WEBVTT

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 It's only a lot.

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 I've eaten more than my fair share of turnip cake and chestnut cake and everything else,

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 enough to cause a heart attack.

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 So I hope you guys have also had a great New Year.

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 And I like New Year because if you've broken your New Year's resolutions from the first New Year,

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 you've now got another chance.

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 So it's good.

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 But we've been going through a series in God's story, Our Story.

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 And we're coming to the point where we're going to look at the law.

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 Now, when I was younger, my parents used to give me, well, they thought Sunday was a special day.

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 And they wanted to be different from other days.

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 And so what they did, they made a rule that on Sundays, you are not allowed to watch television.

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 And so the problem with this rule was that all the best televised football games were on Sunday.

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 And this caused some kind of crisis in conscience for me because sometimes in the evenings,

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 my parents would go out and I would be left at home and there would be an amazing game on TV.

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 And at that point, obedience didn't seem particularly attractive.

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 So what I would do was I would draw the curtains and I would turn on the TV, turn the sound down.

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 And every few minutes, whenever I heard a car coming past, I'd kind of quickly look out of the curtains just to see that my parents weren't there.

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 This went on for year after year.

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 And I'm hoping my parents don't listen to this because I haven't even confessed to this day.

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 So please, if you ever meet them, don't tell them about this.

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 But I thought that obedience for me was a meaningless way to spoil my fun.

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 Because football seemed far more attractive than obeying my parents.

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 And I think that many of us can see obedience a bit like I did with my parents.

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 You know, it's a way to spoil my fun.

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 After all, even if I disobey, God will forgive me.

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 So it's okay, isn't it, to just disobey a little bit.

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 You know, it's not that bad.

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 Otherwise, we might sometimes think about obedience or religion in an opposite way.

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 If I do keep the rules, if I do obey my parents, then they'll be pleased with me.

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 And maybe they won't come and punish me.

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 I'll avoid the consequences.

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 And God becomes a bit like a parent who's always looking over your shoulder, ready to sneak up on you,

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 just when you're not expecting, catching you in the act.

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 And then they're going to come down hard on you.

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 Those are two ways, I think, we often think about obedience.

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 But we're going to look at how the Bible deals with it.

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 And we're going to see the Bible deals with obedience in a very different way from both of those two ways.

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 So let's kind of recap some of the story we've been looking at so far.

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 And on your bulletin, you'll also see there's some little icons at the bottom.

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 Those are just reminders for you of where we've gone to in the story.

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 So the recap is, if you look at the first icon, you see that God is the king over all of creation.

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 And he makes this incredibly beautiful world and a garden which he places humans in where they're to satisfy every longing, every desire.

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 And the thing that they need to do is just trust God, obey his word, and everything goes well with them.

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 And God gives them a command to go out and to fill the world and multiply.

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 Then what happens is people decide, actually, we don't really want to obey you, God.

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 Actually, it looks more attractive to kind of make ourselves the one who decide what we're going to do.

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 So we're going to disobey.

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 We're going to decide that we're going to run our world the way we want to run it.

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 We're going to center life around ourselves.

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 And the problem is, things begin to break apart.

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 The relationship with God breaks apart.

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 The relationship with each other breaks apart.

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 People, shame comes in.

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 Fear comes in.

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 Hatred comes in.

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 Murder comes in.

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 Arrogance, where people start trying to make themselves great, comes in.

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 And it's devastating.

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 They're no longer concerned about looking outward.

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 They're only concerned about making themselves secure and looking inward on themselves.

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 And just as you get to the point of the Tower of Babel, where people are trying to make themselves great,

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 everything seems to be right at rock bottom.

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 Then God comes along, and he makes a promise to a man called Abraham, and he says,

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 I will make you great.

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 I'm going to promise you three things.

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 Three amazing things.

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 I'm going to give you a land.

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 I'm going to give you a people.

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 I'm going to give you a blessing, which is going to go out to the whole of the world.

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 Because I'm going to recreate what your original purpose as human beings was.

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 And you're going to be my people.

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 And we saw last week how God had begun this process of multiplying these people in Egypt.

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 They were in slavery.

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 And God brought them out and saved them through sacrifice, through the blood of a lamb on the doorposts.

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 And he brought them out, and he took them through to a mountain.

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 And that's where we come today, to a mountain to give his law to people.

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 And we're going to think about this idea of law in just three stages, really.

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 A distinctive relationship.

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 A distinctive people.

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 A distinctive savior.

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 Okay?

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 Distinctive relationship.

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 Distinctive people.

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 Distinctive savior.

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 So let's think about distinctive relationship.

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 When God brings his people out of Egypt, he brings them to this mountain.

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 And what he's doing, he's bringing them into a kind of marriage ceremony.

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 It's what's called a covenant.

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 It's a formal relationship between two parties, two people of commitment and responsibility.

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 This whole thing that we're reading is like a big marriage that God is doing.

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 And if you notice what God says, first of all.

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 He says, and you can look in chapter, verse 4.

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 You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians.

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 How I bore you on eagles' wings.

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 And I brought you to myself.

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 Now, therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you will be my treasured possession.

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 You will be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.

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 Now, did you notice what God said?

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 What's the first thing he says?

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 Does he say, okay, now you've got to obey me?

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 Okay?

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 Is that the first thing he says?

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 He says, if you've met my standard, if you've lived well enough, then maybe we can kind of work out some kind of relationship here.

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 He doesn't say that.

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 The first thing he says is, you've seen how I rescued you.

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 You've seen how I've saved you.

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 You've seen how I swooped down like an eagle, and I came and I rescued you.

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 You were slaves.

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 You were suffering.

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 I heard your cry.

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 I snatched you out.

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 I brought you to safety.

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 It's a bit like if you've seen The Hobbit.

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 There's a point in The Hobbit where hobbits are basically cornered into an area.

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 They're chased by orcs, these monsters who are running after them, and they're right on the edge of a cliff.

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 There's no way out.

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 They're backed in.

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 They're helpless.

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 They're powerless.

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 They're just about to be struck down dead when suddenly these eagles swoop in, snatch them out of danger, catch them up, and carry them off to safety.

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 That's what God is saying he's doing here.

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 He has swooped down, taken them away from danger.

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 He has come, and he says, I am a mother eagle who sees my sons, who sees my children.

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 I've swept down.

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 I've carried you to myself.

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 Notice where he was carrying them?

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 He wasn't just carrying them to drop them off somewhere to kind of make it by themselves.

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 He's carrying them to himself, to relationship with him.

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 You see, he takes the initiative.

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 God takes it.

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 You know, do you see?

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 It says he carried them.

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 They didn't walk out.

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 They didn't say, okay, God, we'll walk out.

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 We'll meet you on the other side.

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 They didn't do anything.

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 They didn't run.

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 God carried them.

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 They contributed nothing to their salvation.

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 And from that point, then God says, now obey me.

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 Now obey me.

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 In response to what I have done for you, now obey me.

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 Because the law was never meant to be given so that you could actually get right with God.

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 It was never meant to save you when God gave his law.

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 That's not its purpose, because it can't.

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 The purpose is God saves you by his grace, so you respond in obedience to his law.

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 Think about it.

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 What's the beginning of the Ten Commandments?

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 What's the beginning of the Ten Commandments?

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 Anyone?

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 No one wants to get it wrong.

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 Anyone?

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 Anyone?

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 No.

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 Alfie says, no other gods.

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 No.

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 None of you wanted to look stupid, did you?

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 No.

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 The beginning of the Ten Commandments is, he says, I am the Lord your God, who redeemed and

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 rescued you out of Egypt, out of slavery.

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 That's the beginning of the Ten Commandments.

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 Look what I've done for you.

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 Now here's what you're to do.

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 We get that so wrong.

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 We think God says, here's the commandments, now obey me.

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 He doesn't.

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 He says, I save you first.

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 The commandments and the law is so that you can be free.

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 It's not, I've taken you out of slavery, I don't want you to be left in slavery.

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 I want you to be free in relationship with me.

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 So obedience to God is always a response.

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 And you know with a response, in relationship, good relationships need to be reciprocated.

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 You know, when I started dating Fiona, first of all, you know, you're trying to get to know

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 what each other likes, yeah?

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 And so the first birthday present that I bought Fiona, I think, was a book.

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 A good theological book.

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 Because I like getting books.

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 Now she was thrilled by this.

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 She wasn't.

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 And then later on I decided, maybe I'll try flowers because that seems like a good idea.

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 And I got her some flowers.

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 And actually the response still wasn't overwhelming.

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 And for the next two years, I think, probably pretty much every present that I got, I think

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 I ended up using more than she did.

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 Which is actually a great thing to do if you're guys and you're single and you don't want to

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 feel guilty about getting things for yourself.

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 It's great.

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 Don't take that.

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 But when I finally found a gift that actually she liked and that pleased her, the fact of

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 seeing joy in her face gives me joy and pleasure.

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 That's why God calls us to obey him.

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 That's why God gives us his law.

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 Because the law is there to show you God's heart, God's desires, what he likes, so that

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 you get his heart.

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 So that actually as you obey, his joy becomes your joy.

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 Delighting him is what gives you delight.

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 That's actually the heart of good relationships.

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 That's the heart of love.

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 When actually your happiness is intertwined with the other person's happiness.

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 That's why the law is given.

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 That's why David can say, how I love your law.

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 And we think, man, has he read it?

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 But no, David knew that this law was revealing what his delighted, beloved God liked.

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 And that's where his joy was.

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 And as we obey, we deepen our relationship with God.

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 So let me ask you a question.

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 What is it that God is asking you to obey him in at the moment?

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 Is God come out to you, okay, you've got to forgive that person who's hurt you.

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 Is it you've got to start blessing your boss or your colleagues rather than cursing them?

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 Is it you've got to start reading God's word?

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 I don't know what it is for you.

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 But think about it.

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 How do you think about that command?

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 Does it feel like somehow I felt like with my parents' rules?

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 That it's just some rule to kind of make me spoil my fun?

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 Or, you know, God, don't you know what that person has done to me?

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 Don't you know what they like?

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 Don't you know?

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 It's just unfair.

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 I'm not going to forgive them.

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 I'm not going to bless that person.

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 Because disobedience seems more attractive than obedience.

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 But maybe God is wanting us to say,

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 God, I know it's really hard to forgive this person or to bless this person.

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 But because you love forgiveness, I will forgive.

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 Because you love my boss, I will bless him rather than cursing him.

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 God, help me.

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 I can't do it.

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 But actually, I want to do what pleases you.

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 Because obedience is about love and growing in my relationship with you.

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 Sometimes it feels like duty.

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 But, you know, sometimes you actually do,

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 dutifully do things for people you love.

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 I go shopping with my wife.

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 It's not my joy.

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 But actually, my wife is my joy, so I will go shopping with her.

