WEBVTT

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 Today's Old Testament reading comes from the book of Genesis, chapter 1, verses 26 through 31.

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 Then God said,

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 Let us make man in our image, after our likeness,

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 and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea,

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 and over the birds of the heavens, and over the livestock,

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 and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.

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 So God created man in his own image.

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 In the image of God, he created him.

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 Male and female, he created them.

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 And God blessed them.

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 And God said to them,

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 Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it,

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 and have dominion over the fish of the sea,

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 and over the birds of the heavens,

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 and over every living thing that moves on the earth.

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 And God said,

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 Behold, I have given you every plant-yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth,

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 and every tree with seed in its fruit, you shall have them for food.

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 And to every beast of the earth, and to every bird of the heavens,

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 and to everything that creeps on the earth,

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 everything that has the breath of life,

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 I have given every green plant for food.

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 And it was so.

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 And God saw everything that he had made,

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 and behold, it was very good.

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 And there was evening, and there was morning, the sixth day.

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 This is the word of the Lord.

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 Thanks be to God.

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 Well, again, let me welcome those of you,

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 especially those I have not yet met.

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 If you're joining us for the first time tonight,

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 we are in the midst of a series that we started a few weeks back called Foundations.

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 And we're taking some time to ask

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 what you might call ultimate or foundational questions

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 about ourselves, about our world, about our God.

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 And the foundation for all of this

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 can be found in the first few chapters of the book of Genesis,

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 which is the first book of your Bible.

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 It's the first book of the Old Testament.

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 And so we're looking at the first few chapters.

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 We've spent quite a few weeks in chapter 1.

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 And we're here at the end of chapter 1.

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 A couple of weeks ago, we asked the question as a part of our series,

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 what does it mean to be human?

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 What does it mean to be a human being?

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 What does it mean to be a person?

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 It's a pretty foundational question.

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 And there are a lot of thoughts about that, but very little agreement.

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 Which is interesting, considering most everything else

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 that we think, believe, do,

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 is somehow related to how we answer that question.

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 There are some people that say,

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 well, being human is distinct in that we can use tools,

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 or we have a superior intelligence,

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 or we have the ability of foresight,

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 or we have the ability to have self-awareness,

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 or it's our use of imagination and creativity.

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 And yet there's a whole other group of researchers

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 that continues to say and to demonstrate

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 that they're finding that animals are capable of such feats and such acts.

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 And so there are some people who say,

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 well, genetically we're 99% identical to chimpanzees.

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 There is nothing that makes human beings uniquely human.

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 So we're asking, what does it mean to be human?

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 Is there anything that is distinct about a human being?

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 And we're looking in the Bible to help us understand this,

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 specifically at Genesis chapter 1, verses 26 to 31.

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 And a couple of weeks ago we had part 1 of this,

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 and we said, first of all, what makes us human,

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 what it means to be human,

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 is that we are created in the image of God,

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 the one who made us.

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 Unlike the other creatures of creation,

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 we uniquely bear God's image.

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 And we said that has a lot of implications.

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 It means that we are spiritual and material,

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 that we are body souls.

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 It means that we have an inherent holiness or sanctity,

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 that there is a sanctity to all human life.

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 And we said, lastly,

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 that there is an inherent dignity to all human life.

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 Well, this week we're going to continue asking this question,

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 looking at this passage,

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 and we're going to go further than just our nature as image bearers,

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 and we're going to look at the purposes for which human beings were made.

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 Why are we here?

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 And we're going to see that this passage shows us

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 that the central reason that we're here is that we're made for relationship.

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 Simply put, we're made for relationship.

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 Three kinds of relationship, to be more specific.

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 We're made to have a certain kind of relationship with this world.

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 We're made to have relationships with one another.

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 And we're made to have a relationship, finally, and most importantly, with God.

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 And we're going to have time tonight to look at the first two in detail.

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 We will touch on the third.

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 And then next week we're actually going to spend the whole night

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 talking about what our relationship with God was created to be

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 as we look at the Sabbath.

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 But tonight we're primarily going to focus on the first two,

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 our relationship with creation and our relationship with one another.

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 And here's really the point of tonight that I would like to invite you to consider.

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 And that is that whether or not you're a Christian,

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 whether or not you're certain what you believe

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 or whether you believe there's anything to this,

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 this is making a very clear claim.

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 And that is that all three kinds of relationship are essential

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 to what it means to be a human being.

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 And if you have all three,

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 a right relationship with the world,

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 a right relationship with other people,

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 and a right relationship with God,

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 that that is the most fully human way to be.

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 And if you lack any one of these,

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 it's impossible to be fully and authentically human.

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 So that's the claim.

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 So let's consider these in more detail.

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 Let's pray for the Lord to lead us.

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 Our Father, we do thank you for your word.

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 We thank you for your promise to speak through it.

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 May this not remain simply ink and paper,

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 but through the power of your spirit,

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 may we see in these pages and hear in these words

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 and encounter the word, your son.

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 We pray that by encountering him,

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 we would be changed,

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 that we would leave differently than when we arrived.

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 And we pray that this would be for your glory

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 in the name of your son.

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 Amen.

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 So, again, we're looking at Genesis chapter 1,

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 beginning in verse 26.

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 The first thing we see is that we're created

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 for a certain kind of relationship with this world.

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 It says in verse 26,

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 Then God said,

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 Let us make man in our image,

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 after our likeness,

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 and let them have dominion

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 over the fish of the sea,

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 and over the birds of the heavens,

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 and over the livestock,

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 and over all the earth,

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 and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.

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 And then if we move down to verse 28,

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 it says,

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 And God blessed them,

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 and God said to them,

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 Be fruitful,

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 and multiply,

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 and fill the earth,

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 and subdue it.

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 And then again,

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 Have dominion over the fish of the sea,

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 the birds of the heavens,

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 every living thing that moves on the earth.

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 So right here,

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 we have our original job description,

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 the original job description

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 for human beings in creation.

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 And you have these verbs that really stand out.

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 Be fruitful,

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 multiply,

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 fill,

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 subdue,

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 have dominion.

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 Now the context of these words in the English language,

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 they have certain connotations to them,

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 undeniably so.

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 When you look at the words by themselves,

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 at least for me,

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 they conjure up ideas of conquest,

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 domination.

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 When I hear have dominion,

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 my mind immediately goes to this idea of domination.

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 And so this,

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 at first pass,

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 gives us this image of human beings

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 sort of spreading throughout creation

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 and subduing and conquering

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 and dominating.

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 And it sounds more like a virus.

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 And surely,

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 this helps us understand

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 why many people have taken these verses

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 to justify all kinds

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 of harmful and exploitative relationship

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 with the world.

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 In the years and decades

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 following the Enlightenment,

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 when there arose in the Western culture

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 a kind of post-Enlightenment utilitarianism,

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 there was very much a view

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 that we could justify

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 exploiting the earth for our personal gain

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 in the name of progress.

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 And it was easy for Christians

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 to jump on the bandwagon

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 and to support that theologically

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 by pointing to such verses.

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 But is that, in fact, accurate?

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 And we see as we move to chapter 2

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 that, in fact,

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 that's not the right way to read this

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 because God restates

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 this job description to Adam

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 in verse 15 of chapter 2.

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 It says,

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 The Lord God took the man

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 and put him in the Garden of Eden

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 to work and to keep it.

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 Or you might translate it

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 to tend and till it.

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 That's Andy Crouch's way

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 of translating this

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 in his book, Culture Making,

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 which, if you haven't read it,

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 you should pick it up and read it.

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 It's a fantastic book

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 that focuses on this idea.

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 There's a lot here.

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 We're going to come back to this,

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 actually, in a few weeks

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 when we talk about our work

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 and our vocation.

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 Our whole way of understanding

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 as Christians,

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 our work and our vocation

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 is rooted in these verses.

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 But for now,

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 it helps just to clarify

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 our role in the natural world.

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 because God's given us

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 this tremendous responsibility.

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 He's created this world

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 that he says is good and perfect.

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 It reflects his will in every way,

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 and yet it's inherently incomplete.

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 It's an unfinished world.

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 And that's amazing.

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 That should give us applause.

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 Why?

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 Why would it be good

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 and yet incomplete?

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 Why would God create

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 a world full of potential?

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 An acorn world?

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 Well, that's why we're here.

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 It's amazing to think

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 that God desires us

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 to bear his image

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 in creation

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 by finishing creation.

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 In other words,

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 by...

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 Why did God create a garden

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 and then the rest of the earth

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 is a wilderness?

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 It's because the purpose

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 of human beings

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 is to turn the wilderness

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 into a garden.

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 It's to finish the work

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 of creation.

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 It is to exercise dominion.

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 It is to subdue.

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 It is to cause to flourish

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 and be fruitful.

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 This was our original purpose here.

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 It's our job

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 to turn the wilderness

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 into a garden.

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 And our role

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 can really be summarized

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 in one word.

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 It's the best word for it,

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 and that is

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 the role of stewardship.

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 Stewardship.

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 Part of what it means

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 to be human

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 is that we are stewards

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 of creation.

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 What that means is this.

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 All of this stuff,

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 just as we sang

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 a little while ago,

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 this is our Father's world.

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 It doesn't belong to us.

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 Nothing does.

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 It all belongs to Him.

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 And we have a responsibility

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 to care for it.

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 We've all been in this situation

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 where we had a friend

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 go out of town,

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 or maybe we were the people

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 going out of town,

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 and they wanted somebody.

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 Maybe they wanted you

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 to come and house sit.

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 And they say,

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 well, come,

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 and we're going to be gone

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 for a few weeks,

00:11:57.779 --> 00:11:58.699
 and we want you to house sit.

00:11:59.000 --> 00:11:59.939
 And all the food

00:11:59.939 --> 00:12:00.799
 in the fridge is yours.

00:12:01.220 --> 00:12:01.980
 All the wine

00:12:01.980 --> 00:12:03.639
 in the wine rack

00:12:03.639 --> 00:12:04.100
 is yours.

00:12:04.199 --> 00:12:04.819
 You can have it.

00:12:05.439 --> 00:12:06.819
 We want you to enjoy yourself.

00:12:06.939 --> 00:12:07.679
 Watch Netflix.

00:12:08.480 --> 00:12:09.299
 Sleep in the bed.

00:12:09.360 --> 00:12:09.939
 We want this to be

00:12:09.939 --> 00:12:10.799
 a restful time for you.

00:12:10.939 --> 00:12:11.240
 At least,

00:12:11.600 --> 00:12:12.000
 hopefully,

00:12:12.079 --> 00:12:12.720
 that's what they said

00:12:12.720 --> 00:12:13.439
 when you house sat.

00:12:14.100 --> 00:12:14.919
 And they said,

00:12:14.960 --> 00:12:16.000
 make yourself at home.

00:12:16.220 --> 00:12:17.159
 But that doesn't mean

00:12:17.159 --> 00:12:18.299
 this is your home.

00:12:19.779 --> 00:12:20.419
 In other words,

00:12:20.460 --> 00:12:20.879
 it doesn't mean

00:12:20.879 --> 00:12:22.019
 that it belongs to you.

00:12:23.399 --> 00:12:23.659
 Right?

00:12:23.699 --> 00:12:24.399
 And a good house sitter

00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:25.939
 knows that you need

00:12:25.939 --> 00:12:27.179
 to take care of that house.

00:12:28.059 --> 00:12:29.019
 You need to take care

00:12:29.019 --> 00:12:29.699
 of the stuff.

