2022/Sunday Worship - December 18, 2022_transcript.txt

[0.00 --> 6.36]  And so we would just invite you to come. There's no cost to that. Rentals are available and included,
[6.36 --> 11.62]  so if you don't own skates or if, like me, your kids outgrow everything you buy them within six
[11.62 --> 16.52]  months, they have stuff there for you to use, skates and helmets and the like. And so please
[16.52 --> 24.46]  come on Boxing Day for Church Family Skate together. I think that's it. And so why don't
[24.46 --> 30.36]  we stand together as you're able and where you are. We can be ushered into God's presence for worship
[30.36 --> 39.70]  this morning. We gather together as the body of Christ, the church of Jesus, and God meets us
[39.70 --> 46.02]  here. He welcomes us into his presence with his greeting. Receive the greeting of God.
[47.22 --> 53.62]  Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, his Son,
[53.62 --> 59.22]  and our Savior through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
[60.76 --> 67.52]  And I'm going to invite, I think it's the Nordum family up to the front to light our Advent candle today.
[67.52 --> 67.60]  Amen.
[83.62 --> 99.52]  Advent is the season of waiting, waiting for light in the darkness, waiting to be filled while empty,
[100.22 --> 102.26]  waiting for the return of the King.
[104.44 --> 112.02]  The Apostle Paul tells us that all creation is groaning under the weight of sin. The brokenness
[112.02 --> 122.84]  of the world is not just a sense we live with. Increasingly it is visible around us. What is visible
[122.84 --> 131.02]  now reflects the truth we all have felt. Something isn't right. We are not complete. We long to be made
[131.02 --> 135.78]  whole again and for the whole creation to be made new.
[135.78 --> 142.40]  Living in anticipation of the return of the King invites us to be a people of patience, endurance,
[142.40 --> 148.10]  and faith who can live rejoicing in the world to come and with deep joy in the world that is,
[148.36 --> 154.00]  holding on to the love that holds on to us, living it boldly, longing for the day when everything will
[154.00 --> 154.68]  be made whole.
[154.68 --> 163.48]  We light this candle as a reminder of the peace, the shalom and wholeness that we are all waiting
[163.48 --> 169.56]  for and towards which history is constantly moving as we await the full revealing of the
[169.56 --> 171.00]  kingdom of God come.
[188.38 --> 195.88]  The groaning of the world is loud. The darkness is deep. Into the chaos and confusion, Jesus speaks
[195.88 --> 200.70]  with the clarin call. I am the light of the world. You'll be a light to the world.
[200.70 --> 200.78]  Amen.
[225.88 --> 235.88]  mix it up with the55 cup, be盛s on the Lord.
[235.88 --> 236.88]  Amen.
[265.88 --> 267.88]  Amen.
[295.88 --> 296.88]  Amen.
[325.88 --> 326.88]  Amen.
[355.88 --> 356.88]  Amen.
[385.88 --> 386.88]  Amen.
[415.88 --> 416.88]  Amen.
[445.88 --> 446.88]  Amen.
[475.88 --> 476.88]  Amen.
[505.88 --> 506.88]  Amen.
[535.88 --> 536.88]  Amen.
[565.88 --> 566.88]  Amen.
[595.88 --> 596.88]  Amen.
[625.88 --> 626.88]  Amen.
[626.88 --> 627.88]  Amen.
[627.88 --> 628.88]  Amen.
[628.88 --> 629.88]  Amen.
[629.88 --> 630.88]  Amen.
[630.88 --> 631.88]  Amen.
[631.88 --> 632.88]  Amen.
[632.88 --> 634.88]  Amen.
[634.88 --> 635.88]  Amen.
[635.88 --> 636.88]  Amen.
[636.88 --> 637.88]  Amen.
[637.88 --> 638.88]  Amen.
[638.88 --> 639.88]  Amen.
[639.88 --> 640.88]  Amen.
[640.88 --> 642.88]  You may be seated.
[642.88 --> 654.88]  As we heard in the Advent reading Jesus calling out, I am the light of the world.
[654.88 --> 661.40]  world. You will be a light to the world. In Matthew 5, Jesus says this to us, you are the light of the
[661.40 --> 666.78]  world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under
[666.78 --> 672.66]  a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand and give its light to everyone in the house. And in the
[672.66 --> 678.18]  same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your
[678.18 --> 684.22]  Father in heaven. In the brokenness of the world, we are to be his light. In the deep darkness of
[684.22 --> 690.78]  this world, we are to be his light. And in the chaos and in the confusion, we are to be his light.
[692.14 --> 696.90]  The line that really caught my eye was, let your light shine before others.
[697.98 --> 703.62]  There are days when I don't feel like being his light. It's pretty easy to be intimidated by the
[703.62 --> 709.96]  darkness. And it begs the question, do we trust our Father enough to be placed on that lampstand
[709.96 --> 716.08]  to shine into the chaos? I think it's only by the power of the Holy Spirit living within us,
[716.72 --> 722.44]  shining the light of Jesus through us, we can do the things that God has prepared for us
[722.44 --> 725.20]  as we wait for our King's return.
[726.52 --> 727.82]  Let's bow our heads.
[727.82 --> 736.94]  Father, you call us to be your light in this world, bringing your light to all those around us.
[737.86 --> 742.20]  Forgive us for not wanting to be that light in the presence of such chaos and brokenness.
[743.02 --> 745.16]  Forgive us for being intimidated by the darkness.
[746.48 --> 752.52]  Help us to trust in your power to overcome the chaos and to shine your light into the darkness.
[752.52 --> 757.50]  Let us experience your deep, deep love.
[758.60 --> 763.56]  Show us again how to become your presence in this broken world we live in.
[765.30 --> 774.14]  We want to shine your peace, your shalom, as we rest in your love, waiting for your return.
[776.04 --> 776.32]  Amen.
[777.60 --> 780.38]  Shall we rise and sing, O come?
[780.38 --> 810.36]  O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant,
[810.36 --> 840.34]  O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come, let us adore him.
[840.34 --> 843.34]  Let us adore him.
[843.34 --> 847.34]  Rise, O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant.
[847.34 --> 858.32]  Sing, choirs of angels, sing in exultation,
[858.32 --> 868.46]  Sing, all ye citizens of heaven above.
[868.46 --> 877.78]  Glory to God all, glory in the highest,
[877.78 --> 887.08]  O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,
[887.08 --> 896.56]  O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
[896.56 --> 906.26]  Say, Lord, we greet thee, for this happy morning,
[907.16 --> 920.42]  Jesus, to thee be all glory in the Word of the Father,
[920.42 --> 929.82]  Now in flesh appearing, O come, let us adore Him,
[929.82 --> 939.52]  O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,
[939.52 --> 944.22]  Christ the Lord.
[944.22 --> 954.80]  O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him,
[954.80 --> 964.52]  O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord.
[964.52 --> 989.02]  O come, let us adore Him,
[989.02 --> 994.22]  Don't drop a single anchor, we're almost home,
[994.22 --> 999.42]  Through every soil and danger, we're almost home,
[999.42 --> 1004.04]  How many pilgrims sing, standing for us,
[1004.04 --> 1008.64]  Rode, let us talk to now, we're almost home.
[1008.64 --> 1017.84]  The promised land is calling, we're almost home,
[1017.84 --> 1022.98]  And God at sea shall fall, then we're almost home,
[1022.98 --> 1028.16]  They crave now your souls, for that peace thou come,
[1028.16 --> 1032.34]  They'll turn it back, we're almost home,
[1032.34 --> 1038.24]  From those homes, we're almost home,
[1038.24 --> 1044.64]  Oh, praise the Lord, we're almost home,
[1044.64 --> 1048.64]  We're almost home,
[1048.64 --> 1053.84]  As journeys are together, we're almost home,
[1053.84 --> 1059.04]  But to thy grave forever, we're almost home,
[1059.04 --> 1064.04]  The songs that you will sing, that the God they grow,
[1064.04 --> 1069.04]  How a faith of heart, we're almost home,
[1069.04 --> 1077.44]  If life is just a vapor, we're almost home,
[1077.44 --> 1082.44]  That sun is setting yonder, we're almost home,
[1082.44 --> 1087.44]  Take courage for this darkness, shall break to dawn,
[1087.44 --> 1091.84]  Oh, praise the Lord, we're almost home,
[1091.84 --> 1095.84]  Almost home, we're almost home,
[1095.84 --> 1099.84]  So press one, two, and bless the shore,
[1099.84 --> 1104.24]  Oh, praise the Lord, we're almost home,
[1104.24 --> 1106.24]  We're almost home,
[1106.24 --> 1110.24]  Almost home, we're almost home,
[1110.24 --> 1112.24]  So press one, two, and bless the shore,
[1112.24 --> 1114.24]  Oh, praise the Lord, we're almost home,
[1114.24 --> 1118.64]  We're almost home.
[1118.64 --> 1148.62]  Thank you.
[1148.64 --> 1162.32]  Light of the world, you step down into darkness. Open my eyes, let me see.
[1163.54 --> 1173.90]  Beauty that made this heart adore you. Home of our lives spent with you.
[1173.90 --> 1187.40]  Here I am to worship, here I am to bow down, here I am to say that you're my call.
[1187.86 --> 1197.90]  You're altogether lonely, altogether worthy, altogether wonderful to me.
[1197.90 --> 1212.90]  King of all days, you're so highly exalted, glorious in heaven above.
[1212.90 --> 1223.90]  Only you came to the earth you created. All for love's sake became whole.
[1223.90 --> 1237.32]  Here I am to worship, here I am to bow down, here I am to say that you're my God.
[1237.32 --> 1248.32]  You're altogether lovely, altogether worthy, altogether wonderful to me.
[1248.32 --> 1259.32]  And I'll never know how much it calls to see my sin upon that cross.
[1259.32 --> 1263.32]  You're altogether lovely, altogether lovely.
[1263.32 --> 1271.32]  All for love's sake, here I am to bow down, here I am to say that you're my God.
[1271.32 --> 1285.16]  So here I am to worship, here I am to bow down, here I am to say that you're my God.
[1285.16 --> 1296.16]  You're altogether lovely, altogether lovely, altogether lovely, altogether lovely, altogether wonderful to me.
[1296.16 --> 1307.16]  Here I am to worship, here I am to bow down, here I am to say that you're my God.
[1307.16 --> 1322.00]  Here I am to worship, here I am to worship, here I am to worship, here I am to worship, here I am to worship, here I am to visit more.
[1322.62 --> 1323.32]  tail andmorf.
[1323.32 --> 1325.32]  • Lord, Lord, to worship, here increase our state of salvation can come and give good fruit to me.
[1325.32 --> 1344.28]  Good morning.
[1345.22 --> 1349.32]  My name is Emo, and I'm a deacon at Emmanuel.
[1350.14 --> 1353.58]  We continue our worship with the giving of our gifts
[1353.58 --> 1358.84]  for the budget, which covers the administration of the church
[1358.84 --> 1362.24]  and its ministries, and the special offering,
[1362.72 --> 1364.92]  which is Union Gospel Mission, this morning.
[1365.84 --> 1369.44]  It was established in 1940 in Vancouver.
[1371.98 --> 1377.40]  It's a charitable organization providing meals, education, shelter,
[1378.48 --> 1382.58]  safe and affordable housing, drug and alcohol recovery programs,
[1382.58 --> 1387.98]  and support services to those struggling with homelessness and addiction
[1387.98 --> 1392.98]  in Vancouver, New West, and the City of Mission.
[1393.86 --> 1398.40]  Its mission is to restore the God-given dignity of people
[1398.40 --> 1402.44]  by sharing and demonstrating the love of Jesus Christ,
[1403.14 --> 1405.84]  providing them, without discrimination,
[1405.84 --> 1410.84]  meals, shelter, outreach, and chaplaincy services
[1410.84 --> 1413.70]  that relieve suffering and renew hope.
[1414.88 --> 1417.88]  As Christians, we cannot ignore the poverty, addictions,
[1418.04 --> 1421.30]  and homelessness that are present in our communities.
[1421.88 --> 1424.50]  In donating to Union Gospel Mission,
[1424.98 --> 1427.22]  we help those who are in greatest need.
[1427.22 --> 1433.48]  Some examples of the magnitude of their efforts are in 2021,
[1433.48 --> 1440.24]  there were 28,362 nights of emergency shelter given,
[1441.24 --> 1447.00]  275,000 meals served, 69 housing units found,
[1447.82 --> 1453.08]  27 alcohol and drug recovery graduates, and 33 jobs found.
[1453.08 --> 1457.28]  On December 1st at Union Gospel Mission,
[1457.82 --> 1461.84]  they served their 82nd Christmas meal
[1461.84 --> 1464.68]  to people on the downtown east side
[1464.68 --> 1469.86]  and served 3,500 to 4,000 meals that day.
[1470.66 --> 1471.66]  Please give generously.
[1472.84 --> 1476.24]  Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have,
[1476.70 --> 1479.40]  for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.
[1480.04 --> 1481.96]  Hebrews 13, verse 16.
[1481.96 --> 1485.46]  Next week's offering is for the budget only.
[1485.46 --> 1485.96]  Thank you.
[1485.96 --> 1512.96]  The shepherds came to see the baby
[1512.96 --> 1516.96]  To find His blood inside
[1516.96 --> 1521.96]  Here laid the Savior inside a manger
[1521.96 --> 1525.96]  Oh, what a glorious night
[1525.96 --> 1530.96]  Oh, what a glorious night
[1530.96 --> 1534.96]  I hear the angels singing
[1534.96 --> 1540.96]  Hallelujah, let the earth receive her King
[1540.96 --> 1543.96]  I know that love has come
[1543.96 --> 1545.96]  Sing it out
[1545.96 --> 1549.96]  Jesus Christ is born
[1549.96 --> 1554.96]  I hear that Jesus Christ is born
[1554.96 --> 1565.96]  The shepherds wondered
[1565.96 --> 1567.96]  They couldn't hide it
[1567.96 --> 1571.96]  Told everyone in time
[1571.96 --> 1574.96]  All where else they'd send
[1574.96 --> 1576.96]  They could not find Him
[1576.96 --> 1580.96]  Down on the glorious night
[1580.96 --> 1584.96]  I hear that God came down on the glorious night
[1584.96 --> 1587.96]  The angels singing
[1587.96 --> 1593.96]  Hallelujah, let the earth receive her King
[1593.96 --> 1596.96]  I know that love has come
[1596.96 --> 1598.96]  Sing it out
[1598.96 --> 1602.96]  Jesus Christ is born
[1602.96 --> 1607.96]  I hear that Jesus Christ is born
[1607.96 --> 1616.96]  Glorious, glorious
[1616.96 --> 1620.96]  What a glorious night
[1620.96 --> 1625.96]  Glorious, glorious
[1625.96 --> 1628.96]  What a glorious night
[1628.96 --> 1629.96]  What a glorious night
[1629.96 --> 1631.96]  I hear the angels singing
[1631.96 --> 1637.96]  Hallelujah, let the earth receive her King
[1637.96 --> 1640.96]  I know that love has come
[1640.96 --> 1642.96]  Sing it out
[1642.96 --> 1643.96]  Jesus Christ is born
[1643.96 --> 1644.96]  Sing it out
[1644.96 --> 1645.96]  Jesus Christ is born
[1645.96 --> 1647.96]  Sing it out
[1647.96 --> 1650.96]  I hear that Jesus Christ is born
[1650.96 --> 1654.96]  I hear that Jesus Christ is born
[1654.96 --> 1657.96]  I hear that Jesus Christ is born
[1657.96 --> 1659.56]  has come
[1659.56 --> 1661.90]  sing it out
[1661.90 --> 1664.00]  Jesus Christ
[1664.00 --> 1665.66]  is born
[1665.66 --> 1667.46]  Jesus
[1667.46 --> 1670.04]  Christ is born
[1687.96 --> 1697.44]  All is calm now, all is quiet, a storm shines in us blind.
