WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.839 There's a few years ago, there was a man who came to the church seeking ordination, 00:00:10.519 --> 00:00:15.599 seeking a church where he could train for ordination. And he told me that he was an 00:00:15.599 --> 00:00:19.980 evangelical and he knew that I'm an evangelical. I'm one of those bad guys, if you haven't figured 00:00:19.980 --> 00:00:27.019 that out. That he said, you know, George, I've been going to this other church and I'm convinced 00:00:27.019 --> 00:00:31.699 I have a calling to be a minister. And the problem is, George, that the minister in that 00:00:31.699 --> 00:00:36.960 church is very, very liberal and he's prejudiced against me and doesn't like me. And so I said, 00:00:37.000 --> 00:00:41.259 well, you know, come to St. Albans, I'll give you a shot, you know, like get involved in the church, 00:00:41.359 --> 00:00:45.960 we'll meet regularly and I'll see if I'm able to give you some type of a recommendation on towards 00:00:45.960 --> 00:00:54.100 ordained ministry. And what ended up happening is that he presumed upon the fact that he claimed to 00:00:54.100 --> 00:00:58.280 be an evangelical. And he thought, oh, I was an evangelical. I mean, I am an evangelical. 00:00:58.899 --> 00:01:06.719 And he thought that that sort of connection would allow him to coast, he presumed. And so 00:01:06.719 --> 00:01:12.840 he never did any of the things I said he should do. When he occasionally would take on a task, 00:01:12.920 --> 00:01:18.879 he'd drop it and he'd go weeks and weeks without even coming to church. And so finally one day, 00:01:18.939 --> 00:01:22.520 after this had been going on, you know, I'd given him some warnings and stuff like this and 00:01:22.519 --> 00:01:27.420 encouragements and, you know, tried to listen and all that. And then finally one day he came and said, 00:01:27.979 --> 00:01:33.079 you know, George, I need you to write me a good letter of recommendation so I can begin this program. 00:01:33.859 --> 00:01:41.179 I said to him, I'm sorry, I can't write you a good letter of, actually a letter of recommendation. 00:01:41.359 --> 00:01:47.979 This is what I'll write. And he was furious with me. Now, by the way, folks, if you ask somebody, 00:01:47.980 --> 00:01:51.579 if you need a letter of recommendation from someone and they're not going to give it to you, 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:55.219 don't get furious with them because you've just proved to the person 00:01:55.219 --> 00:01:58.680 why you shouldn't, why they shouldn't have given you a letter of recommendation. 00:01:58.680 --> 00:02:03.540 Like if they had any doubts, you just removed it by getting angry at them, you know. 00:02:04.020 --> 00:02:07.560 And so he gets angry at me. And at first I'm a little bit taken aback at all this 00:02:07.560 --> 00:02:11.719 anger coming at me. And I'm a Canadian. I start to feel guilty 00:02:11.719 --> 00:02:13.879 that, you know, maybe it's justified. 00:02:13.879 --> 00:02:17.740 And then I said to myself, it was like the Holy Spirit said, one moment, George. 00:02:18.359 --> 00:02:21.079 He needs a recommendation, not you. 00:02:21.539 --> 00:02:24.699 He's the one who didn't come to church. He's the one who didn't do anything you said. 00:02:24.740 --> 00:02:28.079 And he's the one who screwed up every time you asked him to do something. 00:02:28.620 --> 00:02:31.680 And so I said to him, you know, listen, this is what's gone on. 00:02:32.120 --> 00:02:35.740 And he had literally just presumed that because he's an evangelical 00:02:35.740 --> 00:02:40.219 and he could have glowing descriptions of how God had worked in his life 00:02:40.219 --> 00:02:42.960 and all of these wonderful things that he'd accomplished, 00:02:42.960 --> 00:02:47.400 and he knew all the right lingo and he just presumed that that would mean 00:02:47.400 --> 00:02:49.200 that I would give him a free pass. 00:02:49.560 --> 00:02:51.200 And I wouldn't and I didn't. 00:02:51.319 --> 00:02:54.219 And he couldn't get into seminary or anywhere or go towards ordination 00:02:54.219 --> 00:02:57.879 without his pastor giving him a letter of recommendation. 00:02:58.780 --> 00:03:04.200 The sin of presumption is a deadly spiritual disease. 00:03:04.640 --> 00:03:07.200 And it's a sin that can befall anybody. 00:03:07.200 --> 00:03:10.719 Just because you're an Anglican or because you're a minister or you're a bishop 00:03:10.719 --> 00:03:15.159 or you're a theologian or an evangelical or a charismatic or an Anglo-Catholic 00:03:15.759 --> 00:03:21.159 or a prayer book Anglican or from Sydney diocese or not from Sydney diocese. 00:03:21.520 --> 00:03:23.819 None of these things ultimately matter. 00:03:23.979 --> 00:03:29.900 And there's lots of people that we might begin thinking that we have this faith 00:03:29.900 --> 00:03:31.219 and assurance in Christ. 00:03:31.219 --> 00:03:33.699 But really what it is, it's the sin of presumption. 00:03:34.500 --> 00:03:37.680 And Paul, those of you who've been here over the last few weeks, 00:03:37.819 --> 00:03:41.340 you know we've been going through 1 Corinthians 8, 9, and 10. 00:03:41.599 --> 00:03:47.840 And looming over all of these chapters is Paul dealing with the church in Corinth 00:03:47.840 --> 00:03:54.759 and a group of super spiritual people who want to be able to go to idol temples and eat. 00:03:54.759 --> 00:03:59.939 They want to be able to go in and either they themselves or their friends will have the animals sacrificed, 00:04:00.079 --> 00:04:04.500 offered to a god, some prayers said, and they can sit there and have a nice relaxing meal 00:04:04.500 --> 00:04:09.719 because idol temples in the ancient world were the five-star restaurants of the ancient world. 00:04:09.780 --> 00:04:14.319 And they were also the four-star, three-star, two-star, and one-star restaurants of the ancient world. 00:04:14.719 --> 00:04:16.539 They were the restaurants of the ancient world. 00:04:16.539 --> 00:04:19.699 And they wanted to be able to go and hang out with their friends and have a nice meal. 00:04:20.159 --> 00:04:21.480 And it's causing problems. 