WEBVTT

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 Father, we ask that your Holy Spirit would fall, continue to fall upon us.

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 We ask, Father, that your Holy Spirit would both humble us,

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 but at the same time, Father, that your Holy Spirit humbles us.

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 May your Holy Spirit fan into flame within us a hunger for you,

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 to know you, to be known by you, to be yours.

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 Father, we ask for this double work of your Holy Spirit this morning,

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 to both humble us and fan into flame a deep hunger for you.

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 And all this we ask in the name of Jesus, your Son and our Savior. Amen.

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 Please be seated.

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 I'm getting older, so I'm allowed to be curmudgeonly,

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 although I have to be careful I don't become too curmudgeonly.

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 But for a long time, even before I got older,

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 I've had problem in churches when they applaud the praise band.

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 Not that we've done it here,

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 and not that we couldn't clap our hands for Jeremiah and the band,

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 but on my holidays, I go in some churches,

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 and they sing a real rock and praise song,

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 and then everybody stops and claps their hands for a while,

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 and then they sing another song,

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 and then they all clap their hands and hoot and holler.

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 And I have to confess, I always feel very conflicted when I'm there.

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 In fact, if you saw me, everybody's clapping and doing all this

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 and clapping and doing this, and I'm just standing here like this,

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 because I just feel, it sort of feels funny.

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 It feels a little bit like when you watch a lot of sporting things,

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 and after somebody's done really a good job,

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 they say, I'm the man.

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 I'm the man.

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 I mean, how would it, you know, I just, I, like, we're the church.

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 Whoa, you know, like, listen to us sing.

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 Whoa, I just, it feels, it just feels funny to me.

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 You know, I know that, you know, I know it's, it's,

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 I know that it's not the case that churches where everything is really solemn,

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 like a lot of Anglican churches where nobody cracks a smile,

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 like to crack a smile is to sin against the Holy Spirit.

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 Whoever she is, that's how a lot of Anglican churches would say, speak.

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 And, or whoever it is, and you're allowed to crack a smile.

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 You have to be completely and utterly serious.

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 And, you know, there's, you know, immaculate,

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 whether it's a band or a choir and everything's immaculate.

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 And, you know, it doesn't, it seems as if you don't have,

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 I understand sometimes that people just get really excited and joyful

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 and they want to clap, and it's, I just, I feel conflicted by it,

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 you know, a lot of times.

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 And I also know that it's not the case,

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 that it might very well be the case at that church that I visit

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 where the band has just really pumped out something

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 and then everybody cheers and claps,

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 that the band is completely and utterly,

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 it might very well be the case that the band is completely and utterly unmoved by it

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 and they don't take the glory onto themselves.

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 And that the solemn, somber church that would no more clap after something than,

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 I don't know, than, you know,

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 they would say, drop the F-bomb during the service,

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 that the organist or the minister or the choir or the band might walk away

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 just feeling really like, wow, did I ever do a good job?

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 Like internally they have, you know, externally they have the solemn face,

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 but internally they're going, I'm the man.

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 I'm the man.

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 Did we ever knock that out of the park today?

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 I'm the man.

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 But, you know, somber on the outside.

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 But it, don't you, it's, I, anyway, I feel conflicted

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 when churches applaud the band.

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 You know, I mean, I do sort of like listening to Joyce Meyer

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 and she makes a good point and the whole auditorium bursts into applause

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 and I wish it would happen to me occasionally.

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 But I guess I just don't speak as well as Joyce Meyer.

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 We often have supper to Joyce Meyer, by the way.

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 So those of you who listen to CHRI know roughly when we eat supper,

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 we go from Joyce Meyer to focus on the family.

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 But anyway, the Bible text here talks a little bit about glory

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 and the dangers of glory.

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 And maybe after we've read these next few verses in the Bible text,

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 it'll just, you will, I will have given you the gift

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 of being conflicted about applause in church.

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 So let's just turn to it.

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 And because the text begins with a sort of actually a very, very powerful insight

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 into human glory and angelic glory

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 and sort of what it is and how we easily misread it

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 and misunderstand it when it's sort of going on in our own lives.

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 And as always, there's Bibles up at the front.

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 If you didn't bring your own Bible, you can have it,

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 use it during the service, take it home as a gift if you'd like.

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 And we're looking at Revelation chapter 18.

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 And it's back of the Bible if you're not familiar with the Bible.

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 And verse 1 is where we'll begin.

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 And just to give you a bit of context,

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 I'm not going to give you the context for all the book of Revelation

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 as we're preaching through it.

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 But in chapter 16, there's sort of a final cycle of judgments.

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 And then the book of Revelation, John sees something different.

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 He's sort of looking at the same thing from a different perspective.

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 And he sees sort of a pronouncement made on Babylon, the great city.

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 And all the way through the book of Revelation,

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 Babylon, sometimes it's called Rome, sometimes it's called Jerusalem,

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 sometimes it's called Egypt.

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 But it's a consistent vision of the city

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 organized in contempt against the living God

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 and in rebellion against the living God.

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 Babylon sort of becomes a symbol throughout the book of Revelation

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 for the city and all that the city means.

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 That means culture, it means government, it means education,

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 it means commerce,

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 it means just the normal way that life is organized

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 and the city is organized in a preeminent way

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 in contempt against the living God

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 and in rebellion against the living God.

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 And in chapter 17,

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 we see it described

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 and we're told of its doom.

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 And in chapter 18,

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 we now sort of get the judgment

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 that God makes on it

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 and two types of responses to that judgment.

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 But it begins with this

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 interesting comment on glory.

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 Look at verse 1.

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 After this, I saw another angel

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 coming down from heaven,

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 having great authority,

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 and the earth was made bright

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 with his glory.

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 Sort of notice that here,

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 and it's a very easy thing for us to misread

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 what's happening in text.

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 Look at it again.

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 Having great authority.

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 I saw another angel coming down from heaven,

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 having great authority,

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 and the earth was made bright

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 with his glory.

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 I like watching movies.

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 I like watching superhero movies.

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 I'm looking forward to seeing

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 the next Captain America movie

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 that's already come out.

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 I haven't seen it yet.

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 I enjoy the first Iron Man movie very much

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 and the other ones to certain degrees.

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 And the problem is that,

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 not the problem,

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 but if you've watched Iron Man movies

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 or have watched any of the Avengers movies,

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 I'm going to maybe get some of the details

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 a little bit wrong

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 because I'm not a Marvel comic geek

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 that always remembers all the details

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 of the made-up science and mythology,

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 but Iron Man is, of course,

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 a billionaire who, of course,

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 is good-looking,

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 who, of course, is witty,

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 who, of course, is a genius,

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 and, of course,

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 he's able to invent a metal suit

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 that allows him to fly,

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 and it's all powered by,

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 I think it's some type of

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 cold fusion type of thing

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 that's just a little small thing

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 that goes right there in his chest,

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 keeps him alive,

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 and it creates enough power.

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 I don't know,

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 they said an early thing about,

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 I don't know,

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 it could power all these cities

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 for all these decades forever,

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 and he doesn't need all that.

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 It means he can fly faster than jet planes

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 and do like this with his hands

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 and knock walls down

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 and tanks and people,

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 and what guy wouldn't be able

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 to like to do that?

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 I can't speak for girls,

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 but what guy doesn't wish

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 he could just do that

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 and go, woof,

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 and the power just knocks things down?

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 So anyway, this is Iron Man,

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 but in many ways,

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 what happens to us

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 when we think of glory,

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 we think of something like Iron Man,

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 because Iron Man has all the power

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 in and of himself, right?

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 And so when we think of this angel coming down,

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 we think a little bit of like Iron Man coming down,

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 because you see,

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 in our hearts of hearts,

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 all of us like to say,

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 I'm the man,

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 I'm the man,

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 because we sort of think

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 that there's glory in us

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 that comes out.

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 But every time the Bible talks about glory,

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 and especially in the book of Revelation,

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 it's really trying to communicate

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 a very different image to us.

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 Image would be something like this.

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 I'm out maybe somewhere,

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 you know,

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 I'm lost in the woods

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 or something like that.

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 I'm with maybe my little granddaughter,

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 Bria,

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 five years old,

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 and we come across,

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 you know,

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 like sort of an old cottage,

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 and we're sort of going to take some shelter in there.

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 And for some reason,

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 I want to go and look at something.

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 Maybe I think I can hook something up.

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 And I can't get any light.

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 I don't have any matches or anything.

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 But I notice that there's a mirror.

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 I take the mirror down

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 and I give it to my little five-year-old granddaughter,

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 Bria,

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 and I say,

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 Bria,

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 if you just stand here right like this,

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 and the sunlight will come in and hit this mirror.

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 And if you just point it like this,

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 the sunlight will come and hit the mirror

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 and bounce into the spot that I want to see

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 and get some work done

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 and maybe it'll help us.

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 And virtually every time in the Bible,

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 every time in the Bible,

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 actually it's talking about true glory.

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 The image we should think of

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 is a five-year-old little girl

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 holding a mirror

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 that catches the sun

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 and shines into a dark place.

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 We should never think of Iron Man.

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 We should think of a little five-year-old girl

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 holding the mirror

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 that reflects the sunlight

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 into the darkness.

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 Here's the first point.

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 There is no autonomous glory.

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 The Bible says there is no autonomous glory.

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 Period.

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 All true glory of created things

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 is a reflected glory from the living God.

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 There is no autonomous glory,

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 a glory in and of ourselves,

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 an Iron Man-type glory.

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 There is no such glory.

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 We might think,

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 I'm the man,

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 I'm the man, you know?

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 Jeremiah might leave after service going,

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 I'm the man.

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 George might leave after service going,

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 I'm the man, you know?

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 But there is no autonomous glory.

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 You know,

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 the President of the United States,

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 the President of Russia,

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 the Prime Minister of Canada,

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 might go,

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 I'm the man, I'm the man.

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 There is no autonomous glory.

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 All true glory of created things

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 is a reflected glory

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 from the living God.

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 See,

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 that's why it is

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 that the Bible can talk about

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 how the heavens declare the glory of God,

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 the firmament proclaims his handiwork.

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 The heavens declare the glory of God.

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 The image underneath there

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 is it's somehow or another

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 the stars and the moon

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 and just the sky

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 and later on in other parts

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 in the Old Testament,

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 in the New Testament,

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 in the trees and the rivers,

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 that it's not that these things,

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 and it's not that when we see

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 an unbelievably beautiful sunset

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 that we're seeing something autonomous

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 and separate from God,

00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:15.899
 but we see the created order

00:11:15.899 --> 00:11:17.399
 properly turned

00:11:17.399 --> 00:11:18.580
 at least for a moment

00:11:18.580 --> 00:11:20.080
 to reflect the glory

00:11:20.080 --> 00:11:22.320
 that ultimately comes from God.

00:11:22.740 --> 00:11:23.779
 The glory to which

00:11:23.779 --> 00:11:24.980
 we are called to,

00:11:25.740 --> 00:11:26.799
 and we as fallen,

00:11:27.019 --> 00:11:28.120
 bent human beings,

00:11:28.439 --> 00:11:29.279
 at times,

00:11:29.639 --> 00:11:32.519
 we reflect the glory of God

00:11:32.519 --> 00:11:35.459
 because there is no autonomous glory.

00:11:35.980 --> 00:11:38.100
 All true glory of created things

00:11:38.100 --> 00:11:39.679
 is a reflective glory

00:11:39.679 --> 00:11:40.879
 from the living God.

00:11:41.199 --> 00:11:41.360
 See,

00:11:41.439 --> 00:11:43.179
 that's why Christians aren't dualists.

00:11:43.259 --> 00:11:44.819
 It's why Christians aren't Buddhists.

00:11:44.919 --> 00:11:45.259
 It's not,

00:11:45.600 --> 00:11:46.100
 we're Hindus.

00:11:46.279 --> 00:11:47.259
 It's not that we think

00:11:47.259 --> 00:11:48.360
 that the material world

00:11:48.360 --> 00:11:49.079
 is an illusion.

00:11:49.259 --> 00:11:50.000
 It's not that we think

00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:51.159
 that the material world

00:11:51.159 --> 00:11:52.159
 is a prison.

00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:53.459
 It's not that we think

00:11:53.459 --> 00:11:54.500
 that the material world

00:11:54.500 --> 00:11:55.279
 isn't as important

00:11:55.279 --> 00:11:56.779
 as soul or spirit.

00:11:57.219 --> 00:11:58.659
 It's none of those types of things.

00:11:59.059 --> 00:12:00.259
 The soul is created.

00:12:00.500 --> 00:12:01.600
 Angels are created.

00:12:01.779 --> 00:12:02.980
 My mind is created.

00:12:03.360 --> 00:12:04.240
 Trees are created.

00:12:04.419 --> 00:12:05.159
 Rivers are created.

00:12:05.339 --> 00:12:06.120
 Angels are created.

00:12:06.319 --> 00:12:07.139
 Sheep are created.

00:12:07.579 --> 00:12:09.339
 And all creative things

00:12:09.339 --> 00:12:10.699
 have the power

00:12:10.699 --> 00:12:12.759
 to reflect the glory

00:12:12.759 --> 00:12:14.259
 of the living God.

00:12:14.259 --> 00:12:18.519
 My mind and my body

00:12:18.519 --> 00:12:20.799
 can reflect the glory

00:12:20.799 --> 00:12:22.039
 of the living God.

00:12:25.460 --> 00:12:26.700
 That's what the Bible teaches.

00:12:26.879 --> 00:12:27.860
 That's how we are to understand.

00:12:27.980 --> 00:12:28.919
 And you can sort of see it

00:12:28.919 --> 00:12:29.860
 a little tiny bit

00:12:29.860 --> 00:12:30.679
 here in the text.

00:12:30.799 --> 00:12:31.539
 It's more obvious

00:12:31.539 --> 00:12:32.620
 than the original language.

00:12:33.039 --> 00:12:33.819
 Look at verse one again.

00:12:33.879 --> 00:12:34.240
 After this,

00:12:34.279 --> 00:12:35.220
 I saw another angel

00:12:35.220 --> 00:12:37.580
 coming down from heaven.

00:12:38.399 --> 00:12:39.819
 And it's because he's coming down

00:12:39.819 --> 00:12:40.220
 from heaven

00:12:40.220 --> 00:12:41.240
 that he has great glory.

00:12:41.319 --> 00:12:42.559
 And it's because he's coming down

00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:42.979
 from heaven

00:12:42.979 --> 00:12:44.139
 that the earth was made bright

00:12:44.139 --> 00:12:44.779
 with his glory.

00:12:45.119 --> 00:12:46.039
 He's aligned with heaven.

00:12:46.139 --> 00:12:47.459
 He's reflecting that glory.

00:12:47.599 --> 00:12:48.939
 And as he reflects the glory,

00:12:49.500 --> 00:12:50.919
 it illuminates the earth.

00:12:52.479 --> 00:12:53.579
 And the implication

00:12:53.579 --> 00:12:54.659
 and the invitation is

00:12:54.659 --> 00:12:56.099
 that for we who also

00:12:56.099 --> 00:12:57.679
 are trying to align ourselves

00:12:57.679 --> 00:12:58.279
 with God,

00:12:58.439 --> 00:13:00.379
 that that glory goes

00:13:00.379 --> 00:13:01.839
 and shines as well through us,

00:13:02.359 --> 00:13:02.919
 through broken,

00:13:03.479 --> 00:13:04.239
 ordinary people

00:13:04.239 --> 00:13:05.399
 like you and me.

00:13:07.719 --> 00:13:08.939
 Now some of you might say,

00:13:08.979 --> 00:13:09.619
 George, that's all,

00:13:10.099 --> 00:13:10.879
 that's sort of very,

00:13:10.879 --> 00:13:12.980
 that's interesting.

00:13:14.259 --> 00:13:14.439
 But,

00:13:16.019 --> 00:13:17.340
 George,

00:13:17.500 --> 00:13:19.039
 the thing about this text,

00:13:19.980 --> 00:13:20.700
 and sometimes,

00:13:20.860 --> 00:13:21.740
 George, you do this,

00:13:21.840 --> 00:13:22.000
 you know,

00:13:22.039 --> 00:13:22.919
 you pick on something

00:13:22.919 --> 00:13:23.580
 really at the beginning

00:13:23.580 --> 00:13:24.080
 of the text.

