WEBVTT

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 Father, sometimes your word says things to us which are hard for us to get our mind around,

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 not so much because we can't understand them, but because we recoil to some extent from these

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 teachings and do not like them. They threaten us. Maybe they even seem wrong. And so, Father,

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 we come to one of those Bible passages today. We know, Father, that even when you confront us,

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 you confront us to connect. And you know, Father, what we're like. You know the different ways that

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 we evade your truth and your word. So we ask that you would have mercy upon us who are gathered here

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 and those who are watching online and participating online, that the Holy Spirit would fall with might

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 and power and deep conviction upon us so that we might receive your word, Father, that we might

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 once again fall in love with you, with your beauty, your grace, your mercy, your kindness,

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 and that we would once again rediscover the wonder of the gospel, that it would form us and shape us.

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

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 Amen. This morning, we're going to discuss, we're going to look at the text that describes the

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 destruction by God of Sodom and Gomorrah. I was talking to somebody this week, about several

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 people this week about it. And one of them said that he wasn't, couldn't quite remember what

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 happened in that text. And I just told him that it's a text that you get the word sodomy from.

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 And it's also the text that foreshadows hell. And he went, oh, but that is the text that we're

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 going to look at this morning. I'm also very conscious that it's Pride Month. And I just want

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 to say to anybody who's here or anybody who might be watching online, that we didn't, I didn't pick,

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 Daniel Avitan and I didn't pick this text just to sort of say there to those who are celebrating Pride

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 Month. Those of you who know me, I actually have a hard enough time remembering that Christmas is

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 coming or that Mother's Day is coming up or anything like that. We just try to pick texts that are going

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 to be, nurture the congregation. And part of what we want to do here is we want to preach the whole

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 books of the Bible. And we want to, I also want to make sure that we both look at Old Testament texts

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 and New Testament texts throughout the course of the year. And we just decided it would be good to go

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 through the story of Abraham, sort of not really thinking that Sodom and Gomorrah would be the story

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 that we would look at during Pride Month. And I know some people would say that it's not a good time

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 to look at Pride Month during, looking at the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah during Pride Month.

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 And I guess all I would say is that people who would say that to us would also say that it's never a

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 good time to look at the text. So we're going to look at the text. So if you have your Bibles,

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 the text will be on the screen, but if you have your Bibles, it's always good. You can check

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 as well. And normally I don't give you an outline of where I'm going, but I'm going to give you a

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 very brief outline of what's going to happen this morning as we look at the text. First,

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 we're going to look at the story so that the story is clear. Second, we're going to look at the issue of

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 the sins that are involved. Then we're going to look at the problem of God's judgment. And then we're

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 going to look at the gospel and the hope that it brings. So that's where we're going. So let's go.

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 Get your Bibles. And if you turn in them to Genesis chapter 19, verse 1, and we're going to go through

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 this. I'm going to pretend that there are scenes in a play or a movie or a story. So scene 1,

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 verses 1 to 3 is scene 1, and its title is Foreboding. Here's how it goes.

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 The two angels came to Sodom in the evening, and Lot was sitting in the gate of Sodom.

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 When Lot saw them, he rose to meet them and bowed himself with his face to the earth and said,

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 My lords, please turn aside to your servant's house and spend the night and wash your feet. Then

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 you may rise up early and go your way. They said, No, we'll spend the night in the town square.

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 But Lot pressed them very strongly. So they turned aside to him and entered his house. And

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 Lot made them a feast and baked unleavened bread, and they ate.

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 Now, just a couple of things very briefly about that. First of all, as I talked about it just a

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 tiny bit last week, because this story of Sodom and Gomorrah is in a sense a two-part story,

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 and we looked at the first part last week. Probably the best way to understand angels,

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 and sometimes they're called men, is they're angels. In a sense, they have avatars, so to speak.

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 The angels have avatars. They appear and are, to all intents and purposes, men, but they're like an

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 avatar. Those of you who know games and stuff like that, that's maybe a way to help it, and movies,

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 but they're angels. The second is not as immediately obvious in English, but in the original language,

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 there's clear foreboding. Lot is terrified. He's worried when he sees the men come in. He knows

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 what's going to happen. And so in the original language, he can't, he's really urging them to

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 not spend the night in the square. And even when he says you can eat and then leave early in the

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 morning, he's hoping that the two men can come in, nobody notices, and they can leave so early in the

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 morning that nobody notices. So there's a sense of deep foreboding in the first scene. Scene two,

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 verses four to five, the city sins. Look at verse four. But before they lay down, right, so they've all

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 eaten. Before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both young and old, all the people

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 to the last man, surrounded the house, and they called to Lot. Where are the men who came to you

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 tonight? Bring them out to us, that we may know them. In other words, that we may have sex with them.

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 You'll notice here in the text that it'd make a great emphasis to make it clear that it's all men.

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 And as I interpreted, know it, it's to have, to sexually know them. It's not clear in the text

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 whether it's going to be rape, or whether it's going to be just that you can party, because isn't

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 this how everybody would like to live their lives? And some of you probably now start to see some types

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 of ways that this text is, should maybe be sort of interpreted in different ways. We're going to

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 talk about that when I get to sins at the end of the, at the end of the story. Scene three, the sinful

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 alternative. In fact, we could even say the shocking sinful alternative, verses six to eight.

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 Lot went out to the men at the entrance. He shut the door after him and said, I beg you, my brothers,

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 do not act so wickedly. Behold, I have two daughters who have not known any man.

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 Let me bring them out to you and do to them as you please. Only do nothing to these men,

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 for they have come under the shelter of my roof.

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 Now you have to pause. This is a, I mean, there's a smidgen of courage, but what Lot is suggesting is

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 a terrible evil. But some might say, you know, George, here's a second here. Aren't you sort of,

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 like, the text doesn't say that Lot's like an evil guy. Like, aren't you sort of trying to impose

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 your moral framework on it? Like, doesn't the Bible text valorize or make Lot into a type of a hero?

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 There is a certain amount of courage to what he did, which the Bible, in a sense, would give credit to,

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 but very, very little. But it's going to be very clear by the end of the story that he falls under God's

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 judgment as well. It's a different type of judgment than the judgment that happens to Sodom and Gomorrah,

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 but it's very clearly a judgment from God. The other thing is, is if the Bible ended at Genesis 19,

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 so that all you knew was Genesis chapter 1 to Genesis 19, then in fact, you'd have to conclude

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 that the Bible is giving us this narrative as something to show that Lot did a good thing.

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 But the Bible doesn't end at Genesis 19. And in fact, at a literary level, as I've shared before,

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 the Lord of the Rings is made up of six books. And if you just read book one and then didn't read

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 the rest of it and interpreted the Lord of the Rings just from having read the first book,

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 you wouldn't understand the book. You have to read all six books. And if you read all five books

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 that make up this story, you'll see that what Lot has described, or what he is offering to do,

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 is very, very, very clearly denounced as evil in the other books.

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 The other thing is, as at the end you're going to see that Lot is spared, this particular judgment,

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 this should be something that worries us. Because it is, in fact, a text that foreshadows

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 the fuller biblical doctrine of hell, of the fact that every human being will appear before the judgment

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 is the fuller biblical doctrine of the human being will appear before the human being will appear.

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 But on the way to that final judgment, there can be, in a sense, more proximate judgments.

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 And if Lot is spared, that shows the bar is very low.

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 Like really, really, really, really, really, really, really low.

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 And this doesn't show anything about God's indifference to evil.

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 It does communicate to us something of his great mercy and patience.

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 You're going to hear me say this several times throughout the sermon,

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 because it's, in fact, a very important way to understand the text.

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 There's a wonderful part in the introduction to morning prayer,

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 which is just a summary of three different Bibles.

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 It's said three times in the book of Ezekiel, and it's summarized in morning prayer.

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 And it goes like this,

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 God takes no delight in the death of a sinner,

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 but rather that they will turn from their wickedness and live.

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 That's what gives God delight,

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 is that when we turn from our wickedness and live.

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 And that's going to be how you have to understand

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 what's going on in this particular text.

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 But scene four is verse nine,

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 and the title for scene four is Canadians are present,

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 which might be a bit of a surprise to you,

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 but look at what happens in verse nine.

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 So Lot has offered his daughters,

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 and in verse nine,

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 the men around the house say,

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 verse nine,

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 stand back.

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 No, sorry,

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 but they said,

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 stand back.

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 In other words,

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 Lot, get out of the way.

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 And they said,

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 now they yell out,

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 this fellow came to sojourn with us,

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 and he has become the judge.

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 Now we will deal worse with you than with them.

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 Then they pressed hard against the man,

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 Lot,

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 and drew near to break the door down.

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 That's the very Canadian response,

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 isn't it?

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 How dare you judge me?

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 Like,

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 how dare you use your morals to judge me?

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 How dare you?

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 How dare you?

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 Like,

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 I'm the average Canadian.

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 Like,

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 what are you guys doing?

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 You're the ones who are hateful.

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 You're the ones who don't believe in diversity.

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 You're the ones who don't believe in inclusion.

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 You're the ones who don't believe.

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 How dare you?

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 And that's exactly what they say in the text.

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 Canadians are present.

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 Average Canadians.

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 Scene five.

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 Deliverance and explanation.

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 Verses,

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 to begin at verse 10.

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 But the men,

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 the men slash angels,

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 reached out their hands

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 and brought Lot into the house with them

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 and shut the door.

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 And they struck with blindness

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 the men who were at the entrance of the house,

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 both small and great,

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 so that they wore themselves out,

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 groping for the door.

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 Then the men said to Lot,

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 have you anyone else here,

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 sons-in-law,

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 daughters,

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 or anyone you have in the city,

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 bring them out of the place.

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 For we are about to destroy this place

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 because the outcry against its people

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 has become great before the Lord,

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 and the Lord has sent us to destroy it.

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 Now, the word blinding is a lone word

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 from another language,

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 not from Hebrew.

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 And what the lone word means is blindness.

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 So some of you who watch certain types of movies

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 and read certain types of books

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 and maybe who've had certain experiences

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 are familiar with flashbang grenades,

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 where there's a very, very bright light

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 and a loud noise

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 which temporarily stops people

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 from being able to function,

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 and it confuses them.

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 And it's a similar type of idea here in this word.

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 The idea is that there's been

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 an exceptionally bright light

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 that blinds them with the light.

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 It's very interesting.

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 They're in darkness

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 and they're blinded by the light.

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 And because they're blinded by the light,

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 they're not able to find the door

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 and pursue the evil

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 that they want to pursue.

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 We also see here

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 the explanation of God's judgment.

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 And there's something that's important

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 that you need to know.

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 Those of you who aren't familiar

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 or don't remember what happened

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 in the story just before this,

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 the story that happened just before this

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 is very significant for two things.

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 I mean, more than two things,

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 but two things for the point of view

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 of what we're doing here

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 is that in the story before this,

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 the Lord and Abraham have a conversation.

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 The Lord decides to reveal to Abraham

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 that he's heard that there's great evil in Sodom.

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 And so that the Lord is coming down to Sodom

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 to see for himself, so to speak,

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 whether in fact the great evil is there.

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 And it's very important

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 because it's communicating

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 that the Lord isn't like anger driven.

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 He's not thin-skinned.

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 He doesn't have temper tantrums,

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 that he's driven by justice and truth.

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 And so he goes down to see

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 whether in fact it's true

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 because he's not going to do,

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 if he was to judge

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 and they weren't really guilty,

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 then he would be guilty of injustice.

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 But God is driven by justice and by truth.

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 And at the same time,

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 the dialogue between Abraham and God,

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 because in the story,

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 Abraham intercedes for the city.

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 God says to Abraham,

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 I'm going down to see how bad,

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 whether or not Sodom and Gomorrah

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 are as bad as they say.

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 And Abraham instantly knows

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 that if God goes down,

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 Sodom and Gomorrah is doomed.

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 And so Abraham intercedes for Sodom and Gomorrah.

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 And, but now we see

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 that they've come and seen for themselves.

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 In a sense, it's the straw

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 that broke the camel's back.

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 And they announce that there's going to be God's judgment

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 and that therefore they have to leave.

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 Scene six, more Canadians are met in the story.

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 Look at verse 14.

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 So Lot went out and said to his sons-in-law

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 who were to marry his daughters,

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 up, get out of this place,

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 for the Lord is about to destroy the city.

00:16:01.220 --> 00:16:04.440
 But he seemed to his sons-in-law

00:16:04.440 --> 00:16:06.080
 to be jesting.

00:16:06.899 --> 00:16:08.399
 Now, why is this more Canadians?

00:16:09.040 --> 00:16:11.440
 I don't watch a whole lot of Netflix comedy specials,

00:16:11.500 --> 00:16:12.360
 but from what I know,

00:16:12.920 --> 00:16:14.399
 if I was doing a special,

00:16:14.480 --> 00:16:15.879
 I got up to the front and said,

00:16:16.060 --> 00:16:17.779
 how many of you were worried

00:16:17.779 --> 00:16:19.960
 about the last judgment?

00:16:20.540 --> 00:16:21.660
 And everybody would laugh.

00:16:22.700 --> 00:16:23.120
 Right?

00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:25.759
 I'm sort of thinking a lot

00:16:25.759 --> 00:16:27.620
 about how God's going to judge everybody

00:16:27.620 --> 00:16:29.120
 and we're all going to go to hell.

00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:30.120
 Everybody would laugh.

00:16:30.120 --> 00:16:31.960
 That's the Canadian response.

00:16:33.840 --> 00:16:35.460
 And part of the story is,

00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:37.440
 it's a very profound part of the story,

00:16:37.740 --> 00:16:38.799
 if you think about it,

00:16:38.820 --> 00:16:39.740
 because it,

00:16:40.200 --> 00:16:41.940
 and this is going to be this

00:16:41.940 --> 00:16:42.799
 and the next little bits

00:16:42.799 --> 00:16:43.980
 are very important things

00:16:43.980 --> 00:16:44.840
 for us to think about.

00:16:44.919 --> 00:16:45.700
 All in the story,

00:16:45.820 --> 00:16:47.440
 the story forms us for this.

