WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.720 I want to share with you guys a little story about my friend David, King David, to be specific. 00:00:10.419 --> 00:00:16.780 And yeah, this is the record that he gave me to kind of tell his story, okay? 00:00:17.780 --> 00:00:23.740 So this is a challenging, powerful story, so I'm just going to read it with you guys. 00:00:23.739 --> 00:00:35.820 So in the spring of the year, when kings normally go out to war, David sent Joab and the Israelite army to fight the Ammonites. 00:00:36.799 --> 00:00:39.799 However, David stayed behind in Jerusalem. 00:00:41.060 --> 00:00:48.000 Then late one afternoon after his midday rest, David got out of bed and was walking on the roof of his palace. 00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:56.880 And as he looked over the city, he noticed a woman of unusual beauty taking a bath. 00:00:58.920 --> 00:01:03.060 And he sent someone to find out who she was, and he was told, 00:01:03.759 --> 00:01:08.120 She is Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite. 00:01:08.980 --> 00:01:12.079 Then David sent messengers to get her. 00:01:12.079 --> 00:01:17.460 And when she came to David's palace, he slept with her. 00:01:18.000 --> 00:01:19.819 And then she returned home. 00:01:21.280 --> 00:01:26.760 Later, when Bathsheba discovered that she was pregnant, she sent David a message saying, 00:01:27.599 --> 00:01:28.140 I'm pregnant. 00:01:29.500 --> 00:01:35.560 And I think in the story now, you can maybe imagine, it's not in the official record of David, 00:01:35.719 --> 00:01:40.099 but maybe just that sense of guilt and shame. 00:01:40.099 --> 00:01:49.479 Because as the king of Israel, he knew very well what God's design and God's heart and how God thought about adultery. 00:01:51.119 --> 00:01:57.199 And you can maybe just imagine if you were in his shoes, I know it might be hard to imagine yourself in the shoes of a king, 00:01:57.379 --> 00:02:01.679 but just this sense of, oh my goodness, what have I done? 00:02:01.680 --> 00:02:04.000 How did this happen? 00:02:06.580 --> 00:02:08.180 So the story continues. 00:02:09.480 --> 00:02:16.080 David was a smart man, so I think, so he, my friend, probably just kind of survival mode, instinct, 00:02:17.099 --> 00:02:19.420 figuring things out, kind of kicked in. 00:02:19.419 --> 00:02:21.439 And it says this, 00:02:21.439 --> 00:02:29.139 Then David sent word to Joab, the commander that he had sent out to fight the Ammonites. 00:02:29.959 --> 00:02:31.279 He sent word to Joab saying, 00:02:31.479 --> 00:02:33.899 Send me, Uriah the Hittite. 00:02:34.000 --> 00:02:35.659 So Joab sent him to David. 00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:41.259 And when Uriah arrived, David asked him how Joab and the army were getting along, 00:02:41.759 --> 00:02:45.119 how the war was progressing, you know, the good pleasantries like that. 00:02:45.120 --> 00:02:49.120 Then he told Uriah, go on home and relax. 00:02:50.500 --> 00:02:55.800 David even sent a gift to Uriah after he had left the palace. 00:02:56.800 --> 00:03:01.400 So you can imagine, you can probably guess, you know, why he wanted to send Uriah home, right? 00:03:01.480 --> 00:03:07.780 Because if Uriah went home, you know, obviously, you know, had a good night with his wife, 00:03:08.580 --> 00:03:10.280 everything would be patched up. 00:03:10.879 --> 00:03:13.560 Everything would look fine on the outside, right? 00:03:13.560 --> 00:03:17.500 The problem was this, Uriah didn't go home. 00:03:18.599 --> 00:03:23.060 He slept that night at the palace entrance with the king's palace guard. 00:03:23.719 --> 00:03:27.379 And when David heard that Uriah had not gone home, he summoned him and asked, 00:03:28.080 --> 00:03:28.759 What's the matter? 00:03:29.199 --> 00:03:33.780 Why didn't you go last night after being away for so long? 00:03:33.840 --> 00:03:35.039 And Uriah replied, 00:03:35.039 --> 00:03:58.199 Okay, so David responded, 00:03:58.199 --> 00:04:02.339 Well, stay here today and tomorrow you may return to the army. 00:04:03.579 --> 00:04:06.119 So you can probably imagine David's trying to think, 00:04:06.280 --> 00:04:11.179 What can I do to make this plan kind of work out? 00:04:12.939 --> 00:04:18.219 So the next day, David invited him to dinner and got him drunk. 00:04:18.220 --> 00:04:24.960 But even then, he couldn't get Uriah to go home to his wife. 00:04:25.820 --> 00:04:31.120 And again, Uriah slept at the palace entrance with the king's palace guard. 00:04:32.020 --> 00:04:36.620 So if you put yourself in David's shoes now, what do you do next? 00:04:36.620 --> 00:04:43.759 You can just probably imagine that sort of anxiety as he's, you know, maybe laying in bed and thinking, 00:04:44.019 --> 00:04:45.360 What am I going to do? 00:04:45.439 --> 00:04:47.680 How do I fix this? 00:04:47.759 --> 00:04:49.980 How do I cover this up? 00:04:51.019 --> 00:04:56.540 So the next morning, David wrote a letter to Joab and gave it to Uriah to deliver. 00:04:57.139 --> 00:05:00.720 So Uriah's going to deliver this letter to Joab, his commander. 00:05:00.720 --> 00:05:02.660 And the letter instructed Joab, 00:05:03.360 --> 00:05:07.560 Station Uriah on the front lines where the battle is fiercest. 00:05:08.580 --> 00:05:11.920 Then pull back so that he will be killed. 00:05:13.940 --> 00:05:18.880 So Joab obediently assigned Uriah to a spot close to the city wall 00:05:18.880 --> 00:05:23.520 where he knew the enemy's strongest men would be fighting. 00:05:24.800 --> 00:05:28.020 And when the enemy soldiers came out of the city to fight, 00:05:28.019 --> 00:05:33.919 Uriah the Hittite was killed along with several other Israelite soldiers. 00:05:36.180 --> 00:05:40.819 And if you've never heard this story before, I trust, I mean, some of you I know, you've heard that. 00:05:41.019 --> 00:05:42.000 You've never heard it before. 00:05:42.259 --> 00:05:45.240 You know, this is a good reminder for us. 00:05:46.359 --> 00:05:48.939 The main character is King David. 00:05:49.979 --> 00:05:51.319 And he wasn't just any king. 00:05:51.399 --> 00:05:52.899 You might kind of look at that story and say, 00:05:52.899 --> 00:05:56.279 Yeah, I know, you know, kings are messed up and they do crazy things all the time. 00:05:56.279 --> 00:06:05.739 But King David was one of the godliest and greatest kings ever to lead the people of ancient Israel. 00:06:07.679 --> 00:06:12.599 The Bible even describes him as a man after God's own heart. 00:06:13.459 --> 00:06:15.359 And that's quite the description. 00:06:16.379 --> 00:06:19.599 If anyone ever calls you a man or woman after God's own heart, 00:06:19.600 --> 00:06:25.040 Well, you can really kind of reflect on that and think if that's true or not. 00:06:27.540 --> 00:06:31.200 So here, David, the greatest, godliest king of Israel, 00:06:31.800 --> 00:06:33.740 described as the man of God's own heart, 00:06:34.280 --> 00:06:35.660 commits this treacherous thing. 