WEBVTT

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 A few years ago, I think Nora was just like a toddler, so it was a while back.

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! I put together a basketball team for a rec league and recruited a friend who played at the college level a few years before that.

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 And he said yes, he joined our team. It was incredible.

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 The league was well below his skill level, but he wanted to hang out with his friends.

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 And so he jumped on the team.

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 I mean, a few of us played high school ball, but really, we were rec league players, and he certainly was not.

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 And when he arrived, it was very clear that we would not lose.

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 We were blowing out teams, and because for this one individual, you can't turn off the competitive switch.

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 I think it was torn out years ago.

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 The competition got fierce, and he would just torch guys.

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 It became very clear how good he was for our team when he didn't play, I think, for two or three straight games, and we lost those games.

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 And then he came back, and we ended up winning the league, and we got a t-shirt as a trophy, which is like the worst possible trophy.

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 But a championship's a championship, and we wore them with a lot of glee.

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 It was an awesome year, and it was a great example of how having the right person on your team is really the difference between victory and defeat.

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 It really is.

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 It's the same case in a work environment.

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 If you have somebody who lifts everybody up, you feel like you can't lose.

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 You feel like victory is ever close.

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 I bring up that story as we get into Psalm 124.

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 We continue on in this series on the Psalms of Ascent.

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 We come to this beautiful psalm, Psalm 124.

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 It's a Thanksgiving psalm that David wrote as the pilgrims are, they would head up to Jerusalem, and they would sing this song,

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 remembering their rescue from near disaster at the hands of fierce and death-obsessed enemies.

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 We'll see this in a bit.

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 The Israelites had no hope of winning against their enemies.

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 But soon as God joined their team, the equation changed.

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 God was on their side, fighting their battle.

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 He would be the one who would come to their defense, and it changed everything.

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 This psalm provides us with a comfort and reassurance that when God is on our side,

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 whether or not we feel him, victory is ours.

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 It reminds us that God truly understands our human fragility,

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 for why would he join and fight for our battles if we could fight our own battles?

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 He knows we are small.

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 He knows we are weak.

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 He knows that we can feel overwhelmed by pressures and sicknesses and temptations, opposition.

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 And the wonderful and comforting thing about this is that he does not scold us for these struggles.

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 Instead, he's assuring us in this psalm that we can look to him, for he is on our side.

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 He is a part of our team.

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 And like, you know, like an infinitely greater way,

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 this is exactly the type of situation we had years ago with this basketball team.

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 We have the right player on the team.

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 The championship is ours.

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 The victory is ours.

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 It's guaranteed.

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 So we're going to just jump right into this psalm this morning.

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 If you have a Bible, turn with me to Psalm 124.

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 We still have a couple of Bibles at the back welcome table,

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 so feel free to get up at any time to grab one and follow along.

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 So we'll jump right into it.

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 And to understand this reality of having the right person on our team assuring us victory,

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 we're going to take a look at Psalm 124,

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 and we're going to break it up in the following way.

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 Verses 1 to 5, we're going to look at the immensity of danger.

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 Verses 6 to 7, the enormity of deliverance.

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 And finally, verse 8.

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 And this is really, I mean, again, write this on a cue card, put it on your wall,

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 on your fridge, on your bathroom mirror,

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 because it talks about the greatness of God.

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 We'll jump right into it.

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 Verses 1 to 5.

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 Let me read this section again.

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 A song of ascents of David.

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 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side.

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 Let Israel now say,

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 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side,

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 when the people rose up against us,

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 then they would have swallowed us up alive.

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 When their anger was kindled against us,

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 then the flood would have swept us away.

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 The torrent would have gone over us.

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 Then over us would have gone the raging water.

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 We have this picture of these pilgrims going up to Jerusalem.

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 They are being led in song by this cantor.

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 And you can picture him beginning the song,

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 If it had not been the Lord who was on our side.

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 And maybe the voices are a bit quiet.

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 So he goes,

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 Let Israel say,

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 In a booming, big cantor voice.

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 Let Israel say,

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 If it had not been for the Lord who was on our side.

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 The foes of Israel,

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 they're formidable.

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 Their strength is significant.

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 Their threat was very real.

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 Utter destruction seemed guaranteed.

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 But the Lord was on their side.

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 And if he had not been on our side,

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 then certain defeat would have happened.

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 And here David in this psalm

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 is going to use this series of if-then statements.

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 You'll do that three times.

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 If the Lord had not been on our side,

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 then we would have been crushed by our enemies.

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 You see this starting at verse 3,

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 really starting at verse 2,

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 verse 3 right at the beginning,

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 verse 4 and verse 5.

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 In addition to these if-then statements,

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 David uses five analogies.

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 Not all five are in this first section.

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 They continue on in verse 6 and 7.

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 But he uses these five descriptors,

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 or these five metaphors, rather,

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 to describe the enemies.

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 There's a landslide,

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 or a giant crack of an earthquake

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 that opens up,

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 that swallows up the nation.

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 There's a raging fire.

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 There's anger that is kindled.

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 There's a flood that's described.

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 Later on in verse 6,

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 David describes a wild beast

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 with sharp teeth

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 that tears and rips

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 and maims.

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 And then finally,

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 in verse 7,

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 there's a description

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 of a trap that is set.

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 The idea behind it

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 is that there is a hunter

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 that is prowling

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 to take the life

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 of God's people.

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 And what you have,

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 if you put all of these together,

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 is this image

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 of this larger-than-life problem

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 that completely dwarfs

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 Israel's ability

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 to fight back.

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 They are weak.

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 They are powerless.

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 There is a real danger.

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 And they lack any hope

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 in their own strength.

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 So here's the question.

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 If these enemies are horrific,

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 who are the foes of Israel?

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 And what should be

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 our stance before them?

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 Before we try to answer

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 this question,

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 I want to just take

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 a bit of an aside,

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 and I think it's important

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 for us,

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 important aside

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 for us to consider.

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 We're Western Christians,

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 okay?

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 We live in the West.

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 We enjoy

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 what we think

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 is a normal life,

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 but has been

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 like an anomaly

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 in human existence.

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 We have

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 unbelievable bounty.

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 We don't fear

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 for our lives.

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 We do not have

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 enemy tribes

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 at our doorstep

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 threatening our existence.

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 That's not the case

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 for other Christians.

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 Christians that live

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 in Muslim-majority countries,

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 not all Muslim-majority countries,

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 but many,

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 they have to be

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 very careful

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 with the way

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 they practice

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 their faith.

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 They can't be open

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 in the same way

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 that we are.

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 There's no madrasas

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 renting out

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 their gyms,

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 so to speak,

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 for churches

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 like we are here.

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 There's also

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 our brothers and sisters

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 that struggle

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 under communist rule.

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 A heavy hand

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 of the state

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 upon them.

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 There's also

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 our dear,

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 dear brothers

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 and sisters

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 in the northern part

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 of Nigeria

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 who live

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 under a constant fear

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 of their churches

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 being torched,

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 their women

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 and daughters

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 being kidnapped.

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 It is

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 a tough thing

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 to be a Christian

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 outside of the West.

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 So we can be

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 a bit quick

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 when we read this

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 to look for

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 the metaphors,

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 so to speak.

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 What are our enemies?

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 Who are our enemies?

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 What kind of things

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 do we struggle with?

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 By the way,

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 all really important things

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 to think about

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 as we're considering

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 the psalm.

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 But let us not move

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 towards that

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 too quickly

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 without first

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 considering that

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 we are the minority

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 of Christians

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 in the world

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 and we have dear,

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 dear brothers and sisters

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 across the world

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 that need our prayers

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 and need our support

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 who read this psalm

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 much differently

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 than we do.

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 Back to the text.

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 That's my little aside.

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 Pray for the persecuted church.

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 Back to the text.

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 So who are the enemies

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 that we face today?

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 They are enemies

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 of God's people

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 and therefore

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 they're enemies

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 of God himself.

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 There's even this little

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 clever play on words

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 in the original language

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 where David,

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 he talks about

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 those that are

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 against us

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 and God

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 who is for us.

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 There's a little

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 rhyming word,

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 a bit of an alliteration

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 where God

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 on our side

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 is contrasted

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 with those

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 that are not

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 on our side.

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 And what is clear

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 is that

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 there are two sides

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 to this battle.

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 Some are on

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 God's side,

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 they are called

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 by him

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 and they are calling

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 him Lord

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 and others are not.

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 So whether

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 they seek to

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 physically destroy

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 God's people

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 or simply oppose

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 them,

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 they are considered

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 enemies of God.

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 Generally speaking,

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 they include

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 those that practice

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 pagan idolatry,

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 those that are

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 godless,

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 polytheists,

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 and then heretical

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 distortions of

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 Christianity.

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 It can also include

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 powers and governments

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 that try to

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 oppress and

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 oppose

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 the worship

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 of God's people.

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 and the thing

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 that we can

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 often overlook,

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 the sin that

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 is left to

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 fester within

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 the church

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 that destroys

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 fellowship.

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 Suffice it to

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 say that

00:11:03.240 --> 00:11:05.300
 the enemies

00:11:05.300 --> 00:11:06.500
 that we face

00:11:06.500 --> 00:11:07.720
 are legion.

00:11:08.540 --> 00:11:09.060
 They come in

00:11:09.060 --> 00:11:09.660
 all sorts of

00:11:09.660 --> 00:11:10.200
 different shapes

00:11:10.200 --> 00:11:10.779
 and sizes

00:11:10.779 --> 00:11:12.080
 both outside of

00:11:12.080 --> 00:11:12.399
 the church

00:11:12.399 --> 00:11:13.220
 and within

00:11:13.220 --> 00:11:13.879
 the church.

00:11:14.420 --> 00:11:15.320
 But the common

00:11:15.320 --> 00:11:16.480
 denominator with

00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:16.980
 all of them

00:11:16.980 --> 00:11:17.399
 is that they

00:11:17.399 --> 00:11:18.000
 oppose

00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:19.639
 Jesus as

00:11:19.639 --> 00:11:20.000
 Lord

00:11:20.000 --> 00:11:20.820
 and they

00:11:20.820 --> 00:11:21.559
 seek to

00:11:21.559 --> 00:11:22.679
 disrupt the

00:11:22.679 --> 00:11:23.000
 worship

00:11:23.000 --> 00:11:24.159
 that we

00:11:24.159 --> 00:11:24.879
 engage in

00:11:24.879 --> 00:11:25.740
 on a Sunday

00:11:25.740 --> 00:11:26.259
 morning and

00:11:26.259 --> 00:11:26.580
 throughout the

00:11:26.580 --> 00:11:26.860
 weeks.

00:11:29.559 --> 00:11:30.360
 Us and

00:11:30.360 --> 00:11:30.620
 them.

00:11:32.039 --> 00:11:32.259
 You know,

00:11:32.299 --> 00:11:32.860
 this is something,

00:11:33.059 --> 00:11:33.220
 again,

00:11:33.340 --> 00:11:34.120
 generally speaking,

00:11:35.039 --> 00:11:36.220
 it's not

00:11:36.220 --> 00:11:36.620
 something that

00:11:36.620 --> 00:11:36.820
 we,

00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:38.559
 that kind of

00:11:38.559 --> 00:11:39.019
 discourse we

00:11:39.019 --> 00:11:39.639
 engage in

00:11:39.639 --> 00:11:40.080
 here in

00:11:40.080 --> 00:11:40.340
 Canada.

00:11:41.879 --> 00:11:42.860
 We won

00:11:42.860 --> 00:11:44.240
 our nationhood

00:11:44.240 --> 00:11:45.220
 at a negotiating

00:11:45.220 --> 00:11:45.639
 table,

00:11:45.799 --> 00:11:46.320
 not on a

00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:46.659
 battlefield.

00:11:47.320 --> 00:11:47.580
 All right?

00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:48.940
 Very polite

00:11:48.940 --> 00:11:49.620
 way to

00:11:49.620 --> 00:11:51.139
 make a

00:11:51.139 --> 00:11:51.480
 country.

00:11:52.840 --> 00:11:53.740
 So we

00:11:53.740 --> 00:11:54.539
 are a

00:11:54.539 --> 00:11:55.100
 country that

00:11:55.100 --> 00:11:55.480
 right in

00:11:55.480 --> 00:11:56.059
 its DNA

00:11:56.059 --> 00:11:57.299
 is generally

00:11:57.299 --> 00:11:58.340
 very conciliatory.

00:11:58.720 --> 00:11:59.559
 We look for

00:11:59.559 --> 00:12:00.220
 commonalities,

00:12:00.740 --> 00:12:01.139
 we look for

00:12:01.139 --> 00:12:01.740
 negotiations,

00:12:02.019 --> 00:12:02.360
 we don't

00:12:02.360 --> 00:12:03.139
 necessarily look

00:12:03.139 --> 00:12:04.559
 to have an

00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:05.259
 us versus

00:12:05.259 --> 00:12:06.379
 them mindset.

