WEBVTT 00:00:00.880 --> 00:00:07.679 That's great. Good morning. Oh, that's pretty good. My name's Chris. For those of you who 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:13.200 don't know me, if you're here for the first time, oh, there's a, could we maybe get the 00:00:13.200 --> 00:00:22.920 fan turned off? I think there's a kind of Typhoon 8 going on over here. Thanks. I'm 00:00:22.920 --> 00:00:28.820 going to be holding on for a little while. My name's Chris. I help out in the pastoral 00:00:28.820 --> 00:00:33.980 staff here. If it's your first time, you're just really, really welcome. And it's great 00:00:33.980 --> 00:00:41.679 to be just part of a family in the city where there's a lot of crazy things going on. I was 00:00:41.679 --> 00:00:48.500 talking with a neighbor in my building just this week, and he asked me this really interesting 00:00:48.500 --> 00:00:55.700 question. He said, why do I need to be a Christian to be good? He said, you see, I see a lot of 00:00:55.700 --> 00:01:01.420 Christians. And, you know, they go to church, and they tell me all the things that I shouldn't 00:01:01.420 --> 00:01:07.540 do, but then I see them at work, and I see them in the office, and, you know, they're 00:01:07.540 --> 00:01:14.379 as mean as nasty as everybody else. So why should I bother becoming a Christian if I can 00:01:14.379 --> 00:01:19.659 be perfectly good without God? And that's a pretty good question. You know, that's a pretty 00:01:19.659 --> 00:01:28.200 good question. And a journalist called G.K. Chesterton, he, when asked to justify believing 00:01:28.200 --> 00:01:35.900 in Christianity, he said, like, when you think about some Christians have done terrible things 00:01:35.900 --> 00:01:39.379 in the world, you think about the Crusades and different things, when asked to justify, 00:01:39.539 --> 00:01:46.459 he said, Christianity has not been tried and found wanting. He said it's been found difficult 00:01:46.459 --> 00:01:52.739 and left untried. He said, men have not grown tired of Christianity. They've never found 00:01:52.739 --> 00:02:02.119 enough Christianity to get tired of. What he's saying is there is what Paul is saying in this 00:02:02.119 --> 00:02:09.079 book of the book of Titus. He's saying the church which was going on in this Titus has lost 00:02:09.080 --> 00:02:15.700 sight of what true Christianity is. And we need to continually be reminded again and again 00:02:15.700 --> 00:02:21.480 and again of what true Christianity is, because in the church that this letter is being written 00:02:21.480 --> 00:02:27.720 to, there was division, there was backbiting, there was a lot of religiosity, but they couldn't 00:02:27.720 --> 00:02:34.760 see true gospel-centered Christianity. And what we've looked at so far, chapter 1 and chapter 2, 00:02:35.180 --> 00:02:39.060 Paul has said you need to come back to what the gospel really means, and then you need to 00:02:39.060 --> 00:02:45.060 have leaders who live it out. You need to have older men and younger men and older women and 00:02:45.060 --> 00:02:50.719 younger women who are investing in each other, who are modeling what it looks like to live out 00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:56.920 this gospel message. And today what we're going to look at, he's going to say, how are Christians to 00:02:56.920 --> 00:03:04.819 live in a society where there is a lot of injustice and hurt and difficulty, but Christians were meant 00:03:04.819 --> 00:03:10.419 to live counter-culturally reflecting the goodness of God. We're meant to be able to see, people are 00:03:10.419 --> 00:03:17.479 meant to be able to see something of how good God is in our lives. So we're kind of going to go 00:03:17.479 --> 00:03:23.840 through the passage in a little bit, but just remember this, when God gives commands, 00:03:25.139 --> 00:03:32.620 they always follow his declarations. What I mean by that is this, I don't know if you remember English 00:03:32.620 --> 00:03:40.319 grammar, but indicatives always come before imperatives. I'm an English teacher, so an 00:03:40.319 --> 00:03:47.719 indicative is, here we go, you didn't expect to get an English lesson, okay? An indicative is saying, 00:03:48.099 --> 00:03:56.460 this is who you are, this is who you are, okay? You are a Christian, God has saved you. An imperative is 00:03:56.460 --> 00:04:02.520 saying, what you have to do, now live like it. So Paul is saying, he's not, he never just tells you, 00:04:02.659 --> 00:04:08.780 this is what you've got to do. He always tells you first what God has done, and that's when you, 00:04:08.960 --> 00:04:15.340 what you do flows out of what he has already done for you, okay? And so we've looked in the last week 00:04:15.340 --> 00:04:22.920 about how God's grace has appeared through Jesus Christ. He saved us from the slave market into a 00:04:22.920 --> 00:04:28.699 relationship with himself. We are a new community. So what we're going to look at is really how we 00:04:28.699 --> 00:04:39.160 be this new community. First of all, how we love in a hate-filled world. Why we divide and hate, 00:04:39.500 --> 00:04:43.240 and then the power to change, the power to be different, okay? So that's where we're going. 00:04:43.300 --> 00:04:49.020 There's three things. Loving in a hate-filled world, why we hate and divide, and the power to change, 00:04:49.019 --> 00:04:55.180 okay? So if you've got your bulletin with you, come and track with me as we go through this. 00:04:56.259 --> 00:05:04.159 First off, he says, remind them, okay? Remind them. That means it's not new information. It's a reminder 00:05:04.159 --> 00:05:11.899 in a harsh world. We've talked about the Cretan world before, how it was dog eat dog. Everyone was 00:05:11.899 --> 00:05:18.719 fighting against each other. But he says, remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, 00:05:18.720 --> 00:05:24.740 to be obedient, ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, 00:05:24.880 --> 00:05:32.800 to show perfect courtesy to all people, okay? So he's starting off talking about our attitude 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:40.880 to authorities and rulers, and then he goes on to our attitude to everybody around us. And what does 00:05:40.879 --> 00:05:48.819 he say to the people who are in authority? He says, be submissive. And that, in Hong Kong culture, 00:05:49.420 --> 00:05:56.699 and in the political environments that we have going around the world, is a pretty tough call. 00:05:57.740 --> 00:06:04.879 Some of us might say, are you calling me to submit to CY Leung? Or to submit to potentially 00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:14.980 Trump or Clinton? And Paul would say, yeah. Yes. Now, what does that mean? What does that mean? 00:06:15.399 --> 00:06:20.579 Because some of us are going to struggle with this. What does it mean to submit? Well, it means you 00:06:20.579 --> 00:06:27.579 follow the laws of the land. You pay your taxes. You keep the speed limits. No one in Crete, where this 00:06:27.579 --> 00:06:33.079 lesson was written to, just like Greece kind of today, ever thought of doing any of that, okay? 00:06:33.079 --> 00:06:40.180 But Jesus paid his taxes. He says, give to Caesar what is Caesar, and to God what is God's. 00:06:41.560 --> 00:06:49.779 Why