WEBVTT

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 Father, we come before you as your people together to hear your word.

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 Lord, this is a very ancient story, over 2,500 years old.

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 And yet, you are the same God that is in our midst this morning.

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 So Lord, we ask that you would teach us by your word,

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 that you would open our eyes and open our hearts.

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 And Lord, may only the truth be spoken and only the truth be heard.

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 We pray in Christ's mighty name. Amen.

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 Amen. If you have a Bible, we'll be in Ezra chapter 7, a little bit in chapter 8 this morning.

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 If you were here last week, you would know that we were in chapter 3.

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 So we are skipping portions of the text.

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 We'll have one more week next week at Ezra, and then we'll get into Nehemiah.

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 A bit of a reminder that Ezra, Nehemiah, originally were one book.

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 So that's why we're combining both.

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 And in a real way, we get the full story with the reading of both.

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 But before we get into a bit of a recap of the section that we're skipping over,

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 I'll just say a couple words here.

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 What does it mean to be a blessed person?

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 What does it mean to be a person who knows divine favor,

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 or just any favor, that is, to enjoy a bit of a good life?

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 I mean, it's a bit old now, but hashtag blessed was a thing for a while there.

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 I think my mom even made an arts and crafts thing that she wanted it to feature fairly prominently in our house.

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 I'm not sure where it is right now.

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 But anyways, it was like a thing, hashtag blessed.

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 But what does it mean to be blessed?

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 What does it mean to enjoy favor?

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 It's a really important question to answer.

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 Not just for the Christian, but for all people.

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 Because I put forward to you that to be blessed, to enjoy favor,

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 the richness of whatever situation you are in,

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 is something that we all long for and we all desire.

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 In chapters 7 and 8, this comes up quite a bit in the text.

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 It doesn't necessarily say blessed, or it doesn't necessarily talk about favor,

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 although, like, explicitly.

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 But in chapters 7 and 8 of Ezra, we'll read at least six times where it will say,

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 the hand of the Lord.

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 And the hand of the Lord is upon this person, or was upon me, or whatever it may be.

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 But the hand of the Lord features very prominently in our section.

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 And our attention is drawn to the phrase for a reason, and it has great significance.

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 And I think, put forward again to you,

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 that it will help us to understand what it means to live a blessed life,

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 to, in a sense, have the hand of the Lord upon us.

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 So what is the hand of the Lord?

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 Is it just for Ezra?

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 I mean, Ezra, the hand of the Lord is upon Ezra.

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 It's unmistakable in these two chapters.

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 The hand of the Lord, the hand of the Lord is upon Ezra.

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 Is it just for him?

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 If not, how can we acquire it?

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 So, we'll jump into that.

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 But first, I've got to catch you guys up on the narrative.

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 We skipped over a number of chapters.

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 It's very helpful to contextualize where we're at in the story.

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 So we stopped in chapter 4, verse 6.

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 And it goes all the way to 6.22, that we've skipped over that section.

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 And in that section, Israel's enemies look to hinder the work of God in terms of building the temple.

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 And they're very successful.

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 20 years go by.

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 A hammer is not lifted.

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 A block is not placed upon another.

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 The temple rebuild.

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 There was a big pause put on it.

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 Chapters 5 and 6, the work continues.

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 Very interestingly.

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 Even though there are challenges and attempts to thwart the plan.

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 Especially calling into question the legitimacy of God's people and their task at hand.

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 So, the work is finally completed in chapter 6.

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 It's a remarkable section.

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 There is a dedication and much celebration.

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 And immediately after the narrative, the Passover is celebrated.

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 I won't get into the Passover.

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 We mention it, I mean, somewhat fairly regularly because it features so heavily in the Bible.

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 But it's significant in the celebration of the temple because the Passover represents God's deliverance from the hand of slavery.

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 And it really marks the beginning of the people of God becoming their own nation.

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 And to celebrate the Passover is, in a sense, celebrating that God is restoring them back into the land.

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 So, at the end of chapter 6, that is what we see.

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 And it really, in a sense, marks the part 1 of three parts of Ezra and Nehemiah.

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 And part 1, part 2, part 3, they're each marked with a significant figure.

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 So, part 1, it's this character called Zerubbabel.

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 And we haven't really talked about him a whole ton.

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 But his task was primarily to rebuild the temple.

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 Now, that section is finished.

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 And chapter 7, in walks Ezra.

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 Now, it's interesting that Ezra walks in well over half of the way through the book.

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 But Ezra here is the next key figure.

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 And if Zerubbabel came in to rebuild the temple, Ezra came to reestablish God's law in the land.

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 And we'll talk about what I mean by God's law.

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 But Ezra, he is a scribe.

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 He is a Bible teacher.

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 He is very concerned that the nation of Israel follow God's ways.

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 And if you remember last week, or if you've read in 1 and 2 Chronicles,

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 it is precisely the departure from God's word that gets Israel into the mess they're in.

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 So, Ezra, he's a key figure in all of this.

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 Sure, they rebuilt the temple.

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 Things are great.

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 But the temple means nothing without God's word.

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 So, that's where we are.

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 And here is where we are going to pick up the narrative.

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 Ezra, like I mentioned, is chiefly concerned with restoring the law to Israel,

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 but specifically to restore Israel to right relationship with God, according to the Holy Scriptures.

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 Ezra, right off the bat, in verses 1 to 6, his pedigree is laid out.

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 But Brad, I mean, noble attempt at reading the list of names are very difficult.

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 What you really need to know with the list of names, I mean, we could, not to say that they don't matter,

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 but the big key in all of this is that last name.

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 He's a son of Aaron, the chief priest.

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 The chief priest.

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 Now, Aaron was the one whom all the priests came from.

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 He was the brother of Moses, and Aaron, as the chief priest, was supposed to help the people follow the Lord according to God's word.

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 If you remember, he did not do that very well.

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 Moses is up on Mount Sinai getting the law from God.

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 It's this huge, momentous occasion in the nation's history.

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 Getting the law isn't just God's do's and don'ts.

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 It is establishing Israel as a nation.

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 Before they were sojourners and slaves in Egypt, but now they're their own nation.

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 And Moses comes down, and what does he see?

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 The people are impatient.

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 And Aaron, on their behalf, crafts for them an idol.

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 And yet, he is a priest that is still God's servant.

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 Huge, huge blunder.

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 Ezra here is going to try to, in a sense, be the anti-Aaron in that case.

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 He's going to cling fast to God's word.

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 And his chief concern is being used by God to, like I mentioned,

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 to not just bring the law back to them, but to re-establish the nation.

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 Because the nation of Israel is established by God's word.

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 So it's a key aspect in all of this.

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 So, that's a bit of a background of where we're coming from, who Ezra is.

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 Now, let's jump into the text.

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 I'm hoping to draw three main things out of our text for this morning.

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 We're going to look at, really, scripture.

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 What is God's word?

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 Why is this so deeply connected, God's word and scripture?

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 Why is it so deeply connected to God's favor as well?

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 So keep all that in the back of your head.

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 We're going to look at three things.

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 First, the nature of scripture.

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 What is scripture?

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 The second thing is, after the nature of scripture, is the student of scripture.

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 How does one engage with God's word?

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 And then the last one we'll take a look at is the joy of walking according to God's word, according to holy scripture.

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 So, what is scripture?

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 How do we study it?

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 And we're going to take a look at the joy that comes with it.

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 Very simple, very profound.

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 Let's jump right in.

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 Okay, the nature of scripture.

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 I'm drawing a lot of this point out.

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 In fact, almost the entire point out from the first half of verse 6.

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 So, look with me.

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 Verse 6 of chapter 7.

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 This Ezra, talking about the descendant of Aaron, the chief priest, went up from Babylonia.

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 That means he is on his way to Jerusalem from Babylon.

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 And this Ezra was a scribe, skilled in the law of Moses, that the Lord, the God of Israel, had given.

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 And I'll pause right there.

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 Seems like an interesting line.

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 Something we could quickly gloss over.

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 And yet, it is packed with, in a sense, not an exhaustive understanding of scripture,

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 but a very deep understanding of scripture.

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 And like I mentioned about talking a bit about the law, the law of God isn't just the do's and don'ts.

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 Although there are many do's and don'ts.

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 There is, within the law of God, lots of laws.

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 But the word law that we read is a translation of Torah in Hebrew,

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 which is maybe a better way to say it is like the ways of God.

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 But even that doesn't quite articulate the fullness of what Torah means.

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 Because God's law, the first five books of the Old Testament, starting in Genesis and ending in Deuteronomy,

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 it's more than just about God's ways.

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 But it's the story of God, the creator God, and how he makes a covenant and promises with the people.

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 Really, if we're going to talk about the Torah, we need to talk about the story of God,

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 and how he has created everything, and how he has connected a people together for his own namesake.

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 In reality, it's a story of God interacting with human beings.

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 That is what the law is.

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 And when it talks about the law of Moses, it is talking about this Torah, this law, this way of God,

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 this story of who God is and what he has done.

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 So it's very important that we understand that when we talk about God's law,

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 it's not just don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't lie.

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 It is an insight into who this God is and how he has invited us to partake in him.

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 And Ezra would have known all of this.

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 Why? He was skilled in the law of Moses.

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 Which means that first and foremost, he knows God and how God has made the world

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 and how God wants the world to exist.

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 He is, in a sense, a practitioner of life,

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 according to God's rules and God's commands and God's, most importantly, his heart.

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 He would know that God makes covenants and promises that he will not break.

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 He knows that God has created all things and has deemed it good.

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 He would know, Ezra would know, that all of life was to be designed to be enjoyed.

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 Except that, and that he would also know that this enjoyment is always threatened because of sin and evil.

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 This is what Ezra would know.

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 So when it says that he is skilled in the law of Moses,

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 think, Ezra, he knows God.

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 And it would seem that God would know him.

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 What else do we see from this sentence?

