WEBVTT

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 I don't have a catchy beginning to my sermon today. I apologize.

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 You know, in sermon prep, I'm supposed to tell you some story or some joke at the beginning,

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 and I couldn't think of one.

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 And so I apologize for that, that I haven't been able to grab your attention right off,

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 excuse me, with some telling story, but I can't.

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 So turn in your Bibles instead to John 2, verse 1, on page 919.

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 And I want to show you a little simple clue as to how to become a better reader of the Bible.

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 So if you're using your pew Bibles, it's page 919, and it's John 2, and it's in verse 11.

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 Verse 11 is sort of a...

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 I mean, I'm not saying this because I believe the Bible is God's word written.

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 I really do.

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 I believe that every word is ultimately there because that's the word that God wanted to be there.

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 And I think God can do that type of thing, and he did do that thing,

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 and we hold the result of his work in our hands.

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 But at the same time, the way that God chose to have his words written,

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 in this case, is he chose to have a book written, like it's a book.

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 And so those of us who are used to reading books and are good at reading books,

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 we have the potential to be good at reading the Bible as well.

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 We have the potential to be good at reading some of the books in the Bible.

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 And John has obviously given lots and lots of thought to how he wanted to write his gospel.

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 Tradition, early church tradition, is that John's was the last of the gospels which was written.

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 And, you know, so it's as if John spent years and years and years, you know,

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 making notes and thinking about it, and he thought, you know,

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 how can I write a book that will really try to communicate what I want to say about Jesus?

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 And so, well, here, let's just read verse 11 of chapter 2.

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 This is the verse after he's told the story of the water being turned into wine,

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 and he says this,

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 The beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee,

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 and manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him.

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 Now, I'm going to explain in a moment,

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 but notice, after he's told this very, very first significant miracle,

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 this is what he says,

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 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee,

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 and manifested his glory, and his disciples believed in him.

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 Now, turn to the back of John,

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 not the back of your Bibles, but the back of John,

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 and that's on page, if you're using the Pew Bibles,

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 it's page 941.

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 941.

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 And John chapter 20 is the story of the three significant,

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 several significant resurrection appearances,

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 where Jesus, to prove to his disciples that he really had conquered death

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 and had been resurrected, he appears to them in significant ways.

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 And after this summary of them,

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 and chapter 21 is sort of going to finish up some final bits of the story

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 to launch us into ministry,

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 this is what John says in verse 30 and 31.

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 And truly,

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 and listen how similar it is to verse 11 of chapter 2.

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 So John 2, 11 is like right at the beginning of the book,

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 and this is almost at the end of the book,

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 and the same type of idea is communicated by John,

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 sort of like an editorial aside.

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 And truly, Jesus did many other signs

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 in the presence of his disciples,

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 which are not written in this book.

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 But these are written,

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 that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ,

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 the Son of God,

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 and that believing,

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 you may have life in his name.

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 And so what we see is this,

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 that what John decided to do was,

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 and if you actually go and read the very last few verses of John,

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 you'll see that John says,

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 you know what,

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 my three years with Jesus,

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 Jesus performed so many miracles,

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 and did so many unbelievable things,

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 that it would just take book after book after book after book to try to record it.

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 So what, in a sense, he's saying is,

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 you know, so I spent years thinking,

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 how can I tell people about Jesus?

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 And what he decided to do is,

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 he decided that he would spend the first half of his book,

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 picking,

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 he picked a series of significant miracles,

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 that all told something very important about who Jesus is,

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 what he's doing,

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 and what it means for us as human beings.

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 And so he decided that he'd organize his book

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 by telling these series of significant signs.

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 And then at the very end of the gospel,

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 he would tell of the most significant sign of all,

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 which was the death and resurrection of Jesus.

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 And the purpose of all of these is,

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 he says,

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 I'm going to tell of a series of signs or miracles,

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 and every one of them is a matter of,

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 it shows forth how Jesus reveals his glory.

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 And the ultimate revealing of his glory

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 is when he hangs upon the cross and dies,

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 and when he rises triumphant from death and sin and hell

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 and the evil one on the third day.

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 That is the most significant of the signs.

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 I'm going to leave that at the end,

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 but I'm going to lead up to it

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 by a series of significant miracles.

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 And these things reveal the glory of who Jesus is.

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 Who is he?

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 He is the Messiah,

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 and he is God's son.

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 And the purpose of all of these things

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 is so that we might believe in him

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 and have faith in him.

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 And that's how he wrote his gospel.

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 And so turn back then to chapter 2, verse 11,

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 and listen again.

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 So this in a sense,

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 John isn't going to repeat this,

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 but on the coming weeks,

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 you're going to see a series of significant miracles.

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 And every time you see one of these significant miracles,

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 keep in mind chapter 2, verse 11.

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 This beginning of signs Jesus did in Cana of Galilee

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 and manifested his glory,

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 and his disciples believed in him.

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 Now, note the first part of this sentence,

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 this beginning of signs that Jesus did in Cana of Galilee.

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 You know, it's funny that even as he records this,

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 he specifically tells us where the story happened.

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 See, one of the things about John's gospel

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 is he wants to communicate to us

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 that these miracles are real,

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 that they're true,

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 that they actually happened.

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 In fact, if we don't understand that,

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 we won't really understand the significance of the,

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 you know, the whole significance.

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 If John wants to communicate to us

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 that these miracles are real

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 and that they are signs that point to something,

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 that they are, in a sense, a clue about something,

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 two Saturdays ago in the Ask the Religion experts,

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 the question was about miracles.

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 And I read the four Christian,

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 or people who are part of Christian churches,

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 their response to this.

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 And two of the responders,

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 the Anglican and the Orthodox responder,

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 got the matter completely and utterly wrong.

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 The Catholic guy got it pretty good.

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 You have to give him like an A.

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 And the United Church guy sort of said

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 some really good things

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 and some really odd, you know,

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 some things that sort of undermined it.

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 And so I don't know what mark I'd give him

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 because I wouldn't know which side of it

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 to sort of take.

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 But interestingly enough,

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 it's almost as if the Anglican and the Orthodox guy

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 got together

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 because between the two of them,

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 they gave the two common misunderstandings

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 of what miracles are,

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 the two most common understandings.

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 And in a sense today,

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 this is really the heart of my sermon,

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 is for us to understand something around this.

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 Because you see,

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 both the Anglican and the Orthodox guy,

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 without acknowledging it,

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 they've basically accepted

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 what the modern and the postmodern world

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 tells us about reality,

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 and they've tried to reinterpret

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 the Christian faith appropriately or accordingly.

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 And you see,

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 at the very, very heart of the modern project

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 and even the postmodern project,

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 this is like a little bit philosophical,

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 but it's not that complicated, really.

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 It's as if we are to live as if there is no God.

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 Whether or not God exists,

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 if he does exist,

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 he's completely and utterly shut out

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 of the created order,

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 and the created order sort of runs itself,

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 has its own integrity,

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 runs according to its own laws,

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 and none of these things need God.

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 God doesn't have to come into any of the explanations,

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 and in fact,

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 God is completely and utterly irrelevant to it.

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 If you want to have some religious beliefs,

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 well, good on you, mate.

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 But those religious beliefs

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 are something that just affects your perception

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 or your emotions.

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 It's something private and internal to you.

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 And by the way,

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 your religion should be private and internal as well,

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 and shouldn't have any type of an impact

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 on other people or on the public square.

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 Your religion should be private,

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 your spirituality should be private,

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 and ultimately,

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 the heart of your private religion

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 should be about things that affect your emotions

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 or things that just affect

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 how you sort of view things,

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 your internal perceptions of your own brain.

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 And that has to be the case.

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 Why?

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 Because we know that dead people don't rise.

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 We know that water doesn't get turned into wine.

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 And we know that people don't walk on water.

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 We know that all these things don't happen,

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 can't possibly happen,

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 because nature has its laws,

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 its systems,

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 its own integrity,

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 and it runs on its own.

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 And that's just the world we live in, folks.

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 So if you want to have sort of,

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 you know,

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 some people collect stamps,

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 you know,

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 and some people collect plates,

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 and some people like going to church,

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 and some people like to meditate,

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 and listen,

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 it's all cool,

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 just, you know,

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 leave it to yourself,

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 and it's just something private and internal.

