WEBVTT

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 Good morning.

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 We are in our second Sunday, the season of Advent.

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 We're keeping Advent.

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 I just learned that actually last week, late to the game.

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 We don't celebrate Advent, we keep it.

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 Because we are awaiting Christ's return, his second Advent.

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 So we're keeping, watch, we're keeping vigil, we're keeping Advent.

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 We're not celebrating his first Advent, that's what Christmas is for.

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 Though we do see a lot of similarities between those in a previous age who are waiting for Christ's first coming,

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 and ourselves who are also awaiting Christ's second coming.

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 We are both awaiting a Savior, a Rescuer.

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 Now if you haven't listened to Kevin's sermon from last week, you really need to do it.

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 Go ahead, when this is over, go ahead and listen to it.

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 It's so good.

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 He was looking at the story of Lazarus, and we learned about a type of prayer that we pray in the season of Advent.

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 Lament.

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 Advent teaches us to ask, why, Lord?

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 How long?

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 This week, we'll see how Advent teaches us to pray,

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 come quickly, Lord Jesus.

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 Today I'm preaching right from our prayer guide, the Advent and Christmas prayer guide that we distributed last week.

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 And so today we're looking at the New Testament reading from today's readings.

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 It's 2 Peter chapter 3, verses 11 to 18.

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 They're the last eight verses of this book.

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 And they were written by the Apostle Peter.

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 This letter is an amalgamation of different types of writing.

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 It's part letter.

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 It's part speech or sermon.

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 It's also part testament.

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 Because Peter is facing his last days, as tradition tells us, before he's executed in the city of Rome under the reign of Nero.

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 Like many other letter writers of the New Testament, he's urging his readers to write belief and to write behavior.

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 So this morning, we'll look at the belief and behavior of God's beloved.

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 Let's pray.

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 Let's pray.

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 Come light our hearts, Lord.

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 Come.

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 Come light our hearts.

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 Come light my heart, Lord, as I preach these words.

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 Come light the hearts of those who would hear these words, both in this room and at home.

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 Come light our hearts and bring joy and peace and comfort as we wait.

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 We've been waiting so long.

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 So now in the season of Advent and in this next hour together, teach us how to wait.

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 For your glory and our good, we pray in Jesus' name.

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 Amen.

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 So let's get our bearings and review this letter together.

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 Peter begins in chapter one with a really deep and astounding claim.

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 He reminds his readers that through God's power and promises, that his readers are partakers in God's divine nature.

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 What an astounding claim.

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 Partakers in God's divine nature.

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 And because they have this union with God, they are to be diligent to share in his qualities, particularly and supremely love.

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 Peter then affirms his own authority by reminding his readers that he was a witness to the transfiguration and glory of Jesus on the Mount of Olives.

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 And then he affirms the authority of Scripture, whose prophecies came about by writers carried along by the Holy Spirit.

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 In contrast, in chapter two of second Peter, Peter condemns false prophets and false teachers.

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 And these false teachers are guilty of two things.

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 First, they deny the second coming of Jesus.

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 These teachers would say, did he really say he was coming back?

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 Because we haven't seen him.

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 And there are those who believe that he was coming back in their lifetime and they've already died.

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 So why the delay?

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 Things seem to be going on as they always have.

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 Why shouldn't they just continue to go on and on?

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 So that's one false teaching.

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 That Jesus is not coming back.

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 The other is this.

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 That if there is no second coming, then there is no final judgment.

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 And if there is no judgment, well, we can just do whatever we want.

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 There are no consequences.

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 So be sexually gratified in whatever way you like.

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 And so some Christians were led astray by these false teachers into sexual immorality and pagan idolatry,

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 while these false teachers profited from it.

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 So let's look at the second coming, as we see in chapter three.

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 Peter's very concerned that his readers believe the right things concerning Jesus' second advent.

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 In verse 12, about the second coming, we read this.

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 The heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn.