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 That's why Jesus says,

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 If you love me, you'll obey my commands.

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 Obedience is God's command to grow,

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 and his invitation to grow in relationship with him.

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 So that's the distinctive relationship that God is calling them into.

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 But this distinctive relationship is then meant to shape and create a distinctive people.

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 Amidst all the other nations, they were to be distinctive.

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 Look in verse 5, it says,

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 As a result of this, they will become God's treasured possession amongst all people.

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 This is just a beautiful, beautiful image.

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 God, even though the whole world belongs to him,

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 he wants to take this people as his beloved,

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 as his treasured, precious love.

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 God, even though the whole world belongs to him,

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 it was looking a complete wreck.

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 My dad was about to throw it out.

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 My mom came there to him,

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 and I tell you, he was not going to throw away that cart.

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 Because that cart was precious to her.

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 My dad had to take it all the way to the new flat, new house they were moving into,

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 even though it was driving him crazy.

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 Because that cart was so precious,

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 she would not let it be thrown away.

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 That's what God is saying here.

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 My people, I want to make you so precious.

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 Out of everything that I own,

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 and I own everything,

00:16:43.719 --> 00:16:47.639
 you will be for me that precious one that I'll never throw away.

00:16:47.639 --> 00:16:55.779
 That means you're secure in my affection and my love for you.

00:16:56.559 --> 00:16:57.639
 Isn't that amazing?

00:16:58.059 --> 00:17:03.659
 That actually to be a distinctive people is to be a secure people in his love.

00:17:03.659 --> 00:17:07.359
 But there's another image.

00:17:07.740 --> 00:17:09.139
 Not just treasured possession.

00:17:09.680 --> 00:17:12.740
 You'll also be distinctive because of who you represent.

00:17:13.099 --> 00:17:16.200
 You'll be for me a kingdom of priests.

00:17:17.180 --> 00:17:21.359
 And the image here is of a whole nation where everybody is a priest.

00:17:21.619 --> 00:17:25.180
 And the priests were the people who could walk right into God's presence,

00:17:25.539 --> 00:17:28.779
 who had access which was forbidden to everybody else.

00:17:28.779 --> 00:17:30.220
 They could come right in.

00:17:31.839 --> 00:17:35.279
 And it wasn't just that they had this intimate relationship

00:17:35.279 --> 00:17:38.119
 where they could know God in a way that no others could.

00:17:38.519 --> 00:17:40.799
 But it was also that they were to go out

00:17:40.799 --> 00:17:43.440
 and to teach everybody else what God was like.

00:17:44.720 --> 00:17:45.539
 And so,

00:17:46.099 --> 00:17:49.019
 if everybody was to be a priest,

00:17:49.200 --> 00:17:51.359
 if this community was to be priestly,

00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:56.059
 it meant that they were to show through their life

00:17:56.059 --> 00:17:58.819
 the way what God was like to everybody else.

00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:03.000
 You know, like moths to a light,

00:18:03.899 --> 00:18:05.679
 like cockroaches to my flat,

00:18:06.099 --> 00:18:09.139
 like Hong Kongers to an investment opportunity.

00:18:09.479 --> 00:18:13.799
 Their life was meant to attract people from outside

00:18:13.799 --> 00:18:19.179
 to come to know the God who was their God.

00:18:19.180 --> 00:18:21.019
 That's why God says,

00:18:21.799 --> 00:18:23.259
 don't have any other images.

00:18:24.480 --> 00:18:26.980
 He says, you know, that's there, second commandment.

00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:29.120
 Don't have any other images, any other idols.

00:18:29.279 --> 00:18:29.600
 Why?

00:18:30.560 --> 00:18:31.620
 Well, in Deuteronomy 4,

00:18:31.779 --> 00:18:33.740
 Moses says this to the people.

00:18:33.860 --> 00:18:34.000
 He says,

00:18:34.299 --> 00:18:38.120
 God has taken you out and brought you out of the iron furnace,

00:18:38.500 --> 00:18:39.580
 out of Egypt,

00:18:39.900 --> 00:18:42.019
 to be a people of his own inheritance.

00:18:43.299 --> 00:18:44.960
 Do you know what the iron furnace was?

00:18:46.120 --> 00:18:48.920
 The iron furnace is where you make idols.

00:18:49.539 --> 00:18:51.759
 Where you make images of the gods.

00:18:53.779 --> 00:18:54.900
 God is saying,

00:18:55.320 --> 00:18:57.360
 I don't want any other idols.

00:18:57.600 --> 00:18:58.920
 I don't want any other images

00:18:58.920 --> 00:19:01.299
 because I already have an image.

00:19:02.420 --> 00:19:04.980
 My people are my image.

00:19:05.660 --> 00:19:07.740
 When people are to see what is your God like,

00:19:07.799 --> 00:19:09.160
 they don't want to look at a little statue.

00:19:09.299 --> 00:19:11.140
 They're to look at your lives

00:19:11.140 --> 00:19:13.120
 as a community and say,

00:19:13.120 --> 00:19:15.080
 that is what our God is like.

00:19:15.079 --> 00:19:17.779
 You see,

00:19:18.460 --> 00:19:22.679
 that's precisely what Genesis 1,

00:19:22.779 --> 00:19:27.000
 where God says he made man in his image,

00:19:27.720 --> 00:19:28.679
 what's to be all about.

00:19:28.859 --> 00:19:30.279
 He's recreating it.

00:19:30.960 --> 00:19:31.480
 And you see,

00:19:32.019 --> 00:19:33.139
 when the church,

00:19:33.899 --> 00:19:35.559
 when we just simply copy

00:19:35.559 --> 00:19:37.319
 what everybody else is doing around us,

00:19:37.319 --> 00:19:39.159
 whether it's in our leadership styles,

00:19:39.259 --> 00:19:40.460
 our marketing strategies,

00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:42.819
 and in our sense of big is beautiful,

00:19:43.059 --> 00:19:43.740
 whatever it is,

00:19:43.759 --> 00:19:44.720
 if we're just doing it

00:19:44.720 --> 00:19:46.259
 because everyone else is doing it,

00:19:47.240 --> 00:19:49.240
 then we may well have gone a long way wrong

00:19:49.240 --> 00:19:51.700
 for what God has called us to be as his church.

00:19:53.099 --> 00:19:55.720
 Because everyone else may do things that way,

00:19:55.720 --> 00:19:59.539
 but everyone else isn't a community

00:19:59.539 --> 00:20:02.200
 which is to image the living God

00:20:02.200 --> 00:20:04.079
 like we are.

00:20:07.319 --> 00:20:10.140
 God's law is to make us his treasured possession

00:20:10.140 --> 00:20:12.160
 secure in him.

00:20:12.279 --> 00:20:13.759
 It's to make us this people

00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:15.400
 who image him to the world.

00:20:15.900 --> 00:20:16.779
 And how are we to do that?

00:20:16.860 --> 00:20:17.299
 We're to be,

00:20:17.420 --> 00:20:18.440
 here's the next image,

00:20:18.819 --> 00:20:20.000
 a holy nation.

00:20:21.000 --> 00:20:22.019
 How do we image him?

00:20:22.360 --> 00:20:23.700
 We are this nation.

00:20:23.819 --> 00:20:24.440
 Now what's a nation?

00:20:24.440 --> 00:20:26.340
 It's a society of people

00:20:26.340 --> 00:20:27.640
 who are gathered and organized

00:20:27.640 --> 00:20:28.400
 under a ruler,

00:20:29.120 --> 00:20:30.000
 under in those times,

00:20:30.080 --> 00:20:30.740
 under a king.

00:20:32.380 --> 00:20:35.360
 And holy means reserved for a special purpose.

00:20:36.519 --> 00:20:38.880
 If I took a diet Coke and said,

00:20:39.400 --> 00:20:42.500
 this Coke is holy to Tobin,

00:20:43.380 --> 00:20:49.500
 that would mean it was reserved for his use,

00:20:49.860 --> 00:20:51.299
 for his enjoyment,

00:20:51.580 --> 00:20:53.519
 for his pleasure only.

00:20:53.519 --> 00:20:55.240
 When God says,

00:20:55.680 --> 00:20:57.019
 you are a holy nation,

00:20:57.099 --> 00:21:01.160
 it means you are reserved for God and his pleasure.

00:21:02.599 --> 00:21:04.599
 That means they would be a people

00:21:04.599 --> 00:21:06.980
 who were distinctive amongst all the other nations,

00:21:07.079 --> 00:21:07.779
 had their gods.

00:21:08.720 --> 00:21:10.359
 And you reflect your gods.

00:21:11.700 --> 00:21:15.700
 But this nation was to reflect Yahweh,

00:21:16.039 --> 00:21:17.460
 the God of Israel.

00:21:18.500 --> 00:21:20.740
 They would be different from everyone else.

00:21:20.740 --> 00:21:21.700
 Now it's,

00:21:22.299 --> 00:21:27.700
 it's no accident that God brings them to a mountain.

00:21:27.839 --> 00:21:29.059
 Mountains are a big theme in the Bible.

00:21:29.920 --> 00:21:30.620
 It's no accident.

00:21:31.319 --> 00:21:33.039
 Because all the nations around,

00:21:33.740 --> 00:21:35.859
 and archaeologists have discovered this,

00:21:36.400 --> 00:21:38.960
 that most of the major cities,

00:21:39.720 --> 00:21:41.099
 the first cities in the world,

00:21:41.160 --> 00:21:43.120
 were built in this area in the Middle East.

00:21:43.119 --> 00:21:48.479
 And you know what cities would be built around?

00:21:49.079 --> 00:21:52.299
 They would center them on a mountain or a hill,

00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:54.159
 where they would put a temple,

00:21:54.500 --> 00:21:55.979
 or they put an altar at the top.

00:21:56.199 --> 00:21:58.639
 And if they didn't have a natural hill or a mountain,

00:21:59.059 --> 00:22:01.759
 then what they would do is they'd man-make one.

00:22:02.159 --> 00:22:05.539
 That's probably what the Tower of Babel was.

00:22:05.539 --> 00:22:07.480
 It's what we sometimes call a ziggurat,

00:22:07.720 --> 00:22:08.119
 something where,

00:22:08.200 --> 00:22:09.139
 if you've seen pictures of them,

00:22:09.180 --> 00:22:10.619
 they're stepped towers.

00:22:12.059 --> 00:22:15.920
 And the idea was that you wanted this at the center,

00:22:16.000 --> 00:22:18.180
 because at the top was a bit like a kind of,

00:22:18.240 --> 00:22:20.480
 a free trade zone between you and God.

00:22:20.599 --> 00:22:20.759
 You know,

00:22:20.799 --> 00:22:21.519
 a bit like the EU,

00:22:21.639 --> 00:22:22.440
 but it might work.

00:22:22.839 --> 00:22:23.039
 Do you know?

