WEBVTT

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 As we sit, let's pray together.

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 Our gracious Father, we thank you that we're not here today to worship a dead hero.

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 But in this season of Easter, we remember especially that we're here to worship our living Lord Jesus.

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 And so, Father, we pray as we study your word now.

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 So your Holy Spirit would reveal to us in new ways the risen Christ.

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 And we pray these things in Christ's name. Amen.

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 Peter wrote, he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

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 In a recent book written by Sam Knight, a journalist, with the somewhat disconcerting title of Premonition Bureau,

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 Sam investigates the weird and uncertain world of premonitions.

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 Some people have premonitions, usually warning them of some kind of impending disaster.

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 Some of you will recall that in 1966, there was that shocking disaster in Wales in the village of Abavan,

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 where 150 tons of slurry from coal mines came crashing down the mountain, enveloped the school,

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 killing 116 children and 28 teachers.

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 Immediately on the day after the disaster, a psychiatrist called Dr. John Barker arrived in the village to study a child who'd been saved from the mess that the disaster had caused.

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 Sadly, the child died of fright, and he wasn't able to investigate it.

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 But what he did discover was this very strange phenomenon.

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 That in the week before the Abavan disaster, children, note, children, had these premonitions of things to come.

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 A 10-year-old girl dreamt of the school with something black all over it.

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 An 8-year-old boy had drawn figures digging in the hillside and had written, as a kind of annotation on his drawing, the end.

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 Most of Sam Knight's book is based on the research done by Dr. Barker.

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 And so, you'd be probably keen to know, does the author, does Sam Knight, is he convinced that premonitions actually are significant?

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 This is what he writes.

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 Premonitions are impossible, and yet they come true all the time.

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 The second law of thermodynamics says it can't happen.

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 But you think of your mother a second before she calls.

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 So, is Knight a believer in premonitions?

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 Well, the answer is, he kind of reserves judgment.

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 He thinks there might be something in it, but he's not convinced.

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 And I wonder how many there are in our churches in the 21st century who have a similar view of the resurrection.

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 They think there might be something in it.

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 But if push comes to shove, they're not quite convinced.

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 And so they suspend their judgment.

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 Paul, writing in Romans, wrote these words.

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 This is how central to Christian belief Paul thought the resurrection was.

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 If you declare with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

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 He goes on, for it is with your heart that you believe and are justified.

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 And it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

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 Or again, Paul wrote, if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless.

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 And you may have a view on that anyway.

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 Our preaching is useless and so is your faith.

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 So in the minds of a founding father of the church, and in the minds of the patristic fathers,

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 the resurrection was not a kind of belief for religious fanatics and enthusiasts.

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 Not a bolt-on belief.

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 But critical, the focal point, the fundamental principle of Christian living.

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 And of course, for centuries, in the church, in the creeds, we've stood up and we've affirmed that we believe in the resurrection of Jesus.

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 There was an American bank robber called Willie Sutton.

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 And he was being arrested for the umpteenth time for robbing banks.

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 And somebody shouted, a journalist shouted in the crowd,

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 Mr. Sutton, why do you rob banks?

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 Because, Willie Sutton said, because that's where the money is.

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 I wonder how many of you would answer,

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 why are you a Christian?

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 Your response would be, because I believe it to be true.

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 I think it makes sense of life and death.

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 And that's why I believe.

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 Some of you might say, because I think it makes me feel good.

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 Some of you might say, because I think living in the way that Jesus taught might lead to a kinder society than the one that we have.

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 I must confess that, I think this is true of me, that for years as a Christian, I went to church.

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 I said the creed, and I tried to falteringly model my life on the example of Jesus Christ.

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 But if by some chance, the bones of Jesus had been discovered somewhere in a suburb of Jerusalem,

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 I'm not quite sure that it would have made that much difference.

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 How wrong was I?

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 Because the resurrection really should make a difference.

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 And this morning, I hope to show you in the limited time available,

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 as Peter and Paul clearly tell us,

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 that everything to do with the life of discipleship hinges on belief in the resurrection.

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 Three questions.

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 Did it happen?

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 Does it matter?

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 And in the light of it, how now shall we live?

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 Did it happen?

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 Of course, some of you may have picked up some popular,

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 and in the end, facile science, written by people like Professor Dawkins.

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 Professor Dawkins said,

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 the proof for belief in the resurrection,

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 there is more proof in the story of Jack and the Beanstalk.