does he say submit? Well, in the culture, everyone was fighting against everyone. No one 00:06:49.779 --> 00:06:57.699 wanted to submit to anybody. And Paul says in two other places in this book, he says, wives and husbands, 00:06:57.919 --> 00:07:03.019 there's to be submission. Servants to masters, there's to be submission. All people now to 00:07:03.019 --> 00:07:12.819 authority's submission. God places authority structures over us to help protect us and for 00:07:12.819 --> 00:07:21.799 flourishing. That is God's design for people. Romans 13 says, there is no authority except from God, 00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:29.139 and those which exist have been instituted by God. Now, I struggle with this. You know, the present 00:07:29.139 --> 00:07:36.360 Hong Kong government has been established and permitted in some way by God. The U.S. president, 00:07:36.560 --> 00:07:44.860 whoever it will be, has in some way, will in some way be instituted and placed there by God. 00:07:45.800 --> 00:07:50.879 Now, that doesn't necessarily mean they are just. It doesn't necessarily mean they are good. 00:07:50.879 --> 00:07:59.339 But in this context, the authorities Paul is talking about would actually make Hong Kong politicians, 00:07:59.759 --> 00:08:08.219 U.S. politicians, look like Mother Teresa. Because the Greek historian, Polybius, for what it's worth, 00:08:08.339 --> 00:08:16.360 wrote, it's impossible to find personal conduct more treacherous or public policy more unjust than in Crete. 00:08:16.360 --> 00:08:21.780 Okay? The place where this is written. In Hong Kong, you throw banana skins at political opponents. 00:08:22.160 --> 00:08:26.259 In Roman times, you assassinated them and you executed their children. 00:08:27.840 --> 00:08:35.259 Now, why does he say submit to them? Now, I don't fully understand why God places certain leaders in 00:08:35.259 --> 00:08:42.200 positions. I don't understand it. But maybe sometimes he gives us the leaders we deserve 00:08:42.200 --> 00:08:49.820 to wake us up to our condition so that we see that our hope is found in God and in nowhere else. 00:08:51.820 --> 00:08:57.600 But Paul says, even in this culture of, in Crete, which is so difficult, he says, 00:08:57.680 --> 00:09:03.500 submit to the laws of the land because in doing so, we obey God who has placed them there. 00:09:03.500 --> 00:09:12.940 But that doesn't mean, okay, passively just accepting whatever the government says without any question. 00:09:13.360 --> 00:09:20.759 Because the next part says, we must be ready for every good work. That means we're actively looking 00:09:20.759 --> 00:09:27.980 to engage in the needs of the city. We speak up where we need to. There is a kind of subversive kind 00:09:27.980 --> 00:09:34.659 of love here that accepts God as a higher authority than any government. Okay, so there's two things 00:09:34.659 --> 00:09:42.240 going on here. The only time when we don't submit is when authorities call us to violate God's commands. 00:09:42.840 --> 00:09:50.259 Okay, in the Bible, prophets like Elijah come to unjust kings like Ahab and they confront him with his sin. 00:09:50.899 --> 00:09:57.899 Daniel disobeys a decree from Nebuchadnezzar not to pray to God. In Acts, when the disciples 00:09:57.899 --> 00:10:04.379 are commanded by the authorities to stop preaching about Jesus, they refuse. They say, no, we must obey God, 00:10:04.379 --> 00:10:13.379 not men. Okay, so when Martin Luther King saw the systemic racism that was going on in the U.S., 00:10:13.379 --> 00:10:22.100 he disagreed with the authorities, but he never dishonored them. I don't know if you've ever seen the movie Selma. 00:10:22.199 --> 00:10:27.500 Have you seen the movie Selma? You know, there's this scene where the authorities have told 00:10:27.500 --> 00:10:35.639 Luther King, you must not march. You cannot march. But he knows that actually to not march at that 00:10:35.639 --> 00:10:41.919 stage would affect the cause of the fight against injustice and racism in the city. 00:10:42.480 --> 00:10:47.159 So he organizes a whole load of people to go and march and to march over this bridge. And they're 00:10:47.159 --> 00:10:52.620 going on the bridge and then just as they're there, all the troops are around and they're coming into 00:10:52.620 --> 00:11:00.759 kind of combat mode. And at that moment, Martin Luther King orders everybody to get down on the ground and to 00:11:00.759 --> 00:11:07.960 pray, to pray for them. And as they're prayed and all the people, even on his own side, are like gearing up, 00:11:07.960 --> 00:11:15.679 ready for a fight, ready to kind of get their own back. Do you know what he does? He stands up and he turns 00:11:15.679 --> 00:11:26.639 around and he walks through his own people and says, we're going to trust God with this. He walks back and 00:11:26.639 --> 00:11:34.159 all his own side are furious with him. But you know, that actually scene was what caused the President of 00:11:34.159 --> 00:11:41.979 the United States to begin to actually allow desegregation and all those other things to come into effect. 00:11:41.980 --> 00:11:49.060 Because there is a subversive love, which doesn't just passively sit back, which honors authorities, 00:11:49.060 --> 00:11:56.399 but doesn't necessarily agree with them, but is so countercultural that whatever side you come on to, 00:11:57.399 --> 00:12:05.440 it is challenging. Because it's not hatred. I don't know if you, have you seen there's some, even in the 00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:09.820 States at the moment, there's a lot of anti-police riots. Have you seen some of those demonstrate? 00:12:09.820 --> 00:12:18.940 There's this guy called Ken Wabiki. He's this black guy who goes during the demonstrations and he's 00:12:18.940 --> 00:12:23.900 there. Everyone else is shouting hatred towards the police and he's there and he's going up and 00:12:23.900 --> 00:12:29.260 hugging the police officers. Have you seen that? It's on the news. And even his own side are like, 00:12:29.300 --> 00:12:33.780 how can you do that? But he turned around and said, you know, if you have a cycle of hatred, 00:12:33.779 --> 00:12:38.259 hatred, the only way to break that cycle of hatred is actually to turn in love. 00:12:39.659 --> 00:12:44.279 There is something powerful and it begins to change the culture and the atmosphere. 