WEBVTT

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 Let us pray. We'll open up God's word together.

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 And then we'll dive right in.

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 Will you pray with me?

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 Father in heaven, we thank you for this wonderful, beautiful, essential truth

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 That you are one God, yet you are three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

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 Lord, we thank you for who you are and for what you have done.

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 Lord, we thank you that the call for us is not to ascend,

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 to heaven, but your Son descended and then lived and died and rose again

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 and then ascended.

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 And that's the promise for us.

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 Father in heaven, will you please make that real in our hearts?

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 Help us to embrace the truth.

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 Help us to look to you for real reality.

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 Everything that runs contra to this is not reality.

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 For you are the creator and you set the boundaries of what is real.

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 So Lord, help us to live in this real world that you have created.

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 Bless this time in your word.

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 And we ask this in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

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 Amen.

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 Amen.

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 If you are following along with one of these Philippians scripture journals, awesome.

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 Good job.

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 You can pick up one if you don't have one at the welcome table.

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 We will be on page 16 this morning.

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 I've been on a bit of an introduction here.

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 I've been on a bit of an espionage tip.

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 I don't know.

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 I want to watch spy shows.

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 I want to listen to spy stories and podcasts and read spy novels,

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 even though I get confused at all the details.

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 But I started recently listening to the story of the man who betrayed Osama bin Laden.

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 He was an Al-Qaeda operative in the late 90s and the mid-2000s.

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 It's a great podcast.

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 And there's a whole series of them.

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 There's like 16 seasons.

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 I'm loving life right now.

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 And I'm on the edge of my seat, even though not actually on the edge of my seat,

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 oftentimes on the edge of doing dishes or something.

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 But I'm listening to the free version, which means there's ads.

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 And in the middle of like a very high intense moment in the podcast,

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 it cuts to an advertisement about some random podcast that's boring or not as exciting.

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 But it's like it pulls the e-brake, so to speak, with all my excitement.

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 And one of those advertisements was for a podcast called How Do You Cope?

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 That was a really interesting podcast.

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 How Do You Cope?

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 It's a British podcast, so I've never at all heard of the...

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 It's a comedian and journalist who hosts it.

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 And he has, I don't know, I don't want to say like B-level celebrities because maybe they're A-level.

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 I'm not sure.

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 But I would say B-level.

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 I haven't heard of them.

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 It's not like they're in big box office hits.

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 But you have different celebrities or different kind of thought leaders on to talk about ways to cope.

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 And what strikes me about this, and it's on like in between every show, this advertisement,

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 is how fragile men and women are.

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 And by the way, I don't say that as like a judgy person.

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 I'm finding myself more and more fragile in my day-to-day.

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 I, as an example, I'll let my thoughts wander and they just go to a dark place, usually around my children.

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 And I realize just the thought, just the thinking of certain things.

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 And I can be set off for a half an hour or 45 minutes of just really terrible distraction.

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 But all that to say, you know, here we are, very put-together people in the West.

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 Again, general, I'm speaking generally.

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 We're put together.

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 We have opportunities abounding.

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 We have wealth at our disposal, opportunities at our disposal.

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 We have kind of life, you know, on a silver platter.

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 And yet, we're still extremely fragile.

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 Maybe, potentially, more fragile than we've ever been.

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 We struggle and suffer with change and with pain.

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 Unmet expectations.

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 Fears.

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 In my case, irrational ones.

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 Sometimes they're very rational.

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 Hiccups in our schedule.

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 Okay?

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 A canceled meeting or a deadline that's been moved up.

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 Whatever it may be, we are easily knocked off course and are surprisingly quick to abandon

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 our principles, our philosophies, our beliefs that we claim to hold on to, that we think are, or at least we, you know, put forward that it's our guiding North Star.

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 We're quick to abandon such things.

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 We compromise our convictions.

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 We find them to be weakly held.

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 Or we deny their effectiveness.

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 It's a really interesting time to be somebody in the West.

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 And yet, is not our desire to be more whole, more grounded, more stable, more reasonable, more solid?

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 Is this not the point even of this podcast?

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 How to cope?

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 We want stability.

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 We want to be strong.

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 We don't want to be fragile.

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 We want to be anti-fragile.

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 You might be familiar with that concept.

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 It's somewhat popular.

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 It's gone around a lot of kind of self-help or psychology, pop psychology.

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 I'm not saying it's, that means it's bad, but this idea of humanity has this desire to not be fragile, but to be anti-fragile.

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 And yet, you know, it's hard to think about being a holistic, stable person when, if we're honest, not all the time, but more than we'd like to admit, our default setting is survival.

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 But I want to suggest to you, this will be the main thrust of today's message.

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 I want to suggest to you that our problem isn't that we know there's a few issues that just need a bit of tweaking or need a little bit of fixing,

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 that we just need to, you know, go through just a bit of training to gain a bit more resilience.

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 Maybe we just need some productivity app to help us with our out-of-control schedule.

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 All those things are fine.

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 All those things are very helpful.

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 I would say to you, though, that the real problem that we have is an issue around worship.

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 Our strategy is to be more whole.

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 They don't necessarily consider who to worship and how to worship.

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 I mean, I would be awfully surprised.

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 Maybe, maybe, you know, I'd be proved wrong, but I'd be awfully surprised if there was a, you know,

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 a whole series on how to cope on the importance of worship in one's daily life as a means of stability.

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 And yet, our problem is primarily one of worshiping the wrong things.

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 We worship, but the wrong things.

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 So our text today, Philippians 3, starting in verse 15 that Katie read,

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 our text today offers a remarkably wise blueprint on how to be spiritually mature,

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 or to put another way, to be anti-fragile in the best sense of the term.

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 This spiritual maturity is a godly maturity that addresses our deepest needs and longings.

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 It's exactly what we need.

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 So we'll break up the text asking the question,

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 how does this text teach us to be spiritually mature or anti-fragile?

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 The text will help us to know, in light of that, what to embrace,

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 who to imitate, and then how to stand.

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 What to embrace, who to imitate, and how to stand.

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 Point number one, what to embrace.

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 Look with me at verses 15 and 16.

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 Again, page 16 if you're following along on the scripture journal.

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 Let those of us who are mature think this way,

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 and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.

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 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

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 Verse 15 is, it's a bit of a hinge verse.

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 Paul is alluding to the previous section, chapter 3, 1 to 14.

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 And especially, and he'll touch on it shortly, like in the next verse,

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 but especially verses 12 to 14.

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 In this section, Paul speaks of the mature believer as the one who thinks this way.

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 And the thinking this way is a reference to this articulation that the Christian life is one of joy and privilege of knowing Christ.

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 It is not about climbing our way to heaven.

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 It's not about building our kingdom on earth.

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 Even the resurrection of the dead serves the purpose of knowing Christ.

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 The privilege and the joy of knowing him and being known by him.

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 It is a gift from God, and therefore it can't be attained.

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 It can't be gained through this piety or this status.

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 You remember in last week, and if you weren't here, no problem,

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 Paul, he talked about these false teachers who were leading the church astray,

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 and they were really promoting, it was like this mutation of the law

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 to make the law become the means by which we could then know Christ,

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 which would then be the means that we could know God.

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 Where Paul was saying, listen, if that was the case, I'd be front of the line,

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 but it has nothing to do with that.

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 It's about the grace that God gives us in Christ Jesus.

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 It's actually a gift from him.

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 And Paul is saying to the Philippians here, think this way.

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 This is what maturity looks like.

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 Christ Jesus himself has given us himself.

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 He claims us, and he calls us.

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 He claims us as his own.

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 He invites us into his presence.

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 So in sum, what it means to be mature,

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 what Paul is saying here in verse 15, to think this way,

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 is a call to embrace Christ as the ultimate prize in life,

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 as the ultimate goal, as the ultimate thing to cherish.

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 It is Christ Jesus himself.

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 And that, we looked at this last week, but as a bit of a reminder,

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 that will then properly order the rest of our affections and our loves.

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 That we will put the right emphasis on the right things,

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 and not elevate things to the place of God or devalue God,

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 not that we can, but just in our day-to-day, in our worship.

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 So spiritual maturity, Paul is saying,

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 involves recognizing at the very core of all of this

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 that this is a gift from God,

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 which means you are helpless to achieve it.

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 Mature thinking is really a sign that you recognize

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 that you're actually not all that put together.

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 That you are in need of a Savior,

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 and that Christ Jesus is him.

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 It is nothing short of having a proper understanding of the faith.

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 And I'll just say this.

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 This is one of the reasons why, in our church,

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 we are affirming the faith in either the Apostles' Creed,

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 or the Nicene Creed, or in the Athanasius Creed,

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 because proper theology, it matters.

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 It's really important.

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 And having proper theology isn't,

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 it doesn't matter, so that we can elevate ourselves

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 and say we are the church that has excellent Orthodox theology,

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 you know, not like them, or not like those outside,

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 but rather that we can know who God is

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 because we are in desperate need of him.

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 And if we need him, we need him.

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 Not some picture of him,

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 not some kind of, again, mutation of who he is,

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 or this false idea of who God,

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 but him.

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 So it's important then that we understand

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 who God is.

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 So that, just a plug for the Athanasius Creed

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 on a random Sunday in June.

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 It's a wonderful thing.

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 I'll just say this before we transition to the next bit.

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 This is so much different

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 than just having positive thinking.

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 I'd say, listen, have positive thinking.

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 Think positively.

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 It's a good thing.

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 I don't know, have positive thoughts.

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 It's much different than this idea

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 of manifesting your success

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 or praying to the universe

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 or hoping to the universe

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 that you will have some kind of favorable outcome.

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 Listen, those are belief structures.

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 They're not just nice things.

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 Those are forms of worship.

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 Okay?

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 They are belief structures.

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 The starting point of all of those,

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 I mean, they might make you feel really good,

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 but the starting point of all of those

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 has to do with what we deserve,

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 our success,

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 our happiness,

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 our victory,

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 our wholeness.

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 However, all of those things,

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 the huge problem with them

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 when they become the guiding philosophies

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 and religious practices of our lives

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 is that they are devoid of this understanding

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 of our need,

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 that we are broken before God,

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 that we have this propensity

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 to elevate ourselves

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 to the throne of grace,

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 and kind of kick God off.

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 Again, you can't do this,

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 but just in our mentality,

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 that's what we do.

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 And this is a very offensive thing to God.

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 It is the worship of self.

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 Again, we have this worship problem

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 that is happening.

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 Paul says this is not the way to mature thinking.

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 Mature thinking is understanding

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 that you are in need.

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 Remember Paul, he says,

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 listen, I have all the reasons to boast,

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 but I'm not boasting in any of that.

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 If you look back in verse 7 and 8,

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 he says,

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 whatever gain I had,

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 I consider it,

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 and we talked about this last week,

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 rubbish.

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 It's a very kind of cleaned up word

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 to talk about excrement.

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 It's nothing.

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 It has no value at all.

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 The real gain is the surpassing knowledge

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 of knowing Christ Jesus as Lord.

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 This is what true maturity is.

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 This is what it looks like.

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 And any philosophy,

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 any kind of belief structure or religion

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 that really promotes otherwise,

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 it is one that is antithetical to the gospel.

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 What's also important to see in these verses,

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 and in fact,

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 it's something that we have seen,

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 and you'll notice this

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 if you read through Philippians,

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 we've seen throughout the letter,

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 is this mindset

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 is to be embraced collectively.

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 There's a huge call

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 and call for unity

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 and togetherness

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 and community

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 sprinkled all through this letter.

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 It's a huge deal for the Apostle Paul.

00:15:43.379 --> 00:15:45.479
 He puts a heavy emphasis on unity.

00:15:47.139 --> 00:15:49.359
 Unity of mission,

00:15:49.719 --> 00:15:50.559
 unity of worship,

00:15:50.659 --> 00:15:51.339
 and in this case,

00:15:51.719 --> 00:15:52.079
 he's saying,

00:15:52.080 --> 00:15:52.300
 listen,

00:15:52.400 --> 00:15:53.220
 have the same mindset.

00:15:53.920 --> 00:15:55.100
 Think the same way.

00:15:56.320 --> 00:15:58.540
 Embrace this same reality.

