WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.400 I, like every child, had a simple and naive view of the adult world. 00:00:08.199 --> 00:00:14.280 I was around about 10 when I first noticed someone writing out a cheque to pay for something. 00:00:15.599 --> 00:00:18.980 And for me as a 10-year-old, a cheque book seemed like a great option. 00:00:20.679 --> 00:00:23.800 Scribbling on a piece of paper and you could buy whatever you want. 00:00:23.800 --> 00:00:31.359 I remember asking them, where do you get one of those from and whether or not I could have one of those? 00:00:32.039 --> 00:00:35.899 They said, you get it from the bank and no, you can't have one until you're an adult. 00:00:36.579 --> 00:00:39.980 And I remember thinking, oh, how good it would be to be an adult. 00:00:42.859 --> 00:00:45.140 They have it so easy. 00:00:45.980 --> 00:00:53.560 Here am I having to, you know, scrape together coins, beg from parents in order to buy something small. 00:00:53.740 --> 00:01:00.539 And an adult whips out a cheque book and you can buy anything in the world with it just by scribbling on a piece of paper. 00:01:01.039 --> 00:01:02.320 That is brilliant. 00:01:03.400 --> 00:01:04.980 Oh, how I long to be an adult. 00:01:06.599 --> 00:01:10.480 From my perspective, adults seem to be able to do whatever they want whenever they wanted. 00:01:10.480 --> 00:01:16.920 And I couldn't wait to be one to have all that freedom and all that power at my disposal. 00:01:18.320 --> 00:01:24.700 Now, as an adult and as a father, I see that naivety and that simplicity in my girls. 00:01:25.540 --> 00:01:27.740 It is both cute and frustrating. 00:01:28.800 --> 00:01:31.020 My girls right now are into horses. 00:01:31.240 --> 00:01:34.620 I hope they get out of it before they actually want one. 00:01:34.620 --> 00:01:45.580 But so right now, things like saddle club, DVDs, they've got horse heads on sticks and soft toys and Barbie on horse backs. 00:01:45.840 --> 00:01:47.980 And it just goes on and on and on. 00:01:49.500 --> 00:01:55.659 They've noticed that horses eat grass and that we have grass in our backyard. 00:01:56.180 --> 00:01:59.140 And so they conclude, why can't we have a horse? 00:01:59.740 --> 00:02:02.800 And I've said to them, well, that's just impossible. 00:02:02.799 --> 00:02:05.980 We cannot have a horse in our backyard. 00:02:07.200 --> 00:02:12.939 The best you can do is pony rides occasionally, like when we have a church here on some sort of fun afternoon. 00:02:13.680 --> 00:02:18.099 And so when we had one recently, the Chinese congregations had three little ponies came in. 00:02:18.500 --> 00:02:23.740 I got the job of assisting one of my children on the horse pony ride. 00:02:23.800 --> 00:02:27.259 And I was talking to the person leading the horses who owned the horses. 00:02:27.379 --> 00:02:28.599 And I said, you wouldn't believe my kids. 00:02:28.759 --> 00:02:30.560 They think they can own one of these things in their backyard. 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:33.920 Well, what's wrong with that? 00:02:36.800 --> 00:02:40.479 She said, we had three in our backyard before we had to get a bigger backyard. 00:02:41.020 --> 00:02:45.379 I'm like, do not tell my children that they can actually have a horse in their backyard. 00:02:45.379 --> 00:02:53.879 Now, it's a little more difficult for me when their simplicity or the naivety takes me for granted. 00:02:55.060 --> 00:02:59.079 Like little concern for breaking toys and here you go, daddy, fix this. 00:02:59.539 --> 00:03:01.560 Because that's what daddy does. 00:03:02.019 --> 00:03:03.419 He fixes things. 00:03:03.419 --> 00:03:12.000 Or I remember the time we pulled into a car park in the shopping centre. 00:03:12.119 --> 00:03:20.379 And as I'm hopping out of the car, I heard the back door of the car go bang against a concrete pillar with a little bit of gusto. 00:03:21.060 --> 00:03:21.959 It was an accident. 00:03:21.960 --> 00:03:24.920 But I still recall being fairly upset about that incident. 00:03:25.400 --> 00:03:27.719 About the careless attitude towards the car. 00:03:27.820 --> 00:03:31.659 And I said things like, you need to look before you hop out and open the door. 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:33.000 You could have dented it. 00:03:33.060 --> 00:03:35.640 You could have put a big scratch on someone else's car. 00:03:36.580 --> 00:03:39.480 And my ranting received the reply. 00:03:39.620 --> 00:03:40.540 Little pat on the leg. 00:03:40.659 --> 00:03:41.640 Don't worry, daddy. 00:03:42.159 --> 00:03:43.719 We could just buy another one. 00:03:43.719 --> 00:03:49.860 And I'm like, with what? 00:03:54.219 --> 00:03:59.079 Just get out one of those plastic cards or the checkbook that you've got on your desk. 00:04:00.840 --> 00:04:02.740 Oh, like father, like daughter. 00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:11.740 It is easy for us to have a naive, childlike idea of God. 00:04:11.740 --> 00:04:14.800 That is, God is the all-powerful and he's the all-loving. 00:04:15.300 --> 00:04:21.060 And so he should, frankly, just get over when things are not right in the world. 00:04:21.139 --> 00:04:22.019 He should just get over it. 00:04:22.240 --> 00:04:23.220 He should just love everyone. 00:04:23.300 --> 00:04:24.180 Pretty simple, really. 00:04:24.639 --> 00:04:25.920 God is love. 00:04:26.240 --> 00:04:27.360 He is meant to forgive. 00:04:28.439 --> 00:04:29.819 And so he should just do that. 00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:30.639 He should just forgive. 00:04:32.879 --> 00:04:39.980 Anyway, how can he really be hurt by my sin and my rebellion when he knew it was going to happen anyway? 00:04:39.980 --> 00:04:43.180 So he can't really be, you know, that deeply hurt. 00:04:43.259 --> 00:04:44.700 He shouldn't, you know, it's expectations. 00:04:44.900 --> 00:04:47.100 He knew we were going to fail right from the beginning. 00:04:47.780 --> 00:04:50.560 And so is he really hurt when we actually do? 00:04:50.640 --> 00:04:52.840 He just goes, oh, I just knew that was going to happen. 00:04:52.839 --> 00:05:11.699 It is not too hard to take God for granted and treat him like some sort of an emotionless machine in our simplicity and our naivety as we look upon God as the all-powerful, as all the freedom and resources in the world. 00:05:11.699 --> 00:05:29.019 And the danger is that we purge God's love of anything that's uncomfortable and we sanitize it and sentimentalize it to the point where most people nowadays are not surprised if you tell them that God loves them. 00:05:30.219 --> 00:05:31.300 Well, of course he loves me. 00:05:31.980 --> 00:05:33.659 That's his job, isn't it? 00:05:33.660 --> 00:05:37.200 Besides, why wouldn't he love me? 00:05:37.280 --> 00:05:39.960 I'm cute and I'm lovable. 00:05:40.840 --> 00:05:44.140 Or at least I'm certainly more lovable than that other person over there. 00:05:44.700 --> 00:05:46.500 So why wouldn't he love me? 00:05:48.280 --> 00:05:53.720 And this is where in the last couple of weeks, Hosea has been so helpful for us. 00:05:53.720 --> 00:06:04.280 He helps us to see the problem of our sin from the Father's perspective, from God's perspective. 