WEBVTT

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 A few weeks ago, the BBC reported a discovery that had been made in the art world.

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 It all had to do with the work of an abstract artist by the name of Pierre Mondrian,

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 and the piece of art was entitled New York City One.

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 It was created with pieces of adhesive strips on blank, I'm not sure if it was canvas or what it was,

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 but it had been displayed in Europe and in America for some 75 years.

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 And the big discovery was that all that time, they'd been displaying it upside down.

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 Do you want to see it?

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 We've got a picture?

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 Now, they decided they can't turn it back up the right way,

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 because if they were to do that, it could damage the piece.

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 But the chief curator said, and I quote,

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 Once I pointed it out to the other curators, we realised it was very obvious.

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 The passage that we're presented with in Isaiah,

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 says something absolutely central to Christian hope.

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 Whatever your reality is, hope turns it upside down.

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 It completely turns it upside down.

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 However you look at reality,

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 the message of the Christian gospel,

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 and we need to remember that when we read Scripture,

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 all of it is about Jesus and his kingdom.

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 Even though, you know, words from Isaiah were written hundreds of years

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 before Jesus walked this earth,

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 it's all about Jesus.

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 It's always either pointing forward or pointing back,

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 pointing to Jesus.

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 Jesus and his kingdom.

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 When we hear that message,

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 wherever in Scripture it is presented,

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 it says, look,

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 whatever your view of reality,

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 it's got to be turned upside down.

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 Look again.

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 Now, that actually is challenging news at times.

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 It's very, very encouraging positive news,

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 because it means that however bleak your reality may seem,

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 no matter how completely devastating things may look,

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 the message of the kingdom of God turns it upside down.

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 You see it through a different lens.

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 And that's what we find here in these verses from Isaiah,

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 that the people of Israel were in exile.

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 Their homeland was completely trashed.

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 Their lives seemed utterly hopeless,

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 and there was no sense of what their future would be.

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 How could things ever seem different?

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 They were devastated.

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 And yet Isaiah says,

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 you've got to look again.

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 And so we have this very rich imagery,

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 as he presents this,

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 of how their homeland would be restored to them,

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 and how they needed to look again.

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 And we have this image where

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 we have a scorched, barren desert

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 will be transformed into a lush garden

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 with bubbling streams,

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 with flowing springs,

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 flowing streams,

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 and blossoming flowers.

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 It was almost like we have this kind of contrast of opposites

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 in this passage,

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 that you see this reality,

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 well, it's going to be transformed into its opposite.

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 Whatever you see right now,

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 it's going to be different.

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 It's going to be changed.

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 It's going to be transformed.

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 And that's what hope is.

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 It turns reality upside down,

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 and says, look again.

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 See how this may be different.

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 Now, to the people of,

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 Isaiah was speaking to at his time,

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 were people who were in exile.

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 But when we take this message

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 into the whole of the scriptural message,

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 it talks about the coming of God's kingdom.

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 It's talking about the kingdom

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 that Jesus has inaugurated,

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 but one day will come in all its fullness.

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 Let's just close our eyes right now.

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 I want you to picture something.

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 It can be anything.

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 And don't worry,

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 I'm not going to ask you to talk to anybody

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 about what this is.

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 This is just between you and you and God.

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 And I want you just to imagine anything

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 that maybe it might be something

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 that's going on in your own life right now,

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 which causes you to fear

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 or to feel anxious or distressed

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 or worried or concerned.

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 It might be something

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 that you're actually going through

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 or something that isn't actually a reality now,

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 but you fear it could be.

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 Maybe very soon

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 or maybe in the distant future.

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 But just think of something.

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 Now, for most of us,

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 that won't normally be a difficult challenge

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 to imagine something like that.

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 But, you know,

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 if you're struggling to think,

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 well, think of something

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 beyond your own personal experience

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 and your own personal life

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 and think of something

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 perhaps national or global.

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 Picture a scene somewhere

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 in the world

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 that you've heard reported

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 in the news in recent times

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 where the situation looks bleak.

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 Think of a war zone.

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 Think of a situation

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 of tragedy and brokenness.

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 Now, whatever it is

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 you're thinking of right now,

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 just picture it in your mind.

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 Picture some scenes

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 in its worst form.

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 I'm just going to give you a moment

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 just to think about this

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 as you unpack that scene

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 in your imagination.

