WEBVTT

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 Father, we ask that you would gently pour out your Holy Spirit upon us,

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 gently and deeply pour out your Holy Spirit deep within us.

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 And Father, we ask that you would write these words in our hearts,

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 in the command center of who we are,

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 so that we will be disciples of Jesus who are gripped by the gospel,

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 learning to live for your glory.

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 And all this we ask in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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 Please be seated.

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 So, I noticed in the newspaper yesterday that there's been a poll done

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 about what different Canadians think about religious pluralism

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 and the presence of different religions in Canada.

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 And I suppose that it depends if you're an optimist or a pessimist.

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 If you're an optimist, you can say that we're more popular than Muslims.

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 If you're a pessimist, you could say that we're less unpopular than Muslims.

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 But that seems to be the result of a particular survey.

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 In fact, we seem to beat them by a wide margin,

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 but there's still a majority of Canadians who would find us suspicious.

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 And one of the things I think that many non-Christians would think about Christians

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 is that we're obsessed with certain topics,

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 that we're obsessed with sex, we're obsessed with money,

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 we're obsessed with power, we're obsessed with rules,

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 and we like to exclude people.

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 And that would be, I think, how a lot of Canadians would just sort of think about Canadians,

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 about Christians like us.

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 So, the text of Scripture today talks about this very, very much, actually,

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 and it's a very, very helpful text for us.

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 I mean, all of the Bible's helpful,

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 but it's very helpful for us in terms of how we see ourselves

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 in light of how Canadians see ourselves.

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 So, if you turn with me in your Bibles to Galatians 5,

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 Galatians 5, beginning at verse 1,

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 we'll just see what the Bible has to say.

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 And those of you who remember, and we're here last week,

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 last week we talked about Galatians 5, verse 1, but I'll read it again.

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 It's sort of an unusual verse in Galatians.

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 Galatians 5, verse 1,

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 it sort of is just there.

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 And in some ways, it's the summary of the whole book,

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 and in another, so it helps you sort of understand what goes before and what comes after.

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 And so, here it is.

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 It's a great, great verse, well worth memorizing.

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 Freedom, Christ has set us free.

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 Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to yoke of slavery.

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 And this describes to us the purpose that Jesus came to die on the cross.

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 He came to die on the cross so that ordinary people like you and me would be free.

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 That when we put our faith and trust in Jesus,

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 that there would be a basic freedom bestowed to us.

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 And that not only are we made free when we put our faith and trust in Jesus,

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 but God's desire is that this freedom would only get deeper and deeper and stronger and stronger

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 and a more real presence in our life.

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 And in the middle of it all, he uses this military analogy, which is stand firm.

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 If you've seen some old war movies, it's the same type, it's an actual military term,

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 and it would be as if, you know, the major says to the sergeant,

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 you and your platoon, you've got to keep that hill.

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 You can't lose that hill.

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 You've got to stand fast on that hill and not surrender it.

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 And that's the exact same image which is used here in this text.

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 For freedom, Christ has set us free.

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 Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

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 And we talked about this last week.

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 I can't say more about it now other than to say this.

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 So here's this ringing announcement of freedom and a warning about slavery.

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 So what is it that you think that Paul, the Bible, is now going to talk about next?

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 Especially in light of this fact that there is this problem that even though Christ has made us free,

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 that we could slip into slavery.

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 So, you know, I think if you were to, for many people, you'd think,

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 and maybe many Canadians would think, okay, well, here's where the Bible is going to warn us

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 about being involved in sexual things.

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 Or maybe it's going to either be one of those contradictory things where it's going to talk about

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 warn us against money as if it's evil,

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 or talk about how we've got to give the church lots of money.

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 Or maybe it's going to now talk about, I don't know, drinking too much.

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 Or it's going to talk about anger.

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 It's going to talk about violence.

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 Or if you're more on the left, now it's going to talk more about injustice or something like that.

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 And so it's very, very, very striking that after this big declaration of freedom

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 and this warning that you can slide into slavery,

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 what's the very first thing that the Bible warns us against?

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 Religion.

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 Like, just let that settle for a second.

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 Not sex and drugs and rock and roll.

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 Not oppression.

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 It warns us about religion.

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 Like, that's actually quite stunning.

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 And regrettably, it's counterintuitive to most of us Christians.

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 And it's definitely counterintuitive to Canadians.

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 That that's what the Bible is going to warn us about.

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 But that's exactly what the Bible warns us about.

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 Look at verses 2 to 4 again.

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 Verses 2 to 4 of Galatians chapter 5.

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 Look, I, Paul...

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 So look how it begins.

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 Verse 2.

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 Look.

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 Just look.

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 Right now, he's going to remind them of something that he established in chapters 3 and 4.

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 But he said, look.

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 I, Paul, see to you that if you accept circumcision,

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 Christ will be of no advantage to you.

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 Like, it won't profit you at all.

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 It's like...

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 It's like...

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 He's going to be completely worthless.

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 What's an example?

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 If I said to you,

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 can I buy that car with the color blue?

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 Ooh.

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 You'd go,

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 George, is this a type of absurdist humor?

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 Like, you don't buy things with color.

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 Like, you buy things with money.

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 And what Paul is saying here is that it's like if you go down the route of circumcision,

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 which I'm going to explain in a moment,

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 it's...

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 That means you've made Christ completely and utterly, you know, worthless.

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 Like, you can't use Christ to buy whatever it is that religion thinks it's buying.

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 You just can't do it.

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 Read verse 2 again.

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 Look, I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision,

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 Christ will be of no advantage to you.

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 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision...

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 And just pause here.

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 When we talked about this quite a few weeks ago,

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 just remember the Bible would see female circumcision as completely abhorrent.

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 Female circumcision is always an attempt to enslave women.

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 To make them not even second-class citizens,

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 but lower than second-class citizens.

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 And the Bible would condemn it if it was aware of it.

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 It's just talking about male circumcision,

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 which is a very, very different thing.

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 Read verse 3 again.

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 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision

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 that he is obligated to keep the whole law.

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 You are severed from Christ,

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 you who would be justified by the law...

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 Justified means be made right with God.

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 By the law, you have fallen away from grace.

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 It's very, very strong language.

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 So what is it that Paul is warning them about?

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 Well, here, if you could put up the first point,

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 that would be very helpful.

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 What Paul established earlier is that for religion to work,

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 in quotation marks,

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 you need to keep 100% of the rules 100% of the time

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 and get a score of 100%.

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 Now, Paul is just saying,

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 listen, I'm Paul, I'm an apostle,

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 I'm reminding you of this.

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 But Paul isn't just saying this because it popped into his head.

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 He said, listen, if you read the Bible itself,

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 if you read the Bible itself,

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 that's what the Bible teaches.

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 That that's the whole reason why God said,

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 okay, I know that human beings have this great desire

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 to justify themselves, become like God,

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 make themselves right with me as if they're God.

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 And they think they can do this in their own way,

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 in their own strength,

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 in their own power,

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 in their own imagination.

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 So in a sense,

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 in 2 Corinthians talks about it,

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 that means that we can boast relative to God.

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 And so I'm just going to, you know,

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 I'm just going to give you an example.

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 If you actually want to try to make yourself right with me,

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 I'm going to sell the problem to you.

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 I'm going to tell you what the laws are

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 that you have to do to be holy

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 and to approach a holy God.

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 And Paul earlier in chapter 3 and 4 just said,

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 listen, if you listen to the Bible,

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 what God says is you've got to keep all of them.

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 And what does all of them mean?

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 All means all of them.

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 All of them means 100% of them.

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 And you've got to keep them 100% of the time.

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 And you've got to get a score of 100%.

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 And if you follow the Bible and you read that,

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 then what your response should be is one of two things.

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 What your response should be is,

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 Lord, have mercy.

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 That's impossible.

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 But what's the religious and human response?

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 Presumption.

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 And presumption is...

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 Brian has to keep 100% of the laws,

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 100% of the time you get 100%.

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 But, you know, I'm me.

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 I get a pass on some of them.

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 Like, I get a pass on the ones that I can't keep.

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 And I don't have to have...

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 Because I'm me, I don't have to have 100%.

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 Like, I just have to have a percent

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 that basically I'm satisfied and happy with.

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 And I have to have a percent on that percentage of times.

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 It sort of is fine with me,

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 and it's a type of presumption.

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 And, in fact, actually,

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 if you want to get the next point,

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 that would be great.

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 One perennial counterfeit

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 to saving faith in Jesus

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 is presumption.

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 It's just presumption.

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 Because we want to try to make our way

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 right with God,

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 and, you know,

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 there's Catholic versions of this,

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 there's Evangelical Protestant versions of this,

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 there's traditionalist Anglican versions of this,

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 there's charismatic versions of this,

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 there's Eastern...

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 Like, there's a lot...

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 There's all sorts of different ways

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 that we can start to add some types of rules

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 or rituals that you really have to keep

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 if you want to be a real Christian,

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 a serious Christian.

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 And if you don't keep those types of rules,

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 you're not a real Christian,

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 you're not a serious Christian.

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 But what it is,

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 is we don't actually keep those.

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 Like, that's what the Bible constantly establishes.

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 It doesn't...

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 We don't keep them.

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 So what happens is that

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 we just have basic presumption

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 that there's just something about me

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 which gives me a pass.

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 Or maybe, if I'm very generous,

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 about us,

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 the chosen,

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 the elect,

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 those of us in this congregation,

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 those who braved the rude wind's wild lament

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 to come to church today.

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 That's a quote from a hymn.

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 And...

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 But...

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 That's the constant aspect

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 of the religious spirit.

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 You know, we true Christians

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 who don't sing to guitars.

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 We true Christians

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 who do sing to guitars.

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 There's something that we start to add

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 to the gospel of grace

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 that we think is required.

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 And we might always worship with it,

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 with guitars, for instance.

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 Since that's a simple one.

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 But Paul is making a fundamental...

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 You know, a far bigger thing

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 is that once you start adding things to Jesus

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 and what he's done for us on the cross,

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 you're, in a sense,

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 taking Jesus out of the equation altogether

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 because God makes us right with himself

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 by faith alone,

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 by grace alone.

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 In other words,

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 it's all because of God's grace

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 because we can't keep the rules.

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 And how do we receive that grace?

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 We put our faith

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 and only our faith

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 in Jesus

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 and only in Jesus.

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 And only in Jesus

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 means Jesus

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 with nothing added to it whatsoever.

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 But some of you might say,

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 George, I'm a little bit...

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 You say that,

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 but George,

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 doesn't Paul...

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 Doesn't the Bible contradict

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 what you just said?

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 Doesn't it say

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 that you can fall away from grace?

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 Well, look again at what it says.

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 Look at verse 3.

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 I testify again

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 to every man

00:12:49.159 --> 00:12:50.340
 who accepts circumcision.

00:12:50.340 --> 00:12:51.240
 And by the way,

00:12:51.300 --> 00:12:52.399
 what circumcision meant...

00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:52.759
 I meant...

00:12:52.759 --> 00:12:53.940
 I said I was going to explain it.

00:12:54.940 --> 00:12:55.700
 Paul is going to,

00:12:55.840 --> 00:12:56.379
 in a moment,

00:12:56.519 --> 00:12:57.040
 tell us that

00:12:57.040 --> 00:12:57.879
 it doesn't really matter

00:12:57.879 --> 00:12:58.980
 whether we're circumcised.

00:12:59.500 --> 00:13:01.019
 He's using circumcision

00:13:01.019 --> 00:13:02.620
 sort of as a word

00:13:02.620 --> 00:13:03.800
 to capture

00:13:03.800 --> 00:13:06.420
 those who feel

00:13:06.420 --> 00:13:07.360
 that they have to keep

00:13:07.360 --> 00:13:08.540
 the Old Testament law.

00:13:09.639 --> 00:13:10.820
 They need Jesus

00:13:10.820 --> 00:13:12.780
 plus Moses

00:13:12.780 --> 00:13:14.400
 to be made right with God.

00:13:14.480 --> 00:13:15.360
 They need Jesus

00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:18.139
 plus religious rules

00:13:18.139 --> 00:13:19.840
 to be made right with God.

00:13:19.840 --> 00:13:21.300
 And he's using circumcision

00:13:21.300 --> 00:13:22.399
 as sort of a way

00:13:22.399 --> 00:13:23.440
 to talk about all of that.

