WEBVTT

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 If you're looking in one of the Pew Bibles, it's page 1007.

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 Hebrews chapter 10, beginning at verse 19, says this,

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 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus,

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 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain that is through his flesh,

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 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart,

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 in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience

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 and our bodies washed with pure water.

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 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

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 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,

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 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some,

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 but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

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 Let me pray for us.

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 Lord, we pray that as you call us to draw near to you,

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 that you would draw near to us today by your spirit,

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 as we listen to your word.

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 In Jesus' name, amen.

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 If you take a walk this afternoon through downtown New Haven,

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 and if you look carefully at some of the buildings along the edges of the Yale campus,

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 you may notice several buildings that have no windows.

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 One of them is just a few blocks up Grove Street.

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 So a two-story marble building with impressive Corinthian columns

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 facing the entrance to the Grove Street Cemetery.

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 It belongs to a society called Book and Snake,

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 one of Yale's older secret societies, founded 150 years ago.

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 There are several other such buildings throughout campus.

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 Now over the years, Yale's secret societies have aroused plenty of curiosity.

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 What is contained inside these imposing windowless buildings,

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 known as tombs, that no one else is allowed to enter?

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 What exactly happens when the societies meet on Thursday and Sunday nights?

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 Are some of these societies at the center of a giant conspiracy to take over the world?

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 Well, conspiracy theories aside,

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 the phenomenon of secret societies is interesting because of how they have persisted over time,

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 and even grown.

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 There are probably a dozen or even more active secret societies for seniors at Yale.

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 Every April, a new class of rising seniors is tapped,

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 and you can see them walking around campus in all kinds of masks and costumes on some night

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 a couple weeks ago and invited to join each society for the next year.

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 Now you might ask,

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 what is the point of speaking about this in a sermon at church,

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 and what is the attraction of these secret societies?

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 Well, I would say the phenomenon of secret societies is only one instance of a widespread human longing.

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 Don't we all long to be on the inside of something great and important,

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 of something intimate and personal?

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 Isn't that a large part of what attracts Yale students to secret societies?

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 They promise a road to potential greatness,

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 an elite network of students and alumni to which you are now connected for the rest of your life.

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 And they also promise a place of intimate trust,

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 where everyone shares their life stories and their deepest secrets,

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 and you know that you are safe.

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 Now whether it's a secret society or a college fraternity or a sports team or a political movement

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 or a military hierarchy or a musician's collective or a mom's network

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 or an inner city gang or simply a group of friends,

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 don't we all long to be on the inside of something or other?

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 We want to be connected to something great and important,

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 and we want to be accepted intimately and personally.

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 Now our desire to be on the inside can also create problems.

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 C.S. Lewis wrote a thought-provoking essay on this topic entitled The Inner Ring.

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 Now he said the fact that inner rings or inner circles exist is not inherently bad.

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 In fact, it's necessary for families and societies and governments to run.

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 But he says our desire to get in or stay in,

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 an inner circle,

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 presents one of the most powerful temptations

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 to compromise what we know to be true and right.

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 And besides that, being on the inside isn't always what it's rumored to be.

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 To take just one example,

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 from the outside,

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 it might seem like if you can get into Yale,

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 you've got it made.

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 You have all the brains and all the connections that you will ever need.

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 But if you are on the inside,

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 if you're a Yale student,

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 almost no one thinks that way.

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 I don't think I've ever met a Yale student

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 except for an occasional freshman.

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 Who is fully satisfied

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 simply by being at Yale.

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 Right?

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 When you get into Yale,

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 it's like peeling back the outer layer of an onion.

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 And you see how many more inner circles

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 are contained inside.

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 And how much farther you have to go

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 to really make it in.

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 Isn't that one of the driving motivations

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 behind the 300 extracurricular organizations

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 that exist at Yale?

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 And all the career networks and secret societies

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 and all everything else.

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 We long to be on the inside

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 of something great and intimate and lasting.

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 But we feel that we haven't got there yet.

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 Or even if we have made it in,

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 we have to constantly work

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 to maintain our status.

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 to make sure that we don't get pushed out,

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 left behind.

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 Now the passage we're looking at this morning

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 speaks to our human longing

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 to be on the inside

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 of something great and intimate and lasting.

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 And it shows us that there is a way to enter in

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 to what we were truly made for.

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 Verse 19 says,

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 We have confidence to enter

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 the holy places

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 by the blood of Jesus.

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 By a new and living way

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 that he opened for us

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 through the curtain.

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 And then it says,

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 Therefore let us draw near

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 with a true heart

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 and full assurance of faith.

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 Now this morning's passage

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 comes at a crucial turning point

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 in the book of Hebrews,

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 which we've been going through

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 as a church this year.

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 Up to this point,

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 Hebrews has been primarily teaching

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 about who Jesus Christ is.

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 The Son of God

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 who became our brother.

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 The King of Heaven

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 who became our priest.

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 The mediator of a new covenant.

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 Opening the way to a new relationship with God

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 through his sacrifice on the cross.

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 But from here on out,

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 the emphasis shifts

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 to application or exhortation.

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 In other words,

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 what it looks like practically

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 to live in light of the reality of Jesus.

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 And this morning's passage

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 is the hinge

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 on which almost the whole book

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 of Hebrews turns.

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 Verses 19 through 25

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 are one long sentence

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 in the original Greek.

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 And verses 19 through 21

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 point back

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 to what we've already seen.

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 Verses 22 through 25

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 lay out the agenda

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 for the rest of the book.

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 And so we'll be looking

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 at these verses

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 not only this week

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 but also the next two weeks.

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 There are three exhortations

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 that he presents

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 in verses 22 through 25.

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 First,

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 to draw near

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 with faith

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 in Christ.

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 Second,

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 to hold fast

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 to hope.

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 And third,

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 to stir up one another

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 to love.

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 Faith,

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 hope,

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 and love.

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 And the rest of the book of Hebrews

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 develops these themes

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 in greater detail.

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 So chapter 11

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 focuses on the theme of faith.

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 Giving examples

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 and pictures

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 of what it means

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 to live by faith.

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 Chapter 12

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 focuses on hope.

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 Looking forward

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 to the eternal kingdom of God

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 that cannot be shaken.

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 That sustains us

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 through painful suffering

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 in the present.

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 And chapter 13

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 focuses on love.

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 And gives concrete

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 exhortations

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 and encouragements

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 to love one another

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 both within the Christian community

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 and outside it.

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 So that's what we'll be looking

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 for,

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 at,

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 for the,

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 for our,

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 our summer

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 until the end of August.

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 Is these themes,

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 is these themes

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 of faith

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 and hope

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 and love

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 as a response

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 to who Jesus Christ

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 is.

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 And these themes

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 are,

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 are intertwined.

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 They're sort of like a rope

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 that you can't,

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 that's tangled together.

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 Faith is defined

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 as assurance

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 or conviction

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 that God is trustworthy

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 based on what God

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 has done in the past.

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 Hope

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 looks forward

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 to the future,

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 to the joy set before us.

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 And love

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 is what we are called

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 to display

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 in the present.

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 Now this morning

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 we're focusing in particular

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 on the theme of faith

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 and the invitation

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 to draw near to God

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 in faith,

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 not to enter in.

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 So I want to look

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 at three questions.

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 First,

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 what exactly

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 are we

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 entering into?

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 Second,

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 why can we be confident

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 to enter in?

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 And third,

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 how

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 can we enter in?

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 What,

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 why,

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 and how?

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 So first,

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 what exactly

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 is Hebrews promising

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 that we can get into?

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 Well the answer is

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 the presence of God.

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 Verse 19,

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 he calls it

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 the holy places.

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 Verse 21,

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 he calls it

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 the house

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 of God.

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 Now according

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 to the Bible,

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 human beings

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 were made

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 in God's image

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 to dwell

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 in God's presence.

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 The book of Genesis

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 describes the home

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 that God created

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 for human beings

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 as a fruitful garden.

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 And this garden

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 would be a temple

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 where God,

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 the sovereign Lord

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 of heaven and earth,

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 would dwell

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 in intimate

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 and secure

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 and loving

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 relationship

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 with his people,

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 providing for them.

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 Walking with them,

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 speaking with them

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 as a father

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 with his children.

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 And this garden

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 would also be a palace

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 from which God

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 would extend

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 his glorious reign

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 through all the earth.

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 Through us,

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 his image bearers,

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 his representatives,

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 his vice

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 regents.

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 The garden

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 was the ultimate place

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 of greatness

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 and intimacy.

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 Dwelling with the

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 sovereign Lord

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 of the universe,

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 ruling over his creation,

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 and we were on

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 the inside.

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 But then one day,

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 an intruder

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 made his way

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 into the garden

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 who questioned

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 God's power

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 and God's goodness

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 and tempted

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 our first parents

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 to listen to him

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 instead of God.

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 And instead of

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 taking up

00:11:31.840 --> 00:11:33.180
 our rightful authority

00:11:33.180 --> 00:11:34.420
 and kicking him out,

00:11:35.100 --> 00:11:35.899
 we took his side.

00:11:37.180 --> 00:11:38.120
 We decided

00:11:38.120 --> 00:11:38.820
 that instead of

00:11:38.820 --> 00:11:39.800
 living with God,

00:11:40.240 --> 00:11:41.080
 we should try

00:11:41.080 --> 00:11:41.539
 to be

00:11:41.539 --> 00:11:43.019
 our own God.

