WEBVTT

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 okay um when i come back up on the screen again well even if i don't come back on here i go here

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 i go uh i'm going to read the bible now and then we'll we'll spend a few minutes just um thinking

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 about one peter chapter one and i just can't help thinking that at this time it's just lovely to

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 hear about jesus total commitment to us and our salvation secure there's nothing else much secure

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 in this world at least it feels like nothing else much secure in the world this week but our

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 salvation is just as secure as it was last week last year last century and we can never hear enough

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 of that especially that time so this time so thanks alex now i'm going to read from one peter chapter

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 one uh the first nine verses and then we'll spend a few minutes just uh thinking through some of those

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 things so hopefully um you've got your bibles open uh maybe you can they said yesterday there might be

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 some complication with having um electronic devices and zoom open so you might have to go back and use

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 an old-fashioned uh word bible like like i do anyway here we go so verse one of chapter one of one peter

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 peter an apostle of jesus christ to those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in pontus galatia

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 cappadocia asia and bithynia according to the foreknowledge of god the father in the sanctification

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 of the spirit for obedience to jesus christ and for sprinkling with his blood may grace and peace be

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 multiplied to you blessed be the god and father of our lord jesus christ according to his great mercy

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 he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of jesus christ from the

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 dead to an inheritance that is imperishable undefiled unfading kept in heaven for you who by god's power

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 are being guarded through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time in this

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 you rejoice though now for a little while if necessary you have been grieved by various trials

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 so the tested genuineness of your faith more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire

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 may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of jesus christ

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 though you have not seen him you love him though you do not see him now you believe him

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 and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory obtaining the outcome of your faith

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 the salvation of your souls

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 well rob's already said uh summed it all up hasn't he what a week what a week it's been just imagine

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 something as microscopically small as a virus totally disrupting interrupting our life if not changing it

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 forever forever that great thing that we've all talked about over the years that australian way of

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 life socially we've moved from being party central as a nation to being a nation in nervous isolation

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 economic talk of economic growth has moved to talk of economic recession and even depression

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 pretty bleak our health system that a week ago most of us would have thought

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 would have been able to deal with any eventuality is now threatened with being overwhelmed

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 the aussie spirit so-called aussie spirit of looking after your mate

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 well that's fast becoming a look after yourself type attitude isn't it hoarding panic buying

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 and then as rob's already mentioned our church family now for the first time ever being forced to meet

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 online trying to be together while being separate now it's already been mentioned a few times that as

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 always change creates fear we've heard a few of them this morning it's fear of the unfamiliar

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 fear of loss of relationships and growing aloneness fear of losing your job fear of ability to provide for

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 your family fear of losing your retirement nest egg as you see the stock market collapse fears even of

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 contracting covered 19 fear of death I mean the fear is the list of fears goes on and on and on but

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 you know what my biggest fear has been this week doing what I'm doing now speaking online I'm not so much

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 worried about covered 19 I thought actually come Friday night that might have been a really good option

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 rather than preaching online but here I am so fierce they're very real fears they'll be very specific

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 to each of us but regardless of what they are each of them impacts on our faith in the present

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 and impact on our hope for the future and you see that one up in the the quotation up in the screen

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 so one I saw this week if we view ourselves as besieged victims who need to go into hiding

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 then we will cultivate fear and hoarding if we view ourselves as a community working hard to protect

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 the most vulnerable among us then that will have its own outcome so our hope mindset really impacts the

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 way we act and think everybody needs some sort of hope for the future we're shaped by our hopes mindset

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 which drives us to list the things we believe we need to be secure and that happens from when we

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 wake in the morning we express our hopes mindsets so let me ask you there's a hopes mindset up on the

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 screen happy new year that's a that's a form of hope let me ask you this morning what was the first

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 thing you hoped for when you woke up this morning perhaps like me you just hoped that all this would go

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 away and we'd get back to life as normal as life as we know it or perhaps it was that my me and my

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 loved ones would be healthy that my home and possessions and wealth might survive that I might still be able to

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 get that lifestyle that I've worked for all my life and which now seems to be perhaps slipping away

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 our hopes mindset will shape the way we speak and it will shape the what we invest our time and energy

