WEBVTT

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 Okay, good morning. It's good to see you. I trust you've had a good week and it's wonderful to look at God's Word again together.

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 If you don't know me, my name is Kevin and I'm one of the leaders here, I guess.

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 Now, over the last four weeks, we've been journeying through the Gospels and we've been looking at this person, the Lord Jesus Christ.

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 And we've been asking the question, who is this man?

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 Who is this man that turned the world upside down?

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 This man that turned people's lives upside down?

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 Who is this man that even still today, thousands of years later, has turned billions of people's worlds upside down?

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 And so we've been going through the Gospels and looking at how Jesus across the centuries, in every culture, every corner of the world, Jesus has had this remarkable impact.

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 Who is this man?

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 Now, when you read the Gospels, especially Mark's Gospel and John's Gospel, about halfway through, the narrative takes a sharp turn.

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 And what happens is that in the first half of these Gospels, the Gospel writers are answering the question, who is this man?

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 But then it changes about halfway and they start to ask the question, who is this king?

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 And we see this in John chapter 11 and Mark chapter 8, as the narrative starts to change and it focuses on the cross.

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 And so we as a church are on this eight-week journey, going through the Gospels, making our way towards Easter.

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 And we're going to follow the journey of the Gospels.

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 And so today we're asking the question, not so much who was this man, but who is this king?

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 Who is King Jesus?

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 And so today we start off in John chapter 12, and we're going to look at Jesus' strange glory.

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 Jesus' unusual glory.

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 Now, the passage of Scripture that we read is a difficult passage.

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 And I want to ask you to really gauge and think about it.

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 It's a passage that in some ways requires some maturity to think about.

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 It's not an easy passage.

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 I'm going to try my best to not make it too complicated.

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 And I'm going to try and keep it simple.

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 But it's a passage that requires us to really think about it.

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 Okay?

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 So are you ready for that?

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 Okay.

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 Great.

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 Just the three of us.

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 But okay.

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 Well, I'm going to pray for us.

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 I'm going to ask God to speak to us from His Word, and then let's dive in.

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 So won't you join me in prayer?

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 Father God, there's no one like you.

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 You're real, and you're live, and you're living.

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 And you speak to us from your Word.

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 And God, today as we look at this difficult passage, won't you be here in power?

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 Won't you be here by your presence?

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 Won't you open up your Word to us and open up our hearts to see you?

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 God, today at the end of this sermon, we don't just want more information about you.

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 We want to have met you and encountered you.

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 God, whether in a complex way and a simple way, won't you help us to meet you in your Word this morning?

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 So Holy Spirit, I ask you to be here.

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 Take the words of these pages and apply them to our hearts.

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 Help us to see you in reality.

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 Won't you bless the preaching of your Word, we pray.

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 In your name, amen.

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 Amen.

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 Okay.

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 So we read John chapter 12.

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 Now, just before the context, John chapter 11 actually starts off with this.

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 Right at the end, it says this.

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 Now, the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and many went up from the country to Jerusalem before the Passover.

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 So remember, the Passover is the feast that is celebrated as the Jewish men and women remembered God's amazing grace to them in the nation of Egypt.

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 God delivered His people, saved His people by the blood of the Lamb.

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 The fact that innocent lambs died in their place, that they could be set free from Egypt and from slavery and become free men and women.

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 By the blood of the Lamb, these men and women were set free, and so every year they celebrate Passover as a remembrance, as a reminder of their liberation at the expense of somebody else.

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 And John is getting our attention here.

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 He's saying Jesus is about to go to the cross, but note the fact that the cross is like the ultimate Passover.

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 Jesus dies in the place so that we can be free.

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 And then go to verse 20, and it says this.

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 Now, among those who went up to worship at the Passover feast were some Greeks.

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 Okay, so these are Gentiles.

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 They're not Jewish men and women.

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 They are possibly some converts that have become converted to Judaism.

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 And it says, these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and they asked him, saying, Sir, we want to see Jesus.

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 Now, it's well known that at the time of this, there were a bunch of Gentiles, non-Jewish men and women,

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 Greek-speaking Gentiles, that had become disillusioned with the Greek gods.

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 They had become disillusioned with the fact that the Greek deities, there were so many of them.

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 There was a god of agriculture, a god of money, a god of the family, a god of fertility.

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 And they kind of thought, there are all these gods, but who's the one supreme god?

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 Surely there must be one god that is god of all these gods.

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 And so something of Judaism attracted them.

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 The fact that Judaism is monotheistic.

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 There's one true god, says Deuteronomy chapter 6.

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 And so a bunch of them are attracted to Judaism.

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 But secondly, they disillusioned because the Greek gods, it was religion, but it had no bearing on their everyday life.

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 Yeah, they went to the temple, and they worshipped, and they sacrificed, and they brought their money.

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 But actually, it didn't tell you how to live.

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 It had no bearing on morality, or ethics, or it didn't instruct you on your everyday life.

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 But Judaism, actually, the nature of who God is, had a huge impact on how you live your life from day to day.

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 And so a bunch of these spiritual seekers convert to Judaism in search of the one true God,

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 and the God that's actually going to speak into their everyday life.

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 And now they encounter Jesus.

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 They've heard about this man called Jesus.

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 And they're wondering, is this the Messiah?

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 Is this the king that the prophets have been speaking about for hundreds of years?

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 Is this the one that we've been waiting for?

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 And so they come to Philip, who was from a Greek-speaking area, and they say to him,

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 We want to have a meeting with Jesus.

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 Can you help us meet Jesus?

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 Now, what are they really saying here?

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 They're saying, Jesus, we've heard about you.

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 We've heard about the good things that you've done.

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 Some people say you're a good moral teacher.

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 Some people say you're an excellent man.

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 Some people say maybe you're even divine.

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 Maybe you're the Son of God.

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 We want to know who you really are.

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 Jesus, if you're the king that for centuries we've been waiting for, show us your glory.

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 Show us your glory.

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 And friends, if you're wondering about that question, Jesus, who are you?

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 You're in a great place.

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 It's a question every one of us need to ask.

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 Every human being needs to ask this question.

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 Who is Jesus of Nazareth?

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 And is he really who he said he is?

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 You're in the right place to ask that.

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 And Jesus is going to answer their question, but he's going to do it in the most unusual way.

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 The way that nobody expected him to.

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 Now, before we get there, think about this.

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 They've heard that Jesus is possibly a king.

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 He's maybe the Messiah we've been waiting for.

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 Now, every king, every queen, every monarch knows that part of being royal is the display of your glory.

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 You've got to somehow let people know that you're a king.

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 What's the point in being a king if nobody knows you're a king?

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 Even the most benevolent kings, even the most humble monarchs use their position and their power to serve their people.

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 That's part of what it means to be a king.

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 You have position.

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 You have power.

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 You have glory.

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 That's what comes with the job.

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 That's what it means to be a king.

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 And so this is what the nation of Israel are waiting for.

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 The anticipation of the Messiah is boiling.

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 Israel's redeeming king is coming to rescue them from the oppression of the Romans.

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 Someone who would overthrow their enemies and restore Israel to their former glory.

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 All of Israel, those that were Jewish by race and those that have converted to Judaism, are waiting for the coming king.

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 He is going to rescue and restore Israel and restore it to its former glory.

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 And you know what?

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 In our hearts, we all long for a king like that.

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 In our hearts, every one of us long for a king that will set us free.

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 Long for a king that will make our lives more comfortable.

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 Long for a king that will deliver us and make our lives more convenient.

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 A king that will set us free.

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 And so here come these spiritual seekers.

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 They want to find out if Jesus really is the king.

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 And so what does Jesus say?

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 He says, verse 23 I think it is.

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 He says,

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 The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

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 Here it is after all the waiting.

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 All the anticipation.

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 All the wondering.

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 All the scrutinizing.

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 After three years of Jesus going around saying,

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 Repent for the kingdom of God is near.

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 Finally Jesus says,

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 Now is the time.

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 It's here.

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 The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

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 To reveal His glory.

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 And the disciples must have been thinking,

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 It's about time.

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 Finally, we left our family business.

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 We left the tax office.

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 When other disciples abandoned Jesus and left Him,

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 we stuck with Him through thick and thin.

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 In the good times, in the difficult times,

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 we believed in Jesus.

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 Now is the time.

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 Jesus is going to finally let everyone know He's the king.

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 It's payday.

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 Right?

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 We've sacrificed lots for Jesus.

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 Now it's payday.

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 We're going to finally be proved we were right to believe in Jesus.

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 Jesus says,

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 It's here.

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 Now has the time come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

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 Glorified.

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 But then Jesus says the most anticlimactic,

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 the most disappointing things,

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 I think, in the entire gospel.

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 He says,

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 Now is the time for the Son of Man to be glorified.

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 And then what does He say?

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 Unless a grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies,

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 it remains alone.

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 But if it dies,

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 it bears much fruit.

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 Verse 27.

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 Now my soul is troubled.

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 And what shall I say?

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 Father, save me from this hour?

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 No.

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 For this very purpose,

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 I have come to this hour.

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 Father, glorify Your name.

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 Friends,

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 one of the strangest things about this king,

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 about King Jesus,

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 is that Jesus is unequivocal about the fact

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 that His moment of glory,

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 the high point of His life,

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 the moment, in fact,

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 His whole life was moving towards

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 is actually in one and the same time

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 His moment of greatest shame.

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 It's His moment of death.

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 It's the moment He was hung on the cross

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 as a criminal and crucified

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 and left there to die.

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 J.C. Ryle says it like this.

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 The Lord Jesus Christ would have us know

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 that He came not to wear a crown,

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 but to bear a cross.

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 He came not to live a life of honor,

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 ease and magnificence,

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 but to die a shameful and a dishonored death.

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 And the kingdom He set up

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 was to begin not with a coronation,

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 but with a crucifixion.

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 The glory of His kingdom

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 was to rise not from victories with the sword,

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 not accumulated treasures of gold and silver,

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 but from the death of its king.

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 This morning, I want to give us,

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 there's lots of reasons

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 why the cross is Christ's moment of glory.

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 I want to give us just three,

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 actually four reasons

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 why the cross is Christ's moment of glory.

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 Okay?

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 Why this fateful Friday afternoon,

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 the day of Christ's excruciating death,

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 the day when the whole world turned dark,

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 the day when the world seemed to be rocked

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 to its very core,

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 was actually at one and the same time

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 the most tragic day in the history of the world,

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 but also the most glorious.

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 Okay?

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 A couple of reasons.

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 First thing is this.

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 The cross of Christ gloriously reveals

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 the perfect nature and the character of God.

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 Okay?

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 It reveals who God really is.

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 Remember a few weeks ago,

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 we looked at Psalm 115 and says this.

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 It starts off saying,

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 not to us, O God,

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 not to us,

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 but to your name give the glory.

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 Do you remember that?

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 Okay?

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 And we asked the question,

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 what is the glory of God?

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 And what does it mean that God glorifies His name?

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 And the answer we came up with is,

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 the glory of God is the totality

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 of all of God's divine attributes.

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 So God's holiness and His justice,

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 His mercy and His grace,

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 His sovereignty and His patience,

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 all of God's attributes together

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 is like a gigantic multifaceted diamond,

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 and every one of His characteristics

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 is like a facet of this diamond

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 that reveals who He is.

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 Okay?

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 And then we said that to glorify God

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 is to reveal or to remove the cover

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 that shrouds His glory.

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 It's like putting the multifaceted nature

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 and the character of God on display,

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 making it visible for people to see.

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 Okay?

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 That's what it means to glorify God.

00:13:41.239 --> 00:13:42.039
 So for instance,

00:13:42.459 --> 00:13:45.059
 you glorify God when,

00:13:45.399 --> 00:13:46.379
 because of the gospel

00:13:46.379 --> 00:13:47.699
 and what God's done in your heart,

00:13:48.059 --> 00:13:50.319
 you forgive somebody that's really hurt you,

00:13:50.779 --> 00:13:52.219
 someone's really wronged you,

00:13:52.479 --> 00:13:53.419
 and you forgive them.

00:13:53.819 --> 00:13:54.159
 Why?

00:13:54.279 --> 00:13:56.620
 Because in a way you're making visible,

00:13:56.819 --> 00:13:57.939
 you're revealing,

00:13:58.479 --> 00:14:00.500
 displaying the infinite,

00:14:00.679 --> 00:14:02.079
 forgiveness of God,

00:14:02.319 --> 00:14:03.779
 that because of what Christ has done

00:14:03.779 --> 00:14:04.679
 for you on the cross,

00:14:04.739 --> 00:14:06.219
 you can forgive those around you.

00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:07.439
 Or another example,

00:14:07.859 --> 00:14:08.799
 you forgive God,

00:14:08.899 --> 00:14:10.099
 you glorify God

00:14:10.099 --> 00:14:11.319
 when you run a marathon,

00:14:11.559 --> 00:14:11.799
 right,

00:14:11.899 --> 00:14:13.099
 to borrow from my friend,

00:14:13.399 --> 00:14:14.379
 in such a way

00:14:14.379 --> 00:14:16.179
 that it says to those around you,

00:14:16.620 --> 00:14:18.199
 Christ is more precious to me

00:14:18.199 --> 00:14:19.539
 than the gold or the silver

00:14:19.539 --> 00:14:20.319
 that I might win.

00:14:20.819 --> 00:14:22.000
 When you run in such a way

00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:23.179
 that says whether I do well

00:14:23.179 --> 00:14:23.899
 or I do badly,

00:14:24.099 --> 00:14:25.759
 Christ is precious in my life.

00:14:25.759 --> 00:14:27.159
 That glorifies God.

00:14:27.559 --> 00:14:28.519
 You're making visible

00:14:28.519 --> 00:14:29.519
 the infinite,

00:14:29.980 --> 00:14:30.980
 perfect nature

00:14:30.980 --> 00:14:32.179
 and the character of God.

00:14:32.379 --> 00:14:33.220
 Does that make sense?

00:14:33.620 --> 00:14:34.139
 You tracking?

00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:35.639
 Sort of?

00:14:36.240 --> 00:14:37.139
 Okay, great.

00:14:37.639 --> 00:14:37.860
 Now,

00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:39.779
 Jesus says this,

00:14:40.439 --> 00:14:41.480
 the hour has come

00:14:41.480 --> 00:14:42.559
 for the Son of Man

00:14:42.559 --> 00:14:44.240
 to be glorified.

