Authentic Hope
Series: AUTHENTIC
Speaker: Richard Goscombe
Date: 1st September 2019
Passage: 2 Corinthians 5:1-10
00:00:00 --> 00:00:13 Let's pray.
00:00:15 --> 00:00:20 Gracious Lord, we do indeed thank you for the way you have led us
00:00:20 --> 00:00:24 as we have come this morning and as we church together.
00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 And as Steve has prayed for us,
00:00:28 --> 00:00:35 so indeed we ask that you might work mercifully by your spirit,
00:00:36 --> 00:00:37 through the power of your word,
00:00:39 --> 00:00:40 strip away every distraction,
00:00:41 --> 00:00:46 focus our minds and revolutionise our hearts.
00:00:48 --> 00:00:50 For Christ's sake, Amen.
00:00:50 --> 00:01:02 So, I was really thrilled when I saw the series that you're doing at the moment,
00:01:02 --> 00:01:04 God's Sufficient Grace.
00:01:04 --> 00:01:12 2 Corinthians is one of my favourite books and as the Apostle often does,
00:01:12 --> 00:01:17 it is a book that is full of understatements and there is no greater understatement
00:01:17 --> 00:01:23 than that phrase that titles your series, God's Sufficient Grace.
00:01:23 --> 00:01:26 What does the word sufficient mean?
00:01:28 --> 00:01:29 Sorry?
00:01:29 --> 00:01:30 Enough.
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33 When you say, oh, it's sufficient.
00:01:35 --> 00:01:36 What are you meaning?
00:01:37 --> 00:01:39 It's just enough.
00:01:39 --> 00:01:41 It's just enough.
00:01:41 --> 00:01:44 So we're saying, God's just enough grace.
00:01:44 --> 00:01:50 It's interesting, isn't it?
00:01:51 --> 00:01:54 Isn't it not the greatest understatement you've ever heard?
00:01:55 --> 00:01:59 Here we are, the recipients of this lavish,
00:02:00 --> 00:02:01 as John chapter 1 calls it,
00:02:01 --> 00:02:04 grace upon grace upon grace,
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 and it's meant to be an endless series.
00:02:07 --> 00:02:09 It's like the waves of the ocean.
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 We don't get this on the western side,
00:02:12 --> 00:02:13 the Indian Ocean is a pond.
00:02:14 --> 00:02:19 But when you go down to DY and you see the waves,
00:02:20 --> 00:02:23 grace upon grace upon grace,
00:02:24 --> 00:02:25 and do they ever stop?
00:02:25 --> 00:02:26 No.
00:02:27 --> 00:02:30 And neither does God's lavish grace.
00:02:31 --> 00:02:34 So when we talk about God's sufficient grace,
00:02:34 --> 00:02:39 let's just bear in mind that we're talking about the understated God,
00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 the God who, when he created all things,
00:02:42 --> 00:02:44 at the end of each day said,
00:02:44 --> 00:02:49 God saw what he had made and behold, it was good.
00:02:50 --> 00:02:51 Good.
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 Couldn't you have come up with a slightly better adjective?
00:02:55 --> 00:02:58 Couldn't you have just extended yourself a bit?
00:02:58 --> 00:03:01 I mean, like he clearly is an American.
00:03:03 --> 00:03:04 That's awesome!
00:03:06 --> 00:03:07 You know?
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 Like, you just would go to town.
00:03:10 --> 00:03:13 And I mean, at the end of all six days of creation,
00:03:14 --> 00:03:16 when it was complete,
00:03:16 --> 00:03:19 when it had the crowning glory of the one made in his image,
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 when it was in perfect harmony,
00:03:21 --> 00:03:25 when love had had its full sway,
00:03:26 --> 00:03:32 can you imagine the dynamic nature of what had been done?
00:03:32 --> 00:03:35 The Lord thought, oh, okay, I better extend myself.
00:03:35 --> 00:03:36 He saw all that he had made,
00:03:36 --> 00:03:36 behold, it was...
00:03:37 --> 00:03:39 Very good.
00:03:39 --> 00:03:39 Great.
00:03:40 --> 00:03:40 Great.
00:03:40 --> 00:03:42 So look, just when you come in here
00:03:42 --> 00:03:44 and you think God's sufficient grace,
00:03:45 --> 00:03:48 just recognise the God we serve.
00:03:48 --> 00:03:51 He's not American.
00:03:53 --> 00:03:54 He is understated.
00:03:56 --> 00:03:56 Right?
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 And we're talking about authentic hope.
00:03:59 --> 00:04:02 And I get the impression from the screen that's been up here
00:04:02 --> 00:04:04 that authentic, true, real.
00:04:06 --> 00:04:07 Very good.
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 I have no idea what's been going on.
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 They're held on too hard,
00:04:12 --> 00:04:14 so I can't pull them off.
00:04:14 --> 00:04:16 There's a very good job, whoever did this.
00:04:16 --> 00:04:19 I know nothing about it,
00:04:19 --> 00:04:22 but I'm just wondering why there are only this many.
00:04:25 --> 00:04:27 I mean, how many of us are there here?
00:04:28 --> 00:04:30 There's got to be a hundred plus,
00:04:30 --> 00:04:32 even on Father's Day.
00:04:33 --> 00:04:37 Or how come there's only 20-odd masks on the wall?
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 Did you take your mask off when you came in today?
00:04:43 --> 00:04:44 Did you take it off?
00:04:46 --> 00:04:47 Because we all wear them, don't we?
00:04:49 --> 00:04:50 Every one of us.
00:04:51 --> 00:04:56 And we are talking about authentic Christian living.
00:04:58 --> 00:04:59 Real.
00:05:00 --> 00:05:04 And I know one of the things that I found breathtaking
00:05:04 --> 00:05:06 was the, as I grew in Christ,
00:05:07 --> 00:05:10 was coming to understand the most practical Christian doctrine there is.
00:05:10 --> 00:05:13 Imputed righteousness.
00:05:13 --> 00:05:15 Justification by faith.
00:05:15 --> 00:05:20 That I am established outside of myself.
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 And so you can see me as I am.
00:05:23 --> 00:05:24 Even with all that inadequacy,
00:05:24 --> 00:05:25 all that bankruptcy,
00:05:26 --> 00:05:27 all the failings.
00:05:27 --> 00:05:31 Because
00:05:31 --> 00:05:36 all that does is reveal more greatly
00:05:36 --> 00:05:41 the sufficiency of the God we serve.
00:05:41 --> 00:05:45 So,
00:05:45 --> 00:05:46 when we think
00:05:46 --> 00:05:48 and read through,
00:05:48 --> 00:05:49 hear this passage
00:05:49 --> 00:05:50 from
00:05:50 --> 00:05:53 2 Corinthians
00:05:53 --> 00:05:54 chapter 5.
00:05:55 --> 00:05:56 I'll try it again.
00:05:56 --> 00:05:57 I must have hit the wrong button.
00:05:58 --> 00:05:58 It says,
00:05:58 --> 00:05:59 For we know
00:05:59 --> 00:06:02 that if the earthly tent we live in
00:06:02 --> 00:06:03 is destroyed,
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 we have
00:06:05 --> 00:06:07 a building from God.
00:06:08 --> 00:06:10 An eternal house in heaven.
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 Not built by human hands.
00:06:13 --> 00:06:16 And when we think
00:06:16 --> 00:06:17 about earthly tents,
00:06:17 --> 00:06:19 there's no place
00:06:19 --> 00:06:20 we should start
00:06:20 --> 00:06:22 more appropriate
00:06:22 --> 00:06:25 than the incarnation.
00:06:26 --> 00:06:27 That the word
00:06:27 --> 00:06:28 became flesh
00:06:28 --> 00:06:30 and dwelt among us
00:06:30 --> 00:06:32 full of grace and truth
00:06:32 --> 00:06:34 and we beheld his glory,
00:06:34 --> 00:06:36 glory as of the only son of the father.
00:06:37 --> 00:06:39 And when you see that little word there
00:06:39 --> 00:06:40 where it says
00:06:40 --> 00:06:41 the word became flesh
00:06:41 --> 00:06:42 and dwelt,
00:06:42 --> 00:06:43 dwelt,
00:06:43 --> 00:06:46 literally that word dwelt
00:06:46 --> 00:06:47 is tented,
00:06:49 --> 00:06:50 tabernacled.
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 The eternal son
00:06:55 --> 00:06:56 took on flesh
00:06:56 --> 00:07:01 and tented amongst us.
00:07:02 --> 00:07:03 Pitched his tent
00:07:03 --> 00:07:06 as he refers to
00:07:06 --> 00:07:07 this flesh,
00:07:08 --> 00:07:09 this body.
00:07:12 --> 00:07:13 But it says there
00:07:13 --> 00:07:14 that
00:07:14 --> 00:07:16 we know
00:07:16 --> 00:07:17 that if this
00:07:17 --> 00:07:18 earthly tent we live in
00:07:18 --> 00:07:19 is destroyed,
00:07:20 --> 00:07:23 and you've been hearing
00:07:23 --> 00:07:24 about this just last week
00:07:24 --> 00:07:25 as you've looked at
00:07:25 --> 00:07:26 chapters 3 and 4,
00:07:26 --> 00:07:27 but if this earthly tent
00:07:27 --> 00:07:28 is destroyed,
00:07:28 --> 00:07:29 once again,
00:07:29 --> 00:07:30 there is no place
00:07:30 --> 00:07:31 that we should look
00:07:31 --> 00:07:32 more closely
00:07:32 --> 00:07:37 than the destruction
00:07:37 --> 00:07:41 of the body
00:07:41 --> 00:07:42 of Christ.
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 A body that was
00:07:46 --> 00:07:47 given over for sin.
00:07:49 --> 00:07:50 Everything done
00:07:50 --> 00:07:51 within that flesh
00:07:51 --> 00:07:52 was perfect,
00:07:52 --> 00:07:53 was righteous,
00:07:53 --> 00:07:54 was holy,
00:07:54 --> 00:07:55 was pure,
00:07:55 --> 00:07:56 and yet look.
00:07:56 --> 00:08:04 It's hard to look
00:08:04 --> 00:08:04 at,
00:08:04 --> 00:08:04 isn't it?
00:08:05 --> 00:08:06 It's hard to look
00:08:06 --> 00:08:06 at.
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 He died my death.
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 He died your death.
