WEBVTT

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 We have been joining together, all of us, telling this great story, remembering this story as we are remembered by it.

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 And we want to stop for a moment and focus in on one of the themes of this story, the theme of this year's vigil,

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 the theme that we see in Isaiah chapter 35 so beautifully delivered a few minutes ago.

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 So, in one sense, Isaiah 35 is a beautiful poem about an ancient people.

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 It's a story of Israel and their wandering in the desert, their ongoing search for a home that goes unfulfilled,

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 their trial in the wilderness of their own making.

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 And yet the Bible tells us that the story of Israel is our story.

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 That it's the story of the world.

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 That it's the story of the human condition.

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 That we're all pilgrims.

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 And this world is a desert.

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 A spiritual desert.

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 And that this world is not our home.

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 Now, it doesn't look like a desert.

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 But when we see violence or racial injustice or exploitation,

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 or when someone we love is taken from us,

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 why do we feel in our bones that deep sense of wrongness?

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 This is not the way things are supposed to be.

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 When you look at our most enduring, most popular stories,

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 stories like Star Wars or Harry Potter,

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 these are stories that often tell us

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 that there's more to this world than we can see or hear or touch or taste.

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 They point us to an enchanted world.

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 A world full of cosmic forces.

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 And children and adults alike yearn to know that there's a world beyond the world of the Muggles.

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 That there is a magical, enchanted world.

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 If only we could discover it.

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 I think when we feel these feelings inside,

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 it's because some small part of us remembers

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 this is the desert.

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 This is not our home.

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 And yet many, many, many people have forgotten

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 that there is anything more than the desert.

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 Many people have forgotten that there's anything beyond this.

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 And when that happens,

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 when we begin to believe that this is all there is,

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 and there is nothing beyond this,

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 when we begin to believe that,

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 then we begin to do whatever we have to do

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 to make this world into a permanent home.

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 And that's when the good things in our lives

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 start to become ultimate things.

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 One example,

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 many, many, many people these days

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 are putting all of their hope in politics.

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 We believe that with the right administration,

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 we can turn the desert into a permanent home.

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 We can make it habitable.

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 Maybe even slurish.

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 So to quote Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sachs,

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 people to the right dream of a golden past that never was.

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 People on the left yearn for a utopian future

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 that never will be.

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 And yet people on the left and the right

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 are experiencing this longing

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 more and more and more

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 as a kind of religious longing.

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 More and more people are finding

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 their entire sense of identity

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 and meaning and purpose

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 in party affiliation.

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 And you know the litmus test

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 to know whether or not politics

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 has become a religion for you.

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 How do you treat people with whom you disagree?

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 How do you view people

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 on the other side of the aisle?

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 Are they merely people

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 who have different ideas?

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 Or are they heretics?

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 Are they blasphemers

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 who don't deserve to be heard?

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 Government is essential

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 and good leaders can make a tremendous difference

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 in the lives of many people.

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 Regardless of who you voted for

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 in the last election,

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 regardless of who you vote for

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 in the coming election,

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 no administration can turn the desert

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 into a gardener.

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 This is not our home.

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 Now, of course, many of you know this.

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 And you're tired of the political polarization.

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 You say, I know life isn't about politics.

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 And many people say,

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 I'll tell you what life is about.

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 Life is about love.

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 Love, love is what life is all about.

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 And of course, often we mean romantic love.

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 The passion of human love.

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 I think like politics,

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 love has become its own religion

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 in our society.

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 People say, if I could only find someone

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 to love for the rest of my life,

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 if only I could find somebody

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 who would love me,

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 then it would be enough.

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 And I wouldn't have this longing.

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 And I would be satisfied.

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 It's so tempting to think

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 that marrying the right person

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 will bring us contentment.

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 And so, you know,

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 some people never get married

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 because they never find someone

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 who checks all the boxes.

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 Some people are afraid

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 that if they never get married,

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 never have kids,

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 they'll never be complete.

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 They'll never be whole.

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 Some people wonder

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 if the person they're with

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 is the one.

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 Maybe some of you are here tonight

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 with somebody

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 and you're sitting next to that person

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 right now

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 and you're wondering,

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 is this the person?

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 Show of hands,

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 how many people are thinking that?

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 I'll let you work it out.

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 Maybe you're haunted by the fear

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 that you married the wrong person.

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 Or maybe you had a really good person,

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 but that person was taken from you.

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 It's so tempting to think

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 that marrying the right person

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 will bring us contentment.

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 But you know we have it

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 exactly backwards.

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 Marriage is not what makes

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 contentment possible.

