WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.000 Okay, so 00:00:03.520 --> 00:00:08.980 Marianne's going to get baptized in a little while she's hanging on in there and she's doing fine 00:00:09.599 --> 00:00:11.279 and 00:00:11.279 --> 00:00:18.120 So I'm just gonna ask a question before that before explaining a little bit about what this passage I hope is about what 00:00:18.480 --> 00:00:20.480 What what does it mean? 00:00:20.559 --> 00:00:23.960 To have the service and what particular is he mean for Marianne to get baptized? 00:00:23.960 --> 00:00:27.240 I will say a little bit more just before she gets baptized, but essentially 00:00:27.239 --> 00:00:34.399 Marianne has come to recognize like all of us who are Christians here today that Jesus is not just make-believe 00:00:35.599 --> 00:00:36.960 Okay 00:00:36.960 --> 00:00:38.200 that he 00:00:38.200 --> 00:00:44.359 really did break into history and that his claims to be more than just a good person more than just a 00:00:45.200 --> 00:00:52.640 Decent individual but who claimed to be God in the flesh does stand up to scrutiny that his death on the cross and 00:00:52.640 --> 00:00:57.799 His resurrection three days later, which we sung about there 00:00:59.679 --> 00:01:06.000 Means that he's more powerful than than death and is in fact the author of life is what he claims to be and 00:01:07.280 --> 00:01:13.000 She and all of us who put our trust in Jesus are those who have found our identity in him 00:01:13.680 --> 00:01:14.960 forgiveness 00:01:14.960 --> 00:01:16.960 amazing love grace 00:01:16.959 --> 00:01:24.879 Strength for every day and hope for the future so that's really where we are in our lives in our Christian faith 00:01:25.439 --> 00:01:30.719 And Jesus Christ speaks into the what is often the mess of our lives the guilt that meant 00:01:31.399 --> 00:01:34.359 Often we feel the fear that paralyzes us 00:01:34.919 --> 00:01:43.399 And he speaks into our questions and our desire for answers into the the big questions about who we are 00:01:43.839 --> 00:01:45.839 why we're here and 00:01:45.840 --> 00:01:50.799 What do we make of the creativity of this beautiful world as well as the chaos? 00:01:51.600 --> 00:01:56.000 There's that series on on TV on BBC one. I don't know if any of you watch it 00:01:56.640 --> 00:01:58.640 Called who do you think you are? 00:01:59.320 --> 00:02:01.320 Where famous people 00:02:01.359 --> 00:02:07.040 Find out about their genealogy about where they come from or you know the you know 500 years ago 00:02:07.040 --> 00:02:12.719 There are great great great great great great great grandfather was Norman the conqueror or something like that 00:02:12.719 --> 00:02:18.159 And they find out all sorts of things about their past because people look for and are interested in 00:02:18.639 --> 00:02:20.639 roots and identity and 00:02:20.879 --> 00:02:22.560 Ancestry and belongings 00:02:22.560 --> 00:02:27.199 And that's what we find all in ultimate terms in relationship with Jesus Christ 00:02:27.199 --> 00:02:32.560 We find out all about these big questions and about the world we live in about our own hearts and about 00:02:33.120 --> 00:02:37.360 Who he is and who he claims to be and why this world exists 00:02:37.360 --> 00:02:42.720 that's really why we make such a big deal about Jesus Christ in our lives and in our worship and 00:02:43.720 --> 00:02:51.840 That's why as Christians we gather every Sunday to worship him and we read from the Bible and I preach and speak and teach from the Bible because we believe 00:02:52.080 --> 00:02:55.880 It's a living and a significant and important 00:02:56.520 --> 00:03:01.760 Message that the Bible teaches to us. So the parables which we read one of today 00:03:03.600 --> 00:03:05.240 Jesus 00:03:05.240 --> 00:03:08.960 Told these parables really to make us think a little bit more about our own hearts 00:03:09.760 --> 00:03:14.520 about our own motives for living about our relationship with God or not 00:03:14.520 --> 00:03:21.680 If you know we don't have a relationship with God and they're there for that Jesus has given them to help us dig 00:03:21.680 --> 00:03:23.680 a little bit below the surface and 00:03:24.160 --> 00:03:25.879 see 00:03:25.879 --> 00:03:31.840 Whether we can understand more about God and are