00:12:07.039 --> 00:12:07.519
 It can be

00:12:07.519 --> 00:12:08.320
 off-putting for

00:12:08.320 --> 00:12:08.600
 us.

00:12:09.500 --> 00:12:10.220
 And this is a

00:12:10.220 --> 00:12:10.779
 great advantage,

00:12:10.860 --> 00:12:11.159
 by the way,

00:12:11.200 --> 00:12:11.679
 I'm not trying

00:12:11.679 --> 00:12:12.220
 to disparage

00:12:12.220 --> 00:12:12.559
 this at all,

00:12:12.600 --> 00:12:12.980
 it's a great

00:12:12.980 --> 00:12:13.360
 advantage.

00:12:13.779 --> 00:12:14.580
 It's a peace

00:12:14.580 --> 00:12:15.559
 loving advantage.

00:12:15.559 --> 00:12:16.859
 It is

00:12:16.859 --> 00:12:17.679
 recognizing that

00:12:17.679 --> 00:12:18.939
 war or

00:12:18.939 --> 00:12:19.659
 disagreements can

00:12:19.659 --> 00:12:20.179
 lead to war

00:12:20.179 --> 00:12:21.079
 and war to

00:12:21.079 --> 00:12:21.439
 death.

00:12:22.459 --> 00:12:23.099
 However,

00:12:23.579 --> 00:12:25.159
 it becomes a

00:12:25.159 --> 00:12:26.659
 liability rather

00:12:26.659 --> 00:12:27.459
 than a strength

00:12:27.459 --> 00:12:29.079
 when it

00:12:29.079 --> 00:12:30.579
 causes us to

00:12:30.579 --> 00:12:31.500
 ignore real

00:12:31.500 --> 00:12:33.399
 problems and

00:12:33.399 --> 00:12:34.079
 real issues.

00:12:35.119 --> 00:12:36.279
 When we

00:12:36.279 --> 00:12:37.579
 fail to see

00:12:37.579 --> 00:12:38.219
 that there is

00:12:38.219 --> 00:12:38.879
 a threat

00:12:38.879 --> 00:12:42.919
 because we

00:12:42.919 --> 00:12:43.319
 can build

00:12:43.319 --> 00:12:43.819
 bridges no

00:12:43.819 --> 00:12:44.279
 matter what.

00:12:44.279 --> 00:12:45.879
 So building

00:12:45.879 --> 00:12:46.360
 bridges are

00:12:46.360 --> 00:12:46.620
 good,

00:12:46.779 --> 00:12:47.240
 but not

00:12:47.240 --> 00:12:47.579
 when the

00:12:47.579 --> 00:12:47.980
 threat is

00:12:47.980 --> 00:12:48.899
 so big.

00:12:49.740 --> 00:12:50.399
 Sometimes it's

00:12:50.399 --> 00:12:51.120
 a very loving

00:12:51.120 --> 00:12:51.699
 and godly

00:12:51.699 --> 00:12:52.120
 thing to

00:12:52.120 --> 00:12:53.059
 oppose people

00:12:53.059 --> 00:12:53.720
 that oppose

00:12:53.720 --> 00:12:54.579
 God or

00:12:54.579 --> 00:12:55.379
 oppose peace

00:12:55.379 --> 00:12:56.379
 or people

00:12:56.379 --> 00:12:57.000
 that oppose

00:12:57.000 --> 00:12:57.799
 the prosperity

00:12:57.799 --> 00:12:58.579
 in kind of

00:12:58.579 --> 00:12:58.959
 the biggest

00:12:58.959 --> 00:12:59.379
 sense of

00:12:59.379 --> 00:12:59.779
 the term

00:12:59.779 --> 00:13:01.519
 of the

00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:02.379
 general

00:13:02.379 --> 00:13:02.819
 public.

00:13:04.299 --> 00:13:04.659
 St.

00:13:04.720 --> 00:13:05.199
 Augustine,

00:13:05.899 --> 00:13:07.079
 this is his

00:13:07.079 --> 00:13:07.559
 kind of big

00:13:07.559 --> 00:13:08.139
 thing with

00:13:08.139 --> 00:13:09.120
 just war,

00:13:09.639 --> 00:13:10.699
 that a war

00:13:10.699 --> 00:13:11.319
 entered into

00:13:11.319 --> 00:13:12.480
 justly is a

00:13:12.480 --> 00:13:13.199
 loving act.

00:13:14.279 --> 00:13:15.059
 something that

00:13:15.059 --> 00:13:15.279
 we don't

00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:15.740
 really talk

00:13:15.740 --> 00:13:16.139
 about or

00:13:16.139 --> 00:13:16.620
 consider or

00:13:16.620 --> 00:13:17.120
 maybe we

00:13:17.120 --> 00:13:18.240
 even disagree

00:13:18.240 --> 00:13:18.679
 with.

00:13:20.059 --> 00:13:20.980
 I bring that

00:13:20.980 --> 00:13:22.519
 up to say

00:13:22.519 --> 00:13:23.179
 that sometimes

00:13:23.179 --> 00:13:23.980
 it's important

00:13:23.980 --> 00:13:25.399
 that we discuss

00:13:25.399 --> 00:13:26.079
 us versus

00:13:26.079 --> 00:13:26.399
 them.

00:13:27.519 --> 00:13:28.259
 Not from

00:13:28.259 --> 00:13:28.899
 this moral

00:13:28.899 --> 00:13:29.679
 superiority

00:13:29.679 --> 00:13:31.860
 place,

00:13:32.279 --> 00:13:33.079
 but rather

00:13:33.079 --> 00:13:33.459
 just to

00:13:33.459 --> 00:13:34.019
 recognize that

00:13:34.019 --> 00:13:34.399
 there's real

00:13:34.399 --> 00:13:34.679
 good,

00:13:34.799 --> 00:13:35.199
 there's real

00:13:35.199 --> 00:13:35.500
 evil.

00:13:36.860 --> 00:13:37.439
 But we

00:13:37.439 --> 00:13:37.720
 would be

00:13:37.720 --> 00:13:38.399
 equally foolish

00:13:38.399 --> 00:13:39.059
 if we forgot

00:13:39.059 --> 00:13:39.860
 that ultimately

00:13:39.860 --> 00:13:40.500
 our enemies

00:13:40.500 --> 00:13:41.159
 are spiritual.

00:13:41.159 --> 00:13:42.980
 for Israel

00:13:42.980 --> 00:13:43.379
 the threat

00:13:43.379 --> 00:13:44.100
 was indeed

00:13:44.100 --> 00:13:44.899
 the Philistines.

00:13:45.179 --> 00:13:45.600
 A lot of

00:13:45.600 --> 00:13:46.100
 commentators

00:13:46.100 --> 00:13:46.399
 would,

00:13:46.679 --> 00:13:46.919
 even though

00:13:46.919 --> 00:13:47.219
 it's not

00:13:47.219 --> 00:13:48.100
 specified in

00:13:48.100 --> 00:13:48.839
 Psalm 124,

00:13:49.259 --> 00:13:49.939
 they connect

00:13:49.939 --> 00:13:50.899
 it to

00:13:50.899 --> 00:13:52.980
 2 Samuel 5

00:13:52.980 --> 00:13:53.980
 right after

00:13:53.980 --> 00:13:54.699
 David is

00:13:54.699 --> 00:13:55.500
 inaugurated as

00:13:55.500 --> 00:13:55.779
 king,

00:13:55.860 --> 00:13:56.459
 the Philistines

00:13:56.459 --> 00:13:57.639
 come to

00:13:57.639 --> 00:13:59.679
 destroy Israel.

00:14:00.079 --> 00:14:00.539
 So they'll

00:14:00.539 --> 00:14:01.019
 connect it to

00:14:01.019 --> 00:14:01.139
 that,

00:14:01.179 --> 00:14:01.459
 but really

00:14:01.459 --> 00:14:01.919
 it's left

00:14:01.919 --> 00:14:02.699
 a bit

00:14:02.699 --> 00:14:03.100
 ambiguous

00:14:03.100 --> 00:14:03.779
 as to

00:14:03.779 --> 00:14:04.819
 the context.

00:14:06.279 --> 00:14:06.720
 But nevertheless,

00:14:06.939 --> 00:14:07.379
 for Israel

00:14:07.379 --> 00:14:07.819
 the threat

00:14:07.819 --> 00:14:08.339
 was indeed

00:14:08.339 --> 00:14:08.980
 the Philistines

00:14:08.980 --> 00:14:09.559
 who's also

00:14:09.559 --> 00:14:10.240
 other nations

00:14:10.240 --> 00:14:10.740
 as well.

00:14:10.960 --> 00:14:11.379
 But more

00:14:11.379 --> 00:14:11.700
 than that,

00:14:11.759 --> 00:14:12.100
 the threat

00:14:12.100 --> 00:14:12.620
 wasn't just

00:14:12.620 --> 00:14:13.820
 the people

00:14:13.820 --> 00:14:15.399
 that opposed

00:14:15.399 --> 00:14:15.740
 them,

00:14:15.940 --> 00:14:16.500
 but it was

00:14:16.500 --> 00:14:17.000
 the evil

00:14:17.000 --> 00:14:17.440
 darkness

00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:18.180
 that shaped

00:14:18.180 --> 00:14:18.860
 the Philistine

00:14:18.860 --> 00:14:19.799
 ideology and

00:14:19.799 --> 00:14:20.139
 religion.

00:14:20.740 --> 00:14:21.340
 So it was a

00:14:21.340 --> 00:14:21.960
 spiritual battle.

00:14:22.039 --> 00:14:22.620
 It always has

00:14:22.620 --> 00:14:23.600
 been a spiritual

00:14:23.600 --> 00:14:24.259
 battle against

00:14:24.259 --> 00:14:24.860
 God's people.

00:14:25.379 --> 00:14:26.100
 The Apostle Paul

00:14:26.100 --> 00:14:27.240
 reminds us as

00:14:27.240 --> 00:14:28.940
 much in his

00:14:28.940 --> 00:14:29.919
 letter to the

00:14:29.919 --> 00:14:30.700
 Ephesians in

00:14:30.700 --> 00:14:31.340
 chapter 6.

00:14:32.019 --> 00:14:32.639
 If you've been

00:14:32.639 --> 00:14:33.759
 connected to church

00:14:33.759 --> 00:14:34.740
 for any amount

00:14:34.740 --> 00:14:35.200
 of time,

00:14:35.340 --> 00:14:35.799
 this will be

00:14:35.799 --> 00:14:37.480
 familiar to you.

00:14:38.460 --> 00:14:38.919
 It's right in

00:14:38.919 --> 00:14:39.860
 the context of

00:14:39.860 --> 00:14:40.879
 Paul talking

00:14:40.879 --> 00:14:41.220
 about the

00:14:41.220 --> 00:14:41.620
 armor of

00:14:41.620 --> 00:14:41.940
 God and

00:14:41.940 --> 00:14:42.279
 he says

00:14:42.279 --> 00:14:42.600
 in verse

00:14:42.600 --> 00:14:42.919
 12

00:14:42.919 --> 00:14:43.639
 chapter 6,

00:14:44.300 --> 00:14:44.659
 For we do

00:14:44.659 --> 00:14:45.159
 not wrestle

00:14:45.159 --> 00:14:45.840
 against flesh

00:14:45.840 --> 00:14:46.259
 and blood,

00:14:46.980 --> 00:14:47.480
 but against

00:14:47.480 --> 00:14:48.000
 the rulers,

00:14:48.539 --> 00:14:48.940
 against the

00:14:48.940 --> 00:14:49.419
 authorities,

00:14:50.139 --> 00:14:50.620
 against the

00:14:50.620 --> 00:14:51.560
 cosmic powers

00:14:51.560 --> 00:14:52.100
 over the

00:14:52.100 --> 00:14:52.840
 present darkness,

00:14:53.620 --> 00:14:54.120
 against the

00:14:54.120 --> 00:14:54.879
 spiritual forces

00:14:54.879 --> 00:14:56.240
 of evil in

00:14:56.240 --> 00:14:56.659
 the heavenly

00:14:56.659 --> 00:14:57.200
 places.

00:14:58.399 --> 00:14:59.200
 Paul is saying,

00:14:59.279 --> 00:14:59.440
 listen,

00:14:59.639 --> 00:15:00.019
 there are

00:15:00.019 --> 00:15:00.399
 enemies,

00:15:00.620 --> 00:15:01.600
 but the real

00:15:01.600 --> 00:15:02.080
 enemy,

00:15:02.840 --> 00:15:03.259
 they are the

00:15:03.259 --> 00:15:03.899
 people that are

00:15:03.899 --> 00:15:04.440
 behind the

00:15:04.440 --> 00:15:04.659
 scenes,

00:15:04.740 --> 00:15:05.240
 the spiritual

00:15:05.240 --> 00:15:06.519
 forces that

00:15:06.519 --> 00:15:07.279
 look to destroy

00:15:07.279 --> 00:15:07.980
 God's people.

