Created for Relationship
Series: Beginnings
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 27th October 2024
Passages:
00:00:00 --> 00:00:00 Well, good morning, everyone.
00:00:01 --> 00:00:03 My name's Steve, Senior Pastor here.
00:00:03 --> 00:00:07 So if I'd like you to open your Bibles in those passages,
00:00:07 --> 00:00:09 beginning, it's pretty easy.
00:00:09 --> 00:00:10 It's right at the beginning of the Bible.
00:00:11 --> 00:00:13 Past the introduction and the cable of contents,
00:00:14 --> 00:00:15 you'll find Genesis there.
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 The 17th century mathematician and philosopher,
00:00:19 --> 00:00:26 Sir Isaac Newton, had a miniature replica,
00:00:26 --> 00:00:30 was a model of the solar system in his study
00:00:30 --> 00:00:34 and had a large ball in the middle of it
00:00:34 --> 00:00:38 which represented the sun and other planets in their place.
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 They were all attached to rods.
00:00:40 --> 00:00:42 There was all these gears and belts
00:00:42 --> 00:00:45 and all that sort of stuff in there,
00:00:45 --> 00:00:47 make sure everything was in its correct place
00:00:47 --> 00:00:49 and circulating around and everything.
00:00:50 --> 00:00:53 And one day, he was visited by a friend
00:00:53 --> 00:00:56 and his friend just marvelled at this thing
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 sitting in the study and he said,
00:00:58 --> 00:01:01 my, Newton, what an exquisite thing.
00:01:02 --> 00:01:03 Who made it?
00:01:04 --> 00:01:05 Newton said, nobody.
00:01:08 --> 00:01:08 Nobody?
00:01:10 --> 00:01:12 His friend asked, that's right.
00:01:13 --> 00:01:16 All of these balls and clogs and belts and gears
00:01:16 --> 00:01:18 just happened to come together
00:01:18 --> 00:01:20 and wonder of wonders,
00:01:20 --> 00:01:22 by chance they began revolving
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 in the set orbits at the perfect time.
00:01:26 --> 00:01:28 Now, Newton was obviously making a point there
00:01:28 --> 00:01:31 with his unbelieving friend.
00:01:32 --> 00:01:35 The existence of this machine,
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 a perfectly ordered machine,
00:01:39 --> 00:01:41 presupposed a maker
00:01:41 --> 00:01:44 and even more so,
00:01:44 --> 00:01:48 the Earth and its perfectly ordered solar system.
00:01:48 --> 00:01:52 If you have just joined us for the first time here,
00:01:53 --> 00:01:55 just checked in online for the first time,
00:01:55 --> 00:01:58 we are working our way through the early books of Genesis.
00:01:59 --> 00:02:02 And what it does is it lays out for us
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 the beginning of creation.
00:02:06 --> 00:02:08 And what we see here is
00:02:08 --> 00:02:10 the beginning of creation
00:02:10 --> 00:02:12 and the Bible's teaching of creation
00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 is very, very different
00:02:15 --> 00:02:17 from every other
00:02:17 --> 00:02:19 religion or philosophical system.
00:02:20 --> 00:02:21 More significantly,
00:02:22 --> 00:02:24 what the book of Genesis does for us
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 is it gives us the beginning
00:02:26 --> 00:02:27 of the doctrine of God.
00:02:28 --> 00:02:30 We know who God is
00:02:30 --> 00:02:31 from his creation.
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 We come to understand
00:02:34 --> 00:02:35 who God is,
00:02:35 --> 00:02:35 what he's like,
00:02:35 --> 00:02:36 and therefore,
00:02:37 --> 00:02:38 who we are
00:02:38 --> 00:02:40 and what we are like
00:02:40 --> 00:02:42 and what our purpose might be.
00:02:43 --> 00:02:45 And one of the key differences
00:02:45 --> 00:02:46 that we will see today
00:02:46 --> 00:02:48 between the biblical idea
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 of the creator God
00:02:50 --> 00:02:52 and all other views
00:02:52 --> 00:02:56 is in this realm of relationships.
00:02:56 --> 00:02:59 And there are three things
00:02:59 --> 00:03:01 that I want us to see this morning.
00:03:01 --> 00:03:03 It's up there on the screen.
00:03:03 --> 00:03:04 This is the trajectory.
00:03:04 --> 00:03:06 So if you've got the Sir Paul's app as well,
00:03:06 --> 00:03:07 you can see an outline there
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 that will help you track through
00:03:09 --> 00:03:11 today's message.
00:03:12 --> 00:03:14 One of the things we notice
00:03:14 --> 00:03:15 in point number one,
00:03:15 --> 00:03:16 we need relationships.
00:03:17 --> 00:03:19 At every step of the creation
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 from Genesis chapter one,
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 what we read is
00:03:23 --> 00:03:24 he created,
00:03:24 --> 00:03:24 he created,
00:03:25 --> 00:03:25 he created,
00:03:26 --> 00:03:26 he created.