00:08:14 --> 00:08:16 This was the full
00:08:16 --> 00:08:17 curse
00:08:17 --> 00:08:18 of sin
00:08:18 --> 00:08:19 and the full
00:08:19 --> 00:08:20 judgment of God
00:08:20 --> 00:08:21 upon it
00:08:21 --> 00:08:22 poured out
00:08:22 --> 00:08:25 upon his tent,
00:08:26 --> 00:08:26 upon his
00:08:26 --> 00:08:27 earthly body.
00:08:31 --> 00:08:32 But then it says
00:08:32 --> 00:08:33 we have
00:08:33 --> 00:08:34 a building
00:08:34 --> 00:08:35 from God,
00:08:35 --> 00:08:36 an eternal
00:08:36 --> 00:08:36 house
00:08:36 --> 00:08:37 in heaven,
00:08:37 --> 00:08:38 not built
00:08:38 --> 00:08:39 by human hands.
00:08:40 --> 00:08:41 And we look
00:08:41 --> 00:08:42 to the resurrection.
00:08:44 --> 00:08:44 We look
00:08:44 --> 00:08:45 to the resurrection.
00:08:47 --> 00:08:48 The fact
00:08:48 --> 00:08:48 that death,
00:08:49 --> 00:08:50 as the song
00:08:50 --> 00:08:50 says,
00:08:50 --> 00:08:50 could not hold
00:08:50 --> 00:08:51 him down.
00:08:52 --> 00:08:55 when he rose,
00:08:55 --> 00:08:56 it was the
00:08:56 --> 00:08:57 proof.
00:08:57 --> 00:08:57 Do you ever
00:08:57 --> 00:08:58 wonder whether
00:08:58 --> 00:08:59 your sin is
00:08:59 --> 00:08:59 dealt with?
00:09:01 --> 00:09:01 Whether it
00:09:01 --> 00:09:02 will ever
00:09:02 --> 00:09:02 visit you
00:09:02 --> 00:09:03 again?
00:09:04 --> 00:09:05 You only
00:09:05 --> 00:09:06 need to
00:09:06 --> 00:09:07 know that
00:09:07 --> 00:09:08 he rose
00:09:08 --> 00:09:09 to know
00:09:09 --> 00:09:10 that it
00:09:10 --> 00:09:11 is gone
00:09:11 --> 00:09:11 forever.
00:09:11 --> 00:09:12 It will
00:09:12 --> 00:09:12 never visit
00:09:12 --> 00:09:13 you again.
00:09:13 --> 00:09:13 It's not
00:09:13 --> 00:09:13 possible.
00:09:14 --> 00:09:15 Because if
00:09:15 --> 00:09:16 any of your
00:09:16 --> 00:09:17 sin or my
00:09:17 --> 00:09:18 sin was
00:09:18 --> 00:09:19 still hanging,
00:09:20 --> 00:09:21 stuck to
00:09:21 --> 00:09:21 him,
00:09:21 --> 00:09:24 he couldn't
00:09:24 --> 00:09:25 have risen
00:09:25 --> 00:09:25 from the
00:09:25 --> 00:09:25 dead.
00:09:27 --> 00:09:27 He was
00:09:27 --> 00:09:27 doomed
00:09:27 --> 00:09:28 forever.
00:09:31 --> 00:09:32 So,
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 when we
00:09:34 --> 00:09:35 think about
00:09:35 --> 00:09:35 this
00:09:35 --> 00:09:37 heavenly
00:09:37 --> 00:09:38 dwelling,
00:09:40 --> 00:09:41 meanwhile,
00:09:42 --> 00:09:43 we groan,
00:09:43 --> 00:09:44 longing to
00:09:44 --> 00:09:45 be clothed,
00:09:45 --> 00:09:46 instead,
00:09:46 --> 00:09:46 with our
00:09:46 --> 00:09:47 heavenly
00:09:47 --> 00:09:47 dwelling.
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 I need
00:09:49 --> 00:09:49 to just
00:09:49 --> 00:09:50 check what
00:09:50 --> 00:09:51 slide we
00:09:51 --> 00:09:51 got here.
00:09:51 --> 00:09:51 We have
00:09:51 --> 00:09:52 got that
00:09:52 --> 00:09:52 one up
00:09:52 --> 00:09:52 already,
00:09:53 --> 00:09:53 haven't we?
00:09:54 --> 00:09:54 Okay.
00:09:55 --> 00:09:55 Alright.
00:09:56 --> 00:09:57 I just
00:09:57 --> 00:09:57 realised it's
00:09:57 --> 00:09:58 not obeying
00:09:58 --> 00:09:59 all the
00:10:00 --> 00:10:02 clicks that
00:10:02 --> 00:10:02 I've put in
00:10:02 --> 00:10:03 it, but
00:10:03 --> 00:10:03 that's alright.
00:10:03 --> 00:10:03 We will
00:10:03 --> 00:10:04 work with
00:10:04 --> 00:10:04 that.
00:10:05 --> 00:10:05 When it
00:10:05 --> 00:10:06 talks about
00:10:06 --> 00:10:07 a new
00:10:07 --> 00:10:08 body,
00:10:08 --> 00:10:09 receiving a
00:10:09 --> 00:10:09 new body,
00:10:11 --> 00:10:12 should I be
00:10:12 --> 00:10:13 thinking about
00:10:13 --> 00:10:14 Chris Hemsworth?
00:10:14 --> 00:10:15 Is that what
00:10:15 --> 00:10:15 I'm going
00:10:15 --> 00:10:15 to get?
00:10:18 --> 00:10:18 You know?
00:10:20 --> 00:10:21 I won't
00:10:21 --> 00:10:21 ask my
00:10:21 --> 00:10:22 wife what
00:10:22 --> 00:10:23 she thinks,
00:10:24 --> 00:10:24 alright?
00:10:25 --> 00:10:26 I don't
00:10:26 --> 00:10:26 really want to
00:10:26 --> 00:10:26 know the
00:10:26 --> 00:10:27 answer to
00:10:27 --> 00:10:28 that, but
00:10:28 --> 00:10:30 can I say
00:10:30 --> 00:10:31 most assuredly
00:10:31 --> 00:10:31 that when we
00:10:31 --> 00:10:32 think of the
00:10:32 --> 00:10:33 new body that
00:10:33 --> 00:10:34 we receive,
00:10:34 --> 00:10:35 that because
00:10:35 --> 00:10:35 Christ has
00:10:35 --> 00:10:37 risen with
00:10:37 --> 00:10:38 an indestructible
00:10:38 --> 00:10:39 body, an
00:10:39 --> 00:10:40 eternal body,
00:10:41 --> 00:10:41 this is not
00:10:41 --> 00:10:43 some airy,
00:10:43 --> 00:10:44 fairy,
00:10:44 --> 00:10:45 spiritual
00:10:45 --> 00:10:45 resurrection,
00:10:46 --> 00:10:47 this is a
00:10:47 --> 00:10:48 resurrection with
00:10:48 --> 00:10:49 substance, a
00:10:49 --> 00:10:50 resurrected body,
00:10:52 --> 00:10:53 and when
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 Christ raises
00:10:55 --> 00:10:55 with that
00:10:55 --> 00:10:57 body, that
00:10:57 --> 00:10:57 is the
00:10:57 --> 00:10:58 guarantee that
00:10:58 --> 00:10:59 you and I
00:10:59 --> 00:11:00 will have a
00:11:00 --> 00:11:00 new body.
00:11:03 --> 00:11:04 It won't
00:11:04 --> 00:11:05 bear the
00:11:05 --> 00:11:06 impact of
00:11:06 --> 00:11:06 the curse
00:11:06 --> 00:11:08 of sin the
00:11:08 --> 00:11:08 way this
00:11:08 --> 00:11:09 one does.
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 So does
00:11:11 --> 00:11:11 that mean it
00:11:11 --> 00:11:11 will be like
00:11:11 --> 00:11:12 this?
00:11:13 --> 00:11:14 Well, no.
00:11:15 --> 00:11:15 Because I
00:11:15 --> 00:11:16 want to tell
00:11:16 --> 00:11:16 you, that
00:11:16 --> 00:11:17 body still
00:11:17 --> 00:11:17 bears the
00:11:17 --> 00:11:18 curse of
00:11:18 --> 00:11:18 sin.
00:11:23 --> 00:11:24 We need
00:11:24 --> 00:11:24 to come
00:11:24 --> 00:11:25 back to
00:11:25 --> 00:11:27 seeing what
00:11:27 --> 00:11:28 Christ has
00:11:28 --> 00:11:29 done.
00:11:30 --> 00:11:31 Because what
00:11:31 --> 00:11:32 Christ has
00:11:32 --> 00:11:33 done and
00:11:33 --> 00:11:34 what dominates
00:11:34 --> 00:11:35 his life is
00:11:35 --> 00:11:36 what will
00:11:36 --> 00:11:36 dominate your
00:11:36 --> 00:11:37 life and
00:11:37 --> 00:11:39 your resurrected
00:11:39 --> 00:11:40 glorious body.
00:11:40 --> 00:11:40 body.
00:11:41 --> 00:11:42 I want to
00:11:42 --> 00:11:42 just take
00:11:42 --> 00:11:42 us through
00:11:42 --> 00:11:43 and just
00:11:43 --> 00:11:46 quickly, I
00:11:46 --> 00:11:47 was going to
00:11:47 --> 00:11:47 unfold this
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 slowly but
00:11:48 --> 00:11:48 it's all up
00:11:48 --> 00:11:49 in front of
00:11:49 --> 00:11:50 you now and
00:11:50 --> 00:11:51 I've realised
00:11:51 --> 00:11:52 that I
00:11:52 --> 00:11:53 struggle to
00:11:53 --> 00:11:53 read all of
00:11:53 --> 00:11:54 this from
00:11:54 --> 00:11:55 this distance
00:11:55 --> 00:11:57 because this
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 body is
00:11:58 --> 00:11:59 wasting away
00:11:59 --> 00:12:01 and these
00:12:01 --> 00:12:02 eyes are part
00:12:02 --> 00:12:02 of that.
00:12:03 --> 00:12:03 And it
00:12:03 --> 00:12:04 says, but
00:12:04 --> 00:12:05 we have this
00:12:05 --> 00:12:06 treasure in
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 jars of clay,
00:12:08 --> 00:12:09 body, as
00:12:09 --> 00:12:09 Steve mentioned
00:12:09 --> 00:12:10 before.
00:12:16 --> 00:12:16 Okay, look,
00:12:17 --> 00:12:17 hold on, hold
00:12:17 --> 00:12:18 on a second,
00:12:18 --> 00:12:18 let's just get
00:12:18 --> 00:12:19 this right.
