WEBVTT

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 My name is Matthew Capone, and I'm the pastor here at Cheyenne Mountain Presbyterian Church,

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 and it's my joy to bring God's Word to you today.

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 If you are new or visiting with us, welcome.

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 We're glad that you're here.

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 And we're glad that you're here not because we are trying to fill seats,

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 but because we are following Jesus together as one community.

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 And as we follow Jesus together, we've become convinced that there's no one so good

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 that they don't need God's grace and His forgiveness,

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 and no one so bad that they can't have it.

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 Which is why we come back week after week to look at God's Word together,

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 because we believe that God, in His Word, has something to say to everyone.

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 If you've been with us, you know we're in the book of 1 Peter,

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 and the book of 1 Peter is a letter.

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 It's a letter written by a man named Peter,

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 and he writes it to Christians who are living in modern-day Turkey in the first century.

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 And these Christians are struggling, and so Peter writes to them

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 because they're feeling out of place in the world because they're Christians.

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 And they're also facing opposition from the world because they're Christians.

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 And Peter writes to instruct them and to encourage them.

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 He's encouraging them that Jesus is worth it.

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 Jesus is worth loving for, and He's worth living for.

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 He's worth dying for, and He's worth suffering for.

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 He also writes them to instruct them that they would know how they should live as Christians in the world,

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 and how they should respond when living as a Christian leads to opposition and suffering.

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 Now, we've been solely, completely in the encouragement section.

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 We've now finished chapter 1, verses 1 through 12,

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 which is all about Peter letting these people know how much God loves them and what He's done for them.

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 This is typical in the Bible that we'll first find out who we are in Christ

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 before we ever hear about anything that God wants us to do or demands of us or commands us.

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 Some people talk about this as the indicative and the imperative.

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 First, we have the indicative.

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 We're told what's true about us.

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 And then the imperative, God tells us what He requires of people who follow Him.

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 And so we are now in the instruction section.

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 We are fully out of the encouragement.

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 We're starting that today with verse 13.

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 And as we come to this, it raises a lot of tricky questions,

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 both for people in the church and people outside of the church.

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 In the church, there's always the tricky question of how do we balance the fact that salvation

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 is absolutely a free gift of God that we cannot merit in any way,

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 and God also requires our obedience to Him.

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 How do we balance, in other words, God's grace and what He requires of us in His law?

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 For those outside of the church, the question is,

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 why is it that Christians are concerned so much with behaving in certain ways?

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 Aren't Christians just a bunch of legalists who think that they're better than other people?

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 Or maybe Christians are just people who are really uptight.

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 And if they would understand the glorious world that's outside there for them,

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 if they would get outside of their shells,

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 then they would be a lot more fun to be with.

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 And so it's with that we're going to dive into 1 Peter 1, starting at verse 13.

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 How do we relate our holiness to our relationship with God?

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 As we come to this, remember that this is God's Word.

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 And God tells us that His Word is more precious than gold, even the finest gold.

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 And it is sweeter than honey, even honey that comes straight from the honeycomb.

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 And that is why we're going to read together, starting at verse 13.

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 Verse 16.

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 Verse 20.

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 I invite you to pray with me as we come to this portion of God's Word.

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 Father in heaven, we thank you again that week after week you speak to us.

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 And we come admitting that we need that.

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 We need your instruction and your guidance.

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 Otherwise, we are helpless like sheep without a shepherd.

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 So we ask for your help now that you would send your Holy Spirit to assist us.

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 That you would clear our minds.

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 That you'd open our eyes.

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 And that you'd unstop our ears.

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 And you'd soften our hearts.

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 That we would know and see and believe and understand everything that is written about you in your Word.

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 We ask these things in Jesus' name.

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 Amen.

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 There was a time when I was in college.

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 This happens with many people who are in college.

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 When my parents came to visit.

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 And this wasn't unusual.

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 It didn't happen all the time.

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 Because I was in college in North Carolina.

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 And my parents were in Maryland.

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 So it was a little bit of a drive.

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 And I think at this point in their visit.

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 I don't know if I'd even met them yet.

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 They'd been on campus.

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 But maybe I was in class.

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 And I ran into one of my classmates.

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 It was a woman who was in the orchestra with me.

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 And she said, I saw your parents on campus.

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 Now, I didn't talk to them.

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 I didn't meet them.

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 I've never seen them before.

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 But I saw your parents on campus.

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 And I know that they were your parents.

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 Because they look just like you.

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 And if you've met my parents, like some of you have.

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 You know that that's true.

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 And there's a hot debate.

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 Because some people will come up to me and say,

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 Man, I met your mom.

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 And you look just like your mom.

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 And then people will come up to me and say,

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 I met your dad.

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 And wow, you look just like your dad.

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 Of course, both of those things can't be true.

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 At the same time,

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 all secrets revealed,

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 all hearts made known,

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 here's the truth.

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 I look 100% like my mom.

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 With one exception,

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 I have my dad's eyes.

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 And eyes are really important, right?

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 They're one of the first things that you see.

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 So people look at my eyes and they think,

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 He looks just like his father.

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 Or they see the rest of me and they think,

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 He looks just like his mother.

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 And of course, I have some of my father's mannerisms, too.

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 Peter is writing to these people.

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 And he is telling them,

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 You need to look like your father.

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 Verse 14.

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 As obedient children,

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 do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance.

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 But as he who called you is holy,

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 you also be holy in all your conduct.

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 Verse 16.

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 Since it is written,

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 You shall be holy, for I am holy.

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 And if you call on him as father.

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 In other words,

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 if what we've talked about

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 in the encouragement part of 1 Peter is true,

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 if God is our father,

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 if he's coming back for us,

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 if he has an inheritance that he's prepared for us,

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 and if he's chosen us and we belong to him,

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 then we should also look like him.

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 As many of you know,

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 I talk about Subarus from time to time.

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 I drive a Subaru.

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 And if you were to ask me why I drive a Subaru,

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 there's many reasons that I could give you.

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 They're safe.

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 They have all-wheel drive.

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 There was that one time that my Subaru was totaled,

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 but I walked out without a scratch.

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 There are good cars in Colorado.

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 Everyone drives them here.

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 And those would all be good reasons.

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 Those are not why I drive a Subaru.

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 I drive a Subaru because in the late 90s,

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 my father read about this new car coming out

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 called the Subaru Forester

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 and how wonderful it was,

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 and he went out and bought one.

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 And then as his son,

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 he raised me to drive Subarus.

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 You could also ask me why I'm a Presbyterian.

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 Now, there's lots of good reasons

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 that I'm a Presbyterian.

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 I believe it's true.

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 I believe that what we believe

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 is what the Bible teaches.

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 I trust our form of church government.

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 I'm also a Presbyterian

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 because my father is a Presbyterian.

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 And he raised me in the Presbyterian church.

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 And so when it comes to Subarus

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 and it comes to Presbyterianism,

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 I could give you lots of reasons for what I do.

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 But at the end of the day,

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 a lot of it has to do with my father.

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 As Christians,

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 why do we put off passions of our former ignorance?

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 Verse 14.

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 Why is it that we don't gossip or slander people?

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 I could give you a lot of reasons.