00:22:24.119 --> 00:22:24.480
 And,

00:22:24.579 --> 00:22:26.519
 and you would just have to,

00:22:26.599 --> 00:22:29.299
 you would just have to walk up this,

00:22:29.460 --> 00:22:29.539
 and,

00:22:29.740 --> 00:22:30.099
 and you know,

00:22:30.139 --> 00:22:30.579
 it's hot,

00:22:30.659 --> 00:22:32.039
 so you'd be sweating up the steps,

00:22:32.159 --> 00:22:33.119
 carrying your offering.

00:22:33.659 --> 00:22:33.939
 Okay.

00:22:34.379 --> 00:22:35.579
 Here's Patrick the pagan.

00:22:35.839 --> 00:22:36.339
 He's there.

00:22:36.539 --> 00:22:37.339
 He's walking up,

00:22:37.559 --> 00:22:38.419
 carrying his fruit,

00:22:38.719 --> 00:22:39.279
 carrying his,

00:22:39.279 --> 00:22:40.039
 his lamb,

00:22:40.359 --> 00:22:41.039
 carrying his,

00:22:41.339 --> 00:22:42.399
 even his children,

00:22:42.879 --> 00:22:45.079
 as an offering to their gods.

00:22:46.079 --> 00:22:46.500
 And it,

00:22:46.679 --> 00:22:46.859
 what,

00:22:46.959 --> 00:22:49.039
 what Patrick would be doing at this point,

00:22:49.119 --> 00:22:50.059
 maybe with his family,

00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:51.719
 would be,

00:22:51.799 --> 00:22:52.679
 he would be saying,

00:22:53.019 --> 00:22:55.019
 look how hard I've worked for you.

00:22:55.259 --> 00:22:56.859
 Look at the sweat that's on me now.

00:22:56.979 --> 00:22:57.839
 It's all for you.

00:22:58.399 --> 00:23:00.019
 Look at the gifts that I've given you.

00:23:00.019 --> 00:23:01.339
 Look at all the effort I've given.

00:23:01.379 --> 00:23:02.339
 Look at my devotion.

00:23:02.339 --> 00:23:03.720
 Now you need to bless me.

00:23:05.759 --> 00:23:07.899
 And so you'd have this whole community,

00:23:07.899 --> 00:23:10.359
 which was trying to offer these things,

00:23:10.519 --> 00:23:10.740
 showing,

00:23:10.879 --> 00:23:13.679
 working hard to get their God to bless them.

00:23:14.859 --> 00:23:17.019
 It's a bit like if you go down to Wong Tai Sin Temple.

00:23:18.059 --> 00:23:19.379
 Have you seen them at Chinese New Year?

00:23:19.659 --> 00:23:20.639
 You go down there.

00:23:20.819 --> 00:23:21.459
 What do you do?

00:23:21.539 --> 00:23:22.519
 You give your offerings.

00:23:22.679 --> 00:23:23.459
 You give your gifts,

00:23:23.480 --> 00:23:24.379
 because what do you want?

00:23:24.539 --> 00:23:25.439
 I've done my bit.

00:23:25.500 --> 00:23:25.619
 Now,

00:23:25.679 --> 00:23:25.899
 God,

00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:27.959
 can you give me a bit of blessing back?

00:23:27.960 --> 00:23:31.340
 And the reason you would do that

00:23:31.340 --> 00:23:32.799
 was because your God

00:23:32.799 --> 00:23:35.440
 was either a temperamental,

00:23:35.640 --> 00:23:36.539
 angry tyrant

00:23:36.539 --> 00:23:37.680
 who you had to make sure

00:23:37.680 --> 00:23:39.980
 you kept him appeased,

00:23:40.279 --> 00:23:41.559
 because otherwise,

00:23:42.019 --> 00:23:42.279
 you know,

00:23:42.340 --> 00:23:44.120
 he might come and send some evil spirits

00:23:44.120 --> 00:23:46.480
 on your turnic cape or something,

00:23:46.579 --> 00:23:47.259
 or he'd come

00:23:47.259 --> 00:23:49.299
 and he'd do something to your family.

00:23:50.140 --> 00:23:51.640
 So you had to keep him happy.

00:23:52.460 --> 00:23:53.540
 So he's either a tyrant

00:23:53.540 --> 00:23:55.000
 or he's a genie.

00:23:55.380 --> 00:23:55.520
 You know,

00:23:55.600 --> 00:23:56.180
 he's the kind of,

00:23:56.480 --> 00:23:57.500
 you rub him,

00:23:57.560 --> 00:23:59.140
 you manipulate him the right way.

00:23:59.480 --> 00:23:59.759
 You know,

00:23:59.900 --> 00:24:02.100
 you go and you kind of flatter him a bit.

00:24:02.200 --> 00:24:02.320
 You know,

00:24:02.380 --> 00:24:03.860
 you go to the God of the sun

00:24:03.860 --> 00:24:04.440
 and you say,

00:24:04.940 --> 00:24:05.259
 wow,

00:24:05.340 --> 00:24:06.420
 you're looking hot today.

00:24:06.900 --> 00:24:07.000
 And,

00:24:07.259 --> 00:24:08.080
 and,

00:24:08.420 --> 00:24:08.880
 you know,

00:24:09.000 --> 00:24:11.560
 and you do these things

00:24:11.560 --> 00:24:12.780
 because,

00:24:14.060 --> 00:24:15.960
 because if you just manipulate enough,

00:24:16.040 --> 00:24:16.300
 they'll say,

00:24:16.360 --> 00:24:16.500
 oh,

00:24:16.560 --> 00:24:16.780
 wow,

00:24:16.840 --> 00:24:17.600
 what a good person.

00:24:17.660 --> 00:24:18.380
 I'll bless you.

00:24:19.280 --> 00:24:19.460
 See,

00:24:19.500 --> 00:24:20.360
 that's what it's all about.

00:24:21.359 --> 00:24:22.519
 You've got to prove

00:24:22.519 --> 00:24:23.619
 how good you are.

00:24:23.699 --> 00:24:24.740
 You've got to prove

00:24:24.740 --> 00:24:26.500
 yourself,

00:24:26.599 --> 00:24:27.479
 how hard you've worked

00:24:27.479 --> 00:24:28.519
 to get them to bless you.

00:24:29.599 --> 00:24:30.559
 I think that's the way

00:24:30.559 --> 00:24:31.459
 we work in Hong Kong,

00:24:31.819 --> 00:24:32.240
 actually.

00:24:33.219 --> 00:24:33.879
 Think about

00:24:33.879 --> 00:24:37.519
 work,

00:24:37.740 --> 00:24:38.139
 career.

00:24:38.859 --> 00:24:39.899
 A career can be an idol.

00:24:40.799 --> 00:24:41.779
 And what do you do

00:24:41.779 --> 00:24:43.279
 to get and move on

00:24:43.279 --> 00:24:43.919
 in your career?

00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:44.359
 Well,

00:24:44.399 --> 00:24:45.599
 you come with your,

00:24:45.599 --> 00:24:47.459
 your time,

00:24:48.240 --> 00:24:49.119
 your effort,

00:24:49.119 --> 00:24:51.079
 those long overtime hours

00:24:51.079 --> 00:24:52.099
 which you didn't have to work

00:24:52.099 --> 00:24:52.859
 but you were just trying

00:24:52.859 --> 00:24:53.679
 to please your boss.

00:24:53.939 --> 00:24:54.500
 Those social,

00:24:54.719 --> 00:24:55.819
 those meetings outside,

00:24:55.959 --> 00:24:56.739
 those networking things

00:24:56.739 --> 00:24:57.539
 which you never wanted

00:24:57.539 --> 00:24:58.079
 to go to,

00:24:58.319 --> 00:24:59.539
 but you'll come and offer them.

00:24:59.759 --> 00:25:01.159
 You'll laugh at your boss's jokes

00:25:01.159 --> 00:25:02.099
 even though they're terrible

00:25:02.099 --> 00:25:04.139
 just because if you offer them,

00:25:04.699 --> 00:25:05.759
 you hope that you'll get

00:25:05.759 --> 00:25:06.839
 a promotion back.

00:25:08.039 --> 00:25:09.219
 If I give you enough,

00:25:09.279 --> 00:25:10.519
 then you'll give me something back.

00:25:11.939 --> 00:25:12.699
 Or maybe,

00:25:13.699 --> 00:25:15.379
 you've got an idol of comfort.

00:25:15.380 --> 00:25:17.520
 And you know,

00:25:17.560 --> 00:25:18.300
 the idol of comfort

00:25:18.300 --> 00:25:19.740
 we want to just manipulate

00:25:19.740 --> 00:25:22.960
 because you want to be around people

00:25:22.960 --> 00:25:25.780
 who just make you happy.

00:25:26.280 --> 00:25:27.760
 You want about people like you,

00:25:28.080 --> 00:25:29.620
 people you feel comfortable with.

00:25:30.460 --> 00:25:30.960
 And so,

00:25:31.840 --> 00:25:33.080
 you'll give your offering

00:25:33.080 --> 00:25:33.780
 of your time,

00:25:33.860 --> 00:25:34.600
 of your relationship

00:25:34.600 --> 00:25:35.700
 just as long

00:25:35.700 --> 00:25:38.040
 as they give you something back,

00:25:38.420 --> 00:25:40.280
 as they kind of stroke your ego,

00:25:40.540 --> 00:25:42.200
 as they meet your social needs.

00:25:42.700 --> 00:25:44.360
 But if you happen to be with somebody,

00:25:44.359 --> 00:25:45.619
 maybe in your community group,

00:25:45.859 --> 00:25:47.219
 who just talks too much,

00:25:47.679 --> 00:25:48.740
 who's just not like you,

00:25:48.839 --> 00:25:50.759
 who is just a little bit annoying sometimes,

00:25:52.459 --> 00:25:55.139
 then we'll be right out of there.

00:25:55.379 --> 00:25:56.799
 We'll be maybe gossiping about,

00:25:56.859 --> 00:25:58.019
 we'll smile to them in their face,

00:25:58.079 --> 00:25:59.639
 but then we'll gossip about them afterwards.

00:26:00.259 --> 00:26:00.740
 Because,

00:26:01.740 --> 00:26:02.439
 well,

00:26:02.679 --> 00:26:04.859
 you're not working my manipulation game.

00:26:06.399 --> 00:26:06.879
 And

00:26:06.879 --> 00:26:09.319
 that's not the way

00:26:09.319 --> 00:26:10.159
 my

00:26:10.159 --> 00:26:12.039
 religion works.

00:26:12.039 --> 00:26:16.839
 much of Hong Kong society,

00:26:17.039 --> 00:26:17.700
 much of life

00:26:17.700 --> 00:26:19.339
 is based around those principles.

00:26:20.339 --> 00:26:21.299
 You scratch my back,

00:26:21.339 --> 00:26:22.180
 I'll scratch yours.

