WEBVTT

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 Please get your Bibles open. It would be a great help.

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 We're going to look at Genesis, the story of Noah,

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 or what happens after Noah gets out of the ark.

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 But I don't know if you noticed it when Laurier was reading the text,

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 and we're going to start a little bit before that, just to give the context.

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 But for a lot of people in our culture,

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 especially for a lot of people for the last 50 years,

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 what Laurier read was deeply offensive.

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 It's deeply offensive to many people in our culture.

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 It basically goes against the grain of how progressive thought thinks.

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 And many people think that a text like what Laurier just read about 10 minutes ago

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 contributes to ecological catastrophes and raping of the earth.

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 And so it seems like a simple text at first,

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 but it's actually been the source of a lot of controversy,

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 especially over the last 50 years.

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 So open your Bibles.

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 We're going to look at this text,

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 and we're going to see if it's as bad as people think or what exactly it says.

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 And we're going to begin reading it to Genesis 8, verse 20.

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 Genesis 8, verse 20.

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 And the context is that those of you who have been following along,

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 we're going through the first 11 chapters of Genesis,

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 God has brought the pre-flood world to an end.

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 He has reset and recreated the earth through the flood

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 and his mighty miracle of the flood.

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 He has kept Noah and seven other people safe.

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 They've gotten out into this new, renewed earth.

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 And now the story takes place as to what happens when they get off the boat.

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 What happens when they get off the boat?

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 And it begins at verse 20 of chapter 8.

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 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord

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 and took some of every clean animal and some of every clean bird

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 and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

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 Just pause there.

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 It's not really part of the sermon,

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 but it's really, really interesting

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 that the first thing that Noah did when he got off the ark

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 was to think of God.

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 And the sacrifice which he offers here is a sacrifice.

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 If you go and look in Leviticus,

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 Moses helps us to understand what Noah's intention was.

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 And it was a sacrifice of homage.

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 I don't know if I pronounced that word right.

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 He's acknowledging that God is God and that he is not.

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 He's acknowledging that God is the great deliverer.

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 God is the one who has saved him.

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 It's really, really interesting, you know,

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 because just think for ourselves

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 when something really good happens

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 or when we've just, like a lot of times

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 when things go really good in our lives,

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 we think about ourselves.

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 Like, you know, it'd be very easy

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 if I was Noah, I'd probably think,

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 wow, did I ever nail sailing that ark.

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 I'd be thinking of myself, you know.

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 Or maybe I'd be thinking of what I could eat,

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 you know, now that I'm off the boat

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 and I could eat fresh fruit.

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 I don't know.

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 I'd be thinking probably of myself or my family.

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 I'd maybe be filled with pride.

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 But it's very interesting

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 that the very first thing that Noah does

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 is think of God

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 and not only think of God

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 but do an act where he acknowledges

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 that God is the great deliverer,

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 that God is the only God,

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 that he belongs,

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 that Noah and his family ultimately are under God.

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 And then God reacts to this in verse 21.

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 And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma,

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 and that's like figurative language

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 that God was pleased.

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 Noah had done what is right.

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 It's right for us to be Godward in our thinking

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 and not take the credit and the praise

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 and the glory for ourselves

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 or just to be self-centered.

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 It's right to look up to God.

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 And then the Lord said in his heart,

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 I will never again,

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 notice this powerful language,

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 I will never again curse,

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 that's dishonor or,

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 yeah, dishonor the ground

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 because of man,

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 because of human beings.

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 For the intention of man's heart

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 is evil from his youth.

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 Neither will I ever again strike down,

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 notice that,

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 neither will I ever again

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 strike down every living creatures I have done.

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 While the earth remains,

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 seed time and harvest,

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 cold and heat,

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 summer and winter,

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 day and night,

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 shall not cease.

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 If you could put up the first point,

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 that would be really helpful.

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 This is one of the really big ideas in this text.

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 God has promised

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 that he will never let human beings

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 make the world uninhabitable for human beings.

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 That's what this text is saying.

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 God has promised

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 that he will never let human beings

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 make the world uninhabitable

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 for human beings

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 and for other living beings as well.

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 It's an actually astounding promise.

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 It's unilateral.

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 God does it by himself.

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 It's unprovoked.

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 It isn't that Noah has asked for this

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 or we human beings have asked for it.

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 It is unconditional

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 and it is completely and utterly unending.

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 And the text emphasizes that.

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 It makes us understand

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 how serious God is about this promise

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 that God will never allow human beings

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 to make the world uninhabitable for human beings

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 and that he himself will not destroy the earth

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 by a flood ever again.

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 If you just jump down a few verses

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 to chapter 9 verse 8,

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 it's made even clearer in the text.

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 It's emphasized time and time and time again in the text.

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 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with them,

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 Behold, I establish.

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 I establish my covenant with you

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 and your offspring after you.

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 That's us.

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 And with every living creature that is with you,

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 the birds, the livestock,

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 and every beast of the earth with you,

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 as many as came out of the ark,

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 it is for every beast of the earth.

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 In other words,

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 it's not just for the animals that come out.

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 It's for every single critter.

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 Every critter that's ever lived

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 and ever will live.

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 Verse 11,

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 I establish my covenant with you

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 that never again

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 shall all flesh be cut off

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 by the waters of the flood

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 and never again

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 shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.

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 And God said,

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 This is the sign of the covenant

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 that I make between me and you

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 and every living creature that is with you

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 for all future generations.

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 I have set my bow in the cloud

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 and it shall be a sign of the covenant

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 between me and the earth.

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 But just pause here for a second.

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 The text isn't saying

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 that there weren't rainbows before this.

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 It's just saying that God is taking something

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 which is very, very public

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 and there's all this other symbolism

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 that we could think about it,

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 you know, in a sense that it's in the sky,

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 that it covers a big distance,

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 that it encircles,

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 like it's pointing upwards,

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 you know, that it's his war bow set down.

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 There's all this imagery

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 and all that you can think of.

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 And we have to be acknowledging that,

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 you know, often now when we think of rainbows,

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 we think of the LGBTQI community,

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 but the Bible says that when we see a rainbow in the sky,

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 that is a sign that God has given,

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 a public sign,

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 whether you're in Kenya,

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 whether you're in China,

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 whether you're in Australia,

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 whether you're in Canada,

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 he's given this sign.

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 And every time we see this sign,

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 we are to remember

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 that God is making this solemn promise.

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 Verse 14,

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 When I bring clouds over the earth

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 and the bow is seen in the clouds,

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 I will remember my covenant

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 that is between me and you

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 and every living creature of all flesh,

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 and the water shall never again

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 become a flood to destroy all flesh.

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 When the bow is in the clouds,

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 I can't say that word,

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 is in the clouds,

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 I will see it and remember

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 the everlasting covenant

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 between God

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 and every living creature

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 of all flesh that is on the earth.

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 God said to Noah,

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 This is the sign of the covenant

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 that I have established

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 between me and all flesh

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 that is on earth.

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 So it's emphasized

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 time and time and time again.

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 God does this

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 on his own initiative.

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 There's no conditions

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 that never again

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 will the flood destroy the earth.

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 And not only will never again

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 will the flood destroy the earth,

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 is that God is going to guarantee

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 that the earth is inhabitable.

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 That's how this is all moved forward.

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 We're going to be fruitful.

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 We're going to multiply.

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 God will guarantee it.

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 Now, many, many, many, many people

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 over the last 50 years,

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 because there's been

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 a justifiable concern

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 about pollution,

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 they,

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 I mean, it's very, very common thought

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 that human beings

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 can destroy the planet.

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 That if we don't deal

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 with climate change

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 in a particular way,

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 it endangers all life.

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 That if we don't deal

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 with nuclear war,

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 it endangers all of life.

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 If we don't deal with this,

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 it endangers all of life.

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 It's a very, very constant theme.

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 If we don't deal

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 with overpopulation,

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 it's going to cause

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 all these problems.

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 It's going to endanger

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 human life.

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 It's a very, very, very

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 common belief

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 that the ability

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 to destroy all things

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 is in human hands,

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 and therefore we need

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 to take very, very drastic measures

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 to change it.

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 And when people see

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 texts like this,

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 they say,

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 good grief, George.

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 Like, if people actually

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 believe this,

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 it's going to mean

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 that they don't take

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 pollution seriously.

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 It means they're not going

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 to take this seriously,

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 an overpopulation.

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 It's going to permit

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 the raping of the earth.

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 It's going to,

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 it's, it's,

00:10:08.879 --> 00:10:10.279
 George, this is the most

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 unbelievably dangerous text.

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 people might say,

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 George, does,

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 does God not know

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 how evil human beings are?

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 And how they can take

00:10:26.100 --> 00:10:27.600
 promises like that

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 and just do all sorts

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 of unspeakable things?

00:10:35.720 --> 00:10:36.600
 Well, you know,

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 it's very interesting

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 that when God makes

00:10:39.220 --> 00:10:41.860
 this outrageous promise,

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 he makes it fully aware

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 of what human beings

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 are like.

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 I don't know if you noticed,

00:10:48.800 --> 00:10:49.800
 look again at,

00:10:49.800 --> 00:10:50.840
 at chapter 8,

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 verse 20,

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 and to 22,

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 how I began.

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 I don't know if you noticed,

00:10:55.539 --> 00:10:55.919
 it's, oh,

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 it's a bit jarring

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 if you read it slowly

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 and carefully.

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 Notice how jarring it is.

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 Okay, look again,

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 verse 20,

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 then Noah built an altar

00:11:03.300 --> 00:11:03.779
 to the Lord

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 and took some of every

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 clean animal

00:11:05.399 --> 00:11:06.100
 and some of every

00:11:06.100 --> 00:11:06.740
 clean bird

00:11:06.740 --> 00:11:08.019
 and offered burnt offerings

00:11:08.019 --> 00:11:08.639
 on the altar.

00:11:09.399 --> 00:11:10.800
 And when the Lord smelled

00:11:10.799 --> 00:11:11.639
 the pleasing Roman,

00:11:11.719 --> 00:11:12.019
 in other words,

00:11:12.039 --> 00:11:12.799
 he's pleased with it,

00:11:12.819 --> 00:11:13.839
 the Lord said in his heart,

00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:14.740
 and here's the thing,

00:11:15.259 --> 00:11:16.279
 I will never again

00:11:16.279 --> 00:11:17.399
 dishonor the ground

00:11:17.399 --> 00:11:18.259
 because of man.

00:11:19.339 --> 00:11:20.159
 And then does he say,

00:11:20.299 --> 00:11:21.059
 because I think

00:11:21.059 --> 00:11:21.819
 human beings

00:11:21.819 --> 00:11:22.759
 have a great future.

00:11:23.359 --> 00:11:24.500
 I think human beings

00:11:24.500 --> 00:11:25.500
 will be responsible.

00:11:26.199 --> 00:11:27.379
 I think human beings

00:11:27.379 --> 00:11:28.279
 are perfectible.

00:11:28.719 --> 00:11:29.839
 I think human beings

00:11:29.839 --> 00:11:30.379
 are good.

00:11:30.859 --> 00:11:31.919
 I think human beings

00:11:31.919 --> 00:11:32.500
 are wise.

00:11:32.779 --> 00:11:33.659
 I think human beings

00:11:33.659 --> 00:11:34.299
 are smart.

00:11:34.659 --> 00:11:35.639
 I think human beings

00:11:35.639 --> 00:11:36.399
 aren't selfish.

00:11:36.939 --> 00:11:37.279
 No,

00:11:37.959 --> 00:11:38.519
 he says,

00:11:38.519 --> 00:11:39.220
 for the intention

00:11:39.220 --> 00:11:39.840
 of man's heart

00:11:39.840 --> 00:11:41.019
 is evil from his youth.

00:11:44.000 --> 00:11:45.259
 He knows humans.