[1698.32 --> 1711.16]  We know in Bethlehem the King is sleeping, oh what a glorious night, oh what a glorious night.
[1717.96 --> 1732.12]  Hello, hello, can you guys move a tad bit back?
[1732.12 --> 1734.56]  I don't want to step on your nice boots.
[1734.56 --> 1739.40]  If you are a child between age three and up to grade four or anyone else and you haven't
[1739.40 --> 1742.40]  come up, please come and join us at the front.
[1742.40 --> 1745.00]  Do you guys see that?
[1745.00 --> 1748.24]  Someone behind me said that it looks like a snow globe outside right now.
[1748.24 --> 1750.24]  Take a little peek out the window over there.
[1750.24 --> 1752.24]  It is like a snow globe.
[1752.24 --> 1755.92]  Yeah, God took the world and you gave it a nice shake and now the snow is floating down.
[1755.92 --> 1757.48]  It's very pretty.
[1757.48 --> 1759.76]  I have something that you probably don't know.
[1759.76 --> 1761.76]  Do you want to know what it is?
[1761.76 --> 1762.76]  Yeah.
[1762.76 --> 1764.76]  It's Christmas break.
[1764.76 --> 1766.76]  Yeah, I actually knew that.
[1766.76 --> 1767.76]  You knew that?
[1767.76 --> 1768.76]  Did all of you guys know that?
[1768.76 --> 1769.76]  Yeah.
[1769.76 --> 1770.76]  You knew that too?
[1770.76 --> 1771.76]  No.
[1771.76 --> 1772.76]  It's Christmas break.
[1772.76 --> 1773.76]  Not my Christmas.
[1773.76 --> 1775.32]  What's your Christmas break?
[1775.32 --> 1778.32]  Well, for some people it's Christmas break which means you get a little time off from
[1778.32 --> 1784.88]  school and you probably have some extra fun events happening as we get ready for Christmas.
[1784.88 --> 1789.00]  And for Kids Corner we've been reading this book called The Lightlings.
[1789.00 --> 1791.00]  Lightlings, not The Lightlings.
[1791.00 --> 1792.00]  The Lightlings.
[1792.00 --> 1797.60]  And we've learned that these lightlings were created to live in the light maker's light,
[1797.60 --> 1800.00]  but then they decided not to listen to him.
[1800.00 --> 1802.00]  Do you remember that happened a few weeks ago?
[1802.00 --> 1806.00]  And today we're just going to read a really short part about what happens next.
[1806.00 --> 1809.56]  So, I'll read it and then I'll show you the picture.
[1809.56 --> 1814.78]  Then one night, or perhaps it was day far off in the distance, they saw a blinding light
[1814.78 --> 1816.24]  shining through the trees.
[1816.24 --> 1820.12]  They could see the light coming from miles and miles away and they were frightened by
[1820.12 --> 1821.12]  it.
[1821.12 --> 1825.28]  They thought that the light meant the king was coming to find them and punish them for their
[1825.28 --> 1826.28]  sins.
[1826.28 --> 1831.84]  So, most of the lightlings began to stumble quickly away from the light.
[1831.84 --> 1833.84]  They're lightlings.
[1833.84 --> 1837.84]  So, lightlings are these little people in the story.
[1837.84 --> 1842.42]  But some of the lightling children were so amazed by the light and curious about it that they
[1842.42 --> 1845.84]  decided to see from where it was coming.
[1845.84 --> 1848.40]  They set off and traveled for miles and miles.
[1848.40 --> 1854.98]  It took them a long time, but as they moved, they saw the light shining brighter and brighter.
[1854.98 --> 1868.54]  So, I'm going to go ahead and see what they find on Christmas.
[1868.54 --> 1873.26]  If you come on Christmas Day, we'll finish off the story up here.
[1873.26 --> 1877.22]  We are going to go talk about some more messages that God has for us and what we can do with
[1877.22 --> 1880.54]  those messages in our large group and our children's worship time.
[1880.54 --> 1885.74]  So, let's stand up first and offer our blessing to the rest of the church and receive their
[1885.74 --> 1886.86]  blessings back.
[1886.86 --> 1889.26]  I'm going to sing.
[1889.26 --> 1890.86]  Alright.
[1890.86 --> 1893.22]  The Lord be with you.
[1910.54 --> 1934.42]  I guess it's on.
[1934.42 --> 1943.30]  When I finished making coffee, then I went to where we always meet as council and we
[1943.30 --> 1945.74]  pray for the service.
[1945.74 --> 1949.20]  And I didn't make it in because I was a little bit late.
[1949.20 --> 1951.24]  But I was told I had to pray.
[1951.24 --> 1952.24]  But I knew that.
[1952.24 --> 1954.70]  So, it wasn't all bad.
[1954.70 --> 1958.08]  There's two things that strike me always.
[1958.08 --> 1965.48]  Mostly, by people who always have opinions of the church or the people that go to church.
[1965.48 --> 1969.32]  And the one thing is they always want your money.
[1969.32 --> 1972.96]  And the second thing is the church is full of hypocrites.
[1972.96 --> 1977.96]  And I'd like to just say a few things about both of those things.
[1977.96 --> 1981.96]  Number one, the church does not want all your money.
[1981.96 --> 1984.48]  But it certainly needs some of it.
[1984.48 --> 1990.36]  And that's why, as we get to the end of the year, it helps a lot if we do our part.
[1990.36 --> 1992.96]  Second one, the church is full of hypocrites.
[1992.96 --> 1995.28]  I'm here to say that that's 100% true.
[1995.28 --> 1996.92]  I'm one of them.
[1996.92 --> 2000.06]  And if you're perfect, no need to attend.
[2000.06 --> 2002.06]  Shall we pray?
[2002.06 --> 2007.62]  Father, Lord, in heaven, Lord, thank you.
[2007.62 --> 2010.96]  Thank you that we can be amongst believers.
[2010.96 --> 2013.28]  Thank you that we can hear your word.
[2013.28 --> 2016.36]  Thank you that we can worship with others.
[2016.36 --> 2020.08]  Thank you that we have somewhere to go, Lord, because a lot of the world does not.
[2020.08 --> 2023.08]  A lot of the world does not even have your word.
[2023.08 --> 2026.30]  They can't even openly read it as we can.
[2026.30 --> 2030.78]  Lord, thank you for the blessings of this season.
[2030.78 --> 2033.20]  Thank you for your son.
[2033.20 --> 2036.24]  Thank you that you came down for us, for each one of us, Lord.
[2036.24 --> 2038.98]  Thank you that you know each one of us by name.
[2038.98 --> 2041.30]  You knew that before we even had our name.
[2041.30 --> 2042.30]  Thank you.
[2042.30 --> 2045.30]  All the days for us, you knew.
[2045.30 --> 2053.30]  Lord, we pray this morning, especially for the people that have left us.
[2053.30 --> 2055.30]  Lord, that is so hard.
[2055.30 --> 2058.10]  We have somebody we love.
[2058.10 --> 2060.10]  We have to say goodbye.
[2060.10 --> 2063.42]  Sometimes we know that and sometimes we don't.
[2063.42 --> 2064.42]  Lord, we know where they are.
[2064.42 --> 2066.42]  We know whose hands they are in.
[2066.42 --> 2074.42]  But we still have that empty chair, that empty seat.
[2074.42 --> 2079.42]  Lord, we pray will you be with the families that have had to say goodbye.
[2079.42 --> 2087.42]  Lord, we thank you also for people today now that have had operations and it's been successful.
[2087.42 --> 2091.74]  We pray will you be with them as they recuperate.
[2091.74 --> 2096.10]  We pray will you be with people who have just heard news, maybe not so nice news, Lord,
[2096.10 --> 2101.74]  that they have something that they have to go for tests or they have to go for treatments
[2101.74 --> 2102.74]  or whatever it is.
[2102.74 --> 2103.30]  Lord, you know.
[2103.30 --> 2111.98]  Help us to know, each one of us, that we are totally in your hands and each day you have
[2111.98 --> 2115.98]  already accounted for for us.
[2115.98 --> 2117.98]  Lord, how is that even possible?
[2117.98 --> 2122.62]  Lord, thank you.
[2122.62 --> 2125.98]  Lord, we thank you for the school break.
[2125.98 --> 2127.98]  We thank you for the break for the teachers.
[2127.98 --> 2136.66]  Lord, we pray will you be with us as we work at home or work elsewhere or we go to school.
[2136.66 --> 2140.98]  Lord, we pray for the families that are meeting together this holiday season.
[2140.98 --> 2143.98]  We pray for the people who can't.
[2143.98 --> 2150.98]  Lord, we pray will you touch us and will you help us to know that you're right there.
[2150.98 --> 2154.98]  Lord, thank you for all the blessings.
[2154.98 --> 2158.98]  Lord, we live in a place that we don't deserve.
[2158.98 --> 2164.98]  We have more than enough, most of us, not all of us.
[2164.98 --> 2169.78]  Lord, it's easy to drive by somebody on the street and feel sorry.
[2169.78 --> 2173.66]  What do we do?
[2173.66 --> 2177.50]  Lord, we pray this morning for your word.
[2177.50 --> 2184.50]  We pray will you be with the leaders of our city, of our province, of our country, of
[2184.50 --> 2185.50]  the world.
[2185.50 --> 2189.50]  Lord, nobody has a job unless you allow it to happen.
[2189.50 --> 2191.50]  And Lord, we wonder why sometimes.
[2191.50 --> 2192.50]  We truly wonder.
[2192.50 --> 2196.50]  But we are all in your hands and we thank you for that, Lord, because we know that is
[2196.50 --> 2197.50]  so true.
[2197.50 --> 2199.50]  Help us to trust and obey.
[2199.50 --> 2200.50]  Help us to hear your word.
[2200.50 --> 2202.50]  Help us to enjoy this season.
[2202.50 --> 2204.50]  Thank you for your love and care.
[2204.50 --> 2205.50]  In Jesus' name we pray.
[2205.50 --> 2209.50]  All right.
[2209.50 --> 2235.22]  We're going to take some time and open God's Word together.
[2235.88 --> 2238.56]  We're going to do that in Revelation 22.
[2239.50 --> 2247.26]  And so if you don't know where that is, open your Bible to the last page, and then that's where you are.
[2248.10 --> 2251.16]  Revelation 22, last chapter in the Bible.
[2251.70 --> 2256.66]  If you use a device to the Bible, then you don't have to open it to the last page.
[2256.80 --> 2258.42]  You just type it in, and there it is.
[2259.58 --> 2262.10]  In just a moment, I'm going to read.
[2262.10 --> 2272.42]  But before we do, I just want to acknowledge, as we sit here, it's a little bit awkward because that stupid fan keeps making that whirly noise.
[2272.66 --> 2277.56]  And that only happens when the wind blows from just the right direction, and we have fixed it like six times.
[2279.16 --> 2280.50]  Sixty times.
[2280.50 --> 2288.06]  That said, Eric Hubert, are you here?
[2288.90 --> 2289.94]  All right, here's the challenge.
[2290.34 --> 2294.14]  If we make budget by the end of this year, the first thing that gets fixed next year is this.
[2295.60 --> 2296.34]  Oh, applause.
[2296.46 --> 2296.90]  Look at that.
[2296.90 --> 2299.50]  All right.
[2300.34 --> 2305.58]  I'm going to ask that you, even if you hear that, right, that you just push through.
[2305.70 --> 2310.40]  I'll do my best maybe to talk loud enough where appropriate that it drowns it out.
[2310.94 --> 2313.66]  But it's not always going to be appropriate for me to be yelling at you.
[2314.02 --> 2315.18]  So you might hear it again.
[2315.82 --> 2316.90]  Let's just press through.
[2316.90 --> 2323.92]  We've been in this series, this Advent coming into Christmas, in the book of Revelation,
[2323.92 --> 2334.12]  and we continue the last Sunday of Advent, the Sunday before Christmas, by looking at the end.
[2334.86 --> 2336.00]  Revelation 22.
[2336.30 --> 2339.04]  I'm going to read the first seven verses.
[2342.32 --> 2346.84]  Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life.
[2346.90 --> 2349.64]  As clear as crystal.
[2350.64 --> 2355.72]  Flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city.
[2356.68 --> 2364.60]  On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month.
[2365.06 --> 2368.50]  And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.
[2369.54 --> 2371.84]  No longer will there be any curse.
[2371.84 --> 2374.86]  The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city,
[2374.86 --> 2377.36]  and His servants will serve Him.
[2378.54 --> 2382.82]  They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.
[2383.66 --> 2384.92]  There will be no more night.
[2385.66 --> 2388.62]  They will not need the light of the lamp or the light of the sun,
[2388.74 --> 2391.52]  for the Lord God will give them light,
[2391.60 --> 2395.58]  and they will reign forever and ever.
[2395.58 --> 2398.54]  The angel said to me,
[2398.54 --> 2401.84]  these words are trustworthy and true.
[2402.64 --> 2405.56]  The Lord, the God who inspires the prophets,
[2405.82 --> 2410.78]  sent His angel to show His servant the things that must soon take place.
[2411.82 --> 2414.82]  Look, I am coming soon.
[2415.88 --> 2421.96]  Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy written in this scroll.
[2421.96 --> 2424.52]  This is the word of the Lord.
[2428.88 --> 2434.96]  When I was a kid, there was a movie that, by the time I was able to watch it,
[2434.98 --> 2438.00]  had already garnered a bit of a cult following.
[2439.18 --> 2441.10]  This movie is called The Karate Kid.
[2442.32 --> 2443.16]  Some of you know it.
[2443.28 --> 2444.92]  I mean, if you're old enough, you remember it.
[2444.98 --> 2446.20]  It came out in 1984.
[2446.20 --> 2449.52]  I didn't watch it until sometime in the mid-90s.
[2449.84 --> 2453.04]  In 1984, I was one, so you shouldn't be watching anyway.
[2453.72 --> 2457.44]  Sometime in the 90s, I watched it, and I fell in love with the story.