00:03:28 --> 00:03:29 However,
00:03:29 --> 00:03:31 when it comes to humanity,
00:03:32 --> 00:03:34 there is a shift in the language
00:03:34 --> 00:03:36 in Genesis two,
00:03:37 --> 00:03:38 Genesis one
00:03:38 --> 00:03:39 and then into two.
00:03:39 --> 00:03:40 It says,
00:03:41 --> 00:03:44 let us make man
00:03:44 --> 00:03:45 in our image and likeness.
00:03:46 --> 00:03:49 This is the very earliest glimpse
00:03:49 --> 00:03:50 in the Bible
00:03:50 --> 00:03:52 of what become
00:03:52 --> 00:03:54 throughout the Bible
00:03:54 --> 00:03:55 the Christian teaching
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 on the triunity of God
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 or the doctrine of the Trinity,
00:03:59 --> 00:04:01 the triunity of God.
00:04:02 --> 00:04:03 The one God
00:04:03 --> 00:04:05 is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
00:04:05 --> 00:04:06 It's profound
00:04:06 --> 00:04:08 that in the creation
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 of humanity,
00:04:11 --> 00:04:13 his plurality comes out
00:04:13 --> 00:04:16 in a way that his plurality
00:04:16 --> 00:04:17 doesn't come out
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 in the rest of creation.
00:04:19 --> 00:04:22 Saint Augustine said
00:04:22 --> 00:04:23 that the Trinity
00:04:23 --> 00:04:26 is the only version of God
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 in the history of humanity,
00:04:29 --> 00:04:33 in the history of humanity
00:04:33 --> 00:04:35 that has personal relationship
00:04:35 --> 00:04:37 at its very core.
00:04:40 --> 00:04:43 Only the God of Christianity
00:04:43 --> 00:04:46 is a community.
00:04:47 --> 00:04:48 God in himself
00:04:48 --> 00:04:50 is self-sufficient.
00:04:50 --> 00:04:52 He is self-sustaining.
00:04:52 --> 00:04:53 Three persons
00:04:53 --> 00:04:55 delighting in
00:04:55 --> 00:04:56 and loving each other.
00:04:58 --> 00:04:59 What is significant
00:04:59 --> 00:05:00 about that
00:05:00 --> 00:05:02 and compared to all
00:05:02 --> 00:05:04 other creation accounts
00:05:04 --> 00:05:06 is that if God
00:05:06 --> 00:05:09 was a singular being,
00:05:10 --> 00:05:11 then love
00:05:11 --> 00:05:12 and relationship
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 is secondary
00:05:14 --> 00:05:15 to that being.
00:05:16 --> 00:05:16 It's derivative
00:05:16 --> 00:05:18 from that being,
00:05:18 --> 00:05:19 not core
00:05:19 --> 00:05:20 to the being.
00:05:22 --> 00:05:23 Only in the Trinity
00:05:23 --> 00:05:24 do we see
00:05:24 --> 00:05:25 personal relationship
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 as primary,
00:05:27 --> 00:05:28 the very essence
00:05:28 --> 00:05:30 of who God is.
00:05:30 --> 00:05:30 relationships.
00:05:32 --> 00:05:33 That is,
00:05:33 --> 00:05:34 relationships
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 is not a means
00:05:36 --> 00:05:37 to an end.
00:05:37 --> 00:05:39 It is the centre
00:05:39 --> 00:05:40 of life
00:05:40 --> 00:05:41 and reality itself.
00:05:44 --> 00:05:44 And that,
00:05:45 --> 00:05:45 frankly,
00:05:45 --> 00:05:46 is the only way
00:05:46 --> 00:05:47 we can come to terms
00:05:47 --> 00:05:48 with chapter 2,
00:05:48 --> 00:05:49 verse 18.
00:05:50 --> 00:05:51 The Lord God said
00:05:51 --> 00:05:53 it is not good
00:05:53 --> 00:05:54 for the man
00:05:54 --> 00:05:55 to be alone.
00:05:58 --> 00:05:59 Here's the interesting thing.
00:06:00 --> 00:06:01 Up to this point
00:06:01 --> 00:06:02 in creation,
00:06:02 --> 00:06:03 up to this point
00:06:03 --> 00:06:04 in Genesis,
00:06:05 --> 00:06:08 everything that God
00:06:08 --> 00:06:09 has made
00:06:09 --> 00:06:10 has been declared
00:06:10 --> 00:06:11 good.
00:06:12 --> 00:06:13 Good,
00:06:13 --> 00:06:14 good,
00:06:14 --> 00:06:14 good,
00:06:14 --> 00:06:15 good,
00:06:15 --> 00:06:15 good,
00:06:15 --> 00:06:16 good,
00:06:16 --> 00:06:16 good.