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 I could tell you that it's not going to help your relationships

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 and at the end it's going to catch up with you.

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 I could tell you that it's not going to be worth it.

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 But the real reason is this.

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 Our Father God is someone who speaks words

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 that are both true and life-giving.

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 And so our words should be true and life-giving as well.

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 You could ask me why it is that Christians

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 take marriage so seriously

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 and discourage divorce so strongly.

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 And I could give you all kinds of reasons.

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 I could say,

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 well, you know,

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 sociological studies show

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 that families are in better shape

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 when certain things happen

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 in certain orders and circumstances.

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 And, you know,

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 it's just there's ways in which this helps society.

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 Maybe those things are true.

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 The reason that we take marriage as a covenant

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 so seriously and discourage divorce so strongly

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 is because our Father God

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 is a covenant-keeping God.

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 And He has a never-stopping,

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 never-giving-up,

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 unbreaking,

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 always-and-forever love

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 for His people.

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 And He does not leave them no matter what.

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 And so we reflect that same kind of love

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 in our relationships to each other.

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 Why is it that we as Christians

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 take our work so seriously?

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 That we want to work as for the Lord?

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 Well, I could give you many reasons.

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 It's really nice to have a paycheck.

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 And it's helpful to have something to do in the morning.

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 And that's true.

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 But the reason that we work

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 is because our Father God

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 is the creator of the heavens and the earth.

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 And He created work

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 and He gave it to us

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 to represent His image in the world.

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 And so that when we work

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 as people in the military

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 and we protect the innocent from the wicked,

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 we are doing the work of God.

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 When you're an artist

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 and you are painting,

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 you are helping reflect

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 God's beauty and His goodness

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 into the world

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 and telling a story that is true.

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 When you're working as a parent,

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 you're reflecting God

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 as a greater parent.

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 We work because we are looking like

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 our Father in heaven.

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 Why do we put off

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 all forms of sexual sin?

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 We could say,

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 well, we think it leads

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 to certain kinds of health

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 and it has, you know,

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 favorable outcomes.

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 But the real reason is

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 if we're Christians

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 because we don't make promises

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 with our bodies

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 that we cannot keep

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 because we serve a God

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 who in His body

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 gave it up on our behalf.

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 And so we use our lives

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 to sacrifice for other people

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 rather than taking advantage of them.

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 We are holy

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 because our Father God

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 is holy.

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 And so our holiness,

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 our obedience after God,

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 it's not a form of legalism.

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 It's not something that we do

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 to prove that we're better

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 than other people.

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 But just like a good child

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 looks like his father,

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 God's people are holy

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 because their God is holy.

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 That's what 1 Peter is saying here.

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 As He who has called you is holy,

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 you also be holy.

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 In other words,

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 look like your Father.

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 Be like your Father.

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 He's chosen you.

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 You belong to Him.

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 And so now look like Him.

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 This is relational language here

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 that He's using.

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 Of course, there's a problem, right?

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 I look like my parents

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 because I'm a biological son.

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 Jesus reflects the Father

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 because He is the Son.

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 That's what He tells us

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 in Matthew 11.

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 If you've seen me,

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 you've seen the Father.

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 We are adopted by God

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 so we don't look like God.

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 We don't reflect His character

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 and His holiness

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 in the ways that He asks of us.

00:13:18.159 --> 00:13:21.179
 And so there's a tension there, right?

00:13:21.219 --> 00:13:22.480
 That's part of the tension of holiness

00:13:22.480 --> 00:13:24.100
 is that we're asked to grow into

00:13:24.100 --> 00:13:25.500
 something that we're not.

00:13:25.559 --> 00:13:26.679
 And so that leads us

00:13:26.679 --> 00:13:28.179
 to verse 17.

00:13:28.319 --> 00:13:29.559
 If you call on Him as Father

00:13:29.559 --> 00:13:30.980
 who judges impartially

00:13:30.980 --> 00:13:32.799
 according to each one's deeds,

00:13:32.939 --> 00:13:34.399
 conduct yourselves with fear

00:13:34.399 --> 00:13:36.100
 throughout the time of your exile.

00:13:36.100 --> 00:13:38.100
 What in the world

00:13:38.100 --> 00:13:39.500
 does fear have to do with obedience?

00:13:39.639 --> 00:13:40.540
 If we're not legalists,

00:13:40.600 --> 00:13:41.600
 if we believe we don't earn

00:13:41.600 --> 00:13:42.480
 anything from God,

00:13:42.540 --> 00:13:43.540
 what is Peter trying to say?

00:13:43.639 --> 00:13:44.540
 First of all, he's saying

00:13:44.540 --> 00:13:47.540
 just because God is your Father

00:13:47.540 --> 00:13:49.220
 doesn't mean He's not also the judge.

00:13:51.860 --> 00:13:53.320
 And there's going to come a time

00:13:53.320 --> 00:13:54.399
 when He's going to examine

00:13:54.399 --> 00:13:55.580
 each person's works,

00:13:56.580 --> 00:13:58.060
 what we've done in this life.

00:13:59.279 --> 00:14:01.279
 For those people who belong to Him,

00:14:01.399 --> 00:14:02.500
 who've been chosen by Him

00:14:02.500 --> 00:14:03.300
 and called by Him,

00:14:03.299 --> 00:14:05.959
 those works will demonstrate

00:14:05.959 --> 00:14:08.120
 that they're true children.

00:14:09.219 --> 00:14:10.799
 Their holiness will show

00:14:10.799 --> 00:14:12.000
 that they belong to God.

00:14:13.199 --> 00:14:13.979
 This doesn't mean

00:14:13.979 --> 00:14:15.539
 that their holiness earned them

00:14:15.539 --> 00:14:16.559
 favor from God.

00:14:16.639 --> 00:14:17.500
 It doesn't mean it made them

00:14:17.500 --> 00:14:17.959
 the children.

00:14:18.919 --> 00:14:19.919
 But it demonstrates

00:14:19.919 --> 00:14:21.139
 that God truly chose them

00:14:21.139 --> 00:14:22.639
 and was at work in their lives.

00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:24.199
 In other words,

00:14:24.279 --> 00:14:25.279
 don't take this for granted.

00:14:27.059 --> 00:14:28.279
 If God is your Father,

00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:30.000
 don't forget that He's also the judge.

00:14:30.799 --> 00:14:32.659
 He is working holiness

00:14:32.659 --> 00:14:33.399
 into your life.

00:14:33.459 --> 00:14:34.600
 If He has truly chosen you

00:14:34.600 --> 00:14:35.379
 as His Son,

00:14:35.779 --> 00:14:37.019
 that holiness will be evident.

00:14:37.159 --> 00:14:37.939
 And on the last day,

00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:38.799
 when He looks at your life,

00:14:38.839 --> 00:14:39.179
 He will say,

00:14:39.279 --> 00:14:41.159
 yes, that is my child.

00:14:41.779 --> 00:14:42.459
 That's the person

00:14:42.459 --> 00:14:43.019
 that I've chosen.

00:14:44.339 --> 00:14:46.059
 Now, this is still a tension

00:14:46.059 --> 00:14:47.199
 to try to understand, right?