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 And then in verse 13,

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 But according to his promise, we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

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 At first glance, this might seem to say that God is going to detonate some kind of reality bomb,

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 completely annihilating the existence of everything,

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 and then creating a new heavens and a new earth from scratch.

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 But we know from the rest of Scripture that God prefers to cleanse what exists,

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 and then to renew and grow what's left.

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 In Romans 8, Paul tells us that creation is groaning,

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 that it waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God.

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 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it,

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 in hope that the creation itself will what?

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 It will be set free from its bondage to corruption.

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 We see Peter here in his letter that he's not focusing on world history per se, but on judgment.

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 We know this from verse 10,

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 where Peter writes,

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 Peter is writing about a purification,

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 Peter is combining both the association of fire with judgment,

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 and the Greek first century conception of the cosmos,

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 in order to drive home the point that when Jesus comes back to judge,

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 nothing will escape his notice.

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 The commentator Peter Davids puts it this way,

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 to bring about judgment, the Lord must peel back all that stands in the way.

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 And this means removing the heavens and burning up the bodies that are in those heavens.

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 The picture is that of stripping off everything that stands between the eye of God and the earth.

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 Now, we all want this, don't we?

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 Whether you are a committed, believing Christian, or you're a complete skeptic,

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 and you don't know what to think of any of this,

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 we all want this.

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 We all want evil to be exposed.

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 We want justice to be done to all those who, without ever having been caught,

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 participated in the murder of millions in Hitler's Germany,

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 Stalin's Soviet Union,

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 Mao's China,

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 POTS Cambodia,

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 and Hutu Rwanda.

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 We want the exposure and judgment of those who have participated in the 21st century genocide of Yazidis in northern Iraq,

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 and the ethnocide of China's Uyghurs.

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 To all this, we say, come quickly, Lord Jesus.

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 If you read the New York Times closely this week,

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 you want accountability and exposure

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 for all those who have made a fortune off of the success of Pornhub,

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 which gets three and a half billion visits per month,

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 three billion ad impressions a day.

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 It's the 10th most visited website in the world,

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 all the while monetizing child assault,

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 revenge pornography,

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 and racist and misogynist content.

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 Come quickly,

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 Lord Jesus.

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 And if we're honest,

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 we want justice and accountability for those who have mistreated us

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 and never had to answer for their mistreatment.

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 Not wanting revenge,

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 but for everyone to know the truth,

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 to know the truth about a family member who abused us,

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 to know the truth about someone in authority

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 who took advantage of us,

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 or for some of us to know the truth

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 about someone with power who mistreated us

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 or discriminated against us for the color of our skin.

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 Come quickly, Lord Jesus.

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 Come and expose.

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 Come and judge.

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 Come and vindicate.

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 What are the implications of a second return of Jesus

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 for those who are expecting it?

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 Peter says right belief in a coming judgment

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 leads to right behavior.

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 It's in verse 14.

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 Therefore, beloved,

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 since you are waiting for these,

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 be diligent to be found by him

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 without spot or blemish and at peace.

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 So let's take a quick assessment.

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 How are you doing with this?

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 How diligent are you to be found without spot or blemish?

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 And to be at peace.

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 I'd like to think this means something else,

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 but it means what it says.

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 In chapter one, verse five,

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 Peter says to make every effort.

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 Are you making every effort

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 to be found without spot or blemish?

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 Every effort.

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 You may be saying to yourself,

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 this is the last thing I need to hear.

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 If you're watching from home,

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 maybe you're tempted,

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 well, I'll just pause it right here

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 because he seems tone deaf.

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 Our nation is not just in the middle of a health crisis

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 coupled with a financial crisis,

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 but it's a worse,

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 even mental health crisis

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 and spiritual health crisis.

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 And he seems to be saying,

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 well, I just need to pick myself up by my bootstraps.