00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:24.879
 Just as if we want to talk

00:13:24.879 --> 00:13:26.080
 about big business,

00:13:26.480 --> 00:13:27.780
 I've used this example before,

00:13:27.879 --> 00:13:29.300
 we don't necessarily talk about,

00:13:29.300 --> 00:13:30.360
 you know,

00:13:30.600 --> 00:13:31.480
 post-industrial

00:13:31.480 --> 00:13:32.720
 democratic capitalism

00:13:32.720 --> 00:13:35.060
 and its different mechanisms

00:13:35.060 --> 00:13:36.300
 in terms of unions

00:13:36.300 --> 00:13:38.139
 and monetary policy

00:13:38.139 --> 00:13:39.680
 and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

00:13:40.379 --> 00:13:41.180
 What we just say

00:13:41.180 --> 00:13:42.600
 is we talk about Wall Street

00:13:42.600 --> 00:13:43.759
 or big business

00:13:43.759 --> 00:13:44.960
 or Bloor Street, right?

00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:47.580
 And so that's what Paul's using here

00:13:47.580 --> 00:13:48.860
 with this word circumcision.

00:13:49.000 --> 00:13:50.060
 He's using it as

00:13:50.060 --> 00:13:52.500
 not as the act itself

00:13:52.500 --> 00:13:54.700
 but as sort of a way

00:13:54.700 --> 00:13:56.780
 of encapturing the desire

00:13:56.780 --> 00:13:59.440
 to make ourselves right with God

00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:00.560
 by following rules.

00:14:00.560 --> 00:14:02.139
 And in this case in particular,

00:14:02.900 --> 00:14:04.100
 the different rules

00:14:04.100 --> 00:14:06.280
 revealed in Leviticus, etc.

00:14:06.360 --> 00:14:07.220
 in the Old Testament

00:14:07.220 --> 00:14:09.259
 that God had revealed,

00:14:09.420 --> 00:14:10.600
 Paul establishes earlier,

00:14:10.600 --> 00:14:12.120
 to sell us the problem,

00:14:12.220 --> 00:14:13.220
 to bring us to the point

00:14:13.220 --> 00:14:14.240
 of saying one moment,

00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:16.700
 if I want to go down this route

00:14:16.700 --> 00:14:17.700
 of trying to make myself

00:14:17.700 --> 00:14:18.320
 right with God,

00:14:18.360 --> 00:14:19.360
 I've got to keep 100%

00:14:19.360 --> 00:14:19.860
 of the rules,

00:14:19.980 --> 00:14:20.600
 I've got to keep them

00:14:20.600 --> 00:14:21.620
 100% of the time

00:14:21.620 --> 00:14:22.080
 and I've got to get

00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:23.240
 a score of 100%.

00:14:23.240 --> 00:14:25.240
 And once that sort of hits you,

00:14:25.320 --> 00:14:26.639
 you realize that's impossible.

00:14:27.820 --> 00:14:28.620
 That's completely

00:14:28.620 --> 00:14:29.840
 and utterly impossible.

00:14:33.659 --> 00:14:36.340
 And so the whole purpose

00:14:36.340 --> 00:14:38.000
 is to get us to call out to God

00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:38.259
 and say,

00:14:38.340 --> 00:14:39.160
 Lord, have mercy.

00:14:39.159 --> 00:14:42.000
 Unless you have mercy

00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:42.899
 and you do something

00:14:42.899 --> 00:14:44.360
 I cannot do,

00:14:45.059 --> 00:14:46.039
 I am doomed.

00:14:47.559 --> 00:14:48.179
 And God,

00:14:48.279 --> 00:14:49.699
 I can't believe

00:14:49.699 --> 00:14:50.899
 that you want,

00:14:51.779 --> 00:14:53.179
 you will just let me be doomed

00:14:53.179 --> 00:14:53.899
 because I know

00:14:53.899 --> 00:14:55.019
 that you are a God

00:14:55.019 --> 00:14:56.279
 of steadfast love,

00:14:56.899 --> 00:14:58.819
 that you are a God of mercy.

00:14:59.919 --> 00:15:00.620
 And in a sense,

00:15:00.679 --> 00:15:01.259
 it's calling out

00:15:01.259 --> 00:15:02.459
 for the Old Testament saints

00:15:02.459 --> 00:15:02.799
 to say,

00:15:02.860 --> 00:15:03.439
 I don't know how

00:15:03.439 --> 00:15:04.480
 you're going to do it, God.

00:15:04.600 --> 00:15:05.339
 I don't know what

00:15:05.339 --> 00:15:06.059
 you're going to do.

00:15:06.799 --> 00:15:07.500
 But God,

00:15:07.579 --> 00:15:08.379
 I need mercy.

00:15:08.379 --> 00:15:09.939
 I need you to do

00:15:09.939 --> 00:15:11.059
 what only you can do

00:15:11.059 --> 00:15:12.320
 to make someone like me

00:15:12.320 --> 00:15:13.059
 right with you.

00:15:14.679 --> 00:15:15.539
 And Jesus

00:15:15.539 --> 00:15:18.519
 and his death upon the cross

00:15:18.519 --> 00:15:20.299
 and resurrection

00:15:20.299 --> 00:15:22.159
 is God keeping his promise

00:15:22.159 --> 00:15:24.159
 for all those Old Testament saints

00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:25.480
 and everyone afterwards

00:15:25.480 --> 00:15:27.559
 who comes to realize

00:15:27.559 --> 00:15:28.279
 that keeping,

00:15:28.799 --> 00:15:29.639
 if our goal

00:15:29.639 --> 00:15:30.559
 is to make ourselves

00:15:30.559 --> 00:15:31.299
 right with God

00:15:31.299 --> 00:15:32.159
 by our actions,

00:15:32.259 --> 00:15:33.159
 it'll never work.

00:15:33.240 --> 00:15:34.240
 It'll never work.

00:15:34.559 --> 00:15:35.279
 The only reason

00:15:35.279 --> 00:15:36.220
 we think it will work

00:15:36.220 --> 00:15:37.259
 is because we have

00:15:37.259 --> 00:15:38.360
 presumption.

00:15:39.259 --> 00:15:40.519
 that we get a pass

00:15:40.519 --> 00:15:41.179
 on all the things,

00:15:41.259 --> 00:15:41.860
 we get a pass

00:15:41.860 --> 00:15:42.779
 on enough of the things

00:15:42.779 --> 00:15:44.200
 and get a good enough mark.

00:15:44.620 --> 00:15:45.980
 And why is it different for me

00:15:45.980 --> 00:15:47.799
 than those nasty other people,

00:15:48.320 --> 00:15:49.740
 those nasty Roman Catholics,

00:15:49.939 --> 00:15:50.720
 if you're a Protestant

00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:51.639
 or if you're a Catholic,

00:15:51.759 --> 00:15:52.840
 those nasty Protestants,

00:15:52.939 --> 00:15:53.620
 was because it's,

00:15:53.759 --> 00:15:54.759
 well, there's something about us.

00:15:56.240 --> 00:15:56.439
 I mean,

00:15:56.480 --> 00:15:58.139
 why wouldn't God give me a pass?

00:15:58.379 --> 00:15:59.059
 Look at me.

00:15:59.500 --> 00:15:59.820
 You know?

00:16:00.539 --> 00:16:00.799
 Now,

00:16:00.840 --> 00:16:03.019
 we never consciously say that,

00:16:03.019 --> 00:16:05.740
 but we can see

00:16:05.740 --> 00:16:06.939
 that those who embark

00:16:06.939 --> 00:16:08.960
 upon the path of religion

00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:10.519
 and therefore

00:16:10.519 --> 00:16:12.840
 are embarking upon presumption

00:16:12.840 --> 00:16:15.620
 are always going to be insecure.

00:16:18.899 --> 00:16:19.519
 In fact,

00:16:19.559 --> 00:16:20.480
 it's one of the reasons

00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:20.960
 why

00:16:20.960 --> 00:16:22.960
 for many people,

00:16:23.220 --> 00:16:24.939
 when they cast off

00:16:24.939 --> 00:16:25.939
 all religion,

00:16:26.899 --> 00:16:28.919
 they find it liberating.

00:16:29.919 --> 00:16:30.279
 Why?

00:16:32.779 --> 00:16:34.000
 No more pretending.

00:16:35.539 --> 00:16:36.959
 I don't have to pretend

00:16:36.959 --> 00:16:38.639
 I actually like to visit

00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:40.019
 with some old lady

00:16:40.019 --> 00:16:41.519
 when what I really want to do

00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:43.379
 is sit down all afternoon,

00:16:43.539 --> 00:16:44.639
 watch NFL football,

00:16:44.799 --> 00:16:45.579
 eat potato chips,

00:16:45.659 --> 00:16:46.299
 and drink beer.

00:16:46.299 --> 00:16:49.539
 I don't have to pretend

00:16:49.539 --> 00:16:50.740
 I like these people.

00:16:50.839 --> 00:16:52.099
 I can just go to the bar

00:16:52.099 --> 00:16:53.359
 and if I don't fit in

00:16:53.359 --> 00:16:54.259
 with the people in this bar,

00:16:54.279 --> 00:16:55.159
 I just go to another bar.

00:16:55.219 --> 00:16:55.819
 I just keep going

00:16:55.819 --> 00:16:56.539
 to different bars

00:16:56.539 --> 00:16:57.620
 until I'm either,

00:16:57.939 --> 00:16:58.179
 you know,

00:16:58.240 --> 00:16:59.159
 sufficiently blitzed

00:16:59.159 --> 00:17:00.099
 or I find a group of people

00:17:00.099 --> 00:17:01.179
 who just sort of fit with me,

00:17:01.219 --> 00:17:01.439
 you know?

00:17:01.559 --> 00:17:01.959
 But, you know,

00:17:01.979 --> 00:17:02.359
 in a bar,

00:17:02.459 --> 00:17:03.279
 they just sort of live

00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:03.799
 and let live.

00:17:04.200 --> 00:17:05.399
 And so for many people,

00:17:05.919 --> 00:17:08.099
 it's why they actually feel

00:17:08.099 --> 00:17:09.379
 a sense of liberation

00:17:09.379 --> 00:17:10.940
 when they leave religion.

00:17:11.079 --> 00:17:12.279
 But the Bible here,

00:17:12.379 --> 00:17:12.619
 remember,

00:17:12.839 --> 00:17:13.819
 the Bible says that

00:17:13.819 --> 00:17:17.419
 the gospel is not good religion.

00:17:18.000 --> 00:17:18.599
 The Bible,

00:17:18.839 --> 00:17:20.939
 the gospel is not good advice.

00:17:21.259 --> 00:17:23.519
 The gospel is not good rules.

00:17:24.159 --> 00:17:26.639
 The gospel is not good requirements.

00:17:27.200 --> 00:17:29.159
 The gospel is good news.

00:17:30.200 --> 00:17:32.139
 And what is that good news?

00:17:33.159 --> 00:17:36.000
 God has done with power

00:17:36.000 --> 00:17:38.679
 and accomplished with power

00:17:38.679 --> 00:17:40.319
 something that we human beings

00:17:40.319 --> 00:17:42.079
 can never do ourselves.

00:17:42.079 --> 00:17:44.359
 God has done something

00:17:44.359 --> 00:17:45.699
 in the person of his son

00:17:45.699 --> 00:17:47.059
 in his death upon the cross

00:17:47.059 --> 00:17:51.759
 that we receive purely and utterly

00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:54.399
 because he is gracious and merciful

00:17:54.399 --> 00:17:56.659
 and all we do is put our hands out

00:17:56.659 --> 00:17:58.220
 in faith and trust

00:17:58.220 --> 00:18:00.619
 and he gives us

00:18:00.619 --> 00:18:02.199
 what we cannot accomplish

00:18:02.199 --> 00:18:04.960
 when we put our faith and trust in Jesus.

00:18:05.619 --> 00:18:07.519
 And why has God done this?

00:18:07.519 --> 00:18:08.519
 God has done this.

00:18:08.519 --> 00:18:09.519
 God has done this.

00:18:09.519 --> 00:18:11.099
 So that you and I can be free.

00:18:14.839 --> 00:18:17.500
 And so you and I can grow in freedom.

00:18:18.619 --> 00:18:21.379
 So one of the things that has to die in us

00:18:21.379 --> 00:18:23.119
 is our presumption.

00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:27.119
 Like it's very hard

00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:30.259
 because presumption is very addictive.

00:18:30.259 --> 00:18:37.700
 presumption is very, very addictive.

00:18:40.799 --> 00:18:43.279
 But you know, as the gospel grips me,

00:18:44.879 --> 00:18:48.259
 it's not, I mean, it still can be very, very hard

00:18:48.259 --> 00:18:50.900
 when maybe one of my kids reminds me

00:18:50.900 --> 00:18:53.240
 of something that I did to hurt them many years ago.