00:16:49.940 --> 00:16:50.759
 I mean, gosh,

00:16:50.840 --> 00:16:53.139
 the world just seems so stable,

00:16:53.320 --> 00:16:53.759
 doesn't it?

00:16:54.759 --> 00:16:56.820
 And how could something suddenly happen?

00:16:56.820 --> 00:16:57.879
 I mean,

00:16:58.800 --> 00:16:59.160
 you know,

00:16:59.260 --> 00:17:00.200
 you think about it,

00:17:00.260 --> 00:17:00.900
 that night,

00:17:01.020 --> 00:17:03.200
 as these two men slash angels

00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:04.160
 entered the town,

00:17:04.360 --> 00:17:06.019
 the townsmen and others

00:17:06.019 --> 00:17:07.220
 were thinking about

00:17:07.220 --> 00:17:07.880
 how they were going to put

00:17:07.880 --> 00:17:08.779
 their kids to bed.

00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:10.500
 They were maybe counting

00:17:10.500 --> 00:17:11.840
 the rest of the day's take.

00:17:12.039 --> 00:17:13.440
 They were making their supper.

00:17:13.600 --> 00:17:14.720
 They were thinking of the party.

00:17:14.840 --> 00:17:15.860
 Maybe they're thinking of the trip

00:17:15.860 --> 00:17:16.759
 they're going to do tomorrow.

00:17:16.840 --> 00:17:18.120
 They're thinking of the business deal.

00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:19.840
 Life is going on as normal.

00:17:19.920 --> 00:17:21.160
 The powerful are powerful.

00:17:21.299 --> 00:17:22.059
 The weak are weak.

00:17:22.579 --> 00:17:24.000
 The city is right there.

00:17:24.179 --> 00:17:25.799
 It seems very, very stable.

00:17:25.919 --> 00:17:26.940
 Life is going to go on.

00:17:27.240 --> 00:17:28.599
 And the idea that something

00:17:28.599 --> 00:17:30.079
 could happen that would end

00:17:30.079 --> 00:17:31.059
 all human life

00:17:31.059 --> 00:17:32.359
 just in a moment,

00:17:32.579 --> 00:17:34.299
 it seems completely

00:17:34.299 --> 00:17:35.740
 and utterly preposterous,

00:17:36.179 --> 00:17:38.919
 as it does to us.

00:17:42.000 --> 00:17:43.659
 A couple of Saturdays ago,

00:17:45.579 --> 00:17:47.700
 70% of Ottawa people

00:17:47.700 --> 00:17:49.759
 didn't think that by the end of the day

00:17:49.759 --> 00:17:51.000
 they would be without power.

00:17:52.059 --> 00:17:55.740
 And for those of us

00:17:55.740 --> 00:17:56.519
 who lost power

00:17:56.519 --> 00:17:58.159
 for an extended period of time,

00:17:58.279 --> 00:17:59.339
 it's unsettling

00:17:59.339 --> 00:18:00.759
 at a very psychic level

00:18:00.759 --> 00:18:03.639
 for the world not to be stable.

00:18:07.859 --> 00:18:08.759
 Scene 7,

00:18:09.099 --> 00:18:10.599
 Difficulties in Believing.

00:18:11.039 --> 00:18:12.200
 Look at verse 15.

00:18:13.059 --> 00:18:14.339
 As morning dawned,

00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:16.220
 the angels urged Lot,

00:18:16.379 --> 00:18:16.659
 saying,

00:18:16.799 --> 00:18:18.139
 Up, take your wife

00:18:18.139 --> 00:18:19.079
 and your two daughters

00:18:19.079 --> 00:18:19.659
 who are here,

00:18:19.799 --> 00:18:21.179
 lest you be swept away

00:18:21.180 --> 00:18:22.720
 in the punishment of the city.

00:18:23.360 --> 00:18:24.640
 But Lot lingered.

00:18:24.860 --> 00:18:27.140
 So the men seized him

00:18:27.140 --> 00:18:28.539
 and his wife

00:18:28.539 --> 00:18:29.460
 and his two daughters

00:18:29.460 --> 00:18:30.380
 by the hand,

00:18:30.820 --> 00:18:32.279
 the Lord being merciful to him,

00:18:32.360 --> 00:18:33.420
 and they brought him out

00:18:33.420 --> 00:18:35.279
 and set him outside the city.

00:18:35.660 --> 00:18:37.180
 And as they brought them out,

00:18:37.360 --> 00:18:38.420
 one said,

00:18:38.519 --> 00:18:39.799
 Escape for your life.

00:18:39.920 --> 00:18:40.820
 Do not look back

00:18:40.820 --> 00:18:42.259
 or stop anywhere in the valley.

00:18:42.460 --> 00:18:43.380
 Escape to the hills,

00:18:43.779 --> 00:18:45.539
 lest you be swept away.

00:18:48.140 --> 00:18:50.320
 Lot had difficulties believing it.

00:18:50.319 --> 00:18:52.059
 He sort of believed it at night.

00:18:52.059 --> 00:18:53.200
 I mean, good grief.

00:18:54.000 --> 00:18:54.480
 He's...

00:18:54.480 --> 00:18:55.059
 He...

00:18:55.059 --> 00:18:56.000
 You think about it.

00:18:56.079 --> 00:18:57.299
 It's dark in the house.

00:18:57.419 --> 00:18:59.419
 There's men screaming and howling.

00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:00.839
 They're probably cursing

00:19:00.839 --> 00:19:02.759
 and they can't find

00:19:02.759 --> 00:19:03.500
 and they're banging

00:19:03.500 --> 00:19:05.319
 and they're making lots of noise.

00:19:05.779 --> 00:19:07.379
 And he's...

00:19:07.379 --> 00:19:08.679
 And it's dark.

00:19:09.220 --> 00:19:10.679
 And these two men

00:19:10.679 --> 00:19:12.119
 did this weird thing

00:19:12.119 --> 00:19:13.659
 with this blinding light

00:19:13.659 --> 00:19:14.779
 that blinded people.

00:19:14.779 --> 00:19:15.899
 And it's...

00:19:15.899 --> 00:19:17.259
 And the cursing

00:19:17.259 --> 00:19:18.680
 and the unsettledness

00:19:18.680 --> 00:19:19.879
 goes on for a long time

00:19:19.879 --> 00:19:20.480
 and it's night

00:19:20.480 --> 00:19:21.899
 and you feel very, very fragile

00:19:21.899 --> 00:19:23.440
 and it's easy to believe

00:19:23.440 --> 00:19:24.559
 in something like the judgment.

00:19:24.720 --> 00:19:25.899
 But then daylight comes.

00:19:27.660 --> 00:19:29.200
 And you look at your favorite tree

00:19:29.200 --> 00:19:30.240
 and you look at your garden

00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:31.519
 and you look at your walls.

00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:33.440
 And if any of you

00:19:33.440 --> 00:19:34.879
 have ever been to the Holy Land,

00:19:34.960 --> 00:19:36.440
 even those parts of the Holy Land

00:19:36.440 --> 00:19:37.859
 that are most dry and desolate,

00:19:37.960 --> 00:19:39.000
 there's a beauty to them

00:19:39.000 --> 00:19:39.720
 and you look out

00:19:39.720 --> 00:19:41.160
 and it just looks like

00:19:41.160 --> 00:19:42.379
 everything's very stable

00:19:42.380 --> 00:19:43.300
 and it's hard to believe.

00:19:43.400 --> 00:19:44.020
 It would be as if

00:19:44.020 --> 00:19:45.020
 by the end of this sermon

00:19:45.020 --> 00:19:47.140
 you feel a bit convicted

00:19:47.140 --> 00:19:48.500
 about the reality of hell,

00:19:48.640 --> 00:19:49.660
 but it's hard to maintain

00:19:49.660 --> 00:19:50.340
 that reality.

00:19:50.460 --> 00:19:51.160
 You go outside,

00:19:51.240 --> 00:19:51.960
 you get a coffee,

00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:55.060
 you drive your car,

00:19:55.220 --> 00:19:56.180
 the roads are stable.

00:19:56.820 --> 00:19:57.800
 It's hard to continue

00:19:57.800 --> 00:19:59.340
 believing such doctrines.

00:20:01.940 --> 00:20:03.820
 It's very psychologically true.

00:20:05.500 --> 00:20:06.040
 Scene 8.

00:20:06.920 --> 00:20:08.860
 Mercy to the blind.

00:20:09.860 --> 00:20:10.860
 Verse 16.

00:20:12.380 --> 00:20:17.420
 Sorry, verse 18, I should say.

00:20:17.520 --> 00:20:18.100
 Verse 18.

00:20:18.240 --> 00:20:19.100
 And Lot said to them,

00:20:19.660 --> 00:20:20.720
 O no, my lords,

00:20:21.600 --> 00:20:22.760
 behold, your servant

00:20:22.760 --> 00:20:24.900
 has found favor in your sight

00:20:24.900 --> 00:20:26.060
 and you have shown me

00:20:26.060 --> 00:20:26.900
 great kindness

00:20:26.900 --> 00:20:28.000
 in saving my life,

00:20:28.060 --> 00:20:29.520
 but I cannot escape to the hills

00:20:29.520 --> 00:20:31.800
 lest the disaster overtake me

00:20:31.800 --> 00:20:33.040
 and I die.

00:20:33.880 --> 00:20:35.120
 Behold, this city

00:20:35.120 --> 00:20:36.480
 is near enough to flee to

00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:37.740
 and it's a little one.

00:20:38.180 --> 00:20:39.260
 Let me escape there.

00:20:39.380 --> 00:20:40.480
 Is it not a little one

00:20:40.480 --> 00:20:41.920
 and my life will be saved?

00:20:43.280 --> 00:20:44.540
 One of the angels said to him,

00:20:44.600 --> 00:20:45.560
 Behold, I grant you

00:20:45.560 --> 00:20:46.540
 this favor also

00:20:46.540 --> 00:20:47.980
 that I will not overthrow

00:20:47.980 --> 00:20:49.260
 the city to which you have spoken.

00:20:49.420 --> 00:20:50.400
 Escape there quickly

00:20:50.400 --> 00:20:51.840
 for I can do nothing

00:20:51.840 --> 00:20:52.940
 until you arrive there.

00:20:53.640 --> 00:20:54.680
 Therefore, the name of the city

00:20:54.680 --> 00:20:55.620
 was called Zoar.

00:20:56.980 --> 00:20:58.420
 It's a very, very subtle thing,

00:20:58.520 --> 00:20:59.480
 but in verse 16,

00:20:59.560 --> 00:21:00.000
 if you look,

00:21:00.060 --> 00:21:00.520
 you'll see

00:21:00.520 --> 00:21:03.060
 that what's happening to Lot

00:21:03.059 --> 00:21:05.740
 is purely because of God's mercy.

00:21:06.919 --> 00:21:08.399
 But in verse 19,

00:21:08.899 --> 00:21:09.980
 Lot thinks it's because

00:21:09.980 --> 00:21:11.059
 he's found favor.

00:21:13.579 --> 00:21:15.220
 As if something about him,

00:21:15.899 --> 00:21:17.119
 I mean, how could God judge me?

00:21:17.220 --> 00:21:17.679
 You know, like,

00:21:17.919 --> 00:21:18.460
 you know, like,

00:21:19.200 --> 00:21:20.019
 you know, I'm married,

00:21:20.279 --> 00:21:20.980
 you know, I have a degree,

00:21:21.119 --> 00:21:21.720
 I'm Canadian,

00:21:22.220 --> 00:21:23.839
 you know, I'm a good guy.

00:21:23.980 --> 00:21:25.059
 How could God judge me?

00:21:25.519 --> 00:21:26.399
 I found favor.

00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:28.319
 I could see how you can judge,

00:21:28.460 --> 00:21:29.559
 you know, those bad people,

00:21:29.700 --> 00:21:29.839
 you know,

00:21:29.839 --> 00:21:30.139
 I don't know,

00:21:30.159 --> 00:21:31.339
 the guys who vote for Trump

00:21:31.339 --> 00:21:32.519
 or, you know,

00:21:32.639 --> 00:21:33.519
 some of those, like,

00:21:33.720 --> 00:21:35.699
 you know, billionaire tech giants

00:21:35.699 --> 00:21:36.579
 or something like that.

00:21:36.579 --> 00:21:37.740
 I could see how you could judge them,

00:21:37.859 --> 00:21:38.519
 but look at me.

00:21:40.419 --> 00:21:42.539
 And so there's a fundamental blindness

00:21:42.539 --> 00:21:43.500
 about Lot,

00:21:43.559 --> 00:21:44.419
 and it's even seen

00:21:44.419 --> 00:21:46.119
 in the difference between Abraham.

00:21:46.619 --> 00:21:47.619
 I mean, Lot doesn't realize

00:21:47.619 --> 00:21:48.619
 that his standing,

00:21:48.759 --> 00:21:49.559
 the mercy comes

00:21:49.559 --> 00:21:50.519
 because of Abraham's

00:21:50.519 --> 00:21:51.839
 intercession for him.

00:21:52.859 --> 00:21:55.119
 And Abraham intercedes

00:21:55.119 --> 00:21:56.399
 for the whole city

00:21:56.399 --> 00:21:58.439
 that God would spare it.

00:21:58.440 --> 00:22:00.279
 But what Lot does

00:22:00.279 --> 00:22:01.279
 is whine

00:22:01.279 --> 00:22:02.440
 because he doesn't want

00:22:02.440 --> 00:22:03.740
 to be inconvenienced.

00:22:07.100 --> 00:22:08.400
 And so he's blind,

00:22:08.580 --> 00:22:10.100
 but God still shows mercy.

00:22:10.900 --> 00:22:12.000
 He doesn't show mercy

00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:13.840
 because Lot's going to get a pass.

00:22:14.240 --> 00:22:15.440
 Lot's going to be judged.

00:22:16.220 --> 00:22:17.500
 See, God takes no delight

00:22:17.500 --> 00:22:18.420
 in the death of a sinner,

00:22:18.539 --> 00:22:19.700
 but rather that he might turn

00:22:19.700 --> 00:22:21.059
 from his wickedness and live.