00:15:10.299 --> 00:15:11.159
 So our

00:15:11.159 --> 00:15:11.779
 struggle isn't

00:15:11.779 --> 00:15:12.339
 against any

00:15:12.339 --> 00:15:13.199
 specific person

00:15:13.199 --> 00:15:13.939
 in our lives

00:15:13.939 --> 00:15:14.620
 who, say,

00:15:14.699 --> 00:15:15.240
 doesn't share

00:15:15.240 --> 00:15:15.819
 our faith.

00:15:16.220 --> 00:15:17.199
 This isn't a

00:15:17.199 --> 00:15:18.759
 call to pray

00:15:18.759 --> 00:15:19.539
 imprecatory

00:15:19.539 --> 00:15:20.139
 psalms that

00:15:20.139 --> 00:15:21.459
 are psalms of

00:15:21.459 --> 00:15:22.659
 condemnation and

00:15:22.659 --> 00:15:23.899
 vengeance upon

00:15:23.899 --> 00:15:25.399
 our neighbor

00:15:25.399 --> 00:15:28.319
 who might be

00:15:28.319 --> 00:15:29.860
 Sikh or is

00:15:29.860 --> 00:15:30.339
 an atheist.

00:15:30.939 --> 00:15:31.299
 They're nice

00:15:31.299 --> 00:15:33.259
 people, but this

00:15:33.259 --> 00:15:33.679
 isn't saying,

00:15:33.799 --> 00:15:34.000
 like, listen,

00:15:34.059 --> 00:15:34.519
 go look for

00:15:34.519 --> 00:15:34.899
 enemies.

00:15:34.899 --> 00:15:36.059
 This isn't a

00:15:36.059 --> 00:15:37.620
 call for us

00:15:37.620 --> 00:15:39.019
 to break

00:15:39.019 --> 00:15:39.699
 off every

00:15:39.699 --> 00:15:40.860
 tie with a

00:15:40.860 --> 00:15:41.419
 family member

00:15:41.419 --> 00:15:41.980
 or co-worker

00:15:41.980 --> 00:15:42.840
 who is

00:15:42.840 --> 00:15:43.840
 affirming.

00:15:46.879 --> 00:15:47.779
 As if we

00:15:47.779 --> 00:15:48.139
 could just

00:15:48.139 --> 00:15:48.919
 simply avoid

00:15:48.919 --> 00:15:49.759
 such people

00:15:49.759 --> 00:15:50.899
 to remove

00:15:50.899 --> 00:15:51.459
 the threat

00:15:51.459 --> 00:15:51.879
 when the

00:15:51.879 --> 00:15:52.539
 reality is,

00:15:52.919 --> 00:15:53.159
 and we'll

00:15:53.159 --> 00:15:53.579
 get to this

00:15:53.579 --> 00:15:53.939
 in a bit,

00:15:54.819 --> 00:15:55.939
 we ourselves

00:15:55.939 --> 00:15:56.840
 are enemies,

00:15:57.659 --> 00:15:58.039
 or at least

00:15:58.039 --> 00:15:58.500
 we were,

00:15:58.819 --> 00:15:59.379
 but continue

00:15:59.379 --> 00:16:00.579
 on as enemies

00:16:00.579 --> 00:16:01.579
 of God

00:16:01.579 --> 00:16:02.759
 in ways

00:16:02.759 --> 00:16:03.559
 when we

00:16:03.559 --> 00:16:04.059
 engage with

00:16:04.059 --> 00:16:04.720
 sin and

00:16:04.720 --> 00:16:05.180
 temptation,

00:16:05.779 --> 00:16:07.019
 and we

00:16:07.019 --> 00:16:07.639
 seek to

00:16:07.639 --> 00:16:08.460
 disrupt the

00:16:08.460 --> 00:16:09.440
 worship of

00:16:09.440 --> 00:16:10.000
 God's people.

00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:13.540
 The Apostle

00:16:13.540 --> 00:16:14.160
 Paul reminds

00:16:14.160 --> 00:16:14.519
 us that

00:16:14.519 --> 00:16:15.480
 fighting flesh

00:16:15.480 --> 00:16:15.899
 and blood

00:16:15.899 --> 00:16:16.540
 is not the

00:16:16.540 --> 00:16:17.200
 real battlefield.

00:16:17.460 --> 00:16:17.680
 Instead,

00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:18.340
 the fight is

00:16:18.340 --> 00:16:18.660
 supernatural.

00:16:19.220 --> 00:16:19.899
 It's spiritual,

00:16:20.040 --> 00:16:20.240
 rather,

00:16:20.800 --> 00:16:21.160
 and our

00:16:21.160 --> 00:16:22.100
 spiritual foe

00:16:22.100 --> 00:16:23.399
 is much

00:16:23.399 --> 00:16:24.160
 stronger than

00:16:24.160 --> 00:16:24.899
 our flesh

00:16:24.899 --> 00:16:25.240
 and blood

00:16:25.240 --> 00:16:25.580
 foe.

00:16:26.540 --> 00:16:27.060
 So that is

00:16:27.060 --> 00:16:27.700
 why Paul and

00:16:27.700 --> 00:16:28.320
 David point

00:16:28.320 --> 00:16:28.879
 us toward

00:16:28.879 --> 00:16:29.420
 the Lord

00:16:29.420 --> 00:16:30.580
 as the one

00:16:30.580 --> 00:16:30.960
 who will

00:16:30.960 --> 00:16:31.620
 ensure our

00:16:31.620 --> 00:16:32.240
 victory over

00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:32.759
 our enemies.

00:16:32.759 --> 00:16:34.360
 again,

00:16:34.399 --> 00:16:34.559
 if you

00:16:34.559 --> 00:16:34.819
 continue

00:16:34.819 --> 00:16:36.019
 reading in

00:16:36.019 --> 00:16:36.500
 Ephesians

00:16:36.500 --> 00:16:37.100
 chapter 6,

00:16:37.179 --> 00:16:37.600
 Paul is

00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:37.779
 saying,

00:16:37.860 --> 00:16:37.960
 listen,

00:16:38.039 --> 00:16:38.299
 put on the

00:16:38.299 --> 00:16:38.600
 whole armor

00:16:38.600 --> 00:16:38.960
 of God,

00:16:39.000 --> 00:16:39.439
 which is to

00:16:39.439 --> 00:16:39.639
 say,

00:16:40.039 --> 00:16:40.360
 put your

00:16:40.360 --> 00:16:41.019
 faith and

00:16:41.019 --> 00:16:41.720
 trust and

00:16:41.720 --> 00:16:42.480
 hope and

00:16:42.480 --> 00:16:43.340
 security in

00:16:43.340 --> 00:16:43.639
 God.

00:16:43.639 --> 00:16:44.360
 Don't try to

00:16:44.360 --> 00:16:44.879
 fight against

00:16:44.879 --> 00:16:45.840
 these spiritual

00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:46.259
 forces.

00:16:46.700 --> 00:16:47.379
 David here

00:16:47.379 --> 00:16:48.240
 is saying

00:16:48.240 --> 00:16:48.819
 essentially the

00:16:48.819 --> 00:16:49.340
 same thing.

00:16:49.340 --> 00:16:51.960
 this is a

00:16:51.960 --> 00:16:52.519
 truth that we

00:16:52.519 --> 00:16:52.879
 need to be

00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:53.560
 reminded of

00:16:53.560 --> 00:16:54.019
 often,

00:16:54.720 --> 00:16:55.100
 for we can

00:16:55.100 --> 00:16:56.460
 easily forget

00:16:56.460 --> 00:16:56.820
 that as

00:16:56.820 --> 00:16:57.500
 God's people

00:16:57.500 --> 00:16:57.879
 and therefore

00:16:57.879 --> 00:17:00.980
 either we

00:17:00.980 --> 00:17:01.660
 take credit

00:17:01.660 --> 00:17:02.560
 for our

00:17:02.560 --> 00:17:03.080
 present

00:17:03.080 --> 00:17:03.960
 fortunes

00:17:03.960 --> 00:17:05.360
 or we

00:17:05.360 --> 00:17:05.860
 fall into

00:17:05.860 --> 00:17:06.579
 despair when

00:17:06.579 --> 00:17:06.980
 the next

00:17:06.980 --> 00:17:07.960
 threat arrives.

00:17:10.360 --> 00:17:11.000
 We'll get

00:17:11.000 --> 00:17:11.340
 into the

00:17:11.340 --> 00:17:12.299
 second point,

00:17:12.460 --> 00:17:13.100
 the enormity

00:17:13.100 --> 00:17:13.480
 of the

00:17:13.480 --> 00:17:13.860
 deliverance.

00:17:13.940 --> 00:17:14.660
 So if

00:17:14.660 --> 00:17:15.299
 that is

00:17:15.299 --> 00:17:15.759
 the

00:17:15.759 --> 00:17:17.079
 immensity

00:17:17.079 --> 00:17:17.660
 of the

00:17:17.660 --> 00:17:18.259
 danger that

00:17:18.259 --> 00:17:18.900
 we face,

00:17:18.900 --> 00:17:20.740
 let's take

00:17:20.740 --> 00:17:21.019
 a look at

00:17:21.019 --> 00:17:21.680
 the enormity

00:17:21.680 --> 00:17:22.140
 of the

00:17:22.140 --> 00:17:22.660
 deliverance,

00:17:22.860 --> 00:17:23.440
 verses 6

00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:23.880
 and 7.

00:17:25.740 --> 00:17:26.519
 Blessed be

00:17:26.519 --> 00:17:26.960
 the Lord

00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:27.940
 who has

00:17:27.940 --> 00:17:28.500
 not given

00:17:28.500 --> 00:17:29.000
 us as

00:17:29.000 --> 00:17:29.420
 prey to

00:17:29.420 --> 00:17:29.900
 their teeth.

00:17:30.680 --> 00:17:30.960
 We have

00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:31.519
 escaped like

00:17:31.519 --> 00:17:32.080
 a bird from

00:17:32.080 --> 00:17:32.540
 the snare

00:17:32.540 --> 00:17:32.800
 of the

00:17:32.800 --> 00:17:33.240
 fowlers.

00:17:33.640 --> 00:17:34.340
 The snare

00:17:34.340 --> 00:17:35.060
 is broken

00:17:35.060 --> 00:17:35.660
 and we

00:17:35.660 --> 00:17:36.120
 have

00:17:36.120 --> 00:17:36.700
 escaped.

00:17:38.160 --> 00:17:38.680
 We've

00:17:38.680 --> 00:17:38.920
 already

00:17:38.920 --> 00:17:39.640
 touched on

00:17:39.640 --> 00:17:40.120
 these two

00:17:40.120 --> 00:17:40.780
 images in

00:17:40.780 --> 00:17:41.240
 the section,

00:17:41.360 --> 00:17:41.880
 that of a

00:17:41.880 --> 00:17:42.440
 ferocious

00:17:42.440 --> 00:17:43.740
 beast looking

00:17:43.740 --> 00:17:45.060
 to tear

00:17:45.060 --> 00:17:45.800
 and to

00:17:45.800 --> 00:17:46.540
 maim

00:17:46.540 --> 00:17:47.080
 and to

00:17:47.080 --> 00:17:48.280
 rip apart

00:17:48.280 --> 00:17:48.860
 and also

00:17:48.859 --> 00:17:49.359
 this cunning

00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:50.459
 hunter that

00:17:50.459 --> 00:17:50.819
 looks to

00:17:50.819 --> 00:17:51.319
 trap and

00:17:51.319 --> 00:17:51.759
 destroy.

00:17:52.179 --> 00:17:52.699
 Once again,

00:17:52.740 --> 00:17:53.179
 the imagery

00:17:53.179 --> 00:17:55.059
 is of

00:17:55.059 --> 00:17:55.539
 complete

00:17:55.539 --> 00:17:56.079
 helplessness.

00:17:56.179 --> 00:17:56.500
 In fact,

00:17:56.879 --> 00:17:57.699
 what's implied

00:17:57.699 --> 00:17:58.319
 in verse 7

00:17:58.319 --> 00:17:58.959
 is that we

00:17:58.959 --> 00:18:00.059
 were like

00:18:00.059 --> 00:18:00.579
 a bird

00:18:00.579 --> 00:18:01.619
 already in

00:18:01.619 --> 00:18:02.059
 the snare

00:18:02.059 --> 00:18:02.359
 of the

00:18:02.359 --> 00:18:02.679
 fowler.

00:18:03.039 --> 00:18:03.339
 We were

00:18:03.339 --> 00:18:03.699
 already

00:18:03.699 --> 00:18:04.139
 caught

00:18:04.139 --> 00:18:05.179
 before God

00:18:05.179 --> 00:18:05.919
 rescued us.