00:04:21.480 --> 00:04:22.780 And they've written Paul a letter. 00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:26.900 And Paul, in 8, 9, and 10 of 1 Corinthians, has been dealing with this. 00:04:27.620 --> 00:04:32.240 And Paul could have just began by saying, no, next question. 00:04:32.900 --> 00:04:43.500 But as we know over the last few weeks that Paul searches and just the word of God moves into the lives of the church of Corinth 00:04:43.500 --> 00:04:51.000 and us if we listen and pries out the deeper spiritual issues that would be behind such questions. 00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:52.519 And such slogans. 00:04:53.220 --> 00:05:00.699 And today, before Paul finally gives his unqualified no, he first deals with presumption. 00:05:00.699 --> 00:05:07.319 And he deals with the faithfulness of God, the possibility of repentance, and the nature of true faith. 00:05:08.379 --> 00:05:10.540 So we're going to use our Bibles. 00:05:11.300 --> 00:05:14.779 I invite you to turn in them to 1 Corinthians chapter 10. 00:05:14.779 --> 00:05:22.239 And the first four verses, the word all happens time and time again. 00:05:22.839 --> 00:05:31.439 And what Paul is doing here, what the scripture is doing here, is it's recording the story of these mighty acts that God did to create the nation of Israel. 00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:34.000 And you go back and read the book of Exodus. 00:05:34.639 --> 00:05:43.459 And it describes how when the people of Israel were led out in Egypt, there was a cloud that led them by day and a pillar of fire by night. 00:05:43.699 --> 00:05:45.519 And it led them to the Red Sea. 00:05:45.699 --> 00:05:47.800 And the Red Sea parted before them. 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:50.500 And they walked through the Red Sea, got to the other side. 00:05:50.939 --> 00:05:53.639 The Pharaoh's army followed into the Red Sea. 00:05:53.839 --> 00:05:55.220 And the waves collapsed. 00:05:55.339 --> 00:05:56.939 And Pharaoh's army was destroyed. 00:05:56.939 --> 00:06:00.439 And the people of Israel were able to head towards the promised land. 00:06:00.800 --> 00:06:06.279 But if you go on and read the book of Exodus, they come to the very edge of the promised land. 00:06:06.839 --> 00:06:10.379 And Moses thinks to himself, I have this fantastic idea. 00:06:10.899 --> 00:06:13.519 I'm going to send 12 people in to scout the land. 00:06:13.560 --> 00:06:15.659 And they're going to come back with glowing reports. 00:06:16.199 --> 00:06:22.800 And all of the people of Israel, they're not going to sort of trust, you know, in the pillar of fire and all of that other stuff. 00:06:22.800 --> 00:06:28.000 But the 12 reports will really help them to feel enabled to go into the promised land. 00:06:28.460 --> 00:06:34.040 And the 12 men come back and 10 of them say, don't go into the promised land. 00:06:34.500 --> 00:06:40.620 The promised land, the people are rich, they're smart, they're powerful, they're well-armed. 00:06:40.699 --> 00:06:42.500 And there's even giants amongst them. 00:06:42.680 --> 00:06:44.960 They're going to whoop us if we go there. 00:06:45.420 --> 00:06:46.519 Let's not go there. 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:49.759 And there are only two men who said, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. 00:06:49.759 --> 00:06:51.500 Our God is faithful. 00:06:52.060 --> 00:06:52.920 He can do it. 00:06:53.599 --> 00:06:56.980 People of Israel listened to the 10 rather than the 2. 00:06:57.959 --> 00:07:04.719 And so Paul begins by looking at Israel's history and saying, you know, think about it, like, just think about it for a second. 00:07:04.899 --> 00:07:16.399 Could you imagine what it must have felt to actually have God send a pillar of fire ahead of you at night and a cloud by day to literally guide you? 00:07:16.399 --> 00:07:21.919 Just imagine what it would have been like to have stood by the Red Sea and see it part, walk through. 00:07:22.459 --> 00:07:31.299 I think it's in the Disney cartoon version or the DreamWorks cartoon version, seeing the fishes in the walls and get to the other side and see it collapse. 00:07:31.399 --> 00:07:33.439 Like, it would have been just a spectacular miracle. 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:39.600 And Paul said that these things, in a sense, they were signs that God's hand was upon Israel. 00:07:40.000 --> 00:07:45.819 In a sense, they're like the Israelite equivalent to baptism in Holy Communion. 00:07:46.439 --> 00:07:51.560 And yet, after all of these powerful things that happened to all of them, listen to what he says in verse 5. 00:07:51.560 --> 00:08:00.079 But with most of them, God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 00:08:01.839 --> 00:08:04.040 And it's supposed to be a shock. 00:08:04.780 --> 00:08:12.459 You read this summary, you think of all the wonderful things that happened, you think of the manna, you think of all those spectacular things that God had done. 00:08:13.100 --> 00:08:17.879 And yet, with most of them, God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 00:08:17.879 --> 00:08:31.800 In fact, if you remember from the book of Exodus, only two of the adults who were led out of Egypt from bondage, only two of them, the two men who trusted God in their report, were the only two who were to make it into the promised land. 00:08:33.000 --> 00:08:39.659 The type of presumption that Paul was dealing with was that there was a group of people in Corinth who said, 00:08:41.059 --> 00:08:43.899 Listen, this is a fantastic deal, this Christian faith. 00:08:44.200 --> 00:08:45.139 You get baptized. 00:08:45.820 --> 00:08:47.740 You go to have communion every Sunday. 00:08:47.879 --> 00:08:49.559 And then everything is permissible. 00:08:49.820 --> 00:08:51.539 Like, it's a fantastic deal. 00:08:52.019 --> 00:08:52.679 Get baptized? 00:08:53.039 --> 00:08:54.279 That's not too much bother. 00:08:54.600 --> 00:08:55.639 You know, a little bit of preparation. 