00:11:46.579 --> 00:11:46.819
 And yet,

00:11:47.079 --> 00:11:47.639
 right after that,

00:11:47.659 --> 00:11:47.879
 he says,

00:11:47.960 --> 00:11:49.759
 neither will I ever again

00:11:49.759 --> 00:11:50.460
 strike down

00:11:50.460 --> 00:11:51.600
 every living creature

00:11:51.600 --> 00:11:52.220
 as I have done

00:11:52.220 --> 00:11:53.199
 while the earth remains,

00:11:53.360 --> 00:11:54.159
 sea time and harvest,

00:11:54.299 --> 00:11:54.860
 cold and heat,

00:11:55.000 --> 00:11:55.579
 summer and winter,

00:11:55.720 --> 00:11:56.199
 day and night,

00:11:56.559 --> 00:11:57.220
 shall not cease.

00:11:57.720 --> 00:11:58.539
 And not only

00:11:58.539 --> 00:11:59.100
 is the beginning

00:11:59.100 --> 00:11:59.500
 of this,

00:11:59.679 --> 00:12:00.659
 before this promise,

00:12:00.759 --> 00:12:01.179
 but immediately

00:12:01.179 --> 00:12:02.500
 after the promise,

00:12:03.600 --> 00:12:03.960
 in fact,

00:12:04.079 --> 00:12:04.899
 God shows,

00:12:04.899 --> 00:12:07.179
 God shows,

00:12:07.579 --> 00:12:08.959
 the Bible shows

00:12:08.959 --> 00:12:10.259
 the depth,

00:12:12.139 --> 00:12:12.779
 like a really,

00:12:12.879 --> 00:12:13.079
 really,

00:12:13.159 --> 00:12:13.379
 really,

00:12:13.379 --> 00:12:14.379
 really terrible

00:12:14.379 --> 00:12:15.879
 example of sin.

00:12:18.120 --> 00:12:19.379
 Look at verse 18

00:12:19.379 --> 00:12:20.279
 of chapter 9.

00:12:21.139 --> 00:12:21.860
 This is a bit

00:12:21.860 --> 00:12:23.059
 of an X-rated sermon,

00:12:23.620 --> 00:12:24.139
 actually.

00:12:26.319 --> 00:12:27.199
 One of the problems

00:12:27.199 --> 00:12:27.980
 we have with reading

00:12:27.980 --> 00:12:28.439
 the Bible

00:12:28.439 --> 00:12:29.059
 is if they were

00:12:29.059 --> 00:12:30.159
 to really make the Bible

00:12:30.159 --> 00:12:31.120
 and put it in a movie,

00:12:31.279 --> 00:12:32.340
 it would be X-rated.

00:12:33.399 --> 00:12:34.379
 Lots of the Bible

00:12:34.379 --> 00:12:35.320
 would be X-rated.

00:12:36.679 --> 00:12:37.720
 Look at verse 18

00:12:37.720 --> 00:12:38.500
 of chapter 9.

00:12:38.759 --> 00:12:39.039
 So here,

00:12:39.360 --> 00:12:39.600
 you know,

00:12:39.639 --> 00:12:40.259
 the question is

00:12:40.259 --> 00:12:40.679
 how on earth

00:12:40.679 --> 00:12:41.620
 can God make this

00:12:41.620 --> 00:12:42.379
 unbelievable,

00:12:42.700 --> 00:12:44.080
 unconditional promise

00:12:44.080 --> 00:12:45.659
 that he is going to,

00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:46.220
 you know,

00:12:46.279 --> 00:12:47.320
 it almost sounds

00:12:47.320 --> 00:12:47.799
 as if no matter

00:12:47.799 --> 00:12:48.899
 what human beings do,

00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:49.840
 they will not be able

00:12:49.840 --> 00:12:50.840
 to destroy the planet

00:12:50.840 --> 00:12:51.639
 and we can say

00:12:51.639 --> 00:12:52.039
 to ourselves,

00:12:52.179 --> 00:12:52.439
 gosh,

00:12:52.519 --> 00:12:53.519
 with nuclear bombs,

00:12:53.659 --> 00:12:54.080
 with this,

00:12:54.159 --> 00:12:54.519
 with this,

00:12:54.600 --> 00:12:54.919
 with this,

00:12:55.000 --> 00:12:55.279
 with this,

00:12:55.299 --> 00:12:55.740
 does God,

00:12:56.159 --> 00:12:57.139
 is he off his,

00:12:57.360 --> 00:12:57.559
 like,

00:12:57.559 --> 00:12:58.559
 is he nuts?

00:12:59.700 --> 00:13:00.639
 Does he not know

00:13:00.639 --> 00:13:01.320
 what human beings

00:13:01.320 --> 00:13:02.279
 are capable of?

00:13:02.700 --> 00:13:03.620
 Look at 918.

00:13:04.379 --> 00:13:05.519
 The sons of Noah

00:13:05.519 --> 00:13:06.299
 who went forth

00:13:06.299 --> 00:13:06.919
 from the ark

00:13:06.919 --> 00:13:07.519
 were Shem,

00:13:07.720 --> 00:13:07.960
 Ham,

00:13:08.039 --> 00:13:08.720
 and Japheth.

00:13:09.340 --> 00:13:10.519
 Ham was the father

00:13:10.519 --> 00:13:11.120
 of Canaan.

00:13:11.960 --> 00:13:12.519
 These three

00:13:12.519 --> 00:13:13.519
 were the sons of Noah

00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:14.340
 and from these

00:13:14.340 --> 00:13:15.620
 the people of the whole earth

00:13:15.620 --> 00:13:16.439
 were dispersed.

00:13:17.639 --> 00:13:18.600
 Noah began to be

00:13:18.600 --> 00:13:19.639
 a man of the soil

00:13:19.639 --> 00:13:21.620
 and he planted a vineyard

00:13:21.620 --> 00:13:22.980
 and he figured out

00:13:22.980 --> 00:13:23.860
 how to make wine

00:13:23.860 --> 00:13:26.240
 and he drank the wine

00:13:26.240 --> 00:13:27.460
 and became drunk

00:13:27.460 --> 00:13:30.000
 and lay uncovered

00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:31.159
 in his tent.

00:13:31.360 --> 00:13:31.799
 And actually,

00:13:31.799 --> 00:13:32.839
 that's a bit mild.

00:13:33.559 --> 00:13:34.359
 It's sort of a funny

00:13:34.359 --> 00:13:35.019
 type of idea

00:13:35.019 --> 00:13:35.939
 but he somehow

00:13:35.939 --> 00:13:37.319
 exposed himself.

00:13:37.459 --> 00:13:38.000
 In other words,

00:13:38.419 --> 00:13:39.359
 not only is there

00:13:39.359 --> 00:13:40.839
 the sin of being drunk

00:13:40.839 --> 00:13:42.399
 but that somehow

00:13:42.399 --> 00:13:43.099
 even though he was

00:13:43.099 --> 00:13:44.039
 in the privacy

00:13:44.039 --> 00:13:44.859
 of his tent,

00:13:44.979 --> 00:13:45.620
 there was a type

00:13:45.620 --> 00:13:46.519
 of a drunken,

00:13:46.779 --> 00:13:47.959
 wanton exposing

00:13:47.959 --> 00:13:48.719
 of himself.

00:13:52.319 --> 00:13:53.719
 He's lost any sense

00:13:53.719 --> 00:13:54.699
 of type of modesty

00:13:54.699 --> 00:13:55.199
 even though he's

00:13:55.199 --> 00:13:56.899
 in his own tent.

00:13:56.899 --> 00:13:59.679
 And then verse 22,

00:13:59.819 --> 00:14:00.439
 And Ham,

00:14:00.899 --> 00:14:02.100
 the father of Canaan,

00:14:02.740 --> 00:14:03.840
 saw the nakedness

00:14:03.840 --> 00:14:04.579
 of his father

00:14:04.579 --> 00:14:06.299
 and told his two

00:14:06.299 --> 00:14:07.240
 brothers outside.

00:14:07.740 --> 00:14:08.039
 Now,

00:14:08.899 --> 00:14:09.600
 the problem

00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:10.759
 with this translation

00:14:10.759 --> 00:14:12.799
 and if you read

00:14:12.799 --> 00:14:14.240
 commentaries on it,

00:14:14.899 --> 00:14:16.579
 it's fairly literal

00:14:16.579 --> 00:14:18.539
 but it doesn't capture

00:14:18.539 --> 00:14:19.279
 the nuance.

00:14:19.860 --> 00:14:20.740
 And in the nuance,

00:14:20.740 --> 00:14:22.179
 saw the nakedness

00:14:22.179 --> 00:14:22.919
 of his father

00:14:22.919 --> 00:14:26.099
 is clearly homoerotic

00:14:26.099 --> 00:14:27.879
 and incestuous.

00:14:30.579 --> 00:14:33.199
 And the text

00:14:33.199 --> 00:14:34.319
 doesn't go into detail

00:14:34.319 --> 00:14:34.919
 about it

00:14:34.919 --> 00:14:36.519
 and so it leads

00:14:36.519 --> 00:14:37.199
 to a lot of other

00:14:37.199 --> 00:14:37.879
 speculation

00:14:37.879 --> 00:14:39.979
 but in the original language,

00:14:40.439 --> 00:14:41.479
 it's clearly

00:14:41.479 --> 00:14:42.539
 something evil,

00:14:43.539 --> 00:14:44.559
 something sexual,

00:14:45.919 --> 00:14:48.679
 something incestual.

00:14:49.319 --> 00:14:50.519
 Whether it's just

00:14:50.519 --> 00:14:52.459
 merely as a great

00:14:52.460 --> 00:14:53.480
 lusting and desire

00:14:53.480 --> 00:14:54.300
 after his heart,

00:14:54.400 --> 00:14:55.120
 whether it's connected

00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:55.840
 to something like

00:14:55.840 --> 00:14:56.600
 masturbation,

00:14:56.700 --> 00:14:57.340
 whether it's connected

00:14:57.340 --> 00:14:58.420
 to actual sexual

00:14:58.420 --> 00:14:59.080
 penetration,

00:15:00.360 --> 00:15:00.980
 the text

00:15:00.980 --> 00:15:03.160
 puts a veil

00:15:03.160 --> 00:15:03.759
 over that.

00:15:06.840 --> 00:15:07.759
 But remember

00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:08.560
 the point is

00:15:08.560 --> 00:15:09.120
 does God know

00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:09.759
 what human beings

00:15:09.759 --> 00:15:10.680
 are capable of?

00:15:11.120 --> 00:15:11.540
 Actually,

00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:12.280
 the Bible shows

00:15:12.280 --> 00:15:12.660
 that he knows

00:15:12.660 --> 00:15:13.379
 what human beings

00:15:13.379 --> 00:15:14.420
 are capable of.

00:15:16.500 --> 00:15:17.340
 Like in a very

00:15:17.340 --> 00:15:18.420
 shocking manner.

00:15:20.060 --> 00:15:20.820
 And then

00:15:20.820 --> 00:15:22.480
 we're not going

00:15:22.480 --> 00:15:23.020
 to read it

00:15:23.020 --> 00:15:24.379
 but after that

00:15:24.379 --> 00:15:25.440
 then Noah's

00:15:25.440 --> 00:15:26.080
 response

00:15:26.080 --> 00:15:26.640
 and actually

00:15:26.640 --> 00:15:26.980
 we'll just

00:15:26.980 --> 00:15:27.700
 continue on

00:15:27.700 --> 00:15:28.140
 with it actually

00:15:28.140 --> 00:15:28.540
 and then in

00:15:28.540 --> 00:15:29.220
 verse 22,

00:15:29.400 --> 00:15:30.379
 verse 23,

00:15:31.200 --> 00:15:31.920
 verse 22,

00:15:32.040 --> 00:15:32.760
 and Ham the father

00:15:32.760 --> 00:15:33.720
 of Canaan,

00:15:34.100 --> 00:15:34.620
 say that again,

00:15:34.920 --> 00:15:36.160
 saw the nakedness

00:15:36.160 --> 00:15:37.020
 of his father

00:15:37.020 --> 00:15:37.940
 and told his

00:15:37.940 --> 00:15:38.480
 two brothers

00:15:38.480 --> 00:15:39.060
 outside.