00:18:53.240 --> 00:18:56.500
 And that can be very hard

00:18:56.500 --> 00:18:59.140
 and it can upset my view of myself

00:18:59.140 --> 00:19:01.140
 and my view of what I was like as a dad.

00:19:02.519 --> 00:19:03.599
 You know, but at the end of the day,

00:19:04.120 --> 00:19:05.220
 what do I have to say?

00:19:05.539 --> 00:19:07.039
 That in light of the cross,

00:19:07.500 --> 00:19:09.859
 I know that I'm a sinner.

00:19:11.039 --> 00:19:12.220
 And in light of the cross,

00:19:12.579 --> 00:19:14.480
 I know that I've not been perfect,

00:19:14.660 --> 00:19:16.500
 can't be perfect, will never be perfect.

00:19:17.359 --> 00:19:19.240
 And in light of the cross,

00:19:19.240 --> 00:19:22.880
 I can think about the fact that

00:19:22.880 --> 00:19:24.819
 I'm only made right with God

00:19:24.819 --> 00:19:26.940
 by what Jesus has done

00:19:26.940 --> 00:19:29.200
 and my sins have been forgiven.

00:19:30.299 --> 00:19:32.920
 And my identity and my security

00:19:32.920 --> 00:19:35.660
 do not come from trying to get people

00:19:35.660 --> 00:19:39.700
 to think I've succeeded 100% of the time

00:19:39.700 --> 00:19:41.880
 and 100% of the laws with 100% mark.

00:19:42.779 --> 00:19:44.819
 And so as we are gripped by the gospel,

00:19:44.980 --> 00:19:46.839
 there's the possibility that our security

00:19:46.839 --> 00:19:48.160
 and our identity is now

00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:49.320
 in what God has,

00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:51.800
 a destiny that God has given me.

00:19:51.900 --> 00:19:53.340
 And I can say to my kids,

00:19:53.820 --> 00:19:54.220
 hopefully,

00:19:55.019 --> 00:19:56.920
 without having to spend 10 years

00:19:56.920 --> 00:19:58.360
 in therapy and remorse

00:19:58.360 --> 00:19:59.600
 and beating myself up,

00:19:59.980 --> 00:20:02.420
 I'm really sorry that I hurt you.

00:20:04.580 --> 00:20:06.920
 I am really, really sorry that I hurt you.

00:20:08.660 --> 00:20:10.040
 Or to our friends,

00:20:10.240 --> 00:20:11.279
 or to our parents,

00:20:11.540 --> 00:20:12.660
 or to our spouse,

00:20:13.240 --> 00:20:15.259
 or to our employers.

00:20:15.259 --> 00:20:16.500
 You see,

00:20:16.619 --> 00:20:17.299
 presumption,

00:20:17.379 --> 00:20:18.500
 the more we are dictated

00:20:18.500 --> 00:20:19.779
 and ruled by presumption,

00:20:19.859 --> 00:20:21.220
 the harder it will be

00:20:21.220 --> 00:20:24.240
 to both accept responsibility

00:20:24.240 --> 00:20:26.400
 and ask for forgiveness.

00:20:27.640 --> 00:20:29.079
 But the more we are gripped

00:20:29.079 --> 00:20:30.000
 by the gospel,

00:20:31.000 --> 00:20:34.140
 then whether we realize it or not,

00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:35.700
 there is something within us

00:20:35.700 --> 00:20:36.859
 which is grounding us

00:20:36.859 --> 00:20:37.700
 and shaping us

00:20:37.700 --> 00:20:38.619
 and propelling us

00:20:38.619 --> 00:20:39.740
 and drawing us

00:20:39.740 --> 00:20:41.720
 to a type of security

00:20:41.720 --> 00:20:42.500
 and identity

00:20:42.500 --> 00:20:44.900
 based on God

00:20:44.900 --> 00:20:46.980
 accomplishing something for us

00:20:46.980 --> 00:20:50.799
 that begins to free me up

00:20:50.799 --> 00:20:54.039
 to acknowledge lack

00:20:54.039 --> 00:20:55.000
 and sin

00:20:55.000 --> 00:21:00.500
 and ask for forgiveness

00:21:00.500 --> 00:21:03.720
 as I apologize.

00:21:03.720 --> 00:21:06.759
 If you could put up

00:21:06.759 --> 00:21:07.380
 the next point.

00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:09.799
 Once I am gripped

00:21:09.799 --> 00:21:10.960
 by God's grace,

00:21:11.339 --> 00:21:12.819
 he will never let me go.

00:21:14.259 --> 00:21:16.380
 This text in verse 5

00:21:16.380 --> 00:21:17.259
 about falling away

00:21:17.259 --> 00:21:17.980
 from grace,

00:21:18.779 --> 00:21:20.660
 it's to be sort of understood

00:21:20.660 --> 00:21:21.539
 in two ways.

00:21:22.039 --> 00:21:23.019
 The one way

00:21:23.019 --> 00:21:24.000
 is to understand

00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:25.100
 that, you know,

00:21:25.140 --> 00:21:26.059
 what I've just described

00:21:26.059 --> 00:21:27.220
 by being sort of gripped

00:21:27.220 --> 00:21:27.920
 by the gospel

00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:28.940
 and that once we're gripped

00:21:28.940 --> 00:21:29.759
 by the gospel,

00:21:29.980 --> 00:21:31.140
 but there is this older

00:21:31.140 --> 00:21:33.019
 Christian terminology

00:21:33.019 --> 00:21:34.539
 called backsliding.

00:21:36.299 --> 00:21:38.099
 It's old-fashioned terminology,

00:21:38.420 --> 00:21:40.000
 but it's been lost

00:21:40.000 --> 00:21:40.619
 by the church,

00:21:40.740 --> 00:21:42.259
 but we should get it.

00:21:42.359 --> 00:21:42.500
 I mean,

00:21:42.539 --> 00:21:43.240
 this is what the Bible

00:21:43.240 --> 00:21:43.900
 teaches us,

00:21:43.980 --> 00:21:45.339
 that it is possible

00:21:45.339 --> 00:21:46.579
 for me to slip back

00:21:46.579 --> 00:21:47.440
 into presumption,

00:21:47.639 --> 00:21:48.819
 slip back into rules,

00:21:49.039 --> 00:21:50.400
 slip back into legalism.

00:21:50.579 --> 00:21:51.940
 That's called backsliding.

00:21:52.720 --> 00:21:53.759
 You're falling away,

00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:55.240
 but once God's grace has me,

00:21:55.279 --> 00:21:56.079
 I can't lose it.

00:21:57.119 --> 00:21:57.579
 Why?

00:21:57.960 --> 00:21:58.740
 Because it's God's,

00:21:58.779 --> 00:21:59.259
 not mine.

00:22:00.259 --> 00:22:00.960
 That's why.

00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:03.840
 It's God's grace,

00:22:04.240 --> 00:22:07.299
 not my presumption.

00:22:09.819 --> 00:22:11.120
 And the second thing is,

00:22:11.299 --> 00:22:12.180
 and this is what Paul

00:22:12.180 --> 00:22:12.860
 is talking about here,

00:22:12.880 --> 00:22:13.900
 he's writing to a church,

00:22:14.360 --> 00:22:15.640
 and it's not always clear

00:22:15.640 --> 00:22:17.259
 in any local congregation

00:22:17.259 --> 00:22:19.259
 all who are in fact Christ's.

00:22:21.000 --> 00:22:22.299
 And for those who have yet,

00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:23.819
 not yet come to Christ

00:22:23.819 --> 00:22:24.980
 in a saving way

00:22:24.980 --> 00:22:26.519
 and are feeling

00:22:26.519 --> 00:22:27.559
 that this new thing

00:22:27.559 --> 00:22:28.400
 is better because

00:22:28.400 --> 00:22:29.100
 it's religion,

00:22:29.099 --> 00:22:32.039
 then Paul is warning them

00:22:32.039 --> 00:22:32.879
 that if you go down

00:22:32.879 --> 00:22:33.339
 that route,

00:22:33.439 --> 00:22:34.240
 you're walking away

00:22:34.240 --> 00:22:34.879
 from Christ,

00:22:34.959 --> 00:22:35.659
 you're cutting yourself

00:22:35.659 --> 00:22:36.639
 away from grace,

00:22:36.699 --> 00:22:37.679
 and what are you walking to?

00:22:38.359 --> 00:22:38.839
 Presumption.

00:22:41.099 --> 00:22:42.059
 And let me tell you,

00:22:42.219 --> 00:22:43.980
 in a marriage or relationship,

00:22:44.240 --> 00:22:45.559
 presumption really helps

00:22:45.559 --> 00:22:46.099
 a marriage.

00:22:46.699 --> 00:22:47.439
 Not, okay,

00:22:47.599 --> 00:22:49.500
 I'm saying the opposite.

00:22:51.079 --> 00:22:52.740
 Presumption ruins relationships

00:22:52.740 --> 00:22:53.819
 and ruins life.

00:22:53.819 --> 00:23:03.099
 So, Paul doesn't just sort of

00:23:03.099 --> 00:23:05.159
 warn them about these counterfeits,

00:23:05.559 --> 00:23:07.339
 but he also then reminds them

00:23:07.339 --> 00:23:09.879
 in a very, very powerful,

00:23:10.079 --> 00:23:11.319
 densely packed text.

00:23:12.579 --> 00:23:15.220
 He reminds them powerfully

00:23:15.220 --> 00:23:18.200
 of faith, hope, and love.

00:23:18.200 --> 00:23:20.980
 And by talking about faith,

00:23:21.059 --> 00:23:21.640
 hope, and love,

00:23:21.759 --> 00:23:23.539
 he helps them to understand

00:23:23.539 --> 00:23:25.340
 if the counterfeit

00:23:25.340 --> 00:23:26.259
 of Christian faith

00:23:26.259 --> 00:23:27.600
 is presumption.

00:23:28.160 --> 00:23:29.700
 What does true faith look like?

00:23:30.160 --> 00:23:31.480
 Verses 5 and 6

00:23:31.480 --> 00:23:32.620
 of chapter 5.

00:23:33.680 --> 00:23:35.140
 For through the Spirit,

00:23:35.220 --> 00:23:36.360
 that's the Holy Spirit,

00:23:36.860 --> 00:23:37.200
 by faith,

00:23:38.279 --> 00:23:39.539
 we ourselves

00:23:39.539 --> 00:23:40.779
 eagerly wait

00:23:40.779 --> 00:23:41.900
 for the hope

00:23:41.900 --> 00:23:42.580
 of righteousness.

00:23:43.340 --> 00:23:44.740
 For in Christ Jesus,

00:23:44.920 --> 00:23:45.200
 neither circumcision

00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:47.340
 nor uncircumcision

00:23:47.340 --> 00:23:48.620
 counts for anything,

00:23:49.559 --> 00:23:50.900
 but only faith

00:23:50.900 --> 00:23:51.740
 working

00:23:51.740 --> 00:23:52.759
 through

00:23:52.759 --> 00:23:53.779
 love.

00:23:54.759 --> 00:23:56.120
 It's a very dense text.

00:23:56.900 --> 00:23:57.559
 For through

00:23:57.559 --> 00:23:58.660
 the Holy Spirit,

00:23:58.860 --> 00:23:59.600
 by faith,

00:23:59.700 --> 00:24:00.420
 we ourselves

00:24:00.420 --> 00:24:01.400
 eagerly wait

00:24:01.400 --> 00:24:01.980
 for the hope

00:24:01.980 --> 00:24:02.539
 of righteousness.

00:24:02.779 --> 00:24:03.160
 Now, here,

00:24:03.319 --> 00:24:03.620
 there's a,

00:24:04.180 --> 00:24:04.740
 one of the things

00:24:04.740 --> 00:24:06.279
 that was really powerful

00:24:06.279 --> 00:24:07.160
 for me this summer

00:24:07.160 --> 00:24:08.019
 when I spent time

00:24:08.019 --> 00:24:08.600
 in Angola,

00:24:08.740 --> 00:24:09.180
 is it,

00:24:09.779 --> 00:24:10.660
 and some of you

00:24:10.660 --> 00:24:11.980
 who speak multiple languages,

00:24:12.160 --> 00:24:13.220
 you already know this,

00:24:13.799 --> 00:24:15.180
 but it was very powerful

00:24:15.180 --> 00:24:16.060
 put to me

00:24:16.060 --> 00:24:17.140
 because I had to speak

00:24:17.140 --> 00:24:17.860
 and I would be

00:24:17.860 --> 00:24:19.120
 regularly translated

00:24:19.120 --> 00:24:20.980
 into Portuguese

00:24:20.980 --> 00:24:21.759
 and sometimes

00:24:21.759 --> 00:24:22.880
 into one of other,

00:24:22.980 --> 00:24:24.480
 the other tribal languages.