00:18:06.419 --> 00:18:07.159
 The image

00:18:07.159 --> 00:18:07.719
 that came to

00:18:07.719 --> 00:18:08.699
 mind in

00:18:08.699 --> 00:18:09.000
 terms of

00:18:09.000 --> 00:18:09.159
 our

00:18:09.159 --> 00:18:09.939
 hopelessness

00:18:09.939 --> 00:18:12.579
 was the

00:18:12.579 --> 00:18:13.319
 scene in

00:18:13.319 --> 00:18:13.839
 the first

00:18:13.839 --> 00:18:14.479
 Jurassic Park,

00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:14.919
 which really

00:18:14.919 --> 00:18:15.639
 is the

00:18:15.639 --> 00:18:16.240
 only Jurassic

00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:16.619
 Park,

00:18:16.619 --> 00:18:18.879
 where that

00:18:18.879 --> 00:18:19.659
 chained up

00:18:19.659 --> 00:18:20.239
 goat is

00:18:20.239 --> 00:18:21.139
 lowered into

00:18:21.139 --> 00:18:21.799
 the T-Rex

00:18:21.799 --> 00:18:24.119
 enclosure,

00:18:24.819 --> 00:18:25.119
 and that's

00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:25.379
 where I'll

00:18:25.379 --> 00:18:25.779
 end it.

00:18:26.179 --> 00:18:26.819
 The goat

00:18:26.819 --> 00:18:27.279
 stood no

00:18:27.279 --> 00:18:27.679
 chance.

00:18:27.799 --> 00:18:28.019
 It might

00:18:28.019 --> 00:18:28.279
 have had

00:18:28.279 --> 00:18:28.659
 a horn.

00:18:28.879 --> 00:18:29.079
 What's

00:18:29.079 --> 00:18:29.259
 it going

00:18:29.259 --> 00:18:29.500
 to do?

00:18:29.699 --> 00:18:29.939
 It's

00:18:29.939 --> 00:18:30.439
 like us.

00:18:31.519 --> 00:18:32.119
 This is

00:18:32.119 --> 00:18:32.579
 the imagery

00:18:32.579 --> 00:18:34.500
 that David

00:18:34.500 --> 00:18:35.539
 is communicating

00:18:35.539 --> 00:18:36.019
 to the

00:18:36.019 --> 00:18:36.279
 people.

00:18:37.119 --> 00:18:37.399
 You had

00:18:37.399 --> 00:18:38.039
 no chance.

00:18:38.039 --> 00:18:38.719
 I mean,

00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:41.199
 zero chance

00:18:41.199 --> 00:18:41.699
 of fighting

00:18:41.699 --> 00:18:42.419
 back and

00:18:42.419 --> 00:18:43.319
 getting victory.

00:18:43.319 --> 00:18:46.399
 So,

00:18:46.500 --> 00:18:47.000
 interestingly

00:18:47.000 --> 00:18:47.419
 then,

00:18:47.659 --> 00:18:48.379
 and rightly,

00:18:48.559 --> 00:18:49.000
 the focus

00:18:49.000 --> 00:18:49.679
 is not

00:18:49.679 --> 00:18:50.599
 on the

00:18:50.599 --> 00:18:51.039
 frailty

00:18:51.039 --> 00:18:51.740
 of God's

00:18:51.740 --> 00:18:52.319
 people or

00:18:52.319 --> 00:18:52.700
 even the

00:18:52.700 --> 00:18:53.079
 size of

00:18:53.079 --> 00:18:53.419
 the enemy,

00:18:53.740 --> 00:18:54.679
 but rather

00:18:54.679 --> 00:18:55.139
 on the

00:18:55.139 --> 00:18:55.740
 vastness

00:18:55.740 --> 00:18:56.359
 of God's

00:18:56.359 --> 00:18:56.939
 deliverance.

00:18:58.019 --> 00:18:58.559
 The Lord,

00:18:59.359 --> 00:18:59.980
 recalling his

00:18:59.980 --> 00:19:00.939
 promises and

00:19:00.939 --> 00:19:02.939
 his love as

00:19:02.939 --> 00:19:03.379
 a father

00:19:03.379 --> 00:19:04.500
 towards his

00:19:04.500 --> 00:19:05.099
 children,

00:19:05.659 --> 00:19:06.359
 he thwarts

00:19:06.359 --> 00:19:07.099
 the enemy's

00:19:07.099 --> 00:19:07.659
 schemes by

00:19:07.659 --> 00:19:08.179
 turning the

00:19:08.179 --> 00:19:09.259
 tables so

00:19:09.259 --> 00:19:09.519
 that the

00:19:09.519 --> 00:19:10.159
 enemy is

00:19:10.159 --> 00:19:10.879
 defeated by

00:19:10.879 --> 00:19:11.500
 the very

00:19:11.500 --> 00:19:12.460
 plans it

00:19:12.460 --> 00:19:12.819
 has

00:19:12.819 --> 00:19:13.519
 cunningly

00:19:13.519 --> 00:19:14.220
 devised.

00:19:15.000 --> 00:19:15.480
 So,

00:19:16.000 --> 00:19:16.960
 I've mentioned

00:19:16.960 --> 00:19:18.439
 2 Samuel 5

00:19:18.439 --> 00:19:19.799
 and this is

00:19:19.799 --> 00:19:20.200
 why a lot

00:19:20.200 --> 00:19:20.980
 of commentators

00:19:20.980 --> 00:19:22.079
 would connect

00:19:22.079 --> 00:19:22.500
 it and I'll

00:19:22.500 --> 00:19:23.179
 read a portion

00:19:23.179 --> 00:19:23.799
 of it briefly,

00:19:24.359 --> 00:19:24.799
 but in the

00:19:24.799 --> 00:19:25.480
 same way

00:19:25.480 --> 00:19:27.960
 that Israel's

00:19:27.960 --> 00:19:28.599
 enemies

00:19:28.599 --> 00:19:29.799
 overtake them

00:19:29.799 --> 00:19:30.599
 like a

00:19:30.599 --> 00:19:31.519
 rushing flood

00:19:31.519 --> 00:19:32.039
 or like a

00:19:32.039 --> 00:19:32.339
 torrent

00:19:32.339 --> 00:19:33.000
 overtaking

00:19:33.000 --> 00:19:33.799
 the people,

00:19:34.500 --> 00:19:35.299
 see if you

00:19:35.299 --> 00:19:35.899
 can pick up

00:19:35.899 --> 00:19:37.579
 in 2 Samuel 5,

00:19:37.619 --> 00:19:38.039
 I'm only going

00:19:38.039 --> 00:19:38.480
 to read four

00:19:38.480 --> 00:19:39.059
 verses here,

00:19:39.460 --> 00:19:39.960
 but how the

00:19:39.960 --> 00:19:40.679
 Lord then

00:19:40.679 --> 00:19:41.679
 delivers God's

00:19:41.679 --> 00:19:42.179
 people from

00:19:42.180 --> 00:19:43.259
 the Philistines

00:19:43.259 --> 00:19:44.480
 starting in

00:19:44.480 --> 00:19:45.060
 verse 17.

00:19:45.860 --> 00:19:46.299
 When the

00:19:46.299 --> 00:19:46.960
 Philistines heard

00:19:46.960 --> 00:19:47.480
 that David

00:19:47.480 --> 00:19:48.120
 had been

00:19:48.120 --> 00:19:48.880
 anointed king

00:19:48.880 --> 00:19:49.500
 over Israel,

00:19:50.340 --> 00:19:50.720
 all the

00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:51.500
 Philistines went

00:19:51.500 --> 00:19:52.019
 up to search

00:19:52.019 --> 00:19:52.480
 for David,

00:19:52.759 --> 00:19:53.259
 but David

00:19:53.259 --> 00:19:53.920
 heard of it

00:19:53.920 --> 00:19:54.340
 and went

00:19:54.340 --> 00:19:54.820
 down to

00:19:54.820 --> 00:19:55.560
 the stronghold.

00:19:56.140 --> 00:19:56.620
 Now the

00:19:56.620 --> 00:19:57.440
 Philistines had

00:19:57.440 --> 00:19:58.160
 come and spread

00:19:58.160 --> 00:19:58.700
 out in the

00:19:58.700 --> 00:19:59.320
 valley of

00:19:59.320 --> 00:20:00.220
 Rephaim,

00:20:00.920 --> 00:20:01.380
 and David

00:20:01.380 --> 00:20:02.000
 inquired of

00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:02.360
 the Lord,

00:20:02.900 --> 00:20:03.560
 shall I go

00:20:03.560 --> 00:20:04.060
 up against

00:20:04.060 --> 00:20:04.740
 the Philistines?

00:20:04.840 --> 00:20:05.160
 Will you

00:20:05.160 --> 00:20:05.680
 give them

00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:06.100
 into my

00:20:06.100 --> 00:20:06.420
 hand?

00:20:06.920 --> 00:20:07.299
 And the

00:20:07.299 --> 00:20:07.660
 Lord said

00:20:07.660 --> 00:20:08.039
 to David,

00:20:08.160 --> 00:20:08.500
 go up,

00:20:08.560 --> 00:20:08.880
 for I will

00:20:08.880 --> 00:20:09.440
 certainly give

00:20:09.440 --> 00:20:09.960
 the Philistines

00:20:09.960 --> 00:20:10.319
 into your

00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:10.600
 hand.

00:20:11.500 --> 00:20:11.860
 And David

00:20:11.860 --> 00:20:12.640
 came to

00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:13.259
 Baal

00:20:13.259 --> 00:20:14.880
 Perazim,

00:20:15.360 --> 00:20:15.920
 and David

00:20:15.920 --> 00:20:16.620
 defeated them

00:20:16.620 --> 00:20:16.980
 there,

00:20:17.440 --> 00:20:17.920
 and he

00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:18.259
 said,

00:20:18.340 --> 00:20:18.620
 quote,

00:20:18.920 --> 00:20:19.380
 here it is,

00:20:19.680 --> 00:20:20.160
 the Lord

00:20:20.160 --> 00:20:20.799
 has broken

00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:21.340
 through my

00:20:21.340 --> 00:20:22.319
 enemies before

00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:23.019
 me like a

00:20:23.019 --> 00:20:23.920
 breaking flood.

00:20:24.799 --> 00:20:25.600
 So here's

00:20:25.600 --> 00:20:28.299
 the deliverance

00:20:28.299 --> 00:20:29.120
 of God on

00:20:29.120 --> 00:20:29.519
 display.

00:20:30.120 --> 00:20:30.860
 God's enemies

00:20:30.860 --> 00:20:31.600
 are like a

00:20:31.600 --> 00:20:32.340
 flood trying to

00:20:32.340 --> 00:20:32.799
 sweep away

00:20:32.799 --> 00:20:33.539
 God's people,

00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:34.120
 and what does

00:20:34.120 --> 00:20:34.960
 God do?

00:20:35.840 --> 00:20:36.500
 He breaks

00:20:36.500 --> 00:20:37.380
 them like a

00:20:37.380 --> 00:20:38.059
 bursting flood.

00:20:38.059 --> 00:20:38.099
 God.

00:20:38.940 --> 00:20:39.899
 They try to

00:20:39.899 --> 00:20:40.599
 wipe out

00:20:40.599 --> 00:20:41.399
 God's people,

00:20:41.659 --> 00:20:42.539
 so God

00:20:42.539 --> 00:20:43.740
 defeats them

00:20:43.740 --> 00:20:44.339
 in the same

00:20:44.339 --> 00:20:45.019
 way that they

00:20:45.019 --> 00:20:45.539
 were trying to

00:20:45.539 --> 00:20:46.119
 defeat his

00:20:46.119 --> 00:20:46.559
 people.

00:20:46.679 --> 00:20:47.200
 And this

00:20:47.200 --> 00:20:48.000
 pattern appears

00:20:48.000 --> 00:20:48.259
 throughout

00:20:48.259 --> 00:20:48.639
 scripture.

00:20:50.399 --> 00:20:51.419
 The story

00:20:51.419 --> 00:20:51.960
 of,

00:20:52.599 --> 00:20:53.899
 in Judges

00:20:53.899 --> 00:20:54.599
 of Gideon

00:20:54.599 --> 00:20:56.159
 opposing the

00:20:56.159 --> 00:20:56.779
 Midianites,

00:20:57.279 --> 00:20:58.220
 the Midianites

00:20:58.220 --> 00:20:58.500
 they are

00:20:58.500 --> 00:20:59.339
 described as

00:20:59.339 --> 00:21:00.240
 locusts covering

00:21:00.240 --> 00:21:01.039
 a vast area

00:21:01.039 --> 00:21:01.819
 ready to devour

00:21:01.819 --> 00:21:02.419
 everything in

00:21:02.419 --> 00:21:02.859
 their path,

00:21:02.859 --> 00:21:03.700
 and how does

00:21:03.700 --> 00:21:04.339
 God defeat

00:21:04.339 --> 00:21:04.619
 them?

