WEBVTT

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 Father, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us that we might understand your word.

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 And this we ask in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior. Amen.

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 Please be seated.

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 So this week I was in a coffee shop and one of my friends is an Orthodox Jewish man.

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 And he came in and he said,

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 George, I'm really glad I found you here because I have a question that I want to ask you.

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 And I said, okay, well, it's actually sort of funny.

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 I'm just going to be really honest about this.

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 I was working on my sermon.

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 And, you know, in the sermon, I'm going to share the gospel with you.

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 And inwardly when he came and said, I'd like to ask you a question,

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 and he pulls a chair over to sit down.

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 I think to myself, I'm busy preparing a sermon to witness to Jesus.

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 I don't have time to witness to Jesus to this guy.

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 Like, I wish you weren't here.

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 That's what's going on in my mind, just to be completely honest and transparent with you.

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 And then I got the check in my spirit and I thought, okay, I'll close my Bible,

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 like close the book and just, I'm going to listen.

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 God's brought him here.

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 Anyway, so he says,

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 George, I don't know if you, you know, they're going to be legalizing marijuana, cannabis.

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 And I've been doing, I invest and I've been, the growth potential and financial returns potential from investing in the cannabis industry is huge.

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 And so what do you think?

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 Do you think I should invest in the cannabis industry?

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 He said, I'm going to be asking my rabbi about this tomorrow.

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 And he said, one of the, and then, you know, so we get talking a little bit.

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 I mean, we actually talked for about 25 minutes over a range of things.

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 But one of the things he said is because most of their products have been determined to be kosher.

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 So, but he, he's a great guy, by the way.

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 And I've had lots of conversations with him.

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 So I said, this is actually part of what I said to him right off the bat.

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 I said, you know, here's where we really need to learn from Jesus and the question that he asks.

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 And I said, the question that Jesus asks all the time is what does the Bible actually say?

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 I said, the problem for us human beings is that we try to follow God and then we develop traditions.

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 And before you know it, you develop a tradition based on the tradition.

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 And then you have a tradition based on the tradition based on the tradition.

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 And then you have, you know, whatever it is.

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 Like you just keep piling on traditions and you forget what the Bible says.

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 And he said, that's a very interesting thought.

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 And I said, so what is it?

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 Like I said, all of the dietary laws, like if you go back in the dietary laws, like, you know,

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 especially the book of Leviticus, right, the Pentateuch, the Torah.

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 And I said, what's the constant theme in the book of Leviticus?

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 And he said, and I said, he starts to think.

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 And I said, what it is, is be holy for I am holy.

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 And the purpose of the law is to prepare you to live a holy life so you can meet with a holy God.

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 And so I said, that has to be the concern behind everything you do.

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 So I had a bit more of a talk about it.

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 And I said, well, you know, it would be kosher and all.

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 I said, well, ask your rabbi, would it be all right for the men to all smoke a joint before they came in for the synagogue service?

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 And if it isn't, then, like, what are you investing in?

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 We talked about some other things, but you get the point.

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 And we had a very, very interesting conversation.

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 In fact, he said, depending on what his rabbi said, he'd like to try to have me and the rabbi get together and talk.

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 So you can pray about that, actually.

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 I don't know what the rabbi is going to say, but you can pray that maybe something will come out of that.

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 But that story, it's actually one of the things, because it actually is a perfect introduction for this very confusing text that Anne read.

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 So if you get your Bibles and look at Galatians 5, Galatians, sorry, Galatians chapter 4, verse 21.

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 And some of you, if you are trying to follow it, it's a very, very complicated text of Scripture.

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 And let me tell you partly why it's very complicated, and it's not very flattering to you and me.

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 We're used to the quick soundbite.

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 For many people, the news in the metro newspaper is too many words, you know, where we get all of the news we need from listening to a few 15-second soundbites on radio.

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 And what you need to do when you read this text, and so actually, you know what, it's like, if you, later on during the coffee hour, with the parents' permission, try to find a two- or three-year-old, a little tyke who's just learning how to talk, and try having a conversation with them.

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 And one of the things which is so neat about talking to a little kid who's just learning language is I might ask a question of one of them or make a comment, and the little kid will look at, like, nobody can look with the intensity as a little kid can look at you.

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 Like, they can just look at you.

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 And you know that the little gerbils are working behind the eyes trying to figure it out.

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 And then I move on to another topic, and I move on to another topic, and then the child finally speaks.

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 But they haven't followed you with the new topic because they've been still thinking about the first thing that you said.

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 And they'll make a comment.

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 And what's the problem with this text that we're going to read is it's like a piece of poetry from John Donne or George Herbert,

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 where every two or three or four words, the image shifts, and the idea shifts.

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 And it happens very, very rapidly.

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 And we're used to just reading, and we sort of get caught up on the first idea,

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 and we haven't quite followed that the writer is moving from idea to idea,

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 from image to image, and linking them every couple of words.

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 And that's the problem with this text.

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 So that's why we find it hard, one of the reasons why we find it hard to read it.

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 But if you look at the very first verse in 21, it says, chapter 4, verse 21,

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 tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not listen to the law?

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 Like, that's exactly what I said to my friend.

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 Like, what does the Bible say?

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 Like, you want to be under the law?

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 Like, what does the Bible say as a whole?

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 Like, don't just think about your traditions.

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 Like, what does the Bible say?

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 So it's the same question.

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 And Paul, of course, it's the same question that Jesus asked the Pharisees

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 and the Sadducees all of the time.

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 Like, what does the Bible say?

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 Like, do you actually read it?

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 Like, go back to that.

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 Forget about your traditions for a second, but go back to that.

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 Just as a bit of an aside, and this is more of an Anglican confession moment.

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 And those of you who, the only Anglican church you've ever attended is this one.

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 You might not know it.

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 This, by the way, the problem of traditions isn't just something for it.

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 The problem of legalism is everywhere.

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 Do you know that in most Anglican churches in this city,

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 we're not part of the Anglican Church of Canada,

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 we're part of the Anglican Network in Canada,

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 but in most churches in this city,

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 you're not allowed to say hallelujah during Advent and Lent.

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 Like, what a stupid rule.

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 Like, isn't that just stupid?

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 Let me tell you, if I said that in synod,

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 like, everybody would be shocked.

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 Oh!

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 Well, moment, like, really, you know,

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 maybe the rule in Lent should be every hour we say hallelujah.

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 Like, I don't know.

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 Like, it should be the opposite.

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 But somehow or another, you get traditions on traditions on traditions,

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 and before you know it, like, you've forgotten what the Bible says.

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 Anyway, so I'm just going to read the text through making a couple of comments,

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 and I'm going to sort of get what's the big ideas that are going on behind it, okay?

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 So it's chapter 4, verse 21, and it begins like this.

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 It says,

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 Just pause here for a second.

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 Now, it's not saying that it is an allegory.

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 If you want to know what a good example of an allegory is,

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 if those of us who read all books,

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 if you've ever read Pilgrim's Progress, it's an allegory.

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 Every character, in fact, it's so obvious, you know,

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 they all have the names, so you can figure it out, right?

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 So Paul isn't saying that the story of Abraham and Isaac and Ishmael and Sarah and Hagar,

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 which you find in Genesis 16, 17, and 21, that it's an allegory.

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 He's not saying that it's an allegory.

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 He's saying, I want to think about this as if it's an allegory,

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 because there's, in fact, some symbolic and figurative meanings in this text,

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 which I want you to think about.

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 There's larger lessons from this text than a mere recounting of who slept with whom

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 and which baby came with which mom.

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 And so that's what he's saying.

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 So go back to verse 24.

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 Now, this may be interpreted allegorically.

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 These women are two covenants.

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 One is from Mount Sinai bearing children for slavery.

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 She is Hagar.

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 Now, Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia.

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 We would call it now Saudi Arabia.

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 That's where it is.

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 She corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children.

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 And by the way, for the Jewish people who are listening to this text,

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 or if there were Jewish people in this room today listening to the text,

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 this would completely and utterly shock them and offend them.

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 Because Paul is saying that what we now call Saudi Arabia is where present Jerusalem is.

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 And they would see Jerusalem and the Jewish people as descending from Sarah, not Hagar.

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 Paul is making this very, very, very big claim that the present Jerusalem is really,

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 in a sense, outside of the promised land, outside of what God is doing in terms of new covenants.

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 It would have just shocked them.

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 And I'm going to explain it in a moment.

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 But it would have been a shocking thing to them.

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 Like, this would have been, like, an unimaginable type of comparison.

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 And note as well, just one thing.

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 He's not saying that it corresponds to Jerusalem in the Old Testament.

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 He's not rejecting the Old Testament.

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 Okay?

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 Paul never rejects the Old Testament.

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 In fact, he values the Old Testament.

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 He's opening it up to them.

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 And he's not putting down Moses.

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 He's not putting down the law.

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 He's talking about the present Jerusalem.

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 In other words, those who, even though they are raised Jewish,

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 and even though they have the Old, what we call the Old Testament,

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 they would call the Tanakh,

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 they have not recognized the Messiah

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 that all of the Old Testament is pointing to.

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 That's why he's saying present Jerusalem.

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 Verse 25 again.

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 Now, Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia.

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 She corresponds to the present Jerusalem,

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 for she is in slavery with her children.

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 Verse 26.

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 But the Jerusalem above is free,

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 and she is our mother.

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 He's now trying...

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 Remember, this is all a bit of an analogy between Sarah and Hagar.

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 And just pause here.

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 If you're wondering how on earth this idea comes about,

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 and this...

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 Part of the reason sometimes the Old Testament is hard to read

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 is that there's ideas in the Old Testament

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 that we're not that familiar with.

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 But there's a very important part in the book of Ezekiel.

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 I think it's chapters 40 through 48,

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 where Ezekiel has a long vision of heavenly Jerusalem.

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 And Ezekiel is a prophet during Jerusalem's exile.

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 Ezekiel is in exile in Babylon,

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 away from earthly Jerusalem,

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 and God gives him this vision of a heavenly Jerusalem.

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 And that was a very important piece of thought for Jews ever since.

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 And there's another piece of the Old Testament,

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 which is all the way through the Old Testament,

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 is that sometimes when the word...

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 When it talks about Zion,

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 and I know that's not just something from the Matrix movie series,

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 it's actually based in the Old Testament.

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 And sometimes when Paul talks...

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 When the Bible talks...

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 When the Old Testament talks about Zion,

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 it's referring to, in a sense, the fortress of King David.

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 But other times, it's obviously something more.

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 It's the place of true praise

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 in the presence of the true king.

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 It's something which is obvious from the context

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 that it's not talking about the current city,

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 that Zion is often an image for this heavenly place

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 where things are done the proper way,

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 which touches earth.

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 So Paul here is actually then...

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 He's moving around from this image to image to image.

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 And if you were Jewish,

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 this heavenly Jerusalem, you'd think,

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 Oh, Ezekiel.

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 Oh, you'd think of Zion.

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 Okay, but for us, we don't get it.

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 That's why I'm just telling you.

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 So go back.

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 We'll read verse 26 again.

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 I hope I haven't put you all to sleep,

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 but I'll unpack it more in a moment.

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 Verse 26.

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 But Jerusalem above is free.

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 And she is our mother.

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 In other words, Christians' true home is heaven.

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 And where heaven is, there is freedom.

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 And our home is there, in a sense,

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 our birth comes from heaven.

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 You can think of John 3.16,

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 For God so loved the world

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 that he gave his only begotten son to the end

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 that all who believe in him will not perish,

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 but have everlasting life.

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 Just pause here in this text.

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 This is another thing that happened on Friday morning

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 in the same Starbucks.

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 So I'm reading my Bible,

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 and an older guy,

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 a very nice older guy,

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 quiet older guy,

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 he comes up and he sort of taps me on the shoulders,

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 and he says,

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 Is my name in there?

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 The book I'm reading,

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 the Bible.

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 And I probably had a deer in the headlight moment

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 for a second,

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 and then I said,

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 Well, actually,

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 I almost said his name.

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 I'll call him Bob.

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 Actually, Bob it is.

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 He said,

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 Really?

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 I said,

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 Yeah.

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 I said,

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 Jesus says,

00:14:41.399 --> 00:14:42.759
 For God so loved the world

00:14:42.759 --> 00:14:47.339
 that whoever believes in his only begotten son

00:14:47.339 --> 00:14:48.199
 will not perish,

00:14:48.339 --> 00:14:49.839
 but have everlasting life.

00:14:49.979 --> 00:14:52.159
 And when it says whoever and all,

00:14:52.959 --> 00:14:54.199
 Jesus was thinking of you.

00:14:57.259 --> 00:14:58.339
 You are in the book.

00:14:59.379 --> 00:15:01.319
 And he just smiled a quiet smile

00:15:01.320 --> 00:15:01.640
 and said,

00:15:01.680 --> 00:15:02.840
 Well, that's really interesting.

00:15:03.500 --> 00:15:04.720
 And then he left the Starbucks.

00:15:05.740 --> 00:15:06.860
 So I pray for him.

00:15:06.920 --> 00:15:07.960
 You can pray for him too.