00:24:25.160 --> 00:24:25.480
 And,

00:24:25.560 --> 00:24:26.259
 and one of the things

00:24:26.259 --> 00:24:27.920
 that constantly came to me,

00:24:28.220 --> 00:24:29.940
 especially afterwards,

00:24:30.180 --> 00:24:31.580
 is that people would debrief,

00:24:32.279 --> 00:24:33.100
 is how sometimes

00:24:33.100 --> 00:24:34.440
 even simple words

00:24:34.440 --> 00:24:35.019
 in English

00:24:35.019 --> 00:24:36.160
 had no equivalent,

00:24:37.039 --> 00:24:38.400
 no simple equivalent

00:24:38.400 --> 00:24:39.560
 in the other language.

00:24:40.420 --> 00:24:41.500
 And then sometimes,

00:24:41.900 --> 00:24:43.039
 I would just say,

00:24:43.160 --> 00:24:44.980
 like my 10 words in a row,

00:24:45.180 --> 00:24:46.320
 and the other person

00:24:46.320 --> 00:24:46.920
 would speak

00:24:46.920 --> 00:24:47.920
 for a couple of minutes

00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:48.860
 and it was always

00:24:48.860 --> 00:24:49.420
 very funny

00:24:49.420 --> 00:24:50.200
 because sometimes

00:24:50.200 --> 00:24:50.960
 they'd be interrupted

00:24:50.960 --> 00:24:51.620
 by somebody

00:24:51.620 --> 00:24:52.259
 in the congregation

00:24:52.259 --> 00:24:53.340
 and they'd have

00:24:53.340 --> 00:24:53.740
 a little bit

00:24:53.740 --> 00:24:54.480
 of a conversation

00:24:54.480 --> 00:24:55.380
 about how to try

00:24:55.380 --> 00:24:55.940
 to translate

00:24:55.940 --> 00:24:56.860
 some simple word.

00:24:57.160 --> 00:24:58.100
 I gave the example

00:24:58.100 --> 00:24:58.880
 how in the tribal

00:24:58.880 --> 00:24:59.660
 language group,

00:25:00.180 --> 00:25:00.720
 they have,

00:25:00.920 --> 00:25:01.799
 I can't remember

00:25:01.799 --> 00:25:02.560
 the exact number,

00:25:02.680 --> 00:25:03.100
 but it's something

00:25:03.100 --> 00:25:04.600
 like 27 different words

00:25:04.600 --> 00:25:05.460
 for spirits,

00:25:05.820 --> 00:25:07.120
 but they don't have

00:25:07.120 --> 00:25:08.440
 a generic word for it.

00:25:09.320 --> 00:25:10.440
 And every spirit

00:25:10.440 --> 00:25:11.000
 is basically

00:25:11.000 --> 00:25:11.680
 what we would call

00:25:11.680 --> 00:25:12.080
 a demon.

00:25:12.079 --> 00:25:13.139
 So when I just said

00:25:13.139 --> 00:25:13.619
 something about

00:25:13.619 --> 00:25:14.439
 the Holy Spirit,

00:25:15.019 --> 00:25:15.799
 it caused this

00:25:15.799 --> 00:25:17.159
 long conversation.

00:25:18.119 --> 00:25:19.359
 So why am I saying this?

00:25:19.439 --> 00:25:20.799
 Because of the word hope

00:25:20.799 --> 00:25:22.220
 here in the text.

00:25:22.899 --> 00:25:23.919
 The word hope

00:25:23.919 --> 00:25:25.240
 in the text.

00:25:28.819 --> 00:25:30.099
 If you look again

00:25:30.099 --> 00:25:31.460
 at verse 5,

00:25:31.879 --> 00:25:32.879
 it says this,

00:25:32.880 --> 00:25:35.600
 For through the spirit,

00:25:35.900 --> 00:25:36.400
 by faith,

00:25:36.500 --> 00:25:37.180
 we ourselves

00:25:37.180 --> 00:25:38.080
 eagerly wait

00:25:38.080 --> 00:25:39.000
 for the hope

00:25:39.000 --> 00:25:40.360
 of righteousness.

00:25:41.120 --> 00:25:41.360
 Now,

00:25:41.480 --> 00:25:42.720
 in Canadian English,

00:25:42.820 --> 00:25:43.760
 what does hope mean?

00:25:44.640 --> 00:25:45.420
 Hope means

00:25:45.420 --> 00:25:46.660
 something weak.

00:25:47.220 --> 00:25:47.800
 I hope

00:25:47.800 --> 00:25:49.040
 the senators

00:25:49.040 --> 00:25:50.560
 win the Stanley Cup

00:25:50.560 --> 00:25:53.160
 before Matt Duchesne

00:25:53.160 --> 00:25:54.140
 goes somewhere else.

00:25:55.840 --> 00:25:56.340
 Now,

00:25:56.420 --> 00:25:57.040
 what do you folks

00:25:57.040 --> 00:25:57.740
 think about that?

00:25:57.800 --> 00:25:58.100
 Do you think

00:25:58.100 --> 00:25:58.500
 I'd bet

00:25:58.500 --> 00:25:59.860
 all of my

00:25:59.860 --> 00:26:02.340
 RRSPs on Matt?

00:26:02.339 --> 00:26:02.980
 No,

00:26:05.259 --> 00:26:06.039
 you'd want to have me

00:26:06.039 --> 00:26:07.720
 going for therapy

00:26:07.720 --> 00:26:08.199
 or something

00:26:08.199 --> 00:26:09.000
 if I did something

00:26:09.000 --> 00:26:09.480
 like that.

00:26:09.539 --> 00:26:09.859
 You'd say,

00:26:09.919 --> 00:26:10.139
 George,

00:26:10.199 --> 00:26:11.079
 that's a foolish thing

00:26:11.079 --> 00:26:11.319
 because,

00:26:11.439 --> 00:26:11.559
 I mean,

00:26:11.579 --> 00:26:12.139
 what are the odds?

00:26:12.179 --> 00:26:12.980
 You can hope for it

00:26:12.980 --> 00:26:13.720
 but it's just like a,

00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:15.639
 just sort of hope.

00:26:16.199 --> 00:26:17.119
 In the Bible,

00:26:18.480 --> 00:26:19.720
 hope doesn't mean that.

00:26:20.699 --> 00:26:22.159
 Hope basically means

00:26:22.159 --> 00:26:23.199
 assurance.

00:26:24.659 --> 00:26:26.240
 A type of humble

00:26:26.240 --> 00:26:27.139
 or blessed

00:26:27.139 --> 00:26:28.359
 assurance.

00:26:28.359 --> 00:26:28.619
 difference.

00:26:30.539 --> 00:26:32.119
 And there's no way

00:26:32.119 --> 00:26:33.279
 to translate that

00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:34.719
 even easily

00:26:34.719 --> 00:26:36.199
 into English

00:26:36.199 --> 00:26:37.519
 without having

00:26:37.519 --> 00:26:38.399
 a couple of sentences.

00:26:38.539 --> 00:26:38.859
 By the way,

00:26:38.879 --> 00:26:39.559
 it's one of the reasons

00:26:39.559 --> 00:26:40.000
 why

00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:42.639
 it's part of God's

00:26:42.639 --> 00:26:43.740
 original intention

00:26:43.740 --> 00:26:44.379
 that there be

00:26:44.379 --> 00:26:45.359
 local churches

00:26:45.359 --> 00:26:48.159
 because

00:26:48.159 --> 00:26:49.619
 we're all called

00:26:49.619 --> 00:26:50.379
 to read the Bible

00:26:50.379 --> 00:26:51.219
 as individuals

00:26:51.219 --> 00:26:53.059
 but we can't just

00:26:53.059 --> 00:26:53.619
 read the Bible

00:26:53.619 --> 00:26:54.299
 as individuals.

00:26:54.299 --> 00:26:55.039
 We need people

00:26:55.039 --> 00:26:55.619
 to help us

00:26:55.619 --> 00:26:56.299
 read the Bible,

00:26:56.299 --> 00:26:57.659
 to help us

00:26:57.659 --> 00:26:58.359
 to understand it

00:26:58.359 --> 00:26:59.039
 and explain it.

00:26:59.579 --> 00:27:00.079
 One of the things

00:27:00.079 --> 00:27:00.819
 that you should pray

00:27:00.819 --> 00:27:01.419
 for me

00:27:01.419 --> 00:27:02.059
 is that

00:27:02.059 --> 00:27:03.000
 when I preach

00:27:03.000 --> 00:27:03.619
 and teach

00:27:03.619 --> 00:27:05.220
 that at the end

00:27:05.220 --> 00:27:05.599
 of it

00:27:05.599 --> 00:27:07.279
 you are more able

00:27:07.279 --> 00:27:08.159
 to read the Bible

00:27:08.159 --> 00:27:08.980
 for yourself

00:27:08.980 --> 00:27:11.879
 in an accurate way.

00:27:12.879 --> 00:27:13.319
 So just,

00:27:13.539 --> 00:27:14.139
 could you put up

00:27:14.139 --> 00:27:14.680
 the next point?

00:27:15.019 --> 00:27:16.000
 Here's the first thing.

00:27:16.059 --> 00:27:16.339
 It's very,

00:27:16.440 --> 00:27:16.899
 very interesting.

00:27:16.899 --> 00:27:17.180
 Remember,

00:27:17.299 --> 00:27:17.899
 the way the world

00:27:17.899 --> 00:27:18.659
 sees us

00:27:18.659 --> 00:27:20.180
 is that we're

00:27:20.180 --> 00:27:21.039
 obsessed with money,

00:27:21.220 --> 00:27:21.559
 we're obsessed

00:27:21.559 --> 00:27:22.119
 with sex,

00:27:22.220 --> 00:27:22.599
 we're obsessed

00:27:22.599 --> 00:27:23.359
 with power

00:27:23.359 --> 00:27:24.039
 but here

00:27:24.039 --> 00:27:25.579
 Paul is saying

00:27:25.579 --> 00:27:26.240
 the gospel

00:27:26.240 --> 00:27:26.779
 calls us

00:27:26.779 --> 00:27:27.299
 to freedom,

00:27:27.439 --> 00:27:27.799
 the gospel

00:27:27.799 --> 00:27:28.899
 makes us free

00:27:28.899 --> 00:27:30.480
 and then it warns us

00:27:30.480 --> 00:27:31.240
 and what does it warn us?

00:27:31.299 --> 00:27:32.119
 It warns us first

00:27:32.119 --> 00:27:32.859
 about religion

00:27:32.859 --> 00:27:34.240
 and now it's going

00:27:34.240 --> 00:27:34.799
 to start to try

00:27:34.799 --> 00:27:35.759
 to explain once again

00:27:35.759 --> 00:27:36.720
 what the gospel is.

00:27:36.799 --> 00:27:37.240
 One of the things

00:27:37.240 --> 00:27:37.579
 it does

00:27:37.579 --> 00:27:38.980
 is it talks about hope

00:27:38.980 --> 00:27:40.019
 and the fact

00:27:40.019 --> 00:27:40.899
 of the matter is

00:27:40.899 --> 00:27:41.919
 is that

00:27:41.919 --> 00:27:43.399
 we hunger

00:27:43.399 --> 00:27:44.419
 for hope,

00:27:44.939 --> 00:27:45.939
 for true hope.

00:27:46.659 --> 00:27:48.079
 We warn our friends

00:27:48.079 --> 00:27:49.319
 that this is a false hope,

00:27:49.419 --> 00:27:50.299
 that it's a vain hope,

00:27:50.379 --> 00:27:51.319
 that it's a foolish hope,

00:27:51.419 --> 00:27:51.819
 that it's a,

00:27:52.220 --> 00:27:52.519
 you know,

00:27:52.779 --> 00:27:53.179
 you know,

00:27:53.180 --> 00:27:54.600
 I don't know,

00:27:54.680 --> 00:27:54.920
 you know,

00:27:55.039 --> 00:27:56.380
 my Toronto friends

00:27:56.380 --> 00:27:56.940
 in Toronto

00:27:56.940 --> 00:27:57.240
 would say

00:27:57.240 --> 00:27:58.220
 it's a vain hope

00:27:58.220 --> 00:27:58.600
 to hope

00:27:58.600 --> 00:27:59.259
 that the Senators

00:27:59.259 --> 00:27:59.840
 will ever win

00:27:59.840 --> 00:28:00.580
 the Stanley Cup,

00:28:00.740 --> 00:28:00.960
 George,

00:28:01.039 --> 00:28:01.620
 because the Leafs

00:28:01.620 --> 00:28:02.039
 are going to win

00:28:02.039 --> 00:28:02.779
 the Stanley Cup

00:28:02.779 --> 00:28:03.880
 many times

00:28:03.880 --> 00:28:04.580
 before Ottawa

00:28:04.580 --> 00:28:05.140
 ever wins.

