WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:04.080
 The scripture reading comes from Luke 1 starting at verse 1.

00:00:04.520 --> 00:00:07.719
 Please follow along on the screen or in your bulletin.

00:00:09.160 --> 00:00:16.280
 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us,

00:00:16.960 --> 00:00:23.519
 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us,

00:00:23.800 --> 00:00:29.800
 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past,

00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:35.179
 to write down an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

00:00:35.560 --> 00:00:40.000
 that you may have certainly concerning the things you have been taught. Amen.

00:00:41.079 --> 00:00:44.079
 Great, thank you Christina. Nice and short reading.

00:00:44.420 --> 00:00:47.980
 Well, good morning church. It is so good to see everybody.

00:00:48.179 --> 00:00:52.140
 I know we've said it many times, but I was just thinking before the service,

00:00:53.980 --> 00:00:59.539
 coming back together is like coming back for a Chinese New Year reunion meal.

00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:04.420
 And the difference between this and church online is like eating McDonald's on your own, right?

00:01:05.260 --> 00:01:09.340
 It's a meal. It'll get you through the day. It's okay. You won't starve.

00:01:09.719 --> 00:01:16.340
 But that compared to a reunion meal with your family when you've been away for a year is just vastly different.

00:01:16.460 --> 00:01:20.280
 And so it's so great to see everyone. It's wonderful to see you face to face.

00:01:20.280 --> 00:01:26.060
 And I want to just come and give everyone a great big hug, but I know that's socially inappropriate.

00:01:26.299 --> 00:01:31.579
 And so I'll refrain from that, but it's so wonderful to see us all face to face together.

00:01:32.340 --> 00:01:34.599
 I'm sure these guys will work on the sound.

00:01:35.159 --> 00:01:37.840
 We are continuing our series called Why Christianity?

00:01:38.140 --> 00:01:41.060
 I don't know if you've been journeying with us the last couple of weeks.

00:01:41.060 --> 00:01:45.040
 We've been looking at some of the big questions that confront Christianity.

00:01:45.780 --> 00:01:52.020
 Things like, isn't it arrogant or exclusive for Christians to say that what they believe is the one true faith?

00:01:52.520 --> 00:01:56.359
 Or what about evil and suffering? Or what about science and faith?

00:01:56.400 --> 00:01:58.140
 How do these things come together?

00:01:58.780 --> 00:02:00.200
 And this morning we're going to continue that.

00:02:00.620 --> 00:02:04.240
 And we're going to ask the question, how do we make sense of the Bible?

00:02:04.240 --> 00:02:06.500
 Or why should I trust the Bible?

00:02:06.500 --> 00:02:13.099
 And it's a really important question because at the heart of Christianity is the person of Jesus Christ.

00:02:13.259 --> 00:02:19.219
 And what the Bible says, who he was and what he accomplished in his life and in his death.

00:02:19.960 --> 00:02:22.520
 You see, Christianity is not really an ethical movement.

00:02:22.680 --> 00:02:29.400
 It's not a bunch of wisdom to tell you just how to live your life, how to improve your life.

00:02:29.900 --> 00:02:32.240
 At the heart of Christianity is the person of Jesus.

00:02:32.240 --> 00:02:39.659
 And almost every world religion, you could remove the founder of the religion and the essence of the faith would still stand.

00:02:39.960 --> 00:02:46.280
 You take Buddha away from Buddhism and his teachings still stand and Buddhism would still stand as a philosophy, as a worldview.

00:02:46.800 --> 00:02:50.780
 You could take Muhammad out of Islam and Islam would still stand.

00:02:51.360 --> 00:02:55.900
 But if you remove Jesus Christ, the person of Christ and who he is, who he claimed to be,

00:02:56.300 --> 00:03:00.140
 and what his life accomplished, Christianity falls flat.

00:03:00.139 --> 00:03:10.359
 And so in many ways, the Christian faith hinges on what the Bible says, who Christ is, and what he accomplished in his life.

00:03:10.839 --> 00:03:17.679
 And therefore, the credibility and the reliability of the Bible is a really important thing for us to grapple with.

00:03:18.239 --> 00:03:21.060
 And so this morning we're going to ask kind of two questions.

00:03:21.339 --> 00:03:23.419
 One, why should I trust the Bible?

00:03:24.159 --> 00:03:27.099
 And secondly, how do I make sense of the Bible?

00:03:27.099 --> 00:03:30.560
 In order to do that, I want us to think about it three ways.

00:03:30.699 --> 00:03:32.199
 I want us to think about it historically.

00:03:32.859 --> 00:03:35.400
 I want us to think about it culturally or carefully.

00:03:35.979 --> 00:03:37.859
 And thirdly, to think about it personally.

00:03:38.459 --> 00:03:38.659
 Okay.

00:03:38.959 --> 00:03:40.240
 So let's dive in.

00:03:40.459 --> 00:03:40.979
 Historically.

00:03:41.539 --> 00:03:43.740
 Let's think about the Bible historically.

00:03:44.560 --> 00:03:50.039
 Now, these days, we often hear objections or questions or people saying,

00:03:50.039 --> 00:03:57.239
 how do we know that what's written in our Bible today is the same thing that was written 2,000 years ago?

00:03:57.719 --> 00:03:59.739
 A lot has happened 2,000 years ago.

00:03:59.840 --> 00:04:03.699
 It was originally written in Aramaic and Hebrew and Greek.

00:04:03.819 --> 00:04:05.719
 It's been translated into Latin.

00:04:05.859 --> 00:04:07.060
 It's been translated again.

00:04:07.379 --> 00:04:11.000
 It's been copied many, many, many times over the 2,000 years.

00:04:11.120 --> 00:04:14.379
 And we don't have any original, original documents.

00:04:14.379 --> 00:04:18.360
 We don't have the original parchment that Matthew, Mark, and Luke wrote on.

00:04:18.360 --> 00:04:22.800
 So how do we know that what's here is the same thing that was written all those years ago?

00:04:23.240 --> 00:04:29.680
 And secondly, the question is, how do we know that even if this is the same thing that was originally written,

00:04:29.960 --> 00:04:34.080
 how do we know that church leaders didn't make stuff up and put it in here?

00:04:34.560 --> 00:04:39.879
 How do we know that the Jesus of faith, of Christianity, is the same as the Jesus of history?

00:04:40.400 --> 00:04:44.600
 Maybe Jesus of history was just a good, wise, moral man, a good, wise teacher.

00:04:44.600 --> 00:04:49.720
 But the church leaders embellished it or put a whole lot of myths and fables and legends in

00:04:49.720 --> 00:04:53.080
 to prop up Jesus and make him something more than he claimed to be.

00:04:53.760 --> 00:04:55.480
 So let's think about this.

00:04:55.540 --> 00:04:59.760
 I want to give, again, three historical things to think about as we think about this objection.

00:05:00.280 --> 00:05:04.220
 The first one, we can trust the Bible because of the historical data.

00:05:05.680 --> 00:05:10.020
 I want us to think, firstly, when we consider historical documents,

00:05:10.019 --> 00:05:12.680
 such as the New Testament or any other historical documents,

00:05:12.839 --> 00:05:14.879
 that's not a religious exercise.

00:05:15.099 --> 00:05:16.759
 That's an academic exercise.

00:05:17.579 --> 00:05:23.039
 And scholars and academics, when looking at the reliability or credibility of a historical document,

00:05:23.240 --> 00:05:25.620
 use a science called textual criticism.

00:05:25.859 --> 00:05:28.240
 And again, that's not something in religious departments.

00:05:28.399 --> 00:05:31.019
 That's just historical departments.

00:05:31.019 --> 00:05:38.000
 And textual criticism looks at the copies that we have of ancient historical documents

00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:44.799
 and works out by asking a number of questions how reliable, how accurate are those earliest documents we have

00:05:44.799 --> 00:05:48.279
 compared to the original document that it was based upon.

00:05:48.959 --> 00:05:51.719
 And there's a whole lot of questions that they ask, but there's two main questions.

00:05:52.240 --> 00:05:55.339
 The first one is, how many copies do we have?

00:05:55.339 --> 00:06:01.000
 If you've got five copies or ten copies or fifteen copies, okay, that's okay.

00:06:01.399 --> 00:06:04.419
 If you've got a hundred or five hundred or a thousand copies,

00:06:04.859 --> 00:06:08.319
 well, then it's far more accurate to see where changes have taken place,

00:06:08.439 --> 00:06:13.099
 where there have been edits, where the original has been corrupted or changed over time.

00:06:13.719 --> 00:06:13.939
 Okay?

00:06:14.219 --> 00:06:16.719
 So the first question is, how many copies do we have?

00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:22.779
 The second question, very important, is how big is the time gap between the copies that we have

00:06:22.779 --> 00:06:24.519
 and the original that was written?

00:06:24.519 --> 00:06:27.879
 So if the time gap is a hundred years, that's a good thing.

00:06:28.180 --> 00:06:31.500
 If the time gap is a thousand years or two thousand years, okay,

00:06:31.620 --> 00:06:34.219
 then there's more space for changes to take place.

00:06:34.859 --> 00:06:36.659
 And so you want to know, how many copies do we have?

00:06:36.919 --> 00:06:39.359
 And what are the earliest copies that we have?

00:06:39.659 --> 00:06:45.579
 And from those two things, generally, you can work out what did the original document look like or say.

00:06:46.539 --> 00:06:50.819
 Now, when you apply these criteria to the New Testament documents,

00:06:50.819 --> 00:06:57.540
 almost all historians will tell us that the New Testament documents pass with flying colors

00:06:57.540 --> 00:07:00.719
 any questions or tests of historical credibility,

00:07:01.159 --> 00:07:03.800
 especially when you compare it to other historical documents.

00:07:04.219 --> 00:07:06.279
 So let me give you a couple of examples, right?

00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:09.339
 We've all heard of this ancient Greek philosopher called Plato.

00:07:09.719 --> 00:07:12.519
 Plato, one of the wisest philosophers in the ancient world,

00:07:12.519 --> 00:07:14.759
 kind of the founder of Western thought.

00:07:14.759 --> 00:07:19.519
 When you look at the historical evidence for Plato's teachings and his sayings,

00:07:19.740 --> 00:07:26.599
 we have about 200, 210, actually, official documents that highlight what he said and what he taught.

00:07:27.079 --> 00:07:33.339
 And those documents range from somewhere around 950 to 1,500 years after his lifetime.

00:07:34.019 --> 00:07:34.159
 Okay?

00:07:34.160 --> 00:07:38.520
 So 200 documents, 1,000 to 1,500 years after his lifetime.

00:07:38.800 --> 00:07:40.760
 Or think of Alexander the Great.

00:07:41.180 --> 00:07:43.560
 We've all heard of Alexander the Great, the Macedon king,

00:07:43.960 --> 00:07:48.900
 who conquered kind of the Western world before the Roman Empire conquered the Greek Empire.

00:07:49.380 --> 00:07:53.160
 And Alexander the Great, one of the great military leaders of the ancient world.

00:07:53.680 --> 00:07:56.879
 And again, almost everything we know about him comes from two sources,

00:07:57.280 --> 00:07:59.840
 a man by the name of Plutarch and a man by the name of Arian.

00:07:59.839 --> 00:08:04.859
 And these were written about 450, 500 years after his death.

00:08:05.759 --> 00:08:05.879
 Okay?

00:08:06.259 --> 00:08:11.500
 And all historians will take that as credible documentation that we know about the life of Alexander the Great.

00:08:12.000 --> 00:08:13.239
 And we could keep on going.

00:08:13.319 --> 00:08:16.120
 There's hundreds of ancient historians that we could look at.

00:08:16.219 --> 00:08:19.099
 Julius Caesar and his Gaelic Wars, 50 BC.

00:08:19.579 --> 00:08:21.659
 He wrote this book called The Gaelic Wars.

00:08:21.979 --> 00:08:25.259
 And we have about 250 copies of those.

00:08:25.259 --> 00:08:31.399
 And the surviving copies that we have are written about 1,000 to 1,500 years after the event.

00:08:31.740 --> 00:08:31.839
 Okay?

00:08:31.860 --> 00:08:33.379
 So lots of copying took place.

00:08:33.539 --> 00:08:36.439
 And we've got 200 documents recording the original.

00:08:37.419 --> 00:08:40.279
 When it comes to the documentation of the New Testament,

00:08:41.120 --> 00:08:44.039
 the New Testament stands head and shoulders above everything else.

00:08:44.679 --> 00:08:52.220
 For the four Gospels, we've got five, almost 6,000 Greek documents of the Gospels alone.

00:08:52.220 --> 00:09:02.320
 And of the New Testament alone, we've got between 20,000 and 30,000 original early documents that are verifiable and accurate.

00:09:02.920 --> 00:09:08.560
 And those documents were written not 1,500, not 1,000 years, not even 500 years.

00:09:09.040 --> 00:09:14.720
 Some of those earliest documents we have are from between 30 and 50 years of the events,

00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:16.660
 of the documents in which they're written.

00:09:16.659 --> 00:09:23.839
 So for instance, John's Gospel is written somewhere at the latest stage around 90 AD, 95 AD, the very latest.

00:09:24.339 --> 00:09:28.740
 We've got documents of John's Gospel written from the year 130 AD.

00:09:29.120 --> 00:09:31.199
 That's 35 years after the original was written.

00:09:31.919 --> 00:09:35.419
 You compare that to Plato, 1,000 years, 1,500 years.

00:09:35.699 --> 00:09:41.159
 And not just 200 documents, 20,000 or 30,000 of the New Testament documents.

00:09:41.759 --> 00:09:43.019
 One historian put it like this.

00:09:43.019 --> 00:09:49.659
 Simply put, if we reject the authenticity of the New Testament on textual historical grounds,

00:09:49.980 --> 00:09:53.199
 we'd have to reject every ancient work of antiquity

00:09:53.199 --> 00:09:57.480
 and declare null and void every piece of historical information

00:09:57.480 --> 00:10:04.480
 from written sources prior to the beginning of the 2nd millennium AG.