00:06:16 --> 00:06:18 This is the very
00:06:18 --> 00:06:19 first time
00:06:19 --> 00:06:20 in the creation account
00:06:20 --> 00:06:21 where we read
00:06:21 --> 00:06:22 the words
00:06:22 --> 00:06:23 not good.
00:06:24 --> 00:06:26 Not good.
00:06:27 --> 00:06:28 There is
00:06:28 --> 00:06:29 something
00:06:29 --> 00:06:30 not good
00:06:30 --> 00:06:32 about Adam.
00:06:33 --> 00:06:34 And it's not
00:06:34 --> 00:06:35 a design flaw.
00:06:36 --> 00:06:37 God has,
00:06:37 --> 00:06:38 he hasn't made
00:06:38 --> 00:06:39 a mistake
00:06:39 --> 00:06:39 with Adam.
00:06:40 --> 00:06:41 I mean,
00:06:42 --> 00:06:43 Adam is in
00:06:43 --> 00:06:44 paradise.
00:06:45 --> 00:06:46 He is in
00:06:46 --> 00:06:46 paradise.
00:06:46 --> 00:06:47 There's no sin.
00:06:48 --> 00:06:49 He's walking
00:06:49 --> 00:06:49 and talking
00:06:49 --> 00:06:50 with God
00:06:50 --> 00:06:51 and yet still
00:06:51 --> 00:06:52 something is missing.
00:06:53 --> 00:06:54 There is a missing
00:06:54 --> 00:06:54 piece.
00:06:54 --> 00:06:58 And the missing
00:06:58 --> 00:06:59 piece is humanity
00:06:59 --> 00:07:00 is made
00:07:00 --> 00:07:01 in the image
00:07:01 --> 00:07:02 of God
00:07:02 --> 00:07:03 who is
00:07:03 --> 00:07:04 an us,
00:07:05 --> 00:07:06 not a me.
00:07:07 --> 00:07:08 He's an us,
00:07:08 --> 00:07:09 not a me.
00:07:10 --> 00:07:10 Adam was
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12 made in the image
00:07:12 --> 00:07:13 of an eternal
00:07:13 --> 00:07:14 community,
00:07:15 --> 00:07:16 a pre-existing
00:07:16 --> 00:07:17 community.
00:07:19 --> 00:07:20 He was created
00:07:20 --> 00:07:21 for community.
00:07:21 --> 00:07:21 personality.
00:07:24 --> 00:07:25 Personal
00:07:25 --> 00:07:25 relationships
00:07:25 --> 00:07:26 are the
00:07:26 --> 00:07:27 essence
00:07:27 --> 00:07:28 of our
00:07:28 --> 00:07:29 humanity.
00:07:32 --> 00:07:32 We
00:07:32 --> 00:07:33 are made,
00:07:33 --> 00:07:34 the very
00:07:34 --> 00:07:34 essence of
00:07:34 --> 00:07:35 humanity
00:07:35 --> 00:07:36 is that we
00:07:36 --> 00:07:36 are made
00:07:36 --> 00:07:37 for relationships
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 because we
00:07:39 --> 00:07:39 are made
00:07:39 --> 00:07:40 in the image
00:07:40 --> 00:07:41 of an us,
00:07:41 --> 00:07:42 not a me.
00:07:44 --> 00:07:45 So,
00:07:45 --> 00:07:46 there are
00:07:46 --> 00:07:47 three needed
00:07:47 --> 00:07:48 relationships.
00:07:48 --> 00:07:50 being made
00:07:50 --> 00:07:50 in the image
00:07:50 --> 00:07:51 of an us
00:07:51 --> 00:07:51 God,
00:07:52 --> 00:07:52 a God
00:07:52 --> 00:07:53 of community.
00:07:53 --> 00:07:53 What kind
00:07:53 --> 00:07:54 of relationships
00:07:54 --> 00:07:54 do we need?
00:07:54 --> 00:07:55 The first
00:07:55 --> 00:07:56 is a deep
00:07:56 --> 00:07:56 relationship
00:07:56 --> 00:07:57 with God.
00:07:58 --> 00:07:58 Genesis
00:07:58 --> 00:07:59 1.26
00:07:59 --> 00:08:02 needs to
00:08:02 --> 00:08:03 be read
00:08:03 --> 00:08:04 in conjunction
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 with two
00:08:06 --> 00:08:06 other creation
00:08:06 --> 00:08:07 accounts in
00:08:07 --> 00:08:07 the Bible.
00:08:08 --> 00:08:09 One of those
00:08:09 --> 00:08:10 creation accounts
00:08:10 --> 00:08:11 is in Proverbs
00:08:11 --> 00:08:12 chapter 8.
