WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.339 You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama. 00:00:06.820 --> 00:00:09.359 Our passion is to experience and express grace. 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:10.500 Join us. 00:00:13.040 --> 00:00:21.519 Well, Will, you managed to both embarrass me and get me teary before I even came up here. 00:00:21.620 --> 00:00:24.280 We all have a way of dealing with our insecurities. 00:00:24.280 --> 00:00:34.579 So if you think I'm cool or fashionable, just remember that I had adult braces and I wore a headgear when I was in college and slept with it. 00:00:34.679 --> 00:00:38.219 And Bill Herrett and others used to make fun of me about it in high life when I would volunteer. 00:00:39.120 --> 00:00:41.179 And there's plenty more to go around. 00:00:41.260 --> 00:00:42.600 So we all have a way of compensating. 00:00:43.859 --> 00:00:49.840 As Will mentioned, my name is Chase and my wife Holly and I have been married for 12 years. 00:00:49.939 --> 00:00:53.120 We have three wonderful little boys, Gabe, Bo, and Griffey. 00:00:53.119 --> 00:00:55.320 They are seven, five, and two respectively. 00:00:56.219 --> 00:01:03.159 And I'm currently the RUF campus minister at Vanderbilt and previously served at UC Berkeley as RUF campus minister for five years. 00:01:04.259 --> 00:01:08.739 And I'm going to repeat a lot of what Will has already said, but I just have to do this. 00:01:08.859 --> 00:01:11.299 Before all of that, I was a spiritual child of Southwood. 00:01:11.799 --> 00:01:13.099 I became a Christian in college. 00:01:13.200 --> 00:01:13.799 I went to UAH. 00:01:14.219 --> 00:01:15.840 After my freshman year, I became a Christian. 00:01:16.379 --> 00:01:20.379 My wife became a Christian through the ministry of high life as a middle schooler, one of the OG. 00:01:20.379 --> 00:01:26.399 People liked me a little bit here at Southwood, but then when they heard that I was dating Holly, they looked at me like, if you mess this up, dude. 00:01:26.899 --> 00:01:30.420 Because Holly, like, she was beloved by this place. 00:01:31.920 --> 00:01:34.459 And this place has left an indelible mark on our lives. 00:01:34.479 --> 00:01:35.560 And we're so, so grateful. 00:01:35.799 --> 00:01:40.199 And this, you know, typically, especially in Presbyterian circles, you don't want to specify people by names. 00:01:40.200 --> 00:01:42.859 But I'm going to a little bit right now. 00:01:42.960 --> 00:01:45.799 There are so many people that I could say that have blessed us. 00:01:46.320 --> 00:01:52.859 But just a few of those are folks like Bill Nash, who used to meet with me early on in coffee shops here in town. 00:01:53.540 --> 00:01:55.680 Will Spink, I took his membership class here. 00:01:56.200 --> 00:01:57.099 Todd and Amy Gandy. 00:01:57.240 --> 00:01:57.820 Mickey Plott. 00:01:57.900 --> 00:01:58.800 Mark Kent. 00:01:58.939 --> 00:01:59.820 The Mahesh's. 00:02:00.400 --> 00:02:01.980 Jim and Caroline Hess. 00:02:01.980 --> 00:02:04.140 Ken Leggett. 00:02:04.260 --> 00:02:04.920 Bill Harrett. 00:02:05.380 --> 00:02:06.400 Mike Honeycutt. 00:02:06.980 --> 00:02:12.080 And I'd be amiss if I didn't mention Tommy and Robin McMurtry, who are like my parents functionally. 00:02:12.140 --> 00:02:13.060 I love them dearly. 00:02:14.800 --> 00:02:18.240 There's so many names that I'm not mentioning, but I'm so thankful for. 00:02:19.080 --> 00:02:20.319 You've blessed us. 00:02:20.620 --> 00:02:27.719 And as the name of this conference would suggest, you've expressed grace upon grace to our family. 00:02:27.840 --> 00:02:30.180 And so we're very thankful for that. 00:02:30.180 --> 00:02:40.599 This weekend, this is your annual Express Grace Conference, and we're focusing on equipping the next generation. 00:02:42.159 --> 00:02:52.860 And at the expense of being too reductionistic, I want to offer one strategy for equipping the next generation. 00:02:53.020 --> 00:02:54.460 Really just one word. 00:02:54.460 --> 00:03:03.480 We could talk about generational distinctives, what's unique about current Gen Z demographics. 00:03:04.020 --> 00:03:10.840 We could talk about apologetics and about combating secular narratives that vie for our heart's affection and allegiance. 00:03:11.180 --> 00:03:11.980 All of that is fair. 00:03:12.080 --> 00:03:12.740 All of that's worthy. 00:03:12.860 --> 00:03:14.600 We need to talk about that stuff and figure it out. 00:03:15.040 --> 00:03:17.640 But I want to offer one word to you this morning. 00:03:17.639 --> 00:03:25.219 The best way to equip the next generation is through love. 00:03:26.739 --> 00:03:30.919 The best way to equip the next generation is through love. 00:03:30.919 --> 00:03:41.439 But if you're here and you're alive this morning, you know that love is not always what we think it is. 00:03:42.339 --> 00:03:42.819 Am I right? 00:03:42.919 --> 00:03:43.419 Can I get amen? 00:03:44.279 --> 00:03:45.959 Love is not always what we think it is. 00:03:46.839 --> 00:03:51.060 Not to brag on myself, but I use myself as an example for this. 00:03:51.119 --> 00:03:55.979 This past Wednesday, Wednesday night, we have large group where I preach at Vanderbilt each week. 00:03:56.679 --> 00:03:58.179 And so Wednesday is a really busy day for me. 00:03:58.219 --> 00:03:59.359 I'm doing a lot of sermon prep. 00:03:59.659 --> 00:04:01.199 So I'm prepping my sermon all day. 00:04:01.239 --> 00:04:03.159 And then mid-afternoon, I get a call from my wife. 00:04:03.239 --> 00:04:04.919 She's just picked up our boys from school. 00:04:04.959 --> 00:04:09.000 And she's driving down Green Hills, this bougie area of Nashville. 00:04:09.519 --> 00:04:11.620 And she all of a sudden starts to feel sick. 00:04:11.679 --> 00:04:13.379 And literally, I'm about to get gross here for a minute. 00:04:13.500 --> 00:04:14.899 So just bear with me. 00:04:15.859 --> 00:04:16.899 She has to open the door. 00:04:16.939 --> 00:04:19.319 And she throws up right in the middle of the road. 00:04:19.800 --> 00:04:21.680 And thankfully, we had a friend in the car with her. 00:04:21.800 --> 00:04:24.300 She's walking around the van, throwing up around the van. 00:04:24.300 --> 00:04:26.040 The friend goes to the other side. 00:04:26.120 --> 00:04:26.560 They swap. 00:04:26.840 --> 00:04:27.939 Friend gets her home. 00:04:29.400 --> 00:04:31.900 Holly calls me, tells me what's up. 00:04:32.120 --> 00:04:33.160 Plans change. 00:04:33.639 --> 00:04:34.819 I prep as much as I can. 00:04:34.900 --> 00:04:37.420 But then I get home, help get the boys settled. 00:04:37.540 --> 00:04:38.080 Holly settled. 00:04:38.240 --> 00:04:39.800 Put the boys down for bed. 00:04:40.160 --> 00:04:41.580 Get back to campus. 00:04:42.220 --> 00:04:42.900 Finish up the sermon. 