00:11:43.019 --> 00:11:44.779
 instead of

00:11:44.779 --> 00:11:45.439
 trusting God,

00:11:45.500 --> 00:11:46.000
 we should trust

00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:46.679
 ourselves

00:11:46.679 --> 00:11:48.240
 more than God.

00:11:49.559 --> 00:11:50.159
 Instead of

00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:50.620
 living within

00:11:50.620 --> 00:11:51.299
 God's purposes,

00:11:51.460 --> 00:11:51.759
 we should

00:11:51.759 --> 00:11:53.039
 make our own

00:11:53.039 --> 00:11:53.340
 meaning.

00:11:54.579 --> 00:11:54.879
 And so we

00:11:54.879 --> 00:11:55.699
 messed everything up.

00:11:58.199 --> 00:11:59.059
 And all of us

00:11:59.059 --> 00:11:59.480
 have continued

00:11:59.480 --> 00:12:00.919
 down that same

00:12:00.919 --> 00:12:01.319
 track.

00:12:02.360 --> 00:12:03.240
 And so the story

00:12:03.240 --> 00:12:03.439
 goes,

00:12:03.500 --> 00:12:03.960
 we had to leave

00:12:03.960 --> 00:12:04.419
 the garden.

00:12:05.699 --> 00:12:06.299
 We had to leave

00:12:06.299 --> 00:12:06.799
 the palace

00:12:06.799 --> 00:12:07.559
 of God's glorious

00:12:07.559 --> 00:12:08.059
 greatness

00:12:08.059 --> 00:12:09.000
 and the temple

00:12:09.000 --> 00:12:09.439
 of God's

00:12:09.439 --> 00:12:10.240
 intimate presence.

00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:11.060
 and we

00:12:11.060 --> 00:12:11.419
 became

00:12:11.419 --> 00:12:12.019
 outsiders,

00:12:13.659 --> 00:12:14.379
 excluded from

00:12:14.379 --> 00:12:15.419
 God's presence

00:12:15.419 --> 00:12:16.060
 by our own

00:12:16.060 --> 00:12:16.519
 willful

00:12:16.519 --> 00:12:17.340
 rebellion.

00:12:19.340 --> 00:12:20.039
 And in our

00:12:20.039 --> 00:12:20.560
 fallen state,

00:12:20.639 --> 00:12:21.180
 every one of us

00:12:21.180 --> 00:12:21.720
 has continued

00:12:21.720 --> 00:12:23.539
 in that direction.

00:12:24.379 --> 00:12:25.259
 But even in

00:12:25.259 --> 00:12:25.879
 our fallen state,

00:12:25.940 --> 00:12:26.720
 we still bear

00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:28.019
 the image of God.

00:12:28.659 --> 00:12:29.180
 And so we

00:12:29.180 --> 00:12:29.700
 long

00:12:29.700 --> 00:12:31.159
 for what we

00:12:31.159 --> 00:12:31.820
 lost so long

00:12:31.820 --> 00:12:32.080
 ago.

00:12:33.460 --> 00:12:34.100
 We long

00:12:34.100 --> 00:12:34.560
 to get back

00:12:34.560 --> 00:12:35.279
 on the inside

00:12:35.279 --> 00:12:36.779
 of something

00:12:36.779 --> 00:12:37.220
 great

00:12:37.220 --> 00:12:38.620
 intimate.

00:12:39.779 --> 00:12:40.340
 And when we

00:12:40.340 --> 00:12:40.860
 look at human

00:12:40.860 --> 00:12:41.360
 history,

00:12:42.360 --> 00:12:43.460
 or even when we

00:12:43.460 --> 00:12:43.980
 think about the

00:12:43.980 --> 00:12:44.500
 story of our

00:12:44.500 --> 00:12:45.180
 own lives,

00:12:46.279 --> 00:12:46.960
 isn't it full

00:12:46.960 --> 00:12:47.620
 of attempts

00:12:47.620 --> 00:12:48.720
 to construct

00:12:48.720 --> 00:12:50.620
 a fruitful

00:12:50.620 --> 00:12:51.040
 garden,

00:12:51.860 --> 00:12:53.220
 a glorious

00:12:53.220 --> 00:12:54.120
 palace,

00:12:55.180 --> 00:12:55.620
 an intimate

00:12:55.620 --> 00:12:56.300
 temple?

00:12:57.800 --> 00:12:58.480
 Isn't that

00:12:58.480 --> 00:12:59.100
 what we seek

00:12:59.100 --> 00:13:00.440
 in so many

00:13:00.440 --> 00:13:01.139
 different ways?

00:13:02.840 --> 00:13:03.500
 But the

00:13:03.500 --> 00:13:03.920
 problem is

00:13:03.920 --> 00:13:04.279
 even our

00:13:04.279 --> 00:13:05.139
 best efforts

00:13:05.139 --> 00:13:06.799
 only produce

00:13:06.799 --> 00:13:07.639
 temporary

00:13:07.639 --> 00:13:08.580
 copies

00:13:08.580 --> 00:13:10.299
 and fading

00:13:10.299 --> 00:13:11.340
 shadows

00:13:11.340 --> 00:13:13.480
 or even

00:13:13.480 --> 00:13:13.759
 cheap

00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:14.539
 substitutes

00:13:14.539 --> 00:13:15.919
 of what we

00:13:15.919 --> 00:13:16.600
 lost so long

00:13:16.600 --> 00:13:16.899
 ago,

00:13:17.980 --> 00:13:19.019
 the glorious

00:13:19.019 --> 00:13:19.639
 presence of

00:13:19.639 --> 00:13:20.000
 God

00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:21.000
 himself.

00:13:22.879 --> 00:13:23.559
 But now

00:13:23.559 --> 00:13:23.919
 the author

00:13:23.919 --> 00:13:24.259
 of Hebrews

00:13:24.259 --> 00:13:24.580
 says,

00:13:24.899 --> 00:13:25.259
 there is a

00:13:25.259 --> 00:13:26.100
 new and

00:13:26.100 --> 00:13:26.779
 living way

00:13:26.779 --> 00:13:28.399
 open for

00:13:28.399 --> 00:13:29.319
 us to

00:13:29.319 --> 00:13:30.159
 enter the

00:13:30.159 --> 00:13:30.879
 holy places,

00:13:30.980 --> 00:13:31.439
 to enter

00:13:31.439 --> 00:13:33.159
 this glorious

00:13:33.159 --> 00:13:33.799
 palace of

00:13:33.799 --> 00:13:34.479
 God's presence

00:13:34.479 --> 00:13:34.859
 in this

00:13:34.859 --> 00:13:35.240
 intimate

00:13:35.240 --> 00:13:37.359
 temple of

00:13:37.359 --> 00:13:37.879
 his mercy,

00:13:38.639 --> 00:13:39.979
 to enter

00:13:39.979 --> 00:13:41.359
 into his

00:13:41.359 --> 00:13:42.899
 house and

00:13:42.899 --> 00:13:43.339
 be part of

00:13:43.339 --> 00:13:43.879
 his family.

00:13:45.099 --> 00:13:45.919
 That's why

00:13:45.919 --> 00:13:47.199
 he calls

00:13:47.199 --> 00:13:48.240
 the people

00:13:48.240 --> 00:13:49.620
 brothers and

00:13:49.620 --> 00:13:50.139
 sisters.

00:13:51.519 --> 00:13:52.199
 That's those

00:13:52.199 --> 00:13:52.479
 who have been

00:13:52.479 --> 00:13:53.079
 brought in

00:13:53.079 --> 00:13:54.539
 to the

00:13:54.539 --> 00:13:54.959
 family of

00:13:54.959 --> 00:13:55.259
 God.

00:13:56.099 --> 00:13:56.879
 So that's

00:13:56.879 --> 00:13:58.419
 the promise

00:13:58.419 --> 00:13:59.279
 of what we

00:13:59.279 --> 00:13:59.639
 can enter

00:13:59.639 --> 00:13:59.979
 into.

00:14:00.299 --> 00:14:00.620
 But that

00:14:00.620 --> 00:14:01.079
 raises the

00:14:01.079 --> 00:14:01.799
 second question.

00:14:01.799 --> 00:14:03.899
 how can

00:14:03.899 --> 00:14:04.219
 the writer

00:14:04.219 --> 00:14:04.639
 be so

00:14:04.639 --> 00:14:05.139
 confident

00:14:05.139 --> 00:14:05.599
 that we

00:14:05.599 --> 00:14:06.079
 can

00:14:06.079 --> 00:14:07.679
 enter in?

00:14:08.579 --> 00:14:09.199
 If we've

00:14:09.199 --> 00:14:09.819
 been excluded

00:14:09.819 --> 00:14:10.439
 from God's

00:14:10.439 --> 00:14:11.139
 presence by

00:14:11.139 --> 00:14:11.779
 our rebellion

00:14:11.779 --> 00:14:13.599
 and we've

00:14:13.599 --> 00:14:14.139
 messed it all

00:14:14.139 --> 00:14:14.620
 up, how

00:14:14.620 --> 00:14:15.359
 can we be

00:14:15.359 --> 00:14:17.179
 so confident

00:14:17.179 --> 00:14:18.519
 that we can

00:14:18.519 --> 00:14:19.000
 enter in?

00:14:20.579 --> 00:14:21.240
 Now in the

00:14:21.240 --> 00:14:22.179
 historical context

00:14:22.179 --> 00:14:22.620
 when he was

00:14:22.620 --> 00:14:22.979
 writing,

00:14:23.939 --> 00:14:24.500
 the writer of

00:14:24.500 --> 00:14:24.899
 Hebrews was

00:14:24.899 --> 00:14:25.439
 making an

00:14:25.439 --> 00:14:26.399
 unprecedented

00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:27.740
 claim here.