00:12:45.000 --> 00:12:52.220 And that is what God calls Christians to do in challenging situations, to treat authorities with 00:12:52.220 --> 00:12:59.480 honor, but also to love. And frankly, Hong Kong is a divided and fractured society at the moment, 00:12:59.480 --> 00:13:04.700 right? I mean, you just look at the recent elections. It's the second anniversary of the 00:13:04.700 --> 00:13:09.220 umbrella revolution. And even in this church, we'll have different opinions. We'll see different 00:13:09.220 --> 00:13:16.000 sides and that's okay. But you know what I see? I see there's also a lot of hatred and slandering 00:13:16.000 --> 00:13:23.460 going on. I know people who defriend people on Facebook, Christians who defriend other Christians 00:13:23.460 --> 00:13:29.780 on Facebook. You know, they won't speak to each other just because they disagree. And what Paul 00:13:29.780 --> 00:13:35.580 is saying here, and you know, it's not just politics. It's also you go into offices, you go into homes, 00:13:35.879 --> 00:13:42.120 and there's so much brokenness. There's so much hatred, critical, negative, hate-filled language and 00:13:42.120 --> 00:13:49.259 division. And what Hong Kong needs is a people like what Crete needed, is a people who are ready 00:13:49.259 --> 00:13:58.139 to do good, who can disagree with graciousness, who display something of a totally countercultural 00:13:58.139 --> 00:14:08.319 mentality. How do we do this? Well, Paul goes on to say, and this is tough, speak evil of no one. 00:14:09.000 --> 00:14:13.580 Do you know when I'm tempted to speak evil? And that word means to slander, is when people are 00:14:13.580 --> 00:14:20.040 speaking evil of me, right? Because you want to carry on that cycle. If you disregard me, I will 00:14:20.040 --> 00:14:30.000 disregard you. But he says, speak evil of no one. Because when we say, ah, she's so lazy. He's such a 00:14:30.000 --> 00:14:39.460 gossip. He's a loser as a leader. You know, we encourage that cycle of hatred. But here he says, 00:14:39.460 --> 00:14:48.259 speak evil of no one. Avoid quarreling. Be gentle. That means show consideration and reasonableness, 00:14:48.460 --> 00:14:56.759 even towards those who are unreasonable. He says, I will give my own personal advantage. I will give 00:14:56.759 --> 00:15:04.220 away for the sake of others. It says we show courtesy. That means meekness. That means a patient 00:15:04.220 --> 00:15:10.220 trust in the midst of difficult circumstances. Whatever you're going through. He says, patiently 00:15:10.220 --> 00:15:16.379 bear wrong done to us, but be quick to alleviate the wrong done to others. That's what that word 00:15:16.379 --> 00:15:24.320 courtesy means. And do you know what he says? He says to all people, all people, not just those that you 00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:33.759 agree with, not just those who treat you nicely, even those people who backbite, who gossip about you. 00:15:34.220 --> 00:15:41.980 Not just the authorities, but in every single part of life. The call is for us as a church to be a 00:15:41.980 --> 00:15:48.820 counter-cultural, loving, gentle community. But that's, and I think deep down we want that, right? 00:15:48.920 --> 00:15:55.279 Don't we? We want to be in a society like that. But let's think about it. That's what we're called to 00:15:55.279 --> 00:16:01.820 be. But man, that is tough. That is hard. Why? Secondly, why do we struggle so much with that? Because I 00:16:01.820 --> 00:16:13.180 personally struggle. Verse three. For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to 00:16:13.180 --> 00:16:20.180 various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one 00:16:20.180 --> 00:16:29.100 another. That's not a very nice description, really. But Paul says, all of us, all of us were foolish. 00:16:29.100 --> 00:16:34.899 That means ignorant towards God. We were slaves to various passions and pleasures. What he's talking 00:16:34.899 --> 00:16:42.500 about is we have placed our hopes in something other than God and it enslaves us. Because you see, 00:16:42.600 --> 00:16:48.740 when disagreement turns to hatred, when disappointment turns to bitterness, when admiration turns to envy, 00:16:49.139 --> 00:16:54.540 it's a clear sign that you're idolizing something. That means you're putting something in the place of 00:16:54.539 --> 00:17:01.719 God. You're putting your hopes in something. And someone once said, what you idolize, what you put 00:17:01.719 --> 00:17:07.960 your weight on, inevitably you demonize. What I mean by that is, do you remember there's that glass 00:17:07.960 --> 00:17:14.180 bridge that's opened in China, right? Have you seen that? That kind of like that crazy bridge. And, 00:17:14.220 --> 00:17:18.819 you know, there was so much hype when it opened, I can't remember how many weeks ago, and they drove a 00:17:18.819 --> 00:17:23.259 car across it to prove it was safe. And then, like, about two days later, they had to close it, 00:17:24.000 --> 00:17:32.500 right? Because there were cracks coming in it, okay? Now, when you place the weight of your hopes 00:17:32.500 --> 00:17:39.339 and expectations on a government, on a relationship, on your kids, on anybody else, 00:17:40.539 --> 00:17:45.019 you're like you're driving your life onto a glass bridge that cannot hold the weight of it. 00:17:46.920 --> 00:17:52.440 And sooner or later, it will crack in some way, and you'll see the cracks, and you will end up hating 00:17:52.440 --> 00:17:59.359 that bridge, whatever that is in your life. You know, we become bitter and angry 00:17:59.359 --> 00:18:05.919 by those who disappoint us. That's why, you know, so many marriages start out with people so 00:18:05.919 --> 00:18:10.419 infatuated with each other, but then a while later, the couple end up hating each other 00:18:10.419 --> 00:18:15.740 because they thought that the other person, they placed all their hopes on them. You place your weight 00:18:15.740 --> 00:18:19.919 on money, you'll get envious and jealous and hate those who are earning more money than you. 00:18:20.519 --> 00:18:26.399 You place it on grades, and you'll envy those whose GPA is higher than you, okay? And you'll always feel 00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:31.540 like you're behind them. You've got to catch up. If you idolize your family, you can become a control 00:18:31.540 --> 00:18:35.820 freak, and your kids will hate you, or you hate your spouse for messing up your dream family. 00:18:36.620 --> 00:18:37.980 You're not being able to forgive. 00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:45.900 Because when you put the weight of your life on anything other than God, it always leads to 00:18:45.900 --> 00:18:50.200 broken relationships and a broken society. That's what Paul is saying. 00:18:50.200 --> 00:18:57.880 Where do you see that in your life? Where do you see, where are you placing your hopes in your life? 00:19:01.539 --> 00:19:07.279 You see, the Cretans, they come out of a background where everyone's like this. Everyone's like this. 00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:14.259 And if you come out of a home or an office environment where everyone is constantly speaking negatively, 00:19:14.259 --> 00:19:19.740 or condemns you when you make mistakes, or you're never good enough, we're likely to replicate that in our 00:19:19.740 --> 00:19:23.759 relationships. But Paul says the only way 00:19:23.759 --> 00:19:29.039 to get free from that cycle is the good news of the gospel. 00:19:30.099 --> 00:19:33.879 And the reason why we often keep speaking evil of other people is because 00:19:33.879 --> 00:19:36.519 we actually think we're better than other people, right? 00:19:37.160 --> 00:19:39.279 We think we're better than other people. That's why he says, 00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:43.059 we ourselves were like this. Listen, guys, if you want to live like 00:19:43.059 --> 00:19:46.759 different, you've got to realize that you're actually the same as everybody else. 00:19:46.859 --> 00:19:49.480 Because the reason I can be so mean to some people 00:19:49.480 --> 00:19:52.779 is because I get a warped view of myself. 