WEBVTT 00:00:00.260 --> 00:00:01.679 Good evening, everyone. 00:00:03.180 --> 00:00:07.040 I cannot tell you how glad I am to be here together. 00:00:08.500 --> 00:00:10.700 I don't know if you noticed, but it's been a tough week. 00:00:12.660 --> 00:00:14.060 It's been a long week. 00:00:15.839 --> 00:00:20.120 Frankly, I can't imagine any place I would rather be than here. 00:00:20.199 --> 00:00:22.339 I wish we could have done this on Wednesday. 00:00:23.559 --> 00:00:28.260 If we had a space to meet in, we might have done just this. 00:00:28.260 --> 00:00:32.000 But by God's grace, we're here, so I'm happy to be here. 00:00:32.780 --> 00:00:37.660 I think no matter who you voted for, what your relationship was with the candidates, 00:00:37.880 --> 00:00:39.960 whether you abstained from the whole thing completely, 00:00:40.340 --> 00:00:45.760 I do think that we can all agree it's safe to say that this has been a traumatizing election for everybody. 00:00:46.760 --> 00:00:51.620 I have a friend named Greg Thompson who said that in this election, everybody lost. 00:00:52.600 --> 00:00:56.140 And I think that most of us would agree on some level with that. 00:00:56.140 --> 00:01:00.219 But there's a lot of commentary out there on what has happened. 00:01:01.020 --> 00:01:05.379 And so our interest tonight is not actually to add more commentary. 00:01:06.200 --> 00:01:07.599 There's some good, some bad. 00:01:07.659 --> 00:01:12.319 I'll leave it to you to decide and to read all of that for yourselves as much as you can handle. 00:01:12.879 --> 00:01:20.260 But we just sang earlier together that the light of the Lord and the word of the Lord would lead us. 00:01:20.579 --> 00:01:22.340 Lead us on by the light of your word. 00:01:22.340 --> 00:01:30.420 And then we prayed together that we would be able to, by God's grace, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest God's word. 00:01:30.500 --> 00:01:32.439 And so that's actually why we're here. 00:01:33.079 --> 00:01:34.840 It's to look to the word of God together. 00:01:35.380 --> 00:01:39.040 I want to say at the outset, I actually think that as hard as this time has been, 00:01:39.280 --> 00:01:41.640 I see a tremendous opportunity for the church. 00:01:41.640 --> 00:01:49.680 Right now in our country, in this particular moment, there is a tremendous open door opportunity for the church. 00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:54.840 And so it's very important for those of us here who are part of this church, Church of the Advent, 00:01:55.640 --> 00:02:00.180 but for the church as a whole to really seriously ask together, 00:02:00.700 --> 00:02:04.260 what does the way forward look like for the church in this country? 00:02:04.260 --> 00:02:12.060 What does it mean to be a Christian who has a faithful missionary presence in our culture moving forward? 00:02:12.140 --> 00:02:16.020 Because I believe that something has changed. 00:02:17.159 --> 00:02:19.200 And so this is the question we're going to ask. 00:02:19.379 --> 00:02:20.960 And so we're going to turn to Scripture. 00:02:21.580 --> 00:02:24.140 And, you know, we've already been in the book of Daniel. 00:02:24.240 --> 00:02:28.240 And, of course, this past week, I thought and I prayed and I asked the Lord, 00:02:28.240 --> 00:02:30.300 so what's going to happen this Sunday? 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:34.240 And we have this plan and we don't want to be an issue-driven church. 00:02:34.340 --> 00:02:39.000 We want to stick to the plan that we lay out months in advance in terms of preaching. 00:02:39.379 --> 00:02:42.700 And we don't want to be sidelined too often by current events. 00:02:43.820 --> 00:02:48.000 And as I looked at this plan that we laid out long before we knew how things were going to play out, 00:02:48.480 --> 00:02:54.100 I really can't imagine a better place to turn in Scripture than the passage that we have planned for tonight, 00:02:54.219 --> 00:02:55.480 which is Daniel chapter 9. 00:02:55.479 --> 00:02:58.759 Daniel is actually an incredibly relevant book. 00:02:58.840 --> 00:03:03.120 And chapter 9, I think, is incredibly relevant for this particular moment in time. 00:03:03.879 --> 00:03:08.579 Daniel, for those of you who don't know, is someone who's living in the 6th century B.C. 00:03:08.659 --> 00:03:14.959 He's living in exile in a country, Babylon, that is responsible for wiping out his homeland. 00:03:15.579 --> 00:03:18.539 And he's living there as a stranger and as an alien. 00:03:19.780 --> 00:03:24.479 I think many Christians in our country maybe have lost sight of the fact that we are still exiles. 00:03:24.479 --> 00:03:25.139 Still aliens. 00:03:25.340 --> 00:03:26.319 Still aliens. 00:03:26.799 --> 00:03:28.819 That this country is not the promised land. 00:03:30.399 --> 00:03:32.099 And so Daniel's in exile. 00:03:32.399 --> 00:03:35.719 In chapter 9, there's also just been a regime change. 00:03:36.719 --> 00:03:38.759 So that's also fairly relevant, right? 00:03:39.019 --> 00:03:44.599 It used to be the Babylonian administration under Belshazzar and he's no more. 00:03:44.799 --> 00:03:48.539 And now the Persian administration has taken over under the leadership of Darius. 00:03:48.539 --> 00:03:52.879 So it's the first year of a new leader elect. 00:03:53.060 --> 00:03:56.959 Or rather, leader via conquest and murder. 00:03:57.479 --> 00:03:59.299 But this new leader is on the throne. 00:03:59.819 --> 00:04:02.000 And Daniel, by this point in his life, is older. 00:04:02.139 --> 00:04:07.639 He's been working under various administrations in a high-level government-appointed position. 00:04:07.639 --> 00:04:18.199 And as wicked as some of you might think Donald Trump is, as much as we may complain about a man like that, 00:04:18.360 --> 00:04:22.639 he's nothing compared to some of the leaders under whom Daniel has served. 00:04:22.740 --> 00:04:26.219 People who truly murdered and killed tens of thousands of people. 00:04:26.959 --> 00:04:29.659 And yet Daniel has been able to survive and remain faithful. 00:04:29.660 --> 00:04:38.080 And so in chapter 9, what we see is Daniel really giving us a vision for what I believe is the way forward for the church in our country. 00:04:39.160 --> 00:04:42.540 This is not an exhaustive vision, but what we see in Daniel chapter 9, 00:04:42.860 --> 00:04:48.120 Daniel shows us two things that I think must be central for the church moving forward. 00:04:48.240 --> 00:04:49.080 Two characteristics. 00:04:50.260 --> 00:04:54.940 He is thoughtfully biblical and he is prayerfully repentant. 00:04:54.939 --> 00:05:04.040 In fact, as we'll see in a few moments, he actually goes to his knees and repents on behalf of the entire nation of Israel. 00:05:04.939 --> 00:05:06.699 I can't think of anything more appropriate. 00:05:08.339 --> 00:05:10.279 So one last note before we get started. 00:05:10.959 --> 00:05:17.019 As I said, our interest is not in offering additional commentary to be taken into consideration. 