interested in learning more about God and this is a story a 00:03:31.840 --> 00:03:38.039 Parable that he told about two guys who went up to pray and it would have been a shocking story 00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:43.240 To his original audience a really shocking story 00:03:44.280 --> 00:03:51.000 Because of the way he presented the story and the characters that he spoke about in the story 00:03:51.400 --> 00:03:58.400 And so I hope that we can be a little bit shocked as well and be challenged by what Jesus has to say 00:03:58.400 --> 00:04:05.840 For us because there's two main characters in the story. There's this guy called a Pharisee and there's a guy called a tax collector 00:04:07.040 --> 00:04:14.520 So the Pharisee would be a really respectable person in the society in which he lived. He was a religious leader 00:04:15.400 --> 00:04:19.879 He kind of had a job a bit like me, but I really hope I'm not like him 00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:27.360 Okay, but he was one of the guys that in the day and generation which he lived was very moral very upright 00:04:27.360 --> 00:04:29.360 a 00:04:29.480 --> 00:04:37.800 Ritualistic in his religious observance and but also someone who really thought he was much better than other people and he looked down on other 00:04:37.800 --> 00:04:42.040 People and he believed absolutely. He was good enough for God 00:04:42.920 --> 00:04:45.800 God would accept him and God would hear his prayers 00:04:46.480 --> 00:04:49.040 More than that really that God owed him a favor 00:04:49.600 --> 00:04:54.720 And so he prayed in that way, you know, and we read about that prayer and look at it briefly again 00:04:54.720 --> 00:05:02.080 In a moment, but that that was the kind of guy he was and so the people who a lot of people who were listening to Jesus 00:05:02.080 --> 00:05:05.960 Would all have gone yep thumbs up for this guy. He's really good guy 00:05:05.960 --> 00:05:13.280 He's the best guy and he's a religious one and he's the one that God will love and will accept and take to heaven 00:05:14.640 --> 00:05:20.320 And then we've got a tax collector and the tax collector was regarded as scum 00:05:21.120 --> 00:05:22.960 okay 00:05:22.959 --> 00:05:30.439 everybody in the society hated the tax collectors, okay, because Israel at that time was occupied by the Roman Empire 00:05:31.680 --> 00:05:33.599 tremendously powerful nation 00:05:33.599 --> 00:05:42.000 You know gladiator and all these kind of films that speak about the Roman Empire of the time and the tax collectors were 00:05:42.079 --> 00:05:46.839 Jewish guys who who had worked for the Roman authorities, okay, they 00:05:46.839 --> 00:05:51.919 They as tax collectors and they charged more than they should have 00:05:53.000 --> 00:05:55.000 so they really 00:05:55.359 --> 00:05:58.799 Ripped off their own people and they became very wealthy 00:05:59.679 --> 00:06:07.000 But also very despised because they were seen not only as greedy, but as traitors and cheats 00:06:08.319 --> 00:06:11.120 and you know that the the cultural 00:06:11.120 --> 00:06:19.040 Strength of the people of Israel was really strong and to deny that or to betray that was seen as the ultimate 00:06:19.319 --> 00:06:21.959 Insult and so here was the tax collector 00:06:22.680 --> 00:06:24.680 Definitely too bad for God 00:06:24.759 --> 00:06:29.879 God could never love a tax collector and never accept him he would get the thumbs down 00:06:30.120 --> 00:06:31.879 You remember in the big Roman arena 00:06:31.879 --> 00:06:38.120 It was if the if it was to the death they would put the thumbs down and if it was to live they would put the thumbs up 00:06:38.120 --> 00:06:44.840 Well for him it was it was absolutely he would be reject God wouldn't have any interest in this lying cheating 00:06:45.399 --> 00:06:50.319 corrupt selfish wealthy greedy manipulative individual 00:06:53.920 --> 00:06:55.920 But yet when they prayed 00:06:56.360 --> 00:07:02.360 It seems the tables were completely turned absolutely turned in terms of 00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:07.199 What God thought of them the Pharisee who was 00:07:07.199 --> 00:07:09.199 The good guy is 00:07:10.599 --> 00:07:12.599 rejected by God 00:07:12.719 --> 00:07:16.639 