00:15:59.660 --> 00:16:01.500
 This call for a unified posture

00:16:01.500 --> 00:16:02.040
 of commitment

00:16:02.040 --> 00:16:03.600
 to living under this lordship

00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:04.460
 of Jesus Christ,

00:16:04.860 --> 00:16:05.500
 which is,

00:16:05.780 --> 00:16:06.360
 I think,

00:16:06.700 --> 00:16:08.080
 I'll put this forward to you,

00:16:08.820 --> 00:16:10.400
 that the mature thing

00:16:10.400 --> 00:16:12.000
 is not to draw away

00:16:12.000 --> 00:16:12.879
 from God's people.

00:16:14.080 --> 00:16:16.560
 There is no faithful living

00:16:16.560 --> 00:16:19.300
 outside of worship,

00:16:19.840 --> 00:16:20.920
 worshiping with God's people,

00:16:20.919 --> 00:16:23.059
 of being kind of your own thing

00:16:23.059 --> 00:16:23.740
 on a Sunday

00:16:23.740 --> 00:16:24.579
 or on a Tuesday

00:16:24.579 --> 00:16:25.519
 or on a Thursday,

00:16:26.299 --> 00:16:27.559
 just you and your Bible

00:16:27.559 --> 00:16:29.399
 kind of divorced from the church.

00:16:30.339 --> 00:16:31.699
 It's a really important thing

00:16:31.699 --> 00:16:32.559
 that you come to church

00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:34.500
 and it's a wonderful thing

00:16:34.500 --> 00:16:34.979
 that you're here.

00:16:34.980 --> 00:16:40.000
 my spirituality is contingent on you guys,

00:16:40.440 --> 00:16:43.840
 which is an incredible thing to think about.

00:16:44.440 --> 00:16:49.139
 Your spirituality is in part contingent on other people.

00:16:49.940 --> 00:16:51.620
 We are to embrace this together.

00:16:52.440 --> 00:16:52.879
 And of course,

00:16:52.960 --> 00:16:55.440
 it's not as though we take the place of God,

00:16:55.440 --> 00:16:58.960
 but God has designed worship in his body

00:16:58.960 --> 00:17:00.600
 to be this unified,

00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:01.680
 beautiful thing

00:17:01.680 --> 00:17:03.400
 where we spur each other on

00:17:03.400 --> 00:17:04.940
 and we help each other identify

00:17:04.940 --> 00:17:07.120
 when this mindset is not there,

00:17:07.240 --> 00:17:09.180
 when immaturity is the thing that marks us

00:17:09.180 --> 00:17:10.960
 and not godly spiritual maturity.

00:17:15.319 --> 00:17:17.000
 We embrace the gospel together,

00:17:17.279 --> 00:17:19.200
 looking to Christ as our example to imitate.

00:17:19.200 --> 00:17:22.940
 But what happens when,

00:17:22.980 --> 00:17:23.740
 you know,

00:17:24.140 --> 00:17:26.019
 people aren't where you're at?

00:17:26.100 --> 00:17:27.740
 Maybe you're a bit more mature than others

00:17:27.740 --> 00:17:29.080
 or maybe spiritually,

00:17:29.319 --> 00:17:30.840
 you're less mature than somebody else.

00:17:31.500 --> 00:17:32.279
 Notice again,

00:17:32.360 --> 00:17:33.059
 verse 16,

00:17:34.580 --> 00:17:35.680
 the Apostle Paul says this,

00:17:35.940 --> 00:17:37.860
 actually the second part of verse 15.

00:17:41.000 --> 00:17:43.960
 And if in anything you think otherwise,

00:17:44.200 --> 00:17:45.860
 God will reveal that also to you.

00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:48.580
 Only let us hold true to what we have attained.

00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:49.759
 You know,

00:17:49.819 --> 00:17:51.120
 there is also this recognition

00:17:51.120 --> 00:17:54.100
 that we grow at different speeds in the faith.

00:17:54.279 --> 00:17:56.160
 We have different intellects,

00:17:56.240 --> 00:17:58.140
 different spiritual sensitivities.

00:17:58.319 --> 00:18:02.519
 And sometimes you will need to be buoyed,

00:18:02.600 --> 00:18:03.120
 so to speak,

00:18:03.160 --> 00:18:04.720
 by your brothers and sisters in the Lord.

00:18:05.779 --> 00:18:08.420
 Sometimes that will be your job.

00:18:09.480 --> 00:18:10.940
 Sometimes you just won't understand it.

00:18:11.140 --> 00:18:12.580
 We've read about the Trinity

00:18:12.580 --> 00:18:13.580
 and the Athanasian Creed

00:18:13.580 --> 00:18:14.819
 and it's like,

00:18:15.180 --> 00:18:17.400
 maybe you picked up on 5% of it

00:18:17.400 --> 00:18:17.880
 and you're like,

00:18:17.940 --> 00:18:18.019
 what?

00:18:18.019 --> 00:18:19.579
 Like there's this whole bit at the beginning

00:18:19.579 --> 00:18:20.680
 saying if I don't believe this

00:18:20.680 --> 00:18:21.299
 or embrace it,

00:18:21.539 --> 00:18:22.460
 I can't be saved.

00:18:23.819 --> 00:18:24.279
 I would say,

00:18:24.379 --> 00:18:24.579
 listen,

00:18:24.980 --> 00:18:27.099
 like hellfire is not licking at your feet

00:18:27.099 --> 00:18:27.859
 right this second,

00:18:27.940 --> 00:18:28.200
 okay?

00:18:28.879 --> 00:18:30.139
 The point is,

00:18:30.400 --> 00:18:32.139
 there is this grace

00:18:32.139 --> 00:18:34.139
 built into the church

00:18:34.139 --> 00:18:35.680
 whereby as we grow,

00:18:35.799 --> 00:18:36.500
 we grow together,

00:18:36.599 --> 00:18:38.619
 but we grow at different speeds.

00:18:38.700 --> 00:18:39.359
 And that is okay.

00:18:40.079 --> 00:18:41.759
 But keep your eye out for others

00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:42.940
 and don't be so proud

00:18:42.940 --> 00:18:44.299
 as to not ask for help

00:18:44.299 --> 00:18:45.660
 and direction in prayers.

00:18:45.660 --> 00:18:48.300
 The second point,

00:18:49.200 --> 00:18:50.000
 who to imitate.

00:18:50.880 --> 00:18:52.220
 Let us read verse 17

00:18:52.220 --> 00:18:53.720
 and we'll pause there.

00:18:53.820 --> 00:18:54.920
 Brothers and sisters,

00:18:55.420 --> 00:18:56.800
 whenever you see this,

00:18:56.940 --> 00:18:57.720
 especially in Philippians,

00:18:58.220 --> 00:18:59.200
 there is such an affection

00:18:59.200 --> 00:19:00.700
 that is oozing from the page.

00:19:00.779 --> 00:19:02.580
 We don't necessarily see it here,

00:19:03.019 --> 00:19:04.400
 but there is affection

00:19:04.400 --> 00:19:05.640
 oozing from the page

00:19:05.640 --> 00:19:07.380
 and we'll really pick that up

00:19:07.380 --> 00:19:09.040
 when we read verse 1

00:19:09.040 --> 00:19:10.200
 of chapter 4,

00:19:10.200 --> 00:19:11.720
 but I'll start in verse 17 here.

00:19:12.039 --> 00:19:13.100
 Brothers and sisters,

00:19:13.319 --> 00:19:14.620
 join in imitating me

00:19:14.620 --> 00:19:16.519
 and keep your eyes on those

00:19:16.519 --> 00:19:18.380
 who walk according to the example

00:19:18.380 --> 00:19:19.720
 you have in us.

00:19:20.740 --> 00:19:22.200
 So much of good mentorship

00:19:22.200 --> 00:19:23.400
 involves imitation.

00:19:24.799 --> 00:19:26.900
 It is a key way we learn

00:19:26.900 --> 00:19:28.720
 from infancy to adolescence,

00:19:28.940 --> 00:19:31.380
 into teenage years,

00:19:31.500 --> 00:19:32.259
 into adulthood,

00:19:32.840 --> 00:19:34.799
 our professional lives as well.

00:19:34.799 --> 00:19:36.119
 We observe those

00:19:36.119 --> 00:19:37.740
 we wish to be like

00:19:37.740 --> 00:19:38.419
 and we imitate.

00:19:39.379 --> 00:19:40.240
 We see them

00:19:40.240 --> 00:19:42.220
 as an inspiration.

00:19:43.779 --> 00:19:44.220
 Yet,

00:19:45.519 --> 00:19:48.579
 I would say,

00:19:48.740 --> 00:19:49.779
 maybe you're like me,

00:19:49.879 --> 00:19:50.460
 but I would say,

00:19:51.039 --> 00:19:51.899
 if somebody says to me,

00:19:51.940 --> 00:19:53.039
 hey listen, imitate me,

00:19:53.759 --> 00:19:54.759
 I would say,

00:19:54.899 --> 00:19:55.720
 not imitating you.

00:19:56.220 --> 00:19:56.940
 I don't like

00:19:56.940 --> 00:19:58.759
 that kind of self-promotion.

00:19:59.240 --> 00:20:00.399
 So what is happening with Paul?

00:20:00.440 --> 00:20:01.440
 Is Paul cocky here?

00:20:01.900 --> 00:20:04.080
 Is he self-promoting himself?

00:20:05.460 --> 00:20:05.900
 Again,

00:20:05.960 --> 00:20:06.820
 in the previous section,

00:20:07.019 --> 00:20:08.180
 it's very clear

00:20:08.180 --> 00:20:09.420
 that the false teachers

00:20:09.420 --> 00:20:10.120
 are the ones

00:20:10.120 --> 00:20:11.120
 that are promoting themselves,

00:20:11.220 --> 00:20:11.559
 but here,

00:20:11.980 --> 00:20:12.759
 it would seem that Paul

00:20:12.759 --> 00:20:13.400
 is doing the same.

00:20:13.500 --> 00:20:14.180
 What is happening?

00:20:16.120 --> 00:20:17.380
 Although Paul's words

00:20:17.380 --> 00:20:19.019
 seem awfully cocky,

00:20:19.259 --> 00:20:19.640
 especially

00:20:19.640 --> 00:20:23.080
 as we,

00:20:23.500 --> 00:20:24.120
 again,

00:20:24.200 --> 00:20:26.019
 have a bit of a phobia

00:20:26.019 --> 00:20:28.160
 towards this kind of talk

00:20:28.160 --> 00:20:29.740
 in our society,

00:20:29.740 --> 00:20:30.920
 Paul here,

00:20:31.039 --> 00:20:32.039
 he is not prideful.

00:20:33.299 --> 00:20:34.519
 He has already established

00:20:34.519 --> 00:20:35.319
 that the only thing

00:20:35.319 --> 00:20:37.480
 that truly matters

00:20:37.480 --> 00:20:38.900
 in this life

00:20:38.900 --> 00:20:41.720
 is this humble faith

00:20:41.720 --> 00:20:42.720
 and bending a knee

00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:43.559
 to the lordship

00:20:43.559 --> 00:20:44.460
 of Jesus Christ.

00:20:45.400 --> 00:20:45.859
 So therefore,

00:20:45.980 --> 00:20:47.039
 he calls the Philippians

00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:47.759
 to the same goal.

00:20:48.220 --> 00:20:49.240
 In another letter,

00:20:49.380 --> 00:20:50.039
 in 1 Corinthians,

00:20:50.200 --> 00:20:50.700
 Paul will say,

00:20:51.160 --> 00:20:51.599
 follow me

00:20:51.599 --> 00:20:52.640
 as I follow Christ.

00:20:53.859 --> 00:20:54.740
 Paul really,

00:20:54.920 --> 00:20:55.460
 truly here

00:20:55.460 --> 00:20:55.900
 is saying,

00:20:55.980 --> 00:20:56.220
 listen,

00:20:56.220 --> 00:20:57.940
 follow me

00:20:57.940 --> 00:21:00.079
 because here I am

00:21:00.079 --> 00:21:00.660
 in chains.

00:21:01.120 --> 00:21:01.660
 I have walked

00:21:01.660 --> 00:21:02.900
 this walk authentically,

00:21:03.299 --> 00:21:05.240
 not in my own strength,

00:21:05.319 --> 00:21:06.860
 but in Christ's strength

00:21:06.860 --> 00:21:07.559
 that he has given me

00:21:07.559 --> 00:21:08.579
 by his Holy Spirit.

00:21:10.420 --> 00:21:11.039
 Follow me,

00:21:11.120 --> 00:21:11.620
 imitate me.

00:21:12.000 --> 00:21:12.420
 And I think

00:21:12.420 --> 00:21:13.600
 this is incredibly wise.