00:14:45.159 --> 00:14:46.699
 Now is the hour coming

00:14:46.699 --> 00:14:48.059
 for you to really see me

00:14:48.059 --> 00:14:48.840
 for who I am.

00:14:49.199 --> 00:14:50.299
 Now is coming

00:14:50.299 --> 00:14:50.960
 my glory,

00:14:51.079 --> 00:14:52.120
 my perfect nature

00:14:52.120 --> 00:14:52.679
 and character

00:14:52.679 --> 00:14:53.779
 that has been hidden

00:14:53.779 --> 00:14:54.659
 throughout the ages.

00:14:54.799 --> 00:14:55.860
 Now you're going to see me

00:14:55.860 --> 00:14:57.279
 for who I really am.

00:14:57.779 --> 00:14:58.000
 Friends,

00:14:58.060 --> 00:14:59.620
 how is Christ's excruciating

00:14:59.620 --> 00:15:00.639
 death on the cross,

00:15:01.139 --> 00:15:02.100
 how does that reveal

00:15:02.100 --> 00:15:02.980
 who Christ is?

00:15:03.340 --> 00:15:03.480
 Well,

00:15:03.519 --> 00:15:04.200
 think about this.

00:15:04.620 --> 00:15:05.779
 It reveals that Jesus

00:15:05.779 --> 00:15:06.919
 is sovereign

00:15:06.919 --> 00:15:08.019
 over everything

00:15:08.019 --> 00:15:08.659
 in the world.

00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:10.919
 Christ is supremely sovereign.

00:15:11.519 --> 00:15:12.159
 Think about how

00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:13.759
 for hundreds of years

00:15:13.759 --> 00:15:14.779
 God has been speaking

00:15:14.779 --> 00:15:15.700
 through his prophets

00:15:15.700 --> 00:15:16.779
 and he's been saying

00:15:16.779 --> 00:15:17.120
 to them,

00:15:17.500 --> 00:15:18.320
 the hour is coming

00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:19.159
 when I will send

00:15:19.159 --> 00:15:19.940
 my deliverer,

00:15:20.039 --> 00:15:21.420
 I will send my rescuer,

00:15:21.420 --> 00:15:23.480
 he will save his people,

00:15:23.620 --> 00:15:24.220
 he will save them

00:15:24.220 --> 00:15:24.960
 from their enemies

00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:25.519
 out there

00:15:25.519 --> 00:15:26.160
 but as we heard

00:15:26.160 --> 00:15:26.700
 last week

00:15:26.700 --> 00:15:28.000
 also from the enemies

00:15:28.000 --> 00:15:28.639
 inside,

00:15:28.820 --> 00:15:30.500
 God had been speaking

00:15:30.500 --> 00:15:30.920
 and saying

00:15:30.920 --> 00:15:32.740
 I will send my rescuer

00:15:32.740 --> 00:15:34.540
 to save my people

00:15:34.540 --> 00:15:36.420
 and 700 years earlier

00:15:36.420 --> 00:15:38.100
 God sent a specific prophet

00:15:38.100 --> 00:15:38.900
 called Isaiah

00:15:38.900 --> 00:15:40.660
 and God had promised

00:15:40.660 --> 00:15:41.759
 that this deliverer

00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:42.300
 would come

00:15:42.300 --> 00:15:43.460
 not as a king

00:15:43.460 --> 00:15:45.100
 who destroys his enemies

00:15:45.100 --> 00:15:46.480
 but as a suffering servant.

00:15:47.060 --> 00:15:47.639
 God promised

00:15:47.639 --> 00:15:49.560
 I will send my Messiah,

00:15:49.560 --> 00:15:50.440
 my deliverer,

00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:51.680
 he will be familiar

00:15:51.680 --> 00:15:53.100
 with pain and suffering.

00:15:53.100 --> 00:15:55.320
 He will be despised

00:15:55.320 --> 00:15:56.019
 and rejected.

00:15:56.500 --> 00:15:57.139
 He will be one

00:15:57.139 --> 00:15:58.200
 that men and women

00:15:58.200 --> 00:15:59.100
 scoff at

00:15:59.100 --> 00:16:00.440
 and ridicule.

00:16:00.840 --> 00:16:01.139
 In fact,

00:16:01.360 --> 00:16:02.580
 my deliverer will come

00:16:02.580 --> 00:16:03.759
 and he will be pierced

00:16:03.759 --> 00:16:05.700
 for the transgressions

00:16:05.700 --> 00:16:06.480
 of his people.

00:16:07.040 --> 00:16:08.080
 And then Isaiah said

00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:09.460
 he will stand trial

00:16:09.460 --> 00:16:10.960
 but during his trial

00:16:10.960 --> 00:16:12.060
 he will remain silent.

00:16:12.560 --> 00:16:13.659
 He won't argue

00:16:13.659 --> 00:16:14.860
 with the unfair judgment

00:16:14.860 --> 00:16:15.920
 that's brought upon him.

00:16:16.320 --> 00:16:17.200
 And John tells us

00:16:17.200 --> 00:16:18.340
 that Isaiah said

00:16:18.340 --> 00:16:18.740
 these things

00:16:18.740 --> 00:16:19.700
 because he saw

00:16:19.700 --> 00:16:20.560
 the glory of God,

00:16:20.639 --> 00:16:21.899
 he saw who God was.

00:16:22.559 --> 00:16:23.079
 You see friends,

00:16:23.579 --> 00:16:24.840
 Jesus Christ didn't die

00:16:24.840 --> 00:16:26.120
 because Pontius Pilate

00:16:26.120 --> 00:16:27.679
 had career ambitions,

00:16:27.879 --> 00:16:28.480
 he didn't want to get

00:16:28.480 --> 00:16:29.179
 on the wrong side

00:16:29.179 --> 00:16:29.759
 of the Romans

00:16:29.759 --> 00:16:30.439
 and so he thought

00:16:30.439 --> 00:16:31.939
 I better please the Romans.

00:16:32.419 --> 00:16:33.279
 No, of course it happened,

00:16:33.379 --> 00:16:34.559
 that's not why Jesus died.

00:16:35.360 --> 00:16:36.199
 Jesus didn't die

00:16:36.199 --> 00:16:37.480
 because Judas Iscariot

00:16:37.480 --> 00:16:38.059
 betrayed him

00:16:38.059 --> 00:16:39.860
 for 30 pieces of silver.

00:16:40.519 --> 00:16:41.799
 Jesus Christ didn't die

00:16:41.799 --> 00:16:42.519
 because the Jews

00:16:42.519 --> 00:16:43.360
 were jealous of him

00:16:43.360 --> 00:16:44.299
 and handed him over

00:16:44.299 --> 00:16:45.279
 to Pontius Pilate.

00:16:45.639 --> 00:16:46.840
 All those things happened

00:16:46.840 --> 00:16:47.840
 but those were simply

00:16:47.840 --> 00:16:48.939
 tools in the hands

00:16:48.939 --> 00:16:50.120
 of a sovereign God.

00:16:50.120 --> 00:16:51.560
 the God who had chosen

00:16:51.560 --> 00:16:53.000
 before the creation

00:16:53.000 --> 00:16:53.560
 of the world

00:16:53.560 --> 00:16:54.919
 that his son would die

00:16:54.919 --> 00:16:55.580
 on the cross

00:16:55.580 --> 00:16:57.320
 to save his people.

00:16:57.820 --> 00:16:58.700
 Jesus said this

00:16:58.700 --> 00:16:59.700
 in John chapter 10.

00:17:00.379 --> 00:17:00.620
 He said,

00:17:00.960 --> 00:17:02.399
 I am the good shepherd.

00:17:02.960 --> 00:17:04.240
 I lay down my life

00:17:04.240 --> 00:17:05.259
 for my sheep.

00:17:05.640 --> 00:17:06.720
 No one takes my life

00:17:06.720 --> 00:17:07.119
 from me.

00:17:07.420 --> 00:17:08.299
 I lay it down

00:17:08.299 --> 00:17:09.319
 of my own accord.

00:17:09.819 --> 00:17:10.819
 I have authority

00:17:10.819 --> 00:17:11.640
 to lay it down

00:17:11.640 --> 00:17:12.940
 and I have authority

00:17:12.940 --> 00:17:14.119
 to take it up again.

00:17:14.700 --> 00:17:15.019
 Friends,

00:17:15.140 --> 00:17:15.940
 the cross of Christ

00:17:15.940 --> 00:17:16.859
 reveals to us

00:17:16.859 --> 00:17:18.140
 that Jesus Christ

00:17:18.140 --> 00:17:18.820
 is sovereign

00:17:18.820 --> 00:17:20.000
 over everything

00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:22.060
 even over wickedness

00:17:22.060 --> 00:17:23.280
 and great evil.

00:17:23.920 --> 00:17:24.420
 Think about how

00:17:24.420 --> 00:17:25.720
 the cross reveals to us

00:17:25.720 --> 00:17:27.040
 the holiness of God,

00:17:27.460 --> 00:17:28.620
 the justice of God.

00:17:29.140 --> 00:17:30.680
 Look at verse 27

00:17:30.680 --> 00:17:31.160
 with me.

00:17:31.620 --> 00:17:32.540
 Jesus says this.

00:17:33.240 --> 00:17:33.620
 He says,

00:17:34.080 --> 00:17:35.100
 Now my soul

00:17:35.100 --> 00:17:35.759
 is troubled.

00:17:36.320 --> 00:17:37.240
 Why was Jesus

00:17:37.240 --> 00:17:37.960
 so troubled?

00:17:38.860 --> 00:17:39.580
 Why was Jesus

00:17:39.580 --> 00:17:40.580
 so agitated

00:17:40.580 --> 00:17:41.560
 before the cross?

00:17:42.220 --> 00:17:42.900
 Is it because

00:17:42.900 --> 00:17:43.880
 he's seen

00:17:43.880 --> 00:17:44.520
 what the Romans

00:17:44.520 --> 00:17:45.440
 do to people

00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:46.560
 when they crucify them

00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:47.919
 and he can't bear

00:17:47.919 --> 00:17:48.980
 to face the pain?

00:17:49.379 --> 00:17:49.679
 He thinks,

00:17:49.819 --> 00:17:50.200
 That's going to be

00:17:50.200 --> 00:17:50.799
 so painful

00:17:50.799 --> 00:17:51.619
 I can't bear it.

00:17:51.659 --> 00:17:52.200
 Is that why

00:17:52.200 --> 00:17:53.659
 Jesus is agitated?

00:17:54.319 --> 00:17:55.279
 No, of course not.

00:17:55.740 --> 00:17:56.700
 If that's the reason,

00:17:57.039 --> 00:17:58.099
 then many martyrs

00:17:58.099 --> 00:17:58.879
 face their death

00:17:58.879 --> 00:17:59.679
 better than Jesus.

00:18:00.579 --> 00:18:00.879
 Friends,

00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:01.639
 the reason why

00:18:01.639 --> 00:18:02.519
 Jesus' soul

00:18:02.519 --> 00:18:03.319
 is so troubled

00:18:03.319 --> 00:18:04.579
 is because

00:18:04.579 --> 00:18:05.679
 not merely

00:18:05.679 --> 00:18:06.940
 the excruciating pain

00:18:06.940 --> 00:18:07.819
 he's about to face,

00:18:08.200 --> 00:18:08.720
 but because

00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:09.359
 the full

00:18:09.359 --> 00:18:10.700
 and the final

00:18:10.700 --> 00:18:12.220
 judgment of God,

00:18:12.359 --> 00:18:13.480
 the wrath of God

00:18:13.480 --> 00:18:15.379
 is for all the world.

00:18:15.380 --> 00:18:16.840
 the final wrath

00:18:16.840 --> 00:18:17.260
 of God

00:18:17.260 --> 00:18:17.940
 at the sins

00:18:17.940 --> 00:18:18.380
 of those

00:18:18.380 --> 00:18:19.060
 that would believe

00:18:19.060 --> 00:18:19.340
 in him

00:18:19.340 --> 00:18:20.080
 is about to be

00:18:20.080 --> 00:18:21.160
 put on his shoulders,

00:18:21.580 --> 00:18:22.200
 is about to be

00:18:22.200 --> 00:18:23.320
 poured into the depths

00:18:23.320 --> 00:18:24.060
 of his soul.

00:18:24.520 --> 00:18:25.120
 In a sense,

00:18:25.580 --> 00:18:26.540
 Christ is about

00:18:26.540 --> 00:18:27.060
 to drink

00:18:27.060 --> 00:18:28.480
 the very worst

00:18:28.480 --> 00:18:29.680
 of hell itself.

00:18:30.360 --> 00:18:31.100
 And the reason

00:18:31.100 --> 00:18:32.340
 why Jesus would do this

00:18:32.340 --> 00:18:32.800
 is because

00:18:32.800 --> 00:18:34.080
 this is the only way

00:18:34.080 --> 00:18:35.040
 that a perfectly

00:18:35.040 --> 00:18:35.740
 holy

00:18:35.740 --> 00:18:37.220
 and righteous

00:18:37.220 --> 00:18:37.960
 God

00:18:37.960 --> 00:18:38.900
 could welcome

00:18:38.900 --> 00:18:39.680
 unholy

00:18:39.680 --> 00:18:40.900
 and unrighteous

00:18:40.900 --> 00:18:41.920
 people like me

00:18:41.920 --> 00:18:43.080
 and like you

00:18:43.080 --> 00:18:44.220
 into his family.

00:18:44.220 --> 00:18:46.299
 Jesus is about

00:18:46.299 --> 00:18:47.039
 to do that

00:18:47.039 --> 00:18:47.980
 for us.

00:18:48.600 --> 00:18:49.120
 The cross

00:18:49.120 --> 00:18:50.380
 reveals the holiness

00:18:50.380 --> 00:18:50.880
 of God,

00:18:50.960 --> 00:18:51.680
 the righteousness

00:18:51.680 --> 00:18:52.259
 of God,

00:18:52.339 --> 00:18:52.960
 the perfection

00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:53.480
 of God.

00:18:54.039 --> 00:18:54.259
 Friends,

00:18:54.319 --> 00:18:54.680
 the cross

00:18:54.680 --> 00:18:55.259
 demonstrates

00:18:55.259 --> 00:18:56.019
 God's passion

00:18:56.019 --> 00:18:56.700
 for his holiness.

00:18:57.380 --> 00:18:58.299
 God is so holy

00:18:58.299 --> 00:18:59.360
 and so set apart

00:18:59.360 --> 00:19:00.460
 that he cannot

00:19:00.460 --> 00:19:01.539
 even tolerate

00:19:01.539 --> 00:19:02.579
 even an ounce

00:19:02.579 --> 00:19:02.980
 of sin

00:19:02.980 --> 00:19:03.720
 in his presence.