00:08:14 --> 00:08:15 And in
00:08:15 --> 00:08:15 Proverbs
00:08:15 --> 00:08:16 chapter 8,
00:08:16 --> 00:08:18 so,
00:08:18 --> 00:08:18 for instance,
00:08:18 --> 00:08:19 in Genesis
00:08:19 --> 00:08:20 1,
00:08:20 --> 00:08:20 we've already
00:08:20 --> 00:08:21 looked at this
00:08:21 --> 00:08:21 already,
00:08:21 --> 00:08:22 Genesis 1,
00:08:22 --> 00:08:23 it is God's
00:08:23 --> 00:08:24 word that
00:08:24 --> 00:08:24 creates,
00:08:24 --> 00:08:25 God speaks
00:08:25 --> 00:08:26 and it
00:08:26 --> 00:08:26 happens,
00:08:26 --> 00:08:27 God's
00:08:27 --> 00:08:27 word create.
00:08:28 --> 00:08:28 But in
00:08:28 --> 00:08:29 Proverbs
00:08:29 --> 00:08:30 8,
00:08:30 --> 00:08:30 God's
00:08:30 --> 00:08:31 wisdom,
00:08:31 --> 00:08:32 or his
00:08:32 --> 00:08:32 word,
00:08:33 --> 00:08:34 is actually
00:08:34 --> 00:08:34 personified.
00:08:37 --> 00:08:37 This is
00:08:37 --> 00:08:38 what God's
00:08:38 --> 00:08:38 word,
00:08:39 --> 00:08:39 his wisdom
00:08:39 --> 00:08:40 says in
00:08:40 --> 00:08:40 Proverbs
00:08:40 --> 00:08:41 8.
00:08:41 --> 00:08:41 I was
00:08:41 --> 00:08:42 there when
00:08:42 --> 00:08:43 he set
00:08:43 --> 00:08:43 the heavens
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 in place,
00:08:45 --> 00:08:46 when he
00:08:46 --> 00:08:46 marked out
00:08:46 --> 00:08:47 the horizon
00:08:47 --> 00:08:47 of the
00:08:47 --> 00:08:48 face of
00:08:48 --> 00:08:48 the deep,
00:08:48 --> 00:08:48 when he
00:08:48 --> 00:08:49 established
00:08:49 --> 00:08:49 the clouds
00:08:49 --> 00:08:50 above and
00:08:50 --> 00:08:51 fixed securely
00:08:51 --> 00:08:52 the fountains
00:08:52 --> 00:08:52 of the deep,
00:08:52 --> 00:08:52 when he
00:08:52 --> 00:08:53 gave the sea
00:08:53 --> 00:08:54 its boundary
00:08:54 --> 00:08:54 so the
00:08:54 --> 00:08:55 waters would
00:08:55 --> 00:08:56 not overstep
00:08:56 --> 00:08:57 his command,
00:08:57 --> 00:08:58 and when he
00:08:58 --> 00:08:59 marked out the
00:08:59 --> 00:08:59 foundations of
00:08:59 --> 00:09:00 the earth,
00:09:00 --> 00:09:00 then I was
00:09:00 --> 00:09:01 constantly at
00:09:01 --> 00:09:03 his side.
00:09:05 --> 00:09:06 I was filled
00:09:06 --> 00:09:06 with delight
00:09:06 --> 00:09:08 day after day,
00:09:08 --> 00:09:09 rejoicing always
00:09:09 --> 00:09:11 in his presence,
00:09:11 --> 00:09:13 rejoicing in
00:09:13 --> 00:09:14 his whole world
00:09:14 --> 00:09:15 and delighting
00:09:15 --> 00:09:16 in mankind.
00:09:17 --> 00:09:17 So God's
00:09:17 --> 00:09:18 word in
00:09:18 --> 00:09:19 Proverbs 8
00:09:19 --> 00:09:20 is personified.
00:09:21 --> 00:09:22 It's a
00:09:22 --> 00:09:22 poetic
00:09:22 --> 00:09:23 personification
00:09:23 --> 00:09:24 of the
00:09:24 --> 00:09:24 word of
00:09:24 --> 00:09:25 God in
00:09:25 --> 00:09:26 the creation
00:09:26 --> 00:09:26 account.
00:09:26 --> 00:09:27 Now the
00:09:27 --> 00:09:27 other
00:09:27 --> 00:09:28 creation
00:09:28 --> 00:09:29 account where
00:09:29 --> 00:09:30 we see this
00:09:30 --> 00:09:31 personification
00:09:31 --> 00:09:31 of the
00:09:31 --> 00:09:32 word of
00:09:32 --> 00:09:33 God is
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 John 1
00:09:35 --> 00:09:36 in the
00:09:36 --> 00:09:37 New Testament.
00:09:37 --> 00:09:38 But in
00:09:38 --> 00:09:38 John 1,
00:09:39 --> 00:09:40 the word
00:09:40 --> 00:09:40 is a
00:09:40 --> 00:09:41 divine
00:09:41 --> 00:09:42 person,
00:09:42 --> 00:09:43 Jesus
00:09:43 --> 00:09:44 Christ.