[2457.96 --> 2459.18]  Now, if you don't know the story,
[2459.36 --> 2462.10]  and actually probably most of you do, even if you're younger,
[2462.24 --> 2464.18]  because in the last couple of years,
[2464.28 --> 2466.50]  YouTube read and then Netflix took it
[2466.50 --> 2470.16]  and relaunched like a continuation, right, in Cobra Kai.
[2470.84 --> 2475.92]  Anyway, the original story is about a young boy named Daniel LaRusso
[2475.92 --> 2478.76]  who moves to a new school, and at this new school,
[2478.86 --> 2481.34]  he's confronted by a group of bullies,
[2481.44 --> 2484.22]  and they look exactly like bullies did in the 80s, right?
[2484.26 --> 2485.92]  You all know exactly what I'm talking about.
[2487.10 --> 2488.86]  And he's confronted by this group of bullies,
[2488.92 --> 2489.74]  and he runs away.
[2490.14 --> 2491.10]  They catch up to him.
[2491.14 --> 2491.68]  They attack him.
[2491.68 --> 2497.04]  And then this old man, who's the gardener at Daniel LaRusso's house,
[2497.52 --> 2499.20]  comes, and he breaks up the fight.
[2499.20 --> 2500.56]  His name is Mr. Miyagi,
[2501.00 --> 2504.12]  and it turns out he is an expert in karate.
[2505.22 --> 2509.40]  And so Daniel LaRusso wants to get trained by Mr. Miyagi,
[2509.96 --> 2511.56]  and so he goes to him, and he says,
[2511.64 --> 2512.76]  can you show me what you did?
[2512.80 --> 2514.44]  And so he says, okay, yes.
[2514.64 --> 2516.12]  And he begins to train him,
[2516.40 --> 2519.72]  except what Daniel ends up having to do, right,
[2519.78 --> 2522.42]  is he has to learn how to paint the fence.
[2524.42 --> 2527.18]  And then he has to learn how to paint the house.
[2527.18 --> 2530.16]  Okay, I'm not going to stop doing that, right?
[2530.22 --> 2532.58]  But he also has to learn how to sand the floors.
[2533.22 --> 2538.98]  Then, famously, he has to wax on, wax off.
[2539.04 --> 2541.82]  Okay, there's at least three other people here who remember this story.
[2543.28 --> 2543.40]  Right?
[2543.52 --> 2545.56]  Daniel doesn't understand what's happening,
[2545.86 --> 2548.28]  and he feels like he's being taken advantage of,
[2548.32 --> 2552.20]  and that he's just doing these household chores for this weird old man,
[2552.20 --> 2554.24]  and it doesn't make sense.
[2555.32 --> 2555.44]  Right?
[2555.48 --> 2556.54]  So he gets frustrated,
[2556.94 --> 2559.22]  and he questions the purpose of it all.
[2560.94 --> 2563.50]  Now, I don't want to take that as a bit of a metaphor.
[2564.94 --> 2565.12]  Right?
[2565.16 --> 2566.94]  He couldn't see the bigger picture,
[2567.62 --> 2570.92]  and he didn't see how these smaller exercises
[2570.92 --> 2576.36]  were training related to other different exercises.
[2576.36 --> 2579.74]  He couldn't see the big picture,
[2580.28 --> 2582.00]  and so he grew frustrated.
[2583.04 --> 2583.60]  Right?
[2583.64 --> 2585.26]  He couldn't see the big picture,
[2585.48 --> 2588.94]  and so in the face of the trials that were happening,
[2589.40 --> 2590.64]  he got angry.
[2592.12 --> 2595.50]  And then eventually, because he didn't know him well,
[2595.80 --> 2600.86]  he didn't trust Mr. Miyagi as the teacher and as the expert.
[2600.86 --> 2600.98]  Right?
[2603.08 --> 2605.70]  And there's a parable here for us, right?
[2605.72 --> 2608.64]  That when you lose sight of the big picture,
[2609.32 --> 2612.82]  what's right in front of you becomes all-consuming.
[2614.08 --> 2614.18]  Right?
[2614.22 --> 2615.18]  It's a mixed metaphor.
[2615.40 --> 2617.58]  When you lose sight of the forest, right,
[2617.66 --> 2620.52]  all you see is the bark on that one tree
[2620.52 --> 2621.90]  that's right in front of your eyes,
[2622.02 --> 2624.98]  and you know that bark intimately well,
[2625.04 --> 2629.24]  and every groove and crevice in it makes you angry,
[2629.24 --> 2632.70]  because it's all you see.
[2633.68 --> 2634.96]  And we'll continue that, right?
[2634.98 --> 2637.20]  If you can't see the bigger picture,
[2637.48 --> 2639.64]  and you don't trust the teacher,
[2639.76 --> 2641.52]  the one who's showing it to you,
[2642.14 --> 2644.00]  right, you get frustrated.
[2644.82 --> 2647.88]  But if you don't have a relationship with the teacher,
[2648.60 --> 2650.60]  it's very hard, maybe even impossible,
[2651.40 --> 2652.12]  to trust him.
[2654.40 --> 2655.96]  This Advent and Christmas,
[2656.66 --> 2658.24]  in our series here,
[2658.24 --> 2660.38]  we've been looking at the book of Revelation,
[2660.56 --> 2663.54]  and we have been trying to open our eyes
[2663.54 --> 2664.78]  to the bigger picture,
[2665.08 --> 2666.52]  and the one who is painting it.
[2667.80 --> 2670.04]  Advent is a season both of looking back,
[2670.34 --> 2671.54]  and of looking forward.
[2672.14 --> 2674.44]  It's a season of waiting for Christ to come
[2674.44 --> 2676.10]  as a child in the manger,
[2676.28 --> 2678.58]  and a season of waiting for Christ to come
[2678.58 --> 2682.26]  as king heralded by the sound of angels' trumpets.
[2682.26 --> 2685.50]  And because life right now,
[2685.64 --> 2686.50]  here and now,
[2686.64 --> 2687.10]  today,
[2687.18 --> 2688.56]  can be so hard,
[2688.80 --> 2690.14]  and so full of chaos,
[2690.40 --> 2691.46]  and so full of suffering,
[2691.66 --> 2692.24]  and challenges,
[2692.36 --> 2693.30]  so full of frustration,
[2693.52 --> 2695.66]  sometimes it's really hard to see
[2695.66 --> 2696.78]  the big picture.
[2697.82 --> 2700.12]  And because our hearts are fickle,
[2700.18 --> 2701.76]  and we wander away,
[2701.96 --> 2704.62]  it's hard to keep a relationship with God
[2704.62 --> 2706.44]  strong and vital,
[2706.44 --> 2708.22]  like we really believe,
[2708.38 --> 2709.94]  and know that it should be.
[2711.08 --> 2711.66]  And so,
[2712.56 --> 2714.08]  in our time together,
[2714.48 --> 2717.36]  we have been focusing our hearts,
[2717.58 --> 2718.98]  and our imaginations,
[2719.62 --> 2722.48]  on the return of the king.
[2722.48 --> 2725.76]  And with our eyes open
[2725.76 --> 2728.40]  to the truth of what is happening around us,
[2728.44 --> 2731.30]  and to the truth of what will yet come,
[2731.44 --> 2733.56]  to the truth of the return of the king,
[2733.70 --> 2735.66]  we have been trying to live
[2735.66 --> 2738.68]  in anticipation of his return.
[2739.98 --> 2741.62]  And that's been our theme, right?
[2741.66 --> 2744.00]  We read it every time when we do candles,
[2744.14 --> 2745.30]  we hear it here.
[2745.44 --> 2748.58]  Living in anticipation of the return of the king
[2748.58 --> 2751.48]  calls us to be a people of patient,
[2751.48 --> 2752.32]  endurance,
[2752.64 --> 2753.20]  and faith,
[2753.40 --> 2756.16]  who can live rejoicing in the world to come,
[2756.30 --> 2758.12]  and with joy in the world that is,
[2758.50 --> 2761.42]  holding on to the love that holds on to us,
[2761.56 --> 2762.58]  living it boldly,
[2763.10 --> 2764.64]  longing for the day
[2764.64 --> 2767.82]  when all will be made whole.
[2769.18 --> 2771.00]  This last Sunday of Advent,
[2771.76 --> 2773.18]  we look at that last line.
[2773.28 --> 2776.40]  We're going to live in this longing for the day
[2776.40 --> 2778.96]  when all will be made whole.
[2778.96 --> 2782.68]  This last Sunday of Advent,
[2782.90 --> 2785.72]  we have called the Sunday of peace.
[2785.88 --> 2787.72]  We heard it in the candle lighting ceremony
[2787.72 --> 2788.72]  at the beginning,
[2788.92 --> 2791.54]  and in this we are looking at the theme of
[2791.54 --> 2793.74]  and longing for peace.
[2794.06 --> 2795.86]  And we're going to do this in our time
[2795.86 --> 2800.30]  by zeroing in and framing around
[2800.30 --> 2802.34]  verse 3 of what we read.
[2802.42 --> 2804.28]  And so if you've got that there,
[2804.28 --> 2805.40]  verse 3,
[2805.40 --> 2808.88]  no longer will there be any curse.
[2809.28 --> 2810.86]  The throne of God and of the Lamb
[2810.86 --> 2811.82]  will be in the city,
[2812.02 --> 2814.92]  and His servants will serve Him.
[2816.94 --> 2821.12]  This will be our definition of peace.
[2821.74 --> 2823.34]  No longer will there be any curse,
[2823.72 --> 2825.30]  and the throne of God and of the Lamb
[2825.30 --> 2826.22]  will be in the city,
[2826.32 --> 2829.00]  and His servants will serve Him.
[2829.00 --> 2831.98]  We're coming at this idea of peace
[2831.98 --> 2834.42]  in what you might recognize
[2834.42 --> 2836.66]  is an almost Jewish sense.
[2838.16 --> 2840.24]  Peace here, and for us,
[2840.34 --> 2842.04]  is about shalom.
[2842.62 --> 2844.34]  That's the Hebrew word, shalom.
[2844.86 --> 2847.96]  And shalom is really about wholeness.
[2848.44 --> 2849.58]  It is about purpose.
[2849.68 --> 2852.18]  It is about purpose-filled and fulfilled,
[2852.40 --> 2855.20]  and living out of that purpose.
[2855.20 --> 2859.34]  I love the way that theologian
[2859.34 --> 2861.48]  and president of Calvin Seminary
[2861.48 --> 2862.10]  while I was there,
[2862.24 --> 2864.42]  Cornelius Plantinga summarizes it.
[2865.32 --> 2865.74]  He writes,
[2866.00 --> 2870.12]  In the Bible, shalom means
[2870.12 --> 2872.08]  universal flourishing,
[2872.76 --> 2874.42]  wholeness, and delight.
[2875.44 --> 2876.76]  A rich state of affairs
[2876.76 --> 2878.88]  in which natural needs are satisfied
[2878.88 --> 2881.66]  and natural gifts fruitfully employed.
[2882.18 --> 2883.84]  A state of affairs that inspires
[2883.84 --> 2885.10]  joyful wonder
[2885.10 --> 2887.44]  as its creator and savior
[2887.44 --> 2888.48]  opens doors
[2888.48 --> 2890.32]  and welcomes the creatures
[2890.32 --> 2892.16]  in whom He delights.
[2892.54 --> 2894.24]  Shalom, in other words,
[2894.40 --> 2895.00]  he says,
[2895.20 --> 2898.38]  is the way things ought to be.
[2900.06 --> 2904.34]  Shalom is what you were created for.
[2905.82 --> 2907.26]  It's what this whole world
[2907.26 --> 2909.08]  was created for,
[2909.18 --> 2911.34]  and our rebellion against God.
[2911.46 --> 2913.02]  Human sin from the first,
[2913.02 --> 2914.44]  from Adam and Eve
[2914.44 --> 2915.96]  all the way to the present,
[2915.96 --> 2916.80]  to today,
[2916.96 --> 2919.56]  is a breaking of shalom.
[2921.18 --> 2921.74]  And now,
[2921.90 --> 2924.12]  we live in this constant state
[2924.12 --> 2928.12]  of searching for that wholeness again,
[2928.28 --> 2931.38]  or of settling for something
[2931.38 --> 2934.10]  other than true shalom,
[2934.50 --> 2937.06]  because we don't know how to find it,
[2937.86 --> 2938.68]  but we're looking.
[2938.68 --> 2942.20]  Now, I've said it before here,
[2943.02 --> 2946.04]  but perhaps the two greatest desires,
[2946.34 --> 2947.42]  and because I've said it before,
[2947.50 --> 2948.44]  when I say desires,
[2948.54 --> 2949.18]  in your head,
[2949.26 --> 2950.46]  you might hear the word idols,
[2950.60 --> 2951.26]  and that would be fair.
[2952.18 --> 2953.34]  But what I mean here
[2953.34 --> 2954.56]  are your pursuits,
[2955.00 --> 2957.26]  the focuses of your attention,
[2957.84 --> 2959.70]  the focus of your heart,
[2959.84 --> 2960.60]  your affection,
[2960.88 --> 2962.44]  the focus of your effort,
[2963.02 --> 2963.16]  right?
[2963.16 --> 2965.14]  The two greatest desires
[2965.14 --> 2966.54]  in the world today
[2966.54 --> 2968.52]  can be boiled down to
[2968.52 --> 2969.78]  ideas of comfort
[2969.78 --> 2972.10]  and ideas of security.
[2973.92 --> 2974.04]  Right?
[2974.28 --> 2976.16]  Easy and ease.
[2977.26 --> 2978.22]  And if you are living,
[2978.42 --> 2979.08]  in any way,
[2979.18 --> 2980.80]  out of the 21st century
[2980.80 --> 2983.64]  Western consumerist frame,
[2984.04 --> 2986.00]  and I'm going to be honest with you,
[2986.08 --> 2987.08]  all of us are,
[2987.18 --> 2988.92]  because that's the water we swim in,
[2988.92 --> 2990.82]  or the snow we shovel,
[2991.00 --> 2991.56]  maybe today,
[2992.14 --> 2992.34]  right?
[2992.40 --> 2993.46]  That's the world
[2993.46 --> 2994.64]  we are a part of.
[2994.90 --> 2996.54]  If you live in this era
[2996.54 --> 2998.04]  and time and place,
[2998.40 --> 3001.28]  you are being habitually formed
[3001.28 --> 3002.68]  and shaped and pulled
[3002.68 --> 3003.52]  and pushed,
[3004.04 --> 3005.44]  and part of you
[3005.44 --> 3008.94]  is pursuing these twin pillars
[3008.94 --> 3010.98]  of comfort and security
[3010.98 --> 3014.06]  that so many have come to believe
[3014.06 --> 3015.84]  is the purpose of life.
[3015.84 --> 3016.36]  Right?
[3017.60 --> 3019.38]  And there is a cheap version
[3019.38 --> 3020.46]  of shalom
[3020.46 --> 3022.20]  that we are being offered
[3022.20 --> 3023.34]  and we are told
[3023.34 --> 3024.50]  that it will come
[3024.50 --> 3025.86]  at the end of the road
[3025.86 --> 3026.96]  of enough comfort
[3026.96 --> 3028.28]  and enough security.