00:22:22.120 --> 00:22:24.279
 A season of not being judged

00:22:24.279 --> 00:22:26.259
 is because God desires us

00:22:26.259 --> 00:22:27.180
 to repent.

00:22:27.180 --> 00:22:28.840
 The reason texts like this

00:22:28.840 --> 00:22:29.539
 are in the Bible

00:22:29.539 --> 00:22:32.299
 is because God desires us

00:22:32.299 --> 00:22:35.360
 to turn to him for mercy

00:22:35.360 --> 00:22:38.340
 and hear that he has provided

00:22:38.340 --> 00:22:39.060
 a savior.

00:22:41.560 --> 00:22:43.440
 Now a very sobering part,

00:22:43.740 --> 00:22:44.340
 scene nine,

00:22:44.840 --> 00:22:46.000
 the judgment of the Lord.

00:22:46.799 --> 00:22:47.620
 Verse 23.

00:22:48.880 --> 00:22:50.980
 The sun had risen on the earth

00:22:50.980 --> 00:22:52.340
 when Lot came to Zoar.

00:22:52.339 --> 00:22:57.119
 Then the Lord rained on Sodom and Gomorrah

00:22:57.119 --> 00:22:59.519
 sulfur or brimstone

00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:02.399
 and fire from the Lord out of heaven.

00:23:03.599 --> 00:23:05.659
 And the Lord overthrew those cities

00:23:05.659 --> 00:23:07.799
 and all the valley

00:23:07.799 --> 00:23:10.299
 and all the inhabitants of the cities

00:23:10.299 --> 00:23:12.220
 and what grew on the ground.

00:23:13.500 --> 00:23:15.819
 But Lot's wife behind him looked back

00:23:15.819 --> 00:23:17.559
 and she became a pillar of salt.

00:23:17.559 --> 00:23:22.419
 The language is communicating

00:23:22.419 --> 00:23:23.659
 that it's not just that,

00:23:23.779 --> 00:23:25.279
 it's not as if God is cruel

00:23:25.279 --> 00:23:27.339
 and Lot's wife just happened

00:23:27.339 --> 00:23:28.659
 to glance over her shoulder

00:23:28.659 --> 00:23:29.599
 and then bam.

00:23:30.099 --> 00:23:30.799
 No, no, no.

00:23:31.179 --> 00:23:34.139
 She's not walking towards freedom.

00:23:34.319 --> 00:23:36.419
 She's not in the city for protection.

00:23:36.679 --> 00:23:39.480
 She's standing outside of the protection

00:23:39.480 --> 00:23:40.500
 looking back.

00:23:40.500 --> 00:23:45.519
 Probably thinking my husband, Lot,

00:23:45.599 --> 00:23:48.119
 is a fool to believe these people.

00:23:48.240 --> 00:23:49.740
 Like, look how beautiful everything is.

00:23:49.799 --> 00:23:50.960
 Like, nothing's going to happen.

00:23:51.859 --> 00:23:52.680
 Like, I don't want to live

00:23:52.680 --> 00:23:54.019
 in this crappy little city.

00:23:54.140 --> 00:23:55.700
 Like, I have this wonderful house.

00:23:55.779 --> 00:23:56.519
 I have servants.

00:23:56.779 --> 00:23:57.380
 We have wealth.

00:23:57.480 --> 00:23:58.019
 We have possessions.

00:23:58.119 --> 00:23:59.299
 We had to leave it all behind.

00:24:02.359 --> 00:24:03.940
 And so she's not in the city.

00:24:05.680 --> 00:24:06.640
 And the destruction

00:24:06.640 --> 00:24:07.799
 and the judgment of God

00:24:07.799 --> 00:24:08.759
 comes upon her.

00:24:08.759 --> 00:24:10.759
 Scene 10.

00:24:11.779 --> 00:24:14.500
 Mercy and answered prayer.

00:24:15.319 --> 00:24:17.900
 Look at verses 27 to 29.

00:24:19.339 --> 00:24:21.379
 And Abraham went early in the morning

00:24:21.379 --> 00:24:22.720
 to the place where he had stood

00:24:22.720 --> 00:24:23.500
 before the Lord.

00:24:23.619 --> 00:24:25.299
 That's in the chapter just before.

00:24:26.220 --> 00:24:27.359
 And Abraham looked down

00:24:27.359 --> 00:24:28.740
 towards Sodom and Gomorrah

00:24:28.740 --> 00:24:30.940
 and toward all the land of the valley.

00:24:31.099 --> 00:24:32.180
 And he looked and behold,

00:24:32.319 --> 00:24:33.559
 the smoke of the land

00:24:33.559 --> 00:24:36.140
 went up like the smoke of a furnace.

00:24:36.140 --> 00:24:40.360
 So it was that when God destroyed

00:24:40.360 --> 00:24:41.560
 the cities of the valley,

00:24:41.720 --> 00:24:43.380
 God remembered Abraham

00:24:43.380 --> 00:24:45.160
 and sent Lot

00:24:45.160 --> 00:24:47.540
 out of the midst of the overthrow

00:24:47.540 --> 00:24:49.440
 when he overthrew the cities

00:24:49.440 --> 00:24:51.380
 in which Lot had lived.

00:24:52.160 --> 00:24:54.259
 Almost always in the Old Testament,

00:24:54.259 --> 00:24:55.840
 when you see the word remembered,

00:24:56.380 --> 00:24:58.180
 it means receive mercy.

00:24:58.180 --> 00:25:03.960
 And it was God showing mercy to Abraham

00:25:03.960 --> 00:25:06.560
 and Abraham's intercession for Lot

00:25:06.560 --> 00:25:08.140
 that Lot was spared

00:25:08.140 --> 00:25:10.860
 the destruction of the brimstone

00:25:10.860 --> 00:25:12.299
 and the fire.

00:25:13.759 --> 00:25:15.759
 So you see Lot's answered prayer.

00:25:16.840 --> 00:25:17.840
 You see God's mercy.

00:25:19.920 --> 00:25:20.900
 Scene 11.

00:25:23.460 --> 00:25:25.400
 Destabilizing fear.

00:25:25.400 --> 00:25:27.200
 Verse 30.

00:25:28.400 --> 00:25:30.080
 Now Lot went up out of Zoar

00:25:30.080 --> 00:25:31.460
 and lived in the hills

00:25:31.460 --> 00:25:32.460
 with his two daughters.

00:25:33.140 --> 00:25:35.900
 For he was afraid to live in Zoar,

00:25:36.060 --> 00:25:37.360
 so he lived in a cave

00:25:37.360 --> 00:25:38.740
 with his two daughters.

00:25:39.400 --> 00:25:40.480
 So what's going on here?

00:25:40.560 --> 00:25:40.940
 One moment.

00:25:41.920 --> 00:25:43.660
 Didn't Lot just say,

00:25:44.380 --> 00:25:45.640
 I'm afraid to go to the hills,

00:25:45.759 --> 00:25:46.700
 let me live in the city,

00:25:46.759 --> 00:25:48.440
 and now he's afraid to live in the city,

00:25:48.480 --> 00:25:49.600
 so he goes to live in the hills?

00:25:50.440 --> 00:25:53.220
 It's not an inconsistency in the text.

00:25:53.220 --> 00:25:55.039
 It's the destabilizing,

00:25:55.180 --> 00:25:55.799
 the lack of,

00:25:56.799 --> 00:25:57.380
 you see,

00:25:59.579 --> 00:25:59.900
 you see,

00:26:00.059 --> 00:26:00.779
 one of the, you know,

00:26:01.500 --> 00:26:02.600
 a couple of years ago

00:26:02.600 --> 00:26:03.880
 we went through the book of Proverbs,

00:26:04.160 --> 00:26:05.799
 and I suggested to the staff

00:26:05.799 --> 00:26:07.720
 that we called our sermon series

00:26:07.720 --> 00:26:08.680
 How to Be Square.

00:26:09.200 --> 00:26:10.220
 They didn't like it.

00:26:10.559 --> 00:26:11.240
 That's fine.

00:26:11.600 --> 00:26:12.940
 They were wiser than me.

00:26:13.360 --> 00:26:14.539
 But the fact of the matter is

00:26:14.539 --> 00:26:15.240
 that the Bible

00:26:15.240 --> 00:26:16.920
 will teach you how to be square.

00:26:17.360 --> 00:26:18.620
 It won't teach you how to be hip.

00:26:18.740 --> 00:26:20.000
 It won't teach you how to be cool.

00:26:20.140 --> 00:26:21.539
 It won't teach you how to be popular.

00:26:21.539 --> 00:26:23.460
 It's going to teach you how to be square.

00:26:23.659 --> 00:26:24.480
 How to be a square.

00:26:26.159 --> 00:26:28.159
 But that's where you have stability

00:26:28.159 --> 00:26:29.599
 from the Bible.

00:26:29.779 --> 00:26:31.379
 An ability to assess the world,

00:26:31.599 --> 00:26:32.399
 to be wise,

00:26:32.539 --> 00:26:34.099
 to see what's what,

00:26:34.200 --> 00:26:35.440
 to deal with reality,

00:26:35.559 --> 00:26:36.519
 to roll up your sleeves

00:26:36.519 --> 00:26:37.859
 and deal with the real world,

00:26:37.940 --> 00:26:39.039
 to not be confused

00:26:39.039 --> 00:26:40.639
 by the arrogance of the proud

00:26:40.639 --> 00:26:42.960
 and the claims of the unjust,

00:26:43.339 --> 00:26:44.539
 and not to be mistaken

00:26:45.059 --> 00:26:46.539
 by moral relativism

00:26:47.099 --> 00:26:48.440
 when we need moral clarity,

00:26:48.440 --> 00:26:50.100
 and not to be afraid

00:26:50.100 --> 00:26:51.220
 of every bump in the night.

00:26:51.580 --> 00:26:53.460
 That's why there's a constant message

00:26:53.460 --> 00:26:54.100
 in the Bible

00:26:54.100 --> 00:26:55.240
 that to come to the Lord

00:26:55.240 --> 00:26:56.220
 and to know His mercy

00:26:56.220 --> 00:26:57.920
 is to be delivered from fear.

00:26:58.400 --> 00:26:59.759
 That even the fear of the Lord,

00:26:59.880 --> 00:27:01.360
 the knowledge of who God is

00:27:01.360 --> 00:27:03.039
 and a clarity about knowing who He is,

00:27:03.380 --> 00:27:04.400
 the effect of that

00:27:04.400 --> 00:27:06.080
 is to minimize your fear

00:27:06.080 --> 00:27:07.320
 and anxiety

00:27:07.320 --> 00:27:08.680
 that you have in life.

00:27:08.680 --> 00:27:13.080
 And so Lot,

00:27:14.080 --> 00:27:15.340
 and this is going to fit in

00:27:15.340 --> 00:27:16.460
 with the other type of thing

00:27:16.460 --> 00:27:17.519
 which is about to happen,

00:27:17.600 --> 00:27:18.580
 which is very tragic,

00:27:18.720 --> 00:27:19.320
 and then we'll get to

00:27:19.320 --> 00:27:20.120
 some of the other things,

00:27:20.240 --> 00:27:22.060
 is that Lot is,

00:27:22.440 --> 00:27:24.140
 Lot is just,

00:27:24.340 --> 00:27:25.060
 he's not safe,

00:27:25.180 --> 00:27:26.180
 he's not happy in the city,

00:27:26.240 --> 00:27:27.039
 he's not happy in the hills,

00:27:27.100 --> 00:27:28.080
 he's just not happy.

00:27:28.920 --> 00:27:30.120
 He's afraid in the hills,

00:27:30.240 --> 00:27:31.100
 he's afraid in the city,

00:27:31.160 --> 00:27:32.019
 he's just afraid.

00:27:36.500 --> 00:27:38.320
 And then in conclusion,

00:27:38.680 --> 00:27:40.400
 the Lord's other judgment.

00:27:41.980 --> 00:27:43.360
 Verses 31 and following.

00:27:44.740 --> 00:27:45.980
 So Lot's in the cave

00:27:45.980 --> 00:27:46.840
 with his two daughters

00:27:46.840 --> 00:27:48.200
 and the firstborn daughter

00:27:48.200 --> 00:27:49.000
 said to the younger,

00:27:49.140 --> 00:27:50.140
 Our father is old

00:27:50.140 --> 00:27:51.360
 and there is not a man on earth

00:27:51.360 --> 00:27:52.279
 to come into us

00:27:52.279 --> 00:27:53.720
 after the manner of all the earth.

00:27:55.060 --> 00:27:56.400
 Come, let us make our father

00:27:56.400 --> 00:27:57.080
 drink wine

00:27:57.080 --> 00:27:58.440
 and we will lie with him

00:27:58.440 --> 00:28:00.039
 that we may preserve offspring

00:28:00.039 --> 00:28:00.980
 from our father.

00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:04.500
 So they made their father

00:28:04.500 --> 00:28:05.740
 drink wine that night

00:28:05.740 --> 00:28:07.140
 and the firstborn went in

00:28:07.140 --> 00:28:08.140
 and lay with her father.

00:28:09.299 --> 00:28:10.400
 He did not know

00:28:10.400 --> 00:28:11.240
 when she lay down

00:28:11.240 --> 00:28:12.120
 or when she arose.

00:28:13.360 --> 00:28:14.279
 The next day,

00:28:14.400 --> 00:28:15.440
 the firstborn said

00:28:15.440 --> 00:28:16.000
 to the younger,

00:28:16.240 --> 00:28:16.640
 Behold,

00:28:16.759 --> 00:28:17.740
 I lay last night

00:28:17.740 --> 00:28:18.560
 with my father.

00:28:18.700 --> 00:28:19.460
 Let us make him

00:28:19.460 --> 00:28:20.860
 drink wine tonight also.

00:28:21.539 --> 00:28:22.480
 Then you go in

00:28:22.480 --> 00:28:23.279
 and lie with him

00:28:23.279 --> 00:28:24.220
 that we may preserve

00:28:24.220 --> 00:28:25.620
 offspring from our father.