00:09:45 --> 00:09:46 This is
00:09:46 --> 00:09:46 how John
00:09:46 --> 00:09:46 puts it.
00:09:46 --> 00:09:47 I'll stick
00:09:47 --> 00:09:48 together the
00:09:48 --> 00:09:49 key verses
00:09:49 --> 00:09:49 if you like.
00:09:50 --> 00:09:50 In the
00:09:50 --> 00:09:51 beginning was
00:09:51 --> 00:09:51 the word,
00:09:52 --> 00:09:52 and the
00:09:52 --> 00:09:52 word was
00:09:52 --> 00:09:53 with God,
00:09:53 --> 00:09:53 and the
00:09:53 --> 00:09:54 word was
00:09:54 --> 00:09:54 God.
00:09:55 --> 00:09:55 He was
00:09:55 --> 00:09:55 with God
00:09:55 --> 00:09:56 in the
00:09:56 --> 00:09:56 beginning,
00:09:56 --> 00:09:57 and through
00:09:57 --> 00:09:58 him all
00:09:58 --> 00:09:58 things were
00:09:58 --> 00:09:59 made.
00:09:59 --> 00:09:59 Without
00:09:59 --> 00:10:00 him nothing
00:10:00 --> 00:10:01 was made
00:10:01 --> 00:10:02 that has
00:10:02 --> 00:10:02 been made.
00:10:03 --> 00:10:03 The word
00:10:03 --> 00:10:04 became flesh,
00:10:05 --> 00:10:05 made his
00:10:05 --> 00:10:06 dwelling amongst
00:10:06 --> 00:10:06 us.
00:10:06 --> 00:10:07 We have
00:10:07 --> 00:10:07 seen his
00:10:07 --> 00:10:08 glory, the
00:10:08 --> 00:10:08 glory of
00:10:08 --> 00:10:09 the one and
00:10:09 --> 00:10:09 only Son,
00:10:09 --> 00:10:10 who came
00:10:10 --> 00:10:10 from the
00:10:10 --> 00:10:10 Father,
00:10:10 --> 00:10:10 full of
00:10:10 --> 00:10:11 grace and
00:10:11 --> 00:10:11 truth.
00:10:12 --> 00:10:13 Grace and
00:10:13 --> 00:10:14 truth came
00:10:14 --> 00:10:14 through
00:10:14 --> 00:10:15 Jesus
00:10:15 --> 00:10:16 Christ.
00:10:16 --> 00:10:17 No one
00:10:17 --> 00:10:17 has ever
00:10:17 --> 00:10:18 seen God,
00:10:19 --> 00:10:19 but the
00:10:19 --> 00:10:20 one and
00:10:20 --> 00:10:21 only Son,
00:10:21 --> 00:10:21 who is
00:10:21 --> 00:10:22 himself God,
00:10:22 --> 00:10:23 and is in
00:10:23 --> 00:10:24 closest relationship
00:10:24 --> 00:10:25 with the
00:10:25 --> 00:10:25 Father,
00:10:26 --> 00:10:26 has made
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 him known.
00:10:29 --> 00:10:30 So the
00:10:30 --> 00:10:31 picture of
00:10:31 --> 00:10:32 Proverbs
00:10:32 --> 00:10:33 8,
00:10:34 --> 00:10:35 and of
00:10:35 --> 00:10:35 John 1,
00:10:36 --> 00:10:36 and in
00:10:36 --> 00:10:36 fact we see
00:10:36 --> 00:10:37 it at the
00:10:37 --> 00:10:37 beginning in
00:10:37 --> 00:10:38 Genesis,
00:10:39 --> 00:10:40 is one of
00:10:40 --> 00:10:40 closeness,
00:10:41 --> 00:10:42 intimacy,
00:10:42 --> 00:10:43 delight,
00:10:43 --> 00:10:43 delight,
00:10:44 --> 00:10:45 love.
00:10:46 --> 00:10:47 In
00:10:47 --> 00:10:48 creation, the
00:10:48 --> 00:10:48 Father, the
00:10:48 --> 00:10:49 Son, and
00:10:49 --> 00:10:50 the Spirit
00:10:50 --> 00:10:51 were wrapped
00:10:51 --> 00:10:51 up in
00:10:51 --> 00:10:52 love and
00:10:52 --> 00:10:54 delight and
00:10:54 --> 00:10:55 enjoyment in
00:10:55 --> 00:10:56 each other
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 and in the
00:10:58 --> 00:10:59 creation, and
00:10:59 --> 00:11:00 particularly the
00:11:00 --> 00:11:00 creation of
00:11:00 --> 00:11:01 humanity in
00:11:01 --> 00:11:02 their image.