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 And this understanding of reality

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 then leads,

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 the Anglican guy said that a miracle

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 is really,

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 well,

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 it's just like being able to see beauty.

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 That's all it is.

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 Like some people can see beauty,

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 and, you know,

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 they just look at things,

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 and they just have that ability within themselves

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 to see beauty,

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 where they see things.

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 And it's the same type of thing with miracles.

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 It's just that some people have this ability

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 just to see,

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 you know,

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 the miracle of a sunset,

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 or the miracle of an old person's smile,

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 or the miracle of the gurgling of a baby.

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 And the Anglican guy,

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 by saying that,

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 is falling right into one of the fundamental traps

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 of the modern world and postmodern world.

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 And the Orthodox guy takes the other sense side.

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 He said it's like the experience of wonder.

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 Some people are freed up,

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 and they can experience wonder.

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 And if you can experience wonder,

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 if you can allow yourself to experience wonder,

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 then you'll start to experience the miraculous

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 all around you,

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 and you'll just have like this type of experience

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 that can carry you through life.

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 And to the Orthodox guy,

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 and to the Anglican guy,

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 John would say,

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 you are seriously wrong.

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 The guy who wrote John would say,

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 you are seriously wrong.

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 I disagree with you to the utmost.

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 You and I aren't talking about the same thing at all.

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 John would say,

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 your account for how the world is,

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 is not what the Bible teaches.

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 The Bible teaches

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 that God creates all things,

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 that he sustains all things,

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 and that the reason that all things

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 have their integrity,

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 and have their purpose,

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 and have their order,

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 is because it was created by a purposeful,

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 mindful, powerful God,

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 who really does exist.

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 And God has created things,

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 he sustains things,

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 and this shouldn't terrify us,

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 because, you know,

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 if there were many gods,

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 and many gods created many different things,

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 you might never know what,

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 like reality would be unbelievably chaotic,

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 but there is only one God

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 who's made all things,

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 and he sustains all things,

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 and he invites us to,

00:12:33.959 --> 00:12:34.939
 in Genesis chapter,

00:12:35.139 --> 00:12:35.559
 you know,

00:12:35.659 --> 00:12:36.679
 chapter one and two,

00:12:36.779 --> 00:12:38.159
 to examine the world,

00:12:38.299 --> 00:12:39.719
 and understand the world,

00:12:39.819 --> 00:12:41.019
 and think about the world,

00:12:41.359 --> 00:12:42.239
 and he has placed

00:12:42.239 --> 00:12:43.099
 a beautiful,

00:12:43.279 --> 00:12:43.799
 and a wonderful,

00:12:43.799 --> 00:12:45.599
 and a marvelous order

00:12:45.599 --> 00:12:46.339
 in this world.

00:12:46.579 --> 00:12:47.579
 And the same God

00:12:47.579 --> 00:12:48.559
 who creates all things,

00:12:48.620 --> 00:12:49.879
 and sustains all things,

00:12:50.259 --> 00:12:52.379
 when he feels like doing a new thing,

00:12:52.379 --> 00:12:53.779
 in his creation,

00:12:54.199 --> 00:12:55.039
 he can do it,

00:12:55.039 --> 00:12:56.219
 and that's a miracle.

00:12:57.259 --> 00:12:58.559
 I'll give you an example.

00:13:00.379 --> 00:13:01.519
 To a Christian,

00:13:01.899 --> 00:13:02.860
 it would be like this.

00:13:03.079 --> 00:13:03.919
 Some of you folks

00:13:03.919 --> 00:13:05.519
 are young student types.

00:13:05.740 --> 00:13:07.360
 Imagine that you have

00:13:07.360 --> 00:13:09.000
 the most remarkable granny,

00:13:10.199 --> 00:13:10.439
 like,

00:13:10.519 --> 00:13:12.579
 just the most remarkable grandmother

00:13:12.579 --> 00:13:13.439
 in the world.

00:13:13.860 --> 00:13:14.759
 And this grandmother

00:13:14.759 --> 00:13:15.599
 comes up to you

00:13:15.599 --> 00:13:16.860
 and puts her arm around you

00:13:16.860 --> 00:13:17.740
 one time and says,

00:13:17.839 --> 00:13:18.399
 you know, dear,

00:13:18.860 --> 00:13:20.179
 I know how hard it is

00:13:20.179 --> 00:13:20.919
 getting started,

00:13:21.319 --> 00:13:22.339
 and I've decided

00:13:22.339 --> 00:13:23.759
 that at the last day

00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:24.279
 of the month,

00:13:24.279 --> 00:13:25.600
 I'm going to put $500

00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:27.000
 in your bank account.

00:13:27.699 --> 00:13:28.799
 And I'm going to do that

00:13:28.799 --> 00:13:29.819
 every month,

00:13:30.339 --> 00:13:31.620
 and I'll take into account

00:13:31.620 --> 00:13:32.199
 inflation,

00:13:32.740 --> 00:13:33.699
 and every month,

00:13:33.740 --> 00:13:34.899
 I'm going to put $500

00:13:34.899 --> 00:13:36.879
 in just to sort of round off

00:13:36.879 --> 00:13:37.639
 some of the edges

00:13:37.639 --> 00:13:38.419
 of your life.

00:13:38.799 --> 00:13:39.659
 And I'm going to not only

00:13:39.659 --> 00:13:40.980
 do that while you're in school,

00:13:41.100 --> 00:13:41.500
 but, you know,

00:13:41.519 --> 00:13:42.480
 I know how hard it is.

00:13:42.519 --> 00:13:43.539
 I remember how hard it is

00:13:43.539 --> 00:13:44.799
 to get started in a career,

00:13:45.059 --> 00:13:46.740
 and it's even harder nowadays,

00:13:47.000 --> 00:13:48.339
 and I'm going to keep on doing that

00:13:48.339 --> 00:13:49.159
 until you've sort of

00:13:49.159 --> 00:13:50.639
 got well established.

00:13:51.220 --> 00:13:52.159
 Don't worry about it.

00:13:52.159 --> 00:13:52.939
 There's always going to be

00:13:52.939 --> 00:13:53.620
 that $500

00:13:53.620 --> 00:13:54.740
 at the end of the month.

00:13:55.659 --> 00:13:56.659
 And it's always going to,

00:13:56.839 --> 00:13:57.120
 and you know,

00:13:57.159 --> 00:13:57.559
 so year,

00:13:57.679 --> 00:13:58.339
 month and month,

00:13:58.399 --> 00:13:59.279
 and year and year goes by,

00:13:59.319 --> 00:14:00.139
 and it's always there.

00:14:00.819 --> 00:14:01.079
 You know,

00:14:01.100 --> 00:14:01.679
 in a sense,

00:14:02.100 --> 00:14:03.159
 we Christians would say,

00:14:03.240 --> 00:14:04.100
 that's exactly what

00:14:04.100 --> 00:14:05.360
 the created order is like.

00:14:05.839 --> 00:14:07.100
 Just as that grandmother

00:14:07.100 --> 00:14:08.779
 is unbelievably dependable,

00:14:08.819 --> 00:14:09.699
 and that $500

00:14:09.699 --> 00:14:10.679
 shows up

00:14:10.679 --> 00:14:11.419
 every month

00:14:11.419 --> 00:14:12.339
 without fail,

00:14:12.759 --> 00:14:14.000
 and that person can do,

00:14:14.120 --> 00:14:14.939
 the young person

00:14:14.939 --> 00:14:15.620
 can do with it

00:14:15.620 --> 00:14:16.360
 whatever they want.

00:14:16.399 --> 00:14:16.779
 In a sense,

00:14:16.839 --> 00:14:17.579
 that's just what, like,

00:14:17.580 --> 00:14:18.680
 nature is like.

00:14:18.759 --> 00:14:20.080
 The sun always rises,

00:14:20.680 --> 00:14:21.780
 things that you drop

00:14:21.780 --> 00:14:22.740
 always fall,

00:14:23.000 --> 00:14:24.280
 and it's rock solid.

00:14:24.420 --> 00:14:25.340
 It is completely

00:14:25.340 --> 00:14:27.020
 and utterly dependable.

00:14:28.200 --> 00:14:29.480
 But here's the difference.

