WEBVTT

00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:00.440
 Let's pray.

00:00:01.740 --> 00:00:05.179
 Father God, we thank you for your word.

00:00:05.600 --> 00:00:09.640
 We pray that we would not tonight make the mistake

00:00:09.640 --> 00:00:13.300
 of these who confront Jesus,

00:00:14.359 --> 00:00:16.920
 who play loose and fast with the truth,

00:00:17.039 --> 00:00:20.559
 who deny some of the central tenets

00:00:20.559 --> 00:00:23.080
 of what it means to be part of your kingdom.

00:00:24.080 --> 00:00:28.440
 We pray, Lord, that we would read your word,

00:00:28.560 --> 00:00:29.500
 we would hear your word,

00:00:29.500 --> 00:00:31.140
 we would understand your word

00:00:31.140 --> 00:00:33.299
 and that we would not ignore it.

00:00:34.219 --> 00:00:37.200
 We pray, Father, that in what we're doing tonight

00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:40.240
 that we will not miss you, we pray.

00:00:40.820 --> 00:00:42.980
 So we pray that we would get a greater glimpse

00:00:42.980 --> 00:00:44.579
 of your glory, your purposes,

00:00:45.500 --> 00:00:48.400
 and the part that we play in that as your people.

00:00:48.799 --> 00:00:51.600
 And so be with us now as we open up your word

00:00:51.600 --> 00:00:54.659
 that we might not just hear it,

00:00:55.120 --> 00:00:58.079
 but that we might experience something of your power.

00:00:58.079 --> 00:00:59.839
 And we pray it for your sake.

00:01:00.179 --> 00:01:00.439
 Amen.

00:01:01.479 --> 00:01:04.340
 So get your Bibles open to Mark chapter 12.

00:01:04.340 --> 00:01:09.219
 Our recent sermon series on the kingdom of God,

00:01:09.280 --> 00:01:10.859
 I think, is particularly helpful

00:01:10.859 --> 00:01:14.040
 when we're coming to looking at Mark 12

00:01:14.780 --> 00:01:17.600
 and this little short series that we got here

00:01:17.600 --> 00:01:19.460
 last week, this week, and next week

00:01:19.460 --> 00:01:21.659
 on the clash with ultimate authority.

00:01:22.340 --> 00:01:23.520
 For anyone out there,

00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:26.020
 remember how we define the kingdom of God

00:01:26.020 --> 00:01:27.320
 in our series, Kingdom of God?

00:01:27.319 --> 00:01:33.039
 God's people in God's place under God's rule.

00:01:33.359 --> 00:01:36.099
 Yes, God's people in God's place under God's rule.

00:01:36.479 --> 00:01:36.919
 Fantastic.

00:01:37.139 --> 00:01:38.059
 Straight at the top of the class.

00:01:38.479 --> 00:01:40.519
 Tashi, you should consider a ministry internship

00:01:40.519 --> 00:01:41.679
 at some point.

00:01:43.359 --> 00:01:45.280
 For the people of God in the Old Testament,

00:01:46.099 --> 00:01:49.500
 much of their expectations of the kingdom

00:01:49.500 --> 00:01:52.319
 centered around Israel and Jerusalem

00:01:52.959 --> 00:01:54.899
 and the temple and the rituals in the temple.

00:01:54.900 --> 00:01:59.640
 And what we saw in our series

00:01:59.640 --> 00:02:02.219
 was that the consistent problem

00:02:02.219 --> 00:02:05.400
 was that they did all the religious practice stuff

00:02:05.400 --> 00:02:06.680
 but they rejected God

00:02:06.680 --> 00:02:07.860
 and they rejected his authority,

00:02:07.980 --> 00:02:09.120
 they rejected his word.

00:02:09.700 --> 00:02:10.620
 They looked the part

00:02:10.620 --> 00:02:11.560
 but in the actual fact,

00:02:11.640 --> 00:02:13.659
 their hearts were a long way from God.

00:02:14.439 --> 00:02:18.860
 The eventual consequence was exiled from God's place.

00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:20.939
 God stuck them over there in the naughty corner

00:02:20.939 --> 00:02:22.120
 for 70 years in Babylon

00:02:22.120 --> 00:02:25.680
 and to fine tune them a bit.

00:02:27.659 --> 00:02:29.360
 And during the course of that,

00:02:30.060 --> 00:02:32.680
 God was speaking to his people

00:02:32.680 --> 00:02:35.200
 and prophesying about a future day

00:02:35.200 --> 00:02:37.099
 where there would be a future king,

00:02:37.420 --> 00:02:38.420
 a Christ, a Messiah,

00:02:38.560 --> 00:02:41.659
 who would restore the kingdom of God.

00:02:41.659 --> 00:02:44.979
 And when this king comes,

00:02:45.120 --> 00:02:47.039
 he will give his people new hearts

00:02:47.039 --> 00:02:50.680
 which would internally be moved to obey Christ

00:02:50.680 --> 00:02:52.439
 or the king, the Messiah.

00:02:53.259 --> 00:02:56.159
 And so the opening words of Jesus' ministry

00:02:56.159 --> 00:02:57.919
 right at the beginning of Mark's gospel

00:02:57.919 --> 00:02:59.340
 are very significant for us.

00:03:00.539 --> 00:03:01.759
 So chapter one says this,

00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:03.639
 the time, this is the words of Jesus,

00:03:04.219 --> 00:03:05.780
 the time has come.

00:03:06.740 --> 00:03:07.680
 The kingdom of God is near.

00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:12.000
 And so Jesus is talking about the fulfillment

00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:15.580
 of all of these promises for the people of God.

00:03:16.140 --> 00:03:19.800
 Jesus then goes on to demonstrate the kingdom's realm,

00:03:19.920 --> 00:03:21.439
 the rule of this king.

00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:25.560
 And he, as the king of the kingdom of God,

00:03:25.920 --> 00:03:28.420
 by calling disciples to follow him,

00:03:28.640 --> 00:03:29.460
 complete strangers,

00:03:29.640 --> 00:03:30.560
 come, follow me,

00:03:30.659 --> 00:03:31.460
 and they leave their nets

00:03:31.460 --> 00:03:32.600
 and they go and follow Jesus.

00:03:33.200 --> 00:03:34.500
 He drives out demons,

00:03:34.680 --> 00:03:35.319
 he heals lepers,

00:03:35.439 --> 00:03:36.480
 the blind, the paralytic,

00:03:36.479 --> 00:03:37.479
 he raises the dead,

00:03:37.560 --> 00:03:38.859
 he calms the storm.

00:03:39.859 --> 00:03:42.000
 He demonstrates that there is nothing

00:03:42.000 --> 00:03:43.479
 outside of his control.

00:03:44.199 --> 00:03:45.579
 As the king of the kingdom,

00:03:46.079 --> 00:03:47.620
 he rules everything.

00:03:47.959 --> 00:03:49.500
 And so the kingdom of God

00:03:49.500 --> 00:03:51.699
 is not restricted to Israel

00:03:51.699 --> 00:03:52.979
 and Jerusalem and the temple.

00:03:54.079 --> 00:03:55.899
 He is the king over everything,

00:03:56.780 --> 00:03:57.839
 all encompassing.

00:03:58.919 --> 00:04:01.019
 And then as you move further into Mark's gospel,

00:04:01.179 --> 00:04:02.719
 you get to chapters nine and 10

00:04:02.719 --> 00:04:04.740
 and we discover the surprising nature

00:04:04.740 --> 00:04:06.699
 of this rule,

00:04:06.900 --> 00:04:07.479
 of this king.

00:04:08.539 --> 00:04:09.500
 He is, in fact,

00:04:09.560 --> 00:04:10.400
 a servant king

00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:12.120
 who has come to serve

00:04:12.120 --> 00:04:14.360
 and not be served.

00:04:14.539 --> 00:04:15.620
 He has come to give his life

00:04:15.620 --> 00:04:16.579
 as a ransom for many.

00:04:17.699 --> 00:04:19.379
 And the second great surprise

00:04:19.379 --> 00:04:22.579
 is when you move out of chapter 10

00:04:22.579 --> 00:04:23.680
 and into chapter 11

00:04:23.680 --> 00:04:26.399
 and you see that the king arrives

00:04:26.399 --> 00:04:27.220
 at his,

00:04:27.819 --> 00:04:28.500
 the city.

00:04:28.819 --> 00:04:30.199
 He arrives at Jerusalem,

00:04:30.199 --> 00:04:31.259
 Jesus arrives

00:04:31.259 --> 00:04:32.199
 and there's a crowd there.

00:04:32.439 --> 00:04:33.560
 They've got palm trees,

00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:34.300
 you know,

00:04:34.399 --> 00:04:35.319
 and they're waving

00:04:35.319 --> 00:04:36.000
 and they're cheering.

00:04:36.159 --> 00:04:37.500
 The king has arrived.

00:04:38.319 --> 00:04:39.300
 And what you discover

00:04:39.300 --> 00:04:40.500
 is that when the king

00:04:40.500 --> 00:04:42.300
 goes to the temple,

00:04:42.759 --> 00:04:43.920
 he is rejected.

00:04:45.500 --> 00:04:46.379
 He's rejected.

00:04:48.060 --> 00:04:49.379
 He first of all

00:04:49.379 --> 00:04:50.300
 rejects the temple

00:04:50.300 --> 00:04:51.980
 and the old order of things.

00:04:52.099 --> 00:04:52.699
 He gets a whip

00:04:52.699 --> 00:04:55.039
 and turns over tables

00:04:55.039 --> 00:04:56.259
 and drives people out.

00:04:56.259 --> 00:04:58.839
 He rejects the old

00:04:58.839 --> 00:04:59.879
 religious system

00:04:59.879 --> 00:05:00.959
 of pomp

00:05:00.959 --> 00:05:01.599
 and corruption

00:05:01.599 --> 00:05:02.539
 and hypocrisy

00:05:02.539 --> 00:05:04.420
 and he replaces

00:05:04.420 --> 00:05:05.599
 that system

00:05:05.599 --> 00:05:06.180
 with himself.

00:05:06.319 --> 00:05:06.519
 He says,

00:05:06.860 --> 00:05:08.000
 you don't come

00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:08.800
 and meet God

00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:09.800
 now through this temple.

00:05:09.879 --> 00:05:10.759
 You meet God with me.

00:05:10.839 --> 00:05:11.539
 So three days,

00:05:11.779 --> 00:05:12.539
 I'm going to pull it down

00:05:12.539 --> 00:05:13.560
 and I'm going to rebuild it again.

00:05:13.819 --> 00:05:14.659
 So everything

00:05:14.659 --> 00:05:16.319
 that this temple stood for

00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:17.019
 is now going to be

00:05:17.019 --> 00:05:18.599
 met in me.

00:05:18.860 --> 00:05:20.060
 You meet God

00:05:20.060 --> 00:05:20.939
 through me.

00:05:21.500 --> 00:05:22.759
 You want to relate to God?

00:05:22.860 --> 00:05:23.759
 It is through me.

00:05:23.759 --> 00:05:29.019
 And what happens then

00:05:29.019 --> 00:05:30.599
 out of there,

00:05:31.599 --> 00:05:32.279
 chapter 11,

00:05:33.139 --> 00:05:34.439
 Jesus curses a fig tree.

00:05:35.099 --> 00:05:35.560
 It's a symbol

00:05:35.560 --> 00:05:36.480
 of God's rejection

00:05:36.480 --> 00:05:38.279
 of the old order of things.

00:05:39.699 --> 00:05:40.860
 And so that

00:05:40.860 --> 00:05:42.980
 it is completely clear

00:05:42.980 --> 00:05:44.360
 what Jesus is on about,

00:05:45.120 --> 00:05:46.420
 we hear the story

00:05:46.420 --> 00:05:47.360
 of the parable

00:05:47.360 --> 00:05:49.219
 of the tenants

00:05:49.219 --> 00:05:50.459
 that Chris preached

00:05:50.459 --> 00:05:51.300
 on last week.

00:05:51.719 --> 00:05:51.920
 Sorry,

00:05:52.060 --> 00:05:52.539
 Sam preached

00:05:52.539 --> 00:05:53.339
 on last week here.

00:05:53.759 --> 00:05:56.379
 that the people

00:05:56.379 --> 00:05:57.019
 of Israel

00:05:57.019 --> 00:05:58.060
 have consistently

00:05:58.060 --> 00:05:59.180
 rejected God

00:05:59.180 --> 00:06:00.740
 and rejected

00:06:00.740 --> 00:06:01.379
 the messengers

00:06:01.379 --> 00:06:02.019
 of God

00:06:02.019 --> 00:06:02.980
 and now

00:06:02.980 --> 00:06:05.060
 I'm rejecting you.