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 Now, holding that picture in your mind,

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 do you imagine Isaiah

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 speaking this message into it?

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 Because whatever you're picturing,

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 I want you to now

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 transform that picture

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 into the absolute opposite

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 of whatever it is

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 you've just been thinking about.

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 Where that picture

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 is no longer one of fear

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 or devastation

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 or brokenness,

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 but one of life

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 and hope

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 and energy

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 and goodness

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 and things restored.

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 Let's open our eyes again.

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 We're going to come back

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 to that shortly

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 as we come to pray.

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 But this is what,

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 this is what Isaiah's message,

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 this is what the message

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 of scripture

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 when it comes to hope

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 is all about.

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 However we see reality,

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 we are called to turn it on its head

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 and see it differently

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 through a radically different lens.

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 That kind of means,

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 I think,

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 broadly speaking,

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 two things.

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 Firstly,

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 it means that we are challenged

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 to see potential

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 in realities

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 that might not

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 be immediately obvious.

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 So in other words,

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 that we may experience

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 something that seems

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 absolutely,

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 completely void of hope.

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 Whereas when we bring hope

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 into it,

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 we're able to see something

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 not as it is,

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 but as the potential

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 that it contains.

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 There was another artist,

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 actually,

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 who was,

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 his name was James Whistler,

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 who's an American artist.

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 He was not exactly bashful

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 about his talent.

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 And apparently there was an occasion

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 where some canvases,

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 some blank canvases,

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 had been dispatched to him.

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 There were quite a lot of them

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 and they were lost in the mail.

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 And apparently he was asked,

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 were these blank canvases

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 of great value?

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 To which he replied,

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 not yet.

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 Hope means seeing the potential

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 that is inherent in something

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 that hasn't yet been brought out.

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 And God sees that potential,

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 he sees it in our lives

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 in a way that we don't see.

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 That's the first thing.

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 But the second thing

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 that hope does

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 is that it enables us

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 to see reality

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 even in those situations

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 where it seems absolutely impossible

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 to see a turnaround.

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 Where no matter how hard we think

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 and we try to imagine

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 how things could contain potential,

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 we just can't see it.

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 Those situations of utter,

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 utter devastation.

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 God says to us,

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 no, you've got to think again,

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 you've got to see this differently.

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 You may think

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 there is no potential here.

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 You may think

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 that there is absolutely

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 nothing here.

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 to envisage

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 how it could be different,

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 but it can be

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 and it will be.

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 Very early on

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 when I first started

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 in ministry,

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 it became very apparent

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 to me

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 how important hope is.

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 Because there are situations

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 and we always need hope,

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 no matter whatever situation

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 we're going through.

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 It's part of life

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 and without it,

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 we're devastated.

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 We need it.

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 We need its energy.

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 We need to be able to see

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 how things can be different,

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 can be changed,

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 can be transformed.

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 And that's true

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 of all of life.

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 But it became apparent

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 to me that,

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 in fact,

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 when it comes to talking

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 about Christian hope,

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 about what it is

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 that we hope for

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 as Christians,

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 unless we can speak

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 of that in a way

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 that is genuinely

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 meaningful

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 in the most broken

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 and devastating

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 and tragic of situations,

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 then it's going to be

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 difficult to speak

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 of that in a way

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 that's meaningful

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 in any situation.

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 And so,

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 and some of you

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 will know this,

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 I spent the next

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 five years of my life

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 researching this

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 as my PhD.

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 I wanted to know

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 what is hope?

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 What do Christians mean

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 when we talk about hope?

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 It took me in two areas

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 of research.

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 On the one hand,

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 I wanted to know

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 what psychologists

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 had to say

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 about hope.

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 And over a period

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 of five years,

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 I read pretty well

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 everything that had

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 ever been written

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 about the psychology

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 of hope

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 and about what

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 nursing science

00:10:52.399 --> 00:10:53.500
 in clinical settings

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 happened to say

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 about hope.

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 What does it mean

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 to have hope

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 in palliative situations?

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 What does it mean

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 to have hope

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 in the face of death?

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 It's fascinating.

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 It's a pretty well

00:11:05.519 --> 00:11:06.819
 universally held

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 set of principles

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 that we need hope.

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 But the question is

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 how do we find that hope?