00:28:05.240 --> 00:28:05.480
 So that's,

00:28:05.740 --> 00:28:06.000
 you know,

00:28:06.279 --> 00:28:07.180
 that's a joke,

00:28:07.259 --> 00:28:07.400
 right?

00:28:07.519 --> 00:28:08.740
 But we warn each other

00:28:08.740 --> 00:28:09.720
 about false hopes,

00:28:09.840 --> 00:28:10.460
 vain hopes,

00:28:10.640 --> 00:28:11.440
 counterfeit hopes,

00:28:11.560 --> 00:28:12.580
 but we all know

00:28:12.580 --> 00:28:13.440
 that human beings

00:28:13.440 --> 00:28:14.259
 need hope,

00:28:14.400 --> 00:28:16.100
 we crave hope,

00:28:16.519 --> 00:28:17.660
 we starve,

00:28:17.660 --> 00:28:19.600
 and when we start

00:28:19.600 --> 00:28:20.440
 to come to a point

00:28:20.440 --> 00:28:20.800
 in time

00:28:20.800 --> 00:28:21.440
 when we feel

00:28:21.440 --> 00:28:22.800
 that there is no hope,

00:28:22.940 --> 00:28:23.980
 that all we have

00:28:23.980 --> 00:28:24.720
 is despair,

00:28:25.140 --> 00:28:26.100
 and in the middle of it,

00:28:26.140 --> 00:28:26.680
 if you could put up

00:28:26.680 --> 00:28:27.380
 the next point,

00:28:27.860 --> 00:28:29.320
 what Paul says here

00:28:29.320 --> 00:28:30.560
 is that the Holy Spirit

00:28:30.560 --> 00:28:32.100
 grows in Christians

00:28:32.100 --> 00:28:34.519
 a humble assurance

00:28:34.519 --> 00:28:36.900
 that we are not doomed,

00:28:37.820 --> 00:28:39.380
 but that in Jesus Christ

00:28:39.380 --> 00:28:39.960
 crucified,

00:28:40.220 --> 00:28:41.300
 we will one day

00:28:41.300 --> 00:28:42.540
 walk in the garden

00:28:42.540 --> 00:28:43.220
 with God

00:28:43.220 --> 00:28:44.420
 naked and unashamed.

00:28:44.420 --> 00:28:49.000
 This is not presumption

00:28:49.000 --> 00:28:52.460
 because, you see,

00:28:52.519 --> 00:28:53.820
 the Holy Spirit works.

00:28:53.900 --> 00:28:55.039
 When it says by faith,

00:28:55.100 --> 00:28:55.960
 it doesn't just mean,

00:28:56.080 --> 00:28:57.140
 well, I have faith in this

00:28:57.140 --> 00:28:57.840
 or faith in that.

00:28:57.900 --> 00:28:58.460
 No, it means

00:28:58.460 --> 00:28:59.900
 every time you see

00:28:59.900 --> 00:29:00.820
 the word faith

00:29:00.820 --> 00:29:02.180
 here in this context,

00:29:02.220 --> 00:29:03.140
 it's always for saying

00:29:03.140 --> 00:29:03.860
 about faith

00:29:03.860 --> 00:29:05.200
 in Jesus Christ

00:29:05.200 --> 00:29:06.279
 and Him crucified.

00:29:07.080 --> 00:29:08.800
 Faith in God's

00:29:08.800 --> 00:29:09.880
 powerful,

00:29:10.120 --> 00:29:11.580
 effective grace

00:29:11.580 --> 00:29:13.100
 that we receive

00:29:13.099 --> 00:29:14.459
 when we,

00:29:14.679 --> 00:29:15.559
 by faith,

00:29:16.039 --> 00:29:17.639
 believe what God,

00:29:17.719 --> 00:29:18.839
 receive what God

00:29:18.839 --> 00:29:19.459
 has done for us

00:29:19.459 --> 00:29:20.559
 in the person of His Son.

00:29:21.199 --> 00:29:22.519
 And so the Holy Spirit

00:29:22.519 --> 00:29:23.719
 both draws us

00:29:23.719 --> 00:29:24.619
 to a saving faith

00:29:24.619 --> 00:29:25.099
 in Jesus,

00:29:25.359 --> 00:29:26.480
 but the Holy Spirit

00:29:26.480 --> 00:29:27.619
 doesn't just draw us

00:29:27.619 --> 00:29:28.980
 to a faith

00:29:28.980 --> 00:29:29.819
 in the saving work

00:29:29.819 --> 00:29:30.240
 of Jesus.

00:29:30.399 --> 00:29:31.059
 The Holy Spirit,

00:29:31.119 --> 00:29:31.619
 one of the things

00:29:31.619 --> 00:29:32.139
 the Holy Spirit

00:29:32.139 --> 00:29:33.459
 quietly does in our lives

00:29:33.459 --> 00:29:35.339
 is continually draw us

00:29:35.339 --> 00:29:36.240
 back to Jesus

00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:37.759
 and Him crucified.

00:29:38.199 --> 00:29:39.259
 And part of the work

00:29:39.259 --> 00:29:40.000
 of the Holy Spirit

00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:40.879
 in our lives

00:29:40.879 --> 00:29:42.099
 isn't just to have us

00:29:42.099 --> 00:29:42.939
 have certain emotions,

00:29:43.380 --> 00:29:43.559
 you know,

00:29:43.580 --> 00:29:44.160
 we all want to have

00:29:44.160 --> 00:29:45.080
 great emotions,

00:29:45.200 --> 00:29:45.340
 right,

00:29:45.360 --> 00:29:45.779
 or emotions

00:29:45.779 --> 00:29:46.660
 that we find pleasant.

00:29:46.940 --> 00:29:47.539
 But the work

00:29:47.539 --> 00:29:48.160
 of the Holy Spirit

00:29:48.160 --> 00:29:48.720
 isn't a work

00:29:48.720 --> 00:29:50.140
 of emotions primarily,

00:29:50.700 --> 00:29:52.059
 it's work in this text

00:29:52.059 --> 00:29:53.620
 to constantly bring us

00:29:53.620 --> 00:29:55.240
 back to this faith

00:29:55.240 --> 00:29:56.100
 in Jesus Christ

00:29:56.100 --> 00:29:56.900
 and Him crucified

00:29:56.900 --> 00:29:58.259
 and what it is

00:29:58.259 --> 00:29:59.539
 that God has accomplished

00:29:59.539 --> 00:30:00.700
 in the person

00:30:00.700 --> 00:30:01.420
 of His Son.

00:30:01.860 --> 00:30:03.019
 And what He's accomplished

00:30:03.019 --> 00:30:03.600
 in us

00:30:03.600 --> 00:30:04.960
 is that it is now

00:30:04.960 --> 00:30:06.480
 not my ability

00:30:06.480 --> 00:30:07.320
 to follow rules

00:30:07.320 --> 00:30:08.019
 that makes me right

00:30:08.019 --> 00:30:08.460
 with God,

00:30:08.559 --> 00:30:09.059
 but Jesus'

00:30:09.320 --> 00:30:10.320
 perfect obedience,

00:30:10.820 --> 00:30:12.240
 His perfect rule-keeping,

00:30:12.240 --> 00:30:13.220
 His death

00:30:13.220 --> 00:30:14.120
 upon the cross

00:30:14.120 --> 00:30:14.859
 that deals

00:30:14.859 --> 00:30:15.900
 with my shame,

00:30:16.240 --> 00:30:16.620
 that deals

00:30:16.620 --> 00:30:17.700
 with my failures,

00:30:17.900 --> 00:30:18.299
 that deals

00:30:18.299 --> 00:30:20.059
 with my outright evil

00:30:20.059 --> 00:30:21.819
 and my outright lack,

00:30:22.079 --> 00:30:22.720
 and that it's

00:30:22.720 --> 00:30:23.940
 His wholeness

00:30:23.940 --> 00:30:25.900
 and His completeness

00:30:25.900 --> 00:30:28.180
 and His perfect sacrifice

00:30:28.180 --> 00:30:30.340
 made actual

00:30:30.340 --> 00:30:31.320
 here on earth.

00:30:31.460 --> 00:30:32.120
 And God,

00:30:32.480 --> 00:30:33.140
 through this,

00:30:33.240 --> 00:30:33.900
 does something

00:30:33.900 --> 00:30:35.940
 which I can never do,

00:30:36.040 --> 00:30:36.840
 but He does,

00:30:36.900 --> 00:30:38.180
 and He does it completely

00:30:38.180 --> 00:30:39.940
 without reservation.

00:30:40.500 --> 00:30:41.440
 He does it fully,

00:30:41.680 --> 00:30:42.740
 and that when I put

00:30:42.740 --> 00:30:43.540
 my hands out

00:30:43.540 --> 00:30:44.259
 because He said,

00:30:44.340 --> 00:30:44.580
 George,

00:30:44.620 --> 00:30:45.340
 if you just put

00:30:45.340 --> 00:30:46.000
 your hand out,

00:30:46.220 --> 00:30:47.040
 I will give you

00:30:47.040 --> 00:30:47.960
 a promise that will

00:30:47.960 --> 00:30:49.460
 make you mine forever,

00:30:49.800 --> 00:30:50.580
 and mine forever

00:30:50.580 --> 00:30:51.580
 means mine forever,

00:30:51.680 --> 00:30:52.380
 and when I put

00:30:52.380 --> 00:30:53.080
 my hand out

00:30:53.079 --> 00:30:54.639
 and He gives me Jesus

00:30:54.639 --> 00:30:56.839
 and He takes my hand,

00:30:57.500 --> 00:30:58.279
 He will never

00:30:58.279 --> 00:30:59.039
 let me go.

00:31:01.199 --> 00:31:02.240
 And in a sense,

00:31:02.339 --> 00:31:03.299
 when I put my faith

00:31:03.299 --> 00:31:03.819
 in Jesus,

00:31:04.339 --> 00:31:05.980
 the final word

00:31:05.980 --> 00:31:07.139
 about me

00:31:07.139 --> 00:31:08.519
 from the only person

00:31:08.519 --> 00:31:09.220
 who matters,

00:31:09.579 --> 00:31:10.599
 who is God Himself,

00:31:10.799 --> 00:31:11.919
 has now been spoken,

00:31:12.059 --> 00:31:12.859
 and I know it,

00:31:12.859 --> 00:31:15.919
 that there might be

00:31:15.919 --> 00:31:16.979
 times I backslide,

00:31:17.079 --> 00:31:17.919
 there will be times

00:31:17.919 --> 00:31:18.679
 I backslide.

00:31:18.759 --> 00:31:19.599
 There are definitely

00:31:19.599 --> 00:31:20.959
 aspects of sin

00:31:20.959 --> 00:31:21.500
 within me

00:31:21.500 --> 00:31:22.699
 that I have to deal with,

00:31:22.859 --> 00:31:24.219
 but I am not doomed.

00:31:25.059 --> 00:31:26.079
 In Christ,

00:31:27.000 --> 00:31:29.219
 my destiny

00:31:29.219 --> 00:31:31.139
 is that one day

00:31:31.139 --> 00:31:31.699
 I,

00:31:31.859 --> 00:31:32.459
 with others

00:31:32.459 --> 00:31:33.740
 who are Christ's,

00:31:34.539 --> 00:31:35.719
 will walk in the garden

00:31:35.719 --> 00:31:36.919
 once again with God

00:31:36.919 --> 00:31:37.979
 in the cool of the day,

00:31:38.740 --> 00:31:40.139
 and I will be naked

00:31:40.139 --> 00:31:40.919
 and unashamed.

00:31:42.859 --> 00:31:46.740
 That is a blessed assurance.

00:31:47.419 --> 00:31:48.639
 That is the Christian hope.

00:31:54.719 --> 00:31:56.059
 And it's the opposite

00:31:56.059 --> 00:31:57.919
 of presumption,

00:31:58.339 --> 00:32:00.479
 because it's based,

00:32:01.139 --> 00:32:01.879
 in a sense,

00:32:02.899 --> 00:32:05.639
 on giving up any hope

00:32:05.639 --> 00:32:07.059
 in my own power

00:32:07.059 --> 00:32:07.759
 and abilities,

00:32:08.839 --> 00:32:12.179
 and my own specialness.