00:04:43.000 --> 00:04:43.720 Go preach it. 00:04:44.500 --> 00:04:45.680 10 p.m. rolls around. 00:04:46.699 --> 00:04:47.500 Holly texts me. 00:04:48.439 --> 00:04:49.220 Gabe is down. 00:04:49.920 --> 00:04:50.620 Bo is down. 00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:51.600 I was like, what do you mean by down? 00:04:51.600 --> 00:04:53.060 And she's like, they're throwing up too. 00:04:53.680 --> 00:04:54.240 So I go back. 00:04:54.300 --> 00:04:54.860 It's 10 p.m. 00:04:54.860 --> 00:04:55.740 I go back to my house. 00:04:56.160 --> 00:04:57.160 They're throwing up. 00:04:57.580 --> 00:05:01.360 So from 10 p.m. until 3 a.m., I'm like nursing them. 00:05:01.420 --> 00:05:02.000 Holly's sick. 00:05:02.120 --> 00:05:02.980 Gabe and Bo are sick. 00:05:03.560 --> 00:05:05.400 And I'm just all-star dad. 00:05:06.060 --> 00:05:06.420 Exhausted. 00:05:06.960 --> 00:05:07.920 Taking care of them. 00:05:08.879 --> 00:05:09.660 3 a.m. rolls around. 00:05:09.740 --> 00:05:10.400 They settle down. 00:05:10.460 --> 00:05:11.900 And I'm like, okay, now I can get some rest. 00:05:12.240 --> 00:05:12.879 Then what do you know? 00:05:13.420 --> 00:05:14.720 I start throwing up. 00:05:14.720 --> 00:05:19.040 3 a.m. to 7 a.m., Chase is throwing up. 00:05:20.200 --> 00:05:21.580 And on and on it goes. 00:05:21.780 --> 00:05:24.560 And it almost meant that I wasn't going to be here this weekend. 00:05:25.860 --> 00:05:28.100 And so when I ask you this, do you know what that is? 00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:31.160 Do you know what Wednesday was for me? 00:05:33.080 --> 00:05:33.460 Love. 00:05:35.520 --> 00:05:36.840 And it was terrible. 00:05:38.420 --> 00:05:40.340 I hate love, you know. 00:05:40.920 --> 00:05:41.760 I hate it. 00:05:41.759 --> 00:05:44.939 Love is not always what we think it is. 00:05:46.099 --> 00:05:48.219 Well, we're going to be in the book of Jonah this morning. 00:05:49.719 --> 00:05:53.920 And broadly speaking, Jonah is a book about calling. 00:05:54.719 --> 00:05:55.620 It's a book about calling. 00:05:55.800 --> 00:05:59.759 But more specifically, Jonah is about the call to love. 00:06:00.779 --> 00:06:06.219 And even more importantly, Jonah is about the God who is love. 00:06:07.279 --> 00:06:08.800 Jonah is about the God who is love. 00:06:08.800 --> 00:06:12.500 So with that, let us direct our attention to the book of Jonah. 00:06:12.579 --> 00:06:15.840 I'm going to read from chapter 1, verses 1 through 3. 00:06:15.939 --> 00:06:16.579 I'm going to read that. 00:06:16.680 --> 00:06:20.079 And then I'll pray for us as we get started. 00:06:20.740 --> 00:06:24.340 This is Jonah chapter 1, verses 1 through 3. 00:06:24.339 --> 00:06:30.439 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah, the son of Amittai, saying, 00:06:31.019 --> 00:06:36.899 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and call out against it, 00:06:37.199 --> 00:06:39.479 for their evil has come up before me. 00:06:40.879 --> 00:06:46.979 But Jonah, Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. 00:06:47.519 --> 00:06:50.959 He went down to Joppa and found a ship going to Tarshish. 00:06:50.959 --> 00:06:56.879 So he paid the fare and went down into it to go with them to Tarshish, 00:06:57.339 --> 00:07:00.399 away from the presence of the Lord. 00:07:01.419 --> 00:07:02.560 This is the word of the Lord. 00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:03.919 Thanks be to God. 00:07:05.099 --> 00:07:08.099 Let me pray for us really quick before we get started. 00:07:08.799 --> 00:07:14.560 Jesus, this is church. 00:07:15.000 --> 00:07:18.319 And there's a lot of things that we do at church. 00:07:18.319 --> 00:07:22.399 But you know more than anybody else, the thing that we do best at church is pretend. 00:07:24.339 --> 00:07:26.099 We're really good at pretending. 00:07:26.699 --> 00:07:32.040 And we walk through these doors coming from all different walks of life, 00:07:32.980 --> 00:07:37.500 different socioeconomic standings, different levels of education, 00:07:37.779 --> 00:07:41.699 different degrees of success, different careers, different ethnicities even. 00:07:41.699 --> 00:07:49.060 And especially we come in here limping, probably most of us struggling to believe in you. 00:07:49.719 --> 00:07:51.939 Limping by what we even did last night. 00:07:55.219 --> 00:07:56.459 And Lord, you know that. 00:07:58.079 --> 00:08:02.180 So this morning, no matter where we're at, would you please meet us? 00:08:02.759 --> 00:08:07.980 Would you draw near and would you be the great friend and the good shepherd that you are to us? 00:08:07.980 --> 00:08:10.140 And we trust that you will do that as you always have. 00:08:10.920 --> 00:08:11.980 We pray this in your name. 00:08:12.200 --> 00:08:12.420 Amen. 00:08:16.939 --> 00:08:21.259 So one of the beautiful things about God's mission in the world 00:08:21.259 --> 00:08:24.980 is that he actually invites us, if you're a Christian, 00:08:25.080 --> 00:08:27.379 he invites you into that mission. 00:08:27.759 --> 00:08:29.200 He calls you into it. 00:08:29.199 --> 00:08:33.240 And so the first question that I have for us this morning is, 00:08:33.659 --> 00:08:34.819 where is God calling you? 00:08:35.980 --> 00:08:38.159 Where is God calling you? 00:08:39.120 --> 00:08:42.740 Now this word calling, it can be kind of Christianese sometimes. 00:08:42.860 --> 00:08:44.899 We throw this word around maybe a bit too much. 00:08:44.939 --> 00:08:48.000 So it's a word that we often struggle with. 00:08:48.139 --> 00:08:51.439 And we can get caught up on like our vocational calling. 00:08:51.519 --> 00:08:53.720 Like what job does God want me to do? 00:08:53.740 --> 00:08:56.000 Or maybe it's geographical calling. 00:08:56.139 --> 00:08:57.279 Where am I supposed to live? 00:08:57.319 --> 00:08:58.379 Where do I want to live? 00:08:58.379 --> 00:09:02.720 And I particularly wrestled with this when I was in college. 00:09:03.340 --> 00:09:06.000 And often that really came out in some outlandish ways. 00:09:06.419 --> 00:09:10.320 And I had some outlandish conclusions as to what God was actually calling me to. 00:09:10.939 --> 00:09:15.279 So much so that one night at midnight when I was in college, 00:09:15.419 --> 00:09:18.240 me and my roommates and our zeal as new Christians, 00:09:18.360 --> 00:09:21.639 we felt that God was actually calling us in that moment 00:09:21.639 --> 00:09:28.080 to walk from our house by UAH all across Huntsville, 00:09:28.799 --> 00:09:34.240 down South Parkway, behind Little Rosies, all the way there. 