00:21:05.779 --> 00:21:06.339
 He causes

00:21:06.339 --> 00:21:06.799
 them to

00:21:06.799 --> 00:21:07.639
 consume each

00:21:07.639 --> 00:21:07.919
 other.

00:21:08.059 --> 00:21:10.059
 Or think

00:21:10.059 --> 00:21:10.480
 about how

00:21:10.480 --> 00:21:10.819
 Haman,

00:21:11.240 --> 00:21:11.579
 and I think

00:21:11.579 --> 00:21:11.879
 I might have

00:21:11.879 --> 00:21:12.259
 mentioned this

00:21:12.259 --> 00:21:12.779
 last week or

00:21:12.779 --> 00:21:13.000
 the week

00:21:13.000 --> 00:21:13.259
 before,

00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:13.619
 Haman,

00:21:14.059 --> 00:21:14.819
 evil Haman,

00:21:15.200 --> 00:21:16.200
 he sought

00:21:16.200 --> 00:21:17.700
 to destroy

00:21:17.700 --> 00:21:18.899
 the Jews

00:21:18.899 --> 00:21:20.000
 in the book

00:21:20.000 --> 00:21:20.440
 of Esther,

00:21:20.859 --> 00:21:21.879
 so he erects

00:21:21.879 --> 00:21:22.579
 this massive

00:21:22.579 --> 00:21:23.679
 gallow to

00:21:23.679 --> 00:21:24.619
 hang them,

00:21:24.740 --> 00:21:25.039
 and what

00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:25.500
 happens to

00:21:25.500 --> 00:21:25.659
 him?

00:21:25.960 --> 00:21:26.319
 He gets

00:21:26.319 --> 00:21:27.299
 hanged on

00:21:27.299 --> 00:21:27.919
 his own

00:21:27.919 --> 00:21:29.179
 gallows.

00:21:30.940 --> 00:21:31.619
 Time and

00:21:31.619 --> 00:21:31.980
 again,

00:21:33.259 --> 00:21:33.619
 scripture

00:21:33.619 --> 00:21:34.799
 shows us

00:21:34.799 --> 00:21:35.599
 that this is

00:21:35.599 --> 00:21:36.000
 how God

00:21:36.000 --> 00:21:37.220
 delivers his

00:21:37.220 --> 00:21:37.500
 people.

00:21:37.500 --> 00:21:38.099
 So it

00:21:38.099 --> 00:21:38.480
 is no

00:21:38.480 --> 00:21:38.980
 surprise

00:21:38.980 --> 00:21:39.380
 then for

00:21:39.380 --> 00:21:39.819
 the ultimate

00:21:39.819 --> 00:21:40.240
 enemy,

00:21:41.059 --> 00:21:41.799
 Christ Jesus

00:21:41.799 --> 00:21:42.759
 defeats death

00:21:42.759 --> 00:21:43.880
 through death.

00:21:45.019 --> 00:21:45.480
 He robs

00:21:45.480 --> 00:21:46.019
 hell of its

00:21:46.019 --> 00:21:46.779
 ultimate power

00:21:46.779 --> 00:21:47.819
 so that for

00:21:47.819 --> 00:21:48.380
 those that are

00:21:48.380 --> 00:21:49.019
 in Christ,

00:21:49.140 --> 00:21:49.700
 confessing their

00:21:49.700 --> 00:21:50.460
 faith and trust

00:21:50.460 --> 00:21:51.059
 and hope in

00:21:51.059 --> 00:21:51.380
 Jesus,

00:21:51.880 --> 00:21:53.200
 the only death

00:21:53.200 --> 00:21:54.140
 we will experience

00:21:54.140 --> 00:21:54.799
 is physical,

00:21:54.960 --> 00:21:55.599
 not spiritual,

00:21:56.259 --> 00:21:56.960
 because Christ

00:21:56.960 --> 00:21:57.640
 takes away the

00:21:57.640 --> 00:21:58.359
 power of death

00:21:58.359 --> 00:22:00.299
 by dying and

00:22:00.299 --> 00:22:01.039
 rising again.

00:22:01.140 --> 00:22:01.539
 He defeats

00:22:01.539 --> 00:22:02.380
 death by death.

00:22:02.380 --> 00:22:02.440
 death.

00:22:04.660 --> 00:22:05.160
 And even at

00:22:05.160 --> 00:22:05.600
 the end of

00:22:05.600 --> 00:22:06.020
 the age,

00:22:06.060 --> 00:22:06.320
 and this

00:22:06.320 --> 00:22:06.680
 really,

00:22:07.540 --> 00:22:08.280
 like all of

00:22:08.280 --> 00:22:08.700
 the Psalms

00:22:08.700 --> 00:22:09.140
 of Ascent,

00:22:09.660 --> 00:22:10.140
 they look

00:22:10.140 --> 00:22:11.100
 much past

00:22:11.100 --> 00:22:11.800
 the salvation

00:22:11.800 --> 00:22:12.660
 of the

00:22:12.660 --> 00:22:13.520
 current moment,

00:22:13.680 --> 00:22:14.140
 but to the

00:22:14.140 --> 00:22:14.920
 ultimate salvation

00:22:14.920 --> 00:22:17.060
 of the age

00:22:17.060 --> 00:22:17.500
 to come.

00:22:17.960 --> 00:22:18.620
 And even at

00:22:18.620 --> 00:22:19.240
 the end of

00:22:19.240 --> 00:22:19.640
 the age,

00:22:19.740 --> 00:22:20.400
 this cosmic

00:22:20.400 --> 00:22:21.180
 conflict will

00:22:21.180 --> 00:22:22.000
 conclude with

00:22:22.000 --> 00:22:22.760
 Satan being

00:22:22.760 --> 00:22:23.920
 cast into

00:22:23.920 --> 00:22:24.480
 eternal

00:22:24.480 --> 00:22:24.940
 torment.

00:22:24.940 --> 00:22:26.420
 it's a very

00:22:26.420 --> 00:22:27.900
 fitting punishment

00:22:27.900 --> 00:22:28.920
 for the accuser

00:22:28.920 --> 00:22:29.620
 of God's people

00:22:29.620 --> 00:22:30.140
 who seek to

00:22:30.140 --> 00:22:30.740
 torment God's

00:22:30.740 --> 00:22:31.000
 people.

00:22:31.759 --> 00:22:32.259
 He will be

00:22:32.259 --> 00:22:33.440
 tormented in

00:22:33.440 --> 00:22:33.940
 the same way

00:22:33.940 --> 00:22:34.559
 that he seeks

00:22:34.559 --> 00:22:35.400
 to torment us.

00:22:36.860 --> 00:22:37.600
 So here's the

00:22:37.600 --> 00:22:37.980
 thing, we don't

00:22:37.980 --> 00:22:38.840
 give God the

00:22:38.840 --> 00:22:39.759
 game plan for

00:22:39.759 --> 00:22:40.059
 victory.

00:22:40.440 --> 00:22:41.120
 We simply

00:22:41.120 --> 00:22:42.019
 align our lives

00:22:42.019 --> 00:22:42.720
 to trust him

00:22:42.720 --> 00:22:43.160
 to win.

00:22:44.240 --> 00:22:45.140
 Trusting in him

00:22:45.140 --> 00:22:45.680
 means not

00:22:45.680 --> 00:22:47.440
 building contingency

00:22:47.440 --> 00:22:48.320
 plans just in

00:22:48.320 --> 00:22:48.960
 case he doesn't

00:22:48.960 --> 00:22:49.420
 come through.

00:22:50.320 --> 00:22:50.480
 Alright?

00:22:50.640 --> 00:22:51.220
 That is not

00:22:51.220 --> 00:22:52.100
 trusting in God.

00:22:52.240 --> 00:22:52.680
 That's hedging

00:22:52.680 --> 00:22:53.220
 our bets.

00:22:53.940 --> 00:22:54.400
 That might be a

00:22:54.400 --> 00:22:54.900
 very good thing

00:22:54.900 --> 00:22:55.220
 for other

00:22:55.220 --> 00:22:55.860
 times and in

00:22:55.860 --> 00:22:56.540
 other situations

00:22:56.540 --> 00:22:57.400
 but not as

00:22:57.400 --> 00:22:58.200
 we engage in

00:22:58.200 --> 00:22:58.620
 a life of

00:22:58.620 --> 00:22:59.360
 faith with

00:22:59.360 --> 00:23:00.100
 Almighty God.

00:23:01.420 --> 00:23:02.060
 It means

00:23:02.060 --> 00:23:02.759
 trusting him

00:23:02.759 --> 00:23:03.680
 wholeheartedly

00:23:03.680 --> 00:23:04.600
 for the

00:23:04.600 --> 00:23:05.180
 victory and

00:23:05.180 --> 00:23:06.300
 friends, he

00:23:06.300 --> 00:23:06.800
 will win.

00:23:06.920 --> 00:23:07.120
 Why?

00:23:07.259 --> 00:23:07.759
 Because he has

00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:08.160
 won in the

00:23:08.160 --> 00:23:09.460
 past and he

00:23:09.460 --> 00:23:10.040
 is unchanging.

00:23:12.360 --> 00:23:13.259
 We can trust

00:23:13.259 --> 00:23:13.860
 that God will

00:23:13.860 --> 00:23:14.720
 deliver us because

00:23:14.720 --> 00:23:15.460
 he has been,

00:23:16.200 --> 00:23:16.820
 because it has

00:23:16.820 --> 00:23:17.519
 been the pattern

00:23:17.519 --> 00:23:18.420
 of his interaction

00:23:18.420 --> 00:23:19.019
 with his people

00:23:19.019 --> 00:23:19.860
 throughout all of

00:23:19.860 --> 00:23:20.620
 redemptive history.

00:23:21.660 --> 00:23:22.759
 He is unchanging

00:23:22.759 --> 00:23:23.560
 and therefore we

00:23:23.560 --> 00:23:24.740
 can rely on

00:23:24.740 --> 00:23:25.380
 our ultimate

00:23:25.380 --> 00:23:26.460
 teammate, so to

00:23:26.460 --> 00:23:28.079
 speak, to come

00:23:28.079 --> 00:23:28.740
 through when the

00:23:28.740 --> 00:23:29.599
 game is on the

00:23:29.599 --> 00:23:30.019
 line.

00:23:31.299 --> 00:23:32.039
 And the stakes

00:23:32.039 --> 00:23:32.680
 are very high

00:23:32.680 --> 00:23:33.299
 and they are

00:23:33.299 --> 00:23:34.420
 extremely high.

00:23:35.059 --> 00:23:35.720
 And this is not

00:23:35.720 --> 00:23:36.660
 because he is

00:23:36.660 --> 00:23:37.559
 slightly stronger

00:23:37.559 --> 00:23:38.140
 than those who

00:23:38.140 --> 00:23:39.299
 oppose us, but

00:23:39.299 --> 00:23:39.839
 because he is

00:23:39.839 --> 00:23:40.980
 infinitely greater

00:23:40.980 --> 00:23:41.460
 and strong.

00:23:41.519 --> 00:23:42.039
 And this leads us

00:23:42.039 --> 00:23:42.920
 to our third and

00:23:42.920 --> 00:23:44.559
 final point, the

00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:45.400
 greatness of God.

00:23:45.480 --> 00:23:46.000
 Look with me at

00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:46.559
 verse 8.

00:23:49.599 --> 00:23:51.119
 Our help is in

00:23:51.119 --> 00:23:52.119
 the name of the

00:23:52.119 --> 00:23:52.980
 Lord who made

00:23:52.980 --> 00:23:53.539
 heaven and

00:23:53.539 --> 00:23:53.799
 earth.

00:23:55.700 --> 00:23:57.440
 The cry even to

00:23:57.440 --> 00:23:58.599
 this day of the

00:23:58.599 --> 00:23:59.759
 Jewish people, but

00:23:59.759 --> 00:24:01.220
 all throughout the

00:24:01.220 --> 00:24:01.960
 Old Testament as

00:24:01.960 --> 00:24:03.140
 well, was something

00:24:03.140 --> 00:24:03.839
 called the Shema

00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:04.759
 or the listen.

00:24:05.200 --> 00:24:06.119
 We say it every

00:24:06.119 --> 00:24:06.539
 Sunday.

00:24:07.220 --> 00:24:08.299
 The Lord our God,

00:24:08.359 --> 00:24:09.079
 the Lord is one.

00:24:09.599 --> 00:24:10.059
 It is this

00:24:10.059 --> 00:24:10.900
 declaration of who

00:24:10.900 --> 00:24:11.380
 God is.