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 Well, we also see that Scripture is never a private matter.

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 It is always given to the Lord's people for their great benefit.

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 We see this here.

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 We see, I'll just read the whole verse, the first section.

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 Ezra was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses that the Lord, the God of Israel, had given.

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 I've referenced it already that God gave the law to Moses,

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 but he gave it in the sight of the entire assembly of Israel.

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 So that when Moses was up by himself, okay, on the mountain,

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 God descended upon the mountain,

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 and what the people saw would be supernatural and unmistakable.

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 There would be lightning and thunder,

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 and it would be a very frightening, scary sight.

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 And in a sense, God, by doing so,

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 revealed to everybody that he truly was there,

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 and that the law that was given was for them,

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 for all of them together.

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 Father, Holy Scripture is always for the community,

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 because Holy Scripture builds the community

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 and makes the community out of individuals or groups or families

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 that might have things in common, oftentimes do not,

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 but God's Word always makes a people for himself.

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 And this is what is happening at Mount Sinai,

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 and this is what is referred to here,

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 that the God of Israel had given the law of Moses to the people of God.

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 So, this is where kind of the rubber hits the road,

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 because we don't live in a Christian nation.

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 We don't.

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 We live in a pluralistic nation

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 of many different religions or no religion.

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 I would put forward that there really isn't a no religion.

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 We are religious people.

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 But people that claim to be atheists

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 or whatever their faith is.

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 Two examples.

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 Mormonism.

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 And there's a church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

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 just down the road on Old Richmond here,

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 and a mosque even farther down in Bell's Corners.

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 But those two faiths, as an example,

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 they have built everything on private revelation,

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 that God has given his Word to a specific person

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 without witnesses,

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 without people seeing what has happened.

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 And then from that person,

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 they become a prophet,

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 and they share,

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 and the religion grows and grows and grows and grows.

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 That's not what happens with Holy Scripture.

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 God gives,

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 He reveals Himself in the midst of a congregation.

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 That's very important,

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 because it doesn't matter what I think,

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 it doesn't matter what Joseph Smith thought,

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 or Muhammad thought.

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 What is God saying?

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 That's the big thing.

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 Throughout Scripture,

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 God is revealing Himself constantly,

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 not just to individuals,

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 although that definitely does happen,

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 but always to groups,

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 always to the nation,

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 always to the masses.

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 And even when He reveals Himself to a prophet,

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 it's either calling people back to God's law,

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 God's ways,

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 faithfulness to God,

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 or warning them about what is going to happen

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 because of their departure from God's Word.

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 So important is it that people don't make things up in Scripture

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 that the prophet who gets God's Word wrong

00:16:58.579 --> 00:17:01.299
 is liable to death.

00:17:02.979 --> 00:17:07.399
 So it's kind of a big thing that God reveals Himself

00:17:07.399 --> 00:17:11.779
 and that He desires us to take that very seriously.

00:17:14.559 --> 00:17:15.899
 So in the New Testament,

00:17:16.099 --> 00:17:17.440
 also we see the risen Lord.

00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:20.500
 He doesn't appear to one or to a couple,

00:17:21.080 --> 00:17:23.039
 but by the time Jesus ascends,

00:17:23.340 --> 00:17:26.400
 He will have appeared to multitudes,

00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:27.360
 hundreds of people.

00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:31.640
 And again, this is in keeping with God's ways

00:17:31.640 --> 00:17:34.500
 of how He reveals Himself and His Word

00:17:34.500 --> 00:17:37.039
 for the sake of the entire community.

00:17:38.299 --> 00:17:40.360
 The Scriptures are always for the community

00:17:40.360 --> 00:17:43.960
 because the Scriptures form the community itself.

00:17:43.960 --> 00:17:47.920
 And this is why we read so much Scripture on Sunday mornings

00:17:47.920 --> 00:17:50.940
 and why it really, truly doesn't matter

00:17:50.940 --> 00:17:53.039
 if I crack a joke or not

00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:55.900
 or if I have an opinion about something or not

00:17:55.900 --> 00:17:58.100
 or whatever it may be.

00:17:59.100 --> 00:18:01.240
 What is God saying in His Word?

00:18:01.620 --> 00:18:03.779
 And I'm not saying I nail it every week

00:18:03.779 --> 00:18:07.680
 or that everybody is always speaking God's Word

00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:09.779
 in every corner of this church

00:18:09.779 --> 00:18:11.700
 before the service, during or after.

00:18:12.700 --> 00:18:13.980
 But this is our goal

00:18:13.980 --> 00:18:16.240
 because it is God's Word that forms

00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:17.980
 and sustains our community.

00:18:18.859 --> 00:18:21.920
 This is what we are reminded of week after week.

00:18:24.019 --> 00:18:27.740
 God's community is always formed by God's Word.

00:18:27.740 --> 00:18:29.640
 So immediately after this,

00:18:29.900 --> 00:18:31.180
 we see, interestingly,

00:18:31.359 --> 00:18:33.120
 the first reference to this hand of God,

00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:36.759
 this connection between God's Word and God's favor.

00:18:37.019 --> 00:18:41.059
 Look with me at the second part of verse 6 of chapter 7.

00:18:42.680 --> 00:18:44.380
 Why don't I read the full verse here?

00:18:44.500 --> 00:18:46.200
 This Ezra went up from Babylonia.

00:18:46.599 --> 00:18:48.660
 He was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses

00:18:48.660 --> 00:18:51.740
 that the Lord, the God of Israel, had given.

00:18:52.120 --> 00:18:53.640
 And the king granted him,

00:18:54.299 --> 00:18:55.299
 that's the Persian king,

00:18:55.299 --> 00:18:57.539
 all that he asked, why?

00:18:57.779 --> 00:19:00.599
 For the hand of the Lord his God was on him.

00:19:01.139 --> 00:19:04.119
 The connection between Ezra's skills in Scripture,

00:19:04.899 --> 00:19:06.279
 his reverence for Scripture,

00:19:06.419 --> 00:19:08.240
 his knowledge of what Scripture is,

00:19:09.159 --> 00:19:11.940
 is directly connected to the hand of the Lord

00:19:11.940 --> 00:19:13.339
 being upon him.

00:19:13.440 --> 00:19:15.019
 It really is unmistakable.

00:19:15.619 --> 00:19:17.619
 And this leads nicely to our second point.

00:19:17.899 --> 00:19:20.379
 If Ezra is skilled in Scripture,

00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:24.399
 and this results in the hand of the Lord being on him,

00:19:24.400 --> 00:19:27.780
 how do we become students of Scripture?

00:19:27.940 --> 00:19:29.500
 How do we approach Scripture?

00:19:29.640 --> 00:19:31.060
 How do we read Scripture?

00:19:31.259 --> 00:19:32.440
 What are we to do?

00:19:33.660 --> 00:19:35.519
 Look with me to verse 10 here.

00:19:36.900 --> 00:19:40.900
 For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the Lord,

00:19:41.340 --> 00:19:42.180
 and to do it,

00:19:42.540 --> 00:19:46.960
 and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.

00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:50.660
 The first thing to notice is that Ezra,

00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:55.240
 he has a great desire to know the Word of God.

00:19:59.460 --> 00:20:02.340
 He desires to know it for himself.

00:20:04.100 --> 00:20:09.940
 His heart is inclined to study what God has revealed.

00:20:09.940 --> 00:20:12.680
 It wasn't merely a job for him as a scribe,

00:20:13.940 --> 00:20:16.460
 but a privilege.

00:20:16.940 --> 00:20:18.640
 He knew the value of Scripture,

00:20:18.779 --> 00:20:20.660
 for in Scripture, like we mentioned,

00:20:20.759 --> 00:20:21.539
 he would meet the Lord.

00:20:22.559 --> 00:20:25.960
 So the studying of Scripture isn't an easy task.

00:20:26.100 --> 00:20:26.440
 It's not.

00:20:27.160 --> 00:20:28.720
 It requires diligence and effort.

00:20:29.400 --> 00:20:31.480
 It involves patience.

00:20:31.480 --> 00:20:35.599
 That's a hard thing.

00:20:36.680 --> 00:20:39.480
 A very impatient culture we live in.

00:20:39.980 --> 00:20:42.019
 Your pastor is an impatient man,

00:20:42.700 --> 00:20:43.460
 oftentimes.

00:20:45.220 --> 00:20:46.980
 It also requires meditation,

00:20:47.519 --> 00:20:49.079
 to chew and to think through

00:20:49.079 --> 00:20:50.920
 and to dwell upon,

00:20:51.140 --> 00:20:54.079
 to have a focus to it.

00:20:54.880 --> 00:20:56.640
 There's also a huge temptation

00:20:56.640 --> 00:20:58.360
 in studying God's Word,

00:20:58.759 --> 00:21:01.680
 to think of oneself as superior to others

00:21:01.680 --> 00:21:04.460
 that might not know how much you know.

00:21:06.620 --> 00:21:08.759
 And that's a huge danger.

00:21:12.600 --> 00:21:15.220
 It is a fine line, in a sense,

00:21:15.220 --> 00:21:17.400
 of being a minister.

00:21:17.580 --> 00:21:18.840
 I'll speak to myself,

00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:20.860
 but I share this stuff because who knows

00:21:20.860 --> 00:21:23.820
 if God will raise up somebody else

00:21:23.820 --> 00:21:24.500
 from our congregation

00:21:24.500 --> 00:21:26.720
 to lead another church one day.

00:21:26.779 --> 00:21:27.220
 Who knows?

00:21:28.240 --> 00:21:30.519
 But it is a fine line to walk,

00:21:30.700 --> 00:21:32.339
 to know God,

00:21:32.480 --> 00:21:35.460
 and to immerse yourself in Scripture,

00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:37.240
 and to not be puffed up,

00:21:37.720 --> 00:21:41.140
 to not think of yourself as more worthy.