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 Contentment is what makes

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 marriage possible.

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 Contentment is what makes

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 marriage possible.

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 All human beings are flawed.

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 Even the best people

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 will let you down.

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 Even in the best relationships

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 and the best marriages,

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 sometimes you still feel lonely.

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 And so we have to find

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 that contentment elsewhere.

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 If you look to your spouse

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 or your significant other

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 or your children

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 to give you contentment,

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 you will crush them

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 under the existential weight

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 of your need.

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 Because nobody

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 can meet that need.

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 As wonderful as human love can be,

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 it cannot change the desert

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 into a garden.

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 And this is not our home.

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 Now some of you know

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 that politics isn't the answer.

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 Some of you have maybe tried love

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 and maybe it's not all

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 it's cracked up to be.

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 And you say,

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 well love didn't really work out.

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 I'm tired of all the political

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 back and forth.

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 Well,

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 at least I have my career.

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 At least I have a job

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 that I can pour myself into.

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 And so we tell ourselves

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 that it's hard work now

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 and you haven't taken a day off

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 in 15 or 16 years.

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 But one day it will be worth it.

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 One day we'll arrive.

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 One day we'll succeed.

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 And then we'll stand

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 on that plateau

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 and enjoy the view

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 and look back

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 and say it was all worth it

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 because I've finally arrived.

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 And so it's worth

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 asking ourselves

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 what will that be like

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 when we arrive?

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 How will we know

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 that we've arrived?

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 What will that rush

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 of success do

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 to our souls?

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 Will it finally be enough?

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 I think of Jim Carrey,

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 the wise old sage,

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 who said this.

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 He said,

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 I think everybody

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 should get rich and famous

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 and do everything

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 they ever dreamed

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 so that they can see

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 that it's not the answer.

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 People are always saying,

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 go after your dreams.

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 There's that weird video

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 with Shia LaBeouf

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 who says,

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 just do it.

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 Chase your dreams.

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 Make them happen.

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 Does anyone have any idea

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 the existential catastrophe

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 that would come about

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 if you ever got

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 everything you dreamed of?

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 Because then you would be faced

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 with the massive quandary

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 of realizing,

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 that's not what I was looking for.

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 It's not enough.

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 The longing is still there.

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 Now what?

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 As meaningful

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 as our work can be,

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 no amount of work

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 no amount of success

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 can change

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 the desert

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 into a garden.

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 It's not enough.

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 This is not our home.

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 And so then many Christians

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 say,

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 well of course,

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 of course politics

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 isn't the answer.

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 Of course human love

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 isn't the answer.

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 Of course our career

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 and our success,

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 of course that's not the answer.

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 Put all of your trust

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 and your faith

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 in Jesus

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 and Jesus will satisfy

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 all of your longings

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 here and now.

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 And if you don't feel satisfied,

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 maybe it's because

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 you don't have enough faith.

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 And maybe if you believed more,

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 Jesus would satisfy you more.

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 That's not the Christian gospel.

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 That's what we might call

00:11:14.019 --> 00:11:15.639
 the emotional prosperity gospel.

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 Isaiah 35

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 tells us that this world

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 is not our home.

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 Which means

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 that we will never

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 be fully satisfied

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 here and now.

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 But then Isaiah 35

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 goes on to say

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 even though this world

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 is not our home now,

00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:38.419
 one day this world

00:11:38.419 --> 00:11:39.740
 will be our home.

00:11:40.580 --> 00:11:41.399
 One day

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 this will be

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 the place

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 where we are made whole

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 and satisfied.

00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:47.319
 In Isaiah 35

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 a miracle happens.

00:11:49.019 --> 00:11:50.019
 As the pilgrims

00:11:50.019 --> 00:11:51.360
 wander through the desert,

00:11:51.360 --> 00:11:51.919
 the desert

00:11:51.919 --> 00:11:53.279
 begins to transform

00:11:53.279 --> 00:11:54.600
 around them.

00:11:54.919 --> 00:11:55.500
 The wilderness

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 and the dry land

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 shall be glad,

00:11:57.800 --> 00:11:58.300
 it says.

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 The desert

00:11:58.840 --> 00:11:59.779
 shall rejoice

00:11:59.779 --> 00:12:00.600
 and blossom

00:12:00.600 --> 00:12:01.560
 like the crocus.

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 It shall blossom

00:12:02.580 --> 00:12:03.379
 abundantly

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 and rejoice

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 with joy

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 and singing.

00:12:06.759 --> 00:12:07.720
 And then the pilgrims

00:12:07.720 --> 00:12:08.300
 themselves

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 begin to be

00:12:09.080 --> 00:12:09.860
 transformed.