00:12:19 --> 00:12:20 Hold on, I'm
00:12:20 --> 00:12:20 coming down, I'm
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 going to sit
00:12:21 --> 00:12:21 with you.
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 We have this
00:12:23 --> 00:12:23 treasure in
00:12:23 --> 00:12:24 jars of clay to
00:12:24 --> 00:12:25 show that this
00:12:25 --> 00:12:26 all-surpassing
00:12:26 --> 00:12:27 power is from
00:12:27 --> 00:12:28 God and not
00:12:28 --> 00:12:29 from us.
00:12:30 --> 00:12:30 We're hard
00:12:30 --> 00:12:31 pressed on
00:12:31 --> 00:12:31 every side.
00:12:31 --> 00:12:31 This is where
00:12:31 --> 00:12:32 you've been
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 last week.
00:12:34 --> 00:12:34 Hard pressed
00:12:34 --> 00:12:35 on every side,
00:12:35 --> 00:12:36 crushed in
00:12:36 --> 00:12:37 fact.
00:12:38 --> 00:12:40 Perplexed,
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 but not in
00:12:41 --> 00:12:41 despair.
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 Persecuted, but
00:12:43 --> 00:12:43 not abandoned.
00:12:43 --> 00:12:45 Struck down, but
00:12:45 --> 00:12:46 not destroyed.
00:12:46 --> 00:12:47 I can't tell you
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 how many times,
00:12:48 --> 00:12:49 even just in the
00:12:49 --> 00:12:50 last ten years,
00:12:50 --> 00:12:51 I've been struck
00:12:51 --> 00:12:52 down, I felt
00:12:52 --> 00:12:53 crushed, I felt
00:12:53 --> 00:12:54 completely
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 overwhelmed.
00:12:57 --> 00:12:58 But, his
00:12:58 --> 00:12:59 grace is
00:12:59 --> 00:12:59 sufficient.
00:13:02 --> 00:13:03 We always, it
00:13:03 --> 00:13:04 says in verse
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 10, carry
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 around in our
00:13:06 --> 00:13:07 body the death
00:13:07 --> 00:13:07 of Jesus so
00:13:07 --> 00:13:08 that the life
00:13:08 --> 00:13:09 of Jesus may
00:13:09 --> 00:13:11 also be revealed
00:13:11 --> 00:13:11 in our body.
00:13:12 --> 00:13:12 I just realised
00:13:12 --> 00:13:13 we've got a much
00:13:13 --> 00:13:13 better view
00:13:13 --> 00:13:13 looking this
00:13:13 --> 00:13:14 way.
00:13:15 --> 00:13:15 Here I was, I
00:13:15 --> 00:13:16 was looking up
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 here and I
00:13:17 --> 00:13:17 should have been
00:13:17 --> 00:13:18 looking here.
00:13:18 --> 00:13:19 That's great.
00:13:20 --> 00:13:20 I'll get used to
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 this place
00:13:21 --> 00:13:21 eventually.
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 For we who
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 are alive are
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 always being
00:13:26 --> 00:13:27 given over to
00:13:27 --> 00:13:27 death for
00:13:27 --> 00:13:28 Jesus' sake so
00:13:28 --> 00:13:29 that his life
00:13:29 --> 00:13:30 may also be
00:13:30 --> 00:13:31 revealed in our
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 mortal body.
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 See those words
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 in bold there?
00:13:34 --> 00:13:34 we carry
00:13:34 --> 00:13:36 around in our
00:13:36 --> 00:13:38 body the
00:13:38 --> 00:13:38 death of
00:13:38 --> 00:13:42 Jesus so
00:13:42 --> 00:13:42 that the
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 life of
00:13:43 --> 00:13:43 Jesus may
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 also be
00:13:44 --> 00:13:45 revealed.
00:13:46 --> 00:13:46 It's the
00:13:46 --> 00:13:47 same as when
00:13:47 --> 00:13:48 Paul says,
00:13:48 --> 00:13:48 I did not
00:13:48 --> 00:13:49 come amongst
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 you with
00:13:50 --> 00:13:50 eloquent
00:13:50 --> 00:13:54 words so
00:13:54 --> 00:13:55 that it
00:13:55 --> 00:13:55 might be
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 clear to
00:13:56 --> 00:13:56 you that
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 the power,
00:13:58 --> 00:13:59 the dynamic
00:13:59 --> 00:14:00 for the words
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 that I speak
00:14:01 --> 00:14:01 comes not
00:14:01 --> 00:14:02 from me,
00:14:02 --> 00:14:02 it comes
00:14:02 --> 00:14:03 from God.
00:14:03 --> 00:14:03 And it
00:14:03 --> 00:14:04 is the
00:14:04 --> 00:14:04 same here.
00:14:06 --> 00:14:06 I am
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 amazed and
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 humbled by
00:14:08 --> 00:14:08 the things
00:14:08 --> 00:14:09 that people
00:14:09 --> 00:14:09 have said
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 about us
00:14:10 --> 00:14:10 and our
00:14:10 --> 00:14:11 ministry over
00:14:11 --> 00:14:12 in the
00:14:12 --> 00:14:12 Northwest,
00:14:12 --> 00:14:13 over in
00:14:13 --> 00:14:13 Wickham.
00:14:13 --> 00:14:14 The things
00:14:14 --> 00:14:14 that people
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 over there
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 say about
00:14:16 --> 00:14:17 us and
00:14:17 --> 00:14:18 it is
00:14:18 --> 00:14:19 because the
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 life of
00:14:20 --> 00:14:20 Jesus is
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 being revealed
00:14:21 --> 00:14:22 in this
00:14:22 --> 00:14:22 inadequacy.
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 And it
00:14:25 --> 00:14:26 goes on and
00:14:26 --> 00:14:26 says,
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 we are always
00:14:27 --> 00:14:27 being given
00:14:27 --> 00:14:27 over to
00:14:27 --> 00:14:28 death so
00:14:28 --> 00:14:28 that his
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 life may
00:14:29 --> 00:14:29 also be
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 revealed in
00:14:30 --> 00:14:31 our mortal
00:14:31 --> 00:14:31 body.
00:14:32 --> 00:14:33 Because we
00:14:33 --> 00:14:33 know that
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 the one who
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 raised Jesus
00:14:35 --> 00:14:35 from the
00:14:35 --> 00:14:35 dead will
00:14:35 --> 00:14:36 also raise
00:14:36 --> 00:14:37 us with
00:14:37 --> 00:14:38 Jesus and
00:14:38 --> 00:14:38 present us
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 with you to
00:14:39 --> 00:14:39 himself.
00:14:40 --> 00:14:41 So you
00:14:41 --> 00:14:42 see it is
00:14:42 --> 00:14:42 Jesus'
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 life and
00:14:43 --> 00:14:44 death and
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 resurrection
00:14:45 --> 00:14:46 that determines
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 your course.
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 And then he
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 goes on and
00:14:53 --> 00:14:53 says,
00:14:53 --> 00:14:55 therefore we
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 do not lose
00:14:56 --> 00:14:56 heart.
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 Though outwardly
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 we are wasting
00:14:58 --> 00:14:59 away, yet
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 inwardly we
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 are being
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 renewed day
00:15:02 --> 00:15:03 by day.
00:15:04 --> 00:15:04 And this
00:15:04 --> 00:15:04 is the
00:15:04 --> 00:15:05 thing, we
00:15:05 --> 00:15:06 need to
00:15:06 --> 00:15:07 develop a
00:15:07 --> 00:15:07 discipline,
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 a discipline
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 of knowing
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 that it is
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 solely in
00:15:12 --> 00:15:13 Christ I
00:15:13 --> 00:15:13 live.
00:15:13 --> 00:15:13 You think
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 of Galatians
00:15:14 --> 00:15:14 2, I
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 have been
00:15:15 --> 00:15:16 crucified with
00:15:16 --> 00:15:16 Christ.
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 It's no
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 longer I
00:15:18 --> 00:15:18 who live,
00:15:18 --> 00:15:19 but Christ
00:15:19 --> 00:15:19 who lives
00:15:19 --> 00:15:20 in me.
00:15:20 --> 00:15:20 And the
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 life I
00:15:21 --> 00:15:21 now live
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 in the
00:15:22 --> 00:15:24 flesh, in
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 this body,
00:15:25 --> 00:15:26 I live by
00:15:26 --> 00:15:27 faith in the
00:15:27 --> 00:15:27 Son of God
00:15:27 --> 00:15:28 who loved
00:15:28 --> 00:15:29 me and gave
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 himself for
00:15:30 --> 00:15:30 me.
00:15:32 --> 00:15:33 We've got
00:15:33 --> 00:15:33 to start
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 hanging much
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 looser to
00:15:35 --> 00:15:35 this body.
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 When we
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 read and
00:15:38 --> 00:15:38 we think of
00:15:38 --> 00:15:40 these passages,
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 so see the
00:15:41 --> 00:15:41 highlighted passage
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 there where it
00:15:42 --> 00:15:42 says,
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 meanwhile we
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 groan,
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 longing to
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 be clothed
00:15:47 --> 00:15:49 instead with
00:15:49 --> 00:15:49 our heavenly
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 dwelling.
00:15:51 --> 00:15:52 Do you
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 groan?
00:15:54 --> 00:15:56 I'll bet if
00:15:56 --> 00:15:56 you're getting
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 as old as
00:15:57 --> 00:15:57 me, you
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 groan.
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 But is
00:16:01 --> 00:16:01 it because
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 you're longing
00:16:02 --> 00:16:02 for your
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 heavenly body?
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 Is that
00:16:08 --> 00:16:08 why you
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 groan?
00:16:11 --> 00:16:11 Or do
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 you groan
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 because you're
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 just not
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 happy, you're
00:16:15 --> 00:16:15 not content
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 with this
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 vessel that
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 the Lord has
00:16:18 --> 00:16:18 given you?
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 Or you see
00:16:19 --> 00:16:20 it breaking
00:16:20 --> 00:16:20 down?
00:16:21 --> 00:16:21 Are you
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 walking in a
00:16:22 --> 00:16:23 staunch
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 resistance?
00:16:24 --> 00:16:28 to the
00:16:28 --> 00:16:29 groaning of
00:16:29 --> 00:16:29 this body?
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 Not because
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 you're longing,
00:16:32 --> 00:16:36 longing for
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 a new body,
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 a resurrected
00:16:38 --> 00:16:38 body, but
00:16:38 --> 00:16:39 because you
00:16:39 --> 00:16:41 actually want
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 this one.