00:11:03 --> 00:11:03 In fact, the
00:11:03 --> 00:11:04 word delight,
00:11:05 --> 00:11:05 which is there
00:11:05 --> 00:11:06 in Proverbs
00:11:06 --> 00:11:07 8, means to
00:11:07 --> 00:11:08 dance, it
00:11:08 --> 00:11:09 means to
00:11:09 --> 00:11:10 frolic, it
00:11:10 --> 00:11:10 means to
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 play.
00:11:11 --> 00:11:12 The
00:11:12 --> 00:11:13 creation of
00:11:13 --> 00:11:14 humanity is
00:11:14 --> 00:11:15 a community
00:11:15 --> 00:11:17 event in
00:11:17 --> 00:11:18 Genesis 2.
00:11:20 --> 00:11:20 Creation
00:11:20 --> 00:11:22 flows out of
00:11:22 --> 00:11:22 delight and
00:11:22 --> 00:11:24 love, loving
00:11:24 --> 00:11:24 and being
00:11:24 --> 00:11:25 loved, knowing
00:11:25 --> 00:11:26 and being
00:11:26 --> 00:11:27 known, enjoying
00:11:27 --> 00:11:28 and being
00:11:28 --> 00:11:29 enjoyed.
00:11:30 --> 00:11:31 God says,
00:11:32 --> 00:11:33 let's make
00:11:33 --> 00:11:35 man in our
00:11:35 --> 00:11:36 image that
00:11:36 --> 00:11:36 they might
00:11:36 --> 00:11:38 give what
00:11:38 --> 00:11:39 we are able
00:11:39 --> 00:11:39 to give
00:11:39 --> 00:11:40 each other.
00:11:41 --> 00:11:42 Let's make
00:11:42 --> 00:11:43 them capable
00:11:43 --> 00:11:43 of entering
00:11:43 --> 00:11:45 into our
00:11:45 --> 00:11:48 play, into
00:11:48 --> 00:11:49 our delight
00:11:49 --> 00:11:49 and
00:11:49 --> 00:11:49 frolicking.
00:11:51 --> 00:11:52 This is
00:11:52 --> 00:11:53 what we
00:11:53 --> 00:11:53 were created
00:11:53 --> 00:11:54 for.
00:11:56 --> 00:11:57 And it is
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 frankly nothing
00:11:58 --> 00:11:59 what the
00:11:59 --> 00:12:00 average person
00:12:00 --> 00:12:01 thinks religion
00:12:01 --> 00:12:01 is or the
00:12:01 --> 00:12:02 Christian faith
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04 is, at
00:12:04 --> 00:12:04 all.
00:12:04 --> 00:12:06 it is
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 delight, not
00:12:08 --> 00:12:08 duty.
00:12:11 --> 00:12:11 Now the
00:12:11 --> 00:12:11 second
00:12:11 --> 00:12:12 relationship we
00:12:12 --> 00:12:13 need is
00:12:13 --> 00:12:14 deep unity
00:12:14 --> 00:12:14 with another
00:12:14 --> 00:12:15 human being.
00:12:15 --> 00:12:16 Back to
00:12:16 --> 00:12:17 chapter 2
00:12:17 --> 00:12:17 verse 18
00:12:17 --> 00:12:18 again, the
00:12:18 --> 00:12:18 Lord said,
00:12:19 --> 00:12:20 it is not
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 good for the
00:12:21 --> 00:12:22 man to be
00:12:22 --> 00:12:22 alone.
00:12:23 --> 00:12:24 God created
00:12:24 --> 00:12:25 us in such
00:12:25 --> 00:12:25 a deep
00:12:25 --> 00:12:26 need for
00:12:26 --> 00:12:27 human
00:12:27 --> 00:12:28 relationships,
00:12:28 --> 00:12:30 deep need
00:12:30 --> 00:12:30 for human
00:12:30 --> 00:12:30 relationships,
00:12:31 --> 00:12:31 that not
00:12:31 --> 00:12:33 even paradise
00:12:33 --> 00:12:35 itself will
00:12:35 --> 00:12:35 satisfy.
00:12:38 --> 00:12:39 God has
00:12:39 --> 00:12:40 ordained it
00:12:40 --> 00:12:42 that many
00:12:42 --> 00:12:42 of the
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 things that
00:12:43 --> 00:12:43 he wants
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 to give
00:12:44 --> 00:12:45 us now
00:12:45 --> 00:12:46 in life
00:12:46 --> 00:12:47 and show
00:12:47 --> 00:12:49 us now
00:12:49 --> 00:12:49 in life
00:12:49 --> 00:12:50 can only
00:12:50 --> 00:12:51 come through
00:12:51 --> 00:12:52 other people.
00:12:53 --> 00:12:53 And the
00:12:53 --> 00:12:54 implications for
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 this is
00:12:55 --> 00:12:56 massive.