00:06:05.060 --> 00:06:21.280 He sheds light on our understanding of our relationship with him from his perspective so that we don't read things like love and forgiveness from our perspective and push them back up to him and say, this is what God must be like. 00:06:23.720 --> 00:06:34.060 He has introduced us or shown us what he is like by introducing us to a family that is a miniature of this world. 00:06:34.060 --> 00:06:51.960 In Hosea, God is not the emotionless, all-powerful magician, but a broken-hearted husband and father who tears open his chest to reveal to his people what they have done and how they have hurt him. 00:06:51.959 --> 00:07:06.639 Hosea 11, which Ken just read out to us, is one of the boldest in the Old Testament, indeed, possibly in the whole Bible, in exposing us to the mind and heart of God in human terms. 00:07:06.639 --> 00:07:15.479 Last October, we had a week's holiday visiting my family in Tasmania. 00:07:16.199 --> 00:07:34.379 And the entertainment one afternoon was, when I was with my parents, was an old-fashioned slideshow, family slideshow, which sets out to reveal the embarrassing moments of your family history, courtesy of my parents. 00:07:34.379 --> 00:07:39.120 Noticeably, most of the photos were about the three children. 00:07:40.019 --> 00:07:50.360 Of particular interest and delight for my girls were the photos of their daddy, all-powerful daddy, fix anything, sitting on a potty. 00:07:50.360 --> 00:07:54.500 Naked in the shower. 00:07:55.620 --> 00:07:57.780 Wet patches around the pants. 00:07:59.100 --> 00:08:00.860 Dressed up as a cowboy. 00:08:01.259 --> 00:08:03.740 Asleep in cupboards and weird positions. 00:08:04.180 --> 00:08:08.780 Covered in grime and food and crying. 00:08:09.980 --> 00:08:13.060 I've never heard them laugh so much at times. 00:08:13.060 --> 00:08:23.959 And it amazed me that my parents, my dad's 75, were remarkably sharp about the details of when and where those photos were taken. 00:08:26.660 --> 00:08:28.840 We were asking, where's that? 00:08:29.420 --> 00:08:30.579 When did that happen? 00:08:30.899 --> 00:08:32.440 But they knew the details. 00:08:32.440 --> 00:08:41.180 They were even able to express something of the emotions of what was happening when that photo was taken. 00:08:42.780 --> 00:08:46.860 All these years later, 40 odd years later. 00:08:48.440 --> 00:08:50.300 And that's the picture of Isaiah 11. 00:08:51.560 --> 00:08:56.600 It starts as if God pulls out the slideshow of his children. 00:08:57.760 --> 00:08:59.800 He remembers all the details. 00:08:59.799 --> 00:09:04.740 The first photo is the day of the adoption was finalized in verse 1 there. 00:09:04.839 --> 00:09:09.000 When Israel was a child, I loved him and out of Egypt I called my son. 00:09:09.199 --> 00:09:18.500 He remembers the joy of picking up his own son, his new son, up into his arms and embracing him and taking him home. 00:09:19.319 --> 00:09:25.479 I'll never forget the day when I held Isabel for the first time, my first child. 00:09:26.159 --> 00:09:28.299 Because she cried for two hours. 00:09:28.299 --> 00:09:30.539 I'll never forget that moment. 00:09:31.399 --> 00:09:33.459 And the smile which was on my face. 00:09:33.919 --> 00:09:36.819 The nurse came in after an hour and a half and said, are you alright, love? 00:09:37.000 --> 00:09:38.079 I said, I'm perfect. 00:09:38.080 --> 00:09:46.420 He remembers the day that his son learned to walk. 00:09:46.420 --> 00:09:51.759 In verse 3, it was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms. 00:09:51.980 --> 00:09:58.440 He remembers the pride as his little man pulled himself up on the couch and grabbed his finger and began to walk. 00:09:58.440 --> 00:10:04.220 He remembers the chuffed look on his face when he took those first three steps into his arms. 00:10:04.220 --> 00:10:08.980 He remembers the day also when he fell and scraped his knee in his staggering around. 00:10:09.080 --> 00:10:11.740 In verse 3, it was I who healed them. 00:10:12.259 --> 00:10:21.899 He remembers the pity and the compassion he felt when he saw the pain in his boy's eyes and he applied a bandage and he brought comfort to him. 00:10:21.899 --> 00:10:24.379 He remembers the guidance that he gave. 00:10:24.519 --> 00:10:27.579 Verse 4, I led them with cords of human kindness. 00:10:27.740 --> 00:10:31.459 With ties of love, I lift the yoke from their neck. 00:10:32.699 --> 00:10:36.759 He remembers having to instruct and correct and to guide his son. 00:10:37.159 --> 00:10:40.659 But it was done with gentleness and with tenderness and with love and with kindness. 00:10:40.659 --> 00:10:43.740 He remembers the high chair. 00:10:43.860 --> 00:10:50.240 He got the photo of the kid with food all over their face in verse 4 where he bent down to feed his son. 00:10:50.519 --> 00:10:55.399 He remembers the delight in providing everything that his son needed, the nourishment and the help. 00:10:57.179 --> 00:11:04.519 God is portrayed here in these early verses as a doting father over the life of his beloved son. 00:11:04.519 --> 00:11:19.299 And every photo as he flicks through the album just recalls the moment, what he felt, the love, the passion, the compassion, the devotion to his son. 00:11:20.699 --> 00:11:24.000 And yet, his heart burns. 00:11:26.039 --> 00:11:27.120 His heart is broken. 00:11:29.360 --> 00:11:33.759 Verse 2, but the more I called Israel, the further they went from me. 00:11:33.759 --> 00:11:38.419 They sacrificed to the bales and they burned incense to images. 00:11:39.259 --> 00:11:43.600 Verse 3, but they did not realise it was I who healed them. 00:11:45.240 --> 00:11:51.580 Their rebellion and sin and cavalier attitude from the son to the father just breaks his heart. 00:11:51.960 --> 00:11:56.899 He flicks through the family album, remembering his son and his love for him. 00:11:57.319 --> 00:12:01.019 And yet, his son is grown up and is wayward. 00:12:01.019 --> 00:12:13.840 Sin in Hosea is not portrayed as breaking an impersonal moral code or standards or a set of rules. 00:12:14.899 --> 00:12:16.960 Sin is intensely personal. 00:12:17.960 --> 00:12:18.899 It is adultery. 00:12:20.019 --> 00:12:22.259 It is spurning a loving husband. 00:12:22.460 --> 00:12:24.600 It is spurning a doting father. 00:12:24.600 --> 00:12:27.540 It is spurning the love of God. 00:12:28.139 --> 00:12:32.899 And we have seen in the last couple of weeks the catalogue of Israel's sin. 00:12:33.200 --> 00:12:37.440 Chapter 8, verse 14 pretty much sums it up. 00:12:38.759 --> 00:12:42.000 Israel has forgotten his maker. 00:12:42.000 --> 00:12:50.759 The broken hearted father is hurt and he is offended and he is angry. 00:12:53.279 --> 00:12:55.000 His love has been spurned. 00:12:56.179 --> 00:13:02.419 In fact, in chapter 9, verse 15, he says that he hated them. 00:13:03.740 --> 00:13:05.179 That's strong language. 00:13:05.179 --> 00:13:10.939 And so he pronounces his judgment in chapter 11, verse 5. 