diff --git "a/2024/Sunday Worship, October 20, 2024_transcript.txt" "b/2024/Sunday Worship, October 20, 2024_transcript.txt" new file mode 100644--- /dev/null +++ "b/2024/Sunday Worship, October 20, 2024_transcript.txt" @@ -0,0 +1,2896 @@ +[0.00 --> 5.42] God, I'm asking, could this be your plan? +[5.90 --> 10.72] Sin has taken hold of this whole land. +[11.14 --> 16.52] Will you not say anything else to me? +[16.52 --> 30.96] He said, where were you the day that I measured? +[31.86 --> 41.68] Sung the bass and stretched the line over all the earth and carved out its cornerstone. +[46.52 --> 48.02] TJT +[76.52 --> 78.52] You +[106.52 --> 108.52] You +[136.52 --> 138.52] You +[166.52 --> 168.52] You +[196.52 --> 198.52] You +[226.52 --> 228.52] You +[228.52 --> 230.52] You +[230.52 --> 232.52] You +[232.52 --> 234.52] You +[234.52 --> 236.52] You +[236.52 --> 238.52] You +[240.52 --> 242.52] You +[244.52 --> 246.52] Good morning, how we doing? +[246.52 --> 255.52] Okay, welcome to worship special welcome if you are a guest among us. +[255.52 --> 261.52] It's my privilege to lead this morning. My name is Chris. I'm one of the pastors here at Emanuel. +[261.52 --> 269.52] And I am very mindful of the fact that we're just coming out of an atmospheric river and flooding and the like. +[269.52 --> 275.52] And so I wanted to just make sure that you guys are all aware and that everyone here is aware. +[275.52 --> 284.52] But if you have like problems with flooding or if there's cleanup or things like that that you that happens on your property or where you live after something. +[284.52 --> 288.52] We at church here want to help. +[288.52 --> 292.52] And in fact, that's exactly why our deacons exist. +[292.52 --> 302.52] And so if you need help with something with cleanup or the like, please contact the church either myself or one of the other pastors or the office or any of the deacons. +[302.52 --> 309.52] They would love to help provide resources and clean up in the midst of that. +[309.52 --> 314.52] Before we begin our worship, I just want to share a couple announcements with you. +[314.52 --> 324.52] First of all, after worship today, where we usually gather in the back or in here for a time of fellowship and connecting together. +[324.52 --> 328.52] Today, we're going to do that, but we're going to do it with cake. +[328.52 --> 331.52] There we go. Thank you. +[331.52 --> 342.52] We're going to do it with cake because last weekend, Paul and Leslie Cool celebrated their 40th anniversary and they would like to share that with us as well. +[342.52 --> 346.52] And so after service today, there's cake. +[346.52 --> 347.52] It'll be over there. +[347.52 --> 350.52] I don't know how much cake there is. +[350.52 --> 352.52] So if you're quick, you'll get a piece. +[352.52 --> 354.52] If you're less quick, maybe you won't. +[354.52 --> 365.52] And then as we move into this week, just a quick note that tonight at church is HCBC for the youth. +[365.52 --> 369.52] That's like a catechism church education program. +[369.52 --> 376.52] And simultaneous to that, there's a Heidelberg Catechism reading group for adults. +[376.52 --> 377.52] That's going to happen. +[377.52 --> 380.52] Both of those are at 7 p.m. here at church. +[380.52 --> 386.52] If you're interested, we encourage you to come out and stick around for that conversation together. +[386.52 --> 392.52] On Thursday, the Christianity Explored group is going to be continuing. +[392.52 --> 395.52] And so if you have questions about that, you can grab me after service. +[395.52 --> 405.52] And then lastly, we've been announcing for the past couple of weeks a worship conference that we're hosting coming up on Saturday, on October 26th. +[405.52 --> 408.52] And there's still more room to sign up for that. +[408.52 --> 415.52] And so if you haven't signed up for that, there's a QR code on the welcome desk back there, the Lift Up Your Voice worship conference. +[415.52 --> 418.52] That will take you right to the sign up page. +[418.52 --> 419.52] We'll get you there. +[419.52 --> 432.52] But what we wanted to do as well, even if you don't join for the afternoon event of the worship conference, we have a chance to gather together for an evening of worship. +[432.52 --> 439.52] And so the worship conference participants and the speakers are going to lead us in a time of worship together. +[439.52 --> 442.52] And so we're inviting everyone to come to that. +[442.52 --> 447.52] And that part of the event starts at 7 p.m. on Saturday. +[447.52 --> 448.52] 7 p.m. on Saturday. +[448.52 --> 453.52] There's going to be a worship service here connected to that. +[453.52 --> 456.52] I think I've checked all my boxes. +[456.52 --> 458.52] Tuesday, Safe Church. +[458.52 --> 460.52] I didn't check my boxes. +[460.52 --> 470.52] If you are signed up for or haven't yet signed up for the Safe Church training, there's another one happening on Tuesday. +[470.52 --> 482.52] And just a reminder to all our volunteers here, if you are volunteering with children or youth or vulnerable populations, you are required to do this training once every three years. +[482.52 --> 488.52] I've heard good things about this particular training, and it is a good time to get together. +[488.52 --> 491.52] And so if you have questions about that, you can talk to Rachel or Kim. +[491.52 --> 501.52] I don't know if Kim is here today or not, but Rachel will answer all your questions about what that looks like on Tuesday here at church at 7 p.m. +[501.52 --> 502.52] There we go. +[502.52 --> 503.52] Anyone else? +[503.52 --> 505.52] Mo, we're taking suggestions for announcements? +[505.52 --> 506.52] No? +[506.52 --> 511.52] Can we stand together as God ushers us into his presence for worship? +[511.52 --> 515.52] We gather in the presence of God. +[515.52 --> 523.52] We gather together as his people to sing his praises, and he meets us here. +[523.52 --> 526.52] We mark that presence of God in two ways. +[526.52 --> 531.52] One, by receiving his greeting, and then by extending that greeting to the people around us. +[531.52 --> 536.52] So after I greet you in the name of the Lord, I invite you to greet those around you in his name as well. +[536.52 --> 538.52] Receive the greeting of our God. +[538.52 --> 549.52] Grace, mercy, and peace to you from God our Father, from the Lord Jesus Christ, Son, and our Savior, through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. +[549.52 --> 550.52] Amen. +[550.52 --> 551.52] Amen. +[551.52 --> 552.52] . +[552.52 --> 554.52] . +[554.52 --> 556.52] . +[556.52 --> 558.52] . +[558.52 --> 559.52] . +[559.52 --> 560.52] . +[579.52 --> 589.52] . +[589.52 --> 591.52] Good morning, everyone. +[591.52 --> 598.52] Today, as we gather together to worship, let's remember the words of Psalm 100. +[598.52 --> 599.52] . +[599.52 --> 600.52] . +[600.52 --> 601.52] . +[601.52 --> 602.52] . +[602.52 --> 603.52] . +[603.52 --> 604.52] . +[604.52 --> 605.52] . +[605.52 --> 606.52] . +[606.52 --> 607.52] . +[607.52 --> 608.52] . +[608.52 --> 609.52] . +[609.52 --> 618.52] . +[618.52 --> 619.52] . +[619.52 --> 620.52] . +[620.52 --> 621.52] . +[621.52 --> 622.52] . +[622.52 --> 623.52] . +[623.52 --> 624.52] . +[624.52 --> 625.52] . +[625.52 --> 626.52] . +[626.52 --> 627.52] . +[627.52 --> 640.52] . +[640.52 --> 641.52] . +[641.52 --> 642.52] . +[642.52 --> 643.52] . +[643.52 --> 644.52] . +[644.52 --> 645.52] . +[645.52 --> 646.52] . +[646.52 --> 647.52] . +[647.52 --> 648.52] . +[648.52 --> 649.52] . +[649.52 --> 650.52] . +[650.52 --> 651.52] . +[651.52 --> 652.52] . +[652.52 --> 653.52] . +[653.52 --> 670.52] . +[670.52 --> 671.52] . +[671.52 --> 672.52] . +[672.52 --> 673.52] . +[673.52 --> 674.52] . +[674.52 --> 675.52] . +[675.52 --> 676.52] . +[676.52 --> 677.52] . +[677.52 --> 678.52] . +[678.52 --> 679.52] . +[679.52 --> 680.52] . +[680.52 --> 689.52] . +[689.52 --> 692.52] . +[696.52 --> 697.52] . +[697.52 --> 699.52] . +[699.52 --> 700.52] . +[700.52 --> 701.52] . +[701.52 --> 702.52] . +[702.52 --> 703.52] . +[703.52 --> 704.52] . +[704.52 --> 706.32] . +[706.32 --> 709.50] . +[709.50 --> 712.50] With open arms +[713.16 --> 717.92] God so loud +[717.92 --> 720.54] The road that He gave us +[720.54 --> 722.58] Is one and all +[722.58 --> 725.26] The Son to save us +[725.26 --> 728.40] Whoever believes in Him +[728.40 --> 730.70] Will live forever +[730.70 --> 736.60] The power of hell +[736.60 --> 738.98] Forever defeated +[738.98 --> 740.88] Now Israel +[740.88 --> 743.72] I'm walking in freedom +[743.72 --> 745.98] For God so loved +[745.98 --> 750.56] God so loved the world +[750.56 --> 754.94] Praise God +[754.94 --> 757.14] Praise God +[757.14 --> 761.02] From whom all blessings flow +[761.02 --> 764.22] Praise Him +[764.22 --> 766.60] Praise Him +[766.60 --> 770.60] For the wonders of His love +[770.60 --> 773.60] Praise God +[773.60 --> 775.84] Praise God +[775.84 --> 779.60] From whom all blessings flow +[779.60 --> 782.60] Praise Him +[782.60 --> 784.60] Praise Him +[784.60 --> 788.98] For the wonders of His love +[788.98 --> 789.98] God so loved +[789.98 --> 791.98] God so loved +[791.98 --> 794.92] The world that He gave us +[794.92 --> 796.98] Is one and all +[796.98 --> 798.98] The Son to save us +[798.98 --> 800.98] God so loved +[800.98 --> 803.98] The world that He gave us +[803.98 --> 805.98] Is one and all +[805.98 --> 807.98] The Son to save us +[807.98 --> 810.36] The Lord that He gave us +[810.36 --> 811.36] The Lord that He gave us +[811.36 --> 811.42] To Him +[811.42 --> 814.36] And will live forever +[814.36 --> 817.36] For God so loved +[817.36 --> 819.36] For God so loved +[819.36 --> 820.36] The world that He gave us +[820.36 --> 821.36] Forever defeated +[821.36 --> 823.74] Now it is well +[823.74 --> 826.74] I'm walking in freedom +[826.74 --> 828.74] For God so loved +[828.74 --> 830.74] God so loved +[830.74 --> 831.74] God so loved +[831.74 --> 832.74] The world +[832.74 --> 838.74] Bring all your failures +[838.74 --> 840.74] Bring your addictions +[840.74 --> 842.74] Outweigh them down +[842.74 --> 844.74] At the foot of the cross +[844.74 --> 847.74] Jesus is waiting +[847.74 --> 848.74] God so loved +[848.74 --> 849.74] God so loved +[849.74 --> 850.20] God so loved +[850.20 --> 851.12] The world +[851.12 --> 859.50] Let's sit down +[859.50 --> 889.48] God so loved +[889.50 --> 891.74] The Lord +[891.74 --> 892.42] Jesus is waiting +[892.42 --> 893.32] Ramone +[893.32 --> 894.90] . +[898.36 --> 898.92] Ramone +[898.92 --> 899.32] . +[899.32 --> 899.76] There is singing +[899.76 --> 902.92] At the ancient gates +[902.92 --> 904.58] There's a melody +[904.58 --> 906.92] Of ceaseless praise +[906.92 --> 907.94] There is singing +[907.94 --> 910.82] The続 February +[910.82 --> 912.28] A Floyd +[912.28 --> 912.78] In hisí Boulevard +[912.78 --> 917.36] At thecharger +[917.36 --> 920.80] The throne in the name of kings +[920.80 --> 925.32] There is seated on the one who reigns +[925.32 --> 929.66] And every day from now is here +[929.66 --> 931.92] And getting closer +[931.92 --> 939.90] Is it like her there in glory? +[939.90 --> 944.40] Here and now is just as holy +[944.40 --> 950.40] Jesus, He's so worthy of your own +[950.40 --> 956.40] He is this an everlasting life +[956.96 --> 961.64] So on heaven sees there is no right +[961.64 --> 965.40] And every spirit runs away +[965.40 --> 968.56] For the world's sorrow +[968.56 --> 974.56] Worship your joyful sound +[975.28 --> 978.56] Sing until your voice is out +[978.56 --> 980.56] And every prayer +[980.56 --> 983.56] All through the ground +[983.56 --> 986.56] And peace of worship +[986.56 --> 993.56] Is it like her there in glory? +[993.56 --> 998.56] Here and now is just as holy +[998.56 --> 1004.56] Jesus, He's so worthy of your own +[1004.56 --> 1011.56] For the song He loves to hear +[1011.56 --> 1016.56] And in every prayer so dear +[1016.56 --> 1022.56] And He's so worthy of your own +[1022.56 --> 1034.46] The one who is, the one who is to come +[1034.56 --> 1043.56] The one who was, the one who is, the one who is to come +[1043.56 --> 1052.46] The one who was, the one who is, the one who is to come +[1052.46 --> 1061.56] The one who was, the one who is, the one who is to come +[1061.56 --> 1066.82] The two nights were there in the holy +[1066.82 --> 1071.32] And now he's just as holy +[1071.32 --> 1077.06] The one who is so worthy of it all +[1077.06 --> 1085.26] In your song he loves to hear it +[1085.26 --> 1089.98] And in every prayer so clear it +[1089.98 --> 1095.26] The one who is so worthy of it all +[1095.26 --> 1107.00] The one who was, the one who is, the one who is to come +[1107.00 --> 1116.24] The one who was, the one who is, the one who is to come +[1116.24 --> 1125.14] The one who was, the one who is, the one who is to come +[1125.14 --> 1135.62] The one who was, the one who is, the one who is to come. +[1137.74 --> 1139.26] You may be seated. +[1145.08 --> 1147.62] Please join me in prayer this morning. +[1147.62 --> 1157.02] O Lord, you are our shepherd, and yet we want. +[1157.98 --> 1160.84] We lie down and ignore when we should act. +[1161.74 --> 1164.58] We stir the pot when we could offer peace. +[1165.56 --> 1168.98] We wander tempting paths instead of following you. +[1169.90 --> 1174.68] We see courage and comfort in earthly things rather than in you. +[1174.68 --> 1179.06] We hate our enemies when we should be offering them our love. +[1180.04 --> 1184.92] We see our selfish desires even when you offer us abundance. +[1185.86 --> 1188.76] And we pray for your forgiveness and for your mercy, +[1189.16 --> 1193.56] so that we might dwell in you and in your grace forever. +[1194.20 --> 1194.56] Amen. +[1197.66 --> 1202.44] We can be thankful that our sin is not where we sit and where we stay. +[1202.44 --> 1206.32] So here are these words of assurance that were given from Psalm 103. +[1206.80 --> 1212.08] The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. +[1212.64 --> 1216.04] He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever. +[1216.48 --> 1221.08] For he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. +[1221.62 --> 1226.76] For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him. +[1226.76 --> 1232.70] And as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. +[1233.94 --> 1238.72] Let's stand and sing our thankfulness and gratefulness in that. +[1238.72 --> 1257.74] Lord is grace and passion, +[1257.74 --> 1259.74] and the Lord is good to all. +[1259.74 --> 1260.74] Amen. +[1260.74 --> 1266.42] Slow to anger and rich in love. +[1266.42 --> 1271.50] The Lord is gracious and compassionate. +[1271.50 --> 1280.24] Slow to anger and rich in love. +[1280.24 --> 1286.48] And the Lord is good to all +[1286.48 --> 1294.14] He has compassion for all that He has made +[1294.14 --> 1300.64] It's for Jesus from the West +[1300.64 --> 1304.70] That's how far He has removed +[1304.70 --> 1306.74] The transpiration troubles +[1306.74 --> 1314.30] It's for Jesus from the West +[1314.30 --> 1318.62] That's how far He has removed +[1318.62 --> 1320.44] The transpiration troubles +[1320.44 --> 1330.80] Praise the Lord, O my soul +[1330.80 --> 1335.10] Praise the Lord +[1335.10 --> 1344.54] Praise the Lord, O my soul +[1344.54 --> 1348.66] Praise the Lord +[1348.66 --> 1354.54] The Lord is gracious and compassionate +[1354.54 --> 1363.98] Soul to maker and rich in love +[1363.98 --> 1368.20] The Lord is gracious and passionate +[1368.20 --> 1375.98] Soul to maker and rich in love +[1375.98 --> 1382.42] And the Lord is good to all +[1382.42 --> 1389.42] He has compassion for all that He has made +[1389.42 --> 1396.86] As far as Jesus from the West +[1396.86 --> 1400.98] That's how far He has removed +[1400.98 --> 1402.98] The transpiration troubles +[1402.98 --> 1412.42] Praise the Lord, O my soul +[1412.42 --> 1416.54] Praise the Lord +[1416.54 --> 1425.98] Praise the Lord +[1425.98 --> 1427.98] Praise the Lord +[1427.98 --> 1429.98] Praise the Lord +[1429.98 --> 1435.98] Praise the Lord +[1435.98 --> 1445.42] O my soul +[1445.42 --> 1447.42] Praise the Lord +[1447.42 --> 1460.80] Praise the Lord +[1460.80 --> 1464.74] Praise the Lord +[1464.74 --> 1474.06] Lord, O my soul, praise the Lord. +[1494.74 --> 1496.74] Amen. +[1524.74 --> 1552.36] Love so amazing, love so amazing, Jesus Messiah, in love of all names, blessed Redeemer. +[1554.74 --> 1581.20] Emmanuel, the rescue for sinners, the ransom from heaven, Jesus Messiah, Lord of all. +[1584.74 --> 1594.74] God in the bread, He's not the one, broken and born, all for love. +[1595.74 --> 1600.74] A cold and trampled, the thrill of storm. +[1600.74 --> 1627.74] Love so amazing, love so amazing, Jesus Messiah, in love of all names, blessed Redeemer. +[1627.74 --> 1655.74] Emmanuel, the rescue for sinners, the ransom from heaven, Jesus Messiah, Lord of all. +[1655.74 --> 1662.74] Our hope is in you. +[1662.74 --> 1667.74] Our hope is in you. +[1667.74 --> 1669.74] Our hope is in you. +[1669.74 --> 1670.74] Our hope is in you. +[1670.74 --> 1672.74] Our hope is in you. +[1672.74 --> 1673.74] Our hope is in you. +[1673.74 --> 1679.74] Our hope is in you, Lord of all names, thequal of all names, Jesus Messiah. +[1679.74 --> 1686.46] Jesus Messiah +[1686.46 --> 1694.38] May love of all praise +[1694.38 --> 1698.30] Blessed Redeemer +[1698.30 --> 1701.98] Emmanuel +[1701.98 --> 1709.00] The rescue for sinners +[1709.00 --> 1714.68] The ransom of sinners +[1714.68 --> 1720.22] Jesus Messiah +[1720.22 --> 1726.76] Lord of all +[1726.76 --> 1731.48] Jesus Messiah +[1731.48 --> 1738.52] Lord of all +[1738.52 --> 1761.28] Good morning, my name is +[1761.28 --> 1763.52] Yap, I'm a deacon here at Langley Manual +[1763.52 --> 1770.38] We continue our worship with the giving of our gifts to the Gateway of Hope +[1770.38 --> 1775.02] The Gateway of Hope is a ministry of the Salvation Army in Canada +[1775.02 --> 1777.64] Serving the city and township of Langley +[1777.64 --> 1780.46] Their mission is to help the homeless and those at risk +[1780.46 --> 1787.20] With material assistance and other crucial supports in order to help them find hope and move forward +[1787.20 --> 1790.78] From Proverbs 14 verse 31 +[1790.78 --> 1797.58] Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his maker, but he who is generous to the needy honors him +[1797.58 --> 1798.74] Thank you +[1798.74 --> 1798.82] Thank you +[1798.82 --> 1821.98] You were the word at the beginning +[1821.98 --> 1830.08] One with God, the Lord Most High +[1830.08 --> 1835.18] Your hidden glory in creation +[1835.18 --> 1842.82] Now revealed in you are Christ +[1842.82 --> 1844.82] What a beautiful name it is +[1844.82 --> 1846.42] What a beautiful name it is +[1846.42 --> 1850.02] What a beautiful name it is +[1850.02 --> 1856.56] The name of Jesus Christ my King +[1856.56 --> 1859.70] What a beautiful name it is +[1859.70 --> 1860.50] What a beautiful name it is +[1860.50 --> 1863.76] Nothing but a test of this +[1863.76 --> 1865.70] What a beautiful name it is +[1865.70 --> 1871.06] Oh, baby, it's the name of Jesus. +[1873.94 --> 1879.14] If you want them without them, +[1879.14 --> 1885.70] Jesus, you brought them down. +[1888.46 --> 1891.80] Sin was greater, love was greater. +[1891.80 --> 1898.88] What could separate us now? +[1898.88 --> 1902.34] What a wonderful day it is. +[1902.70 --> 1905.72] What a wonderful day it is. +[1906.08 --> 1911.88] The name of Jesus Christ, my King. +[1912.70 --> 1915.96] What a wonderful day it is. +[1916.52 --> 1919.02] Nothing from there is. +[1919.02 --> 1922.26] What a wonderful day it is. +[1922.46 --> 1925.52] The name of Jesus. +[1925.52 --> 1928.96] What a wonderful day it is. +[1929.24 --> 1932.30] The name of Jesus. +[1932.30 --> 1942.38] Oh, baby, it's the name of Jesus Christ. +[1942.88 --> 1943.62] All right, Lord, let me sing. +[1943.62 --> 1961.82] Let the Lord not hold you +[1961.82 --> 1965.06] The veil of glory for you +[1965.06 --> 1971.22] The silence, the ghost, the sin and grave +[1971.22 --> 1974.38] The heavens are rolling +[1974.38 --> 1977.64] The praise of your glory +[1977.64 --> 1983.62] For you are raised to life again +[1983.62 --> 1987.00] You have no rival +[1987.00 --> 1990.44] You have no equal +[1990.44 --> 1996.34] Now and forever God you pray +[1996.34 --> 1999.80] Yours is the kingdom +[1999.80 --> 2003.22] The ghost is the glory +[2003.22 --> 2007.42] The ghost is the name of God +[2007.42 --> 2009.06] All the grace +[2009.06 --> 2013.04] What a powerful name it is +[2013.04 --> 2016.30] What a powerful name it is +[2016.30 --> 2021.80] The name of Jesus Christ my King +[2021.80 --> 2026.06] What a powerful name it is +[2026.06 --> 2029.22] Nothing can stand against +[2029.22 --> 2031.64] What a powerful name it is +[2031.64 --> 2035.48] The name of Jesus +[2035.48 --> 2038.76] You have no rival +[2038.76 --> 2042.18] You have no evil +[2042.18 --> 2047.60] Now and forever God you pray +[2047.60 --> 2051.60] Yours is the kingdom +[2051.60 --> 2055.02] Yours is the glory +[2055.02 --> 2061.42] Yours is the name of all names +[2061.42 --> 2064.76] What a powerful name it is +[2064.76 --> 2068.18] What a powerful name it is +[2068.18 --> 2070.18] What a powerful name it is +[2070.18 --> 2072.18] What a powerful name it is +[2072.18 --> 2077.60] What a powerful name it is +[2077.60 --> 2079.64] What a powerful name it is +[2079.64 --> 2083.76] What a powerful name it is +[2083.76 --> 2087.06] The name of Jesus +[2087.06 --> 2090.48] What a wonderful name it is +[2090.48 --> 2110.86] What a powerful name it is +[2110.86 --> 2111.82] What a powerful name it is +[2111.82 --> 2112.82] What a powerful name it is +[2112.82 --> 2128.94] Good morning everybody. +[2128.94 --> 2132.70] Can I have the kids from preschool all the way up to grade four come up to the front +[2132.70 --> 2133.70] today? +[2133.70 --> 2145.70] You guys can scooch in this way. +[2145.70 --> 2149.70] Come up a little bit more. +[2149.70 --> 2152.70] Okay I have a question for you this morning. +[2152.70 --> 2157.70] What has happened this week that has made you happy? +[2157.70 --> 2164.70] Scoring a goal in soccer? +[2164.70 --> 2168.70] Yes that would make me very happy. +[2168.70 --> 2170.70] Getting to play outside? +[2170.70 --> 2179.70] Anybody else? +[2179.70 --> 2182.70] I like playing at soccer. +[2182.70 --> 2183.70] Playing at soccer? +[2183.70 --> 2185.70] Yeah that would make me happy too. +[2185.70 --> 2193.70] So today we're going to learn about another characteristic of Joseph and what he has when he is happy. +[2193.70 --> 2199.70] And we're going to discuss more in children's worship time of when he's sad and when he's scared. +[2199.70 --> 2202.70] And we are going to learn all about Joseph. +[2202.70 --> 2208.70] And the big idea we're learning today too is even when things don't look good God is with us. +[2208.70 --> 2212.70] So when we're happy, when we're sad, and when we're scared. +[2212.70 --> 2213.70] Everybody stand up. +[2213.70 --> 2214.70] And look at our parents. +[2214.70 --> 2215.70] We're at congregation. +[2215.70 --> 2216.70] Okay. +[2216.70 --> 2217.70] Ready? +[2217.70 --> 2218.70] One, two, three. +[2218.70 --> 2219.70] The Lord be with you. +[2219.70 --> 2220.70] And also with you. +[2220.70 --> 2221.70] And also with you. +[2221.70 --> 2222.70] Amen. +[2222.70 --> 2223.70] Be brought in faith! +[2223.70 --> 2228.70] Go andиля to stand at work on the Lord креп Artist Millet brews. +[2228.70 --> 2229.70] And also with you. +[2229.70 --> 2231.70] Thanks a couple of us. +[2231.70 --> 2232.70] And who? +[2232.70 --> 2233.70] For more eraser visit, wSS and two, one, two, two to three. +[2233.70 --> 2234.70] OK, ready! +[2234.70 --> 2235.70] 1, 2, 3 +[2235.70 --> 2237.90] The Lord be with you. +[2237.90 --> 2238.90] The Lord be with you. +[2238.90 --> 2241.98] And also with you. +[2241.98 --> 2243.36] And also with you. +[2243.36 --> 2245.40] Thank you. +[2250.70 --> 2263.90] Good morning. My name is Dave and I'm one of the elders for this congregation. It is my turn to +[2263.90 --> 2267.96] lead us in our church family prayer. Will you bow your heads with me? +[2270.96 --> 2277.56] Praise the Lord, O my soul, all my inmost being. Praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, +[2277.56 --> 2282.68] and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, +[2283.04 --> 2286.58] who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion. +[2287.48 --> 2293.76] Father, it is good to gather on this Lord's day. Like the church in all places and through all ages, +[2293.98 --> 2298.44] we dedicate this time to worship you, to sing your praises, and to hear from your word. +[2299.90 --> 2305.20] Father, we confess that even though we spend time with you each Sunday, we confess that we focus +[2305.20 --> 2311.14] our time and thoughts on things that distract us from you. We confess that like your people Israel, +[2311.62 --> 2317.68] we have served our own idols and neglected those in need around us. Father, we thank you that we do +[2317.68 --> 2323.40] not have to be burdened by our sin, for Christ has taken our sin from us. As you told the prophet +[2323.40 --> 2329.48] Jeremiah, you have forgiven our wickedness and remember our sin no more. We thank you for that +[2329.48 --> 2336.58] precious gift. Father, we like to thank you for this church community and those who are gathered here. +[2336.84 --> 2342.90] We thank you for the leadership of this church, Pastor Chris, Pastor Kevin, for Josh, for members +[2342.90 --> 2347.50] of the council and the leadership role that they all provide. We thank you for the many ministries of +[2347.50 --> 2353.96] this church, nursery, children's worship time, gems, cadets, youth, young adults, coffee break, +[2353.96 --> 2359.14] care groups, seniors ministry, and others. We ask that you bless the work that they do, +[2359.40 --> 2363.38] that they will be able to meet the spiritual and physical needs that we see around us. +[2364.32 --> 2368.08] Father, we thank you for the free country that we live in, where we have the extraordinary +[2368.08 --> 2374.64] privilege of choosing new leaders at election time. We pray for our 93 new MLAs, both in government +[2374.64 --> 2380.14] and in opposition. We pray that even with their different ideologies and values, they will remember +[2380.14 --> 2385.46] the people that they serve. We pray that whether they acknowledge you or not, that they will know +[2385.46 --> 2393.68] to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God. Father, we also bring to you the needs +[2393.68 --> 2398.74] that we have for our congregation and the world around us. We pray for Louise, who's been diagnosed +[2398.74 --> 2403.96] with Bell's palsy. We ask that you give her the patience that she needs and that she'll have a quick +[2403.96 --> 2409.58] and complete recovery. We pray for Linda and Neil and the rest of the family as they continue to grieve +[2409.58 --> 2416.34] the passing of Linda's mom. We thank you for Bill and Miriam De Winter, who are celebrating 45 years +[2416.34 --> 2421.74] of marriage. We thank Paul and Leslie Kuhl, who just celebrated 40 years. We thank you for the +[2421.74 --> 2427.66] institution of marriage and family. We pray for many happy years to come. We pray for Ashley, +[2428.04 --> 2433.62] Mark and Dietrich Klengelting's sister-in-law, who has been diagnosed with breast cancer. As she begins +[2433.62 --> 2438.62] the difficult journey of chemotherapy, we pray that you will be with her, her husband, and the four +[2438.62 --> 2444.40] children. And look, we look forward to her healing. Father, we pray for students in this congregation, +[2444.70 --> 2452.12] both those who are here or studying elsewhere. We help them in their studies and that they will be, +[2452.20 --> 2458.16] still be able to contribute to Christian community. We pray for shut-ins and those who cannot be here. +[2458.62 --> 2463.62] We pray that they will still have opportunities for them to experience the love of family, +[2463.62 --> 2469.18] the strength of Christian community, and the presence in their lives. Father, we think about +[2469.18 --> 2474.02] the heavy rain and the flooding this weekend. We know the value of rain and the life that it brings, +[2474.22 --> 2480.30] but we can see the damage that it can cause. For all those who are experiencing damage or flooding or +[2480.30 --> 2489.08] need to clean up, we pray that as community, they and we will be able to do that. Father, +[2489.08 --> 2494.38] we continue to pray for troubled war zones in the world. We think about the violence that takes place +[2494.38 --> 2500.58] in Israel, Gaza, Lebanon, and potentially in Iran, and we do fear an even greater escalation of that +[2500.58 --> 2506.34] conflict. We think of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and we do not see an end in sight. +[2507.04 --> 2511.18] We think about so many other regions that are experiencing conflict that we don't often think +[2511.18 --> 2516.50] about. Father, we pray that you will work in the hearts of various leaders, that they could see a way +[2516.50 --> 2522.34] to resolve their conflicts and begin to live next to each other in peace. Father, we ask that you be +[2522.34 --> 2528.48] at Pastor Chris as he leads us in your word and tells us more of the story of Joseph. It is just one +[2528.48 --> 2536.76] of many reminders of your sovereignty in the midst of human suffering. The grace of the Lord Jesus be with us all. Amen. +[2546.50 --> 2570.70] We are going to open up the Bible and read