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 Particularly in those

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 situations where

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 things are so broken

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 and so devastated

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 that it just seems

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 impossible to see

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 how things could

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 ever improve.

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 And the other part

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 of my research

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 was looking at

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 the theology of hope.

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 I came to the conclusion

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 which I still hold to

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 is that ultimately,

00:11:33.679 --> 00:11:34.360
 ultimately,

00:11:34.620 --> 00:11:35.539
 that thing that is

00:11:35.539 --> 00:11:36.980
 distinctive to our

00:11:36.980 --> 00:11:38.159
 Christian belief

00:11:38.159 --> 00:11:41.959
 is unique

00:11:41.960 --> 00:11:44.540
 and is the only thing

00:11:44.540 --> 00:11:46.180
 that can hold out hope

00:11:46.180 --> 00:11:47.400
 in the face of literally

00:11:47.400 --> 00:11:49.220
 anything and everything.

00:11:49.700 --> 00:11:50.019
 Why?

00:11:51.019 --> 00:11:52.240
 Because that's focus

00:11:52.240 --> 00:11:53.680
 is upon the resurrection

00:11:53.680 --> 00:11:54.240
 of Jesus.

00:11:55.920 --> 00:11:57.900
 At the heart of our faith

00:11:57.900 --> 00:11:59.200
 is this conviction

00:11:59.200 --> 00:12:00.220
 that Jesus

00:12:00.220 --> 00:12:01.879
 actually died.

00:12:03.340 --> 00:12:04.500
 He was tortured

00:12:04.500 --> 00:12:05.080
 and killed

00:12:05.080 --> 00:12:06.000
 and was dead

00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:06.639
 and buried

00:12:06.639 --> 00:12:07.740
 and stayed dead

00:12:07.740 --> 00:12:08.700
 for a whole weekend.

00:12:08.700 --> 00:12:12.400
 And only out of that

00:12:12.400 --> 00:12:13.960
 experience of crucifixion

00:12:13.960 --> 00:12:14.700
 and being dead

00:12:14.700 --> 00:12:15.240
 and buried

00:12:15.240 --> 00:12:16.620
 was he raised.

00:12:17.460 --> 00:12:18.300
 And only God

00:12:18.300 --> 00:12:18.860
 can do that.

00:12:18.980 --> 00:12:20.060
 Only God can create

00:12:20.060 --> 00:12:21.300
 a universe out of nothing.

00:12:21.620 --> 00:12:22.860
 Only God can breathe

00:12:22.860 --> 00:12:23.960
 life into

00:12:23.960 --> 00:12:25.100
 a dead body.

00:12:27.379 --> 00:12:28.580
 And so it is

00:12:28.580 --> 00:12:29.780
 that only that hope

00:12:29.780 --> 00:12:31.140
 in Jesus Christ

00:12:31.140 --> 00:12:33.180
 and his resurrection

00:12:33.180 --> 00:12:35.759
 that turns history around,

00:12:35.759 --> 00:12:37.000
 only that

00:12:37.000 --> 00:12:40.139
 will suffice.

00:12:41.819 --> 00:12:43.100
 You take that away

00:12:43.100 --> 00:12:44.240
 from the Christian gospel

00:12:44.240 --> 00:12:45.100
 and we're not left

00:12:45.100 --> 00:12:45.860
 with very much.

00:12:48.799 --> 00:12:49.879
 But we don't need

00:12:49.879 --> 00:12:50.519
 to take that away

00:12:50.519 --> 00:12:51.480
 from the Christian gospel

00:12:51.480 --> 00:12:52.279
 because that is

00:12:52.279 --> 00:12:53.120
 the Christian gospel.

00:12:55.000 --> 00:12:55.799
 Look again.

00:12:59.019 --> 00:13:00.059
 The thing is

00:13:00.059 --> 00:13:01.120
 is that when we look

00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:01.840
 at the realities

00:13:01.840 --> 00:13:02.740
 around us,

00:13:02.740 --> 00:13:05.480
 the very things

00:13:05.480 --> 00:13:06.659
 that God is doing

00:13:06.659 --> 00:13:07.840
 and the promises of God

00:13:07.840 --> 00:13:08.480
 are realities

00:13:08.480 --> 00:13:09.519
 that we cannot see.

