WEBVTT

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 Well, spending very much time at all reading through the stories of the Bible, it doesn't take long, does it, to develop a certain affinity for particular individuals that we read about.

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 All of us probably have people that we would say, well, this is my favorite person to read about in the Bible, or this is the person that I love the most.

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 And there's many people that we read about in the Scriptures, our love for them, our concern for them is really rooted in the fact that they are such great examples to us.

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 None of them are perfect examples, but we look up to some of them, right, as spiritual examples.

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 We see David against Goliath, and we want to be that courageous for God, right?

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 We see Paul and his efforts in serving the Lord in so many missions endeavors and the way that he sacrificed even his own health and body for the good of the Lord and the good of his kingdom.

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 And we think that's such a wonderful example of how I would love to live my life, and we love those characters because of that.

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 We're not enamored with them so much because we relate to them, but because we want to.

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 We hope to. We want to be like them.

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 They feel much like biblical mentors to us in our Christian walk.

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 But they often feel a lot like ideals to pursue more than peers that are walking alongside of us, don't they?

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 Then there's a different kind of person that we love as we read through the Scriptures,

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 and it's not so much that we look up to them because there's not always a lot to look up to.

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 A lot of times it's because we find them immediately relatable in their various weaknesses and failures.

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 And I find that one of the most relatable individuals in all the Bible is this man, Gideon, who's at the heart of this section of Judges.

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 Gideon was a cynic who was consumed with fear and lived in constant need of reassurance from God.

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 His life was a spiritual rollercoaster even.

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 He has moments, as we read through these next few chapters, he has moments of incredible faith and of strong leadership that is exemplary.

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 And then there's also times of great spiritual dearth in his life.

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 Times where he commits sin that devastates his family.

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 And not only his family, but the nation as a whole as they look to him as a leader of sorts during this time after he defeats Midian.

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 He's just up and down as far as his spiritual life is concerned and his obedience and faithfulness to God is concerned.

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 He's not typically a person that comes to mind when we're trying to rank the people of greatest faith in the Bible.

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 Yet he still makes it into that great chapter of faith in Hebrews chapter 11.

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 But he's not really the one that immediately comes to our mind, is he?

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 That makes his life a helpful reminder, I think, to us that it's not the strength of our faith that ultimately matters.

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 It's the object of our faith, isn't it?

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 I don't know if you ever go through life and you sit in church and where you look at these people that you follow on YouTube or Facebook or whatever.

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 And you just think, man, these people are just like, they're so much better Christians than me.

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 I can never be like that.

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 And then you start to mess with your mind a little bit and you think, you know, maybe I just don't have it.

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 Maybe the love of the Father isn't in me because I'm not like this other person here.

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 I don't think like that.

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 I haven't grasped things like this other person.

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 And it beats us down.

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 We beat ourselves down in that.

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 And sometimes we need somebody like Gideon to come along the way and say, and just remind us, you know,

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 this is not about if you have more faith than another person.

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 It's not about what you do.

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 It's not about the strength of your faith.

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 It's about the object of that faith that brings us through.

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 And, of course, that matters when the object is the Lord himself.

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 I love Gideon because I am Gideon.

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 I very much like him.

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 And in the end, Gideon's story reveals to me God's incredible, indescribable, incomprehensible grace.

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 That seems to be a theme through our service this morning, doesn't it?

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 I didn't intend for it to be that way.

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 A lot of churches are, today is Reformation Day, right?

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 As Tuesday marks the anniversary of Luther nailing his 95 theses to the door of the church in Wittenberg 500 years ago or so.

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 And a lot of people are celebrating that, which puts a huge emphasis on grace.

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 To be honest with you, every Sunday at Lakeside Bible Church is Reformation Sunday.

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 Every Sunday is a Sunday that's focused on grace and on the grace of God.

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 And I find that in Gideon's story, that's really what begins to come to the surface, as it does with all of the other judges.

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 We see tremendous grace and patience and love and mercy from God, which encourages me.

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 Because on the days when I'm most like Gideon in his failures and in his weaknesses,

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 I can look to a passage like this and be reminded of the great, marvelous grace of our Lord.

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 Lord willing, we're going to spend the next few weeks looking through these chapters that cover the Gideon cycle in Judges.

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 And what we want to do is keep one eye on the big picture, and that is what God is doing in and through the nation of Israel.

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 So we don't want to forget that.

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 We don't want to lose the big picture.

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 We don't want to lose the forest for the trees, okay?

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 But we're going to keep the other eye on the trees, too, right?

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 The other eye is going to be set on the finer details of how God is working through his servant, through Gideon.

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 So we want to see God working on the big scale through Israel,

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 and then we want to also be mindful of how God is working through this man, Gideon.

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 And today we're going to consider God's call of Gideon,

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 seeing both his design in it for Israel and then also his grace toward this man and other cynics like him, okay?

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 First thing I'd like for you to see is a message from God.

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 A message from God.

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 Look at verse 11 with me again.

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 The angel of the Lord came and sat under the terebinth at Ophrah, which belonged to Joash the Ebiah's right,

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 while his son Gideon was beating out wheat in the winepress to hide it from the Midianites.

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 So the story opens with Gideon struggling under the oppression of Midianite,

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 these Midianite marauders, which we studied about last Sunday.

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 Just as a reminder, for seven years, God allowed this coalition of semi-nomadic tribes led by the tribes related to Midian.

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 They would invade the land of Israel every year.

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 They would invade its territory.

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 They were stealing all of its harvest.

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 They were stealing all of its livestock.

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 They were laying waste to the land as they came in, so there would be nothing to recover from thereafter.

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 They were quite literally stealing food from the mouths of the Israelites,

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 and many of them were having to go and live and retreat to these mountain caves

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 until it was safe enough for them to come back to their homes,

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 perhaps specifically in the region around the Jezreel Valley.

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 And we're introduced to Gideon here through the eyes of this messenger of God,

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 this angel of God who looked on as Gideon tried to hide a portion of his family's harvest.

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 He's beating out the wheat, but he's not doing it on the threshing floor.

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 Typically, this would be done on an elevated place, somewhere where there's lots of wind,

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 and they could easily divide the chaff from the grain and so on and so forth.

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 Gideon isn't doing it there.

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 Did you notice where he's actually beating out the grain?

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 He's doing it in the confines of the wine press.

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 Why?

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 It tells us.

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 He's trying to hide it from the Midianites.

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 See, it opens here with this in view.

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 Gideon, this man who has suffered for seven years now,

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 whose family has suffered for seven years.

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 We get this picture of a frustrated, beleaguered individual doing everything he can just to survive.

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 That's his situation.

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 Look at verses 12 and 13 now.

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 And the angel of the Lord appeared to him.

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 After watching him a little while, perhaps he came down to where the wine press was.

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 I don't know.

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 And he says,

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 The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.

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 Now, that's an unexpected title.

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 Because this mighty man of valor wasn't very mighty when he's hiding in the wine press, beating out the grain.

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 Interesting, isn't it?

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 Verse 13.

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 And Gideon said to him,

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 Please, my Lord, if the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us?

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 Where's all of his wonderful deeds that our fathers recounted, saying,

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 Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt?

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 But now the Lord has forsaken us, given us into the hand of Midian.

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 It's a real Debbie Downer here, isn't he?

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 We learned in our previous study last Sunday

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 that when we look at God's discipline through the lens of Scripture and with a heart of faith,

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 it moves us from despising the discipline of the Lord to rejoicing in it.

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 And then Hebrews chapter 12 cautions us about this.

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 And it notes for us that an alternative perspective of our trials

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 and the things that God allows us to endure this life,

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 even as it relates to his corrective discipline,

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 that an alternative perspective than a heart of faith

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 actually hardens our hearts further.

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 And what it produces in us is bitterness rather than growth.

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 Let me just read this verse to you.

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 Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 15.

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 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God,

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 that no, quote, root of bitterness springs up and calls us trouble,

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 and by it many become defiled.

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 You can go back and study that passage this afternoon.

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 This is set in the context of the discipline of God,

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 the chastising hand of God for his people.

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 And the bitter root that the writer refers to,

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 it alludes to a passage in Deuteronomy,

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 which describes someone who turns away from God

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 and then spreads their rejection quickly like poison to others.

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 That's the picture in Deuteronomy 29.

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 And the writer of Hebrews, he's playing on that,

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 and he says if we have a different perspective of the difficulties of our lives,

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 if we have a perspective that's not filled with faith,

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 it's going to produce this poisonous root.

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 We're going to become embittered toward God,

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 and then we're going to spread that poisonous bitterness

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 toward the other people in our lives.

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 In other words, what he intends to say is that misinterpreting God's discipline

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 can lead to a deadly, contagious form of apostasy,

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 something that we might call spiritual cynicism.

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 And I think we find a bit of this here with our friend Gideon.

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 Gideon acknowledges here the angel of the Lord,

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 says the Lord is with you,

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 and what is it that he immediately says?

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 Yes, yes, this is, it's all the Lord's fault.

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 He acknowledges,

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 the Lord has given us into the hand of Midian.

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 But how can you possibly say that the Lord is with us?

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 That's his response.

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 Instead of listening to the message of the prophet

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 from verses 8, 9, and 10 in this same chapter,

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 Gideon becomes a cynic

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 who denies God's goodness,

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 denies God's love.

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 God's messenger proclaimed that God was with Gideon

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 and hinted even at Gideon's future

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 as a mighty warrior for God's people,

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 but Gideon responds cynically.

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 He makes a complaint against the Lord instead.

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 Yeah, if the Lord's with us,

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 where is he now?

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 I've listened to my parents and my grandparents

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 talk all about the wonderful deeds of the Lord,

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 but where is God when I need him?

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 He seemed to have been there for mom and dad.

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 Where is he now?

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 If the Lord was with us,

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 we wouldn't be in this mess.

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 So I don't know who you are,

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 but I can say for sure,

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 the Lord is not with us.

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 The Lord has forsaken us.

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 Does that complaint sound very familiar to you?

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 You ever read your Bible

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 or listen to somebody give testimony

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 about the goodness of God

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 and all you can do is just kind of roll your eyes

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 because you think, you know,

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 it's really wonderful that they think

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 that there's these good things happening in their life

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 and that God's responsible,

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 but where's God when I need him?

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 You know, if the Lord was really with us

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 as we've been singing all morning,

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 I wouldn't be in this terrible mess that I'm in.

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 We develop this hardened cynicism,

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 just like Gideon.

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 And fortunately for Gideon and for us,

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 the messenger of God presses on.

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 Look at verse 14.

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 And the Lord turned to him and said,

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 go in this might of yours

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 and save Israel from the hand of Midian.

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 Do not I sin to you?

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 And he said to him,

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 please, Lord,

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 how can I save Israel?

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 Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh

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 and I'm the least in my father's house.

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 We see this often in the scriptures too,

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 don't we?

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 Through his messenger,

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 God declares that he was raising Gideon up

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 and that he was going to empower him

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 to fight against Midian,

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 but Gideon misses the whole point here.

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 The emphasis of God's message

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 through the angel of God

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 was that he was sending Gideon

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 with his power.

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 That's the emphasis of what

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 this messenger is saying.

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 The might of yours

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 that he says here in verse 14,

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 that's not something significant

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 about Gideon.

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 That's not something significant

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 about his strength

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 or about his accolades

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 as a warrior.

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 That has nothing to do with Gideon.

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 It was a promise of empowerment

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 from God himself.

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 Go, Gideon.

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 Do not I sin to you, Gideon.

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 But Gideon completely misses the point.

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 In an episode that's reminiscent

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 of Moses' encounter with God

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 in the burning bush,

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 Gideon judges this message

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 from the messenger of God

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 on the basis,

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 not of God's strength,

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 but on the basis of his own weakness.

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 Notice how he responds.

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 He says,

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 what are you talking about?

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 My family,

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 we're the lowest on the totem pole

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 when it comes to the tribe of Manasseh.

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 And guess what?

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 Manasseh's not really glowing

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 as far as the 12 tribes are concerned.

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 And even among my family,

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 I'm the least.

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 I'm the runt.

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 What do you mean

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 I'm going to be the one

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 to do something with Midian?

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 You see,

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 his cynicism robbed him

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 of an ability

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 to comprehend the weight

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 of God's message.

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 But still,

00:15:44.219 --> 00:15:44.919
 the greatest promise

00:15:44.919 --> 00:15:45.740
 is still yet to come.

00:15:45.959 --> 00:15:46.879
 Look at verse 16.

00:15:47.159 --> 00:15:48.079
 Here's how the Lord responds.

00:15:48.120 --> 00:15:49.120
 He's so patient, isn't he?