00:15:08.040 --> 00:15:09.180
 You can just call him Bob,

00:15:09.400 --> 00:15:10.440
 but God will figure out

00:15:10.440 --> 00:15:11.540
 where the prayer should go.

00:15:12.140 --> 00:15:13.300
 So verse 26 again,

00:15:13.400 --> 00:15:14.980
 But the Jerusalem above is free,

00:15:15.160 --> 00:15:16.000
 and she is our mother.

00:15:16.280 --> 00:15:17.060
 Verse 27.

00:15:17.600 --> 00:15:18.640
 And now he's going to quote

00:15:18.640 --> 00:15:19.520
 from the book of Isaiah,

00:15:19.640 --> 00:15:21.120
 chapter 54, verse 1.

00:15:22.020 --> 00:15:24.200
 Rejoice, O barren one who does not bear.

00:15:24.800 --> 00:15:26.320
 Break forth and cry aloud,

00:15:26.320 --> 00:15:28.020
 you who are not in labor.

00:15:28.840 --> 00:15:31.060
 For the children of the desolate one

00:15:31.059 --> 00:15:32.739
 will be more than those

00:15:32.739 --> 00:15:35.179
 of the one who has a husband.

00:15:36.679 --> 00:15:39.000
 So Paul is once again saying

00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:41.259
 there's this other prophecy from Isaiah,

00:15:41.379 --> 00:15:42.500
 which is going to talk.

00:15:42.579 --> 00:15:44.479
 It's talking about the same type of image

00:15:44.479 --> 00:15:47.979
 of Sarah and Hagar and Isaac and Ishmael,

00:15:48.079 --> 00:15:50.519
 and it's talking about a particular type of birth

00:15:50.519 --> 00:15:52.399
 and how God works.

00:15:53.119 --> 00:15:53.739
 Verse 28.

00:15:53.739 --> 00:15:55.159
 Now you brothers and sisters,

00:15:55.519 --> 00:15:57.099
 and this is one of the key parts

00:15:57.099 --> 00:15:58.359
 of the whole part, okay?

00:15:58.639 --> 00:16:00.820
 I'm going to explain it in a moment.

00:16:00.980 --> 00:16:01.879
 But verse 28.

00:16:01.980 --> 00:16:04.159
 Now you brothers and sisters like Isaac

00:16:04.159 --> 00:16:05.659
 are children of promise.

00:16:07.320 --> 00:16:08.820
 That's each one of us who hear

00:16:08.820 --> 00:16:11.000
 who are a follower of Jesus.

00:16:12.200 --> 00:16:13.399
 We're like Isaac.

00:16:13.940 --> 00:16:15.379
 We are children of promise.

00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:17.039
 Verse 29.

00:16:17.039 --> 00:16:18.759
 But just as at the time

00:16:18.759 --> 00:16:20.720
 he who was born according to the flesh,

00:16:20.860 --> 00:16:21.700
 that's Ishmael,

00:16:22.200 --> 00:16:23.600
 persecuted him who was born

00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:24.600
 according to the spirit,

00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:26.620
 so also it is now.

00:16:27.040 --> 00:16:28.159
 Paul is being persecuted

00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:30.019
 by legalists.

00:16:32.940 --> 00:16:34.320
 Just pause here for a second.

00:16:34.440 --> 00:16:36.740
 He's not being persecuted by pagans.

00:16:38.879 --> 00:16:40.220
 He's being persecuted

00:16:40.220 --> 00:16:41.899
 from people within the church

00:16:41.899 --> 00:16:43.100
 who are legalists.

00:16:45.899 --> 00:16:47.500
 This is very, very, very...

00:16:47.500 --> 00:16:49.259
 I mean, other places he talks about

00:16:49.259 --> 00:16:50.639
 being persecuted by the state.

00:16:50.639 --> 00:16:53.179
 This is not a text about persecution

00:16:53.179 --> 00:16:55.899
 by atheists or the state.

00:16:56.240 --> 00:16:59.299
 This is by how the gospel

00:16:59.299 --> 00:17:00.840
 will often end.

00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:02.460
 People who believe the gospel

00:17:02.460 --> 00:17:04.720
 and try to be shaped by the gospel

00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:06.259
 will often be persecuted

00:17:06.259 --> 00:17:07.900
 by legalists.

00:17:12.099 --> 00:17:12.940
 Verse 30.

00:17:13.019 --> 00:17:14.339
 But what does the scripture say?

00:17:14.480 --> 00:17:16.539
 Cast out the slave woman and her son

00:17:16.539 --> 00:17:17.879
 for the son of the slave woman

00:17:17.879 --> 00:17:19.139
 shall not inherit

00:17:19.139 --> 00:17:20.420
 with the son of the free woman.

00:17:21.540 --> 00:17:22.759
 So, brothers and sisters,

00:17:22.920 --> 00:17:24.800
 we are not children of the slave,

00:17:25.500 --> 00:17:26.560
 but of the free woman.

00:17:27.400 --> 00:17:29.300
 We're not children of the slave,

00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:31.560
 but of the free woman.

00:17:32.580 --> 00:17:33.700
 So, Andrew,

00:17:33.740 --> 00:17:34.940
 if you could put up the first point,

00:17:35.060 --> 00:17:35.820
 that would be great.

00:17:36.620 --> 00:17:37.920
 And we have to try

00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:38.860
 to figure this all out.

00:17:39.320 --> 00:17:40.240
 So those of you,

00:17:40.420 --> 00:17:41.060
 maybe,

00:17:41.220 --> 00:17:41.740
 who have been here

00:17:41.740 --> 00:17:42.500
 for several weeks

00:17:42.500 --> 00:17:43.940
 and I haven't put to sleep

00:17:43.940 --> 00:17:44.780
 and you remember

00:17:44.780 --> 00:17:46.960
 what I said,

00:17:48.240 --> 00:17:48.960
 what...

00:17:48.960 --> 00:17:50.120
 Here's the first thing.

00:17:50.119 --> 00:17:51.139
 The infinite God

00:17:51.139 --> 00:17:52.000
 made a promise

00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:52.739
 to bless

00:17:52.739 --> 00:17:55.379
 finite and fallen human beings.

00:17:55.979 --> 00:17:57.319
 The infinite God

00:17:57.319 --> 00:17:58.239
 made a promise

00:17:58.239 --> 00:17:58.919
 to bless

00:17:58.919 --> 00:18:00.939
 finite and fallen human beings.

00:18:01.039 --> 00:18:02.039
 That's really

00:18:02.039 --> 00:18:03.179
 how the story of Abraham

00:18:03.179 --> 00:18:05.019
 begins in Genesis chapter 12,

00:18:05.079 --> 00:18:06.019
 verses 1 to 3.

00:18:06.719 --> 00:18:07.939
 Abraham at the time

00:18:07.939 --> 00:18:09.599
 is 75 years old

00:18:09.599 --> 00:18:11.759
 and his wife Sarah

00:18:11.759 --> 00:18:13.379
 is 65 years old.

00:18:13.459 --> 00:18:14.379
 This is very important

00:18:14.379 --> 00:18:15.039
 to the story.

00:18:15.659 --> 00:18:16.659
 Abraham is 75,

00:18:17.179 --> 00:18:18.239
 Sarah is 65.

00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:19.880
 Now, just because

00:18:19.880 --> 00:18:20.880
 Abraham lived

00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:22.059
 4,000 years ago

00:18:22.059 --> 00:18:23.140
 doesn't mean he's stupid.

00:18:25.839 --> 00:18:26.920
 He knows

00:18:26.920 --> 00:18:28.200
 when women

00:18:28.200 --> 00:18:29.660
 can stop having babies.

00:18:32.859 --> 00:18:34.339
 He doesn't have a PhD,

00:18:35.160 --> 00:18:36.880
 doesn't use a flush toilet,

00:18:37.480 --> 00:18:38.859
 doesn't use an iPhone,

00:18:39.720 --> 00:18:40.859
 but he's not stupid.

00:18:42.099 --> 00:18:43.319
 He understands

00:18:43.319 --> 00:18:45.240
 how natural cycles work,

00:18:45.319 --> 00:18:45.559
 in fact,

00:18:45.660 --> 00:18:46.420
 far better than us

00:18:46.420 --> 00:18:47.360
 people who think

00:18:47.360 --> 00:18:48.279
 that meat just comes

00:18:48.279 --> 00:18:50.060
 automatically in a grocery store

00:18:50.060 --> 00:18:52.620
 wrapped in plastic.

00:18:55.120 --> 00:18:56.539
 He knew how meat came.

00:18:57.700 --> 00:18:58.600
 He knew how to get it.

00:18:58.600 --> 00:18:59.480
 He knew the cycles.

00:19:00.779 --> 00:19:01.740
 His whole life

00:19:01.740 --> 00:19:02.440
 depended upon

00:19:02.440 --> 00:19:03.360
 reading the cycles.

00:19:04.060 --> 00:19:04.680
 So here he is

00:19:04.680 --> 00:19:06.320
 at 75 years of age.

00:19:06.380 --> 00:19:07.420
 His wife is 65.

00:19:07.600 --> 00:19:08.600
 They have no children.

00:19:09.180 --> 00:19:09.740
 They've been married

00:19:09.740 --> 00:19:10.300
 a long time.

00:19:10.360 --> 00:19:11.060
 They've never been able

00:19:11.060 --> 00:19:11.880
 to have a child.

00:19:11.880 --> 00:19:13.280
 And God says,

00:19:13.480 --> 00:19:14.080
 through you

00:19:14.080 --> 00:19:17.440
 and through your seed

00:19:17.440 --> 00:19:18.740
 as the story develops,

00:19:18.840 --> 00:19:19.320
 I'm going to bless

00:19:19.320 --> 00:19:19.960
 all the nations

00:19:19.960 --> 00:19:20.520
 of the world.

00:19:21.320 --> 00:19:22.120
 And one of the reasons

00:19:22.120 --> 00:19:23.080
 that Abraham's considered

00:19:23.080 --> 00:19:23.820
 to be a man of faith

00:19:23.820 --> 00:19:24.780
 is he believes God.

00:19:24.860 --> 00:19:25.960
 He's 75 years old

00:19:25.960 --> 00:19:27.400
 with a 65-year-old wife

00:19:27.400 --> 00:19:28.820
 and he's not polygamous.

00:19:28.900 --> 00:19:30.060
 He just has one wife

00:19:30.060 --> 00:19:31.580
 and he believes God.

00:19:31.720 --> 00:19:32.000
 Isn't that?

00:19:32.000 --> 00:19:33.780
 That's stunning.

00:19:33.779 --> 00:19:37.440
 And so one of the arguments

00:19:37.440 --> 00:19:41.079
 that Paul has been developing

00:19:41.079 --> 00:19:41.660
 is he's saying,

00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:42.000
 in a sense,

00:19:42.039 --> 00:19:43.039
 let's just think about this

00:19:43.039 --> 00:19:43.519
 for a second,

00:19:43.619 --> 00:19:44.960
 this promise that God makes

00:19:44.960 --> 00:19:46.519
 that he's going to bless.

00:19:47.660 --> 00:19:48.599
 He is going to bless

00:19:48.599 --> 00:19:49.319
 through Abraham

00:19:49.319 --> 00:19:50.720
 and through Abraham's seed

00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:52.200
 all of the nations.

00:19:52.859 --> 00:19:53.779
 Now just pause here

00:19:53.779 --> 00:19:54.359
 for a second.

00:19:55.680 --> 00:19:57.240
 This is a very important pause,

00:19:57.279 --> 00:19:58.039
 even if it puts me

00:19:58.039 --> 00:19:58.680
 a few minutes over

00:19:58.680 --> 00:19:59.339
 on my sermon.

00:20:00.139 --> 00:20:01.119
 For some people,

00:20:01.119 --> 00:20:03.059
 even me talking about this

00:20:03.059 --> 00:20:04.259
 is very painful

00:20:04.259 --> 00:20:05.059
 in another way

00:20:05.059 --> 00:20:07.519
 because there's probably

00:20:07.519 --> 00:20:08.659
 people in the church,

00:20:09.099 --> 00:20:10.639
 maybe women in the church

00:20:10.639 --> 00:20:11.700
 who long to marry

00:20:11.700 --> 00:20:12.960
 and have children

00:20:12.960 --> 00:20:14.359
 but were never able to marry.

00:20:15.659 --> 00:20:17.079
 And there are very likely

00:20:17.079 --> 00:20:18.319
 women in the church

00:20:18.319 --> 00:20:19.559
 who are married

00:20:19.559 --> 00:20:20.339
 or were married

00:20:20.339 --> 00:20:21.259
 and long to be able

00:20:21.259 --> 00:20:22.059
 to have a child

00:20:22.059 --> 00:20:22.980
 or many children

00:20:22.980 --> 00:20:24.159
 and weren't able

00:20:24.159 --> 00:20:24.940
 to have children.

00:20:26.399 --> 00:20:27.720
 And so to even read this text

00:20:27.720 --> 00:20:28.440
 can be painful

00:20:28.440 --> 00:20:29.319
 for some people.