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 Wrong.

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 The crucifixion and the resurrection was an event in human history,

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 observable and detestable.

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 Let me give you very quickly five reasons why I think it happened.

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 And this is not an exhaustive kind of work on the proof of the resurrection.

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 But it might just help you.

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 The first thing is,

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 if you wanted to create a fantastic story

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 that would be easy to discredit,

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 then you would only need to read the gospel narratives to see

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 that in the culture of the first century AD,

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 the idea of resurrection would be easy to discredit,

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 not least,

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 not least,

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 because the first witness to the resurrection

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 was a woman

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 and a prostitute.

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 That is not me attempting to be sexist.

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 But in terms of gender equality,

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 the first century AD was not peculiarly advanced.

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 Women had no rights whatsoever in relation to men.

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 Luke tells us in his gospel

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 that Mary Magdalene,

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 Mary Magdalene,

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 had seven demons

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 thrown out of her.

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 Can you imagine

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 in a court of law today

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 a less reliable witness,

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 a prostitute

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 who probably had severe mental illness

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 and she is the person chosen

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 to be the first witness to the resurrection.

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 In the world in which Jesus died and rose again,

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 it would be inconceivable

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 that this could be true.

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 The second thing is,

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 just about everybody

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 everybody

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 who has ever tried

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 to write a book

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 to disprove the resurrection

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 has failed.

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 And indeed,

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 Frank Morrison's book,

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 Who Moved the Stone?

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 Frank Morrison was a barrister

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 who put all the evidence together

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 for the resurrection

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 and amazingly

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 ended up becoming a believer.

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 Theologian Tom Wright

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 has written a book

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 more recently

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 called

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 The Son of God

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 and the Resurrection.

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 People

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 with great minds,

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 clear analytical thinking

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 who are able to say

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 when you look at the evidence

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 it is incontrovertible.

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 The third thing is,

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 this is a belief

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 that has survived

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 for the best part

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 of 2,000 years.

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 Most lies

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 die a death,

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 don't they?

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 But this

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 has sustained

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 generations

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 of people.

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 Fourthly,

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 it has helped people

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 in dire circumstances.

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 Believing

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 that Jesus

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 is risen

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 has given hope

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 to people

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 maybe in a way

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 that nothing else

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 has.

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 I always

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 used to think,

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 you know,

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 God's great

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 when you're at the fun fair,

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 but he's amazing

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 when you are

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 at the funeral parlor.

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 And the fifth thing,

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 and Peter gives us

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 a clue of this

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 in the reading

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 that Ros read

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 for us earlier.

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 It gives human suffering

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 a new context.

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 Verse 6,

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 in this,

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 in this,

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 said Peter,

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 you greatly rejoice,

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 in this the resurrection,

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 you greatly rejoice,

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 though now for a little while

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 you may have had to suffer grief

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 in all kinds of trials.

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 These have come

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 so that your faith

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 of greater worth

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 than gold,

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 which perishes,

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 even though refined

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 by fire,

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 may be proved genuine.

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 believing in the resurrection

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 doesn't mean

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 that your life

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 will be pain free.

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 Somebody sticks a pin in you,

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 you'll still feel it.

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 If somebody you love

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 dies,

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 you will still feel it.

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 But belief in the resurrection

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 means

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 that you will always

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 maintain your hope.

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 Second thing,

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 does it matter?

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 I say,

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 yes it does,

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 although you're sitting there

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 thinking he gets paid

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 to say that.

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 Well,

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 I don't get paid anymore.

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 Yes,

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 it does matter.

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 The whole of our Christian faith

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 pivots

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 on this foundational truth.

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 For without the resurrection,

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 Jesus' claims

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 about himself

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 would be null and void.

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 They would mean nothing.

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 He would just come across

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 as a kind of rather

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 naive,

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 charismatic,

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 but dangerously deluded

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 person.

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 Without the resurrection,

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 the atoning work

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 of Jesus

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 on the cross of Calvary

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 would not be complete.

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 Without the resurrection,

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 you would have no hope.

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 Without the resurrection,

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 you would have no assurance

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 of eternal life.

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 And it changes everything.

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 One of my favorite speakers

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 is an American Presbyterian

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 called Tim Keller.

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 And Tim Keller retired

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 about 18 months ago.

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 And literally,

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 within months of retiring,

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 he was given

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 a terminal diagnosis

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 of pancreatic cancer.