00:10:04.639 --> 00:10:07.299
 In other words, anything from 1,000 AD onwards, we'd have to say,

00:10:07.379 --> 00:10:08.379
 listen, we can't trust it.

00:10:08.699 --> 00:10:09.159
 Who knows?

00:10:09.460 --> 00:10:10.539
 It's all just guesswork.

00:10:10.539 --> 00:10:12.439
 And that's not just Western thought.

00:10:12.559 --> 00:10:16.579
 That's the same for Confucian, same for Confucius, same for Buddha.

00:10:16.959 --> 00:10:18.659
 All the major thoughts of the world.

00:10:18.860 --> 00:10:22.279
 Nothing stands out to the historical credibility of the New Testament Gospels.

00:10:22.679 --> 00:10:24.339
 Okay, so first one is the historical document.

00:10:25.579 --> 00:10:28.500
 Secondly, think about the eyewitnesses.

00:10:29.079 --> 00:10:31.000
 When we read the New Testament,

00:10:31.579 --> 00:10:33.839
 one of the things that you encounter a lot

00:10:33.839 --> 00:10:37.039
 is all sorts of random names of people and places.

00:10:37.559 --> 00:10:39.599
 And we often skip over those names, right?

00:10:39.600 --> 00:10:40.840
 Now, confession time.

00:10:40.940 --> 00:10:44.220
 How many of us have read Matthew 1 or Luke 3,

00:10:44.340 --> 00:10:47.340
 all these names, and just turned over the page quickly, right?

00:10:47.960 --> 00:10:49.560
 There are all these names, and we think,

00:10:49.700 --> 00:10:51.019
 who put that in there?

00:10:51.040 --> 00:10:53.940
 Who thought it was a good idea to put this in God's Holy Word, right?

00:10:55.480 --> 00:10:58.080
 Those names don't make sense to us in the 21st century,

00:10:58.300 --> 00:11:01.460
 but a lot of them make a lot of sense to the 1st century audience.

00:11:01.460 --> 00:11:06.000
 And the reason is the Bible wasn't primarily written for a 21st century audience.

00:11:06.080 --> 00:11:10.960
 It was written as a historical document, largely, for a 1st century audience.

00:11:11.340 --> 00:11:14.420
 And those names are put there for a very specific reason.

00:11:14.980 --> 00:11:17.900
 One of the reasons is because many of them were still alive

00:11:17.900 --> 00:11:21.280
 and were eyewitnesses of the things that were being written in the documents.

00:11:21.480 --> 00:11:22.460
 So let me give you an example.

00:11:22.460 --> 00:11:26.940
 In Mark's Gospel, chapter 15, Jesus is going to the cross.

00:11:27.620 --> 00:11:29.500
 And Mark writes this in his Gospel.

00:11:29.860 --> 00:11:31.519
 He says, verse 20,

00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:53.019
 Now we read that and think,

00:11:53.620 --> 00:11:54.460
 Mark could have just said,

00:11:54.460 --> 00:11:57.399
 and they compelled a passerby to carry the cross.

00:11:58.139 --> 00:11:59.139
 But Mark's very specific.

00:11:59.139 --> 00:12:01.960
 He writes the name of this guy, Simon, from Cyrene,

00:12:02.340 --> 00:12:03.340
 and his two children.

00:12:03.620 --> 00:12:06.179
 He's the father of Rufus and Alexander.

00:12:06.399 --> 00:12:07.799
 Why put that detail in there?

00:12:08.539 --> 00:12:14.379
 Well, when you consider the fact that Mark's Gospel is written somewhere around 20 to 25 years,

00:12:14.659 --> 00:12:16.199
 15 even, some historians will say,

00:12:16.279 --> 00:12:17.679
 after the event took place,

00:12:18.220 --> 00:12:21.500
 in all likelihood, Rufus and Alexander are still alive

00:12:21.500 --> 00:12:24.279
 and are possibly part of the Christian community.

00:12:24.919 --> 00:12:26.460
 They are known to the audience.

00:12:26.580 --> 00:12:28.700
 In other words, what Mark is doing is he's saying,

00:12:29.139 --> 00:12:31.419
 there are eyewitnesses that are still alive.

00:12:31.480 --> 00:12:33.340
 And you can go and test what I'm saying.

00:12:33.620 --> 00:12:35.139
 Go and ask him if what I'm saying is true.

00:12:35.740 --> 00:12:38.679
 There are eyewitnesses that could either falsify or verify

00:12:38.679 --> 00:12:41.439
 what the writers are saying in the New Testament.

00:12:42.059 --> 00:12:43.980
 And all the New Testament writers do this.

00:12:43.980 --> 00:12:45.860
 Paul, in 1 Corinthians chapter 15,

00:12:46.240 --> 00:12:47.259
 he writes and he says,

00:12:47.259 --> 00:12:50.560
 the Gospel which was handed down from others to me,

00:12:51.019 --> 00:12:54.240
 that Jesus died, that he rose again on the third day,

00:12:54.680 --> 00:12:56.840
 he appeared to 12,

00:12:57.279 --> 00:13:00.519
 then he appeared to more than 500 brothers and sisters at one time,

00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:01.840
 and then he writes this,

00:13:01.899 --> 00:13:03.820
 most of whom are still alive.

00:13:03.820 --> 00:13:05.760
 Why does he say that?

00:13:06.400 --> 00:13:07.360
 What he's saying is,

00:13:07.460 --> 00:13:09.900
 I want you to go and verify what I'm saying.

00:13:09.980 --> 00:13:11.100
 I want you to go check it out.

00:13:11.220 --> 00:13:12.860
 I want you to go and do the research.

00:13:12.980 --> 00:13:14.020
 Go and ask those people

00:13:14.020 --> 00:13:17.820
 if what I'm writing in my epistle is true.

00:13:20.920 --> 00:13:23.420
 The reason the New Testament writers put all these details in

00:13:23.420 --> 00:13:25.160
 is because they want us to go and check.

00:13:25.260 --> 00:13:28.480
 They want us to verify the facts.

00:13:28.480 --> 00:13:31.879
 First, Justin here works for the DOJ, right?

00:13:31.960 --> 00:13:32.920
 The prosecutor.

00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:36.700
 And as any prosecutor or attorney will tell you,

00:13:37.139 --> 00:13:40.159
 if you want to lie or if you want to make up a story,

00:13:40.539 --> 00:13:42.920
 make sure there are very few witnesses around

00:13:42.920 --> 00:13:44.539
 that can contradict you, right?

00:13:44.899 --> 00:13:47.879
 I'm assuming that's good knowledge, right?

00:13:48.340 --> 00:13:51.899
 Or think about, we've all watched TV shows,

00:13:52.019 --> 00:13:53.000
 and someone gets arrested,

00:13:53.000 --> 00:13:55.720
 and what do the arresting officers all say?

00:13:56.659 --> 00:13:58.399
 You have the right to remain silent,

00:13:58.899 --> 00:14:01.200
 anything you say can and will be held against you

00:14:01.200 --> 00:14:01.840
 in a court of law.

00:14:02.420 --> 00:14:03.620
 And a good attorney will tell you,

00:14:03.720 --> 00:14:04.480
 if you ever get arrested,

00:14:04.700 --> 00:14:05.840
 here's some free advice, okay?

00:14:06.039 --> 00:14:07.159
 Next time you get arrested,

00:14:07.840 --> 00:14:09.399
 don't say anything.

00:14:09.600 --> 00:14:11.700
 I hope you're not going to get arrested anytime soon.

00:14:12.379 --> 00:14:13.539
 But don't say anything.

00:14:13.920 --> 00:14:14.240
 Why?

00:14:14.379 --> 00:14:17.159
 Because anything you say can and will be held against you.

00:14:17.240 --> 00:14:19.000
 In other words, if you're going to make up something,

00:14:19.100 --> 00:14:19.940
 if you want to try,

00:14:20.300 --> 00:14:21.300
 if you're in trouble,

00:14:21.659 --> 00:14:23.440
 the more details you give,

00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:24.779
 the more that can be held against you.

00:14:25.800 --> 00:14:27.279
 Minimize the details that you give.

00:14:27.799 --> 00:14:29.839
 The New Testament writers do the opposite.

00:14:30.199 --> 00:14:33.539
 They're trying to get as many eyewitnesses as well as possible,

00:14:33.620 --> 00:14:35.839
 and they're trying to give as much detail as possible.

00:14:36.279 --> 00:14:36.639
 Why?

00:14:36.740 --> 00:14:38.500
 Because they want just to go and verify

00:14:38.500 --> 00:14:39.839
 what they have to say.

00:14:39.840 --> 00:14:42.160
 And so, today we come,

00:14:42.259 --> 00:14:43.800
 and this is going to be very brief,

00:14:43.940 --> 00:14:45.639
 but we're going to look at Luke chapter 1.

00:14:45.759 --> 00:14:46.519
 And it's in your bulletin.

00:14:46.580 --> 00:14:48.100
 And look at it with me.

00:14:48.700 --> 00:14:50.300
 Look what Luke writes here.

00:14:50.940 --> 00:14:51.940
 Now, by the way,

00:14:52.100 --> 00:14:54.340
 Luke was not a disciple of Jesus.

00:14:54.759 --> 00:14:56.960
 He was a medical doctor and a historian.

00:14:57.840 --> 00:14:59.960
 And so Luke wasn't an uneducated fisherman

00:14:59.960 --> 00:15:01.040
 like some of the disciples.

00:15:01.580 --> 00:15:04.460
 He was a doctor who was used to examining the evidence

00:15:04.460 --> 00:15:06.639
 and coming up with a diagnosis.

00:15:07.500 --> 00:15:09.100
 And Luke, it seems like,

00:15:09.160 --> 00:15:11.460
 he writes this letter to this man called Theophilus.

00:15:11.560 --> 00:15:15.139
 And it seems like Theophilus was a high-ranking Roman official

00:15:15.139 --> 00:15:18.060
 because he calls him most excellent Theophilus.

00:15:18.139 --> 00:15:20.759
 And the only other times in the Bible that that phrase is used

00:15:20.759 --> 00:15:23.200
 is when addressing a Roman magistrate.

00:15:23.820 --> 00:15:27.100
 And so, it seems like Theophilus is a high-ranking Roman official.

00:15:27.620 --> 00:15:30.400
 And it seems like Theophilus has heard about Jesus

00:15:30.400 --> 00:15:33.759
 and he wants to verify that what he's heard is true.

00:15:33.900 --> 00:15:37.580
 And so, he commissions this doctor historian called Ruth,

00:15:37.800 --> 00:15:38.980
 not Ruth, Luke,

00:15:39.300 --> 00:15:41.980
 to go and verify the data.

00:15:42.200 --> 00:15:45.660
 And so, look at how Luke begins the beginning of his epistle.

00:15:46.379 --> 00:15:46.840
 He says,

00:15:46.840 --> 00:15:50.100
 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile the narrative

00:15:50.100 --> 00:15:52.460
 of the things that have been accomplished amongst us,

00:15:52.460 --> 00:15:54.920
 now he's probably talking about Mark's gospel there,

00:15:55.000 --> 00:15:56.040
 that was written previously.

00:15:56.560 --> 00:16:00.180
 Just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses

00:16:00.180 --> 00:16:01.800
 and ministers of the word,

00:16:01.940 --> 00:16:03.320
 and they've delivered them to us,

00:16:03.860 --> 00:16:05.320
 it seemed good to me also,

00:16:05.740 --> 00:16:08.240
 having followed all things closely for some time,

00:16:08.759 --> 00:16:10.680
 to write an orderly account for you,

00:16:10.920 --> 00:16:12.180
 most excellent Theophilus,

00:16:12.420 --> 00:16:14.440
 that you may have certainty

00:16:14.440 --> 00:16:17.840
 concerning the things that you have been taught.

00:16:19.300 --> 00:16:20.519
 See what Luke's doing there.

00:16:20.560 --> 00:16:20.900
 He's saying,

00:16:21.019 --> 00:16:22.379
 I've gone and I've done the research.

00:16:22.600 --> 00:16:24.700
 I've gone and interviewed the eyewitnesses.

00:16:24.940 --> 00:16:27.519
 And I've decided to write this orderly account,

00:16:27.620 --> 00:16:30.080
 not just based on the other narratives that are out there,

00:16:30.540 --> 00:16:31.639
 gospel of Mark, etc.

00:16:32.060 --> 00:16:33.420
 I've done my own research.

00:16:33.519 --> 00:16:34.879
 I've asked the eyewitnesses,

00:16:34.940 --> 00:16:36.139
 and I'm writing this account

00:16:36.139 --> 00:16:37.920
 that you may have certainty,

00:16:38.560 --> 00:16:39.120
 Theophilus,

00:16:39.519 --> 00:16:41.220
 about the gospel that you've heard

00:16:41.220 --> 00:16:43.080
 about the person of Jesus.

00:16:43.879 --> 00:16:45.519
 Okay, so consider the historical data.

00:16:46.800 --> 00:16:48.180
 Consider the eyewitnesses.

00:16:48.240 --> 00:16:49.040
 Thirdly, very quickly,

00:16:49.039 --> 00:16:50.639
 consider the embarrassing passages.

00:16:52.419 --> 00:16:53.459
 Many people say,

00:16:54.099 --> 00:16:54.959
 the Jesus of history

00:16:54.959 --> 00:16:57.059
 is different to the Jesus of the Bible, right?

00:16:57.120 --> 00:16:57.939
 They don't correlate,

00:16:58.059 --> 00:16:59.639
 because the church leaders

00:16:59.639 --> 00:17:01.860
 put a whole lot of legend and myth

00:17:01.860 --> 00:17:03.099
 and interesting stuff in there

00:17:03.099 --> 00:17:03.799
 about miracles,

00:17:03.799 --> 00:17:05.659
 to make Jesus to be something different

00:17:05.659 --> 00:17:07.019
 than what he was, right?

00:17:07.019 --> 00:17:10.460
 And the reason why church leaders would do this

00:17:10.460 --> 00:17:13.019
 is to bolster their own reputation,

00:17:13.720 --> 00:17:15.000
 to bolster their own movement,

00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:18.259
 and to lend credibility to their claim,

00:17:18.420 --> 00:17:19.639
 their religion that they're starting.