00:12:10.019 --> 00:12:10.560
 The blind

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 can see,

00:12:11.620 --> 00:12:12.100
 the deaf

00:12:12.100 --> 00:12:12.940
 can hear,

00:12:13.060 --> 00:12:13.639
 the lame

00:12:13.639 --> 00:12:14.500
 can walk,

00:12:14.620 --> 00:12:15.080
 the mute

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 can sing,

00:12:16.060 --> 00:12:17.139
 and then the pilgrims

00:12:17.139 --> 00:12:18.519
 come to a great highway.

00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:20.500
 And that highway

00:12:20.500 --> 00:12:21.559
 brings them

00:12:21.559 --> 00:12:22.340
 streaming

00:12:22.340 --> 00:12:23.440
 into the city

00:12:23.440 --> 00:12:24.059
 of God.

00:12:24.179 --> 00:12:24.740
 Verse 10,

00:12:25.059 --> 00:12:25.820
 And the ransomed

00:12:25.820 --> 00:12:26.340
 of the Lord

00:12:26.340 --> 00:12:27.100
 shall return

00:12:27.100 --> 00:12:28.360
 and come to Zion

00:12:28.360 --> 00:12:29.059
 with singing

00:12:29.059 --> 00:12:30.340
 everlasting joy

00:12:30.340 --> 00:12:31.139
 shall pee upon

00:12:31.139 --> 00:12:31.779
 their heads.

00:12:32.059 --> 00:12:32.720
 They shall obtain

00:12:32.720 --> 00:12:33.419
 gladness

00:12:33.419 --> 00:12:34.279
 and joy

00:12:34.279 --> 00:12:35.419
 and sorrow

00:12:35.419 --> 00:12:36.299
 and sighing

00:12:36.299 --> 00:12:38.259
 shall flee away.

00:12:39.840 --> 00:12:40.740
 One day

00:12:40.740 --> 00:12:41.620
 God himself

00:12:41.620 --> 00:12:43.120
 is going to turn

00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:43.960
 the desert

00:12:43.960 --> 00:12:45.100
 of this world

00:12:45.100 --> 00:12:46.299
 into a garden.

00:12:46.620 --> 00:12:47.299
 One day

00:12:47.299 --> 00:12:47.899
 the desert

00:12:47.899 --> 00:12:48.779
 of loneliness

00:12:48.779 --> 00:12:49.819
 will give way

00:12:49.819 --> 00:12:50.519
 to the garden

00:12:50.519 --> 00:12:51.480
 of communion.

00:12:52.539 --> 00:12:53.059
 One day

00:12:53.059 --> 00:12:53.600
 the desert

00:12:53.600 --> 00:12:54.879
 of racial division

00:12:54.879 --> 00:12:55.919
 will give way

00:12:55.919 --> 00:12:56.720
 to the garden

00:12:56.720 --> 00:12:58.600
 of one global

00:12:58.600 --> 00:12:59.659
 multi-ethnic

00:12:59.659 --> 00:13:00.579
 family

00:13:00.579 --> 00:13:01.720
 who all share

00:13:01.720 --> 00:13:02.799
 the same name.

00:13:03.459 --> 00:13:04.000
 One day

00:13:04.000 --> 00:13:04.559
 the desert

00:13:04.559 --> 00:13:05.500
 of violence

00:13:05.500 --> 00:13:06.100
 will become

00:13:06.100 --> 00:13:07.019
 the garden

00:13:07.019 --> 00:13:08.000
 of shalom

00:13:08.000 --> 00:13:08.959
 and one day

00:13:08.959 --> 00:13:09.539
 the desert

00:13:09.539 --> 00:13:10.279
 of death

00:13:10.279 --> 00:13:11.240
 and dying

00:13:11.240 --> 00:13:11.960
 will become

00:13:11.960 --> 00:13:12.500
 the garden

00:13:12.500 --> 00:13:13.879
 of eternal life.

00:13:13.879 --> 00:13:16.939
 this is the home

00:13:16.939 --> 00:13:17.740
 that we were

00:13:17.740 --> 00:13:18.580
 made for.

00:13:19.000 --> 00:13:20.000
 This is the home

00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:21.500
 that we long for.