00:14:28.859 --> 00:14:29.319
 He was

00:14:29.319 --> 00:14:29.740
 writing to

00:14:29.740 --> 00:14:30.839
 people coming

00:14:30.840 --> 00:14:31.180
 from a

00:14:31.180 --> 00:14:31.379
 Jewish

00:14:31.379 --> 00:14:31.960
 background

00:14:31.960 --> 00:14:33.480
 who would

00:14:33.480 --> 00:14:33.700
 have been

00:14:33.700 --> 00:14:34.280
 familiar with

00:14:34.280 --> 00:14:34.720
 the temple

00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:35.320
 in Jerusalem

00:14:35.320 --> 00:14:36.280
 and the

00:14:36.280 --> 00:14:36.820
 laws and

00:14:36.820 --> 00:14:37.399
 regulations

00:14:37.399 --> 00:14:38.540
 in the

00:14:38.540 --> 00:14:39.100
 Old Testament.

00:14:40.680 --> 00:14:41.340
 But the

00:14:41.340 --> 00:14:41.780
 temple in

00:14:41.780 --> 00:14:42.160
 Jerusalem

00:14:42.160 --> 00:14:44.320
 was certainly

00:14:44.320 --> 00:14:45.600
 not open

00:14:45.600 --> 00:14:46.500
 to all.

00:14:48.200 --> 00:14:48.980
 There was an

00:14:48.980 --> 00:14:49.540
 outer court

00:14:49.540 --> 00:14:50.540
 where anyone

00:14:50.540 --> 00:14:50.899
 could go,

00:14:50.980 --> 00:14:51.320
 but then there

00:14:51.320 --> 00:14:52.000
 was a wall

00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:53.280
 separating the

00:14:53.280 --> 00:14:53.820
 outer court

00:14:53.820 --> 00:14:54.120
 from the

00:14:54.120 --> 00:14:54.620
 inner court.

00:14:55.040 --> 00:14:55.220
 And there

00:14:55.220 --> 00:14:55.759
 were large

00:14:55.759 --> 00:14:56.600
 warning signs

00:14:56.600 --> 00:14:57.220
 posted

00:14:57.220 --> 00:14:59.019
 warning all

00:14:59.019 --> 00:14:59.720
 Gentiles.

00:15:00.840 --> 00:15:01.580
 anyone who

00:15:01.580 --> 00:15:01.920
 was not

00:15:01.920 --> 00:15:02.360
 Jewish,

00:15:03.080 --> 00:15:03.580
 warning all

00:15:03.580 --> 00:15:04.399
 Gentiles not

00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:04.960
 to enter the

00:15:04.960 --> 00:15:05.420
 inner court

00:15:05.420 --> 00:15:06.040
 on penalty

00:15:06.040 --> 00:15:06.580
 of death.

00:15:07.639 --> 00:15:08.220
 And even if

00:15:08.220 --> 00:15:08.519
 you were

00:15:08.519 --> 00:15:08.860
 Jewish,

00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:09.560
 you could go

00:15:09.560 --> 00:15:09.899
 into the

00:15:09.899 --> 00:15:10.379
 inner court

00:15:10.379 --> 00:15:10.860
 but not

00:15:10.860 --> 00:15:11.340
 into the

00:15:11.340 --> 00:15:12.340
 actual holy

00:15:12.340 --> 00:15:12.960
 places.

00:15:13.340 --> 00:15:13.720
 Only the

00:15:13.720 --> 00:15:15.160
 priests could

00:15:15.160 --> 00:15:15.759
 enter into the

00:15:15.759 --> 00:15:16.399
 holy places

00:15:16.399 --> 00:15:17.519
 to offer

00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:18.399
 sacrifices on

00:15:18.399 --> 00:15:18.820
 the altar.

00:15:19.820 --> 00:15:20.399
 And only the

00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:21.060
 high priest

00:15:21.060 --> 00:15:22.820
 could enter into

00:15:22.820 --> 00:15:23.460
 the most holy

00:15:23.460 --> 00:15:23.980
 place,

00:15:24.600 --> 00:15:25.519
 which represented

00:15:25.519 --> 00:15:26.480
 the very throne

00:15:26.480 --> 00:15:27.440
 room of God.

00:15:27.440 --> 00:15:29.440
 it was a

00:15:29.440 --> 00:15:29.860
 place which

00:15:29.860 --> 00:15:30.580
 had within it

00:15:30.580 --> 00:15:31.460
 something called

00:15:31.460 --> 00:15:31.940
 the mercy

00:15:31.940 --> 00:15:32.820
 seat.

00:15:34.020 --> 00:15:34.680
 The very

00:15:34.680 --> 00:15:35.240
 throne of God,

00:15:35.280 --> 00:15:35.600
 the very

00:15:35.600 --> 00:15:36.120
 presence of

00:15:36.120 --> 00:15:36.280
 God,

00:15:36.380 --> 00:15:36.700
 and only,

00:15:36.960 --> 00:15:37.500
 he could only

00:15:37.500 --> 00:15:38.600
 enter once a

00:15:38.600 --> 00:15:38.920
 year,

00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:41.700
 and only with

00:15:41.700 --> 00:15:42.560
 a sacrifice to

00:15:42.560 --> 00:15:44.160
 offer on behalf

00:15:44.160 --> 00:15:45.280
 of himself and

00:15:45.280 --> 00:15:45.820
 on behalf of

00:15:45.820 --> 00:15:46.160
 the people.

00:15:47.880 --> 00:15:48.720
 And this was not

00:15:48.720 --> 00:15:49.400
 just the custom

00:15:49.400 --> 00:15:50.760
 of the Jewish

00:15:50.760 --> 00:15:51.400
 people at that

00:15:51.400 --> 00:15:52.100
 time, it was the

00:15:52.100 --> 00:15:53.000
 command of God

00:15:53.000 --> 00:15:54.520
 in the Hebrew

00:15:54.520 --> 00:15:55.400
 Bible, in the

00:15:55.400 --> 00:15:55.880
 Old Testament.

00:15:55.879 --> 00:15:57.879
 You see, the

00:15:57.879 --> 00:15:58.320
 temple in

00:15:58.320 --> 00:15:59.659
 Jerusalem was

00:15:59.659 --> 00:16:00.240
 not a place

00:16:00.240 --> 00:16:00.740
 where anyone

00:16:00.740 --> 00:16:01.259
 and everyone

00:16:01.259 --> 00:16:01.700
 could come

00:16:01.700 --> 00:16:02.500
 freely into the

00:16:02.500 --> 00:16:02.960
 presence of

00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:03.840
 God, it was

00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:04.539
 more like a

00:16:04.539 --> 00:16:05.279
 miniature version

00:16:05.279 --> 00:16:05.960
 of the

00:16:05.960 --> 00:16:06.659
 Forbidden City,

00:16:07.379 --> 00:16:09.620
 where no one

00:16:09.620 --> 00:16:10.200
 could enter or

00:16:10.200 --> 00:16:12.159
 leave without

00:16:12.159 --> 00:16:12.720
 the emperor's

00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:13.259
 permission on

00:16:13.259 --> 00:16:13.919
 pain of death.

00:16:15.720 --> 00:16:16.480
 Now, in our

00:16:16.480 --> 00:16:17.360
 modern culture, we

00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:19.080
 can often assume

00:16:19.080 --> 00:16:20.379
 that God should

00:16:20.379 --> 00:16:21.720
 be accessible to

00:16:21.720 --> 00:16:25.240
 us, that God

00:16:25.240 --> 00:16:25.680
 should be

00:16:25.680 --> 00:16:26.360
 available.

00:16:27.200 --> 00:16:28.360
 We've lost the

00:16:28.360 --> 00:16:28.940
 sense of the

00:16:28.940 --> 00:16:30.759
 barriers between

00:16:30.759 --> 00:16:32.279
 us and the

00:16:32.279 --> 00:16:33.620
 holy and perfect

00:16:33.620 --> 00:16:34.340
 creator of the

00:16:34.340 --> 00:16:34.620
 universe.

00:16:36.139 --> 00:16:37.399
 We've lost the

00:16:37.399 --> 00:16:38.279
 sense that they

00:16:38.279 --> 00:16:39.039
 would have had of

00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:40.080
 the inherent danger

00:16:40.080 --> 00:16:41.879
 of rebellious

00:16:41.879 --> 00:16:42.500
 human beings,

00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:43.200
 self-centered

00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:43.860
 human beings

00:16:43.860 --> 00:16:45.480
 encountering a

00:16:45.480 --> 00:16:47.139
 radically pure

00:16:47.139 --> 00:16:48.779
 and holy God.

00:16:50.019 --> 00:16:51.019
 The writer of

00:16:51.019 --> 00:16:51.620
 Hebrews probably

00:16:51.620 --> 00:16:52.320
 understood this

00:16:52.320 --> 00:16:53.299
 better than most

00:16:53.299 --> 00:16:54.419
 of us naturally

00:16:54.419 --> 00:16:54.699
 do.

