WEBVTT

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 Good morning. My name is Matthew Capone, and I'm the pastor here at Cheyenne Mountain

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 Presbyterian Church, and it's my joy to bring God's Word to you today.

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 Special welcome if you are new or visiting with us. We're glad that you're here,

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 and we're glad that you're here not because we're trying to fill seats,

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 but because we're following Jesus together as one community. And as we follow Jesus together,

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 we become convinced that there's no one so good. They don't need God's grace,

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 and no one so bad that they can't have it, which is why we come back week after week to hear what

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 God has to say to us in His Word. We're continuing this morning our series in the book of Judges,

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 and you'll remember that the book of Judges is about many things. It's about the need for

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 constant renewal and revival among God's people. It's about the need for a true and faithful king,

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 a king who can do what no human can do, which is to change the hearts of men.

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 It's about the power of Spirit-filled leadership, and it's about God's mercy to hard-hearted people,

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 people like you and me. We've been taking a look at the story of Jethwa in three parts,

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 and we're now to the third part, the very end. Last week, we saw the most tragic portion of Jethwa's

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 story. We were reminded that Jethwa doesn't know anything. He was ignorant of God's Word

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 and His ways. This morning, as we end Jethwa's story, we're going to come back to a theme that

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 has shown up over and over again throughout chapters 8 through 10, which is the sorry state

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 of Israel, that groups and individuals are loyal only to themselves. We'll see the havoc that that

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 tribalism, that ego has on God's people. And so I invite you with that to turn with me in God's Word.

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 We're now in Judges chapter 12. You can turn in your Bible. You can turn on your phone.

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 You can turn in your worship guide. No matter where you turn, remember that this is God's Word,

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 and God tells us that His Word is more precious than gold, even the finest gold,

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 and it's sweeter than honey, even honey that comes straight from the honeycomb. And so that's why we

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 read now Judges chapter 12, starting at verse 1. The men of Ephraim were called to arms, and they

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 crossed to Zaphon and said to Jethwa, Why did you cross over to fight against the Ammonites and did not

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 call us to go with you? We will burn your house over you with fire. And Jethwa said to them, I and my

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 people had a great dispute with the Ammonites. And when I called you, you did not save me from their

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 hand. And when I saw that you would not save me, I took my life in my hand and crossed over against

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 the Ammonites. And the Lord gave them into my hand. Why then have you come up to me this day to fight

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 against me? Verse 4. Then Jethwa gathered all the men of Gilead and fought with Ephraim. And the men of

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 Gilead struck Ephraim because they said, You are fugitives of Ephraim, you Gileadites, in the midst of

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 Ephraim and Manasseh. And the Gileadites captured the fords of the Jordan against the Ephraimites. And when

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 any of the fugitives of Ephraim said, Let me go over, the men of Gilead said to him, Are you an Ephraimite?

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 When he said no, they said to him, Then say Shibboleth. And he said Sibboleth, for he could not pronounce it

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 right. Then they seized him and slaughtered him at the fords of the Jordan. At that time, 42,000 of

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 the Ephraimites fell. Jethwa judged Israel six years. Then Jethwa the Gileadite died and was buried

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 in his city in Gilead. Verse 8. After him, Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel. He had 30 sons and 30

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 daughters that he gave in marriage outside his clan, and 30 daughters he brought in from outside for his

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 sons. And he judged Israel seven years. Then Ibzan died and was buried at Bethlehem.

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 After him, Elon the Zebulonite judged Israel, and he judged Israel ten years. Then Elon the Zebulonite

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 died and was buried at Eijilin in the land of Zebulon. Verse 13. After him, Abdan the son of Hillel,

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 the Pirithonite, judged Israel. He had 40 sons and 30 grandsons who rode on 70 donkeys,

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 and he judged Israel eight years. Then Abdan the son of Hillel, the Pirithonite, died and was buried

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 at Pirithon in the land of Ephraim in the hill country of the Amalekites. I invite you to pray with

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 me as we come to this portion of God's Word. Our Father in heaven, we praise you again that you

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 give us your Word, that you teach us, that you instruct us. And we confess again that we need

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 your help, that unless your Spirit is with us, we will not be able to understand and believe and apply

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 what you have here for us. And so we ask that you would give us that help, that most of all you would

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 use this passage to show us Christ, that he would be more and more beautiful and glorious and lovely to

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 us. We ask these things in the mighty name of him, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

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 For us to understand what's happening in this passage before us in chapter 12,

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 it's important for us to remember briefly what has come in the last several chapters.