He didn't go home justified before God right in God's eyes 00:07:18.000 --> 00:07:21.439 Whereas the tax collector was accepted 00:07:22.039 --> 00:07:28.439 All he prayed from a distance. He didn't even go near to the place where the others were praying from a distance 00:07:28.439 --> 00:07:30.839 He said just Lord God have mercy on me 00:07:31.639 --> 00:07:33.639 Please have mercy on me 00:07:33.759 --> 00:07:35.759 sinner 00:07:35.759 --> 00:07:43.639 And Jesus says that this guy is the one who went home right with God justified before God now that 00:07:43.680 --> 00:07:47.959 That story was that would have been hugely thought-provoking and 00:07:48.719 --> 00:07:53.079 Challenging by Jesus. It was something that was turning convention 00:07:53.680 --> 00:07:58.560 completely upside down and he was wanting to challenge people to think about 00:07:58.560 --> 00:08:06.240 Their relationship with God and and how they judged that and what Jesus was saying into that and what he was coming to do 00:08:06.439 --> 00:08:13.480 To put our relationship with God right so just for a few moments. We'll one or two things in applying this 00:08:15.040 --> 00:08:21.319 Parable this story to ourselves and what it means for today and what it means for our lives and what Jesus 00:08:21.720 --> 00:08:23.720 Keeps on saying to us 00:08:23.720 --> 00:08:31.000 When he speaks in the Bible and when he speaks to us through our conscience and through his spirit the first thing I think is that 00:08:31.640 --> 00:08:36.519 What the parable reminds us is that God's opinion about us matters 00:08:37.279 --> 00:08:38.800 It talks here about 00:08:38.800 --> 00:08:46.560 One or the other being justified or being made right with God or not right with God and Jesus saying that is a really important 00:08:46.639 --> 00:08:50.519 Distinction and what God thinks of us is really significant 00:08:50.519 --> 00:08:57.480 Jesus really wants to make that clear. He's saying that God matters. It's it because we live as people who are 00:08:58.600 --> 00:09:03.039 Accountable to God because he made us he's our Creator and he's our Lord. I 00:09:03.720 --> 00:09:08.159 Know even if we don't believe that if we please I don't believe that for a moment 00:09:08.399 --> 00:09:14.639 We do recognize within ourselves even if we don't believe God or don't believe in spiritual truth 00:09:14.879 --> 00:09:18.799 We do have a sense all the time don't we of accountability 00:09:18.799 --> 00:09:20.799 to someone 00:09:22.279 --> 00:09:24.279 Even if it's just ourselves 00:09:24.359 --> 00:09:26.359 We do have a sense of what is 00:09:27.199 --> 00:09:30.439 Right and wrong at least by our own standards 00:09:30.759 --> 00:09:37.359 We do feel guilty or we feel innocent and hard done by so there's this great sense of accountability 00:09:37.439 --> 00:09:42.639 That that is part of our very DNA part of our existence part of our lives 00:09:43.639 --> 00:09:45.639 and that comes 00:09:45.639 --> 00:09:54.639 We believe as the Bible teaches from God because we are made in his image and we are made to worship him to love him and 00:09:55.639 --> 00:10:02.279 We're accountable to him. So he says to you and to me. He says actually your life really does matter 00:10:02.840 --> 00:10:05.240 your life is very significant and 00:10:05.879 --> 00:10:12.600 What you do with your life matters what you think matters if you dismiss God it does matter 00:10:12.600 --> 00:10:16.200 He's the most important being if God is God isn't it? 00:10:16.200 --> 00:10:18.320 He is the most important being in the universe 00:10:18.920 --> 00:10:22.840 If he's not God if he's just make believe then we can all just give up and go home today 00:10:22.840 --> 00:10:27.920 But if he is God and if he is the Creator and if he is who he claims to be the infinite eternal one 00:10:27.920 --> 00:10:33.240 Who made you who knows you who loves you then his opinion of us is significant 00:10:33.240 --> 00:10:38.960 And Jesus was really wanting to ram that home lovingly to the Pharisees 00:10:38.960 --> 00:10:44.320 Of his day and also the tax collectors of his day who felt rejected and felt unloved and 00:10:45.280 --> 00:10:47.280 hopeless 00:10:47.280 --> 00:10:51.120 Just as much as the Pharisees felt proud and independent and self-reliant 00:10:51.840 --> 00:10:58.080 So God's opinion matters. That's for sure. The second thing is that he is a different standard of 00:11:01.360 --> 00:11:05.360 I guess what's the word a different standard of judgment? 