00:32:12.859 --> 00:32:13.779
 And saying,

00:32:13.839 --> 00:32:14.439
 only God,

00:32:14.699 --> 00:32:15.399
 only you.

00:32:17.879 --> 00:32:19.179
 And look what else it does.

00:32:19.240 --> 00:32:20.159
 He also describes

00:32:20.159 --> 00:32:21.119
 what faith is again

00:32:21.119 --> 00:32:22.019
 in the very next verse.

00:32:22.099 --> 00:32:23.019
 So verse 5 again,

00:32:23.139 --> 00:32:23.919
 for through the Spirit,

00:32:24.000 --> 00:32:24.599
 the Holy Spirit,

00:32:24.719 --> 00:32:25.379
 by faith,

00:32:26.139 --> 00:32:26.819
 we ourselves

00:32:26.819 --> 00:32:28.099
 eagerly wait.

00:32:28.699 --> 00:32:28.959
 In other words,

00:32:29.000 --> 00:32:30.059
 we eagerly have

00:32:30.059 --> 00:32:30.719
 an assurance

00:32:30.719 --> 00:32:31.539
 for the hope

00:32:31.539 --> 00:32:32.699
 of righteousness.

00:32:32.959 --> 00:32:34.019
 The righteousness here

00:32:34.019 --> 00:32:34.939
 once again means

00:32:34.939 --> 00:32:36.299
 being right with God

00:32:36.299 --> 00:32:37.500
 in a way that's right.

00:32:37.500 --> 00:32:38.619
 verse 6,

00:32:38.700 --> 00:32:39.960
 for in Christ Jesus

00:32:39.960 --> 00:32:41.200
 neither circumcision

00:32:41.200 --> 00:32:42.180
 or uncircumcision

00:32:42.180 --> 00:32:42.920
 counts for anything.

00:32:43.019 --> 00:32:43.519
 It doesn't matter

00:32:43.519 --> 00:32:44.339
 if you're circumcised

00:32:44.339 --> 00:32:45.000
 or uncircumcised.

00:32:45.059 --> 00:32:45.440
 Go ahead.

00:32:46.099 --> 00:32:46.700
 If you're a guy,

00:32:47.079 --> 00:32:48.059
 get circumcised.

00:32:48.559 --> 00:32:49.500
 Circumcise your boys

00:32:49.500 --> 00:32:49.980
 if you want.

00:32:50.160 --> 00:32:51.140
 Don't circumcise them.

00:32:51.180 --> 00:32:51.740
 It doesn't matter.

00:32:53.380 --> 00:32:55.359
 It's just a personal preference.

00:32:56.660 --> 00:32:57.660
 But what matters?

00:32:58.279 --> 00:32:58.819
 Verse 6,

00:32:58.819 --> 00:33:00.119
 only faith

00:33:00.119 --> 00:33:01.119
 working

00:33:01.119 --> 00:33:02.000
 through

00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:02.880
 love.

00:33:02.880 --> 00:33:05.400
 Only faith

00:33:05.400 --> 00:33:06.200
 working

00:33:06.200 --> 00:33:07.160
 through love.

00:33:07.720 --> 00:33:08.920
 Now there's a Latin phrase

00:33:08.920 --> 00:33:10.980
 which I'm not going

00:33:10.980 --> 00:33:11.540
 to try to say

00:33:11.540 --> 00:33:12.000
 because I don't know

00:33:12.000 --> 00:33:12.900
 how to pronounce Latin.

00:33:13.800 --> 00:33:14.480
 This actually,

00:33:15.380 --> 00:33:16.160
 one of the things

00:33:16.160 --> 00:33:17.080
 just recently

00:33:17.080 --> 00:33:17.780
 we celebrated

00:33:17.780 --> 00:33:19.340
 or many people

00:33:19.340 --> 00:33:20.440
 celebrate the 500th

00:33:20.440 --> 00:33:20.860
 anniversary

00:33:20.860 --> 00:33:21.640
 of the Reformation

00:33:21.640 --> 00:33:23.160
 and one of the things

00:33:23.160 --> 00:33:24.200
 which slipped

00:33:24.200 --> 00:33:25.800
 into the medieval church,

00:33:26.540 --> 00:33:27.880
 the medieval church

00:33:27.880 --> 00:33:30.000
 was in fact

00:33:30.000 --> 00:33:31.220
 the complete opposite

00:33:31.220 --> 00:33:32.460
 of what this verse says.

00:33:32.880 --> 00:33:33.920
 And there's a Roman,

00:33:34.140 --> 00:33:35.320
 there's a Latin phrase

00:33:35.320 --> 00:33:35.800
 for it.

00:33:36.300 --> 00:33:37.100
 But basically

00:33:37.100 --> 00:33:38.420
 in the medieval church

00:33:38.420 --> 00:33:39.460
 they began to say

00:33:39.460 --> 00:33:40.340
 that what works

00:33:40.340 --> 00:33:41.480
 is that love,

00:33:42.080 --> 00:33:43.220
 my love

00:33:43.220 --> 00:33:45.520
 forms faith.

00:33:46.740 --> 00:33:48.000
 So that love

00:33:48.000 --> 00:33:49.200
 comes first.

00:33:49.940 --> 00:33:50.660
 So what does that mean?

00:33:50.720 --> 00:33:51.220
 Well I have to

00:33:51.220 --> 00:33:52.520
 love the sacrament.

00:33:52.660 --> 00:33:53.100
 I have to love

00:33:53.100 --> 00:33:53.880
 the blessed virgin.

00:33:54.000 --> 00:33:54.500
 I have to love

00:33:54.500 --> 00:33:55.000
 the poor.

00:33:55.140 --> 00:33:55.760
 I have to love

00:33:55.760 --> 00:33:57.120
 the institution.

00:33:57.420 --> 00:33:57.900
 I have to do

00:33:57.900 --> 00:33:59.200
 these types of acts

00:33:59.200 --> 00:34:00.000
 of love.

00:34:00.400 --> 00:34:01.340
 And as I do

00:34:01.340 --> 00:34:02.840
 these types of love,

00:34:02.880 --> 00:34:04.080
 then faith

00:34:04.080 --> 00:34:05.020
 in Christ

00:34:05.020 --> 00:34:06.120
 will be formed

00:34:06.120 --> 00:34:07.460
 by which I'm saved.

00:34:08.460 --> 00:34:10.019
 But this text says

00:34:10.019 --> 00:34:12.700
 no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.

00:34:14.220 --> 00:34:14.700
 Faith

00:34:14.700 --> 00:34:15.780
 working

00:34:15.780 --> 00:34:16.640
 through love.

00:34:16.660 --> 00:34:17.280
 If you could put up

00:34:17.280 --> 00:34:17.920
 the next point

00:34:17.920 --> 00:34:18.660
 that would be great.

00:34:20.240 --> 00:34:21.320
 Saving faith

00:34:21.320 --> 00:34:22.680
 in Jesus Christ

00:34:22.680 --> 00:34:23.340
 crucified

00:34:23.340 --> 00:34:25.160
 expresses itself

00:34:25.160 --> 00:34:26.920
 in self-giving love.

00:34:26.920 --> 00:34:31.039
 See, how is one of the ways

00:34:31.039 --> 00:34:31.900
 that we understand

00:34:31.900 --> 00:34:32.500
 that we've come

00:34:32.500 --> 00:34:33.619
 to a saving faith

00:34:33.619 --> 00:34:34.480
 in Jesus Christ?

00:34:34.539 --> 00:34:36.019
 Not that automatically

00:34:36.019 --> 00:34:36.940
 we become like

00:34:36.940 --> 00:34:37.720
 a Mother Teresa.

00:34:37.719 --> 00:34:42.919
 but that as this gospel

00:34:42.919 --> 00:34:44.379
 of grace grips us

00:34:44.379 --> 00:34:46.079
 and we put our faith

00:34:46.079 --> 00:34:47.039
 and trust in him,

00:34:48.179 --> 00:34:50.419
 that as God's grace,

00:34:50.759 --> 00:34:51.459
 as Jesus

00:34:51.459 --> 00:34:54.599
 and his self-giving death

00:34:54.599 --> 00:34:55.699
 upon the cross,

00:34:56.480 --> 00:34:58.779
 as that starts to ground us

00:34:58.779 --> 00:34:59.919
 and shape us

00:34:59.919 --> 00:35:01.099
 and nudge us

00:35:01.099 --> 00:35:02.339
 and draw us,

00:35:02.340 --> 00:35:04.260
 one of the things

00:35:04.260 --> 00:35:05.019
 that we find

00:35:05.019 --> 00:35:06.500
 being expressed

00:35:06.500 --> 00:35:08.160
 in our being gripped

00:35:08.160 --> 00:35:10.760
 by this gospel truth

00:35:10.760 --> 00:35:13.860
 is that

00:35:13.860 --> 00:35:15.920
 we start to express

00:35:15.920 --> 00:35:17.440
 and do things

00:35:17.440 --> 00:35:18.840
 that are self-giving love.

00:35:24.260 --> 00:35:25.340
 We do.

00:35:27.600 --> 00:35:29.059
 But some of you might say

00:35:29.059 --> 00:35:30.059
 I have to wrap this up.

00:35:30.640 --> 00:35:31.579
 Isn't God mean?

00:35:31.579 --> 00:35:33.000
 Didn't Paul say something

00:35:33.000 --> 00:35:33.679
 in this text

00:35:33.679 --> 00:35:34.460
 that John read

00:35:34.460 --> 00:35:35.299
 just a few minutes ago?

00:35:35.360 --> 00:35:36.159
 Isn't he very mean?

00:35:36.319 --> 00:35:38.319
 Doesn't Paul say

00:35:38.319 --> 00:35:39.739
 that men who want

00:35:39.739 --> 00:35:40.639
 to go down this route

00:35:40.639 --> 00:35:42.219
 should castrate themselves,

00:35:42.420 --> 00:35:43.340
 cut off their male

00:35:43.340 --> 00:35:44.340
 sexual member?

00:35:45.059 --> 00:35:46.539
 Well, he does actually.

00:35:46.699 --> 00:35:47.059
 I don't know

00:35:47.059 --> 00:35:47.799
 if you caught that.

00:35:47.880 --> 00:35:49.460
 Look at verses 7 through 12.

00:35:50.119 --> 00:35:51.079
 You were running well.

00:35:52.099 --> 00:35:53.079
 Who hindered you

00:35:53.079 --> 00:35:54.179
 from obeying the truth?

00:35:54.880 --> 00:35:56.079
 This persuasion

00:35:56.079 --> 00:35:57.659
 and the word

00:35:57.659 --> 00:35:58.880
 in the original language

00:35:58.880 --> 00:36:00.119
 here, persuasion here,

00:36:00.239 --> 00:36:01.079
 persuasion in English

00:36:01.079 --> 00:36:01.799
 is a neutral word.

00:36:01.860 --> 00:36:02.400
 It's a good word.

00:36:02.480 --> 00:36:03.460
 But in the original language

00:36:03.460 --> 00:36:06.480
 it has a bit of a sense

00:36:06.480 --> 00:36:09.619
 of like what the con man

00:36:09.619 --> 00:36:10.779
 does to persuade you.

00:36:11.840 --> 00:36:13.019
 There's a sense there

00:36:13.019 --> 00:36:14.139
 in the original language.

00:36:14.920 --> 00:36:15.799
 This persuasion

00:36:15.799 --> 00:36:16.639
 is not from him

00:36:16.639 --> 00:36:17.340
 who calls you.

00:36:17.400 --> 00:36:18.119
 A little leaven

00:36:18.119 --> 00:36:19.619
 leavens the whole lump.

00:36:19.960 --> 00:36:20.420
 In other words,

00:36:20.519 --> 00:36:21.539
 once false teaching

00:36:21.539 --> 00:36:22.659
 comes into your church,

00:36:22.699 --> 00:36:23.199
 it's going to go

00:36:23.199 --> 00:36:24.299
 throughout the entire church.

00:36:24.340 --> 00:36:25.340
 It's going to touch everything.

00:36:26.019 --> 00:36:26.619
 And then he says,

00:36:26.619 --> 00:36:27.420
 I have confidence

00:36:27.420 --> 00:36:28.099
 in the Lord

00:36:28.099 --> 00:36:28.880
 that you,

00:36:29.039 --> 00:36:29.859
 that he's a plural,

00:36:30.019 --> 00:36:30.099
 you,

00:36:30.159 --> 00:36:30.839
 the congregation

00:36:30.839 --> 00:36:31.920
 will take no other view

00:36:31.920 --> 00:36:32.579
 and the one

00:36:32.579 --> 00:36:33.579
 who is troubling you

00:36:33.579 --> 00:36:34.420
 will bear the penalty

00:36:34.420 --> 00:36:35.339
 whoever he is.