00:14:30.280 --> 00:14:30.580
 You see,

00:14:30.660 --> 00:14:31.480
 we Christians know

00:14:31.480 --> 00:14:32.080
 that ultimately

00:14:32.080 --> 00:14:33.240
 it's because the grandmother

00:14:33.240 --> 00:14:34.240
 is putting that $500

00:14:34.240 --> 00:14:35.200
 in the bank.

00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:35.879
 It doesn't sort of

00:14:35.879 --> 00:14:36.560
 come out of nowhere.

00:14:37.460 --> 00:14:38.500
 And so one day,

00:14:39.100 --> 00:14:40.139
 the young person,

00:14:42.100 --> 00:14:42.379
 you know,

00:14:42.500 --> 00:14:42.820
 they've,

00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:44.320
 their dad

00:14:44.320 --> 00:14:45.340
 and mom

00:14:45.340 --> 00:14:45.980
 have given them

00:14:45.980 --> 00:14:46.740
 this car,

00:14:47.340 --> 00:14:48.700
 and they've really

00:14:48.700 --> 00:14:49.879
 come to depend upon it.

00:14:49.920 --> 00:14:51.200
 They've got a part-time job.

00:14:51.300 --> 00:14:51.840
 They really need

00:14:51.840 --> 00:14:53.060
 that car to drive there.

00:14:53.340 --> 00:14:54.240
 And one day,

00:14:54.340 --> 00:14:55.700
 the transmission goes,

00:14:55.820 --> 00:14:56.860
 the rad goes,

00:14:56.960 --> 00:14:57.140
 like,

00:14:57.220 --> 00:14:57.820
 just about everything

00:14:57.820 --> 00:14:58.520
 on that car

00:14:58.520 --> 00:14:59.680
 that could possibly

00:14:59.680 --> 00:15:00.280
 go wrong

00:15:00.280 --> 00:15:01.160
 all goes.

00:15:01.540 --> 00:15:02.720
 And the young person

00:15:02.720 --> 00:15:03.300
 is just,

00:15:03.420 --> 00:15:04.160
 you're completely

00:15:04.160 --> 00:15:04.660
 and utterly,

00:15:04.760 --> 00:15:05.240
 you don't know

00:15:05.240 --> 00:15:05.720
 what to do.

00:15:05.800 --> 00:15:06.780
 You need the job

00:15:06.780 --> 00:15:07.340
 because it's,

00:15:07.560 --> 00:15:07.780
 you know,

00:15:07.820 --> 00:15:08.780
 it's opening up doors

00:15:08.780 --> 00:15:09.600
 for your future.

00:15:09.780 --> 00:15:10.800
 You can't possibly

00:15:10.800 --> 00:15:11.720
 pay to fix this.

00:15:12.040 --> 00:15:13.040
 You're at your wit's end.

00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:13.679
 And so,

00:15:13.860 --> 00:15:14.639
 so you finally

00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:15.459
 screw up the courage

00:15:15.459 --> 00:15:16.480
 after worrying about this

00:15:16.480 --> 00:15:17.379
 for three or four days

00:15:17.379 --> 00:15:18.240
 and you get on the phone

00:15:18.240 --> 00:15:19.419
 and you call up your granny

00:15:19.419 --> 00:15:20.899
 and you say,

00:15:21.019 --> 00:15:21.360
 granny,

00:15:22.019 --> 00:15:23.360
 I am completely

00:15:23.360 --> 00:15:24.139
 and utterly,

00:15:24.599 --> 00:15:25.059
 I am,

00:15:25.139 --> 00:15:25.559
 I've just had

00:15:25.559 --> 00:15:26.599
 the worst thing happen.

00:15:26.959 --> 00:15:28.179
 My car's broken down,

00:15:28.259 --> 00:15:29.399
 the transmission's gone,

00:15:29.500 --> 00:15:30.240
 the rad's gone,

00:15:30.319 --> 00:15:31.039
 who knows what else

00:15:31.039 --> 00:15:31.500
 is gone.

00:15:31.799 --> 00:15:32.959
 I either need a new car

00:15:32.959 --> 00:15:34.139
 or I need a lot of repairs.

00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:35.559
 Could you give me

00:15:35.559 --> 00:15:36.319
 $5,000?

00:15:38.699 --> 00:15:39.740
 This young person

00:15:39.740 --> 00:15:40.299
 has the most

00:15:40.299 --> 00:15:41.439
 remarkable granny.

00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:43.700
 In the world.

00:15:44.520 --> 00:15:45.120
 And so,

00:15:45.220 --> 00:15:46.400
 the granny says,

00:15:46.600 --> 00:15:48.020
 I'll see what I can do.

00:15:48.760 --> 00:15:50.160
 And three days later,

00:15:50.240 --> 00:15:51.560
 you go to your bank machine

00:15:51.560 --> 00:15:52.580
 and lo and behold,

00:15:52.700 --> 00:15:54.000
 there's five grand

00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:55.160
 in the bank.

00:15:56.340 --> 00:15:56.860
 You see,

00:15:56.940 --> 00:15:57.820
 we Christians believe

00:15:57.820 --> 00:15:58.980
 that's what prayer is like

00:15:58.980 --> 00:15:59.840
 and that's what miracles

00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:00.320
 are like.

00:16:01.380 --> 00:16:01.840
 You see,

00:16:02.480 --> 00:16:03.200
 the grandmother

00:16:03.200 --> 00:16:03.960
 is the one

00:16:03.960 --> 00:16:04.720
 who sustains

00:16:04.720 --> 00:16:05.520
 the $500

00:16:05.520 --> 00:16:06.820
 every month.

00:16:07.020 --> 00:16:07.680
 God is the one

00:16:07.680 --> 00:16:08.320
 who sustains

00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:09.620
 this entire created order.

00:16:09.620 --> 00:16:10.960
 And just,

00:16:11.320 --> 00:16:12.620
 and the money,

00:16:12.759 --> 00:16:13.600
 just as in the story,

00:16:13.679 --> 00:16:14.340
 the money didn't just

00:16:14.340 --> 00:16:15.539
 sort of pop out of the air

00:16:15.539 --> 00:16:16.320
 instantly or

00:16:16.320 --> 00:16:17.019
 it wasn't just

00:16:17.019 --> 00:16:18.019
 somehow existing

00:16:18.019 --> 00:16:18.720
 by itself.

00:16:18.820 --> 00:16:19.580
 It was sustained

00:16:19.580 --> 00:16:20.279
 by the goodness

00:16:20.279 --> 00:16:21.080
 of the grandmother

00:16:21.080 --> 00:16:22.940
 and the young person

00:16:22.940 --> 00:16:23.799
 was able to depend

00:16:23.799 --> 00:16:24.279
 upon it

00:16:24.279 --> 00:16:25.299
 and plan upon it

00:16:25.299 --> 00:16:26.019
 and study how

00:16:26.019 --> 00:16:26.360
 they were going

00:16:26.360 --> 00:16:27.019
 to use that money,

00:16:27.100 --> 00:16:27.379
 whether they were

00:16:27.379 --> 00:16:28.139
 going to invest it

00:16:28.139 --> 00:16:28.620
 or whether they were

00:16:28.620 --> 00:16:29.200
 going to blow it

00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:29.759
 on a new pair

00:16:29.759 --> 00:16:30.539
 of sunglasses

00:16:30.539 --> 00:16:31.820
 and all of that

00:16:31.820 --> 00:16:32.460
 type of stuff.

00:16:32.539 --> 00:16:33.000
 And one day

00:16:33.000 --> 00:16:33.860
 they get into trouble

00:16:33.860 --> 00:16:35.060
 and they call up

00:16:35.060 --> 00:16:35.700
 their grandmother

00:16:35.700 --> 00:16:36.279
 and they say,

00:16:36.360 --> 00:16:36.680
 Granny,

00:16:36.679 --> 00:16:37.679
 I am in trouble,

00:16:37.799 --> 00:16:38.439
 could you please

00:16:38.439 --> 00:16:38.879
 intervene?

00:16:39.259 --> 00:16:40.059
 And the grandmother

00:16:40.059 --> 00:16:41.139
 is able to intervene.

00:16:41.719 --> 00:16:42.719
 And in the same way,

00:16:43.259 --> 00:16:44.979
 God can act

00:16:44.979 --> 00:16:46.199
 in the order

00:16:46.199 --> 00:16:47.859
 which he creates

00:16:47.859 --> 00:16:49.419
 and in which he sustains.