00:06:05.899 --> 00:06:06.459
 I'm rejecting

00:06:06.459 --> 00:06:07.019
 the old order,

00:06:07.099 --> 00:06:07.620
 the old system.

00:06:08.000 --> 00:06:09.579
 And so in the temple courts,

00:06:10.480 --> 00:06:11.120
 the scene

00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:12.599
 of the king's

00:06:12.599 --> 00:06:13.180
 rejection

00:06:13.180 --> 00:06:14.219
 of the old order,

00:06:14.819 --> 00:06:15.500
 if you like,

00:06:15.620 --> 00:06:16.459
 out on the deck,

00:06:18.120 --> 00:06:19.379
 we see the rejection

00:06:19.379 --> 00:06:20.399
 of Israel king

00:06:20.399 --> 00:06:21.599
 by the leaders

00:06:21.599 --> 00:06:22.459
 of Israel.

00:06:22.459 --> 00:06:23.519
 Israel.

00:06:24.639 --> 00:06:25.799
 Jesus' credibility

00:06:25.799 --> 00:06:27.579
 and even his life

00:06:27.579 --> 00:06:28.579
 are at stake

00:06:28.579 --> 00:06:29.919
 in these encounters

00:06:29.919 --> 00:06:31.519
 that he has

00:06:31.519 --> 00:06:33.060
 with these religious leaders.

00:06:34.459 --> 00:06:35.459
 Jesus uses

00:06:35.459 --> 00:06:36.319
 each of these

00:06:36.319 --> 00:06:37.560
 encounters,

00:06:37.719 --> 00:06:38.419
 these clashes,

00:06:38.620 --> 00:06:39.339
 as an opportunity

00:06:39.339 --> 00:06:40.319
 to reveal something

00:06:40.319 --> 00:06:40.979
 striking

00:06:40.979 --> 00:06:42.319
 about the kingdom

00:06:42.319 --> 00:06:43.539
 and what it means

00:06:43.539 --> 00:06:43.979
 to be part

00:06:43.979 --> 00:06:44.539
 of that kingdom.

00:06:44.939 --> 00:06:45.539
 Last week,

00:06:45.599 --> 00:06:46.419
 we had round one.

00:06:46.599 --> 00:06:47.219
 Chief priests,

00:06:47.399 --> 00:06:48.120
 teachers of the law

00:06:48.120 --> 00:06:48.939
 and the elders

00:06:48.939 --> 00:06:49.819
 confront Jesus

00:06:49.819 --> 00:06:51.000
 and they go away

00:06:51.000 --> 00:06:51.600
 with their tail

00:06:51.600 --> 00:06:52.399
 between the legs.

00:06:53.139 --> 00:06:53.680
 Round two

00:06:53.680 --> 00:06:54.319
 is introduced

00:06:54.319 --> 00:06:55.420
 in verse 13.

00:06:56.040 --> 00:06:56.379
 Later,

00:06:56.699 --> 00:06:56.959
 they,

00:06:57.459 --> 00:06:58.060
 that's talking

00:06:58.060 --> 00:06:58.879
 about the Sanhedrin,

00:06:58.959 --> 00:06:59.579
 that's the Jewish

00:06:59.579 --> 00:07:00.600
 ruling council,

00:07:01.259 --> 00:07:02.079
 the Sanhedrin,

00:07:02.439 --> 00:07:03.459
 they send

00:07:03.459 --> 00:07:04.680
 some Pharisees

00:07:04.680 --> 00:07:05.459
 and Herodians

00:07:05.459 --> 00:07:06.660
 to Jesus

00:07:06.660 --> 00:07:07.360
 to catch him

00:07:07.360 --> 00:07:08.100
 in his words.

00:07:08.100 --> 00:07:11.860
 There are two kinds

00:07:11.860 --> 00:07:12.460
 of powers

00:07:12.460 --> 00:07:13.680
 that bind people together.

00:07:14.520 --> 00:07:15.480
 One is love

00:07:15.480 --> 00:07:17.320
 and the other

00:07:17.320 --> 00:07:18.100
 is hatred.

00:07:20.120 --> 00:07:20.720
 Naturally,

00:07:21.080 --> 00:07:22.160
 love is preferred.

00:07:22.840 --> 00:07:24.120
 Love is the glue

00:07:24.120 --> 00:07:25.420
 of the Trinity.

00:07:26.700 --> 00:07:27.060
 It is,

00:07:27.200 --> 00:07:28.040
 love is God's gift

00:07:28.040 --> 00:07:28.660
 to the church

00:07:28.660 --> 00:07:29.460
 and his command

00:07:29.460 --> 00:07:30.240
 for the church

00:07:30.240 --> 00:07:33.000
 but hatred

00:07:33.000 --> 00:07:34.600
 can bring together

00:07:34.600 --> 00:07:35.800
 diverse people.

00:07:36.879 --> 00:07:38.080
 People is diverse

00:07:38.079 --> 00:07:39.919
 as the Pharisees

00:07:39.919 --> 00:07:41.159
 and the Herodians.

00:07:42.019 --> 00:07:42.839
 There could be

00:07:42.839 --> 00:07:43.180
 hardly,

00:07:43.379 --> 00:07:43.560
 I think,

00:07:43.639 --> 00:07:44.579
 two groups

00:07:44.579 --> 00:07:45.959
 with such opposing

00:07:45.959 --> 00:07:47.699
 views in Israel.

00:07:48.519 --> 00:07:49.339
 The Pharisees

00:07:49.339 --> 00:07:50.659
 were fierce

00:07:50.659 --> 00:07:52.300
 nationalists.

00:07:53.099 --> 00:07:54.139
 The Herodians,

00:07:54.399 --> 00:07:55.219
 on the other hand,

00:07:55.319 --> 00:07:56.120
 were supporters

00:07:56.120 --> 00:07:56.959
 of Herod,

00:07:57.000 --> 00:07:57.680
 the Roman ruler

00:07:57.680 --> 00:07:58.579
 over Israel.

00:07:59.180 --> 00:08:00.120
 The Pharisees

00:08:00.120 --> 00:08:00.699
 represented

00:08:00.699 --> 00:08:01.659
 a narrow,

00:08:02.159 --> 00:08:03.879
 conservative Judaism

00:08:03.879 --> 00:08:05.120
 and the Herodians

00:08:05.120 --> 00:08:05.759
 were liberal

00:08:05.759 --> 00:08:06.579
 in their convictions.

00:08:06.899 --> 00:08:07.399
 The Pharisees

00:08:07.399 --> 00:08:08.139
 were right-wingers,

00:08:08.239 --> 00:08:08.759
 the Herodians

00:08:08.759 --> 00:08:09.459
 were left-wingers.

00:08:09.779 --> 00:08:10.419
 The Pharisees

00:08:10.419 --> 00:08:11.500
 represented resistance

00:08:11.500 --> 00:08:12.019
 to Rome,

00:08:12.319 --> 00:08:12.959
 the Herodians

00:08:12.959 --> 00:08:13.539
 accommodation

00:08:13.539 --> 00:08:14.419
 to Rome.

00:08:16.319 --> 00:08:17.439
 And what cemented

00:08:17.439 --> 00:08:18.099
 them together

00:08:18.099 --> 00:08:19.000
 as a group

00:08:19.000 --> 00:08:21.060
 was their hatred

00:08:21.060 --> 00:08:21.620
 of Jesus.

00:08:22.779 --> 00:08:23.959
 They've come together

00:08:23.959 --> 00:08:24.819
 because of their

00:08:24.819 --> 00:08:26.099
 hatred of Jesus

00:08:26.099 --> 00:08:27.359
 and the hope

00:08:27.359 --> 00:08:28.299
 that we can bring

00:08:28.299 --> 00:08:29.219
 this man down.

00:08:30.060 --> 00:08:30.439
 And then once

00:08:30.439 --> 00:08:30.839
 that's done,

00:08:30.899 --> 00:08:31.279
 we'll go back

00:08:31.279 --> 00:08:32.000
 to hating each other.

00:08:32.000 --> 00:08:34.159
 You see,

00:08:34.240 --> 00:08:35.059
 Jesus was causing

00:08:35.059 --> 00:08:35.720
 havoc with the

00:08:35.720 --> 00:08:36.399
 religious agenda

00:08:36.399 --> 00:08:37.159
 of the Pharisees

00:08:37.159 --> 00:08:37.700
 and he was causing

00:08:37.700 --> 00:08:38.740
 havoc with the

00:08:38.740 --> 00:08:39.500
 political agenda

00:08:39.500 --> 00:08:40.480
 of the Herodians.

00:08:41.100 --> 00:08:41.580
 And so they

00:08:41.580 --> 00:08:42.480
 unite in an attempt

00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:43.200
 to bring him down

00:08:43.200 --> 00:08:43.879
 and that's what it

00:08:43.879 --> 00:08:44.960
 says there in verse 12.

00:08:45.360 --> 00:08:45.659
 Later,

00:08:45.940 --> 00:08:46.580
 they sent

00:08:46.580 --> 00:08:47.600
 some of the Pharisees

00:08:47.600 --> 00:08:48.480
 and the Herodians

00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:49.879
 to catch him

00:08:49.879 --> 00:08:51.519
 in his words.

00:08:52.200 --> 00:08:53.019
 They want to

00:08:53.019 --> 00:08:54.100
 trap Jesus

00:08:54.100 --> 00:08:57.240
 in his words

00:08:57.240 --> 00:08:57.879
 so that they could

00:08:57.879 --> 00:08:58.639
 charge him

00:08:58.639 --> 00:08:59.460
 with treason

00:08:59.460 --> 00:09:00.519
 or heresy,

00:09:01.220 --> 00:09:02.100
 both of which

00:09:02.100 --> 00:09:03.240
 they can conspire

00:09:03.240 --> 00:09:03.759
 with the death

00:09:03.759 --> 00:09:04.980
 penalty in some way.

00:09:07.800 --> 00:09:08.560
 First though,

00:09:09.620 --> 00:09:10.180
 they have to

00:09:10.180 --> 00:09:11.200
 pave the way

00:09:11.200 --> 00:09:12.139
 for the question

00:09:12.139 --> 00:09:13.379
 in order to,

00:09:14.160 --> 00:09:15.080
 by throwing Jesus

00:09:15.080 --> 00:09:16.180
 off course if you like.

00:09:16.259 --> 00:09:17.080
 So verse 14,

00:09:17.420 --> 00:09:18.220
 they came to him

00:09:18.220 --> 00:09:18.560
 and said,

00:09:18.720 --> 00:09:19.019
 Teacher,

00:09:19.720 --> 00:09:20.660
 we know

00:09:20.660 --> 00:09:21.720
 that you are

00:09:21.720 --> 00:09:22.680
 a man of integrity.

00:09:23.300 --> 00:09:24.280
 You aren't swayed

00:09:24.280 --> 00:09:24.740
 by men

00:09:24.740 --> 00:09:25.540
 because you pay

00:09:25.540 --> 00:09:26.300
 no attention

00:09:26.300 --> 00:09:28.120
 to who they are

00:09:28.120 --> 00:09:29.200
 but you teach

00:09:29.200 --> 00:09:29.879
 the way of God

00:09:29.879 --> 00:09:30.360
 in accordance

00:09:30.360 --> 00:09:31.040
 with the truth.

00:09:32.300 --> 00:09:33.320
 And so their lips

00:09:33.320 --> 00:09:35.160
 are just dripping

00:09:35.160 --> 00:09:37.640
 with insincere flattery

00:09:37.640 --> 00:09:39.000
 as they attempt

00:09:39.000 --> 00:09:39.540
 to appear

00:09:39.540 --> 00:09:40.840
 as innocent inquirers

00:09:40.840 --> 00:09:41.340
 of Jesus

00:09:41.340 --> 00:09:42.480
 in a hope

00:09:42.480 --> 00:09:43.360
 that Jesus

00:09:43.360 --> 00:09:43.960
 will be thrown

00:09:43.960 --> 00:09:44.520
 off course

00:09:44.520 --> 00:09:45.220
 and they can slip

00:09:45.220 --> 00:09:46.060
 their question in,

00:09:46.759 --> 00:09:47.720
 he'll give them

00:09:47.720 --> 00:09:48.440
 a wrong answer

00:09:48.440 --> 00:09:49.000
 and bang,

00:09:49.100 --> 00:09:49.720
 we've got him.