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 In an interview

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 with the New York Post,

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 he said this,

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 if the resurrection

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 of Jesus Christ

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 really happened,

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 then ultimately,

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 God is going to put

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 everything right.

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 Suffering is going

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 to go away.

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 Evil is going

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 to go away.

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 Death is going

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 to go away.

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 Aging is going

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 to go away.

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 Pancreatic cancer

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 is going to go away.

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 Now, if the resurrection

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 of Jesus Christ

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 did not happen,

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 then I guess

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 all bets are off.

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 But if it actually happens,

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 then there's all the hope

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 in the world.

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 Here's the point.

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 The resurrection

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 really does matter

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 and should be

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 the very foundation

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 of the faith

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 that we're here

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 to express

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 and the Lord

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 that we're here

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 to worship

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 this morning.

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 The third thing is,

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 how should this belief

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 impact

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 the way

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 that we live?

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 If the resurrection

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 is truly

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 the focal point

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 of Christian discipleship

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 and living,

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 let me first tell you

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 what it isn't.

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 It's not a formula

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 for complacency

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 in this life.

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 We're really not

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 people who are

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 hanging around

00:15:15.699 --> 00:15:16.719
 waiting to die

00:15:16.719 --> 00:15:17.899
 so that we can be

00:15:17.899 --> 00:15:18.919
 raised to a brilliant

00:15:18.919 --> 00:15:20.019
 new life in heaven.

00:15:20.959 --> 00:15:22.659
 We're not dispassionate

00:15:22.659 --> 00:15:23.539
 about the world

00:15:23.539 --> 00:15:24.620
 we live in

00:15:24.620 --> 00:15:25.620
 with the view

00:15:25.620 --> 00:15:26.959
 that if it goes

00:15:26.959 --> 00:15:28.399
 to hell

00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:29.220
 in a handcart,

00:15:29.519 --> 00:15:30.799
 that's fine by me.

00:15:32.120 --> 00:15:32.939
 No, God loves

00:15:32.939 --> 00:15:33.459
 the world

00:15:33.459 --> 00:15:35.179
 and invites us,

00:15:35.259 --> 00:15:35.919
 his disciples,

00:15:36.120 --> 00:15:37.079
 to love it as well

00:15:37.079 --> 00:15:38.959
 and to live the life

00:15:38.959 --> 00:15:40.379
 that he's described

00:15:40.379 --> 00:15:40.939
 to us

00:15:40.939 --> 00:15:42.259
 in Holy Scripture.

00:15:42.259 --> 00:15:48.019
 neither is the resurrection

00:15:48.019 --> 00:15:51.100
 the hope of an eternal life

00:15:51.100 --> 00:15:52.559
 that is simply

00:15:52.559 --> 00:15:53.460
 an extension

00:15:53.460 --> 00:15:54.659
 of this life

00:15:54.659 --> 00:15:56.159
 because for some people

00:15:56.159 --> 00:15:57.700
 that would be

00:15:57.700 --> 00:15:58.620
 unbearable.

00:15:59.980 --> 00:16:00.779
 This will be

00:16:00.779 --> 00:16:01.980
 a completely different

00:16:02.559 --> 00:16:03.639
 order of being.

00:16:03.639 --> 00:16:07.500
 we shall see the Lord

00:16:07.500 --> 00:16:08.899
 face to face.

00:16:10.019 --> 00:16:10.860
 We should be given

00:16:10.860 --> 00:16:11.840
 a new body

00:16:11.840 --> 00:16:13.659
 that will never age.

00:16:13.879 --> 00:16:14.379
 We shall have

00:16:14.379 --> 00:16:15.500
 all our unanswered

00:16:15.500 --> 00:16:16.100
 questions

00:16:16.100 --> 00:16:17.419
 about life

00:16:17.419 --> 00:16:19.240
 clarified for us.

00:16:20.639 --> 00:16:21.919
 It will be life

00:16:21.919 --> 00:16:22.399
 or maybe

00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:23.399
 more accurately

00:16:23.399 --> 00:16:25.299
 a way of being

00:16:25.299 --> 00:16:26.360
 that will be

00:16:26.360 --> 00:16:27.000
 of a totally

00:16:27.000 --> 00:16:27.939
 different kind.

