WEBVTT

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 I can ask you a question.

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 If you were going in search of wisdom,

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 where would you go?

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 There's one of Aesop's fables that's told,

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 you've probably heard it before,

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 about a father and a son on their way to market with a donkey.

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 And they set off,

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 and it's not that long before they meet someone on the way.

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 And somebody says to them,

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 you fool.

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 So a donkey, what are you doing walking along with a piece of rope?

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 A donkey is to be ridden.

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 Why don't you ride it?

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 So they both shrug their shoulders.

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 The father picks up the son and sits him on the donkey.

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 They walk for a bit longer, and they meet somebody else.

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 And this time they scowl at the father,

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 and they say, you're a bad parent.

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 He says, how are you bringing up your son?

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 I mean, he's just going to be encouraged to be lazy.

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 You should be on the donkey.

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 He should be walking.

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 Father shrugs his shoulders, lifts his son off,

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 climbs on, and they ride on a bit further.

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 Until that is, they meet somebody else,

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 who says, you're a really, really, really cruel parent.

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 I mean, what are you doing making your son walk all this way

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 while you have the luxury of sitting on the back of the donkey?

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 So this time, the father turns to the son,

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 and he picks him up, and he sits him on the donkey with him,

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 and then they ride on.

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 Until that is, they meet somebody else,

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 who then says, how cruel can you possibly be

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 to that poor animal, two of you,

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 riding on one donkey?

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 So at that point, the father and the son get off the donkey.

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 They somehow, and I don't quite know how,

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 lie it on its side, and they tie its feet together.

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 They find a very strong stick,

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 and they thread it through the donkey's legs,

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 and then they pick it up,

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 and they walk along, one behind the other,

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 carrying the pole on their shoulders

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 with this donkey kind of swinging between them.

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 Well, the donkey himself isn't that impressed

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 by what's going on by now.

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 So he starts to wriggle and try and escape,

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 and just as they're coming into the town

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 where the market is taking place,

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 people begin to laugh at this sight

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 until the donkey, in trying to get out of it,

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 actually breaks free, falls off the pole,

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 into a river, and drowns.

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 Who laughed?

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 It's not a true story,

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 but it's a story that's been told over the centuries

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 to, I think, essentially try and make the point

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 that if you try to please everyone,

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 you'll end up pleasing no one.

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 But I think there's an even more fundamental point

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 that that story makes.

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 In fact, two points that I want to think about

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 over these next few minutes,

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 and they're very closely related.

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 The first one is simply that

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 when it comes to wisdom,

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 there's plenty of it around.

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 When it comes to advice givers,

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 there is no shortage of them in the world.

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 And for as long as that story has been told,

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 and far longer than that,

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 indeed, as long as there have been human beings

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 on this planet,

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 there have been as many claims to wisdom

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 as there have been human beings on this planet.

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 There's loads of it.

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 So where do you go when you need some wisdom?

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 When you've got a decision to make,

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 whether it's a little one or a big one,

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 where do you go?

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 That phrase, too much information,

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 is kind of normally used in certain different contexts.

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 But, you know, we have too much information now

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 because I think in this generation,

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 I'm referring to myself,

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 to my own memory of growing up,

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 I think the biggest cultural change

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 for our generation

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 has been, of course, the birth of the internet.

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 Now, I can remember when there was a time

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 that if you said you were going to go online,

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 it meant that you'd go into your,

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 sit at a desk,

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 and you'd turn on the dial-up thing,

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 would come on.

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 I can't impersonate a dial-up modem,

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 but you remember those?

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 And you'd wait,

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 and then you'd go online.

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 Then, of course,

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 came broadband,

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 and then devices got smaller and smaller.

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 So if I ask the question,

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 where do most of us go for our wisdom,

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 I think,

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 without wanting to sound like

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 I'm making presumptuous judgments

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 about everybody else,

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 but I suspect I know the answer to that question.

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 That's where we go.

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 Yeah, it might be a slightly bigger device,

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 but that's where we go.

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 You see, the big difference,

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 there's always been loads of wisdom

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 or claims to wisdom around,

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 but the big difference now

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 is that we have access to it.

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 Our fingertips within seconds.

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 It's too easy.

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 Apparently, it's reckoned

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 that every second of every hour,

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 there are no fewer

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 than 40,000 Google searches made.

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 So is that where we go for our wisdom?

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 Well,

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 I want to think about that question.

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 When you have a decision to make,

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 where do you go for your wisdom?

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 See, in our reading from Colossians,

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 there's a very profound awareness of this,

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 that just because there's loads of claims

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 to wisdom out there,

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 not all of it,

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 in fact, an awful lot of it,

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 is bad wisdom.

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 Do not be taken captive,

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 says Paul,

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 by hollow arguments.

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 By hollow philosophies.

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 We need to be very, very careful

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 when it comes to wisdom

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 as to what it is

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 that we're actually digesting.

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 And I think it's there

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 that we find

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 perhaps that deeper truth

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 that actually lies deep inside

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 that old fable from Aesop

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 about the donkey.

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 That we are all,

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 as human beings,

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 in search of wisdom.

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 Paul says

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 that true wisdom,

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 as that treasure,

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 godly wisdom,

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 is hidden

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 in Christ.

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 Now, how are we to make sense of that?

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 If we believe in a gospel

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 that says that God loves you and me,

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 and wants us to know

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 that he loves you and me,

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 and that God loves us so much

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 and wants us to know him so much

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 that he puts on human flesh

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 and comes into the world

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 in a human being,

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 Jesus,

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 lives,

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 dies,

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 is crucified,

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 is dead,

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 is buried,

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 is raised.

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 That God

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 who is on our side,

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 that God

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 whose desire

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 is to make himself

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 known to us,

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 how then

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 do we reconcile

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 all of that

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 with this claim

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 that Paul says

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 that wisdom

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 is hidden

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 in Christ.

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 I mean,

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 you know,

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 the God

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 that we read of

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 in the gospel,

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 the God of Jesus Christ,

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 is not a God

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 who hides behind a corner.

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 He's not some esoteric,

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 mysterious,

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 well,

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 secretive sort of God.

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 So,

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 how do we make sense

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 of that claim,

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 then,

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 that wisdom,

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 the treasures of wisdom,

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 as Paul puts it,

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 is somehow

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 hidden away

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 in Christ?

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 I think the only way

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 we can make sense of it

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 is something like this.

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 Think of that old picture

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 of Christ

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 standing by the door.

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 And he's standing

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 outside of that door,

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 but the handle

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 that is used

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 to open the door

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 cannot be seen

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 because the handle

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 is on the inside.

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 In other words,

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 God never forces

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 himself upon us.