00:13:13.019 --> 00:13:14.939 Will they not return to Egypt? 00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:17.659 Remember in verse 1, I called them out of Egypt? 00:13:18.959 --> 00:13:25.339 Will they not return to Egypt and will not Assyria rule over them because they refuse to repent? 00:13:26.620 --> 00:13:28.419 Swords will flash in their cities. 00:13:28.819 --> 00:13:32.439 Will destroy the bars of their gates and put an end to their plans. 00:13:32.440 --> 00:13:35.920 My people are determined to turn from me. 00:13:36.300 --> 00:13:42.360 Even if they call to the Most High, he will by no means exalt them. 00:13:45.720 --> 00:13:47.540 The wayward son is guilty. 00:13:49.060 --> 00:13:50.220 Descended is pronounced. 00:13:52.020 --> 00:13:53.100 It is invasion. 00:13:54.220 --> 00:13:55.460 It is exile. 00:13:57.220 --> 00:13:59.020 And a burdensome captivity. 00:13:59.019 --> 00:14:02.980 His son has spurned his love. 00:14:03.259 --> 00:14:04.059 He is angry. 00:14:04.519 --> 00:14:05.419 He hates it. 00:14:05.740 --> 00:14:11.079 And so he's going to throw all of his stuff out of the house. 00:14:11.699 --> 00:14:13.539 He's going to cut off the allowance. 00:14:15.000 --> 00:14:16.419 And cut off contact. 00:14:21.299 --> 00:14:23.840 But he loves him beyond comprehension. 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:26.360 See the next verse, verse 8. 00:14:26.360 --> 00:14:29.980 How can I give you up, Ephraim? 00:14:31.460 --> 00:14:33.919 How can I hand you over, Israel? 00:14:34.779 --> 00:14:37.340 How can I treat you like Abba? 00:14:37.940 --> 00:14:40.759 How can I make you like Zeboiim? 00:14:40.759 --> 00:14:48.240 He's saying, you are my beloved firstborn. 00:14:48.360 --> 00:14:56.179 How can I treat you like the other nations, the nations that were, the other cities which were around Sodom and Gomorrah, 00:14:56.340 --> 00:14:58.620 who got obliterated with Sodom and Gomorrah. 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:02.220 Not even mentioned again in world history. 00:15:02.259 --> 00:15:03.740 How can I treat you like that? 00:15:03.740 --> 00:15:07.720 I have set my heart upon you. 00:15:08.120 --> 00:15:11.279 The turmoil in the Father's heart is right there in verse 8. 00:15:11.919 --> 00:15:14.519 My heart is changed within me. 00:15:15.000 --> 00:15:17.860 All my compassion is aroused. 00:15:18.580 --> 00:15:20.600 My heart recoils. 00:15:20.860 --> 00:15:22.019 It turns over. 00:15:22.180 --> 00:15:24.159 It churns inside of me. 00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:29.959 It's not that God is confused. 00:15:31.219 --> 00:15:33.679 It's not that he doesn't know what to do. 00:15:35.819 --> 00:15:43.679 Those verses just simply express the emotional intensity of God's love in language. 00:15:43.779 --> 00:15:46.000 It just helps us to see something of his heart. 00:15:48.259 --> 00:15:50.839 He must judge the sin. 00:15:52.139 --> 00:15:53.919 His holiness demands it. 00:15:54.159 --> 00:16:00.179 But he cannot abandon his promise to love his son. 00:16:01.879 --> 00:16:11.939 And so how can the demands of both God's love and his justice be satisfied? 00:16:15.000 --> 00:16:16.939 Decision is reached in verse 9. 00:16:16.940 --> 00:16:24.700 I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim. 00:16:24.700 --> 00:16:31.960 It's not that God has all of a sudden changed his mind about his son's sin. 00:16:32.340 --> 00:16:34.500 It's not like God all of a sudden agree with Israel. 00:16:34.640 --> 00:16:35.759 Yeah, you know, you're right. 00:16:35.820 --> 00:16:36.759 I should get over it. 00:16:36.759 --> 00:16:37.800 I'm much bigger than this. 00:16:38.240 --> 00:16:40.140 I should just build a bridge, get over it. 00:16:40.560 --> 00:16:42.360 You know, I shouldn't take it so seriously. 00:16:42.700 --> 00:16:44.080 I should just love you instead. 00:16:44.080 --> 00:16:52.379 What verse 9 means is he decides not to execute the heat of his anger. 00:16:52.800 --> 00:16:56.220 He literally holds it back. 00:16:57.080 --> 00:17:03.420 He holds back his pent-up anger rather than unleashing it on his rebellious son. 00:17:03.419 --> 00:17:14.039 God's compassion is aroused and he will turn his anger away from his son and not devastate him. 00:17:14.980 --> 00:17:16.399 How can he do that? 00:17:19.059 --> 00:17:21.500 Because verse 9 says he is God. 00:17:21.500 --> 00:17:23.640 That's how he can do it. 00:17:24.200 --> 00:17:25.819 And he is not a man. 00:17:30.140 --> 00:17:31.339 That's how he does it. 00:17:35.140 --> 00:17:35.839 That's good. 00:17:38.519 --> 00:17:47.700 Except at God's beckoning in 722 BC, Assyria came and obliterated Israel. 00:17:47.700 --> 00:17:57.120 They destroyed Jerusalem and deported those who weren't killed into the four corners of their empire. 00:17:57.660 --> 00:18:02.799 The ten tribes of Israel never re-entered world history again. 00:18:04.779 --> 00:18:07.580 Did God actually go back on his word? 00:18:10.460 --> 00:18:16.759 Did his wayward son, after God said this in Hosea 11, you know, so you move on a little bit further, 00:18:16.759 --> 00:18:18.440 a couple of years down the track. 00:18:18.819 --> 00:18:24.299 Did God's son just commit one more sin, which was just the straw that broke the camel's back and goes, 00:18:24.379 --> 00:18:25.059 right, unleash. 00:18:26.099 --> 00:18:26.900 Had enough. 00:18:31.059 --> 00:18:33.720 Did God's anger spill over in frustration? 00:18:35.339 --> 00:18:39.079 Was love not able to win out in the end? 00:18:39.079 --> 00:18:44.259 Did God actually turn his back on his promise in Hosea 2? 00:18:44.599 --> 00:18:47.599 To take a people, not his, and make them his people? 00:18:52.759 --> 00:18:53.879 Big questions. 00:18:57.079 --> 00:19:00.539 Judgment on Israel was not the end. 00:19:01.699 --> 00:19:04.299 Centuries later, a baby was born in a stable. 00:19:04.299 --> 00:19:13.039 And as a boy, he went to Egypt with his parents to escape from King Herod. 00:19:14.019 --> 00:19:15.899 Matthew chapter 2 tells us, 00:19:15.980 --> 00:19:18.940 The name of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and he said, 00:19:19.200 --> 00:19:22.539 Get up, take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. 00:19:23.159 --> 00:19:28.339 Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him. 00:19:28.339 --> 00:19:33.879 And so he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, 00:19:34.399 --> 00:19:36.740 where he stayed until the death of Herod. 00:19:37.319 --> 00:19:40.659 And so was fulfilled what the prophet had said through the prophet. 00:19:41.299 --> 00:19:44.579 And then here Matthew quotes from Hosea 11 verse 1, 00:19:45.019 --> 00:19:47.279 Out of Egypt I called my son. 00:19:47.279 --> 00:19:56.059 Matthew makes the connection with Hosea so that we might see that this infant Jesus 00:19:56.059 --> 00:20:02.579 as more than just another baby boy, but as the son of the living God. 00:20:05.799 --> 00:20:10.480 Jesus' identity is made explicit at his baptism in Matthew 3, 00:20:10.480 --> 00:20:13.259 when a voice from heaven says, 00:20:13.539 --> 00:20:17.420 This is my son with whom I am well pleased. 