[3030.96 --> 3031.48]  Now,
[3033.52 --> 3034.86]  I'm going to do a bit of
[3034.86 --> 3036.78]  cultural exegesis
[3036.78 --> 3038.46]  with you for a moment.
[3039.70 --> 3040.54]  And to do that,
[3040.62 --> 3041.88]  we have to do a bit of philosophy,
[3042.22 --> 3044.48]  so come along this journey with me.
[3044.48 --> 3045.74]  But let me explain
[3045.74 --> 3047.28]  what I see here.
[3047.44 --> 3048.68]  And to do that well,
[3048.76 --> 3049.78]  we actually need to go back
[3049.78 --> 3052.56]  150 years or so.
[3053.32 --> 3054.62]  In the 19th century,
[3054.72 --> 3056.16]  at the end of the 19th century,
[3056.50 --> 3057.48]  there is an atheist philosopher
[3058.04 --> 3060.28]  by the name of Friedrich Nietzsche.
[3061.24 --> 3061.44]  Now,
[3061.46 --> 3062.92]  Nietzsche is most famous
[3062.92 --> 3064.54]  for having declared,
[3064.92 --> 3066.30]  God is dead.
[3067.28 --> 3067.48]  Right?
[3067.54 --> 3068.48]  You've probably heard
[3068.48 --> 3070.02]  this quote before.
[3070.42 --> 3070.66]  Now,
[3070.70 --> 3071.64]  when he said that,
[3071.64 --> 3073.40]  he wasn't being flippant
[3073.40 --> 3074.50]  or dismissive.
[3074.60 --> 3074.68]  Right?
[3074.72 --> 3076.28]  His argument was that
[3076.28 --> 3078.12]  reason and science
[3078.12 --> 3079.72]  have moved humanity
[3079.72 --> 3081.60]  beyond a need
[3081.60 --> 3083.58]  for the idea of God.
[3084.46 --> 3084.66]  Right?
[3084.72 --> 3086.36]  Especially for understanding
[3086.36 --> 3087.86]  how the world
[3087.86 --> 3089.42]  has come to be
[3089.42 --> 3090.34]  and how it works
[3090.34 --> 3092.50]  and what is humanity's place
[3092.50 --> 3093.28]  within it.
[3093.32 --> 3093.44]  Right?
[3093.46 --> 3094.54]  We don't need God.
[3094.64 --> 3095.42]  God is dead.
[3095.52 --> 3096.82]  We've moved beyond that.
[3098.14 --> 3098.36]  Now,
[3098.36 --> 3098.98]  for Nietzsche,
[3099.66 --> 3101.34]  God was never real.
[3101.84 --> 3101.88]  Right?
[3101.92 --> 3103.36]  God was an idea
[3103.36 --> 3106.38]  that acted for people
[3106.38 --> 3109.14]  as a crutch
[3109.14 --> 3110.12]  in the face
[3110.12 --> 3111.14]  of our unknowing.
[3112.00 --> 3112.22]  Right?
[3112.26 --> 3113.06]  And that God
[3113.06 --> 3113.86]  was an idea
[3113.86 --> 3114.84]  that acted for people
[3114.84 --> 3116.02]  as a cudgel
[3116.02 --> 3117.52]  for our grasping
[3117.52 --> 3118.54]  of power.
[3119.54 --> 3119.72]  So,
[3119.78 --> 3120.52]  according to Nietzsche,
[3120.68 --> 3121.58]  God was a crutch
[3121.58 --> 3122.58]  and a cudgel
[3122.58 --> 3124.12]  and we've moved
[3124.12 --> 3124.92]  beyond him
[3124.92 --> 3126.42]  or a need
[3126.42 --> 3128.48]  for God.
[3128.60 --> 3129.34]  He wouldn't use
[3129.34 --> 3130.08]  a personal pronoun.
[3131.10 --> 3132.04]  But still,
[3133.62 --> 3134.88]  Nietzsche recognized
[3134.88 --> 3136.78]  that the effect
[3136.78 --> 3139.10]  of the death of God
[3139.10 --> 3140.72]  would have on society.
[3141.56 --> 3141.64]  Right?
[3141.70 --> 3142.50]  Nietzsche writes
[3142.50 --> 3143.56]  that belief
[3143.56 --> 3144.64]  in the Christian God
[3144.64 --> 3146.18]  has become unbelievable
[3146.18 --> 3147.76]  and then he goes on
[3147.76 --> 3148.68]  to say that the cost
[3148.68 --> 3149.80]  of the death of God
[3149.80 --> 3150.52]  would be,
[3150.82 --> 3151.22]  quote,
[3151.22 --> 3154.22]  our entire European morality.
[3154.92 --> 3156.34]  And then,
[3156.46 --> 3157.50]  you read his argument further,
[3157.62 --> 3158.16]  he goes on
[3158.16 --> 3159.44]  to admit the difficulty,
[3159.88 --> 3160.98]  even the possibility
[3160.98 --> 3162.18]  for himself,
[3162.46 --> 3163.50]  with even all the insights
[3163.50 --> 3164.00]  that he has,
[3164.34 --> 3165.20]  of supposing
[3165.20 --> 3166.06]  what this event
[3166.06 --> 3167.52]  really means.
[3170.48 --> 3170.74]  Now,
[3171.92 --> 3174.00]  taking this,
[3174.12 --> 3175.92]  it is my contention
[3175.92 --> 3177.02]  and lots of others
[3177.02 --> 3178.10]  would agree with this,
[3178.18 --> 3180.86]  that the death of God
[3180.86 --> 3182.56]  in the Western
[3182.56 --> 3183.90]  intellectual tradition
[3183.90 --> 3185.78]  that we find ourselves in
[3185.78 --> 3187.66]  creates a crisis
[3187.66 --> 3188.68]  of meaning
[3188.68 --> 3190.26]  in the lives
[3190.26 --> 3191.54]  of ordinary people.
[3192.58 --> 3193.86]  The death of God
[3193.86 --> 3194.90]  creates a crisis
[3194.90 --> 3195.56]  of meaning
[3195.56 --> 3196.58]  in the lives
[3196.58 --> 3197.54]  of ordinary people.
[3197.62 --> 3198.16]  So this isn't
[3198.16 --> 3199.16]  some obscure philosopher
[3199.16 --> 3200.36]  from 150 years ago,
[3200.48 --> 3201.68]  this matters for you
[3201.68 --> 3202.30]  today.
[3203.30 --> 3204.50]  Fast forward to today,
[3204.64 --> 3205.30]  this idea
[3205.30 --> 3206.10]  is coming home
[3206.10 --> 3206.66]  to roost.
[3208.02 --> 3209.58]  One of the best podcasts
[3209.58 --> 3210.58]  I've listened to
[3210.58 --> 3211.38]  recently
[3211.38 --> 3212.58]  is you have
[3212.58 --> 3213.78]  a cognitive scientist,
[3213.96 --> 3214.64]  a psychologist,
[3214.94 --> 3215.96]  a Catholic bishop,
[3216.08 --> 3216.82]  and a philosopher
[3216.82 --> 3217.98]  talking about
[3217.98 --> 3219.24]  the meaning crisis.
[3220.40 --> 3221.46]  In a world
[3221.46 --> 3222.26]  that has pulled
[3222.26 --> 3223.46]  or is pulling out
[3223.46 --> 3224.66]  the Christian foundations
[3224.66 --> 3225.96]  of Western civilization,
[3226.42 --> 3227.50]  the cost of that
[3227.50 --> 3228.22]  has been
[3228.22 --> 3229.92]  our sense of meaning
[3229.92 --> 3231.08]  in the world,
[3232.14 --> 3232.28]  right,
[3232.30 --> 3233.42]  or a shared sense
[3233.42 --> 3233.96]  of meaning.
[3235.12 --> 3235.92]  So the question's like,
[3236.02 --> 3236.64]  what matters?
[3237.16 --> 3238.38]  Or why does anything
[3238.38 --> 3239.04]  matter?
[3239.04 --> 3240.80]  Is there a universal
[3240.80 --> 3242.06]  and shared ground
[3242.06 --> 3243.46]  for discerning meaning
[3243.46 --> 3244.76]  or is it all subjective
[3244.76 --> 3246.28]  and self-determined?
[3246.62 --> 3247.80]  How do I know?
[3248.12 --> 3249.00]  What do I trust?
[3249.10 --> 3250.10]  Or who do I trust?
[3251.00 --> 3252.04]  That's the crisis
[3252.04 --> 3252.86]  that people are
[3252.86 --> 3254.18]  living out of
[3254.18 --> 3254.74]  right now.
[3254.84 --> 3255.28]  They can't,
[3255.42 --> 3256.62]  we can't even answer
[3256.62 --> 3258.14]  these questions well.
[3259.28 --> 3259.98]  And I think that
[3259.98 --> 3260.94]  the contemporary
[3260.94 --> 3262.72]  meaning crisis,
[3264.24 --> 3266.66]  let me say this,
[3266.74 --> 3268.12]  this meaning crisis,
[3268.12 --> 3269.60]  for some of you,
[3269.72 --> 3270.86]  particularly if you're older,
[3271.34 --> 3272.44]  what I'm saying to you
[3272.44 --> 3273.14]  right now doesn't
[3273.14 --> 3273.90]  make any sense.
[3274.86 --> 3276.14]  But if you're in your 20s,
[3276.88 --> 3278.16]  this is your life.
[3278.98 --> 3280.08]  If you're a teenager
[3280.08 --> 3280.54]  right now
[3280.54 --> 3281.28]  and the trajectory
[3281.28 --> 3281.88]  that we're on
[3281.88 --> 3282.44]  holds true,
[3282.74 --> 3283.58]  this will be
[3283.58 --> 3285.32]  incredibly important
[3285.32 --> 3286.14]  for you to be thinking
[3286.14 --> 3287.30]  about and discerning.
[3288.68 --> 3288.78]  Right?
[3288.84 --> 3289.68]  And here's the thing,
[3289.94 --> 3290.08]  right,
[3290.14 --> 3291.56]  you may not be able
[3291.56 --> 3293.04]  to exactly articulate
[3293.04 --> 3294.66]  what I'm talking about here
[3294.66 --> 3295.70]  as a meaning crisis,
[3295.70 --> 3297.40]  but you feel it
[3297.40 --> 3299.06]  in your soul.
[3301.02 --> 3302.10]  And I think that there is a,
[3302.60 --> 3303.82]  in this contemporary
[3303.82 --> 3304.68]  meaning crisis,
[3304.68 --> 3306.32]  there is a straight line
[3306.32 --> 3308.62]  between the feeling
[3308.62 --> 3309.66]  of this crisis
[3309.66 --> 3311.66]  and the loss
[3311.66 --> 3312.72]  of shalom.
[3313.40 --> 3316.22]  The loss of a shared idea
[3316.22 --> 3317.54]  of what shalom
[3317.54 --> 3319.26]  really is.
[3320.28 --> 3321.60]  And because we've lost
[3321.60 --> 3322.98]  this shared sense
[3322.98 --> 3324.36]  and idea of shalom,
[3324.68 --> 3326.40]  we've lost our connection
[3326.40 --> 3327.60]  to purpose.
[3328.36 --> 3329.74]  We've lost our sense
[3329.74 --> 3330.64]  of the direction
[3330.64 --> 3332.34]  that this is all headed in.
[3333.48 --> 3333.60]  Right?
[3333.66 --> 3334.56]  And with the supposed
[3334.56 --> 3335.66]  death of God,
[3335.76 --> 3337.08]  we've lost our teacher.
[3338.24 --> 3338.36]  Right?
[3338.36 --> 3339.06]  The one that we were
[3339.06 --> 3340.02]  supposed to trust
[3340.02 --> 3341.06]  to get us through
[3341.06 --> 3342.10]  and to train us
[3342.10 --> 3342.70]  to the end.
[3342.86 --> 3343.82]  And without trust
[3343.82 --> 3344.78]  and without the teacher,
[3345.10 --> 3345.84]  without our sense
[3345.84 --> 3346.86]  of where we are headed,
[3347.14 --> 3348.16]  so many of us
[3348.16 --> 3349.74]  are just left floundering
[3349.74 --> 3351.06]  and feeling lost
[3351.06 --> 3352.08]  and trying to figure it out
[3352.08 --> 3352.66]  on our own.
[3352.92 --> 3354.12]  And in trying to figure it out
[3354.12 --> 3354.68]  on our own,
[3354.86 --> 3355.80]  we have created
[3355.80 --> 3357.18]  and settled for
[3357.18 --> 3358.28]  these cheap
[3358.28 --> 3360.42]  and other substitutes.
[3362.86 --> 3363.90]  Now, there are countless
[3363.90 --> 3365.42]  of these in the world today.
[3365.46 --> 3366.34]  And I'm going to zero in
[3366.34 --> 3367.52]  on just one
[3367.52 --> 3368.10]  that relates
[3368.10 --> 3369.56]  to our time this morning.
[3370.36 --> 3371.42]  But we can talk further
[3371.42 --> 3372.28]  and see how this
[3372.28 --> 3373.68]  works itself out.
[3373.88 --> 3375.20]  One of the substitutes
[3375.20 --> 3376.78]  that we have created
[3376.78 --> 3377.66]  in the world today
[3377.66 --> 3378.98]  that tries to fill
[3378.98 --> 3380.28]  this meaning gap
[3380.28 --> 3382.08]  has been called
[3382.08 --> 3384.70]  by some comfort culture.
[3386.24 --> 3386.68]  Let me give you
[3386.68 --> 3387.46]  an illustration of this.
[3387.54 --> 3388.24]  Every year,
[3388.54 --> 3389.54]  around this time,
[3389.90 --> 3391.46]  the Oxford Dictionary
[3391.46 --> 3392.16]  and all the other
[3392.16 --> 3393.70]  online dictionaries,
[3393.80 --> 3394.62]  they begin to sort of
[3394.62 --> 3395.62]  publish their
[3395.62 --> 3396.86]  word of the year.
[3397.54 --> 3397.64]  Right?
[3397.76 --> 3399.22]  News reports,
[3399.34 --> 3400.68]  CBC does this every year.
[3400.76 --> 3401.30]  They kind of take
[3401.30 --> 3402.20]  the collection of them
[3402.20 --> 3402.90]  and tell you
[3402.90 --> 3403.76]  what the word
[3403.76 --> 3405.26]  of the year is.
[3405.74 --> 3406.00]  Right?
[3406.06 --> 3406.60]  And it's a word
[3406.60 --> 3407.28]  that is intended
[3407.28 --> 3408.10]  to sort of like
[3408.10 --> 3409.88]  define or explain
[3409.88 --> 3410.86]  the experience
[3410.86 --> 3411.78]  of the year before.
[3412.00 --> 3413.14]  Sometimes it's a new word
[3413.14 --> 3413.92]  that was created
[3413.92 --> 3415.28]  during that year
[3415.28 --> 3415.84]  and it's added
[3415.84 --> 3416.52]  to the dictionary.