00:24:11.380 --> 00:24:14.180
 this is like in

00:24:14.180 --> 00:24:15.680
 verse 8, this is

00:24:15.680 --> 00:24:16.780
 kind of in this

00:24:16.780 --> 00:24:18.560
 category of

00:24:18.560 --> 00:24:19.440
 affirming who

00:24:19.440 --> 00:24:20.300
 God is and what

00:24:20.300 --> 00:24:21.360
 he is capable of

00:24:21.360 --> 00:24:22.040
 and his posture

00:24:22.040 --> 00:24:22.780
 towards us.

00:24:23.480 --> 00:24:24.560
 Our help is in

00:24:24.560 --> 00:24:25.500
 the name of the

00:24:25.500 --> 00:24:26.440
 Lord who made

00:24:26.440 --> 00:24:27.760
 heaven and earth.

00:24:29.520 --> 00:24:30.080
 In our fight

00:24:30.080 --> 00:24:30.680
 against evil,

00:24:30.800 --> 00:24:32.180
 whether it is

00:24:32.180 --> 00:24:33.120
 inside the church

00:24:33.120 --> 00:24:33.900
 or outside the

00:24:33.900 --> 00:24:36.160
 church, we must

00:24:36.160 --> 00:24:36.920
 trust in the

00:24:36.920 --> 00:24:37.900
 maker, not in

00:24:37.900 --> 00:24:38.820
 created things.

00:24:40.320 --> 00:24:41.020
 The invisible

00:24:41.019 --> 00:24:41.700
 help from the

00:24:41.700 --> 00:24:42.299
 Lord is more

00:24:42.299 --> 00:24:43.039
 reliable and

00:24:43.039 --> 00:24:44.139
 powerful than

00:24:44.139 --> 00:24:45.160
 the most advanced

00:24:45.160 --> 00:24:46.079
 equipment or

00:24:46.079 --> 00:24:47.039
 ideas that claim

00:24:47.039 --> 00:24:47.879
 to solve our

00:24:47.879 --> 00:24:48.599
 deepest human

00:24:48.599 --> 00:24:49.139
 problems.

00:24:50.279 --> 00:24:51.379
 And again, this

00:24:51.379 --> 00:24:52.519
 is something we

00:24:52.519 --> 00:24:53.579
 embrace by faith.

00:24:54.539 --> 00:24:54.720
 Okay?

00:24:55.440 --> 00:24:56.440
 The invisible

00:24:56.440 --> 00:24:58.180
 hand of God is

00:24:58.180 --> 00:24:58.819
 certainly there.

00:24:58.920 --> 00:24:59.859
 We do not see it.

00:25:00.599 --> 00:25:01.119
 And the whole

00:25:01.119 --> 00:25:02.579
 kind of MO of

00:25:02.579 --> 00:25:03.460
 the enemy is to

00:25:03.460 --> 00:25:04.639
 convince us either

00:25:04.639 --> 00:25:05.700
 that there is no

00:25:05.700 --> 00:25:06.819
 invisible hand at

00:25:06.819 --> 00:25:07.720
 work in our lives

00:25:07.720 --> 00:25:09.200
 or that the hand is

00:25:09.200 --> 00:25:10.000
 weak and frail.

00:25:10.000 --> 00:25:11.859
 And we can have

00:25:11.859 --> 00:25:12.640
 at it ourselves.

00:25:15.400 --> 00:25:16.619
 When we deny or

00:25:16.619 --> 00:25:17.519
 forget that God is

00:25:17.519 --> 00:25:18.799
 the creator of

00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:19.539
 everything, we

00:25:19.539 --> 00:25:20.740
 inevitably, what do

00:25:20.740 --> 00:25:20.940
 we do?

00:25:20.980 --> 00:25:22.079
 We inevitably try to

00:25:22.079 --> 00:25:22.819
 build our own

00:25:22.819 --> 00:25:24.240
 paradise, fix our

00:25:24.240 --> 00:25:25.920
 own problems, achieve

00:25:25.920 --> 00:25:27.779
 our own heavens by

00:25:27.779 --> 00:25:28.599
 creating something

00:25:28.599 --> 00:25:30.500
 that is not good or

00:25:30.500 --> 00:25:30.940
 beautiful.

00:25:31.500 --> 00:25:33.000
 It only is twisted

00:25:33.000 --> 00:25:33.880
 and ugly.

00:25:34.519 --> 00:25:35.380
 About a month

00:25:35.380 --> 00:25:37.640
 ago, Peter Thiel,

00:25:37.759 --> 00:25:38.140
 if you've heard

00:25:38.140 --> 00:25:38.940
 this name, he's

00:25:38.940 --> 00:25:39.720
 like an early

00:25:39.720 --> 00:25:40.500
 venture capitalist.

00:25:40.620 --> 00:25:41.120
 I think he might

00:25:41.120 --> 00:25:41.460
 have been the

00:25:41.460 --> 00:25:42.560
 first outside

00:25:42.560 --> 00:25:43.240
 investor in

00:25:43.240 --> 00:25:43.640
 Facebook.

00:25:44.040 --> 00:25:45.160
 And I think he

00:25:45.160 --> 00:25:46.340
 founded PayPal, a

00:25:46.340 --> 00:25:46.860
 few other things.

00:25:46.920 --> 00:25:47.600
 Like he's a bit of

00:25:47.600 --> 00:25:48.440
 a big deal when it

00:25:48.440 --> 00:25:50.240
 comes to venture

00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:50.840
 capitalism.

00:25:51.500 --> 00:25:52.280
 And he's become a

00:25:52.280 --> 00:25:54.640
 bit of like a

00:25:54.640 --> 00:25:55.560
 futurist, so to

00:25:55.560 --> 00:25:55.820
 speak.

00:25:56.340 --> 00:25:56.960
 And he was

00:25:56.960 --> 00:25:59.660
 interviewed by a

00:25:59.660 --> 00:26:01.060
 columnist, a man

00:26:01.060 --> 00:26:01.780
 named Ross

00:26:01.780 --> 00:26:04.320
 Douthit, to discuss

00:26:04.320 --> 00:26:05.640
 technology, medicine,

00:26:05.640 --> 00:26:07.860
 AI, post-modernity.

00:26:07.920 --> 00:26:08.300
 It was like this

00:26:08.300 --> 00:26:10.480
 long, sprawling, a

00:26:10.480 --> 00:26:11.740
 bit kind of unhinged

00:26:11.740 --> 00:26:12.640
 conversation.

00:26:12.960 --> 00:26:14.020
 Very interesting, but

00:26:14.020 --> 00:26:15.200
 like all over the

00:26:15.200 --> 00:26:15.480
 place.

00:26:16.280 --> 00:26:17.759
 And eventually, the

00:26:17.759 --> 00:26:20.440
 topic of immortality

00:26:20.440 --> 00:26:21.820
 was talked about.

00:26:22.700 --> 00:26:24.380
 But not from a

00:26:24.380 --> 00:26:25.120
 biblical point of

00:26:25.120 --> 00:26:26.040
 view, but from a

00:26:26.040 --> 00:26:26.940
 naturalistic,

00:26:27.500 --> 00:26:28.420
 evolutionary, and

00:26:28.420 --> 00:26:29.100
 technological

00:26:29.100 --> 00:26:30.380
 perspective,

00:26:30.560 --> 00:26:31.940
 completely devoid

00:26:31.940 --> 00:26:32.300
 from God.

00:26:32.360 --> 00:26:33.400
 Even though the

00:26:33.400 --> 00:26:34.460
 conversation kind of

00:26:34.460 --> 00:26:35.519
 swirled around Jesus

00:26:35.519 --> 00:26:37.480
 and God, it was

00:26:37.480 --> 00:26:39.140
 very much an

00:26:39.140 --> 00:26:39.799
 anti-God

00:26:39.799 --> 00:26:40.660
 conversation.

00:26:41.680 --> 00:26:42.559
 And really, the

00:26:42.559 --> 00:26:43.420
 conversation was

00:26:43.420 --> 00:26:45.140
 about, can we, as

00:26:45.140 --> 00:26:46.960
 human beings, do we

00:26:46.960 --> 00:26:48.220
 have the ability to

00:26:48.220 --> 00:26:49.579
 eliminate all disease

00:26:49.579 --> 00:26:50.819
 and even death

00:26:50.819 --> 00:26:51.900
 itself so that we

00:26:51.900 --> 00:26:53.019
 would live forever?

00:26:53.160 --> 00:26:54.240
 Can we achieve this

00:26:54.240 --> 00:26:54.759
 by our own

00:26:54.759 --> 00:26:55.279
 ingenuity?

00:26:56.640 --> 00:26:58.460
 I tried to pick the

00:26:59.079 --> 00:26:59.740
 pertinent bits.

00:26:59.880 --> 00:27:00.759
 Again, it's like this

00:27:00.759 --> 00:27:02.460
 sprawling conversation,

00:27:02.460 --> 00:27:04.019
 conversation, but

00:27:04.019 --> 00:27:05.380
 here, this is a

00:27:05.380 --> 00:27:06.019
 little excerpt from

00:27:06.019 --> 00:27:06.539
 the discussion.

00:27:06.900 --> 00:27:07.799
 By the way, Douthit

00:27:07.799 --> 00:27:09.279
 is a very committed,

00:27:09.700 --> 00:27:10.400
 pretty conservative

00:27:10.400 --> 00:27:11.340
 Roman Catholic.

00:27:12.360 --> 00:27:12.980
 Thiel is not.

00:27:15.340 --> 00:27:16.940
 Douthit begins,

00:27:17.360 --> 00:27:17.960
 I think you would

00:27:17.960 --> 00:27:18.880
 prefer the human race

00:27:18.880 --> 00:27:19.700
 to endure, right?

00:27:21.000 --> 00:27:21.440
 Pause.

00:27:21.980 --> 00:27:23.620
 Douthit, you're

00:27:23.620 --> 00:27:24.100
 hesitating.

00:27:24.340 --> 00:27:25.460
 Thiel, well, I don't

00:27:25.460 --> 00:27:26.779
 know, I would, I

00:27:26.779 --> 00:27:27.380
 would, and he's

00:27:27.380 --> 00:27:27.980
 mumbling at this

00:27:27.980 --> 00:27:28.200
 point.

00:27:28.640 --> 00:27:29.220
 Douthit, he goes,

00:27:29.360 --> 00:27:29.980
 this is a long

00:27:29.980 --> 00:27:30.460
 hesitation.

00:27:31.100 --> 00:27:32.420
 Thiel goes, there's

00:27:32.420 --> 00:27:33.960
 so many questions

00:27:33.960 --> 00:27:35.019
 implicit in this.

00:27:35.240 --> 00:27:36.539
 Douthit, should the

00:27:36.539 --> 00:27:37.380
 human race survive?

00:27:37.460 --> 00:27:37.860
 And he's really

00:27:37.860 --> 00:27:38.680
 pressing him if you

00:27:38.680 --> 00:27:39.519
 listen to the audio.

00:27:40.480 --> 00:27:41.400
 Should the human race

00:27:41.400 --> 00:27:41.779
 survive?

00:27:42.319 --> 00:27:42.640
 Yes.

00:27:43.120 --> 00:27:43.420
 Okay.

00:27:44.120 --> 00:27:45.279
 And then Thiel here,

00:27:45.420 --> 00:27:46.720
 but I would like us

00:27:46.720 --> 00:27:47.779
 to radically solve

00:27:47.779 --> 00:27:48.380
 these problems.

00:27:48.380 --> 00:27:50.460
 This is them just

00:27:50.460 --> 00:27:51.079
 talking about

00:27:51.079 --> 00:27:51.880
 Alzheimer's and

00:27:51.880 --> 00:27:53.440
 dementia, but a

00:27:53.440 --> 00:27:54.180
 bigger conversation.

00:27:54.440 --> 00:27:56.120
 So, but I also

00:27:56.120 --> 00:27:56.779
 would like us to

00:27:56.779 --> 00:27:57.960
 radically solve these

00:27:57.960 --> 00:27:58.519
 problems.

00:27:58.519 --> 00:27:59.579
 And so it's

00:27:59.579 --> 00:28:00.740
 always, I don't

00:28:00.740 --> 00:28:01.460
 know, yeah, a

00:28:01.460 --> 00:28:02.299
 transhumanism.

00:28:03.000 --> 00:28:05.000
 The ideal was this

00:28:05.000 --> 00:28:06.139
 radical transformation

00:28:06.139 --> 00:28:07.220
 where your human

00:28:07.220 --> 00:28:08.700
 natural body gets

00:28:08.700 --> 00:28:10.119
 transformed into an

00:28:10.119 --> 00:28:10.819
 immortal body.