00:09:50.540 --> 00:09:51.100
 They're hoping

00:09:51.100 --> 00:09:52.259
 to disarm him.

00:09:52.740 --> 00:09:53.220
 Ironically,

00:09:53.379 --> 00:09:54.520
 their flattery

00:09:54.520 --> 00:09:55.940
 contains at least

00:09:55.940 --> 00:09:57.020
 an element of truth.

00:09:57.019 --> 00:09:59.039
 Jesus isn't influenced

00:09:59.039 --> 00:09:59.740
 by man

00:09:59.740 --> 00:10:00.740
 and he wasn't

00:10:00.740 --> 00:10:01.360
 influenced

00:10:01.360 --> 00:10:03.139
 by their flattery

00:10:03.139 --> 00:10:04.399
 in any sense.

00:10:05.759 --> 00:10:06.819
 He wasn't going

00:10:06.819 --> 00:10:07.460
 to be intimidated

00:10:07.460 --> 00:10:08.120
 by them,

00:10:08.399 --> 00:10:09.059
 he was walking

00:10:09.059 --> 00:10:10.039
 into their trap

00:10:10.039 --> 00:10:10.679
 with his eyes

00:10:10.679 --> 00:10:11.379
 wide open

00:10:11.379 --> 00:10:12.319
 and the trap

00:10:12.319 --> 00:10:13.699
 is set in verse 14,

00:10:14.139 --> 00:10:14.919
 is it right

00:10:14.919 --> 00:10:15.879
 to pay taxes

00:10:15.879 --> 00:10:16.480
 to Caesar

00:10:16.480 --> 00:10:17.120
 or not?

00:10:18.120 --> 00:10:19.220
 Should we pay

00:10:19.220 --> 00:10:20.079
 or shouldn't we?

00:10:20.080 --> 00:10:23.420
 That's a very

00:10:23.420 --> 00:10:24.280
 clever question.

00:10:25.960 --> 00:10:26.940
 It would seem

00:10:26.940 --> 00:10:27.960
 that they have

00:10:27.960 --> 00:10:28.540
 learnt

00:10:28.540 --> 00:10:29.840
 something

00:10:29.840 --> 00:10:31.120
 from the last

00:10:31.120 --> 00:10:31.639
 encounter

00:10:31.639 --> 00:10:32.480
 between Jesus

00:10:32.480 --> 00:10:33.460
 and the chief priests,

00:10:33.600 --> 00:10:34.600
 the teachers

00:10:34.600 --> 00:10:35.060
 of the law

00:10:35.060 --> 00:10:35.639
 and the elders.

00:10:36.560 --> 00:10:36.920
 You remember

00:10:36.920 --> 00:10:37.660
 the last encounter

00:10:37.660 --> 00:10:38.460
 from last week

00:10:38.460 --> 00:10:39.560
 when Jesus

00:10:39.560 --> 00:10:40.639
 asked these guys

00:10:40.639 --> 00:10:41.259
 a question?

00:10:42.000 --> 00:10:42.800
 John's baptism,

00:10:43.160 --> 00:10:43.820
 was it from man

00:10:43.820 --> 00:10:44.440
 or from God?

00:10:46.660 --> 00:10:47.980
 And either answer,

00:10:48.180 --> 00:10:48.780
 they get together

00:10:48.779 --> 00:10:51.179
 and huddle

00:10:51.179 --> 00:10:52.179
 and either answer,

00:10:52.179 --> 00:10:53.500
 they know,

00:10:53.500 --> 00:10:54.559
 and so what do they do?

00:10:55.459 --> 00:10:57.100
 These gutless weasels

00:10:57.100 --> 00:10:59.039
 lied through their tooth

00:10:59.039 --> 00:10:59.959
 and said they don't know.

00:11:02.259 --> 00:11:03.419
 They hang loose

00:11:03.419 --> 00:11:04.279
 with their convictions

00:11:04.279 --> 00:11:05.220
 in order to

00:11:05.220 --> 00:11:06.620
 save their egos

00:11:06.620 --> 00:11:07.759
 and their skin.

00:11:08.679 --> 00:11:10.019
 And so the next group

00:11:10.019 --> 00:11:11.699
 have thought

00:11:11.699 --> 00:11:12.720
 that was a good idea,

00:11:13.179 --> 00:11:14.699
 turned Jesus' tactic around

00:11:14.699 --> 00:11:15.639
 and thrown it back

00:11:15.639 --> 00:11:16.439
 in his face.

00:11:17.519 --> 00:11:18.059
 They've hit him

00:11:18.059 --> 00:11:18.699
 with a question

00:11:18.699 --> 00:11:20.039
 where either answer

00:11:20.039 --> 00:11:21.159
 would be enough

00:11:21.159 --> 00:11:21.779
 to secure

00:11:21.779 --> 00:11:22.619
 the death penalty.

00:11:23.359 --> 00:11:24.139
 A refusal

00:11:24.139 --> 00:11:25.159
 to answer

00:11:25.159 --> 00:11:26.139
 would be disastrous

00:11:26.139 --> 00:11:27.339
 and so would evasion.

00:11:27.819 --> 00:11:28.199
 And so

00:11:28.199 --> 00:11:29.500
 if Jesus says,

00:11:29.699 --> 00:11:30.039
 yes,

00:11:30.919 --> 00:11:31.619
 pay your taxes

00:11:31.619 --> 00:11:32.259
 to Caesar,

00:11:32.699 --> 00:11:33.500
 he's a traitor

00:11:33.500 --> 00:11:34.179
 to Israel.

00:11:34.719 --> 00:11:35.539
 We can get him up

00:11:35.539 --> 00:11:36.759
 on blasphemy charges.

00:11:38.179 --> 00:11:38.659
 And those

00:11:38.659 --> 00:11:39.639
 with the religious agenda

00:11:39.639 --> 00:11:40.579
 would just have him

00:11:40.579 --> 00:11:40.879
 at that

00:11:40.879 --> 00:11:41.899
 and they just love that.

00:11:42.979 --> 00:11:43.639
 But if he says,

00:11:43.859 --> 00:11:44.239
 no,

00:11:45.119 --> 00:11:46.319
 then he's stirring up

00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:46.860
 a rebellion

00:11:46.860 --> 00:11:47.760
 against Rome

00:11:47.760 --> 00:11:48.940
 and those

00:11:48.940 --> 00:11:50.120
 with a political agenda

00:11:50.120 --> 00:11:50.700
 could have him

00:11:50.700 --> 00:11:51.940
 up on treason charges

00:11:51.940 --> 00:11:53.379
 and we'll get him

00:11:53.379 --> 00:11:53.820
 for that.

00:11:55.460 --> 00:11:55.920
 And so the

00:11:55.920 --> 00:11:57.180
 tension

00:11:57.180 --> 00:11:58.180
 you can imagine

00:11:58.180 --> 00:11:59.260
 in the air

00:11:59.260 --> 00:11:59.960
 is thick.

00:12:01.000 --> 00:12:01.520
 Pharisees

00:12:01.520 --> 00:12:02.540
 hoping for a yes,

00:12:02.700 --> 00:12:03.460
 the Herodians

00:12:03.460 --> 00:12:04.480
 hoping for a no,

00:12:04.740 --> 00:12:06.180
 but Jesus

00:12:06.180 --> 00:12:07.780
 is one step ahead.

00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:10.060
 He knows

00:12:10.060 --> 00:12:11.200
 their hypocrisy.

00:12:11.700 --> 00:12:13.080
 It says in verse 15

00:12:13.080 --> 00:12:14.660
 and he says this,

00:12:14.900 --> 00:12:16.020
 why are you

00:12:16.020 --> 00:12:17.020
 trying to trap me?

00:12:18.020 --> 00:12:19.139
 Bring me a denarius

00:12:19.139 --> 00:12:20.420
 and let me look at it.

00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:23.080
 You can just imagine

00:12:23.080 --> 00:12:24.660
 the hush

00:12:24.660 --> 00:12:25.379
 in the crowd

00:12:25.379 --> 00:12:26.940
 as Jesus

00:12:26.940 --> 00:12:28.340
 takes the coin

00:12:28.340 --> 00:12:29.900
 that's been given

00:12:29.900 --> 00:12:30.379
 to him,

00:12:31.440 --> 00:12:33.340
 probably not by Judas,

00:12:34.160 --> 00:12:35.139
 and he

00:12:35.139 --> 00:12:37.580
 holds it up.

00:12:38.580 --> 00:12:39.640
 He holds it up

00:12:39.640 --> 00:12:40.220
 in front of them

00:12:40.220 --> 00:12:40.759
 and says,

00:12:41.320 --> 00:12:43.340
 so whose portrait's

00:12:43.340 --> 00:12:43.620
 that?

00:12:43.840 --> 00:12:44.600
 Verse 16.

00:12:45.279 --> 00:12:46.100
 Whose portrait's

00:12:46.100 --> 00:12:46.279
 that?

00:12:46.440 --> 00:12:47.160
 Whose inscription

00:12:47.160 --> 00:12:47.860
 is on there?

00:12:49.080 --> 00:12:50.000
 What can they say?

00:12:50.580 --> 00:12:51.320
 It's pretty obvious.

00:12:51.440 --> 00:12:51.920
 It's the face

00:12:51.920 --> 00:12:53.120
 of Tiberius Caesar

00:12:53.120 --> 00:12:54.480
 was on the inscription.

00:12:55.580 --> 00:12:56.680
 It was the face

00:12:56.680 --> 00:12:57.139
 that was on there

00:12:57.139 --> 00:12:57.879
 and the inscription

00:12:57.879 --> 00:12:58.460
 on it says,

00:12:58.560 --> 00:12:59.519
 Tiberius Caesar,

00:12:59.980 --> 00:13:01.240
 son of the divine

00:13:01.240 --> 00:13:02.000
 Augustus.

00:13:03.580 --> 00:13:04.320
 That was the

00:13:04.320 --> 00:13:05.040
 inscription on it.

00:13:06.019 --> 00:13:06.879
 Whose picture is it?

00:13:07.080 --> 00:13:07.740
 Who made it?

00:13:08.019 --> 00:13:08.580
 What do the people

00:13:08.580 --> 00:13:08.920
 say?

00:13:08.919 --> 00:13:10.479
 Caesar.

00:13:14.699 --> 00:13:15.699
 And so Jesus

00:13:15.699 --> 00:13:16.379
 says to them

00:13:16.379 --> 00:13:17.860
 in verse 17

00:13:17.860 --> 00:13:18.779
 what some have regarded

00:13:18.779 --> 00:13:19.659
 as the single most

00:13:19.659 --> 00:13:20.899
 influential political

00:13:20.899 --> 00:13:21.939
 statement ever made.

00:13:23.899 --> 00:13:25.120
 Give to Caesars

00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:26.059
 what is Caesar's

00:13:26.059 --> 00:13:27.599
 and to God

00:13:27.599 --> 00:13:28.860
 what is God's.

00:13:30.939 --> 00:13:31.819
 And they were

00:13:31.819 --> 00:13:33.179
 all amazed

00:13:33.179 --> 00:13:33.779
 at him.

00:13:35.519 --> 00:13:36.099
 And Jesus

00:13:36.099 --> 00:13:36.919
 temporarily

00:13:36.919 --> 00:13:39.039
 saved his life

00:13:39.039 --> 00:13:40.559
 as well as

00:13:40.559 --> 00:13:41.559
 giving the guidelines

00:13:41.559 --> 00:13:42.120
 of a proper

00:13:42.120 --> 00:13:42.819
 relationship

00:13:42.819 --> 00:13:44.099
 with God

00:13:44.099 --> 00:13:45.000
 and Caesar.

00:13:46.459 --> 00:13:47.279
 In saying

00:13:47.279 --> 00:13:47.939
 give to Caesar

00:13:47.939 --> 00:13:48.339
 what he

00:13:48.339 --> 00:13:48.759
 seizes,

00:13:49.979 --> 00:13:51.059
 Jesus recognizes

00:13:51.059 --> 00:13:51.759
 there is

00:13:51.759 --> 00:13:52.620
 a place

00:13:52.620 --> 00:13:53.979
 under God

00:13:53.979 --> 00:13:54.740
 even for a

00:13:54.740 --> 00:13:55.360
 Gentile ruler

00:13:55.360 --> 00:13:56.059
 in society.