00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:32.779
 And it's a very important aside,

00:20:32.779 --> 00:20:34.099
 but one of the wonderful things

00:20:34.099 --> 00:20:34.899
 about the Bible,

00:20:35.940 --> 00:20:36.240
 in fact,

00:20:36.420 --> 00:20:37.940
 part of the whole drama

00:20:37.940 --> 00:20:38.700
 of the text

00:20:38.700 --> 00:20:41.160
 is that in Abraham's day,

00:20:42.220 --> 00:20:43.799
 a woman who could not

00:20:43.799 --> 00:20:44.799
 produce children

00:20:44.799 --> 00:20:46.859
 was basically

00:20:46.859 --> 00:20:48.440
 of no value whatsoever.

00:20:49.980 --> 00:20:51.740
 And one of the wonderful things

00:20:51.740 --> 00:20:52.559
 about the Bible

00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:53.779
 is that that message

00:20:53.779 --> 00:20:55.240
 is never communicated

00:20:55.240 --> 00:20:55.879
 in the text.

00:20:56.039 --> 00:20:56.319
 In fact,

00:20:56.379 --> 00:20:57.839
 the opposite is communicated.

00:20:57.839 --> 00:21:00.319
 That a man's worth

00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:01.639
 and a woman's worth

00:21:01.639 --> 00:21:03.220
 and their value to God

00:21:03.220 --> 00:21:04.399
 does not depend upon

00:21:04.399 --> 00:21:05.240
 them being married.

00:21:06.879 --> 00:21:08.659
 That is an unbelievably

00:21:08.659 --> 00:21:10.759
 counter-cultural idea

00:21:10.759 --> 00:21:12.679
 throughout the entire time

00:21:12.679 --> 00:21:13.319
 the Old Testament

00:21:13.319 --> 00:21:13.939
 and the New Testament

00:21:13.939 --> 00:21:14.359
 was written,

00:21:14.679 --> 00:21:15.720
 and it's a counter-cultural

00:21:15.720 --> 00:21:16.459
 idea today.

00:21:17.399 --> 00:21:18.500
 And that not only

00:21:18.500 --> 00:21:20.179
 does a man and woman's value

00:21:20.179 --> 00:21:21.279
 not depend upon

00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:21.879
 them being able

00:21:21.879 --> 00:21:22.419
 to be married,

00:21:22.519 --> 00:21:23.079
 it also,

00:21:23.279 --> 00:21:23.679
 for a woman,

00:21:23.779 --> 00:21:24.679
 does not depend

00:21:24.680 --> 00:21:26.200
 for a moment

00:21:26.200 --> 00:21:27.640
 upon her ability

00:21:27.640 --> 00:21:28.779
 to have children.

00:21:30.039 --> 00:21:31.279
 She has a value

00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:32.460
 and a dignity

00:21:32.460 --> 00:21:33.259
 and a worth

00:21:33.259 --> 00:21:34.880
 before Almighty God

00:21:34.880 --> 00:21:37.420
 that is not connected

00:21:37.420 --> 00:21:39.279
 to her ability

00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:40.400
 to have procreation,

00:21:40.539 --> 00:21:41.880
 to have babies.

00:21:43.660 --> 00:21:45.000
 And so part of the drama

00:21:45.000 --> 00:21:45.779
 and the tragedy

00:21:45.779 --> 00:21:47.039
 of the story in Genesis

00:21:47.039 --> 00:21:48.779
 is around Sarah

00:21:48.779 --> 00:21:50.140
 and Abraham's inability

00:21:50.140 --> 00:21:51.220
 to have children,

00:21:51.740 --> 00:21:53.980
 but the text itself

00:21:53.980 --> 00:21:54.759
 is going to point

00:21:54.759 --> 00:21:56.900
 of how God loves Sarah

00:21:56.900 --> 00:21:58.160
 and loves Abraham

00:21:58.160 --> 00:21:59.539
 and he loves all

00:21:59.539 --> 00:22:01.180
 who are single,

00:22:01.759 --> 00:22:03.420
 all who are married,

00:22:03.799 --> 00:22:04.759
 all who are married

00:22:04.759 --> 00:22:05.779
 and have not been able

00:22:05.779 --> 00:22:06.620
 to have children,

00:22:06.759 --> 00:22:07.480
 that your worth

00:22:07.480 --> 00:22:08.200
 and your value

00:22:08.200 --> 00:22:08.839
 and your ability

00:22:08.839 --> 00:22:10.099
 to be used by God

00:22:10.099 --> 00:22:11.220
 to God's glory

00:22:11.220 --> 00:22:13.099
 is separate

00:22:13.099 --> 00:22:13.880
 from these things

00:22:13.880 --> 00:22:14.880
 that the culture says

00:22:14.880 --> 00:22:15.740
 are very important.

00:22:20.299 --> 00:22:21.640
 So let's go back

00:22:21.640 --> 00:22:22.799
 to this particular story.

00:22:22.799 --> 00:22:23.519
 So what happens

00:22:23.519 --> 00:22:24.119
 in this story?

00:22:24.639 --> 00:22:25.339
 So God has made

00:22:25.339 --> 00:22:25.960
 this promise,

00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:26.799
 the infinite God

00:22:26.799 --> 00:22:27.440
 made a promise

00:22:27.440 --> 00:22:28.180
 to bless finite

00:22:28.180 --> 00:22:29.220
 and fallen human beings.

00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:30.359
 Abraham at 75

00:22:30.359 --> 00:22:31.960
 with a 65-year-old wife

00:22:31.960 --> 00:22:33.299
 believes this

00:22:33.299 --> 00:22:35.000
 and begins to act on it.

00:22:35.519 --> 00:22:36.859
 Time goes by.

00:22:37.559 --> 00:22:39.299
 21 years later,

00:22:39.919 --> 00:22:40.720
 nothing's happened.

00:22:41.579 --> 00:22:42.399
 You add 21,

00:22:42.639 --> 00:22:43.379
 going to do the math

00:22:43.379 --> 00:22:44.019
 really quickly,

00:22:44.200 --> 00:22:46.359
 21 and 75 is 96,

00:22:46.819 --> 00:22:49.359
 21 and 65 is 86.

00:22:50.019 --> 00:22:50.839
 Nothing's happened.

00:22:51.299 --> 00:22:52.059
 Abraham and Sarah

00:22:52.059 --> 00:22:52.679
 aren't dummies.

00:22:52.799 --> 00:22:54.259
 Not many 86-year-old women

00:22:54.259 --> 00:22:55.039
 have babies.

00:22:55.939 --> 00:22:56.379
 In fact,

00:22:56.439 --> 00:22:57.000
 none of them do.

00:22:58.919 --> 00:23:00.379
 So what they decide to do

00:23:00.379 --> 00:23:00.959
 is that they're going

00:23:00.959 --> 00:23:01.599
 to take matters

00:23:01.599 --> 00:23:02.480
 into their own hand.

00:23:02.559 --> 00:23:03.099
 It sounds very,

00:23:03.179 --> 00:23:03.659
 very devout,

00:23:03.740 --> 00:23:04.199
 doesn't it?

00:23:04.559 --> 00:23:05.279
 God has said

00:23:05.279 --> 00:23:06.019
 that he's going to do this.

00:23:06.099 --> 00:23:06.500
 I'm going to be

00:23:06.500 --> 00:23:07.959
 very, very, very devout.

00:23:08.359 --> 00:23:09.099
 And because I'm going

00:23:09.099 --> 00:23:10.399
 to be very, very devout,

00:23:10.659 --> 00:23:11.379
 here's what we're going

00:23:11.379 --> 00:23:11.699
 to do.

00:23:11.699 --> 00:23:13.119
 In those days,

00:23:13.379 --> 00:23:14.179
 not only was it,

00:23:14.500 --> 00:23:16.659
 could people hold slaves,

00:23:16.779 --> 00:23:17.579
 but in those days,

00:23:17.679 --> 00:23:18.279
 men could also

00:23:18.279 --> 00:23:19.139
 have a concubine.

00:23:19.899 --> 00:23:21.019
 So in modern terms,

00:23:21.059 --> 00:23:21.579
 it would be that

00:23:21.579 --> 00:23:22.559
 I'm married to Louise,

00:23:22.660 --> 00:23:24.119
 that's untouchable,

00:23:24.259 --> 00:23:25.119
 and my heirs

00:23:25.119 --> 00:23:26.639
 come through Louise,

00:23:26.899 --> 00:23:27.980
 they're my legitimate children,

00:23:28.079 --> 00:23:29.079
 but I could also decide

00:23:29.079 --> 00:23:29.759
 to have, in a sense,

00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:31.299
 a legally accepted

00:23:31.299 --> 00:23:33.099
 sex object on the side.

00:23:34.160 --> 00:23:34.779
 Another woman,

00:23:34.839 --> 00:23:35.420
 a concubine,

00:23:35.559 --> 00:23:36.579
 that I can have sex with

00:23:36.579 --> 00:23:37.660
 as often as I want.

00:23:38.879 --> 00:23:39.960
 And that was legally

00:23:39.960 --> 00:23:41.299
 and culturally acceptable.

00:23:41.460 --> 00:23:42.059
 That's just the way

00:23:42.059 --> 00:23:42.839
 the world works.

00:23:43.019 --> 00:23:44.059
 Like, why wouldn't a man

00:23:44.059 --> 00:23:44.639
 be able to have

00:23:44.639 --> 00:23:45.559
 that ability?

00:23:45.559 --> 00:23:46.379
 And, you know,

00:23:46.399 --> 00:23:46.899
 in those days,

00:23:47.000 --> 00:23:47.500
 lots of, you know,

00:23:47.539 --> 00:23:48.639
 men still die younger

00:23:48.639 --> 00:23:49.119
 than women,

00:23:49.299 --> 00:23:50.200
 and lots of men

00:23:50.200 --> 00:23:50.919
 die in battle

00:23:50.919 --> 00:23:51.799
 and stuff like that,

00:23:51.839 --> 00:23:52.419
 and there might be

00:23:52.419 --> 00:23:53.240
 more women around,

00:23:53.339 --> 00:23:54.419
 or a man's just very rich

00:23:54.419 --> 00:23:55.240
 or very powerful

00:23:55.240 --> 00:23:56.519
 or very virile,

00:23:56.519 --> 00:23:57.339
 so he has his

00:23:57.339 --> 00:23:58.379
 legitimate wife,

00:23:58.399 --> 00:23:59.019
 and then he has

00:23:59.019 --> 00:24:00.259
 one or more concubines

00:24:00.259 --> 00:24:00.779
 on the side

00:24:00.779 --> 00:24:01.519
 so he can have sex

00:24:01.519 --> 00:24:01.859
 with them.

00:24:02.339 --> 00:24:03.480
 And Abraham and Sarah

00:24:03.480 --> 00:24:04.720
 go along with the culture.

00:24:05.700 --> 00:24:06.519
 And another thing

00:24:06.519 --> 00:24:07.679
 in the culture of that time

00:24:07.679 --> 00:24:09.019
 is that in that culture

00:24:09.019 --> 00:24:09.559
 of the time,

00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:10.859
 in a case like Abraham

00:24:10.859 --> 00:24:11.579
 and Sarah,

00:24:12.079 --> 00:24:12.419
 they can,

00:24:12.539 --> 00:24:13.339
 Sarah can say,

00:24:13.759 --> 00:24:14.419
 I am going to,

00:24:14.420 --> 00:24:15.240
 it's almost like

00:24:15.240 --> 00:24:16.100
 a legal contract,

00:24:16.100 --> 00:24:17.160
 I'm going to allow you

00:24:17.160 --> 00:24:17.820
 to have sex

00:24:17.820 --> 00:24:18.440
 with this woman

00:24:18.440 --> 00:24:20.220
 and whatever children

00:24:20.220 --> 00:24:21.440
 you produce

00:24:21.440 --> 00:24:22.200
 through having sex

00:24:22.200 --> 00:24:22.720
 with this woman,

00:24:22.820 --> 00:24:23.700
 we're going to count it

00:24:23.700 --> 00:24:25.180
 as if I had had the baby

00:24:25.180 --> 00:24:26.340
 and it will be the heir.

00:24:27.720 --> 00:24:28.160
 Legal,

00:24:28.680 --> 00:24:29.660
 culturally acceptable

00:24:29.660 --> 00:24:30.460
 way to do it.

00:24:30.920 --> 00:24:31.600
 And so Abraham

00:24:31.600 --> 00:24:32.380
 and Sarah,

00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:34.120
 knowing of God's promise,

00:24:34.259 --> 00:24:34.759
 they're 96

00:24:34.759 --> 00:24:35.500
 and they're 86,

00:24:35.980 --> 00:24:36.759
 and so Abraham

00:24:36.759 --> 00:24:37.519
 starts sleeping

00:24:37.519 --> 00:24:40.039
 with Hagar

00:24:40.039 --> 00:24:41.360
 and he produces

00:24:41.360 --> 00:24:41.840
 a son,

00:24:41.980 --> 00:24:42.500
 Ishmael.

00:24:44.420 --> 00:24:47.460
 96 years old,

00:24:47.500 --> 00:24:48.060
 he has a son.