00:21:14.200 --> 00:21:14.960
 Two reasons.

00:21:15.059 --> 00:21:15.400
 Number one,

00:21:15.480 --> 00:21:16.819
 you're going to imitate somebody.

00:21:17.579 --> 00:21:18.600
 You're just bound to.

00:21:19.539 --> 00:21:20.640
 You're not this kind of

00:21:20.640 --> 00:21:22.440
 by yourself,

00:21:22.660 --> 00:21:23.339
 silo,

00:21:24.140 --> 00:21:25.120
 automaton,

00:21:25.119 --> 00:21:25.899
 you know,

00:21:26.259 --> 00:21:26.939
 you just have

00:21:26.939 --> 00:21:29.199
 a code in your brain

00:21:29.199 --> 00:21:29.819
 that's kind of

00:21:29.819 --> 00:21:30.500
 setting your life.

00:21:30.599 --> 00:21:30.739
 No,

00:21:30.919 --> 00:21:31.799
 you take in,

00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:32.359
 you have these things

00:21:32.359 --> 00:21:33.799
 called eyes and ears,

00:21:34.479 --> 00:21:35.859
 these senses

00:21:35.859 --> 00:21:37.579
 that help you process life

00:21:37.579 --> 00:21:38.639
 and you're going to,

00:21:38.839 --> 00:21:39.899
 you're bound to imitate

00:21:39.899 --> 00:21:41.099
 something or someone.

00:21:42.399 --> 00:21:42.939
 Paul is saying,

00:21:43.019 --> 00:21:43.259
 listen,

00:21:44.099 --> 00:21:44.819
 imitate me.

00:21:45.419 --> 00:21:46.379
 And the second reason

00:21:46.379 --> 00:21:48.319
 is huge

00:21:48.319 --> 00:21:49.839
 because Paul will go on

00:21:49.839 --> 00:21:50.559
 to talk about

00:21:50.559 --> 00:21:53.599
 those that are trying

00:21:53.599 --> 00:21:55.219
 and actively trying

00:21:55.219 --> 00:21:55.899
 to,

00:21:56.099 --> 00:21:56.519
 again,

00:21:56.939 --> 00:21:57.819
 divert people

00:21:57.819 --> 00:21:58.779
 away from Christ.

00:21:59.439 --> 00:21:59.599
 He says,

00:21:59.719 --> 00:21:59.919
 listen,

00:22:00.000 --> 00:22:00.899
 you're going to follow somebody.

00:22:01.419 --> 00:22:01.959
 These people

00:22:01.959 --> 00:22:03.079
 are promoting something

00:22:03.079 --> 00:22:03.659
 that is

00:22:03.659 --> 00:22:06.279
 awfully appetizing.

00:22:06.740 --> 00:22:07.799
 It looks good

00:22:07.799 --> 00:22:08.439
 on the outside,

00:22:08.559 --> 00:22:09.419
 but believe me,

00:22:09.980 --> 00:22:11.259
 and he'll mention this

00:22:11.259 --> 00:22:12.559
 in the next couple verses

00:22:12.559 --> 00:22:13.500
 we'll read in a moment,

00:22:14.579 --> 00:22:15.439
 their end

00:22:15.439 --> 00:22:16.480
 is not towards life

00:22:16.480 --> 00:22:17.339
 but towards death.

00:22:18.119 --> 00:22:19.359
 So follow me.

00:22:20.119 --> 00:22:21.059
 And the great irony

00:22:21.059 --> 00:22:21.559
 in this

00:22:21.559 --> 00:22:22.240
 is that Paul

00:22:22.240 --> 00:22:23.099
 is in jail

00:22:23.099 --> 00:22:24.039
 in chains,

00:22:25.019 --> 00:22:26.019
 unjustly held

00:22:26.019 --> 00:22:27.319
 for almost three years

00:22:27.319 --> 00:22:28.000
 at this point

00:22:28.000 --> 00:22:29.500
 and he is

00:22:29.500 --> 00:22:30.799
 really saying

00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:31.839
 this is the way

00:22:31.839 --> 00:22:32.259
 to life.

00:22:32.919 --> 00:22:33.919
 Let's pause

00:22:33.919 --> 00:22:34.539
 quickly.

00:22:34.879 --> 00:22:35.479
 We'll go to

00:22:35.479 --> 00:22:36.159
 verse 18

00:22:36.159 --> 00:22:37.299
 and 19

00:22:37.299 --> 00:22:38.779
 and read what Paul says.

00:22:39.779 --> 00:22:40.759
 For many of whom

00:22:40.759 --> 00:22:42.199
 I have often told you

00:22:42.199 --> 00:22:43.699
 and now tell you

00:22:43.699 --> 00:22:44.639
 even with tears

00:22:44.639 --> 00:22:46.000
 walk as enemies

00:22:46.000 --> 00:22:47.019
 of the cross of Christ.

00:22:47.019 --> 00:22:49.539
 Sorry,

00:22:49.700 --> 00:22:50.220
 we'll back up

00:22:50.220 --> 00:22:51.400
 and I missed verse 17.

00:22:51.539 --> 00:22:52.420
 We'll start in verse 17

00:22:52.420 --> 00:22:53.500
 and we'll read 18 again

00:22:53.500 --> 00:22:54.400
 and also 19.

00:22:54.480 --> 00:22:54.680
 Brothers,

00:22:54.819 --> 00:22:55.779
 join in imitating me

00:22:55.779 --> 00:22:56.519
 and keep your eyes

00:22:56.519 --> 00:22:57.299
 on those who walk

00:22:57.299 --> 00:22:58.740
 according to the example

00:22:58.740 --> 00:22:59.539
 you have in us.

00:22:59.660 --> 00:23:00.339
 Verse 18,

00:23:01.000 --> 00:23:02.139
 For many of whom

00:23:02.139 --> 00:23:03.480
 I have often told you

00:23:03.480 --> 00:23:04.279
 and now tell you

00:23:04.279 --> 00:23:05.039
 even with tears

00:23:05.039 --> 00:23:06.500
 walk as enemies

00:23:06.500 --> 00:23:07.759
 of the cross of Christ.

00:23:08.420 --> 00:23:09.000
 Their end,

00:23:09.539 --> 00:23:10.599
 that is their telos,

00:23:10.740 --> 00:23:11.799
 their destination,

00:23:12.599 --> 00:23:13.960
 their end is destruction.

00:23:14.940 --> 00:23:16.339
 Their God is their belly.

00:23:17.019 --> 00:23:17.940
 And they glory

00:23:17.940 --> 00:23:18.680
 in their shame

00:23:18.680 --> 00:23:20.420
 with minds set

00:23:20.420 --> 00:23:21.740
 on earthly things.

00:23:23.480 --> 00:23:24.639
 This is not merely

00:23:24.639 --> 00:23:25.900
 a call to prioritize

00:23:25.900 --> 00:23:27.279
 virtues over vices,

00:23:28.220 --> 00:23:29.500
 though that is

00:23:29.500 --> 00:23:30.759
 certainly a part of it.

00:23:31.440 --> 00:23:31.799
 Rather,

00:23:31.940 --> 00:23:32.500
 it is a call

00:23:32.500 --> 00:23:33.859
 to emulate

00:23:33.859 --> 00:23:35.559
 and to imitate

00:23:35.559 --> 00:23:36.700
 those who strive

00:23:36.700 --> 00:23:37.779
 to follow Christ.

00:23:38.799 --> 00:23:39.359
 Their example

00:23:39.359 --> 00:23:40.639
 is a genuine

00:23:40.639 --> 00:23:42.900
 fear of God

00:23:42.900 --> 00:23:43.700
 and there's

00:23:43.700 --> 00:23:45.200
 also a genuine

00:23:45.200 --> 00:23:45.780
 fear

00:23:45.780 --> 00:23:46.900
 that the church

00:23:46.900 --> 00:23:47.920
 may be led astray.

00:23:49.200 --> 00:23:49.800
 Paul here,

00:23:50.360 --> 00:23:51.019
 he is addressing

00:23:51.019 --> 00:23:52.280
 this group

00:23:52.280 --> 00:23:53.000
 of false teachers.

00:23:53.180 --> 00:23:53.620
 He's already

00:23:53.620 --> 00:23:54.259
 mentioned them

00:23:54.259 --> 00:23:56.380
 a few times before.

00:23:57.160 --> 00:23:58.080
 He doesn't

00:23:58.080 --> 00:23:58.820
 specify

00:23:58.820 --> 00:24:00.340
 exactly who they are

00:24:00.340 --> 00:24:01.060
 or specify

00:24:01.060 --> 00:24:01.680
 exactly

00:24:01.680 --> 00:24:02.920
 what they do,

00:24:03.040 --> 00:24:03.880
 but it's very clear

00:24:03.880 --> 00:24:05.300
 their intent

00:24:05.300 --> 00:24:06.160
 is to distort

00:24:06.160 --> 00:24:06.759
 the gospel.

00:24:06.759 --> 00:24:09.259
 The core

00:24:09.259 --> 00:24:09.599
 of what they're

00:24:09.599 --> 00:24:10.039
 trying to do

00:24:10.039 --> 00:24:10.480
 is deny

00:24:10.480 --> 00:24:11.539
 the exclusivity

00:24:11.539 --> 00:24:12.220
 of Christ

00:24:12.220 --> 00:24:12.940
 as the means

00:24:12.940 --> 00:24:13.640
 of salvation

00:24:13.640 --> 00:24:15.559
 and if

00:24:15.559 --> 00:24:16.400
 they're the same

00:24:16.400 --> 00:24:16.920
 people as

00:24:16.920 --> 00:24:17.420
 in the previous

00:24:17.420 --> 00:24:17.819
 section,

00:24:18.339 --> 00:24:19.400
 they are promoting

00:24:19.400 --> 00:24:21.299
 again,

00:24:21.420 --> 00:24:21.819
 this type

00:24:21.819 --> 00:24:22.640
 of mutation

00:24:22.640 --> 00:24:23.420
 of the law,

00:24:23.579 --> 00:24:24.180
 a mutation

00:24:24.180 --> 00:24:24.879
 of the gospel

00:24:24.879 --> 00:24:25.839
 that kind of

00:24:25.839 --> 00:24:27.379
 either cuts

00:24:27.379 --> 00:24:28.140
 Christ out

00:24:28.140 --> 00:24:28.700
 or says

00:24:28.700 --> 00:24:29.879
 it's Christ

00:24:29.879 --> 00:24:30.379
 plus

00:24:30.379 --> 00:24:31.740
 something else.

00:24:33.079 --> 00:24:33.379
 And Paul

00:24:33.379 --> 00:24:33.720
 is saying

00:24:33.720 --> 00:24:34.420
 these people,

00:24:34.420 --> 00:24:36.380
 their end,

00:24:36.660 --> 00:24:37.519
 their destination,

00:24:38.580 --> 00:24:39.140
 the fruit

00:24:39.140 --> 00:24:39.840
 of their labor

00:24:39.840 --> 00:24:40.680
 will not lead

00:24:40.680 --> 00:24:41.400
 to life,

00:24:41.460 --> 00:24:42.160
 but actually

00:24:42.160 --> 00:24:42.759
 it will lead

00:24:42.759 --> 00:24:43.400
 to death.

00:24:45.100 --> 00:24:45.940
 And here

00:24:45.940 --> 00:24:47.100
 they are unmasked

00:24:47.100 --> 00:24:48.200
 and exposed

00:24:48.200 --> 00:24:48.759
 for what they

00:24:48.759 --> 00:24:49.340
 truly are.

00:24:50.019 --> 00:24:50.480
 He mentions

00:24:50.480 --> 00:24:51.220
 four things.

00:24:52.100 --> 00:24:52.420
 He says

00:24:52.420 --> 00:24:52.900
 their end

00:24:52.900 --> 00:24:53.560
 is destruction,

00:24:53.680 --> 00:24:54.140
 their God,

00:24:54.279 --> 00:24:54.680
 their belly,

00:24:55.279 --> 00:24:55.860
 and the belly

00:24:55.860 --> 00:24:56.500
 would be,

00:24:56.620 --> 00:24:58.220
 maybe a better

00:24:58.220 --> 00:24:59.140
 way to say

00:24:59.140 --> 00:24:59.480
 it would be

00:24:59.480 --> 00:25:00.400
 their appetites,

00:25:00.720 --> 00:25:01.480
 their desires.

