WEBVTT

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 Okay, great. If you're visiting, my name's Kevin, and great to have you with us.

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 We're going to spend a few minutes in prayer together.

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 And often during this time, we pray for ourselves and our church and also our city

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 and different churches or ministries in our city and broader field.

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 So will you join me as we spend a few minutes in prayer together?

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 Heavenly Father, we come before you this morning empty-handed,

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 and we confess our deep need for you.

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 God, we love you and we adore you.

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 We are amazed by your grace and your mercy.

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 God, your holiness and your justice humble us.

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 Your grace and your mercy invite us in.

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 And God, this morning we confess we need you.

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 Father, it's so often that we go running after so many false gods in our cities,

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 in our lives that promise so much, and yet in the end they just make demands on us.

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 More and more demands, and they can never fully satisfy.

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 Father, this morning we confess that you are the one true God,

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 the one living God that can deeply satisfy us.

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 Father, we often try and feast on other things that are like crumbs from your table,

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 and yet God, you invite us to come and feast on you this morning.

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 And so we really do, God.

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 We want to meet with you.

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 We ask your Holy Spirit to come and be here through the rest of our service.

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 As we look at your word, as we continue to sing songs of devotion,

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 as we come to the communion table,

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 Holy Spirit, draw us in and come and open our eyes to see you and to meet with you.

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 God, this week as we go into our works and our universities,

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 and as we look after kids and we engage with people,

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 God, we need you.

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 Come and have your way in our lives, we pray, God.

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 Father, this morning we want to pray for our friends at Sons and Daughters,

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 that fantastic ministry.

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 We want to pray for the staff and the leaders and the volunteers

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 and everyone involved with Sons and Daughters ministry.

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 God, we pray that you will strengthen them and encourage them.

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 We pray, God, for just glimpses of your grace,

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 where maybe they're feeling discouraged, feeling downcast,

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 feeling like, how long, oh God?

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 Lord, won't you remind them of the great work that they're doing

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 and how you are with them every step of the way.

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 God, we pray for those that they are meeting and encountering,

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 some of the ladies in One Chai.

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 We pray for those searching for the truth that you, God,

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 even today, won't you, God, draw near to them, Lord.

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 Open their hearts, God, and we pray that they'll come to know you

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 and find your amazing grace and love, God.

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 We pray for the men and the gangs that are holding so many of these ladies captive.

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 God, we pray that your justice will come and you'll break in, Lord God,

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 and you'll disrupt those gangs, God.

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 We pray for freedom, Lord.

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 God, we want to pray for the bazaar that's coming up.

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 We pray that it'll be hugely successful.

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 Lord, for every bit of detail, we pray for the sons and daughters bazaar.

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 Won't you look after it, God,

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 and bring many ladies to the new safe house.

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 Father, this morning, we also want to pray for Amelia in Taiwan,

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 our dear sister there,

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 and we pray for you to really look after her and guide her, God.

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 We pray for her health.

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 She's had some health challenges.

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 We pray, Lord, for your healing and your protection over her.

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 Right now, God, we lift Amelia to you,

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 and we ask that you cover her with your grace,

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 and she'll feel your grace,

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 and she'll feel encouraged in her work there.

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 We pray, God, for her Mandarin studies,

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 and that you encourage her in that,

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 and that she continues to grow and learn

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 so that she can reach out to the Taiwanese people.

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 We pray for friends, God, and deep heart friends,

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 those that she can share her heart with

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 and feel at home with.

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 We pray for real deep gospel friendships for her.

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 And Father, we pray for opportunities for the gospel,

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 for Amelia, Lord.

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 Won't you burn the gospel deep in her heart

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 that she cannot help but just share it

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 with everyone that she encounters?

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 Lift her up this morning to you, God,

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 and we pray bless her in your wonderful and powerful name.

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 Jesus, we pray all these things

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 knowing that you're good and gracious,

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 majestic and sovereign.

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 And so we pray these things in your name.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 Great.

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 Let's listen to the reading of Habakkuk chapter 2.

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 Thank you.

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 The scripture reading comes from Habakkuk chapter 2 and 3.

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 Please follow along in your bulletin or on the screen.

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 And the Lord answered me,

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 Write the vision,

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 make it plain on tablets,

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 so he may run who reads it.

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 For still the vision awaits its appointed time.

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 It hastens to the end.

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 It will not lie.

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 If it seems slow,

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 wait for it.

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 It will surely come.

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 It will not delay.

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 Behold,

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 his soul is puffed up.

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 It is not a pride within him,

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 but the righteous shall live by his faith.

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 Moreover,

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 wine is a traitor,

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 an arrogant man who is never at rest.

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 His greed,

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 it is wide as sheol.

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 Like that,

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 he has never enough.

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 He gathers for himself all nations

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 and collects as his own all peoples.

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 Shall not always take up their taunt against him

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 with scoffing and riddles for him and say,

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 Woe to him who heaps up what is not his own.

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 For how long?

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 And loads himself with pledges.

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 Will not your debtors suddenly arise?

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 And those awake who will make you tremble?

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 Then you will be spoiled for them,

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 because you have plundered many nations.

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 All the remnant of the people shall plunder you

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 for the blood of man and violence to the earth,

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 to cities and all who dwell in them.

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 Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house,

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 to set his nest on high,

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 to be safe from the reach of harm.

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 You have devised shame for your house

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 by cutting off many peoples.

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 You have forfeited your life.

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 For the stone will cry out from the wall,

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 and the beam from the woodwork respond.

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 Woe to him who builds a town with blood

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 and founds a city on iniquity.

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 Behold, it is not from the Lord of hosts

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 that peoples labor merely for fire,

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 and nations wear themselves for nothing.

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 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge

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 of the glory of the Lord,

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 as the waters cover the sea.

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 Woe to him who makes his neighbors drink.

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 You pour out your wrath and make them drunk

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 in order to gaze at their nakedness.

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 You will have your fill of shame instead of glory.

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 Drink yourself and show your uncircumcision.

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 The cup in the Lord's right hand

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 will come around to you,

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 and utter shame will come upon your glory.

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 The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you,

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 as will the destruction of the beasts

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 that terrified them.

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 For the blood of men and violence to the earth,

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 to cities and all who dwell in them.

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 What prophet is an idol when its maker has shaped it?

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 A mental image, a teacher of lies.

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 For its maker trusts in his own creation

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 when he makes speechless idols.

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 Woe to him who says to a wooden thing,

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 Awake to a silent stone.

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 Arise, can this teach?

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 Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver,

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 and there is no breath at all in it.

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 But the Lord is in his holy temple.

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 Let all the earth keep silence before him.

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 A prayer of Habakkuk, the prophet,

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 according to Shigeonot.

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 O Lord, I have heard the report of you,

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 and your work, O Lord, do I fear.

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 In the midst of the years, revive it.

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 In the midst of the years, make it known.

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 In wrath, remember mercy.

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 This is the word of God.

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 Great, thank you guys.

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 Well done.

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 A tricky passage.

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 Lots of big words and woes and all that.

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 So, well done.

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 Theo, for your first time reading on a Sunday,

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 you got a very easy passage.

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 So, well done, Jonas.

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 This morning, we continue looking at this

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 strange little book in the Old Testament

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 called Habakkuk, or Habakkuk.

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 And it's right at the end of the Old Testament,

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 just before the New Testament,

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 and it's a book in which this man called Habakkuk

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 wrestles with God around the big questions of life.

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 Where are you, God?

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 Why do you seem absent?

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 Why are you not hearing any of my prayers?

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 And so, last week, we looked at chapter one.

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 And chapter one starts off with Habakkuk complaining to God.

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 Because everywhere he looks around him in Israel,

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 there is violence, there is wickedness,

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 there is corrupt leaders, there is injustice.

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 And he says, God, where are you?

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 Are you not doing anything about it?

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 And God replies, and he says, funny ask.

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 I actually am doing something about it.

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 I'm busy raising up the Babylonians,

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 that hasty and bitter nation,

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 and they will be my instruments to come and discipline you

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 and to teach you not to be like that.

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 And Habakkuk says, what?

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 You've got to be joking.

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 The Babylonians are even more unrighteous than us.

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 How are unrighteous Babylon

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 going to teach righteousness to Israel?

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 How is unjust Babylon going to restore justice to Israel?

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 Where is the justice in that?

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 And so, Habakkuk is confused

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 and he's confounded by God's ways.

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 And at the end of chapter one,

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 he ends off by saying,

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 I'm going to take my stand on the watchtower

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 and I'm going to see what God has to say

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 about my complaints.

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 And today we get to chapter two.

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 And we don't know how long,

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 there's some period of time,

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 but God does respond.

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 And that's what we're going to look at today.

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 And so the question today is,

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 how do we make sense of God's justice?

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 When it appears that God allows evil and wickedness

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 and injustice to run rampant in the world,

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 and he doesn't seem to be doing anything about it,

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 how do we make sense of that?

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 What do we do with the perceived injustice in the world?

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 Now, this is Habakkuk's dilemma

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 and we're going to look at it.

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 Now, in this passage today,

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 we're going to look at four things.

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 I know a real sermon only has three points.

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 God and his sovereignty has given us four points today.

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 Okay.

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 And so today we're going to look at

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 God's good news to Habakkuk,

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 God's bad news to Habakkuk,

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 God's bad news to us,

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 and then God's good news to us.

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 Okay.

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 So let's dive in and look.

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 Firstly, God's good news to Habakkuk.

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 God answers Habakkuk and he says,

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 Habakkuk, I've got good news.

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 God's justice is coming.

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 And he responds by giving Habakkuk a vision.

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 And he tells Habakkuk,

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 write the vision down.

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 Make it clear.

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 Make it plain.

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 And the reason is because God knows

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 that all people throughout all generations

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 are going to ask the same questions.

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 And so he's saying,

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 Habakkuk, the answer I give to you,

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 write it down.

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 Make it clear.

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 So that in future generations,

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 when people are asking the same questions,

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 where are you, God?

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 They've got an answer.

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 And so look at what he says in verse two.

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 He says, write it down.

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 Make it plain.

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 And what is this message that God's given him?

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 It's a vision of what's going to happen

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 to the unbridled wickedness of Babylon.

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 And God's answer is this.

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 He says, Habakkuk,

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 I've heard your questions.

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 I've heard your complaints.

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 I've answered you.

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 Justice is coming.

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 Look at verse six with me.

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 Now in verse six and onwards,

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 there are actually five woes,

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 five pronouncements of judgment upon Babylon

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 because of their wickedness and the evil one.

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 And in each one,

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 God is going to pronounce this judgment,

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 but then he's going to show them

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 how the very thing that Babylon is guilty of

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 is actually going to be put upon them

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 and it's going to come upon their own heads.

00:12:38.420 --> 00:12:39.220
 So for instance,

00:12:40.200 --> 00:12:41.600
 let me think of an analogy.

00:12:42.080 --> 00:12:44.379
 I don't know if any of you remember 2014

00:12:44.379 --> 00:12:48.879
 when Russia annexed Crimea in Ukraine.

00:12:48.879 --> 00:12:50.860
 I know in 2014 in Hong Kong,

00:12:50.960 --> 00:12:52.759
 we had our own things going on here,

00:12:52.860 --> 00:12:55.160
 but there were other things going on in the world as well.

00:12:55.720 --> 00:12:57.620
 And I remember reading the newspapers

00:12:57.620 --> 00:12:59.340
 when Russia annexed Crimea.

00:12:59.759 --> 00:13:01.259
 Crimea was a province of Ukraine.

00:13:01.919 --> 00:13:02.919
 And I remember thinking,

00:13:03.159 --> 00:13:04.259
 how on earth does that happen?

00:13:04.799 --> 00:13:06.879
 That one nation just decides,

00:13:07.139 --> 00:13:08.820
 we're going to take that province back

00:13:08.820 --> 00:13:09.960
 and make it part of our nation.

00:13:10.580 --> 00:13:12.539
 And so they just rolled the tanks in

00:13:12.539 --> 00:13:13.940
 and the army did their thing.

00:13:14.600 --> 00:13:15.740
 And overnight,

00:13:16.360 --> 00:13:18.200
 Crimea was now no longer part of Ukraine,

00:13:18.200 --> 00:13:19.259
 is now part of Russia.

00:13:20.060 --> 00:13:20.960
 And so at the time,

00:13:21.080 --> 00:13:23.419
 all these world leaders stood up and said,

00:13:23.519 --> 00:13:23.639
 you know,

00:13:23.700 --> 00:13:26.080
 we condemn this in the strongest possible terms

00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:27.560
 and this shouldn't happen.

00:13:27.620 --> 00:13:28.560
 This is so unjust.

00:13:28.980 --> 00:13:30.340
 And they said all these things,

00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:31.899
 but at the end of the day,

00:13:32.000 --> 00:13:33.740
 there's not a whole lot you can do about it.

00:13:34.360 --> 00:13:35.899
 And so five years later,

00:13:36.500 --> 00:13:37.980
 Crimea is now part of Russia.

00:13:38.659 --> 00:13:39.139
 In other words,

00:13:39.200 --> 00:13:40.919
 sometimes people stand up and they say,

00:13:41.320 --> 00:13:42.259
 woe to these people.

00:13:42.460 --> 00:13:43.460
 This is bad.

00:13:43.560 --> 00:13:45.179
 And we condemn this judgment.

00:13:45.299 --> 00:13:46.139
 It shouldn't happen.

00:13:46.759 --> 00:13:48.740
 But there's not a whole lot you can do about it.

00:13:49.299 --> 00:13:50.779
 But that's not what God says.

00:13:51.340 --> 00:13:52.460
 Look at what God says.

00:13:52.799 --> 00:13:53.220
 He says,

00:13:53.399 --> 00:13:54.100
 woe to Babylon.

00:13:54.100 --> 00:13:55.560
 And then he's going to show them

00:13:55.560 --> 00:13:56.580
 what's going to happen

00:13:56.580 --> 00:13:58.259
 when they continue in their ways.

00:13:58.340 --> 00:13:59.659
 Look at verse six.

00:13:59.740 --> 00:14:00.580
 Look at the first one.

00:14:00.680 --> 00:14:01.100
 He says,

00:14:01.879 --> 00:14:04.779
 woe to him who heaps up what is not his own,

00:14:05.100 --> 00:14:08.080
 who loads himself up with pledges.

00:14:08.440 --> 00:14:09.019
 In other words,

00:14:09.200 --> 00:14:10.360
 God's telling Habakkuk

00:14:10.360 --> 00:14:11.659
 that he's not ignorant

00:14:11.659 --> 00:14:14.500
 about Babylon's unjust economic practices.

00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:18.040
 The fact that they plunder poorer nations,

00:14:18.540 --> 00:14:19.700
 stealing all their goods

00:14:19.700 --> 00:14:21.040
 and taking them back to Babylon.

00:14:21.039 --> 00:14:23.480
 The fact that they've built their nation,

00:14:23.599 --> 00:14:24.919
 their empire on extortion,

00:14:25.120 --> 00:14:26.120
 stealing from the poor

00:14:26.120 --> 00:14:28.740
 and plundering those that are weaker than themselves,

00:14:28.939 --> 00:14:29.839
 enslaving people.