00:28:25.619 --> 00:28:28.819
 So they made their father

00:28:28.819 --> 00:28:30.299
 drink wine that night also.

00:28:31.299 --> 00:28:32.379
 And the younger arose

00:28:32.379 --> 00:28:33.219
 and lay with him

00:28:33.219 --> 00:28:34.339
 and he did not know

00:28:34.339 --> 00:28:35.159
 when she lay down

00:28:35.159 --> 00:28:36.059
 or when she arose.

00:28:37.739 --> 00:28:38.879
 Thus both the daughters

00:28:38.879 --> 00:28:40.139
 of Lot became pregnant

00:28:40.139 --> 00:28:40.899
 by their father.

00:28:43.679 --> 00:28:45.479
 The firstborn bore a son

00:28:45.479 --> 00:28:46.919
 and called his name Moab.

00:28:47.919 --> 00:28:49.459
 He is the father of the Moabites

00:28:49.459 --> 00:28:50.399
 to this day,

00:28:50.559 --> 00:28:51.419
 the day of the book,

00:28:51.420 --> 00:28:52.539
 this book was written.

00:28:53.500 --> 00:28:55.039
 The younger also bore a son

00:28:55.039 --> 00:28:56.860
 and called his name Ben-Ami

00:28:56.860 --> 00:28:58.880
 and he is the father

00:28:58.880 --> 00:28:59.700
 of the Ammonites

00:28:59.700 --> 00:29:00.340
 to this day.

00:29:02.039 --> 00:29:02.980
 The Moabites

00:29:02.980 --> 00:29:03.779
 and the Ammonites

00:29:03.779 --> 00:29:05.180
 became the ancient enemies

00:29:05.180 --> 00:29:05.759
 of Israel.

00:29:07.039 --> 00:29:08.019
 The Moabites

00:29:08.019 --> 00:29:09.400
 worship the god Moloch

00:29:09.400 --> 00:29:10.880
 where you sacrifice

00:29:10.880 --> 00:29:12.039
 your infant

00:29:12.039 --> 00:29:14.059
 to the god.

00:29:17.259 --> 00:29:18.139
 This is also

00:29:18.139 --> 00:29:19.099
 the lord's judgment.

00:29:25.119 --> 00:29:25.980
 One of the ways

00:29:25.980 --> 00:29:26.619
 that sometimes

00:29:26.619 --> 00:29:28.519
 the lord judges us

00:29:28.519 --> 00:29:29.200
 here on earth

00:29:29.200 --> 00:29:30.039
 or we start to begin

00:29:30.039 --> 00:29:30.639
 to experience

00:29:30.639 --> 00:29:31.480
 the lord's judgment

00:29:31.480 --> 00:29:33.180
 is that the common grace

00:29:33.180 --> 00:29:34.319
 that he bestows

00:29:34.319 --> 00:29:37.480
 that stops us

00:29:37.480 --> 00:29:38.720
 from our worst desires

00:29:38.720 --> 00:29:40.460
 that pulls us back

00:29:40.460 --> 00:29:40.899
 from that

00:29:40.900 --> 00:29:41.400
 that God,

00:29:41.620 --> 00:29:42.300
 the image

00:29:42.300 --> 00:29:43.000
 it's found

00:29:43.000 --> 00:29:43.800
 in the New Testament,

00:29:43.920 --> 00:29:44.600
 the image is if

00:29:44.600 --> 00:29:46.400
 there's a constant current

00:29:46.400 --> 00:29:47.200
 that we have

00:29:47.200 --> 00:29:49.780
 and it's like a boat

00:29:49.780 --> 00:29:50.380
 on a river

00:29:50.380 --> 00:29:51.160
 with a current

00:29:51.160 --> 00:29:51.660
 and the boat

00:29:51.660 --> 00:29:52.900
 is securely tied

00:29:52.900 --> 00:29:53.660
 to the dock

00:29:53.660 --> 00:29:54.900
 and the river

00:29:54.900 --> 00:29:56.980
 is like our sinful passions,

00:29:57.100 --> 00:29:57.620
 our passions

00:29:57.620 --> 00:29:58.500
 to be like God,

00:29:58.580 --> 00:29:59.660
 to do whatever we please,

00:29:59.780 --> 00:30:01.000
 to not have anybody judge us,

00:30:01.120 --> 00:30:02.960
 to just be narcissistic,

00:30:03.060 --> 00:30:03.900
 to be selfish

00:30:03.900 --> 00:30:06.120
 and there's this constant pressure,

00:30:06.440 --> 00:30:07.380
 this constant flow

00:30:07.380 --> 00:30:08.300
 but common grace

00:30:08.300 --> 00:30:09.640
 keeps the boat stable

00:30:09.640 --> 00:30:10.759
 and tied to the dock

00:30:10.759 --> 00:30:11.800
 and one thing

00:30:11.800 --> 00:30:12.880
 that sometimes happens

00:30:12.880 --> 00:30:13.960
 is it's as if God

00:30:13.960 --> 00:30:15.620
 unties the ropes

00:30:15.620 --> 00:30:16.740
 that ties the boat

00:30:16.740 --> 00:30:17.480
 which is you

00:30:17.480 --> 00:30:18.580
 to the dock

00:30:18.580 --> 00:30:19.740
 and allows the current

00:30:19.740 --> 00:30:20.440
 to take you

00:30:20.440 --> 00:30:21.200
 and batter you

00:30:21.200 --> 00:30:22.940
 and that's what's seen

00:30:22.940 --> 00:30:23.800
 here in this text

00:30:23.800 --> 00:30:24.500
 and it's a judgment

00:30:24.500 --> 00:30:25.080
 from God.

00:30:31.460 --> 00:30:31.900
 Now,

00:30:32.140 --> 00:30:33.320
 some of you

00:30:33.320 --> 00:30:33.840
 might have said,

00:30:33.920 --> 00:30:34.140
 George,

00:30:34.220 --> 00:30:34.320
 you know,

00:30:34.319 --> 00:30:35.819
 that's a very interesting story.

00:30:37.779 --> 00:30:39.139
 It's a terrible story.

00:30:39.819 --> 00:30:40.359
 In some ways,

00:30:40.579 --> 00:30:40.799
 George,

00:30:40.859 --> 00:30:41.960
 I think you should be ashamed

00:30:41.960 --> 00:30:43.339
 that you would even believe it

00:30:43.339 --> 00:30:44.139
 or uphold it.

00:30:45.659 --> 00:30:45.899
 You know,

00:30:45.960 --> 00:30:46.159
 George,

00:30:46.220 --> 00:30:47.019
 I think you read a story

00:30:47.019 --> 00:30:47.439
 like that

00:30:47.439 --> 00:30:48.619
 and it encourages violence

00:30:48.619 --> 00:30:51.039
 against the LGBTQ plus community

00:30:51.039 --> 00:30:54.220
 and gets homophobic

00:30:54.220 --> 00:30:56.299
 and frankly,

00:30:56.480 --> 00:30:56.779
 George,

00:30:56.839 --> 00:30:58.159
 I think you and others

00:30:58.159 --> 00:30:59.240
 are misinterpreting it.

00:30:59.299 --> 00:31:00.059
 It's very obvious

00:31:00.059 --> 00:31:00.779
 that the men

00:31:00.779 --> 00:31:01.879
 are either bisexual,

00:31:02.159 --> 00:31:04.359
 they're not homosexual,

00:31:05.559 --> 00:31:06.980
 it's not talking about lesbianism,

00:31:07.159 --> 00:31:07.539
 it's in fact,

00:31:07.759 --> 00:31:07.980
 George,

00:31:08.059 --> 00:31:08.779
 probably what it is,

00:31:08.839 --> 00:31:10.259
 it's heterosexual men

00:31:10.259 --> 00:31:12.099
 desiring to do something like this

00:31:12.099 --> 00:31:12.299
 and,

00:31:13.139 --> 00:31:13.480
 you know,

00:31:13.619 --> 00:31:14.759
 we know better today,

00:31:15.240 --> 00:31:17.480
 we know better about orientation

00:31:17.480 --> 00:31:18.240
 and stability

00:31:18.240 --> 00:31:19.679
 and health

00:31:19.679 --> 00:31:20.759
 and just everything

00:31:20.759 --> 00:31:21.720
 about this text,

00:31:21.980 --> 00:31:22.240
 George,

00:31:22.319 --> 00:31:23.799
 is just wrong.

00:31:26.619 --> 00:31:27.619
 A couple of things

00:31:27.619 --> 00:31:28.259
 in response

00:31:28.259 --> 00:31:28.960
 very briefly.

00:31:30.059 --> 00:31:32.139
 The same-sex sexual knowing

00:31:32.139 --> 00:31:32.799
 in the text

00:31:32.799 --> 00:31:34.000
 is definitely

00:31:34.000 --> 00:31:35.519
 not the only sin

00:31:35.519 --> 00:31:36.440
 in the text,

00:31:37.159 --> 00:31:39.179
 but it is one of them.

00:31:43.139 --> 00:31:44.460
 The rest of the Bible,

00:31:45.019 --> 00:31:45.440
 because it's,

00:31:45.819 --> 00:31:47.839
 this text is commented on

00:31:47.839 --> 00:31:48.579
 in Isaiah,

00:31:48.779 --> 00:31:49.980
 it's commented on in Jeremiah,

00:31:50.240 --> 00:31:51.579
 it's commented on in Ezekiel

00:31:51.579 --> 00:31:52.440
 and it's commented on

00:31:52.440 --> 00:31:53.179
 in the New Testament

00:31:53.179 --> 00:31:55.779
 and from these other places

00:31:55.779 --> 00:31:56.759
 we see that it's,

00:31:57.000 --> 00:31:57.480
 there's this,

00:31:57.480 --> 00:31:58.779
 this among the other sins

00:31:58.779 --> 00:32:00.039
 of Sodom and Gomorrah

00:32:00.039 --> 00:32:02.079
 are a lack of hospitality,

00:32:02.619 --> 00:32:03.079
 of rape,

00:32:03.319 --> 00:32:04.019
 of oppression,

00:32:04.319 --> 00:32:04.980
 of adultery,

00:32:05.819 --> 00:32:07.579
 of making lying

00:32:07.579 --> 00:32:08.700
 seen as a virtue,

00:32:09.500 --> 00:32:10.519
 of acting in a way

00:32:10.519 --> 00:32:11.700
 to enable crime,

00:32:12.519 --> 00:32:13.139
 of arrogance,

00:32:14.279 --> 00:32:15.899
 of being unrepentant,

00:32:16.399 --> 00:32:17.799
 and of oppression

00:32:17.799 --> 00:32:18.399
 of the poor.

00:32:18.400 --> 00:32:22.480
 But in that list,

00:32:23.019 --> 00:32:24.380
 the same-sex sexual knowing

00:32:24.380 --> 00:32:25.980
 is also present.

00:32:27.519 --> 00:32:29.000
 It is one of the sins

00:32:29.000 --> 00:32:31.340
 that led to the judgment

00:32:31.340 --> 00:32:31.920
 of the city.

00:32:33.920 --> 00:32:34.780
 And then some people

00:32:34.780 --> 00:32:35.160
 might say,

00:32:35.200 --> 00:32:35.519
 but George,

00:32:35.560 --> 00:32:35.740
 you see,

00:32:35.800 --> 00:32:36.740
 this is the whole problem.

00:32:36.860 --> 00:32:37.000
 You know,

00:32:37.080 --> 00:32:37.380
 George,

00:32:37.500 --> 00:32:38.620
 why is it that the Bible

00:32:38.620 --> 00:32:40.519
 thinks that things like that

00:32:40.519 --> 00:32:41.700
 are like the worst sin

00:32:41.700 --> 00:32:42.940
 and you're just giving

00:32:42.940 --> 00:32:44.200
 heterosexuals

00:32:44.200 --> 00:32:46.080
 and others a pass

00:32:46.080 --> 00:32:46.840
 because,

00:32:46.980 --> 00:32:47.340
 you know,

00:32:47.539 --> 00:32:47.740
 like,

00:32:48.240 --> 00:32:49.299
 but I'm just going to,

00:32:49.500 --> 00:32:50.220
 those are all,

00:32:50.360 --> 00:32:50.660
 in a sense,

00:32:50.740 --> 00:32:51.360
 good comebacks,

00:32:51.500 --> 00:32:52.340
 but they're mistaken.

00:32:53.019 --> 00:32:53.259
 In fact,

00:32:53.319 --> 00:32:54.000
 the matter is that

00:32:54.000 --> 00:32:55.100
 the Bible never says

00:32:55.100 --> 00:32:56.460
 that same-sex sexual knowing

00:32:56.460 --> 00:32:57.279
 is the worst sin.

00:32:57.360 --> 00:32:57.600
 In fact,

00:32:57.620 --> 00:32:57.900
 actually,

00:32:57.940 --> 00:32:59.039
 the Bible does tell you

00:32:59.039 --> 00:33:00.120
 what the worst sin is.

00:33:01.160 --> 00:33:01.380
 Right?

00:33:01.880 --> 00:33:02.740
 Those of us who know

00:33:02.740 --> 00:33:03.200
 our Bible,

00:33:03.319 --> 00:33:04.259
 what often causes

00:33:04.259 --> 00:33:05.640
 a problem of conscience

00:33:05.640 --> 00:33:06.460
 in the New Testament

00:33:06.460 --> 00:33:08.080
 is the unforgivable sin

00:33:08.080 --> 00:33:08.759
 is the sin

00:33:08.759 --> 00:33:10.319
 against the Holy Spirit.

00:33:10.319 --> 00:33:14.079
 not same-sex sexual knowing.

00:33:15.319 --> 00:33:16.299
 And what that sin

00:33:16.299 --> 00:33:17.279
 is a person

00:33:17.279 --> 00:33:18.639
 who's become so proud

00:33:18.639 --> 00:33:21.240
 that they never repent.

00:33:21.419 --> 00:33:22.700
 They're completely immune

00:33:22.700 --> 00:33:24.859
 to whatever God tries to do.

00:33:24.960 --> 00:33:26.139
 They're immune to the truth.