00:05:17.439 --> 00:05:21.699 I encourage those of us here tonight who are Christians to understand that we're not here, 00:05:21.699 --> 00:05:27.959 especially this week, we're not here to hear the opinions of a straight, white, male Christian. 00:05:28.659 --> 00:05:30.539 I don't think that's going to lead us anywhere helpful. 00:05:31.099 --> 00:05:33.500 We are here to put ourselves under the word of God. 00:05:34.599 --> 00:05:38.199 And to consider whether or not this is the way God is calling us to go. 00:05:38.819 --> 00:05:39.579 So with that, I'll pray. 00:05:40.939 --> 00:05:42.579 Father, we thank you for your word. 00:05:42.740 --> 00:05:45.000 We thank you for the words that we sang together. 00:05:45.139 --> 00:05:46.779 That it is a light that leads us. 00:05:46.839 --> 00:05:48.539 And Lord, now we need you to lead us. 00:05:49.000 --> 00:05:50.699 And so we ask by your mercy that you would. 00:05:50.699 --> 00:05:54.000 We pray this in the power of your spirit, in the name of your son Jesus. 00:05:54.579 --> 00:05:54.899 Amen. 00:05:56.300 --> 00:06:00.620 So the first thing we see is that Daniel is thoughtfully biblical. 00:06:00.819 --> 00:06:02.000 And I want to unpack that. 00:06:02.060 --> 00:06:09.379 In the first couple of verses, the first thing we see Daniel doing is he is reading and he is studying scripture. 00:06:10.699 --> 00:06:13.480 In particular, he's reading the words of the prophet Jeremiah. 00:06:14.219 --> 00:06:17.459 And he actually refers to this as the word of the Lord. 00:06:17.459 --> 00:06:22.539 So the idea that scripture is divinely inspired is not something that Christians later invented. 00:06:22.719 --> 00:06:26.939 This is something that Daniel understood in the 6th century BC. 00:06:27.259 --> 00:06:28.739 And he's not only studying it. 00:06:28.879 --> 00:06:32.519 He's actually carefully and thoughtfully applying it to his life. 00:06:33.740 --> 00:06:35.799 He's using it to orient himself. 00:06:36.019 --> 00:06:36.139 Right? 00:06:36.139 --> 00:06:38.639 So a pastor I love, John Stott, recently passed away. 00:06:38.719 --> 00:06:43.019 But he used to say that we need to live life with the Bible in one hand and a copy of the New York Times in the other. 00:06:43.279 --> 00:06:47.219 And what he meant by that is that we constantly need to be looking at the world around us. 00:06:47.360 --> 00:06:48.659 And we need to be looking at scripture. 00:06:48.979 --> 00:06:51.800 And scripture is what enables us to orient ourselves. 00:06:52.439 --> 00:06:56.079 And to make sense of events as they are unfolding. 00:06:56.079 --> 00:06:59.439 And so that's exactly what Daniel is doing. 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:03.680 And actually what you see is that Jesus did the very same thing in his earthly ministry. 00:07:04.039 --> 00:07:08.639 You can scarcely find a page in the gospels where Jesus is not quoting scripture. 00:07:08.959 --> 00:07:12.599 If you want to understand this, you have to understand what's in this book. 00:07:12.740 --> 00:07:15.659 If you want to understand this, you have to understand God's word. 00:07:16.099 --> 00:07:18.500 And then in fact you see the apostles doing the same thing. 00:07:18.560 --> 00:07:20.819 If you want to understand the early church. 00:07:21.159 --> 00:07:24.459 If you want to understand where we've come from, where we are and where we're going. 00:07:24.459 --> 00:07:26.459 You have to understand God's word. 00:07:27.319 --> 00:07:31.319 So what we see in these examples is that scripture is our true north. 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:33.019 It's the plumb line. 00:07:33.399 --> 00:07:34.219 It's the map. 00:07:34.680 --> 00:07:35.859 It's the compass. 00:07:37.259 --> 00:07:37.599 Right? 00:07:37.799 --> 00:07:43.219 Through stories and poetry and liturgy and historical narrative and all the various genres you find in scripture. 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:46.459 There is a story that orients us. 00:07:47.240 --> 00:07:49.519 Where we've come from, where we are and where we're going. 00:07:49.519 --> 00:07:56.919 One of the ways I believe that the church has gone off the rails. 00:07:57.699 --> 00:08:00.539 One of the ways I think that things have gone wrong. 00:08:01.439 --> 00:08:02.680 Particularly in this country. 00:08:04.019 --> 00:08:08.419 Is that we are no longer as the church oriented by scripture. 00:08:09.419 --> 00:08:13.779 Scripture has assumed a more and more and more peripheral role in the life of most Christians. 00:08:13.779 --> 00:08:18.559 Now I know that some people hear that and they say, well, yeah, obviously that's true of liberals. 00:08:18.839 --> 00:08:22.159 You know, liberals, they totally disregard scripture. 00:08:22.279 --> 00:08:22.939 They hate scripture. 00:08:23.159 --> 00:08:24.319 But what about conservatives? 00:08:24.619 --> 00:08:26.199 What about conservative evangelicals? 00:08:26.359 --> 00:08:27.619 Aren't they the ones who love scripture? 00:08:29.339 --> 00:08:31.759 What's interesting when you look at the research that's out there. 00:08:33.240 --> 00:08:35.620 I mean research would say on the one hand, yes, you're right. 00:08:35.720 --> 00:08:41.240 Most liberal Christians tend to take liberties in revising scripture. 00:08:41.379 --> 00:08:42.139 Yeah, that may be true. 00:08:42.139 --> 00:08:48.419 But they say if you look at the evangelical conservatives, they may revere scripture. 00:08:49.139 --> 00:08:50.639 But they sure as heck don't read it. 00:08:52.039 --> 00:08:55.600 And in fact, the research is a study that came out from Gallup last year. 00:08:56.039 --> 00:09:02.199 That concluded that the majority of evangelical Christians in our country are biblically illiterate. 00:09:03.360 --> 00:09:04.439 Biblically illiterate. 00:09:05.480 --> 00:09:08.519 So the problem is, without scripture to orient us. 00:09:08.519 --> 00:09:12.960 If we are, in fact, and I know that many of us don't claim the word evangelical. 00:09:13.179 --> 00:09:18.120 But for research purposes, that's the most relevant sort of demographic category, right? 00:09:18.220 --> 00:09:20.319 But take that label with a grain of salt. 00:09:20.399 --> 00:09:23.480 I'm not necessarily assuming anything about how you label yourself. 00:09:24.279 --> 00:09:31.659 But if this is true, the problem is that without scripture to orient us, our faith inevitably begins to veer off. 00:09:31.659 --> 00:09:36.639 It inevitably begins to veer either to the right or to the left. 00:09:36.759 --> 00:09:39.559 It becomes more and more and more distorted. 00:09:40.179 --> 00:09:45.919 It's like trying to navigate a ship without any stars, without any map, without any compass. 00:09:46.000 --> 00:09:46.579 What's going to happen? 00:09:46.779 --> 00:09:49.860 The currents eventually are going to pull you off course. 00:09:49.860 --> 00:09:58.539 And before you know it, you'll be sailing along, not in the direction you were meant to go, but in the direction that the currents are pulling you. 00:10:00.419 --> 00:10:00.759 Right? 00:10:00.860 --> 00:10:07.159 So biblical illiteracy affects people on the conservative and the liberal sides of this issue. 00:10:07.220 --> 00:10:08.340 In other words, it affects everybody. 