00:15:39.200 --> 00:15:39.640
 In other words,

00:15:39.720 --> 00:15:40.480
 not only does

00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:41.980
 Ham do something

00:15:41.980 --> 00:15:42.920
 which is of a

00:15:42.920 --> 00:15:44.360
 incestual,

00:15:44.840 --> 00:15:45.880
 sexual nature

00:15:45.879 --> 00:15:49.399
 and homoerotic

00:15:49.399 --> 00:15:52.019
 but he's proud

00:15:52.019 --> 00:15:53.100
 and evangelistic

00:15:53.100 --> 00:15:53.559
 about it.

00:15:56.019 --> 00:15:56.799
 He's not

00:15:56.799 --> 00:15:57.559
 repentant.

00:15:58.120 --> 00:15:58.840
 Doesn't think

00:15:58.840 --> 00:15:59.159
 he's done

00:15:59.159 --> 00:15:59.779
 anything wrong.

00:16:02.879 --> 00:16:03.840
 What happens

00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:04.360
 after this

00:16:04.360 --> 00:16:05.279
 is Noah

00:16:05.279 --> 00:16:06.240
 gives a

00:16:06.240 --> 00:16:06.659
 prophetic

00:16:06.659 --> 00:16:08.539
 prayer

00:16:08.539 --> 00:16:10.139
 where amongst

00:16:10.139 --> 00:16:11.059
 other things

00:16:11.059 --> 00:16:11.759
 he

00:16:11.759 --> 00:16:13.279
 in his

00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:14.399
 prophetic prayer

00:16:14.399 --> 00:16:15.720
 sees the future

00:16:15.720 --> 00:16:16.459
 of slavery

00:16:16.459 --> 00:16:18.179
 and he uses

00:16:18.179 --> 00:16:19.100
 Canaan as a bit

00:16:19.100 --> 00:16:20.000
 of a symbol

00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:21.360
 of that there's

00:16:21.360 --> 00:16:22.100
 going to be

00:16:22.100 --> 00:16:23.779
 whole parts

00:16:23.779 --> 00:16:24.459
 of the earth

00:16:24.459 --> 00:16:25.919
 which are given

00:16:25.919 --> 00:16:26.779
 over to evil.

00:16:28.480 --> 00:16:29.000
 So,

00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:29.659
 remember,

00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:30.740
 here's the point

00:16:30.740 --> 00:16:31.659
 God has promised

00:16:31.659 --> 00:16:32.399
 that he will

00:16:32.399 --> 00:16:33.360
 never let human

00:16:33.360 --> 00:16:34.159
 beings make the

00:16:34.159 --> 00:16:35.399
 world uninhabitable

00:16:35.399 --> 00:16:37.000
 for human beings.

00:16:38.759 --> 00:16:39.720
 It really is

00:16:39.720 --> 00:16:40.679
 quite an astounding

00:16:40.679 --> 00:16:41.299
 thing,

00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:42.220
 actually,

00:16:42.340 --> 00:16:42.639
 isn't it?

00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:43.179
 That God would

00:16:43.179 --> 00:16:43.779
 make such a

00:16:43.779 --> 00:16:44.220
 promise

00:16:44.220 --> 00:16:45.779
 we,

00:16:46.040 --> 00:16:47.920
 you see,

00:16:48.000 --> 00:16:48.680
 here's how we

00:16:48.680 --> 00:16:49.800
 naturally think

00:16:49.800 --> 00:16:51.580
 because in our

00:16:51.580 --> 00:16:52.200
 heart of hearts

00:16:52.200 --> 00:16:52.840
 we want to be

00:16:52.840 --> 00:16:53.220
 God.

00:16:54.540 --> 00:16:54.940
 So,

00:16:55.019 --> 00:16:55.340
 in our

00:16:55.340 --> 00:16:55.940
 heart of hearts

00:16:55.940 --> 00:16:56.399
 we want to

00:16:56.399 --> 00:16:56.920
 be God

00:16:56.920 --> 00:16:58.800
 and so

00:16:58.800 --> 00:16:59.620
 we really

00:16:59.620 --> 00:17:00.680
 think that

00:17:00.680 --> 00:17:01.399
 God,

00:17:02.160 --> 00:17:02.420
 I mean,

00:17:02.480 --> 00:17:02.800
 it's funny,

00:17:02.879 --> 00:17:03.220
 on one hand

00:17:03.220 --> 00:17:03.639
 we don't want

00:17:03.639 --> 00:17:04.319
 God to frighten

00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:04.440
 us,

00:17:04.500 --> 00:17:04.819
 but on the other

00:17:04.819 --> 00:17:05.299
 hand we'd

00:17:05.299 --> 00:17:05.799
 much rather

00:17:05.799 --> 00:17:06.259
 that God

00:17:06.259 --> 00:17:06.819
 said something

00:17:06.819 --> 00:17:07.279
 frightening

00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:08.440
 that this is

00:17:08.440 --> 00:17:08.740
 going to go

00:17:08.740 --> 00:17:09.299
 really bad

00:17:09.299 --> 00:17:09.579
 for you

00:17:09.579 --> 00:17:09.960
 if you do

00:17:09.960 --> 00:17:10.600
 certain things

00:17:10.600 --> 00:17:10.960
 or we'd

00:17:10.960 --> 00:17:12.519
 want to make

00:17:12.519 --> 00:17:12.799
 it a bit

00:17:12.799 --> 00:17:13.259
 of a quid

00:17:13.259 --> 00:17:13.859
 pro quo,

00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:14.619
 I won't

00:17:14.619 --> 00:17:15.920
 damage things

00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:16.379
 if you do

00:17:16.379 --> 00:17:16.839
 things the

00:17:16.839 --> 00:17:17.259
 right way

00:17:17.259 --> 00:17:17.879
 or whatever

00:17:17.879 --> 00:17:18.279
 it is.

00:17:18.420 --> 00:17:19.180
 We have a

00:17:19.180 --> 00:17:19.920
 hard time

00:17:19.920 --> 00:17:20.339
 with this

00:17:20.339 --> 00:17:21.220
 just pure

00:17:21.220 --> 00:17:22.339
 gift of

00:17:22.339 --> 00:17:23.119
 grace and

00:17:23.119 --> 00:17:24.259
 life that

00:17:24.259 --> 00:17:24.700
 God is going

00:17:24.700 --> 00:17:25.039
 to give to

00:17:25.039 --> 00:17:25.359
 the human

00:17:25.359 --> 00:17:25.759
 race.

00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:25.879
 evil.

00:17:26.879 --> 00:17:27.619
 But he

00:17:27.619 --> 00:17:28.420
 does it in

00:17:28.420 --> 00:17:29.099
 the context

00:17:29.099 --> 00:17:29.680
 of knowing

00:17:29.680 --> 00:17:30.379
 human evil

00:17:30.379 --> 00:17:31.619
 and he

00:17:31.619 --> 00:17:32.119
 does it in

00:17:32.119 --> 00:17:32.579
 a very,

00:17:32.700 --> 00:17:32.900
 very,

00:17:33.000 --> 00:17:33.940
 very interesting

00:17:33.940 --> 00:17:34.559
 way,

00:17:35.319 --> 00:17:36.019
 letting human

00:17:36.019 --> 00:17:36.839
 beings know

00:17:36.839 --> 00:17:38.940
 that he's

00:17:38.940 --> 00:17:39.440
 still going

00:17:39.440 --> 00:17:40.180
 to judge

00:17:40.180 --> 00:17:41.240
 and that

00:17:41.240 --> 00:17:41.759
 there's a

00:17:41.759 --> 00:17:42.039
 very,

00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:43.099
 very profound

00:17:43.099 --> 00:17:44.039
 humbling

00:17:44.039 --> 00:17:44.400
 limit.

00:17:44.500 --> 00:17:44.819
 And this is

00:17:44.819 --> 00:17:45.079
 going to get

00:17:45.079 --> 00:17:45.579
 even more

00:17:45.579 --> 00:17:45.960
 politically

00:17:45.960 --> 00:17:46.519
 incorrect.

00:17:49.079 --> 00:17:49.619
 It's going

00:17:49.619 --> 00:17:49.779
 to get

00:17:49.779 --> 00:17:50.500
 even more

00:17:50.500 --> 00:17:50.900
 politically

00:17:50.900 --> 00:17:51.440
 incorrect.

00:17:52.720 --> 00:17:53.180
 Just before

00:17:53.180 --> 00:17:53.480
 I get to

00:17:53.480 --> 00:17:53.599
 that,

00:17:53.700 --> 00:17:53.819
 you know,

00:17:54.019 --> 00:17:55.420
 one of the

00:17:55.420 --> 00:17:55.840
 things that

00:17:55.840 --> 00:17:56.440
 often get

00:17:56.440 --> 00:17:57.279
 snuck into

00:17:57.279 --> 00:17:57.920
 discussions

00:17:57.920 --> 00:17:58.460
 around the

00:17:58.460 --> 00:17:58.900
 future of

00:17:58.900 --> 00:17:59.240
 the earth

00:17:59.240 --> 00:17:59.560
 and the

00:17:59.560 --> 00:18:01.240
 danger of

00:18:01.240 --> 00:18:02.400
 human beings

00:18:02.400 --> 00:18:03.460
 destroying the

00:18:03.460 --> 00:18:04.180
 earth is

00:18:04.180 --> 00:18:04.480
 that we

00:18:04.480 --> 00:18:05.160
 human beings,

00:18:05.259 --> 00:18:05.560
 it's not

00:18:05.560 --> 00:18:05.860
 that we

00:18:05.860 --> 00:18:06.200
 sort of

00:18:06.200 --> 00:18:06.779
 remember what

00:18:06.779 --> 00:18:07.380
 God's word

00:18:07.380 --> 00:18:07.740
 says,

00:18:07.840 --> 00:18:08.039
 but we

00:18:08.039 --> 00:18:08.440
 start to

00:18:08.440 --> 00:18:09.000
 believe that

00:18:09.000 --> 00:18:09.759
 we can

00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:10.279
 create by

00:18:10.279 --> 00:18:10.640
 our own

00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:11.200
 efforts some

00:18:11.200 --> 00:18:11.560
 type of

00:18:11.560 --> 00:18:12.100
 utopia.

00:18:13.340 --> 00:18:13.660
 And it's

00:18:13.660 --> 00:18:13.880
 very,

00:18:13.980 --> 00:18:14.400
 very interesting

00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:14.920
 what often

00:18:14.920 --> 00:18:15.480
 happens in

00:18:15.480 --> 00:18:16.180
 the conversation

00:18:16.180 --> 00:18:16.860
 is that on

00:18:16.860 --> 00:18:17.640
 one hand,

00:18:17.800 --> 00:18:18.160
 we say,

00:18:18.320 --> 00:18:18.539
 how on

00:18:18.539 --> 00:18:18.840
 earth can

00:18:18.840 --> 00:18:19.259
 you trust

00:18:19.259 --> 00:18:19.700
 private

00:18:19.700 --> 00:18:20.539
 individuals to

00:18:20.539 --> 00:18:21.120
 not cause

00:18:21.120 --> 00:18:21.680
 damage,

00:18:22.140 --> 00:18:22.640
 or certain

00:18:22.640 --> 00:18:23.360
 rogue nations

00:18:23.360 --> 00:18:23.880
 to cause

00:18:23.880 --> 00:18:24.360
 damage?