00:14:30.319 --> 00:14:32.059
 And so look at what he says in verse seven.

00:14:32.719 --> 00:14:33.059
 He says,

00:14:33.419 --> 00:14:34.959
 you think you've got away with it Babylon,

00:14:35.419 --> 00:14:38.299
 but will not your debtors suddenly arise?

00:14:38.740 --> 00:14:39.339
 You see what he's saying?

00:14:39.939 --> 00:14:40.480
 In other words,

00:14:40.839 --> 00:14:42.839
 Babylon thinks that they're going and stealing

00:14:42.839 --> 00:14:45.419
 all this gold and plundering other nations.

00:14:45.879 --> 00:14:46.699
 And God says,

00:14:46.980 --> 00:14:48.959
 actually you're just borrowing from them

00:14:48.959 --> 00:14:50.899
 and they're going to soon call in their debts.

00:14:51.039 --> 00:14:52.019
 With interest.

00:14:52.480 --> 00:14:54.120
 They're coming back to take

00:14:54.120 --> 00:14:55.659
 what you've just taken from them.

00:14:56.319 --> 00:14:56.819
 In other words,

00:14:56.980 --> 00:14:57.740
 think of this.

00:14:58.120 --> 00:14:58.799
 I don't know if you remember,

00:14:58.919 --> 00:14:59.519
 you're at school

00:14:59.519 --> 00:15:01.259
 and you've got some lunch money,

00:15:01.860 --> 00:15:02.059
 okay?

00:15:02.559 --> 00:15:04.659
 And some bully comes

00:15:04.659 --> 00:15:06.439
 and steals your lunch money, right?

00:15:06.879 --> 00:15:08.839
 And he thinks he's got away with it.

00:15:09.360 --> 00:15:11.159
 Only on for later on in the day,

00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:12.980
 a whole group of people surround him

00:15:12.980 --> 00:15:13.339
 and say,

00:15:13.719 --> 00:15:14.819
 we'll take that back,

00:15:14.899 --> 00:15:15.740
 thank you very much.

00:15:15.959 --> 00:15:18.360
 And your own lunch money for interest.

00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:19.259
 In other words,

00:15:19.320 --> 00:15:21.279
 Babylon thinks they're stealing from others

00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:21.940
 and God says,

00:15:22.340 --> 00:15:23.519
 it's just a matter of time

00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:26.039
 before the nations call in their debts.

00:15:26.500 --> 00:15:28.039
 Will not your debtors arise

00:15:28.039 --> 00:15:30.340
 and those awake who make you tremble?

00:15:30.860 --> 00:15:32.419
 Then you will be spoiled for them

00:15:32.419 --> 00:15:35.080
 because you have plundered many nations.

00:15:35.659 --> 00:15:37.240
 They shall plunder you.

00:15:38.180 --> 00:15:39.159
 Look at else what he says,

00:15:39.220 --> 00:15:39.740
 verse nine.

00:15:39.740 --> 00:15:40.159
 He says,

00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:49.199
 So here are the Babylonians.

00:15:49.719 --> 00:15:50.219
 Again,

00:15:50.639 --> 00:15:52.339
 the unjust economic practices.

00:15:53.000 --> 00:15:54.500
 They are stealing from the poor.

00:15:54.939 --> 00:15:56.539
 They are plundering nations.

00:15:57.100 --> 00:15:58.819
 They are using this money

00:15:58.819 --> 00:16:00.620
 that they've taken

00:16:00.620 --> 00:16:02.759
 and the slave labor in Babylon.

00:16:03.199 --> 00:16:03.919
 And what are they doing?

00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:04.899
 They're building bigger

00:16:04.899 --> 00:16:06.799
 and better houses for themselves.

00:16:06.799 --> 00:16:07.799
 They're building themselves castles

00:16:07.799 --> 00:16:08.479
 that they think

00:16:08.479 --> 00:16:09.699
 are going to keep them safe

00:16:09.699 --> 00:16:10.979
 from harm's reach.

00:16:11.559 --> 00:16:12.159
 And so they think

00:16:12.159 --> 00:16:13.959
 that their economic strength

00:16:13.959 --> 00:16:14.699
 is their safety

00:16:14.699 --> 00:16:15.479
 and their security

00:16:15.479 --> 00:16:17.000
 and they trample on others

00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:18.519
 in order to get it.

00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:20.319
 That's the Babylonian way.

00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:22.059
 But look at what God says,

00:16:22.139 --> 00:16:22.620
 verse 10.

00:16:23.159 --> 00:16:24.279
 You have devised shame

00:16:24.279 --> 00:16:24.939
 for your house.

00:16:25.319 --> 00:16:26.620
 You've cut off many people.

00:16:27.179 --> 00:16:29.000
 You have forfeited your own life.

00:16:29.240 --> 00:16:30.099
 See the irony there?

00:16:30.359 --> 00:16:31.439
 You've planted others

00:16:31.439 --> 00:16:32.279
 and you think

00:16:32.279 --> 00:16:33.500
 this is going to make you safe.

00:16:33.979 --> 00:16:34.979
 Don't you realize

00:16:34.980 --> 00:16:35.860
 that in doing so

00:16:35.860 --> 00:16:37.740
 you have forfeited your own life.

00:16:37.840 --> 00:16:38.440
 The very thing

00:16:38.440 --> 00:16:39.500
 you're trying to keep safe.

00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:41.480
 For the stone will cry out

00:16:41.480 --> 00:16:42.100
 from the wall.

00:16:42.500 --> 00:16:43.960
 The beam from the woodwork

00:16:43.960 --> 00:16:44.940
 will respond.

00:16:45.759 --> 00:16:46.159
 God says,

00:16:46.279 --> 00:16:46.620
 Habakkuk,

00:16:46.700 --> 00:16:48.320
 I've seen what's happening.

00:16:48.440 --> 00:16:49.840
 I've heard your cries.

00:16:49.960 --> 00:16:51.899
 My justice is coming.

00:16:54.200 --> 00:16:55.899
 Maybe I'll skip over the last one.

00:16:56.899 --> 00:16:58.120
 Verse 12.

00:16:58.200 --> 00:16:59.019
 He says the same thing.

00:16:59.100 --> 00:16:59.560
 Woe to him

00:16:59.560 --> 00:17:00.899
 who builds a town with blood

00:17:00.899 --> 00:17:02.420
 and founds a city on iniquity.

00:17:02.420 --> 00:17:04.460
 Talking about slave labor.

00:17:05.420 --> 00:17:05.660
 And then,

00:17:05.779 --> 00:17:06.660
 let's look at it.

00:17:06.680 --> 00:17:07.259
 Verse 13.

00:17:07.460 --> 00:17:07.740
 He says,

00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:09.620
 Is it not from the Lord of hosts

00:17:09.620 --> 00:17:10.539
 that all these people

00:17:10.539 --> 00:17:11.980
 labor merely for fire?

00:17:12.059 --> 00:17:12.480
 In other words,

00:17:12.720 --> 00:17:13.839
 you're building this empire

00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:15.160
 on slave labor.

00:17:15.460 --> 00:17:16.360
 You've got these people

00:17:16.360 --> 00:17:17.059
 and you're treating them

00:17:17.059 --> 00:17:17.960
 as less than human

00:17:17.960 --> 00:17:19.400
 to build your great city,

00:17:19.500 --> 00:17:20.019
 your empire.

00:17:20.480 --> 00:17:21.319
 Don't you realize

00:17:21.319 --> 00:17:22.000
 your empire

00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:22.960
 is going to end up

00:17:22.960 --> 00:17:23.700
 in the fire?

00:17:24.539 --> 00:17:25.599
 Everything you've built

00:17:25.599 --> 00:17:26.539
 is going to end up

00:17:26.539 --> 00:17:28.279
 in ashes in your hands.

00:17:29.420 --> 00:17:30.079
 And then he says,

00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:30.839
 verse 14.

00:17:30.839 --> 00:17:32.980
 For the earth will be filled

00:17:32.980 --> 00:17:33.700
 with the knowledge

00:17:33.700 --> 00:17:34.960
 of the glory of the Lord

00:17:34.960 --> 00:17:36.779
 as the waters cover the sea.

00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:38.220
 Now here's a question.

00:17:38.860 --> 00:17:40.400
 What percentage of the sea

00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:41.860
 is covered by water?

00:17:43.660 --> 00:17:43.880
 Okay?

00:17:44.400 --> 00:17:45.720
 A hundred percent, right?

00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:47.599
 So look at what God's saying here.

00:17:47.799 --> 00:17:49.660
 You build yourself this empire

00:17:49.660 --> 00:17:50.579
 that you think

00:17:50.579 --> 00:17:51.680
 is going to last forever.

00:17:52.039 --> 00:17:53.360
 It's just a matter of time

00:17:53.360 --> 00:17:54.500
 before it's going to be ashes

00:17:54.500 --> 00:17:55.140
 in the ground.

00:17:55.759 --> 00:17:57.039
 But there is an empire.

00:17:57.039 --> 00:17:58.519
 There is a kingdom coming

00:17:58.519 --> 00:18:00.359
 and it will last forever

00:18:00.359 --> 00:18:01.619
 and it will cover

00:18:01.619 --> 00:18:02.720
 the whole earth

00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:04.019
 like the waters

00:18:04.019 --> 00:18:05.700
 cover the sea.

00:18:06.200 --> 00:18:07.379
 I am building an empire

00:18:07.379 --> 00:18:08.420
 that will never

00:18:08.420 --> 00:18:09.680
 get demolished

00:18:09.680 --> 00:18:12.200
 or torn down.

00:18:12.839 --> 00:18:13.960
 Habakkuk, I've seen,

00:18:14.220 --> 00:18:15.180
 I have heard,

00:18:15.579 --> 00:18:17.000
 my justice is coming.

00:18:17.879 --> 00:18:19.039
 And this is God's promise.

00:18:19.680 --> 00:18:20.759
 Things look evil today.

00:18:21.460 --> 00:18:22.519
 Things look like wickedness

00:18:23.160 --> 00:18:24.119
 just is rampant,

00:18:24.200 --> 00:18:24.819
 unchecked.

00:18:25.359 --> 00:18:26.960
 It has an expiry date.

00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:28.579
 My justice is coming.

00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:30.700
 Now look at verse 6 with me

00:18:30.700 --> 00:18:31.680
 if you've got your bulletin

00:18:31.680 --> 00:18:32.160
 or your Bible.

00:18:32.500 --> 00:18:33.600
 Verse 6 says this.

00:18:34.759 --> 00:18:36.279
 Shall not all these,

00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:38.140
 okay, underline these,

00:18:38.640 --> 00:18:39.799
 take up their taunt

00:18:39.799 --> 00:18:40.700
 against Babylon,

00:18:41.340 --> 00:18:42.660
 scoffing and with riddles

00:18:42.660 --> 00:18:43.140
 for him,

00:18:43.299 --> 00:18:44.860
 saying woe to him.

00:18:45.180 --> 00:18:46.279
 So the question is this.

00:18:46.720 --> 00:18:48.000
 These five woes,

00:18:48.120 --> 00:18:49.279
 woes Babylon for this

00:18:49.279 --> 00:18:50.440
 and this and this and this,

00:18:50.920 --> 00:18:52.779
 who is issuing this woe?

00:18:53.259 --> 00:18:54.660
 Who is it that's mocking them

00:18:54.660 --> 00:18:55.460
 and saying you think

00:18:55.460 --> 00:18:56.480
 you're building a castle

00:18:56.480 --> 00:18:57.059
 in the sky?

00:18:57.160 --> 00:18:57.940
 Don't you realize

00:18:57.940 --> 00:18:58.900
 the stones are going to

00:18:58.900 --> 00:18:59.819
 fall on your own head?

00:19:00.299 --> 00:19:01.500
 You think you're building

00:19:01.500 --> 00:19:02.120
 this empire.

00:19:02.240 --> 00:19:03.019
 Don't you realize

00:19:03.019 --> 00:19:03.860
 it's going to end up

00:19:03.860 --> 00:19:04.220
 in ashes?

00:19:04.819 --> 00:19:06.360
 Who's mocking Babylon

00:19:06.360 --> 00:19:07.220
 with this taunt?

00:19:07.860 --> 00:19:08.819
 Is it Habakkuk?

00:19:09.539 --> 00:19:09.860
 No.

00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:11.140
 Is it God?

00:19:11.880 --> 00:19:12.299
 No.

00:19:12.920 --> 00:19:13.539
 Who is it?

00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:15.420
 It's the victims

00:19:15.420 --> 00:19:17.480
 that are being run over

00:19:17.480 --> 00:19:18.840
 by the Babylonian army.

00:19:19.620 --> 00:19:20.720
 So Babylon is this

00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:22.740
 unjust, wicked nation

00:19:22.740 --> 00:19:24.660
 that plunders other nations

00:19:24.660 --> 00:19:25.980
 and God says

00:19:25.980 --> 00:19:27.579
 it's just a matter of time

00:19:27.579 --> 00:19:28.680
 that these people

00:19:28.680 --> 00:19:29.460
 that you think

00:19:29.460 --> 00:19:31.180
 you can just march over

00:19:31.180 --> 00:19:32.940
 from another perspective

00:19:32.940 --> 00:19:33.460
 in history,

00:19:33.559 --> 00:19:34.420
 they're looking down

00:19:34.420 --> 00:19:34.900
 in history

00:19:34.900 --> 00:19:36.380
 and they're laughing at you

00:19:36.380 --> 00:19:37.859
 because your wickedness

00:19:37.859 --> 00:19:38.880
 has an expiry date.

00:19:40.039 --> 00:19:41.559
 Maybe an example is this.

00:19:42.240 --> 00:19:43.120
 It's a silly example

00:19:43.120 --> 00:19:44.259
 but let's see if it makes sense.

00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:45.839
 I don't know how many of you

00:19:45.839 --> 00:19:46.480
 like soccer,

00:19:47.180 --> 00:19:48.200
 also called football,

00:19:48.579 --> 00:19:49.440
 outside of America.

00:19:49.440 --> 00:19:52.960
 When my team is winning,

00:19:53.120 --> 00:19:54.080
 I love soccer.

00:19:54.480 --> 00:19:55.299
 When they're not winning,

00:19:55.700 --> 00:19:56.519
 I lose interest.

00:19:57.320 --> 00:19:58.140
 In 1999,

00:19:58.660 --> 00:19:59.900
 there's this amazing game

00:19:59.900 --> 00:20:00.320
 of soccer.

00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:02.279
 There's this league in Europe

00:20:02.279 --> 00:20:03.460
 called the Champions League

00:20:03.460 --> 00:20:05.360
 which is the best teams

00:20:05.360 --> 00:20:06.640
 from all the best countries

00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:07.220
 in Europe

00:20:07.220 --> 00:20:08.759
 play against each other.

00:20:08.860 --> 00:20:09.220
 So it's called

00:20:09.220 --> 00:20:10.100
 the Champions League

00:20:10.100 --> 00:20:10.940
 because it's the best

00:20:10.940 --> 00:20:11.559
 of the best.