00:17:20.420 --> 00:17:22.639
 But there's too much stuff in the New Testament

00:17:22.639 --> 00:17:24.519
 that is just too embarrassing

00:17:24.519 --> 00:17:27.720
 if you're trying to start a new religion.

00:17:28.200 --> 00:17:29.559
 There's too much stuff in there

00:17:29.559 --> 00:17:31.319
 that if you're trying to convince people

00:17:31.319 --> 00:17:32.299
 to get on board,

00:17:32.859 --> 00:17:34.339
 if you're making up the story,

00:17:34.460 --> 00:17:35.519
 you'd rather leave it out.

00:17:35.519 --> 00:17:37.400
 But there's hundreds of cases,

00:17:37.579 --> 00:17:39.099
 but just consider a couple of them.

00:17:39.180 --> 00:17:39.759
 The one is,

00:17:40.099 --> 00:17:41.339
 Jesus is on the cross.

00:17:42.039 --> 00:17:42.539
 Think about it.

00:17:42.660 --> 00:17:44.000
 Jesus is on the cross.

00:17:44.119 --> 00:17:44.619
 Now, firstly,

00:17:44.839 --> 00:17:45.660
 no Jew believed

00:17:45.660 --> 00:17:47.319
 that the Messiah was going to die on the cross.

00:17:48.039 --> 00:17:48.440
 But anyway,

00:17:48.559 --> 00:17:49.480
 Jesus ends up on the cross.

00:17:49.579 --> 00:17:50.480
 But while he's there,

00:17:50.539 --> 00:17:51.259
 he cries out,

00:17:51.319 --> 00:17:51.579
 he says,

00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:52.160
 Father,

00:17:53.319 --> 00:17:55.119
 why have you forsaken me?

00:17:56.079 --> 00:17:57.799
 If you're trying to make up a Savior

00:17:57.799 --> 00:17:59.740
 that's going to save the world,

00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:01.180
 you probably wouldn't put

00:18:01.180 --> 00:18:02.480
 that kind of information in there.

00:18:02.940 --> 00:18:04.440
 Or consider just before the cross,

00:18:04.440 --> 00:18:05.860
 Jesus is in Gethsemane.

00:18:06.299 --> 00:18:07.279
 And he's sweating,

00:18:07.420 --> 00:18:08.680
 his sweat is turned to blood,

00:18:09.100 --> 00:18:09.640
 and he cries,

00:18:09.779 --> 00:18:10.559
 he prays his prayer,

00:18:10.640 --> 00:18:11.039
 and he says,

00:18:11.460 --> 00:18:11.799
 God,

00:18:12.320 --> 00:18:13.400
 if there's any way

00:18:13.400 --> 00:18:14.720
 to take the cross from me,

00:18:14.820 --> 00:18:15.400
 let it be.

00:18:16.279 --> 00:18:16.940
 Why is Jesus,

00:18:17.539 --> 00:18:19.220
 why do you include this stuff

00:18:19.220 --> 00:18:21.039
 in your religion

00:18:21.039 --> 00:18:23.519
 about Jesus trying to get out of the cross?

00:18:24.019 --> 00:18:24.980
 It doesn't make sense,

00:18:25.080 --> 00:18:25.620
 unless,

00:18:26.420 --> 00:18:27.539
 unless it really happened.

00:18:28.420 --> 00:18:29.500
 Or consider the way that

00:18:29.500 --> 00:18:31.359
 all four of the Gospels

00:18:31.359 --> 00:18:33.740
 recount that the very first eyewitnesses

00:18:33.740 --> 00:18:35.019
 to Jesus' resurrection

00:18:35.019 --> 00:18:36.220
 were women.

00:18:36.799 --> 00:18:37.019
 Now,

00:18:37.099 --> 00:18:38.019
 that's not a big deal

00:18:38.019 --> 00:18:39.200
 in our day and age.

00:18:39.359 --> 00:18:40.460
 That's perfectly acceptable.

00:18:40.640 --> 00:18:41.640
 But in the first century,

00:18:42.059 --> 00:18:42.799
 that was ridiculous.

00:18:43.519 --> 00:18:44.180
 Women's testimony

00:18:44.180 --> 00:18:45.240
 was not admissible

00:18:45.240 --> 00:18:46.119
 in a court of law

00:18:46.119 --> 00:18:47.700
 because of their low social status.

00:18:48.640 --> 00:18:48.900
 In fact,

00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:49.720
 there's one ancient

00:18:49.720 --> 00:18:51.640
 critic of Christianity

00:18:51.640 --> 00:18:52.819
 who said this.

00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:53.099
 He said,

00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:54.740
 Christianity cannot be true

00:18:54.740 --> 00:18:56.140
 because their testimony

00:18:56.140 --> 00:18:57.359
 is based on

00:18:57.359 --> 00:18:59.460
 hysterical females.

00:18:59.839 --> 00:19:00.680
 That's how he wrote it.

00:19:00.859 --> 00:19:01.019
 It's like,

00:19:01.079 --> 00:19:01.720
 it can't be true.

00:19:02.200 --> 00:19:02.859
 It's the women,

00:19:02.960 --> 00:19:04.079
 it's the hysterical females

00:19:04.079 --> 00:19:05.200
 that were the first witnesses.

00:19:05.839 --> 00:19:07.099
 Any historian knows

00:19:07.099 --> 00:19:09.039
 if you try to bolster your claim

00:19:09.039 --> 00:19:10.319
 that Christianity is true,

00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:12.059
 the last thing you want to do

00:19:12.059 --> 00:19:13.420
 is make the first witnesses

00:19:13.420 --> 00:19:14.160
 to the resurrection

00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:14.980
 women.

00:19:15.900 --> 00:19:16.200
 And yet,

00:19:16.279 --> 00:19:17.720
 Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John

00:19:17.720 --> 00:19:18.680
 all do that.

00:19:19.480 --> 00:19:19.859
 Why?

00:19:20.620 --> 00:19:22.099
 The only credible reason

00:19:22.099 --> 00:19:23.200
 is because that's exactly

00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:23.819
 what happened.

00:19:23.819 --> 00:19:24.799
 And again,

00:19:24.859 --> 00:19:25.379
 if you consider

00:19:25.379 --> 00:19:26.480
 the life of the disciples,

00:19:26.659 --> 00:19:27.279
 the disciples,

00:19:27.819 --> 00:19:28.559
 these are the guys

00:19:28.559 --> 00:19:29.859
 that were meant to be

00:19:29.859 --> 00:19:31.059
 the founders of Christianity,

00:19:31.319 --> 00:19:31.839
 the religion,

00:19:32.279 --> 00:19:32.740
 and yet,

00:19:32.799 --> 00:19:33.839
 when you read the Bible,

00:19:33.939 --> 00:19:34.700
 they are clumsy,

00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:36.159
 they are idiotic,

00:19:36.200 --> 00:19:37.339
 they say dumb things,

00:19:37.419 --> 00:19:38.439
 they deny Jesus,

00:19:38.559 --> 00:19:39.220
 they run away,

00:19:39.339 --> 00:19:40.259
 they abandon Him,

00:19:40.339 --> 00:19:41.039
 they're fearful,

00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:42.039
 they're cowards,

00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:43.480
 they are doubting.

00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:44.859
 Why would you make

00:19:44.859 --> 00:19:45.639
 the very people

00:19:45.639 --> 00:19:47.039
 that are writing the books

00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:48.099
 look that way

00:19:48.099 --> 00:19:48.799
 unless,

00:19:49.519 --> 00:19:50.279
 unless that's what

00:19:50.279 --> 00:19:51.000
 actually happened?

00:19:51.000 --> 00:19:53.920
 where am I?

00:19:54.880 --> 00:19:55.140
 Okay,

00:19:56.140 --> 00:19:56.519
 so,

00:19:57.539 --> 00:19:59.819
 remember what Luke says

00:19:59.819 --> 00:20:00.700
 in his opening paragraph.

00:20:01.259 --> 00:20:01.500
 He says,

00:20:01.559 --> 00:20:02.519
 It seemed good to me,

00:20:02.579 --> 00:20:03.259
 O Theophilus,

00:20:03.380 --> 00:20:04.599
 having followed all things

00:20:04.599 --> 00:20:05.799
 closely for some time,

00:20:05.900 --> 00:20:07.420
 to write an orderly account

00:20:07.420 --> 00:20:09.539
 that you may have certainty

00:20:09.539 --> 00:20:11.000
 concerning the things

00:20:11.000 --> 00:20:11.579
 that you've heard

00:20:11.579 --> 00:20:12.940
 about the person of Jesus.

00:20:13.500 --> 00:20:13.799
 Okay,

00:20:14.319 --> 00:20:14.660
 friends,

00:20:14.799 --> 00:20:15.460
 here's the point.

00:20:15.539 --> 00:20:16.160
 There's too much

00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:17.519
 historical data,

00:20:17.720 --> 00:20:19.039
 there's too many eyewitnesses,

00:20:19.140 --> 00:20:19.759
 there's too much

00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:21.720
 perplexing information

00:20:21.720 --> 00:20:22.460
 in the New Testament

00:20:22.460 --> 00:20:24.340
 for it simply to be made up,

00:20:24.460 --> 00:20:25.220
 for it to be changed

00:20:25.220 --> 00:20:25.779
 or edited.

00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:27.220
 The Bible that we have

00:20:27.220 --> 00:20:27.660
 in our hands,

00:20:27.720 --> 00:20:28.680
 you can trust it,

00:20:28.740 --> 00:20:29.440
 it's reliable,

00:20:29.600 --> 00:20:30.240
 it's credible.

00:20:30.759 --> 00:20:32.299
 It is what the disciples wrote,

00:20:32.360 --> 00:20:34.380
 it is what the early church wrote,

00:20:34.700 --> 00:20:36.340
 and it is reflect accurately

00:20:36.340 --> 00:20:38.039
 the person of Jesus.

00:20:38.539 --> 00:20:38.779
 Okay,

00:20:38.779 --> 00:20:40.480
 you can trust it historically.

00:20:40.940 --> 00:20:41.579
 Second thing,

00:20:42.240 --> 00:20:42.680
 culturally.

00:20:42.980 --> 00:20:44.079
 Let's think about it culturally,

00:20:44.079 --> 00:20:46.339
 or I put it on the slide carefully.

00:20:47.199 --> 00:20:47.500
 Now,

00:20:47.879 --> 00:20:48.779
 one of the questions

00:20:48.779 --> 00:20:50.259
 that we often arise

00:20:50.259 --> 00:20:51.439
 when we think about the Bible

00:20:51.439 --> 00:20:52.299
 is,

00:20:52.519 --> 00:20:52.839
 okay,

00:20:53.339 --> 00:20:54.539
 let's just assume

00:20:54.539 --> 00:20:55.659
 that it is historically

00:20:55.659 --> 00:20:56.859
 accurate and credible.

00:20:57.220 --> 00:20:57.379
 Okay,

00:20:57.480 --> 00:20:58.399
 that what's in the Bible

00:20:58.399 --> 00:20:59.919
 is what the apostles wrote,

00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:01.579
 and it is true.

00:21:02.199 --> 00:21:03.519
 Many people will say,

00:21:04.059 --> 00:21:04.480
 okay,

00:21:05.079 --> 00:21:06.480
 but it's still so offensive.

00:21:07.159 --> 00:21:07.519
 I mean,

00:21:07.519 --> 00:21:08.980
 there's just so much stuff in there

00:21:08.980 --> 00:21:11.819
 that is socially repressive,

00:21:12.199 --> 00:21:13.039
 it's offensive,

00:21:13.039 --> 00:21:14.299
 it bothers me,

00:21:14.579 --> 00:21:15.859
 the Bible's sexist,

00:21:16.279 --> 00:21:17.980
 the Bible says all sorts of stuff

00:21:17.980 --> 00:21:18.799
 about slavery.

00:21:19.480 --> 00:21:21.440
 How can I even take it seriously,

00:21:21.579 --> 00:21:22.539
 even if it is true?

00:21:22.819 --> 00:21:23.879
 It's just archaic

00:21:23.879 --> 00:21:24.899
 and out of date.

00:21:26.819 --> 00:21:27.980
 There's many issues

00:21:27.980 --> 00:21:28.779
 that we could look at,

00:21:28.839 --> 00:21:29.000
 right?

00:21:29.039 --> 00:21:29.859
 We could look at genocide,

00:21:30.200 --> 00:21:30.740
 we could look at,

00:21:31.000 --> 00:21:32.440
 does God hate gay people,

00:21:32.920 --> 00:21:34.240
 gender,

00:21:34.500 --> 00:21:35.500
 and all these kinds of things.

00:21:35.680 --> 00:21:36.460
 There's lots of issues

00:21:36.460 --> 00:21:37.159
 we could talk through.

00:21:37.879 --> 00:21:38.500
 But Tim Keller,

00:21:38.639 --> 00:21:39.279
 Dr. Tim Keller,

00:21:39.420 --> 00:21:40.319
 has really helped me

00:21:40.319 --> 00:21:41.039
 think through this,

00:21:41.039 --> 00:21:42.659
 and he's given us

00:21:42.659 --> 00:21:43.279
 a framework

00:21:43.279 --> 00:21:44.200
 to think through it.

00:21:44.759 --> 00:21:45.579
 And this is what he says,

00:21:45.619 --> 00:21:46.299
 he says that

00:21:46.299 --> 00:21:47.839
 rather than looking at each issue,

00:21:48.200 --> 00:21:48.940
 let's think about

00:21:48.940 --> 00:21:50.579
 the culture and the context

00:21:50.579 --> 00:21:51.659
 in which it's written.

00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:53.899
 And there's two handles

00:21:53.899 --> 00:21:55.019
 that I want us to think about

00:21:55.019 --> 00:21:56.379
 when we think about

00:21:56.379 --> 00:21:57.139
 the Bible this way.