00:26:23.039 --> 00:26:23.819
 But God

00:26:23.819 --> 00:26:25.159
 comes to a mountain

00:26:25.159 --> 00:26:27.619
 to his people.

00:26:28.359 --> 00:26:28.639
 He says,

00:26:28.720 --> 00:26:29.639
 I'm making you a nation,

00:26:29.799 --> 00:26:30.519
 but you know what?

00:26:31.079 --> 00:26:32.759
 I'm neither a tyrant

00:26:32.759 --> 00:26:34.379
 that you have to appease,

00:26:34.639 --> 00:26:35.779
 nor am I

00:26:35.779 --> 00:26:36.680
 a genie

00:26:36.680 --> 00:26:37.879
 that you have to manipulate.

00:26:38.880 --> 00:26:39.560
 I'm the one

00:26:39.560 --> 00:26:40.300
 who swooped down

00:26:40.300 --> 00:26:41.200
 on eagle's wings

00:26:41.200 --> 00:26:42.740
 to draw you to myself.

00:26:43.760 --> 00:26:45.040
 You don't have to say,

00:26:45.260 --> 00:26:46.100
 man,

00:26:46.140 --> 00:26:47.040
 I've had a hard week,

00:26:47.140 --> 00:26:48.340
 maybe I've done something wrong,

00:26:48.440 --> 00:26:49.740
 maybe God's angry at me.

00:26:49.960 --> 00:26:51.420
 You don't have to live with that

00:26:51.420 --> 00:26:52.580
 because you

00:26:52.580 --> 00:26:53.600
 have

00:26:53.600 --> 00:26:55.100
 a God of grace

00:26:55.100 --> 00:26:57.240
 who's taken the initiative

00:26:57.240 --> 00:26:58.460
 to come

00:26:58.460 --> 00:26:59.360
 to be

00:26:59.360 --> 00:27:00.860
 our God,

00:27:01.060 --> 00:27:02.000
 our love.

00:27:02.360 --> 00:27:03.100
 His grace

00:27:03.100 --> 00:27:03.860
 is about,

00:27:04.320 --> 00:27:05.040
 is the center

00:27:05.040 --> 00:27:05.880
 of our community life.

00:27:05.880 --> 00:27:08.200
 That's distinctive.

00:27:11.440 --> 00:27:12.080
 Now,

00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:15.260
 to be a distinctive nation,

00:27:16.040 --> 00:27:17.180
 he then gives his law.

00:27:18.440 --> 00:27:19.420
 And in his law,

00:27:19.960 --> 00:27:20.660
 he gives

00:27:20.660 --> 00:27:22.060
 commandments.

00:27:24.140 --> 00:27:25.080
 But the commandments,

00:27:25.360 --> 00:27:26.300
 you can categorize

00:27:26.300 --> 00:27:27.220
 in two things.

00:27:27.980 --> 00:27:28.580
 The law

00:27:28.580 --> 00:27:29.700
 is to help you

00:27:29.700 --> 00:27:30.660
 to have boundaries

00:27:30.660 --> 00:27:32.880
 to be a holy nation.

00:27:32.880 --> 00:27:35.420
 But there's two things

00:27:35.420 --> 00:27:35.960
 that these laws

00:27:35.960 --> 00:27:36.880
 are really all about.

00:27:37.820 --> 00:27:38.840
 They're all about

00:27:38.840 --> 00:27:40.580
 love God,

00:27:41.140 --> 00:27:41.920
 love other people.

00:27:42.580 --> 00:27:43.840
 That's what this community,

00:27:44.200 --> 00:27:44.960
 that's what God's people

00:27:44.960 --> 00:27:46.040
 should be characterized with.

00:27:46.280 --> 00:27:46.520
 That's what,

00:27:46.580 --> 00:27:46.700
 I mean,

00:27:46.740 --> 00:27:47.360
 Jesus says that.

00:27:47.560 --> 00:27:48.120
 You can summarize

00:27:48.120 --> 00:27:48.940
 all the commandments

00:27:48.940 --> 00:27:49.660
 in two things.

00:27:49.980 --> 00:27:50.580
 Love the Lord your God

00:27:50.580 --> 00:27:51.180
 with all your heart,

00:27:51.460 --> 00:27:51.660
 soul,

00:27:51.780 --> 00:27:51.940
 mind,

00:27:51.960 --> 00:27:52.420
 and strength,

00:27:52.520 --> 00:27:53.560
 and love your neighbor

00:27:53.560 --> 00:27:54.200
 as yourself.

00:27:54.880 --> 00:27:56.100
 Jesus does a pretty good summary

00:27:56.100 --> 00:27:56.720
 because actually,

00:27:56.820 --> 00:27:57.800
 if you take the Ten Commandments,

00:27:58.060 --> 00:27:58.700
 the first three,

00:27:58.880 --> 00:27:59.680
 four are actually

00:27:59.680 --> 00:28:00.620
 all about love for God.

00:28:00.860 --> 00:28:01.440
 The next six

00:28:01.440 --> 00:28:02.360
 are all about love for neighbor.

00:28:02.359 --> 00:28:05.879
 But the order

00:28:05.879 --> 00:28:06.899
 of the commandments is,

00:28:06.939 --> 00:28:07.279
 and that's why

00:28:07.279 --> 00:28:08.500
 we just had the first one

00:28:08.500 --> 00:28:08.899
 up there.

00:28:09.459 --> 00:28:10.459
 You see the first one?

00:28:10.819 --> 00:28:11.579
 The first one,

00:28:11.679 --> 00:28:12.019
 Alfie,

00:28:12.119 --> 00:28:12.439
 is

00:28:12.439 --> 00:28:15.959
 no other gods.

00:28:17.000 --> 00:28:17.439
 Correct.

00:28:17.679 --> 00:28:18.579
 Give him a round of applause.

00:28:18.779 --> 00:28:19.259
 There you go.

00:28:19.779 --> 00:28:20.219
 There you go.

00:28:20.379 --> 00:28:21.539
 We don't just humiliate

00:28:21.539 --> 00:28:22.539
 Alfie during this time.

00:28:22.599 --> 00:28:22.939
 It's great.

00:28:25.500 --> 00:28:26.799
 All the other commandments

00:28:26.799 --> 00:28:29.019
 flow from this one

00:28:29.019 --> 00:28:30.500
 because if you get

00:28:30.500 --> 00:28:31.299
 this one wrong,

00:28:31.299 --> 00:28:32.299
 everything else

00:28:32.299 --> 00:28:32.960
 falls apart

00:28:32.960 --> 00:28:35.319
 because God's saying,

00:28:35.559 --> 00:28:36.700
 don't put anyone else

00:28:36.700 --> 00:28:37.839
 before me

00:28:37.839 --> 00:28:39.740
 because if you love me first,

00:28:39.799 --> 00:28:40.619
 you'll love other people.

00:28:40.839 --> 00:28:42.099
 If you put anything else

00:28:42.099 --> 00:28:42.799
 before me,

00:28:42.899 --> 00:28:44.019
 you'll actually end up

00:28:44.019 --> 00:28:45.259
 not loving other people.

00:28:45.440 --> 00:28:46.319
 Even if you put

00:28:46.319 --> 00:28:47.079
 your family

00:28:47.079 --> 00:28:47.980
 before me,

00:28:48.559 --> 00:28:49.359
 you'll end up

00:28:49.359 --> 00:28:50.879
 not loving your family

00:28:50.879 --> 00:28:52.059
 as I want you to

00:28:52.059 --> 00:28:52.759
 and you should

00:28:52.759 --> 00:28:53.619
 because

00:28:53.619 --> 00:28:56.039
 you've not put me first.

00:28:56.039 --> 00:28:56.180
 rest.

00:28:57.980 --> 00:28:58.940
 Here's an example.

00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:00.039
 The Sabbath.

00:29:00.559 --> 00:29:01.599
 Fourth commandment.

00:29:02.299 --> 00:29:03.139
 One day in the week

00:29:03.139 --> 00:29:03.960
 for you to rest.

00:29:04.920 --> 00:29:05.420
 Why?

00:29:06.200 --> 00:29:06.619
 Well,

00:29:06.720 --> 00:29:07.579
 there's a number of reasons

00:29:07.579 --> 00:29:08.480
 but

00:29:08.480 --> 00:29:09.980
 one of the reasons is

00:29:09.980 --> 00:29:11.200
 here's a society

00:29:11.200 --> 00:29:13.839
 which is an agricultural society

00:29:13.839 --> 00:29:15.980
 and your whole life

00:29:15.980 --> 00:29:17.599
 is based on your crops growing.

00:29:18.519 --> 00:29:19.779
 So if you

00:29:19.779 --> 00:29:20.759
 for one day

00:29:20.759 --> 00:29:21.480
 stop

00:29:21.480 --> 00:29:22.899
 and don't work,

00:29:23.279 --> 00:29:24.159
 do you know what can happen

00:29:24.159 --> 00:29:24.919
 to your crops?

00:29:25.639 --> 00:29:26.839
 There are things like birds.

00:29:26.980 --> 00:29:27.819
 There are things like insects.

00:29:27.980 --> 00:29:28.699
 There are things like animals

00:29:28.699 --> 00:29:29.720
 which can come in

00:29:29.720 --> 00:29:30.859
 and could devastate

00:29:30.859 --> 00:29:31.919
 your crops in one day

00:29:31.919 --> 00:29:32.359
 if you're not

00:29:32.359 --> 00:29:33.220
 constantly

00:29:33.220 --> 00:29:34.220
 keeping an eye out

00:29:34.220 --> 00:29:34.599
 for them.

00:29:35.459 --> 00:29:35.720
 You know,

00:29:35.779 --> 00:29:37.299
 it's a life or death situation

00:29:37.299 --> 00:29:38.980
 but God comes

00:29:38.980 --> 00:29:39.720
 and he says,

00:29:39.839 --> 00:29:39.879
 no,

00:29:39.880 --> 00:29:40.620
 I want you to rest

00:29:40.620 --> 00:29:41.320
 on one day.

00:29:41.580 --> 00:29:42.940
 I want you to trust me.

00:29:43.580 --> 00:29:44.900
 To trust that I

00:29:44.900 --> 00:29:46.040
 will provide

00:29:46.040 --> 00:29:46.860
 for you.

00:29:47.520 --> 00:29:48.440
 Because I will.

00:29:49.420 --> 00:29:50.600
 You don't have to be

00:29:50.600 --> 00:29:51.520
 a workaholic

00:29:51.520 --> 00:29:52.880
 because you think

00:29:52.880 --> 00:29:53.440
 you've got to

00:29:53.440 --> 00:29:54.300
 provide everything

00:29:54.300 --> 00:29:54.980
 for yourself.

00:29:55.480 --> 00:29:56.240
 Trust me.