00:09:34.299 --> 00:09:37.319 And anybody that we encountered, we were just going to share the gospel with. 00:09:37.320 --> 00:09:40.420 And anytime there was a turn to take, 00:09:40.900 --> 00:09:43.840 there was a decision to make that would still get us to the right destination, 00:09:43.840 --> 00:09:44.960 we would just flip a coin. 00:09:45.040 --> 00:09:48.100 And if it was heads, we would go one way and tails, we would go another way. 00:09:48.120 --> 00:09:51.280 And we would just trust that that was God's call, right? 00:09:51.960 --> 00:09:52.680 His will. 00:09:53.280 --> 00:09:54.320 And we did it. 00:09:54.740 --> 00:09:57.240 In the middle of the night, it was like 30-something degrees. 00:09:57.440 --> 00:09:59.400 And again, another terrible idea. 00:09:59.399 --> 00:10:02.500 We had blisters all over our feet. 00:10:03.120 --> 00:10:06.179 That was us trying to figure out what was God calling us to. 00:10:07.899 --> 00:10:10.819 This is where I think that Jonah is actually really helpful for us 00:10:10.819 --> 00:10:15.000 because believe it or not, we share the same calling as Jonah. 00:10:16.360 --> 00:10:20.519 It's not so much the same geographical location as Jonah, 00:10:20.919 --> 00:10:25.199 but it is the same heart location as Jonah. 00:10:25.200 --> 00:10:34.900 God calls Jonah and God calls you and God calls me to love. 00:10:36.640 --> 00:10:38.640 God calls us to love. 00:10:38.980 --> 00:10:43.500 He calls us to love your people and he calls us to love our place 00:10:43.500 --> 00:10:45.680 and he even calls us to love our enemies. 00:10:47.080 --> 00:10:48.540 He calls us to love. 00:10:50.259 --> 00:10:53.960 Now, we don't actually know a lot about Jonah other than this book, 00:10:53.960 --> 00:10:58.019 but Jonah only appears in two other places in Scripture. 00:10:59.060 --> 00:11:03.300 He's mentioned later in the New Testament in the Gospels in Matthew and Luke. 00:11:03.879 --> 00:11:07.040 And then he's mentioned in 2 Kings 14 where we find out that Jonah 00:11:07.040 --> 00:11:11.080 is actually a prophet during the reign of Jeroboam II 00:11:11.080 --> 00:11:16.040 who ruled over the northern kingdom of Israel during the 8th century. 00:11:16.039 --> 00:11:20.679 And in that passage, all we know is that the Lord showed compassion 00:11:20.679 --> 00:11:25.439 or showed love to Israel through this prophet Jonah. 00:11:26.079 --> 00:11:30.579 And he was showing love and compassion to them despite their rebellion. 00:11:30.879 --> 00:11:31.799 That's really important. 00:11:33.159 --> 00:11:35.259 Because here's what's important for us to know. 00:11:37.159 --> 00:11:44.740 Jonah was familiar with the love of God extending to people that didn't deserve it. 00:11:44.740 --> 00:11:50.620 Jonah was familiar with God extending love to people who didn't deserve it. 00:11:51.100 --> 00:11:54.440 And so even though Israel was technically God's covenant people, 00:11:54.940 --> 00:11:58.720 they had lived in rebellion for as long as Jonah had been alive. 00:11:58.820 --> 00:12:03.480 And in fact, God had been sending prophets for over 150 years to no avail. 00:12:03.639 --> 00:12:06.740 And yet God is still consistently and relentlessly 00:12:07.279 --> 00:12:11.580 extending his love and his compassion to his people. 00:12:11.580 --> 00:12:15.900 That's the backdrop here of Jonah. 00:12:18.040 --> 00:12:25.740 Jonah knows that God is in the business of loving unruly people. 00:12:26.580 --> 00:12:32.120 That God is in the business of loving real rebellious people. 00:12:33.320 --> 00:12:37.140 Disobedient people, chronic backsliders, the unimpressive, even his enemies. 00:12:37.720 --> 00:12:40.080 I'm going to point out Bill Herrett again. 00:12:40.840 --> 00:12:41.500 I was in college. 00:12:41.580 --> 00:12:42.480 I was in a bad situation. 00:12:42.580 --> 00:12:44.199 I'll keep the details limited. 00:12:44.679 --> 00:12:45.659 Bill, I don't even know if you remember this. 00:12:45.720 --> 00:12:47.899 We were sitting on his front porch in this little shack, 00:12:48.059 --> 00:12:51.720 awesome shack that he lived in that has since been destroyed, which is a shame. 00:12:52.480 --> 00:12:54.100 It was a beautiful, awesome little place. 00:12:55.340 --> 00:12:57.019 And I remember Bill telling me, he said, 00:12:57.019 --> 00:13:06.039 you know, sometimes a Christian comes to realize that Jesus died for real sins that are ongoing right now, 00:13:06.100 --> 00:13:08.139 not just the sins that you committed before conversion. 00:13:09.919 --> 00:13:11.159 And that stuck with me. 00:13:11.220 --> 00:13:13.980 That was almost 20 years ago. 00:13:16.899 --> 00:13:20.100 Jonah knew that God was in the business of loving that way. 00:13:20.100 --> 00:13:31.600 But what Jonah didn't know is that God was going to call him to extend that same kind of love to the same kinds of people. 00:13:33.300 --> 00:13:39.620 God was going to call him to this really weird foreign place called Nineveh. 00:13:40.779 --> 00:13:42.899 And here's what you need to know about Nineveh. 00:13:42.899 --> 00:13:57.459 If there ever was a hideous, ruthless enemy of God's people and God himself, enemies of people like Jonah, it was Nineveh. 00:13:59.039 --> 00:14:00.639 One commentator puts it this way. 00:14:00.720 --> 00:14:01.019 He says, 00:14:01.100 --> 00:14:03.980 Nineveh was one of the cruelest and most violent empires. 00:14:04.419 --> 00:14:05.500 It's part of the Assyrian Empire. 00:14:06.120 --> 00:14:07.559 Violent empires of ancient times. 00:14:07.559 --> 00:14:17.739 After capturing enemies, they would typically cut off their legs and one arm, leaving the other arm in hand so that they could shake the victim's hand in mockery as he was dying. 00:14:18.879 --> 00:14:27.539 They forced friends and family members to parade with the decapitated heads of their loved ones on elevated poles and on and on and on and on and on. 00:14:28.659 --> 00:14:33.759 It is very safe to say that Nineveh was a terrorist state. 00:14:35.379 --> 00:14:36.719 Like they were wretched. 00:14:37.559 --> 00:14:45.139 But what I want us to realize is that it is that city. 00:14:46.239 --> 00:14:49.919 It is that city that God turns his heart to. 00:14:51.359 --> 00:14:52.779 All of the wretchedness. 00:14:53.719 --> 00:14:55.239 All of the attempted genocide. 00:14:55.519 --> 00:14:56.339 All of the cruelty. 00:14:56.599 --> 00:14:59.019 God sees that city. 00:14:59.019 --> 00:15:08.559 And I point that out because if we're going to love, and especially if we're going to love our enemies, we have to see Nineveh how God sees Nineveh. 00:15:08.559 --> 00:15:16.039 If you're going to love your enemies, and that doesn't just include other people, right? 00:15:16.039 --> 00:15:18.799 That actually includes ourselves because sometimes we're our greatest enemies. 00:15:19.359 --> 00:15:23.239 If you're going to love it all, you have to see how God sees. 00:15:23.240 --> 00:15:28.399 And you know what the first thing that God sees in his enemies? 00:15:28.779 --> 00:15:29.560 You know what that is? 00:15:31.100 --> 00:15:32.039 It's dignity. 