00:12:57 --> 00:12:57 First of
00:12:57 --> 00:12:58 all,
00:12:59 --> 00:13:00 the implication
00:13:00 --> 00:13:01 is that what
00:13:01 --> 00:13:02 is being said
00:13:02 --> 00:13:03 here is the
00:13:03 --> 00:13:04 total opposite
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 of the
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 society of
00:13:06 --> 00:13:07 which we
00:13:07 --> 00:13:07 live in
00:13:07 --> 00:13:09 today and
00:13:09 --> 00:13:09 the way we
00:13:09 --> 00:13:10 operate day
00:13:10 --> 00:13:10 by day.
00:13:10 --> 00:13:11 The message
00:13:11 --> 00:13:12 of our
00:13:12 --> 00:13:13 culture,
00:13:13 --> 00:13:13 you'll see
00:13:13 --> 00:13:13 it everywhere
00:13:13 --> 00:13:14 on Facebook,
00:13:15 --> 00:13:16 every retirement
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 magazine,
00:13:17 --> 00:13:18 every travel
00:13:18 --> 00:13:19 magazine,
00:13:19 --> 00:13:21 is the
00:13:21 --> 00:13:22 great life,
00:13:23 --> 00:13:23 the garden
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 of Eden
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 life,
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 a life of
00:13:26 --> 00:13:27 pleasure and
00:13:27 --> 00:13:27 beauty and
00:13:27 --> 00:13:28 plenty,
00:13:28 --> 00:13:29 only will
00:13:29 --> 00:13:30 come to
00:13:30 --> 00:13:31 you if
00:13:31 --> 00:13:31 you put
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 relationships
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 on the
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 back burner
00:13:34 --> 00:13:34 for a
00:13:34 --> 00:13:34 whole heap
00:13:34 --> 00:13:35 of years.
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37 If you
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 want to be
00:13:38 --> 00:13:38 successful,
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 then you
00:13:40 --> 00:13:40 have to
00:13:40 --> 00:13:41 move around
00:13:41 --> 00:13:42 to take
00:13:42 --> 00:13:42 up every
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 opportunity
00:13:43 --> 00:13:45 that's there
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 to see
00:13:46 --> 00:13:46 that you
00:13:46 --> 00:13:47 rise and
00:13:47 --> 00:13:48 rise and
00:13:48 --> 00:13:49 rise.
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 And the
00:13:54 --> 00:13:55 cost of
00:13:55 --> 00:13:55 that is
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 no real
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 stable
00:13:57 --> 00:13:58 friendships.
00:13:58 --> 00:14:03 on top
00:14:03 --> 00:14:03 of that,
00:14:03 --> 00:14:04 you have
00:14:04 --> 00:14:04 to put
00:14:04 --> 00:14:04 so much
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 time in
00:14:05 --> 00:14:06 establishing
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 yourself
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 that you
00:14:09 --> 00:14:09 won't
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 actually see
00:14:10 --> 00:14:10 much of
00:14:10 --> 00:14:11 your family
00:14:11 --> 00:14:11 at all.
00:14:13 --> 00:14:14 I actually
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 heard those
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 lips come
00:14:16 --> 00:14:16 directly from
00:14:16 --> 00:14:17 someone who
00:14:17 --> 00:14:17 was doing a
00:14:17 --> 00:14:18 presentation
00:14:18 --> 00:14:20 on how to
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 build personal
00:14:21 --> 00:14:21 wealth.
00:14:21 --> 00:14:21 wealth.
00:14:23 --> 00:14:23 He said,
00:14:23 --> 00:14:24 what you
00:14:24 --> 00:14:24 need to
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 do is
00:14:25 --> 00:14:26 you need,
00:14:27 --> 00:14:27 and your
00:14:27 --> 00:14:28 family will
00:14:28 --> 00:14:28 understand
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 this,
00:14:30 --> 00:14:31 you need
00:14:31 --> 00:14:32 to put
00:14:32 --> 00:14:33 them on
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 hold in
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 order to
00:14:35 --> 00:14:36 build personal
00:14:36 --> 00:14:37 wealth and
00:14:37 --> 00:14:38 then enjoy it
00:14:38 --> 00:14:38 together.
00:14:39 --> 00:14:39 And it
00:14:39 --> 00:14:39 will take
00:14:39 --> 00:14:40 10 to 15
00:14:40 --> 00:14:41 years.
00:14:41 --> 00:14:44 I would
00:14:44 --> 00:14:44 have loved
00:14:44 --> 00:14:44 to have
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 an insight
00:14:45 --> 00:14:45 into the
00:14:45 --> 00:14:45 relationships
00:14:45 --> 00:14:46 of that
00:14:46 --> 00:14:46 individual.
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 Paradise
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 was only
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 paradise
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 because of
00:14:54 --> 00:14:55 who was
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 there,
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 not because
00:14:57 --> 00:14:57 of what
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 was there.
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 That's what
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 made paradise
00:15:01 --> 00:15:01 paradise.