[3417.36 --> 3417.54]  Anyways,
[3417.56 --> 3418.40]  there's all sorts of
[3418.40 --> 3419.46]  words that come
[3419.46 --> 3420.38]  and there's runners up
[3420.38 --> 3420.86]  and the like.
[3421.16 --> 3422.44]  One of the words
[3422.44 --> 3423.48]  for this year
[3423.48 --> 3425.20]  is goblin mode.
[3426.72 --> 3427.14]  Some of you
[3427.14 --> 3427.64]  are looking at me
[3427.64 --> 3428.26]  like I'm crazy.
[3428.38 --> 3429.56]  Have anyone else
[3429.56 --> 3430.22]  heard of the word
[3430.22 --> 3431.02]  goblin mode?
[3431.68 --> 3432.08]  Yeah, see,
[3432.18 --> 3432.82]  there's some people
[3432.82 --> 3433.42]  in their 20s
[3433.42 --> 3433.76]  who are like,
[3433.84 --> 3434.00]  yeah,
[3434.18 --> 3434.94]  I know exactly
[3434.94 --> 3435.62]  what that is.
[3436.52 --> 3437.58]  Goblin mode
[3437.58 --> 3440.72]  refers to,
[3441.62 --> 3442.54]  how can I
[3442.54 --> 3443.94]  articulate it?
[3444.94 --> 3445.78]  Your house
[3445.78 --> 3446.50]  is a mess
[3446.50 --> 3448.00]  because you've
[3448.00 --> 3449.28]  ordered Uber Eats
[3449.28 --> 3450.64]  for the last six days
[3450.64 --> 3452.24]  and you haven't
[3452.24 --> 3452.90]  done laundry
[3452.90 --> 3454.18]  because you are
[3454.18 --> 3455.14]  committed to
[3455.14 --> 3457.18]  100% completing
[3457.18 --> 3458.14]  the new god of war.
[3459.30 --> 3460.04]  And so you're
[3460.04 --> 3461.00]  living in track pants
[3461.00 --> 3462.70]  and in sloth
[3462.70 --> 3463.86]  because that's
[3463.86 --> 3464.28]  what you're going
[3464.28 --> 3464.62]  to do.
[3464.62 --> 3465.46]  And it doesn't
[3465.46 --> 3465.68]  matter.
[3465.78 --> 3466.48]  You look like
[3466.48 --> 3467.08]  a goblin.
[3468.50 --> 3468.60]  Right?
[3468.64 --> 3470.46]  That's goblin mode.
[3471.02 --> 3471.08]  Right?
[3471.28 --> 3472.28]  Comfort culture
[3472.28 --> 3473.80]  or goblin mode
[3473.80 --> 3474.62]  is like the extreme
[3474.62 --> 3475.50]  form of comfort
[3475.50 --> 3475.90]  culture.
[3476.48 --> 3477.14]  Comfort culture
[3477.14 --> 3478.56]  is Netflix
[3478.56 --> 3479.32]  binging
[3479.32 --> 3480.94]  and not knowing
[3480.94 --> 3481.30]  what happened
[3481.30 --> 3481.90]  to the last six
[3481.90 --> 3482.60]  hours of your day.
[3483.56 --> 3483.66]  Right?
[3483.74 --> 3484.32]  Comfort culture
[3484.32 --> 3485.40]  is Instagram
[3485.40 --> 3486.20]  scrolling
[3486.20 --> 3488.98]  because you don't
[3488.98 --> 3489.54]  really want to deal
[3489.54 --> 3489.94]  with the people
[3489.94 --> 3490.50]  beside you.
[3491.58 --> 3492.28]  Comfort culture
[3492.28 --> 3493.48]  is fantasy
[3493.48 --> 3495.10]  sports scheming
[3495.10 --> 3495.90]  and planning
[3495.90 --> 3496.82]  and trading
[3496.82 --> 3498.08]  and shifting.
[3499.64 --> 3500.62]  One writer
[3500.62 --> 3502.08]  that I read
[3502.08 --> 3502.62]  this week
[3502.62 --> 3503.62]  called them
[3503.62 --> 3505.38]  comfy couch
[3505.38 --> 3506.38]  consolations
[3506.38 --> 3507.22]  to fill
[3507.22 --> 3508.04]  the meaning
[3508.04 --> 3508.44]  gap.
[3509.44 --> 3510.10]  They said
[3510.10 --> 3510.90]  it is a form
[3510.90 --> 3511.64]  of consumption
[3511.64 --> 3513.12]  to ameliorate
[3513.12 --> 3513.86]  ennui.
[3515.14 --> 3516.08]  Comfy couch
[3516.08 --> 3516.64]  consumption
[3516.64 --> 3518.14]  to fill
[3518.14 --> 3519.50]  the meaning
[3519.50 --> 3519.84]  gap
[3519.84 --> 3520.76]  and consumption
[3520.76 --> 3522.16]  to ameliorate
[3522.16 --> 3522.92]  ennui.
[3524.10 --> 3525.02]  I repeat that
[3525.02 --> 3525.60]  because I just think
[3525.60 --> 3526.46]  some people can write.
[3527.26 --> 3527.78]  Some people know
[3527.78 --> 3528.34]  how to write
[3528.34 --> 3529.04]  and it's compelling
[3529.04 --> 3530.36]  but the point is
[3530.36 --> 3531.80]  that we consume
[3531.80 --> 3533.08]  distractions
[3533.08 --> 3534.76]  to numb us
[3534.76 --> 3535.72]  or to perhaps
[3535.72 --> 3536.64]  hold at bay
[3536.64 --> 3537.46]  for five minutes
[3537.46 --> 3538.30]  longer the truth
[3538.30 --> 3539.36]  that I really just
[3539.36 --> 3540.08]  feel this sense
[3540.08 --> 3540.84]  of meaninglessness.
[3542.18 --> 3542.40]  And now
[3542.40 --> 3543.20]  don't hear what
[3543.20 --> 3543.88]  I'm not saying
[3543.88 --> 3544.16]  right?
[3544.22 --> 3545.06]  Because I love
[3545.06 --> 3545.76]  a good movie.
[3546.76 --> 3547.74]  And I'm the first
[3547.74 --> 3548.72]  to enjoy
[3548.72 --> 3549.62]  a good game
[3549.62 --> 3550.30]  a video game
[3550.30 --> 3550.84]  or otherwise.
[3551.40 --> 3552.34]  I love food
[3552.34 --> 3552.82]  and I love
[3552.82 --> 3553.62]  foodie culture
[3553.62 --> 3554.64]  and I believe
[3554.64 --> 3555.88]  that most of these
[3555.88 --> 3556.12]  things,
[3556.20 --> 3557.12]  maybe even all of them
[3557.12 --> 3557.80]  if done properly
[3557.80 --> 3558.68]  are good gifts
[3558.68 --> 3559.14]  of God
[3559.14 --> 3559.94]  for his people.
[3560.36 --> 3560.92]  And I believe
[3560.92 --> 3561.56]  that we can even
[3561.56 --> 3562.48]  look at some
[3562.48 --> 3563.00]  of these things
[3563.00 --> 3563.70]  as part of
[3563.70 --> 3564.44]  God's gift
[3564.44 --> 3565.54]  of common grace
[3565.54 --> 3566.44]  to the world
[3566.44 --> 3567.04]  as we learn
[3567.04 --> 3567.98]  how to rest
[3567.98 --> 3568.86]  in him
[3568.86 --> 3569.60]  and as our rest
[3569.60 --> 3570.38]  is an expression
[3570.38 --> 3571.24]  of our trust
[3571.24 --> 3571.94]  in him
[3571.94 --> 3572.64]  and our gratitude
[3572.64 --> 3573.74]  for all that
[3573.74 --> 3574.50]  he has done.
[3575.76 --> 3576.80]  But,
[3577.60 --> 3579.68]  and I'll say it again,
[3580.44 --> 3581.32]  because we have
[3581.32 --> 3582.58]  lost the big picture,
[3583.22 --> 3584.74]  because we no longer
[3584.74 --> 3585.70]  have comprehensive
[3585.70 --> 3586.72]  understanding of
[3586.72 --> 3587.22]  shalom
[3587.22 --> 3588.32]  that God has
[3588.32 --> 3589.36]  created us for
[3589.36 --> 3590.06]  and to live
[3590.06 --> 3590.94]  with him in,
[3591.34 --> 3592.48]  we substitute
[3592.48 --> 3594.24]  these lesser glories,
[3594.46 --> 3595.08]  these lesser
[3595.08 --> 3596.32]  experiences of shalom,
[3596.44 --> 3597.54]  these other good things
[3597.54 --> 3599.06]  into ultimate things.
[3599.40 --> 3601.28]  We take them
[3601.28 --> 3601.80]  in place
[3601.80 --> 3602.54]  of the fullest
[3602.54 --> 3603.22]  one.
[3603.22 --> 3603.88]  Right?
[3603.92 --> 3604.72]  We want Netflix
[3604.72 --> 3606.22]  to numb the reality
[3606.22 --> 3607.58]  of our unknowing.
[3607.90 --> 3608.58]  We want scrolling
[3608.58 --> 3609.46]  Instagram reels
[3609.46 --> 3610.30]  to hold at bay
[3610.30 --> 3611.50]  the dissatisfaction
[3611.50 --> 3612.46]  we have with
[3612.46 --> 3613.14]  our own lives.
[3614.72 --> 3616.38]  And here's the thing,
[3616.44 --> 3616.88]  and here's where
[3616.88 --> 3617.88]  we begin to tie
[3617.88 --> 3618.54]  this all together.
[3618.96 --> 3619.92]  Because as Christians,
[3620.16 --> 3620.70]  sitting here
[3620.70 --> 3622.16]  on Sunday especially,
[3622.40 --> 3622.52]  right,
[3622.64 --> 3623.68]  we know that
[3623.68 --> 3624.80]  Nietzsche was wrong
[3624.80 --> 3626.06]  when he declared
[3626.06 --> 3626.92]  God is dead.
[3626.92 --> 3626.96]  dead.
[3627.84 --> 3628.88]  And yet,
[3629.76 --> 3632.28]  I would dare say
[3632.28 --> 3633.04]  that every one
[3633.04 --> 3633.66]  of us
[3633.66 --> 3635.54]  lives
[3635.54 --> 3636.94]  as if these
[3636.94 --> 3637.86]  idols of comfort
[3637.86 --> 3638.72]  and security
[3638.72 --> 3640.30]  are true
[3640.30 --> 3640.94]  and our full
[3640.94 --> 3641.56]  sense of meaning.
[3641.90 --> 3642.82]  And when we live
[3642.82 --> 3643.38]  with these
[3643.38 --> 3644.44]  as our source
[3644.44 --> 3644.92]  of meaning
[3644.92 --> 3645.50]  and purpose
[3645.50 --> 3646.04]  in the world
[3646.04 --> 3647.02]  in order to increase
[3647.02 --> 3647.62]  our comfort
[3647.62 --> 3648.36]  and security,
[3648.60 --> 3649.94]  we end up proving
[3649.94 --> 3651.34]  Nietzsche functionally
[3651.34 --> 3652.26]  right.
[3654.76 --> 3655.72]  I'll put it this way,
[3655.72 --> 3656.46]  a few years ago,
[3657.08 --> 3658.00]  Craig Groeschel
[3658.00 --> 3658.64]  wrote a book
[3658.64 --> 3660.36]  that gets at this idea.
[3660.48 --> 3661.10]  The book that he wrote
[3661.10 --> 3661.50]  is called
[3661.50 --> 3662.82]  The Christian Atheist.
[3663.68 --> 3664.98]  The tagline of that book
[3664.98 --> 3665.68]  tells you what you need
[3665.68 --> 3665.92]  to know.
[3665.98 --> 3666.16]  It says,
[3666.52 --> 3667.54]  Believing in God
[3667.54 --> 3668.68]  but living as if
[3668.68 --> 3669.76]  he doesn't exist.
[3672.80 --> 3673.78]  Who does that define?
[3676.06 --> 3676.84]  You don't actually
[3676.84 --> 3677.72]  have to put your hands up,
[3678.92 --> 3680.06]  but I suggest
[3680.06 --> 3681.72]  every one of us.
[3683.06 --> 3683.94]  Believing in God
[3683.94 --> 3684.66]  but living as he
[3684.66 --> 3685.64]  doesn't exist.
[3685.72 --> 3686.16]  He goes on
[3686.16 --> 3686.90]  to ask the question,
[3687.00 --> 3688.00]  who do we believe more,
[3688.10 --> 3689.68]  ourselves or God?
[3690.50 --> 3691.46]  Our actions
[3691.46 --> 3692.36]  and decisions
[3692.36 --> 3693.82]  will reflect
[3693.82 --> 3695.62]  that answer.
[3697.84 --> 3699.14]  That's an introspection
[3699.14 --> 3700.00]  question
[3700.00 --> 3701.50]  that kind of scares me
[3701.50 --> 3702.28]  a little bit
[3702.28 --> 3702.78]  and it's one
[3702.78 --> 3703.70]  that I force myself
[3703.70 --> 3704.52]  to ask over
[3704.52 --> 3705.68]  and over again
[3705.68 --> 3706.82]  and I sometimes
[3706.82 --> 3707.98]  wonder if
[3707.98 --> 3709.46]  as a church
[3709.46 --> 3710.84]  we profess
[3710.84 --> 3712.32]  belief in God
[3712.32 --> 3714.26]  but we live
[3714.26 --> 3715.10]  as atheists.
[3715.72 --> 3718.58]  David Platt
[3718.58 --> 3720.00]  in his awesome
[3720.00 --> 3720.78]  little book
[3720.78 --> 3721.38]  Radical
[3721.38 --> 3722.84]  he writes
[3722.84 --> 3723.42]  the following.
[3723.54 --> 3723.82]  He says,
[3724.46 --> 3725.72]  somewhere along the way
[3725.72 --> 3726.46]  we have missed
[3726.46 --> 3727.20]  what is radical
[3727.20 --> 3728.20]  about our faith
[3728.20 --> 3729.24]  and replaced it
[3729.24 --> 3730.38]  with what is comfortable.
[3731.26 --> 3732.06]  We settle
[3732.06 --> 3732.90]  for a Christianity
[3732.90 --> 3734.10]  that revolves around
[3734.10 --> 3735.46]  catering to ourselves
[3735.46 --> 3737.08]  when the central message
[3737.08 --> 3737.72]  of Christianity
[3737.72 --> 3739.20]  is actually about
[3739.20 --> 3740.22]  abandoning
[3740.22 --> 3741.12]  ourselves.
[3741.12 --> 3745.50]  and so what is it
[3745.50 --> 3747.14]  that will fill up
[3747.14 --> 3748.48]  the meaning crisis?
[3749.52 --> 3750.26]  What is it
[3750.26 --> 3751.18]  that will overcome
[3751.18 --> 3752.48]  your apathy?