00:15:49.120 --> 00:15:50.220
 And the Lord said to him,

00:15:50.220 --> 00:15:53.379
 but I will be with you

00:15:53.379 --> 00:15:56.399
 and you shall strike the Midianites

00:15:56.399 --> 00:15:59.700
 as if they are just one man.

00:16:01.220 --> 00:16:03.279
 One of God's most important

00:16:03.279 --> 00:16:06.060
 and most prevalent promises

00:16:06.060 --> 00:16:07.139
 in all the scriptures

00:16:07.139 --> 00:16:08.200
 is this phrase,

00:16:08.779 --> 00:16:11.860
 I will be with you.

00:16:12.299 --> 00:16:14.879
 I'll be with you, Gideon.

00:16:14.879 --> 00:16:18.320
 The promise of God's presence

00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:19.539
 and his power

00:16:19.539 --> 00:16:20.360
 is sufficient

00:16:20.360 --> 00:16:21.539
 to overcome

00:16:21.539 --> 00:16:22.820
 all of our weaknesses.

00:16:23.759 --> 00:16:24.580
 It's sufficient

00:16:24.580 --> 00:16:25.279
 to overcome

00:16:25.279 --> 00:16:26.960
 all of our failures,

00:16:27.340 --> 00:16:28.500
 all of our sinfulness.

00:16:30.080 --> 00:16:31.159
 There's a lot of people

00:16:31.159 --> 00:16:32.379
 who foolishly

00:16:32.379 --> 00:16:33.439
 put faith in themselves.

00:16:33.580 --> 00:16:34.019
 They would have been

00:16:34.019 --> 00:16:34.580
 the ones who,

00:16:34.899 --> 00:16:35.860
 when this messenger comes,

00:16:35.960 --> 00:16:36.159
 says,

00:16:36.460 --> 00:16:37.080
 well, of course

00:16:37.080 --> 00:16:38.019
 I'm going to be the one

00:16:38.019 --> 00:16:39.120
 to defeat Midian, right?

00:16:39.580 --> 00:16:40.279
 Put a lot of pride

00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:40.779
 in themselves.

00:16:40.779 --> 00:16:43.399
 But a cynic

00:16:43.399 --> 00:16:44.459
 doesn't put faith

00:16:44.459 --> 00:16:45.860
 in anything,

00:16:46.659 --> 00:16:47.740
 including himself.

00:16:49.259 --> 00:16:49.839
 He says,

00:16:49.919 --> 00:16:50.179
 no.

00:16:51.799 --> 00:16:52.959
 Nobody's going to beat Midian.

00:16:53.199 --> 00:16:53.759
 You know why?

00:16:53.919 --> 00:16:54.679
 Because the Lord's

00:16:54.679 --> 00:16:55.740
 not actually with us.

00:16:55.939 --> 00:16:57.199
 That's Gideon's perspective here.

00:16:57.259 --> 00:16:58.679
 That's his position.

00:16:59.919 --> 00:17:00.459
 And here's the thing.

00:17:00.740 --> 00:17:01.459
 Whether your problem

00:17:01.459 --> 00:17:02.079
 is pride

00:17:02.079 --> 00:17:02.759
 or cynicism

00:17:02.759 --> 00:17:03.559
 or something else,

00:17:03.939 --> 00:17:05.000
 God calls us

00:17:05.000 --> 00:17:07.119
 to trust in him alone.

00:17:08.059 --> 00:17:09.039
 It remains the same.

00:17:09.519 --> 00:17:10.420
 What's God saying

00:17:10.420 --> 00:17:10.839
 to Gideon?

00:17:11.599 --> 00:17:12.500
 Trust me.

00:17:12.779 --> 00:17:15.319
 I will be with you.

00:17:18.339 --> 00:17:19.440
 Dale Ralph Davis

00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:20.599
 has this great paragraph

00:17:20.599 --> 00:17:23.299
 in his commentary

00:17:23.299 --> 00:17:24.940
 on this passage.

00:17:25.119 --> 00:17:25.420
 He says,

00:17:25.859 --> 00:17:25.920
 basically,

00:17:26.079 --> 00:17:27.099
 God has nothing else

00:17:27.099 --> 00:17:28.319
 or more to offer you

00:17:28.319 --> 00:17:29.980
 in relation to this phrase,

00:17:30.059 --> 00:17:30.740
 I will be with you.

00:17:31.259 --> 00:17:32.159
 You can go through

00:17:32.159 --> 00:17:33.159
 a lot with that promise,

00:17:33.240 --> 00:17:33.680
 he says.

00:17:34.839 --> 00:17:35.759
 It doesn't answer

00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:36.440
 your questions

00:17:36.440 --> 00:17:37.259
 about details.

00:17:37.259 --> 00:17:38.500
 It only provides

00:17:38.500 --> 00:17:39.059
 the essential.

00:17:40.180 --> 00:17:41.180
 Nothing about when

00:17:41.180 --> 00:17:41.740
 or where

00:17:41.740 --> 00:17:42.420
 or how

00:17:42.420 --> 00:17:43.000
 or why.

00:17:43.319 --> 00:17:44.279
 Only the what

00:17:44.279 --> 00:17:45.000
 or better,

00:17:45.339 --> 00:17:45.779
 the who.

00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:48.140
 But I will be with you

00:17:48.140 --> 00:17:49.859
 and that is

00:17:49.859 --> 00:17:51.259
 enough.

00:17:52.859 --> 00:17:54.539
 This is part and parcel

00:17:54.539 --> 00:17:56.400
 of the gospel message,

00:17:56.480 --> 00:17:56.879
 isn't it?

00:17:58.279 --> 00:17:59.259
 Mere religion

00:17:59.259 --> 00:18:00.200
 relies on

00:18:00.200 --> 00:18:01.440
 man's strength

00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:02.059
 to deal with

00:18:02.059 --> 00:18:03.259
 the problem of sin

00:18:03.259 --> 00:18:04.180
 and death

00:18:04.180 --> 00:18:04.920
 in our lives.

00:18:04.920 --> 00:18:07.840
 agnostic cynicism

00:18:07.840 --> 00:18:08.880
 says that there's

00:18:08.880 --> 00:18:10.720
 no possible way

00:18:10.720 --> 00:18:12.000
 to ultimately deal

00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:12.940
 with sin

00:18:12.940 --> 00:18:13.580
 and death

00:18:13.580 --> 00:18:14.539
 in our lives.

00:18:15.080 --> 00:18:16.100
 There's no way

00:18:16.100 --> 00:18:16.840
 to fix it.

00:18:16.960 --> 00:18:18.320
 We're just doomed.

00:18:20.080 --> 00:18:21.560
 But the Christian gospel

00:18:21.560 --> 00:18:22.620
 looks at the person

00:18:22.620 --> 00:18:23.220
 and the work

00:18:23.220 --> 00:18:24.820
 of Jesus Christ

00:18:24.820 --> 00:18:26.600
 who's already defeated

00:18:26.600 --> 00:18:27.560
 sin

00:18:27.560 --> 00:18:28.480
 and death

00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:29.259
 on our behalf.

00:18:29.259 --> 00:18:31.140
 And it's through

00:18:31.140 --> 00:18:31.640
 Jesus

00:18:31.640 --> 00:18:32.440
 that God says

00:18:32.440 --> 00:18:32.920
 to us,

00:18:33.140 --> 00:18:34.819
 I will be with you.

00:18:35.420 --> 00:18:36.519
 I will do

00:18:36.519 --> 00:18:37.160
 what you will

00:18:37.160 --> 00:18:38.039
 never be able

00:18:38.039 --> 00:18:39.140
 to do for yourself.

00:18:39.859 --> 00:18:41.119
 Trust in me

00:18:41.119 --> 00:18:42.099
 alone.

00:18:43.059 --> 00:18:43.579
 Gideon,

00:18:44.220 --> 00:18:45.079
 trust in me

00:18:45.079 --> 00:18:45.640
 alone.

00:18:46.879 --> 00:18:47.359
 Christian,

00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:48.279
 trust in me

00:18:48.279 --> 00:18:48.819
 alone.

00:18:49.980 --> 00:18:50.420
 Cynic,

00:18:51.740 --> 00:18:52.480
 trust me.

00:18:53.140 --> 00:18:53.720
 It's a message

00:18:53.720 --> 00:18:54.140
 from God.

00:18:54.440 --> 00:18:54.839
 Number two,

00:18:55.140 --> 00:18:55.940
 we see a sign

00:18:55.940 --> 00:18:56.579
 from God.

00:18:57.480 --> 00:18:58.359
 Sign from God.

00:18:58.359 --> 00:18:58.779
 Look with me

00:18:58.779 --> 00:19:00.159
 at verse 17.

00:19:01.859 --> 00:19:02.500
 Gideon warms up

00:19:02.500 --> 00:19:02.919
 a little bit

00:19:02.919 --> 00:19:03.619
 and he says to him,

00:19:03.740 --> 00:19:04.339
 if now I have

00:19:04.339 --> 00:19:04.919
 found favor

00:19:04.919 --> 00:19:05.719
 in your eyes,

00:19:05.919 --> 00:19:06.859
 then show me

00:19:06.859 --> 00:19:07.500
 a sign

00:19:07.500 --> 00:19:08.879
 that it is you

00:19:08.879 --> 00:19:09.819
 who speak with me.

00:19:10.599 --> 00:19:11.199
 Please do not

00:19:11.199 --> 00:19:12.019
 depart from here

00:19:12.019 --> 00:19:14.179
 until I come

00:19:14.179 --> 00:19:14.659
 to you

00:19:14.659 --> 00:19:15.279
 and bring out

00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:15.799
 my present

00:19:15.799 --> 00:19:16.199
 and set it

00:19:16.199 --> 00:19:16.759
 before you.

00:19:17.500 --> 00:19:18.179
 And the angel

00:19:18.179 --> 00:19:18.839
 of God said,

00:19:18.939 --> 00:19:20.000
 I will stay

00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:20.899
 till you return.

00:19:21.639 --> 00:19:22.500
 So the message

00:19:22.500 --> 00:19:22.979
 from God

00:19:22.979 --> 00:19:23.859
 had officially

00:19:23.859 --> 00:19:25.179
 grabbed Gideon's

00:19:25.179 --> 00:19:25.539
 attention,

00:19:25.659 --> 00:19:25.859
 right?

00:19:26.019 --> 00:19:26.879
 But his fear

00:19:26.879 --> 00:19:27.819
 and his skepticism

00:19:27.819 --> 00:19:28.299
 again,

00:19:28.359 --> 00:19:29.579
 would not allow

00:19:29.579 --> 00:19:30.359
 him to trust

00:19:30.359 --> 00:19:31.279
 God's word

00:19:31.279 --> 00:19:32.679
 apart from

00:19:32.679 --> 00:19:34.439
 some supernatural

00:19:34.439 --> 00:19:35.759
 sign.

00:19:37.639 --> 00:19:38.079
 And all through

00:19:38.079 --> 00:19:38.659
 this story

00:19:38.659 --> 00:19:39.559
 and into chapter

00:19:39.559 --> 00:19:40.339
 seven and chapter

00:19:40.339 --> 00:19:40.639
 eight,

00:19:40.759 --> 00:19:41.539
 we're going to see

00:19:41.539 --> 00:19:42.179
 that Gideon

00:19:42.179 --> 00:19:43.199
 is in constant

00:19:43.199 --> 00:19:44.459
 need of

00:19:44.459 --> 00:19:45.139
 reassurance

00:19:45.139 --> 00:19:45.759
 from God.

00:19:46.579 --> 00:19:47.899
 Always asking

00:19:47.899 --> 00:19:48.899
 for a sign

00:19:48.899 --> 00:19:50.339
 to confirm

00:19:50.339 --> 00:19:52.019
 God's promise.

00:19:53.639 --> 00:19:54.240
 Hardened

00:19:54.240 --> 00:19:54.679
 by his

00:19:54.679 --> 00:19:55.199
 circumstances

00:19:55.199 --> 00:19:55.740
 perhaps,

00:19:56.139 --> 00:19:57.019
 filled with

00:19:57.019 --> 00:19:57.940
 fear,

00:19:59.220 --> 00:19:59.539
 Gideon

00:19:59.539 --> 00:19:59.980
 lacks

00:19:59.980 --> 00:20:00.599
 the faith

00:20:00.599 --> 00:20:01.180
 to simply

00:20:01.180 --> 00:20:01.879
 take God

00:20:01.879 --> 00:20:03.220
 at his

00:20:03.220 --> 00:20:03.480
 word.