00:10:08.560 --> 00:10:08.740 Right? 00:10:08.740 --> 00:10:25.639 So on the one hand, biblical illiteracy is one of the main reasons that a huge number of people in our country who call themselves Christians actually subscribe to something when you look at their beliefs called moralistic therapeutic deism. 00:10:27.320 --> 00:10:33.680 Moralistic, believing that life is really about just being a good person, living out the golden rule, being nice to other people. 00:10:33.679 --> 00:10:41.139 Therapeutic, God's main job is to make sure I'm happy, have what I need, feel good about myself. 00:10:42.759 --> 00:10:47.559 Deism, other than that, God's really not particularly involved in my personal life. 00:10:47.639 --> 00:10:50.679 He kind of minds his own business, and I mind my own business. 00:10:51.319 --> 00:10:52.679 So moralistic therapeutic deism. 00:10:53.899 --> 00:10:59.699 And so you need to think about that if there are a lot of people out there who think that Christianity is about that. 00:11:00.659 --> 00:11:01.599 You know, what's Christianity about? 00:11:01.600 --> 00:11:03.779 Well, being a good person, everybody goes to heaven. 00:11:04.100 --> 00:11:07.800 God just wants to make sure I have what I need and that I'm happy and that I'm not lonely. 00:11:08.340 --> 00:11:11.440 And other than that, sort of, you know, the rest is kind of in the details. 00:11:12.840 --> 00:11:13.019 Right? 00:11:13.139 --> 00:11:18.879 Then issues like the uniqueness of Jesus Christ. 00:11:19.300 --> 00:11:22.480 Issues like is truth relative? 00:11:23.180 --> 00:11:25.100 You know, do all roads lead to the same place? 00:11:25.600 --> 00:11:25.800 Right? 00:11:26.100 --> 00:11:28.879 Issues like gay marriage, which are very controversial. 00:11:28.879 --> 00:11:32.820 If that's your worldview, moralistic therapeutic deism, those things are not controversial. 00:11:33.960 --> 00:11:34.100 Right? 00:11:34.159 --> 00:11:37.080 They make perfect sense if that's what Christianity is about. 00:11:37.139 --> 00:11:38.059 They make perfect sense. 00:11:39.100 --> 00:11:46.879 But on the other end, and this is a point I really want to make, we also see biblical illiteracy playing out among more conservative types. 00:11:47.740 --> 00:11:47.860 Right? 00:11:47.860 --> 00:11:55.120 Biblical illiteracy also results in conservatives veering off into intense nationalism. 00:11:56.700 --> 00:11:57.159 Right? 00:11:57.860 --> 00:12:02.100 Justifying xenophobia on lots of different levels. 00:12:02.320 --> 00:12:02.440 Right? 00:12:02.879 --> 00:12:10.139 Coming to the place where your religion and your politics begin to merge and become confused and ultimately fuse into one. 00:12:10.659 --> 00:12:13.180 Politics and religion become the same thing. 00:12:13.179 --> 00:12:14.179 Right? 00:12:15.399 --> 00:12:25.500 So 82% of Americans, according to one survey, 82% of Americans believe that there is a verse in the Bible that says God helps those who help themselves. 00:12:27.299 --> 00:12:27.699 82%. 00:12:27.699 --> 00:12:29.039 Right? 00:12:29.120 --> 00:12:33.019 So if you think that that's what Christianity is all about, and that's what the Bible teaches, 00:12:33.019 --> 00:12:38.519 it's easy to see how many Christians would reject the idea of privilege. 00:12:39.139 --> 00:12:48.659 Or reject the idea that they may be as white, that we as white Christians may have more privilege than people of other races and ethnicities. 00:12:48.759 --> 00:12:48.919 Right? 00:12:49.360 --> 00:12:51.519 Because God helps those who help themselves. 00:12:51.779 --> 00:12:52.779 You just need to work harder. 00:12:53.960 --> 00:12:54.919 That's what the Bible teaches. 00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:56.360 Right? 00:12:56.360 --> 00:13:05.860 A good number of people in our country, Christians, still believe that America was founded and continues to be a Christian nation. 00:13:06.980 --> 00:13:07.419 Right? 00:13:07.500 --> 00:13:10.620 The Bible never teaches anything remotely like that. 00:13:11.379 --> 00:13:13.180 As it applies to the United States. 00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:14.919 And yet a majority of people think that. 00:13:15.200 --> 00:13:19.820 Well see, if you think that that's what Christianity is all about, it's easy to justify keeping all the Muslims out. 00:13:20.980 --> 00:13:22.220 Because this is a Christian nation. 00:13:22.220 --> 00:13:27.540 You can begin to see how this becomes a self-justifying cycle. 00:13:27.860 --> 00:13:27.960 Right? 00:13:29.240 --> 00:13:34.740 So the less we orient our faith by Scripture, the more distorted and misguided our faith will become. 00:13:34.800 --> 00:13:39.399 It begins to veer off course until it's no longer recognizable as Christianity. 00:13:40.300 --> 00:13:45.920 And so as we look ahead, as we ask, what does it look like for the church to move forward in this culture? 00:13:46.600 --> 00:13:49.779 We have to commit ourselves to being thoughtfully biblical. 00:13:49.779 --> 00:13:53.779 And I want to unpack what I mean by thoughtfully biblical. 00:13:53.959 --> 00:13:56.720 What that means is that we're not just reading the Bible. 00:13:56.879 --> 00:13:58.480 We're not just memorizing it. 00:13:58.559 --> 00:13:59.679 We're not just proof texting. 00:14:00.019 --> 00:14:06.679 But we're putting in the time and the energy and the hard work to actually understand what it's saying and how to apply it. 00:14:07.980 --> 00:14:08.199 Right? 00:14:08.279 --> 00:14:12.019 So a few years back, you may be familiar with Nicholas Kristof, columnist in the New York Times. 00:14:12.539 --> 00:14:14.399 And I'm not sure where he is spiritually. 00:14:14.500 --> 00:14:15.179 He's not a Christian. 00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:18.339 But I wonder sometimes if he's kind of on a spiritual journey. 00:14:18.340 --> 00:14:21.600 But he occasionally writes pieces about Christians. 00:14:22.320 --> 00:14:23.139 And they're not negative. 00:14:23.259 --> 00:14:26.960 They're actually and sometimes really defending even conservative Christians. 00:14:27.620 --> 00:14:31.720 And he wrote a piece a few years ago where he's trying to make sense of the fact that he says, 00:14:32.019 --> 00:14:35.840 You know, I have all of these conservative, theologically conservative Christians. 00:14:36.120 --> 00:14:39.660 And yet I have some of these conservative Christians who really do seem homophobic. 00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:42.220 They really do seem motivated by hate. 00:14:42.920 --> 00:14:46.120 They get behind policies that I can't even begin to fathom. 00:14:46.120 --> 00:14:48.779 How do I make sense of that? 00:14:48.980 --> 00:14:50.820 Because when I look over here, he says, 00:14:51.259 --> 00:14:55.899 At the same time, everywhere I go in all of my reporting to the ends of the earth, 00:14:56.460 --> 00:15:01.299 You know, whether it's reporting on malaria or violence against women and female genital mutilation 00:15:01.299 --> 00:15:05.899 Or ending human sex trafficking or any of these issues, 00:15:06.039 --> 00:15:11.399 He says, everywhere I go, sometimes the only people who are there are conservative Christians. 