00:21:57.819 --> 00:21:58.879
 The first one is this,

00:21:58.920 --> 00:22:00.579
 is to consider the possibility

00:22:00.579 --> 00:22:03.000
 that maybe what you think

00:22:03.000 --> 00:22:03.599
 it teaches,

00:22:03.740 --> 00:22:04.539
 at first God,

00:22:04.619 --> 00:22:06.559
 is not what it actually teaches.

00:22:06.559 --> 00:22:09.579
 I remember about a year ago

00:22:09.579 --> 00:22:10.559
 I was having lunch

00:22:10.559 --> 00:22:12.000
 with a young man,

00:22:12.539 --> 00:22:13.779
 16, 17 years old,

00:22:13.960 --> 00:22:15.379
 and he was just throwing

00:22:15.379 --> 00:22:16.379
 a whole lot of questions

00:22:16.379 --> 00:22:17.539
 at me about the Bible

00:22:17.539 --> 00:22:18.980
 and faith and science

00:22:18.980 --> 00:22:19.960
 and how can you believe it.

00:22:20.500 --> 00:22:21.599
 And after about half an hour

00:22:21.599 --> 00:22:21.919
 I said,

00:22:22.419 --> 00:22:23.539
 hey but just a quick question,

00:22:24.019 --> 00:22:25.159
 have you actually read

00:22:25.159 --> 00:22:26.000
 the New Testament?

00:22:26.619 --> 00:22:27.319
 Have you gone to

00:22:27.319 --> 00:22:28.200
 the source material?

00:22:28.960 --> 00:22:29.159
 He said,

00:22:29.240 --> 00:22:29.799
 no, no, no,

00:22:29.859 --> 00:22:30.960
 but I read a blog

00:22:30.960 --> 00:22:32.379
 and the blog told me

00:22:32.379 --> 00:22:33.259
 that the Bible says this,

00:22:33.299 --> 00:22:33.500
 right?

00:22:33.500 --> 00:22:35.940
 There's many things

00:22:35.940 --> 00:22:37.099
 that we hear,

00:22:37.259 --> 00:22:38.380
 the Bible says this,

00:22:38.460 --> 00:22:39.200
 the Bible says this,

00:22:39.240 --> 00:22:40.799
 and as you actually examine it

00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:42.079
 and carefully think about it,

00:22:42.400 --> 00:22:43.299
 you realize that's maybe

00:22:43.299 --> 00:22:44.019
 not what the Bible

00:22:44.019 --> 00:22:44.779
 is saying at all.

00:22:45.400 --> 00:22:46.339
 Let me give you one example.

00:22:47.460 --> 00:22:48.160
 When you read

00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:48.680
 the Old Testament,

00:22:48.859 --> 00:22:50.299
 especially the first five books

00:22:50.299 --> 00:22:51.059
 of the Old Testament,

00:22:51.599 --> 00:22:52.339
 one of the things

00:22:52.339 --> 00:22:53.420
 that stands out to you

00:22:53.420 --> 00:22:55.200
 is many of the leaders

00:22:55.200 --> 00:22:56.079
 of the Old Testament,

00:22:56.220 --> 00:22:57.440
 the way that they treat women,

00:22:57.720 --> 00:22:58.000
 right?

00:22:58.500 --> 00:22:59.519
 You read and you think,

00:22:59.700 --> 00:23:00.579
 that's just terrible.

00:23:01.420 --> 00:23:01.980
 Many of them have got

00:23:01.980 --> 00:23:03.079
 multiple wives,

00:23:03.079 --> 00:23:04.059
 they've got concubines

00:23:04.059 --> 00:23:04.939
 on top of that.

00:23:05.359 --> 00:23:06.039
 They seem to just

00:23:06.039 --> 00:23:07.179
 treat women as objects

00:23:07.179 --> 00:23:08.139
 that they can trade

00:23:08.139 --> 00:23:09.679
 and buy and sell.

00:23:10.379 --> 00:23:11.659
 And on top of this,

00:23:11.799 --> 00:23:13.039
 many are the leaders,

00:23:13.159 --> 00:23:14.000
 people like Abraham

00:23:14.000 --> 00:23:15.240
 and Isaac and Jacob

00:23:15.240 --> 00:23:16.079
 and David

00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:18.059
 and multiple wives

00:23:18.059 --> 00:23:18.980
 and the treatment of women.

00:23:19.500 --> 00:23:20.099
 And you think,

00:23:20.460 --> 00:23:21.199
 how on earth

00:23:21.199 --> 00:23:22.819
 can God condone that?

00:23:22.899 --> 00:23:23.919
 How can God encourage that?

00:23:23.980 --> 00:23:24.579
 How can that be

00:23:24.579 --> 00:23:26.480
 in any inspired sacred book?

00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:28.819
 Many years ago,

00:23:28.879 --> 00:23:29.879
 in the 1980s,

00:23:29.980 --> 00:23:31.259
 a Jewish scholar

00:23:31.259 --> 00:23:32.720
 by the name of Robert Alter,

00:23:32.720 --> 00:23:33.559
 a professor

00:23:33.559 --> 00:23:35.079
 at Berkeley University,

00:23:35.500 --> 00:23:36.279
 wrote a book called

00:23:36.279 --> 00:23:37.880
 The Art of Biblical Narrative.

00:23:38.620 --> 00:23:39.740
 And what Robert Alter says

00:23:39.740 --> 00:23:40.180
 in there

00:23:40.180 --> 00:23:41.759
 is that when you read,

00:23:42.940 --> 00:23:43.660
 he says,

00:23:44.019 --> 00:23:44.860
 in the ancient custom,

00:23:44.980 --> 00:23:45.700
 there were two institutions

00:23:46.279 --> 00:23:47.019
 that were kind of

00:23:47.019 --> 00:23:48.100
 universally accepted.

00:23:48.640 --> 00:23:49.960
 The institution of polygamy,

00:23:50.240 --> 00:23:51.279
 which means that men

00:23:51.279 --> 00:23:52.380
 can have as many wives

00:23:52.380 --> 00:23:52.920
 as they want

00:23:52.920 --> 00:23:53.920
 and therefore men

00:23:53.920 --> 00:23:54.759
 have all the power.

00:23:55.279 --> 00:23:56.220
 Wives just get reduced

00:23:56.220 --> 00:23:57.019
 to an object.

00:23:57.339 --> 00:23:58.420
 The men have all the power.

00:23:58.900 --> 00:23:59.660
 But the second one

00:23:59.660 --> 00:24:00.480
 is the institution

00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:01.620
 of primogeniture.

00:24:01.900 --> 00:24:02.660
 And primogeniture

00:24:02.660 --> 00:24:03.380
 essentially says

00:24:03.380 --> 00:24:04.799
 the firstborn son

00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:06.000
 gets everything.

00:24:06.339 --> 00:24:07.299
 He gets all the honor,

00:24:07.480 --> 00:24:08.039
 all the wealth,

00:24:08.140 --> 00:24:08.720
 all the money,

00:24:08.900 --> 00:24:09.660
 all the blessing,

00:24:10.099 --> 00:24:10.779
 and the others,

00:24:11.160 --> 00:24:12.740
 well, best of luck to them.

00:24:13.680 --> 00:24:15.140
 And what Robert Alter says

00:24:15.140 --> 00:24:15.620
 is that

00:24:15.620 --> 00:24:17.039
 when you read

00:24:17.039 --> 00:24:18.680
 the Old Testament,

00:24:19.299 --> 00:24:20.220
 one of the things

00:24:20.220 --> 00:24:21.279
 you quickly see

00:24:21.279 --> 00:24:22.440
 is that

00:24:22.440 --> 00:24:23.440
 in every case

00:24:23.440 --> 00:24:24.140
 of polygamy,

00:24:24.319 --> 00:24:25.599
 it always ends

00:24:25.599 --> 00:24:26.799
 in a train wreck.

00:24:26.799 --> 00:24:28.819
 It always ends

00:24:28.819 --> 00:24:29.599
 in a train wreck.

00:24:30.359 --> 00:24:31.480
 It wrecks the people

00:24:31.480 --> 00:24:32.180
 physically,

00:24:32.879 --> 00:24:33.240
 socially,

00:24:33.480 --> 00:24:34.039
 psychology,

00:24:34.299 --> 00:24:35.419
 their family,

00:24:36.039 --> 00:24:36.579
 emotionally,

00:24:37.039 --> 00:24:37.859
 and worst of all,

00:24:37.940 --> 00:24:38.299
 spiritually.

00:24:38.779 --> 00:24:39.599
 And the great example

00:24:39.599 --> 00:24:40.279
 of this, of course,

00:24:40.339 --> 00:24:40.980
 is King David.

00:24:41.399 --> 00:24:42.819
 King David is the greatest king

00:24:42.819 --> 00:24:43.500
 in the Old Testament,

00:24:44.019 --> 00:24:45.139
 but his treatment of women

00:24:45.139 --> 00:24:45.919
 is not great.

00:24:46.019 --> 00:24:47.099
 He's got a couple of wives,

00:24:47.419 --> 00:24:48.039
 and one day

00:24:48.039 --> 00:24:49.119
 he sees this lady

00:24:49.119 --> 00:24:49.940
 bathing,

00:24:49.940 --> 00:24:50.859
 and he says,

00:24:51.159 --> 00:24:51.740
 I want to.

00:24:52.259 --> 00:24:52.940
 And he treats her

00:24:52.940 --> 00:24:54.180
 just as an object

00:24:54.180 --> 00:24:54.819
 to satisfy

00:24:54.819 --> 00:24:56.000
 his own sexual desires.

00:24:56.000 --> 00:24:57.480
 And so he pulls her

00:24:57.480 --> 00:24:58.140
 to the palace,

00:24:58.539 --> 00:24:59.700
 he arranges for her

00:24:59.700 --> 00:25:00.599
 husband to get killed,

00:25:01.019 --> 00:25:01.779
 he sleeps with her,

00:25:01.900 --> 00:25:03.279
 and then he marries her.

00:25:03.440 --> 00:25:03.579
 Right?

00:25:04.519 --> 00:25:05.440
 But as you read

00:25:05.440 --> 00:25:05.900
 the Old Testament,

00:25:06.059 --> 00:25:06.819
 one thing you see

00:25:06.819 --> 00:25:08.339
 is that from that moment on,

00:25:08.599 --> 00:25:09.819
 David's personal life,

00:25:10.259 --> 00:25:10.880
 his family,

00:25:11.400 --> 00:25:12.019
 his kingdom,

00:25:12.500 --> 00:25:13.059
 his reign,

00:25:13.160 --> 00:25:13.500
 and in fact,

00:25:13.579 --> 00:25:14.619
 the entire nation

00:25:14.619 --> 00:25:15.380
 of Israel

00:25:15.380 --> 00:25:17.380
 goes absolutely downhill

00:25:17.380 --> 00:25:19.420
 and never recovers.

00:25:19.819 --> 00:25:20.920
 And what Robert Alter

00:25:20.920 --> 00:25:21.680
 tells us

00:25:21.680 --> 00:25:22.400
 is that

00:25:22.400 --> 00:25:23.779
 God is never

00:25:23.779 --> 00:25:24.980
 condoning this.

00:25:24.980 --> 00:25:26.299
 He's challenging it.

00:25:26.720 --> 00:25:27.059
 He's saying,

00:25:27.120 --> 00:25:27.900
 can't you see

00:25:27.900 --> 00:25:29.360
 that I've designed

00:25:29.360 --> 00:25:30.440
 for man and woman

00:25:30.440 --> 00:25:31.079
 to be united,

00:25:31.279 --> 00:25:32.140
 kept for one another,

00:25:32.380 --> 00:25:33.380
 and when you mess

00:25:33.380 --> 00:25:33.980
 with that order,

00:25:34.120 --> 00:25:34.860
 it never,

00:25:35.059 --> 00:25:36.279
 ever works out well.

00:25:36.680 --> 00:25:37.680
 It always

00:25:37.680 --> 00:25:38.460
 lends in

00:25:38.460 --> 00:25:39.380
 heartache

00:25:39.380 --> 00:25:39.900
 and pain

00:25:39.900 --> 00:25:40.519
 and destruction.

00:25:40.839 --> 00:25:41.660
 It's always

00:25:41.660 --> 00:25:42.440
 a wreck.

00:25:42.920 --> 00:25:43.220
 Secondly,

00:25:43.339 --> 00:25:44.480
 think of primogeniture.

00:25:45.140 --> 00:25:45.579
 When you read

00:25:45.579 --> 00:25:46.180
 the Old Testament,

00:25:46.680 --> 00:25:47.220
 who does God

00:25:47.220 --> 00:25:47.860
 always choose?

00:25:48.640 --> 00:25:49.579
 He always chooses

00:25:49.579 --> 00:25:49.980
 the one

00:25:49.980 --> 00:25:51.079
 that nobody else chooses.

00:25:51.660 --> 00:25:52.500
 He chooses Abel,

00:25:52.559 --> 00:25:53.079
 not Cain.

00:25:53.360 --> 00:25:54.160
 He chooses Jacob,

00:25:54.160 --> 00:25:54.840
 not Esau.

00:25:55.220 --> 00:25:56.240
 He chooses Isaac,

00:25:56.340 --> 00:25:56.940
 not Ishmael.

00:25:57.380 --> 00:25:57.980
 And even though

00:25:57.980 --> 00:25:59.019
 Leah is the older

00:25:59.019 --> 00:26:00.019
 sister of Rachel,

00:26:00.240 --> 00:26:01.160
 Rachel's the beautiful

00:26:01.160 --> 00:26:02.300
 one that everyone

00:26:02.300 --> 00:26:03.360
 loves and gets invited

00:26:03.360 --> 00:26:04.040
 to the parties

00:26:04.040 --> 00:26:04.560
 and all that.

00:26:04.940 --> 00:26:06.240
 And God chooses Leah,

00:26:06.440 --> 00:26:07.560
 the one that's despised

00:26:07.560 --> 00:26:08.080
 and rejected,

00:26:08.240 --> 00:26:08.860
 to be the great,

00:26:08.920 --> 00:26:09.120
 great,

00:26:09.200 --> 00:26:09.900
 great grandmother

00:26:09.900 --> 00:26:10.740
 of King David

00:26:10.740 --> 00:26:11.620
 and ultimately

00:26:11.620 --> 00:26:12.400
 of the Messiah.

