WEBVTT

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 Let us pray.

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 Father, in this season we remember that in between time when the disciples were waiting.

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 They had seen your son Jesus go.

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 They were awaiting a promise.

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 They were awaiting your Holy Spirit.

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 And so now, Holy Spirit, we acknowledge you in our presence and ask that you would work among us.

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 That as the word is read and preached, that it would enter our hearts and change us, Lord.

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 So that we would more and more resemble your son Jesus Christ, Father.

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 For our good and for your glory, we pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

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 So we're in the seventh.

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 This is the seventh Sunday of Easter.

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 It started.

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 The Easter season started on Easter Sunday, seven weeks ago.

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 And it concludes next Sunday, which is Pentecost Sunday.

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 In this season, we've been walking through Paul's letter to the Colossians.

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 And today we come to the passage on which this whole letter turns.

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 It begins with Paul pointing out in verse 1,

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 How great a struggle I have for you.

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 Now when I think of Paul and his struggle, my mind goes through several paintings that Rembrandt did of the Apostle Paul in prison.

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 Here's one.

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 You can see the look.

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 Well, maybe you can't see.

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 I can see because I'm right next to it.

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 And you can see the look on his face.

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 It's one of intense concentration, perhaps enlightenment.

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 One of struggle.

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 And his eyes are focused to the right.

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 I don't know if you can see it because of the contrast.

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 But there's a sword right there on the right.

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 Not something ordinarily somebody's allowed to have with them in prison.

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 But this is like Paul's name tag, right?

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 Rembrandt would have a sword in paintings of Paul because it was an emblem of his struggle.

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 It points forward to Paul's eventual martyrdom.

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 But it has another meaning.

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 The sword is just above a letter that Paul is writing there.

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 So this is the sword of the Spirit.

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 Rembrandt is showing us that this is the Word of God.

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 The sword is the sword of the Spirit.

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 It's the Bible.

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 And Paul is wielding it on behalf of the church.

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 This is his struggle.

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 In today's passage, Paul is struggling to protect the church from making a serious mistake.

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 He's writing to a young, brand new congregation in the little town of Colossa.

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 And Paul knows that as soon as a congregation like this is established,

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 that the devil wastes no time and immediately begins assaulting a church like this.

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 And what does the enemy like to do?

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 The enemy goes for the roots.

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 The enemy tells lies to try and erode the foundation

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 by diluting them with plausible arguments,

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 as it said in Colossians chapter 2 verse 4,

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 what Deborah read for us earlier.

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 So, speaking of roots and foundations,

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 let me show you a couple pictures from my yard.

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 This used to be thriving ivy, and it is no longer thriving.

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 And if you're immediately wondering, I'm sure,

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 how in the world did Dan manage to kill ivy, right?

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 So when that meteor comes and hits earth and everything is wiped out,

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 ivy will be the one thing that survives, right?

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 And yet I managed to kill it.

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 Behold, I am the world's worst gardener.

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 See, the soil was getting too wet, right?

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 There wasn't enough sunlight on it.

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 So the moisture was causing the roots to rot,

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 and the ivy got sick, and it died.

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 Here's another picture.

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 This is in the back of our house.

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 Do you see how the structure appears compromised at the bottom?

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 It's because that's really bad, actually.

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 So when it rains, there's nowhere for the water to go,

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 and it just goes down into the soil and down to the foundation

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 and erodes the soil from underneath of the foundation,

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 and then you can begin to see cracks above the ground.

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 And by then, it's unfortunately too late.

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 So, yeah, the easiest way to prevent all of this from happening

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 would be for it to not rain, right?

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 That would solve my problem.

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 But it's always going to rain.

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 It's always going to rain.

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 You can't escape the climate.

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 And so what you have to do is just protect the roots,

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 protect the foundation.

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 In the same way, Paul's audience had a faith

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 that was built on a solid foundation.