00:15:11.700 --> 00:15:13.120 Theologically conservative evangelicals. 00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:15.220 And he says, how do I make sense? 00:15:15.679 --> 00:15:16.639 What's the difference? 00:15:17.679 --> 00:15:22.379 And he begins to wonder if it doesn't have to do with thoughtful engagement of scripture. 00:15:22.600 --> 00:15:25.100 And he actually makes this point that I never realized before. 00:15:25.919 --> 00:15:26.779 So I'll quote him. 00:15:26.840 --> 00:15:27.100 He says, 00:15:27.159 --> 00:15:32.899 Centuries ago, serious religious study was extraordinarily demanding and rigorous. 00:15:33.940 --> 00:15:37.680 In contrast, anyone could declare himself a scientist. 00:15:37.679 --> 00:15:41.079 And they could go into business of, say, alchemy. 00:15:42.219 --> 00:15:44.259 And then he says, these days it's the reverse. 00:15:44.799 --> 00:15:47.299 A PhD in chemistry is a rigorous degree. 00:15:47.539 --> 00:15:52.000 While a preacher can explain the Bible on television without mastering Hebrew or Greek 00:15:52.000 --> 00:15:55.899 Or even showing interest in the nuances of the original text. 00:15:55.899 --> 00:15:59.740 So he's saying there's a difference. 00:16:00.279 --> 00:16:00.379 Right? 00:16:00.459 --> 00:16:02.299 So the implication of what he's saying is this. 00:16:02.459 --> 00:16:08.159 That thoughtful engagement with scripture produces thoughtfully engaged Christians. 00:16:10.120 --> 00:16:12.059 Thoughtfully engaged Christians. 00:16:13.519 --> 00:16:16.139 So the more thoughtfully biblical we are, 00:16:16.600 --> 00:16:20.259 The less we will fit into any of the labels that are out there. 00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:21.600 Right? 00:16:21.720 --> 00:16:23.579 We're not going to simply be conservative. 00:16:23.580 --> 00:16:25.360 We're not simply going to be liberal. 00:16:25.520 --> 00:16:28.639 We're not simply going to be progressive or traditionalist. 00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:30.600 We're not going to fit into any category. 00:16:30.720 --> 00:16:37.160 Because if you, you can proof text and cherry pick a verse here or there to support a conservative position. 00:16:37.520 --> 00:16:38.680 Or a liberal position. 00:16:39.139 --> 00:16:41.980 But if you begin to take the whole of scripture into account. 00:16:42.540 --> 00:16:45.040 What you will find is that it does not fit. 00:16:45.560 --> 00:16:47.920 It resembles some things about liberals. 00:16:48.040 --> 00:16:49.360 And some things about conservatives. 00:16:49.560 --> 00:16:50.740 And sometimes progressive. 00:16:50.879 --> 00:16:52.379 And sometimes it's more traditional. 00:16:52.379 --> 00:16:53.700 It resembles these things. 00:16:53.939 --> 00:16:55.840 And yet it transcends all of them. 00:16:55.939 --> 00:16:57.240 It's bigger than any label. 00:16:58.419 --> 00:16:59.960 And you say, well how do you know that? 00:17:00.879 --> 00:17:03.379 And I would say because that's exactly what we see in Jesus Christ. 00:17:04.900 --> 00:17:07.319 Try to look at his entire earthly ministry. 00:17:08.099 --> 00:17:09.240 And try to label it. 00:17:09.880 --> 00:17:11.099 Try to fit it into a box. 00:17:11.859 --> 00:17:13.519 I guarantee you, you won't be able to do it. 00:17:14.559 --> 00:17:15.460 It's too big. 00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:17.319 You can't label it. 00:17:17.319 --> 00:17:22.480 And this is the reality of what it means to be thoughtfully biblical. 00:17:22.879 --> 00:17:23.039 Right? 00:17:23.439 --> 00:17:26.139 Because the truth is, is that culture is constantly shifting. 00:17:27.539 --> 00:17:31.939 But if God's word does remain the same, then the world will be moving around us. 00:17:32.659 --> 00:17:34.859 I don't know if anybody knows this about Australia. 00:17:34.859 --> 00:17:42.519 But recently there, it was in the news that the whole Australian GPS system needs to be updated. 00:17:43.299 --> 00:17:46.079 So the last time it was updated is in like the mid-90s. 00:17:46.839 --> 00:17:52.839 And since then, because of plate tectonics, the entire continent has shifted five feet. 00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:55.599 Now you think that's not a big deal. 00:17:55.899 --> 00:18:00.879 But the next time you're in an Australian driverless car, that will be a huge deal. 00:18:01.539 --> 00:18:03.059 Five feet makes a big difference. 00:18:03.059 --> 00:18:05.779 And so they have to update everything. 00:18:05.879 --> 00:18:06.440 Now what happened? 00:18:06.599 --> 00:18:12.179 Well, they laid out their GPS coordinates as a land-based system. 00:18:13.059 --> 00:18:13.179 Right? 00:18:13.299 --> 00:18:14.480 Fixed points on the land. 00:18:14.879 --> 00:18:18.539 Instead of using the satellite coordinates that are universal. 00:18:19.339 --> 00:18:19.519 Right? 00:18:19.740 --> 00:18:21.539 The satellite coordinates are fixed coordinates. 00:18:21.679 --> 00:18:22.299 They don't change. 00:18:22.539 --> 00:18:24.279 They're universal and they apply to everywhere. 00:18:25.179 --> 00:18:27.019 But the fixed land coordinates don't. 00:18:28.619 --> 00:18:30.799 So you see the analogy here. 00:18:32.279 --> 00:18:32.799 Right? 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:34.720 If you hold on to a fixed coordinate. 00:18:35.220 --> 00:18:37.200 Not in reference to what's right around you. 00:18:37.259 --> 00:18:41.680 But in reference to this universal authoritative set of coordinates. 00:18:41.919 --> 00:18:43.039 If you hold on to that coordinate. 00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:46.500 Literally over time the land is going to shift under your feet. 00:18:47.359 --> 00:18:47.759 Right? 00:18:48.559 --> 00:18:51.980 And one time stuff's going to be to the left of you. 00:18:52.559 --> 00:18:57.059 But then if enough time passes it's going to shift so much that that stuff is on the right of you. 00:18:57.819 --> 00:18:59.359 Literally the ground shifts under your feet. 00:18:59.359 --> 00:19:04.000 And this is what you see in Christianity as culture shifts under our feet. 00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:06.259 You may not be able to imagine it. 00:19:06.299 --> 00:19:12.579 But there was a time when the Christian view of sexuality was incredibly progressive and liberating. 00:19:13.680 --> 00:19:17.359 When the Christian approach to women and the role of women was incredibly liberal. 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:19.480 Nobody had ever said or done anything like that. 00:19:19.700 --> 00:19:26.799 When the Christian approach to slaves and eunuchs and children who had been left on hillsides to die as infants. 00:19:26.960 --> 00:19:27.099 Right? 00:19:27.619 --> 00:19:28.019 Orphans. 00:19:28.379 --> 00:19:28.500 Right? 00:19:28.719 --> 00:19:32.219 The Christian approach to all of these things was incredibly liberal. 00:19:32.379 --> 00:19:33.159 Incredibly progressive. 00:19:33.480 --> 00:19:34.959 And now many of these same things. 