00:06:36.040 --> 00:06:41.540 And although he was guilty of committing adultery and trying really hard to cover it up, 00:06:41.540 --> 00:06:44.640 and ultimately getting Uriah killed, 00:06:45.319 --> 00:06:48.080 the episode doesn't end there. 00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:49.740 Because when you read on in the story, 00:06:49.879 --> 00:06:52.240 you find that God sends the prophet Nathan 00:06:52.240 --> 00:06:55.420 to confront David about everything. 00:06:56.920 --> 00:06:58.340 And David confesses. 00:06:59.860 --> 00:07:01.220 He says this, 00:07:01.300 --> 00:07:03.759 I have sinned against the Lord. 00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:07.300 I have sinned against the Lord. 00:07:08.959 --> 00:07:13.079 And Nathan tells David that his sin will have consequences. 00:07:14.120 --> 00:07:16.019 Of course, his sins will have consequences. 00:07:16.319 --> 00:07:18.300 But David is forgiven, 00:07:18.939 --> 00:07:20.240 and he will not die. 00:07:22.060 --> 00:07:22.519 And so church, 00:07:22.680 --> 00:07:27.480 that's what makes David a man after God's own heart. 00:07:27.539 --> 00:07:28.779 Not that he was perfect, 00:07:28.779 --> 00:07:31.919 but when he was faced with that reality, 00:07:32.119 --> 00:07:35.599 when he was actually convicted and confronted with sin, 00:07:36.319 --> 00:07:38.079 he confessed genuinely, 00:07:38.639 --> 00:07:39.579 and he repented. 00:07:41.339 --> 00:07:44.799 And today we're going through a series on the Lord's Prayer. 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:46.159 Last week we talked about, 00:07:46.319 --> 00:07:48.039 God, your kingdom come. 00:07:49.519 --> 00:07:52.599 Today we're going to look at when Jesus teaches us to pray, 00:07:52.599 --> 00:07:54.099 our heavenly Father, 00:07:54.719 --> 00:07:56.500 forgive us our debts. 00:07:56.500 --> 00:07:59.420 I'll just kind of put that on the screen right now. 00:07:59.480 --> 00:08:01.079 Our Father in heaven, 00:08:01.879 --> 00:08:04.439 forgive our debts. 00:08:06.120 --> 00:08:07.500 And in this time, 00:08:07.579 --> 00:08:09.600 just in the next 20 minutes or so, 00:08:09.660 --> 00:08:11.480 I want to simply show us 00:08:11.480 --> 00:08:13.060 what Jesus meant by that 00:08:13.060 --> 00:08:13.639 when he said, 00:08:13.959 --> 00:08:14.740 forgive us our debts. 00:08:15.459 --> 00:08:19.259 And how do we actually put that into practice? 00:08:20.420 --> 00:08:21.839 And this story of David 00:08:21.839 --> 00:08:24.079 that I just kind of narrated for you 00:08:24.079 --> 00:08:27.879 is really helpful for us to understand debt, 00:08:28.139 --> 00:08:30.319 this nature of debt and forgiveness. 00:08:30.539 --> 00:08:34.460 Because the concept of debt is normally economic, right? 00:08:35.720 --> 00:08:38.360 When we think about money we owe to others, 00:08:38.480 --> 00:08:41.679 we will describe that as a debt to them. 00:08:42.679 --> 00:08:45.460 But when we think of debt at a broader level, 00:08:45.460 --> 00:08:50.199 and we kind of see how it applies to so much more than money. 00:08:50.200 --> 00:08:52.420 You know, when we look at King David, 00:08:53.480 --> 00:08:54.520 King David, 00:08:54.640 --> 00:08:56.160 the godliest, greatest king of Israel, 00:08:56.320 --> 00:08:58.000 God gives him everything 00:08:58.000 --> 00:09:01.320 so that he can represent God 00:09:01.320 --> 00:09:03.640 as the king of Israel 00:09:03.640 --> 00:09:05.020 and lead his people. 00:09:05.140 --> 00:09:07.540 But when he does these terrible things 00:09:07.540 --> 00:09:09.660 with what God has given him, 00:09:10.040 --> 00:09:11.379 with what he's received, 00:09:12.040 --> 00:09:13.480 using the idea of debt, 00:09:13.580 --> 00:09:17.280 we can say that David is now indebted to God 00:09:17.279 --> 00:09:19.819 because he failed so miserably 00:09:19.819 --> 00:09:22.879 to be the king that he was supposed to be. 00:09:24.819 --> 00:09:28.399 In the Bible, that's what God calls sin. 00:09:30.159 --> 00:09:33.179 So when we look at prayer and forgiveness today, 00:09:33.699 --> 00:09:35.199 I mean, if you haven't felt it already, 00:09:35.299 --> 00:09:36.679 my hope is that we realize 00:09:36.679 --> 00:09:39.500 that this should be a heavy topic. 00:09:39.740 --> 00:09:40.839 It is a heavy topic. 00:09:41.100 --> 00:09:42.319 When we look at David's life, 00:09:43.319 --> 00:09:44.959 you know, sin and spiritual debt 00:09:44.960 --> 00:09:48.259 touch every aspect of our lives. 00:09:49.700 --> 00:09:50.139 Everything. 00:09:51.080 --> 00:09:52.940 So we need to face it head on. 00:09:53.900 --> 00:09:55.200 And we need to look at what it means 00:09:55.200 --> 00:09:56.700 for us to pray regularly 00:09:56.700 --> 00:09:58.300 about forgiveness 00:09:58.300 --> 00:10:00.340 and all the issues that come with it. 00:10:02.040 --> 00:10:03.400 So if we're going to take 00:10:03.400 --> 00:10:04.680 the Lord's Prayer to heart, 00:10:04.879 --> 00:10:07.080 we, the first thing we must do 00:10:07.080 --> 00:10:08.960 is we've got to recognize 00:10:08.960 --> 00:10:13.320 just the magnitude of debt. 00:10:14.460 --> 00:10:15.860 It's not a small thing, 00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:17.680 the magnitude of it. 00:10:17.759 --> 00:10:20.160 And today, whether you're a Christian or not, 00:10:20.200 --> 00:10:21.560 you might look at David and say, 00:10:21.660 --> 00:10:24.500 well, you know, that's crazy, 00:10:24.900 --> 00:10:25.660 you know, what he did. 00:10:25.780 --> 00:10:27.300 And that's very messed up. 00:10:27.340 --> 00:10:29.660 I've never done anything like that. 00:10:29.740 --> 00:10:33.340 I mean, I've lived a pretty good life overall. 00:10:33.340 --> 00:10:34.759 And even those of us 00:10:34.759 --> 00:10:35.420 who've learned 00:10:35.420 --> 00:10:38.600 about the seriousness of sin 00:10:38.600 --> 00:10:40.840 and how God's standards are perfect, 00:10:41.660 --> 00:10:43.560 I think we can kind of drift back 00:10:43.560 --> 00:10:45.639 to thinking that we're not all that bad. 00:10:46.180 --> 00:10:47.399 You might not say that 00:10:47.399 --> 00:10:48.540 sort of intentionally 00:10:48.540 --> 00:10:49.740 and consciously in your head, 00:10:49.800 --> 00:10:50.780 but you might kind of just 00:10:50.780 --> 00:10:52.460 default back to thinking, 00:10:52.620 --> 00:10:53.460 oh, you know, 00:10:53.500 --> 00:10:55.100 maybe I was pretty bad at one point, 00:10:55.180 --> 00:10:56.060 but now I've recovered. 00:10:57.000 --> 00:10:58.580 Now I've gained my footing again. 00:10:58.720 --> 00:11:00.740 Now I'm on the way to righteousness. 