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 But immediately, the structure of their faith

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 is being subjected to the cultural climate around them.

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 And it was inescapable.

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 One of the things that their culture,

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 the culture of the Colossian church,

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 was telling them that wherever you look,

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 there are powers at play.

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 If you're experiencing love,

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 then it's because Aphrodite is at work.

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 And if you're experiencing prosperity,

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 then it's because Mammon is at work.

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 And if the Roman army is conquering Britain,

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 it's because Roma is overpowering Britannia.

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 And if this worldview is constantly raining

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 on the faith of the Colossians,

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 and if the Colossians aren't careful,

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 then the foundation of their faith will begin to erode.

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 And then eventually, over time,

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 it will seem completely plausible for them to say,

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 yes, Jesus is Lord,

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 and if I want to experience love,

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 then I should probably get Aphrodite on my side.

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 Yes, Jesus is Lord,

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 but if I want to make some money,

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 I should probably get Mammon on my side.

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 And then their faith becomes Jesus plus something else.

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 And to our ears,

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 it might sound a bit absurd,

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 but to them,

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 it would have felt completely plausible

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 because they were swimming in a culture

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 that allowed that to seem possible.

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 In the same way,

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 we swim in a culture

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 that allows for all kinds

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 of plausible-sounding reconfigurations

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 of the Christian faith.

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 One big philosophical tenet

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 that our culture clings to

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 is expressive individualism.

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 This holds that each person

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 has a unique core of feeling

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 and intuition

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 that should unfold

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 or be expressed

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 if individuality is to be realized.

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 Until I do that,

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 until I pursue the things that satisfy me

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 and help me become who I truly am,

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 I cannot be happy.

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 This is the culture we swim in.

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 It's the culture our children swim in, right?

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 It's time to see what I can do

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 to test the limits and break through.

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 No right, no wrong,

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 no rules for me.

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 I'm free.

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 Let it be observed.

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 That's not quite what Jesus said.

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 As a matter of fact,

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 it's the exact opposite.

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 Jesus said in Luke chapter 9,

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 if anyone would come after me,

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 let him deny himself

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 and take up his cross daily

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 and follow me.

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 For whoever would save his life

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 will lose it.

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 But whoever loses his life for my sake

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 will save it.

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 So if something in our culture,

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 that's a lie.

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 Opposed to the gospel.

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 Opposed to what Jesus says is true.

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 But like the Colossians,

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 our faith can slowly become

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 Jesus plus something else.

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 In this case,

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 this is just an example,

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 Jesus plus self-fulfillment.

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 I'll never forget a conversation

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 I had with a friend of mine.

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 He, if you had seen him,

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 this happened a few years ago,

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 if you had seen him in church,

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 you would have said,

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 that's the guy that really loves Jesus, right?

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 He's standing there singing

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 with his arms up,

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 like singing his heart out.

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 And yet one day,

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 he decides to leave his wife

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 and his family

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 for a woman he met on the internet.

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 And on the phone,

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 he gave me the whole story

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 and summarized it all by saying,

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 I just don't want to miss out

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 on my last chance for happiness.

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 That's a lie straight from the devil,

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 isn't it?

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 And yet he was able to hold

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 the two together.

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 Jesus is Lord.

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 I need to do this for happiness.

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 Because to him

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 and to many in our culture,

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 a culture which says,

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 pursue happiness at all costs,

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 a stardom marriage

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 is our illegit thing,

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 that all feels plausible.

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 It feels plausible.

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 Plausible.

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 And we mustn't believe

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 that all of us

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 are not guilty

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 of the exact same thing.

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 We are.

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 To our Christian faith,

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 I, we,

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 are constantly tacking on

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 things our culture says

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 about money,

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 about our bodies,

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 about success,

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 about truth,

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 about productivity,

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 about busyness.

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 So what are we to do?

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 How are we to protect ourselves?

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 What does Paul say?