00:16:27.940 --> 00:16:31.580
 So to conclude

00:16:31.580 --> 00:16:32.480
 in the church's

00:16:32.480 --> 00:16:33.760
 calendar right now

00:16:33.760 --> 00:16:35.900
 are the 50 days

00:16:35.900 --> 00:16:36.620
 of Easter

00:16:36.620 --> 00:16:38.780
 leading to Pentecost.

00:16:40.260 --> 00:16:41.480
 And I want to end

00:16:41.480 --> 00:16:42.580
 by suggesting

00:16:42.580 --> 00:16:43.580
 one or two

00:16:43.580 --> 00:16:44.720
 practical things

00:16:44.720 --> 00:16:45.700
 you might do

00:16:45.700 --> 00:16:47.060
 to help you

00:16:47.060 --> 00:16:48.420
 position the resurrection

00:16:48.420 --> 00:16:49.700
 in your thinking

00:16:49.700 --> 00:16:50.880
 and in your life

00:16:50.880 --> 00:16:53.100
 to where it should be

00:16:53.100 --> 00:16:54.600
 if you are

00:16:54.600 --> 00:16:55.940
 a disciple of Jesus.

00:16:55.940 --> 00:16:56.100
 Jesus.

00:16:57.520 --> 00:16:58.820
 The first thing is

00:16:58.820 --> 00:17:00.340
 what I call

00:17:00.340 --> 00:17:01.620
 the mirror exercise.

00:17:03.380 --> 00:17:04.440
 I'm imagining

00:17:04.440 --> 00:17:05.759
 that at some point

00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:06.860
 when you crawl

00:17:06.860 --> 00:17:07.640
 out of bed

00:17:07.640 --> 00:17:09.820
 you look in a mirror.

00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:10.820
 For some of you

00:17:10.820 --> 00:17:11.799
 that's more pleasurable

00:17:11.799 --> 00:17:12.580
 than for others.

00:17:15.620 --> 00:17:16.900
 Here's my suggestion.

00:17:17.980 --> 00:17:19.120
 When you go home

00:17:19.120 --> 00:17:21.240
 you write on a piece

00:17:21.240 --> 00:17:21.799
 of paper

00:17:21.799 --> 00:17:23.200
 he is risen

00:17:23.200 --> 00:17:25.220
 and you slot it

00:17:25.220 --> 00:17:25.820
 in the mirror.

00:17:25.940 --> 00:17:28.200
 so that every time

00:17:28.200 --> 00:17:29.380
 you look at that mirror

00:17:29.380 --> 00:17:30.140
 for the next

00:17:30.140 --> 00:17:32.299
 43 days of Easter

00:17:32.299 --> 00:17:34.740
 you remind yourself

00:17:34.740 --> 00:17:36.039
 that Jesus

00:17:36.039 --> 00:17:37.240
 is risen.

00:17:38.680 --> 00:17:39.420
 I apologise

00:17:39.420 --> 00:17:40.120
 if you think

00:17:40.120 --> 00:17:41.080
 this is some weird

00:17:41.080 --> 00:17:41.820
 crackerjack

00:17:41.820 --> 00:17:43.220
 kind of exercise.

00:17:45.220 --> 00:17:46.420
 But actually

00:17:46.420 --> 00:17:48.279
 repetition

00:17:48.279 --> 00:17:50.220
 does help us

00:17:50.220 --> 00:17:50.840
 to kind of

00:17:50.840 --> 00:17:51.779
 settle things

00:17:51.779 --> 00:17:53.100
 in our minds.

00:17:53.099 --> 00:17:56.679
 look at the mirror

00:17:56.679 --> 00:17:58.459
 and tell yourself

00:17:58.459 --> 00:18:00.079
 Jesus is alive.

00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:01.939
 The second is

00:18:01.939 --> 00:18:03.859
 the reality

00:18:03.859 --> 00:18:05.279
 of the resurrection

00:18:05.279 --> 00:18:06.019
 in the lives

00:18:06.019 --> 00:18:06.679
 of believers

00:18:06.679 --> 00:18:08.779
 will be fulfilled

00:18:08.779 --> 00:18:09.659
 when we die

00:18:09.659 --> 00:18:10.299
 but life

00:18:10.299 --> 00:18:11.579
 resurrection

00:18:11.579 --> 00:18:12.339
 life

00:18:12.339 --> 00:18:13.559
 begins

00:18:13.559 --> 00:18:14.179
 the moment

00:18:14.179 --> 00:18:14.879
 you start

00:18:14.879 --> 00:18:15.519
 to trust

00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:16.519
 in Jesus.