00:15:32.039 --> 00:15:38.519 The first thing that God sees in his enemies is dignity. 00:15:39.799 --> 00:15:41.759 That's the first thing that he sees in Nineveh. 00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:49.080 One of the most important verses in this entire book is found in verse 2. 00:15:50.319 --> 00:15:52.000 God calls Jonah and he says, 00:15:52.220 --> 00:15:56.340 Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city. 00:15:57.740 --> 00:15:59.759 That great city. 00:15:59.759 --> 00:16:11.539 Now, as you read the book of Jonah, you realize that this isn't simply referring to demographics or to military might. 00:16:11.620 --> 00:16:17.860 He's not just saying that Nineveh is a big old city full of liberals that needs a saving. 00:16:19.840 --> 00:16:24.340 It's not some metroplex full of those people that need saving. 00:16:24.539 --> 00:16:25.580 It's not a trope. 00:16:25.580 --> 00:16:30.240 By using great, God actually means that meaningful city. 00:16:31.160 --> 00:16:32.379 That important city. 00:16:32.740 --> 00:16:34.759 It doesn't simply just hold power. 00:16:34.920 --> 00:16:37.720 It has significance and value and dignity. 00:16:37.940 --> 00:16:41.759 It is that great city where so many great things exist. 00:16:41.759 --> 00:16:46.500 From people to places to even animals and art and culture and commerce. 00:16:46.639 --> 00:16:47.940 It is full of dignity. 00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:54.020 And in fact, in the original here, it's translated the great city of God. 00:16:54.019 --> 00:16:56.419 God or the great city to God. 00:16:57.360 --> 00:17:03.399 Which indicates that everything belongs to God, whether we want it or not. 00:17:04.579 --> 00:17:05.680 God owns it. 00:17:06.700 --> 00:17:07.639 It's his. 00:17:08.879 --> 00:17:12.539 Because before Genesis 3 ever happens, we have Genesis 1 and 2. 00:17:12.980 --> 00:17:14.599 And God created it and he said it was good. 00:17:14.660 --> 00:17:16.420 And he looks at Nineveh and he looks at you. 00:17:16.500 --> 00:17:17.240 He looks at Huntsville. 00:17:17.319 --> 00:17:19.099 He looks at me and he says, you are good. 00:17:19.180 --> 00:17:19.859 You are mine. 00:17:20.339 --> 00:17:21.700 And I'm going to make you great. 00:17:21.700 --> 00:17:23.559 But I'm getting ahead of myself. 00:17:26.440 --> 00:17:32.539 Why this is so important and why I think we need to hear this is because rarely with ever, 00:17:32.759 --> 00:17:42.440 and sadly, especially in the church, do we describe our enemies, those we have conflict with, 00:17:42.440 --> 00:17:48.180 do we describe our enemies first and foremost by the dignity that they possess? 00:17:53.299 --> 00:17:58.140 I think it's important that we define, if it's helpful, right? 00:17:58.140 --> 00:18:01.500 I think it's important that we define our enemies as really just anything that feels other. 00:18:02.779 --> 00:18:05.580 Anything that feels different from you. 00:18:05.579 --> 00:18:09.720 So I hear this all the time, especially now that I'm in college ministry. 00:18:09.839 --> 00:18:13.899 There's a lot of fear as it relates to the university and then older generations. 00:18:14.460 --> 00:18:16.339 There's always kind of this us versus them. 00:18:16.639 --> 00:18:19.259 I hear it at Vandy and I certainly heard it when I was at Berkeley. 00:18:20.119 --> 00:18:24.019 You know, there's this idea, you know, if you're from Berkeley, you go to school there, you're from there. 00:18:24.019 --> 00:18:29.440 You think that the problem with the world is people from Alabama. 00:18:32.139 --> 00:18:39.619 And if you're from Alabama, or in some cases anywhere else in the world, if you're from Alabama, you think, 00:18:39.720 --> 00:18:42.200 you know what, the problem with the world is people from Berkeley. 00:18:42.200 --> 00:18:46.519 Or the problem with the world is, are these university professors? 00:18:47.559 --> 00:18:51.500 Or these protesting and woke students that are on the university campus? 00:18:53.279 --> 00:18:56.740 But I want you to know, God does not see Berkeley that way. 00:18:57.740 --> 00:19:00.680 God does not see Vanderbilt that way, the way that you and I do. 00:19:01.559 --> 00:19:03.500 God does not see Huntsville that way. 00:19:04.500 --> 00:19:05.880 God does not see Alabama that way. 00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:07.819 We are not the savior of the world, he is. 00:19:09.940 --> 00:19:11.600 We do this with respectability. 00:19:12.200 --> 00:19:13.120 We do politics. 00:19:14.080 --> 00:19:14.279 Right? 00:19:14.440 --> 00:19:17.340 You know, there's this whole, especially when you're a pastor, man, you feel this shame all the time. 00:19:17.440 --> 00:19:19.660 Like, their kids don't really have good manners. 00:19:20.720 --> 00:19:22.700 Like, they don't really behave that well in church. 00:19:22.860 --> 00:19:24.779 And like, y'all, raising kids is hard. 00:19:25.580 --> 00:19:26.559 It's hard for me. 00:19:27.400 --> 00:19:28.059 It's hard. 00:19:28.160 --> 00:19:32.100 And if Jesus' death doesn't cover bad manners, then we are all doomed. 00:19:32.200 --> 00:19:33.620 We are wasting our time right now. 00:19:35.660 --> 00:19:36.059 Right? 00:19:37.059 --> 00:19:40.799 We do it with our swimming pools to get a little bit more serious here. 00:19:40.799 --> 00:19:42.960 We do it with our swimming pools. 00:19:43.919 --> 00:19:49.519 During desegregation, right, public pools in many places were often filled in with concrete. 00:19:51.200 --> 00:19:58.240 And private pools and country clubs arose in their place with exclusive membership, of course. 00:19:58.240 --> 00:20:01.180 us versus them. 00:20:02.259 --> 00:20:06.779 If you're not like me, you might as well be my enemy. 00:20:06.779 --> 00:20:13.180 And as we know, among many other things, that's where racism starts. 00:20:13.920 --> 00:20:15.759 That's where hatred starts. 00:20:15.759 --> 00:20:24.680 But if you see others how God sees them, if you see even your enemies how God sees them, 00:20:25.400 --> 00:20:29.220 then the first thing that you'll notice is their dignity. 00:20:29.220 --> 00:20:32.980 You'll see their dignity. 00:20:35.380 --> 00:20:36.940 That's the first thing that God sees, right? 00:20:36.960 --> 00:20:38.000 He sees our dignity. 00:20:38.140 --> 00:20:40.980 But God also, God's full of truth. 00:20:41.079 --> 00:20:42.680 So he doesn't just see our dignity. 00:20:42.680 --> 00:20:43.839 He sees the whole picture. 00:20:44.259 --> 00:20:46.220 He also sees our danger. 00:20:47.160 --> 00:20:48.100 He sees our danger. 00:20:48.220 --> 00:20:50.600 The second thing that God sees in Nineveh is their danger. 