WEBVTT

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 People who think if you start on time and people come in late, they'll be like, oh no, I'm late.

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 And maybe next week they'll come on time.

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 I don't really care and it doesn't bother me if people walk in, but it's just a thing.

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 I like to start on time or pretty close to it.

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 So let me begin with a word of prayer.

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 Father, thank you.

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 Thank you for creating us, for making us, for giving us so many good things.

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 Lord, we praise you and honor you.

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 Give us hearts that adore you.

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 Give us hearts that love your word.

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 Give us hearts that love the world you've made.

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 Give us hearts that love one another.

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 And our neighbors, those inside the kingdom and those outside the kingdom.

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 Lord, that we might be your salt and your light in this world.

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 Give us eyes to see the culture around us.

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 But even more to see who you are.

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 The world you have put us in.

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 And what you have, what you're doing and what you've designed and what you've begun that you will bring to completion.

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 Lord, let us be part of that.

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 Lord, give me the right words.

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 And let the wrong words float off into the ductwork.

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 And give us all ears to hear from you.

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 In Jesus' name, amen.

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 So I want to start with a little introduction of this class because it's, I forget what the title was.

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 Something about foundations in the Pentateuch.

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 So what I hope to do, we're going to look at some things out of each book in the Pentateuch.

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 Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.

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 We're going to look at some things that are events that happened in history.

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 But we're going to look at them from a theological point of view to see, we're going to ask about these things.

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 So what?

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 So what?

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 Today, we're going to look exclusively at the creation.

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 And we're going to say, so what?

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 And what I want us to be able to do is to sort of get a sense of these big ideas that lie at the foundation of all the rest of Scripture and all of what God is doing in the world.

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 The things, and these are, it's not only like the first five books of the Bible.

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 It's, they're foundational in many, many ways.

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 And the themes that will come up are going to be themes that go all the way through Scripture.

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 We're not going to look at a lot of that specifically, although I may draw your attention to a few places.

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 But I want to, my experience has been waking up to the ways some of these themes run through Scripture and seeing, wait, why is this referred to here?

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 You know, why, why is this psalmist calling God creator in this psalm at this moment?

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 I've been a Christian for 50 years.

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 It was a really long time.

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 I haven't gotten very far, but I've been reading the Bible about that long.

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 And there's so much in it that became rote pretty fast and became like, oh yes, God created the world, for instance.

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 Got it.

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 Moving on.

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 And then I would see a psalmist refer to God as creator, and I would go, yeah, yeah, yeah, let's move on.

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 But I never looked at, well, why, what's, what's the, what's his point here?

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 Is he just throwing that out as something to say about God because it works in the sentence?

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 Probably not.

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 This is God's, this is God's word.

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 And I don't think there's a lot of throwaway stuff, if any.

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 So that's been a little bit of my journey.

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 The other piece of it has been a kind of cultural critique.

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 And that's just been for the past several years I've run into and then sought out a bunch of books that look at where our culture is right now in particular ways.

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 And how, how that's, how that has deviated from the world that God made.

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 So how has the culture ignoring or rejecting or denying some of these big ideas that are truth, they are reality, they are how the world works.

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 And you'll see as we get into this sort of what I'm, sort of what I mean by that, I hope.

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 So I want to look at both, what is the Bible teaching in this event?

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 And how does our culture miss this or deny it or whatever?

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 And what are the consequences?

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 Because I think sometimes we get so embedded in the culture that we don't notice those things as much as we ought to.

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 So, so I come from a particular vantage point, as I said, 50 years as a Christian.

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 So my formative years were, I was born in the 60s, the 70s, that's when I was in high school.

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 And it's not the same world as it is now.

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 And some of you are much younger than me and are living in a different world at your ages than I was.

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 So I want to be conscious of that.

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 And I don't want to pretend that I know what it's like to be 20-something in this culture.

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 I'm an observer.

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 And I'm an observer from a different generation.

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 So sometimes I think that can be helpful.

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 But I also don't want to pretend I'm an expert.

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 Because I'm not.

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 And likewise, all of this cultural critique stuff, I'm learning.

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 And I'm growing.

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 And I'm learning from people.

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 I'm reading.

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 I'm not an expert.

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 So many of you are probably more well-versed in some of this than I am.

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 And I'm a little, yeah, I just want to be clear that I'm not pretending to be an expert.

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 And I'll quote some philosophers and stuff, but it doesn't mean I've read them thoroughly.

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 Okay?

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 So I don't want to present myself as something I'm not.

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 So just think of the schedule overall.

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 We're going to do two weeks in Genesis beginning today.

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 And we're going to hit, we're just going to hit a few things.

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 There's an awful lot in Genesis.

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 And I'm realizing as I prepare that there's like way too much for me to do that I want to do.

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 So anyway, so we'll do two weeks in Genesis and we'll do Exodus.

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 Alex Koch is going to step in and teach on numbers.

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 And his approach may be a little different from mine.

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 And that's cool.

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 And then the final week I'll pick up Leviticus and Deuteronomy, looking particularly at the law, which is heavy in those books.

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 So it's a theological rather than historical look.

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 Yeah.

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 So that's basically my introduction.

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 And I think you'll understand it a little bit better as I get going here.

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 At some point I will produce a bibliography because the books I've read have been super helpful, super helpful.

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 And I would commend them to anyone who's, I'd commend them to anyone who's living in this culture.

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 So that doesn't leave anyone out.

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 Okay, so today, Genesis part one, all we're going to look at is creation because it's so foundational.

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 And there's so much, so much to see in here that our culture misses or rejects or whatever.

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 So let me just read Genesis chapter one.

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 Genesis chapter one, I trust it's familiar to most of us, but let's read it.

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 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

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 The earth was without form and void and darkness was over the face of the deep.

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 And the spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.

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 And God said, let there be light.

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 And there was light.

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 And God saw that the light was good.

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 And God separated the light from the darkness.

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 God called the light day and the darkness he called night.

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 And there was evening and there was morning the first day.

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 And God said, let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters and let it separate the waters from the waters.

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 And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse.

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 And it was so.

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 And God called the expanse heaven.

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 And there was evening and there was morning the second day.

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 And God said, let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place and let the dry land appear.

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 And it was so.

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 God called the dry land earth and the waters that were gathered together he called seas.

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 And God saw that it was good.

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 And God said, let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind on the earth.

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 And it was so.

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 The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind.

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 And God saw that it was good.

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 And there was evening and there was morning the third day.

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 And God said, let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night.

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 And let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years.

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 And let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.

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 And it was so.

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 And God made two great lights, the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night and the stars.

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 And God sent them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness.

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 And God saw that it was good.

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 And there was evening and there was morning the fourth day.

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 And God said, let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.

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 So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind.

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 And God saw that it was good.

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 And God blessed them, saying, be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters and the seas and let birds multiply on the earth.

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 And there was evening and there was morning the fifth day.

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 And God said, let the earth bring forth living creatures according to their kinds, livestock and creeping things, and beasts of the earth according to their kinds.

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 And it was so.

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 And God made the beasts of the earth according to their kinds and the livestock according to their kinds and everything that creeps on the ground according to its kind.

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 And God saw that it was good.

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 Then God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.

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 So God created man in his own image.

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 In the image of God, he created him.

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 Male and female, he created them.

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 And God blessed them.

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 And God said to them, be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.

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 And God said, behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of the earth and every tree with seed and its fruit.

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 You shall have them for food.

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 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.

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 And it was so.

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 And God saw everything that he had made.

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 And behold, it was very good.

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 And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

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 Now, I'm going to stop reading there.

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 I will let you know that on the seventh day, God rested.

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 That's not insignificant.

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 I'm just, you know, I could read all of Genesis and probably be more profitable.

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 But when I was a young teen in the 70s, I attended a small, rural, conservative church.

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 And if Genesis 1 came up, as it did, they were very, very Bible focused and gave me a lot in the way of doctrine and understanding of the scriptures that I treasure to this day.

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 But when they got to teaching about Genesis, for instance, the questions were, okay, how long did God take to do creation?

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 When did this happen?

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 Are these 24-hour literal days?

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 Are these?

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 So most of the emphasis on our time in Genesis 1 or 2 was on, how did this happen?

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 Oh, it didn't happen like those guys say.

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 It happened like this, which was important, not insignificant.

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 But that's what I thought the creation account was for, was for arguing against evolutionists.

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 Okay, that's how I, that's what I was taught.

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 That's what I absorbed.

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 And it took me a long time to get past that as the only purpose.

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 And I don't want to, in any way, you know, disparage efforts to sort this out.

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 We had a great class by Luke Batty on this topic.

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 It was fascinating.

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 It doesn't happen to be really my thing.

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 It doesn't, like, jazz me up.

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 But there's great resources for that, and that's not unimportant.

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 But I want to look at the theological, what does this teach us about God and about the world and about ourselves?

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 So it's, to me, this is what I call a big idea.

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 That's bigger than, bigger than, how did it happen?

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 How many days?

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 6,000 years ago?

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 Whatever.

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 All right.

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 So, beginning at the beginning.

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 The first words are, in the beginning.

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 Why is this, why does this matter?

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 Why does it start that way?

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 Well, the implications of this are, I mean, in the scriptures, and this I have it on someone else's authority, beginning matches to end.

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 That's how beginning always implies an end.

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 There was a beginning before which God had not created the heavens and the earth.

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 There was a time before that.

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 And what he's doing will come to an end with, as we know from the rest of scriptures, with a new heavens and a new earth.

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 Renewed in glory with Christ reigning over the earth.

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 It'll be different.

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 So even the idea that history has a beginning is, in many ways, countercultural.

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 We don't, we may think about the Big Bang as a beginning, but for the Big Bang to happen, there had to be something to bang.

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 Right?

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 So, this is how much I know about all this stuff.

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 That's my physics knowledge.

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 This also, the beginning and end aspect also implies that history is linear.

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 It began and it's going somewhere.

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 So, God is doing something that isn't just cyclical.

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 Round and round and round we go.

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 Things are always the same.

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 And we know that there are whole religions that think of the, they just think differently about time.

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 Most of us in the West have that kind of linear picture in our minds, I think.

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 Again, this is where, you know, I'm a certain generation.

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 Certainly, to me, history has always looked like a line.

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 But that's not true everywhere in the world.

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 And we can't really take it for granted that that's how people think.

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 Because not everyone does.

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 But that appears to be part of the implication of the way creation is recorded here for us.

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 In the beginning, God.

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 There's the fourth word.

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 It's the most important word.

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 And that's not just, you know, the Sunday school answer.

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 But God is the focus and source of all history.

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 Everything.

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 Everything depends on God.

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 That doesn't seem revolutionary to us as believers.

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 But it certainly is to our culture.

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 And I think we all recognize that.

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 Everything depends on God.

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 God made a choice to create the heavens and the earth.

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 God is personal.

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 He has a will.

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 He decides to do something.

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 And he decides to do it in a certain way.

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 And as I read the account,

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 you might recognize that it's very orderly

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 and straightforward.

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 I mean, not straightforward to us as we're thinking as scientists,

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 but straightforward as an account.

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 God did this.

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 Then he did this.

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 It's orderly.

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 It's conflict-free.

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 Which I just threw out there because most, like,

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 pagan creation stories are full of conflict

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 between gods and demigods

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 and, you know,

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 all these different supernatural sort of beings, right?

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 So there's full of conflict.

00:19:54.619 --> 00:19:55.879
 They're arguing over things,

00:19:55.959 --> 00:19:57.179
 and someone comes out on top.

00:19:58.419 --> 00:20:00.699
 We get none of that in the creation account.

00:20:01.039 --> 00:20:02.659
 There are no other gods.

00:20:04.299 --> 00:20:06.000
 And there's just nothing.

00:20:06.859 --> 00:20:09.359
 It's a very different account that way.

00:20:09.359 --> 00:20:10.919
 And that's worth noting.

00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:14.059
 So God is personal and active.

00:20:14.319 --> 00:20:15.519
 He chooses to act.

00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:17.619
 He's not just a vague force out there.

00:20:17.719 --> 00:20:19.719
 He's presented as a person

00:20:19.719 --> 00:20:23.740
 who speaks and creates,

00:20:24.059 --> 00:20:27.019
 who assesses the world and says,

00:20:27.240 --> 00:20:28.539
 it's good.