00:18:16.519 --> 00:18:19.779
 God wants us

00:18:19.779 --> 00:18:20.579
 to rise

00:18:20.579 --> 00:18:21.440
 above our

00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:22.119
 problems

00:18:22.119 --> 00:18:23.180
 of

00:18:23.180 --> 00:18:24.440
 unforgiveness

00:18:24.440 --> 00:18:25.799
 our

00:18:25.799 --> 00:18:26.720
 errant

00:18:26.720 --> 00:18:27.500
 behaviour

00:18:27.500 --> 00:18:30.160
 our habits

00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:31.000
 that we find

00:18:31.000 --> 00:18:31.839
 difficult to

00:18:31.839 --> 00:18:32.139
 kick.

00:18:32.140 --> 00:18:35.540
 God really

00:18:35.540 --> 00:18:36.120
 wants us

00:18:36.120 --> 00:18:36.900
 to rise

00:18:36.900 --> 00:18:37.340
 above

00:18:37.340 --> 00:18:38.160
 these things.

00:18:39.700 --> 00:18:40.420
 Tell God

00:18:40.420 --> 00:18:40.920
 daily

00:18:40.920 --> 00:18:42.120
 what it is

00:18:42.120 --> 00:18:42.600
 you want

00:18:42.600 --> 00:18:43.120
 to rise

00:18:43.120 --> 00:18:43.560
 above

00:18:43.560 --> 00:18:44.300
 and claim

00:18:44.300 --> 00:18:44.820
 the power

00:18:44.820 --> 00:18:45.340
 of the Holy

00:18:45.340 --> 00:18:45.740
 Spirit

00:18:45.740 --> 00:18:46.320
 to help

00:18:46.320 --> 00:18:46.580
 you.

00:18:48.460 --> 00:18:49.280
 And the third

00:18:49.280 --> 00:18:50.220
 thing is this

00:18:50.220 --> 00:18:52.620
 if you lose

00:18:52.620 --> 00:18:53.840
 your dignity

00:18:53.840 --> 00:18:54.960
 you lose

00:18:54.960 --> 00:18:55.500
 something

00:18:55.500 --> 00:18:56.540
 important

00:18:56.540 --> 00:18:58.180
 and your

00:18:58.180 --> 00:18:58.980
 life will be

00:18:58.980 --> 00:18:59.660
 marked by

00:18:59.660 --> 00:19:00.340
 terrible

00:19:00.340 --> 00:19:01.300
 low self

00:19:01.300 --> 00:19:01.860
 esteem

00:19:01.859 --> 00:19:03.019
 but if you

00:19:03.019 --> 00:19:04.619
 lose your

00:19:04.619 --> 00:19:05.119
 hope

00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:07.500
 you're

00:19:07.500 --> 00:19:08.079
 really done

00:19:08.079 --> 00:19:08.459
 for.

00:19:10.059 --> 00:19:10.719
 Hold on

00:19:10.719 --> 00:19:11.039
 to your

00:19:11.039 --> 00:19:11.359
 hope

00:19:11.359 --> 00:19:11.979
 in any

00:19:11.979 --> 00:19:13.240
 and every

00:19:13.240 --> 00:19:14.219
 situation.