00:26:13.180 --> 00:26:13.820
 And so Robert Alter

00:26:13.820 --> 00:26:14.240
 is saying that

00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:15.060
 when you read this,

00:26:15.100 --> 00:26:15.860
 at first you think,

00:26:16.140 --> 00:26:17.000
 that's disgusting.

00:26:17.120 --> 00:26:17.720
 How can that be

00:26:17.720 --> 00:26:18.259
 in the Bible?

00:26:18.420 --> 00:26:19.100
 How can God

00:26:19.100 --> 00:26:19.840
 condone that?

00:26:19.900 --> 00:26:20.220
 And he's saying,

00:26:20.300 --> 00:26:21.480
 God's not condoning it.

00:26:21.480 --> 00:26:23.180
 He's subverting it,

00:26:23.319 --> 00:26:24.579
 not supporting it.

00:26:25.120 --> 00:26:25.240
 Okay,

00:26:25.319 --> 00:26:26.279
 so consider the fact

00:26:26.279 --> 00:26:26.819
 that the Bible

00:26:26.819 --> 00:26:28.039
 might not be teaching

00:26:28.039 --> 00:26:29.339
 what we first think

00:26:29.339 --> 00:26:30.519
 it teaches.

00:26:31.000 --> 00:26:31.620
 The second thing

00:26:31.620 --> 00:26:32.019
 is this.

00:26:32.620 --> 00:26:33.880
 Consider the influence

00:26:33.880 --> 00:26:34.799
 of your own

00:26:34.799 --> 00:26:35.539
 personal,

00:26:35.839 --> 00:26:37.400
 cultural bias.

00:26:39.420 --> 00:26:40.660
 Experts tell us

00:26:40.660 --> 00:26:42.500
 that almost none of us

00:26:42.500 --> 00:26:43.980
 can read something

00:26:43.980 --> 00:26:45.019
 like the Bible

00:26:45.019 --> 00:26:46.160
 or other ancient scriptures

00:26:46.160 --> 00:26:47.759
 without our own

00:26:47.759 --> 00:26:48.640
 cultural bias

00:26:48.640 --> 00:26:50.220
 influencing the way

00:26:50.220 --> 00:26:51.039
 that we read it.

00:26:51.440 --> 00:26:52.460
 We all come to it

00:26:52.460 --> 00:26:53.339
 from a worldview,

00:26:53.539 --> 00:26:55.299
 a lens that influences

00:26:55.299 --> 00:26:56.360
 the way that we see it

00:26:56.360 --> 00:26:57.059
 and what we think

00:26:57.059 --> 00:26:58.920
 is right and wrong.

00:26:59.620 --> 00:27:00.140
 Which means

00:27:00.140 --> 00:27:00.759
 we all have

00:27:00.759 --> 00:27:01.880
 unexamined assumptions

00:27:01.880 --> 00:27:03.640
 that our cultural norms

00:27:03.640 --> 00:27:04.360
 are correct

00:27:04.360 --> 00:27:05.620
 and everyone else's

00:27:05.620 --> 00:27:07.279
 are less than correct.

00:27:07.519 --> 00:27:07.640
 Right?

00:27:08.380 --> 00:27:09.079
 And yet,

00:27:09.259 --> 00:27:10.059
 there are parts

00:27:10.059 --> 00:27:10.559
 of the world

00:27:10.559 --> 00:27:11.740
 where other cultures

00:27:11.740 --> 00:27:13.620
 find our cultural norms

00:27:13.620 --> 00:27:16.279
 just very troubling.

00:27:16.799 --> 00:27:17.660
 Let me put it lightly.

00:27:18.079 --> 00:27:18.259
 Okay?

00:27:18.539 --> 00:27:19.339
 Does that make sense?

00:27:19.339 --> 00:27:20.199
 So we all have

00:27:20.199 --> 00:27:20.819
 our cultural norms.

00:27:20.919 --> 00:27:21.199
 We think,

00:27:21.319 --> 00:27:22.119
 this is just normal.

00:27:22.240 --> 00:27:22.679
 This is the way

00:27:22.679 --> 00:27:23.599
 the whole world operates.

00:27:23.720 --> 00:27:24.779
 Everybody thinks like me.

00:27:25.139 --> 00:27:26.059
 Until you go to another

00:27:26.059 --> 00:27:26.619
 part of the world

00:27:26.619 --> 00:27:27.319
 and you realize,

00:27:27.539 --> 00:27:28.059
 oh, wait,

00:27:28.179 --> 00:27:29.480
 not everybody thinks like me.

00:27:29.720 --> 00:27:29.859
 Okay?

00:27:29.879 --> 00:27:31.220
 We're a very international church.

00:27:31.459 --> 00:27:32.099
 I'm sure we've all

00:27:32.099 --> 00:27:32.740
 experienced that.

00:27:33.139 --> 00:27:34.119
 In my own story,

00:27:34.519 --> 00:27:36.159
 I don't think I understood

00:27:36.159 --> 00:27:37.799
 what the Bible really meant

00:27:37.799 --> 00:27:39.139
 about honoring your family

00:27:39.139 --> 00:27:40.319
 or about the beauty

00:27:40.319 --> 00:27:40.959
 of community

00:27:40.959 --> 00:27:42.220
 until I moved to Hong Kong.

00:27:42.919 --> 00:27:44.319
 Because Western culture

00:27:44.319 --> 00:27:45.919
 is just far more individualistic.

00:27:46.159 --> 00:27:47.220
 We don't honor our family,

00:27:47.220 --> 00:27:48.339
 we don't honor our parents,

00:27:48.420 --> 00:27:48.960
 and we're not as

00:27:48.960 --> 00:27:49.920
 community-orientated

00:27:49.920 --> 00:27:51.700
 as we are here in Asia.

00:27:51.900 --> 00:27:52.140
 Right?

00:27:52.680 --> 00:27:54.079
 And I consider myself an Asian.

00:27:56.880 --> 00:27:58.640
 So those Westerners

00:27:58.640 --> 00:27:59.380
 are very different

00:27:59.380 --> 00:28:00.240
 from us Asians.

00:28:00.400 --> 00:28:00.620
 Right?

00:28:02.380 --> 00:28:03.339
 I'm kind of saying

00:28:03.339 --> 00:28:04.019
 the tongue-in-cheek.

00:28:05.559 --> 00:28:06.299
 One of the things

00:28:06.299 --> 00:28:06.799
 that's interesting

00:28:06.799 --> 00:28:09.660
 is Christianity

00:28:09.660 --> 00:28:11.880
 in the last 500 years,

00:28:12.000 --> 00:28:12.860
 and maybe you could argue

00:28:12.860 --> 00:28:13.660
 even earlier than that,

00:28:13.660 --> 00:28:15.240
 has largely been influenced

00:28:15.240 --> 00:28:17.000
 by white Caucasian

00:28:17.000 --> 00:28:18.300
 Western theology.

00:28:18.560 --> 00:28:18.779
 Right?

00:28:19.279 --> 00:28:20.240
 But that's changing.

00:28:20.779 --> 00:28:22.640
 In the last 50 years or so,

00:28:23.080 --> 00:28:24.600
 the majority of Christianity

00:28:24.600 --> 00:28:25.220
 is shifting

00:28:25.220 --> 00:28:26.519
 from white Caucasian

00:28:26.519 --> 00:28:27.900
 Western theology

00:28:27.900 --> 00:28:30.080
 to Africa and Asia

00:28:30.080 --> 00:28:30.640
 are going to be

00:28:30.640 --> 00:28:32.840
 the biggest Christian continents

00:28:32.840 --> 00:28:33.540
 in years to come.

00:28:33.660 --> 00:28:34.560
 Which is good news

00:28:34.560 --> 00:28:35.240
 for us, right?

00:28:35.779 --> 00:28:36.600
 Africa and Asia

00:28:36.600 --> 00:28:37.060
 are going to be

00:28:37.060 --> 00:28:38.360
 the most Christian continents

00:28:38.360 --> 00:28:40.060
 in the next

00:28:40.060 --> 00:28:42.040
 150, 200 years.

00:28:42.039 --> 00:28:43.319
 Now one of the amazing

00:28:43.319 --> 00:28:44.200
 things about the Bible

00:28:44.200 --> 00:28:45.460
 is that it has the ability

00:28:45.460 --> 00:28:46.639
 to both confront

00:28:46.639 --> 00:28:47.619
 and challenge

00:28:47.619 --> 00:28:48.920
 as well as affirm

00:28:48.920 --> 00:28:50.059
 and encourage

00:28:50.059 --> 00:28:51.839
 every culture.

00:28:52.279 --> 00:28:53.379
 No matter what your culture is,

00:28:53.420 --> 00:28:53.879
 there's going to be

00:28:53.879 --> 00:28:54.819
 parts of your culture

00:28:54.819 --> 00:28:55.940
 that the Bible affirms

00:28:55.940 --> 00:28:56.720
 and says that's good,

00:28:57.099 --> 00:28:57.759
 and there's going to be

00:28:57.759 --> 00:28:58.579
 parts of your culture

00:28:58.579 --> 00:28:59.720
 that the Bible challenges.

00:29:00.220 --> 00:29:01.440
 Because all of our cultures

00:29:01.440 --> 00:29:02.359
 have part of it

00:29:02.359 --> 00:29:03.399
 that align up

00:29:03.399 --> 00:29:04.460
 with God's heart

00:29:04.460 --> 00:29:05.220
 and part of it

00:29:05.220 --> 00:29:06.399
 that are distinct

00:29:06.399 --> 00:29:07.119
 from God's heart.

00:29:08.680 --> 00:29:10.299
 And so the question is

00:29:10.299 --> 00:29:11.059
 if you're going to take

00:29:11.059 --> 00:29:12.079
 the Bible seriously,

00:29:12.879 --> 00:29:13.899
 if you're going to

00:29:13.899 --> 00:29:14.679
 take it to heart,

00:29:14.759 --> 00:29:16.039
 no matter what culture

00:29:16.039 --> 00:29:17.039
 or country you come from,

00:29:17.139 --> 00:29:17.720
 there's going to be

00:29:17.720 --> 00:29:18.559
 parts of the Bible

00:29:18.559 --> 00:29:18.980
 that you think

00:29:18.980 --> 00:29:20.079
 that doesn't make sense to me.

00:29:20.480 --> 00:29:21.759
 Why would God allow that?

00:29:21.839 --> 00:29:22.339
 And there's going to be

00:29:22.339 --> 00:29:23.339
 other parts that you think

00:29:23.339 --> 00:29:23.919
 yeah, that makes

00:29:23.919 --> 00:29:24.899
 complete sense to me.

00:29:25.480 --> 00:29:26.039
 Tim Keller gives

00:29:26.039 --> 00:29:27.159
 a great example.

00:29:27.899 --> 00:29:28.539
 He says,

00:29:28.679 --> 00:29:31.379
 most Western countries

00:29:31.379 --> 00:29:32.679
 think that the Bible's

00:29:32.679 --> 00:29:34.799
 teaching on sexual ethic

00:29:34.799 --> 00:29:36.139
 is just repressive,

00:29:36.339 --> 00:29:37.099
 it's archaic,

00:29:37.179 --> 00:29:38.079
 it's out of date,

00:29:38.119 --> 00:29:39.319
 and it should just be dismissed.

00:29:39.319 --> 00:29:41.379
 And yet most Western Christians

00:29:41.379 --> 00:29:42.519
 love the Bible's teaching

00:29:42.519 --> 00:29:43.200
 on forgiveness

00:29:43.200 --> 00:29:44.379
 and mercy

00:29:44.379 --> 00:29:45.619
 and turning the other cheek,

00:29:45.740 --> 00:29:46.019
 right?

00:29:46.659 --> 00:29:48.259
 But if you go to the Middle East,

00:29:48.700 --> 00:29:49.960
 those two things swap around.

00:29:50.539 --> 00:29:51.700
 Many people in the Middle East

00:29:51.700 --> 00:29:52.240
 will think actually

00:29:52.240 --> 00:29:52.980
 the Bible's teaching

00:29:52.980 --> 00:29:53.819
 on sexual ethics

00:29:53.819 --> 00:29:54.679
 is pretty good,

00:29:54.779 --> 00:29:55.879
 if not a little liberal,

00:29:56.240 --> 00:29:57.359
 maybe you could tighten it up

00:29:57.359 --> 00:29:57.799
 a little bit.

00:29:58.259 --> 00:29:59.319
 And yet the Bible's teaching

00:29:59.319 --> 00:29:59.919
 on forgiveness

00:29:59.919 --> 00:30:00.679
 and mercy

00:30:00.679 --> 00:30:01.799
 is just considered

00:30:01.799 --> 00:30:02.559
 as weak

00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:04.539
 and just offensive.

00:30:04.919 --> 00:30:06.359
 Why would you do that?

00:30:06.439 --> 00:30:07.240
 That's just less people

00:30:07.240 --> 00:30:08.279
 getting away with things

00:30:08.279 --> 00:30:09.380
 unnecessarily.

00:30:10.160 --> 00:30:10.460
 You see,

00:30:10.539 --> 00:30:11.380
 there's parts of all

00:30:11.380 --> 00:30:11.940
 of our culture

00:30:11.940 --> 00:30:12.880
 that we like,

00:30:13.160 --> 00:30:13.819
 or parts of all

00:30:13.819 --> 00:30:14.240
 of our culture

00:30:14.240 --> 00:30:14.839
 that affirms

00:30:14.839 --> 00:30:15.519
 what the Bible says,

00:30:15.740 --> 00:30:16.759
 but the Bible also

00:30:16.759 --> 00:30:18.599
 challenge every part of us.

00:30:19.660 --> 00:30:20.620
 And what that means

00:30:20.620 --> 00:30:21.420
 is that if you're going

00:30:21.420 --> 00:30:22.460
 to make sense of the Bible,

00:30:22.579 --> 00:30:23.960
 if you really understand

00:30:23.960 --> 00:30:24.819
 it for what it's saying,

00:30:25.240 --> 00:30:26.279
 you can't read it

00:30:26.279 --> 00:30:27.220
 imperialistically.