00:08:55.779 --> 00:08:56.480 Get baptized. 00:08:57.000 --> 00:08:59.200 You know, but then it's like the seal of God upon your life. 00:08:59.279 --> 00:09:00.759 You just have communion every week. 00:09:00.960 --> 00:09:07.779 And then, in fact, Paul, later on in chapter 10, he repeats the big slogan of the church in Corinth, which is, 00:09:08.220 --> 00:09:09.620 Everything is permissible. 00:09:09.620 --> 00:09:16.139 And Paul is saying, you take presumption in communion and in baptism. 00:09:16.139 --> 00:09:17.539 You take presumption. 00:09:17.860 --> 00:09:20.639 You combine it with a really wrong idea. 00:09:20.820 --> 00:09:22.480 Everything is possible. 00:09:22.940 --> 00:09:23.919 Everything is permissible. 00:09:24.360 --> 00:09:28.060 And what you have is you are on your way to destruction. 00:09:28.059 --> 00:09:30.459 That's what he says. 00:09:31.339 --> 00:09:32.779 You take presumption. 00:09:33.779 --> 00:09:35.279 I speak in tongues. 00:09:36.079 --> 00:09:37.079 I'm an evangelical. 00:09:37.339 --> 00:09:40.980 I memorize 853 passages in the Bible. 00:09:41.600 --> 00:09:42.919 I am an Anglican. 00:09:43.039 --> 00:09:43.799 I am a priest. 00:09:43.939 --> 00:09:44.500 I am a bishop. 00:09:44.699 --> 00:09:45.839 I am a theologian. 00:09:46.639 --> 00:09:48.419 You know, I am a victim. 00:09:48.919 --> 00:09:50.039 I am a nice guy. 00:09:50.139 --> 00:09:50.579 I am rich. 00:09:50.659 --> 00:09:51.100 I am success. 00:09:51.159 --> 00:09:52.559 It doesn't matter what the presumption is. 00:09:52.600 --> 00:09:54.620 In their case, it was baptism and Holy Communion. 00:09:54.959 --> 00:09:56.319 In our case, it can be whatever. 00:09:56.320 --> 00:10:02.820 But you combine presumption with false belief, and it leads you to destruction. 00:10:03.000 --> 00:10:04.820 It leads me to destruction. 00:10:05.720 --> 00:10:08.460 And that's what Paul is warning them about. 00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:17.980 And so then he continues on with a series of warnings, all from Israel's history, and 00:10:17.980 --> 00:10:21.060 it culminates in verse 11, where he says this. 00:10:21.059 --> 00:10:26.899 Now, these things, all these things happened to them as examples. 00:10:27.019 --> 00:10:29.119 Actually, the word in Greek is as types. 00:10:30.659 --> 00:10:33.239 And they were written for our admonition. 00:10:33.579 --> 00:10:38.559 They were both historically true in the past, but they were more than just historically true. 00:10:39.079 --> 00:10:42.119 They were also things which are examples to us. 00:10:42.679 --> 00:10:47.819 They were written for our admonition on whom the ends of the ages have come. 00:10:48.339 --> 00:10:50.139 Christ changed everything. 00:10:51.059 --> 00:10:51.919 Here's the warning. 00:10:52.519 --> 00:10:55.699 Therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 00:10:57.079 --> 00:11:02.639 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man and woman. 00:11:03.139 --> 00:11:07.899 But God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, 00:11:07.899 --> 00:11:13.519 but with the temptation will also make the way of escape that you may be able to bear it. 00:11:15.959 --> 00:11:20.339 Some of you get the diocesan newspaper, the Anglican diocesan newspaper. 00:11:21.059 --> 00:11:28.439 For some reason, they thought that a good way to spend almost a whole page was to publish smear letters about St. Albans. 00:11:29.139 --> 00:11:36.899 It's the second time in a row, two months in a row, that they've devoted a significant amount of the diocesan newspaper to smear us. 00:11:36.899 --> 00:11:42.240 I don't quite know why they think that's a good use of our letters. 00:11:42.240 --> 00:11:46.019 Of course, when I first read it, I'm wounded in my spirit because I'm a Canadian. 00:11:47.019 --> 00:11:50.299 And so I want to be nice, and I like people who think I'm nice. 00:11:51.060 --> 00:11:55.019 And most of the time, I think I am pretty nice, and it hurts me to see that. 00:11:55.019 --> 00:12:01.879 But, you know, then I realized, you know, there's people, obviously, who have 18 reasons why they don't like me, 00:12:02.039 --> 00:12:04.220 or they have 18 reasons why they don't like St. Albans. 00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:07.799 And if they read those articles, well, now they have 19 reasons, okay? 00:12:08.199 --> 00:12:11.620 But they already, they began with 18 reasons why they didn't like us. 00:12:11.740 --> 00:12:16.379 And, you know, the people who know the church and know what we try to stand for and our desire to follow Christ, 00:12:16.379 --> 00:12:22.259 they also will just be wounded and grieved in their spirit to see this, and they'll pray for us. 00:12:23.379 --> 00:12:25.620 The reason I'm mentioning this is this. 00:12:27.700 --> 00:12:36.759 Paul here is saying that because God is unfailingly faithful towards us, repentance is always possible. 00:12:37.740 --> 00:12:42.220 God does not look at you and me and have 18 reasons why he dislikes us, 00:12:42.220 --> 00:12:46.440 and he's just sitting up there in heaven thinking, okay, 19's going to come any moment. 00:12:46.700 --> 00:12:48.080 You know, 20's going to come any moment. 00:12:48.580 --> 00:12:51.899 And, you know, we can have enemies who have all sorts of reasons they don't like us, 00:12:52.019 --> 00:12:56.660 and as more things, they get more and more evidence as to why we're not likable types of people. 00:12:57.120 --> 00:13:00.759 And then there's people who sort of try to maintain a cool distance, 00:13:00.759 --> 00:13:03.000 and they're sort of always weighing things in the balance. 00:13:03.360 --> 00:13:07.940 And then there are people who love us and know us, and they're always, in a sense, rooting for us, 00:13:07.940 --> 00:13:14.140 and they grieve when we fall, and they pray that we will stand, and they will pray that we will prosper. 