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 If we want to know

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 God through Jesus,

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 we have to open

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 the door

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 and let him in.

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 So,

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 when Paul is talking

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 about the wisdom

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 of God

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 being hidden

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 in Christ,

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 I think it makes

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 a statement

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 not about God

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 wanting to purposefully

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 and deliberately

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 withhold his wisdom

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 and his truth

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 from us,

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 but rather it's

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 a reference

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 to the sort of things

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 that can go on

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 in our own lives

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 that make us

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 resist

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 and therefore

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 conceal ourselves

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 off from the wisdom

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 of God.

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 What sort of things

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 might happen

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 in our own lives?

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 What sort of things

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 about us

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 might conceal

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 wisdom from us?

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 Well,

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 I think of a number

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 of things.

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 When I take a look

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 at my humanity,

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 I think of a number

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 of things

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 that actually

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 cause me

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 to be concealed

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 from the wisdom

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 of God.

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 Not because God

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 wants to conceal

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 himself from me,

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 but because of

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 the way I misuse

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 my own human freedom,

00:09:17.599 --> 00:09:18.719
 I somehow prevent

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 myself from accessing

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 it.

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 One thing is

00:09:21.099 --> 00:09:21.959
 impatience.

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 You know,

00:09:24.479 --> 00:09:26.699
 part of the culture

00:09:26.699 --> 00:09:28.120
 within which we live,

00:09:28.579 --> 00:09:30.000
 the culture of having

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 information at our

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 fingertips,

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 is that we want

00:09:34.500 --> 00:09:35.740
 wisdom in a

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 soundbite way.

00:09:37.399 --> 00:09:38.219
 We want quick

00:09:38.219 --> 00:09:38.599
 answers.

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 You put in any

00:09:39.259 --> 00:09:40.939
 question to,

00:09:42.139 --> 00:09:42.759
 you know,

00:09:42.799 --> 00:09:43.339
 on Google,

00:09:43.340 --> 00:09:44.700
 and very quickly,

00:09:44.899 --> 00:09:45.660
 usually before you've

00:09:45.660 --> 00:09:46.519
 even finished putting

00:09:46.519 --> 00:09:46.940
 it in,

00:09:47.000 --> 00:09:47.660
 it comes up with

00:09:47.660 --> 00:09:49.340
 suggestions of the

00:09:49.340 --> 00:09:49.960
 question,

00:09:50.040 --> 00:09:50.440
 but then it will

00:09:50.440 --> 00:09:52.700
 isolate quick

00:09:52.700 --> 00:09:54.240
 soundbite answers

00:09:54.240 --> 00:09:55.139
 to that question.

00:09:55.320 --> 00:09:55.460
 Now,

00:09:55.519 --> 00:09:56.600
 that may be okay

00:09:56.600 --> 00:09:58.040
 if you want to

00:09:58.040 --> 00:09:59.139
 know where's the

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 nearest supermarket

00:10:00.600 --> 00:10:01.639
 or whatever,

00:10:02.180 --> 00:10:04.480
 but it's not so

00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:05.200
 good when we're

00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:07.060
 asking deep

00:10:07.060 --> 00:10:08.080
 searching questions.

00:10:08.980 --> 00:10:09.639
 And I'd like to

00:10:09.639 --> 00:10:10.280
 suggest that we've

00:10:10.280 --> 00:10:11.340
 become accustomed

00:10:11.340 --> 00:10:13.100
 to having so much

00:10:13.100 --> 00:10:14.639
 information at the

00:10:14.639 --> 00:10:14.920
 ready,

00:10:15.080 --> 00:10:15.820
 that when it comes

00:10:15.820 --> 00:10:16.560
 to wisdom,

00:10:16.800 --> 00:10:17.940
 we want and we

00:10:17.940 --> 00:10:19.279
 actually expect

00:10:19.279 --> 00:10:20.600
 soundbite answers

00:10:20.600 --> 00:10:21.220
 to deep

00:10:21.220 --> 00:10:22.139
 searching questions.

00:10:23.060 --> 00:10:23.980
 And this is why

00:10:23.980 --> 00:10:25.180
 church leaders often

00:10:25.180 --> 00:10:27.040
 come unstuck in

00:10:27.040 --> 00:10:28.139
 public when asked

00:10:28.139 --> 00:10:29.360
 profound questions,

00:10:29.420 --> 00:10:30.159
 because there is an

00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:31.060
 assumption that

00:10:31.060 --> 00:10:32.139
 somehow we will be

00:10:32.139 --> 00:10:33.480
 able to provide

00:10:33.480 --> 00:10:34.800
 soundbite answers

00:10:34.800 --> 00:10:35.560
 to deep

00:10:35.560 --> 00:10:36.879
 searching human

00:10:36.879 --> 00:10:37.540
 questions.

00:10:39.399 --> 00:10:40.080
 Truth.

00:10:40.800 --> 00:10:42.240
 The truth of God.

00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:44.019
 is profound.

00:10:45.100 --> 00:10:46.019
 And whilst sometimes

00:10:46.019 --> 00:10:47.060
 it might be possible

00:10:47.060 --> 00:10:48.060
 to give a snap answer,

00:10:48.200 --> 00:10:49.480
 very often we can't.

00:10:50.779 --> 00:10:52.259
 And it's very easy

00:10:52.259 --> 00:10:53.000
 for us just to write

00:10:53.000 --> 00:10:53.399
 it off and say,

00:10:53.460 --> 00:10:53.899
 well, it can't be

00:10:53.899 --> 00:10:54.620
 wisdom then if it's

00:10:54.620 --> 00:10:55.279
 not soundbite.

00:10:55.379 --> 00:10:55.700
 But, you know,

00:10:55.840 --> 00:10:57.759
 we all know that

00:10:57.759 --> 00:10:58.500
 about ourselves,

00:10:58.620 --> 00:10:59.980
 that life is complex.

00:11:00.180 --> 00:11:01.080
 We are complex.

00:11:02.519 --> 00:11:03.460
 Perhaps sometimes

00:11:03.460 --> 00:11:04.519
 one of the things

00:11:04.519 --> 00:11:05.500
 that causes us

00:11:05.500 --> 00:11:06.519
 to shut ourselves

00:11:06.519 --> 00:11:07.840
 off from the

00:11:07.840 --> 00:11:08.700
 wisdom of God,

00:11:08.779 --> 00:11:09.460
 such that it is

00:11:09.460 --> 00:11:10.440
 essentially concealed

00:11:10.440 --> 00:11:11.000
 from us,

00:11:11.100 --> 00:11:11.960
 is because we're

00:11:11.960 --> 00:11:12.660
 too impatient

00:11:12.660 --> 00:11:14.180
 and we expect

00:11:14.180 --> 00:11:15.180
 wisdom to come

00:11:15.180 --> 00:11:15.760
 fast.