00:20:29.579 --> 00:20:31.659
 He's a God who makes judgments,

00:20:32.479 --> 00:20:35.319
 who cares about,

00:20:35.919 --> 00:20:37.119
 is it good?

00:20:37.179 --> 00:20:37.699
 Is it worthwhile?

00:20:38.019 --> 00:20:38.579
 Is it whatever?

00:20:38.579 --> 00:20:38.699
 Or,

00:20:39.019 --> 00:20:42.119
 and he makes a judgment about it.

00:20:42.159 --> 00:20:42.799
 And here,

00:20:43.539 --> 00:20:46.299
 this is all before sin entered the world.

00:20:46.559 --> 00:20:47.379
 It's good.

00:20:48.679 --> 00:20:49.039
 And then,

00:20:49.179 --> 00:20:53.779
 and then after creating Adam and Eve,

00:20:53.859 --> 00:20:54.179
 he says,

00:20:54.259 --> 00:20:55.099
 it's very good.

00:20:55.439 --> 00:20:56.379
 It's very good.

00:20:56.779 --> 00:21:01.379
 So God is a God who discerns morally, right?

00:21:01.419 --> 00:21:02.579
 He's looking at the world

00:21:02.579 --> 00:21:04.899
 and makes a,

00:21:04.899 --> 00:21:06.259
 makes a discernment about it.

00:21:06.259 --> 00:21:11.220
 Another super important thing to see here.

00:21:11.220 --> 00:21:13.599
 And it's,

00:21:13.700 --> 00:21:13.859
 yeah,

00:21:14.019 --> 00:21:16.140
 is God is outside of creation.

00:21:16.400 --> 00:21:17.359
 He is not part of it.

00:21:18.740 --> 00:21:20.379
 He's not like us.

00:21:20.440 --> 00:21:20.599
 I mean,

00:21:20.619 --> 00:21:22.220
 he's like us in some ways.

00:21:22.839 --> 00:21:24.900
 I hope I can sort this out for you.

00:21:24.900 --> 00:21:25.820
 So he's,

00:21:25.960 --> 00:21:28.000
 we are made in his image.

00:21:30.420 --> 00:21:32.220
 But we're,

00:21:32.400 --> 00:21:34.060
 he's not like a bigger,

00:21:34.240 --> 00:21:35.780
 better version of us.

00:21:36.380 --> 00:21:36.860
 Okay.

00:21:36.859 --> 00:21:38.419
 And I mean,

00:21:38.740 --> 00:21:39.079
 I,

00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:41.299
 I know in my history,

00:21:41.299 --> 00:21:44.119
 there have been times when that's what I thought of God as.

00:21:44.119 --> 00:21:45.179
 Like not explicitly,

00:21:45.939 --> 00:21:46.359
 you know,

00:21:46.419 --> 00:21:48.619
 because I had good doctrine and all that.

00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:48.939
 But,

00:21:49.659 --> 00:21:51.279
 but there's this sense of the,

00:21:51.339 --> 00:21:51.699
 it's the,

00:21:51.779 --> 00:21:52.379
 it's the,

00:21:52.419 --> 00:21:52.699
 you know,

00:21:52.759 --> 00:21:57.259
 grandpa up in the sky kind of image that is not uncommon.

00:21:57.259 --> 00:21:59.200
 You know,

00:21:59.259 --> 00:22:04.519
 this sort of docile and pleasant and loving figure.

00:22:04.519 --> 00:22:04.920
 That's,

00:22:05.220 --> 00:22:05.960
 that's like us.

00:22:06.000 --> 00:22:08.019
 Only he like loves all the time instead of us,

00:22:08.059 --> 00:22:08.240
 which,

00:22:08.400 --> 00:22:08.539
 you know,

00:22:08.579 --> 00:22:09.019
 we don't.

00:22:10.779 --> 00:22:11.819
 But that's not,

00:22:12.059 --> 00:22:14.799
 that's not how the Bible portrays God at all.

00:22:15.379 --> 00:22:16.359
 God is other.

00:22:16.920 --> 00:22:17.759
 He is different.

00:22:18.480 --> 00:22:22.319
 So this is usually called the creator creature distinction.

00:22:22.779 --> 00:22:23.680
 There's a line,

00:22:23.839 --> 00:22:24.680
 there's a difference.

00:22:24.680 --> 00:22:25.279
 And,

00:22:25.279 --> 00:22:25.580
 um,

00:22:26.840 --> 00:22:29.039
 Oh,

00:22:31.299 --> 00:22:32.120
 that's effective.

00:22:35.720 --> 00:22:36.840
 A little better.

00:22:43.920 --> 00:22:45.259
 A theologian,

00:22:46.180 --> 00:22:46.519
 uh,

00:22:46.799 --> 00:22:54.660
 named Cornelius Van Til used to talk a great deal about the creator creature

00:22:54.680 --> 00:22:55.480
 distinction.

00:22:56.299 --> 00:22:56.660
 Um,

00:22:56.660 --> 00:22:59.259
 and this is a diagram that he used.

00:23:00.160 --> 00:23:02.180
 I'm going to read a little quote from him.

00:23:02.779 --> 00:23:04.779
 So you get a hint of the,

00:23:04.779 --> 00:23:11.860
 the importance that he placed on this concept that God is not us.

00:23:11.960 --> 00:23:13.220
 He is other.

00:23:13.220 --> 00:23:14.700
 So,

00:23:14.700 --> 00:23:15.819
 so Van Til says,

00:23:15.819 --> 00:23:19.740
 I point out that the Bible does contain a theory of reality.

00:23:20.380 --> 00:23:23.720
 And this theory of reality is that of two levels of being.

00:23:24.240 --> 00:23:24.579
 First,

00:23:24.759 --> 00:23:26.140
 of God as infinite,

00:23:26.819 --> 00:23:27.259
 eternal,

00:23:27.759 --> 00:23:28.819
 and unchangeable.

00:23:29.380 --> 00:23:30.240
 And second,

00:23:30.559 --> 00:23:33.200
 of the universe as derivative,

00:23:34.120 --> 00:23:34.600
 finite,

00:23:35.259 --> 00:23:35.620
 temporal,

00:23:36.240 --> 00:23:36.839
 and changeable.

00:23:36.839 --> 00:23:41.019
 A position best known by its most basic differentiation.

00:23:42.039 --> 00:23:51.759
 The meanings of all words in the Christian theory of being depend upon the differentiation between the self-contained God and the created universe.

00:23:53.399 --> 00:23:53.619
 Uh,

00:23:53.619 --> 00:23:56.139
 compare that to a voice from,

00:23:56.539 --> 00:23:56.879
 um,

00:23:57.699 --> 00:23:58.819
 more or less our culture.

00:23:59.559 --> 00:24:00.299
 Carl Sagan,

00:24:00.299 --> 00:24:01.299
 uh,

00:24:01.579 --> 00:24:07.200
 said the cosmos is all that there is or ever was or will be.

00:24:08.099 --> 00:24:08.599
 So,

00:24:09.279 --> 00:24:13.500
 notice the circles are not the same size,

00:24:13.960 --> 00:24:14.460
 right?

00:24:14.559 --> 00:24:15.639
 This is creation.

00:24:16.839 --> 00:24:17.919
 This is God.

00:24:18.779 --> 00:24:21.720
 There's a connection because God creates it,

00:24:22.200 --> 00:24:23.659
 but he doesn't,

00:24:24.299 --> 00:24:25.180
 he's not part of it.

00:24:25.559 --> 00:24:26.500
 He didn't create himself.

00:24:27.220 --> 00:24:28.299
 He didn't create Jesus.

00:24:29.299 --> 00:24:29.579
 Um,

00:24:29.579 --> 00:24:32.399
 he's different and other.

00:24:32.659 --> 00:24:33.019
 And then the,

00:24:33.159 --> 00:24:34.199
 and the other way,

00:24:34.439 --> 00:24:37.519
 Carl Sagan's worldview is like,

00:24:37.619 --> 00:24:37.720
 it,

00:24:37.819 --> 00:24:38.939
 it's all one thing.

00:24:39.399 --> 00:24:40.559
 It's all one thing.

00:24:40.559 --> 00:24:41.599
 And if you,

00:24:42.319 --> 00:24:42.659
 um,

00:24:43.439 --> 00:24:43.659
 as,

00:24:43.740 --> 00:24:46.000
 as you trace some,

00:24:46.000 --> 00:24:46.839
 uh,

00:24:47.379 --> 00:24:48.799
 more modern theology,

00:24:48.799 --> 00:24:51.079
 you'll find lots of conceptions.

00:24:51.079 --> 00:24:52.039
 And I mean,

00:24:52.119 --> 00:24:52.799
 Christian theology,

00:24:53.000 --> 00:24:54.139
 but not Orthodox.

00:24:54.679 --> 00:24:54.960
 Um,

00:24:55.139 --> 00:24:58.839
 you see lots of conceptions in which God is,

00:24:58.839 --> 00:25:04.339
 very much part of the universe and changing with it and growing.

00:25:04.339 --> 00:25:07.279
 And these things are,

00:25:07.679 --> 00:25:07.819
 he,

00:25:07.819 --> 00:25:09.299
 he's part of the whole thing.

00:25:10.059 --> 00:25:10.459
 Um,

00:25:10.980 --> 00:25:12.839
 he's stronger than us.

00:25:12.879 --> 00:25:14.599
 He's better than us,

00:25:14.599 --> 00:25:18.119
 but he also is evolving as we evolve.

00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:19.319
 Um,

00:25:19.319 --> 00:25:20.899
 and that you can see in,

00:25:20.899 --> 00:25:21.379
 um,

00:25:21.379 --> 00:25:21.379


00:25:21.379 --> 00:25:21.899
 um,

00:25:21.899 --> 00:25:23.220
 a fair amount of liberal theology.

00:25:23.480 --> 00:25:24.519
 I can't tell you the details.

00:25:24.759 --> 00:25:24.759


00:25:24.859 --> 00:25:26.839
 I supposedly learned them in seminary,

00:25:26.939 --> 00:25:27.079
 but,

00:25:27.559 --> 00:25:27.939
 um,

00:25:28.319 --> 00:25:30.419
 but it's out there.

00:25:30.420 --> 00:25:32.720
 And it's very,

00:25:32.720 --> 00:25:41.820
 very common in our culture to see God in this way as part of the world,

00:25:41.820 --> 00:25:42.560
 if he exists.

00:25:42.560 --> 00:25:42.880
 Okay.

00:25:42.920 --> 00:25:43.680
 But part of,

00:25:43.779 --> 00:25:47.660
 part of this world and not wholly other from us,

00:25:47.660 --> 00:25:48.759
 um,

00:25:49.100 --> 00:25:53.860
 not completely omnipotent or omniscient,

00:25:53.859 --> 00:25:55.259
 um,

00:25:55.439 --> 00:25:59.659
 but more evolving along with us or,

00:25:59.939 --> 00:26:01.939
 or what,

00:26:02.059 --> 00:26:02.459
 you know,

00:26:02.519 --> 00:26:04.259
 maybe not involved,

00:26:04.779 --> 00:26:05.059
 you know,

00:26:05.079 --> 00:26:08.679
 the sort of deistic approach he,

00:26:08.679 --> 00:26:10.359
 he creates,

00:26:10.479 --> 00:26:11.059
 but he doesn't,

00:26:11.179 --> 00:26:11.579
 but he's,

00:26:11.759 --> 00:26:13.179
 he's not,

00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:16.859
 he's not like out here with this connection.

00:26:16.859 --> 00:26:17.939
 So this connection,

00:26:18.699 --> 00:26:22.899
 a deist view is like God created the world and then said,

00:26:22.900 --> 00:26:26.620
 you're on your own and doesn't interfere.

00:26:27.360 --> 00:26:27.700
 Um,

00:26:27.700 --> 00:26:30.700
 but God is active in our world.

00:26:30.880 --> 00:26:33.060
 And you see that in the creation account.

00:26:33.680 --> 00:26:34.720
 That's an active,

00:26:34.860 --> 00:26:37.440
 all of that is active and you see it throughout the scriptures,

00:26:37.440 --> 00:26:39.080
 as I'm sure you're aware.

00:26:39.440 --> 00:26:40.960
 God is active in the world.