00:20:18.839 --> 00:20:19.839 I love him. 00:20:23.599 --> 00:20:27.920 In Hosea 11, Israel was the son of God who disobeyed from the moment 00:20:27.920 --> 00:20:31.099 that they were brought out of Egypt and into the wilderness. 00:20:32.720 --> 00:20:35.720 And here we have the Lord Jesus, the eternal son of God, 00:20:35.720 --> 00:20:39.579 the true Israelite, the true Israel. 00:20:40.480 --> 00:20:42.880 He is what Israel should have been. 00:20:43.720 --> 00:20:46.120 And Jesus was brought out of Egypt. 00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:50.480 And when he has grown up, he was cast out, let out into the wilderness, 00:20:51.319 --> 00:20:52.860 but without sin. 00:20:55.160 --> 00:20:56.740 He lived the perfect life. 00:20:56.839 --> 00:20:58.500 He lived as Israel should have lived. 00:20:58.500 --> 00:21:05.519 And it would be the obedient, innocent, guiltless, and beloved son of the Father 00:21:05.519 --> 00:21:11.599 who would willingly, willingly resolve the tension in the heart of God 00:21:11.599 --> 00:21:18.759 between God's commitment to us and our rebellion against him. 00:21:18.759 --> 00:21:29.319 The anguish and the horror as God unleashes centuries of held back anger 00:21:29.319 --> 00:21:32.980 upon his beloved son, the Lord Jesus. 00:21:32.980 --> 00:21:39.059 As the Lord Jesus takes our sin upon his shoulders and dies 00:21:39.059 --> 00:21:43.119 and suffers God's judgment for us. 00:21:43.119 --> 00:21:53.239 God resolves the tension of his anger and love within himself on the cross. 00:21:53.240 --> 00:21:58.019 The Father said to his beloved son at his baptism, 00:21:58.240 --> 00:22:00.259 this is my beloved son. 00:22:01.039 --> 00:22:02.480 I love him. 00:22:04.740 --> 00:22:07.200 And the son cries out to the father on the cross, 00:22:07.339 --> 00:22:10.980 my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 00:22:10.980 --> 00:22:18.120 The father turns his face away, as we have sung, 00:22:18.620 --> 00:22:22.380 from his much-loved son and he exiles him to the grave. 00:22:25.440 --> 00:22:27.220 But it was the love of the father 00:22:27.220 --> 00:22:34.059 that turned back to him and brought him triumphantly from the grave. 00:22:34.059 --> 00:22:38.659 And only in the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus 00:22:38.659 --> 00:22:42.319 is the tension in the heart of God satisfied. 00:22:42.940 --> 00:22:45.079 He satisfies it himself. 00:22:46.859 --> 00:22:49.619 He doesn't look to us to satisfy it. 00:22:51.679 --> 00:22:56.019 Our rebellion against God is dealt with as Jesus calls out from the cross, 00:22:56.480 --> 00:22:58.339 it is finally over. 00:22:58.339 --> 00:23:08.220 And so the lion that pounced in judgment on God's people in Hosea 5 00:23:08.220 --> 00:23:11.500 now roars in Hosea 11 00:23:11.500 --> 00:23:14.639 to scare off the captives of God's people 00:23:14.639 --> 00:23:17.959 and to gather its cubs to himself. 00:23:20.399 --> 00:23:22.019 They will follow the Lord. 00:23:22.519 --> 00:23:24.319 He will roar like a lion. 00:23:24.679 --> 00:23:27.480 And when he roars, his children will come trembling, 00:23:27.480 --> 00:23:30.039 no longer taking him for granted, 00:23:31.140 --> 00:23:35.019 no longer abusing him from the West. 00:23:35.579 --> 00:23:38.059 And they will come trembling like birds from Egypt, 00:23:38.220 --> 00:23:39.440 like doves from Assyria. 00:23:39.839 --> 00:23:42.360 I will settle them in their homes, declares the Lord. 00:23:42.500 --> 00:23:44.579 From every corner of the earth, 00:23:44.799 --> 00:23:48.279 no matter how deep the depths of sin and depravity, 00:23:48.579 --> 00:23:52.000 the father is calling people from every aspect 00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:56.000 into relationship with himself through the Lord Jesus. 00:23:56.000 --> 00:24:00.079 And he gives us the status of sonship. 00:24:03.539 --> 00:24:04.940 What news! 00:24:07.039 --> 00:24:11.019 The Apostle Paul ends Romans 8 00:24:11.019 --> 00:24:14.240 proclaiming his absolute confidence 00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:18.119 in God's future salvation of his people through Jesus. 00:24:18.119 --> 00:24:23.319 He stresses that nothing can stop God from fulfilling his promises 00:24:23.319 --> 00:24:28.419 to eternally save everyone who trusts in the Lord Jesus. 00:24:28.420 --> 00:24:33.900 He ends Romans 8 with a bold statement of confidence in God's love 00:24:33.900 --> 00:24:36.539 that nothing can hinder God's love. 00:24:36.960 --> 00:24:37.200 He says, 00:24:37.360 --> 00:24:39.460 I am convinced that neither death nor life, 00:24:39.779 --> 00:24:40.940 neither angels nor demons, 00:24:41.120 --> 00:24:42.259 neither present nor the future, 00:24:42.340 --> 00:24:43.180 nor any powers, 00:24:43.519 --> 00:24:44.500 neither height nor depth, 00:24:44.580 --> 00:24:46.560 nor anything else in all of creation 00:24:46.560 --> 00:24:48.640 will be able to separate us 00:24:48.640 --> 00:24:51.880 from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus, 00:24:52.080 --> 00:24:52.420 our Lord. 00:24:52.420 --> 00:24:52.980 Lord. 00:24:54.759 --> 00:24:55.920 What a statement! 00:25:00.200 --> 00:25:01.240 Just imagine 00:25:01.240 --> 00:25:04.500 that you are sitting in the church in Rome 00:25:04.500 --> 00:25:07.519 as that letter is being read out from Paul. 00:25:09.360 --> 00:25:12.039 You're one of the Jewish Christians sitting in the church 00:25:12.039 --> 00:25:14.319 and there are tears 00:25:14.319 --> 00:25:16.019 and there are cheers 00:25:16.019 --> 00:25:19.079 as the end of chapter 8 is read out. 00:25:20.019 --> 00:25:20.960 Great joy. 00:25:23.599 --> 00:25:25.879 It seems like it's a great time to break 00:25:25.879 --> 00:25:27.240 for the passing of the peace 00:25:27.240 --> 00:25:29.759 before the rest of Romans is read out, 00:25:30.319 --> 00:25:32.279 the rest of Paul's letter is read out to us. 00:25:33.000 --> 00:25:36.379 But instead of greeting your brothers and sisters in Christ, 00:25:36.859 --> 00:25:38.039 you just sit there. 00:25:38.039 --> 00:25:40.960 You're mulling over the words 00:25:40.960 --> 00:25:42.960 of the first eight chapters of Romans 00:25:42.960 --> 00:25:45.000 and all that's accomplished in Christ. 00:25:47.299 --> 00:25:49.759 You're not feeling as triumphant 00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:52.119 and secure as the rest. 00:25:53.359 --> 00:25:55.839 You remember that God had singled out 00:25:55.839 --> 00:25:57.759 your ancestors Israel 00:25:57.759 --> 00:26:01.220 as his special people in the Old Testament. 00:26:01.839 --> 00:26:03.579 And God said that he would love them 00:26:03.579 --> 00:26:07.079 and promised that he would not destroy them 00:26:07.079 --> 00:26:08.159 in Hosea 11 00:26:08.159 --> 00:26:11.419 and many places throughout the Old Testament. 