00:24:50.100 --> 00:24:51.039
 So here's the,

00:24:51.100 --> 00:24:51.600
 if you could put up

00:24:51.600 --> 00:24:52.380
 the next point,

00:24:54.060 --> 00:24:54.279
 Andrew,

00:24:54.380 --> 00:24:54.779
 this is,

00:24:54.840 --> 00:24:55.880
 this is really

00:24:55.880 --> 00:24:57.759
 an important point

00:24:57.759 --> 00:24:58.140
 in,

00:24:58.140 --> 00:24:58.460
 in,

00:24:58.519 --> 00:25:00.500
 in Paul's argument

00:25:00.500 --> 00:25:01.940
 here in Galatians 4.

00:25:03.220 --> 00:25:03.779
 Religion,

00:25:04.580 --> 00:25:05.060
 because you see,

00:25:05.140 --> 00:25:06.220
 basically what Paul

00:25:06.220 --> 00:25:07.160
 is saying here

00:25:07.160 --> 00:25:07.720
 is the Bible

00:25:07.720 --> 00:25:08.320
 is saying here

00:25:08.320 --> 00:25:09.039
 is that the Bible

00:25:09.039 --> 00:25:10.480
 condemns legalism

00:25:10.480 --> 00:25:11.100
 and religion.

00:25:11.099 --> 00:25:15.319
 human beings

00:25:15.319 --> 00:25:16.939
 have to be saved

00:25:16.939 --> 00:25:18.619
 from religion.

00:25:19.899 --> 00:25:20.959
 And one of the things

00:25:20.959 --> 00:25:21.659
 I said to my,

00:25:21.719 --> 00:25:22.759
 my Jewish friend,

00:25:23.059 --> 00:25:23.319
 I,

00:25:23.319 --> 00:25:24.159
 I shared with my

00:25:24.159 --> 00:25:24.839
 Jewish friend

00:25:24.839 --> 00:25:25.839
 was that,

00:25:25.939 --> 00:25:26.039
 you know,

00:25:26.119 --> 00:25:27.059
 part of the problem

00:25:27.059 --> 00:25:27.279
 of,

00:25:27.379 --> 00:25:28.359
 of any community

00:25:28.359 --> 00:25:29.379
 is that we,

00:25:29.500 --> 00:25:30.399
 we start to lose

00:25:30.399 --> 00:25:30.980
 our way

00:25:30.980 --> 00:25:31.699
 with traditions

00:25:31.699 --> 00:25:32.419
 and rules.

00:25:32.420 --> 00:25:34.100
 and it's not just,

00:25:34.340 --> 00:25:34.940
 there can be other

00:25:34.940 --> 00:25:36.120
 types of legalism.

00:25:36.840 --> 00:25:37.039
 I,

00:25:37.100 --> 00:25:38.019
 I've given an example

00:25:38.019 --> 00:25:38.580
 of legalism

00:25:38.580 --> 00:25:39.320
 from Anglicanism,

00:25:39.400 --> 00:25:39.800
 but you know,

00:25:40.140 --> 00:25:41.180
 when I was very,

00:25:41.320 --> 00:25:41.880
 very active

00:25:41.880 --> 00:25:43.360
 in charismatic churches,

00:25:43.480 --> 00:25:44.000
 there's a different

00:25:44.000 --> 00:25:44.880
 type of legalism

00:25:44.880 --> 00:25:46.300
 in many charismatic churches.

00:25:47.880 --> 00:25:48.759
 You've got to get

00:25:48.759 --> 00:25:49.840
 the emotion going.

00:25:52.320 --> 00:25:52.800
 Holiness

00:25:52.800 --> 00:25:55.100
 is a particular emotion.

00:25:57.860 --> 00:25:58.660
 And if you don't

00:25:58.660 --> 00:25:59.480
 get that emotion,

00:26:00.140 --> 00:26:01.259
 the spirit wasn't there.

00:26:01.259 --> 00:26:03.299
 there's a famous story

00:26:03.299 --> 00:26:04.160
 of a person

00:26:04.160 --> 00:26:04.720
 who came up

00:26:04.720 --> 00:26:06.000
 to the praise musician

00:26:06.000 --> 00:26:06.579
 and said,

00:26:06.680 --> 00:26:06.779
 boy,

00:26:06.819 --> 00:26:07.339
 I really felt

00:26:07.339 --> 00:26:08.500
 the Holy Spirit fall

00:26:08.500 --> 00:26:09.720
 at this point in time

00:26:09.720 --> 00:26:10.359
 in your song.

00:26:10.920 --> 00:26:11.900
 And this guy said,

00:26:11.940 --> 00:26:12.019
 no,

00:26:12.039 --> 00:26:12.779
 that's when the bass

00:26:12.779 --> 00:26:13.379
 kicked in.

00:26:16.160 --> 00:26:17.180
 You were just having

00:26:17.180 --> 00:26:19.220
 an aesthetic experience.

00:26:19.819 --> 00:26:20.879
 That's all it was.

00:26:22.099 --> 00:26:23.819
 And it's a very subtle way

00:26:23.819 --> 00:26:24.619
 to take us away

00:26:24.619 --> 00:26:24.879
 from,

00:26:25.000 --> 00:26:25.700
 from the Bible

00:26:25.700 --> 00:26:26.519
 and dependence upon

00:26:26.519 --> 00:26:27.000
 the gospel

00:26:27.000 --> 00:26:28.019
 and dependence upon God

00:26:28.019 --> 00:26:28.619
 that we have to have

00:26:28.619 --> 00:26:29.900
 an aesthetic experience

00:26:29.900 --> 00:26:31.099
 or an emotional experience.

00:26:31.259 --> 00:26:34.180
 or some other type of thing.

00:26:34.240 --> 00:26:35.480
 There's very subtle ways

00:26:35.480 --> 00:26:36.839
 by which our focus

00:26:36.839 --> 00:26:38.059
 goes away from Jesus

00:26:38.059 --> 00:26:38.799
 and his word

00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:40.259
 and goes in other directions.

00:26:42.059 --> 00:26:44.160
 And so,

00:26:44.460 --> 00:26:46.819
 this text is a profound,

00:26:48.779 --> 00:26:49.859
 even though it's hard

00:26:49.859 --> 00:26:50.940
 for us to understand,

00:26:51.079 --> 00:26:52.079
 if we start to understand

00:26:52.079 --> 00:26:53.079
 how he's using the images,

00:26:53.259 --> 00:26:53.900
 he's showing here

00:26:53.900 --> 00:26:54.059
 how,

00:26:54.220 --> 00:26:55.339
 what does Abraham

00:26:55.339 --> 00:26:56.119
 and Sarah do?

00:26:56.160 --> 00:26:56.859
 It appears as if

00:26:56.859 --> 00:26:57.299
 they're devout.

00:26:57.420 --> 00:26:58.500
 God's made this promise.

00:26:59.119 --> 00:27:01.079
 Let's make this promise happen.

00:27:01.920 --> 00:27:02.519
 And how we're going

00:27:02.519 --> 00:27:03.180
 to make it happen?

00:27:03.559 --> 00:27:03.839
 Well,

00:27:03.859 --> 00:27:04.559
 let's look around

00:27:04.559 --> 00:27:05.819
 in our world,

00:27:06.039 --> 00:27:06.779
 in our culture,

00:27:06.920 --> 00:27:08.240
 the best of our culture.

00:27:09.059 --> 00:27:09.700
 And we're going to look

00:27:09.700 --> 00:27:10.940
 at the best of our culture.

00:27:11.099 --> 00:27:11.460
 We're going to look

00:27:11.460 --> 00:27:12.759
 at the best of our laws.

00:27:12.819 --> 00:27:13.579
 And we're going to,

00:27:13.640 --> 00:27:14.359
 we're going to do

00:27:14.359 --> 00:27:15.000
 the best thing

00:27:15.000 --> 00:27:15.720
 in our culture.

00:27:16.259 --> 00:27:16.619
 And so,

00:27:16.680 --> 00:27:17.319
 what's the best thing

00:27:17.319 --> 00:27:17.879
 in our culture?

00:27:18.099 --> 00:27:18.859
 I'm going to sleep

00:27:18.859 --> 00:27:19.339
 with Hagar

00:27:19.339 --> 00:27:20.959
 and I'm going to have

00:27:20.959 --> 00:27:21.379
 a baby.

00:27:21.699 --> 00:27:22.559
 So here's one of the problems

00:27:22.559 --> 00:27:23.299
 when we read the Bible.

00:27:23.459 --> 00:27:23.659
 You see,

00:27:23.759 --> 00:27:24.259
 one of the things,

00:27:24.359 --> 00:27:25.039
 if you start to read

00:27:25.039 --> 00:27:25.659
 the Old Testament,

00:27:25.839 --> 00:27:27.039
 never think that because

00:27:27.039 --> 00:27:28.039
 you read the Old Testament,

00:27:28.179 --> 00:27:29.579
 every time you read something,

00:27:29.959 --> 00:27:30.799
 God is giving it

00:27:30.799 --> 00:27:31.659
 two thumbs up.

00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:32.579
 Way to go.

00:27:33.919 --> 00:27:34.319
 No.

00:27:35.480 --> 00:27:36.699
 Abraham sins in this.

00:27:38.079 --> 00:27:38.459
 Why?

00:27:40.279 --> 00:27:41.539
 It's clear even before

00:27:41.539 --> 00:27:42.439
 Genesis 12

00:27:42.439 --> 00:27:43.419
 that you're not supposed to,

00:27:43.500 --> 00:27:44.539
 for a married man,

00:27:44.539 --> 00:27:45.480
 you don't sleep

00:27:45.480 --> 00:27:45.960
 with somebody

00:27:45.960 --> 00:27:46.899
 other than your wife.

00:27:47.539 --> 00:27:48.819
 Doesn't matter if it's legal.

00:27:48.980 --> 00:27:50.220
 Doesn't matter if it's cultural.

00:27:50.399 --> 00:27:51.279
 Doesn't matter if that's

00:27:51.279 --> 00:27:53.019
 what all the smart people say.

00:27:53.920 --> 00:27:54.659
 In the Bible,

00:27:54.759 --> 00:27:55.180
 it's wrong.

00:27:56.899 --> 00:27:58.259
 So what Paul has done,

00:27:58.359 --> 00:27:58.539
 I mean,

00:27:58.599 --> 00:27:59.799
 what Abraham and Sarah

00:27:59.799 --> 00:28:00.500
 have done

00:28:00.500 --> 00:28:02.279
 is they've been religious.

00:28:03.940 --> 00:28:04.599
 They've taken

00:28:04.599 --> 00:28:05.639
 the best of the culture,

00:28:05.819 --> 00:28:06.680
 the best of the law,

00:28:07.519 --> 00:28:08.819
 and they've done something

00:28:08.819 --> 00:28:10.319
 by their own imagination

00:28:10.319 --> 00:28:11.339
 and power

00:28:11.339 --> 00:28:13.000
 to accomplish something.

00:28:13.079 --> 00:28:13.759
 At the same time,

00:28:13.819 --> 00:28:14.440
 they've done something

00:28:14.440 --> 00:28:15.480
 which actually literally

00:28:15.480 --> 00:28:16.120
 goes against

00:28:16.120 --> 00:28:17.240
 what God has said to do.

00:28:19.080 --> 00:28:20.220
 And that's what religion

00:28:20.220 --> 00:28:21.600
 and spirituality do.

00:28:22.680 --> 00:28:23.220
 And so that's why

00:28:23.220 --> 00:28:23.620
 I put it here,

00:28:23.720 --> 00:28:25.799
 religion chooses presumption

00:28:25.799 --> 00:28:27.740
 and natural,

00:28:28.080 --> 00:28:29.160
 in quotation marks,

00:28:29.299 --> 00:28:31.519
 powers over a sovereign God

00:28:31.519 --> 00:28:32.279
 who promises

00:28:32.279 --> 00:28:34.100
 and works a miracle.

00:28:34.539 --> 00:28:35.600
 And in this particular case,

00:28:35.640 --> 00:28:36.519
 I said a miracle

00:28:36.519 --> 00:28:37.480
 because the miracle

00:28:37.480 --> 00:28:38.019
 is going to come

00:28:38.019 --> 00:28:38.980
 in the story of Isaac

00:28:38.980 --> 00:28:39.740
 and as we're going to see,

00:28:39.840 --> 00:28:40.279
 it's a miracle

00:28:40.279 --> 00:28:41.000
 that's replicated

00:28:41.000 --> 00:28:42.580
 in your life and mine

00:28:42.580 --> 00:28:43.400
 when we give our lives

00:28:43.400 --> 00:28:43.900
 to Jesus.

00:28:44.440 --> 00:28:45.779
 But religion

00:28:45.779 --> 00:28:47.000
 chooses presumption

00:28:47.000 --> 00:28:48.160
 and natural powers

00:28:48.160 --> 00:28:50.000
 over a sovereign God

00:28:50.000 --> 00:28:50.860
 who promises

00:28:50.860 --> 00:28:52.740
 and works a miracle.

00:28:54.220 --> 00:28:54.360
 So,

00:28:54.759 --> 00:28:56.220
 what happens?