00:16:47 --> 00:16:47 That's why
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 the gyms are
00:16:48 --> 00:16:48 full, isn't
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 it?
00:16:52 --> 00:16:52 That's why
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 there is so
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 much about
00:16:54 --> 00:16:54 the body
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 beautiful.
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 And you
00:16:59 --> 00:16:59 might say,
00:17:00 --> 00:17:00 oh Rich,
00:17:01 --> 00:17:02 it's easy
00:17:02 --> 00:17:02 for you to
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 say that.
00:17:04 --> 00:17:04 You know,
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 like you
00:17:05 --> 00:17:05 clearly have
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 been letting
00:17:06 --> 00:17:06 yourself go
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 for a
00:17:07 --> 00:17:07 while.
00:17:07 --> 00:17:08 You'd be
00:17:08 --> 00:17:08 right.
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 You'd be
00:17:10 --> 00:17:10 right.
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 But I've
00:17:13 --> 00:17:13 got to
00:17:13 --> 00:17:14 tell you,
00:17:15 --> 00:17:16 this is
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 not where
00:17:17 --> 00:17:19 we are
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 to put
00:17:20 --> 00:17:20 our hope.
00:17:20 --> 00:17:22 authentic
00:17:22 --> 00:17:24 hope is
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 not in
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 this.
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 It is
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 in the
00:17:31 --> 00:17:31 resurrected
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 body that
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 we see
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 firstly in
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 Christ as
00:17:35 --> 00:17:35 the first
00:17:35 --> 00:17:35 fruits,
00:17:36 --> 00:17:36 and then
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 which will
00:17:37 --> 00:17:37 come to
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 all those
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 who have
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 hoped in
00:17:40 --> 00:17:40 him.
00:17:40 --> 00:17:44 he says,
00:17:44 --> 00:17:45 for while
00:17:45 --> 00:17:45 we are
00:17:45 --> 00:17:45 in this
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 tent,
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 we groan
00:17:47 --> 00:17:47 and are
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 burdened
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 because we
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 do not,
00:17:50 --> 00:17:53 we do not
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 wish to be
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 unclothed,
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 but to be
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 clothed
00:17:57 --> 00:17:58 instead with
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 our heavenly
00:17:59 --> 00:17:59 dwelling.
00:17:59 --> 00:18:01 I want
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02 to encourage
00:18:02 --> 00:18:02 you to
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 truly groan
00:18:03 --> 00:18:04 and long
00:18:04 --> 00:18:04 for your
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 heavenly
00:18:05 --> 00:18:05 dwelling.
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 I've got to
00:18:08 --> 00:18:08 tell you,
00:18:08 --> 00:18:08 that is
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 hard for
00:18:09 --> 00:18:09 us to
00:18:09 --> 00:18:09 do.
00:18:12 --> 00:18:12 It's
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 hard for
00:18:13 --> 00:18:13 us to
00:18:13 --> 00:18:13 do.
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 The first
00:18:20 --> 00:18:20 reading that
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 we had
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 was from
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 the very
00:18:23 --> 00:18:23 start of
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 Jesus'
00:18:24 --> 00:18:24 public
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 ministry,
00:18:26 --> 00:18:26 Matthew
00:18:26 --> 00:18:27 chapter 5.
00:18:28 --> 00:18:28 I've only
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 put up
00:18:29 --> 00:18:29 verses 3
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 to 6
00:18:30 --> 00:18:30 here.
00:18:33 --> 00:18:33 Blessed
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 are the
00:18:34 --> 00:18:34 poor in
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 spirit.
00:18:37 --> 00:18:37 As I
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 said earlier
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 when I was
00:18:39 --> 00:18:39 up here
00:18:39 --> 00:18:39 talking with
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 Steve,
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 those who
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42 recognise that
00:18:42 --> 00:18:42 they are
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 completely
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 bankrupt.
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 Jesus is
00:18:45 --> 00:18:45 saying,
00:18:46 --> 00:18:46 unless you
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 realise you
00:18:47 --> 00:18:47 are bankrupt,
00:18:48 --> 00:18:48 you will
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 not come
00:18:49 --> 00:18:49 to me.
00:18:52 --> 00:18:52 You will
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 actually
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 pursue
00:18:54 --> 00:18:56 your own
00:18:56 --> 00:18:56 adequacy.
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 In fact,
00:18:58 --> 00:18:58 to the
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 person who
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 believes that
00:19:00 --> 00:19:00 they are
00:19:00 --> 00:19:00 not
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 bankrupt,
00:19:01 --> 00:19:01 let me
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 tell you
00:19:02 --> 00:19:02 this,
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 grace is
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 an offence.
00:19:05 --> 00:19:05 Why?
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 Why is
00:19:08 --> 00:19:08 grace an
00:19:08 --> 00:19:11 offence to
00:19:11 --> 00:19:11 those who
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 do not
00:19:12 --> 00:19:12 recognise that
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 in and of
00:19:13 --> 00:19:14 themselves they
00:19:14 --> 00:19:14 are bankrupt?
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 Can anybody
00:19:16 --> 00:19:16 come back at
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 me?
00:19:17 --> 00:19:17 Why is
00:19:17 --> 00:19:18 grace an
00:19:18 --> 00:19:18 offence?
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 grace an
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20 offence?
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 Why is
00:19:21 --> 00:19:21 it
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 not
00:19:22 --> 00:19:22 to the
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 weakness?
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 Sorry?
00:19:24 --> 00:19:26 It shows up
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 the weakness?
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 It does?
00:19:32 --> 00:19:32 But why
00:19:32 --> 00:19:32 does it
00:19:32 --> 00:19:33 offend
00:19:33 --> 00:19:35 me if
00:19:35 --> 00:19:35 I don't
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 think I'm
00:19:36 --> 00:19:36 bankrupt?
00:19:38 --> 00:19:38 Sorry?
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 Yeah.
00:19:41 --> 00:19:41 I get
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 no kudos.
00:19:42 --> 00:19:42 loss.
00:19:43 --> 00:19:43 You think,
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 what is
00:19:44 --> 00:19:44 at the
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 very heart
00:19:45 --> 00:19:47 of our
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 sinful
00:19:48 --> 00:19:49 selves?
00:19:50 --> 00:19:50 I want
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 to tell
00:19:51 --> 00:19:51 you it
00:19:51 --> 00:19:51 is that
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 sinful
00:19:52 --> 00:19:53 core of
00:19:53 --> 00:19:53 our pride
00:19:53 --> 00:19:55 that believes
00:19:55 --> 00:19:56 that we
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 are good
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 enough for
00:19:58 --> 00:19:58 God without
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 God.
00:19:59 --> 00:19:59 See,
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 the nature
00:20:00 --> 00:20:01 of atheistic
00:20:01 --> 00:20:01 humanism
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 today is
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 that it
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 can achieve
00:20:04 --> 00:20:05 everything
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 that God
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 would promise
00:20:07 --> 00:20:09 without
00:20:09 --> 00:20:09 him.
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 And to
00:20:13 --> 00:20:13 atheistic
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 humanism,
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 it does
00:20:15 --> 00:20:15 not want
00:20:15 --> 00:20:15 to know
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 about grace.
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 It does
00:20:18 --> 00:20:18 not want
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 to know
00:20:19 --> 00:20:19 about the
00:20:19 --> 00:20:19 greatest
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 gift of
00:20:20 --> 00:20:20 all time
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 because
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 that
00:20:22 --> 00:20:22 actually
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 detracts
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 from
00:20:24 --> 00:20:24 it.
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 And so
00:20:27 --> 00:20:28 Jesus
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 rightly
00:20:29 --> 00:20:29 starts and
00:20:29 --> 00:20:30 says,
00:20:30 --> 00:20:30 blessed are
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 the poor
00:20:31 --> 00:20:31 in spirit,
00:20:32 --> 00:20:32 blessed are
00:20:32 --> 00:20:32 those who
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 realise
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 their
00:20:34 --> 00:20:34 bankruptcy
00:20:34 --> 00:20:37 before
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 the Holy
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 Father,
00:20:40 --> 00:20:40 for theirs
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 is the
00:20:41 --> 00:20:41 kingdom of
00:20:41 --> 00:20:41 heaven.
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 Why is
00:20:42 --> 00:20:42 theirs the
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 kingdom of
00:20:43 --> 00:20:43 heaven?
00:20:44 --> 00:20:44 It's not
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 because they
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 stay bankrupt,
00:20:46 --> 00:20:46 it's because
00:20:46 --> 00:20:48 realising their
00:20:48 --> 00:20:48 bankruptcy,
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 they do
00:20:49 --> 00:20:49 what?
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 They come
00:20:53 --> 00:20:53 to Christ.
00:20:55 --> 00:20:55 Don't they?
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 Realising
00:20:57 --> 00:20:57 their bankruptcy,
00:20:58 --> 00:20:58 they come
00:20:58 --> 00:20:59 to Christ.
00:20:59 --> 00:20:59 He goes
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 on and he
00:21:00 --> 00:21:00 says,
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 blessed are
00:21:02 --> 00:21:02 those who
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 mourn,
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 for they
00:21:04 --> 00:21:04 will be
00:21:04 --> 00:21:06 comforted.
00:21:07 --> 00:21:07 Blessed
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 are the
00:21:08 --> 00:21:08 meek,
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 for they
00:21:09 --> 00:21:09 will inherit
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 the earth.
00:21:10 --> 00:21:10 Blessed
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 are those
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 who hunger
00:21:12 --> 00:21:14 and thirst
00:21:14 --> 00:21:16 for righteousness,
00:21:17 --> 00:21:17 for they
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 will be
00:21:18 --> 00:21:18 filled.
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 I have
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 to ask
00:21:23 --> 00:21:23 us this
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 because
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 this is
00:21:25 --> 00:21:25 our
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 challenge
00:21:26 --> 00:21:28 in a
00:21:28 --> 00:21:28 place where
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 we have
00:21:29 --> 00:21:29 one of
00:21:29 --> 00:21:29 the highest
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 standards
00:21:30 --> 00:21:30 of living
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 on earth,
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 in a
00:21:32 --> 00:21:32 place where
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 I love
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34 the changes
00:21:34 --> 00:21:34 that have
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 been done
00:21:35 --> 00:21:35 here,
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 but can
00:21:36 --> 00:21:36 I tell
00:21:36 --> 00:21:36 you when
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 Wickham
00:21:37 --> 00:21:37 does not
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 even have
00:21:38 --> 00:21:38 a place
00:21:38 --> 00:21:40 where it
00:21:40 --> 00:21:40 can gather,
00:21:41 --> 00:21:43 where it
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 is identified
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 as the
00:21:45 --> 00:21:45 meeting place
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 of God's
00:21:46 --> 00:21:46 people,
00:21:47 --> 00:21:51 it's
00:21:51 --> 00:21:51 overwhelming.