00:11:01.420 --> 00:11:02.420 And I'm doing well. 00:11:02.419 --> 00:11:06.379 Now I remember back in university, 00:11:07.500 --> 00:11:08.379 way back when, 00:11:09.079 --> 00:11:11.439 when I was really far from God. 00:11:11.599 --> 00:11:13.299 I didn't really have any interest 00:11:13.299 --> 00:11:14.459 in following him. 00:11:14.559 --> 00:11:16.279 I would probably say 00:11:16.279 --> 00:11:18.519 that was kind of one of the low points 00:11:18.519 --> 00:11:19.740 in my life. 00:11:20.379 --> 00:11:21.819 Just completely engrossed 00:11:21.819 --> 00:11:23.199 with enjoying myself 00:11:23.199 --> 00:11:24.919 and, you know, 00:11:24.979 --> 00:11:26.679 spent a whole year 00:11:26.679 --> 00:11:27.980 just partying hard 00:11:27.980 --> 00:11:29.079 and working hard 00:11:29.079 --> 00:11:30.759 and just kind of doing my thing. 00:11:30.759 --> 00:11:31.939 I just remember making, 00:11:32.460 --> 00:11:33.860 I remember waking up one morning 00:11:33.860 --> 00:11:35.139 after about a whole year 00:11:35.139 --> 00:11:35.740 and just thinking, 00:11:36.419 --> 00:11:38.960 this can't be who I am. 00:11:39.259 --> 00:11:41.819 This can't be all that I am. 00:11:42.679 --> 00:11:44.279 There has to be more 00:11:44.279 --> 00:11:46.000 to this. 00:11:48.220 --> 00:11:49.319 And it was then 00:11:49.319 --> 00:11:50.700 that I really thought 00:11:50.700 --> 00:11:52.679 long and hard 00:11:52.679 --> 00:11:55.720 about God's purpose 00:11:55.720 --> 00:11:56.720 for creating me 00:11:56.720 --> 00:12:00.700 and how I might fulfill 00:12:00.700 --> 00:12:02.120 that purpose. 00:12:03.080 --> 00:12:05.120 And I came to the realization 00:12:05.120 --> 00:12:06.860 that some of you 00:12:06.860 --> 00:12:08.519 may have also come to realize 00:12:08.519 --> 00:12:10.680 that God created us 00:12:10.680 --> 00:12:12.220 to worship him 00:12:12.220 --> 00:12:14.100 with our entire lives 00:12:14.100 --> 00:12:16.060 so that every last part 00:12:16.060 --> 00:12:16.759 of our lives 00:12:16.759 --> 00:12:19.160 would reflect his glory 00:12:19.159 --> 00:12:21.139 and his goodness. 00:12:22.839 --> 00:12:23.879 And I definitely 00:12:23.879 --> 00:12:24.879 wasn't doing that 00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:25.559 in that year 00:12:25.559 --> 00:12:26.419 of partying hard 00:12:26.419 --> 00:12:27.240 and working hard. 00:12:27.939 --> 00:12:28.379 I mean, sure, 00:12:28.459 --> 00:12:29.879 I wasn't covering up 00:12:29.879 --> 00:12:30.919 adultery 00:12:30.919 --> 00:12:31.740 and I wasn't trying 00:12:31.740 --> 00:12:33.740 to get my classmates killed 00:12:33.740 --> 00:12:35.620 and my roommates killed. 00:12:35.759 --> 00:12:36.899 Sure, I wasn't doing that. 00:12:36.959 --> 00:12:38.259 But when I started reading 00:12:38.259 --> 00:12:39.319 the Gospels, 00:12:39.419 --> 00:12:40.419 when I started reading 00:12:40.419 --> 00:12:41.639 what Jesus said 00:12:41.639 --> 00:12:42.159 about anger 00:12:42.719 --> 00:12:44.220 and lust, 00:12:44.919 --> 00:12:45.839 that ultimately, 00:12:46.579 --> 00:12:47.319 to God, 00:12:47.320 --> 00:12:48.540 even the traces 00:12:48.540 --> 00:12:49.320 of anger 00:12:49.320 --> 00:12:49.879 and lust 00:12:49.879 --> 00:12:51.300 in my heart 00:12:51.300 --> 00:12:52.760 were to him 00:12:52.760 --> 00:12:53.520 the same 00:12:53.520 --> 00:12:55.900 ultimately as murder 00:12:55.900 --> 00:12:57.340 and adultery. 00:12:57.760 --> 00:12:57.920 You know, 00:12:58.080 --> 00:13:00.860 anger becoming murder 00:13:00.860 --> 00:13:03.340 and lust becoming adultery. 00:13:03.520 --> 00:13:03.680 These, 00:13:04.120 --> 00:13:04.980 I realized 00:13:04.980 --> 00:13:06.320 something profound 00:13:06.320 --> 00:13:07.200 that sin 00:13:07.200 --> 00:13:08.540 and death 00:13:08.540 --> 00:13:09.900 are not just 00:13:09.900 --> 00:13:10.980 about actions. 00:13:11.640 --> 00:13:11.920 Right? 00:13:13.520 --> 00:13:14.580 They're about 00:13:14.580 --> 00:13:15.360 the smallest 00:13:15.360 --> 00:13:16.340 of our motives, 00:13:16.340 --> 00:13:17.160 the smallest 00:13:17.160 --> 00:13:18.180 of our intentions, 00:13:18.759 --> 00:13:19.320 the smallest 00:13:19.320 --> 00:13:20.440 of our desires 00:13:20.440 --> 00:13:22.000 from the depths 00:13:22.000 --> 00:13:22.940 of our hearts. 00:13:24.600 --> 00:13:26.080 And every person 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:27.759 in this room, 00:13:27.879 --> 00:13:28.720 including myself, 00:13:28.820 --> 00:13:29.720 has mixed motives. 00:13:32.220 --> 00:13:33.300 Every person 00:13:33.300 --> 00:13:34.180 is capable 00:13:34.180 --> 00:13:36.519 of the darkest 00:13:36.519 --> 00:13:38.259 and most evil things 00:13:38.259 --> 00:13:39.540 when it's only happening 00:13:39.540 --> 00:13:40.840 in our minds. 00:13:40.940 --> 00:13:41.120 Right? 00:13:41.120 --> 00:13:43.259 And I would like 00:13:43.259 --> 00:13:43.659 to think 00:13:43.659 --> 00:13:44.179 that given 00:13:44.179 --> 00:13:44.899 a particular 00:13:44.899 --> 00:13:46.379 environment 00:13:46.379 --> 00:13:47.759 or a particular 00:13:47.759 --> 00:13:48.639 circumstance 00:13:48.639 --> 00:13:49.899 or a particular 00:13:49.899 --> 00:13:51.019 upbringing, 00:13:51.220 --> 00:13:52.299 I would easily 00:13:52.299 --> 00:13:53.200 be capable 00:13:53.200 --> 00:13:55.240 of turning 00:13:55.240 --> 00:13:56.240 those desires 00:13:56.240 --> 00:13:57.720 and letting them 00:13:57.720 --> 00:13:58.940 manifest in actions. 00:13:59.820 --> 00:14:00.360 You just need 00:14:00.360 --> 00:14:01.299 the right environment. 00:14:01.299 --> 00:14:01.519 Right? 00:14:03.720 --> 00:14:05.139 Pure motives 00:14:05.139 --> 00:14:06.340 count. 00:14:06.340 --> 00:14:08.440 And if you think 00:14:08.440 --> 00:14:08.840 about it, 00:14:08.980 --> 00:14:09.820 we as humans, 00:14:09.920 --> 00:14:10.440 we certainly 00:14:10.440 --> 00:14:11.519 care about humans. 00:14:11.840 --> 00:14:12.139 I mean, 00:14:12.220 --> 00:14:12.940 human motives, 00:14:13.019 --> 00:14:13.200 right? 00:14:13.620 --> 00:14:13.879 I mean, 00:14:14.940 --> 00:14:15.620 just think about it 00:14:15.620 --> 00:14:15.960 honestly. 00:14:16.200 --> 00:14:16.940 If you looked 00:14:16.940 --> 00:14:17.879 at your spouse 00:14:17.879 --> 00:14:19.019 or your child 00:14:19.019 --> 00:14:20.940 or your parents 00:14:20.940 --> 00:14:23.620 and they only 00:14:23.620 --> 00:14:24.440 acted 00:14:24.440 --> 00:14:26.360 like they loved you, 00:14:27.740 --> 00:14:28.940 how would you feel? 00:14:29.580 --> 00:14:29.759 You know, 00:14:29.780 --> 00:14:30.320 they acted, 00:14:30.460 --> 00:14:31.060 they're the best 00:14:31.060 --> 00:14:32.120 Oscar award winning 00:14:32.120 --> 00:14:33.000 actor and they 00:14:33.000 --> 00:14:33.920 acted great 00:14:33.919 --> 00:14:35.199 like they loved you 00:14:35.199 --> 00:14:36.620 day after day 00:14:36.620 --> 00:14:37.559 after day. 00:14:37.679 --> 00:14:38.339 Oscar winning 00:14:38.339 --> 00:14:39.059 performances, 00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:39.860 but inside 00:14:39.860 --> 00:14:40.500 there was no 00:14:40.500 --> 00:14:41.279 real desire 00:14:41.279 --> 00:14:43.059 or at least 00:14:43.059 --> 00:14:43.639 the motives, 00:14:43.799 --> 00:14:44.299 the intentions 00:14:44.299 --> 00:14:45.360 were really mixed. 