00:20:50.599 --> 00:20:57.879 Because after all, after he calls Nineveh that great city, what does he go on to say? 00:20:58.699 --> 00:21:00.759 He tells Jonah, call out against it. 00:21:01.919 --> 00:21:03.139 Protest that city. 00:21:04.119 --> 00:21:06.480 Because their evil has come up before me. 00:21:06.559 --> 00:21:08.259 So there's both of them, right? 00:21:08.319 --> 00:21:10.179 There's dignity and there's danger. 00:21:10.779 --> 00:21:18.579 And this means that no matter where God calls you, it will always be full of dignity and danger. 00:21:18.579 --> 00:21:22.799 No matter where God calls you, it will always be full of dignity and danger. 00:21:24.299 --> 00:21:29.359 Every place and every person is a part of God's good creation. 00:21:29.579 --> 00:21:33.799 And therefore, without exception, is full of dignity. 00:21:35.339 --> 00:21:43.099 The arts, medicine, architecture, computer science, law, engineering, cities, states, nations, 00:21:43.099 --> 00:21:53.299 classmates, neighbors, girlfriends, boyfriends, wives, husbands, ex-wives, ex-husbands, parents, cousins, strangers. 00:21:53.759 --> 00:21:55.480 Everybody has dignity. 00:21:55.939 --> 00:21:57.579 Every place has dignity. 00:21:59.259 --> 00:22:07.579 But every place and every person is also cursed by the fall and infected with sin. 00:22:07.579 --> 00:22:09.599 And so it's full of danger. 00:22:11.339 --> 00:22:13.759 The world is a dangerous place. 00:22:14.939 --> 00:22:17.359 You are a dangerous person. 00:22:20.159 --> 00:22:27.480 You cannot escape the possibility of royally screwing up in life. 00:22:27.480 --> 00:22:31.200 It is always a threat. 00:22:32.480 --> 00:22:34.079 It's always a possibility. 00:22:35.339 --> 00:22:40.579 Because until Jesus returns, sin's corrosive effects are at work. 00:22:42.099 --> 00:22:43.599 It's always a possibility. 00:22:45.220 --> 00:22:49.559 So before we go any further, let's just answer our question. 00:22:50.940 --> 00:22:53.000 Where is God calling you? 00:22:53.000 --> 00:22:56.799 Where is God calling you? 00:22:58.579 --> 00:23:03.799 And the answer is that God is calling you to the same place he called Jonah. 00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:10.779 To love places and to love people that are full of both dignity and danger. 00:23:12.240 --> 00:23:16.200 To love places and to love people that are full of both dignity and danger. 00:23:16.319 --> 00:23:19.259 And it is hard to maintain both, but you have to. 00:23:19.259 --> 00:23:26.819 Because if you don't, you'll either lapse into some sort of mythological nostalgia or a fatalistic apathy. 00:23:27.339 --> 00:23:30.400 And we feel the pressure to go with either extreme. 00:23:31.359 --> 00:23:36.400 With dignity, for example, we all feel, especially on the college campus, 00:23:36.579 --> 00:23:43.180 we all feel the enormous pressure of secularism and pluralism to affirm the dignity in everything. 00:23:43.180 --> 00:23:47.600 We have to affirm everything around us. 00:23:47.940 --> 00:23:50.539 And we feel like that is love and compassion. 00:23:50.680 --> 00:23:52.120 We feel the pressure of that. 00:23:53.560 --> 00:23:57.039 And then yet for many of us, we feel the pressures of danger. 00:23:58.560 --> 00:24:01.180 Especially those of us who grew up in the church. 00:24:01.180 --> 00:24:10.600 We feel the pressure to retreat and to distance ourselves from a world full of danger and evil and sin. 00:24:11.340 --> 00:24:13.160 We're suspicious of culture. 00:24:14.259 --> 00:24:19.180 And so we just dismiss it as just another corrosive form of secularism. 00:24:20.080 --> 00:24:25.340 And it's meant that for some time now, Christians have lost any faithful presence that they might have had in the world. 00:24:25.340 --> 00:24:28.759 Because the world was too dangerous and we had to retreat. 00:24:28.759 --> 00:24:31.819 We feel the pressure. 00:24:33.740 --> 00:24:36.160 But as one of my favorite theologians says, 00:24:36.339 --> 00:24:40.720 both of these are saying something true, but neither of them say the truth fully. 00:24:41.799 --> 00:24:46.339 Because the God of the Bible is neither the therapeutic God of modern liberalism, 00:24:46.539 --> 00:24:49.039 who lives simply to cheer us on, 00:24:49.299 --> 00:24:54.859 nor is he the resentful God of modern fundamentalism that exists only to chastise us. 00:24:54.859 --> 00:25:08.619 He is the God who loves people and places full of dignity and full of danger. 00:25:11.219 --> 00:25:15.979 And he is calling us to live that life of love as well. 00:25:17.439 --> 00:25:19.879 That is where he is calling you. 00:25:19.880 --> 00:25:23.440 That is where he is calling us. 00:25:25.840 --> 00:25:28.200 We share that calling with Jonah, 00:25:28.260 --> 00:25:32.920 but that is not the only thing that we share with Jonah. 00:25:33.020 --> 00:25:37.300 We also share the same problem that Jonah has. 00:25:37.299 --> 00:25:40.180 Because like Jonah, 00:25:41.220 --> 00:25:43.099 when God calls, 00:25:43.500 --> 00:25:45.279 we run. 00:25:46.799 --> 00:25:47.960 When God calls us, 00:25:48.059 --> 00:25:50.079 we tend to run the other direction. 00:25:50.259 --> 00:25:52.460 So the second question that I have for us this morning 00:25:52.460 --> 00:25:53.940 is, 00:25:54.680 --> 00:25:55.379 why are you running? 00:25:57.539 --> 00:25:58.460 Why are you running? 00:26:00.059 --> 00:26:01.899 If you look at how Jonah responds 00:26:01.899 --> 00:26:03.720 in verse 3, 00:26:03.919 --> 00:26:04.899 look at what he does. 00:26:04.900 --> 00:26:06.060 Not only does he run, 00:26:06.980 --> 00:26:08.800 but the consequence of his running 00:26:08.800 --> 00:26:11.300 is he's actually away from the presence of the Lord. 00:26:11.460 --> 00:26:14.440 He loses the very face of God. 00:26:15.740 --> 00:26:17.840 A child finds their identity 00:26:17.840 --> 00:26:19.960 in the face of their mom and dad. 00:26:20.920 --> 00:26:22.640 We find our very purpose 00:26:22.640 --> 00:26:24.220 in the face of God, 00:26:24.300 --> 00:26:26.560 and yet Jonah runs away from it. 00:26:28.380 --> 00:26:30.100 And why do you think Jonah's running? 00:26:32.019 --> 00:26:33.420 Why do you think he's running away? 00:26:34.900 --> 00:26:38.320 I actually think this is where Jonah gets a bad rap. 00:26:39.220 --> 00:26:42.140 Sometimes we can baptize our reading of Scripture, 00:26:42.360 --> 00:26:44.060 but if we just take a second 00:26:44.060 --> 00:26:46.860 and understand what's going on here, 00:26:46.960 --> 00:26:47.940 sometimes we can, 00:26:48.600 --> 00:26:48.840 you know, 00:26:48.920 --> 00:26:50.440 we might be on Jonah's side 00:26:50.440 --> 00:26:51.400 or someone else's side. 00:26:52.660 --> 00:26:53.920 I think if you really understand 00:26:53.920 --> 00:26:54.840 what's going on here, 00:26:55.840 --> 00:26:57.400 every single one of us 00:26:57.400 --> 00:26:58.560 would have expected him to run. 00:26:59.720 --> 00:27:02.400 We might have even encouraged him to run 00:27:02.400 --> 00:27:04.300 because this did not make practical sense. 