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 You'll remember back in chapter 10, things were getting so bad in Israel that we were told they

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 were not just worshiping some of the idols, that's what they had done before, but in fact they were

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 worshiping all of the idols. The judges' cycle, some call it judges' spiral, continues as the judges go

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 deeper and deeper into sin and rebellion. And so God says, look, you have not repented, I'm not going to

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 help you. But then they cry out, God has mercy on them, he raises up Jephthah to save them from the

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 Ammonites. And that's what we saw last week. Jephthah, in fact, saves them from the Ammonites.

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 And so we would expect at this point for there to be some peace in the land, right? There would be

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 celebration of some sort. Israel would come together. Maybe they would thank Jephthah, right,

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 for all the good that he's done for them. But instead of that, at the very beginning, verse 1,

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 we encounter the opposite. The Ammonites are done, we should expect peace. But no, there is an army

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 that shows up on the doorstep of Jephthah. The men of Ephraim, this is verse 1, were called to arms,

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 and they crossed to Zaphon and said to Jephthah, why did you cross over to fight against the Ammonites

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 and did not call us to go with you? We will burn your house over you with fire. They don't send a

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 diplomat. They don't send a representative to say, hey, we're upset. No, this entire army crosses from the

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 heartland of Israel in the west across the Jordan River to a city on the east so that they can tell

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 Jephthah that it is time for his house to be burned down. There's a whole military force that comes,

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 and we find out later in verse 6 how big this force is. Jephthah ends up killing 42,000 of them.

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 The men of Ephraim roll thick. They are here to let him know how mad they are. And their response is

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 what we would call a disproportionate response. Their ego has been damaged, and so they're going

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 to respond by wrecking Jephthah and his people. This is pretty extreme to state the obvious.

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 Things are getting out of control in the land of Judges. Now, as I mentioned during our confession

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 of faith, we've seen this same issue before. The men of Ephraim were angry back in chapter 8. They

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 were angry at Gideon because Gideon did not invite them. What they didn't do there, though, was threaten

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 to destroy anything. And so their anger, their response is becoming worse and worse. Where does this anger

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 come from? Well, we know from last time they were mad at Gideon back in chapter 8 because they were

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 not invited, and Gideon is able to calm everything down by stroking their egos. Remember, Gideon says,

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 you guys are so great. In fact, what I did is nothing in comparison to what you did. You know, the men of

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 Ephraim are the best. And so that seems to calm them down. Not so this time. Gideon stroked their ego

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 Jethro. Jethro does not have Gideon's diplomacy. Remember, Jethro is a wild man. And so he does what wild

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 men do. He starts a fight. And what a fight it is. And so we need to see and remember and understand

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 here that this is worse than ever. We are continuing in the free fall of God's people in the book of Judges.

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 Verse 4, they have this fight. It is blue on blue. Gilead versus Ephraim. Israelites versus Israelites.

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 Turns out that Ephraim's talk is bigger than their game. Jethro makes quick work of them.

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 And then he decides it's not enough to make quick work of them. They're in a tight spot. He's going to

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 make it even tighter. Remember, I told you they've crossed over the Jordan River. They brought this

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 entire army with them into a different land, the place where Jethro's people are, the place of Gilead.

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 So what are they going to have to do if they want to escape? Well, they're going to have to cross back

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 over. Jethro realizes this. Remember, we know that Jethro's a great warrior. He's a great tactician.

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 And so he decides, look, I know exactly what to do. I'm going to get rid of these men of Ephraim.

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 We're going to take the fords. So that when they try to cross back over from the east to the west,

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 they're going to have to go through what we've set up.

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 In a sense, he's telling Ephraim this. Two can play this game. You want to be tribalistic?

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 I'll be tribalistic. You want to make a big deal about honor? I'll make a big deal about honor.

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 Game recognizes game. And it turns out there's some sort of linguistic difference between these two

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 groups. His people are able to pronounce Shibboleth with the H. Their people are able to pronounce it

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 without the H. And so this has become a cultural term that of a Shibboleth is a test to know if

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 someone belongs in your group. And of course, again and again, and this is what we see in verses five and

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 six, they fail the test. That's how Jethwa is able, verse six, to take out 42,000.

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 Jethwa here goes beyond what self-defense allows.

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 Jethwa is not just defending himself. No, he is purging and cleansing. Jethwa is out for revenge.

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 Remember, I told you when we first came to Jethwa, hard times call for hard men.

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 And Jethwa is nothing if not a hard man for better or for worse.

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 After all of this happens, verse seven, we're told Jethwa judged Israel six years.

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 And there is an absence here of what we've been told in the past.

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 In the past, when we've seen a judge and we're told how long he judged, we are also told,

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 and the land had rest. The land had peace for however many years.

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 We don't hear that here with Jethwa because the land has no peace.

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 The violence within Israel increases more and more.

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 So the point of the story is this.

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 The selfishness and the tribalism and the violence of Israel has reached a new low.