00:14:45.459 --> 00:14:45.979 How would you 00:14:45.979 --> 00:14:46.819 feel about that? 00:14:48.379 --> 00:14:49.059 And if you 00:14:49.059 --> 00:14:49.959 care about those 00:14:49.959 --> 00:14:50.319 motives, 00:14:50.479 --> 00:14:51.500 how much more 00:14:51.500 --> 00:14:52.259 do your motives 00:14:52.259 --> 00:14:53.620 matter when it 00:14:53.620 --> 00:14:54.319 comes to the 00:14:54.319 --> 00:14:55.179 perfect God 00:14:55.179 --> 00:14:56.439 who created you? 00:14:57.659 --> 00:14:58.599 How much more 00:14:58.599 --> 00:14:59.319 would that matter? 00:15:00.939 --> 00:15:01.620 So the key 00:15:01.620 --> 00:15:02.099 to this 00:15:02.099 --> 00:15:03.279 is realizing 00:15:03.279 --> 00:15:04.059 that debt 00:15:04.059 --> 00:15:04.959 is a big 00:15:04.959 --> 00:15:05.659 deal. 00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:06.860 It's a serious 00:15:06.860 --> 00:15:07.339 thing 00:15:07.339 --> 00:15:09.259 when it's 00:15:09.259 --> 00:15:09.819 to God, 00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:10.639 the perfect 00:15:10.639 --> 00:15:11.459 God. 00:15:12.199 --> 00:15:13.240 When you owe 00:15:13.240 --> 00:15:14.120 a debt to God, 00:15:14.220 --> 00:15:14.779 that debt 00:15:14.779 --> 00:15:15.699 is massive. 00:15:16.360 --> 00:15:16.720 Why? 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:17.939 Because God 00:15:17.939 --> 00:15:18.959 is the perfect 00:15:18.959 --> 00:15:19.699 embodiment 00:15:19.699 --> 00:15:20.839 of everything 00:15:20.839 --> 00:15:22.159 that is good. 00:15:22.860 --> 00:15:24.000 Perfect motives, 00:15:24.740 --> 00:15:25.980 perfect actions. 00:15:26.679 --> 00:15:27.100 And so when 00:15:27.100 --> 00:15:27.939 he has called 00:15:27.939 --> 00:15:28.620 us to be 00:15:28.620 --> 00:15:29.220 like that 00:15:29.220 --> 00:15:30.159 in our lives 00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:31.839 and we fail 00:15:31.839 --> 00:15:32.379 to live up 00:15:32.379 --> 00:15:32.679 to that 00:15:32.679 --> 00:15:33.139 calling, 00:15:34.820 --> 00:15:35.259 the debt 00:15:35.259 --> 00:15:35.799 is massive. 00:15:37.460 --> 00:15:38.139 So the reality 00:15:38.139 --> 00:15:38.879 is today, 00:15:38.980 --> 00:15:39.120 you know, 00:15:39.179 --> 00:15:39.919 if any of us 00:15:39.919 --> 00:15:40.740 think that we 00:15:40.740 --> 00:15:41.439 are somehow 00:15:41.439 --> 00:15:41.980 good enough 00:15:41.980 --> 00:15:42.639 to pay that 00:15:42.639 --> 00:15:42.860 debt, 00:15:42.960 --> 00:15:43.439 I think we're 00:15:43.439 --> 00:15:44.200 just delusional. 00:15:45.200 --> 00:15:45.340 You know, 00:15:45.379 --> 00:15:45.960 those mixed 00:15:45.960 --> 00:15:46.939 motives in my 00:15:46.939 --> 00:15:47.399 heart mean 00:15:47.399 --> 00:15:48.120 that I can 00:15:48.120 --> 00:15:49.620 never reflect 00:15:49.620 --> 00:15:50.679 God's glory 00:15:50.679 --> 00:15:51.500 the way I 00:15:51.500 --> 00:15:52.179 was intended 00:15:52.179 --> 00:15:52.679 to. 00:15:53.600 --> 00:15:54.159 Just going 00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:54.899 back to the 00:15:54.899 --> 00:15:56.080 debt idea, 00:15:56.220 --> 00:15:56.340 right? 00:15:56.379 --> 00:15:57.200 If you are 00:15:57.200 --> 00:15:57.940 permanently 00:15:57.940 --> 00:15:59.000 bankrupt, 00:15:59.639 --> 00:16:00.159 if you are 00:16:00.159 --> 00:16:00.740 permanently 00:16:00.740 --> 00:16:01.620 insolvent, 00:16:01.719 --> 00:16:02.539 how on earth 00:16:02.539 --> 00:16:03.419 can you 00:16:03.419 --> 00:16:03.839 pay your 00:16:03.839 --> 00:16:04.139 debts? 00:16:06.419 --> 00:16:06.980 Right? 00:16:07.199 --> 00:16:07.519 You have 00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:07.899 nothing, 00:16:08.279 --> 00:16:09.019 nothing to 00:16:09.019 --> 00:16:09.579 pay back. 00:16:12.620 --> 00:16:13.379 And although 00:16:13.379 --> 00:16:13.860 that was a 00:16:13.860 --> 00:16:14.740 rhetorical question, 00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:15.399 you may have 00:16:15.399 --> 00:16:15.959 guessed the 00:16:15.959 --> 00:16:17.339 answer is 00:16:17.339 --> 00:16:18.860 Jesus Christ. 00:16:19.639 --> 00:16:20.339 Since we 00:16:20.339 --> 00:16:21.439 cannot possibly 00:16:21.439 --> 00:16:22.100 live that 00:16:22.100 --> 00:16:22.839 perfect life, 00:16:23.379 --> 00:16:24.240 God lived it 00:16:24.240 --> 00:16:26.179 through Jesus. 00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:27.120 He lived that 00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:27.939 perfect life 00:16:27.939 --> 00:16:28.579 through Jesus 00:16:28.580 --> 00:16:28.940 Christ. 00:16:29.080 --> 00:16:29.500 And since 00:16:29.500 --> 00:16:30.440 the only 00:16:30.440 --> 00:16:31.320 way for us 00:16:31.320 --> 00:16:31.920 to pay 00:16:31.920 --> 00:16:32.759 the debt 00:16:32.759 --> 00:16:33.280 is through 00:16:33.280 --> 00:16:33.980 death and 00:16:33.980 --> 00:16:34.960 separation from 00:16:34.960 --> 00:16:35.340 God, 00:16:36.360 --> 00:16:36.920 Jesus was 00:16:36.920 --> 00:16:38.240 crucified and 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:39.160 separated from 00:16:39.160 --> 00:16:40.520 God on our 00:16:40.520 --> 00:16:40.940 behalf. 00:16:42.940 --> 00:16:44.040 So this 00:16:44.040 --> 00:16:45.320 is the first 00:16:45.320 --> 00:16:46.139 step for us 00:16:46.139 --> 00:16:46.780 to remember. 00:16:48.320 --> 00:16:49.259 We need to 00:16:49.259 --> 00:16:50.360 put our faith 00:16:50.360 --> 00:16:51.020 in Jesus 00:16:51.020 --> 00:16:52.759 Christ and 00:16:52.759 --> 00:16:53.340 what he did 00:16:53.340 --> 00:16:53.780 for us. 00:16:53.840 --> 00:16:54.280 We need to 00:16:54.280 --> 00:16:55.400 do that every 00:16:55.400 --> 00:16:56.460 day. 00:16:56.460 --> 00:16:56.800 And if 00:16:56.800 --> 00:16:57.300 you're in 00:16:57.300 --> 00:16:58.340 this room 00:16:58.340 --> 00:16:58.840 today and 00:16:58.840 --> 00:16:59.280 you've never 00:16:59.280 --> 00:16:59.720 put your 00:16:59.720 --> 00:17:00.240 faith in 00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:00.960 Christ before, 00:17:02.320 --> 00:17:03.300 today is as 00:17:03.300 --> 00:17:04.019 good a day as 00:17:04.019 --> 00:17:04.720 any, I think, 00:17:05.299 --> 00:17:06.259 to do that. 00:17:07.259 --> 00:17:08.200 Because Christ 00:17:08.200 --> 00:17:08.819 is the only 00:17:08.819 --> 00:17:11.440 way that a 00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:12.039 bankrupt, 00:17:13.960 --> 00:17:14.559 insolvent 00:17:14.559 --> 00:17:16.200 people can 00:17:16.200 --> 00:17:16.920 pay back that 00:17:16.920 --> 00:17:17.319 debt to 00:17:17.319 --> 00:17:17.660 Jesus. 