00:21:41.680 --> 00:21:42.859
 The great irony in this

00:21:42.859 --> 00:21:43.660
 is that Scripture,

00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:44.819
 if read properly,

00:21:45.640 --> 00:21:47.079
 if engaged with properly,

00:21:47.200 --> 00:21:49.940
 if knowing that Scripture is about God,

00:21:50.000 --> 00:21:51.660
 and it is a gift from Him,

00:21:52.180 --> 00:21:54.440
 it should result in the more we know,

00:21:54.900 --> 00:21:56.220
 the humbler we become.

00:21:56.940 --> 00:21:58.859
 Because who are we before Almighty God?

00:21:59.660 --> 00:22:00.380
 Who are we?

00:22:00.579 --> 00:22:01.140
 And yet,

00:22:01.799 --> 00:22:03.859
 the human mind and the human heart,

00:22:04.579 --> 00:22:06.900
 they can be terribly deceptive things.

00:22:07.859 --> 00:22:08.819
 Thinking, in a sense,

00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:10.099
 I know a lot about God,

00:22:10.140 --> 00:22:10.680
 and all of a sudden,

00:22:10.759 --> 00:22:12.160
 we kind of make ourselves

00:22:12.160 --> 00:22:13.740
 to be like God.

00:22:14.779 --> 00:22:16.180
 Not in terms of His holiness,

00:22:16.420 --> 00:22:17.460
 but in His stature.

00:22:18.279 --> 00:22:19.160
 A terrible thing.

00:22:20.140 --> 00:22:22.140
 Jesus encountered this all the time

00:22:22.140 --> 00:22:23.720
 in the New Testament.

00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:27.019
 The people that knew the most

00:22:27.019 --> 00:22:30.000
 seemed to have cared the least.

00:22:30.980 --> 00:22:32.500
 There's a great temptation there.

00:22:34.620 --> 00:22:36.160
 But Ezra here,

00:22:36.560 --> 00:22:37.700
 it's very clear,

00:22:37.759 --> 00:22:38.860
 and we'll see a bit later on,

00:22:39.180 --> 00:22:41.460
 that as he engages in

00:22:41.460 --> 00:22:44.320
 his study of Scripture,

00:22:44.319 --> 00:22:45.399
 man, this guy,

00:22:46.059 --> 00:22:46.740
 he is humble.

00:22:47.679 --> 00:22:49.679
 And he recognizes his great need

00:22:49.679 --> 00:22:50.500
 for God.

00:22:51.480 --> 00:22:52.639
 All the time, it seems.

00:22:53.279 --> 00:22:54.000
 Later on,

00:22:54.879 --> 00:22:57.339
 he's maybe not so humble.

00:22:57.579 --> 00:22:58.439
 He's a human being.

00:22:58.519 --> 00:22:59.000
 But here,

00:22:59.639 --> 00:23:00.960
 as he engages in Scripture,

00:23:01.159 --> 00:23:02.679
 he is very,

00:23:02.679 --> 00:23:04.500
 he's very humble.

00:23:04.500 --> 00:23:07.119
 And that is a good sign

00:23:07.119 --> 00:23:08.779
 for somebody who studies God's Word.

00:23:08.839 --> 00:23:09.819
 And it's not just for ministers,

00:23:09.980 --> 00:23:11.400
 but for you and I,

00:23:11.539 --> 00:23:12.900
 as we dig into Scripture,

00:23:13.039 --> 00:23:14.400
 as we come to church,

00:23:14.440 --> 00:23:15.259
 and we're reading it,

00:23:15.299 --> 00:23:16.299
 and we're pondering it,

00:23:16.619 --> 00:23:17.500
 when we wake up,

00:23:17.519 --> 00:23:19.019
 if you do the daily offices,

00:23:19.759 --> 00:23:21.039
 or if you have your own

00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:22.519
 Bible reading plan,

00:23:22.900 --> 00:23:24.519
 your own devotions

00:23:24.519 --> 00:23:25.079
 in the morning,

00:23:25.220 --> 00:23:25.799
 or in the evening,

00:23:25.880 --> 00:23:26.339
 or both,

00:23:27.039 --> 00:23:28.799
 this is for all of us.

00:23:29.579 --> 00:23:32.079
 So a sign of a Bible scholar,

00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:33.359
 and a student of God's Word,

00:23:33.359 --> 00:23:35.500
 will always be humility.

00:23:36.199 --> 00:23:37.500
 It will always be humility.

00:23:39.159 --> 00:23:41.039
 For to truly know God's Word

00:23:41.039 --> 00:23:41.939
 is to truly know

00:23:41.939 --> 00:23:43.419
 how unworthy we are

00:23:43.419 --> 00:23:45.779
 to even know Him,

00:23:45.859 --> 00:23:46.959
 let alone to have the privilege

00:23:46.959 --> 00:23:48.359
 of being called a son and daughter.

00:23:49.359 --> 00:23:50.479
 It is a humbling thing.

00:23:51.139 --> 00:23:53.979
 And humility isn't to be humiliated.

00:23:54.979 --> 00:23:55.159
 Right?

00:23:56.240 --> 00:23:57.199
 To have that humility

00:23:57.199 --> 00:23:59.240
 is to be in the most sure spot

00:23:59.240 --> 00:24:01.719
 to be in relationship with God

00:24:01.719 --> 00:24:02.799
 and to know who we are.

00:24:02.799 --> 00:24:03.779
 But more importantly,

00:24:03.879 --> 00:24:04.940
 to know who He is.

00:24:06.940 --> 00:24:10.799
 That is why it is really important.

00:24:10.919 --> 00:24:11.599
 The second bit

00:24:11.599 --> 00:24:13.579
 that we can see here

00:24:13.579 --> 00:24:15.139
 is as we study Scripture,

00:24:15.419 --> 00:24:17.220
 we can't really study Scripture

00:24:17.220 --> 00:24:18.019
 and know Scripture

00:24:18.019 --> 00:24:19.519
 apart from knowing God.

00:24:20.639 --> 00:24:21.599
 One story,

00:24:21.940 --> 00:24:22.980
 another personal story,

00:24:23.059 --> 00:24:23.359
 I did,

00:24:24.359 --> 00:24:25.639
 in a weird roundabout way,

00:24:25.740 --> 00:24:26.819
 I ended up doing my undergrad

00:24:26.819 --> 00:24:28.419
 in religious studies at Carleton,

00:24:28.420 --> 00:24:29.500
 and I came across

00:24:29.500 --> 00:24:30.860
 a professor

00:24:30.860 --> 00:24:33.060
 for a number of classes,

00:24:33.920 --> 00:24:34.660
 Zeba Crook,

00:24:34.800 --> 00:24:36.019
 if anybody has been in Ottawa

00:24:36.019 --> 00:24:36.560
 for a while

00:24:36.560 --> 00:24:37.640
 or has taken some classes,

00:24:37.840 --> 00:24:38.620
 and he was the head

00:24:38.620 --> 00:24:41.480
 of the biblical criticism

00:24:41.480 --> 00:24:42.720
 kind of section

00:24:42.720 --> 00:24:44.240
 in Carleton's

00:24:44.240 --> 00:24:45.480
 religious studies department.

00:24:45.480 --> 00:24:47.640
 And this man was immersed

00:24:47.640 --> 00:24:48.279
 in Scripture,

00:24:48.700 --> 00:24:50.019
 like day in and day out.

00:24:50.519 --> 00:24:51.980
 He could read Greek

00:24:51.980 --> 00:24:54.099
 better than the Greeks.

00:24:54.299 --> 00:24:54.440
 Like,

00:24:54.480 --> 00:24:56.140
 he was an incredible mind,

00:24:56.240 --> 00:24:57.059
 a brilliant guy.

00:24:57.779 --> 00:24:58.839
 But in the end,

00:24:59.120 --> 00:24:59.519
 because,

00:25:00.299 --> 00:25:00.839
 you know,

00:25:00.900 --> 00:25:01.559
 his words,

00:25:01.819 --> 00:25:02.759
 he was an atheist,

00:25:02.940 --> 00:25:04.000
 he did not believe in God,

00:25:04.460 --> 00:25:06.240
 the conclusions he came to

00:25:06.240 --> 00:25:07.480
 were not life-giving,

00:25:07.480 --> 00:25:09.519
 but instead,

00:25:10.039 --> 00:25:11.160
 in a big way,

00:25:11.360 --> 00:25:11.579
 I mean,

00:25:11.720 --> 00:25:13.779
 eroded the foundation

00:25:13.779 --> 00:25:15.120
 of the faith

00:25:15.120 --> 00:25:15.900
 of so many,

00:25:16.259 --> 00:25:17.279
 you know,

00:25:17.400 --> 00:25:18.980
 19 to 21-year-olds

00:25:18.980 --> 00:25:20.759
 that don't know,

00:25:21.039 --> 00:25:21.299
 you know,

00:25:21.339 --> 00:25:22.220
 up from down.

00:25:22.900 --> 00:25:23.279
 I mean,

00:25:23.759 --> 00:25:26.380
 God love undergrad students,

00:25:26.500 --> 00:25:26.839
 okay?

00:25:27.299 --> 00:25:28.579
 It's not a time

00:25:28.579 --> 00:25:29.960
 to come to learn

00:25:29.960 --> 00:25:30.660
 and be built up,

00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:31.420
 but in a sense,

00:25:31.960 --> 00:25:32.759
 it is a time of,

00:25:32.980 --> 00:25:33.579
 it's like,

00:25:33.620 --> 00:25:34.200
 if you have students

00:25:34.200 --> 00:25:34.640
 in your life,

00:25:34.720 --> 00:25:35.180
 pray for them.

00:25:35.240 --> 00:25:35.920
 It's a tough time.

00:25:37.480 --> 00:25:40.660
 to know the scriptures

00:25:40.660 --> 00:25:41.920
 is to know God,

00:25:42.380 --> 00:25:43.779
 and you can't divorce the two.