00:19:35.039 --> 00:19:35.199 What? 00:19:35.319 --> 00:19:36.399 The ground has shifted. 00:19:37.179 --> 00:19:38.339 And now they look conservative. 00:19:38.619 --> 00:19:39.619 And now they look traditional. 00:19:40.119 --> 00:19:41.459 It will not stay that way. 00:19:42.859 --> 00:19:44.539 Because the ground is always moving. 00:19:45.059 --> 00:19:46.759 If you're holding on to a fixed point. 00:19:47.839 --> 00:19:48.279 Right? 00:19:48.339 --> 00:19:51.759 So our country needs a church that is thoughtfully biblical. 00:19:51.759 --> 00:19:55.339 And rooted in something deeper than the last two or three hundred years. 00:19:56.839 --> 00:19:58.160 Something that will not move. 00:19:58.279 --> 00:20:01.879 Something that will hold firm as everything else shifts and gives way. 00:20:03.680 --> 00:20:04.859 So this is the first thing. 00:20:04.920 --> 00:20:06.879 That's what it means to be thoughtfully biblical. 00:20:07.119 --> 00:20:10.839 And just to give you some practical, you know, what does this actually look like? 00:20:11.039 --> 00:20:14.740 It means recognizing that scripture is the authoritative word of God. 00:20:14.839 --> 00:20:15.799 That's what Daniel does. 00:20:15.900 --> 00:20:16.559 Jesus does. 00:20:17.119 --> 00:20:17.960 The apostles do. 00:20:17.960 --> 00:20:22.960 It means relying on the great tradition of our faith to help us interpret scripture. 00:20:24.620 --> 00:20:25.019 Right? 00:20:25.079 --> 00:20:28.360 It means treating the Bible as a whole rather than cherry picking verses. 00:20:29.059 --> 00:20:30.740 Or proof texting our arguments. 00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:32.120 Right? 00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:35.180 It means studying the Bible in the original languages. 00:20:35.420 --> 00:20:38.480 Or if you're not able to do that, relying on people who do. 00:20:39.160 --> 00:20:40.700 Commentators, pastors, teachers. 00:20:41.240 --> 00:20:42.160 Rely on those people. 00:20:43.059 --> 00:20:47.880 It means taking things like genre, original audience, context into account. 00:20:47.960 --> 00:20:52.039 And then lastly, it means interpreting all scripture through the lens of Jesus Christ. 00:20:53.240 --> 00:20:56.660 Recognizing that it's all about him, as it says in Luke chapter 24. 00:20:57.259 --> 00:20:59.340 So this is what it means to be thoughtfully biblical. 00:20:59.480 --> 00:21:00.579 That's the first thing we see. 00:21:01.920 --> 00:21:04.680 The next thing we see is, I think, utterly breathtaking. 00:21:04.680 --> 00:21:09.620 As a result of what Daniel sees in scripture. 00:21:10.740 --> 00:21:14.799 And as a result of what he sees when he looks at his fellow Israelites. 00:21:17.500 --> 00:21:19.500 He knows the first thing he has to do. 00:21:20.539 --> 00:21:21.900 Is to go to his knees. 00:21:22.560 --> 00:21:23.480 And to repent. 00:21:24.519 --> 00:21:26.019 But as I said a little while ago. 00:21:26.120 --> 00:21:27.480 He doesn't just do it for himself. 00:21:27.720 --> 00:21:30.980 He repents on behalf of the entire nation. 00:21:30.980 --> 00:21:34.220 Now that's hard for us to understand. 00:21:34.339 --> 00:21:34.980 I want to give you a little context. 00:21:35.920 --> 00:21:41.420 In the previous chapter, Daniel has a vision that shows him that in fact things are not going to get better. 00:21:41.680 --> 00:21:43.299 They're actually going to get a lot worse. 00:21:43.860 --> 00:21:44.900 For a long time. 00:21:45.059 --> 00:21:46.880 Generations of suffering before they get better. 00:21:48.200 --> 00:21:51.579 And so we can assume that the whole reason he's even reading the Bible in chapter 9. 00:21:51.720 --> 00:21:53.980 Is to try to make sense of that. 00:21:54.059 --> 00:21:55.779 And to know how to be ready for it. 00:21:55.779 --> 00:21:59.579 And Daniel knows that the only way to be fully open. 00:21:59.720 --> 00:22:02.819 The only way to be fully prepared for whatever God has in store for us. 00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:08.139 Is to make sure that there is no sin coming between us and God. 00:22:08.220 --> 00:22:09.879 That that hurts our relationship with God. 00:22:09.960 --> 00:22:10.920 So you have to deal with it. 00:22:11.000 --> 00:22:11.579 Get rid of it. 00:22:12.460 --> 00:22:13.399 Prepare your heart. 00:22:14.639 --> 00:22:15.519 And so that's what he's doing. 00:22:15.599 --> 00:22:16.759 That's what repentance is all about. 00:22:18.119 --> 00:22:20.279 And that word repentance, it's kind of a Bible word. 00:22:20.279 --> 00:22:23.579 It simply means admitting our sin. 00:22:24.720 --> 00:22:26.259 Turning away from that sin. 00:22:27.079 --> 00:22:29.399 And really throwing ourselves on the mercy of God. 00:22:29.480 --> 00:22:31.180 And that's what Daniel says in verse 18. 00:22:31.359 --> 00:22:31.720 He says, 00:22:32.279 --> 00:22:35.480 For we do not present our pleas before you because of our righteousness. 00:22:36.500 --> 00:22:37.899 But because of your great mercy. 00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:44.099 He's throwing himself and the nation upon the mercy of God. 00:22:44.680 --> 00:22:49.639 And in verse 7 through 16 you see he's confessing and repenting on behalf of everybody. 00:22:49.640 --> 00:22:51.520 The northern and the southern kingdom. 00:22:53.200 --> 00:22:54.000 Both, right? 00:22:55.200 --> 00:22:57.060 Those who are near, those who are far. 00:22:57.920 --> 00:22:59.720 Government leaders and commoners. 00:23:00.460 --> 00:23:04.940 People who are alive and their ancestors, their predecessors, their forefathers. 00:23:05.300 --> 00:23:07.000 He's repenting on behalf of all of them. 00:23:07.540 --> 00:23:10.300 Now I know, I mean you may hear this and think, what in the world? 00:23:10.440 --> 00:23:12.340 You know, he didn't do any of that stuff. 00:23:12.800 --> 00:23:14.540 And you think about doing, you know, if we did that. 00:23:14.740 --> 00:23:15.920 Well I didn't do what? 00:23:16.520 --> 00:23:19.480 My grandparents, my great grandparents, I'm nothing like them. 00:23:19.480 --> 00:23:21.799 And I'm nothing like these people and I'm nothing like these people. 00:23:21.900 --> 00:23:23.180 And I live my own life. 00:23:23.259 --> 00:23:25.660 And why would you make me responsible for everybody's stuff? 00:23:27.220 --> 00:23:33.180 I think to our sort of western individualistic ears, this really does not make sense. 00:23:33.180 --> 00:23:38.600 Why would anyone confess and repent on behalf of other people? 00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:40.460 And the answer is this. 00:23:41.380 --> 00:23:44.200 Because this is what it means to bear one another's burdens. 00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:51.180 Bearing one another's burdens is not just about helping, encouraging, helping somebody move out of their apartment. 00:23:51.180 --> 00:23:57.240 Bearing one another's burdens means sharing in the burden of sin. 00:23:58.240 --> 00:24:02.779 Sharing in the burden of a broken relationship with God. 00:24:03.820 --> 00:24:04.000 Right? 00:24:04.259 --> 00:24:09.500 So Pastor Brian Chappell tells a story where he's in Senegal, West Africa. 