00:17:20.059 --> 00:17:20.640 Now you 00:17:20.640 --> 00:17:20.980 might be 00:17:20.980 --> 00:17:21.500 sitting in your 00:17:21.500 --> 00:17:21.940 chair and 00:17:21.940 --> 00:17:22.319 thinking, 00:17:22.819 --> 00:17:23.380 well I know 00:17:23.380 --> 00:17:23.819 that, I've 00:17:23.819 --> 00:17:24.240 heard that 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:24.759 before. 00:17:24.759 --> 00:17:25.160 And the 00:17:25.160 --> 00:17:25.819 truth is, I 00:17:25.819 --> 00:17:26.579 have, because 00:17:26.579 --> 00:17:27.420 everything I 00:17:27.420 --> 00:17:27.879 just shared 00:17:27.879 --> 00:17:28.640 with you, I 00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:29.480 realized all 00:17:29.480 --> 00:17:30.920 of that 13 00:17:30.920 --> 00:17:31.720 years ago when 00:17:31.720 --> 00:17:33.579 I woke up that 00:17:33.579 --> 00:17:34.480 morning and 00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:35.379 thought to 00:17:35.379 --> 00:17:36.119 myself, my 00:17:36.119 --> 00:17:36.759 life is so 00:17:36.759 --> 00:17:37.180 stupid. 00:17:38.660 --> 00:17:39.619 All this days 00:17:39.619 --> 00:17:40.180 and days of 00:17:40.180 --> 00:17:40.859 partying and 00:17:40.859 --> 00:17:41.660 studying hard, 00:17:42.140 --> 00:17:42.660 what's the 00:17:42.660 --> 00:17:42.920 point? 00:17:43.279 --> 00:17:43.940 I'm just 00:17:43.940 --> 00:17:45.019 going to do 00:17:45.019 --> 00:17:46.059 more tests and 00:17:46.059 --> 00:17:46.980 work for the 00:17:46.980 --> 00:17:47.839 next job and 00:17:47.839 --> 00:17:48.319 work for the 00:17:48.319 --> 00:17:48.980 next promotion 00:17:48.980 --> 00:17:49.759 and work and 00:17:49.759 --> 00:17:50.259 work and work 00:17:50.259 --> 00:17:51.839 until the day I 00:17:51.839 --> 00:17:52.140 die. 00:17:52.140 --> 00:17:54.080 And it was 00:17:54.080 --> 00:17:54.900 just an endless 00:17:54.900 --> 00:17:57.360 search for the 00:17:57.360 --> 00:17:58.320 next thing. 00:17:59.240 --> 00:17:59.700 And I just 00:17:59.700 --> 00:18:00.900 woke up and I 00:18:00.900 --> 00:18:01.460 started thinking, 00:18:01.600 --> 00:18:02.140 wow, this is 00:18:02.140 --> 00:18:02.880 really meaningless 00:18:02.880 --> 00:18:03.400 and really 00:18:03.400 --> 00:18:03.740 hopeless. 00:18:03.860 --> 00:18:04.840 I realized all 00:18:04.840 --> 00:18:06.100 of that that 00:18:06.100 --> 00:18:06.900 day 13 years 00:18:06.900 --> 00:18:07.160 ago. 00:18:07.259 --> 00:18:07.940 And as I 00:18:07.940 --> 00:18:09.100 learned how to 00:18:09.100 --> 00:18:10.460 follow Jesus, 00:18:11.480 --> 00:18:12.240 as I learned in 00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:13.180 the Gospels what 00:18:13.180 --> 00:18:14.060 it looked like to 00:18:14.060 --> 00:18:15.300 actually find true 00:18:15.300 --> 00:18:16.880 purpose and meaning 00:18:16.880 --> 00:18:17.980 in my life and 00:18:17.980 --> 00:18:19.200 thinking about how 00:18:19.200 --> 00:18:20.340 God designed me, 00:18:20.339 --> 00:18:21.720 as God worked 00:18:21.720 --> 00:18:22.459 in my life, 00:18:22.779 --> 00:18:23.619 yes, I did 00:18:23.619 --> 00:18:24.740 grow, I did 00:18:24.740 --> 00:18:26.659 mature, I 00:18:26.659 --> 00:18:27.619 realized all those 00:18:27.619 --> 00:18:28.220 things that I 00:18:28.220 --> 00:18:29.139 just described to 00:18:29.139 --> 00:18:29.339 you. 00:18:30.319 --> 00:18:31.279 But then something 00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:31.759 happened. 00:18:32.980 --> 00:18:34.299 As I grew, as I 00:18:34.299 --> 00:18:35.659 mature, I started 00:18:35.659 --> 00:18:37.279 to forget the 00:18:37.279 --> 00:18:38.139 depths of my sin. 00:18:40.019 --> 00:18:41.199 I started to 00:18:41.199 --> 00:18:41.980 kind of think, 00:18:42.139 --> 00:18:44.019 oh, maybe I'm 00:18:44.019 --> 00:18:44.859 good enough now 00:18:44.859 --> 00:18:46.000 because I started 00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:46.799 to do a lot of 00:18:46.799 --> 00:18:47.579 the right things. 00:18:47.579 --> 00:18:51.460 I had sort of 00:18:51.460 --> 00:18:52.099 built this 00:18:52.099 --> 00:18:53.059 reputation of 00:18:53.059 --> 00:18:54.500 being a 00:18:54.500 --> 00:18:55.339 mature person. 00:18:55.579 --> 00:18:56.259 I think someone 00:18:56.259 --> 00:18:57.139 might even have 00:18:57.139 --> 00:18:58.899 dared to call me 00:18:58.899 --> 00:19:00.699 or pray that I 00:19:00.699 --> 00:19:01.659 was a man after 00:19:01.659 --> 00:19:02.579 God's own heart. 00:19:04.119 --> 00:19:05.220 Maybe just once. 00:19:06.639 --> 00:19:07.639 And I think I 00:19:07.639 --> 00:19:08.720 had achieved the 00:19:08.720 --> 00:19:10.500 status of being 00:19:10.500 --> 00:19:11.859 a mature or 00:19:11.859 --> 00:19:13.379 good Christian, 00:19:13.699 --> 00:19:14.179 whatever that 00:19:14.179 --> 00:19:14.619 means. 00:19:14.619 --> 00:19:16.799 and I felt 00:19:16.799 --> 00:19:17.759 more happy about 00:19:17.759 --> 00:19:18.339 what I had 00:19:18.339 --> 00:19:18.619 done. 00:19:19.639 --> 00:19:20.279 I might not 00:19:20.279 --> 00:19:20.879 have consciously 00:19:20.879 --> 00:19:21.479 thought that, 00:19:21.579 --> 00:19:22.199 but I started to 00:19:22.199 --> 00:19:23.099 feel more happy 00:19:23.099 --> 00:19:24.559 about what I 00:19:24.559 --> 00:19:25.739 had done than 00:19:25.739 --> 00:19:26.779 what Jesus had 00:19:26.779 --> 00:19:27.219 done on the 00:19:27.219 --> 00:19:27.559 cross. 00:19:28.599 --> 00:19:29.039 And Jesus 00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:30.079 became a nice 00:19:30.079 --> 00:19:30.919 name for my 00:19:30.919 --> 00:19:32.099 identity, Christ 00:19:32.099 --> 00:19:33.379 follower, Christian, 00:19:34.539 --> 00:19:35.519 a church leader, 00:19:35.699 --> 00:19:36.139 a fellowship 00:19:36.139 --> 00:19:36.519 leader. 00:19:36.619 --> 00:19:37.000 It became a 00:19:37.000 --> 00:19:38.559 nice name, a 00:19:38.559 --> 00:19:39.699 nice title for my 00:19:39.699 --> 00:19:40.399 identity, but 00:19:40.399 --> 00:19:41.539 Jesus actually 00:19:41.539 --> 00:19:42.439 wasn't the one I 00:19:42.439 --> 00:19:44.579 depended on 100% 00:19:44.579 --> 00:19:47.460 to pay that 00:19:47.460 --> 00:19:48.099 debt that I 00:19:48.099 --> 00:19:48.859 needed to pay. 00:19:50.919 --> 00:19:51.599 And now kind of 00:19:51.599 --> 00:19:52.419 looking back in 00:19:52.419 --> 00:19:53.259 that journey, man, 00:19:53.299 --> 00:19:54.599 how arrogant and 00:19:54.599 --> 00:19:56.079 prideful was I 00:19:56.079 --> 00:19:57.899 to think that 00:19:57.899 --> 00:19:59.419 somehow, you 00:19:59.419 --> 00:19:59.919 know, through my 00:19:59.919 --> 00:20:01.159 own talents and 00:20:01.159 --> 00:20:02.199 effort and whatever 00:20:02.199 --> 00:20:03.339 other attributes, I 00:20:03.339 --> 00:20:04.159 was becoming a 00:20:04.159 --> 00:20:04.879 better person. 