00:25:45.039 --> 00:25:45.579
 You can't,

00:25:45.620 --> 00:25:46.460
 this isn't a textbook

00:25:46.460 --> 00:25:47.420
 that we can read

00:25:47.420 --> 00:25:48.220
 as if it's history.

00:25:48.640 --> 00:25:49.819
 It is a story

00:25:49.819 --> 00:25:51.160
 that God is engaging

00:25:51.160 --> 00:25:53.400
 with people,

00:25:53.500 --> 00:25:54.700
 and we get to be a part of it.

00:25:54.759 --> 00:25:55.539
 It's an invitation

00:25:55.539 --> 00:25:58.220
 into this wonderful story.

00:25:59.400 --> 00:25:59.720
 So,

00:26:00.079 --> 00:26:03.259
 it's a huge aspect

00:26:03.259 --> 00:26:03.980
 of all of this.

00:26:04.660 --> 00:26:05.640
 Look with me again

00:26:05.640 --> 00:26:06.460
 to verse 10.

00:26:06.460 --> 00:26:08.180
 Ezra set his heart

00:26:08.180 --> 00:26:09.140
 to study the law

00:26:09.140 --> 00:26:09.779
 of the Lord,

00:26:10.279 --> 00:26:10.700
 but then,

00:26:10.819 --> 00:26:11.819
 what does it say next?

00:26:12.079 --> 00:26:13.240
 But to also do it.

00:26:13.880 --> 00:26:15.299
 That to be a student

00:26:15.299 --> 00:26:15.960
 of God's word

00:26:15.960 --> 00:26:17.059
 means hypocrisy.

00:26:17.559 --> 00:26:19.200
 It really needs to be

00:26:19.200 --> 00:26:21.000
 very far from God's people.

00:26:21.740 --> 00:26:22.380
 And this is something

00:26:22.380 --> 00:26:23.460
 the church struggles with.

00:26:23.680 --> 00:26:24.940
 There's a lot of own goals

00:26:24.940 --> 00:26:25.920
 in the church

00:26:25.920 --> 00:26:27.079
 where we're hypocrites.

00:26:27.180 --> 00:26:27.740
 We don't practice

00:26:27.740 --> 00:26:28.400
 what we preach.

00:26:29.680 --> 00:26:29.980
 And I mean,

00:26:30.019 --> 00:26:30.880
 you could think through

00:26:30.880 --> 00:26:32.120
 things in your own life

00:26:32.120 --> 00:26:33.000
 where you've been a hypocrite.

00:26:33.079 --> 00:26:34.059
 We've all been hypocrites.

00:26:34.059 --> 00:26:35.740
 But God's word

00:26:35.740 --> 00:26:36.759
 commands us

00:26:36.759 --> 00:26:37.559
 to respond

00:26:37.559 --> 00:26:39.679
 as we study God's word.

00:26:39.839 --> 00:26:40.339
 It is not

00:26:40.339 --> 00:26:42.159
 in a lab

00:26:42.159 --> 00:26:43.759
 like I alluded to

00:26:43.759 --> 00:26:44.779
 that we study God's word

00:26:44.779 --> 00:26:45.200
 and we can just

00:26:45.200 --> 00:26:46.259
 do whatever we want

00:26:46.259 --> 00:26:46.679
 afterwards.

00:26:47.819 --> 00:26:49.519
 We ask the question,

00:26:49.779 --> 00:26:50.960
 how shall I then live?

00:26:53.700 --> 00:26:54.419
 Ezra here

00:26:54.419 --> 00:26:55.159
 was careful

00:26:55.159 --> 00:26:56.559
 to not just study

00:26:56.559 --> 00:26:57.480
 God's word,

00:26:57.799 --> 00:26:59.159
 but to do it.

00:26:59.160 --> 00:27:00.380
 And then the third thing

00:27:00.380 --> 00:27:02.700
 is to teach it.

00:27:02.920 --> 00:27:03.180
 Now,

00:27:03.600 --> 00:27:04.279
 I'm not saying

00:27:04.279 --> 00:27:05.300
 if you study God's word,

00:27:05.380 --> 00:27:06.480
 if you engage in scripture,

00:27:07.000 --> 00:27:08.220
 like next Sunday,

00:27:08.340 --> 00:27:08.720
 you're up.

00:27:08.800 --> 00:27:09.680
 I'm not saying that.

00:27:10.759 --> 00:27:13.060
 But without a doubt,

00:27:13.440 --> 00:27:14.460
 if you're a parent,

00:27:14.680 --> 00:27:15.519
 you have a responsibility

00:27:15.519 --> 00:27:16.640
 to teach your children.

00:27:16.860 --> 00:27:18.420
 Not perfectly, okay?

00:27:18.500 --> 00:27:18.779
 I'm not,

00:27:19.000 --> 00:27:19.960
 not perfectly,

00:27:20.080 --> 00:27:20.660
 but you have a,

00:27:20.759 --> 00:27:22.160
 you have a responsibility

00:27:22.160 --> 00:27:22.920
 to teach,

00:27:23.160 --> 00:27:23.759
 to,

00:27:23.840 --> 00:27:25.300
 to pass on the knowledge.

00:27:25.440 --> 00:27:26.300
 Because again,

00:27:26.299 --> 00:27:27.700
 we're talking not about

00:27:27.700 --> 00:27:29.500
 a sterile history,

00:27:29.700 --> 00:27:31.319
 but about God,

00:27:31.559 --> 00:27:32.039
 a person

00:27:32.039 --> 00:27:33.099
 that,

00:27:33.259 --> 00:27:34.220
 that is deeply,

00:27:34.559 --> 00:27:34.899
 deeply,

00:27:35.159 --> 00:27:35.559
 deeply,

00:27:35.759 --> 00:27:37.039
 deeply involved

00:27:37.039 --> 00:27:38.019
 in every aspect

00:27:38.019 --> 00:27:38.539
 of your life,

00:27:38.639 --> 00:27:39.960
 whether you know it or not.

00:27:40.419 --> 00:27:40.680
 You,

00:27:40.779 --> 00:27:41.599
 you get excited.

00:27:41.740 --> 00:27:42.480
 It's a relationship.

00:27:42.680 --> 00:27:42.940
 It's a,

00:27:43.059 --> 00:27:43.859
 it's a connection.

00:27:44.059 --> 00:27:44.359
 It's a,

00:27:44.579 --> 00:27:46.639
 degrees of thankfulness

00:27:46.639 --> 00:27:47.759
 and intrigue

00:27:47.759 --> 00:27:49.480
 and you want to share it.

00:27:50.059 --> 00:27:50.259
 I mean,

00:27:50.299 --> 00:27:51.059
 so there's an aspect

00:27:51.059 --> 00:27:51.799
 of teaching it

00:27:51.799 --> 00:27:51.980
 to,

00:27:52.059 --> 00:27:52.419
 to,

00:27:52.500 --> 00:27:53.259
 to share with people

00:27:53.259 --> 00:27:53.960
 what you've learned,

00:27:53.960 --> 00:27:55.659
 but to also bear witness

00:27:55.660 --> 00:27:56.500
 to others

00:27:56.500 --> 00:27:57.759
 about who this God is.

00:27:58.160 --> 00:27:58.680
 So whether it's

00:27:58.680 --> 00:28:00.340
 a Christian or not,

00:28:01.440 --> 00:28:01.680
 we,

00:28:02.040 --> 00:28:02.920
 as we engage

00:28:02.920 --> 00:28:03.600
 in God's word,

00:28:04.040 --> 00:28:05.880
 we have to teach it

00:28:05.880 --> 00:28:06.440
 in a sense.

00:28:06.500 --> 00:28:07.380
 So maybe a teach

00:28:07.380 --> 00:28:08.320
 kind of freaks you out.

00:28:09.200 --> 00:28:09.460
 Okay,

00:28:09.500 --> 00:28:10.480
 think of it like sharing.

00:28:11.220 --> 00:28:11.840
 Maybe that would be

00:28:11.840 --> 00:28:12.340
 a better way.

00:28:13.519 --> 00:28:13.860
 So,

00:28:14.140 --> 00:28:15.680
 there's a study aspect

00:28:15.680 --> 00:28:16.519
 to it.

00:28:16.640 --> 00:28:17.220
 There is

00:28:17.220 --> 00:28:18.700
 a doing aspect

00:28:18.700 --> 00:28:20.180
 to it

00:28:20.180 --> 00:28:20.680
 and then there's

00:28:20.680 --> 00:28:21.100
 a teaching,

00:28:21.480 --> 00:28:22.880
 sharing aspect

00:28:22.880 --> 00:28:24.680
 to God's word.

00:28:25.660 --> 00:28:26.340
 So,

00:28:26.600 --> 00:28:29.800
 again,

00:28:29.920 --> 00:28:30.980
 where does God's hand

00:28:30.980 --> 00:28:31.820
 come in

00:28:31.820 --> 00:28:33.100
 to play here?

00:28:33.820 --> 00:28:34.680
 Look with me.

00:28:35.060 --> 00:28:35.940
 Up one verse

00:28:35.940 --> 00:28:36.940
 to verse nine.

00:28:38.400 --> 00:28:39.360
 For on the first day

00:28:39.360 --> 00:28:40.360
 of the first month

00:28:40.360 --> 00:28:42.060
 he began to go up

00:28:42.060 --> 00:28:42.820
 from Babylonia

00:28:42.820 --> 00:28:44.660
 and on the first day

00:28:44.660 --> 00:28:45.660
 of the fifth month

00:28:45.660 --> 00:28:47.160
 he came to Jerusalem.

00:28:47.900 --> 00:28:48.259
 I mean,

00:28:48.740 --> 00:28:50.160
 just verse nine there,

00:28:51.019 --> 00:28:51.800
 Ezra is going

00:28:51.800 --> 00:28:52.720
 from Babylon

00:28:52.720 --> 00:28:53.560
 to Jerusalem.