00:13:10.100 --> 00:13:10.919
 They're not tangible

00:13:10.919 --> 00:13:12.060
 but God can.

00:13:13.180 --> 00:13:13.799
 Which is why

00:13:13.799 --> 00:13:14.759
 throughout the New Testament

00:13:14.759 --> 00:13:15.879
 we have Paul talking

00:13:15.879 --> 00:13:16.960
 about the powers

00:13:16.960 --> 00:13:18.100
 and the principalities

00:13:18.100 --> 00:13:19.340
 that we cannot see.

00:13:20.100 --> 00:13:21.159
 They're of a different kingdom

00:13:21.159 --> 00:13:22.500
 but they are that dimension,

00:13:22.639 --> 00:13:23.259
 that reality

00:13:23.259 --> 00:13:24.180
 that are there

00:13:24.180 --> 00:13:25.379
 that we need to know about.

00:13:26.899 --> 00:13:27.960
 Whenever we pray,

00:13:28.500 --> 00:13:29.560
 whenever we bring anything

00:13:29.560 --> 00:13:30.759
 before the throne

00:13:30.759 --> 00:13:31.700
 of God in prayer,

00:13:31.700 --> 00:13:32.940
 we are engaging

00:13:32.940 --> 00:13:33.820
 in a reality

00:13:33.820 --> 00:13:34.940
 that is not

00:13:34.940 --> 00:13:36.120
 a material reality.

00:13:36.300 --> 00:13:36.780
 It's not something

00:13:36.780 --> 00:13:37.540
 that you can see

00:13:37.540 --> 00:13:38.100
 and touch

00:13:38.100 --> 00:13:38.620
 and unpack

00:13:38.620 --> 00:13:39.259
 and explore.

00:13:41.620 --> 00:13:42.440
 We are dealing

00:13:42.440 --> 00:13:43.520
 with ultimate reality

00:13:43.520 --> 00:13:45.440
 and it is ultimate reality

00:13:45.440 --> 00:13:47.160
 that God promises us.

00:13:50.000 --> 00:13:51.040
 All the while

00:13:51.040 --> 00:13:52.560
 that we may be surrounded

00:13:52.560 --> 00:13:53.520
 by brokenness

00:13:53.520 --> 00:13:54.840
 and destruction,

00:13:56.200 --> 00:13:58.680
 God sees things differently.

00:13:58.679 --> 00:14:02.259
 I want to share

00:14:02.259 --> 00:14:03.059
 with you a story

00:14:03.059 --> 00:14:04.299
 and close with this story

00:14:04.299 --> 00:14:05.639
 which I'm going to read

00:14:05.639 --> 00:14:05.919
 to you

00:14:05.919 --> 00:14:06.679
 because it's presented

00:14:06.679 --> 00:14:07.339
 far better

00:14:07.339 --> 00:14:08.879
 than I can present it

00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:09.899
 in my own words.

00:14:11.259 --> 00:14:12.459
 And it's a story

00:14:12.459 --> 00:14:15.339
 about a family

00:14:15.339 --> 00:14:18.099
 in a town

00:14:18.099 --> 00:14:19.179
 called Jezero.

00:14:20.179 --> 00:14:20.799
 It took place

00:14:20.799 --> 00:14:22.019
 in the 1990s.

00:14:22.459 --> 00:14:23.139
 Jezero was in

00:14:23.139 --> 00:14:24.299
 the Bosnian region.

00:14:26.319 --> 00:14:27.479
 It was before the start

00:14:27.480 --> 00:14:28.500
 of the Bosnian war,

00:14:28.800 --> 00:14:29.879
 the Malcock family

00:14:29.879 --> 00:14:32.039
 lived next to a small lake

00:14:32.039 --> 00:14:33.920
 in the northwestern village

00:14:33.920 --> 00:14:34.700
 of Jezero.

00:14:36.180 --> 00:14:36.980
 One day

00:14:36.980 --> 00:14:37.480
 in 1990,

00:14:40.379 --> 00:14:41.700
 Smedio Malcock

00:14:41.700 --> 00:14:42.800
 returned from a trip

00:14:42.800 --> 00:14:43.460
 to Austria

00:14:43.460 --> 00:14:44.480
 with an unusual gift

00:14:45.060 --> 00:14:46.940
 for his teenage sons,

00:14:48.580 --> 00:14:49.840
 Zavad and Katib.