and reflect on the story of Joseph near the beginning of the story of Joseph. +[2570.70 --> 2578.84] We are going to read from Genesis 37, starting at verse 12. I am going to read through the end of the chapter +[2578.84 --> 2584.88] in this part of the story, but I am going to encourage you to keep your Bibles open, keep them in front of you +[2584.88 --> 2590.78] as we come back to it. For the first time through, like we said, it should be on the screen behind us. +[2591.22 --> 2593.88] There are Bibles available at the back for you too. +[2593.88 --> 2597.26] This is what we read. +[2623.88 --> 2635.64] When Joseph arrived at Shechem, a man found him wandering around in the fields and asked him, +[2636.00 --> 2640.04] What are you looking for? And he replied, I am looking for my brothers. +[2640.42 --> 2643.06] Can you tell me where they are grazing their flocks? +[2644.10 --> 2646.56] They have moved on from here, the man answered. +[2646.56 --> 2650.78] I heard them say, let's go to Dothan. +[2652.04 --> 2655.62] So Joseph went after his brothers and found them near Dothan. +[2656.46 --> 2662.12] But they saw him in the distance, and before he reached them, they plotted to kill him. +[2663.38 --> 2666.44] Here comes that dreamer, they said to each other. +[2667.18 --> 2672.92] Come now, let's kill him and throw him into these cisterns and say that a ferocious animal devoured him. +[2672.92 --> 2675.48] Then we'll see what comes of his dreams. +[2677.32 --> 2681.72] When Reuben heard this, he tried to rescue him from their hands. +[2682.26 --> 2683.96] Let's not take his life, he said. +[2684.20 --> 2685.48] Don't shed any blood. +[2685.98 --> 2690.76] Throw him into this cistern here in the wilderness, but don't lay a hand on him. +[2691.74 --> 2696.64] Reuben said this to rescue him from them and take him back to his father. +[2696.64 --> 2704.16] So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe, the ornate robe that he was wearing, +[2704.34 --> 2707.02] and they took him and threw him into the cistern. +[2707.54 --> 2710.96] The cistern was empty, and there was no water in it. +[2712.10 --> 2718.88] As they sat down to eat their meal, they looked up, and they saw a caravan of Ishmaelites coming from Gilead. +[2718.98 --> 2725.38] Their camels were loaded with spices, balm, and myrrh, and they were on their way to take them down to Egypt. +[2725.38 --> 2728.20] Judah said to his brothers, +[2728.60 --> 2732.06] What will we gain if we kill our brother and cover up his blood? +[2732.88 --> 2738.10] Come, let's sell him to the Ishmaelites and not lay our hands on him. +[2738.42 --> 2741.64] After all, he is our brother, our own flesh and blood. +[2742.52 --> 2743.52] His brothers agreed. +[2743.52 --> 2750.78] So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern +[2750.78 --> 2756.68] and sold him for 20 shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites who took him to Egypt. +[2758.24 --> 2763.96] When Reuben returned to the cistern and saw that Joseph was not there, he tore his clothes. +[2764.64 --> 2766.24] He went back to his brothers and said, +[2766.30 --> 2767.42] The boy isn't there. +[2767.60 --> 2769.08] Where can I turn now? +[2769.08 --> 2775.50] Then they got Joseph's robe, slaughtered a goat, and dipped the robe in the blood. +[2776.36 --> 2779.44] They took the ornate robe back to their father and said, +[2779.78 --> 2780.86] We found this. +[2781.64 --> 2784.36] Examine it to see whether it's your son's robe. +[2785.98 --> 2787.82] He recognized it and said, +[2788.14 --> 2789.90] It is my son's robe. +[2790.46 --> 2792.72] Some ferocious animal has devoured him. +[2793.80 --> 2796.44] Joseph has surely been torn to pieces. +[2796.44 --> 2803.58] And then Jacob tore his clothes, put on sackcloth, and mourned his son for many days. +[2804.42 --> 2810.22] All his sons and daughters came to comfort him, but he refused to be comforted. +[2811.10 --> 2812.34] No, he said. +[2812.88 --> 2816.86] I will continue to mourn until I join my son in the grave. +[2818.04 --> 2820.64] So his father wept for him. +[2820.64 --> 2832.54] Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard. +[2833.50 --> 2834.76] This is the word of the Lord. +[2841.54 --> 2844.72] So, spoiler alert, right at the beginning. +[2845.94 --> 2846.78] Spoiler alert. +[2848.10 --> 2849.56] God wins. +[2849.56 --> 2850.72] God wins. +[2852.00 --> 2852.84] God wins. +[2853.58 --> 2854.90] That's the hope of the Bible. +[2855.06 --> 2856.20] That's the message of the cross. +[2856.32 --> 2858.26] That's the truth of God's sovereignty. +[2859.48 --> 2860.38] God wins. +[2862.06 --> 2864.10] I'm going to keep saying that until one of you says amen. +[2864.38 --> 2864.94] God wins. +[2865.56 --> 2866.32] Thank you. +[2868.06 --> 2874.88] This is the reality that we enter into these particular stories with. +[2874.88 --> 2875.72] But I want you to... +[2875.72 --> 2877.40] Did you notice? +[2877.40 --> 2887.82] As we read the story, this is one of the really few times that the author here of Genesis provides abundant narrative details. +[2887.82 --> 2891.38] Like it takes a long time to read this story. +[2891.38 --> 2896.82] There's details that we don't normally get in the telling of stories from the Bible. +[2896.96 --> 2902.44] And the idea is to provide so much information that you can picture it and live it. +[2902.44 --> 2911.32] But then what I want to suggest to you is that in doing so, we miss what might be happening elsewhere. +[2911.32 --> 2913.66] Because there's so much in front of us. +[2914.08 --> 2915.10] It's overwhelming. +[2915.10 --> 2929.54] In the book Ender's Shadow by Orson Scott Card, he has this exchange. +[2930.26 --> 2933.52] One of the officials, the captains, says, +[2933.86 --> 2936.18] Do you know why Satan is so angry all the time? +[2936.18 --> 2945.44] It's because whenever he works a particularly clever bit of mischief, God uses it to serve his own righteous purposes. +[2947.24 --> 2954.66] He goes on that God uses his own freedom to create goodness out of that evil, for that's what God chooses to do. +[2955.74 --> 2957.80] And then the character he's talking to says, +[2958.00 --> 2959.50] So in the long run, God wins? +[2960.98 --> 2962.66] Yes, is the response. +[2962.66 --> 2966.86] In the short run, though, it can be uncomfortable. +[2968.98 --> 2972.82] So God wins, and it can be uncomfortable. +[2974.88 --> 2980.56] The reality of our life in this world is that there is great evil. +[2981.06 --> 2982.72] That life can be hard. +[2982.84 --> 2983.78] That we suffer. +[2983.96 --> 2989.76] The truth of this present moment, here and now, as we wait for that day of victory, +[2989.76 --> 2995.50] as we wait for the return of Christ, as we wait for the full revelation of God's kingdom here on earth, +[2995.58 --> 3002.72] we wait in the midst of pain and illness and trial and suffering and tears and death. +[3005.42 --> 3008.48] These are the twin experiences of life in the world. +[3008.80 --> 3009.48] God wins. +[3009.88 --> 3011.98] The reality of God's sovereignty. +[3011.98 --> 3021.26] And remember, we define God's sovereignty as his right to rule and reign as Lord of the universe. +[3021.42 --> 3023.76] That is, nothing happens without him. +[3024.40 --> 3028.40] And on the other side, we have the reality of human suffering. +[3028.52 --> 3030.86] That things aren't the way they're supposed to be. +[3031.20 --> 3037.56] We have this sense and this crying out at the injustice and the inequality of it all. +[3037.56 --> 3046.14] And in that experiential tension, we live our lives of faith. +[3048.02 --> 3054.42] Another way that this has been put is the struggle of the hiddenness of God. +[3055.40 --> 3057.26] The struggle of the hiddenness of God. +[3057.60 --> 3060.54] Where is God when things go bad? +[3061.56 --> 3065.44] Where is God when my life is crumbling around me? +[3065.44 --> 3066.18] Right? +[3066.20 --> 3071.26] If he is so sovereign and so good, why doesn't he do something good with this thing going on? +[3073.76 --> 3073.96] Right? +[3074.04 --> 3084.94] The hiddenness of God is one of the most regular challenges to our experience of life and faith. +[3085.64 --> 3089.62] The hiddenness of God is the root of so many deconstruction stories. +[3089.62 --> 3093.58] The hiddenness of God, the crying out, why can't I see you? +[3093.68 --> 3094.60] Where are you? +[3095.44 --> 3101.48] It's something that any of us who have lived a little bit of life have had to contend with. +[3103.28 --> 3108.92] Now for so many, in the moment, these twin truths, the sovereignty of God, that God wins, +[3109.04 --> 3111.80] and his hiddenness seem sort of paradoxical. +[3112.10 --> 3113.48] They seem incompatible. +[3113.48 --> 3122.52] What I hope in this series is that we begin to see that they're not incompatible, but they are difficult. +[3122.52 --> 3124.58] Right? +[3124.58 --> 3130.62] And to help us understand how we might see God in the midst of these circumstances, +[3130.62 --> 3137.24] we're reading the story of Joseph looking for what I am calling God hints. +[3138.12 --> 3138.76] Right? +[3138.86 --> 3139.62] God hints. +[3139.68 --> 3143.30] Little clues in the story to help us not only survive, +[3143.30 --> 3149.00] but maybe even to thrive in the midst of our trial and hardship and suffering. +[3149.34 --> 3158.88] Now these God hints will help us, I hope, see through the hiddenness of God and remember that he is there. +[3158.88 --> 3168.14] And the God hint for this morning, where I want us to see, is what I'm calling remembering meanwhile. +[3169.36 --> 3169.74] Right? +[3169.82 --> 3171.46] Remembering meanwhile. +[3172.18 --> 3179.14] Now these God hints are glimpses of God's practical and theological helps in the midst of our suffering. +[3179.14 --> 3182.48] So if you were here two weeks ago when we started this series, +[3182.94 --> 3187.54] we started looking at the God hint, keep these things in mind, +[3187.66 --> 3192.60] focusing on the promises of God, the vision of God for hope, for a brighter tomorrow, +[3193.02 --> 3196.38] for the culmination of the story of God's salvation. +[3197.26 --> 3205.56] In the midst of today's darkness, we can look to the future of God's fully restored, fully redeemed earth. +[3205.56 --> 3213.40] And we said that what we choose to focus our minds on impacts how we endure suffering +[3213.40 --> 3218.68] and how we thrive in the midst of trial. +[3219.98 --> 3223.70] Today, we remember meanwhile. +[3225.42 --> 3230.26] Now as you can probably guess, this comes from verse 36 of our text right at the end. +[3230.86 --> 3235.10] Meanwhile, the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, +[3235.10 --> 3238.46] one of Pharaoh's officials, the captain of the guard. +[3239.96 --> 3240.08] Right? +[3240.12 --> 3242.52] So all of this befalls Joseph. +[3242.64 --> 3248.98] And remember, the author is at pains to make us march slowly through this text +[3248.98 --> 3253.22] so we can feel the weight of all of this settling on us. +[3254.50 --> 3255.02] Right? +[3255.10 --> 3256.66] His brothers want to kill him. +[3257.34 --> 3258.52] They settle for selling him. +[3258.88 --> 3264.32] They break the news to their father Jacob, who holds his son's blood-stained cloak, +[3264.32 --> 3268.74] and he cries out in suffering and in anguish of soul at the apparent death of his son. +[3268.74 --> 3269.14] And he says, +[3269.14 --> 3274.04] I will continue to mourn my son until I join him in the grave. +[3274.38 --> 3277.60] The rest of my life will be empty and incomplete. +[3277.90 --> 3281.32] There will be a gaping hole without Joseph. +[3281.32 --> 3284.90] And so Jacob weeps in the terror of it. +[3286.10 --> 3288.08] And as all of this is happening, +[3289.24 --> 3291.54] verse 36, easily missed, +[3292.08 --> 3296.12] almost imperceptible in the midst of Jacob's pain, +[3296.22 --> 3297.22] which is right in front of him, +[3297.54 --> 3299.14] verse 36 quietly says, +[3299.14 --> 3300.32] Meanwhile, +[3302.00 --> 3305.44] the Midianites sold Joseph in Egypt to Potiphar, +[3306.22 --> 3307.42] one of Pharaoh's officials, +[3307.82 --> 3309.42] the captain of the guard. +[3310.76 --> 3312.14] That little word, +[3313.00 --> 3313.50] meanwhile, +[3314.86 --> 3315.46] changes +[3315.46 --> 3317.76] our experience +[3317.76 --> 3319.00] of suffering. +[3320.30 --> 3321.50] Now, meanwhile, +[3321.86 --> 3323.40] that means at the same time. +[3323.78 --> 3323.98] Right? +[3324.06 --> 3325.04] While this is happening. +[3325.04 --> 3327.16] And in this story, +[3327.56 --> 3329.80] the narrator is breaking in +[3329.80 --> 3334.32] and drawing our attention away from the main stage. +[3335.08 --> 3337.76] So all of this that befalls Joseph and his family +[3337.76 --> 3339.48] is happening here on the main stage. +[3339.60 --> 3341.50] And the narrator breaks in and says, +[3342.08 --> 3342.42] Meanwhile, +[3343.22 --> 3344.86] as all that was happening, +[3345.82 --> 3348.72] this is going on over here. +[3349.68 --> 3352.26] Our eyes and our ears are called to focus, +[3352.26 --> 3353.28] just for a moment, +[3353.90 --> 3354.58] to the side. +[3355.04 --> 3358.30] And from the perspective of the omnipotent narrator, +[3358.52 --> 3359.52] we're reminded, right, +[3359.56 --> 3361.44] that something else is going on. +[3361.68 --> 3364.06] That even though the story +[3364.06 --> 3367.14] leaves Joseph in the well, +[3367.54 --> 3369.80] what's happening does not. +[3370.98 --> 3371.26] Right? +[3371.32 --> 3374.08] He's sold to Ishmaelites and Midianites, +[3374.28 --> 3375.84] but not forgotten. +[3376.66 --> 3378.58] There is a parallel story +[3378.58 --> 3381.46] that we can't yet see, +[3381.46 --> 3383.40] that briefly, +[3383.94 --> 3386.80] our eyes are being called to attention on. +[3388.04 --> 3389.66] That's what I mean when I say +[3389.66 --> 3391.34] remembering meanwhile. +[3392.14 --> 3392.22] Right? +[3392.38 --> 3393.98] Even when we can't see it, +[3394.22 --> 3395.68] even when we are overwhelmed +[3395.68 --> 3397.36] with our mourning as Jacob was, +[3397.44 --> 3399.74] even when the suffering is so great +[3399.74 --> 3401.46] we can't see past it, +[3401.46 --> 3404.18] you can know +[3404.18 --> 3407.18] that there is something else +[3407.18 --> 3408.42] happening. +[3408.56 --> 3409.58] There is a meanwhile +[3409.58 --> 3411.24] taking place +[3411.24 --> 3412.60] in your story. +[3413.88 --> 3414.26] Right? +[3414.82 --> 3416.12] Remembering meanwhile. +[3416.44 --> 3418.20] How we can survive and thrive +[3418.20 --> 3419.30] in the midst of human suffering +[3419.30 --> 3420.68] is by remembering +[3420.68 --> 3423.24] that even when it doesn't seem like it, +[3423.28 --> 3424.92] even when it doesn't