00:18:24.840 --> 00:18:25.080
 But in

00:18:25.079 --> 00:18:25.339
 the very,

00:18:25.439 --> 00:18:25.960
 very next

00:18:25.960 --> 00:18:26.639
 breath with

00:18:26.639 --> 00:18:27.000
 the other

00:18:27.000 --> 00:18:27.460
 hand,

00:18:27.919 --> 00:18:28.279
 they say

00:18:28.279 --> 00:18:28.740
 what's really

00:18:28.740 --> 00:18:29.179
 needed is

00:18:29.179 --> 00:18:29.720
 people like

00:18:29.720 --> 00:18:30.220
 us to be

00:18:30.220 --> 00:18:30.799
 in control

00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:31.159
 to make

00:18:31.159 --> 00:18:31.460
 sure the

00:18:31.460 --> 00:18:32.079
 damage doesn't

00:18:32.079 --> 00:18:32.439
 happen.

00:18:35.159 --> 00:18:35.939
 And nobody

00:18:35.939 --> 00:18:36.839
 notices that

00:18:36.839 --> 00:18:37.279
 somehow or

00:18:37.279 --> 00:18:37.539
 another we

00:18:37.539 --> 00:18:38.099
 can't trust

00:18:38.099 --> 00:18:38.599
 all those

00:18:38.599 --> 00:18:39.419
 other people,

00:18:39.899 --> 00:18:40.480
 but we

00:18:40.480 --> 00:18:41.059
 can trust

00:18:41.059 --> 00:18:41.480
 me,

00:18:41.699 --> 00:18:42.839
 give me

00:18:42.839 --> 00:18:43.399
 the power.

00:18:45.199 --> 00:18:45.879
 But this

00:18:45.879 --> 00:18:46.379
 text, in

00:18:46.379 --> 00:18:46.720
 fact, the

00:18:46.720 --> 00:18:47.139
 Bible is

00:18:47.139 --> 00:18:47.579
 very, very

00:18:47.579 --> 00:18:48.199
 wise.

00:18:48.579 --> 00:18:48.980
 It's going to

00:18:48.980 --> 00:18:49.519
 say something

00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:50.480
 very, very,

00:18:50.579 --> 00:18:51.119
 very, very

00:18:51.119 --> 00:18:51.519
 politically

00:18:51.519 --> 00:18:52.099
 incorrect, but

00:18:52.099 --> 00:18:52.500
 it's very

00:18:52.500 --> 00:18:53.079
 wise.

00:18:53.079 --> 00:18:54.579
 And it's

00:18:54.579 --> 00:18:54.879
 the bit

00:18:54.879 --> 00:18:55.559
 in between

00:18:55.559 --> 00:18:56.220
 what I

00:18:56.220 --> 00:18:57.139
 first read

00:18:57.139 --> 00:18:57.460
 and what

00:18:57.460 --> 00:18:57.819
 I just

00:18:57.819 --> 00:18:58.519
 read.

00:18:58.639 --> 00:18:58.939
 Look at

00:18:58.939 --> 00:18:59.500
 verse 1

00:18:59.500 --> 00:19:00.199
 of chapter

00:19:00.199 --> 00:19:00.579
 9.

00:19:01.899 --> 00:19:02.740
 And God

00:19:02.740 --> 00:19:03.419
 blessed Noah

00:19:03.419 --> 00:19:03.799
 and his

00:19:03.799 --> 00:19:04.379
 sons and

00:19:04.379 --> 00:19:04.759
 said to

00:19:04.759 --> 00:19:04.939
 them,

00:19:05.019 --> 00:19:05.619
 be fruitful

00:19:05.619 --> 00:19:06.639
 and multiply

00:19:06.639 --> 00:19:07.659
 and fill

00:19:07.659 --> 00:19:08.179
 the earth.

00:19:09.019 --> 00:19:09.879
 The fear

00:19:09.879 --> 00:19:10.319
 of you

00:19:10.319 --> 00:19:10.759
 and the

00:19:10.759 --> 00:19:11.179
 dread of

00:19:11.179 --> 00:19:11.679
 you shall

00:19:11.679 --> 00:19:12.259
 be upon

00:19:12.259 --> 00:19:13.240
 every beast

00:19:13.240 --> 00:19:13.559
 of the

00:19:13.559 --> 00:19:14.019
 earth and

00:19:14.019 --> 00:19:14.699
 upon every

00:19:14.699 --> 00:19:15.119
 bird of

00:19:15.119 --> 00:19:15.579
 the heavens

00:19:15.579 --> 00:19:16.619
 and upon

00:19:16.619 --> 00:19:17.099
 everything

00:19:17.099 --> 00:19:17.799
 that creeps

00:19:17.799 --> 00:19:18.039
 on the

00:19:18.039 --> 00:19:19.179
 ground and

00:19:19.179 --> 00:19:19.679
 all the

00:19:19.679 --> 00:19:20.099
 flesh of

00:19:20.099 --> 00:19:20.500
 the sea.

00:19:20.500 --> 00:19:21.539
 Into

00:19:21.539 --> 00:19:22.079
 your hand

00:19:22.079 --> 00:19:22.400
 they are

00:19:22.400 --> 00:19:22.759
 delivered.

00:19:23.599 --> 00:19:23.920
 Every

00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:24.740
 moving thing

00:19:24.740 --> 00:19:25.299
 that lives

00:19:25.299 --> 00:19:25.720
 shall be

00:19:25.720 --> 00:19:26.220
 food for

00:19:26.220 --> 00:19:26.440
 you.

00:19:27.240 --> 00:19:27.680
 As I

00:19:27.680 --> 00:19:28.079
 have given

00:19:28.079 --> 00:19:28.359
 you the

00:19:28.359 --> 00:19:29.000
 green plants,

00:19:29.059 --> 00:19:29.359
 I give

00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:29.980
 you everything.

00:19:30.640 --> 00:19:30.960
 Now just

00:19:30.960 --> 00:19:31.660
 pause for a

00:19:31.660 --> 00:19:32.099
 second here.

00:19:32.619 --> 00:19:33.079
 This is

00:19:33.079 --> 00:19:34.819
 just a bit

00:19:34.819 --> 00:19:35.299
 of a time

00:19:35.299 --> 00:19:35.599
 out about

00:19:35.599 --> 00:19:35.960
 the text.

00:19:36.039 --> 00:19:36.339
 This is

00:19:36.339 --> 00:19:37.279
 really very,

00:19:37.380 --> 00:19:37.799
 very, very

00:19:37.799 --> 00:19:38.339
 interesting.

00:19:40.220 --> 00:19:40.779
 Those of

00:19:40.779 --> 00:19:41.000
 you who were

00:19:41.000 --> 00:19:41.500
 here last

00:19:41.500 --> 00:19:41.960
 week, I

00:19:41.960 --> 00:19:42.680
 tried to

00:19:42.680 --> 00:19:43.500
 show how

00:19:43.500 --> 00:19:44.519
 just before

00:19:44.519 --> 00:19:45.160
 the flood

00:19:45.160 --> 00:19:46.220
 in a very,

00:19:46.359 --> 00:19:46.900
 very simple

00:19:46.900 --> 00:19:47.539
 way, God

00:19:47.539 --> 00:19:48.279
 describes,

00:19:48.420 --> 00:19:48.980
 God's word

00:19:48.980 --> 00:19:49.720
 describes it as

00:19:49.720 --> 00:19:50.480
 almost as if

00:19:50.480 --> 00:19:51.319
 the earth

00:19:51.319 --> 00:19:51.880
 before the

00:19:51.880 --> 00:19:52.319
 flood had

00:19:52.319 --> 00:19:53.099
 become something

00:19:53.099 --> 00:19:53.980
 like Mordor.

00:19:55.140 --> 00:19:55.539
 One of the

00:19:55.539 --> 00:19:55.860
 things which

00:19:55.860 --> 00:19:56.319
 is really

00:19:56.319 --> 00:19:57.440
 interesting is

00:19:57.440 --> 00:19:57.880
 that God

00:19:57.880 --> 00:19:58.440
 uses the

00:19:58.440 --> 00:19:59.200
 flood, he

00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:00.220
 judges the

00:20:00.220 --> 00:20:00.920
 earth, he

00:20:00.920 --> 00:20:02.339
 kills, it

00:20:02.339 --> 00:20:02.900
 brings to an

00:20:02.900 --> 00:20:03.480
 end the

00:20:03.480 --> 00:20:04.339
 whole pre-flood

00:20:04.339 --> 00:20:05.759
 world, and

00:20:05.759 --> 00:20:06.519
 now we're in

00:20:06.519 --> 00:20:07.259
 the post-flood

00:20:07.259 --> 00:20:07.839
 world, and

00:20:07.839 --> 00:20:08.180
 there's just

00:20:08.180 --> 00:20:08.680
 these little

00:20:08.680 --> 00:20:09.599
 tiny bits of

00:20:09.599 --> 00:20:10.740
 suggestions, a

00:20:10.740 --> 00:20:11.259
 little bit about

00:20:11.259 --> 00:20:11.980
 what the life

00:20:11.980 --> 00:20:13.200
 and life was

00:20:13.200 --> 00:20:13.900
 like before the

00:20:13.900 --> 00:20:14.160
 flood.

00:20:15.460 --> 00:20:16.140
 It's sort of

00:20:16.140 --> 00:20:17.240
 implied here that

00:20:17.240 --> 00:20:18.200
 there used to

00:20:18.200 --> 00:20:18.720
 be a different

00:20:18.720 --> 00:20:19.680
 relationship before

00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:20.079
 the flood

00:20:20.079 --> 00:20:20.679
 between human

00:20:20.679 --> 00:20:21.119
 beings and

00:20:21.119 --> 00:20:21.539
 animals.

00:20:22.139 --> 00:20:23.119
 It's implied

00:20:23.119 --> 00:20:24.500
 that before the

00:20:24.500 --> 00:20:25.439
 flood, all human

00:20:25.439 --> 00:20:25.919
 beings were

00:20:25.919 --> 00:20:26.720
 vegetarians.

00:20:27.960 --> 00:20:30.179
 It implies in

00:20:30.179 --> 00:20:31.899
 chapter 6 that

00:20:31.899 --> 00:20:32.299
 there was a

00:20:32.299 --> 00:20:33.359
 different relationship

00:20:33.359 --> 00:20:35.339
 between spiritual

00:20:35.339 --> 00:20:39.240
 beings and human

00:20:39.240 --> 00:20:40.919
 beings, and the

00:20:40.919 --> 00:20:42.319
 whole age thing

00:20:42.319 --> 00:20:43.220
 shows that somehow

00:20:43.220 --> 00:20:43.879
 or another human

00:20:43.879 --> 00:20:44.939
 beings lived for a

00:20:44.939 --> 00:20:45.980
 far longer time.

00:20:45.980 --> 00:20:46.039
 time.

00:20:47.240 --> 00:20:48.360
 And as the Bible

00:20:48.360 --> 00:20:49.360
 text continues, it's

00:20:49.360 --> 00:20:50.559
 all just hinted at

00:20:50.559 --> 00:20:50.940
 here.

00:20:51.380 --> 00:20:52.180
 You know, if you

00:20:52.180 --> 00:20:52.779
 were a Christian

00:20:52.779 --> 00:20:53.980
 poet or a fantasy

00:20:53.980 --> 00:20:54.680
 writer, I guess

00:20:54.680 --> 00:20:55.259
 there's no reason

00:20:55.259 --> 00:20:55.680
 why you couldn't

00:20:55.680 --> 00:20:56.880
 write a fantasy

00:20:56.880 --> 00:20:58.460
 novel about life

00:20:58.460 --> 00:20:59.339
 before the flood

00:20:59.339 --> 00:21:00.019
 and what it would

00:21:00.019 --> 00:21:00.960
 be like to be in a

00:21:00.960 --> 00:21:01.700
 world where there's a

00:21:01.700 --> 00:21:02.559
 different relationship

00:21:02.559 --> 00:21:03.579
 with animals, and

00:21:03.579 --> 00:21:04.940
 who knows, maybe in

00:21:04.940 --> 00:21:06.000
 some way fantasy

00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:06.900
 writers and even

00:21:06.900 --> 00:21:08.279
 mythology is

00:21:08.279 --> 00:21:08.960
 somehow or another

00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:11.620
 tight, getting in

00:21:11.619 --> 00:21:12.859
 touch with the

00:21:12.859 --> 00:21:14.479
 real history of

00:21:14.479 --> 00:21:15.339
 what life was like

00:21:15.339 --> 00:21:16.099
 before the flood.