00:33:26.559 --> 00:33:28.759
 They're immune to conscience

00:33:28.759 --> 00:33:30.000
 in such a way

00:33:30.000 --> 00:33:31.099
 that they're just immune

00:33:31.099 --> 00:33:32.500
 and they can no longer repent.

00:33:32.619 --> 00:33:33.759
 They can no longer hear the truth.

00:33:33.819 --> 00:33:34.919
 And that's the worst sin.

00:33:35.679 --> 00:33:36.000
 In fact,

00:33:36.039 --> 00:33:36.419
 actually,

00:33:36.579 --> 00:33:38.399
 in ancient Christian teaching,

00:33:38.399 --> 00:33:39.359
 which would still be

00:33:39.359 --> 00:33:41.199
 the mainstream of Christian teaching,

00:33:41.339 --> 00:33:42.099
 sort of summarized

00:33:42.099 --> 00:33:43.319
 in the seven deadly sins.

00:33:43.419 --> 00:33:44.519
 In the seven deadly sins,

00:33:44.619 --> 00:33:45.399
 the sexual sins

00:33:45.399 --> 00:33:46.279
 are the least deadly.

00:33:46.779 --> 00:33:48.059
 And the most deadly is pride.

00:33:48.299 --> 00:33:49.699
 But it's still a deadly sin.

00:33:50.599 --> 00:33:51.719
 But it's definitely not

00:33:51.719 --> 00:33:52.579
 making any claim

00:33:52.579 --> 00:33:53.559
 that it's the worst sin.

00:33:53.619 --> 00:33:54.639
 And anybody who says it

00:33:54.639 --> 00:33:55.179
 is a Christian

00:33:55.179 --> 00:33:56.059
 that just doesn't know

00:33:56.059 --> 00:33:56.859
 anything about it.

00:33:58.099 --> 00:33:59.019
 And then some might say,

00:33:59.079 --> 00:33:59.439
 but George,

00:33:59.539 --> 00:33:59.639
 you know,

00:33:59.679 --> 00:34:00.779
 we know way more about it.

00:34:00.819 --> 00:34:01.899
 We know about identity

00:34:01.900 --> 00:34:02.800
 and we know about

00:34:02.800 --> 00:34:04.360
 stable identities

00:34:04.360 --> 00:34:05.280
 and we know that we have

00:34:05.280 --> 00:34:06.540
 to do types of things

00:34:06.540 --> 00:34:07.820
 that help us to define,

00:34:08.360 --> 00:34:09.440
 help us to be stable

00:34:09.440 --> 00:34:10.220
 in our identity.

00:34:10.639 --> 00:34:12.360
 And I guess I'll say this

00:34:12.360 --> 00:34:13.260
 just very briefly,

00:34:13.420 --> 00:34:14.099
 and if you want to know

00:34:14.099 --> 00:34:14.660
 more about it,

00:34:14.700 --> 00:34:16.160
 I highly recommend you read

00:34:16.160 --> 00:34:18.180
 the writings of Sam Albury

00:34:18.180 --> 00:34:20.059
 or Rosaria Butterfield

00:34:20.059 --> 00:34:22.940
 or my friend Christopher Yuan.

00:34:23.940 --> 00:34:24.760
 But the fact of the matter

00:34:24.760 --> 00:34:25.440
 is that the Bible

00:34:25.440 --> 00:34:27.000
 is not reductionistic.

00:34:28.079 --> 00:34:29.380
 It's a very hard thing

00:34:29.380 --> 00:34:30.700
 for the world to understand.

00:34:30.699 --> 00:34:32.000
 The world is always

00:34:32.000 --> 00:34:33.579
 trying to reduce us.

00:34:34.460 --> 00:34:35.139
 And the Bible

00:34:35.139 --> 00:34:37.059
 is not reductionistic.

00:34:37.319 --> 00:34:38.759
 Human beings aren't reduced

00:34:38.759 --> 00:34:40.179
 to their sexual desire.

00:34:42.639 --> 00:34:44.439
 The Bible never reduces

00:34:44.439 --> 00:34:45.179
 human beings.

00:34:45.299 --> 00:34:45.939
 They don't reduce

00:34:45.939 --> 00:34:47.139
 human beings to their race.

00:34:47.179 --> 00:34:47.559
 That's not even

00:34:47.559 --> 00:34:48.639
 a biblical concept.

00:34:49.279 --> 00:34:50.259
 They don't reduce

00:34:50.259 --> 00:34:51.019
 human beings

00:34:51.019 --> 00:34:52.199
 to economic forces.

00:34:52.339 --> 00:34:53.539
 The Bible never reduces

00:34:53.539 --> 00:34:54.439
 human beings

00:34:54.439 --> 00:34:57.159
 to how much money you have.

00:34:57.259 --> 00:34:58.239
 It never reduces

00:34:58.239 --> 00:34:58.879
 human beings

00:34:58.879 --> 00:35:00.219
 to your sexual desire.

00:35:00.219 --> 00:35:01.359
 or politics.

00:35:01.519 --> 00:35:02.639
 It doesn't reduce you.

00:35:03.159 --> 00:35:04.719
 The Bible upholds

00:35:04.719 --> 00:35:06.379
 the fact that human beings

00:35:06.379 --> 00:35:07.299
 are angular

00:35:07.299 --> 00:35:09.439
 and made in the image

00:35:09.439 --> 00:35:10.279
 of God.

00:35:10.619 --> 00:35:11.939
 And we sing

00:35:11.939 --> 00:35:13.359
 and we dance

00:35:13.359 --> 00:35:15.439
 and we have friends

00:35:15.439 --> 00:35:16.739
 and we make money

00:35:16.739 --> 00:35:17.799
 and we have businesses

00:35:17.799 --> 00:35:18.879
 and we listen.

00:35:19.099 --> 00:35:20.819
 And the Bible celebrates that.

00:35:20.899 --> 00:35:22.779
 The Bible never reduces us

00:35:22.779 --> 00:35:23.919
 to define us

00:35:23.919 --> 00:35:24.980
 in categories of...

00:35:24.980 --> 00:35:25.759
 Heterosexual

00:35:25.760 --> 00:35:27.620
 is not a biblical concept.

00:35:29.020 --> 00:35:29.640
 In fact,

00:35:29.680 --> 00:35:30.780
 it's against the Bible.

00:35:33.280 --> 00:35:33.760
 Heterosexual

00:35:33.760 --> 00:35:34.400
 is an attempt

00:35:34.400 --> 00:35:35.080
 to define you

00:35:35.080 --> 00:35:36.300
 by your sexual desire.

00:35:36.440 --> 00:35:36.840
 It's an attempt

00:35:36.840 --> 00:35:37.640
 to reduce you

00:35:37.640 --> 00:35:39.060
 to what you desire sexually.

00:35:39.060 --> 00:35:40.200
 The Bible doesn't

00:35:40.200 --> 00:35:41.380
 accept that for a moment.

00:35:43.260 --> 00:35:45.480
 The Bible's not reductionistic.

00:35:45.480 --> 00:35:51.760
 And does this text

00:35:51.760 --> 00:35:52.440
 teach you

00:35:52.440 --> 00:35:53.679
 that we should hate

00:35:53.679 --> 00:35:55.639
 the LGBTQ plus community?

00:35:55.760 --> 00:35:56.360
 It teaches

00:35:56.360 --> 00:35:57.619
 the exact opposite.

00:35:58.679 --> 00:35:59.579
 What's the heart

00:35:59.579 --> 00:36:00.300
 of the text

00:36:00.300 --> 00:36:01.159
 is that Abraham

00:36:01.159 --> 00:36:02.079
 intercedes

00:36:02.079 --> 00:36:03.019
 for the city.

00:36:03.679 --> 00:36:04.679
 What the text

00:36:04.679 --> 00:36:05.679
 is teaching you

00:36:05.679 --> 00:36:07.000
 is to intercede

00:36:07.000 --> 00:36:08.260
 for people.

00:36:08.579 --> 00:36:10.199
 For me to intercede

00:36:10.199 --> 00:36:10.740
 to people.

00:36:10.880 --> 00:36:11.860
 Not to hate them

00:36:11.860 --> 00:36:13.300
 but to have compassion

00:36:13.300 --> 00:36:14.200
 and love them

00:36:14.200 --> 00:36:16.099
 and to pray for them.

00:36:16.519 --> 00:36:16.960
 The people

00:36:16.960 --> 00:36:17.700
 that from whatever

00:36:17.700 --> 00:36:18.480
 your point of view

00:36:18.480 --> 00:36:18.880
 you think

00:36:18.880 --> 00:36:19.980
 are farthest from God

00:36:19.980 --> 00:36:20.840
 and if you have

00:36:20.840 --> 00:36:22.400
 a sense in your spirit

00:36:22.400 --> 00:36:23.039
 that some people

00:36:23.039 --> 00:36:24.059
 are really far from God

00:36:24.059 --> 00:36:25.380
 that's also a leading

00:36:25.380 --> 00:36:26.340
 of the Holy Spirit

00:36:26.340 --> 00:36:27.559
 for you to intercede

00:36:27.559 --> 00:36:28.240
 for them.

00:36:29.780 --> 00:36:31.039
 The text shows

00:36:31.039 --> 00:36:33.120
 the model in the text

00:36:33.120 --> 00:36:34.740
 is Abraham's intercession.

00:36:35.680 --> 00:36:37.180
 The opposite of hatred.

00:36:39.700 --> 00:36:40.519
 And does the text

00:36:40.519 --> 00:36:41.640
 pick on the LGBTQ?

00:36:41.860 --> 00:36:42.680
 Plus community?

00:36:42.820 --> 00:36:43.500
 No it doesn't.

00:36:45.240 --> 00:36:45.980
 My friend

00:36:45.980 --> 00:36:46.780
 Christopher Yuan

00:36:46.780 --> 00:36:48.079
 is very very brilliant

00:36:48.079 --> 00:36:48.760
 on this.

00:36:49.519 --> 00:36:50.539
 And I just have to talk

00:36:50.539 --> 00:36:51.680
 about it very very briefly.

00:36:51.840 --> 00:36:53.059
 But the Bible points

00:36:53.059 --> 00:36:53.780
 that there is

00:36:53.780 --> 00:36:54.620
 two paths

00:36:54.620 --> 00:36:55.260
 to holiness

00:36:55.260 --> 00:36:58.000
 for human beings.

00:36:58.920 --> 00:36:59.599
 And holiness

00:36:59.599 --> 00:37:01.000
 isn't the same thing

00:37:01.000 --> 00:37:01.880
 as barrenness.

00:37:02.539 --> 00:37:03.300
 It doesn't mean

00:37:03.300 --> 00:37:04.599
 being sterile.

00:37:05.680 --> 00:37:05.920
 It's

00:37:05.920 --> 00:37:07.140
 the holiness

00:37:07.140 --> 00:37:08.039
 is

00:37:08.039 --> 00:37:09.980
 holiness conveys

00:37:09.980 --> 00:37:11.200
 the idea of purity.

00:37:11.199 --> 00:37:12.219
 I see God

00:37:12.219 --> 00:37:12.719
 is this

00:37:12.719 --> 00:37:13.779
 all pleasure

00:37:13.779 --> 00:37:14.759
 comes from God.

00:37:14.939 --> 00:37:16.139
 Joy comes from God.

00:37:16.259 --> 00:37:16.659
 Beauty,

00:37:17.500 --> 00:37:18.019
 love,

00:37:18.859 --> 00:37:19.319
 truth,

00:37:19.659 --> 00:37:20.119
 justice,

00:37:20.399 --> 00:37:20.839
 mercy,

00:37:21.460 --> 00:37:22.079
 creativity.

00:37:22.079 --> 00:37:23.659
 They all come from God.

00:37:24.299 --> 00:37:25.379
 Holiness is to become

00:37:25.379 --> 00:37:26.659
 more and more gods.

00:37:27.839 --> 00:37:28.779
 Not to become

00:37:28.779 --> 00:37:29.619
 more like a god

00:37:29.619 --> 00:37:30.679
 but to belong

00:37:30.679 --> 00:37:31.939
 to the triune god.

00:37:32.019 --> 00:37:32.699
 To get closer

00:37:32.699 --> 00:37:33.779
 to the triune god.

00:37:33.780 --> 00:37:34.700
 So holiness

00:37:34.700 --> 00:37:36.240
 provides this idea

00:37:36.240 --> 00:37:36.920
 of purity,

00:37:37.620 --> 00:37:38.360
 of holiness,

00:37:38.720 --> 00:37:39.400
 of integrity,

00:37:39.700 --> 00:37:40.300
 of dignity,

00:37:40.560 --> 00:37:41.120
 of freedom,

00:37:41.420 --> 00:37:42.180
 of wholeness,

00:37:42.340 --> 00:37:43.920
 of being truly yourself

00:37:43.920 --> 00:37:45.000
 because you're truly

00:37:45.000 --> 00:37:46.100
 now one with God.

00:37:46.220 --> 00:37:47.040
 It's an image

00:37:47.040 --> 00:37:47.620
 of beauty

00:37:47.620 --> 00:37:48.320
 and of grace,

00:37:48.460 --> 00:37:48.940
 of life

00:37:48.940 --> 00:37:49.580
 and of love,

00:37:49.680 --> 00:37:50.100
 of truth

00:37:50.100 --> 00:37:50.760
 and of goodness,

00:37:50.900 --> 00:37:51.420
 of justice

00:37:51.420 --> 00:37:52.120
 and of mercy.

00:37:52.960 --> 00:37:53.920
 And the Bible says

00:37:53.920 --> 00:37:55.100
 there's two paths

00:37:55.100 --> 00:37:56.000
 to holiness.

00:37:57.640 --> 00:37:58.800
 And one path

00:37:58.800 --> 00:37:59.280
 is a path

00:37:59.280 --> 00:38:00.120
 that every single

00:38:00.120 --> 00:38:00.720
 human being

00:38:00.720 --> 00:38:01.440
 walks on.

00:38:01.440 --> 00:38:02.740
 and it's a path

00:38:02.740 --> 00:38:03.400
 of singleness.