00:16:56.219 --> 00:16:56.699
 And so it's

00:16:56.699 --> 00:16:57.099
 even more

00:16:57.099 --> 00:16:58.279
 striking that

00:16:58.279 --> 00:16:59.259
 he says, as

00:16:59.259 --> 00:16:59.859
 he does in

00:16:59.859 --> 00:17:01.939
 verse 19, we

00:17:01.939 --> 00:17:02.620
 have confidence

00:17:02.620 --> 00:17:04.759
 to enter the

00:17:04.759 --> 00:17:06.019
 holy places.

00:17:06.980 --> 00:17:07.759
 In other

00:17:07.759 --> 00:17:08.240
 words, we have

00:17:08.240 --> 00:17:09.639
 official authorization,

00:17:10.359 --> 00:17:11.159
 we have freedom

00:17:11.159 --> 00:17:11.879
 of access, we

00:17:11.879 --> 00:17:12.659
 have a promised

00:17:12.659 --> 00:17:15.119
 welcome, because a

00:17:15.119 --> 00:17:15.919
 new and living

00:17:15.919 --> 00:17:17.279
 way has been

00:17:17.279 --> 00:17:19.399
 opened for us.

00:17:19.919 --> 00:17:20.639
 Through the

00:17:20.639 --> 00:17:21.299
 curtain, through the

00:17:21.299 --> 00:17:22.579
 barriers that

00:17:22.579 --> 00:17:24.419
 separated us from

00:17:24.419 --> 00:17:25.099
 God himself.

00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:28.099
 The image is of

00:17:28.099 --> 00:17:29.139
 a trail being

00:17:29.139 --> 00:17:31.220
 blazed, of a

00:17:31.220 --> 00:17:32.099
 highway being laid

00:17:32.099 --> 00:17:32.639
 down through

00:17:32.639 --> 00:17:33.180
 previously

00:17:33.180 --> 00:17:34.119
 inaccessible

00:17:34.119 --> 00:17:35.059
 territory.

00:17:36.259 --> 00:17:37.339
 That's the image

00:17:37.339 --> 00:17:39.539
 of a champion who

00:17:39.539 --> 00:17:40.559
 throws himself into

00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:41.259
 the middle of a

00:17:41.259 --> 00:17:43.299
 raging battle so

00:17:43.299 --> 00:17:44.159
 that he might open

00:17:44.159 --> 00:17:45.700
 a new path to

00:17:45.700 --> 00:17:47.319
 victory along the

00:17:47.319 --> 00:17:48.680
 track of his own

00:17:48.680 --> 00:17:50.079
 life blood.

00:17:50.079 --> 00:17:52.740
 And the writer of

00:17:52.740 --> 00:17:53.579
 Hebrews says, this

00:17:53.579 --> 00:17:56.059
 is what Jesus, the

00:17:56.059 --> 00:17:56.699
 Son of God, has

00:17:56.699 --> 00:17:56.939
 done.

00:17:58.199 --> 00:17:59.399
 The eternal Son of

00:17:59.399 --> 00:18:00.119
 God, the King of

00:18:00.119 --> 00:18:01.559
 Glory, became flesh

00:18:01.559 --> 00:18:02.960
 and blood.

00:18:04.199 --> 00:18:04.939
 In other words, a

00:18:04.939 --> 00:18:06.460
 fully human being.

00:18:07.699 --> 00:18:08.859
 He willingly became

00:18:08.859 --> 00:18:09.419
 our brother.

00:18:11.119 --> 00:18:12.119
 He lived the life

00:18:12.119 --> 00:18:13.519
 that we ought to

00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:14.039
 have lived.

00:18:14.439 --> 00:18:15.419
 A life of perfect,

00:18:15.779 --> 00:18:17.000
 trusting obedience to

00:18:17.000 --> 00:18:17.799
 God, even to the

00:18:17.799 --> 00:18:19.099
 point of death on the

00:18:19.099 --> 00:18:21.439
 cross, where he

00:18:21.439 --> 00:18:22.219
 died the death that

00:18:22.219 --> 00:18:23.939
 we deserve to die.

00:18:25.299 --> 00:18:26.179
 And then he rose

00:18:26.179 --> 00:18:26.500
 again.

00:18:27.379 --> 00:18:28.139
 Three days later,

00:18:28.219 --> 00:18:28.980
 demonstrating his

00:18:28.980 --> 00:18:31.079
 victory over sin and

00:18:31.079 --> 00:18:31.879
 death for all who

00:18:31.879 --> 00:18:32.480
 would believe.

00:18:34.179 --> 00:18:35.559
 Verse 12 in this

00:18:35.559 --> 00:18:36.199
 chapter says, he

00:18:36.199 --> 00:18:37.279
 offered for all time

00:18:37.279 --> 00:18:39.319
 a single sacrifice

00:18:39.319 --> 00:18:40.119
 for sins.

00:18:40.879 --> 00:18:41.619
 And then he sat

00:18:41.619 --> 00:18:43.299
 down at the right

00:18:43.299 --> 00:18:44.740
 hand of God, having

00:18:44.740 --> 00:18:47.140
 completed his work.

00:18:48.980 --> 00:18:50.640
 Through his flesh and

00:18:50.640 --> 00:18:51.319
 through his blood,

00:18:51.440 --> 00:18:52.140
 offered on our

00:18:52.140 --> 00:18:53.039
 behalf, Jesus has

00:18:53.039 --> 00:18:53.920
 opened up a new and

00:18:53.920 --> 00:18:55.880
 living way for us to

00:18:55.880 --> 00:18:57.620
 enter into the

00:18:57.620 --> 00:18:58.559
 presence of God.

00:19:01.220 --> 00:19:02.440
 Because, and he can

00:19:02.440 --> 00:19:04.620
 do this because he is

00:19:04.620 --> 00:19:06.160
 the Lord of heaven and

00:19:06.160 --> 00:19:06.480
 earth.

00:19:06.940 --> 00:19:08.200
 He's the great king who

00:19:08.200 --> 00:19:09.200
 rules over everything,

00:19:09.319 --> 00:19:10.799
 but he has become our

00:19:10.799 --> 00:19:11.220
 priest.

00:19:12.079 --> 00:19:12.940
 In other words, our

00:19:12.940 --> 00:19:14.779
 advocate, the one who

00:19:14.779 --> 00:19:16.380
 stands for us and

00:19:16.380 --> 00:19:17.539
 intercedes for us.

00:19:18.920 --> 00:19:20.660
 And as our brother, as

00:19:20.660 --> 00:19:21.759
 our priest, as a fellow

00:19:21.759 --> 00:19:22.720
 human being, he has

00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:24.740
 gone into the very

00:19:24.740 --> 00:19:25.600
 presence of God.

00:19:25.700 --> 00:19:26.559
 He is seated at the

00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:27.440
 right hand of God.

00:19:27.559 --> 00:19:28.880
 So we can enter into

00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:31.180
 the palace of God's

00:19:31.180 --> 00:19:32.059
 glorious greatness,

00:19:33.220 --> 00:19:34.940
 knowing that the one

00:19:34.940 --> 00:19:35.880
 who sits on the throne

00:19:35.880 --> 00:19:38.640
 is our very own flesh

00:19:38.640 --> 00:19:39.480
 and blood.

00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:41.200
 Our brother.

00:19:41.200 --> 00:19:43.460
 Our champion.

00:19:44.580 --> 00:19:45.100
 Our king.

00:19:45.720 --> 00:19:46.000
 Jesus.

00:19:47.740 --> 00:19:48.740
 And not only that,

00:19:48.819 --> 00:19:49.620
 Jesus is the son of

00:19:49.620 --> 00:19:51.880
 God, who lived from all

00:19:51.880 --> 00:19:52.819
 eternity in intimate

00:19:52.819 --> 00:19:53.759
 relationship with the

00:19:53.759 --> 00:19:54.620
 father and the Holy

00:19:54.620 --> 00:19:55.059
 Spirit.

00:19:55.340 --> 00:19:56.319
 And he has now become

00:19:56.319 --> 00:19:58.600
 our brother so that he

00:19:58.600 --> 00:20:00.200
 might join us to himself

00:20:00.200 --> 00:20:01.279
 and that we might enter

00:20:01.279 --> 00:20:04.140
 into that intimate union

00:20:04.140 --> 00:20:05.860
 with God himself.

00:20:07.039 --> 00:20:09.400
 And know God's secure and

00:20:09.400 --> 00:20:10.220
 loving presence.

00:20:12.540 --> 00:20:13.460
 He's saying that through

00:20:13.460 --> 00:20:14.400
 Jesus we can approach

00:20:14.400 --> 00:20:15.940
 God with the confidence

00:20:15.940 --> 00:20:18.680
 of a little child running

00:20:18.680 --> 00:20:19.380
 up to her daddy.

00:20:22.460 --> 00:20:24.300
 We can be confident to

00:20:24.300 --> 00:20:26.180
 enter God's glorious and

00:20:26.180 --> 00:20:27.860
 intimate presence through

00:20:27.860 --> 00:20:28.320
 Jesus.

00:20:30.320 --> 00:20:32.720
 So third, how?

00:20:32.720 --> 00:20:35.440
 What does it look like?

00:20:36.000 --> 00:20:37.779
 How do we actually enter

00:20:37.779 --> 00:20:39.400
 in to God's presence?

00:20:40.839 --> 00:20:42.600
 Well, in the Old Testament,

00:20:42.740 --> 00:20:43.500
 the high priest would

00:20:43.500 --> 00:20:45.519
 enter into the most

00:20:45.519 --> 00:20:48.579
 holy place, but he would

00:20:48.579 --> 00:20:49.640
 only enter in for a very

00:20:49.640 --> 00:20:50.220
 short time.

