WEBVTT

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 I want us to turn the seat this morning to these verses that we've read together from Philippians chapter 4.

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! We'll be looking especially at the beginning of the fourth verse where Paul says,

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! Rejoice in the Lord always! I will say it again, rejoice!

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 Let your gentleness be evident to all the Lord is near.

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 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving,

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 present your requests to God.

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 And the peace of God which passes all understanding will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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 There's one thing that unites us in our humanity.

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 It's the fact that no matter how much we may have or how little we may have,

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 how well things are going or how badly things may be going,

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 there is almost no one on this planet who is free from anxiety.

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 And the fallout from being anxious or worrying about the issues of life.

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 And that's true not just out there in the wider worlds for people who are not Christians,

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 but it's also true within the family of God's people.

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 To become a Christian is not to be delivered from the world and all its pressures and stresses.

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 The Lord Jesus Christ told his disciples on the night before he was betrayed

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 that he was not taking them out of the world, but they would be in the world,

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 exposed to all the rigors of life in a fallen world, all the pressures that it brings to bear upon us.

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 But because they were not of the world, they would have resources at their disposal

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 that those who are not yet Christians do not have.

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 And those resources that come ultimately from God in heaven are what will keep us,

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 what will carry us, what will enable us to rise above the trials and tribulations of the world

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 and of life in the world.

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 If you're familiar with the book of Philippians, it's somewhat enigmatic

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 in that even though at a superficial reading it seems to be a letter written to a church

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 where everything was going wonderfully well.

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 Because there's so much said about joy and about the need to rejoice in the letter to the Philippians

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 that it was said by an older generation of commentators that this was the epistle of joy.

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 It stood out as being different from so many of the other New Testament letters

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 because there was no absolutely obvious problem that was troubling the Philippian congregation.

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 But the strange thing about that is that if you use the argument or come with the premise

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 that you only use the strongest medicine for the most serious ailments,

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 then when you come to Philippians chapter 2 you find what is perhaps some of the strongest theological medicine

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 that the Apostle Paul administers in any of the New Testament contexts to which he speaks.

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 He reaches for language in what is sometimes called the Carmen Christi or the hymns of the Lord Jesus Christ

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 where he speaks of the Lord Jesus Christ as the one who did not see equality with God

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 as something to be grasped or held on to, but rather he humbled himself and made himself of no reputation

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 and became obedient unto death, even death upon the cross.

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 That extraordinary and eloquent and lyrical portrayal of unfathomable truths of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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 And there are parts of the statement that Paul issues there that are almost impossible to fathom

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 with the limits of a fallen human mind.

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 But Paul reaches for that language.

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 He dispenses that pastoral medicine in the context of relationships that were obviously struggling in that congregation

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 and the implications for those struggling relationships in the lives of individual believers.

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 And the fourth chapter bears testimony to that because he begins by pleading with two key women

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 in that congregation, Euodia and Syntyche, to work well together.

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 Presumably because they were not working well together.

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 And that one disrupted relationship was having significant impact upon the whole church

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 and its life and work and witness in the area where it was placed.

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 But then Paul says this.

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 You should rejoice in the midst of these struggles, in the midst of these troubles.

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 You should rejoice.

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 And he says emphatically, rejoice in the Lord always.

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 I say it again, rejoice because the Lord is near.

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 But then he goes on in the rest of that passage that we read together

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 to make an extraordinary statement about how we respond to those things that disturb us in life.

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 And he gives us, let me try and break it down into four component parts.

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 In this passage Paul issues two commands

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 to which he attaches one promise

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 which he then backs up with a word of personal testimony

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 and then presses home

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 with one all-important key truth

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 that is the key to everything that he is saying.

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 Two commands, a promise, a testimony

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 and one all-important key

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 that holds them together.

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 The commands are very obvious.

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 They're there written in verses 6 and 7.

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 He says,

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 Do not be anxious for anything.

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 That's the first of the two commands.

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 Do not be anxious for anything.

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 I may come across to us

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 this fairly innocuous language

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 in our English translation.

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 It's the kind of thing that we might say to one another

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 in the course of ordinary conversation.

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 But in the language that Paul was using,

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 the Greek language,

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 he is able to inject greater emphasis,

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 greater force to what he's saying

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 and he uses words that were available to him

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 to make this a very emphatic command that he was issued.

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 Be anxious about absolutely nothing.

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 There is no level of issue in life

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 that we should allow to so get under our skin

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 that it leads us to anxiety,

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 to worry and fretfulness.

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 That may well be that Paul was bearing in mind

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 what Jesus himself had said

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 in his teaching of the Sermon on the Mount.

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 Because there the Lord Jesus Christ tells people,

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 which of you by being anxious can add a single hour

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 to the length of your life

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 or a single cubit to the height of your stature

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 depending on which way you read that statement

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 in the Gospel of Matthew.

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 But the Lord Jesus Christ speaks about the futility

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 of anxiety.

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 And even though we face issues

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 that do indeed perplex us in life,

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 do indeed disturb us in life

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 because they are not things that we would choose for ourselves,

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 they have come uninvited into our lives,

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 it's very easy to allow those things

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 to loom so large on our horizons

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 that they become overwhelming

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 and undermining in our experience,

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 that they disturb the tranquility,

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 the peace, the equilibrium of our life.

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 And Jesus is simply stating the obvious.

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 Actually, being anxious about those things

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 is only adding insult to injury.

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 Far from solving any problems

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 by fretting about them

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 because they're beyond your control,

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 by allowing them to consume your thinking time

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 and consume your passions,

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 actually, you're only making

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 a bad situation even worse

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 by worrying about those things

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 and becoming consumed about those things

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 for the very simple reason

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 they belong to that category of things in life

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 that are beyond our control.

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 The very fact that they are disturbing us

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 is because they are not issues necessarily

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 of our own making.

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 They have come to us

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 as uninvited guests in our lives.

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 And Paul was saying that to the Philippians.

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 There will be those kind of issues

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 and there are those kind of issues

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 that are disturbing the peace

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 in the congregation of Philippi

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 because they're disturbing the peace

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 of your lives.

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 And Paul says, emphatically,

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 do not allow them to loom so large

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 on the horizon of your lives

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 that they eclipse everything else,

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 not least the sovereign hand

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 of an all-controlling God

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 and the promised grace

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 that comes to us

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 through a wonderful Savior,

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 the Lord Jesus Christ.

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 And almost immediately,

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 without drawing a breath,

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 he has the second command.

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 If he has said,

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 in such emphatic language,

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 be anxious about absolutely nothing,

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 he goes on to say about,

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 by way of response,

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 rather pray about absolutely everything.

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 So with equal force,

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 he counterbalances the negative statement

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 that he has just made.

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 Do not be anxious about anything.

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 Rather, instead,

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 you should pray about everything.

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 And in issuing that command,

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 he is echoing again

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 what the Lord Jesus Christ said,

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 that we are to pray at all times.

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 But that doesn't mean to say

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 that we are actively praying,

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 consciously praying,

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 every moment of every day,

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 waking or sleeping.

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 But rather,

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 he is saying that as the children of God,

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 we should have that prayerful spirit,

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 that sense of our

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 permanent,

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 24-7 access

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 to the throne of God in heaven,

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 through the mediation of Jesus Christ,

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 our great high priest,

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 of whom we were reminded

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 in Hebrews chapter 4,

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 just a few moments ago,

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 that we should be so

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 utterly aware

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 of that access that we have

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 to the Father,

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 that openness of communication

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 to the Father in heaven,

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 that we should take full advantage,

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 of that line of communication.

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 And it's such a relief

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 in so many spheres of life,

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 in a working environment,

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 for example,

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 where you are facing the challenges,

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 perhaps of a new job,

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 or the ongoing challenges

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 of a job that always

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 has issues that need to be addressed,

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 that if you were left

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 merely to face them by yourselves,

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 it would be an overwhelming

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 and a daunting thing,

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 but the fact that you know,

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 because of your line management,

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 you've got access

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 to those who are more experienced,

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 who've got greater wisdom,

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 who've got a higher level

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 of responsibility

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 that you have,

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 that you are able

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 to go to them

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 and bring your needs to them

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 at any hour of the day

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 if you so need to.

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 Well, here is Paul reminding us

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 that we have access

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 access to the High King of Heaven,

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 that we have a door

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 that is never closed,

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 that brings us into the very presence

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 of God Himself,

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 gives us the ear

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 of the Lord of all the universe,

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 the God who not only made

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 all things visible and invisible,

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 but the God who,

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 through His mighty Word,

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 is controlling and directing

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 absolutely everything

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 that there is,

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 causing all things

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 to work together

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 ultimately for the good

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 of those who are His children,

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 called according to His purpose

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 and who love Him,

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 but also for the glory

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 of His name.

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 And to be reminded of that,

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 that God is working

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 all things for His own glory

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 as well as for His people's good,

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 means that even though

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 there are 101 things

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 and more in life,

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 that we will never ever

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 fathom in this life,

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 when the story is finally

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 told in all its fullness,

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 when all the mysteries of life

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 are finally revealed,

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 we will realize

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 that those circumstances

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 that descended upon us in life,

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 that caused us such angst

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 and grief

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 in the providence of God,

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 were used in an extraordinary way

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 for the honor of His name.

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 And for a greater appreciation

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 of grace.

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 If you want the ultimate proof of that,

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 think of the cross

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 of the Lord Jesus Christ.

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 The cross

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 at which Jesus did not balk,

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 He became obedient unto death,

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 even death upon a cross,

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 but the cross over which

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 Jesus agonized.

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 You cannot fully understand

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 what happened at Calvary

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 without grasping something

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 of what took place

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 in Gethsemane,

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 where the Lord Jesus Christ,

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 confronted with the

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 looming shadow

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 of that Roman gibbet

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 on which He would be

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 immolated the next day,

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 pleads with the Father,

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 agonizes in prayer

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 with the Father,

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 if it be possible,

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 let this cup

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 pass from me.

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 If there is another way,

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 Father,

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 then let it happen.

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 And as far as

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 the watching world

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 was concerned

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 and as far as

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 His disciples were concerned,

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 what unfolded

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 when that prayer

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 was not answered

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 or so it seemed.

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 And Jesus was handed over

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 to the wicked men

00:13:50.980 --> 00:13:53.340
 who crucified Him

00:13:53.340 --> 00:13:54.419
 that next day.

00:13:54.419 --> 00:13:56.279
 But even though

00:13:56.279 --> 00:13:57.299
 His disciples thought

00:13:57.299 --> 00:13:58.120
 this is the end,

00:13:58.219 --> 00:13:59.019
 this is disaster,

00:13:59.919 --> 00:14:01.719
 everything is collapsing

00:14:01.719 --> 00:14:03.599
 in the worst imaginable way,

00:14:05.079 --> 00:14:05.839
 that the cross,

00:14:06.519 --> 00:14:07.559
 as Jesus Himself

00:14:07.559 --> 00:14:09.459
 knew and prayed

00:14:09.459 --> 00:14:10.139
 in anticipation

00:14:10.139 --> 00:14:11.039
 of that event,

00:14:11.679 --> 00:14:12.740
 was the pinnacle

00:14:12.740 --> 00:14:13.399
 of glory.

00:14:14.860 --> 00:14:15.979
 The place where

00:14:15.979 --> 00:14:17.659
 He was glorified,

00:14:18.419 --> 00:14:19.179
 the place where

00:14:19.179 --> 00:14:20.779
 His Father was glorified,

00:14:20.779 --> 00:14:23.500
 and where salvation

00:14:23.500 --> 00:14:24.459
 was secured

00:14:24.459 --> 00:14:26.319
 for His people

00:14:26.319 --> 00:14:28.559
 and for a cosmos

00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:30.039
 under the curse of sin.