00:12:30.419 --> 00:12:31.559
 You need to enjoy it

00:12:31.559 --> 00:12:32.439
 and love it

00:12:32.439 --> 00:12:33.779
 and have fun with it,

00:12:33.840 --> 00:12:34.659
 but you need to remember

00:12:34.659 --> 00:12:35.539
 that it doesn't belong

00:12:35.539 --> 00:12:36.079
 to you, right?

00:12:36.519 --> 00:12:37.319
 And in the same way,

00:12:37.379 --> 00:12:37.939
 God has said,

00:12:38.039 --> 00:12:38.679
 this is my world,

00:12:38.740 --> 00:12:39.799
 but I'm entrusting it

00:12:39.799 --> 00:12:40.759
 to you.

00:12:42.340 --> 00:12:43.959
 And in verses 29 to 31,

00:12:44.079 --> 00:12:44.699
 we actually see

00:12:44.699 --> 00:12:46.240
 why this balance,

00:12:46.439 --> 00:12:47.819
 this stewardship relationship,

00:12:47.820 --> 00:12:49.360
 it requires such

00:12:49.360 --> 00:12:50.900
 a finely tuned understanding,

00:12:51.540 --> 00:12:53.400
 it's because God

00:12:53.400 --> 00:12:54.340
 establishes

00:12:54.340 --> 00:12:55.700
 an interdependence

00:12:55.700 --> 00:12:56.360
 between us

00:12:56.360 --> 00:12:56.860
 and the earth,

00:12:57.480 --> 00:12:59.140
 an interdependent

00:12:59.140 --> 00:12:59.720
 relationship.

00:13:01.100 --> 00:13:01.840
 So it says,

00:13:02.060 --> 00:13:02.080
 yes,

00:13:02.120 --> 00:13:03.020
 we have dominion

00:13:03.020 --> 00:13:03.440
 over the earth.

00:13:03.540 --> 00:13:03.660
 Yes,

00:13:03.700 --> 00:13:04.040
 we're called

00:13:04.040 --> 00:13:04.760
 to subdue it.

00:13:04.860 --> 00:13:04.980
 Yes,

00:13:05.000 --> 00:13:05.360
 we're called

00:13:05.360 --> 00:13:06.240
 to exercise

00:13:06.240 --> 00:13:07.520
 in God's name

00:13:07.520 --> 00:13:09.120
 authority over it

00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:10.300
 and make it flourish,

00:13:10.460 --> 00:13:11.520
 but we also have

00:13:11.520 --> 00:13:12.420
 to depend on it

00:13:12.420 --> 00:13:13.180
 for our survival.

00:13:13.179 --> 00:13:17.620
 So it needs us

00:13:17.620 --> 00:13:18.859
 to cultivate

00:13:18.859 --> 00:13:19.779
 and care for it.

00:13:20.599 --> 00:13:21.959
 The world was designed

00:13:21.959 --> 00:13:22.939
 to need humans

00:13:22.939 --> 00:13:23.839
 to care for it,

00:13:24.099 --> 00:13:24.799
 and yet,

00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:26.919
 we need it

00:13:26.919 --> 00:13:28.439
 for our survival.

00:13:29.239 --> 00:13:30.099
 We need each other,

00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:31.339
 so there's a very

00:13:31.339 --> 00:13:32.579
 fine balance here.

00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:33.959
 And it's fascinating

00:13:33.959 --> 00:13:34.679
 when you think about

00:13:34.679 --> 00:13:35.519
 the way this speaks

00:13:35.519 --> 00:13:36.779
 into the current

00:13:36.779 --> 00:13:38.339
 conversations about

00:13:38.339 --> 00:13:39.139
 human beings

00:13:39.139 --> 00:13:39.819
 and the environment,

00:13:39.939 --> 00:13:40.459
 because it does

00:13:40.459 --> 00:13:41.259
 balance us out.

00:13:41.519 --> 00:13:42.279
 On the one hand,

00:13:43.179 --> 00:13:44.239
 we very clearly see

00:13:44.239 --> 00:13:44.939
 that we're not called

00:13:44.939 --> 00:13:46.500
 to worship nature.

00:13:47.279 --> 00:13:47.939
 We're not called

00:13:47.939 --> 00:13:49.659
 to worship animals

00:13:49.659 --> 00:13:51.099
 or trees

00:13:51.099 --> 00:13:51.839
 or mountains

00:13:51.839 --> 00:13:53.019
 or rivers.

00:13:53.139 --> 00:13:53.519
 We're not called

00:13:53.519 --> 00:13:54.459
 to worship these things

00:13:54.459 --> 00:13:55.019
 because the Bible

00:13:55.019 --> 00:13:55.719
 makes it very clear

00:13:55.719 --> 00:13:56.719
 that God is not

00:13:56.719 --> 00:13:57.699
 His creation.

00:13:57.819 --> 00:13:58.479
 He's above it.

00:13:58.519 --> 00:13:59.459
 He's separate from it.

00:13:59.519 --> 00:14:01.079
 That's what holiness is.

00:14:02.939 --> 00:14:03.839
 So we're not called

00:14:03.839 --> 00:14:04.299
 to do that.

00:14:04.339 --> 00:14:04.699
 It says,

00:14:04.959 --> 00:14:05.919
 we're not called

00:14:05.919 --> 00:14:06.919
 to think of animals

00:14:06.919 --> 00:14:08.539
 as being as valuable

00:14:08.539 --> 00:14:09.519
 or more valuable

00:14:09.519 --> 00:14:10.759
 than human beings.

00:14:10.759 --> 00:14:13.340
 because we see here

00:14:13.340 --> 00:14:14.919
 that only human beings

00:14:14.919 --> 00:14:15.439
 are created

00:14:15.439 --> 00:14:16.500
 in the image of God.

00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:17.480
 Animals are created

00:14:17.480 --> 00:14:19.480
 after their own kind.

00:14:20.419 --> 00:14:21.159
 And we're called

00:14:21.159 --> 00:14:22.580
 to have dominion

00:14:22.580 --> 00:14:23.139
 over them

00:14:23.139 --> 00:14:23.960
 and they're given

00:14:23.960 --> 00:14:25.379
 into our hands.

00:14:26.919 --> 00:14:28.419
 God gives the world

00:14:28.419 --> 00:14:29.679
 into the hands

00:14:29.679 --> 00:14:30.259
 of human beings

00:14:30.259 --> 00:14:31.220
 for their survival.

00:14:33.620 --> 00:14:34.139
 However,

00:14:34.860 --> 00:14:36.559
 we are the ones

00:14:36.559 --> 00:14:38.019
 God holds responsible

00:14:38.019 --> 00:14:39.159
 to care for the world

00:14:39.159 --> 00:14:40.439
 and to make it as fruitful

00:14:40.439 --> 00:14:42.219
 as it can possibly be.

00:14:43.480 --> 00:14:44.339
 So that means

00:14:44.339 --> 00:14:45.839
 that we are accountable

00:14:45.839 --> 00:14:47.120
 and as Christians

00:14:47.120 --> 00:14:48.519
 when we have an understanding

00:14:48.519 --> 00:14:49.639
 of sin and repentance,

00:14:50.659 --> 00:14:51.919
 we need to include

00:14:51.919 --> 00:14:53.500
 in these things,

00:14:53.559 --> 00:14:54.439
 in our understanding

00:14:54.439 --> 00:14:55.279
 of what sin is,

00:14:55.339 --> 00:14:56.219
 things like pollution

00:14:56.219 --> 00:14:57.500
 and global warming

00:14:57.500 --> 00:14:58.699
 and the depletion

00:14:58.699 --> 00:14:59.839
 of natural resources

00:14:59.839 --> 00:15:01.159
 and waste disposal

00:15:01.159 --> 00:15:02.219
 and deforestation

00:15:02.219 --> 00:15:03.740
 and animal cruelty

00:15:03.740 --> 00:15:05.159
 and overpopulation.

00:15:05.159 --> 00:15:07.439
 these are things

00:15:07.439 --> 00:15:08.659
 that should massively

00:15:08.659 --> 00:15:09.459
 concern us.

00:15:09.539 --> 00:15:09.879
 They're things

00:15:09.879 --> 00:15:10.799
 for which we are

00:15:10.799 --> 00:15:11.959
 responsible

00:15:11.959 --> 00:15:13.279
 and are held accountable.

00:15:14.079 --> 00:15:14.240
 You know,

00:15:14.279 --> 00:15:15.480
 the issue of overpopulation

00:15:15.480 --> 00:15:16.539
 is an interesting one.

00:15:16.579 --> 00:15:17.240
 It says that God

00:15:17.240 --> 00:15:18.139
 blesses people

00:15:18.139 --> 00:15:19.000
 and gives them

00:15:19.000 --> 00:15:19.699
 the potential

00:15:19.699 --> 00:15:21.519
 to fill the earth.

00:15:22.659 --> 00:15:23.759
 That doesn't mean

00:15:23.759 --> 00:15:24.839
 we have license

00:15:24.839 --> 00:15:27.899
 to so populate the earth

00:15:27.899 --> 00:15:28.939
 that it becomes

00:15:28.939 --> 00:15:29.839
 unsustainable

00:15:29.839 --> 00:15:30.819
 for human life,

00:15:31.019 --> 00:15:31.319
 right?

00:15:31.480 --> 00:15:32.120
 This is something

00:15:32.120 --> 00:15:33.339
 we need to be thinking about

00:15:33.340 --> 00:15:34.560
 as Christians.

00:15:35.780 --> 00:15:36.720
 These are actually ways

00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:38.019
 that we sin against God,

00:15:38.320 --> 00:15:38.899
 His world,

00:15:39.019 --> 00:15:40.280
 and our created purpose,

00:15:40.379 --> 00:15:40.899
 things that we need

00:15:40.899 --> 00:15:41.680
 to repent of.

00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:42.580
 And the church

00:15:42.580 --> 00:15:43.440
 has not historically

00:15:43.440 --> 00:15:44.879
 done a very good job

00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:45.759
 of recognizing

00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:47.180
 the central role

00:15:47.180 --> 00:15:48.120
 we should be playing

00:15:48.120 --> 00:15:50.220
 in these issues.

00:15:50.340 --> 00:15:50.720
 Some of you,

00:15:50.860 --> 00:15:51.860
 many of you actually here

00:15:51.860 --> 00:15:52.740
 are very passionate

00:15:52.740 --> 00:15:54.180
 about these issues.

00:15:54.340 --> 00:15:55.080
 You either volunteer

00:15:55.080 --> 00:15:57.019
 or through your vocation

00:15:57.019 --> 00:15:58.780
 you work on issues

00:15:58.780 --> 00:16:01.420
 like renewable energy

00:16:01.420 --> 00:16:03.200
 or environmental stewardship

00:16:03.200 --> 00:16:03.900
 and I know that you're

00:16:03.900 --> 00:16:05.020
 passionate about these things.

00:16:05.560 --> 00:16:06.340
 This is changing.

00:16:06.720 --> 00:16:08.160
 Pope Francis' encyclical

00:16:08.160 --> 00:16:09.320
 on climate change,

00:16:10.060 --> 00:16:10.840
 Laudato Si,

00:16:10.980 --> 00:16:13.720
 is a strong voice

00:16:13.720 --> 00:16:14.580
 in the direction

00:16:14.580 --> 00:16:16.020
 of recognizing our role.

00:16:16.420 --> 00:16:17.580
 He very much emphasizes

00:16:17.580 --> 00:16:19.280
 in that the interconnectedness,

00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:21.100
 the interdependence

00:16:21.100 --> 00:16:23.240
 between us

00:16:23.240 --> 00:16:24.400
 and all living things.