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 and resources in put simply we throw ourselves into doing things that we believe will make our hope a

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 reality and coming up in the script at the moment there's a couple of more quotations about that

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 we're hearing these sort of hopes on the tv news every day at one extreme there's a form of despair

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 hopelessness driving panic pushing people to get what they want regardless of others

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 at the other extreme then there's the bland optimism of positive thinking

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 we've heard it so many times you know we will get through this crisis we will come out the other side

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 stronger and better than ever and there are numerous options in between those two extremes

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 but whatever option you go for we need hope wherever you sit on that spectrum we need hope

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 and here's the really important thing the object of our hope is the thing that's really critical

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 if the person or thing we invest our hopes into fails to deliver then we're going to crash and burn

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 big time we'll be consumed with fear we'll be consumed with disappointment we'll be consumed with

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 frustration because our hopes are tantalizing they're there but we can't quite get a hold of them

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 we can't make them secure so let's turn to uh peter's letter and see that real hope is inseparably tied

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 to relationship with jesus so i'm going to read uh the first few verses when they come up on the screen here

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 here we go um peter an apostle of jesus christ to those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in

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 pontus calesia cappadocia aesia and bithynia according to the foreknowledge of god the father

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 in the sanctification of the spirit for obedience to jesus christ and for sprinkling with his blood

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 may grace and peace be multiplied to you now that's the context in which peter's going to tell us

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 about our living hope and it's a really important context to remember he's writing to christians

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 that are scattered all over the roman empire they're living like refugees or exiles in days of severe

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 persecution incredible insecurity for them these are christians who have been marginalized

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 isolated or even cut off from their families and cut off from local village life simply because

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 they've become christians we can feel their fear fear for themselves fear for their families we can

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 feel their sense of isolation their sense of dislocation their pain their suffering they become refugees

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 in their own land things look familiar and yet they're so unfamiliar not unlike i think i've been

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 feeling this week everything that's comfortable and familiar is there but it's not there

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 we sense their longing longing like refugees to know that somebody cares that they're valued as people

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 they want to have a home they want to have security they want to know that a better life is ahead

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 given the awfulness of their current predicament

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 it's that context that peter reminds the christians that we have a living hope not just wishful thinking

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 not just positive thinking it's a hope which is ours by right of birth it is our inheritance

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 it cannot be stripped away from us as as alex said in his children's talks as christians we're united

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 with christ not only in his death but in his resurrection because he is raised to a new secure

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 life with the father in heaven we can be absolutely certain that we also will be raised to this secure

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 life in heaven we haven't actually got there to experience it in in its fullness yet but we are tied into it now

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 by virtue of being tied into christ because christ is living we have living hope it's that simple

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 in and through relationship with him now peter goes on then to spell out the twin truths that underpin

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 that that real living hope that security for the future the first is in verse four

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 oh thanks so we'll get that up on the screen in a sec um our inheritance is kept in heaven for us

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 blessed be the god and father of our lord jesus christ according to his great mercy he has caused us to be

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 born again to a living hope through the resurrection of jesus christ from the dead to an inheritance that

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 is imperishable undefiled unfading and kept in heaven for you now i've used this illustration before but

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 children when children leave home parents often present them things that they've collected over the

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 years things that the parents have kept because they know jolly well if they give them to the kids

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 uh they would have been lost they would have mutilated so the parents keep them the kids can't

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 get their hands on them and so they're there to be presented at the right moment well in the same way

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 our heavenly father has our security our salvation our future stored up in heaven for us we can't get our

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 hands on it therefore we can't mess it up and that's surely what we'd do if it was down to us

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 but it's kept for us ready to go and able to do everything that christ promised it's tamper proof

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 the second truth then is uh we are kept by the father so you see the twin truth our salvation is kept for us

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 and then the other side of the coin is we are kept by the father so that we will might eventually

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 enjoy our inheritance verse five continuing on the sentence who by god's power are being guarded through

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 for a salvation ready to be revealed thank you in the last time why can i be confident why can you be

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 confident as a christian you will persevere and you will ultimately make it home to heaven

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 answer because god preserves you god will preserve you he's promised to preserve you

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 for the inheritance that he's already set aside for you he's already storing for you