00:11:05.360 --> 00:11:08.480 Well, what's the word a different standard of judgment? 00:11:09.120 --> 00:11:10.399 Than we do 00:11:10.399 --> 00:11:15.039 See what the Pharisee made a big deal of was just comparing himself with other people 00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:21.440 Well, I'm better than that guy much better. I'm glad in fact so much so that he thanked God 00:11:21.840 --> 00:11:26.639 It's it's a it's quite a humorous prayer in some ways. He just he thanks God 00:11:27.680 --> 00:11:31.840 He thinks God will be delighted with him because he thanks God that he's just not like other people 00:11:31.840 --> 00:11:38.160 And he judges himself by other people particularly by how he acts outwardly 00:11:38.800 --> 00:11:44.879 You know the fact that he's a religious person the fact that he goes to church the fact that he reads his bible all these things outward things 00:11:45.440 --> 00:11:48.000 Are what he is judging himself on? 00:11:49.200 --> 00:11:54.960 But Jesus God never compares us to other people. He never says well that guy is better than that guy 00:11:55.840 --> 00:12:00.320 Or worse than that guy because he doesn't just judge on what we're like on the outside 00:12:00.320 --> 00:12:06.400 On the outside is God as God sees our hearts and he sees what we're like on the inside 00:12:06.400 --> 00:12:10.720 He knows and understands both our thoughts and our the intentions 00:12:11.360 --> 00:12:18.320 That we have our motives our insecurities our anger our loneliness our pride our selfishness our longings 00:12:19.040 --> 00:12:26.560 Our good thoughts are bad all the things that make up the maelstrom of who we are inside and sometimes it spills out into who we are 00:12:26.559 --> 00:12:33.599 On the outside as well. He knows and but he is and but he's a different standard of judgment 00:12:34.959 --> 00:12:43.199 And he says and this is a tough bit really is that our very best efforts our very best efforts outwardly or inwardly 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:46.000 Can't make us right 00:12:48.319 --> 00:12:50.000 He says 00:12:50.000 --> 00:12:59.039 Every single person who is ever born whoever lived needs to be made righteous made right with him and nobody can do it on their own 00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:03.679 No tax collectors no Pharisees nobody 00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:10.879 Because he sees our hearts he sees our attitudes to him and he sees our attitudes and what we do with others 00:13:10.879 --> 00:13:14.879 We can't love him perfectly. We can't love others perfectly and that's the standard 00:13:14.879 --> 00:13:19.360 And you know what it's like, don't you? You know what it's like when you have a major fallout with someone 00:13:20.240 --> 00:13:22.240 Something major goes wrong 00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:25.120 You can't be right with that person until you deal with it 00:13:26.559 --> 00:13:29.200 And then you can say are we good? Are we good now? 00:13:29.759 --> 00:13:31.439 Because you've dealt with it 00:13:31.439 --> 00:13:34.799 But until you've dealt with it you can't say are we we can't just forget and just say are we good? 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:38.000 I think well, no, there's this huge big 00:13:38.000 --> 00:13:45.039 barrier and gulf between us and God is saying that that's what it's like between ourselves and God and we can't just say 00:13:45.600 --> 00:13:50.399 Are we good now with you because we've done this or that or the next thing we can't deal with it 00:13:51.360 --> 00:13:55.200 And we can't deal with it on our own. There's something major wrong 00:13:56.799 --> 00:14:00.240 So that we are separated from the living God and 00:14:01.039 --> 00:14:05.440 It its consequence is ultimately death rebellion 00:14:05.440 --> 00:14:12.080 Chaos around us chaos in our hearts death all of it is like a megaphone 00:14:12.640 --> 00:14:14.640 And often we just put the mufflers on 00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:19.840 I'd rather