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 Nevermind that I'm about to crack

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 as I deal with loneliness and stress

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 and anxiety and fear and guilt

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 over how I treat those around me

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 and shame that I have no motivation

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 to read my Bible or to pray.

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 Well, I feel the same way you do.

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 This season has been so hard.

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 Advent has reminded me I'm not very good at waiting.

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 I have not made every effort.

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 So here's some good news.

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 You are beloved.

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 Peter says it four times in this chapter.

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 And if the reader is beloved by Peter,

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 the apostle who was ordained to feed Jesus' sheep,

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 the apostle on whose confession Jesus builds his church,

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 if the reader is beloved by Peter,

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 then the reader knows they are beloved of God.

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 You, Christian, are God's beloved.

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 You are beloved even when you are not diligent.

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 Here's the good news.

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 It's actually from Ta-Nehisi Coates

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 in an Atlantic article

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 that he wrote about Kanye West a couple years ago.

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 He drops in this gem.

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 He wrote,

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 the most essential function of love itself

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 is protecting the beloved from destruction.

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 The most essential function of love itself

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 is protecting the beloved from destruction.

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 So how are we, God's beloved,

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 protected from destruction?

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 Well, he took our spots and our blemishes

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 and the destruction they deserve upon himself.

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 And now we have God's unconditional love,

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 favor, and delight.

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 A woman tells a story.

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 She writes,

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 one day when I was very young,

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 I saw my older sister

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 hanging up my father's white business shirts

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 on the clothesline to dry.

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 I was suddenly filled with the urge

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 to hang up one of my daddy's white shirts.

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 He was my daddy too,

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 and I was his daughter.

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 I loved him in my childlike way

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 and wanted to express it.

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 I couldn't reach the clothesline.

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 It was too high,

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 but I saw a wheelbarrow in the yard

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 and its handles were just the right height for me.

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 I didn't notice how rusty it was,

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 and I rather joyfully clothes pinned

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 the wet shirt to the handles.

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 When my dad got home

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 and saw the shirt on the wheelbarrow,

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 he became very angry with me.

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 He punished me severely

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 for ruining his shirt.

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 I had not realized the impact

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 that event and others like it had made on me.

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 This memory returns to me

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 as I realized my disbelief

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 concerning God's delight in me

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 and the gracious nature

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 of my relationship with him.

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 As I remember these scenes from the past,

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 I see that through the years,

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 I have not believed that my father in heaven

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 was any different than my earthly father.

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 I have not listened when he described himself.

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 In short, I haven't believed the gospel

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 that by faith in Christ

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 and his perfect atoning sacrifice,

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 he now loves me

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 and is forever for me

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 and delighted in me.

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 In Christ, he has made me beautiful

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 and pleasing to him forever.

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 So I told my counselor

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 that I thought I was beginning to understand.

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 I told him the memory

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 and said that I guess

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 if the father saw me standing

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 next to the wheelbarrow

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 with a ruined shirt on it,

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 he would forget the shirt and hug me.

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 My counselor said,

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 you still don't understand fully.

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 The counselor said,

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 God would not overlook the shirt,

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 but he would take it on.

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 He would put it on

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 and he would wear it to work.

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 And when someone commented on the rest marks,

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 he would say,

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 let me tell you about my little girl

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 and how much she loves me.

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 Beloved, you have nothing to fear

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 on the day of judgment.

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 Your identity as God's beloved

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 rests not in your ability

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 to live without spot or blemish,

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 but rests in what Jesus accomplished

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 on the cross.

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 Further, God has united himself to you.

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 In chapter one,

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 Peter writes that we partake

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 of his divine nature.

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 Yes, effort is required

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 in the Christian life.

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 Paul writes in Philippians two,

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 to work out your own salvation

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 with fear and trembling,

00:16:11.259 --> 00:16:13.220
 but by virtue of your union with him,

00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:13.740
 he writes,

00:16:13.840 --> 00:16:15.879
 it is God who works in you

00:16:15.879 --> 00:16:17.620
 both to will and to work

00:16:17.620 --> 00:16:18.480
 for his good pleasure.