00:20:05.720 --> 00:20:06.319 I was getting 00:20:06.319 --> 00:20:07.299 closer to God. 00:20:08.319 --> 00:20:09.039 And I must 00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:09.919 confess to you 00:20:09.919 --> 00:20:12.480 today, I need to 00:20:12.480 --> 00:20:13.039 come back to 00:20:13.039 --> 00:20:13.720 Jesus too. 00:20:14.579 --> 00:20:16.319 And I 00:20:16.319 --> 00:20:16.899 understand it's 00:20:16.899 --> 00:20:17.619 not that simple. 00:20:17.740 --> 00:20:18.379 I understand that 00:20:18.379 --> 00:20:19.639 some of you have 00:20:19.639 --> 00:20:21.059 really given credit 00:20:21.059 --> 00:20:22.059 to God for what 00:20:22.059 --> 00:20:22.679 he's done in your 00:20:22.679 --> 00:20:24.559 life, for how your 00:20:24.559 --> 00:20:25.199 hearts have been 00:20:25.199 --> 00:20:26.179 transformed, because 00:20:26.179 --> 00:20:27.439 so have I. 00:20:27.480 --> 00:20:29.119 I've given plenty of 00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:30.099 credit to God in my 00:20:30.099 --> 00:20:32.059 life, which is why I 00:20:32.059 --> 00:20:33.139 know from experience 00:20:33.139 --> 00:20:35.099 that we'll always have 00:20:35.099 --> 00:20:36.379 this temptation to 00:20:36.379 --> 00:20:38.199 credit ourselves, to 00:20:38.199 --> 00:20:39.939 start feeling a sense 00:20:39.939 --> 00:20:40.899 that we've done it, 00:20:40.980 --> 00:20:42.099 we've finally reached 00:20:42.099 --> 00:20:42.839 that plateau. 00:20:44.839 --> 00:20:45.819 And that's why I 00:20:45.819 --> 00:20:47.219 love this cross 00:20:47.219 --> 00:20:48.000 chart that we've 00:20:48.000 --> 00:20:48.699 shown to you 00:20:48.699 --> 00:20:49.159 before. 00:20:50.519 --> 00:20:51.539 This cross 00:20:51.539 --> 00:20:53.119 chart is a 00:20:53.119 --> 00:20:54.539 description of how 00:20:54.539 --> 00:20:56.959 in our journey, 00:20:58.000 --> 00:20:59.119 spiritual journey, 00:21:00.159 --> 00:21:02.599 true maturity is 00:21:02.599 --> 00:21:04.619 actually a growing 00:21:04.619 --> 00:21:06.259 awareness of God's 00:21:06.259 --> 00:21:06.619 holiness. 00:21:06.619 --> 00:21:06.819 holiness. 00:21:08.359 --> 00:21:09.439 It's not that God 00:21:09.439 --> 00:21:10.439 becomes more holy, 00:21:10.559 --> 00:21:11.459 he's been pretty holy, 00:21:11.559 --> 00:21:12.679 I think, through all 00:21:12.679 --> 00:21:13.299 of eternity. 00:21:13.899 --> 00:21:15.099 But our growing 00:21:15.099 --> 00:21:18.259 awareness of it, and 00:21:18.259 --> 00:21:20.159 a growing awareness of 00:21:20.159 --> 00:21:22.859 my own sinfulness, that's 00:21:22.859 --> 00:21:24.079 spiritual maturity. 00:21:24.079 --> 00:21:27.859 recognizing that any 00:21:27.859 --> 00:21:29.480 given moment, there's a 00:21:29.480 --> 00:21:30.759 darkness in your soul, 00:21:30.879 --> 00:21:31.779 in your heart, there's 00:21:31.779 --> 00:21:33.699 mixed motives that will 00:21:33.699 --> 00:21:35.179 never truly go away, and 00:21:35.179 --> 00:21:36.480 even as you wrestle and 00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:38.379 grow in holiness, grow in 00:21:38.379 --> 00:21:39.500 obedience, grow in 00:21:39.500 --> 00:21:40.960 serving God and being 00:21:40.960 --> 00:21:42.759 obedient to him, actually 00:21:42.759 --> 00:21:44.339 the very depths of your 00:21:44.339 --> 00:21:46.099 soul are still tainted, 00:21:46.240 --> 00:21:47.240 and there's always this 00:21:47.240 --> 00:21:49.919 growing sense of your own 00:21:49.919 --> 00:21:50.500 sinfulness. 00:21:50.500 --> 00:21:50.640 righteousness. 00:21:51.960 --> 00:21:52.940 And that's when you 00:21:52.940 --> 00:21:54.400 realize that the cross 00:21:54.400 --> 00:21:56.200 becomes magnified, it 00:21:56.200 --> 00:21:57.539 becomes greater and 00:21:57.539 --> 00:21:57.900 greater. 00:21:58.460 --> 00:22:00.160 Not that Jesus' salvation 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:02.619 and sort of the resurrection 00:22:02.619 --> 00:22:04.440 sort of has become 00:22:04.440 --> 00:22:05.940 greater, but your growing 00:22:05.940 --> 00:22:09.359 awareness of the value of 00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:14.599 Jesus just kind of comes 00:22:14.599 --> 00:22:15.240 back at you. 00:22:15.299 --> 00:22:17.539 God, you have done such an 00:22:17.539 --> 00:22:18.339 amazing thing. 00:22:18.339 --> 00:22:20.839 I didn't even realize how 00:22:20.839 --> 00:22:22.559 great my debt was 13 years 00:22:22.559 --> 00:22:22.879 ago. 00:22:25.059 --> 00:22:27.019 And hopefully 13 years from 00:22:27.019 --> 00:22:28.319 now, I will realize even 00:22:28.319 --> 00:22:28.679 more. 00:22:29.599 --> 00:22:31.079 That was a debt I could not 00:22:31.079 --> 00:22:32.459 repay and no amount of good 00:22:32.459 --> 00:22:34.980 performance could have 00:22:34.980 --> 00:22:36.099 repaid. 00:22:36.220 --> 00:22:38.480 You know, think about the 00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:40.399 last time you felt genuine 00:22:40.399 --> 00:22:43.099 emotion about that cross. 00:22:43.099 --> 00:22:48.019 in complete awe of that cross 00:22:48.019 --> 00:22:48.779 of Calvary. 00:22:49.159 --> 00:22:50.879 Like if you were a man on 00:22:50.879 --> 00:22:52.619 death row and you have now 00:22:52.619 --> 00:22:53.859 been pardoned. 00:22:55.439 --> 00:22:57.000 Maybe imagine that you were 00:22:57.000 --> 00:22:59.519 an orphan thinking back to 00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:00.039 the day. 00:23:00.240 --> 00:23:02.519 You're an orphan with loving 00:23:02.519 --> 00:23:03.799 parents right now thinking 00:23:03.799 --> 00:23:05.199 back to the day that you 00:23:05.199 --> 00:23:07.199 heard the news that you were 00:23:07.199 --> 00:23:07.980 going to be adopted. 00:23:07.980 --> 00:23:11.559 It's pretty amazing, right? 00:23:12.360 --> 00:23:15.019 And the cross is infinitely 00:23:15.019 --> 00:23:17.299 more amazing than that. 00:23:18.660 --> 00:23:20.539 And how you feel about it 00:23:20.539 --> 00:23:22.000 today just might be an 00:23:22.000 --> 00:23:24.940 indicator of how much you 00:23:24.940 --> 00:23:28.019 recognize and you continue to 00:23:28.019 --> 00:23:29.460 recognize the size of your 00:23:29.460 --> 00:23:33.079 debt and how much it cost God 00:23:33.079 --> 00:23:34.240 to absorb that debt. 00:23:34.240 --> 00:23:37.319 You know, Jesus taught us to 00:23:37.319 --> 00:23:40.019 pray, forgive us our debts 00:23:40.019 --> 00:23:42.839 as a model for our prayer 00:23:42.839 --> 00:23:43.339 lives. 00:23:43.660 --> 00:23:45.400 To remember that debt. 00:23:46.700 --> 00:23:48.359 To remember the size and 00:23:48.359 --> 00:23:50.400 magnitude of that debt. 00:23:51.680 --> 00:23:54.099 It's clear that he wanted us 00:23:54.099 --> 00:23:57.400 to remember our constant need 00:23:57.400 --> 00:23:59.259 for forgiveness. 00:24:00.220 --> 00:24:02.740 Yes, the cross has showed us 00:24:02.740 --> 00:24:03.960 that we have been forgiven. 00:24:04.240 --> 00:24:06.240 once and for all. 00:24:06.359 --> 00:24:08.559 But we are still imperfect. 00:24:08.799 --> 00:24:11.160 We are still full of mixed 00:24:11.160 --> 00:24:11.700 motives. 