably going

00:33:16.020 --> 00:33:16.540
 to do it wrong,

00:33:16.640 --> 00:33:17.280
 but I'm going to try

00:33:17.280 --> 00:33:18.440
 as best as I can

00:33:18.440 --> 00:33:20.180
 to recreate

00:33:20.180 --> 00:33:21.200
 what you told me here,

00:33:21.220 --> 00:33:21.440
 okay?

00:33:22.120 --> 00:33:22.740
 All right, buddy.

00:33:23.280 --> 00:33:24.180
 We can set this down.

00:33:25.700 --> 00:33:26.020
 Now,

00:33:26.780 --> 00:33:28.080
 take this glass of water.

00:33:29.480 --> 00:33:30.320
 It's a clean cup.

00:33:30.800 --> 00:33:31.440
 Do you want to take a sip

00:33:31.440 --> 00:33:31.740
 from it,

00:33:31.780 --> 00:33:32.259
 just make sure

00:33:32.259 --> 00:33:32.780
 it's just water?

00:33:33.920 --> 00:33:34.740
 Just take a sip.

00:33:34.820 --> 00:33:35.060
 Come on,

00:33:35.059 --> 00:33:35.480
 you got it.

00:33:36.700 --> 00:33:37.159
 Just water?

00:33:37.559 --> 00:33:38.220
 Just regular water?

00:33:38.359 --> 00:33:39.019
 Nothing weird about it?

00:33:39.139 --> 00:33:39.440
 Okay,

00:33:39.659 --> 00:33:39.859
 all right,

00:33:39.919 --> 00:33:40.599
 face the crowd here.

00:33:41.639 --> 00:33:41.859
 Okay,

00:33:42.059 --> 00:33:42.960
 so dip your finger

00:33:42.960 --> 00:33:43.879
 down in that water

00:33:43.879 --> 00:33:45.059
 and see if the water

00:33:45.059 --> 00:33:45.619
 changes.

00:33:47.419 --> 00:33:47.779
 Okay,

00:33:47.960 --> 00:33:48.480
 pull it out.

00:33:49.480 --> 00:33:50.240
 So there was just

00:33:50.240 --> 00:33:51.019
 a little ripple

00:33:51.019 --> 00:33:52.059
 that happened,

00:33:52.159 --> 00:33:52.299
 right?

00:33:52.339 --> 00:33:52.859
 The water kind of

00:33:52.859 --> 00:33:53.460
 moved a little,

00:33:53.659 --> 00:33:54.639
 but now it's back

00:33:54.639 --> 00:33:55.419
 to how it was before,

00:33:55.500 --> 00:33:55.700
 right?

00:33:56.000 --> 00:33:57.220
 No real change happened?

00:33:58.119 --> 00:33:58.480
 Right,

00:33:58.619 --> 00:33:59.359
 so that's what

00:33:59.359 --> 00:33:59.960
 we are like,

00:33:59.980 --> 00:34:00.220
 right?

00:34:00.619 --> 00:34:01.819
 We dip our finger

00:34:01.819 --> 00:34:03.039
 into the water of life

00:34:03.039 --> 00:34:03.839
 and nothing really

00:34:03.839 --> 00:34:04.259
 changes,

00:34:04.379 --> 00:34:04.579
 right?

00:34:04.700 --> 00:34:05.920
 We are just one of many,

00:34:06.539 --> 00:34:08.179
 one of millions,

00:34:08.619 --> 00:34:09.719
 billions in this world.

00:34:10.279 --> 00:34:11.119
 Can't really make

00:34:11.119 --> 00:34:11.480
 a difference,

00:34:11.559 --> 00:34:11.739
 right?

00:34:12.679 --> 00:34:12.900
 Okay,

00:34:13.300 --> 00:34:13.599
 now,

00:34:14.860 --> 00:34:16.420
 here,

00:34:16.860 --> 00:34:17.300
 tell you what,

00:34:17.400 --> 00:34:17.880
 I'll do this.