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 and he's going to bring the two of them together uh in at some point in time in the future we can't

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 see the full security we have now and sometimes doubt it we can't see the the beauty of what we have in

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 its fullness and so we sometimes doubt it but one day jesus will come back he will take us to be with

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 him in heaven where we will experience in full what he has stored up for us and which we can only now

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 appreciate through faith now friends that means our hopes mindset as christians is not in how we can

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 mold our lives by our own resources

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 it is not wishful thinking it is not bland optimism of positive thinking

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 our confidence now and into the future is based on christ's death and resurrection in the past

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 there's not a chance we will miss out on what god intends us to have because both sides are in god's hands

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 however there's another wonderful truth that's that's brilliant so far but there's another wonderful

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 truth in these verses and that is living hope massively transforms our perspective on suffering

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 now uh peter doesn't just present this truth the twin truths of hope in a vacuum he means us to

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 connect them into real life and here's the connection into real life that these twin truths massively

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 transforms our perspective on suffering let me just read these verses again to you they're up in your

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 screen now in this you rejoice that is in this truth twin truths of salvation though now for a little

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 while if necessary you have been grieved by various trials so the tested genuineness of your faith

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 more precious than gold that perishes though is tested by fire may be found to result in praise and glory

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 and honor at the revelation of jesus christ though you have not seen him you love him though you do not

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 see him now you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory

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 obtaining the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls notice that in verse 6 it is in living

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 in this living hope you rejoice the same thing again in verse 8 you rejoice get this you rejoice with

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 inexpressible joy filled with glory now what does that mean well it's i think it's probably too big for me to

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 actually completely expand and exhaust but let me let me just try this on you because i think this is

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 this is really helpful what it means is this when i live confidently in the light of those twin truths

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 that my salvation is kept for me and i'm kept for my salvation when i live confidently in light of this

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 then i reflect christ's glory how do you do that both as i display how christ himself

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 has changed me from the inside out it's not normal to hope in somebody outside yourself

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 but also as i happily walk the path of suffering which jesus also worked

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 those two things are a form of inexpressible joy i know in whatever situation the lord makes me walk

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 into and leads me into the truth of my salvation remains unshaken and as i walk into the path of

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 suffering to my ultimate glory in heaven then i'm simply following the path that jesus has walked

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 before me and and as his disciple has asked me to follow

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 there's the source of inexpressible joy things might be falling apart all around us

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 there might be incredible physical taxation but that pathway cannot be broken we will not slip off the

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 pathway we will not be barged off the pathway we will be led home to that inexpressible joy and beauty

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 of being with jesus forever

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 so suffering therefore moves from something that we need to fear

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 as the text tells us to something which is an opportunity for us imagine that that's a big call to say that

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 suffering is an opportunity for god's people what's it the opportunity for it's an opportunity to trust jesus more

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 to grow more like him to be more joyful to be more thankful for to the lord for his goodness to us in jesus

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 now this is a really really important one to think through especially where we are at the minute as a

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 church and where we are as a society where we are globally

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 see most people including many many christians think that suffering in and of itself is bad

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 and that should be avoided

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 they would say things like suffering and happiness or joy are incompatible

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 and that god wants us to be happy therefore we should

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 minimize or or do everything we can to avoid any sort of suffering

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 others have a more stoic you know a stiff upper lip mentality towards suffering

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 they think suffering is just an opportunity for the likes of me to prove my mettle to prove my character

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 to show people what i'm made of

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 and so the idea there is that you just tough it out

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 you you you you have a stiff upper lip and you just put your head down and shoulder it

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 and and you just say well okay people will see what i'm made of

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 i'll come out this other side of this

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 you know that that thing i said about

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 um australians you know we will get through this

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 we will come out the other side we'll be better for it

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 well that's a form of approach to suffering but it's not a gospel shaped approach to suffering

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 the hope there is in strength of my own character

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 to deal with whatever life throws at me

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 it might be a real hope but it's not a gospel hope

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 peter speaks of the reality of suffering in a very positive way

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 which trusts increasingly in who we are and what we can do in jesus

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 and not who we are and what we can do in ourselves

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 rejoice with joy inexpressible filled with glory

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 means moving into and through our suffering