00:16:18.879 --> 00:16:19.960
 So how does this relate

00:16:19.960 --> 00:16:22.159
 to Jesus' second advent?

00:16:23.019 --> 00:16:24.279
 Well, Peter tells us

00:16:24.279 --> 00:16:25.700
 that our obedience,

00:16:27.360 --> 00:16:29.860
 our acts of gratitude,

00:16:30.539 --> 00:16:32.039
 thankfulness for what God

00:16:32.039 --> 00:16:33.080
 has done for us,

00:16:33.960 --> 00:16:36.519
 our obedience that comes from

00:16:36.519 --> 00:16:40.699
 partaking in God's divine nature.

00:16:41.860 --> 00:16:44.220
 He says our obedience hastens

00:16:44.220 --> 00:16:45.939
 Jesus' return.

00:16:47.799 --> 00:16:49.840
 The church has the privilege

00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:51.919
 of participating in the coming

00:16:51.919 --> 00:16:52.480
 of the kingdom.

00:16:53.860 --> 00:16:55.319
 God listens to us

00:16:55.319 --> 00:16:56.579
 and responds to us

00:16:56.579 --> 00:16:57.340
 as we pray,

00:16:58.340 --> 00:16:59.720
 come quickly, Lord Jesus,

00:17:00.600 --> 00:17:02.720
 and thy kingdom come.

00:17:02.720 --> 00:17:06.980
 We participate with God

00:17:06.980 --> 00:17:08.360
 in the redemption of society

00:17:08.360 --> 00:17:09.880
 and the renewal of all things.

00:17:10.279 --> 00:17:11.819
 We hasten the coming of the Lord

00:17:11.819 --> 00:17:13.120
 through sharing the gospel

00:17:13.120 --> 00:17:14.559
 with those who don't know him,

00:17:15.240 --> 00:17:16.620
 through our works of mercy

00:17:16.620 --> 00:17:17.440
 and justice,

00:17:18.279 --> 00:17:19.299
 through our repentance

00:17:19.299 --> 00:17:20.700
 and our obedience.

00:17:23.640 --> 00:17:25.660
 Okay, we've talked about belief,

00:17:25.940 --> 00:17:26.240
 behavior,

00:17:26.360 --> 00:17:27.299
 and being God's beloved,

00:17:27.559 --> 00:17:29.220
 so what?

00:17:29.339 --> 00:17:29.880
 So what?

00:17:29.880 --> 00:17:31.540
 What do we do tomorrow

00:17:31.540 --> 00:17:32.540
 about all this?

00:17:32.640 --> 00:17:34.680
 How does this help me tomorrow?

00:17:35.840 --> 00:17:36.600
 As I sit at home,

00:17:37.100 --> 00:17:38.400
 working,

00:17:38.960 --> 00:17:39.620
 raising my children,

00:17:40.960 --> 00:17:42.800
 or all alone in my apartment

00:17:42.800 --> 00:17:44.520
 where nobody is,

00:17:45.460 --> 00:17:46.800
 how does this help me tomorrow?

00:17:47.540 --> 00:17:48.620
 Well, Peter concludes his letter

00:17:48.620 --> 00:17:49.760
 with this admonition,

00:17:50.900 --> 00:17:52.540
 but grow in the grace

00:17:52.540 --> 00:17:53.720
 and knowledge

00:17:53.720 --> 00:17:54.800
 of our Lord and Savior,

00:17:54.960 --> 00:17:55.700
 Jesus Christ.

00:17:55.700 --> 00:18:00.340
 It is through personal encounter

00:18:00.340 --> 00:18:01.340
 with Jesus.

00:18:03.000 --> 00:18:04.720
 As Savior and Lord

00:18:04.720 --> 00:18:06.840
 that the Christian life begins.