00:14:47.240 --> 00:14:48.120
 There's free grace

00:14:48.120 --> 00:14:50.259
 and there's also obedience.

00:14:53.679 --> 00:14:54.659
 And everything I said

00:14:54.659 --> 00:14:56.039
 probably doesn't resolve that for you.

00:14:58.319 --> 00:14:59.639
 What does the obedience have to do?

00:14:59.699 --> 00:15:00.379
 Why is He going to look

00:15:00.379 --> 00:15:00.959
 at our obedience

00:15:00.960 --> 00:15:02.500
 if He's already given us salvation?

00:15:02.980 --> 00:15:03.600
 Why is He going to be

00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:04.540
 not just a father,

00:15:04.639 --> 00:15:05.120
 but a judge?

00:15:06.460 --> 00:15:07.180
 And the best way

00:15:07.180 --> 00:15:08.019
 I can explain it to you

00:15:08.019 --> 00:15:08.460
 is this.

00:15:11.980 --> 00:15:13.540
 My father's a Subaru driver, right?

00:15:13.620 --> 00:15:15.180
 He has the 1998 Red

00:15:15.180 --> 00:15:16.820
 manual transmission

00:15:16.820 --> 00:15:17.620
 Subaru Forester.

00:15:18.860 --> 00:15:19.840
 My dad loves driving

00:15:19.840 --> 00:15:20.720
 the manual transmission.

00:15:20.840 --> 00:15:21.240
 At some point,

00:15:21.300 --> 00:15:21.680
 he decides,

00:15:21.759 --> 00:15:23.160
 living in the Washington, D.C. area,

00:15:23.160 --> 00:15:24.519
 I don't like driving

00:15:24.519 --> 00:15:26.259
 a manual transmission anymore

00:15:26.259 --> 00:15:28.320
 in Beltway traffic around D.C.

00:15:28.320 --> 00:15:30.960
 And my youngest son

00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:31.940
 also needs a car.

00:15:33.760 --> 00:15:35.180
 So what am I going to do?

00:15:35.240 --> 00:15:36.280
 I'm going to give to him

00:15:36.280 --> 00:15:38.180
 the red manual transmission

00:15:38.180 --> 00:15:39.740
 1998 Subaru Forester.

00:15:39.840 --> 00:15:40.740
 This is in 2010.

00:15:41.540 --> 00:15:42.600
 There's only one problem.

00:15:43.860 --> 00:15:44.980
 I don't know how to drive

00:15:44.980 --> 00:15:45.920
 a manual transmission.

00:15:51.540 --> 00:15:52.680
 Try to defend millennials

00:15:52.680 --> 00:15:53.500
 as much as I can.

00:15:55.200 --> 00:15:56.360
 Got to call a spade a spade.

00:15:56.360 --> 00:15:58.899
 So what do I do?

00:15:58.940 --> 00:15:59.620
 I have to go out

00:15:59.620 --> 00:16:00.340
 with my father

00:16:00.340 --> 00:16:01.759
 to learn how to drive

00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:02.740
 the manual transmission.

00:16:02.879 --> 00:16:03.600
 We go out to the library

00:16:03.600 --> 00:16:04.200
 parking lot.

00:16:04.259 --> 00:16:04.700
 I've already learned

00:16:04.700 --> 00:16:05.419
 how to drive once.

00:16:05.460 --> 00:16:06.019
 It's time to learn

00:16:06.019 --> 00:16:06.840
 how to drive twice.

00:16:09.259 --> 00:16:10.320
 And it's not easy, right?

00:16:10.360 --> 00:16:10.840
 If you've learned...

00:16:10.840 --> 00:16:11.700
 Now, there are some people,

00:16:11.940 --> 00:16:13.240
 they learn to drive a manual

00:16:13.240 --> 00:16:13.840
 because they say,

00:16:13.919 --> 00:16:14.360
 well, I showed up

00:16:14.360 --> 00:16:15.139
 at the car dealership

00:16:15.139 --> 00:16:15.860
 and I bought the manual

00:16:15.860 --> 00:16:17.000
 and I knew I had to get it home.

00:16:17.700 --> 00:16:18.539
 I know people like that.

00:16:18.580 --> 00:16:19.220
 I'm not one of them.

00:16:21.800 --> 00:16:23.060
 I had to learn to drive it, right?

00:16:23.080 --> 00:16:23.820
 It was frustrating.

00:16:23.920 --> 00:16:24.879
 There was many failures.

00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:25.779
 There were many times

00:16:25.779 --> 00:16:26.960
 when I stalled out the car

00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:27.639
 and it was scary.

00:16:28.439 --> 00:16:29.600
 It's not a good feeling

00:16:29.600 --> 00:16:30.659
 to stall out

00:16:30.659 --> 00:16:32.000
 and have a car shaking on you, right?

00:16:35.259 --> 00:16:37.360
 But how else am I going to receive

00:16:37.360 --> 00:16:39.240
 the manual transmission Forester?

00:16:40.659 --> 00:16:41.779
 There is nothing

00:16:41.779 --> 00:16:42.960
 that I did

00:16:42.960 --> 00:16:44.159
 to merit that car

00:16:44.159 --> 00:16:44.820
 or earn it.

00:16:45.539 --> 00:16:46.679
 There's nothing I did

00:16:46.679 --> 00:16:47.379
 to deserve it.

00:16:47.879 --> 00:16:48.820
 The reason I received it

00:16:48.820 --> 00:16:50.039
 is because I'm my father's son.

00:16:50.840 --> 00:16:52.639
 I didn't pay him anything for it.

00:16:52.639 --> 00:16:54.860
 It did not benefit my father

00:16:54.860 --> 00:16:55.679
 in any way

00:16:55.679 --> 00:16:56.840
 to sit in the passenger seat

00:16:56.840 --> 00:16:57.720
 while I stalled out.

00:16:59.500 --> 00:17:01.240
 I had nothing to offer him.

00:17:02.939 --> 00:17:05.200
 But it was necessary for me

00:17:05.200 --> 00:17:06.799
 to learn how to drive manual

00:17:06.799 --> 00:17:08.019
 to receive the car.

00:17:09.980 --> 00:17:12.019
 There is nothing that we do

00:17:12.019 --> 00:17:13.460
 to merit or earn

00:17:13.460 --> 00:17:14.779
 God's gracious gift

00:17:14.779 --> 00:17:16.059
 of salvation to us.

00:17:16.160 --> 00:17:17.019
 We receive it

00:17:17.019 --> 00:17:18.980
 because and only because

00:17:18.980 --> 00:17:20.619
 we are his sons and daughters.

00:17:20.619 --> 00:17:24.259
 And our obedience

00:17:24.259 --> 00:17:25.559
 is necessary.

00:17:28.699 --> 00:17:29.219
 Holiness,

00:17:29.419 --> 00:17:30.239
 personal holiness

00:17:30.239 --> 00:17:32.519
 is non-negotiable.

00:17:35.179 --> 00:17:36.299
 Another way to look at it

00:17:36.299 --> 00:17:36.919
 would be this.

00:17:38.979 --> 00:17:40.059
 Call on him as father

00:17:40.059 --> 00:17:41.039
 who judges impartially

00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:41.819
 to each one's deeds.