00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:06.500
 What is it

00:20:06.500 --> 00:20:07.200
 about us

00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:08.639
 that demands

00:20:08.639 --> 00:20:09.180
 that God

00:20:09.180 --> 00:20:09.839
 put his money

00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:10.240
 where his

00:20:10.240 --> 00:20:10.799
 mouth is,

00:20:10.839 --> 00:20:11.440
 so to speak,

00:20:11.700 --> 00:20:12.879
 every time

00:20:12.879 --> 00:20:13.839
 he gives us

00:20:13.839 --> 00:20:14.299
 a promise?

00:20:15.500 --> 00:20:16.299
 It's like we

00:20:16.299 --> 00:20:17.220
 can't trust him

00:20:17.220 --> 00:20:17.839
 unless there's

00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:18.619
 always some new

00:20:18.619 --> 00:20:18.980
 sign,

00:20:19.139 --> 00:20:20.660
 always some new

00:20:20.660 --> 00:20:22.000
 writing in the sky,

00:20:22.139 --> 00:20:22.639
 some new

00:20:22.639 --> 00:20:23.500
 revelation,

00:20:23.500 --> 00:20:23.599
 temptation,

00:20:23.900 --> 00:20:25.160
 or he's

00:20:25.160 --> 00:20:26.279
 not trustworthy

00:20:26.279 --> 00:20:26.940
 anymore.

00:20:28.700 --> 00:20:29.539
 Has God not

00:20:29.539 --> 00:20:30.059
 done enough

00:20:30.059 --> 00:20:30.759
 to prove himself?

00:20:31.819 --> 00:20:32.460
 Has he not

00:20:32.460 --> 00:20:32.920
 done enough

00:20:32.920 --> 00:20:33.299
 for you?

00:20:34.500 --> 00:20:35.200
 Has he not

00:20:35.200 --> 00:20:35.559
 given us

00:20:35.559 --> 00:20:36.259
 enough reason

00:20:36.259 --> 00:20:37.019
 in his word

00:20:37.019 --> 00:20:39.359
 to trust him?

00:20:41.200 --> 00:20:41.980
 He's got a

00:20:41.980 --> 00:20:43.160
 100% success

00:20:43.160 --> 00:20:44.480
 rate on

00:20:44.480 --> 00:20:45.140
 delivering on

00:20:45.140 --> 00:20:45.740
 his promises,

00:20:46.380 --> 00:20:46.940
 yet we still

00:20:46.940 --> 00:20:49.259
 find it so hard

00:20:49.259 --> 00:20:50.079
 to just simply

00:20:50.079 --> 00:20:52.099
 rest in those

00:20:52.099 --> 00:20:52.519
 promises.

00:20:53.500 --> 00:20:55.500
 Now I think

00:20:55.500 --> 00:20:56.000
 Gideon is

00:20:56.000 --> 00:20:56.839
 demanding a sign

00:20:56.839 --> 00:20:57.599
 here in part

00:20:57.599 --> 00:20:58.599
 out of fear.

00:20:59.380 --> 00:21:00.019
 I think it's a

00:21:00.019 --> 00:21:00.640
 weakness of fear,

00:21:00.740 --> 00:21:01.380
 it's a lack of

00:21:01.380 --> 00:21:01.599
 faith,

00:21:01.779 --> 00:21:02.339
 I think his

00:21:02.339 --> 00:21:02.980
 cynicism is

00:21:02.980 --> 00:21:03.500
 playing a role

00:21:03.500 --> 00:21:03.960
 in this as

00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:04.160
 well,

00:21:04.299 --> 00:21:04.859
 and sometimes

00:21:04.859 --> 00:21:05.339
 that's what

00:21:05.339 --> 00:21:05.720
 we do.

00:21:05.960 --> 00:21:06.779
 We sense

00:21:06.779 --> 00:21:07.380
 maybe through

00:21:07.380 --> 00:21:08.160
 the preaching

00:21:08.160 --> 00:21:08.559
 of the word

00:21:08.559 --> 00:21:08.960
 or reading

00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:09.480
 of the Bible,

00:21:09.599 --> 00:21:10.039
 we sense

00:21:10.039 --> 00:21:10.980
 that there's

00:21:10.980 --> 00:21:11.400
 something in

00:21:11.400 --> 00:21:11.819
 our lives

00:21:11.819 --> 00:21:12.180
 that God

00:21:12.180 --> 00:21:12.559
 is dealing

00:21:12.559 --> 00:21:12.980
 with and

00:21:12.980 --> 00:21:13.339
 God wants

00:21:13.339 --> 00:21:13.700
 to do or

00:21:13.700 --> 00:21:14.140
 God is

00:21:14.140 --> 00:21:15.319
 convicting us

00:21:15.319 --> 00:21:15.539
 of,

00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:16.000
 and we're

00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:16.680
 demanding that

00:21:16.680 --> 00:21:17.160
 God do

00:21:17.160 --> 00:21:17.799
 something else

00:21:17.799 --> 00:21:18.500
 to confirm

00:21:18.500 --> 00:21:19.059
 what he's

00:21:19.059 --> 00:21:19.960
 actually telling

00:21:19.960 --> 00:21:20.480
 us in his

00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:20.799
 word,

00:21:21.019 --> 00:21:21.619
 and that's

00:21:21.619 --> 00:21:22.180
 coming out of

00:21:22.180 --> 00:21:22.599
 a heart of

00:21:22.599 --> 00:21:22.879
 fear.

00:21:23.419 --> 00:21:24.139
 We're afraid

00:21:24.139 --> 00:21:24.759
 to look foolish

00:21:24.759 --> 00:21:25.199
 perhaps,

00:21:25.279 --> 00:21:25.779
 we're afraid

00:21:25.779 --> 00:21:26.579
 that maybe

00:21:26.579 --> 00:21:26.919
 we just

00:21:26.919 --> 00:21:27.319
 haven't figured

00:21:27.319 --> 00:21:27.939
 it out just

00:21:27.939 --> 00:21:28.319
 right,

00:21:28.399 --> 00:21:28.859
 or we're

00:21:28.859 --> 00:21:29.319
 just filled

00:21:29.319 --> 00:21:30.199
 with sin,

00:21:30.399 --> 00:21:31.719
 maybe whatever

00:21:31.719 --> 00:21:32.039
 it is.

00:21:32.099 --> 00:21:32.819
 Sometimes that's

00:21:32.819 --> 00:21:33.519
 why we demand

00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:34.159
 these signs,

00:21:35.019 --> 00:21:35.579
 and we want

00:21:35.579 --> 00:21:36.159
 something that's

00:21:36.159 --> 00:21:36.819
 unique and

00:21:36.819 --> 00:21:37.799
 personal to

00:21:37.799 --> 00:21:38.179
 us,

00:21:38.459 --> 00:21:39.619
 but other

00:21:39.619 --> 00:21:40.939
 times we

00:21:40.939 --> 00:21:41.879
 demand a sign

00:21:41.879 --> 00:21:42.459
 because of

00:21:42.459 --> 00:21:43.159
 this innate

00:21:43.159 --> 00:21:45.419
 cynicism that

00:21:45.419 --> 00:21:45.959
 I think is

00:21:45.959 --> 00:21:46.579
 evident in

00:21:46.579 --> 00:21:47.339
 Gideon here

00:21:47.339 --> 00:21:47.839
 as well.

00:21:49.619 --> 00:21:50.259
 A cynic

00:21:50.259 --> 00:21:51.899
 demands a

00:21:51.899 --> 00:21:52.359
 sign,

00:21:52.599 --> 00:21:55.579
 100%

00:21:55.579 --> 00:21:57.359
 indisputable

00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:58.240
 evidence of

00:21:58.240 --> 00:21:58.579
 God's

00:21:58.579 --> 00:21:59.539
 existence and

00:21:59.539 --> 00:22:00.159
 God's

00:22:00.159 --> 00:22:01.000
 goodness and

00:22:01.000 --> 00:22:01.339
 God's

00:22:01.339 --> 00:22:02.339
 trustworthiness,

00:22:02.719 --> 00:22:03.399
 and the

00:22:03.399 --> 00:22:04.039
 reason they

00:22:04.039 --> 00:22:04.779
 demand such

00:22:04.779 --> 00:22:05.699
 a sign is

00:22:05.699 --> 00:22:06.199
 because they

00:22:06.199 --> 00:22:06.899
 don't think

00:22:06.899 --> 00:22:07.559
 such evidence

00:22:07.559 --> 00:22:08.079
 is actually

00:22:08.079 --> 00:22:08.539
 possible.

00:22:09.199 --> 00:22:09.839
 This is the

00:22:09.839 --> 00:22:10.159
 heart of a

00:22:10.159 --> 00:22:10.399
 cynic,

00:22:10.459 --> 00:22:10.619
 right?

00:22:12.179 --> 00:22:12.459
 You see

00:22:12.459 --> 00:22:12.659
 what the

00:22:12.659 --> 00:22:13.279
 word says?

00:22:13.539 --> 00:22:13.980
 That doesn't

00:22:13.980 --> 00:22:14.259
 matter.

00:22:15.379 --> 00:22:16.019
 They hear the

00:22:16.019 --> 00:22:16.599
 testimony of

00:22:16.599 --> 00:22:16.879
 others,

00:22:17.079 --> 00:22:17.959
 that doesn't

00:22:17.959 --> 00:22:18.219
 matter.

00:22:18.220 --> 00:22:19.960
 only what

00:22:19.960 --> 00:22:21.100
 matters is

00:22:21.100 --> 00:22:21.680
 that they

00:22:21.680 --> 00:22:22.180
 can make

00:22:22.180 --> 00:22:22.960
 their demand

00:22:22.960 --> 00:22:23.480
 on God

00:22:23.480 --> 00:22:23.779
 and say,

00:22:23.860 --> 00:22:24.140
 God,

00:22:24.200 --> 00:22:24.839
 I will only

00:22:24.839 --> 00:22:25.360
 follow you

00:22:25.360 --> 00:22:25.819
 and obey

00:22:25.819 --> 00:22:26.160
 you and

00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:26.579
 believe you

00:22:26.579 --> 00:22:27.100
 if you do

00:22:27.100 --> 00:22:27.740
 this and

00:22:27.740 --> 00:22:28.319
 this and

00:22:28.319 --> 00:22:28.880
 this and

00:22:28.880 --> 00:22:29.299
 this,

00:22:29.579 --> 00:22:30.100
 and they

00:22:30.100 --> 00:22:31.019
 make it so

00:22:31.019 --> 00:22:31.680
 impossible,

00:22:31.940 --> 00:22:32.160
 of course,

00:22:32.220 --> 00:22:32.559
 nothing's

00:22:32.559 --> 00:22:33.200
 impossible for

00:22:33.200 --> 00:22:33.339
 God,

00:22:33.380 --> 00:22:33.779
 but they make

00:22:33.779 --> 00:22:34.100
 it so

00:22:34.100 --> 00:22:34.980
 impossible because

00:22:34.980 --> 00:22:35.519
 they don't

00:22:35.519 --> 00:22:36.200
 actually think

00:22:36.200 --> 00:22:36.640
 that God's

00:22:36.640 --> 00:22:37.140
 ever going to

00:22:37.140 --> 00:22:37.640
 answer that.

00:22:38.339 --> 00:22:38.779
 They don't

00:22:38.779 --> 00:22:39.279
 actually think

00:22:39.279 --> 00:22:39.759
 that any of

00:22:39.759 --> 00:22:40.240
 that evidence

00:22:40.240 --> 00:22:41.160
 is actually

00:22:41.160 --> 00:22:41.860
 possible for

00:22:41.860 --> 00:22:42.120
 them.

00:22:42.880 --> 00:22:43.299
 So what they're

00:22:43.299 --> 00:22:43.920
 doing is they're

00:22:43.920 --> 00:22:44.799
 making a demand

00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:45.440
 for a sign

00:22:45.440 --> 00:22:46.180
 in order that

00:22:46.180 --> 00:22:47.299
 they may defend

00:22:47.299 --> 00:22:48.500
 their cynicism

00:22:48.500 --> 00:22:50.079
 because at the

00:22:50.079 --> 00:22:50.339
 end of it,

00:22:50.359 --> 00:22:50.799
 they can say,

00:22:51.059 --> 00:22:51.119
 look,

00:22:51.339 --> 00:22:52.119
 we prayed and

00:22:52.119 --> 00:22:52.619
 we asked for

00:22:52.619 --> 00:22:52.980
 God to do

00:22:52.980 --> 00:22:53.279
 all these

00:22:53.279 --> 00:22:53.680
 things and

00:22:53.680 --> 00:22:53.960
 look,

00:22:54.119 --> 00:22:54.500
 he hasn't

00:22:54.500 --> 00:22:54.960
 done any

00:22:54.960 --> 00:22:55.259
 of it.