00:19:04.759 --> 00:19:05.279
 And so he

00:19:05.279 --> 00:19:05.720
 utterly

00:19:05.720 --> 00:19:06.500
 and totally

00:19:06.500 --> 00:19:07.019
 dealt

00:19:07.019 --> 00:19:07.940
 and destroyed

00:19:07.940 --> 00:19:08.360
 sin

00:19:08.360 --> 00:19:09.440
 by dealing

00:19:09.440 --> 00:19:10.240
 with Christ

00:19:10.240 --> 00:19:10.960
 on the cross.

00:19:11.720 --> 00:19:11.940
 Friends,

00:19:12.000 --> 00:19:12.240
 think about

00:19:12.240 --> 00:19:12.900
 how the cross

00:19:12.900 --> 00:19:13.560
 demonstrates

00:19:13.560 --> 00:19:14.140
 the mercy

00:19:14.140 --> 00:19:14.740
 of God.

00:19:15.280 --> 00:19:15.660
 That though

00:19:15.660 --> 00:19:16.080
 we don't

00:19:16.080 --> 00:19:16.740
 deserve it,

00:19:17.240 --> 00:19:18.080
 God welcomes

00:19:18.080 --> 00:19:18.660
 us into his

00:19:18.660 --> 00:19:19.560
 family and doesn't

00:19:19.560 --> 00:19:20.259
 give us what we

00:19:20.259 --> 00:19:21.100
 deserve but gave

00:19:21.100 --> 00:19:21.720
 it to Christ

00:19:21.720 --> 00:19:22.180
 instead.

00:19:22.740 --> 00:19:23.240
 The apostle

00:19:23.240 --> 00:19:23.820
 Paul writes,

00:19:23.880 --> 00:19:24.140
 he says,

00:19:24.560 --> 00:19:25.100
 though we were

00:19:25.100 --> 00:19:26.000
 dead in our sins

00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:27.040
 following the

00:19:27.040 --> 00:19:27.580
 ways of this

00:19:27.580 --> 00:19:27.940
 world,

00:19:28.340 --> 00:19:28.880
 though we were

00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:30.080
 slaves to our

00:19:30.080 --> 00:19:30.280
 sin,

00:19:30.700 --> 00:19:31.700
 because of God

00:19:31.700 --> 00:19:32.680
 being rich

00:19:32.680 --> 00:19:33.660
 in mercy,

00:19:34.060 --> 00:19:34.600
 because of his

00:19:34.600 --> 00:19:35.660
 great love for us,

00:19:35.720 --> 00:19:36.420
 even when we were

00:19:36.420 --> 00:19:37.440
 dead in our sins,

00:19:37.580 --> 00:19:38.700
 God made us alive

00:19:38.700 --> 00:19:39.080
 together.

00:19:39.899 --> 00:19:40.500
 Think about how

00:19:40.500 --> 00:19:41.419
 the cross reveals

00:19:41.419 --> 00:19:42.039
 the profound

00:19:42.039 --> 00:19:43.119
 love of God.

00:19:43.859 --> 00:19:44.359
 That God,

00:19:44.539 --> 00:19:44.960
 because he,

00:19:45.480 --> 00:19:46.359
 Jesus loved God

00:19:46.359 --> 00:19:46.819
 the Father,

00:19:47.379 --> 00:19:48.079
 he loved his

00:19:48.079 --> 00:19:48.419
 glory,

00:19:48.879 --> 00:19:49.639
 he loved you

00:19:49.639 --> 00:19:49.919
 and I,

00:19:50.000 --> 00:19:50.559
 he loved his

00:19:50.559 --> 00:19:51.379
 creation that he

00:19:51.379 --> 00:19:51.619
 made,

00:19:51.679 --> 00:19:52.139
 and he saw

00:19:52.139 --> 00:19:52.619
 that we were

00:19:52.619 --> 00:19:53.259
 wayward and

00:19:53.259 --> 00:19:54.579
 gone and so

00:19:54.579 --> 00:19:55.299
 lost that we

00:19:55.299 --> 00:19:55.679
 couldn't even

00:19:55.679 --> 00:19:56.339
 find our way

00:19:56.339 --> 00:19:57.019
 back to God,

00:19:57.460 --> 00:19:58.059
 he went and

00:19:58.059 --> 00:19:58.939
 he died for us.

00:19:59.419 --> 00:20:00.179
 Romans says

00:20:00.179 --> 00:20:00.480
 this,

00:20:01.199 --> 00:20:01.539
 he says,

00:20:02.179 --> 00:20:03.500
 scarcely will

00:20:03.500 --> 00:20:04.439
 someone die for

00:20:04.439 --> 00:20:05.099
 someone else.

00:20:05.519 --> 00:20:06.279
 Not very often

00:20:06.279 --> 00:20:07.019
 will someone say,

00:20:07.119 --> 00:20:07.879
 hey, I'll die in

00:20:07.879 --> 00:20:08.439
 your place,

00:20:08.440 --> 00:20:09.640
 but maybe if you

00:20:09.640 --> 00:20:10.440
 meet a very

00:20:10.440 --> 00:20:11.019
 good man,

00:20:11.120 --> 00:20:12.120
 a very righteous

00:20:12.120 --> 00:20:12.460
 man,

00:20:12.740 --> 00:20:13.380
 maybe if you

00:20:13.380 --> 00:20:14.019
 meet a very

00:20:14.019 --> 00:20:14.920
 honorable man

00:20:14.920 --> 00:20:15.759
 and you're

00:20:15.759 --> 00:20:16.460
 really humble,

00:20:16.759 --> 00:20:17.420
 you'll lay down

00:20:17.420 --> 00:20:17.980
 your life for

00:20:17.980 --> 00:20:18.559
 that person.

00:20:19.360 --> 00:20:20.440
 But God so

00:20:20.440 --> 00:20:21.160
 loves us that

00:20:21.160 --> 00:20:21.519
 this,

00:20:21.880 --> 00:20:22.759
 while we were

00:20:22.759 --> 00:20:23.100
 sinners,

00:20:23.240 --> 00:20:23.779
 while we were

00:20:23.779 --> 00:20:24.880
 enemies of God,

00:20:25.120 --> 00:20:25.720
 while we had

00:20:25.720 --> 00:20:26.460
 given God the

00:20:26.460 --> 00:20:27.120
 middle finger,

00:20:27.840 --> 00:20:28.779
 God sent his

00:20:28.779 --> 00:20:29.720
 son to die for

00:20:29.720 --> 00:20:29.960
 us.

00:20:30.500 --> 00:20:30.840
 Friends,

00:20:30.900 --> 00:20:31.259
 think about how

00:20:31.259 --> 00:20:32.160
 the cross reveals

00:20:32.160 --> 00:20:33.059
 the profound

00:20:33.059 --> 00:20:34.580
 love of God

00:20:34.580 --> 00:20:35.080
 for us.

00:20:35.820 --> 00:20:36.120
 Friends,

00:20:36.259 --> 00:20:36.900
 the cross of

00:20:36.900 --> 00:20:37.640
 Jesus is not

00:20:37.640 --> 00:20:38.160
 just a good

00:20:38.160 --> 00:20:38.880
 example to

00:20:38.880 --> 00:20:39.380
 show us how

00:20:39.380 --> 00:20:39.840
 to live,

00:20:40.200 --> 00:20:40.800
 not just to

00:20:40.800 --> 00:20:41.400
 teach us to

00:20:41.400 --> 00:20:42.040
 forgive those

00:20:42.040 --> 00:20:42.300
 that have

00:20:42.300 --> 00:20:42.940
 hurt us or

00:20:42.940 --> 00:20:43.860
 how to turn

00:20:43.860 --> 00:20:44.180
 the other

00:20:44.180 --> 00:20:44.540
 cheek.

00:20:44.840 --> 00:20:45.440
 It does all

00:20:45.440 --> 00:20:45.980
 those things,

00:20:46.360 --> 00:20:47.040
 but more than

00:20:47.040 --> 00:20:47.240
 this,

00:20:47.320 --> 00:20:48.400
 the cross reveals

00:20:48.400 --> 00:20:48.900
 to us the

00:20:48.900 --> 00:20:50.380
 perfect nature and

00:20:50.380 --> 00:20:51.240
 the character of

00:20:51.240 --> 00:20:51.500
 Jesus.

00:20:52.180 --> 00:20:52.759
 Jesus says,

00:20:52.920 --> 00:20:53.740
 now is the time

00:20:53.740 --> 00:20:54.100
 that you're going

00:20:54.100 --> 00:20:54.759
 to see me for

00:20:54.759 --> 00:20:55.300
 who I am.

00:20:55.660 --> 00:20:56.640
 Now is the time

00:20:56.640 --> 00:20:57.040
 that I'm going

00:20:57.040 --> 00:20:57.620
 to be glorified.

00:20:57.800 --> 00:20:58.580
 Now is the time

00:20:58.580 --> 00:20:59.000
 you're going to

00:20:59.000 --> 00:21:00.380
 see me for who

00:21:00.380 --> 00:21:01.080
 I really am.

00:21:01.720 --> 00:21:02.720
 Now is the time

00:21:02.720 --> 00:21:03.380
 that you'll get

00:21:03.380 --> 00:21:04.720
 to know me as

00:21:04.720 --> 00:21:05.120
 God.

00:21:05.500 --> 00:21:05.860
 Friends,

00:21:05.859 --> 00:21:06.259
 for hundreds

00:21:06.259 --> 00:21:06.919
 of years God

00:21:06.919 --> 00:21:07.679
 had been speaking

00:21:07.679 --> 00:21:08.439
 to his people

00:21:08.439 --> 00:21:09.699
 through the

00:21:09.699 --> 00:21:10.099
 prophets,

00:21:10.559 --> 00:21:11.039
 through the

00:21:11.039 --> 00:21:11.419
 angels,

00:21:11.859 --> 00:21:12.619
 through signs

00:21:12.619 --> 00:21:13.259
 and wonders,

00:21:13.779 --> 00:21:14.139
 through the

00:21:14.139 --> 00:21:14.559
 temple,

00:21:15.099 --> 00:21:15.500
 through the

00:21:15.500 --> 00:21:15.899
 priests,

00:21:16.240 --> 00:21:16.819
 and in all

00:21:16.819 --> 00:21:17.399
 those moments

00:21:17.399 --> 00:21:18.079
 he was showing

00:21:18.079 --> 00:21:18.719
 them just a

00:21:18.719 --> 00:21:19.839
 glimpse of his

00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:20.159
 glory.

00:21:20.279 --> 00:21:20.659
 He was showing

00:21:20.659 --> 00:21:21.459
 them just a

00:21:21.459 --> 00:21:24.159
 tiny percentage

00:21:24.159 --> 00:21:25.219
 of who he was.

00:21:25.859 --> 00:21:26.479
 But here,

00:21:26.699 --> 00:21:27.859
 fully and finally,

00:21:28.319 --> 00:21:29.159
 in a far more

00:21:29.159 --> 00:21:30.179
 dramatic way than

00:21:30.179 --> 00:21:30.879
 had ever been

00:21:30.879 --> 00:21:31.399
 seen before,

00:21:31.519 --> 00:21:32.479
 as Jesus hung on

00:21:32.480 --> 00:21:32.880
 the cross,

00:21:32.980 --> 00:21:33.460
 God says,

00:21:33.860 --> 00:21:34.880
 this is who I

00:21:34.880 --> 00:21:35.200
 am.

00:21:35.700 --> 00:21:36.099
 I'm the

00:21:36.099 --> 00:21:36.740
 sovereign God,

00:21:36.819 --> 00:21:37.200
 I'm sovereign

00:21:37.200 --> 00:21:37.839
 over everything.

00:21:38.339 --> 00:21:38.819
 I'm the God

00:21:38.819 --> 00:21:39.319
 of profound

00:21:39.319 --> 00:21:39.759
 mercy.

00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:40.839
 I'm the God

00:21:40.839 --> 00:21:41.420
 who is holy

00:21:41.420 --> 00:21:41.980
 and just.

00:21:42.700 --> 00:21:43.180
 I'm the God

00:21:43.180 --> 00:21:43.680
 of profound

00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:44.099
 love.

00:21:44.779 --> 00:21:45.039
 Friends,

00:21:45.099 --> 00:21:45.460
 if you want

00:21:45.460 --> 00:21:46.120
 to know God,

00:21:46.880 --> 00:21:47.380
 you want to

00:21:47.380 --> 00:21:47.700
 know who

00:21:47.700 --> 00:21:48.440
 Jesus really

00:21:48.440 --> 00:21:48.779
 is,

00:21:49.339 --> 00:21:50.019
 you understand

00:21:50.019 --> 00:21:50.900
 who this

00:21:50.900 --> 00:21:51.420
 God is,

00:21:52.620 --> 00:21:53.140
 you have to

00:21:53.140 --> 00:21:53.620
 find him at

00:21:53.620 --> 00:21:54.059
 the cross.

00:21:54.259 --> 00:21:54.720
 Don't just

00:21:54.720 --> 00:21:55.120
 come to him

00:21:55.120 --> 00:21:55.720
 as an example.

00:21:56.299 --> 00:21:56.720
 Don't just

00:21:56.720 --> 00:21:57.099
 come to him

00:21:57.099 --> 00:21:57.680
 as a martyr,

00:21:57.819 --> 00:21:58.220
 as a good

00:21:58.220 --> 00:21:59.220
 man who was

00:21:59.220 --> 00:21:59.779
 a victim of

00:21:59.779 --> 00:22:00.240
 his times.

00:22:00.720 --> 00:22:01.339
 You have to

00:22:01.339 --> 00:22:01.819
 come to the

00:22:01.819 --> 00:22:02.099
 one who

00:22:02.099 --> 00:22:02.319
 said,

00:22:02.460 --> 00:22:02.799
 for this

00:22:02.799 --> 00:22:03.359
 purpose I

00:22:03.359 --> 00:22:03.819
 was born.

00:22:04.439 --> 00:22:04.960
 I came

00:22:04.960 --> 00:22:05.319
 for this

00:22:05.319 --> 00:22:05.619
 hour.

00:22:06.220 --> 00:22:06.619
 You have

00:22:06.619 --> 00:22:07.079
 to find

00:22:07.079 --> 00:22:07.939
 him at

00:22:07.939 --> 00:22:08.439
 the cross.