00:13:56.699 --> 00:13:57.379
 The Apostle Paul

00:13:57.379 --> 00:13:57.979
 writes this

00:13:57.979 --> 00:13:59.240
 in Romans 13

00:13:59.240 --> 00:14:00.500
 verses 4 to 7

00:14:00.500 --> 00:14:01.620
 that such a

00:14:01.620 --> 00:14:01.879
 ruler

00:14:01.879 --> 00:14:03.299
 is God's

00:14:03.299 --> 00:14:03.799
 servant

00:14:03.799 --> 00:14:04.379
 to do you

00:14:04.379 --> 00:14:04.740
 good.

00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:05.820
 But if you

00:14:05.820 --> 00:14:06.460
 do wrong

00:14:06.460 --> 00:14:07.159
 be afraid

00:14:07.159 --> 00:14:08.000
 for he does

00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:08.500
 not bear

00:14:08.500 --> 00:14:09.019
 the sword

00:14:09.019 --> 00:14:09.639
 for nothing.

00:14:10.200 --> 00:14:11.240
 He is God's

00:14:11.240 --> 00:14:11.539
 servant

00:14:11.539 --> 00:14:12.379
 an agent

00:14:12.379 --> 00:14:13.500
 of wrath

00:14:13.500 --> 00:14:14.299
 to bring

00:14:14.299 --> 00:14:15.059
 punishment

00:14:15.059 --> 00:14:15.679
 on the

00:14:15.679 --> 00:14:16.279
 wrongdoer.

00:14:17.019 --> 00:14:17.340
 Therefore

00:14:17.340 --> 00:14:18.340
 it is necessary

00:14:18.340 --> 00:14:18.840
 to submit

00:14:18.840 --> 00:14:19.159
 to the

00:14:19.159 --> 00:14:19.539
 authorities

00:14:19.539 --> 00:14:20.019
 not only

00:14:20.019 --> 00:14:20.419
 because of

00:14:20.419 --> 00:14:21.159
 possible punishment

00:14:21.159 --> 00:14:22.539
 but also

00:14:22.539 --> 00:14:23.460
 because of

00:14:23.460 --> 00:14:23.940
 conscience.

00:14:23.940 --> 00:14:26.100
 This is also

00:14:26.100 --> 00:14:26.740
 why you pay

00:14:26.740 --> 00:14:27.140
 taxes

00:14:27.140 --> 00:14:27.600
 for the

00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:28.260
 authorities

00:14:28.260 --> 00:14:28.920
 are God's

00:14:28.920 --> 00:14:29.260
 servants

00:14:29.260 --> 00:14:30.140
 who give

00:14:30.140 --> 00:14:30.640
 their full

00:14:30.640 --> 00:14:31.100
 time to

00:14:31.100 --> 00:14:31.440
 governing.

00:14:32.300 --> 00:14:33.200
 Give everyone

00:14:33.200 --> 00:14:34.220
 what you owe

00:14:34.220 --> 00:14:34.540
 him.

00:14:35.080 --> 00:14:35.860
 If you owe

00:14:35.860 --> 00:14:36.380
 taxes

00:14:36.380 --> 00:14:37.100
 pay taxes

00:14:37.100 --> 00:14:38.540
 if revenue

00:14:38.540 --> 00:14:39.320
 revenue

00:14:39.320 --> 00:14:41.220
 if respect

00:14:41.220 --> 00:14:42.320
 then respect

00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:43.660
 if honour

00:14:43.660 --> 00:14:44.880
 then honour

00:14:44.880 --> 00:14:46.480
 and Peter

00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:47.140
 says the same

00:14:47.140 --> 00:14:47.860
 has the same

00:14:47.860 --> 00:14:48.900
 idea in 1 Peter 2

00:14:48.900 --> 00:14:49.620
 13

00:14:49.620 --> 00:14:50.360
 when he calls

00:14:50.360 --> 00:14:51.020
 for submission

00:14:51.020 --> 00:14:53.140
 for the Lord's

00:14:53.140 --> 00:14:53.820
 sake

00:14:53.820 --> 00:14:55.620
 to every

00:14:55.620 --> 00:14:56.180
 authority

00:14:56.180 --> 00:14:57.080
 instituted

00:14:57.080 --> 00:14:57.720
 among men.

00:14:58.320 --> 00:14:58.800
 Every

00:14:58.800 --> 00:14:59.780
 authority

00:14:59.780 --> 00:15:00.560
 instituted

00:15:00.560 --> 00:15:01.160
 among men.

00:15:02.220 --> 00:15:02.480
 And so

00:15:02.480 --> 00:15:03.080
 the New

00:15:03.080 --> 00:15:03.580
 Testament

00:15:03.580 --> 00:15:05.800
 assumes

00:15:05.800 --> 00:15:06.540
 the validity

00:15:06.540 --> 00:15:07.220
 of the

00:15:07.220 --> 00:15:08.160
 secular state

00:15:08.160 --> 00:15:08.620
 and it

00:15:08.620 --> 00:15:09.260
 demands

00:15:09.260 --> 00:15:10.400
 even when

00:15:10.400 --> 00:15:10.940
 the secular

00:15:10.940 --> 00:15:11.440
 state

00:15:11.440 --> 00:15:12.520
 is controlled

00:15:12.520 --> 00:15:14.280
 by a man

00:15:14.280 --> 00:15:15.020
 who thinks

00:15:15.020 --> 00:15:15.760
 he is

00:15:15.760 --> 00:15:16.360
 God

00:15:16.360 --> 00:15:19.220
 it still

00:15:19.220 --> 00:15:19.920
 demands

00:15:19.920 --> 00:15:23.080
 allegiance.

00:15:23.820 --> 00:15:26.920
 submission.

00:15:31.420 --> 00:15:32.020
 A

00:15:32.020 --> 00:15:33.280
 poorly run

00:15:33.280 --> 00:15:33.920
 state

00:15:33.920 --> 00:15:35.180
 is better

00:15:35.180 --> 00:15:35.620
 than no

00:15:35.620 --> 00:15:36.100
 state at

00:15:36.100 --> 00:15:36.360
 all.

00:15:37.160 --> 00:15:37.520
 Of course

00:15:37.520 --> 00:15:37.800
 there are

00:15:37.800 --> 00:15:38.020
 some

00:15:38.020 --> 00:15:38.540
 exceptions

00:15:38.540 --> 00:15:39.879
 but the

00:15:39.879 --> 00:15:40.540
 overall

00:15:40.540 --> 00:15:41.360
 point is

00:15:41.360 --> 00:15:41.600
 that

00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:42.200
 Christians

00:15:42.200 --> 00:15:43.420
 are called

00:15:43.420 --> 00:15:43.820
 to a

00:15:43.820 --> 00:15:44.300
 profound

00:15:44.300 --> 00:15:45.180
 obedience

00:15:45.180 --> 00:15:47.060
 to their

00:15:47.060 --> 00:15:47.500
 government.

00:15:48.120 --> 00:15:48.340
 Cheating

00:15:48.340 --> 00:15:48.940
 on taxes

00:15:48.940 --> 00:15:49.600
 is completely

00:15:49.600 --> 00:15:50.260
 ruled out.

00:15:50.259 --> 00:15:51.240
 there ought

00:15:51.240 --> 00:15:51.519
 to be

00:15:51.519 --> 00:15:52.059
 respect

00:15:52.059 --> 00:15:52.299
 and

00:15:52.299 --> 00:15:52.659
 submission

00:15:52.659 --> 00:15:53.100
 to those

00:15:53.100 --> 00:15:53.600
 in authority

00:15:53.600 --> 00:15:54.000
 and must

00:15:54.000 --> 00:15:54.519
 pray for

00:15:54.519 --> 00:15:55.080
 those who

00:15:55.080 --> 00:15:55.840
 rule over

00:15:55.840 --> 00:15:56.439
 us.

00:15:57.580 --> 00:15:58.179
 More often

00:15:58.179 --> 00:15:58.740
 than not

00:15:58.740 --> 00:15:59.120
 though

00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:01.299
 the reason

00:16:01.299 --> 00:16:01.799
 we obey

00:16:01.799 --> 00:16:02.319
 is for fear

00:16:02.319 --> 00:16:02.939
 of punishment

00:16:02.939 --> 00:16:04.840
 not because

00:16:04.840 --> 00:16:05.120
 of the

00:16:05.120 --> 00:16:05.720
 Lord's sake

00:16:05.720 --> 00:16:05.759
 right.

00:16:06.899 --> 00:16:07.220
 Not because

00:16:07.220 --> 00:16:07.960
 it's right

00:16:07.960 --> 00:16:08.840
 but because

00:16:08.840 --> 00:16:09.160
 we fear

00:16:09.160 --> 00:16:09.399
 to be

00:16:09.399 --> 00:16:09.860
 punished.

00:16:12.860 --> 00:16:13.500
 Such as

00:16:13.500 --> 00:16:14.240
 driving along

00:16:14.240 --> 00:16:14.940
 the M7

00:16:14.940 --> 00:16:16.220
 on the way

00:16:16.220 --> 00:16:16.820
 to Katoomba

00:16:16.820 --> 00:16:19.460
 and all

00:16:19.460 --> 00:16:19.879
 of a sudden

00:16:19.879 --> 00:16:20.360
 the traffic

00:16:20.360 --> 00:16:20.700
 is all

00:16:20.700 --> 00:16:21.139
 slow.

00:16:22.379 --> 00:16:23.060
 We're way

00:16:23.060 --> 00:16:23.580
 below the

00:16:23.580 --> 00:16:24.160
 speed limit

00:16:24.160 --> 00:16:26.120
 and why

00:16:26.120 --> 00:16:26.340
 are we

00:16:26.340 --> 00:16:26.779
 way below

00:16:26.779 --> 00:16:27.220
 the speed

00:16:27.220 --> 00:16:27.460
 limit?

00:16:27.639 --> 00:16:28.200
 Because a

00:16:28.200 --> 00:16:28.980
 policeman has

00:16:28.980 --> 00:16:29.480
 pulled up

00:16:29.480 --> 00:16:30.540
 someone on

00:16:30.540 --> 00:16:31.000
 the side of

00:16:31.000 --> 00:16:31.420
 the road

00:16:31.420 --> 00:16:32.259
 and we

00:16:32.259 --> 00:16:32.920
 just all

00:16:32.920 --> 00:16:33.279
 assume

00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:33.860
 automatically

00:16:33.860 --> 00:16:34.279
 that we

00:16:34.279 --> 00:16:34.940
 are guilty.

00:16:35.720 --> 00:16:37.620
 We fear

00:16:37.620 --> 00:16:38.100
 punishment.

00:16:39.379 --> 00:16:40.200
 Not because

00:16:40.200 --> 00:16:40.580
 we think

00:16:40.580 --> 00:16:41.160
 it's right

00:16:41.160 --> 00:16:41.600
 to stick

00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:42.019
 on 100

00:16:42.019 --> 00:16:42.399
 kilometres

00:16:42.399 --> 00:16:42.840
 an hour.

00:16:43.860 --> 00:16:44.480
 We just

00:16:44.480 --> 00:16:44.960
 fear to be

00:16:44.960 --> 00:16:45.279
 caught.

00:16:46.300 --> 00:16:46.639
 And when we

00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:47.060
 say we fear

00:16:47.060 --> 00:16:47.580
 to be caught

00:16:47.580 --> 00:16:48.080
 we're worried

00:16:48.080 --> 00:16:48.660
 about the

00:16:48.660 --> 00:16:49.120
 cost it's

00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:49.639
 going to be.

00:16:50.080 --> 00:16:50.980
 $200 or

00:16:50.980 --> 00:16:51.399
 whatever it

00:16:51.399 --> 00:16:51.759
 is for,

00:16:51.860 --> 00:16:52.120
 I don't know

00:16:52.120 --> 00:16:52.300
 what the

00:16:52.300 --> 00:16:52.639
 speed and

00:16:52.639 --> 00:16:53.080
 fine is,

00:16:53.720 --> 00:16:54.440
 but whatever

00:16:54.440 --> 00:16:54.860
 it is,

00:16:54.960 --> 00:16:55.279
 depends on

00:16:55.279 --> 00:16:55.639
 how fast

00:16:55.639 --> 00:16:56.040
 you're going.

00:16:59.139 --> 00:17:00.040
 We submit

00:17:00.040 --> 00:17:00.500
 for the

00:17:00.500 --> 00:17:01.340
 Lord's sake

00:17:01.340 --> 00:17:05.519
 but Jesus

00:17:05.519 --> 00:17:06.200
 brilliance

00:17:06.200 --> 00:17:06.960
 really comes

00:17:06.960 --> 00:17:07.180
 to the

00:17:07.180 --> 00:17:07.460
 fore in

00:17:07.460 --> 00:17:07.799
 the second

00:17:07.799 --> 00:17:08.259
 half of

00:17:08.259 --> 00:17:08.740
 the answer.