00:22:55.319 --> 00:22:55.619
 In fact,

00:22:55.680 --> 00:22:56.059
 our lives

00:22:56.059 --> 00:22:56.720
 are worse.

00:22:57.379 --> 00:22:57.819
 I was

00:22:57.819 --> 00:22:58.220
 right.

00:22:59.099 --> 00:22:59.399
 Here's what

00:22:59.399 --> 00:22:59.740
 the cynic

00:22:59.740 --> 00:22:59.940
 does,

00:23:00.019 --> 00:23:00.159
 right?

00:23:00.579 --> 00:23:01.079
 We demand

00:23:01.079 --> 00:23:01.379
 size.

00:23:01.500 --> 00:23:01.720
 We want

00:23:01.720 --> 00:23:02.819
 this thing.

00:23:07.319 --> 00:23:07.919
 Last night,

00:23:08.099 --> 00:23:10.700
 I went to bed

00:23:10.700 --> 00:23:11.039
 thinking about

00:23:11.039 --> 00:23:11.539
 this last night,

00:23:11.619 --> 00:23:12.319
 but there were

00:23:12.319 --> 00:23:13.279
 these two teenagers

00:23:13.279 --> 00:23:13.899
 that came up to

00:23:13.899 --> 00:23:14.700
 the popcorn table

00:23:14.700 --> 00:23:15.299
 at the event we

00:23:15.299 --> 00:23:15.799
 were working at

00:23:15.799 --> 00:23:16.259
 last night.

00:23:16.819 --> 00:23:17.660
 They were 13

00:23:17.660 --> 00:23:18.039
 years old.

00:23:18.100 --> 00:23:18.380
 One of them

00:23:18.380 --> 00:23:18.920
 was a Muslim

00:23:18.920 --> 00:23:19.440
 and the other

00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:20.019
 girl,

00:23:20.120 --> 00:23:20.840
 she's 13 years

00:23:20.840 --> 00:23:21.100
 old.

00:23:21.539 --> 00:23:23.000
 And as we're

00:23:23.000 --> 00:23:23.880
 chatting just

00:23:23.880 --> 00:23:24.720
 briefly at the

00:23:24.720 --> 00:23:25.400
 popcorn table,

00:23:25.539 --> 00:23:26.860
 she tells me

00:23:26.860 --> 00:23:28.200
 that she's not

00:23:28.200 --> 00:23:28.840
 religious at all.

00:23:28.900 --> 00:23:29.440
 She's not

00:23:29.440 --> 00:23:30.240
 interested in any

00:23:30.240 --> 00:23:30.819
 kind of religion.

00:23:30.980 --> 00:23:32.380
 And so I gently

00:23:32.380 --> 00:23:33.200
 pressed on that

00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:33.840
 just because I was

00:23:33.840 --> 00:23:34.299
 curious.

00:23:34.740 --> 00:23:35.759
 How does a 13

00:23:35.759 --> 00:23:36.279
 year old just

00:23:36.279 --> 00:23:37.900
 decide that they

00:23:37.900 --> 00:23:38.660
 don't want any

00:23:38.660 --> 00:23:39.220
 kind of religion

00:23:39.220 --> 00:23:39.620
 at all?

00:23:39.640 --> 00:23:40.400
 And we had just

00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:41.279
 a brief conversation

00:23:41.279 --> 00:23:42.660
 and at some

00:23:42.660 --> 00:23:43.220
 point I said

00:23:43.220 --> 00:23:43.759
 something along

00:23:43.759 --> 00:23:44.440
 the lines of,

00:23:44.700 --> 00:23:45.940
 what I would

00:23:45.940 --> 00:23:46.539
 encourage you to

00:23:46.539 --> 00:23:47.080
 think about is

00:23:47.080 --> 00:23:48.019
 that there must

00:23:48.019 --> 00:23:48.980
 be some kind

00:23:48.980 --> 00:23:49.539
 of truth out

00:23:49.539 --> 00:23:49.680
 there.

00:23:49.740 --> 00:23:50.039
 There must

00:23:50.039 --> 00:23:51.059
 be something.

00:23:52.299 --> 00:23:53.000
 Even if you

00:23:53.000 --> 00:23:54.279
 disagree with what

00:23:54.279 --> 00:23:54.759
 I believe,

00:23:55.039 --> 00:23:55.559
 there must be

00:23:55.559 --> 00:23:56.140
 something.

00:23:57.880 --> 00:23:58.720
 And she looks

00:23:58.720 --> 00:23:59.200
 back and she

00:23:59.200 --> 00:23:59.840
 doesn't try to

00:23:59.840 --> 00:24:00.380
 defend that.

00:24:00.460 --> 00:24:01.039
 She looks back

00:24:01.039 --> 00:24:01.519
 and she just

00:24:01.519 --> 00:24:01.840
 says,

00:24:02.420 --> 00:24:02.740
 no,

00:24:03.299 --> 00:24:03.819
 no,

00:24:03.819 --> 00:24:03.980
 no.

00:24:04.980 --> 00:24:05.680
 That's all she

00:24:05.680 --> 00:24:06.059
 would say.

00:24:06.059 --> 00:24:09.079
 she has so

00:24:09.079 --> 00:24:09.759
 hardened her

00:24:09.759 --> 00:24:10.019
 heart,

00:24:10.079 --> 00:24:10.519
 even as a

00:24:10.519 --> 00:24:11.159
 13 year old

00:24:11.159 --> 00:24:11.460
 girl.

00:24:12.419 --> 00:24:13.599
 It's not that

00:24:13.599 --> 00:24:15.539
 she denies that

00:24:15.539 --> 00:24:16.259
 there is truth

00:24:16.259 --> 00:24:16.740
 there.

00:24:17.579 --> 00:24:18.500
 She just doesn't

00:24:18.500 --> 00:24:19.139
 want to believe

00:24:19.139 --> 00:24:20.079
 it even if she

00:24:20.079 --> 00:24:21.079
 sees it.

00:24:23.179 --> 00:24:23.799
 It's that

00:24:23.799 --> 00:24:24.740
 cynical heart,

00:24:24.839 --> 00:24:25.179
 isn't it?

00:24:26.079 --> 00:24:26.700
 Gideon is getting

00:24:26.700 --> 00:24:27.019
 there.

00:24:27.859 --> 00:24:28.359
 I think there's

00:24:28.359 --> 00:24:28.700
 some different

00:24:28.700 --> 00:24:29.220
 things going on

00:24:29.220 --> 00:24:29.799
 with Gideon too,

00:24:29.859 --> 00:24:30.379
 but some of us

00:24:30.379 --> 00:24:30.940
 maybe are there

00:24:30.940 --> 00:24:31.579
 in a position

00:24:31.579 --> 00:24:32.019
 like that.

00:24:32.179 --> 00:24:32.539
 You're making

00:24:32.539 --> 00:24:33.139
 these demands

00:24:33.140 --> 00:24:33.600
 for God

00:24:33.600 --> 00:24:34.040
 because you

00:24:34.040 --> 00:24:34.380
 don't think

00:24:34.380 --> 00:24:34.920
 God's actually

00:24:34.920 --> 00:24:35.540
 going to do it.

00:24:35.800 --> 00:24:36.340
 He might not.

00:24:37.500 --> 00:24:38.280
 But the issue

00:24:38.280 --> 00:24:38.980
 isn't with what

00:24:38.980 --> 00:24:39.680
 God's willing to

00:24:39.680 --> 00:24:39.940
 do.

00:24:40.759 --> 00:24:41.580
 The issue is

00:24:41.580 --> 00:24:41.900
 with your

00:24:41.900 --> 00:24:42.560
 hardened heart.

00:24:43.900 --> 00:24:44.640
 But God's so

00:24:44.640 --> 00:24:45.160
 very patient

00:24:45.160 --> 00:24:45.520
 with us.

00:24:45.620 --> 00:24:46.020
 Notice how

00:24:46.020 --> 00:24:47.040
 long-suffering

00:24:47.040 --> 00:24:47.640
 he is with

00:24:47.640 --> 00:24:48.320
 Gideon's demands.

00:24:48.420 --> 00:24:48.920
 Look at verse

00:24:48.920 --> 00:24:49.340
 19.

00:24:49.680 --> 00:24:50.240
 So Gideon went

00:24:50.240 --> 00:24:50.880
 into his house

00:24:50.880 --> 00:24:51.420
 and he prepared

00:24:51.420 --> 00:24:52.060
 a young goat

00:24:52.060 --> 00:24:52.620
 and unleavened

00:24:52.620 --> 00:24:53.280
 cakes from an

00:24:53.280 --> 00:24:54.080
 ephah of flour.

00:24:54.420 --> 00:24:55.060
 That's a lot

00:24:55.060 --> 00:24:55.540
 of flour.

00:24:55.980 --> 00:24:56.640
 That's 22

00:24:56.640 --> 00:24:57.800
 liters worth of

00:24:57.800 --> 00:24:58.100
 flour.

00:24:58.259 --> 00:24:58.960
 This is a

00:24:58.960 --> 00:24:59.759
 massive cake.

00:25:00.500 --> 00:25:01.060
 The meat he

00:25:01.060 --> 00:25:01.759
 put in a basket

00:25:01.759 --> 00:25:02.420
 and the broth he

00:25:02.420 --> 00:25:02.960
 put in a pot

00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:03.360
 and he brought

00:25:03.360 --> 00:25:04.319
 them to him

00:25:04.319 --> 00:25:04.680
 under the

00:25:04.680 --> 00:25:05.100
 terebinth

00:25:05.100 --> 00:25:05.539
 and presented

00:25:05.539 --> 00:25:05.819
 them.

00:25:07.220 --> 00:25:07.680
 The angel

00:25:07.680 --> 00:25:08.019
 of God

00:25:08.019 --> 00:25:08.460
 said to him

00:25:08.460 --> 00:25:08.860
 take the

00:25:08.860 --> 00:25:09.299
 meat and

00:25:09.299 --> 00:25:09.840
 the unleavened

00:25:09.840 --> 00:25:10.279
 cakes and

00:25:10.279 --> 00:25:10.720
 put them on

00:25:10.720 --> 00:25:11.380
 this rock and

00:25:11.380 --> 00:25:12.200
 pour the broth

00:25:12.200 --> 00:25:12.740
 over them and

00:25:12.740 --> 00:25:13.259
 he did so.

00:25:14.160 --> 00:25:14.720
 Then the angel

00:25:14.720 --> 00:25:15.180
 of the Lord

00:25:15.180 --> 00:25:15.840
 reached out the

00:25:15.840 --> 00:25:16.740
 tip of the

00:25:16.740 --> 00:25:17.360
 staff that was

00:25:17.360 --> 00:25:18.079
 in his hand and

00:25:18.079 --> 00:25:18.500
 touched the

00:25:18.500 --> 00:25:19.019
 meat and the

00:25:19.019 --> 00:25:19.759
 unleavened cakes

00:25:19.759 --> 00:25:20.720
 and fire

00:25:20.720 --> 00:25:21.519
 sprang up from

00:25:21.519 --> 00:25:22.160
 the rock and

00:25:22.160 --> 00:25:22.840
 consumed the

00:25:22.840 --> 00:25:23.380
 meat and the

00:25:23.380 --> 00:25:24.200
 unleavened cakes

00:25:24.200 --> 00:25:25.559
 and the angel

00:25:25.559 --> 00:25:26.000
 of the Lord

00:25:26.000 --> 00:25:26.799
 vanished from

00:25:26.799 --> 00:25:28.160
 his sight.

00:25:28.660 --> 00:25:29.340
 I don't know

00:25:29.340 --> 00:25:29.860
 what Gideon

00:25:29.860 --> 00:25:30.559
 was expecting.

00:25:30.740 --> 00:25:31.220
 Certainly it

00:25:31.220 --> 00:25:31.700
 wasn't something

00:25:31.700 --> 00:25:32.200
 like this,

00:25:32.259 --> 00:25:32.480
 right?

00:25:33.700 --> 00:25:34.500
 He runs into

00:25:34.500 --> 00:25:34.840
 his house.

00:25:34.900 --> 00:25:35.240
 This would have

00:25:35.240 --> 00:25:36.019
 taken time.

00:25:36.799 --> 00:25:37.059
 This would have

00:25:37.059 --> 00:25:37.600
 taken a lot of

00:25:37.600 --> 00:25:37.840
 time.

00:25:38.079 --> 00:25:38.600
 He runs into

00:25:38.600 --> 00:25:39.019
 his house.