00:13:24.220 --> 00:13:25.220
 And I'm almost worried

00:13:25.220 --> 00:13:25.980
 sometimes, George,

00:13:26.019 --> 00:13:27.039
 you'll stop preaching then

00:13:27.039 --> 00:13:27.799
 so you don't have to deal

00:13:27.799 --> 00:13:28.320
 with the fact

00:13:28.320 --> 00:13:29.980
 that, you know,

00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:31.059
 the problem in this text,

00:13:31.179 --> 00:13:31.939
 George, for me,

00:13:32.480 --> 00:13:35.480
 isn't the early parts,

00:13:35.559 --> 00:13:36.480
 it's verse 20.

00:13:36.620 --> 00:13:37.580
 It's verse 20

00:13:37.580 --> 00:13:38.340
 where it sounds

00:13:38.340 --> 00:13:40.320
 like God is telling people

00:13:40.320 --> 00:13:41.139
 to rejoice

00:13:41.139 --> 00:13:42.860
 over the destruction

00:13:42.860 --> 00:13:43.500
 of people.

00:13:43.620 --> 00:13:44.540
 It's not that they're all

00:13:44.540 --> 00:13:45.800
 clapping their hands

00:13:45.800 --> 00:13:46.519
 to the choir

00:13:46.519 --> 00:13:47.960
 and clapping their hands

00:13:47.960 --> 00:13:48.860
 to the praise song

00:13:48.860 --> 00:13:50.740
 or even that all of a sudden

00:13:50.740 --> 00:13:51.500
 something weird

00:13:51.500 --> 00:13:52.620
 happens to the congregation

00:13:52.620 --> 00:13:53.240
 and it's like a

00:13:53.240 --> 00:13:54.440
 Joyce Meyer congregation

00:13:54.440 --> 00:13:55.399
 and they all clap

00:13:55.399 --> 00:13:56.060
 every time you make

00:13:56.060 --> 00:13:56.660
 a good point.

00:13:57.160 --> 00:13:58.240
 The problem isn't,

00:13:58.500 --> 00:13:59.500
 that isn't the problem,

00:13:59.639 --> 00:13:59.759
 George,

00:13:59.800 --> 00:14:00.759
 the problem is

00:14:00.759 --> 00:14:02.340
 that it's as if,

00:14:02.639 --> 00:14:03.860
 look at verse 20,

00:14:03.960 --> 00:14:04.420
 it's as if,

00:14:04.740 --> 00:14:05.740
 it's as if after all

00:14:05.740 --> 00:14:07.100
 the judgments are talked about

00:14:07.100 --> 00:14:07.820
 that they're saying,

00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:09.200
 okay, let's rejoice,

00:14:09.920 --> 00:14:10.700
 rejoice,

00:14:11.480 --> 00:14:13.000
 for God has given judgment

00:14:13.000 --> 00:14:14.019
 against this city

00:14:14.019 --> 00:14:14.399
 and that,

00:14:14.519 --> 00:14:14.800
 George,

00:14:14.899 --> 00:14:15.740
 that's the problem

00:14:15.740 --> 00:14:16.740
 with this text

00:14:16.740 --> 00:14:18.840
 and I hope you don't just say,

00:14:18.920 --> 00:14:19.139
 oh, well,

00:14:19.139 --> 00:14:19.659
 we're going to get up

00:14:19.659 --> 00:14:20.399
 to verse 13

00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:21.320
 and I've run out of time

00:14:21.320 --> 00:14:23.180
 and off you go.

00:14:23.259 --> 00:14:24.120
 Like, you have to deal

00:14:24.120 --> 00:14:24.860
 with this, George.

00:14:25.740 --> 00:14:26.639
 It's a very, very good thing.

00:14:26.720 --> 00:14:27.940
 It's an important part

00:14:27.940 --> 00:14:28.560
 of the text

00:14:28.560 --> 00:14:31.160
 and so let's actually,

00:14:31.279 --> 00:14:32.320
 we are going to get there

00:14:32.320 --> 00:14:33.279
 but to get there

00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:34.200
 we have to first see

00:14:34.200 --> 00:14:35.060
 something in verse 2

00:14:35.059 --> 00:14:35.899
 because the text

00:14:35.899 --> 00:14:37.879
 actually has a great consistency

00:14:37.879 --> 00:14:39.739
 of talking about

00:14:39.739 --> 00:14:40.979
 not only God's glory

00:14:40.979 --> 00:14:41.879
 but of justice

00:14:41.879 --> 00:14:43.279
 and of the appropriate way

00:14:43.279 --> 00:14:45.939
 to respond to justice,

00:14:46.079 --> 00:14:47.159
 the call to justice

00:14:47.159 --> 00:14:48.259
 and it's all in the text

00:14:48.259 --> 00:14:48.919
 which leads us

00:14:48.919 --> 00:14:49.539
 to that verse.

00:14:50.019 --> 00:14:50.919
 Let's look at verse 2.

00:14:52.579 --> 00:14:53.319
 The angel comes,

00:14:53.339 --> 00:14:53.879
 sorry, verse 1,

00:14:53.919 --> 00:14:55.099
 so the angel comes down

00:14:55.099 --> 00:14:56.059
 and the angel,

00:14:56.179 --> 00:14:56.599
 in verse 2,

00:14:56.659 --> 00:14:57.179
 he called out

00:14:57.179 --> 00:14:58.139
 with a mighty voice,

00:14:58.739 --> 00:14:59.119
 fallen,

00:14:59.579 --> 00:15:01.319
 fallen is Babylon the great.

00:15:01.320 --> 00:15:02.780
 She has become

00:15:02.780 --> 00:15:03.820
 a dwelling place

00:15:03.820 --> 00:15:04.660
 for demons,

00:15:05.760 --> 00:15:06.480
 a haunt

00:15:06.480 --> 00:15:08.400
 for every unclean spirit,

00:15:08.980 --> 00:15:09.660
 a haunt

00:15:09.660 --> 00:15:11.500
 for every unclean bird,

00:15:11.960 --> 00:15:12.740
 a haunt

00:15:12.740 --> 00:15:14.420
 for every unclean

00:15:14.420 --> 00:15:16.080
 and detestable beast.

00:15:17.200 --> 00:15:17.800
 In other words,

00:15:17.920 --> 00:15:19.520
 it's become a place

00:15:19.520 --> 00:15:21.840
 where no proper thinking

00:15:21.840 --> 00:15:22.420
 human being

00:15:22.420 --> 00:15:23.420
 would now want to go.

00:15:24.500 --> 00:15:25.960
 No, if you were there

00:15:25.960 --> 00:15:26.780
 you wouldn't turn

00:15:26.780 --> 00:15:27.960
 your back on anybody.

00:15:27.960 --> 00:15:31.480
 verse 3,

00:15:31.620 --> 00:15:32.379
 for all nations

00:15:32.379 --> 00:15:33.480
 have drunk the wine

00:15:33.480 --> 00:15:34.300
 of the passion

00:15:34.300 --> 00:15:37.480
 of her sexual immorality

00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:39.160
 and the kings of the earth

00:15:39.160 --> 00:15:40.180
 have committed immorality

00:15:40.180 --> 00:15:40.660
 with her

00:15:40.660 --> 00:15:41.800
 and the merchants

00:15:41.800 --> 00:15:42.480
 of the earth

00:15:42.480 --> 00:15:43.259
 have grown rich

00:15:43.259 --> 00:15:43.980
 from the power

00:15:43.980 --> 00:15:45.080
 of her luxurious living

00:15:45.080 --> 00:15:46.420
 and immorality here

00:15:46.420 --> 00:15:46.820
 is a,

00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:48.060
 it's an image

00:15:48.060 --> 00:15:51.500
 of the merchants

00:15:51.500 --> 00:15:52.240
 and the kings

00:15:52.240 --> 00:15:54.100
 just can't get enough

00:15:54.100 --> 00:15:57.100
 of what a city

00:15:57.100 --> 00:15:58.200
 organized

00:15:58.200 --> 00:15:59.139
 in contempt

00:15:59.139 --> 00:15:59.779
 against God

00:15:59.779 --> 00:16:00.399
 and rebellion

00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:01.340
 against God

00:16:01.340 --> 00:16:02.500
 and we're going to see

00:16:02.500 --> 00:16:02.820
 in a moment

00:16:02.820 --> 00:16:04.100
 what that sort of entails,

00:16:04.540 --> 00:16:05.580
 what it looks like

00:16:05.580 --> 00:16:07.960
 and all these merchants

00:16:07.960 --> 00:16:08.920
 and the kings

00:16:08.920 --> 00:16:09.480
 they just can't get

00:16:09.480 --> 00:16:10.159
 enough of that.

00:16:10.259 --> 00:16:10.860
 They just can't get

00:16:10.860 --> 00:16:11.820
 enough of contempt

00:16:11.820 --> 00:16:12.100
 of that.

00:16:12.180 --> 00:16:12.940
 They can't get enough

00:16:12.940 --> 00:16:13.680
 of that rebellion.

00:16:13.820 --> 00:16:14.659
 They can't get enough

00:16:14.659 --> 00:16:15.399
 of,

00:16:16.060 --> 00:16:17.120
 as we'll see in the text,

00:16:17.300 --> 00:16:18.659
 economic exploitation.

00:16:18.980 --> 00:16:19.759
 They can't get enough

00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:20.500
 of sorcery.

00:16:20.600 --> 00:16:21.879
 They can't get enough

00:16:21.879 --> 00:16:23.240
 of having slaves.

00:16:23.399 --> 00:16:24.600
 They just can't get

00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:25.879
 enough of oppressing.

00:16:25.879 --> 00:16:26.980
 They just can't get enough

00:16:26.980 --> 00:16:28.820
 of killing innocent

00:16:28.820 --> 00:16:29.360
 human life.

00:16:29.419 --> 00:16:29.960
 They just can't get

00:16:29.960 --> 00:16:30.720
 enough of that

00:16:30.720 --> 00:16:31.059
 and that,

00:16:31.399 --> 00:16:32.340
 the image of sexual

00:16:32.340 --> 00:16:33.139
 immorality is,

00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:34.259
 it's an image

00:16:34.259 --> 00:16:35.419
 of passion

00:16:35.419 --> 00:16:37.100
 as if when a couple,

00:16:37.259 --> 00:16:37.840
 they just can't get,

00:16:38.220 --> 00:16:38.740
 you know,

00:16:38.820 --> 00:16:40.059
 enough of a person

00:16:40.059 --> 00:16:41.480
 who's another man's wife

00:16:41.480 --> 00:16:42.279
 or another,

00:16:42.480 --> 00:16:43.799
 a woman's husband

00:16:43.799 --> 00:16:44.259
 and they just can't

00:16:44.259 --> 00:16:44.779
 get enough of it

00:16:44.779 --> 00:16:45.639
 and that's the image

00:16:45.639 --> 00:16:46.399
 behind it

00:16:46.399 --> 00:16:47.720
 of the judgment

00:16:47.720 --> 00:16:49.080
 not only on Babylon

00:16:49.080 --> 00:16:50.600
 but of these other kings

00:16:50.600 --> 00:16:51.179
 and the merchants

00:16:51.179 --> 00:16:51.860
 and the sailors

00:16:51.860 --> 00:16:53.419
 and the political class

00:16:53.419 --> 00:16:54.460
 and the cultural class

00:16:54.460 --> 00:16:55.740
 and the educational class

00:16:55.740 --> 00:16:57.120
 and all of these classes

00:16:57.120 --> 00:16:57.500
 that just,

00:16:57.879 --> 00:16:59.019
 they can't get enough.

00:16:59.300 --> 00:17:00.080
 They can't get enough.

00:17:00.780 --> 00:17:01.519
 They can't get enough

00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:02.100
 of something

00:17:02.100 --> 00:17:03.019
 that God ultimately

00:17:03.019 --> 00:17:04.460
 is saying has fallen

00:17:04.460 --> 00:17:06.940
 and that in its heart

00:17:06.940 --> 00:17:08.079
 it's a haunt

00:17:08.079 --> 00:17:09.039
 of demons

00:17:09.039 --> 00:17:10.180
 and unclean beasts

00:17:10.180 --> 00:17:11.500
 and unclean things.

00:17:11.600 --> 00:17:12.200
 That's the image.

00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:13.500
 Verse four will continue.

00:17:14.980 --> 00:17:16.059
 Then I heard another

00:17:16.059 --> 00:17:17.160
 voice from heaven

00:17:17.160 --> 00:17:17.480
 saying,

00:17:17.840 --> 00:17:18.400
 come out of her,

00:17:18.460 --> 00:17:18.960
 my people,

00:17:19.799 --> 00:17:20.600
 lest you take part

00:17:20.600 --> 00:17:21.200
 in her sins,

00:17:21.340 --> 00:17:21.880
 lest you share

00:17:21.880 --> 00:17:22.720
 and her plagues

00:17:22.720 --> 00:17:24.160
 for her sins

00:17:24.160 --> 00:17:25.300
 are heaped high as heaven

00:17:25.300 --> 00:17:26.580
 and God has remembered

00:17:26.580 --> 00:17:27.400
 her iniquities.

00:17:28.120 --> 00:17:28.940
 Virtually every time

00:17:28.940 --> 00:17:29.420
 in the Bible

00:17:29.420 --> 00:17:29.940
 when it says

00:17:29.940 --> 00:17:31.020
 that God has remembered

00:17:31.020 --> 00:17:32.400
 you should understand

00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:33.240
 that God remembers

00:17:33.240 --> 00:17:33.900
 to act.

00:17:34.540 --> 00:17:35.640
 That's the implication

00:17:35.640 --> 00:17:36.380
 of the image.

00:17:36.480 --> 00:17:37.180
 God remembers

00:17:37.180 --> 00:17:37.840
 to act.

00:17:38.660 --> 00:17:39.760
 When he remembers

00:17:39.760 --> 00:17:41.200
 he's acting.

00:17:42.860 --> 00:17:43.280
 Verse six,

00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:44.220
 pay her back

00:17:44.220 --> 00:17:45.120
 as she herself

00:17:45.120 --> 00:17:46.280
 has paid back others

00:17:46.280 --> 00:17:47.840
 and repay her double

00:17:47.840 --> 00:17:48.660
 for her deeds.

00:17:49.360 --> 00:17:50.520
 Mix a double portion

00:17:50.519 --> 00:17:51.720
 for her in the cup

00:17:51.720 --> 00:17:52.599
 she mixed.

00:17:52.720 --> 00:17:53.299
 Just pause.

00:17:54.180 --> 00:17:54.799
 That's not like

00:17:54.799 --> 00:17:55.480
 a double-double

00:17:55.480 --> 00:17:56.420
 from Tim Hortons.

00:17:56.519 --> 00:17:57.039
 It's not saying

00:17:57.039 --> 00:17:57.660
 that she should get

00:17:57.660 --> 00:17:58.440
 twice as much

00:17:58.440 --> 00:17:59.160
 as what she's done.

00:17:59.299 --> 00:18:00.019
 It's an image

00:18:00.019 --> 00:18:01.160
 of full,

00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:01.960
 up to the brim.

00:18:03.500 --> 00:18:04.519
 When I go to Starbucks

00:18:04.519 --> 00:18:05.660
 I like my coffee

00:18:05.660 --> 00:18:06.559
 either black

00:18:06.559 --> 00:18:07.720
 or next to black

00:18:07.720 --> 00:18:09.099
 and so when they ask me

00:18:09.099 --> 00:18:09.480
 how,

00:18:09.740 --> 00:18:10.279
 I always say

00:18:10.279 --> 00:18:11.319
 I have my coffee black

00:18:11.319 --> 00:18:11.920
 because I don't want

00:18:11.920 --> 00:18:12.720
 to get a coffee cup

00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:13.139
 and have like

00:18:13.139 --> 00:18:14.019
 an inch and a half

00:18:14.019 --> 00:18:15.339
 of space between

00:18:15.339 --> 00:18:15.900
 the coffee

00:18:15.900 --> 00:18:17.019
 and the top.