00:28:11.879 --> 00:28:12.819
 Just prior to this,

00:28:12.900 --> 00:28:13.379
 we were talking

00:28:13.379 --> 00:28:16.059
 about uploading our

00:28:16.059 --> 00:28:17.680
 mind into computers

00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:19.259
 and it was a bit

00:28:19.259 --> 00:28:19.680
 bananas.

00:28:20.279 --> 00:28:21.039
 Anyways, this guy's a

00:28:21.039 --> 00:28:21.539
 futurist.

00:28:21.799 --> 00:28:22.619
 It's worth a listen

00:28:22.619 --> 00:28:24.019
 if you have an hour

00:28:24.019 --> 00:28:25.039
 to just blow and

00:28:25.039 --> 00:28:25.599
 kind of let your

00:28:25.599 --> 00:28:28.099
 mind get fried a

00:28:28.099 --> 00:28:28.439
 little bit.

00:28:30.179 --> 00:28:31.740
 But it struck me

00:28:31.740 --> 00:28:33.599
 that there's no

00:28:33.599 --> 00:28:34.699
 denying that there's

00:28:34.699 --> 00:28:37.019
 real problems at

00:28:37.019 --> 00:28:38.919
 hand, that there's

00:28:38.919 --> 00:28:40.159
 real enemies that

00:28:40.159 --> 00:28:40.639
 we're facing.

00:28:41.000 --> 00:28:42.439
 Death is one of

00:28:42.439 --> 00:28:42.579
 them.

00:28:43.139 --> 00:28:43.819
 But what happens

00:28:43.819 --> 00:28:45.019
 when God is no

00:28:45.019 --> 00:28:45.819
 longer the creator

00:28:45.819 --> 00:28:46.299
 of heaven and

00:28:46.299 --> 00:28:47.359
 earth and our

00:28:47.359 --> 00:28:48.059
 help is not in

00:28:48.059 --> 00:28:48.299
 him?

00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:49.779
 I mean, we're

00:28:49.779 --> 00:28:50.259
 still going to try

00:28:50.259 --> 00:28:50.859
 to solve these

00:28:50.859 --> 00:28:51.299
 problems.

00:28:51.399 --> 00:28:51.619
 They're still

00:28:51.619 --> 00:28:52.119
 problems.

00:28:52.179 --> 00:28:52.599
 They don't cease

00:28:52.599 --> 00:28:53.379
 to be problems.

00:28:53.779 --> 00:28:54.279
 But we're going to

00:28:54.279 --> 00:28:55.179
 try to solve them

00:28:55.179 --> 00:28:55.859
 by our own

00:28:55.859 --> 00:28:56.480
 ingenuity.

00:28:56.480 --> 00:28:57.640
 And I mean, the

00:28:57.640 --> 00:28:58.579
 best that we

00:28:58.579 --> 00:29:00.059
 have here, this

00:29:00.059 --> 00:29:01.339
 futurist, is

00:29:01.339 --> 00:29:02.160
 talking about some

00:29:02.160 --> 00:29:02.779
 kind of weird

00:29:02.779 --> 00:29:03.500
 form of a

00:29:03.500 --> 00:29:04.579
 cyborg and

00:29:04.579 --> 00:29:05.579
 uploading our

00:29:05.579 --> 00:29:06.839
 minds to a

00:29:06.839 --> 00:29:08.079
 mainframe and

00:29:08.079 --> 00:29:10.980
 transcending what

00:29:10.980 --> 00:29:11.680
 it means to be

00:29:11.680 --> 00:29:12.019
 human.

00:29:12.799 --> 00:29:13.579
 The whole idea of

00:29:13.579 --> 00:29:14.440
 transhumanism.

00:29:16.000 --> 00:29:16.940
 This is what

00:29:16.940 --> 00:29:18.940
 dystopian movies and

00:29:18.940 --> 00:29:19.900
 horror movies are

00:29:19.900 --> 00:29:21.980
 made of.

00:29:21.980 --> 00:29:23.099
 This is the plot

00:29:23.099 --> 00:29:25.240
 line of some

00:29:25.240 --> 00:29:26.339
 really crazy

00:29:26.339 --> 00:29:27.319
 dystopian novels.

00:29:28.660 --> 00:29:29.660
 The point is

00:29:29.660 --> 00:29:30.000
 this.

00:29:31.360 --> 00:29:32.680
 There is no

00:29:32.680 --> 00:29:34.740
 good, viable

00:29:34.740 --> 00:29:36.900
 second place

00:29:36.900 --> 00:29:38.599
 when it comes to

00:29:38.599 --> 00:29:39.940
 solving the real

00:29:39.940 --> 00:29:40.779
 enemies in our

00:29:40.779 --> 00:29:41.140
 lives.

00:29:41.220 --> 00:29:41.519
 There's just

00:29:41.519 --> 00:29:41.940
 nothing.

00:29:43.099 --> 00:29:44.000
 There is no

00:29:44.000 --> 00:29:45.299
 other pool of

00:29:45.299 --> 00:29:46.120
 free agents

00:29:46.120 --> 00:29:48.420
 where if God is

00:29:48.420 --> 00:29:49.140
 unavailable, we

00:29:49.140 --> 00:29:49.680
 can just pick

00:29:49.680 --> 00:29:50.680
 somebody that's not

00:29:50.680 --> 00:29:51.620
 quite God but he's

00:29:51.620 --> 00:29:53.039
 alright or she's

00:29:53.039 --> 00:29:53.759
 alright to get on

00:29:53.759 --> 00:29:54.960
 our squad and

00:29:54.960 --> 00:29:55.600
 fight our battles.

00:29:55.700 --> 00:29:56.220
 There is no

00:29:56.220 --> 00:29:56.799
 second place.

00:29:56.900 --> 00:29:57.360
 There is no

00:29:57.360 --> 00:29:57.779
 alternative.

00:29:57.960 --> 00:29:58.400
 There is no

00:29:58.400 --> 00:29:59.060
 contingency.

00:30:00.299 --> 00:30:01.039
 We try to solve

00:30:01.039 --> 00:30:03.180
 these problems by

00:30:03.180 --> 00:30:04.279
 ourselves, we will

00:30:04.279 --> 00:30:05.340
 create a hellscape,

00:30:05.420 --> 00:30:05.940
 not a heaven.

00:30:10.620 --> 00:30:11.519
 The alternative

00:30:11.519 --> 00:30:12.560
 perspective is that

00:30:12.560 --> 00:30:13.259
 God is the creator

00:30:13.259 --> 00:30:13.799
 of everything.

00:30:14.500 --> 00:30:15.180
 And because he

00:30:15.180 --> 00:30:15.860
 created from

00:30:15.860 --> 00:30:16.700
 nothing and did

00:30:16.700 --> 00:30:17.440
 not need to

00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:18.539
 create, he

00:30:18.539 --> 00:30:19.460
 created out of

00:30:19.460 --> 00:30:20.340
 eternal love

00:30:20.340 --> 00:30:21.039
 within the

00:30:21.039 --> 00:30:21.759
 Godhead, Father,

00:30:21.900 --> 00:30:22.400
 Son and Holy

00:30:22.400 --> 00:30:22.799
 Spirit.

00:30:23.620 --> 00:30:24.620
 And he loves his

00:30:24.620 --> 00:30:25.360
 creation and the

00:30:25.360 --> 00:30:26.519
 thing is you

00:30:26.519 --> 00:30:27.579
 seek to protect

00:30:27.579 --> 00:30:28.559
 and nurture and

00:30:28.559 --> 00:30:30.180
 grow and provide

00:30:30.180 --> 00:30:31.120
 for the things you

00:30:31.120 --> 00:30:31.380
 love.

00:30:31.500 --> 00:30:32.059
 That's just what you

00:30:32.059 --> 00:30:32.799
 do with things you

00:30:32.799 --> 00:30:33.660
 love and people you

00:30:33.660 --> 00:30:33.920
 love.

00:30:35.200 --> 00:30:35.720
 Therefore we can

00:30:35.720 --> 00:30:36.799
 never separate God's

00:30:36.799 --> 00:30:37.880
 creative power from

00:30:37.880 --> 00:30:39.279
 his power to save.

00:30:39.740 --> 00:30:40.600
 This is what David

00:30:40.600 --> 00:30:41.380
 and Israel are

00:30:41.380 --> 00:30:42.240
 confessing here in

00:30:42.240 --> 00:30:42.779
 verse 8.

00:30:43.420 --> 00:30:44.539
 And all of verse

00:30:44.539 --> 00:30:45.960
 124 and really the

00:30:45.960 --> 00:30:46.779
 entirety of the

00:30:46.779 --> 00:30:47.740
 Bible and salvation

00:30:47.740 --> 00:30:48.339
 and redemption.

00:30:48.940 --> 00:30:49.980
 It is all for

00:30:49.980 --> 00:30:51.180
 nothing if verse

00:30:51.180 --> 00:30:51.880
 8 does not

00:30:51.880 --> 00:30:52.299
 exist.

00:30:55.579 --> 00:30:57.140
 Such a confession

00:30:57.140 --> 00:30:58.380
 removes any false

00:30:58.380 --> 00:30:59.839
 pride and hope and

00:30:59.839 --> 00:31:01.059
 self-congratulations.

00:31:01.900 --> 00:31:02.599
 And this is for our

00:31:02.599 --> 00:31:02.920
 benefit.

00:31:03.059 --> 00:31:04.019
 It forces us to

00:31:04.019 --> 00:31:04.620
 admit that the

00:31:04.620 --> 00:31:05.380
 ultimate power in

00:31:05.380 --> 00:31:06.640
 the universe is

00:31:06.640 --> 00:31:07.819
 not us but is

00:31:07.819 --> 00:31:08.940
 God but also that

00:31:08.940 --> 00:31:09.920
 he is on our

00:31:09.920 --> 00:31:11.680
 side working and

00:31:11.680 --> 00:31:12.420
 willing to grant

00:31:12.420 --> 00:31:13.500
 us salvation from

00:31:13.500 --> 00:31:14.599
 death and the

00:31:14.599 --> 00:31:15.640
 ability to live the

00:31:15.640 --> 00:31:16.440
 life of faith he

00:31:16.440 --> 00:31:17.200
 has called us to

00:31:17.200 --> 00:31:17.460
 live.

00:31:20.600 --> 00:31:21.840
 Nothing is beyond

00:31:21.840 --> 00:31:22.819
 the reach of the

00:31:22.819 --> 00:31:23.440
 one who created

00:31:23.440 --> 00:31:24.519
 heaven and earth.

00:31:26.120 --> 00:31:27.019
 So as we wrap

00:31:27.019 --> 00:31:29.120
 this up we have to

00:31:29.120 --> 00:31:29.779
 ask the question

00:31:29.779 --> 00:31:32.160
 are we on Christ's

00:31:32.160 --> 00:31:32.519
 side?

00:31:34.480 --> 00:31:35.160
 Throughout the

00:31:35.160 --> 00:31:36.200
 Bible there is

00:31:36.200 --> 00:31:37.340
 lots of verses that

00:31:37.340 --> 00:31:38.140
 talk about assurance

00:31:38.140 --> 00:31:39.580
 of salvation but

00:31:39.580 --> 00:31:40.759
 there's also many

00:31:40.759 --> 00:31:41.700
 other verses that

00:31:41.700 --> 00:31:43.559
 say listen work out

00:31:43.559 --> 00:31:44.380
 your salvation with

00:31:44.380 --> 00:31:45.340
 fear and trembling

00:31:45.339 --> 00:31:46.179
 which is to say

00:31:46.179 --> 00:31:47.980
 do not take for

00:31:47.980 --> 00:31:49.459
 granted that just

00:31:49.459 --> 00:31:50.099
 because you go to

00:31:50.099 --> 00:31:51.179
 church and you go

00:31:51.179 --> 00:31:52.419
 through motions and

00:31:52.419 --> 00:31:53.000
 we all go through

00:31:53.000 --> 00:31:54.240
 motions at times and

00:31:54.240 --> 00:31:54.879
 we do the religious

00:31:54.879 --> 00:31:55.699
 things that you are

00:31:55.699 --> 00:31:56.000
 saved.

00:31:56.399 --> 00:31:58.139
 Have you as a

00:31:58.139 --> 00:31:59.359
 former enemy or a

00:31:59.359 --> 00:32:00.579
 current one have you

00:32:00.579 --> 00:32:01.619
 laid down your

00:32:01.619 --> 00:32:02.519
 weapons and

00:32:02.519 --> 00:32:02.919
 surrendered?

00:32:06.419 --> 00:32:07.559
 Have you seen the

00:32:07.559 --> 00:32:08.299
 gospel as a

00:32:08.299 --> 00:32:09.220
 beautiful beautiful

00:32:09.220 --> 00:32:09.759
 gift?