00:26:13.799 --> 00:26:14.799 But he did. 00:26:18.139 --> 00:26:19.799 Ephraim kept on sinning 00:26:19.799 --> 00:26:22.899 and Assyria came in 722 BC. 00:26:23.699 --> 00:26:25.259 Babylon came and destroyed 00:26:25.259 --> 00:26:26.980 the two tribes of the south in Judah 00:26:26.980 --> 00:26:28.839 in 586 BC 00:26:28.839 --> 00:26:30.899 and only a handful returned from exile. 00:26:30.900 --> 00:26:33.780 And you hear this great promise 00:26:33.780 --> 00:26:35.240 that nothing can separate me 00:26:35.240 --> 00:26:36.280 from God's love 00:26:36.280 --> 00:26:37.460 in chapter 8 00:26:37.460 --> 00:26:38.900 and you start to doubt 00:26:39.480 --> 00:26:40.720 the reliability 00:26:40.720 --> 00:26:42.620 of God's word. 00:26:45.140 --> 00:26:46.540 Can it be true 00:26:46.540 --> 00:26:47.740 what Paul said 00:26:47.740 --> 00:26:49.300 at the beginning of chapter 8? 00:26:49.700 --> 00:26:51.740 Therefore there is now no condemnation 00:26:51.740 --> 00:26:53.280 for those who are in Christ Jesus. 00:26:54.259 --> 00:26:55.780 Can those words be trusted 00:26:55.780 --> 00:26:56.620 especially when 00:26:56.620 --> 00:26:58.540 at the end of chapter 7 of Romans 00:26:58.539 --> 00:27:01.819 He talks about the ongoing struggle 00:27:01.819 --> 00:27:02.700 of sin 00:27:02.700 --> 00:27:04.180 in the life of the Christian 00:27:04.180 --> 00:27:05.220 which is real 00:27:05.220 --> 00:27:06.539 and it is daily. 00:27:08.299 --> 00:27:09.859 God condemned His people 00:27:09.859 --> 00:27:11.079 for their sin in their past 00:27:11.079 --> 00:27:12.539 and Paul says in chapter 7 00:27:12.539 --> 00:27:15.480 that that's going to be my experience. 00:27:21.259 --> 00:27:23.319 Is God going to get tired of me? 00:27:23.319 --> 00:27:23.339 Is God going to get tired of me? 00:27:28.539 --> 00:27:30.019 You want to believe 00:27:30.019 --> 00:27:31.099 what Paul has written 00:27:31.099 --> 00:27:31.980 about confidence 00:27:31.980 --> 00:27:32.980 and assurance in Christ 00:27:32.980 --> 00:27:34.119 but unsure if God 00:27:34.119 --> 00:27:34.759 can be trusted 00:27:34.759 --> 00:27:35.899 to keep His promises. 00:27:37.339 --> 00:27:38.539 And then your thoughts 00:27:38.539 --> 00:27:39.119 are interrupted 00:27:39.119 --> 00:27:40.359 by the reader of the letter 00:27:40.359 --> 00:27:42.159 starting at the beginning 00:27:42.159 --> 00:27:43.000 of chapter 9. 00:27:43.000 --> 00:27:45.519 I speak the truth 00:27:45.519 --> 00:27:46.160 in Christ 00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:47.839 I am not lying 00:27:47.839 --> 00:27:50.019 my conscience confirms it 00:27:50.019 --> 00:27:51.099 in the Holy Spirit 00:27:51.099 --> 00:27:52.200 I have great sorrow 00:27:52.200 --> 00:27:54.539 and unceasing anguish 00:27:54.539 --> 00:27:55.440 in my heart 00:27:55.440 --> 00:27:57.839 for I could wish 00:27:57.839 --> 00:27:59.160 that I myself were cursed 00:27:59.160 --> 00:28:00.279 and cut off from Christ 00:28:00.279 --> 00:28:00.900 for the sake 00:28:00.900 --> 00:28:02.160 of my brothers 00:28:02.160 --> 00:28:03.539 those of my own race 00:28:03.539 --> 00:28:04.640 the people of Israel 00:28:04.640 --> 00:28:06.759 theirs is the adoption 00:28:06.759 --> 00:28:07.440 of sons 00:28:07.440 --> 00:28:09.759 theirs is the divine glory 00:28:09.759 --> 00:28:10.740 the covenants 00:28:10.740 --> 00:28:11.900 the receiving of the law 00:28:11.900 --> 00:28:12.860 the temple worship 00:28:12.860 --> 00:28:13.600 and the promises 00:28:13.600 --> 00:28:15.580 theirs are the patriarchs 00:28:15.580 --> 00:28:17.000 and from there is traced 00:28:17.000 --> 00:28:19.200 the human ancestry of Christ 00:28:19.200 --> 00:28:20.600 who is God over all 00:28:20.600 --> 00:28:21.620 forever praised 00:28:21.620 --> 00:28:22.160 Amen. 00:28:22.420 --> 00:28:23.620 It's like Paul's been 00:28:23.620 --> 00:28:24.600 reading your mind 00:28:24.600 --> 00:28:28.060 what about them? 00:28:30.540 --> 00:28:31.780 And then he says 00:28:31.780 --> 00:28:32.800 it is not as though 00:28:32.800 --> 00:28:34.280 God's word has failed 00:28:34.280 --> 00:28:37.080 it is like Paul 00:28:37.080 --> 00:28:38.820 knows what you're thinking 00:28:38.820 --> 00:28:39.720 did God forget 00:28:39.720 --> 00:28:40.840 His promise to Israel? 00:28:40.839 --> 00:28:41.379 No 00:28:41.379 --> 00:28:43.539 Did He take His word 00:28:43.539 --> 00:28:44.539 back from His people? 00:28:44.679 --> 00:28:45.179 No 00:28:45.179 --> 00:28:47.759 It is not as though 00:28:47.759 --> 00:28:49.319 God's word has failed 00:28:49.319 --> 00:28:50.500 In chapter 9 00:28:50.500 --> 00:28:51.759 verses 6 to 13 00:28:51.759 --> 00:28:52.699 Paul backs up 00:28:52.699 --> 00:28:53.339 this statement 00:28:53.339 --> 00:28:54.759 that the word of God 00:28:54.759 --> 00:28:55.919 has not failed 00:28:55.919 --> 00:28:57.059 He says that 00:28:57.059 --> 00:28:58.799 not all of the nation 00:28:58.799 --> 00:28:59.579 of Israel 00:28:59.579 --> 00:29:01.899 were God's chosen people 00:29:01.899 --> 00:29:03.500 His true people 00:29:03.500 --> 00:29:05.559 that is 00:29:05.559 --> 00:29:06.500 what He says is 00:29:06.500 --> 00:29:07.779 that being a true 00:29:07.779 --> 00:29:08.660 Israelite 00:29:08.660 --> 00:29:10.200 was not passed on 00:29:10.200 --> 00:29:11.259 from ancestry 00:29:11.259 --> 00:29:12.079 to ancestry 00:29:12.079 --> 00:29:12.539 through 00:29:12.539 --> 00:29:14.299 through being born 00:29:14.299 --> 00:29:15.160 into the family 00:29:15.160 --> 00:29:15.779 it is 00:29:15.779 --> 00:29:17.880 through the promise 00:29:17.880 --> 00:29:20.519 the covenant promises 00:29:20.519 --> 00:29:21.339 that God made 00:29:21.339 --> 00:29:21.920 to Abraham 00:29:21.920 --> 00:29:23.519 right at the very beginning 00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:25.200 being part of God's family 00:29:25.200 --> 00:29:25.980 is based on being 00:29:25.980 --> 00:29:27.420 chosen by God 00:29:27.420 --> 00:29:29.079 not by my effort 00:29:29.079 --> 00:29:30.039 or being born 00:29:30.039 --> 00:29:31.480 into a nation 00:29:31.480 --> 00:29:35.140 His argument 00:29:35.140 --> 00:29:35.680 goes on 00:29:35.680 --> 00:29:36.140 into verses 00:29:36.140 --> 00:29:37.240 14 to 18 00:29:37.240 --> 00:29:38.700 where Paul says 00:29:38.700 --> 00:29:40.380 that it has always 00:29:40.380 --> 00:29:41.420 been God's character 00:29:41.420 --> 00:29:42.200 to have mercy 00:29:42.200 --> 00:29:43.519 on whom He wants 00:29:43.519 --> 00:29:44.220 to have mercy 00:29:44.220 --> 00:29:45.440 and that God 00:29:45.440 --> 00:29:46.319 is not answerable 00:29:46.319 --> 00:29:46.940 to us 00:29:46.940 --> 00:29:48.279 about the choices 00:29:48.279 --> 00:29:49.180 that He makes 00:29:49.180 --> 00:29:50.180 He is God 00:29:50.180 --> 00:29:51.620 and I am not 00:29:51.619 --> 00:29:53.019 forgotten 00:29:53.019 --> 00:29:53.419 and it's then 00:29:53.419 --> 00:29:53.859 at the end 00:29:53.859 --> 00:29:54.779 of Romans 9 00:29:54.779 --> 00:29:55.699 as the clincher 00:29:55.699 --> 00:29:56.839 to Paul's argument 00:29:56.839 --> 00:29:57.599 that God 00:29:57.599 --> 00:29:59.199 has not forgotten 00:29:59.199 --> 00:29:59.959 His word 00:29:59.959 --> 00:30:01.799 that He quotes 00:30:01.799 --> 00:30:02.599 from