00:25:03.060 --> 00:25:03.680
 They glory

00:25:03.680 --> 00:25:04.380
 in shame,

00:25:04.420 --> 00:25:06.320
 their eyes

00:25:06.320 --> 00:25:06.980
 are on

00:25:06.980 --> 00:25:07.960
 earthly things.

00:25:09.560 --> 00:25:10.380
 These people

00:25:10.380 --> 00:25:11.640
 are beholden

00:25:11.640 --> 00:25:12.340
 to desires

00:25:12.340 --> 00:25:13.820
 and they lack

00:25:13.820 --> 00:25:14.539
 a self-control.

00:25:14.660 --> 00:25:15.180
 What they see

00:25:15.180 --> 00:25:15.840
 is what they get.

00:25:16.580 --> 00:25:17.340
 They want it,

00:25:17.400 --> 00:25:17.900
 they get it.

00:25:19.700 --> 00:25:20.440
 They're driven

00:25:20.440 --> 00:25:21.420
 by wrong motives,

00:25:22.259 --> 00:25:23.180
 they emphasize

00:25:23.180 --> 00:25:24.240
 the wrong things.

00:25:25.640 --> 00:25:26.820
 There's a gluttony

00:25:26.820 --> 00:25:27.259
 about them

00:25:27.259 --> 00:25:28.039
 and surely

00:25:28.039 --> 00:25:29.880
 this is a gluttony

00:25:29.880 --> 00:25:31.259
 of food,

00:25:31.400 --> 00:25:32.220
 but it's even

00:25:32.220 --> 00:25:34.680
 greater idea

00:25:34.680 --> 00:25:36.400
 that goes beyond

00:25:36.400 --> 00:25:37.539
 physical consumption

00:25:37.539 --> 00:25:39.420
 but an insatiable

00:25:39.420 --> 00:25:40.440
 appetite for more.

00:25:40.960 --> 00:25:41.940
 Always consuming,

00:25:42.120 --> 00:25:42.980
 never satisfied.

00:25:44.259 --> 00:25:45.460
 There's no number

00:25:45.460 --> 00:25:46.420
 that they'll reach

00:25:46.420 --> 00:25:48.360
 in their bank account

00:25:48.360 --> 00:25:49.360
 that will

00:25:49.360 --> 00:25:51.160
 satisfy them.

00:25:51.360 --> 00:25:53.440
 There's no amount

00:25:53.440 --> 00:25:55.539
 of elevation

00:25:55.539 --> 00:25:56.720
 at work

00:25:56.720 --> 00:25:57.779
 that will

00:25:57.779 --> 00:25:59.380
 make them feel

00:25:59.380 --> 00:25:59.780
 like they've

00:25:59.780 --> 00:26:00.300
 arrived.

00:26:00.420 --> 00:26:00.900
 There's no

00:26:00.900 --> 00:26:01.880
 situation

00:26:01.880 --> 00:26:02.800
 with friends

00:26:02.800 --> 00:26:03.520
 or reputation

00:26:03.520 --> 00:26:04.780
 that will give

00:26:04.780 --> 00:26:06.260
 them satisfaction.

00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:07.060
 They always want

00:26:07.060 --> 00:26:07.400
 more,

00:26:07.560 --> 00:26:08.660
 they need more.

00:26:10.500 --> 00:26:11.400
 It's as if

00:26:11.400 --> 00:26:12.380
 they are drinking

00:26:12.380 --> 00:26:13.300
 salt water.

00:26:15.060 --> 00:26:15.680
 Their bellies

00:26:15.680 --> 00:26:16.200
 are full

00:26:16.200 --> 00:26:16.660
 but they are

00:26:16.660 --> 00:26:17.580
 always thirsty

00:26:17.580 --> 00:26:18.100
 for more.

00:26:19.560 --> 00:26:20.280
 They have a

00:26:20.280 --> 00:26:21.020
 disordered view

00:26:21.020 --> 00:26:21.580
 of what brings

00:26:21.580 --> 00:26:21.940
 life.

00:26:22.900 --> 00:26:23.520
 They also

00:26:23.520 --> 00:26:24.760
 confuse shame

00:26:24.759 --> 00:26:26.379
 with glory.

00:26:27.379 --> 00:26:27.720
 And such

00:26:27.720 --> 00:26:28.440
 living,

00:26:28.599 --> 00:26:29.299
 Paul is saying,

00:26:29.960 --> 00:26:30.099
 like,

00:26:30.339 --> 00:26:31.720
 it might seem

00:26:31.720 --> 00:26:32.799
 like it is

00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:33.539
 full of bounty

00:26:33.539 --> 00:26:34.519
 but it is

00:26:34.519 --> 00:26:35.400
 dripping with

00:26:35.400 --> 00:26:35.680
 death.

00:26:35.839 --> 00:26:36.640
 It's dripping

00:26:36.640 --> 00:26:38.859
 with destruction.

00:26:39.240 --> 00:26:40.400
 It is on

00:26:40.400 --> 00:26:41.119
 the road

00:26:41.119 --> 00:26:41.779
 to perdition.

00:26:43.680 --> 00:26:44.799
 In 1995,

00:26:45.240 --> 00:26:46.440
 Pope John Paul II

00:26:46.440 --> 00:26:47.059
 wrote an

00:26:47.059 --> 00:26:47.619
 encyclical.

00:26:48.839 --> 00:26:49.599
 In English,

00:26:49.700 --> 00:26:50.019
 it was called

00:26:50.019 --> 00:26:51.039
 The Gospel of Life.

00:26:51.039 --> 00:26:52.960
 And he describes

00:26:52.960 --> 00:26:54.700
 this reality,

00:26:55.019 --> 00:26:55.220
 again,

00:26:55.299 --> 00:26:56.339
 this is in 1995,

00:26:56.659 --> 00:26:57.259
 a remarkable

00:26:57.259 --> 00:27:00.319
 paper he wrote.

00:27:01.980 --> 00:27:03.339
 He calls this,

00:27:03.859 --> 00:27:04.639
 what Paul is

00:27:04.639 --> 00:27:05.159
 summing up

00:27:05.159 --> 00:27:06.279
 in verse 19,

00:27:06.539 --> 00:27:07.299
 18 and 19,

00:27:08.000 --> 00:27:09.319
 he calls this

00:27:09.319 --> 00:27:09.980
 the conspiracy

00:27:09.980 --> 00:27:11.000
 against life

00:27:11.000 --> 00:27:12.000
 and the culture

00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:12.519
 of death.

00:27:15.879 --> 00:27:16.920
 Such clarity

00:27:16.920 --> 00:27:17.279
 in this

00:27:17.279 --> 00:27:18.920
 explanation.

00:27:19.960 --> 00:27:20.759
 He doesn't

00:27:20.759 --> 00:27:22.759
 paper over it.

00:27:22.839 --> 00:27:23.119
 He doesn't

00:27:23.119 --> 00:27:23.859
 try to explain

00:27:23.859 --> 00:27:24.279
 it away.

00:27:24.839 --> 00:27:25.259
 But within

00:27:25.259 --> 00:27:25.960
 our culture,

00:27:26.440 --> 00:27:27.619
 within modernity,

00:27:28.200 --> 00:27:28.859
 this push

00:27:28.859 --> 00:27:30.259
 for materialism,

00:27:30.519 --> 00:27:31.680
 for self-expression,

00:27:32.799 --> 00:27:35.119
 for pleasure

00:27:35.119 --> 00:27:36.180
 above all things,

00:27:36.839 --> 00:27:37.480
 it is a

00:27:37.480 --> 00:27:37.980
 conspiracy

00:27:37.980 --> 00:27:38.960
 against life.

00:27:39.460 --> 00:27:39.799
 It is a

00:27:39.799 --> 00:27:40.519
 culture of death.

00:27:41.359 --> 00:27:42.019
 I was talking

00:27:42.019 --> 00:27:42.579
 to Christine

00:27:42.579 --> 00:27:43.079
 about it

00:27:43.079 --> 00:27:44.740
 this week

00:27:44.740 --> 00:27:45.920
 and

00:27:45.920 --> 00:27:48.240
 she

00:27:48.240 --> 00:27:48.920
 mentioned

00:27:48.920 --> 00:27:50.680
 about how

00:27:50.680 --> 00:27:52.259
 our culture

00:27:52.259 --> 00:27:54.920
 for women

00:27:54.920 --> 00:27:55.700
 especially

00:27:55.700 --> 00:27:56.800
 is

00:27:56.800 --> 00:27:58.840
 it is

00:27:58.840 --> 00:27:59.900
 precisely this.

00:27:59.980 --> 00:28:00.580
 It's a conspiracy

00:28:00.580 --> 00:28:01.360
 against life.

00:28:01.660 --> 00:28:02.220
 It is a culture

00:28:02.220 --> 00:28:02.600
 of death.

00:28:03.600 --> 00:28:04.180
 Women

00:28:04.180 --> 00:28:04.880
 are only

00:28:04.880 --> 00:28:05.440
 valued

00:28:05.440 --> 00:28:06.480
 if they can

00:28:06.480 --> 00:28:07.039
 bring pleasure,

00:28:07.440 --> 00:28:08.340
 if they look

00:28:08.340 --> 00:28:08.900
 beautiful,

00:28:09.440 --> 00:28:10.700
 if they can

00:28:10.700 --> 00:28:13.660
 be a means

00:28:13.660 --> 00:28:15.600
 to satisfy

00:28:15.600 --> 00:28:16.660
 the desires

00:28:16.660 --> 00:28:18.400
 of men

00:28:18.400 --> 00:28:19.140
 and when

00:28:19.140 --> 00:28:19.800
 women begin

00:28:19.800 --> 00:28:20.440
 to age,

00:28:21.759 --> 00:28:22.420
 they become,

00:28:22.980 --> 00:28:23.480
 and Christine,

00:28:23.740 --> 00:28:24.519
 this is her term,

00:28:24.600 --> 00:28:25.019
 not mine,

00:28:25.420 --> 00:28:25.800
 they become

00:28:25.800 --> 00:28:26.640
 spent foul.

00:28:29.640 --> 00:28:30.060
 Their

00:28:30.060 --> 00:28:32.840
 purpose

00:28:32.840 --> 00:28:33.660
 begins to

00:28:33.660 --> 00:28:35.840
 start

00:28:35.840 --> 00:28:36.720
 descending,

00:28:37.160 --> 00:28:37.840
 so to speak.

00:28:38.080 --> 00:28:38.540
 Their worth

00:28:38.540 --> 00:28:39.420
 begins to

00:28:39.420 --> 00:28:39.900
 descend.

00:28:39.900 --> 00:28:42.140
 Our culture,

00:28:42.759 --> 00:28:43.220
 when it

00:28:43.220 --> 00:28:43.920
 puts an

00:28:43.920 --> 00:28:44.380
 emphasis

00:28:44.380 --> 00:28:45.540
 on pleasure

00:28:45.540 --> 00:28:47.120
 and consumption

00:28:47.120 --> 00:28:47.759
 and on

00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:48.740
 individualism,

00:28:49.080 --> 00:28:50.040
 what ends up

00:28:50.040 --> 00:28:50.440
 happening

00:28:50.440 --> 00:28:51.660
 is that we

00:28:51.660 --> 00:28:52.160
 treat

00:28:52.160 --> 00:28:53.440
 those whom

00:28:53.440 --> 00:28:53.880
 God has

00:28:53.880 --> 00:28:54.500
 made in

00:28:54.500 --> 00:28:55.160
 his image

00:28:55.160 --> 00:28:56.900
 as commodities

00:28:56.900 --> 00:28:58.080
 and when

00:28:58.080 --> 00:28:58.880
 those commodities

00:28:58.880 --> 00:28:59.519
 run out,

00:29:00.140 --> 00:29:00.759
 we discard

00:29:00.759 --> 00:29:01.040
 them.

00:29:04.220 --> 00:29:05.300
 The example

00:29:05.300 --> 00:29:05.920
 she gave,

00:29:06.259 --> 00:29:07.420
 interestingly,

00:29:07.640 --> 00:29:07.940
 I wish

00:29:07.940 --> 00:29:08.920
 Christine's not

00:29:08.920 --> 00:29:09.360
 here this

00:29:09.360 --> 00:29:09.580
 morning,

00:29:09.579 --> 00:29:10.579
 but the

00:29:10.579 --> 00:29:11.159
 example that

00:29:11.159 --> 00:29:11.679
 she gave,

00:29:11.720 --> 00:29:11.960
 and she'd

00:29:11.960 --> 00:29:12.419
 be nodding,

00:29:12.899 --> 00:29:13.179
 is,

00:29:13.419 --> 00:29:14.500
 I guess,

00:29:14.639 --> 00:29:15.059
 the Jenner

00:29:15.059 --> 00:29:15.839
 mom just

00:29:15.839 --> 00:29:16.480
 got a new

00:29:16.480 --> 00:29:16.960
 face,

00:29:17.099 --> 00:29:17.639
 she said.