00:17:41.959 --> 00:17:43.039
 Conduct yourselves with fear

00:17:43.039 --> 00:17:43.599
 throughout the time

00:17:43.599 --> 00:17:44.219
 of your exile.

00:17:44.779 --> 00:17:45.479
 In other words,

00:17:45.719 --> 00:17:47.459
 if you have no concern

00:17:47.459 --> 00:17:49.259
 at all with personal holiness,

00:17:49.259 --> 00:17:50.519
 holiness,

00:17:50.519 --> 00:17:52.579
 and you do not have

00:17:52.579 --> 00:17:54.299
 any grief over your sin,

00:17:55.400 --> 00:17:58.000
 then you should seriously

00:17:58.000 --> 00:17:59.039
 question whether God

00:17:59.039 --> 00:17:59.579
 is your father.

00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:04.440
 However,

00:18:05.140 --> 00:18:07.740
 if God is your father,

00:18:08.940 --> 00:18:10.539
 then you will stay

00:18:10.539 --> 00:18:11.259
 in the car

00:18:11.259 --> 00:18:12.220
 and stall out

00:18:12.220 --> 00:18:13.140
 as many times

00:18:13.140 --> 00:18:13.819
 as necessary.

00:18:13.819 --> 00:18:18.899
 holiness and perfection

00:18:18.899 --> 00:18:20.159
 are not the same thing.

00:18:21.419 --> 00:18:22.779
 Peter stalled out

00:18:22.779 --> 00:18:24.240
 over and over again.

00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:25.319
 He stalled out dramatically.

00:18:27.059 --> 00:18:28.359
 Peter rolled backwards

00:18:28.359 --> 00:18:29.359
 multiple yards

00:18:29.359 --> 00:18:30.059
 at stoplights.

00:18:32.539 --> 00:18:33.960
 And Peter never left the car.

00:18:36.639 --> 00:18:37.759
 And I wasn't alone

00:18:37.759 --> 00:18:38.399
 in that car

00:18:38.399 --> 00:18:39.200
 trying to figure it out

00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:40.119
 by myself, right?

00:18:40.259 --> 00:18:41.379
 I was in the driver's seat.

00:18:41.439 --> 00:18:42.559
 Who was in the passenger's seat?

00:18:42.559 --> 00:18:43.319
 My father,

00:18:44.000 --> 00:18:44.740
 who is there

00:18:44.740 --> 00:18:45.679
 with his presence

00:18:45.679 --> 00:18:46.679
 and his instruction.

00:18:48.599 --> 00:18:50.019
 If we're pursuing holiness,

00:18:50.179 --> 00:18:51.099
 if we are being holy

00:18:51.099 --> 00:18:52.319
 as God is holy,

00:18:52.440 --> 00:18:53.639
 we have him with us

00:18:53.639 --> 00:18:54.899
 and beside us,

00:18:55.379 --> 00:18:57.119
 giving us his presence

00:18:57.119 --> 00:18:58.039
 and his instruction.

00:18:59.299 --> 00:19:00.819
 Holiness is not perfection.

00:19:02.119 --> 00:19:03.599
 But those who are Christians

00:19:03.599 --> 00:19:04.579
 will stay

00:19:04.579 --> 00:19:05.579
 in the car.

00:19:05.579 --> 00:19:09.720
 Now this was 2010.

00:19:09.980 --> 00:19:10.579
 Fast forward

00:19:10.579 --> 00:19:11.819
 to 2013.

00:19:13.659 --> 00:19:14.579
 I'm a proficient

00:19:14.579 --> 00:19:15.859
 manual transmission driver

00:19:15.859 --> 00:19:16.359
 at this point.

00:19:16.419 --> 00:19:17.019
 Thank you very much.

00:19:18.960 --> 00:19:19.619
 I've gotten through

00:19:19.619 --> 00:19:21.079
 my evangelism phase.

00:19:21.240 --> 00:19:22.139
 Some of you are familiar

00:19:22.139 --> 00:19:22.519
 with this.

00:19:22.599 --> 00:19:23.960
 There's car evangelism

00:19:23.960 --> 00:19:25.079
 where you put someone

00:19:25.079 --> 00:19:25.980
 in your passenger seat

00:19:25.980 --> 00:19:27.519
 and it becomes very clear

00:19:27.519 --> 00:19:28.339
 after driving with you

00:19:28.339 --> 00:19:29.000
 for some time

00:19:29.000 --> 00:19:29.639
 that their odds

00:19:29.639 --> 00:19:30.279
 of meeting the Lord

00:19:30.279 --> 00:19:31.079
 are very high.

00:19:31.079 --> 00:19:33.220
 so they need

00:19:33.220 --> 00:19:33.899
 to make a decision.

00:19:35.259 --> 00:19:35.960
 It's urgent.

00:19:37.460 --> 00:19:38.220
 I'd gotten beyond

00:19:38.220 --> 00:19:38.759
 that phase.

00:19:39.679 --> 00:19:40.460
 And I knew how to drive

00:19:40.460 --> 00:19:41.099
 and I was teaching

00:19:41.099 --> 00:19:41.519
 at that point

00:19:41.519 --> 00:19:41.919
 at the school

00:19:41.919 --> 00:19:42.679
 and my students knew

00:19:42.679 --> 00:19:43.240
 that I could drive

00:19:43.240 --> 00:19:44.119
 a manual transmission.

00:19:45.139 --> 00:19:46.299
 And there was one student

00:19:46.299 --> 00:19:47.679
 whose father,

00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:49.099
 not making this up,

00:19:49.839 --> 00:19:50.559
 was going to give her

00:19:50.559 --> 00:19:52.079
 for her 16th birthday

00:19:52.079 --> 00:19:54.519
 a 2013 Chevy Camaro.

00:19:54.519 --> 00:19:57.980
 kids don't get any ideas.

00:20:00.539 --> 00:20:01.599
 There's only one problem.

00:20:02.759 --> 00:20:04.559
 She, as any self-respecting

00:20:04.559 --> 00:20:05.379
 muscle car driver,

00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:05.980
 wanted to make sure

00:20:05.980 --> 00:20:06.980
 she was driving a manual.

00:20:07.119 --> 00:20:07.779
 She didn't know how.

00:20:08.799 --> 00:20:09.779
 So she asked me

00:20:09.779 --> 00:20:10.319
 to teach her.

00:20:12.519 --> 00:20:13.379
 So now the roles

00:20:13.379 --> 00:20:13.839
 are reversed.

00:20:14.839 --> 00:20:15.700
 I said, yes,

00:20:15.720 --> 00:20:16.519
 you can learn,

00:20:17.000 --> 00:20:17.639
 you can stall out

00:20:17.639 --> 00:20:18.960
 on my 1998 Forester

00:20:18.960 --> 00:20:19.599
 which is just,

00:20:19.920 --> 00:20:20.779
 handles exactly like

00:20:20.779 --> 00:20:21.759
 a 2013 Camaro.

00:20:21.759 --> 00:20:26.019
 You can take part,

00:20:26.220 --> 00:20:26.740
 in part,

00:20:26.819 --> 00:20:27.339
 what will one day

00:20:27.339 --> 00:20:27.960
 be yours in full.