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 He says,

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 therefore,

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 as you received Christ Jesus,

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 the Lord,

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 so walk in him,

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 rooted and built up in him,

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 and established in the faith,

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 just as you were taught.

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 Now we can reverse the clauses

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 and say,

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 walk in Jesus

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 in the same way

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 that you received him,

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 or live in Jesus.

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 in the same way

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 that you received him.

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 So what does it mean

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 to receive him?

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 Well,

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 if you look at this passage

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 in the larger context,

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 especially what comes later

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 in this chapter,

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 I believe he's talking

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 about our baptism.

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 In your baptism,

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 you were marked

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 as Christ's own

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 forever.

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 So Paul says

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 to live

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 in that reality.

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 let your actions

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 be determined

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 by your belonging

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 to Jesus.

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 In the middle

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 of the film,

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 The Lives of Others,

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 one of the main characters,

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 a famous actress

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 in East Berlin,

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 is on the verge

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 of making

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 a very bad decision.

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 Bad both morally

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 and relationally.

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 She knows it's bad.

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 But just before

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 she goes

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 to do this thing,

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 she ducks really quick

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 into a restaurant.

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 Now,

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 also,

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 in this restaurant,

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 there happens to be

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 the Stasi agent

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 that has been

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 spying on her

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 for quite some time.

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 And unbeknownst to her,

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 she has changed

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 his heart.

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 She has won

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 his admiration.

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 And he knows,

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 because he's been

00:11:46.099 --> 00:11:46.799
 spying on her,

00:11:46.919 --> 00:11:47.919
 what she's about to do.

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 So he approaches her.

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 He's trying to stop her

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 from doing this.

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 And upon approaching her,

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 she says,

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 do we know each other?

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 And he says,

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 you don't know me,

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 but I know you.

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 Many people love you

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 for who you are.

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 She says,

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 actors are never

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 who they are.

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 He responds,

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 well, you are.

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 I've seen you on stage.

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 You were more

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 who you are

00:12:21.779 --> 00:12:23.019
 than you are now.

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 Not great.

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 On stage,

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 you were more

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 who you are

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 than you are now.

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 And when he reminds her

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 of her identity,

00:12:35.599 --> 00:12:36.439
 in this case,

00:12:36.579 --> 00:12:37.099
 an identity

00:12:37.099 --> 00:12:38.079
 that was forged

00:12:38.079 --> 00:12:39.699
 through artistic expression,

00:12:40.079 --> 00:12:40.979
 she decides

00:12:40.979 --> 00:12:41.659
 not to make

00:12:41.659 --> 00:12:42.779
 this really bad decision.

00:12:43.179 --> 00:12:44.059
 She acts according

00:12:44.059 --> 00:12:45.339
 to who she really is.

00:12:45.639 --> 00:12:46.360
 Now, I would suggest

00:12:46.360 --> 00:12:47.679
 that at your baptism,

00:12:48.139 --> 00:12:49.659
 you were most truly

00:12:49.659 --> 00:12:50.740
 who you are.

00:12:50.980 --> 00:12:51.539
 In that,

00:12:51.699 --> 00:12:52.459
 in your baptism,

00:12:52.659 --> 00:12:53.360
 you were given

00:12:53.360 --> 00:12:54.699
 your true identity.

00:12:56.059 --> 00:12:57.000
 You were marked

00:12:57.000 --> 00:12:58.319
 as belonging

00:12:58.319 --> 00:12:59.419
 to our Lord,

00:12:59.919 --> 00:13:00.819
 Jesus Christ.

00:13:02.519 --> 00:13:03.519
 And your life

00:13:03.519 --> 00:13:04.019
 in Christ

00:13:04.019 --> 00:13:05.459
 is to conform

00:13:05.459 --> 00:13:06.799
 to that moment

00:13:06.799 --> 00:13:07.759
 when you were marked.