00:24:09.500 --> 00:24:12.079 He's teaching a class. 00:24:12.920 --> 00:24:15.119 He gets done with the class, says, alright, thanks everybody. 00:24:15.559 --> 00:24:19.720 And he leaves and he goes off and I don't know, goes, eats lunch, does some sightseeing, whatever. 00:24:20.799 --> 00:24:25.759 Comes back several hours later and every single student is still in the classroom. 00:24:26.539 --> 00:24:28.460 And they're all busily talking to one another. 00:24:29.420 --> 00:24:30.380 And he's like, what's going on? 00:24:30.440 --> 00:24:32.519 And he asks one of the other leaders, what's happening? 00:24:32.519 --> 00:24:35.180 And the leader says, well, you don't understand our culture. 00:24:35.559 --> 00:24:36.200 He says, what is it? 00:24:36.519 --> 00:24:41.960 He says, well, when you were teaching, some people in the class understood you and other people didn't understand you. 00:24:42.579 --> 00:24:48.460 And so what's happening now is all of those people who understood are explaining it to the people who didn't understand. 00:24:49.180 --> 00:24:52.259 And no one will leave until they all understand. 00:24:54.099 --> 00:24:56.299 No one will leave until they all understand. 00:24:57.480 --> 00:24:59.240 This is spiritual unity. 00:25:00.359 --> 00:25:01.920 This is spiritual unity. 00:25:02.519 --> 00:25:05.859 There's a saying that comes out of, I think, South Africa. 00:25:06.339 --> 00:25:08.420 I am because we are. 00:25:10.440 --> 00:25:14.660 We're only as strong as our weakest member. 00:25:14.819 --> 00:25:16.700 We are all in this together. 00:25:16.900 --> 00:25:20.319 We cannot flourish unless all of us are flourishing. 00:25:20.440 --> 00:25:22.639 We are bound as one. 00:25:22.819 --> 00:25:23.980 Spiritual unity. 00:25:25.680 --> 00:25:25.900 Right? 00:25:25.900 --> 00:25:29.160 So in the wake, I think, of such a polarizing election. 00:25:30.319 --> 00:25:32.319 In the wake of such a polarizing election. 00:25:32.519 --> 00:25:39.200 There is a strong temptation among believers, among Christians, to divide against one another. 00:25:39.200 --> 00:25:43.039 Mark Galley wrote a great piece about this in Christianity Today. 00:25:43.539 --> 00:25:51.120 He says, Christians who voted for Clinton say, you care more about the balance of the Supreme Court than black men getting shot by police. 00:25:51.980 --> 00:25:59.519 And those who voted for Trump say, the left gets more upset about careless rhetoric than the thousands of babies murdered every day. 00:25:59.519 --> 00:26:00.519 And then we walk away. 00:26:00.519 --> 00:26:04.819 And then we walk away satisfied that we are not like those other Christians. 00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:07.660 It's pretty insightful. 00:26:07.660 --> 00:26:16.540 So what if instead of trying to convince everyone out there that we are not those kinds of Christians. 00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:18.779 That we're not that kind of Christian. 00:26:19.000 --> 00:26:21.240 That I don't even understand them. 00:26:21.279 --> 00:26:22.700 I have nothing to do with them. 00:26:22.800 --> 00:26:32.180 And what about, what if instead of doing that, we actually share one another's burdens, join together, and repent as one? 00:26:32.180 --> 00:26:38.759 In other words, we own, we own that we are part of this whole. 00:26:39.400 --> 00:26:41.039 And it includes everybody. 00:26:42.100 --> 00:26:42.580 Everybody. 00:26:42.579 --> 00:26:51.679 What if instead of taking to social media, it's very tempting to take to social media and to signal our virtue? 00:26:52.639 --> 00:26:54.299 You familiar with this concept? 00:26:54.439 --> 00:26:58.500 It's been greatly overused in the last year since it was coined. 00:26:58.579 --> 00:27:00.299 And I think there's a fight over who coined it. 00:27:00.919 --> 00:27:02.619 But this idea of virtue signaling. 00:27:02.699 --> 00:27:09.939 In other words, subtle ways of letting people know how virtuous we are according with certain popular values in culture, right? 00:27:09.940 --> 00:27:13.880 So normally it's expressed in the form of hating or disliking something, you know? 00:27:14.420 --> 00:27:17.420 I hate it when Christians don't care about the environment, you know? 00:27:17.600 --> 00:27:18.840 What are you really saying? 00:27:19.600 --> 00:27:21.259 I do care about the environment. 00:27:21.539 --> 00:27:23.400 And I care a lot more than all these other people. 00:27:23.960 --> 00:27:26.259 You know, I hate it when white people reject privilege. 00:27:26.400 --> 00:27:27.700 Reject the whole idea of privilege, right? 00:27:27.720 --> 00:27:28.259 What are you saying? 00:27:28.539 --> 00:27:32.820 Well, I, unlike other white people, I understand race way more, you know? 00:27:33.039 --> 00:27:35.840 I care about refugees way more than other people do. 00:27:35.920 --> 00:27:36.900 I really get it. 00:27:37.140 --> 00:27:38.180 None of these other people do. 00:27:38.279 --> 00:27:39.360 That's virtue signaling. 00:27:39.940 --> 00:27:45.100 And it's so tempting to do that because we want our friends and family and everybody to know that we're not like those people. 00:27:46.140 --> 00:27:51.880 But what if instead of doing that, what if we made it about signaling Jesus' virtues? 00:27:53.019 --> 00:27:55.080 We can only do that if we are one. 00:27:56.039 --> 00:27:59.580 We can only do that if we are unified, spiritually. 00:28:00.580 --> 00:28:01.019 Right? 00:28:01.120 --> 00:28:03.100 This country is deeply divided. 00:28:03.660 --> 00:28:04.680 It's deeply divided. 00:28:04.779 --> 00:28:05.660 It's being torn apart. 00:28:05.660 --> 00:28:13.100 And the church has a huge opportunity to lead the way to forgiveness, to lead the way to reconciliation, to lead the way to healing. 00:28:13.320 --> 00:28:15.640 We are better equipped than anybody out there. 00:28:16.140 --> 00:28:19.380 You want an institution that can bring about radical healing and reconciliation? 00:28:19.759 --> 00:28:21.400 There is nothing better than the church. 00:28:21.400 --> 00:28:30.800 No one comes close to the resources, the vast spiritual strength that we have to step into the gap. 00:28:32.180 --> 00:28:34.440 But we cannot do that if we are divided. 00:28:34.440 --> 00:28:39.600 So I think that we as a church need to recover our spiritual unity. 00:28:40.720 --> 00:28:44.720 Which starts by us being willing to repent as one. 00:28:46.600 --> 00:28:51.640 Owning, sharing the burdens of our brothers and sisters on both sides of the aisle. 00:28:51.840 --> 00:28:53.320 On behalf of the whole church. 00:28:53.319 --> 00:28:59.119 And by the way, the Bible actually does talk also about good works in keeping with repentance. 00:29:00.659 --> 00:29:02.679 So it's not just about saying we're sorry. 00:29:03.179 --> 00:29:06.539 But it's about committing ourselves to a path of action. 00:29:07.619 --> 00:29:09.319 A path of action. 00:29:09.480 --> 00:29:10.980 A repentant way forward. 00:29:12.119 --> 00:29:12.539 Right? 