00:20:12.299 --> 00:20:13.240
 And so 1999,

00:20:13.799 --> 00:20:15.080
 Champions League final,

00:20:15.539 --> 00:20:17.100
 the two very best teams,

00:20:17.259 --> 00:20:17.980
 Manchester United

00:20:17.980 --> 00:20:18.980
 and Bayern Munich

00:20:18.980 --> 00:20:20.500
 are playing a game together.

00:20:21.220 --> 00:20:22.620
 Six minutes into the game,

00:20:22.779 --> 00:20:24.039
 Bayern Munich score a goal

00:20:24.039 --> 00:20:24.880
 and so they're ahead.

00:20:25.559 --> 00:20:26.980
 And for almost the rest

00:20:26.980 --> 00:20:27.579
 of the game,

00:20:27.759 --> 00:20:28.700
 Bayern Munich is winning.

00:20:28.920 --> 00:20:29.299
 They just,

00:20:29.779 --> 00:20:30.860
 they're one goal ahead

00:20:30.860 --> 00:20:32.640
 but they're just running rampant

00:20:32.640 --> 00:20:33.720
 over Manchester United.

00:20:34.299 --> 00:20:35.680
 And it seems like

00:20:35.680 --> 00:20:36.539
 they're just going to score

00:20:36.539 --> 00:20:37.380
 goal after goal.

00:20:37.940 --> 00:20:38.539
 Manchester United

00:20:38.539 --> 00:20:40.599
 have a chance

00:20:40.599 --> 00:20:41.400
 every now and then

00:20:41.400 --> 00:20:42.539
 but really Bayern Munich

00:20:42.539 --> 00:20:43.120
 are in charge

00:20:43.120 --> 00:20:44.200
 of the entire game.

00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:45.819
 And so three minutes

00:20:45.819 --> 00:20:46.900
 before the end of the game,

00:20:46.900 --> 00:20:48.380
 the organizers,

00:20:48.580 --> 00:20:49.300
 there's this massive

00:20:49.300 --> 00:20:49.920
 big trophy.

00:20:50.040 --> 00:20:50.800
 It's like this big.

00:20:51.220 --> 00:20:52.860
 They start to tie

00:20:52.860 --> 00:20:54.019
 the ribbons

00:20:54.019 --> 00:20:55.220
 of Bayern Munich club

00:20:55.220 --> 00:20:56.440
 onto the trophy

00:20:56.440 --> 00:20:57.640
 because as soon as

00:20:57.640 --> 00:20:58.380
 the game finishes,

00:20:58.600 --> 00:20:59.280
 the camera crews

00:20:59.280 --> 00:20:59.840
 are going to fall

00:20:59.840 --> 00:21:00.600
 onto the trophy

00:21:00.600 --> 00:21:01.600
 and they want the ribbons

00:21:01.600 --> 00:21:02.160
 of Bayern Munich

00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:02.540
 on there.

00:21:03.019 --> 00:21:04.140
 And the stands

00:21:04.140 --> 00:21:04.920
 where the Bayern Munich

00:21:04.920 --> 00:21:05.700
 fans are,

00:21:05.980 --> 00:21:06.720
 they're letting off

00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:08.200
 fireworks and flares

00:21:08.200 --> 00:21:09.580
 and the stand is bouncing

00:21:09.580 --> 00:21:10.680
 with enthusiasm.

00:21:12.180 --> 00:21:13.080
 You know what happened,

00:21:13.180 --> 00:21:13.360
 right?

00:21:14.440 --> 00:21:15.300
 One minute,

00:21:15.299 --> 00:21:16.419
 two minutes before

00:21:16.419 --> 00:21:17.180
 the end of the game,

00:21:17.720 --> 00:21:18.339
 Manchester United

00:21:18.339 --> 00:21:19.000
 score a goal.

00:21:19.659 --> 00:21:20.339
 It's now 1-0.

00:21:21.740 --> 00:21:22.619
 Bayern Munich stunt

00:21:22.619 --> 00:21:23.279
 but it's okay,

00:21:23.399 --> 00:21:24.139
 they got this thing.

00:21:24.980 --> 00:21:25.839
 The game then goes

00:21:25.839 --> 00:21:26.799
 into injury time

00:21:26.799 --> 00:21:27.680
 which is like an extra

00:21:27.680 --> 00:21:28.740
 two minutes at the end

00:21:28.740 --> 00:21:29.419
 of full time

00:21:29.419 --> 00:21:30.899
 and Manchester United

00:21:30.899 --> 00:21:32.240
 score another goal

00:21:32.240 --> 00:21:33.960
 and as they score,

00:21:34.220 --> 00:21:35.259
 that's the end of the game,

00:21:35.579 --> 00:21:36.059
 it's done

00:21:36.059 --> 00:21:36.659
 and they win

00:21:36.659 --> 00:21:37.759
 the Champions League final.

00:21:37.919 --> 00:21:38.379
 And so quickly

00:21:38.379 --> 00:21:38.940
 the organizers

00:21:38.940 --> 00:21:40.399
 are cutting off the ribbons

00:21:40.399 --> 00:21:41.599
 and tying new ones on

00:21:41.599 --> 00:21:42.960
 and that's what God

00:21:42.960 --> 00:21:43.659
 is saying here.

00:21:43.660 --> 00:21:44.700
 He's saying Babylon,

00:21:44.860 --> 00:21:45.820
 it looks like you're winning.

00:21:46.640 --> 00:21:47.180
 Wickedness,

00:21:47.340 --> 00:21:47.840
 injustice,

00:21:48.080 --> 00:21:48.779
 it looks like it's

00:21:48.779 --> 00:21:49.700
 running rampant.

00:21:50.240 --> 00:21:51.560
 It's just a matter of time.

00:21:51.660 --> 00:21:53.019
 Your expiry date is coming.

00:21:53.600 --> 00:21:54.720
 The very people

00:21:54.720 --> 00:21:55.680
 that you thought

00:21:55.680 --> 00:21:56.779
 you had demolished

00:21:56.779 --> 00:21:58.140
 are standing back

00:21:58.140 --> 00:21:58.700
 from history

00:21:58.700 --> 00:21:59.960
 and they are taunting you,

00:22:00.040 --> 00:22:01.120
 they are mocking you

00:22:01.120 --> 00:22:02.340
 saying your time

00:22:02.340 --> 00:22:03.920
 is coming to an end.

00:22:04.820 --> 00:22:05.160
 So,

00:22:05.360 --> 00:22:06.500
 that's the good news,

00:22:06.620 --> 00:22:06.759
 okay?

00:22:07.620 --> 00:22:08.140
 Habakkuk,

00:22:08.220 --> 00:22:08.700
 the good news,

00:22:08.820 --> 00:22:09.920
 justice is coming.

00:22:10.340 --> 00:22:10.720
 Secondly,

00:22:10.880 --> 00:22:11.860
 that was the longest one,

00:22:11.859 --> 00:22:12.099
 okay?

00:22:12.459 --> 00:22:12.879
 Secondly,

00:22:13.539 --> 00:22:14.500
 God's bad news

00:22:14.500 --> 00:22:15.179
 to Habakkuk.

00:22:15.879 --> 00:22:16.859
 Justice is coming,

00:22:17.119 --> 00:22:17.799
 says God,

00:22:18.179 --> 00:22:18.959
 but it's coming

00:22:18.959 --> 00:22:20.000
 in my timing,

00:22:20.259 --> 00:22:21.339
 not in your timing.

00:22:22.519 --> 00:22:23.000
 So,

00:22:23.219 --> 00:22:24.139
 let's go back

00:22:24.139 --> 00:22:24.619
 to the beginning

00:22:24.619 --> 00:22:25.599
 of chapter two

00:22:25.599 --> 00:22:26.899
 and see what God says.

00:22:27.219 --> 00:22:27.379
 And,

00:22:27.439 --> 00:22:28.679
 when you hear

00:22:28.679 --> 00:22:29.699
 God's good news,

00:22:29.799 --> 00:22:30.799
 sometimes we can think,

00:22:30.919 --> 00:22:31.019
 well,

00:22:31.099 --> 00:22:31.679
 all's well

00:22:31.679 --> 00:22:32.559
 that ends well.

00:22:33.119 --> 00:22:34.259
 Everything's just rosy.

00:22:34.779 --> 00:22:35.139
 But,

00:22:35.199 --> 00:22:36.459
 look at how things work out.

00:22:36.500 --> 00:22:37.199
 Look at verse two.

00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:38.240
 God says,

00:22:38.659 --> 00:22:39.659
 write the vision down,

00:22:39.779 --> 00:22:40.500
 make it plain.

00:22:40.500 --> 00:22:41.900
 Then he says,

00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:42.720
 for the vision

00:22:42.720 --> 00:22:44.579
 awaits its appointed time.

00:22:45.180 --> 00:22:46.500
 It hastens to the end,

00:22:46.559 --> 00:22:47.500
 it will not lie.

00:22:48.039 --> 00:22:49.480
 If it seems slow,

00:22:50.000 --> 00:22:50.640
 wait for it,

00:22:50.920 --> 00:22:52.019
 it will surely come.

00:22:52.859 --> 00:22:53.180
 Now,

00:22:53.559 --> 00:22:54.059
 I'm not sure

00:22:54.059 --> 00:22:54.700
 how many of you

00:22:54.700 --> 00:22:56.059
 know that feeling

00:22:56.059 --> 00:22:57.380
 of waiting for something

00:22:57.380 --> 00:22:58.259
 and it feels like

00:22:58.259 --> 00:22:59.240
 it's never coming.

00:22:59.900 --> 00:23:01.079
 Maybe you've run a marathon,

00:23:01.579 --> 00:23:01.759
 okay?

00:23:02.259 --> 00:23:03.220
 I've never run a marathon,

00:23:03.500 --> 00:23:04.440
 but let's just pretend

00:23:04.440 --> 00:23:04.859
 I have.

00:23:05.339 --> 00:23:06.920
 And you get to 30 kilometers

00:23:06.920 --> 00:23:07.940
 and your legs

00:23:07.940 --> 00:23:08.700
 feel like jelly

00:23:08.700 --> 00:23:09.820
 and you feel like

00:23:09.820 --> 00:23:11.500
 my life sucks.

00:23:12.320 --> 00:23:13.300
 And this is never

00:23:13.300 --> 00:23:13.940
 going to end,

00:23:14.019 --> 00:23:14.180
 right?

00:23:14.240 --> 00:23:15.300
 You've got 12 kilometers

00:23:15.300 --> 00:23:15.940
 ahead of you

00:23:15.940 --> 00:23:16.759
 and you feel like

00:23:16.759 --> 00:23:17.519
 I'm never,

00:23:17.880 --> 00:23:18.420
 ever going to get

00:23:18.420 --> 00:23:18.940
 to the end.

00:23:19.400 --> 00:23:21.080
 Or maybe you're a PhD student

00:23:21.080 --> 00:23:22.140
 or a master's student

00:23:22.140 --> 00:23:23.380
 and you're in

00:23:23.380 --> 00:23:24.920
 the abyss of drudgery

00:23:24.920 --> 00:23:26.259
 feeling like

00:23:26.259 --> 00:23:27.340
 this thing is never

00:23:27.340 --> 00:23:27.920
 going to end,

00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:28.279
 right?

00:23:29.019 --> 00:23:29.320
 And,

00:23:29.380 --> 00:23:30.460
 in many ways,

00:23:30.500 --> 00:23:31.560
 that's how Habakkuk felt.

00:23:32.200 --> 00:23:33.220
 God gives him

00:23:33.220 --> 00:23:33.740
 this vision

00:23:33.740 --> 00:23:34.440
 of how the story

00:23:34.440 --> 00:23:35.019
 is going to end.

00:23:35.019 --> 00:23:35.740
 He tells them

00:23:35.740 --> 00:23:36.759
 it may seem slow,

00:23:36.980 --> 00:23:37.960
 but it's coming,

00:23:38.500 --> 00:23:39.500
 but it doesn't seem

00:23:39.500 --> 00:23:40.480
 like it's ever coming.

00:23:41.379 --> 00:23:41.480
 And,

00:23:41.599 --> 00:23:41.759
 in fact,

00:23:41.839 --> 00:23:42.420
 this is something

00:23:42.420 --> 00:23:42.980
 that Habakkuk

00:23:42.980 --> 00:23:43.660
 had to wrestle

00:23:43.660 --> 00:23:44.940
 with his entire life

00:23:44.940 --> 00:23:46.160
 because the Bible,

00:23:46.339 --> 00:23:47.160
 or actually history

00:23:47.160 --> 00:23:47.859
 tells us

00:23:47.859 --> 00:23:49.960
 that justice did come.

00:23:50.740 --> 00:23:52.200
 Babylon was overthrown.

00:23:52.879 --> 00:23:53.779
 A few years later,

00:23:53.940 --> 00:23:55.019
 70 years later,

00:23:55.299 --> 00:23:56.019
 Babylon is smashed

00:23:56.740 --> 00:23:57.700
 by the Persians

00:23:57.700 --> 00:23:59.319
 and they never recovered.

00:23:59.639 --> 00:24:00.539
 That's the end

00:24:00.539 --> 00:24:01.960
 of the Babylonian empire.

00:24:02.879 --> 00:24:03.460
 Except,

00:24:04.019 --> 00:24:04.799
 it happened

00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:06.579
 after Habakkuk

00:24:06.579 --> 00:24:07.659
 is dead

00:24:07.659 --> 00:24:08.799
 and buried

00:24:08.799 --> 00:24:09.980
 and in the grave.

00:24:11.200 --> 00:24:11.680
 In other words,

00:24:11.720 --> 00:24:12.259
 the justice

00:24:12.259 --> 00:24:13.299
 he waited for

00:24:13.299 --> 00:24:14.079
 came,

00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:15.039
 but it didn't come

00:24:15.039 --> 00:24:16.419
 in his lifetime.

00:24:17.220 --> 00:24:17.720
 And Habakkuk

00:24:17.720 --> 00:24:18.859
 starts off with this question,

00:24:18.980 --> 00:24:19.680
 how long,

00:24:19.779 --> 00:24:20.379
 oh God?

00:24:20.759 --> 00:24:21.440
 He thought,

00:24:21.519 --> 00:24:21.980
 apparently,

00:24:22.099 --> 00:24:23.119
 God does not act.

00:24:23.579 --> 00:24:24.159
 And what God

00:24:24.159 --> 00:24:24.879
 was showing him

00:24:24.879 --> 00:24:25.579
 was that God

00:24:25.579 --> 00:24:27.099
 had just not yet acted.

00:24:27.960 --> 00:24:28.680
 And Habakkuk

00:24:28.680 --> 00:24:29.700
 was correct

00:24:29.700 --> 00:24:30.539
 to think that God

00:24:30.539 --> 00:24:31.319
 ought to act

00:24:31.319 --> 00:24:31.940
 in response

00:24:31.940 --> 00:24:32.680
 to the injustice

00:24:32.680 --> 00:24:33.299
 in the world.

00:24:33.299 --> 00:24:34.500
 and he's quite right.

00:24:35.079 --> 00:24:36.099
 But he also thought

00:24:36.099 --> 00:24:37.460
 that he knew how

00:24:37.460 --> 00:24:38.359
 and when God

00:24:38.359 --> 00:24:39.079
 ought to act.