feel like it, +[3425.14 --> 3427.14] God is sovereign over all creation. +[3428.14 --> 3428.30] Right? +[3428.30 --> 3428.64] In the end, +[3428.72 --> 3431.76] this story isn't really Jacob's story. +[3431.88 --> 3433.56] It's not really Joseph's story +[3433.56 --> 3436.10] or it isn't our story alone. +[3436.84 --> 3437.06] Right? +[3437.08 --> 3438.92] This is all God's story, +[3439.02 --> 3440.58] his creation story, +[3440.74 --> 3441.40] God's rule, +[3441.54 --> 3442.18] God's reign, +[3442.54 --> 3444.06] God at work in the world. +[3444.18 --> 3444.78] And remember, +[3445.26 --> 3446.72] God wins. +[3448.32 --> 3452.58] And our story is part of this story. +[3452.58 --> 3454.46] And so, +[3454.86 --> 3456.06] the theme that +[3456.06 --> 3457.30] sort of remembering meanwhile +[3457.30 --> 3458.30] works out under +[3458.30 --> 3460.78] is that God's godness, +[3461.98 --> 3463.62] the fact that he is God, +[3464.02 --> 3465.70] means that he is always +[3465.70 --> 3467.64] doing something. +[3469.18 --> 3470.64] God's godness +[3470.64 --> 3472.24] means that he is always +[3472.24 --> 3473.80] doing something. +[3474.64 --> 3474.84] See, +[3474.96 --> 3477.02] the positive side +[3477.02 --> 3478.62] to the truth +[3478.62 --> 3480.18] of the hiddenness of God, +[3480.18 --> 3480.22] God, +[3480.82 --> 3481.04] right, +[3481.20 --> 3483.20] is that not being able +[3483.20 --> 3484.18] to see God +[3484.18 --> 3486.20] means you might not +[3486.20 --> 3487.22] be able to see +[3487.22 --> 3489.28] how he is working. +[3491.10 --> 3492.16] It's really easy +[3492.16 --> 3492.90] to assume +[3492.90 --> 3494.34] that because we don't +[3494.34 --> 3494.94] see him +[3494.94 --> 3496.24] or can't understand it, +[3496.40 --> 3497.34] that he isn't there, +[3497.76 --> 3498.62] that he isn't working, +[3498.84 --> 3499.98] that he isn't doing anything +[3499.98 --> 3501.02] in the midst of our lives +[3501.02 --> 3501.50] and in the midst +[3501.50 --> 3502.12] of our struggles. +[3502.12 --> 3504.82] But we have to +[3504.82 --> 3505.50] acknowledge +[3505.50 --> 3507.50] that just because +[3507.50 --> 3508.58] I can't see him +[3508.58 --> 3510.24] doesn't mean +[3510.24 --> 3511.12] he isn't. +[3512.90 --> 3513.58] Or to put it +[3513.58 --> 3514.14] another way, +[3514.82 --> 3515.40] perhaps a little bit +[3515.40 --> 3516.26] more philosophically, +[3517.00 --> 3517.66] the evidence +[3517.66 --> 3518.76] of absence +[3518.76 --> 3519.84] is not +[3519.84 --> 3521.34] evidence of, +[3521.72 --> 3522.50] or the absence +[3522.50 --> 3523.22] of evidence +[3523.22 --> 3523.98] is not +[3523.98 --> 3525.26] evidence of +[3525.26 --> 3526.04] absence. +[3527.18 --> 3527.80] Just because you +[3527.80 --> 3528.38] can't see it +[3528.38 --> 3529.00] doesn't mean +[3529.00 --> 3529.64] he's not there. +[3530.30 --> 3531.04] Just because you +[3531.04 --> 3531.92] don't understand it +[3531.92 --> 3532.62] doesn't mean +[3532.62 --> 3533.82] it's not understandable. +[3535.08 --> 3535.66] I was thinking +[3535.66 --> 3536.36] about this week. +[3537.64 --> 3539.26] I don't understand +[3539.26 --> 3540.92] the complex math +[3540.92 --> 3544.34] of the two body +[3544.34 --> 3545.96] gravitational structures +[3545.96 --> 3546.78] through the universe. +[3546.88 --> 3547.46] I don't get it. +[3548.12 --> 3549.12] It doesn't make sense +[3549.12 --> 3549.44] to me. +[3551.28 --> 3551.92] But that doesn't mean +[3551.92 --> 3552.50] it's not there. +[3553.40 --> 3553.86] It doesn't mean +[3553.86 --> 3554.36] that math +[3554.36 --> 3555.20] isn't complete +[3555.20 --> 3555.90] and perfect +[3555.90 --> 3557.60] and that somehow, +[3557.90 --> 3558.56] in some way, +[3558.66 --> 3559.40] someone can make +[3559.40 --> 3560.02] sense of it. +[3561.92 --> 3564.18] Now, +[3564.70 --> 3566.48] before we +[3566.48 --> 3568.72] get too far +[3568.72 --> 3569.60] into how we +[3569.60 --> 3570.70] remember meanwhile, +[3570.92 --> 3571.34] I want to +[3571.34 --> 3573.24] acknowledge something +[3573.24 --> 3574.24] and offer this +[3574.24 --> 3575.04] as a bit of a caution. +[3576.32 --> 3576.98] Because you see, +[3577.24 --> 3581.04] as we try +[3581.04 --> 3582.30] to see God +[3582.30 --> 3582.94] at work, +[3583.64 --> 3584.70] as we try +[3584.70 --> 3585.40] to believe +[3585.40 --> 3586.04] even when we +[3586.04 --> 3586.72] can't see +[3586.72 --> 3587.60] that God +[3587.60 --> 3588.10] is at work, +[3588.14 --> 3588.62] as we try +[3588.62 --> 3589.30] to have hope +[3589.30 --> 3589.92] for today +[3589.92 --> 3590.98] and strength +[3590.98 --> 3591.68] for tomorrow +[3591.68 --> 3592.70] because of the +[3592.70 --> 3593.58] promises of God, +[3593.90 --> 3594.90] there's always +[3594.90 --> 3596.24] going to be +[3596.24 --> 3598.02] people and things +[3598.02 --> 3598.76] in your life +[3598.76 --> 3599.72] who actively +[3599.72 --> 3601.50] work against this. +[3603.70 --> 3604.36] Right? +[3604.40 --> 3605.10] This is the role +[3605.10 --> 3606.88] that the deceiver, +[3607.24 --> 3607.82] the tempter, +[3608.04 --> 3608.56] that Satan +[3608.56 --> 3609.68] sometimes plays. +[3610.26 --> 3611.40] But there's also +[3611.40 --> 3611.88] people +[3611.88 --> 3613.84] who do this. +[3614.34 --> 3614.70] Right? +[3614.72 --> 3615.48] It's true for Joseph +[3615.48 --> 3616.42] as well. +[3616.42 --> 3616.78] If you've got +[3616.78 --> 3617.56] your Bible open, +[3617.94 --> 3618.92] verse 19 +[3618.92 --> 3620.26] and 20, +[3620.64 --> 3621.32] his brothers +[3621.32 --> 3621.78] say, +[3621.88 --> 3622.46] here comes +[3622.46 --> 3623.24] that dreamer. +[3624.16 --> 3624.64] Come, +[3624.72 --> 3625.34] let's kill him. +[3626.00 --> 3626.74] Let's throw him +[3626.74 --> 3627.30] into one of these +[3627.30 --> 3628.08] cisterns and say +[3628.08 --> 3628.66] that a ferocious +[3628.66 --> 3629.52] animal devoured him. +[3629.76 --> 3630.76] Then we'll see +[3630.76 --> 3631.24] what comes +[3631.24 --> 3631.90] of his dreams. +[3634.18 --> 3634.34] Right? +[3634.40 --> 3635.10] Even as we +[3635.10 --> 3635.72] are struggling +[3635.72 --> 3636.64] to remember +[3636.64 --> 3637.58] meanwhile, +[3638.60 --> 3638.78] like, +[3639.00 --> 3639.98] open your eyes +[3639.98 --> 3640.52] and see +[3640.52 --> 3641.04] that there are +[3641.04 --> 3641.38] going to be +[3641.38 --> 3642.02] challenges +[3642.02 --> 3643.78] to our ability +[3643.78 --> 3645.04] and challengers +[3645.04 --> 3646.50] to our ability +[3646.50 --> 3647.42] to remember +[3647.42 --> 3648.08] that God +[3648.08 --> 3648.94] is at work +[3648.94 --> 3649.68] in the midst +[3649.68 --> 3650.14] of whatever +[3650.14 --> 3650.90] it is you're in. +[3651.94 --> 3653.08] And these challenges +[3653.08 --> 3653.96] are going to come +[3653.96 --> 3654.50] primarily +[3654.50 --> 3656.68] in two forms. +[3657.88 --> 3658.34] Right? +[3658.38 --> 3658.78] One of them +[3658.78 --> 3659.74] is external +[3659.74 --> 3661.02] and one of them +[3661.02 --> 3661.64] is internal. +[3663.40 --> 3663.60] Right? +[3663.62 --> 3664.50] And for the external, +[3664.68 --> 3665.02] and we've already +[3665.02 --> 3665.46] said this, +[3665.50 --> 3666.18] for the external, +[3666.46 --> 3667.06] there's always +[3667.06 --> 3668.12] going to be people +[3668.12 --> 3669.92] like Joseph's brothers +[3669.92 --> 3671.36] who say something like, +[3671.46 --> 3672.48] here comes that dreamer. +[3672.48 --> 3673.70] Let's kill him +[3673.70 --> 3674.64] and see what comes +[3674.64 --> 3675.80] of his dreams. +[3675.96 --> 3676.16] Right? +[3676.18 --> 3676.70] There's always +[3676.70 --> 3677.80] going to be people +[3677.80 --> 3679.66] who mock the dreams +[3679.66 --> 3680.30] and the visions +[3680.30 --> 3681.96] and the hopes of God. +[3682.44 --> 3683.26] And in the midst +[3683.26 --> 3684.44] of your great trial, +[3684.86 --> 3686.04] it may be the case +[3686.04 --> 3687.16] that someone will come along +[3687.16 --> 3688.36] and want to quash +[3688.36 --> 3689.62] God's hope in you. +[3691.14 --> 3692.32] In the story of Job, +[3692.96 --> 3693.76] which is another one +[3693.76 --> 3695.58] of these great stories +[3695.58 --> 3696.56] about human suffering +[3696.56 --> 3697.60] and God's sovereignty, +[3698.38 --> 3698.96] in the midst +[3698.96 --> 3700.62] of Job's suffering, +[3701.30 --> 3702.28] Job's wife +[3702.28 --> 3703.44] is one of these +[3703.44 --> 3704.44] external voices +[3704.44 --> 3705.82] that comes to him +[3705.82 --> 3706.34] and she says, +[3706.66 --> 3707.48] are you still +[3707.48 --> 3709.08] maintaining your integrity? +[3709.88 --> 3711.46] Curse God and die, +[3711.60 --> 3712.16] she says, +[3712.50 --> 3713.66] in Job 2 verse 9. +[3714.64 --> 3715.76] This is his own wife +[3715.76 --> 3717.02] telling him to give up hope. +[3717.22 --> 3718.10] This is his own wife +[3718.10 --> 3718.94] telling him to let go +[3718.94 --> 3720.02] of the promises of God. +[3721.48 --> 3722.82] The reality is +[3722.82 --> 3724.02] that in this life +[3724.02 --> 3724.90] and in this world, +[3725.06 --> 3725.96] there are people +[3725.96 --> 3727.42] who are hopeless +[3727.42 --> 3729.36] and who only feel better +[3729.36 --> 3730.80] about their hopelessness +[3730.80 --> 3731.94] when they can project it +[3731.94 --> 3733.30] on to people around them. +[3735.86 --> 3737.04] We are not meant +[3737.04 --> 3737.86] to be alone +[3737.86 --> 3739.08] and one of the ways +[3739.08 --> 3739.82] that the desire +[3739.82 --> 3740.60] for community +[3740.60 --> 3741.90] is perverted +[3741.90 --> 3743.04] and is corrupted +[3743.04 --> 3743.76] by sin +[3743.76 --> 3745.40] is that we bring others +[3745.40 --> 3746.56] into our corruption. +[3747.96 --> 3749.00] We bring others +[3749.00 --> 3751.00] into our hopelessness, +[3751.54 --> 3752.34] our nihilism, +[3752.74 --> 3753.96] and we project it +[3753.96 --> 3754.96] out onto them. +[3754.96 --> 3758.98] Even as there are people +[3758.98 --> 3760.28] trying to bring us down, +[3760.40 --> 3761.52] trying to make us forget +[3761.52 --> 3762.92] the promises of God +[3762.92 --> 3764.62] based on their own +[3764.62 --> 3766.06] experiences of hopelessness, +[3766.42 --> 3767.74] the other side of this, +[3767.80 --> 3768.56] the other truth here +[3768.56 --> 3769.90] is that we don't actually +[3769.90 --> 3770.86] need these people +[3770.86 --> 3771.46] to do that. +[3772.84 --> 3773.10] Right? +[3773.14 --> 3774.64] We don't need people +[3774.64 --> 3777.28] or even Satan, +[3777.58 --> 3778.94] the tempter to do this, +[3779.02 --> 3780.00] the deceiver to do this, +[3780.00 --> 3781.22] because most of us +[3781.22 --> 3781.76] are pretty good +[3781.76 --> 3782.72] at doing this on our own. +[3782.72 --> 3784.90] And that's the other side. +[3784.96 --> 3785.76] We've got external +[3785.76 --> 3787.24] temptations and forces +[3787.24 --> 3788.28] and internal +[3788.28 --> 3789.84] temptations and forces. +[3790.24 --> 3791.62] We are quite capable +[3791.62 --> 3792.58] on our own +[3792.58 --> 3793.70] of being our own +[3793.70 --> 3795.14] challenge to remembering +[3795.14 --> 3796.20] meanwhile. +[3797.62 --> 3799.42] Even when everything +[3799.42 --> 3802.44] is going against us, +[3803.30 --> 3805.02] when it seems like life +[3805.02 --> 3806.24] can't get any harder, +[3807.20 --> 3808.92] when we read in Scripture +[3808.92 --> 3810.26] when weeping lasts +[3810.26 --> 3810.88] for the night +[3810.88 --> 3811.92] but then also +[3811.92 --> 3812.66] for the next night, +[3813.14 --> 3813.82] and then again +[3813.82 --> 3814.58] for the next night, +[3814.90 --> 3816.00] and for the next night, +[3816.48 --> 3818.02] when all we seem to know +[3818.02 --> 3818.96] are our tears +[3818.96 --> 3819.74] and our tears have been +[3819.74 --> 3820.98] our food day and night, +[3821.14 --> 3822.92] when joy never seems to come, +[3823.08 --> 3823.86] in those moments +[3823.86 --> 3825.14] it can be so easy +[3825.14 --> 3826.98] to forget the promises of God. +[3827.32 --> 3828.30] And in those moments +[3828.30 --> 3829.14] it can be so easy +[3829.14 --> 3830.20] to tell ourselves +[3830.20 --> 3831.92] that God is against us, +[3832.00 --> 3833.60] that the world is against us, +[3833.64 --> 3834.62] that the universe +[3834.62 --> 3835.68] has it in for us, +[3835.76 --> 3837.56] that nobody cares about me. +[3837.56 --> 3840.18] And in those moments, +[3840.30 --> 3840.48] right, +[3840.52 --> 3841.14] all of a sudden +[3841.14 --> 3844.60] every little slight +[3844.60 --> 3846.08] becomes huge. +[3846.98 --> 3848.74] Every misspoken word +[3848.74 --> 3850.96] becomes a personal attack. +[3851.52 --> 3853.14] Every forgotten moment +[3853.14 --> 3854.62] erases our identity. +[3855.18 --> 3856.48] Every missed opportunity +[3856.48 --> 3857.12] to say, +[3857.28 --> 3857.88] I love you, +[3857.94 --> 3858.98] becomes a reason +[3858.98 --> 3860.38] to think I'm not lovable. +[3860.38 --> 3861.42] Right, +[3861.42 --> 3863.30] this is how our hearts +[3863.30 --> 3864.14] and our minds work. +[3864.88 --> 3865.88] We're overwhelmed +[3865.88 --> 3867.08] by the present, +[3867.86 --> 3869.02] and it makes it impossible +[3869.02 --> 3871.00] to see beyond our pain +[3871.00 --> 3872.20] and our suffering. +[3872.20 --> 3876.62] This week I had a chance +[3876.62 --> 3878.66] to re-read +[3878.66 --> 3880.74] C.S. Lewis' book +[3880.74 --> 3882.06] A Grief Observed. +[3882.12 --> 3882.96] It's just a short little +[3882.96 --> 3884.12] memoir +[3884.12 --> 3885.86] after the death +[3885.86 --> 3886.72] of his wife. +[3887.92 --> 3889.02] I want to share with you +[3889.02 --> 3890.66] a portion of that. +[3891.28 --> 3892.26] It's a bit of a longer quote, +[3892.40 --> 3893.42] but it'll be on the screen +[3893.42 --> 3895.96] because I think it captures +[3895.96 --> 3897.58] exactly what we're +[3897.58 --> 3898.36] talking about here. +[3900.54 --> 3901.28] He says, +[3901.28 --> 3903.32] Meanwhile, +[3904.28 --> 3907.32] where is God? +[3909.08 --> 3910.74] This is one of the most +[3910.74 --> 3912.56] disquieting symptoms. +[3913.56 --> 3914.72] When you are happy, +[3914.92 --> 3916.08] so happy that you have +[3916.08 --> 3917.20] no sense of needing him, +[3917.42 --> 3918.48] so happy that you are +[3918.48 --> 3919.86] tempted to feel his claims +[3919.86 --> 3921.18] upon you as an interruption, +[3921.56 --> 3922.94] if you remember yourself +[3922.94 --> 3923.78] and turn to him +[3923.78 --> 3925.26] with gratitude and praise, +[3925.60 --> 3926.60] you will be, +[3926.68 --> 3927.56] or so it feels, +[3927.90 --> 3929.26] welcomed with open arms. +[3929.26 --> 3931.36] But go to him +[3931.36 --> 3932.56] when your