00:14:50.879 --> 00:14:51.980
 It was an aquarium

00:14:51.980 --> 00:14:54.720
 with two goldfish.

00:14:56.800 --> 00:14:58.340
 Two years passed

00:14:58.340 --> 00:15:00.700
 before Bosnian Serb forces

00:15:00.700 --> 00:15:01.860
 advanced on Jezero.

00:15:03.200 --> 00:15:04.639
 The women and children

00:15:04.639 --> 00:15:05.159
 fled

00:15:05.159 --> 00:15:07.200
 and the men stayed back

00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:09.000
 to resist the attacking soldiers.

00:15:11.200 --> 00:15:12.000
 Smedio Malcock

00:15:12.000 --> 00:15:12.620
 was killed.

00:15:14.200 --> 00:15:15.019
 When his wife,

00:15:15.320 --> 00:15:15.659
 Fahima,

00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:16.940
 sneaked back

00:15:16.940 --> 00:15:18.300
 into the destroyed village

00:15:18.300 --> 00:15:19.899
 to bury her husband

00:15:19.899 --> 00:15:21.319
 and rescue what remained

00:15:21.319 --> 00:15:22.179
 of their belongings,

00:15:23.259 --> 00:15:24.340
 she took pity

00:15:24.340 --> 00:15:25.179
 on the fish

00:15:25.179 --> 00:15:26.279
 in the aquarium.

00:15:27.720 --> 00:15:28.939
 She let them out

00:15:28.939 --> 00:15:30.199
 into the nearby lake,

00:15:31.220 --> 00:15:32.179
 saying to herself,

00:15:32.579 --> 00:15:33.279
 this way

00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:34.579
 they might be

00:15:34.579 --> 00:15:35.240
 more fortunate

00:15:35.240 --> 00:15:35.860
 than us.

00:15:38.439 --> 00:15:39.319
 Fast forward

00:15:39.319 --> 00:15:40.480
 to 1995.

00:15:42.679 --> 00:15:43.620
 Fahima Malcock

00:15:43.620 --> 00:15:45.279
 returned with her sons

00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:45.899
 to Jezero.

00:15:45.899 --> 00:15:49.079
 Nothing but ruins

00:15:49.079 --> 00:15:50.980
 remained of their home

00:15:50.980 --> 00:15:52.139
 and their village.

00:15:54.319 --> 00:15:55.720
 Through misty eyes

00:15:55.720 --> 00:15:57.639
 she looked towards the lake.

00:15:59.439 --> 00:16:00.879
 Glimpsing something strange

00:16:00.879 --> 00:16:01.720
 she walked over

00:16:01.720 --> 00:16:02.319
 to the shore.

00:16:04.819 --> 00:16:06.100
 The whole lake

00:16:06.100 --> 00:16:07.439
 was shining

00:16:07.439 --> 00:16:09.000
 from the thousands

00:16:09.000 --> 00:16:10.399
 of golden fish in it.

00:16:11.799 --> 00:16:12.379
 She said,

00:16:12.460 --> 00:16:13.399
 it made me immediately

00:16:13.399 --> 00:16:14.379
 think of my husband.

00:16:14.379 --> 00:16:16.759
 This was something

00:16:16.759 --> 00:16:17.600
 he left me

00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:18.759
 that I had never

00:16:18.759 --> 00:16:19.360
 hoped for.

00:16:21.840 --> 00:16:22.939
 During the years

00:16:22.939 --> 00:16:23.480
 of killing

00:16:23.480 --> 00:16:24.519
 all around the lake,

00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:26.159
 life underwater

00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:26.980
 had flourished.

00:16:28.299 --> 00:16:29.379
 After their return

00:16:29.379 --> 00:16:29.720
 for him

00:16:29.720 --> 00:16:30.220
 and Malcock

00:16:30.220 --> 00:16:30.860
 and her sons

00:16:30.860 --> 00:16:32.840
 started caring for

00:16:32.840 --> 00:16:33.399
 and selling

00:16:33.399 --> 00:16:34.159
 the goldfish.