00:26:41.780 --> 00:26:42.100
 Um,

00:26:42.420 --> 00:26:48.060
 here you want to think about God as transcendent up there,

00:26:48.800 --> 00:26:49.620
 other,

00:26:50.660 --> 00:26:51.220
 um,

00:26:51.220 --> 00:26:53.100
 infinite,

00:26:53.640 --> 00:26:54.220
 eternal,

00:26:54.900 --> 00:26:55.259
 like,

00:26:56.200 --> 00:26:57.019
 really eternal,

00:26:57.360 --> 00:27:00.039
 eternal forever in the past,

00:27:00.620 --> 00:27:02.440
 eternal forever in the future.

00:27:03.120 --> 00:27:04.319
 And when we come to Christ,

00:27:04.380 --> 00:27:05.559
 we get eternal life,

00:27:05.660 --> 00:27:07.880
 but we had a beginning and God did not.

00:27:08.620 --> 00:27:09.759
 We started somewhere.

00:27:09.759 --> 00:27:12.759
 And we depend on God.

00:27:12.859 --> 00:27:14.339
 We're derivative from God.

00:27:14.980 --> 00:27:15.460
 Um,

00:27:16.279 --> 00:27:16.579
 and,

00:27:16.759 --> 00:27:19.299
 and he grants us eternal life,

00:27:19.299 --> 00:27:21.319
 but that's not inherent in who we are.

00:27:21.559 --> 00:27:23.180
 He's not inherent in a creation,

00:27:23.259 --> 00:27:25.160
 in a creation to be eternal,

00:27:25.160 --> 00:27:26.259
 but it is in God.

00:27:26.259 --> 00:27:26.359
 Um,

00:27:26.640 --> 00:27:30.640
 so he's up there,

00:27:30.640 --> 00:27:32.420
 but he's also down here.

00:27:32.420 --> 00:27:33.700
 And we can't forget that.

00:27:33.819 --> 00:27:34.660
 We can't deny that.

00:27:34.660 --> 00:27:35.079
 Or we're,

00:27:35.279 --> 00:27:36.279
 we become deists.

00:27:36.460 --> 00:27:38.440
 He's also imminent is the,

00:27:38.539 --> 00:27:39.079
 is the,

00:27:39.079 --> 00:27:41.680
 the fancy word that theologians use.

00:27:42.339 --> 00:27:42.839
 Um,

00:27:42.839 --> 00:27:44.519
 and he's,

00:27:44.879 --> 00:27:47.879
 he's part of this world in that he acts upon it.

00:27:48.679 --> 00:27:50.399
 He cares about it.

00:27:50.439 --> 00:27:51.359
 He loves us.

00:27:51.480 --> 00:27:52.319
 The Bible teaches us.

00:27:52.379 --> 00:27:53.419
 He loves the world.

00:27:53.519 --> 00:27:56.179
 He looks at the world at creation and said,

00:27:56.299 --> 00:27:57.579
 it's very good.

00:27:58.339 --> 00:27:59.099
 There's a,

00:28:00.359 --> 00:28:01.079
 you know,

00:28:01.099 --> 00:28:01.599
 there's a,

00:28:03.000 --> 00:28:05.039
 I don't know if I want to say emotional connection,

00:28:05.159 --> 00:28:05.799
 but there's definitely,

00:28:05.959 --> 00:28:06.959
 there's a connection there.

00:28:07.039 --> 00:28:08.240
 He cares about the world.

00:28:08.240 --> 00:28:09.480
 Um,

00:28:10.200 --> 00:28:11.720
 and toward the end of that account,

00:28:11.859 --> 00:28:14.079
 you heard he blessed them.

00:28:14.380 --> 00:28:16.559
 So he blesses the animals,

00:28:16.559 --> 00:28:18.019
 um,

00:28:18.019 --> 00:28:20.120
 and the creeping things and all of that.

00:28:20.200 --> 00:28:22.980
 And he blesses humanity and gives,

00:28:23.359 --> 00:28:24.279
 uh,

00:28:24.660 --> 00:28:25.620
 gives a mandate,

00:28:25.620 --> 00:28:26.220
 you know,

00:28:26.319 --> 00:28:26.579
 to,

00:28:26.980 --> 00:28:27.440
 um,

00:28:28.299 --> 00:28:30.099
 to all of creation,

00:28:30.339 --> 00:28:33.779
 to grow and multiply and to humanity,

00:28:33.779 --> 00:28:35.759
 to rule over,

00:28:35.759 --> 00:28:36.620
 um,

00:28:36.799 --> 00:28:38.140
 creation in his,

00:28:38.240 --> 00:28:39.799
 in his name,

00:28:39.940 --> 00:28:40.740
 in his stead,

00:28:40.920 --> 00:28:41.279
 kind of,

00:28:41.599 --> 00:28:43.700
 not that he stops being the ruler,

00:28:43.980 --> 00:28:44.160
 but,

00:28:44.160 --> 00:28:45.700
 um,

00:28:46.079 --> 00:28:48.099
 Dietrich Bonhoeffer expressed this,

00:28:48.740 --> 00:28:49.120
 um,

00:28:49.660 --> 00:28:53.880
 as God is the beyond in the midst of our lives.

00:28:55.400 --> 00:28:58.400
 God is the beyond in the midst of our lives.

00:29:02.620 --> 00:29:03.539
 So another,

00:29:03.539 --> 00:29:04.200
 um,

00:29:04.200 --> 00:29:08.200
 another aspect that this teaches us about creation,

00:29:08.240 --> 00:29:10.059
 is that creation wasn't necessary.

00:29:11.120 --> 00:29:12.299
 God didn't need us.

00:29:12.599 --> 00:29:13.559
 He didn't need the world.

00:29:13.759 --> 00:29:16.799
 He didn't need to create the heavens and the earth.

00:29:18.019 --> 00:29:18.380
 He,

00:29:18.519 --> 00:29:20.160
 he is complete in himself.

00:29:20.400 --> 00:29:21.940
 He has no needs.

00:29:22.599 --> 00:29:23.380
 He has no,

00:29:23.380 --> 00:29:25.380
 He,

00:29:25.380 --> 00:29:25.380


00:29:25.500 --> 00:29:26.880
 he didn't need to do it.

00:29:27.500 --> 00:29:28.640
 He chose to do it.

00:29:29.480 --> 00:29:29.920
 And,

00:29:29.920 --> 00:29:32.100
 as we see from this language of blessing,

00:29:32.380 --> 00:29:33.600
 and it was good,

00:29:33.760 --> 00:29:34.080
 and there's,

00:29:34.520 --> 00:29:34.840
 he,

00:29:35.000 --> 00:29:38.060
 he creates with a desire to bless,

00:29:38.600 --> 00:29:41.960
 with a desire to do good to his creation.

00:29:42.480 --> 00:29:44.040
 He wants it to flourish.

00:29:44.720 --> 00:29:47.880
 He wants there to be joy and peace.

00:29:48.680 --> 00:29:53.160
 He wants all this variety of creation that we see.

00:29:53.900 --> 00:29:54.100
 You know,

00:29:54.180 --> 00:29:56.120
 every time I read those words about,

00:29:56.220 --> 00:29:56.480
 you know,

00:29:56.560 --> 00:29:57.020
 all the,

00:29:57.020 --> 00:29:58.160
 the,

00:29:58.160 --> 00:29:58.500
 the,

00:29:58.500 --> 00:30:01.420
 the sea creatures swarming in the,

00:30:01.480 --> 00:30:02.200
 in the ocean,

00:30:02.360 --> 00:30:02.600
 like,

00:30:02.980 --> 00:30:05.020
 we've all seen pictures of kind of that.

00:30:05.200 --> 00:30:05.300
 And,

00:30:05.540 --> 00:30:06.140
 and,

00:30:06.260 --> 00:30:06.680
 you know,

00:30:06.680 --> 00:30:12.460
 now people are raising the alarms that there are not as many swarms in places where there were in the ocean,

00:30:12.460 --> 00:30:12.759
 right?

00:30:12.840 --> 00:30:16.019
 Because of the way we have treated the earth in some,

00:30:16.940 --> 00:30:17.600
 to some extent.

00:30:17.860 --> 00:30:18.120
 Anyway,

00:30:19.140 --> 00:30:20.840
 this whole variety,

00:30:21.900 --> 00:30:22.140
 you know,

00:30:22.200 --> 00:30:23.779
 God didn't have to do that.

00:30:24.460 --> 00:30:25.440
 He didn't have to.

00:30:26.519 --> 00:30:26.880
 He,

00:30:27.039 --> 00:30:30.819
 he did it out of grace and out of love.

00:30:31.140 --> 00:30:35.240
 He expresses in creation who he is.

00:30:35.840 --> 00:30:39.940
 The artistry of creation is amazing.

00:30:39.940 --> 00:30:40.940
 Um,

00:30:41.460 --> 00:30:44.779
 and all creation is a gift.

00:30:45.259 --> 00:30:47.160
 It's all a gift given to bless.

00:30:49.799 --> 00:30:50.240
 Um,

00:30:50.559 --> 00:30:54.380
 David Bentley Hart is a theologian,

00:30:54.980 --> 00:30:55.340
 writes,

00:30:55.480 --> 00:30:58.019
 it is through grace that the Christian is born again,

00:30:58.420 --> 00:31:02.600
 but it is also through grace that the universe is born in the first place.

00:31:03.440 --> 00:31:03.600
 Oh,

00:31:03.660 --> 00:31:03.779
 sorry,

00:31:03.880 --> 00:31:04.620
 that wasn't Hart.

00:31:04.779 --> 00:31:06.400
 That was Christopher Watkin.

00:31:06.400 --> 00:31:10.380
 We ought not to pretend that we bought it or made it ourselves.

00:31:12.060 --> 00:31:13.240
 Someone gives you a gift.

00:31:13.420 --> 00:31:15.300
 You don't go around pretending that like,

00:31:15.900 --> 00:31:16.160
 right,

00:31:16.259 --> 00:31:16.440
 that,

00:31:16.480 --> 00:31:18.759
 that you made it or that you bought it.

00:31:18.860 --> 00:31:20.980
 And isn't this thing great that I created?

00:31:21.220 --> 00:31:21.400
 No,

00:31:21.500 --> 00:31:22.220
 it was a gift,

00:31:22.580 --> 00:31:22.840
 right?

00:31:23.600 --> 00:31:23.940
 Um,

00:31:24.259 --> 00:31:28.480
 and what's the response to a gift?

00:31:28.560 --> 00:31:29.400
 What's the appropriate response?

00:31:31.480 --> 00:31:32.120
 Thank you.

00:31:32.119 --> 00:31:32.759
 Thank you.

00:31:33.319 --> 00:31:34.019
 Thank you.

00:31:34.199 --> 00:31:34.719
 Exactly.

00:31:35.439 --> 00:31:36.159
 And that is,

00:31:36.419 --> 00:31:40.339
 that should be our natural response to all these good gifts.

00:31:41.019 --> 00:31:46.579
 And we live in a culture that denies that all of this is a gift for blessing,

00:31:46.579 --> 00:31:48.299
 for us,

00:31:48.899 --> 00:31:49.919
 for our good,

00:31:50.119 --> 00:31:50.959
 and for our joy.

00:31:50.960 --> 00:31:51.960
 um,

00:31:51.960 --> 00:31:54.500
 and says,

00:31:54.559 --> 00:31:56.420
 it's random,

00:31:57.340 --> 00:31:57.559
 uh,

00:31:57.559 --> 00:31:59.460
 that the material is all there is,

00:31:59.819 --> 00:32:00.600
 that,

00:32:01.340 --> 00:32:01.819
 um,

00:32:01.920 --> 00:32:03.240
 that,

00:32:03.400 --> 00:32:04.120
 that the,

00:32:04.120 --> 00:32:07.819
 the fish's purpose is not to bless me.

00:32:08.600 --> 00:32:11.420
 It's to be a fish if it has a purpose,

00:32:11.700 --> 00:32:12.160
 right?

00:32:12.819 --> 00:32:13.360
 Um,

00:32:13.359 --> 00:32:17.059
 and,

00:32:17.179 --> 00:32:17.479
 and,

00:32:17.479 --> 00:32:17.539
 and,

00:32:17.539 --> 00:32:17.879
 and,

00:32:17.879 --> 00:32:19.099
 and so we get this,

00:32:19.799 --> 00:32:20.959
 there's a lot of talk.