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 Things are worse than they've ever been.

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 And this draws us to the overarching theme of the previous few chapters and the chapters to come,

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 which is that more and more what we're seeing in the nation of Israel is that they look just like the nations around them.

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 That's what we saw last week, right?

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 Jethwa is acting as if Yahweh was a pagan god.

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 He brings this human sacrifice because that's what the nations around them do.

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 Here the same thing is happening.

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 What is it that's true of the nations around them?

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 Well, that nothing and no one is greater than me and my tribe.

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 My ego is of ultimate importance.

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 Nothing is more important than protecting and defending that.

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 If it requires revenge, I'll take revenge.

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 If it requires violence, there will be violence.

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 If you attack my honor, I will attack your honor.

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 Israel is cannibalizing itself.

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 God doesn't even need to send in the other nations at this point.

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 They are doing a great job destroying each other.

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 They have lost all perspective, all sense of unity because tribalism and self-interest rule the day.

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 They rule the day for Ephraim as they come to attack Jethwa for not giving them the honor they believe they deserve.

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 They rule the day for Jethwa as he slaughters his brothers rather than seeking peace.

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 Now the text hints at this in verse 7.

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 It is not just Jethwa who dies.

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 It is Jethwa the Gileadite.

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 And in case you think that's just a mistake, remember how the last chapter ended.

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 Verse 40 of chapter 11.

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 The daughters of Israel went year by year to lament the daughter of Jethwa, the Gileadite.

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 Jethwa is a Gileadite first.

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 The men of Ephraim are men of Ephraim first.

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 God's people have lost their unity together.

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 In fact, as we talk as a church about what it means for us to have thick community,

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 the kind of community that goes beyond simply knowing someone's name and saying something pleasant,

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 but being deeply invested in each other's lives, it is this that is one of the greatest threats.

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 You may have seen this on page 3 of your worship guide.

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 Israel shares no higher allegiance.

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 Judges provides for us a warning.

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 As we think about the need for constant renewal and revival among God's people,

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 this particular passage reminds us of our need for this,

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 our need not to lose the big picture out of concern for personal honor.

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 Not to value what is good for us rather than what is good for the community.

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 And yet the temptation, the pull, the draw, the lie is constant.

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 That shows up in the person who doesn't get the attention he wants,

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 so he creates drama to get it.

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 It comes in the person who doesn't get the attention he wants,

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 It comes in the woman who congratulates herself that everything would fall apart except for me.

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 It comes in the man who's outraged that he doesn't receive the honor and the praise that he believes he deserves.

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 It comes in the person who only thinks about what is best for me and my clique, my constituency,

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 rather than what's going to bring the whole community together.

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 It comes in the person who complains that no one helps,

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 and yet loves to be seen doing everything.

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 God's people are meant to be one people on one mission.

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 They're not meant to be different people on different missions.

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 God's people are one people with one mission,

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 not different people with different missions.

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 And that the Bible reminds us again and again that we have ultimately two options.

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 We can go on a mission with each other,

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 or we can go on a mission against each other.

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 We can go on a mission with each other.

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 We can go on a mission against each other.

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 That's our warning from Judges 12.

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 Our warning not to become like the nations around us,

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 not to be dragged in to the petty bickering and tribalism

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 that characterizes so much of our world.

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 And Judges also reminds us that left to ourselves,

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 that is exactly where we will go.

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 And so we need to remember the words of our Lord Jesus.

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 Remember, I've told you before,

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 Jesus tells us, Luke 10, verse 20,

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 as disciples come back,

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 they're so excited about the success they've experienced in ministry.

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 And Jesus tells them this,

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 Do not rejoice in this,

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 that the spirits are subject to you,

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 but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

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 How do we avoid the fate of Israel?

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 How can we run away from the temptation of the men of Ephraim?

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 It's to remember that our glory comes from God and God alone.

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 Our honor is that our names are written in the book of life.

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 The praise and thanks we get

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 is not worth comparing

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 to following and serving our Lord Jesus.

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 The honor that we seek after

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 is hearing,

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 well done, good and faithful servant.

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 That is what is great.

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 Joy and contentment and honor

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 come from that and that alone.

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 Remember I mentioned during our confession of faith,

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 our solution to seeking our glory over God's glory

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 is to remember how great God is.

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 It is the difference

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 between climbing a 14er

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 and making a 14er.

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 You think you have glory?

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 Check out God's glory.

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 You think you have power?

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 Check out God's power.

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 You think you're impressive?

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 God is impressive.

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 In fact, it's we see God as great

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 that we abandon our own delusions.

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 And so it's not just that God gives us glory.

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 It's not just that we rejoice

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 that our names are written in heaven.

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 It is that God's glory eclipses ours.