00:20:28.039 --> 00:20:28.460
 So we went out

00:20:28.460 --> 00:20:29.319
 to a church parking lot

00:20:29.319 --> 00:20:29.599
 at the church

00:20:29.599 --> 00:20:30.039
 where I went.

00:20:31.220 --> 00:20:32.400
 And she stalled out

00:20:32.400 --> 00:20:35.140
 and she stalled out again

00:20:35.140 --> 00:20:37.319
 and I still remember

00:20:37.319 --> 00:20:37.799
 sitting there

00:20:37.799 --> 00:20:38.799
 in the passenger seat

00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:41.359
 and so scared

00:20:41.359 --> 00:20:42.000
 from stalling out

00:20:42.000 --> 00:20:42.819
 she started shaking.

00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:46.859
 So we sat there

00:20:46.859 --> 00:20:47.460
 for a little bit.

00:20:48.039 --> 00:20:48.700
 She was physically

00:20:48.700 --> 00:20:49.480
 shaking all over

00:20:49.480 --> 00:20:50.839
 and I waited with her

00:20:50.839 --> 00:20:51.379
 and I said, well,

00:20:51.759 --> 00:20:53.559
 you ready to try again?

00:20:55.559 --> 00:20:56.579
 And she tried again

00:20:56.579 --> 00:20:57.240
 and she tried again

00:20:57.240 --> 00:20:57.980
 and finally we made it

00:20:57.980 --> 00:20:58.460
 all the way around

00:20:58.460 --> 00:20:59.059
 the parking lot.

00:21:02.259 --> 00:21:03.000
 Later I,

00:21:03.559 --> 00:21:04.220
 about a year later

00:21:04.220 --> 00:21:05.579
 I asked her to show me

00:21:05.579 --> 00:21:06.839
 how far she progressed

00:21:06.839 --> 00:21:08.980
 and she took me out

00:21:08.980 --> 00:21:10.480
 in the Camaro

00:21:10.480 --> 00:21:10.920
 and I thought,

00:21:11.160 --> 00:21:11.879
 we're going to go out,

00:21:11.980 --> 00:21:12.660
 we're going to safely

00:21:12.660 --> 00:21:13.619
 exit the parking lot

00:21:13.619 --> 00:21:13.960
 and then we're going

00:21:13.960 --> 00:21:14.700
 to go onto the highway.

00:21:16.079 --> 00:21:16.859
 She's going to show me

00:21:16.859 --> 00:21:17.680
 on the highway,

00:21:17.940 --> 00:21:18.460
 just, you know,

00:21:18.500 --> 00:21:19.160
 smooth shifting.

00:21:19.660 --> 00:21:20.819
 We never got to the highway.

00:21:20.819 --> 00:21:21.740
 She starts like whipping

00:21:21.740 --> 00:21:22.359
 around curves

00:21:22.359 --> 00:21:23.259
 in this parking lot,

00:21:23.799 --> 00:21:24.919
 turfing on grass.

00:21:25.619 --> 00:21:26.759
 I'm in total shock.

00:21:27.179 --> 00:21:27.939
 Okay, beside the point.

00:21:29.419 --> 00:21:30.099
 Point is this,

00:21:30.139 --> 00:21:31.279
 how did she get beyond

00:21:31.279 --> 00:21:32.700
 the shaking?

00:21:35.960 --> 00:21:36.740
 Would have been easy

00:21:36.740 --> 00:21:37.299
 for her to ask me

00:21:37.299 --> 00:21:37.939
 to drive her back.

00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:38.599
 Her father had not

00:21:38.599 --> 00:21:39.179
 bought the Camaro

00:21:39.179 --> 00:21:39.759
 at that point

00:21:39.759 --> 00:21:40.579
 because she could have said,

00:21:40.679 --> 00:21:41.519
 Dad, what I really want

00:21:41.519 --> 00:21:43.159
 is the automatic transmission

00:21:43.160 --> 00:21:46.560
 and yet after failing out

00:21:46.560 --> 00:21:47.259
 multiple times

00:21:47.259 --> 00:21:48.060
 she kept working.

00:21:48.720 --> 00:21:49.660
 Why did she keep

00:21:49.660 --> 00:21:50.700
 pushing for it?

00:21:53.779 --> 00:21:55.160
 The reason that she kept

00:21:55.160 --> 00:21:56.279
 destroying the transmission

00:21:56.279 --> 00:21:57.300
 on my Forester

00:21:57.300 --> 00:22:00.340
 was because,

00:22:00.580 --> 00:22:01.120
 verse 13,

00:22:01.820 --> 00:22:02.880
 she had prepared

00:22:02.880 --> 00:22:04.640
 her mind for action

00:22:04.640 --> 00:22:06.980
 and being sober-minded,

00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:09.000
 she had set her hope

00:22:09.000 --> 00:22:10.960
 fully on the 2013

00:22:10.960 --> 00:22:11.880
 Chevy Camaro

00:22:11.880 --> 00:22:12.940
 that would be brought to her

00:22:12.940 --> 00:22:13.840
 at the revelation

00:22:13.840 --> 00:22:14.860
 of her 16th birthday.

00:22:17.340 --> 00:22:18.740
 It was her hope

00:22:18.740 --> 00:22:20.260
 in what was to come

00:22:20.260 --> 00:22:21.280
 that kept her

00:22:21.280 --> 00:22:22.680
 pursuing what she wanted.

00:22:23.960 --> 00:22:25.420
 And even when it was hard,

00:22:25.560 --> 00:22:26.660
 she did not give up.

00:22:27.200 --> 00:22:28.140
 She wasn't perfect,

00:22:28.800 --> 00:22:31.480
 but she stayed in the car.

00:22:32.660 --> 00:22:33.940
 And she stayed in the car

00:22:33.940 --> 00:22:35.140
 because her hope

00:22:35.140 --> 00:22:36.240
 was greater than

00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:37.100
 what she had to lose.

00:22:37.099 --> 00:22:38.279
 her hope

00:22:38.279 --> 00:22:39.119
 was greater

00:22:39.119 --> 00:22:39.879
 than her fear.

00:22:42.559 --> 00:22:43.559
 Brothers and sisters,

00:22:43.740 --> 00:22:44.939
 we pursue holiness

00:22:44.939 --> 00:22:45.819
 stalling out

00:22:45.819 --> 00:22:46.859
 over and over again

00:22:46.859 --> 00:22:47.939
 because our hope

00:22:47.939 --> 00:22:48.919
 is greater

00:22:48.919 --> 00:22:49.939
 than our fear.

00:22:52.459 --> 00:22:53.299
 We prepare

00:22:53.299 --> 00:22:54.299
 our minds for action

00:22:54.299 --> 00:22:55.339
 and being sober-minded

00:22:55.339 --> 00:22:56.319
 set our hope fully

00:22:56.319 --> 00:22:58.019
 not on a 2013 Camaro,

00:22:59.079 --> 00:23:00.000
 but something

00:23:00.000 --> 00:23:00.659
 much greater,

00:23:00.740 --> 00:23:01.159
 the grace

00:23:01.159 --> 00:23:01.859
 that would be brought

00:23:01.859 --> 00:23:02.240
 to us

00:23:02.240 --> 00:23:03.159
 at the revelation

00:23:03.159 --> 00:23:04.059
 of Jesus Christ.