[3753.36 --> 3754.04]  What is it
[3754.04 --> 3755.02]  that will allow us
[3755.02 --> 3755.66]  to live
[3755.66 --> 3756.84]  as Christians
[3756.84 --> 3758.46]  not as Christian
[3758.46 --> 3759.62]  atheists?
[3759.98 --> 3761.10]  As though God
[3761.10 --> 3762.28]  is truly God
[3762.28 --> 3762.96]  and powerful
[3762.96 --> 3763.80]  and sovereign
[3763.80 --> 3764.92]  over all the earth
[3764.92 --> 3765.78]  and what will that
[3765.78 --> 3766.58]  change
[3766.58 --> 3767.56]  if you do?
[3767.56 --> 3769.60]  What do we need
[3769.60 --> 3770.94]  to cast off
[3770.94 --> 3772.00]  or how do we
[3772.00 --> 3772.66]  cast off
[3772.66 --> 3773.48]  the comfortable
[3773.48 --> 3774.94]  and then embrace
[3774.94 --> 3775.88]  the cost
[3775.88 --> 3776.98]  of radical
[3776.98 --> 3778.16]  discipleship?
[3780.16 --> 3780.98]  And while there's
[3780.98 --> 3781.90]  no easy answer
[3781.90 --> 3783.14]  to that question
[3783.14 --> 3784.04]  and every one of you
[3784.04 --> 3785.20]  will have to discern
[3785.20 --> 3786.22]  what that means
[3786.22 --> 3786.64]  for you
[3786.64 --> 3787.38]  and how you will
[3787.38 --> 3787.92]  do that
[3787.92 --> 3789.52]  I know
[3789.52 --> 3790.78]  that doing this
[3790.78 --> 3791.82]  and asking these questions
[3791.82 --> 3792.52]  answering them
[3792.52 --> 3793.38]  will actually
[3793.38 --> 3794.90]  have the impact
[3794.90 --> 3795.98]  of making life
[3795.98 --> 3797.22]  more difficult
[3797.22 --> 3798.50]  for most of us.
[3800.04 --> 3800.98]  And Jesus knew
[3800.98 --> 3801.96]  that that would be true too
[3801.96 --> 3803.24]  because he warned us
[3803.24 --> 3804.34]  in John 16
[3804.34 --> 3804.96]  he says
[3804.96 --> 3805.88]  in this world
[3805.88 --> 3806.96]  you will have trouble.
[3809.86 --> 3810.80]  But he adds
[3810.80 --> 3811.64]  take heart
[3811.64 --> 3814.74]  I have overcome
[3814.74 --> 3816.20]  the world.
[3818.48 --> 3819.30]  And so I believe
[3819.30 --> 3821.56]  that the beginning
[3821.56 --> 3822.62]  of an answer
[3822.62 --> 3824.08]  to the meaning crisis
[3824.08 --> 3824.90]  that we find
[3824.90 --> 3825.84]  ourselves in
[3825.84 --> 3826.82]  starts
[3826.82 --> 3828.06]  with a shared
[3828.06 --> 3828.64]  vision
[3828.64 --> 3829.78]  of what is ahead.
[3830.56 --> 3831.66]  Starts with a shared
[3831.66 --> 3832.36]  vision of
[3832.36 --> 3833.54]  of shalom
[3833.54 --> 3834.06]  that is
[3834.06 --> 3835.00]  compelling
[3835.00 --> 3836.40]  to our hearts
[3836.40 --> 3837.26]  and to our
[3837.26 --> 3838.04]  imaginations.
[3839.62 --> 3840.14]  And so John
[3840.14 --> 3840.56]  writes
[3840.56 --> 3840.98]  he says
[3840.98 --> 3841.86]  then the angel
[3841.86 --> 3842.74]  showed me
[3842.74 --> 3843.62]  the river
[3843.62 --> 3844.42]  of the water
[3844.42 --> 3845.08]  of life
[3845.08 --> 3846.10]  as clear
[3846.10 --> 3847.24]  as crystal
[3847.24 --> 3847.86]  flowing
[3847.86 --> 3848.82]  from the throne
[3848.82 --> 3849.44]  of God
[3849.44 --> 3850.70]  and of the Lamb.
[3851.62 --> 3851.70]  Right?
[3851.76 --> 3852.10]  But John
[3852.10 --> 3852.80]  is giving us
[3852.80 --> 3853.60]  this beautiful
[3853.60 --> 3854.14]  picture
[3854.14 --> 3855.48]  of a renewed
[3855.48 --> 3856.40]  earth
[3856.40 --> 3857.68]  and it's a picture
[3857.68 --> 3858.60]  that parallels
[3858.60 --> 3859.66]  quite closely
[3859.66 --> 3860.58]  the garden
[3860.58 --> 3861.22]  of Eden
[3861.22 --> 3861.84]  that we see
[3861.84 --> 3862.66]  in Genesis 1
[3862.66 --> 3863.14]  and 2
[3863.14 --> 3863.84]  but here
[3863.84 --> 3864.48]  now
[3864.48 --> 3865.36]  it's not just
[3865.36 --> 3865.90]  a garden
[3865.90 --> 3867.22]  but it's a city
[3867.22 --> 3868.40]  that looks like
[3868.40 --> 3868.86]  a garden.
[3869.28 --> 3869.64]  And so there's
[3869.64 --> 3870.52]  been this progression
[3870.52 --> 3871.36]  this movement
[3871.36 --> 3872.24]  from the intent
[3872.24 --> 3873.00]  in the beginning
[3873.00 --> 3874.94]  now that culminates
[3874.94 --> 3875.90]  and comes together
[3875.90 --> 3877.08]  in this beautiful
[3877.08 --> 3877.94]  picture.
[3877.94 --> 3878.20]  Right?
[3878.48 --> 3879.42]  And so we see
[3879.42 --> 3880.12]  the world
[3880.12 --> 3881.00]  the way it was
[3881.00 --> 3882.52]  before the rebellion
[3882.52 --> 3883.56]  against God
[3883.56 --> 3884.54]  before the fall
[3884.54 --> 3885.42]  the shalom
[3885.42 --> 3886.44]  that Adam and Eve
[3886.44 --> 3888.12]  lived with God
[3888.12 --> 3889.08]  in the midst of
[3889.08 --> 3889.86]  we see that
[3889.86 --> 3890.80]  restored
[3890.80 --> 3892.00]  and this world
[3892.00 --> 3892.92]  transformed
[3892.92 --> 3893.66]  right?
[3893.76 --> 3894.48]  This river
[3894.48 --> 3895.02]  we read
[3895.02 --> 3896.12]  is made up
[3896.12 --> 3897.72]  of living water.
[3898.34 --> 3899.02]  That phrase
[3899.02 --> 3899.80]  living water
[3899.80 --> 3900.56]  is the same
[3900.56 --> 3901.40]  word pair
[3901.40 --> 3902.88]  that Jesus uses
[3902.88 --> 3903.62]  when talking
[3903.62 --> 3904.46]  to the woman
[3904.46 --> 3905.08]  at the well
[3905.08 --> 3905.96]  in John 4.
[3906.44 --> 3906.62]  Right?
[3906.62 --> 3907.52]  The Samaritan woman
[3907.52 --> 3908.32]  asks
[3908.32 --> 3909.42]  Jesus asks her
[3909.42 --> 3909.90]  for water
[3909.90 --> 3910.66]  she gets him some
[3910.66 --> 3911.62]  and then he tells her
[3911.62 --> 3912.94]  that if she knew
[3912.94 --> 3913.92]  who he was
[3913.92 --> 3914.84]  or who was speaking
[3914.84 --> 3916.40]  she would ask him
[3916.40 --> 3917.16]  for water
[3917.16 --> 3918.28]  and he would have
[3918.28 --> 3918.74]  given her
[3918.74 --> 3919.68]  living water
[3919.68 --> 3920.54]  and he says
[3920.54 --> 3922.08]  the water
[3922.08 --> 3923.08]  I give them
[3923.08 --> 3923.74]  will become
[3923.74 --> 3924.24]  in them
[3924.24 --> 3925.66]  a spring of water
[3925.66 --> 3926.38]  welling up
[3926.38 --> 3928.28]  to eternal life.
[3929.66 --> 3930.12]  And so here
[3930.12 --> 3930.98]  you have this picture
[3930.98 --> 3932.98]  in Revelation 22
[3932.98 --> 3934.22]  sort of working
[3934.22 --> 3935.26]  its way backwards
[3935.26 --> 3936.82]  through history
[3936.82 --> 3937.58]  right?
[3937.66 --> 3938.32]  To see
[3938.32 --> 3939.18]  that the water
[3939.18 --> 3940.10]  Jesus is talking
[3940.10 --> 3941.14]  about in John 4
[3941.14 --> 3942.56]  is this spring
[3942.56 --> 3943.90]  of living water
[3943.90 --> 3944.94]  that runs
[3944.94 --> 3945.72]  through the city.
[3946.68 --> 3947.24]  Right?
[3947.28 --> 3948.16]  In John 4
[3948.16 --> 3949.48]  and in Revelation 22
[3949.48 --> 3950.06]  right?
[3950.12 --> 3951.10]  This living water
[3951.10 --> 3952.42]  is about the gift
[3952.42 --> 3953.42]  of restored
[3953.42 --> 3954.26]  relationship
[3954.26 --> 3955.22]  to God
[3955.22 --> 3955.94]  is about the gift
[3955.94 --> 3956.74]  of restored
[3956.74 --> 3957.78]  shalom.
[3958.74 --> 3958.84]  Right?
[3958.86 --> 3959.50]  That's what the woman
[3959.50 --> 3960.08]  at the well
[3960.08 --> 3961.18]  thirsted for
[3961.18 --> 3962.78]  this sense of wholeness
[3962.78 --> 3963.46]  and fullness
[3963.46 --> 3964.68]  and completeness
[3964.68 --> 3965.22]  that's what you
[3965.22 --> 3965.70]  and I
[3965.70 --> 3966.70]  are constantly
[3966.70 --> 3967.82]  thirsting for
[3967.82 --> 3968.94]  and looking for
[3968.94 --> 3969.38]  that's what we
[3969.38 --> 3970.18]  are longing for
[3970.18 --> 3970.62]  that's what we
[3970.62 --> 3971.92]  are trying to find
[3971.92 --> 3973.50]  in comfort culture
[3973.50 --> 3974.34]  or in any other
[3974.34 --> 3974.92]  substitute
[3974.92 --> 3975.90]  for shalom
[3975.90 --> 3977.22]  this is what
[3977.22 --> 3978.46]  and whom
[3978.46 --> 3979.50]  you are
[3979.50 --> 3980.42]  parched
[3980.42 --> 3981.26]  without.
[3983.82 --> 3984.88]  John continues
[3984.88 --> 3985.48]  he goes on
[3985.48 --> 3985.72]  he says
[3985.72 --> 3986.48]  on each side
[3986.48 --> 3987.02]  of the river
[3987.02 --> 3988.20]  stood the tree
[3988.20 --> 3988.80]  of life
[3988.80 --> 3989.00]  now
[3989.00 --> 3990.46]  I don't know
[3990.46 --> 3991.54]  how that is possible
[3991.54 --> 3992.06]  right?
[3992.16 --> 3992.66]  That there's
[3992.66 --> 3993.56]  one river
[3993.56 --> 3994.08]  and on each
[3994.08 --> 3994.48]  side of it
[3994.48 --> 3994.94]  there's one
[3994.94 --> 3995.30]  tree
[3995.30 --> 3996.50]  now
[3996.50 --> 3997.08]  I mean
[3997.08 --> 3997.32]  you might
[3997.32 --> 3997.90]  picture some
[3997.90 --> 3998.70]  fantastic root
[3998.70 --> 3999.04]  structure
[3999.04 --> 3999.54]  that's fine
[3999.54 --> 4000.72]  the point is
[4000.72 --> 4001.24]  not that it
[4001.24 --> 4001.66]  makes sense
[4001.66 --> 4002.18]  but that it is
[4002.18 --> 4002.78]  this compelling
[4002.78 --> 4003.86]  image of this
[4003.86 --> 4004.62]  massive tree
[4004.62 --> 4005.18]  and that the
[4005.18 --> 4006.18]  water is
[4006.18 --> 4007.08]  flowing out
[4007.08 --> 4007.82]  and through
[4007.82 --> 4008.52]  and to
[4008.52 --> 4009.32]  you
[4009.32 --> 4010.80]  right?
[4010.86 --> 4011.50]  And on this
[4011.50 --> 4012.06]  tree
[4012.06 --> 4013.74]  on each side
[4013.74 --> 4014.06]  of the river
[4014.06 --> 4014.60]  stood the tree
[4014.60 --> 4015.04]  of life
[4015.04 --> 4015.84]  bearing twelve
[4015.84 --> 4016.82]  crops of fruit
[4016.82 --> 4017.74]  yielding its
[4017.74 --> 4018.80]  fruit every month
[4018.80 --> 4019.48]  and the leaves
[4019.48 --> 4019.98]  of the tree
[4019.98 --> 4020.58]  are for the
[4020.58 --> 4020.94]  healing
[4020.94 --> 4022.20]  of nations
[4022.20 --> 4023.80]  and again
[4023.80 --> 4024.86]  right?
[4024.98 --> 4025.52]  If you are
[4025.52 --> 4026.44]  holding Genesis
[4026.44 --> 4027.22]  one and two
[4027.22 --> 4028.08]  in your mind
[4028.08 --> 4028.66]  as we are
[4028.66 --> 4029.14]  reading this
[4029.14 --> 4029.42]  story
[4029.42 --> 4030.00]  we are taken
[4030.00 --> 4031.26]  back to the
[4031.26 --> 4031.60]  garden
[4031.60 --> 4032.76]  and in the
[4032.76 --> 4033.46]  garden of Eden
[4033.46 --> 4033.88]  right?
[4033.98 --> 4034.20]  You remember
[4034.20 --> 4034.64]  the story
[4034.64 --> 4035.18]  there are
[4035.18 --> 4035.84]  how many
[4035.84 --> 4036.22]  trees?
[4036.90 --> 4037.40]  Two
[4037.40 --> 4038.62]  right?