00:25:39.240 --> 00:25:40.340
 He prepares this

00:25:40.340 --> 00:25:41.640
 enormous meal,

00:25:41.940 --> 00:25:42.740
 no doubt as we

00:25:42.740 --> 00:25:43.180
 see in other

00:25:43.180 --> 00:25:43.840
 places in the

00:25:43.840 --> 00:25:44.319
 Old Testament.

00:25:44.519 --> 00:25:45.319
 He presents it

00:25:45.319 --> 00:25:46.039
 to the angel of

00:25:46.039 --> 00:25:47.000
 God as an

00:25:47.000 --> 00:25:47.740
 offering or a

00:25:47.740 --> 00:25:48.440
 show of respect

00:25:48.440 --> 00:25:49.460
 in order that he

00:25:49.460 --> 00:25:50.620
 may get a sign

00:25:50.620 --> 00:25:51.299
 from him as

00:25:51.299 --> 00:25:52.720
 payment in regard

00:25:52.720 --> 00:25:53.779
 for this show

00:25:53.779 --> 00:25:54.340
 of respect,

00:25:54.420 --> 00:25:54.660
 right?

00:25:54.819 --> 00:25:55.680
 And he brings

00:25:55.680 --> 00:25:56.400
 out all of this

00:25:56.400 --> 00:25:57.039
 unleavened bread

00:25:57.039 --> 00:25:58.559
 and he takes care

00:25:58.559 --> 00:25:59.019
 of the goat and

00:25:59.019 --> 00:25:59.680
 he prepares the goat

00:25:59.680 --> 00:26:00.240
 and he sets it out

00:26:00.240 --> 00:26:00.779
 there and he brings

00:26:00.779 --> 00:26:01.859
 the broth and

00:26:01.859 --> 00:26:02.420
 then the angel

00:26:02.420 --> 00:26:03.559
 of God doesn't

00:26:03.559 --> 00:26:04.160
 treat it like a

00:26:04.160 --> 00:26:04.379
 meal.

00:26:04.519 --> 00:26:04.879
 That's what's

00:26:04.879 --> 00:26:05.160
 strange,

00:26:05.240 --> 00:26:05.559
 isn't it?

00:26:05.799 --> 00:26:06.359
 He treats it

00:26:06.359 --> 00:26:06.960
 like an offering

00:26:06.960 --> 00:26:08.519
 and he begins to

00:26:08.519 --> 00:26:09.139
 instruct Gideon

00:26:09.139 --> 00:26:09.680
 on what to do

00:26:09.680 --> 00:26:10.480
 and he says,

00:26:10.740 --> 00:26:12.000
 take the stuff

00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:13.119
 and the broth

00:26:13.119 --> 00:26:13.940
 and pour it over

00:26:13.940 --> 00:26:14.460
 the other stuff

00:26:14.460 --> 00:26:14.839
 and put it on

00:26:14.839 --> 00:26:15.440
 this rock and

00:26:15.440 --> 00:26:16.180
 Gideon does all

00:26:16.180 --> 00:26:16.460
 this stuff.

00:26:16.660 --> 00:26:17.359
 So he instructs

00:26:17.359 --> 00:26:17.899
 Gideon on what

00:26:17.899 --> 00:26:19.839
 to do and then

00:26:19.839 --> 00:26:20.519
 he takes the tip

00:26:20.519 --> 00:26:21.460
 of his staff and

00:26:21.460 --> 00:26:22.220
 he touches the

00:26:22.220 --> 00:26:24.139
 meat and suddenly

00:26:24.139 --> 00:26:25.220
 fire burst out,

00:26:25.460 --> 00:26:26.119
 not from his

00:26:26.119 --> 00:26:26.700
 staff,

00:26:27.139 --> 00:26:28.200
 from the rock.

00:26:28.200 --> 00:26:29.819
 It just bursts

00:26:29.819 --> 00:26:30.480
 into flames.

00:26:31.400 --> 00:26:32.580
 It consumes all

00:26:32.580 --> 00:26:33.180
 the meat and

00:26:33.180 --> 00:26:33.840
 all the bread.

00:26:34.400 --> 00:26:34.660
 Gideon,

00:26:34.779 --> 00:26:35.620
 no doubt in

00:26:35.620 --> 00:26:36.360
 astonishment at

00:26:36.360 --> 00:26:36.740
 that moment,

00:26:36.860 --> 00:26:37.819
 looks up and

00:26:37.819 --> 00:26:38.539
 suddenly the angel

00:26:38.539 --> 00:26:39.019
 of God has

00:26:39.019 --> 00:26:39.279
 vanished.

00:26:39.460 --> 00:26:40.559
 He's nowhere to

00:26:40.559 --> 00:26:41.220
 be seen now.

00:26:42.000 --> 00:26:42.620
 He's completely

00:26:42.620 --> 00:26:43.039
 gone.

00:26:44.100 --> 00:26:44.920
 There's your sign,

00:26:45.059 --> 00:26:45.380
 Gideon.

00:26:45.840 --> 00:26:46.240
 I don't know what

00:26:46.240 --> 00:26:46.680
 you were looking

00:26:46.680 --> 00:26:48.940
 for, but here it

00:26:48.940 --> 00:26:51.340
 is and I think it

00:26:51.340 --> 00:26:52.340
 begins to soften

00:26:52.340 --> 00:26:53.240
 Gideon's heart,

00:26:53.340 --> 00:26:53.660
 doesn't it?

00:26:55.059 --> 00:26:55.819
 God was very

00:26:55.819 --> 00:26:56.759
 patient to do this

00:26:56.759 --> 00:26:57.240
 for Gideon.

00:26:57.839 --> 00:26:58.619
 I don't think we

00:26:58.619 --> 00:26:59.339
 should take that to

00:26:59.339 --> 00:27:00.240
 mean that he will

00:27:00.240 --> 00:27:01.000
 always do that for

00:27:01.000 --> 00:27:01.339
 us.

00:27:02.819 --> 00:27:03.480
 Sometimes that's what

00:27:03.480 --> 00:27:04.180
 we expect, right?

00:27:04.200 --> 00:27:04.980
 We go to a passage

00:27:04.980 --> 00:27:05.539
 like this and we

00:27:05.539 --> 00:27:06.680
 say, well, if God

00:27:06.680 --> 00:27:07.359
 did all that for

00:27:07.359 --> 00:27:08.400
 Gideon, then surely

00:27:08.400 --> 00:27:09.200
 he'll do it for me.

00:27:09.299 --> 00:27:10.180
 So we just encourage

00:27:10.180 --> 00:27:11.279
 ourselves in the

00:27:11.279 --> 00:27:12.420
 demands that we

00:27:12.420 --> 00:27:13.140
 give to God and the

00:27:13.140 --> 00:27:13.759
 truth is God's

00:27:13.759 --> 00:27:14.420
 probably not going

00:27:14.420 --> 00:27:15.019
 to do any of that

00:27:15.019 --> 00:27:15.420
 for you.

00:27:16.480 --> 00:27:17.079
 You know why?

00:27:17.140 --> 00:27:17.799
 Because he's already

00:27:17.799 --> 00:27:18.579
 done enough for you.

00:27:19.599 --> 00:27:20.480
 The sign we have

00:27:20.480 --> 00:27:21.400
 now is the sign of

00:27:21.400 --> 00:27:22.700
 the Spirit that

00:27:22.700 --> 00:27:23.680
 comes and transforms

00:27:23.680 --> 00:27:24.539
 our lives.

00:27:24.539 --> 00:27:27.359
 God calls us to

00:27:27.359 --> 00:27:29.659
 trust him, not test

00:27:29.659 --> 00:27:30.019
 him.

00:27:31.299 --> 00:27:31.839
 And that's something

00:27:31.839 --> 00:27:32.720
 we need to learn.

00:27:33.879 --> 00:27:34.879
 In his kindness, he

00:27:34.879 --> 00:27:36.279
 does often answer even

00:27:36.279 --> 00:27:37.099
 our most faithless

00:27:37.099 --> 00:27:37.480
 prayers.

00:27:38.399 --> 00:27:39.659
 But his desire is that

00:27:39.659 --> 00:27:40.940
 we trust his word,

00:27:42.399 --> 00:27:43.460
 relying even on how

00:27:43.460 --> 00:27:44.379
 he has proven himself

00:27:44.379 --> 00:27:45.579
 to others that we

00:27:45.579 --> 00:27:46.379
 read about, even

00:27:46.379 --> 00:27:47.220
 Gideon.

00:27:47.220 --> 00:27:50.900
 Number three, we see

00:27:50.900 --> 00:27:51.759
 the peace of God.

00:27:52.079 --> 00:27:52.559
 So we've seen a

00:27:52.559 --> 00:27:54.000
 message from God, we've

00:27:54.000 --> 00:27:54.960
 seen a sign from God.

00:27:55.400 --> 00:27:57.140
 Now we see the

00:27:57.140 --> 00:27:57.900
 peace of God.

00:27:58.240 --> 00:27:58.740
 Now we have to be

00:27:58.740 --> 00:27:59.579
 careful, let me just

00:27:59.579 --> 00:28:00.400
 preface what I'm about

00:28:00.400 --> 00:28:01.200
 to say with this.

00:28:01.620 --> 00:28:02.579
 We have to be careful

00:28:02.579 --> 00:28:05.059
 not to read new

00:28:05.059 --> 00:28:06.839
 covenant realities into

00:28:06.839 --> 00:28:07.680
 an old covenant

00:28:07.680 --> 00:28:08.160
 narrative.

00:28:08.160 --> 00:28:09.000
 That can be a very

00:28:09.000 --> 00:28:09.740
 dangerous thing to do

00:28:09.740 --> 00:28:10.299
 and you don't want to

00:28:10.299 --> 00:28:10.799
 do that.

00:28:11.480 --> 00:28:12.720
 But if we were to use

00:28:12.720 --> 00:28:14.519
 gospel language to

00:28:14.519 --> 00:28:15.720
 describe this scene,

00:28:15.720 --> 00:28:17.680
 I think this would

00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:20.140
 be akin to what we

00:28:20.140 --> 00:28:21.019
 would say would be

00:28:21.019 --> 00:28:22.720
 Gideon's moment of

00:28:22.720 --> 00:28:23.319
 conversion.

00:28:23.839 --> 00:28:25.480
 Or at least it gives

00:28:25.480 --> 00:28:26.519
 us a significant

00:28:26.519 --> 00:28:28.339
 parallel to what

00:28:28.339 --> 00:28:29.680
 conversion looks like

00:28:29.680 --> 00:28:32.259
 for us who are under

00:28:32.259 --> 00:28:33.299
 the gospel of grace

00:28:33.299 --> 00:28:33.940
 and in the New

00:28:33.940 --> 00:28:34.680
 Testament time.

00:28:34.759 --> 00:28:35.120
 And I want you to

00:28:35.120 --> 00:28:35.660
 keep that in mind.

00:28:35.740 --> 00:28:36.880
 Look at verse 22.

00:28:37.319 --> 00:28:38.299
 Then Gideon perceived

00:28:38.299 --> 00:28:39.600
 that he was the angel

00:28:39.600 --> 00:28:40.140
 of the Lord.

00:28:41.960 --> 00:28:42.759
 Gideon said,

00:28:43.140 --> 00:28:45.019
 Alas, O Lord God,

00:28:45.720 --> 00:28:47.339
 for now I have seen

00:28:47.339 --> 00:28:48.160
 the angel of the

00:28:48.160 --> 00:28:50.440
 Lord face to face.

00:28:51.880 --> 00:28:53.759
 This is a markedly

00:28:53.759 --> 00:28:55.259
 different response

00:28:55.259 --> 00:28:56.200
 than we saw before.

00:28:57.819 --> 00:28:59.240
 Alas is an expression

00:28:59.240 --> 00:29:00.839
 of grief and concern.

00:29:02.720 --> 00:29:03.740
 Gideon gets his sign

00:29:03.740 --> 00:29:04.640
 but he's not excited

00:29:04.640 --> 00:29:05.019
 afterwards.

00:29:05.420 --> 00:29:06.319
 He's terrified

00:29:06.319 --> 00:29:07.660
 afterwards.

00:29:09.140 --> 00:29:10.680
 Having realized that

00:29:10.680 --> 00:29:11.519
 he had been in the

00:29:11.519 --> 00:29:12.839
 presence of this angel

00:29:12.839 --> 00:29:14.380
 from God, Gideon was

00:29:14.380 --> 00:29:15.480
 now afraid for his

00:29:15.480 --> 00:29:15.940
 life.

00:29:16.560 --> 00:29:17.660
 But his fear wasn't

00:29:17.660 --> 00:29:18.700
 of Midian this time.

00:29:18.940 --> 00:29:20.100
 Now his fear is of

00:29:20.100 --> 00:29:20.480
 God.