00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:10.340
 So how do you live

00:13:10.340 --> 00:13:10.939
 in the manner

00:13:10.939 --> 00:13:12.139
 that you received Jesus?

00:13:13.139 --> 00:13:14.039
 Well, you remember

00:13:14.039 --> 00:13:14.700
 your baptism.

00:13:15.340 --> 00:13:16.220
 Remember your baptism.

00:13:16.700 --> 00:13:17.500
 Remember the vows

00:13:17.500 --> 00:13:18.159
 that you made.

00:13:18.960 --> 00:13:19.700
 Remember that you

00:13:19.700 --> 00:13:20.279
 have renounced

00:13:20.279 --> 00:13:20.840
 the devil

00:13:20.840 --> 00:13:22.299
 and all his works.

00:13:22.840 --> 00:13:23.539
 You've renounced

00:13:23.539 --> 00:13:24.360
 the vain pomp

00:13:24.360 --> 00:13:25.299
 and false values

00:13:25.299 --> 00:13:26.019
 of the world.

00:13:26.379 --> 00:13:27.000
 You've renounced

00:13:27.000 --> 00:13:28.519
 the sinful desires

00:13:28.519 --> 00:13:29.439
 of the flesh.

00:13:30.379 --> 00:13:30.879
 Remember that you

00:13:30.879 --> 00:13:31.419
 have turned

00:13:31.419 --> 00:13:32.360
 to Jesus Christ

00:13:32.360 --> 00:13:33.620
 and accepted him

00:13:33.620 --> 00:13:34.200
 as your savior.

00:13:34.200 --> 00:13:35.879
 Remember that you

00:13:35.879 --> 00:13:36.379
 have promised

00:13:36.379 --> 00:13:37.020
 to follow

00:13:37.020 --> 00:13:37.800
 and obey him

00:13:37.800 --> 00:13:38.280
 as Lord.

00:13:39.280 --> 00:13:40.080
 Remember that you

00:13:40.080 --> 00:13:40.840
 are sealed

00:13:40.840 --> 00:13:42.780
 by the Holy Spirit

00:13:42.780 --> 00:13:43.840
 and baptism

00:13:43.840 --> 00:13:45.060
 and marked

00:13:45.060 --> 00:13:46.640
 as Christ's own

00:13:46.640 --> 00:13:47.360
 forever.

00:13:48.240 --> 00:13:49.400
 You were marked

00:13:49.400 --> 00:13:51.280
 as Christ's own

00:13:51.280 --> 00:13:51.640
 forever.

00:13:52.700 --> 00:13:53.040
 You

00:13:53.040 --> 00:13:55.360
 are Christ's

00:13:55.360 --> 00:13:55.920
 own

00:13:55.920 --> 00:13:57.420
 forever.

00:13:59.640 --> 00:14:00.500
 Do you want

00:14:00.500 --> 00:14:01.500
 to keep the torrents

00:14:01.500 --> 00:14:02.120
 of our culture

00:14:02.120 --> 00:14:03.660
 from washing away

00:14:03.659 --> 00:14:04.419
 your foundation?

00:14:06.139 --> 00:14:06.679
 Do you want

00:14:06.679 --> 00:14:07.399
 to keep your roots

00:14:07.399 --> 00:14:07.799
 healthy?

00:14:09.679 --> 00:14:10.519
 Then as you

00:14:10.519 --> 00:14:11.500
 received Christ

00:14:11.500 --> 00:14:11.980
 the Lord,

00:14:12.799 --> 00:14:13.879
 so walk in him,

00:14:14.779 --> 00:14:16.059
 rooted and built

00:14:16.059 --> 00:14:16.719
 up in him,

00:14:17.379 --> 00:14:18.059
 and established

00:14:18.059 --> 00:14:18.740
 in the faith

00:14:18.740 --> 00:14:20.059
 just as you were

00:14:20.059 --> 00:14:20.459
 taught,

00:14:21.279 --> 00:14:21.919
 abounding in

00:14:21.919 --> 00:14:22.379
 thanksgiving.