not deal with it. I'd rather not think about it. I'd rather just ignore it and move on 00:14:20.560 --> 00:14:22.560 But God sees he's a different standard 00:14:23.040 --> 00:14:25.040 From us and we see that 00:14:26.560 --> 00:14:32.960 With the two guys don't we the Pharisee? What was the problem with the Pharisee? Well, he was he was proud 00:14:32.960 --> 00:14:37.040 really proud he didn't need God really 00:14:37.840 --> 00:14:39.840 He didn't need forgiveness 00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:45.759 Basically, he was going into God's presence and saying look God you should be grateful for me. I am just 00:14:46.560 --> 00:14:47.759 The best 00:14:47.759 --> 00:14:51.759 You should be grateful for me for the life. I'm looting you owe me a favor 00:14:52.080 --> 00:14:59.759 You owe me a place of blessing now and a place in heaven because I am one of the good guys. I'm definitely better than other people 00:14:59.759 --> 00:15:01.759 And 00:15:02.960 --> 00:15:05.360 Yet he's rejected and the interesting thing is 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:08.319 For all his claims to knowing God 00:15:09.120 --> 00:15:11.759 All his claims to understanding who God was 00:15:12.399 --> 00:15:13.840 He didn't 00:15:13.840 --> 00:15:15.840 Know God. He maybe knew about God 00:15:16.960 --> 00:15:21.120 He didn't know God. I've used this illustration here a lot. So forgive me 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:24.000 But it's the difference say 00:15:24.000 --> 00:15:30.559 Uh, and I'm gonna show my age here as well. Say David Beckham walked into the here. Okay, David Beckham hero footballer 00:15:31.200 --> 00:15:33.200 What no not worship? 00:15:33.279 --> 00:15:37.519 Just liked him as a footballer. Okay, and he would come in and I go 00:15:38.080 --> 00:15:42.080 There's David Beckham and I could tell you all about him and I could tell you about his footballing career and the goals 00:15:42.080 --> 00:15:45.279 He scored and his wife and his kids and all that know all about him 00:15:47.039 --> 00:15:49.039 But he would look at me and say I don't know who he is 00:15:50.000 --> 00:15:52.639 Who's this guy the front? I don't know Derek 00:15:52.639 --> 00:15:56.720 Because I know about David Beckham, but I don't know him. I've never had a 00:15:57.360 --> 00:16:01.279 Conversation with him never gone out for a drink with him. I never never met him 00:16:01.840 --> 00:16:06.559 So there is that difference a human level between knowing about people and knowing them personally 00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:11.360 And it was like that with a Pharisee. He knew lots of things about God, but he didn't know him 00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:14.799 He didn't know what God demanded. He didn't know what God offered 00:16:15.199 --> 00:16:17.200 He didn't know who God was 00:16:17.200 --> 00:16:20.559 He was proud and didn't really need to bother finding out 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:24.159 The tax collector, however was humble 00:16:25.439 --> 00:16:30.319 You know, we find that don't we that in his prayer? He just was humble and he said, you know 00:16:33.759 --> 00:16:36.319 Father forgive me have mercy on me a sinner 00:16:37.199 --> 00:16:40.239 He recognized in other words it really his life was in a mess 00:16:41.039 --> 00:16:42.639 outwardly 00:16:42.639 --> 00:16:45.679 He some ways he was doing great money was his God 00:16:45.679 --> 00:16:53.279 But it left him empty and absolutely alone separated from God separated from others his heart was a mess 00:16:54.079 --> 00:16:55.759 and he knew it 00:16:55.759 --> 00:17:01.519 And he was humble enough to admit it. He was a rebel against God and others. He'd been greedy. He'd made an idol 00:17:02.079 --> 00:17:04.079 of money. He needed mercy 00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:07.039 And he wanted forgiveness and a new heart 00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:09.839 And you know the great thing is 00:17:10.399 --> 00:17:12.399 He did know God 00:17:12.400 --> 00:17:15.600 See the difference wasn't just he knew about God. He went 00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:18.960 Humbly but confidently 00:17:19.360 --> 00:17:22.640 Into the presence of the one who he knew would show mercy to him 00:17:23.519 --> 00:17:25.519 Who would forgive him who would accept him? 