00:21:17.859 --> 00:21:18.639
 You know, because

00:21:18.639 --> 00:21:19.519
 it's not, it's

00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:20.500
 probably not the

00:21:20.500 --> 00:21:20.959
 case.

00:21:21.859 --> 00:21:22.579
 Like a lot of

00:21:22.579 --> 00:21:23.459
 people say that

00:21:23.459 --> 00:21:24.439
 what the Bible has

00:21:24.439 --> 00:21:25.439
 done is it's

00:21:25.439 --> 00:21:27.319
 making myth, it's

00:21:27.319 --> 00:21:28.059
 taking myth and

00:21:28.059 --> 00:21:28.659
 pretending it's

00:21:28.659 --> 00:21:29.079
 history.

00:21:29.519 --> 00:21:30.839
 But probably what's

00:21:30.839 --> 00:21:31.779
 really going on with

00:21:31.779 --> 00:21:34.759
 the Bible is that

00:21:34.759 --> 00:21:36.959
 mythology was

00:21:36.959 --> 00:21:37.979
 originally history.

00:21:37.980 --> 00:21:41.720
 And what the

00:21:41.720 --> 00:21:42.460
 Bible is telling

00:21:42.460 --> 00:21:43.360
 us is what really

00:21:43.360 --> 00:21:43.759
 happened.

00:21:46.059 --> 00:21:48.440
 And so here we

00:21:48.440 --> 00:21:49.140
 see in this

00:21:49.140 --> 00:21:50.360
 particular text,

00:21:50.720 --> 00:21:51.220
 we're not getting

00:21:51.220 --> 00:21:52.339
 into the politically

00:21:52.339 --> 00:21:53.120
 incorrect part, it's

00:21:53.120 --> 00:21:53.720
 going to get to it in

00:21:53.720 --> 00:21:54.420
 a moment, but the

00:21:54.420 --> 00:21:55.620
 Bible is saying to

00:21:55.620 --> 00:21:56.380
 human, to no one

00:21:56.380 --> 00:21:57.500
 as sons, remember

00:21:57.500 --> 00:21:58.339
 he's guaranteed, God

00:21:58.339 --> 00:21:59.960
 is guaranteed that I

00:21:59.960 --> 00:22:01.940
 will never let human

00:22:01.940 --> 00:22:02.880
 beings make the world

00:22:02.880 --> 00:22:04.039
 uninhabitable for human

00:22:04.039 --> 00:22:04.460
 beings.

00:22:05.180 --> 00:22:05.839
 And he's saying go

00:22:05.839 --> 00:22:06.839
 out there, be fruitful

00:22:06.839 --> 00:22:07.559
 and multiply.

00:22:07.980 --> 00:22:09.380
 Grow and fill the

00:22:09.380 --> 00:22:09.640
 earth.

00:22:10.019 --> 00:22:10.980
 And you human beings

00:22:10.980 --> 00:22:11.920
 still have dominion

00:22:11.920 --> 00:22:12.660
 over the earth, but

00:22:12.660 --> 00:22:13.200
 now there's going to

00:22:13.200 --> 00:22:13.620
 be a different

00:22:13.620 --> 00:22:14.460
 relationship with

00:22:14.460 --> 00:22:14.759
 animals.

00:22:14.860 --> 00:22:15.440
 Now animals are

00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:16.120
 going to fear you.

00:22:17.079 --> 00:22:18.099
 But you still have

00:22:18.099 --> 00:22:19.299
 responsibility for

00:22:19.299 --> 00:22:20.059
 them, you still are

00:22:20.059 --> 00:22:21.259
 to have dominion over

00:22:21.259 --> 00:22:21.539
 them.

00:22:22.759 --> 00:22:24.500
 And then he puts

00:22:24.500 --> 00:22:26.279
 this profound check

00:22:26.279 --> 00:22:28.960
 on human power and

00:22:28.960 --> 00:22:30.579
 this profound warning

00:22:30.579 --> 00:22:32.259
 to the abuse of human

00:22:32.259 --> 00:22:32.660
 power.

00:22:33.480 --> 00:22:35.039
 Look at verses 4, 5,

00:22:35.059 --> 00:22:35.940
 and 6 of chapter

00:22:35.940 --> 00:22:36.339
 9.

00:22:36.339 --> 00:22:38.480
 But you shall not

00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:39.579
 eat flesh with its

00:22:39.579 --> 00:22:40.099
 life.

00:22:41.099 --> 00:22:42.199
 But you shall not

00:22:42.199 --> 00:22:43.139
 eat flesh with its

00:22:43.139 --> 00:22:43.619
 life.

00:22:44.119 --> 00:22:45.419
 That is, its blood.

00:22:46.539 --> 00:22:47.659
 And for your life

00:22:47.659 --> 00:22:50.220
 blood, I will require

00:22:50.220 --> 00:22:51.159
 a reckoning.

00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:52.079
 Some of your Bibles

00:22:52.079 --> 00:22:52.919
 have another word,

00:22:53.000 --> 00:22:53.559
 which is a good

00:22:53.559 --> 00:22:54.579
 translation as well,

00:22:54.740 --> 00:22:55.519
 an accounting.

00:22:56.399 --> 00:22:57.939
 From every beast I

00:22:57.939 --> 00:22:59.859
 will require it, and

00:22:59.859 --> 00:23:00.480
 from man.

00:23:01.199 --> 00:23:02.879
 From his fellow man, I

00:23:02.879 --> 00:23:04.439
 will require a reckoning

00:23:04.440 --> 00:23:06.539
 or an accounting for

00:23:06.539 --> 00:23:07.900
 the life of man.

00:23:08.660 --> 00:23:09.740
 Whoever sheds the

00:23:09.740 --> 00:23:10.920
 blood of man, by man

00:23:10.920 --> 00:23:11.860
 shall his blood be

00:23:11.860 --> 00:23:12.220
 shed.

00:23:12.779 --> 00:23:14.420
 For God made man in

00:23:14.420 --> 00:23:15.960
 his own image.

00:23:18.200 --> 00:23:19.160
 Could you put up the

00:23:19.160 --> 00:23:19.720
 next point?

00:23:21.200 --> 00:23:22.960
 This whole funny type

00:23:22.960 --> 00:23:23.980
 of thing about blood

00:23:23.980 --> 00:23:25.480
 and life, you know

00:23:25.480 --> 00:23:27.200
 how the rainbow is a

00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:29.279
 symbol or a sign of

00:23:29.279 --> 00:23:30.160
 God's promise.

00:23:30.160 --> 00:23:32.580
 God is now saying

00:23:32.580 --> 00:23:33.600
 that when we see

00:23:33.600 --> 00:23:35.860
 blood, it's a sign

00:23:35.860 --> 00:23:37.140
 of life.

00:23:38.960 --> 00:23:40.019
 He's not making a

00:23:40.019 --> 00:23:42.080
 biological claim here.

00:23:42.140 --> 00:23:42.759
 He's not making

00:23:42.759 --> 00:23:43.519
 something so that

00:23:43.519 --> 00:23:44.259
 those of you who do

00:23:44.259 --> 00:23:45.460
 research in chemistry

00:23:45.460 --> 00:23:46.540
 or biochemistry now

00:23:46.540 --> 00:23:47.340
 have a clue about

00:23:47.340 --> 00:23:48.320
 figuring things out.

00:23:48.779 --> 00:23:49.720
 He's saying, I want

00:23:49.720 --> 00:23:50.660
 you to understand that

00:23:50.660 --> 00:23:52.000
 there's life, and

00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:52.860
 when you see blood,

00:23:53.380 --> 00:23:54.320
 you're seeing life.

00:23:55.300 --> 00:23:56.480
 And when he says

00:23:56.480 --> 00:23:56.960
 you're not allowed to

00:23:56.960 --> 00:23:57.820
 do certain things to

00:23:57.820 --> 00:23:58.279
 life, you're not

00:23:58.279 --> 00:23:59.279
 allowed to eat life,

00:23:59.279 --> 00:24:00.059
 you're not allowed

00:24:00.059 --> 00:24:01.119
 to eat blood, it's a

00:24:01.119 --> 00:24:02.359
 way of him making

00:24:02.359 --> 00:24:04.019
 this very, very, very

00:24:04.019 --> 00:24:05.899
 powerful, far-reaching

00:24:05.899 --> 00:24:06.379
 claim.

00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:08.980
 The living God is the

00:24:08.980 --> 00:24:10.680
 source of life, the

00:24:10.680 --> 00:24:12.720
 sustainer of life, and

00:24:12.720 --> 00:24:14.119
 sovereign over life.

00:24:16.500 --> 00:24:18.240
 Now, you know, I just

00:24:18.240 --> 00:24:19.180
 want to be honest with

00:24:19.180 --> 00:24:19.299
 you.

00:24:19.359 --> 00:24:20.519
 I don't wake up every

00:24:20.519 --> 00:24:21.379
 Sunday morning and

00:24:21.379 --> 00:24:22.639
 say, you know what?

00:24:23.879 --> 00:24:24.500
 Dang it.

00:24:24.599 --> 00:24:25.139
 I'm just going to be

00:24:25.139 --> 00:24:25.819
 really politically

00:24:25.819 --> 00:24:26.940
 incorrect and offend

00:24:26.940 --> 00:24:28.299
 most Canadians today.

00:24:28.299 --> 00:24:29.619
 So let's just talk

00:24:29.619 --> 00:24:30.259
 about this.

00:24:32.079 --> 00:24:32.859
 Yeah, let's talk

00:24:32.859 --> 00:24:34.359
 about incest and

00:24:34.359 --> 00:24:36.919
 homoerotic desire and

00:24:36.919 --> 00:24:40.599
 a text which basically

00:24:40.599 --> 00:24:41.940
 says that the whole

00:24:41.940 --> 00:24:43.359
 Canadian legal system

00:24:43.359 --> 00:24:44.419
 allowing abortion on

00:24:44.419 --> 00:24:46.319
 demand and doctor-assisted

00:24:46.319 --> 00:24:48.819
 suicide is deeply

00:24:48.819 --> 00:24:49.279
 wrong.

00:24:49.399 --> 00:24:50.000
 I'm just going to wake

00:24:50.000 --> 00:24:50.119
 up.

00:24:50.740 --> 00:24:51.119
 You know, one of the

00:24:51.119 --> 00:24:51.740
 things we do is we

00:24:51.740 --> 00:24:52.440
 preach through books

00:24:52.440 --> 00:24:55.019
 of the Bible, and it's

00:24:55.019 --> 00:24:56.200
 just so important for us

00:24:56.200 --> 00:24:57.200
 to become familiar with

00:24:57.200 --> 00:24:58.480
 what God's Word says.

00:25:00.539 --> 00:25:01.420
 And you might hear

00:25:01.420 --> 00:25:02.319
 people talking about

00:25:02.319 --> 00:25:03.660
 the sanctity of life, and

00:25:03.660 --> 00:25:05.000
 it's unclear exactly what

00:25:05.000 --> 00:25:06.360
 sanctity of life means for

00:25:06.360 --> 00:25:07.500
 many people, but really

00:25:07.500 --> 00:25:09.080
 what it is to mean, if it

00:25:09.080 --> 00:25:10.200
 means something biblically,

00:25:10.640 --> 00:25:12.019
 is what this text is

00:25:12.019 --> 00:25:13.400
 saying and what all the

00:25:13.400 --> 00:25:14.240
 rest of the Bible is

00:25:14.240 --> 00:25:14.900
 going to make more and

00:25:14.900 --> 00:25:15.440
 more clear.