00:29:18.579 --> 00:29:20.079
 And for

00:29:20.079 --> 00:29:20.539
 a woman in

00:29:20.539 --> 00:29:21.279
 her 70s,

00:29:21.659 --> 00:29:22.159
 she looks

00:29:22.159 --> 00:29:23.019
 incredibly

00:29:23.019 --> 00:29:24.980
 not 70.

00:29:27.460 --> 00:29:28.500
 But the

00:29:28.500 --> 00:29:28.960
 fact that

00:29:28.960 --> 00:29:29.379
 that is

00:29:29.379 --> 00:29:29.839
 what brings

00:29:29.839 --> 00:29:30.359
 her worth,

00:29:31.720 --> 00:29:32.539
 it really

00:29:32.539 --> 00:29:33.220
 exposes

00:29:33.220 --> 00:29:35.559
 how such

00:29:35.559 --> 00:29:36.220
 a type

00:29:36.220 --> 00:29:36.839
 of thinking

00:29:36.839 --> 00:29:37.419
 is not

00:29:37.419 --> 00:29:38.259
 a thinking

00:29:38.259 --> 00:29:38.960
 that leads

00:29:38.960 --> 00:29:39.799
 to life

00:29:39.799 --> 00:29:40.360
 but leads

00:29:40.360 --> 00:29:40.960
 to death.

00:29:44.960 --> 00:29:45.160
 Mama

00:29:45.160 --> 00:29:45.519
 Jenner

00:29:45.519 --> 00:29:46.519
 has worth

00:29:46.519 --> 00:29:46.920
 because she

00:29:46.920 --> 00:29:47.220
 is made

00:29:47.220 --> 00:29:47.500
 in the

00:29:47.500 --> 00:29:47.880
 image of

00:29:47.880 --> 00:29:48.120
 God.

00:29:49.340 --> 00:29:49.660
 And age

00:29:49.660 --> 00:29:50.059
 can't take

00:29:50.059 --> 00:29:50.380
 that away

00:29:50.380 --> 00:29:50.700
 from her.

00:29:51.579 --> 00:29:51.880
 Age

00:29:51.880 --> 00:29:52.259
 can't take

00:29:52.259 --> 00:29:52.579
 that away

00:29:52.579 --> 00:29:53.100
 from you

00:29:53.100 --> 00:29:53.660
 or me.

00:29:54.539 --> 00:29:55.200
 This is the

00:29:55.200 --> 00:29:56.779
 great problem.

00:29:56.940 --> 00:29:57.299
 This is the

00:29:57.299 --> 00:29:57.779
 conspiracy

00:29:57.779 --> 00:29:58.759
 against life.

00:29:58.900 --> 00:29:59.400
 This is the

00:29:59.400 --> 00:30:02.579
 culture of

00:30:02.579 --> 00:30:02.880
 death.

00:30:02.880 --> 00:30:02.920
 month.

00:30:04.620 --> 00:30:05.240
 And it's

00:30:05.240 --> 00:30:05.640
 all around

00:30:05.640 --> 00:30:05.940
 us.

00:30:06.060 --> 00:30:06.240
 You can

00:30:06.240 --> 00:30:06.480
 think of

00:30:06.480 --> 00:30:06.660
 other

00:30:06.660 --> 00:30:07.120
 examples.

00:30:08.140 --> 00:30:08.440
 We are

00:30:08.440 --> 00:30:09.440
 in the

00:30:09.440 --> 00:30:10.040
 month of

00:30:10.040 --> 00:30:11.740
 pride in

00:30:11.740 --> 00:30:12.140
 our city

00:30:12.140 --> 00:30:12.420
 and in

00:30:12.420 --> 00:30:12.920
 our country.

00:30:13.980 --> 00:30:15.320
 A month

00:30:15.320 --> 00:30:15.620
 that does

00:30:15.620 --> 00:30:16.240
 not lead

00:30:16.240 --> 00:30:16.780
 to human

00:30:16.780 --> 00:30:17.320
 flourishing

00:30:17.320 --> 00:30:17.720
 for it

00:30:17.720 --> 00:30:19.040
 cannot lead

00:30:19.040 --> 00:30:19.620
 to human

00:30:19.620 --> 00:30:20.160
 flourishing.

00:30:21.220 --> 00:30:21.720
 It cannot

00:30:21.720 --> 00:30:22.520
 produce life

00:30:22.520 --> 00:30:22.820
 and it

00:30:22.820 --> 00:30:23.260
 leads to

00:30:23.260 --> 00:30:23.560
 death.

00:30:25.640 --> 00:30:26.320
 That's one

00:30:26.320 --> 00:30:26.620
 month.

00:30:27.380 --> 00:30:27.940
 We live

00:30:27.940 --> 00:30:29.340
 in 24-7

00:30:29.339 --> 00:30:29.539
 of

00:30:29.539 --> 00:30:30.139
 consumerism.

00:30:30.459 --> 00:30:30.639
 Same

00:30:30.639 --> 00:30:30.919
 thing.

00:30:33.559 --> 00:30:34.139
 Paul is

00:30:34.139 --> 00:30:34.539
 saying

00:30:34.539 --> 00:30:36.119
 imitate me

00:30:36.119 --> 00:30:37.319
 as I

00:30:37.319 --> 00:30:37.619
 imitate

00:30:37.619 --> 00:30:38.079
 Christ

00:30:38.079 --> 00:30:38.559
 because you

00:30:38.559 --> 00:30:39.019
 will imitate

00:30:39.019 --> 00:30:39.639
 something

00:30:39.639 --> 00:30:41.599
 and the

00:30:41.599 --> 00:30:42.199
 current is

00:30:42.199 --> 00:30:43.059
 flowing really

00:30:43.059 --> 00:30:43.959
 hard against

00:30:43.959 --> 00:30:44.740
 godly living.

00:30:45.699 --> 00:30:46.359
 Imitate me

00:30:46.359 --> 00:30:46.720
 as I

00:30:46.720 --> 00:30:47.159
 imitate

00:30:47.159 --> 00:30:48.199
 Christ.

00:30:49.139 --> 00:30:49.919
 Focus on

00:30:49.919 --> 00:30:50.459
 the things

00:30:50.459 --> 00:30:51.279
 that matter

00:30:51.279 --> 00:30:52.339
 because there's

00:30:52.339 --> 00:30:52.679
 a lot of

00:30:52.679 --> 00:30:53.099
 things that

00:30:53.099 --> 00:30:53.539
 distort.

00:30:54.819 --> 00:30:55.399
 Look with

00:30:55.399 --> 00:30:55.619
 me at

00:30:55.619 --> 00:30:56.220
 verses 20

00:30:56.220 --> 00:30:56.740
 and 21

00:30:56.740 --> 00:30:57.559
 because I

00:30:57.559 --> 00:30:57.980
 think here

00:30:57.980 --> 00:30:58.240
 is where

00:30:58.240 --> 00:30:58.879
 the antidote

00:30:58.879 --> 00:30:59.199
 lies.

00:30:59.339 --> 00:31:00.139
 If Paul

00:31:00.139 --> 00:31:00.759
 just paused

00:31:00.759 --> 00:31:01.139
 it here

00:31:01.139 --> 00:31:01.459
 or put

00:31:01.459 --> 00:31:02.399
 a period

00:31:02.399 --> 00:31:02.819
 at verse

00:31:02.819 --> 00:31:03.339
 19

00:31:03.339 --> 00:31:04.579
 and said

00:31:04.579 --> 00:31:04.919
 listen

00:31:04.919 --> 00:31:05.240
 avoid

00:31:05.240 --> 00:31:05.459
 these

00:31:05.459 --> 00:31:05.859
 people

00:31:05.859 --> 00:31:08.240
 then I

00:31:08.240 --> 00:31:08.500
 think we

00:31:08.500 --> 00:31:08.859
 would be

00:31:08.859 --> 00:31:10.480
 in a

00:31:10.480 --> 00:31:10.779
 really

00:31:10.779 --> 00:31:11.339
 difficult

00:31:11.339 --> 00:31:11.879
 situation

00:31:11.879 --> 00:31:12.279
 because

00:31:12.279 --> 00:31:12.859
 we

00:31:12.859 --> 00:31:13.079
 wouldn't

00:31:13.079 --> 00:31:13.599
 understand

00:31:13.599 --> 00:31:14.119
 how

00:31:14.119 --> 00:31:15.439
 to access

00:31:15.439 --> 00:31:15.939
 the power

00:31:15.939 --> 00:31:17.259
 to avoid

00:31:17.259 --> 00:31:17.859
 such people

00:31:17.859 --> 00:31:18.599
 but Paul

00:31:18.599 --> 00:31:19.220
 doesn't end

00:31:19.220 --> 00:31:19.500
 in verse

00:31:19.500 --> 00:31:19.859
 19.

00:31:20.399 --> 00:31:20.899
 He continues

00:31:20.899 --> 00:31:21.459
 on verse

00:31:21.459 --> 00:31:21.899
 20 and

00:31:21.899 --> 00:31:22.199
 21.

00:31:22.359 --> 00:31:22.619
 Look with

00:31:22.619 --> 00:31:22.859
 me at

00:31:22.859 --> 00:31:23.039
 verses

00:31:23.039 --> 00:31:23.480
 20

00:31:23.480 --> 00:31:24.179
 starting

00:31:24.179 --> 00:31:24.399
 verse

00:31:24.399 --> 00:31:24.740
 20.

00:31:25.559 --> 00:31:25.839
 But our

00:31:25.839 --> 00:31:26.299
 citizenship

00:31:26.299 --> 00:31:26.759
 is in

00:31:26.759 --> 00:31:26.939
 heaven

00:31:26.939 --> 00:31:28.179
 and from

00:31:28.179 --> 00:31:28.519
 it we

00:31:28.519 --> 00:31:29.019
 await a

00:31:29.019 --> 00:31:29.319
 savior

00:31:29.319 --> 00:31:30.359
 the lord

00:31:30.359 --> 00:31:30.660
 Jesus

00:31:30.660 --> 00:31:31.139
 Christ

00:31:31.139 --> 00:31:32.000
 who will

00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:32.460
 transform

00:31:32.460 --> 00:31:33.099
 our lowly

00:31:33.099 --> 00:31:33.440
 body

00:31:33.440 --> 00:31:34.859
 to be

00:31:34.859 --> 00:31:35.240
 like his

00:31:35.240 --> 00:31:35.619
 glorious

00:31:35.619 --> 00:31:36.019
 body

00:31:36.019 --> 00:31:36.940
 by the

00:31:36.940 --> 00:31:37.539
 power that

00:31:37.539 --> 00:31:38.339
 enables him

00:31:38.339 --> 00:31:39.019
 even to

00:31:39.019 --> 00:31:39.740
 subject all

00:31:39.740 --> 00:31:40.180
 things

00:31:40.180 --> 00:31:41.660
 to himself.

00:31:43.660 --> 00:31:44.279
 Humanity

00:31:44.279 --> 00:31:44.660
 was not

00:31:44.660 --> 00:31:45.500
 created solely

00:31:45.500 --> 00:31:45.960
 for this

00:31:45.960 --> 00:31:46.819
 temporal life

00:31:46.819 --> 00:31:49.019
 not for this

00:31:49.019 --> 00:31:50.599
 mortal life

00:31:50.599 --> 00:31:50.980
 that we

00:31:50.980 --> 00:31:51.420
 live in

00:31:51.420 --> 00:31:52.240
 but to be

00:31:52.240 --> 00:31:52.900
 with Christ

00:31:52.900 --> 00:31:53.359
 forever.

00:31:53.359 --> 00:31:53.479
 forever.

00:31:54.039 --> 00:31:54.479
 All of

00:31:54.479 --> 00:31:55.059
 our deepest

00:31:55.059 --> 00:31:55.679
 longings

00:31:55.679 --> 00:31:56.000
 are

00:31:56.000 --> 00:31:56.559
 our

00:31:56.559 --> 00:31:57.339
 deepest

00:31:57.339 --> 00:31:58.339
 desires

00:31:58.339 --> 00:31:59.319
 they cannot

00:31:59.319 --> 00:31:59.959
 be fulfilled

00:31:59.959 --> 00:32:00.439
 in this

00:32:00.439 --> 00:32:00.819
 world.