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 That is how we follow Jesus

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 as one people together.

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 We will not

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 and we cannot

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 abandon our own agendas

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 and pride and ambition

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 until we see

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 how great and glorious God is.

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 we will not

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 and we cannot

00:22:36.680 --> 00:22:38.480
 rest

00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:41.480
 from our own agenda

00:22:41.480 --> 00:22:44.539
 until we see

00:22:44.539 --> 00:22:46.319
 how glorious and great

00:22:46.319 --> 00:22:47.799
 God's agenda is.

00:22:47.799 --> 00:22:52.039
 we will not

00:22:52.039 --> 00:22:53.039
 and we cannot

00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:55.579
 turn away

00:22:55.579 --> 00:22:57.259
 from our individual missions

00:22:57.259 --> 00:23:01.019
 until we have caught

00:23:01.019 --> 00:23:01.759
 the vision

00:23:01.759 --> 00:23:03.799
 of God's mission.

00:23:07.079 --> 00:23:09.519
 It is God's beauty

00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:10.700
 and power

00:23:10.700 --> 00:23:11.500
 and glory

00:23:11.500 --> 00:23:12.299
 and majesty

00:23:12.299 --> 00:23:13.180
 and mercy

00:23:13.180 --> 00:23:14.539
 and grace

00:23:14.539 --> 00:23:16.339
 and authority

00:23:16.339 --> 00:23:20.720
 that causes

00:23:20.720 --> 00:23:22.319
 everything else

00:23:22.319 --> 00:23:23.099
 to pale.

00:23:23.099 --> 00:23:27.079
 it is great things

00:23:27.079 --> 00:23:28.279
 that give us

00:23:28.279 --> 00:23:28.779
 perspective

00:23:28.779 --> 00:23:30.179
 on small things.

00:23:30.180 --> 00:23:37.279
 I recently

00:23:37.279 --> 00:23:38.360
 re-read

00:23:38.360 --> 00:23:39.460
 The Hobbit

00:23:39.460 --> 00:23:40.840
 by J.R.R. Tolkien

00:23:40.840 --> 00:23:41.640
 and if you're

00:23:41.640 --> 00:23:42.560
 a Gandalf

00:23:42.560 --> 00:23:43.700
 shows up one day

00:23:43.700 --> 00:23:44.960
 and he recruits

00:23:44.960 --> 00:23:45.920
 Bilbo

00:23:45.920 --> 00:23:46.920
 to this adventure

00:23:46.920 --> 00:23:47.600
 this adventure

00:23:47.600 --> 00:23:48.259
 to go out

00:23:48.259 --> 00:23:49.740
 with the dwarves

00:23:49.740 --> 00:23:50.320
 and the dwarves

00:23:50.320 --> 00:23:51.560
 need to go on adventure

00:23:51.560 --> 00:23:52.519
 because the dragon

00:23:52.519 --> 00:23:53.019
 smog

00:23:53.019 --> 00:23:54.160
 has taken over

00:23:54.160 --> 00:23:54.820
 their home.

00:23:55.399 --> 00:23:55.879
 You'll remember

00:23:55.879 --> 00:23:56.419
 that they

00:23:56.419 --> 00:23:57.700
 have the lonely mountain

00:23:57.700 --> 00:23:58.039
 or at least

00:23:58.039 --> 00:23:59.559
 they had the lonely mountain

00:23:59.559 --> 00:24:00.359
 at one point

00:24:00.359 --> 00:24:01.159
 the dragon

00:24:01.159 --> 00:24:02.379
 has driven them out

00:24:02.379 --> 00:24:03.579
 and it's even worse

00:24:03.579 --> 00:24:04.079
 than that

00:24:04.079 --> 00:24:04.679
 it's not just

00:24:04.679 --> 00:24:05.559
 that he's driven them out

00:24:05.559 --> 00:24:06.439
 he is also

00:24:06.439 --> 00:24:07.079
 sitting

00:24:07.079 --> 00:24:07.720
 sleeping

00:24:07.720 --> 00:24:08.359
 napping

00:24:08.359 --> 00:24:10.000
 on top of all

00:24:10.000 --> 00:24:10.679
 of their treasure.

00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:12.899
 And so the dwarves

00:24:12.899 --> 00:24:14.019
 have lost their home

00:24:14.019 --> 00:24:15.339
 and

00:24:15.339 --> 00:24:16.480
 they have lost

00:24:16.480 --> 00:24:17.439
 their gold.

00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:19.480
 Now the dwarves

00:24:19.480 --> 00:24:20.579
 have great doubts

00:24:20.579 --> 00:24:21.419
 about Bilbo.