00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:18.900
 Another thing

00:11:18.900 --> 00:11:20.180
 can be that

00:11:20.180 --> 00:11:21.220
 when we do

00:11:21.220 --> 00:11:22.920
 hear God's

00:11:22.920 --> 00:11:23.260
 wisdom,

00:11:23.400 --> 00:11:23.800
 whether it's

00:11:23.800 --> 00:11:24.800
 reading from the

00:11:24.800 --> 00:11:25.140
 Bible,

00:11:25.980 --> 00:11:26.540
 whether it's

00:11:26.540 --> 00:11:27.440
 maybe somebody

00:11:27.440 --> 00:11:28.120
 that has prayed

00:11:28.120 --> 00:11:29.140
 about a situation

00:11:29.140 --> 00:11:30.220
 and we've talked

00:11:30.220 --> 00:11:30.880
 to them and they

00:11:30.880 --> 00:11:31.780
 share what they

00:11:31.780 --> 00:11:32.380
 think God might

00:11:32.380 --> 00:11:33.200
 be saying to us,

00:11:33.360 --> 00:11:34.120
 one of the things

00:11:34.120 --> 00:11:34.800
 that may cause us

00:11:34.800 --> 00:11:35.820
 to resist that,

00:11:36.180 --> 00:11:36.800
 that may make

00:11:36.800 --> 00:11:37.840
 that wisdom

00:11:37.840 --> 00:11:38.380
 hidden,

00:11:38.379 --> 00:11:39.980
 apparently concealed

00:11:39.980 --> 00:11:40.419
 from us,

00:11:40.480 --> 00:11:41.179
 is that we frankly

00:11:41.179 --> 00:11:42.019
 just don't like

00:11:42.019 --> 00:11:42.539
 the sound of

00:11:42.539 --> 00:11:43.080
 what we hear.

00:11:44.879 --> 00:11:45.399
 And sometimes

00:11:45.399 --> 00:11:46.320
 we can give up

00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:47.439
 on what we

00:11:47.439 --> 00:11:48.740
 regard as Christians,

00:11:48.840 --> 00:11:49.460
 as God's word,

00:11:49.559 --> 00:11:50.059
 the Bible,

00:11:50.580 --> 00:11:51.960
 because it doesn't

00:11:51.960 --> 00:11:52.759
 make for comfortable

00:11:52.759 --> 00:11:53.299
 reading.

00:11:58.419 --> 00:11:59.299
 The other thing

00:11:59.299 --> 00:11:59.879
 that goes kind of

00:11:59.879 --> 00:12:00.379
 hand in hand

00:12:00.379 --> 00:12:00.820
 with that

00:12:00.820 --> 00:12:02.299
 can be that

00:12:02.299 --> 00:12:03.360
 what we read

00:12:03.360 --> 00:12:03.899
 in the Bible

00:12:03.899 --> 00:12:05.240
 and what Christian

00:12:05.240 --> 00:12:05.899
 tradition would

00:12:05.899 --> 00:12:06.639
 say to us

00:12:06.639 --> 00:12:08.360
 can seem to us

00:12:08.360 --> 00:12:09.080
 to be somewhat

00:12:09.080 --> 00:12:09.580
 weird.

00:12:11.340 --> 00:12:11.899
 There's some

00:12:11.899 --> 00:12:12.740
 weird stuff in there.

00:12:14.000 --> 00:12:14.779
 Weird because

00:12:14.779 --> 00:12:15.259
 it's so

00:12:15.259 --> 00:12:16.120
 counter-cultural.

00:12:17.100 --> 00:12:17.799
 When the Bible

00:12:17.799 --> 00:12:18.679
 will say certain

00:12:18.679 --> 00:12:19.819
 things about

00:12:19.819 --> 00:12:20.539
 how we should

00:12:20.539 --> 00:12:21.179
 live our lives

00:12:21.179 --> 00:12:21.659
 and how we

00:12:21.659 --> 00:12:22.080
 should not

00:12:22.080 --> 00:12:22.699
 live our lives

00:12:22.699 --> 00:12:24.100
 that we don't

00:12:24.100 --> 00:12:24.740
 like the sound

00:12:24.740 --> 00:12:25.159
 of, one,

00:12:25.240 --> 00:12:25.720
 because it makes

00:12:25.720 --> 00:12:26.559
 us feel uncomfortable

00:12:26.559 --> 00:12:27.139
 because it's

00:12:27.139 --> 00:12:27.460
 challenging,

00:12:27.720 --> 00:12:28.059
 but two,

00:12:28.100 --> 00:12:28.840
 it seems weird

00:12:28.840 --> 00:12:29.379
 in the culture

00:12:29.379 --> 00:12:30.220
 that we live in.

00:12:31.860 --> 00:12:32.620
 Weird because

00:12:32.620 --> 00:12:33.860
 it contradicts

00:12:33.860 --> 00:12:34.360
 and anything

00:12:34.360 --> 00:12:35.279
 goes culture.

00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:37.299
 weird because

00:12:37.299 --> 00:12:39.419
 it very often

00:12:39.419 --> 00:12:40.819
 will fly directly

00:12:40.819 --> 00:12:42.019
 in contradiction

00:12:42.019 --> 00:12:43.000
 with what

00:12:43.000 --> 00:12:43.699
 everybody else

00:12:43.699 --> 00:12:44.240
 around us

00:12:44.240 --> 00:12:44.899
 will be saying

00:12:44.899 --> 00:12:45.339
 and doing

00:12:45.339 --> 00:12:45.839
 is right.

00:12:48.439 --> 00:12:49.019
 Now,

00:12:49.620 --> 00:12:50.299
 the series

00:12:50.299 --> 00:12:50.620
 that we're

00:12:50.620 --> 00:12:51.019
 looking at

00:12:51.019 --> 00:12:51.600
 at the moment

00:12:51.600 --> 00:12:53.419
 on wisdom

00:12:53.419 --> 00:12:54.639
 is actually

00:12:54.639 --> 00:12:55.220
 called

00:12:55.220 --> 00:12:55.980
 Growing Older

00:12:55.980 --> 00:12:56.500
 and Wiser.