00:28:53.559 --> 00:28:54.819
 It's a thousand,

00:28:54.980 --> 00:28:55.839
 something like a thousand

00:28:55.839 --> 00:28:56.359
 miles.

00:28:56.679 --> 00:28:57.379
 They gloss over it

00:28:57.379 --> 00:28:57.779
 in one verse,

00:28:57.819 --> 00:28:58.059
 okay?

00:28:58.399 --> 00:28:59.139
 There it is.

00:29:00.879 --> 00:29:01.619
 Continuing on.

00:29:02.779 --> 00:29:03.179
 So,

00:29:03.240 --> 00:29:03.599
 he's going up

00:29:03.599 --> 00:29:04.319
 from Babylonia

00:29:04.319 --> 00:29:05.279
 and on the first day

00:29:05.279 --> 00:29:06.259
 of the fifth month

00:29:06.259 --> 00:29:07.220
 he came to Jerusalem

00:29:07.220 --> 00:29:08.339
 for the good hand

00:29:08.339 --> 00:29:09.419
 of his God

00:29:09.419 --> 00:29:10.960
 was on him.

00:29:11.039 --> 00:29:12.179
 There we see it again

00:29:12.180 --> 00:29:13.580
 and the proximity

00:29:13.580 --> 00:29:15.039
 to Ezra

00:29:15.039 --> 00:29:16.160
 and in scripture

00:29:16.160 --> 00:29:17.240
 it again

00:29:17.240 --> 00:29:18.240
 is unmistakable.

00:29:19.360 --> 00:29:20.380
 As God blesses

00:29:20.380 --> 00:29:21.039
 his name

00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:23.500
 and blesses his word

00:29:23.500 --> 00:29:24.160
 so too

00:29:24.160 --> 00:29:24.920
 will he bless

00:29:24.920 --> 00:29:26.680
 the right

00:29:26.680 --> 00:29:27.779
 and humble handling

00:29:27.779 --> 00:29:28.400
 of scripture.

00:29:29.460 --> 00:29:29.600
 So,

00:29:29.840 --> 00:29:30.299
 yet again

00:29:30.299 --> 00:29:30.840
 we see that

00:29:30.840 --> 00:29:31.700
 the hand of God

00:29:31.700 --> 00:29:32.220
 is connected

00:29:32.220 --> 00:29:33.720
 to scripture

00:29:33.720 --> 00:29:35.460
 and the right handling

00:29:35.460 --> 00:29:36.240
 and humble handling

00:29:36.240 --> 00:29:36.900
 of God's word.

00:29:36.900 --> 00:29:37.500
 And this

00:29:37.500 --> 00:29:38.300
 takes us

00:29:38.300 --> 00:29:39.400
 to the third

00:29:39.400 --> 00:29:42.519
 section.

00:29:43.660 --> 00:29:44.280
 Look with me

00:29:44.280 --> 00:29:45.900
 verse 27

00:29:45.900 --> 00:29:46.880
 and 28

00:29:46.880 --> 00:29:49.960
 of chapter 7.

00:29:51.240 --> 00:29:51.519
 So,

00:29:51.780 --> 00:29:52.540
 if we know

00:29:52.540 --> 00:29:53.300
 what scripture is,

00:29:53.780 --> 00:29:55.040
 if it's very clear

00:29:55.040 --> 00:29:55.780
 on how we are

00:29:55.780 --> 00:29:56.240
 to engage

00:29:56.240 --> 00:29:56.680
 with scripture,

00:29:56.820 --> 00:29:57.600
 what is the result

00:29:57.600 --> 00:29:58.680
 of scripture?

00:29:58.820 --> 00:29:59.580
 If you remember

00:29:59.580 --> 00:30:00.620
 back in chapter 3

00:30:00.620 --> 00:30:01.300
 last week,

00:30:02.279 --> 00:30:02.799
 the people,

00:30:04.639 --> 00:30:05.259
 a part of

00:30:05.259 --> 00:30:06.779
 a real genuine faith

00:30:06.779 --> 00:30:09.359
 was a joyful faith.

00:30:09.680 --> 00:30:10.240
 We saw that

00:30:10.240 --> 00:30:10.759
 at the end

00:30:10.759 --> 00:30:11.919
 of chapter 3

00:30:11.919 --> 00:30:12.480
 and we see

00:30:12.480 --> 00:30:13.659
 that same joy

00:30:13.659 --> 00:30:14.359
 as a result

00:30:14.359 --> 00:30:15.519
 of knowing God's word

00:30:15.519 --> 00:30:16.419
 and walking

00:30:16.419 --> 00:30:17.440
 in God's ways

00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:17.879
 here.

00:30:17.980 --> 00:30:18.079
 So,

00:30:18.159 --> 00:30:18.559
 look with me

00:30:18.559 --> 00:30:19.419
 at verse 27

00:30:19.419 --> 00:30:20.839
 and 28.

00:30:23.000 --> 00:30:24.359
 Blessed be the Lord,

00:30:24.480 --> 00:30:25.659
 the God of our fathers

00:30:25.659 --> 00:30:26.859
 who put such a thing

00:30:26.859 --> 00:30:27.720
 as this

00:30:27.720 --> 00:30:28.460
 into the heart

00:30:28.460 --> 00:30:29.779
 of the king

00:30:29.779 --> 00:30:30.519
 to beautify

00:30:30.519 --> 00:30:31.039
 the house

00:30:31.039 --> 00:30:31.579
 of the Lord

00:30:31.579 --> 00:30:33.059
 that is in Jerusalem.

00:30:33.960 --> 00:30:34.399
 Background,

00:30:35.079 --> 00:30:35.559
 again,

00:30:36.139 --> 00:30:37.220
 Ezra has found

00:30:37.220 --> 00:30:38.200
 favor with the king

00:30:38.200 --> 00:30:38.940
 to go back

00:30:38.940 --> 00:30:39.519
 to Jerusalem.

00:30:40.119 --> 00:30:40.480
 The king

00:30:40.480 --> 00:30:41.460
 is going to help him

00:30:41.460 --> 00:30:42.339
 get there.

00:30:42.819 --> 00:30:43.720
 He's going to make sure

00:30:43.720 --> 00:30:45.019
 that everything he needs

00:30:45.019 --> 00:30:45.819
 he has

00:30:45.819 --> 00:30:47.559
 and this is all

00:30:47.559 --> 00:30:47.960
 why?

00:30:48.139 --> 00:30:48.899
 Because God

00:30:48.899 --> 00:30:49.379
 has put it

00:30:49.379 --> 00:30:49.859
 onto the heart

00:30:49.859 --> 00:30:50.299
 of the king.

00:30:51.519 --> 00:30:51.920
 So,

00:30:52.099 --> 00:30:52.879
 let's start again

00:30:52.879 --> 00:30:53.460
 in verse 27.

00:30:53.559 --> 00:30:54.259
 Blessed be the Lord,

00:30:54.359 --> 00:30:55.339
 the God of our fathers

00:30:55.339 --> 00:30:56.299
 who put such a thing

00:30:56.299 --> 00:30:57.779
 as this

00:30:57.779 --> 00:30:59.039
 into the heart

00:30:59.039 --> 00:30:59.539
 of the king

00:30:59.539 --> 00:31:00.139
 to beautify

00:31:00.139 --> 00:31:00.480
 the house

00:31:00.480 --> 00:31:00.879
 of the Lord

00:31:00.880 --> 00:31:01.820
 that is in Jerusalem.

00:31:01.980 --> 00:31:02.500
 Verse 28,

00:31:03.020 --> 00:31:03.740
 And who extended

00:31:03.740 --> 00:31:04.260
 to me

00:31:04.260 --> 00:31:05.600
 his steadfast love

00:31:05.600 --> 00:31:06.400
 before the king

00:31:06.400 --> 00:31:07.560
 and his counselors

00:31:07.560 --> 00:31:08.380
 and before all

00:31:08.380 --> 00:31:09.640
 the king's mighty officers.

00:31:10.160 --> 00:31:11.080
 I took courage

00:31:11.080 --> 00:31:12.260
 for the hand

00:31:12.260 --> 00:31:12.900
 of the Lord

00:31:12.900 --> 00:31:13.460
 my God

00:31:13.460 --> 00:31:14.040
 was on me

00:31:14.040 --> 00:31:15.180
 and I gathered

00:31:15.180 --> 00:31:15.780
 leading men

00:31:15.780 --> 00:31:16.460
 from Israel

00:31:16.460 --> 00:31:17.460
 to go up

00:31:17.460 --> 00:31:18.420
 with me.

00:31:19.380 --> 00:31:20.220
 The right handling

00:31:20.220 --> 00:31:20.960
 of scripture,

00:31:21.420 --> 00:31:22.260
 the humble handling

00:31:22.260 --> 00:31:22.800
 of scripture

00:31:22.800 --> 00:31:25.100
 will always result

00:31:25.100 --> 00:31:26.160
 in right theology

00:31:26.160 --> 00:31:27.640
 and

00:31:27.640 --> 00:31:29.240
 and that will

00:31:29.240 --> 00:31:30.080
 always result

00:31:30.080 --> 00:31:31.200
 in doxology.

00:31:31.759 --> 00:31:32.740
 Put another way,

00:31:33.060 --> 00:31:33.940
 as we engage

00:31:33.940 --> 00:31:34.720
 in God's word

00:31:34.720 --> 00:31:35.779
 and we know

00:31:35.779 --> 00:31:36.360
 his will

00:31:36.360 --> 00:31:36.720
 and know

00:31:36.720 --> 00:31:37.660
 who he is

00:31:37.660 --> 00:31:39.259
 and who we are

00:31:39.259 --> 00:31:40.120
 in light of that,

00:31:40.620 --> 00:31:41.180
 the result

00:31:41.180 --> 00:31:42.060
 will be praise.