00:16:25.240 --> 00:16:25.800
 There are groups

00:16:25.800 --> 00:16:27.200
 like Arosha

00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:27.960
 and Flourish

00:16:27.960 --> 00:16:28.960
 and the Evangelical

00:16:28.960 --> 00:16:30.020
 Environmental Network.

00:16:30.500 --> 00:16:30.900
 Many of you

00:16:30.900 --> 00:16:31.540
 are affiliated

00:16:31.539 --> 00:16:32.759
 with these groups already.

00:16:34.059 --> 00:16:35.179
 Some friends of ours

00:16:35.179 --> 00:16:36.219
 have actually joined together

00:16:36.219 --> 00:16:38.419
 and started a campaign

00:16:38.419 --> 00:16:39.899
 with the Humane Society

00:16:39.899 --> 00:16:42.279
 called Every Living Thing

00:16:42.279 --> 00:16:42.819
 and they're trying

00:16:42.819 --> 00:16:44.399
 to get Christians

00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:46.500
 engaged in standing up

00:16:46.500 --> 00:16:47.919
 for and fighting

00:16:47.919 --> 00:16:49.159
 against animal cruelty.

00:16:50.819 --> 00:16:51.599
 And actually,

00:16:51.740 --> 00:16:53.339
 our very own Ryan Patch

00:16:53.339 --> 00:16:54.599
 was commissioned

00:16:54.599 --> 00:16:55.980
 to make the video

00:16:55.980 --> 00:16:57.899
 that sort of explains

00:16:57.899 --> 00:16:58.719
 this campaign

00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:00.340
 and to my great surprise

00:17:00.340 --> 00:17:01.139
 when I watched the video,

00:17:01.259 --> 00:17:03.200
 I saw Aaron and Joanna

00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:04.279
 and their dog Lily

00:17:04.279 --> 00:17:04.940
 in the video,

00:17:05.039 --> 00:17:05.860
 which was pretty cool.

00:17:07.500 --> 00:17:08.100
 But this,

00:17:08.200 --> 00:17:09.019
 so a lot of our friends

00:17:09.019 --> 00:17:09.860
 are involved in this.

00:17:10.180 --> 00:17:11.120
 All of the groups

00:17:11.120 --> 00:17:12.120
 that are partnering with it,

00:17:12.200 --> 00:17:13.420
 we're personal friends with

00:17:13.420 --> 00:17:13.740
 and we think

00:17:13.740 --> 00:17:14.860
 it's a great movement.

00:17:14.980 --> 00:17:16.100
 It's called Every Living Thing.

00:17:16.200 --> 00:17:17.440
 You should check it out.

00:17:17.660 --> 00:17:18.759
 But all of this

00:17:18.759 --> 00:17:19.440
 is basically

00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:21.259
 where Christians

00:17:21.259 --> 00:17:22.500
 are catching up to

00:17:22.500 --> 00:17:23.559
 or recovering

00:17:23.559 --> 00:17:26.059
 or regaining a sense

00:17:26.059 --> 00:17:27.659
 of the fact

00:17:27.659 --> 00:17:28.379
 that this needs to be

00:17:28.379 --> 00:17:29.659
 a central concern for us

00:17:29.659 --> 00:17:30.559
 as we think about

00:17:30.559 --> 00:17:31.799
 a missional presence

00:17:31.799 --> 00:17:33.940
 in this world,

00:17:34.059 --> 00:17:34.720
 restoring

00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:37.639
 the created purpose

00:17:37.639 --> 00:17:38.419
 of human beings

00:17:38.419 --> 00:17:39.659
 to be good stewards

00:17:39.659 --> 00:17:41.299
 of creation,

00:17:41.440 --> 00:17:42.759
 to recognize our responsibility

00:17:42.759 --> 00:17:43.899
 to care for this world.

00:17:45.079 --> 00:17:46.159
 And what this means,

00:17:46.220 --> 00:17:46.980
 if we're talking about

00:17:46.980 --> 00:17:48.000
 what it means to be human,

00:17:48.059 --> 00:17:49.359
 it means when we neglect this,

00:17:49.559 --> 00:17:50.940
 it's not just irresponsible,

00:17:51.339 --> 00:17:52.379
 it's inhuman.

00:17:53.559 --> 00:17:55.220
 There's an inhumanity

00:17:55.220 --> 00:17:57.419
 to us

00:17:57.419 --> 00:17:58.700
 when we neglect these things.

00:17:59.339 --> 00:18:00.000
 So that's the first

00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:00.799
 kind of relationship

00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:01.639
 we're called to have,

00:18:01.679 --> 00:18:02.899
 a balanced relationship

00:18:02.899 --> 00:18:04.259
 of interdependence,

00:18:04.779 --> 00:18:06.359
 a stewardship relationship

00:18:06.359 --> 00:18:08.319
 with the world

00:18:08.319 --> 00:18:08.960
 that God has made,

00:18:09.019 --> 00:18:10.379
 with our Father's world,

00:18:10.639 --> 00:18:11.539
 as we sang earlier.

00:18:12.759 --> 00:18:14.119
 The next kind of relationship

00:18:14.119 --> 00:18:14.720
 we'll look at

00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:16.159
 is the kind of relationships

00:18:16.159 --> 00:18:17.399
 that we are called to have

00:18:17.399 --> 00:18:19.419
 with one another,

00:18:20.379 --> 00:18:22.500
 interpersonal human connection.

00:18:23.559 --> 00:18:26.059
 If we look at Genesis 1.26,

00:18:26.319 --> 00:18:27.259
 it's very fascinating.

00:18:27.419 --> 00:18:27.579
 It says,

00:18:27.779 --> 00:18:28.419
 Then God said,

00:18:28.839 --> 00:18:30.579
 Let us make man

00:18:30.579 --> 00:18:32.179
 in our image

00:18:32.179 --> 00:18:34.379
 after our likeness.

00:18:35.139 --> 00:18:36.279
 What's fascinating about this

00:18:36.279 --> 00:18:37.019
 is if you look at

00:18:37.019 --> 00:18:38.039
 the whole creation account,

00:18:38.159 --> 00:18:40.059
 start at Genesis 1,

00:18:40.139 --> 00:18:41.059
 verse 1,

00:18:41.299 --> 00:18:42.899
 and you read through it,

00:18:43.519 --> 00:18:45.039
 there's a poetic rhythm to it,

00:18:45.079 --> 00:18:45.839
 because this is a kind

00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:46.879
 of liturgical poetry,

00:18:47.200 --> 00:18:48.480
 as we said a few weeks ago.

00:18:48.480 --> 00:18:50.160
 And there's a rhythm to it,

00:18:50.299 --> 00:18:52.380
 and the rhythm repeatedly says this,

00:18:53.099 --> 00:18:54.079
 Then God said,

00:18:54.900 --> 00:18:55.980
 and God said,

00:18:56.660 --> 00:18:57.759
 and God said,

00:18:58.259 --> 00:18:59.160
 and God said,

00:18:59.380 --> 00:19:00.880
 and it says that

00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:02.360
 for all of the days of creation,

00:19:02.480 --> 00:19:03.380
 for the sky and the sea

00:19:03.380 --> 00:19:04.099
 and the day and the night

00:19:04.099 --> 00:19:04.860
 and the earth and the land,

00:19:05.220 --> 00:19:05.900
 all of that,

00:19:05.980 --> 00:19:07.160
 until we get to the day

00:19:07.160 --> 00:19:09.460
 that God creates human beings.

00:19:09.519 --> 00:19:10.400
 And then it changes.

00:19:12.420 --> 00:19:13.440
 And imagine, you know,

00:19:13.460 --> 00:19:13.920
 in a song,

00:19:13.980 --> 00:19:14.500
 if you've been hitting

00:19:14.500 --> 00:19:15.200
 the same note,

00:19:15.240 --> 00:19:15.720
 and all of a sudden

00:19:15.720 --> 00:19:16.579
 you hit a different note.

00:19:16.860 --> 00:19:17.279
 You're meaning,

00:19:17.380 --> 00:19:18.839
 you're trying to emphasize something.

00:19:20.240 --> 00:19:21.079
 And it changes,

00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:21.980
 and it doesn't say,

00:19:22.079 --> 00:19:22.759
 and God said,

00:19:22.839 --> 00:19:23.200
 it says,

00:19:23.539 --> 00:19:24.519
 then God said,

00:19:25.000 --> 00:19:26.100
 let us.

00:19:27.420 --> 00:19:28.980
 And that us just kind of

00:19:28.980 --> 00:19:30.400
 crackles into existence.

00:19:30.960 --> 00:19:31.360
 Us.

00:19:32.420 --> 00:19:33.500
 And it emphasizes

00:19:33.500 --> 00:19:34.420
 the nature of God

00:19:34.420 --> 00:19:35.660
 as a relationship.

00:19:35.980 --> 00:19:37.799
 This being who is one,

00:19:38.180 --> 00:19:39.900
 and yet three persons,

00:19:40.079 --> 00:19:42.160
 three distinct persons,

00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:44.380
 who are all God,

00:19:44.380 --> 00:19:46.000
 and yet they're not

00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:47.380
 interchangeable.

00:19:48.580 --> 00:19:49.840
 And so what we have here

00:19:49.840 --> 00:19:51.100
 is a being who is one

00:19:51.100 --> 00:19:53.020
 and yet interpersonal.

00:19:54.240 --> 00:19:55.640
 An eternal relationship.

00:19:59.460 --> 00:20:00.600
 And then we see later

00:20:00.600 --> 00:20:01.720
 when God places Adam

00:20:01.720 --> 00:20:02.260
 in the garden,

00:20:02.380 --> 00:20:03.040
 in chapter 2,

00:20:03.100 --> 00:20:04.480
 it says in 2, verse 18,

00:20:04.640 --> 00:20:05.540
 that it's not good

00:20:05.540 --> 00:20:07.500
 for Adam to be alone.

00:20:07.580 --> 00:20:08.420
 And the sense of that

00:20:08.420 --> 00:20:09.780
 is that he is incomplete.

00:20:09.779 --> 00:20:13.339
 And while this has

00:20:13.339 --> 00:20:14.680
 implications for gender

00:20:14.680 --> 00:20:16.619
 and implications for marriage,

00:20:16.740 --> 00:20:17.759
 and we'll be talking about

00:20:17.759 --> 00:20:18.700
 those in a few weeks,

00:20:19.480 --> 00:20:21.220
 this also has implications

00:20:21.220 --> 00:20:23.240
 for the fact that humans

00:20:23.240 --> 00:20:23.779
 are designed

00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:26.619
 for relationship

00:20:26.619 --> 00:20:29.039
 with others.

00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:31.379
 That it's part of how

00:20:31.379 --> 00:20:32.720
 we're built.

00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:35.079
 It's part of how

00:20:35.079 --> 00:20:35.920
 we're made

00:20:35.920 --> 00:20:37.379
 because we reflect the image

00:20:37.380 --> 00:20:38.000
 of a God

00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:38.640
 who is

00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:40.220
 a relationship.

00:20:41.700 --> 00:20:42.900
 And the most foundational,

00:20:43.080 --> 00:20:44.360
 most basic relationship,

00:20:44.800 --> 00:20:45.680
 as much as we talk

00:20:45.680 --> 00:20:46.700
 about marriage these days,

00:20:46.960 --> 00:20:48.360
 the most foundational

00:20:48.360 --> 00:20:48.940
 relationship

00:20:48.940 --> 00:20:50.060
 is actually friendship.