00:32:21.539 --> 00:32:21.719
 I know,

00:32:21.799 --> 00:32:23.559
 and so I notice these things on social media,

00:32:23.659 --> 00:32:24.899
 like in Pinterest and all this.

00:32:25.359 --> 00:32:25.519
 I,

00:32:25.579 --> 00:32:25.799
 um,

00:32:25.839 --> 00:32:26.899
 I do a lot of paper crafts.

00:32:27.240 --> 00:32:30.359
 And so you think of scrapbooking titles or you think of card,

00:32:30.679 --> 00:32:31.459
 card greetings.

00:32:31.579 --> 00:32:32.299
 I make a lot of cards.

00:32:33.659 --> 00:32:38.779
 And there's one I just cannot use because they're not true.

00:32:38.779 --> 00:32:39.779
 And they're,

00:32:39.779 --> 00:32:40.259
 um,

00:32:40.259 --> 00:32:42.099
 now,

00:32:42.200 --> 00:32:43.339
 because I didn't write this down.

00:32:43.400 --> 00:32:44.299
 I'm going to mess this up,

00:32:44.299 --> 00:32:44.519
 but,

00:32:44.640 --> 00:32:51.759
 but there's this sense of gratitude is really a big thing in all of these,

00:32:51.879 --> 00:32:53.960
 all of these things and gratitude.

00:32:54.259 --> 00:32:55.119
 It's out there in the culture.

00:32:55.220 --> 00:32:56.420
 There's a lot of talk about gratitude,

00:32:56.420 --> 00:32:59.240
 but there's no sense of who you're grateful to.

00:33:00.700 --> 00:33:03.779
 And now it's appropriate for us to be grateful to one another,

00:33:04.400 --> 00:33:06.940
 but one another,

00:33:06.940 --> 00:33:10.079
 but all of you are a gift to me from God.

00:33:10.259 --> 00:33:15.319
 And so ultimately it's God who deserves the thanks.

00:33:15.319 --> 00:33:17.439
 And we get from here,

00:33:17.439 --> 00:33:21.559
 this idea that creation is gratuitous.

00:33:21.659 --> 00:33:21.960
 It's,

00:33:22.740 --> 00:33:23.439
 he didn't have,

00:33:23.500 --> 00:33:24.240
 it didn't have to be,

00:33:24.299 --> 00:33:25.099
 it's not necessary,

00:33:25.099 --> 00:33:26.899
 but it's given to bless.

00:33:28.039 --> 00:33:29.439
 And we ought to give thanks.

00:33:29.439 --> 00:33:31.779
 That's not explicit here in Genesis,

00:33:31.779 --> 00:33:33.500
 but that's the implication.

00:33:33.500 --> 00:33:36.599
 And then we get to Romans chapter one.

00:33:36.680 --> 00:33:39.220
 I was talking with my son-in-law yesterday about this class and,

00:33:39.440 --> 00:33:40.420
 and he was,

00:33:40.720 --> 00:33:42.700
 he had just been reading Romans chapter one.

00:33:42.700 --> 00:33:44.400
 And part of that is,

00:33:44.819 --> 00:33:45.259
 it's this,

00:33:45.360 --> 00:33:46.319
 it's this sort of,

00:33:46.319 --> 00:33:50.059
 sort of evolution of fallen humanity.

00:33:50.660 --> 00:33:53.319
 And one of the things that Paul says is they,

00:33:53.319 --> 00:33:53.660
 they,

00:33:53.660 --> 00:33:56.740
 they did not give thanks to God.

00:33:57.559 --> 00:33:59.680
 And I remember,

00:33:59.819 --> 00:34:00.120
 you know,

00:34:00.180 --> 00:34:01.340
 noticing that and thinking,

00:34:01.759 --> 00:34:02.600
 wow,

00:34:03.039 --> 00:34:04.740
 like in some ways that seems trivial,

00:34:05.120 --> 00:34:05.900
 but it's huge,

00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:06.259
 right?

00:34:06.299 --> 00:34:07.080
 It's huge.

00:34:07.639 --> 00:34:07.859
 Like,

00:34:08.460 --> 00:34:08.699
 I mean,

00:34:08.719 --> 00:34:09.500
 when I was a kid,

00:34:09.819 --> 00:34:10.380
 if I didn't,

00:34:10.659 --> 00:34:12.039
 if I didn't write that thank you note,

00:34:12.759 --> 00:34:13.039
 uh,

00:34:13.199 --> 00:34:13.519
 yeah.

00:34:13.980 --> 00:34:14.440
 I mean,

00:34:14.440 --> 00:34:17.480
 I come from a generation where you got to write that thank you note and you,

00:34:17.960 --> 00:34:18.599
 here you go.

00:34:18.619 --> 00:34:19.519
 And here's how you do it.

00:34:19.519 --> 00:34:20.579
 And here you go.

00:34:21.059 --> 00:34:21.480
 Um,

00:34:21.480 --> 00:34:23.819
 and I didn't always feel like writing a thank you note,

00:34:24.000 --> 00:34:24.299
 uh,

00:34:24.299 --> 00:34:25.900
 let alone being badgered into it.

00:34:26.299 --> 00:34:26.559
 Um,

00:34:26.880 --> 00:34:31.819
 and so it just seemed like a formality in some ways sometimes.

00:34:31.819 --> 00:34:32.239
 All right.

00:34:32.259 --> 00:34:34.000
 I recognize it's not now.

00:34:34.219 --> 00:34:36.980
 I'm a little older than I was at eight.

00:34:37.079 --> 00:34:37.480
 Um,

00:34:37.679 --> 00:34:44.639
 but we don't always think of thankfulness as so vital to our relationship to God,

00:34:44.719 --> 00:34:49.000
 but that's the recognition that all of creation is a gift.

00:34:49.440 --> 00:34:51.500
 That my breath is a gift.

00:34:53.840 --> 00:34:54.360
 God,

00:34:54.460 --> 00:34:55.679
 God decided,

00:34:55.920 --> 00:34:56.679
 God decides,

00:34:57.099 --> 00:34:57.400
 you know,

00:34:57.420 --> 00:34:59.199
 in the next 10 minutes to,

00:34:59.360 --> 00:35:00.079
 let's say,

00:35:00.159 --> 00:35:01.179
 hold my breath.

00:35:02.819 --> 00:35:05.259
 I'm a goner and you're calling the ambulance and,

00:35:05.599 --> 00:35:05.819
 you know,

00:35:05.960 --> 00:35:06.759
 it's,

00:35:06.760 --> 00:35:08.080
 it's in his hands.

00:35:08.440 --> 00:35:10.420
 Every breath we take is in his hands.

00:35:10.500 --> 00:35:12.660
 And that's true within the church.

00:35:12.760 --> 00:35:14.740
 It's true for all of creation.

00:35:15.180 --> 00:35:18.320
 Everything is in his hands and his control.

00:35:18.880 --> 00:35:19.740
 He made it.

00:35:20.520 --> 00:35:21.880
 And another implication,

00:35:22.180 --> 00:35:25.460
 he can do with it what he desires to do.

00:35:25.460 --> 00:35:25.860
 Um,

00:35:25.860 --> 00:35:30.639
 one of the books I was reading had a little anecdote of,

00:35:30.639 --> 00:35:31.360
 um,

00:35:32.000 --> 00:35:33.720
 someone teaching a class of like,

00:35:33.880 --> 00:35:34.179
 you know,

00:35:34.179 --> 00:35:34.599
 I don't know,

00:35:34.699 --> 00:35:34.900
 you know,

00:35:34.900 --> 00:35:36.880
 fourth grade campers or something like that.

00:35:36.880 --> 00:35:40.400
 And he gave them all clay and told them to make something.

00:35:40.619 --> 00:35:41.820
 And they made something.

00:35:42.340 --> 00:35:43.380
 And then said,

00:35:43.480 --> 00:35:43.740
 okay,

00:35:44.220 --> 00:35:46.380
 so now smush that up and make this other thing.

00:35:46.660 --> 00:35:47.860
 So they did.

00:35:47.860 --> 00:35:49.460
 And the lesson was,

00:35:49.460 --> 00:35:50.019
 and the lesson was,

00:35:50.019 --> 00:35:53.640
 if God created us,

00:35:53.760 --> 00:35:55.019
 if he created the world,

00:35:55.120 --> 00:35:57.980
 he can do with it whatever he desires to do.

00:35:58.420 --> 00:35:59.740
 If he decides,

00:36:00.300 --> 00:36:01.039
 whatever,

00:36:01.360 --> 00:36:03.420
 smush us up and remake us,

00:36:03.420 --> 00:36:07.460
 that's his prerogative because he owns us.

00:36:07.579 --> 00:36:11.079
 And we are responsible to him just by,

00:36:11.280 --> 00:36:14.940
 just by the fact that we are his creatures.

00:36:15.300 --> 00:36:16.860
 We are responsible to him.

00:36:17.500 --> 00:36:18.019
 That,

00:36:18.099 --> 00:36:22.220
 that clay pot that that fourth grader made,

00:36:22.940 --> 00:36:24.220
 it doesn't have,

00:36:24.320 --> 00:36:26.139
 doesn't have personality and all that stuff.

00:36:26.200 --> 00:36:27.980
 So it's not saying thanks for making me,

00:36:28.280 --> 00:36:30.059
 but it might as well be right.

00:36:30.340 --> 00:36:31.240
 Thanks for making me.

00:36:31.720 --> 00:36:31.960
 Oh,

00:36:32.400 --> 00:36:32.760
 okay.

00:36:32.760 --> 00:36:33.660
 You're going to unmake me.

00:36:33.740 --> 00:36:33.880
 Well,

00:36:33.920 --> 00:36:34.160
 okay.

00:36:34.940 --> 00:36:35.260
 You know,

00:36:35.280 --> 00:36:35.700
 it's like,

00:36:35.760 --> 00:36:40.320
 it's no one questions whether that was the kid's right to do.

00:36:40.620 --> 00:36:40.800
 Right.

00:36:41.100 --> 00:36:41.940
 It was his creation.

00:36:42.160 --> 00:36:43.020
 He can remake it.

00:36:43.160 --> 00:36:43.820
 He can smush it.

00:36:43.900 --> 00:36:44.820
 He can make it into a,

00:36:45.000 --> 00:36:45.280
 whatever.

00:36:48.320 --> 00:36:49.280
 So it sounds very,

00:36:49.360 --> 00:36:50.240
 it sounds very simple,

00:36:50.240 --> 00:36:53.360
 but we don't live in a world where that's,

00:36:54.480 --> 00:36:55.900
 that idea is even,

00:36:56.660 --> 00:36:58.080
 it doesn't have any currency,

00:36:58.520 --> 00:37:01.240
 like either fate and,

00:37:02.760 --> 00:37:04.320
 you know,

00:37:04.320 --> 00:37:09.760
 some impersonal force in the world affects us,

00:37:10.220 --> 00:37:11.880
 steers us one way or another,

00:37:12.880 --> 00:37:14.340
 causes things to happen,

00:37:15.100 --> 00:37:20.320
 or just things happen on their own because it's all material and everything is physical.

00:37:20.320 --> 00:37:25.220
 Or perhaps,

00:37:25.620 --> 00:37:27.680
 and this is probably more salient,

00:37:28.380 --> 00:37:31.039
 I have the ability to shape my life.

00:37:31.039 --> 00:37:33.960
 And there's another thing that there's all over the culture,

00:37:34.100 --> 00:37:34.320
 right?

00:37:34.539 --> 00:37:34.820
 Like,

00:37:35.380 --> 00:37:37.019
 you're creating your life.

00:37:37.140 --> 00:37:38.820
 You're making yourself something.

00:37:39.180 --> 00:37:40.180
 We even have that,

00:37:40.240 --> 00:37:41.080
 that phrase,

00:37:41.300 --> 00:37:41.620
 you know,

00:37:41.660 --> 00:37:42.820
 make something of yourself.

00:37:42.820 --> 00:37:45.940
 We can't actually make anything of ourselves.

00:37:46.100 --> 00:37:47.360
 God has made us.

00:37:48.000 --> 00:37:50.820
 And that means there are certain givens about who we are,

00:37:51.220 --> 00:37:52.200
 about our limitations,

00:37:53.200 --> 00:37:54.600
 about our responsibilities.