00:38:05.360 --> 00:38:06.320
 That there's a way

00:38:06.320 --> 00:38:07.200
 of being single

00:38:07.200 --> 00:38:09.559
 which is a way

00:38:09.559 --> 00:38:10.220
 of beauty

00:38:10.220 --> 00:38:11.000
 and of freedom

00:38:11.000 --> 00:38:12.220
 and holiness

00:38:12.220 --> 00:38:13.119
 and loveliness

00:38:13.119 --> 00:38:14.059
 and creativity

00:38:14.059 --> 00:38:15.119
 and compassion.

00:38:18.500 --> 00:38:19.900
 And most people

00:38:19.900 --> 00:38:20.579
 don't choose

00:38:20.579 --> 00:38:21.260
 to be single

00:38:21.260 --> 00:38:22.880
 for their whole life

00:38:22.880 --> 00:38:23.700
 or even for a large

00:38:23.700 --> 00:38:24.700
 chunk of their life.

00:38:24.840 --> 00:38:25.559
 Some people do

00:38:25.559 --> 00:38:27.420
 but many just discover

00:38:27.420 --> 00:38:28.179
 that the path

00:38:28.179 --> 00:38:28.840
 of singleness

00:38:28.840 --> 00:38:30.079
 which is a way

00:38:30.079 --> 00:38:30.900
 towards holiness

00:38:30.900 --> 00:38:31.500
 is the way

00:38:31.500 --> 00:38:32.300
 that they will walk

00:38:32.300 --> 00:38:32.980
 till they die.

00:38:34.559 --> 00:38:35.360
 And others like me,

00:38:35.420 --> 00:38:36.059
 I was single

00:38:36.059 --> 00:38:37.639
 for a long season.

00:38:37.780 --> 00:38:38.460
 I've been married.

00:38:38.599 --> 00:38:39.139
 That's the other

00:38:39.139 --> 00:38:40.500
 path to holiness

00:38:40.500 --> 00:38:42.780
 of one biological male

00:38:42.780 --> 00:38:43.700
 married to one

00:38:43.700 --> 00:38:44.820
 biological female.

00:38:45.500 --> 00:38:46.639
 It's another path

00:38:46.639 --> 00:38:47.400
 to holiness.

00:38:49.320 --> 00:38:50.160
 And unless

00:38:50.160 --> 00:38:51.599
 that married couple

00:38:51.599 --> 00:38:52.740
 die in a car accident

00:38:52.740 --> 00:38:53.619
 at the same time,

00:38:53.720 --> 00:38:54.559
 there will be a season

00:38:54.559 --> 00:38:55.099
 where they will

00:38:55.099 --> 00:38:55.720
 once again,

00:38:55.880 --> 00:38:56.460
 one of them

00:38:56.460 --> 00:38:57.340
 at least,

00:38:58.280 --> 00:38:58.920
 will continue

00:38:58.920 --> 00:38:59.720
 on that path

00:38:59.719 --> 00:39:00.239
 to holiness.

00:39:01.599 --> 00:39:02.799
 But God provides

00:39:02.799 --> 00:39:03.639
 two paths

00:39:03.639 --> 00:39:04.619
 to holiness.

00:39:05.500 --> 00:39:06.859
 The Bible text here

00:39:06.859 --> 00:39:07.779
 makes it very clear

00:39:07.779 --> 00:39:08.639
 that God does not

00:39:08.639 --> 00:39:09.219
 call you

00:39:09.219 --> 00:39:10.639
 to heterosexuality

00:39:10.639 --> 00:39:11.959
 because there's

00:39:11.959 --> 00:39:12.659
 very clearly

00:39:12.659 --> 00:39:13.939
 heterosexual sin.

00:39:14.659 --> 00:39:15.719
 I'm not called

00:39:15.719 --> 00:39:17.059
 to heterosexuality.

00:39:17.919 --> 00:39:19.199
 I am called

00:39:19.199 --> 00:39:20.159
 to love

00:39:20.159 --> 00:39:20.799
 Louise.

00:39:20.800 --> 00:39:21.039
 Louise.

00:39:25.980 --> 00:39:26.740
 That's what I'm

00:39:26.740 --> 00:39:27.260
 called to.

00:39:28.440 --> 00:39:29.420
 To love

00:39:29.420 --> 00:39:30.640
 Louise

00:39:30.640 --> 00:39:34.260
 and be one

00:39:34.260 --> 00:39:34.680
 with her.

00:39:35.740 --> 00:39:36.280
 And it's a

00:39:36.280 --> 00:39:37.039
 beautiful path.

00:39:37.720 --> 00:39:38.519
 It's the path

00:39:38.519 --> 00:39:39.460
 to holiness.

00:39:42.260 --> 00:39:43.019
 What about

00:39:43.019 --> 00:39:43.840
 hell and judgment?

00:39:46.940 --> 00:39:47.480
 There's not

00:39:47.480 --> 00:39:48.960
 God

00:39:48.960 --> 00:39:51.860
 I mean,

00:39:51.860 --> 00:39:52.659
 God

00:39:52.659 --> 00:39:54.059
 shouldn't judge.

00:39:54.440 --> 00:39:55.139
 It's unworthy

00:39:55.139 --> 00:39:55.840
 of God.

00:39:56.119 --> 00:39:56.460
 It's

00:39:56.460 --> 00:39:57.480
 hateful

00:39:57.480 --> 00:39:58.159
 of God.

00:39:59.039 --> 00:39:59.460
 George,

00:39:59.519 --> 00:39:59.820
 I don't even

00:39:59.820 --> 00:40:00.480
 understand how

00:40:00.480 --> 00:40:01.159
 you could ever

00:40:01.159 --> 00:40:01.780
 even believe

00:40:01.780 --> 00:40:02.440
 in a text

00:40:02.440 --> 00:40:02.940
 like this.

00:40:03.099 --> 00:40:03.300
 George,

00:40:03.719 --> 00:40:04.119
 you should,

00:40:04.619 --> 00:40:05.360
 this text

00:40:05.360 --> 00:40:06.460
 is horrific.

00:40:07.179 --> 00:40:07.699
 The God

00:40:07.699 --> 00:40:08.260
 that's revealed

00:40:08.260 --> 00:40:08.760
 in here

00:40:08.760 --> 00:40:09.960
 is horrific.

00:40:12.119 --> 00:40:12.920
 It's a whole

00:40:12.920 --> 00:40:13.559
 other sermon,

00:40:13.900 --> 00:40:14.579
 but I want

00:40:14.579 --> 00:40:15.139
 to say a couple

00:40:15.139 --> 00:40:15.740
 of points.

00:40:15.739 --> 00:40:17.139
 The first

00:40:17.139 --> 00:40:17.719
 is that when

00:40:17.719 --> 00:40:18.199
 we feel

00:40:18.199 --> 00:40:18.719
 this about

00:40:18.719 --> 00:40:19.079
 God,

00:40:19.179 --> 00:40:19.479
 what is

00:40:19.479 --> 00:40:19.939
 revealed

00:40:19.939 --> 00:40:20.500
 is not

00:40:20.500 --> 00:40:21.059
 what's

00:40:21.059 --> 00:40:21.559
 true about

00:40:21.559 --> 00:40:22.119
 God,

00:40:22.339 --> 00:40:22.959
 but the

00:40:22.959 --> 00:40:23.419
 fact that

00:40:23.419 --> 00:40:23.619
 we're

00:40:23.619 --> 00:40:24.299
 confused.

00:40:25.679 --> 00:40:26.699
 Why am

00:40:26.699 --> 00:40:27.059
 I saying

00:40:27.059 --> 00:40:27.299
 is it

00:40:27.299 --> 00:40:27.579
 revealed

00:40:27.579 --> 00:40:28.000
 that you're

00:40:28.000 --> 00:40:28.659
 confused?

00:40:31.479 --> 00:40:32.459
 You make

00:40:32.459 --> 00:40:33.319
 moral judgments.

00:40:35.559 --> 00:40:36.559
 You make

00:40:36.559 --> 00:40:37.439
 moral judgments

00:40:37.439 --> 00:40:38.699
 about all

00:40:38.699 --> 00:40:39.179
 sorts of

00:40:39.179 --> 00:40:39.599
 things.

00:40:40.339 --> 00:40:41.219
 If you

00:40:41.219 --> 00:40:41.679
 can make

00:40:41.679 --> 00:40:42.479
 moral judgments,

00:40:42.639 --> 00:40:43.099
 why can't

00:40:43.099 --> 00:40:43.459
 God?

00:40:43.460 --> 00:40:47.579
 And if

00:40:47.579 --> 00:40:48.720
 you refuse

00:40:48.720 --> 00:40:49.139
 to make

00:40:49.139 --> 00:40:49.920
 moral judgments,

00:40:50.440 --> 00:40:51.659
 if you

00:40:51.659 --> 00:40:52.240
 refuse to

00:40:52.240 --> 00:40:52.760
 allow God

00:40:52.760 --> 00:40:53.079
 to make

00:40:53.079 --> 00:40:53.480
 judgments,

00:40:53.579 --> 00:40:53.860
 is that

00:40:53.860 --> 00:40:54.400
 because you

00:40:54.400 --> 00:40:54.960
 think that

00:40:54.960 --> 00:40:55.579
 you're God?

00:40:59.019 --> 00:40:59.579
 And what

00:40:59.579 --> 00:40:59.800
 about

00:40:59.800 --> 00:41:00.320
 punishment?

00:41:03.619 --> 00:41:04.639
 You want

00:41:04.639 --> 00:41:05.380
 justice and

00:41:05.380 --> 00:41:05.679
 you want

00:41:05.679 --> 00:41:06.159
 people to

00:41:06.159 --> 00:41:06.780
 be punished.

00:41:07.320 --> 00:41:07.659
 Like, you

00:41:07.659 --> 00:41:07.860
 know, you

00:41:07.860 --> 00:41:08.240
 think about

00:41:08.240 --> 00:41:08.480
 it, and

00:41:08.480 --> 00:41:08.900
 let's even

00:41:08.900 --> 00:41:09.400
 take a very

00:41:09.400 --> 00:41:09.820
 good couple,

00:41:09.880 --> 00:41:10.119
 let's say

00:41:10.119 --> 00:41:10.460
 there's two

00:41:10.460 --> 00:41:10.840
 people and

00:41:10.840 --> 00:41:11.159
 they're both

00:41:11.159 --> 00:41:11.980
 two people

00:41:11.980 --> 00:41:12.579
 very high

00:41:12.579 --> 00:41:12.960
 up in

00:41:12.960 --> 00:41:13.819
 Shopify or

00:41:13.819 --> 00:41:14.319
 some high

00:41:14.319 --> 00:41:14.779
 tech thing

00:41:14.779 --> 00:41:15.000
 and they're

00:41:15.000 --> 00:41:15.519
 both making

00:41:15.519 --> 00:41:16.079
 a quarter of

00:41:16.079 --> 00:41:16.420
 a million

00:41:16.420 --> 00:41:17.159
 dollars and

00:41:17.159 --> 00:41:18.000
 so they're

00:41:18.000 --> 00:41:18.579
 making very,

00:41:18.699 --> 00:41:18.980
 very good

00:41:18.980 --> 00:41:19.239
 money.

00:41:19.400 --> 00:41:20.059
 I'm guessing

00:41:20.059 --> 00:41:20.599
 more than

00:41:20.599 --> 00:41:21.279
 anybody here

00:41:21.279 --> 00:41:21.619
 in the room,

00:41:21.699 --> 00:41:22.059
 but maybe

00:41:22.059 --> 00:41:22.599
 there's somebody

00:41:22.599 --> 00:41:23.019
 here this

00:41:23.019 --> 00:41:23.420
 morning or

00:41:23.420 --> 00:41:24.000
 watching who's

00:41:24.000 --> 00:41:24.519
 making more

00:41:24.519 --> 00:41:26.619
 than half a

00:41:26.619 --> 00:41:27.219
 million dollars

00:41:27.219 --> 00:41:27.539
 a year.

00:41:28.039 --> 00:41:29.000
 And if you

00:41:29.000 --> 00:41:30.279
 had some

00:41:30.279 --> 00:41:31.000
 street person

00:41:31.000 --> 00:41:31.500
 come in and

00:41:31.500 --> 00:41:31.940
 steal your

00:41:31.940 --> 00:41:32.500
 watch and

00:41:32.500 --> 00:41:33.119
 your watch

00:41:33.119 --> 00:41:33.519
 was worth,

00:41:33.619 --> 00:41:33.860
 let's say,

00:41:33.920 --> 00:41:34.599
 $20,000,

00:41:35.679 --> 00:41:36.900
 would you want

00:41:36.900 --> 00:41:37.360
 to have them

00:41:37.360 --> 00:41:38.099
 prosecuted?

00:41:38.259 --> 00:41:38.559
 Would you,

00:41:38.659 --> 00:41:38.840
 you know,

00:41:38.940 --> 00:41:39.119
 I mean,

00:41:39.139 --> 00:41:39.500
 you're making

00:41:39.500 --> 00:41:40.059
 half a million

00:41:40.059 --> 00:41:40.819
 dollars a year

00:41:40.820 --> 00:41:41.080
 and they

00:41:41.080 --> 00:41:41.400
 steal a

00:41:41.400 --> 00:41:42.019
 $20,000

00:41:42.019 --> 00:41:42.580
 watch?

00:41:42.620 --> 00:41:43.200
 That's a

00:41:43.200 --> 00:41:43.460
 lot of

00:41:43.460 --> 00:41:43.840
 money for

00:41:43.840 --> 00:41:44.100
 me, but

00:41:44.100 --> 00:41:44.460
 not a lot

00:41:44.460 --> 00:41:44.720
 of money

00:41:44.720 --> 00:41:45.100
 for you.

00:41:45.240 --> 00:41:46.100
 But wouldn't

00:41:46.100 --> 00:41:46.420
 you and

00:41:46.420 --> 00:41:47.240
 most people

00:41:47.240 --> 00:41:47.720
 even agree

00:41:47.720 --> 00:41:48.140
 that you'd

00:41:48.140 --> 00:41:48.720
 be right to

00:41:48.720 --> 00:41:49.160
 try to have

00:41:49.160 --> 00:41:49.740
 that person

00:41:49.740 --> 00:41:50.940
 be arrested

00:41:50.940 --> 00:41:51.780
 and put in

00:41:51.780 --> 00:41:52.039
 jail?