00:24:22.059 --> 00:24:22.779
 It's unclear

00:24:22.779 --> 00:24:23.359
 to them

00:24:23.359 --> 00:24:24.339
 whether he is

00:24:24.339 --> 00:24:25.099
 an asset

00:24:25.099 --> 00:24:26.059
 or a liability

00:24:26.059 --> 00:24:27.699
 and there's

00:24:27.699 --> 00:24:28.299
 tension

00:24:28.299 --> 00:24:28.899
 ongoing

00:24:28.899 --> 00:24:29.740
 between him

00:24:29.740 --> 00:24:30.299
 and them.

00:24:30.399 --> 00:24:30.619
 In fact

00:24:30.619 --> 00:24:31.339
 he proves himself

00:24:31.339 --> 00:24:32.119
 to be a liability

00:24:32.119 --> 00:24:33.059
 at multiple points.

00:24:33.679 --> 00:24:34.459
 They go out

00:24:34.459 --> 00:24:35.379
 onto their adventure

00:24:35.379 --> 00:24:36.359
 what does Bilbo do?

00:24:36.579 --> 00:24:37.459
 He sleeps in.

00:24:38.899 --> 00:24:39.699
 He gets up late

00:24:39.699 --> 00:24:40.599
 he has to race

00:24:40.599 --> 00:24:41.539
 to catch up with them.

00:24:42.480 --> 00:24:43.799
 They run into

00:24:43.799 --> 00:24:45.899
 some trolls.

00:24:46.720 --> 00:24:47.720
 What does Bilbo do?

00:24:48.339 --> 00:24:48.919
 Bilbo almost

00:24:48.919 --> 00:24:49.519
 gets them killed.

00:24:50.579 --> 00:24:51.539
 Gandalf has to

00:24:51.539 --> 00:24:52.159
 show up

00:24:52.159 --> 00:24:52.819
 to the rescue

00:24:52.819 --> 00:24:53.980
 at the last minute

00:24:53.980 --> 00:24:55.259
 to protect

00:24:55.259 --> 00:24:56.059
 all of them.

00:24:57.940 --> 00:24:58.420
 Sometimes

00:24:58.420 --> 00:25:01.120
 maybe many times

00:25:01.120 --> 00:25:01.720
 the dwarves

00:25:01.720 --> 00:25:02.299
 regret

00:25:02.299 --> 00:25:03.180
 bringing Bilbo.

00:25:04.380 --> 00:25:05.279
 In fact at one point

00:25:05.279 --> 00:25:05.700
 you'll remember

00:25:05.700 --> 00:25:06.819
 Bilbo disappears

00:25:06.819 --> 00:25:08.039
 and the dwarves

00:25:08.039 --> 00:25:08.799
 have this conversation

00:25:08.799 --> 00:25:09.360
 with Gandalf

00:25:09.360 --> 00:25:09.799
 where they say

00:25:09.799 --> 00:25:10.440
 hey why don't we

00:25:10.440 --> 00:25:11.120
 just leave him behind?

00:25:12.259 --> 00:25:12.940
 We don't actually

00:25:12.940 --> 00:25:13.460
 need him.

00:25:13.700 --> 00:25:13.799
 Right?

00:25:15.140 --> 00:25:15.900
 Bilbo for

00:25:15.900 --> 00:25:16.579
 his part

00:25:16.579 --> 00:25:17.640
 dreams constantly

00:25:17.640 --> 00:25:18.460
 of returning

00:25:18.460 --> 00:25:19.100
 to his hobbit

00:25:19.100 --> 00:25:19.279
 hole.

00:25:22.180 --> 00:25:22.700
 And yet Bilbo

00:25:22.700 --> 00:25:23.480
 also ends up

00:25:23.480 --> 00:25:24.400
 being an asset

00:25:24.400 --> 00:25:25.120
 at some points.

00:25:25.279 --> 00:25:25.960
 Bilbo saves them

00:25:25.960 --> 00:25:26.420
 later on

00:25:26.420 --> 00:25:27.120
 from the spiders.

00:25:27.920 --> 00:25:28.539
 He saves them

00:25:28.539 --> 00:25:29.220
 from the wood elves.

00:25:30.559 --> 00:25:31.059
 Bilbo

00:25:31.059 --> 00:25:32.079
 goes first

00:25:32.079 --> 00:25:33.299
 against the dragon

00:25:33.299 --> 00:25:33.740
 smog.

00:25:35.140 --> 00:25:36.100
 In the midst

00:25:36.100 --> 00:25:36.860
 of all these

00:25:36.860 --> 00:25:37.440
 tensions

00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:38.559
 and egos

00:25:38.559 --> 00:25:39.840
 Thorin

00:25:39.840 --> 00:25:40.720
 the head dwarf

00:25:40.720 --> 00:25:41.259
 has an ego.