00:20:51.740 --> 00:20:52.160
 And you know,

00:20:52.240 --> 00:20:52.600
 friendship,

00:20:53.060 --> 00:20:54.320
 at its core,

00:20:54.800 --> 00:20:55.620
 every good marriage

00:20:55.620 --> 00:20:56.100
 is

00:20:56.100 --> 00:20:58.060
 a committed friendship.

00:20:59.060 --> 00:21:00.020
 A lifelong,

00:21:00.220 --> 00:21:01.060
 covenantal friendship.

00:21:01.059 --> 00:21:01.179
 friendship.

00:21:03.179 --> 00:21:03.960
 This is why

00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:04.539
 Aristotle,

00:21:04.700 --> 00:21:04.980
 I believe,

00:21:05.059 --> 00:21:05.619
 wrote so much

00:21:05.619 --> 00:21:06.319
 about what he called

00:21:06.319 --> 00:21:07.399
 the virtuous friendship.

00:21:08.539 --> 00:21:09.240
 He said,

00:21:09.299 --> 00:21:09.440
 you know,

00:21:09.500 --> 00:21:09.960
 there are friendships

00:21:09.960 --> 00:21:10.599
 of pleasure

00:21:10.599 --> 00:21:11.240
 and friendships

00:21:11.240 --> 00:21:11.980
 of utility,

00:21:12.779 --> 00:21:13.879
 but he considered

00:21:13.879 --> 00:21:14.859
 among the highest

00:21:14.859 --> 00:21:16.259
 possible things

00:21:16.259 --> 00:21:16.940
 that human beings

00:21:16.940 --> 00:21:17.740
 could attain

00:21:17.740 --> 00:21:19.759
 a virtuous friendship.

00:21:19.879 --> 00:21:20.539
 And that's a friendship

00:21:20.539 --> 00:21:21.960
 where you are concerned

00:21:21.960 --> 00:21:22.899
 for the betterment

00:21:22.899 --> 00:21:23.740
 of the other,

00:21:25.139 --> 00:21:26.539
 regardless of whether

00:21:26.539 --> 00:21:27.339
 that brings you

00:21:27.339 --> 00:21:27.799
 pleasure

00:21:27.799 --> 00:21:29.240
 or utility,

00:21:29.539 --> 00:21:30.399
 that your primary

00:21:30.400 --> 00:21:31.440
 concern is for the good

00:21:31.440 --> 00:21:31.920
 of the other.

00:21:32.280 --> 00:21:32.660
 And he said,

00:21:32.720 --> 00:21:33.480
 this virtuous friendship,

00:21:33.900 --> 00:21:34.720
 there are few,

00:21:34.820 --> 00:21:35.140
 if anything,

00:21:35.259 --> 00:21:36.519
 greater than that

00:21:36.519 --> 00:21:37.580
 that human beings

00:21:37.580 --> 00:21:38.580
 can attain.

00:21:38.680 --> 00:21:39.340
 He put it higher

00:21:39.340 --> 00:21:40.040
 even than things

00:21:40.040 --> 00:21:40.640
 like justice.

00:21:45.280 --> 00:21:45.759
 Neuroscience,

00:21:45.840 --> 00:21:46.420
 as we look,

00:21:46.580 --> 00:21:47.660
 and it's always dubious

00:21:47.660 --> 00:21:49.019
 to quote neuroscience,

00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:50.019
 so, you know,

00:21:50.720 --> 00:21:51.640
 so,

00:21:51.720 --> 00:21:51.960
 so,

00:21:51.960 --> 00:21:52.940
 a caveat aside,

00:21:53.180 --> 00:21:53.460
 you know,

00:21:53.880 --> 00:21:54.040
 but,

00:21:54.120 --> 00:21:54.620
 but,

00:21:54.740 --> 00:21:55.000
 you know,

00:21:55.120 --> 00:21:55.620
 neuroscience

00:21:55.620 --> 00:21:58.280
 is increasingly showing

00:21:58.280 --> 00:21:59.500
 actually across the board

00:21:59.500 --> 00:22:00.300
 that,

00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:02.140
 that our brains

00:22:02.140 --> 00:22:02.940
 are hardwired

00:22:02.940 --> 00:22:03.860
 for social connection.

00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:05.720
 They're just hardwired

00:22:05.720 --> 00:22:06.560
 for social connection.

00:22:07.400 --> 00:22:07.560
 I mean,

00:22:07.620 --> 00:22:08.340
 studies everywhere

00:22:08.340 --> 00:22:09.800
 in every kind of area

00:22:09.800 --> 00:22:11.440
 you can imagine

00:22:11.440 --> 00:22:12.019
 are just showing

00:22:12.019 --> 00:22:12.500
 again and again

00:22:12.500 --> 00:22:12.820
 and again

00:22:12.820 --> 00:22:13.380
 that we are,

00:22:13.820 --> 00:22:14.560
 the wiring,

00:22:14.759 --> 00:22:15.400
 the way we're built

00:22:15.400 --> 00:22:16.220
 is actually designed

00:22:16.220 --> 00:22:16.660
 for that.

00:22:17.540 --> 00:22:18.320
 There was a study

00:22:18.320 --> 00:22:19.040
 that you may have heard of

00:22:19.040 --> 00:22:19.519
 at Harvard

00:22:19.519 --> 00:22:21.380
 called the Grant Study.

00:22:21.700 --> 00:22:22.400
 Anybody heard of this?

00:22:23.080 --> 00:22:23.660
 It's famous

00:22:23.660 --> 00:22:24.780
 because it's the longest

00:22:24.780 --> 00:22:26.140
 and most comprehensive

00:22:26.140 --> 00:22:27.980
 longitudinal study

00:22:27.980 --> 00:22:29.640
 really ever undertaken.

00:22:30.920 --> 00:22:31.400
 Now,

00:22:31.579 --> 00:22:32.079
 admittedly,

00:22:32.140 --> 00:22:32.799
 there was a narrow

00:22:32.799 --> 00:22:34.620
 selection of candidates.

00:22:36.500 --> 00:22:36.900
 268,

00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:37.480
 I think,

00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:38.460
 all of them white,

00:22:38.860 --> 00:22:40.259
 Harvard males

00:22:40.259 --> 00:22:41.720
 were a part of,

00:22:41.799 --> 00:22:42.940
 this started in the early

00:22:42.940 --> 00:22:43.519
 20th century,

00:22:43.720 --> 00:22:43.839
 so,

00:22:44.220 --> 00:22:45.259
 you know,

00:22:45.299 --> 00:22:46.059
 cut it a little slack,

00:22:46.539 --> 00:22:46.700
 but,

00:22:46.799 --> 00:22:47.759
 but essentially the idea

00:22:47.759 --> 00:22:48.980
 was take people

00:22:48.980 --> 00:22:50.019
 who are pretty well off,

00:22:50.079 --> 00:22:50.839
 who seem to come

00:22:50.839 --> 00:22:51.940
 from decent families,

00:22:51.940 --> 00:22:52.980
 who are fairly intelligent,

00:22:53.259 --> 00:22:54.440
 who had a fairly decent

00:22:54.440 --> 00:22:55.920
 shot at worldly success,

00:22:56.980 --> 00:22:57.940
 and tracked them

00:22:57.940 --> 00:22:59.539
 for 75 years.

00:23:01.019 --> 00:23:01.860
 This has been running

00:23:01.860 --> 00:23:03.340
 for 75 years,

00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:05.360
 and the goal

00:23:05.360 --> 00:23:06.019
 is to figure out

00:23:06.019 --> 00:23:07.440
 what are the primary factors

00:23:07.440 --> 00:23:08.299
 that,

00:23:08.340 --> 00:23:09.420
 that influence

00:23:09.420 --> 00:23:10.640
 aging well,

00:23:11.700 --> 00:23:13.200
 living a long time,

00:23:13.259 --> 00:23:14.080
 and being satisfied

00:23:14.080 --> 00:23:14.600
 with life.

00:23:14.660 --> 00:23:15.700
 What are the main factors

00:23:15.700 --> 00:23:16.299
 that contribute

00:23:16.299 --> 00:23:17.120
 to that,

00:23:17.620 --> 00:23:19.019
 to those outcomes?

00:23:19.019 --> 00:23:20.039
 And they assessed

00:23:20.039 --> 00:23:20.700
 everything.

00:23:20.880 --> 00:23:21.759
 They assessed everything

00:23:21.759 --> 00:23:22.620
 about career,

00:23:23.180 --> 00:23:24.420
 everything about family,

00:23:24.440 --> 00:23:25.360
 everything about health,

00:23:25.700 --> 00:23:26.400
 to everything

00:23:26.400 --> 00:23:27.539
 from organ functioning,

00:23:27.759 --> 00:23:29.000
 to the hanging length

00:23:29.000 --> 00:23:30.140
 of the scrotum.

00:23:32.539 --> 00:23:32.740
 Yeah,

00:23:32.779 --> 00:23:33.600
 let that sink in.

00:23:35.840 --> 00:23:36.720
 Suffice it to say,

00:23:36.779 --> 00:23:37.420
 they wanted to leave

00:23:37.420 --> 00:23:38.980
 no stone unturned

00:23:38.980 --> 00:23:41.200
 in their search

00:23:41.200 --> 00:23:43.059
 for the key to well-being.

00:23:44.360 --> 00:23:45.380
 The outcome,

00:23:45.539 --> 00:23:47.200
 it may surprise you to know,

00:23:47.240 --> 00:23:47.920
 has nothing to do

00:23:47.920 --> 00:23:49.220
 with scrotal hanging length.

00:23:50.259 --> 00:23:51.220
 The outcome is,

00:23:51.400 --> 00:23:51.720
 in fact,

00:23:52.200 --> 00:23:54.200
 the primary investigator

00:23:54.200 --> 00:23:56.240
 for the last three decades

00:23:56.240 --> 00:23:57.080
 is a guy named

00:23:57.080 --> 00:23:58.620
 Dr. George Valant.

00:23:59.519 --> 00:24:00.500
 He's written three books

00:24:00.500 --> 00:24:01.180
 on the findings,

00:24:01.559 --> 00:24:02.720
 and he says this,

00:24:02.799 --> 00:24:03.180
 essentially,

00:24:03.360 --> 00:24:04.200
 life satisfaction

00:24:04.200 --> 00:24:05.220
 and healthy aging

00:24:05.220 --> 00:24:06.559
 can all be boiled down

00:24:06.559 --> 00:24:07.460
 to one factor.

00:24:07.660 --> 00:24:08.279
 Guess what it is?

00:24:08.940 --> 00:24:09.940
 The quality

00:24:09.940 --> 00:24:10.779
 and the warmth

00:24:10.779 --> 00:24:12.299
 of human relationships.

00:24:15.140 --> 00:24:15.620
 Literally,

00:24:15.900 --> 00:24:16.500
 the people

00:24:16.500 --> 00:24:17.700
 with the warmest,

00:24:18.500 --> 00:24:18.960
 deepest,

00:24:19.740 --> 00:24:20.580
 highest quality

00:24:20.579 --> 00:24:21.899
 friendships

00:24:21.899 --> 00:24:24.240
 are the people

00:24:24.240 --> 00:24:24.819
 who not only

00:24:24.819 --> 00:24:25.879
 live the longest,

00:24:26.240 --> 00:24:27.399
 but the people

00:24:27.399 --> 00:24:27.980
 who report

00:24:27.980 --> 00:24:29.659
 the most satisfaction

00:24:29.659 --> 00:24:31.059
 in their lives.