00:38:03.280 --> 00:38:04.100
 Some guy,

00:38:04.400 --> 00:38:04.660
 honestly,

00:38:04.740 --> 00:38:05.539
 I don't know who this guy is.

00:38:05.580 --> 00:38:06.220
 I should have looked it up.

00:38:06.620 --> 00:38:07.300
 Terry Eagleton,

00:38:07.720 --> 00:38:08.559
 maybe he's a philosopher.

00:38:08.840 --> 00:38:09.180
 I don't know.

00:38:09.179 --> 00:38:09.940
 He says,

00:38:10.079 --> 00:38:12.719
 he says,

00:38:12.799 --> 00:38:14.719
 God owns the world and is in charge of it.

00:38:14.980 --> 00:38:15.679
 It is not,

00:38:15.759 --> 00:38:17.019
 this is the beginning of the quotation,

00:38:17.539 --> 00:38:22.059
 our possession to be molded and manipulated how we please.

00:38:24.259 --> 00:38:28.159
 We are called to be stewards over the earth and all of creation.

00:38:28.519 --> 00:38:29.619
 As humanity,

00:38:29.859 --> 00:38:31.039
 God called us to that.

00:38:31.619 --> 00:38:32.879
 But we're not,

00:38:33.779 --> 00:38:38.779
 we don't have that power over creation to make of it something that it's not.

00:38:38.780 --> 00:38:40.540
 And even more.

00:38:40.620 --> 00:38:44.000
 And I think this is where we see it in our culture to make of ourselves.

00:38:44.880 --> 00:38:45.280
 What,

00:38:45.420 --> 00:38:46.720
 what we want to be,

00:38:46.920 --> 00:38:48.140
 what we aspire to,

00:38:49.040 --> 00:38:53.340
 to make decisions about our identity.

00:38:55.620 --> 00:38:59.100
 And get into that a little bit in a few minutes,

00:38:59.220 --> 00:39:03.840
 but just trying to stay on the outline a little bit.

00:39:03.840 --> 00:39:04.840
 Gratuity,

00:39:04.840 --> 00:39:05.840
 gratuity,

00:39:06.039 --> 00:39:07.340
 this idea that's not necessary,

00:39:07.460 --> 00:39:09.360
 points us to praise and thanks for the gift.

00:39:10.079 --> 00:39:10.559
 Our culture,

00:39:10.680 --> 00:39:11.180
 in contrast,

00:39:11.340 --> 00:39:13.000
 has a commitment to necessity,

00:39:13.680 --> 00:39:14.140
 mastery,

00:39:14.539 --> 00:39:15.140
 calculation,

00:39:15.440 --> 00:39:16.180
 and certainty.

00:39:16.559 --> 00:39:17.640
 This is David Bentley Hart.

00:39:21.240 --> 00:39:21.680
 Another,

00:39:21.680 --> 00:39:24.240
 another writer who's been hugely influential,

00:39:24.460 --> 00:39:26.400
 and he'll be on the bibliography for sure,

00:39:26.539 --> 00:39:27.700
 is Christopher Watkin,

00:39:27.699 --> 00:39:31.019
 who has a book called Biblical Critical Theory,

00:39:31.339 --> 00:39:34.859
 which does way better than me what I'm doing,

00:39:35.079 --> 00:39:35.399
 okay,

00:39:35.500 --> 00:39:38.460
 and walking through what the Bible teaches.

00:39:38.919 --> 00:39:39.139
 And what,

00:39:39.359 --> 00:39:39.699
 so I,

00:39:39.859 --> 00:39:40.019
 it's,

00:39:40.159 --> 00:39:41.639
 a lot of this is derivative from him,

00:39:41.699 --> 00:39:42.299
 but also other,

00:39:42.359 --> 00:39:43.039
 other authors.

00:39:45.839 --> 00:39:46.879
 And he could,

00:39:47.059 --> 00:39:50.939
 he talks about how we have evolved from,

00:39:52.239 --> 00:39:53.079
 so we,

00:39:53.460 --> 00:39:54.219
 in the West,

00:39:54.219 --> 00:39:55.919
 you know,

00:39:56.099 --> 00:39:57.859
 probably particularly,

00:39:58.079 --> 00:39:58.859
 maybe particularly,

00:39:59.480 --> 00:40:00.739
 the United States,

00:40:00.899 --> 00:40:01.339
 you know,

00:40:01.459 --> 00:40:01.980
 but,

00:40:02.199 --> 00:40:04.819
 we've evolved from a market economy,

00:40:04.939 --> 00:40:06.099
 to a market society,

00:40:06.099 --> 00:40:09.099
 where everything can be bartered,

00:40:10.000 --> 00:40:11.899
 everything has a price,

00:40:13.079 --> 00:40:14.359
 everything can be,

00:40:14.359 --> 00:40:16.639
 can be quantified.

00:40:18.599 --> 00:40:19.619
 I've been struck,

00:40:19.719 --> 00:40:20.359
 and it's just a,

00:40:20.899 --> 00:40:22.379
 I don't even know if this is going to make any sense,

00:40:22.380 --> 00:40:22.579
 but,

00:40:22.860 --> 00:40:24.440
 but in all this reading,

00:40:24.539 --> 00:40:25.619
 one of the things I've been struck with,

00:40:25.720 --> 00:40:26.039
 is the,

00:40:26.119 --> 00:40:27.940
 is the pressure to,

00:40:28.579 --> 00:40:29.760
 measure everything.

00:40:30.360 --> 00:40:31.300
 In our world,

00:40:31.380 --> 00:40:32.599
 we measure everything.

00:40:33.640 --> 00:40:34.079
 So,

00:40:34.559 --> 00:40:34.900
 you know,

00:40:35.079 --> 00:40:36.079
 I wear a watch,

00:40:36.599 --> 00:40:37.860
 that tells me,

00:40:38.079 --> 00:40:39.579
 how much I moved in the day.

00:40:42.019 --> 00:40:42.460
 We,

00:40:42.680 --> 00:40:43.000
 sometimes,

00:40:43.099 --> 00:40:44.400
 some of us have sleep apps,

00:40:44.440 --> 00:40:45.059
 that measure,

00:40:45.660 --> 00:40:46.320
 our sleep,

00:40:46.380 --> 00:40:47.360
 and the sleep cycles,

00:40:47.420 --> 00:40:47.960
 and all that.

00:40:48.400 --> 00:40:48.740
 And,

00:40:49.019 --> 00:40:50.140
 maybe that's helpful.

00:40:50.139 --> 00:40:51.619
 I've always thought,

00:40:51.900 --> 00:40:52.039
 well,

00:40:52.779 --> 00:40:54.099
 if I had a good sleep,

00:40:54.179 --> 00:40:55.019
 I usually know it.

00:40:55.219 --> 00:40:55.359
 Like,

00:40:55.599 --> 00:40:56.400
 if I had bad sleep,

00:40:56.480 --> 00:40:57.059
 I usually know it.

00:40:57.359 --> 00:40:57.579
 But,

00:40:58.000 --> 00:40:58.279
 you know,

00:40:58.339 --> 00:40:59.879
 there are uses for these things.

00:40:59.960 --> 00:41:01.159
 These can be helpful tools,

00:41:01.259 --> 00:41:01.500
 right?

00:41:01.739 --> 00:41:02.159
 But,

00:41:02.259 --> 00:41:03.739
 everything is measured.

00:41:04.460 --> 00:41:05.779
 I'm looking at the clock,

00:41:06.119 --> 00:41:07.159
 as I teach,

00:41:08.119 --> 00:41:08.420
 and,

00:41:08.579 --> 00:41:10.659
 this is measured,

00:41:10.920 --> 00:41:11.339
 in,

00:41:11.339 --> 00:41:12.440
 seconds,

00:41:12.619 --> 00:41:13.299
 and minutes.

00:41:13.920 --> 00:41:15.319
 Our time is measured in hours.

00:41:15.420 --> 00:41:16.400
 It's all very precise.

00:41:16.400 --> 00:41:17.900
 In the West,

00:41:18.280 --> 00:41:18.480
 we,

00:41:18.559 --> 00:41:20.460
 we set up a meeting for,

00:41:21.260 --> 00:41:21.619
 you know,

00:41:22.460 --> 00:41:23.880
 four o'clock in the afternoon.

00:41:24.240 --> 00:41:25.940
 We expect it to start at four o'clock.

00:41:26.059 --> 00:41:27.920
 That's a particularly Western thing.

00:41:28.700 --> 00:41:30.320
 Not true in many other cultures.

00:41:30.539 --> 00:41:30.720
 But,

00:41:31.440 --> 00:41:32.619
 this precision,

00:41:32.900 --> 00:41:33.559
 and certainty,

00:41:34.500 --> 00:41:35.119
 and this,

00:41:35.500 --> 00:41:37.000
 we assign value,

00:41:37.220 --> 00:41:38.340
 based on utility.

00:41:38.980 --> 00:41:39.760
 What's it worth?

00:41:41.260 --> 00:41:42.619
 What does it give to us?

00:41:42.660 --> 00:41:44.180
 This is what makes something valuable.

00:41:44.179 --> 00:41:46.980
 you know,

00:41:48.980 --> 00:41:50.699
 you can see it in a lot of ways,

00:41:50.839 --> 00:41:52.259
 but you can also see the tensions,

00:41:52.259 --> 00:41:53.239
 that this creates.

00:41:54.079 --> 00:41:55.659
 Do we look at something like children?

00:41:56.719 --> 00:41:57.639
 What utility,

00:41:57.960 --> 00:41:59.319
 does a toddler,

00:41:59.799 --> 00:42:01.239
 bring to my life?

00:42:01.419 --> 00:42:01.639
 Now,

00:42:01.739 --> 00:42:02.940
 I can think of a few things,

00:42:03.619 --> 00:42:03.980
 but,

00:42:04.980 --> 00:42:05.980
 let's be real.

00:42:06.179 --> 00:42:06.339
 Like,

00:42:06.460 --> 00:42:06.639
 it's,

00:42:06.779 --> 00:42:07.059
 it's,

00:42:07.519 --> 00:42:09.759
 I'm pouring a lot more into that toddler,

00:42:09.879 --> 00:42:11.259
 than the toddler's pouring into me,

00:42:11.379 --> 00:42:11.639
 right?

00:42:11.639 --> 00:42:12.759
 At this stage,

00:42:13.139 --> 00:42:13.480
 someday,

00:42:14.000 --> 00:42:14.179
 this,

00:42:14.339 --> 00:42:14.579
 you know,

00:42:15.339 --> 00:42:17.679
 hopefully this toddler will be pouring a lot into me,

00:42:17.739 --> 00:42:18.699
 as my own kids are,

00:42:18.839 --> 00:42:18.980
 but,

00:42:19.539 --> 00:42:22.119
 this,

00:42:22.339 --> 00:42:23.859
 so this sense that,

00:42:24.519 --> 00:42:25.659
 everything has a purpose,

00:42:25.659 --> 00:42:27.699
 that can be manipulated,

00:42:27.980 --> 00:42:28.759
 and used,

00:42:29.319 --> 00:42:30.239
 traded for,

00:42:31.440 --> 00:42:32.099
 valued.

00:42:32.099 --> 00:42:36.639
 I read a book this fall,

00:42:36.779 --> 00:42:38.679
 which I absolutely loved.

00:42:39.639 --> 00:42:41.319
 It's a book by Ed Young,

00:42:41.460 --> 00:42:42.299
 who's a journalist,

00:42:42.500 --> 00:42:43.819
 called An Immense World.

00:42:43.820 --> 00:42:46.960
 And the book is about,

00:42:48.240 --> 00:42:49.200
 the senses,

00:42:49.420 --> 00:42:50.420
 the physical senses,

00:42:50.720 --> 00:42:52.180
 of all kinds of creatures,

00:42:52.360 --> 00:42:52.880
 in the world.

00:42:54.180 --> 00:42:55.860
 It was so,

00:42:56.580 --> 00:42:57.200
 amazing.

00:42:57.860 --> 00:42:58.840
 Full of,

00:42:59.400 --> 00:42:59.800
 you know,

00:42:59.880 --> 00:43:01.800
 how many eyes does this octopus have?

00:43:01.920 --> 00:43:02.240
 How many,

00:43:02.360 --> 00:43:02.559
 you know,

00:43:03.120 --> 00:43:04.320
 things like how,

00:43:05.600 --> 00:43:06.420
 the way a bat,

00:43:06.740 --> 00:43:07.620
 echo locates,

00:43:07.700 --> 00:43:08.620
 how does that work?