00:19:52.920 --> 00:19:57.399 It's what we called performance-based religion before. Do you remember us talking about that? 00:19:57.879 --> 00:19:59.000 The PBR virus. 00:19:59.279 --> 00:20:00.299 You know, I think I'm okay. 00:20:00.779 --> 00:20:03.619 You know, I'm okay. I look around at everybody else, 00:20:04.099 --> 00:20:05.160 and they're not okay. 00:20:06.039 --> 00:20:06.339 Right? 00:20:06.339 --> 00:20:09.939 And so I begin to judge them. And as Christians, we're experts at this. 00:20:10.220 --> 00:20:11.980 We look around at the world around, and we say, 00:20:12.139 --> 00:20:14.480 look at those terrible pagan people around us. 00:20:14.879 --> 00:20:18.699 You know, they're all getting drunk in Lang Kui Fong. 00:20:18.799 --> 00:20:20.959 Isn't our society so wicked and greedy? 00:20:21.439 --> 00:20:22.819 And all these different things. 00:20:22.899 --> 00:20:24.720 But I put my money in the offering last week. 00:20:25.619 --> 00:20:26.500 I'm pretty good. 00:20:28.039 --> 00:20:28.679 And Paul is saying, 00:20:28.759 --> 00:20:30.639 don't you see that society around you, 00:20:30.699 --> 00:20:33.299 the politicians you criticize, the boss you gossip about, 00:20:33.299 --> 00:20:37.240 is a mirrored image of what you are like without God. 00:20:37.240 --> 00:20:41.740 We're all kind of level playing field. 00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:43.339 And we can't go around saying, 00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:45.519 look how bad society has become. 00:20:45.700 --> 00:20:48.120 Because don't expect people who are not Christians 00:20:48.120 --> 00:20:51.599 to live up to Christian morality and then condemn them for it. 00:20:52.240 --> 00:20:54.440 Because we need to say, 00:20:54.559 --> 00:20:56.380 there but for the grace of God go I. 00:20:57.039 --> 00:20:58.420 If it's not for God's grace, 00:20:58.880 --> 00:20:59.700 that would be me. 00:21:00.099 --> 00:21:00.700 In fact, 00:21:01.099 --> 00:21:02.259 that often is me, 00:21:02.339 --> 00:21:03.460 but I just can't see it. 00:21:03.460 --> 00:21:05.500 You know, 00:21:05.900 --> 00:21:07.980 some of us may say, 00:21:08.039 --> 00:21:09.140 well, I'm not really that bad. 00:21:09.259 --> 00:21:09.380 You know, 00:21:09.440 --> 00:21:12.039 there's a guy called Francis Schaeffer. 00:21:13.220 --> 00:21:15.180 And he said that when you're born, 00:21:16.120 --> 00:21:19.539 God kind of places this invisible tape recorder around you. 00:21:19.600 --> 00:21:21.100 Now, this is the 1960s, 00:21:21.140 --> 00:21:21.559 so like, 00:21:22.059 --> 00:21:23.220 I don't know what it would be today, 00:21:23.340 --> 00:21:23.500 like, 00:21:24.279 --> 00:21:24.799 your iPhone, 00:21:24.920 --> 00:21:26.720 invisible iPhone around you to record you. 00:21:27.140 --> 00:21:28.360 And he said, 00:21:29.319 --> 00:21:34.400 it records every moral judgment we make of other people. 00:21:34.600 --> 00:21:35.339 Every time we say, 00:21:35.420 --> 00:21:35.940 you should, 00:21:36.240 --> 00:21:37.000 you ought to, 00:21:37.200 --> 00:21:37.980 he's so lazy, 00:21:38.400 --> 00:21:39.440 all those kind of things, 00:21:39.559 --> 00:21:40.240 he records it. 00:21:40.339 --> 00:21:40.839 Just on, 00:21:40.960 --> 00:21:41.200 off, 00:21:41.259 --> 00:21:41.500 on, 00:21:41.600 --> 00:21:41.839 off. 00:21:42.019 --> 00:21:42.860 That's all it records. 00:21:43.500 --> 00:21:45.519 Every time it makes a moral judgment. 00:21:45.680 --> 00:21:46.660 And day after day, 00:21:46.700 --> 00:21:47.220 it's recording. 00:21:48.160 --> 00:21:49.339 And at the end of our lives, 00:21:49.400 --> 00:21:50.519 we'll appear before God, 00:21:50.920 --> 00:21:52.539 and many people will say, 00:21:52.600 --> 00:21:52.759 God, 00:21:52.819 --> 00:21:53.839 you shouldn't judge me 00:21:53.839 --> 00:21:55.039 because I didn't know everything 00:21:55.039 --> 00:21:56.579 that you told me about. 00:21:56.680 --> 00:21:58.259 Or I wasn't really that bad. 00:21:58.440 --> 00:21:59.299 And God will say, 00:21:59.379 --> 00:21:59.659 okay, 00:22:00.420 --> 00:22:04.019 I won't hold you to my perfect, 00:22:04.200 --> 00:22:05.159 just standard, 00:22:05.399 --> 00:22:06.700 if you think you didn't know. 00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:08.799 I'll simply judge you on the basis 00:22:08.799 --> 00:22:11.159 of how you judged everybody else. 00:22:12.180 --> 00:22:14.000 And so he'll play the recording, 00:22:15.379 --> 00:22:18.480 and then you'll hear 00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:23.619 your own voice condemning you 00:22:23.619 --> 00:22:24.099 again, 00:22:24.599 --> 00:22:25.219 and again, 00:22:25.439 --> 00:22:26.079 and again. 00:22:26.899 --> 00:22:28.699 And none of us will be able to say, 00:22:29.239 --> 00:22:30.859 I was better than somebody else, 00:22:31.479 --> 00:22:33.500 because none of us passed the test. 00:22:35.819 --> 00:22:36.979 That's what Paul's saying. 00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:38.099 Not, 00:22:38.359 --> 00:22:39.699 doesn't sound like good news, 00:22:40.019 --> 00:22:41.819 but when the world tries to tell us, 00:22:41.879 --> 00:22:42.019 you know, 00:22:42.059 --> 00:22:42.500 I'm okay, 00:22:42.579 --> 00:22:43.000 you're okay, 00:22:43.079 --> 00:22:43.779 we're all okay, 00:22:45.019 --> 00:22:45.379 really? 00:22:45.779 --> 00:22:46.079 Is that, 00:22:46.239 --> 00:22:48.559 why do we have so much terrorism, 00:22:48.879 --> 00:22:49.519 and violence, 00:22:49.759 --> 00:22:51.239 and hatred in the world, 00:22:51.259 --> 00:22:52.000 if we're all okay? 00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:54.539 But what religious people do, 00:22:54.779 --> 00:22:55.220 we say, 00:22:55.500 --> 00:22:55.900 I'm okay, 00:22:56.019 --> 00:22:57.420 everyone else is not okay. 00:22:58.059 --> 00:22:59.220 Thank God I'm not as selfish 00:22:59.220 --> 00:23:00.339 as those people are. 00:23:01.539 --> 00:23:02.640 And Paul is saying, 00:23:03.099 --> 00:23:04.259 I'm not okay, 00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:05.240 you're not okay, 00:23:05.460 --> 00:23:06.579 we're not okay. 00:23:07.099 --> 00:23:09.420 That's the starting point for change. 00:23:10.059 --> 00:23:11.460 That's the starting point 00:23:11.460 --> 00:23:13.079 for a change in society. 00:23:13.539 --> 00:23:13.660 You know, 00:23:13.779 --> 00:23:14.559 I was going to, 00:23:15.839 --> 00:23:17.940 Sying Poon MTR has this lift, 00:23:17.940 --> 00:23:20.140 where there are two doors, 00:23:20.220 --> 00:23:21.259 there's an in and an out, 00:23:21.400 --> 00:23:21.920 an exit, 00:23:22.460 --> 00:23:24.340 and what I discovered was, 00:23:24.600 --> 00:23:25.660 when you go, 00:23:26.660 --> 00:23:27.720 when you're in the lift, 00:23:27.779 --> 00:23:28.640 and you want to get out, 00:23:29.360 --> 00:23:30.620 it's actually quicker, 00:23:31.039 --> 00:23:33.120 not to go out of the exit door, 00:23:33.240 --> 00:23:34.759 it's quicker to go out of the other door, 00:23:34.960 --> 00:23:35.900 straight onto the road. 00:23:36.279 --> 00:23:36.480 Okay? 00:23:36.680 --> 00:23:36.860 So, 00:23:36.920 --> 00:23:38.299 I kind of do this quite regularly. 