00:18:08.160 --> 00:18:08.740
 So listen,

00:18:09.299 --> 00:18:10.420
 it is through

00:18:10.420 --> 00:18:12.340
 continued personal encounter

00:18:12.340 --> 00:18:13.700
 with Jesus

00:18:13.700 --> 00:18:15.259
 that we grow.

00:18:15.840 --> 00:18:17.000
 We grow through

00:18:17.000 --> 00:18:18.160
 continual,

00:18:18.900 --> 00:18:20.440
 personal encounter

00:18:20.440 --> 00:18:21.819
 with Jesus.

00:18:21.819 --> 00:18:21.980
 Jesus.

00:18:24.159 --> 00:18:24.639
 So,

00:18:25.079 --> 00:18:26.819
 put it on your calendar

00:18:26.819 --> 00:18:28.740
 to talk to God

00:18:28.740 --> 00:18:29.599
 and be in his word.

00:18:29.679 --> 00:18:30.099
 Look, you,

00:18:30.259 --> 00:18:31.399
 you put everything else

00:18:31.399 --> 00:18:31.859
 in your calendar,

00:18:32.139 --> 00:18:32.419
 right?

00:18:33.539 --> 00:18:34.579
 And you do it

00:18:34.579 --> 00:18:35.559
 because you're diligent.

00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:38.599
 You make every effort

00:18:38.599 --> 00:18:39.740
 to succeed at work,

00:18:39.879 --> 00:18:40.859
 so right now,

00:18:41.559 --> 00:18:42.759
 put it on your calendar.

00:18:43.559 --> 00:18:44.399
 If you're watching this

00:18:44.399 --> 00:18:45.599
 after our worship time,

00:18:45.639 --> 00:18:46.599
 you can pause it right now.

00:18:47.480 --> 00:18:48.439
 Put it on your calendar

00:18:48.440 --> 00:18:49.680
 and write in

00:18:49.680 --> 00:18:50.460
 or type in

00:18:50.460 --> 00:18:52.140
 time with Jesus.

00:18:55.160 --> 00:18:56.799
 Use the prayer guide

00:18:56.799 --> 00:18:58.620
 and the Bible reading guide

00:18:58.620 --> 00:18:59.440
 that we distributed

00:18:59.440 --> 00:19:00.019
 for Advent.

00:19:00.380 --> 00:19:01.840
 This is how we prepare

00:19:01.840 --> 00:19:03.160
 for Jesus' second coming.

00:19:04.680 --> 00:19:05.420
 So that's one.

00:19:05.700 --> 00:19:06.400
 The second is

00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:07.580
 during the season of Advent,

00:19:08.039 --> 00:19:08.720
 be praying.

00:19:08.880 --> 00:19:09.720
 Come Lord Jesus.

00:19:10.279 --> 00:19:11.080
 Say it a lot.

00:19:11.259 --> 00:19:11.980
 Pray it a lot.

00:19:12.460 --> 00:19:13.160
 And be attentive.

00:19:13.779 --> 00:19:14.519
 What is that doing

00:19:14.519 --> 00:19:15.480
 to you?

00:19:15.900 --> 00:19:16.420
 What is that doing

00:19:16.420 --> 00:19:17.120
 to your heart?

00:19:18.440 --> 00:19:19.559
 Pray,

00:19:19.720 --> 00:19:20.660
 come Lord Jesus.

00:19:20.880 --> 00:19:21.840
 I would expect

00:19:21.840 --> 00:19:23.299
 that this prayer,

00:19:23.720 --> 00:19:25.180
 prayed many times

00:19:25.180 --> 00:19:25.980
 over time,

00:19:26.400 --> 00:19:28.420
 will produce longing,

00:19:29.259 --> 00:19:32.740
 which will produce joy.

00:19:34.680 --> 00:19:36.259
 And that will help us

00:19:36.259 --> 00:19:37.820
 get through this pandemic

00:19:37.820 --> 00:19:40.920
 as it has helped Christians

00:19:40.920 --> 00:19:42.240
 in previous pandemics.