00:43:09.019 --> 00:43:09.420
 And the,

00:43:09.960 --> 00:43:10.160
 you know,

00:43:10.220 --> 00:43:11.360
 what can a dog smell?

00:43:11.360 --> 00:43:12.500
 Like all of this stuff,

00:43:12.760 --> 00:43:14.260
 and it sounds kind of like,

00:43:14.660 --> 00:43:15.039
 well yeah,

00:43:15.160 --> 00:43:15.940
 we knew some of that,

00:43:16.059 --> 00:43:16.160
 but,

00:43:16.559 --> 00:43:17.480
 but if you read the book,

00:43:17.559 --> 00:43:18.160
 you'll be like,

00:43:18.220 --> 00:43:19.559
 your jaw will be on the floor,

00:43:19.840 --> 00:43:20.539
 like frequently.

00:43:21.340 --> 00:43:22.760
 That was my experience.

00:43:23.720 --> 00:43:25.120
 And I loved it,

00:43:25.140 --> 00:43:26.620
 because I saw this bounty,

00:43:26.920 --> 00:43:28.680
 and this gratuity,

00:43:29.680 --> 00:43:30.900
 in God's creation.

00:43:31.740 --> 00:43:32.500
 The author,

00:43:32.660 --> 00:43:33.360
 on the other hand,

00:43:34.240 --> 00:43:37.340
 always pressed,

00:43:38.160 --> 00:43:39.340
 and he did tons of interviews,

00:43:39.340 --> 00:43:40.059
 with scientists,

00:43:40.220 --> 00:43:41.180
 who were studying,

00:43:41.179 --> 00:43:41.599
 these things,

00:43:41.799 --> 00:43:43.839
 they were always pressing for,

00:43:44.399 --> 00:43:46.279
 what is the evolutionary value,

00:43:46.279 --> 00:43:47.899
 of this trait?

00:43:49.319 --> 00:43:51.480
 Why did they evolve this?

00:43:52.639 --> 00:43:52.980
 And,

00:43:53.899 --> 00:43:55.079
 I mean,

00:43:55.119 --> 00:43:56.659
 I'm sure there's something interesting there,

00:43:56.719 --> 00:43:58.279
 it's not like a worthless pursuit,

00:43:58.419 --> 00:43:59.259
 to figure out,

00:43:59.299 --> 00:44:00.000
 well what does this do,

00:44:00.039 --> 00:44:00.679
 for this creature?

00:44:01.219 --> 00:44:02.279
 And it can enhance,

00:44:02.339 --> 00:44:03.039
 your appreciation,

00:44:03.279 --> 00:44:05.000
 for the creature,

00:44:05.199 --> 00:44:06.000
 and for the creation,

00:44:06.159 --> 00:44:07.059
 and for what God has done.

00:44:08.099 --> 00:44:08.500
 But,

00:44:09.199 --> 00:44:10.480
 maybe sometimes,

00:44:10.480 --> 00:44:12.619
 God just threw something in,

00:44:12.659 --> 00:44:13.539
 because it was beautiful.

00:44:14.940 --> 00:44:16.719
 Maybe he created it this way,

00:44:16.860 --> 00:44:19.159
 to make my jaw drop,

00:44:19.800 --> 00:44:21.260
 as I'm reading,

00:44:21.480 --> 00:44:23.000
 in October of 2024.

00:44:23.699 --> 00:44:24.000
 You know,

00:44:24.059 --> 00:44:24.539
 maybe,

00:44:24.699 --> 00:44:25.840
 he created it,

00:44:26.199 --> 00:44:27.300
 to bring him glory.

00:44:27.780 --> 00:44:29.559
 Which is what that book did for me,

00:44:29.559 --> 00:44:31.820
 it caused me to praise,

00:44:31.820 --> 00:44:32.860
 and glorify God.

00:44:33.599 --> 00:44:34.159
 And I,

00:44:34.320 --> 00:44:35.539
 I'm still like,

00:44:36.440 --> 00:44:36.840
 like man,

00:44:36.880 --> 00:44:37.420
 I love that book.

00:44:37.460 --> 00:44:38.699
 I'd start rereading it again,

00:44:38.739 --> 00:44:39.820
 except I loaned it to someone.

00:44:41.179 --> 00:44:41.659
 Like,

00:44:41.779 --> 00:44:44.000
 it was so amazing to me.

00:44:44.179 --> 00:44:45.539
 But that undercurrent,

00:44:45.619 --> 00:44:46.320
 of always,

00:44:46.460 --> 00:44:47.619
 what's the value?

00:44:48.579 --> 00:44:49.179
 What's the,

00:44:49.619 --> 00:44:50.239
 you know,

00:44:50.239 --> 00:44:51.539
 what's the payoff,

00:44:51.539 --> 00:44:52.479
 for this creature,

00:44:52.919 --> 00:44:54.519
 that they can smell like this,

00:44:54.639 --> 00:44:56.399
 or that they can see in this way?

00:44:56.459 --> 00:44:57.539
 Or what's the point,

00:44:58.079 --> 00:45:00.139
 of lateral lines on a fish?

00:45:00.339 --> 00:45:00.839
 Or what's the,

00:45:00.919 --> 00:45:01.079
 you know,

00:45:01.199 --> 00:45:02.599
 it was always like,

00:45:03.199 --> 00:45:04.899
 how does this help this creature survive?

00:45:05.619 --> 00:45:06.359
 And of course,

00:45:06.519 --> 00:45:07.439
 all of this stuff,

00:45:07.500 --> 00:45:08.739
 does help the creature survive.

00:45:09.239 --> 00:45:09.779
 God is not,

00:45:10.039 --> 00:45:10.179
 you know,

00:45:10.219 --> 00:45:10.479
 he doesn't,

00:45:10.579 --> 00:45:12.039
 doesn't not care about that.

00:45:12.079 --> 00:45:12.500
 And his world,

00:45:12.739 --> 00:45:13.619
 is orderly.

00:45:14.019 --> 00:45:15.159
 And there are reasons,

00:45:15.519 --> 00:45:16.199
 for things.

00:45:16.919 --> 00:45:17.279
 But,

00:45:17.519 --> 00:45:19.460
 I think often,

00:45:19.559 --> 00:45:20.319
 of creatures,

00:45:20.319 --> 00:45:21.460
 at the bottom of the sea,

00:45:21.559 --> 00:45:23.039
 that no one can see.

00:45:23.960 --> 00:45:24.480
 No one,

00:45:24.719 --> 00:45:25.059
 perhaps,

00:45:25.159 --> 00:45:26.239
 has ever seen,

00:45:27.199 --> 00:45:27.799
 that are,

00:45:27.879 --> 00:45:28.199
 like,

00:45:28.339 --> 00:45:29.319
 strikingly beautiful.

00:45:29.460 --> 00:45:30.159
 Every now and then,

00:45:30.219 --> 00:45:31.500
 someone will discover something,

00:45:31.759 --> 00:45:32.460
 and it'll be like,

00:45:33.000 --> 00:45:34.059
 this thing is amazing.

00:45:34.500 --> 00:45:34.679
 But,

00:45:35.699 --> 00:45:36.739
 for thousands,

00:45:36.859 --> 00:45:38.019
 and thousands of years,

00:45:38.919 --> 00:45:39.639
 millennia,

00:45:41.000 --> 00:45:42.219
 no one saw it,

00:45:42.579 --> 00:45:43.239
 except God.

00:45:44.419 --> 00:45:44.699
 And,

00:45:45.000 --> 00:45:46.059
 in that way,

00:45:46.059 --> 00:45:46.739
 that creature,

00:45:46.980 --> 00:45:47.840
 brought him glory,

00:45:48.159 --> 00:45:48.400
 right?

00:45:48.500 --> 00:45:49.420
 And brought him delight,

00:45:49.599 --> 00:45:50.059
 and joy.

00:45:50.320 --> 00:45:51.259
 And now we see it,

00:45:51.299 --> 00:45:52.019
 it brings us delight,

00:45:52.159 --> 00:45:52.440
 and joy,

00:45:52.500 --> 00:45:53.900
 and that's part of what God is doing,

00:45:53.960 --> 00:45:54.440
 in creation.

00:45:56.480 --> 00:45:56.840
 So,

00:45:57.259 --> 00:45:57.420
 alright,

00:45:57.440 --> 00:45:58.279
 I gotta move on from that,

00:45:58.360 --> 00:45:58.619
 because,

00:45:59.199 --> 00:46:00.400
 I could go on and on.

00:46:02.099 --> 00:46:02.460
 So,

00:46:02.519 --> 00:46:03.259
 another book that I read,

00:46:03.299 --> 00:46:04.239
 that was really influential,

00:46:04.239 --> 00:46:04.799
 on me,

00:46:04.900 --> 00:46:06.259
 is a book by Alan Noble,

00:46:07.360 --> 00:46:07.719
 who's,

00:46:07.980 --> 00:46:09.599
 teaches English,

00:46:09.840 --> 00:46:10.179
 at,

00:46:10.980 --> 00:46:11.320
 Baylor,

00:46:11.400 --> 00:46:11.739
 I think.

00:46:13.279 --> 00:46:13.639
 But,

00:46:13.699 --> 00:46:14.279
 his book is called,

00:46:14.360 --> 00:46:15.259
 We Are Not Our Own.

00:46:15.260 --> 00:46:15.620
 He says,

00:46:15.620 --> 00:46:16.360
 I have several books,

00:46:16.420 --> 00:46:17.420
 and I commend them all to you.

00:46:17.660 --> 00:46:18.620
 We are not our own.

00:46:21.620 --> 00:46:22.020
 And,

00:46:22.180 --> 00:46:25.540
 and he writes,

00:46:25.720 --> 00:46:27.500
 so our identity is not for us to create,

00:46:27.580 --> 00:46:28.040
 it is given,

00:46:28.180 --> 00:46:29.020
 this is not him,

00:46:29.100 --> 00:46:29.540
 this is me.

00:46:30.160 --> 00:46:31.120
 Our young people,

00:46:31.280 --> 00:46:32.880
 are increasingly feeling responsible,

00:46:32.880 --> 00:46:34.100
 to make themselves,

00:46:34.260 --> 00:46:35.340
 what they want to be.

00:46:37.040 --> 00:46:37.520
 However,

00:46:38.240 --> 00:46:39.500
 identity flows,

00:46:39.580 --> 00:46:40.200
 from,

00:46:40.199 --> 00:46:43.119
 what God made us to be.

00:46:43.439 --> 00:46:43.539
 Right,

00:46:43.599 --> 00:46:45.719
 that's where we should be getting our identity.

00:46:46.259 --> 00:46:47.899
 God created us with certain,

00:46:47.899 --> 00:46:48.839
 gifts,

00:46:49.000 --> 00:46:49.480
 and abilities,

00:46:49.699 --> 00:46:50.539
 and givens.

00:46:50.839 --> 00:46:51.359
 We are,

00:46:51.599 --> 00:46:52.099
 first of all,

00:46:52.159 --> 00:46:52.839
 his creature.

00:46:53.799 --> 00:46:55.339
 That creates an identity.

00:46:58.019 --> 00:46:58.460
 Anyway,

00:46:59.259 --> 00:46:59.719
 this is,

00:46:59.839 --> 00:47:00.399
 now this is,

00:47:00.399 --> 00:47:01.339
 Alan Noble's words.

00:47:01.480 --> 00:47:02.619
 We've created a society,

00:47:02.619 --> 00:47:03.619
 based on the assumption,

00:47:03.619 --> 00:47:04.919
 that we are our own,

00:47:05.059 --> 00:47:06.359
 and belong to ourselves.

00:47:06.360 --> 00:47:08.079
 But if this anthropology,

00:47:08.519 --> 00:47:09.800
 is fundamentally wrong,

00:47:10.320 --> 00:47:11.740
 then we should expect people,

00:47:11.860 --> 00:47:12.860
 to suffer from their,

00:47:12.860 --> 00:47:14.079
 malformed habitat.

00:47:14.900 --> 00:47:16.059
 If I am my own,

00:47:16.099 --> 00:47:17.099
 and belong to myself,

00:47:17.400 --> 00:47:18.220
 the first and most,

00:47:18.220 --> 00:47:19.340
 significant implication,

00:47:19.800 --> 00:47:20.380
 is that I am,

00:47:20.519 --> 00:47:21.539
 wholly responsible,

00:47:21.820 --> 00:47:22.480
 for my life.