00:22:09.480 --> 00:22:09.700
 Okay,

00:22:09.859 --> 00:22:10.339
 so first

00:22:10.339 --> 00:22:10.639
 reason,

00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:11.019
 how does

00:22:11.019 --> 00:22:11.399
 the cross

00:22:11.399 --> 00:22:12.159
 glorify

00:22:12.159 --> 00:22:12.559
 Jesus?

00:22:13.000 --> 00:22:13.599
 It shows

00:22:13.599 --> 00:22:13.960
 us who

00:22:13.960 --> 00:22:14.379
 he really

00:22:14.379 --> 00:22:14.659
 is.

00:22:15.019 --> 00:22:15.379
 Second

00:22:15.379 --> 00:22:15.879
 reason is

00:22:15.879 --> 00:22:16.019
 this,

00:22:16.059 --> 00:22:16.439
 that's the

00:22:16.439 --> 00:22:16.679
 longest

00:22:16.679 --> 00:22:16.980
 one.

00:22:17.179 --> 00:22:17.599
 Second

00:22:17.599 --> 00:22:18.099
 reason is

00:22:18.099 --> 00:22:18.299
 this,

00:22:18.720 --> 00:22:19.299
 the cross

00:22:19.299 --> 00:22:20.500
 reveals the

00:22:20.500 --> 00:22:21.240
 power of

00:22:21.240 --> 00:22:21.579
 God,

00:22:22.019 --> 00:22:22.759
 the profound

00:22:22.759 --> 00:22:23.559
 power of

00:22:23.559 --> 00:22:23.919
 God to

00:22:23.919 --> 00:22:24.599
 change lives.

00:22:25.200 --> 00:22:25.319
 Now

00:22:25.319 --> 00:22:25.819
 remember,

00:22:26.379 --> 00:22:27.159
 who is it

00:22:27.159 --> 00:22:27.759
 that comes

00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:28.399
 to Jesus,

00:22:28.639 --> 00:22:29.379
 that provokes

00:22:29.379 --> 00:22:30.139
 Jesus to

00:22:30.139 --> 00:22:30.720
 make this

00:22:30.720 --> 00:22:31.079
 dramatic

00:22:31.079 --> 00:22:31.559
 statement?

00:22:31.819 --> 00:22:32.500
 Who comes

00:22:32.500 --> 00:22:32.899
 to him and

00:22:32.899 --> 00:22:33.059
 says,

00:22:33.179 --> 00:22:33.399
 we want

00:22:33.399 --> 00:22:33.720
 to see

00:22:33.720 --> 00:22:33.939
 you?

00:22:34.599 --> 00:22:35.179
 It's the

00:22:35.179 --> 00:22:35.439
 Greeks,

00:22:35.559 --> 00:22:35.759
 right?

00:22:35.839 --> 00:22:36.200
 It's the

00:22:36.200 --> 00:22:36.740
 Gentiles.

00:22:37.179 --> 00:22:37.759
 It's not

00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:38.200
 the Jewish

00:22:38.200 --> 00:22:38.539
 people,

00:22:38.740 --> 00:22:39.599
 it's the

00:22:39.599 --> 00:22:40.119
 Gentiles.

00:22:40.539 --> 00:22:41.159
 And where

00:22:41.159 --> 00:22:41.639
 are they?

00:22:42.059 --> 00:22:42.500
 They're in

00:22:42.500 --> 00:22:42.919
 Jerusalem.

00:22:43.279 --> 00:22:43.839
 They've come

00:22:43.839 --> 00:22:44.399
 to Jerusalem

00:22:44.399 --> 00:22:44.859
 because they

00:22:44.859 --> 00:22:45.240
 want to

00:22:45.240 --> 00:22:45.639
 worship.

00:22:45.980 --> 00:22:46.379
 They've come

00:22:46.379 --> 00:22:47.099
 for the

00:22:47.099 --> 00:22:47.559
 Passover

00:22:47.559 --> 00:22:48.519
 festival.

00:22:49.419 --> 00:22:49.659
 Now,

00:22:50.179 --> 00:22:50.759
 many of us

00:22:50.759 --> 00:22:51.359
 will know

00:22:51.359 --> 00:22:52.240
 that the

00:22:52.240 --> 00:22:53.139
 Gentiles

00:22:53.139 --> 00:22:54.899
 were able

00:22:54.899 --> 00:22:55.319
 to come

00:22:55.319 --> 00:22:55.980
 to Jerusalem,

00:22:56.139 --> 00:22:56.379
 they were

00:22:56.379 --> 00:22:56.960
 able to go

00:22:56.960 --> 00:22:57.259
 to the

00:22:57.259 --> 00:22:57.559
 temple,

00:22:57.759 --> 00:22:58.099
 but they

00:22:58.099 --> 00:22:58.939
 could only

00:22:58.939 --> 00:22:59.519
 remain on

00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:00.079
 the outside

00:23:00.079 --> 00:23:00.500
 of the

00:23:00.500 --> 00:23:00.819
 temple.

00:23:00.819 --> 00:23:01.500
 They

00:23:01.500 --> 00:23:01.759
 couldn't

00:23:01.759 --> 00:23:02.000
 go to

00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:02.139
 the

00:23:02.139 --> 00:23:02.339
 inner

00:23:02.339 --> 00:23:02.700
 court.

00:23:03.099 --> 00:23:03.319
 There's

00:23:03.319 --> 00:23:03.539
 two

00:23:03.539 --> 00:23:03.899
 courts,

00:23:03.980 --> 00:23:04.079
 there's

00:23:04.079 --> 00:23:04.240
 the

00:23:04.240 --> 00:23:04.500
 inner

00:23:04.500 --> 00:23:04.859
 court

00:23:04.859 --> 00:23:05.079
 for

00:23:05.079 --> 00:23:05.439
 the

00:23:05.439 --> 00:23:05.799
 Jews,

00:23:06.039 --> 00:23:06.359
 and

00:23:06.359 --> 00:23:06.519
 then

00:23:06.519 --> 00:23:06.700
 there's

00:23:06.700 --> 00:23:06.859
 the

00:23:06.859 --> 00:23:07.200
 outer

00:23:07.200 --> 00:23:07.579
 court

00:23:07.579 --> 00:23:07.759
 where

00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:07.939
 the

00:23:07.939 --> 00:23:08.480
 Gentiles

00:23:08.480 --> 00:23:08.899
 had to

00:23:08.899 --> 00:23:09.500
 remain.

00:23:10.059 --> 00:23:10.200
 Now,

00:23:10.299 --> 00:23:10.720
 some of

00:23:10.720 --> 00:23:10.879
 the

00:23:10.879 --> 00:23:11.339
 Gentiles,

00:23:11.439 --> 00:23:11.679
 if they

00:23:11.679 --> 00:23:12.259
 had fully

00:23:12.259 --> 00:23:12.839
 converted

00:23:12.839 --> 00:23:13.659
 and been

00:23:13.659 --> 00:23:14.480
 circumcised

00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:14.859
 and gone

00:23:14.859 --> 00:23:15.319
 through all

00:23:15.319 --> 00:23:15.759
 the things,

00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:16.559
 some of

00:23:16.559 --> 00:23:16.899
 them could

00:23:16.899 --> 00:23:17.200
 have gone

00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:17.480
 to the

00:23:17.480 --> 00:23:17.619
 inner

00:23:17.619 --> 00:23:17.879
 court,

00:23:18.159 --> 00:23:18.539
 but for

00:23:18.539 --> 00:23:18.980
 most of

00:23:18.980 --> 00:23:19.139
 them,

00:23:19.460 --> 00:23:19.859
 the Gentiles

00:23:19.859 --> 00:23:20.200
 had to

00:23:20.200 --> 00:23:20.759
 remain on

00:23:20.759 --> 00:23:20.919
 the

00:23:20.919 --> 00:23:21.220
 outer

00:23:21.220 --> 00:23:21.619
 court,

00:23:21.759 --> 00:23:22.019
 and there's

00:23:22.019 --> 00:23:22.639
 actually a

00:23:22.639 --> 00:23:23.480
 wall that

00:23:23.480 --> 00:23:24.379
 divides the

00:23:24.379 --> 00:23:24.839
 Jews from

00:23:24.839 --> 00:23:25.019
 the

00:23:25.019 --> 00:23:25.519
 Gentiles.

00:23:25.879 --> 00:23:26.299
 And in

00:23:26.299 --> 00:23:26.619
 Jesus'

00:23:26.779 --> 00:23:26.899
 day,

00:23:26.980 --> 00:23:27.159
 there are

00:23:27.159 --> 00:23:27.879
 big signs

00:23:27.879 --> 00:23:28.199
 on the

00:23:28.199 --> 00:23:28.599
 wall that

00:23:28.599 --> 00:23:28.819
 say,

00:23:29.159 --> 00:23:29.980
 stay out,

00:23:30.399 --> 00:23:31.399
 no Gentiles

00:23:31.399 --> 00:23:32.259
 allowed in

00:23:32.259 --> 00:23:32.639
 the inner

00:23:32.639 --> 00:23:33.019
 court.

00:23:33.439 --> 00:23:33.579
 Okay?

00:23:34.299 --> 00:23:34.779
 And of

00:23:34.779 --> 00:23:34.959
 course,

00:23:35.039 --> 00:23:35.419
 it wasn't

00:23:35.419 --> 00:23:35.779
 just in

00:23:35.779 --> 00:23:36.319
 the temple.

00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:36.959
 For

00:23:36.959 --> 00:23:37.559
 centuries,

00:23:37.799 --> 00:23:38.299
 Jews and

00:23:38.299 --> 00:23:38.759
 Gentiles

00:23:38.759 --> 00:23:39.359
 didn't get

00:23:39.359 --> 00:23:39.759
 along.

00:23:40.119 --> 00:23:40.220
 They

00:23:40.220 --> 00:23:40.539
 wouldn't

00:23:40.539 --> 00:23:40.839
 eat

00:23:40.839 --> 00:23:41.259
 together.

00:23:41.939 --> 00:23:42.839
 The Jews

00:23:42.839 --> 00:23:43.259
 were meant

00:23:43.259 --> 00:23:43.720
 to be a

00:23:43.720 --> 00:23:44.199
 light to

00:23:44.199 --> 00:23:44.740
 the Gentiles,

00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:45.299
 to welcome

00:23:45.299 --> 00:23:45.679
 them in,

00:23:45.879 --> 00:23:46.279
 and the

00:23:46.279 --> 00:23:46.819
 Gentiles

00:23:46.819 --> 00:23:47.419
 should have

00:23:47.419 --> 00:23:47.879
 respected

00:23:47.879 --> 00:23:48.339
 the Jews.

00:23:48.419 --> 00:23:48.819
 They're both

00:23:48.819 --> 00:23:49.319
 to blame.

00:23:49.839 --> 00:23:50.259
 But for

00:23:50.259 --> 00:23:50.779
 centuries,

00:23:50.919 --> 00:23:51.179
 they've

00:23:51.179 --> 00:23:51.579
 been at

00:23:51.579 --> 00:23:52.039
 each other.

00:23:52.419 --> 00:23:52.559
 They

00:23:52.559 --> 00:23:52.799
 wouldn't

00:23:52.799 --> 00:23:53.199
 eat in

00:23:53.200 --> 00:23:53.380
 each

00:23:53.380 --> 00:23:53.720
 other's

00:23:53.720 --> 00:23:54.080
 houses.

00:23:54.240 --> 00:23:54.340
 They

00:23:54.340 --> 00:23:54.580
 wouldn't

00:23:54.580 --> 00:23:55.080
 share a

00:23:55.080 --> 00:23:55.240
 meal

00:23:55.240 --> 00:23:55.620
 together.

00:23:55.960 --> 00:23:56.100
 They

00:23:56.100 --> 00:23:56.380
 wouldn't

00:23:56.380 --> 00:23:57.160
 cross the

00:23:57.160 --> 00:23:57.559
 door,

00:23:57.900 --> 00:23:58.019
 the

00:23:58.019 --> 00:23:58.500
 threstle

00:23:58.500 --> 00:23:58.819
 of the

00:23:58.819 --> 00:23:59.019
 door,

00:23:59.100 --> 00:23:59.420
 to go

00:23:59.420 --> 00:23:59.700
 into

00:23:59.700 --> 00:23:59.960
 each

00:23:59.960 --> 00:24:00.259
 other's

00:24:00.259 --> 00:24:00.660
 houses.

00:24:01.140 --> 00:24:01.580
 Certainly

00:24:01.580 --> 00:24:02.019
 wouldn't

00:24:02.019 --> 00:24:02.680
 be in

00:24:02.680 --> 00:24:03.299
 partnership

00:24:03.299 --> 00:24:03.960
 and business

00:24:03.960 --> 00:24:04.400
 together.

00:24:05.580 --> 00:24:05.860
 And so

00:24:05.860 --> 00:24:06.620
 here the

00:24:06.620 --> 00:24:07.019
 Jews and

00:24:07.019 --> 00:24:07.460
 Gentiles

00:24:07.460 --> 00:24:08.200
 don't get

00:24:08.200 --> 00:24:08.580
 along.

00:24:10.059 --> 00:24:10.500
 But what

00:24:10.500 --> 00:24:10.940
 we read

00:24:10.940 --> 00:24:11.519
 is just a

00:24:11.519 --> 00:24:12.240
 few chapters

00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:12.900
 later in

00:24:12.900 --> 00:24:13.620
 Acts chapter

00:24:13.620 --> 00:24:14.100
 10,

00:24:14.900 --> 00:24:15.259
 Peter,

00:24:15.759 --> 00:24:16.220
 a Jew,

00:24:16.860 --> 00:24:17.240
 goes and

00:24:17.240 --> 00:24:17.759
 has a meal

00:24:17.759 --> 00:24:18.080
 with a

00:24:18.080 --> 00:24:18.519
 Gentile.

00:24:19.059 --> 00:24:19.480
 He goes

00:24:19.480 --> 00:24:20.039
 inside his

00:24:20.039 --> 00:24:20.380
 home.

00:24:20.960 --> 00:24:21.420
 They break

00:24:21.420 --> 00:24:22.140
 bread together.

00:24:22.620 --> 00:24:23.180
 They worship

00:24:23.180 --> 00:24:23.660
 together.