00:28:56.559 --> 00:28:57.180
 So, Isaac,

00:28:57.799 --> 00:28:57.980
 sorry,

00:28:58.120 --> 00:28:59.539
 Abraham and Sarah,

00:28:59.600 --> 00:29:00.340
 they have a baby

00:29:00.340 --> 00:29:02.500
 through Hagar

00:29:02.500 --> 00:29:03.920
 and his name is Ishmael

00:29:03.920 --> 00:29:04.960
 and there begins to be,

00:29:05.080 --> 00:29:05.200
 you know,

00:29:05.220 --> 00:29:05.700
 one of the ways

00:29:05.700 --> 00:29:07.019
 that even the Old Testament

00:29:07.019 --> 00:29:07.900
 shows how God

00:29:07.900 --> 00:29:09.220
 does not bless polygamy

00:29:09.220 --> 00:29:11.039
 is that instantly

00:29:11.039 --> 00:29:11.940
 there's conflict.

00:29:13.180 --> 00:29:14.140
 There's conflict

00:29:14.140 --> 00:29:14.940
 now that Hagar

00:29:14.940 --> 00:29:15.759
 starts to look down

00:29:15.759 --> 00:29:16.640
 her nose at Sarah.

00:29:16.960 --> 00:29:19.120
 Sarah now resents Hagar.

00:29:19.500 --> 00:29:20.220
 There's conflict.

00:29:20.339 --> 00:29:20.900
 There ends up being

00:29:20.900 --> 00:29:21.819
 conflict as well

00:29:21.819 --> 00:29:22.640
 when Ishmael

00:29:22.640 --> 00:29:23.420
 and eventually

00:29:23.420 --> 00:29:24.380
 the child of promise

00:29:24.380 --> 00:29:24.920
 is born,

00:29:25.319 --> 00:29:26.400
 which ultimately leads

00:29:26.400 --> 00:29:26.880
 that Hagar

00:29:26.880 --> 00:29:27.759
 has to be sent away

00:29:27.759 --> 00:29:28.500
 to what we now call

00:29:28.500 --> 00:29:29.180
 Saudi Arabia.

00:29:29.720 --> 00:29:30.140
 Muslims,

00:29:30.299 --> 00:29:30.620
 by the way,

00:29:30.660 --> 00:29:31.339
 in the Quran,

00:29:31.960 --> 00:29:33.880
 rewrite this entire story

00:29:33.880 --> 00:29:34.920
 to make Ishmael

00:29:34.920 --> 00:29:35.440
 the hero,

00:29:36.420 --> 00:29:37.220
 just so you know.

00:29:37.740 --> 00:29:38.220
 If you ever try

00:29:38.220 --> 00:29:39.380
 doing this as a Bible study

00:29:39.380 --> 00:29:40.680
 with Muslims,

00:29:40.799 --> 00:29:40.980
 they'll say,

00:29:41.059 --> 00:29:41.360
 no, no, no,

00:29:41.360 --> 00:29:42.180
 the Bible's wrong.

00:29:42.299 --> 00:29:42.559
 It's corrupt.

00:29:42.640 --> 00:29:43.600
 No, the Bible's not wrong.

00:29:43.660 --> 00:29:44.019
 It's right.

00:29:44.100 --> 00:29:45.900
 But that's a separate story.

00:29:46.620 --> 00:29:47.400
 So what happens

00:29:47.400 --> 00:29:49.420
 is four years after

00:29:49.420 --> 00:29:51.380
 Abraham and Isaac,

00:29:52.140 --> 00:29:53.160
 Abraham and Sarah

00:29:53.160 --> 00:29:54.200
 have done this with Hagar.

00:29:54.340 --> 00:29:55.299
 God shows up again

00:29:55.299 --> 00:29:56.340
 and speaks to Abraham

00:29:56.340 --> 00:29:56.820
 and says,

00:29:56.880 --> 00:29:57.779
 I'm going to give you a child.

00:29:58.259 --> 00:29:59.980
 Abraham doesn't have

00:29:59.980 --> 00:30:00.820
 a flush toilet,

00:30:00.940 --> 00:30:01.820
 but he's not stupid.

00:30:02.600 --> 00:30:03.420
 100 years old,

00:30:03.480 --> 00:30:04.059
 Sarah's 90.

00:30:04.059 --> 00:30:05.460
 And Abraham's reaction

00:30:05.460 --> 00:30:07.279
 is to laugh at God.

00:30:10.679 --> 00:30:12.399
 See, one of the wonderful things

00:30:12.399 --> 00:30:14.539
 about the Bible,

00:30:15.500 --> 00:30:15.839
 you see,

00:30:15.940 --> 00:30:17.440
 if our relationship with God

00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:18.440
 was just magic,

00:30:19.019 --> 00:30:19.779
 you laugh at God,

00:30:19.839 --> 00:30:20.480
 it doesn't work.

00:30:22.419 --> 00:30:22.679
 You know,

00:30:22.720 --> 00:30:23.399
 because in magic,

00:30:23.559 --> 00:30:23.960
 you have to have

00:30:23.960 --> 00:30:24.659
 the right attitudes,

00:30:24.799 --> 00:30:25.679
 you have the right moves,

00:30:25.759 --> 00:30:27.480
 you have to be in the right groove,

00:30:27.819 --> 00:30:28.139
 you know.

00:30:29.220 --> 00:30:31.480
 But in the way God works,

00:30:31.519 --> 00:30:32.220
 in his economy,

00:30:32.220 --> 00:30:32.960
 it doesn't have anything

00:30:32.960 --> 00:30:33.720
 to do with us.

00:30:34.059 --> 00:30:36.159
 Like,

00:30:36.200 --> 00:30:38.159
 there's a really wonderful story

00:30:38.159 --> 00:30:38.619
 in,

00:30:38.740 --> 00:30:39.940
 I think it's John 5,

00:30:40.119 --> 00:30:40.319
 where,

00:30:40.539 --> 00:30:41.700
 and it's not often caught

00:30:41.700 --> 00:30:42.599
 by people who preach

00:30:42.599 --> 00:30:43.399
 and teach the Bible,

00:30:44.000 --> 00:30:45.119
 but basically,

00:30:45.359 --> 00:30:46.159
 there's a man

00:30:46.159 --> 00:30:47.259
 who's never been healed

00:30:47.259 --> 00:30:48.139
 and he's by the pool

00:30:48.139 --> 00:30:48.859
 in Bethesda,

00:30:49.220 --> 00:30:50.159
 and basically,

00:30:50.399 --> 00:30:51.339
 he's a grumpy,

00:30:51.559 --> 00:30:52.779
 disbelieving guy,

00:30:53.579 --> 00:30:55.460
 and Jesus heals him anyway.

00:30:55.460 --> 00:30:58.920
 Because it's not as if

00:30:58.920 --> 00:30:59.720
 faith is a type,

00:30:59.920 --> 00:31:00.140
 you know,

00:31:00.220 --> 00:31:00.539
 God,

00:31:00.860 --> 00:31:02.039
 faith is a type of way

00:31:02.039 --> 00:31:03.100
 of adding up merit

00:31:03.100 --> 00:31:03.940
 and if we get enough

00:31:03.940 --> 00:31:05.039
 good things about us

00:31:05.039 --> 00:31:06.039
 then God will do a miracle.

00:31:06.140 --> 00:31:06.799
 It's all about God

00:31:06.799 --> 00:31:08.000
 being sovereignly powerful.

00:31:08.120 --> 00:31:08.840
 He does the miracle.

00:31:09.240 --> 00:31:09.519
 Abraham,

00:31:09.680 --> 00:31:10.019
 so anyway,

00:31:10.319 --> 00:31:11.440
 Abraham's 100 years old,

00:31:11.720 --> 00:31:12.340
 Sarah's 90,

00:31:12.700 --> 00:31:13.079
 God says,

00:31:13.140 --> 00:31:13.960
 I'm now going to give you

00:31:13.960 --> 00:31:14.660
 a child,

00:31:15.059 --> 00:31:16.140
 and Abraham laughed,

00:31:16.259 --> 00:31:17.340
 Sarah earlier laughed

00:31:17.340 --> 00:31:18.240
 at God,

00:31:18.240 --> 00:31:19.700
 and Isaac's born.

00:31:23.799 --> 00:31:24.680
 Recognized as a miracle

00:31:24.680 --> 00:31:25.220
 back then,

00:31:25.279 --> 00:31:25.980
 has to be recognized

00:31:25.980 --> 00:31:26.640
 as a miracle now.

00:31:26.700 --> 00:31:27.480
 90-year-old woman

00:31:27.480 --> 00:31:29.019
 from a 100-year-old man,

00:31:29.160 --> 00:31:29.900
 they have a baby.

00:31:30.279 --> 00:31:31.160
 His name's Isaac.

00:31:32.039 --> 00:31:32.559
 Could you put up

00:31:32.559 --> 00:31:33.420
 the next point, please?

00:31:35.099 --> 00:31:35.620
 We'll have to see.

00:31:36.620 --> 00:31:39.319
 God keeps his promise

00:31:39.319 --> 00:31:41.420
 by performing a miracle.

00:31:43.160 --> 00:31:45.839
 See, religion has presumption

00:31:45.839 --> 00:31:47.680
 and natural powers.

00:31:48.240 --> 00:31:50.259
 But God performs a miracle.

00:31:51.000 --> 00:31:51.660
 And a miracle

00:31:51.660 --> 00:31:53.960
 is a supernatural act of God

00:31:53.960 --> 00:31:55.680
 that the natural order

00:31:55.680 --> 00:31:57.120
 cannot produce on its own.

00:31:58.740 --> 00:32:00.559
 I think even today,

00:32:01.720 --> 00:32:02.660
 medical science

00:32:02.660 --> 00:32:03.380
 could not have

00:32:03.380 --> 00:32:04.519
 a 90-year-old woman

00:32:04.519 --> 00:32:05.980
 have a baby.

00:32:08.140 --> 00:32:09.180
 It's a miracle.

00:32:11.759 --> 00:32:13.200
 So here's then

00:32:13.200 --> 00:32:14.220
 what is going on

00:32:14.220 --> 00:32:15.579
 in the story.

00:32:15.579 --> 00:32:18.960
 God has made a promise

00:32:18.960 --> 00:32:21.299
 to bless Abraham

00:32:21.299 --> 00:32:22.500
 and through Abraham

00:32:22.500 --> 00:32:24.259
 to be a blessing

00:32:24.259 --> 00:32:25.659
 that will touch

00:32:25.659 --> 00:32:26.960
 every people group

00:32:26.960 --> 00:32:27.659
 on the planet.

00:32:28.519 --> 00:32:29.099
 And religion

00:32:29.099 --> 00:32:30.240
 tries to fulfill that

00:32:30.240 --> 00:32:31.379
 by its own powers

00:32:31.379 --> 00:32:32.799
 and with its own presumptions.

00:32:32.960 --> 00:32:34.119
 It's a bit of an image

00:32:34.119 --> 00:32:35.079
 or a symbol

00:32:35.079 --> 00:32:36.179
 for how religion

00:32:36.179 --> 00:32:37.759
 and legalism

00:32:37.759 --> 00:32:38.659
 within Christianity

00:32:38.659 --> 00:32:39.839
 always works.

00:32:39.839 --> 00:32:42.199
 Using its own powers

00:32:42.200 --> 00:32:43.400
 and its own presumption.

00:32:43.720 --> 00:32:44.180
 And instead,

00:32:44.480 --> 00:32:45.319
 against this,

00:32:45.480 --> 00:32:46.980
 God performs

00:32:46.980 --> 00:32:47.960
 a miracle

00:32:47.960 --> 00:32:49.000
 in the birth

00:32:49.000 --> 00:32:49.779
 of Isaac.

00:32:50.220 --> 00:32:51.160
 It's completely

00:32:51.160 --> 00:32:52.120
 and utterly

00:32:52.120 --> 00:32:53.120
 shocking.

00:32:54.340 --> 00:32:55.440
 And look again now

00:32:55.440 --> 00:32:57.160
 at verse 28

00:32:57.160 --> 00:32:58.100
 in chapter 4.

00:32:58.600 --> 00:32:59.200
 We haven't looked

00:32:59.200 --> 00:33:00.039
 at the Bible as much.

00:33:00.100 --> 00:33:00.600
 We've been talking

00:33:00.600 --> 00:33:01.039
 about the Bible

00:33:01.039 --> 00:33:01.420
 without reading.

00:33:01.500 --> 00:33:02.059
 But look again

00:33:02.059 --> 00:33:02.900
 at verse 28

00:33:02.900 --> 00:33:03.740
 of chapter 4.

00:33:03.740 --> 00:33:04.600
 Now you,

00:33:04.860 --> 00:33:05.799
 brothers and sisters,

00:33:06.059 --> 00:33:06.920
 like Isaac,

00:33:07.100 --> 00:33:07.960
 are children

00:33:07.960 --> 00:33:09.340
 of promise.

00:33:10.819 --> 00:33:13.360
 This is a completely

00:33:13.360 --> 00:33:15.500
 stunning text.

00:33:16.840 --> 00:33:19.000
 I do not make myself

00:33:19.000 --> 00:33:19.740
 a Christian.

00:33:21.000 --> 00:33:21.680
 Next point.

00:33:23.180 --> 00:33:24.360
 I do not make myself

00:33:24.360 --> 00:33:25.559
 only a miracle

00:33:25.559 --> 00:33:26.319
 by God

00:33:26.319 --> 00:33:27.980
 can make a human being

00:33:27.980 --> 00:33:29.700
 into a child of God.