00:24:31.179 --> 00:24:31.720
 It matters more

00:24:31.720 --> 00:24:32.199
 than money,

00:24:32.319 --> 00:24:32.799
 it matters more

00:24:32.799 --> 00:24:33.299
 than career,

00:24:33.579 --> 00:24:34.059
 it matters more

00:24:34.059 --> 00:24:34.799
 than where you live,

00:24:34.960 --> 00:24:35.559
 it matters more

00:24:35.559 --> 00:24:36.619
 even than your health.

00:24:38.659 --> 00:24:40.359
 Human relationships.

00:24:40.579 --> 00:24:41.960
 We were designed for it,

00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:42.559
 we were made

00:24:42.559 --> 00:24:43.659
 for relationships.

00:24:43.899 --> 00:24:44.500
 They make us

00:24:44.500 --> 00:24:45.399
 more human.

00:24:46.519 --> 00:24:47.059
 They make us

00:24:47.059 --> 00:24:47.619
 more human.

00:24:48.579 --> 00:24:49.519
 I've said this before,

00:24:49.639 --> 00:24:49.939
 but you know,

00:24:50.039 --> 00:24:51.279
 C.S. Lewis in The Four Loves

00:24:51.279 --> 00:24:52.459
 has a great example

00:24:52.459 --> 00:24:54.859
 of how we are humanized

00:24:54.859 --> 00:24:56.319
 in our relationships.

00:24:56.519 --> 00:24:57.599
 He says when a friend,

00:24:57.979 --> 00:24:59.979
 when a mutual friend died,

00:25:00.059 --> 00:25:00.539
 there used to be

00:25:00.539 --> 00:25:01.199
 three friends

00:25:01.199 --> 00:25:01.779
 that would spend

00:25:01.779 --> 00:25:02.659
 a lot of time together,

00:25:02.919 --> 00:25:03.719
 and he said when this

00:25:03.719 --> 00:25:05.259
 one of the friends died,

00:25:05.599 --> 00:25:06.699
 the two remaining friends,

00:25:06.779 --> 00:25:07.459
 he said logically

00:25:07.459 --> 00:25:08.099
 you would think

00:25:08.099 --> 00:25:08.779
 that would mean

00:25:08.779 --> 00:25:09.519
 you would get more

00:25:09.519 --> 00:25:10.039
 of each other

00:25:10.039 --> 00:25:10.619
 because there's not

00:25:10.619 --> 00:25:12.059
 a third person competing.

00:25:13.079 --> 00:25:13.899
 But he said in fact

00:25:13.899 --> 00:25:14.679
 it was the opposite

00:25:14.679 --> 00:25:16.899
 because the friend

00:25:16.899 --> 00:25:17.479
 that died

00:25:17.480 --> 00:25:18.440
 used to be able

00:25:18.440 --> 00:25:19.640
 to evoke things

00:25:19.640 --> 00:25:21.360
 in this person

00:25:21.360 --> 00:25:23.099
 that only he could evoke.

00:25:23.860 --> 00:25:24.579
 And he would evoke

00:25:24.579 --> 00:25:25.799
 things in this person

00:25:25.799 --> 00:25:27.740
 that only he could evoke.

00:25:28.000 --> 00:25:28.620
 And so the loss

00:25:28.620 --> 00:25:29.220
 of that person

00:25:29.220 --> 00:25:30.160
 meant a loss

00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:32.860
 in each of the surviving friends.

00:25:33.039 --> 00:25:33.940
 Something in them

00:25:33.940 --> 00:25:35.880
 was no longer brought out.

00:25:36.380 --> 00:25:37.980
 The more we have

00:25:37.980 --> 00:25:39.160
 deep, meaningful

00:25:39.160 --> 00:25:40.299
 human relationships,

00:25:40.579 --> 00:25:41.740
 the more of us

00:25:41.740 --> 00:25:42.900
 is brought out

00:25:42.900 --> 00:25:43.740
 or evoked

00:25:43.740 --> 00:25:45.579
 or nourished into being

00:25:45.579 --> 00:25:46.960
 or watered

00:25:46.960 --> 00:25:48.099
 or fed

00:25:48.099 --> 00:25:49.879
 that we humanize

00:25:49.879 --> 00:25:50.339
 one another.

00:25:55.339 --> 00:25:55.819
 Relationships

00:25:55.819 --> 00:25:56.679
 are the key factor

00:25:56.679 --> 00:25:57.919
 to our health

00:25:57.919 --> 00:25:58.659
 and well-being

00:25:58.659 --> 00:25:59.759
 because we're designed

00:25:59.759 --> 00:26:00.919
 for them.

00:26:01.159 --> 00:26:01.819
 So knowing that,

00:26:01.899 --> 00:26:02.460
 here's the question.

00:26:02.539 --> 00:26:03.579
 We should be very thoughtful

00:26:03.579 --> 00:26:05.199
 when it comes to things

00:26:05.199 --> 00:26:05.759
 that hurt

00:26:05.759 --> 00:26:06.539
 or impair

00:26:06.539 --> 00:26:07.539
 or damage

00:26:07.539 --> 00:26:08.399
 our relationships.

00:26:09.899 --> 00:26:10.359
 Right?

00:26:10.359 --> 00:26:11.740
 If I told you,

00:26:11.879 --> 00:26:14.799
 if I took one of your organs

00:26:14.799 --> 00:26:15.899
 and put it out

00:26:15.899 --> 00:26:17.899
 and your life depends

00:26:17.899 --> 00:26:18.459
 on this organ

00:26:18.459 --> 00:26:19.919
 and I put it in a glass jar

00:26:19.919 --> 00:26:20.659
 and said,

00:26:20.759 --> 00:26:21.979
 take care of this,

00:26:22.039 --> 00:26:22.859
 you probably would.

00:26:23.799 --> 00:26:24.039
 You would,

00:26:24.119 --> 00:26:24.279
 you know,

00:26:24.339 --> 00:26:25.179
 if your heart

00:26:25.179 --> 00:26:25.579
 was somehow

00:26:25.579 --> 00:26:26.099
 on the outside

00:26:26.099 --> 00:26:26.719
 of your body

00:26:26.719 --> 00:26:28.639
 and it was in a glass case,

00:26:28.699 --> 00:26:29.939
 you would probably protect it

00:26:29.939 --> 00:26:32.000
 and you wouldn't let anybody...

00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:32.779
 Why don't we do that

00:26:32.779 --> 00:26:33.479
 with our relationships?

00:26:34.779 --> 00:26:35.919
 Why are our relationships,

00:26:36.079 --> 00:26:36.879
 if they're so key

00:26:36.879 --> 00:26:37.979
 to our health

00:26:37.979 --> 00:26:38.599
 and well-being,

00:26:38.599 --> 00:26:41.179
 why will we so casually

00:26:41.179 --> 00:26:42.899
 let them go?

00:26:43.159 --> 00:26:44.259
 Why will we so casually

00:26:44.259 --> 00:26:45.319
 let them fade?

00:26:46.240 --> 00:26:47.480
 As somebody who has let

00:26:47.480 --> 00:26:48.439
 many, many, many

00:26:48.439 --> 00:26:49.339
 friendships fade,

00:26:50.139 --> 00:26:51.379
 I often ask myself

00:26:51.379 --> 00:26:51.919
 this question.

00:26:54.500 --> 00:26:55.480
 One in...

00:26:55.480 --> 00:26:56.659
 What a big issue

00:26:56.659 --> 00:26:57.019
 that I think

00:26:57.019 --> 00:26:58.000
 we should talk about

00:26:58.000 --> 00:27:00.559
 in relation to relationships

00:27:00.559 --> 00:27:01.379
 is the impact

00:27:01.379 --> 00:27:02.500
 that technology is having.

00:27:04.019 --> 00:27:05.439
 This is a big conversation

00:27:05.439 --> 00:27:06.339
 as it should be.

00:27:06.459 --> 00:27:07.179
 In 2010,

00:27:07.180 --> 00:27:08.779
 researchers put together

00:27:08.779 --> 00:27:09.420
 the findings

00:27:09.420 --> 00:27:11.279
 of 72 separate studies

00:27:11.279 --> 00:27:13.200
 and they found

00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:13.900
 that there had been

00:27:13.900 --> 00:27:15.960
 a decline in empathy

00:27:15.960 --> 00:27:17.380
 among college students.

00:27:18.100 --> 00:27:20.259
 A 40% decline.

00:27:21.600 --> 00:27:23.799
 And there was a precipitous drop

00:27:23.799 --> 00:27:25.840
 starting in the year 2000.

00:27:26.259 --> 00:27:27.700
 And since the year 2000,

00:27:28.380 --> 00:27:29.880
 empathy among college students

00:27:29.880 --> 00:27:31.400
 has been plummeting.

00:27:31.880 --> 00:27:33.080
 A 40% drop

00:27:33.080 --> 00:27:34.759
 is quite significant.

00:27:34.759 --> 00:27:36.359
 And the primary reason

00:27:36.359 --> 00:27:37.460
 that researchers point to

00:27:37.460 --> 00:27:38.420
 is the impact of

00:27:38.420 --> 00:27:39.379
 technology

00:27:39.379 --> 00:27:41.140
 on our empathy.

00:27:42.779 --> 00:27:44.160
 If you may be familiar

00:27:44.160 --> 00:27:45.160
 with Sherry Turkle

00:27:45.160 --> 00:27:46.500
 who writes and thinks

00:27:46.500 --> 00:27:47.339
 a lot about this,

00:27:47.839 --> 00:27:49.420
 she's an MIT professor

00:27:49.420 --> 00:27:50.500
 who basically

00:27:50.500 --> 00:27:51.500
 has spent decades

00:27:51.500 --> 00:27:52.519
 researching this.

00:27:53.180 --> 00:27:54.440
 And here's what she says

00:27:54.440 --> 00:27:55.460
 specifically about

00:27:55.460 --> 00:27:56.440
 our smartphones.

00:27:56.440 --> 00:27:58.759
 She says,

00:27:58.840 --> 00:27:59.799
 Our phones are not

00:27:59.799 --> 00:28:00.420
 accessories,

00:28:01.420 --> 00:28:02.320
 but psychologically

00:28:02.320 --> 00:28:03.920
 potent devices

00:28:03.920 --> 00:28:05.080
 that change

00:28:05.080 --> 00:28:06.320
 not just what we do,

00:28:06.500 --> 00:28:07.420
 but who we are.

00:28:08.720 --> 00:28:10.220
 Your phone in your pocket

00:28:10.220 --> 00:28:10.960
 is changing

00:28:10.960 --> 00:28:12.519
 who you are.

00:28:13.480 --> 00:28:14.440
 It's changing

00:28:14.440 --> 00:28:15.059
 not only

00:28:15.059 --> 00:28:16.360
 your productivity,

00:28:17.360 --> 00:28:18.740
 your connectedness

00:28:18.740 --> 00:28:19.980
 to things like email

00:28:19.980 --> 00:28:21.320
 and social media,

00:28:21.420 --> 00:28:22.580
 but it's changing you.

00:28:22.579 --> 00:28:26.019
 She did a study

00:28:26.019 --> 00:28:27.819
 in a device-free

00:28:27.819 --> 00:28:28.559
 summer camp

00:28:28.559 --> 00:28:29.859
 and she had a control group

00:28:29.859 --> 00:28:30.899
 and an experimental group.