00:12:57.759 --> 00:12:58.439
 And we need

00:12:58.439 --> 00:12:59.120
 to be really

00:12:59.120 --> 00:12:59.980
 clear about this

00:12:59.980 --> 00:13:00.860
 that in the

00:13:00.860 --> 00:13:01.199
 Bible,

00:13:01.620 --> 00:13:02.659
 whilst culture,

00:13:03.139 --> 00:13:03.659
 our own

00:13:03.659 --> 00:13:04.620
 contemporary culture

00:13:04.620 --> 00:13:05.519
 may simply

00:13:05.519 --> 00:13:06.000
 seem to

00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:06.399
 apparently

00:13:06.399 --> 00:13:07.340
 prize only

00:13:07.340 --> 00:13:07.860
 youth,

00:13:09.560 --> 00:13:10.100
 biblically,

00:13:10.360 --> 00:13:11.200
 the opposite

00:13:11.200 --> 00:13:12.039
 was the case.

00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:13.980
 It was

00:13:13.980 --> 00:13:15.039
 older age

00:13:15.039 --> 00:13:15.440
 that was

00:13:15.440 --> 00:13:16.080
 respected.

00:13:17.799 --> 00:13:18.799
 To live

00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:19.860
 older,

00:13:19.960 --> 00:13:20.500
 to come of

00:13:20.500 --> 00:13:21.000
 age,

00:13:21.860 --> 00:13:22.240
 denoted

00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:22.759
 wisdom.

00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:24.399
 And we need

00:13:24.399 --> 00:13:25.240
 to rediscover

00:13:25.240 --> 00:13:25.940
 that value,

00:13:26.500 --> 00:13:27.360
 but we need

00:13:27.360 --> 00:13:27.980
 to understand

00:13:27.980 --> 00:13:28.899
 that value

00:13:28.899 --> 00:13:29.460
 properly.

00:13:29.460 --> 00:13:31.080
 because

00:13:31.080 --> 00:13:31.980
 growing older

00:13:31.980 --> 00:13:32.879
 and wiser

00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:33.800
 do go

00:13:33.800 --> 00:13:34.280
 hand in

00:13:34.280 --> 00:13:34.560
 hand

00:13:34.560 --> 00:13:34.860
 within

00:13:34.860 --> 00:13:35.460
 scripture.

00:13:36.259 --> 00:13:36.540
 But we

00:13:36.540 --> 00:13:36.980
 need to

00:13:36.980 --> 00:13:37.540
 understand

00:13:37.540 --> 00:13:37.980
 that

00:13:37.980 --> 00:13:40.360
 wisdom

00:13:40.360 --> 00:13:40.800
 is not

00:13:40.800 --> 00:13:41.280
 something

00:13:41.280 --> 00:13:41.700
 that in

00:13:41.700 --> 00:13:42.139
 the Bible

00:13:42.139 --> 00:13:43.420
 comes by

00:13:43.420 --> 00:13:43.940
 default

00:13:43.940 --> 00:13:44.680
 simply

00:13:44.680 --> 00:13:45.960
 by getting

00:13:45.960 --> 00:13:46.300
 older.

00:13:48.040 --> 00:13:48.960
 It isn't.

00:13:49.900 --> 00:13:50.220
 You see,

00:13:50.460 --> 00:13:50.940
 as long as we're

00:13:50.940 --> 00:13:51.500
 in this world,

00:13:51.680 --> 00:13:52.400
 we're all

00:13:52.400 --> 00:13:53.080
 growing older.

00:13:53.480 --> 00:13:53.879
 We're all

00:13:53.879 --> 00:13:54.340
 older than

00:13:54.340 --> 00:13:54.860
 when we walked

00:13:54.860 --> 00:13:55.259
 in this

00:13:55.259 --> 00:13:55.600
 morning.

00:13:55.600 --> 00:13:56.840
 but we

00:13:56.840 --> 00:13:57.100
 don't

00:13:57.100 --> 00:13:57.639
 necessarily

00:13:57.639 --> 00:13:58.100
 grow

00:13:58.100 --> 00:13:58.620
 wiser.

00:14:00.040 --> 00:14:00.519
 Age is

00:14:00.519 --> 00:14:00.740
 not

00:14:00.740 --> 00:14:01.580
 necessarily

00:14:01.580 --> 00:14:02.240
 accompanied

00:14:02.240 --> 00:14:02.659
 with

00:14:02.659 --> 00:14:03.000
 wisdom

00:14:03.000 --> 00:14:03.279
 by

00:14:03.279 --> 00:14:03.820
 default.

00:14:05.220 --> 00:14:05.820
 The point

00:14:05.820 --> 00:14:06.100
 in

00:14:06.100 --> 00:14:06.519
 scripture

00:14:06.519 --> 00:14:07.540
 is that

00:14:07.540 --> 00:14:09.000
 wisdom

00:14:09.000 --> 00:14:09.580
 does go

00:14:09.580 --> 00:14:10.019
 hand in

00:14:10.019 --> 00:14:10.320
 hand and

00:14:10.320 --> 00:14:10.720
 will go

00:14:10.720 --> 00:14:11.139
 hand in

00:14:11.139 --> 00:14:11.519
 hand with

00:14:11.519 --> 00:14:12.779
 age if

00:14:12.779 --> 00:14:13.420
 we root

00:14:13.420 --> 00:14:14.040
 ourselves

00:14:14.040 --> 00:14:14.560
 in the

00:14:14.560 --> 00:14:14.800
 wisdom

00:14:14.800 --> 00:14:15.360
 of God.

00:14:16.600 --> 00:14:17.420
 But that

00:14:17.420 --> 00:14:18.019
 is something

00:14:18.019 --> 00:14:18.580
 that takes

00:14:18.580 --> 00:14:19.060
 time.

00:14:20.420 --> 00:14:20.700
 And I

00:14:20.700 --> 00:14:20.960
 think this

00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:21.259
 is one of

00:14:21.259 --> 00:14:22.160
 the most

00:14:22.160 --> 00:14:22.720
 wonderful,

00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:23.259
 profound,

00:14:23.440 --> 00:14:24.000
 and joyous

00:14:24.000 --> 00:14:24.399
 things about

00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:24.800
 being a

00:14:24.800 --> 00:14:25.180
 Christian.

00:14:25.600 --> 00:14:26.740
 And I

00:14:26.740 --> 00:14:27.100
 don't say

00:14:27.100 --> 00:14:27.540
 this glibly

00:14:27.540 --> 00:14:28.060
 or lightly,

00:14:28.279 --> 00:14:28.420
 okay,

00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:28.940
 in case it's

00:14:28.940 --> 00:14:29.139
 going to

00:14:29.139 --> 00:14:29.519
 sound that

00:14:29.519 --> 00:14:29.759
 way,

00:14:30.519 --> 00:14:31.139
 but actually

00:14:31.139 --> 00:14:31.680
 growing older

00:14:31.680 --> 00:14:32.000
 is something

00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:32.360
 to look

00:14:32.360 --> 00:14:32.980
 forward to.