00:29:20.740 --> 00:29:22.100
 I have stood face to

00:29:22.100 --> 00:29:23.020
 face with God

00:29:23.020 --> 00:29:24.140
 through his messenger.

00:29:24.540 --> 00:29:24.960
 Gideon's saying,

00:29:25.100 --> 00:29:26.300
 and he expects now

00:29:26.300 --> 00:29:28.040
 to die as a result.

00:29:30.980 --> 00:29:32.000
 How foolish,

00:29:32.160 --> 00:29:33.000
 says Barry Webb.

00:29:33.220 --> 00:29:34.700
 How foolish all his

00:29:34.700 --> 00:29:35.800
 anger seems now.

00:29:36.480 --> 00:29:37.360
 And how dangerous.

00:29:38.620 --> 00:29:39.820
 If only he could

00:29:39.820 --> 00:29:41.380
 retract his outburst

00:29:41.380 --> 00:29:42.500
 about everything

00:29:42.500 --> 00:29:43.599
 being God's fault.

00:29:44.039 --> 00:29:44.880
 But it's too late

00:29:44.880 --> 00:29:45.460
 for that now.

00:29:46.279 --> 00:29:47.279
 All he can do

00:29:47.279 --> 00:29:48.019
 is blurt out

00:29:48.019 --> 00:29:49.160
 his fear

00:29:49.160 --> 00:29:50.779
 like a condemned

00:29:50.779 --> 00:29:52.099
 man.

00:29:55.160 --> 00:29:56.359
 I love this statement

00:29:56.359 --> 00:29:58.240
 from Dale Ralph Davis

00:29:58.240 --> 00:29:58.759
 as well.

00:29:59.759 --> 00:30:00.759
 There is nothing

00:30:00.759 --> 00:30:02.700
 amazing about grace.

00:30:04.059 --> 00:30:05.559
 As long as

00:30:05.559 --> 00:30:06.720
 there's nothing

00:30:06.720 --> 00:30:07.339
 fearful

00:30:07.339 --> 00:30:08.819
 about holiness.

00:30:10.339 --> 00:30:11.339
 What is it that's

00:30:11.339 --> 00:30:12.139
 happening with Gideon

00:30:12.139 --> 00:30:12.379
 here?

00:30:14.879 --> 00:30:15.720
 The holiness

00:30:15.720 --> 00:30:16.459
 of God

00:30:16.459 --> 00:30:18.159
 is a terrifying

00:30:18.159 --> 00:30:18.939
 reality

00:30:18.939 --> 00:30:20.079
 for those

00:30:20.079 --> 00:30:20.559
 whose eyes

00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:21.419
 are open to it.

00:30:22.039 --> 00:30:22.619
 That's what's

00:30:22.619 --> 00:30:23.459
 happening with Gideon.

00:30:25.379 --> 00:30:26.240
 The Lord has been

00:30:26.240 --> 00:30:27.199
 gracious to actually

00:30:27.199 --> 00:30:27.980
 open his eyes

00:30:27.980 --> 00:30:28.559
 to the Lord's

00:30:28.559 --> 00:30:28.859
 holiness.

00:30:30.439 --> 00:30:31.500
 And when our eyes

00:30:31.500 --> 00:30:32.740
 are open to God's

00:30:32.740 --> 00:30:33.059
 holiness,

00:30:33.240 --> 00:30:33.980
 an encounter with

00:30:33.980 --> 00:30:34.319
 God,

00:30:34.699 --> 00:30:35.439
 it does not

00:30:35.439 --> 00:30:36.359
 initially bring

00:30:36.359 --> 00:30:37.339
 feelings of hope.

00:30:37.879 --> 00:30:38.959
 It brings feelings

00:30:38.959 --> 00:30:39.759
 of despair.

00:30:39.759 --> 00:30:42.460
 because when we

00:30:42.460 --> 00:30:43.180
 encounter the

00:30:43.180 --> 00:30:43.960
 holiness of God,

00:30:44.019 --> 00:30:44.740
 when we're awakened

00:30:44.740 --> 00:30:45.200
 to it,

00:30:45.480 --> 00:30:46.619
 it simultaneously

00:30:46.619 --> 00:30:47.759
 causes us to

00:30:47.759 --> 00:30:48.519
 come to grips

00:30:48.519 --> 00:30:49.700
 with our own

00:30:49.700 --> 00:30:50.480
 unholiness.

00:30:52.640 --> 00:30:53.599
 And when this

00:30:53.599 --> 00:30:54.339
 moment comes,

00:30:54.400 --> 00:30:55.279
 all we're left

00:30:55.279 --> 00:30:57.180
 doing is crying

00:30:57.180 --> 00:30:58.079
 out for mercy.

00:30:59.879 --> 00:31:00.400
 Alas,

00:31:00.460 --> 00:31:01.200
 O Lord God,

00:31:01.599 --> 00:31:03.579
 have mercy

00:31:03.579 --> 00:31:04.299
 on me,

00:31:05.220 --> 00:31:05.920
 O Lord God.

00:31:05.940 --> 00:31:06.640
 He has no other

00:31:06.640 --> 00:31:07.560
 cry to make.

00:31:09.300 --> 00:31:10.300
 How foolish

00:31:10.300 --> 00:31:10.980
 and dangerous

00:31:10.980 --> 00:31:12.759
 our faithless

00:31:12.759 --> 00:31:13.960
 cynicism seems

00:31:13.960 --> 00:31:15.420
 when we finally

00:31:15.420 --> 00:31:16.280
 have a genuine

00:31:16.280 --> 00:31:17.620
 encounter with

00:31:17.620 --> 00:31:18.040
 God.

00:31:19.140 --> 00:31:20.460
 The God we have

00:31:20.460 --> 00:31:21.100
 thus far

00:31:21.100 --> 00:31:22.100
 denied or

00:31:22.100 --> 00:31:23.900
 rejected or

00:31:23.900 --> 00:31:24.280
 being

00:31:24.280 --> 00:31:25.900
 embittered

00:31:25.900 --> 00:31:26.140
 toward.

00:31:26.840 --> 00:31:27.840
 But it's through

00:31:27.840 --> 00:31:28.560
 this despair

00:31:28.560 --> 00:31:29.560
 that we can hear

00:31:29.560 --> 00:31:30.380
 the voice of God

00:31:30.380 --> 00:31:31.900
 speak his peace.

00:31:32.120 --> 00:31:32.860
 Look at verse

00:31:32.860 --> 00:31:33.560
 23.

00:31:33.559 --> 00:31:34.839
 But the Lord

00:31:34.839 --> 00:31:35.579
 said to him,

00:31:36.259 --> 00:31:37.379
 Peace be to you.

00:31:37.759 --> 00:31:38.379
 Shalom,

00:31:38.599 --> 00:31:38.960
 Gideon.

00:31:39.220 --> 00:31:40.159
 Do not fear.

00:31:40.700 --> 00:31:41.659
 You shall not

00:31:41.659 --> 00:31:42.099
 die.

00:31:42.980 --> 00:31:43.539
 Then Gideon

00:31:43.539 --> 00:31:44.359
 built an altar

00:31:44.359 --> 00:31:45.339
 there to the Lord

00:31:45.339 --> 00:31:46.059
 and called it

00:31:46.059 --> 00:31:47.839
 Yahweh is peace.

00:31:48.679 --> 00:31:49.339
 To this day

00:31:49.339 --> 00:31:50.019
 it stands at

00:31:50.019 --> 00:31:50.379
 Ophrah,

00:31:50.659 --> 00:31:51.319
 which belongs

00:31:51.319 --> 00:31:52.960
 to the Abiezrites.

00:31:54.079 --> 00:31:54.519
 Now why does

00:31:54.519 --> 00:31:55.240
 Gideon call the

00:31:55.240 --> 00:31:56.460
 place Yahweh

00:31:56.460 --> 00:31:57.079
 is peace

00:31:57.079 --> 00:31:57.619
 or the Lord

00:31:57.619 --> 00:31:58.319
 is peace?

00:31:59.599 --> 00:32:00.599
 It wasn't

00:32:00.599 --> 00:32:01.720
 merely about

00:32:01.720 --> 00:32:02.519
 the announcement

00:32:02.519 --> 00:32:03.359
 of peace.

00:32:03.799 --> 00:32:04.720
 It was the

00:32:04.720 --> 00:32:05.519
 experience

00:32:05.519 --> 00:32:06.920
 of that peace.

00:32:08.440 --> 00:32:09.460
 Because of his

00:32:09.460 --> 00:32:10.379
 earlier statements,

00:32:10.819 --> 00:32:12.359
 Gideon trembled

00:32:12.359 --> 00:32:13.420
 at the realization

00:32:13.420 --> 00:32:14.480
 of encountering

00:32:14.480 --> 00:32:15.079
 God through

00:32:15.079 --> 00:32:15.759
 his messenger.

00:32:16.759 --> 00:32:17.299
 He viewed

00:32:17.299 --> 00:32:18.000
 himself as

00:32:18.000 --> 00:32:18.960
 worthy of

00:32:18.960 --> 00:32:20.339
 death before

00:32:20.339 --> 00:32:21.059
 the face of

00:32:21.059 --> 00:32:21.440
 God.

00:32:22.160 --> 00:32:22.980
 But it was a

00:32:22.980 --> 00:32:23.879
 declaration of

00:32:23.879 --> 00:32:24.940
 peace from God

00:32:24.940 --> 00:32:25.440
 that he heard,

00:32:25.599 --> 00:32:26.720
 not a declaration

00:32:26.720 --> 00:32:27.839
 of condemnation.

00:32:28.079 --> 00:32:28.940
 Isn't that amazing?

00:32:29.680 --> 00:32:30.639
 Peace be to you,

00:32:30.740 --> 00:32:31.039
 Gideon.

00:32:31.420 --> 00:32:32.359
 Do not fear.

00:32:33.220 --> 00:32:33.680
 You're not

00:32:33.680 --> 00:32:34.379
 going to die.

00:32:34.839 --> 00:32:35.119
 I'm not

00:32:35.119 --> 00:32:35.539
 going to kill

00:32:35.539 --> 00:32:35.940
 you.

00:32:38.279 --> 00:32:38.799
 Gideon

00:32:38.799 --> 00:32:40.139
 experienced

00:32:40.139 --> 00:32:41.299
 God's grace.

00:32:43.220 --> 00:32:43.619
 And then it

00:32:43.619 --> 00:32:44.740
 produced in him

00:32:44.740 --> 00:32:46.799
 a very genuine,

00:32:47.000 --> 00:32:47.559
 perhaps for the

00:32:47.559 --> 00:32:48.240
 first time in his

00:32:48.240 --> 00:32:48.579
 life,

00:32:49.039 --> 00:32:49.799
 a genuine

00:32:49.799 --> 00:32:51.240
 moment of

00:32:51.240 --> 00:32:51.779
 worship.

00:32:53.000 --> 00:32:53.619
 Now isn't this

00:32:53.619 --> 00:32:54.339
 how the movements

00:32:54.339 --> 00:32:55.259
 of the gospel

00:32:55.259 --> 00:32:56.099
 work in our

00:32:56.099 --> 00:32:56.500
 lives?

00:32:57.359 --> 00:32:58.019
 We have an

00:32:58.019 --> 00:32:58.940
 encounter with

00:32:58.940 --> 00:32:59.799
 the holiness of

00:32:59.799 --> 00:33:00.099
 God,

00:33:00.180 --> 00:33:01.119
 which produces

00:33:01.119 --> 00:33:02.119
 fear.

00:33:02.399 --> 00:33:02.980
 We see his

00:33:02.980 --> 00:33:03.359
 holiness.

00:33:03.779 --> 00:33:04.339
 We see our

00:33:04.339 --> 00:33:04.859
 sinfulness.

00:33:05.299 --> 00:33:06.099
 All we're left

00:33:06.099 --> 00:33:06.899
 to do now is to

00:33:06.899 --> 00:33:07.419
 cry out for

00:33:07.419 --> 00:33:07.720
 mercy.

00:33:08.059 --> 00:33:08.619
 And then that

00:33:08.619 --> 00:33:09.319
 moves us to

00:33:09.319 --> 00:33:10.139
 this experience

00:33:10.139 --> 00:33:11.539
 of peace.

00:33:11.659 --> 00:33:12.159
 God speaks

00:33:12.159 --> 00:33:13.720
 peace through

00:33:13.720 --> 00:33:14.299
 the gospel.

00:33:14.659 --> 00:33:15.220
 And then what

00:33:15.220 --> 00:33:15.919
 happens immediately

00:33:15.919 --> 00:33:16.359
 after?