00:29:12.619 --> 00:29:13.299 So what does that mean? 00:29:13.359 --> 00:29:16.419 I'm going to offer four brief suggestions of what this might look like. 00:29:17.200 --> 00:29:18.799 There are many, many, many more. 00:29:19.379 --> 00:29:22.019 If you think of things that I'm not saying, absolutely. 00:29:22.019 --> 00:29:22.180 Absolutely. 00:29:23.299 --> 00:29:23.740 Absolutely. 00:29:24.079 --> 00:29:27.059 I encourage you to reflect on the things that I'm not able to say. 00:29:27.379 --> 00:29:29.180 But I'll give you four examples to get us started. 00:29:29.839 --> 00:29:34.359 I think in light of the first point, we collectively as a church, as the church, 00:29:34.639 --> 00:29:40.900 need to repent of all the ways that scripture has been neglected, revised, or altogether disregarded. 00:29:41.599 --> 00:29:44.400 As Daniel says in verse 11, here's the core sin of Israel. 00:29:44.500 --> 00:29:45.220 Here's the core of it. 00:29:45.559 --> 00:29:50.259 All Israel has transgressed your law and turned aside, refusing to obey your voice. 00:29:50.259 --> 00:29:55.799 And we need to recommit ourselves to thoughtfully centering our lives under God's word and all that we do. 00:29:56.579 --> 00:29:57.700 We need to repent of that. 00:29:59.379 --> 00:30:04.319 Number two, there are many, many vulnerable people in our community. 00:30:04.759 --> 00:30:05.819 Vulnerable people right here. 00:30:05.940 --> 00:30:07.259 Vulnerable people in this room. 00:30:07.259 --> 00:30:16.980 People who, for the fact that they are racial minorities, religious minorities, LGBT people, refugees, immigrants. 00:30:18.039 --> 00:30:20.559 People who now are filled with fear. 00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:31.379 Not so much or necessarily because of Trump himself, but because the kind of abusive behavior and rhetoric that we've seen from him from time to time. 00:30:32.220 --> 00:30:43.179 People fear that now that he is president, that will then give license to some of his supporters who will then act out abusively toward people around them. 00:30:43.180 --> 00:30:49.640 And so there is a deep fear and a real fear of what might happen on a street corner. 00:30:51.200 --> 00:30:53.680 And there are people that feel that kind of vulnerability. 00:30:54.240 --> 00:30:58.799 And we need to repent of all the ways the church has failed to protect the vulnerable. 00:30:59.320 --> 00:31:04.340 We need to repent of all the ways that the church has been complicit in allowing there to be a culture where anybody is vulnerable. 00:31:04.339 --> 00:31:11.000 And we need to make sure that we here at Advent are a community where no one feels that fear. 00:31:11.579 --> 00:31:16.439 That we can be a place where people feel safe and protected and advocated for. 00:31:17.279 --> 00:31:20.159 So ministries like Advent has a ministry to refugees. 00:31:20.720 --> 00:31:23.500 And we heard this week from Travis and Tiara who lead that ministry. 00:31:24.099 --> 00:31:32.559 Everybody, everybody in their ministry, all of this refugee community, everybody is wringing their hands in fear wondering what does this mean for them. 00:31:32.559 --> 00:31:34.519 Right? They need our help. 00:31:35.720 --> 00:31:42.700 You know that the main word for hospitality in scripture in the New Testament, the main word is phyloxenia. 00:31:44.039 --> 00:31:50.500 Now if xenophobia means fear of strangers, then what does phyloxenia mean? 00:31:51.940 --> 00:31:53.259 Love, love of strangers. 00:31:53.359 --> 00:31:54.059 And who is a stranger? 00:31:55.139 --> 00:31:58.279 It's anyone who doesn't have a place to belong in our society. 00:31:59.779 --> 00:32:01.759 Anyone who does not have a place to belong. 00:32:01.759 --> 00:32:04.819 Anyone who for whatever reason doesn't belong. 00:32:04.920 --> 00:32:05.500 They're vulnerable. 00:32:06.599 --> 00:32:08.480 And we are commanded to show hospitality. 00:32:10.339 --> 00:32:12.279 We need to be a refuge for all such people. 00:32:12.379 --> 00:32:12.920 That's number two. 00:32:13.279 --> 00:32:16.279 Number three, our country remains divided by racial tension. 00:32:16.279 --> 00:32:23.460 We need to repent of all the ways that the church has been complicit in the racial tension. 00:32:23.599 --> 00:32:27.139 We need to repent of all the ways that we have failed to build a reconciled community. 00:32:28.740 --> 00:32:33.359 Both corporately as a church and even as we look at our own numbers in Church of the Advent. 00:32:35.559 --> 00:32:35.920 Right? 00:32:36.019 --> 00:32:38.859 I mean, and this may be deep work for some of us, right? 00:32:38.859 --> 00:32:42.179 Because you may say, well, I'm, you know, I'm, I know I'm white, but I really care about, 00:32:42.299 --> 00:32:43.659 you know, racial equality. 00:32:43.759 --> 00:32:45.419 And I'm, there's nothing in me that's racist. 00:32:45.519 --> 00:32:46.539 And that may be true, right? 00:32:47.339 --> 00:32:52.019 But it also may be true that your privilege and your education is partly due to the fact 00:32:52.019 --> 00:32:54.939 that generations ago your family made a lot of money off the slave trade. 00:32:55.139 --> 00:32:56.059 Now that wasn't you. 00:32:56.759 --> 00:32:59.259 But maybe we need to repent on behalf of our families. 00:33:00.859 --> 00:33:02.839 Maybe we need to have a kind of spiritual unity. 00:33:02.839 --> 00:33:05.240 And repent for those who did not. 00:33:06.179 --> 00:33:06.459 Right? 00:33:07.980 --> 00:33:11.839 The last thing that I want to say is this, and this may be the hardest for all of us. 00:33:13.500 --> 00:33:24.179 Protests are happening all around the country by people who are rejecting and protesting President-elect Donald Trump. 00:33:26.059 --> 00:33:30.980 And here's where it gets tough, because Scripture commands that we pray for our leaders. 00:33:30.980 --> 00:33:34.000 That we pray for our president. 00:33:34.500 --> 00:33:35.819 That we pray for the administration. 00:33:36.740 --> 00:33:40.140 And we don't do that because they necessarily deserve anything from us. 00:33:40.440 --> 00:33:44.160 We do it because it's an act of trust in a sovereign God. 00:33:45.380 --> 00:33:51.180 A God who again and again and again and again in Scripture is able to use all things toward his good. 00:33:51.279 --> 00:33:52.480 We don't know how, we rarely do. 00:33:53.519 --> 00:33:55.180 But we're called to pray for that. 00:33:55.480 --> 00:33:56.380 To pray for him. 00:33:57.059 --> 00:33:59.660 So we need to repent of our penchant for faithless division. 00:33:59.660 --> 00:34:03.900 And we need to commit ourselves to prayer for this administration. 00:34:05.660 --> 00:34:07.500 We need to pray for Donald Trump. 00:34:07.580 --> 00:34:08.720 We need to pray for his family. 00:34:10.820 --> 00:34:13.500 There are many, many more ways that we need to repent. 00:34:13.599 --> 00:34:16.700 And I encourage you to ask God what he might put on your heart. 00:34:17.900 --> 00:34:19.260 This may sound like a lot. 00:34:19.340 --> 00:34:20.440 It may sound kind of overwhelming. 00:34:20.720 --> 00:34:23.659 But listen, this community is already doing a lot. 00:34:23.860 --> 00:34:25.220 And we're doing it very well. 00:34:25.780 --> 00:34:27.940 I've seen great strides in all of these areas. 