00:30:27.859 --> 00:30:28.839
 You can't read it

00:30:28.839 --> 00:30:29.500
 from the worldview

00:30:29.500 --> 00:30:30.000
 that says,

00:30:30.240 --> 00:30:31.180
 my culture is right

00:30:31.180 --> 00:30:32.400
 and everything that disagrees

00:30:32.400 --> 00:30:33.079
 with my culture

00:30:33.079 --> 00:30:33.819
 must be wrong.

00:30:34.359 --> 00:30:35.200
 You've got to come

00:30:35.200 --> 00:30:35.819
 up the Bible and say,

00:30:35.920 --> 00:30:36.100
 God,

00:30:36.200 --> 00:30:37.080
 where are you affirming

00:30:37.080 --> 00:30:37.580
 my culture,

00:30:37.680 --> 00:30:38.220
 but where are you

00:30:38.220 --> 00:30:38.900
 challenging it?

00:30:39.200 --> 00:30:39.920
 Where am I right

00:30:39.920 --> 00:30:40.600
 and where am I wrong?

00:30:41.039 --> 00:30:42.000
 And here's the other thing.

00:30:42.559 --> 00:30:43.960
 If you serve a God

00:30:43.960 --> 00:30:45.559
 that never challenges you,

00:30:45.720 --> 00:30:46.960
 never confronts you,

00:30:47.380 --> 00:30:49.640
 never challenges your culture,

00:30:50.299 --> 00:30:52.340
 chances are you're worshipping

00:30:52.340 --> 00:30:53.160
 a made-up God

00:30:53.160 --> 00:30:53.980
 of our imagination,

00:30:54.759 --> 00:30:55.740
 a God who we've made

00:30:55.740 --> 00:30:56.519
 in our own image.

00:30:56.640 --> 00:30:57.519
 But here's the problem.

00:30:58.240 --> 00:30:59.840
 That God will never save you.

00:31:00.380 --> 00:31:02.299
 That God will never deliver you.

00:31:02.740 --> 00:31:04.440
 That God will never comfort you

00:31:04.440 --> 00:31:06.220
 in the midst of the storms of life.

00:31:06.640 --> 00:31:07.759
 That God will never be

00:31:07.759 --> 00:31:08.920
 an anchor for your soul

00:31:08.920 --> 00:31:10.200
 when your fear arises

00:31:10.200 --> 00:31:11.480
 and when the storms come.

00:31:11.980 --> 00:31:13.120
 A God that is made

00:31:13.120 --> 00:31:13.740
 in our image

00:31:13.740 --> 00:31:14.720
 will never be there

00:31:14.720 --> 00:31:15.279
 to minister

00:31:15.279 --> 00:31:16.920
 and to comfort us.

00:31:18.440 --> 00:31:19.200
 You must consider

00:31:19.200 --> 00:31:20.019
 the Bible culturally.

00:31:20.519 --> 00:31:20.660
 Okay,

00:31:21.019 --> 00:31:22.120
 thirdly and finally,

00:31:22.500 --> 00:31:22.860
 how are we doing?

00:31:22.900 --> 00:31:23.400
 Are we all right?

00:31:24.360 --> 00:31:24.799
 Okay,

00:31:24.960 --> 00:31:25.460
 thank you,

00:31:25.840 --> 00:31:26.100
 Emily.

00:31:27.000 --> 00:31:28.080
 Let's consider the Bible

00:31:28.080 --> 00:31:28.700
 personally.

00:31:29.180 --> 00:31:29.559
 Personally.

00:31:30.279 --> 00:31:31.620
 At the end of Luke's gospel,

00:31:31.759 --> 00:31:32.480
 very famously,

00:31:32.480 --> 00:31:34.160
 Jesus dies,

00:31:34.259 --> 00:31:35.319
 he rises from the dead

00:31:35.319 --> 00:31:36.019
 and he's walking

00:31:36.019 --> 00:31:36.759
 along this road

00:31:36.759 --> 00:31:38.360
 between Jerusalem

00:31:38.360 --> 00:31:39.720
 and the town called Emmaus

00:31:39.720 --> 00:31:40.940
 and he comes across

00:31:40.940 --> 00:31:41.579
 two disciples

00:31:41.579 --> 00:31:42.319
 and the disciples

00:31:42.319 --> 00:31:43.400
 don't recognize him.

00:31:43.480 --> 00:31:44.220
 They're not one of the

00:31:44.220 --> 00:31:45.099
 twelve originally,

00:31:45.259 --> 00:31:46.299
 they're a bigger

00:31:46.299 --> 00:31:47.420
 group of disciples.

00:31:47.960 --> 00:31:48.980
 One's called Cleopas,

00:31:49.039 --> 00:31:49.900
 we don't know the other name

00:31:49.900 --> 00:31:51.400
 and Jesus comes up

00:31:51.400 --> 00:31:51.680
 and says,

00:31:51.759 --> 00:31:51.860
 hey,

00:31:51.900 --> 00:31:52.779
 what are you talking about?

00:31:52.960 --> 00:31:53.700
 And they say,

00:31:53.960 --> 00:31:55.900
 Jesus of Nazareth,

00:31:56.460 --> 00:31:57.880
 the man that we had hoped

00:31:57.880 --> 00:31:59.019
 would save Israel,

00:31:59.360 --> 00:32:00.440
 but he died on the cross.

00:32:01.120 --> 00:32:02.420
 And Jesus kind of plays dumb

00:32:02.420 --> 00:32:03.380
 and he asks them a few more

00:32:03.380 --> 00:32:04.120
 questions and they say,

00:32:04.259 --> 00:32:04.860
 who are you?

00:32:04.880 --> 00:32:05.460
 Where have you been?

00:32:05.539 --> 00:32:07.160
 Don't you know who Jesus was?

00:32:07.759 --> 00:32:09.420
 And they're so disappointed,

00:32:09.519 --> 00:32:09.700
 they say,

00:32:09.759 --> 00:32:11.100
 we really hoped that he would

00:32:11.100 --> 00:32:11.920
 deliver Israel,

00:32:12.539 --> 00:32:13.340
 but he died.

00:32:14.299 --> 00:32:15.620
 And Jesus says to them,

00:32:16.279 --> 00:32:17.360
 O slow of heart,

00:32:17.980 --> 00:32:19.259
 do you not see that

00:32:19.259 --> 00:32:21.019
 the Christ had to suffer

00:32:21.019 --> 00:32:22.259
 and die for the sins

00:32:22.259 --> 00:32:22.720
 of the world?

00:32:23.380 --> 00:32:24.480
 And then Luke says

00:32:24.480 --> 00:32:25.160
 that Jesus,

00:32:25.420 --> 00:32:26.460
 starting with Moses

00:32:26.460 --> 00:32:27.920
 and all the prophets

00:32:27.920 --> 00:32:29.440
 explained to them

00:32:29.440 --> 00:32:30.440
 all the scriptures

00:32:30.440 --> 00:32:32.319
 concerning himself.

00:32:33.819 --> 00:32:34.120
 In other words,

00:32:34.180 --> 00:32:34.900
 Jesus goes through

00:32:34.900 --> 00:32:35.880
 the whole Old Testament

00:32:35.880 --> 00:32:37.740
 and he shows them

00:32:37.740 --> 00:32:38.539
 how the Old Testament

00:32:38.539 --> 00:32:39.700
 points to the Christ,

00:32:39.940 --> 00:32:40.279
 Moses.

00:32:40.400 --> 00:32:40.900
 Don't you see how

00:32:40.900 --> 00:32:41.519
 Moses is writing,

00:32:41.620 --> 00:32:42.460
 but he's actually telling you

00:32:42.460 --> 00:32:43.039
 about the Christ.

00:32:43.500 --> 00:32:44.340
 Isaiah is writing,

00:32:44.460 --> 00:32:45.160
 but he's actually telling you

00:32:45.160 --> 00:32:45.620
 about the Christ.

00:32:45.779 --> 00:32:46.480
 Jeremiah is writing,

00:32:46.579 --> 00:32:47.319
 but he's actually telling you

00:32:47.319 --> 00:32:47.740
 about the Christ.

00:32:47.819 --> 00:32:48.079
 David.

00:32:48.480 --> 00:32:48.940
 And he goes through

00:32:48.940 --> 00:32:49.920
 the whole Old Testament

00:32:49.920 --> 00:32:51.200
 and shows them

00:32:51.200 --> 00:32:52.740
 that actually the whole Bible

00:32:52.740 --> 00:32:54.960
 is all about the Christ,

00:32:54.960 --> 00:32:56.120
 the one that had to come

00:32:56.120 --> 00:32:57.319
 and die on the cross.

00:32:58.200 --> 00:32:59.200
 They go to the village,

00:32:59.279 --> 00:32:59.880
 they have a meal,

00:32:59.960 --> 00:33:00.640
 and at the end of the meal,

00:33:00.759 --> 00:33:01.539
 Jesus leaves them.

00:33:01.759 --> 00:33:03.079
 And as Jesus leaves them,

00:33:03.200 --> 00:33:04.420
 suddenly they realize

00:33:04.420 --> 00:33:05.220
 who it is that they've

00:33:05.220 --> 00:33:05.980
 been speaking to.

00:33:06.340 --> 00:33:07.559
 And they turn to one another

00:33:07.559 --> 00:33:08.460
 and they say this,

00:33:09.039 --> 00:33:10.200
 Did not our hearts

00:33:10.200 --> 00:33:11.980
 burn within us

00:33:11.980 --> 00:33:13.799
 when he opened up to us

00:33:13.799 --> 00:33:14.779
 the scriptures?

00:33:15.680 --> 00:33:16.819
 Did not our hearts

00:33:16.819 --> 00:33:18.480
 burn within us?

00:33:19.559 --> 00:33:22.019
 And Greek scholars

00:33:22.019 --> 00:33:22.600
 will tell us

00:33:22.600 --> 00:33:24.500
 that what that word

00:33:24.500 --> 00:33:25.319
 burns within us,

00:33:25.380 --> 00:33:25.980
 what it means

00:33:25.980 --> 00:33:28.339
 is an uncontrollable longing

00:33:28.339 --> 00:33:30.019
 to speak to God

00:33:30.019 --> 00:33:30.759
 or to pray.

00:33:31.519 --> 00:33:31.940
 In other words,

00:33:31.980 --> 00:33:32.259
 they're saying,

00:33:32.579 --> 00:33:33.819
 when Jesus opened up

00:33:33.819 --> 00:33:34.400
 the scriptures,

00:33:35.000 --> 00:33:36.180
 didn't you also feel

00:33:36.180 --> 00:33:37.359
 your heart come alive

00:33:37.359 --> 00:33:38.019
 in this desire

00:33:38.019 --> 00:33:39.880
 to know God

00:33:39.880 --> 00:33:41.119
 and to encounter him

00:33:41.119 --> 00:33:42.039
 personally?

00:33:42.880 --> 00:33:44.960
 And what Luke

00:33:44.960 --> 00:33:45.839
 is telling us here

00:33:45.839 --> 00:33:47.400
 is that Jesus

00:33:47.400 --> 00:33:48.279
 was showing them

00:33:48.279 --> 00:33:48.759
 the scriptures,

00:33:48.980 --> 00:33:49.759
 but he wasn't just

00:33:49.759 --> 00:33:50.220
 showing them

00:33:50.220 --> 00:33:50.819
 that they are

00:33:50.819 --> 00:33:52.079
 intellectually stimulating.

00:33:52.440 --> 00:33:53.220
 He wasn't just

00:33:53.220 --> 00:33:53.720
 showing them

00:33:53.720 --> 00:33:54.279
 that they are

00:33:54.279 --> 00:33:55.420
 spiritually enlightening

00:33:55.420 --> 00:33:55.940
 and rewarding.

00:33:56.539 --> 00:33:57.339
 He was showing them

00:33:57.339 --> 00:33:57.799
 that they are

00:33:57.799 --> 00:33:59.600
 personally inviting.

00:34:00.579 --> 00:34:01.539
 That when you read

00:34:01.539 --> 00:34:02.059
 the scriptures,

00:34:02.440 --> 00:34:03.200
 it's not just,

00:34:03.460 --> 00:34:03.660
 okay,

00:34:03.740 --> 00:34:04.319
 that's interesting.

00:34:04.740 --> 00:34:05.779
 It's an invitation

00:34:05.779 --> 00:34:07.339
 by the living God

00:34:07.339 --> 00:34:09.119
 to know him

00:34:09.119 --> 00:34:10.760
 and to encounter him

00:34:10.760 --> 00:34:12.179
 and to encounter

00:34:12.179 --> 00:34:14.079
 his incredible love.

00:34:14.780 --> 00:34:15.000
 Now,

00:34:15.039 --> 00:34:15.679
 what does that mean?

00:34:16.940 --> 00:34:17.579
 Edwin Clowney,

00:34:17.659 --> 00:34:18.619
 Professor Edwin Clowney,

00:34:18.760 --> 00:34:19.280
 writes this,

00:34:19.340 --> 00:34:19.659
 and he says,

00:34:19.659 --> 00:34:20.460
 there's two ways

00:34:20.460 --> 00:34:21.079
 that you can read

00:34:21.079 --> 00:34:21.460
 the Bible.

00:34:21.980 --> 00:34:22.960
 You can either read it

00:34:22.960 --> 00:34:24.219
 as if it's all about you

00:34:24.219 --> 00:34:25.480
 or you can read it

00:34:25.480 --> 00:34:26.759
 as if it's all about Christ.

00:34:27.279 --> 00:34:28.379
 So when we read the Bible

00:34:28.379 --> 00:34:29.659
 as if it's all about us,

00:34:30.339 --> 00:34:31.679
 we read it as if

00:34:31.679 --> 00:34:32.819
 it's telling us

00:34:32.819 --> 00:34:33.679
 what does God

00:34:33.679 --> 00:34:34.359
 want me to do?

00:34:34.440 --> 00:34:34.879
 How does God

00:34:34.879 --> 00:34:35.799
 want me to behave?