00:23:04.059 --> 00:23:07.500
 There's two commands

00:23:07.500 --> 00:23:08.079
 in this passage.

00:23:08.220 --> 00:23:09.059
 One is to be holy

00:23:09.059 --> 00:23:10.480
 and the other

00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:11.200
 is to have hope.

00:23:11.419 --> 00:23:12.480
 How do we remain

00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:13.240
 steadfast

00:23:13.240 --> 00:23:14.659
 in becoming holy?

00:23:16.339 --> 00:23:17.700
 It's because we have hope.

00:23:19.980 --> 00:23:21.519
 And it's not something easy

00:23:21.519 --> 00:23:22.980
 even more

00:23:22.980 --> 00:23:24.399
 than that

00:23:24.399 --> 00:23:25.440
 15,

00:23:25.559 --> 00:23:26.319
 16 year old.

00:23:28.359 --> 00:23:29.419
 Even more difficult

00:23:29.419 --> 00:23:30.480
 than learning to drive

00:23:30.480 --> 00:23:31.419
 a manual transmission.

00:23:31.420 --> 00:23:35.460
 is as obedient children

00:23:35.460 --> 00:23:36.480
 not being conformed

00:23:36.480 --> 00:23:36.980
 to the passions

00:23:36.980 --> 00:23:37.940
 of our former ignorance.

00:23:38.060 --> 00:23:38.700
 Verse 14.

00:23:39.300 --> 00:23:40.500
 Holiness is not easy.

00:23:42.740 --> 00:23:43.960
 But God has given us

00:23:43.960 --> 00:23:44.539
 a hope

00:23:44.539 --> 00:23:45.840
 that is large enough

00:23:45.840 --> 00:23:46.860
 to motivate us

00:23:46.860 --> 00:23:47.840
 and empower us.

00:23:49.920 --> 00:23:51.660
 And as our Heavenly Father,

00:23:51.800 --> 00:23:52.960
 He is with us

00:23:52.960 --> 00:23:54.740
 with His presence

00:23:54.740 --> 00:23:56.140
 and His instruction.

00:23:56.140 --> 00:23:58.900
 Like Peter,

00:23:59.240 --> 00:24:01.140
 we will fail

00:24:01.140 --> 00:24:02.620
 over and over again.

00:24:04.460 --> 00:24:05.420
 Like Peter,

00:24:05.980 --> 00:24:07.860
 we remain

00:24:07.860 --> 00:24:08.620
 with Jesus

00:24:08.620 --> 00:24:09.200
 in the car.

00:24:10.460 --> 00:24:11.680
 And like Peter,

00:24:11.800 --> 00:24:12.759
 if we remain

00:24:12.759 --> 00:24:13.460
 with Him,

00:24:14.120 --> 00:24:15.740
 we will grow

00:24:15.740 --> 00:24:16.840
 in grace

00:24:16.840 --> 00:24:17.759
 and holiness.

00:24:18.480 --> 00:24:19.560
 We will not look

00:24:19.560 --> 00:24:20.180
 the same

00:24:20.180 --> 00:24:21.380
 10 years from now

00:24:21.380 --> 00:24:22.100
 that we look today.

00:24:22.099 --> 00:24:25.419
 Peter gives us

00:24:25.419 --> 00:24:26.019
 a hope

00:24:26.019 --> 00:24:27.519
 sandwich here.

00:24:27.619 --> 00:24:28.159
 Verse 13.

00:24:28.279 --> 00:24:28.699
 Set your hope

00:24:28.699 --> 00:24:29.599
 fully on the grace

00:24:29.599 --> 00:24:30.539
 that will be brought to you.

00:24:32.419 --> 00:24:33.679
 And then verse 18.

00:24:34.459 --> 00:24:35.059
 Knowing that you were

00:24:35.059 --> 00:24:35.480
 ransomed

00:24:35.480 --> 00:24:36.339
 from the futile ways

00:24:36.339 --> 00:24:37.659
 inherited from your forefathers,

00:24:37.759 --> 00:24:38.879
 not with perishable things

00:24:38.879 --> 00:24:40.059
 such as silver or gold,

00:24:40.500 --> 00:24:41.699
 but with the precious

00:24:41.699 --> 00:24:42.439
 blood of Christ

00:24:42.439 --> 00:24:43.299
 like that of a lamb

00:24:43.299 --> 00:24:44.099
 without blemish

00:24:44.099 --> 00:24:44.679
 or spot.

00:24:48.559 --> 00:24:49.279
 There's nothing

00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:49.980
 that we've done

00:24:49.980 --> 00:24:50.679
 to earn

00:24:50.680 --> 00:24:51.779
 our place

00:24:51.779 --> 00:24:52.600
 as God's children.

00:24:56.700 --> 00:24:57.420
 There's nothing

00:24:57.420 --> 00:24:58.120
 that I did

00:24:58.120 --> 00:24:59.820
 to deserve

00:24:59.820 --> 00:25:02.460
 the Subaru Forester.

00:25:05.080 --> 00:25:05.759
 There's nothing

00:25:05.759 --> 00:25:06.580
 that this daughter did

00:25:06.580 --> 00:25:07.200
 to deserve

00:25:07.200 --> 00:25:08.660
 the 2013 Camaro.

00:25:09.740 --> 00:25:10.820
 It was bought

00:25:10.820 --> 00:25:12.360
 by their fathers.

00:25:13.460 --> 00:25:14.620
 How much more

00:25:14.620 --> 00:25:16.680
 precious

00:25:16.680 --> 00:25:17.960
 is the blood

00:25:17.960 --> 00:25:18.740
 of Jesus Christ?

00:25:20.680 --> 00:25:23.340
 your place

00:25:23.340 --> 00:25:24.160
 as a son

00:25:24.160 --> 00:25:24.720
 or a daughter

00:25:24.720 --> 00:25:25.240
 of God

00:25:25.240 --> 00:25:27.000
 is not based

00:25:27.000 --> 00:25:27.759
 on your obedience.

00:25:30.460 --> 00:25:31.340
 It's not based

00:25:31.340 --> 00:25:31.720
 on anything

00:25:31.720 --> 00:25:32.580
 you have done

00:25:32.580 --> 00:25:32.980
 or anything

00:25:32.980 --> 00:25:33.840
 you will do.

00:25:35.080 --> 00:25:35.779
 It's based

00:25:35.779 --> 00:25:36.440
 on one thing

00:25:36.440 --> 00:25:36.779
 and that's

00:25:36.779 --> 00:25:37.480
 Jesus' blood.

00:25:39.060 --> 00:25:39.620
 And it's the blood

00:25:39.620 --> 00:25:40.259
 that he spilled

00:25:40.259 --> 00:25:41.100
 when he died

00:25:41.100 --> 00:25:41.900
 on the cross

00:25:41.900 --> 00:25:42.660
 for us

00:25:42.660 --> 00:25:43.700
 and our sins.

00:25:43.860 --> 00:25:44.700
 Ransoming us.

00:25:45.039 --> 00:25:45.460
 This word here

00:25:45.460 --> 00:25:46.140
 means to buy us

00:25:46.140 --> 00:25:46.820
 out of slavery.