00:14:34.120 --> 00:14:34.899
 It is.

00:14:35.800 --> 00:14:36.980
 It is because

00:14:36.980 --> 00:14:37.800
 it means that

00:14:37.800 --> 00:14:38.300
 we become

00:14:38.300 --> 00:14:38.980
 more and

00:14:38.980 --> 00:14:39.659
 more rooted

00:14:39.659 --> 00:14:40.920
 in God

00:14:40.920 --> 00:14:42.019
 if that's

00:14:42.019 --> 00:14:42.639
 our desire.

00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:44.659
 Which means

00:14:44.659 --> 00:14:45.399
 those things

00:14:45.399 --> 00:14:46.040
 that may seem

00:14:46.040 --> 00:14:46.759
 weird and

00:14:46.759 --> 00:14:47.600
 strange and

00:14:47.600 --> 00:14:48.000
 therefore

00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:49.200
 isoteric and

00:14:49.200 --> 00:14:51.160
 obscure when

00:14:51.160 --> 00:14:51.779
 we're younger

00:14:51.779 --> 00:14:52.899
 actually make

00:14:52.899 --> 00:14:53.620
 sense as we

00:14:53.620 --> 00:14:54.139
 mature and

00:14:54.139 --> 00:14:54.600
 get older.

00:14:55.600 --> 00:14:56.279
 Now I

00:14:56.279 --> 00:14:56.840
 know now

00:14:56.840 --> 00:14:57.500
 in midlife

00:14:57.500 --> 00:14:57.879
 there are

00:14:57.879 --> 00:14:58.420
 things that

00:14:58.420 --> 00:14:58.740
 when I was

00:14:58.740 --> 00:14:59.279
 a teenager

00:14:59.279 --> 00:14:59.840
 made no

00:14:59.840 --> 00:15:00.220
 sense to

00:15:00.220 --> 00:15:00.779
 me whatsoever

00:15:00.779 --> 00:15:01.320
 in the

00:15:01.320 --> 00:15:01.600
 Bible.

00:15:02.480 --> 00:15:02.740
 I was

00:15:02.740 --> 00:15:03.220
 tempted to

00:15:03.220 --> 00:15:03.560
 write them

00:15:03.560 --> 00:15:04.240
 off completely.

00:15:05.320 --> 00:15:05.820
 And I

00:15:05.820 --> 00:15:06.279
 can't put a

00:15:06.279 --> 00:15:06.800
 time and date

00:15:06.800 --> 00:15:07.139
 but I know

00:15:07.139 --> 00:15:07.820
 that gradually,

00:15:07.980 --> 00:15:08.360
 gradually,

00:15:08.620 --> 00:15:09.420
 many of those

00:15:09.420 --> 00:15:09.980
 things that

00:15:09.980 --> 00:15:10.800
 seemed weird

00:15:10.800 --> 00:15:11.659
 and concealed

00:15:11.659 --> 00:15:12.460
 to me,

00:15:12.860 --> 00:15:14.159
 out of reach

00:15:14.159 --> 00:15:14.680
 when I was

00:15:14.680 --> 00:15:14.980
 younger,

00:15:15.139 --> 00:15:16.259
 now make

00:15:16.259 --> 00:15:16.860
 an awful

00:15:16.860 --> 00:15:17.220
 lot of

00:15:17.220 --> 00:15:17.580
 sense.

00:15:19.159 --> 00:15:19.639
 Likewise,

00:15:19.860 --> 00:15:20.580
 there are also

00:15:20.580 --> 00:15:22.240
 things that I

00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:23.060
 read of in

00:15:23.059 --> 00:15:23.500
 scripture that

00:15:23.500 --> 00:15:24.059
 still seem

00:15:24.059 --> 00:15:24.459
 weird and

00:15:24.459 --> 00:15:24.879
 I still

00:15:24.879 --> 00:15:25.639
 struggle with.

00:15:26.299 --> 00:15:27.079
 Perhaps not

00:15:27.079 --> 00:15:27.659
 quite as weird

00:15:27.659 --> 00:15:28.199
 as they once

00:15:28.199 --> 00:15:28.519
 seemed.

00:15:29.439 --> 00:15:29.979
 But I look

00:15:29.979 --> 00:15:30.500
 forward to the

00:15:30.500 --> 00:15:31.059
 day and my

00:15:31.059 --> 00:15:31.539
 hope and my

00:15:31.539 --> 00:15:32.299
 prayer is that

00:15:32.299 --> 00:15:33.319
 if I can

00:15:33.319 --> 00:15:33.979
 manage to

00:15:33.979 --> 00:15:34.479
 continue to

00:15:34.479 --> 00:15:35.119
 be rooted in

00:15:35.119 --> 00:15:35.539
 Christ then

00:15:35.539 --> 00:15:36.299
 God will help

00:15:36.299 --> 00:15:36.899
 me understand

00:15:36.899 --> 00:15:37.719
 that more and

00:15:37.719 --> 00:15:37.859
 more.

00:15:37.959 --> 00:15:38.179
 You see,

00:15:38.479 --> 00:15:38.839
 being a

00:15:38.839 --> 00:15:39.339
 Christian is a

00:15:39.339 --> 00:15:40.339
 lifelong process

00:15:40.339 --> 00:15:41.639
 and that's the

00:15:41.639 --> 00:15:42.319
 exciting thing

00:15:42.319 --> 00:15:42.719
 about it.

00:15:42.799 --> 00:15:43.099
 Growing

00:15:43.099 --> 00:15:44.619
 older can mean

00:15:44.619 --> 00:15:45.519
 growing wiser

00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:47.399
 if we plant

00:15:47.399 --> 00:15:48.039
 ourselves in the

00:15:48.039 --> 00:15:48.719
 right place.

00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:52.840
 I've got an

00:15:52.840 --> 00:15:53.500
 onion here.

00:15:53.940 --> 00:15:54.440
 Does anybody

00:15:54.440 --> 00:15:55.300
 like onions?

00:15:56.000 --> 00:15:56.940
 I love onions.

00:15:57.800 --> 00:15:59.080
 I love the

00:15:59.080 --> 00:15:59.820
 smell of onions

00:15:59.820 --> 00:16:01.560
 cooking but

00:16:01.560 --> 00:16:02.080
 there's one

00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:03.060
 thing I hate

00:16:03.060 --> 00:16:05.360
 about them and

00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:06.080
 it's cutting them

00:16:06.080 --> 00:16:06.300
 up.

00:16:07.060 --> 00:16:08.019
 I can't stand

00:16:08.019 --> 00:16:08.279
 it.

00:16:08.759 --> 00:16:09.080
 Why?