00:24:13.799 --> 00:24:16.220 And we still fall short daily 00:24:16.220 --> 00:24:18.359 of God's perfect standard. 00:24:18.539 --> 00:24:20.519 Every day, there's a part of 00:24:20.519 --> 00:24:22.480 my life, however small, that 00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:24.539 still says to God, God, I 00:24:24.539 --> 00:24:25.519 don't need you in this. 00:24:26.420 --> 00:24:27.900 I don't need you in my life. 00:24:28.339 --> 00:24:29.779 I want to live my way. 00:24:30.559 --> 00:24:31.759 I'm the God of my life. 00:24:31.819 --> 00:24:32.980 And sure, you might not say 00:24:32.980 --> 00:24:34.220 that verbally, but in your 00:24:34.220 --> 00:24:35.779 heart, there's things where 00:24:35.779 --> 00:24:38.299 you're effectively, de facto, 00:24:38.299 --> 00:24:39.720 saying that to God. 00:24:41.720 --> 00:24:43.759 So this aspect of prayer, 00:24:43.960 --> 00:24:45.400 forgive us our debts that 00:24:45.400 --> 00:24:47.420 Jesus modeled for us, it's 00:24:47.420 --> 00:24:49.180 really about confession. 00:24:50.759 --> 00:24:52.240 Confessing our debts to God and 00:24:52.240 --> 00:24:54.140 our need for his forgiveness. 00:24:54.140 --> 00:24:54.340 forgiveness. 00:24:55.340 --> 00:24:56.580 And the reason why I don't 00:24:56.580 --> 00:24:58.280 confess to a human priest 00:24:58.280 --> 00:25:00.840 is because I know that Jesus 00:25:00.840 --> 00:25:03.340 Christ is the high priest and 00:25:03.340 --> 00:25:05.440 he is the only person I need 00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:07.720 to access God and to access 00:25:07.720 --> 00:25:09.140 God's forgiveness. 00:25:09.920 --> 00:25:11.880 But the practice of forgiveness 00:25:11.880 --> 00:25:14.200 is still so important. 00:25:14.920 --> 00:25:15.960 And that's something I know that 00:25:15.960 --> 00:25:16.640 I neglect. 00:25:17.300 --> 00:25:19.780 This actual ritual, this actual 00:25:19.779 --> 00:25:23.700 process, this actual act of 00:25:23.700 --> 00:25:25.819 asking God for forgiveness. 00:25:26.200 --> 00:25:27.899 But this model of prayer, this 00:25:27.899 --> 00:25:31.139 model that Lord Jesus in his 00:25:31.139 --> 00:25:33.119 Lord's Prayer modeled to us, that 00:25:33.119 --> 00:25:34.740 is something that he shows us. 00:25:34.859 --> 00:25:38.079 We need to do it intentionally and 00:25:38.079 --> 00:25:41.119 consciously, approaching God 00:25:41.119 --> 00:25:42.440 through our high priest, Jesus 00:25:42.440 --> 00:25:44.660 Christ, to ask for forgiveness. 00:25:44.660 --> 00:25:44.860 forgiveness. 00:25:47.660 --> 00:25:51.100 But remember, as we do this, we 00:25:51.100 --> 00:25:52.740 approach a God that isn't 00:25:52.740 --> 00:25:53.360 distant. 00:25:55.660 --> 00:25:58.519 It says, our heavenly Father, our 00:25:58.519 --> 00:25:59.420 Father in heaven. 00:26:00.460 --> 00:26:01.920 And that's how this series 00:26:01.920 --> 00:26:02.360 started. 00:26:02.519 --> 00:26:03.820 You know, we spent an entire 00:26:03.820 --> 00:26:06.440 sermon talking about our Father 00:26:06.440 --> 00:26:07.960 in heaven. 00:26:09.940 --> 00:26:11.900 So when you think about 00:26:11.900 --> 00:26:14.640 confession, how much of a 00:26:14.640 --> 00:26:16.320 much do you want to forgive your 00:26:16.320 --> 00:26:18.340 child when they genuinely 00:26:18.340 --> 00:26:20.040 confess and they're genuinely 00:26:20.040 --> 00:26:20.660 sorry? 00:26:21.860 --> 00:26:23.720 And if that's the case, how much 00:26:23.720 --> 00:26:26.080 more does your God, your perfect 00:26:26.080 --> 00:26:28.600 heavenly Father, want to forgive 00:26:28.600 --> 00:26:28.900 you? 00:26:31.180 --> 00:26:33.420 God tells us in Scripture that he 00:26:33.420 --> 00:26:37.580 has removed our sins as far as us 00:26:37.580 --> 00:26:40.500 from, as west is to east. 00:26:41.020 --> 00:26:43.259 If you can even imagine how far west 00:26:43.259 --> 00:26:46.359 is from east, that's how far God has 00:26:46.359 --> 00:26:47.579 removed our sins. 00:26:48.619 --> 00:26:51.119 And the Lord is like a father to his 00:26:51.119 --> 00:26:54.440 children, tender and compassionate to 00:26:54.440 --> 00:26:56.160 those who fear him. 00:26:56.680 --> 00:27:00.720 So do not forget in confession that 00:27:00.720 --> 00:27:02.779 you are coming before a holy God but 00:27:02.779 --> 00:27:05.879 also a perfect heavenly Father who 00:27:05.879 --> 00:27:08.720 desires to forgive you when you 00:27:08.720 --> 00:27:09.640 genuinely confess. 00:27:11.860 --> 00:27:14.019 So we're going to spend some more time 00:27:14.019 --> 00:27:16.680 to respond in confession after the 00:27:16.680 --> 00:27:19.920 sermon, but before we put that into 00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:23.720 practice, the Lord's Prayer tells us 00:27:23.720 --> 00:27:25.860 something really important that we must 00:27:25.860 --> 00:27:28.120 do before we come before our heavenly 00:27:28.120 --> 00:27:28.579 Father. 00:27:29.579 --> 00:27:34.620 It says, forgive us our debts as we also 00:27:34.619 --> 00:27:37.039 have forgiven our debtors. 00:27:38.439 --> 00:27:41.519 And church, that's a condition, a caveat 00:27:41.519 --> 00:27:44.679 that I always kind of gloss over and 00:27:44.679 --> 00:27:46.579 forget when I think about the Lord's Prayer. 00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:50.959 Forgive us our debts as we also have 00:27:50.959 --> 00:27:56.559 forgiven the ones who owe debt to us, 00:27:57.559 --> 00:27:58.399 our debtors. 00:27:58.400 --> 00:28:01.320 And that phrasing in the Lord's Prayer tells 00:28:01.320 --> 00:28:04.160 us that there is an intimate and direct 00:28:04.160 --> 00:28:08.040 connection between the forgiveness that we 00:28:08.040 --> 00:28:11.560 experience from God and the forgiveness that 00:28:11.560 --> 00:28:12.740 we offer to others. 00:28:14.259 --> 00:28:18.840 That word as is important because you can 00:28:18.840 --> 00:28:21.180 also translate that as like. 00:28:22.259 --> 00:28:25.560 If you think about it, forgive us our debts like 00:28:25.559 --> 00:28:29.099 we also have forgiven our debtors. 00:28:29.179 --> 00:28:33.819 God, forgive me just like how I forgive others. 00:28:35.159 --> 00:28:37.599 That's a scary thought, isn't it? 00:28:37.799 --> 00:28:41.700 When I thought about that, I can only ask and 00:28:41.700 --> 00:28:46.639 expect God's forgiveness of me to be like the 00:28:46.639 --> 00:28:49.000 forgiveness we extend to others. 00:28:50.940 --> 00:28:53.519 And I want to be clear here, the forgiveness that 00:28:53.519 --> 00:28:56.519 you extend to others, it's not a way to earn God's 00:28:57.220 --> 00:28:57.599 forgiveness. 00:28:57.859 --> 00:29:00.980 I mean, we've already highlighted how impossible 00:29:00.980 --> 00:29:02.940 it is to pay our debts to God. 00:29:03.879 --> 00:29:06.400 And it's very clear, God is so clear in Scripture 00:29:06.400 --> 00:29:09.740 that we need to put our faith in Jesus and 00:29:09.740 --> 00:29:13.519 follow Him to receive lasting forgiveness from 00:29:14.079 --> 00:29:14.359 God. 00:29:14.440 --> 00:29:16.519 But that doesn't make us perfect right away, 00:29:16.579 --> 00:29:16.720 right? 