00:13:14.620 --> 00:13:19.640 And you know what? God is like those people, not like the people who have all sorts of reasons they don't like us. 00:13:20.500 --> 00:13:23.240 And Paul is saying in verse 13, 00:13:23.720 --> 00:13:27.320 because God is unfailingly faithful, 00:13:27.320 --> 00:13:30.920 it means that his faithfulness will never come to an end. 00:13:31.040 --> 00:13:33.500 It will never tire. It will never peter out. 00:13:33.900 --> 00:13:36.500 It will never be overcome by something else. 00:13:36.500 --> 00:13:40.100 God is unfailing and unstopping, 00:13:40.500 --> 00:13:45.639 and he is unstopping in being faithful and loving and desiring the best for us, 00:13:45.799 --> 00:13:48.100 always desiring that we will repent. 00:13:48.299 --> 00:13:52.720 And because God is so rock-solid, faithful, 00:13:53.399 --> 00:13:54.080 friends, 00:13:54.279 --> 00:13:56.259 there is always a possibility in your life, 00:13:56.360 --> 00:13:58.580 and that possibility is always repentance. 00:13:59.480 --> 00:14:02.720 It doesn't matter how far you have fallen, 00:14:03.039 --> 00:14:04.519 how deep you have sunk, 00:14:04.519 --> 00:14:06.679 how many times you have rebelled, 00:14:06.819 --> 00:14:08.279 how many times you have failed. 00:14:08.519 --> 00:14:11.179 It doesn't matter the mess that you have made of your life, 00:14:11.480 --> 00:14:13.980 because God is faithful, 00:14:14.159 --> 00:14:17.139 repentance is always a possibility. 00:14:20.100 --> 00:14:20.620 Amen. 00:14:20.620 --> 00:14:23.259 I know it's not very Anglican, 00:14:23.320 --> 00:14:24.860 but isn't that something you should say amen to? 00:14:25.320 --> 00:14:25.679 Amen. 00:14:26.340 --> 00:14:29.440 God is always completely faithful, 00:14:29.620 --> 00:14:30.580 and because of that, 00:14:31.220 --> 00:14:33.220 no matter what happens to Sinclair, 00:14:33.299 --> 00:14:34.820 no matter what happens to you, 00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:36.860 I can repent. 00:14:38.000 --> 00:14:39.620 That is such good news. 00:14:40.620 --> 00:14:41.519 And you see, 00:14:42.379 --> 00:14:44.060 Calvin has this wonderful line, 00:14:44.159 --> 00:14:44.799 John Calvin, 00:14:44.919 --> 00:14:45.919 not Calvin and Hobbes, 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:46.600 John Calvin. 00:14:46.600 --> 00:14:51.399 I have to confess that when Calvin and Hobbes was in the papers, 00:14:51.500 --> 00:14:54.019 I read far more Calvin and Hobbes than John Calvin. 00:14:54.560 --> 00:14:56.000 But John Calvin, 00:14:56.159 --> 00:14:57.240 the theologian, 00:14:57.580 --> 00:14:59.560 he has this wonderful line that, 00:14:59.759 --> 00:15:01.240 you know, 00:15:01.480 --> 00:15:02.500 there's a lot of people, 00:15:02.720 --> 00:15:05.120 and what they have is nonchalance. 00:15:05.940 --> 00:15:08.279 And nonchalance is a form of presumption. 00:15:09.019 --> 00:15:09.980 And what they do is, 00:15:10.000 --> 00:15:11.820 they just go around with this unbelievable, 00:15:12.279 --> 00:15:12.879 inflated, 00:15:13.000 --> 00:15:14.540 they're a legend in their own mind, 00:15:14.539 --> 00:15:16.319 they think they're unstoppable, 00:15:16.719 --> 00:15:18.519 they think that nothing will touch them, 00:15:18.579 --> 00:15:20.620 they completely and utterly ignore dangers, 00:15:20.939 --> 00:15:24.860 and they mistake that that is a profound sense of faith. 00:15:25.039 --> 00:15:25.879 And all it is, 00:15:25.899 --> 00:15:27.759 is nonchalance and presumption. 00:15:28.699 --> 00:15:33.639 And this text is helping us to enter into this profound mystery 00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:37.079 that God does not want us to be always uncertain 00:15:37.079 --> 00:15:38.919 about how we stand with him. 00:15:39.279 --> 00:15:40.099 Because remember, 00:15:40.319 --> 00:15:41.519 Paul doesn't say, 00:15:41.519 --> 00:15:45.120 because there's something fantastic about me or you, 00:15:45.559 --> 00:15:47.419 therefore repentance is always a possibility. 00:15:47.539 --> 00:15:47.899 He says, 00:15:48.000 --> 00:15:48.240 no, 00:15:48.659 --> 00:15:50.799 it's because God is so faithful 00:15:50.799 --> 00:15:53.579 that repentance is always a possibility. 00:15:54.240 --> 00:15:54.740 And so, 00:15:55.600 --> 00:15:57.939 the assurance that God wants to have us 00:15:57.939 --> 00:15:59.620 is that as we grow in faith, 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:00.819 as we have faith in Christ, 00:16:01.120 --> 00:16:02.079 as we grow in faith, 00:16:02.460 --> 00:16:03.759 we learn every, 00:16:03.919 --> 00:16:06.399 we have this possibility of learning more and more and more 00:16:06.399 --> 00:16:11.079 that his word and his promises are absolutely sure. 00:16:11.799 --> 00:16:14.179 And because his word and promises are sure, 00:16:14.500 --> 00:16:17.659 because the Holy Spirit is real and moves in our lives, 00:16:17.879 --> 00:16:22.360 we can step out and accomplish things beyond our imagining. 00:16:23.799 --> 00:16:25.379 And so on one level, 00:16:25.480 --> 00:16:28.679 the assurance of faith is a looking to his word, 00:16:29.079 --> 00:16:30.120 trusting Christ, 00:16:30.439 --> 00:16:32.000 being open to the Holy Spirit, 00:16:32.360 --> 00:16:35.120 stepping out and accomplishing impossible things. 00:16:35.120 --> 00:16:37.560 But at the same time that that's happening, 00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:40.340 true faith teaches Sinclair 00:16:40.340 --> 00:16:42.279 that in my flesh, 00:16:42.659 --> 00:16:44.620 I can accomplish nothing. 00:16:45.799 --> 00:16:49.580 And that's why you have this profound mystery in the scriptures 00:16:49.580 --> 00:16:52.399 that Paul could stand before emperors, 00:16:52.600 --> 00:16:53.940 stand before the Sanhedrin, 00:16:54.080 --> 00:16:56.560 stand before crowds who were going to stone him. 00:16:56.840 --> 00:16:58.679 He could bring the gospel to Europe. 00:16:58.879 --> 00:17:00.779 He could accomplish all of these things. 00:17:01.000 --> 00:17:02.279 And at the end of his life, 00:17:02.279 --> 00:17:04.480 he could say that he is the chief of sinners. 