00:24:39.619 --> 00:24:40.019
 And in this,

00:24:40.099 --> 00:24:40.839
 he was quite wrong.

00:24:41.599 --> 00:24:42.039
 And so God

00:24:42.039 --> 00:24:42.879
 is teaching him

00:24:42.879 --> 00:24:44.399
 this important lesson

00:24:44.399 --> 00:24:45.639
 of patience.

00:24:46.319 --> 00:24:47.399
 That the life of a Christ

00:24:47.399 --> 00:24:48.460
 follows one of faith.

00:24:48.579 --> 00:24:49.399
 And so that leads us

00:24:49.399 --> 00:24:50.240
 to verse 4,

00:24:50.519 --> 00:24:51.700
 in which we looked

00:24:51.700 --> 00:24:52.440
 at last week.

00:24:52.919 --> 00:24:53.339
 God says,

00:24:53.539 --> 00:24:53.980
 the righteous

00:24:53.980 --> 00:24:54.899
 will live

00:24:54.899 --> 00:24:56.200
 by faith.

00:24:57.119 --> 00:24:57.519
 And friends,

00:24:57.579 --> 00:24:58.359
 this really is

00:24:58.359 --> 00:24:59.279
 the greatest description

00:24:59.279 --> 00:25:00.480
 of the Christian life.

00:25:00.480 --> 00:25:01.839
 that the life

00:25:01.839 --> 00:25:02.440
 of a Christian

00:25:02.440 --> 00:25:03.900
 is that the righteous

00:25:03.900 --> 00:25:04.460
 will live

00:25:04.460 --> 00:25:05.220
 by faith.

00:25:05.980 --> 00:25:07.099
 Trusting God's ways.

00:25:07.319 --> 00:25:08.299
 Trusting his timing.

00:25:09.000 --> 00:25:09.980
 Trusting that he knows

00:25:09.980 --> 00:25:11.140
 best,

00:25:11.259 --> 00:25:11.900
 even when things

00:25:11.900 --> 00:25:12.980
 don't make sense to us.

00:25:13.420 --> 00:25:14.059
 And this is what

00:25:14.059 --> 00:25:14.599
 God is saying

00:25:14.599 --> 00:25:15.140
 to Habakkuk.

00:25:15.220 --> 00:25:16.120
 It seems slow.

00:25:16.259 --> 00:25:16.720
 Wait for it.

00:25:16.740 --> 00:25:17.140
 It's coming.

00:25:17.759 --> 00:25:18.480
 It seems like

00:25:18.480 --> 00:25:19.299
 it's delaying.

00:25:19.799 --> 00:25:20.980
 I know what I'm doing.

00:25:21.640 --> 00:25:22.079
 Habakkuk,

00:25:22.539 --> 00:25:23.720
 my appointed time

00:25:23.720 --> 00:25:24.360
 is coming.

00:25:25.319 --> 00:25:26.079
 This is the

00:25:26.079 --> 00:25:27.039
 quintessential verse

00:25:27.039 --> 00:25:27.680
 for the Christian.

00:25:28.220 --> 00:25:28.660
 The righteous

00:25:28.660 --> 00:25:29.120
 will live

00:25:29.119 --> 00:25:29.659
 by faith.

00:25:30.179 --> 00:25:30.679
 And so friends,

00:25:30.719 --> 00:25:31.399
 tomorrow when you

00:25:31.399 --> 00:25:32.000
 go to work,

00:25:32.399 --> 00:25:33.079
 some of us

00:25:33.079 --> 00:25:33.879
 might be challenged

00:25:33.879 --> 00:25:34.439
 by the fact

00:25:34.439 --> 00:25:35.159
 that a colleague

00:25:35.159 --> 00:25:36.759
 that makes all sorts

00:25:36.759 --> 00:25:38.000
 of unethical decisions,

00:25:38.539 --> 00:25:39.259
 cuts corners,

00:25:39.539 --> 00:25:40.479
 backstabs people,

00:25:40.679 --> 00:25:41.599
 they get promoted

00:25:41.599 --> 00:25:42.500
 and you don't.

00:25:43.419 --> 00:25:44.419
 Where's the justice

00:25:44.419 --> 00:25:44.939
 in that?

00:25:45.719 --> 00:25:46.479
 The righteous

00:25:46.479 --> 00:25:47.239
 will live

00:25:47.239 --> 00:25:48.039
 by faith.

00:25:48.659 --> 00:25:49.099
 And friends,

00:25:49.159 --> 00:25:49.819
 for some of us

00:25:49.819 --> 00:25:50.419
 it seems like

00:25:50.419 --> 00:25:51.439
 evil's on the rise,

00:25:51.659 --> 00:25:52.279
 people are becoming

00:25:52.279 --> 00:25:53.399
 more and more corrupt,

00:25:53.959 --> 00:25:55.099
 unethical behaviors

00:25:55.099 --> 00:25:55.699
 everywhere.

00:25:56.399 --> 00:25:57.039
 The righteous

00:25:57.039 --> 00:25:57.559
 will live

00:25:57.559 --> 00:25:58.179
 by faith,

00:25:58.299 --> 00:25:58.739
 knowing that

00:25:58.740 --> 00:25:59.420
 your hope

00:25:59.420 --> 00:26:00.059
 and your life

00:26:00.059 --> 00:26:00.819
 is not found

00:26:00.819 --> 00:26:01.599
 in getting ahead

00:26:01.599 --> 00:26:02.460
 in the rat race,

00:26:02.900 --> 00:26:03.700
 it's being found

00:26:03.700 --> 00:26:04.819
 in who Christ is

00:26:04.819 --> 00:26:05.339
 in your life

00:26:05.339 --> 00:26:05.720
 in him.

00:26:07.000 --> 00:26:07.740
 And so this is

00:26:07.740 --> 00:26:08.480
 the most succinct

00:26:08.480 --> 00:26:09.299
 description of the

00:26:09.299 --> 00:26:09.980
 Christian life.

00:26:10.660 --> 00:26:11.400
 Because this world

00:26:11.400 --> 00:26:12.319
 is not our home

00:26:12.319 --> 00:26:13.240
 and therefore

00:26:13.240 --> 00:26:14.039
 cannot give us

00:26:14.039 --> 00:26:14.900
 what we long for

00:26:14.900 --> 00:26:15.579
 or hope for.

00:26:16.339 --> 00:26:16.960
 Christ says,

00:26:17.079 --> 00:26:18.000
 the vision awaits

00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:18.539
 its time.

00:26:19.039 --> 00:26:20.380
 It hastens to the end.

00:26:20.680 --> 00:26:21.559
 It seems slow,

00:26:21.700 --> 00:26:22.220
 wait for it.

00:26:22.259 --> 00:26:23.000
 It will come,

00:26:23.480 --> 00:26:24.500
 it will not delay.

00:26:26.200 --> 00:26:27.240
 Habakkuk's bad news,

00:26:27.240 --> 00:26:28.220
 God's timing

00:26:28.220 --> 00:26:29.099
 is not necessarily

00:26:29.099 --> 00:26:29.640
 his own.

00:26:30.700 --> 00:26:31.440
 And that leads us

00:26:31.440 --> 00:26:32.319
 to the third point,

00:26:32.480 --> 00:26:33.740
 our bad news.

00:26:33.900 --> 00:26:34.039
 Now,

00:26:34.620 --> 00:26:35.519
 God's justice

00:26:35.519 --> 00:26:36.099
 in the world,

00:26:36.200 --> 00:26:36.980
 the fact that justice

00:26:36.980 --> 00:26:37.420
 is coming,

00:26:37.480 --> 00:26:38.160
 is good news.

00:26:38.620 --> 00:26:39.160
 It means that

00:26:39.160 --> 00:26:40.460
 there's no wickedness

00:26:40.460 --> 00:26:41.240
 that is ever

00:26:41.240 --> 00:26:42.039
 perpetuated

00:26:42.039 --> 00:26:43.420
 which is left undone.

00:26:43.839 --> 00:26:44.720
 It may not get

00:26:44.720 --> 00:26:45.720
 justice in our lifetime,

00:26:46.140 --> 00:26:46.980
 but there is coming

00:26:46.980 --> 00:26:47.299
 a time,

00:26:47.400 --> 00:26:47.799
 God says,

00:26:47.880 --> 00:26:48.620
 I know about it,

00:26:48.680 --> 00:26:49.200
 I'm sovereign,

00:26:49.319 --> 00:26:50.059
 I will bring

00:26:50.059 --> 00:26:50.980
 my just judgment

00:26:50.980 --> 00:26:51.539
 to bear.

00:26:53.140 --> 00:26:54.480
 Now that's good news,

00:26:54.480 --> 00:26:56.120
 but it's also bad news.

00:26:56.720 --> 00:26:57.279
 And I'm going to let

00:26:57.279 --> 00:26:57.960
 my friend,

00:26:58.200 --> 00:26:59.160
 John Injoroche,

00:26:59.839 --> 00:27:01.000
 who I actually don't know,

00:27:01.059 --> 00:27:01.940
 he's not really my friend,

00:27:02.039 --> 00:27:02.860
 but let's just pretend,

00:27:03.640 --> 00:27:04.440
 let him answer

00:27:04.440 --> 00:27:05.539
 this question for us.

00:27:05.759 --> 00:27:06.039
 John,

00:27:06.400 --> 00:27:07.079
 who is part of the

00:27:07.079 --> 00:27:08.460
 RZIM speaking team,

00:27:08.539 --> 00:27:09.380
 this is what he writes.

00:27:10.120 --> 00:27:10.559
 He says,

00:27:11.200 --> 00:27:12.440
 when our sense of justice

00:27:12.440 --> 00:27:13.220
 is threatened,

00:27:13.799 --> 00:27:14.740
 we are quick

00:27:14.740 --> 00:27:15.960
 to demand answers.

00:27:16.539 --> 00:27:17.160
 This is nowhere

00:27:17.160 --> 00:27:17.819
 more evident

00:27:17.819 --> 00:27:18.700
 than the attacks

00:27:18.700 --> 00:27:19.700
 on God's character

00:27:19.700 --> 00:27:20.839
 based on his

00:27:20.839 --> 00:27:22.220
 administration of justice,

00:27:22.339 --> 00:27:23.039
 especially in the

00:27:23.039 --> 00:27:23.559
 Old Testament.

00:27:23.559 --> 00:27:24.980
 So things go wrong,

00:27:25.059 --> 00:27:25.279
 we say,

00:27:25.599 --> 00:27:26.019
 God,

00:27:26.099 --> 00:27:26.740
 where are you?

00:27:27.119 --> 00:27:28.099
 This doesn't make sense,

00:27:28.159 --> 00:27:29.200
 we demand answers

00:27:29.200 --> 00:27:29.759
 to this.

00:27:30.379 --> 00:27:31.139
 But at the root

00:27:31.139 --> 00:27:32.059
 of this reaction

00:27:32.059 --> 00:27:33.099
 lies the failure

00:27:33.099 --> 00:27:33.859
 to appreciate

00:27:33.859 --> 00:27:35.139
 the full implications

00:27:35.139 --> 00:27:36.700
 for what one really

00:27:36.700 --> 00:27:37.339
 asks for

00:27:37.339 --> 00:27:38.179
 when we demand

00:27:38.179 --> 00:27:38.700
 justice.

00:27:39.419 --> 00:27:40.119
 If justice

00:27:40.119 --> 00:27:40.639
 is to be

00:27:40.639 --> 00:27:41.779
 absolutely served,

00:27:42.240 --> 00:27:42.799
 the guilty

00:27:42.799 --> 00:27:44.500
 cannot go unpunished.

00:27:45.099 --> 00:27:46.220
 Whenever we demand

00:27:46.220 --> 00:27:46.899
 justice,

00:27:47.299 --> 00:27:47.980
 we affirm

00:27:47.980 --> 00:27:49.019
 the same standard

00:27:49.019 --> 00:27:49.799
 that also

00:27:49.799 --> 00:27:50.639
 condemns

00:27:50.639 --> 00:27:51.339
 ourselves.

00:27:52.599 --> 00:27:53.299
 You see that?

00:27:53.980 --> 00:27:54.460
 In other words,

00:27:54.519 --> 00:27:54.859
 we say,

00:27:55.299 --> 00:27:55.559
 God,

00:27:55.619 --> 00:27:56.379
 we want justice.

00:27:56.879 --> 00:27:57.740
 This is not right

00:27:57.740 --> 00:27:58.839
 that evil reigns.

00:27:59.940 --> 00:28:00.639
 But what about

00:28:00.639 --> 00:28:02.119
 when we are guilty

00:28:02.119 --> 00:28:02.960
 of doing the same

00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:03.519
 things?

00:28:04.259 --> 00:28:04.960
 Don't we condemn

00:28:04.960 --> 00:28:05.399
 ourselves?

00:28:06.599 --> 00:28:07.759
 So in chapter 2,

00:28:07.839 --> 00:28:08.359
 verse 6,

00:28:08.720 --> 00:28:09.779
 we read it earlier,

00:28:09.859 --> 00:28:10.519
 the first of these

00:28:10.519 --> 00:28:11.259
 five woes.

00:28:11.379 --> 00:28:12.079
 Look at what Habakkuk

00:28:12.079 --> 00:28:12.460
 says.

00:28:12.559 --> 00:28:12.819
 He says,

00:28:13.299 --> 00:28:13.980
 Woe to him

00:28:13.980 --> 00:28:15.119
 who heaps up

00:28:15.119 --> 00:28:16.159
 what is not his own.

00:28:16.759 --> 00:28:17.839
 And then as Habakkuk's

00:28:17.839 --> 00:28:18.919
 writing this down

00:28:18.919 --> 00:28:19.539
 in the scroll,

00:28:19.899 --> 00:28:20.559
 he almost cannot

00:28:20.559 --> 00:28:21.299
 help himself.

00:28:21.740 --> 00:28:22.480
 He throws in

00:28:22.480 --> 00:28:23.180
 these three words,

00:28:23.259 --> 00:28:23.880
 How long,

00:28:23.960 --> 00:28:24.539
 O God?

00:28:24.940 --> 00:28:25.920
 And then he continues

00:28:25.920 --> 00:28:27.120
 and loads himself

00:28:27.120 --> 00:28:28.120
 up with pledges.

00:28:28.519 --> 00:28:29.720
 He can't help himself.

00:28:29.860 --> 00:28:30.079
 God,

00:28:30.700 --> 00:28:31.599
 how long shall

00:28:31.599 --> 00:28:32.420
 the Babylonians

00:28:32.420 --> 00:28:33.460
 continue like this?

00:28:34.240 --> 00:28:34.799
 But remember,

00:28:34.900 --> 00:28:35.480
 last week,

00:28:35.720 --> 00:28:36.559
 in chapter 1,

00:28:36.900 --> 00:28:37.819
 he starts off

00:28:37.819 --> 00:28:38.160
 and says,

00:28:38.519 --> 00:28:39.140
 How long,

00:28:39.220 --> 00:28:39.740
 O God,

00:28:40.079 --> 00:28:40.519
 will you not

00:28:40.519 --> 00:28:41.539
 hear my cries?