00:17:09.519 --> 00:17:10.000
 Give to

00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:11.059
 God what

00:17:11.059 --> 00:17:12.279
 is God's.

00:17:14.279 --> 00:17:15.680
 Because it's

00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:16.240
 the second

00:17:16.240 --> 00:17:17.440
 half of

00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:18.460
 the statement,

00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:20.619
 it is the

00:17:20.619 --> 00:17:21.240
 emphasis of

00:17:21.240 --> 00:17:21.740
 the statement.

00:17:24.420 --> 00:17:25.160
 See what I'm

00:17:25.160 --> 00:17:25.500
 saying there?

00:17:27.059 --> 00:17:27.799
 Give to

00:17:27.799 --> 00:17:28.240
 Caesar what

00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:28.619
 ceases,

00:17:29.220 --> 00:17:29.759
 give to

00:17:29.759 --> 00:17:30.160
 God what

00:17:30.160 --> 00:17:30.700
 is God

00:17:30.700 --> 00:17:31.220
 means that

00:17:31.220 --> 00:17:31.759
 that second

00:17:31.759 --> 00:17:32.220
 half of the

00:17:32.220 --> 00:17:32.539
 statement

00:17:32.539 --> 00:17:33.299
 usurps it.

00:17:33.299 --> 00:17:34.319
 that's the

00:17:34.319 --> 00:17:35.059
 primary point.

00:17:36.859 --> 00:17:37.259
 The kingdom

00:17:37.259 --> 00:17:38.139
 of Jesus

00:17:38.139 --> 00:17:38.859
 that Jesus

00:17:38.859 --> 00:17:39.240
 is talking

00:17:39.240 --> 00:17:40.259
 about isn't

00:17:40.259 --> 00:17:41.039
 primarily about

00:17:41.039 --> 00:17:41.619
 you pay your

00:17:41.619 --> 00:17:41.980
 taxes,

00:17:42.539 --> 00:17:43.059
 it's about

00:17:43.059 --> 00:17:44.019
 giving God

00:17:44.019 --> 00:17:45.619
 what is

00:17:45.619 --> 00:17:46.039
 due to

00:17:46.039 --> 00:17:46.419
 God.

00:17:47.319 --> 00:17:47.819
 Our

00:17:47.819 --> 00:17:48.419
 submission to

00:17:48.419 --> 00:17:48.720
 God's

00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:49.619
 authority will

00:17:49.619 --> 00:17:50.119
 be evidence

00:17:50.119 --> 00:17:50.419
 in our

00:17:50.419 --> 00:17:51.099
 submission to

00:17:51.099 --> 00:17:51.659
 God by

00:17:51.659 --> 00:17:52.220
 obedience to

00:17:52.220 --> 00:17:52.539
 what he

00:17:52.539 --> 00:17:52.940
 commands.

00:17:53.639 --> 00:17:54.119
 In other

00:17:54.119 --> 00:17:55.000
 words, you

00:17:55.000 --> 00:17:55.819
 can't say

00:17:55.819 --> 00:17:56.799
 Christ is my

00:17:56.799 --> 00:17:57.619
 ruler, I

00:17:57.619 --> 00:17:58.200
 submit to

00:17:58.200 --> 00:17:59.279
 Christ as

00:17:59.279 --> 00:18:00.399
 my king and

00:18:00.399 --> 00:18:01.399
 then ignore

00:18:01.399 --> 00:18:01.859
 what he

00:18:01.859 --> 00:18:03.059
 commands, such

00:18:03.059 --> 00:18:04.019
 as submission

00:18:04.019 --> 00:18:05.919
 to governing

00:18:05.919 --> 00:18:07.559
 authorities or

00:18:07.559 --> 00:18:08.639
 being generous or

00:18:08.639 --> 00:18:09.279
 to meet together

00:18:09.279 --> 00:18:09.899
 as a church or

00:18:09.899 --> 00:18:10.319
 to turn the

00:18:10.319 --> 00:18:10.859
 other cheek or

00:18:10.859 --> 00:18:11.539
 to reject anger

00:18:11.539 --> 00:18:12.379
 or to not

00:18:12.379 --> 00:18:13.000
 judge or to

00:18:13.000 --> 00:18:13.679
 let no unwholesome

00:18:13.679 --> 00:18:14.279
 talk come out

00:18:14.279 --> 00:18:14.559
 of your mouth.

00:18:14.619 --> 00:18:15.299
 You can't say

00:18:15.299 --> 00:18:16.659
 he is my king

00:18:16.659 --> 00:18:17.839
 and then reject

00:18:17.839 --> 00:18:18.220
 what he

00:18:18.220 --> 00:18:18.839
 commands.

00:18:21.079 --> 00:18:21.679
 In saying

00:18:21.679 --> 00:18:22.279
 give to God

00:18:22.279 --> 00:18:23.159
 what is God's,

00:18:23.519 --> 00:18:24.240
 Jesus is

00:18:24.240 --> 00:18:25.619
 recognizing that

00:18:25.619 --> 00:18:26.440
 there is only

00:18:26.440 --> 00:18:27.539
 one God

00:18:27.539 --> 00:18:29.480
 which subtly

00:18:29.480 --> 00:18:30.879
 puts Caesar

00:18:30.879 --> 00:18:32.339
 in his place.

00:18:33.059 --> 00:18:34.679
 but it

00:18:34.679 --> 00:18:35.019
 doesn't just

00:18:35.019 --> 00:18:35.559
 put Caesar

00:18:35.559 --> 00:18:36.159
 in his place,

00:18:36.240 --> 00:18:36.980
 he puts us

00:18:36.980 --> 00:18:37.779
 in our place

00:18:37.779 --> 00:18:38.919
 as well.

00:18:39.879 --> 00:18:40.220
 You see, the

00:18:40.220 --> 00:18:41.000
 essence of

00:18:41.000 --> 00:18:41.980
 sin is to

00:18:41.980 --> 00:18:43.019
 rebel against

00:18:43.019 --> 00:18:43.359
 God.

00:18:43.460 --> 00:18:43.899
 It's an attempt

00:18:43.899 --> 00:18:44.539
 to remove

00:18:44.539 --> 00:18:45.319
 God and

00:18:45.319 --> 00:18:46.000
 his authority

00:18:46.000 --> 00:18:46.440
 over my

00:18:46.440 --> 00:18:47.159
 life so

00:18:47.159 --> 00:18:47.720
 that I am

00:18:47.720 --> 00:18:48.059
 king.

00:18:49.000 --> 00:18:49.480
 It is to be

00:18:49.480 --> 00:18:50.179
 the determinants

00:18:50.179 --> 00:18:50.919
 of our own

00:18:50.919 --> 00:18:52.139
 life and our

00:18:52.139 --> 00:18:52.980
 own destiny

00:18:52.980 --> 00:18:53.559
 and direction.

00:18:55.679 --> 00:18:55.919
 And yet

00:18:55.919 --> 00:18:56.359
 what this

00:18:56.359 --> 00:18:56.960
 passage is

00:18:56.960 --> 00:18:57.700
 saying is

00:18:57.700 --> 00:18:59.059
 that whether

00:18:59.059 --> 00:18:59.720
 you realize

00:18:59.720 --> 00:19:00.399
 it or not,

00:19:00.740 --> 00:19:01.639
 even those in

00:19:01.639 --> 00:19:02.220
 positions of

00:19:02.220 --> 00:19:02.740
 authority,

00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:04.920
 we are all

00:19:04.920 --> 00:19:05.940
 people under

00:19:05.940 --> 00:19:06.420
 orders.

00:19:07.700 --> 00:19:08.460
 We are all

00:19:08.460 --> 00:19:09.339
 under orders.

00:19:10.000 --> 00:19:10.839
 Jesus subtly

00:19:10.839 --> 00:19:11.660
 states God's

00:19:11.660 --> 00:19:12.400
 ownership of

00:19:12.400 --> 00:19:13.100
 everything,

00:19:13.819 --> 00:19:14.660
 giving to God

00:19:14.660 --> 00:19:16.180
 what is God's

00:19:16.180 --> 00:19:18.200
 is exactly

00:19:18.200 --> 00:19:18.620
 what the

00:19:18.620 --> 00:19:19.380
 Pharisees have

00:19:19.380 --> 00:19:20.019
 not been

00:19:20.019 --> 00:19:20.339
 doing.

00:19:21.559 --> 00:19:22.079
 They have

00:19:22.079 --> 00:19:22.819
 been playing

00:19:22.819 --> 00:19:23.900
 religious games.

00:19:25.900 --> 00:19:26.640
 It's a very

00:19:26.640 --> 00:19:27.140
 clear warning

00:19:27.140 --> 00:19:27.600
 for us here

00:19:27.600 --> 00:19:28.059
 to check

00:19:28.059 --> 00:19:29.500
 our allegiances.

00:19:29.500 --> 00:19:29.720
 Jesus.

00:19:31.720 --> 00:19:32.119
 And so the

00:19:32.119 --> 00:19:32.740
 Pharisees and

00:19:32.740 --> 00:19:33.279
 the Rodians,

00:19:33.420 --> 00:19:33.700
 they have

00:19:33.700 --> 00:19:34.319
 played their

00:19:34.319 --> 00:19:35.839
 ace card and

00:19:35.839 --> 00:19:36.240
 they've been

00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:36.799
 trumped.

00:19:37.680 --> 00:19:38.599
 Two groups

00:19:38.599 --> 00:19:39.119
 have now

00:19:39.119 --> 00:19:39.960
 confronted Jesus

00:19:39.960 --> 00:19:40.579
 seeking a

00:19:40.579 --> 00:19:40.960
 reason to

00:19:40.960 --> 00:19:41.440
 arrest him.

00:19:41.559 --> 00:19:41.859
 Both have

00:19:41.859 --> 00:19:42.319
 walked away

00:19:42.319 --> 00:19:42.599
 with their

00:19:42.599 --> 00:19:43.079
 tail between

00:19:43.079 --> 00:19:43.599
 their legs.

00:19:44.160 --> 00:19:44.579
 And now it's

00:19:44.579 --> 00:19:45.279
 time for the

00:19:45.279 --> 00:19:46.019
 Sadducees to

00:19:46.019 --> 00:19:46.599
 have a shot.

00:19:47.119 --> 00:19:47.599
 Not with a

00:19:47.599 --> 00:19:48.480
 political question

00:19:48.480 --> 00:19:49.059
 but with a

00:19:49.059 --> 00:19:50.059
 theologically loaded

00:19:50.059 --> 00:19:50.619
 question.

00:19:51.119 --> 00:19:51.779
 And again,

00:19:52.380 --> 00:19:53.140
 lips just

00:19:53.140 --> 00:19:54.200
 dripping with

00:19:54.200 --> 00:19:55.339
 insincerity.

00:19:55.339 --> 00:19:57.459
 There's a bit

00:19:57.459 --> 00:19:58.299
 of scoffing

00:19:58.299 --> 00:19:58.579
 and a bit

00:19:58.579 --> 00:19:59.279
 of ridicule

00:19:59.279 --> 00:19:59.740
 thrown in

00:19:59.740 --> 00:20:00.220
 amongst it

00:20:00.220 --> 00:20:00.500
 all.

00:20:01.439 --> 00:20:02.299
 The Sadducees

00:20:02.299 --> 00:20:03.000
 were a

00:20:03.000 --> 00:20:04.099
 powerful Jewish

00:20:04.099 --> 00:20:04.679
 faction.

00:20:05.259 --> 00:20:05.779
 Mark tells

00:20:05.779 --> 00:20:06.299
 us in

00:20:06.299 --> 00:20:07.279
 verse 18

00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:08.240
 that the

00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:08.819
 distinctive

00:20:08.819 --> 00:20:09.699
 doctrine of

00:20:09.699 --> 00:20:10.720
 the Sadducees

00:20:10.720 --> 00:20:11.579
 is they

00:20:11.579 --> 00:20:12.679
 don't believe

00:20:12.679 --> 00:20:13.240
 in the

00:20:13.240 --> 00:20:13.720
 resurrection.

00:20:14.720 --> 00:20:15.359
 Which is

00:20:15.359 --> 00:20:15.839
 why they

00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:16.240
 were sad,

00:20:16.279 --> 00:20:16.619
 you see.

00:20:19.259 --> 00:20:19.740
 They

00:20:19.740 --> 00:20:21.980
 some of

00:20:21.980 --> 00:20:22.179
 them are

00:20:22.179 --> 00:20:22.599
 just getting

00:20:22.599 --> 00:20:23.000
 it now.