00:20:51.259 --> 00:20:51.920
 He would offer his

00:20:51.920 --> 00:20:52.900
 sacrifices, he would do

00:20:52.900 --> 00:20:53.579
 his thing, and then he

00:20:53.579 --> 00:20:56.200
 would get out until next

00:20:56.200 --> 00:20:58.200
 year because it wasn't

00:20:58.200 --> 00:20:59.140
 safe for him to stay.

00:20:59.140 --> 00:21:01.560
 But the offer of Hebrews

00:21:01.560 --> 00:21:02.640
 is saying not only can we

00:21:02.640 --> 00:21:04.980
 go in to the presence of

00:21:04.980 --> 00:21:07.460
 God, we can stay.

00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:09.880
 We can rest.

00:21:11.160 --> 00:21:12.060
 We can be there.

00:21:12.220 --> 00:21:13.200
 We don't have to worry

00:21:13.200 --> 00:21:14.780
 about being pushed out

00:21:14.780 --> 00:21:17.560
 because our status as sons

00:21:17.560 --> 00:21:18.640
 and daughters of the king

00:21:18.640 --> 00:21:19.620
 is secure.

00:21:21.520 --> 00:21:22.920
 So he says in verse 22,

00:21:23.740 --> 00:21:24.840
 he says in light of all

00:21:24.840 --> 00:21:26.900
 this that Jesus has done,

00:21:27.580 --> 00:21:28.700
 he says let us draw near.

00:21:29.140 --> 00:21:30.720
 With a true heart.

00:21:31.420 --> 00:21:33.000
 In full assurance of faith.

00:21:33.480 --> 00:21:34.400
 With our hearts sprinkled

00:21:34.400 --> 00:21:35.280
 clean from an evil

00:21:35.280 --> 00:21:36.360
 conscience and our bodies

00:21:36.360 --> 00:21:38.340
 washed with pure water.

00:21:39.500 --> 00:21:40.380
 If you want to summarize

00:21:40.380 --> 00:21:41.520
 this verse in two words,

00:21:42.580 --> 00:21:44.700
 it would be truth and trust.

00:21:46.100 --> 00:21:47.840
 Draw near to God in truth,

00:21:48.040 --> 00:21:49.360
 he says, with a true heart.

00:21:50.240 --> 00:21:51.520
 A heart that has been

00:21:51.520 --> 00:21:54.060
 sprinkled clean from an

00:21:54.060 --> 00:21:54.900
 evil conscience.

00:21:54.900 --> 00:21:57.560
 Well, for one thing,

00:21:58.400 --> 00:21:59.060
 that means we should

00:21:59.060 --> 00:22:00.660
 approach God without

00:22:00.660 --> 00:22:01.180
 pretending.

00:22:02.320 --> 00:22:03.480
 Without trying to hide

00:22:03.480 --> 00:22:04.560
 our flaws or without

00:22:04.560 --> 00:22:05.640
 trying to impress him

00:22:05.640 --> 00:22:07.019
 by our good deeds.

00:22:08.000 --> 00:22:09.180
 It's almost the exact

00:22:09.180 --> 00:22:11.080
 opposite of how any

00:22:11.080 --> 00:22:13.160
 career services office

00:22:13.740 --> 00:22:15.100
 would tell you to

00:22:15.100 --> 00:22:16.220
 approach a job interview.

00:22:18.280 --> 00:22:18.720
 Right?

00:22:18.820 --> 00:22:19.280
 They would say,

00:22:19.400 --> 00:22:20.140
 dress smartly.

00:22:21.340 --> 00:22:22.940
 Bring a resume listing

00:22:22.940 --> 00:22:23.940
 all your skills and

00:22:23.940 --> 00:22:24.860
 accomplishments and

00:22:24.860 --> 00:22:25.660
 none of your weaknesses

00:22:25.660 --> 00:22:26.440
 and failures.

00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:29.320
 Put your best foot forward.

00:22:30.820 --> 00:22:31.860
 But with God,

00:22:32.860 --> 00:22:33.660
 all of that would be

00:22:33.660 --> 00:22:34.880
 utterly futile

00:22:34.880 --> 00:22:36.340
 and foolish.

00:22:36.900 --> 00:22:37.960
 It would be as futile

00:22:37.960 --> 00:22:39.200
 as a high school student

00:22:39.200 --> 00:22:40.700
 waking up in the morning,

00:22:41.440 --> 00:22:42.600
 getting dressed in

00:22:42.600 --> 00:22:43.700
 your nicest clothes,

00:22:44.880 --> 00:22:45.799
 printing out a copy of

00:22:45.799 --> 00:22:47.380
 your resume on resume paper,

00:22:47.940 --> 00:22:49.360
 and writing a snazzy

00:22:49.360 --> 00:22:50.960
 cover letter in order

00:22:50.960 --> 00:22:51.740
 to go downstairs

00:22:51.740 --> 00:22:52.680
 and present yourself

00:22:52.680 --> 00:22:53.360
 to your mom,

00:22:53.640 --> 00:22:54.220
 who's cooking you

00:22:54.220 --> 00:22:54.680
 breakfast,

00:22:55.539 --> 00:22:56.920
 hoping to make an

00:22:56.920 --> 00:22:57.759
 impression on her

00:22:57.759 --> 00:22:58.880
 and earn her favor.

00:23:01.420 --> 00:23:02.460
 I think your mom

00:23:02.460 --> 00:23:03.640
 will not be very impressed.

00:23:04.799 --> 00:23:06.180
 She might be amused.

00:23:06.519 --> 00:23:07.079
 She might think

00:23:07.079 --> 00:23:07.579
 you're doing this

00:23:07.579 --> 00:23:08.180
 to practice.

00:23:08.660 --> 00:23:09.579
 But if she realizes

00:23:09.579 --> 00:23:10.340
 that you're doing this

00:23:10.340 --> 00:23:11.440
 to try to impress her,

00:23:12.680 --> 00:23:13.600
 she already knows

00:23:13.600 --> 00:23:14.559
 everything about you.

00:23:15.700 --> 00:23:16.799
 She knows your strengths

00:23:16.799 --> 00:23:17.279
 and weaknesses

00:23:17.279 --> 00:23:18.299
 better than you do.

00:23:18.299 --> 00:23:20.859
 And her love for you

00:23:20.859 --> 00:23:22.379
 is not dependent

00:23:22.379 --> 00:23:23.700
 on the image

00:23:23.700 --> 00:23:24.399
 that you project.

00:23:25.220 --> 00:23:25.480
 I mean,

00:23:25.539 --> 00:23:25.960
 she changed

00:23:25.960 --> 00:23:26.759
 your messy diapers

00:23:26.759 --> 00:23:27.879
 for years

00:23:27.879 --> 00:23:28.720
 before you even knew

00:23:28.720 --> 00:23:29.440
 what she was doing.

00:23:30.259 --> 00:23:31.159
 You're already

00:23:31.159 --> 00:23:32.220
 an object

00:23:32.220 --> 00:23:33.659
 of her love

00:23:33.659 --> 00:23:34.619
 and favor.

00:23:35.779 --> 00:23:36.279
 You're already

00:23:36.279 --> 00:23:37.039
 on the inside.

00:23:38.039 --> 00:23:38.899
 And it wasn't

00:23:38.899 --> 00:23:39.759
 because you did anything

00:23:39.759 --> 00:23:40.740
 to deserve it.

00:23:43.240 --> 00:23:44.139
 Just because

00:23:44.139 --> 00:23:46.319
 she's your mom

00:23:46.319 --> 00:23:47.619
 and she will always

00:23:47.619 --> 00:23:48.059
 love you.

00:23:50.259 --> 00:23:51.480
 And in the same way,

00:23:52.919 --> 00:23:54.559
 faking with God

00:23:54.559 --> 00:23:55.379
 is futile.

00:23:56.059 --> 00:23:56.859
 Not only because

00:23:56.859 --> 00:23:57.899
 God sees and knows

00:23:57.899 --> 00:23:59.039
 the truth about us,

00:23:59.299 --> 00:24:00.439
 but also because

00:24:00.439 --> 00:24:01.460
 in Jesus Christ

00:24:01.460 --> 00:24:02.299
 we are objects

00:24:02.299 --> 00:24:03.700
 of His eternal favor.

00:24:04.879 --> 00:24:06.299
 His unmerited grace.

00:24:07.659 --> 00:24:08.639
 He gave His own life

00:24:08.639 --> 00:24:09.619
 for us on the cross

00:24:09.619 --> 00:24:13.319
 to prove it

00:24:13.319 --> 00:24:15.299
 so that we

00:24:15.299 --> 00:24:15.919
 who were once

00:24:15.919 --> 00:24:16.539
 outsiders

00:24:16.539 --> 00:24:18.399
 might come in

00:24:18.399 --> 00:24:19.799
 and be part

00:24:19.799 --> 00:24:20.519
 of His family

00:24:20.519 --> 00:24:21.259
 forever.

00:24:23.700 --> 00:24:24.460
 So we can draw

00:24:24.460 --> 00:24:24.960
 near to God

00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:25.480
 in truth.

00:24:26.980 --> 00:24:27.639
 But also

00:24:27.639 --> 00:24:28.039
 we can draw

00:24:28.039 --> 00:24:28.460
 near to God

00:24:28.460 --> 00:24:29.000
 in trust.

00:24:29.700 --> 00:24:30.319
 In the full

00:24:30.319 --> 00:24:31.439
 assurance of faith.