00:28:42.039 --> 00:28:43.059
 And in that instance,

00:28:43.220 --> 00:28:43.819
 he's not talking

00:28:43.819 --> 00:28:44.440
 about Babylon,

00:28:44.940 --> 00:28:45.339
 he's talking

00:28:45.339 --> 00:28:45.940
 about Israel.

00:28:46.519 --> 00:28:46.839
 He's talking

00:28:46.839 --> 00:28:47.480
 about God's

00:28:47.480 --> 00:28:48.200
 very people.

00:28:48.980 --> 00:28:49.559
 You see that?

00:28:49.559 --> 00:28:50.460
 On one instance,

00:28:50.539 --> 00:28:50.799
 he's saying,

00:28:50.879 --> 00:28:51.039
 God,

00:28:51.119 --> 00:28:51.779
 how long shall

00:28:51.779 --> 00:28:52.639
 the Babylonians

00:28:52.639 --> 00:28:53.539
 go on like this?

00:28:53.899 --> 00:28:54.879
 But just the chapter

00:28:54.879 --> 00:28:55.240
 before,

00:28:55.339 --> 00:28:55.639
 he's saying,

00:28:55.740 --> 00:28:55.940
 God,

00:28:56.019 --> 00:28:56.779
 how long shall

00:28:56.779 --> 00:28:57.500
 your people

00:28:57.500 --> 00:28:58.379
 go on like this

00:28:58.379 --> 00:28:58.799
 as well?

00:28:59.720 --> 00:29:00.440
 In chapter 2,

00:29:00.519 --> 00:29:01.299
 he writes and he says,

00:29:01.619 --> 00:29:02.419
 The Babylonians,

00:29:02.519 --> 00:29:03.279
 they're violent.

00:29:03.659 --> 00:29:04.319
 They're violent.

00:29:04.399 --> 00:29:05.220
 Where's your justice,

00:29:05.379 --> 00:29:05.679
 God?

00:29:06.240 --> 00:29:06.919
 In chapter 1,

00:29:06.960 --> 00:29:07.259
 he says,

00:29:07.339 --> 00:29:07.539
 God,

00:29:07.599 --> 00:29:08.619
 I look around Israel

00:29:08.619 --> 00:29:09.980
 and I see violence

00:29:09.980 --> 00:29:10.460
 everywhere.

00:29:11.779 --> 00:29:13.279
 He complains about

00:29:13.279 --> 00:29:14.299
 the perversion

00:29:14.299 --> 00:29:15.440
 of the Babylonians.

00:29:15.519 --> 00:29:16.240
 In chapter 1,

00:29:16.559 --> 00:29:17.379
 he talks about

00:29:17.379 --> 00:29:18.099
 the perversion

00:29:18.099 --> 00:29:18.899
 in Israel.

00:29:19.599 --> 00:29:20.219
 In other words,

00:29:20.779 --> 00:29:21.679
 the very things

00:29:21.679 --> 00:29:23.099
 that rile Habakkuk's

00:29:23.099 --> 00:29:24.000
 sense of injustice

00:29:24.000 --> 00:29:25.399
 about the Babylonians

00:29:25.399 --> 00:29:27.359
 are just as present

00:29:27.359 --> 00:29:27.939
 in the people

00:29:27.939 --> 00:29:28.919
 of God themselves.

00:29:29.219 --> 00:29:30.119
 And that's bad news

00:29:30.119 --> 00:29:30.719
 for us.

00:29:32.019 --> 00:29:33.099
 Tim Mackey is the guy,

00:29:33.199 --> 00:29:34.240
 the genius behind

00:29:34.240 --> 00:29:35.099
 the Bible Project.

00:29:35.279 --> 00:29:36.539
 If you've ever seen

00:29:36.539 --> 00:29:37.279
 the Bible Project,

00:29:37.419 --> 00:29:37.899
 it's amazing.

00:29:38.419 --> 00:29:39.219
 Tim Mackey's the guy

00:29:39.219 --> 00:29:39.779
 behind it.

00:29:40.480 --> 00:29:41.719
 And he makes

00:29:41.719 --> 00:29:42.500
 this amazing point

00:29:42.500 --> 00:29:43.480
 that at the end

00:29:43.480 --> 00:29:44.039
 of the Bible,

00:29:44.119 --> 00:29:45.079
 in the book of Revelation,

00:29:45.919 --> 00:29:47.519
 God condemns Babylon.

00:29:48.099 --> 00:29:49.399
 But what's interesting

00:29:49.399 --> 00:29:50.639
 is Babylon

00:29:50.639 --> 00:29:52.279
 is long buried

00:29:52.279 --> 00:29:53.199
 by the time

00:29:53.199 --> 00:29:54.159
 Revelation is written.

00:29:54.339 --> 00:29:55.679
 It's 600 years later.

00:29:56.199 --> 00:29:57.599
 Babylon doesn't even exist.

00:29:58.199 --> 00:29:58.980
 And yet God has

00:29:58.980 --> 00:30:00.240
 some very strong words

00:30:00.240 --> 00:30:01.359
 to say for Babylon.

00:30:01.939 --> 00:30:03.059
 Why is that?

00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:05.259
 Tim Mackey makes the point

00:30:05.259 --> 00:30:06.559
 that every city,

00:30:07.119 --> 00:30:08.099
 every successful,

00:30:08.459 --> 00:30:09.139
 wealthy city,

00:30:09.659 --> 00:30:10.659
 every civilization

00:30:10.659 --> 00:30:12.519
 has the temptation

00:30:12.519 --> 00:30:13.740
 to become Babylon

00:30:13.740 --> 00:30:14.779
 all over again.

00:30:14.779 --> 00:30:16.299
 And the reason is

00:30:16.299 --> 00:30:17.220
 because the seeds

00:30:17.220 --> 00:30:17.779
 of Babylon

00:30:17.779 --> 00:30:19.740
 are in each one of us.

00:30:20.359 --> 00:30:21.460
 Or as Salman Rushdie

00:30:21.460 --> 00:30:22.460
 said in one of his books,

00:30:22.940 --> 00:30:23.899
 the barbarians

00:30:23.899 --> 00:30:24.680
 are not only

00:30:24.680 --> 00:30:25.639
 out at the gates,

00:30:25.819 --> 00:30:27.220
 they are in our own skin

00:30:27.220 --> 00:30:28.000
 as well.

00:30:28.980 --> 00:30:29.460
 And friends,

00:30:29.539 --> 00:30:30.399
 this is the story

00:30:30.399 --> 00:30:31.200
 of the world.

00:30:31.859 --> 00:30:32.160
 In fact,

00:30:32.240 --> 00:30:32.940
 this is particularly

00:30:32.940 --> 00:30:34.099
 the story of Africa,

00:30:34.440 --> 00:30:34.839
 the continent

00:30:34.839 --> 00:30:35.660
 that I come from.

00:30:36.639 --> 00:30:37.579
 Africa is a continent

00:30:37.579 --> 00:30:38.759
 of revolutionaries

00:30:38.759 --> 00:30:39.920
 and freedom fighters

00:30:39.920 --> 00:30:41.340
 and coup d'etats

00:30:41.340 --> 00:30:42.779
 and independence fighters.

00:30:43.320 --> 00:30:44.120
 But as soon as

00:30:44.120 --> 00:30:45.120
 the revolutionaries

00:30:45.120 --> 00:30:46.019
 get into power,

00:30:46.500 --> 00:30:47.400
 it's just a matter

00:30:47.400 --> 00:30:48.180
 of time before

00:30:48.180 --> 00:30:49.440
 they start doing

00:30:49.440 --> 00:30:50.279
 the very thing

00:30:50.279 --> 00:30:51.180
 that they shed blood

00:30:51.180 --> 00:30:52.440
 to overthrow.

00:30:53.140 --> 00:30:54.140
 The revolutionaries

00:30:54.140 --> 00:30:55.180
 become power hungry

00:30:55.180 --> 00:30:55.759
 themselves.

00:30:56.039 --> 00:30:56.279
 Why?

00:30:56.759 --> 00:30:58.019
 Because the barbarians

00:30:58.019 --> 00:30:58.620
 are not only

00:30:58.620 --> 00:30:59.340
 at our gates,

00:30:59.500 --> 00:31:00.560
 they are in our skins

00:31:00.560 --> 00:31:01.160
 as well.

00:31:01.840 --> 00:31:02.200
 And friends,

00:31:02.240 --> 00:31:02.680
 that's true

00:31:02.680 --> 00:31:03.660
 for every civilization

00:31:03.660 --> 00:31:05.120
 and every one of us.

00:31:05.800 --> 00:31:06.860
 And so in the New Testament,

00:31:07.000 --> 00:31:07.779
 the Apostle Paul,

00:31:07.880 --> 00:31:09.180
 he writes in Romans

00:31:09.180 --> 00:31:10.340
 and he says how

00:31:10.340 --> 00:31:11.799
 everybody in the world,

00:31:12.220 --> 00:31:12.820
 the Jews

00:31:12.820 --> 00:31:14.200
 and the Gentiles,

00:31:14.560 --> 00:31:15.120
 the religious

00:31:15.120 --> 00:31:16.580
 and the irreligious,

00:31:16.820 --> 00:31:17.580
 all of us,

00:31:17.660 --> 00:31:18.560
 if we try to

00:31:18.560 --> 00:31:20.580
 stand before God

00:31:20.580 --> 00:31:21.580
 in our own merits,

00:31:21.660 --> 00:31:22.500
 we stand condemned.

00:31:23.500 --> 00:31:24.100
 And so he says,

00:31:24.460 --> 00:31:25.080
 are the Jews,

00:31:25.240 --> 00:31:26.000
 the religious people

00:31:26.000 --> 00:31:26.920
 any better off

00:31:26.920 --> 00:31:27.620
 because they have

00:31:27.620 --> 00:31:28.240
 God's law?

00:31:28.720 --> 00:31:29.380
 Not at all.

00:31:29.720 --> 00:31:30.740
 Are the irreligious

00:31:30.740 --> 00:31:31.580
 any better off

00:31:31.580 --> 00:31:32.140
 because they're not

00:31:32.140 --> 00:31:33.519
 constrained by some system?

00:31:33.920 --> 00:31:34.620
 Not at all.

00:31:35.039 --> 00:31:36.820
 All people everywhere,

00:31:37.220 --> 00:31:38.000
 their mouths

00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:39.080
 have been stopped.

00:31:40.080 --> 00:31:40.900
 It's an amazing picture.

00:31:41.019 --> 00:31:41.640
 I don't know if you remember

00:31:41.640 --> 00:31:42.539
 when you were a little kid

00:31:42.539 --> 00:31:44.039
 and you get caught

00:31:44.039 --> 00:31:45.060
 for doing something wrong

00:31:45.060 --> 00:31:46.400
 and you stand

00:31:46.400 --> 00:31:47.259
 and your teacher

00:31:47.259 --> 00:31:48.759
 or parent is scolding you

00:31:48.759 --> 00:31:50.279
 and you've got no defense.

00:31:50.799 --> 00:31:51.500
 You're speechless.

00:31:52.100 --> 00:31:53.299
 Your mouth has been stopped.

00:31:54.160 --> 00:31:54.960
 And that's what Paul says.

00:31:55.220 --> 00:31:56.340
 Every human being

00:31:56.340 --> 00:31:57.200
 in all the world

00:31:57.200 --> 00:31:58.500
 before the holiness

00:31:58.500 --> 00:31:59.799
 and the justice of God,

00:32:00.299 --> 00:32:00.960
 our mouths

00:32:00.960 --> 00:32:01.660
 have been stopped.

00:32:01.820 --> 00:32:03.080
 Now look at what Habakkuk says.

00:32:03.160 --> 00:32:04.039
 He says the same thing

00:32:04.039 --> 00:32:04.680
 in chapter 2.

00:32:05.279 --> 00:32:05.560
 He says,

00:32:05.559 --> 00:32:07.000
 The Lord is in His holy temple.

00:32:07.679 --> 00:32:07.919
 Therefore,

00:32:08.079 --> 00:32:09.240
 let all the earth

00:32:09.240 --> 00:32:10.700
 keep silent

00:32:10.700 --> 00:32:12.059
 before Him.

00:32:12.960 --> 00:32:13.659
 You see, friends,

00:32:14.000 --> 00:32:15.339
 in our pursuit of justice,

00:32:15.339 --> 00:32:16.460
 when we look at the world

00:32:16.460 --> 00:32:17.839
 and especially those in power

00:32:17.839 --> 00:32:19.700
 and we throw our fists

00:32:19.700 --> 00:32:20.179
 and we say,

00:32:20.279 --> 00:32:20.859
 how on earth

00:32:20.859 --> 00:32:21.839
 could you be like that?

00:32:22.240 --> 00:32:23.899
 How could you behave like that?

00:32:24.399 --> 00:32:25.079
 The truth is,

00:32:25.159 --> 00:32:26.399
 given half a chance

00:32:26.399 --> 00:32:28.159
 in the same conditions,

00:32:28.159 --> 00:32:29.799
 if we were in the same positions

00:32:29.799 --> 00:32:30.299
 of power

00:32:30.299 --> 00:32:31.819
 or were part of the same culture,

00:32:31.819 --> 00:32:33.559
 how different would we be?

00:32:34.460 --> 00:32:35.720
 I remember as a teenager

00:32:35.720 --> 00:32:36.700
 going to my parents

00:32:36.700 --> 00:32:37.099
 and saying,

00:32:37.200 --> 00:32:37.700
 Mom and Dad,

00:32:37.839 --> 00:32:39.159
 talk to me about apartheid

00:32:39.159 --> 00:32:39.839
 in South Africa.

00:32:40.740 --> 00:32:41.779
 You were adults.

00:32:42.500 --> 00:32:44.019
 Why didn't you fight apartheid?

00:32:44.119 --> 00:32:45.099
 Why didn't you stand up

00:32:45.099 --> 00:32:45.639
 for injustice?

00:32:46.419 --> 00:32:47.119
 How could you

00:32:47.119 --> 00:32:48.299
 just go on with it

00:32:48.299 --> 00:32:49.359
 and benefit from it?

00:32:50.039 --> 00:32:51.319
 But the haunting question

00:32:51.319 --> 00:32:52.559
 is if I was there

00:32:52.559 --> 00:32:54.119
 as a white South African,

00:32:54.119 --> 00:32:54.980
 would I have done

00:32:54.980 --> 00:32:55.859
 anything different?

00:32:56.819 --> 00:32:57.419
 Would I have done

00:32:57.419 --> 00:32:58.039
 anything different?

00:32:59.799 --> 00:33:00.819
 And so Charles Spurgeon

00:33:00.819 --> 00:33:01.839
 says it like this.

00:33:01.919 --> 00:33:02.139
 He says,

00:33:02.240 --> 00:33:03.039
 the man or the woman

00:33:03.039 --> 00:33:04.799
 who clings to his own morality

00:33:04.799 --> 00:33:06.819
 to justify himself

00:33:06.819 --> 00:33:07.559
 before God

00:33:07.559 --> 00:33:08.419
 is like a man

00:33:08.419 --> 00:33:09.159
 who grasps

00:33:09.159 --> 00:33:10.139
 a massive stone

00:33:10.139 --> 00:33:12.000
 in order to prevent himself

00:33:12.000 --> 00:33:12.700
 from sinking

00:33:12.700 --> 00:33:14.019
 in a flood.