00:23:39.980 --> 00:23:40.779 The other day, 00:23:40.880 --> 00:23:42.140 I was getting in the, 00:23:42.800 --> 00:23:44.340 I was standing outside, 00:23:44.460 --> 00:23:45.160 waiting for the lift, 00:23:45.220 --> 00:23:46.340 waiting to go into the lift, 00:23:46.660 --> 00:23:47.840 and just as it opened, 00:23:47.940 --> 00:23:49.980 about 10 people came out of the lift, 00:23:50.020 --> 00:23:50.540 like this, 00:23:50.560 --> 00:23:51.460 and I'm standing there, 00:23:51.480 --> 00:23:52.700 for 15 seconds, 00:23:52.840 --> 00:23:53.180 thinking, 00:23:53.620 --> 00:23:55.640 why are you guys so lazy? 00:23:56.080 --> 00:23:57.400 It's 10 seconds, 00:23:57.500 --> 00:23:58.840 to go around the other way. 00:23:59.000 --> 00:24:00.840 Why do you have to come back this way? 00:24:05.440 --> 00:24:06.200 And then, 00:24:06.580 --> 00:24:08.180 I realized, 00:24:09.180 --> 00:24:10.740 that tape recorder was going. 00:24:12.140 --> 00:24:12.780 Right? 00:24:14.540 --> 00:24:15.020 Because, 00:24:15.540 --> 00:24:18.500 I was beginning to hate those people, 00:24:19.000 --> 00:24:20.280 who were coming out, 00:24:20.340 --> 00:24:22.440 and I'm sure that every time I do the same thing, 00:24:22.640 --> 00:24:23.600 they think the same. 00:24:24.560 --> 00:24:24.900 Right? 00:24:25.400 --> 00:24:26.400 There's this cycle, 00:24:26.600 --> 00:24:27.480 that we go through. 00:24:28.360 --> 00:24:28.820 And you know, 00:24:29.020 --> 00:24:30.680 just think how many times you do that, 00:24:30.740 --> 00:24:31.620 with car drivers, 00:24:32.560 --> 00:24:33.440 cyclists, 00:24:34.080 --> 00:24:34.420 you know, 00:24:34.700 --> 00:24:35.680 your boss, 00:24:35.820 --> 00:24:36.440 your spouse, 00:24:36.560 --> 00:24:38.140 that recorder was going over time. 00:24:38.620 --> 00:24:38.880 Right? 00:24:41.259 --> 00:24:42.100 No love. 00:24:42.140 --> 00:24:44.660 It's because I think, 00:24:44.660 --> 00:24:45.640 that I'm better than them. 00:24:45.700 --> 00:24:46.220 I'm okay, 00:24:46.340 --> 00:24:47.000 you're not okay. 00:24:48.160 --> 00:24:49.040 And I've forgotten, 00:24:49.820 --> 00:24:50.820 that what the gospel does, 00:24:50.880 --> 00:24:51.960 it diagnoses me, 00:24:52.020 --> 00:24:52.259 and says, 00:24:52.340 --> 00:24:52.660 actually, 00:24:53.040 --> 00:24:53.280 Chris, 00:24:53.340 --> 00:24:54.200 you're not okay either. 00:24:55.600 --> 00:24:56.720 But if we left it there, 00:24:56.780 --> 00:24:57.960 that would be a little bit depressing. 00:24:59.740 --> 00:25:00.000 The, 00:25:00.000 --> 00:25:02.180 the passage goes on. 00:25:03.559 --> 00:25:04.000 Okay? 00:25:04.000 --> 00:25:05.140 The passage goes on. 00:25:05.579 --> 00:25:07.119 We're called to be a people, 00:25:07.259 --> 00:25:08.339 who are people of love. 00:25:08.680 --> 00:25:09.819 The passage goes on to show, 00:25:09.900 --> 00:25:10.140 actually, 00:25:10.259 --> 00:25:10.960 we hate because, 00:25:11.460 --> 00:25:12.819 we are putting our trust in things, 00:25:12.859 --> 00:25:13.500 other than God, 00:25:13.519 --> 00:25:14.940 and we're thinking we're okay, 00:25:15.259 --> 00:25:15.920 apart from, 00:25:16.339 --> 00:25:17.359 by ourselves. 00:25:18.099 --> 00:25:19.660 But then the passage goes on, 00:25:19.819 --> 00:25:21.079 to say this. 00:25:22.039 --> 00:25:22.419 But, 00:25:23.099 --> 00:25:24.579 but, 00:25:25.099 --> 00:25:26.799 but, 00:25:26.799 --> 00:25:27.359 but, 00:25:27.359 --> 00:25:29.579 but the grace, 00:25:30.639 --> 00:25:31.500 the goodness, 00:25:31.779 --> 00:25:33.500 when the goodness and kindness, 00:25:33.839 --> 00:25:35.159 the loving kindness of God, 00:25:35.220 --> 00:25:35.799 our Savior, 00:25:36.019 --> 00:25:36.599 appeared, 00:25:37.279 --> 00:25:38.859 He saved us. 00:25:39.619 --> 00:25:41.479 He saved us. 00:25:41.599 --> 00:25:41.799 You know, 00:25:41.859 --> 00:25:41.959 that, 00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:43.819 that is an amazing but. 00:25:44.539 --> 00:25:45.519 That's a beautiful but. 00:25:46.359 --> 00:25:47.839 It's more beautiful than my but. 00:25:48.399 --> 00:25:48.740 It's, 00:25:48.959 --> 00:25:49.459 it's, 00:25:49.919 --> 00:25:50.859 it's a but, 00:25:50.979 --> 00:25:52.039 which says, 00:25:52.740 --> 00:25:54.959 in spite of all those other things, 00:25:56.339 --> 00:25:57.679 God does something. 00:25:58.019 --> 00:25:58.279 You know, 00:25:59.259 --> 00:25:59.619 we, 00:25:59.619 --> 00:25:59.839 we, 00:25:59.859 --> 00:26:01.479 we talk a lot about sin here, 00:26:01.659 --> 00:26:01.939 in, 00:26:01.979 --> 00:26:02.679 in Watermark, 00:26:02.799 --> 00:26:03.740 because here's the thing. 00:26:04.139 --> 00:26:06.459 You will never see the beauty of the stars, 00:26:06.879 --> 00:26:08.839 until you see them against the night sky. 00:26:09.779 --> 00:26:12.500 You will never see the beauty of God's saving grace, 00:26:12.539 --> 00:26:14.379 until you see the true state of your own heart. 00:26:15.419 --> 00:26:18.199 If you rush into just talking about how Jesus loves you, 00:26:18.219 --> 00:26:19.099 and Jesus saves you, 00:26:19.099 --> 00:26:20.559 and you don't see the other side, 00:26:20.859 --> 00:26:22.319 you will not capture, 00:26:22.419 --> 00:26:22.559 your, 00:26:22.559 --> 00:26:23.699 your heart will just be lukewarm. 00:26:23.819 --> 00:26:23.959 You go, 00:26:24.019 --> 00:26:24.259 yeah, 00:26:24.539 --> 00:26:25.219 Jesus is okay. 00:26:25.919 --> 00:26:26.419 He's all right. 00:26:27.479 --> 00:26:28.240 But you see, 00:26:28.379 --> 00:26:30.279 when you get just what you're really like, 00:26:30.359 --> 00:26:33.379 then when the goodness and loving kindness of God, 00:26:33.419 --> 00:26:33.979 our Savior, 00:26:34.199 --> 00:26:34.759 appears, 00:26:35.979 --> 00:26:38.159 and it's not from anything that I've done, 00:26:38.160 --> 00:26:39.820 it's not from any way that I'm good. 00:26:39.960 --> 00:26:41.420 On the lovability scale, 00:26:41.580 --> 00:26:43.540 I'm kind of minus 10,000. 00:26:44.740 --> 00:26:46.420 That loving kindness comes, 00:26:46.519 --> 00:26:46.960 and you know, 00:26:47.160 --> 00:26:50.580 that word loving kindness is the word philanthropy, 00:26:50.880 --> 00:26:53.080 it's from where you get philanthropist from. 00:26:53.300 --> 00:26:55.680 It literally means a love of people. 00:26:56.519 --> 00:26:58.540 In a world which is filled with hatred, 00:26:59.220 --> 00:27:01.580 God is brimming over with love for people. 00:27:02.400 --> 00:27:03.000 Do you know that? 00:27:03.000 --> 00:27:06.079 He's brimming over abundantly. 00:27:06.440 --> 00:27:09.259 He has philanthropy towards us. 00:27:10.819 --> 00:27:11.920 In 1942, 00:27:12.539 --> 00:27:15.400 in a Japanese prisoner of war camp, 00:27:15.460 --> 00:27:16.839 there was a group of Scottish soldiers, 00:27:17.619 --> 00:27:21.579 and they were building a bridge in the camp for the Japanese, 00:27:21.740 --> 00:27:23.180 and a shovel went missing. 00:27:23.180 --> 00:27:26.560 The Japanese guard became furious, 00:27:26.980 --> 00:27:29.060 and he demanded the culprit, 00:27:29.220 --> 00:27:30.000 whoever had done it, 00:27:30.039 --> 00:27:30.759 to own up, 00:27:30.900 --> 00:27:33.000 or every person there would be killed. 00:27:34.180 --> 00:27:35.160 No one responded. 00:27:35.900 --> 00:27:36.779 No one admitted. 00:27:37.060 --> 00:27:39.100 The officer drew his gun, 00:27:39.400 --> 00:27:40.400 and at that moment, 00:27:40.660 --> 00:27:43.400 one of those Scottish soldiers stood silently, 00:27:43.620 --> 00:27:44.240 stepped forward. 