00:16:35.460 --> 00:16:36.639
 By 1998,

00:16:37.059 --> 00:16:37.419
 homes,

00:16:37.679 --> 00:16:38.000
 stores

00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:38.960
 and coffee shops

00:16:38.960 --> 00:16:40.639
 all over the region

00:16:40.639 --> 00:16:42.379
 featured aquariums

00:16:42.379 --> 00:16:44.100
 containing fish

00:16:44.100 --> 00:16:44.840
 from Jezero.

00:16:46.700 --> 00:16:47.939
 The Malcock house

00:16:47.939 --> 00:16:49.000
 rebuilt on its

00:16:49.000 --> 00:16:49.919
 original site

00:16:49.919 --> 00:16:51.480
 is one of the biggest

00:16:51.480 --> 00:16:52.159
 in the village.

00:16:52.939 --> 00:16:53.720
 Two new cars

00:16:53.720 --> 00:16:54.600
 are parked in front

00:16:54.600 --> 00:16:55.279
 and the family

00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:56.240
 says it has enough money

00:16:56.240 --> 00:16:57.100
 to quit worrying

00:16:57.100 --> 00:16:57.919
 about the future.

00:17:02.539 --> 00:17:03.279
 Zavid Malcock

00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:03.639
 said

00:17:03.639 --> 00:17:06.019
 it was a special

00:17:06.019 --> 00:17:06.799
 kind of gift

00:17:06.799 --> 00:17:08.539
 from our father.

00:17:08.539 --> 00:17:12.920
 Hope says

00:17:12.920 --> 00:17:13.480
 look again.

00:17:15.339 --> 00:17:15.899
 Hope says

00:17:15.899 --> 00:17:16.519
 all the while

00:17:16.519 --> 00:17:17.200
 there are things

00:17:17.200 --> 00:17:18.039
 there are realities

00:17:18.039 --> 00:17:18.559
 going on

00:17:18.559 --> 00:17:19.579
 that you cannot see

00:17:19.579 --> 00:17:21.539
 but are there.

00:17:22.819 --> 00:17:23.639
 All the while

00:17:23.639 --> 00:17:24.119
 that war

00:17:24.119 --> 00:17:24.859
 and devastation

00:17:24.859 --> 00:17:25.420
 was raging

00:17:25.420 --> 00:17:26.259
 there were realities

00:17:26.259 --> 00:17:28.139
 of life flourishing

00:17:28.139 --> 00:17:30.039
 where it could not be seen.

00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:33.379
 And this is

00:17:33.379 --> 00:17:35.579
 the dynamic

00:17:35.579 --> 00:17:36.240
 by which we are

00:17:36.240 --> 00:17:36.720
 called to live

00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:37.299
 as Christians.

00:17:37.299 --> 00:17:39.539
 to trust

00:17:39.539 --> 00:17:40.700
 that God

00:17:40.700 --> 00:17:41.799
 is in control

00:17:41.799 --> 00:17:42.599
 of those realities

00:17:42.599 --> 00:17:43.720
 that we cannot see.

00:17:45.779 --> 00:17:46.899
 Spiritual realities

00:17:46.899 --> 00:17:48.220
 and spiritual truths

00:17:48.220 --> 00:17:49.279
 but to connect

00:17:49.279 --> 00:17:49.659
 with him

00:17:49.659 --> 00:17:50.359
 and to trust

00:17:50.359 --> 00:17:51.419
 that that which

00:17:51.419 --> 00:17:52.319
 we cannot see

00:17:52.319 --> 00:17:54.079
 is real

00:17:54.079 --> 00:17:54.819
 and is true

00:17:54.819 --> 00:17:55.799
 and is to be trusted.

00:17:57.819 --> 00:17:58.419
 As Tagore

00:17:58.419 --> 00:17:59.019
 once said

00:17:59.019 --> 00:18:01.279
 faith is the bird

00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:01.940
 that sings

00:18:01.940 --> 00:18:02.659
 when the dawn

00:18:02.659 --> 00:18:04.039
 is still dark.

00:18:04.039 --> 00:18:07.259
 so let's pray

00:18:07.259 --> 00:18:07.819
 once again.

00:18:08.980 --> 00:18:09.639
 Let's join

00:18:09.639 --> 00:18:11.119
 together in prayer.