00:33:15.240 --> 00:33:15.679
 Friends,

00:33:15.740 --> 00:33:16.859
 we stand before God

00:33:16.859 --> 00:33:18.659
 with nothing in our hands.

00:33:19.419 --> 00:33:20.119
 We stand before

00:33:20.119 --> 00:33:21.059
 His holy justice,

00:33:21.220 --> 00:33:21.419
 condemned.

00:33:21.700 --> 00:33:22.500
 And so the question is,

00:33:22.559 --> 00:33:23.240
 where is our hope?

00:33:23.759 --> 00:33:24.539
 Where do we turn

00:33:24.539 --> 00:33:25.539
 when we see injustice

00:33:25.539 --> 00:33:26.359
 all around us

00:33:26.359 --> 00:33:27.099
 and we see injustice

00:33:27.099 --> 00:33:27.980
 in our own hearts?

00:33:28.619 --> 00:33:29.740
 What hope do we have?

00:33:30.480 --> 00:33:31.299
 And so fourthly,

00:33:31.380 --> 00:33:32.000
 the good news

00:33:32.000 --> 00:33:32.599
 of the gospel

00:33:32.599 --> 00:33:34.039
 is where justice

00:33:34.039 --> 00:33:35.500
 and mercy meet.

00:33:36.160 --> 00:33:37.339
 At the end of his vision,

00:33:37.480 --> 00:33:37.960
 Habakkuk,

00:33:38.160 --> 00:33:39.500
 he does the only

00:33:39.500 --> 00:33:40.220
 legitimate thing

00:33:40.220 --> 00:33:40.819
 that he can do.

00:33:41.259 --> 00:33:42.460
 He gets on his knees

00:33:42.460 --> 00:33:43.240
 and he prays.

00:33:43.660 --> 00:33:43.980
 He says,

00:33:44.059 --> 00:33:44.579
 God, I don't know

00:33:44.579 --> 00:33:44.960
 what to do.

00:33:45.039 --> 00:33:45.900
 I don't know where to stand.

00:33:45.980 --> 00:33:46.859
 And so he prays.

00:33:46.880 --> 00:33:47.380
 And he prays

00:33:47.380 --> 00:33:48.220
 this amazing prayer

00:33:48.220 --> 00:33:48.839
 and we're going to look

00:33:48.839 --> 00:33:50.079
 at it next week.

00:33:50.539 --> 00:33:51.140
 But I want to look

00:33:51.140 --> 00:33:52.279
 at just the first verse.

00:33:52.380 --> 00:33:53.299
 Look at what he says here.

00:33:54.019 --> 00:33:54.480
 He says,

00:33:55.120 --> 00:33:55.740
 Lord, I've heard

00:33:55.740 --> 00:33:56.599
 the report of you.

00:33:57.099 --> 00:33:58.000
 Your work of God

00:33:58.000 --> 00:33:58.539
 do I fear.

00:33:58.539 --> 00:34:00.220
 In the midst of the years,

00:34:00.319 --> 00:34:00.879
 revive it.

00:34:00.940 --> 00:34:01.859
 In the midst of the years,

00:34:01.940 --> 00:34:02.579
 make it known.

00:34:03.379 --> 00:34:04.599
 In your wrath,

00:34:05.319 --> 00:34:07.359
 remember mercy.

00:34:08.599 --> 00:34:09.820
 In your wrath,

00:34:10.039 --> 00:34:11.679
 remember mercy.

00:34:12.460 --> 00:34:12.779
 You see,

00:34:12.860 --> 00:34:13.759
 earlier Habakkuk

00:34:13.759 --> 00:34:14.360
 praised and says,

00:34:14.480 --> 00:34:14.739
 God,

00:34:14.860 --> 00:34:16.420
 where's the justice?

00:34:17.360 --> 00:34:17.559
 God,

00:34:17.639 --> 00:34:18.840
 Israel's running rampant.

00:34:18.900 --> 00:34:19.960
 What are you doing about it?

00:34:20.000 --> 00:34:20.500
 And God says,

00:34:20.539 --> 00:34:21.000
 I'm going to do

00:34:21.000 --> 00:34:21.820
 something about it.

00:34:21.820 --> 00:34:23.900
 And now he's seen,

00:34:24.059 --> 00:34:24.519
 oh boy,

00:34:24.640 --> 00:34:24.820
 God,

00:34:24.880 --> 00:34:26.180
 if you do something about it,

00:34:26.500 --> 00:34:27.400
 that's serious.

00:34:28.180 --> 00:34:29.340
 And so he gets on his knees

00:34:29.340 --> 00:34:29.740
 and he says,

00:34:29.840 --> 00:34:30.160
 God,

00:34:30.680 --> 00:34:31.840
 bring your justice.

00:34:32.780 --> 00:34:33.760
 Bring your justice.

00:34:33.880 --> 00:34:34.300
 But God,

00:34:34.360 --> 00:34:34.920
 in your wrath,

00:34:35.559 --> 00:34:37.420
 remember mercy.

00:34:38.539 --> 00:34:39.180
 Habakkuk knows

00:34:39.180 --> 00:34:40.039
 that if only God

00:34:40.039 --> 00:34:41.080
 brings his justice,

00:34:41.660 --> 00:34:42.620
 his just judgment,

00:34:42.720 --> 00:34:43.760
 then what hope do we have?

00:34:44.300 --> 00:34:44.980
 But he knows

00:34:44.980 --> 00:34:46.220
 that God is not only just,

00:34:46.280 --> 00:34:47.019
 he's also gracious.

00:34:47.860 --> 00:34:48.760
 In your justice,

00:34:49.000 --> 00:34:49.780
 remember mercy.

00:34:50.780 --> 00:34:51.240
 And so friends,

00:34:51.300 --> 00:34:51.920
 the question is,

00:34:52.000 --> 00:34:53.540
 where do we find justice

00:34:53.540 --> 00:34:54.660
 that doesn't just sweep

00:34:54.660 --> 00:34:55.600
 wickedness and sin

00:34:55.600 --> 00:34:56.240
 under the carpet?

00:34:56.780 --> 00:34:57.640
 It doesn't just turn

00:34:57.640 --> 00:34:58.340
 a blind eye

00:34:58.340 --> 00:34:59.580
 to the injustice

00:34:59.580 --> 00:35:00.180
 in the world.

00:35:00.500 --> 00:35:01.240
 But where do we also

00:35:01.240 --> 00:35:02.019
 find a mercy

00:35:02.019 --> 00:35:02.600
 and a grace

00:35:02.600 --> 00:35:03.760
 that doesn't condemn us

00:35:03.760 --> 00:35:04.560
 and crush us

00:35:04.560 --> 00:35:05.500
 and the guilt

00:35:05.500 --> 00:35:06.240
 in our own hearts?

00:35:06.860 --> 00:35:07.600
 Is there a way

00:35:07.600 --> 00:35:08.800
 for God to decisively

00:35:08.800 --> 00:35:10.100
 deal with wickedness

00:35:10.100 --> 00:35:10.640
 in the world

00:35:10.640 --> 00:35:12.480
 and yet not decisively

00:35:12.480 --> 00:35:13.800
 deal with the people

00:35:13.800 --> 00:35:15.660
 in whom sin dwells?

00:35:16.720 --> 00:35:16.980
 Well,

00:35:17.040 --> 00:35:17.260
 again,

00:35:17.340 --> 00:35:17.840
 my friend,

00:35:17.840 --> 00:35:18.860
 John in Joroghe

00:35:18.860 --> 00:35:19.560
 says this.

00:35:19.780 --> 00:35:21.400
 The biblical solution

00:35:21.400 --> 00:35:22.420
 to this conundrum

00:35:22.420 --> 00:35:24.120
 is uniquely ingenious,

00:35:24.280 --> 00:35:25.140
 both logically

00:35:25.140 --> 00:35:26.680
 and relationally.

00:35:27.320 --> 00:35:28.180
 It is at the cross

00:35:28.180 --> 00:35:28.700
 of Jesus

00:35:28.700 --> 00:35:30.360
 where God's perfect justice

00:35:30.360 --> 00:35:32.120
 is perfectly administered

00:35:32.120 --> 00:35:34.400
 and yet his eternal mercy

00:35:34.400 --> 00:35:36.280
 is publicly displayed.

00:35:37.080 --> 00:35:37.440
 Friends,

00:35:37.540 --> 00:35:38.660
 in the cross of Christ,

00:35:38.980 --> 00:35:39.920
 we are confronted

00:35:39.920 --> 00:35:40.760
 by the holiness

00:35:40.760 --> 00:35:41.980
 and the justice of God.

00:35:42.580 --> 00:35:43.540
 In the cross of Christ,

00:35:43.640 --> 00:35:44.320
 God tells us

00:35:44.320 --> 00:35:45.480
 that sin isn't just

00:35:45.480 --> 00:35:46.600
 a social construct

00:35:46.600 --> 00:35:48.000
 to make us feel bad

00:35:48.000 --> 00:35:48.640
 about ourselves.

00:35:48.639 --> 00:35:50.279
 sin is a reality

00:35:50.279 --> 00:35:51.759
 and the consequences

00:35:51.759 --> 00:35:52.219
 of sin

00:35:52.219 --> 00:35:53.219
 is just judgment

00:35:53.219 --> 00:35:54.319
 and death.

00:35:54.900 --> 00:35:55.759
 But in the cross,

00:35:55.839 --> 00:35:56.879
 we are also confronted

00:35:56.879 --> 00:35:58.259
 with the mercy of God

00:35:58.259 --> 00:35:58.940
 who says,

00:35:59.239 --> 00:36:00.460
 I will take the punishment

00:36:00.460 --> 00:36:01.299
 of your sin

00:36:01.299 --> 00:36:02.199
 upon myself

00:36:02.199 --> 00:36:04.139
 so that you can go free

00:36:04.139 --> 00:36:05.039
 if you come to me

00:36:05.039 --> 00:36:05.960
 in faith

00:36:05.960 --> 00:36:07.000
 and repentance.

00:36:07.679 --> 00:36:08.500
 In the cross,

00:36:08.579 --> 00:36:09.980
 we find God's justice

00:36:09.980 --> 00:36:11.099
 and his mercy.

00:36:11.099 --> 00:36:12.819
 He deals with wickedness

00:36:12.819 --> 00:36:14.099
 by crushing Christ

00:36:14.099 --> 00:36:14.619
 on the cross

00:36:14.619 --> 00:36:15.960
 and yet he pours out

00:36:15.960 --> 00:36:16.460
 his mercy

00:36:16.460 --> 00:36:16.960
 by saying,

00:36:17.099 --> 00:36:18.360
 welcome my sons

00:36:18.360 --> 00:36:19.440
 and my daughters.

00:36:20.219 --> 00:36:21.619
 In the cross alone,

00:36:21.880 --> 00:36:23.980
 justice and mercy meet.

00:36:24.739 --> 00:36:24.980
 And so,

00:36:25.119 --> 00:36:25.779
 fifthly and finally,

00:36:25.880 --> 00:36:26.739
 the question is this,

00:36:26.960 --> 00:36:28.099
 what do we do with this?

00:36:28.619 --> 00:36:29.719
 What do we do with the sense

00:36:29.719 --> 00:36:30.920
 that God's passionate

00:36:30.920 --> 00:36:31.579
 about justice

00:36:31.579 --> 00:36:32.579
 but justice alone

00:36:32.579 --> 00:36:33.480
 isn't good news for us,

00:36:33.500 --> 00:36:34.500
 we need mercy as well.

00:36:35.219 --> 00:36:35.639
 Friends,

00:36:35.739 --> 00:36:36.659
 the degree to which

00:36:36.659 --> 00:36:37.299
 we understand

00:36:37.299 --> 00:36:38.380
 how these two things

00:36:38.380 --> 00:36:39.079
 come together

00:36:39.079 --> 00:36:40.099
 will change

00:36:40.099 --> 00:36:41.240
 our entire lives.

00:36:42.200 --> 00:36:42.980
 This week,

00:36:43.519 --> 00:36:44.300
 in this broken

00:36:44.300 --> 00:36:45.599
 and sinful world of ours,

00:36:46.019 --> 00:36:46.740
 there are going to be

00:36:46.740 --> 00:36:47.559
 many reasons

00:36:47.559 --> 00:36:48.320
 to be bitter

00:36:48.320 --> 00:36:49.180
 and angry

00:36:49.180 --> 00:36:50.079
 at the injustices

00:36:50.079 --> 00:36:50.619
 of the world.

00:36:51.240 --> 00:36:51.900
 You see the way

00:36:51.900 --> 00:36:52.860
 that people are treated

00:36:52.860 --> 00:36:54.320
 and a part of our heart

00:36:54.320 --> 00:36:55.460
 will rile and say,

00:36:55.599 --> 00:36:55.880
 God,

00:36:55.960 --> 00:36:56.640
 that's not right.

00:36:56.820 --> 00:36:57.820
 Justice should be done.

00:36:58.420 --> 00:36:59.800
 We look at corrupt leadership

00:36:59.800 --> 00:37:00.660
 around the world.

00:37:01.140 --> 00:37:02.720
 We look at income inequality

00:37:02.720 --> 00:37:03.820
 in our own city.

00:37:04.340 --> 00:37:05.519
 We look at how companies

00:37:05.519 --> 00:37:06.079
 and cities

00:37:06.079 --> 00:37:06.740
 and empires

00:37:06.740 --> 00:37:07.180
 are built

00:37:07.180 --> 00:37:08.320
 on the back of slavery

00:37:08.320 --> 00:37:09.180
 and slave labor.

00:37:10.019 --> 00:37:11.059
 Maybe you're a parent

00:37:11.059 --> 00:37:13.140
 and you feel angry

00:37:13.140 --> 00:37:13.860
 about the fact

00:37:13.860 --> 00:37:14.460
 that your children

00:37:14.460 --> 00:37:15.440
 never respect you,

00:37:15.500 --> 00:37:16.640
 never show any appreciation.

00:37:17.600 --> 00:37:18.760
 Maybe you feel angry

00:37:18.760 --> 00:37:19.700
 at the way your parents

00:37:19.700 --> 00:37:20.500
 never showed you

00:37:20.500 --> 00:37:21.960
 any appreciation or love.

00:37:22.600 --> 00:37:24.140
 Maybe you feel angry

00:37:24.140 --> 00:37:24.840
 at your boss

00:37:24.840 --> 00:37:26.039
 who makes your life misery.

00:37:26.900 --> 00:37:27.720
 Irresponsible leaders

00:37:27.720 --> 00:37:29.160
 that crash the stock market

00:37:29.160 --> 00:37:30.480
 and lose all your life savings.

00:37:31.100 --> 00:37:32.400
 A spouse who doesn't show you

00:37:32.400 --> 00:37:33.880
 any appreciation or love.

00:37:34.920 --> 00:37:36.360
 Maybe a romantic relationship

00:37:36.360 --> 00:37:37.160
 that turned wrong.