[4038.66 --> 4039.06]  The tree
[4039.06 --> 4039.62]  of the knowledge
[4039.62 --> 4040.44]  of good and evil
[4040.44 --> 4041.00]  that's what
[4041.00 --> 4041.88]  Adam and Eve
[4041.88 --> 4042.64]  ate
[4042.64 --> 4044.02]  and the fruit
[4044.02 --> 4044.74]  from which
[4044.74 --> 4045.08]  was the
[4045.08 --> 4045.50]  temptation
[4045.50 --> 4046.34]  by the serpent
[4046.34 --> 4047.20]  and there
[4047.20 --> 4048.02]  is the tree
[4048.02 --> 4049.12]  of life
[4049.12 --> 4049.78]  that stood
[4049.78 --> 4050.76]  in the garden
[4050.76 --> 4051.74]  and the tree
[4051.74 --> 4052.18]  of life
[4052.18 --> 4052.70]  being there
[4052.70 --> 4053.34]  is the reason
[4053.34 --> 4053.78]  that God
[4053.78 --> 4054.60]  had to expel
[4054.60 --> 4055.14]  them after
[4055.14 --> 4055.64]  eating from
[4055.64 --> 4056.02]  the tree
[4056.02 --> 4056.48]  of knowledge
[4056.48 --> 4057.14]  of good and evil
[4057.14 --> 4057.58]  so that they
[4057.58 --> 4058.30]  might not also
[4058.30 --> 4058.90]  eat of the tree
[4058.90 --> 4059.26]  of life
[4059.26 --> 4060.26]  and live forever
[4060.26 --> 4060.90]  in their sin
[4060.90 --> 4062.52]  but now
[4062.52 --> 4064.18]  in Revelation 22
[4064.18 --> 4066.10]  there's one tree
[4066.10 --> 4068.96]  you might ask
[4068.96 --> 4069.54]  where's the other
[4069.54 --> 4069.86]  tree?
[4071.14 --> 4072.00]  That tree
[4072.00 --> 4073.30]  has been felled
[4073.30 --> 4075.56]  that tree
[4075.56 --> 4076.20]  has been chopped
[4076.20 --> 4076.62]  down
[4076.62 --> 4077.52]  that tree
[4077.52 --> 4078.16]  has been shaped
[4078.16 --> 4079.02]  into a cross
[4079.02 --> 4079.80]  and on it
[4079.80 --> 4080.20]  hung
[4080.20 --> 4081.14]  Jesus
[4081.14 --> 4083.36]  Jesus
[4083.36 --> 4084.36]  who lived
[4084.36 --> 4084.82]  the life
[4084.82 --> 4085.34]  that we were
[4085.34 --> 4086.28]  supposed to live
[4086.28 --> 4086.94]  giving us
[4086.94 --> 4088.00]  his good
[4088.00 --> 4089.06]  and Jesus
[4089.06 --> 4089.62]  who died
[4089.62 --> 4090.12]  the death
[4090.12 --> 4091.14]  that we deserved
[4091.14 --> 4092.34]  and died
[4092.34 --> 4092.76]  the death
[4092.76 --> 4093.46]  that was punishment
[4093.46 --> 4094.24]  for us
[4094.24 --> 4095.54]  taking on him
[4095.54 --> 4096.82]  our evil
[4096.82 --> 4097.50]  right?
[4097.60 --> 4098.58]  Good and evil
[4098.58 --> 4099.52]  on this tree
[4099.52 --> 4100.26]  cut down
[4100.26 --> 4101.02]  into the shape
[4101.02 --> 4102.18]  of a Roman cross
[4102.18 --> 4102.84]  so that now
[4102.84 --> 4103.96]  we might be able
[4103.96 --> 4105.08]  to eat of the tree
[4105.08 --> 4105.74]  of life
[4105.74 --> 4106.90]  in this new
[4106.90 --> 4107.50]  garden
[4107.50 --> 4108.10]  in the midst
[4108.10 --> 4108.78]  of a city
[4108.78 --> 4109.82]  restored
[4109.82 --> 4111.22]  to God
[4111.22 --> 4115.06]  that's our
[4115.06 --> 4115.94]  compelling vision
[4115.94 --> 4116.60]  of Shalom
[4116.60 --> 4118.24]  and it's now
[4118.24 --> 4119.30]  these two trees
[4119.30 --> 4119.70]  together
[4119.70 --> 4120.48]  the one that was
[4120.48 --> 4121.08]  felled
[4121.08 --> 4122.14]  and on which
[4122.14 --> 4123.06]  Jesus died
[4123.06 --> 4123.78]  and the one
[4123.78 --> 4124.70]  in that future
[4124.70 --> 4125.54]  garden
[4125.54 --> 4126.38]  restored
[4126.38 --> 4127.30]  that bring
[4127.30 --> 4128.08]  peace
[4128.08 --> 4129.46]  right?
[4129.54 --> 4130.54]  Eating of the first
[4130.54 --> 4131.28]  tree broke
[4131.28 --> 4131.84]  Shalom
[4131.84 --> 4132.88]  Jesus dying
[4132.88 --> 4133.96]  on that tree
[4133.96 --> 4134.74]  made restoration
[4134.74 --> 4135.68]  possible
[4135.68 --> 4136.42]  and the second
[4136.42 --> 4136.82]  tree
[4136.82 --> 4138.00]  is a picture
[4138.00 --> 4139.04]  of Shalom
[4139.04 --> 4140.14]  restored
[4140.14 --> 4141.38]  the healing
[4141.38 --> 4142.76]  of the nations
[4142.76 --> 4145.32]  for to us
[4145.32 --> 4146.02]  a child
[4146.02 --> 4146.76]  is born
[4146.76 --> 4147.68]  to us
[4147.68 --> 4148.26]  a son
[4148.26 --> 4148.92]  is given
[4148.92 --> 4149.70]  and the government
[4149.70 --> 4150.96]  will be on his
[4150.96 --> 4151.74]  shoulders
[4151.74 --> 4152.44]  the healing
[4152.44 --> 4153.18]  of the nations
[4153.18 --> 4154.62]  and he will be called
[4154.62 --> 4155.86]  wonderful counselor
[4155.86 --> 4156.94]  mighty God
[4156.94 --> 4158.38]  everlasting father
[4158.38 --> 4159.80]  prince
[4159.80 --> 4162.08]  of Shalom
[4162.08 --> 4165.42]  no longer
[4165.42 --> 4166.22]  will there be
[4166.22 --> 4166.70]  any
[4166.70 --> 4167.74]  curse
[4167.74 --> 4169.46]  there will be
[4169.46 --> 4169.84]  Shalom
[4169.84 --> 4171.46]  what was broken
[4171.46 --> 4172.56]  is made
[4172.56 --> 4173.00]  whole
[4173.00 --> 4174.10]  what was destroyed
[4174.10 --> 4175.30]  is restored
[4175.30 --> 4176.54]  what was rejected
[4176.54 --> 4178.26]  is reconciled
[4178.26 --> 4179.40]  what was lost
[4179.40 --> 4180.58]  is found
[4180.58 --> 4181.28]  the curse
[4181.28 --> 4181.92]  has ended
[4181.92 --> 4183.04]  and the serpent's
[4183.04 --> 4183.36]  head
[4183.36 --> 4184.40]  has been
[4184.40 --> 4185.20]  crushed
[4185.20 --> 4186.98]  the throne
[4186.98 --> 4187.58]  of God
[4187.58 --> 4188.30]  and of the Lamb
[4188.30 --> 4188.92]  will be
[4188.92 --> 4190.06]  in that city
[4190.06 --> 4191.00]  that is the new
[4191.00 --> 4191.58]  Jerusalem
[4191.58 --> 4192.24]  the city
[4192.24 --> 4193.10]  come down
[4193.10 --> 4194.02]  heaven come down
[4194.02 --> 4194.68]  so that heaven
[4194.68 --> 4195.24]  and earth
[4195.24 --> 4196.56]  now are one
[4196.56 --> 4197.60]  and the same
[4197.60 --> 4199.04]  this is the end
[4199.04 --> 4199.74]  of history
[4199.74 --> 4201.18]  this is the future
[4201.18 --> 4202.12]  that we are waiting
[4202.12 --> 4202.42]  for
[4202.42 --> 4203.24]  this is the
[4203.24 --> 4203.96]  Shalom
[4203.96 --> 4204.88]  that our hearts
[4204.88 --> 4205.54]  are created
[4205.54 --> 4206.12]  to live
[4206.12 --> 4207.00]  in the midst
[4207.00 --> 4207.38]  of
[4207.38 --> 4209.42]  living in the
[4209.42 --> 4210.42]  presence of God
[4210.42 --> 4211.38]  right
[4211.38 --> 4212.52]  Corum Deo
[4212.52 --> 4213.26]  is the Latin
[4213.26 --> 4213.84]  phrase there
[4213.84 --> 4215.10]  before his
[4215.10 --> 4215.96]  face
[4215.96 --> 4217.58]  and his
[4217.58 --> 4218.20]  servants
[4218.20 --> 4220.30]  will serve him
[4220.30 --> 4223.60]  now maybe that
[4223.60 --> 4224.40]  sounds like a
[4224.40 --> 4224.92]  tautology
[4224.92 --> 4225.80]  because servants
[4225.80 --> 4226.36]  serve
[4226.36 --> 4227.24]  that's what they
[4227.24 --> 4227.58]  do
[4227.58 --> 4228.26]  right
[4228.26 --> 4228.92]  they're doing
[4228.92 --> 4229.98]  is what they
[4229.98 --> 4230.66]  are defined
[4230.66 --> 4231.32]  as
[4231.32 --> 4232.08]  what they're
[4232.08 --> 4233.26]  made to do
[4233.26 --> 4233.60]  right
[4233.60 --> 4234.04]  there's a
[4234.04 --> 4234.62]  fulfilling
[4234.62 --> 4235.82]  of purpose
[4235.82 --> 4237.02]  and identity
[4237.02 --> 4238.48]  that is found
[4238.48 --> 4239.70]  only in this
[4239.70 --> 4240.54]  picture of
[4240.54 --> 4241.00]  Shalom
[4241.00 --> 4241.92]  restored
[4241.92 --> 4243.22]  restored
[4243.22 --> 4243.88]  to God
[4243.88 --> 4244.58]  in the
[4244.58 --> 4246.26]  almost home
[4246.26 --> 4246.78]  that we have
[4246.78 --> 4247.14]  been singing
[4247.14 --> 4247.76]  about this
[4247.76 --> 4248.26]  Advent and
[4248.26 --> 4248.56]  Christmas
[4248.56 --> 4251.60]  but if you
[4251.60 --> 4252.10]  are wondering
[4252.10 --> 4253.08]  what that
[4253.08 --> 4254.08]  serving might
[4254.08 --> 4254.96]  look like
[4254.96 --> 4256.20]  hear this
[4256.20 --> 4257.88]  the word
[4257.88 --> 4258.98]  that John
[4258.98 --> 4259.56]  uses
[4259.56 --> 4260.26]  right
[4260.26 --> 4260.76]  when he says
[4260.76 --> 4261.42]  that servants
[4261.42 --> 4262.62]  will serve
[4262.62 --> 4262.94]  him
[4262.94 --> 4263.68]  is a word
[4263.68 --> 4264.20]  that is
[4264.20 --> 4264.88]  ordinarily
[4264.88 --> 4265.60]  translated
[4265.60 --> 4267.24]  as worship
[4267.24 --> 4270.16]  it can
[4270.16 --> 4270.44]  mean
[4270.44 --> 4270.96]  serve
[4270.96 --> 4272.60]  but only
[4272.60 --> 4273.10]  ever
[4273.10 --> 4273.50]  is it
[4273.50 --> 4273.76]  used
[4273.76 --> 4274.04]  in the
[4274.04 --> 4274.32]  Bible
[4274.32 --> 4274.68]  in the
[4274.68 --> 4275.18]  context
[4275.18 --> 4275.60]  of
[4275.60 --> 4276.26]  worship
[4276.26 --> 4277.02]  of serving
[4277.02 --> 4277.48]  in the
[4277.48 --> 4277.86]  temple
[4277.86 --> 4278.56]  or of
[4278.56 --> 4278.92]  serving
[4278.92 --> 4279.36]  God
[4279.36 --> 4279.74]  as you
[4279.74 --> 4280.48]  worship
[4280.48 --> 4280.82]  him
[4280.82 --> 4281.46]  right
[4281.46 --> 4281.64]  and
[4281.64 --> 4282.26]  Jesus
[4282.26 --> 4283.02]  summarizes
[4283.02 --> 4283.46]  the law
[4283.46 --> 4283.92]  he says
[4283.92 --> 4284.28]  worship
[4284.28 --> 4284.64]  the Lord
[4284.64 --> 4285.12]  your God
[4285.12 --> 4285.50]  and
[4285.50 --> 4287.38]  serve
[4287.38 --> 4287.92]  him
[4287.92 --> 4288.80]  only
[4288.80 --> 4289.76]  right
[4289.76 --> 4289.96]  that's
[4289.96 --> 4290.44]  the same
[4290.44 --> 4291.26]  word
[4291.26 --> 4292.80]  in Revelation
[4292.80 --> 4293.92]  7 15
[4293.92 --> 4295.50]  John sees
[4295.50 --> 4295.90]  a great
[4295.90 --> 4296.40]  multitude
[4296.40 --> 4297.16]  in white
[4297.16 --> 4297.56]  robes
[4297.56 --> 4297.78]  who are
[4297.78 --> 4297.98]  there
[4297.98 --> 4298.54]  worshiping
[4298.54 --> 4298.80]  God
[4298.80 --> 4299.06]  and he
[4299.06 --> 4299.36]  writes
[4299.36 --> 4300.00]  therefore
[4300.00 --> 4300.64]  they are
[4300.64 --> 4301.28]  before the
[4301.28 --> 4301.58]  throne
[4301.58 --> 4302.14]  of God
[4302.14 --> 4303.14]  and serve
[4303.14 --> 4304.08]  him day
[4304.08 --> 4304.82]  and night
[4304.82 --> 4305.58]  in his
[4305.58 --> 4305.92]  temple
[4305.92 --> 4306.50]  right
[4306.50 --> 4307.10]  there is a
[4307.10 --> 4307.48]  sense
[4307.48 --> 4308.12]  of the
[4308.12 --> 4309.36]  perpetuity
[4309.36 --> 4310.36]  of their
[4310.36 --> 4311.02]  worship
[4311.02 --> 4311.26]  the
[4311.26 --> 4312.54]  endlessness
[4312.54 --> 4313.38]  of their
[4313.38 --> 4313.80]  worship
[4313.80 --> 4314.26]  and
[4314.26 --> 4314.72]  right
[4314.72 --> 4315.20]  it is a
[4315.20 --> 4315.60]  worship
[4315.60 --> 4316.82]  that works
[4316.82 --> 4318.16]  it is a
[4318.16 --> 4318.50]  singing
[4318.50 --> 4319.00]  by
[4319.00 --> 4319.94]  service
[4319.94 --> 4321.74]  and until
[4321.74 --> 4322.28]  the day
[4322.28 --> 4322.64]  that we
[4322.64 --> 4323.50]  are actually
[4323.50 --> 4324.20]  home
[4324.20 --> 4325.02]  restored
[4325.02 --> 4325.84]  in relationship
[4325.84 --> 4326.32]  to God
[4326.32 --> 4326.78]  in this