00:19:42.920 --> 00:19:43.960
 So let me close

00:19:43.960 --> 00:19:44.779
 with this story

00:19:44.779 --> 00:19:46.759
 from a previous pandemic.

00:19:46.759 --> 00:19:49.400
 It occurred in the year 1597

00:19:49.400 --> 00:19:52.099
 when the bubonic plague

00:19:52.099 --> 00:19:53.680
 ravaged the town

00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:54.819
 of Unna, Germany.

00:19:55.740 --> 00:19:56.640
 The pastor of the church

00:19:56.640 --> 00:19:57.140
 in Unna,

00:19:57.359 --> 00:19:58.200
 Philip Nikolai,

00:19:58.660 --> 00:19:59.879
 lived in the parsonage

00:19:59.879 --> 00:20:01.400
 that lay on the other side

00:20:01.400 --> 00:20:02.099
 of the cemetery

00:20:02.099 --> 00:20:02.980
 from the church.

00:20:03.339 --> 00:20:04.420
 And from his window,

00:20:04.839 --> 00:20:06.039
 Pastor Nikolai could see

00:20:06.039 --> 00:20:07.819
 up to 30 people a day

00:20:07.819 --> 00:20:09.299
 buried in that cemetery

00:20:09.299 --> 00:20:10.599
 when he wasn't actually

00:20:10.599 --> 00:20:12.140
 the one burying

00:20:12.140 --> 00:20:12.940
 these people.

00:20:12.940 --> 00:20:15.000
 And by the time

00:20:15.000 --> 00:20:16.279
 the plague subsided,

00:20:16.480 --> 00:20:17.900
 over half the town's

00:20:17.900 --> 00:20:18.960
 residents had died.

00:20:19.640 --> 00:20:20.080
 Half.

00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:22.019
 Imagine the sights

00:20:22.019 --> 00:20:22.660
 that he saw

00:20:22.660 --> 00:20:23.400
 from his window

00:20:23.400 --> 00:20:25.759
 and the sounds,

00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:28.799
 the continual shovels

00:20:28.799 --> 00:20:29.779
 digging,

00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:32.900
 the steady stream

00:20:32.900 --> 00:20:33.660
 of mourners

00:20:33.660 --> 00:20:34.740
 and the sound

00:20:34.740 --> 00:20:35.559
 of their weeping

00:20:35.559 --> 00:20:36.440
 and sobbing.

00:20:38.440 --> 00:20:39.720
 Imagine the smell

00:20:39.720 --> 00:20:40.559
 of death

00:20:40.559 --> 00:20:41.620
 barely masked

00:20:41.620 --> 00:20:42.339
 by the smell

00:20:42.339 --> 00:20:42.940
 of lime.

00:20:44.019 --> 00:20:44.759
 Now in the midst

00:20:44.759 --> 00:20:46.339
 of this death,

00:20:46.740 --> 00:20:47.480
 Pastor Nikolai

00:20:47.480 --> 00:20:48.620
 would intensely meditate

00:20:48.620 --> 00:20:49.940
 on eternal life.

00:20:50.920 --> 00:20:51.559
 He began to write

00:20:51.559 --> 00:20:52.160
 devotionals

00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:53.299
 based on his meditations

00:20:53.299 --> 00:20:54.860
 and would soon publish them

00:20:54.860 --> 00:20:56.180
 for his suffering congregation.

00:20:57.600 --> 00:20:59.299
 He included three songs

00:20:59.299 --> 00:21:00.100
 in the devotional

00:21:00.100 --> 00:21:01.380
 and one of them

00:21:01.380 --> 00:21:02.839
 originated in this way.