00:16:51.120 --> 00:16:52.259
 And so John

00:16:52.259 --> 00:16:53.039
 wants to communicate

00:16:53.039 --> 00:16:54.139
 to us that a miracle

00:16:54.139 --> 00:16:54.959
 is not just

00:16:54.959 --> 00:16:56.219
 a matter of perception,

00:16:56.839 --> 00:16:57.819
 a miracle is not

00:16:57.819 --> 00:16:58.479
 just a matter

00:16:58.479 --> 00:16:59.279
 of experience,

00:16:59.739 --> 00:17:00.319
 that it's not

00:17:00.319 --> 00:17:01.439
 something subjective

00:17:01.439 --> 00:17:02.519
 to us.

00:17:02.519 --> 00:17:05.119
 what happened

00:17:05.119 --> 00:17:06.559
 in Cana of Galilee

00:17:06.559 --> 00:17:07.359
 was true.

00:17:09.519 --> 00:17:10.420
 It's real.

00:17:11.400 --> 00:17:13.119
 John would go

00:17:13.119 --> 00:17:14.259
 to his grave

00:17:14.259 --> 00:17:15.299
 maintaining

00:17:15.299 --> 00:17:16.519
 that it really

00:17:16.519 --> 00:17:17.039
 happened.

00:17:17.740 --> 00:17:18.819
 And by saying

00:17:18.819 --> 00:17:19.319
 that it really

00:17:19.319 --> 00:17:19.799
 happened,

00:17:19.900 --> 00:17:20.460
 he said,

00:17:20.700 --> 00:17:21.599
 not only did it

00:17:21.599 --> 00:17:22.039
 happen,

00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:23.619
 but it's a sign.

00:17:23.980 --> 00:17:24.859
 It's a pointer.

00:17:25.259 --> 00:17:26.019
 It's not just

00:17:26.019 --> 00:17:27.279
 a display of power.

00:17:27.420 --> 00:17:28.259
 It's not God

00:17:28.259 --> 00:17:29.019
 showing off.

00:17:29.019 --> 00:17:29.759
 This is,

00:17:29.839 --> 00:17:30.400
 in a sense,

00:17:30.759 --> 00:17:31.519
 an answer

00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:32.660
 to the longing

00:17:32.660 --> 00:17:33.799
 and the yearning

00:17:33.799 --> 00:17:35.240
 of the human race.

00:17:35.940 --> 00:17:36.839
 And in the face

00:17:36.839 --> 00:17:37.579
 of a longing

00:17:37.579 --> 00:17:38.299
 and a yearning

00:17:38.299 --> 00:17:38.839
 of the human race,

00:17:38.900 --> 00:17:39.619
 because we human beings,

00:17:39.720 --> 00:17:40.299
 on one hand,

00:17:40.400 --> 00:17:41.960
 we long for something more

00:17:41.960 --> 00:17:42.720
 and we fear

00:17:42.720 --> 00:17:43.700
 that something more

00:17:43.700 --> 00:17:45.039
 and we are complicated

00:17:45.039 --> 00:17:47.259
 and cannot help ourselves,

00:17:48.440 --> 00:17:50.200
 God intervenes

00:17:50.200 --> 00:17:51.400
 in a powerful way

00:17:51.400 --> 00:17:52.920
 in a series of events

00:17:52.920 --> 00:17:53.639
 through the person

00:17:53.639 --> 00:17:54.519
 of Jesus Christ

00:17:54.519 --> 00:17:55.599
 and every single one

00:17:55.599 --> 00:17:57.119
 of these are signs

00:17:57.119 --> 00:17:58.960
 that if we watch

00:17:58.960 --> 00:17:59.599
 the sign

00:17:59.599 --> 00:18:00.539
 and look at the sign,

00:18:00.599 --> 00:18:01.339
 it's like a clue

00:18:01.339 --> 00:18:02.019
 and follow

00:18:02.019 --> 00:18:02.899
 where they point,

00:18:03.419 --> 00:18:04.480
 it will lead us

00:18:04.480 --> 00:18:05.759
 to see the glory

00:18:05.759 --> 00:18:07.779
 of the Son of God

00:18:07.779 --> 00:18:09.179
 who is the Messiah

00:18:09.179 --> 00:18:10.299
 for the human race

00:18:10.299 --> 00:18:12.000
 whom we can believe in

00:18:12.000 --> 00:18:13.099
 and have life.

00:18:13.919 --> 00:18:14.819
 I just read

00:18:14.819 --> 00:18:16.099
 the most remarkable quote

00:18:16.099 --> 00:18:17.419
 from Simone de Beauvoir,

00:18:17.959 --> 00:18:18.480
 an atheist,

00:18:19.439 --> 00:18:20.319
 and she said,

00:18:20.559 --> 00:18:21.919
 I wish I'd written it down,

00:18:22.779 --> 00:18:23.039
 you know,

00:18:23.119 --> 00:18:23.539
 she said,

00:18:23.619 --> 00:18:24.379
 by my writings

00:18:24.379 --> 00:18:25.099
 and other things

00:18:25.099 --> 00:18:26.279
 I can abolish,

00:18:27.039 --> 00:18:27.799
 it's as if,

00:18:28.599 --> 00:18:29.039
 okay,

00:18:29.079 --> 00:18:29.439
 I'm going to get this,

00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:31.440
 she's speaking about God,

00:18:31.660 --> 00:18:31.960
 okay,

00:18:32.000 --> 00:18:32.460
 and she said,

00:18:32.519 --> 00:18:32.900
 you know what,

00:18:33.380 --> 00:18:35.600
 my writings have abolished God,

00:18:35.799 --> 00:18:37.200
 but I can't abolish

00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:38.460
 the thirst for God.

00:18:39.140 --> 00:18:39.900
 It's as if

00:18:39.900 --> 00:18:40.940
 you could go

00:18:40.940 --> 00:18:42.460
 to a particular area

00:18:42.460 --> 00:18:43.759
 and you could take away

00:18:43.759 --> 00:18:44.740
 all the water,

00:18:45.180 --> 00:18:46.340
 but you can't get rid

00:18:46.340 --> 00:18:46.900
 of thirst.

00:18:48.259 --> 00:18:49.420
 And so that even

00:18:49.420 --> 00:18:49.880
 in the midst

00:18:49.880 --> 00:18:51.380
 of our naturalistic age

00:18:51.380 --> 00:18:52.140
 where we've tried

00:18:52.140 --> 00:18:53.320
 to abolish God,

00:18:53.420 --> 00:18:54.240
 the fact of the matter

00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:55.640
 is that we human beings

00:18:55.640 --> 00:18:56.700
 still have a thirst

00:18:56.700 --> 00:18:57.299
 for God

00:18:57.299 --> 00:18:58.720
 and if that thirst

00:18:58.720 --> 00:18:59.559
 for the living God

00:18:59.559 --> 00:19:00.420
 isn't satisfied

00:19:00.420 --> 00:19:01.120
 by God,

00:19:01.259 --> 00:19:02.400
 we will take pale

00:19:02.400 --> 00:19:03.160
 substitutes

00:19:03.160 --> 00:19:03.700
 and illusions

00:19:03.700 --> 00:19:04.539
 which ultimately

00:19:04.539 --> 00:19:05.519
 do not satisfy.

00:19:06.600 --> 00:19:07.700
 And John is saying,

00:19:08.360 --> 00:19:09.279
 God has come

00:19:09.279 --> 00:19:10.860
 and there are signs.

00:19:11.620 --> 00:19:12.900
 Listen to the second part

00:19:12.900 --> 00:19:13.500
 of verse 11.

00:19:13.620 --> 00:19:14.299
 The first part said,

00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:16.080
 this beginning of signs

00:19:16.080 --> 00:19:18.480
 Jesus did in Cana of Galilee

00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:20.920
 and manifested his glory.

00:19:21.559 --> 00:19:22.039
 In other words,

00:19:22.140 --> 00:19:22.840
 John is saying

00:19:22.840 --> 00:19:24.259
 that there is truth here,

00:19:24.259 --> 00:19:25.319
 that the truth

00:19:25.319 --> 00:19:26.000
 is in a sense

00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:27.839
 that there is an image

00:19:27.839 --> 00:19:28.579
 that we can keep

00:19:28.579 --> 00:19:29.359
 before our mind.