00:24:31.799 --> 00:24:32.460
 Because He

00:24:32.460 --> 00:24:33.559
 has proven Himself

00:24:33.559 --> 00:24:34.379
 worthy

00:24:34.379 --> 00:24:35.980
 of our trust.

00:24:37.679 --> 00:24:38.139
 You know,

00:24:38.159 --> 00:24:38.519
 when the Bible

00:24:38.519 --> 00:24:39.500
 talks about faith,

00:24:40.379 --> 00:24:41.419
 it does not mean

00:24:41.419 --> 00:24:42.460
 what some people

00:24:42.460 --> 00:24:43.200
 think.

00:24:43.759 --> 00:24:44.420
 It does not mean

00:24:44.420 --> 00:24:45.100
 believing that

00:24:45.100 --> 00:24:46.000
 something is true

00:24:46.000 --> 00:24:47.259
 apart from any

00:24:47.259 --> 00:24:48.220
 evidence and contrary

00:24:48.220 --> 00:24:48.980
 to all rational

00:24:48.980 --> 00:24:49.480
 thought.

00:24:50.620 --> 00:24:51.640
 That is wishful

00:24:51.640 --> 00:24:51.980
 thinking.

00:24:52.140 --> 00:24:52.720
 That is not

00:24:52.720 --> 00:24:53.840
 biblical faith.

00:24:55.319 --> 00:24:56.360
 If you're skeptical

00:24:56.360 --> 00:24:57.960
 whether there is

00:24:57.960 --> 00:24:59.299
 solid evidence

00:24:59.299 --> 00:25:00.140
 for the Christian

00:25:00.140 --> 00:25:00.620
 faith,

00:25:01.559 --> 00:25:02.380
 I encourage you

00:25:02.380 --> 00:25:03.420
 to look into it.

00:25:04.680 --> 00:25:05.240
 Read through

00:25:05.240 --> 00:25:05.660
 one of the

00:25:05.660 --> 00:25:06.140
 New Testament

00:25:06.140 --> 00:25:06.819
 Gospels.

00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:08.380
 Read through

00:25:08.380 --> 00:25:09.120
 Tim Keller's book,

00:25:09.200 --> 00:25:10.000
 The Reason for God,

00:25:10.039 --> 00:25:10.579
 as a start.

00:25:10.579 --> 00:25:12.919
 Talk to people

00:25:12.919 --> 00:25:13.819
 who are Christians

00:25:13.819 --> 00:25:15.679
 and consider.

00:25:17.659 --> 00:25:18.699
 But in the context

00:25:18.699 --> 00:25:19.139
 of the Bible,

00:25:19.319 --> 00:25:20.559
 faith refers to

00:25:20.559 --> 00:25:21.019
 trust.

00:25:22.279 --> 00:25:23.699
 Trusting a person.

00:25:24.519 --> 00:25:25.099
 In particular,

00:25:25.259 --> 00:25:26.460
 trusting the person

00:25:26.460 --> 00:25:27.720
 of Jesus Christ

00:25:27.720 --> 00:25:29.319
 who died

00:25:29.319 --> 00:25:30.259
 and rose from

00:25:30.259 --> 00:25:30.819
 the grave.

00:25:31.500 --> 00:25:32.119
 Who has

00:25:32.119 --> 00:25:33.199
 demonstrated Himself

00:25:33.199 --> 00:25:34.899
 through His death

00:25:34.899 --> 00:25:35.439
 and resurrection

00:25:35.439 --> 00:25:36.519
 to be supremely

00:25:36.519 --> 00:25:37.639
 worthy

00:25:37.639 --> 00:25:38.960
 of our trust.

00:25:38.960 --> 00:25:39.019
 trust.

00:25:41.019 --> 00:25:41.819
 So let us draw

00:25:41.819 --> 00:25:42.319
 near to God

00:25:42.319 --> 00:25:42.900
 in truth

00:25:42.900 --> 00:25:44.059
 and in trust.

00:25:45.360 --> 00:25:45.940
 And you know,

00:25:45.980 --> 00:25:46.380
 it's interesting,

00:25:46.480 --> 00:25:47.100
 it doesn't simply

00:25:47.100 --> 00:25:47.380
 say,

00:25:47.620 --> 00:25:48.620
 let each one of you

00:25:48.620 --> 00:25:50.360
 draw near to God

00:25:50.360 --> 00:25:52.039
 in truth and trust,

00:25:52.079 --> 00:25:52.500
 but it says,

00:25:52.720 --> 00:25:53.299
 let us

00:25:53.299 --> 00:25:55.500
 draw near.

00:25:56.519 --> 00:25:57.600
 So this truth

00:25:57.600 --> 00:25:58.380
 and trust

00:25:58.380 --> 00:25:59.880
 should increasingly

00:25:59.880 --> 00:26:00.420
 characterize

00:26:00.420 --> 00:26:01.180
 not only our

00:26:01.180 --> 00:26:01.700
 individual

00:26:01.700 --> 00:26:02.940
 relationships with

00:26:02.940 --> 00:26:03.160
 God,

00:26:03.220 --> 00:26:03.759
 but also

00:26:03.759 --> 00:26:05.059
 our community

00:26:05.059 --> 00:26:05.579
 life,

00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:07.079
 our worship

00:26:07.079 --> 00:26:07.839
 and prayer

00:26:07.839 --> 00:26:08.839
 and fellowship

00:26:08.839 --> 00:26:09.500
 and community

00:26:09.500 --> 00:26:10.199
 as a church.

00:26:11.480 --> 00:26:12.740
 So let me close

00:26:12.740 --> 00:26:13.619
 with four brief

00:26:13.619 --> 00:26:15.119
 exhortations for us

00:26:15.119 --> 00:26:16.399
 built on this

00:26:16.399 --> 00:26:17.460
 invitation

00:26:17.460 --> 00:26:18.480
 to draw near.

00:26:19.539 --> 00:26:20.259
 First,

00:26:20.819 --> 00:26:22.079
 let us confess

00:26:22.079 --> 00:26:22.859
 our sins

00:26:22.859 --> 00:26:24.220
 and share our

00:26:24.220 --> 00:26:25.339
 struggles honestly.

00:26:26.339 --> 00:26:27.379
 Instead of

00:26:27.379 --> 00:26:28.919
 feeling like

00:26:28.919 --> 00:26:29.759
 we have to hide

00:26:29.759 --> 00:26:31.579
 or make excuses

00:26:31.579 --> 00:26:32.659
 or justify them.

00:26:32.660 --> 00:26:34.519
 because the

00:26:34.519 --> 00:26:35.140
 sacrifice of

00:26:35.140 --> 00:26:35.640
 Jesus Christ

00:26:35.640 --> 00:26:36.720
 covers our

00:26:36.720 --> 00:26:37.420
 sin and our

00:26:37.420 --> 00:26:37.680
 guilt.

00:26:38.779 --> 00:26:39.580
 In Jesus Christ

00:26:39.580 --> 00:26:40.080
 our hearts have

00:26:40.080 --> 00:26:40.740
 been made new

00:26:40.740 --> 00:26:42.160
 and so we're

00:26:42.160 --> 00:26:42.660
 free to

00:26:42.660 --> 00:26:43.279
 acknowledge

00:26:43.279 --> 00:26:44.680
 our sins

00:26:44.680 --> 00:26:45.480
 before God

00:26:45.480 --> 00:26:45.860
 and even

00:26:45.860 --> 00:26:46.420
 before each

00:26:46.420 --> 00:26:46.680
 other,

00:26:47.519 --> 00:26:48.460
 knowing that

00:26:48.460 --> 00:26:49.279
 in Jesus Christ

00:26:49.279 --> 00:26:50.100
 we have found

00:26:50.100 --> 00:26:50.820
 mercy.

00:26:51.820 --> 00:26:52.560
 And we will

00:26:52.560 --> 00:26:53.120
 continue to

00:26:53.120 --> 00:26:54.160
 find mercy.

00:26:55.740 --> 00:26:56.300
 James 5

00:26:56.300 --> 00:26:56.500
 says,

00:26:56.580 --> 00:26:57.060
 confess your

00:26:57.060 --> 00:26:57.620
 sins to one

00:26:57.620 --> 00:26:57.960
 another

00:26:57.960 --> 00:26:59.460
 and pray

00:26:59.460 --> 00:27:00.060
 for each

00:27:00.060 --> 00:27:00.340
 other

00:27:00.340 --> 00:27:01.480
 so that you

00:27:01.480 --> 00:27:02.259
 may be healed.

00:27:02.660 --> 00:27:04.620
 confession

00:27:04.620 --> 00:27:06.080
 of sin

00:27:06.080 --> 00:27:07.120
 is the first

00:27:07.120 --> 00:27:08.120
 step toward

00:27:08.120 --> 00:27:08.580
 freedom

00:27:08.580 --> 00:27:10.080
 from its grip.

00:27:11.840 --> 00:27:12.759
 So let us

00:27:12.759 --> 00:27:13.279
 be honest

00:27:13.279 --> 00:27:14.800
 and not

00:27:14.800 --> 00:27:15.759
 hide.

00:27:16.480 --> 00:27:16.840
 Second,

00:27:17.400 --> 00:27:18.279
 let us bring

00:27:18.279 --> 00:27:18.980
 before God

00:27:18.980 --> 00:27:20.540
 our grief,

00:27:21.160 --> 00:27:21.700
 our anger,

00:27:22.240 --> 00:27:22.860
 our sorrow

00:27:22.860 --> 00:27:24.440
 and all the

00:27:24.440 --> 00:27:25.019
 other ugly

00:27:25.019 --> 00:27:25.700
 emotions that

00:27:25.700 --> 00:27:26.180
 we feel.