00:14:31.500 --> 00:14:32.740
 And if it was true

00:14:32.740 --> 00:14:33.360
 that that

00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:36.339
 was what unfolded

00:14:36.339 --> 00:14:37.539
 through the darkness

00:14:37.539 --> 00:14:38.379
 of the cross

00:14:38.379 --> 00:14:39.699
 into the light

00:14:39.699 --> 00:14:40.519
 of the resurrection

00:14:40.519 --> 00:14:42.600
 and into the

00:14:42.600 --> 00:14:44.100
 spread of that light

00:14:44.100 --> 00:14:44.740
 through the preaching

00:14:44.740 --> 00:14:45.399
 of the gospel

00:14:45.399 --> 00:14:46.220
 through the ages,

00:14:46.220 --> 00:14:47.920
 then how much more

00:14:47.920 --> 00:14:49.160
 could we take comfort

00:14:49.160 --> 00:14:50.759
 from this promise,

00:14:50.980 --> 00:14:52.540
 this encouragement

00:14:52.540 --> 00:14:53.379
 that we have

00:14:53.379 --> 00:14:55.019
 that we are to go

00:14:55.019 --> 00:14:55.960
 to God

00:14:55.960 --> 00:14:56.680
 in prayer

00:14:56.680 --> 00:14:57.860
 with the issues

00:14:57.860 --> 00:14:58.940
 that we face in life

00:14:58.940 --> 00:15:00.980
 rather than privately

00:15:00.980 --> 00:15:01.080
!

00:15:01.080 --> 00:15:01.160
 and we are to

00:15:01.160 --> 00:15:02.879
 seek to shoulder

00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:03.860
 them ourselves

00:15:03.860 --> 00:15:05.080
 in a way

00:15:05.080 --> 00:15:06.300
 that will only crush us.

00:15:06.779 --> 00:15:07.720
 There are the two commands

00:15:07.720 --> 00:15:08.340
 but they are

00:15:08.340 --> 00:15:09.300
 swiftly followed

00:15:09.300 --> 00:15:10.100
 by a promise

00:15:10.100 --> 00:15:12.620
 that when we do this,

00:15:12.620 --> 00:15:15.120
 when we consciously

00:15:15.120 --> 00:15:15.940
 and deliberately

00:15:15.940 --> 00:15:16.940
 refuse

00:15:16.940 --> 00:15:18.759
 to be agitated

00:15:18.759 --> 00:15:19.600
 by anything

00:15:19.600 --> 00:15:21.039
 and allow it

00:15:21.039 --> 00:15:21.779
 to become oppressive

00:15:21.779 --> 00:15:22.120
 to us,

00:15:22.179 --> 00:15:23.179
 but instead pray

00:15:23.179 --> 00:15:24.320
 about all the

00:15:24.320 --> 00:15:24.899
 different issues

00:15:24.899 --> 00:15:25.940
 that confront us

00:15:25.940 --> 00:15:26.960
 in life.

00:15:27.340 --> 00:15:27.700
 Then,

00:15:27.820 --> 00:15:28.419
 he says,

00:15:29.159 --> 00:15:30.379
 the peace of God

00:15:30.379 --> 00:15:33.620
 which transcends

00:15:34.340 --> 00:15:36.240
 all human understanding

00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:39.000
 will guard,

00:15:39.700 --> 00:15:40.220
 garrison

00:15:40.220 --> 00:15:41.759
 your hearts

00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:42.840
 and minds

00:15:42.840 --> 00:15:45.440
 in Christ Jesus

00:15:45.440 --> 00:15:46.460
 our Lord.

00:15:49.100 --> 00:15:49.800
 There's a number

00:15:49.800 --> 00:15:50.620
 of things about that

00:15:50.620 --> 00:15:52.019
 that are worth

00:15:52.019 --> 00:15:52.899
 teasing out.

00:15:52.980 --> 00:15:53.460
 The first is,

00:15:53.540 --> 00:15:54.519
 what does he mean

00:15:54.519 --> 00:15:55.480
 when he talks about

00:15:55.480 --> 00:15:56.320
 the peace of God

00:15:56.320 --> 00:15:56.960
 which passes

00:15:56.960 --> 00:15:58.040
 understanding?

00:15:58.960 --> 00:15:59.259
 Well,

00:15:59.519 --> 00:16:00.740
 it can't mean

00:16:00.740 --> 00:16:02.660
 peace with God,

00:16:02.779 --> 00:16:03.500
 the kind of peace

00:16:03.500 --> 00:16:04.420
 that he speaks of

00:16:04.420 --> 00:16:05.620
 in relation to

00:16:05.620 --> 00:16:06.120
 what it means

00:16:06.120 --> 00:16:07.080
 to be justified

00:16:07.080 --> 00:16:08.279
 by grace

00:16:08.279 --> 00:16:08.820
 through the Lord

00:16:08.820 --> 00:16:09.620
 Jesus Christ.

00:16:09.620 --> 00:16:11.100
 Romans chapter 5,

00:16:11.480 --> 00:16:12.000
 Paul says,

00:16:12.220 --> 00:16:12.460
 therefore,

00:16:12.879 --> 00:16:13.919
 being justified

00:16:13.919 --> 00:16:14.700
 by faith

00:16:14.700 --> 00:16:15.700
 we have peace

00:16:15.700 --> 00:16:16.600
 with God.

00:16:17.740 --> 00:16:18.379
 The God

00:16:18.379 --> 00:16:20.299
 who was against us

00:16:20.299 --> 00:16:20.940
 because we were

00:16:20.940 --> 00:16:21.580
 rebel sinners

00:16:21.580 --> 00:16:23.419
 and we who were

00:16:23.419 --> 00:16:24.220
 against God

00:16:24.220 --> 00:16:25.460
 because we were

00:16:25.460 --> 00:16:26.360
 rebels by nature

00:16:26.360 --> 00:16:27.519
 and rebels by choice

00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:29.000
 and because that

00:16:29.000 --> 00:16:29.600
 relationship,

00:16:30.200 --> 00:16:31.060
 the relationship

00:16:31.060 --> 00:16:32.000
 for which we were

00:16:32.000 --> 00:16:32.299
 made,

00:16:32.419 --> 00:16:33.580
 but the relationship

00:16:33.580 --> 00:16:35.159
 in which we find

00:16:35.159 --> 00:16:36.379
 breach

00:16:36.379 --> 00:16:37.460
 and ruptured

00:16:37.460 --> 00:16:38.080
 relationship

00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:38.960
 because of our

00:16:38.960 --> 00:16:39.520
 sin and our

00:16:39.520 --> 00:16:39.920
 guilt and

00:16:39.920 --> 00:16:40.620
 disobedience,

00:16:40.620 --> 00:16:41.580
 that there is

00:16:41.580 --> 00:16:42.740
 a reconciliation

00:16:42.740 --> 00:16:45.300
 between alienated

00:16:45.300 --> 00:16:46.500
 parties in that

00:16:46.500 --> 00:16:47.020
 relationship

00:16:47.020 --> 00:16:48.080
 when we are

00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:48.560
 justified.

00:16:49.720 --> 00:16:50.759
 When our sins

00:16:50.759 --> 00:16:51.320
 are forgiven

00:16:51.320 --> 00:16:53.900
 because our sins

00:16:53.900 --> 00:16:54.420
 have been

00:16:54.420 --> 00:16:56.139
 reckoned to

00:16:56.139 --> 00:16:56.620
 Christ

00:16:56.620 --> 00:16:57.379
 and laid upon

00:16:57.379 --> 00:16:57.660
 him

00:16:57.660 --> 00:16:59.620
 and we are

00:16:59.620 --> 00:17:00.080
 reckoned

00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:00.560
 righteous

00:17:00.560 --> 00:17:01.580
 in God's

00:17:01.580 --> 00:17:01.840
 sight

00:17:01.840 --> 00:17:03.480
 because the

00:17:03.480 --> 00:17:03.899
 righteousness

00:17:03.899 --> 00:17:04.860
 of Christ

00:17:04.860 --> 00:17:06.079
 manifests

00:17:06.079 --> 00:17:06.860
 through the

00:17:06.860 --> 00:17:07.759
 life that

00:17:07.759 --> 00:17:08.920
 fulfilled all

00:17:08.920 --> 00:17:09.460
 righteousness

00:17:09.460 --> 00:17:10.519
 by complete

00:17:10.519 --> 00:17:11.319
 obedience to

00:17:11.319 --> 00:17:12.059
 God's law

00:17:12.059 --> 00:17:12.900
 was reckoned

00:17:12.900 --> 00:17:13.779
 to be ours.

00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:14.900
 So that great

00:17:14.900 --> 00:17:15.819
 exchange that

00:17:15.819 --> 00:17:16.380
 took place

00:17:16.380 --> 00:17:17.039
 at Calvary

00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:18.620
 where what was

00:17:18.620 --> 00:17:19.460
 rightly ours

00:17:19.460 --> 00:17:20.180
 became his

00:17:20.180 --> 00:17:20.680
 and what was

00:17:20.680 --> 00:17:21.319
 rightly his

00:17:21.319 --> 00:17:22.220
 became ours,

00:17:22.559 --> 00:17:23.220
 the effect of

00:17:23.220 --> 00:17:24.900
 that was that

00:17:24.900 --> 00:17:25.460
 God is no

00:17:25.460 --> 00:17:26.360
 longer against

00:17:26.360 --> 00:17:26.960
 us,

00:17:27.759 --> 00:17:28.720
 but God is

00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:29.600
 for us

00:17:29.600 --> 00:17:31.620
 and God

00:17:31.620 --> 00:17:32.180
 will never

00:17:32.180 --> 00:17:32.799
 ever turn

00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:33.220
 his back

00:17:33.220 --> 00:17:34.000
 upon us.

00:17:35.279 --> 00:17:35.880
 So the

00:17:35.880 --> 00:17:36.900
 gospel does

00:17:36.900 --> 00:17:37.440
 speak about

00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:38.160
 peace with

00:17:38.160 --> 00:17:38.500
 God,

00:17:38.579 --> 00:17:39.039
 but that's

00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:40.720
 not what

00:17:40.720 --> 00:17:41.900
 Paul is

00:17:41.900 --> 00:17:43.640
 speaking about

00:17:43.640 --> 00:17:43.880
 here,

00:17:43.940 --> 00:17:44.360
 he's speaking

00:17:44.360 --> 00:17:45.059
 about something

00:17:45.059 --> 00:17:46.380
 that's had

00:17:46.380 --> 00:17:47.180
 its roots in

00:17:47.180 --> 00:17:48.019
 Old Testament

00:17:48.019 --> 00:17:48.960
 teaching,

00:17:49.420 --> 00:17:49.839
 indeed so

00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:50.519
 deeply rooted

00:17:50.519 --> 00:17:51.400
 in Jewish

00:17:51.400 --> 00:17:52.000
 culture that

00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:52.539
 right down to

00:17:52.539 --> 00:17:52.960
 the present

00:17:52.960 --> 00:17:53.519
 time in the

00:17:53.519 --> 00:17:54.200
 Jewish community

00:17:54.200 --> 00:17:55.380
 whenever two

00:17:55.380 --> 00:17:56.319
 Jewish people

00:17:56.319 --> 00:17:56.880
 greet one

00:17:56.880 --> 00:17:57.400
 another it's

00:17:57.400 --> 00:17:58.019
 with the word

00:17:58.019 --> 00:17:58.680
 Shalom.

00:17:58.720 --> 00:18:00.440
 which is the

00:18:00.440 --> 00:18:00.920
 Hebrew word

00:18:00.920 --> 00:18:01.539
 for peace.