00:33:30.680 --> 00:33:32.799
 Every single person here,

00:33:33.660 --> 00:33:34.840
 whether we have

00:33:34.840 --> 00:33:36.640
 very, very, very weak faith,

00:33:36.640 --> 00:33:38.460
 intermittent faith,

00:33:38.700 --> 00:33:39.620
 not even sure

00:33:39.620 --> 00:33:41.000
 if we have any faith anymore

00:33:41.000 --> 00:33:41.880
 because life

00:33:41.880 --> 00:33:42.660
 has just seemed

00:33:42.660 --> 00:33:44.120
 to beat us up

00:33:44.120 --> 00:33:45.220
 so much

00:33:45.220 --> 00:33:46.720
 where we are struggling

00:33:46.720 --> 00:33:47.880
 so deeply

00:33:47.880 --> 00:33:48.980
 with shame.

00:33:51.220 --> 00:33:52.259
 What matters

00:33:52.259 --> 00:33:53.420
 isn't the strength

00:33:53.420 --> 00:33:54.200
 of our faith,

00:33:54.900 --> 00:33:55.980
 the strength

00:33:55.980 --> 00:33:56.780
 of the emotions

00:33:56.780 --> 00:33:57.480
 that go along

00:33:57.480 --> 00:33:58.140
 with faith.

00:33:58.860 --> 00:33:59.560
 What matters

00:33:59.560 --> 00:34:00.920
 is that we have

00:34:00.920 --> 00:34:01.840
 put our faith

00:34:01.840 --> 00:34:02.920
 and trust in God

00:34:02.920 --> 00:34:04.440
 and when we do that,

00:34:04.800 --> 00:34:06.120
 God creates

00:34:06.119 --> 00:34:07.279
 a miracle.

00:34:12.139 --> 00:34:13.400
 Every person here

00:34:13.400 --> 00:34:14.159
 who has given

00:34:14.159 --> 00:34:15.079
 their life to Jesus,

00:34:15.279 --> 00:34:16.159
 God did a miracle.

00:34:17.659 --> 00:34:18.779
 And if you are here

00:34:18.779 --> 00:34:19.440
 and have not yet

00:34:19.440 --> 00:34:20.059
 given your life

00:34:20.059 --> 00:34:20.559
 to Jesus,

00:34:21.219 --> 00:34:22.559
 there is nothing

00:34:22.559 --> 00:34:23.559
 that you have done

00:34:23.559 --> 00:34:25.819
 or nothing

00:34:25.819 --> 00:34:27.559
 that you have to do.

00:34:29.559 --> 00:34:30.239
 There's nothing

00:34:30.239 --> 00:34:30.619
 in you

00:34:30.619 --> 00:34:31.599
 that's so bad

00:34:31.599 --> 00:34:32.579
 or so broken

00:34:32.579 --> 00:34:33.799
 or so shameful

00:34:33.800 --> 00:34:34.500
 that God

00:34:34.500 --> 00:34:35.340
 will not do

00:34:35.340 --> 00:34:36.000
 a miracle

00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:37.019
 in your life

00:34:37.019 --> 00:34:37.820
 when you call out

00:34:37.820 --> 00:34:38.320
 to Jesus

00:34:38.320 --> 00:34:39.740
 and ask him

00:34:39.740 --> 00:34:40.460
 to be your Savior

00:34:40.460 --> 00:34:40.900
 and Lord.

00:34:42.780 --> 00:34:43.820
 He turns

00:34:43.820 --> 00:34:44.780
 no one away.

00:34:47.160 --> 00:34:47.800
 Could you put up

00:34:47.800 --> 00:34:48.360
 the next point?

00:34:48.440 --> 00:34:48.820
 We're going to go

00:34:48.820 --> 00:34:49.200
 through these

00:34:49.200 --> 00:34:49.960
 a little bit quicker.

00:34:49.960 --> 00:34:55.119
 We receive the miracle

00:34:55.119 --> 00:34:56.539
 by having faith

00:34:56.539 --> 00:34:57.940
 that God

00:34:57.940 --> 00:34:58.400
 will keep

00:34:58.400 --> 00:34:58.940
 his promise.

00:35:00.880 --> 00:35:01.780
 It's just really

00:35:01.780 --> 00:35:02.360
 in many ways

00:35:02.360 --> 00:35:03.300
 as simple as this.

00:35:03.720 --> 00:35:05.300
 If we had some kids here

00:35:05.300 --> 00:35:05.840
 and I was doing

00:35:05.840 --> 00:35:06.720
 a kids talk

00:35:06.720 --> 00:35:08.380
 and I would say

00:35:08.380 --> 00:35:11.599
 the first two people,

00:35:12.179 --> 00:35:13.220
 first two kids

00:35:13.220 --> 00:35:14.119
 who come up here,

00:35:15.039 --> 00:35:16.119
 I'll give you

00:35:16.119 --> 00:35:16.579
 a toonie.

00:35:16.579 --> 00:35:18.779
 And let's say

00:35:18.779 --> 00:35:19.759
 the kids believe me

00:35:19.759 --> 00:35:20.579
 and they came up.

00:35:21.480 --> 00:35:22.699
 All they have to do,

00:35:22.819 --> 00:35:23.480
 they have to believe

00:35:23.480 --> 00:35:25.360
 that if they come to me,

00:35:25.400 --> 00:35:25.880
 I'll give them

00:35:25.880 --> 00:35:26.539
 a toonie.

00:35:26.860 --> 00:35:27.579
 And how do they,

00:35:28.579 --> 00:35:29.380
 what happens?

00:35:30.099 --> 00:35:31.099
 They put out their hand.

00:35:31.159 --> 00:35:31.819
 That's all they do.

00:35:33.559 --> 00:35:34.759
 And I put out my hand

00:35:34.759 --> 00:35:35.659
 and I drop the toonie

00:35:35.659 --> 00:35:36.420
 into their hand.

00:35:37.219 --> 00:35:38.199
 I have two toonies

00:35:38.199 --> 00:35:38.880
 in my pocket.

00:35:39.000 --> 00:35:40.059
 That's why he said two.

00:35:41.360 --> 00:35:42.159
 And that's all

00:35:42.159 --> 00:35:43.360
 that the Christian life is.

00:35:43.880 --> 00:35:44.679
 God makes this

00:35:44.679 --> 00:35:46.279
 astounding promise

00:35:46.280 --> 00:35:47.980
 that he will do

00:35:47.980 --> 00:35:48.560
 a miracle

00:35:48.560 --> 00:35:50.860
 and in that miracle

00:35:50.860 --> 00:35:52.080
 he will take you

00:35:52.080 --> 00:35:52.660
 who are dead

00:35:52.660 --> 00:35:53.540
 and make you alive.

00:35:53.700 --> 00:35:54.519
 He will take you

00:35:54.519 --> 00:35:55.840
 who are filled with shame

00:35:55.840 --> 00:35:57.360
 and make you blameless.

00:35:57.680 --> 00:35:58.780
 He will take you

00:35:58.780 --> 00:36:00.480
 who has not been perfect

00:36:00.480 --> 00:36:01.660
 at following the law

00:36:01.660 --> 00:36:03.100
 and he will clothe you

00:36:03.100 --> 00:36:03.840
 with the righteousness

00:36:03.840 --> 00:36:04.480
 of Jesus.

00:36:04.900 --> 00:36:05.860
 He will take you

00:36:05.860 --> 00:36:06.500
 against whom

00:36:06.500 --> 00:36:08.100
 countless accusations

00:36:08.100 --> 00:36:09.780
 and sins have been made

00:36:09.780 --> 00:36:11.480
 and he will pay for them

00:36:11.480 --> 00:36:12.600
 in the person of his son.

00:36:12.600 --> 00:36:14.260
 He will take you

00:36:14.260 --> 00:36:16.180
 who are not even able

00:36:16.179 --> 00:36:17.980
 to touch the sandal

00:36:17.980 --> 00:36:18.539
 of Jesus

00:36:18.539 --> 00:36:20.099
 and he will make you

00:36:20.099 --> 00:36:20.819
 one to whom

00:36:20.819 --> 00:36:21.679
 Jesus will put

00:36:21.679 --> 00:36:22.819
 his arms around

00:36:22.819 --> 00:36:23.599
 and call you

00:36:23.599 --> 00:36:24.699
 his brother and sister

00:36:24.699 --> 00:36:25.259
 in Christ.

00:36:25.619 --> 00:36:27.480
 He does all of that

00:36:27.480 --> 00:36:28.619
 as a miracle.

00:36:30.779 --> 00:36:31.319
 And faith

00:36:31.319 --> 00:36:32.239
 is just putting out

00:36:32.239 --> 00:36:32.659
 our hand

00:36:32.659 --> 00:36:33.599
 because we believe

00:36:33.599 --> 00:36:34.639
 what God has said

00:36:34.639 --> 00:36:37.239
 and God is the one

00:36:37.239 --> 00:36:38.379
 who does the act.

00:36:40.519 --> 00:36:41.379
 Next point.

00:36:41.380 --> 00:36:45.119
 God accomplished

00:36:45.119 --> 00:36:46.780
 something once

00:36:46.780 --> 00:36:47.599
 for all

00:36:47.599 --> 00:36:48.519
 in history.

00:36:50.400 --> 00:36:51.900
 In Jesus

00:36:51.900 --> 00:36:53.220
 being conceived

00:36:53.220 --> 00:36:54.720
 in the womb of Mary

00:36:54.720 --> 00:36:55.700
 being born

00:36:55.700 --> 00:36:57.500
 his sinless life

00:36:57.500 --> 00:36:58.200
 his miracles

00:36:58.200 --> 00:36:59.200
 his teaching

00:36:59.200 --> 00:37:01.260
 but all leading

00:37:01.260 --> 00:37:02.160
 to his death

00:37:02.160 --> 00:37:03.099
 upon the cross

00:37:03.099 --> 00:37:04.680
 John's gospel

00:37:04.680 --> 00:37:05.519
 is Jesus

00:37:05.519 --> 00:37:06.260
 is introduced

00:37:06.260 --> 00:37:07.280
 humanly speaking

00:37:07.280 --> 00:37:08.579
 by John the Baptist

00:37:08.579 --> 00:37:10.240
 saying to his disciples

00:37:10.239 --> 00:37:11.500
 as Jesus walks by

00:37:11.500 --> 00:37:12.719
 behold the Lamb

00:37:12.719 --> 00:37:13.279
 of God

00:37:13.279 --> 00:37:14.319
 who takes away

00:37:14.319 --> 00:37:15.699
 the sin of the world.

00:37:16.819 --> 00:37:17.519
 That God

00:37:17.519 --> 00:37:18.559
 in history

00:37:18.559 --> 00:37:20.679
 accomplishes something.

00:37:21.079 --> 00:37:21.819
 See one of the things

00:37:21.819 --> 00:37:23.239
 that all religion does

00:37:23.239 --> 00:37:25.739
 all legalism does

00:37:25.739 --> 00:37:28.139
 is that in legalism

00:37:28.139 --> 00:37:29.039
 Jesus becomes

00:37:29.039 --> 00:37:29.719
 an example

00:37:29.719 --> 00:37:31.319
 in legalism

00:37:31.319 --> 00:37:31.879
 he becomes

00:37:31.879 --> 00:37:32.500
 a teacher

00:37:32.500 --> 00:37:33.959
 in legalism

00:37:33.959 --> 00:37:34.599
 he might become

00:37:34.599 --> 00:37:35.179
 your guru

00:37:35.179 --> 00:37:37.399
 but he is never

00:37:37.399 --> 00:37:38.659
 the savior

00:37:38.659 --> 00:37:40.059
 he is never

00:37:40.059 --> 00:37:40.559
 God

00:37:40.559 --> 00:37:41.539
 doing something

00:37:41.539 --> 00:37:42.579
 definitively

00:37:42.579 --> 00:37:43.339
 in history

00:37:43.339 --> 00:37:44.039
 that only

00:37:44.039 --> 00:37:45.079
 he can do

00:37:45.079 --> 00:37:45.940
 and accomplish

00:37:45.940 --> 00:37:47.440
 that we receive

00:37:47.440 --> 00:37:48.099
 by faith.

00:37:49.739 --> 00:37:50.480
 God

00:37:50.480 --> 00:37:51.359
 in Jesus

00:37:51.359 --> 00:37:52.839
 accomplished

00:37:52.839 --> 00:37:53.579
 something once

00:37:53.579 --> 00:37:53.859
 for all

00:37:53.859 --> 00:37:54.319
 in history.

00:37:54.440 --> 00:37:54.980
 Next point.

00:37:56.539 --> 00:37:57.919
 In salvation

00:37:57.919 --> 00:37:59.839
 I accomplish

00:37:59.839 --> 00:38:00.679
 nothing

00:38:00.679 --> 00:38:02.699
 I can only

00:38:02.699 --> 00:38:03.359
 receive

00:38:03.359 --> 00:38:04.599
 what he

00:38:04.599 --> 00:38:05.299
 accomplished

00:38:05.299 --> 00:38:06.399
 for me.