Hosea 00:30:02.599 --> 00:30:04.859 in chapter 9 00:30:04.859 --> 00:30:05.519 verse 25 00:30:05.519 --> 00:30:06.079 He says 00:30:06.079 --> 00:30:07.179 I will call them 00:30:07.179 --> 00:30:07.979 my people 00:30:07.979 --> 00:30:09.139 who are not 00:30:09.139 --> 00:30:09.819 my people 00:30:09.819 --> 00:30:11.099 and I will call them 00:30:11.099 --> 00:30:12.059 my loved one 00:30:12.059 --> 00:30:13.039 who is not 00:30:13.039 --> 00:30:14.179 my loved one 00:30:14.179 --> 00:30:18.019 Paul makes 00:30:18.019 --> 00:30:18.479 the point 00:30:18.479 --> 00:30:19.199 that God's love 00:30:19.199 --> 00:30:19.959 for Israel 00:30:19.960 --> 00:30:21.680 and the world 00:30:21.680 --> 00:30:22.319 in Jesus 00:30:22.319 --> 00:30:23.779 is not 00:30:23.779 --> 00:30:24.920 some new plan 00:30:24.920 --> 00:30:27.819 it was the plan 00:30:27.819 --> 00:30:28.539 right back 00:30:28.539 --> 00:30:29.420 in Hosea 00:30:29.420 --> 00:30:30.779 before the judgment 00:30:30.779 --> 00:30:31.460 came 00:30:31.460 --> 00:30:33.259 God's plan 00:30:33.259 --> 00:30:34.200 right back 00:30:34.200 --> 00:30:34.700 then 00:30:34.700 --> 00:30:36.200 was to love 00:30:36.200 --> 00:30:37.079 all those 00:30:37.079 --> 00:30:37.940 to whom He would 00:30:37.940 --> 00:30:38.700 have mercy 00:30:38.700 --> 00:30:40.299 both Jew 00:30:40.299 --> 00:30:41.759 and Gentile 00:30:41.759 --> 00:30:46.079 He is trustworthy 00:30:46.079 --> 00:30:46.980 He has never 00:30:46.980 --> 00:30:47.940 turned His back 00:30:47.940 --> 00:30:49.240 on His promises 00:30:49.240 --> 00:30:51.700 because 00:30:51.700 --> 00:30:53.420 as Hosea 11 00:30:53.420 --> 00:30:54.160 verse 9 00:30:54.160 --> 00:30:54.599 says 00:30:54.599 --> 00:30:56.440 I am 00:30:56.440 --> 00:30:57.539 God 00:30:57.539 --> 00:31:00.720 and to make 00:31:00.720 --> 00:31:01.279 it clear 00:31:01.279 --> 00:31:01.720 He says 00:31:01.720 --> 00:31:02.460 I'm not 00:31:02.460 --> 00:31:02.940 man 00:31:02.940 --> 00:31:03.319 I'm not 00:31:03.319 --> 00:31:04.240 like you 00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:06.259 I am God 00:31:06.259 --> 00:31:08.799 our assurance 00:31:08.799 --> 00:31:09.640 of God's love 00:31:09.640 --> 00:31:10.059 for us 00:31:10.059 --> 00:31:10.759 in the Lord 00:31:10.759 --> 00:31:11.180 Jesus 00:31:11.180 --> 00:31:13.359 is based 00:31:13.359 --> 00:31:14.620 on His 00:31:14.620 --> 00:31:15.519 character 00:31:15.519 --> 00:31:17.180 which is 00:31:17.180 --> 00:31:18.039 supremely 00:31:18.039 --> 00:31:18.559 seen 00:31:18.559 --> 00:31:19.759 in the Lord 00:31:19.759 --> 00:31:20.099 Jesus 00:31:20.099 --> 00:31:20.879 on the cross 00:31:20.879 --> 00:31:26.039 God 00:31:26.039 --> 00:31:27.220 is not 00:31:27.220 --> 00:31:27.960 like 00:31:27.960 --> 00:31:28.740 me 00:31:28.740 --> 00:31:31.299 God's 00:31:31.299 --> 00:31:31.740 anger 00:31:31.740 --> 00:31:32.619 is not 00:31:32.619 --> 00:31:33.220 one 00:31:33.220 --> 00:31:33.839 of His 00:31:33.839 --> 00:31:34.700 intrinsic 00:31:34.700 --> 00:31:35.480 character 00:31:35.480 --> 00:31:36.119 traits 00:31:36.119 --> 00:31:37.180 it is a 00:31:37.180 --> 00:31:37.740 function 00:31:37.740 --> 00:31:38.400 of His 00:31:38.400 --> 00:31:39.519 holiness 00:31:41.039 --> 00:31:41.980 against 00:31:41.980 --> 00:31:42.660 the sin 00:31:42.660 --> 00:31:43.359 of humanity 00:31:43.359 --> 00:31:45.959 that is 00:31:45.959 --> 00:31:46.319 God 00:31:46.319 --> 00:31:47.079 is not 00:31:47.079 --> 00:31:49.000 part of His 00:31:49.000 --> 00:31:49.539 character 00:31:49.539 --> 00:31:50.779 is not 00:31:50.779 --> 00:31:51.359 that He's 00:31:51.359 --> 00:31:51.779 angry 00:31:51.779 --> 00:31:53.319 it's not 00:31:53.319 --> 00:31:53.839 deep in His 00:31:53.839 --> 00:31:54.079 heart 00:31:54.079 --> 00:31:54.719 to be angry 00:31:54.719 --> 00:31:55.719 it's a 00:31:55.719 --> 00:31:56.379 function of His 00:31:56.379 --> 00:31:56.799 holiness 00:31:56.799 --> 00:31:57.699 which is 00:31:57.699 --> 00:31:58.199 part of His 00:31:58.199 --> 00:31:58.539 character 00:31:58.539 --> 00:31:59.579 against human 00:31:59.579 --> 00:31:59.959 sin 00:31:59.959 --> 00:32:01.219 that is 00:32:01.219 --> 00:32:02.240 He reacts 00:32:02.240 --> 00:32:03.019 to human 00:32:03.019 --> 00:32:03.500 sin 00:32:03.500 --> 00:32:04.699 in anger 00:32:04.699 --> 00:32:06.240 that's His 00:32:06.240 --> 00:32:06.979 response 00:32:06.980 --> 00:32:11.980 but love 00:32:11.980 --> 00:32:12.539 is part 00:32:12.539 --> 00:32:12.759 of His 00:32:12.759 --> 00:32:13.240 character 00:32:13.240 --> 00:32:15.559 that is 00:32:15.559 --> 00:32:16.039 who God 00:32:16.039 --> 00:32:16.319 is 00:32:16.319 --> 00:32:16.819 God 00:32:16.819 --> 00:32:17.440 is 00:32:17.440 --> 00:32:18.200 love 00:32:18.200 --> 00:32:22.400 that means 00:32:22.400 --> 00:32:22.799 that where 00:32:22.799 --> 00:32:23.180 there is 00:32:23.180 --> 00:32:24.000 no sin 00:32:24.000 --> 00:32:25.120 there is 00:32:25.120 --> 00:32:25.740 no anger 00:32:25.740 --> 00:32:28.779 and God 00:32:28.779 --> 00:32:29.400 has dealt 00:32:29.400 --> 00:32:30.059 with sin 00:32:30.059 --> 00:32:30.819 in Jesus 00:32:30.819 --> 00:32:32.120 and where 00:32:32.120 --> 00:32:32.460 there is 00:32:32.460 --> 00:32:33.099 no sin 00:32:33.099 --> 00:32:33.519 there is 00:32:33.519 --> 00:32:34.519 no anger 00:32:34.519 --> 00:32:36.400 but there 00:32:36.400 --> 00:32:36.839 will always 00:32:36.839 --> 00:32:37.379 be love 00:32:37.379 --> 00:32:39.859 because that 00:32:39.859 --> 00:32:40.500 is who 00:32:40.500 --> 00:32:40.900 God 00:32:40.900 --> 00:32:41.299 is 00:32:41.299 --> 00:32:42.039 God's 00:32:42.039 --> 00:32:42.359 love 00:32:42.359 --> 00:32:42.920 is part 00:32:42.920 --> 00:32:43.180 of His 00:32:43.180 --> 00:32:43.740 perfect 00:32:43.740 --> 00:32:44.299 character 00:32:44.299 --> 00:32:45.119 and is 00:32:45.119 --> 00:32:45.359 not 00:32:45.359 --> 00:32:46.139 generated 00:32:46.139 --> 00:32:46.700 by the 00:32:46.700 --> 00:32:47.619 loveliness 00:32:47.619 --> 00:32:48.980 of those 00:32:48.980 --> 00:32:49.559 who receive 00:32:49.559 --> 00:32:49.779 it 00:32:49.779 --> 00:32:52.039 get that 00:32:52.039 --> 00:32:52.319 point 00:32:52.319 --> 00:32:52.660 really 00:32:52.660 --> 00:32:53.079 clear 00:32:53.079 --> 00:32:54.740 God 00:32:54.740 --> 00:32:55.200 is 00:32:55.200 --> 00:32:55.859 love 00:32:55.859 --> 00:32:57.680 and His 00:32:57.680 --> 00:32:58.000 love 00:32:58.000 --> 00:32:58.799 towards us 00:32:58.799 --> 00:32:59.579 is not 00:32:59.579 --> 00:33:00.420 generated 00:33:00.420 --> 00:33:01.359 because we 00:33:01.359 --> 00:33:02.200 are lovely 00:33:02.200 --> 00:33:03.079 it is 00:33:03.079 --> 00:33:03.819 generated 00:33:03.819 --> 00:33:04.339 it is 00:33:04.339 --> 00:33:04.759 self 00:33:04.759 --> 00:33:05.319 generating 00:33:05.319 --> 00:33:06.359 because He 00:33:06.359 --> 00:33:06.960 is 00:33:06.960 --> 00:33:07.839 love 00:33:07.839 --> 00:33:12.240 He has 00:33:12.240 --> 00:33:12.740 actually 00:33:12.740 --> 00:33:13.119 not 00:33:13.119 --> 00:33:13.720 changed 00:33:13.720 --> 