00:47:24.500 --> 00:47:25.539
 This is both,

00:47:25.599 --> 00:47:26.640
 an exhilarating,

00:47:26.720 --> 00:47:27.840
 and terrifying thought.

00:47:28.140 --> 00:47:29.140
 And it's not just,

00:47:29.240 --> 00:47:29.940
 that I'm responsible,

00:47:29.940 --> 00:47:31.320
 for my personal survival,

00:47:31.539 --> 00:47:31.980
 for food,

00:47:32.059 --> 00:47:32.460
 and shelter,

00:47:32.539 --> 00:47:33.019
 and so on.

00:47:33.160 --> 00:47:34.000
 I also need,

00:47:34.039 --> 00:47:34.980
 a reason to live.

00:47:35.440 --> 00:47:36.280
 I need purpose.

00:47:36.599 --> 00:47:37.360
 I need direction.

00:47:38.640 --> 00:47:39.620
 I need some way,

00:47:39.640 --> 00:47:40.160
 to know,

00:47:40.260 --> 00:47:41.760
 when I'm failing at life,

00:47:41.820 --> 00:47:42.840
 and when I'm succeeding,

00:47:43.500 --> 00:47:45.579
 when I'm living ethically,

00:47:45.680 --> 00:47:46.380
 and when I'm not.

00:47:46.760 --> 00:47:47.920
 I must have some way,

00:47:47.960 --> 00:47:48.579
 of determining,

00:47:49.000 --> 00:47:49.920
 on my deathbed,

00:47:50.000 --> 00:47:50.620
 that I lived,

00:47:50.700 --> 00:47:51.920
 a good full life.

00:47:52.380 --> 00:47:52.940
 Human life,

00:47:52.940 --> 00:47:54.360
 is simply too hard,

00:47:54.680 --> 00:47:55.740
 and too miraculous,

00:47:56.079 --> 00:47:57.380
 to lack a purpose.

00:48:00.140 --> 00:48:01.880
 And then Noble unfolds,

00:48:01.920 --> 00:48:02.920
 how we were,

00:48:03.280 --> 00:48:03.460
 you know,

00:48:03.480 --> 00:48:04.599
 much of what I've been saying,

00:48:04.660 --> 00:48:05.240
 we were created,

00:48:05.320 --> 00:48:06.039
 for God's glory,

00:48:06.039 --> 00:48:07.019
 to glorify him,

00:48:07.239 --> 00:48:08.340
 and enjoy him forever.

00:48:09.300 --> 00:48:10.699
 Out of that essence,

00:48:11.300 --> 00:48:12.400
 that telos,

00:48:12.480 --> 00:48:12.980
 that end,

00:48:13.059 --> 00:48:13.579
 that goal,

00:48:14.039 --> 00:48:15.639
 flows our identity.

00:48:16.139 --> 00:48:16.400
 First,

00:48:16.460 --> 00:48:17.300
 it tells us,

00:48:17.300 --> 00:48:18.460
 of our general identity,

00:48:18.579 --> 00:48:19.059
 as creatures,

00:48:19.199 --> 00:48:19.960
 centered and created,

00:48:20.039 --> 00:48:20.739
 in God's image.

00:48:21.320 --> 00:48:21.559
 Second,

00:48:21.659 --> 00:48:22.719
 if we believe in Christ,

00:48:22.800 --> 00:48:23.880
 we are children of God,

00:48:23.960 --> 00:48:25.179
 and in union with Christ.

00:48:25.759 --> 00:48:26.139
 Third,

00:48:26.259 --> 00:48:26.880
 we are male,

00:48:27.000 --> 00:48:27.519
 or female.

00:48:28.400 --> 00:48:28.820
 Fourth,

00:48:28.900 --> 00:48:29.900
 we have various traits,

00:48:30.059 --> 00:48:30.320
 talents,

00:48:30.500 --> 00:48:31.139
 intelligences,

00:48:31.420 --> 00:48:31.779
 abilities,

00:48:31.980 --> 00:48:33.199
 and giftings from God,

00:48:33.320 --> 00:48:33.599
 physical,

00:48:33.800 --> 00:48:34.039
 mental,

00:48:34.039 --> 00:48:34.659
 and spiritual.

00:48:35.340 --> 00:48:35.739
 Fifth,

00:48:35.820 --> 00:48:36.840
 we have various tastes,

00:48:36.920 --> 00:48:37.480
 and interests,

00:48:37.820 --> 00:48:39.259
 but all of those elements,

00:48:39.259 --> 00:48:40.460
 should point back,

00:48:40.579 --> 00:48:41.779
 to our telos,

00:48:41.920 --> 00:48:43.460
 for the reason that God made us,

00:48:43.579 --> 00:48:44.960
 what we are made for.

00:48:45.840 --> 00:48:47.159
 Our gifts are there,

00:48:47.320 --> 00:48:48.779
 to be used to glorify God,

00:48:48.860 --> 00:48:49.900
 by blessing our neighbor,

00:48:50.079 --> 00:48:51.300
 or edifying the church,

00:48:51.300 --> 00:48:52.199
 for example.

00:48:52.679 --> 00:48:53.380
 Our identity,

00:48:53.380 --> 00:48:54.139
 should be grounded,

00:48:54.300 --> 00:48:55.279
 in our orientation,

00:48:55.279 --> 00:48:56.380
 toward God.

00:48:56.380 --> 00:48:58.019
 But in the modern world,

00:48:58.140 --> 00:48:59.559
 we often work backward,

00:49:00.599 --> 00:49:02.099
 allowing our tastes,

00:49:02.480 --> 00:49:03.140
 and interest,

00:49:03.920 --> 00:49:05.340
 to select our talents,

00:49:05.760 --> 00:49:06.840
 and then even our sex,

00:49:06.940 --> 00:49:07.519
 or gender,

00:49:08.099 --> 00:49:08.840
 and finally,

00:49:09.240 --> 00:49:10.519
 our relationship to God,

00:49:10.760 --> 00:49:12.840
 and our own chosen telos,

00:49:12.920 --> 00:49:13.280
 our own,

00:49:13.360 --> 00:49:15.099
 the goals we have for ourselves.

00:49:16.019 --> 00:49:16.400
 So that,

00:49:16.539 --> 00:49:18.000
 that last quote came out of,

00:49:18.079 --> 00:49:19.559
 his sub-stack,

00:49:19.760 --> 00:49:21.300
 which I also would commend to you,

00:49:21.360 --> 00:49:21.980
 if you're into that.

00:49:21.980 --> 00:49:25.599
 So this idea,

00:49:25.719 --> 00:49:26.860
 that we're not our own,

00:49:27.500 --> 00:49:27.760
 you know,

00:49:27.880 --> 00:49:28.039
 I,

00:49:28.880 --> 00:49:32.179
 I look at,

00:49:32.659 --> 00:49:33.599
 young people today,

00:49:33.740 --> 00:49:34.280
 and the pressure,

00:49:34.559 --> 00:49:35.840
 to create who you are,

00:49:36.380 --> 00:49:37.300
 and the pressure to,

00:49:37.440 --> 00:49:37.599
 like,

00:49:38.240 --> 00:49:38.500
 you know,

00:49:38.679 --> 00:49:38.840
 I mean,

00:49:38.880 --> 00:49:39.179
 this is,

00:49:39.480 --> 00:49:40.900
 it's kind of commonplace to say,

00:49:41.000 --> 00:49:41.980
 but when I was growing up,

00:49:42.039 --> 00:49:43.900
 I wasn't asked to determine,

00:49:44.099 --> 00:49:45.179
 if I was male or female,

00:49:45.500 --> 00:49:46.579
 or something else.

00:49:46.820 --> 00:49:47.420
 That wasn't,

00:49:47.760 --> 00:49:48.579
 on the table.

00:49:49.740 --> 00:49:49.860
 Now,

00:49:49.980 --> 00:49:50.360
 and I,

00:49:50.360 --> 00:49:53.559
 I was acutely aware of that,

00:49:53.660 --> 00:49:55.280
 because as a young,

00:49:55.640 --> 00:49:56.360
 as a child,

00:49:56.480 --> 00:49:57.900
 I desperately wanted to be a boy,

00:49:58.440 --> 00:49:58.700
 but,

00:49:59.180 --> 00:49:59.400
 you know,

00:49:59.440 --> 00:49:59.940
 in my family,

00:50:00.039 --> 00:50:01.579
 the only way you could turn into a boy,

00:50:01.680 --> 00:50:02.840
 was by kissing your elbow,

00:50:03.220 --> 00:50:04.599
 and I could never do it.

00:50:05.039 --> 00:50:06.059
 So that was that.

00:50:06.260 --> 00:50:06.460
 Like,

00:50:06.720 --> 00:50:07.579
 it was a given,

00:50:08.140 --> 00:50:09.960
 and I still can't kiss my elbow,

00:50:10.940 --> 00:50:14.000
 and so it wasn't,

00:50:14.320 --> 00:50:15.160
 it wasn't,

00:50:15.160 --> 00:50:17.240
 it was a concern for me,

00:50:17.340 --> 00:50:17.860
 as a kid,

00:50:18.240 --> 00:50:18.559
 but,

00:50:18.559 --> 00:50:20.920
 it wasn't an ongoing concern,

00:50:21.000 --> 00:50:21.380
 because I,

00:50:21.599 --> 00:50:21.779
 okay,

00:50:21.840 --> 00:50:22.579
 this is what I am,

00:50:22.639 --> 00:50:22.779
 like,

00:50:22.820 --> 00:50:23.619
 I gotta live with this,

00:50:23.759 --> 00:50:23.940
 okay,

00:50:24.400 --> 00:50:24.759
 and,

00:50:24.840 --> 00:50:25.880
 you know,

00:50:25.920 --> 00:50:26.799
 and I came to be,

00:50:27.400 --> 00:50:28.480
 quite reconciled,

00:50:28.539 --> 00:50:29.279
 and grateful,

00:50:29.579 --> 00:50:29.739
 but,

00:50:30.159 --> 00:50:31.659
 but,

00:50:31.960 --> 00:50:33.039
 if I had been,

00:50:33.119 --> 00:50:34.179
 eight years old,

00:50:34.360 --> 00:50:35.840
 desperately wanted to be a boy,

00:50:36.239 --> 00:50:36.940
 today,

00:50:37.480 --> 00:50:39.279
 I may well have been encouraged,

00:50:39.279 --> 00:50:40.539
 to become a boy,

00:50:40.539 --> 00:50:42.300
 and the pressure,

00:50:42.300 --> 00:50:45.059
 on someone,

00:50:45.599 --> 00:50:46.460
 to become,

00:50:46.659 --> 00:50:50.320
 to become whatever you want to become,

00:50:51.019 --> 00:50:53.400
 strikes me as really huge,

00:50:53.940 --> 00:50:54.940
 like,

00:50:55.099 --> 00:50:57.599
 I didn't have to make all these decisions about my identity,