need is desperate, +[3932.94 --> 3934.12] when all other help +[3934.12 --> 3934.76] is vain, +[3934.86 --> 3936.06] and what do you find? +[3936.56 --> 3938.62] A door slammed in your face +[3938.62 --> 3940.34] and a sound of a bolting +[3940.34 --> 3941.36] and double bolting +[3941.36 --> 3942.56] on the inside. +[3943.48 --> 3944.42] After that, +[3945.42 --> 3945.78] silence. +[3947.78 --> 3949.04] You may as well turn away. +[3950.30 --> 3951.60] The longer you wait, +[3951.60 --> 3952.84] the more emphatic +[3952.84 --> 3953.92] the silence becomes. +[3955.12 --> 3956.28] There are no lights +[3956.28 --> 3956.94] in the windows. +[3958.02 --> 3959.42] It might be an empty house. +[3960.56 --> 3961.92] Was it ever inhabited? +[3963.56 --> 3965.50] It seemed so once, +[3966.20 --> 3967.50] and that seeming +[3967.50 --> 3969.00] was as strong as this. +[3969.20 --> 3970.04] What can this mean? +[3970.24 --> 3971.56] Why is he so present, +[3971.64 --> 3972.78] a commander in our time +[3972.78 --> 3973.48] of prosperity, +[3973.86 --> 3975.34] and so very absent, +[3975.50 --> 3976.60] a help in a time +[3976.60 --> 3977.22] of trouble? +[3977.22 --> 3980.40] Not that I am, +[3980.70 --> 3981.64] I think, +[3982.14 --> 3983.04] in much danger +[3983.04 --> 3984.52] of ceasing to believe +[3984.52 --> 3985.18] in God. +[3985.74 --> 3987.06] The real danger +[3987.06 --> 3987.92] is of coming +[3987.92 --> 3988.66] to believe +[3988.66 --> 3990.30] such dreadful things +[3990.30 --> 3991.20] about him. +[3992.06 --> 3993.40] The conclusion I dread +[3993.40 --> 3994.00] is not, +[3994.34 --> 3995.18] so there's no God +[3995.18 --> 3995.94] after all, +[3996.28 --> 3996.58] but, +[3997.34 --> 3998.62] so this is what +[3998.62 --> 4000.14] God's really like. +[4001.10 --> 4002.22] Deceive yourself +[4002.22 --> 4003.58] no longer. +[4003.58 --> 4003.68] No longer. +[4007.22 --> 4009.30] some people +[4009.30 --> 4009.88] just have a way +[4009.88 --> 4010.42] with words. +[4014.34 --> 4015.94] But if you've mourned +[4015.94 --> 4019.38] a deeply loved person, +[4020.38 --> 4022.62] maybe you know this feeling. +[4025.74 --> 4026.30] Right? +[4026.34 --> 4027.50] That's what I'm talking about +[4027.50 --> 4028.34] when I say +[4028.34 --> 4029.20] that we have our own +[4029.20 --> 4030.26] internal challenges +[4030.26 --> 4031.22] to remembering +[4031.22 --> 4032.40] meanwhile. +[4032.40 --> 4036.06] And this is exactly +[4036.06 --> 4036.42] why, +[4036.56 --> 4037.46] in this moment, +[4037.60 --> 4038.92] in these feelings, +[4039.20 --> 4040.98] in these experienced +[4040.98 --> 4041.44] realities, +[4041.52 --> 4042.64] this is exactly why +[4042.64 --> 4043.78] it's so important +[4043.78 --> 4045.56] to surround ourselves +[4045.56 --> 4047.02] with gospel visions +[4047.02 --> 4048.36] and promises of God +[4048.36 --> 4049.56] when things are good. +[4050.38 --> 4050.60] Right? +[4050.60 --> 4051.40] Because the deeper +[4051.40 --> 4052.82] the well of experience +[4052.82 --> 4054.06] and knowledge of God, +[4054.40 --> 4056.22] the longer we can draw +[4056.22 --> 4057.70] strength from him +[4057.70 --> 4059.02] and from his spirit +[4059.02 --> 4059.78] within us +[4059.78 --> 4061.20] when things outside +[4061.20 --> 4062.28] are pure chaos. +[4063.40 --> 4064.72] And this is another reason +[4064.72 --> 4065.64] why it's so important +[4065.64 --> 4066.64] for us to wrestle +[4066.64 --> 4068.02] with God's sovereignty +[4068.02 --> 4069.00] and human suffering +[4069.00 --> 4069.74] right now +[4069.74 --> 4070.84] because the truth is +[4070.84 --> 4072.08] we can't put it off +[4072.08 --> 4073.00] because who knows +[4073.00 --> 4074.30] what tomorrow's going to bring. +[4074.72 --> 4075.50] Who knows if you +[4075.50 --> 4076.38] will have a tomorrow. +[4079.16 --> 4079.84] And so, +[4080.62 --> 4081.40] remembering +[4081.40 --> 4082.68] meanwhile +[4082.68 --> 4084.40] is critical. +[4085.00 --> 4085.56] Critical +[4085.56 --> 4087.08] if we're going to survive +[4087.08 --> 4087.96] and thrive +[4087.96 --> 4089.00] in times +[4089.00 --> 4090.32] of trial. +[4092.40 --> 4092.66] Now, +[4092.68 --> 4093.18] I mentioned +[4093.18 --> 4093.86] that meanwhile +[4093.86 --> 4095.94] means at the same time +[4095.94 --> 4097.26] or while this was happening. +[4097.42 --> 4099.04] It's an attempt +[4099.04 --> 4099.84] by the narrator +[4099.84 --> 4100.90] to get our eyes +[4100.90 --> 4102.48] to focus on something +[4102.48 --> 4103.10] beyond +[4103.10 --> 4104.56] what is obviously +[4104.56 --> 4105.68] before us. +[4107.58 --> 4108.62] Here's the truth +[4108.62 --> 4109.90] of a sovereign God. +[4110.00 --> 4110.94] Part of what makes him +[4110.94 --> 4111.74] God, in fact. +[4111.82 --> 4111.90] Right? +[4111.94 --> 4112.38] That's what I mean +[4112.38 --> 4113.00] when I said earlier +[4113.00 --> 4114.88] the godness of God. +[4114.88 --> 4117.34] the meanwhile +[4117.34 --> 4118.56] of God +[4118.56 --> 4120.48] isn't limited +[4120.48 --> 4122.52] to your present. +[4123.84 --> 4125.04] The meanwhile +[4125.04 --> 4125.58] of God +[4125.58 --> 4126.26] isn't limited +[4126.26 --> 4127.76] to your present +[4127.76 --> 4128.68] circumstance. +[4128.84 --> 4128.92] Right? +[4128.98 --> 4129.56] This god +[4129.56 --> 4131.06] stands above time +[4131.06 --> 4132.50] and apart from time +[4132.50 --> 4133.94] and so his activity +[4133.94 --> 4135.12] for the present +[4135.12 --> 4136.18] isn't limited +[4136.18 --> 4137.52] to the present. +[4138.66 --> 4139.26] The meanwhile +[4139.26 --> 4139.80] of God +[4139.80 --> 4140.50] isn't limited +[4140.50 --> 4141.28] to the present. +[4141.62 --> 4142.34] God's activity +[4142.34 --> 4143.36] for the present +[4143.36 --> 4144.30] isn't limited +[4144.30 --> 4145.40] to the here and now. +[4146.32 --> 4146.96] And I get this +[4146.96 --> 4147.64] from the story +[4147.64 --> 4148.68] of Joseph. +[4148.84 --> 4149.10] Notice +[4149.10 --> 4150.60] what that means. +[4151.52 --> 4152.38] At the very +[4152.38 --> 4153.54] beginning +[4153.54 --> 4158.68] they sat down +[4158.68 --> 4160.16] to eat their meal +[4160.16 --> 4161.02] and they looked up +[4161.02 --> 4161.66] and they saw +[4161.66 --> 4163.16] a caravan +[4163.16 --> 4164.14] of Ishmaelites +[4164.14 --> 4165.72] coming from Gilead. +[4166.64 --> 4166.96] Judah +[4166.96 --> 4168.32] said to +[4168.32 --> 4168.92] his +[4168.92 --> 4169.82] brothers +[4169.82 --> 4172.20] what will we gain +[4172.20 --> 4173.00] if we kill +[4173.00 --> 4173.60] our brother +[4173.60 --> 4174.66] and cover up +[4174.66 --> 4175.16] his blood. +[4176.06 --> 4176.80] Come let's +[4176.80 --> 4177.30] sell him +[4177.30 --> 4178.76] to the Ishmaelites. +[4179.12 --> 4179.54] And so +[4179.54 --> 4180.28] when the Midianite +[4180.28 --> 4181.00] merchants came +[4181.00 --> 4181.86] they sold him +[4181.86 --> 4183.26] for 20 shekels +[4183.26 --> 4183.70] of silver +[4183.70 --> 4185.26] to the Ishmaelites +[4185.26 --> 4185.90] who took him +[4185.90 --> 4186.84] to Egypt. +[4188.44 --> 4189.54] As we reflect +[4189.54 --> 4190.00] on this +[4190.00 --> 4190.50] remembering +[4190.50 --> 4190.98] meanwhile +[4190.98 --> 4191.52] in the midst +[4191.52 --> 4191.98] of suffering +[4191.98 --> 4193.10] take a moment +[4193.10 --> 4194.58] and zoom out +[4194.58 --> 4194.96] with me +[4194.96 --> 4195.32] we're going to do +[4195.32 --> 4195.60] a little bit +[4195.60 --> 4196.36] of biblical history +[4196.36 --> 4197.46] so we can see +[4197.46 --> 4198.38] what God is doing. +[4199.74 --> 4200.62] Who are +[4200.62 --> 4201.70] the Ishmaelites +[4201.70 --> 4203.06] and the Midianites? +[4204.26 --> 4205.10] To answer +[4205.10 --> 4205.72] that question +[4205.72 --> 4206.52] we actually +[4206.52 --> 4207.52] have to go back +[4207.52 --> 4208.96] and look at +[4208.96 --> 4209.48] the story +[4209.48 --> 4210.72] of Abraham. +[4211.92 --> 4213.38] The Midianites +[4213.38 --> 4215.04] are descendants +[4215.04 --> 4216.02] of Abraham +[4216.02 --> 4217.92] through his son +[4217.92 --> 4218.92] Keturah +[4218.92 --> 4221.02] and the Ishmaelites +[4221.02 --> 4221.84] are descendants +[4221.84 --> 4222.70] of Abraham +[4222.70 --> 4224.70] through Hagar. +[4226.48 --> 4228.18] The forefathers +[4228.18 --> 4229.54] of this group +[4229.54 --> 4231.56] are half brothers. +[4231.90 --> 4232.66] They are sons +[4232.66 --> 4233.72] of Abraham +[4233.72 --> 4234.78] and so what that means +[4234.78 --> 4235.98] is they're uncles +[4235.98 --> 4236.96] to Jacob. +[4238.64 --> 4238.96] And so +[4238.96 --> 4239.54] this group +[4239.54 --> 4240.14] of traitors +[4240.14 --> 4240.70] that come +[4240.70 --> 4241.54] are second +[4241.54 --> 4242.78] or third cousins +[4242.78 --> 4243.78] to Joseph +[4243.78 --> 4244.74] and his brothers. +[4245.56 --> 4246.08] And the point +[4246.08 --> 4246.46] that I want you +[4246.46 --> 4246.86] to see here +[4246.86 --> 4247.60] is not that +[4247.60 --> 4248.40] these brothers +[4248.40 --> 4249.12] would have possibly +[4249.12 --> 4250.26] known these traitors +[4250.26 --> 4251.60] and these slavers. +[4252.32 --> 4252.98] The point +[4252.98 --> 4254.18] is that God +[4254.18 --> 4255.52] is using them +[4255.52 --> 4256.82] for his purposes. +[4256.82 --> 4257.86] This is where +[4257.86 --> 4258.16] I want you +[4258.16 --> 4258.60] to do this +[4258.60 --> 4259.18] biblical history. +[4259.28 --> 4259.80] Track with me. +[4260.58 --> 4261.22] Ishmael +[4261.22 --> 4261.88] is born +[4261.88 --> 4262.64] to Abraham +[4262.64 --> 4263.86] through Hagar +[4263.86 --> 4264.58] which is +[4264.58 --> 4265.16] Sarah's +[4265.16 --> 4265.92] maidservant +[4265.92 --> 4266.98] to provide +[4266.98 --> 4267.70] an heir +[4267.70 --> 4268.58] for Abraham +[4268.58 --> 4270.02] before Isaac +[4270.02 --> 4270.86] was born. +[4271.32 --> 4272.06] In the story +[4272.06 --> 4273.86] that Sarah +[4273.86 --> 4274.96] and Abraham +[4274.96 --> 4275.64] are trying +[4275.64 --> 4276.14] to take +[4276.14 --> 4276.70] the fulfillment +[4276.70 --> 4277.30] of God's +[4277.30 --> 4278.24] blessing to them +[4278.24 --> 4278.76] his promise +[4278.76 --> 4279.06] to them +[4279.06 --> 4280.24] into their own hands. +[4281.12 --> 4281.60] And so Sarah +[4281.60 --> 4282.06] says +[4282.06 --> 4283.94] lie with my +[4283.94 --> 4285.46] slave Hagar +[4285.46 --> 4286.44] and she +[4286.44 --> 4287.18] might provide +[4287.18 --> 4287.56] a son +[4287.56 --> 4288.00] for you. +[4288.54 --> 4289.50] Now at best +[4289.50 --> 4290.40] had that all +[4290.40 --> 4291.00] worked out +[4291.00 --> 4291.78] Ishmael +[4291.78 --> 4292.32] would have been +[4292.32 --> 4292.78] considered +[4292.78 --> 4293.82] a second tier +[4293.82 --> 4294.50] heir +[4294.50 --> 4295.10] especially +[4295.10 --> 4296.28] when Abraham +[4296.28 --> 4297.14] does go on +[4297.14 --> 4297.90] to have a son +[4297.90 --> 4298.74] with Sarah +[4298.74 --> 4299.26] we know him +[4299.26 --> 4299.76] as Isaac. +[4301.02 --> 4301.66] The story +[4301.66 --> 4302.74] tells us +[4302.74 --> 4303.36] then that +[4303.36 --> 4304.16] Ishmael +[4304.16 --> 4305.02] and Hagar +[4305.02 --> 4306.34] were eventually +[4306.34 --> 4307.84] rejected by Abraham +[4307.84 --> 4309.18] and in Genesis +[4309.18 --> 4309.80] 21 +[4309.80 --> 4311.50] we read the story +[4311.50 --> 4313.20] of Isaac's +[4313.20 --> 4314.04] weaning party +[4314.04 --> 4315.62] and so +[4315.62 --> 4316.52] weaning +[4316.52 --> 4317.20] in the ancient +[4317.20 --> 4317.68] Near East +[4317.68 --> 4318.00] would have +[4318.00 --> 4318.30] happened +[4318.30 --> 4318.92] around three +[4318.92 --> 4319.28] or four +[4319.28 --> 4319.88] years old +[4319.88 --> 4322.08] when Ishmael +[4322.08 --> 4322.86] makes fun +[4322.86 --> 4323.42] of Isaac +[4323.42 --> 4324.58] and Sarah +[4324.58 --> 4325.04] hears +[4325.04 --> 4326.04] and so she +[4326.04 --> 4326.86] tells Abraham +[4326.86 --> 4327.68] get rid of +[4327.68 --> 4328.18] that slave +[4328.18 --> 4328.42] woman +[4328.42 --> 4329.16] and her son +[4329.16 --> 4329.80] for that +[4329.80 --> 4330.56] slave woman's +[4330.56 --> 4330.98] son will +[4330.98 --> 4331.86] never share +[4331.86 --> 4332.54] the inheritance +[4332.54 --> 4333.14] with my +[4333.14 --> 4334.18] son Isaac. +[4335.08 --> 4335.70] And we +[4335.70 --> 4336.54] read in that +[4336.54 --> 4337.32] story in +[4337.32 --> 4338.06] Genesis 21 +[4338.06 --> 4339.98] that Abraham +[4339.98 --> 4341.14] is distressed +[4341.14 --> 4342.12] at the prospect +[4342.12 --> 4343.12] but God +[4343.12 --> 4343.60] comes +[4343.60 --> 4344.26] and speaks +[4344.26 --> 4344.78] to him +[4344.78 --> 4345.50] and says +[4345.50 --> 4346.42] listen to +[4346.42 --> 4346.98] whatever Sarah +[4346.98 --> 4347.50] tells you +[4347.50 --> 4348.32] because it is +[4348.32 --> 4349.14] through Isaac +[4349.14 --> 4349.88] that your +[4349.88 --> 4350.36] offspring +[4350.36 --> 4351.10] will be +[4351.10 --> 4351.78] reckoned. +[4352.16 --> 4352.52] God is +[4352.52 --> 4352.90] basically +[4352.90 --> 4353.70] telling Abraham +[4353.70 --> 4354.48] that he +[4354.48 --> 4354.88] has been +[4354.88 --> 4355.22] elected +[4355.22 --> 4355.96] and ordained +[4355.96 --> 4356.36] and that +[4356.36 --> 4357.06] Isaac +[4357.06 --> 4358.34] not Ishmael +[4358.34 --> 4359.38] will continue +[4359.38 --> 4359.94] that line +[4359.94 --> 4360.26] and will +[4360.26 --> 4360.72] form his +[4360.72 --> 4361.08] people. +[4361.50 --> 4362.08] Ishmael +[4362.08 --> 4362.48] is an +[4362.48 --> 4362.96] outsider +[4362.96 --> 4364.24] but the +[4364.24 --> 4364.58] story doesn't +[4364.58 --> 4365.12] stop there. +[4365.72 --> 4366.40] God doesn't +[4366.40 --> 4367.36] leave Ishmael +[4367.36 --> 4368.00] without a +[4368.00 --> 4369.18] second promise +[4369.18 --> 4370.18] and as +[4370.18 --> 4370.52] Hagar +[4370.52 --> 4371.26] and Ishmael +[4371.26 --> 4372.18] are wandering +[4372.18 --> 4372.66] through the +[4372.66 --> 4372.96] wilderness +[4372.96 --> 4373.56] about to +[4373.56 --> 4373.88] die +[4373.88 --> 4375.20] God reveals +[4375.20 --> 4375.64] to her +[4375.64 --> 4376.24] leads them +[4376.24 --> 4376.86] to a +[4376.86 --> 4377.24] well +[4377.24 --> 4378.40] and promises +[4378.40 --> 4379.18] her that +[4379.18 --> 4379.62] her son +[4379.62 --> 4380.32] Ishmael +[4380.32 --> 4380.90] will be +[4380.90 --> 4381.42] made into +[4381.42 --> 4381.80] a great +[4381.80 --> 4382.18] nation. +[4382.96 --> 4383.30] And the +[4383.30 --> 4383.98] text tells +[4383.98 --> 4384.32] us in +[4384.32 --> 4385.00] Genesis 21 +[4385.00 --> 4385.86] 20 that +[4385.86 --> 4386.66] God was +[4386.66 --> 4387.26] with the +[4387.26 --> 