00:32:02.079 --> 00:32:02.879
 For those

00:32:02.879 --> 00:32:04.319
 united to

00:32:04.319 --> 00:32:04.659
 Christ

00:32:04.659 --> 00:32:05.259
 through faith

00:32:05.259 --> 00:32:05.539
 and his

00:32:05.539 --> 00:32:05.839
 gracious

00:32:05.839 --> 00:32:06.359
 gift on

00:32:06.359 --> 00:32:06.879
 the cross

00:32:06.879 --> 00:32:07.740
 the

00:32:07.740 --> 00:32:08.099
 resurrection

00:32:08.099 --> 00:32:08.719
 of the

00:32:08.719 --> 00:32:09.039
 dead

00:32:09.039 --> 00:32:10.479
 it promises

00:32:10.479 --> 00:32:12.439
 a life

00:32:12.439 --> 00:32:13.240
 that far

00:32:13.240 --> 00:32:13.879
 far far

00:32:13.879 --> 00:32:14.939
 far surpasses

00:32:14.939 --> 00:32:15.379
 all other

00:32:15.379 --> 00:32:16.000
 promises in

00:32:16.000 --> 00:32:16.419
 this life.

00:32:16.420 --> 00:32:18.220
 It tells

00:32:18.220 --> 00:32:18.519
 us that

00:32:18.519 --> 00:32:19.100
 true godly

00:32:19.100 --> 00:32:19.420
 worship

00:32:19.420 --> 00:32:20.320
 must always

00:32:20.320 --> 00:32:20.740
 lead to

00:32:20.740 --> 00:32:21.000
 life

00:32:21.000 --> 00:32:21.640
 and God

00:32:21.640 --> 00:32:22.039
 has made

00:32:22.039 --> 00:32:22.300
 a way

00:32:22.300 --> 00:32:22.620
 for that

00:32:22.620 --> 00:32:23.279
 to be

00:32:23.279 --> 00:32:23.600
 so.

00:32:25.279 --> 00:32:25.480
 The

00:32:25.480 --> 00:32:25.880
 promise

00:32:25.880 --> 00:32:26.460
 is that

00:32:26.460 --> 00:32:27.000
 Christ's

00:32:27.000 --> 00:32:27.320
 redemption

00:32:27.320 --> 00:32:27.820
 will leave

00:32:27.820 --> 00:32:28.640
 no aspect

00:32:28.640 --> 00:32:29.640
 of this

00:32:29.640 --> 00:32:30.039
 life

00:32:30.039 --> 00:32:31.200
 untouched

00:32:31.200 --> 00:32:32.320
 unredeemed.

00:32:34.320 --> 00:32:34.680
 Listen

00:32:34.680 --> 00:32:35.100
 if this

00:32:35.100 --> 00:32:35.620
 life can

00:32:35.620 --> 00:32:36.259
 promise

00:32:36.259 --> 00:32:36.900
 the best

00:32:36.900 --> 00:32:37.380
 surgeons

00:32:37.380 --> 00:32:37.860
 to make

00:32:37.860 --> 00:32:38.279
 us look

00:32:38.279 --> 00:32:38.680
 young

00:32:38.680 --> 00:32:39.320
 but the

00:32:39.320 --> 00:32:39.900
 fact is

00:32:39.900 --> 00:32:40.320
 death is

00:32:40.320 --> 00:32:40.900
 just knocking

00:32:40.900 --> 00:32:41.300
 at the

00:32:41.300 --> 00:32:41.560
 door

00:32:41.560 --> 00:32:43.019
 the

00:32:43.019 --> 00:32:43.580
 resurrection

00:32:43.580 --> 00:32:44.640
 offers us

00:32:44.640 --> 00:32:45.820
 not just

00:32:45.820 --> 00:32:46.400
 a degree

00:32:46.400 --> 00:32:46.759
 better

00:32:46.759 --> 00:32:47.040
 but

00:32:47.040 --> 00:32:48.519
 infinity

00:32:48.519 --> 00:32:49.040
 better

00:32:49.040 --> 00:32:49.560
 than that.

00:32:51.120 --> 00:32:51.820
 No part

00:32:51.820 --> 00:32:52.160
 of the

00:32:52.160 --> 00:32:52.400
 human

00:32:52.400 --> 00:32:52.759
 condition

00:32:52.759 --> 00:32:53.100
 will be

00:32:53.100 --> 00:32:53.460
 untouched

00:32:53.460 --> 00:32:54.240
 which means

00:32:54.240 --> 00:32:56.540
 no cell

00:32:56.540 --> 00:32:56.960
 in your

00:32:56.960 --> 00:32:57.340
 body

00:32:57.340 --> 00:32:57.780
 no

00:32:57.780 --> 00:32:58.860
 muscle

00:32:58.860 --> 00:32:59.460
 fiber

00:32:59.460 --> 00:33:00.800
 no

00:33:00.800 --> 00:33:01.960
 beating

00:33:01.960 --> 00:33:02.820
 heart

00:33:02.820 --> 00:33:03.620
 no vein

00:33:03.620 --> 00:33:04.400
 no sinew

00:33:04.400 --> 00:33:05.220
 no molecule

00:33:05.220 --> 00:33:05.980
 inside of

00:33:05.980 --> 00:33:06.120
 you

00:33:06.120 --> 00:33:06.800
 will not

00:33:06.800 --> 00:33:07.360
 be redeemed

00:33:07.360 --> 00:33:07.920
 by Christ

00:33:07.920 --> 00:33:08.540
 to never

00:33:08.540 --> 00:33:09.600
 to never

00:33:09.600 --> 00:33:12.080
 experience

00:33:12.080 --> 00:33:12.560
 decay.