00:19:29.559 --> 00:19:30.240
 It means that we can

00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:31.259
 fill our imagination,

00:19:32.019 --> 00:19:33.619
 that we can heal our minds,

00:19:33.759 --> 00:19:34.759
 that we can meditate

00:19:34.759 --> 00:19:35.519
 upon this image.

00:19:35.579 --> 00:19:36.220
 Like I was thinking

00:19:36.220 --> 00:19:37.279
 about this all this week.

00:19:37.379 --> 00:19:37.480
 You know,

00:19:37.559 --> 00:19:38.539
 the characteristic,

00:19:38.740 --> 00:19:39.319
 if you want to have

00:19:39.319 --> 00:19:40.079
 an image,

00:19:40.440 --> 00:19:40.900
 if you want to have

00:19:40.900 --> 00:19:42.079
 an image of an

00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:42.940
 Eastern religion,

00:19:44.279 --> 00:19:45.059
 it's something

00:19:45.059 --> 00:19:45.859
 like the Buddha

00:19:45.859 --> 00:19:48.039
 sitting there large

00:19:48.039 --> 00:19:49.180
 and overweight

00:19:49.180 --> 00:19:51.279
 with inward-looking eyes

00:19:51.279 --> 00:19:52.680
 where it is the image

00:19:52.680 --> 00:19:55.039
 of the individual person

00:19:55.039 --> 00:19:55.539
 in a room

00:19:55.539 --> 00:19:56.600
 with their legs crossed

00:19:56.600 --> 00:19:57.220
 in a way that would

00:19:57.220 --> 00:19:58.160
 break my legs

00:19:58.160 --> 00:19:59.759
 with their hands like this,

00:19:59.860 --> 00:20:00.620
 their eyes closed,

00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:01.320
 looking inward.

00:20:01.420 --> 00:20:02.080
 And that, in a sense,

00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:04.000
 is a sign or an image

00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:05.460
 of all that those

00:20:05.460 --> 00:20:06.940
 Eastern faiths pursue.

00:20:07.779 --> 00:20:08.560
 We Christians,

00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:10.039
 the preeminent sign

00:20:10.039 --> 00:20:11.080
 for us as Christians

00:20:11.080 --> 00:20:13.720
 is Jesus upon the cross.

00:20:14.400 --> 00:20:16.039
 And what John is saying here,

00:20:16.380 --> 00:20:17.940
 to lead us to the cross,

00:20:18.539 --> 00:20:20.279
 the first thing we have to think

00:20:20.279 --> 00:20:21.440
 is have another image

00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:22.079
 in our head.

00:20:22.639 --> 00:20:23.639
 What is that image?

00:20:24.559 --> 00:20:26.099
 Jesus having wine

00:20:26.099 --> 00:20:27.759
 with his friends

00:20:27.759 --> 00:20:29.399
 at a wedding banquet

00:20:29.399 --> 00:20:31.160
 and then making

00:20:31.160 --> 00:20:34.339
 70 to 100 bottles of wine.

00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:37.500
 And that's the image

00:20:37.500 --> 00:20:38.639
 which is to be in our head.

00:20:39.339 --> 00:20:40.379
 I'm thinking about that.

00:20:40.920 --> 00:20:42.279
 Like, what does this show us

00:20:42.279 --> 00:20:42.839
 about God?

00:20:42.899 --> 00:20:43.799
 Just very briefly.

00:20:44.740 --> 00:20:45.539
 In a sense,

00:20:45.599 --> 00:20:46.259
 it's a picture

00:20:46.259 --> 00:20:47.619
 of the glory

00:20:47.619 --> 00:20:49.239
 of a generous giver.

00:20:49.979 --> 00:20:51.159
 It is the picture

00:20:51.159 --> 00:20:52.079
 of the glory

00:20:52.079 --> 00:20:53.539
 of a generous giver.

00:20:54.359 --> 00:20:55.459
 Jesus sitting there

00:20:55.459 --> 00:20:56.239
 with his friends

00:20:56.239 --> 00:20:57.039
 having wine

00:20:57.039 --> 00:20:57.619
 and the wine

00:20:57.619 --> 00:20:58.339
 is running out

00:20:58.339 --> 00:21:00.000
 and they just maybe

00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:01.339
 need a little bit more wine

00:21:01.339 --> 00:21:01.979
 to get through

00:21:01.979 --> 00:21:02.839
 for the, you know,

00:21:02.919 --> 00:21:04.599
 maybe there's 30 or 40 people there.

00:21:04.679 --> 00:21:04.979
 Who knows?

00:21:05.039 --> 00:21:06.239
 It's a small number of people

00:21:06.239 --> 00:21:07.139
 and Jesus goes

00:21:07.139 --> 00:21:08.619
 and makes the best wine

00:21:08.619 --> 00:21:09.539
 and he makes somewhere

00:21:09.539 --> 00:21:12.859
 between 70 to 100 bottles of wine.

00:21:14.479 --> 00:21:16.099
 Just picture it in your room.

00:21:16.099 --> 00:21:18.079
 All these bottles of wine.

00:21:18.740 --> 00:21:19.740
 It is the picture

00:21:19.740 --> 00:21:20.779
 of the glory

00:21:20.779 --> 00:21:22.059
 of one

00:21:22.059 --> 00:21:23.679
 who is a generous giver.

00:21:24.219 --> 00:21:26.099
 It is a revelation

00:21:26.099 --> 00:21:27.159
 in this miracle.

00:21:27.399 --> 00:21:28.179
 It is an image

00:21:28.179 --> 00:21:29.799
 of the glorious future.

00:21:30.459 --> 00:21:31.639
 In the Old Testament,

00:21:31.779 --> 00:21:32.679
 one of the signs

00:21:32.679 --> 00:21:33.559
 that the Messiah

00:21:33.559 --> 00:21:34.139
 had come

00:21:34.139 --> 00:21:35.839
 and the Messianic age

00:21:35.839 --> 00:21:36.519
 had begun

00:21:36.519 --> 00:21:38.079
 was that there would be

00:21:38.079 --> 00:21:40.079
 lots and lots of wine.

00:21:40.659 --> 00:21:41.599
 This image

00:21:41.599 --> 00:21:42.740
 that somehow or another

00:21:42.740 --> 00:21:44.339
 that the future

00:21:44.339 --> 00:21:45.159
 when the Messiah

00:21:45.160 --> 00:21:45.779
 would come

00:21:45.779 --> 00:21:46.700
 would be characterized

00:21:46.700 --> 00:21:48.420
 as if we are having

00:21:48.420 --> 00:21:49.400
 the greatest time

00:21:49.400 --> 00:21:50.200
 with our friends.

00:21:50.600 --> 00:21:51.840
 We are completely

00:21:51.840 --> 00:21:53.000
 and utterly at peace.

00:21:53.400 --> 00:21:54.480
 We have no longer

00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:55.380
 any fears.

00:21:55.900 --> 00:21:57.040
 We don't have any worries.

00:21:57.160 --> 00:21:58.519
 We don't have any anxieties.

00:21:58.720 --> 00:21:59.560
 And we can just,

00:21:59.940 --> 00:22:01.220
 and we are completely

00:22:01.220 --> 00:22:01.820
 and utterly

00:22:01.820 --> 00:22:03.340
 finally surrounded

00:22:03.340 --> 00:22:04.600
 with abundance

00:22:04.600 --> 00:22:05.440
 and joy.

00:22:06.000 --> 00:22:06.700
 And that is one

00:22:06.700 --> 00:22:07.900
 of the constant pictures

00:22:07.900 --> 00:22:08.759
 in the Old Testament

00:22:08.759 --> 00:22:10.140
 of when the Messiah comes.

00:22:10.440 --> 00:22:11.600
 And the first sign

00:22:11.600 --> 00:22:12.640
 that Jesus gives

00:22:12.640 --> 00:22:13.680
 is that he makes

00:22:13.680 --> 00:22:14.300
 lots of wine

00:22:14.300 --> 00:22:14.759
 at a wedding

00:22:14.759 --> 00:22:15.600
 when he's sitting around

00:22:15.600 --> 00:22:16.380
 with his friends.

00:22:17.140 --> 00:22:17.960
 And people have just

00:22:17.960 --> 00:22:18.820
 become his friends.