00:29:57.480 --> 00:29:58.800
 That's love for God.

00:30:01.260 --> 00:30:02.600
 But the repercussions

00:30:02.600 --> 00:30:03.740
 of that love for God

00:30:03.740 --> 00:30:04.720
 are actually communal.

00:30:05.000 --> 00:30:05.720
 They're society.

00:30:06.180 --> 00:30:06.540
 Because,

00:30:06.920 --> 00:30:07.360
 do you know what

00:30:07.360 --> 00:30:09.060
 it says in that commandment?

00:30:09.059 --> 00:30:09.879
 You know,

00:30:10.740 --> 00:30:12.440
 it says

00:30:12.440 --> 00:30:14.059
 everybody should rest.

00:30:14.980 --> 00:30:15.639
 It says

00:30:15.639 --> 00:30:16.539
 your son,

00:30:16.940 --> 00:30:17.419
 your daughter,

00:30:17.940 --> 00:30:18.440
 it says

00:30:18.440 --> 00:30:19.079
 your servant,

00:30:19.259 --> 00:30:20.279
 your foreign workers,

00:30:20.639 --> 00:30:21.679
 everybody should rest.

00:30:21.759 --> 00:30:22.440
 Because why?

00:30:22.700 --> 00:30:23.480
 Because the community

00:30:23.480 --> 00:30:24.179
 I'm making

00:30:24.179 --> 00:30:24.960
 is one where

00:30:24.960 --> 00:30:26.319
 you don't exploit anybody.

00:30:27.059 --> 00:30:27.879
 Because you

00:30:27.879 --> 00:30:28.740
 don't work them

00:30:28.740 --> 00:30:29.399
 to the bone

00:30:29.399 --> 00:30:30.639
 so they have nothing less.

00:30:30.779 --> 00:30:31.000
 You see,

00:30:31.079 --> 00:30:31.940
 when you love God,

00:30:32.099 --> 00:30:33.200
 you actually start loving

00:30:33.200 --> 00:30:34.740
 and respecting people.

00:30:36.859 --> 00:30:38.440
 Because that's the society

00:30:38.440 --> 00:30:39.820
 where you're not driven

00:30:39.820 --> 00:30:40.840
 by your work.

00:30:41.820 --> 00:30:42.860
 And you're not driven

00:30:42.860 --> 00:30:44.019
 to exploit people.

00:30:46.420 --> 00:30:47.240
 Think about it.

00:30:47.299 --> 00:30:48.299
 How many of us,

00:30:48.960 --> 00:30:49.299
 do you,

00:30:49.380 --> 00:30:50.220
 if you have a helper,

00:30:50.460 --> 00:30:51.519
 do you make them work

00:30:51.519 --> 00:30:52.360
 on their day off?

00:30:52.359 --> 00:30:56.439
 If you work long,

00:30:56.759 --> 00:30:57.619
 busy hours,

00:30:57.839 --> 00:30:59.399
 and then you come home

00:30:59.399 --> 00:30:59.979
 at night,

00:31:00.240 --> 00:31:01.240
 or you come home,

00:31:01.379 --> 00:31:02.539
 and even though you're at home

00:31:02.539 --> 00:31:03.179
 with your family

00:31:03.179 --> 00:31:04.079
 or with your community group,

00:31:04.119 --> 00:31:05.039
 you're still thinking

00:31:05.039 --> 00:31:06.599
 all about work all the time.

00:31:06.679 --> 00:31:07.740
 You're consumed with it.

00:31:08.059 --> 00:31:09.039
 Do you know what will happen?

00:31:10.819 --> 00:31:12.419
 You'll stop loving other people

00:31:12.419 --> 00:31:13.399
 the way you should.

00:31:13.599 --> 00:31:14.919
 Because work has maybe

00:31:14.919 --> 00:31:15.679
 become your idol.

00:31:15.799 --> 00:31:17.179
 Because maybe you haven't

00:31:17.179 --> 00:31:18.279
 trusted God

00:31:18.279 --> 00:31:18.819
 with saying,

00:31:18.819 --> 00:31:19.359
 God,

00:31:19.879 --> 00:31:21.619
 here's what I can do.

00:31:21.819 --> 00:31:23.279
 I give the rest to you.

00:31:24.039 --> 00:31:25.980
 Because when you put God first,

00:31:26.339 --> 00:31:27.439
 not your career,

00:31:27.879 --> 00:31:29.799
 not just getting things done,

00:31:29.859 --> 00:31:30.419
 you see what?

00:31:30.480 --> 00:31:31.740
 You start loving other people.

00:31:32.619 --> 00:31:33.639
 That's the community

00:31:33.639 --> 00:31:35.039
 that we have to have.

00:31:36.799 --> 00:31:37.679
 And this community,

00:31:38.039 --> 00:31:38.279
 you see,

00:31:38.419 --> 00:31:39.220
 these laws are not just

00:31:39.220 --> 00:31:39.939
 about individuals.

00:31:40.119 --> 00:31:40.939
 They're about making us

00:31:40.939 --> 00:31:41.700
 as a people.

00:31:44.819 --> 00:31:46.740
 And you can't be

00:31:46.740 --> 00:31:48.079
 the people of loving people

00:31:48.079 --> 00:31:50.579
 if you're not

00:31:50.579 --> 00:31:51.720
 in deep relationships

00:31:51.720 --> 00:31:52.980
 with others.

00:31:54.160 --> 00:31:54.960
 Because that's the kind

00:31:54.960 --> 00:31:55.559
 of God he is.

00:31:55.640 --> 00:31:56.900
 He wants relationship with us

00:31:56.900 --> 00:31:57.680
 so we have relationship

00:31:57.680 --> 00:31:58.380
 with each other.

00:32:01.740 --> 00:32:04.519
 All of the 613 laws

00:32:04.519 --> 00:32:05.220
 that there are

00:32:05.220 --> 00:32:06.960
 are all about

00:32:06.960 --> 00:32:09.960
 in the areas of sex,

00:32:10.220 --> 00:32:11.039
 in the areas of money,

00:32:11.180 --> 00:32:12.059
 in the areas of property,

00:32:12.259 --> 00:32:13.420
 in the areas of relationships,

00:32:13.680 --> 00:32:14.740
 in the areas of all these things.

00:32:14.799 --> 00:32:15.660
 How do I love God

00:32:15.660 --> 00:32:16.880
 and how do I love other people?

00:32:17.500 --> 00:32:18.400
 That's what it's all about.

00:32:20.080 --> 00:32:20.800
 Because you ought to be

00:32:20.800 --> 00:32:21.540
 a holy nation.

00:32:22.220 --> 00:32:22.960
 You ought to be different

00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:23.759
 from the way

00:32:23.759 --> 00:32:24.779
 everybody else does things

00:32:24.779 --> 00:32:25.240
 because you've got

00:32:25.240 --> 00:32:25.900
 a different God.

00:32:27.540 --> 00:32:28.519
 So let's think about it.

00:32:28.560 --> 00:32:29.100
 In Watermark,

00:32:29.860 --> 00:32:30.860
 if we ought to be

00:32:30.860 --> 00:32:32.220
 a people who are characterized

00:32:32.220 --> 00:32:33.759
 by loving relationships,

00:32:34.000 --> 00:32:34.600
 love for God,

00:32:34.700 --> 00:32:35.420
 love for others,

00:32:36.360 --> 00:32:38.220
 how do we be distinctive?

00:32:39.600 --> 00:32:40.640
 An idol of comfort

00:32:40.640 --> 00:32:41.519
 will tell us

00:32:41.519 --> 00:32:42.980
 just be with the people

00:32:42.980 --> 00:32:43.660
 who are like you.

00:32:43.759 --> 00:32:44.620
 Just be in the community

00:32:44.619 --> 00:32:45.299
 with the people

00:32:45.299 --> 00:32:47.039
 who you like to be with.

00:32:48.500 --> 00:32:49.699
 But being distinctive

00:32:49.699 --> 00:32:51.199
 may be being with people

00:32:51.199 --> 00:32:52.659
 who are not like you.

00:32:53.259 --> 00:32:55.019
 What about if marrieds

00:32:55.019 --> 00:32:56.379
 spent time,

00:32:56.519 --> 00:32:57.500
 invited singles

00:32:57.500 --> 00:32:58.859
 to come for lunch with them?

00:32:59.099 --> 00:32:59.779
 Why don't you go

00:32:59.779 --> 00:33:00.699
 and try to look out

00:33:00.699 --> 00:33:01.599
 for people who are single

00:33:01.599 --> 00:33:02.179
 if you're married

00:33:02.179 --> 00:33:03.119
 and vice versa?

00:33:04.259 --> 00:33:05.359
 That's distinctive.

00:33:06.079 --> 00:33:07.000
 What about if

00:33:07.000 --> 00:33:08.919
 helpers and employers

00:33:08.919 --> 00:33:10.759
 were able to talk together

00:33:10.759 --> 00:33:11.940
 without any sense

00:33:11.940 --> 00:33:12.920
 of inferiority

00:33:12.920 --> 00:33:13.779
 or superiority

00:33:13.779 --> 00:33:15.200
 but just because

00:33:15.200 --> 00:33:16.500
 we're brothers and sisters?

00:33:17.460 --> 00:33:18.420
 That's distinctive.

00:33:18.559 --> 00:33:19.079
 What about if you're

00:33:19.079 --> 00:33:19.779
 an introvert

00:33:19.779 --> 00:33:20.960
 and extroverts

00:33:20.960 --> 00:33:22.339
 and they drive you nuts

00:33:22.339 --> 00:33:23.299
 but actually you're willing

00:33:23.299 --> 00:33:24.440
 to look out for them,

00:33:24.859 --> 00:33:25.779
 these weird people

00:33:25.779 --> 00:33:27.000
 who are totally different

00:33:27.000 --> 00:33:27.759
 because

00:33:27.759 --> 00:33:31.559
 we're a holy nation

00:33:31.559 --> 00:33:32.539
 and we have a God

00:33:32.539 --> 00:33:33.500
 who is like that.

00:33:33.500 --> 00:33:36.039
 We have a God

00:33:36.039 --> 00:33:37.000
 who is like that.

00:33:40.220 --> 00:33:41.119
 It's one of the reasons

00:33:41.119 --> 00:33:42.240
 why we have community groups

00:33:42.240 --> 00:33:43.519
 to help you connect

00:33:43.519 --> 00:33:44.259
 with people

00:33:44.259 --> 00:33:45.339
 so you can learn

00:33:45.339 --> 00:33:46.339
 how to love people

00:33:46.339 --> 00:33:47.980
 because that's what

00:33:47.980 --> 00:33:49.279
 church is about.