00:28:30.980 --> 00:28:31.799
 In the control group,

00:28:32.159 --> 00:28:33.099
 they were allowed

00:28:33.099 --> 00:28:33.980
 to continue using

00:28:33.980 --> 00:28:34.519
 their devices

00:28:34.519 --> 00:28:35.240
 and they participated

00:28:35.240 --> 00:28:37.399
 in all of the camp events.

00:28:37.819 --> 00:28:39.099
 And the experimental group,

00:28:39.179 --> 00:28:40.379
 she took their devices away.

00:28:41.480 --> 00:28:42.039
 And she said,

00:28:42.099 --> 00:28:43.720
 after just a few days,

00:28:44.539 --> 00:28:45.819
 there was a statistically

00:28:45.819 --> 00:28:47.419
 significant measurable

00:28:47.419 --> 00:28:48.939
 increase in empathy

00:28:48.939 --> 00:28:50.220
 among kids

00:28:50.220 --> 00:28:52.140
 who had had their devices

00:28:52.140 --> 00:28:52.759
 taken away.

00:28:52.860 --> 00:28:53.519
 Why is that?

00:28:53.759 --> 00:28:54.240
 Well, she says

00:28:54.240 --> 00:28:55.000
 it's quite simple.

00:28:55.420 --> 00:28:55.980
 We learn,

00:28:56.079 --> 00:28:56.880
 especially as children,

00:28:57.039 --> 00:28:57.860
 we learn empathy

00:28:57.860 --> 00:28:59.740
 from face-to-face contact.

00:29:00.440 --> 00:29:01.559
 When I'm looking at you

00:29:01.559 --> 00:29:02.519
 and I'm talking to you

00:29:02.519 --> 00:29:03.700
 and I say something funny

00:29:03.700 --> 00:29:04.819
 and I see your face smile

00:29:04.819 --> 00:29:05.779
 and I see you laugh,

00:29:06.460 --> 00:29:07.100
 I learn,

00:29:07.259 --> 00:29:08.900
 I learn what that emotion

00:29:08.900 --> 00:29:10.019
 looks like on your face.

00:29:10.059 --> 00:29:10.799
 Or if I say something

00:29:10.799 --> 00:29:11.420
 that's hurtful

00:29:11.420 --> 00:29:12.539
 or a hurtful topic

00:29:12.539 --> 00:29:12.940
 comes up

00:29:12.940 --> 00:29:13.579
 or you get angry,

00:29:13.740 --> 00:29:15.079
 I see what that looks like.

00:29:15.500 --> 00:29:16.440
 And because we're talking

00:29:16.440 --> 00:29:17.299
 face-to-face,

00:29:17.720 --> 00:29:18.299
 body-to-body,

00:29:18.460 --> 00:29:19.200
 person-to-person,

00:29:19.200 --> 00:29:21.580
 as kids,

00:29:21.660 --> 00:29:22.740
 we learn how to read

00:29:22.740 --> 00:29:23.720
 the emotions of others

00:29:23.720 --> 00:29:24.420
 and then we develop

00:29:24.420 --> 00:29:25.740
 the capacity to identify

00:29:25.740 --> 00:29:26.680
 and put our place,

00:29:27.000 --> 00:29:27.440
 put ourselves

00:29:27.440 --> 00:29:28.440
 in one another's place.

00:29:28.920 --> 00:29:29.420
 But today,

00:29:29.500 --> 00:29:30.299
 the tendency is more

00:29:30.299 --> 00:29:30.980
 and more for kids,

00:29:31.039 --> 00:29:32.120
 even who are there together,

00:29:32.220 --> 00:29:33.180
 to text one another.

00:29:34.160 --> 00:29:35.200
 So they're literally

00:29:35.200 --> 00:29:36.400
 getting less time

00:29:36.400 --> 00:29:38.480
 looking at one another's eyes

00:29:38.480 --> 00:29:39.860
 and so they're not learning

00:29:39.860 --> 00:29:41.539
 how to empathize.

00:29:42.240 --> 00:29:43.539
 But just a few days

00:29:43.539 --> 00:29:44.380
 without devices,

00:29:45.059 --> 00:29:45.840
 and there was a spike

00:29:45.840 --> 00:29:46.220
 in empathy

00:29:46.220 --> 00:29:47.440
 because kids were learning

00:29:47.440 --> 00:29:49.640
 how to interpersonally

00:29:49.640 --> 00:29:50.820
 connect.

00:29:52.880 --> 00:29:54.340
 Simply having a phone

00:29:54.340 --> 00:29:57.240
 put out on the table,

00:29:58.059 --> 00:29:58.860
 so having a phone

00:29:58.860 --> 00:29:59.900
 just out on the table,

00:30:00.620 --> 00:30:01.620
 doesn't have to be on,

00:30:02.340 --> 00:30:03.360
 it can be in the periphery,

00:30:03.400 --> 00:30:03.980
 it can be on the edge

00:30:03.980 --> 00:30:04.460
 of the table.

00:30:05.620 --> 00:30:06.680
 Simply having a phone

00:30:06.680 --> 00:30:07.940
 in the vicinity

00:30:07.940 --> 00:30:09.200
 when you're speaking

00:30:09.200 --> 00:30:10.039
 to another person

00:30:10.039 --> 00:30:11.440
 has a measurable impact

00:30:11.440 --> 00:30:14.180
 both on the quality

00:30:14.180 --> 00:30:15.240
 of the conversation

00:30:15.240 --> 00:30:16.980
 and the things

00:30:16.980 --> 00:30:17.559
 that you choose

00:30:17.559 --> 00:30:18.299
 to talk about.

00:30:19.180 --> 00:30:20.100
 Conversation tends to be

00:30:20.100 --> 00:30:21.360
 a lot more disconnected,

00:30:21.980 --> 00:30:22.779
 topics tend to be

00:30:22.779 --> 00:30:23.539
 a lot lighter,

00:30:23.880 --> 00:30:24.660
 the sense of connection

00:30:24.660 --> 00:30:25.860
 tends to be a lot less.

00:30:26.220 --> 00:30:26.460
 Why?

00:30:26.559 --> 00:30:27.180
 Because there's that

00:30:27.180 --> 00:30:28.340
 ever-present awareness

00:30:28.340 --> 00:30:29.980
 of this other thing

00:30:29.980 --> 00:30:31.259
 that might interrupt you.

00:30:33.400 --> 00:30:34.740
 This is the kind of impact

00:30:34.740 --> 00:30:36.539
 that simply smartphones alone,

00:30:36.740 --> 00:30:37.759
 not to mention the impact

00:30:37.759 --> 00:30:38.259
 on marriages,

00:30:38.740 --> 00:30:39.720
 on sex lives,

00:30:39.720 --> 00:30:41.140
 on intimacy.

00:30:43.100 --> 00:30:43.839
 So the question

00:30:43.839 --> 00:30:44.440
 we need to be thinking

00:30:44.440 --> 00:30:45.100
 is what role

00:30:45.100 --> 00:30:46.200
 is technology playing

00:30:46.200 --> 00:30:46.680
 in our life?

00:30:46.779 --> 00:30:49.059
 Technology is not evil,

00:30:49.339 --> 00:30:50.620
 it's not good,

00:30:50.680 --> 00:30:51.220
 it's neutral,

00:30:51.319 --> 00:30:52.640
 but as Turkle says,

00:30:52.960 --> 00:30:53.920
 it is very obviously

00:30:53.920 --> 00:30:54.920
 taking us places

00:30:54.920 --> 00:30:56.360
 we may not want to go.

00:30:57.860 --> 00:30:58.940
 Especially if what we've said

00:30:58.940 --> 00:30:59.600
 about relationships

00:30:59.600 --> 00:31:00.940
 is true.

00:31:01.039 --> 00:31:01.740
 And here's the thing,

00:31:02.059 --> 00:31:03.240
 if part of what it means

00:31:03.240 --> 00:31:04.019
 to be human

00:31:04.019 --> 00:31:06.819
 is having warm

00:31:06.819 --> 00:31:07.900
 and deep friendships,

00:31:07.900 --> 00:31:10.060
 and our smartphones

00:31:10.060 --> 00:31:10.940
 are harming

00:31:10.940 --> 00:31:12.040
 those relationships,

00:31:12.820 --> 00:31:14.940
 then we need to ask ourselves

00:31:14.940 --> 00:31:16.560
 a very honest question.

00:31:16.820 --> 00:31:18.920
 Are our smartphones

00:31:18.920 --> 00:31:20.680
 dehumanizing us?

00:31:21.460 --> 00:31:23.019
 That's a strong way

00:31:23.019 --> 00:31:23.500
 to put it,

00:31:23.560 --> 00:31:24.160
 but is this

00:31:24.160 --> 00:31:25.720
 dehumanizing

00:31:25.720 --> 00:31:27.640
 me?

00:31:28.420 --> 00:31:29.940
 I believe they are.

00:31:30.900 --> 00:31:32.140
 I believe they are.

00:31:32.140 --> 00:31:34.560
 I think that all

00:31:34.560 --> 00:31:35.280
 of the connectivity

00:31:35.280 --> 00:31:36.820
 is having ultimately

00:31:36.820 --> 00:31:38.520
 a dehumanizing effect.

00:31:38.640 --> 00:31:39.440
 Now what does that mean?

00:31:39.520 --> 00:31:40.660
 It means different things

00:31:40.660 --> 00:31:41.300
 for different people.

00:31:41.400 --> 00:31:41.940
 It may mean

00:31:41.940 --> 00:31:43.920
 that we throw our smartphones

00:31:43.920 --> 00:31:44.600
 out and we go back

00:31:44.600 --> 00:31:45.220
 to the flip phone.

00:31:46.960 --> 00:31:47.920
 Maybe that'll solve it.

00:31:48.259 --> 00:31:49.160
 Some of you are very

00:31:49.160 --> 00:31:51.000
 pro flip phone.

00:31:51.160 --> 00:31:53.180
 You're that far ahead

00:31:53.180 --> 00:31:53.920
 of the rest of us

00:31:53.920 --> 00:31:55.060
 in the curve.

00:31:55.680 --> 00:31:55.700
 But,

00:31:56.759 --> 00:31:57.440
 and that may be

00:31:57.440 --> 00:31:58.000
 for some of us

00:31:58.000 --> 00:31:58.520
 the answer.

00:31:58.620 --> 00:31:59.220
 That may be what

00:31:59.220 --> 00:31:59.920
 I have to do.

00:32:03.140 --> 00:32:03.579
 Surely,

00:32:03.900 --> 00:32:04.559
 at a minimum,

00:32:04.700 --> 00:32:05.240
 it means that

00:32:05.240 --> 00:32:06.299
 we're very intentional

00:32:06.299 --> 00:32:07.220
 about how and when

00:32:07.220 --> 00:32:08.019
 we use devices.

00:32:08.660 --> 00:32:09.299
 That we have

00:32:09.299 --> 00:32:10.759
 device-free zones

00:32:10.759 --> 00:32:11.759
 and times

00:32:11.759 --> 00:32:13.279
 in our house.

00:32:13.360 --> 00:32:13.960
 I remember,

00:32:14.039 --> 00:32:14.440
 and I've probably

00:32:14.440 --> 00:32:15.059
 told you before

00:32:15.059 --> 00:32:15.720
 the time that

00:32:15.720 --> 00:32:17.140
 one of my boys

00:32:17.140 --> 00:32:17.740
 was trying to get

00:32:17.740 --> 00:32:18.259
 my attention

00:32:18.259 --> 00:32:19.259
 and I was looking

00:32:19.259 --> 00:32:19.920
 at my phone

00:32:19.920 --> 00:32:21.019
 as I will

00:32:21.019 --> 00:32:22.279
 habitually do,

00:32:23.000 --> 00:32:24.079
 like a nervous tick.