00:17:05.119 --> 00:17:08.779 Because he had the assurance of faith 00:17:08.779 --> 00:17:09.539 that on one level, 00:17:09.619 --> 00:17:10.719 he's trusting in Christ, 00:17:11.079 --> 00:17:12.159 trusting in his word, 00:17:12.639 --> 00:17:14.139 trusting in the upward call of God, 00:17:14.339 --> 00:17:15.519 trusting in the Holy Spirit. 00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:16.879 And as he trusts in this, 00:17:17.019 --> 00:17:18.539 God allows him to see himself 00:17:18.539 --> 00:17:20.259 and he allows us to see ourselves. 00:17:20.459 --> 00:17:21.119 And we say, 00:17:21.500 --> 00:17:22.439 gosh, 00:17:22.500 --> 00:17:24.339 I am so weak in my flesh. 00:17:25.199 --> 00:17:27.799 And this combination of trusting in the word 00:17:27.799 --> 00:17:29.980 and this true knowledge of ourselves 00:17:29.980 --> 00:17:31.639 does not lead us to despair, 00:17:31.960 --> 00:17:33.519 but leads us to say, 00:17:34.079 --> 00:17:36.940 thank you, Father, for sending a savior. 00:17:39.399 --> 00:17:40.519 Thank you, Jesus. 00:17:41.539 --> 00:17:43.139 That is not presumption. 00:17:43.460 --> 00:17:44.720 It is assurance. 00:17:45.460 --> 00:17:47.259 God does not want you to be in doubt. 00:17:47.839 --> 00:17:50.099 He wants you to know his son, 00:17:50.519 --> 00:17:52.039 know his faithfulness, 00:17:52.180 --> 00:17:53.039 and grow in him 00:17:53.039 --> 00:17:54.279 and do great things 00:17:54.279 --> 00:17:55.440 to bring God glory. 00:17:56.379 --> 00:17:57.599 Not out of presumption, 00:17:57.980 --> 00:17:58.759 but out of assurance. 00:17:59.899 --> 00:18:01.440 And verse 13 00:18:01.440 --> 00:18:03.259 is a verse well worth memorizing. 00:18:03.379 --> 00:18:03.899 That's the one that, 00:18:04.039 --> 00:18:04.960 it's sort of in a sense, 00:18:05.059 --> 00:18:06.680 the whole first 22 verses 00:18:06.680 --> 00:18:07.559 of chapter 10 00:18:07.559 --> 00:18:08.180 are, 00:18:08.319 --> 00:18:09.339 the linchpin of it 00:18:09.339 --> 00:18:10.500 is this declaration 00:18:10.500 --> 00:18:11.980 of whom God is 00:18:11.980 --> 00:18:13.759 and the possibility of repentance 00:18:13.759 --> 00:18:16.680 and the promise of God's presence 00:18:16.680 --> 00:18:18.019 in even the hardest times. 00:18:18.019 --> 00:18:19.900 And just as Paul has gone 00:18:19.900 --> 00:18:20.920 from warning us 00:18:20.920 --> 00:18:22.599 to reminding us, 00:18:22.859 --> 00:18:23.839 now he gives us 00:18:23.839 --> 00:18:25.220 the fundamental message 00:18:25.220 --> 00:18:26.859 to the end of all of this discussion 00:18:26.859 --> 00:18:27.619 about idolatry 00:18:27.619 --> 00:18:28.220 and he says, 00:18:28.960 --> 00:18:29.400 flee. 00:18:31.400 --> 00:18:32.980 Flee idolatry. 00:18:33.500 --> 00:18:34.799 Listen to verse 15. 00:18:36.539 --> 00:18:37.680 Therefore, my beloved, 00:18:38.720 --> 00:18:41.019 flee idolatry. 00:18:41.940 --> 00:18:42.039 Now, 00:18:42.940 --> 00:18:43.420 you know, 00:18:43.480 --> 00:18:44.619 what he's saying here is this, 00:18:44.920 --> 00:18:46.599 and Paul says the same thing 00:18:46.599 --> 00:18:50.119 about sexual immorality 00:18:50.119 --> 00:18:51.019 in chapter 6. 00:18:51.419 --> 00:18:51.759 He said, 00:18:51.859 --> 00:18:53.319 don't be like a lot of kids 00:18:53.319 --> 00:18:54.099 in the spring 00:18:54.099 --> 00:18:57.099 or in the early stages of winter 00:18:57.099 --> 00:18:58.519 where they see a big, 00:18:58.559 --> 00:18:59.480 big, big puddle 00:18:59.480 --> 00:19:00.939 and it looks like it, 00:19:00.939 --> 00:19:01.379 it's, 00:19:01.539 --> 00:19:01.939 not looked, 00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:03.059 it's covered with ice. 00:19:03.859 --> 00:19:04.179 I mean, 00:19:04.219 --> 00:19:04.839 I did this. 00:19:05.279 --> 00:19:05.980 You sort of say, 00:19:06.339 --> 00:19:07.759 how many times 00:19:07.759 --> 00:19:08.799 will the ice crack 00:19:08.799 --> 00:19:09.799 before I go through? 00:19:10.379 --> 00:19:10.579 You know? 00:19:11.000 --> 00:19:11.959 And he's saying, 00:19:12.039 --> 00:19:12.119 you know, 00:19:12.119 --> 00:19:13.319 when it comes to idolatry, 00:19:13.399 --> 00:19:14.599 when it comes in chapter 6 00:19:14.599 --> 00:19:15.579 to sexual immorality, 00:19:15.579 --> 00:19:17.259 don't say to yourself, 00:19:17.500 --> 00:19:19.899 how much can I get involved 00:19:19.899 --> 00:19:20.559 in this stuff 00:19:20.559 --> 00:19:21.699 and how many cracks 00:19:21.699 --> 00:19:22.500 can I listen to 00:19:22.500 --> 00:19:23.579 before I jump off? 00:19:23.740 --> 00:19:23.919 You know? 00:19:24.679 --> 00:19:25.559 I don't know how many, 00:19:25.720 --> 00:19:26.500 I have to confess, 00:19:26.599 --> 00:19:27.399 I watched 24, 00:19:27.960 --> 00:19:29.059 that television show, 00:19:29.779 --> 00:19:30.299 CTU, 00:19:30.419 --> 00:19:31.000 Jack Bauer, 00:19:31.099 --> 00:19:32.179 The Worst Day in My Life. 00:19:32.319 --> 00:19:33.519 Those of you who watch that show 00:19:33.519 --> 00:19:34.619 know what I'm talking about. 00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:39.199 And in this year's 24 TV series, 00:19:39.319 --> 00:19:41.480 it's about a secret agent, 00:19:41.480 --> 00:19:43.659 anti-terrorist guy who, 00:19:43.660 --> 00:19:44.680 anyway, 00:19:45.240 --> 00:19:48.160 the bad guys have nerve gas, 00:19:48.300 --> 00:19:49.320 deadly nerve gas, 00:19:49.420 --> 00:19:50.060 and they get it into 00:19:50.060 --> 00:19:51.240 the CTU headquarters. 00:19:51.980 --> 00:19:52.820 And when they realize 00:19:52.820 --> 00:19:53.980 that the tear gas 00:19:53.980 --> 00:19:55.480 has been released, 00:19:55.840 --> 00:19:56.400 they say, 00:19:56.580 --> 00:19:56.960 flee. 00:19:58.120 --> 00:19:59.800 Drop everything you're doing, 00:20:00.140 --> 00:20:01.500 just get up from where you are 00:20:01.500 --> 00:20:02.700 and run out of the building 00:20:02.700 --> 00:20:04.380 as fast as you can. 00:20:04.980 --> 00:20:06.259 And nobody says, 00:20:06.300 --> 00:20:06.900 I wonder how long 00:20:06.900 --> 00:20:07.840 I can hold my breath 00:20:07.840 --> 00:20:09.000 while the deadly nerve gas 00:20:09.000 --> 00:20:09.480 is there. 