00:29:16.779 --> 00:29:20.579 As we continue to confess our sins, confess our 00:29:20.579 --> 00:29:23.500 debts, as we continue to appreciate that massive 00:29:23.500 --> 00:29:28.559 distance between God's holiness and our sinfulness, we 00:29:28.559 --> 00:29:32.500 continue to experience God's amazing grace, right? 00:29:33.640 --> 00:29:38.180 And it's precisely because of that forgiveness, because 00:29:38.180 --> 00:29:44.039 of that joy that you experience in forgiveness that we can 00:29:44.039 --> 00:29:48.359 quickly and genuinely forgive our debtors. 00:29:48.359 --> 00:29:55.759 You know, when I grow in appreciating that gap that we saw in the cross 00:29:55.759 --> 00:30:04.439 chart, recognizing that our debt is huge, my debt is huge, I actually start 00:30:04.439 --> 00:30:09.679 realizing the debt that others owe me is actually quite small in comparison, 00:30:09.839 --> 00:30:10.039 right? 00:30:10.039 --> 00:30:16.159 And also, we need to think about the people. 00:30:17.460 --> 00:30:22.659 As we think about the people that we need to forgive, we need to remember that sin, 00:30:24.059 --> 00:30:29.759 that debts, although, yes, they hurt all people around us, they hurt, they show us the 00:30:29.759 --> 00:30:33.099 brokenness in the world, and they do hurt the people around you. 00:30:34.240 --> 00:30:38.519 Sin is ultimately something that only God can be the judge of. 00:30:40.319 --> 00:30:43.660 Let's go back to the story of King David and his sin. 00:30:43.920 --> 00:30:47.879 So you remember, Nathan confronts him, and David just confesses. 00:30:48.879 --> 00:30:49.960 But what does he confess? 00:30:50.079 --> 00:30:53.220 He says, Lord, I have sinned against you. 00:30:53.220 --> 00:30:59.059 And after this episode, God actually inspires David to write Psalm 51. 00:31:00.200 --> 00:31:03.120 And David writes this inspired prayer. 00:31:03.440 --> 00:31:05.180 In Psalm 51, he prays this, 00:31:05.819 --> 00:31:11.400 For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. 00:31:12.059 --> 00:31:18.759 Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight. 00:31:20.620 --> 00:31:22.900 Against you and you only, God. 00:31:23.220 --> 00:31:30.480 Now, David obviously wasn't saying that his sin didn't hurt and didn't affect others. 00:31:30.700 --> 00:31:32.360 That's obviously what he isn't saying. 00:31:32.480 --> 00:31:39.180 But what he's showing us is that he recognizes that God alone is the judge of his sin. 00:31:41.720 --> 00:31:48.480 And if a perfect God is the judge of everything, you know, the harm we cause to others, if you 00:31:48.480 --> 00:31:50.480 think about it, actually that's even more serious. 00:31:50.480 --> 00:31:56.720 Because God judges every one of us with perfect justice. 00:31:56.720 --> 00:32:08.360 So what that tells us, what Psalm 51 tells us, is that as we forgive our debtors, we don't need to hold on to that role of being judge as well. 00:32:08.359 --> 00:32:10.359 God is the perfect judge. 00:32:10.359 --> 00:32:12.279 God is the perfect judge. 00:32:12.399 --> 00:32:23.439 And as we forgive, as we let go, as we give that burden to God, we can remember that God is the one to judge. 00:32:23.500 --> 00:32:25.539 And that is not a burden for us to carry. 00:32:26.359 --> 00:32:32.879 And I think, church, that really helps me when I think about forgiving those who have hurt me. 00:32:32.880 --> 00:32:41.200 Our Father in heaven, forgive us our debts like we also have forgiven our debtors. 00:32:41.300 --> 00:32:43.380 There is clearly a condition there. 00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:54.520 Can you truly say that you have experienced God's forgiveness if you're unwilling to forgive others? 00:32:54.519 --> 00:33:06.819 How can I say that I continue to experience God's forgiveness when I continue to hold on to unforgiveness in my own heart? 00:33:09.539 --> 00:33:12.079 There is clearly a connection. 00:33:12.079 --> 00:33:28.359 Our forgiveness of others is a sign, a warning light to us of how much we understand and appreciate and have grasped the depths of God's forgiveness for us. 00:33:31.379 --> 00:33:37.619 And this is why the Lord's Prayer teaches us, pray regularly in confession. 00:33:38.879 --> 00:33:40.579 Father, forgive our debts. 00:33:42.079 --> 00:33:45.099 And that's what we're going to spend a bit of time doing right now. 00:33:45.159 --> 00:33:54.379 And I want to invite the band to come up and just create some space for us to reflect and pray as we put this into practice. 00:33:57.379 --> 00:34:04.159 Confession helps us to appreciate and remember how great a debt God has forgiven. 00:34:04.160 --> 00:34:13.599 And it inspires us to forgive the much smaller debts that others owe us. 00:34:14.599 --> 00:34:22.139 And guys, I know, I know that some of us, a lot of us have experienced serious hurt and pain in our lives. 00:34:22.180 --> 00:34:25.220 And I'm not trying to just kind of brush that aside. 00:34:25.219 --> 00:34:35.519 Those debts that others owe you are serious indeed and they might feel massive indeed. 00:34:35.639 --> 00:34:44.079 And that's why Jesus taught us in the Lord's Prayer, we have to start with recognizing that it's our Father in Heaven that we're praying to. 00:34:44.079 --> 00:34:48.759 Remember that definition of prayer that we've been sharing? 00:34:49.559 --> 00:35:05.099 Prayer is a child calling out to their Father in Heaven, their loving Heavenly Father, in response to Him reaching down to us. 00:35:05.099 --> 00:35:10.579 Reaching down to us like a loving Heavenly Father. 00:35:10.699 --> 00:35:18.619 And God knows every single hurt, every single debt that is owed to you. 00:35:19.279 --> 00:35:23.079 And He wants you to know this morning that He loves you. 00:35:23.559 --> 00:35:29.519 And His love for you, your identity as His child is all you need. 00:35:29.519 --> 00:35:34.960 So this is the time that just call out to Him. 00:35:36.199 --> 00:35:39.300 Receive His love and forgiveness again. 00:35:41.000 --> 00:35:48.539 And as you receive that love and forgiveness, let that overflow into your forgiveness of others. 00:35:48.539 --> 00:35:59.519 I'm just going to take the next five minutes or so and just practice that to live that out in your own hearts. 00:35:59.639 --> 00:36:01.279 To pray and to confess. 00:36:02.820 --> 00:36:09.860 We're going to put a few points on the screen if that helps inspire you to kind of just give you something to latch on to. 00:36:10.000 --> 00:36:13.259 But the important thing is just be free right now. 00:36:13.260 --> 00:36:18.600 Just be honest to pray to God to say, 00:36:18.780 --> 00:36:26.980 Our Father, my Father, forgive us our debts as we forgive those who are our debtors.