00:20:23.539 --> 00:20:23.959
 It's an

00:20:23.959 --> 00:20:24.379
 old one,

00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:24.759
 I know,

00:20:24.759 --> 00:20:25.379
 but every

00:20:25.379 --> 00:20:26.059
 time Sadducees

00:20:26.059 --> 00:20:26.259
 are there,

00:20:26.359 --> 00:20:26.619
 you've got to

00:20:26.619 --> 00:20:27.940
 give it.

00:20:28.339 --> 00:20:28.619
 Anyway,

00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:31.339
 they basically

00:20:31.339 --> 00:20:32.140
 denied the

00:20:32.140 --> 00:20:33.099
 spiritual life.

00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:34.900
 The Sadducees

00:20:34.900 --> 00:20:35.960
 were the most

00:20:35.960 --> 00:20:37.059
 conservative group

00:20:37.059 --> 00:20:37.599
 in Israel.

00:20:38.119 --> 00:20:38.799
 They accepted

00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:39.720
 only the

00:20:39.720 --> 00:20:40.279
 Old Testament

00:20:40.279 --> 00:20:40.799
 law, that

00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:41.319
 is the Torah,

00:20:41.400 --> 00:20:41.859
 the Pentateuch,

00:20:41.940 --> 00:20:42.539
 the first five

00:20:42.539 --> 00:20:43.039
 books of the

00:20:43.039 --> 00:20:43.339
 Bible.

00:20:43.599 --> 00:20:44.259
 They only

00:20:44.259 --> 00:20:45.240
 accepted those

00:20:45.240 --> 00:20:45.779
 first five

00:20:45.779 --> 00:20:46.660
 books as

00:20:46.660 --> 00:20:47.140
 the word of

00:20:47.140 --> 00:20:47.440
 God.

00:20:47.879 --> 00:20:48.559
 They rejected

00:20:48.559 --> 00:20:49.319
 everything else.

00:20:49.460 --> 00:20:49.879
 They rejected

00:20:49.879 --> 00:20:50.819
 the rest of the

00:20:50.819 --> 00:20:51.440
 writings of the

00:20:51.440 --> 00:20:51.920
 prophets from

00:20:51.920 --> 00:20:52.200
 the Old

00:20:52.200 --> 00:20:52.559
 Testament.

00:20:53.720 --> 00:20:54.400
 And they

00:20:54.400 --> 00:20:55.280
 were legalists,

00:20:56.280 --> 00:20:56.860
 that is,

00:20:56.920 --> 00:20:57.120
 they were

00:20:57.120 --> 00:20:58.180
 legalistic about

00:20:58.180 --> 00:20:59.860
 the obedience to

00:20:59.860 --> 00:21:01.480
 those laws as

00:21:01.480 --> 00:21:02.280
 they saw fit.

00:21:02.500 --> 00:21:03.080
 But they were

00:21:03.080 --> 00:21:04.180
 legal liberalists,

00:21:04.380 --> 00:21:05.720
 which means they

00:21:05.720 --> 00:21:06.620
 obeyed the bits

00:21:06.620 --> 00:21:07.380
 that they believed,

00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:07.920
 but the bits that

00:21:07.920 --> 00:21:08.460
 they don't believe,

00:21:08.540 --> 00:21:09.400
 they basically read

00:21:09.400 --> 00:21:09.920
 the Bible with a

00:21:09.920 --> 00:21:10.360
 pair of scissors.

00:21:11.000 --> 00:21:11.519
 They cut out the

00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:11.900
 bits they don't

00:21:11.900 --> 00:21:12.300
 like.

00:21:13.320 --> 00:21:13.920
 And so

00:21:13.920 --> 00:21:17.280
 they were a

00:21:17.280 --> 00:21:19.019
 pretty nasty

00:21:19.019 --> 00:21:19.519
 bunch of

00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:19.820
 people.

00:21:19.819 --> 00:21:19.939
 people.

00:21:20.939 --> 00:21:21.279
 In fact,

00:21:21.379 --> 00:21:22.019
 Josephus,

00:21:22.079 --> 00:21:22.480
 who was a

00:21:22.480 --> 00:21:24.339
 historian around

00:21:24.339 --> 00:21:24.819
 that time,

00:21:24.899 --> 00:21:25.879
 who himself was

00:21:25.879 --> 00:21:26.759
 a Sadducee,

00:21:27.579 --> 00:21:29.460
 said that the

00:21:29.460 --> 00:21:31.139
 Sadducees were

00:21:31.139 --> 00:21:32.659
 rude, harsh,

00:21:32.879 --> 00:21:33.619
 and callous.

00:21:34.579 --> 00:21:35.159
 And that was

00:21:35.159 --> 00:21:35.659
 just amongst

00:21:35.659 --> 00:21:36.279
 themselves,

00:21:37.099 --> 00:21:37.919
 with their own

00:21:37.919 --> 00:21:38.259
 kind.

00:21:38.439 --> 00:21:38.939
 Forget about

00:21:38.939 --> 00:21:39.500
 anyone else,

00:21:39.559 --> 00:21:40.039
 they just hated

00:21:40.039 --> 00:21:40.799
 everyone else.

00:21:41.460 --> 00:21:42.039
 So they had a

00:21:42.039 --> 00:21:42.819
 pretty bad

00:21:42.819 --> 00:21:43.740
 reputation of

00:21:43.740 --> 00:21:45.539
 being not nice

00:21:45.539 --> 00:21:46.099
 people.

00:21:46.339 --> 00:21:46.740
 They weren't

00:21:46.740 --> 00:21:48.599
 well regarded in

00:21:48.599 --> 00:21:49.480
 the community

00:21:49.480 --> 00:21:49.859
 at all.

00:21:50.519 --> 00:21:50.859
 And they

00:21:50.859 --> 00:21:52.379
 reckon that the

00:21:52.379 --> 00:21:53.000
 Old Testament

00:21:53.000 --> 00:21:53.980
 law doesn't say

00:21:53.980 --> 00:21:54.959
 anything about

00:21:54.959 --> 00:21:56.019
 life after death.

00:21:56.619 --> 00:21:57.359
 And they come to

00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:57.839
 Jesus with a

00:21:57.839 --> 00:21:58.799
 hypothetical theological

00:21:58.799 --> 00:21:59.959
 situation, a

00:21:59.959 --> 00:22:01.119
 ridiculous situation.

00:22:01.439 --> 00:22:02.279
 It's an attempt to

00:22:02.279 --> 00:22:03.480
 make resurrection

00:22:03.480 --> 00:22:05.419
 look ridiculous,

00:22:05.719 --> 00:22:06.559
 and in the end

00:22:06.559 --> 00:22:07.299
 make Jesus look

00:22:07.299 --> 00:22:07.779
 stupid.

00:22:08.619 --> 00:22:09.259
 Just suppose,

00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:09.799
 they say,

00:22:09.939 --> 00:22:10.599
 there are seven

00:22:10.599 --> 00:22:11.399
 brothers, and the

00:22:11.399 --> 00:22:12.799
 first brother is

00:22:12.799 --> 00:22:14.059
 married, he dies,

00:22:14.199 --> 00:22:14.919
 and leaves a wife

00:22:14.919 --> 00:22:15.719
 with no kids.

00:22:17.379 --> 00:22:18.279
 Now Moses says,

00:22:18.279 --> 00:22:18.779
 back in

00:22:18.779 --> 00:22:19.440
 Deuteronomy,

00:22:20.000 --> 00:22:20.519
 that this

00:22:20.519 --> 00:22:21.700
 brother, one of

00:22:21.700 --> 00:22:22.279
 his other brothers

00:22:22.279 --> 00:22:23.019
 is meant to take

00:22:23.019 --> 00:22:23.619
 over and marry

00:22:23.619 --> 00:22:23.980
 the widow.

00:22:24.740 --> 00:22:25.379
 So the second

00:22:25.379 --> 00:22:25.920
 brother marries

00:22:25.920 --> 00:22:27.519
 her, but he

00:22:27.519 --> 00:22:28.220
 dies too.

00:22:29.019 --> 00:22:29.799
 And it's the

00:22:29.799 --> 00:22:30.619
 same thing for

00:22:30.619 --> 00:22:31.180
 the third, the

00:22:31.180 --> 00:22:31.660
 fourth, the

00:22:31.660 --> 00:22:32.039
 fifth, the

00:22:32.039 --> 00:22:32.460
 sixth, the

00:22:32.460 --> 00:22:33.059
 seventh brother.

00:22:33.619 --> 00:22:34.220
 Kind of like

00:22:34.220 --> 00:22:35.019
 seven brides for

00:22:35.019 --> 00:22:35.539
 seven brothers

00:22:35.539 --> 00:22:36.180
 except the other

00:22:36.180 --> 00:22:36.599
 way around,

00:22:37.019 --> 00:22:37.420
 sort of.

00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:39.220
 And last of

00:22:39.220 --> 00:22:40.180
 all, say the

00:22:40.180 --> 00:22:40.799
 Sadducees, the

00:22:40.799 --> 00:22:42.119
 woman finally

00:22:42.119 --> 00:22:42.960
 dies, exhausted

00:22:42.960 --> 00:22:43.680
 from seven

00:22:43.680 --> 00:22:45.579
 marriages and

00:22:45.579 --> 00:22:46.460
 having to put up

00:22:46.460 --> 00:22:46.879
 with seven

00:22:46.879 --> 00:22:47.299
 husbands.

00:22:48.279 --> 00:22:50.259
 So here's the

00:22:50.259 --> 00:22:50.639
 question.

00:22:52.299 --> 00:22:52.879
 You reckon

00:22:52.879 --> 00:22:53.339
 there's going to

00:22:53.339 --> 00:22:54.019
 be life after

00:22:54.019 --> 00:22:54.879
 death, whose

00:22:54.879 --> 00:22:56.019
 wife's she going

00:22:56.019 --> 00:22:57.720
 to be in

00:22:57.720 --> 00:22:58.000
 heaven?

00:22:58.859 --> 00:22:59.379
 What they're

00:22:59.379 --> 00:22:59.899
 trying to do is

00:22:59.899 --> 00:23:00.259
 they're trying to

00:23:00.259 --> 00:23:01.299
 take a central

00:23:01.299 --> 00:23:03.339
 theological truth

00:23:03.339 --> 00:23:04.139
 and make it look

00:23:04.139 --> 00:23:05.079
 so stupid.

00:23:06.039 --> 00:23:06.940
 And Jesus, the

00:23:06.940 --> 00:23:07.579
 foundation of

00:23:07.579 --> 00:23:08.200
 Jesus' answer is

00:23:08.200 --> 00:23:08.940
 in verse 24.

00:23:09.980 --> 00:23:10.619
 Are you not

00:23:10.619 --> 00:23:11.059
 in error?

00:23:12.319 --> 00:23:13.119
 Because you do

00:23:13.119 --> 00:23:13.879
 not know the

00:23:13.879 --> 00:23:14.819
 scriptures or the

00:23:14.819 --> 00:23:15.539
 power of God.

00:23:16.339 --> 00:23:16.799
 You see, their

00:23:16.799 --> 00:23:17.619
 problem had two

00:23:17.619 --> 00:23:18.519
 sources, ignorance

00:23:18.519 --> 00:23:19.199
 of God's word

00:23:19.199 --> 00:23:20.019
 and ignorance

00:23:20.019 --> 00:23:20.500
 of God's

00:23:20.500 --> 00:23:20.939
 power.

00:23:21.539 --> 00:23:22.019
 And I want to

00:23:22.019 --> 00:23:23.059
 say that they're

00:23:23.059 --> 00:23:24.599
 both, in fact,

00:23:24.699 --> 00:23:25.119
 connected.

00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:28.779
 In their

00:23:28.779 --> 00:23:30.059
 reading of the

00:23:30.059 --> 00:23:31.519
 Bible, even

00:23:31.519 --> 00:23:32.239
 their bit of the

00:23:32.239 --> 00:23:34.519
 Bible, they've

00:23:34.519 --> 00:23:35.179
 missed God.

00:23:36.859 --> 00:23:37.659
 And in missing

00:23:37.659 --> 00:23:38.279
 God, they've

00:23:38.279 --> 00:23:38.639
 missed his

00:23:38.639 --> 00:23:39.319
 character, they've

00:23:39.319 --> 00:23:39.659
 missed his

00:23:39.659 --> 00:23:40.239
 power, they've

00:23:40.239 --> 00:23:41.139
 missed everything

00:23:41.139 --> 00:23:41.939
 that God can do.