00:20:09.480 --> 00:20:10.080 Like, 00:20:10.200 --> 00:20:10.560 I wonder, 00:20:10.680 --> 00:20:10.880 you know, 00:20:10.940 --> 00:20:12.340 how long I can stay there. 00:20:12.339 --> 00:20:14.119 There's deadly nerve gas. 00:20:14.459 --> 00:20:14.779 Flee. 00:20:15.500 --> 00:20:16.240 And that's exactly 00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:17.119 what Paul is saying 00:20:17.119 --> 00:20:19.079 when it comes to idolatry. 00:20:19.579 --> 00:20:19.980 Flee. 00:20:21.679 --> 00:20:23.299 And then he goes on 00:20:23.299 --> 00:20:24.059 and says these really, 00:20:24.199 --> 00:20:25.159 really hard words 00:20:25.159 --> 00:20:25.639 that, you know, 00:20:26.399 --> 00:20:27.220 it's not that, 00:20:27.220 --> 00:20:29.199 it's not that an idol 00:20:29.199 --> 00:20:29.779 is nothing. 00:20:29.879 --> 00:20:30.679 It's not just that 00:20:30.679 --> 00:20:31.559 an idol is nothing, 00:20:31.939 --> 00:20:32.379 that, you know, 00:20:32.419 --> 00:20:33.679 there really is no Zeus 00:20:33.679 --> 00:20:34.459 or Apollos 00:20:34.459 --> 00:20:35.079 or Hermes 00:20:35.079 --> 00:20:35.720 or Aphrodite 00:20:35.720 --> 00:20:36.419 to correspond 00:20:36.419 --> 00:20:37.699 to that hunk of rock 00:20:37.699 --> 00:20:38.839 or that sacred grove. 00:20:39.139 --> 00:20:40.399 It's not just that. 00:20:40.400 --> 00:20:41.840 It just is this. 00:20:41.900 --> 00:20:42.320 In a sense, 00:20:42.360 --> 00:20:42.900 he's saying this. 00:20:42.980 --> 00:20:44.300 When you turn away 00:20:44.300 --> 00:20:46.140 from the living God 00:20:46.140 --> 00:20:47.640 and you turn your back 00:20:47.640 --> 00:20:48.600 on the living God, 00:20:49.160 --> 00:20:50.640 Satan will always appear 00:20:50.640 --> 00:20:51.400 to make himself 00:20:51.400 --> 00:20:52.080 look useful 00:20:52.080 --> 00:20:55.200 without any doubt. 00:20:55.380 --> 00:20:55.560 You see, 00:20:55.580 --> 00:20:56.220 that's one of the reasons, 00:20:56.380 --> 00:20:56.560 folks, 00:20:56.720 --> 00:20:57.300 no church, 00:20:57.400 --> 00:20:58.220 no Anglican church 00:20:58.220 --> 00:20:59.200 should have a labyrinth. 00:20:59.519 --> 00:21:00.640 No Anglican church 00:21:00.640 --> 00:21:01.660 should have, 00:21:02.180 --> 00:21:03.720 should be teaching yoga. 00:21:04.140 --> 00:21:05.360 No Anglican church 00:21:05.360 --> 00:21:06.820 should be having groves 00:21:06.820 --> 00:21:07.400 with Buddhas 00:21:07.400 --> 00:21:09.480 and totem poles 00:21:09.480 --> 00:21:10.880 and all of that type of stuff. 00:21:11.440 --> 00:21:11.700 Why? 00:21:13.060 --> 00:21:14.900 Flee idolatry. 00:21:15.460 --> 00:21:16.019 Don't say, 00:21:16.280 --> 00:21:16.780 well, we can have, 00:21:16.860 --> 00:21:17.019 you know, 00:21:17.080 --> 00:21:17.759 eight statues 00:21:17.759 --> 00:21:19.640 of Buddha in the garden 00:21:19.640 --> 00:21:20.920 and we can have the yoga 00:21:20.920 --> 00:21:22.080 and we can have the labyrinth 00:21:22.080 --> 00:21:22.400 and, you know, 00:21:22.420 --> 00:21:23.120 we'll just sort of listen 00:21:23.120 --> 00:21:23.920 to when the cracks 00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:24.860 are coming on the ice 00:21:24.860 --> 00:21:25.440 and then we'll know 00:21:25.440 --> 00:21:25.800 we've got, 00:21:25.900 --> 00:21:26.400 no, no, no. 00:21:26.480 --> 00:21:27.480 Paul says flee 00:21:27.480 --> 00:21:29.980 because to turn your back 00:21:29.980 --> 00:21:30.920 on the living God, 00:21:31.480 --> 00:21:33.460 Satan always makes himself 00:21:33.460 --> 00:21:34.180 appear useful 00:21:34.180 --> 00:21:34.820 and desirable. 00:21:34.819 --> 00:21:36.579 And so Paul says 00:21:36.579 --> 00:21:37.639 that in fact 00:21:37.639 --> 00:21:39.240 there is this real possibility, 00:21:39.480 --> 00:21:41.139 he echoes the Old Testament message 00:21:41.139 --> 00:21:42.639 of a participation 00:21:42.639 --> 00:21:44.119 with the demonic 00:21:44.119 --> 00:21:45.339 and Paul says 00:21:45.339 --> 00:21:46.679 flee anything 00:21:46.679 --> 00:21:48.079 which even remotely 00:21:48.079 --> 00:21:49.379 appears demonic, 00:21:49.639 --> 00:21:50.480 flee anything 00:21:50.480 --> 00:21:51.460 even remotely 00:21:51.460 --> 00:21:53.099 appearing like idolatry, 00:21:53.899 --> 00:21:54.220 flee, 00:21:55.259 --> 00:21:55.839 flee. 00:21:58.179 --> 00:22:00.879 Paul ends his discussion 00:22:00.879 --> 00:22:03.240 by in a sense 00:22:03.240 --> 00:22:04.259 outlining for us, 00:22:04.259 --> 00:22:05.019 this is really 00:22:05.019 --> 00:22:06.160 a good thing to see 00:22:06.160 --> 00:22:07.240 just very, very briefly, 00:22:07.539 --> 00:22:08.400 four really, really 00:22:08.400 --> 00:22:09.500 godly attitudes. 00:22:09.759 --> 00:22:11.440 If you turn to page 994, 00:22:12.299 --> 00:22:15.460 verse 31, 32, 33 00:22:15.460 --> 00:22:16.279 of chapter 10 00:22:16.279 --> 00:22:17.539 and verse 1 00:22:17.539 --> 00:22:18.319 of chapter 11, 00:22:18.779 --> 00:22:20.539 just bang, bang, bang, bang, 00:22:20.619 --> 00:22:22.640 four godly principles 00:22:22.640 --> 00:22:23.859 that if we listen to them 00:22:23.859 --> 00:22:24.500 and heed them 00:22:24.500 --> 00:22:25.400 and memorize them, 00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:26.579 it will help us 00:22:26.579 --> 00:22:27.980 navigate so many 00:22:27.980 --> 00:22:29.000 of the things in life, 00:22:29.059 --> 00:22:30.220 especially if we're mindful 00:22:30.220 --> 00:22:31.059 of all of these things, 00:22:31.180 --> 00:22:32.539 warned against presumption, 00:22:32.539 --> 00:22:34.659 trusting in the faithfulness 00:22:34.659 --> 00:22:35.139 of God, 00:22:35.279 --> 00:22:36.139 growing in faith 00:22:36.139 --> 00:22:38.059 and just bang, 00:22:38.159 --> 00:22:38.639 bang, bang 00:22:38.639 --> 00:22:39.359 as he brings this 00:22:39.359 --> 00:22:39.980 to a close 00:22:39.980 --> 00:22:40.539 and then he's going 00:22:40.539 --> 00:22:42.220 to go into other topics. 