00:33:14.000 His 00:33:14.000 --> 00:33:14.500 mind 00:33:14.500 --> 00:33:15.139 about 00:33:15.139 --> 00:33:15.419 His 00:33:15.419 --> 00:33:15.960 promise 00:33:15.960 --> 00:33:17.720 because 00:33:17.720 --> 00:33:18.240 God's 00:33:18.240 --> 00:33:18.639 love 00:33:18.639 --> 00:33:19.200 does not 00:33:19.200 --> 00:33:19.599 react 00:33:19.599 --> 00:33:20.039 to my 00:33:20.039 --> 00:33:20.519 sin 00:33:20.519 --> 00:33:25.319 you see 00:33:25.319 --> 00:33:25.639 if it was 00:33:25.639 --> 00:33:26.179 up to me 00:33:26.179 --> 00:33:26.539 this is 00:33:26.539 --> 00:33:26.839 where I'm 00:33:26.839 --> 00:33:27.119 different 00:33:27.119 --> 00:33:27.679 than God 00:33:27.679 --> 00:33:29.460 revenge 00:33:29.460 --> 00:33:30.879 or justice 00:33:30.880 --> 00:33:31.820 or the 00:33:31.820 --> 00:33:32.160 breaking 00:33:32.160 --> 00:33:32.940 of ties 00:33:32.940 --> 00:33:33.380 would be 00:33:33.380 --> 00:33:33.660 my 00:33:33.660 --> 00:33:34.320 response 00:33:34.320 --> 00:33:35.820 to such 00:33:35.820 --> 00:33:37.040 treatment 00:33:37.040 --> 00:33:39.460 and that 00:33:39.460 --> 00:33:39.760 is where 00:33:39.760 --> 00:33:40.120 God and 00:33:40.120 --> 00:33:40.360 I are 00:33:40.360 --> 00:33:40.680 different 00:33:40.680 --> 00:33:42.400 if I 00:33:42.400 --> 00:33:43.020 was God 00:33:43.020 --> 00:33:43.520 I would 00:33:43.520 --> 00:33:44.260 have long 00:33:44.260 --> 00:33:44.800 changed 00:33:44.800 --> 00:33:45.600 my mind 00:33:45.600 --> 00:33:48.520 I would 00:33:48.520 --> 00:33:49.040 have redrawn 00:33:49.040 --> 00:33:49.800 my love 00:33:49.800 --> 00:33:51.460 and I 00:33:51.460 --> 00:33:51.860 certainly 00:33:51.860 --> 00:33:52.320 wouldn't have 00:33:52.320 --> 00:33:52.760 paid the 00:33:52.760 --> 00:33:53.280 price of 00:33:53.280 --> 00:33:53.720 redemption 00:33:53.720 --> 00:33:54.220 for a 00:33:54.220 --> 00:33:54.560 faithless 00:33:54.560 --> 00:33:55.020 people 00:33:55.019 --> 00:34:00.099 but I'm 00:34:00.099 --> 00:34:00.579 a man 00:34:00.579 --> 00:34:02.700 I'm 00:34:02.700 --> 00:34:02.940 not 00:34:02.940 --> 00:34:03.359 God 00:34:03.359 --> 00:34:05.160 a man 00:34:05.160 --> 00:34:05.539 that is 00:34:05.539 --> 00:34:06.319 called by 00:34:06.319 --> 00:34:06.960 my God 00:34:06.960 --> 00:34:07.379 of love 00:34:07.379 --> 00:34:07.940 to love 00:34:07.940 --> 00:34:08.400 as He 00:34:08.400 --> 00:34:08.840 loves 00:34:08.840 --> 00:34:10.840 and so 00:34:10.840 --> 00:34:11.759 I stand 00:34:11.759 --> 00:34:12.360 here as 00:34:12.360 --> 00:34:12.920 a man 00:34:12.920 --> 00:34:13.739 and I 00:34:13.739 --> 00:34:14.059 stand here 00:34:14.059 --> 00:34:14.360 as a 00:34:14.360 --> 00:34:14.780 father 00:34:14.780 --> 00:34:15.840 and let 00:34:15.840 --> 00:34:16.199 me tell 00:34:16.199 --> 00:34:16.559 you I 00:34:16.559 --> 00:34:17.679 really love 00:34:17.679 --> 00:34:17.960 my 00:34:17.960 --> 00:34:18.460 children 00:34:18.460 --> 00:34:21.199 one of 00:34:21.199 --> 00:34:21.420 the 00:34:21.420 --> 00:34:23.880 you message 00:34:23.880 --> 00:34:24.199 with my 00:34:24.199 --> 00:34:24.579 kids and 00:34:24.579 --> 00:34:24.719 you'll 00:34:24.719 --> 00:34:25.179 experience 00:34:25.179 --> 00:34:25.439 my 00:34:25.439 --> 00:34:25.859 wrath 00:34:25.859 --> 00:34:28.480 ungodly 00:34:28.480 --> 00:34:28.759 wrath 00:34:28.759 --> 00:34:29.239 probably 00:34:29.239 --> 00:34:31.819 one of 00:34:31.819 --> 00:34:32.199 the really 00:34:32.199 --> 00:34:32.779 big things 00:34:32.779 --> 00:34:33.019 that I 00:34:33.019 --> 00:34:33.319 want for 00:34:33.319 --> 00:34:34.000 my kids 00:34:34.000 --> 00:34:34.539 is for 00:34:34.539 --> 00:34:34.939 them to 00:34:34.939 --> 00:34:35.719 feel secure 00:34:35.719 --> 00:34:36.159 in their 00:34:36.159 --> 00:34:36.779 relationship 00:34:36.779 --> 00:34:37.319 with me 00:34:37.319 --> 00:34:37.899 particularly 00:34:37.899 --> 00:34:39.459 if they're 00:34:39.459 --> 00:34:39.839 secure 00:34:39.839 --> 00:34:40.279 they'll be 00:34:40.279 --> 00:34:40.579 healthy 00:34:40.579 --> 00:34:40.859 and they'll 00:34:40.859 --> 00:34:41.519 be balanced 00:34:41.519 --> 00:34:43.959 I want 00:34:43.959 --> 00:34:44.319 them to 00:34:44.319 --> 00:34:45.759 know the 00:34:45.759 --> 00:34:46.239 security 00:34:46.239 --> 00:34:47.039 of my 00:34:47.039 --> 00:34:47.599 love for 00:34:47.599 --> 00:34:47.879 them 00:34:47.879 --> 00:34:50.059 but they 00:34:50.059 --> 00:34:50.439 do not 00:34:50.439 --> 00:34:51.039 always feel 00:34:51.039 --> 00:34:51.219 it 00:34:51.219 --> 00:34:54.359 I 00:34:54.359 --> 00:34:54.619 still 00:34:54.619 --> 00:34:54.879 remember 00:34:54.879 --> 00:34:55.059 the 00:34:55.059 --> 00:34:55.299 first 00:34:55.299 --> 00:34:55.679 time 00:34:55.679 --> 00:34:55.919 I 00:34:55.919 --> 00:34:56.119 was 00:34:56.119 --> 00:34:56.559 really 00:34:56.559 --> 00:34:57.119 angry 00:34:57.119 --> 00:34:57.379 with 00:34:57.379 --> 00:34:57.559 one 00:34:57.559 --> 00:34:57.659 of 00:34:57.659 --> 00:34:57.859 my 00:34:57.859 --> 00:34:58.239 children 00:34:58.239 --> 00:34:59.159 and I 00:34:59.159 --> 00:34:59.539 could see 00:34:59.539 --> 00:35:00.079 the fear 00:35:00.079 --> 00:35:00.399 in their 00:35:00.399 --> 00:35:00.859 eyes 00:35:00.859 --> 00:35:01.980 I could 00:35:01.980 --> 00:35:02.339 see that 00:35:02.339 --> 00:35:03.039 they were 00:35:03.039 --> 00:35:03.619 feeling 00:35:03.619 --> 00:35:04.379 insecure 00:35:04.379 --> 00:35:05.599 in that 00:35:05.599 --> 00:35:06.019 moment 00:35:06.019 --> 00:35:07.199 they 00:35:07.199 --> 00:35:07.579 weren't 00:35:07.579 --> 00:35:08.159 confident 00:35:08.159 --> 00:35:09.199 what 00:35:09.199 --> 00:35:09.759 would 00:35:09.759 --> 00:35:10.219 happen 00:35:10.219 --> 00:35:11.579 at any 00:35:11.579 --> 00:35:11.959 moment 00:35:11.959 --> 00:35:12.819 because of 00:35:12.819 --> 00:35:13.019 my 00:35:13.019 --> 00:35:13.399 anger 00:35:13.400 --> 00:35:20.599 I'm 00:35:20.599 --> 00:35:20.760 not 00:35:20.760 --> 00:35:21.139 God 00:35:21.139 --> 00:35:24.039 they 00:35:24.039 --> 00:35:24.480 question 00:35:24.480 --> 00:35:24.700 my 00:35:24.700 --> 00:35:25.099 love 00:35:25.099 --> 00:35:28.099 God's 00:35:28.099 --> 00:35:28.400 love is 00:35:28.400 --> 00:35:28.940 not like 00:35:28.940 --> 00:35:29.180 mine 00:35:29.180 --> 00:35:29.840 because God 00:35:29.840 --> 00:35:30.660 is love 00:35:30.660 --> 00:35:31.880 and so I 00:35:31.880 --> 00:35:32.480 must point 00:35:32.480 --> 00:35:33.260 my girls 00:35:33.260 --> 00:35:34.420 to him 00:35:34.420 --> 00:35:35.820 who ensures 00:35:35.820 --> 00:35:36.260 that they 00:35:36.260 --> 00:35:36.860 will be more 00:35:36.860 --> 00:35:37.639 than conquerors 00:35:37.639 --> 00:35:38.320 through Christ 00:35:38.320 --> 00:35:38.840 who loves 00:35:38.840 --> 00:35:39.139 them 00:35:39.139 --> 00:35:41.039 and as 00:35:41.039 --> 00:35:41.539 for me 00:35:41.539 --> 00:35:42.800 as a man 00:35:42.800 --> 00:35:43.100 and a 00:35:43.100 --> 00:35:43.380 father 00:35:43.380 --> 00:35:44.060 my heart 00:35:44.060 --> 00:35:44.860 will always 00:35:44.860 --> 