00:18:17.559 --> 00:18:18.379
 I want them to get it

00:18:18.379 --> 00:18:19.240
 right to the top.

00:18:20.519 --> 00:18:22.759
 And that's the image here.

00:18:22.839 --> 00:18:23.200
 Make sure

00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:24.619
 that the cup

00:18:24.619 --> 00:18:25.740
 is completely full.

00:18:25.980 --> 00:18:26.720
 That's the image

00:18:26.720 --> 00:18:27.180
 of double.

00:18:27.940 --> 00:18:28.420
 Verse seven,

00:18:28.599 --> 00:18:29.839
 as she glorified herself

00:18:29.839 --> 00:18:30.799
 and lived in luxury

00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:31.599
 so give her

00:18:31.599 --> 00:18:32.420
 a like measure

00:18:32.420 --> 00:18:33.039
 of torment

00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:33.799
 and mourning

00:18:33.799 --> 00:18:35.279
 since in her heart

00:18:35.279 --> 00:18:35.879
 she says,

00:18:36.599 --> 00:18:37.480
 I sit as a queen.

00:18:38.500 --> 00:18:38.700
 No,

00:18:38.700 --> 00:18:39.400
 verse seven again,

00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:40.680
 she glorified herself,

00:18:40.799 --> 00:18:40.940
 right?

00:18:41.500 --> 00:18:43.359
 Her entire ideology,

00:18:43.639 --> 00:18:44.539
 I am the man,

00:18:44.779 --> 00:18:45.740
 I am the man,

00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:47.359
 I am the man.

00:18:48.160 --> 00:18:49.200
 That's her theme song.

00:18:49.200 --> 00:18:49.600
 Okay.

00:18:50.799 --> 00:18:53.240
 And then it shows itself

00:18:53.240 --> 00:18:53.940
 out in verse seven

00:18:53.940 --> 00:18:54.440
 in the middle.

00:18:54.660 --> 00:18:55.360
 I sit as a queen,

00:18:55.519 --> 00:18:56.240
 I am no widow

00:18:56.240 --> 00:18:57.200
 and mourning,

00:18:57.440 --> 00:18:57.779
 grieving,

00:18:58.100 --> 00:18:59.000
 I shall never see.

00:18:59.640 --> 00:19:00.559
 For this reason

00:19:00.559 --> 00:19:01.140
 her plagues

00:19:01.140 --> 00:19:02.259
 will come in a single day,

00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:03.080
 death and mourning

00:19:03.080 --> 00:19:03.740
 and famine

00:19:03.740 --> 00:19:04.920
 and she will be

00:19:04.920 --> 00:19:05.860
 burned up with fire

00:19:05.860 --> 00:19:08.140
 for mighty is the Lord God

00:19:08.140 --> 00:19:09.039
 who has judged her.

00:19:10.180 --> 00:19:12.160
 And this word judged here

00:19:12.160 --> 00:19:13.460
 is an important word.

00:19:13.580 --> 00:19:14.680
 It actually is a word

00:19:14.680 --> 00:19:15.279
 that's,

00:19:15.440 --> 00:19:16.660
 by pointing to this word

00:19:16.660 --> 00:19:17.140
 you can get a bit

00:19:17.140 --> 00:19:17.660
 of an understanding

00:19:17.660 --> 00:19:18.380
 of underneath

00:19:18.380 --> 00:19:19.980
 in the original language

00:19:19.980 --> 00:19:20.700
 underneath a lot

00:19:20.700 --> 00:19:21.300
 of the images

00:19:21.300 --> 00:19:22.440
 up until here

00:19:22.440 --> 00:19:23.320
 and all the way through.

00:19:24.060 --> 00:19:25.240
 It's a specifically

00:19:25.240 --> 00:19:26.360
 legal image

00:19:26.360 --> 00:19:27.680
 from the law courts.

00:19:28.480 --> 00:19:29.620
 And so what's being

00:19:29.620 --> 00:19:30.320
 presented here

00:19:30.320 --> 00:19:30.820
 a little bit

00:19:30.820 --> 00:19:31.660
 is an image

00:19:31.660 --> 00:19:32.380
 and this might help

00:19:32.380 --> 00:19:32.900
 us a little bit

00:19:32.900 --> 00:19:33.420
 with understanding

00:19:33.420 --> 00:19:33.900
 what's going on

00:19:33.900 --> 00:19:34.300
 in the text.

00:19:34.800 --> 00:19:35.840
 Imagine for a second

00:19:35.840 --> 00:19:39.200
 that there's a company

00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:40.279
 that knowingly

00:19:40.279 --> 00:19:41.940
 put some type

00:19:41.940 --> 00:19:43.360
 of toxic substance

00:19:43.360 --> 00:19:43.980
 in a whole pile

00:19:43.980 --> 00:19:44.559
 of products

00:19:44.559 --> 00:19:46.940
 and tens of thousands

00:19:46.940 --> 00:19:47.559
 of people

00:19:47.559 --> 00:19:48.799
 either died

00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:49.220
 or were made

00:19:49.220 --> 00:19:50.059
 severely ill.

00:19:50.640 --> 00:19:52.059
 And so in our culture

00:19:52.059 --> 00:19:53.740
 a class action suit

00:19:53.740 --> 00:19:54.340
 was brought

00:19:54.340 --> 00:19:55.140
 by these tens

00:19:55.140 --> 00:19:55.660
 of thousands

00:19:55.660 --> 00:19:56.200
 of people

00:19:56.200 --> 00:19:57.059
 who've been damaged

00:19:57.059 --> 00:19:57.960
 by this company

00:19:57.960 --> 00:19:58.600
 that knowingly

00:19:58.600 --> 00:19:59.559
 did the wrong thing

00:19:59.559 --> 00:20:00.960
 and you go to court.

00:20:01.480 --> 00:20:02.180
 And so the image

00:20:02.180 --> 00:20:03.039
 here very simply

00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:04.480
 is on one hand

00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:05.880
 there is the plaintiff,

00:20:06.400 --> 00:20:07.100
 this company

00:20:07.100 --> 00:20:08.180
 that willingly did

00:20:08.180 --> 00:20:09.680
 something

00:20:09.680 --> 00:20:10.620
 to cause lots

00:20:10.619 --> 00:20:11.179
 of damage.

00:20:12.019 --> 00:20:13.500
 And on the other side

00:20:13.500 --> 00:20:14.659
 are the defendants

00:20:14.659 --> 00:20:15.639
 and the defendants

00:20:15.639 --> 00:20:16.259
 are the ones

00:20:16.259 --> 00:20:17.179
 who've suffered

00:20:17.179 --> 00:20:18.379
 underneath

00:20:18.379 --> 00:20:19.819
 what the plaintiffs,

00:20:20.179 --> 00:20:21.319
 what the defendants

00:20:21.319 --> 00:20:21.639
 have done

00:20:21.639 --> 00:20:22.579
 and the plaintiffs

00:20:22.579 --> 00:20:24.199
 have gone to court

00:20:24.199 --> 00:20:24.679
 about it

00:20:24.679 --> 00:20:26.099
 and God

00:20:26.099 --> 00:20:27.659
 is the judge.

00:20:27.859 --> 00:20:28.839
 So in this particular,

00:20:28.979 --> 00:20:29.799
 the image is

00:20:29.799 --> 00:20:30.579
 that Babylon

00:20:30.579 --> 00:20:33.179
 is the defendant

00:20:33.179 --> 00:20:34.839
 and if you go

00:20:34.839 --> 00:20:35.259
 to the end

00:20:35.259 --> 00:20:36.239
 of the text,

00:20:36.419 --> 00:20:36.819
 go to the end

00:20:36.819 --> 00:20:37.839
 of Revelation chapter 18

00:20:37.839 --> 00:20:38.279
 you'll see

00:20:38.279 --> 00:20:39.359
 that the plaintiffs

00:20:39.359 --> 00:20:40.939
 are the followers

00:20:40.939 --> 00:20:41.579
 of Jesus

00:20:41.579 --> 00:20:43.559
 and every innocent

00:20:43.559 --> 00:20:45.099
 who's died

00:20:45.099 --> 00:20:46.579
 as a result

00:20:46.579 --> 00:20:47.979
 of Babylon's action.

00:20:49.740 --> 00:20:51.559
 We're the plaintiffs.

00:20:53.000 --> 00:20:54.779
 All the innocent dead

00:20:54.779 --> 00:20:56.859
 and all the followers

00:20:56.859 --> 00:20:57.379
 of Jesus

00:20:57.379 --> 00:20:59.099
 are the plaintiffs.

00:20:59.879 --> 00:21:00.959
 Babylon is the defendant,

00:21:01.699 --> 00:21:02.679
 God is the judge

00:21:02.679 --> 00:21:04.379
 and Revelation 18

00:21:04.379 --> 00:21:05.519
 is God pronouncing

00:21:05.519 --> 00:21:06.159
 his judgment.

00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:09.000
 Babylon is guilty,

00:21:10.400 --> 00:21:11.640
 the defendants

00:21:11.640 --> 00:21:12.640
 are vindicated

00:21:12.640 --> 00:21:15.680
 and just as you would see

00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:16.680
 in a law court

00:21:16.680 --> 00:21:18.000
 if something like that

00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:19.019
 was to happen today,

00:21:20.019 --> 00:21:21.200
 you would see

00:21:21.200 --> 00:21:22.740
 the plaintiffs

00:21:22.740 --> 00:21:24.140
 cheering,

00:21:24.380 --> 00:21:25.980
 that's partly

00:21:25.980 --> 00:21:26.940
 a key part

00:21:26.940 --> 00:21:27.800
 of the image

00:21:27.800 --> 00:21:28.320
 here

00:21:28.320 --> 00:21:30.019
 because it's an image

00:21:30.019 --> 00:21:30.860
 of a law court.

00:21:30.859 --> 00:21:33.479
 But there's something

00:21:33.479 --> 00:21:34.619
 far more significant

00:21:34.619 --> 00:21:35.699
 to the text

00:21:35.699 --> 00:21:37.959
 to help us understand

00:21:37.959 --> 00:21:38.959
 the jubilation

00:21:38.959 --> 00:21:40.119
 and Andrew

00:21:40.119 --> 00:21:40.799
 if you could put up

00:21:40.799 --> 00:21:41.459
 the next point

00:21:41.459 --> 00:21:42.019
 it's this,

00:21:42.599 --> 00:21:43.679
 that God's justice

00:21:43.679 --> 00:21:45.219
 is so high

00:21:45.219 --> 00:21:47.139
 and so humble

00:21:47.139 --> 00:21:49.539
 that when I face it

00:21:49.539 --> 00:21:50.719
 and I should probably

00:21:50.719 --> 00:21:51.439
 have said him,

00:21:52.000 --> 00:21:53.559
 I will fall short

00:21:53.559 --> 00:21:54.919
 and I will have

00:21:54.919 --> 00:21:56.319
 no valid excuse

00:21:56.319 --> 00:21:57.159
 or rebuttal.

00:21:57.160 --> 00:21:59.019
 God's justice

00:21:59.019 --> 00:22:00.180
 is both

00:22:00.180 --> 00:22:01.240
 so high

00:22:01.240 --> 00:22:02.460
 and so humble

00:22:02.460 --> 00:22:04.360
 that when I face it

00:22:04.360 --> 00:22:06.180
 I will fall short

00:22:06.180 --> 00:22:07.160
 and I will have

00:22:07.160 --> 00:22:08.460
 no valid excuse

00:22:08.460 --> 00:22:09.220
 or rebuttal.

00:22:09.860 --> 00:22:10.519
 Here's what I mean.

00:22:10.759 --> 00:22:11.480
 A lot of people

00:22:11.480 --> 00:22:12.600
 when they start to hear

00:22:12.600 --> 00:22:13.580
 about the Christian faith

00:22:13.580 --> 00:22:14.640
 and Christians struggle

00:22:14.640 --> 00:22:15.380
 with this as well

00:22:15.380 --> 00:22:16.920
 and on one level

00:22:16.920 --> 00:22:17.540
 if you read through

00:22:17.540 --> 00:22:18.240
 the book of Revelation

00:22:18.240 --> 00:22:19.019
 and even this text

00:22:19.019 --> 00:22:20.200
 it portrays

00:22:20.200 --> 00:22:21.440
 the complete

00:22:21.440 --> 00:22:22.120
 and utter

00:22:22.120 --> 00:22:23.660
 perfect justice

00:22:23.660 --> 00:22:24.259
 of God.

00:22:24.420 --> 00:22:25.540
 God is perfectly

00:22:25.540 --> 00:22:26.180
 just,

00:22:26.180 --> 00:22:27.580
 he's perfectly

00:22:27.580 --> 00:22:28.299
 sovereign,

00:22:28.779 --> 00:22:29.539
 he's perfectly

00:22:29.539 --> 00:22:30.180
 good,

00:22:30.600 --> 00:22:31.580
 he is the perfect

00:22:31.580 --> 00:22:32.240
 creator,

00:22:32.720 --> 00:22:33.480
 he is the perfect

00:22:33.480 --> 00:22:34.420
 sustainer,

00:22:34.759 --> 00:22:35.519
 he is the perfect

00:22:35.519 --> 00:22:36.539
 end of all things,

00:22:36.720 --> 00:22:38.000
 everything about God

00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:38.779
 is perfect,

00:22:39.140 --> 00:22:39.920
 he's in heaven,

00:22:40.460 --> 00:22:41.840
 Babylon can rage

00:22:41.840 --> 00:22:42.420
 against him,

00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:43.799
 the dragon can rage

00:22:43.799 --> 00:22:44.380
 against him,

00:22:44.460 --> 00:22:45.580
 the beast can rage

00:22:45.580 --> 00:22:46.120
 against him,

00:22:46.180 --> 00:22:46.880
 the false prophet

00:22:46.880 --> 00:22:48.180
 can rage against him,

00:22:48.480 --> 00:22:49.500
 the armies can gather

00:22:49.500 --> 00:22:50.259
 in Armageddon

00:22:50.259 --> 00:22:51.779
 to rage against him

00:22:51.779 --> 00:22:53.200
 but he is so high

00:22:53.200 --> 00:22:53.740
 above them,

00:22:53.820 --> 00:22:55.100
 this is all completely,

00:22:55.099 --> 00:22:56.899
 this is like microbes

00:22:56.899 --> 00:22:57.359
 right now

00:22:57.359 --> 00:22:58.399
 being mad at us,

00:22:59.480 --> 00:22:59.799
 okay,

00:23:00.179 --> 00:23:01.199
 microbes in this room

00:23:01.199 --> 00:23:02.419
 are angry at you

00:23:02.419 --> 00:23:03.519
 and they have nothing,

00:23:03.639 --> 00:23:04.299
 they're nothing,

00:23:04.480 --> 00:23:05.639
 they're microbes

00:23:05.639 --> 00:23:07.299
 and we're people,

00:23:07.379 --> 00:23:07.779
 we don't even know

00:23:07.779 --> 00:23:08.339
 they exist,

00:23:08.740 --> 00:23:09.839
 not that God knows

00:23:09.839 --> 00:23:10.339
 they exist,

00:23:10.459 --> 00:23:11.379
 he's active in all this

00:23:11.379 --> 00:23:13.639
 but God is high

00:23:13.639 --> 00:23:14.919
 and so many people

00:23:14.919 --> 00:23:15.919
 when they see this text

00:23:15.919 --> 00:23:16.439
 and they hear about

00:23:16.439 --> 00:23:17.039
 God's judgment

00:23:17.039 --> 00:23:17.719
 they say,

00:23:17.779 --> 00:23:18.059
 George,

00:23:18.219 --> 00:23:19.000
 how on earth

00:23:19.000 --> 00:23:19.719
 could me appearing

00:23:19.719 --> 00:23:20.399
 before God

00:23:20.399 --> 00:23:21.439
 ever be fair?