00:41:52.280 --> 00:41:53.220
 So why is

00:41:53.220 --> 00:41:54.059
 it that you

00:41:54.059 --> 00:41:55.019
 believe that

00:41:55.019 --> 00:41:55.780
 people can be

00:41:55.780 --> 00:41:57.220
 punished, but

00:41:57.220 --> 00:41:57.420
 you don't

00:41:57.420 --> 00:41:57.780
 believe that

00:41:57.780 --> 00:41:58.240
 God can

00:41:58.240 --> 00:41:58.840
 punish people?

00:41:58.900 --> 00:41:59.160
 Like, how

00:41:59.160 --> 00:41:59.480
 do we have

00:41:59.480 --> 00:41:59.960
 an actual

00:41:59.960 --> 00:42:01.080
 honest conversation

00:42:01.080 --> 00:42:01.480
 when you

00:42:01.480 --> 00:42:01.880
 don't even

00:42:01.880 --> 00:42:03.640
 realize that

00:42:03.640 --> 00:42:04.760
 you think you

00:42:04.760 --> 00:42:05.200
 can do

00:42:05.200 --> 00:42:05.780
 something, but

00:42:05.780 --> 00:42:06.539
 God can't do

00:42:06.539 --> 00:42:07.080
 what you can

00:42:07.080 --> 00:42:07.340
 do?

00:42:07.340 --> 00:42:09.720
 And this

00:42:09.720 --> 00:42:10.400
 text is making

00:42:10.400 --> 00:42:11.200
 very clear that

00:42:11.200 --> 00:42:11.900
 in fact, God,

00:42:12.019 --> 00:42:12.700
 unlike you, is

00:42:12.700 --> 00:42:13.160
 never going to

00:42:13.160 --> 00:42:14.100
 be anger-driven

00:42:14.100 --> 00:42:15.180
 or thin-skinned

00:42:15.180 --> 00:42:16.260
 or jump to

00:42:16.260 --> 00:42:17.120
 conclusions, but

00:42:17.120 --> 00:42:17.539
 he's actually

00:42:17.539 --> 00:42:18.039
 going to have a

00:42:18.039 --> 00:42:18.780
 just judgment.

00:42:19.940 --> 00:42:20.559
 Or even

00:42:20.559 --> 00:42:21.400
 consider this,

00:42:21.700 --> 00:42:22.039
 that many

00:42:22.039 --> 00:42:22.539
 people will

00:42:22.539 --> 00:42:23.019
 say to me,

00:42:23.280 --> 00:42:23.880
 many, many

00:42:23.880 --> 00:42:24.480
 people say to

00:42:24.480 --> 00:42:25.059
 me, I can't

00:42:25.059 --> 00:42:25.579
 believe in a

00:42:25.579 --> 00:42:26.700
 God that just

00:42:26.700 --> 00:42:27.620
 allows evil to

00:42:27.620 --> 00:42:28.559
 go on and

00:42:28.559 --> 00:42:29.380
 it's not

00:42:29.380 --> 00:42:29.920
 stopped and

00:42:29.920 --> 00:42:30.300
 it's not

00:42:30.300 --> 00:42:30.740
 judged.

00:42:31.620 --> 00:42:32.079
 And then the

00:42:32.079 --> 00:42:32.740
 very next day

00:42:32.740 --> 00:42:33.360
 they might say,

00:42:33.500 --> 00:42:34.180
 especially after

00:42:34.180 --> 00:42:34.579
 they hear a

00:42:34.579 --> 00:42:35.120
 text like this,

00:42:35.140 --> 00:42:35.620
 is I can't

00:42:35.620 --> 00:42:36.120
 believe in a

00:42:36.120 --> 00:42:36.579
 God that

00:42:36.579 --> 00:42:37.260
 judges evil.

00:42:37.340 --> 00:42:37.920
 Well, one

00:42:37.920 --> 00:42:38.500
 moment, you

00:42:38.500 --> 00:42:40.220
 can't have

00:42:40.220 --> 00:42:40.840
 both.

00:42:41.880 --> 00:42:42.720
 If you don't

00:42:42.720 --> 00:42:43.220
 want to believe

00:42:43.220 --> 00:42:43.800
 in a God that

00:42:43.800 --> 00:42:44.460
 doesn't judge

00:42:44.460 --> 00:42:45.059
 evil, and

00:42:45.059 --> 00:42:45.460
 then you don't

00:42:45.460 --> 00:42:45.840
 want to believe

00:42:45.840 --> 00:42:46.340
 in a God that

00:42:46.340 --> 00:42:46.960
 does judge

00:42:46.960 --> 00:42:47.340
 evil, it

00:42:47.340 --> 00:42:47.620
 means you

00:42:47.620 --> 00:42:48.160
 just don't

00:42:48.160 --> 00:42:48.640
 want to

00:42:48.640 --> 00:42:49.079
 believe in

00:42:49.079 --> 00:42:49.300
 God.

00:42:49.380 --> 00:42:49.720
 You don't

00:42:49.720 --> 00:42:50.620
 want God.

00:42:51.940 --> 00:42:52.579
 You just

00:42:52.579 --> 00:42:53.260
 don't want

00:42:53.260 --> 00:42:53.420
 him.

00:42:55.420 --> 00:42:56.120
 Pick one,

00:42:57.120 --> 00:42:57.480
 and let's

00:42:57.480 --> 00:42:57.720
 have a

00:42:57.720 --> 00:42:58.280
 conversation.

00:43:00.140 --> 00:43:00.780
 And most

00:43:00.780 --> 00:43:01.340
 importantly,

00:43:01.460 --> 00:43:01.940
 what if it's

00:43:01.940 --> 00:43:02.220
 real?

00:43:04.600 --> 00:43:05.360
 I mean, a

00:43:05.360 --> 00:43:05.780
 lot of our

00:43:05.780 --> 00:43:06.740
 emotional reaction

00:43:06.739 --> 00:43:07.379
 to this is

00:43:07.379 --> 00:43:07.859
 as if we're

00:43:07.859 --> 00:43:08.579
 just inventing

00:43:08.579 --> 00:43:08.839
 things.

00:43:08.939 --> 00:43:09.259
 It would be

00:43:09.259 --> 00:43:09.779
 as if this

00:43:09.779 --> 00:43:10.359
 theater was

00:43:10.359 --> 00:43:11.199
 completely and

00:43:11.199 --> 00:43:12.059
 utterly packed

00:43:12.059 --> 00:43:12.979
 to the gills,

00:43:13.879 --> 00:43:14.519
 maybe even

00:43:14.519 --> 00:43:15.239
 beyond what the

00:43:15.239 --> 00:43:15.859
 fire marshal

00:43:15.859 --> 00:43:16.359
 would allow,

00:43:16.439 --> 00:43:16.659
 and then

00:43:16.659 --> 00:43:18.019
 somebody all

00:43:18.019 --> 00:43:18.479
 of a sudden

00:43:18.479 --> 00:43:19.399
 yells fire,

00:43:19.619 --> 00:43:20.079
 and there is

00:43:20.079 --> 00:43:20.679
 no fire, but

00:43:20.679 --> 00:43:21.439
 they yell fire,

00:43:21.539 --> 00:43:21.879
 and they yell

00:43:21.879 --> 00:43:22.279
 it and they get

00:43:22.279 --> 00:43:23.159
 all hysterical,

00:43:23.199 --> 00:43:23.699
 and we all get

00:43:23.699 --> 00:43:25.000
 hysterical, and

00:43:25.000 --> 00:43:26.139
 everybody's completely

00:43:26.139 --> 00:43:27.179
 and utterly, and

00:43:27.179 --> 00:43:28.000
 for many people,

00:43:28.119 --> 00:43:29.019
 we look at a text

00:43:29.019 --> 00:43:29.599
 like this and we

00:43:29.599 --> 00:43:30.199
 just think it's

00:43:30.199 --> 00:43:30.799
 just religious,

00:43:31.359 --> 00:43:32.259
 it's not real,

00:43:32.260 --> 00:43:33.080
 and so to

00:43:33.080 --> 00:43:34.000
 talk like this

00:43:34.000 --> 00:43:34.840
 is just like

00:43:34.840 --> 00:43:35.680
 yelling fire in

00:43:35.680 --> 00:43:36.420
 a crowded theater,

00:43:36.560 --> 00:43:37.360
 all it does is

00:43:37.360 --> 00:43:38.360
 cause death and

00:43:38.360 --> 00:43:39.700
 destruction, but

00:43:39.700 --> 00:43:40.560
 what if it's not

00:43:40.560 --> 00:43:41.240
 like this?

00:43:42.300 --> 00:43:42.980
 What if it's

00:43:42.980 --> 00:43:44.200
 more like you're

00:43:44.200 --> 00:43:45.520
 hiking in an

00:43:45.520 --> 00:43:46.500
 area where the

00:43:46.500 --> 00:43:47.360
 roads are very

00:43:47.360 --> 00:43:48.040
 narrow, and you

00:43:48.040 --> 00:43:48.920
 hike up and you

00:43:48.920 --> 00:43:49.600
 see that there's,

00:43:49.700 --> 00:43:50.980
 you feel a bit of

00:43:50.980 --> 00:43:51.700
 a trevor, but it

00:43:51.700 --> 00:43:52.180
 doesn't do anything

00:43:52.180 --> 00:43:52.780
 to you, and you

00:43:52.780 --> 00:43:53.600
 look down and you

00:43:53.600 --> 00:43:54.660
 see that the

00:43:54.660 --> 00:43:55.200
 bridge has

00:43:55.200 --> 00:43:55.980
 collapsed, and you

00:43:55.980 --> 00:43:56.660
 see that it's a

00:43:56.660 --> 00:43:57.400
 straight way and the

00:43:57.400 --> 00:43:58.020
 cars are going to

00:43:58.020 --> 00:43:58.980
 go down and they're

00:43:58.980 --> 00:43:59.780
 going to come to

00:43:59.780 --> 00:44:00.300
 that edge of the

00:44:00.300 --> 00:44:00.680
 bridge and they're

00:44:00.680 --> 00:44:01.220
 going to go over

00:44:01.220 --> 00:44:01.820
 the bridge to

00:44:01.820 --> 00:44:02.800
 their death, and

00:44:02.800 --> 00:44:04.100
 so you run, you

00:44:04.100 --> 00:44:04.980
 get down the hill

00:44:04.980 --> 00:44:05.640
 as fast as you

00:44:05.640 --> 00:44:06.420
 can and you go on

00:44:06.420 --> 00:44:07.220
 the road and you

00:44:07.220 --> 00:44:08.000
 stand on the road

00:44:08.000 --> 00:44:08.880
 waving your arms

00:44:08.880 --> 00:44:09.920
 trying to get cars

00:44:09.920 --> 00:44:11.940
 to stop, because

00:44:11.940 --> 00:44:12.660
 you don't want them

00:44:12.660 --> 00:44:13.500
 to go over the edge

00:44:13.500 --> 00:44:14.140
 of the bridge to

00:44:14.140 --> 00:44:14.780
 their death.

00:44:16.120 --> 00:44:16.940
 I want to share

00:44:16.940 --> 00:44:17.820
 with you, friends,

00:44:18.460 --> 00:44:19.580
 this text is not

00:44:19.580 --> 00:44:20.539
 about yelling fire

00:44:20.539 --> 00:44:21.400
 in a crowded room,

00:44:21.539 --> 00:44:22.600
 this text is claiming

00:44:22.600 --> 00:44:23.320
 that it's real.

00:44:24.220 --> 00:44:24.920
 There is a God

00:44:24.920 --> 00:44:25.900
 that does exist,

00:44:27.019 --> 00:44:27.920
 that you and I

00:44:27.920 --> 00:44:28.700
 will be judged.

00:44:28.699 --> 00:44:32.219
 And in fact,

00:44:32.339 --> 00:44:33.339
 actually, just as if

00:44:33.339 --> 00:44:34.179
 you discovered that

00:44:34.179 --> 00:44:35.139
 there were hikers who

00:44:35.139 --> 00:44:35.939
 could have gone down

00:44:35.939 --> 00:44:36.699
 to the road and

00:44:36.699 --> 00:44:37.599
 stopped cars from

00:44:37.599 --> 00:44:39.179
 going over to their

00:44:39.179 --> 00:44:40.159
 doom, they didn't do

00:44:40.159 --> 00:44:40.659
 it, and you would

00:44:40.659 --> 00:44:41.139
 think they were

00:44:41.139 --> 00:44:42.539
 terrible, evil people,

00:44:42.619 --> 00:44:43.480
 so at the end of the

00:44:43.480 --> 00:44:44.219
 day, if there is in

00:44:44.219 --> 00:44:45.099
 fact a judgment of

00:44:45.099 --> 00:44:46.779
 God, and I as a

00:44:46.779 --> 00:44:47.839
 pastor never warned

00:44:47.839 --> 00:44:49.159
 people about it, I

00:44:49.159 --> 00:44:50.259
 would in fact be a

00:44:50.259 --> 00:44:51.439
 terrible, evil man.

00:44:51.440 --> 00:44:55.179
 Just in closing,

00:44:55.700 --> 00:44:57.460
 George, you're

00:44:57.460 --> 00:44:58.539
 talking like this as

00:44:58.539 --> 00:44:59.280
 if it's just going to

00:44:59.280 --> 00:45:00.019
 be something for

00:45:00.019 --> 00:45:00.480
 other people.

00:45:00.579 --> 00:45:01.200
 You're sort of like,

00:45:01.519 --> 00:45:02.280
 you know, Boris

00:45:02.280 --> 00:45:03.539
 Johnson in the UK

00:45:03.539 --> 00:45:05.380
 telling everybody not

00:45:05.380 --> 00:45:06.619
 to, you know, not to

00:45:06.619 --> 00:45:07.840
 see families and not

00:45:07.840 --> 00:45:08.440
 to gather.