00:27:05.680 --> 00:27:07.600 This didn't make ethical sense. 00:27:08.080 --> 00:27:10.440 This didn't make theological sense. 00:27:11.060 --> 00:27:12.280 I want you to think about it, right? 00:27:12.400 --> 00:27:13.380 As I mentioned earlier, 00:27:13.780 --> 00:27:14.720 Nineveh was known 00:27:14.720 --> 00:27:17.620 for its gruesome treatment of Israelites. 00:27:19.120 --> 00:27:20.680 Jonah was an Israelite. 00:27:21.820 --> 00:27:23.140 Why on earth 00:27:23.140 --> 00:27:26.000 would Jonah step foot there? 00:27:26.000 --> 00:27:30.180 It is a virtual death sentence. 00:27:31.920 --> 00:27:32.700 And then secondly, 00:27:33.920 --> 00:27:35.299 Jonah's an Israelite, right? 00:27:35.660 --> 00:27:37.119 Jonah knew what these people 00:27:37.119 --> 00:27:38.400 had been doing to his people 00:27:38.400 --> 00:27:39.440 for generations. 00:27:39.980 --> 00:27:40.940 And so why on earth 00:27:40.940 --> 00:27:42.079 would he want to go 00:27:42.079 --> 00:27:43.599 and extend mercy 00:27:43.599 --> 00:27:45.319 to a group of terrorists? 00:27:46.799 --> 00:27:48.220 Jonah wants justice, 00:27:48.680 --> 00:27:50.339 not mercy. 00:27:50.339 --> 00:27:53.539 And we would all want the same thing 00:27:53.539 --> 00:27:54.519 if we were Jonah. 00:27:55.939 --> 00:27:56.359 Uh-uh. 00:27:57.259 --> 00:27:58.099 No way. 00:27:59.199 --> 00:28:02.000 These people deserve justice, 00:28:02.459 --> 00:28:03.819 not mercy. 00:28:06.399 --> 00:28:09.779 I hesitate to use this analogy 00:28:09.779 --> 00:28:11.480 because there are some real differences 00:28:11.480 --> 00:28:16.439 and some very important ways. 00:28:16.559 --> 00:28:17.519 It's not my story 00:28:17.519 --> 00:28:19.559 and I am part of the guilty party, 00:28:19.879 --> 00:28:20.779 historically speaking. 00:28:22.940 --> 00:28:23.980 But I think 00:28:23.980 --> 00:28:25.400 it illustrates the severity 00:28:25.400 --> 00:28:26.660 of this situation pretty well. 00:28:26.779 --> 00:28:27.619 I actually think 00:28:27.619 --> 00:28:28.680 this would be like 00:28:28.680 --> 00:28:30.720 Mamie Till 00:28:30.720 --> 00:28:32.319 being called back to Mississippi 00:28:32.319 --> 00:28:34.619 to offer immunity 00:28:34.619 --> 00:28:35.579 to white Southerners 00:28:35.579 --> 00:28:37.039 who murdered her son Emmett Till. 00:28:41.619 --> 00:28:43.160 Like this kind of call 00:28:43.160 --> 00:28:45.839 is a real shock 00:28:45.839 --> 00:28:47.019 to Jonah. 00:28:47.519 --> 00:28:48.000 Jonah. 00:28:49.359 --> 00:28:51.079 And so it makes sense. 00:28:53.019 --> 00:28:53.819 Jonah runs. 00:28:56.039 --> 00:28:57.339 Jonah runs. 00:28:58.559 --> 00:28:59.259 And Jonah 00:28:59.259 --> 00:29:01.480 goes all the way 00:29:01.480 --> 00:29:02.379 to Tarshish, 00:29:03.319 --> 00:29:04.420 the outermost 00:29:04.420 --> 00:29:05.680 western rim 00:29:05.680 --> 00:29:06.740 of the world 00:29:06.740 --> 00:29:08.039 known to the Israelites 00:29:08.039 --> 00:29:08.720 at the time. 00:29:09.680 --> 00:29:11.720 He did the exact opposite 00:29:11.720 --> 00:29:13.200 of what God told him to do. 00:29:14.000 --> 00:29:15.920 And he had good reasons for it. 00:29:15.920 --> 00:29:16.660 Jonah ran. 00:29:17.380 --> 00:29:18.420 Called to the east, 00:29:18.539 --> 00:29:19.519 Jonah went west. 00:29:21.000 --> 00:29:22.860 Directed to travel by land, 00:29:23.060 --> 00:29:24.200 Jonah went by sea. 00:29:25.400 --> 00:29:26.779 Sent to the big city 00:29:26.779 --> 00:29:28.060 with all the big bad people, 00:29:28.500 --> 00:29:30.019 Jonah bought a one-way ticket 00:29:30.019 --> 00:29:31.900 to the end of the world. 00:29:31.900 --> 00:29:33.900 Jonah ran. 00:29:33.900 --> 00:29:35.280 So why did Jonah run? 00:29:36.820 --> 00:29:38.040 Why do we run? 00:29:41.360 --> 00:29:42.360 Jonah ran 00:29:42.360 --> 00:29:45.220 because God's call 00:29:45.220 --> 00:29:47.440 for him to love 00:29:47.440 --> 00:29:48.700 and for us to love 00:29:48.700 --> 00:29:50.960 often goes against 00:29:50.960 --> 00:29:52.420 our very will 00:29:52.420 --> 00:29:53.620 to survive. 00:29:53.619 --> 00:29:56.519 It is like a threat. 00:29:58.519 --> 00:29:59.739 And sometimes, 00:30:00.079 --> 00:30:00.479 you know, 00:30:00.559 --> 00:30:01.379 sometimes it threatens 00:30:01.379 --> 00:30:02.519 our comforts. 00:30:03.039 --> 00:30:04.299 And it may mean 00:30:04.299 --> 00:30:04.959 that you don't 00:30:04.959 --> 00:30:06.699 you don't get the best. 00:30:07.119 --> 00:30:08.739 You don't get the best 00:30:08.739 --> 00:30:09.699 for your children. 00:30:10.339 --> 00:30:11.819 You don't get the best house 00:30:11.819 --> 00:30:13.119 or the best school 00:30:13.119 --> 00:30:14.000 for your kids 00:30:14.000 --> 00:30:15.539 or the best president 00:30:15.539 --> 00:30:16.399 that you think 00:30:16.399 --> 00:30:17.759 would be for this country. 00:30:17.759 --> 00:30:19.740 It means sometimes 00:30:19.740 --> 00:30:20.359 it threatens 00:30:20.359 --> 00:30:22.720 our fond memories 00:30:22.720 --> 00:30:23.700 of a golden age 00:30:23.700 --> 00:30:24.680 that has now passed 00:30:24.680 --> 00:30:26.259 as we finally tell 00:30:26.259 --> 00:30:27.480 the truth about ourselves 00:30:27.480 --> 00:30:28.119 individually 00:30:28.119 --> 00:30:28.980 and collectively 00:30:28.980 --> 00:30:30.019 and realize 00:30:30.019 --> 00:30:31.000 that that so-called 00:30:31.000 --> 00:30:31.660 golden age 00:30:31.660 --> 00:30:32.839 was really just about me 00:30:32.839 --> 00:30:34.039 and what benefited me. 00:30:36.559 --> 00:30:37.779 And sometimes, 00:30:38.299 --> 00:30:40.200 like Jonah, 00:30:41.000 --> 00:30:42.859 it threatens 00:30:42.859 --> 00:30:44.720 our very lives. 00:30:44.720 --> 00:30:48.299 sometimes the call 00:30:48.299 --> 00:30:48.960 to love 00:30:48.960 --> 00:30:49.839 like it did with Jonah 00:30:49.839 --> 00:30:51.160 threatens our very lives. 00:30:51.259 --> 00:30:51.579 And so, 00:30:51.680 --> 00:30:52.839 here's my question 00:30:52.839 --> 00:30:53.539 for you today. 00:30:55.380 --> 00:30:56.400 Why are you running? 00:30:59.000 --> 00:31:00.559 How does God's call 00:31:00.559 --> 00:31:01.559 on your life 00:31:01.559 --> 00:31:03.860 feel like a threat 00:31:03.860 --> 00:31:05.420 to your life? 00:31:07.680 --> 00:31:09.059 And I use that word 00:31:09.059 --> 00:31:10.140 threat 00:31:10.140 --> 00:31:11.319 very intentionally 00:31:11.319 --> 00:31:12.140 because I want you 00:31:12.140 --> 00:31:12.880 to think with me 00:31:12.880 --> 00:31:13.360 for a moment. 