00:35:45.360 be in 00:35:45.360 --> 00:35:45.800 tension 00:35:45.800 --> 00:35:47.600 the tension 00:35:47.600 --> 00:35:48.440 between my 00:35:48.440 --> 00:35:49.400 constant awareness 00:35:49.400 --> 00:35:49.780 of my 00:35:49.780 --> 00:35:50.260 failure 00:35:50.260 --> 00:35:50.600 and my 00:35:50.600 --> 00:35:51.000 sin 00:35:51.000 --> 00:35:51.320 and my 00:35:51.320 --> 00:35:51.840 flaws 00:35:51.840 --> 00:35:53.660 and God's 00:35:53.660 --> 00:35:54.280 declaration 00:35:54.280 --> 00:35:54.820 that I 00:35:54.820 --> 00:35:55.640 am free 00:35:55.640 --> 00:35:57.780 free from 00:35:57.780 --> 00:35:58.280 sin 00:35:58.280 --> 00:36:00.200 guiltless 00:36:00.200 --> 00:36:00.940 because of 00:36:00.940 --> 00:36:01.539 what Christ 00:36:01.539 --> 00:36:02.080 has done 00:36:02.080 --> 00:36:02.680 for me 00:36:02.680 --> 00:36:05.640 and so I 00:36:05.640 --> 00:36:06.100 must take 00:36:06.100 --> 00:36:06.920 myself daily 00:36:06.920 --> 00:36:07.420 to my 00:36:07.420 --> 00:36:07.720 heavenly 00:36:07.720 --> 00:36:08.260 father 00:36:08.260 --> 00:36:09.460 and be 00:36:09.460 --> 00:36:09.880 reminded 00:36:09.880 --> 00:36:10.320 that he 00:36:10.320 --> 00:36:11.019 loves me 00:36:11.019 --> 00:36:11.380 with an 00:36:11.380 --> 00:36:11.940 unchanging 00:36:11.940 --> 00:36:12.560 love 00:36:12.559 --> 00:36:13.799 his 00:36:13.799 --> 00:36:14.420 assessment 00:36:14.420 --> 00:36:15.039 of Steve 00:36:15.039 --> 00:36:15.559 Jeffery 00:36:15.559 --> 00:36:16.199 is not 00:36:16.199 --> 00:36:16.719 based 00:36:16.719 --> 00:36:17.480 on a 00:36:17.480 --> 00:36:18.179 naive 00:36:18.179 --> 00:36:19.099 assessment 00:36:19.099 --> 00:36:19.440 of my 00:36:19.440 --> 00:36:19.840 love 00:36:19.840 --> 00:36:20.880 of my 00:36:20.880 --> 00:36:21.320 character 00:36:21.320 --> 00:36:24.239 he knows 00:36:24.239 --> 00:36:26.039 how dark 00:36:26.039 --> 00:36:26.519 my heart 00:36:26.519 --> 00:36:26.980 is 00:36:26.980 --> 00:36:29.360 but he's 00:36:29.360 --> 00:36:29.739 called me 00:36:29.739 --> 00:36:30.019 to be 00:36:30.019 --> 00:36:30.539 his son 00:36:30.539 --> 00:36:33.420 and he 00:36:33.420 --> 00:36:33.980 ensures 00:36:33.980 --> 00:36:34.440 that in 00:36:34.440 --> 00:36:34.779 the Lord 00:36:34.779 --> 00:36:35.159 Jesus 00:36:35.159 --> 00:36:37.119 I will 00:36:37.119 --> 00:36:37.799 be more 00:36:37.799 --> 00:36:38.159 than a 00:36:38.159 --> 00:36:38.820 conqueror 00:36:38.820 --> 00:36:40.480 let's 00:36:40.480 --> 00:36:40.699 pray 00:36:40.699 --> 00:36:46.759 gracious 00:36:46.759 --> 00:36:47.119 father 00:36:47.119 --> 00:36:47.559 we thank 00:36:47.559 --> 00:36:47.859 you for 00:36:47.859 --> 00:36:48.239 your love 00:36:48.239 --> 00:36:48.819 for us 00:36:48.819 --> 00:36:51.399 God you 00:36:51.399 --> 00:36:51.960 are worthy 00:36:51.960 --> 00:36:52.879 to receive 00:36:52.879 --> 00:36:54.119 all glory 00:36:54.119 --> 00:36:54.599 and honor 00:36:54.599 --> 00:36:58.019 not only 00:36:58.019 --> 00:36:58.279 have you 00:36:58.279 --> 00:36:58.759 created all 00:36:58.759 --> 00:36:59.099 things you 00:36:59.099 --> 00:36:59.739 sustain all 00:36:59.739 --> 00:37:00.299 things but 00:37:00.299 --> 00:37:01.319 we thank 00:37:01.319 --> 00:37:01.579 you for 00:37:01.579 --> 00:37:01.920 the Lord 00:37:01.920 --> 00:37:02.699 Jesus that 00:37:02.699 --> 00:37:03.199 through his 00:37:03.199 --> 00:37:03.699 death and 00:37:03.699 --> 00:37:04.440 his resurrection 00:37:04.440 --> 00:37:05.719 he has 00:37:05.719 --> 00:37:07.500 turned your 00:37:07.500 --> 00:37:08.440 anger away 00:37:08.440 --> 00:37:09.119 from us 00:37:09.119 --> 00:37:10.679 so that we 00:37:10.679 --> 00:37:11.360 might know 00:37:11.360 --> 00:37:12.759 your love 00:37:12.759 --> 00:37:13.339 in all its 00:37:13.339 --> 00:37:13.960 fullness in 00:37:13.960 --> 00:37:14.219 him 00:37:14.219 --> 00:37:15.839 we thank you 00:37:15.839 --> 00:37:16.259 that he has 00:37:16.259 --> 00:37:16.799 paid the 00:37:16.799 --> 00:37:18.159 complete debt 00:37:18.159 --> 00:37:19.759 of our 00:37:19.759 --> 00:37:20.259 sin 00:37:20.260 --> 00:37:22.180 we thank 00:37:22.180 --> 00:37:22.460 you that 00:37:22.460 --> 00:37:22.740 he has 00:37:22.740 --> 00:37:23.620 eternally 00:37:23.620 --> 00:37:24.620 delivered us 00:37:24.620 --> 00:37:26.120 from your 00:37:26.120 --> 00:37:26.600 judgment 00:37:26.600 --> 00:37:29.240 and so 00:37:29.240 --> 00:37:29.760 father right 00:37:29.760 --> 00:37:30.100 now we 00:37:30.100 --> 00:37:30.620 remember what 00:37:30.620 --> 00:37:31.020 you've done 00:37:31.020 --> 00:37:31.500 for us 00:37:31.500 --> 00:37:31.960 we thank 00:37:31.960 --> 00:37:32.240 you that 00:37:32.240 --> 00:37:32.460 what we're 00:37:32.460 --> 00:37:32.600 going to 00:37:32.600 --> 00:37:33.000 do right 00:37:33.000 --> 00:37:34.380 now in 00:37:34.380 --> 00:37:34.860 the Lord's 00:37:34.860 --> 00:37:35.120 supper 00:37:35.120 --> 00:37:36.280 that we 00:37:36.280 --> 00:37:36.700 have this 00:37:36.700 --> 00:37:37.200 bread we 00:37:37.200 --> 00:37:37.560 have this 00:37:37.560 --> 00:37:39.040 wine and 00:37:39.040 --> 00:37:39.500 we pray 00:37:39.500 --> 00:37:39.960 that as we 00:37:39.960 --> 00:37:40.520 take them 00:37:40.520 --> 00:37:40.820 that we 00:37:40.820 --> 00:37:41.600 might remember 00:37:41.600 --> 00:37:42.180 the cost 00:37:42.180 --> 00:37:42.460 of your 00:37:42.460 --> 00:37:42.920 love for 00:37:42.920 --> 00:37:43.220 us in 00:37:43.220 --> 00:37:43.500 the Lord 00:37:43.500 --> 00:37:43.900 Jesus 00:37:43.900 --> 00:37:46.560 and we 00:37:46.560 --> 00:37:47.420 pray father 00:37:47.420 --> 00:37:47.980 that you 00:37:47.980 --> 00:37:48.940 would deeply 00:37:48.940 --> 00:37:49.700 deeply 00:37:49.699 --> 00:37:50.599 nourish and 00:37:50.599 --> 00:37:51.159 feed us 00:37:51.159 --> 00:37:51.859 by your 00:37:51.859 --> 00:37:52.359 word 00:37:52.359 --> 00:37:54.939 we pray 00:37:54.939 --> 00:37:55.659 that the 00:37:55.659 --> 00:37:55.960 bread and 00:37:55.960 --> 00:37:56.439 this wine 00:37:56.439 --> 00:37:57.079 might be a 00:37:57.079 --> 00:37:58.059 symbol lord 00:37:58.059 --> 00:37:58.759 of all that 00:37:58.759 --> 00:37:59.119 you've done 00:37:59.119 --> 00:37:59.659 for us 00:37:59.659 --> 00:38:00.899 and may we 00:38:00.899 --> 00:38:01.480 be deeply 00:38:01.480 --> 00:38:02.919 assured of 00:38:02.919 --> 00:38:03.399 your goodness 00:38:03.399 --> 00:38:03.919 to us in 00:38:03.919 --> 00:38:04.199 the Lord 00:38:04.199 --> 00:38:05.339 Jesus and 00:38:05.339 --> 00:38:05.759 we ask it 00:38:05.759 --> 00:38:06.119 for your 00:38:06.119 --> 00:38:06.419 sake 00:38:06.419 --> 00:38:07.259 amen 00:38:07.259 --> 00:38:10.259 friends 00:38:10.259 --> 00:38:10.839 we're going 00:38:10.839 --> 00:38:11.399 to distribute 00:38:11.399 --> 00:38:12.099 these elements 00:38:12.099 --> 00:38:12.719 to you in 00:38:12.719 --> 00:38:13.299 your seats 00:38:13.299 --> 00:38:13.939 and we 00:38:13.939 --> 00:38:14.480 will eat 00:38:14.480 --> 00:38:15.179 and we 00:38:15.179 --> 00:38:15.480 will drink 00:38:15.480 --> 00:38:15.899 together