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 When I
00:21:53 --> 00:21:53 see the
00:21:53 --> 00:21:53 poverty,
00:21:54 --> 00:21:57 it is
00:21:57 --> 00:21:57 overwhelming.
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 when I
00:21:58 --> 00:21:58 see the
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 needs,
00:21:59 --> 00:21:59 it's
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00 overwhelming.
00:22:01 --> 00:22:01 And we
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 must ask
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 the question,
00:22:04 --> 00:22:04 have you
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 hungered
00:22:05 --> 00:22:07 lately?
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 Are you
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 thirsty?
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 Because what
00:22:15 --> 00:22:15 do we do
00:22:15 --> 00:22:15 as soon as
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 we're thirsty
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 physically?
00:22:18 --> 00:22:18 We just
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 straight away,
00:22:20 --> 00:22:20 as soon as
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 we're thirsty.
00:22:21 --> 00:22:21 How long
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 do you wait
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 and allow
00:22:23 --> 00:22:23 the physical
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 thirst to
00:22:24 --> 00:22:24 go?
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 Before you
00:22:25 --> 00:22:25 go,
00:22:25 --> 00:22:25 walk to
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 the fridge,
00:22:26 --> 00:22:26 open and
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 get something
00:22:27 --> 00:22:27 that's as
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 cold as
00:22:28 --> 00:22:28 you want.
00:22:29 --> 00:22:29 It's not
00:22:29 --> 00:22:29 long,
00:22:29 --> 00:22:29 is it?
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 Before you
00:22:32 --> 00:22:32 get the
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 beverage of
00:22:33 --> 00:22:33 choice.
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 But we
00:22:37 --> 00:22:37 know that
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 we're talking
00:22:38 --> 00:22:38 about a
00:22:38 --> 00:22:38 different
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 thirst,
00:22:39 --> 00:22:39 aren't
00:22:39 --> 00:22:39 we?
00:22:41 --> 00:22:41 Let's
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 go back
00:22:42 --> 00:22:42 to Jesus
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 and the
00:22:43 --> 00:22:43 cross.
00:22:44 --> 00:22:44 What were
00:22:44 --> 00:22:44 one of
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 his words
00:22:45 --> 00:22:45 that he
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 spoke from
00:22:46 --> 00:22:46 the cross?
00:22:47 --> 00:22:47 He said,
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 I thirst.
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 Did he
00:22:51 --> 00:22:51 go to the
00:22:51 --> 00:22:51 fridge and
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 get out his
00:22:52 --> 00:22:52 beverage of
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 choice at
00:22:53 --> 00:22:53 just the
00:22:53 --> 00:22:53 right
00:22:53 --> 00:22:53 temperature?
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 No.
00:22:56 --> 00:22:56 In fact,
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 they went
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 to place
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 something to
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 his lips
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 to dull
00:23:01 --> 00:23:01 the pain,
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 but he
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 didn't take
00:23:04 --> 00:23:04 it.
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 Because what
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 was he really
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 doing when he
00:23:08 --> 00:23:08 said,
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 I thirst?
00:23:13 --> 00:23:15 He was
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 experiencing
00:23:16 --> 00:23:18 exactly that
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 which you
00:23:19 --> 00:23:19 and I
00:23:19 --> 00:23:23 experience
00:23:23 --> 00:23:25 as a
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 result of
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 living with
00:23:27 --> 00:23:27 the
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 emptiness,
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 the
00:23:30 --> 00:23:30 emptiness
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 of being
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 a rebel,
00:23:32 --> 00:23:32 of being
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 without God
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34 and without
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 hope in
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 this world.
00:23:42 --> 00:23:43 Now that
00:23:43 --> 00:23:43 you have
00:23:43 --> 00:23:43 come to
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 Christ,
00:23:45 --> 00:23:45 you
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 recognize
00:23:46 --> 00:23:46 your
00:23:46 --> 00:23:47 bankruptcy,
00:23:47 --> 00:23:47 you've
00:23:47 --> 00:23:47 come to
00:23:47 --> 00:23:48 Christ,
00:23:48 --> 00:23:48 do you
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 stop
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 hungering
00:23:50 --> 00:23:50 and thirsting?
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 The answer
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 is no.
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 In exactly
00:23:53 --> 00:23:53 the same
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 way as he
00:23:54 --> 00:23:54 says,
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 blessed are
00:23:55 --> 00:23:55 those who
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 mourn,
00:23:57 --> 00:23:57 for they
00:23:57 --> 00:23:57 will be
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 comforted.
00:23:58 --> 00:23:58 What's the
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 nature of
00:23:59 --> 00:23:59 our mourning?
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 We have
00:24:03 --> 00:24:03 this all
00:24:03 --> 00:24:04 sufficient
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 grace and
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 yet,
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 even though
00:24:08 --> 00:24:08 we have
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 that now,
00:24:10 --> 00:24:10 we are
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 also still
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 beset with
00:24:12 --> 00:24:12 the weakness,
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 with this
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 clay,
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 broken clay
00:24:16 --> 00:24:16 pot,
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18 with this
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 tent that is
00:24:19 --> 00:24:20 fading away,
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 with this
00:24:21 --> 00:24:21 tent that
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 shows the
00:24:22 --> 00:24:22 signs of
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 the curse.
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 And so,
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 we mourn
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 what we
00:24:27 --> 00:24:27 see sin
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 doing here,
00:24:29 --> 00:24:29 what we
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 see sin
00:24:30 --> 00:24:30 doing in
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 the world,
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 what we
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 see the
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 powers of
00:24:34 --> 00:24:34 darkness
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 seeking to
00:24:35 --> 00:24:35 do,
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 we mourn
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 these things.
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 We hunger
00:24:39 --> 00:24:39 and we
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 thirst.
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 And I
00:24:43 --> 00:24:43 want to
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 encourage you
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 to check
00:24:45 --> 00:24:45 yourself
00:24:45 --> 00:24:48 and ask,
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 are you
00:24:49 --> 00:24:49 setting up
00:24:49 --> 00:24:50 your life
00:24:50 --> 00:24:50 so there
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 is only
00:24:51 --> 00:24:52 comfort
00:24:52 --> 00:24:52 and
00:24:52 --> 00:24:53 convenience?
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 What
00:24:59 --> 00:24:59 happens
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 when you
00:25:00 --> 00:25:03 hunger?
00:25:03 --> 00:25:05 Every day,
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 if there is
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 not hungering
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 and thirsting
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 and mourning
00:25:09 --> 00:25:09 within you,
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 there is
00:25:11 --> 00:25:11 something wrong.
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 We're missing
00:25:14 --> 00:25:14 something.
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 Like,
00:25:17 --> 00:25:17 I'm so
00:25:17 --> 00:25:17 thrilled to
00:25:17 --> 00:25:18 see you
00:25:18 --> 00:25:19 younger guys
00:25:19 --> 00:25:20 in here.
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 Now,
00:25:21 --> 00:25:21 you won't
00:25:21 --> 00:25:21 pick up
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 everything
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 that we're
00:25:23 --> 00:25:23 talking about,
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 that I'm
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 talking about,
00:25:26 --> 00:25:26 but you
00:25:26 --> 00:25:26 know what?
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 You know
00:25:27 --> 00:25:27 why it's
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 so good?
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 Because you
00:25:29 --> 00:25:29 are confronted
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 by a world
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 that is saying
00:25:31 --> 00:25:31 to you,
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 you need
00:25:32 --> 00:25:33 to pursue
00:25:33 --> 00:25:33 your own
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 comfort and
00:25:34 --> 00:25:34 convenience.
00:25:35 --> 00:25:35 Jesus is
00:25:35 --> 00:25:35 saying the
00:25:35 --> 00:25:36 opposite.
00:25:37 --> 00:25:37 And he's
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 saying that
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 as you
00:25:38 --> 00:25:40 thirst
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 and hunger
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 and mourn,
00:25:42 --> 00:25:46 he's
00:25:46 --> 00:25:46 also
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 saying that
00:25:47 --> 00:25:47 his
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 spirit
00:25:48 --> 00:25:48 at work
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 within you
00:25:49 --> 00:25:49 will bring
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 love,
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 joy and
00:25:51 --> 00:25:51 peace.
00:25:52 --> 00:25:52 It seems
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 like a
00:25:53 --> 00:25:53 dichotomy,
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 doesn't it?
00:25:55 --> 00:25:55 Like a
00:25:55 --> 00:25:57 contradiction.
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 How can
00:25:58 --> 00:25:58 these things
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 be going
00:25:59 --> 00:25:59 on at the
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 same time?
00:26:00 --> 00:26:02 But
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 constantly,
00:26:03 --> 00:26:03 I guarantee
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 you,
00:26:04 --> 00:26:04 if you
00:26:04 --> 00:26:05 hunger and
00:26:05 --> 00:26:05 thirst as
00:26:05 --> 00:26:07 Christ did
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 daily,
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 then you
00:26:09 --> 00:26:09 will also
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 know his
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 peace.
00:26:12 --> 00:26:12 Indeed,
00:26:13 --> 00:26:13 he said,
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 my peace
00:26:14 --> 00:26:14 I give
00:26:14 --> 00:26:14 to you,
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 my peace
00:26:15 --> 00:26:15 I leave
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 with you,
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 not as
00:26:17 --> 00:26:17 the world
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 gives,
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 do I
00:26:19 --> 00:26:19 give.
00:26:21 --> 00:26:21 Not as
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 the world
00:26:22 --> 00:26:22 gives,
00:26:22 --> 00:26:23 do I
00:26:23 --> 00:26:23 give.
00:26:27 --> 00:26:27 So we
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 need to be
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 content
00:26:29 --> 00:26:34 to walk
00:26:34 --> 00:26:34 to the
00:26:34 --> 00:26:34 beat of
00:26:34 --> 00:26:35 a very
00:26:35 --> 00:26:35 different
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 drum if
00:26:36 --> 00:26:36 we are
00:26:36 --> 00:26:36 to be
00:26:36 --> 00:26:37 authentic
00:26:37 --> 00:26:39 believers
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 and if
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 we are
00:26:41 --> 00:26:41 to be
00:26:41 --> 00:26:41 authentic
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 in hope.