00:24:24.140 --> 00:24:24.580
 The Holy

00:24:24.580 --> 00:24:25.200
 Spirit falls

00:24:25.200 --> 00:24:25.580
 on both

00:24:25.580 --> 00:24:25.960
 of them

00:24:25.960 --> 00:24:26.620
 and they

00:24:26.620 --> 00:24:26.940
 end up

00:24:26.940 --> 00:24:27.779
 praising God

00:24:27.779 --> 00:24:28.240
 together.

00:24:28.740 --> 00:24:29.060
 And later

00:24:29.060 --> 00:24:29.420
 on the

00:24:29.420 --> 00:24:30.860
 apostle Paul

00:24:30.860 --> 00:24:31.440
 writes to a

00:24:31.440 --> 00:24:31.840
 bunch of

00:24:31.840 --> 00:24:32.440
 Gentiles and

00:24:32.440 --> 00:24:32.700
 he says,

00:24:32.700 --> 00:24:34.500
 remember how

00:24:34.500 --> 00:24:35.500
 just formerly

00:24:35.500 --> 00:24:36.420
 you were called

00:24:36.420 --> 00:24:37.779
 the uncircumcision

00:24:37.779 --> 00:24:38.880
 by those who

00:24:38.880 --> 00:24:39.740
 regard themselves

00:24:39.740 --> 00:24:40.400
 as circumcision.

00:24:40.600 --> 00:24:41.220
 You were called

00:24:41.220 --> 00:24:42.019
 dogs and

00:24:42.019 --> 00:24:43.740
 inferior by those

00:24:43.740 --> 00:24:44.620
 who recognize

00:24:44.620 --> 00:24:45.320
 themselves as

00:24:45.320 --> 00:24:45.820
 superior.

00:24:46.440 --> 00:24:47.160
 But now,

00:24:47.299 --> 00:24:47.660
 he says,

00:24:47.860 --> 00:24:48.460
 in Christ

00:24:48.460 --> 00:24:48.880
 Jesus,

00:24:49.320 --> 00:24:49.740
 you who were

00:24:49.740 --> 00:24:50.620
 once inferior,

00:24:51.000 --> 00:24:51.500
 you who were

00:24:51.500 --> 00:24:52.620
 once far off,

00:24:52.619 --> 00:24:53.419
 you who were

00:24:53.419 --> 00:24:54.459
 once regarded

00:24:54.459 --> 00:24:55.159
 as second

00:24:55.159 --> 00:24:55.579
 class,

00:24:55.899 --> 00:24:56.519
 now you've

00:24:56.519 --> 00:24:56.959
 been brought

00:24:56.959 --> 00:24:57.339
 near,

00:24:57.539 --> 00:24:57.919
 how?

00:24:58.479 --> 00:24:58.879
 By the

00:24:58.879 --> 00:24:59.299
 blood of

00:24:59.299 --> 00:24:59.799
 Christ on

00:24:59.799 --> 00:25:00.339
 the cross.

00:25:00.959 --> 00:25:01.539
 For Christ

00:25:01.539 --> 00:25:01.939
 is our

00:25:01.939 --> 00:25:02.319
 peace.

00:25:02.759 --> 00:25:03.079
 He has

00:25:03.079 --> 00:25:04.159
 broken down

00:25:04.159 --> 00:25:04.939
 the dividing

00:25:04.939 --> 00:25:05.519
 wall of

00:25:05.519 --> 00:25:06.799
 hostility and

00:25:06.799 --> 00:25:07.500
 he has created

00:25:07.500 --> 00:25:08.639
 in himself one

00:25:08.639 --> 00:25:09.679
 new man out

00:25:09.679 --> 00:25:10.199
 of the two,

00:25:10.699 --> 00:25:11.399
 thus making

00:25:11.399 --> 00:25:11.859
 peace.

00:25:12.339 --> 00:25:12.719
 Friends,

00:25:12.779 --> 00:25:13.279
 for the very

00:25:13.279 --> 00:25:14.079
 first time in

00:25:14.079 --> 00:25:14.599
 the history of

00:25:14.599 --> 00:25:14.939
 the world,

00:25:15.299 --> 00:25:16.079
 here can both

00:25:16.079 --> 00:25:17.019
 Jew and

00:25:17.019 --> 00:25:17.539
 Gentile,

00:25:17.959 --> 00:25:18.979
 slave and

00:25:18.979 --> 00:25:19.359
 free,

00:25:19.359 --> 00:25:20.599
 rich and

00:25:20.599 --> 00:25:20.979
 poor,

00:25:21.419 --> 00:25:22.359
 educated and

00:25:22.359 --> 00:25:23.159
 uneducated,

00:25:23.519 --> 00:25:24.379
 male and

00:25:24.379 --> 00:25:24.939
 female,

00:25:25.379 --> 00:25:26.159
 worshipped God,

00:25:26.319 --> 00:25:26.899
 come together,

00:25:27.039 --> 00:25:28.039
 stand shoulder to

00:25:28.039 --> 00:25:28.299
 shoulder,

00:25:28.459 --> 00:25:29.119
 knowing that they

00:25:29.119 --> 00:25:29.839
 are equally

00:25:29.839 --> 00:25:30.939
 chosen in God,

00:25:31.419 --> 00:25:32.639
 equally loved by

00:25:32.639 --> 00:25:33.000
 God,

00:25:33.419 --> 00:25:34.179
 equally sinners

00:25:34.179 --> 00:25:35.059
 for whom Jesus

00:25:35.059 --> 00:25:35.819
 died on the

00:25:35.819 --> 00:25:36.219
 cross.

00:25:36.639 --> 00:25:37.059
 Why?

00:25:37.439 --> 00:25:38.339
 Because Christ,

00:25:38.479 --> 00:25:39.219
 by dying on the

00:25:39.219 --> 00:25:39.419
 cross,

00:25:39.500 --> 00:25:40.819
 broke the power

00:25:40.819 --> 00:25:42.759
 of sin and

00:25:42.759 --> 00:25:43.719
 self-centeredness

00:25:43.719 --> 00:25:45.519
 and self-righteousness

00:25:45.519 --> 00:25:47.299
 and now for the

00:25:47.299 --> 00:25:48.259
 first time both

00:25:48.259 --> 00:25:48.799
 Jews and

00:25:48.799 --> 00:25:49.279
 Gentiles,

00:25:49.500 --> 00:25:50.180
 Greeks and

00:25:50.180 --> 00:25:50.819
 slaves and

00:25:50.819 --> 00:25:51.400
 free and

00:25:51.400 --> 00:25:52.019
 rich and

00:25:52.019 --> 00:25:52.559
 poor and

00:25:52.559 --> 00:25:53.379
 educated and

00:25:53.379 --> 00:25:54.599
 uneducated have

00:25:54.599 --> 00:25:55.339
 a new identity

00:25:55.339 --> 00:25:56.619
 that says I'm

00:25:56.619 --> 00:25:57.339
 loved and

00:25:57.339 --> 00:25:58.720
 chosen by

00:25:58.720 --> 00:25:59.200
 God.

00:25:59.720 --> 00:26:00.160
 Friends,

00:26:00.259 --> 00:26:00.940
 the cross is at

00:26:00.940 --> 00:26:01.440
 one and the

00:26:01.440 --> 00:26:02.139
 same time the

00:26:02.139 --> 00:26:03.059
 most awful day

00:26:03.059 --> 00:26:03.700
 in the history of

00:26:03.700 --> 00:26:04.859
 the world but

00:26:04.859 --> 00:26:05.319
 it's the most

00:26:05.319 --> 00:26:06.240
 glorious day in

00:26:06.240 --> 00:26:06.720
 the history of

00:26:06.720 --> 00:26:07.220
 the world as

00:26:07.220 --> 00:26:08.220
 Jesus broke the

00:26:08.220 --> 00:26:08.920
 power of sin.

00:26:09.480 --> 00:26:10.359
 Jesus destroyed

00:26:10.359 --> 00:26:11.480
 our self-righteousness.

00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:13.139
 Jesus destroyed

00:26:13.139 --> 00:26:14.240
 our self-centeredness

00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:15.220
 in the lives of

00:26:15.220 --> 00:26:15.740
 his followers.

00:26:16.420 --> 00:26:17.099
 How else do you

00:26:17.099 --> 00:26:17.620
 explain what

00:26:17.620 --> 00:26:18.120
 happened to the

00:26:18.120 --> 00:26:18.799
 apostle Paul?

00:26:19.359 --> 00:26:19.539
 Right?

00:26:19.799 --> 00:26:20.620
 The apostle Paul,

00:26:21.059 --> 00:26:22.539
 he goes around and

00:26:22.539 --> 00:26:23.500
 he's destroying the

00:26:23.500 --> 00:26:23.799
 church.

00:26:24.319 --> 00:26:25.380
 Anyone even gives a

00:26:25.380 --> 00:26:26.180
 hint that maybe

00:26:26.180 --> 00:26:27.099
 they're a follower of

00:26:27.099 --> 00:26:27.720
 Jesus and he

00:26:27.720 --> 00:26:28.539
 arrests them, he

00:26:28.539 --> 00:26:29.440
 puts them in jail

00:26:29.440 --> 00:26:30.900
 and maybe some of

00:26:30.900 --> 00:26:31.680
 them even die.

00:26:32.359 --> 00:26:32.940
 And a few years

00:26:32.940 --> 00:26:34.140
 later, something

00:26:34.140 --> 00:26:34.819
 happens and his

00:26:34.819 --> 00:26:35.660
 life turns around.

00:26:36.380 --> 00:26:37.180
 And the church

00:26:37.180 --> 00:26:37.900
 starts to say,

00:26:38.019 --> 00:26:38.500
 we don't know what

00:26:38.500 --> 00:26:39.200
 happened to this

00:26:39.200 --> 00:26:40.539
 man but one thing

00:26:40.539 --> 00:26:41.880
 we know, the man

00:26:41.880 --> 00:26:42.440
 that was once

00:26:42.440 --> 00:26:43.660
 persecuting us is

00:26:43.660 --> 00:26:44.560
 now preaching the

00:26:44.560 --> 00:26:45.259
 very message he

00:26:45.259 --> 00:26:46.200
 tried to destroy.

00:26:46.779 --> 00:26:47.240
 How do you

00:26:47.240 --> 00:26:47.940
 explain that?

00:26:48.400 --> 00:26:49.140
 Except by the

00:26:49.140 --> 00:26:49.880
 power of the

00:26:49.880 --> 00:26:50.240
 gospel.

00:26:50.900 --> 00:26:51.580
 Paul writes this

00:26:51.580 --> 00:26:51.960
 and he says,

00:26:52.040 --> 00:26:52.759
 I'm not ashamed

00:26:52.759 --> 00:26:53.420
 of the gospel.

00:26:53.600 --> 00:26:53.820
 Why?

00:26:54.180 --> 00:26:55.460
 It is the power of

00:26:55.460 --> 00:26:56.420
 God for salvation

00:26:56.420 --> 00:26:57.420
 to change lives

00:26:57.420 --> 00:26:57.759
 around.

00:26:59.300 --> 00:27:00.300
 Back in Cape

00:27:00.300 --> 00:27:00.980
 Town where we

00:27:00.980 --> 00:27:02.500
 come from, one

00:27:02.500 --> 00:27:03.320
 of my very good

00:27:03.320 --> 00:27:04.259
 friends there, one

00:27:04.259 --> 00:27:05.019
 of my closest

00:27:05.019 --> 00:27:06.920
 friends, his name

00:27:06.920 --> 00:27:07.380
 is Gordon.

00:27:07.720 --> 00:27:08.259
 You call him

00:27:08.259 --> 00:27:08.620
 Gordy.

00:27:09.060 --> 00:27:10.720
 And Gordy became

00:27:10.720 --> 00:27:11.500
 a Christ follower

00:27:11.500 --> 00:27:12.500
 about eight or nine

00:27:12.500 --> 00:27:13.059
 years ago.

00:27:13.720 --> 00:27:14.619
 And before that

00:27:14.619 --> 00:27:15.420
 he was a heroin

00:27:15.420 --> 00:27:15.900
 addict.

00:27:16.500 --> 00:27:17.440
 He had been in

00:27:17.440 --> 00:27:19.759
 and out of rehab

00:27:19.759 --> 00:27:22.180
 many years and his

00:27:22.180 --> 00:27:23.059
 parents had tried

00:27:23.059 --> 00:27:23.640
 everything.

00:27:24.359 --> 00:27:25.200
 Anyway, one day he

00:27:25.200 --> 00:27:26.140
 comes out of rehab

00:27:26.140 --> 00:27:27.579
 and he says, this is

00:27:27.579 --> 00:27:28.380
 the time I'm going to

00:27:28.380 --> 00:27:29.180
 sort out my life.

00:27:29.359 --> 00:27:30.279
 This is the time I'm

00:27:30.279 --> 00:27:31.059
 a changed man.

00:27:31.140 --> 00:27:31.900
 I'm not going back

00:27:31.900 --> 00:27:32.380
 to drugs.

00:27:33.660 --> 00:27:35.200
 But it's not too

00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:36.079
 long before his

00:27:36.079 --> 00:27:36.920
 addictions get the

00:27:36.920 --> 00:27:37.440
 better of him.

00:27:38.059 --> 00:27:39.000
 And so one night he

00:27:39.000 --> 00:27:40.299
 calls his drug dealer

00:27:40.299 --> 00:27:41.319
 up and he says, hey,

00:27:41.319 --> 00:27:42.179
 I need you to help

00:27:42.179 --> 00:27:42.559
 me out.

00:27:43.019 --> 00:27:43.720
 He goes and he

00:27:43.720 --> 00:27:45.139
 meets his dealer and

00:27:45.139 --> 00:27:46.460
 he buys some heroin.

00:27:47.319 --> 00:27:48.059
 And he's driving

00:27:48.059 --> 00:27:49.859
 home and on the way

00:27:49.859 --> 00:27:52.000
 home he gets a vision

00:27:52.000 --> 00:27:53.000
 of Jesus Christ.

00:27:53.859 --> 00:27:55.399
 And he's so petrified

00:27:55.399 --> 00:27:57.119
 that he stops his car

00:27:57.119 --> 00:27:57.799
 at the next traffic

00:27:57.799 --> 00:27:58.679
 light, opens his

00:27:58.679 --> 00:27:59.619
 door, throws the

00:27:59.619 --> 00:28:00.519
 drugs on the floor,

00:28:01.679 --> 00:28:02.700
 calls his friend and

00:28:02.700 --> 00:28:03.500
 says, Garth,

00:28:03.799 --> 00:28:04.559
 something's happened

00:28:04.559 --> 00:28:05.220
 to me, I need to

00:28:05.220 --> 00:28:05.779
 speak to you.