00:27:46.120 --> 00:27:47.200 The officer, 00:27:47.860 --> 00:27:48.640 in rage, 00:27:48.860 --> 00:27:50.160 beat him to death. 00:27:50.160 --> 00:27:57.100 Just as his fellow prisoners were carrying him away, 00:27:58.100 --> 00:28:01.820 they did a recount of all the shovels that were there. 00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:04.060 Do you know what they found? 00:28:04.860 --> 00:28:06.200 Every shovel was there. 00:28:06.779 --> 00:28:08.400 They had miscounted the first time. 00:28:11.040 --> 00:28:15.279 When news that that guy had stepped forward 00:28:15.279 --> 00:28:19.639 and taken the hit for everybody else, 00:28:20.740 --> 00:28:22.220 when the news of that sacrifice 00:28:22.779 --> 00:28:24.500 spread through the camp, 00:28:24.559 --> 00:28:26.480 how do you think the people responded? 00:28:27.579 --> 00:28:28.240 Did they go, 00:28:29.039 --> 00:28:30.059 oh, that was quite cool. 00:28:31.740 --> 00:28:32.559 Good guy. 00:28:34.980 --> 00:28:36.359 No, do you know what happened? 00:28:36.539 --> 00:28:40.000 It transformed the way the prisoners behaved 00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:40.920 towards each other. 00:28:41.000 --> 00:28:42.700 They started to resolve their conflicts. 00:28:43.259 --> 00:28:44.720 They treated each other as brothers. 00:28:44.720 --> 00:28:46.920 They began to sacrifice for one another. 00:28:47.019 --> 00:28:47.779 This really happened. 00:28:48.640 --> 00:28:50.720 Because of that guy's sacrifice, 00:28:51.480 --> 00:28:53.079 they saw something beautiful, 00:28:53.759 --> 00:28:56.519 and it began to break that cycle. 00:28:57.360 --> 00:28:59.980 That's what the Christian message is about. 00:29:00.079 --> 00:29:02.740 That's why we say we need more Christianity, 00:29:03.039 --> 00:29:05.079 because that's what Jesus does for us. 00:29:06.019 --> 00:29:07.299 He takes the bullet. 00:29:07.420 --> 00:29:09.420 He takes the hit for us. 00:29:09.720 --> 00:29:12.720 And in a world of religious and non-religious people, 00:29:12.720 --> 00:29:15.220 of cruel and unjust authorities, 00:29:15.220 --> 00:29:17.420 who mocked and hated him. 00:29:18.059 --> 00:29:20.460 People who actually kind of represent you and me. 00:29:21.640 --> 00:29:23.819 He was the only one 00:29:23.819 --> 00:29:26.519 who had ever perfectly done 00:29:26.519 --> 00:29:28.380 what Paul commands us to do. 00:29:29.519 --> 00:29:30.440 He's submitted. 00:29:31.319 --> 00:29:32.259 He's obedient. 00:29:32.519 --> 00:29:34.900 He speaks evil of none of them. 00:29:35.380 --> 00:29:37.000 He's gentle to them. 00:29:37.000 --> 00:29:41.119 And he responds with a subversive love, 00:29:41.240 --> 00:29:42.740 where as everyone is mocking him, 00:29:42.980 --> 00:29:44.579 he replies and says, 00:29:45.460 --> 00:29:47.460 Father, forgive them, 00:29:47.819 --> 00:29:49.460 for they know not what they're doing. 00:29:50.920 --> 00:29:51.700 You see, 00:29:52.240 --> 00:29:54.740 if I was to ask you what your recorder 00:29:54.740 --> 00:29:56.680 has been recording in your life this week, 00:29:57.799 --> 00:30:03.079 where you've been speaking evil of others, 00:30:03.079 --> 00:30:05.939 where all that other stuff has been judging, 00:30:06.379 --> 00:30:07.460 all those things, 00:30:07.679 --> 00:30:08.480 where I've been saying, 00:30:08.679 --> 00:30:09.759 I'm not going to forgive others 00:30:09.759 --> 00:30:10.899 for what they've done to me, 00:30:12.059 --> 00:30:14.279 we need to revert our gaze 00:30:14.279 --> 00:30:15.179 and to look up here. 00:30:16.480 --> 00:30:16.859 And you know, 00:30:16.899 --> 00:30:17.839 we know this as Christians, 00:30:17.980 --> 00:30:18.579 but do you know what? 00:30:18.639 --> 00:30:19.379 Do you know why Paul says, 00:30:19.500 --> 00:30:20.099 remind them? 00:30:21.379 --> 00:30:22.879 Because we just forget 00:30:22.879 --> 00:30:24.939 again and again. 00:30:24.940 --> 00:30:29.039 And Jesus said to a prostitute 00:30:29.039 --> 00:30:30.980 who tearfully ran to him for forgiveness, 00:30:31.240 --> 00:30:33.259 he who is forgiven much, 00:30:33.559 --> 00:30:35.360 loves much. 00:30:36.059 --> 00:30:36.480 You know, 00:30:36.559 --> 00:30:37.580 when we lack love, 00:30:37.640 --> 00:30:39.279 a lack of love is a lack, 00:30:39.880 --> 00:30:41.759 indicates a lack of a sense of forgiveness. 00:30:43.660 --> 00:30:44.039 You know, 00:30:44.600 --> 00:30:45.559 as time goes on, 00:30:45.620 --> 00:30:46.340 we think we're actually, 00:30:46.539 --> 00:30:46.720 hmm, 00:30:46.880 --> 00:30:47.700 Jesus' sacrifice. 00:30:47.960 --> 00:30:48.140 Yeah, 00:30:48.320 --> 00:30:48.700 it's cool. 00:30:50.320 --> 00:30:52.039 Maybe we feel we don't really need it. 00:30:52.360 --> 00:30:52.640 You know, 00:30:52.960 --> 00:30:53.460 it's good. 00:30:53.460 --> 00:30:55.140 Maybe because we don't feel 00:30:55.140 --> 00:30:56.380 we really deserve it 00:30:56.380 --> 00:30:57.900 or we can't believe it's true. 00:30:58.220 --> 00:30:59.559 But he says to us, 00:31:00.600 --> 00:31:01.519 my grace, 00:31:01.660 --> 00:31:03.319 when the goodness and kindness 00:31:03.319 --> 00:31:04.340 of my Savior, 00:31:04.500 --> 00:31:05.259 Jesus Christ, 00:31:05.380 --> 00:31:05.940 appeared, 00:31:06.579 --> 00:31:07.759 he saved you, 00:31:08.079 --> 00:31:09.360 not because of anything 00:31:09.360 --> 00:31:10.920 that you have done, 00:31:11.519 --> 00:31:14.019 but only because of his mercy 00:31:14.019 --> 00:31:15.240 and grace. 00:31:17.100 --> 00:31:17.440 You see, 00:31:17.600 --> 00:31:18.740 once you get that, 00:31:19.240 --> 00:31:19.759 and do you know what? 00:31:19.779 --> 00:31:20.860 You're going to have to keep getting it 00:31:20.860 --> 00:31:22.519 with the people 00:31:22.519 --> 00:31:24.099 that you're struggling with right now. 00:31:25.700 --> 00:31:27.700 What we need is this. 00:31:29.240 --> 00:31:30.480 If you want to change 00:31:30.480 --> 00:31:32.180 to be the person God calls you to be, 00:31:32.940 --> 00:31:34.599 you don't just need more education. 00:31:35.319 --> 00:31:35.559 Okay? 00:31:36.720 --> 00:31:38.200 You can read book after book 00:31:38.200 --> 00:31:38.980 on dieting, 00:31:39.079 --> 00:31:40.220 but it doesn't give you the power 00:31:40.220 --> 00:31:41.099 to diet. 00:31:43.779 --> 00:31:44.799 As Christians, 00:31:44.799 --> 00:31:47.759 we need a power to change us, 00:31:47.799 --> 00:31:49.000 and that's my third thing. 00:31:50.200 --> 00:31:51.960 We're called to be this kind of people. 00:31:52.240 --> 00:31:53.059 We're not like that 00:31:53.059 --> 00:31:55.039 because we're leaning on so many other things. 00:31:55.139 --> 00:31:56.019 We're trusting in ourselves. 00:31:56.139 --> 00:31:56.980 We think we're okay. 00:31:57.220 --> 00:31:59.339 But God's power to save us 00:31:59.339 --> 00:32:02.079 and change us 00:32:02.079 --> 00:32:03.599 comes here. 00:32:04.700 --> 00:32:05.559 Next verse. 00:32:05.559 --> 00:32:17.859 That word for regeneration 00:32:17.859 --> 00:32:19.619 is only found in one other place 00:32:19.619 --> 00:32:20.099 in the Bible, 00:32:20.279 --> 00:32:21.419 which is in Matthew 19. 00:32:21.960 --> 00:32:23.139 And when Jesus says, 00:32:23.819 --> 00:32:25.079 in the new world, 00:32:25.500 --> 00:32:26.319 that's the same word, 00:32:26.460 --> 00:32:27.899 in the regeneration. 