00:25:46.819 --> 00:25:50.059
 Buying us

00:25:50.059 --> 00:25:50.960
 out of the slavery

00:25:50.960 --> 00:25:51.740
 to sin

00:25:51.740 --> 00:25:52.939
 by his blood.

00:25:55.419 --> 00:25:55.960
 Verse 20,

00:25:56.019 --> 00:25:56.639
 he was foreknown

00:25:56.639 --> 00:25:57.460
 before the foundation

00:25:57.460 --> 00:25:57.919
 of the world

00:25:57.919 --> 00:25:58.379
 but was made

00:25:58.379 --> 00:25:58.839
 manifest

00:25:58.839 --> 00:25:59.839
 in the last times

00:25:59.839 --> 00:26:00.419
 for the sake

00:26:00.419 --> 00:26:00.819
 of you

00:26:00.819 --> 00:26:02.279
 who through him

00:26:02.279 --> 00:26:02.919
 are believers

00:26:02.919 --> 00:26:03.480
 in God

00:26:03.480 --> 00:26:04.639
 who raised him

00:26:04.639 --> 00:26:05.179
 from the dead

00:26:05.179 --> 00:26:06.039
 and gave him glory

00:26:06.039 --> 00:26:06.879
 so that your faith

00:26:06.879 --> 00:26:07.559
 and your hope

00:26:07.559 --> 00:26:08.539
 are in God.

00:26:09.599 --> 00:26:10.299
 That's the end

00:26:10.299 --> 00:26:11.039
 of the hope sandwich.

00:26:11.200 --> 00:26:11.779
 Verse 13,

00:26:12.039 --> 00:26:12.799
 set your hope fully.

00:26:13.799 --> 00:26:14.599
 Verse 21,

00:26:15.200 --> 00:26:15.659
 your faith

00:26:15.659 --> 00:26:16.200
 and your hope

00:26:16.200 --> 00:26:16.899
 are in God

00:26:16.899 --> 00:26:17.359
 and that hope

00:26:17.359 --> 00:26:17.839
 is in what?

00:26:17.919 --> 00:26:18.720
 That God

00:26:18.720 --> 00:26:19.579
 actually raised

00:26:19.579 --> 00:26:20.399
 Jesus from the dead

00:26:20.399 --> 00:26:21.220
 and gave him glory.

00:26:22.960 --> 00:26:23.799
 We've talked before

00:26:23.799 --> 00:26:24.559
 about some of the reasons

00:26:24.559 --> 00:26:25.399
 that we have confidence

00:26:25.399 --> 00:26:26.440
 in Jesus' resurrection.

00:26:26.599 --> 00:26:26.960
 One of them

00:26:26.960 --> 00:26:27.879
 is the witness of Peter.

00:26:28.000 --> 00:26:28.519
 Peter would have

00:26:28.519 --> 00:26:29.079
 no reason

00:26:29.079 --> 00:26:30.619
 to live this life

00:26:30.619 --> 00:26:31.539
 as a disciple

00:26:31.539 --> 00:26:32.599
 suffering after

00:26:32.599 --> 00:26:33.279
 Jesus' death

00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:34.519
 instead of returning

00:26:34.519 --> 00:26:35.940
 to the much simpler

00:26:35.940 --> 00:26:36.779
 life of a fisherman

00:26:36.779 --> 00:26:38.359
 unless he had actually

00:26:38.359 --> 00:26:39.240
 seen Jesus

00:26:39.240 --> 00:26:40.259
 after he'd risen

00:26:40.259 --> 00:26:40.759
 from the dead.

00:26:40.759 --> 00:26:43.180
 We talked on Easter

00:26:43.180 --> 00:26:44.839
 about 1 Corinthians 15

00:26:44.839 --> 00:26:45.859
 which names

00:26:45.859 --> 00:26:46.400
 witnesses

00:26:46.400 --> 00:26:47.460
 who were still alive

00:26:47.460 --> 00:26:48.180
 at the time

00:26:48.180 --> 00:26:49.319
 who saw Jesus

00:26:49.319 --> 00:26:49.879
 after he rose

00:26:49.879 --> 00:26:50.379
 from the dead.

00:26:53.160 --> 00:26:54.279
 Paul doesn't summon

00:26:54.279 --> 00:26:54.720
 what's called

00:26:54.720 --> 00:26:55.579
 an invisible army.

00:26:55.700 --> 00:26:56.200
 He doesn't say,

00:26:56.279 --> 00:26:57.220
 there's just lots of people.

00:26:57.859 --> 00:26:58.640
 He names names

00:26:58.640 --> 00:26:59.539
 of people who are alive

00:26:59.539 --> 00:27:00.440
 who could give testimony

00:27:00.440 --> 00:27:01.180
 about whether they'd

00:27:01.180 --> 00:27:02.079
 seen Jesus or not.

00:27:03.480 --> 00:27:04.220
 Another reason

00:27:04.220 --> 00:27:05.039
 that we have confidence

00:27:05.039 --> 00:27:06.299
 in Jesus as the Messiah

00:27:06.299 --> 00:27:07.180
 who ransomed us

00:27:07.180 --> 00:27:07.700
 through his blood

00:27:07.700 --> 00:27:08.359
 and actually rose

00:27:08.359 --> 00:27:08.799
 from the dead

00:27:08.799 --> 00:27:09.400
 is that there were

00:27:09.400 --> 00:27:10.599
 many Messiahs

00:27:10.599 --> 00:27:12.599
 in the first century

00:27:12.599 --> 00:27:14.740
 who came

00:27:14.740 --> 00:27:15.459
 and claimed

00:27:15.459 --> 00:27:16.299
 to be and do

00:27:16.299 --> 00:27:16.980
 what Jesus did.

00:27:19.159 --> 00:27:19.740
 Unless you're

00:27:19.740 --> 00:27:20.259
 an Old Testament

00:27:20.259 --> 00:27:20.679
 or New Testament

00:27:20.679 --> 00:27:21.019
 scholar,

00:27:21.099 --> 00:27:21.699
 you probably can't

00:27:21.699 --> 00:27:22.359
 name a single one

00:27:22.359 --> 00:27:22.619
 of them.

00:27:24.959 --> 00:27:25.939
 People all over

00:27:25.939 --> 00:27:26.399
 the world

00:27:26.399 --> 00:27:27.079
 know the name

00:27:27.079 --> 00:27:27.519
 of Jesus

00:27:27.519 --> 00:27:29.219
 because he actually

00:27:29.219 --> 00:27:29.639
 died.

00:27:30.539 --> 00:27:31.379
 He actually rose

00:27:31.379 --> 00:27:31.980
 from the dead.

00:27:32.839 --> 00:27:33.619
 He lived a perfect

00:27:33.619 --> 00:27:35.500
 life and his blood

00:27:35.500 --> 00:27:36.639
 pays the ransom

00:27:36.639 --> 00:27:38.500
 for our sin.

00:27:40.599 --> 00:27:43.740
 And so how is it

00:27:43.740 --> 00:27:44.319
 that we're holy

00:27:44.319 --> 00:27:45.219
 as Christians?