00:23:21.699 --> 00:23:22.599
 It would be a little bit,

00:23:22.699 --> 00:23:22.919
 George,

00:23:23.000 --> 00:23:23.879
 like all of a sudden

00:23:23.880 --> 00:23:24.900
 you having to go

00:23:24.900 --> 00:23:26.580
 in a week's time

00:23:26.580 --> 00:23:27.300
 and you go with

00:23:27.300 --> 00:23:28.120
 all the engineering

00:23:28.120 --> 00:23:29.240
 students at Ottawa U

00:23:29.240 --> 00:23:29.820
 and you take

00:23:29.820 --> 00:23:31.920
 Calculus 2 final exam,

00:23:32.960 --> 00:23:33.200
 okay,

00:23:33.360 --> 00:23:34.320
 let me tell you right now

00:23:34.320 --> 00:23:34.780
 if I had to take

00:23:34.780 --> 00:23:36.360
 the Calculus 2 final exam

00:23:36.360 --> 00:23:36.940
 with all those

00:23:36.940 --> 00:23:37.660
 engineering students,

00:23:38.040 --> 00:23:38.980
 the only way

00:23:38.980 --> 00:23:39.980
 I wouldn't get zero

00:23:39.980 --> 00:23:41.680
 is if they give you

00:23:41.680 --> 00:23:42.220
 a mark

00:23:42.220 --> 00:23:43.960
 for spelling your name right

00:23:43.960 --> 00:23:46.720
 on the booklet,

00:23:47.140 --> 00:23:47.340
 okay,

00:23:47.340 --> 00:23:48.080
 if they allowed me

00:23:48.080 --> 00:23:48.540
 a mark

00:23:48.540 --> 00:23:49.520
 for spelling

00:23:49.520 --> 00:23:50.980
 George Sinclair correctly,

00:23:51.220 --> 00:23:52.060
 I could go home

00:23:52.059 --> 00:23:52.279
 and say,

00:23:52.339 --> 00:23:52.559
 Louise,

00:23:52.639 --> 00:23:54.059
 I got 1%

00:23:54.059 --> 00:23:55.299
 on that exam,

00:23:55.619 --> 00:23:56.440
 1%,

00:23:56.440 --> 00:23:57.119
 but if they don't

00:23:57.119 --> 00:23:57.659
 allow a mark

00:23:57.659 --> 00:23:58.079
 for that,

00:23:58.299 --> 00:23:59.119
 it's zero.

00:24:00.139 --> 00:24:00.399
 In fact,

00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:01.679
 I would look at it,

00:24:02.339 --> 00:24:03.619
 I was a very,

00:24:03.740 --> 00:24:04.539
 very bad student

00:24:04.539 --> 00:24:05.759
 in first year university,

00:24:06.139 --> 00:24:07.079
 like I was a really

00:24:07.079 --> 00:24:07.859
 bad student,

00:24:09.019 --> 00:24:11.240
 nobody took attendance,

00:24:12.899 --> 00:24:13.980
 nothing happened,

00:24:14.099 --> 00:24:14.579
 I remember

00:24:14.579 --> 00:24:15.399
 it was a full year

00:24:15.399 --> 00:24:16.039
 course,

00:24:16.179 --> 00:24:16.799
 I went to take

00:24:16.799 --> 00:24:18.359
 my economics exam,

00:24:19.079 --> 00:24:19.519
 no,

00:24:19.599 --> 00:24:20.379
 it was a take home exam,

00:24:20.480 --> 00:24:21.519
 I got my take home exam

00:24:21.519 --> 00:24:21.799
 and I think,

00:24:21.879 --> 00:24:22.500
 I'm just going to be able

00:24:22.500 --> 00:24:23.240
 to blow this off,

00:24:23.299 --> 00:24:23.900
 I'll just look it up

00:24:23.900 --> 00:24:24.319
 in the book,

00:24:24.400 --> 00:24:25.240
 I'll be able to answer this,

00:24:25.759 --> 00:24:28.180
 I was so far behind,

00:24:28.319 --> 00:24:29.579
 I couldn't understand

00:24:29.579 --> 00:24:30.799
 a single question

00:24:30.799 --> 00:24:31.400
 to know where

00:24:31.400 --> 00:24:32.139
 to look it up,

00:24:32.900 --> 00:24:33.180
 okay,

00:24:33.639 --> 00:24:34.519
 and that would be

00:24:34.519 --> 00:24:35.180
 way ahead of me

00:24:35.180 --> 00:24:36.059
 doing a calculus exam,

00:24:36.299 --> 00:24:36.619
 so you see,

00:24:36.680 --> 00:24:37.200
 a lot of people

00:24:37.200 --> 00:24:37.619
 when they think

00:24:37.619 --> 00:24:38.900
 of God's high justice,

00:24:39.039 --> 00:24:39.299
 they think,

00:24:39.500 --> 00:24:39.859
 how on earth

00:24:39.859 --> 00:24:40.900
 could this ever be fair,

00:24:41.059 --> 00:24:41.379
 George,

00:24:41.619 --> 00:24:42.539
 look at how perfect

00:24:42.539 --> 00:24:43.099
 God is,

00:24:43.180 --> 00:24:43.639
 how on earth,

00:24:44.180 --> 00:24:44.740
 and so,

00:24:45.059 --> 00:24:46.099
 the book of Revelation

00:24:46.099 --> 00:24:47.200
 not only communicates

00:24:47.200 --> 00:24:48.819
 how high God's justice is,

00:24:49.019 --> 00:24:49.559
 but if you look

00:24:49.559 --> 00:24:50.240
 at verse six,

00:24:50.279 --> 00:24:51.599
 it's a really important verse

00:24:51.599 --> 00:24:52.460
 and it's repeated

00:24:52.460 --> 00:24:53.859
 in different forms

00:24:53.859 --> 00:24:54.500
 all the way

00:24:54.500 --> 00:24:55.319
 through this text

00:24:55.319 --> 00:24:56.339
 and it's a very,

00:24:56.480 --> 00:24:57.200
 very important verse

00:24:57.200 --> 00:24:58.019
 and it says this,

00:24:59.720 --> 00:25:01.079
 pay her back

00:25:01.079 --> 00:25:02.879
 as she herself

00:25:02.879 --> 00:25:04.799
 has paid back others,

00:25:05.339 --> 00:25:06.619
 pay her back

00:25:06.619 --> 00:25:08.480
 as she has paid back,

00:25:09.339 --> 00:25:10.159
 she herself

00:25:10.159 --> 00:25:11.799
 has paid back others,

00:25:12.299 --> 00:25:12.899
 and so,

00:25:13.000 --> 00:25:13.319
 what it's doing,

00:25:13.379 --> 00:25:14.059
 this is showing

00:25:14.059 --> 00:25:15.139
 the humility

00:25:15.140 --> 00:25:16.300
 of God's justice,

00:25:17.220 --> 00:25:17.960
 so God says,

00:25:18.040 --> 00:25:18.540
 so I make this

00:25:18.540 --> 00:25:19.100
 complaint to God,

00:25:19.160 --> 00:25:19.700
 I'm at the justice,

00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:21.340
 the final throne

00:25:21.340 --> 00:25:21.740
 of judgment,

00:25:21.840 --> 00:25:22.280
 I say to God,

00:25:22.360 --> 00:25:22.840
 come on God,

00:25:22.920 --> 00:25:24.060
 it's like making me

00:25:24.060 --> 00:25:25.100
 do calculus too

00:25:25.100 --> 00:25:25.840
 with all the engineering

00:25:25.840 --> 00:25:26.420
 students,

00:25:26.580 --> 00:25:26.780
 okay,

00:25:27.140 --> 00:25:28.100
 like that's not fair,

00:25:28.560 --> 00:25:29.320
 and so God says,

00:25:29.440 --> 00:25:29.940
 okay George,

00:25:30.080 --> 00:25:31.040
 I'm going to accept

00:25:31.040 --> 00:25:31.480
 for a moment

00:25:31.480 --> 00:25:32.259
 that that's not fair,

00:25:32.360 --> 00:25:32.780
 you know what I'm going

00:25:32.780 --> 00:25:33.000
 to do?

00:25:33.780 --> 00:25:34.460
 I'm going to use

00:25:34.460 --> 00:25:35.560
 George's standard

00:25:35.560 --> 00:25:36.160
 of judgment

00:25:36.160 --> 00:25:37.300
 to judge George,

00:25:37.860 --> 00:25:40.060
 that's all I'm going

00:25:40.060 --> 00:25:40.320
 to do,

00:25:41.100 --> 00:25:41.580
 so George,

00:25:41.620 --> 00:25:42.240
 you just stand here,

00:25:42.280 --> 00:25:43.080
 I'm just going to replay

00:25:43.079 --> 00:25:43.939
 a little bit

00:25:43.939 --> 00:25:45.139
 about when you're driving,

00:25:45.319 --> 00:25:46.019
 how you evaluate

00:25:46.019 --> 00:25:46.759
 other drivers,

00:25:47.539 --> 00:25:49.319
 when you're thinking

00:25:49.319 --> 00:25:49.980
 of other ministers,

00:25:50.159 --> 00:25:50.859
 how you evaluate

00:25:50.859 --> 00:25:51.559
 other ministers,

00:25:52.299 --> 00:25:53.059
 when you're thinking

00:25:53.059 --> 00:25:54.379
 of people's spiritual walk,

00:25:54.439 --> 00:25:55.480
 how you evaluate that,

00:25:55.519 --> 00:25:55.939
 I'm just going to go

00:25:55.939 --> 00:25:57.259
 through all these evaluations,

00:25:57.460 --> 00:25:57.960
 I'm just going to go

00:25:57.960 --> 00:25:58.919
 through your evaluations,

00:25:59.179 --> 00:25:59.419
 George,

00:25:59.679 --> 00:26:00.539
 we'll make a list,

00:26:01.500 --> 00:26:02.139
 now we're going

00:26:02.139 --> 00:26:03.279
 to replay your life,

00:26:03.859 --> 00:26:04.980
 and judge you

00:26:04.980 --> 00:26:05.779
 by your list,

00:26:06.939 --> 00:26:08.699
 and I would fail,

00:26:09.500 --> 00:26:11.279
 because I'm like

00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:12.119
 every one of you,

00:26:12.119 --> 00:26:13.939
 I in effect

00:26:13.939 --> 00:26:14.819
 live my life

00:26:14.819 --> 00:26:16.379
 like a pagan god,

00:26:17.159 --> 00:26:20.019
 believing I can

00:26:20.019 --> 00:26:21.039
 pass judgment

00:26:21.039 --> 00:26:21.859
 on others,

00:26:22.059 --> 00:26:22.959
 and I myself

00:26:22.959 --> 00:26:23.699
 am immune,

00:26:24.799 --> 00:26:25.559
 and separate

00:26:25.559 --> 00:26:26.759
 from the judgment

00:26:26.759 --> 00:26:27.779
 I pass on others

00:26:27.779 --> 00:26:28.399
 from that ever

00:26:28.399 --> 00:26:29.339
 being applied to me,

00:26:30.619 --> 00:26:31.919
 and I don't think

00:26:31.919 --> 00:26:32.739
 I'm being more evil

00:26:32.739 --> 00:26:33.179
 or wicked

00:26:33.179 --> 00:26:34.199
 than anyone here,

00:26:35.239 --> 00:26:36.500
 God will say that

00:26:36.500 --> 00:26:38.079
 to every single person,

00:26:39.259 --> 00:26:39.479
 okay,

00:26:39.519 --> 00:26:40.259
 I could judge you,

00:26:40.259 --> 00:26:41.119
 I have every right

00:26:41.119 --> 00:26:41.700
 to judge you

00:26:41.700 --> 00:26:42.660
 by my high

00:26:42.660 --> 00:26:43.599
 exalted standard,

00:26:44.079 --> 00:26:44.900
 I'll just judge you

00:26:44.900 --> 00:26:45.680
 by your standard,

00:26:46.259 --> 00:26:47.900
 my wife and I

00:26:47.900 --> 00:26:48.900
 at different times

00:26:48.900 --> 00:26:49.379
 have joked

00:26:49.379 --> 00:26:51.339
 that we wish

00:26:51.339 --> 00:26:52.180
 that we'd had

00:26:52.180 --> 00:26:53.500
 videotaped recordings,

00:26:53.839 --> 00:26:54.700
 we were the first

00:26:54.700 --> 00:26:55.460
 in our family,

00:26:55.940 --> 00:26:56.460
 and the first

00:26:56.460 --> 00:26:56.940
 in our circle

00:26:56.940 --> 00:26:57.839
 of friends to marry,

00:26:57.980 --> 00:26:58.519
 we were the first

00:26:58.519 --> 00:26:58.920
 in our circle

00:26:58.920 --> 00:26:59.220
 of friends

00:26:59.220 --> 00:26:59.819
 to have children,

00:27:00.240 --> 00:27:01.599
 and for many years

00:27:01.599 --> 00:27:02.339
 we wish that we

00:27:02.339 --> 00:27:03.379
 had videotaped

00:27:03.380 --> 00:27:04.520
 our friends

00:27:04.520 --> 00:27:05.540
 without children

00:27:05.540 --> 00:27:06.180
 commenting

00:27:06.180 --> 00:27:07.300
 on our child-rearing

00:27:07.300 --> 00:27:07.960
 practices,

00:27:08.420 --> 00:27:10.220
 so that when

00:27:10.220 --> 00:27:11.060
 they had children

00:27:11.060 --> 00:27:11.800
 we could play it

00:27:11.800 --> 00:27:12.620
 back for them,

00:27:12.940 --> 00:27:14.700
 and watch them

00:27:14.700 --> 00:27:15.400
 squirm,

00:27:15.680 --> 00:27:16.520
 and get red,

00:27:16.820 --> 00:27:17.980
 and terribly embarrassed,

00:27:18.440 --> 00:27:19.200
 and for the same

00:27:19.200 --> 00:27:20.240
 parents who have

00:27:20.240 --> 00:27:21.120
 this little trusting

00:27:21.120 --> 00:27:22.020
 two-year-old,

00:27:22.180 --> 00:27:22.360
 you know,

00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:23.580
 trusting two-year-olds,

00:27:24.120 --> 00:27:24.740
 and we have like

00:27:24.740 --> 00:27:25.660
 a 15-year-old

00:27:25.660 --> 00:27:26.740
 or a 13-year-old,

00:27:26.820 --> 00:27:27.420
 and the comments,

00:27:27.520 --> 00:27:28.240
 well, my child

00:27:28.240 --> 00:27:28.980
 will never do this,

00:27:29.080 --> 00:27:29.860
 my teenagers will,

00:27:30.020 --> 00:27:30.680
 we wish we could

00:27:30.680 --> 00:27:31.600
 have videotaped that,

00:27:31.680 --> 00:27:32.400
 and showed it back

00:27:32.400 --> 00:27:32.960
 to them when their

00:27:32.960 --> 00:27:34.560
 child turned 13 or 15,

00:27:34.940 --> 00:27:35.500
 once again,

00:27:35.540 --> 00:27:36.480
 to watch them squirm,

00:27:37.040 --> 00:27:38.180
 because the fact

00:27:38.180 --> 00:27:38.640
 of the matter is

00:27:38.640 --> 00:27:39.560
 is we pass judgments

00:27:39.560 --> 00:27:40.560
 all the time,

00:27:41.040 --> 00:27:41.900
 and don't think

00:27:41.900 --> 00:27:42.700
 that we ourselves

00:27:42.700 --> 00:27:44.440
 have to live under it,

00:27:45.160 --> 00:27:46.640
 and so verse 6 says

00:27:46.640 --> 00:27:47.580
 that what God

00:27:47.580 --> 00:27:48.640
 does to Babylon

00:27:48.640 --> 00:27:51.000
 is God uses

00:27:51.000 --> 00:27:52.759
 Babylon's standard

00:27:52.759 --> 00:27:53.640
 of justice

00:27:53.640 --> 00:27:55.420
 to judge Babylon,

00:27:57.640 --> 00:27:58.580
 see, that's why

00:27:58.580 --> 00:27:59.540
 in the book of Romans

00:27:59.540 --> 00:28:00.700
 and the book of Revelation,

00:28:00.700 --> 00:28:02.840
 the message is

00:28:02.840 --> 00:28:05.720
 that God's justice

00:28:05.720 --> 00:28:06.640
 is so high

00:28:06.640 --> 00:28:08.059
 and is also so humble

00:28:08.059 --> 00:28:09.580
 that when I face it,

00:28:10.299 --> 00:28:12.039
 I will fall short

00:28:12.039 --> 00:28:13.500
 and I will have

00:28:13.500 --> 00:28:15.519
 no valid excuse

00:28:15.519 --> 00:28:16.460
 or rebuttal.