00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:09.540
 Because it

00:16:09.540 --> 00:16:10.279
 always makes me

00:16:10.279 --> 00:16:11.660
 cry even more

00:16:11.660 --> 00:16:12.220
 than the first

00:16:12.220 --> 00:16:12.940
 time I saw

00:16:12.940 --> 00:16:13.340
 E.T.

00:16:15.720 --> 00:16:17.740
 And I read

00:16:17.740 --> 00:16:18.399
 recently that

00:16:18.399 --> 00:16:18.899
 there is a

00:16:18.899 --> 00:16:19.639
 reason why

00:16:19.639 --> 00:16:21.519
 onions can

00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:22.539
 make you cry

00:16:22.539 --> 00:16:23.519
 or rather why

00:16:23.519 --> 00:16:24.879
 some onions can

00:16:24.879 --> 00:16:25.500
 make you cry

00:16:25.500 --> 00:16:26.279
 more than others

00:16:26.279 --> 00:16:27.259
 why they vary in

00:16:27.259 --> 00:16:27.779
 their strength.

00:16:28.079 --> 00:16:28.860
 There are lots of

00:16:28.860 --> 00:16:29.699
 different factors

00:16:29.699 --> 00:16:31.279
 apparently but one

00:16:31.279 --> 00:16:32.459
 of the key things

00:16:32.459 --> 00:16:33.840
 has to do with the

00:16:33.840 --> 00:16:34.919
 type of soil within

00:16:34.919 --> 00:16:36.000
 which it grows

00:16:36.000 --> 00:16:37.779
 and apparently it's

00:16:37.779 --> 00:16:38.600
 to do with the

00:16:38.600 --> 00:16:39.919
 sulfur level in

00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:40.459
 the soil.

00:16:41.059 --> 00:16:41.939
 The higher the

00:16:41.939 --> 00:16:43.220
 level of sulfur

00:16:43.220 --> 00:16:44.600
 in the soil the

00:16:44.600 --> 00:16:45.379
 more the onion

00:16:45.379 --> 00:16:46.620
 will extract as it

00:16:46.620 --> 00:16:47.659
 grows as nature's

00:16:47.659 --> 00:16:48.519
 way of protecting

00:16:48.519 --> 00:16:49.279
 itself from

00:16:49.279 --> 00:16:49.939
 insects.

00:16:51.500 --> 00:16:52.240
 And so therefore

00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:52.860
 if you have a

00:16:52.860 --> 00:16:54.419
 very sulfur rich

00:16:54.419 --> 00:16:55.679
 soil and you

00:16:55.679 --> 00:16:56.759
 grow onions in

00:16:56.759 --> 00:16:57.679
 it then that's

00:16:57.679 --> 00:16:58.199
 going to be more

00:16:58.199 --> 00:16:58.719
 pungent.

00:16:59.600 --> 00:17:00.399
 Somebody somewhere

00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:01.120
 has managed to

00:17:01.120 --> 00:17:01.579
 find a way of

00:17:01.579 --> 00:17:03.459
 growing onions in

00:17:03.459 --> 00:17:04.399
 an almost sulfur

00:17:04.399 --> 00:17:05.680
 free soil and

00:17:05.680 --> 00:17:06.440
 apparently you can

00:17:06.440 --> 00:17:07.019
 virtually eat them

00:17:07.019 --> 00:17:07.579
 like you can an

00:17:07.579 --> 00:17:07.839
 apple.

00:17:08.519 --> 00:17:09.039
 Don't know about

00:17:09.039 --> 00:17:09.299
 that.

00:17:09.740 --> 00:17:10.200
 But it's an

00:17:10.200 --> 00:17:10.920
 interesting thought

00:17:10.920 --> 00:17:11.379
 isn't it?

00:17:11.980 --> 00:17:12.759
 That the thing

00:17:12.759 --> 00:17:13.659
 that defines its

00:17:13.659 --> 00:17:14.839
 quality, the

00:17:14.839 --> 00:17:15.680
 strength of this

00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:16.180
 thing, this

00:17:16.180 --> 00:17:17.820
 onion, is

00:17:17.820 --> 00:17:18.680
 defined not so

00:17:18.680 --> 00:17:19.120
 much by the

00:17:19.120 --> 00:17:21.180
 onion itself but

00:17:21.180 --> 00:17:21.980
 the thing within

00:17:21.980 --> 00:17:23.360
 which it grows.

00:17:23.880 --> 00:17:24.640
 Now I put this

00:17:24.640 --> 00:17:25.500
 question to you

00:17:25.500 --> 00:17:26.080
 once more.

00:17:26.640 --> 00:17:27.500
 Where do you go

00:17:27.500 --> 00:17:28.180
 for your wisdom?

00:17:30.700 --> 00:17:31.640
 And if growing

00:17:31.640 --> 00:17:32.460
 older is something

00:17:32.460 --> 00:17:33.799
 that we dread and

00:17:33.799 --> 00:17:35.360
 that we fear and

00:17:35.360 --> 00:17:35.880
 we think is a

00:17:35.880 --> 00:17:36.620
 negative thing we

00:17:36.620 --> 00:17:37.039
 need to think

00:17:37.039 --> 00:17:37.420
 again.

00:17:38.440 --> 00:17:39.259
 Because it could

00:17:39.259 --> 00:17:42.539
 just be that that

00:17:42.539 --> 00:17:43.480
 fear has to do

00:17:43.480 --> 00:17:44.779
 with putting those

00:17:44.779 --> 00:17:45.279
 roots in the

00:17:45.279 --> 00:17:45.880
 wrong place.

00:17:47.299 --> 00:17:47.940
 If we put them

00:17:47.940 --> 00:17:48.400
 in the right

00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:49.680
 place, and I'm

00:17:49.680 --> 00:17:50.720
 not oversimplifying

00:17:50.720 --> 00:17:51.380
 things here and I

00:17:51.380 --> 00:17:52.059
 make no apology if

00:17:52.059 --> 00:17:52.500
 it sounds like I

00:17:52.500 --> 00:17:54.799
 am, but if we

00:17:54.799 --> 00:17:55.960
 put those roots in

00:17:55.960 --> 00:17:56.720
 the right place,

00:17:56.839 --> 00:17:57.819
 whatever age we

00:17:57.819 --> 00:17:58.700
 are, it means that

00:17:58.700 --> 00:17:59.920
 as we look to our

00:17:59.920 --> 00:18:01.259
 life ahead of us,

00:18:01.740 --> 00:18:03.140
 then every bit can

00:18:03.140 --> 00:18:04.799
 be seen as an

00:18:04.799 --> 00:18:06.339
 opportunity to grow

00:18:06.339 --> 00:18:08.480
 more deeply in

00:18:09.099 --> 00:18:09.539
 Christ.