00:14:23.500 --> 00:14:24.339
 Next week we'll

00:14:24.339 --> 00:14:25.120
 have the opportunity

00:14:25.120 --> 00:14:25.839
 to remember

00:14:25.839 --> 00:14:26.860
 our baptism

00:14:26.860 --> 00:14:28.079
 when baby

00:14:28.079 --> 00:14:28.919
 Juniper is

00:14:28.919 --> 00:14:29.439
 baptized.

00:14:30.159 --> 00:14:30.720
 And when she's

00:14:30.720 --> 00:14:31.079
 baptized,

00:14:31.279 --> 00:14:31.620
 she's going to

00:14:31.620 --> 00:14:32.299
 receive a book.

00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:33.000
 We give a book

00:14:33.000 --> 00:14:35.600
 to all of

00:14:35.600 --> 00:14:37.019
 our babies,

00:14:37.440 --> 00:14:37.840
 our children

00:14:37.840 --> 00:14:38.659
 who are baptized.

00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:39.679
 It's called

00:14:39.679 --> 00:14:39.960
 At Your

00:14:39.960 --> 00:14:40.500
 Baptism.

00:14:41.940 --> 00:14:42.799
 This book is

00:14:42.799 --> 00:14:43.580
 instructional for

00:14:43.580 --> 00:14:44.519
 us as adults.

00:14:45.960 --> 00:14:46.860
 It teaches us

00:14:46.860 --> 00:14:47.620
 how to remember

00:14:47.620 --> 00:14:48.379
 our baptism.

00:14:49.379 --> 00:14:50.519
 So I'd like to

00:14:50.519 --> 00:14:51.220
 end our time

00:14:51.220 --> 00:14:51.659
 together

00:14:51.659 --> 00:14:53.700
 by reading

00:14:53.700 --> 00:14:54.080
 that book

00:14:54.080 --> 00:14:54.480
 together.

00:15:02.480 --> 00:15:03.280
 You are

00:15:03.280 --> 00:15:03.780
 baptized

00:15:03.780 --> 00:15:05.520
 because you

00:15:05.520 --> 00:15:06.420
 belong to God

00:15:06.420 --> 00:15:07.360
 and to God's

00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:07.759
 family.

00:15:08.540 --> 00:15:09.060
 Your baptism

00:15:09.060 --> 00:15:09.759
 is a time

00:15:09.759 --> 00:15:10.379
 to see and

00:15:10.379 --> 00:15:10.960
 hear God's

00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:11.460
 promises.

00:15:12.720 --> 00:15:13.520
 At your

00:15:13.520 --> 00:15:14.040
 baptism,

00:15:14.660 --> 00:15:15.600
 God tells you

00:15:15.600 --> 00:15:16.780
 that for you,

00:15:17.320 --> 00:15:18.120
 Jesus Christ

00:15:18.120 --> 00:15:18.860
 came into the

00:15:18.860 --> 00:15:19.140
 world.

00:15:19.139 --> 00:15:21.419
 God sent

00:15:21.419 --> 00:15:21.799
 his son,

00:15:21.919 --> 00:15:22.139
 Jesus,

00:15:22.340 --> 00:15:22.740
 into the

00:15:22.740 --> 00:15:23.080
 world to

00:15:23.080 --> 00:15:23.699
 become human,

00:15:23.960 --> 00:15:24.679
 like us,

00:15:24.779 --> 00:15:25.139
 but without

00:15:25.139 --> 00:15:25.500
 sin.

00:15:26.939 --> 00:15:27.659
 For you,

00:15:27.779 --> 00:15:28.500
 he lived

00:15:28.500 --> 00:15:29.500
 and showed

00:15:29.500 --> 00:15:30.179
 God's love.