00:25:15.980 --> 00:25:17.340
 The creed, when we say the

00:25:17.340 --> 00:25:18.340
 Nicene Creed, we say the

00:25:18.340 --> 00:25:19.759
 Holy Spirit is the Lord and

00:25:19.759 --> 00:25:20.600
 giver of life.

00:25:21.340 --> 00:25:22.600
 And what this text is

00:25:22.600 --> 00:25:24.319
 saying is that, okay,

00:25:24.319 --> 00:25:25.299
 human beings, you're to

00:25:25.299 --> 00:25:26.240
 be fruitful and you're to

00:25:26.240 --> 00:25:29.019
 multiply, and you're to

00:25:29.019 --> 00:25:29.960
 have dominion over the

00:25:29.960 --> 00:25:30.220
 earth.

00:25:30.799 --> 00:25:32.119
 But just remember two

00:25:32.119 --> 00:25:33.179
 really, really important

00:25:33.179 --> 00:25:33.740
 things.

00:25:35.220 --> 00:25:36.799
 You are not the source of

00:25:36.799 --> 00:25:37.159
 life.

00:25:38.919 --> 00:25:40.559
 You are not the owner of

00:25:40.559 --> 00:25:40.899
 life.

00:25:41.659 --> 00:25:43.200
 You cannot do with life

00:25:43.200 --> 00:25:44.379
 whatever you want.

00:25:45.159 --> 00:25:47.159
 All life is ultimately a

00:25:47.159 --> 00:25:47.939
 gift from me.

00:25:48.819 --> 00:25:51.179
 I am the only source of

00:25:51.179 --> 00:25:51.659
 life.

00:25:51.660 --> 00:25:51.740
 life.

00:25:52.940 --> 00:25:55.440
 And I give life, I

00:25:55.440 --> 00:25:57.420
 sustain life, and all

00:25:57.420 --> 00:25:59.480
 life is under ultimately

00:25:59.480 --> 00:26:00.320
 my account.

00:26:01.600 --> 00:26:03.180
 You have to account to me

00:26:03.180 --> 00:26:04.240
 for how you deal with

00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:05.400
 life, and you have to

00:26:05.400 --> 00:26:07.080
 account for me with what

00:26:07.080 --> 00:26:07.580
 you do.

00:26:08.220 --> 00:26:11.660
 And I am the source of

00:26:11.660 --> 00:26:13.279
 life, the sustainer of

00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:14.360
 life, and I am sovereign

00:26:14.360 --> 00:26:15.019
 over life.

00:26:15.660 --> 00:26:16.320
 If you could put up the

00:26:16.320 --> 00:26:17.180
 next point, and this is

00:26:17.180 --> 00:26:18.060
 even more shocking.

00:26:18.059 --> 00:26:24.200
 If we take this seriously, I

00:26:24.200 --> 00:26:25.259
 am the steward of my

00:26:25.259 --> 00:26:25.599
 life.

00:26:27.579 --> 00:26:29.500
 I am not the source or

00:26:29.500 --> 00:26:30.899
 owner of my life.

00:26:32.039 --> 00:26:32.799
 I'm going to talk about

00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:33.559
 this a little bit more in

00:26:33.559 --> 00:26:34.539
 a moment, but one of the

00:26:34.539 --> 00:26:36.599
 things is that a woman who

00:26:36.599 --> 00:26:40.559
 is pregnant does not own

00:26:40.559 --> 00:26:42.379
 the baby in her womb.

00:26:51.119 --> 00:26:52.399
 Neither does the state,

00:26:53.200 --> 00:26:54.359
 neither does the tribe,

00:26:55.139 --> 00:26:55.879
 neither does the

00:26:55.879 --> 00:26:58.039
 patriarchy, neither does

00:26:58.039 --> 00:26:58.919
 the matriarchy.

00:27:00.700 --> 00:27:02.859
 You see, this text, on

00:27:02.859 --> 00:27:06.899
 one hand, it undermines the

00:27:06.900 --> 00:27:09.080
 claim of every king, the

00:27:09.080 --> 00:27:11.440
 claim of every tyrant, the

00:27:11.440 --> 00:27:13.220
 claim of every ideology,

00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:16.800
 the claim of every state.

00:27:18.019 --> 00:27:19.680
 On one hand, it undermines

00:27:19.680 --> 00:27:21.920
 all of those things, but at

00:27:21.920 --> 00:27:23.100
 the same time, it actually

00:27:23.100 --> 00:27:24.560
 provides an unbelievable

00:27:24.560 --> 00:27:26.280
 dignity to human beings.

00:27:27.380 --> 00:27:28.920
 When the Bible is telling

00:27:28.920 --> 00:27:30.320
 us that I don't own my

00:27:30.320 --> 00:27:31.480
 life, I'm the steward of my

00:27:31.480 --> 00:27:32.640
 life, that doesn't mean that

00:27:32.640 --> 00:27:33.660
 the state can come in

00:27:33.660 --> 00:27:34.480
 therefore and say, ah,

00:27:34.560 --> 00:27:35.400
 therefore I own you.

00:27:35.460 --> 00:27:36.500
 No, no, no, no, no.

00:27:36.900 --> 00:27:38.180
 No, no, no, no.

00:27:39.259 --> 00:27:40.500
 God is the source of life.

00:27:40.560 --> 00:27:41.620
 He is sovereign over it.

00:27:42.280 --> 00:27:44.200
 And it's mine, in quotation

00:27:44.200 --> 00:27:46.320
 marks, but it's mine as a

00:27:46.320 --> 00:27:48.640
 steward, as a manager.

00:27:49.560 --> 00:27:51.240
 It means that it's been

00:27:51.240 --> 00:27:52.460
 given to me by God.

00:27:53.340 --> 00:27:54.500
 Life has been given to me

00:27:54.500 --> 00:27:55.120
 by God.

00:27:55.640 --> 00:27:56.680
 And since he's still

00:27:56.680 --> 00:27:57.680
 sovereign over it, it means

00:27:57.680 --> 00:27:59.120
 he has his purpose for

00:27:59.120 --> 00:27:59.500
 life.

00:28:00.759 --> 00:28:03.080
 And as a steward, not an

00:28:03.080 --> 00:28:05.900
 owner, I am to seek his

00:28:05.900 --> 00:28:06.400
 purposes.

00:28:06.900 --> 00:28:10.420
 And to manage in a well, in a

00:28:10.420 --> 00:28:12.780
 way, my own life, in a way

00:28:12.780 --> 00:28:14.380
 that when I have to give an

00:28:14.380 --> 00:28:16.620
 accounting and a reckoning for

00:28:16.620 --> 00:28:19.120
 it, I will hear well done.

00:28:20.060 --> 00:28:22.400
 It means when the Bible is

00:28:22.400 --> 00:28:23.620
 telling us that God is the

00:28:23.620 --> 00:28:25.560
 source and sustainer and

00:28:25.560 --> 00:28:28.800
 sovereign over life, it means

00:28:28.800 --> 00:28:31.000
 that we are to seek to call out

00:28:31.000 --> 00:28:32.980
 to God to understand the

00:28:32.980 --> 00:28:34.780
 structure of life and what will

00:28:34.779 --> 00:28:39.519
 lead to my flourishing and what

00:28:39.519 --> 00:28:42.519
 will lead to my being able to

00:28:42.519 --> 00:28:44.399
 ultimately have dominion over

00:28:44.399 --> 00:28:46.839
 other beings, other critters and

00:28:46.839 --> 00:28:48.819
 creatures that have the breath of

00:28:48.819 --> 00:28:49.160
 life.

00:28:49.740 --> 00:28:52.599
 And how, as a dad, I am to

00:28:52.599 --> 00:28:54.259
 understand how to not only manage

00:28:54.259 --> 00:28:55.660
 my life but have, in a sense, a

00:28:55.660 --> 00:28:57.559
 dominion with my wife over the

00:28:57.559 --> 00:28:59.579
 family in a way that causes their

00:28:59.579 --> 00:29:01.599
 flourishing and their growth and

00:29:01.599 --> 00:29:03.980
 their development because I am not

00:29:03.980 --> 00:29:04.439
 my own.

00:29:08.539 --> 00:29:09.819
 Now, here I just want to make a bit

00:29:09.819 --> 00:29:10.519
 of a pause.

00:29:12.119 --> 00:29:14.119
 This is a very, very difficult text

00:29:14.119 --> 00:29:16.099
 for several people in the room.

00:29:16.879 --> 00:29:18.179
 I'm just presuming that there's

00:29:18.179 --> 00:29:19.179
 several people in the room like

00:29:19.179 --> 00:29:19.439
 this.

00:29:20.339 --> 00:29:22.159
 For the single who wanted to get

00:29:22.159 --> 00:29:23.639
 married but were never able to get

00:29:23.639 --> 00:29:25.659
 married and have no children, it's a

00:29:25.660 --> 00:29:26.680
 very difficult text.

00:29:27.840 --> 00:29:29.980
 For the married who long to have

00:29:29.980 --> 00:29:32.060
 children but cannot seem to have

00:29:32.060 --> 00:29:33.779
 children, it's a very difficult text.

00:29:34.680 --> 00:29:37.560
 For those amongst us who've had

00:29:37.560 --> 00:29:39.920
 abortions or participated in

00:29:39.920 --> 00:29:42.279
 abortions, it's a very difficult

00:29:42.279 --> 00:29:42.740
 text.

00:29:44.019 --> 00:29:45.980
 For those who might be present who

00:29:45.980 --> 00:29:47.480
 came to church today and they are

00:29:47.480 --> 00:29:50.140
 considering an abortion because

00:29:50.140 --> 00:29:51.519
 they've gotten pregnant and they're

00:29:51.519 --> 00:29:52.940
 maybe even part of the church and

00:29:52.940 --> 00:29:55.360
 they can't imagine revealing to

00:29:55.360 --> 00:29:56.400
 everybody that they've gotten

00:29:56.400 --> 00:29:56.920
 pregnant.

00:29:57.820 --> 00:29:59.240
 How can they, if they're such a good

00:29:59.240 --> 00:30:00.500
 Christian, all those things going

00:30:00.500 --> 00:30:01.580
 through your minds, these are very,

00:30:01.700 --> 00:30:02.759
 very difficult texts.

00:30:04.360 --> 00:30:08.320
 And I know that I'm a guy and I'm

00:30:08.320 --> 00:30:10.539
 married and God has blessed me with

00:30:10.539 --> 00:30:13.080
 children and so I know that I don't

00:30:13.080 --> 00:30:15.960
 know really what's going on in your

00:30:15.960 --> 00:30:17.500
 hearts when you struggle with this.

00:30:17.500 --> 00:30:26.119
 But, you know, when we read this text

00:30:26.119 --> 00:30:29.099
 as Christians, we read this knowing

00:30:29.099 --> 00:30:32.000
 that God is going to send a Savior.

00:30:32.519 --> 00:30:35.019
 And what I know about Jesus is that he

00:30:35.019 --> 00:30:37.319
 is a man of sorrows, acquainted with

00:30:37.319 --> 00:30:37.640
 grief.

00:30:40.140 --> 00:30:42.859
 And any time the Bible says an

00:30:42.859 --> 00:30:47.439
 apparently hard word to us, it is

00:30:47.439 --> 00:30:49.899
 never to drive us away but to drive

00:30:49.899 --> 00:30:50.519
 us to him.

00:30:52.919 --> 00:30:55.319
 It is never to drive us away.

00:30:57.319 --> 00:30:58.899
 It is to drive us to him.

00:31:02.899 --> 00:31:05.079
 There is forgiveness and healing for

00:31:05.079 --> 00:31:06.079
 those who have done evil.