00:18:09.539 --> 00:18:09.619
 Christ.

00:18:11.559 --> 00:18:13.920
 It means as we

00:18:13.920 --> 00:18:14.759
 come to know his

00:18:14.759 --> 00:18:15.700
 word more, as we

00:18:15.700 --> 00:18:16.659
 come to pray more,

00:18:16.700 --> 00:18:17.460
 as we hang out with

00:18:17.460 --> 00:18:18.480
 other Christians more,

00:18:18.599 --> 00:18:19.379
 not in a cozy

00:18:19.379 --> 00:18:20.799
 ghetto kind of way,

00:18:20.879 --> 00:18:21.599
 but in a way that

00:18:21.599 --> 00:18:22.879
 just takes seriously

00:18:22.879 --> 00:18:23.579
 the fact that we can

00:18:23.579 --> 00:18:24.319
 learn from each

00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:24.579
 other.

00:18:25.319 --> 00:18:26.659
 If we can do this

00:18:26.659 --> 00:18:27.700
 kind of stuff more,

00:18:28.039 --> 00:18:28.899
 if we can root

00:18:28.899 --> 00:18:29.920
 ourselves more deeply

00:18:29.920 --> 00:18:31.879
 in him, then

00:18:31.879 --> 00:18:34.420
 wisdom, wisdom is

00:18:34.420 --> 00:18:34.980
 the thing that will

00:18:34.980 --> 00:18:35.819
 no longer seem

00:18:35.819 --> 00:18:37.099
 concealed and hidden,

00:18:37.940 --> 00:18:38.720
 but something that

00:18:38.720 --> 00:18:39.500
 actually will make

00:18:39.500 --> 00:18:40.339
 sense because our

00:18:40.339 --> 00:18:42.099
 own resistance to

00:18:42.099 --> 00:18:42.759
 it drops.

00:18:46.539 --> 00:18:47.480
 Apparently, when he

00:18:47.480 --> 00:18:48.299
 built his first

00:18:48.299 --> 00:18:49.779
 factory, Henry Ford

00:18:49.779 --> 00:18:52.200
 contracted, I forget

00:18:52.200 --> 00:18:53.299
 his name, but he

00:18:53.299 --> 00:18:55.059
 was reckoned to be

00:18:55.059 --> 00:18:56.660
 at his time one of

00:18:56.660 --> 00:18:57.380
 the greatest

00:18:57.380 --> 00:18:59.339
 electrical engineers

00:18:59.339 --> 00:19:01.339
 in the world to

00:19:01.339 --> 00:19:02.160
 install the

00:19:02.160 --> 00:19:03.420
 generators within

00:19:03.420 --> 00:19:06.319
 that factory.

00:19:07.480 --> 00:19:08.079
 Everything was

00:19:08.079 --> 00:19:08.839
 going great.

00:19:08.839 --> 00:19:08.899
 great.

00:19:09.419 --> 00:19:10.740
 The Ford business

00:19:10.740 --> 00:19:11.740
 was growing great

00:19:11.740 --> 00:19:12.980
 guns until one day

00:19:12.980 --> 00:19:14.099
 the factory ground

00:19:14.099 --> 00:19:14.599
 to a halt.

00:19:14.799 --> 00:19:15.059
 Why?

00:19:15.259 --> 00:19:15.720
 Because the

00:19:15.720 --> 00:19:16.359
 generators had

00:19:16.359 --> 00:19:17.059
 broken down.

00:19:18.199 --> 00:19:19.259
 Henry Ford put his

00:19:19.259 --> 00:19:22.220
 best engineers on to

00:19:22.220 --> 00:19:22.980
 the job to try and get

00:19:22.980 --> 00:19:24.019
 these things started and

00:19:24.019 --> 00:19:24.959
 up and running again,

00:19:25.279 --> 00:19:26.240
 but they just couldn't.

00:19:26.480 --> 00:19:27.399
 Every day they were

00:19:27.399 --> 00:19:29.399
 losing a fortune because

00:19:29.399 --> 00:19:30.439
 production had stopped.

00:19:30.440 --> 00:19:33.220
 eventually he contacted this

00:19:33.220 --> 00:19:34.620
 electrical engineer who

00:19:34.620 --> 00:19:37.580
 had designed, built and

00:19:37.580 --> 00:19:39.440
 installed these generators

00:19:39.440 --> 00:19:40.740
 and said that we can't

00:19:40.740 --> 00:19:41.279
 manage this.

00:19:41.360 --> 00:19:42.059
 Can you please come

00:19:42.059 --> 00:19:43.019
 yourself personally and

00:19:43.019 --> 00:19:43.519
 tend to it?

00:19:44.519 --> 00:19:46.960
 This engineer came in and

00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:49.340
 for a couple of hours he

00:19:49.340 --> 00:19:50.700
 was just tinkering around

00:19:50.700 --> 00:19:51.799
 until he then flicked a

00:19:51.799 --> 00:19:53.340
 switch and everything was

00:19:53.340 --> 00:19:54.180
 up and running again.

00:19:56.080 --> 00:19:57.220
 Ford was back in

00:19:57.220 --> 00:19:57.620
 production.

00:19:57.619 --> 00:20:00.679
 A few days later, Henry

00:20:00.679 --> 00:20:03.159
 Ford received an invoice

00:20:03.159 --> 00:20:04.959
 from this engineer for

00:20:04.959 --> 00:20:06.019
 $10,000.

00:20:07.399 --> 00:20:09.500
 Now, this was a long time

00:20:09.500 --> 00:20:11.859
 ago, so $10,000 was

00:20:11.859 --> 00:20:13.959
 quite a lot of money for a

00:20:13.959 --> 00:20:15.000
 couple of hours' work.

00:20:15.000 --> 00:20:18.079
 And so, although he was not

00:20:18.079 --> 00:20:20.019
 exactly poor, Henry Ford

00:20:20.019 --> 00:20:22.079
 wrote back and questioned

00:20:22.079 --> 00:20:24.279
 the invoice and said,

00:20:25.140 --> 00:20:26.500
 thank you for helping us

00:20:26.500 --> 00:20:28.599
 out, but I fail to

00:20:28.599 --> 00:20:29.839
 understand how tinkering

00:20:29.839 --> 00:20:30.920
 around for a couple of

00:20:30.920 --> 00:20:34.380
 hours can be valued at

00:20:34.380 --> 00:20:35.180
 $10,000.

00:20:35.799 --> 00:20:37.380
 Could you send me an

00:20:37.380 --> 00:20:38.339
 itemized invoice?