00:18:02.940 --> 00:18:03.799
 My last

00:18:03.799 --> 00:18:04.539
 church in

00:18:04.539 --> 00:18:05.039
 Philadelphia,

00:18:05.759 --> 00:18:07.380
 we had a

00:18:07.380 --> 00:18:08.220
 Jewish believer

00:18:08.220 --> 00:18:09.000
 on staff,

00:18:09.100 --> 00:18:09.460
 he was one

00:18:09.460 --> 00:18:10.420
 of my co-pastors,

00:18:10.839 --> 00:18:11.680
 delightful man,

00:18:12.579 --> 00:18:13.180
 come to faith

00:18:13.180 --> 00:18:13.819
 early in life,

00:18:13.900 --> 00:18:14.339
 his family

00:18:14.339 --> 00:18:16.019
 had abandoned

00:18:16.019 --> 00:18:16.600
 him because of

00:18:16.600 --> 00:18:17.000
 his Christian

00:18:17.000 --> 00:18:17.380
 faith,

00:18:17.500 --> 00:18:18.180
 but he went

00:18:18.180 --> 00:18:18.700
 on to serve

00:18:18.700 --> 00:18:19.079
 God in

00:18:19.079 --> 00:18:19.980
 remarkable ways,

00:18:20.440 --> 00:18:20.860
 and I remember

00:18:20.860 --> 00:18:21.440
 him giving me

00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:21.960
 just this

00:18:21.960 --> 00:18:22.700
 wonderful

00:18:22.700 --> 00:18:23.960
 definition

00:18:23.960 --> 00:18:26.220
 of what

00:18:26.220 --> 00:18:26.779
 Shalom

00:18:26.779 --> 00:18:28.059
 meant and

00:18:28.059 --> 00:18:28.600
 means in

00:18:28.599 --> 00:18:28.959
 the Jewish

00:18:28.959 --> 00:18:29.439
 mind,

00:18:30.179 --> 00:18:30.779
 nothing out

00:18:30.779 --> 00:18:31.459
 of place,

00:18:32.459 --> 00:18:32.799
 everything

00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:33.319
 as it

00:18:33.319 --> 00:18:33.819
 should be.

00:18:35.039 --> 00:18:35.559
 Nothing

00:18:35.559 --> 00:18:36.000
 out of

00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:36.459
 place,

00:18:37.439 --> 00:18:37.779
 everything

00:18:37.779 --> 00:18:38.279
 as it

00:18:38.279 --> 00:18:38.779
 should be.

00:18:40.879 --> 00:18:41.619
 Of course

00:18:41.619 --> 00:18:42.579
 the whole

00:18:42.579 --> 00:18:43.159
 issue that

00:18:43.159 --> 00:18:43.539
 Paul was

00:18:43.539 --> 00:18:44.019
 addressing

00:18:44.019 --> 00:18:45.779
 in the

00:18:45.779 --> 00:18:46.240
 church in

00:18:46.240 --> 00:18:47.079
 Philippi was

00:18:47.079 --> 00:18:48.439
 that everything

00:18:48.439 --> 00:18:49.359
 seemed to be

00:18:49.359 --> 00:18:50.000
 out of place,

00:18:50.119 --> 00:18:51.119
 nothing seemed

00:18:51.119 --> 00:18:51.759
 to be as it

00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:52.259
 should be.

00:18:53.019 --> 00:18:53.619
 That from a

00:18:53.619 --> 00:18:54.379
 human perspective

00:18:54.379 --> 00:18:55.059
 there was no

00:18:55.059 --> 00:18:55.679
 way in which

00:18:55.680 --> 00:18:56.039
 you could

00:18:56.039 --> 00:18:57.600
 engineer this

00:18:57.600 --> 00:18:58.900
 situation to

00:18:58.900 --> 00:18:59.920
 be orderly

00:18:59.920 --> 00:19:01.340
 and to be

00:19:01.340 --> 00:19:02.440
 peaceful in

00:19:02.440 --> 00:19:03.140
 that sense.

00:19:04.860 --> 00:19:05.160
 And yet

00:19:05.160 --> 00:19:06.000
 Paul says

00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:07.000
 in this

00:19:07.000 --> 00:19:08.279
 wonderful promise

00:19:08.279 --> 00:19:08.779
 that he gives

00:19:08.779 --> 00:19:09.360
 from God

00:19:09.360 --> 00:19:10.600
 that there is

00:19:10.600 --> 00:19:11.860
 this peace

00:19:11.860 --> 00:19:13.200
 that is

00:19:13.200 --> 00:19:15.680
 of the very

00:19:15.680 --> 00:19:16.360
 essence of

00:19:16.360 --> 00:19:17.039
 God himself

00:19:17.039 --> 00:19:19.299
 because the

00:19:19.299 --> 00:19:20.299
 triune God,

00:19:20.420 --> 00:19:20.700
 Father,

00:19:20.840 --> 00:19:21.019
 Son,

00:19:21.019 --> 00:19:21.379
 and Holy

00:19:21.379 --> 00:19:21.839
 Spirit,

00:19:22.819 --> 00:19:23.539
 in their

00:19:23.539 --> 00:19:24.839
 divine unity

00:19:24.839 --> 00:19:25.940
 yet diversity

00:19:25.940 --> 00:19:27.720
 is the

00:19:27.720 --> 00:19:28.720
 God throughout

00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:29.599
 eternity for

00:19:29.599 --> 00:19:29.920
 whom it

00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:30.180
 can be

00:19:30.180 --> 00:19:30.559
 said.

00:19:31.379 --> 00:19:31.619
 Nothing

00:19:31.619 --> 00:19:32.119
 has ever

00:19:32.119 --> 00:19:32.559
 been out of

00:19:32.559 --> 00:19:33.299
 place in

00:19:33.299 --> 00:19:34.759
 him or

00:19:34.759 --> 00:19:35.420
 in his

00:19:35.420 --> 00:19:36.500
 actions.

00:19:37.559 --> 00:19:38.079
 Everything

00:19:38.079 --> 00:19:38.980
 has always

00:19:38.980 --> 00:19:39.900
 been as

00:19:39.900 --> 00:19:40.279
 it should

00:19:40.279 --> 00:19:41.599
 be because

00:19:41.599 --> 00:19:42.079
 he is the

00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:42.660
 God who

00:19:42.660 --> 00:19:44.480
 is and

00:19:44.480 --> 00:19:45.740
 who does

00:19:45.740 --> 00:19:46.420
 all things

00:19:46.420 --> 00:19:46.799
 well.

00:19:48.480 --> 00:19:49.039
 What about

00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:49.480
 this piece?

00:19:49.579 --> 00:19:50.680
 What does it

00:19:50.680 --> 00:19:51.320
 do as it

00:19:51.320 --> 00:19:51.900
 begins to

00:19:51.900 --> 00:19:52.580
 take hold?

00:19:53.100 --> 00:19:53.660
 This other

00:19:53.660 --> 00:19:54.560
 worldly piece

00:19:54.560 --> 00:19:54.880
 that he

00:19:54.880 --> 00:19:55.420
 describes.

00:19:55.600 --> 00:19:56.480
 Well, he

00:19:56.480 --> 00:19:56.980
 speaks about

00:19:56.980 --> 00:19:57.600
 it guarding.

00:19:58.900 --> 00:20:00.320
 Guarding our

00:20:00.320 --> 00:20:02.519
 minds and

00:20:02.519 --> 00:20:03.820
 guarding our

00:20:03.820 --> 00:20:04.360
 hearts.

00:20:05.560 --> 00:20:06.160
 Guarding our

00:20:06.160 --> 00:20:07.380
 minds because

00:20:07.380 --> 00:20:08.100
 when things

00:20:08.100 --> 00:20:09.279
 go wrong for

00:20:09.279 --> 00:20:09.759
 us, things

00:20:09.759 --> 00:20:10.980
 get disturbed

00:20:10.980 --> 00:20:11.539
 for us in

00:20:11.539 --> 00:20:11.820
 life.

00:20:12.120 --> 00:20:12.600
 Our minds

00:20:12.600 --> 00:20:13.480
 work overtime.

00:20:14.140 --> 00:20:14.759
 Our minds

00:20:14.759 --> 00:20:16.340
 run ahead of

00:20:16.340 --> 00:20:17.820
 themselves.

00:20:17.819 --> 00:20:18.139
 ourselves.

00:20:19.099 --> 00:20:20.740
 And Paul

00:20:20.740 --> 00:20:21.099
 is simply

00:20:21.099 --> 00:20:21.859
 reminding us

00:20:21.859 --> 00:20:22.299
 that when we

00:20:22.299 --> 00:20:22.839
 begin to

00:20:22.839 --> 00:20:23.779
 grasp that

00:20:23.779 --> 00:20:24.679
 we are not

00:20:24.679 --> 00:20:25.419
 in control,

00:20:26.599 --> 00:20:27.279
 it is God

00:20:27.279 --> 00:20:27.700
 who is in

00:20:27.700 --> 00:20:29.059
 control that

00:20:29.059 --> 00:20:29.839
 we can rightly

00:20:29.839 --> 00:20:31.559
 accept his

00:20:31.559 --> 00:20:32.659
 wise and

00:20:32.659 --> 00:20:33.619
 loving supervision

00:20:33.619 --> 00:20:34.539
 of our

00:20:34.539 --> 00:20:35.240
 circumstances,

00:20:35.899 --> 00:20:36.500
 his direction

00:20:36.500 --> 00:20:37.200
 of our lives,

00:20:37.319 --> 00:20:37.859
 saying this is

00:20:37.859 --> 00:20:38.579
 not my problem

00:20:38.579 --> 00:20:39.839
 Lord, this is

00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:40.419
 your problem.

00:20:40.980 --> 00:20:41.839
 I don't need

00:20:41.839 --> 00:20:43.259
 to think

00:20:43.259 --> 00:20:44.159
 myself silly

00:20:44.159 --> 00:20:44.819
 over this

00:20:44.819 --> 00:20:45.099
 issue.

00:20:45.099 --> 00:20:46.519
 But of

00:20:46.519 --> 00:20:47.579
 course, we

00:20:47.579 --> 00:20:47.839
 are not

00:20:47.839 --> 00:20:50.179
 just minds

00:20:50.179 --> 00:20:51.139
 in terms of

00:20:51.139 --> 00:20:51.500
 how we

00:20:51.500 --> 00:20:52.299
 approach life.

00:20:52.459 --> 00:20:53.819
 We have

00:20:53.819 --> 00:20:54.439
 hearts as

00:20:54.439 --> 00:20:54.759
 well.

00:20:55.859 --> 00:20:56.339
 That we are

00:20:56.339 --> 00:20:56.719
 affected

00:20:56.719 --> 00:20:57.299
 emotionally.

00:20:58.119 --> 00:20:58.399
 We are

00:20:58.399 --> 00:20:59.599
 affected deeply

00:20:59.599 --> 00:21:00.519
 in our

00:21:00.519 --> 00:21:01.399
 inner self

00:21:01.399 --> 00:21:03.000
 in terms of

00:21:03.000 --> 00:21:04.139
 our circumstances.

00:21:05.099 --> 00:21:05.599
 That even

00:21:05.599 --> 00:21:06.079
 though our

00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:07.500
 minds may

00:21:07.500 --> 00:21:08.519
 be alert

00:21:08.519 --> 00:21:09.919
 and clear,

00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:10.740
 very often

00:21:10.740 --> 00:21:11.279
 we can be

00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:12.159
 disturbed and

00:21:12.159 --> 00:21:13.480
 deeply unsettled

00:21:13.480 --> 00:21:15.140
 in ourselves

00:21:15.140 --> 00:21:15.819
 because of

00:21:15.819 --> 00:21:16.240
 the issues

00:21:16.240 --> 00:21:16.539
 that we

00:21:16.539 --> 00:21:16.960
 face.