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:30.160 He was really confident in that and that's a huge difference between the two 00:17:30.800 --> 00:17:33.200 And that's really the lesson I'm just going to end with today 00:17:33.840 --> 00:17:36.080 Is that the key to this parable? 00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:38.880 Is actually the mercy of God 00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:45.200 It's all about knowing God and knowing his mercy and his forgiveness and his grace 00:17:45.920 --> 00:17:49.040 He loves us even against the odds of who we are 00:17:49.760 --> 00:17:57.280 And he acts himself to put things right on our behalf. No, okay. I'm sorry. I'm really bad at new illustrations 00:17:57.440 --> 00:18:00.480 And he's I'm really old. He's another really old illustration 00:18:00.880 --> 00:18:05.520 I used it already this week at boot camps if there's been anyone here from boot camp then they'll know that I already 00:18:05.519 --> 00:18:09.440 Apologize because it's the only one I ever use but it's a great illustration about mercy 00:18:09.920 --> 00:18:13.759 And it's about a guy who was in the Napoleonic wars fighting for Napoleon 00:18:14.480 --> 00:18:16.480 who a young guy who 00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:21.680 Ran away from the army who absconded. What's the proper word for that? 00:18:23.839 --> 00:18:30.000 Desserted correct he deserted couldn't remember it on Wednesday either. He deserted. Okay. Now that was punishable by death 00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:36.079 So he was caught he was brought into Napoleon's presence and the boy's mother was there as well 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:41.759 And as the sentence of death was being was being meted out the the mother 00:18:42.559 --> 00:18:46.480 fell in her knees before Napoleon and begged for mercy for her son 00:18:47.519 --> 00:18:49.519 And Napoleon said my dear woman 00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:52.480 He doesn't deserve mercy 00:18:52.799 --> 00:18:54.480 And she replied 00:18:54.480 --> 00:18:57.039 If he deserved it it wouldn't be mercy 00:18:57.039 --> 00:19:00.799 And that's the key to our understanding of the gospel 00:19:02.079 --> 00:19:06.399 Is that we depend on God's mercy not because we deserve it like the Pharisee thought he did 00:19:07.039 --> 00:19:09.039 But because we need him 00:19:09.359 --> 00:19:12.639 And that's the great news of the gospel is that Jesus came to pay 00:19:13.279 --> 00:19:17.119 For the consequences of the badness he sees in our hearts 00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:24.639 He pays the spiritual cost of us rejecting the author and the giver of life 00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:30.480 God could justly punish us against our pride our selfish and sinful choices 00:19:31.120 --> 00:19:33.120 And you know you may bristle at that 00:19:33.680 --> 00:19:35.680 You bristle at a god who would 00:19:36.320 --> 00:19:39.759 Who would do that but but justice in this universe matters doesn't it? 00:19:40.480 --> 00:19:42.480 It really matters 00:19:42.640 --> 00:19:45.600 And we recognize that he is the one who is the standard 00:19:45.920 --> 00:19:52.640 But we also recognize that even though we can't put it right he took the sentence 00:19:52.640 --> 00:19:59.280 Of death it was due to us our estrangement from God the father our sinful hearts 00:19:59.840 --> 00:20:02.880 And he died in our place. That's why we sing about the death of Jesus 00:20:03.520 --> 00:20:06.640 That's why you might think it's weird that Christians 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:13.600 You know have a cross as the symbol of of their faith and why we focus so much at Easter on the death 00:20:14.000 --> 00:20:16.720 But also the resurrection of Jesus. It's because it's central 00:20:17.360 --> 00:20:19.759 It's because Jesus isn't for us just a kind of fluffy 00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:21.759 Toy 00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:23.519 Nice guy 00:20:23.519 --> 00:20:25.519 