00:32:24.519 --> 00:32:25.660
 I can whip that thing out

00:32:25.660 --> 00:32:26.620
 and get to my news feed

00:32:26.620 --> 00:32:27.980
 in a fraction

00:32:27.980 --> 00:32:28.519
 of a second.

00:32:28.960 --> 00:32:29.160
 Right?

00:32:29.220 --> 00:32:29.819
 With the slightest

00:32:29.819 --> 00:32:30.740
 pause in activity.

00:32:31.240 --> 00:32:31.600
 Boom!

00:32:31.720 --> 00:32:32.480
 I'm on the news feed.

00:32:32.539 --> 00:32:33.539
 My kids hate it.

00:32:33.559 --> 00:32:34.160
 You know how I know?

00:32:34.339 --> 00:32:35.240
 Because he took it

00:32:35.240 --> 00:32:36.059
 out of my hand

00:32:36.059 --> 00:32:36.779
 and dropped it

00:32:36.779 --> 00:32:37.620
 in a cup of water.

00:32:39.880 --> 00:32:40.720
 And then he said,

00:32:40.839 --> 00:32:41.160
 Dada?

00:32:42.579 --> 00:32:43.259
 Because that's all

00:32:43.259 --> 00:32:43.720
 he could say.

00:32:43.779 --> 00:32:44.559
 He was that young

00:32:44.559 --> 00:32:45.319
 but he had learned

00:32:45.319 --> 00:32:46.100
 to hate

00:32:46.100 --> 00:32:47.319
 the smartphone

00:32:47.319 --> 00:32:47.839
 in my hand.

00:32:49.779 --> 00:32:50.500
 So what role

00:32:50.500 --> 00:32:50.940
 is technology

00:32:50.940 --> 00:32:51.779
 playing in our lives

00:32:51.779 --> 00:32:52.460
 and our relationships?

00:32:52.600 --> 00:32:53.000
 We need to be

00:32:53.000 --> 00:32:53.680
 thinking about

00:32:53.680 --> 00:32:54.279
 what it means

00:32:54.279 --> 00:32:55.480
 to have freedom

00:32:55.480 --> 00:32:57.660
 from these things

00:32:57.660 --> 00:32:58.420
 that are meant

00:32:58.420 --> 00:32:59.380
 to set us free.

00:33:00.600 --> 00:33:01.700
 As a church community,

00:33:01.700 --> 00:33:02.240
 I think we need

00:33:02.240 --> 00:33:03.180
 to take very seriously

00:33:03.180 --> 00:33:03.880
 the priority

00:33:03.880 --> 00:33:05.259
 of human relationships.

00:33:05.480 --> 00:33:05.940
 We believe

00:33:05.940 --> 00:33:06.480
 this is what

00:33:06.480 --> 00:33:07.759
 makes us human.

00:33:08.460 --> 00:33:09.300
 That face-to-face

00:33:09.300 --> 00:33:09.920
 conversation

00:33:09.920 --> 00:33:10.519
 and interaction

00:33:10.519 --> 00:33:11.380
 is one of the most

00:33:11.380 --> 00:33:12.759
 humanizing things

00:33:12.759 --> 00:33:13.440
 we can do.

00:33:13.980 --> 00:33:15.380
 When you invite people

00:33:15.380 --> 00:33:16.640
 into your home

00:33:16.640 --> 00:33:17.140
 to have dinner

00:33:17.140 --> 00:33:17.580
 with you,

00:33:17.940 --> 00:33:19.080
 there's much more

00:33:19.080 --> 00:33:19.960
 going on there

00:33:19.960 --> 00:33:21.860
 than you might think.

00:33:22.360 --> 00:33:23.480
 That is an opportunity

00:33:23.480 --> 00:33:25.039
 to humanize

00:33:25.039 --> 00:33:26.500
 and be humanized.

00:33:27.980 --> 00:33:28.720
 It's nothing

00:33:28.720 --> 00:33:29.519
 less than that.

00:33:31.380 --> 00:33:31.819
 Hospitality

00:33:31.819 --> 00:33:32.539
 and our commitment

00:33:32.539 --> 00:33:33.440
 to radical hospitality

00:33:33.440 --> 00:33:34.220
 is one of the most

00:33:34.220 --> 00:33:35.019
 powerful ministries

00:33:35.019 --> 00:33:35.700
 that we can have.

00:33:36.059 --> 00:33:36.240
 Why?

00:33:36.360 --> 00:33:37.339
 Because you're inviting

00:33:37.339 --> 00:33:38.000
 somebody

00:33:38.000 --> 00:33:40.000
 into a relationship

00:33:40.000 --> 00:33:40.620
 where they can

00:33:40.620 --> 00:33:41.539
 experience

00:33:41.539 --> 00:33:42.620
 humanness.

00:33:43.920 --> 00:33:44.620
 There are a few

00:33:44.620 --> 00:33:45.519
 greater things

00:33:45.519 --> 00:33:46.059
 that we can do

00:33:46.059 --> 00:33:47.000
 for another human being.

00:33:48.339 --> 00:33:49.059
 Our vision

00:33:49.059 --> 00:33:50.039
 is for this community

00:33:50.039 --> 00:33:51.220
 to not only be a place

00:33:51.220 --> 00:33:51.880
 where anyone

00:33:51.880 --> 00:33:53.100
 can experience that,

00:33:53.579 --> 00:33:54.319
 but where we actually

00:33:54.319 --> 00:33:55.000
 take steps

00:33:55.000 --> 00:33:56.220
 to safeguard

00:33:56.220 --> 00:33:57.100
 and protect

00:33:57.100 --> 00:33:59.019
 our relationships.

00:33:59.720 --> 00:34:00.100
 And also,

00:34:00.220 --> 00:34:00.720
 by the way,

00:34:01.180 --> 00:34:02.700
 what that means is

00:34:02.700 --> 00:34:03.539
 if somebody is

00:34:03.539 --> 00:34:05.180
 working 80 hours a week

00:34:05.180 --> 00:34:06.299
 and they have no margin,

00:34:08.099 --> 00:34:08.639
 that we say,

00:34:08.800 --> 00:34:09.480
 I have an interest

00:34:09.480 --> 00:34:10.780
 in you being a human being.

00:34:11.519 --> 00:34:12.699
 You need to cut back.

00:34:13.659 --> 00:34:14.659
 You need to have margins.

00:34:17.679 --> 00:34:19.220
 We're so quick

00:34:19.220 --> 00:34:21.059
 to judge somebody else's

00:34:21.059 --> 00:34:21.440
 diet.

00:34:22.340 --> 00:34:23.340
 That's bad for you.

00:34:23.420 --> 00:34:24.099
 You're going to die

00:34:24.099 --> 00:34:25.099
 next year

00:34:25.099 --> 00:34:25.779
 if you keep eating

00:34:25.779 --> 00:34:26.340
 like that.

00:34:27.559 --> 00:34:28.279
 Maybe that's just

00:34:28.279 --> 00:34:29.559
 what people say to me,

00:34:29.639 --> 00:34:34.099
 but people have said

00:34:34.099 --> 00:34:34.940
 that to me a lot.

00:34:37.779 --> 00:34:39.259
 But what I don't often hear

00:34:39.259 --> 00:34:40.119
 is people saying,

00:34:40.619 --> 00:34:43.420
 you need to prioritize

00:34:43.420 --> 00:34:44.380
 the relationships

00:34:44.380 --> 00:34:45.000
 and the friendships

00:34:45.000 --> 00:34:45.900
 in your life.

00:34:45.940 --> 00:34:46.579
 If you don't,

00:34:47.079 --> 00:34:47.599
 you're going to live

00:34:47.599 --> 00:34:48.259
 a short life.

00:34:48.260 --> 00:34:51.020
 It's actually hurting you

00:34:51.020 --> 00:34:52.060
 and dehumanizing you.

00:34:52.600 --> 00:34:53.440
 The fact that you work

00:34:53.440 --> 00:34:54.100
 that much.

00:34:54.960 --> 00:34:55.840
 We need to be having

00:34:55.840 --> 00:34:56.660
 these conversations.

00:34:57.060 --> 00:34:58.000
 This is also a place

00:34:58.000 --> 00:34:58.640
 to learn how

00:34:58.640 --> 00:34:59.380
 to have friendships.

00:34:59.940 --> 00:35:00.920
 A gospel-centered church

00:35:00.920 --> 00:35:02.560
 can be a laboratory

00:35:02.560 --> 00:35:04.000
 for learning

00:35:04.000 --> 00:35:04.760
 how to be a friend

00:35:04.760 --> 00:35:06.100
 and how to have friends.

00:35:06.180 --> 00:35:06.400
 Listen,

00:35:06.760 --> 00:35:07.820
 friendship is a set

00:35:07.820 --> 00:35:08.460
 of skills,

00:35:08.580 --> 00:35:09.700
 a set of abilities

00:35:09.700 --> 00:35:10.300
 and aptitudes

00:35:10.300 --> 00:35:11.000
 that does not come

00:35:11.000 --> 00:35:11.760
 naturally to people.

00:35:11.920 --> 00:35:12.820
 We need to learn how.

00:35:12.880 --> 00:35:13.660
 And there are people here

00:35:13.660 --> 00:35:14.540
 who feel like they

00:35:14.540 --> 00:35:15.360
 continually fall

00:35:15.360 --> 00:35:16.380
 through the social cracks.

00:35:17.320 --> 00:35:18.300
 This needs to be a place

00:35:18.300 --> 00:35:19.300
 where those people

00:35:19.300 --> 00:35:20.860
 learn how to be friends

00:35:20.860 --> 00:35:22.019
 and have friends.

00:35:22.140 --> 00:35:22.720
 We need to have

00:35:22.720 --> 00:35:23.780
 these conversations

00:35:23.780 --> 00:35:26.039
 about what real friendship means.

00:35:26.280 --> 00:35:27.539
 It requires making,

00:35:27.700 --> 00:35:28.280
 in some cases,

00:35:28.519 --> 00:35:29.500
 major changes.

00:35:30.980 --> 00:35:32.099
 But if human relationships

00:35:32.099 --> 00:35:32.780
 are so central

00:35:32.780 --> 00:35:33.539
 to our humanness,

00:35:33.800 --> 00:35:34.700
 why would we not do

00:35:34.700 --> 00:35:36.000
 everything we can

00:35:36.000 --> 00:35:37.360
 to protect and nourish them?

00:35:39.000 --> 00:35:40.240
 So, as I said

00:35:40.240 --> 00:35:41.140
 at the beginning,

00:35:41.360 --> 00:35:42.059
 the third kind

00:35:42.059 --> 00:35:42.700
 of relationship

00:35:42.700 --> 00:35:43.660
 we're created for,

00:35:43.700 --> 00:35:44.740
 we looked at our relationship

00:35:44.739 --> 00:35:46.500
 with the world

00:35:46.500 --> 00:35:47.659
 as stewards

00:35:47.659 --> 00:35:48.359
 and we looked at

00:35:48.359 --> 00:35:49.319
 our relationship

00:35:49.319 --> 00:35:50.059
 with one another

00:35:50.059 --> 00:35:51.159
 and how vital that is

00:35:51.159 --> 00:35:52.679
 to our lives.

00:35:52.979 --> 00:35:53.799
 The third kind

00:35:53.799 --> 00:35:54.339
 of relationship

00:35:54.339 --> 00:35:54.879
 is the kind

00:35:54.879 --> 00:35:55.479
 of relationship

00:35:55.479 --> 00:35:56.959
 that we are designed

00:35:56.959 --> 00:35:58.759
 to have with God.