00:27:27.019 --> 00:27:28.100
 Let us bring

00:27:28.100 --> 00:27:28.680
 those into the

00:27:28.680 --> 00:27:29.380
 presence of God

00:27:29.380 --> 00:27:30.019
 through prayer

00:27:30.019 --> 00:27:31.700
 instead of

00:27:31.700 --> 00:27:33.059
 stuffing them

00:27:33.059 --> 00:27:33.960
 away or

00:27:33.960 --> 00:27:34.319
 trying to

00:27:34.319 --> 00:27:34.660
 deal with

00:27:34.660 --> 00:27:35.400
 them in

00:27:35.400 --> 00:27:35.840
 some other

00:27:35.840 --> 00:27:36.840
 way.

00:27:38.160 --> 00:27:38.400
 You know,

00:27:38.440 --> 00:27:38.840
 if you read

00:27:38.840 --> 00:27:39.460
 the Psalms,

00:27:39.500 --> 00:27:40.019
 they will help

00:27:40.019 --> 00:27:41.080
 you do this.

00:27:42.019 --> 00:27:42.500
 To bring

00:27:42.500 --> 00:27:44.000
 everything that

00:27:44.000 --> 00:27:44.779
 we might feel

00:27:44.779 --> 00:27:45.799
 into the

00:27:45.799 --> 00:27:46.279
 presence of

00:27:46.279 --> 00:27:46.620
 God.

00:27:48.779 --> 00:27:49.500
 So let's

00:27:49.500 --> 00:27:49.920
 bring our

00:27:49.920 --> 00:27:50.680
 emotional life

00:27:50.680 --> 00:27:51.220
 before God

00:27:51.220 --> 00:27:51.640
 so that in

00:27:51.640 --> 00:27:52.200
 his presence

00:27:52.200 --> 00:27:52.799
 our emotions

00:27:52.799 --> 00:27:53.480
 can be healed

00:27:53.480 --> 00:27:54.400
 and transformed.

00:27:55.480 --> 00:27:55.900
 Third,

00:27:56.400 --> 00:27:57.700
 let us praise

00:27:57.700 --> 00:27:59.279
 God with

00:27:59.279 --> 00:28:00.100
 assurance and

00:28:00.099 --> 00:28:00.619
 joy and

00:28:00.619 --> 00:28:01.000
 abandon.

00:28:01.299 --> 00:28:01.599
 Drawing

00:28:01.599 --> 00:28:02.139
 near is not

00:28:02.139 --> 00:28:02.839
 only about

00:28:02.839 --> 00:28:03.719
 confessing our

00:28:03.719 --> 00:28:04.419
 sin or dealing

00:28:04.419 --> 00:28:04.740
 with our

00:28:04.740 --> 00:28:05.419
 negative emotions,

00:28:05.419 --> 00:28:06.179
 it's also about

00:28:06.179 --> 00:28:08.359
 rejoicing with

00:28:08.359 --> 00:28:09.480
 exceeding great

00:28:09.480 --> 00:28:09.939
 joy.

00:28:11.339 --> 00:28:11.859
 The way has

00:28:11.859 --> 00:28:12.299
 been opened.

00:28:13.480 --> 00:28:13.799
 We have

00:28:13.799 --> 00:28:14.279
 freedom of

00:28:14.279 --> 00:28:15.719
 access to

00:28:15.719 --> 00:28:16.240
 go into the

00:28:16.240 --> 00:28:16.740
 palace of

00:28:16.740 --> 00:28:17.379
 God's greatness

00:28:17.379 --> 00:28:17.699
 and the

00:28:17.699 --> 00:28:18.219
 temple of

00:28:18.219 --> 00:28:18.839
 his intimate

00:28:18.839 --> 00:28:19.480
 presence.

00:28:21.899 --> 00:28:22.519
 That's a

00:28:22.519 --> 00:28:22.939
 reason to

00:28:22.939 --> 00:28:23.480
 praise the

00:28:23.480 --> 00:28:23.819
 Lord.

00:28:24.899 --> 00:28:25.159
 It's a

00:28:25.159 --> 00:28:25.480
 reason to

00:28:25.480 --> 00:28:26.240
 say amen.

00:28:26.240 --> 00:28:29.620
 So whether

00:28:29.620 --> 00:28:30.000
 you shout

00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:31.400
 amen or

00:28:31.400 --> 00:28:31.839
 raise your

00:28:31.839 --> 00:28:32.240
 hands in

00:28:32.240 --> 00:28:33.200
 surrender or

00:28:33.200 --> 00:28:33.819
 kneel before

00:28:33.819 --> 00:28:35.880
 God in

00:28:35.880 --> 00:28:37.220
 adoration or

00:28:37.220 --> 00:28:37.720
 clap your

00:28:37.720 --> 00:28:38.140
 hands or

00:28:38.140 --> 00:28:38.859
 jump for joy

00:28:38.859 --> 00:28:39.480
 or simply

00:28:39.480 --> 00:28:40.859
 smile and

00:28:40.859 --> 00:28:41.240
 sing,

00:28:42.700 --> 00:28:43.240
 rejoice.

00:28:44.539 --> 00:28:44.960
 For we have

00:28:44.960 --> 00:28:45.339
 a great

00:28:45.339 --> 00:28:47.740
 privilege in

00:28:47.740 --> 00:28:48.660
 drawing near to

00:28:48.660 --> 00:28:49.940
 God through

00:28:49.940 --> 00:28:50.299
 Jesus.

00:28:51.940 --> 00:28:52.960
 Fourth, and

00:28:52.960 --> 00:28:54.660
 finally, let

00:28:54.660 --> 00:28:55.140
 us celebrate

00:28:55.140 --> 00:28:55.620
 baptism.

00:28:56.240 --> 00:28:57.519
 that's what

00:28:57.519 --> 00:28:57.799
 we're going to

00:28:57.799 --> 00:28:58.259
 do today.

00:28:58.940 --> 00:28:59.720
 And it even

00:28:59.720 --> 00:29:00.299
 connects to our

00:29:00.299 --> 00:29:00.700
 text.

00:29:01.660 --> 00:29:02.200
 Verse 22

00:29:02.200 --> 00:29:02.559
 says,

00:29:02.660 --> 00:29:03.079
 Our hearts

00:29:03.079 --> 00:29:03.839
 sprinkled clean

00:29:03.839 --> 00:29:04.359
 from an evil

00:29:04.359 --> 00:29:05.079
 conscience and

00:29:05.079 --> 00:29:05.559
 our bodies

00:29:05.559 --> 00:29:06.200
 washed with

00:29:06.200 --> 00:29:07.359
 pure water.

00:29:09.120 --> 00:29:09.920
 Baptism is a

00:29:09.920 --> 00:29:10.799
 public expression

00:29:10.799 --> 00:29:11.640
 of what it

00:29:11.640 --> 00:29:12.140
 means to draw

00:29:12.140 --> 00:29:12.720
 near to God

00:29:12.720 --> 00:29:13.359
 with truth

00:29:13.359 --> 00:29:14.299
 and trust.

00:29:15.359 --> 00:29:16.059
 Most likely

00:29:16.059 --> 00:29:16.599
 the author is

00:29:16.599 --> 00:29:17.240
 reminding the

00:29:17.240 --> 00:29:18.559
 hearers of

00:29:18.559 --> 00:29:19.680
 their baptism,

00:29:19.819 --> 00:29:20.299
 the physical

00:29:20.299 --> 00:29:21.559
 sign of

00:29:21.559 --> 00:29:22.440
 identifying with

00:29:22.440 --> 00:29:24.000
 Jesus through

00:29:24.000 --> 00:29:24.960
 faith in his

00:29:24.960 --> 00:29:25.720
 death and

00:29:25.720 --> 00:29:26.200
 resurrection.

00:29:26.240 --> 00:29:28.700
 And because

00:29:28.700 --> 00:29:29.279
 it is a

00:29:29.279 --> 00:29:30.039
 physical act,

00:29:30.779 --> 00:29:31.460
 baptism also

00:29:31.460 --> 00:29:32.380
 reminds us that

00:29:32.380 --> 00:29:32.859
 the cleansing

00:29:32.859 --> 00:29:33.380
 work of

00:29:33.380 --> 00:29:35.099
 Christ extends

00:29:35.099 --> 00:29:36.740
 even to

00:29:36.740 --> 00:29:37.380
 our physical

00:29:37.380 --> 00:29:38.160
 bodies.

00:29:40.660 --> 00:29:40.859
 You know,

00:29:40.980 --> 00:29:42.480
 our hearts and

00:29:42.480 --> 00:29:43.940
 our bodies have

00:29:43.940 --> 00:29:45.559
 been affected by

00:29:45.559 --> 00:29:46.200
 our fallen

00:29:46.200 --> 00:29:46.839
 nature.

00:29:48.880 --> 00:29:49.559
 Right?

00:29:49.799 --> 00:29:50.539
 He's talked about

00:29:50.539 --> 00:29:51.259
 how our hearts and

00:29:51.259 --> 00:29:51.980
 our conscience can

00:29:51.980 --> 00:29:52.519
 be cleansed,

00:29:52.519 --> 00:29:53.720
 our sin and guilt

00:29:53.720 --> 00:29:54.480
 and shame can be

00:29:54.480 --> 00:29:55.019
 removed.