00:34:18.320 --> 00:34:19.219
 Hold your other hand out,

00:34:20.579 --> 00:34:21.639
 dip that same finger,

00:34:22.679 --> 00:34:23.159
 roll it around

00:34:23.159 --> 00:34:24.039
 in that salt right there.

00:34:25.500 --> 00:34:25.759
 Okay,

00:34:26.199 --> 00:34:27.059
 get it real good

00:34:27.059 --> 00:34:27.420
 and coated.

00:34:28.659 --> 00:34:29.179
 There you go.

00:34:30.199 --> 00:34:30.960
 Now stick it back

00:34:30.960 --> 00:34:31.380
 in the water,

00:34:31.380 --> 00:34:32.740
 swirl it around

00:34:32.740 --> 00:34:33.160
 a little bit.

00:34:34.820 --> 00:34:35.180
 Okay.

00:34:36.539 --> 00:34:37.480
 Now it's your finger,

00:34:38.019 --> 00:34:39.039
 hopefully it was clean.

00:34:39.860 --> 00:34:40.519
 I'm going to take a sip

00:34:40.519 --> 00:34:41.420
 and see if anything's different.

00:34:44.599 --> 00:34:46.200
 It's a little sour.

00:34:46.400 --> 00:34:47.079
 A little sour,

00:34:47.140 --> 00:34:47.700
 a little salty?

00:34:48.200 --> 00:34:49.079
 Tastes a little different?

00:34:49.220 --> 00:34:49.480
 Oh yeah.

00:34:50.920 --> 00:34:51.320
 Buddy,

00:34:51.440 --> 00:34:53.200
 that made a permanent change

00:34:53.200 --> 00:34:53.800
 to this water.

00:34:54.300 --> 00:34:55.059
 The only way

00:34:55.059 --> 00:34:56.079
 to get that salt taste

00:34:56.079 --> 00:34:56.680
 out of this water

00:34:56.680 --> 00:34:57.500
 is to dump it out

00:34:57.500 --> 00:34:58.440
 and pour fresh water in.

00:34:59.300 --> 00:35:00.000
 This water

00:35:00.000 --> 00:35:01.519
 is now permanently changed.

00:35:02.519 --> 00:35:04.039
 But the only difference

00:35:04.039 --> 00:35:05.679
 was your finger

00:35:05.679 --> 00:35:07.099
 was coated in salt.

00:35:07.980 --> 00:35:08.739
 Y'all give him a hand.

00:35:08.780 --> 00:35:09.260
 He did great.

00:35:09.900 --> 00:35:10.579
 You can throw that salt

00:35:10.579 --> 00:35:11.079
 over your shoulder

00:35:11.079 --> 00:35:11.480
 if you want to.

00:35:13.780 --> 00:35:14.260
 Alright.

00:35:15.360 --> 00:35:15.920
 Y'all,

00:35:16.440 --> 00:35:17.599
 do you see the point

00:35:17.599 --> 00:35:18.699
 that Karen was making

00:35:18.699 --> 00:35:19.420
 when she gave me

00:35:19.420 --> 00:35:20.119
 this illustration?

00:35:20.340 --> 00:35:20.800
 And hopefully,

00:35:21.000 --> 00:35:22.900
 I poorly made for you today.

00:35:23.679 --> 00:35:24.840
 The point is,

00:35:24.840 --> 00:35:28.320
 he did nothing different.

00:35:29.160 --> 00:35:30.340
 He dipped his finger

00:35:30.340 --> 00:35:30.880
 in the water

00:35:30.880 --> 00:35:31.940
 both times.

00:35:32.760 --> 00:35:33.800
 But one time,

00:35:34.019 --> 00:35:35.300
 it was coated in salt.

00:35:35.820 --> 00:35:37.059
 That's what made the difference.