[4326.78 --> 4327.46]  new city
[4327.46 --> 4327.94]  with this
[4327.94 --> 4328.28]  beautiful
[4328.28 --> 4328.64]  garden
[4328.64 --> 4329.44]  through it
[4329.44 --> 4330.32]  until that
[4330.32 --> 4330.66]  day
[4330.66 --> 4331.42]  we sing
[4331.42 --> 4331.98]  almost
[4331.98 --> 4332.36]  home
[4332.36 --> 4333.78]  right
[4333.78 --> 4334.04]  and it
[4334.04 --> 4334.84]  is now
[4334.84 --> 4335.76]  in our
[4335.76 --> 4336.44]  worship
[4336.44 --> 4337.40]  that we
[4337.40 --> 4338.24]  anticipate
[4338.24 --> 4339.10]  shalom
[4339.10 --> 4339.94]  restored
[4339.94 --> 4342.00]  but what
[4342.00 --> 4343.08]  we experience
[4343.08 --> 4343.92]  now in
[4343.92 --> 4344.94]  our hearts
[4344.94 --> 4346.12]  by worshiping
[4346.12 --> 4346.38]  God
[4346.38 --> 4346.74]  we will
[4346.74 --> 4347.44]  experience
[4347.44 --> 4348.26]  then in
[4348.26 --> 4349.26]  every aspect
[4349.26 --> 4349.76]  of who
[4349.76 --> 4350.28]  we are
[4350.28 --> 4351.50]  and what
[4351.50 --> 4351.92]  we do
[4351.92 --> 4354.02]  and so
[4354.02 --> 4355.00]  in just a
[4355.00 --> 4355.26]  moment
[4355.26 --> 4355.72]  we are going
[4355.72 --> 4356.12]  to sing
[4356.12 --> 4356.52]  together
[4356.52 --> 4357.00]  by the
[4357.00 --> 4357.38]  sea of
[4357.38 --> 4357.64]  crystal
[4357.64 --> 4357.90]  and I'm
[4357.90 --> 4358.00]  going to
[4358.00 --> 4358.40]  invite the
[4358.40 --> 4358.86]  worship team
[4358.86 --> 4359.32]  to come up
[4359.32 --> 4359.64]  at this
[4359.64 --> 4359.88]  point
[4359.88 --> 4360.30]  so that we
[4360.30 --> 4361.04]  can jump
[4361.04 --> 4361.54]  right into
[4361.54 --> 4362.04]  that as
[4362.04 --> 4362.36]  our
[4362.36 --> 4363.14]  culminating
[4363.14 --> 4364.02]  prayer
[4364.02 --> 4365.02]  together
[4365.02 --> 4367.94]  worship
[4367.94 --> 4369.08]  now
[4369.08 --> 4370.32]  in this
[4370.32 --> 4370.80]  life
[4370.80 --> 4372.10]  in the
[4372.10 --> 4372.50]  midst of
[4372.50 --> 4372.94]  chaos
[4372.94 --> 4373.84]  in the
[4373.84 --> 4374.18]  midst of
[4374.18 --> 4374.64]  disorder
[4374.64 --> 4375.02]  in the
[4375.02 --> 4375.50]  midst of
[4375.50 --> 4376.10]  struggle
[4376.10 --> 4376.72]  in the
[4376.72 --> 4377.06]  midst of
[4377.06 --> 4377.60]  the hardships
[4377.60 --> 4378.10]  that we
[4378.10 --> 4378.40]  face
[4378.40 --> 4378.82]  and all
[4378.82 --> 4379.22]  the rest
[4379.22 --> 4379.74]  whatever it
[4379.74 --> 4380.12]  may be
[4380.12 --> 4380.84]  worship
[4380.84 --> 4382.08]  now is a
[4382.08 --> 4382.54]  training
[4382.54 --> 4383.74]  from the
[4383.74 --> 4384.20]  teacher
[4384.20 --> 4385.24]  that will
[4385.24 --> 4386.34]  allow us
[4386.34 --> 4387.44]  and make
[4387.44 --> 4388.16]  us able
[4388.16 --> 4388.86]  to
[4388.86 --> 4389.58]  persevere
[4389.58 --> 4392.16]  the rhythms
[4392.16 --> 4393.02]  and the
[4393.02 --> 4393.78]  habits of
[4393.78 --> 4394.38]  worshiping
[4394.38 --> 4394.88]  together
[4394.88 --> 4395.48]  now
[4395.48 --> 4396.28]  of serving
[4396.28 --> 4396.92]  together
[4396.92 --> 4398.04]  train
[4398.04 --> 4398.96]  our hearts
[4398.96 --> 4400.12]  and are
[4400.12 --> 4400.80]  the means
[4400.80 --> 4401.52]  by which
[4401.52 --> 4402.02]  Jesus
[4402.02 --> 4402.98]  preserves
[4402.98 --> 4403.42]  us
[4403.42 --> 4404.18]  to the
[4404.18 --> 4404.48]  end
[4404.48 --> 4406.82]  and so
[4406.82 --> 4409.16]  when you
[4409.16 --> 4409.62]  cannot
[4409.62 --> 4410.24]  see
[4410.24 --> 4411.44]  for the
[4411.44 --> 4411.80]  darkness
[4411.80 --> 4412.40]  that
[4412.40 --> 4412.94]  surrounds
[4412.94 --> 4416.02]  we sing
[4416.02 --> 4417.20]  and proclaim
[4417.20 --> 4418.38]  the light
[4418.38 --> 4419.44]  who is
[4419.44 --> 4419.90]  God
[4419.90 --> 4421.04]  the light
[4421.04 --> 4421.94]  of the
[4421.94 --> 4422.22]  world
[4422.22 --> 4423.32]  open your
[4423.32 --> 4423.76]  eyes
[4423.76 --> 4424.54]  to see
[4424.54 --> 4425.06]  the light
[4425.06 --> 4426.58]  when in
[4426.58 --> 4427.68]  your hearts
[4427.68 --> 4428.28]  all you
[4428.28 --> 4428.92]  hear is
[4428.92 --> 4429.52]  the droning
[4429.52 --> 4430.26]  voice of
[4430.26 --> 4430.68]  shame
[4430.68 --> 4431.18]  that over
[4431.18 --> 4431.62]  and over
[4431.62 --> 4432.42]  condemns you
[4432.42 --> 4432.88]  and says
[4432.88 --> 4433.22]  you are
[4433.22 --> 4433.76]  not worthy
[4433.76 --> 4434.44]  and you
[4434.44 --> 4434.94]  are not
[4434.94 --> 4435.52]  lovable
[4435.52 --> 4436.48]  open your
[4436.48 --> 4437.14]  ears to
[4437.14 --> 4437.80]  the voice
[4437.80 --> 4438.88]  of Jesus
[4438.88 --> 4439.80]  who invites
[4439.80 --> 4440.38]  you to
[4440.38 --> 4441.04]  himself
[4441.04 --> 4441.72]  and to
[4441.72 --> 4442.52]  his presence
[4442.52 --> 4443.22]  and to
[4443.22 --> 4444.34]  whom alone
[4444.34 --> 4444.90]  we can
[4444.90 --> 4446.02]  come for
[4446.02 --> 4446.76]  shalom
[4446.76 --> 4448.40]  if you
[4448.40 --> 4449.02]  have exchanged
[4449.02 --> 4449.56]  the truth
[4449.56 --> 4450.08]  of God
[4450.08 --> 4450.40]  for the
[4450.40 --> 4450.96]  idols of
[4450.96 --> 4451.36]  comfort
[4451.36 --> 4452.22]  or security
[4452.22 --> 4452.82]  stop
[4452.82 --> 4453.40]  settling
[4453.40 --> 4453.96]  for something
[4453.96 --> 4454.68]  less than
[4454.68 --> 4455.48]  God's
[4455.48 --> 4456.10]  shalom
[4456.10 --> 4457.94]  God's
[4457.94 --> 4458.62]  shalom
[4458.62 --> 4459.72]  is the
[4459.72 --> 4460.30]  peace
[4460.30 --> 4461.22]  I hope
[4461.22 --> 4462.02]  you have
[4462.02 --> 4462.78]  this
[4462.78 --> 4463.68]  Christmas
[4463.68 --> 4465.88]  and as
[4465.88 --> 4466.20]  we look
[4466.20 --> 4466.56]  forward
[4466.56 --> 4467.16]  to that
[4467.16 --> 4467.58]  sea
[4467.58 --> 4468.00]  of
[4468.00 --> 4468.66]  crystal
[4468.66 --> 4469.68]  I hope
[4469.68 --> 4470.42]  that God's
[4470.42 --> 4470.76]  shalom
[4470.76 --> 4471.62]  works its
[4471.62 --> 4472.54]  way backwards
[4472.54 --> 4474.66]  through history
[4474.66 --> 4475.70]  to your
[4475.70 --> 4476.10]  heart
[4476.10 --> 4477.04]  right
[4477.04 --> 4478.28]  now
[4478.28 --> 4479.42]  amen
[4479.42 --> 4481.06]  let's
[4481.06 --> 4481.40]  stand
[4481.40 --> 4482.38]  and sing
[4482.38 --> 4483.38]  this song
[4483.38 --> 4504.50]  by the sea
[4504.50 --> 4506.72]  of crystal
[4506.72 --> 4509.40]  saints in glory
[4509.40 --> 4509.98]  amen
[4510.02 --> 4513.74]  to the pure
[4513.74 --> 4515.66] 式
[4515.66 --> 4516.12]  and
[4516.12 --> 4517.04]  кас
[4517.04 --> 4517.88]  of
[4517.88 --> 4518.50]  takich
[4518.50 --> 4520.98]  sobre
[4520.98 --> 4523.58]  nic
[4523.58 --> 4528.24]   czyli
[4528.24 --> 4537.52]  en
[4537.52 --> 4542.08]  With the love of God
[4542.08 --> 4547.00]  The tribulations
[4547.00 --> 4552.08]  Seeds and demons have
[4552.08 --> 4557.04]  They have been translated
[4557.04 --> 4561.08]  At the Lord's command
[4561.08 --> 4567.34]  In their hands they're holding
[4567.34 --> 4571.18]  Comes a victory
[4571.18 --> 4577.16]  But the children call
[4577.16 --> 4582.08]  Shams triumphantly
[4582.08 --> 4587.18]  To the Lord's command
[4587.18 --> 4592.36]  Raving on the floor
[4592.36 --> 4597.18]  And the wounded chorus
[4597.18 --> 4602.64]  Be the rain of the Lord
[4602.64 --> 4607.08]  Common from salvation
[4607.08 --> 4612.48]  In their wondrous days
[4612.48 --> 4615.64]  Love shall not end
[4615.64 --> 4616.96]  Only
[4616.96 --> 4619.02]  Only
[4619.02 --> 4622.48]  The pain of the Lord
[4622.48 --> 4640.20]  As you go this week
[4640.20 --> 4642.10]  Go both in anticipation
[4642.10 --> 4643.84]  Of the shalom
[4643.84 --> 4646.40]  That God has on offer for us
[4646.40 --> 4647.58]  At the end of history
[4647.58 --> 4649.56]  But also with that shalom
[4649.56 --> 4651.64]  Now already present
[4651.64 --> 4653.40]  In your hearts and minds
[4653.40 --> 4656.26]  As you are touched by God
[4656.26 --> 4657.56]  In the Holy Spirit
[4657.56 --> 4658.94]  Know that God himself
[4658.94 --> 4660.38]  Goes with you
[4660.38 --> 4662.30]  Go also with an invitation
[4662.30 --> 4663.66]  To join us this evening
[4663.66 --> 4665.38]  At 6pm
[4665.38 --> 4667.80]  For the choir nights
[4667.80 --> 4668.98]  Invite your friends
[4668.98 --> 4670.62]  Invite your family
[4670.62 --> 4672.18]  Drive safely
[4672.18 --> 4673.82]  Just a quick reminder
[4673.82 --> 4674.70]  If you are singing
[4674.70 --> 4675.46]  In that choir
[4675.46 --> 4676.34]  You are scheduled
[4676.34 --> 4678.16]  To be here at 4.30
[4678.16 --> 4679.50]  Yeah?
[4680.12 --> 4680.76]  4.15
[4680.76 --> 4682.24]  So call time's 4.30
[4682.24 --> 4682.94]  Be here early
[4682.94 --> 4685.72]  Good save
[4685.72 --> 4686.04]  Yeah
[4686.04 --> 4689.62]  Also go with the invitation
[4689.62 --> 4691.38]  Then for fellowship
[4692.18 --> 4693.88]  And coffee afterwards
[4693.88 --> 4695.26]  May you receive
[4695.26 --> 4695.88]  The blessing
[4695.88 --> 4696.96]  Of God
[4696.96 --> 4702.86]  May God go before you
[4702.86 --> 4704.58]  To guide you
[4704.58 --> 4707.14]  May God go behind you
[4707.14 --> 4708.06]  To protect you
[4708.06 --> 4710.36]  May God go beneath you
[4710.36 --> 4711.34]  To support you
[4711.34 --> 4713.54]  May God go beside you
[4713.54 --> 4714.70]  To befriend you
[4714.70 --> 4716.44]  Do not be afraid
[4716.44 --> 4717.70]  Let the blessing of God
[4717.70 --> 4718.70]  Come upon you today
[4718.70 --> 4720.30]  Do not be afraid
[4720.30 --> 4723.40]  But go in his shalom
[4723.40 --> 4726.22]  To love and serve the Lord
[4726.22 --> 4727.88]  Amen
[4727.88 --> 4728.82]  Father
[4728.82 --> 4732.70]  Amen
[4732.70 --> 4744.50]  Him
[4744.50 --> 4746.98]  Amen
[4746.98 --> 4753.12]  poor
[4753.12 --> 4783.10]  Thank you.
[4783.12 --> 4794.10]  Gloria in excelsis Deo.
[4794.10 --> 4810.36]  Gloria in excelsis Deo.
[4810.36 --> 4815.36]  Shepherds, why this jubilee?
[4816.74 --> 4820.36]  Why your joyous strength prolong?
[4821.68 --> 4825.36]  Why the glads of tidings be?
[4826.54 --> 4830.78]  Which inspire your heavenly song?
[4830.78 --> 4845.10]  Gloria in excelsis Deo.
[4845.10 --> 4861.10]  Gloria in excelsis Deo.
[4861.10 --> 4867.06]  Come to Bethlehem and sing.
[4867.62 --> 4871.98]  Him whose birth the angels sing.
[4872.54 --> 4876.82]  Come adore on bended knee.
[4877.36 --> 4881.68]  Christ the Lord, the newborn King.
[4881.68 --> 4895.68]  Gloria in excelsis Deo.
[4895.68 --> 4911.68]  Gloria in excelsis Deo.
[4911.68 --> 4916.68]  Our love is a part of the world.
[4919.48 --> 4923.30]  The force that hosts you sing.
[4923.30 --> 4925.62]  Don't increase.
[4925.62 --> 4926.02]  You nak的anker.
[4926.06 --> 4927.06]  To be called.
[4927.06 --> 4927.80]  You State of the Youngña.
[4928.06 --> 4929.26]  We're 섞ent.
[4929.44 --> 4929.68]  Take care.
[4929.68 --> 4930.56]  You have to take care.
[4930.56 --> 4960.54]  Thank you.
[4960.56 --> 4990.54]  Thank you.
[4990.56 --> 5020.54]  Thank you.
[5020.56 --> 5022.56]  Thank you.