00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:13.180
 As we

00:18:13.180 --> 00:18:13.940
 once again

00:18:13.940 --> 00:18:14.420
 I invite you

00:18:14.420 --> 00:18:15.240
 to close your eyes

00:18:15.240 --> 00:18:15.759
 and

00:18:15.759 --> 00:18:17.220
 as we do so

00:18:17.220 --> 00:18:17.779
 let's just

00:18:17.779 --> 00:18:18.500
 revisit

00:18:18.500 --> 00:18:19.119
 those

00:18:19.119 --> 00:18:20.500
 realities

00:18:20.500 --> 00:18:21.180
 that we thought

00:18:21.180 --> 00:18:22.059
 about just now.

00:18:22.059 --> 00:18:25.500
 and in our

00:18:25.500 --> 00:18:25.759
 minds

00:18:25.759 --> 00:18:26.480
 let's just

00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:27.259
 think

00:18:27.259 --> 00:18:27.659
 if they may

00:18:27.659 --> 00:18:28.240
 be realities

00:18:28.240 --> 00:18:29.220
 in our own

00:18:29.220 --> 00:18:29.579
 lives

00:18:29.579 --> 00:18:30.319
 they may be

00:18:30.319 --> 00:18:31.799
 global realities

00:18:31.799 --> 00:18:32.480
 they may be

00:18:32.480 --> 00:18:33.579
 things that

00:18:33.579 --> 00:18:35.559
 present us

00:18:35.559 --> 00:18:36.059
 with a sense

00:18:36.059 --> 00:18:36.619
 of angst

00:18:36.619 --> 00:18:37.339
 or concern

00:18:37.339 --> 00:18:38.059
 or fear

00:18:38.059 --> 00:18:38.599
 or worry.

00:18:41.299 --> 00:18:42.220
 Let's hold

00:18:42.220 --> 00:18:43.019
 those realities

00:18:43.019 --> 00:18:43.440
 and all their

00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:44.119
 brokenness

00:18:44.119 --> 00:18:45.480
 before God

00:18:45.480 --> 00:18:45.980
 in prayer.

00:18:53.860 --> 00:18:54.680
 Lord God

00:18:54.680 --> 00:18:55.420
 thank you

00:18:55.420 --> 00:18:55.880
 that you

00:18:55.880 --> 00:18:56.539
 call us

00:18:56.539 --> 00:18:57.339
 you challenge

00:18:57.339 --> 00:18:57.620
 us

00:18:57.620 --> 00:18:59.059
 to see

00:18:59.059 --> 00:18:59.400
 things

00:18:59.400 --> 00:18:59.700
 through a

00:18:59.700 --> 00:19:00.420
 different lens

00:19:00.420 --> 00:19:02.180
 that you

00:19:02.180 --> 00:19:03.160
 turn reality

00:19:03.160 --> 00:19:04.120
 upside down.

00:19:06.380 --> 00:19:06.960
 Lord

00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:07.599
 we hold

00:19:07.599 --> 00:19:08.099
 in our

00:19:08.099 --> 00:19:08.480
 prayers

00:19:08.480 --> 00:19:08.819
 now

00:19:08.819 --> 00:19:09.180
 those

00:19:09.180 --> 00:19:09.940
 situations

00:19:09.940 --> 00:19:10.480
 in our

00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:10.700
 own

00:19:10.700 --> 00:19:11.000
 lives

00:19:11.000 --> 00:19:11.660
 and those

00:19:11.660 --> 00:19:12.240
 situations

00:19:12.240 --> 00:19:12.980
 more widely

00:19:12.980 --> 00:19:13.579
 across the

00:19:13.579 --> 00:19:13.900
 world

00:19:13.900 --> 00:19:15.160
 where all

00:19:15.160 --> 00:19:15.700
 that can be

00:19:15.700 --> 00:19:16.100
 seen

00:19:16.100 --> 00:19:16.740
 is apparent

00:19:16.740 --> 00:19:17.440
 destruction

00:19:17.440 --> 00:19:18.279
 and chaos.

00:19:20.960 --> 00:19:22.040
 We hold

00:19:22.040 --> 00:19:22.600
 before you

00:19:22.600 --> 00:19:23.480
 those situations

00:19:23.480 --> 00:19:24.259
 that seem

00:19:24.259 --> 00:19:25.220
 apparently

00:19:25.220 --> 00:19:26.279
 full of

00:19:26.279 --> 00:19:26.740
 nothing other

00:19:26.740 --> 00:19:27.560
 than despair.