00:21:03.920 --> 00:21:04.440
 It was said

00:21:04.440 --> 00:21:05.440
 of Pastor Nikolai

00:21:05.440 --> 00:21:06.240
 that one morning

00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:07.299
 in great distress

00:21:07.299 --> 00:21:08.100
 and tribulation

00:21:08.100 --> 00:21:09.500
 in his quiet study,

00:21:09.720 --> 00:21:11.100
 he rose in spirit

00:21:11.100 --> 00:21:12.100
 from the distress

00:21:12.100 --> 00:21:13.039
 and death

00:21:13.039 --> 00:21:14.079
 which surrounded him

00:21:14.079 --> 00:21:15.140
 to his Redeemer

00:21:15.140 --> 00:21:15.720
 and Savior

00:21:15.720 --> 00:21:17.559
 and while he clasped him

00:21:17.559 --> 00:21:18.759
 in ardent love,

00:21:18.860 --> 00:21:19.819
 there welled forth

00:21:19.819 --> 00:21:21.339
 from the inmost depths

00:21:21.339 --> 00:21:22.000
 of his heart

00:21:22.000 --> 00:21:23.720
 this precious hymn

00:21:23.720 --> 00:21:25.420
 of the Savior's love

00:21:25.420 --> 00:21:26.920
 and of the joys

00:21:26.920 --> 00:21:27.460
 of heaven.

00:21:28.920 --> 00:21:30.740
 He was so entirely absorbed

00:21:30.740 --> 00:21:31.920
 in this holy exaltation

00:21:31.920 --> 00:21:33.120
 that he forgot all around him,

00:21:33.140 --> 00:21:34.079
 even his midday meal,

00:21:34.140 --> 00:21:34.759
 and allowed nothing

00:21:34.759 --> 00:21:35.600
 to disturb him

00:21:35.600 --> 00:21:37.360
 in his poetical labors

00:21:37.360 --> 00:21:37.839
 till the hymn

00:21:37.839 --> 00:21:38.480
 was completed.

00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:40.920
 And he titled this hymn

00:21:40.920 --> 00:21:43.759
 A Spiritual Bridal Song

00:21:43.759 --> 00:21:45.220
 of the Believing Soul

00:21:45.220 --> 00:21:46.920
 Concerning Jesus Christ,

00:21:47.640 --> 00:21:48.640
 Her Heavenly Bridegroom.

00:21:49.920 --> 00:21:50.920
 It has become

00:21:50.920 --> 00:21:52.360
 a favorite Advent hymn

00:21:52.360 --> 00:21:53.420
 of the German people

00:21:53.420 --> 00:21:54.539
 and of Christians

00:21:54.539 --> 00:21:55.779
 all around the world.

00:21:57.200 --> 00:21:58.440
 And I'll close

00:21:58.440 --> 00:21:59.819
 with reading to you

00:21:59.819 --> 00:22:01.240
 the last verse

00:22:01.240 --> 00:22:02.640
 and then we'll get

00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:03.779
 a chance to sing this.

00:22:06.519 --> 00:22:08.200
 In the midst of death,

00:22:09.140 --> 00:22:09.660
 distress,

00:22:10.299 --> 00:22:11.420
 and at times despair,

00:22:13.220 --> 00:22:14.039
 Nikolai wrote,

00:22:14.039 --> 00:22:15.200
 O joy,

00:22:15.539 --> 00:22:16.299
 to know

00:22:16.299 --> 00:22:17.519
 that thou,

00:22:17.599 --> 00:22:18.180
 my friend,

00:22:18.399 --> 00:22:19.159
 art Lord,

00:22:19.279 --> 00:22:20.779
 beginning without end,

00:22:20.779 --> 00:22:22.299
 the first and last,

00:22:22.420 --> 00:22:22.819
 eternal.

00:22:24.440 --> 00:22:25.619
 And thou at length,

00:22:25.720 --> 00:22:26.700
 O glorious grace,

00:22:26.759 --> 00:22:27.319
 will take me

00:22:27.319 --> 00:22:28.680
 to that holy place,

00:22:28.819 --> 00:22:29.420
 the home

00:22:29.420 --> 00:22:30.440
 of joys,

00:22:30.779 --> 00:22:31.279
 supernal.