00:33:16.619 --> 00:33:17.519
 We're driven to

00:33:17.519 --> 00:33:18.720
 genuine worship.

00:33:19.720 --> 00:33:20.240
 True

00:33:20.240 --> 00:33:21.579
 worship.

00:33:21.579 --> 00:33:21.819
 worship.

00:33:24.079 --> 00:33:24.899
 Now some of

00:33:24.899 --> 00:33:25.639
 you have been

00:33:25.639 --> 00:33:26.539
 trying really

00:33:26.539 --> 00:33:27.639
 hard to

00:33:27.639 --> 00:33:28.039
 worship.

00:33:29.740 --> 00:33:30.399
 But you

00:33:30.399 --> 00:33:31.139
 can't help but

00:33:31.139 --> 00:33:31.759
 get the sense

00:33:31.759 --> 00:33:32.500
 that something

00:33:32.500 --> 00:33:33.419
 just isn't

00:33:33.419 --> 00:33:33.899
 right.

00:33:35.879 --> 00:33:36.559
 You're doing

00:33:36.559 --> 00:33:37.119
 your best to

00:33:37.119 --> 00:33:37.919
 sing the songs

00:33:37.919 --> 00:33:39.259
 and to pray the

00:33:39.259 --> 00:33:40.759
 prayers and to

00:33:40.759 --> 00:33:41.159
 follow the

00:33:41.159 --> 00:33:42.359
 readings and to

00:33:42.359 --> 00:33:43.039
 understand the

00:33:43.039 --> 00:33:44.240
 sermons and to

00:33:44.240 --> 00:33:44.960
 hear the word.

00:33:45.099 --> 00:33:46.079
 But deep down at

00:33:46.079 --> 00:33:46.699
 the end of the

00:33:46.699 --> 00:33:47.699
 service, every

00:33:47.699 --> 00:33:48.799
 Sunday, Sunday

00:33:48.799 --> 00:33:49.539
 after Sunday

00:33:49.539 --> 00:33:50.299
 after Sunday

00:33:50.299 --> 00:33:51.059
 after Sunday,

00:33:51.359 --> 00:33:52.779
 you know that

00:33:52.779 --> 00:33:53.539
 you have not

00:33:53.539 --> 00:33:54.980
 had a genuine

00:33:54.980 --> 00:33:55.940
 worship.

00:33:56.799 --> 00:33:57.460
 You have not

00:33:57.460 --> 00:33:58.579
 truly worshiped

00:33:58.579 --> 00:33:58.980
 and you know

00:33:58.980 --> 00:33:59.180
 it.

00:34:02.639 --> 00:34:03.379
 It's like you're

00:34:03.379 --> 00:34:04.039
 pulling on the

00:34:04.039 --> 00:34:04.819
 rope if you go to

00:34:04.819 --> 00:34:05.460
 the old churches

00:34:05.460 --> 00:34:06.180
 with the church

00:34:06.180 --> 00:34:06.839
 bells, right?

00:34:07.259 --> 00:34:07.559
 But you know

00:34:07.559 --> 00:34:07.899
 what I mean?

00:34:07.919 --> 00:34:08.559
 You send the kid

00:34:08.559 --> 00:34:09.579
 or whoever it is

00:34:09.579 --> 00:34:10.039
 and they go and

00:34:10.039 --> 00:34:10.739
 they ring the bell

00:34:10.739 --> 00:34:11.579
 and that's what

00:34:11.579 --> 00:34:12.320
 your worship feels

00:34:12.320 --> 00:34:12.960
 like Sunday by

00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:13.259
 Sunday.

00:34:13.440 --> 00:34:14.119
 You're running to

00:34:14.119 --> 00:34:14.980
 the rope and

00:34:14.980 --> 00:34:15.599
 you're singing all

00:34:15.599 --> 00:34:16.159
 the songs and

00:34:16.159 --> 00:34:16.779
 praying the prayers

00:34:16.779 --> 00:34:17.340
 and you're listening

00:34:17.340 --> 00:34:18.079
 and you're taking

00:34:18.079 --> 00:34:18.579
 the notes, you're

00:34:18.579 --> 00:34:19.000
 doing all this

00:34:19.000 --> 00:34:19.719
 stuff and you're

00:34:19.719 --> 00:34:20.439
 pulling the rope

00:34:20.439 --> 00:34:21.299
 and nothing's

00:34:21.299 --> 00:34:21.639
 happening.

00:34:22.759 --> 00:34:23.599
 There's no bell

00:34:23.599 --> 00:34:24.399
 donging up there.

00:34:26.179 --> 00:34:27.279
 It's just quiet in

00:34:27.279 --> 00:34:27.739
 your heart.

00:34:28.299 --> 00:34:29.219
 It feels forced.

00:34:30.799 --> 00:34:31.699
 In fact, it's not

00:34:31.699 --> 00:34:32.259
 even really all that

00:34:32.259 --> 00:34:32.939
 interesting to you.

00:34:32.959 --> 00:34:33.480
 You're just doing

00:34:33.480 --> 00:34:34.359
 whatever you can to

00:34:34.359 --> 00:34:35.379
 get through it and

00:34:35.379 --> 00:34:35.879
 you're pulling on

00:34:35.879 --> 00:34:36.299
 that rope and

00:34:36.299 --> 00:34:36.879
 nothing's happening.

00:34:37.139 --> 00:34:37.659
 And maybe it's

00:34:37.659 --> 00:34:38.179
 time for you to

00:34:38.179 --> 00:34:38.759
 consider whether

00:34:38.759 --> 00:34:39.619
 or not your rope

00:34:39.619 --> 00:34:40.359
 is even attached

00:34:40.359 --> 00:34:41.019
 to the bell.

00:34:41.019 --> 00:34:46.099
 You cannot truly

00:34:46.099 --> 00:34:47.980
 worship in spirit

00:34:47.980 --> 00:34:48.820
 and truth as

00:34:48.820 --> 00:34:49.559
 Jesus said in

00:34:49.559 --> 00:34:50.400
 John chapter 4

00:34:50.400 --> 00:34:51.719
 until you have

00:34:51.719 --> 00:34:53.039
 had a genuine

00:34:53.039 --> 00:34:54.480
 experience of

00:34:54.480 --> 00:34:54.960
 grace.

00:34:55.599 --> 00:34:56.219
 An authentic

00:34:56.219 --> 00:34:58.079
 moment of

00:34:58.079 --> 00:34:58.860
 knowing the

00:34:58.860 --> 00:34:59.860
 peace of God

00:34:59.860 --> 00:35:01.400
 after realizing

00:35:01.400 --> 00:35:02.539
 what you deserve

00:35:02.539 --> 00:35:04.039
 is the wrath

00:35:04.039 --> 00:35:04.639
 of God.

00:35:05.360 --> 00:35:06.420
 That's the only

00:35:06.420 --> 00:35:07.119
 thing that can

00:35:07.119 --> 00:35:08.219
 move you to

00:35:08.219 --> 00:35:09.219
 true worship

00:35:09.219 --> 00:35:10.539
 but it's only

00:35:10.539 --> 00:35:11.059
 through the

00:35:11.059 --> 00:35:11.659
 gospel of

00:35:11.659 --> 00:35:13.119
 Jesus that you

00:35:13.119 --> 00:35:13.699
 can actually

00:35:13.699 --> 00:35:14.980
 experience that

00:35:14.980 --> 00:35:15.459
 grace.

00:35:16.719 --> 00:35:17.679
 We sing about it

00:35:17.679 --> 00:35:18.319
 all the time.

00:35:18.919 --> 00:35:19.480
 Christ our hope

00:35:19.480 --> 00:35:19.939
 in life and

00:35:19.939 --> 00:35:20.159
 death.

00:35:20.459 --> 00:35:21.279
 What truth can

00:35:21.279 --> 00:35:22.219
 calm the troubled

00:35:22.219 --> 00:35:22.699
 soul?

00:35:23.219 --> 00:35:24.119
 God is good.

00:35:24.559 --> 00:35:25.579
 God is good.

00:35:26.239 --> 00:35:27.219
 Where is his

00:35:27.219 --> 00:35:28.099
 grace and

00:35:28.099 --> 00:35:29.679
 goodness known?

00:35:30.679 --> 00:35:31.759
 Not in the

00:35:31.759 --> 00:35:32.980
 goat and the

00:35:32.980 --> 00:35:33.859
 unleavened bread

00:35:33.859 --> 00:35:34.579
 and the broth

00:35:34.579 --> 00:35:35.439
 that suddenly is

00:35:35.439 --> 00:35:36.359
 consumed by fire

00:35:36.359 --> 00:35:36.919
 that shoots out

00:35:36.919 --> 00:35:37.399
 of a rock.

00:35:37.559 --> 00:35:38.419
 That's not where

00:35:38.419 --> 00:35:39.119
 his grace and

00:35:39.119 --> 00:35:39.519
 goodness will

00:35:39.519 --> 00:35:40.219
 ever be known

00:35:40.219 --> 00:35:40.659
 for you.

00:35:41.000 --> 00:35:41.960
 His grace and

00:35:41.960 --> 00:35:42.900
 goodness is known

00:35:42.900 --> 00:35:44.239
 in our great

00:35:44.239 --> 00:35:46.480
 Redeemer's blood.

00:35:48.199 --> 00:35:49.519
 Our sins as

00:35:49.519 --> 00:35:50.539
 Gideon knew

00:35:50.539 --> 00:35:51.960
 well makes us

00:35:51.960 --> 00:35:52.539
 God's enemies.

00:35:52.839 --> 00:35:53.699
 It sets us on

00:35:53.699 --> 00:35:54.679
 the path destined

00:35:54.679 --> 00:35:55.920
 for God's eternal

00:35:55.920 --> 00:35:56.739
 wrath but in

00:35:56.739 --> 00:35:58.460
 love God sends

00:35:58.460 --> 00:35:59.739
 his sinless son

00:35:59.739 --> 00:36:01.739
 to take his

00:36:01.739 --> 00:36:02.380
 wrath in our

00:36:02.380 --> 00:36:02.980
 place.

00:36:04.159 --> 00:36:05.480
 On the cross

00:36:05.480 --> 00:36:07.119
 Christ suffers

00:36:07.119 --> 00:36:07.139
 Christ suffers

00:36:07.139 --> 00:36:08.500
 as an atoning

00:36:08.500 --> 00:36:09.619
 sacrifice for

00:36:09.619 --> 00:36:11.039
 our sins so

00:36:11.039 --> 00:36:11.840
 that through

00:36:11.840 --> 00:36:13.420
 him we can

00:36:13.420 --> 00:36:14.659
 now truly have

00:36:14.659 --> 00:36:16.159
 peace with God.

00:36:16.159 --> 00:36:17.280
 It is through

00:36:17.280 --> 00:36:18.320
 the cross of

00:36:18.320 --> 00:36:19.820
 Jesus that God

00:36:19.820 --> 00:36:20.800
 says to us

00:36:20.800 --> 00:36:22.679
 peace be to

00:36:22.679 --> 00:36:23.179
 you.

00:36:24.179 --> 00:36:25.380
 Peace be to

00:36:25.380 --> 00:36:25.820
 you.

00:36:26.219 --> 00:36:27.280
 Not because of

00:36:27.280 --> 00:36:28.599
 you and not

00:36:28.599 --> 00:36:29.320
 because of some

00:36:29.320 --> 00:36:30.900
 sign but because

00:36:30.900 --> 00:36:32.840
 of Jesus who took

00:36:32.840 --> 00:36:33.920
 your place

00:36:33.920 --> 00:36:36.059
 peace be to

00:36:36.059 --> 00:36:36.320
 you.

00:36:37.440 --> 00:36:38.120
 This is what

00:36:38.120 --> 00:36:38.740
 Paul was on

00:36:38.740 --> 00:36:39.100
 about in

00:36:39.100 --> 00:36:39.860
 Colossians chapter

00:36:39.860 --> 00:36:40.260
 one.

00:36:40.880 --> 00:36:41.900
 God was pleased

00:36:41.900 --> 00:36:43.440
 through Christ to

00:36:43.440 --> 00:36:44.700
 reconcile to

00:36:44.700 --> 00:36:45.600
 himself all

00:36:45.600 --> 00:36:47.240
 things whether on

00:36:47.240 --> 00:36:48.200
 earth or in

00:36:48.200 --> 00:36:49.519
 heaven making

00:36:49.519 --> 00:36:51.880
 peace by the

00:36:51.880 --> 00:36:52.420
 blood of his

00:36:52.420 --> 00:36:52.940
 cross.