00:34:36.059 --> 00:34:37.199
 What do I need to do

00:34:37.199 --> 00:34:38.420
 in order to save myself

00:34:38.420 --> 00:34:39.239
 and get the blessings

00:34:39.239 --> 00:34:39.759
 of God?

00:34:40.739 --> 00:34:41.139
 Or,

00:34:41.559 --> 00:34:42.539
 you can read the Bible

00:34:42.539 --> 00:34:43.739
 Christocentrically,

00:34:43.819 --> 00:34:44.699
 which means it's all

00:34:44.699 --> 00:34:45.339
 about Christ.

00:34:45.440 --> 00:34:46.399
 And when we do that,

00:34:46.760 --> 00:34:48.460
 we see that Christ

00:34:48.460 --> 00:34:49.200
 is at the center.

00:34:49.619 --> 00:34:50.700
 It's all about him

00:34:50.700 --> 00:34:51.500
 and what he's done

00:34:51.500 --> 00:34:52.500
 to rescue us,

00:34:52.579 --> 00:34:53.240
 to save us,

00:34:53.260 --> 00:34:53.840
 and to bring us

00:34:53.840 --> 00:34:54.500
 into relationship

00:34:54.500 --> 00:34:55.660
 with God.

00:34:56.119 --> 00:34:56.940
 Either you read it

00:34:56.940 --> 00:34:57.880
 where you're at the center

00:34:57.880 --> 00:34:59.139
 and it's a self-help guide

00:34:59.139 --> 00:34:59.940
 to save yourself,

00:35:00.139 --> 00:35:01.160
 or where Christ

00:35:01.160 --> 00:35:01.860
 is at the center

00:35:01.860 --> 00:35:03.039
 and it's the story

00:35:03.039 --> 00:35:03.820
 of what God has done

00:35:03.820 --> 00:35:04.680
 to bring us

00:35:04.680 --> 00:35:05.900
 into relationship

00:35:05.900 --> 00:35:06.920
 with him

00:35:06.920 --> 00:35:08.200
 by Jesus dying

00:35:08.200 --> 00:35:08.660
 on the cross

00:35:08.660 --> 00:35:09.680
 that we can know him

00:35:09.680 --> 00:35:11.059
 and love him.

00:35:11.500 --> 00:35:11.780
 In fact,

00:35:11.840 --> 00:35:12.680
 look at verse 21.

00:35:13.519 --> 00:35:14.539
 The disciples say this.

00:35:14.619 --> 00:35:14.880
 He says,

00:35:14.880 --> 00:35:16.260
 we had hoped

00:35:16.260 --> 00:35:17.220
 that Jesus

00:35:17.220 --> 00:35:18.320
 would rescue Israel,

00:35:18.760 --> 00:35:19.559
 but he died

00:35:19.559 --> 00:35:20.160
 on the cross.

00:35:21.119 --> 00:35:21.960
 You see what they're doing there?

00:35:22.079 --> 00:35:22.860
 They're doing the exact thing

00:35:22.860 --> 00:35:23.900
 we spoke about in point two.

00:35:24.260 --> 00:35:24.940
 They're reading it

00:35:24.940 --> 00:35:25.539
 from their own

00:35:25.539 --> 00:35:26.420
 cultural perspective.

00:35:26.539 --> 00:35:27.500
 They've read the Bible,

00:35:27.700 --> 00:35:29.099
 but they haven't understood it.

00:35:29.920 --> 00:35:30.760
 And Jesus comes

00:35:30.760 --> 00:35:31.460
 and shows them,

00:35:32.240 --> 00:35:33.320
 you know what it says,

00:35:33.400 --> 00:35:33.880
 but you don't know

00:35:33.880 --> 00:35:34.480
 what it's saying.

00:35:34.980 --> 00:35:35.820
 And what it's saying

00:35:35.820 --> 00:35:37.320
 is that I am the Messiah

00:35:37.320 --> 00:35:38.619
 and I've come to die

00:35:38.619 --> 00:35:39.160
 on the cross

00:35:39.160 --> 00:35:40.140
 to rescue you,

00:35:40.220 --> 00:35:41.000
 to save you.

00:35:41.900 --> 00:35:42.300
 Friends,

00:35:42.360 --> 00:35:43.320
 when we read the Bible

00:35:43.320 --> 00:35:44.460
 Christocentrically,

00:35:44.600 --> 00:35:45.140
 we discover

00:35:45.140 --> 00:35:45.880
 that the Scriptures

00:35:45.880 --> 00:35:47.340
 are not only reliable,

00:35:47.960 --> 00:35:49.200
 not only relevant,

00:35:49.840 --> 00:35:51.420
 but they are personally inviting.

00:35:52.600 --> 00:35:53.620
 Jesus says to us here,

00:35:53.980 --> 00:35:54.559
 don't you see

00:35:54.559 --> 00:35:55.400
 all the Scriptures

00:35:55.400 --> 00:35:56.140
 from Moses

00:35:56.140 --> 00:35:56.960
 all the way

00:35:56.960 --> 00:35:57.820
 through the Old Testament

00:35:57.820 --> 00:35:59.360
 is all about the Christ.

00:35:59.480 --> 00:35:59.880
 In other words,

00:35:59.920 --> 00:36:00.340
 what he's saying,

00:36:00.720 --> 00:36:01.559
 the whole Bible

00:36:01.559 --> 00:36:03.100
 from beginning to end

00:36:03.100 --> 00:36:05.320
 is God's great plan

00:36:05.320 --> 00:36:06.480
 to bring those

00:36:06.480 --> 00:36:07.620
 that are far from God

00:36:07.620 --> 00:36:08.440
 and don't know him

00:36:08.440 --> 00:36:09.960
 back into relationship,

00:36:10.100 --> 00:36:11.200
 to be included in the family,

00:36:11.320 --> 00:36:11.980
 to know him

00:36:11.980 --> 00:36:12.960
 and experience him

00:36:12.960 --> 00:36:14.300
 and to encounter him.

00:36:15.079 --> 00:36:15.740
 Chris earlier

00:36:15.740 --> 00:36:16.880
 in the call to worship

00:36:16.880 --> 00:36:17.800
 spoke about how

00:36:17.800 --> 00:36:18.860
 God's Word

00:36:18.860 --> 00:36:19.639
 is encouraging.

00:36:20.519 --> 00:36:20.639
 Well,

00:36:20.659 --> 00:36:21.099
 that's because

00:36:21.099 --> 00:36:22.139
 Jesus is encouraging.

00:36:22.699 --> 00:36:23.360
 God's Word

00:36:23.360 --> 00:36:24.099
 is hopeful.

00:36:24.320 --> 00:36:24.400
 Well,

00:36:24.400 --> 00:36:24.800
 that's because

00:36:24.800 --> 00:36:25.940
 Jesus is hopeful.

00:36:26.539 --> 00:36:27.119
 God's Word

00:36:27.119 --> 00:36:28.019
 is enlightening.

00:36:28.139 --> 00:36:28.659
 That's because

00:36:28.659 --> 00:36:29.820
 Jesus is enlightening

00:36:29.820 --> 00:36:30.840
 because the whole Scriptures

00:36:30.840 --> 00:36:31.900
 are all about

00:36:31.900 --> 00:36:32.940
 Jesus.

00:36:34.360 --> 00:36:35.579
 If we read the Bible,

00:36:35.719 --> 00:36:36.780
 if it's all about us,

00:36:37.199 --> 00:36:37.920
 what we'll do

00:36:37.920 --> 00:36:38.760
 is we'll reduce

00:36:38.760 --> 00:36:39.300
 the Scriptures

00:36:39.300 --> 00:36:40.539
 to a rule book,

00:36:41.080 --> 00:36:41.840
 a manual,

00:36:42.580 --> 00:36:44.080
 a documentation

00:36:44.080 --> 00:36:45.500
 to tell us how to live.

00:36:46.440 --> 00:36:46.860
 Friends,

00:36:46.900 --> 00:36:47.380
 the problem

00:36:47.380 --> 00:36:48.380
 with a rule book,

00:36:48.460 --> 00:36:49.240
 with a manual,

00:36:49.760 --> 00:36:50.820
 with the documentation

00:36:50.820 --> 00:36:51.519
 how to live

00:36:51.519 --> 00:36:52.620
 is that,

00:36:52.700 --> 00:36:53.280
 as we all know,

00:36:53.340 --> 00:36:53.840
 a rule book

00:36:53.840 --> 00:36:54.860
 doesn't warm the heart.

00:36:55.780 --> 00:36:56.260
 A rule book

00:36:56.260 --> 00:36:56.980
 is never going to

00:36:56.980 --> 00:36:58.019
 elicit worship

00:36:58.019 --> 00:36:58.700
 and adoration.

00:36:59.400 --> 00:37:00.000
 A manual

00:37:00.000 --> 00:37:00.620
 about how to

00:37:00.620 --> 00:37:01.700
 make your own way

00:37:01.700 --> 00:37:02.140
 to heaven

00:37:02.140 --> 00:37:03.260
 is never going to be there

00:37:03.260 --> 00:37:04.000
 to rescue you,

00:37:04.060 --> 00:37:04.780
 to comfort you,

00:37:04.900 --> 00:37:05.820
 to save you,

00:37:05.860 --> 00:37:06.700
 or deliver you.

00:37:06.699 --> 00:37:09.679
 Throughout the New Testament,

00:37:09.759 --> 00:37:10.739
 we're coming to land now.

00:37:11.019 --> 00:37:11.859
 Throughout the New Testament,

00:37:12.199 --> 00:37:12.899
 consider this.

00:37:13.639 --> 00:37:14.519
 Who does Jesus

00:37:14.519 --> 00:37:15.739
 reserve His strongest

00:37:15.739 --> 00:37:16.480
 criticism

00:37:16.480 --> 00:37:17.559
 and most stinging

00:37:17.559 --> 00:37:18.279
 rebukes for?

00:37:19.339 --> 00:37:20.480
 It's not for sinners

00:37:20.480 --> 00:37:21.799
 and it's not for those

00:37:21.799 --> 00:37:22.359
 that have failed.

00:37:23.599 --> 00:37:24.339
 Jesus always

00:37:24.339 --> 00:37:26.059
 reserves His strongest

00:37:26.059 --> 00:37:27.059
 rebuke and criticism

00:37:27.059 --> 00:37:28.579
 for the religious leaders,

00:37:29.139 --> 00:37:30.039
 those who have spent

00:37:30.039 --> 00:37:30.619
 their lives

00:37:30.619 --> 00:37:32.159
 poring over the Scriptures,

00:37:32.480 --> 00:37:33.219
 studying it,

00:37:33.619 --> 00:37:34.779
 trying to understand it.

00:37:34.780 --> 00:37:36.900
 Why does Jesus do it?

00:37:37.440 --> 00:37:38.580
 Because though they know

00:37:38.580 --> 00:37:39.420
 what the Bible says

00:37:39.420 --> 00:37:39.980
 intellectually,

00:37:40.600 --> 00:37:41.400
 they've missed

00:37:41.400 --> 00:37:42.280
 what it's all about.

00:37:43.260 --> 00:37:43.760
 And Jesus,

00:37:43.940 --> 00:37:44.540
 in John's Gospel,

00:37:44.640 --> 00:37:45.180
 in chapter 5,

00:37:45.260 --> 00:37:46.160
 He comes and He says

00:37:46.160 --> 00:37:47.100
 to religious leaders,

00:37:47.240 --> 00:37:47.940
 He says this,

00:37:48.580 --> 00:37:49.700
 You study the Scriptures

00:37:49.700 --> 00:37:50.420
 diligently

00:37:50.420 --> 00:37:51.880
 because you think

00:37:51.880 --> 00:37:52.420
 that in them

00:37:52.420 --> 00:37:53.660
 you have eternal life,

00:37:54.060 --> 00:37:55.160
 but you refuse

00:37:55.160 --> 00:37:56.840
 to come to Me.

00:37:58.180 --> 00:37:59.060
 See what He's saying?

00:38:00.600 --> 00:38:01.320
 He's saying the Bible

00:38:01.320 --> 00:38:02.060
 is not just there

00:38:02.060 --> 00:38:03.300
 for us to study intellectually.

00:38:03.300 --> 00:38:04.920
 The Bible is not just

00:38:04.920 --> 00:38:06.260
 spiritually enlightening.

00:38:07.160 --> 00:38:08.300
 The Scriptures are there

00:38:08.300 --> 00:38:09.519
 as a personal invitation

00:38:09.519 --> 00:38:11.260
 to know and encounter

00:38:11.260 --> 00:38:12.560
 the living God,

00:38:12.760 --> 00:38:13.800
 to have our lives

00:38:13.800 --> 00:38:14.780
 turned around by Him.

00:38:15.300 --> 00:38:15.680
 Friends,

00:38:15.780 --> 00:38:16.500
 don't read the Bible

00:38:16.500 --> 00:38:17.280
 as if it's a book

00:38:17.280 --> 00:38:17.840
 of instruction.

00:38:18.519 --> 00:38:19.300
 Don't read it

00:38:19.300 --> 00:38:20.600
 as if it's some magical book

00:38:20.600 --> 00:38:21.440
 to give you insight

00:38:21.440 --> 00:38:21.920
 or wisdom

00:38:21.920 --> 00:38:23.220
 to how to improve your life,

00:38:23.620 --> 00:38:24.760
 how to give you wisdom

00:38:24.760 --> 00:38:25.519
 or some advice

00:38:25.519 --> 00:38:26.980
 to secure favor with God.

00:38:27.480 --> 00:38:29.700
 Read it to encounter Jesus,

00:38:29.940 --> 00:38:30.820
 the living God,

00:38:30.940 --> 00:38:32.120
 to discover Him

00:38:32.119 --> 00:38:32.920
 for who He is,

00:38:33.239 --> 00:38:34.139
 why He came,

00:38:34.440 --> 00:38:35.519
 why He died on the cross,

00:38:35.639 --> 00:38:36.779
 but most importantly,

00:38:37.199 --> 00:38:38.179
 come to God's Word

00:38:38.179 --> 00:38:39.000
 as an invitation

00:38:39.000 --> 00:38:40.679
 to encounter Jesus.