00:31:42.620 --> 00:31:43.200
 It will be.

00:31:43.220 --> 00:31:44.080
 It will be joy

00:31:44.080 --> 00:31:47.980
 as it pertains

00:31:47.980 --> 00:31:48.759
 to our culture.

00:31:48.880 --> 00:31:49.320
 We're not going

00:31:49.320 --> 00:31:49.980
 to jump

00:31:49.980 --> 00:31:50.759
 and dance

00:31:50.759 --> 00:31:51.820
 likely,

00:31:52.019 --> 00:31:53.259
 but we will have joy

00:31:53.259 --> 00:31:54.079
 and we will express

00:31:54.079 --> 00:31:55.119
 it in our own way.

00:31:56.619 --> 00:31:57.599
 In this section,

00:31:57.799 --> 00:31:58.759
 Ezra praises God

00:31:58.759 --> 00:31:59.420
 for showing him

00:31:59.420 --> 00:32:00.480
 favor before the king

00:32:00.480 --> 00:32:02.259
 and notice once again

00:32:02.259 --> 00:32:03.480
 the latter part

00:32:03.480 --> 00:32:04.079
 of verse 28.

00:32:04.180 --> 00:32:04.579
 What does it say?

00:32:04.640 --> 00:32:05.700
 The hand of the Lord

00:32:05.700 --> 00:32:06.859
 was upon him.

00:32:07.799 --> 00:32:09.240
 So we praise God

00:32:09.240 --> 00:32:10.379
 for what he has done.

00:32:10.980 --> 00:32:13.400
 Ezra has put his mind

00:32:13.400 --> 00:32:14.259
 to the Lord

00:32:14.259 --> 00:32:15.920
 and God's word.

00:32:16.000 --> 00:32:17.019
 His heart is to

00:32:17.019 --> 00:32:18.559
 reestablish

00:32:18.559 --> 00:32:19.059
 the reading

00:32:19.059 --> 00:32:19.680
 and proclamation

00:32:19.680 --> 00:32:20.379
 of God's word

00:32:20.379 --> 00:32:21.119
 among his people.

00:32:21.619 --> 00:32:22.319
 He is diligent

00:32:22.319 --> 00:32:23.119
 to study it,

00:32:23.119 --> 00:32:23.719
 to do it,

00:32:23.779 --> 00:32:24.479
 to teach it.

00:32:25.339 --> 00:32:26.279
 And what is happening?

00:32:26.459 --> 00:32:27.699
 God is blessing him

00:32:27.699 --> 00:32:29.899
 because the hand

00:32:29.899 --> 00:32:30.459
 of the Lord

00:32:30.459 --> 00:32:31.519
 is upon him.

00:32:31.939 --> 00:32:32.879
 There is that connection

00:32:32.879 --> 00:32:33.639
 once again

00:32:33.639 --> 00:32:34.899
 with God's word

00:32:34.899 --> 00:32:35.939
 and God's favor.

00:32:36.979 --> 00:32:38.559
 So we praise God.

00:32:38.639 --> 00:32:39.459
 We can gather from this.

00:32:39.539 --> 00:32:40.279
 We can praise God

00:32:40.279 --> 00:32:41.059
 for what he has done,

00:32:41.579 --> 00:32:42.899
 how he is sustaining us

00:32:42.899 --> 00:32:43.699
 in the here and now,

00:32:43.779 --> 00:32:44.319
 but also

00:32:44.319 --> 00:32:46.019
 what he is going to do.

00:32:46.779 --> 00:32:47.719
 But more important

00:32:47.719 --> 00:32:48.319
 than all that,

00:32:48.399 --> 00:32:49.019
 we praise God

00:32:49.019 --> 00:32:50.239
 for who he is

00:32:50.239 --> 00:32:52.139
 because he has made promises

00:32:52.139 --> 00:32:52.899
 that he has kept.

00:32:53.879 --> 00:32:55.079
 That he has expressed

00:32:55.079 --> 00:32:56.839
 steadfast love to us

00:32:56.839 --> 00:32:58.819
 when we do not deserve it.

00:32:58.899 --> 00:33:00.459
 He has extended mercy to us

00:33:00.459 --> 00:33:01.719
 when we should have

00:33:01.719 --> 00:33:02.819
 received judgment.

00:33:04.079 --> 00:33:05.179
 We praise God

00:33:05.179 --> 00:33:06.399
 for who he is

00:33:06.399 --> 00:33:08.000
 and what he has done.

00:33:08.479 --> 00:33:09.119
 And this is where

00:33:09.119 --> 00:33:10.819
 I'll just talk about

00:33:10.819 --> 00:33:11.459
 the hand of the Lord

00:33:11.459 --> 00:33:12.399
 in a bit more detail

00:33:12.399 --> 00:33:14.799
 because I worry

00:33:14.799 --> 00:33:16.559
 that as we've gone

00:33:16.559 --> 00:33:17.379
 through this section,

00:33:17.380 --> 00:33:19.880
 what we've heard

00:33:19.880 --> 00:33:20.700
 is that

00:33:20.700 --> 00:33:24.500
 as we study

00:33:24.500 --> 00:33:25.400
 the Bible,

00:33:26.200 --> 00:33:27.140
 God's hand

00:33:27.140 --> 00:33:28.300
 will be on us

00:33:28.300 --> 00:33:29.140
 and we will have

00:33:29.140 --> 00:33:29.640
 wonderful,

00:33:29.860 --> 00:33:30.400
 happy lives.

00:33:30.400 --> 00:33:32.340
 God's hand

00:33:32.340 --> 00:33:33.320
 but the fact is

00:33:33.320 --> 00:33:34.519
 in this situation,

00:33:35.019 --> 00:33:35.140
 okay,

00:33:35.280 --> 00:33:36.460
 in this situation,

00:33:37.360 --> 00:33:37.600
 I mean,

00:33:37.640 --> 00:33:38.160
 Ezra's going to have

00:33:38.160 --> 00:33:39.019
 some tough things

00:33:39.019 --> 00:33:40.380
 ahead of him

00:33:40.380 --> 00:33:41.380
 but he is

00:33:41.380 --> 00:33:44.200
 experiencing a lot

00:33:44.200 --> 00:33:44.580
 of favor.

00:33:44.579 --> 00:33:46.720
 but what happens

00:33:46.720 --> 00:33:48.039
 when we are diligent

00:33:48.039 --> 00:33:50.299
 in knowing God's word

00:33:50.299 --> 00:33:50.879
 and gathering

00:33:50.879 --> 00:33:51.699
 with God's people

00:33:51.699 --> 00:33:52.740
 and genuinely

00:33:52.740 --> 00:33:54.099
 seeking his face

00:33:54.099 --> 00:33:55.559
 and seeking him

00:33:55.559 --> 00:33:56.500
 for who he is

00:33:56.500 --> 00:33:57.759
 and not just

00:33:57.759 --> 00:33:58.659
 what he does

00:33:58.659 --> 00:34:00.119
 and we are

00:34:00.119 --> 00:34:01.759
 engaging in God's word

00:34:01.759 --> 00:34:02.579
 and studying it

00:34:02.579 --> 00:34:03.399
 and wrestling with it

00:34:03.399 --> 00:34:04.099
 and pondering it

00:34:04.099 --> 00:34:04.740
 and praying it

00:34:04.740 --> 00:34:06.059
 and meditating upon it

00:34:06.059 --> 00:34:07.980
 and being really

00:34:07.980 --> 00:34:09.559
 by God's strength

00:34:09.559 --> 00:34:10.059
 and his help,

00:34:10.840 --> 00:34:11.000
 you know,

00:34:11.039 --> 00:34:12.000
 not being hypocrites

00:34:12.000 --> 00:34:12.480
 and doing

00:34:12.480 --> 00:34:13.699
 what it commands us

00:34:13.699 --> 00:34:14.039
 to do

00:34:14.039 --> 00:34:15.239
 and trying our best

00:34:15.239 --> 00:34:15.980
 to share it

00:34:15.980 --> 00:34:17.920
 and life goes south

00:34:17.920 --> 00:34:20.179
 because that happens.

00:34:21.320 --> 00:34:21.840
 So,

00:34:22.159 --> 00:34:23.460
 what on earth

00:34:23.460 --> 00:34:24.779
 are we to gather

00:34:24.779 --> 00:34:26.400
 from something like this?

00:34:27.699 --> 00:34:28.599
 Is this just a,

00:34:29.139 --> 00:34:29.380
 you know,

00:34:29.440 --> 00:34:30.039
 do A,

00:34:30.779 --> 00:34:31.779
 add B

00:34:31.779 --> 00:34:32.639
 and you're going

00:34:32.639 --> 00:34:33.139
 to get C.

00:34:35.599 --> 00:34:36.699
 I think what's

00:34:36.699 --> 00:34:37.639
 a better way

00:34:37.639 --> 00:34:38.239
 to understand

00:34:38.239 --> 00:34:39.299
 this hand of the Lord

00:34:39.300 --> 00:34:40.480
 is that

00:34:40.480 --> 00:34:42.420
 as we seek God's face

00:34:42.420 --> 00:34:43.580
 to do God's will,

00:34:43.940 --> 00:34:45.400
 that's the key aspect

00:34:45.400 --> 00:34:45.900
 in this.

00:34:46.660 --> 00:34:48.160
 God will show us

00:34:48.160 --> 00:34:48.780
 favor

00:34:48.780 --> 00:34:50.660
 just because

00:34:50.660 --> 00:34:51.600
 we know him

00:34:51.600 --> 00:34:52.640
 and what he has done

00:34:52.640 --> 00:34:53.980
 and we would know

00:34:53.980 --> 00:34:54.920
 right relationship

00:34:54.920 --> 00:34:55.360
 with him.