00:31:13.359 --> 00:31:15.399 what if in order 00:31:15.399 --> 00:31:17.679 to love someone enough 00:31:17.679 --> 00:31:19.119 to change 00:31:19.119 --> 00:31:20.379 their life, 00:31:21.619 --> 00:31:23.439 what if the only way 00:31:23.439 --> 00:31:24.659 love 00:31:24.659 --> 00:31:26.079 could change 00:31:26.079 --> 00:31:26.919 the world 00:31:26.919 --> 00:31:28.199 or someone's life 00:31:28.199 --> 00:31:30.240 was that it actually 00:31:30.240 --> 00:31:31.099 meant that you had 00:31:31.099 --> 00:31:32.479 to lose your life? 00:31:34.379 --> 00:31:35.299 What if it meant 00:31:35.299 --> 00:31:36.859 that true love, 00:31:36.959 --> 00:31:37.079 right, 00:31:37.139 --> 00:31:37.699 this term 00:31:37.699 --> 00:31:38.619 that we're always 00:31:38.619 --> 00:31:39.119 and endlessly 00:31:39.119 --> 00:31:40.379 trying to define 00:31:40.379 --> 00:31:41.679 actually means 00:31:41.679 --> 00:31:42.939 a true death 00:31:42.940 --> 00:31:43.080 love? 00:31:44.080 --> 00:31:44.779 What if that's 00:31:44.779 --> 00:31:45.680 what love means? 00:31:48.400 --> 00:31:48.900 Well, 00:31:48.940 --> 00:31:49.460 it turns out 00:31:49.460 --> 00:31:50.200 that that's true. 00:31:53.160 --> 00:31:54.620 That's absolutely true. 00:31:56.980 --> 00:31:57.980 And if you keep 00:31:57.980 --> 00:31:59.220 reading Jonah, 00:31:59.340 --> 00:31:59.960 you'll see 00:31:59.960 --> 00:32:00.779 that Jonah 00:32:00.779 --> 00:32:02.900 was not up 00:32:02.900 --> 00:32:03.620 to the task. 00:32:05.840 --> 00:32:06.600 Jonah failed 00:32:06.600 --> 00:32:07.259 to love 00:32:07.259 --> 00:32:07.820 his enemies 00:32:07.819 --> 00:32:09.700 and he kept 00:32:09.700 --> 00:32:10.220 his life 00:32:10.220 --> 00:32:10.799 intact 00:32:10.799 --> 00:32:12.899 though alone 00:32:12.899 --> 00:32:15.099 and isolated 00:32:15.099 --> 00:32:15.919 under a bush. 00:32:19.240 --> 00:32:19.679 But 00:32:19.679 --> 00:32:20.919 something 00:32:20.919 --> 00:32:21.919 that you should 00:32:21.919 --> 00:32:22.500 always know 00:32:22.500 --> 00:32:23.159 basically about 00:32:23.159 --> 00:32:23.960 every book of the Bible 00:32:23.960 --> 00:32:24.419 but certainly 00:32:24.419 --> 00:32:24.919 about the book 00:32:24.919 --> 00:32:25.339 of Jonah, 00:32:26.039 --> 00:32:27.500 the book of Jonah 00:32:27.500 --> 00:32:29.200 is not about 00:32:29.200 --> 00:32:29.539 Jonah. 00:32:31.539 --> 00:32:32.599 The book of Jonah 00:32:32.599 --> 00:32:33.500 is about Jesus. 00:32:33.500 --> 00:32:36.980 The book of Jonah 00:32:36.980 --> 00:32:38.099 is not about Jonah. 00:32:38.240 --> 00:32:39.039 The book of Jonah 00:32:39.039 --> 00:32:40.119 is about Jesus. 00:32:41.700 --> 00:32:42.400 And where Jonah 00:32:42.400 --> 00:32:43.240 has failed 00:32:43.240 --> 00:32:44.099 to love 00:32:44.099 --> 00:32:44.740 his enemies 00:32:44.740 --> 00:32:46.480 and where you 00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:47.160 have failed 00:32:47.160 --> 00:32:47.880 to love 00:32:47.880 --> 00:32:48.400 your enemies 00:32:48.400 --> 00:32:48.960 and where I 00:32:48.960 --> 00:32:49.420 have failed 00:32:49.420 --> 00:32:49.839 to love 00:32:49.839 --> 00:32:50.380 my enemies, 00:32:50.880 --> 00:32:51.900 Jesus has not 00:32:51.900 --> 00:32:52.460 failed 00:32:52.460 --> 00:32:53.480 to love 00:32:53.480 --> 00:32:54.160 his enemies 00:32:54.160 --> 00:32:55.180 even 00:32:55.180 --> 00:32:56.180 when it was 00:32:56.180 --> 00:32:56.819 a threat 00:32:56.819 --> 00:32:57.980 to his own 00:32:57.980 --> 00:32:58.819 life. 00:33:01.059 --> 00:33:02.279 Listen to this. 00:33:02.279 --> 00:33:03.700 Jesus 00:33:03.700 --> 00:33:05.700 did not 00:33:05.700 --> 00:33:06.180 run 00:33:06.180 --> 00:33:07.059 from death. 00:33:09.259 --> 00:33:09.559 Jesus 00:33:09.559 --> 00:33:10.139 ran 00:33:10.139 --> 00:33:11.420 to death 00:33:11.420 --> 00:33:12.859 in the 00:33:12.859 --> 00:33:13.220 greatest 00:33:13.220 --> 00:33:14.099 act of 00:33:14.099 --> 00:33:14.480 love 00:33:14.480 --> 00:33:15.059 the world 00:33:15.059 --> 00:33:15.559 has ever 00:33:15.559 --> 00:33:16.000 seen. 00:33:18.119 --> 00:33:19.059 That is 00:33:19.059 --> 00:33:19.740 the depth 00:33:19.740 --> 00:33:20.519 of his 00:33:20.519 --> 00:33:20.980 love 00:33:20.980 --> 00:33:22.220 for this 00:33:22.220 --> 00:33:22.899 great 00:33:22.899 --> 00:33:24.039 city 00:33:24.039 --> 00:33:24.920 and 00:33:24.920 --> 00:33:25.579 this 00:33:25.579 --> 00:33:26.139 great 00:33:26.139 --> 00:33:26.660 people. 00:33:27.839 --> 00:33:28.619 That is 00:33:28.619 --> 00:33:29.059 the depth 00:33:29.059 --> 00:33:29.379 of his 00:33:29.379 --> 00:33:29.799 love 00:33:29.799 --> 00:33:31.119 for this 00:33:31.119 --> 00:33:31.500 church 00:33:31.500 --> 00:33:32.139 Southwood 00:33:32.140 --> 00:33:32.520 and for 00:33:32.520 --> 00:33:32.860 you 00:33:32.860 --> 00:33:33.300 and for 00:33:33.300 --> 00:33:33.620 me. 00:33:35.600 --> 00:33:36.240 He is 00:33:36.240 --> 00:33:36.800 the greater 00:33:36.800 --> 00:33:37.560 Jonah 00:33:37.560 --> 00:33:39.020 and we 00:33:39.020 --> 00:33:39.400 were his 00:33:39.400 --> 00:33:39.740 enemies 00:33:39.740 --> 00:33:40.420 but we're 00:33:40.420 --> 00:33:41.020 now his 00:33:41.020 --> 00:33:41.360 friends 00:33:41.360 --> 00:33:42.280 because Jesus 00:33:42.280 --> 00:33:43.400 accepted 00:33:43.400 --> 00:33:44.540 the call 00:33:44.540 --> 00:33:45.280 to love 00:33:45.280 --> 00:33:45.720 us. 00:33:47.280 --> 00:33:47.700 And get 00:33:47.700 --> 00:33:48.080 this because 00:33:48.080 --> 00:33:48.360 it gets 00:33:48.360 --> 00:33:48.620 better. 00:33:48.960 --> 00:33:49.660 He sees 00:33:49.660 --> 00:33:50.720 you fully 00:33:50.720 --> 00:33:52.320 just like 00:33:52.320 --> 00:33:52.820 God sees 00:33:52.820 --> 00:33:53.120 us. 00:33:54.420 --> 00:33:54.660 Jesus 00:33:54.660 --> 00:33:55.360 sees us 00:33:55.360 --> 00:33:55.700 fully. 00:33:55.840 --> 00:33:56.259 He sees 00:33:56.259 --> 00:33:57.080 the dignity 00:33:57.080 --> 00:33:57.640 that we all 00:33:57.640 --> 00:33:58.200 possess as 00:33:58.200 --> 00:33:58.759 image bearers 00:33:58.759 --> 00:33:59.120 of God 00:33:59.119 --> 00:33:59.719 and he 00:33:59.719 --> 00:34:00.219 sees the 00:34:00.219 --> 00:34:00.719 danger 00:34:00.719 --> 00:34:01.919 that we 00:34:01.919 --> 00:34:02.599 all possess 00:34:02.599 --> 00:34:03.639 as products 00:34:03.639 --> 00:34:04.419 of sin's 00:34:04.419 --> 00:34:04.899 destruction. 00:34:06.399 --> 00:34:06.679 And you 00:34:06.679 --> 00:34:06.899 know what? 00:34:06.959 --> 00:34:07.319 Once he 00:34:07.319 --> 00:34:08.319 sees us, 00:34:09.199 --> 00:34:09.719 once he 00:34:09.719 --> 00:34:10.699 sees you, 00:34:11.880 --> 00:34:12.759 he doesn't 00:34:12.759 --> 00:34:13.500 run from 00:34:13.500 --> 00:34:13.859 you. 00:34:15.619 --> 00:34:16.699 He doesn't 00:34:16.699 --> 00:34:17.139 run. 00:34:18.519 --> 00:34:19.119 He 00:34:19.119 --> 00:34:19.819 redeems. 