00:20:39.680 --> 00:20:41.660
 A couple of days later, he

00:20:41.660 --> 00:20:42.920
 received the itemized

00:20:42.920 --> 00:20:44.759
 invoice and it said

00:20:44.759 --> 00:20:47.460
 this, cost for tinkering

00:20:47.460 --> 00:20:48.860
 around, in inverted

00:20:48.860 --> 00:20:50.640
 commas, for a couple of

00:20:50.640 --> 00:20:52.000
 hours, $10.

00:20:53.539 --> 00:20:55.600
 Knowing where to tinker

00:20:55.600 --> 00:21:01.640
 around, $9,990.

00:21:01.640 --> 00:21:05.880
 There's plenty of wisdom

00:21:05.880 --> 00:21:06.320
 around.

00:21:07.220 --> 00:21:08.620
 There's plenty of people

00:21:08.620 --> 00:21:10.720
 longing to dish it out.

00:21:11.600 --> 00:21:13.560
 And it takes a fraction of

00:21:13.560 --> 00:21:14.920
 a second to lay our hands

00:21:14.920 --> 00:21:15.240
 on it.

00:21:16.500 --> 00:21:17.860
 But as Paul says, a lot of

00:21:17.860 --> 00:21:18.840
 it is hollow stuff.

00:21:19.980 --> 00:21:21.560
 If we seriously want to

00:21:21.560 --> 00:21:23.560
 grow and to grow in

00:21:23.560 --> 00:21:26.759
 wisdom, we need to know

00:21:26.759 --> 00:21:27.360
 where to look.

00:21:28.560 --> 00:21:29.800
 So as we come to pray, I

00:21:29.799 --> 00:21:30.599
 want to come back to that

00:21:30.599 --> 00:21:32.039
 question and I want to

00:21:32.039 --> 00:21:34.259
 put it to every single

00:21:34.259 --> 00:21:35.079
 one of us and I put it to

00:21:35.079 --> 00:21:35.980
 myself as well.

00:21:38.319 --> 00:21:39.819
 As a practical challenge,

00:21:40.819 --> 00:21:41.799
 where do we go for

00:21:41.799 --> 00:21:42.119
 wisdom?

00:21:43.180 --> 00:21:44.720
 What might we be able to

00:21:44.720 --> 00:21:45.139
 do?

00:21:45.779 --> 00:21:47.220
 What might we be able to

00:21:47.220 --> 00:21:47.980
 set in motion?

00:21:48.139 --> 00:21:52.379
 Starting from now, by way

00:21:52.379 --> 00:21:53.680
 of the way in which we

00:21:53.680 --> 00:21:54.559
 search out wisdom.

00:21:56.240 --> 00:21:57.720
 Now that's a purposefully

00:21:57.720 --> 00:21:59.019
 open-ended question and

00:21:59.019 --> 00:21:59.879
 there's a number of things

00:21:59.879 --> 00:22:00.559
 that we might do.

00:22:00.639 --> 00:22:01.579
 But here's some ideas.

00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:04.759
 Maybe starting from today,

00:22:05.299 --> 00:22:07.079
 we might resolve that we're

00:22:07.079 --> 00:22:09.059
 going to set aside more

00:22:09.059 --> 00:22:11.400
 time each day to pray in a

00:22:11.400 --> 00:22:12.220
 systematic way.

00:22:12.359 --> 00:22:13.539
 It may not be a long,

00:22:13.660 --> 00:22:15.700
 long time, but there's a

00:22:15.700 --> 00:22:15.940
 thought.

00:22:17.119 --> 00:22:19.279
 Maybe we feel that, and

00:22:19.279 --> 00:22:20.420
 again, I don't want to go

00:22:20.420 --> 00:22:21.460
 on the kind of guilt-mongering

00:22:21.460 --> 00:22:22.680
 crusade or anything like

00:22:22.680 --> 00:22:25.019
 that, but maybe, maybe if we

00:22:25.740 --> 00:22:27.000
 need to spend a little bit

00:22:27.000 --> 00:22:28.359
 more time just reading the

00:22:28.359 --> 00:22:28.680
 Bible.

00:22:29.039 --> 00:22:30.440
 That doesn't mean reading

00:22:30.440 --> 00:22:31.420
 chapters and chapters and

00:22:31.420 --> 00:22:32.400
 chapters, it may be just a

00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:33.579
 small bit, but at least a

00:22:33.579 --> 00:22:35.059
 small bit meditatively in a

00:22:35.059 --> 00:22:36.839
 focused way each day.

00:22:37.579 --> 00:22:39.500
 Maybe the practical step for

00:22:39.500 --> 00:22:42.779
 you might be to join a home

00:22:42.779 --> 00:22:44.720
 group, to get together with

00:22:44.720 --> 00:22:46.400
 other Christians midweek and

00:22:46.400 --> 00:22:47.640
 to discuss the sort of things

00:22:47.640 --> 00:22:49.460
 that we hear presented here on

00:22:49.460 --> 00:22:50.380
 a Sunday morning in a bit

00:22:50.380 --> 00:22:51.519
 more depth and detail during

00:22:51.519 --> 00:22:51.980
 the week.

00:22:51.980 --> 00:22:55.559
 It might even be that you

00:22:55.559 --> 00:22:56.880
 come along to this place

00:22:56.880 --> 00:22:58.440
 maybe once every four, six

00:22:58.440 --> 00:22:59.980
 weeks or so, and maybe,

00:23:00.079 --> 00:23:01.539
 maybe this could be God

00:23:01.539 --> 00:23:04.519
 saying to you, just come a

00:23:04.519 --> 00:23:05.160
 little bit more.

00:23:06.599 --> 00:23:08.400
 Look, coming to church is not

00:23:08.400 --> 00:23:09.299
 what makes you a Christian.

00:23:10.180 --> 00:23:10.700
 It's not.

00:23:11.160 --> 00:23:12.420
 Clive and I say this over and

00:23:12.420 --> 00:23:13.059
 over again.

00:23:13.519 --> 00:23:15.019
 Coming to church, being a

00:23:15.019 --> 00:23:15.860
 Christian is not about coming

00:23:15.860 --> 00:23:16.940
 to church, and coming to

00:23:16.940 --> 00:23:18.579
 church is not what makes you a

00:23:18.579 --> 00:23:18.860
 Christian.

00:23:18.859 --> 00:23:21.699
 But when we root ourselves

00:23:21.699 --> 00:23:24.819
 more deeply in Christ, then

00:23:24.819 --> 00:23:26.779
 we find that the very soil

00:23:26.779 --> 00:23:28.519
 within which he wants us to

00:23:28.519 --> 00:23:30.959
 take root is the very thing

00:23:30.959 --> 00:23:32.119
 that we take root in.