4388.00] boy as +[4388.00 --> 4388.40] he grew +[4388.40 --> 4388.68] up. +[4390.00 --> 4390.72] And so +[4390.72 --> 4391.44] here is +[4391.44 --> 4391.62] what we +[4391.62 --> 4392.00] can see +[4392.00 --> 4392.58] right an +[4392.58 --> 4393.30] example of +[4393.30 --> 4394.04] God's +[4394.04 --> 4394.74] common +[4394.74 --> 4395.88] grace to +[4395.88 --> 4396.88] all people +[4396.88 --> 4397.86] that even +[4397.86 --> 4398.60] though God +[4398.60 --> 4399.16] hadn't +[4399.16 --> 4399.76] elected +[4399.76 --> 4400.54] Ishmael +[4400.54 --> 4400.84] to be +[4400.84 --> 4401.24] the father +[4401.24 --> 4401.62] of his +[4401.62 --> 4402.06] people +[4402.06 --> 4402.74] because that +[4402.74 --> 4403.22] remains with +[4403.22 --> 4403.62] Isaac +[4403.62 --> 4404.96] God still +[4404.96 --> 4405.68] graciously +[4405.68 --> 4406.82] extends himself +[4406.82 --> 4407.32] and a +[4407.32 --> 4408.20] blessing to +[4408.20 --> 4409.14] Ishmael. +[4410.04 --> 4410.34] And what's +[4410.34 --> 4411.10] more as we +[4411.10 --> 4411.54] read that +[4411.54 --> 4412.08] story in +[4412.08 --> 4412.82] chapter 21 +[4412.82 --> 4414.78] while Hagar +[4414.78 --> 4415.78] and Ishmael +[4415.78 --> 4416.60] are living +[4416.60 --> 4417.00] in the +[4417.00 --> 4417.88] desert we +[4417.88 --> 4418.30] read that +[4418.30 --> 4419.16] she goes +[4419.16 --> 4420.00] to Egypt +[4420.00 --> 4421.16] to get +[4421.16 --> 4421.72] a wife +[4421.72 --> 4422.58] for her +[4422.58 --> 4422.88] son. +[4424.56 --> 4424.90] You start +[4424.90 --> 4425.38] seeing how +[4425.38 --> 4426.04] this meanwhile +[4426.04 --> 4426.44] could be +[4426.44 --> 4426.80] stacking? +[4427.72 --> 4427.82] Right? +[4427.90 --> 4428.20] Could it +[4428.20 --> 4428.70] be that +[4428.70 --> 4429.22] the family +[4429.22 --> 4429.80] connection +[4429.80 --> 4431.24] from the +[4431.24 --> 4431.78] time of +[4431.78 --> 4432.26] Abraham +[4432.26 --> 4433.74] and Ishmael +[4433.74 --> 4434.70] the family +[4434.70 --> 4435.16] connection +[4435.16 --> 4436.06] to Egypt +[4436.06 --> 4437.06] is why +[4437.06 --> 4437.64] these +[4437.64 --> 4438.22] descendants +[4438.22 --> 4438.72] are now +[4438.72 --> 4439.56] traveling to +[4439.56 --> 4440.08] Egypt to +[4440.08 --> 4440.34] make a +[4440.34 --> 4440.60] trade? +[4441.88 --> 4442.52] Could this +[4442.52 --> 4443.48] already be +[4443.48 --> 4443.96] God's +[4443.96 --> 4444.56] meanwhile +[4444.56 --> 4446.02] starting in +[4446.02 --> 4446.44] the story +[4446.44 --> 4446.90] of Joseph? +[4448.12 --> 4448.90] I think +[4448.90 --> 4449.44] it is. +[4451.24 --> 4451.84] Right? +[4451.88 --> 4452.20] You see +[4452.20 --> 4452.64] what's going +[4452.64 --> 4453.20] on here. +[4453.76 --> 4454.34] Already +[4454.34 --> 4455.26] with Ishmael +[4455.26 --> 4455.86] and Isaac +[4455.86 --> 4456.40] and Abraham +[4456.40 --> 4457.14] God +[4457.14 --> 4458.08] is working +[4458.08 --> 4459.28] on the +[4459.28 --> 4459.80] meanwhile +[4459.80 --> 4460.50] of the +[4460.50 --> 4460.76] Joseph +[4460.76 --> 4461.28] story. +[4462.08 --> 4462.78] Generations +[4462.78 --> 4463.26] before +[4463.26 --> 4464.06] God +[4464.06 --> 4464.64] lays the +[4464.64 --> 4465.32] groundwork +[4465.32 --> 4465.78] for his +[4465.78 --> 4466.34] provision +[4466.34 --> 4467.16] for Joseph +[4467.16 --> 4467.84] and the +[4467.84 --> 4468.28] people of +[4468.28 --> 4468.58] Israel +[4468.58 --> 4469.14] during the +[4469.14 --> 4469.44] famine. +[4470.44 --> 4470.74] Joseph +[4470.74 --> 4471.78] is in +[4471.78 --> 4472.12] the midst +[4472.12 --> 4472.44] of a +[4472.44 --> 4472.90] cistern +[4472.90 --> 4473.36] surrounded +[4473.36 --> 4473.94] by brothers +[4473.94 --> 4474.34] who want +[4474.34 --> 4474.74] to kill +[4474.74 --> 4475.02] him +[4475.02 --> 4475.60] and a +[4475.60 --> 4475.92] sovereign +[4475.92 --> 4476.34] God +[4476.34 --> 4476.72] had been +[4476.72 --> 4477.10] working +[4477.10 --> 4477.74] towards +[4477.74 --> 4478.16] this +[4478.16 --> 4478.72] for +[4478.72 --> 4479.34] generations. +[4479.34 --> 4483.04] And here's +[4483.04 --> 4483.34] the thing +[4483.34 --> 4485.40] about +[4485.40 --> 4485.90] remembering +[4485.90 --> 4486.74] meanwhile +[4486.74 --> 4487.40] in the +[4487.40 --> 4487.58] midst +[4487.58 --> 4487.82] of our +[4487.82 --> 4488.18] present +[4488.18 --> 4488.94] suffering. +[4489.16 --> 4489.64] God +[4489.64 --> 4490.14] isn't +[4490.14 --> 4490.58] bound +[4490.58 --> 4491.02] by +[4491.02 --> 4492.00] time +[4492.00 --> 4492.50] or by +[4492.50 --> 4493.44] circumstance. +[4493.74 --> 4493.88] God +[4493.88 --> 4494.54] doesn't +[4494.54 --> 4495.12] react +[4495.12 --> 4495.76] to the +[4495.76 --> 4496.14] evils +[4496.14 --> 4496.38] that +[4496.38 --> 4496.76] befall +[4496.76 --> 4497.10] us +[4497.10 --> 4497.42] and then +[4497.42 --> 4497.62] go +[4497.62 --> 4498.10] okay +[4498.10 --> 4498.38] how am +[4498.38 --> 4498.44] I +[4498.44 --> 4498.56] going +[4498.56 --> 4498.66] to +[4498.66 --> 4498.84] figure +[4498.84 --> 4499.10] this +[4499.10 --> 4499.38] out? +[4499.56 --> 4499.78] Like +[4499.78 --> 4499.88] he +[4499.88 --> 4500.08] didn't +[4500.08 --> 4500.22] know +[4500.22 --> 4500.36] what +[4500.36 --> 4500.50] was +[4500.50 --> 4500.60] going +[4500.60 --> 4500.70] to +[4500.70 --> 4501.08] happen +[4501.08 --> 4501.60] until +[4501.60 --> 4501.76] it +[4501.76 --> 4502.06] happened +[4502.06 --> 4502.22] and +[4502.22 --> 4502.44] he +[4502.44 --> 4502.60] has +[4502.60 --> 4502.70] to +[4502.70 --> 4502.84] come +[4502.84 --> 4502.96] up +[4502.96 --> 4503.06] with +[4503.06 --> 4503.20] a +[4503.20 --> 4503.60] new +[4503.60 --> 4503.92] plan. +[4504.08 --> 4504.46] That's +[4504.46 --> 4504.72] not +[4504.72 --> 4504.98] what +[4504.98 --> 4505.44] sovereignty +[4505.44 --> 4506.26] means. +[4506.40 --> 4506.70] God's +[4506.70 --> 4507.06] sovereignty +[4507.06 --> 4507.48] means +[4507.48 --> 4508.06] that before +[4508.06 --> 4508.76] the creation +[4508.76 --> 4509.14] of the +[4509.14 --> 4509.44] world +[4509.44 --> 4510.06] God +[4510.06 --> 4510.32] had +[4510.32 --> 4510.68] this +[4510.68 --> 4511.22] story +[4511.22 --> 4511.72] in +[4511.72 --> 4511.94] his +[4511.94 --> 4512.26] mind. +[4512.42 --> 4512.78] Sovereignty +[4512.78 --> 4513.16] means +[4513.16 --> 4514.06] that whatever +[4514.06 --> 4514.70] happens +[4514.70 --> 4515.22] to us +[4515.22 --> 4515.70] today +[4515.70 --> 4516.12] God +[4516.12 --> 4517.14] anticipated +[4517.14 --> 4517.88] prepared +[4517.88 --> 4518.28] for +[4518.28 --> 4518.78] and +[4518.78 --> 4519.64] overcame +[4519.64 --> 4520.14] in his +[4520.14 --> 4520.52] mind +[4520.52 --> 4520.90] before +[4520.90 --> 4521.38] you +[4521.38 --> 4521.64] were +[4521.64 --> 4522.18] even +[4522.18 --> 4522.58] born. +[4523.92 --> 4524.54] That's +[4524.54 --> 4525.30] the meanwhile +[4525.30 --> 4525.96] of God +[4525.96 --> 4526.30] and it +[4526.30 --> 4526.60] isn't +[4526.60 --> 4526.90] just +[4526.90 --> 4527.60] concurrent +[4527.60 --> 4528.26] to your +[4528.26 --> 4528.94] circumstances +[4528.94 --> 4529.70] it is +[4529.70 --> 4530.46] eternal +[4530.46 --> 4530.96] current. +[4531.86 --> 4532.08] That's +[4532.08 --> 4532.32] the word +[4532.32 --> 4532.62] I made +[4532.62 --> 4532.82] up. +[4534.24 --> 4534.56] It is +[4534.56 --> 4535.04] eternal +[4535.04 --> 4535.40] current. +[4535.48 --> 4535.76] The idea +[4535.76 --> 4536.10] is this +[4536.10 --> 4536.76] that a +[4536.76 --> 4537.12] sovereign +[4537.12 --> 4537.56] God +[4537.56 --> 4538.12] knows +[4538.12 --> 4538.44] all +[4538.44 --> 4538.80] things +[4538.80 --> 4539.06] and +[4539.06 --> 4539.58] ordains +[4539.58 --> 4540.14] all +[4540.14 --> 4540.44] things. +[4540.76 --> 4541.20] Everything +[4541.20 --> 4541.90] that comes +[4541.90 --> 4542.56] to pass +[4542.56 --> 4542.86] comes +[4542.86 --> 4543.40] to pass +[4543.40 --> 4543.72] as a +[4543.72 --> 4544.04] result +[4544.04 --> 4544.20] of +[4544.20 --> 4544.34] his +[4544.34 --> 4544.76] active +[4544.76 --> 4545.16] and +[4545.16 --> 4545.52] passive +[4545.52 --> 4545.84] will +[4545.84 --> 4546.40] working +[4546.40 --> 4546.78] together +[4546.78 --> 4546.98] to +[4546.98 --> 4547.38] accomplish +[4547.38 --> 4547.64] his +[4547.64 --> 4548.02] purposes. +[4548.58 --> 4548.86] Because +[4548.86 --> 4549.44] God +[4549.44 --> 4550.04] stands +[4550.04 --> 4550.44] above +[4550.44 --> 4551.20] time +[4551.20 --> 4551.42] and +[4551.42 --> 4551.80] apart +[4551.80 --> 4552.08] from +[4552.08 --> 4552.48] time +[4552.48 --> 4552.94] there +[4552.94 --> 4553.20] is +[4553.20 --> 4553.48] no +[4553.48 --> 4553.86] time +[4553.86 --> 4554.08] where +[4554.08 --> 4554.34] God +[4554.34 --> 4554.52] is +[4554.52 --> 4554.84] not. +[4555.94 --> 4556.14] The +[4556.14 --> 4556.54] past +[4556.54 --> 4556.74] and +[4556.74 --> 4556.88] the +[4556.88 --> 4557.16] present +[4557.16 --> 4557.36] and +[4557.36 --> 4557.50] the +[4557.50 --> 4557.82] future +[4557.82 --> 4558.44] are +[4558.44 --> 4559.34] eternal +[4559.34 --> 4559.98] current +[4559.98 --> 4560.66] to +[4560.66 --> 4561.06] God's +[4561.06 --> 4561.34] self. +[4562.96 --> 4563.26] What +[4563.26 --> 4563.56] God +[4563.56 --> 4563.76] is +[4563.76 --> 4564.12] doing +[4564.12 --> 4564.46] right +[4564.46 --> 4564.94] now +[4564.94 --> 4565.56] might +[4565.56 --> 4565.88] be +[4565.88 --> 4566.46] preparing +[4566.46 --> 4566.80] you +[4566.80 --> 4567.30] for what +[4567.30 --> 4567.58] God +[4567.58 --> 4567.80] will +[4567.80 --> 4568.04] do +[4568.04 --> 4568.42] then. +[4569.54 --> 4569.86] What +[4569.86 --> 4570.16] God +[4570.16 --> 4570.48] did +[4570.48 --> 4570.90] in your +[4570.90 --> 4571.42] grandparents' +[4571.68 --> 4571.96] lives +[4571.96 --> 4572.32] together +[4572.32 --> 4572.88] might +[4572.88 --> 4573.12] have +[4573.12 --> 4573.40] been +[4573.40 --> 4573.76] for the +[4573.76 --> 4574.14] benefit +[4574.14 --> 4574.56] of your +[4574.56 --> 4575.18] grandkids. +[4576.68 --> 4577.24] The +[4577.24 --> 4577.74] meanwhile +[4577.74 --> 4578.64] of God's +[4578.64 --> 4579.36] activity in +[4579.36 --> 4579.76] the world +[4579.76 --> 4580.32] is for the +[4580.32 --> 4581.08] here and +[4581.08 --> 4581.46] now, +[4581.58 --> 4581.86] for the +[4581.86 --> 4582.58] there and +[4582.58 --> 4582.88] then, +[4583.00 --> 4583.56] and for the +[4583.56 --> 4583.86] yet to +[4583.86 --> 4584.14] come. +[4585.28 --> 4585.86] That's the +[4585.86 --> 4586.40] promise of +[4586.40 --> 4586.82] God in +[4586.82 --> 4587.42] Romans 8 +[4587.42 --> 4588.00] when it +[4588.00 --> 4588.42] says that +[4588.42 --> 4589.16] God works +[4589.16 --> 4589.94] all things +[4589.94 --> 4590.30] for the +[4590.30 --> 4590.72] good of +[4590.72 --> 4591.18] those who +[4591.18 --> 4591.64] love him, +[4591.70 --> 4591.94] who have +[4591.94 --> 4592.46] been called +[4592.46 --> 4593.42] according to +[4593.42 --> 4594.58] his purposes. +[4595.12 --> 4595.30] All +[4595.30 --> 4595.78] things +[4595.78 --> 4596.40] means +[4596.40 --> 4596.84] all +[4596.84 --> 4597.54] todays +[4597.54 --> 4597.98] and all +[4597.98 --> 4598.90] yesterdays +[4598.90 --> 4599.34] and all +[4599.34 --> 4599.80] days to +[4599.80 --> 4600.08] come +[4600.08 --> 4601.52] in your +[4601.52 --> 4602.16] life and +[4602.16 --> 4602.40] in the +[4602.40 --> 4602.74] lives of +[4602.74 --> 4603.04] the people +[4603.04 --> 4603.62] around you +[4603.62 --> 4604.42] and all +[4604.42 --> 4604.78] the things +[4604.78 --> 4605.06] that you +[4605.06 --> 4605.52] face and +[4605.52 --> 4605.74] in all +[4605.74 --> 4606.04] the things +[4606.04 --> 4606.38] that happen +[4606.38 --> 4607.00] around you. +[4607.58 --> 4608.02] All the +[4608.02 --> 4608.48] people that +[4608.48 --> 4609.00] led up to +[4609.00 --> 4609.58] your life +[4609.58 --> 4610.14] and all +[4610.14 --> 4610.46] the people +[4610.46 --> 4610.74] who will +[4610.74 --> 4611.22] flow out +[4611.22 --> 4611.60] of your +[4611.60 --> 4612.00] life. +[4612.86 --> 4612.96] All +[4612.96 --> 4613.36] things +[4613.36 --> 4613.76] means +[4613.76 --> 4614.48] all +[4614.48 --> 4614.88] things. +[4616.90 --> 4617.10] And in +[4617.10 --> 4617.22] fact, +[4617.32 --> 4617.62] in this +[4617.62 --> 4618.02] story, +[4619.06 --> 4619.42] the same +[4619.42 --> 4619.90] is true +[4619.90 --> 4620.46] if we go +[4620.46 --> 4620.76] the other +[4620.76 --> 4620.94] way. +[4621.02 --> 4621.30] The same +[4621.30 --> 4621.78] is true +[4621.78 --> 4622.38] of the +[4622.38 --> 4622.98] Midianites +[4622.98 --> 4623.48] that God +[4623.48 --> 4624.48] used to +[4624.48 --> 4625.48] bring Joseph +[4625.48 --> 4626.00] to Egypt +[4626.00 --> 4626.40] just in +[4626.40 --> 4626.66] the other +[4626.66 --> 4627.12] direction, +[4627.32 --> 4627.90] into the +[4627.90 --> 4628.58] future. +[4629.50 --> 4629.84] In the +[4629.84 --> 4630.12] book of +[4630.12 --> 4630.62] Numbers, +[4631.60 --> 4632.00] as the +[4632.00 --> 4632.50] people are +[4632.50 --> 4633.40] preparing to +[4633.40 --> 4633.90] enter the +[4633.90 --> 4634.62] promised land, +[4634.72 --> 4635.12] and so get +[4635.12 --> 4635.50] this, +[4635.66 --> 4636.08] if you're +[4636.08 --> 4636.38] doing the +[4636.38 --> 4636.70] math in +[4636.70 --> 4636.96] your head, +[4637.00 --> 4637.26] this is +[4637.26 --> 4637.96] some 500 +[4637.96 --> 4639.12] years after +[4639.12 --> 4639.70] the story +[4639.70 --> 4640.36] of Joseph. +[4641.88 --> 4642.84] 500 years +[4642.84 --> 4643.30] after the +[4643.30 --> 4643.64] story of +[4643.64 --> 4643.92] Joseph, +[4644.08 --> 4644.62] the Israelites +[4644.62 --> 4645.36] are commanded +[4645.36 --> 4646.00] by God +[4646.00 --> 4646.92] to treat +[4646.92 --> 4647.72] the Midianites +[4647.72 --> 4648.36] as enemies +[4648.36 --> 4649.14] and to +[4649.14 --> 4649.56] kill them, +[4649.62 --> 4649.92] to take +[4649.92 --> 4650.56] vengeance on +[4650.56 --> 4651.06] the Midianites, +[4651.14 --> 4651.60] to war +[4651.60 --> 4652.22] against them +[4652.22 --> 4652.82] and to +[4652.82 --> 4653.24] burn all +[4653.24 --> 4653.74] their towns. +[4654.82 --> 4655.24] In the +[4655.24 --> 4655.56] book of +[4655.56 --> 4656.06] Judges, +[4656.22 --> 4656.64] under the +[4656.64 --> 4657.20] leadership of +[4657.20 --> 4657.56] Gideon, +[4657.92 --> 4658.68] the Midianites +[4658.68 --> 4659.02] are a +[4659.02 --> 4659.96] constant thorn +[4659.96 --> 4660.28] in the +[4660.28 --> 4660.70] side of +[4660.70 --> 4661.00] God's +[4661.00 --> 4661.28] people. +[4662.86 --> 4663.60] They're a +[4663.60 --> 4664.84] direct enemy +[4664.84 --> 4665.38] and the +[4665.38 --> 4666.60] over ruler +[4666.60 --> 4667.24] of them +[4667.24 --> 4667.90] for seven +[4667.90 --> 4668.24] years. +[4668.24 --> 4669.36] These people +[4669.36 --> 4670.40] are the +[4670.40 --> 4671.48] enemies of +[4671.48 --> 4671.84] God. +[4673.16 --> 4673.58] And yet, +[4673.98 --> 4675.12] in Joseph's +[4675.12 --> 4675.70] story, +[4676.08 --> 4676.96] our sovereign +[4676.96 --> 4678.30] God uses +[4678.30 --> 4679.20] would-be +[4679.20 --> 4679.96] one-day +[4679.96 --> 4680.76] enemies to +[4680.76 --> 4681.30] accomplish +[4681.30 --> 4681.96] the saving +[4681.96 --> 4682.28] of his +[4682.28 --> 4682.70] people. +[4684.66 --> 4685.18] That's +[4685.18 --> 4685.42] what's +[4685.42 --> 4685.76] happening +[4685.76 --> 4686.20] in the +[4686.20 --> 4686.74] meanwhile. +[4688.54 --> 4689.06] Jacob is +[4689.06 --> 4689.30] in the +[4689.30 --> 4689.66] midst of +[4689.66 --> 4690.08] a deep +[4690.08 --> 4690.58] suffering +[4690.58 --> 4691.30] as he +[4691.30 --> 4691.64] mourns +[4691.64 --> 4692.12] the loss +[4692.12 --> 4692.40] of his +[4692.40 --> 4692.66] son, +[4692.82 --> 4693.22] and the +[4693.22 --> 4693.64] anguish +[4693.64 --> 4693.94] of his +[4693.94 --> 4694.40] soul is +[4694.40 --> 4694.68] clear. +[4694.96 --> 4695.46] You heard +[4695.46 --> 4695.58] it. +[4695.76 --> 4696.26] All his +[4696.26 --> 4696.72] sons and +[4696.72 --> 4696.98] daughters +[4696.98 --> 4697.40] came to +[4697.40 --> 4697.78] comfort him, +[4697.82 --> 4698.02] but he +[4698.02 --> 4698.84] refused to +[4698.84 --> 4699.46] be comforted. +[4699.92 --> 4700.26] No, +[4700.34 --> 4700.62] he said, +[4700.70 --> 4701.08] I will +[4701.08 --> 4701.86] continue to +[4701.86 --> 4702.22] mourn +[4702.22 --> 4702.82] until I +[4702.82 --> 4703.42] join my +[4703.42 --> 4704.28] son in +[4704.28 --> 4704.72] the grave. +[4704.72 --> 4705.66] So his +[4705.66 --> 4706.14] father +[4706.14 --> 4707.78] wept for +[4707.78 --> 4708.10] him. +[4709.52 --> 4710.28] For the +[4710.28 --> 4710.74] rest of +[4710.74 --> 4711.44] his life, +[4711.66 --> 4712.34] Jacob thinks +[4712.34 --> 4712.78] he will +[4712.78 --> 4713.54] be in +[4713.54 --> 4713.96] agony. +[4714.94 --> 4715.58] The darkness +[4715.58 --> 4716.14] has come, +[4716.44 --> 4717.20] the valley +[4717.20 --> 4717.54] of the +[4717.54 --> 4718.10] shadow of +[4718.10 --> 4718.68] death is +[4718.68 --> 4719.04] deep, +[4719.18 --> 4719.60] and he +[4719.60 --> 4720.52] sees no +[4720.52 --> 4722.14] way out. +[4723.42 --> 4724.28] And yet, +[4726.42 --> 4727.48] off to +[4727.48 --> 4728.10] the side +[4728.10 --> 4728.82] of Jacob's +[4728.82 --> 4729.18] present +[4729.18 --> 4730.08] experience of +[4730.08 --> 4730.82] mourning and +[4730.82 --> 4731.62] pain and +[4731.62 --> 4732.08] suffering, +[4732.48 --> 4733.10] off to the +[4733.10 --> 4733.48] side, +[4733.48 --> 4734.12] we hear +[4734.12 --> 4734.94] a whisper. +[4736.28 --> 4736.62] Meanwhile, +[4737.70 --> 4738.82] meanwhile, +[4739.20 --> 4739.94] the Midianites +[4739.94 --> 4740.80] sold Joseph +[4740.80 --> 4741.38] in Egypt +[4741.38 --> 4742.44] to Potiphar, +[4742.82 --> 4743.12] one of +[4743.12 --> 4743.40] Pharaoh's +[4743.40 --> 4743.82] officials, +[4744.08 --> 4744.50] the captain +[4744.50 --> 4745.40] of the +[4745.40 --> 4745.66] guard. +[4747.10 --> 4747.40] Jacob +[4747.40 --> 4748.32] can't +[4748.32 --> 4749.28] see it. +[4750.14 --> 4750.54] And his +[4750.54 --> 4751.00] suffering, +[4751.16 --> 4751.48] honestly, +[4751.82 --> 4752.60] is impossible +[4752.60 --> 4753.52] to imagine +[4753.52 --> 4754.38] unless you +[4754.38 --> 4754.98] yourself have +[4754.98 --> 4755.84] lost a +[4755.84 --> 4756.16] child. +[4756.50 --> 4756.82] But the +[4756.82 --> 4757.50] God hint +[4757.50 --> 4758.30] is right +[4758.30 --> 4758.62] there. +[4759.48 --> 4760.02] Meanwhile, +[4760.78 --> 4761.60] meanwhile, +[4762.04 --> 4762.72] God is +[4762.72 --> 4763.16] placing +[4763.16 --> 4764.02] Joseph in +[4764.02 --> 4764.82] exactly the +[4764.82 --> 4765.42] right place +[4765.42 --> 4766.24] to save +[4766.24 --> 4766.88] his people +[4766.88 --> 4767.58] when the +[4767.58 --> 4768.30] famine comes. +[4768.88 --> 4769.24] Because, +[4769.34 --> 4769.52] again, +[4769.58 --> 4769.98] if you know +[4769.98 --> 4770.52] the story, +[4770.90 --> 4771.80] from Potiphar's +[4771.80 --> 4772.12] house, +[4772.26 --> 4773.04] Joseph rises +[4773.04 --> 4773.86] to Pharaoh's +[4773.86 --> 4774.12] house. +[4774.44 --> 4774.76] And in +[4774.76 --> 4775.14] Pharaoh's +[4775.14 --> 4775.38] house, +[4775.52 --> 4776.18] Joseph becomes +[4776.18 --> 4776.72] second in +[4776.72 --> 4777.66] command over +[4777.66 --> 4778.14] all of +[4778.14 --> 4778.38] Egypt, +[4778.54 --> 4779.12] second only +[4779.12 --> 4779.68] to Pharaoh +[4779.68 --> 4780.36] himself. +[4780.64 --> 4781.00] And from +[4781.00 --> 4781.76] that position +[4781.76 --> 4782.78] of prestige +[4782.78 --> 4783.82] and power +[4783.82 --> 4784.50] in Egypt, +[4784.80 --> 4785.50] God uses +[4785.50 --> 4786.54] Joseph for +[4786.54 --> 4787.12] the saving +[4787.12 --> 4788.00] of many +[4788.00 --> 4788.86] lives. +[4789.46 --> 4790.40] A story +[4790.40 --> 4790.98] that began +[4790.98 --> 4791.46] all the way +[4791.46 --> 4791.92] back with +[4791.92 --> 4792.52] Abraham's +[4792.52 --> 4792.88] children. +[4793.24 --> 4793.84] Ishmael +[4793.84 --> 4794.06] and +[4794.06 --> 4794.54] Keturah. +[4794.78 --> 4795.58] A story +[4795.58 --> 4796.36] that begins +[4796.36 --> 4797.00] with the +[4797.00 --> 4797.72] sovereign God +[4797.72 --> 4798.72] before even +[4798.72 --> 4799.60] time began. +[4800.46 --> 4801.24] That's the +[4801.24 --> 4801.94] promise of +[4801.94 --> 4802.46] remembering +[4802.46 --> 4803.34] meanwhile. +[4806.20 --> 4806.86] Sometimes +[4806.86 --> 4808.18] we sing or +[4808.18 --> 4808.66] we have sung +[4808.66 --> 4809.16] in the past +[4809.16 --> 4810.18] a song called +[4810.18 --> 4810.68] He Knows +[4810.68 --> 4811.16] My Name. +[4811.22 --> 4811.40] And in +[4811.40 --> 4811.88] that song +[4811.88 --> 4812.60] there's a +[4812.60 --> 4813.02] line that +[4813.02 --> 4813.20] says, +[4813.62 --> 4814.08] before even +[4814.08 --> 4815.14] time began, +[4815.54 --> 4816.28] my life +[4816.28 --> 4817.26] was in +[4817.26 --> 4817.70] his hands. +[4817.70 --> 4820.08] this is +[4820.08 --> 4820.60] based on +[4820.60 --> 4821.82] Psalm 84 +[4821.82 --> 4822.64] and ideas +[4822.64 --> 4823.16] from Ephesians +[4823.16 --> 4823.68] 1 and +[4823.68 --> 4824.48] Jeremiah 1. +[4824.84 --> 4825.66] Ephesians 1 +[4825.66 --> 4825.98] says, +[4826.34 --> 4827.02] for he chose +[4827.02 --> 4827.82] us in him +[4827.82 --> 4828.32] before the +[4828.32 --> 4828.96] creation of +[4828.96 --> 4829.34] the world +[4829.34 --> 4830.02] to be holy +[4830.02 --> 4830.68] and blameless +[4830.68 --> 4831.34] in his sight. +[4831.74 --> 4832.54] Jeremiah 1 +[4832.54 --> 4832.88] says, +[4832.88 --> 4833.42] before I +[4833.42 --> 4833.90] formed you +[4833.90 --> 4834.42] in the womb, +[4834.54 --> 4835.18] I knew you. +[4835.58 --> 4836.02] Before you +[4836.02 --> 4836.58] were born, +[4836.74 --> 4837.68] I set you +[4837.68 --> 4838.50] apart. +[4840.68 --> 4841.46] Last week, +[4841.74 --> 4842.28] or two weeks +[4842.28 --> 4842.50] ago, +[4842.50 --> 4843.52] we looked +[4843.52 --> 4843.76] at the +[4843.76 --> 4844.20] God hint +[4844.20 --> 4845.20] to keep +[4845.20 --> 4845.86] these things +[4845.86 --> 4846.32] in mind, +[4846.42 --> 4847.16] calling ourselves +[4847.16 --> 4847.72] to look +[4847.72 --> 4848.28] to the +[4848.28 --> 4848.78] hope-filled +[4848.78 --> 4849.58] vision and +[4849.58 --> 4850.20] promises of +[4850.20 --> 4850.88] God for +[4850.88 --> 4851.40] life when +[4851.40 --> 4852.16] things are +[4852.16 --> 4853.80] so awful +[4853.80 --> 4854.62] around us +[4854.62 --> 4854.96] that we +[4854.96 --> 4855.82] have only +[4855.82 --> 4856.42] left the +[4856.42 --> 4856.84] vision of +[4856.84 --> 4857.32] a future +[4857.32 --> 4858.06] of all +[4858.06 --> 4858.36] things +[4858.36 --> 4858.80] restored. +[4859.44 --> 4859.84] A vision +[4859.84 --> 4860.30] of God's +[4860.30 --> 4860.72] victory +[4860.72 --> 4862.12] to sustain +[4862.12 --> 4862.50] us in +[4862.50 --> 4862.90] the present. +[4863.30 --> 4863.90] This week, +[4863.98 --> 4864.66] we remember +[4864.66 --> 4865.80] meanwhile, +[4866.48 --> 4866.94] to know +[4866.94 --> 4867.62] that God +[4867.62 --> 4868.36] is at +[4868.36 --> 4869.32] work in +[4869.32 --> 4869.92] the present +[4869.92 --> 4870.54] and in +[4870.54 --> 4871.14] the past +[4871.14 --> 4872.14] for whatever +[4872.14 --> 4872.86] this moment +[4872.86 --> 4873.94] might be. +[4874.06 --> 4874.60] The meanwhile +[4874.60 --> 4875.36] of God's +[4875.36 --> 4876.14] activity in +[4876.14 --> 4876.60] the world +[4876.60 --> 4877.58] is eternal +[4877.58 --> 4878.34] current. +[4878.44 --> 4878.82] And so we +[4878.82 --> 4879.20] can look +[4879.20 --> 4880.22] forward with +[4880.22 --> 4880.78] hope and +[4880.78 --> 4881.26] we can look +[4881.26 --> 4882.16] back with +[4882.16 --> 4882.56] assurance. +[4882.70 --> 4883.04] We can look +[4883.04 --> 4883.92] forward to +[4883.92 --> 4884.48] the day when +[4884.48 --> 4885.04] God's victory +[4885.04 --> 4885.36] will be +[4885.36 --> 4885.84] complete and +[4885.84 --> 4886.26] we can look +[4886.26 --> 4887.24] back knowing +[4887.24 --> 4887.84] that through +[4887.84 --> 4888.50] it all, +[4888.86 --> 4889.76] God is +[4889.76 --> 4890.54] God, +[4890.64 --> 4891.08] that God +[4891.08 --> 4892.00] is sovereign, +[4892.14 --> 4892.70] that he is +[4892.70 --> 4893.86] guiding his +[4893.86 --> 4895.36] story to +[4895.36 --> 4895.86] the places +[4895.86 --> 4896.44] he would +[4896.44 --> 4897.16] have us +[4897.16 --> 4897.80] go. +[4897.96 --> 4898.68] Before even +[4898.68 --> 4899.64] time began, +[4899.80 --> 4900.46] my life +[4900.46 --> 4901.76] is in his +[4901.76 --> 4902.08] hands. +[4902.14 --> 4904.76] I don't +[4904.76 --> 4905.06] know about +[4905.06 --> 4905.28] you, +[4905.94 --> 4906.74] but this +[4906.74 --> 4907.28] changes the +[4907.28 --> 4907.84] way I +[4907.84 --> 4908.92] enter into +[4908.92 --> 4909.38] suffering. +[4909.48 --> 4909.90] This changes +[4909.90 --> 4910.44] the way I +[4910.44 --> 4910.76] endure +[4910.76 --> 4911.76] struggling. +[4912.12 --> 4912.76] Before even +[4912.76 --> 4913.52] time began, +[4913.66 --> 4914.56] God had +[4914.56 --> 4915.04] a plan. +[4915.94 --> 4916.52] We see this +[4916.52 --> 4917.10] again most +[4917.10 --> 4917.46] clearly. +[4917.86 --> 4918.56] 1 Peter +[4918.56 --> 4920.36] writes, +[4920.74 --> 4921.24] for you +[4921.24 --> 4921.80] know that +[4921.80 --> 4922.30] it is not +[4922.30 --> 4923.08] with perishable +[4923.08 --> 4923.66] things such +[4923.66 --> 4924.14] as silver +[4924.14 --> 4924.64] or gold +[4924.64 --> 4924.94] that you +[4924.94 --> 4925.50] were redeemed +[4925.50 --> 4925.86] from the +[4925.86 --> 4926.34] empty way +[4926.34 --> 4926.74] of life +[4926.74 --> 4927.30] handed down +[4927.30 --> 4927.60] to you +[4927.60 --> 4927.94] from your +[4927.94 --> 4928.42] ancestors, +[4928.42 --> 4930.48] but with +[4930.48 --> 4930.90] the precious +[4930.90 --> 4931.80] blood of +[4931.80 --> 4932.22] Christ, +[4932.76 --> 4933.30] a lamb +[4933.30 --> 4933.58] without +[4933.58 --> 4934.14] blemish +[4934.14 --> 4935.24] or defect. +[4935.82 --> 4937.64] He was +[4937.64 --> 4938.48] chosen before +[4938.48 --> 4939.16] the creation +[4939.16 --> 4939.90] of the world +[4939.90 --> 4940.54] but was +[4940.54 --> 4941.36] revealed in +[4941.36 --> 4941.94] these last +[4941.94 --> 4942.48] times for +[4942.48 --> 4943.02] your sake. +[4943.40 --> 4943.98] Through him +[4943.98 --> 4944.68] you believe +[4944.68 --> 4945.16] in God +[4945.16 --> 4945.78] who raised +[4945.78 --> 4946.20] him from +[4946.20 --> 4946.58] the dead +[4946.58 --> 4947.46] and glorified +[4947.46 --> 4948.22] him and +[4948.22 --> 4948.88] so your +[4948.88 --> 4949.92] faith and +[4949.92 --> 4951.36] hope are +[4951.36 --> 4951.84] in God. +[4951.84 --> 4954.96] from before +[4954.96 --> 4955.56] the beginning +[4955.56 --> 4956.34] of creation +[4956.34 --> 4956.90] God had +[4956.90 --> 4957.34] a plan +[4957.34 --> 4957.82] to deal +[4957.82 --> 4958.26] with all +[4958.26 --> 4958.92] the suffering +[4958.92 --> 4959.76] all the +[4959.76 --> 4960.10] pain +[4960.10 --> 4960.58] all the +[4960.58 --> 4960.86] sin +[4960.86 --> 4961.32] all the +[4961.32 --> 4961.78] evil +[4961.78 --> 4962.52] in the +[4962.52 --> 4962.82] world +[4962.82 --> 4963.38] internal +[4963.38 --> 4964.24] and external +[4964.24 --> 4965.52] and that +[4965.52 --> 4965.96] plan +[4965.96 --> 4966.64] has a +[4966.64 --> 4966.96] name +[4966.96 --> 4968.46] Jesus +[4968.46 --> 4969.68] Christ +[4969.68 --> 4971.22] the eternal +[4971.22 --> 4971.72] son of +[4971.72 --> 4972.00] God +[4972.00 --> 4972.42] Jesus +[4972.42 --> 4973.30] Christ +[4973.30 --> 4973.62] who +[4973.62 --> 4974.46] though he +[4974.46 --> 4975.08] knew no +[4975.08 --> 4975.44] sin +[4975.44 --> 4975.94] became +[4975.94 --> 4976.38] sin +[4976.38 --> 4977.14] for us +[4977.14 --> 4977.46] so that +[4977.46 --> 4977.90] we might +[4977.90 --> 4978.24] become +[4978.24 --> 4978.50] the +[4978.50 --> 4978.90] righteousness +[4978.90 --> 4979.70] of God +[4979.70 --> 4980.02] Jesus +[4980.02 --> 4980.46] Christ +[4980.46 --> 4981.38] who lived +[4981.38 --> 4981.84] the life +[4981.84 --> 4982.18] I should +[4982.18 --> 4982.56] have lived +[4982.56 --> 4983.08] and died +[4983.08 --> 4983.56] the death +[4983.56 --> 4984.20] that I +[4984.20 --> 4984.62] deserved +[4984.62 --> 4985.00] Jesus +[4985.00 --> 4985.38] Christ +[4985.38 --> 4985.76] who was +[4985.76 --> 4986.52] raised +[4986.52 --> 4987.46] three days +[4987.46 --> 4988.08] later +[4988.08 --> 4988.76] victorious +[4988.76 --> 4989.96] over sin +[4989.96 --> 4990.48] and death +[4990.48 --> 4991.14] in him +[4991.14 --> 4991.88] we have +[4991.88 --> 4992.66] overcome +[4992.66 --> 4993.08] Jesus +[4993.08 --> 4993.56] Christ +[4993.56 --> 4994.04] is the +[4994.04 --> 4994.56] ultimate +[4994.56 --> 4995.38] meanwhile +[4995.38 --> 4996.32] of God's +[4996.32 --> 4996.76] activity +[4996.76 --> 4997.26] in the +[4997.26 --> 4997.52] world +[4997.52 --> 4998.24] decided +[4998.24 --> 4998.88] and +[4998.88 --> 4999.50] determined +[4999.50 --> 5000.50] before +[5000.50 --> 5001.32] creation +[5001.32 --> 5002.34] itself +[5002.34 --> 5004.04] remembering +[5004.04 --> 5004.66] meanwhile +[5004.66 --> 5005.50] because +[5005.50 --> 5006.94] we remember +[5006.94 --> 5007.54] meanwhile +[5007.54 --> 5008.46] because of +[5008.46 --> 5009.12] the meanwhile +[5009.12 --> 5010.04] of Jesus +[5010.04 --> 5010.86] Christ +[5010.86 --> 5011.36] and because +[5011.36 --> 5012.50] of Jesus +[5012.50 --> 5013.06] Christ +[5013.06 --> 5014.20] all our +[5014.20 --> 5015.16] suffering +[5015.16 --> 5015.90] all this +[5015.90 --> 5016.44] present +[5016.44 --> 5017.26] darkness +[5017.26 --> 5018.58] all of +[5018.58 --> 5019.04] it +[5019.04 --> 5020.62] will be +[5020.62 --> 5021.86] overcome +[5021.86 --> 5024.10] God's +[5024.10 --> 5024.84] godness +[5024.84 --> 5025.84] means that +[5025.84 --> 5026.38] he's always +[5026.38 --> 5027.48] doing something +[5027.48 --> 5028.10] and so +[5028.10 --> 5028.88] we remember +[5028.88 --> 5030.04] meanwhile +[5030.04 --> 5031.12] and even if +[5031.12 --> 5031.44] you don't have +[5031.44 --> 5031.78] the eyes +[5031.78 --> 5032.36] to see it +[5032.36 --> 5034.32] even if you +[5034.32 --> 5034.54] don't have +[5034.54 --> 5034.88] the heart +[5034.88 --> 5035.36] to believe +[5035.36 --> 5035.60] it +[5035.60 --> 5036.98] God +[5036.98 --> 5037.88] is +[5037.88 --> 5038.94] sovereign +[5038.94 --> 5040.38] he is +[5040.38 --> 5040.72] doing +[5040.72 --> 5041.18] something +[5041.18 --> 5041.80] with your +[5041.80 --> 5042.22] present +[5042.22 --> 5043.14] circumstances +[5043.14 --> 5043.64] you don't +[5043.64 --> 5044.02] have to +[5044.02 --> 5044.28] know +[5044.28 --> 5044.66] what it +[5044.66 --> 5044.92] is +[5044.92 --> 5045.38] for it +[5045.38 --> 5045.74] to be +[5045.74 --> 5046.08] true +[5046.08 --> 5047.28] and it +[5047.28 --> 5047.74] is true +[5047.74 --> 5048.82] you don't +[5048.82 --> 5049.12] have to +[5049.12 --> 5049.38] know +[5049.38 --> 5049.78] what it +[5049.78 --> 5050.00] is +[5050.00 --> 5050.90] for you +[5050.90 --> 5051.60] to live +[5051.60 --> 5052.48] like it +[5052.48 --> 5052.98] is true +[5052.98 --> 5054.64] and you +[5054.64 --> 5054.88] can do +[5054.88 --> 5055.30] that too +[5055.30 --> 5056.70] this +[5056.70 --> 5057.44] is the +[5057.44 --> 5057.84] power +[5057.84 --> 5058.56] of +[5058.56 --> 5059.12] remembering +[5059.12 --> 5060.76] meanwhile +[5060.76 --> 5062.08] amen +[5062.08 --> 5063.36] let's +[5063.36 --> 5063.52] pray +[5063.52 --> 5063.92] together +[5063.92 --> 5070.72] lord our +[5070.72 --> 5070.92] god +[5070.92 --> 5073.18] as we +[5073.18 --> 5073.60] sit +[5073.60 --> 5075.00] here +[5075.00 --> 5075.84] in your +[5075.84 --> 5076.70] presence +[5076.70 --> 5078.76] as we +[5078.76 --> 5079.50] stand +[5079.50 --> 5080.80] together +[5080.80 --> 5081.36] in +[5081.36 --> 5082.18] worship +[5082.18 --> 5084.20] as we +[5084.20 --> 5084.72] sing +[5084.72 --> 5085.06] your +[5085.06 --> 5085.58] praises +[5085.58 --> 5086.06] we +[5086.06 --> 5086.70] do +[5086.70 --> 5087.10] so +[5087.10 --> 5087.48] from +[5087.48 --> 5087.78] so +[5087.78 --> 5088.06] many +[5088.06 --> 5088.52] different +[5088.52 --> 5089.20] places +[5089.20 --> 5089.78] in +[5089.78 --> 5090.04] so +[5090.04 --> 5090.28] many +[5090.28 --> 5090.70] different +[5090.70 --> 5091.72] circumstances +[5091.72 --> 5092.26] with so +[5092.26 --> 5092.46] many +[5092.46 --> 5092.88] different +[5092.88 --> 5093.62] weights +[5093.62 --> 5093.96] and +[5093.96 --> 5094.36] burdens +[5094.36 --> 5094.64] and +[5094.64 --> 5095.02] joys +[5095.02 --> 5095.22] and +[5095.22 --> 5095.76] celebrations +[5095.76 --> 5096.52] on our +[5096.52 --> 5096.84] hearts +[5096.84 --> 5097.28] and in +[5097.28 --> 5097.42] our +[5097.42 --> 5097.74] minds +[5097.74 --> 5100.06] and in +[5100.06 --> 5100.16] the +[5100.16 --> 5100.34] midst +[5100.34 --> 5100.58] of it +[5100.58 --> 5100.78] all +[5100.78 --> 5101.18] today +[5101.18 --> 5101.50] I +[5101.50 --> 5101.92] pray +[5101.92 --> 5102.70] that +[5102.70 --> 5102.94] we +[5102.94 --> 5103.34] would +[5103.34 --> 5104.04] remember +[5104.04 --> 5105.30] meanwhile +[5105.30 --> 5105.64] I +[5105.64 --> 5105.98] pray +[5105.98 --> 5106.26] that +[5106.26 --> 5106.60] we +[5106.60 --> 5107.38] would +[5107.38 --> 5108.58] see +[5108.58 --> 5109.28] you +[5109.28 --> 5109.66] and +[5109.66 --> 5109.92] who +[5109.92 --> 5110.18] you +[5110.18 --> 5110.56] are +[5110.56 --> 5111.16] most +[5111.16 --> 5111.82] clearly +[5111.82 --> 5115.72] and +[5115.72 --> 5115.86] lord +[5115.86 --> 5116.04] god +[5116.04 --> 5116.32] even +[5116.32 --> 5116.60] on +[5116.60 --> 5116.80] those +[5116.80 --> 5117.12] days +[5117.12 --> 5117.30] where +[5117.30 --> 5117.46] we +[5117.46 --> 5117.78] cannot +[5117.78 --> 5118.30] remember +[5118.30 --> 5119.94] even +[5119.94 --> 5120.16] when +[5120.16 --> 5120.74] the present +[5120.74 --> 5121.16] darkness +[5121.16 --> 5121.56] we are +[5121.56 --> 5121.90] facing +[5121.90 --> 5122.14] is +[5122.14 --> 5122.66] overwhelming +[5122.66 --> 5123.76] I +[5123.76 --> 5124.04] pray +[5124.04 --> 5124.28] that +[5124.28 --> 5124.42] you +[5124.42 --> 5124.62] would +[5124.62 --> 5125.26] surround +[5125.26 --> 5125.70] us +[5125.70 --> 5125.90] with +[5125.90 --> 5126.06] your +[5126.06 --> 5126.58] spirit +[5126.58 --> 5127.22] and +[5127.22 --> 5127.42] with +[5127.42 --> 5127.58] your +[5127.58 --> 5128.00] people +[5128.00 --> 5129.52] who +[5129.52 --> 5129.86] remember +[5129.86 --> 5130.22] on our +[5130.22 --> 5130.60] behalf +[5130.60 --> 5132.32] and +[5132.32 --> 5132.44] who +[5132.44 --> 5132.88] support +[5132.88 --> 5133.28] us +[5133.28 --> 5133.98] in +[5133.98 --> 5134.18] this +[5134.18 --> 5134.44] journey +[5134.44 --> 5134.70] of +[5134.70 --> 5135.06] life +[5135.06 --> 5135.96] and +[5135.96 --> 5136.34] faith +[5136.34 --> 5138.94] god +[5138.94 --> 5139.10] we +[5139.10 --> 5139.22] are +[5139.22 --> 5139.46] not +[5139.46 --> 5139.72] our +[5139.72 --> 5140.08] own +[5140.08 --> 5140.58] but +[5140.58 --> 5140.64] we +[5140.64 --> 5140.74] have +[5140.74 --> 5140.88] been +[5140.88 --> 5141.18] bought +[5141.18 --> 5141.86] with +[5141.86 --> 5141.98] a +[5141.98 --> 5142.38] price +[5142.38 --> 5147.60] so +[5147.60 --> 5147.78] may +[5147.78 --> 5147.92] we +[5147.92 --> 5148.46] remember +[5148.46 --> 5150.70] may +[5150.70 --> 5150.82] we +[5150.82 --> 5151.22] remember +[5151.22 --> 5151.66] all +[5151.66 --> 5151.90] that +[5151.90 --> 5152.10] you +[5152.10 --> 5152.36] have +[5152.36 --> 5152.66] done +[5152.66 --> 5155.16] so +[5155.16 --> 5155.36] that +[5155.36 --> 5155.58] in +[5155.58 --> 5155.94] all +[5155.94 --> 5156.18] the +[5156.18 --> 5156.72] things +[5156.72 --> 5157.06] of +[5157.06 --> 5157.54] life +[5157.54 --> 5158.36] we +[5158.36 --> 5158.78] might +[5158.78 --> 5160.96] rest +[5160.96 --> 5162.24] in +[5162.24 --> 5162.52] you +[5162.52 --> 5164.58] in +[5164.58 --> 5164.90] jesus +[5164.90 --> 5165.30] name +[5165.30 --> 5165.52] we +[5165.52 --> 5165.84] pray +[5165.84 --> 5166.90] and +[5166.90 --> 5167.00] all +[5167.00 --> 5167.26] god's +[5167.26 --> 5167.44] people +[5167.44 --> 5167.74] said +[5167.74 --> 5169.04] amen +[5169.04 --> 5175.22] let's +[5175.22 --> 5175.48] stand +[5175.48 --> 5175.94] together +[5175.94 --> 5176.54] and +[5176.54 --> 5177.82] respond +[5177.82 --> 5179.32] our +[5179.32 --> 5179.70] own +[5179.70 --> 5180.22] mean +[5180.22 --> 5180.84] wiles +[5180.84 --> 5183.14] whatever +[5183.14 --> 5183.50] our +[5183.50 --> 5183.88] lot +[5183.88 --> 5184.40] thou +[5184.40 --> 5184.78] has +[5184.78 --> 5185.38] taught +[5185.38 --> 5185.84] us +[5185.84 --> 5186.06] to +[5186.06 --> 5186.40] say +[5186.40 --> 5186.60] it +[5186.60 --> 5186.78] is +[5186.78 --> 5187.20] well +[5187.20 --> 5187.98] it +[5187.98 --> 5188.18] is +[5188.18 --> 5188.52] well +[5188.52 --> 5188.86] and +[5188.86 --> 5189.04] so +[5189.04 --> 5189.18] may +[5189.18 --> 5189.32] we +[5189.32 --> 5189.72] remember +[5189.72 --> 5190.12] this +[5190.12 --> 5190.36] in +[5190.36 --> 5190.48] the +[5190.48 --> 5190.76] midst +[5190.76 --> 5191.00] of +[5191.00 --> 5191.38] everything +[5191.38 --> 5191.70] that +[5191.70 --> 5191.88] even +[5191.88 --> 5192.06] when +[5192.06 --> 5192.24] we +[5192.24 --> 5193.04] don't +[5193.04 --> 5193.42] see +[5193.42 --> 5193.66] it +[5193.66 --> 5194.08] or +[5194.08 --> 5194.44] feel +[5194.44 --> 5194.60] it +[5194.60 --> 5194.90] god +[5194.90 --> 5195.10] is +[5195.10 --> 5195.30] in +[5195.30 --> 5195.50] it +[5195.50 --> 5210.52] can +[5210.52 --> 5210.74] be +[5210.74 --> 5211.00] big +[5211.00 --> 5211.14] gosh +[5211.14 --> 5211.28] can +[5211.28 --> 5211.64] that +[5211.64 --> 5211.74] have +[5211.74 --> 5212.16] yea +[5212.16 --> 5212.50] we +[5212.54 --> 5213.48] to +[5213.48 --> 5214.48] go +[5214.48 --> 5215.56] and +[5215.56 --> 5215.96] can +[5215.96 --> 5216.16] when +[5216.16 --> 5217.66] go +[5217.66 --> 5218.64] and +[5218.64 --> 5219.46] can +[5219.46 --> 5219.58] come +[5219.58 --> 5220.56] and +[5220.56 --> 5221.52] can +[5221.52 --> 5221.84] c +[5221.84 --> 5222.16] hear +[5222.16 --> 5222.46] yeah +[5222.46 --> 5223.24] and +[5223.24 --> 5248.56] When peace like a river attendeth my way +[5248.56 --> 5256.56] When sorrows like sea billows rise +[5257.32 --> 5266.56] Forever my Lord, Thou hast taught me to say +[5267.30 --> 5276.44] It is well, it is well with my soul +[5278.56 --> 5287.32] It is well with my soul +[5287.32 --> 5299.08] It is well, it is well with my soul +[5299.08 --> 5311.94] How Satan should battle, how trials should come +[5311.94 --> 5320.70] That is blessed the show of bread's control +[5320.70 --> 5330.94] I stand rehired in my helpless estate +[5330.94 --> 5339.70] And will share His own blood for my soul +[5339.70 --> 5350.46] In His well, it is well with my soul +[5350.46 --> 5362.22] In my soul, it is well with my soul +[5362.22 --> 5376.36] My sin, O the bliss of His glorious thought +[5376.36 --> 5385.12] My sin, not in part, but the whole +[5385.12 --> 5390.46] His gale to the cross +[5390.46 --> 5396.12] And I bear Him no more +[5396.12 --> 5401.88] Praise the Lord, praise the Lord +[5401.88 --> 5406.88] Praise the Lord, O my soul +[5406.88 --> 5415.64] It is well, it is well with my soul +[5415.64 --> 5419.64] In my soul +[5419.64 --> 5429.64] It is well, it is well with my soul +[5429.64 --> 5438.40] O Lord, praise the Lord +[5438.40 --> 5443.40] When my faith shall be spied +[5443.40 --> 5448.40] The clouds we roll down +[5448.40 --> 5452.40] As us flow +[5452.40 --> 5457.16] The clouds shall resound +[5457.16 --> 5459.16] And the clouds shall resound +[5459.16 --> 5463.16] And the clouds shall descend +[5463.16 --> 5466.16] Even so +[5466.16 --> 5473.16] It is well with my soul +[5473.16 --> 5477.16] In His love is well +[5477.16 --> 5481.92] It is well +[5481.92 --> 5485.92] With my soul +[5485.92 --> 5487.92] In His love +[5487.92 --> 5490.92] It is well +[5490.92 --> 5493.92] It is well +[5493.92 --> 5497.92] With my soul +[5497.92 --> 5513.00] As you go into whatever it is +[5513.00 --> 5514.46] That you go today +[5514.46 --> 5518.26] Know that God Himself goes with you +[5518.26 --> 5521.48] And that He has prepared you +[5521.48 --> 5523.78] For this moment +[5523.78 --> 5526.40] And so go with the blessing +[5526.40 --> 5528.94] Of our God +[5528.94 --> 5533.12] God, go before you +[5533.12 --> 5534.10] To lead you +[5534.10 --> 5535.88] God, go behind you +[5535.88 --> 5536.76] To protect you +[5536.76 --> 5538.26] God, go beneath you +[5538.26 --> 5539.16] To support you +[5539.16 --> 5541.08] God, go beside you +[5541.08 --> 5542.22] To befriend you +[5542.22 --> 5544.54] Do not be afraid +[5544.54 --> 5546.60] Let the blessing of God +[5546.60 --> 5547.54] Come upon you today +[5547.54 --> 5549.44] Do not be afraid +[5549.44 --> 5552.64] But go in peace +[5552.64 --> 5555.76] To love and serve the Lord +[5555.76 --> 5557.20] Amen +[5557.20 --> 5563.94] Behold He comes +[5563.94 --> 5566.50] Riding on the clouds +[5566.50 --> 5568.98] Shining like the sun +[5568.98 --> 5571.68] Out of the troubling call +[5571.68 --> 5573.98] With your voice +[5573.98 --> 5576.44] Is the year of Jubilee +[5576.44 --> 5578.06] And now does I +[5578.06 --> 5582.20] Until salvation come +[5582.20 --> 5587.20] And these are the days +[5587.20 --> 5589.32] Of the night of +[5589.32 --> 5593.56] Declaring the word of the Lord +[5593.56 --> 5596.70] And these are the days +[5596.70 --> 5597.98] Of your servant +[5597.98 --> 5599.20] Frozen +[5599.20 --> 5602.64] Righteousness being restored +[5602.64 --> 5606.12] And though these are days +[5606.12 --> 5607.90] Of great trials +[5607.90 --> 5610.96] From heaven and darkness +[5610.96 --> 5613.26] And sores +[5613.26 --> 5615.60] So we are a voice +[5615.60 --> 5616.88] In the desert +[5616.88 --> 5618.26] Crying +[5618.26 --> 5620.26] Prepare ye the way +[5620.26 --> 5621.58] Of the Lord +[5621.58 --> 5624.00] Behold He comes +[5624.00 --> 5626.40] Riding on clouds +[5626.40 --> 5628.82] Shining like the sun +[5628.82 --> 5630.44] And through the hall +[5630.44 --> 5631.02] And through the hall +[5631.02 --> 5633.44] Lift your voice +[5633.44 --> 5635.76] Hear unto thee +[5635.76 --> 5637.38] Proud and sign +[5637.38 --> 5641.28] Till salvation comes +[5641.28 --> 5646.36] In these are the days +[5646.36 --> 5648.48] Of his being young +[5648.48 --> 5651.16] The tribe won't be coming +[5651.16 --> 5652.82] As well +[5652.82 --> 5655.66] And these are the days +[5655.66 --> 5656.94] Of his servant +[5656.94 --> 5659.22] And gave every building +[5659.22 --> 5662.06] A temple of grace +[5662.06 --> 5665.02] And these are the days +[5665.02 --> 5667.18] Of the harvest +[5667.18 --> 5668.96] The fields are +[5668.96 --> 5671.82] As fighting the fire +[5671.82 --> 5675.06] And we are the laborers +[5675.06 --> 5676.82] We are the leaders +[5676.82 --> 5679.18] Beclaiming the word +[5679.18 --> 5680.38] Of the Lord +[5680.38 --> 5682.74] The holy crown +[5682.74 --> 5685.10] Riding on clouds +[5685.10 --> 5687.34] Proud and sun +[5687.34 --> 5689.00] Proud and storm +[5689.00 --> 5689.42] And shall slippers +[5689.42 --> 5690.42] 콩 +[5690.42 --> 5690.94] Add your voice +[5690.94 --> 5692.22] Hear unto thee +[5692.22 --> 5695.44] Proud and sign +[5695.44 --> 5698.86] Till salvation comes +[5698.86 --> 5718.86] There's no God like Jehovah +[5718.86 --> 5720.86] Oh +[5748.86 --> 5750.86] Oh +[5778.86 --> 5780.86] Oh +[5808.86 --> 5810.86] Oh +[5810.86 --> 5812.86] Oh +[5812.86 --> 5814.86] Oh +[5824.86 --> 5826.86] Oh +[5826.86 --> 5828.86] Oh +[5838.86 --> 5840.92] you +[5868.86 --> 5870.92] you +[5898.86 --> 5900.92] you +[5928.86 --> 5930.92] you +[5958.86 --> 5960.92] you +[5988.86 --> 5990.92] you +[6018.86 --> 6020.92] you +[6048.86 --> 6050.92] you +[6078.86 --> 6080.92] you +[6108.86 --> 6110.92] you +[6138.86 --> 6140.92] you +[6168.86 --> 6170.92] you +[6198.86 --> 6200.92] you +[6228.86 --> 6230.92] you +[6258.86 --> 6260.92] you +[6288.86 --> 6290.92] you