00:23:41.940 --> 00:23:45.000
 You see, a

00:23:45.000 --> 00:23:45.640
 thorough knowledge

00:23:45.640 --> 00:23:46.120
 of the word of

00:23:46.120 --> 00:23:46.640
 God is the

00:23:46.640 --> 00:23:47.400
 only way to

00:23:47.400 --> 00:23:47.980
 safeguard us

00:23:47.980 --> 00:23:49.059
 from error.

00:23:49.480 --> 00:23:50.640
 And yet, these

00:23:50.640 --> 00:23:51.440
 guys knew it.

00:23:52.779 --> 00:23:53.460
 At least the

00:23:53.460 --> 00:23:53.700
 bit they

00:23:53.700 --> 00:23:54.140
 accepted.

00:23:55.140 --> 00:23:55.799
 Their problem

00:23:55.799 --> 00:23:56.700
 was a lack of

00:23:56.700 --> 00:23:57.440
 submission to the

00:23:57.440 --> 00:23:57.900
 word of God.

00:23:57.960 --> 00:23:58.480
 They won't attack

00:23:58.480 --> 00:23:59.000
 the Bible with a

00:23:59.000 --> 00:23:59.420
 pair of scissors.

00:23:59.539 --> 00:23:59.880
 Anything they

00:23:59.880 --> 00:24:00.480
 like, get rid

00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:00.759
 of.

00:24:03.200 --> 00:24:03.720
 And Jesus

00:24:03.720 --> 00:24:04.680
 addresses the

00:24:04.680 --> 00:24:05.299
 problem of

00:24:05.299 --> 00:24:06.120
 their ignorance

00:24:06.120 --> 00:24:07.640
 of God's word

00:24:07.640 --> 00:24:09.059
 by diving right

00:24:09.059 --> 00:24:09.620
 into the very

00:24:09.620 --> 00:24:10.440
 heart of the

00:24:10.440 --> 00:24:10.900
 Old Testament

00:24:10.900 --> 00:24:11.320
 law.

00:24:11.940 --> 00:24:13.059
 which they

00:24:13.059 --> 00:24:14.559
 claim resurrection

00:24:14.559 --> 00:24:15.340
 can't be found.

00:24:16.440 --> 00:24:17.000
 And so Jesus

00:24:17.000 --> 00:24:17.519
 takes them to

00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:18.400
 Exodus 3, one of

00:24:18.400 --> 00:24:19.160
 the most famous

00:24:19.160 --> 00:24:19.820
 passages in the

00:24:19.820 --> 00:24:20.259
 Old Testament,

00:24:20.660 --> 00:24:21.320
 where God speaks

00:24:21.320 --> 00:24:21.860
 to Moses the

00:24:21.860 --> 00:24:22.840
 burning bush, and

00:24:22.840 --> 00:24:23.539
 God says to

00:24:23.539 --> 00:24:25.360
 Moses, I am the

00:24:25.360 --> 00:24:26.180
 God of Abraham,

00:24:26.400 --> 00:24:27.080
 the God of

00:24:27.080 --> 00:24:27.840
 Isaac, the God

00:24:27.840 --> 00:24:28.380
 of Jacob.

00:24:29.160 --> 00:24:29.559
 Now you see,

00:24:29.660 --> 00:24:30.279
 Abraham, Isaac,

00:24:30.360 --> 00:24:31.400
 and Jacob were

00:24:31.400 --> 00:24:32.779
 dead hundreds of

00:24:32.779 --> 00:24:33.759
 years when God

00:24:33.759 --> 00:24:34.500
 said that to

00:24:34.500 --> 00:24:34.920
 Moses the

00:24:34.920 --> 00:24:35.500
 burning bush.

00:24:36.620 --> 00:24:37.340
 And notice he

00:24:37.340 --> 00:24:38.080
 doesn't say, I

00:24:38.080 --> 00:24:39.120
 was, he doesn't

00:24:39.120 --> 00:24:40.039
 say, I used to

00:24:40.039 --> 00:24:41.420
 be, he says, I

00:24:41.420 --> 00:24:41.920
 am, I am,

00:24:41.940 --> 00:24:43.160
 I still am the

00:24:43.160 --> 00:24:44.160
 God of Abraham,

00:24:44.519 --> 00:24:45.519
 Isaac, and

00:24:45.519 --> 00:24:45.900
 Jacob.

00:24:47.000 --> 00:24:47.840
 I am still very

00:24:47.840 --> 00:24:48.680
 much their God

00:24:48.680 --> 00:24:50.700
 because they are

00:24:50.700 --> 00:24:51.299
 with me.

00:24:51.779 --> 00:24:52.539
 He's not the

00:24:52.539 --> 00:24:53.160
 God of the

00:24:53.160 --> 00:24:53.900
 dead, he's the

00:24:53.900 --> 00:24:54.400
 God of the

00:24:54.400 --> 00:24:54.600
 living.

00:24:54.720 --> 00:24:55.299
 And in one way

00:24:55.299 --> 00:24:56.019
 when he says

00:24:56.019 --> 00:24:56.559
 that, he's a

00:24:56.559 --> 00:24:56.799
 bit of an

00:24:56.799 --> 00:24:57.360
 uppercut to

00:24:57.360 --> 00:24:58.340
 these Sadducees,

00:24:58.740 --> 00:24:59.380
 I'm the God

00:24:59.380 --> 00:25:00.880
 of the living,

00:25:01.140 --> 00:25:01.900
 not the dead,

00:25:02.400 --> 00:25:02.960
 which is why

00:25:02.960 --> 00:25:03.180
 you're not

00:25:03.180 --> 00:25:03.779
 accepting me as

00:25:03.779 --> 00:25:04.559
 your God because

00:25:04.559 --> 00:25:05.120
 you're dead.

00:25:05.720 --> 00:25:06.360
 Sort of a bit

00:25:06.360 --> 00:25:06.900
 like that, he's

00:25:06.900 --> 00:25:07.440
 having a crack at

00:25:07.440 --> 00:25:07.940
 them as well.

00:25:07.940 --> 00:25:09.039
 So Abraham,

00:25:09.279 --> 00:25:09.740
 Isaac, and

00:25:09.740 --> 00:25:10.720
 Jacob enjoyed a

00:25:10.720 --> 00:25:11.519
 special covenant

00:25:11.519 --> 00:25:12.160
 relationship with

00:25:12.160 --> 00:25:13.759
 God which was so

00:25:13.759 --> 00:25:14.680
 dynamic and so

00:25:14.680 --> 00:25:16.180
 profound that it

00:25:16.180 --> 00:25:17.000
 demanded a

00:25:17.000 --> 00:25:17.660
 continued living

00:25:17.660 --> 00:25:18.480
 relationship with

00:25:18.480 --> 00:25:19.660
 God after death.

00:25:20.480 --> 00:25:21.940
 So Hebrews 11,

00:25:22.120 --> 00:25:23.640
 verse 10 tells us

00:25:23.640 --> 00:25:25.080
 that the patriarchs,

00:25:25.160 --> 00:25:25.820
 which are Abraham,

00:25:26.000 --> 00:25:26.340
 Isaac, and

00:25:26.340 --> 00:25:28.220
 Jacob, knew that

00:25:28.220 --> 00:25:28.980
 the covenant

00:25:28.980 --> 00:25:30.580
 promises extended

00:25:30.580 --> 00:25:32.440
 beyond life in

00:25:32.440 --> 00:25:33.039
 this world.

00:25:33.160 --> 00:25:33.559
 It says,

00:25:33.559 --> 00:25:34.879
 Abraham was

00:25:34.879 --> 00:25:35.859
 looking forward

00:25:35.859 --> 00:25:36.579
 to the city

00:25:36.579 --> 00:25:37.440
 with foundations

00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:38.700
 whose architect

00:25:38.700 --> 00:25:39.779
 and builder is

00:25:39.779 --> 00:25:40.200
 God.

00:25:40.639 --> 00:25:41.579
 They were all

00:25:41.579 --> 00:25:42.440
 still living by

00:25:42.440 --> 00:25:43.119
 faith when they

00:25:43.119 --> 00:25:43.480
 died.

00:25:43.940 --> 00:25:44.960
 They did not

00:25:44.960 --> 00:25:45.779
 receive the

00:25:45.779 --> 00:25:46.259
 things promised.

00:25:46.359 --> 00:25:47.220
 They only saw

00:25:47.220 --> 00:25:47.919
 them and welcomed

00:25:47.919 --> 00:25:48.500
 them from a

00:25:48.500 --> 00:25:49.799
 distance and they

00:25:49.799 --> 00:25:50.619
 admitted that they

00:25:50.619 --> 00:25:51.240
 themselves were

00:25:51.240 --> 00:25:51.839
 aliens and

00:25:51.839 --> 00:25:52.539
 strangers in the

00:25:52.539 --> 00:25:52.859
 world.

00:25:53.879 --> 00:25:54.940
 And verse 16 of

00:25:54.940 --> 00:25:56.119
 Hebrews 11 says

00:25:56.119 --> 00:25:56.579
 this,

00:25:57.099 --> 00:25:58.639
 Instead, they

00:25:58.639 --> 00:25:59.639
 were longing for a

00:25:59.639 --> 00:26:00.799
 better country, a

00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:01.480
 heavenly one.

00:26:01.599 --> 00:26:02.419
 Therefore, God is

00:26:02.419 --> 00:26:03.099
 not ashamed to be

00:26:03.099 --> 00:26:03.799
 called their God

00:26:03.799 --> 00:26:04.799
 for he has

00:26:04.799 --> 00:26:05.500
 prepared a city

00:26:05.500 --> 00:26:05.939
 for them.

00:26:07.079 --> 00:26:07.659
 And that's when

00:26:07.659 --> 00:26:08.480
 Jesus comes in with

00:26:08.480 --> 00:26:09.119
 his concluding

00:26:09.119 --> 00:26:09.539
 thrust.

00:26:10.679 --> 00:26:11.500
 He's not the God

00:26:11.500 --> 00:26:12.439
 of the dead but

00:26:12.439 --> 00:26:13.059
 the living.

00:26:14.259 --> 00:26:15.459
 Take that, you

00:26:15.459 --> 00:26:16.279
 Sadducees.

00:26:17.319 --> 00:26:18.459
 It's right out of

00:26:18.459 --> 00:26:19.599
 book two of the

00:26:19.599 --> 00:26:20.559
 five books that you

00:26:20.559 --> 00:26:21.519
 accept as the word

00:26:21.519 --> 00:26:22.059
 of God.

00:26:22.579 --> 00:26:23.259
 And that's just one

00:26:23.259 --> 00:26:23.639
 example.

00:26:23.759 --> 00:26:24.219
 He could have used

00:26:24.219 --> 00:26:24.859
 at least half a

00:26:24.859 --> 00:26:25.339
 dozen different

00:26:25.339 --> 00:26:25.779
 examples.

00:26:28.419 --> 00:26:29.339
 What it seems to

00:26:29.339 --> 00:26:31.219
 me is that their

00:26:31.219 --> 00:26:32.719
 whole reading of

00:26:32.720 --> 00:26:34.720
 these five books

00:26:34.720 --> 00:26:35.120
 of the Bible,

00:26:35.220 --> 00:26:35.880
 their whole law,

00:26:35.980 --> 00:26:36.500
 what they accept

00:26:36.500 --> 00:26:36.960
 as the word of

00:26:36.960 --> 00:26:38.700
 God, in all their

00:26:38.700 --> 00:26:39.940
 reading of it, it

00:26:39.940 --> 00:26:40.940
 appears that they've

00:26:40.940 --> 00:26:41.680
 missed God.

00:26:43.240 --> 00:26:43.920
 Completely missed

00:26:43.920 --> 00:26:44.299
 God.

00:26:44.940 --> 00:26:45.680
 Who is the whole

00:26:45.680 --> 00:26:46.180
 point?

00:26:48.480 --> 00:26:49.640
 They had read the

00:26:49.640 --> 00:26:50.640
 Bible and they had

00:26:50.640 --> 00:26:51.460
 judged it, they had

00:26:51.460 --> 00:26:52.440
 evaluated it and they

00:26:52.440 --> 00:26:53.500
 believed it based on

00:26:53.500 --> 00:26:54.299
 what they thought

00:26:54.299 --> 00:26:55.019
 their minds were

00:26:55.019 --> 00:26:55.440
 reasonable.

00:26:56.240 --> 00:26:56.940
 What their minds

00:26:56.940 --> 00:26:57.700
 thought was reasonable.