00:25:42.100 --> 00:25:43.120
 Gandalf by the way

00:25:43.120 --> 00:25:44.019
 shows his ego

00:25:44.019 --> 00:25:44.680
 a few times.

00:25:44.680 --> 00:25:46.860
 what is it

00:25:46.860 --> 00:25:47.620
 that holds

00:25:47.620 --> 00:25:48.240
 all of them

00:25:48.240 --> 00:25:48.600
 together?

00:25:50.500 --> 00:25:52.100
 Why do the dwarves

00:25:52.100 --> 00:25:52.900
 not leave

00:25:52.900 --> 00:25:53.680
 Bilbo behind

00:25:53.680 --> 00:25:55.220
 and why does

00:25:55.220 --> 00:25:56.160
 Bilbo not run

00:25:56.160 --> 00:25:56.460
 home?

00:25:58.940 --> 00:26:00.180
 It's because

00:26:00.180 --> 00:26:01.500
 they're all

00:26:01.500 --> 00:26:02.240
 seeking

00:26:02.240 --> 00:26:03.180
 the treasure.

00:26:04.860 --> 00:26:05.980
 They are

00:26:05.980 --> 00:26:07.420
 different people

00:26:07.420 --> 00:26:08.900
 with one

00:26:08.900 --> 00:26:09.980
 mission.

00:26:11.039 --> 00:26:11.620
 And so they

00:26:11.620 --> 00:26:12.000
 have to work

00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:12.380
 together

00:26:12.380 --> 00:26:13.960
 and they have

00:26:13.960 --> 00:26:14.460
 to partner

00:26:14.460 --> 00:26:14.920
 together

00:26:14.920 --> 00:26:16.100
 to make

00:26:16.100 --> 00:26:16.980
 it to the

00:26:16.980 --> 00:26:17.259
 end.

00:26:20.200 --> 00:26:21.120
 Brothers and

00:26:21.120 --> 00:26:21.460
 sisters

00:26:21.460 --> 00:26:23.539
 God has

00:26:23.539 --> 00:26:24.400
 given us

00:26:24.400 --> 00:26:25.539
 his greatest

00:26:25.539 --> 00:26:26.279
 treasure

00:26:26.279 --> 00:26:27.360
 in the gospel.

00:26:29.299 --> 00:26:30.160
 God has

00:26:30.160 --> 00:26:30.799
 given us

00:26:30.799 --> 00:26:31.600
 his greatest

00:26:31.600 --> 00:26:32.220
 treasure

00:26:32.220 --> 00:26:33.319
 in his

00:26:33.319 --> 00:26:33.680
 son.

00:26:35.259 --> 00:26:36.200
 And when

00:26:36.200 --> 00:26:37.180
 and as

00:26:37.180 --> 00:26:37.799
 we are

00:26:37.799 --> 00:26:38.279
 tempted

00:26:38.279 --> 00:26:38.799
 to be

00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:39.380
 concerned

00:26:39.380 --> 00:26:40.019
 about our

00:26:40.019 --> 00:26:40.980
 own honor

00:26:40.980 --> 00:26:41.680
 and praise

00:26:41.680 --> 00:26:42.660
 and success

00:26:42.660 --> 00:26:43.720
 and glory

00:26:43.720 --> 00:26:46.640
 we are

00:26:46.640 --> 00:26:47.180
 reminded

00:26:47.180 --> 00:26:48.000
 again and

00:26:48.000 --> 00:26:48.600
 again of

00:26:48.600 --> 00:26:49.240
 the true

00:26:49.240 --> 00:26:49.900
 mission

00:26:49.900 --> 00:26:50.559
 that we

00:26:50.559 --> 00:26:51.000
 are on.

00:26:51.680 --> 00:26:52.079
 We're

00:26:52.079 --> 00:26:52.480
 reminded

00:26:52.480 --> 00:26:53.299
 again and

00:26:53.299 --> 00:26:53.920
 again that

00:26:53.920 --> 00:26:54.660
 honor and

00:26:54.660 --> 00:26:55.720
 ego pale

00:26:55.720 --> 00:26:56.799
 in comparison

00:26:56.799 --> 00:26:57.900
 to what God

00:26:57.900 --> 00:26:59.240
 has for us.