00:28:18.759 --> 00:28:19.799
 How is God going to

00:28:19.799 --> 00:28:20.420
 deal with evil?

00:28:20.559 --> 00:28:21.400
 How is God going to

00:28:21.400 --> 00:28:22.000
 deal with people

00:28:22.000 --> 00:28:22.620
 who have never heard

00:28:22.620 --> 00:28:22.980
 of Jesus?

00:28:23.140 --> 00:28:23.720
 I don't know.

00:28:24.039 --> 00:28:24.580
 I don't know.

00:28:25.399 --> 00:28:26.240
 I don't know all

00:28:26.240 --> 00:28:27.019
 of the intricacies

00:28:27.019 --> 00:28:27.720
 of his mercy.

00:28:27.839 --> 00:28:28.179
 I don't know.

00:28:28.240 --> 00:28:28.980
 I know what I know

00:28:28.980 --> 00:28:29.480
 about God.

00:28:29.619 --> 00:28:30.059
 What I know

00:28:30.059 --> 00:28:31.839
 with unshakable certainty

00:28:31.839 --> 00:28:32.879
 is that God is just.

00:28:33.559 --> 00:28:34.000
 What I know

00:28:34.000 --> 00:28:35.220
 with unshakable certainty

00:28:35.220 --> 00:28:36.379
 is that God is merciful,

00:28:36.759 --> 00:28:37.559
 that he is good.

00:28:37.819 --> 00:28:38.399
 And what I know

00:28:38.399 --> 00:28:40.079
 with unshakable certainty

00:28:40.079 --> 00:28:42.339
 is that if you or I,

00:28:42.519 --> 00:28:43.439
 when you or I,

00:28:43.439 --> 00:28:45.720
 stand before God

00:28:45.720 --> 00:28:47.220
 with all of their humanity,

00:28:47.339 --> 00:28:48.099
 we will not hear

00:28:48.099 --> 00:28:49.179
 a single judgment

00:28:49.179 --> 00:28:50.079
 made by God

00:28:50.079 --> 00:28:51.619
 on any single human being,

00:28:51.619 --> 00:28:53.459
 and we will not say

00:28:53.459 --> 00:28:55.019
 that God was wrong

00:28:55.019 --> 00:28:56.359
 and that they had,

00:28:56.539 --> 00:28:57.679
 that there was any excuse

00:28:57.679 --> 00:28:58.399
 that they could have used.

00:28:58.479 --> 00:28:59.099
 I have that.

00:28:59.239 --> 00:29:00.139
 I believe that.

00:29:00.219 --> 00:29:01.119
 The more I read the Bible,

00:29:01.199 --> 00:29:02.199
 the more I am completely

00:29:02.199 --> 00:29:03.079
 and utterly certain

00:29:03.079 --> 00:29:03.599
 about that.

00:29:03.919 --> 00:29:05.119
 I'm willing to have speculation.

00:29:05.319 --> 00:29:06.059
 I'm willing to talk.

00:29:06.259 --> 00:29:07.699
 But the bottom line is

00:29:07.699 --> 00:29:10.099
 no one will have an excuse.

00:29:11.359 --> 00:29:12.739
 That's what the Bible teaches.

00:29:16.239 --> 00:29:16.719
 Now,

00:29:17.259 --> 00:29:19.419
 the question then

00:29:19.419 --> 00:29:20.719
 is

00:29:20.720 --> 00:29:26.140
 how do we respond

00:29:26.140 --> 00:29:27.160
 when we get caught?

00:29:27.579 --> 00:29:28.460
 How do we respond

00:29:28.460 --> 00:29:29.120
 when we, in a sense,

00:29:29.160 --> 00:29:31.279
 have to stand before God?

00:29:38.240 --> 00:29:39.140
 That's one of the things

00:29:39.140 --> 00:29:40.500
 that really drives the text.

00:29:41.559 --> 00:29:42.720
 In our own lives,

00:29:43.720 --> 00:29:44.880
 how do we respond?

00:29:46.440 --> 00:29:46.680
 I mean,

00:29:46.740 --> 00:29:48.120
 there's us doing wrong

00:29:48.120 --> 00:29:49.940
 and nobody catches us at it.

00:29:50.720 --> 00:29:53.059
 But the really interesting question

00:29:53.059 --> 00:29:54.039
 in our own lives

00:29:54.039 --> 00:29:55.600
 is when we get caught out

00:29:55.600 --> 00:29:56.940
 doing something wrong,

00:29:58.000 --> 00:29:59.259
 how actually is it

00:29:59.259 --> 00:30:00.700
 that we're responding to it?

00:30:02.380 --> 00:30:02.980
 Like,

00:30:03.259 --> 00:30:04.279
 for a married man

00:30:04.279 --> 00:30:05.500
 getting caught

00:30:05.500 --> 00:30:06.819
 watching pornography,

00:30:08.140 --> 00:30:10.660
 and he gets caught

00:30:10.660 --> 00:30:13.460
 by maybe his best friend

00:30:13.460 --> 00:30:14.420
 or by his wife

00:30:14.420 --> 00:30:16.799
 or daughter or son,

00:30:16.799 --> 00:30:18.139
 how does he respond

00:30:18.139 --> 00:30:19.019
 how does he respond

00:30:19.019 --> 00:30:19.460
 to that?

00:30:21.339 --> 00:30:22.319
 Is partly

00:30:22.319 --> 00:30:23.879
 how he responds

00:30:23.879 --> 00:30:25.159
 is it

00:30:25.159 --> 00:30:26.779
 not that

00:30:26.779 --> 00:30:28.819
 is a large part

00:30:28.819 --> 00:30:30.139
 of his response

00:30:30.139 --> 00:30:31.779
 grieving,

00:30:32.619 --> 00:30:32.980
 mourning,

00:30:32.980 --> 00:30:35.099
 because he's been caught?

00:30:35.099 --> 00:30:37.159
 is it

00:30:37.159 --> 00:30:37.599
 because

00:30:37.599 --> 00:30:38.659
 now

00:30:38.659 --> 00:30:39.779
 he has

00:30:39.779 --> 00:30:40.639
 less status

00:30:40.639 --> 00:30:41.519
 or prestige?

00:30:43.379 --> 00:30:44.219
 Is he

00:30:44.219 --> 00:30:44.759
 grieving

00:30:44.759 --> 00:30:45.539
 and worried

00:30:45.539 --> 00:30:46.240
 that now

00:30:46.240 --> 00:30:46.759
 they're going

00:30:46.759 --> 00:30:47.299
 to put

00:30:47.299 --> 00:30:47.980
 some type

00:30:47.980 --> 00:30:48.579
 of control

00:30:48.579 --> 00:30:49.379
 on the computer

00:30:49.379 --> 00:30:50.299
 and they won't be able

00:30:50.299 --> 00:30:50.679
 to watch

00:30:50.679 --> 00:30:51.899
 the pornography game?

00:30:53.099 --> 00:30:54.079
 Or is he

00:30:54.079 --> 00:30:54.500
 grieving

00:30:54.500 --> 00:30:55.519
 because what

00:30:55.519 --> 00:30:56.139
 he's done

00:30:56.139 --> 00:30:57.279
 is truly wrong?

00:30:57.279 --> 00:31:01.359
 And there's

00:31:01.359 --> 00:31:01.839
 many,

00:31:01.899 --> 00:31:02.059
 many,

00:31:02.059 --> 00:31:02.259
 many,

00:31:02.259 --> 00:31:02.899
 many areas

00:31:02.899 --> 00:31:03.680
 in our lives

00:31:03.680 --> 00:31:04.339
 where that type

00:31:04.339 --> 00:31:04.859
 of question,

00:31:04.940 --> 00:31:05.220
 it's a bit

00:31:05.220 --> 00:31:06.139
 of a subtle question,

00:31:06.240 --> 00:31:07.079
 but it's a very,

00:31:07.220 --> 00:31:07.879
 very profound

00:31:07.879 --> 00:31:08.559
 difference,

00:31:08.839 --> 00:31:09.879
 and it's this

00:31:09.879 --> 00:31:10.619
 very question

00:31:10.619 --> 00:31:11.399
 which the Bible

00:31:11.399 --> 00:31:12.019
 text here

00:31:12.019 --> 00:31:13.799
 now presses

00:31:13.799 --> 00:31:14.639
 in on,

00:31:15.379 --> 00:31:16.180
 that after

00:31:16.180 --> 00:31:16.700
 Babylon

00:31:16.700 --> 00:31:18.240
 is judged,

00:31:18.619 --> 00:31:19.399
 even by its

00:31:19.399 --> 00:31:20.119
 own standards,

00:31:20.399 --> 00:31:21.139
 what's the

00:31:21.139 --> 00:31:22.279
 response to this?

00:31:22.460 --> 00:31:22.559
 Like,

00:31:22.639 --> 00:31:23.740
 how is the

00:31:23.740 --> 00:31:24.839
 response working?

00:31:25.539 --> 00:31:25.920
 And that's

00:31:25.920 --> 00:31:26.559
 what happens

00:31:26.559 --> 00:31:27.700
 from verses

00:31:27.700 --> 00:31:29.000
 9 right

00:31:29.000 --> 00:31:29.399
 through to

00:31:29.399 --> 00:31:30.139
 verse 19,

00:31:30.359 --> 00:31:30.859
 and it's

00:31:30.859 --> 00:31:31.720
 an important

00:31:31.720 --> 00:31:32.639
 thing to see

00:31:32.639 --> 00:31:33.059
 in the text,

00:31:33.119 --> 00:31:33.319
 and it's an

00:31:33.319 --> 00:31:33.720
 important thing

00:31:33.720 --> 00:31:34.200
 for our own

00:31:34.200 --> 00:31:34.599
 lives,

00:31:34.639 --> 00:31:35.200
 in terms of

00:31:35.200 --> 00:31:35.919
 how is it

00:31:35.919 --> 00:31:36.319
 that God

00:31:36.319 --> 00:31:36.799
 wants us

00:31:36.799 --> 00:31:37.599
 to respond

00:31:37.599 --> 00:31:39.200
 to having

00:31:39.200 --> 00:31:41.419
 his just

00:31:41.419 --> 00:31:42.139
 standard

00:31:42.139 --> 00:31:43.500
 come against

00:31:43.500 --> 00:31:43.779
 us,

00:31:43.779 --> 00:31:44.279
 so that we

00:31:44.279 --> 00:31:45.099
 realize what

00:31:45.099 --> 00:31:45.579
 that just

00:31:45.579 --> 00:31:46.220
 standard is,

00:31:46.339 --> 00:31:46.819
 and it's

00:31:46.819 --> 00:31:47.440
 sort of revealed.

00:31:47.639 --> 00:31:48.059
 How is it

00:31:48.059 --> 00:31:48.379
 that God

00:31:48.379 --> 00:31:48.779
 wants us

00:31:48.779 --> 00:31:49.319
 to respond?

00:31:49.819 --> 00:31:50.200
 Look at how

00:31:50.200 --> 00:31:50.559
 it works

00:31:50.559 --> 00:31:51.139
 in the text,

00:31:51.259 --> 00:31:51.799
 verse 9.

00:31:53.220 --> 00:31:53.700
 And the kings

00:31:53.700 --> 00:31:54.259
 of the earth

00:31:54.259 --> 00:31:55.460
 who committed

00:31:55.460 --> 00:31:56.200
 sexual immorality,

00:31:56.559 --> 00:31:57.339
 that's the image

00:31:57.339 --> 00:31:57.819
 I explained

00:31:57.819 --> 00:31:58.179
 earlier,

00:31:58.279 --> 00:31:58.799
 and lived in

00:31:58.799 --> 00:31:59.480
 luxury with

00:31:59.480 --> 00:32:00.179
 Babylon,

00:32:00.980 --> 00:32:01.940
 will weep and

00:32:01.940 --> 00:32:02.759
 wail over her

00:32:02.759 --> 00:32:03.299
 when they see

00:32:03.299 --> 00:32:03.899
 the smoke of

00:32:03.899 --> 00:32:04.359
 her burning.

00:32:05.240 --> 00:32:05.599
 They will

00:32:05.599 --> 00:32:06.539
 stand far

00:32:06.539 --> 00:32:07.919
 off in

00:32:07.919 --> 00:32:08.700
 fear of

00:32:08.700 --> 00:32:09.220
 her torment

00:32:09.220 --> 00:32:09.779
 and say,

00:32:09.980 --> 00:32:10.460
 alas,

00:32:10.559 --> 00:32:11.000
 alas,

00:32:11.079 --> 00:32:11.480
 you great

00:32:11.480 --> 00:32:11.819
 city,

00:32:11.919 --> 00:32:12.359
 you mighty

00:32:12.359 --> 00:32:13.139
 city Babylon,

00:32:13.940 --> 00:32:15.019
 for in a

00:32:15.019 --> 00:32:15.679
 single hour

00:32:15.679 --> 00:32:16.259
 your judgment

00:32:16.259 --> 00:32:16.859
 has come.

00:32:17.399 --> 00:32:17.799
 And the

00:32:17.799 --> 00:32:18.359
 merchants of

00:32:18.359 --> 00:32:18.679
 the earth

00:32:18.679 --> 00:32:19.240
 weep and

00:32:19.240 --> 00:32:19.779
 mourn for

00:32:19.779 --> 00:32:20.039
 her,

00:32:20.839 --> 00:32:21.539
 since no one

00:32:21.539 --> 00:32:22.079
 buys their

00:32:22.079 --> 00:32:22.919
 cargo anymore,

00:32:23.819 --> 00:32:24.700
 cargo of gold

00:32:24.700 --> 00:32:25.259
 and jewels,

00:32:25.420 --> 00:32:25.819
 and it keeps

00:32:25.819 --> 00:32:26.160
 going,

00:32:26.319 --> 00:32:26.900
 and the real,

00:32:27.640 --> 00:32:28.259
 if you sort of

00:32:28.259 --> 00:32:29.000
 skim through them

00:32:29.000 --> 00:32:29.600
 to the end of

00:32:29.600 --> 00:32:30.380
 verse 13,

00:32:31.059 --> 00:32:31.720
 sheep and

00:32:31.720 --> 00:32:32.400
 cattle and

00:32:32.400 --> 00:32:32.860
 sheep and

00:32:32.860 --> 00:32:33.460
 horses and

00:32:33.460 --> 00:32:34.120
 chariots and

00:32:34.120 --> 00:32:34.799
 slaves,

00:32:35.140 --> 00:32:35.779
 that is human

00:32:35.779 --> 00:32:36.420
 souls,

00:32:37.140 --> 00:32:37.480
 there's a bit

00:32:37.480 --> 00:32:38.059
 of a pause,

00:32:38.120 --> 00:32:38.480
 this is a

00:32:38.480 --> 00:32:40.180
 profound critique

00:32:40.180 --> 00:32:41.319
 of slavery.