00:36:35.380 --> 00:36:35.699
 In other words,

00:36:35.739 --> 00:36:36.900
 he's just saying,

00:36:36.980 --> 00:36:37.079
 listen,

00:36:37.179 --> 00:36:37.679
 at the end of the day,

00:36:37.759 --> 00:36:39.079
 God is going to deal with this.

00:36:40.179 --> 00:36:41.159
 God's going to deal with this.

00:36:41.239 --> 00:36:42.119
 We have to deal with it

00:36:42.119 --> 00:36:42.819
 in terms of maybe

00:36:42.819 --> 00:36:43.639
 excluding them

00:36:43.639 --> 00:36:44.279
 from teaching,

00:36:44.519 --> 00:36:46.000
 but God will deal with them.

00:36:46.559 --> 00:36:47.420
 But if I, brothers,

00:36:47.500 --> 00:36:48.980
 still preach circumcision,

00:36:49.139 --> 00:36:49.679
 because maybe

00:36:49.679 --> 00:36:50.639
 the false teachers

00:36:50.639 --> 00:36:51.159
 were saying

00:36:51.159 --> 00:36:51.980
 that Paul used to

00:36:51.980 --> 00:36:53.779
 be very zealous for it,

00:36:53.779 --> 00:36:54.359
 which is true.

00:36:54.360 --> 00:36:55.180
 Maybe he's referring

00:36:55.180 --> 00:36:55.680
 to the fact

00:36:55.680 --> 00:36:56.260
 that he had

00:36:56.260 --> 00:36:57.579
 Timothy circumcised

00:36:57.579 --> 00:36:58.760
 for ministry

00:36:58.760 --> 00:36:59.660
 amongst the Gentiles,

00:36:59.740 --> 00:37:00.420
 but whatever it is,

00:37:00.460 --> 00:37:01.559
 they're twisting things.

00:37:02.000 --> 00:37:02.300
 He says,

00:37:02.400 --> 00:37:03.039
 why am I still

00:37:03.039 --> 00:37:03.800
 being persecuted?

00:37:04.220 --> 00:37:04.960
 In that case,

00:37:05.039 --> 00:37:06.200
 the offense of the cross

00:37:06.200 --> 00:37:06.940
 has been removed.

00:37:07.079 --> 00:37:07.840
 I wish those

00:37:07.840 --> 00:37:08.800
 who unsettle you

00:37:08.800 --> 00:37:10.700
 would emasculate themselves.

00:37:14.720 --> 00:37:15.760
 As long as he doesn't

00:37:15.760 --> 00:37:16.260
 do anything,

00:37:16.440 --> 00:37:17.500
 it's a very, very,

00:37:19.340 --> 00:37:19.860
 you know,

00:37:20.160 --> 00:37:20.840
 if you ever read,

00:37:20.920 --> 00:37:21.420
 I don't think

00:37:21.420 --> 00:37:22.280
 this is a spoiler,

00:37:22.920 --> 00:37:23.780
 but if you ever read

00:37:23.780 --> 00:37:25.100
 the really excellent novel

00:37:25.100 --> 00:37:25.980
 World War Z,

00:37:26.440 --> 00:37:27.680
 don't see the movie,

00:37:27.820 --> 00:37:28.580
 read the book.

00:37:29.060 --> 00:37:29.280
 In fact,

00:37:29.340 --> 00:37:30.160
 the book has virtually

00:37:30.160 --> 00:37:30.720
 nothing to do

00:37:30.720 --> 00:37:31.220
 with the movie.

00:37:32.140 --> 00:37:33.360
 And one of the things

00:37:33.360 --> 00:37:34.040
 in the book

00:37:34.040 --> 00:37:35.380
 is that there's

00:37:35.380 --> 00:37:36.720
 a guy who becomes

00:37:36.720 --> 00:37:37.640
 very rich

00:37:37.640 --> 00:37:39.040
 by selling

00:37:39.040 --> 00:37:40.140
 an antidote.

00:37:40.960 --> 00:37:41.720
 He says that

00:37:41.720 --> 00:37:42.720
 if you take this,

00:37:42.820 --> 00:37:43.519
 it will mean

00:37:43.519 --> 00:37:44.680
 that you won't

00:37:44.680 --> 00:37:45.480
 become a zombie

00:37:45.480 --> 00:37:46.060
 if you're bit

00:37:46.060 --> 00:37:46.820
 by a zombie.

00:37:47.460 --> 00:37:48.600
 And it's a lie.

00:37:50.400 --> 00:37:51.320
 And it's part

00:37:51.320 --> 00:37:52.120
 of the dynamic

00:37:52.119 --> 00:37:52.779
 of the book.

00:37:54.380 --> 00:37:54.639
 And,

00:37:54.719 --> 00:37:57.199
 I mean,

00:37:57.239 --> 00:37:57.819
 wouldn't you hate

00:37:57.819 --> 00:37:58.199
 somebody?

00:37:58.359 --> 00:37:58.480
 Like,

00:37:58.500 --> 00:37:59.000
 wouldn't you just

00:37:59.000 --> 00:37:59.799
 want some

00:37:59.799 --> 00:38:01.159
 unbelievable punishment

00:38:01.159 --> 00:38:02.159
 to happen to somebody

00:38:02.159 --> 00:38:02.739
 who willingly

00:38:02.739 --> 00:38:03.839
 becomes rich

00:38:03.839 --> 00:38:05.719
 selling false

00:38:05.719 --> 00:38:06.380
 confidences

00:38:06.380 --> 00:38:07.000
 to people?

00:38:08.480 --> 00:38:09.039
 You see,

00:38:09.119 --> 00:38:09.779
 part of the reason

00:38:09.779 --> 00:38:10.719
 that we have trouble

00:38:10.719 --> 00:38:11.679
 with Paul's language

00:38:11.679 --> 00:38:12.099
 is that we,

00:38:12.239 --> 00:38:12.880
 at the end of the day,

00:38:12.940 --> 00:38:13.759
 we start to slide

00:38:13.759 --> 00:38:14.920
 into the Canadian belief

00:38:14.920 --> 00:38:16.699
 that the gospel

00:38:16.699 --> 00:38:17.219
 and religion

00:38:17.219 --> 00:38:18.079
 is just like talking

00:38:18.079 --> 00:38:19.339
 about ice cream flavors.

00:38:19.500 --> 00:38:20.400
 It doesn't really matter

00:38:20.400 --> 00:38:21.099
 in terms of our

00:38:21.099 --> 00:38:21.880
 eternal destiny.

00:38:22.039 --> 00:38:22.780
 But if we're gripped

00:38:22.780 --> 00:38:23.720
 with this idea

00:38:23.720 --> 00:38:24.579
 that there really is

00:38:24.579 --> 00:38:25.760
 our eternal destiny

00:38:25.760 --> 00:38:26.680
 hangs on this,

00:38:28.320 --> 00:38:28.960
 then this is not

00:38:28.960 --> 00:38:29.900
 extreme language.

00:38:30.980 --> 00:38:31.680
 But here's the thing.

00:38:31.760 --> 00:38:32.180
 If you could put up

00:38:32.180 --> 00:38:32.680
 the next point,

00:38:32.720 --> 00:38:33.119
 I'm going to have to

00:38:33.119 --> 00:38:33.880
 run through my points

00:38:33.880 --> 00:38:34.260
 quickly.

00:38:34.980 --> 00:38:36.079
 Embrace the offense

00:38:36.079 --> 00:38:38.400
 of the cross of Christ.

00:38:39.200 --> 00:38:40.200
 Embrace the gospel.

00:38:40.320 --> 00:38:40.960
 That's what Paul

00:38:40.960 --> 00:38:41.700
 is saying here, right?

00:38:41.740 --> 00:38:42.180
 He's saying

00:38:42.180 --> 00:38:43.940
 the gospel is an offense.

00:38:44.099 --> 00:38:44.920
 Why is it an offense?

00:38:45.039 --> 00:38:45.860
 Because the gospel

00:38:45.860 --> 00:38:46.559
 tells us

00:38:46.559 --> 00:38:49.340
 our rules won't work.

00:38:49.340 --> 00:38:50.900
 The gospel warns us

00:38:50.900 --> 00:38:51.820
 about presumption.

00:38:52.340 --> 00:38:53.920
 The gospel warns us

00:38:53.920 --> 00:38:54.579
 about these things.

00:38:54.720 --> 00:38:56.059
 It undercuts our pride.

00:38:56.180 --> 00:38:57.539
 It undercuts our boasting.

00:38:57.720 --> 00:38:59.300
 It undercuts our thinking

00:38:59.300 --> 00:39:00.180
 that we're superior

00:39:00.180 --> 00:39:01.400
 because we're Anglicans

00:39:01.400 --> 00:39:02.360
 or because we're white

00:39:02.360 --> 00:39:03.380
 or because we're black

00:39:03.380 --> 00:39:04.480
 or because we're Canadians

00:39:04.480 --> 00:39:05.640
 or because we're Africans

00:39:05.640 --> 00:39:06.900
 or because we're Chinese.

00:39:07.519 --> 00:39:08.160
 That the gospel

00:39:08.160 --> 00:39:09.880
 keeps relativizing this

00:39:09.880 --> 00:39:11.200
 and undercutting this

00:39:11.200 --> 00:39:12.519
 and offering a completely

00:39:12.519 --> 00:39:13.700
 and utterly different way

00:39:13.700 --> 00:39:14.860
 of being made right with God.

00:39:15.160 --> 00:39:16.700
 It relativizes things

00:39:16.700 --> 00:39:17.460
 that we want to make

00:39:17.460 --> 00:39:18.360
 absolutes out of.

00:39:18.360 --> 00:39:19.760
 It is constantly an offense

00:39:19.760 --> 00:39:21.160
 and Paul is saying

00:39:21.160 --> 00:39:22.059
 I've embraced

00:39:22.059 --> 00:39:23.260
 the offense of the cross.

00:39:23.340 --> 00:39:24.180
 That's the gospel.

00:39:24.960 --> 00:39:25.780
 Could you do it too?

00:39:27.260 --> 00:39:28.140
 Just in closing,

00:39:28.240 --> 00:39:30.000
 look at verses 13 and 14

00:39:30.000 --> 00:39:32.000
 because Paul once again

00:39:32.000 --> 00:39:33.579
 goes back to the theme

00:39:33.579 --> 00:39:34.480
 of the letter.

00:39:35.140 --> 00:39:36.240
 For you were called

00:39:36.240 --> 00:39:36.940
 to freedom,

00:39:37.099 --> 00:39:37.980
 brothers and sisters.

00:39:38.519 --> 00:39:40.340
 Only do not use your freedom

00:39:40.340 --> 00:39:41.599
 as an opportunity

00:39:41.599 --> 00:39:42.599
 for the flesh,

00:39:43.120 --> 00:39:44.340
 but through love

00:39:44.340 --> 00:39:46.099
 serve one another.

00:39:46.099 --> 00:39:47.779
 for the whole law

00:39:47.779 --> 00:39:49.420
 is fulfilled in one word.

00:39:50.019 --> 00:39:51.420
 You shall love your neighbor

00:39:51.420 --> 00:39:52.199
 as yourself.

00:39:53.400 --> 00:39:54.219
 But if you bite

00:39:54.219 --> 00:39:55.079
 and devour one another,

00:39:55.199 --> 00:39:56.139
 watch out that you are not

00:39:56.139 --> 00:39:57.259
 consumed by one another.

00:39:58.319 --> 00:39:58.739
 You see,

00:39:58.839 --> 00:39:59.539
 if you understand

00:39:59.539 --> 00:40:00.159
 the whole law

00:40:00.159 --> 00:40:01.539
 is assumed in one word,

00:40:01.619 --> 00:40:02.119
 one phrase,

00:40:02.179 --> 00:40:02.980
 you shall love your neighbor

00:40:02.980 --> 00:40:03.400
 as yourself,

00:40:03.539 --> 00:40:04.839
 whoever believes

00:40:04.839 --> 00:40:06.319
 that they had done that

00:40:06.319 --> 00:40:07.599
 100% of the time

00:40:07.599 --> 00:40:11.019
 and gotten 100%.

00:40:11.019 --> 00:40:14.019
 Who other than someone

00:40:14.019 --> 00:40:16.099
 with proud presumption?

00:40:17.799 --> 00:40:18.799
 Just if you could put up

00:40:18.799 --> 00:40:19.400
 the next point.