00:27:01.319 --> 00:27:01.940
 And so

00:27:01.940 --> 00:27:03.559
 in the midst

00:27:03.559 --> 00:27:04.880
 of human

00:27:04.880 --> 00:27:05.799
 imperfection

00:27:05.799 --> 00:27:06.519
 and sin

00:27:06.519 --> 00:27:08.299
 we work

00:27:08.299 --> 00:27:08.779
 together

00:27:08.779 --> 00:27:10.180
 we partner

00:27:10.180 --> 00:27:10.680
 together

00:27:10.680 --> 00:27:11.580
 to make

00:27:11.580 --> 00:27:11.960
 it to the

00:27:11.960 --> 00:27:12.259
 end

00:27:12.259 --> 00:27:14.060
 because

00:27:14.060 --> 00:27:14.940
 God's

00:27:14.940 --> 00:27:15.460
 treasure

00:27:15.460 --> 00:27:16.340
 is

00:27:16.340 --> 00:27:16.680
 greater.

00:27:21.140 --> 00:27:21.620
 Gandalf

00:27:21.620 --> 00:27:23.100
 jumps in

00:27:23.100 --> 00:27:23.600
 and out

00:27:23.600 --> 00:27:23.940
 of the

00:27:23.940 --> 00:27:24.200
 hobbit.

00:27:24.279 --> 00:27:24.500
 Sometimes

00:27:24.500 --> 00:27:25.060
 he's with

00:27:25.060 --> 00:27:25.180
 them

00:27:25.180 --> 00:27:25.460
 sometimes

00:27:25.460 --> 00:27:25.860
 he's

00:27:25.860 --> 00:27:26.140
 not.

00:27:26.140 --> 00:27:27.580
 At one point

00:27:27.580 --> 00:27:28.080
 he is

00:27:28.080 --> 00:27:28.500
 with them

00:27:28.500 --> 00:27:29.080
 for a time

00:27:29.080 --> 00:27:29.420
 when they're

00:27:29.420 --> 00:27:29.980
 in Mirkwood

00:27:29.980 --> 00:27:30.480
 Forest.

00:27:31.420 --> 00:27:32.200
 He walks

00:27:32.200 --> 00:27:32.560
 with them

00:27:32.560 --> 00:27:33.180
 all the way

00:27:33.180 --> 00:27:33.400
 to the

00:27:33.400 --> 00:27:33.660
 forest.

00:27:33.740 --> 00:27:33.820
 He's

00:27:33.820 --> 00:27:33.980
 sort of

00:27:33.980 --> 00:27:34.120
 this

00:27:34.120 --> 00:27:34.640
 protective

00:27:34.640 --> 00:27:35.640
 presence

00:27:35.640 --> 00:27:37.100
 and then

00:27:37.100 --> 00:27:37.519
 he has

00:27:37.519 --> 00:27:37.880
 to leave

00:27:37.880 --> 00:27:38.080
 them.

00:27:38.079 --> 00:27:40.799
 he reminds

00:27:40.799 --> 00:27:41.659
 the dwarves

00:27:41.659 --> 00:27:43.639
 how important

00:27:43.639 --> 00:27:44.559
 Bilbo is

00:27:44.559 --> 00:27:44.899
 to their

00:27:44.899 --> 00:27:45.339
 adventure

00:27:45.339 --> 00:27:46.519
 even as

00:27:46.519 --> 00:27:47.039
 they consider

00:27:47.039 --> 00:27:47.519
 leaving him

00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:47.919
 behind.

00:27:49.099 --> 00:27:49.579
 He encourages

00:27:49.579 --> 00:27:50.039
 them to have

00:27:50.039 --> 00:27:50.639
 faith in him

00:27:50.639 --> 00:27:52.039
 and then

00:27:52.039 --> 00:27:52.480
 he reminds

00:27:52.480 --> 00:27:52.799
 them to

00:27:52.799 --> 00:27:53.359
 persevere

00:27:53.359 --> 00:27:55.599
 and his

00:27:55.599 --> 00:27:56.460
 exhortation

00:27:56.460 --> 00:27:56.980
 his words

00:27:56.980 --> 00:27:57.359
 to them

00:27:57.359 --> 00:27:57.980
 are this

00:27:57.980 --> 00:27:59.399
 think

00:27:59.399 --> 00:28:00.240
 of the

00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:00.599
 treasure

00:28:00.599 --> 00:28:01.439
 at the

00:28:01.439 --> 00:28:01.699
 end.

00:28:04.299 --> 00:28:04.899
 Christian

00:28:04.899 --> 00:28:07.139
 think

00:28:07.140 --> 00:28:08.000
 of the

00:28:08.000 --> 00:28:08.340
 treasure

00:28:08.340 --> 00:28:09.180
 at the

00:28:09.180 --> 00:28:09.400
 end.

00:28:10.900 --> 00:28:11.340
 Let's

00:28:11.340 --> 00:28:11.540
 pray.