00:22:19.620 --> 00:22:20.380
 What is revealed

00:22:20.380 --> 00:22:21.200
 is the glory

00:22:21.200 --> 00:22:22.580
 of the generous giver.

00:22:22.900 --> 00:22:23.780
 The glory

00:22:23.780 --> 00:22:24.759
 of the future.

00:22:25.300 --> 00:22:26.080
 What is revealed

00:22:26.080 --> 00:22:26.759
 is in a sense

00:22:26.759 --> 00:22:27.480
 the glorious

00:22:27.480 --> 00:22:29.160
 of the creator.

00:22:30.259 --> 00:22:30.700
 Actually,

00:22:31.480 --> 00:22:31.720
 sorry,

00:22:31.800 --> 00:22:32.540
 it is the glory

00:22:32.540 --> 00:22:34.420
 of the creator

00:22:34.420 --> 00:22:35.100
 creating

00:22:35.100 --> 00:22:36.300
 even in the midst

00:22:36.300 --> 00:22:37.259
 of the disciples.

00:22:37.259 --> 00:22:39.879
 You know,

00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:40.299
 it's,

00:22:41.559 --> 00:22:42.400
 you think about it

00:22:42.400 --> 00:22:42.839
 for a second,

00:22:42.980 --> 00:22:43.220
 folks.

00:22:43.879 --> 00:22:44.599
 Some of us

00:22:44.599 --> 00:22:45.900
 on Thursday night,

00:22:45.940 --> 00:22:46.599
 I thought that

00:22:46.599 --> 00:22:47.720
 the leadership video

00:22:47.720 --> 00:22:48.220
 that we watched

00:22:48.220 --> 00:22:48.640
 on Thursday night

00:22:48.640 --> 00:22:49.160
 was really,

00:22:49.319 --> 00:22:50.059
 really remarkable.

00:22:51.119 --> 00:22:52.359
 And this,

00:22:52.460 --> 00:22:52.879
 by this guy,

00:22:52.960 --> 00:22:54.220
 Aaron McManus,

00:22:54.259 --> 00:22:55.160
 I think his name is.

00:22:55.299 --> 00:22:56.240
 And he talked about

00:22:56.240 --> 00:22:56.759
 the importance

00:22:56.759 --> 00:22:57.339
 of gratitude.

00:22:57.539 --> 00:22:58.379
 And ever since that

00:22:58.379 --> 00:22:58.980
 on Thursday night,

00:22:59.480 --> 00:23:00.559
 like I've just been thinking,

00:23:00.680 --> 00:23:00.799
 you know,

00:23:00.839 --> 00:23:01.559
 the trees,

00:23:01.640 --> 00:23:02.960
 there's just so many leaves

00:23:02.960 --> 00:23:03.920
 and they just look

00:23:03.920 --> 00:23:04.859
 so fantastic

00:23:04.859 --> 00:23:05.660
 and the grass

00:23:05.660 --> 00:23:06.900
 is looking so green

00:23:06.900 --> 00:23:07.560
 and the sky

00:23:07.560 --> 00:23:08.580
 looks so blue.

00:23:09.019 --> 00:23:10.080
 When you can see the sky,

00:23:10.160 --> 00:23:10.740
 I haven't done that

00:23:10.740 --> 00:23:11.500
 in a few days.

00:23:12.160 --> 00:23:12.420
 You know,

00:23:12.500 --> 00:23:13.100
 but everything

00:23:13.100 --> 00:23:14.460
 just looks so lush

00:23:14.460 --> 00:23:15.560
 and so plentiful

00:23:15.560 --> 00:23:16.820
 and so plenteous.

00:23:17.240 --> 00:23:18.120
 And the creator

00:23:18.120 --> 00:23:19.480
 is just so generous

00:23:19.480 --> 00:23:21.460
 and he's so great.

00:23:22.140 --> 00:23:24.120
 And it's really appropriate

00:23:24.120 --> 00:23:25.120
 that I try to learn

00:23:25.120 --> 00:23:26.000
 what it means

00:23:26.000 --> 00:23:26.660
 to live a life

00:23:26.660 --> 00:23:27.420
 of gratitude.

00:23:28.080 --> 00:23:29.320
 And this creation

00:23:29.320 --> 00:23:30.540
 is just so plentiful

00:23:30.540 --> 00:23:31.220
 and ongoing.

00:23:31.680 --> 00:23:32.200
 And that is,

00:23:32.280 --> 00:23:32.620
 in a sense,

00:23:32.660 --> 00:23:34.040
 what is exactly revealed,

00:23:34.040 --> 00:23:35.220
 what this sign is

00:23:35.220 --> 00:23:35.880
 that Jesus

00:23:35.880 --> 00:23:36.840
 just,

00:23:37.180 --> 00:23:37.900
 with the merest

00:23:37.900 --> 00:23:38.820
 of his power,

00:23:39.220 --> 00:23:40.900
 is unbelievably generous,

00:23:41.100 --> 00:23:41.980
 far more wine

00:23:41.980 --> 00:23:42.720
 than they need,

00:23:43.060 --> 00:23:43.640
 that he's,

00:23:43.700 --> 00:23:44.580
 that he's,

00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:45.280
 he's in a sense,

00:23:45.400 --> 00:23:46.160
 pointing to what

00:23:46.160 --> 00:23:47.260
 the future is like

00:23:47.260 --> 00:23:48.680
 and he's just pointing

00:23:48.680 --> 00:23:49.840
 to the wonderful

00:23:49.840 --> 00:23:52.140
 fact of creation

00:23:52.140 --> 00:23:52.800
 by the fact

00:23:52.800 --> 00:23:53.960
 that he can create wine.

00:23:55.940 --> 00:23:56.720
 Through which

00:23:56.720 --> 00:23:57.760
 his glory is revealed,

00:23:57.900 --> 00:23:58.500
 he's also,

00:23:58.740 --> 00:23:59.140
 in a sense,

00:23:59.220 --> 00:24:00.160
 trying to reveal to us

00:24:00.160 --> 00:24:01.580
 the glory of a life

00:24:01.580 --> 00:24:02.740
 that is lived,

00:24:03.220 --> 00:24:04.360
 reconciled to God.

00:24:04.359 --> 00:24:05.759
 And one of the wonderful

00:24:05.759 --> 00:24:06.779
 things about this story

00:24:06.779 --> 00:24:07.719
 is the water was there.

00:24:07.799 --> 00:24:08.740
 Why was the water there?

00:24:09.139 --> 00:24:10.339
 The water was there

00:24:10.339 --> 00:24:11.939
 for religious purposes.

00:24:12.459 --> 00:24:13.479
 The water was there

00:24:13.479 --> 00:24:14.939
 so that religious ceremonies

00:24:14.939 --> 00:24:16.000
 of purification

00:24:16.000 --> 00:24:17.659
 could be performed.

00:24:18.079 --> 00:24:19.679
 And what does Jesus take

00:24:19.679 --> 00:24:20.740
 to turn into wine?

00:24:21.159 --> 00:24:22.000
 He could have said,

00:24:22.079 --> 00:24:22.259
 listen,

00:24:22.359 --> 00:24:23.179
 there's a well there,

00:24:23.599 --> 00:24:23.919
 you know,

00:24:23.959 --> 00:24:24.959
 go get a few bottles,

00:24:25.099 --> 00:24:25.979
 go get a few pots,

00:24:26.119 --> 00:24:26.519
 fill it up,

00:24:26.559 --> 00:24:27.119
 and that'll be it.

00:24:27.339 --> 00:24:28.419
 But what does Jesus do?

00:24:28.539 --> 00:24:29.579
 That which is there

00:24:29.579 --> 00:24:30.919
 merely for religion

00:24:30.919 --> 00:24:34.299
 and merely for religious rites

00:24:34.299 --> 00:24:35.679
 and religious ceremonies

00:24:35.679 --> 00:24:36.740
 and attempts

00:24:36.740 --> 00:24:38.359
 to symbolize purification,

00:24:38.720 --> 00:24:40.079
 in place of that,

00:24:40.439 --> 00:24:42.199
 70 to 100 bottles of wine.

00:24:42.480 --> 00:24:43.539
 Have a good time, folks.

00:24:46.980 --> 00:24:48.539
 Have a good time, folks.

00:24:50.839 --> 00:24:51.279
 Celebrate.