00:38:07.940 --> 00:38:09.099
 In salvation

00:38:09.099 --> 00:38:10.500
 I accomplish

00:38:10.500 --> 00:38:11.259
 nothing

00:38:11.259 --> 00:38:12.940
 I can only

00:38:12.940 --> 00:38:13.539
 receive

00:38:13.539 --> 00:38:14.299
 what he

00:38:14.299 --> 00:38:14.779
 accomplished

00:38:14.779 --> 00:38:15.559
 for me.

00:38:17.199 --> 00:38:17.919
 You know

00:38:17.919 --> 00:38:18.279
 that's why

00:38:18.279 --> 00:38:19.199
 Spurgeon said

00:38:19.199 --> 00:38:20.259
 the Christian faith

00:38:20.259 --> 00:38:21.019
 is one beggar

00:38:21.019 --> 00:38:22.059
 telling another beggar

00:38:22.059 --> 00:38:22.980
 where to find bread.

00:38:23.079 --> 00:38:23.579
 It's the same

00:38:23.579 --> 00:38:24.519
 analogy as me

00:38:24.519 --> 00:38:25.159
 with the coin.

00:38:26.599 --> 00:38:27.099
 It's like

00:38:27.099 --> 00:38:27.899
 street people

00:38:27.899 --> 00:38:28.619
 saying to another

00:38:28.619 --> 00:38:29.299
 street people

00:38:29.300 --> 00:38:30.060
 that that guy

00:38:30.060 --> 00:38:30.500
 over there

00:38:30.500 --> 00:38:31.240
 in that corner

00:38:31.240 --> 00:38:31.960
 has promised

00:38:31.960 --> 00:38:32.560
 to give you

00:38:32.560 --> 00:38:33.260
 bread if you're

00:38:33.260 --> 00:38:33.620
 hungry

00:38:33.620 --> 00:38:35.240
 and if you

00:38:35.240 --> 00:38:35.780
 believe

00:38:35.780 --> 00:38:37.300
 I'm just

00:38:37.300 --> 00:38:37.760
 telling that

00:38:37.760 --> 00:38:38.260
 other person

00:38:38.260 --> 00:38:39.420
 and I say

00:38:39.420 --> 00:38:40.100
 yeah if you

00:38:40.100 --> 00:38:40.440
 come here

00:38:40.440 --> 00:38:40.840
 I'll give you

00:38:40.840 --> 00:38:41.200
 bread

00:38:41.200 --> 00:38:41.740
 and you just

00:38:41.740 --> 00:38:42.220
 go over

00:38:42.220 --> 00:38:42.820
 and you put

00:38:42.820 --> 00:38:43.300
 your hand

00:38:43.300 --> 00:38:43.580
 out

00:38:43.580 --> 00:38:44.500
 and

00:38:44.500 --> 00:38:47.760
 God gives

00:38:47.760 --> 00:38:48.019
 you the

00:38:48.019 --> 00:38:48.660
 bread of life.

00:38:49.620 --> 00:38:50.420
 Next point.

00:38:52.200 --> 00:38:53.140
 I receive

00:38:53.140 --> 00:38:53.660
 and then I

00:38:53.660 --> 00:38:54.039
 live

00:38:54.039 --> 00:38:55.600
 and I live

00:38:55.600 --> 00:38:55.920
 out of

00:38:55.920 --> 00:38:56.400
 receiving.

00:38:58.000 --> 00:38:58.720
 See the way

00:38:58.719 --> 00:38:59.199
 the book of

00:38:59.199 --> 00:38:59.899
 Galatians is

00:38:59.899 --> 00:39:00.399
 structured

00:39:00.399 --> 00:39:01.559
 is the first

00:39:01.559 --> 00:39:02.279
 two chapters

00:39:02.279 --> 00:39:03.159
 are basically

00:39:03.159 --> 00:39:03.899
 biography

00:39:03.899 --> 00:39:04.779
 autobiography.

00:39:05.000 --> 00:39:05.599
 Paul tells

00:39:05.599 --> 00:39:06.339
 important things

00:39:06.339 --> 00:39:07.039
 about himself

00:39:07.039 --> 00:39:08.219
 so they'll

00:39:08.219 --> 00:39:08.980
 understand

00:39:08.980 --> 00:39:10.399
 why he is

00:39:10.399 --> 00:39:11.179
 what he's

00:39:11.179 --> 00:39:11.500
 saying is

00:39:11.500 --> 00:39:12.139
 authoritative

00:39:12.139 --> 00:39:12.859
 that ultimately

00:39:12.859 --> 00:39:14.219
 the autobiography

00:39:14.219 --> 00:39:14.699
 is to get

00:39:14.699 --> 00:39:15.519
 across the point

00:39:15.519 --> 00:39:16.899
 that ultimately

00:39:16.899 --> 00:39:17.619
 it's all

00:39:17.619 --> 00:39:18.759
 Paul is doing

00:39:18.759 --> 00:39:19.459
 is just telling

00:39:19.459 --> 00:39:20.039
 people what

00:39:20.039 --> 00:39:20.819
 Jesus said

00:39:20.819 --> 00:39:21.619
 and about who

00:39:21.619 --> 00:39:22.000
 he is and

00:39:22.000 --> 00:39:22.359
 what he did.

00:39:22.439 --> 00:39:22.899
 That's all he's

00:39:22.899 --> 00:39:23.179
 doing.

00:39:23.919 --> 00:39:24.399
 He got it right

00:39:24.399 --> 00:39:25.099
 from the horse's

00:39:25.099 --> 00:39:25.939
 mouth so to speak

00:39:25.939 --> 00:39:26.659
 and then chapters

00:39:26.659 --> 00:39:27.259
 three and four

00:39:27.260 --> 00:39:27.940
 are theology.

00:39:28.120 --> 00:39:28.980
 It's trying to

00:39:28.980 --> 00:39:29.700
 communicate to us

00:39:29.700 --> 00:39:31.060
 who it is that

00:39:31.060 --> 00:39:31.700
 Jesus is and

00:39:31.700 --> 00:39:32.240
 what it is that

00:39:32.240 --> 00:39:32.800
 he accomplished

00:39:32.800 --> 00:39:33.560
 on the cross.

00:39:34.080 --> 00:39:34.520
 And chapters

00:39:34.520 --> 00:39:35.360
 five and six

00:39:35.360 --> 00:39:35.900
 which we'll start

00:39:35.900 --> 00:39:36.540
 looking at next

00:39:36.540 --> 00:39:37.040
 week is how

00:39:37.040 --> 00:39:37.680
 do we live

00:39:37.680 --> 00:39:40.340
 after we've

00:39:40.340 --> 00:39:41.740
 received this

00:39:41.740 --> 00:39:42.260
 miracle.

00:39:43.140 --> 00:39:43.640
 That God

00:39:43.640 --> 00:39:45.360
 he does a

00:39:45.360 --> 00:39:46.060
 miracle when

00:39:46.060 --> 00:39:46.920
 Jesus everything

00:39:46.920 --> 00:39:47.920
 about Jesus is a

00:39:47.920 --> 00:39:48.180
 miracle.

00:39:48.380 --> 00:39:49.180
 His conception

00:39:49.180 --> 00:39:50.800
 his birth

00:39:50.800 --> 00:39:51.560
 his life

00:39:51.560 --> 00:39:52.420
 his miracles

00:39:52.420 --> 00:39:53.320
 his teaching

00:39:53.320 --> 00:39:54.040
 his death

00:39:54.040 --> 00:39:54.920
 his resurrection

00:39:54.920 --> 00:39:55.600
 his ascension

00:39:55.599 --> 00:39:56.360
 it's all one

00:39:56.360 --> 00:39:57.339
 miracle and

00:39:57.339 --> 00:39:58.239
 God accomplishes

00:39:58.239 --> 00:39:58.799
 a miracle in

00:39:58.799 --> 00:39:59.139
 us when we

00:39:59.139 --> 00:39:59.880
 put our hands

00:39:59.880 --> 00:40:02.079
 in faith and

00:40:02.079 --> 00:40:02.579
 he gives us

00:40:02.579 --> 00:40:03.059
 Jesus.

00:40:05.059 --> 00:40:05.839
 Jesus and what

00:40:05.839 --> 00:40:06.339
 he accomplished

00:40:06.339 --> 00:40:07.019
 on the cross.

00:40:07.860 --> 00:40:08.500
 God gives you

00:40:08.500 --> 00:40:09.000
 Jesus.

00:40:09.860 --> 00:40:10.519
 He gives me

00:40:10.519 --> 00:40:10.960
 Jesus.

00:40:14.599 --> 00:40:15.219
 And the

00:40:15.219 --> 00:40:15.920
 Christian life

00:40:15.920 --> 00:40:17.139
 begins when we

00:40:17.139 --> 00:40:19.759
 receive and is

00:40:19.759 --> 00:40:20.299
 lived out of

00:40:20.299 --> 00:40:20.719
 receiving.

00:40:20.719 --> 00:40:25.459
 God bless you

00:40:25.459 --> 00:40:26.059
 and what

00:40:26.059 --> 00:40:26.459
 God bless you

00:40:26.459 --> 00:40:27.379
 can you put up

00:40:27.379 --> 00:40:28.119
 the last point?

00:40:29.139 --> 00:40:29.679
 I think it's the

00:40:29.679 --> 00:40:30.239
 last point.

00:40:31.039 --> 00:40:31.819
 The important

00:40:31.819 --> 00:40:32.759
 thing about faith

00:40:32.759 --> 00:40:33.839
 is its object

00:40:33.839 --> 00:40:34.879
 not its own

00:40:34.879 --> 00:40:35.359
 strength.

00:40:35.519 --> 00:40:36.079
 Just want to

00:40:36.079 --> 00:40:36.639
 sort of very

00:40:36.639 --> 00:40:37.239
 closely

00:40:37.239 --> 00:40:38.259
 you don't have to

00:40:38.259 --> 00:40:38.959
 know a precise

00:40:38.959 --> 00:40:39.579
 moment that you

00:40:39.579 --> 00:40:40.079
 gave your life

00:40:40.079 --> 00:40:40.559
 to Jesus.

00:40:41.299 --> 00:40:42.079
 You don't have to

00:40:42.079 --> 00:40:42.859
 know the moment.

00:40:44.919 --> 00:40:45.459
 Like I don't

00:40:45.459 --> 00:40:45.679
 know.

00:40:45.980 --> 00:40:46.559
 Like if you asked

00:40:46.559 --> 00:40:47.199
 a little kid

00:40:47.199 --> 00:40:47.719
 when was the

00:40:47.719 --> 00:40:48.419
 moment you began

00:40:48.419 --> 00:40:49.319
 loving your mom?

00:40:49.320 --> 00:40:52.460
 Like what kid

00:40:52.460 --> 00:40:52.900
 would know the

00:40:52.900 --> 00:40:53.500
 answer to that

00:40:53.500 --> 00:40:54.000
 question?

00:40:55.039 --> 00:40:55.880
 They might know

00:40:55.880 --> 00:40:56.660
 they might be able

00:40:56.660 --> 00:40:57.140
 to say by the

00:40:57.140 --> 00:40:57.760
 way between the

00:40:57.760 --> 00:40:59.500
 ages of 12 and

00:40:59.500 --> 00:41:00.960
 17 I hated my

00:41:00.960 --> 00:41:01.620
 mom but then

00:41:01.620 --> 00:41:02.280
 something happened

00:41:02.280 --> 00:41:02.800
 and I started to

00:41:02.800 --> 00:41:03.160
 like her.

00:41:03.640 --> 00:41:03.900
 But you know

00:41:03.900 --> 00:41:05.000
 you ask a six

00:41:05.000 --> 00:41:05.360
 year old when

00:41:05.360 --> 00:41:05.740
 did you start

00:41:05.740 --> 00:41:06.460
 loving your mom?

00:41:06.559 --> 00:41:07.160
 It would be like

00:41:07.160 --> 00:41:08.039
 I don't know

00:41:08.039 --> 00:41:09.320
 like I've just

00:41:09.320 --> 00:41:10.160
 always loved her.

00:41:11.280 --> 00:41:11.900
 And so there

00:41:11.900 --> 00:41:12.519
 are many people

00:41:12.519 --> 00:41:13.100
 here who have

00:41:13.100 --> 00:41:13.940
 become Christians

00:41:13.940 --> 00:41:15.100
 that the receiving

00:41:15.100 --> 00:41:15.820
 of what Jesus

00:41:15.820 --> 00:41:17.120
 done is not a

00:41:17.120 --> 00:41:17.660
 moment that you

00:41:17.660 --> 00:41:18.280
 can remember

00:41:18.280 --> 00:41:19.519
 because you

00:41:19.519 --> 00:41:20.120
 can't remember

00:41:20.120 --> 00:41:20.680
 a moment when

00:41:20.680 --> 00:41:21.000
 you didn't

00:41:21.000 --> 00:41:21.300
 trust.

00:41:21.880 --> 00:41:22.300
 But you know

00:41:22.300 --> 00:41:22.519
 what?

00:41:23.480 --> 00:41:24.060
 Faith isn't

00:41:24.060 --> 00:41:25.160
 about knowing

00:41:25.160 --> 00:41:25.940
 the mechanisms

00:41:25.940 --> 00:41:26.760
 or the emotions

00:41:26.760 --> 00:41:27.480
 it's about the

00:41:27.480 --> 00:41:27.860
 object.