00:21:17.579 --> 00:21:18.180
 And Paul

00:21:18.180 --> 00:21:19.160
 uses the

00:21:19.160 --> 00:21:20.759
 language of

00:21:20.759 --> 00:21:22.420
 military

00:21:22.420 --> 00:21:23.140
 protection.

00:21:24.779 --> 00:21:25.940
 The effect

00:21:25.940 --> 00:21:26.279
 of the

00:21:26.279 --> 00:21:26.720
 peace of

00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:27.539
 God is

00:21:27.539 --> 00:21:28.700
 to shield

00:21:28.700 --> 00:21:29.740
 our minds

00:21:29.740 --> 00:21:31.019
 from

00:21:31.019 --> 00:21:32.160
 disturbing

00:21:32.160 --> 00:21:33.779
 angles on

00:21:33.779 --> 00:21:34.059
 life,

00:21:34.220 --> 00:21:34.660
 disturbing

00:21:34.660 --> 00:21:35.660
 perspectives on

00:21:35.660 --> 00:21:36.059
 life.

00:21:36.759 --> 00:21:37.319
 To think

00:21:37.319 --> 00:21:38.559
 not as the

00:21:38.559 --> 00:21:39.380
 world thinks

00:21:39.380 --> 00:21:40.120
 with no

00:21:40.120 --> 00:21:40.700
 reference to

00:21:40.700 --> 00:21:41.160
 God, but

00:21:41.160 --> 00:21:41.599
 to think

00:21:41.599 --> 00:21:43.360
 always with

00:21:43.359 --> 00:21:44.159
 God in

00:21:44.159 --> 00:21:44.579
 the center

00:21:44.579 --> 00:21:45.379
 frame of

00:21:45.379 --> 00:21:45.519
 our

00:21:45.519 --> 00:21:46.159
 understanding

00:21:46.159 --> 00:21:47.119
 of what's

00:21:47.119 --> 00:21:47.679
 happening to

00:21:47.679 --> 00:21:48.019
 us and

00:21:48.019 --> 00:21:48.399
 what's going

00:21:48.399 --> 00:21:48.919
 on around

00:21:48.919 --> 00:21:49.399
 us.

00:21:50.079 --> 00:21:50.379
 At the

00:21:50.379 --> 00:21:50.659
 same with

00:21:50.659 --> 00:21:51.299
 our hearts.

00:21:51.979 --> 00:21:52.240
 That we

00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:52.779
 don't allow

00:21:52.779 --> 00:21:54.259
 our emotions

00:21:54.259 --> 00:21:54.899
 to take

00:21:54.899 --> 00:21:55.419
 control.

00:21:56.079 --> 00:21:56.519
 We don't

00:21:56.519 --> 00:21:57.019
 allow our

00:21:57.019 --> 00:21:57.839
 emotions to

00:21:57.839 --> 00:21:58.559
 run riot

00:21:58.559 --> 00:22:00.119
 and to

00:22:00.119 --> 00:22:00.939
 lead us

00:22:00.939 --> 00:22:02.259
 into deep

00:22:02.259 --> 00:22:02.859
 disturbance.

00:22:03.659 --> 00:22:04.159
 But rather

00:22:04.159 --> 00:22:04.939
 we are content

00:22:04.939 --> 00:22:05.479
 to know

00:22:05.479 --> 00:22:07.399
 as God

00:22:07.399 --> 00:22:07.959
 says to

00:22:07.959 --> 00:22:09.000
 Moses and

00:22:09.000 --> 00:22:09.579
 through Moses

00:22:09.579 --> 00:22:09.899
 to the

00:22:09.899 --> 00:22:10.819
 Israelites in

00:22:10.819 --> 00:22:11.319
 Deuteronomy

00:22:11.319 --> 00:22:12.119
 chapter 29

00:22:12.119 --> 00:22:13.159
 that the

00:22:13.159 --> 00:22:13.779
 everlasting

00:22:13.779 --> 00:22:15.619
 arms of

00:22:15.619 --> 00:22:16.339
 the everlasting

00:22:16.339 --> 00:22:17.599
 God are

00:22:17.599 --> 00:22:18.219
 round about

00:22:18.219 --> 00:22:18.759
 and underneath

00:22:18.759 --> 00:22:19.339
 us.

00:22:20.439 --> 00:22:20.859
 When we

00:22:20.859 --> 00:22:21.279
 don't know

00:22:21.279 --> 00:22:21.779
 what's going

00:22:21.779 --> 00:22:22.679
 on, we

00:22:22.679 --> 00:22:23.079
 know that

00:22:23.079 --> 00:22:23.519
 the bottom

00:22:23.519 --> 00:22:24.039
 is not

00:22:24.039 --> 00:22:24.419
 going to

00:22:24.419 --> 00:22:24.799
 fall out

00:22:24.799 --> 00:22:25.079
 of our

00:22:25.079 --> 00:22:26.679
 world because

00:22:26.679 --> 00:22:27.559
 the arms

00:22:27.559 --> 00:22:28.099
 of God

00:22:28.099 --> 00:22:28.779
 are supporting

00:22:28.779 --> 00:22:30.059
 us through

00:22:30.059 --> 00:22:30.599
 the worst

00:22:30.599 --> 00:22:31.559
 of situations.

00:22:34.279 --> 00:22:34.919
 Paul's

00:22:34.919 --> 00:22:35.439
 promise is

00:22:35.439 --> 00:22:36.019
 backed up

00:22:36.019 --> 00:22:37.339
 by a word

00:22:37.339 --> 00:22:37.879
 of personal

00:22:37.879 --> 00:22:38.419
 testimony.

00:22:38.420 --> 00:22:41.019
 It's

00:22:41.019 --> 00:22:41.920
 strange that

00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:43.060
 for those

00:22:43.060 --> 00:22:43.759
 in the

00:22:43.759 --> 00:22:44.060
 Christian

00:22:44.060 --> 00:22:44.500
 ministry

00:22:44.500 --> 00:22:45.039
 through the

00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:45.500
 ages

00:22:45.500 --> 00:22:48.300
 that those

00:22:48.300 --> 00:22:48.840
 who serve

00:22:48.840 --> 00:22:49.340
 as ministers

00:22:49.340 --> 00:22:49.759
 are not

00:22:49.759 --> 00:22:50.380
 merely called

00:22:50.380 --> 00:22:51.039
 to perform

00:22:51.039 --> 00:22:51.460
 certain

00:22:51.460 --> 00:22:51.980
 duties

00:22:51.980 --> 00:22:53.580
 and fulfill

00:22:53.580 --> 00:22:54.080
 certain

00:22:54.080 --> 00:22:54.720
 tasks

00:22:54.720 --> 00:22:56.140
 the most

00:22:56.140 --> 00:22:56.660
 central of

00:22:56.660 --> 00:22:57.039
 which is

00:22:57.039 --> 00:22:57.600
 to proclaim

00:22:57.600 --> 00:22:58.000
 the word

00:22:58.000 --> 00:22:58.519
 of God

00:22:58.519 --> 00:22:59.259
 and to

00:22:59.259 --> 00:22:59.680
 seek to

00:22:59.680 --> 00:23:00.019
 pastor

00:23:00.019 --> 00:23:00.519
 the people

00:23:00.519 --> 00:23:01.100
 of God

00:23:01.099 --> 00:23:02.519
 but actually

00:23:02.519 --> 00:23:03.339
 they are

00:23:03.339 --> 00:23:04.379
 called

00:23:04.379 --> 00:23:05.740
 to walk

00:23:05.740 --> 00:23:06.699
 the path

00:23:06.699 --> 00:23:08.000
 of the

00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:08.639
 issues

00:23:08.639 --> 00:23:09.319
 about which

00:23:09.319 --> 00:23:09.939
 they preach

00:23:09.939 --> 00:23:10.579
 themselves.

00:23:12.240 --> 00:23:13.019
 So it is

00:23:13.019 --> 00:23:13.759
 not unusual

00:23:13.759 --> 00:23:15.219
 for pastors

00:23:15.219 --> 00:23:15.879
 who will

00:23:15.879 --> 00:23:16.419
 inevitably

00:23:16.419 --> 00:23:17.779
 find themselves

00:23:17.779 --> 00:23:18.259
 preaching

00:23:18.259 --> 00:23:19.159
 about suffering

00:23:19.159 --> 00:23:21.000
 to actually

00:23:21.000 --> 00:23:21.579
 be called

00:23:21.579 --> 00:23:22.179
 by God

00:23:22.179 --> 00:23:22.699
 to walk

00:23:22.699 --> 00:23:23.419
 the path

00:23:23.419 --> 00:23:24.059
 of suffering

00:23:24.059 --> 00:23:25.099
 in some

00:23:25.099 --> 00:23:25.599
 shape or

00:23:25.599 --> 00:23:25.939
 form.

00:23:27.299 --> 00:23:28.000
 That almost

00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:30.279
 inexplicably

00:23:30.279 --> 00:23:31.460
 and in ways

00:23:31.460 --> 00:23:32.099
 that often

00:23:32.099 --> 00:23:32.839
 baffle us

00:23:32.839 --> 00:23:33.399
 as ministers.

00:23:34.220 --> 00:23:34.740
 We find

00:23:34.740 --> 00:23:35.299
 ourselves

00:23:35.299 --> 00:23:36.039
 walking

00:23:36.039 --> 00:23:37.099
 roads

00:23:37.099 --> 00:23:37.599
 that we

00:23:37.599 --> 00:23:38.160
 have preached

00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:38.740
 about to

00:23:38.740 --> 00:23:39.200
 others

00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:41.819
 that we

00:23:41.819 --> 00:23:42.379
 suddenly have

00:23:42.379 --> 00:23:43.279
 to experience

00:23:43.279 --> 00:23:44.259
 for ourselves

00:23:44.259 --> 00:23:46.319
 and under

00:23:46.319 --> 00:23:47.359
 those circumstances

00:23:47.359 --> 00:23:48.740
 our

00:23:48.740 --> 00:23:49.740
 confidence

00:23:49.740 --> 00:23:50.440
 in the

00:23:50.440 --> 00:23:50.839
 message

00:23:50.839 --> 00:23:51.319
 that God

00:23:51.319 --> 00:23:51.779
 has given

00:23:51.779 --> 00:23:52.960
 is put

00:23:52.960 --> 00:23:53.279
 to the

00:23:53.279 --> 00:23:53.700
 test.

00:23:55.240 --> 00:23:55.839
 It is

00:23:55.839 --> 00:23:56.279
 very easy

00:23:56.279 --> 00:23:56.740
 to stand

00:23:56.740 --> 00:23:57.019
 in a

00:23:57.019 --> 00:23:57.339
 pulpit

00:23:57.339 --> 00:23:57.859
 and to

00:23:57.859 --> 00:23:58.220
 preach

00:23:58.220 --> 00:23:59.039
 in abstraction

00:23:59.039 --> 00:23:59.619
 about these

00:23:59.619 --> 00:24:00.119
 things

00:24:00.119 --> 00:24:00.259
 things.

00:24:01.279 --> 00:24:01.539
 It is

00:24:01.539 --> 00:24:01.799
 a very

00:24:01.799 --> 00:24:02.159
 different

00:24:02.159 --> 00:24:02.519
 thing

00:24:02.519 --> 00:24:03.159
 to preach

00:24:03.159 --> 00:24:03.459
 those

00:24:03.459 --> 00:24:03.859
 same

00:24:03.859 --> 00:24:04.479
 things

00:24:04.479 --> 00:24:05.099
 to

00:24:05.099 --> 00:24:05.759
 yourself

00:24:05.759 --> 00:24:06.619
 and to

00:24:06.619 --> 00:24:06.779
 your

00:24:06.779 --> 00:24:07.219
 family

00:24:07.219 --> 00:24:08.399
 when you

00:24:08.399 --> 00:24:08.859
 are in

00:24:08.859 --> 00:24:09.799
 the thick

00:24:09.799 --> 00:24:10.179
 of it

00:24:10.179 --> 00:24:10.819
 and going

00:24:10.819 --> 00:24:11.199
 through the

00:24:11.199 --> 00:24:11.639
 furnace.