00:36:54.820 --> 00:36:55.240
 And then he

00:36:55.240 --> 00:36:56.840
 graciously invites

00:36:57.360 --> 00:36:58.579
 us into this

00:36:58.579 --> 00:37:00.079
 peace through

00:37:00.079 --> 00:37:03.059
 simple faith in

00:37:03.059 --> 00:37:03.799
 what Jesus has

00:37:03.799 --> 00:37:04.039
 done.

00:37:04.279 --> 00:37:04.699
 You know what

00:37:04.699 --> 00:37:05.539
 the cross says?

00:37:05.940 --> 00:37:06.639
 It says I will

00:37:06.639 --> 00:37:07.219
 be with you.

00:37:08.059 --> 00:37:08.739
 Trust me.

00:37:09.679 --> 00:37:10.420
 It's God's

00:37:10.420 --> 00:37:10.900
 promise.

00:37:12.039 --> 00:37:12.519
 You know how

00:37:12.519 --> 00:37:13.219
 it is received?

00:37:14.539 --> 00:37:15.319
 Simply by

00:37:15.319 --> 00:37:15.980
 believing it.

00:37:17.239 --> 00:37:17.960
 That's Romans

00:37:17.960 --> 00:37:18.360
 5.

00:37:20.039 --> 00:37:21.039
 Therefore since

00:37:21.039 --> 00:37:21.739
 we have been

00:37:21.739 --> 00:37:23.319
 justified by

00:37:23.319 --> 00:37:25.779
 faith we have

00:37:25.779 --> 00:37:26.819
 peace with God

00:37:26.819 --> 00:37:29.400
 through our

00:37:29.400 --> 00:37:29.980
 Lord Jesus

00:37:29.980 --> 00:37:30.440
 Christ.

00:37:34.820 --> 00:37:35.539
 There will

00:37:35.539 --> 00:37:36.260
 continue to be

00:37:36.260 --> 00:37:36.980
 remnants of

00:37:36.980 --> 00:37:37.740
 Gideon's sin

00:37:37.740 --> 00:37:38.280
 and fear

00:37:38.280 --> 00:37:38.800
 throughout the

00:37:38.800 --> 00:37:39.119
 remaining

00:37:39.119 --> 00:37:39.840
 chapters but

00:37:39.840 --> 00:37:40.700
 the importance

00:37:40.700 --> 00:37:41.420
 of his call

00:37:41.420 --> 00:37:42.260
 here cannot be

00:37:42.260 --> 00:37:42.900
 overstated.

00:37:45.460 --> 00:37:46.380
 Through it we

00:37:46.380 --> 00:37:46.900
 find these

00:37:46.900 --> 00:37:47.820
 glimpses, these

00:37:47.820 --> 00:37:49.099
 gospel glimpses

00:37:49.099 --> 00:37:51.059
 that is

00:37:51.059 --> 00:37:51.980
 fulfilled in

00:37:51.980 --> 00:37:52.440
 Christ.

00:37:53.940 --> 00:37:54.639
 We see again

00:37:54.639 --> 00:37:55.280
 and again the

00:37:55.280 --> 00:37:56.119
 wonder of God's

00:37:56.119 --> 00:37:57.660
 mercy and love

00:37:57.660 --> 00:37:58.320
 towards sinners.

00:37:59.400 --> 00:38:01.260
 we find in

00:38:01.260 --> 00:38:02.099
 Gideon's call

00:38:02.099 --> 00:38:04.099
 that God can

00:38:04.099 --> 00:38:05.539
 transform the

00:38:05.539 --> 00:38:06.720
 most embittered

00:38:06.720 --> 00:38:07.119
 cynic.

00:38:09.240 --> 00:38:10.079
 I don't know

00:38:10.079 --> 00:38:10.800
 all of you.

00:38:10.880 --> 00:38:11.380
 I don't know

00:38:11.380 --> 00:38:12.380
 exactly what

00:38:12.380 --> 00:38:13.800
 has happened in

00:38:13.800 --> 00:38:14.460
 your life or

00:38:14.460 --> 00:38:15.400
 why you're angry

00:38:15.400 --> 00:38:16.099
 with God if you

00:38:16.099 --> 00:38:16.740
 are angry with

00:38:16.740 --> 00:38:17.720
 God or whatever

00:38:17.720 --> 00:38:18.380
 it may be.

00:38:19.039 --> 00:38:20.099
 What I do know

00:38:20.099 --> 00:38:20.840
 is that God's

00:38:20.840 --> 00:38:22.960
 peace, God's

00:38:22.960 --> 00:38:23.619
 peace can even

00:38:23.619 --> 00:38:24.360
 change your heart.

00:38:25.380 --> 00:38:26.119
 He can transform

00:38:26.119 --> 00:38:26.599
 your heart.

00:38:27.340 --> 00:38:27.680
 He can give you

00:38:27.679 --> 00:38:28.179
 a new heart

00:38:28.179 --> 00:38:28.480
 action.

00:38:29.779 --> 00:38:30.440
 He won't answer

00:38:30.440 --> 00:38:30.719
 all your

00:38:30.719 --> 00:38:31.199
 questions.

00:38:31.839 --> 00:38:32.219
 He never

00:38:32.219 --> 00:38:32.879
 promised to do

00:38:32.879 --> 00:38:33.079
 that.

00:38:34.139 --> 00:38:34.639
 And he's not

00:38:34.639 --> 00:38:34.980
 going to make

00:38:34.980 --> 00:38:35.440
 everything in

00:38:35.440 --> 00:38:36.059
 your life better.

00:38:36.819 --> 00:38:37.599
 That's a false

00:38:37.599 --> 00:38:38.019
 gospel.

00:38:38.839 --> 00:38:39.399
 That's not what

00:38:39.399 --> 00:38:39.779
 he does.

00:38:39.980 --> 00:38:40.579
 He didn't make

00:38:40.579 --> 00:38:41.099
 everything in

00:38:41.099 --> 00:38:41.639
 Gideon's life

00:38:41.639 --> 00:38:41.899
 better.

00:38:42.319 --> 00:38:42.719
 In fact, things

00:38:42.719 --> 00:38:43.000
 are going to get

00:38:43.000 --> 00:38:43.639
 real hard for

00:38:43.639 --> 00:38:44.599
 Gideon real fast.

00:38:46.440 --> 00:38:47.279
 But what he says

00:38:47.279 --> 00:38:48.059
 is I will be with

00:38:48.059 --> 00:38:49.739
 you and if you

00:38:49.739 --> 00:38:50.619
 will trust me,

00:38:51.319 --> 00:38:52.619
 you will have my

00:38:52.619 --> 00:38:54.719
 peace and you

00:38:54.719 --> 00:38:55.500
 can trust him.

00:38:55.500 --> 00:38:57.380
 Alistair Begg said

00:38:57.380 --> 00:38:57.940
 one time I was in

00:38:57.940 --> 00:38:59.219
 a service that was

00:38:59.219 --> 00:39:00.860
 on, the context of

00:39:00.860 --> 00:39:02.079
 it was on suffering

00:39:02.079 --> 00:39:03.239
 and he said when

00:39:03.239 --> 00:39:04.579
 you cannot sense

00:39:04.579 --> 00:39:06.039
 his presence, you

00:39:06.039 --> 00:39:06.980
 can always trust

00:39:06.980 --> 00:39:07.559
 his word.

00:39:08.800 --> 00:39:09.539
 And maybe you're

00:39:09.539 --> 00:39:10.059
 here and you just

00:39:10.059 --> 00:39:10.559
 need to repeat

00:39:10.559 --> 00:39:12.480
 that to yourself a

00:39:12.480 --> 00:39:13.000
 few times.

00:39:13.559 --> 00:39:14.579
 I don't feel God's

00:39:14.579 --> 00:39:15.420
 presence in my life

00:39:15.420 --> 00:39:15.780
 right now.

00:39:16.320 --> 00:39:17.360
 I don't feel that he

00:39:17.360 --> 00:39:17.920
 is with me.

00:39:18.360 --> 00:39:19.219
 The messenger on

00:39:19.219 --> 00:39:19.880
 Sunday morning

00:39:19.880 --> 00:39:20.880
 preaching Judges 6

00:39:20.880 --> 00:39:21.579
 said that the Lord

00:39:21.579 --> 00:39:22.000
 is with me.

00:39:22.099 --> 00:39:22.960
 I don't feel that

00:39:22.960 --> 00:39:23.320
 today.

00:39:23.320 --> 00:39:24.039
 But what you

00:39:24.039 --> 00:39:24.660
 need to do is

00:39:24.660 --> 00:39:25.360
 not take my

00:39:25.360 --> 00:39:25.840
 word for it.

00:39:25.880 --> 00:39:26.220
 You need to

00:39:26.220 --> 00:39:26.860
 trust his word

00:39:26.860 --> 00:39:27.260
 for it.

00:39:28.200 --> 00:39:28.980
 You may not

00:39:28.980 --> 00:39:29.380
 sense his

00:39:29.380 --> 00:39:30.080
 presence but you

00:39:30.080 --> 00:39:30.660
 can trust his

00:39:30.660 --> 00:39:30.900
 word.

00:39:33.360 --> 00:39:34.120
 The other thing

00:39:34.120 --> 00:39:34.700
 that this teaches

00:39:34.700 --> 00:39:35.420
 us is that

00:39:35.420 --> 00:39:37.480
 God's power

00:39:37.480 --> 00:39:39.140
 can use the

00:39:39.140 --> 00:39:39.580
 weakest

00:39:39.580 --> 00:39:41.580
 and most

00:39:41.580 --> 00:39:42.580
 fearful of us

00:39:42.580 --> 00:39:43.660
 as his

00:39:43.660 --> 00:39:44.300
 instruments of

00:39:44.300 --> 00:39:44.600
 grace.

00:39:46.100 --> 00:39:46.820
 That doesn't

00:39:46.820 --> 00:39:47.539
 get any better

00:39:47.539 --> 00:39:48.240
 for Gideon and

00:39:48.240 --> 00:39:48.840
 it's almost

00:39:48.840 --> 00:39:49.820
 comical to see

00:39:49.820 --> 00:39:51.000
 how many times

00:39:51.000 --> 00:39:51.660
 he keeps coming

00:39:51.660 --> 00:39:52.380
 back to God

00:39:52.380 --> 00:39:53.320
 with this

00:39:53.320 --> 00:39:54.300
 just deep

00:39:54.300 --> 00:39:54.860
 need for

00:39:54.860 --> 00:39:55.599
 reassurance.

00:39:57.140 --> 00:39:58.059
 I'll save it

00:39:58.059 --> 00:39:58.800
 for those studies

00:39:58.800 --> 00:39:59.599
 to explore it

00:39:59.599 --> 00:40:00.260
 and laugh at it

00:40:00.260 --> 00:40:01.619
 but it's just

00:40:01.619 --> 00:40:02.599
 amazing how

00:40:02.599 --> 00:40:03.460
 truly weak

00:40:03.460 --> 00:40:04.160
 Gideon actually

00:40:04.160 --> 00:40:04.539
 is.

00:40:04.900 --> 00:40:05.420
 We think of him

00:40:05.420 --> 00:40:06.160
 as this mighty

00:40:06.160 --> 00:40:06.500
 warrior.

00:40:06.820 --> 00:40:07.240
 It's really not

00:40:07.240 --> 00:40:07.760
 what he was.

00:40:08.300 --> 00:40:08.860
 He was weak.

00:40:09.360 --> 00:40:10.099
 He was like us.

00:40:11.619 --> 00:40:12.059
 Weak.

00:40:13.320 --> 00:40:13.780
 Cynical.

00:40:14.880 --> 00:40:15.760
 Constantly in need

00:40:15.760 --> 00:40:16.579
 of reassurance.

00:40:17.720 --> 00:40:18.579
 And look at the

00:40:18.579 --> 00:40:19.099
 way that God

00:40:19.099 --> 00:40:19.860
 used his life

00:40:19.860 --> 00:40:21.240
 as an instrument

00:40:21.240 --> 00:40:21.840
 of grace.

00:40:23.360 --> 00:40:24.280
 So all praise

00:40:24.280 --> 00:40:24.660
 to him.

00:40:24.660 --> 00:40:24.700
 Amen.

00:40:24.700 --> 00:40:24.700


00:40:24.700 --> 00:40:24.700


00:40:24.700 --> 00:40:24.700


00:40:24.700 --> 00:40:24.700


00:40:24.700 --> 00:40:24.700


00:40:24.700 --> 00:40:24.700


00:40:24.700 --> 00:40:24.700


00:40:24.700 --> 00:40:24.700


00:40:24.700 --> 00:40:24.700


00:40:24.700 --> 00:40:24.700


00:40:24.700 --> 00:40:24.700