00:41:30.440 --> 00:41:31.280
 And some of

00:41:31.280 --> 00:41:31.760
 you might know

00:41:31.760 --> 00:41:32.300
 that I began

00:41:32.300 --> 00:41:32.680
 the year not

00:41:32.680 --> 00:41:33.040
 a Christian

00:41:33.040 --> 00:41:33.360
 and the end

00:41:33.360 --> 00:41:33.620
 of the year

00:41:33.620 --> 00:41:34.120
 I did become

00:41:34.120 --> 00:41:34.420
 a Christian

00:41:34.420 --> 00:41:34.620
 I don't

00:41:34.620 --> 00:41:34.960
 really know

00:41:34.960 --> 00:41:35.180
 when it

00:41:35.180 --> 00:41:35.440
 happened.

00:41:35.540 --> 00:41:35.920
 That's fine

00:41:35.920 --> 00:41:36.140
 you don't

00:41:36.140 --> 00:41:36.540
 have to know

00:41:36.540 --> 00:41:37.040
 the moment

00:41:37.040 --> 00:41:37.920
 because what

00:41:37.920 --> 00:41:38.700
 matters is the

00:41:38.700 --> 00:41:39.500
 object not

00:41:39.500 --> 00:41:40.780
 your faith

00:41:40.780 --> 00:41:42.500
 or how

00:41:42.500 --> 00:41:43.080
 emotionally

00:41:43.080 --> 00:41:43.900
 strong it

00:41:43.900 --> 00:41:44.460
 was or how

00:41:44.460 --> 00:41:44.980
 strong your

00:41:44.980 --> 00:41:45.960
 willpower is.

00:41:45.960 --> 00:41:48.780
 and once

00:41:48.780 --> 00:41:49.720
 Jesus does

00:41:49.720 --> 00:41:50.159
 this God

00:41:50.159 --> 00:41:50.559
 does this

00:41:50.559 --> 00:41:51.179
 miracle in

00:41:51.179 --> 00:41:51.619
 you to make

00:41:51.619 --> 00:41:52.039
 you his

00:41:52.039 --> 00:41:52.420
 you're his

00:41:52.420 --> 00:41:52.820
 forever.

00:41:53.360 --> 00:41:53.820
 He doesn't

00:41:53.820 --> 00:41:54.599
 undo the

00:41:54.599 --> 00:41:55.000
 miracle.

00:41:58.599 --> 00:41:59.360
 And you're

00:41:59.360 --> 00:41:59.940
 invited to

00:41:59.940 --> 00:42:01.519
 live in

00:42:01.519 --> 00:42:02.740
 really a

00:42:02.740 --> 00:42:03.340
 whole new

00:42:03.340 --> 00:42:03.820
 way to

00:42:03.820 --> 00:42:04.639
 understand that

00:42:04.639 --> 00:42:05.280
 God has

00:42:05.280 --> 00:42:05.820
 done a

00:42:05.820 --> 00:42:07.480
 miracle in

00:42:07.480 --> 00:42:08.579
 me and

00:42:08.579 --> 00:42:09.139
 in you.

00:42:11.119 --> 00:42:11.500
 And that

00:42:11.500 --> 00:42:11.880
 there's a

00:42:11.880 --> 00:42:12.740
 type now of

00:42:12.740 --> 00:42:13.679
 a security

00:42:13.679 --> 00:42:14.559
 and a hope

00:42:14.559 --> 00:42:15.300
 and a promise

00:42:15.300 --> 00:42:15.900
 that cannot

00:42:15.900 --> 00:42:16.660
 be taken

00:42:16.660 --> 00:42:17.120
 away.

00:42:18.080 --> 00:42:18.800
 And we're

00:42:18.800 --> 00:42:19.360
 invited to

00:42:19.360 --> 00:42:20.500
 live with

00:42:20.500 --> 00:42:21.000
 a type of

00:42:21.000 --> 00:42:22.039
 quiet confidence

00:42:22.039 --> 00:42:22.900
 and courage

00:42:22.900 --> 00:42:23.840
 that comes

00:42:23.840 --> 00:42:24.160
 out of

00:42:24.160 --> 00:42:24.720
 reception.

00:42:25.720 --> 00:42:26.060
 And the

00:42:26.060 --> 00:42:26.600
 same God

00:42:26.600 --> 00:42:27.100
 who performed

00:42:27.100 --> 00:42:27.519
 a miracle

00:42:27.519 --> 00:42:28.080
 can do a

00:42:28.080 --> 00:42:28.500
 miracle in

00:42:28.500 --> 00:42:29.060
 your friends

00:42:29.060 --> 00:42:30.580
 and he'll

00:42:30.580 --> 00:42:30.920
 do other

00:42:30.920 --> 00:42:31.480
 miracles in

00:42:31.480 --> 00:42:31.860
 your life

00:42:31.860 --> 00:42:32.240
 as well.

00:42:33.200 --> 00:42:33.539
 Please

00:42:33.539 --> 00:42:33.920
 stand.

00:42:35.940 --> 00:42:36.519
 I want to

00:42:36.519 --> 00:42:37.100
 just emphasize

00:42:37.100 --> 00:42:37.940
 again if

00:42:37.940 --> 00:42:39.460
 you are here

00:42:39.460 --> 00:42:39.940
 and you've

00:42:39.940 --> 00:42:40.539
 never put

00:42:40.539 --> 00:42:40.840
 out your

00:42:40.840 --> 00:42:41.300
 hand to

00:42:41.300 --> 00:42:41.620
 Jesus

00:42:41.620 --> 00:42:42.220
 I don't

00:42:42.220 --> 00:42:42.539
 know maybe

00:42:42.539 --> 00:42:42.960
 if you're

00:42:42.960 --> 00:42:43.320
 a very

00:42:43.320 --> 00:42:44.740
 visual person

00:42:44.739 --> 00:42:45.639
 just even

00:42:45.639 --> 00:42:46.119
 now just

00:42:46.119 --> 00:42:46.479
 put your

00:42:46.479 --> 00:42:47.019
 hands out

00:42:47.019 --> 00:42:47.339
 or at least

00:42:47.339 --> 00:42:47.719
 you can do

00:42:47.719 --> 00:42:48.159
 it out loud

00:42:48.159 --> 00:42:48.619
 or just in

00:42:48.619 --> 00:42:48.899
 your own

00:42:48.899 --> 00:42:49.279
 heart and

00:42:49.279 --> 00:42:49.739
 mind and

00:42:49.739 --> 00:42:50.319
 say Jesus

00:42:50.319 --> 00:42:51.979
 Father you've

00:42:51.979 --> 00:42:52.539
 promised that

00:42:52.539 --> 00:42:53.379
 if I put

00:42:53.379 --> 00:42:54.259
 my hand out

00:42:54.259 --> 00:42:54.579
 you will

00:42:54.579 --> 00:42:54.959
 give me

00:42:54.959 --> 00:42:55.679
 Jesus and

00:42:55.679 --> 00:42:56.279
 I put my

00:42:56.279 --> 00:42:56.779
 hand out

00:42:56.779 --> 00:42:57.239
 to you now

00:42:57.239 --> 00:42:58.219
 and give

00:42:58.219 --> 00:42:58.819
 me Jesus.

00:42:59.099 --> 00:42:59.719
 I want you

00:42:59.719 --> 00:43:00.299
 to do that

00:43:00.299 --> 00:43:00.899
 miracle in

00:43:00.899 --> 00:43:02.239
 my life to

00:43:02.239 --> 00:43:02.799
 make me your

00:43:02.799 --> 00:43:03.319
 child and

00:43:03.319 --> 00:43:03.919
 never let you

00:43:03.919 --> 00:43:04.819
 go and do

00:43:04.819 --> 00:43:05.199
 it in your

00:43:05.199 --> 00:43:06.359
 own words and

00:43:06.359 --> 00:43:07.319
 God will hear

00:43:07.319 --> 00:43:08.239
 that prayer and

00:43:08.239 --> 00:43:08.979
 answer it.

00:43:10.119 --> 00:43:10.359
 Let's bow

00:43:10.359 --> 00:43:10.759
 our heads.

00:43:11.500 --> 00:43:12.539
 Father many of

00:43:12.539 --> 00:43:13.299
 us struggle

00:43:13.300 --> 00:43:13.880
 people because

00:43:13.880 --> 00:43:14.700
 we hear

00:43:14.700 --> 00:43:15.280
 texts like

00:43:15.280 --> 00:43:15.740
 this but we

00:43:15.740 --> 00:43:16.480
 quickly forget

00:43:16.480 --> 00:43:17.039
 and we think

00:43:17.039 --> 00:43:17.700
 that salvation

00:43:17.700 --> 00:43:18.400
 is a result

00:43:18.400 --> 00:43:18.800
 of how

00:43:18.800 --> 00:43:19.620
 emotional we

00:43:19.620 --> 00:43:20.620
 are or how

00:43:20.620 --> 00:43:21.100
 good our

00:43:21.100 --> 00:43:21.820
 moral life

00:43:21.820 --> 00:43:22.320
 is or how

00:43:22.320 --> 00:43:22.680
 good our

00:43:22.680 --> 00:43:23.519
 devotional life

00:43:23.519 --> 00:43:24.500
 is or how

00:43:24.500 --> 00:43:25.080
 much things

00:43:25.080 --> 00:43:25.840
 we're accomplishing

00:43:25.840 --> 00:43:26.740
 for you or

00:43:26.740 --> 00:43:27.780
 Father we start

00:43:27.780 --> 00:43:28.500
 thinking it's all

00:43:28.500 --> 00:43:29.180
 about us and

00:43:29.180 --> 00:43:29.519
 what we

00:43:29.519 --> 00:43:30.420
 accomplished as

00:43:30.420 --> 00:43:30.780
 if you're

00:43:30.780 --> 00:43:31.660
 looking at all

00:43:31.660 --> 00:43:31.940
 of our

00:43:31.940 --> 00:43:32.920
 excellencies and

00:43:32.920 --> 00:43:33.740
 Father thank you

00:43:33.740 --> 00:43:35.240
 so much that

00:43:35.240 --> 00:43:36.160
 it's a miracle

00:43:36.160 --> 00:43:37.680
 Father that you

00:43:37.680 --> 00:43:39.080
 did a miracle in

00:43:39.080 --> 00:43:40.240
 Jesus and having

00:43:40.240 --> 00:43:40.980
 him born and

00:43:40.980 --> 00:43:41.820
 live and die on

00:43:41.820 --> 00:43:42.360
 the cross and

00:43:42.360 --> 00:43:42.860
 rise from the

00:43:42.860 --> 00:43:43.340
 dead and that

00:43:43.340 --> 00:43:44.400
 you invite us

00:43:44.400 --> 00:43:44.960
 to come and

00:43:44.960 --> 00:43:45.539
 receive what

00:43:45.539 --> 00:43:46.220
 he's accomplished

00:43:46.220 --> 00:43:47.740
 and you do a

00:43:47.740 --> 00:43:48.460
 miracle when we

00:43:48.460 --> 00:43:49.000
 put our hands

00:43:49.000 --> 00:43:49.500
 out to you

00:43:49.500 --> 00:43:49.920
 Father we

00:43:49.920 --> 00:43:50.440
 thank you

00:43:50.440 --> 00:43:51.059
 Father for

00:43:51.059 --> 00:43:52.440
 this help us

00:43:52.440 --> 00:43:53.260
 Father to live

00:43:53.260 --> 00:43:54.200
 our lives day

00:43:54.200 --> 00:43:55.380
 by day gripped

00:43:55.380 --> 00:43:56.640
 and remembering

00:43:56.640 --> 00:43:57.260
 what you have

00:43:57.260 --> 00:43:58.160
 done for us and

00:43:58.160 --> 00:43:59.160
 help us to live

00:43:59.160 --> 00:44:00.440
 our lives confident

00:44:00.440 --> 00:44:01.380
 in that miracle

00:44:01.380 --> 00:44:02.300
 that you will

00:44:02.300 --> 00:44:04.180
 never undo and

00:44:04.180 --> 00:44:05.320
 grateful for what

00:44:05.320 --> 00:44:05.960
 you have done

00:44:05.960 --> 00:44:06.840
 Father may our

00:44:06.840 --> 00:44:07.880
 lives be marked

00:44:07.880 --> 00:44:09.140
 by confidence and

00:44:09.140 --> 00:44:10.740
 gratitude in who

00:44:10.740 --> 00:44:12.140
 you are in the

00:44:12.139 --> 00:44:13.259
 power of Jesus

00:44:13.259 --> 00:44:15.839
 and your promise

00:44:15.839 --> 00:44:16.579
 to make us your

00:44:16.579 --> 00:44:17.699
 own forever all

00:44:17.699 --> 00:44:18.519
 this we ask in

00:44:18.519 --> 00:44:19.400
 Jesus's name

00:44:19.400 --> 00:44:20.199
 amen

00:44:20.659 --> 00:44:21.759
 discovery went

00:44:21.759 --> 00:44:22.960
 I want to

00:44:23.059 --> 00:44:29.480
 be