00:24:13.119 --> 00:24:13.500
 Yet it is

00:24:13.500 --> 00:24:14.019
 only as

00:24:14.019 --> 00:24:15.099
 God takes

00:24:15.099 --> 00:24:15.879
 his servants

00:24:15.879 --> 00:24:16.819
 through the

00:24:16.819 --> 00:24:17.279
 furnace

00:24:17.279 --> 00:24:18.239
 that he

00:24:18.239 --> 00:24:19.319
 proves that

00:24:19.319 --> 00:24:19.799
 his word

00:24:19.799 --> 00:24:20.159
 is not

00:24:20.159 --> 00:24:20.479
 true

00:24:20.479 --> 00:24:21.159
 theoretically

00:24:21.159 --> 00:24:22.679
 it is

00:24:22.679 --> 00:24:23.479
 true in

00:24:23.479 --> 00:24:24.019
 reality.

00:24:25.239 --> 00:24:25.419
 And so

00:24:25.419 --> 00:24:26.019
 for Paul

00:24:26.019 --> 00:24:26.939
 Paul goes

00:24:26.939 --> 00:24:27.679
 on to speak

00:24:27.679 --> 00:24:28.839
 very candidly

00:24:28.839 --> 00:24:29.919
 about his

00:24:29.919 --> 00:24:30.779
 own personal

00:24:30.779 --> 00:24:31.480
 experience

00:24:31.480 --> 00:24:32.079
 of life

00:24:32.079 --> 00:24:33.359
 because he

00:24:33.359 --> 00:24:34.299
 goes on

00:24:34.299 --> 00:24:35.079
 to speak

00:24:35.079 --> 00:24:35.759
 in verses

00:24:35.759 --> 00:24:37.899
 10 and

00:24:37.899 --> 00:24:38.480
 11 about

00:24:38.480 --> 00:24:38.819
 the way

00:24:38.819 --> 00:24:39.099
 in which

00:24:39.099 --> 00:24:39.319
 the

00:24:39.319 --> 00:24:39.759
 Philippians

00:24:39.759 --> 00:24:40.759
 were showing

00:24:40.759 --> 00:24:41.459
 him their

00:24:41.459 --> 00:24:41.959
 generosity

00:24:41.959 --> 00:24:42.639
 and supporting

00:24:42.639 --> 00:24:43.059
 him in his

00:24:43.059 --> 00:24:43.579
 need and

00:24:43.579 --> 00:24:44.579
 he responds

00:24:44.579 --> 00:24:45.500
 by thanking

00:24:45.500 --> 00:24:46.079
 them for that

00:24:46.079 --> 00:24:46.500
 by saying

00:24:46.500 --> 00:24:46.839
 I am not

00:24:46.839 --> 00:24:47.179
 saying this

00:24:47.179 --> 00:24:47.639
 because I

00:24:47.639 --> 00:24:48.139
 am in need

00:24:48.139 --> 00:24:48.839
 for I have

00:24:48.839 --> 00:24:49.480
 learned to be

00:24:49.480 --> 00:24:50.319
 content whatever

00:24:50.319 --> 00:24:51.159
 the circumstances

00:24:51.159 --> 00:24:51.740
 I know what

00:24:51.740 --> 00:24:52.539
 it is to be

00:24:52.539 --> 00:24:53.220
 in need and I

00:24:53.220 --> 00:24:53.759
 know what it is

00:24:53.759 --> 00:24:54.359
 to have plenty

00:24:54.359 --> 00:24:55.599
 I have learned

00:24:55.599 --> 00:24:56.519
 the secret

00:24:56.519 --> 00:24:57.319
 of being

00:24:57.319 --> 00:24:57.979
 content in

00:24:57.979 --> 00:24:58.559
 any and

00:24:58.559 --> 00:24:59.419
 every situation

00:24:59.419 --> 00:25:00.019
 whether well

00:25:00.019 --> 00:25:00.699
 fed or hungry

00:25:00.699 --> 00:25:01.539
 whether living

00:25:01.539 --> 00:25:02.119
 in plenty

00:25:02.119 --> 00:25:03.119
 or in want

00:25:03.119 --> 00:25:07.059
 he can put

00:25:07.059 --> 00:25:07.479
 hand on

00:25:07.479 --> 00:25:08.339
 heart before

00:25:08.339 --> 00:25:09.359
 his listening

00:25:09.359 --> 00:25:10.019
 congregation

00:25:10.019 --> 00:25:10.339
 and say

00:25:10.339 --> 00:25:10.819
 dear brothers

00:25:10.819 --> 00:25:11.399
 and sisters

00:25:11.399 --> 00:25:14.399
 I may not

00:25:14.399 --> 00:25:15.179
 be experiencing

00:25:15.179 --> 00:25:16.039
 exactly what

00:25:16.039 --> 00:25:16.240
 you are

00:25:16.240 --> 00:25:16.779
 experiencing

00:25:16.779 --> 00:25:17.299
 but I have

00:25:17.299 --> 00:25:17.740
 been there

00:25:17.740 --> 00:25:18.299
 myself

00:25:18.299 --> 00:25:21.220
 I have

00:25:21.220 --> 00:25:21.819
 been there

00:25:21.819 --> 00:25:23.200
 in the

00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:23.659
 challenges

00:25:23.659 --> 00:25:24.399
 that God

00:25:24.399 --> 00:25:25.599
 has brought

00:25:25.599 --> 00:25:26.339
 me through

00:25:26.339 --> 00:25:28.059
 in a way

00:25:28.059 --> 00:25:28.319
 that has

00:25:28.319 --> 00:25:28.740
 put my

00:25:28.740 --> 00:25:29.200
 faith to

00:25:29.200 --> 00:25:29.700
 the test

00:25:29.700 --> 00:25:30.139
 in the way

00:25:30.139 --> 00:25:30.500
 that your

00:25:30.500 --> 00:25:30.919
 faith has

00:25:30.919 --> 00:25:31.259
 been put

00:25:31.259 --> 00:25:31.539
 to the

00:25:31.539 --> 00:25:31.919
 test

00:25:31.919 --> 00:25:34.220
 in which

00:25:34.220 --> 00:25:34.619
 I am

00:25:34.619 --> 00:25:35.059
 being brought

00:25:35.059 --> 00:25:35.339
 out of

00:25:35.339 --> 00:25:35.799
 my depth

00:25:35.799 --> 00:25:36.159
 in the way

00:25:36.159 --> 00:25:36.519
 that you

00:25:36.519 --> 00:25:36.740
 have been

00:25:36.740 --> 00:25:37.119
 brought out

00:25:37.119 --> 00:25:37.359
 of your

00:25:37.359 --> 00:25:37.639
 depth

00:25:37.639 --> 00:25:38.319
 to realise

00:25:38.319 --> 00:25:38.960
 that we

00:25:38.960 --> 00:25:41.180
 stay afloat

00:25:41.180 --> 00:25:41.980
 not because

00:25:41.980 --> 00:25:42.740
 we can swim

00:25:42.740 --> 00:25:43.319
 through these

00:25:43.319 --> 00:25:43.759
 difficulties

00:25:43.759 --> 00:25:44.480
 but because

00:25:44.480 --> 00:25:45.299
 God keeps

00:25:45.299 --> 00:25:46.000
 us through

00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:46.720
 these difficulties