00:34:55.500 --> 00:34:56.640
 That the key aspect

00:34:56.640 --> 00:34:57.480
 in all of this

00:34:57.480 --> 00:34:58.120
 is really

00:34:58.120 --> 00:34:59.260
 what is God's will.

00:35:00.840 --> 00:35:01.900
 In this case,

00:35:03.039 --> 00:35:03.780
 rebuild the temple,

00:35:04.039 --> 00:35:05.280
 reestablish the law.

00:35:06.460 --> 00:35:07.800
 We'll see in Nehemiah,

00:35:08.039 --> 00:35:08.940
 rebuild the walls

00:35:08.940 --> 00:35:09.440
 in the city.

00:35:10.639 --> 00:35:11.659
 But for Jesus,

00:35:13.019 --> 00:35:14.780
 he was a perfect

00:35:14.780 --> 00:35:15.360
 law keeper.

00:35:16.300 --> 00:35:17.519
 He had perfect favor

00:35:17.519 --> 00:35:18.039
 from God.

00:35:18.139 --> 00:35:19.420
 He knew the scriptures

00:35:19.420 --> 00:35:21.400
 because he was

00:35:21.400 --> 00:35:22.139
 the word of God

00:35:22.139 --> 00:35:22.659
 himself.

00:35:24.099 --> 00:35:24.940
 God's hand

00:35:24.940 --> 00:35:25.539
 was clearly

00:35:25.539 --> 00:35:26.440
 on Jesus

00:35:26.440 --> 00:35:27.980
 and yet

00:35:27.980 --> 00:35:29.240
 it was God's will

00:35:29.240 --> 00:35:30.720
 not that he would

00:35:30.720 --> 00:35:31.519
 find favor

00:35:31.519 --> 00:35:32.860
 with Herod

00:35:32.860 --> 00:35:34.519
 or the Sanhedrin

00:35:34.519 --> 00:35:36.440
 or the temple priests

00:35:36.440 --> 00:35:37.519
 or Pilate

00:35:37.519 --> 00:35:38.700
 or the soldiers

00:35:38.700 --> 00:35:40.720
 but that he would

00:35:40.720 --> 00:35:41.579
 die.

00:35:42.720 --> 00:35:43.800
 That was God's

00:35:43.800 --> 00:35:44.940
 will for his life.

00:35:45.440 --> 00:35:46.599
 He had perfect favor

00:35:46.599 --> 00:35:49.639
 but God's will

00:35:49.639 --> 00:35:52.280
 wasn't that he would be

00:35:52.280 --> 00:35:54.260
 living the hashtag

00:35:54.260 --> 00:35:55.220
 blessed life

00:35:55.220 --> 00:35:57.240
 but that he would die.

00:35:57.239 --> 00:36:00.599
 And this is where

00:36:00.599 --> 00:36:02.439
 we can reconcile

00:36:02.439 --> 00:36:03.619
 these two things.

00:36:03.739 --> 00:36:04.399
 How can we

00:36:04.399 --> 00:36:05.359
 on one hand

00:36:05.359 --> 00:36:07.199
 know that the hand

00:36:07.199 --> 00:36:07.579
 of the Lord

00:36:07.579 --> 00:36:08.359
 is upon us

00:36:08.359 --> 00:36:09.459
 and yet struggle

00:36:09.459 --> 00:36:10.259
 through life

00:36:10.259 --> 00:36:12.579
 with very real

00:36:12.579 --> 00:36:13.239
 lows

00:36:13.239 --> 00:36:13.959
 and really

00:36:13.959 --> 00:36:15.579
 long valleys.

00:36:15.899 --> 00:36:16.519
 How do we

00:36:16.519 --> 00:36:17.759
 reconcile that?

00:36:17.819 --> 00:36:18.539
 We look to Christ.

00:36:19.939 --> 00:36:21.119
 On the cross

00:36:21.119 --> 00:36:21.719
 Jesus

00:36:21.719 --> 00:36:22.979
 dies

00:36:22.979 --> 00:36:23.859
 on our behalf

00:36:23.859 --> 00:36:24.979
 according to God's will.

00:36:24.980 --> 00:36:26.119
 He suffers

00:36:26.119 --> 00:36:27.159
 before that

00:36:27.159 --> 00:36:28.960
 in a gruesome way

00:36:28.960 --> 00:36:31.000
 and in the end

00:36:31.000 --> 00:36:31.880
 he is forsaken

00:36:31.880 --> 00:36:32.740
 by his father

00:36:32.740 --> 00:36:34.840
 so that

00:36:34.840 --> 00:36:36.619
 the result

00:36:36.619 --> 00:36:37.719
 that we could be

00:36:37.719 --> 00:36:38.119
 blessed.

00:36:38.840 --> 00:36:39.860
 Whether or not

00:36:39.860 --> 00:36:40.599
 we experience

00:36:40.599 --> 00:36:42.199
 incredible blessings

00:36:42.199 --> 00:36:43.019
 in this life

00:36:43.019 --> 00:36:43.659
 or not

00:36:43.659 --> 00:36:44.740
 but that we will know

00:36:44.740 --> 00:36:45.719
 blessings for eternity

00:36:45.719 --> 00:36:47.320
 that we will have

00:36:47.320 --> 00:36:48.320
 the hand of the Lord

00:36:48.320 --> 00:36:49.559
 upon us forever

00:36:49.559 --> 00:36:50.820
 in fact to be

00:36:50.820 --> 00:36:51.740
 in his very presence.

00:36:51.739 --> 00:36:54.179
 this is

00:36:54.179 --> 00:36:55.059
 this is

00:36:55.059 --> 00:36:55.919
 the real

00:36:55.919 --> 00:36:56.759
 blessed life.

00:36:57.779 --> 00:36:58.879
 So for you

00:36:58.879 --> 00:36:59.459
 and I

00:36:59.459 --> 00:37:00.279
 as we engage

00:37:00.279 --> 00:37:00.919
 in God's word

00:37:00.919 --> 00:37:01.259
 and we

00:37:01.259 --> 00:37:02.279
 we look to him

00:37:02.279 --> 00:37:03.139
 for our salvation

00:37:03.139 --> 00:37:03.699
 and we

00:37:03.699 --> 00:37:04.319
 we

00:37:04.319 --> 00:37:05.079
 we trust

00:37:05.079 --> 00:37:05.559
 that he will

00:37:05.559 --> 00:37:06.399
 bless us

00:37:06.399 --> 00:37:06.919
 in the ways

00:37:06.919 --> 00:37:07.859
 we need

00:37:07.859 --> 00:37:08.759
 to be blessed

00:37:08.759 --> 00:37:09.539
 in this life

00:37:09.539 --> 00:37:11.439
 that ultimately

00:37:11.439 --> 00:37:12.059
 the blessing

00:37:12.059 --> 00:37:12.759
 is already given

00:37:12.759 --> 00:37:14.459
 that we know

00:37:14.459 --> 00:37:15.139
 that we will be

00:37:15.139 --> 00:37:15.639
 with him

00:37:15.639 --> 00:37:16.339
 for eternity

00:37:16.340 --> 00:37:18.680
 that Christ's

00:37:18.680 --> 00:37:19.519
 own favor

00:37:19.519 --> 00:37:21.140
 perfect favor

00:37:21.140 --> 00:37:21.960
 of God

00:37:21.960 --> 00:37:22.920
 that God's

00:37:22.920 --> 00:37:23.600
 own hand

00:37:23.600 --> 00:37:24.079
 rests

00:37:24.079 --> 00:37:25.600
 upon us

00:37:25.600 --> 00:37:26.320
 that was resting

00:37:26.320 --> 00:37:27.519
 upon Christ.

00:37:28.760 --> 00:37:29.500
 Jesus

00:37:29.500 --> 00:37:30.680
 does God's will

00:37:30.680 --> 00:37:31.160
 perfectly

00:37:31.160 --> 00:37:32.960
 and we'll see

00:37:32.960 --> 00:37:33.940
 later on

00:37:33.940 --> 00:37:34.320
 that

00:37:34.320 --> 00:37:36.180
 that God's will

00:37:36.180 --> 00:37:36.840
 is really

00:37:36.840 --> 00:37:37.680
 again

00:37:37.680 --> 00:37:38.260
 like I said

00:37:38.260 --> 00:37:39.160
 that's

00:37:39.160 --> 00:37:40.019
 that's the real bit

00:37:40.019 --> 00:37:40.740
 in all of this.

00:37:41.460 --> 00:37:42.180
 Ezra

00:37:42.180 --> 00:37:43.120
 in chapter 8

00:37:43.120 --> 00:37:44.300
 this was a part

00:37:44.300 --> 00:37:44.840
 of the section

00:37:44.840 --> 00:37:45.240
 of the reading

00:37:45.240 --> 00:37:45.760
 but I focused

00:37:45.760 --> 00:37:46.519
 on chapter 7

00:37:46.519 --> 00:37:48.019
 in chapter 8

00:37:48.019 --> 00:37:48.900
 Ezra

00:37:48.900 --> 00:37:50.300
 he declines

00:37:50.300 --> 00:37:51.620
 an armored

00:37:51.620 --> 00:37:52.300
 guard

00:37:52.300 --> 00:37:53.200
 to go with him

00:37:53.200 --> 00:37:54.780
 from Babylonia

00:37:54.780 --> 00:37:55.780
 from Babylon

00:37:55.780 --> 00:37:56.780
 back to Jerusalem.