00:24:51.960 --> 00:24:52.439
 Live.

00:24:52.759 --> 00:24:53.339
 Muzzle top.

00:24:53.399 --> 00:24:53.899
 I don't know if that's

00:24:53.899 --> 00:24:54.799
 what they would have said,

00:24:54.939 --> 00:24:55.519
 but, you know,

00:24:55.519 --> 00:24:57.259
 have a few more dances.

00:24:58.700 --> 00:25:00.299
 Something greater than religion

00:25:00.299 --> 00:25:01.980
 is revealed.

00:25:03.059 --> 00:25:04.240
 Verse 11 again.

00:25:04.859 --> 00:25:06.440
 The beginning of signs

00:25:06.440 --> 00:25:09.660
 Jesus did in Cana of Galilee

00:25:09.660 --> 00:25:11.759
 and manifested his glory

00:25:11.759 --> 00:25:15.339
 and his disciples believed in him.

00:25:16.160 --> 00:25:17.180
 That's the third thing.

00:25:17.259 --> 00:25:19.259
 His disciples believed in him.

00:25:19.259 --> 00:25:20.480
 And in the story,

00:25:20.759 --> 00:25:22.339
 we see two things.

00:25:22.639 --> 00:25:23.440
 You see, one of the things,

00:25:23.900 --> 00:25:24.079
 you know,

00:25:24.139 --> 00:25:25.200
 you want to learn what it means

00:25:25.200 --> 00:25:26.420
 about believing in faith,

00:25:26.600 --> 00:25:27.180
 part of it is,

00:25:27.200 --> 00:25:28.380
 is just let's start to read

00:25:28.380 --> 00:25:30.080
 the Bible more and more attentively

00:25:30.080 --> 00:25:31.640
 because even in this story,

00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:35.319
 John starts to reveal a truth

00:25:35.319 --> 00:25:36.340
 about what it means

00:25:36.340 --> 00:25:37.799
 to be a follower of Jesus

00:25:37.799 --> 00:25:38.960
 and to have faith in him

00:25:38.960 --> 00:25:39.720
 and believe in him.

00:25:39.920 --> 00:25:40.880
 And he does it

00:25:40.880 --> 00:25:42.799
 through recounting the dialogue

00:25:42.799 --> 00:25:44.279
 between Mary and Jesus.

00:25:45.299 --> 00:25:47.180
 You see, Mary comes to Jesus

00:25:47.180 --> 00:25:48.360
 and in a sense,

00:25:48.440 --> 00:25:49.299
 at the beginning of this,

00:25:49.299 --> 00:25:50.840
 I think it's in verse 4,

00:25:51.460 --> 00:25:52.620
 Mary, in a sense,

00:25:52.779 --> 00:25:55.140
 represents us human beings

00:25:55.140 --> 00:25:57.640
 who are prone to presumption,

00:25:58.140 --> 00:26:00.020
 to thinking in tribal terms

00:26:00.020 --> 00:26:01.040
 when it comes to God,

00:26:01.320 --> 00:26:02.340
 to thinking in terms

00:26:02.340 --> 00:26:04.240
 of some type of false claim

00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:05.780
 that we have upon God.

00:26:06.200 --> 00:26:07.800
 And so Mary comes to Jesus

00:26:07.800 --> 00:26:08.259
 and said,

00:26:08.320 --> 00:26:09.580
 listen, they have no wine.

00:26:09.620 --> 00:26:10.540
 And the implication is,

00:26:10.600 --> 00:26:11.500
 Jesus, you've got to do

00:26:11.500 --> 00:26:12.460
 something about this.

00:26:12.860 --> 00:26:14.000
 She's talking to him

00:26:14.000 --> 00:26:15.940
 as Jesus' mother,

00:26:16.080 --> 00:26:17.700
 as one who can tell Jesus

00:26:17.700 --> 00:26:18.400
 what to do,

00:26:18.620 --> 00:26:20.080
 who can make certain claims

00:26:20.080 --> 00:26:20.759
 upon him.

00:26:20.759 --> 00:26:22.420
 And we as human beings,

00:26:22.640 --> 00:26:24.180
 at the heart of superstition

00:26:24.180 --> 00:26:25.259
 and at the heart

00:26:25.259 --> 00:26:26.259
 of all religion,

00:26:26.700 --> 00:26:29.059
 is our implicit belief

00:26:29.059 --> 00:26:29.940
 that we are somehow

00:26:29.940 --> 00:26:31.799
 or another of God's tribe,

00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:33.420
 where we have some claim

00:26:33.420 --> 00:26:34.180
 upon God,

00:26:34.259 --> 00:26:35.680
 that he has some type

00:26:35.680 --> 00:26:37.339
 of relationship to us

00:26:37.339 --> 00:26:38.960
 that naturally occurs

00:26:38.960 --> 00:26:40.500
 upon which we can make

00:26:40.500 --> 00:26:41.440
 certain demands.

00:26:42.099 --> 00:26:43.480
 And Jesus speaks

00:26:43.480 --> 00:26:45.220
 abruptly to her

00:26:45.220 --> 00:26:45.700
 and says,

00:26:45.839 --> 00:26:46.140
 woman,

00:26:46.660 --> 00:26:47.720
 what does that have to do

00:26:47.720 --> 00:26:48.079
 with me?

00:26:49.960 --> 00:26:51.240
 It's not rude,

00:26:51.779 --> 00:26:53.100
 but it's very abrupt

00:26:53.100 --> 00:26:55.180
 and it creates distance.

00:26:55.720 --> 00:26:56.720
 Jesus is saying,

00:26:57.259 --> 00:26:57.620
 you know what,

00:26:57.680 --> 00:26:58.460
 the way to God

00:26:58.460 --> 00:27:00.100
 has nothing to do

00:27:00.100 --> 00:27:01.160
 with tribalism,

00:27:01.279 --> 00:27:02.180
 with presumption,

00:27:02.559 --> 00:27:03.279
 with thinking that

00:27:03.279 --> 00:27:04.039
 somehow or another

00:27:04.039 --> 00:27:05.220
 naturally because of

00:27:05.220 --> 00:27:05.839
 who you are

00:27:05.839 --> 00:27:06.559
 and all of your

00:27:06.559 --> 00:27:07.440
 wonderfulness

00:27:07.440 --> 00:27:08.900
 or all of your pain

00:27:08.900 --> 00:27:09.880
 or all of your

00:27:09.880 --> 00:27:10.779
 Anglicanism

00:27:10.779 --> 00:27:11.779
 or all of your

00:27:11.779 --> 00:27:12.400
 spirituality

00:27:12.400 --> 00:27:14.000
 or all of your emotions,

00:27:14.360 --> 00:27:15.579
 that because of these things

00:27:15.579 --> 00:27:16.339
 you have some

00:27:16.339 --> 00:27:18.019
 implicit claim

00:27:18.019 --> 00:27:19.000
 upon God,

00:27:19.119 --> 00:27:20.220
 some inner track,

00:27:20.559 --> 00:27:21.500
 some inner course

00:27:21.500 --> 00:27:23.079
 by which he has to do

00:27:23.079 --> 00:27:23.899
 something for you.

00:27:23.980 --> 00:27:24.679
 And in the face

00:27:24.679 --> 00:27:26.179
 of those natural disasters,

00:27:26.359 --> 00:27:26.899
 Jesus says,

00:27:26.980 --> 00:27:27.179
 woman,

00:27:27.279 --> 00:27:28.039
 what is that to me?

00:27:28.980 --> 00:27:29.859
 He's very abrupt.

00:27:31.419 --> 00:27:32.779
 Any of these ways

00:27:32.779 --> 00:27:33.899
 are not the way to go.

00:27:35.240 --> 00:27:35.879
 And Mary

00:27:35.879 --> 00:27:38.240
 is given

00:27:38.240 --> 00:27:39.899
 the faithful response

00:27:39.899 --> 00:27:40.659
 in the sense

00:27:40.659 --> 00:27:41.919
 she takes

00:27:41.919 --> 00:27:42.859
 the rebuke

00:27:42.859 --> 00:27:43.659
 of Jesus

00:27:43.660 --> 00:27:45.480
 and says

00:27:45.480 --> 00:27:47.259
 in verse 5,

00:27:48.000 --> 00:27:49.040
 whatever he says

00:27:49.040 --> 00:27:49.580
 to you,

00:27:50.040 --> 00:27:50.420
 do it.