00:37:37.159 --> 00:37:38.219
 Friends,

00:37:38.339 --> 00:37:39.159
 this very week

00:37:39.159 --> 00:37:39.920
 you're going to look at

00:37:39.920 --> 00:37:41.000
 injustice in the world

00:37:41.000 --> 00:37:41.599
 and there's going to be

00:37:41.599 --> 00:37:43.079
 a temptation to feel angry

00:37:43.079 --> 00:37:44.139
 and bitter about it.

00:37:45.799 --> 00:37:46.799
 Michael Ramsden

00:37:46.799 --> 00:37:47.519
 from RZIM

00:37:47.519 --> 00:37:48.859
 said this recently.

00:37:49.719 --> 00:37:50.019
 He said,

00:37:50.019 --> 00:37:52.119
 if our drive for justice

00:37:52.119 --> 00:37:54.460
 is bitterness in our hearts,

00:37:55.039 --> 00:37:56.940
 even when you get justice,

00:37:57.199 --> 00:37:58.579
 you'll still feel bitter

00:37:58.579 --> 00:37:59.320
 and angry.

00:38:00.199 --> 00:38:01.340
 But if on the other hand

00:38:01.340 --> 00:38:02.679
 our drive for justice

00:38:02.679 --> 00:38:04.179
 is fueled by compassion

00:38:04.179 --> 00:38:04.920
 and love,

00:38:05.480 --> 00:38:06.840
 whether you get justice

00:38:06.840 --> 00:38:07.380
 or not,

00:38:07.800 --> 00:38:08.860
 you'll still have love

00:38:08.860 --> 00:38:09.539
 and compassion

00:38:09.539 --> 00:38:10.880
 in our hearts.

00:38:11.659 --> 00:38:12.000
 Friends,

00:38:12.059 --> 00:38:13.340
 the degree to which you see

00:38:13.340 --> 00:38:14.759
 the justice of God

00:38:14.759 --> 00:38:15.860
 and the mercy of Christ

00:38:15.860 --> 00:38:16.380
 on the cross

00:38:16.380 --> 00:38:17.340
 poured out for you,

00:38:17.340 --> 00:38:18.720
 to that degree

00:38:18.720 --> 00:38:19.940
 we'll be able to stand up

00:38:19.940 --> 00:38:20.620
 for justice

00:38:20.620 --> 00:38:21.579
 and yet do it

00:38:21.579 --> 00:38:22.280
 with compassion

00:38:22.280 --> 00:38:23.120
 and gentleness

00:38:23.120 --> 00:38:23.820
 and mercy

00:38:23.820 --> 00:38:24.700
 in our own hearts.

00:38:25.660 --> 00:38:27.059
 Let me land with the story.

00:38:28.740 --> 00:38:29.760
 Many of you will know

00:38:29.760 --> 00:38:30.840
 South Africa,

00:38:31.039 --> 00:38:32.300
 the country I come from,

00:38:32.960 --> 00:38:33.880
 many years ago

00:38:33.880 --> 00:38:34.920
 we had this thing

00:38:34.920 --> 00:38:35.760
 called apartheid

00:38:35.760 --> 00:38:36.920
 which was when

00:38:36.920 --> 00:38:37.760
 the government

00:38:37.760 --> 00:38:39.539
 legislated

00:38:39.539 --> 00:38:41.260
 extreme racism

00:38:41.260 --> 00:38:42.600
 and prejudice

00:38:42.600 --> 00:38:43.480
 against anyone

00:38:43.480 --> 00:38:44.100
 that essentially

00:38:44.100 --> 00:38:44.940
 wasn't white.

00:38:44.940 --> 00:38:46.880
 and it was horrific.

00:38:47.179 --> 00:38:48.340
 Many people were killed

00:38:48.340 --> 00:38:50.200
 and the justice system

00:38:50.200 --> 00:38:50.760
 was broken.

00:38:51.539 --> 00:38:52.179
 Police could do

00:38:52.179 --> 00:38:52.920
 almost anything

00:38:52.920 --> 00:38:55.360
 and just a horrific time.

00:38:56.220 --> 00:38:57.220
 And so in 1994

00:38:57.220 --> 00:38:59.840
 just the apartheid

00:38:59.840 --> 00:39:01.220
 is overturned.

00:39:02.579 --> 00:39:03.320
 A new government

00:39:03.320 --> 00:39:03.880
 is in place.

00:39:04.000 --> 00:39:04.659
 Nelson Mandela

00:39:04.659 --> 00:39:05.820
 is the new president

00:39:05.820 --> 00:39:07.639
 and Nelson Mandela

00:39:07.639 --> 00:39:08.720
 did something very wise.

00:39:08.840 --> 00:39:09.639
 He started something

00:39:09.639 --> 00:39:10.300
 called the Truth

00:39:10.300 --> 00:39:11.720
 and Reconciliation Commission

00:39:11.720 --> 00:39:13.119
 which is where

00:39:13.119 --> 00:39:15.359
 people that had been

00:39:15.359 --> 00:39:17.420
 victims of injustice

00:39:17.420 --> 00:39:18.739
 could come to this commission

00:39:18.739 --> 00:39:20.219
 and seek truth

00:39:20.219 --> 00:39:20.960
 for what happened

00:39:20.960 --> 00:39:21.920
 to their loved ones.

00:39:22.440 --> 00:39:23.259
 And so what often happened

00:39:23.259 --> 00:39:24.259
 is people were killed

00:39:24.259 --> 00:39:25.599
 but people didn't know

00:39:25.599 --> 00:39:26.000
 what happened

00:39:26.000 --> 00:39:26.799
 to their loved ones.

00:39:27.380 --> 00:39:28.079
 And so the Truth

00:39:28.079 --> 00:39:29.259
 and Reconciliation Commission

00:39:29.259 --> 00:39:30.199
 said anyone

00:39:30.199 --> 00:39:31.900
 that perpetrated injustice

00:39:31.900 --> 00:39:33.420
 could acknowledge

00:39:33.420 --> 00:39:34.179
 their fault,

00:39:34.679 --> 00:39:35.599
 speak the truth,

00:39:35.940 --> 00:39:36.960
 those that were victims

00:39:36.960 --> 00:39:37.759
 could come and hear

00:39:37.759 --> 00:39:38.239
 the truth

00:39:38.239 --> 00:39:38.739
 and hopefully

00:39:38.739 --> 00:39:39.179
 that would be

00:39:39.179 --> 00:39:39.880
 the seedbed

00:39:39.880 --> 00:39:40.659
 for some kind

00:39:40.659 --> 00:39:41.359
 of reconciliation.

00:39:42.980 --> 00:39:44.059
 There's an amazing story

00:39:44.059 --> 00:39:44.839
 about what happened

00:39:44.839 --> 00:39:46.239
 at one of those meetings.

00:39:47.199 --> 00:39:49.579
 There was an African lady

00:39:49.579 --> 00:39:50.559
 sitting at this meeting

00:39:50.559 --> 00:39:51.940
 and years previously

00:39:51.940 --> 00:39:53.379
 a police officer

00:39:53.379 --> 00:39:54.099
 by the name of

00:39:54.099 --> 00:39:55.719
 Mr. Funderbrook

00:39:55.719 --> 00:39:57.359
 went to her house

00:39:57.359 --> 00:39:58.139
 and her son

00:39:58.139 --> 00:39:59.440
 was accused

00:39:59.440 --> 00:40:00.440
 or thought

00:40:00.440 --> 00:40:01.119
 of being part

00:40:01.119 --> 00:40:02.819
 of a terrorist organization

00:40:02.819 --> 00:40:03.819
 to try and overthrow

00:40:03.819 --> 00:40:04.980
 the apartheid government.

00:40:05.639 --> 00:40:06.440
 And so they grab

00:40:06.440 --> 00:40:07.399
 her teenage son,

00:40:08.079 --> 00:40:08.739
 they drag him

00:40:08.739 --> 00:40:09.359
 out the house,

00:40:09.360 --> 00:40:33.599
 and she never knew

00:40:33.599 --> 00:40:34.059
 what happened

00:40:34.059 --> 00:40:35.420
 to her husband's body.

00:40:35.539 --> 00:40:35.880
 She didn't know

00:40:35.880 --> 00:40:36.820
 if they'd taken him away,

00:40:36.820 --> 00:40:37.780
 she never knew

00:40:37.780 --> 00:40:38.220
 what happened.

00:40:39.160 --> 00:40:40.220
 And so 10 years later,

00:40:40.380 --> 00:40:41.000
 this lady

00:40:41.000 --> 00:40:41.980
 is now facing

00:40:41.980 --> 00:40:42.660
 the man

00:40:42.660 --> 00:40:43.280
 that did this

00:40:43.280 --> 00:40:43.980
 to her son

00:40:43.980 --> 00:40:44.760
 and her husband

00:40:44.760 --> 00:40:46.120
 in the same room

00:40:46.120 --> 00:40:47.000
 and he's telling

00:40:47.000 --> 00:40:47.640
 the story

00:40:47.640 --> 00:40:49.280
 saying this is what I did.

00:40:50.360 --> 00:40:50.900
 And so at the end

00:40:50.900 --> 00:40:51.500
 of this hearing,

00:40:51.660 --> 00:40:52.340
 the commissioner

00:40:52.340 --> 00:40:53.920
 turns this lady

00:40:53.920 --> 00:40:54.480
 and says,

00:40:54.820 --> 00:40:56.539
 what do you think

00:40:56.539 --> 00:40:57.059
 we should do?

00:40:57.800 --> 00:40:59.080
 What do you want done?

00:40:59.760 --> 00:41:00.760
 How should justice

00:41:00.760 --> 00:41:01.480
 be served?

00:41:02.500 --> 00:41:03.539
 And this lady

00:41:03.539 --> 00:41:04.440
 says,

00:41:04.440 --> 00:41:06.300
 I want three things

00:41:06.300 --> 00:41:06.760
 to happen.

00:41:07.679 --> 00:41:08.539
 The first thing

00:41:08.539 --> 00:41:09.780
 is,

00:41:10.579 --> 00:41:11.400
 I want to be taken

00:41:11.400 --> 00:41:11.960
 to the place

00:41:11.960 --> 00:41:13.019
 where my husband's body

00:41:13.019 --> 00:41:13.579
 was burnt

00:41:13.579 --> 00:41:14.500
 so that I can gather

00:41:14.500 --> 00:41:15.720
 up the dust

00:41:15.720 --> 00:41:17.340
 and give his remains

00:41:17.340 --> 00:41:18.260
 a decent burial.

00:41:18.900 --> 00:41:20.039
 My husband and my son

00:41:20.039 --> 00:41:21.139
 were my only family.

00:41:22.260 --> 00:41:22.960
 Second thing,

00:41:23.000 --> 00:41:23.440
 she says,

00:41:23.840 --> 00:41:24.960
 I want Mr.

00:41:25.099 --> 00:41:25.740
 Thunderbrook

00:41:25.740 --> 00:41:27.019
 to become

00:41:27.019 --> 00:41:28.099
 my son.

00:41:28.820 --> 00:41:29.559
 I want him

00:41:29.559 --> 00:41:30.539
 to come to my house

00:41:30.539 --> 00:41:31.440
 twice a month

00:41:31.440 --> 00:41:32.579
 and to have tea

00:41:32.579 --> 00:41:33.079
 with me

00:41:33.079 --> 00:41:33.900
 so that I can

00:41:33.900 --> 00:41:35.039
 pour out on him

00:41:35.039 --> 00:41:36.039
 what love I still

00:41:36.039 --> 00:41:37.039
 have in my heart.

00:41:38.099 --> 00:41:38.639
 And thirdly,

00:41:38.659 --> 00:41:39.159
 she says,

00:41:39.799 --> 00:41:40.420
 I want Mr.

00:41:40.480 --> 00:41:40.840
 Thunderbrook

00:41:40.840 --> 00:41:41.299
 to know

00:41:41.299 --> 00:41:42.199
 that I offer him

00:41:42.199 --> 00:41:43.199
 complete forgiveness

00:41:43.199 --> 00:41:44.920
 because Jesus Christ

00:41:44.920 --> 00:41:45.840
 died to forgive.

00:41:46.440 --> 00:41:47.639
 This also would be

00:41:47.639 --> 00:41:48.860
 the wish of my husband.

00:41:49.739 --> 00:41:50.159
 And so,

00:41:50.299 --> 00:41:50.739
 she says,

00:41:50.819 --> 00:41:51.079
 now,

00:41:51.500 --> 00:41:52.159
 will somebody

00:41:52.159 --> 00:41:53.119
 help me get up

00:41:53.119 --> 00:41:53.900
 and walk across

00:41:53.900 --> 00:41:54.539
 the courtroom

00:41:54.539 --> 00:41:55.779
 so that I can put

00:41:55.779 --> 00:41:56.619
 my arms around

00:41:56.619 --> 00:41:56.880
 Mr.

00:41:56.960 --> 00:41:57.460
 Thunderbrook

00:41:57.460 --> 00:41:58.659
 and show him

00:41:58.659 --> 00:41:59.759
 that he is truly

00:41:59.759 --> 00:42:00.759
 forgiven?

00:42:00.760 --> 00:42:03.480
 Friends,

00:42:03.600 --> 00:42:04.160
 in our world,

00:42:04.280 --> 00:42:05.280
 there is incredible

00:42:05.280 --> 00:42:05.920
 injustice.

00:42:07.100 --> 00:42:08.040
 There is incredible

00:42:08.040 --> 00:42:08.700
 wrongdoing.

00:42:09.760 --> 00:42:10.460
 And if justice

00:42:10.460 --> 00:42:12.100
 is the only recourse,

00:42:12.200 --> 00:42:13.240
 what hope do we have?

00:42:13.880 --> 00:42:14.620
 If justice

00:42:14.620 --> 00:42:15.480
 is the only thing

00:42:15.480 --> 00:42:16.040
 that we do,

00:42:16.180 --> 00:42:16.720
 we will cause

00:42:16.720 --> 00:42:17.480
 vendettas

00:42:17.480 --> 00:42:18.340
 and vigilantes

00:42:18.340 --> 00:42:19.180
 and one group

00:42:19.180 --> 00:42:19.720
 will forever

00:42:19.720 --> 00:42:20.340
 hate another.

00:42:21.060 --> 00:42:21.940
 But in the midst

00:42:21.940 --> 00:42:22.420
 of this,

00:42:22.520 --> 00:42:23.640
 God pours out

00:42:23.640 --> 00:42:24.480
 his mercy

00:42:24.480 --> 00:42:25.700
 and he says,

00:42:25.900 --> 00:42:26.400
 let justice

00:42:26.400 --> 00:42:26.980
 be met

00:42:26.980 --> 00:42:27.700
 by mercy.

00:42:27.699 --> 00:42:30.079
 Here,

00:42:30.199 --> 00:42:30.879
 this lady says,

00:42:30.980 --> 00:42:32.579
 I want the perpetrator

00:42:32.579 --> 00:42:33.239
 of the crime

00:42:33.239 --> 00:42:34.319
 to become my son

00:42:34.319 --> 00:42:35.099
 so I can pour out

00:42:35.099 --> 00:42:35.960
 my love upon him.