00:28:06.379 --> 00:28:07.379
 Drives to Garth's

00:28:07.379 --> 00:28:07.539
 house.

00:28:07.599 --> 00:28:08.619
 Now Garth had just

00:28:08.619 --> 00:28:09.460
 become a Christian

00:28:09.460 --> 00:28:10.279
 about six months

00:28:10.279 --> 00:28:10.600
 before.

00:28:10.740 --> 00:28:11.500
 These two guys used

00:28:11.500 --> 00:28:12.240
 to party it up

00:28:12.240 --> 00:28:13.279
 together and now

00:28:13.279 --> 00:28:13.840
 Garth had just

00:28:13.840 --> 00:28:14.539
 become a Christian.

00:28:15.039 --> 00:28:15.600
 And so Gordy

00:28:15.600 --> 00:28:16.160
 phones him and

00:28:16.160 --> 00:28:16.920
 says, Garth, I need

00:28:16.920 --> 00:28:17.539
 to talk to you.

00:28:17.960 --> 00:28:18.720
 And he goes to

00:28:18.720 --> 00:28:19.980
 Garth's house and

00:28:19.980 --> 00:28:21.039
 Garth helps him,

00:28:21.160 --> 00:28:21.680
 explains what

00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:22.480
 happens and that

00:28:22.480 --> 00:28:23.059
 night Gordy

00:28:23.059 --> 00:28:24.019
 surrenders his life

00:28:24.019 --> 00:28:25.299
 to Jesus and he

00:28:25.299 --> 00:28:26.039
 becomes a follower

00:28:26.039 --> 00:28:26.600
 of Jesus.

00:28:27.779 --> 00:28:28.819
 About five days

00:28:28.819 --> 00:28:29.759
 later, Gordy comes

00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:30.360
 to our CG.

00:28:31.180 --> 00:28:32.000
 He's a brand new

00:28:32.000 --> 00:28:32.660
 Christian and he

00:28:32.660 --> 00:28:33.559
 looks a mess,

00:28:33.660 --> 00:28:33.880
 right?

00:28:34.079 --> 00:28:35.640
 He looks like a

00:28:35.640 --> 00:28:36.559
 gangster or something.

00:28:36.679 --> 00:28:37.519
 He's got a big

00:28:37.519 --> 00:28:38.500
 gold chain on,

00:28:38.579 --> 00:28:39.679
 he's got a cap

00:28:39.679 --> 00:28:40.440
 pulled down low

00:28:40.440 --> 00:28:41.839
 and he doesn't

00:28:41.839 --> 00:28:42.519
 look very happy

00:28:42.519 --> 00:28:43.179
 but something's

00:28:43.179 --> 00:28:43.839
 happened to him.

00:28:44.480 --> 00:28:45.039
 And he goes

00:28:45.039 --> 00:28:45.819
 through that CG

00:28:45.819 --> 00:28:46.859
 and he's talking

00:28:46.859 --> 00:28:47.740
 and he's contributing

00:28:47.740 --> 00:28:49.179
 and Gordy can't

00:28:49.179 --> 00:28:50.259
 say one sentence

00:28:50.259 --> 00:28:51.079
 without swearing.

00:28:51.179 --> 00:28:51.899
 He's just swearing

00:28:51.899 --> 00:28:52.720
 the whole night

00:28:52.720 --> 00:28:53.000
 long.

00:28:53.480 --> 00:28:54.259
 He goes outside

00:28:54.259 --> 00:28:55.359
 for smoke just

00:28:55.359 --> 00:28:58.099
 now and but he

00:28:58.099 --> 00:28:58.859
 kept on coming

00:28:58.859 --> 00:28:59.740
 back to Christ.

00:29:00.339 --> 00:29:00.960
 He kept on coming

00:29:00.960 --> 00:29:01.859
 back to the cross.

00:29:02.500 --> 00:29:03.159
 He kept on coming

00:29:03.159 --> 00:29:04.220
 to Jesus not just

00:29:04.220 --> 00:29:05.279
 as an example but

00:29:05.279 --> 00:29:05.940
 as a savior.

00:29:07.119 --> 00:29:07.700
 About a week

00:29:07.700 --> 00:29:09.179
 later, our CG

00:29:09.179 --> 00:29:10.440
 goes to a combined

00:29:10.440 --> 00:29:11.299
 church service.

00:29:11.399 --> 00:29:12.079
 A whole bunch of

00:29:12.079 --> 00:29:13.019
 churches in Cape Town

00:29:13.019 --> 00:29:13.740
 come together.

00:29:14.220 --> 00:29:14.839
 We have a combined

00:29:14.839 --> 00:29:15.359
 service.

00:29:16.220 --> 00:29:17.279
 And Gordy says to me,

00:29:17.379 --> 00:29:18.000
 he says, Kev,

00:29:18.679 --> 00:29:19.299
 there are people

00:29:19.299 --> 00:29:20.220
 here I thought I

00:29:20.220 --> 00:29:21.220
 would never see

00:29:21.220 --> 00:29:21.819
 in a church.

00:29:22.559 --> 00:29:23.299
 And I said to him,

00:29:23.700 --> 00:29:24.339
 hey bud, I think

00:29:24.339 --> 00:29:24.819
 they're thinking

00:29:24.819 --> 00:29:25.419
 the same thing

00:29:25.419 --> 00:29:25.940
 about you.

00:29:29.139 --> 00:29:29.839
 But you know

00:29:29.839 --> 00:29:30.119
 what?

00:29:30.759 --> 00:29:31.500
 His life turned

00:29:31.500 --> 00:29:31.839
 around.

00:29:32.700 --> 00:29:33.639
 His life changed.

00:29:34.339 --> 00:29:35.079
 And in one sense

00:29:35.079 --> 00:29:35.700
 there was a dramatic

00:29:35.700 --> 00:29:36.539
 change but another

00:29:36.539 --> 00:29:37.359
 sense it was a slow

00:29:37.359 --> 00:29:37.779
 change.

00:29:38.379 --> 00:29:39.059
 Sometimes Gordy

00:29:39.059 --> 00:29:39.819
 would phone me at

00:29:39.819 --> 00:29:41.099
 one o'clock in the

00:29:41.099 --> 00:29:41.539
 morning and say,

00:29:41.619 --> 00:29:42.399
 Kev, you need to

00:29:42.399 --> 00:29:43.039
 come to my house.

00:29:43.079 --> 00:29:43.720
 I'm about to do

00:29:43.720 --> 00:29:44.440
 something stupid.

00:29:44.980 --> 00:29:45.720
 I need someone to

00:29:45.720 --> 00:29:46.319
 pray with me.

00:29:46.819 --> 00:29:47.319
 He'd go there,

00:29:47.440 --> 00:29:47.720
 pray.

00:29:48.139 --> 00:29:48.960
 But he got into the

00:29:48.960 --> 00:29:49.240
 scriptures.

00:29:49.420 --> 00:29:50.299
 He loved God's word.

00:29:50.799 --> 00:29:51.639
 He kept coming to

00:29:51.639 --> 00:29:52.539
 Jesus as savior.

00:29:52.659 --> 00:29:53.460
 He kept coming to

00:29:53.460 --> 00:29:54.139
 the end of himself.

00:29:54.279 --> 00:29:54.799
 I remember at one

00:29:54.799 --> 00:29:56.779
 point I said, he was

00:29:56.779 --> 00:29:57.279
 struggling with

00:29:57.279 --> 00:29:57.639
 addiction.

00:29:58.379 --> 00:29:59.059
 And I said, Gordy,

00:29:59.099 --> 00:29:59.500
 you've just got to

00:29:59.500 --> 00:30:00.299
 get through one day.

00:30:00.379 --> 00:30:00.960
 He said, I've just

00:30:00.960 --> 00:30:01.440
 got to get through

00:30:01.440 --> 00:30:01.960
 one minute.

00:30:02.420 --> 00:30:03.279
 If I can get through

00:30:03.279 --> 00:30:04.259
 one minute at a time,

00:30:04.259 --> 00:30:04.900
 that's a victory.

00:30:05.640 --> 00:30:06.660
 But friends, today he's

00:30:06.660 --> 00:30:07.099
 an elder.

00:30:07.619 --> 00:30:08.500
 Or just a few months

00:30:08.500 --> 00:30:09.640
 before we left, he

00:30:09.640 --> 00:30:10.539
 became an elder in the

00:30:10.539 --> 00:30:10.819
 church.

00:30:11.319 --> 00:30:12.140
 He got married in

00:30:12.140 --> 00:30:12.579
 January.

00:30:13.180 --> 00:30:13.720
 He's a different

00:30:13.720 --> 00:30:14.200
 person.

00:30:14.839 --> 00:30:15.240
 Why?

00:30:15.799 --> 00:30:17.119
 Because the gospel is a

00:30:17.119 --> 00:30:18.220
 power that changes

00:30:18.220 --> 00:30:18.599
 lives.

00:30:18.680 --> 00:30:19.579
 The gospel is not just

00:30:19.579 --> 00:30:20.559
 the good news of how to

00:30:20.559 --> 00:30:22.119
 be a better person, how

00:30:22.119 --> 00:30:23.799
 to be a moral person, how

00:30:23.799 --> 00:30:24.879
 to be a better husband.

00:30:25.140 --> 00:30:26.500
 The gospel is a power

00:30:26.500 --> 00:30:27.720
 that changes our lives.

00:30:27.779 --> 00:30:28.759
 It changes us from the

00:30:28.759 --> 00:30:29.180
 inside.

00:30:29.180 --> 00:30:29.259
 God.

00:30:30.539 --> 00:30:31.779
 And Jesus came to do

00:30:31.779 --> 00:30:31.960
 that.

00:30:32.160 --> 00:30:32.480
 J.C.

00:30:32.560 --> 00:30:34.140
 Rowe said, Jesus Christ is

00:30:34.140 --> 00:30:35.120
 a complete Savior.

00:30:35.640 --> 00:30:36.720
 He doesn't merely take

00:30:36.720 --> 00:30:37.740
 away the guilt of a

00:30:37.740 --> 00:30:38.420
 believer's sin.

00:30:38.519 --> 00:30:39.759
 He does that, but he

00:30:39.759 --> 00:30:40.500
 does far more.

00:30:40.860 --> 00:30:42.259
 He breaks its power.

00:30:42.960 --> 00:30:43.740
 In Colossians chapter

00:30:43.740 --> 00:30:44.779
 2, Paul writes this.

00:30:44.860 --> 00:30:47.400
 He says, you were dead in

00:30:47.400 --> 00:30:48.400
 your transgressions and

00:30:48.400 --> 00:30:48.539
 sin.

00:30:48.640 --> 00:30:50.160
 Me, I was dead in my

00:30:50.160 --> 00:30:50.420
 sin.

00:30:50.799 --> 00:30:52.200
 But God made us alive

00:30:52.200 --> 00:30:53.060
 together with him.

00:30:53.360 --> 00:30:54.860
 He forgave us our sins and

00:30:54.860 --> 00:30:56.299
 he canceled the record of

00:30:56.299 --> 00:30:57.759
 debt that stood against

00:30:57.759 --> 00:30:58.100
 us.

00:30:58.099 --> 00:30:59.539
 And then he says this.

00:30:59.959 --> 00:31:02.079
 And God disarmed the

00:31:02.079 --> 00:31:03.339
 rulers and the authorities,

00:31:03.519 --> 00:31:04.759
 the spiritual rulers and

00:31:04.759 --> 00:31:05.159
 authorities.

00:31:05.639 --> 00:31:08.459
 God disarmed them by putting

00:31:08.459 --> 00:31:09.539
 them to open shame,

00:31:09.980 --> 00:31:12.159
 triumphing over them in

00:31:12.159 --> 00:31:13.819
 Christ on the cross.

00:31:14.439 --> 00:31:15.599
 Do you remember in Genesis

00:31:15.599 --> 00:31:17.480
 chapter 3, Adam and Eve

00:31:17.480 --> 00:31:19.399
 fall, they sin, they

00:31:19.399 --> 00:31:20.539
 listen to the snake and

00:31:20.539 --> 00:31:22.379
 they don't listen to God.

00:31:23.019 --> 00:31:24.240
 And God speaks to Adam and

00:31:24.240 --> 00:31:24.939
 he says, hey, there's

00:31:24.939 --> 00:31:25.599
 consequences.

00:31:25.839 --> 00:31:26.419
 To Eve, there's

00:31:26.419 --> 00:31:26.859
 consequences.

00:31:26.859 --> 00:31:27.059
 consequences.

00:31:27.659 --> 00:31:28.879
 And then God says to the

00:31:28.879 --> 00:31:31.279
 snake, to Satan, he says,

00:31:31.379 --> 00:31:33.099
 you will forever torment

00:31:33.099 --> 00:31:33.859
 God's people.

00:31:34.519 --> 00:31:35.899
 Sin will always be close to

00:31:35.899 --> 00:31:36.079
 them.

00:31:36.500 --> 00:31:37.819
 But there is going to come a

00:31:37.819 --> 00:31:39.139
 son of man.

00:31:39.219 --> 00:31:39.939
 There is going to come a

00:31:39.939 --> 00:31:41.579
 human being and you will

00:31:41.579 --> 00:31:42.579
 bite his heel.

00:31:42.659 --> 00:31:43.719
 In other words, as a snake,

00:31:43.819 --> 00:31:45.119
 you will attack him.

00:31:45.379 --> 00:31:46.579
 And you might think you've

00:31:46.579 --> 00:31:47.419
 got the better of him.

00:31:47.539 --> 00:31:48.639
 But in the way that you

00:31:48.639 --> 00:31:49.979
 bite him, the way that you

00:31:49.979 --> 00:31:51.819
 torment him, he will crush

00:31:51.819 --> 00:31:52.259
 your head.

00:31:52.679 --> 00:31:53.579
 He will destroy you.

00:31:54.219 --> 00:31:54.839
 Friends, that's what

00:31:54.839 --> 00:31:55.720
 happened on the cross.

00:31:56.259 --> 00:31:57.359
 On the cross, Satan thought

00:31:57.359 --> 00:31:58.139
 he got the better of

00:31:58.139 --> 00:31:58.419
 Jesus.

00:31:59.000 --> 00:32:00.159
 He was like a python that

00:32:00.159 --> 00:32:01.119
 thought he had taken a

00:32:01.119 --> 00:32:01.799
 bite of Jesus.