00:31:07.059 --> 00:31:09.079
 And for those of us who have longings

00:31:09.079 --> 00:31:10.779
 and yearnings that have never been

00:31:10.779 --> 00:31:14.879
 fulfilled, there are even deeper

00:31:14.879 --> 00:31:16.819
 longings and yearnings that can be

00:31:16.819 --> 00:31:17.779
 fulfilled in him.

00:31:18.439 --> 00:31:20.980
 And there is one who has known all of

00:31:20.980 --> 00:31:23.599
 our temptations only without sin and

00:31:23.599 --> 00:31:25.960
 all of our sorrow and all of our grief.

00:31:26.299 --> 00:31:28.480
 And we can pour our hearts out to him.

00:31:29.899 --> 00:31:31.839
 And one of the wonderful things in this

00:31:31.839 --> 00:31:35.899
 text is that just while on one hand it

00:31:35.899 --> 00:31:37.799
 is telling us something very politically

00:31:37.799 --> 00:31:41.000
 incorrect in Canada, a baby is not a

00:31:41.000 --> 00:31:42.220
 problem to be solved.

00:31:47.480 --> 00:31:50.619
 A baby is not a problem to be solved.

00:31:51.099 --> 00:31:53.379
 A baby is something to celebrate.

00:31:54.539 --> 00:31:56.299
 And that is very, very, very

00:31:56.299 --> 00:31:57.980
 countercultural today.

00:31:59.980 --> 00:32:03.019
 But at the same time, this text, by

00:32:03.019 --> 00:32:05.859
 reminding us that my life is a gift from

00:32:05.859 --> 00:32:10.699
 God, it has come from God, and he

00:32:10.699 --> 00:32:13.199
 sustains my life, and he is sovereign

00:32:13.199 --> 00:32:16.619
 over my life, this text is a profound

00:32:16.619 --> 00:32:20.899
 assurance of the integrity and of the

00:32:20.899 --> 00:32:24.619
 value of a person who never marries or

00:32:24.619 --> 00:32:27.079
 who never has children and all of our

00:32:27.079 --> 00:32:27.619
 sorrows.

00:32:27.619 --> 00:32:31.939
 It is a profound text of comfort about

00:32:31.940 --> 00:32:35.180
 the value we have in God's eyes who has

00:32:35.180 --> 00:32:36.360
 given us life.

00:32:40.779 --> 00:32:42.460
 Who has given us life.

00:32:46.779 --> 00:32:50.960
 You know, it's one of the things, if you

00:32:50.960 --> 00:32:52.279
 could put up the next point, Andrew.

00:32:52.279 --> 00:32:55.180
 Over the last couple of months, I've had

00:32:55.180 --> 00:32:57.440
 several conversations in coffee shops

00:32:57.440 --> 00:32:58.160
 around this.

00:32:58.420 --> 00:32:59.899
 In fact, just a little while ago, I had a

00:32:59.899 --> 00:33:01.420
 conversation with some Jehovah

00:33:01.420 --> 00:33:02.079
 Witnesses.

00:33:02.740 --> 00:33:04.299
 And one of the things I like to do with

00:33:04.299 --> 00:33:05.899
 Jehovah Witnesses is knock them off

00:33:05.899 --> 00:33:06.639
 their spiel.

00:33:07.859 --> 00:33:09.899
 And one of the things I tell them is

00:33:09.899 --> 00:33:12.519
 that one of the many weaknesses of their

00:33:12.519 --> 00:33:14.539
 thought is they have no ability to believe

00:33:14.539 --> 00:33:15.420
 that God is love.

00:33:16.500 --> 00:33:17.700
 This is Trinity Sunday.

00:33:17.960 --> 00:33:19.480
 Next Sunday, we'll do the Athanasian

00:33:19.480 --> 00:33:19.700
 Creed.

00:33:19.700 --> 00:33:21.200
 Those of you who are hoping for the Creed

00:33:21.200 --> 00:33:22.559
 for Dummies, we'll do it next week.

00:33:23.840 --> 00:33:26.480
 I love the Athanasian Creed because I'm

00:33:26.480 --> 00:33:26.860
 a dummy.

00:33:27.299 --> 00:33:28.360
 So it's so clear.

00:33:29.299 --> 00:33:30.460
 And, you know, one of the things about

00:33:30.460 --> 00:33:33.600
 the thing, only the Christian revelation

00:33:33.600 --> 00:33:38.180
 makes clear that God is love in a very,

00:33:38.299 --> 00:33:39.440
 very powerful way.

00:33:39.720 --> 00:33:42.100
 Because from all eternity, the Father

00:33:42.100 --> 00:33:43.080
 has loved the Son.

00:33:43.319 --> 00:33:45.519
 And from all eternity, the Son has loved

00:33:45.519 --> 00:33:46.059
 the Father.

00:33:46.059 --> 00:33:48.539
 And the Bible even describes

00:33:48.539 --> 00:33:50.519
 in some cases as if the Holy Spirit

00:33:50.519 --> 00:33:52.460
 is almost, one way to almost understand

00:33:52.460 --> 00:33:54.700
 the Holy Spirit is this constant motion

00:33:54.700 --> 00:33:57.059
 of love from the Father to the Son

00:33:57.059 --> 00:33:58.119
 and the Son to the Father.

00:33:58.819 --> 00:33:59.220
 And so,

00:33:59.779 --> 00:34:02.559
 God's love is never

00:34:02.559 --> 00:34:03.940
 need love

00:34:03.940 --> 00:34:06.000
 or compelled love.

00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:08.460
 And this is very frightening

00:34:08.460 --> 00:34:09.219
 to us.

00:34:10.039 --> 00:34:11.400
 You know, we get into a marriage

00:34:11.400 --> 00:34:13.619
 and we hope that in a marriage

00:34:13.619 --> 00:34:14.539
 that on one hand,

00:34:14.639 --> 00:34:15.739
 the reason we have this marriage

00:34:15.739 --> 00:34:17.320
 is that we're compelled by the beauty

00:34:17.320 --> 00:34:18.360
 of the other person.

00:34:19.139 --> 00:34:19.619
 Or, you know,

00:34:19.659 --> 00:34:21.239
 we have a friend

00:34:21.239 --> 00:34:22.519
 and we almost like it.

00:34:22.519 --> 00:34:23.780
 We don't want them to need us too much,

00:34:23.840 --> 00:34:25.280
 but we want them to need us a little bit

00:34:25.280 --> 00:34:27.739
 because it's something that we can control.

00:34:28.059 --> 00:34:30.719
 And the Bible says

00:34:30.719 --> 00:34:32.039
 that God doesn't need,

00:34:32.139 --> 00:34:33.939
 he didn't need to create human beings

00:34:33.939 --> 00:34:35.299
 because he needed somebody to love.

00:34:35.339 --> 00:34:37.019
 I said that to my Jehovah Witnesses.

00:34:37.439 --> 00:34:37.919
 I said, you know,

00:34:38.019 --> 00:34:39.359
 you don't have a God

00:34:39.359 --> 00:34:40.559
 when you say that God is love,

00:34:40.599 --> 00:34:41.879
 but that doesn't mean anything for you

00:34:41.879 --> 00:34:43.679
 because there's just one God.

00:34:43.779 --> 00:34:45.399
 There's no Father, Son, and Holy Spirit,

00:34:45.500 --> 00:34:46.559
 three persons, one God,

00:34:46.659 --> 00:34:48.019
 loving each other forever and ever and ever.

00:34:48.399 --> 00:34:49.500
 And so, don't you worry

00:34:49.500 --> 00:34:50.959
 that God made human beings

00:34:50.959 --> 00:34:53.379
 because he needed to have somebody to love?

00:34:54.459 --> 00:34:55.359
 That somehow or another

00:34:55.359 --> 00:34:57.179
 then we have this hold on God?

00:34:57.739 --> 00:34:59.500
 But the Bible says

00:34:59.500 --> 00:35:02.059
 that God never has need love.

00:35:02.479 --> 00:35:03.939
 He is,

00:35:04.199 --> 00:35:05.339
 could you put up the next point?

00:35:06.500 --> 00:35:08.759
 God is love without need.

00:35:09.099 --> 00:35:11.839
 He loves us because he is love.

00:35:13.079 --> 00:35:16.899
 He loves us because he is love.

00:35:17.399 --> 00:35:18.479
 And on one hand,

00:35:18.579 --> 00:35:20.579
 this is unbelievably frightening

00:35:20.579 --> 00:35:23.379
 because we like love

00:35:23.379 --> 00:35:24.879
 that involves some need

00:35:24.879 --> 00:35:26.239
 or some compelling.

00:35:26.239 --> 00:35:28.579
 But when we come to God,

00:35:28.699 --> 00:35:29.919
 there is no need,

00:35:30.059 --> 00:35:31.239
 there is no compelling,

00:35:31.719 --> 00:35:33.619
 there is just pure,

00:35:34.139 --> 00:35:35.359
 unending,

00:35:35.959 --> 00:35:37.019
 self-giving,

00:35:37.559 --> 00:35:38.079
 holy,

00:35:38.679 --> 00:35:39.199
 merciful,

00:35:39.799 --> 00:35:40.359
 just,

00:35:40.779 --> 00:35:41.299
 true,

00:35:41.819 --> 00:35:42.379
 giving,

00:35:42.919 --> 00:35:43.399
 love

00:35:43.399 --> 00:35:47.000
 that we can never repay,

00:35:47.659 --> 00:35:49.959
 that we can never compel,

00:35:50.279 --> 00:35:52.699
 that we can never put him in our debt,

00:35:52.699 --> 00:35:54.799
 that we can never out love him,

00:35:54.799 --> 00:35:56.179
 or out give him.

00:35:56.539 --> 00:35:57.839
 There is on one hand,

00:35:57.919 --> 00:35:59.799
 this unbelievable challenge

00:36:00.480 --> 00:36:02.659
 for us to stand completely

00:36:02.659 --> 00:36:05.079
 and utterly naked before God,

00:36:05.519 --> 00:36:08.799
 understanding his unbelievable generosity

00:36:08.799 --> 00:36:10.139
 and goodness to us,

00:36:10.259 --> 00:36:12.480
 that we can do nothing to compel it.

00:36:12.739 --> 00:36:15.399
 He loves us because he loves us,

00:36:15.519 --> 00:36:16.960
 because he is love.

00:36:16.960 --> 00:36:21.400
 And because God is unchanging,

00:36:22.519 --> 00:36:22.780
 this,

00:36:23.099 --> 00:36:24.000
 while on one hand,

00:36:24.240 --> 00:36:25.139
 frightening us

00:36:25.139 --> 00:36:27.220
 because we want to put God in our debt,

00:36:27.320 --> 00:36:29.900
 is ultimately the only ground

00:36:29.900 --> 00:36:31.320
 for any hope,

00:36:31.699 --> 00:36:33.220
 that God is love,

00:36:33.300 --> 00:36:34.500
 that he is unchanging.

00:36:35.519 --> 00:36:36.740
 And for us as Christians,

00:36:36.860 --> 00:36:37.599
 in a powerful level,

00:36:37.659 --> 00:36:38.699
 this whole idea

00:36:38.699 --> 00:36:40.300
 that God is the source of life,

00:36:40.740 --> 00:36:43.720
 that he is the sovereign over life,

00:36:43.719 --> 00:36:46.959
 that he is the giver of life,

00:36:47.199 --> 00:36:50.619
 that ultimately all life comes from God,

00:36:50.719 --> 00:36:51.480
 that we, in a sense,

00:36:51.519 --> 00:36:52.859
 are just stewards over it.

00:36:53.219 --> 00:36:54.379
 The Bible tells us,

00:36:54.759 --> 00:36:56.419
 remember that text in John,

00:36:56.779 --> 00:36:57.919
 when Jesus is saying,

00:36:58.399 --> 00:36:59.059
 before,

00:36:59.480 --> 00:37:00.399
 to God,

00:37:00.519 --> 00:37:01.519
 in front of his disciples,

00:37:01.679 --> 00:37:02.939
 as he's going to be going to the cross,

00:37:03.219 --> 00:37:05.299
 he says that he's about to be glorified.