00:29:56.180 --> 00:29:57.079
 But even our

00:29:57.079 --> 00:29:58.339
 bodies are set

00:29:58.339 --> 00:29:59.079
 apart for God

00:29:59.079 --> 00:30:00.240
 in a new way

00:30:00.240 --> 00:30:01.000
 through the work

00:30:01.000 --> 00:30:01.579
 of Christ.

00:30:04.039 --> 00:30:04.279
 You know,

00:30:04.279 --> 00:30:04.779
 some of you

00:30:04.779 --> 00:30:05.579
 might feel this

00:30:05.579 --> 00:30:06.240
 very keenly,

00:30:06.660 --> 00:30:07.440
 the sense of

00:30:07.440 --> 00:30:09.000
 how our fallen

00:30:09.000 --> 00:30:10.019
 nature has

00:30:10.019 --> 00:30:10.660
 affected our

00:30:10.660 --> 00:30:11.039
 bodies.

00:30:11.799 --> 00:30:12.339
 Maybe you can

00:30:12.339 --> 00:30:13.519
 identify particular

00:30:13.519 --> 00:30:14.980
 destructive behaviors

00:30:14.980 --> 00:30:16.779
 from the past

00:30:16.779 --> 00:30:17.819
 that have brought

00:30:17.819 --> 00:30:19.059
 harm to your

00:30:19.059 --> 00:30:19.360
 body.

00:30:19.359 --> 00:30:21.099
 perhaps when you

00:30:21.099 --> 00:30:22.099
 look at yourself

00:30:22.099 --> 00:30:22.599
 in the mirror,

00:30:22.759 --> 00:30:23.599
 you feel ashamed.

00:30:24.339 --> 00:30:25.479
 You feel dirty

00:30:25.479 --> 00:30:27.000
 and defiled

00:30:27.000 --> 00:30:28.379
 because of

00:30:28.379 --> 00:30:29.579
 something that

00:30:29.579 --> 00:30:30.959
 you did or

00:30:30.959 --> 00:30:31.639
 someone else did

00:30:31.639 --> 00:30:32.159
 to you in the

00:30:32.159 --> 00:30:32.579
 past.

00:30:33.859 --> 00:30:34.899
 But this verse

00:30:34.899 --> 00:30:35.919
 has good news

00:30:35.919 --> 00:30:36.500
 for you.

00:30:37.339 --> 00:30:38.039
 It's saying that

00:30:38.039 --> 00:30:38.879
 in Jesus Christ

00:30:38.879 --> 00:30:39.619
 your heart has

00:30:39.619 --> 00:30:40.059
 been washed

00:30:40.059 --> 00:30:40.819
 clean and your

00:30:40.819 --> 00:30:42.259
 body has also

00:30:42.259 --> 00:30:43.759
 been washed.

00:30:44.559 --> 00:30:45.379
 Your body has

00:30:45.379 --> 00:30:46.199
 been set apart

00:30:46.199 --> 00:30:47.259
 for life in

00:30:47.259 --> 00:30:47.879
 God's kingdom.

00:30:47.880 --> 00:30:49.600
 your body is

00:30:49.600 --> 00:30:51.320
 not damaged

00:30:51.320 --> 00:30:52.080
 goods.

00:30:53.760 --> 00:30:54.440
 Your physical

00:30:54.440 --> 00:30:55.240
 body has been

00:30:55.240 --> 00:30:56.200
 purified by the

00:30:56.200 --> 00:30:56.940
 sacrifice of

00:30:56.940 --> 00:30:57.340
 Christ.

00:30:58.080 --> 00:30:58.980
 And it is now

00:30:58.980 --> 00:30:59.600
 a vessel

00:30:59.600 --> 00:31:01.700
 dedicated for

00:31:01.700 --> 00:31:02.980
 holy and

00:31:02.980 --> 00:31:04.020
 honorable service

00:31:04.020 --> 00:31:05.000
 to God.

00:31:06.160 --> 00:31:06.880
 The Apostle Paul

00:31:06.880 --> 00:31:07.780
 says in 1 Corinthians

00:31:07.780 --> 00:31:08.680
 6, do you not

00:31:08.680 --> 00:31:09.960
 know that your

00:31:09.960 --> 00:31:11.560
 bodies are

00:31:11.560 --> 00:31:12.040
 members of

00:31:12.040 --> 00:31:12.380
 Christ?

00:31:13.040 --> 00:31:13.600
 Do you not

00:31:13.600 --> 00:31:14.060
 know that your

00:31:14.060 --> 00:31:15.960
 body is a

00:31:15.960 --> 00:31:17.220
 temple of the

00:31:17.220 --> 00:31:17.819
 Holy Spirit

00:31:17.819 --> 00:31:18.740
 within you?

00:31:19.500 --> 00:31:20.200
 Whom you have

00:31:20.200 --> 00:31:20.759
 from God.

00:31:21.019 --> 00:31:21.620
 You are not

00:31:21.620 --> 00:31:23.240
 your own, for

00:31:23.240 --> 00:31:23.740
 you were bought

00:31:23.740 --> 00:31:24.180
 at a great

00:31:24.180 --> 00:31:24.640
 price.

00:31:25.640 --> 00:31:26.980
 So glorify God

00:31:26.980 --> 00:31:27.920
 in your body.

00:31:29.620 --> 00:31:30.279
 And baptism,

00:31:31.319 --> 00:31:32.000
 having our body

00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:33.180
 plunged into the

00:31:33.180 --> 00:31:34.799
 water and

00:31:34.799 --> 00:31:35.440
 raised again,

00:31:35.539 --> 00:31:36.120
 is a physical

00:31:36.120 --> 00:31:37.100
 sign of the

00:31:37.100 --> 00:31:38.460
 totality of

00:31:38.460 --> 00:31:39.220
 Christ's cleansing

00:31:39.220 --> 00:31:39.640
 work.

00:31:40.059 --> 00:31:40.600
 That he has

00:31:40.600 --> 00:31:41.759
 purified our

00:31:41.759 --> 00:31:43.180
 conscience and he

00:31:43.180 --> 00:31:43.960
 has set us apart

00:31:43.960 --> 00:31:45.240
 body and soul

00:31:45.240 --> 00:31:46.400
 for life in his

00:31:46.400 --> 00:31:48.599
 kingdom, in his

00:31:48.599 --> 00:31:48.960
 family.

00:31:50.220 --> 00:31:51.099
 So let us draw

00:31:51.099 --> 00:31:52.660
 near with truth

00:31:52.660 --> 00:31:54.960
 and trust because

00:31:54.960 --> 00:31:55.819
 we have confidence

00:31:55.819 --> 00:31:57.539
 to enter through

00:31:57.539 --> 00:31:57.799
 Jesus.

00:31:57.920 --> 00:31:58.299
 Let's pray.

00:31:58.299 --> 00:32:11.500
 Lord Jesus, we

00:32:11.500 --> 00:32:14.899
 praise you, our

00:32:14.899 --> 00:32:18.139
 great king and

00:32:18.139 --> 00:32:22.359
 our brother who

00:32:22.359 --> 00:32:23.599
 is drawn near to

00:32:23.599 --> 00:32:24.000
 us.

00:32:25.500 --> 00:32:26.440
 Lord, it is only

00:32:26.440 --> 00:32:27.299
 because you have

00:32:27.299 --> 00:32:28.279
 drawn near to us

00:32:28.279 --> 00:32:30.319
 and even become

00:32:30.319 --> 00:32:31.099
 one of us

00:32:31.099 --> 00:32:35.240
 and took our

00:32:35.240 --> 00:32:36.279
 guilt and sin

00:32:36.279 --> 00:32:37.200
 upon yourself

00:32:37.200 --> 00:32:38.839
 and carried it

00:32:38.839 --> 00:32:40.180
 to the grave

00:32:40.180 --> 00:32:42.019
 and rose again

00:32:42.019 --> 00:32:44.019
 and you are

00:32:44.019 --> 00:32:44.559
 seated at the

00:32:44.559 --> 00:32:45.039
 right hand of

00:32:45.039 --> 00:32:46.500
 God, interceding

00:32:46.500 --> 00:32:47.099
 for us,

00:32:48.279 --> 00:32:49.039
 advocating for

00:32:49.039 --> 00:32:49.440
 us.

00:32:51.440 --> 00:32:52.440
 Lord, because of

00:32:52.440 --> 00:32:53.839
 that, we have

00:32:53.839 --> 00:32:54.220
 this great

00:32:54.220 --> 00:32:54.899
 confidence to

00:32:54.899 --> 00:32:55.500
 approach you.

00:32:55.500 --> 00:32:58.920
 Lord, we pray

00:32:58.920 --> 00:32:59.319
 that we would

00:32:59.319 --> 00:33:00.680
 draw near with

00:33:00.680 --> 00:33:03.259
 truth and with

00:33:03.259 --> 00:33:05.019
 trust, with

00:33:05.019 --> 00:33:06.599
 reverence and

00:33:06.599 --> 00:33:08.759
 with joy, with

00:33:08.759 --> 00:33:10.200
 confidence and

00:33:10.200 --> 00:33:10.759
 assurance.

00:33:14.640 --> 00:33:15.539
 We pray this in

00:33:15.539 --> 00:33:16.019
 Jesus' name.

00:33:16.440 --> 00:33:16.680
 Amen.