00:15:31.620 --> 00:15:32.199
 While he

00:15:32.199 --> 00:15:32.580
 lived on

00:15:32.580 --> 00:15:32.819
 earth,

00:15:32.980 --> 00:15:33.460
 Jesus was

00:15:33.460 --> 00:15:34.080
 a healer,

00:15:34.220 --> 00:15:34.720
 a teacher,

00:15:34.980 --> 00:15:35.580
 a friend,

00:15:35.740 --> 00:15:36.279
 and so much

00:15:36.279 --> 00:15:36.559
 more.

00:15:38.159 --> 00:15:38.919
 For you,

00:15:39.000 --> 00:15:39.519
 he suffered

00:15:39.519 --> 00:15:40.080
 the darkness

00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:40.899
 of Calvary

00:15:40.899 --> 00:15:42.139
 and cried

00:15:42.139 --> 00:15:42.919
 at the last,

00:15:43.480 --> 00:15:43.819
 it is

00:15:43.819 --> 00:15:44.240
 finished.

00:15:46.480 --> 00:15:47.379
 Jesus showed

00:15:47.379 --> 00:15:48.019
 his great love

00:15:48.019 --> 00:15:48.460
 for us by

00:15:48.460 --> 00:15:48.980
 dying on

00:15:48.980 --> 00:15:49.539
 the cross.

00:15:50.799 --> 00:15:51.340
 The Bible

00:15:51.340 --> 00:15:52.079
 tells us that

00:15:52.079 --> 00:15:53.179
 Jesus' death

00:15:53.179 --> 00:15:53.860
 takes away

00:15:53.860 --> 00:15:54.500
 the sin of

00:15:54.500 --> 00:15:54.919
 the world.

00:15:57.360 --> 00:15:58.139
 For you,

00:15:58.220 --> 00:15:58.980
 he triumphed

00:15:58.980 --> 00:15:59.620
 over death

00:15:59.620 --> 00:16:01.179
 and rose

00:16:01.179 --> 00:16:01.779
 in newness

00:16:01.779 --> 00:16:02.379
 of life.

00:16:04.439 --> 00:16:05.059
 But death

00:16:05.059 --> 00:16:05.519
 was not the

00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:05.740
 end.

00:16:05.840 --> 00:16:06.340
 Jesus came

00:16:06.340 --> 00:16:07.079
 back to life.

00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:07.899
 Now we can

00:16:07.899 --> 00:16:08.620
 live each day

00:16:08.620 --> 00:16:09.179
 with God's

00:16:09.179 --> 00:16:09.600
 power.

00:16:10.439 --> 00:16:11.100
 When we die,

00:16:11.199 --> 00:16:11.779
 we can live

00:16:11.779 --> 00:16:12.159
 with God

00:16:12.159 --> 00:16:12.480
 forever.

00:16:14.279 --> 00:16:14.860
 This is

00:16:14.860 --> 00:16:15.340
 something that

00:16:15.340 --> 00:16:15.980
 we celebrate

00:16:15.980 --> 00:16:16.779
 today,

00:16:16.779 --> 00:16:17.980
 the ascension

00:16:17.980 --> 00:16:18.279
 of our

00:16:18.279 --> 00:16:18.659
 Lord.

00:16:19.139 --> 00:16:19.600
 For you,

00:16:19.659 --> 00:16:20.339
 he ascended

00:16:20.339 --> 00:16:20.980
 to reign

00:16:20.980 --> 00:16:21.459
 at God's

00:16:21.459 --> 00:16:21.959
 right hand.

00:16:23.620 --> 00:16:24.339
 When Jesus

00:16:24.339 --> 00:16:24.980
 left earth,

00:16:25.039 --> 00:16:25.620
 he returned

00:16:25.620 --> 00:16:26.139
 to heaven.