00:35:37.660 --> 00:35:39.340
 If we coat ourselves

00:35:39.340 --> 00:35:40.160
 in the salt

00:35:40.160 --> 00:35:40.940
 of the gospel

00:35:40.940 --> 00:35:41.760
 of Jesus Christ,

00:35:41.940 --> 00:35:43.260
 if we coat ourselves

00:35:43.260 --> 00:35:44.160
 in the word of God,

00:35:44.360 --> 00:35:44.920
 in prayer,

00:35:45.059 --> 00:35:46.220
 in real meaningful,

00:35:46.440 --> 00:35:47.140
 deep relationship

00:35:47.140 --> 00:35:47.760
 with Jesus,

00:35:48.400 --> 00:35:50.460
 then we bring flavor.

00:35:50.940 --> 00:35:53.320
 We make a permanent impact.

00:35:53.320 --> 00:35:55.080
 So our takeaway for today

00:35:55.080 --> 00:35:55.860
 is this.

00:35:56.660 --> 00:35:58.740
 Have we lost our flavor?

00:35:59.680 --> 00:36:01.440
 Are we swirling our finger

00:36:01.440 --> 00:36:03.120
 down in the water of life

00:36:03.120 --> 00:36:04.580
 and trying to make an impact

00:36:04.580 --> 00:36:06.740
 and nothing's really changing?

00:36:09.360 --> 00:36:11.440
 We're missing the salt.

00:36:11.740 --> 00:36:12.760
 Would you pray with me right now?

00:36:13.400 --> 00:36:14.620
 God, I pray that right now

00:36:14.620 --> 00:36:15.559
 you would teach us

00:36:15.559 --> 00:36:17.680
 how to coat ourselves in salt.

00:36:17.880 --> 00:36:19.220
 You called us the salt,

00:36:19.360 --> 00:36:19.740
 but God,

00:36:20.120 --> 00:36:21.940
 until we get rid of this body,

00:36:21.940 --> 00:36:25.280
 we still struggle

00:36:25.280 --> 00:36:27.619
 to not be salt.

00:36:28.340 --> 00:36:29.500
 We still struggle

00:36:29.500 --> 00:36:30.579
 with our old desires,

00:36:30.720 --> 00:36:31.500
 our old passions,

00:36:31.679 --> 00:36:32.700
 our old way of thinking,

00:36:33.039 --> 00:36:34.139
 our old logic.

00:36:35.780 --> 00:36:37.360
 We still want to go back

00:36:37.360 --> 00:36:40.240
 to being like the world around us.

00:36:40.579 --> 00:36:42.079
 But when we coat ourselves

00:36:42.079 --> 00:36:43.200
 in this salt, God,

00:36:43.280 --> 00:36:45.980
 we make an unchanging impact.

00:36:46.440 --> 00:36:48.380
 We make a permanent difference

00:36:48.380 --> 00:36:50.980
 in the relationships,

00:36:51.640 --> 00:36:53.059
 in what we do,

00:36:53.960 --> 00:36:55.099
 what we can accomplish

00:36:55.099 --> 00:36:56.460
 through you.

00:36:57.820 --> 00:36:58.780
 Teach us that truth

00:36:58.780 --> 00:36:59.680
 from your word today.

00:36:59.980 --> 00:37:00.780
 We'll give you the glory.

00:37:00.880 --> 00:37:01.740
 In Jesus' name we pray.

00:37:02.339 --> 00:37:03.079
 교 x

00:37:03.079 --> 00:37:03.979
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00:37:04.399 --> 00:37:06.459
 Achilles

00:37:07.039 --> 00:37:07.399
 c

00:37:07.399 --> 00:37:09.419
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00:37:09.419 --> 00:37:10.279
 De

00:37:10.279 --> 00:37:10.539
 Vi

00:37:10.539 --> 00:37:11.239
 2018

00:37:11.239 --> 00:37:11.279
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