00:19:16.279 --> 00:19:17.039
 I don't

00:19:17.039 --> 00:19:17.439
 know about

00:19:17.439 --> 00:19:17.919
 you but

00:19:17.919 --> 00:19:19.099
 one of the

00:19:19.099 --> 00:19:19.799
 things that

00:19:19.799 --> 00:19:20.939
 I have found

00:19:20.939 --> 00:19:21.719
 admirable

00:19:21.719 --> 00:19:23.079
 about those

00:19:23.079 --> 00:19:23.579
 people who

00:19:23.579 --> 00:19:24.059
 come on our

00:19:24.059 --> 00:19:25.240
 television screens

00:19:25.240 --> 00:19:26.139
 from Ukraine

00:19:26.139 --> 00:19:28.719
 Ukraine is a

00:19:28.719 --> 00:19:29.479
 deeply devout

00:19:29.479 --> 00:19:30.019
 country

00:19:30.019 --> 00:19:30.719
 incidentally

00:19:30.719 --> 00:19:31.279
 the Ukrainian

00:19:31.279 --> 00:19:31.819
 Orthodox

00:19:31.819 --> 00:19:32.720
 Church is a

00:19:32.720 --> 00:19:33.379
 big deal

00:19:33.379 --> 00:19:34.019
 out there

00:19:34.019 --> 00:19:37.000
 and what's

00:19:37.000 --> 00:19:37.939
 amazing is

00:19:37.939 --> 00:19:39.539
 in the face

00:19:39.539 --> 00:19:40.659
 of circumstances

00:19:40.659 --> 00:19:41.259
 that would

00:19:41.259 --> 00:19:42.240
 finish off

00:19:42.240 --> 00:19:43.200
 most of us

00:19:43.200 --> 00:19:44.319
 off mentally

00:19:44.319 --> 00:19:47.059
 they retain

00:19:47.059 --> 00:19:48.299
 their hope.

00:19:52.299 --> 00:19:53.159
 Tim Keller

00:19:53.159 --> 00:19:55.779
 said this

00:19:55.779 --> 00:19:56.819
 in that article

00:19:56.819 --> 00:19:58.339
 I find this

00:19:58.339 --> 00:19:59.659
 utterly moving

00:19:59.659 --> 00:20:02.519
 writing about

00:20:02.519 --> 00:20:03.299
 the resurrection

00:20:03.299 --> 00:20:03.759
 he says

00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:04.539
 yet if we

00:20:04.539 --> 00:20:05.139
 come to the

00:20:05.139 --> 00:20:05.759
 place where

00:20:05.759 --> 00:20:07.259
 we truly

00:20:07.259 --> 00:20:08.139
 accept it

00:20:08.139 --> 00:20:10.200
 then suddenly

00:20:10.200 --> 00:20:10.899
 there's no

00:20:10.899 --> 00:20:11.779
 limit to what

00:20:11.779 --> 00:20:12.319
 kinds of

00:20:12.319 --> 00:20:13.000
 things we can

00:20:13.000 --> 00:20:13.619
 look forward

00:20:13.619 --> 00:20:13.960
 to.

00:20:15.019 --> 00:20:15.720
 I know

00:20:15.720 --> 00:20:16.200
 he writes

00:20:16.200 --> 00:20:16.759
 some of your

00:20:16.759 --> 00:20:17.399
 readers are

00:20:17.399 --> 00:20:18.220
 thinking I

00:20:18.220 --> 00:20:18.779
 can't believe

00:20:18.779 --> 00:20:19.259
 there's a

00:20:19.259 --> 00:20:19.839
 person with

00:20:19.839 --> 00:20:20.460
 more than

00:20:20.460 --> 00:20:21.259
 a year

00:20:21.259 --> 00:20:22.519
 three education

00:20:22.519 --> 00:20:23.680
 that actually

00:20:23.680 --> 00:20:24.400
 believes it

00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:26.460
 but I do

00:20:26.460 --> 00:20:28.279
 and these

00:20:28.279 --> 00:20:28.920
 last few

00:20:28.920 --> 00:20:29.400
 months as

00:20:29.400 --> 00:20:29.920
 we've gotten

00:20:29.920 --> 00:20:30.619
 in touch with

00:20:30.619 --> 00:20:31.139
 these great

00:20:31.139 --> 00:20:31.900
 parts of our

00:20:31.900 --> 00:20:32.299
 faith

00:20:32.299 --> 00:20:33.759
 Kathy his

00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:34.539
 wife and I

00:20:34.539 --> 00:20:35.720
 would both

00:20:35.720 --> 00:20:37.220
 say we've

00:20:37.220 --> 00:20:37.660
 never been

00:20:37.660 --> 00:20:38.960
 happier in

00:20:38.960 --> 00:20:39.700
 our lives

00:20:39.700 --> 00:20:41.379
 even though

00:20:41.379 --> 00:20:42.400
 I'm living

00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:43.240
 under the

00:20:43.240 --> 00:20:43.779
 shadow of

00:20:43.779 --> 00:20:44.279
 cancer.