00:16:26.659 --> 00:16:27.139
 He talks

00:16:27.139 --> 00:16:27.459
 to God

00:16:27.459 --> 00:16:27.899
 the Father

00:16:27.899 --> 00:16:28.399
 about us

00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:28.740
 and sent

00:16:28.740 --> 00:16:29.100
 the Holy

00:16:29.100 --> 00:16:29.439
 Spirit

00:16:29.439 --> 00:16:29.799
 to be

00:16:29.799 --> 00:16:30.220
 with us

00:16:30.220 --> 00:16:30.679
 all the

00:16:30.679 --> 00:16:31.000
 time.

00:16:32.759 --> 00:16:33.600
 All this

00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:34.659
 he did

00:16:34.659 --> 00:16:35.179
 for you

00:16:35.179 --> 00:16:36.659
 before you

00:16:36.659 --> 00:16:37.399
 knew anything

00:16:37.399 --> 00:16:37.759
 of it.

00:16:39.299 --> 00:16:40.139
 He lived,

00:16:40.299 --> 00:16:40.500
 died,

00:16:40.600 --> 00:16:40.939
 and rose

00:16:40.939 --> 00:16:41.379
 for us

00:16:41.379 --> 00:16:42.059
 because he

00:16:42.059 --> 00:16:42.659
 loves us.

00:16:43.459 --> 00:16:43.740
 We don't

00:16:43.740 --> 00:16:44.120
 have to do

00:16:44.120 --> 00:16:44.539
 anything

00:16:44.539 --> 00:16:44.959
 to earn

00:16:44.959 --> 00:16:45.459
 his love.

00:16:47.219 --> 00:16:47.839
 And so

00:16:47.839 --> 00:16:48.319
 the word

00:16:48.319 --> 00:16:48.779
 of Scripture

00:16:48.779 --> 00:16:49.539
 is fulfilled.

00:16:50.360 --> 00:16:50.779
 We love

00:16:50.779 --> 00:16:51.500
 because God

00:16:51.500 --> 00:16:52.019
 loved us

00:16:52.019 --> 00:16:52.379
 first.

00:16:53.579 --> 00:16:54.259
 We see

00:16:54.259 --> 00:16:54.779
 God's love

00:16:54.779 --> 00:16:55.099
 for us

00:16:55.099 --> 00:16:55.639
 through Jesus.

00:16:56.579 --> 00:16:56.839
 Jesus

00:16:56.839 --> 00:16:57.480
 shows us

00:16:57.480 --> 00:16:57.879
 how to

00:16:57.879 --> 00:16:58.399
 live so

00:16:58.399 --> 00:16:58.659
 that we

00:16:58.659 --> 00:16:59.079
 can love

00:16:59.079 --> 00:16:59.419
 God

00:16:59.419 --> 00:16:59.759
 and other

00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:00.099
 people.

00:17:02.099 --> 00:17:02.719
 Now when

00:17:02.719 --> 00:17:03.120
 you think

00:17:03.120 --> 00:17:03.480
 about your

00:17:03.480 --> 00:17:03.879
 baptism,

00:17:05.000 --> 00:17:05.399
 remember

00:17:05.399 --> 00:17:06.059
 that God

00:17:06.059 --> 00:17:06.579
 loves you.

00:17:08.000 --> 00:17:08.440
 Remember

00:17:08.440 --> 00:17:08.960
 that you

00:17:08.960 --> 00:17:09.559
 are part

00:17:09.559 --> 00:17:10.119
 of God's

00:17:10.119 --> 00:17:10.559
 worldwide

00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:11.119
 family.

00:17:11.119 --> 00:17:11.199
 family.

00:17:12.479 --> 00:17:12.879
 No one

00:17:12.879 --> 00:17:13.459
 can ever

00:17:13.459 --> 00:17:13.919
 take these

00:17:13.919 --> 00:17:14.379
 promises

00:17:14.379 --> 00:17:15.000
 away from

00:17:15.000 --> 00:17:15.239
 you.

00:17:17.179 --> 00:17:17.879
 Let's pray.