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 So I
00:26:44 --> 00:26:44 want to
00:26:44 --> 00:26:44 share with
00:26:44 --> 00:26:47 you a
00:26:47 --> 00:26:47 quick story
00:26:47 --> 00:26:51 because one
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 thing that I
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 found overwhelming
00:26:53 --> 00:26:53 during the
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 ministry in
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 Wickham was
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 the number
00:26:56 --> 00:26:56 of our
00:26:56 --> 00:26:56 indigenous
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 people that
00:26:57 --> 00:26:58 I placed
00:26:58 --> 00:26:58 in the
00:26:58 --> 00:26:58 ground.
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 In a
00:26:59 --> 00:26:59 community,
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 an indigenous
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 community of
00:27:01 --> 00:27:01 probably
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 1500,
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 there would
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 be a
00:27:05 --> 00:27:05 death
00:27:05 --> 00:27:07 every week,
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 maybe two,
00:27:10 --> 00:27:10 sometimes
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 three.
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 Think about
00:27:14 --> 00:27:15 that.
00:27:15 --> 00:27:16 We're talking
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 a population
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 of 14 to
00:27:18 --> 00:27:18 1500,
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 maybe at
00:27:21 --> 00:27:21 times up
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 to 2000,
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 and there
00:27:23 --> 00:27:23 is a
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 death every
00:27:24 --> 00:27:24 week.
00:27:24 --> 00:27:28 people in
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 this land
00:27:29 --> 00:27:29 are literally
00:27:29 --> 00:27:30 passing us
00:27:30 --> 00:27:31 by.
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 And the
00:27:35 --> 00:27:35 number of
00:27:35 --> 00:27:36 kids I
00:27:36 --> 00:27:36 would
00:27:36 --> 00:27:37 minister to
00:27:37 --> 00:27:39 that are
00:27:39 --> 00:27:39 impacted by
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 that, that
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 are orphans,
00:27:41 --> 00:27:42 that have
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 already lost
00:27:43 --> 00:27:44 both parents.
00:27:44 --> 00:27:45 You see this
00:27:45 --> 00:27:45 boy on the
00:27:45 --> 00:27:46 screen here.
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 He was the
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 angriest boy
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 I had ever
00:27:50 --> 00:27:51 witnessed.
00:27:51 --> 00:27:52 You know
00:27:52 --> 00:27:53 how in
00:27:53 --> 00:27:54 schools you're
00:27:54 --> 00:27:54 not meant to
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 touch the
00:27:55 --> 00:27:55 kids?
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 Well, the
00:27:57 --> 00:27:58 local principal,
00:27:58 --> 00:28:00 who was very
00:28:00 --> 00:28:00 suspicious of me
00:28:00 --> 00:28:02 at first, but
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 eventually I
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 became a
00:28:04 --> 00:28:04 trusted
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 confidant,
00:28:05 --> 00:28:05 and she
00:28:05 --> 00:28:06 would ring
00:28:06 --> 00:28:06 and say,
00:28:06 --> 00:28:07 Rich, can
00:28:07 --> 00:28:07 you please
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 come up?
00:28:08 --> 00:28:11 it's Zane.
00:28:13 --> 00:28:13 And I
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 would get
00:28:14 --> 00:28:14 there, and
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 the classroom,
00:28:15 --> 00:28:16 all the kids
00:28:16 --> 00:28:16 would have
00:28:16 --> 00:28:17 been evacuated,
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 and Zane
00:28:18 --> 00:28:18 would be in
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 there with a
00:28:19 --> 00:28:20 golf club
00:28:20 --> 00:28:20 destroying the
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 room.
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 And she
00:28:23 --> 00:28:23 would need
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 someone,
00:28:24 --> 00:28:25 because all
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 the male
00:28:26 --> 00:28:26 teachers have
00:28:26 --> 00:28:26 been taken
00:28:26 --> 00:28:27 out of our
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28 primary schools,
00:28:29 --> 00:28:29 she would
00:28:29 --> 00:28:30 need someone
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 to go and
00:28:31 --> 00:28:32 disarm
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 Zane,
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 and then in
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 all his
00:28:36 --> 00:28:36 fury,
00:28:37 --> 00:28:37 still him.
00:28:39 --> 00:28:39 And I
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 would just
00:28:40 --> 00:28:40 hug him.
00:28:42 --> 00:28:43 I would
00:28:43 --> 00:28:43 just hug
00:28:43 --> 00:28:44 him.
00:28:53 --> 00:28:53 I remember
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 one day when
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 that happened,
00:28:55 --> 00:28:56 his mum came
00:28:56 --> 00:28:57 up, and she
00:28:57 --> 00:28:58 was so upset,
00:28:58 --> 00:28:58 and she was
00:28:58 --> 00:28:59 so ashamed,
00:29:00 --> 00:29:01 she hit him
00:29:01 --> 00:29:01 around the
00:29:01 --> 00:29:01 ear.
00:29:02 --> 00:29:02 I later found
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 out that both
00:29:03 --> 00:29:03 he and his
00:29:03 --> 00:29:04 older sister,
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 both had
00:29:05 --> 00:29:06 perforated
00:29:06 --> 00:29:06 eardrums on
00:29:06 --> 00:29:07 the right-hand
00:29:07 --> 00:29:07 side.
00:29:08 --> 00:29:14 she hit
00:29:14 --> 00:29:14 him,
00:29:14 --> 00:29:15 she clubbed
00:29:15 --> 00:29:15 him,
00:29:15 --> 00:29:16 and then she
00:29:16 --> 00:29:16 grabbed him
00:29:16 --> 00:29:17 by the foot,
00:29:17 --> 00:29:17 and she
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 dragged him
00:29:18 --> 00:29:19 to the
00:29:19 --> 00:29:19 car.
00:29:25 --> 00:29:25 And this
00:29:25 --> 00:29:26 is him
00:29:26 --> 00:29:27 around that
00:29:27 --> 00:29:27 time.
00:29:27 --> 00:29:28 And
00:29:28 --> 00:29:28 his
00:29:28 --> 00:29:33 mother was
00:29:33 --> 00:29:33 a very
00:29:33 --> 00:29:34 angry woman,
00:29:34 --> 00:29:34 would never
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 smile.
00:29:35 --> 00:29:35 mother.
00:29:36 --> 00:29:36 But I
00:29:36 --> 00:29:37 want to
00:29:37 --> 00:29:38 introduce you
00:29:38 --> 00:29:38 to her
00:29:38 --> 00:29:38 here.
00:29:39 --> 00:29:39 I cannot
00:29:39 --> 00:29:39 say her
00:29:39 --> 00:29:40 name because
00:29:40 --> 00:29:40 I haven't
00:29:40 --> 00:29:41 asked the
00:29:41 --> 00:29:41 permission of
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 the family,
00:29:42 --> 00:29:42 and that is
00:29:42 --> 00:29:43 very important
00:29:43 --> 00:29:43 to them.
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 But see
00:29:46 --> 00:29:46 this beautiful
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47 woman here,
00:29:48 --> 00:29:48 smiling?
00:29:48 --> 00:29:48 smiling.
00:29:49 --> 00:29:50 She's smiling
00:29:50 --> 00:29:51 because she
00:29:51 --> 00:29:52 received God's
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 sufficient
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 grace.
00:29:56 --> 00:29:57 And she
00:29:57 --> 00:29:58 was transformed
00:29:58 --> 00:29:59 from a woman
00:29:59 --> 00:30:01 so deeply
00:30:01 --> 00:30:03 gripped and
00:30:03 --> 00:30:04 entrenched in
00:30:04 --> 00:30:05 bitterness
00:30:05 --> 00:30:07 to the
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08 suffering of
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 her children,
00:30:10 --> 00:30:11 to a woman
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 that shone
00:30:12 --> 00:30:12 with the
00:30:12 --> 00:30:13 love of
00:30:13 --> 00:30:13 Jesus,
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15 that could
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16 not get
00:30:16 --> 00:30:17 together enough
00:30:17 --> 00:30:18 saying,
00:30:18 --> 00:30:19 pastor,
00:30:19 --> 00:30:20 can we do
00:30:20 --> 00:30:20 some wonga,
00:30:20 --> 00:30:21 which means
00:30:21 --> 00:30:21 God's word?
00:30:22 --> 00:30:23 Can we
00:30:23 --> 00:30:23 open the
00:30:23 --> 00:30:24 Bible?
00:30:25 --> 00:30:25 But of
00:30:25 --> 00:30:26 course,
00:30:26 --> 00:30:28 the impact
00:30:28 --> 00:30:29 of the
00:30:29 --> 00:30:30 entrenched
00:30:30 --> 00:30:31 dysfunction and
00:30:31 --> 00:30:32 bad choices
00:30:32 --> 00:30:33 and behaviours,
00:30:33 --> 00:30:34 the alcohol
00:30:34 --> 00:30:35 meant that
00:30:35 --> 00:30:36 this dear
00:30:36 --> 00:30:37 sister died
00:30:37 --> 00:30:37 only two
00:30:37 --> 00:30:38 years after
00:30:38 --> 00:30:38 this photo,
00:30:39 --> 00:30:40 at the
00:30:40 --> 00:30:40 ripe old
00:30:40 --> 00:30:41 age of
00:30:41 --> 00:30:41 34.
00:30:45 --> 00:30:46 Her
00:30:46 --> 00:30:46 kidneys,
00:30:46 --> 00:30:47 her liver,
00:30:47 --> 00:30:47 everything
00:30:47 --> 00:30:48 chucked it
00:30:48 --> 00:30:48 in.
00:30:49 --> 00:30:50 But hers
00:30:50 --> 00:30:51 was the
00:30:51 --> 00:30:51 favourite
00:30:51 --> 00:30:52 funeral
00:30:52 --> 00:30:54 that I
00:30:54 --> 00:30:54 took.
00:30:54 --> 00:30:55 I took
00:30:55 --> 00:30:55 many.
00:30:57 --> 00:30:57 And it
00:30:57 --> 00:30:57 got to the
00:30:57 --> 00:30:58 point where
00:30:58 --> 00:30:58 the indigenous
00:30:58 --> 00:30:59 pastor there,
00:30:59 --> 00:31:00 he would
00:31:00 --> 00:31:00 get me to
00:31:00 --> 00:31:01 speak because
00:31:01 --> 00:31:01 he'd never
00:31:01 --> 00:31:02 been trained
00:31:02 --> 00:31:04 and while
00:31:04 --> 00:31:05 he faithfully
00:31:05 --> 00:31:06 kept declaring
00:31:06 --> 00:31:06 the core
00:31:06 --> 00:31:07 gospel,
00:31:08 --> 00:31:08 their eyes
00:31:08 --> 00:31:09 they had
00:31:09 --> 00:31:09 closed.