00:20:44.279 --> 00:20:49.240
 friends he

00:20:49.240 --> 00:20:50.920
 is risen

00:20:50.920 --> 00:20:52.740
 let's start

00:20:52.740 --> 00:20:53.440
 to think and

00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:54.119
 live in the

00:20:54.119 --> 00:20:55.279
 light of that

00:20:55.279 --> 00:20:56.420
 staggering truth

00:20:56.420 --> 00:20:58.480
 let's pray

00:20:58.480 --> 00:21:09.039
 who would

00:21:09.039 --> 00:21:09.519
 believe

00:21:09.519 --> 00:21:10.240
 Lord that

00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:12.700
 any of us

00:21:12.700 --> 00:21:13.399
 could sit

00:21:13.399 --> 00:21:14.000
 on earth

00:21:14.000 --> 00:21:14.440
 with the

00:21:14.440 --> 00:21:14.940
 terminal

00:21:14.940 --> 00:21:15.900
 prognosis

00:21:15.900 --> 00:21:19.339
 and affirm

00:21:19.339 --> 00:21:19.720
 that as

00:21:19.720 --> 00:21:20.200
 we've gotten

00:21:20.200 --> 00:21:20.680
 in touch

00:21:20.680 --> 00:21:21.019
 with these

00:21:21.019 --> 00:21:21.779
 greater parts

00:21:21.779 --> 00:21:22.119
 of our

00:21:22.119 --> 00:21:22.559
 faith

00:21:22.559 --> 00:21:25.380
 we would

00:21:25.380 --> 00:21:26.000
 say we've

00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:26.440
 never been

00:21:26.440 --> 00:21:27.259
 happier in

00:21:27.259 --> 00:21:27.839
 our lives

00:21:27.839 --> 00:21:28.279
 Lord we

00:21:28.279 --> 00:21:29.000
 find that

00:21:29.000 --> 00:21:30.960
 so difficult

00:21:30.960 --> 00:21:31.839
 to imagine

00:21:31.839 --> 00:21:36.660
 but Lord

00:21:36.660 --> 00:21:37.160
 wherever

00:21:37.160 --> 00:21:39.339
 the centre

00:21:39.339 --> 00:21:39.799
 of our

00:21:39.799 --> 00:21:40.400
 faith is

00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:40.880
 Lord we

00:21:40.880 --> 00:21:41.420
 pray

00:21:41.420 --> 00:21:43.880
 that we

00:21:43.880 --> 00:21:44.400
 might put

00:21:44.400 --> 00:21:44.620
 the

00:21:44.620 --> 00:21:45.279
 resurrection

00:21:45.279 --> 00:21:46.519
 nearer to

00:21:46.519 --> 00:21:47.039
 the centre

00:21:47.039 --> 00:21:47.420
 of our

00:21:47.420 --> 00:21:47.820
 lives

00:21:47.820 --> 00:21:48.300
 Lord that

00:21:48.300 --> 00:21:48.920
 in any

00:21:48.920 --> 00:21:50.220
 and every

00:21:50.220 --> 00:21:51.060
 situation

00:21:51.060 --> 00:21:52.960
 in the face

00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:53.700
 of suffering

00:21:53.700 --> 00:21:55.320
 we may

00:21:55.320 --> 00:21:56.180
 find hope

00:21:56.180 --> 00:21:57.940
 that one

00:21:57.940 --> 00:21:58.660
 day Lord

00:21:58.660 --> 00:21:59.980
 we shall

00:21:59.980 --> 00:22:00.539
 live that

00:22:00.539 --> 00:22:01.240
 life with

00:22:01.240 --> 00:22:02.080
 you that

00:22:02.080 --> 00:22:02.860
 your

00:22:02.860 --> 00:22:03.539
 resurrection

00:22:03.539 --> 00:22:04.220
 makes

00:22:04.220 --> 00:22:04.820
 possible

00:22:04.819 --> 00:22:09.859
 come Holy

00:22:09.859 --> 00:22:10.480
 Spirit

00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:12.079
 reveal this

00:22:12.079 --> 00:22:12.740
 truth to

00:22:12.740 --> 00:22:13.259
 us this

00:22:13.259 --> 00:22:14.079
 Eastertide

00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:14.659
 in new

00:22:14.659 --> 00:22:15.119
 ways

00:22:15.119 --> 00:22:17.179
 we pray

00:22:17.179 --> 00:22:17.919
 these things

00:22:17.919 --> 00:22:18.639
 in Jesus

00:22:18.639 --> 00:22:19.859
 name and

00:22:19.859 --> 00:22:20.359
 the people

00:22:20.359 --> 00:22:21.000
 who agreed

00:22:21.000 --> 00:22:21.720
 said together

00:22:21.720 --> 00:22:22.279
 in a loud

00:22:22.279 --> 00:22:22.819
 voice

00:22:22.819 --> 00:22:24.079
 Amen

00:22:24.079 --> 00:22:24.319
 Amen