00:32:09.759 --> 00:32:11.920
 not as a threat

00:32:11.920 --> 00:32:13.779
 but rather do you

00:32:13.779 --> 00:32:15.859
 cry out to Christ

00:32:15.859 --> 00:32:16.839
 himself for mercy

00:32:16.839 --> 00:32:18.000
 and when you do

00:32:18.000 --> 00:32:18.920
 that it's not as

00:32:18.920 --> 00:32:19.779
 though he will

00:32:19.779 --> 00:32:21.579
 stroke his chin

00:32:21.579 --> 00:32:23.000
 and ponder is he

00:32:23.000 --> 00:32:23.819
 worthy is he not

00:32:23.819 --> 00:32:24.039
 worthy?

00:32:24.759 --> 00:32:25.799
 That's not the way

00:32:25.799 --> 00:32:27.099
 the economics of

00:32:27.099 --> 00:32:27.859
 salvation works.

00:32:27.960 --> 00:32:29.680
 Instead if we put

00:32:29.680 --> 00:32:30.519
 our faith in him

00:32:30.519 --> 00:32:31.279
 and cry out to

00:32:31.279 --> 00:32:32.960
 mercy he will give

00:32:32.960 --> 00:32:33.680
 us mercy.

00:32:34.539 --> 00:32:35.660
 He will extend

00:32:35.660 --> 00:32:36.160
 mercy.

00:32:36.160 --> 00:32:41.700
 How do we know

00:32:41.700 --> 00:32:41.920
 this?

00:32:41.960 --> 00:32:42.440
 How can we be

00:32:42.440 --> 00:32:42.680
 sure?

00:32:43.420 --> 00:32:43.980
 The beautiful

00:32:43.980 --> 00:32:44.540
 truth of the

00:32:44.540 --> 00:32:45.380
 gospel is that we

00:32:45.380 --> 00:32:47.300
 can truly switch

00:32:47.300 --> 00:32:48.540
 sides in this

00:32:48.540 --> 00:32:50.560
 cosmic war because

00:32:50.560 --> 00:32:52.060
 Jesus, God the

00:32:52.060 --> 00:32:54.320
 son of God, came

00:32:54.320 --> 00:32:55.400
 down, took on

00:32:55.400 --> 00:32:56.880
 human flesh, still

00:32:56.880 --> 00:32:57.620
 remaining fully

00:32:57.620 --> 00:32:59.380
 God and joined

00:32:59.380 --> 00:33:00.580
 team humanity.

00:33:01.680 --> 00:33:02.580
 He took on human

00:33:02.580 --> 00:33:03.700
 flesh in the

00:33:03.700 --> 00:33:06.040
 incarnation and he

00:33:06.039 --> 00:33:07.139
 fought our battle

00:33:07.139 --> 00:33:07.980
 and suffered in

00:33:07.980 --> 00:33:08.579
 our place.

00:33:10.700 --> 00:33:11.639
 So we can be

00:33:11.639 --> 00:33:12.279
 sure that when we

00:33:12.279 --> 00:33:12.779
 lay down our

00:33:12.779 --> 00:33:14.099
 weapons we will

00:33:14.099 --> 00:33:15.779
 not be utterly

00:33:15.779 --> 00:33:17.159
 crushed but instead

00:33:17.159 --> 00:33:18.259
 we will be elevated.

00:33:18.980 --> 00:33:19.859
 We will be saved.

00:33:19.980 --> 00:33:20.579
 We will be able to

00:33:20.579 --> 00:33:22.559
 sing Psalm 124 as

00:33:22.559 --> 00:33:23.619
 if it is our

00:33:23.619 --> 00:33:24.579
 psalm for it truly

00:33:24.579 --> 00:33:25.359
 is our psalm.

00:33:26.460 --> 00:33:27.460
 And then with the

00:33:27.460 --> 00:33:28.420
 church triumphant

00:33:28.420 --> 00:33:29.379
 and the church

00:33:29.379 --> 00:33:31.059
 militant we can

00:33:31.059 --> 00:33:32.180
 pray this psalm

00:33:32.180 --> 00:33:34.059
 but we also can

00:33:34.059 --> 00:33:35.019
 come to verses

00:33:35.019 --> 00:33:37.379
 passages like the

00:33:37.379 --> 00:33:38.339
 one in Romans 8

00:33:38.339 --> 00:33:40.480
 and we can see

00:33:40.480 --> 00:33:41.480
 the beauty and the

00:33:41.480 --> 00:33:43.019
 truth of it and

00:33:43.019 --> 00:33:45.019
 declare it with

00:33:45.019 --> 00:33:46.379
 such vigor and

00:33:46.379 --> 00:33:47.159
 trust.

00:33:47.799 --> 00:33:48.319
 And I'll close

00:33:48.319 --> 00:33:49.599
 with just that

00:33:49.599 --> 00:33:50.500
 Romans chapter 8

00:33:50.500 --> 00:33:51.720
 verse 31 to 39.

00:33:51.720 --> 00:33:53.920
 What then shall we

00:33:53.920 --> 00:33:54.559
 say to these

00:33:54.559 --> 00:33:54.940
 things?

00:33:55.900 --> 00:33:56.779
 If God is for us

00:33:56.779 --> 00:33:57.559
 who can be against

00:33:57.559 --> 00:33:57.860
 us?

00:33:57.940 --> 00:33:58.680
 He who did not

00:33:58.680 --> 00:33:59.680
 spare his own

00:33:59.680 --> 00:34:01.880
 son but gave him

00:34:01.880 --> 00:34:02.960
 up for us all

00:34:02.960 --> 00:34:04.059
 how will he not

00:34:04.059 --> 00:34:05.680
 also with him

00:34:05.680 --> 00:34:06.720
 graciously give us

00:34:06.720 --> 00:34:07.259
 all things?

00:34:08.579 --> 00:34:09.960
 Who shall bring

00:34:09.960 --> 00:34:10.920
 any charge against

00:34:10.920 --> 00:34:11.760
 God's elect?

00:34:12.320 --> 00:34:12.960
 It is God who

00:34:12.960 --> 00:34:13.559
 justifies.

00:34:13.679 --> 00:34:14.119
 Who is to

00:34:14.119 --> 00:34:14.579
 condemn?

00:34:15.000 --> 00:34:16.099
 Christ Jesus is the

00:34:16.099 --> 00:34:16.659
 one who died.

00:34:16.760 --> 00:34:17.480
 More than that he

00:34:17.480 --> 00:34:18.280
 was raised.

00:34:18.780 --> 00:34:19.280
 Who is at the

00:34:19.280 --> 00:34:20.199
 right hand of God.

00:34:20.199 --> 00:34:21.259
 Who indeed is

00:34:21.259 --> 00:34:22.259
 interceding for us.

00:34:22.319 --> 00:34:23.500
 Who shall separate

00:34:23.500 --> 00:34:24.179
 us from the love

00:34:24.179 --> 00:34:24.699
 of Christ.

00:34:25.480 --> 00:34:26.379
 Shall tribulation

00:34:26.379 --> 00:34:27.460
 or distress or

00:34:27.460 --> 00:34:28.359
 persecution or

00:34:28.359 --> 00:34:29.919
 famine, nakedness,

00:34:30.059 --> 00:34:30.960
 danger or sword.

00:34:32.559 --> 00:34:33.539
 As it is written

00:34:33.539 --> 00:34:34.839
 for your sake we

00:34:34.839 --> 00:34:35.779
 are being killed

00:34:35.779 --> 00:34:36.819
 all the day long.

00:34:37.319 --> 00:34:38.179
 We are regarded

00:34:38.179 --> 00:34:39.179
 as sheep to be

00:34:39.179 --> 00:34:39.699
 slaughtered.

00:34:39.719 --> 00:34:40.419
 Verse 37.

00:34:40.839 --> 00:34:42.159
 No in all these

00:34:42.159 --> 00:34:43.219
 things we are more

00:34:43.219 --> 00:34:44.039
 than conquerors.

00:34:44.659 --> 00:34:45.119
 Because of

00:34:45.119 --> 00:34:45.539
 ourselves?

00:34:45.919 --> 00:34:47.000
 No through him

00:34:47.000 --> 00:34:48.119
 who loved us.

00:34:48.799 --> 00:34:49.599
 For I am sure

00:34:49.599 --> 00:34:50.019
 that neither

00:34:50.019 --> 00:34:51.019
 death nor life,

00:34:51.099 --> 00:34:51.759
 angels or

00:34:51.759 --> 00:34:53.139
 rulers, nor

00:34:53.139 --> 00:34:54.000
 things present

00:34:54.000 --> 00:34:54.639
 nor things to

00:34:54.639 --> 00:34:55.059
 come, nor

00:34:55.059 --> 00:34:55.940
 powers, nor

00:34:55.940 --> 00:34:56.619
 height, nor

00:34:56.619 --> 00:34:57.699
 depth, nor

00:34:57.699 --> 00:34:58.659
 anything else in

00:34:58.659 --> 00:34:59.619
 all creation will

00:34:59.619 --> 00:35:00.139
 be able to

00:35:00.139 --> 00:35:01.820
 separate us from

00:35:01.820 --> 00:35:02.659
 the love of God

00:35:02.659 --> 00:35:03.960
 in Christ Jesus

00:35:03.960 --> 00:35:05.199
 our Lord.

00:35:05.559 --> 00:35:05.920
 Amen?

00:35:06.800 --> 00:35:07.159
 Amen.

00:35:07.199 --> 00:35:07.659
 Let us pray.

00:35:09.079 --> 00:35:10.759
 Lord, we thank

00:35:10.759 --> 00:35:11.420
 you that we are on

00:35:11.420 --> 00:35:11.920
 the victorious

00:35:11.920 --> 00:35:12.639
 side.

00:35:13.519 --> 00:35:14.039
 And this isn't

00:35:14.039 --> 00:35:15.300
 because of our

00:35:15.300 --> 00:35:16.539
 doing, our

00:35:16.539 --> 00:35:17.400
 occurring favor,

00:35:17.559 --> 00:35:18.099
 our merit,

00:35:18.239 --> 00:35:18.800
 nothing.

00:35:18.800 --> 00:35:20.320
 It is you

00:35:20.320 --> 00:35:21.080
 in your goodness

00:35:21.080 --> 00:35:21.880
 and kindness

00:35:21.880 --> 00:35:23.519
 giving us this

00:35:23.519 --> 00:35:24.860
 unbelievable gift

00:35:24.860 --> 00:35:25.380
 of victory.

00:35:25.600 --> 00:35:26.120
 Lord, we thank

00:35:26.120 --> 00:35:26.539
 you that your

00:35:26.539 --> 00:35:27.539
 son took on

00:35:27.539 --> 00:35:28.260
 human flesh

00:35:28.260 --> 00:35:29.360
 yet remained

00:35:29.360 --> 00:35:29.800
 God.

00:35:29.920 --> 00:35:31.420
 How he fights,

00:35:31.960 --> 00:35:32.600
 that he fought

00:35:32.600 --> 00:35:33.160
 our battle,

00:35:33.400 --> 00:35:34.980
 and he continues

00:35:34.980 --> 00:35:35.660
 to intercede for

00:35:35.660 --> 00:35:35.800
 us.

00:35:35.880 --> 00:35:36.380
 Lord, we thank

00:35:36.380 --> 00:35:37.260
 you that this is

00:35:37.260 --> 00:35:38.140
 our reality as

00:35:38.140 --> 00:35:38.580
 your children.

00:35:39.440 --> 00:35:40.840
 Lord, when the

00:35:40.840 --> 00:35:42.840
 next round of

00:35:42.840 --> 00:35:43.640
 enemies or

00:35:43.640 --> 00:35:44.680
 temptations or

00:35:44.680 --> 00:35:45.660
 difficulties come,

00:35:45.659 --> 00:35:46.819
 Lord, help us

00:35:46.819 --> 00:35:47.779
 to pray Psalm

00:35:47.779 --> 00:35:48.519
 124,

00:35:49.440 --> 00:35:50.500
 thankfully knowing

00:35:50.500 --> 00:35:50.980
 that what you

00:35:50.980 --> 00:35:51.480
 have done in the

00:35:51.480 --> 00:35:52.039
 past, you will

00:35:52.039 --> 00:35:52.739
 do in the future.

00:35:53.500 --> 00:35:54.199
 And let us,

00:35:54.759 --> 00:35:55.639
 Lord, put our

00:35:55.639 --> 00:35:56.440
 hope in you, the

00:35:56.440 --> 00:35:56.980
 creator of heaven

00:35:56.980 --> 00:35:57.339
 and earth.

00:35:58.179 --> 00:35:58.460
 Amen.

00:35:58.460 --> 00:35:58.539
 Amen.

00:35:58.539 --> 00:35:59.079
 Amen.

00:35:59.079 --> 00:35:59.079


00:35:59.079 --> 00:35:59.079


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00:35:59.079 --> 00:35:59.079


00:35:59.079 --> 00:35:59.079


00:35:59.079 --> 00:36:29.059
 Thank you.