00:38:41.460 --> 00:38:41.779
 Now,

00:38:42.179 --> 00:38:42.960
 very quickly,

00:38:43.359 --> 00:38:44.500
 what does that mean practically?

00:38:45.000 --> 00:38:46.259
 How do you actually do that?

00:38:47.000 --> 00:38:47.920
 If you're a Christian

00:38:47.920 --> 00:38:48.599
 here this morning,

00:38:49.319 --> 00:38:50.159
 I want to ask you

00:38:50.159 --> 00:38:50.779
 two questions.

00:38:51.440 --> 00:38:52.079
 Are you getting

00:38:52.079 --> 00:38:52.859
 into God's Word?

00:38:54.179 --> 00:38:55.000
 Are you getting

00:38:55.000 --> 00:38:55.739
 into God's Word?

00:38:55.859 --> 00:38:56.819
 Are you reading it?

00:38:57.620 --> 00:38:58.140
 And secondly,

00:38:58.260 --> 00:38:59.039
 are you reading it

00:38:59.039 --> 00:38:59.920
 to meet Jesus?

00:39:00.780 --> 00:39:00.960
 Now,

00:39:01.000 --> 00:39:01.160
 you say,

00:39:01.220 --> 00:39:02.059
 how do I do that?

00:39:02.580 --> 00:39:02.880
 Well,

00:39:02.920 --> 00:39:03.760
 you've got to read it

00:39:03.760 --> 00:39:04.480
 worshipfully.

00:39:05.059 --> 00:39:05.900
 You've got to read

00:39:05.900 --> 00:39:06.480
 God's Word

00:39:06.480 --> 00:39:07.380
 and as you do that,

00:39:07.460 --> 00:39:08.039
 don't just say,

00:39:08.100 --> 00:39:08.220
 oh,

00:39:08.260 --> 00:39:08.840
 that's interesting,

00:39:08.960 --> 00:39:09.760
 I didn't know that before.

00:39:10.220 --> 00:39:10.860
 You've got to ask,

00:39:10.940 --> 00:39:12.000
 how am I reading

00:39:12.000 --> 00:39:13.519
 leading me to worship God?

00:39:13.580 --> 00:39:14.340
 How's it causing me

00:39:14.340 --> 00:39:15.000
 to adore Him?

00:39:15.539 --> 00:39:16.420
 You've got to read it

00:39:16.420 --> 00:39:17.160
 confessionally.

00:39:17.220 --> 00:39:17.760
 You've got to see

00:39:17.760 --> 00:39:18.880
 that what the Word says,

00:39:19.000 --> 00:39:20.320
 how's it challenging

00:39:20.320 --> 00:39:21.059
 your own heart

00:39:21.059 --> 00:39:21.780
 and your own life?

00:39:22.200 --> 00:39:22.880
 You read something

00:39:22.880 --> 00:39:23.360
 in the Bible

00:39:23.360 --> 00:39:24.280
 about being generous

00:39:24.280 --> 00:39:25.360
 and you confess

00:39:25.360 --> 00:39:25.840
 and repent.

00:39:25.980 --> 00:39:26.080
 Say,

00:39:26.140 --> 00:39:26.420
 God,

00:39:26.900 --> 00:39:27.180
 actually,

00:39:27.260 --> 00:39:27.760
 that's not true

00:39:27.760 --> 00:39:28.240
 of my life.

00:39:28.320 --> 00:39:28.860
 Help me to be

00:39:28.860 --> 00:39:29.400
 more generous

00:39:29.400 --> 00:39:30.200
 than you.

00:39:30.519 --> 00:39:31.320
 You read something

00:39:31.320 --> 00:39:31.920
 in the Bible

00:39:31.920 --> 00:39:33.100
 about community

00:39:33.100 --> 00:39:34.260
 and you realize

00:39:34.260 --> 00:39:35.740
 I'm individualistic

00:39:35.740 --> 00:39:36.800
 and self-orientated.

00:39:37.260 --> 00:39:37.380
 Say,

00:39:37.460 --> 00:39:37.660
 God,

00:39:37.900 --> 00:39:38.620
 I confess,

00:39:38.720 --> 00:39:39.120
 I repent,

00:39:39.240 --> 00:39:39.600
 I'm sorry

00:39:39.600 --> 00:39:40.500
 for my individualism.

00:39:40.800 --> 00:39:41.220
 I want to be

00:39:41.220 --> 00:39:41.800
 more like you.

00:39:42.300 --> 00:39:42.840
 You read something

00:39:42.840 --> 00:39:43.280
 in the Bible

00:39:43.280 --> 00:39:43.740
 about God,

00:39:43.840 --> 00:39:45.680
 I don't need Jesus.

00:39:46.280 --> 00:39:46.660
 And you say,

00:39:46.740 --> 00:39:46.980
 God,

00:39:47.040 --> 00:39:47.240
 actually,

00:39:47.280 --> 00:39:47.940
 I'm so sorry.

00:39:48.320 --> 00:39:49.060
 I'm more concerned

00:39:49.060 --> 00:39:50.140
 about pleasing people,

00:39:50.220 --> 00:39:51.120
 people liking me

00:39:51.120 --> 00:39:51.740
 than telling them

00:39:51.740 --> 00:39:52.180
 the truth.

00:39:52.580 --> 00:39:53.120
 I'm so sorry,

00:39:53.220 --> 00:39:53.360
 God,

00:39:53.460 --> 00:39:54.080
 forgive me.

00:39:54.280 --> 00:39:55.040
 You've got to read

00:39:55.040 --> 00:39:55.980
 the Bible worshiply,

00:39:56.040 --> 00:39:56.640
 you've got to read

00:39:56.640 --> 00:39:57.660
 the Bible confessionly.

00:39:58.019 --> 00:39:58.460
 Thirdly,

00:39:58.500 --> 00:39:59.040
 you've got to read

00:39:59.040 --> 00:40:00.060
 the Bible joyfully.

00:40:00.560 --> 00:40:01.300
 You've got to let

00:40:01.300 --> 00:40:02.680
 the Bible lead you

00:40:02.680 --> 00:40:03.120
 to the place

00:40:03.120 --> 00:40:04.100
 of taking joy

00:40:04.100 --> 00:40:04.740
 and delight

00:40:04.740 --> 00:40:05.620
 in who God is,

00:40:05.900 --> 00:40:06.980
 finding your identity

00:40:06.980 --> 00:40:07.880
 and your security

00:40:07.880 --> 00:40:08.820
 in Him.

00:40:09.820 --> 00:40:10.440
 What happens

00:40:10.440 --> 00:40:11.200
 if you're here this morning

00:40:11.200 --> 00:40:12.019
 and you're not a Christian?

00:40:12.560 --> 00:40:13.660
 You're not a follower of Jesus?

00:40:14.600 --> 00:40:15.740
 Can you get into the Bible?

00:40:16.560 --> 00:40:17.760
 I want to encourage you

00:40:17.760 --> 00:40:18.540
 this week,

00:40:19.200 --> 00:40:20.060
 come to the Bible

00:40:20.060 --> 00:40:20.560
 and read it.

00:40:20.620 --> 00:40:21.440
 And as you do that,

00:40:21.560 --> 00:40:22.920
 pray this very simple prayer.

00:40:23.740 --> 00:40:24.220
 So Jesus,

00:40:24.340 --> 00:40:24.760
 I'm not sure

00:40:24.760 --> 00:40:25.579
 if I believe in you.

00:40:26.000 --> 00:40:26.619
 I'm not sure

00:40:26.619 --> 00:40:27.200
 if you're real.

00:40:27.840 --> 00:40:29.099
 But if you are real,

00:40:29.260 --> 00:40:30.539
 won't you reveal yourself

00:40:30.539 --> 00:40:32.000
 to me in the Scriptures?

00:40:32.559 --> 00:40:33.740
 If you are who you say

00:40:33.740 --> 00:40:34.159
 you are,

00:40:34.639 --> 00:40:35.480
 won't you show me

00:40:35.480 --> 00:40:36.220
 from your Word?

00:40:36.900 --> 00:40:37.639
 Come and chat to me

00:40:37.639 --> 00:40:37.960
 afterwards,

00:40:38.059 --> 00:40:38.820
 come and ask questions

00:40:38.820 --> 00:40:39.519
 when you're standing here.

00:40:39.579 --> 00:40:40.780
 I'd love to show you

00:40:40.780 --> 00:40:42.480
 where to start in the Bible,

00:40:42.599 --> 00:40:43.539
 how to get in this week.

00:40:43.800 --> 00:40:44.720
 But this week,

00:40:44.840 --> 00:40:45.579
 whether you're a Christian

00:40:45.579 --> 00:40:46.460
 or not a Christian,

00:40:46.920 --> 00:40:48.039
 get into God's Word

00:40:48.039 --> 00:40:49.539
 and go and meet Jesus,

00:40:49.739 --> 00:40:51.539
 encounter Him personally.

00:40:52.860 --> 00:40:53.259
 Friends,

00:40:53.880 --> 00:40:54.880
 let's not make the mistake

00:40:54.880 --> 00:40:56.139
 that so many have made.

00:40:56.599 --> 00:40:57.800
 You can trust the Bible

00:40:57.800 --> 00:40:58.400
 historically.

00:40:58.739 --> 00:41:01.059
 According to any metric you use,

00:41:01.119 --> 00:41:02.039
 it stands up,

00:41:02.340 --> 00:41:03.400
 it's credible and reliable.

00:41:04.039 --> 00:41:04.860
 Come to the Bible

00:41:04.860 --> 00:41:05.500
 and read it.

00:41:05.559 --> 00:41:06.639
 Not as you want to impose

00:41:06.639 --> 00:41:07.559
 your culture upon it,

00:41:07.579 --> 00:41:09.300
 but as God is what He's saying.

00:41:09.380 --> 00:41:10.420
 And there you'll discover

00:41:10.420 --> 00:41:12.000
 the truth of who God is.

00:41:12.639 --> 00:41:13.259
 But thirdly,

00:41:13.320 --> 00:41:14.059
 and most importantly,

00:41:14.519 --> 00:41:15.860
 come to the Bible personally.

00:41:16.460 --> 00:41:17.420
 Don't just come to learn

00:41:17.420 --> 00:41:18.800
 some academic information.

00:41:19.340 --> 00:41:20.120
 Come to meet

00:41:20.120 --> 00:41:21.280
 the person of Jesus,

00:41:21.660 --> 00:41:23.320
 the one who died on the cross,

00:41:23.660 --> 00:41:24.620
 the one whose arms

00:41:24.620 --> 00:41:25.599
 are stretched out wide,

00:41:25.680 --> 00:41:26.940
 the one who invites you,

00:41:27.019 --> 00:41:27.820
 the one who's come

00:41:27.820 --> 00:41:29.260
 to save and to rescue,

00:41:29.360 --> 00:41:29.960
 the one who's come

00:41:29.960 --> 00:41:31.140
 to bring you to His family.

00:41:31.700 --> 00:41:33.300
 Come and meet Jesus personally

00:41:33.300 --> 00:41:34.960
 in His Word this week.

00:41:35.220 --> 00:41:35.960
 Let's pray together.

00:41:40.340 --> 00:41:40.940
 Lord Jesus,

00:41:41.039 --> 00:41:41.720
 thank You so much

00:41:41.720 --> 00:41:42.420
 for Your Word.

00:41:43.420 --> 00:41:43.640
 God,

00:41:43.700 --> 00:41:44.180
 that Your Word

00:41:44.180 --> 00:41:45.620
 is living and active.

00:41:45.860 --> 00:41:47.340
 It's alive and real.

00:41:47.559 --> 00:41:48.180
 It's not just

00:41:48.180 --> 00:41:49.240
 a historical book,

00:41:49.400 --> 00:41:50.900
 though it is historically reliable.

00:41:51.280 --> 00:41:52.039
 It's not just

00:41:52.039 --> 00:41:53.059
 an interesting book,

00:41:53.240 --> 00:41:54.059
 though culturally

00:41:54.059 --> 00:41:55.660
 it is full of interesting things.

00:41:56.300 --> 00:41:56.700
 God,

00:41:56.740 --> 00:41:57.900
 Your Word is alive and real.

00:41:58.519 --> 00:41:58.720
 God,

00:41:58.780 --> 00:41:59.880
 I pray for us as a church

00:41:59.880 --> 00:42:00.680
 that we'll be a church

00:42:00.680 --> 00:42:01.900
 that loves Your Word

00:42:01.900 --> 00:42:03.200
 and is rooted in Your Word

00:42:03.200 --> 00:42:04.800
 and anchored in Your Word.

00:42:05.480 --> 00:42:05.880
 But God,

00:42:05.940 --> 00:42:06.680
 not arrogantly,

00:42:06.800 --> 00:42:07.480
 not proudly,

00:42:07.620 --> 00:42:08.260
 not thinking that

00:42:08.260 --> 00:42:09.500
 we know better than others.

00:42:10.240 --> 00:42:10.599
 God,

00:42:10.640 --> 00:42:11.800
 we want to come to Your Word humbly.

00:42:11.900 --> 00:42:13.420
 We want to come on our knees.

00:42:13.420 --> 00:42:14.800
 We want to come

00:42:14.800 --> 00:42:15.659
 and encounter You,

00:42:15.740 --> 00:42:16.700
 the living God there.

00:42:17.400 --> 00:42:17.780
 Jesus,

00:42:17.920 --> 00:42:19.059
 come and open the eyes

00:42:19.059 --> 00:42:19.780
 of our hearts

00:42:19.780 --> 00:42:21.519
 to not just see

00:42:21.519 --> 00:42:23.019
 and understand the Scriptures,

00:42:23.280 --> 00:42:24.800
 but to see You there.

00:42:25.480 --> 00:42:26.579
 We pray these things

00:42:26.579 --> 00:42:27.220
 in Your great

00:42:27.220 --> 00:42:28.260
 and gracious name.

00:42:29.099 --> 00:42:29.400
 Amen.

00:42:29.400 --> 00:42:29.599
 Amen.

00:42:30.280 --> 00:42:30.920
 Amen.