00:33:50.339 --> 00:33:51.619
 It's not about coming

00:33:51.619 --> 00:33:52.420
 just on a Sunday

00:33:52.420 --> 00:33:53.220
 and sitting here

00:33:53.220 --> 00:33:54.599
 and feeling like

00:33:54.599 --> 00:33:55.279
 you'd like to sleep

00:33:55.279 --> 00:33:55.920
 for 30 minutes

00:33:55.920 --> 00:33:56.559
 while I'm talking

00:33:56.559 --> 00:33:57.140
 and then going.

00:33:57.460 --> 00:33:58.319
 It's not that.

00:33:58.579 --> 00:34:00.380
 It's about loving relationships.

00:34:00.519 --> 00:34:01.619
 So let me ask you a question.

00:34:01.619 --> 00:34:04.299
 Who in this church

00:34:04.299 --> 00:34:05.639
 would say

00:34:05.639 --> 00:34:08.639
 that they know

00:34:08.639 --> 00:34:09.900
 that they are loved by you?

00:34:12.500 --> 00:34:13.799
 Who in this church

00:34:13.799 --> 00:34:14.239
 would know

00:34:14.239 --> 00:34:15.619
 that they are loved by you?

00:34:15.739 --> 00:34:16.380
 Or if you're from

00:34:16.380 --> 00:34:17.079
 another church,

00:34:17.719 --> 00:34:18.699
 who in that church

00:34:18.699 --> 00:34:19.059
 would know

00:34:19.059 --> 00:34:20.119
 that they are loved by you?

00:34:21.400 --> 00:34:23.159
 Who in this church community

00:34:23.159 --> 00:34:24.480
 is God calling you

00:34:24.480 --> 00:34:25.719
 to love?

00:34:27.079 --> 00:34:28.299
 To take the initiative

00:34:28.299 --> 00:34:29.159
 in the relationships

00:34:29.159 --> 00:34:31.179
 because that's what God does.

00:34:31.619 --> 00:34:32.179
 For us.

00:34:34.559 --> 00:34:36.159
 God calls you to obedience

00:34:36.159 --> 00:34:37.440
 by loving people.

00:34:37.900 --> 00:34:39.159
 It's because he's calling you

00:34:39.159 --> 00:34:40.719
 deeper into relationship

00:34:40.719 --> 00:34:41.179
 with him.

00:34:41.259 --> 00:34:41.799
 You won't grow

00:34:41.799 --> 00:34:42.440
 in your relationship

00:34:42.440 --> 00:34:43.019
 with God

00:34:43.019 --> 00:34:44.400
 if you don't get into

00:34:44.400 --> 00:34:45.199
 deep relationships

00:34:45.199 --> 00:34:45.759
 with people.

00:34:46.599 --> 00:34:47.559
 That's the way it works.

00:34:50.639 --> 00:34:51.339
 So we've looked

00:34:51.339 --> 00:34:53.420
 at a distinctive relationship.

00:34:54.500 --> 00:34:55.460
 Distinctive people

00:34:55.460 --> 00:34:56.279
 which is shaped

00:34:56.279 --> 00:34:57.319
 by that relationship.

00:34:58.159 --> 00:34:59.059
 But if you just got

00:34:59.059 --> 00:34:59.639
 to the point of saying,

00:34:59.739 --> 00:35:00.480
 okay, now I've just got

00:35:00.480 --> 00:35:01.420
 to love a little bit more.

00:35:01.639 --> 00:35:02.240
 I've just got to do

00:35:02.240 --> 00:35:03.139
 a little bit more loving.

00:35:03.559 --> 00:35:04.840
 Well, hold on a minute

00:35:04.840 --> 00:35:06.480
 because there's something else

00:35:06.480 --> 00:35:07.599
 which shapes this community.

00:35:07.760 --> 00:35:09.039
 It's a distinctive saviour.

00:35:10.340 --> 00:35:11.240
 Because if you think

00:35:11.240 --> 00:35:12.639
 that you can actually love

00:35:12.639 --> 00:35:13.179
 the way that God

00:35:13.179 --> 00:35:13.960
 calls you to love,

00:35:14.039 --> 00:35:15.400
 well, the law was written

00:35:15.400 --> 00:35:16.019
 to show you

00:35:16.019 --> 00:35:16.639
 that you can't.

00:35:17.800 --> 00:35:19.179
 Because Moses writes down

00:35:19.179 --> 00:35:20.380
 the laws for all the people.

00:35:20.699 --> 00:35:21.860
 This is in chapter 24.

00:35:23.000 --> 00:35:23.900
 And the final part,

00:35:23.960 --> 00:35:25.059
 this is the marriage ceremony.

00:35:25.240 --> 00:35:26.240
 The final part of this

00:35:26.240 --> 00:35:27.340
 kind of marriage ceremony

00:35:27.340 --> 00:35:27.900
 covenant

00:35:27.900 --> 00:35:29.660
 is the taking of the vows.

00:35:29.780 --> 00:35:30.700
 It's the formal signing

00:35:30.700 --> 00:35:31.380
 of the register.

00:35:31.740 --> 00:35:33.019
 Now, they didn't sign a register.

00:35:33.160 --> 00:35:33.639
 What they did,

00:35:33.780 --> 00:35:34.660
 they had a sacrifice.

00:35:36.180 --> 00:35:37.160
 They would cut

00:35:37.160 --> 00:35:38.900
 an animal in two.

00:35:40.220 --> 00:35:42.099
 But before the cutting

00:35:42.099 --> 00:35:42.639
 of the animal,

00:35:42.760 --> 00:35:43.400
 what happens is

00:35:43.400 --> 00:35:43.920
 Moses says,

00:35:44.000 --> 00:35:45.960
 will you take God

00:35:45.960 --> 00:35:46.980
 to be your husband,

00:35:47.280 --> 00:35:48.099
 to love him,

00:35:48.260 --> 00:35:49.000
 to honor him,

00:35:49.079 --> 00:35:49.780
 to obey him?

00:35:50.079 --> 00:35:51.320
 And what do the people say?

00:35:51.420 --> 00:35:51.980
 They say,

00:35:52.440 --> 00:35:53.220
 we will.

00:35:54.340 --> 00:35:55.599
 We'll do everything

00:35:55.599 --> 00:35:56.900
 that God has said.

00:35:57.019 --> 00:35:57.839
 We'll obey.

00:35:59.279 --> 00:36:00.299
 That's pretty stupid.

00:36:02.019 --> 00:36:02.420
 Because

00:36:02.420 --> 00:36:04.739
 I think

00:36:04.739 --> 00:36:05.440
 if you read

00:36:05.440 --> 00:36:06.440
 the rest of the story,

00:36:06.819 --> 00:36:07.460
 you'll realize

00:36:07.460 --> 00:36:08.259
 why that's pretty stupid.

00:36:08.339 --> 00:36:09.299
 They had too high

00:36:09.299 --> 00:36:10.559
 an estimation of themselves.

00:36:10.940 --> 00:36:11.539
 They thought

00:36:11.539 --> 00:36:12.259
 they could obey

00:36:12.259 --> 00:36:13.420
 perfectly what God

00:36:13.420 --> 00:36:14.059
 had told them to.

00:36:16.860 --> 00:36:17.719
 But you know what?

00:36:19.920 --> 00:36:20.719
 When it came

00:36:20.719 --> 00:36:21.679
 to cutting the animal,

00:36:22.940 --> 00:36:24.139
 and they took the blood,

00:36:24.559 --> 00:36:25.179
 and you see what they did?

00:36:25.179 --> 00:36:26.259
 They threw the blood.

00:36:26.440 --> 00:36:27.319
 Moses threw the blood

00:36:27.319 --> 00:36:27.779
 over them.

00:36:28.960 --> 00:36:29.879
 And so when they would

00:36:29.879 --> 00:36:30.579
 go home,

00:36:30.739 --> 00:36:31.659
 they would still have

00:36:31.659 --> 00:36:32.639
 the blood on them.

00:36:32.699 --> 00:36:33.399
 And what that blood

00:36:33.399 --> 00:36:34.739
 was to say was,

00:36:35.779 --> 00:36:37.139
 may this be,

00:36:37.819 --> 00:36:38.899
 if I disobey

00:36:38.899 --> 00:36:39.960
 this covenant,

00:36:41.199 --> 00:36:42.119
 this relationship,

00:36:42.639 --> 00:36:43.759
 if I disobey,

00:36:44.139 --> 00:36:46.000
 may this be my blood.

00:36:47.379 --> 00:36:49.159
 May I die

00:36:49.159 --> 00:36:50.859
 rather than

00:36:50.859 --> 00:36:52.819
 disobey.

00:36:52.820 --> 00:36:55.580
 Do you know what

00:36:55.580 --> 00:36:56.600
 happens next in the story?

00:36:57.200 --> 00:36:58.200
 It's quite depressing.

00:36:58.660 --> 00:36:58.860
 You know,

00:36:59.000 --> 00:37:00.019
 just a few days later,

00:37:00.019 --> 00:37:00.680
 they've made this

00:37:00.680 --> 00:37:01.440
 amazing marriage

00:37:01.440 --> 00:37:01.720
 covenant,

00:37:01.840 --> 00:37:02.640
 beautiful ceremony,

00:37:03.140 --> 00:37:03.420
 okay,

00:37:03.559 --> 00:37:04.180
 and then

00:37:04.180 --> 00:37:05.660
 a few days later,

00:37:06.620 --> 00:37:07.640
 Moses is up the mountain.

00:37:08.019 --> 00:37:08.700
 They go off,

00:37:08.800 --> 00:37:09.840
 and they build

00:37:09.840 --> 00:37:11.220
 a golden calf.

00:37:11.900 --> 00:37:12.180
 You know,

00:37:12.360 --> 00:37:13.519
 straight after the marriage,

00:37:13.640 --> 00:37:14.360
 and they worship

00:37:14.360 --> 00:37:15.059
 this idol.

00:37:16.660 --> 00:37:17.840
 Straight after the marriage

00:37:17.840 --> 00:37:18.280
 ceremony,

00:37:18.280 --> 00:37:19.420
 they're right in bed

00:37:19.420 --> 00:37:20.120
 with another lover.

00:37:21.600 --> 00:37:23.040
 They've committed adultery

00:37:23.040 --> 00:37:24.800
 within a few days.

00:37:26.900 --> 00:37:28.019
 And do you know what?

00:37:29.500 --> 00:37:30.600
 What's the sentence

00:37:30.600 --> 00:37:31.800
 if you break the covenant?

00:37:34.040 --> 00:37:34.920
 It's death.

00:37:36.200 --> 00:37:38.019
 God institutes sacrifices

00:37:38.019 --> 00:37:39.920
 temporally to kind of

00:37:39.920 --> 00:37:41.380
 keep them

00:37:41.380 --> 00:37:43.820
 from knowing

00:37:43.820 --> 00:37:44.640
 the full force

00:37:44.640 --> 00:37:45.280
 of his anger

00:37:45.280 --> 00:37:46.200
 so that he can

00:37:46.200 --> 00:37:46.740
 live with them.