00:42:36.839 --> 00:42:37.179
 Friends,

00:42:37.239 --> 00:42:37.799
 in the cross,

00:42:37.980 --> 00:42:38.919
 God poured out

00:42:38.919 --> 00:42:39.539
 his love

00:42:39.539 --> 00:42:40.739
 on us

00:42:40.739 --> 00:42:41.659
 in Jesus Christ.

00:42:42.399 --> 00:42:43.179
 And Jesus died

00:42:43.179 --> 00:42:43.679
 on the cross

00:42:43.679 --> 00:42:44.659
 that we could become

00:42:44.659 --> 00:42:45.359
 his sons

00:42:45.359 --> 00:42:46.059
 and his daughters

00:42:46.059 --> 00:42:47.179
 so that God

00:42:47.179 --> 00:42:48.099
 could pour the love

00:42:48.099 --> 00:42:48.879
 in his heart

00:42:48.879 --> 00:42:49.799
 upon us,

00:42:49.839 --> 00:42:50.319
 that God could

00:42:50.319 --> 00:42:50.859
 welcome us

00:42:50.859 --> 00:42:51.639
 into his family

00:42:51.639 --> 00:42:52.779
 forever.

00:42:53.739 --> 00:42:54.139
 Friends,

00:42:54.259 --> 00:42:55.099
 part of our role

00:42:55.099 --> 00:42:56.219
 in calling as a church

00:42:56.219 --> 00:42:57.000
 is to be part

00:42:57.000 --> 00:42:57.759
 of God's redemption

00:42:57.759 --> 00:42:58.739
 story in the city.

00:42:59.239 --> 00:42:59.919
 And that means

00:42:59.919 --> 00:43:00.699
 we're going to stand up

00:43:00.699 --> 00:43:01.199
 for justice.

00:43:01.459 --> 00:43:01.919
 It means we're going

00:43:01.919 --> 00:43:03.219
 to fight for justice

00:43:03.219 --> 00:43:03.819
 in our city.

00:43:04.179 --> 00:43:04.659
 It means we're going

00:43:04.659 --> 00:43:05.339
 to stand up

00:43:05.339 --> 00:43:07.039
 against injustice.

00:43:07.179 --> 00:43:07.819
 We're going to stand up

00:43:07.819 --> 00:43:08.379
 for the poor

00:43:08.379 --> 00:43:09.179
 and the marginalized.

00:43:09.399 --> 00:43:10.179
 We're going to stand up

00:43:10.179 --> 00:43:11.179
 for those that are treated

00:43:11.179 --> 00:43:12.359
 less than human.

00:43:12.779 --> 00:43:13.839
 We're not going to be those

00:43:13.839 --> 00:43:14.879
 like the Babylonians

00:43:14.879 --> 00:43:16.139
 that just build a nest egg

00:43:16.139 --> 00:43:16.739
 in the sky

00:43:16.739 --> 00:43:17.619
 and think we're safe

00:43:17.619 --> 00:43:18.179
 and secure.

00:43:18.559 --> 00:43:19.579
 But we're going to stand up

00:43:19.579 --> 00:43:20.359
 and fight for those

00:43:20.359 --> 00:43:21.099
 that don't have

00:43:21.099 --> 00:43:22.779
 and against inequality.

00:43:23.659 --> 00:43:24.099
 But friends,

00:43:24.159 --> 00:43:25.099
 how are we going to do it?

00:43:25.099 --> 00:43:26.339
 In our world,

00:43:26.460 --> 00:43:27.219
 justice is a thing

00:43:27.219 --> 00:43:28.619
 that people feel entitled to.

00:43:29.319 --> 00:43:29.779
 But friends,

00:43:29.839 --> 00:43:30.539
 the church is called

00:43:30.539 --> 00:43:31.799
 to stand up for justice,

00:43:31.960 --> 00:43:32.839
 not arrogantly,

00:43:33.199 --> 00:43:34.480
 not shaking our fists,

00:43:34.940 --> 00:43:35.860
 but with compassion

00:43:35.860 --> 00:43:37.480
 and mercy in our hearts,

00:43:37.819 --> 00:43:39.599
 with conviction and love,

00:43:40.039 --> 00:43:41.839
 with grace and empathy,

00:43:42.279 --> 00:43:43.559
 knowing that in the gospel,

00:43:44.239 --> 00:43:45.139
 we too are sinners,

00:43:45.699 --> 00:43:46.900
 deserving of justice,

00:43:47.360 --> 00:43:48.279
 and yet recipients

00:43:48.279 --> 00:43:50.059
 of his amazing mercy.

00:43:50.759 --> 00:43:51.440
 And so let's come

00:43:51.440 --> 00:43:52.059
 before him now

00:43:52.059 --> 00:43:52.500
 and pray

00:43:52.500 --> 00:43:53.480
 and ask God

00:43:53.480 --> 00:43:54.139
 to make us

00:43:54.139 --> 00:43:55.300
 that kind of people.

00:43:55.619 --> 00:43:56.420
 Let's pray together.

00:44:10.739 --> 00:44:11.539
 Heavenly Father,

00:44:11.539 --> 00:44:11.659
 Father,

00:44:12.239 --> 00:44:15.059
 God,

00:44:15.139 --> 00:44:15.880
 I don't know what to say.

00:44:16.360 --> 00:44:16.500
 Lord,

00:44:16.500 --> 00:44:16.980
 God,

00:44:16.980 --> 00:44:19.019
 God,

00:44:19.079 --> 00:44:19.619
 when we look at

00:44:19.619 --> 00:44:20.119
 the injustice

00:44:20.119 --> 00:44:20.739
 in our world,

00:44:20.860 --> 00:44:22.380
 our hearts recoil

00:44:22.380 --> 00:44:23.260
 and our hearts say,

00:44:23.480 --> 00:44:24.599
 this is not right.

00:44:26.940 --> 00:44:27.340
 Father,

00:44:27.400 --> 00:44:28.679
 we long for our true home.

00:44:29.380 --> 00:44:30.679
 We long for your kingdom

00:44:30.679 --> 00:44:31.179
 to come,

00:44:31.239 --> 00:44:31.780
 that kingdom

00:44:31.780 --> 00:44:33.199
 which will be established

00:44:33.199 --> 00:44:33.860
 on the earth,

00:44:33.900 --> 00:44:35.019
 that will cover the world

00:44:35.019 --> 00:44:35.900
 like the waters

00:44:35.900 --> 00:44:36.559
 cover the sea,

00:44:36.639 --> 00:44:36.840
 God.

00:44:37.400 --> 00:44:38.000
 Your kingdom

00:44:38.000 --> 00:44:39.179
 where there's no more tears

00:44:39.179 --> 00:44:40.159
 and no more pain

00:44:40.159 --> 00:44:41.139
 and no more sin

00:44:41.139 --> 00:44:42.940
 and no more wickedness

00:44:42.940 --> 00:44:43.860
 and no more injustice.

00:44:44.059 --> 00:44:44.300
 God,

00:44:44.360 --> 00:44:45.239
 we long for that.

00:44:45.239 --> 00:44:46.539
 We long for our true home,

00:44:46.699 --> 00:44:46.859
 Lord.

00:44:48.879 --> 00:44:49.239
 Jesus,

00:44:49.359 --> 00:44:49.639
 we say,

00:44:49.879 --> 00:44:50.299
 come quickly,

00:44:50.439 --> 00:44:50.659
 God.

00:44:51.939 --> 00:44:52.639
 Come quickly,

00:44:52.779 --> 00:44:52.959
 God,

00:44:53.000 --> 00:44:54.859
 and deal with the injustice

00:44:54.859 --> 00:44:55.559
 in our world.

00:44:56.959 --> 00:44:57.359
 And yet,

00:44:57.419 --> 00:44:57.619
 God,

00:44:57.659 --> 00:44:58.239
 we also say,

00:44:58.399 --> 00:44:58.739
 thank you,

00:44:58.799 --> 00:44:58.959
 God,

00:44:59.000 --> 00:44:59.639
 for your patience

00:44:59.639 --> 00:45:00.579
 because if you dealt

00:45:00.579 --> 00:45:01.399
 with us too quickly,

00:45:01.539 --> 00:45:01.799
 God,

00:45:01.879 --> 00:45:03.000
 we would have had no hope.

00:45:03.779 --> 00:45:05.000
 Thank you for your patience,

00:45:05.139 --> 00:45:05.299
 God,

00:45:05.359 --> 00:45:06.739
 that is so patient

00:45:06.739 --> 00:45:07.799
 you give us a chance

00:45:07.799 --> 00:45:09.559
 to come to our senses,

00:45:09.739 --> 00:45:10.539
 to humble ourselves

00:45:10.539 --> 00:45:11.179
 before you,

00:45:11.439 --> 00:45:12.679
 to throw ourselves

00:45:12.679 --> 00:45:13.579
 at the foot of the cross

00:45:13.579 --> 00:45:13.900
 and say,

00:45:14.019 --> 00:45:14.319
 Jesus,

00:45:14.440 --> 00:45:15.360
 have mercy on us.

00:45:16.000 --> 00:45:16.559
 Forgive us,

00:45:16.639 --> 00:45:16.880
 God.

00:45:18.480 --> 00:45:18.880
 Jesus,

00:45:19.000 --> 00:45:19.900
 thank you for the cross.

00:45:20.819 --> 00:45:21.980
 Thank you for that place

00:45:21.980 --> 00:45:23.360
 where justice and mercy

00:45:23.360 --> 00:45:23.699
 meet,

00:45:23.799 --> 00:45:24.019
 God.

00:45:25.799 --> 00:45:26.199
 God,

00:45:26.259 --> 00:45:28.000
 won't you show us,

00:45:28.099 --> 00:45:28.319
 God,

00:45:28.539 --> 00:45:30.779
 just how much

00:45:30.779 --> 00:45:31.739
 your mercy costs.

00:45:32.920 --> 00:45:33.519
 Show us,

00:45:33.599 --> 00:45:33.799
 God,

00:45:33.860 --> 00:45:35.340
 what our sin really costs you.

00:45:35.920 --> 00:45:36.279
 God,

00:45:36.380 --> 00:45:37.259
 show us your glory,

00:45:37.360 --> 00:45:37.739
 we pray.

00:45:37.739 --> 00:45:38.659
 Father,

00:45:38.659 --> 00:45:42.000
 we don't want to be followers

00:45:42.000 --> 00:45:42.599
 of Jesus

00:45:42.599 --> 00:45:44.579
 and go through the motions.

00:45:44.799 --> 00:45:44.939
 God,

00:45:45.000 --> 00:45:45.699
 we want our hearts

00:45:45.699 --> 00:45:46.439
 to be moved

00:45:46.439 --> 00:45:47.159
 by who you are.

00:45:47.279 --> 00:45:48.039
 Come and write

00:45:48.039 --> 00:45:49.659
 your justice and mercy,

00:45:49.779 --> 00:45:50.539
 your gospel deep

00:45:50.539 --> 00:45:50.939
 in our hearts,

00:45:51.000 --> 00:45:51.359
 we pray.

00:45:53.039 --> 00:45:53.439
 Father,

00:45:53.559 --> 00:45:54.599
 pray that as a church

00:45:54.599 --> 00:45:55.679
 we really will become

00:45:55.679 --> 00:45:56.719
 agents of hope

00:45:56.719 --> 00:45:57.359
 and healing,

00:45:58.119 --> 00:45:59.000
 justice and grace

00:45:59.000 --> 00:45:59.559
 in our city.

00:46:00.659 --> 00:46:00.839
 God,

00:46:00.899 --> 00:46:01.879
 I pray that Hong Kong

00:46:01.879 --> 00:46:02.979
 will be better off,

00:46:03.619 --> 00:46:04.639
 more like heaven

00:46:04.639 --> 00:46:05.899
 because we as a church

00:46:05.899 --> 00:46:06.279
 are here

00:46:06.279 --> 00:46:07.099
 and because our brothers

00:46:07.099 --> 00:46:07.659
 and sisters

00:46:07.659 --> 00:46:08.480
 across Hong Kong

00:46:08.480 --> 00:46:08.759
 are here.

00:46:11.199 --> 00:46:12.039
 Come help us,

00:46:12.119 --> 00:46:12.500
 we pray.

00:46:13.599 --> 00:46:14.819
 Make us more like you.

00:46:15.719 --> 00:46:16.339
 Make our city

00:46:16.339 --> 00:46:17.000
 more like heaven,

00:46:17.099 --> 00:46:17.500
 we pray.

00:46:19.179 --> 00:46:19.619
 Father,

00:46:19.739 --> 00:46:20.360
 I pray especially

00:46:20.360 --> 00:46:20.920
 this morning

00:46:20.920 --> 00:46:21.639
 for those of us

00:46:21.639 --> 00:46:22.460
 maybe that have been

00:46:22.460 --> 00:46:23.219
 victims of

00:46:23.219 --> 00:46:24.619
 great injustice.

00:46:25.659 --> 00:46:25.900
 And God,

00:46:25.960 --> 00:46:26.960
 sometimes a sermon

00:46:26.960 --> 00:46:27.940
 like this can make,

00:46:28.559 --> 00:46:29.460
 can be like salt

00:46:29.460 --> 00:46:30.019
 in the wound.

00:46:30.839 --> 00:46:31.759
 And when we hear

00:46:31.759 --> 00:46:33.460
 that justice will come

00:46:33.460 --> 00:46:35.099
 but it is often delayed,

00:46:35.900 --> 00:46:36.119
 Father,

00:46:36.239 --> 00:46:36.980
 it's so hard.

00:46:38.079 --> 00:46:38.380
 God,

00:46:38.440 --> 00:46:39.480
 won't you give us grace?

00:46:40.739 --> 00:46:41.099
 God,

00:46:41.159 --> 00:46:41.639
 those of us

00:46:41.639 --> 00:46:42.420
 that have been hurt

00:46:42.420 --> 00:46:43.279
 and abused

00:46:43.279 --> 00:46:44.940
 and mistreated,

00:46:45.880 --> 00:46:46.259
 God,

00:46:46.319 --> 00:46:47.319
 won't you give us grace?

00:46:48.199 --> 00:46:48.500
 Father,

00:46:48.559 --> 00:46:49.420
 won't you put your arms

00:46:49.420 --> 00:46:50.219
 around us?

00:46:53.199 --> 00:46:53.940
 Pour your love

00:46:53.940 --> 00:46:54.519
 into our hearts,

00:46:54.599 --> 00:46:55.019
 we pray,

00:46:55.159 --> 00:46:55.420
 God,

00:46:56.059 --> 00:46:57.000
 and help us

00:46:57.000 --> 00:46:57.539
 to forgive,

00:46:57.639 --> 00:46:57.980
 I pray.

00:46:59.079 --> 00:46:59.440
 Jesus,

00:46:59.539 --> 00:47:00.199
 we're so hard,

00:47:00.279 --> 00:47:01.179
 help us to forgive.

00:47:04.440 --> 00:47:05.539
 Help us to have grace

00:47:05.539 --> 00:47:06.219
 and compassion.

00:47:06.219 --> 00:47:06.500
 Do you give us

00:47:06.500 --> 00:47:06.539
 compassion?

00:47:10.599 --> 00:47:10.800
 Joë,