00:37:05.919 --> 00:37:08.059
 He's about to have his glory shown.

00:37:08.619 --> 00:37:10.099
 And what the Bible is saying

00:37:10.099 --> 00:37:12.059
 is if you want a snapshot of God,

00:37:12.059 --> 00:37:13.659
 if you want a snapshot of God,

00:37:13.719 --> 00:37:17.359
 if you want a snapshot of God is love,

00:37:17.419 --> 00:37:18.799
 if you want just one picture

00:37:18.799 --> 00:37:19.779
 or one image

00:37:19.779 --> 00:37:21.039
 of who the real,

00:37:21.279 --> 00:37:21.480
 true,

00:37:21.619 --> 00:37:23.199
 living God actually is,

00:37:23.500 --> 00:37:24.719
 you see that best

00:37:24.719 --> 00:37:25.959
 when you see God,

00:37:26.059 --> 00:37:26.799
 the Son of God,

00:37:26.919 --> 00:37:28.219
 dying upon the cross.

00:37:28.819 --> 00:37:29.639
 Because you see,

00:37:29.739 --> 00:37:29.919
 you know,

00:37:30.199 --> 00:37:31.399
 even in this sacrifice

00:37:31.399 --> 00:37:33.059
 that begins the book of Genesis,

00:37:33.299 --> 00:37:33.459
 you know,

00:37:33.500 --> 00:37:35.679
 where Noah gives a sacrifice,

00:37:35.799 --> 00:37:36.619
 when you understand

00:37:36.619 --> 00:37:39.019
 that all life ultimately comes from God,

00:37:39.319 --> 00:37:40.579
 that he is the source of life,

00:37:40.639 --> 00:37:41.659
 that life is his,

00:37:41.659 --> 00:37:42.799
 that really,

00:37:43.519 --> 00:37:46.839
 it's God's life

00:37:46.839 --> 00:37:48.259
 that dies in that sacrifice.

00:37:48.480 --> 00:37:50.159
 It's not something Noah does.

00:37:50.719 --> 00:37:52.059
 It's not even ultimately

00:37:52.059 --> 00:37:52.920
 something really

00:37:52.920 --> 00:37:54.679
 that the animal does.

00:37:54.679 --> 00:37:58.119
 that even in,

00:37:58.239 --> 00:38:01.139
 with every single animal sacrifice,

00:38:01.139 --> 00:38:02.239
 when you understand

00:38:02.239 --> 00:38:03.960
 that all life comes from God,

00:38:04.019 --> 00:38:05.440
 it's pointing that ultimately

00:38:05.440 --> 00:38:07.819
 his life

00:38:07.819 --> 00:38:09.940
 makes us right with him.

00:38:11.659 --> 00:38:12.519
 And then,

00:38:12.719 --> 00:38:14.539
 we see that most perfectly

00:38:14.539 --> 00:38:15.480
 and completely

00:38:15.480 --> 00:38:16.239
 in God,

00:38:16.339 --> 00:38:17.199
 the Son of God,

00:38:17.299 --> 00:38:18.519
 the source of life,

00:38:19.659 --> 00:38:20.879
 the giver of life,

00:38:21.500 --> 00:38:22.940
 sovereign over life,

00:38:22.940 --> 00:38:24.679
 for all life,

00:38:25.320 --> 00:38:27.220
 dying upon the cross

00:38:27.220 --> 00:38:28.619
 with pure,

00:38:29.420 --> 00:38:30.139
 unmerited,

00:38:30.800 --> 00:38:31.900
 unasked for,

00:38:32.539 --> 00:38:33.320
 unsought,

00:38:34.079 --> 00:38:34.960
 undeserving

00:38:34.960 --> 00:38:36.980
 love.

00:38:42.980 --> 00:38:44.440
 Final point.

00:38:44.440 --> 00:38:47.820
 in this is love,

00:38:48.519 --> 00:38:50.039
 not that we have loved God,

00:38:50.720 --> 00:38:52.119
 but that he loved us

00:38:52.119 --> 00:38:53.940
 and sent his Son

00:38:53.940 --> 00:38:55.880
 to be a propitiation

00:38:55.880 --> 00:38:56.800
 for our sins.

00:38:56.800 --> 00:39:03.000
 that's how we're to understand

00:39:03.000 --> 00:39:04.539
 this text in Genesis.

00:39:04.900 --> 00:39:05.940
 It's how we're to understand

00:39:05.940 --> 00:39:06.660
 our life.

00:39:08.440 --> 00:39:09.039
 You see,

00:39:09.100 --> 00:39:10.039
 this is the wonderful

00:39:10.039 --> 00:39:11.860
 news of the gospel

00:39:11.860 --> 00:39:12.900
 to the broken.

00:39:13.800 --> 00:39:15.300
 It's the wonderful news

00:39:15.300 --> 00:39:15.940
 of the gospel

00:39:15.940 --> 00:39:16.840
 for those of us

00:39:16.840 --> 00:39:17.840
 going through a dark night

00:39:17.840 --> 00:39:18.360
 of the soul.

00:39:18.880 --> 00:39:20.180
 It's the wonderful news

00:39:20.180 --> 00:39:20.780
 of the gospel

00:39:20.780 --> 00:39:21.660
 for those of us

00:39:21.660 --> 00:39:22.460
 who seem broken

00:39:22.460 --> 00:39:22.960
 and alone.

00:39:23.539 --> 00:39:24.900
 It is the wonderful news

00:39:24.900 --> 00:39:25.600
 of the gospel

00:39:25.599 --> 00:39:27.339
 who worry

00:39:27.339 --> 00:39:28.739
 about being unsuccessful,

00:39:29.019 --> 00:39:29.759
 whether it's in some

00:39:29.759 --> 00:39:30.579
 spiritual things

00:39:30.579 --> 00:39:31.339
 or other things.

00:39:31.719 --> 00:39:32.880
 It's not that God

00:39:32.880 --> 00:39:34.139
 is looking down at us

00:39:34.139 --> 00:39:35.400
 and counting up our love.

00:39:35.539 --> 00:39:36.480
 In this is love,

00:39:37.179 --> 00:39:39.119
 not that we have loved God,

00:39:39.539 --> 00:39:41.019
 but that he loved us

00:39:41.019 --> 00:39:43.079
 and sent his Son

00:39:43.079 --> 00:39:44.719
 to be a propitiation

00:39:44.719 --> 00:39:45.659
 for our sins,

00:39:46.319 --> 00:39:47.159
 the sacrifice

00:39:47.159 --> 00:39:49.119
 that makes us right with him.

00:39:50.900 --> 00:39:52.000
 See, that's why

00:39:52.000 --> 00:39:54.380
 we describe our mission statement here

00:39:54.380 --> 00:39:55.940
 as making disciples of Jesus

00:39:55.940 --> 00:39:56.900
 who are gripped

00:39:56.900 --> 00:39:58.539
 by the gospel.

00:39:59.480 --> 00:40:01.460
 And as the gospel grips us

00:40:01.460 --> 00:40:02.599
 and as it comes home

00:40:02.599 --> 00:40:03.820
 to us more and more deeply

00:40:03.820 --> 00:40:04.700
 who Jesus is

00:40:04.700 --> 00:40:05.539
 and what he did for us

00:40:05.539 --> 00:40:06.240
 on the cross,

00:40:06.840 --> 00:40:08.440
 that is the means

00:40:08.440 --> 00:40:09.440
 by which we start

00:40:09.440 --> 00:40:10.980
 to get an understanding

00:40:10.980 --> 00:40:12.720
 of where our true identity is

00:40:12.720 --> 00:40:14.420
 and where the true meaning

00:40:14.420 --> 00:40:15.700
 of our life is found

00:40:15.700 --> 00:40:18.720
 and how we can overcome anxiety

00:40:18.720 --> 00:40:20.760
 and all of the other types

00:40:20.760 --> 00:40:22.119
 of doubts and uncertainties

00:40:22.119 --> 00:40:22.960
 that our sins

00:40:22.960 --> 00:40:24.380
 and our idols cause us.

00:40:25.139 --> 00:40:25.960
 Please stand.

00:40:35.679 --> 00:40:37.059
 Just bow our heads in prayer.

00:40:37.059 --> 00:40:44.059
 Father, you know that there's

00:40:44.059 --> 00:40:45.679
 some of us here right now

00:40:45.679 --> 00:40:46.659
 that we're suffering

00:40:46.659 --> 00:40:47.739
 for some of those things.

00:40:47.940 --> 00:40:49.460
 Some of us are laboring under,

00:40:50.179 --> 00:40:50.619
 well, Father,

00:40:50.960 --> 00:40:53.079
 memories of maybe connected

00:40:53.079 --> 00:40:54.679
 to abortion or infertility

00:40:54.679 --> 00:40:55.739
 or miscarriages

00:40:55.739 --> 00:40:58.039
 or just other types

00:40:58.039 --> 00:40:59.539
 of failures in life, Father,

00:40:59.579 --> 00:41:00.679
 which are weighing us down.

00:41:00.840 --> 00:41:01.639
 Father, pour out

00:41:01.639 --> 00:41:03.059
 your Holy Spirit upon us.

00:41:04.480 --> 00:41:05.559
 Grip us with the truth

00:41:05.559 --> 00:41:06.279
 of this scripture

00:41:06.279 --> 00:41:07.539
 that this is love,

00:41:07.619 --> 00:41:08.940
 not that we have loved you,

00:41:09.039 --> 00:41:10.539
 but that you loved us

00:41:10.539 --> 00:41:11.500
 and sent your Son

00:41:11.500 --> 00:41:14.099
 to be a propitiation for us.

00:41:14.779 --> 00:41:15.500
 Father, grip us

00:41:15.500 --> 00:41:16.239
 with the gospel.

00:41:17.559 --> 00:41:18.759
 Father, if there are any here

00:41:18.759 --> 00:41:20.619
 who have not yet turned to Jesus

00:41:20.619 --> 00:41:21.320
 to trust him

00:41:21.320 --> 00:41:22.279
 as their Savior and their Lord,

00:41:22.380 --> 00:41:24.079
 Father, may you turn their hearts

00:41:24.079 --> 00:41:24.699
 even now

00:41:24.699 --> 00:41:27.059
 in a saving way.

00:41:28.500 --> 00:41:29.460
 They would understand

00:41:29.460 --> 00:41:30.619
 that he is the source

00:41:30.619 --> 00:41:31.239
 of their life

00:41:31.239 --> 00:41:31.840
 and their hope

00:41:31.840 --> 00:41:32.840
 for eternal life

00:41:32.840 --> 00:41:34.360
 and a hope

00:41:34.360 --> 00:41:35.640
 for a life

00:41:35.640 --> 00:41:37.380
 that is of you

00:41:37.380 --> 00:41:39.660
 even now.

00:41:40.340 --> 00:41:40.800
 So, Father,

00:41:40.880 --> 00:41:42.200
 make us disciples of Jesus

00:41:42.200 --> 00:41:42.820
 who are gripped

00:41:42.820 --> 00:41:43.579
 by the gospel.

00:41:44.780 --> 00:41:46.039
 We're coming to you

00:41:46.039 --> 00:41:47.460
 as the man of sorrows,

00:41:48.120 --> 00:41:49.200
 familiar with our grief,

00:41:49.820 --> 00:41:51.820
 so that we might be freed up

00:41:51.820 --> 00:41:53.460
 and live for your glory.

00:41:54.180 --> 00:41:55.340
 And all this we ask

00:41:55.340 --> 00:41:56.180
 in the name of Jesus,

00:41:56.180 --> 00:41:57.460
 your Son and our Savior.

00:41:58.059 --> 00:41:58.420
 Amen.