00:32:02.639 --> 00:32:03.859
 He thought he got the

00:32:03.859 --> 00:32:04.299
 better of him.

00:32:04.439 --> 00:32:05.579
 He thought, now Jesus is

00:32:05.579 --> 00:32:05.839
 dead.

00:32:06.399 --> 00:32:08.039
 But in the very moment that

00:32:08.039 --> 00:32:08.980
 Christ was hanging on the

00:32:08.980 --> 00:32:10.439
 cross, Christ was crushing

00:32:10.439 --> 00:32:12.179
 the head of his enemy.

00:32:12.879 --> 00:32:14.240
 Friends, on the cross, Jesus

00:32:14.240 --> 00:32:15.539
 Christ accomplished the most

00:32:15.539 --> 00:32:17.000
 astounding victory when he

00:32:17.000 --> 00:32:17.980
 dethroned sin.

00:32:18.359 --> 00:32:19.839
 He overcome evil and he

00:32:19.839 --> 00:32:20.980
 defanged Satan.

00:32:20.980 --> 00:32:22.740
 Even though it looked like

00:32:22.740 --> 00:32:23.940
 sin and evil was getting

00:32:23.940 --> 00:32:25.240
 the better of him, Christ

00:32:25.240 --> 00:32:26.380
 was accomplishing a

00:32:26.380 --> 00:32:27.900
 victorious and magnificent

00:32:27.900 --> 00:32:28.440
 victory.

00:32:28.960 --> 00:32:30.799
 On the cross, as strange as

00:32:30.799 --> 00:32:32.519
 it seemed, as unusual as

00:32:32.519 --> 00:32:34.140
 it seemed, Jesus is about

00:32:34.140 --> 00:32:35.519
 to die and he cries out,

00:32:36.120 --> 00:32:38.660
 it is finished.

00:32:39.500 --> 00:32:40.360
 What is finished?

00:32:41.120 --> 00:32:41.799
 The atonement.

00:32:42.019 --> 00:32:43.220
 He's paid the price for our

00:32:43.220 --> 00:32:45.079
 sin, but also the victory

00:32:45.079 --> 00:32:46.019
 over his enemy.

00:32:46.339 --> 00:32:48.579
 It is finished.

00:32:48.579 --> 00:32:51.019
 First, friends, the cross

00:32:51.019 --> 00:32:52.339
 of Calvary is a strange

00:32:52.339 --> 00:32:52.759
 glory.

00:32:53.399 --> 00:32:54.759
 It's an obscure glory.

00:32:55.359 --> 00:32:56.559
 It looked like the most

00:32:56.559 --> 00:32:58.119
 shameful day in the history

00:32:58.119 --> 00:32:59.619
 of the world, but actually

00:32:59.619 --> 00:33:01.000
 in that moment, Christ was

00:33:01.000 --> 00:33:02.019
 achieving his greatest

00:33:02.019 --> 00:33:02.419
 victory.

00:33:03.099 --> 00:33:04.339
 How does the cross reveal

00:33:04.339 --> 00:33:05.159
 the glory of God?

00:33:05.559 --> 00:33:06.960
 It reveals the power of

00:33:06.960 --> 00:33:07.939
 Christ over his enemy.

00:33:08.699 --> 00:33:09.740
 Third thing is this.

00:33:10.879 --> 00:33:12.480
 It reveals Christ's radical

00:33:12.480 --> 00:33:14.079
 passion for his glory, for

00:33:14.079 --> 00:33:15.199
 his father's glory.

00:33:15.720 --> 00:33:17.119
 Look at verse 27 with me.

00:33:17.119 --> 00:33:18.919
 Verse 27 says,

00:33:19.039 --> 00:33:21.279
 Now my soul is troubled, and

00:33:21.279 --> 00:33:22.299
 what shall I say?

00:33:22.839 --> 00:33:24.779
 Father, save me from this

00:33:24.779 --> 00:33:25.039
 hour?

00:33:25.779 --> 00:33:28.000
 No, for this very purpose

00:33:28.000 --> 00:33:29.399
 I've come to this hour.

00:33:29.559 --> 00:33:31.859
 Father, glorify your name.

00:33:33.239 --> 00:33:35.439
 Throughout the gospel, Jesus

00:33:35.439 --> 00:33:37.799
 demonstrates radical devotion

00:33:37.799 --> 00:33:40.000
 and radical obedience to the

00:33:40.000 --> 00:33:41.039
 glory of his father.

00:33:41.819 --> 00:33:43.279
 Jesus is constantly saying

00:33:43.279 --> 00:33:45.019
 things like, I've come not to

00:33:45.019 --> 00:33:46.400
 do my will, but the will of my

00:33:46.400 --> 00:33:47.099
 father in heaven.

00:33:47.599 --> 00:33:48.680
 I've come not to please

00:33:48.680 --> 00:33:50.119
 myself, but my father in

00:33:50.119 --> 00:33:50.339
 heaven.

00:33:50.599 --> 00:33:51.940
 I have a job to do.

00:33:52.059 --> 00:33:53.720
 It's to fulfill the work of

00:33:53.720 --> 00:33:54.339
 my father.

00:33:54.680 --> 00:33:56.339
 Jesus is radically committed

00:33:56.339 --> 00:33:58.240
 to the glory of his heavenly

00:33:58.240 --> 00:33:58.680
 father.

00:33:59.200 --> 00:34:00.619
 Now contrast that with verse

00:34:00.619 --> 00:34:01.299
 42.

00:34:01.500 --> 00:34:02.500
 Look at what it says here.

00:34:03.180 --> 00:34:03.619
 It says,

00:34:04.180 --> 00:34:06.099
 Nevertheless, many of the

00:34:06.099 --> 00:34:07.680
 authorities believed in

00:34:07.680 --> 00:34:08.000
 Jesus.

00:34:08.139 --> 00:34:09.519
 So intellectually, they've done

00:34:09.519 --> 00:34:10.559
 the sums, they've done the

00:34:10.559 --> 00:34:12.059
 accounting.

00:34:12.739 --> 00:34:13.639
 They reckon there's more

00:34:13.639 --> 00:34:14.900
 evidence for Jesus than

00:34:14.900 --> 00:34:15.480
 against him.

00:34:15.599 --> 00:34:16.440
 They believed in him

00:34:16.440 --> 00:34:17.000
 intellectually.

00:34:17.799 --> 00:34:19.860
 Yet, for fear of the

00:34:19.860 --> 00:34:21.019
 Pharisees, they did not

00:34:21.019 --> 00:34:22.179
 confess it, so that they

00:34:22.179 --> 00:34:23.259
 would not be put out of the

00:34:23.259 --> 00:34:23.559
 synagogue.

00:34:24.179 --> 00:34:25.980
 For they loved the glory that

00:34:25.980 --> 00:34:28.179
 comes from man more than the

00:34:28.179 --> 00:34:30.460
 glory that comes from God.

00:34:31.079 --> 00:34:32.400
 Friends, it's not only kings

00:34:32.400 --> 00:34:33.980
 and queens, presidents and

00:34:33.980 --> 00:34:34.960
 governors that love to

00:34:34.960 --> 00:34:35.860
 display their glory.

00:34:36.380 --> 00:34:37.920
 This thirst for the praise of

00:34:37.920 --> 00:34:39.380
 men and to be made much of,

00:34:39.699 --> 00:34:41.059
 to be praised and honored is

00:34:41.059 --> 00:34:42.239
 actually something that lives

00:34:42.239 --> 00:34:43.320
 inside each one of us.

00:34:43.920 --> 00:34:45.719
 And it makes us make crazy

00:34:45.719 --> 00:34:46.820
 decisions, doesn't it?

00:34:47.279 --> 00:34:48.980
 It drives us to trade that

00:34:48.980 --> 00:34:50.340
 which is important for that

00:34:50.340 --> 00:34:51.179
 which is temporary.

00:34:51.679 --> 00:34:53.239
 It causes us to sell our

00:34:53.239 --> 00:34:54.739
 souls to the highest bidder.

00:34:55.579 --> 00:34:57.500
 And yet the irony is the one

00:34:57.500 --> 00:34:59.960
 man, the one human being who

00:34:59.960 --> 00:35:01.820
 deserved the glory, the one

00:35:01.820 --> 00:35:03.900
 human being who deserved to be

00:35:03.900 --> 00:35:05.759
 honored and glorified, the

00:35:05.759 --> 00:35:08.039
 creator of all things, including

00:35:08.039 --> 00:35:09.179
 the very people that were

00:35:09.179 --> 00:35:11.039
 nailing him to the cross, the

00:35:11.039 --> 00:35:12.759
 sovereign God before whom

00:35:12.759 --> 00:35:15.179
 every knee will bow, the one

00:35:15.179 --> 00:35:16.779
 man who deserved for men and

00:35:16.779 --> 00:35:18.440
 women to bow down before him,

00:35:18.739 --> 00:35:20.920
 in that moment lays aside his

00:35:20.920 --> 00:35:22.900
 glory so that you and I can be

00:35:22.900 --> 00:35:24.320
 welcomed into his glory.

00:35:25.039 --> 00:35:26.599
 Friends, if ever there was an

00:35:26.599 --> 00:35:27.759
 irony, this is it.

00:35:28.300 --> 00:35:30.239
 Christ, the king of glory, should

00:35:30.239 --> 00:35:32.119
 allow himself to be mocked and

00:35:32.119 --> 00:35:34.099
 scorned so that you and I can

00:35:34.099 --> 00:35:34.960
 enter his glory.

00:35:35.900 --> 00:35:37.219
 Jesus, the cross demonstrates

00:35:37.219 --> 00:35:39.879
 Christ's profound devotion to his

00:35:39.879 --> 00:35:40.659
 father's glory.

00:35:41.579 --> 00:35:42.839
 Fourth thing and finally is this.

00:35:43.279 --> 00:35:44.519
 Why is the cross glorious?

00:35:45.159 --> 00:35:47.079
 Why is the cross more glorious

00:35:47.079 --> 00:35:47.699
 than a crown?

00:35:48.179 --> 00:35:48.899
 Fourth thing is this.

00:35:49.519 --> 00:35:52.239
 It shows us the pattern of the

00:35:52.239 --> 00:35:54.259
 godly life, the Godward life.

00:35:55.099 --> 00:35:56.899
 Now, this is the final point.

00:35:56.959 --> 00:35:59.239
 In some ways, this grounds all this

00:35:59.239 --> 00:36:00.719
 theology into everyday life.

00:36:00.719 --> 00:36:02.719
 I want us to stay awake.

00:36:03.599 --> 00:36:04.379
 Okay, we're almost done.

00:36:05.159 --> 00:36:06.879
 The counter-cultural,

00:36:07.439 --> 00:36:09.119
 counter-intuitive message of the

00:36:09.119 --> 00:36:11.539
 cross is that what is true for

00:36:11.539 --> 00:36:13.919
 Christ our Savior and what the

00:36:13.919 --> 00:36:15.619
 apostles soon found was true for

00:36:15.619 --> 00:36:18.019
 them is actually true for every

00:36:18.019 --> 00:36:18.959
 follower of Jesus.

00:36:19.719 --> 00:36:21.719
 And that is that the way to glory

00:36:21.719 --> 00:36:23.519
 passes through Calvary.

00:36:24.379 --> 00:36:26.179
 The way to glory passes through

00:36:26.179 --> 00:36:26.639
 Calvary.

00:36:27.440 --> 00:36:29.819
 Jesus' hour revealed not only his

00:36:29.819 --> 00:36:31.679
 glory but also our way to glory.

00:36:32.379 --> 00:36:34.079
 Look at what happens in verse 24.

00:36:34.719 --> 00:36:36.000
 Jesus says this.

00:36:36.119 --> 00:36:36.480
 He says,

00:36:37.039 --> 00:36:39.500
 Truly, I say to you, unless a grain

00:36:39.500 --> 00:36:41.259
 of wheat falls to the ground and

00:36:41.259 --> 00:36:43.480
 dies, it remains alone.

00:36:43.799 --> 00:36:46.359
 But if it dies, it bears much fruit.

00:36:47.279 --> 00:36:48.940
 And that's the glory of the cross,

00:36:49.000 --> 00:36:49.179
 right?

00:36:49.239 --> 00:36:51.299
 From this moment on, Jesus is going

00:36:51.299 --> 00:36:53.219
 to die but it's going to yield a

00:36:53.219 --> 00:36:55.339
 harvest of millions of souls around

00:36:55.339 --> 00:36:56.119
 the world, right?

00:36:56.119 --> 00:36:57.960
 Jesus dies that we can live.

00:36:58.699 --> 00:37:00.579
 But then Jesus looks at each one of

00:37:00.579 --> 00:37:02.420
 us in the eye and he says,

00:37:02.500 --> 00:37:04.119
 What's true for me is also true for

00:37:04.119 --> 00:37:04.380
 you.

00:37:04.859 --> 00:37:05.199
 He says,

00:37:05.299 --> 00:37:07.319
 Whoever loves his life will lose it.

00:37:07.659 --> 00:37:09.359
 And whoever hates his life in this

00:37:09.359 --> 00:37:11.000
 world, comparatively speaking,

00:37:11.400 --> 00:37:13.019
 will actually find life.

00:37:13.500 --> 00:37:15.339
 If everyone serves me, he must

00:37:15.339 --> 00:37:15.880
 follow me.

00:37:16.159 --> 00:37:16.880
 Follow me where?

00:37:17.420 --> 00:37:20.219
 To Calvary, to the cross, to

00:37:20.219 --> 00:37:20.819
 Golgotha.

00:37:21.259 --> 00:37:23.400
 For where I am, there my servant will

00:37:23.400 --> 00:37:23.880
 be also.

00:37:23.880 --> 00:37:25.880
 But then he gives this hope.

00:37:26.680 --> 00:37:26.820
 He says,

00:37:27.000 --> 00:37:27.920
 Don't be disheartened.

00:37:28.599 --> 00:37:30.660
 Those who serve me, the Father

00:37:30.660 --> 00:37:31.840
 will honor them as well.

00:37:32.340 --> 00:37:34.000
 Friends, this is what differentiates

00:37:34.000 --> 00:37:36.000
 true faith in Christ from man-centered

00:37:36.000 --> 00:37:36.500
 religion.

00:37:37.059 --> 00:37:39.119
 In man-centered religion, we come to

00:37:39.119 --> 00:37:40.519
 Jesus to make our lives more

00:37:40.519 --> 00:37:41.579
 comfortable and convenient.