00:33:14.140 --> 00:33:14.940
 In heaven

00:33:14.940 --> 00:33:15.560
 I wonder

00:33:15.559 --> 00:33:16.819
 this is

00:33:16.819 --> 00:33:18.379
 speculation

00:33:18.379 --> 00:33:19.200
 it's found

00:33:19.200 --> 00:33:19.700
 nowhere in

00:33:19.700 --> 00:33:20.079
 God's

00:33:20.079 --> 00:33:20.579
 holy word

00:33:20.579 --> 00:33:21.419
 I wonder

00:33:21.419 --> 00:33:22.119
 if cancer

00:33:22.119 --> 00:33:22.740
 will be

00:33:22.740 --> 00:33:23.079
 like

00:33:23.079 --> 00:33:23.779
 permanently

00:33:23.779 --> 00:33:24.339
 forgotten

00:33:24.339 --> 00:33:24.879
 in our

00:33:24.879 --> 00:33:25.220
 brains

00:33:25.220 --> 00:33:25.599
 in heaven

00:33:25.599 --> 00:33:28.019
 if something

00:33:28.019 --> 00:33:28.779
 like diabetes

00:33:28.779 --> 00:33:29.500
 or

00:33:29.500 --> 00:33:30.799
 or some

00:33:30.799 --> 00:33:31.359
 kind of

00:33:31.359 --> 00:33:32.039
 immune

00:33:32.039 --> 00:33:32.399
 issue

00:33:32.399 --> 00:33:33.039
 or Parkinson

00:33:33.039 --> 00:33:33.599
 disease

00:33:33.599 --> 00:33:34.440
 or whatever

00:33:34.440 --> 00:33:34.980
 dementia

00:33:34.980 --> 00:33:35.819
 it's not

00:33:35.819 --> 00:33:36.119
 just that

00:33:36.119 --> 00:33:36.440
 it doesn't

00:33:36.440 --> 00:33:36.919
 exist in

00:33:36.919 --> 00:33:37.099
 heaven

00:33:37.099 --> 00:33:37.859
 we will

00:33:37.859 --> 00:33:38.200
 have no

00:33:38.200 --> 00:33:38.839
 concept of

00:33:38.839 --> 00:33:38.919
 it

00:33:38.919 --> 00:33:39.220
 I don't

00:33:39.220 --> 00:33:39.500
 know

00:33:39.500 --> 00:33:41.099
 but certainly

00:33:41.099 --> 00:33:41.960
 every aspect

00:33:41.960 --> 00:33:42.279
 of the

00:33:42.279 --> 00:33:42.640
 resurrection

00:33:42.640 --> 00:33:43.259
 will touch

00:33:43.259 --> 00:33:43.619
 us

00:33:43.619 --> 00:33:44.079
 it will

00:33:44.079 --> 00:33:44.720
 also mean

00:33:44.720 --> 00:33:45.339
 that betrayal

00:33:45.339 --> 00:33:46.079
 will not be a

00:33:46.079 --> 00:33:46.740
 thing in the

00:33:46.740 --> 00:33:47.319
 life to come

00:33:47.319 --> 00:33:49.500
 that heartache

00:33:49.500 --> 00:33:50.539
 will not be a

00:33:50.539 --> 00:33:51.259
 thing in the

00:33:51.259 --> 00:33:52.039
 life to come

00:33:52.039 --> 00:33:53.059
 the possibility

00:33:53.059 --> 00:33:54.640
 of offense

00:33:54.640 --> 00:33:55.859
 will not be a

00:33:55.859 --> 00:33:56.339
 possibility

00:33:56.339 --> 00:33:57.420
 in the life

00:33:57.420 --> 00:33:57.900
 to come

00:33:57.900 --> 00:34:01.500
 and how

00:34:01.500 --> 00:34:01.759
 will this

00:34:01.759 --> 00:34:02.100
 happen

00:34:02.100 --> 00:34:03.680
 look again

00:34:03.680 --> 00:34:04.620
 at the

00:34:04.620 --> 00:34:05.300
 second part

00:34:05.300 --> 00:34:05.640
 of verse

00:34:05.640 --> 00:34:06.019
 21

00:34:06.019 --> 00:34:06.420
 by the

00:34:06.420 --> 00:34:06.880
 power

00:34:06.880 --> 00:34:08.360
 that enables

00:34:08.360 --> 00:34:08.700
 him

00:34:08.700 --> 00:34:09.000
 that is

00:34:09.000 --> 00:34:09.320
 Christ

00:34:09.320 --> 00:34:09.900
 even to

00:34:09.900 --> 00:34:10.260
 subject

00:34:10.260 --> 00:34:10.860
 all things

00:34:10.860 --> 00:34:11.420
 to himself

00:34:11.420 --> 00:34:12.240
 this means

00:34:12.240 --> 00:34:12.680
 that the

00:34:12.680 --> 00:34:13.360
 heavenly power

00:34:13.360 --> 00:34:13.920
 of God

00:34:13.920 --> 00:34:14.380
 who raised

00:34:14.380 --> 00:34:14.880
 Jesus from

00:34:14.880 --> 00:34:15.320
 the dead

00:34:15.320 --> 00:34:17.380
 Jesus ascending

00:34:17.380 --> 00:34:18.180
 into heaven

00:34:18.180 --> 00:34:19.660
 sitting at the

00:34:19.660 --> 00:34:20.200
 right hand

00:34:20.200 --> 00:34:21.420
 of God

00:34:21.420 --> 00:34:22.300
 where everything

00:34:22.300 --> 00:34:22.920
 will be subject

00:34:22.920 --> 00:34:23.460
 to him

00:34:23.460 --> 00:34:24.460
 that power

00:34:24.460 --> 00:34:25.400
 is the very

00:34:25.400 --> 00:34:26.200
 same power

00:34:26.200 --> 00:34:26.940
 that will

00:34:26.940 --> 00:34:27.720
 infuse

00:34:27.719 --> 00:34:28.379
 and touch

00:34:28.379 --> 00:34:29.299
 and transform

00:34:29.299 --> 00:34:30.139
 our bodies

00:34:30.139 --> 00:34:30.759
 into something

00:34:30.759 --> 00:34:31.279
 that we can

00:34:31.279 --> 00:34:33.500
 we can only

00:34:33.500 --> 00:34:34.259
 hope to get

00:34:34.259 --> 00:34:35.899
 a little

00:34:35.899 --> 00:34:36.719
 sliver of a

00:34:36.719 --> 00:34:37.299
 glimpse of

00:34:37.299 --> 00:34:42.359
 through Christ

00:34:42.359 --> 00:34:42.759
 Jesus

00:34:42.759 --> 00:34:44.579
 we will be

00:34:44.579 --> 00:34:45.379
 100%

00:34:45.379 --> 00:34:45.919
 outfitted

00:34:45.919 --> 00:34:47.519
 for eternity

00:34:47.519 --> 00:34:47.980
 with him

00:34:47.980 --> 00:34:49.739
 it's really

00:34:49.739 --> 00:34:50.259
 good news

00:34:50.259 --> 00:34:51.459
 wonderful news

00:34:51.459 --> 00:34:52.299
 in fact it's

00:34:52.299 --> 00:34:53.019
 great news

00:34:53.019 --> 00:34:55.119
 but here we are

00:34:55.119 --> 00:34:55.959
 citizens of

00:34:55.959 --> 00:34:56.219
 heaven

00:34:56.219 --> 00:34:57.480
 but we're still

00:34:57.480 --> 00:34:58.659
 here on earth

00:34:58.659 --> 00:34:59.920
 with all the

00:34:59.920 --> 00:35:00.280
 struggles

00:35:00.280 --> 00:35:01.079
 with all

00:35:01.079 --> 00:35:01.699
 of the

00:35:01.699 --> 00:35:02.340
 influencers

00:35:02.340 --> 00:35:03.079
 with all

00:35:03.079 --> 00:35:03.860
 of those

00:35:03.860 --> 00:35:04.240
 that would

00:35:04.240 --> 00:35:05.400
 would speak

00:35:05.400 --> 00:35:07.179
 sweet words

00:35:07.179 --> 00:35:07.639
 of life

00:35:07.639 --> 00:35:08.179
 that are really

00:35:08.179 --> 00:35:09.219
 horrendous

00:35:09.219 --> 00:35:09.860
 words of death

00:35:09.860 --> 00:35:10.659
 they are still

00:35:10.659 --> 00:35:11.480
 whispering in

00:35:11.480 --> 00:35:12.079
 our ear

00:35:12.079 --> 00:35:13.159
 our hearts

00:35:13.159 --> 00:35:13.860
 are divided

00:35:13.860 --> 00:35:15.420
 how can we

00:35:15.420 --> 00:35:16.320
 then keep

00:35:16.320 --> 00:35:16.780
 our gaze

00:35:16.780 --> 00:35:17.340
 upon heavenly

00:35:17.340 --> 00:35:17.740
 things

00:35:17.740 --> 00:35:18.240
 how can we

00:35:18.240 --> 00:35:18.719
 remember that

00:35:18.719 --> 00:35:19.260
 our citizenship

00:35:19.260 --> 00:35:19.900
 is in heaven

00:35:19.900 --> 00:35:21.139
 how can we

00:35:21.139 --> 00:35:22.619
 live anti-fragile

00:35:22.619 --> 00:35:23.740
 spiritually mature

00:35:23.740 --> 00:35:24.440
 lives

00:35:24.440 --> 00:35:25.260
 and leads

00:35:25.260 --> 00:35:25.659
 us to our

00:35:25.659 --> 00:35:26.300
 final point

00:35:26.300 --> 00:35:26.940
 verse 1

00:35:26.940 --> 00:35:28.400
 and verse 4

00:35:28.400 --> 00:35:29.800
 in two weeks

00:35:29.800 --> 00:35:30.519
 we'll return to

00:35:30.519 --> 00:35:31.639
 verses 2 and 3

00:35:31.639 --> 00:35:33.099
 in a bit more

00:35:33.099 --> 00:35:33.539
 detail

00:35:33.539 --> 00:35:34.700
 we'll touch on

00:35:34.700 --> 00:35:36.099
 them briefly

00:35:36.099 --> 00:35:36.720
 but this is what

00:35:36.720 --> 00:35:37.099
 it says

00:35:37.099 --> 00:35:38.300
 this is our

00:35:38.300 --> 00:35:38.860
 third point

00:35:38.860 --> 00:35:39.519
 how to stand

00:35:39.519 --> 00:35:40.240
 we'll read

00:35:40.240 --> 00:35:40.760
 verse 1

00:35:40.760 --> 00:35:41.880
 therefore my

00:35:41.880 --> 00:35:42.420
 brothers and

00:35:42.420 --> 00:35:42.660
 sisters

00:35:42.660 --> 00:35:43.480
 here's that

00:35:43.480 --> 00:35:44.240
 affection kind

00:35:44.240 --> 00:35:44.620
 of oozing

00:35:44.620 --> 00:35:44.940
 out

00:35:44.940 --> 00:35:45.980
 therefore my

00:35:45.980 --> 00:35:46.520
 brothers and

00:35:46.520 --> 00:35:47.280
 sisters whom

00:35:47.280 --> 00:35:48.480
 I love and

00:35:48.480 --> 00:35:49.580
 I long for

00:35:49.580 --> 00:35:51.000
 my joy and

00:35:51.000 --> 00:35:51.700
 crown stand

00:35:51.700 --> 00:35:52.520
 firm thus in

00:35:52.520 --> 00:35:52.920
 the Lord

00:35:52.920 --> 00:35:54.620
 my beloved

00:35:54.620 --> 00:35:56.600
 continues on

00:35:56.600 --> 00:35:57.040
 I entreat

00:35:57.040 --> 00:35:57.840
 Judea and I

00:35:57.840 --> 00:35:58.280
 entreat

00:35:58.280 --> 00:35:59.300
 Syntyche to

00:35:59.300 --> 00:36:00.320
 agree in the

00:36:00.320 --> 00:36:00.560
 Lord

00:36:00.560 --> 00:36:01.920
 yes I ask

00:36:01.920 --> 00:36:02.580
 you also true

00:36:02.580 --> 00:36:03.000
 companion

00:36:03.000 --> 00:36:03.760
 help these

00:36:03.760 --> 00:36:04.260
 women who

00:36:04.260 --> 00:36:05.600
 have labored

00:36:05.600 --> 00:36:06.420
 side by side

00:36:06.420 --> 00:36:06.900
 with me in

00:36:06.900 --> 00:36:07.320
 the gospel

00:36:07.320 --> 00:36:07.920
 together with

00:36:07.920 --> 00:36:08.920
 Clement and

00:36:08.920 --> 00:36:09.400
 the rest of

00:36:09.400 --> 00:36:09.800
 my fellow

00:36:09.800 --> 00:36:10.460
 workers whose

00:36:10.460 --> 00:36:10.740
 names are

00:36:10.739 --> 00:36:11.359
 in the book

00:36:11.359 --> 00:36:12.159
 of life

00:36:12.159 --> 00:36:13.319
 rejoice in

00:36:13.319 --> 00:36:13.639
 the Lord

00:36:13.639 --> 00:36:14.319
 always again

00:36:14.319 --> 00:36:15.279
 I say rejoice

00:36:15.279 --> 00:36:17.379
 listen there's

00:36:17.379 --> 00:36:18.159
 no reason to

00:36:18.159 --> 00:36:19.059
 tell somebody

00:36:19.059 --> 00:36:19.619
 to stand

00:36:19.619 --> 00:36:19.939
 firm

00:36:19.939 --> 00:36:21.739
 if they are

00:36:21.739 --> 00:36:22.239
 secure and

00:36:22.239 --> 00:36:22.539
 rested

00:36:22.539 --> 00:36:23.719
 and they're

00:36:23.719 --> 00:36:25.319
 feeling 100%

00:36:25.319 --> 00:36:25.779
 charged

00:36:25.779 --> 00:36:27.159
 you tell someone

00:36:27.159 --> 00:36:27.879
 to stand firm

00:36:27.879 --> 00:36:28.379
 if they are

00:36:28.379 --> 00:36:28.979
 weary and

00:36:28.979 --> 00:36:29.719
 worn and this

00:36:29.719 --> 00:36:30.319
 is the reality

00:36:30.319 --> 00:36:31.019
 of this life

00:36:31.019 --> 00:36:32.179
 when the tide

00:36:32.179 --> 00:36:32.939
 seems to be

00:36:32.939 --> 00:36:33.739
 against us

00:36:33.739 --> 00:36:35.039
 and the reality

00:36:35.039 --> 00:36:35.699
 for such a

00:36:35.699 --> 00:36:36.000
 heavenly

00:36:36.000 --> 00:36:37.759
 citizenship

00:36:37.759 --> 00:36:39.059
 is that the

00:36:39.059 --> 00:36:39.739
 earthly pull

00:36:39.739 --> 00:36:40.259
 is it's

00:36:40.259 --> 00:36:40.699
 difficult

00:36:40.699 --> 00:36:43.039
 to push

00:36:43.039 --> 00:36:43.500
 against

00:36:43.500 --> 00:36:44.259
 but the

00:36:44.259 --> 00:36:44.679
 call here

00:36:44.679 --> 00:36:44.980
 is to

00:36:44.980 --> 00:36:45.599
 stand firm

00:36:45.599 --> 00:36:46.679
 and specifically

00:36:46.679 --> 00:36:47.659
 in the truth

00:36:47.659 --> 00:36:48.219
 of who Christ