00:26:57.700 --> 00:27:01.500
 What they had had is

00:27:01.500 --> 00:27:02.259
 they gained a whole

00:27:02.259 --> 00:27:03.259
 heap of rules in

00:27:03.259 --> 00:27:03.819
 order to govern

00:27:03.819 --> 00:27:04.519
 their life.

00:27:06.140 --> 00:27:07.519
 They had pursued

00:27:07.519 --> 00:27:08.279
 some kind of

00:27:08.279 --> 00:27:08.860
 moralism.

00:27:11.920 --> 00:27:12.759
 But they missed

00:27:12.759 --> 00:27:13.299
 God.

00:27:14.400 --> 00:27:15.380
 They missed God's

00:27:15.380 --> 00:27:15.840
 agenda.

00:27:15.980 --> 00:27:16.519
 They missed his

00:27:16.519 --> 00:27:16.980
 purpose.

00:27:17.140 --> 00:27:17.680
 They missed his

00:27:17.680 --> 00:27:18.220
 character.

00:27:18.620 --> 00:27:19.380
 They missed his

00:27:19.380 --> 00:27:21.600
 miracle working power

00:27:21.600 --> 00:27:22.799
 to resurrect the

00:27:22.799 --> 00:27:23.100
 dead.

00:27:23.099 --> 00:27:25.839
 And in missing

00:27:25.839 --> 00:27:27.139
 God, they missed

00:27:27.139 --> 00:27:27.839
 life.

00:27:28.679 --> 00:27:29.419
 That is why I think

00:27:29.419 --> 00:27:30.439
 our core value of

00:27:30.439 --> 00:27:31.439
 Christ-centered Bible

00:27:31.439 --> 00:27:33.480
 saturation is crucial

00:27:33.480 --> 00:27:34.740
 for us as a church.

00:27:34.819 --> 00:27:35.480
 It's not just Bible

00:27:35.480 --> 00:27:35.859
 saturation.

00:27:36.339 --> 00:27:36.859
 It's not just know

00:27:36.859 --> 00:27:37.319
 your Bible.

00:27:37.419 --> 00:27:38.379
 It's know the Christ

00:27:38.379 --> 00:27:39.599
 of the Bible.

00:27:42.439 --> 00:27:43.379
 Because he's the

00:27:43.379 --> 00:27:43.740
 point.

00:27:46.559 --> 00:27:47.519
 God is the main

00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:48.059
 thing.

00:27:50.299 --> 00:27:51.259
 We go to the

00:27:51.259 --> 00:27:52.039
 scriptures to see

00:27:52.039 --> 00:27:52.799
 God and his

00:27:52.799 --> 00:27:53.639
 glory, his

00:27:53.639 --> 00:27:54.379
 purposes, his

00:27:54.379 --> 00:27:56.339
 character, so that

00:27:56.339 --> 00:27:57.579
 we would be aligned

00:27:57.579 --> 00:27:58.200
 with him.

00:28:01.159 --> 00:28:02.019
 And so giving to

00:28:02.019 --> 00:28:02.639
 God what he's

00:28:02.639 --> 00:28:04.180
 God's is a call to

00:28:04.180 --> 00:28:05.680
 total allegiance

00:28:05.680 --> 00:28:08.480
 that would flow

00:28:08.480 --> 00:28:10.119
 over into every

00:28:10.119 --> 00:28:11.039
 aspect of your

00:28:11.039 --> 00:28:11.460
 life.

00:28:12.579 --> 00:28:13.639
 Clearly it didn't

00:28:13.639 --> 00:28:14.659
 for the Pharisees,

00:28:15.799 --> 00:28:16.659
 for the Herodians,

00:28:17.659 --> 00:28:18.359
 or for the

00:28:18.359 --> 00:28:19.159
 Sadducees.

00:28:19.680 --> 00:28:21.159
 They had sort of

00:28:21.159 --> 00:28:22.379
 packaged their life

00:28:22.380 --> 00:28:23.240
 life, so they

00:28:23.240 --> 00:28:24.200
 had all these rules

00:28:24.200 --> 00:28:25.260
 and it didn't seem

00:28:25.260 --> 00:28:26.560
 to impact anything

00:28:26.560 --> 00:28:27.380
 relationally.

00:28:29.920 --> 00:28:31.000
 Total allegiance

00:28:31.000 --> 00:28:32.260
 with God flows

00:28:32.260 --> 00:28:34.540
 over into all

00:28:34.540 --> 00:28:35.880
 areas of life.

00:28:37.380 --> 00:28:38.420
 If you have a

00:28:38.420 --> 00:28:39.120
 problem with the

00:28:39.120 --> 00:28:39.600
 submission to

00:28:39.600 --> 00:28:41.440
 authority, let me

00:28:41.440 --> 00:28:43.760
 tell you, it

00:28:43.760 --> 00:28:45.100
 flows up to your

00:28:45.100 --> 00:28:45.640
 submission to

00:28:45.640 --> 00:28:46.060
 Christ.

00:28:46.720 --> 00:28:48.000
 It is a reflection

00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:49.240
 of your submission to

00:28:49.240 --> 00:28:49.640
 Christ.

00:28:51.180 --> 00:28:51.920
 They're not

00:28:51.920 --> 00:28:52.460
 disconnected.

00:28:56.819 --> 00:28:58.440
 And why is this

00:28:58.440 --> 00:28:59.859
 allegiance to

00:28:59.859 --> 00:29:00.960
 Christ so

00:29:00.960 --> 00:29:01.720
 essential?

00:29:04.240 --> 00:29:05.299
 Because eternal

00:29:05.299 --> 00:29:07.059
 life, resurrected

00:29:07.059 --> 00:29:09.200
 life, is not a

00:29:09.200 --> 00:29:10.640
 destination, it's a

00:29:10.640 --> 00:29:11.059
 person.

00:29:12.160 --> 00:29:13.599
 John 17, Jesus

00:29:13.599 --> 00:29:14.319
 says this,

00:29:14.319 --> 00:29:15.519
 now this is

00:29:15.519 --> 00:29:16.399
 eternal life,

00:29:16.879 --> 00:29:18.240
 that they may

00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:18.960
 know you, this

00:29:18.960 --> 00:29:19.379
 is Jesus

00:29:19.379 --> 00:29:21.019
 speaking, that

00:29:21.019 --> 00:29:21.659
 they may know

00:29:21.659 --> 00:29:23.139
 you, God, the

00:29:23.139 --> 00:29:25.039
 only true God, and

00:29:25.039 --> 00:29:26.179
 Jesus Christ whom

00:29:26.179 --> 00:29:26.879
 you have sent.

00:29:29.659 --> 00:29:30.839
 You miss Jesus,

00:29:31.319 --> 00:29:32.259
 you reject Jesus,

00:29:32.379 --> 00:29:33.359
 you ignore Jesus,

00:29:33.819 --> 00:29:35.759
 and you reject

00:29:35.759 --> 00:29:36.480
 life.

00:29:36.480 --> 00:29:36.579
 life.

00:29:40.460 --> 00:29:41.720
 To know Jesus is

00:29:41.720 --> 00:29:42.160
 to know the

00:29:42.160 --> 00:29:43.160
 power of God's

00:29:43.160 --> 00:29:43.900
 gift of a

00:29:43.900 --> 00:29:44.940
 resurrected life.

00:29:45.860 --> 00:29:46.680
 And that is the

00:29:46.680 --> 00:29:47.319
 problem with the

00:29:47.319 --> 00:29:48.059
 Sadducees.

00:29:49.140 --> 00:29:50.259
 They have read the

00:29:50.259 --> 00:29:51.900
 Bible, missed God,

00:29:52.420 --> 00:29:53.579
 and missed life.

00:29:56.299 --> 00:29:57.819
 What is implicit in

00:29:57.819 --> 00:29:58.559
 these encounters,

00:29:59.519 --> 00:30:00.420
 which will become

00:30:00.420 --> 00:30:02.319
 explicit next week,

00:30:03.319 --> 00:30:04.759
 in Jesus' last

00:30:04.759 --> 00:30:05.240
 encounter,

00:30:05.240 --> 00:30:07.359
 is that the

00:30:07.359 --> 00:30:08.279
 allegiance God

00:30:08.279 --> 00:30:10.500
 requires is not

00:30:10.500 --> 00:30:11.940
 a mere obedience

00:30:11.940 --> 00:30:12.880
 to a set of

00:30:12.880 --> 00:30:15.640
 rules, it's

00:30:15.640 --> 00:30:16.559
 not an

00:30:16.559 --> 00:30:18.319
 impressive

00:30:18.319 --> 00:30:18.859
 religious

00:30:18.859 --> 00:30:19.559
 practices,

00:30:20.880 --> 00:30:23.579
 but a heart

00:30:23.579 --> 00:30:24.480
 that loves God,

00:30:26.220 --> 00:30:27.059
 that treasures

00:30:27.059 --> 00:30:29.079
 Jesus, treasures

00:30:29.079 --> 00:30:29.940
 the Lord Jesus.

00:30:31.480 --> 00:30:32.019
 And in the

00:30:32.019 --> 00:30:33.240
 very temple

00:30:33.240 --> 00:30:34.559
 precincts,

00:30:35.240 --> 00:30:36.019
 at the very

00:30:36.019 --> 00:30:36.759
 center of the

00:30:36.759 --> 00:30:37.819
 religious practices

00:30:37.819 --> 00:30:38.400
 of the people

00:30:38.400 --> 00:30:39.000
 of God,

00:30:40.400 --> 00:30:41.140
 Jesus has

00:30:41.140 --> 00:30:42.620
 encounters with

00:30:42.620 --> 00:30:44.740
 the leaders of

00:30:44.740 --> 00:30:45.140
 the religious

00:30:45.140 --> 00:30:45.980
 practices of the

00:30:45.980 --> 00:30:46.559
 people of God.

00:30:47.359 --> 00:30:48.480
 The leaders of the

00:30:48.480 --> 00:30:49.180
 people of God.

00:30:49.579 --> 00:30:50.240
 And they have

00:30:50.240 --> 00:30:50.859
 their pomp,

00:30:51.279 --> 00:30:51.740
 and they have

00:30:51.740 --> 00:30:52.440
 their ceremony,

00:30:52.819 --> 00:30:53.720
 and they can quote

00:30:53.720 --> 00:30:54.259
 the scriptures,

00:30:54.500 --> 00:30:55.359
 and they can pray

00:30:55.359 --> 00:30:56.160
 impressively,

00:30:56.160 --> 00:30:59.120
 and yet they

00:30:59.120 --> 00:30:59.680
 reject their

00:30:59.680 --> 00:31:00.000
 king.

00:31:02.560 --> 00:31:03.480
 Right in the

00:31:03.480 --> 00:31:04.240
 very temple

00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:04.940
 precincts,

00:31:04.960 --> 00:31:05.480
 they reject

00:31:05.480 --> 00:31:06.040
 their king.

00:31:08.740 --> 00:31:09.860
 The very place

00:31:09.860 --> 00:31:10.340
 where you would

00:31:10.340 --> 00:31:11.620
 think that

00:31:11.620 --> 00:31:12.440
 people would be

00:31:12.440 --> 00:31:13.460
 waiting for the

00:31:13.460 --> 00:31:14.480
 fulfillment of all

00:31:14.480 --> 00:31:15.259
 the promises of

00:31:15.259 --> 00:31:16.560
 God, waiting for

00:31:16.560 --> 00:31:17.320
 the Messiah to

00:31:17.320 --> 00:31:18.420
 come, longing

00:31:18.420 --> 00:31:19.120
 for him,

00:31:19.119 --> 00:31:21.359
 and he gets

00:31:21.359 --> 00:31:22.099
 rejected there.

00:31:24.539 --> 00:31:25.739
 So, I want to

00:31:25.739 --> 00:31:26.339
 ask you,

00:31:27.959 --> 00:31:29.379
 what if these

00:31:29.379 --> 00:31:30.639
 encounters that

00:31:30.639 --> 00:31:31.500
 Jesus had

00:31:31.500 --> 00:31:32.879
 happened on our

00:31:32.879 --> 00:31:33.219
 deck,

00:31:34.919 --> 00:31:36.019
 straight after

00:31:36.019 --> 00:31:36.659
 five o'clock

00:31:36.659 --> 00:31:37.319
 congregation?

00:31:38.759 --> 00:31:39.819
 Would Jesus

00:31:39.819 --> 00:31:41.179
 find hearts and

00:31:41.179 --> 00:31:41.939
 lives that

00:31:41.939 --> 00:31:42.639
 treasure him?

00:31:42.640 --> 00:31:42.740
 Amen.