00:37:57.220 --> 00:37:58.240
 He has women

00:37:58.240 --> 00:37:59.160
 he has children

00:37:59.160 --> 00:38:00.460
 he has a ton

00:38:00.460 --> 00:38:01.120
 of gold

00:38:01.120 --> 00:38:02.140
 all the temple

00:38:02.140 --> 00:38:03.980
 utensils

00:38:03.980 --> 00:38:05.079
 and gold

00:38:05.079 --> 00:38:05.780
 and silver

00:38:05.780 --> 00:38:06.480
 I mean he was

00:38:06.480 --> 00:38:07.260
 a sitting duck

00:38:07.260 --> 00:38:09.760
 900 to 1000 miles

00:38:09.760 --> 00:38:11.140
 4 plus months

00:38:11.140 --> 00:38:11.760
 it's something like

00:38:11.760 --> 00:38:12.880
 10 miles a day

00:38:12.880 --> 00:38:14.420
 in the desert

00:38:14.420 --> 00:38:15.680
 and in the wilderness

00:38:15.680 --> 00:38:17.760
 and he says

00:38:17.760 --> 00:38:19.619
 I'm actually not

00:38:19.619 --> 00:38:20.039
 going to take

00:38:20.039 --> 00:38:20.760
 the armored guard

00:38:20.760 --> 00:38:21.380
 because

00:38:21.380 --> 00:38:22.639
 if God's hand

00:38:22.639 --> 00:38:23.240
 is on me

00:38:23.240 --> 00:38:23.840
 then it's

00:38:23.840 --> 00:38:24.320
 it's on me

00:38:24.320 --> 00:38:24.740
 all the way

00:38:24.740 --> 00:38:25.619
 okay

00:38:25.619 --> 00:38:26.480
 very noble thing

00:38:26.480 --> 00:38:27.480
 and God delivers them

00:38:27.480 --> 00:38:28.480
 it's a fantastic thing

00:38:28.480 --> 00:38:30.079
 in Nehemiah

00:38:30.079 --> 00:38:32.639
 it's a similar situation

00:38:32.639 --> 00:38:33.460
 and Nehemiah's like

00:38:33.460 --> 00:38:34.280
 yeah give me that guard

00:38:34.280 --> 00:38:35.659
 yeah I want that guard

00:38:35.659 --> 00:38:36.680
 I need that guard

00:38:36.680 --> 00:38:37.360
 to go with me

00:38:37.360 --> 00:38:38.320
 and somehow

00:38:38.320 --> 00:38:39.019
 that was also

00:38:39.019 --> 00:38:39.659
 God's will

00:38:39.659 --> 00:38:41.659
 so it's not

00:38:41.659 --> 00:38:42.539
 simply that

00:38:42.539 --> 00:38:43.920
 we can

00:38:43.920 --> 00:38:45.859
 always

00:38:45.859 --> 00:38:47.659
 take from

00:38:47.659 --> 00:38:48.179
 scripture

00:38:48.179 --> 00:38:51.039
 this carbon copy

00:38:51.039 --> 00:38:52.399
 of what to do

00:38:52.399 --> 00:38:53.079
 sometimes

00:38:53.079 --> 00:38:53.539
 scripture

00:38:53.539 --> 00:38:55.639
 prescribes

00:38:55.639 --> 00:38:56.739
 what we are to do

00:38:56.739 --> 00:38:57.319
 other times

00:38:57.319 --> 00:38:58.099
 it just describes

00:38:58.099 --> 00:38:59.000
 what's happening here

00:38:59.000 --> 00:39:00.159
 but the principle

00:39:00.159 --> 00:39:00.899
 behind it is

00:39:00.899 --> 00:39:01.399
 this

00:39:01.399 --> 00:39:02.539
 what is God's will

00:39:02.539 --> 00:39:04.239
 what is it

00:39:04.239 --> 00:39:06.379
 he has laid it

00:39:06.379 --> 00:39:07.059
 open in

00:39:07.059 --> 00:39:07.759
 holy scripture

00:39:07.760 --> 00:39:09.120
 and there's a lot

00:39:09.120 --> 00:39:09.680
 of aspects

00:39:09.680 --> 00:39:10.300
 to God's will

00:39:10.300 --> 00:39:11.400
 but the meat

00:39:11.400 --> 00:39:11.940
 and potatoes

00:39:11.940 --> 00:39:12.740
 of God's will

00:39:12.740 --> 00:39:14.300
 is that he desires

00:39:14.300 --> 00:39:14.840
 us

00:39:14.840 --> 00:39:16.100
 to be with him

00:39:16.100 --> 00:39:17.460
 and he has made a way

00:39:17.460 --> 00:39:18.260
 in Christ Jesus

00:39:18.260 --> 00:39:20.420
 so friends

00:39:20.420 --> 00:39:22.260
 let us know

00:39:22.260 --> 00:39:23.840
 the hand of the Lord

00:39:23.840 --> 00:39:24.860
 being upon us

00:39:24.860 --> 00:39:26.400
 let us know

00:39:26.400 --> 00:39:27.320
 the favor of God

00:39:27.320 --> 00:39:28.020
 whatever comes

00:39:28.020 --> 00:39:28.620
 this week

00:39:28.620 --> 00:39:29.600
 okay

00:39:29.600 --> 00:39:30.460
 good or bad

00:39:30.460 --> 00:39:31.420
 whatever comes

00:39:31.420 --> 00:39:31.760
 this week

00:39:31.760 --> 00:39:32.320
 let us know

00:39:32.320 --> 00:39:32.940
 that the favor

00:39:32.940 --> 00:39:33.780
 of the Lord

00:39:33.780 --> 00:39:34.460
 is upon us

00:39:34.460 --> 00:39:35.980
 the favor of the Lord

00:39:35.980 --> 00:39:37.060
 and that we will

00:39:37.059 --> 00:39:38.400
 live the blessed life

00:39:38.400 --> 00:39:39.299
 for eternity

00:39:39.299 --> 00:39:40.599
 let's pray

00:39:40.599 --> 00:39:43.019
 Father in heaven

00:39:43.019 --> 00:39:43.659
 we thank you

00:39:43.659 --> 00:39:44.980
 that we have

00:39:44.980 --> 00:39:46.599
 these fantastic examples

00:39:46.599 --> 00:39:48.159
 of how your people

00:39:48.159 --> 00:39:49.380
 engaged with you

00:39:49.380 --> 00:39:50.159
 and your word

00:39:50.159 --> 00:39:51.840
 throughout the generations

00:39:51.840 --> 00:39:53.500
 Lord we thank you

00:39:53.500 --> 00:39:53.960
 for Ezra

00:39:53.960 --> 00:39:54.619
 we thank you

00:39:54.619 --> 00:39:55.279
 for his faith

00:39:55.279 --> 00:39:55.799
 we thank you

00:39:55.799 --> 00:39:56.559
 for his diligence

00:39:56.559 --> 00:39:58.299
 for his heart

00:39:58.299 --> 00:40:00.179
 to reestablish

00:40:00.179 --> 00:40:00.719
 the

00:40:00.719 --> 00:40:02.460
 your word

00:40:02.460 --> 00:40:02.920
 amongst

00:40:02.920 --> 00:40:03.659
 your people

00:40:03.659 --> 00:40:05.440
 Lord

00:40:05.440 --> 00:40:06.179
 may your word

00:40:06.179 --> 00:40:06.759
 never depart

00:40:06.759 --> 00:40:07.339
 from us

00:40:07.339 --> 00:40:08.480
 help us

00:40:08.480 --> 00:40:09.119
 to be students

00:40:09.119 --> 00:40:09.440
 of it

00:40:09.440 --> 00:40:11.879
 in such a

00:40:11.879 --> 00:40:14.559
 life of distractions

00:40:14.559 --> 00:40:15.559
 and options

00:40:15.559 --> 00:40:17.980
 where finding

00:40:17.980 --> 00:40:18.639
 a quiet

00:40:18.639 --> 00:40:19.759
 10 minutes here

00:40:19.759 --> 00:40:20.719
 or 20 minutes there

00:40:20.719 --> 00:40:21.940
 seems like

00:40:21.940 --> 00:40:22.739
 an impossibility

00:40:22.739 --> 00:40:23.079
 Lord

00:40:23.079 --> 00:40:24.379
 help us

00:40:24.379 --> 00:40:26.519
 help us

00:40:26.519 --> 00:40:27.339
 to help ourselves

00:40:27.339 --> 00:40:29.639
 Lord

00:40:29.639 --> 00:40:30.480
 give us the strength

00:40:30.480 --> 00:40:31.019
 we need

00:40:31.019 --> 00:40:32.239
 to do the things

00:40:32.239 --> 00:40:32.779
 you called us

00:40:32.779 --> 00:40:33.199
 to do

00:40:33.199 --> 00:40:34.659
 but Lord

00:40:34.659 --> 00:40:35.339
 more than

00:40:35.339 --> 00:40:35.980
 anything else

00:40:35.980 --> 00:40:36.839
 open our eyes

00:40:36.839 --> 00:40:37.579
 to the reality

00:40:37.579 --> 00:40:38.799
 of what your son

00:40:38.799 --> 00:40:39.279
 has done

00:40:39.279 --> 00:40:39.859
 on the cross

00:40:39.859 --> 00:40:40.279
 of Calvary

00:40:40.279 --> 00:40:40.819
 for us

00:40:40.819 --> 00:40:42.159
 that the hand

00:40:42.159 --> 00:40:42.639
 of favor

00:40:42.639 --> 00:40:43.519
 for all those

00:40:43.519 --> 00:40:43.859
 who have put

00:40:43.859 --> 00:40:44.359
 their faith

00:40:44.359 --> 00:40:44.739
 in him

00:40:44.739 --> 00:40:45.739
 it rests

00:40:45.739 --> 00:40:46.519
 upon us

00:40:46.519 --> 00:40:47.739
 and Lord

00:40:47.739 --> 00:40:48.259
 let us live

00:40:48.259 --> 00:40:48.980
 in that reality

00:40:48.980 --> 00:40:50.239
 we pray

00:40:50.239 --> 00:40:50.719
 in Christ's

00:40:50.719 --> 00:40:51.139
 mighty name

00:40:51.139 --> 00:40:52.079
 Amen

00:40:52.079 --> 00:41:18.819
 in heaven