00:37:42.039 --> 00:37:43.920
 We come to Jesus to make our lives

00:37:43.920 --> 00:37:46.240
 better, to make our lives not as

00:37:46.240 --> 00:37:46.640
 difficult.

00:37:47.140 --> 00:37:48.740
 But true faith is when we come to

00:37:48.740 --> 00:37:50.380
 Jesus and say, Christ, I'll follow you.

00:37:50.380 --> 00:37:51.900
 I'll follow you to the cross.

00:37:52.440 --> 00:37:54.460
 Just as the Gentiles came to Jesus

00:37:54.460 --> 00:37:56.480
 and say, God, what can you add to

00:37:56.480 --> 00:37:58.079
 our religion to make our religion

00:37:58.079 --> 00:37:58.360
 better?

00:37:58.460 --> 00:37:59.579
 How can you help us?

00:37:59.840 --> 00:38:00.960
 So we do it so often.

00:38:01.099 --> 00:38:03.500
 But Jesus says that actually, the way

00:38:03.500 --> 00:38:06.440
 to true life, the way to glory, is to

00:38:06.440 --> 00:38:08.140
 follow him through Calvary.

00:38:09.340 --> 00:38:11.380
 Now, there's two implications of this

00:38:11.380 --> 00:38:11.940
 to think about.

00:38:12.039 --> 00:38:12.940
 The first one is this.

00:38:12.940 --> 00:38:16.619
 That which seems glorious is often

00:38:16.619 --> 00:38:17.039
 not.

00:38:17.679 --> 00:38:17.840
 Okay?

00:38:18.300 --> 00:38:20.440
 So think about this when you go to

00:38:20.440 --> 00:38:20.760
 work.

00:38:20.980 --> 00:38:22.480
 Think about this when you go to school

00:38:22.480 --> 00:38:23.059
 this week.

00:38:23.400 --> 00:38:24.800
 Think about this when you choose a

00:38:24.800 --> 00:38:25.300
 university.

00:38:25.539 --> 00:38:26.860
 Think about this when you choose a

00:38:26.860 --> 00:38:27.159
 career.

00:38:27.639 --> 00:38:28.780
 Think about this in the way that you

00:38:28.780 --> 00:38:29.659
 parent your children.

00:38:30.119 --> 00:38:31.200
 Think about this in the way that you

00:38:31.200 --> 00:38:31.940
 spend your money.

00:38:32.280 --> 00:38:33.260
 You seek that promotion.

00:38:33.519 --> 00:38:34.480
 You look for a job.

00:38:34.820 --> 00:38:35.720
 You look for a house.

00:38:36.159 --> 00:38:38.480
 That which seems most glorious is

00:38:38.480 --> 00:38:39.800
 often not.

00:38:39.800 --> 00:38:42.519
 But we started off talking about the

00:38:42.519 --> 00:38:44.240
 way that kings and queens love to be

00:38:44.240 --> 00:38:44.500
 honored.

00:38:44.680 --> 00:38:44.780
 Right?

00:38:44.840 --> 00:38:46.320
 They love to display their glory.

00:38:46.500 --> 00:38:48.280
 And a few minutes ago we said that's

00:38:48.280 --> 00:38:49.880
 not just true for kings and queens.

00:38:49.940 --> 00:38:51.380
 It's actually true for all of us.

00:38:51.800 --> 00:38:53.400
 All of us love to be glorified.

00:38:53.500 --> 00:38:55.800
 We love to win the marathons that people

00:38:55.800 --> 00:38:57.019
 can say we've done well.

00:38:57.120 --> 00:38:57.300
 Right?

00:38:57.360 --> 00:38:59.000
 And we all do that in our own way.

00:38:59.519 --> 00:39:01.900
 And the world has a way of seducing us

00:39:01.900 --> 00:39:04.860
 in such a way that that which seems

00:39:04.860 --> 00:39:07.440
 glorious and praiseworthy is

00:39:07.440 --> 00:39:07.980
 attractive.

00:39:07.980 --> 00:39:11.260
 But actually the upside down nature of

00:39:11.260 --> 00:39:13.760
 the gospel is that these things pass

00:39:13.760 --> 00:39:14.119
 away.

00:39:14.820 --> 00:39:16.539
 These things which look so promising

00:39:16.539 --> 00:39:19.079
 and promise us so much actually

00:39:19.079 --> 00:39:20.260
 often disappoint us.

00:39:20.679 --> 00:39:22.340
 Those things which promise us happiness

00:39:22.340 --> 00:39:24.920
 and contentment actually often leave

00:39:24.920 --> 00:39:26.240
 our souls empty and dry.

00:39:26.679 --> 00:39:28.380
 Isn't that what Jordan just said to us

00:39:28.380 --> 00:39:29.240
 a few minutes ago?

00:39:29.679 --> 00:39:31.500
 He said he was running marathons in

00:39:31.500 --> 00:39:32.360
 pursuit of glory.

00:39:32.460 --> 00:39:33.639
 But that didn't make me happy.

00:39:35.039 --> 00:39:36.340
 Friends, can I ask you this?

00:39:36.340 --> 00:39:38.240
 What are you going to spend your one and only

00:39:38.240 --> 00:39:38.740
 life in?

00:39:39.260 --> 00:39:41.640
 What are you going to invest your one and only

00:39:41.640 --> 00:39:42.200
 life in?

00:39:42.660 --> 00:39:44.039
 How are you going to spend your life?

00:39:44.380 --> 00:39:45.960
 Are you going to invest in that which will

00:39:45.960 --> 00:39:46.760
 puff you up?

00:39:47.019 --> 00:39:48.220
 Make you feel important?

00:39:48.720 --> 00:39:50.660
 Make you feel special for a day?

00:39:51.079 --> 00:39:51.640
 A year?

00:39:52.260 --> 00:39:53.320
 Maybe even a decade?

00:39:54.120 --> 00:39:56.800
 Friends, will you spend your life pursuing

00:39:56.800 --> 00:39:58.740
 what our culture says is honorable and

00:39:58.740 --> 00:40:01.120
 glorious and beautiful, but in the end

00:40:01.120 --> 00:40:02.760
 will just pass away like the grass?

00:40:03.360 --> 00:40:05.539
 Blow away like a cloud on a cloudy day.

00:40:06.340 --> 00:40:07.940
 Friends, why don't you invest your life in

00:40:07.940 --> 00:40:08.880
 that which is going to last?

00:40:08.940 --> 00:40:10.059
 It might not look glorious.

00:40:10.480 --> 00:40:11.679
 It might not look beautiful.

00:40:12.119 --> 00:40:13.779
 You might not get the praise of men and

00:40:13.779 --> 00:40:15.219
 women, but it's the thing that will

00:40:15.219 --> 00:40:16.639
 satisfy your soul and it's the thing

00:40:16.639 --> 00:40:17.219
 that will count.

00:40:17.980 --> 00:40:19.019
 Second thing is this.

00:40:19.639 --> 00:40:22.659
 That which seems hopeless is actually not.

00:40:24.079 --> 00:40:26.460
 The cross tells us that the things in life

00:40:26.460 --> 00:40:29.199
 which seem most hopeless, most redundant,

00:40:29.500 --> 00:40:32.119
 most meaningless and without value are

00:40:32.119 --> 00:40:34.099
 actually often the places where God

00:40:34.099 --> 00:40:34.900
 himself is.

00:40:35.500 --> 00:40:38.519
 The sickness of a child, the pain of being

00:40:38.519 --> 00:40:41.259
 retrenched, the hardship of financial

00:40:41.259 --> 00:40:44.199
 difficulty, the shame of persecution for

00:40:44.199 --> 00:40:47.299
 sharing your faith, being passed over for

00:40:47.299 --> 00:40:49.559
 promotion and everyone else in the office

00:40:49.559 --> 00:40:52.500
 gets promoted except you, the death of a

00:40:52.500 --> 00:40:55.619
 loved one, being diagnosed with an incurable

00:40:55.619 --> 00:40:56.239
 disease.

00:40:57.000 --> 00:40:59.199
 Friends, in these moments, if we come to

00:40:59.199 --> 00:41:02.339
 Christ and find our glory, if we come to

00:41:02.339 --> 00:41:05.279
 Christ as our hope for glory, often in these

00:41:05.279 --> 00:41:07.759
 places we'll drink deeply of the wonder and

00:41:07.759 --> 00:41:09.519
 the beauty and the majesty of God.

00:41:10.000 --> 00:41:12.219
 We'll find something about the glory of Christ

00:41:12.219 --> 00:41:14.039
 that you'll never find in high street.

00:41:14.739 --> 00:41:17.079
 In the bitterness of soul, we taste the

00:41:17.079 --> 00:41:18.699
 sweetest delights.

00:41:19.419 --> 00:41:21.579
 Friends, today Jesus calls each one of us to

00:41:21.579 --> 00:41:22.059
 follow him.

00:41:22.539 --> 00:41:24.839
 He calls us to follow him not in splendor,

00:41:24.840 --> 00:41:28.059
 not in ease, not in comfort and convenience.

00:41:28.559 --> 00:41:30.820
 He calls us to follow him to Calvary.

00:41:31.240 --> 00:41:33.140
 He calls us to follow him to the cross.

00:41:33.780 --> 00:41:36.559
 Jesus calls us to pick up our cross, to die to

00:41:36.559 --> 00:41:40.400
 self, to die to our sin, to crucify our pride.

00:41:40.820 --> 00:41:43.039
 But he says in that place you'll rise again to

00:41:43.039 --> 00:41:43.640
 new life.

00:41:43.980 --> 00:41:46.380
 In that place you'll discover a life you could

00:41:46.380 --> 00:41:49.039
 never have dreamt of, never imagined in your

00:41:49.039 --> 00:41:49.960
 wildest dreams.

00:41:50.600 --> 00:41:52.780
 Friends, the way of self-crucifixion seems

00:41:52.780 --> 00:41:53.580
 foolishness.

00:41:53.940 --> 00:41:55.000
 It seems meaningless.

00:41:55.180 --> 00:41:56.960
 It seems wasteful to our world and our

00:41:56.960 --> 00:41:57.280
 culture.

00:41:57.760 --> 00:41:59.560
 But friends, there's never lived a single

00:41:59.560 --> 00:42:01.940
 follower of Jesus who hasn't found that

00:42:01.940 --> 00:42:04.019
 dying to themselves and saying yes to Christ

00:42:04.019 --> 00:42:06.720
 has not been the way to meaningful life and

00:42:06.720 --> 00:42:07.460
 eternal life.

00:42:07.940 --> 00:42:09.240
 Friends, this is the way to glory.

00:42:09.900 --> 00:42:11.260
 This is the way to real life.

00:42:11.780 --> 00:42:13.380
 This is the way to eternal life.

00:42:13.880 --> 00:42:15.760
 This is the way to life that you were made

00:42:15.760 --> 00:42:15.980
 for.

00:42:16.500 --> 00:42:18.360
 Let's come to him now.

00:42:18.960 --> 00:42:19.840
 Let's pray together.

00:42:22.780 --> 00:42:23.780
 Let's pray together.

00:42:23.780 --> 00:42:24.780
 Let's pray together.

00:42:37.500 --> 00:42:49.380
 Jesus Christ, God, we so need you to see the

00:42:49.380 --> 00:42:50.660
 world the way it really is.

00:42:50.660 --> 00:42:50.720
 Let's pray together.

00:42:52.780 --> 00:42:56.740
 God, our culture would love to disciple us,

00:42:56.940 --> 00:43:00.600
 telling us to pursue our own glory, telling

00:43:00.600 --> 00:43:08.960
 us to pursue a life of comfort and ease, to seek our

00:43:08.960 --> 00:43:09.940
 own glory, God.

00:43:11.780 --> 00:43:15.380
 And yet, Jesus, as you told us, the way of self-glory

00:43:15.380 --> 00:43:16.260
 leads to death.

00:43:16.260 --> 00:43:27.380
 Father, as a church, won't you lead us to follow you?

00:43:28.080 --> 00:43:32.160
 Won't you help us, Christ, to become more like you, God?

00:43:32.159 --> 00:43:43.339
 Jesus, in our everyday life, God, won't you help us to fix our

00:43:43.339 --> 00:43:46.440
 eyes on you and in you to find our glory?

00:43:46.440 --> 00:43:57.800
 Jesus, help us to be like the apostle Paul who said, I had everything going for me.

00:43:58.400 --> 00:44:05.179
 I had the career, the reputation, the money, the wealth, the prestige, the honor, but all

00:44:05.179 --> 00:44:09.900
 those things I consider as rubbish compared to knowing Christ.

00:44:09.900 --> 00:44:22.420
 Jesus, won't you help us to live an upside-down life, contrary to the way of the world?

00:44:22.420 --> 00:44:22.700
 Lord.

00:44:41.579 --> 00:44:42.900
 Christ, we come to you now.

00:44:44.659 --> 00:44:47.380
 God, we confess that so often we live for ourselves.

00:44:51.039 --> 00:44:52.340
 Father, won't you forgive us?

00:44:52.420 --> 00:44:57.960
 God, don't just forgive us, won't you reorientate our lives?

00:44:58.840 --> 00:45:00.760
 Won't you bring us back to the cross?

00:45:01.639 --> 00:45:03.400
 Jesus, won't you lead us to the cross?

00:45:04.960 --> 00:45:11.000
 Lead us to that place where your love and your mercy, your holiness and your justice,

00:45:11.940 --> 00:45:14.300
 your sovereignty and your grace met.

00:45:14.300 --> 00:45:27.420
 Father, I pray, may we, as followers of Jesus, not march to the drumbeat of our culture and

00:45:27.420 --> 00:45:28.060
 of our time.

00:45:29.960 --> 00:45:32.000
 May we get a glimpse of who you are.

00:45:33.640 --> 00:45:34.700
 March to your drumbeat.

00:45:34.699 --> 00:45:38.960
 God, may we live differently because we've seen you, because we've seen your glory.

00:45:44.239 --> 00:45:50.279
 Friends, maybe just as we sing this next song, I want to encourage you to respond.

00:45:51.239 --> 00:45:56.899
 Won't you come to Jesus and in your own words, won't you ask him to open your eyes to see his glory?

00:45:56.900 --> 00:46:03.619
 In your own words, won't you come to him and confess how easily we live for our own glory?

00:46:04.500 --> 00:46:08.920
 In your own eyes, won't you ask him to lead you back to the cross?

00:46:08.920 --> 00:46:18.440
 Let's respond to him in worship.