00:37:46.800 --> 00:37:47.160
 But you know,

00:37:47.240 --> 00:37:48.620
 1,500 years

00:37:48.620 --> 00:37:49.380
 later,

00:37:49.980 --> 00:37:51.460
 God comes down

00:37:51.460 --> 00:37:52.320
 to another mountain.

00:37:53.040 --> 00:37:53.580
 He comes down

00:37:53.580 --> 00:37:54.200
 to a hill

00:37:54.200 --> 00:37:55.800
 outside of Jerusalem.

00:37:56.760 --> 00:37:57.640
 And he comes

00:37:57.640 --> 00:37:59.380
 and he swoops down,

00:37:59.900 --> 00:38:00.760
 but this time

00:38:00.760 --> 00:38:01.840
 he's not carrying

00:38:01.840 --> 00:38:02.519
 his people

00:38:02.519 --> 00:38:03.900
 on eagles' wings.

00:38:04.180 --> 00:38:05.480
 He's carrying them

00:38:05.480 --> 00:38:06.580
 on the palms

00:38:06.580 --> 00:38:07.540
 of his hands,

00:38:08.080 --> 00:38:08.820
 engraved

00:38:08.820 --> 00:38:11.060
 with six-inch nails

00:38:11.060 --> 00:38:11.920
 driven in

00:38:11.920 --> 00:38:14.900
 because he became

00:38:14.900 --> 00:38:15.920
 the sacrifice,

00:38:16.599 --> 00:38:17.340
 the punishment

00:38:17.340 --> 00:38:18.500
 that the people

00:38:18.500 --> 00:38:19.700
 for their adultery

00:38:19.700 --> 00:38:20.480
 deserved.

00:38:21.200 --> 00:38:22.180
 He was the one

00:38:22.180 --> 00:38:23.059
 who came

00:38:23.059 --> 00:38:24.220
 and who took

00:38:24.220 --> 00:38:25.980
 that death sentence.

00:38:27.039 --> 00:38:27.440
 And do you know

00:38:27.440 --> 00:38:27.960
 what he did?

00:38:28.039 --> 00:38:28.559
 He said,

00:38:28.900 --> 00:38:30.400
 at the communion meal,

00:38:31.460 --> 00:38:32.059
 and notice

00:38:32.059 --> 00:38:33.900
 after they do

00:38:33.900 --> 00:38:34.340
 the covenant,

00:38:34.440 --> 00:38:35.159
 they have a meal.

00:38:35.740 --> 00:38:36.860
 Meals are symbols

00:38:36.860 --> 00:38:37.680
 of fellowship,

00:38:37.980 --> 00:38:38.900
 of relationship,

00:38:39.200 --> 00:38:40.059
 of acceptance.

00:38:40.059 --> 00:38:41.079
 And do you know

00:38:41.079 --> 00:38:41.699
 what communion

00:38:41.699 --> 00:38:42.480
 Jesus says

00:38:42.480 --> 00:38:43.320
 at the last supper?

00:38:43.440 --> 00:38:43.820
 He says,

00:38:44.460 --> 00:38:45.799
 this is my blood

00:38:45.799 --> 00:38:48.820
 of the new covenant

00:38:48.820 --> 00:38:51.059
 shed for you

00:38:51.059 --> 00:38:51.759
 for forgiveness

00:38:51.759 --> 00:38:52.779
 of sins.

00:38:54.099 --> 00:38:55.460
 Because we could

00:38:55.460 --> 00:38:56.059
 never keep

00:38:56.059 --> 00:38:56.619
 the covenant

00:38:56.619 --> 00:38:58.159
 by ourselves.

00:38:59.159 --> 00:38:59.940
 What God has

00:38:59.940 --> 00:39:00.860
 called us to be,

00:39:01.059 --> 00:39:02.000
 we cannot be

00:39:02.000 --> 00:39:02.739
 by ourselves.

00:39:03.079 --> 00:39:04.279
 We need

00:39:04.279 --> 00:39:04.980
 a savior.

00:39:05.539 --> 00:39:06.500
 Sometimes I think

00:39:06.500 --> 00:39:07.599
 I forget that.

00:39:08.039 --> 00:39:08.599
 We think,

00:39:08.599 --> 00:39:09.079
 okay,

00:39:09.279 --> 00:39:10.360
 I can obey

00:39:10.360 --> 00:39:10.960
 God fully.

00:39:11.500 --> 00:39:11.719
 No.

00:39:12.000 --> 00:39:12.319
 Do you know

00:39:12.319 --> 00:39:13.179
 why you can't?

00:39:13.519 --> 00:39:14.019
 It's because

00:39:14.019 --> 00:39:15.279
 you need to know

00:39:15.279 --> 00:39:16.099
 that God

00:39:16.099 --> 00:39:17.299
 is your only hope.

00:39:17.779 --> 00:39:18.779
 You need to know

00:39:18.779 --> 00:39:19.900
 that his grace

00:39:19.900 --> 00:39:20.900
 is the only thing

00:39:20.900 --> 00:39:21.319
 which is going

00:39:21.319 --> 00:39:22.159
 to sustain you.

00:39:22.460 --> 00:39:23.179
 It's the only thing

00:39:23.179 --> 00:39:23.519
 which is going

00:39:23.519 --> 00:39:23.980
 to sustain

00:39:23.980 --> 00:39:24.759
 this community.

00:39:25.079 --> 00:39:26.380
 It's the only thing

00:39:26.380 --> 00:39:27.099
 which is going

00:39:27.099 --> 00:39:28.079
 to really make

00:39:28.079 --> 00:39:28.839
 us distinctive

00:39:28.839 --> 00:39:30.900
 in society,

00:39:31.059 --> 00:39:31.980
 in Hong Kong,

00:39:32.079 --> 00:39:34.259
 because loving

00:39:34.259 --> 00:39:37.219
 people is hard work.

00:39:37.500 --> 00:39:38.360
 People are annoying.

00:39:38.599 --> 00:39:40.039
 Do you know

00:39:40.039 --> 00:39:40.199
 that?

00:39:40.219 --> 00:39:40.599
 If you really

00:39:40.599 --> 00:39:41.119
 love someone,

00:39:41.219 --> 00:39:41.839
 people are just

00:39:41.839 --> 00:39:42.699
 like frustrating.

00:39:43.039 --> 00:39:43.579
 They don't answer

00:39:43.579 --> 00:39:44.019
 your emails.

00:39:44.199 --> 00:39:44.920
 They don't reply

00:39:44.920 --> 00:39:45.380
 when you want

00:39:45.380 --> 00:39:45.659
 them to.

00:39:45.819 --> 00:39:46.599
 They say the most

00:39:46.599 --> 00:39:47.759
 inappropriate things.

00:39:49.659 --> 00:39:50.460
 Loving people

00:39:50.460 --> 00:39:51.339
 is hard.

00:39:52.139 --> 00:39:52.759
 And you know

00:39:52.759 --> 00:39:53.579
 what will happen

00:39:53.579 --> 00:39:54.579
 is you'll get

00:39:54.579 --> 00:39:55.000
 to the point

00:39:55.000 --> 00:39:55.519
 where you don't

00:39:55.519 --> 00:39:56.360
 want to love people

00:39:56.360 --> 00:39:57.039
 so you want

00:39:57.039 --> 00:39:57.519
 to withdraw.

00:40:00.139 --> 00:40:01.099
 But you know,

00:40:01.400 --> 00:40:02.139
 when you begin

00:40:02.139 --> 00:40:02.960
 to see actually

00:40:02.960 --> 00:40:03.880
 the lack of love

00:40:03.880 --> 00:40:04.639
 in your heart,

00:40:04.639 --> 00:40:07.279
 you have to run

00:40:07.279 --> 00:40:07.759
 somewhere.

00:40:08.500 --> 00:40:08.980
 You're either

00:40:08.980 --> 00:40:09.339
 going to be

00:40:09.339 --> 00:40:09.859
 trying to run

00:40:09.859 --> 00:40:10.519
 up the mountain

00:40:10.519 --> 00:40:11.859
 like Patrick the

00:40:11.859 --> 00:40:12.199
 pagan,

00:40:12.619 --> 00:40:13.259
 trying to say,

00:40:13.359 --> 00:40:13.739
 okay, God,

00:40:13.779 --> 00:40:14.159
 I've got to do

00:40:14.159 --> 00:40:14.759
 a bit more

00:40:14.759 --> 00:40:15.900
 to please you.

00:40:16.159 --> 00:40:17.039
 Or you're going

00:40:17.039 --> 00:40:17.339
 to say,

00:40:17.379 --> 00:40:18.119
 God, I need,

00:40:18.460 --> 00:40:19.359
 I'm so grateful

00:40:19.359 --> 00:40:20.239
 that on the cross

00:40:20.239 --> 00:40:21.299
 you swooped down

00:40:21.299 --> 00:40:22.319
 and you took

00:40:22.319 --> 00:40:22.900
 the initiative

00:40:22.900 --> 00:40:24.139
 and you have

00:40:24.139 --> 00:40:24.980
 died for me.

00:40:24.980 --> 00:40:27.179
 grace is to

00:40:27.179 --> 00:40:28.019
 characterize all

00:40:28.019 --> 00:40:28.679
 our relationships

00:40:28.679 --> 00:40:29.440
 so that when you

00:40:29.440 --> 00:40:30.300
 know it for yourself,

00:40:30.500 --> 00:40:31.420
 you extend it

00:40:31.420 --> 00:40:32.079
 to that annoying

00:40:32.079 --> 00:40:33.039
 person over there.

00:40:33.940 --> 00:40:34.780
 You extend it

00:40:34.780 --> 00:40:35.340
 to that person

00:40:35.340 --> 00:40:36.039
 in your community

00:40:36.039 --> 00:40:36.880
 group who you

00:40:36.880 --> 00:40:37.539
 want to avoid.

00:40:38.240 --> 00:40:39.159
 You extend it

00:40:39.159 --> 00:40:40.000
 to the introvert

00:40:40.000 --> 00:40:40.699
 that you think

00:40:40.699 --> 00:40:41.699
 you just don't

00:40:41.699 --> 00:40:42.360
 want to hang around

00:40:42.360 --> 00:40:43.260
 or the extrovert

00:40:43.260 --> 00:40:43.940
 who just talks

00:40:43.940 --> 00:40:44.639
 so much.

00:40:45.679 --> 00:40:46.639
 Because grace,

00:40:47.000 --> 00:40:47.740
 Hong Kong doesn't

00:40:47.740 --> 00:40:48.420
 need a perfect

00:40:48.420 --> 00:40:48.880
 people.

00:40:49.579 --> 00:40:50.199
 We're not going

00:40:50.199 --> 00:40:50.800
 to be distinctive

00:40:50.800 --> 00:40:51.740
 by being perfect.