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 knowing that jesus is ahead of us shaping us through it and leaving us home

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 so my friends this inheritance this new and living hope is not just a theory

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 to live by i would say to you it's a truth to die by

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 if that becomes necessary

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 over the last few years i myself have been uh trying to learn to crave this

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 inexpressible joy and suffering

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 by trying to find a gospel place in suffering

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 that is what by a gospel place i mean recognizing in whatever suffering

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 i'm i'm experiencing at that moment that i can say to myself

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 this is where jesus wants me to be this is the best place for me

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 to develop my trust in jesus to be exposed to my own sinful life trust

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 and therefore this is the place where i can be

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 even in the midst of suffering free to learn the lessons he wants me to learn

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 and free still to have a mind to others before myself

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 so here's the big question that i wrap up this morning

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 big question is do we do you have a living hope in the face of covered 19

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 because if your living hope doesn't help you address covered 19

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 with confidence i'm not talking about being foolhardy

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 i'm talking about being confident then you don't have the living hope

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 that is rightfully yours to be understood and lived

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 out as a christian

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 and the answer to your question as you answer me

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 do you have a hope a living hope for covered 19

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 the answer whether it's yes or no will be very clear and obvious

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 as you daily express your hopes mindset

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 so here's how it works if all we have is this world

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 and the things of this world health wealth comfort

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 then there's no alternative you will become increasingly fearful

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 you'll become increasingly self-interested

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 and self-protective

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 you'll become increasingly angry frustrated

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 that the good things of this life that you've worked so hard for

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 are now being stripped away by some microscopic virus

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 that's random

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 but if on the other hand our real hope

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 our real security our real home is in heaven

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 and if our joy is to be like jesus and follow his pathway of suffering

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 to heaven

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 then we like him will be free to be selfless

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 in times of danger

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 and we'll actually grow

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 in this time of uncertainty

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 and fear

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 we'll actually mature

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 in this tough time

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 whether it be three weeks

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 three months

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 or indeed three years

00:23:41.360 --> 00:23:44.440
 and you know what

00:23:44.440 --> 00:23:46.500
 throughout history

00:23:46.500 --> 00:23:49.220
 that's what christians have been known for

00:23:49.220 --> 00:23:52.220
 they've had such a hope

00:23:52.220 --> 00:23:53.740
 a living hope in christ

00:23:53.740 --> 00:23:55.920
 that they've been the ones

00:23:55.920 --> 00:23:57.340
 who've run into danger

00:23:57.340 --> 00:24:00.200
 to care for other people

00:24:00.200 --> 00:24:03.240
 even to the point of sacrificing their own lives

00:24:03.240 --> 00:24:05.359
 and countless thousands have done that

00:24:05.359 --> 00:24:07.519
 wouldn't it be great

00:24:07.519 --> 00:24:10.160
 no matter what happens here in newcastle

00:24:10.160 --> 00:24:13.480
 if we as believers of this church

00:24:13.480 --> 00:24:16.920
 became known as people who are running into danger

00:24:16.920 --> 00:24:18.980
 keen to help others

00:24:18.980 --> 00:24:19.900
 not foolhardy

00:24:19.900 --> 00:24:22.660
 not ignoring those basic things of hygiene

00:24:22.660 --> 00:24:23.940
 that we can do to protect ourselves

00:24:23.940 --> 00:24:24.920
 but nevertheless

00:24:24.920 --> 00:24:26.799
 not being driven by fear

00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:28.779
 not being driven by self-protection