00:34:27.940 --> 00:34:31.039 But it's not your job tonight to solve all of these issues. 00:34:31.139 --> 00:34:31.880 That's not what I'm saying. 00:34:31.960 --> 00:34:33.019 That's not the job. 00:34:34.599 --> 00:34:35.400 Small steps. 00:34:36.360 --> 00:34:40.500 I actually think many of us have a great opportunity coming up in just a little while. 00:34:40.820 --> 00:34:41.500 It's called Thanksgiving. 00:34:42.420 --> 00:34:44.360 I don't know if your family is like my family. 00:34:44.360 --> 00:34:46.760 But oh my goodness. 00:34:47.880 --> 00:34:49.460 When I go home around that table. 00:34:50.559 --> 00:34:52.519 Around that table we're going to have agnostics. 00:34:53.019 --> 00:34:53.420 Atheists. 00:34:54.039 --> 00:34:54.440 Christians. 00:34:55.120 --> 00:34:56.599 Maybe even a little new age action. 00:34:57.240 --> 00:34:57.800 We're going to have. 00:34:58.640 --> 00:34:59.440 We have gay. 00:34:59.960 --> 00:35:00.660 We have straight. 00:35:01.140 --> 00:35:02.280 We have Trump supporters. 00:35:02.599 --> 00:35:03.460 We have Clinton supporters. 00:35:03.860 --> 00:35:05.440 We have everything you can imagine. 00:35:06.140 --> 00:35:07.220 And they're all going to be there. 00:35:07.620 --> 00:35:08.660 And you don't know my family. 00:35:09.200 --> 00:35:10.539 But somebody may break a beer bottle. 00:35:11.019 --> 00:35:11.740 It could get ugly. 00:35:12.000 --> 00:35:12.180 Right? 00:35:12.179 --> 00:35:15.519 There's already a big email chain going around. 00:35:15.619 --> 00:35:16.559 People saying please. 00:35:16.879 --> 00:35:19.039 Please let there be peace at Thanksgiving. 00:35:19.219 --> 00:35:19.500 Please. 00:35:20.019 --> 00:35:20.139 Right? 00:35:20.319 --> 00:35:22.000 So some of us are walking into these situations. 00:35:22.119 --> 00:35:22.679 We have a choice. 00:35:22.899 --> 00:35:24.639 What role will we play in that? 00:35:26.279 --> 00:35:29.460 How do we ensure that we go as ministers of reconciliation? 00:35:30.579 --> 00:35:31.739 What does that look like? 00:35:32.839 --> 00:35:33.059 Right? 00:35:33.119 --> 00:35:34.539 So as this opportunity comes. 00:35:36.000 --> 00:35:38.219 We need to ask why does all of this matter? 00:35:38.359 --> 00:35:39.859 Why are we talking about this now? 00:35:39.860 --> 00:35:43.980 And here's kind of a core that I'll put out there as we move toward closing this. 00:35:45.240 --> 00:35:46.240 This is just me. 00:35:47.340 --> 00:35:48.920 But I believe that contempt. 00:35:50.260 --> 00:35:53.940 And by contempt I mean the devaluing of another person's worth. 00:35:55.000 --> 00:35:56.980 In this case based on what they believe. 00:35:57.640 --> 00:36:00.579 I believe that contempt is at an all time high. 00:36:01.140 --> 00:36:04.200 And that it has arrived at toxic levels in our culture. 00:36:04.640 --> 00:36:05.380 Toxic levels. 00:36:05.380 --> 00:36:10.019 I think that both sides have learned how to weaponize shame. 00:36:10.860 --> 00:36:12.099 And to use it. 00:36:12.559 --> 00:36:14.220 To coerce agreement. 00:36:14.760 --> 00:36:15.980 Both sides are doing this. 00:36:16.440 --> 00:36:19.760 And I think that all of this is threatening to rip our country to shreds. 00:36:21.059 --> 00:36:22.480 And the only antidote. 00:36:22.579 --> 00:36:25.760 The only antidote for shame and contempt. 00:36:26.760 --> 00:36:29.000 Is confession and repentance. 00:36:29.800 --> 00:36:31.380 That is the only antidote. 00:36:31.380 --> 00:36:34.980 Do you want to be an agent of reconciliation and healing? 00:36:35.280 --> 00:36:36.340 The first thing you have to do. 00:36:36.539 --> 00:36:37.519 Is to go to your knees. 00:36:37.800 --> 00:36:40.360 And confess all of the ways that you have been part of the problem. 00:36:40.700 --> 00:36:43.079 Only then can you begin to be a part of the solution. 00:36:43.660 --> 00:36:45.880 Try to honestly confess your sin to God. 00:36:46.280 --> 00:36:48.420 And then get up and shame another person. 00:36:49.180 --> 00:36:51.119 Try to honestly confess your sin to God. 00:36:51.240 --> 00:36:52.539 And then to go to social media. 00:36:52.860 --> 00:36:53.780 And signal your virtue. 00:36:56.480 --> 00:36:57.420 It'll be hard. 00:36:58.380 --> 00:36:59.280 It'll be hard. 00:36:59.280 --> 00:37:02.280 Because confession and repentance humble us. 00:37:03.640 --> 00:37:07.360 And this brings us to the most beautiful thing about Daniel chapter 9. 00:37:07.800 --> 00:37:09.760 That in response to Daniel's prayer. 00:37:10.019 --> 00:37:12.540 God sends Gabriel to answer his cries. 00:37:13.320 --> 00:37:14.540 And do you know what Gabriel says? 00:37:14.580 --> 00:37:16.340 It was right there at the end when Diana read it. 00:37:16.900 --> 00:37:17.540 He says this. 00:37:17.780 --> 00:37:18.400 Oh Daniel. 00:37:18.780 --> 00:37:21.280 I have now come out to give you insight and understanding. 00:37:22.200 --> 00:37:23.940 At the beginning of your pleas for mercy. 00:37:24.260 --> 00:37:26.120 A word went out. 00:37:26.560 --> 00:37:28.260 And I have come to tell it to you. 00:37:28.260 --> 00:37:30.680 For you are greatly loved. 00:37:32.480 --> 00:37:34.800 Do you understand what this is pointing us toward? 00:37:35.500 --> 00:37:40.520 It's just a preview of God's ultimate response to all of our repentance. 00:37:41.580 --> 00:37:46.760 Because the gospel tells us that at the very beginning of our pleas for mercy. 00:37:47.100 --> 00:37:48.300 A word went out. 00:37:50.240 --> 00:37:51.420 The word went out. 00:37:51.420 --> 00:37:53.420 Jesus Christ. 00:37:53.420 --> 00:37:53.980 Jesus Christ. 00:37:55.260 --> 00:37:56.980 And just as Gabriel said to Daniel. 00:37:57.200 --> 00:37:58.260 For you are greatly loved. 00:37:58.380 --> 00:37:59.780 When Jesus came into the world. 00:38:00.039 --> 00:38:02.360 This was God saying to the whole world. 00:38:02.599 --> 00:38:04.180 For you are greatly loved. 00:38:04.539 --> 00:38:07.260 Jesus is God's pledge of love to this world. 00:38:07.619 --> 00:38:09.300 Jesus is God's promise of love. 00:38:09.440 --> 00:38:11.099 That this world will one day be healed. 00:38:11.260 --> 00:38:11.960 And restored. 00:38:12.280 --> 00:38:13.900 The heavens and the earth joined together. 00:38:14.159 --> 00:38:15.340 All become one. 00:38:15.980 --> 00:38:17.440 All things drawn together. 00:38:18.039 --> 00:38:19.039 Under Jesus Christ. 00:38:19.119 --> 00:38:20.079 Ephesians 1.10. 00:38:20.079 --> 00:38:27.679 Our country needs the church to be the church. 00:38:29.980 --> 00:38:31.539 So let's join with Daniel. 00:38:32.259 --> 00:38:33.599 Let us repent as one. 00:38:34.719 --> 00:38:36.699 And let us get about the hard work. 00:38:37.480 --> 00:38:38.480 Of forgiveness. 00:38:39.179 --> 00:38:39.679 Reconciliation. 00:38:40.219 --> 00:38:40.860 And healing. 00:38:41.539 --> 00:38:43.039 For the good of our city. 00:38:43.539 --> 00:38:45.299 For the good of this world. 00:38:45.920 --> 00:38:47.699 And ultimately for the glory of God. 00:38:47.699 --> 00:38:52.259 In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 00:38:53.619 --> 00:38:53.919 Amen.