00:27:48.319 --> 00:27:49.079
 It's not that we're

00:27:49.079 --> 00:27:49.919
 better than other people.

00:27:51.000 --> 00:27:51.899
 It's not that we've

00:27:51.899 --> 00:27:52.599
 earned something

00:27:52.599 --> 00:27:53.139
 that other people

00:27:53.139 --> 00:27:53.759
 haven't earned.

00:27:55.019 --> 00:27:56.179
 But it's that we have

00:27:56.179 --> 00:27:57.159
 a Heavenly Father

00:27:57.159 --> 00:27:58.219
 who has chosen us

00:27:58.219 --> 00:28:00.099
 and he's called us

00:28:00.099 --> 00:28:01.799
 to look like him.

00:28:03.559 --> 00:28:04.659
 And as we struggle

00:28:04.659 --> 00:28:05.719
 to look like him,

00:28:05.819 --> 00:28:06.579
 walking the walk

00:28:06.579 --> 00:28:07.099
 of faith

00:28:07.099 --> 00:28:08.019
 and failing

00:28:08.019 --> 00:28:08.839
 many times,

00:28:09.759 --> 00:28:10.519
 he's given us

00:28:10.519 --> 00:28:11.679
 a hope to sustain us.

00:28:13.139 --> 00:28:13.919
 And that hope

00:28:13.919 --> 00:28:14.519
 is the reality

00:28:14.519 --> 00:28:15.259
 that Jesus has

00:28:15.259 --> 00:28:16.119
 actually died

00:28:16.119 --> 00:28:17.059
 and risen from the dead.

00:28:18.399 --> 00:28:19.079
 And while he gives

00:28:19.079 --> 00:28:19.599
 us that hope,

00:28:19.679 --> 00:28:20.619
 he is with us.

00:28:21.500 --> 00:28:22.240
 He's given us

00:28:22.240 --> 00:28:22.779
 his word

00:28:22.779 --> 00:28:24.599
 and he's given us

00:28:24.599 --> 00:28:25.159
 his presence.

00:28:26.819 --> 00:28:27.639
 And so the hope

00:28:27.639 --> 00:28:28.879
 that motivates us

00:28:28.879 --> 00:28:30.139
 and propels us

00:28:30.139 --> 00:28:31.039
 and keeps us going,

00:28:31.119 --> 00:28:31.959
 it is not a

00:28:31.959 --> 00:28:33.059
 I hope it will

00:28:33.059 --> 00:28:33.879
 rain tomorrow

00:28:33.879 --> 00:28:34.319
 hope.

00:28:34.319 --> 00:28:36.299
 but it is a

00:28:36.299 --> 00:28:37.519
 I hope the sun

00:28:37.519 --> 00:28:38.480
 will rise again

00:28:38.480 --> 00:28:39.319
 tomorrow hope.

00:28:39.460 --> 00:28:40.460
 It is a sure

00:28:40.460 --> 00:28:41.779
 and firm

00:28:41.779 --> 00:28:43.579
 and steady confidence

00:28:43.579 --> 00:28:45.059
 that we have.

00:28:46.799 --> 00:28:47.539
 And so that's

00:28:47.539 --> 00:28:48.059
 what gives us

00:28:48.059 --> 00:28:48.700
 the courage

00:28:48.700 --> 00:28:49.879
 and the ability

00:28:49.879 --> 00:28:51.339
 to continue

00:28:51.339 --> 00:28:52.779
 walking with Jesus,

00:28:54.359 --> 00:28:55.299
 sticking with him

00:28:55.299 --> 00:28:55.799
 and never,

00:28:56.240 --> 00:28:57.079
 ever getting out

00:28:57.079 --> 00:28:57.539
 of the car,

00:28:59.159 --> 00:28:59.939
 knowing that he's

00:28:59.939 --> 00:29:00.419
 with us,

00:29:00.700 --> 00:29:01.460
 he loves us,

00:29:01.599 --> 00:29:02.439
 and he's chosen us.

00:29:02.440 --> 00:29:04.820
 Please pray with me.

00:29:07.340 --> 00:29:08.340
 Dear Father in Heaven,

00:29:08.460 --> 00:29:10.220
 we thank you

00:29:10.220 --> 00:29:12.740
 that we belong to you.

00:29:12.880 --> 00:29:13.860
 And we also confess

00:29:13.860 --> 00:29:16.820
 that following after you

00:29:16.820 --> 00:29:17.480
 is challenging

00:29:17.480 --> 00:29:18.400
 and difficult.

00:29:19.340 --> 00:29:20.740
 We face many trials

00:29:20.740 --> 00:29:21.779
 and as we long

00:29:21.779 --> 00:29:22.779
 and work for holiness,

00:29:22.960 --> 00:29:23.700
 we fail over

00:29:23.700 --> 00:29:24.360
 and over again.

00:29:25.259 --> 00:29:26.400
 We ask that you would

00:29:26.400 --> 00:29:27.700
 remind us of your grace

00:29:27.700 --> 00:29:30.180
 and you would remind us

00:29:30.180 --> 00:29:30.720
 of the blessing

00:29:30.720 --> 00:29:31.279
 that comes

00:29:31.279 --> 00:29:32.440
 from staying with you

00:29:32.440 --> 00:29:33.940
 and that you'd give us

00:29:33.940 --> 00:29:34.779
 everything we need

00:29:34.779 --> 00:29:35.519
 to make it through

00:29:35.519 --> 00:29:36.279
 in this life,

00:29:36.420 --> 00:29:37.200
 following after you

00:29:37.200 --> 00:29:38.220
 and growing in your grace.

00:29:39.099 --> 00:29:40.220
 We ask these things

00:29:40.220 --> 00:29:41.119
 not because we have

00:29:41.119 --> 00:29:41.579
 earned them

00:29:41.579 --> 00:29:42.440
 or deserved them

00:29:42.440 --> 00:29:43.139
 or merited them

00:29:43.139 --> 00:29:43.639
 in any way.

00:29:44.539 --> 00:29:45.500
 And we don't ask them

00:29:45.500 --> 00:29:46.200
 because we think

00:29:46.200 --> 00:29:46.899
 that our obedience

00:29:46.899 --> 00:29:48.319
 helps us

00:29:48.319 --> 00:29:51.019
 when it comes

00:29:51.019 --> 00:29:51.539
 to our standing

00:29:51.539 --> 00:29:52.119
 before you.

00:29:52.579 --> 00:29:53.259
 But we ask them

00:29:53.259 --> 00:29:53.899
 because Jesus

00:29:53.899 --> 00:29:54.799
 was obedient

00:29:54.799 --> 00:29:55.720
 on our behalf

00:29:55.720 --> 00:29:56.519
 and ransomed us

00:29:56.519 --> 00:29:57.599
 from the slavery of sin.

00:29:58.079 --> 00:29:58.879
 And so we ask it

00:29:58.879 --> 00:29:59.440
 in his name.

00:29:59.899 --> 00:30:00.180
 Amen.

00:30:00.180 --> 00:30:00.560
 this work

00:30:00.560 --> 00:30:01.420
 of God.

00:30:01.420 --> 00:30:02.580
 We ask

00:30:02.580 --> 00:30:03.360
 you