00:24:28.779 --> 00:24:30.400
 not being driven by self-interest

00:24:30.400 --> 00:24:32.940
 but moving towards people

00:24:32.940 --> 00:24:34.279
 and showing people

00:24:34.279 --> 00:24:36.019
 in practical ways

00:24:36.019 --> 00:24:36.779
 that we have a hope

00:24:36.779 --> 00:24:38.700
 that's far beyond

00:24:38.700 --> 00:24:40.180
 health and wealth

00:24:40.180 --> 00:24:41.559
 and prosperity in this life

00:24:41.559 --> 00:24:43.759
 but there's another line

00:24:43.759 --> 00:24:44.720
 and I'll finish on this then

00:24:44.720 --> 00:24:46.820
 we can also perhaps

00:24:46.820 --> 00:24:48.059
 begin to think this morning

00:24:48.059 --> 00:24:49.220
 that this pandemic

00:24:49.220 --> 00:24:52.340
 is already starting to expose

00:24:52.340 --> 00:24:53.080
 the roots

00:24:53.080 --> 00:24:55.940
 we find so easy

00:24:55.940 --> 00:24:57.500
 to put down into this world

00:24:57.500 --> 00:24:59.240
 when there's nothing to challenge us

00:24:59.240 --> 00:25:00.960
 when there's nothing to expose

00:25:00.960 --> 00:25:01.940
 our true securities

00:25:01.940 --> 00:25:03.519
 and that happens

00:25:03.519 --> 00:25:04.519
 it happens to us all

00:25:04.519 --> 00:25:05.320
 every day

00:25:05.320 --> 00:25:06.360
 those roots

00:25:06.360 --> 00:25:07.360
 go deeper

00:25:07.360 --> 00:25:07.940
 and deeper

00:25:07.940 --> 00:25:08.259
 and deeper

00:25:08.259 --> 00:25:10.059
 and sometimes we're not even aware of them

00:25:10.059 --> 00:25:11.580
 until they're exposed

00:25:11.580 --> 00:25:12.259
 and challenged

00:25:12.259 --> 00:25:14.360
 you see that's what Satan's job is

00:25:14.360 --> 00:25:16.460
 he'll trick us

00:25:16.460 --> 00:25:17.279
 into believing

00:25:17.279 --> 00:25:19.279
 that we have here

00:25:19.279 --> 00:25:19.620
 in this

00:25:19.620 --> 00:25:20.660
 that what we have here

00:25:20.660 --> 00:25:21.220
 in this world

00:25:21.220 --> 00:25:22.519
 is better

00:25:22.519 --> 00:25:23.460
 than having God

00:25:23.460 --> 00:25:26.759
 and so the roots go down

00:25:26.759 --> 00:25:29.259
 and he'll show us

00:25:29.259 --> 00:25:30.299
 all the shiny things

00:25:30.299 --> 00:25:31.059
 the world offers

00:25:31.059 --> 00:25:32.240
 for security

00:25:32.240 --> 00:25:34.299
 and as we salivate over them

00:25:34.299 --> 00:25:35.640
 the roots get deeper

00:25:35.640 --> 00:25:40.839
 we choose the bigger house

00:25:40.839 --> 00:25:43.359
 the luxury holiday

00:25:43.359 --> 00:25:44.799
 the career

00:25:44.799 --> 00:25:46.099
 getting married

00:25:46.099 --> 00:25:47.059
 having children

00:25:47.059 --> 00:25:49.000
 pursuing my dream

00:25:49.000 --> 00:25:50.599
 and whatever form that comes in

00:25:50.599 --> 00:25:52.140
 and it comes in myriad forms

00:25:52.140 --> 00:25:54.560
 and the roots get deeper

00:25:54.560 --> 00:25:55.180
 and deeper

00:25:55.180 --> 00:25:57.800
 my friends

00:25:57.800 --> 00:25:59.720
 as we start this

00:25:59.720 --> 00:26:02.080
 stage of our church life

00:26:02.080 --> 00:26:03.180
 online

00:26:03.180 --> 00:26:05.800
 can I encourage you

00:26:05.800 --> 00:26:07.200
 can I encourage you

00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:08.259
 to encourage one another