00:34:21.699 --> 00:34:22.460 That's what 00:34:22.460 --> 00:34:23.759 Jesus does. 00:34:23.760 --> 00:34:26.180 He 00:34:26.180 --> 00:34:26.700 is the 00:34:26.700 --> 00:34:27.140 word of 00:34:27.140 --> 00:34:27.620 the Lord 00:34:27.620 --> 00:34:28.520 who has 00:34:28.520 --> 00:34:29.100 come to 00:34:29.100 --> 00:34:29.680 us. 00:34:30.720 --> 00:34:30.780 By 00:34:30.780 --> 00:34:31.240 taking 00:34:31.240 --> 00:34:31.720 on 00:34:31.720 --> 00:34:32.780 flesh, 00:34:33.140 --> 00:34:33.580 he 00:34:33.580 --> 00:34:34.180 affirms 00:34:34.180 --> 00:34:34.420 our 00:34:34.420 --> 00:34:34.760 dignity, 00:34:34.900 --> 00:34:35.340 the beauty 00:34:35.340 --> 00:34:35.700 of our 00:34:35.700 --> 00:34:36.000 very 00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:36.320 bodies. 00:34:36.500 --> 00:34:36.720 And by 00:34:36.720 --> 00:34:37.040 taking 00:34:37.040 --> 00:34:37.320 on 00:34:37.320 --> 00:34:37.860 sin, 00:34:37.860 --> 00:34:38.380 he 00:34:38.380 --> 00:34:39.100 destroys 00:34:39.100 --> 00:34:39.700 our 00:34:39.700 --> 00:34:40.340 danger 00:34:40.340 --> 00:34:41.000 that 00:34:41.000 --> 00:34:41.500 threatened 00:34:41.500 --> 00:34:41.780 our 00:34:41.780 --> 00:34:42.120 very 00:34:42.120 --> 00:34:42.500 lives 00:34:42.500 --> 00:34:42.680 with 00:34:42.680 --> 00:34:42.980 him. 00:34:43.660 --> 00:34:43.900 That 00:34:43.900 --> 00:34:44.280 threatened 00:34:44.280 --> 00:34:44.840 to keep 00:34:44.840 --> 00:34:45.260 us 00:34:45.260 --> 00:34:45.920 from the 00:34:45.920 --> 00:34:46.300 love 00:34:46.300 --> 00:34:46.860 that we 00:34:46.860 --> 00:34:47.100 were 00:34:47.100 --> 00:34:47.540 made 00:34:47.540 --> 00:34:48.120 to 00:34:48.120 --> 00:34:48.720 bask 00:34:48.720 --> 00:34:49.160 in. 00:34:49.740 --> 00:34:50.060 Do you 00:34:50.060 --> 00:34:50.600 know that's 00:34:50.600 --> 00:34:50.860 what you 00:34:50.860 --> 00:34:51.140 were made 00:34:51.140 --> 00:34:51.440 for? 00:34:52.200 --> 00:34:52.600 You 00:34:52.600 --> 00:34:53.220 were made 00:34:53.219 --> 00:34:54.639 for someone 00:34:54.639 --> 00:34:55.219 to look 00:34:55.219 --> 00:34:55.679 at you 00:34:55.679 --> 00:34:56.099 and to 00:34:56.099 --> 00:34:56.480 say, 00:34:57.019 --> 00:34:57.199 you're 00:34:57.199 --> 00:34:57.959 okay and 00:34:57.959 --> 00:34:58.339 I love 00:34:58.339 --> 00:34:58.679 you and 00:34:58.679 --> 00:34:59.079 that is 00:34:59.079 --> 00:34:59.579 Jesus and 00:34:59.579 --> 00:34:59.779 you were 00:34:59.779 --> 00:35:00.099 meant to 00:35:00.099 --> 00:35:00.679 bask in 00:35:00.679 --> 00:35:01.019 that. 00:35:03.139 --> 00:35:03.839 And in 00:35:03.839 --> 00:35:04.959 order for 00:35:04.959 --> 00:35:05.739 Jesus to 00:35:05.739 --> 00:35:06.279 do that, 00:35:06.619 --> 00:35:07.480 in order for 00:35:07.480 --> 00:35:08.279 Jesus to 00:35:08.279 --> 00:35:08.919 love, 00:35:10.139 --> 00:35:11.159 Jesus had 00:35:11.159 --> 00:35:12.079 to die. 00:35:16.079 --> 00:35:17.459 Love is 00:35:17.459 --> 00:35:18.539 not always 00:35:18.539 --> 00:35:19.059 what you 00:35:19.059 --> 00:35:19.459 think it 00:35:19.459 --> 00:35:19.839 is. 00:35:21.299 --> 00:35:22.779 And love 00:35:22.780 --> 00:35:24.280 love is 00:35:24.280 --> 00:35:24.560 how we 00:35:24.560 --> 00:35:25.720 reach the 00:35:25.720 --> 00:35:25.980 next 00:35:25.980 --> 00:35:26.620 generation, 00:35:27.340 --> 00:35:28.800 even when 00:35:28.800 --> 00:35:29.060 there are 00:35:29.060 --> 00:35:29.440 enemies. 00:35:31.280 --> 00:35:31.380 And 00:35:31.380 --> 00:35:32.500 if you 00:35:32.500 --> 00:35:32.980 want to 00:35:32.980 --> 00:35:33.980 love like 00:35:33.980 --> 00:35:34.220 that, 00:35:34.280 --> 00:35:34.480 if you 00:35:34.480 --> 00:35:34.900 want to 00:35:34.900 --> 00:35:35.640 love even 00:35:35.640 --> 00:35:36.180 your enemies 00:35:36.180 --> 00:35:36.860 like that, 00:35:38.040 --> 00:35:38.400 then as 00:35:38.400 --> 00:35:38.920 Paul says 00:35:38.920 --> 00:35:39.120 in the 00:35:39.120 --> 00:35:39.400 book of 00:35:39.400 --> 00:35:39.820 Romans, 00:35:40.820 --> 00:35:42.100 you must 00:35:42.100 --> 00:35:42.560 first be 00:35:42.560 --> 00:35:43.740 loved by 00:35:43.740 --> 00:35:44.480 your 00:35:44.480 --> 00:35:44.800 enemy. 00:35:47.200 --> 00:35:48.200 And God 00:35:48.200 --> 00:35:49.040 was our 00:35:49.040 --> 00:35:49.380 enemy, 00:35:49.380 --> 00:35:49.480 enemy. 00:35:51.200 --> 00:35:51.940 But he 00:35:51.940 --> 00:35:52.440 has made 00:35:52.440 --> 00:35:53.579 us friends 00:35:53.579 --> 00:35:54.840 through the 00:35:54.840 --> 00:35:56.220 death of 00:35:56.220 --> 00:35:56.619 Jesus. 00:35:57.700 --> 00:35:58.000 Amen? 00:35:58.840 --> 00:35:59.440 Let's 00:35:59.440 --> 00:35:59.640 pray. 00:36:03.420 --> 00:36:04.019 Jesus, 00:36:04.160 --> 00:36:04.820 even as we 00:36:04.820 --> 00:36:05.559 hear it and 00:36:05.559 --> 00:36:06.220 even as we 00:36:06.220 --> 00:36:06.840 read it, 00:36:07.500 --> 00:36:09.079 we struggle 00:36:09.079 --> 00:36:09.660 to believe 00:36:09.660 --> 00:36:09.980 it. 00:36:11.660 --> 00:36:12.420 So we 00:36:12.420 --> 00:36:12.840 ask, 00:36:13.039 --> 00:36:13.579 even now, 00:36:13.720 --> 00:36:14.019 would you 00:36:14.019 --> 00:36:14.800 help us to 00:36:14.800 --> 00:36:16.260 believe that 00:36:16.260 --> 00:36:17.500 your love is 00:36:17.500 --> 00:36:18.500 the love that 00:36:18.500 --> 00:36:19.340 conquers all 00:36:19.340 --> 00:36:19.860 things, 00:36:20.059 --> 00:36:20.699 even death, 00:36:20.860 --> 00:36:21.280 even the 00:36:21.280 --> 00:36:21.699 grave, 00:36:22.300 --> 00:36:23.719 so that we 00:36:23.719 --> 00:36:25.199 may not 00:36:25.199 --> 00:36:27.239 face the 00:36:27.239 --> 00:36:27.420 grave, 00:36:27.500 --> 00:36:27.860 that we 00:36:27.860 --> 00:36:28.280 would be 00:36:28.280 --> 00:36:29.059 resurrected to 00:36:29.059 --> 00:36:29.960 eternal life, 00:36:30.320 --> 00:36:30.719 that we 00:36:30.719 --> 00:36:31.219 would never 00:36:31.219 --> 00:36:33.079 be separated 00:36:33.079 --> 00:36:33.659 from your 00:36:33.659 --> 00:36:34.219 faith but 00:36:34.219 --> 00:36:34.599 would live 00:36:34.599 --> 00:36:35.079 eternally 00:36:35.079 --> 00:36:35.719 before your 00:36:35.719 --> 00:36:36.119 faith. 00:36:36.860 --> 00:36:37.559 With one 00:36:37.559 --> 00:36:37.800 another, 00:36:37.880 --> 00:36:38.980 we pray that 00:36:38.980 --> 00:36:39.219 you would 00:36:39.219 --> 00:36:39.920 bless us and 00:36:39.920 --> 00:36:40.519 keep us in 00:36:40.519 --> 00:36:41.219 that love this 00:36:41.219 --> 00:36:41.539 day and 00:36:41.539 --> 00:36:42.099 forevermore. 00:36:42.460 --> 00:36:42.679 Amen. 00:36:45.099 --> 00:36:45.840 For more 00:36:45.840 --> 00:36:46.360 information, 00:36:46.760 --> 00:36:47.179 visit us 00:36:47.179 --> 00:36:47.899 online at 00:36:47.899 --> 00:36:48.679 sapwa.org.