00:35:59.379 --> 00:36:01.059
 And we're going to spend,

00:36:01.659 --> 00:36:02.619
 in some ways,

00:36:02.679 --> 00:36:03.379
 this is what we talk

00:36:03.379 --> 00:36:04.119
 about every week.

00:36:04.859 --> 00:36:05.799
 We're going to get into it

00:36:05.799 --> 00:36:06.500
 in much more detail

00:36:06.500 --> 00:36:07.079
 next week,

00:36:07.219 --> 00:36:08.259
 but I will say,

00:36:08.339 --> 00:36:09.399
 I will say one thing.

00:36:09.459 --> 00:36:10.239
 I'll say this one thing

00:36:10.239 --> 00:36:11.399
 about this third relationship.

00:36:11.400 --> 00:36:14.460
 There's a reason

00:36:14.460 --> 00:36:15.780
 why virtually every society

00:36:15.780 --> 00:36:16.980
 across all cultures

00:36:16.980 --> 00:36:18.880
 and societies,

00:36:19.559 --> 00:36:20.420
 all places,

00:36:21.059 --> 00:36:22.079
 virtually every society

00:36:22.079 --> 00:36:22.940
 that has ever existed

00:36:22.940 --> 00:36:24.119
 has been religious.

00:36:24.960 --> 00:36:25.860
 There's a reason for that.

00:36:26.039 --> 00:36:26.940
 There's a reason why

00:36:26.940 --> 00:36:28.039
 when places like China

00:36:28.039 --> 00:36:29.280
 try to outlaw religion,

00:36:29.539 --> 00:36:31.579
 the opposite effect happens

00:36:31.579 --> 00:36:32.800
 and there's an explosion

00:36:32.800 --> 00:36:35.340
 of spiritual hunger.

00:36:35.340 --> 00:36:35.440
 children.

00:36:36.980 --> 00:36:38.559
 It's because we were made

00:36:38.559 --> 00:36:39.820
 to know the one

00:36:39.820 --> 00:36:41.360
 who made us.

00:36:41.980 --> 00:36:43.220
 And that is the good,

00:36:43.800 --> 00:36:45.579
 fundamentally good impulse

00:36:45.579 --> 00:36:47.200
 underneath all religions

00:36:47.200 --> 00:36:50.680
 is that desire.

00:36:51.200 --> 00:36:52.260
 You know, a few nights ago,

00:36:52.340 --> 00:36:54.100
 we had the senior leadership team

00:36:54.100 --> 00:36:55.120
 from this church,

00:36:55.240 --> 00:36:56.180
 All Souls Unitarian.

00:36:56.940 --> 00:36:58.420
 They came over to my house.

00:36:58.539 --> 00:36:59.220
 Some of our leadership

00:36:59.220 --> 00:36:59.720
 was there.

00:37:00.200 --> 00:37:02.340
 We had a wonderful conversation.

00:37:02.340 --> 00:37:04.760
 And it's very clear

00:37:04.760 --> 00:37:05.460
 that we disagree

00:37:05.460 --> 00:37:07.340
 on most issues.

00:37:08.039 --> 00:37:09.079
 But one of the things

00:37:09.079 --> 00:37:11.440
 as the Spirit worked

00:37:11.440 --> 00:37:12.500
 and as time passed

00:37:12.500 --> 00:37:13.820
 and as guards dropped

00:37:13.820 --> 00:37:15.700
 and as tears began to flow

00:37:15.700 --> 00:37:17.400
 and as arms uncrossed

00:37:17.400 --> 00:37:18.840
 and legs uncrossed

00:37:18.840 --> 00:37:20.320
 and postures became more open

00:37:20.320 --> 00:37:22.160
 and eye contact became deeper

00:37:22.160 --> 00:37:23.380
 and more prolonged,

00:37:24.680 --> 00:37:25.340
 one of the things

00:37:25.340 --> 00:37:26.340
 we were able to acknowledge together

00:37:26.860 --> 00:37:28.760
 is that we all

00:37:28.760 --> 00:37:29.840
 have a deep down

00:37:29.840 --> 00:37:30.680
 gnawing hunger

00:37:30.679 --> 00:37:32.539
 to know that we are loved by God.

00:37:35.679 --> 00:37:37.199
 That we're loved by God.

00:37:39.119 --> 00:37:40.599
 And it's because we were made

00:37:40.599 --> 00:37:41.259
 to know the one

00:37:41.259 --> 00:37:42.699
 who made us.

00:37:43.099 --> 00:37:44.440
 And all of these relationships

00:37:44.440 --> 00:37:45.399
 that we're talking about

00:37:45.399 --> 00:37:46.699
 are part of what it means

00:37:46.699 --> 00:37:48.139
 to be a human being.

00:37:48.219 --> 00:37:49.419
 Our relationship with creation.

00:37:49.779 --> 00:37:50.919
 Our relationship with one another.

00:37:51.219 --> 00:37:51.859
 Our relationship,

00:37:52.099 --> 00:37:52.779
 most importantly,

00:37:53.159 --> 00:37:54.059
 with God.

00:37:54.139 --> 00:37:55.319
 All tend toward

00:37:55.319 --> 00:37:57.039
 one or another of these.

00:37:57.119 --> 00:37:57.699
 You know, some of us

00:37:57.699 --> 00:37:59.139
 are very much

00:37:59.139 --> 00:37:59.899
 about the environment.

00:38:00.679 --> 00:38:01.279
 And some of us

00:38:01.279 --> 00:38:02.419
 are very much about community

00:38:02.419 --> 00:38:03.239
 and we love community.

00:38:03.779 --> 00:38:04.440
 And some of us

00:38:04.440 --> 00:38:05.259
 are very pious

00:38:05.259 --> 00:38:06.919
 and religiously observant people.

00:38:07.419 --> 00:38:07.679
 Right?

00:38:07.819 --> 00:38:08.940
 We all have our tendencies.

00:38:09.239 --> 00:38:10.739
 But the point this is making is

00:38:10.739 --> 00:38:14.159
 all three are required

00:38:14.159 --> 00:38:15.859
 for humanness.

00:38:16.179 --> 00:38:16.980
 You can't have one

00:38:16.980 --> 00:38:17.519
 without the other.

00:38:17.679 --> 00:38:18.339
 In other words,

00:38:19.239 --> 00:38:21.039
 the ecological landfills

00:38:21.039 --> 00:38:21.759
 that some of us

00:38:21.759 --> 00:38:22.819
 are so concerned about,

00:38:22.820 --> 00:38:26.320
 those are simply symptoms

00:38:26.320 --> 00:38:29.420
 of the spiritual landfill.

00:38:30.640 --> 00:38:32.420
 And you cannot address one

00:38:32.420 --> 00:38:34.260
 without addressing the other.

00:38:34.380 --> 00:38:35.420
 All of these are required.

00:38:35.539 --> 00:38:36.559
 You cannot have a relationship

00:38:36.559 --> 00:38:37.340
 with the Lord

00:38:37.340 --> 00:38:38.400
 that doesn't immediately

00:38:38.400 --> 00:38:39.500
 impact your relationships

00:38:39.500 --> 00:38:40.740
 with other people.

00:38:40.740 --> 00:38:41.620
 Because Jesus says

00:38:41.620 --> 00:38:42.460
 if we love Him,

00:38:42.559 --> 00:38:44.200
 we'll love one another.

00:38:46.200 --> 00:38:47.320
 We need all three.

00:38:47.420 --> 00:38:48.260
 And that's why the gospel

00:38:48.260 --> 00:38:49.980
 is such good news.

00:38:50.079 --> 00:38:51.000
 The good news is this,

00:38:51.059 --> 00:38:51.820
 that Jesus Christ

00:38:51.820 --> 00:38:52.719
 has come to restore

00:38:52.719 --> 00:38:54.420
 all of these relationships.

00:38:55.240 --> 00:38:55.920
 Through His death

00:38:55.920 --> 00:38:56.440
 and resurrection,

00:38:56.639 --> 00:38:58.179
 He reconciles us to God.

00:38:59.159 --> 00:39:00.920
 As He puts His Spirit in us

00:39:00.920 --> 00:39:02.260
 and as we follow Him,

00:39:02.460 --> 00:39:03.179
 we learn more

00:39:03.179 --> 00:39:03.719
 what it means

00:39:03.719 --> 00:39:04.639
 to love one another

00:39:04.639 --> 00:39:05.619
 as we're loved.

00:39:05.900 --> 00:39:06.500
 And then lastly,

00:39:06.579 --> 00:39:07.719
 His promise is to renew

00:39:07.719 --> 00:39:09.900
 the heavens and the earth.

00:39:10.860 --> 00:39:12.019
 Including our bodies.

00:39:14.119 --> 00:39:15.400
 This is why the gospel

00:39:15.400 --> 00:39:16.900
 is not only good news,

00:39:17.019 --> 00:39:18.699
 but there's no better news

00:39:18.699 --> 00:39:19.659
 imaginable

00:39:19.659 --> 00:39:20.879
 for human beings

00:39:20.879 --> 00:39:21.960
 than Jesus.

00:39:22.079 --> 00:39:23.199
 Because Jesus has come

00:39:23.199 --> 00:39:24.239
 for nothing less

00:39:24.239 --> 00:39:27.420
 than to make us

00:39:27.420 --> 00:39:29.039
 fully human once again.

00:39:30.079 --> 00:39:31.159
 That's the gospel.

00:39:31.339 --> 00:39:32.480
 That's what it's here to do.

00:39:33.420 --> 00:39:35.940
 The gospel restores to us

00:39:35.940 --> 00:39:37.259
 our humanity.

00:39:38.480 --> 00:39:39.199
 Let's pray.

00:39:41.199 --> 00:39:41.960
 Our Father,

00:39:42.059 --> 00:39:43.539
 we recognize that

00:39:43.539 --> 00:39:47.139
 for Your words

00:39:47.139 --> 00:39:47.839
 to penetrate,

00:39:47.840 --> 00:39:49.300
 to be planted

00:39:49.300 --> 00:39:50.019
 and to give life,

00:39:50.100 --> 00:39:51.200
 it requires Your Spirit.

00:39:51.460 --> 00:39:52.240
 We pray that

00:39:52.240 --> 00:39:53.820
 whatever has been said

00:39:53.820 --> 00:39:54.579
 that is not of You

00:39:54.579 --> 00:39:56.280
 would be removed

00:39:56.280 --> 00:39:57.059
 from our memory,

00:39:57.220 --> 00:39:59.980
 but whatever has been said

00:39:59.980 --> 00:40:01.240
 tonight that is Your Word,

00:40:01.380 --> 00:40:01.500
 Lord,

00:40:01.539 --> 00:40:02.059
 and we believe

00:40:02.059 --> 00:40:02.760
 this is Your Word,

00:40:02.840 --> 00:40:03.220
 that You,

00:40:03.320 --> 00:40:03.920
 by Your Spirit,

00:40:04.000 --> 00:40:04.900
 would plant it deep

00:40:04.900 --> 00:40:05.460
 in our hearts,

00:40:05.559 --> 00:40:07.100
 that it would bring new life

00:40:07.100 --> 00:40:08.880
 in and through us.

00:40:08.960 --> 00:40:09.920
 We pray this in Your Son's

00:40:09.920 --> 00:40:10.360
 holy name.

00:40:10.880 --> 00:40:11.159
 Amen.