00:25:46.720 --> 00:25:47.759
 God makes

00:25:47.759 --> 00:25:48.220
 a promise

00:25:48.220 --> 00:25:48.519
 and he

00:25:48.519 --> 00:25:48.879
 will not

00:25:48.879 --> 00:25:49.339
 break it

00:25:49.339 --> 00:25:49.960
 the only way

00:25:49.960 --> 00:25:50.240
 that you

00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:51.019
 can test

00:25:51.019 --> 00:25:51.700
 that promise

00:25:51.700 --> 00:25:52.400
 is if you

00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:53.240
 find yourself

00:25:53.240 --> 00:25:54.980
 in circumstances

00:25:54.980 --> 00:25:55.779
 where it is

00:25:55.779 --> 00:25:56.460
 put to the

00:25:56.460 --> 00:25:57.099
 test

00:25:57.099 --> 00:26:00.900
 that doesn't

00:26:00.900 --> 00:26:01.279
 mean to say

00:26:01.279 --> 00:26:01.900
 it's easy to

00:26:01.900 --> 00:26:02.279
 go through

00:26:02.279 --> 00:26:02.819
 these troubles

00:26:02.819 --> 00:26:03.140
 it doesn't

00:26:03.140 --> 00:26:03.619
 mean to say

00:26:03.619 --> 00:26:04.180
 that Paul

00:26:04.180 --> 00:26:06.440
 went through

00:26:06.440 --> 00:26:07.379
 these trials

00:26:07.379 --> 00:26:08.079
 that he speaks

00:26:08.079 --> 00:26:08.480
 about

00:26:08.480 --> 00:26:10.359
 extreme need

00:26:10.359 --> 00:26:11.960
 as much as

00:26:11.960 --> 00:26:13.259
 extreme provision

00:26:13.259 --> 00:26:15.259
 doesn't mean to

00:26:15.259 --> 00:26:15.579
 say that he

00:26:15.579 --> 00:26:15.940
 went through

00:26:15.940 --> 00:26:16.440
 them all

00:26:16.440 --> 00:26:16.879
 with some

00:26:16.879 --> 00:26:17.299
 kind of

00:26:17.299 --> 00:26:18.279
 smiley face

00:26:18.279 --> 00:26:19.019
 artificially

00:26:19.019 --> 00:26:19.500
 stuck

00:26:19.500 --> 00:26:21.299
 on his

00:26:21.299 --> 00:26:21.839
 lapel

00:26:21.839 --> 00:26:23.700
 but rather

00:26:23.700 --> 00:26:24.139
 it was

00:26:24.139 --> 00:26:24.680
 because

00:26:24.680 --> 00:26:26.879
 he came

00:26:26.879 --> 00:26:27.159
 to the

00:26:27.159 --> 00:26:27.759
 other side

00:26:27.759 --> 00:26:29.240
 and he

00:26:29.240 --> 00:26:29.740
 knew that

00:26:29.740 --> 00:26:30.379
 poverty

00:26:30.379 --> 00:26:30.940
 had not

00:26:30.940 --> 00:26:31.460
 sunken

00:26:31.460 --> 00:26:33.539
 and wealth

00:26:33.539 --> 00:26:34.000
 had not

00:26:34.000 --> 00:26:34.579
 distracted

00:26:34.579 --> 00:26:35.139
 him

00:26:35.139 --> 00:26:36.519
 but he

00:26:36.519 --> 00:26:36.960
 could literally

00:26:36.960 --> 00:26:37.460
 go to

00:26:37.460 --> 00:26:38.419
 either ends

00:26:38.419 --> 00:26:39.180
 of the

00:26:39.180 --> 00:26:39.740
 spectrum

00:26:39.740 --> 00:26:40.879
 of the

00:26:40.879 --> 00:26:41.519
 experience

00:26:41.519 --> 00:26:42.119
 of life

00:26:42.119 --> 00:26:43.139
 and be

00:26:43.139 --> 00:26:43.839
 derailed

00:26:43.839 --> 00:26:44.139
 by

00:26:44.139 --> 00:26:44.599
 neither

00:26:44.599 --> 00:26:46.839
 it's

00:26:46.839 --> 00:26:47.359
 just as

00:26:47.359 --> 00:26:47.859
 easy to

00:26:47.859 --> 00:26:48.759
 be derailed

00:26:48.759 --> 00:26:49.179
 in our

00:26:49.179 --> 00:26:49.619
 faith

00:26:49.619 --> 00:26:50.539
 when things

00:26:50.539 --> 00:26:50.919
 are going

00:26:50.919 --> 00:26:51.419
 well

00:26:51.419 --> 00:26:52.879
 as when

00:26:52.879 --> 00:26:53.299
 things are

00:26:53.299 --> 00:26:53.500
 going

00:26:53.500 --> 00:26:53.959
 badly

00:26:53.959 --> 00:26:55.740
 and Paul

00:26:55.740 --> 00:26:56.119
 was able

00:26:56.119 --> 00:26:56.859
 to testify

00:26:56.859 --> 00:26:58.500
 bear witness

00:26:58.500 --> 00:27:01.259
 I've

00:27:01.259 --> 00:27:01.420
 been

00:27:01.420 --> 00:27:01.839
 through the

00:27:01.839 --> 00:27:02.240
 worst

00:27:02.240 --> 00:27:03.279
 and God

00:27:03.279 --> 00:27:03.700
 has kept

00:27:03.700 --> 00:27:03.859
 me

00:27:03.859 --> 00:27:05.700
 I've

00:27:05.700 --> 00:27:05.839
 been

00:27:05.839 --> 00:27:06.059
 through

00:27:06.059 --> 00:27:06.240
 the

00:27:06.240 --> 00:27:06.700
 best

00:27:06.700 --> 00:27:08.619
 and God

00:27:08.619 --> 00:27:09.119
 is still

00:27:09.119 --> 00:27:09.460
 kept

00:27:09.460 --> 00:27:09.819
 me

00:27:09.819 --> 00:27:11.740
 and it's

00:27:11.740 --> 00:27:12.160
 good to be

00:27:12.160 --> 00:27:12.480
 able to

00:27:12.480 --> 00:27:13.039
 know that

00:27:13.039 --> 00:27:13.480
 when you

00:27:13.480 --> 00:27:14.160
 face these

00:27:14.160 --> 00:27:14.819
 circumstances

00:27:14.819 --> 00:27:15.579
 that we

00:27:15.579 --> 00:27:16.220
 all face

00:27:16.220 --> 00:27:16.880
 that we

00:27:16.880 --> 00:27:17.160
 are not

00:27:17.160 --> 00:27:17.539
 alone

00:27:17.539 --> 00:27:18.759
 that's one

00:27:18.759 --> 00:27:18.960
 of the

00:27:18.960 --> 00:27:19.480
 first thoughts

00:27:19.480 --> 00:27:19.920
 that crop

00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:20.259
 into our

00:27:20.259 --> 00:27:20.440
 mind

00:27:20.440 --> 00:27:20.759
 nobody

00:27:20.759 --> 00:27:21.400
 understands

00:27:21.400 --> 00:27:22.039
 because nobody

00:27:22.039 --> 00:27:22.480
 has walked

00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:22.859
 this way

00:27:22.859 --> 00:27:23.259
 before

00:27:23.259 --> 00:27:24.680
 and again

00:27:24.680 --> 00:27:25.059
 go back

00:27:25.059 --> 00:27:25.440
 to that

00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:26.680
 little passage

00:27:26.680 --> 00:27:27.140
 that Paul

00:27:27.140 --> 00:27:27.559
 read

00:27:27.559 --> 00:27:28.839
 before our

00:27:28.839 --> 00:27:29.299
 pastoral

00:27:29.299 --> 00:27:29.680
 prayer

00:27:29.680 --> 00:27:30.680
 that we

00:27:30.680 --> 00:27:31.000
 have a

00:27:31.000 --> 00:27:31.500
 great high

00:27:31.500 --> 00:27:31.900
 priest

00:27:31.900 --> 00:27:32.519
 who is

00:27:32.519 --> 00:27:32.859
 not

00:27:32.859 --> 00:27:33.900
 unable

00:27:33.900 --> 00:27:34.519
 to

00:27:34.519 --> 00:27:35.200
 sympathize

00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:35.660
 with us

00:27:35.660 --> 00:27:35.940
 in our

00:27:35.940 --> 00:27:36.279
 weakness

00:27:36.279 --> 00:27:36.680
 but who

00:27:36.680 --> 00:27:37.000
 has been

00:27:37.000 --> 00:27:37.460
 touched

00:27:37.460 --> 00:27:38.059
 with the

00:27:38.059 --> 00:27:38.359
 feeling

00:27:38.359 --> 00:27:38.700
 of our

00:27:38.700 --> 00:27:39.379
 infirmities

00:27:39.379 --> 00:27:40.039
 has been

00:27:40.039 --> 00:27:40.980
 tested

00:27:40.980 --> 00:27:42.059
 in every

00:27:42.059 --> 00:27:42.660
 way

00:27:42.660 --> 00:27:43.319
 like as

00:27:43.319 --> 00:27:43.819
 we are

00:27:43.819 --> 00:27:44.319
 yet

00:27:44.319 --> 00:27:44.759
 remained

00:27:44.759 --> 00:27:45.400
 without sin

00:27:45.400 --> 00:27:47.839
 that the

00:27:47.839 --> 00:27:48.220
 ultimate

00:27:48.220 --> 00:27:48.819
 proof

00:27:48.819 --> 00:27:50.400
 the ultimate

00:27:50.400 --> 00:27:51.039
 testimony

00:27:51.039 --> 00:27:52.400
 that God

00:27:52.400 --> 00:27:53.039
 keeps this

00:27:53.039 --> 00:27:53.579
 glorious

00:27:53.579 --> 00:27:54.000
 promise

00:27:54.000 --> 00:27:54.279
 that he

00:27:54.279 --> 00:27:54.680
 makes

00:27:54.680 --> 00:27:55.440
 is the

00:27:55.440 --> 00:27:55.740
 way that

00:27:55.740 --> 00:27:56.220
 he kept

00:27:56.220 --> 00:27:56.539
 it to

00:27:56.539 --> 00:27:56.920
 his own

00:27:56.920 --> 00:27:57.259
 son

00:27:57.259 --> 00:27:57.759
 in human

00:27:57.759 --> 00:27:58.259
 flesh

00:27:58.259 --> 00:27:59.039
 during his

00:27:59.039 --> 00:27:59.619
 time on

00:27:59.619 --> 00:28:00.159
 this earth

00:28:00.159 --> 00:28:01.200
 that the

00:28:01.200 --> 00:28:01.639
 Lord Jesus

00:28:01.639 --> 00:28:02.180
 Christ

00:28:02.180 --> 00:28:05.279
 was never

00:28:05.279 --> 00:28:07.220
 utterly

00:28:07.220 --> 00:28:07.759
 abandoned

00:28:07.759 --> 00:28:09.559
 but even

00:28:09.559 --> 00:28:10.299
 in the cry

00:28:10.299 --> 00:28:11.019
 of dereliction

00:28:11.019 --> 00:28:11.940
 when he

00:28:11.940 --> 00:28:12.379
 cried out

00:28:12.379 --> 00:28:13.000
 my God

00:28:13.000 --> 00:28:13.720
 my God

00:28:13.720 --> 00:28:14.079
 I am

00:28:14.079 --> 00:28:14.639
 forsaken

00:28:14.639 --> 00:28:15.480
 why

00:28:15.480 --> 00:28:17.659
 that was

00:28:17.659 --> 00:28:18.000
 not

00:28:18.000 --> 00:28:18.899
 the Lord

00:28:18.899 --> 00:28:19.159
 Jesus

00:28:19.159 --> 00:28:19.700
 Christ

00:28:19.700 --> 00:28:20.339
 being

00:28:20.339 --> 00:28:20.819
 swallowed

00:28:20.819 --> 00:28:21.180
 up

00:28:21.180 --> 00:28:22.819
 in despair

00:28:22.819 --> 00:28:24.220
 because

00:28:24.220 --> 00:28:24.759
 that same

00:28:24.759 --> 00:28:24.980
 Lord

00:28:24.980 --> 00:28:25.240
 Jesus

00:28:25.240 --> 00:28:25.639
 Christ

00:28:25.639 --> 00:28:25.819
 who

00:28:25.819 --> 00:28:26.099
 uttered

00:28:26.099 --> 00:28:26.259
 those

00:28:26.259 --> 00:28:26.519
 very

00:28:26.519 --> 00:28:26.879
 words

00:28:26.879 --> 00:28:27.139
 knew

00:28:27.139 --> 00:28:27.439
 full

00:28:27.439 --> 00:28:27.819
 well

00:28:27.819 --> 00:28:29.039
 that

00:28:29.039 --> 00:28:29.919
 God

00:28:29.919 --> 00:28:30.099
 had

00:28:30.099 --> 00:28:30.399
 promised

00:28:30.399 --> 00:28:30.579
 I

00:28:30.579 --> 00:28:30.720
 will

00:28:30.720 --> 00:28:30.939
 not

00:28:30.939 --> 00:28:31.159
 leave

00:28:31.159 --> 00:28:31.740
 let my

00:28:31.740 --> 00:28:32.000
 Holy

00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:32.339
 One

00:28:32.339 --> 00:28:33.740
 see

00:28:33.740 --> 00:28:34.139
 decay

00:28:34.139 --> 00:28:34.879
 I

00:28:34.879 --> 00:28:35.019
 will

00:28:35.019 --> 00:28:35.200
 not

00:28:35.200 --> 00:28:35.599
 abandon

00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:35.819
 him

00:28:35.819 --> 00:28:36.079
 to the

00:28:36.079 --> 00:28:36.539
 grave

00:28:36.539 --> 00:28:37.539
!