00:27:51.680 --> 00:27:52.519
 And in this

00:27:52.519 --> 00:27:53.600
 we see two of the

00:27:53.600 --> 00:27:54.360
 key aspects

00:27:54.360 --> 00:27:54.960
 of faith.

00:27:55.960 --> 00:27:56.779
 Whatever he says

00:27:56.779 --> 00:27:57.019
 to you,

00:27:57.040 --> 00:27:57.320
 do it.

00:27:57.900 --> 00:27:58.540
 Doesn't that show

00:27:58.540 --> 00:27:59.640
 unbelievable trust?

00:28:02.279 --> 00:28:03.680
 It shows trust.

00:28:04.920 --> 00:28:06.120
 And it shows

00:28:06.120 --> 00:28:06.460
 the very,

00:28:06.600 --> 00:28:07.240
 very heart

00:28:07.240 --> 00:28:08.400
 of faith

00:28:08.400 --> 00:28:09.519
 that we should

00:28:09.519 --> 00:28:09.960
 be willing

00:28:09.960 --> 00:28:10.600
 to obey.

00:28:10.599 --> 00:28:15.480
 What Jesus

00:28:15.480 --> 00:28:16.119
 did here

00:28:16.119 --> 00:28:16.699
 in Canaan

00:28:16.699 --> 00:28:17.339
 of Galilee

00:28:17.339 --> 00:28:18.099
 was the first

00:28:18.099 --> 00:28:18.939
 of the signs

00:28:18.939 --> 00:28:20.019
 through which

00:28:20.019 --> 00:28:21.059
 he revealed

00:28:21.059 --> 00:28:21.759
 his glory

00:28:21.759 --> 00:28:23.259
 and his disciples

00:28:23.259 --> 00:28:24.659
 put their faith

00:28:24.659 --> 00:28:25.059
 in him.

00:28:25.419 --> 00:28:26.019
 Let's bow

00:28:26.019 --> 00:28:26.319
 our heads

00:28:26.319 --> 00:28:26.779
 in prayer.

00:28:34.000 --> 00:28:34.519
 Jesus,

00:28:34.719 --> 00:28:35.159
 we want to

00:28:35.159 --> 00:28:35.959
 see your glory.

00:28:35.960 --> 00:28:39.720
 Jesus,

00:28:40.319 --> 00:28:42.460
 loving Savior,

00:28:43.460 --> 00:28:44.660
 Holy Messiah,

00:28:45.860 --> 00:28:46.779
 God's Son,

00:28:47.160 --> 00:28:47.860
 our Savior,

00:28:48.700 --> 00:28:49.920
 thank you

00:28:49.920 --> 00:28:50.539
 for the mighty

00:28:50.539 --> 00:28:51.259
 acts that you

00:28:51.259 --> 00:28:51.779
 performed.

00:28:52.500 --> 00:28:53.120
 Thank you

00:28:53.120 --> 00:28:53.660
 that you did

00:28:53.660 --> 00:28:54.240
 not do them

00:28:54.240 --> 00:28:54.940
 just to show

00:28:54.940 --> 00:28:55.340
 off,

00:28:55.559 --> 00:28:56.340
 but you came

00:28:56.340 --> 00:28:58.039
 and did things

00:28:58.039 --> 00:28:59.319
 of huge significance.

00:28:59.539 --> 00:29:00.500
 You did miracles

00:29:00.500 --> 00:29:02.160
 that can be

00:29:02.160 --> 00:29:02.860
 clues

00:29:02.860 --> 00:29:04.340
 that if we

00:29:04.340 --> 00:29:04.900
 follow them

00:29:04.900 --> 00:29:05.539
 we will see

00:29:05.539 --> 00:29:06.299
 you for who

00:29:06.299 --> 00:29:06.799
 you are

00:29:06.799 --> 00:29:07.799
 and understand

00:29:07.799 --> 00:29:08.420
 what you

00:29:08.420 --> 00:29:08.940
 can do

00:29:08.940 --> 00:29:10.379
 in our lives

00:29:10.379 --> 00:29:12.200
 and that you

00:29:12.200 --> 00:29:13.500
 do these

00:29:13.500 --> 00:29:14.339
 wonderful things

00:29:14.339 --> 00:29:14.899
 that we might

00:29:14.899 --> 00:29:15.420
 know you

00:29:15.420 --> 00:29:16.339
 and be yours.

00:29:17.200 --> 00:29:18.200
 Lord Jesus,

00:29:18.440 --> 00:29:19.019
 you are so

00:29:19.019 --> 00:29:19.639
 wonderful

00:29:19.639 --> 00:29:21.279
 and so gentle

00:29:21.279 --> 00:29:22.299
 and so patient

00:29:22.299 --> 00:29:23.819
 to woo us

00:29:23.819 --> 00:29:24.639
 rather than

00:29:24.639 --> 00:29:25.720
 to overcome us,

00:29:26.420 --> 00:29:27.319
 to call us

00:29:27.319 --> 00:29:28.019
 and to beckon us

00:29:28.019 --> 00:29:28.680
 to yourself,

00:29:29.079 --> 00:29:30.240
 to invite us

00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:31.000
 to be yours.

00:29:31.980 --> 00:29:32.799
 Loving Jesus,

00:29:33.319 --> 00:29:34.279
 please touch us

00:29:34.279 --> 00:29:34.940
 even now

00:29:34.940 --> 00:29:36.180
 at this time

00:29:36.180 --> 00:29:36.899
 and this place.

00:29:37.039 --> 00:29:37.440
 Touch us

00:29:37.440 --> 00:29:38.000
 with your loving

00:29:38.000 --> 00:29:38.420
 hands,

00:29:38.579 --> 00:29:38.960
 touch us

00:29:38.960 --> 00:29:39.420
 upon our

00:29:39.420 --> 00:29:40.119
 foreheads,

00:29:41.019 --> 00:29:41.460
 touch us

00:29:41.460 --> 00:29:41.879
 in the very

00:29:41.879 --> 00:29:42.559
 center of who

00:29:42.559 --> 00:29:42.940
 we are.

00:29:43.759 --> 00:29:44.079
 May your

00:29:44.079 --> 00:29:44.720
 Holy Spirit

00:29:44.720 --> 00:29:45.720
 fall upon us

00:29:45.720 --> 00:29:46.680
 that we might

00:29:46.680 --> 00:29:47.559
 read your word

00:29:47.559 --> 00:29:48.720
 and see the signs

00:29:48.720 --> 00:29:49.299
 and be drawn

00:29:49.299 --> 00:29:50.500
 ever closer to you

00:29:50.500 --> 00:29:51.359
 and grow in faith.

00:29:51.899 --> 00:29:52.759
 In Jesus' name

00:29:52.759 --> 00:29:53.200
 we pray.

00:29:53.859 --> 00:29:54.220
 Amen.

00:29:54.220 --> 00:29:54.359
 Amen.

00:29:55.039 --> 00:29:55.220
 Amen.

00:29:55.220 --> 00:29:56.220
 Amen.

00:29:56.220 --> 00:29:56.539
 Amen.

00:29:56.539 --> 00:29:56.599
 Amen.

00:29:56.599 --> 00:29:56.660
 Amen.

00:29:56.660 --> 00:29:57.160
 Amen.

00:29:57.160 --> 00:29:57.220
 Amen.

00:29:57.220 --> 00:29:58.220
 Amen.

00:29:58.220 --> 00:29:58.299
 Amen.

00:29:58.299 --> 00:29:58.319
 Amen.

00:29:58.319 --> 00:29:58.359
 Amen.

00:29:58.359 --> 00:29:58.379
 Amen.

00:29:58.379 --> 00:29:58.399
 Amen.

00:29:58.399 --> 00:29:58.460
 Amen.

00:29:58.460 --> 00:29:58.500
 Amen.

00:29:58.500 --> 00:30:00.399
 Amen.

00:30:00.399 --> 00:30:00.420
 Amen.

00:30:00.420 --> 00:30:00.440
 Amen.

00:30:00.440 --> 00:30:02.379
 Amen.

00:30:02.379 --> 00:30:02.399
 Amen.

00:30:02.399 --> 00:30:02.420
 Amen.

00:30:02.420 --> 00:30:04.259
 Amen.