00:32:42.180 --> 00:32:43.319
 It's a profound

00:32:43.319 --> 00:32:44.259
 critique of the

00:32:44.259 --> 00:32:45.059
 slave labor that

00:32:45.059 --> 00:32:45.960
 still exists in

00:32:45.960 --> 00:32:46.680
 many parts of

00:32:46.680 --> 00:32:47.519
 the Muslim world,

00:32:48.059 --> 00:32:48.799
 there's a profound

00:32:48.799 --> 00:32:49.860
 critique of

00:32:49.860 --> 00:32:50.620
 slavery that

00:32:50.620 --> 00:32:51.680
 exists in

00:32:51.680 --> 00:32:52.180
 China,

00:32:52.700 --> 00:32:53.340
 an atheistic

00:32:53.340 --> 00:32:53.900
 government,

00:32:54.400 --> 00:32:55.460
 that still has

00:32:55.460 --> 00:32:56.100
 slave labor,

00:32:56.759 --> 00:32:57.620
 it is a profound

00:32:57.620 --> 00:32:58.660
 critique of

00:32:58.660 --> 00:32:59.900
 the sex trafficking

00:32:59.900 --> 00:33:01.299
 which is a

00:33:01.299 --> 00:33:02.140
 very common

00:33:02.140 --> 00:33:02.779
 form of

00:33:02.779 --> 00:33:03.519
 slavery in

00:33:03.519 --> 00:33:03.980
 our modern

00:33:03.980 --> 00:33:04.500
 world,

00:33:05.420 --> 00:33:06.060
 women made

00:33:06.060 --> 00:33:07.120
 virtually to

00:33:07.120 --> 00:33:07.779
 live as

00:33:07.779 --> 00:33:08.640
 slaves to

00:33:08.640 --> 00:33:09.539
 give sexual

00:33:09.539 --> 00:33:10.460
 favors to

00:33:10.460 --> 00:33:11.299
 men for

00:33:11.299 --> 00:33:12.019
 the money of

00:33:12.019 --> 00:33:13.019
 the men who

00:33:13.019 --> 00:33:14.299
 own these

00:33:14.299 --> 00:33:15.000
 women as

00:33:15.000 --> 00:33:15.480
 chattel,

00:33:16.320 --> 00:33:16.920
 for the

00:33:16.920 --> 00:33:17.860
 child labor

00:33:17.860 --> 00:33:19.500
 that exists in

00:33:19.500 --> 00:33:20.299
 many parts of

00:33:20.299 --> 00:33:20.740
 the world,

00:33:20.740 --> 00:33:20.759
 people,

00:33:21.599 --> 00:33:22.319
 it's a form

00:33:22.319 --> 00:33:23.220
 of slavery

00:33:23.220 --> 00:33:24.620
 and this is a

00:33:24.620 --> 00:33:25.440
 profound

00:33:25.440 --> 00:33:26.480
 rebuke.

00:33:28.359 --> 00:33:29.059
 And it's

00:33:29.059 --> 00:33:30.519
 specifically designed

00:33:30.519 --> 00:33:31.180
 in the text,

00:33:31.880 --> 00:33:32.240
 okay,

00:33:32.500 --> 00:33:32.980
 the person,

00:33:33.120 --> 00:33:34.259
 he has a dog,

00:33:34.500 --> 00:33:35.660
 he has a cow,

00:33:35.799 --> 00:33:36.599
 he has a horse,

00:33:36.740 --> 00:33:37.660
 he has an oxen,

00:33:37.720 --> 00:33:38.620
 he has Joe,

00:33:39.099 --> 00:33:41.059
 and it's just

00:33:41.059 --> 00:33:42.579
 for the slave

00:33:42.579 --> 00:33:42.859
 owner,

00:33:42.980 --> 00:33:43.319
 there's no

00:33:43.319 --> 00:33:43.700
 difference,

00:33:43.779 --> 00:33:44.319
 the dog,

00:33:44.440 --> 00:33:45.019
 the oxen,

00:33:45.079 --> 00:33:45.559
 the horse,

00:33:45.680 --> 00:33:46.220
 the cow,

00:33:46.440 --> 00:33:46.720
 Joe,

00:33:46.980 --> 00:33:47.380
 Sally,

00:33:47.579 --> 00:33:47.839
 Betty,

00:33:48.720 --> 00:33:49.400
 and the text

00:33:49.400 --> 00:33:50.140
 says human.

00:33:50.740 --> 00:33:51.940
 Human soul,

00:33:52.180 --> 00:33:53.120
 it's a profound,

00:33:53.440 --> 00:33:55.259
 profound critique

00:33:55.259 --> 00:33:56.400
 of the institution

00:33:56.400 --> 00:33:57.059
 of slavery.

00:33:57.839 --> 00:33:58.579
 And then look how

00:33:58.579 --> 00:33:59.279
 it goes in verse

00:33:59.279 --> 00:33:59.819
 14,

00:34:00.359 --> 00:34:01.400
 the fruit for which

00:34:01.400 --> 00:34:03.180
 your soul longed

00:34:03.180 --> 00:34:04.200
 has gone from

00:34:04.200 --> 00:34:04.400
 you,

00:34:04.940 --> 00:34:05.680
 and all your

00:34:05.680 --> 00:34:06.460
 delicacies and

00:34:06.460 --> 00:34:07.319
 your splendors are

00:34:07.319 --> 00:34:08.059
 lost to you,

00:34:08.119 --> 00:34:09.039
 never to be found

00:34:09.039 --> 00:34:09.519
 again.

00:34:10.579 --> 00:34:11.500
 The merchants of

00:34:11.500 --> 00:34:12.199
 these wares who

00:34:12.199 --> 00:34:13.019
 gain wealth from

00:34:13.019 --> 00:34:13.780
 her will stand

00:34:13.780 --> 00:34:14.940
 far off in fear

00:34:14.940 --> 00:34:15.659
 of her torment,

00:34:15.820 --> 00:34:16.300
 weeping and

00:34:16.300 --> 00:34:17.059
 mourning aloud,

00:34:17.480 --> 00:34:18.000
 alas,

00:34:18.079 --> 00:34:18.500
 alas,

00:34:18.559 --> 00:34:19.000
 for the great

00:34:19.000 --> 00:34:19.619
 city that was

00:34:19.619 --> 00:34:20.519
 clothed in fine

00:34:20.519 --> 00:34:21.039
 linen and

00:34:21.039 --> 00:34:21.579
 purple and

00:34:21.579 --> 00:34:22.000
 scarlet,

00:34:22.119 --> 00:34:22.559
 adorned with

00:34:22.559 --> 00:34:22.900
 gold,

00:34:23.000 --> 00:34:23.420
 with jewels

00:34:23.420 --> 00:34:23.799
 and with

00:34:23.799 --> 00:34:24.139
 pearls,

00:34:24.559 --> 00:34:25.219
 for a single,

00:34:25.359 --> 00:34:25.940
 in a single

00:34:25.940 --> 00:34:26.880
 hour all this

00:34:26.880 --> 00:34:27.719
 wealth has

00:34:27.719 --> 00:34:28.159
 been laid

00:34:28.159 --> 00:34:28.420
 waste.

00:34:28.500 --> 00:34:28.639
 And we'll

00:34:28.639 --> 00:34:29.019
 just sort of

00:34:29.019 --> 00:34:29.599
 pause there.

00:34:31.179 --> 00:34:31.699
 You see what

00:34:31.699 --> 00:34:32.619
 they're longing

00:34:32.619 --> 00:34:32.960
 in their

00:34:32.960 --> 00:34:33.279
 mourning?

00:34:34.359 --> 00:34:35.000
 It's as if

00:34:35.000 --> 00:34:35.599
 these merchants

00:34:35.599 --> 00:34:36.139
 are saying,

00:34:36.359 --> 00:34:36.659
 oh,

00:34:37.599 --> 00:34:38.519
 Babylon's

00:34:38.519 --> 00:34:39.119
 destroyed,

00:34:40.259 --> 00:34:41.319
 all the gold,

00:34:41.460 --> 00:34:42.039
 remember all the

00:34:42.039 --> 00:34:42.799
 gold we used

00:34:42.799 --> 00:34:43.359
 to have?

00:34:43.460 --> 00:34:43.719
 I'm going to

00:34:43.719 --> 00:34:44.579
 miss that gold.

00:34:45.519 --> 00:34:45.920
 Oh,

00:34:46.259 --> 00:34:46.739
 the great

00:34:46.739 --> 00:34:47.239
 meals,

00:34:47.239 --> 00:34:47.839
 all the

00:34:47.839 --> 00:34:48.500
 great meals

00:34:48.500 --> 00:34:49.479
 destroyed,

00:34:49.559 --> 00:34:49.799
 I'm going to

00:34:49.799 --> 00:34:50.219
 miss that.

00:34:50.599 --> 00:34:50.779
 Oh,

00:34:50.819 --> 00:34:51.659
 the slaves,

00:34:52.259 --> 00:34:52.819
 all the

00:34:52.819 --> 00:34:53.539
 slaves I

00:34:53.539 --> 00:34:53.899
 owned,

00:34:55.059 --> 00:34:55.439
 I'm going

00:34:55.439 --> 00:34:55.799
 to miss

00:34:55.799 --> 00:34:55.979
 it.

00:34:57.779 --> 00:34:58.399
 What you

00:34:58.399 --> 00:34:58.859
 see in the

00:34:58.859 --> 00:35:00.179
 response to

00:35:00.179 --> 00:35:00.779
 Babylon's

00:35:00.779 --> 00:35:01.099
 judgment,

00:35:01.299 --> 00:35:01.579
 and the

00:35:01.579 --> 00:35:02.279
 text is,

00:35:02.399 --> 00:35:03.079
 the implication

00:35:03.079 --> 00:35:03.719
 in the text

00:35:03.719 --> 00:35:04.779
 is that they

00:35:04.779 --> 00:35:07.559
 recognize that

00:35:07.559 --> 00:35:09.000
 the suddenness

00:35:09.000 --> 00:35:10.239
 of Babylon's

00:35:10.239 --> 00:35:11.179
 judgment and

00:35:11.179 --> 00:35:12.379
 doom indicates

00:35:12.379 --> 00:35:13.679
 that something,

00:35:14.159 --> 00:35:15.139
 someone like

00:35:15.139 --> 00:35:16.299
 God has been

00:35:16.300 --> 00:35:16.800
 at work,

00:35:17.400 --> 00:35:18.000
 and they

00:35:18.000 --> 00:35:18.900
 see this,

00:35:19.340 --> 00:35:19.700
 and they

00:35:19.700 --> 00:35:20.360
 know this,

00:35:21.140 --> 00:35:21.780
 but what

00:35:21.780 --> 00:35:22.800
 characterizes

00:35:22.800 --> 00:35:24.000
 their grieving

00:35:24.000 --> 00:35:26.320
 is that their

00:35:26.320 --> 00:35:26.860
 grieving is

00:35:26.860 --> 00:35:27.680
 self-centered,

00:35:28.440 --> 00:35:28.900
 that their

00:35:28.900 --> 00:35:30.100
 grieving consists

00:35:30.100 --> 00:35:31.039
 of hiding

00:35:31.039 --> 00:35:32.680
 from God,

00:35:32.900 --> 00:35:33.900
 their grieving

00:35:33.900 --> 00:35:35.060
 consists of

00:35:35.060 --> 00:35:36.260
 wishing that

00:35:36.260 --> 00:35:36.940
 the pleasure

00:35:36.940 --> 00:35:37.840
 that they had

00:35:37.840 --> 00:35:38.900
 will return.

00:35:39.320 --> 00:35:39.940
 The grieving

00:35:39.940 --> 00:35:41.080
 they have is

00:35:41.080 --> 00:35:41.900
 that they grieve

00:35:41.900 --> 00:35:42.400
 that they've

00:35:42.400 --> 00:35:42.960
 lost their

00:35:42.960 --> 00:35:44.140
 status and

00:35:44.140 --> 00:35:44.860
 their power

00:35:44.860 --> 00:35:45.640
 and their

00:35:45.640 --> 00:35:46.320
 prestige,

00:35:46.500 --> 00:35:47.220
 but none

00:35:47.220 --> 00:35:47.579
 of them

00:35:47.579 --> 00:35:47.900
 says,

00:35:48.059 --> 00:35:48.640
 what was I

00:35:48.640 --> 00:35:49.200
 thinking

00:35:49.200 --> 00:35:50.019
 owning a

00:35:50.019 --> 00:35:50.480
 slave?

00:35:51.360 --> 00:35:52.200
 What was I

00:35:52.200 --> 00:35:52.660
 thinking

00:35:52.660 --> 00:35:53.660
 exploiting my

00:35:53.660 --> 00:35:54.180
 workers?

00:35:54.740 --> 00:35:55.360
 What was I

00:35:55.360 --> 00:35:55.960
 thinking

00:35:55.960 --> 00:35:57.059
 using my

00:35:57.059 --> 00:35:58.360
 power to

00:35:58.360 --> 00:36:00.160
 force people

00:36:00.160 --> 00:36:00.640
 to sell

00:36:00.640 --> 00:36:01.240
 things to me

00:36:01.240 --> 00:36:01.780
 really cheap

00:36:01.780 --> 00:36:02.240
 that I could

00:36:02.240 --> 00:36:02.640
 sell them

00:36:02.640 --> 00:36:03.079
 for a huge

00:36:03.079 --> 00:36:03.360
 profit?

00:36:03.599 --> 00:36:04.120
 What on

00:36:04.120 --> 00:36:04.780
 earth was I

00:36:04.780 --> 00:36:05.500
 thinking?

00:36:06.059 --> 00:36:06.820
 Never enters

00:36:06.820 --> 00:36:07.340
 their head.

00:36:08.460 --> 00:36:08.920
 Here's the

00:36:08.920 --> 00:36:09.220
 point.

00:36:10.140 --> 00:36:10.760
 Put it up,

00:36:10.900 --> 00:36:11.079
 Andrew.

00:36:11.079 --> 00:36:14.460
 there is a

00:36:14.460 --> 00:36:15.380
 godly grief

00:36:15.380 --> 00:36:16.699
 that leads

00:36:16.699 --> 00:36:17.559
 to life

00:36:17.559 --> 00:36:18.719
 and a

00:36:18.719 --> 00:36:19.139
 worldly

00:36:19.139 --> 00:36:20.319
 grief that

00:36:20.319 --> 00:36:20.799
 leads to

00:36:20.799 --> 00:36:21.079
 death.

00:36:22.539 --> 00:36:23.400
 There is a

00:36:23.400 --> 00:36:24.340
 godly grief

00:36:24.340 --> 00:36:25.299
 that leads

00:36:25.299 --> 00:36:25.920
 to life

00:36:25.920 --> 00:36:28.119
 and a

00:36:28.119 --> 00:36:28.519
 worldly

00:36:28.519 --> 00:36:29.719
 grief that

00:36:29.719 --> 00:36:30.239
 leads to

00:36:30.239 --> 00:36:30.519
 death.

00:36:31.779 --> 00:36:32.699
 And what we

00:36:32.699 --> 00:36:33.199
 see here,

00:36:33.279 --> 00:36:33.679
 we see it

00:36:33.679 --> 00:36:33.980
 with the

00:36:33.980 --> 00:36:34.279
 kings,

00:36:34.400 --> 00:36:34.719
 we see it

00:36:34.719 --> 00:36:35.000
 with the

00:36:35.000 --> 00:36:35.279
 merchants,

00:36:35.440 --> 00:36:35.739
 and we see

00:36:35.739 --> 00:36:35.940
 it with

00:36:35.940 --> 00:36:36.380
 the sailors,

00:36:36.460 --> 00:36:36.719
 which I

00:36:36.719 --> 00:36:37.119
 won't bother

00:36:37.119 --> 00:36:37.460
 reading,

00:36:38.179 --> 00:36:38.519
 is that in

00:36:38.519 --> 00:36:39.380
 every case,

00:36:39.380 --> 00:36:40.559
 they're not

00:36:40.559 --> 00:36:41.320
 actually

00:36:41.320 --> 00:36:43.280
 concerned that

00:36:43.280 --> 00:36:43.820
 what they've

00:36:43.820 --> 00:36:44.360
 done is

00:36:44.360 --> 00:36:44.920
 wrong.

00:36:47.420 --> 00:36:48.200
 And their

00:36:48.200 --> 00:36:49.680
 reaction to

00:36:49.680 --> 00:36:50.619
 God revealing

00:36:50.619 --> 00:36:51.680
 himself and

00:36:51.680 --> 00:36:52.280
 revealing the

00:36:52.280 --> 00:36:54.519
 wrong is to

00:36:54.519 --> 00:36:55.460
 hide or to

00:36:55.460 --> 00:36:56.360
 flee, in a

00:36:56.360 --> 00:36:56.800
 sense to

00:36:56.800 --> 00:36:58.000
 retrench and

00:36:58.000 --> 00:36:58.480
 get more

00:36:58.480 --> 00:36:59.300
 resources and

00:36:59.300 --> 00:36:59.980
 more power.

00:37:00.440 --> 00:37:00.960
 Isn't that

00:37:00.960 --> 00:37:01.640
 often how it

00:37:01.640 --> 00:37:02.220
 works with the

00:37:02.220 --> 00:37:02.680
 powerful?