00:28:37.539 --> 00:28:37.799
 And that's

00:28:37.799 --> 00:28:37.899
 why

00:28:37.899 --> 00:28:38.139
 the Lord

00:28:38.139 --> 00:28:38.399
 Jesus

00:28:38.399 --> 00:28:38.819
 Christ

00:28:38.819 --> 00:28:39.200
 was able

00:28:39.200 --> 00:28:39.579
 to speak

00:28:39.579 --> 00:28:40.099
 his last

00:28:40.099 --> 00:28:40.420
 words

00:28:40.420 --> 00:28:40.700
 on the

00:28:40.700 --> 00:28:41.059
 cross

00:28:41.059 --> 00:28:41.980
 as words

00:28:41.980 --> 00:28:42.720
 of absolute

00:28:42.720 --> 00:28:43.460
 confidence

00:28:43.460 --> 00:28:43.940
 Father

00:28:43.940 --> 00:28:44.779
 into your

00:28:44.779 --> 00:28:45.200
 hands

00:28:45.200 --> 00:28:45.659
 I commit

00:28:45.659 --> 00:28:46.299
 my spirit

00:28:46.299 --> 00:28:47.440
 because he

00:28:47.440 --> 00:28:48.099
 was kept

00:28:48.099 --> 00:28:48.779
 by the

00:28:48.779 --> 00:28:49.319
 promise of

00:28:49.319 --> 00:28:49.700
 God

00:28:49.700 --> 00:28:50.379
 he was

00:28:50.379 --> 00:28:50.980
 upheld

00:28:50.980 --> 00:28:52.779
 and he

00:28:52.779 --> 00:28:53.500
 in his

00:28:53.500 --> 00:28:53.960
 own

00:28:53.960 --> 00:28:55.059
 experience

00:28:55.059 --> 00:28:56.079
 through the

00:28:56.079 --> 00:28:56.559
 gates of

00:28:56.559 --> 00:28:57.019
 death

00:28:57.019 --> 00:28:59.920
 into the

00:28:59.920 --> 00:29:00.200
 tomb

00:29:00.200 --> 00:29:00.460
 where he

00:29:00.460 --> 00:29:01.119
 was laid

00:29:01.119 --> 00:29:02.759
 not merely

00:29:02.759 --> 00:29:03.059
 for the

00:29:03.059 --> 00:29:03.559
 resurrection

00:29:03.559 --> 00:29:04.359
 he experienced

00:29:04.359 --> 00:29:04.879
 but to the

00:29:04.879 --> 00:29:05.679
 enthronement

00:29:05.679 --> 00:29:06.839
 that is now

00:29:06.839 --> 00:29:07.419
 his as he

00:29:07.419 --> 00:29:07.879
 sits at the

00:29:07.879 --> 00:29:08.379
 right hand

00:29:08.379 --> 00:29:08.899
 of majesty

00:29:08.899 --> 00:29:09.339
 on high

00:29:09.339 --> 00:29:10.339
 he is

00:29:10.339 --> 00:29:10.919
 literally

00:29:10.919 --> 00:29:12.240
 living proof

00:29:12.240 --> 00:29:13.199
 that God

00:29:13.199 --> 00:29:13.859
 keeps his

00:29:13.859 --> 00:29:14.319
 promise

00:29:14.319 --> 00:29:16.199
 not just to

00:29:16.199 --> 00:29:16.719
 his own

00:29:16.719 --> 00:29:17.399
 incarnate

00:29:17.399 --> 00:29:17.719
 son

00:29:17.719 --> 00:29:18.459
 but to

00:29:18.459 --> 00:29:19.119
 all his

00:29:19.119 --> 00:29:19.759
 sons and

00:29:19.759 --> 00:29:20.219
 daughters

00:29:20.219 --> 00:29:21.000
 in the

00:29:21.000 --> 00:29:21.439
 Lord Jesus

00:29:21.439 --> 00:29:21.939
 Christ

00:29:21.939 --> 00:29:22.599
 who have

00:29:22.599 --> 00:29:23.119
 been adopted

00:29:23.119 --> 00:29:23.599
 into his

00:29:23.599 --> 00:29:24.000
 family

00:29:24.000 --> 00:29:26.339
 which brings

00:29:26.339 --> 00:29:26.679
 us to the

00:29:26.679 --> 00:29:27.199
 last thing

00:29:27.199 --> 00:29:28.879
 what is that

00:29:28.879 --> 00:29:29.959
 one important

00:29:29.959 --> 00:29:30.259
 key

00:29:30.259 --> 00:29:30.779
 that all

00:29:30.779 --> 00:29:31.240
 important

00:29:31.240 --> 00:29:31.639
 key

00:29:31.639 --> 00:29:32.619
 that Paul

00:29:32.619 --> 00:29:34.339
 astutely

00:29:34.339 --> 00:29:35.379
 inserts to

00:29:35.379 --> 00:29:35.679
 everything

00:29:35.679 --> 00:29:35.959
 that he

00:29:35.959 --> 00:29:36.500
 says

00:29:36.500 --> 00:29:37.859
 this is

00:29:37.859 --> 00:29:38.199
 not an

00:29:38.199 --> 00:29:38.779
 apostolic

00:29:38.779 --> 00:29:39.480
 pep talk

00:29:39.480 --> 00:29:41.279
 saying you

00:29:41.279 --> 00:29:41.659
 really need

00:29:41.659 --> 00:29:42.039
 to get your

00:29:42.039 --> 00:29:42.599
 act together

00:29:42.599 --> 00:29:44.039
 you need to

00:29:44.039 --> 00:29:44.279
 get your

00:29:44.279 --> 00:29:44.619
 thinking

00:29:44.619 --> 00:29:45.059
 straight

00:29:45.059 --> 00:29:46.039
 no he

00:29:46.039 --> 00:29:46.599
 is saying

00:29:46.599 --> 00:29:47.559
 that ultimately

00:29:47.559 --> 00:29:48.079
 it's not

00:29:48.079 --> 00:29:48.759
 merely about

00:29:48.759 --> 00:29:49.119
 how we

00:29:49.119 --> 00:29:49.539
 perceive

00:29:49.539 --> 00:29:50.079
 things

00:29:50.079 --> 00:29:50.779
 or how we

00:29:50.779 --> 00:29:51.159
 approach

00:29:51.159 --> 00:29:51.599
 things in

00:29:51.599 --> 00:29:51.939
 life

00:29:51.939 --> 00:29:52.599
 but we

00:29:52.599 --> 00:29:53.099
 are told

00:29:53.099 --> 00:29:53.500
 that this

00:29:53.500 --> 00:29:53.980
 peace of

00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:54.339
 God

00:29:54.339 --> 00:29:54.939
 which

00:29:54.939 --> 00:29:55.559
 passes

00:29:55.559 --> 00:29:56.179
 understanding

00:29:56.179 --> 00:29:56.500
 that will

00:29:56.500 --> 00:29:57.099
 keep our

00:29:57.099 --> 00:29:57.480
 hearts

00:29:57.480 --> 00:29:58.339
 and minds

00:29:58.339 --> 00:29:59.459
 is in

00:29:59.459 --> 00:29:59.980
 Christ

00:29:59.980 --> 00:30:00.480
 Jesus

00:30:00.480 --> 00:30:03.179
 and again

00:30:03.179 --> 00:30:03.799
 to drive the

00:30:03.799 --> 00:30:04.220
 point home

00:30:04.220 --> 00:30:04.539
 he says

00:30:04.539 --> 00:30:04.900
 in verse

00:30:04.900 --> 00:30:05.299
 19

00:30:05.299 --> 00:30:05.700
 and my

00:30:05.700 --> 00:30:06.000
 God

00:30:06.000 --> 00:30:06.360
 will meet

00:30:06.360 --> 00:30:06.940
 all your

00:30:06.940 --> 00:30:07.339
 needs

00:30:07.339 --> 00:30:08.579
 according to

00:30:08.579 --> 00:30:09.420
 his glorious

00:30:09.420 --> 00:30:09.920
 riches

00:30:09.920 --> 00:30:11.740
 in Christ

00:30:11.740 --> 00:30:12.700
 Jesus

00:30:12.700 --> 00:30:16.860
 it's the

00:30:16.860 --> 00:30:17.519
 one thing

00:30:17.519 --> 00:30:18.400
 about Paul's

00:30:18.400 --> 00:30:18.839
 teaching

00:30:18.839 --> 00:30:20.019
 that is so

00:30:20.019 --> 00:30:20.900
 glaringly

00:30:20.900 --> 00:30:21.519
 obvious

00:30:21.519 --> 00:30:23.500
 that is so

00:30:23.500 --> 00:30:24.319
 amazingly

00:30:24.319 --> 00:30:24.900
 missed

00:30:24.900 --> 00:30:26.559
 by so many

00:30:26.559 --> 00:30:27.100
 Christians

00:30:27.100 --> 00:30:28.259
 in their

00:30:28.259 --> 00:30:28.920
 understanding

00:30:28.920 --> 00:30:29.400
 of what it

00:30:29.400 --> 00:30:29.880
 means to be

00:30:29.880 --> 00:30:30.380
 a Christian

00:30:30.380 --> 00:30:32.360
 that the

00:30:32.360 --> 00:30:33.140
 whole of

00:30:33.140 --> 00:30:33.880
 Paul's

00:30:33.880 --> 00:30:34.380
 writings

00:30:34.380 --> 00:30:34.980
 about the

00:30:34.980 --> 00:30:35.320
 Christian

00:30:35.320 --> 00:30:35.860
 faith

00:30:35.860 --> 00:30:36.800
 whether it

00:30:36.800 --> 00:30:37.140
 be in his

00:30:37.140 --> 00:30:37.540
 preaching

00:30:37.540 --> 00:30:38.040
 as we have

00:30:38.040 --> 00:30:38.300
 it in the

00:30:38.300 --> 00:30:38.580
 book of

00:30:38.580 --> 00:30:38.820
 Acts

00:30:38.820 --> 00:30:39.160
 or whether

00:30:39.160 --> 00:30:39.540
 it be

00:30:39.540 --> 00:30:40.140
 in his

00:30:40.140 --> 00:30:40.460
 letters

00:30:40.460 --> 00:30:41.040
 as we have

00:30:41.040 --> 00:30:41.780
 them to

00:30:41.780 --> 00:30:42.160
 the different

00:30:42.160 --> 00:30:42.700
 churches of

00:30:42.700 --> 00:30:42.960
 the New

00:30:42.960 --> 00:30:43.400
 Testament

00:30:43.400 --> 00:30:44.600
 the number

00:30:44.600 --> 00:30:45.220
 of times

00:30:45.220 --> 00:30:45.640
 he either

00:30:45.640 --> 00:30:46.440
 directly or

00:30:46.440 --> 00:30:46.980
 indirectly

00:30:46.980 --> 00:30:47.780
 says that

00:30:47.780 --> 00:30:48.500
 being a

00:30:48.500 --> 00:30:48.820
 Christian

00:30:48.820 --> 00:30:49.420
 is all

00:30:49.420 --> 00:30:50.100
 about being

00:30:50.100 --> 00:30:50.900
 joined to

00:30:50.900 --> 00:30:51.240
 Jesus

00:30:51.240 --> 00:30:52.160
 being united

00:30:52.160 --> 00:30:52.820
 to Christ

00:30:52.819 --> 00:30:55.359
 because we

00:30:55.359 --> 00:30:55.859
 are in

00:30:55.859 --> 00:30:56.139
 him

00:30:56.139 --> 00:30:57.200
 because there

00:30:57.200 --> 00:30:58.299
 is a

00:30:58.299 --> 00:30:59.519
 living

00:30:59.519 --> 00:31:00.740
 and loving

00:31:00.740 --> 00:31:02.000
 as well as

00:31:02.000 --> 00:31:03.059
 legally binding

00:31:03.059 --> 00:31:03.759
 bond

00:31:03.759 --> 00:31:05.419
 that joins

00:31:05.419 --> 00:31:06.079
 us to him

00:31:06.079 --> 00:31:06.899
 in spiritual

00:31:06.899 --> 00:31:07.599
 marriage

00:31:07.599 --> 00:31:09.259
 what we

00:31:09.259 --> 00:31:09.960
 are in

00:31:09.960 --> 00:31:10.460
 him

00:31:10.460 --> 00:31:12.220
 will for

00:31:12.220 --> 00:31:12.919
 eternity

00:31:12.919 --> 00:31:13.939
 make us

00:31:13.939 --> 00:31:15.019
 different to

00:31:15.019 --> 00:31:15.379
 what we

00:31:15.379 --> 00:31:16.059
 were in

00:31:16.059 --> 00:31:16.960
 ourselves

00:31:16.960 --> 00:31:20.179
 those of you

00:31:20.179 --> 00:31:20.379
 who are

00:31:20.379 --> 00:31:21.139
 married will

00:31:21.139 --> 00:31:21.559
 know what I

00:31:21.559 --> 00:31:22.000
 mean when I

00:31:22.000 --> 00:31:22.379
 say that

00:31:22.380 --> 00:31:22.760
 marriage

00:31:22.760 --> 00:31:23.580
 changes you

00:31:23.580 --> 00:31:26.800
 marriage

00:31:26.800 --> 00:31:27.680
 changes you

00:31:27.680 --> 00:31:29.780
 the Paul

00:31:29.780 --> 00:31:30.280
 Levy that I

00:31:30.280 --> 00:31:30.840
 knew on that

00:31:30.840 --> 00:31:31.520
 flight to

00:31:31.520 --> 00:31:32.600
 Africa

00:31:32.600 --> 00:31:33.520