00:13:23.200 --> 00:13:24.939
 And if you know this

00:13:24.939 --> 00:13:26.139
 if you know

00:13:26.139 --> 00:13:26.899
 that even though

00:13:26.899 --> 00:13:27.600
 we're in the desert

00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:28.539
 now one day

00:13:28.539 --> 00:13:29.299
 this desert

00:13:29.299 --> 00:13:29.799
 will become

00:13:29.799 --> 00:13:30.320
 a garden

00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:31.439
 and a great city

00:13:31.439 --> 00:13:32.220
 and we will be

00:13:32.220 --> 00:13:32.879
 welcomed home

00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:34.019
 if you know this

00:13:34.019 --> 00:13:37.480
 number one

00:13:37.480 --> 00:13:38.279
 you can give

00:13:38.279 --> 00:13:38.899
 this life

00:13:38.899 --> 00:13:39.460
 permission

00:13:39.460 --> 00:13:40.519
 to be imperfect.

00:13:40.519 --> 00:13:45.899
 you can give

00:13:45.899 --> 00:13:46.519
 your spouse

00:13:46.519 --> 00:13:47.079
 permission

00:13:47.079 --> 00:13:48.100
 to be imperfect.

00:13:48.840 --> 00:13:49.779
 You can give

00:13:49.779 --> 00:13:50.639
 your kids

00:13:50.639 --> 00:13:51.100
 permission

00:13:51.100 --> 00:13:52.019
 to be imperfect.

00:13:52.220 --> 00:13:52.740
 You can give

00:13:52.740 --> 00:13:53.519
 our government

00:13:53.519 --> 00:13:54.100
 leaders

00:13:54.100 --> 00:13:54.779
 permission

00:13:54.779 --> 00:13:56.199
 to be imperfect.

00:13:56.399 --> 00:13:56.860
 You can give

00:13:56.860 --> 00:13:57.559
 your job

00:13:57.559 --> 00:13:58.199
 permission

00:13:58.199 --> 00:13:59.159
 to be imperfect.

00:13:59.379 --> 00:14:00.419
 You can enjoy

00:14:00.419 --> 00:14:01.539
 them and celebrate

00:14:01.539 --> 00:14:02.379
 them for what

00:14:02.379 --> 00:14:02.879
 they are

00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:03.919
 without needing

00:14:03.919 --> 00:14:04.620
 them to be

00:14:04.620 --> 00:14:05.039
 something

00:14:05.039 --> 00:14:06.100
 they never

00:14:06.100 --> 00:14:06.659
 could be.

00:14:08.500 --> 00:14:09.500
 If you know

00:14:09.500 --> 00:14:10.079
 that one day

00:14:10.080 --> 00:14:10.680
 God will turn

00:14:10.680 --> 00:14:11.080
 the desert

00:14:11.080 --> 00:14:12.060
 into a garden

00:14:12.060 --> 00:14:12.820
 then you can

00:14:12.820 --> 00:14:13.620
 have more

00:14:13.620 --> 00:14:14.440
 hope than

00:14:14.440 --> 00:14:15.040
 you ever

00:14:15.040 --> 00:14:16.259
 thought possible

00:14:16.259 --> 00:14:16.780
 because you

00:14:16.780 --> 00:14:18.200
 know that

00:14:18.200 --> 00:14:19.200
 even the best

00:14:19.200 --> 00:14:20.500
 experiences of

00:14:20.500 --> 00:14:21.340
 this life are

00:14:21.340 --> 00:14:22.379
 just the tiniest

00:14:22.379 --> 00:14:24.120
 foretaste of

00:14:24.120 --> 00:14:24.780
 that which is

00:14:24.780 --> 00:14:25.440
 yet to come

00:14:25.440 --> 00:14:26.360
 and the best

00:14:26.360 --> 00:14:27.500
 is yet to come

00:14:27.500 --> 00:14:28.360
 by a long

00:14:28.360 --> 00:14:28.680
 shot.

00:14:30.440 --> 00:14:31.300
 And if you

00:14:31.300 --> 00:14:32.040
 know that God

00:14:32.040 --> 00:14:32.540
 will one day

00:14:32.540 --> 00:14:33.520
 turn this desert

00:14:33.520 --> 00:14:34.700
 into a garden

00:14:34.700 --> 00:14:36.680
 then you can

00:14:36.680 --> 00:14:37.460
 know that what

00:14:37.460 --> 00:14:38.620
 you do here

00:14:38.620 --> 00:14:39.800
 matters.

00:14:40.080 --> 00:14:40.560
 And it

00:14:40.560 --> 00:14:41.280
 matters for

00:14:41.280 --> 00:14:41.780
 eternity.

00:14:42.820 --> 00:14:43.680
 Because God

00:14:43.680 --> 00:14:44.560
 doesn't scrap

00:14:44.560 --> 00:14:45.060
 the desert

00:14:45.060 --> 00:14:45.700
 and start

00:14:45.700 --> 00:14:46.060
 over.