00:37:03.059 --> 00:37:03.619
 That when

00:37:03.619 --> 00:37:04.380
 something's about

00:37:04.380 --> 00:37:05.160
 to be revealed

00:37:05.160 --> 00:37:05.640
 that's going to

00:37:05.640 --> 00:37:06.240
 make them look

00:37:06.240 --> 00:37:07.119
 weak, our

00:37:07.119 --> 00:37:08.300
 response is not

00:37:08.300 --> 00:37:09.099
 repentance,

00:37:09.380 --> 00:37:10.519
 but get

00:37:10.519 --> 00:37:11.500
 more power.

00:37:14.320 --> 00:37:14.840
 I'm going to

00:37:14.840 --> 00:37:15.300
 get in trouble,

00:37:15.460 --> 00:37:15.660
 I'm going to

00:37:15.660 --> 00:37:16.740
 get the better

00:37:16.740 --> 00:37:17.260
 lawyer, I'm

00:37:17.260 --> 00:37:17.380
 going to

00:37:17.380 --> 00:37:18.440
 outspend, and

00:37:18.440 --> 00:37:18.640
 I'm going to

00:37:18.640 --> 00:37:19.099
 get the better

00:37:19.099 --> 00:37:19.559
 lawyers to

00:37:19.559 --> 00:37:20.160
 beat these,

00:37:20.280 --> 00:37:20.599
 I'm going to

00:37:20.599 --> 00:37:21.240
 beat the

00:37:21.240 --> 00:37:21.640
 rap.

00:37:23.200 --> 00:37:23.780
 I'm going to

00:37:23.780 --> 00:37:24.500
 use my

00:37:24.500 --> 00:37:25.380
 skills to

00:37:25.380 --> 00:37:26.260
 talk my

00:37:26.260 --> 00:37:26.900
 wife around,

00:37:27.019 --> 00:37:28.740
 I'm going to

00:37:28.740 --> 00:37:29.440
 do that, I

00:37:29.440 --> 00:37:29.860
 don't want to

00:37:29.860 --> 00:37:30.280
 lose my

00:37:30.280 --> 00:37:30.640
 power, I

00:37:30.640 --> 00:37:30.960
 don't want to

00:37:30.960 --> 00:37:31.380
 lose my

00:37:31.380 --> 00:37:32.340
 prestige, and

00:37:32.340 --> 00:37:32.840
 there's a

00:37:32.840 --> 00:37:33.480
 grieving, there's

00:37:33.480 --> 00:37:34.180
 a sorrowing,

00:37:34.280 --> 00:37:34.680
 there's a

00:37:34.680 --> 00:37:35.400
 worrying about

00:37:35.400 --> 00:37:35.920
 what's going

00:37:35.920 --> 00:37:36.900
 on, but it's

00:37:36.900 --> 00:37:37.820
 not a

00:37:37.820 --> 00:37:39.079
 repentance based

00:37:39.079 --> 00:37:39.519
 on an

00:37:39.519 --> 00:37:40.179
 acknowledgement

00:37:40.179 --> 00:37:41.199
 that what

00:37:41.199 --> 00:37:42.039
 was done

00:37:42.039 --> 00:37:42.980
 was wrong.

00:37:43.980 --> 00:37:44.699
 It's a

00:37:44.699 --> 00:37:46.539
 grieving that

00:37:46.539 --> 00:37:47.059
 leads to

00:37:47.059 --> 00:37:49.079
 death, and

00:37:49.079 --> 00:37:50.019
 God wants us

00:37:50.019 --> 00:37:52.059
 to grieve in

00:37:52.059 --> 00:37:52.539
 a way that

00:37:52.539 --> 00:37:53.659
 involves repentance

00:37:53.659 --> 00:37:54.880
 and turning to

00:37:54.880 --> 00:37:56.159
 him and saying,

00:37:56.239 --> 00:37:56.639
 God, I don't

00:37:56.639 --> 00:37:57.759
 know, what I did

00:37:57.759 --> 00:37:59.819
 was wrong, I

00:37:59.819 --> 00:38:00.559
 see that it's

00:38:00.559 --> 00:38:04.159
 wrong, have you

00:38:04.159 --> 00:38:05.339
 any mercy for

00:38:05.339 --> 00:38:05.579
 me?

00:38:07.000 --> 00:38:08.099
 Can I be

00:38:08.099 --> 00:38:09.239
 relieved or

00:38:09.239 --> 00:38:10.199
 delivered from

00:38:10.199 --> 00:38:10.559
 this?

00:38:12.519 --> 00:38:12.920
 It's the

00:38:12.920 --> 00:38:13.599
 difference between

00:38:13.599 --> 00:38:15.099
 a man caught

00:38:15.099 --> 00:38:16.279
 watching pornography

00:38:16.279 --> 00:38:17.179
 who now spends

00:38:17.179 --> 00:38:17.799
 all his time

00:38:17.799 --> 00:38:18.379
 trying to figure

00:38:18.379 --> 00:38:18.759
 out how to

00:38:18.759 --> 00:38:19.659
 continue watching

00:38:19.659 --> 00:38:20.319
 pornography,

00:38:21.159 --> 00:38:22.219
 or the man who

00:38:22.219 --> 00:38:23.000
 says, I have a

00:38:23.000 --> 00:38:25.159
 problem, and I

00:38:25.159 --> 00:38:26.000
 want to amend my

00:38:26.000 --> 00:38:26.659
 life, God.

00:38:28.339 --> 00:38:29.440
 I want to amend

00:38:29.440 --> 00:38:30.000
 my life.

00:38:33.079 --> 00:38:33.800
 The Bible

00:38:33.800 --> 00:38:35.260
 here portrays

00:38:35.260 --> 00:38:36.840
 that there is a

00:38:36.840 --> 00:38:37.539
 choice that we

00:38:37.539 --> 00:38:38.380
 have between a

00:38:38.380 --> 00:38:39.280
 godly grief that

00:38:39.280 --> 00:38:40.579
 leads to life and

00:38:40.579 --> 00:38:41.980
 a worldly grief that

00:38:41.980 --> 00:38:43.099
 leads to death.

00:38:43.880 --> 00:38:45.019
 What is God's heart

00:38:45.019 --> 00:38:45.679
 for you and me?

00:38:46.039 --> 00:38:46.860
 What is his hope?

00:38:47.260 --> 00:38:47.800
 Next point.

00:38:48.039 --> 00:38:48.840
 What is God's hope

00:38:48.840 --> 00:38:49.440
 for me and you?

00:38:49.880 --> 00:38:50.519
 Choose life.

00:38:51.639 --> 00:38:52.539
 What is God's hope

00:38:52.539 --> 00:38:53.159
 for me and you?

00:38:53.780 --> 00:38:54.619
 Choose life.

00:38:54.619 --> 00:38:55.139
 Choose life.

00:38:56.319 --> 00:38:57.159
 Choose life.

00:38:58.219 --> 00:38:59.000
 The cry of the

00:38:59.000 --> 00:38:59.880
 Old Testament, the

00:38:59.880 --> 00:39:00.559
 cry of the New

00:39:00.559 --> 00:39:01.460
 Testament, choose

00:39:01.460 --> 00:39:01.799
 life.

00:39:02.219 --> 00:39:03.420
 Choosing God is

00:39:03.420 --> 00:39:04.500
 choosing life.

00:39:04.940 --> 00:39:05.920
 Choosing repentance

00:39:05.920 --> 00:39:07.559
 is choosing life.

00:39:09.099 --> 00:39:09.579
 Now, some of you

00:39:09.579 --> 00:39:10.259
 might say, George,

00:39:10.659 --> 00:39:11.779
 here's the problem,

00:39:11.900 --> 00:39:12.079
 George.

00:39:12.179 --> 00:39:12.559
 Okay, you're talking

00:39:12.559 --> 00:39:13.420
 about sin and all

00:39:13.420 --> 00:39:14.219
 that type of stuff,

00:39:14.279 --> 00:39:15.079
 and you know, it

00:39:15.079 --> 00:39:15.759
 just sounds a little

00:39:15.759 --> 00:39:16.679
 bit like what you're

00:39:16.679 --> 00:39:18.000
 just saying is, you

00:39:18.000 --> 00:39:18.619
 know, the grovel,

00:39:18.739 --> 00:39:19.380
 grovel, grovel,

00:39:19.500 --> 00:39:20.920
 grovel, rules,

00:39:21.079 --> 00:39:22.219
 rules, rules, rules,

00:39:22.440 --> 00:39:23.179
 you know, sorry,

00:39:23.319 --> 00:39:23.859
 sorry, sorry,

00:39:23.860 --> 00:39:25.019
 sorry, maya culpa,

00:39:25.140 --> 00:39:25.579
 maya culpa,

00:39:25.680 --> 00:39:26.240
 maya culpa.

00:39:27.059 --> 00:39:27.539
 And you know,

00:39:27.579 --> 00:39:28.440
 George, if that's

00:39:28.440 --> 00:39:29.400
 just, like I can

00:39:29.400 --> 00:39:30.019
 sort of see how

00:39:30.019 --> 00:39:30.780
 people turn their

00:39:30.780 --> 00:39:31.400
 back on us.

00:39:31.440 --> 00:39:32.079
 I can see how

00:39:32.079 --> 00:39:32.820
 people say, let's

00:39:32.820 --> 00:39:33.500
 just live and let

00:39:33.500 --> 00:39:33.720
 live.

00:39:33.860 --> 00:39:34.579
 What's with all

00:39:34.579 --> 00:39:35.160
 this breast

00:39:35.160 --> 00:39:35.420
 beating?

00:39:37.220 --> 00:39:38.240
 I can see why

00:39:38.240 --> 00:39:38.860
 people want to be

00:39:38.860 --> 00:39:39.680
 spiritual and not

00:39:39.680 --> 00:39:40.220
 religious, because

00:39:40.220 --> 00:39:40.980
 religion just seems

00:39:40.980 --> 00:39:42.440
 to be about, first

00:39:42.440 --> 00:39:43.000
 we make a whole

00:39:43.000 --> 00:39:43.780
 pile of rules, then

00:39:43.780 --> 00:39:44.260
 we make a whole

00:39:44.260 --> 00:39:44.960
 pile of loopholes

00:39:44.960 --> 00:39:46.220
 to the rules, and

00:39:46.220 --> 00:39:46.760
 then if we get

00:39:46.760 --> 00:39:47.680
 caught breaking the

00:39:47.680 --> 00:39:49.120
 rules, well, we

00:39:49.120 --> 00:39:50.000
 either just sort of

00:39:50.000 --> 00:39:51.019
 say forget about it

00:39:51.019 --> 00:39:51.480
 and do something

00:39:51.480 --> 00:39:52.240
 completely and utterly

00:39:52.240 --> 00:39:53.840
 different, or,

00:39:53.860 --> 00:39:55.360
 you know, where we

00:39:55.360 --> 00:39:57.519
 just deal with the

00:39:57.519 --> 00:39:57.800
 shame.

00:39:59.800 --> 00:40:01.440
 The Bible here in

00:40:01.440 --> 00:40:03.120
 the text shows us a

00:40:03.120 --> 00:40:04.360
 profound option.

00:40:05.840 --> 00:40:07.760
 We, in our world, we

00:40:07.760 --> 00:40:08.620
 tend to think that the

00:40:08.620 --> 00:40:09.820
 only options are being

00:40:09.820 --> 00:40:11.920
 highly religious, which

00:40:11.920 --> 00:40:12.840
 is going to involve a

00:40:12.840 --> 00:40:13.740
 lot of beating of our

00:40:13.740 --> 00:40:15.099
 breast and groveling,

00:40:15.840 --> 00:40:17.120
 or just basically doing

00:40:17.120 --> 00:40:18.559
 what we want, and

00:40:18.559 --> 00:40:19.180
 those are the two

00:40:19.180 --> 00:40:19.840
 options.

00:40:19.840 --> 00:40:21.900
 spirituality being sort

00:40:21.900 --> 00:40:22.680
 of close to doing

00:40:22.680 --> 00:40:23.700
 what you want, but

00:40:23.700 --> 00:40:24.800
 with some different

00:40:24.800 --> 00:40:25.680
 types of rules than

00:40:25.680 --> 00:40:27.620
 religious people, and

00:40:27.620 --> 00:40:28.360
 those are the two

00:40:28.360 --> 00:40:28.740
 options.

00:40:28.880 --> 00:40:29.660
 And the Bible here

00:40:29.660 --> 00:40:30.620
 gives us a completely

00:40:30.620 --> 00:40:31.760
 and utterly different

00:40:31.760 --> 00:40:32.320
 option.

00:40:32.840 --> 00:40:34.039
 And it was earlier on

00:40:34.039 --> 00:40:34.680
 in the text, it's

00:40:34.680 --> 00:40:37.240
 verse 6, verse 6,

00:40:38.460 --> 00:40:39.420
 sorry, not verse 6,

00:40:39.500 --> 00:40:40.100
 it's verse 4.

00:40:41.100 --> 00:40:41.800
 Then I heard another

00:40:41.800 --> 00:40:42.680
 voice from heaven

00:40:42.680 --> 00:40:44.640
 saying, come out of

00:40:44.640 --> 00:40:45.500
 her my people.

00:40:45.500 --> 00:40:49.500
 Then I heard another

00:40:49.500 --> 00:40:50.360
 voice from heaven

00:40:50.360 --> 00:40:51.800
 saying, come out of

00:40:51.800 --> 00:40:52.599
 her my people.

00:40:54.400 --> 00:40:55.519
 Then I heard another

00:40:55.519 --> 00:40:56.400
 voice from heaven

00:40:56.400 --> 00:40:57.559
 saying, come out of

00:40:57.559 --> 00:40:58.300
 her my people.

00:41:01.880 --> 00:41:03.679
 The difference between

00:41:03.679 --> 00:41:05.920
 religion and being

00:41:05.920 --> 00:41:07.099
 completely and utterly

00:41:07.099 --> 00:41:09.420
 just, who cares about

00:41:09.420 --> 00:41:10.340
 right and wrong, just

00:41:10.340 --> 00:41:11.280
 going to live and let

00:41:11.280 --> 00:41:11.820
 live, just going to do

00:41:11.820 --> 00:41:12.500
 whatever I want.

00:41:13.340 --> 00:41:14.340
 Those aren't the two

00:41:14.340 --> 00:41:14.900
 options.

00:41:15.500 --> 00:41:17.940
 The option is that

00:41:17.940 --> 00:41:19.579
 God, out of grace and

00:41:19.579 --> 00:41:21.219
 love, calls you.

00:41:23.360 --> 00:41:24.760
 Calls me to a new

00:41:24.760 --> 00:41:25.119
 life.

00:41:26.219 --> 00:41:27.460
 He calls me.

00:41:28.739 --> 00:41:29.619
 One of the great

00:41:29.619 --> 00:41:30.860
 images in the New

00:41:30.860 --> 00:41:31.780
 Testament of what

00:41:31.780 --> 00:41:33.659
 Jesus does for us is

00:41:33.659 --> 00:41:34.500
 the Bible never

00:41:34.500 --> 00:41:35.380
 portrays that there's

00:41:35.380 --> 00:41:36.300
 all these Christians

00:41:36.300 --> 00:41:37.360
 who never do anything

00:41:37.360 --> 00:41:38.300
 wrong because we're

00:41:38.300 --> 00:41:39.119
 very good at playing

00:41:39.119 --> 00:41:40.019
 religious games.

00:41:40.659 --> 00:41:41.320
 And on the other

00:41:41.320 --> 00:41:41.960
 hand, there are all

00:41:41.960 --> 00:41:42.840
 these other people who

00:41:42.840 --> 00:41:43.840
 don't know how to play

00:41:43.840 --> 00:41:44.780
 all the religious games

00:41:44.780 --> 00:41:45.480
 and all the religious

00:41:45.480 --> 00:41:45.800
 rules.

00:41:45.880 --> 00:41:46.480
 We don't know when to

00:41:46.480 --> 00:41:47.100
 raise our hands.

00:41:47.180 --> 00:41:47.760
 We don't know when to

00:41:47.760 --> 00:41:48.060
 clap.