 when he was

00:31:33.520 --> 00:31:34.200
 19 was

00:31:34.200 --> 00:31:34.720
 very different

00:31:34.720 --> 00:31:35.100
 from the

00:31:35.100 --> 00:31:35.560
 Paul Levy

00:31:35.560 --> 00:31:36.540
 that was my

00:31:36.540 --> 00:31:37.200
 neighbour when

00:31:37.200 --> 00:31:37.680
 he was married

00:31:37.680 --> 00:31:38.160
 to Claire

00:31:38.160 --> 00:31:39.900
 marriage

00:31:39.900 --> 00:31:40.880
 changes people

00:31:40.880 --> 00:31:42.900
 but that's

00:31:42.900 --> 00:31:43.240
 true at a

00:31:43.240 --> 00:31:43.880
 human level

00:31:43.880 --> 00:31:44.820
 that because

00:31:44.820 --> 00:31:45.500
 the two

00:31:45.500 --> 00:31:46.260
 become one

00:31:46.260 --> 00:31:48.020
 and two

00:31:48.020 --> 00:31:49.080
 lives in

00:31:49.080 --> 00:31:49.500
 a most

00:31:49.500 --> 00:31:50.080
 profound

00:31:50.080 --> 00:31:50.860
 and extraordinary

00:31:50.860 --> 00:31:51.340
 way

00:31:51.339 --> 00:31:53.899
 change

00:31:53.899 --> 00:31:55.559
 the two

00:31:55.559 --> 00:31:56.000
 people who

00:31:56.000 --> 00:31:56.519
 are involved

00:31:56.519 --> 00:31:56.819
 in that

00:31:56.819 --> 00:31:57.240
 life

00:31:57.240 --> 00:31:59.500
 so in a

00:31:59.500 --> 00:32:00.500
 more glorious

00:32:00.500 --> 00:32:01.259
 way when

00:32:01.259 --> 00:32:01.759
 there is a

00:32:01.759 --> 00:32:02.259
 spiritual

00:32:02.259 --> 00:32:03.199
 marriage between

00:32:03.199 --> 00:32:04.779
 the Lord Jesus

00:32:04.779 --> 00:32:05.599
 Christ and his

00:32:05.599 --> 00:32:06.199
 people in the

00:32:06.199 --> 00:32:07.179
 covenant bond

00:32:07.179 --> 00:32:08.079
 that is established

00:32:08.079 --> 00:32:08.859
 by God

00:32:08.859 --> 00:32:10.759
 with each of

00:32:10.759 --> 00:32:11.779
 us as

00:32:11.779 --> 00:32:12.220
 Christians

00:32:12.220 --> 00:32:12.799
 individually

00:32:12.799 --> 00:32:13.559
 with all of

00:32:13.559 --> 00:32:14.099
 us together

00:32:14.099 --> 00:32:14.799
 corporately

00:32:14.799 --> 00:32:16.059
 as his church

00:32:16.059 --> 00:32:16.839
 unitedly

00:32:16.839 --> 00:32:19.019
 it's not that

00:32:19.019 --> 00:32:19.639
 we change

00:32:19.639 --> 00:32:20.379
 God because

00:32:20.379 --> 00:32:21.079
 God cannot

00:32:21.079 --> 00:32:21.720
 be changed

00:32:21.720 --> 00:32:22.759
 but that

00:32:22.759 --> 00:32:23.480
 living and

00:32:23.480 --> 00:32:24.200
 loving bond

00:32:24.200 --> 00:32:24.500
 that he

00:32:24.500 --> 00:32:25.319
 establishes with

00:32:25.319 --> 00:32:25.839
 us in

00:32:25.839 --> 00:32:26.679
 Christ Jesus

00:32:26.679 --> 00:32:27.559
 forever

00:32:27.559 --> 00:32:28.619
 changes us

00:32:28.619 --> 00:32:30.440
 that we can

00:32:30.440 --> 00:32:31.139
 never be what

00:32:31.139 --> 00:32:31.659
 we used to

00:32:31.659 --> 00:32:32.619
 be

00:32:32.619 --> 00:32:33.559
 that what we

00:32:33.559 --> 00:32:34.159
 are in

00:32:34.159 --> 00:32:34.940
 union and

00:32:34.940 --> 00:32:35.659
 communion with

00:32:35.659 --> 00:32:36.299
 Christ will

00:32:36.299 --> 00:32:37.039
 transform

00:32:37.039 --> 00:32:38.599
 what we are

00:32:38.599 --> 00:32:40.539
 not merely in

00:32:40.539 --> 00:32:41.240
 relationship to

00:32:41.240 --> 00:32:41.879
 one another and

00:32:41.879 --> 00:32:42.319
 to the world

00:32:42.319 --> 00:32:42.980
 around us but

00:32:42.980 --> 00:32:43.839
 how we face

00:32:43.839 --> 00:32:44.419
 the issues

00:32:44.419 --> 00:32:45.659
 of life that

00:32:45.659 --> 00:32:46.480
 would otherwise

00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:47.679
 unsettle us

00:32:47.679 --> 00:32:49.119
 and so easily

00:32:49.119 --> 00:32:50.079
 sink us

00:32:50.079 --> 00:32:51.220
 were that not

00:32:51.220 --> 00:32:51.779
 the case

00:32:51.779 --> 00:32:53.599
 and the fact

00:32:53.599 --> 00:32:53.959
 that the Lord

00:32:53.959 --> 00:32:54.879
 Jesus Christ

00:32:54.879 --> 00:32:56.539
 reminded his

00:32:56.539 --> 00:32:57.579
 disciples before

00:32:57.579 --> 00:32:59.179
 he ascended

00:32:59.179 --> 00:32:59.740
 into heaven

00:32:59.740 --> 00:33:00.399
 I will never

00:33:00.399 --> 00:33:00.980
 leave you

00:33:00.980 --> 00:33:01.899
 and I will

00:33:01.899 --> 00:33:02.699
 never forsake

00:33:02.699 --> 00:33:03.359
 you

00:33:03.359 --> 00:33:05.279
 but through

00:33:05.279 --> 00:33:05.819
 the darkest

00:33:05.819 --> 00:33:06.740
 days as well

00:33:06.740 --> 00:33:07.039
 as through

00:33:07.039 --> 00:33:07.559
 the brightest

00:33:07.559 --> 00:33:08.740
 through the

00:33:08.740 --> 00:33:09.480
 darkest nights

00:33:09.480 --> 00:33:09.980
 as well as

00:33:09.980 --> 00:33:10.240
 through the

00:33:10.240 --> 00:33:11.099
 brightest days

00:33:11.099 --> 00:33:12.619
 I will be

00:33:12.619 --> 00:33:13.000
 there

00:33:13.000 --> 00:33:15.259
 and I

00:33:15.259 --> 00:33:15.519
 will be

00:33:15.519 --> 00:33:15.859
 keeping

00:33:15.859 --> 00:33:16.359
 you

00:33:16.359 --> 00:33:20.859
 how much

00:33:20.859 --> 00:33:21.200
 we need

00:33:21.200 --> 00:33:21.619
 that word

00:33:21.619 --> 00:33:22.279
 today for

00:33:22.279 --> 00:33:23.000
 all of us

00:33:23.000 --> 00:33:24.299
 because my

00:33:24.299 --> 00:33:24.740
 guess is

00:33:24.740 --> 00:33:25.079
 there is no

00:33:25.079 --> 00:33:25.480
 one in this

00:33:25.480 --> 00:33:26.000
 building from

00:33:26.000 --> 00:33:26.359
 the youngest

00:33:26.359 --> 00:33:26.720
 right through

00:33:26.720 --> 00:33:27.200
 to the oldest

00:33:27.200 --> 00:33:27.779
 who in their

00:33:27.779 --> 00:33:28.980
 own unique

00:33:28.980 --> 00:33:29.539
 and personal

00:33:29.539 --> 00:33:31.140
 way is

00:33:31.140 --> 00:33:31.640
 wrestling

00:33:31.640 --> 00:33:32.259
 is not

00:33:32.259 --> 00:33:32.880
 wrestling with

00:33:32.880 --> 00:33:33.359
 the issues

00:33:33.359 --> 00:33:33.960
 that Paul is

00:33:33.960 --> 00:33:34.460
 talking about

00:33:34.460 --> 00:33:34.759
 here

00:33:34.759 --> 00:33:36.720
 and even

00:33:36.720 --> 00:33:37.299
 though our

00:33:37.299 --> 00:33:37.980
 issues may

00:33:37.980 --> 00:33:38.279
 differ

00:33:38.279 --> 00:33:39.720
 the answer

00:33:39.720 --> 00:33:40.359
 is the same

00:33:40.359 --> 00:33:40.920
 for everyone

00:33:40.920 --> 00:33:41.259
 in this

00:33:41.259 --> 00:33:41.579
 building

00:33:41.579 --> 00:33:42.839
 and even

00:33:42.839 --> 00:33:43.079
 if you're

00:33:43.079 --> 00:33:43.419
 here as

00:33:43.419 --> 00:33:43.779
 someone who

00:33:43.779 --> 00:33:44.179
 isn't yet

00:33:44.179 --> 00:33:44.639
 a Christian

00:33:44.639 --> 00:33:45.619
 and you're

00:33:45.619 --> 00:33:46.119
 struggling with

00:33:46.119 --> 00:33:46.599
 these issues

00:33:46.599 --> 00:33:47.099
 and you don't

00:33:47.099 --> 00:33:47.539
 quite know

00:33:47.539 --> 00:33:47.859
 where to

00:33:47.859 --> 00:33:48.179
 turn

00:33:48.179 --> 00:33:49.699
 the answer

00:33:49.699 --> 00:33:50.059
 is still

00:33:50.059 --> 00:33:50.500
 the same

00:33:50.500 --> 00:33:52.240
 I can do

00:33:52.240 --> 00:33:53.480
 all things

00:33:53.480 --> 00:33:54.119
 as well

00:33:54.119 --> 00:33:55.699
 through Jesus

00:33:55.699 --> 00:33:56.199
 Christ

00:33:56.199 --> 00:33:57.559
 who gives me

00:33:57.559 --> 00:33:58.079
 strength

00:33:58.079 --> 00:33:59.059
 let's pray

00:33:59.500 --> 00:34:00.559
 let's pray

00:34:00.559 --> 00:34:01.179
 let's pray

00:34:01.179 --> 00:34:01.179


00:34:01.179 --> 00:34:01.179


00:34:01.179 --> 00:34:01.179


00:34:01.179 --> 00:34:01.179


00:34:01.179 --> 00:34:01.179


00:34:01.179 --> 00:34:01.579
 let's pray

00:34:01.579 --> 00:34:02.019
 let's pray

00:34:02.019 --> 00:34:02.299
 let's pray

00:34:02.299 --> 00:34:03.359
 let's pray

00:34:03.359 --> 00:34:03.980
 let's pray

00:34:03.980 --> 00:34:03.980


00:34:03.980 --> 00:34:03.980


00:34:03.980 --> 00:34:04.720
 let's pray

00:34:04.720 --> 00:34:05.079
 let's pray

00:34:05.079 --> 00:34:05.679
 let's pray

00:34:05.679 --> 00:34:05.679


00:34:05.679 --> 00:34:07.079
 let's pray

00:34:07.079 --> 00:34:07.079


00:34:07.079 --> 00:34:08.159
 let's pray

00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.159


00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.159


00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.159


00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.159


00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.159


00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.159


00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.159


00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.159


00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.159


00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.159


00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.159


00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.159


00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.159


00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.159


00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.159


00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.159


00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.159


00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.159


00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.159


00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.159


00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.159


00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.159


00:34:08.159 --> 00:34:08.159