00:32:28.899 --> 00:32:31.460 Regeneration is God renewing 00:32:31.460 --> 00:32:32.740 the whole world. 00:32:32.740 --> 00:32:34.960 A world filled with hatred 00:32:34.960 --> 00:32:36.099 and pain 00:32:36.099 --> 00:32:37.000 and sadness 00:32:37.000 --> 00:32:38.000 and injustice. 00:32:38.620 --> 00:32:39.900 He's going to renew it all. 00:32:40.640 --> 00:32:41.720 Not like you renew 00:32:41.720 --> 00:32:42.620 a library book. 00:32:42.900 --> 00:32:43.980 He's going to renew it 00:32:43.980 --> 00:32:45.400 in the sense of, 00:32:45.460 --> 00:32:45.599 you know, 00:32:45.640 --> 00:32:47.180 the cold, harsh winter 00:32:47.180 --> 00:32:48.079 of Narnia 00:32:48.079 --> 00:32:50.000 becoming thawing 00:32:50.000 --> 00:32:50.720 and becoming 00:32:50.720 --> 00:32:52.500 a glorious spring, 00:32:52.740 --> 00:32:55.579 joy-filled land. 00:32:56.079 --> 00:32:56.680 He's going to, 00:32:56.900 --> 00:32:57.960 he renovates 00:32:57.960 --> 00:32:59.240 your stained, 00:32:59.579 --> 00:33:00.019 moldy, 00:33:00.120 --> 00:33:00.920 disheveled heart 00:33:00.920 --> 00:33:02.140 to become a heart of love. 00:33:02.740 --> 00:33:04.420 This is the gospel promise. 00:33:05.460 --> 00:33:07.900 That he is bringing you 00:33:07.900 --> 00:33:09.259 into, 00:33:09.859 --> 00:33:10.220 you know, 00:33:10.380 --> 00:33:12.279 God creates the whole world 00:33:12.279 --> 00:33:13.660 in Genesis chapter 1. 00:33:13.900 --> 00:33:14.400 Do you know he does 00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:15.240 another creation? 00:33:15.599 --> 00:33:16.400 And that's the creation 00:33:16.400 --> 00:33:17.539 he's doing in your heart. 00:33:17.859 --> 00:33:19.079 When if you become a Christian, 00:33:19.460 --> 00:33:21.380 he makes you a new creation. 00:33:21.859 --> 00:33:22.880 He's renewing you. 00:33:23.099 --> 00:33:24.200 He's making you different. 00:33:24.200 --> 00:33:27.539 You are the beginning 00:33:27.539 --> 00:33:28.779 of the new world 00:33:28.779 --> 00:33:29.480 I am making. 00:33:29.580 --> 00:33:30.140 That's what he says 00:33:30.140 --> 00:33:31.120 to us as a church. 00:33:31.580 --> 00:33:33.400 His spirit is in you. 00:33:34.059 --> 00:33:35.160 If you're not a Christian, 00:33:36.360 --> 00:33:37.480 the Bible says 00:33:37.480 --> 00:33:38.700 you need a heart transplant. 00:33:39.740 --> 00:33:41.160 You need a new birth, 00:33:41.600 --> 00:33:43.039 a new operating system. 00:33:43.360 --> 00:33:44.400 And it only comes 00:33:44.400 --> 00:33:45.240 as you recognize 00:33:45.240 --> 00:33:46.460 the darkness of your heart. 00:33:46.460 --> 00:33:49.539 But as Christians, 00:33:49.680 --> 00:33:50.680 we can underestimate 00:33:50.680 --> 00:33:52.279 what the new birth means. 00:33:52.900 --> 00:33:53.120 You know, 00:33:53.460 --> 00:33:54.660 cowards like Peter 00:33:54.660 --> 00:33:56.019 have power 00:33:56.019 --> 00:33:56.980 to be courageous. 00:33:57.680 --> 00:33:58.720 Haters like Paul 00:33:58.720 --> 00:33:59.380 have power 00:33:59.380 --> 00:34:00.079 to be lovers. 00:34:00.940 --> 00:34:02.140 Whatever you're struggling 00:34:02.140 --> 00:34:03.559 with right now 00:34:03.559 --> 00:34:04.039 and you're thinking, 00:34:04.180 --> 00:34:04.700 I'm not sure 00:34:04.700 --> 00:34:05.860 if I can really change. 00:34:05.940 --> 00:34:06.360 I'm not sure 00:34:06.360 --> 00:34:07.240 if I can really get 00:34:07.240 --> 00:34:07.880 through this. 00:34:08.260 --> 00:34:09.619 Then Paul says to you, 00:34:09.840 --> 00:34:10.900 you have a living, 00:34:11.240 --> 00:34:12.460 breathing God 00:34:12.460 --> 00:34:13.960 who lives inside of you 00:34:13.960 --> 00:34:14.920 by his Holy Spirit 00:34:14.920 --> 00:34:15.900 who's poured out 00:34:15.900 --> 00:34:17.099 on you richly 00:34:17.099 --> 00:34:20.300 and he is the power 00:34:20.300 --> 00:34:21.340 you need 00:34:21.340 --> 00:34:22.699 to be able to live 00:34:22.699 --> 00:34:23.139 the life 00:34:23.139 --> 00:34:24.059 that you cannot live 00:34:24.059 --> 00:34:24.400 otherwise. 00:34:26.119 --> 00:34:27.940 Why do I struggle 00:34:27.940 --> 00:34:29.659 with my own desires? 00:34:29.800 --> 00:34:29.920 I mean, 00:34:29.960 --> 00:34:30.500 you might think, 00:34:31.740 --> 00:34:32.920 that sounds great 00:34:32.920 --> 00:34:33.500 but in my life 00:34:33.500 --> 00:34:34.019 I struggle. 00:34:34.639 --> 00:34:35.619 We still live 00:34:35.619 --> 00:34:36.579 in a fallen world. 00:34:36.679 --> 00:34:37.360 We still live 00:34:37.360 --> 00:34:38.119 in a difficult, 00:34:38.699 --> 00:34:39.659 broken world. 00:34:39.780 --> 00:34:40.199 We're not all 00:34:40.199 --> 00:34:41.019 we should be. 00:34:42.019 --> 00:34:43.199 But between Jesus' 00:34:43.199 --> 00:34:43.900 first coming 00:34:43.900 --> 00:34:44.800 and his second coming 00:34:44.800 --> 00:34:45.200 he says, 00:34:45.300 --> 00:34:45.760 I've given you 00:34:45.760 --> 00:34:47.019 power to change. 00:34:47.800 --> 00:34:49.220 The power of my spirit. 00:34:53.619 --> 00:34:54.760 So who are you relying 00:34:54.760 --> 00:34:55.539 on at the moment 00:34:55.539 --> 00:34:56.980 as you're thinking 00:34:56.980 --> 00:34:58.740 about that tape recorder 00:34:58.740 --> 00:34:59.539 and where you struggle? 00:35:02.860 --> 00:35:03.980 You may think 00:35:03.980 --> 00:35:05.680 it's legitimate 00:35:05.680 --> 00:35:06.760 the hatred 00:35:06.760 --> 00:35:08.059 or the words 00:35:08.059 --> 00:35:08.880 that you're spaying 00:35:08.880 --> 00:35:09.720 to your kids, 00:35:09.860 --> 00:35:10.440 your spouse, 00:35:10.599 --> 00:35:11.079 your boss, 00:35:11.160 --> 00:35:11.800 all those other things 00:35:11.800 --> 00:35:12.400 and it may well 00:35:12.400 --> 00:35:12.980 be legitimate. 00:35:13.900 --> 00:35:15.780 But legitimacy 00:35:15.780 --> 00:35:16.800 is only relevant 00:35:16.800 --> 00:35:17.420 if you're part 00:35:17.420 --> 00:35:17.940 of this world 00:35:17.940 --> 00:35:18.480 and not part 00:35:18.480 --> 00:35:19.340 of a new creation. 00:35:21.800 --> 00:35:22.300 You see, 00:35:22.360 --> 00:35:23.180 the power is like this. 00:35:23.200 --> 00:35:24.119 I was moving furniture 00:35:24.119 --> 00:35:24.780 the other week 00:35:24.780 --> 00:35:27.760 and I had a desk. 00:35:27.840 --> 00:35:28.920 It was a very heavy desk. 00:35:28.980 --> 00:35:30.019 I was kind of carrying along 00:35:30.019 --> 00:35:32.840 and I was struggling 00:35:32.840 --> 00:35:33.940 and I had to lift it up 00:35:33.940 --> 00:35:34.619 into the truck 00:35:34.619 --> 00:35:36.119 and I was standing there 00:35:36.119 --> 00:35:36.960 and I just wasn't 00:35:36.960 --> 00:35:37.599 getting anywhere. 