00:45:08.639 --> 00:45:09.519
 Meanwhile, you know,

00:45:09.579 --> 00:45:10.260
 they're all having

00:45:10.260 --> 00:45:11.400
 big parties.

00:45:12.079 --> 00:45:13.340
 One rule for you,

00:45:13.559 --> 00:45:14.320
 for me, and a

00:45:14.320 --> 00:45:15.079
 different rule for

00:45:15.079 --> 00:45:16.059
 you, and you sort of

00:45:16.059 --> 00:45:17.679
 know I want to tell

00:45:17.679 --> 00:45:18.340
 you this, and I'm

00:45:18.340 --> 00:45:18.920
 going to include

00:45:18.920 --> 00:45:19.880
 Shane, I didn't warn

00:45:19.880 --> 00:45:20.619
 him about this.

00:45:20.619 --> 00:45:21.619
 Shane's the guy, the

00:45:21.619 --> 00:45:22.619
 good-looking guy who's

00:45:22.619 --> 00:45:23.400
 leading the service.

00:45:23.559 --> 00:45:24.400
 We're both ordained,

00:45:24.839 --> 00:45:25.759
 and I want to tell

00:45:25.759 --> 00:45:26.199
 you, and I know

00:45:26.199 --> 00:45:26.900
 Shane would say

00:45:26.900 --> 00:45:27.279
 amen.

00:45:32.159 --> 00:45:33.159
 There's nothing about

00:45:33.159 --> 00:45:34.179
 either Shane or me

00:45:34.179 --> 00:45:36.000
 that would mean that

00:45:36.000 --> 00:45:36.940
 God favors us.

00:45:39.279 --> 00:45:40.559
 We deserve God's

00:45:40.559 --> 00:45:40.880
 judgment.

00:45:43.759 --> 00:45:45.000
 We would not stand

00:45:45.000 --> 00:45:45.900
 in the judgment day.

00:45:46.739 --> 00:45:47.299
 Neither of us

00:45:47.299 --> 00:45:47.539
 would.

00:45:50.619 --> 00:45:51.900
 The only hope that

00:45:51.900 --> 00:45:52.799
 Shane and I have in

00:45:52.799 --> 00:45:53.619
 the judgment day

00:45:53.619 --> 00:45:57.239
 is that God came

00:45:57.239 --> 00:46:00.420
 down amidst our

00:46:00.420 --> 00:46:01.699
 human race, Emmanuel,

00:46:01.940 --> 00:46:02.699
 God with us.

00:46:03.239 --> 00:46:04.500
 And he came to be my

00:46:04.500 --> 00:46:06.559
 representative, and he

00:46:06.559 --> 00:46:07.739
 identified with me.

00:46:08.079 --> 00:46:09.219
 And he came to be my

00:46:09.219 --> 00:46:11.039
 substitute, and he came

00:46:11.039 --> 00:46:12.199
 to offer an exchange.

00:46:12.900 --> 00:46:14.599
 And the only hope that

00:46:14.599 --> 00:46:16.000
 Shane has, or I have,

00:46:16.139 --> 00:46:18.500
 on the judgment day is

00:46:18.500 --> 00:46:18.880
 Jesus.

00:46:20.659 --> 00:46:21.719
 I have no other hope

00:46:21.719 --> 00:46:22.099
 than that.

00:46:23.400 --> 00:46:24.539
 There is no other hope

00:46:24.539 --> 00:46:24.960
 than that.

00:46:26.440 --> 00:46:27.719
 There is no other hope

00:46:27.719 --> 00:46:28.139
 than that.

00:46:30.900 --> 00:46:31.980
 And those paths to

00:46:31.980 --> 00:46:34.519
 holiness, you might say,

00:46:34.579 --> 00:46:35.159
 George, I don't know,

00:46:35.199 --> 00:46:36.280
 those paths to holiness,

00:46:36.420 --> 00:46:37.059
 you sort of make them

00:46:37.059 --> 00:46:37.900
 sound good, but they're

00:46:37.900 --> 00:46:38.360
 too hard.

00:46:38.460 --> 00:46:39.280
 And let me tell you,

00:46:39.320 --> 00:46:40.079
 they are too hard.

00:46:40.219 --> 00:46:41.059
 And paths to holiness,

00:46:41.159 --> 00:46:42.039
 that's not the gospel.

00:46:42.039 --> 00:46:43.259
 The gospel is that you

00:46:43.259 --> 00:46:44.519
 have Jesus, who is your

00:46:44.519 --> 00:46:45.440
 representative, who is

00:46:45.440 --> 00:46:46.340
 identified with you

00:46:46.340 --> 00:46:47.800
 completely, who knows

00:46:47.800 --> 00:46:49.179
 you completely, who's

00:46:49.179 --> 00:46:50.679
 your substitute, your

00:46:50.679 --> 00:46:51.219
 exchange.

00:46:51.320 --> 00:46:52.300
 He dies in your place.

00:46:52.380 --> 00:46:53.320
 He offers you a

00:46:53.320 --> 00:46:54.380
 connection with God.

00:46:54.460 --> 00:46:55.340
 That's the gospel.

00:46:55.699 --> 00:46:56.880
 But I can also tell you

00:46:56.880 --> 00:46:57.779
 this, that it's God's

00:46:57.779 --> 00:46:58.840
 intention that there are

00:46:58.840 --> 00:47:00.259
 paths to holiness, and

00:47:00.259 --> 00:47:01.000
 there are paths to

00:47:01.000 --> 00:47:01.300
 holiness.

00:47:01.460 --> 00:47:02.559
 One path is a path of

00:47:02.559 --> 00:47:02.940
 singleness.

00:47:03.099 --> 00:47:04.480
 The other was a path for

00:47:04.480 --> 00:47:06.079
 a season of marriage.

00:47:06.320 --> 00:47:09.159
 And with Christ, you don't

00:47:09.159 --> 00:47:10.059
 walk it alone.

00:47:13.079 --> 00:47:14.500
 There's a presence on the

00:47:14.500 --> 00:47:14.960
 path.

00:47:16.159 --> 00:47:17.359
 And there's the hope and

00:47:17.359 --> 00:47:18.619
 promise at the end.

00:47:19.679 --> 00:47:22.339
 And it's all a gift from

00:47:22.339 --> 00:47:22.879
 our Savior.

00:47:24.319 --> 00:47:25.259
 I'm going to invite you to

00:47:25.259 --> 00:47:25.639
 stand.

00:47:29.359 --> 00:47:34.139
 As we draw to a close, if

00:47:34.139 --> 00:47:35.440
 you are here or if you are

00:47:35.440 --> 00:47:37.980
 watching and you have never

00:47:37.980 --> 00:47:39.260
 given your life to Christ,

00:47:39.380 --> 00:47:40.260
 there is no better time

00:47:40.260 --> 00:47:41.240
 than now to give your life

00:47:41.240 --> 00:47:41.740
 to Christ.

00:47:42.780 --> 00:47:44.199
 There's no better time than

00:47:44.199 --> 00:47:48.079
 to say to Jesus,

00:47:53.900 --> 00:47:55.320
 I have never really thought

00:47:55.320 --> 00:47:56.780
 before that I will one day

00:47:56.780 --> 00:47:58.179
 appear before you in the

00:47:58.179 --> 00:47:59.820
 story of Sodom and Gomorrah as

00:47:59.820 --> 00:48:01.360
 a foretaste of God's judgment

00:48:01.360 --> 00:48:02.639
 of all human beings.

00:48:02.639 --> 00:48:07.139
 God, I know that I can't

00:48:07.139 --> 00:48:08.699
 stand before you in judgment.

00:48:10.379 --> 00:48:11.679
 I know that I need your

00:48:11.679 --> 00:48:12.079
 mercy.

00:48:13.359 --> 00:48:16.440
 And I thank you, Father, that

00:48:16.440 --> 00:48:18.000
 you have provided mercy in the

00:48:18.000 --> 00:48:18.900
 person of your Son.

00:48:20.960 --> 00:48:24.539
 And I ask, Father, that Jesus

00:48:24.539 --> 00:48:27.019
 would be my Savior and my

00:48:27.019 --> 00:48:27.299
 Lord.

00:48:27.300 --> 00:48:32.860
 Lord, I give myself to him and

00:48:32.860 --> 00:48:35.480
 I ask that he would take me and

00:48:35.480 --> 00:48:36.620
 that he would never let me go.

00:48:39.300 --> 00:48:40.480
 And I thank you for your

00:48:40.480 --> 00:48:43.019
 promise that he will take me and

00:48:43.019 --> 00:48:44.060
 he will never let me go.

00:48:46.780 --> 00:48:49.340
 And for us who are Christians, it's

00:48:49.340 --> 00:48:50.360
 a time to recommit.

00:48:51.620 --> 00:48:52.980
 Not that we should spend all of

00:48:52.980 --> 00:48:55.140
 our time thinking about just the

00:48:55.139 --> 00:48:56.900
 last judgment or hell, but it is

00:48:56.900 --> 00:48:59.339
 an important real truth about

00:48:59.339 --> 00:49:00.159
 the real world.

00:49:00.960 --> 00:49:02.579
 And it's so wonderful that we

00:49:02.579 --> 00:49:04.779
 can remember this on a day when

00:49:04.779 --> 00:49:06.139
 we will receive the Lord's

00:49:06.139 --> 00:49:07.579
 Supper, where we are reminded

00:49:07.579 --> 00:49:09.879
 that Jesus' death upon the

00:49:09.879 --> 00:49:11.440
 cross was inaugurating a new

00:49:11.440 --> 00:49:11.819
 covenant.

00:49:13.440 --> 00:49:15.819
 To remember his blood shed and

00:49:15.819 --> 00:49:17.839
 his body pierced and dying.

00:49:19.159 --> 00:49:20.440
 And that we can receive him as

00:49:20.440 --> 00:49:21.420
 our Savior and Lord.

00:49:21.659 --> 00:49:22.920
 And the Lord's Supper is not

00:49:22.920 --> 00:49:24.159
 only a time to receive more

00:49:24.159 --> 00:49:25.819
 grace from him, but to recommit

00:49:25.819 --> 00:49:26.299
 to him.

00:49:27.960 --> 00:49:29.819
 And to remember that he will

00:49:29.819 --> 00:49:31.399
 never let us go or forsake us.

00:49:31.599 --> 00:49:32.440
 That he is our Savior.

00:49:34.219 --> 00:49:35.739
 And asking him to be our Lord.

00:49:36.960 --> 00:49:37.899
 Let's bow our heads in prayer.

00:49:39.319 --> 00:49:40.279
 Father, I ask that you would

00:49:40.279 --> 00:49:41.679
 gently but powerfully pour out

00:49:41.679 --> 00:49:42.879
 the Holy Spirit upon us.

00:49:42.980 --> 00:49:44.199
 We have looked at things which

00:49:44.199 --> 00:49:46.199
 are hard for us to look at, that

00:49:46.199 --> 00:49:47.839
 our mind and our heart rebels at.

00:49:48.460 --> 00:49:50.460
 But Father, we can see in this that

00:49:50.460 --> 00:49:52.099
 you are reminding us of what the

00:49:52.099 --> 00:49:53.339
 real world is like.

00:49:53.500 --> 00:49:55.099
 That you are in fact God.

00:49:55.219 --> 00:49:56.460
 That you are in fact Lord.

00:49:56.619 --> 00:49:57.659
 That there is a justice.

00:49:58.239 --> 00:50:00.319
 There is a day when we will be

00:50:00.319 --> 00:50:00.799
 judged.

00:50:01.059 --> 00:50:02.139
 And there is a judgment.

00:50:02.400 --> 00:50:03.960
 And that our only hope is Christ.

00:50:04.699 --> 00:50:06.380
 And that people need to know

00:50:06.380 --> 00:50:06.920
 Christ.

00:50:07.079 --> 00:50:08.339
 They need to have him as their

00:50:08.339 --> 00:50:09.420
 Savior and their Lord.

00:50:10.139 --> 00:50:11.420
 And Father, that you have not

00:50:11.420 --> 00:50:13.239
 called us to hate people, but you

00:50:13.239 --> 00:50:14.659
 have called us, Father, to have

00:50:14.659 --> 00:50:15.400
 compassion.

00:50:16.940 --> 00:50:18.019
 And intercede.

00:50:18.019 --> 00:50:20.900
 And we ask, Father, that you would

00:50:20.900 --> 00:50:22.199
 make us a congregation.

00:50:22.480 --> 00:50:25.139
 Father, a congregation which shows

00:50:25.139 --> 00:50:27.280
 forth your holiness, your beauty,

00:50:27.519 --> 00:50:29.000
 your justice, your love, your

00:50:29.000 --> 00:50:30.420
 compassion, your mercy, your

00:50:30.420 --> 00:50:32.900
 kindness, and your intercession for

00:50:32.900 --> 00:50:33.259
 others.

00:50:33.699 --> 00:50:35.360
 And that you would help us to put to

00:50:35.360 --> 00:50:38.079
 death all self-righteousness and

00:50:38.079 --> 00:50:39.719
 instead make us people who are

00:50:39.719 --> 00:50:42.119
 gripped by what Christ has done for

00:50:42.119 --> 00:50:42.960
 us in the gospel.

00:50:43.139 --> 00:50:44.719
 And that that will be the basis by

00:50:44.719 --> 00:50:46.079
 which we see the world.

00:50:46.079 --> 00:50:49.279
 And that as your gospel becomes

00:50:49.279 --> 00:50:52.039
 more dear to our heart, that we

00:50:52.039 --> 00:50:53.360
 are shaped for compassion.

00:50:53.860 --> 00:50:55.299
 We are shaped for mercy.

00:50:56.719 --> 00:50:58.360
 And so, Father, we ask that you

00:50:58.360 --> 00:50:59.799
 would do this wonderful ongoing

00:50:59.799 --> 00:51:00.840
 work in our lives.

00:51:01.219 --> 00:51:02.599
 And we ask this in the name of

00:51:02.599 --> 00:51:05.119
 Jesus, your Son and our Savior, and

00:51:05.119 --> 00:51:07.440
 all God's people said, Amen.