00:40:52.079 --> 00:40:52.400
 We're going

00:40:52.400 --> 00:40:53.179
 to be distinctive

00:40:53.179 --> 00:40:54.900
 by being gracious.

00:40:54.980 --> 00:40:55.820
 and knowing

00:40:55.820 --> 00:40:57.500
 that we are secure

00:40:57.500 --> 00:40:59.099
 because we're

00:40:59.099 --> 00:40:59.599
 his treasured

00:40:59.599 --> 00:41:00.039
 possession.

00:41:00.920 --> 00:41:01.920
 Knowing that we

00:41:01.920 --> 00:41:03.260
 are his image

00:41:03.260 --> 00:41:04.119
 to the world.

00:41:04.940 --> 00:41:05.880
 Knowing that we

00:41:05.880 --> 00:41:08.300
 are his distinct

00:41:08.300 --> 00:41:08.880
 people.

00:41:11.320 --> 00:41:12.659
 That's God's plan

00:41:12.659 --> 00:41:13.400
 for this city.

00:41:13.760 --> 00:41:14.300
 That's God's

00:41:14.300 --> 00:41:15.000
 mission strategy.

00:41:15.260 --> 00:41:15.719
 We are.

00:41:15.800 --> 00:41:16.300
 Not just you

00:41:16.300 --> 00:41:16.940
 as an individual.

00:41:17.480 --> 00:41:18.860
 We as a people.

00:41:20.380 --> 00:41:20.880
 So are you

00:41:20.880 --> 00:41:22.699
 willing to engage

00:41:22.699 --> 00:41:23.539
 in relationships?

00:41:24.119 --> 00:41:24.380
 Are you,

00:41:24.380 --> 00:41:24.920
 who are you

00:41:24.920 --> 00:41:25.400
 going to take

00:41:25.400 --> 00:41:25.940
 the initiative

00:41:25.940 --> 00:41:26.720
 to love

00:41:26.720 --> 00:41:27.599
 in this community?

00:41:29.000 --> 00:41:29.760
 Because God

00:41:29.760 --> 00:41:30.200
 has taken

00:41:30.200 --> 00:41:30.740
 the initiative

00:41:30.740 --> 00:41:32.200
 to bring you

00:41:32.200 --> 00:41:33.039
 into relationship

00:41:33.039 --> 00:41:33.900
 with him.

00:41:34.640 --> 00:41:35.280
 Let's pray.

00:41:35.280 --> 00:41:44.340
 let's just think

00:41:44.340 --> 00:41:44.780
 for a moment.

00:41:47.160 --> 00:41:48.060
 How do I view

00:41:48.060 --> 00:41:48.500
 the people

00:41:48.500 --> 00:41:49.360
 in this church?

00:41:52.360 --> 00:41:53.100
 Who is it

00:41:53.100 --> 00:41:53.560
 that God

00:41:53.560 --> 00:41:54.140
 has called me

00:41:54.140 --> 00:41:54.580
 to love

00:41:54.580 --> 00:41:55.300
 in this church?

00:41:55.900 --> 00:41:56.600
 Even as you

00:41:56.600 --> 00:41:57.000
 go out

00:41:57.000 --> 00:41:57.740
 straight after

00:41:57.740 --> 00:41:59.019
 this,

00:41:59.720 --> 00:42:00.340
 are there people

00:42:00.340 --> 00:42:00.760
 that you can

00:42:00.760 --> 00:42:02.740
 just say hi

00:42:02.739 --> 00:42:02.959
 to?

00:42:04.039 --> 00:42:05.059
 Who has God

00:42:05.059 --> 00:42:05.579
 called me

00:42:05.579 --> 00:42:06.059
 to love?

00:42:07.599 --> 00:42:08.199
 Maybe you

00:42:08.199 --> 00:42:08.859
 need to repent

00:42:08.859 --> 00:42:09.559
 and ask God

00:42:09.559 --> 00:42:10.279
 to forgive you.

00:42:13.459 --> 00:42:14.259
 Maybe you've

00:42:14.259 --> 00:42:16.239
 been thinking

00:42:16.239 --> 00:42:16.599
 that you've

00:42:16.599 --> 00:42:17.139
 got to prove

00:42:17.139 --> 00:42:18.179
 yourself to God.

00:42:21.179 --> 00:42:21.979
 That you've

00:42:21.979 --> 00:42:22.519
 not been good

00:42:22.519 --> 00:42:23.559
 enough for him.

00:42:23.639 --> 00:42:24.199
 That he's waiting

00:42:24.199 --> 00:42:24.939
 there to punish

00:42:24.939 --> 00:42:25.599
 you if you

00:42:25.599 --> 00:42:26.500
 if you just

00:42:26.500 --> 00:42:27.079
 slip up.

00:42:35.000 --> 00:42:35.480
 Father,

00:42:35.599 --> 00:42:36.079
 thank you

00:42:36.079 --> 00:42:38.719
 that this

00:42:38.719 --> 00:42:39.299
 church

00:42:39.299 --> 00:42:40.179
 and the churches

00:42:40.179 --> 00:42:41.000
 all around

00:42:41.000 --> 00:42:41.559
 the world

00:42:41.559 --> 00:42:44.380
 are your

00:42:44.380 --> 00:42:44.839
 delight.

00:42:47.339 --> 00:42:48.139
 I don't know

00:42:48.139 --> 00:42:48.920
 why you delight

00:42:48.920 --> 00:42:49.380
 in us

00:42:49.380 --> 00:42:50.559
 because we're

00:42:50.559 --> 00:42:51.159
 messed up.

00:42:52.179 --> 00:42:53.079
 But you

00:42:53.079 --> 00:42:54.019
 have initiated

00:42:54.019 --> 00:42:55.400
 this relationship

00:42:55.400 --> 00:42:56.059
 with us.

00:42:56.599 --> 00:42:57.000
 You made

00:42:57.000 --> 00:42:57.420
 the first

00:42:57.420 --> 00:42:57.800
 move.

00:42:59.920 --> 00:43:00.579
 I pray

00:43:00.579 --> 00:43:01.000
 that as a

00:43:01.000 --> 00:43:01.500
 people we

00:43:01.500 --> 00:43:02.019
 begin to

00:43:02.019 --> 00:43:02.619
 understand

00:43:02.619 --> 00:43:05.559
 that we

00:43:05.559 --> 00:43:06.320
 cannot save

00:43:06.320 --> 00:43:06.800
 ourselves.

00:43:07.400 --> 00:43:07.760
 We cannot

00:43:07.760 --> 00:43:08.400
 even obey

00:43:08.400 --> 00:43:09.139
 you ourselves.

00:43:09.300 --> 00:43:09.639
 We're like

00:43:09.639 --> 00:43:10.119
 the Israelites.

00:43:11.820 --> 00:43:12.619
 We're quickly

00:43:12.619 --> 00:43:13.240
 in bed with

00:43:13.240 --> 00:43:13.880
 somebody else

00:43:13.880 --> 00:43:14.460
 when we should

00:43:14.460 --> 00:43:15.000
 be having

00:43:15.000 --> 00:43:15.639
 you as our

00:43:15.639 --> 00:43:16.119
 only lover.

00:43:17.980 --> 00:43:18.760
 But help us

00:43:18.760 --> 00:43:19.160
 to see,

00:43:19.400 --> 00:43:19.440
 Lord,

00:43:19.500 --> 00:43:19.940
 what you've

00:43:19.940 --> 00:43:20.360
 called us

00:43:20.360 --> 00:43:20.760
 to be.

00:43:21.420 --> 00:43:22.119
 In this

00:43:22.119 --> 00:43:22.440
 city,

00:43:23.119 --> 00:43:23.840
 in Hong

00:43:23.840 --> 00:43:24.180
 Kong,

00:43:24.360 --> 00:43:24.619
 to the

00:43:24.619 --> 00:43:25.220
 people around

00:43:25.219 --> 00:43:25.659
 us.

00:43:26.439 --> 00:43:26.899
 Help us

00:43:26.899 --> 00:43:27.559
 to love

00:43:27.559 --> 00:43:27.919
 as you

00:43:27.919 --> 00:43:28.299
 love.

00:43:29.279 --> 00:43:29.779
 Show us

00:43:29.779 --> 00:43:30.079
 how we

00:43:30.079 --> 00:43:30.419
 can grow

00:43:30.419 --> 00:43:30.980
 deeper in

00:43:30.980 --> 00:43:31.639
 our relationship

00:43:31.639 --> 00:43:32.199
 with you,

00:43:32.939 --> 00:43:33.419
 to live

00:43:33.419 --> 00:43:33.959
 to delight

00:43:33.959 --> 00:43:34.559
 your heart,

00:43:35.339 --> 00:43:35.939
 to live

00:43:35.939 --> 00:43:36.719
 to please

00:43:36.719 --> 00:43:37.079
 you.

00:43:38.139 --> 00:43:39.039
 Not because

00:43:39.039 --> 00:43:39.500
 we have to

00:43:39.500 --> 00:43:40.179
 earn anything,

00:43:40.359 --> 00:43:40.859
 but because

00:43:40.859 --> 00:43:41.239
 it's our

00:43:41.239 --> 00:43:41.939
 response to

00:43:41.939 --> 00:43:42.719
 your amazing,

00:43:43.219 --> 00:43:44.199
 amazing grace.

00:43:45.579 --> 00:43:46.239
 Thank you,

00:43:46.339 --> 00:43:46.519
 Father.

00:43:47.519 --> 00:43:47.839
 Amen.

00:43:47.839 --> 00:43:47.959
 Amen.

00:43:48.419 --> 00:43:48.919
 Amen.

00:43:48.919 --> 00:43:49.419
 Amen.

00:43:49.419 --> 00:43:49.480
 Amen.

00:43:49.480 --> 00:43:49.539
 Amen.

00:43:49.539 --> 00:43:49.980
 Amen.

00:43:49.980 --> 00:43:50.039
 Amen.

00:43:50.039 --> 00:43:50.480
 Amen.

00:43:50.480 --> 00:43:50.539
 Amen.

00:43:50.539 --> 00:43:50.980
 Amen.

00:43:50.980 --> 00:43:51.480
 Amen.

00:43:51.480 --> 00:43:51.980
 Amen.

00:43:51.980 --> 00:43:52.039
 Amen.

00:43:52.039 --> 00:43:52.079
 Amen.

00:43:52.079 --> 00:43:52.539
 Amen.

00:43:52.539 --> 00:43:53.039
 Amen.

00:43:53.039 --> 00:43:53.980
 Amen.

00:43:53.980 --> 00:43:54.039
 Amen.

00:43:54.039 --> 00:43:54.059
 Amen.

00:43:54.059 --> 00:43:54.079
 Amen.

00:43:54.079 --> 00:43:55.059
 Amen.