00:36:48.219 --> 00:36:48.599
 is

00:36:48.599 --> 00:36:49.379
 and his

00:36:49.379 --> 00:36:50.099
 victory upon

00:36:50.099 --> 00:36:50.639
 the cross

00:36:50.639 --> 00:36:51.279
 and the power

00:36:51.279 --> 00:36:51.939
 that he gives

00:36:51.939 --> 00:36:53.059
 by his

00:36:53.059 --> 00:36:53.859
 Holy Spirit

00:36:53.859 --> 00:36:55.539
 it will give

00:36:55.539 --> 00:36:56.079
 us the ability

00:36:56.079 --> 00:36:56.779
 to discern

00:36:56.779 --> 00:36:57.279
 right from

00:36:57.279 --> 00:36:57.599
 wrong

00:36:57.599 --> 00:36:59.099
 give us the

00:36:59.099 --> 00:36:59.859
 strength we

00:36:59.859 --> 00:37:00.500
 need to

00:37:00.500 --> 00:37:01.659
 both embrace

00:37:01.659 --> 00:37:02.359
 the gospel

00:37:02.359 --> 00:37:03.099
 every day

00:37:03.099 --> 00:37:04.259
 to imitate

00:37:04.259 --> 00:37:04.859
 others

00:37:04.859 --> 00:37:06.059
 as they are

00:37:06.059 --> 00:37:06.939
 following Christ

00:37:06.940 --> 00:37:07.679
 and to

00:37:07.679 --> 00:37:07.980
 imitate

00:37:07.980 --> 00:37:08.539
 Christ

00:37:08.539 --> 00:37:09.099
 himself

00:37:09.099 --> 00:37:11.059
 and I'll

00:37:11.059 --> 00:37:11.659
 say that

00:37:11.659 --> 00:37:13.019
 there is no

00:37:13.019 --> 00:37:13.639
 promise that

00:37:13.639 --> 00:37:14.099
 life will get

00:37:14.099 --> 00:37:14.559
 easier

00:37:14.559 --> 00:37:15.619
 but what

00:37:15.619 --> 00:37:16.179
 will happen

00:37:16.179 --> 00:37:16.559
 is that

00:37:16.559 --> 00:37:17.000
 things will

00:37:17.000 --> 00:37:17.539
 get put

00:37:17.539 --> 00:37:18.480
 in the right

00:37:18.480 --> 00:37:18.980
 perspective

00:37:18.980 --> 00:37:20.079
 and we will

00:37:20.079 --> 00:37:20.780
 not fear

00:37:20.780 --> 00:37:21.400
 things like

00:37:21.400 --> 00:37:21.659
 we have

00:37:21.659 --> 00:37:22.559
 feared them

00:37:22.559 --> 00:37:22.760
 in the

00:37:22.760 --> 00:37:23.159
 past

00:37:23.159 --> 00:37:24.460
 so case

00:37:24.460 --> 00:37:24.920
 in point

00:37:24.920 --> 00:37:25.260
 and again

00:37:25.260 --> 00:37:25.579
 we're not

00:37:25.579 --> 00:37:25.800
 going to

00:37:25.800 --> 00:37:26.260
 jump into

00:37:26.260 --> 00:37:26.500
 it

00:37:26.500 --> 00:37:27.980
 Paul here

00:37:27.980 --> 00:37:29.039
 he is

00:37:29.039 --> 00:37:29.340
 walking

00:37:29.340 --> 00:37:29.860
 towards

00:37:29.860 --> 00:37:30.260
 this

00:37:30.260 --> 00:37:31.059
 conflict

00:37:31.059 --> 00:37:31.840
 that is

00:37:31.840 --> 00:37:32.200
 happening

00:37:32.200 --> 00:37:33.400
 in Philippi

00:37:33.400 --> 00:37:34.119
 between

00:37:34.119 --> 00:37:35.119
 these two

00:37:35.119 --> 00:37:35.680
 godly

00:37:35.680 --> 00:37:36.059
 women

00:37:36.059 --> 00:37:36.380
 who are

00:37:36.380 --> 00:37:36.660
 leaders

00:37:36.660 --> 00:37:36.960
 in the

00:37:36.960 --> 00:37:37.240
 church

00:37:37.240 --> 00:37:37.800
 he is

00:37:37.800 --> 00:37:38.180
 walking

00:37:38.180 --> 00:37:39.320
 towards

00:37:39.320 --> 00:37:39.559
 the

00:37:39.559 --> 00:37:39.940
 problem

00:37:39.940 --> 00:37:41.440
 because

00:37:41.440 --> 00:37:41.980
 number

00:37:41.980 --> 00:37:42.300
 one

00:37:42.300 --> 00:37:43.280
 he is

00:37:43.280 --> 00:37:43.500
 not

00:37:43.500 --> 00:37:43.680
 going to

00:37:43.680 --> 00:37:44.220
 be

00:37:44.220 --> 00:37:46.019
 shaken

00:37:46.019 --> 00:37:46.559
 in this

00:37:46.559 --> 00:37:47.039
 situation

00:37:47.039 --> 00:37:47.500
 and number

00:37:47.500 --> 00:37:47.800
 two

00:37:47.800 --> 00:37:48.680
 because

00:37:48.680 --> 00:37:49.420
 the

00:37:49.420 --> 00:37:50.220
 transformed

00:37:50.220 --> 00:37:50.780
 life

00:37:50.780 --> 00:37:50.960
 that

00:37:50.960 --> 00:37:51.400
 embraces

00:37:51.400 --> 00:37:52.079
 the gospel

00:37:52.079 --> 00:37:53.280
 will always

00:37:53.280 --> 00:37:53.900
 seek to

00:37:53.900 --> 00:37:54.300
 do what

00:37:54.300 --> 00:37:54.599
 Christ

00:37:54.599 --> 00:37:54.940
 himself

00:37:54.940 --> 00:37:55.280
 does

00:37:55.280 --> 00:37:55.519
 which

00:37:55.519 --> 00:37:55.680
 is

00:37:55.680 --> 00:37:55.860
 to

00:37:55.860 --> 00:37:56.160
 heal

00:37:56.160 --> 00:37:56.360
 and

00:37:56.360 --> 00:37:56.460
 to

00:37:56.460 --> 00:37:56.900
 restore

00:37:56.900 --> 00:37:57.139
 and

00:37:57.139 --> 00:37:57.280
 to

00:37:57.280 --> 00:37:57.720
 reconcile

00:37:57.720 --> 00:38:00.720
 and just

00:38:00.720 --> 00:38:01.079
 in case

00:38:01.079 --> 00:38:01.519
 we think

00:38:01.519 --> 00:38:02.160
 that again

00:38:02.160 --> 00:38:03.099
 this is

00:38:03.099 --> 00:38:03.980
 a recipe

00:38:03.980 --> 00:38:04.759
 for a

00:38:04.759 --> 00:38:04.960
 very

00:38:04.960 --> 00:38:05.380
 difficult

00:38:05.380 --> 00:38:05.719
 life

00:38:05.719 --> 00:38:06.000
 that will

00:38:06.000 --> 00:38:06.279
 be

00:38:06.279 --> 00:38:07.299
 full

00:38:07.299 --> 00:38:08.159
 and fraught

00:38:08.159 --> 00:38:08.599
 of

00:38:08.599 --> 00:38:09.259
 with

00:38:09.259 --> 00:38:10.039
 all sorts

00:38:10.039 --> 00:38:10.519
 of

00:38:10.519 --> 00:38:11.659
 headaches

00:38:11.659 --> 00:38:12.500
 and

00:38:12.500 --> 00:38:13.139
 dark

00:38:13.139 --> 00:38:13.619
 clouds

00:38:13.619 --> 00:38:13.900
 that

00:38:13.900 --> 00:38:14.199
 follow

00:38:14.199 --> 00:38:14.380
 us

00:38:14.380 --> 00:38:14.819
 around

00:38:14.819 --> 00:38:16.440
 verse

00:38:16.440 --> 00:38:16.739
 four

00:38:16.739 --> 00:38:17.179
 rejoice

00:38:17.179 --> 00:38:17.519
 in the

00:38:17.519 --> 00:38:17.739
 Lord

00:38:17.739 --> 00:38:18.119
 always

00:38:18.119 --> 00:38:18.519
 again

00:38:18.519 --> 00:38:18.719
 I

00:38:18.719 --> 00:38:18.880
 say

00:38:18.880 --> 00:38:19.259
 rejoice

00:38:19.259 --> 00:38:19.460
 and

00:38:19.460 --> 00:38:19.659
 Paul

00:38:19.659 --> 00:38:20.400
 returns

00:38:20.400 --> 00:38:20.779
 once

00:38:20.779 --> 00:38:21.099
 again

00:38:21.099 --> 00:38:21.920
 to

00:38:21.920 --> 00:38:22.279
 this

00:38:22.279 --> 00:38:23.779
 proclamation

00:38:23.779 --> 00:38:24.239
 that

00:38:24.239 --> 00:38:24.579
 in the

00:38:24.579 --> 00:38:24.980
 gospel

00:38:24.980 --> 00:38:26.019
 there

00:38:26.019 --> 00:38:26.259
 is

00:38:26.259 --> 00:38:26.839
 joy

00:38:26.839 --> 00:38:27.579
 abounding

00:38:27.579 --> 00:38:27.880
 for

00:38:27.880 --> 00:38:28.219
 all

00:38:28.219 --> 00:38:30.759
 let us

00:38:30.759 --> 00:38:31.019
 pray

00:38:31.019 --> 00:38:33.039
 father

00:38:33.039 --> 00:38:33.400
 in heaven

00:38:33.400 --> 00:38:34.380
 thank you

00:38:34.380 --> 00:38:35.679
 for this

00:38:35.679 --> 00:38:36.920
 wonderful

00:38:36.920 --> 00:38:39.219
 of what

00:38:39.219 --> 00:38:39.800
 it means

00:38:39.800 --> 00:38:40.219
 to be

00:38:40.219 --> 00:38:40.719
 spiritually

00:38:40.719 --> 00:38:41.239
 mature

00:38:41.239 --> 00:38:42.780
 to be

00:38:42.780 --> 00:38:44.000
 people that

00:38:44.000 --> 00:38:44.239
 is

00:38:44.239 --> 00:38:45.079
 turning

00:38:45.079 --> 00:38:46.039
 towards a

00:38:46.039 --> 00:38:46.320
 life

00:38:46.320 --> 00:38:47.099
 that is

00:38:47.099 --> 00:38:48.099
 anti-fragile

00:38:48.099 --> 00:38:49.659
 a life that

00:38:49.659 --> 00:38:50.199
 is secure

00:38:50.199 --> 00:38:50.800
 and stable

00:38:50.800 --> 00:38:51.840
 not because

00:38:51.840 --> 00:38:52.239
 of

00:38:52.239 --> 00:38:53.800
 our own

00:38:53.800 --> 00:38:55.320
 willpower

00:38:55.320 --> 00:38:55.900
 not because

00:38:55.900 --> 00:38:56.219
 of our

00:38:56.219 --> 00:38:56.639
 own

00:38:56.639 --> 00:38:57.440
 digging

00:38:57.440 --> 00:38:58.039
 deep

00:38:58.039 --> 00:38:58.840
 but because

00:38:58.840 --> 00:38:59.199
 we have

00:38:59.199 --> 00:38:59.400
 looked

00:38:59.400 --> 00:39:00.019
 outside

00:39:00.019 --> 00:39:00.259
 of

00:39:00.259 --> 00:39:00.739
 ourselves

00:39:00.739 --> 00:39:01.239
 to

00:39:01.239 --> 00:39:01.480
 you

00:39:01.480 --> 00:39:02.559
 and that

00:39:02.559 --> 00:39:02.759
 you

00:39:02.759 --> 00:39:03.119
 give

00:39:03.119 --> 00:39:03.659
 liberally

00:39:03.659 --> 00:39:04.519
 you

00:39:04.519 --> 00:39:04.800
 give

00:39:04.800 --> 00:39:05.360
 generously

00:39:05.360 --> 00:39:06.679
 and

00:39:06.679 --> 00:39:07.039
 Lord

00:39:07.039 --> 00:39:07.179
 we

00:39:07.179 --> 00:39:07.440
 thank

00:39:07.440 --> 00:39:07.539
 you

00:39:07.539 --> 00:39:07.699
 for

00:39:07.699 --> 00:39:07.900
 this

00:39:07.900 --> 00:39:08.360
 wonderful

00:39:08.360 --> 00:39:09.079
 truth

00:39:09.079 --> 00:39:09.880
 Lord

00:39:09.880 --> 00:39:10.480
 it is

00:39:10.480 --> 00:39:10.759
 a high

00:39:10.759 --> 00:39:11.139
 calling

00:39:11.139 --> 00:39:11.440
 but we

00:39:11.440 --> 00:39:11.659
 ask

00:39:11.659 --> 00:39:11.900
 for your

00:39:11.900 --> 00:39:12.179
 help

00:39:12.179 --> 00:39:13.019
 as a

00:39:13.019 --> 00:39:13.440
 community

00:39:13.440 --> 00:39:13.880
 of

00:39:13.880 --> 00:39:14.900
 Christians

00:39:14.900 --> 00:39:15.380
 as

00:39:15.380 --> 00:39:15.800
 this

00:39:15.800 --> 00:39:16.179
 church

00:39:16.179 --> 00:39:17.019
 help

00:39:17.019 --> 00:39:17.460
 us

00:39:17.460 --> 00:39:18.219
 to

00:39:18.219 --> 00:39:20.039
 strive

00:39:20.039 --> 00:39:20.460
 to have

00:39:20.460 --> 00:39:20.679
 this

00:39:20.679 --> 00:39:21.059
 same

00:39:21.059 --> 00:39:21.400
 mind

00:39:21.400 --> 00:39:21.820
 together

00:39:21.820 --> 00:39:22.599
 that

00:39:22.599 --> 00:39:22.759
 we

00:39:22.759 --> 00:39:22.940
 would

00:39:22.940 --> 00:39:23.599
 embrace

00:39:23.599 --> 00:39:23.800
 the

00:39:23.800 --> 00:39:24.139
 gospel

00:39:24.139 --> 00:39:24.539
 together

00:39:24.539 --> 00:39:25.480
 and look

00:39:25.480 --> 00:39:25.940
 to bless

00:39:25.940 --> 00:39:26.159
 one

00:39:26.159 --> 00:39:26.460
 another

00:39:26.460 --> 00:39:27.039
 and to

00:39:27.039 --> 00:39:27.239
 seek

00:39:27.239 --> 00:39:27.579
 blessing

00:39:27.579 --> 00:39:27.779
 from

00:39:27.779 --> 00:39:28.079
 others

00:39:28.079 --> 00:39:29.219
 Lord

00:39:29.219 --> 00:39:29.420
 we

00:39:29.420 --> 00:39:29.679
 ask

00:39:29.679 --> 00:39:29.860
 that

00:39:29.860 --> 00:39:30.179
 you

00:39:30.179 --> 00:39:31.139
 bless

00:39:31.139 --> 00:39:31.340
 us

00:39:31.340 --> 00:39:31.539
 even

00:39:31.539 --> 00:39:31.840
 now

00:39:31.840 --> 00:39:32.440
 and

00:39:32.440 --> 00:39:32.679
 bless

00:39:32.679 --> 00:39:32.860
 the

00:39:32.860 --> 00:39:33.179
 remainder

00:39:33.179 --> 00:39:33.360
 of

00:39:33.360 --> 00:39:33.480
 our

00:39:33.480 --> 00:39:33.799
 service

00:39:33.799 --> 00:39:34.039
 and we

00:39:34.039 --> 00:39:34.199
 pray

00:39:34.199 --> 00:39:34.420
 this

00:39:34.420 --> 00:39:34.539
 in

00:39:34.539 --> 00:39:34.900
 Christ's

00:39:34.900 --> 00:39:35.039
 mighty

00:39:35.039 --> 00:39:35.299
 name

00:39:35.299 --> 00:39:36.319
 Amen