00:35:38.659 --> 00:35:38.940 I mean, 00:35:38.980 --> 00:35:39.699 I'm Mr. Muscles 00:35:39.699 --> 00:35:40.259 as it is. 00:35:40.480 --> 00:35:41.039 But, you know, 00:35:41.239 --> 00:35:42.880 and I was trying 00:35:42.880 --> 00:35:43.420 to lift it up 00:35:43.420 --> 00:35:44.440 and I looked over 00:35:44.440 --> 00:35:45.860 to the truck driver 00:35:45.860 --> 00:35:47.099 and kind of said, 00:35:47.340 --> 00:35:47.599 like, 00:35:48.000 --> 00:35:48.480 help. 00:35:49.000 --> 00:35:49.259 And do you know 00:35:49.259 --> 00:35:49.599 what he did? 00:35:49.599 --> 00:35:51.639 He pressed his little 00:35:51.639 --> 00:35:52.559 button on the side 00:35:52.559 --> 00:35:54.380 and this platform 00:35:54.380 --> 00:35:54.779 went 00:35:54.779 --> 00:35:58.059 and I just walked in. 00:35:59.159 --> 00:35:59.779 I was like, 00:35:59.819 --> 00:36:00.380 that's cool. 00:36:01.500 --> 00:36:01.759 Now, 00:36:01.760 --> 00:36:03.940 God says, 00:36:04.260 --> 00:36:05.740 when you are struggling 00:36:05.740 --> 00:36:06.560 by yourself, 00:36:06.660 --> 00:36:08.040 trying to change yourself, 00:36:08.320 --> 00:36:09.600 trying to make it all happen, 00:36:09.900 --> 00:36:11.300 trying to love the people 00:36:11.300 --> 00:36:13.600 who you just detest, 00:36:14.460 --> 00:36:15.300 good luck. 00:36:16.640 --> 00:36:17.840 But you can either 00:36:17.840 --> 00:36:18.840 rely on yourself 00:36:18.840 --> 00:36:20.140 or you can turn 00:36:20.140 --> 00:36:20.780 to the one 00:36:20.780 --> 00:36:21.700 who has given you 00:36:21.700 --> 00:36:23.340 the power to be changed 00:36:23.340 --> 00:36:24.300 and you can say, 00:36:24.640 --> 00:36:25.440 I need you. 00:36:26.220 --> 00:36:26.620 God, 00:36:26.680 --> 00:36:27.240 I need you. 00:36:27.500 --> 00:36:28.580 My boss is an idiot. 00:36:28.700 --> 00:36:29.540 I can't stand him 00:36:29.540 --> 00:36:30.060 but I need you 00:36:30.060 --> 00:36:30.820 to help me to love him 00:36:30.820 --> 00:36:31.880 not speak evil of him. 00:36:32.780 --> 00:36:33.519 The government, 00:36:34.120 --> 00:36:35.019 my spouse, 00:36:35.340 --> 00:36:35.960 my kids, 00:36:36.220 --> 00:36:37.360 I don't know what it is. 00:36:37.860 --> 00:36:38.860 I need you. 00:36:40.019 --> 00:36:40.720 You can try 00:36:40.720 --> 00:36:41.660 and carry that load. 00:36:41.780 --> 00:36:42.360 You can try and say, 00:36:42.420 --> 00:36:42.519 well, 00:36:42.519 --> 00:36:42.960 it doesn't matter. 00:36:43.039 --> 00:36:43.559 I'm just going to live 00:36:43.559 --> 00:36:44.160 my own way. 00:36:44.380 --> 00:36:45.420 But God calls us, 00:36:45.519 --> 00:36:46.200 if you're a Christian, 00:36:46.320 --> 00:36:47.000 to be different 00:36:47.000 --> 00:36:48.180 and he empowers you 00:36:48.180 --> 00:36:48.780 to be different. 00:36:49.500 --> 00:36:50.780 And the reason why 00:36:50.780 --> 00:36:53.360 we so often live 00:36:53.360 --> 00:36:56.440 with so much less Christianity 00:36:56.440 --> 00:36:57.800 is we've made it 00:36:57.800 --> 00:36:58.760 all about ourselves. 00:36:59.200 --> 00:37:00.120 We've made it all about 00:37:00.119 --> 00:37:01.319 relying on my things. 00:37:01.539 --> 00:37:02.880 We try to put our hopes 00:37:02.880 --> 00:37:04.779 in anything other than God. 00:37:05.079 --> 00:37:05.599 And God says, 00:37:05.679 --> 00:37:07.460 I've given my spirit to you. 00:37:07.679 --> 00:37:08.480 It is the power 00:37:08.480 --> 00:37:09.679 you need to change. 00:37:10.000 --> 00:37:11.239 It is the glorious way 00:37:11.239 --> 00:37:12.279 that as a community, 00:37:12.759 --> 00:37:14.639 if we run to him 00:37:14.639 --> 00:37:15.319 day in, 00:37:15.400 --> 00:37:15.759 day out, 00:37:15.819 --> 00:37:16.659 do you know what you'll see? 00:37:18.819 --> 00:37:20.099 You'll begin to see 00:37:20.099 --> 00:37:22.960 lives 00:37:22.960 --> 00:37:25.400 which are different 00:37:25.400 --> 00:37:26.819 from the world around. 00:37:26.820 --> 00:37:29.019 you'll begin to see 00:37:29.019 --> 00:37:31.100 a people, 00:37:31.860 --> 00:37:32.740 when other people 00:37:32.740 --> 00:37:34.300 treat us badly, 00:37:35.500 --> 00:37:37.059 we supernaturally 00:37:37.059 --> 00:37:38.019 have a grace 00:37:38.019 --> 00:37:39.460 to be able to respond 00:37:39.460 --> 00:37:40.920 with kindness 00:37:40.920 --> 00:37:41.920 and gentleness 00:37:41.920 --> 00:37:42.519 and love 00:37:42.519 --> 00:37:43.340 because we know, 00:37:43.620 --> 00:37:44.940 we know better than them. 00:37:45.500 --> 00:37:46.940 But I have been saved 00:37:46.940 --> 00:37:48.220 by an amazing God 00:37:48.220 --> 00:37:49.559 and his love 00:37:49.559 --> 00:37:50.760 is what sustains me. 00:37:51.280 --> 00:37:52.080 He is good. 00:37:52.680 --> 00:37:53.360 Let me pray. 00:37:53.360 --> 00:38:04.220 I'd like you just to think 00:38:04.220 --> 00:38:04.720 for a moment 00:38:04.720 --> 00:38:05.700 about 00:38:05.700 --> 00:38:09.200 what's been playing 00:38:09.200 --> 00:38:09.960 on your tape recorder 00:38:09.960 --> 00:38:11.740 this week. 00:38:13.940 --> 00:38:14.880 Who are the people 00:38:14.880 --> 00:38:15.579 that you struggle 00:38:15.579 --> 00:38:16.360 with? 00:38:18.559 --> 00:38:19.599 What are the times 00:38:19.599 --> 00:38:20.099 where 00:38:20.099 --> 00:38:23.500 you're just so tempted 00:38:23.500 --> 00:38:24.440 to see everything 00:38:24.440 --> 00:38:24.980 that's wrong 00:38:24.980 --> 00:38:26.380 with everybody else? 00:38:32.679 --> 00:38:33.420 And I want you 00:38:33.420 --> 00:38:34.019 just to come 00:38:34.019 --> 00:38:36.759 and think about 00:38:36.759 --> 00:38:37.860 the cross 00:38:37.860 --> 00:38:38.319 for a minute. 00:38:40.679 --> 00:38:42.059 And I want to see you there. 00:38:43.099 --> 00:38:44.299 See yourself there. 00:38:48.139 --> 00:38:48.860 And I want you 00:38:48.860 --> 00:38:49.880 to see Christ. 00:38:50.099 --> 00:38:55.539 And I want you 00:38:55.539 --> 00:38:56.279 to see that 00:38:56.279 --> 00:38:57.679 when he says 00:38:57.679 --> 00:38:58.920 Father forgive them 00:38:58.920 --> 00:39:01.380 he says that to you. 00:39:03.659 --> 00:39:04.920 He says that to me. 00:39:10.440 --> 00:39:11.179 And Father 00:39:11.179 --> 00:39:11.759 we just 00:39:11.759 --> 00:39:14.319 we need your spirit. 00:39:15.779 --> 00:39:16.539 If we're to be 00:39:16.539 --> 00:39:17.000 the church 00:39:17.000 --> 00:39:18.019 you call us to be 00:39:18.019 --> 00:39:19.420 if we're to be 00:39:19.420 --> 00:39:19.920 the husbands 00:39:19.920 --> 00:39:20.840 and the wives 00:39:20.840 --> 00:39:21.860 and the parents 00:39:21.860 --> 00:39:24.000 and the students 00:39:24.000 --> 00:39:25.960 and the citizens 00:39:25.960 --> 00:39:27.940 and the people 00:39:27.940 --> 00:39:28.680 who are doing good 00:39:28.680 --> 00:39:29.420 in this city 00:39:29.420 --> 00:39:31.260 but do good 00:39:31.260 --> 00:39:32.340 when we see injustice 00:39:32.340 --> 00:39:33.059 and when people 00:39:33.059 --> 00:39:33.920 treat us badly 00:39:33.920 --> 00:39:35.200 we don't 00:39:35.200 --> 00:39:35.519 we don't 00:39:35.519 --> 00:39:36.659 kind of continue 00:39:36.659 --> 00:39:37.260 that cycle 00:39:37.260 --> 00:39:37.860 of hatred 00:39:37.860 --> 00:39:38.599 and revenge 00:39:38.599 --> 00:39:39.960 Lord that is so hard. 00:39:40.440 --> 00:39:40.780 In fact 00:39:40.780 --> 00:39:41.559 it is impossible 00:39:41.559 --> 00:39:44.059 if it wasn't 00:39:44.059 --> 00:39:44.539 for you. 00:39:46.400 --> 00:39:47.199 And so I pray 00:39:47.199 --> 00:39:48.299 that you give us 00:39:48.299 --> 00:39:51.340 your Holy Spirit's 00:39:51.340 --> 00:39:51.799 power 00:39:51.799 --> 00:39:53.559 fill us this week 00:39:53.559 --> 00:39:55.000 to be different 00:39:55.000 --> 00:39:56.940 change us 00:39:56.940 --> 00:39:58.480 make us new 00:39:58.480 --> 00:40:00.139 let us see you. 00:40:00.139 --> 00:40:01.380 Amen. 00:40:01.380 --> 00:40:17.880 DayОalley 00:40:17.880 --> 00:40:18.780 blood