Sort of with pretty thoughts 00:20:25.519 --> 00:20:30.640 That he's he's God who came and who died in our place on the cross 00:20:31.359 --> 00:20:34.960 It's God saying to us in all the mystery and complexity of that 00:20:35.279 --> 00:20:38.720 I know your heart is much worse than you ever imagined it to be 00:20:39.759 --> 00:20:42.879 But I love you more than you could ever dream of being loved 00:20:43.920 --> 00:20:45.920 And I take your badness 00:20:46.079 --> 00:20:48.079 And I pay for it myself 00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:51.519 On the cross and that opens a way back for you 00:20:52.159 --> 00:20:53.279 to me 00:20:53.279 --> 00:20:59.039 To a living relationship with God to a new life to belong to forgiveness and to hope forever 00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:03.359 And all we're asked to do is accept that gift 00:21:04.720 --> 00:21:05.839 So 00:21:05.839 --> 00:21:09.039 In many ways every time we come together and every time we preach and think about it 00:21:09.119 --> 00:21:12.159 I have we have to think there's really no more terrible news 00:21:12.160 --> 00:21:17.120 But there's also no more fantastic news as well 00:21:17.840 --> 00:21:22.320 Um, it's like being told in one moment. You've got an incurable disease 00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:25.920 But there's an anti antidote 00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:28.960 But you can't meet the cost 00:21:29.600 --> 00:21:31.600 But someone's gifting you at free 00:21:33.519 --> 00:21:35.519 And that's the reality of 00:21:35.519 --> 00:21:40.240 Of the gospel and the gift of grace that Jesus Christ, you know, is there anybody else 00:21:40.240 --> 00:21:42.880 That you could ever meet who loves you 00:21:43.839 --> 00:21:47.120 That much and is willing to be so honest with you 00:21:47.839 --> 00:21:53.039 And with me about our hearts even at the risk of being rejected by you 00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:55.759 because many people do 00:21:55.920 --> 00:21:57.920 In order to offer you a better way 00:21:58.400 --> 00:22:00.400 And life eternal 00:22:00.559 --> 00:22:02.559 That's really why we worship him 00:22:03.839 --> 00:22:05.839 That's why Marianne's getting baptized today 00:22:06.480 --> 00:22:07.680 That's why we trust him 00:22:07.680 --> 00:22:12.799 And we live in a spiritual relationship with him because he is 00:22:13.600 --> 00:22:15.600 Worth it. He's worth it 00:22:16.240 --> 00:22:21.920 And we I would and we would we would love you to consider if you're not a Christian his claims 00:22:22.960 --> 00:22:29.440 On your life because it does really matter and as Christians we always need to reassert our 00:22:30.000 --> 00:22:33.039 Commitment and our love to him for who he is 00:22:33.039 --> 00:22:37.920 So that's really the basis of why we get together and why we 00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:45.759 Are doing this baptism and why we worship so let's pray briefly together before moving on to the baptism today 00:22:49.039 --> 00:22:54.000 Lord we thank you for your word we thank you that it remains really relevant 00:22:56.000 --> 00:22:58.000 And challenging to us and 00:23:00.399 --> 00:23:02.319 It does 00:23:02.319 --> 00:23:04.879 challenge us to to go deep down into 00:23:05.919 --> 00:23:08.480 Our own thoughts and our own heart and our own existence 00:23:09.119 --> 00:23:14.159 And our own reason for existence and why we're here and who he is and what he claims to be 00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:20.639 And how so many people's lives have been transformed by Jesus not just in the past but in the present 00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:24.079 And in many parts of the world today in huge numbers 00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:30.319 So lord help us to worship you and take your word today and we do ask that you would 00:23:30.319 --> 00:23:34.879 Uh imprint it on our minds and our hearts that you would bless this next 00:23:35.519 --> 00:23:37.519 part of the service today 00:23:37.599 --> 00:23:39.279 with the baptism 00:23:39.279 --> 00:24:00.639 And that in all that we do we would do it to the glory of god we ask it all in jesus name. Amen