00:14:47.379 --> 00:14:48.020
 God

00:14:48.020 --> 00:14:48.920
 transforms

00:14:48.920 --> 00:14:49.660
 the desert

00:14:49.660 --> 00:14:51.680
 into a garden

00:14:51.680 --> 00:14:52.720
 and a great

00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:53.120
 city.

00:14:54.520 --> 00:14:55.320
 And so all

00:14:55.320 --> 00:14:56.180
 that is good

00:14:56.180 --> 00:14:56.840
 and true

00:14:56.840 --> 00:14:57.639
 and beautiful

00:14:57.639 --> 00:14:59.120
 in your life

00:14:59.120 --> 00:15:00.160
 and in your

00:15:00.160 --> 00:15:00.620
 work

00:15:00.620 --> 00:15:02.000
 will become

00:15:02.000 --> 00:15:02.660
 a part

00:15:02.660 --> 00:15:03.440
 of that new

00:15:03.440 --> 00:15:03.960
 creation.

00:15:04.759 --> 00:15:05.080
 And so

00:15:05.080 --> 00:15:06.340
 everything we do

00:15:06.340 --> 00:15:07.120
 matters.

00:15:07.120 --> 00:15:07.299
 matters.

00:15:08.320 --> 00:15:09.460
 And this is

00:15:09.460 --> 00:15:10.340
 why Easter

00:15:10.340 --> 00:15:11.759
 matters so

00:15:11.759 --> 00:15:12.240
 much.

00:15:13.600 --> 00:15:14.179
 And this is

00:15:14.179 --> 00:15:14.919
 why the bodily

00:15:14.919 --> 00:15:15.779
 resurrection of

00:15:15.779 --> 00:15:16.899
 Jesus matters

00:15:16.899 --> 00:15:17.919
 so much.

00:15:21.200 --> 00:15:22.039
 Because a

00:15:22.039 --> 00:15:23.000
 resurrected Jesus

00:15:23.000 --> 00:15:25.460
 is the first

00:15:25.460 --> 00:15:26.580
 sign of a

00:15:26.580 --> 00:15:27.379
 resurrected world.

00:15:27.379 --> 00:15:27.439
 world.

00:15:29.720 --> 00:15:30.740
 And to all

00:15:30.740 --> 00:15:31.580
 who ask

00:15:31.580 --> 00:15:33.439
 for Jesus

00:15:33.439 --> 00:15:34.200
 to forgive

00:15:34.200 --> 00:15:34.519
 you.

00:15:35.120 --> 00:15:35.919
 For all

00:15:35.919 --> 00:15:36.419
 who desire

00:15:36.419 --> 00:15:36.720
 to be

00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:37.559
 reconciled

00:15:37.559 --> 00:15:37.840
 to the

00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:38.159
 Father.

00:15:39.360 --> 00:15:40.159
 For all

00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:40.439
 who are

00:15:40.439 --> 00:15:41.679
 baptized in

00:15:41.679 --> 00:15:41.960
 the name

00:15:41.960 --> 00:15:42.200
 of the

00:15:42.200 --> 00:15:42.679
 Father and

00:15:42.679 --> 00:15:42.960
 of the

00:15:42.960 --> 00:15:43.399
 Son and

00:15:43.399 --> 00:15:43.600
 of the

00:15:43.600 --> 00:15:43.799
 Holy

00:15:43.799 --> 00:15:44.200
 Spirit.

00:15:45.659 --> 00:15:46.299
 You are

00:15:46.299 --> 00:15:47.720
 invited to

00:15:47.720 --> 00:15:48.559
 join in

00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:49.860
 to the

00:15:49.860 --> 00:15:50.580
 renewal of

00:15:50.580 --> 00:15:51.539
 all things

00:15:51.539 --> 00:15:52.759
 that is

00:15:52.759 --> 00:15:53.240
 already

00:15:53.240 --> 00:15:53.779
 underway.

00:15:57.839 --> 00:15:58.360
 In the

00:15:58.360 --> 00:15:58.639
 name of

00:15:58.639 --> 00:15:58.779
 the

00:15:58.779 --> 00:15:59.219
 Father and

00:15:59.219 --> 00:15:59.459
 of the

00:15:59.459 --> 00:16:00.319
 Son and

00:16:00.319 --> 00:16:00.500
 of the

00:16:00.500 --> 00:16:00.699
 Holy

00:16:00.699 --> 00:16:01.079
 Spirit.