00:50:58.320 --> 00:50:58.739
 I didn't,

00:50:59.219 --> 00:50:59.360
 I,

00:50:59.480 --> 00:51:01.179
 I knew,

00:51:01.579 --> 00:51:02.699
 I was born in this family,

00:51:02.900 --> 00:51:03.960
 I was born female,

00:51:04.179 --> 00:51:04.800
 I was born,

00:51:05.480 --> 00:51:05.779
 you know,

00:51:05.840 --> 00:51:06.719
 with a love for language,

00:51:06.719 --> 00:51:08.000
 I was born intelligent,

00:51:08.199 --> 00:51:08.779
 I was born,

00:51:09.299 --> 00:51:10.179
 somewhat athletic,

00:51:11.139 --> 00:51:12.799
 those were the givens,

00:51:12.919 --> 00:51:13.179
 right,

00:51:13.399 --> 00:51:13.799
 and,

00:51:14.039 --> 00:51:16.519
 I didn't have to make choices,

00:51:16.519 --> 00:51:17.619
 about all those things,

00:51:18.359 --> 00:51:19.139
 and I think,

00:51:19.480 --> 00:51:20.419
 young people today,

00:51:20.500 --> 00:51:21.639
 are making a lot of choices,

00:51:21.859 --> 00:51:22.139
 that,

00:51:22.539 --> 00:51:23.319
 I never,

00:51:24.019 --> 00:51:25.739
 they were just not options for me,

00:51:25.819 --> 00:51:26.639
 and I'm so grateful,

00:51:26.799 --> 00:51:28.339
 because I would have made stupid choices,

00:51:28.939 --> 00:51:29.179
 like,

00:51:29.419 --> 00:51:31.579
 I would have tried to be a boy,

00:51:31.980 --> 00:51:33.319
 and that would not have worked,

00:51:34.139 --> 00:51:36.379
 it would not have satisfied me,

00:51:36.380 --> 00:51:38.079
 it would not have fulfilled my life,

00:51:38.460 --> 00:51:40.980
 because that's not what God made me,

00:51:41.660 --> 00:51:42.960
 now,

00:51:43.099 --> 00:51:43.260
 I have,

00:51:43.260 --> 00:51:45.619
 I have tremendous compassion for this generation,

00:51:45.780 --> 00:51:47.140
 that's trying to sort these things out,

00:51:47.200 --> 00:51:47.559
 because,

00:51:48.460 --> 00:51:48.800
 you know,

00:51:48.880 --> 00:51:50.720
 you think it's bad going to the cereal aisle,

00:51:50.780 --> 00:51:51.559
 of a grocery store,

00:51:51.599 --> 00:51:52.880
 and trying to pick out a cereal,

00:51:53.460 --> 00:51:55.180
 imagine if you have to pick out,

00:51:55.780 --> 00:51:57.240
 everything about yourself,

00:51:57.760 --> 00:51:58.460
 and choose,

00:51:58.619 --> 00:51:59.700
 and then make that happen,

00:52:00.440 --> 00:52:03.579
 no thank you,

00:52:04.460 --> 00:52:06.019
 so there's a tremendous amount of pressure,

00:52:06.380 --> 00:52:07.880
 to do that,

00:52:07.940 --> 00:52:08.059
 like,

00:52:08.059 --> 00:52:09.320
 all these things are on the table,

00:52:09.800 --> 00:52:12.700
 and they shouldn't be,

00:52:13.240 --> 00:52:14.000
 they shouldn't be,

00:52:14.240 --> 00:52:15.039
 there are givens,

00:52:15.320 --> 00:52:16.780
 but we don't live in a culture,

00:52:16.780 --> 00:52:18.119
 that believes in those givens,

00:52:19.300 --> 00:52:20.640
 finally,

00:52:20.920 --> 00:52:21.280
 you know,

00:52:21.320 --> 00:52:21.840
 I have more,

00:52:22.340 --> 00:52:22.680
 naturally,

00:52:23.320 --> 00:52:24.280
 finally,

00:52:25.160 --> 00:52:27.940
 as for some big implications,

00:52:27.940 --> 00:52:29.579
 I've talked about a lot of implications,

00:52:29.579 --> 00:52:30.200
 this morning,

00:52:30.199 --> 00:52:31.019
 but,

00:52:31.019 --> 00:52:32.859
 one of the things that I think,

00:52:33.159 --> 00:52:34.460
 that really struck me,

00:52:34.659 --> 00:52:36.219
 in a conversation,

00:52:36.359 --> 00:52:36.899
 not long ago,

00:52:36.960 --> 00:52:37.739
 with my aunt,

00:52:37.779 --> 00:52:38.679
 who is not a believer,

00:52:39.500 --> 00:52:41.480
 is,

00:52:41.619 --> 00:52:43.059
 we cannot assume,

00:52:43.599 --> 00:52:43.980
 that,

00:52:44.539 --> 00:52:45.299
 other people,

00:52:45.759 --> 00:52:46.419
 hear the word,

00:52:46.599 --> 00:52:46.980
 God,

00:52:47.679 --> 00:52:49.259
 and have in their heads,

00:52:49.839 --> 00:52:51.079
 what I have in my head,

00:52:51.500 --> 00:52:51.739
 right,

00:52:51.739 --> 00:52:52.699
 so I have this sense,

00:52:52.739 --> 00:52:53.559
 of a personal,

00:52:54.139 --> 00:52:54.979
 transcendent,

00:52:55.179 --> 00:52:55.859
 but imminent,

00:52:56.859 --> 00:52:57.699
 involved,

00:52:58.219 --> 00:52:58.659
 God,

00:52:58.939 --> 00:53:00.059
 who has agency,

00:53:00.839 --> 00:53:03.039
 and who has rights over me,

00:53:03.139 --> 00:53:03.959
 all of that,

00:53:04.519 --> 00:53:05.199
 that's not,

00:53:05.579 --> 00:53:06.739
 I was talking to my aunt,

00:53:06.899 --> 00:53:07.039
 and,

00:53:07.299 --> 00:53:08.359
 and I realized,

00:53:08.819 --> 00:53:09.679
 mostly later,

00:53:10.179 --> 00:53:10.419
 like,

00:53:10.859 --> 00:53:11.719
 she was not,

00:53:12.259 --> 00:53:12.439
 she,

00:53:13.000 --> 00:53:14.219
 she wasn't thinking of God,

00:53:14.259 --> 00:53:15.279
 as personal in any way,

00:53:15.280 --> 00:53:17.160
 it was a vague force out there,

00:53:17.640 --> 00:53:17.880
 maybe,

00:53:18.519 --> 00:53:18.820
 you know,

00:53:18.940 --> 00:53:20.100
 that's what God was,

00:53:20.120 --> 00:53:20.860
 and she could decide,

00:53:21.000 --> 00:53:21.680
 what God was,

00:53:22.280 --> 00:53:23.700
 and,

00:53:24.060 --> 00:53:24.780
 I realized,

00:53:24.900 --> 00:53:25.060
 like,

00:53:25.420 --> 00:53:25.900
 no wonder,

00:53:26.019 --> 00:53:26.780
 we didn't get anywhere,

00:53:27.060 --> 00:53:28.040
 in our conversation,

00:53:28.519 --> 00:53:28.980
 because,

00:53:29.580 --> 00:53:30.440
 because I didn't start,

00:53:30.440 --> 00:53:30.960
 early enough,

00:53:31.019 --> 00:53:31.160
 right,

00:53:31.180 --> 00:53:32.220
 I didn't start with,

00:53:32.460 --> 00:53:33.160
 who is God,

00:53:33.519 --> 00:53:33.900
 like,

00:53:34.440 --> 00:53:35.620
 is that all he is,

00:53:36.060 --> 00:53:36.800
 or is he,

00:53:36.900 --> 00:53:37.560
 the creator,

00:53:38.640 --> 00:53:39.620
 of heavens and earth,

00:53:40.100 --> 00:53:40.840
 and I think,

00:53:41.360 --> 00:53:41.720
 you know,

00:53:41.840 --> 00:53:43.019
 to varying degrees,

00:53:43.019 --> 00:53:43.940
 in our lives,

00:53:43.960 --> 00:53:44.760
 we're going to have people,

00:53:44.760 --> 00:53:45.760
 we're going to have some people,

00:53:45.880 --> 00:53:46.960
 who have a similar image,

00:53:47.020 --> 00:53:48.120
 even non-Christians,

00:53:48.240 --> 00:53:49.440
 who have a similar image,

00:53:49.480 --> 00:53:50.280
 because they were raised,

00:53:50.400 --> 00:53:50.900
 in the church,

00:53:51.120 --> 00:53:51.500
 or they,

00:53:51.580 --> 00:53:51.800
 you know,

00:53:51.840 --> 00:53:52.880
 they were heavily influenced,

00:53:52.880 --> 00:53:53.460
 by that,

00:53:54.000 --> 00:53:55.340
 I was raised in New England,

00:53:55.500 --> 00:53:56.540
 I was not involved,

00:53:56.540 --> 00:53:57.260
 in church,

00:53:57.260 --> 00:53:57.960
 as a child,

00:53:58.060 --> 00:53:59.300
 I was not introduced,

00:53:59.300 --> 00:54:00.100
 to all that stuff,

00:54:00.180 --> 00:54:01.080
 but even in my home,

00:54:01.400 --> 00:54:02.360
 non-Christian family,

00:54:03.160 --> 00:54:04.520
 I had a sense of a God,

00:54:04.580 --> 00:54:05.500
 that I could pray to,

00:54:05.880 --> 00:54:06.100
 right,

00:54:06.200 --> 00:54:06.400
 that,

00:54:07.880 --> 00:54:08.360
 presumably,

00:54:08.560 --> 00:54:09.320
 could hear my prayers,

00:54:09.380 --> 00:54:10.520
 and do something about it,

00:54:10.940 --> 00:54:12.700
 but,

00:54:12.860 --> 00:54:14.260
 that's increasingly rare,

00:54:14.260 --> 00:54:15.000
 I think,

00:54:15.240 --> 00:54:17.680
 for our neighbors,

00:54:18.940 --> 00:54:20.280
 so,

00:54:20.460 --> 00:54:21.160
 there are,

00:54:21.240 --> 00:54:22.360
 about four million,

00:54:22.360 --> 00:54:22.920
 other things,

00:54:23.020 --> 00:54:23.720
 that could be said,

00:54:23.900 --> 00:54:24.640
 about this,

00:54:24.700 --> 00:54:25.400
 and this is why,

00:54:25.580 --> 00:54:26.860
 I only got to creation,

00:54:27.140 --> 00:54:27.520
 and I'm,

00:54:27.780 --> 00:54:28.240
 and I'm,

00:54:28.520 --> 00:54:29.140
 not closing,

00:54:29.360 --> 00:54:30.300
 much in time,

00:54:30.980 --> 00:54:31.760
 I want to,

00:54:31.820 --> 00:54:32.460
 I'll leave some time,

00:54:32.560 --> 00:54:32.880
 next week,

00:54:32.940 --> 00:54:33.520
 for any questions,

00:54:33.600 --> 00:54:34.080
 or comments,

00:54:34.340 --> 00:54:35.560
 but we have to go now,

00:54:35.660 --> 00:54:35.940
 sorry,

00:54:35.940 --> 00:54:39.599
 let me just close,

00:54:39.679 --> 00:54:40.000
 in prayer,

00:54:41.240 --> 00:54:41.840
 Heavenly Father,

00:54:42.039 --> 00:54:43.340
 you created all things,

00:54:43.460 --> 00:54:44.360
 and you created us,

00:54:44.720 --> 00:54:45.880
 and we give you thanks,

00:54:46.300 --> 00:54:47.079
 give you praise,

00:54:48.519 --> 00:54:49.579
 grant us,

00:54:49.820 --> 00:54:50.460
 by your spirit,

00:54:50.579 --> 00:54:52.220
 that we might live lives,

00:54:52.360 --> 00:54:53.420
 that glorify you,

00:54:54.480 --> 00:54:55.980
 that point to you,

00:54:56.300 --> 00:54:57.079
 as our creator,

00:54:57.920 --> 00:54:58.700
 and as a good,

00:54:58.940 --> 00:54:59.559
 and personal,

00:55:00.679 --> 00:55:01.679
 and powerful,

00:55:02.280 --> 00:55:03.119
 and responsible,

00:55:03.119 --> 00:55:04.480
 God,

00:55:04.599 --> 00:55:05.819
 who rules our lives,

00:55:06.199 --> 00:55:07.519
 to whom we owe,

00:55:08.079 --> 00:55:08.559
 everything,

00:55:08.839 --> 00:55:09.519
 that we are,

00:55:09.940 --> 00:55:10.559
 and everything,

00:55:10.859 --> 00:55:11.480
 that we have,

00:55:13.339 --> 00:55:13.839
 Lord,

00:55:13.920 --> 00:55:14.639
 help us to,

00:55:14.719 --> 00:55:16.239
 to bring that,

00:55:16.679 --> 00:55:17.239
 recognition,

00:55:17.460 --> 00:55:18.179
 of who you are,

00:55:18.779 --> 00:55:19.719
 into our relationships,

00:55:19.980 --> 00:55:20.539
 with people,

00:55:20.819 --> 00:55:21.579
 both within,

00:55:21.699 --> 00:55:22.500
 and without the church,

00:55:22.900 --> 00:55:24.900
 thank you Lord,

00:55:25.139 --> 00:55:25.819
 in Jesus name,

00:55:26.039 --> 00:55:26.259
 Amen.