00:41:48.160 --> 00:41:48.740
 We don't know when to

00:41:48.740 --> 00:41:49.000
 bow.

00:41:49.120 --> 00:41:49.700
 We don't know how to

00:41:49.700 --> 00:41:50.460
 say all the words.

00:41:50.840 --> 00:41:51.960
 We can't keep straight

00:41:51.960 --> 00:41:52.519
 all that stuff.

00:41:52.720 --> 00:41:53.700
 The Bible doesn't say

00:41:53.700 --> 00:41:54.440
 that those are the two

00:41:54.440 --> 00:41:54.760
 options.

00:41:54.840 --> 00:41:55.780
 The Bible says that

00:41:55.780 --> 00:41:57.280
 every single one of us

00:41:57.280 --> 00:41:58.960
 is in a sense a citizen

00:41:58.960 --> 00:41:59.880
 of Babylon.

00:42:01.280 --> 00:42:02.500
 And that what happens

00:42:02.500 --> 00:42:04.700
 on the cross is that

00:42:04.700 --> 00:42:05.860
 God who sees our

00:42:05.860 --> 00:42:07.220
 weakness and our love

00:42:07.220 --> 00:42:09.140
 for Babylon and our

00:42:09.140 --> 00:42:10.700
 inability to face what

00:42:10.699 --> 00:42:11.619
 it is that we've done

00:42:11.619 --> 00:42:12.179
 wrong.

00:42:12.859 --> 00:42:15.899
 And God sees us in

00:42:15.899 --> 00:42:17.619
 Babylon and he sends

00:42:17.619 --> 00:42:18.960
 his son to die upon

00:42:18.960 --> 00:42:20.759
 the cross so that the

00:42:20.759 --> 00:42:21.960
 justice and the doom

00:42:21.960 --> 00:42:23.159
 that I deserve, the

00:42:23.159 --> 00:42:24.739
 judgment that I will not

00:42:24.739 --> 00:42:25.599
 be able to withstand

00:42:25.599 --> 00:42:26.719
 even under George's

00:42:26.719 --> 00:42:28.000
 rules, that that will

00:42:28.000 --> 00:42:29.399
 fall on Jesus.

00:42:29.960 --> 00:42:31.579
 That will fall on him

00:42:31.579 --> 00:42:33.460
 in my stead.

00:42:33.599 --> 00:42:35.379
 And he calls to George

00:42:35.379 --> 00:42:37.480
 in Babylon and he says

00:42:37.480 --> 00:42:38.539
 to me, George in

00:42:38.539 --> 00:42:41.079
 Babylon, I want you

00:42:41.079 --> 00:42:42.079
 to be my people.

00:42:42.460 --> 00:42:43.360
 Come to me.

00:42:43.559 --> 00:42:44.539
 Come to Jesus.

00:42:47.300 --> 00:42:49.880
 In your place,

00:42:50.219 --> 00:42:51.980
 condemned, he stood.

00:42:52.699 --> 00:42:54.280
 The call here is not

00:42:54.280 --> 00:42:55.159
 to the religious.

00:42:56.019 --> 00:42:57.079
 It's not to the people

00:42:57.079 --> 00:42:59.079
 who do not need Jesus.

00:42:59.579 --> 00:43:01.280
 The call is to the

00:43:01.280 --> 00:43:02.840
 citizens of Babylon.

00:43:03.500 --> 00:43:04.679
 That when we put our

00:43:04.679 --> 00:43:05.940
 faith and trust in Jesus,

00:43:05.940 --> 00:43:07.599
 the Bible describes us

00:43:07.599 --> 00:43:08.639
 as being transferred

00:43:08.639 --> 00:43:11.400
 from Babylon to being

00:43:11.400 --> 00:43:12.079
 my people.

00:43:14.039 --> 00:43:15.019
 Here's the point.

00:43:15.179 --> 00:43:15.760
 You can put it up,

00:43:15.840 --> 00:43:16.079
 Andrew.

00:43:17.539 --> 00:43:19.599
 In grace, he died for

00:43:19.599 --> 00:43:19.760
 me.

00:43:20.320 --> 00:43:22.460
 In grace, he calls me.

00:43:23.000 --> 00:43:25.139
 In grace, he saves me.

00:43:25.639 --> 00:43:27.760
 And by his grace, new

00:43:27.760 --> 00:43:30.159
 life is formed in me as

00:43:30.159 --> 00:43:32.380
 I say yes to his call.

00:43:33.159 --> 00:43:34.700
 In grace, he died for

00:43:34.700 --> 00:43:34.900
 me.

00:43:34.900 --> 00:43:36.900
 In grace, he calls me.

00:43:37.340 --> 00:43:39.099
 In grace, he saves me.

00:43:39.740 --> 00:43:41.400
 And by his grace, new

00:43:41.400 --> 00:43:43.180
 life is formed in me as

00:43:43.180 --> 00:43:44.579
 I say yes to his call.

00:43:44.740 --> 00:43:45.800
 Because the Christian

00:43:45.800 --> 00:43:47.740
 life begins when we say

00:43:47.740 --> 00:43:49.820
 yes to the call of Jesus

00:43:49.820 --> 00:43:50.820
 to come to him.

00:43:51.840 --> 00:43:53.599
 It doesn't matter if we've

00:43:53.599 --> 00:43:54.720
 lived our whole life in

00:43:54.720 --> 00:43:56.119
 Rockcliffe or if we've

00:43:56.119 --> 00:43:57.380
 lived our whole life in a

00:43:57.380 --> 00:43:58.019
 trailer park.

00:43:58.119 --> 00:43:59.260
 It doesn't matter if we're

00:43:59.260 --> 00:44:01.240
 serving on Parliament Hill or

00:44:01.240 --> 00:44:02.119
 if we're living on the

00:44:02.119 --> 00:44:02.440
 streets.

00:44:02.440 --> 00:44:03.800
 It doesn't matter if we

00:44:03.800 --> 00:44:05.720
 have a PhD or if we're

00:44:05.720 --> 00:44:06.579
 Down syndrome.

00:44:06.840 --> 00:44:07.200
 It doesn't.

00:44:07.320 --> 00:44:08.380
 None of the...

00:44:08.380 --> 00:44:10.480
 The Christian life begins

00:44:10.480 --> 00:44:12.840
 with ordinary people like

00:44:12.840 --> 00:44:14.179
 you and me who are citizens

00:44:14.179 --> 00:44:16.619
 of Babylon who say yes to

00:44:16.619 --> 00:44:18.099
 the call of God in the

00:44:18.099 --> 00:44:18.940
 person of Jesus.

00:44:19.300 --> 00:44:20.000
 And that's how the

00:44:20.000 --> 00:44:21.039
 Christian life begins.

00:44:21.280 --> 00:44:23.500
 And all of the revelations

00:44:23.500 --> 00:44:25.720
 of God's judgment against the

00:44:25.720 --> 00:44:27.139
 sin in our life as it is

00:44:27.139 --> 00:44:29.179
 exposed is not just a

00:44:29.179 --> 00:44:32.899
 revelation but a call to

00:44:32.899 --> 00:44:33.719
 come to Jesus.

00:44:35.079 --> 00:44:36.899
 In fact, it's by grace as we

00:44:36.899 --> 00:44:38.960
 realize that in my place

00:44:38.960 --> 00:44:41.079
 condemned he stood that we

00:44:41.079 --> 00:44:42.519
 can start to have the

00:44:42.519 --> 00:44:45.079
 freedom and the hope to look

00:44:45.079 --> 00:44:47.799
 at the evil that we do, the

00:44:47.799 --> 00:44:49.559
 place of evil in our lives,

00:44:50.119 --> 00:44:52.719
 and actually start to address

00:44:52.719 --> 00:44:53.000
 it.

00:44:53.000 --> 00:44:56.599
 Because we understand that in

00:44:56.599 --> 00:44:57.880
 grace he died for me.

00:44:58.440 --> 00:44:59.940
 In grace he calls me.

00:45:00.539 --> 00:45:02.000
 In grace he saves me.

00:45:02.820 --> 00:45:04.639
 And by his grace new life is

00:45:04.639 --> 00:45:07.280
 formed in me as I say yes to

00:45:07.280 --> 00:45:07.820
 his call.

00:45:08.780 --> 00:45:10.239
 The Christian life isn't we say

00:45:10.239 --> 00:45:12.420
 yes once and then we live a

00:45:12.420 --> 00:45:13.619
 life of religious rules.

00:45:14.619 --> 00:45:17.460
 The Christian life is we say yes

00:45:17.460 --> 00:45:19.220
 to become his child.

00:45:20.280 --> 00:45:22.240
 And then we live a life of

00:45:22.240 --> 00:45:24.860
 constantly learning to hear his

00:45:24.860 --> 00:45:28.079
 daily call to us to come to

00:45:28.079 --> 00:45:28.400
 him.

00:45:29.019 --> 00:45:31.500
 Come to me all who labor and are

00:45:31.500 --> 00:45:33.500
 heavy laden and I will give you

00:45:33.500 --> 00:45:33.820
 rest.

00:45:34.280 --> 00:45:36.579
 Take my yoke upon you.

00:45:38.199 --> 00:45:40.039
 For I am gentle and humble of

00:45:40.039 --> 00:45:43.340
 heart and you will find rest for

00:45:43.340 --> 00:45:43.860
 your soul.

00:45:44.480 --> 00:45:45.079
 Please stand.

00:45:47.460 --> 00:45:59.599
 If you're here and you've never

00:45:59.599 --> 00:46:01.780
 understood that Jesus is calling

00:46:01.780 --> 00:46:05.139
 you, I didn't say this but if you

00:46:05.139 --> 00:46:06.380
 go back there in the text, the

00:46:06.380 --> 00:46:08.720
 voice, for textual reasons if you

00:46:08.720 --> 00:46:09.500
 look through all the book of

00:46:09.500 --> 00:46:10.860
 Revelation, the voice is Jesus.

00:46:11.659 --> 00:46:13.980
 The voice that calls is Jesus.

00:46:14.420 --> 00:46:16.220
 You look through all of Revelation,

00:46:16.219 --> 00:46:17.319
 you track it through.

00:46:17.439 --> 00:46:18.359
 That's who's speaking.

00:46:19.119 --> 00:46:20.459
 And if there's anyone here who

00:46:20.459 --> 00:46:22.000
 has never realized that Jesus is

00:46:22.000 --> 00:46:23.819
 actually calling you to be his

00:46:23.819 --> 00:46:26.299
 people, his person, there is no

00:46:26.299 --> 00:46:28.439
 better time than today.

00:46:28.980 --> 00:46:29.739
 Use your own words.

00:46:29.819 --> 00:46:32.219
 Just say, Jesus, that's me.

00:46:32.319 --> 00:46:33.419
 I hear your call.

00:46:33.859 --> 00:46:35.379
 I want to come to you.

00:46:35.480 --> 00:46:36.039
 I'm weak.

00:46:36.119 --> 00:46:37.599
 I can't do it on my own.

00:46:38.199 --> 00:46:40.000
 Jesus, please cross that infinite

00:46:40.000 --> 00:46:41.739
 distance and come and take me to

00:46:41.739 --> 00:46:44.059
 yourself because I now know you've

00:46:44.059 --> 00:46:45.459
 called me and I want to be yours.

00:46:45.460 --> 00:46:47.599
 There's no better time than right

00:46:47.599 --> 00:46:49.599
 now before God.

00:46:50.139 --> 00:46:51.659
 Don't even finish, don't even stop

00:46:51.659 --> 00:46:53.000
 listening to me and just say to

00:46:53.000 --> 00:46:55.360
 Jesus, Jesus, I hear your call.

00:46:55.460 --> 00:46:57.159
 I recognize that's the tug of my

00:46:57.159 --> 00:46:57.380
 heart.

00:46:58.639 --> 00:46:59.659
 Here I am.

00:46:59.780 --> 00:47:00.420
 Take me.

00:47:01.159 --> 00:47:02.059
 Here I am.

00:47:02.199 --> 00:47:04.199
 Take me and keep me yours forever.

00:47:04.360 --> 00:47:05.599
 That's all you have.

00:47:05.720 --> 00:47:06.679
 Here I am.

00:47:06.800 --> 00:47:07.440
 Take me.

00:47:08.300 --> 00:47:10.440
 For every one of us, God calls to

00:47:10.440 --> 00:47:10.699
 us.

00:47:11.079 --> 00:47:12.699
 He never convicts of sin.

00:47:12.699 --> 00:47:15.099
 Every conviction of sin by

00:47:15.099 --> 00:47:17.639
 conscience is also a call from

00:47:17.639 --> 00:47:19.500
 Jesus to come to him.

00:47:20.500 --> 00:47:22.500
 To be gripped by the gospel and

00:47:22.500 --> 00:47:24.339
 understand how because of what

00:47:24.339 --> 00:47:26.759
 Jesus has done for the cross, we can

00:47:26.759 --> 00:47:28.500
 be grounded in dealing with our

00:47:28.500 --> 00:47:28.799
 lives.

00:47:28.899 --> 00:47:30.339
 We can be pushed into new life.

00:47:30.419 --> 00:47:31.759
 We can be drawn into new life.

00:47:31.839 --> 00:47:33.719
 We can be shaped into new life.

00:47:34.119 --> 00:47:36.179
 There's no better time than now to

00:47:36.179 --> 00:47:37.239
 say yes to that call.

00:47:37.980 --> 00:47:38.699
 Bow our heads in prayer.

00:47:38.699 --> 00:47:50.439
 Father, if there is any here who

00:47:50.439 --> 00:47:53.699
 today has just taken, not my

00:47:53.699 --> 00:47:55.159
 urging, Father, it's an urging that

00:47:55.159 --> 00:47:57.779
 comes from the Holy Spirit that I

00:47:57.779 --> 00:48:00.039
 just, Father, try in some small way to

00:48:00.039 --> 00:48:02.599
 give voice to, that the pull and tug of

00:48:02.599 --> 00:48:04.879
 their heart for the first time to

00:48:04.879 --> 00:48:06.799
 realize that you have been calling them

00:48:06.800 --> 00:48:08.620
 all their lives and that they are

00:48:08.620 --> 00:48:09.900
 hearing your call today.

00:48:10.539 --> 00:48:12.200
 Father, may you pour out your Holy

00:48:12.200 --> 00:48:13.280
 Spirit upon people.

00:48:13.700 --> 00:48:15.180
 Pour out your Holy Spirit and help

00:48:15.180 --> 00:48:16.280
 them to say, here I am.

00:48:16.400 --> 00:48:18.380
 Take me and never let me go, Jesus.

00:48:19.860 --> 00:48:21.519
 And, Father, for myself and for

00:48:21.519 --> 00:48:24.240
 others who hear your call in the face

00:48:24.240 --> 00:48:26.080
 of things that we do in our lives that

00:48:26.080 --> 00:48:27.700
 require amendment of life and

00:48:27.700 --> 00:48:29.420
 repentance, Father, we just ask that

00:48:29.420 --> 00:48:30.860
 your Holy Spirit would fall with

00:48:30.860 --> 00:48:32.120
 mighty power upon us.

00:48:32.920 --> 00:48:35.000
 Help us, Father, to be delivered from

00:48:35.000 --> 00:48:37.400
 the idea that the choice before us is

00:48:37.400 --> 00:48:40.280
 a life of religious rules or a life

00:48:40.280 --> 00:48:42.280
 of completely and utterly ignoring all

00:48:42.280 --> 00:48:42.599
 rules.

00:48:42.820 --> 00:48:45.800
 Father, deliver us from such dichotomies

00:48:45.800 --> 00:48:48.260
 and help us, Father, to hear the call of

00:48:48.260 --> 00:48:49.579
 Jesus and come to him.

00:48:50.719 --> 00:48:52.679
 Father, help me to hear the call of your

00:48:52.679 --> 00:48:54.000
 son Jesus and come to him.

00:48:54.139 --> 00:48:56.340
 Father, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us

00:48:56.340 --> 00:48:58.900
 and make us disciples gripped by the

00:48:58.900 --> 00:49:00.960
 gospel, living for your glory.

00:49:01.559 --> 00:49:03.400
 And this we pray in Jesus' name.

00:49:03.940 --> 00:49:04.199
 Amen.