00:22:42.659 --> 00:22:43.440 Verse 31, 00:22:43.639 --> 00:22:45.240 therefore whether you eat 00:22:45.240 --> 00:22:45.639 or drink 00:22:45.639 --> 00:22:46.639 or whatever you do, 00:22:47.639 --> 00:22:49.079 do all to the glory 00:22:49.079 --> 00:22:49.579 of God. 00:22:49.960 --> 00:22:50.879 What should St. Albans 00:22:50.879 --> 00:22:51.379 want to do? 00:22:51.460 --> 00:22:52.139 We just want to bring 00:22:52.139 --> 00:22:52.899 glory to God. 00:22:53.099 --> 00:22:53.839 What do we want to do 00:22:53.839 --> 00:22:54.359 in our budget? 00:22:54.500 --> 00:22:55.019 We should just want 00:22:55.019 --> 00:22:56.000 to bring glory to God. 00:22:56.259 --> 00:22:57.920 What do we want to do 00:22:57.920 --> 00:22:58.779 if we have a youth group? 00:22:58.779 --> 00:22:59.940 We want to bring glory 00:22:59.940 --> 00:23:00.379 to God. 00:23:00.619 --> 00:23:01.339 What should we want 00:23:01.339 --> 00:23:01.980 to do in our life? 00:23:02.160 --> 00:23:02.940 We want to bring glory 00:23:02.940 --> 00:23:03.339 to God. 00:23:04.539 --> 00:23:05.180 Is what we're going 00:23:05.180 --> 00:23:06.039 to do bring glory 00:23:06.039 --> 00:23:06.440 to God? 00:23:06.500 --> 00:23:07.180 If there's any type 00:23:07.180 --> 00:23:07.920 of debate about it, 00:23:08.180 --> 00:23:08.559 you know what? 00:23:08.619 --> 00:23:09.539 You just don't do it. 00:23:10.680 --> 00:23:11.559 Just don't do it. 00:23:13.019 --> 00:23:14.299 What a great principle. 00:23:14.500 --> 00:23:15.420 Do all to the glory 00:23:15.420 --> 00:23:15.839 of God. 00:23:15.940 --> 00:23:16.759 The second thing, 00:23:17.200 --> 00:23:18.079 give no offense 00:23:18.079 --> 00:23:19.019 and what really 00:23:19.019 --> 00:23:19.579 they're saying is 00:23:19.579 --> 00:23:20.879 don't lead no one 00:23:20.879 --> 00:23:21.500 to stumble. 00:23:22.319 --> 00:23:23.599 It's actually more correct. 00:23:23.980 --> 00:23:24.619 Not offense. 00:23:24.740 --> 00:23:25.799 It's poorly translated. 00:23:26.319 --> 00:23:27.059 Lead no one 00:23:27.059 --> 00:23:27.680 to stumble, 00:23:27.680 --> 00:23:28.620 either to the Jews 00:23:28.620 --> 00:23:29.220 or to the Greeks 00:23:29.220 --> 00:23:30.240 or to the Church of God. 00:23:31.039 --> 00:23:31.360 Remember, 00:23:31.539 --> 00:23:32.400 some of you might remember 00:23:32.400 --> 00:23:33.279 a couple of weeks ago 00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:34.560 I described what that means. 00:23:34.840 --> 00:23:35.759 That's why giving offense 00:23:35.759 --> 00:23:36.960 is just a terrible 00:23:36.960 --> 00:23:38.060 translation here. 00:23:39.340 --> 00:23:40.320 Stumble means 00:23:40.320 --> 00:23:41.480 that if somebody 00:23:41.480 --> 00:23:42.759 imitates you, 00:23:42.860 --> 00:23:43.440 it's going to lead 00:23:43.440 --> 00:23:44.420 them away from Christ. 00:23:45.460 --> 00:23:46.259 That's what it means. 00:23:46.840 --> 00:23:47.279 You're going to say, 00:23:47.440 --> 00:23:48.060 ask yourself 00:23:48.060 --> 00:23:49.160 everything you do. 00:23:49.519 --> 00:23:51.380 If they imitate my action, 00:23:51.440 --> 00:23:52.039 is this going to lead 00:23:52.039 --> 00:23:53.019 them away from Christ? 00:23:53.320 --> 00:23:53.799 Well, you know what? 00:23:53.860 --> 00:23:54.400 Don't do it. 00:23:55.420 --> 00:23:56.100 Don't do it. 00:23:56.099 --> 00:23:58.299 The second principle. 00:23:59.159 --> 00:24:00.079 Just as I also 00:24:00.079 --> 00:24:01.279 please all men 00:24:01.279 --> 00:24:01.719 and women 00:24:01.719 --> 00:24:02.699 in all things, 00:24:02.799 --> 00:24:04.039 not seeking my own 00:24:04.039 --> 00:24:04.500 profit, 00:24:04.719 --> 00:24:05.859 but the profit of many, 00:24:06.319 --> 00:24:07.599 that they may be saved. 00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:09.000 In other words, 00:24:09.439 --> 00:24:10.159 in all things 00:24:10.159 --> 00:24:10.599 that you do, 00:24:10.719 --> 00:24:11.419 keep in mind 00:24:11.419 --> 00:24:12.159 that your goal 00:24:12.159 --> 00:24:12.779 is that people 00:24:12.779 --> 00:24:13.740 will come to saving 00:24:13.740 --> 00:24:14.980 faith in Jesus Christ. 00:24:15.379 --> 00:24:16.259 Is what you're doing, 00:24:16.319 --> 00:24:17.159 is that going to help 00:24:17.159 --> 00:24:18.219 that or hinder that? 00:24:18.759 --> 00:24:19.000 You know, 00:24:19.039 --> 00:24:19.879 the most wonderful thing 00:24:19.879 --> 00:24:20.319 in the world, 00:24:20.319 --> 00:24:21.720 I just, 00:24:21.839 --> 00:24:22.639 I so love this 00:24:22.639 --> 00:24:23.019 when I, 00:24:23.119 --> 00:24:23.500 you know, 00:24:23.519 --> 00:24:24.480 I'm talking to somebody 00:24:24.480 --> 00:24:25.359 about maybe somebody 00:24:25.359 --> 00:24:25.639 in the, 00:24:26.019 --> 00:24:26.200 you know, 00:24:26.220 --> 00:24:26.700 I have somebody 00:24:26.700 --> 00:24:27.779 coming for baptism 00:24:27.779 --> 00:24:28.519 or for a wedding 00:24:28.519 --> 00:24:29.099 or a funeral 00:24:29.099 --> 00:24:29.799 and they mention 00:24:29.799 --> 00:24:30.579 maybe that they go 00:24:30.579 --> 00:24:31.599 to this place 00:24:31.599 --> 00:24:32.079 or that 00:24:32.079 --> 00:24:32.599 and then I say, 00:24:32.619 --> 00:24:32.980 oh, by the way, 00:24:33.000 --> 00:24:33.960 do you know this person? 00:24:34.559 --> 00:24:35.339 And they say, 00:24:35.439 --> 00:24:35.659 oh, yeah, 00:24:35.679 --> 00:24:36.339 I know that person. 00:24:36.379 --> 00:24:36.599 I say, 00:24:36.639 --> 00:24:37.259 well, he's a Christian. 00:24:37.379 --> 00:24:38.019 He goes to my church. 00:24:38.119 --> 00:24:38.279 They say, 00:24:38.619 --> 00:24:39.039 really? 00:24:39.139 --> 00:24:40.000 He goes to your church? 00:24:40.019 --> 00:24:41.139 He's such a nice guy. 00:24:43.139 --> 00:24:43.879 And isn't that 00:24:43.879 --> 00:24:44.839 just a wonderful thing 00:24:44.839 --> 00:24:45.279 to hear? 00:24:45.419 --> 00:24:45.639 Like, 00:24:45.639 --> 00:24:46.700 to hear that he's a Christian 00:24:46.700 --> 00:24:47.480 and a nice guy? 00:24:47.480 --> 00:24:50.400 I had this other person 00:24:50.400 --> 00:24:51.099 who came to this church. 00:24:51.220 --> 00:24:52.779 She caused me so much trouble. 