00:31:11 --> 00:31:11 But he
00:31:11 --> 00:31:12 said that
00:31:12 --> 00:31:12 their eyes
00:31:12 --> 00:31:13 would open
00:31:13 --> 00:31:13 and the
00:31:13 --> 00:31:14 screensavers
00:31:14 --> 00:31:14 would come
00:31:14 --> 00:31:15 down and
00:31:15 --> 00:31:15 so he
00:31:15 --> 00:31:16 got me to
00:31:16 --> 00:31:17 just say,
00:31:17 --> 00:31:17 just keep
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18 teaching the
00:31:18 --> 00:31:18 Bible.
00:31:18 --> 00:31:18 I would
00:31:18 --> 00:31:19 just work
00:31:19 --> 00:31:19 my way
00:31:19 --> 00:31:19 through the
00:31:19 --> 00:31:21 Bible with
00:31:21 --> 00:31:21 my largest
00:31:21 --> 00:31:22 congregation,
00:31:22 --> 00:31:23 sometimes up
00:31:23 --> 00:31:23 to 800,
00:31:24 --> 00:31:25 on a weekly
00:31:25 --> 00:31:25 basis.
00:31:26 --> 00:31:26 In fact,
00:31:26 --> 00:31:27 sometimes when
00:31:27 --> 00:31:27 we had two
00:31:27 --> 00:31:28 funerals on
00:31:28 --> 00:31:28 a Saturday,
00:31:29 --> 00:31:29 can you imagine
00:31:29 --> 00:31:30 getting back
00:31:30 --> 00:31:30 here in the
00:31:30 --> 00:31:31 afternoon to
00:31:31 --> 00:31:32 hear Steve
00:31:32 --> 00:31:32 again?
00:31:32 --> 00:31:32 Well,
00:31:32 --> 00:31:32 that was
00:31:32 --> 00:31:33 my
00:31:33 --> 00:31:33 congregation
00:31:33 --> 00:31:34 at
00:31:34 --> 00:31:35 Robben
00:31:35 --> 00:31:35 Cemetery.
00:31:36 --> 00:31:37 But my
00:31:37 --> 00:31:37 favourite
00:31:37 --> 00:31:38 funeral was
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 this woman's,
00:31:38 --> 00:31:39 this sister,
00:31:39 --> 00:31:40 your sister.
00:31:41 --> 00:31:42 And she,
00:31:43 --> 00:31:47 they produce
00:31:47 --> 00:31:47 a booklet
00:31:47 --> 00:31:48 which is full
00:31:48 --> 00:31:49 of photos and
00:31:49 --> 00:31:49 this booklet
00:31:49 --> 00:31:50 full of
00:31:50 --> 00:31:51 photos always,
00:31:52 --> 00:31:54 always is the
00:31:54 --> 00:31:54 tribute for
00:31:54 --> 00:31:55 their whole
00:31:55 --> 00:31:55 life.
00:31:56 --> 00:31:57 And their
00:31:57 --> 00:31:58 life, their
00:31:58 --> 00:31:59 funeral booklet
00:31:59 --> 00:31:59 means everything
00:31:59 --> 00:32:00 to them.
00:32:00 --> 00:32:01 All these
00:32:01 --> 00:32:01 tributes from
00:32:01 --> 00:32:02 family members,
00:32:02 --> 00:32:03 all these
00:32:03 --> 00:32:04 pictures, and
00:32:04 --> 00:32:05 their story is
00:32:05 --> 00:32:05 at the beginning
00:32:05 --> 00:32:06 and the story
00:32:06 --> 00:32:08 is read, you
00:32:08 --> 00:32:08 know, at the
00:32:08 --> 00:32:09 start of the
00:32:09 --> 00:32:09 service.
00:32:11 --> 00:32:12 And I got to
00:32:12 --> 00:32:13 read her story
00:32:13 --> 00:32:14 and her story
00:32:14 --> 00:32:15 had one paragraph
00:32:15 --> 00:32:16 about where she
00:32:16 --> 00:32:17 was born, who
00:32:17 --> 00:32:17 her parents
00:32:17 --> 00:32:19 was, where
00:32:19 --> 00:32:20 she'd lived,
00:32:20 --> 00:32:20 and then it
00:32:20 --> 00:32:22 said, now
00:32:22 --> 00:32:22 enough of me,
00:32:23 --> 00:32:24 let me tell you
00:32:24 --> 00:32:25 about my
00:32:25 --> 00:32:25 saviour and
00:32:25 --> 00:32:26 what he's done
00:32:26 --> 00:32:26 for me.
00:32:26 --> 00:32:27 And the
00:32:27 --> 00:32:28 whole rest of
00:32:28 --> 00:32:28 her eulogy,
00:32:29 --> 00:32:29 two pages,
00:32:29 --> 00:32:30 was about what
00:32:30 --> 00:32:31 God had done
00:32:31 --> 00:32:31 in her life.
00:32:33 --> 00:32:34 Never seen it
00:32:34 --> 00:32:35 before, where
00:32:35 --> 00:32:36 somebody wrote
00:32:36 --> 00:32:36 their own
00:32:36 --> 00:32:38 eulogy and
00:32:38 --> 00:32:38 they used it
00:32:38 --> 00:32:39 to take the
00:32:39 --> 00:32:39 opportunity to
00:32:39 --> 00:32:40 do just that.
00:32:41 --> 00:32:42 This was a
00:32:42 --> 00:32:44 woman that
00:32:44 --> 00:32:45 was longing
00:32:45 --> 00:32:46 for heaven.
00:32:48 --> 00:32:49 This is her
00:32:49 --> 00:32:50 son now, at
00:32:50 --> 00:32:51 another funeral,
00:32:51 --> 00:32:52 just recently.
00:32:53 --> 00:32:54 You can pray
00:32:54 --> 00:32:54 for him, his
00:32:54 --> 00:32:55 name is Zane.
00:32:55 --> 00:32:57 And the
00:32:57 --> 00:32:58 anger is
00:32:58 --> 00:32:58 going.
00:33:00 --> 00:33:00 He's lost
00:33:00 --> 00:33:01 both his
00:33:01 --> 00:33:04 parents, but
00:33:04 --> 00:33:06 he knows that
00:33:06 --> 00:33:07 his mum is
00:33:07 --> 00:33:08 with Jesus.
00:33:08 --> 00:33:09 Pray that he
00:33:09 --> 00:33:09 will trust
00:33:09 --> 00:33:10 Jesus.
00:33:12 --> 00:33:18 Now, what
00:33:18 --> 00:33:19 we have here
00:33:19 --> 00:33:23 in, is
00:33:23 --> 00:33:24 that it
00:33:24 --> 00:33:24 says, now
00:33:24 --> 00:33:25 the one
00:33:25 --> 00:33:25 who has
00:33:25 --> 00:33:26 fashioned us
00:33:26 --> 00:33:26 for this
00:33:26 --> 00:33:27 very purpose
00:33:27 --> 00:33:28 is God,
00:33:28 --> 00:33:29 who has
00:33:29 --> 00:33:29 given us
00:33:29 --> 00:33:30 the Spirit
00:33:30 --> 00:33:31 as a deposit,
00:33:31 --> 00:33:32 guaranteeing
00:33:32 --> 00:33:32 what is to
00:33:32 --> 00:33:33 come.
00:33:33 --> 00:33:33 It removes
00:33:33 --> 00:33:34 any doubts
00:33:34 --> 00:33:35 because we
00:33:35 --> 00:33:36 know that
00:33:36 --> 00:33:36 the Spirit
00:33:36 --> 00:33:38 has been
00:33:38 --> 00:33:39 given us
00:33:39 --> 00:33:39 this guarantee.
00:33:40 --> 00:33:40 There is no
00:33:40 --> 00:33:40 doubt.
00:33:41 --> 00:33:42 And so he
00:33:42 --> 00:33:42 goes on and
00:33:42 --> 00:33:43 he speaks
00:33:43 --> 00:33:44 of the
00:33:44 --> 00:33:44 confidence
00:33:44 --> 00:33:46 that we
00:33:46 --> 00:33:47 have,
00:33:47 --> 00:33:48 that as
00:33:48 --> 00:33:48 long as
00:33:48 --> 00:33:49 we are
00:33:49 --> 00:33:49 away from
00:33:49 --> 00:33:50 the body,
00:33:50 --> 00:33:51 we might
00:33:51 --> 00:33:52 be away
00:33:52 --> 00:33:52 from the
00:33:52 --> 00:33:52 Lord,
00:33:53 --> 00:33:53 but we
00:33:53 --> 00:33:55 have the
00:33:55 --> 00:33:55 Spirit
00:33:55 --> 00:33:56 living and
00:33:56 --> 00:33:56 working
00:33:56 --> 00:33:57 within us
00:33:57 --> 00:33:57 as a
00:33:57 --> 00:33:58 guarantee.
00:33:59 --> 00:34:00 So,
00:34:01 --> 00:34:02 just looking
00:34:02 --> 00:34:02 at the
00:34:02 --> 00:34:02 clock,
00:34:03 --> 00:34:04 it's time
00:34:04 --> 00:34:04 for me to
00:34:04 --> 00:34:05 finish up.
00:34:06 --> 00:34:07 But I want
00:34:07 --> 00:34:07 to finish up
00:34:07 --> 00:34:08 by just
00:34:08 --> 00:34:08 sharing with
00:34:08 --> 00:34:09 you Philippians
00:34:09 --> 00:34:10 chapter 1.
00:34:10 --> 00:34:12 because I
00:34:12 --> 00:34:14 want to see
00:34:14 --> 00:34:15 if this
00:34:15 --> 00:34:16 becomes the
00:34:16 --> 00:34:16 standard for
00:34:16 --> 00:34:17 how you
00:34:17 --> 00:34:18 live in
00:34:18 --> 00:34:18 regard to
00:34:18 --> 00:34:19 your body
00:34:19 --> 00:34:19 and your
00:34:19 --> 00:34:20 time here.
00:34:20 --> 00:34:20 Have a look
00:34:20 --> 00:34:21 at it.