00:22:32.559 --> 00:22:33.119
 Amen.

00:22:34.259 --> 00:22:34.720
 Amen.

00:22:34.720 --> 00:22:37.680
 Come and meet me.

00:22:38.600 --> 00:22:39.839
 Quickly greet me.

00:22:40.880 --> 00:22:42.100
 With deep yearning,

00:22:42.339 --> 00:22:42.579
 Lord,

00:22:42.680 --> 00:22:44.000
 I look for thy returning.

00:22:47.960 --> 00:22:49.319
 In the name of the Father,

00:22:49.579 --> 00:22:50.180
 and of the Son,

00:22:50.620 --> 00:22:51.559
 and of the Holy Spirit.

00:22:52.860 --> 00:22:53.180
 Amen.

00:22:53.839 --> 00:22:54.220
 Lord,

00:22:54.319 --> 00:22:55.839
 we long for your return.

00:22:55.839 --> 00:23:01.439
 We long for an end

00:23:01.439 --> 00:23:02.639
 to sickness

00:23:02.639 --> 00:23:03.279
 and to death.

00:23:05.159 --> 00:23:05.879
 An end

00:23:05.879 --> 00:23:06.579
 to grief

00:23:06.579 --> 00:23:07.240
 and despair.

00:23:07.500 --> 00:23:08.119
 An end

00:23:08.119 --> 00:23:08.939
 to abuse

00:23:08.939 --> 00:23:09.779
 and oppression.

00:23:10.220 --> 00:23:10.599
 An end

00:23:10.599 --> 00:23:11.480
 to addiction

00:23:11.480 --> 00:23:12.299
 and depression.

00:23:12.899 --> 00:23:13.339
 An end

00:23:13.339 --> 00:23:14.139
 to war.

00:23:14.459 --> 00:23:14.879
 An end

00:23:14.879 --> 00:23:15.439
 to hate.

00:23:16.459 --> 00:23:17.519
 But most of all,

00:23:17.759 --> 00:23:18.000
 Lord,

00:23:18.959 --> 00:23:20.139
 we long for you.

00:23:22.179 --> 00:23:22.699
 Jesus,

00:23:23.039 --> 00:23:23.980
 we long for you.

00:23:24.159 --> 00:23:25.220
 You have loved us

00:23:25.220 --> 00:23:26.160
 all our lives

00:23:26.160 --> 00:23:26.980
 and never done us

00:23:26.980 --> 00:23:27.740
 anything wrong.

00:23:28.559 --> 00:23:29.900
 We long for you.

00:23:30.140 --> 00:23:31.100
 We long for you.

00:23:31.640 --> 00:23:32.519
 We've talked to you

00:23:32.519 --> 00:23:33.500
 in the middle of the night

00:23:33.500 --> 00:23:34.559
 in our darkest times

00:23:34.559 --> 00:23:35.259
 and the first thing

00:23:35.259 --> 00:23:35.660
 in the morning.

00:23:38.740 --> 00:23:40.579
 We long to see your face.

00:23:41.600 --> 00:23:42.940
 The face of our king,

00:23:43.960 --> 00:23:44.799
 our rescuer,

00:23:45.460 --> 00:23:46.019
 our friend.

00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:48.000
 So come quickly,

00:23:48.000 --> 00:23:48.579
 Lord Jesus.

00:23:50.559 --> 00:23:51.660
 Come quickly,

00:23:51.880 --> 00:23:52.400
 Lord Jesus.

00:23:52.640 --> 00:23:53.400
 Come quickly,

00:23:54.079 --> 00:23:55.019
 Lord Jesus.

00:23:55.220 --> 00:23:57.920
 Amen.

00:23:57.920 --> 00:23:58.019
 Amen.