00:19:31.840 --> 00:19:32.600
 Lord

00:19:32.600 --> 00:19:33.060
 we hold

00:19:33.060 --> 00:19:33.880
 before you

00:19:33.880 --> 00:19:35.460
 our worst

00:19:35.460 --> 00:19:36.019
 fears.

00:19:41.180 --> 00:19:41.920
 Lord

00:19:41.920 --> 00:19:42.220
 as we

00:19:42.220 --> 00:19:42.740
 bring these

00:19:42.740 --> 00:19:43.500
 things before

00:19:43.500 --> 00:19:43.900
 you in

00:19:43.900 --> 00:19:44.220
 prayer

00:19:44.220 --> 00:19:48.620
 help us

00:19:48.620 --> 00:19:49.620
 to trust

00:19:49.620 --> 00:19:50.220
 in you

00:19:50.220 --> 00:19:51.200
 and to

00:19:51.200 --> 00:19:51.920
 see these

00:19:51.920 --> 00:19:52.339
 things

00:19:52.339 --> 00:19:52.900
 differently

00:19:52.900 --> 00:19:54.640
 to see

00:19:54.640 --> 00:19:54.880
 them

00:19:54.880 --> 00:19:55.360
 turned

00:19:55.360 --> 00:19:55.819
 upside

00:19:55.819 --> 00:19:56.360
 down

00:19:56.360 --> 00:19:57.819
 to see

00:19:57.819 --> 00:19:58.000
 them

00:19:58.000 --> 00:19:58.480
 as you

00:19:58.480 --> 00:19:58.720
 see

00:19:58.720 --> 00:19:59.000
 them

00:19:59.000 --> 00:20:00.860
 to trust

00:20:00.860 --> 00:20:01.259
 in you

00:20:01.259 --> 00:20:01.700
 that your

00:20:01.700 --> 00:20:02.059
 kingdom

00:20:02.059 --> 00:20:03.019
 is promised

00:20:03.019 --> 00:20:03.720
 that your

00:20:03.720 --> 00:20:04.000
 kingdom

00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:04.779
 will come

00:20:04.779 --> 00:20:05.620
 and it

00:20:05.620 --> 00:20:06.200
 will come

00:20:06.200 --> 00:20:06.680
 in all

00:20:06.680 --> 00:20:06.880
 its

00:20:06.880 --> 00:20:07.200
 fullness.

00:20:09.600 --> 00:20:10.120
 So

00:20:10.120 --> 00:20:10.319
 Lord

00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:10.680
 give us

00:20:10.680 --> 00:20:11.220
 the strength

00:20:11.220 --> 00:20:11.720
 to live

00:20:11.720 --> 00:20:12.160
 by that

00:20:12.160 --> 00:20:12.620
 promise

00:20:12.619 --> 00:20:13.419
 to live

00:20:13.419 --> 00:20:13.879
 by that

00:20:13.879 --> 00:20:14.219
 hope

00:20:14.219 --> 00:20:14.819
 and to

00:20:14.819 --> 00:20:15.279
 know

00:20:15.279 --> 00:20:18.159
 that you

00:20:18.159 --> 00:20:18.639
 are coming

00:20:18.639 --> 00:20:19.299
 to us

00:20:19.299 --> 00:20:20.319
 in Christ

00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:21.979
 to make

00:20:21.979 --> 00:20:22.659
 all things

00:20:22.659 --> 00:20:23.059
 new.

00:20:25.139 --> 00:20:25.939
 May we

00:20:25.939 --> 00:20:26.419
 live by

00:20:26.419 --> 00:20:26.739
 that,

00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:27.839
 trust by

00:20:27.839 --> 00:20:28.599
 that and

00:20:28.599 --> 00:20:29.179
 hope by

00:20:29.179 --> 00:20:29.519
 that.

00:20:30.819 --> 00:20:31.359
 Now

00:20:31.359 --> 00:20:32.899
 and every

00:20:32.899 --> 00:20:33.239
 day

00:20:33.239 --> 00:20:35.579
 in Jesus'

00:20:35.779 --> 00:20:36.179
 name we

00:20:36.179 --> 00:20:36.479
 pray.

00:20:36.479 --> 00:20:38.479
 Amen.

00:20:38.480 --> 00:20:38.799
 Amen.