00:28:13.320 --> 00:28:13.759
 Our

00:28:13.759 --> 00:28:14.220
 Father in

00:28:14.220 --> 00:28:14.400
 heaven

00:28:14.400 --> 00:28:14.780
 we

00:28:14.780 --> 00:28:16.240
 praise you

00:28:16.240 --> 00:28:16.600
 and thank

00:28:16.600 --> 00:28:16.900
 you for

00:28:16.900 --> 00:28:17.380
 your word

00:28:17.380 --> 00:28:18.060
 which encourages

00:28:18.060 --> 00:28:18.500
 us and

00:28:18.500 --> 00:28:19.120
 also warns

00:28:19.120 --> 00:28:19.380
 us.

00:28:19.960 --> 00:28:20.500
 We thank

00:28:20.500 --> 00:28:20.700
 you for

00:28:20.700 --> 00:28:21.140
 the warning

00:28:21.140 --> 00:28:22.040
 of the

00:28:22.040 --> 00:28:22.640
 men of

00:28:22.640 --> 00:28:23.040
 Ephraim

00:28:23.040 --> 00:28:23.280
 and we

00:28:23.280 --> 00:28:23.620
 ask that

00:28:23.620 --> 00:28:23.840
 you would

00:28:23.840 --> 00:28:24.080
 be at

00:28:24.080 --> 00:28:24.360
 work

00:28:24.360 --> 00:28:25.000
 us

00:28:25.000 --> 00:28:25.580
 individually

00:28:25.580 --> 00:28:26.080
 and as

00:28:26.080 --> 00:28:26.220
 a

00:28:26.220 --> 00:28:26.660
 community

00:28:26.660 --> 00:28:27.759
 that you

00:28:27.759 --> 00:28:28.180
 would pull

00:28:28.180 --> 00:28:28.360
 us

00:28:28.360 --> 00:28:28.660
 together

00:28:28.660 --> 00:28:28.880
 as

00:28:28.880 --> 00:28:29.180
 different

00:28:29.180 --> 00:28:29.560
 people

00:28:29.560 --> 00:28:30.200
 on one

00:28:30.200 --> 00:28:30.520
 mission

00:28:30.520 --> 00:28:31.180
 that we

00:28:31.180 --> 00:28:31.460
 wouldn't

00:28:31.460 --> 00:28:31.660
 be

00:28:31.660 --> 00:28:32.120
 concerned

00:28:32.120 --> 00:28:32.520
 about

00:28:32.520 --> 00:28:33.400
 our

00:28:33.400 --> 00:28:33.740
 power

00:28:33.740 --> 00:28:34.200
 and honor

00:28:34.200 --> 00:28:34.740
 and praise

00:28:34.740 --> 00:28:35.300
 and glory

00:28:35.300 --> 00:28:35.820
 because we

00:28:35.820 --> 00:28:36.220
 would know

00:28:36.220 --> 00:28:36.539
 that it

00:28:36.539 --> 00:28:37.180
 comes from

00:28:37.180 --> 00:28:37.500
 you

00:28:37.500 --> 00:28:38.559
 and that

00:28:38.559 --> 00:28:39.100
 your glory

00:28:39.100 --> 00:28:39.759
 is so much

00:28:39.759 --> 00:28:40.240
 greater

00:28:40.240 --> 00:28:41.079
 than our

00:28:41.079 --> 00:28:41.400
 glory.

00:28:41.759 --> 00:28:42.039
 But that

00:28:42.039 --> 00:28:42.400
 would free

00:28:42.400 --> 00:28:42.600
 us.

00:28:42.660 --> 00:28:42.799
 It would

00:28:42.799 --> 00:28:43.100
 give us

00:28:43.100 --> 00:28:43.500
 peace

00:28:43.500 --> 00:28:44.960
 to worry

00:28:44.960 --> 00:28:45.440
 not about

00:28:45.440 --> 00:28:45.940
 our standing

00:28:45.940 --> 00:28:46.420
 but simply

00:28:46.420 --> 00:28:46.920
 to follow

00:28:46.920 --> 00:28:47.380
 you in

00:28:47.380 --> 00:28:47.700
 faith.

00:28:48.180 --> 00:28:48.680
 We thank

00:28:48.680 --> 00:28:48.920
 you that

00:28:48.920 --> 00:28:49.360
 we haven't

00:28:49.360 --> 00:28:49.740
 earned or

00:28:49.740 --> 00:28:50.059
 deserved

00:28:50.059 --> 00:28:50.660
 these things

00:28:50.660 --> 00:28:52.200
 and so we

00:28:52.200 --> 00:28:52.839
 simply ask

00:28:52.839 --> 00:28:53.180
 them in the

00:28:53.180 --> 00:28:53.640
 mighty name

00:28:53.640 --> 00:28:54.019
 of Jesus

00:28:54.019 --> 00:28:54.500
 Christ.

00:28:54.819 --> 00:28:55.019
 Amen.