00:26:08.259 --> 00:26:11.060
 not to put down roots

00:26:11.060 --> 00:26:14.160
 not to accept

00:26:14.160 --> 00:26:15.480
 substitute hope

00:26:15.480 --> 00:26:16.220
 in this world

00:26:16.220 --> 00:26:17.720
 because

00:26:17.720 --> 00:26:19.240
 if you invest your hope

00:26:19.240 --> 00:26:19.799
 in this world

00:26:19.799 --> 00:26:22.079
 you'll be mightily disappointed

00:26:22.079 --> 00:26:26.039
 let's help one another

00:26:26.039 --> 00:26:28.279
 expose these roots

00:26:28.279 --> 00:26:29.019
 where they exist

00:26:29.019 --> 00:26:31.059
 this past week

00:26:31.059 --> 00:26:31.680
 Alice and I

00:26:31.680 --> 00:26:32.579
 have just been talking about

00:26:32.579 --> 00:26:33.819
 the impact

00:26:33.819 --> 00:26:35.339
 of the stock market collapse

00:26:35.339 --> 00:26:36.019
 on our

00:26:36.019 --> 00:26:37.600
 superannuation

00:26:37.600 --> 00:26:39.220
 now as we come

00:26:39.220 --> 00:26:40.420
 towards the age of

00:26:40.420 --> 00:26:41.799
 retirement

00:26:41.799 --> 00:26:42.579
 I don't like the word

00:26:42.579 --> 00:26:43.660
 and I'm going to redeploy

00:26:43.660 --> 00:26:44.339
 but nevertheless

00:26:44.339 --> 00:26:45.360
 you understand what I'm saying

00:26:45.360 --> 00:26:47.220
 and it's really been

00:26:47.220 --> 00:26:48.000
 a challenge to us

00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:48.440
 to say well

00:26:48.440 --> 00:26:49.539
 where is our security

00:26:49.539 --> 00:26:52.120
 what impact is it going to have

00:26:52.120 --> 00:26:53.079
 to read those figures

00:26:53.079 --> 00:26:53.759
 and say you know

00:26:53.759 --> 00:26:54.819
 upwards of 40%

00:26:54.819 --> 00:26:56.420
 of our superannuation

00:26:56.420 --> 00:26:57.539
 that we were looking forward

00:26:57.539 --> 00:26:58.960
 to enjoying last week

00:26:58.960 --> 00:27:01.180
 40% of it's now gone

00:27:01.180 --> 00:27:02.700
 and perhaps more to go

00:27:02.700 --> 00:27:04.920
 with no prospect

00:27:04.920 --> 00:27:05.860
 of it coming back

00:27:05.860 --> 00:27:07.740
 in less than 8, 10, 12 years

00:27:07.740 --> 00:27:10.059
 these sort of thoughts

00:27:10.059 --> 00:27:11.339
 expose our securities

00:27:11.339 --> 00:27:11.839
 don't they

00:27:11.839 --> 00:27:13.759
 expose the roots

00:27:13.759 --> 00:27:15.079
 that we need to dig up

00:27:15.079 --> 00:27:16.819
 and we need to cut off

00:27:16.819 --> 00:27:18.839
 so our connection

00:27:18.839 --> 00:27:19.419
 to Jesus

00:27:19.419 --> 00:27:21.240
 might be the true root

00:27:21.240 --> 00:27:22.859
 the true sense

00:27:22.859 --> 00:27:23.339
 of abiding

00:27:23.339 --> 00:27:25.819
 that takes us forward

00:27:25.819 --> 00:27:27.259
 well

00:27:27.259 --> 00:27:28.439
 this has been

00:27:28.439 --> 00:27:29.339
 a big thing for me

00:27:29.339 --> 00:27:30.059
 I'm only starting

00:27:30.059 --> 00:27:31.220
 to relax a little bit now

00:27:31.220 --> 00:27:32.439
 if it's been a bit

00:27:32.439 --> 00:27:33.720
 wooden and artificial

00:27:33.720 --> 00:27:35.319
 I will try and improve

00:27:35.319 --> 00:27:36.079
 over the weeks

00:27:36.079 --> 00:27:37.159
 thank you very much

00:27:37.159 --> 00:27:37.639
 for listening

00:27:37.639 --> 00:27:39.339
 and may God

00:27:39.339 --> 00:27:40.179
 go with you this week

00:27:40.180 --> 00:27:42.220
 thank yoular

00:27:42.220 --> 00:27:43.440
 thank you

00:27:43.440 --> 00:27:44.200
 a big deal

00:27:44.200 --> 00:27:45.480
 I'll be back and plucked

00:27:45.480 --> 00:27:45.620
 if he's going to come

00:27:45.620 --> 00:27:47.460
 here

00:27:47.460 --> 00:27:48.580
 to get us

00:27:48.580 --> 00:27:49.200
 what we're you're going to do