00:40:20.639 --> 00:40:22.319
 So what Paul is saying here

00:40:22.319 --> 00:40:24.059
 is another perennial counterfeit

00:40:24.059 --> 00:40:25.519
 to saving faith in Jesus

00:40:25.519 --> 00:40:27.679
 is self-serving faith.

00:40:28.360 --> 00:40:28.759
 Why?

00:40:28.900 --> 00:40:30.619
 Because the self-serving faith

00:40:30.619 --> 00:40:32.339
 is a religious faith

00:40:32.339 --> 00:40:33.460
 that means that we can just

00:40:33.460 --> 00:40:34.779
 serve our appetites.

00:40:35.740 --> 00:40:38.000
 It's wanting to give ourselves,

00:40:38.300 --> 00:40:39.360
 hearing about the gospel

00:40:39.360 --> 00:40:40.060
 and then thinking

00:40:40.060 --> 00:40:40.860
 that if we just sort of

00:40:40.860 --> 00:40:41.580
 mentally assent

00:40:41.580 --> 00:40:42.340
 to a certain thing

00:40:42.340 --> 00:40:43.300
 or do a few rules,

00:40:43.760 --> 00:40:44.540
 that it means we can do

00:40:44.540 --> 00:40:45.740
 whatever we want in our life,

00:40:45.800 --> 00:40:46.440
 but at the end of the day

00:40:46.440 --> 00:40:47.200
 we're going to go to heaven.

00:40:47.360 --> 00:40:49.180
 It's not getting this whole

00:40:49.180 --> 00:40:49.940
 being cut

00:40:49.940 --> 00:40:51.260
 and our whole need

00:40:51.260 --> 00:40:52.640
 for God's mercy

00:40:52.640 --> 00:40:53.260
 and dependence.

00:40:53.260 --> 00:40:54.660
 It's not understanding

00:40:54.660 --> 00:40:57.320
 that giving ourselves

00:40:57.320 --> 00:40:59.220
 to Christ

00:40:59.220 --> 00:41:00.660
 and the gospel

00:41:00.660 --> 00:41:02.040
 means that we will now

00:41:02.039 --> 00:41:03.719
 have this pressure

00:41:03.719 --> 00:41:05.059
 that comes from within

00:41:05.059 --> 00:41:07.559
 for self-denying,

00:41:08.199 --> 00:41:10.900
 self-effacing love

00:41:10.900 --> 00:41:11.759
 that is good

00:41:11.759 --> 00:41:12.579
 for the other person.

00:41:12.900 --> 00:41:13.759
 And when Paul says

00:41:13.759 --> 00:41:14.840
 this one whole verse

00:41:14.840 --> 00:41:15.940
 summarizes the whole law,

00:41:15.980 --> 00:41:16.519
 if you could put up

00:41:16.519 --> 00:41:17.279
 the next point,

00:41:18.440 --> 00:41:19.980
 the law that he's saying

00:41:19.980 --> 00:41:21.000
 that true love

00:41:21.000 --> 00:41:22.500
 is a form of goodness

00:41:22.500 --> 00:41:23.920
 and holiness

00:41:23.920 --> 00:41:26.340
 which energizes me

00:41:26.340 --> 00:41:27.579
 to give myself

00:41:27.579 --> 00:41:28.719
 for the good

00:41:28.719 --> 00:41:29.539
 and holiness

00:41:29.539 --> 00:41:30.759
 of the other

00:41:30.759 --> 00:41:32.480
 to the glory of God.

00:41:33.359 --> 00:41:33.799
 Why?

00:41:33.919 --> 00:41:34.399
 Because what does

00:41:34.399 --> 00:41:35.119
 the law do?

00:41:35.500 --> 00:41:36.239
 The law talks about

00:41:36.239 --> 00:41:37.179
 the holiness of God.

00:41:37.279 --> 00:41:38.279
 It talks about goodness.

00:41:38.899 --> 00:41:40.199
 It talks about truth.

00:41:40.679 --> 00:41:41.319
 If you read

00:41:41.319 --> 00:41:42.059
 the Old Testament

00:41:42.059 --> 00:41:43.139
 for the first books

00:41:43.139 --> 00:41:44.079
 of Moses,

00:41:44.219 --> 00:41:45.319
 it talks about beauty

00:41:45.319 --> 00:41:45.839
 as well.

00:41:46.259 --> 00:41:47.699
 And so he's not saying

00:41:47.699 --> 00:41:48.579
 that love is just

00:41:48.579 --> 00:41:49.559
 somehow something like

00:41:49.559 --> 00:41:50.480
 give me, give me, give me

00:41:50.480 --> 00:41:51.859
 or having a particular feeling

00:41:51.859 --> 00:41:52.939
 that love

00:41:52.939 --> 00:41:55.279
 is at one with goodness

00:41:55.279 --> 00:41:56.500
 and love is at one

00:41:56.500 --> 00:41:57.159
 with holiness

00:41:57.159 --> 00:41:58.920
 and love is at one

00:41:58.920 --> 00:41:59.460
 with goodness

00:41:59.460 --> 00:42:00.159
 and holiness

00:42:00.159 --> 00:42:01.719
 and is at one

00:42:01.719 --> 00:42:02.899
 with desiring

00:42:02.899 --> 00:42:04.039
 to be with the God

00:42:04.039 --> 00:42:04.599
 who loves,

00:42:04.699 --> 00:42:05.199
 who is good

00:42:05.199 --> 00:42:06.000
 and who is holy.

00:42:06.339 --> 00:42:07.119
 And it means that

00:42:07.119 --> 00:42:07.839
 if I'm going to do

00:42:07.839 --> 00:42:08.579
 true love,

00:42:08.639 --> 00:42:09.239
 if I'm acting

00:42:09.239 --> 00:42:10.000
 in a loving way

00:42:10.000 --> 00:42:10.940
 to another person,

00:42:11.159 --> 00:42:12.420
 it's not going to be

00:42:12.420 --> 00:42:13.739
 something that hurts them,

00:42:13.799 --> 00:42:14.460
 that wounds them,

00:42:14.500 --> 00:42:15.119
 that leads them

00:42:15.119 --> 00:42:16.239
 far from God.

00:42:16.659 --> 00:42:17.539
 That my act

00:42:17.539 --> 00:42:19.399
 of self-giving love

00:42:19.399 --> 00:42:19.940
 is going to be

00:42:19.940 --> 00:42:21.299
 something that is good,

00:42:21.940 --> 00:42:25.159
 that serves them

00:42:25.159 --> 00:42:25.500
 in a way

00:42:25.500 --> 00:42:26.460
 that's good for them

00:42:26.460 --> 00:42:27.139
 and in a way

00:42:27.139 --> 00:42:28.000
 that is holy,

00:42:28.139 --> 00:42:28.940
 that in a sense

00:42:28.940 --> 00:42:30.460
 fits them for God

00:42:30.460 --> 00:42:31.260
 or draws them

00:42:31.260 --> 00:42:32.079
 close to God

00:42:32.079 --> 00:42:32.820
 and that that

00:42:32.820 --> 00:42:33.699
 is what happens

00:42:33.699 --> 00:42:34.559
 when we put our faith

00:42:34.559 --> 00:42:35.039
 in Christ

00:42:35.039 --> 00:42:36.400
 is that this energy

00:42:36.400 --> 00:42:38.440
 comes to move us

00:42:38.440 --> 00:42:39.740
 in this direction.

00:42:41.079 --> 00:42:42.179
 And why does the world

00:42:42.179 --> 00:42:43.119
 need the gospel then

00:42:43.119 --> 00:42:43.679
 if you could put up

00:42:43.679 --> 00:42:44.420
 the final point?

00:42:45.720 --> 00:42:47.159
 We hunger for love.

00:42:48.920 --> 00:42:50.280
 Every single person

00:42:50.280 --> 00:42:51.139
 that we will meet

00:42:51.139 --> 00:42:52.900
 hungers for hope

00:42:52.900 --> 00:42:54.059
 and hungers for love.

00:42:56.460 --> 00:42:58.720
 they might not realize it

00:42:58.720 --> 00:43:00.099
 but they hunger for God

00:43:00.099 --> 00:43:03.019
 and they might not realize it

00:43:03.019 --> 00:43:03.760
 but they hunger

00:43:03.760 --> 00:43:04.940
 for what only God

00:43:04.940 --> 00:43:05.420
 can do

00:43:05.420 --> 00:43:05.940
 and has done

00:43:05.940 --> 00:43:06.980
 in the person of his son.

00:43:07.639 --> 00:43:08.440
 Please stand.

00:43:08.440 --> 00:43:18.920
 Father,

00:43:19.360 --> 00:43:21.039
 your word warns us

00:43:21.039 --> 00:43:21.980
 about presumption.

00:43:22.980 --> 00:43:23.500
 Father,

00:43:23.639 --> 00:43:24.579
 may your Holy Spirit

00:43:24.579 --> 00:43:25.240
 move and work

00:43:25.240 --> 00:43:25.820
 in our lives

00:43:25.820 --> 00:43:26.780
 to help presumption

00:43:26.780 --> 00:43:27.700
 die in us

00:43:27.700 --> 00:43:28.900
 and create within us,

00:43:29.119 --> 00:43:29.200
 Father,

00:43:29.320 --> 00:43:30.480
 rather than presumption

00:43:30.480 --> 00:43:32.220
 to be more gripped

00:43:32.220 --> 00:43:33.760
 by true faith

00:43:33.760 --> 00:43:34.480
 in the gospel.

00:43:35.119 --> 00:43:35.740
 And Father,

00:43:35.860 --> 00:43:36.920
 your word warns us

00:43:36.920 --> 00:43:37.760
 of the possibility

00:43:37.760 --> 00:43:38.820
 that our faith

00:43:38.820 --> 00:43:39.579
 is just a matter

00:43:39.579 --> 00:43:40.780
 of serving ourselves

00:43:40.780 --> 00:43:43.079
 and that we can be deceived.

00:43:43.360 --> 00:43:43.740
 And Father,

00:43:43.800 --> 00:43:45.460
 we ask that your Holy Spirit

00:43:45.460 --> 00:43:46.180
 and your word

00:43:46.180 --> 00:43:47.400
 would work in our lives

00:43:47.400 --> 00:43:49.900
 to lead us away

00:43:49.900 --> 00:43:52.340
 from self-deception

00:43:52.340 --> 00:43:54.260
 and lead us, Father,

00:43:56.079 --> 00:43:58.860
 towards having a true faith

00:43:58.860 --> 00:44:00.240
 which expresses itself

00:44:00.240 --> 00:44:01.639
 in such a love.

00:44:03.240 --> 00:44:04.019
 And Father,

00:44:04.019 --> 00:44:05.019
 we do hunger

00:44:05.019 --> 00:44:06.079
 and we do thirst

00:44:06.079 --> 00:44:06.940
 ourselves

00:44:06.940 --> 00:44:07.699
 for love

00:44:07.699 --> 00:44:08.759
 and for hope.

00:44:09.460 --> 00:44:10.559
 And we thank you,

00:44:10.699 --> 00:44:10.900
 Father,

00:44:11.000 --> 00:44:11.920
 that you both

00:44:11.920 --> 00:44:13.639
 meet our thirst

00:44:13.639 --> 00:44:15.460
 in the person

00:44:15.460 --> 00:44:16.199
 of your son

00:44:16.199 --> 00:44:18.320
 and that as you

00:44:18.320 --> 00:44:19.320
 meet our thirst,

00:44:19.440 --> 00:44:19.860
 you create

00:44:19.860 --> 00:44:21.340
 an even deeper thirst,

00:44:21.440 --> 00:44:22.420
 a thirst which is

00:44:22.420 --> 00:44:23.599
 filled with joy

00:44:23.599 --> 00:44:25.840
 as you draw us

00:44:25.840 --> 00:44:26.400
 to yourself.

00:44:27.400 --> 00:44:27.840
 Father,

00:44:27.920 --> 00:44:28.940
 may your Holy Spirit

00:44:28.940 --> 00:44:29.900
 make us disciples

00:44:29.900 --> 00:44:30.480
 of Jesus

00:44:30.480 --> 00:44:31.000
 who are gripped

00:44:31.000 --> 00:44:31.659
 by the gospel,

00:44:31.820 --> 00:44:32.420
 learning to live

00:44:32.420 --> 00:44:33.039
 for your glory.

00:44:33.519 --> 00:44:34.260
 And we ask this

00:44:34.260 --> 00:44:35.139
 in the name of Jesus.

00:44:35.720 --> 00:44:36.059
 Amen.