00:34:21 --> 00:34:21 He says,
00:34:22 --> 00:34:23 I eagerly
00:34:23 --> 00:34:24 expect and
00:34:24 --> 00:34:24 hope that I
00:34:24 --> 00:34:25 will in no
00:34:25 --> 00:34:25 way be
00:34:25 --> 00:34:26 ashamed,
00:34:26 --> 00:34:26 but will
00:34:26 --> 00:34:27 have sufficient
00:34:27 --> 00:34:28 courage so
00:34:28 --> 00:34:29 that now as
00:34:29 --> 00:34:30 always Christ
00:34:30 --> 00:34:30 will be
00:34:30 --> 00:34:32 exalted in
00:34:32 --> 00:34:32 my body.
00:34:35 --> 00:34:35 Christ will
00:34:35 --> 00:34:36 be exalted
00:34:36 --> 00:34:37 in your
00:34:37 --> 00:34:37 body,
00:34:38 --> 00:34:39 whether by
00:34:39 --> 00:34:39 life or by
00:34:39 --> 00:34:40 death.
00:34:40 --> 00:34:43 for to
00:34:43 --> 00:34:44 me to
00:34:44 --> 00:34:45 live is
00:34:45 --> 00:34:45 Christ and
00:34:45 --> 00:34:46 to die is
00:34:46 --> 00:34:46 gain.
00:34:46 --> 00:34:47 Is that
00:34:47 --> 00:34:48 your mantra
00:34:48 --> 00:34:49 and your
00:34:49 --> 00:34:49 motto?
00:34:51 --> 00:34:52 For you
00:34:52 --> 00:34:53 to live is
00:34:53 --> 00:34:54 Christ and
00:34:54 --> 00:34:56 to die is
00:34:56 --> 00:34:56 gain.
00:34:58 --> 00:34:59 He says,
00:34:59 --> 00:34:59 if I am to
00:34:59 --> 00:35:00 go on living
00:35:00 --> 00:35:01 in this body,
00:35:01 --> 00:35:02 this will mean
00:35:02 --> 00:35:02 fruitful labour
00:35:02 --> 00:35:03 for me.
00:35:03 --> 00:35:03 Yet what
00:35:03 --> 00:35:04 shall I
00:35:04 --> 00:35:04 choose?
00:35:04 --> 00:35:04 I don't
00:35:04 --> 00:35:05 know,
00:35:05 --> 00:35:05 I'm torn
00:35:05 --> 00:35:05 between the
00:35:05 --> 00:35:06 two.
00:35:06 --> 00:35:07 I desire to
00:35:07 --> 00:35:07 depart and be
00:35:07 --> 00:35:08 with Christ,
00:35:08 --> 00:35:08 which is better
00:35:08 --> 00:35:09 by far,
00:35:09 --> 00:35:10 but it's
00:35:10 --> 00:35:10 far more
00:35:10 --> 00:35:11 necessary for
00:35:11 --> 00:35:12 you that I
00:35:12 --> 00:35:13 remain in the
00:35:13 --> 00:35:13 body.
00:35:13 --> 00:35:14 Convinced of
00:35:14 --> 00:35:14 this, I
00:35:14 --> 00:35:15 know that I
00:35:15 --> 00:35:15 will remain
00:35:15 --> 00:35:16 and will
00:35:16 --> 00:35:16 continue with
00:35:16 --> 00:35:17 all of you
00:35:17 --> 00:35:17 for your
00:35:17 --> 00:35:19 progress and
00:35:19 --> 00:35:19 joy in the
00:35:19 --> 00:35:19 faith.
00:35:20 --> 00:35:21 Did you see
00:35:21 --> 00:35:22 what Paul's
00:35:22 --> 00:35:23 only reason
00:35:23 --> 00:35:24 was for
00:35:24 --> 00:35:25 staying in
00:35:25 --> 00:35:25 this body?
00:35:26 --> 00:35:26 What was
00:35:26 --> 00:35:27 his only
00:35:27 --> 00:35:28 reason for
00:35:28 --> 00:35:29 staying?
00:35:29 --> 00:35:30 He says,
00:35:30 --> 00:35:30 if I am
00:35:30 --> 00:35:31 to go on
00:35:31 --> 00:35:31 living in
00:35:31 --> 00:35:31 the body,
00:35:32 --> 00:35:32 verse 22,
00:35:33 --> 00:35:34 this will
00:35:34 --> 00:35:35 mean fruitful
00:35:35 --> 00:35:37 labour for
00:35:37 --> 00:35:37 me.
00:35:38 --> 00:35:40 To live in
00:35:40 --> 00:35:41 Christ here
00:35:41 --> 00:35:42 means fruitful
00:35:42 --> 00:35:43 labour.
00:35:44 --> 00:35:44 It means
00:35:44 --> 00:35:45 service of
00:35:45 --> 00:35:46 the gospel.
00:35:47 --> 00:35:47 It means
00:35:47 --> 00:35:48 to operate
00:35:48 --> 00:35:49 for the
00:35:49 --> 00:35:50 progress and
00:35:50 --> 00:35:50 joy in the
00:35:50 --> 00:35:51 faith of
00:35:51 --> 00:35:52 those around
00:35:52 --> 00:35:52 you.
00:35:55 --> 00:35:56 I hope
00:35:56 --> 00:35:56 that your
00:35:56 --> 00:35:56 life is
00:35:56 --> 00:35:58 dominated by
00:35:58 --> 00:35:59 authentic hope.
00:35:59 --> 00:36:00 I hope
00:36:00 --> 00:36:01 that you,
00:36:01 --> 00:36:02 every time
00:36:02 --> 00:36:02 you come
00:36:02 --> 00:36:02 in here,
00:36:03 --> 00:36:03 you take
00:36:03 --> 00:36:06 off whatever
00:36:06 --> 00:36:07 masks this
00:36:07 --> 00:36:07 world might
00:36:07 --> 00:36:08 tempt you
00:36:08 --> 00:36:09 to wear.
00:36:12 --> 00:36:13 And that
00:36:13 --> 00:36:13 you might,
00:36:15 --> 00:36:16 as that
00:36:16 --> 00:36:16 means that
00:36:16 --> 00:36:17 you feel
00:36:17 --> 00:36:17 very vulnerable
00:36:17 --> 00:36:19 and exposed,
00:36:19 --> 00:36:19 that you
00:36:19 --> 00:36:20 might actually
00:36:20 --> 00:36:22 mourn and
00:36:22 --> 00:36:23 hunger and
00:36:23 --> 00:36:24 thirst together,
00:36:25 --> 00:36:25 but be
00:36:25 --> 00:36:27 encouraged because
00:36:27 --> 00:36:28 you are in
00:36:28 --> 00:36:29 the midst
00:36:29 --> 00:36:29 of this
00:36:29 --> 00:36:31 all-sufficient,
00:36:31 --> 00:36:33 this lavish
00:36:33 --> 00:36:34 outpouring of
00:36:34 --> 00:36:34 grace upon
00:36:34 --> 00:36:35 you.
00:36:37 --> 00:36:38 Let me
00:36:38 --> 00:36:38 pray.
00:36:40 --> 00:36:40 Gracious
00:36:40 --> 00:36:41 Lord, we
00:36:41 --> 00:36:42 thank you so
00:36:42 --> 00:36:45 much for
00:36:45 --> 00:36:45 all that you
00:36:45 --> 00:36:46 have given
00:36:46 --> 00:36:48 us in
00:36:48 --> 00:36:49 Christ.
00:36:50 --> 00:36:51 Father, the
00:36:51 --> 00:36:52 outpouring of
00:36:52 --> 00:36:54 your grace upon
00:36:54 --> 00:36:54 us in him
00:36:54 --> 00:36:55 is not
00:36:55 --> 00:36:56 simply
00:36:56 --> 00:36:59 enough or
00:36:59 --> 00:37:00 just enough.
00:37:01 --> 00:37:02 It is
00:37:02 --> 00:37:02 all-sufficient.
00:37:03 --> 00:37:03 There is
00:37:03 --> 00:37:04 never a
00:37:04 --> 00:37:05 time where
00:37:05 --> 00:37:06 my need
00:37:06 --> 00:37:07 or my
00:37:07 --> 00:37:08 lack or
00:37:08 --> 00:37:09 my hunger
00:37:09 --> 00:37:09 or my
00:37:09 --> 00:37:10 thirst or
00:37:10 --> 00:37:11 my mourning
00:37:11 --> 00:37:13 is greater
00:37:13 --> 00:37:16 than what
00:37:16 --> 00:37:16 you give
00:37:16 --> 00:37:17 so lavishly.
00:37:17 --> 00:37:19 so Lord,
00:37:19 --> 00:37:20 let our
00:37:20 --> 00:37:21 lives be a
00:37:21 --> 00:37:23 testimony to
00:37:23 --> 00:37:23 this lavish
00:37:23 --> 00:37:24 grace that
00:37:24 --> 00:37:24 you have
00:37:24 --> 00:37:27 given so
00:37:27 --> 00:37:29 that the
00:37:29 --> 00:37:29 hope that
00:37:29 --> 00:37:30 we live
00:37:30 --> 00:37:30 out,
00:37:30 --> 00:37:31 whether we
00:37:31 --> 00:37:31 are
00:37:31 --> 00:37:32 churching here
00:37:32 --> 00:37:33 with our
00:37:33 --> 00:37:33 brothers and
00:37:33 --> 00:37:33 sisters,
00:37:34 --> 00:37:34 whether we're
00:37:34 --> 00:37:35 at work or
00:37:35 --> 00:37:36 at home,
00:37:36 --> 00:37:37 whether we
00:37:37 --> 00:37:37 are with
00:37:37 --> 00:37:37 those who
00:37:37 --> 00:37:38 love you or
00:37:38 --> 00:37:38 those who
00:37:38 --> 00:37:39 don't,
00:37:39 --> 00:37:40 may our
00:37:40 --> 00:37:42 hope be
00:37:42 --> 00:37:43 revealed in
00:37:43 --> 00:37:44 this profound
00:37:44 --> 00:37:46 assurance that
00:37:46 --> 00:37:47 bring such
00:37:47 --> 00:37:47 comfort,
00:37:48 --> 00:37:49 that bring
00:37:49 --> 00:37:50 such filling,
00:37:51 --> 00:37:52 that bring
00:37:52 --> 00:37:53 such joy and
00:37:53 --> 00:37:54 peace inspired
00:37:54 --> 00:37:55 by your
00:37:55 --> 00:37:55 spirit.
00:37:56 --> 00:37:57 For Christ's
00:37:57 --> 00:37:58 sake we pray.
00:37:58 --> 00:37:59 Amen.