00:24:52.860 --> 00:24:53.559 I was at a party 00:24:53.559 --> 00:24:55.220 and they said, 00:24:55.279 --> 00:24:55.700 where do they work? 00:24:55.799 --> 00:24:56.819 And I knew this person 00:24:56.819 --> 00:24:57.500 went to that work. 00:24:57.579 --> 00:24:57.799 I said, 00:24:57.839 --> 00:24:58.620 you know this person 00:24:58.620 --> 00:24:59.700 and you could just see 00:24:59.700 --> 00:25:00.559 this guarded look 00:25:00.559 --> 00:25:01.140 in their eye. 00:25:02.680 --> 00:25:03.440 And I said, 00:25:03.480 --> 00:25:03.599 yeah, 00:25:03.599 --> 00:25:04.460 they go to my church 00:25:04.460 --> 00:25:05.259 and I think they were just, 00:25:05.339 --> 00:25:05.740 and I said, 00:25:05.799 --> 00:25:05.940 yeah, 00:25:05.940 --> 00:25:07.140 she really causes me 00:25:07.140 --> 00:25:07.819 lots of trouble. 00:25:08.539 --> 00:25:09.319 And the person said, 00:25:09.360 --> 00:25:09.799 oh, yeah, 00:25:09.940 --> 00:25:10.099 wow, 00:25:10.140 --> 00:25:11.059 does she ever cause trouble 00:25:11.059 --> 00:25:11.319 at work? 00:25:11.420 --> 00:25:12.400 Nobody likes her, 00:25:12.500 --> 00:25:12.759 you know? 00:25:13.279 --> 00:25:13.539 And, 00:25:13.620 --> 00:25:14.360 but you know what? 00:25:14.700 --> 00:25:15.480 The goal in life 00:25:15.480 --> 00:25:16.960 should be that we live 00:25:16.960 --> 00:25:17.900 and we ask ourselves, 00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:18.980 we ask God to help us 00:25:18.980 --> 00:25:19.920 so that we live our lives. 00:25:20.000 --> 00:25:20.700 We're keeping in mind, 00:25:20.980 --> 00:25:21.779 and what am I, 00:25:21.900 --> 00:25:23.000 what am I doing? 00:25:23.140 --> 00:25:24.019 Is it going to help people 00:25:24.019 --> 00:25:24.640 come to Christ 00:25:24.640 --> 00:25:25.880 or lead people away from Christ? 00:25:26.299 --> 00:25:27.400 Will people hear 00:25:27.400 --> 00:25:28.259 that I'm a Christian 00:25:28.259 --> 00:25:28.799 and say, 00:25:29.240 --> 00:25:29.519 wow, 00:25:29.579 --> 00:25:30.360 he's a nice guy. 00:25:30.840 --> 00:25:31.059 Like, 00:25:31.120 --> 00:25:31.720 maybe there's something 00:25:31.720 --> 00:25:32.980 in this Christian stuff, 00:25:33.059 --> 00:25:33.360 you know? 00:25:33.720 --> 00:25:34.340 Or will they say, 00:25:34.480 --> 00:25:34.799 gosh, 00:25:34.860 --> 00:25:36.319 is that person ever repressed, 00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:37.340 anger driven, 00:25:38.120 --> 00:25:38.340 you know, 00:25:38.460 --> 00:25:39.200 debauched, 00:25:39.299 --> 00:25:40.220 degenerate, 00:25:40.380 --> 00:25:41.259 bossy, 00:25:41.360 --> 00:25:42.000 autocratic? 00:25:42.779 --> 00:25:43.120 Okay, 00:25:43.120 --> 00:25:44.100 don't do those things, 00:25:44.259 --> 00:25:44.519 folks. 00:25:44.519 --> 00:25:46.839 And then finally, 00:25:47.079 --> 00:25:47.859 the fourth thing, 00:25:48.039 --> 00:25:49.940 imitate me here 00:25:49.940 --> 00:25:52.379 just as I also imitate Christ. 00:25:52.980 --> 00:25:54.039 What would Jesus do? 00:25:54.639 --> 00:25:55.559 What would Jesus do? 00:25:55.960 --> 00:25:57.139 Search the scriptures, 00:25:57.460 --> 00:25:58.660 try to be like Jesus. 00:25:59.339 --> 00:26:00.119 Let's pray. 00:26:08.119 --> 00:26:08.720 Father, 00:26:09.480 --> 00:26:12.240 deliver us from presumption, 00:26:12.400 --> 00:26:13.519 deliver us from arrogance, 00:26:13.519 --> 00:26:14.639 deliver us from, 00:26:14.639 --> 00:26:16.740 from just taking, 00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:17.680 you know, 00:26:17.839 --> 00:26:18.819 Bible memorizing 00:26:18.819 --> 00:26:20.019 or going to church 00:26:20.019 --> 00:26:21.200 or being an evangelical 00:26:21.200 --> 00:26:22.960 or speaking in tongues 00:26:22.960 --> 00:26:24.059 or giving money 00:26:24.059 --> 00:26:25.039 or being successful. 00:26:25.259 --> 00:26:25.480 Father, 00:26:26.019 --> 00:26:27.000 help us not to put 00:26:27.000 --> 00:26:28.099 our confidence and trust 00:26:28.099 --> 00:26:29.180 in even these things, 00:26:29.259 --> 00:26:29.639 some of them, 00:26:29.799 --> 00:26:29.900 Father, 00:26:29.980 --> 00:26:31.180 even godly things. 00:26:31.700 --> 00:26:32.160 Help us, 00:26:32.359 --> 00:26:32.420 Father, 00:26:32.460 --> 00:26:33.539 to put our confidence 00:26:33.539 --> 00:26:34.559 always in you 00:26:34.559 --> 00:26:35.500 and in your word 00:26:35.500 --> 00:26:36.720 and your faithfulness, 00:26:36.819 --> 00:26:38.359 your unfailing faithfulness. 00:26:38.500 --> 00:26:38.720 Father, 00:26:39.359 --> 00:26:40.420 lead us to you, 00:26:40.519 --> 00:26:41.480 not about you, 00:26:41.480 --> 00:26:43.059 not anything, 00:26:43.279 --> 00:26:44.299 but lead us to you 00:26:44.299 --> 00:26:45.400 and a greater confidence 00:26:45.400 --> 00:26:47.120 and trust in your word 00:26:47.120 --> 00:26:48.480 and in your son 00:26:48.480 --> 00:26:49.680 and the power 00:26:49.680 --> 00:26:50.740 of your Holy Spirit. 00:26:51.480 --> 00:26:51.599 Father, 00:26:51.720 --> 00:26:53.220 deliver us from presumption 00:26:53.220 --> 00:26:55.500 and help us 00:26:55.500 --> 00:26:56.620 to have greater faith. 00:26:57.079 --> 00:26:57.440 Help us, 00:26:57.680 --> 00:26:57.759 Father, 00:26:57.759 --> 00:26:58.799 as we see ourselves 00:26:58.799 --> 00:26:59.700 as we truly are 00:26:59.700 --> 00:27:00.660 to not despair 00:27:00.660 --> 00:27:01.900 but to turn to you 00:27:01.900 --> 00:27:03.200 with a thankful 00:27:03.200 --> 00:27:05.620 and grateful heart. 00:27:05.619 --> 00:27:07.279 and Father, 00:27:07.459 --> 00:27:08.459 help us to be more 00:27:08.459 --> 00:27:09.239 like your son. 00:27:09.919 --> 00:27:11.079 Help us to follow him. 00:27:12.319 --> 00:27:12.779 Father, 00:27:12.959 --> 00:27:14.179 pour out your Holy Spirit 00:27:14.179 --> 00:27:14.819 upon us 00:27:14.819 --> 00:27:16.019 that we might be enabled 00:27:16.019 --> 00:27:16.699 to seek 00:27:16.699 --> 00:27:17.879 and to live these things. 00:27:18.500 --> 00:27:20.000 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:27:20.519 --> 00:27:20.859 Amen. 00:27:20.859 --> 00:27:20.979 Amen. 00:27:21.359 --> 00:27:21.679 Amen. 00:27:25.899 --> 00:27:26.459 Amen.