00:15:02 --> 00:15:03 Satisfaction
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 in life
00:15:04 --> 00:15:05 will never
00:15:05 --> 00:15:06 come without
00:15:06 --> 00:15:07 putting personal
00:15:07 --> 00:15:08 relationship as
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 the highest
00:15:09 --> 00:15:09 priority in
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 your life.
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 The second
00:15:12 --> 00:15:12 huge
00:15:12 --> 00:15:13 implication is
00:15:13 --> 00:15:13 that we
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 cannot know
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 God or
00:15:15 --> 00:15:16 grow to be
00:15:16 --> 00:15:16 like him in
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 any way
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 without
00:15:18 --> 00:15:19 community.
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 You cannot
00:15:22 --> 00:15:24 grow in
00:15:24 --> 00:15:24 wisdom,
00:15:25 --> 00:15:25 you cannot
00:15:25 --> 00:15:26 become more
00:15:26 --> 00:15:26 loving,
00:15:27 --> 00:15:27 courageous,
00:15:28 --> 00:15:28 joyful,
00:15:29 --> 00:15:29 or stable
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 in life
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 without the
00:15:31 --> 00:15:31 community of
00:15:31 --> 00:15:32 God and
00:15:32 --> 00:15:33 his people.
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 It is an
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 impossibility.
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 It is against
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 your divine
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 nature.
00:15:39 --> 00:15:40 We cannot
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 know who
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 we are
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 supposed to
00:15:43 --> 00:15:46 be or
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 grow into
00:15:47 --> 00:15:49 it without
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 a community.
00:15:52 --> 00:15:52 In our
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 modern
00:15:53 --> 00:15:54 individualistic
00:15:54 --> 00:15:56 society, we
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 don't like
00:15:57 --> 00:15:57 accountability.
00:15:58 --> 00:16:00 We love to
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 guard our
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 privacy.
00:16:03 --> 00:16:05 We love to
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 hold commitment
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 to groups
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 at an
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 arm's
00:16:09 --> 00:16:09 length.
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 And we
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 have bought
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 into an
00:16:13 --> 00:16:16 American
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 theology that's
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 dominated the
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 Western world
00:16:19 --> 00:16:20 of having a
00:16:20 --> 00:16:21 personal
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 relationship with
00:16:22 --> 00:16:22 Jesus.
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 That's true.
00:16:26 --> 00:16:26 It is a
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 personal
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 relationship with
00:16:28 --> 00:16:28 Jesus.
00:16:29 --> 00:16:29 What comes
00:16:29 --> 00:16:31 with him is
00:16:31 --> 00:16:31 the thing
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 called the
00:16:32 --> 00:16:32 church.
00:16:32 --> 00:16:32 church.
00:16:35 --> 00:16:35 And you
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 can't have
00:16:36 --> 00:16:36 one without
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 the other.
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 We always
00:16:40 --> 00:16:40 want to
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 control our
00:16:41 --> 00:16:41 journey.
00:16:42 --> 00:16:43 We prefer
00:16:43 --> 00:16:43 friends that
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 don't challenge
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 us, who
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 don't stretch
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 us, or
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 cost too
00:16:48 --> 00:16:48 much.
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 What we
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 all need is
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 a community
00:16:52 --> 00:16:52 in our
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 lives who
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 have the
00:16:54 --> 00:16:54 freedom to
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 tell us
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 exactly who
00:16:56 --> 00:16:56 we are.
00:16:58 --> 00:17:00 Hebrews 3.13,
00:17:00 --> 00:17:01 encourage one
00:17:01 --> 00:17:02 other daily as
00:17:02 --> 00:17:02 long as it's
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 called today,
00:17:03 --> 00:17:04 so that none
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 of you may be
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 hardened by
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 sin's deceitfulness.
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 The first
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 premise in that
00:17:10 --> 00:17:12 verse is we
00:17:12 --> 00:17:12 need to have
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 people who
00:17:13 --> 00:17:14 see us
00:17:14 --> 00:17:15 often enough
00:17:15 --> 00:17:16 and in
00:17:16 --> 00:17:16 different
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 contexts enough
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 to see who
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 we really
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 are.
00:17:21 --> 00:17:21 Who we
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 really are.
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 Not just
00:17:23 --> 00:17:25 people in
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 our lives who
00:17:26 --> 00:17:26 check in
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 occasionally,
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 or someone
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 that we're
00:17:29 --> 00:17:29 communicating
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 with over
00:17:30 --> 00:17:30 the internet.
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 The second
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 premise is
00:17:34 --> 00:17:34 that we
00:17:34 --> 00:17:34 must be
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 sharing who
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 we really
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 are and
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 that they
00:17:38 --> 00:17:38 have permission
00:17:38 --> 00:17:40 to speak
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 into our
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 lives about
00:17:42 --> 00:17:42 the stuff
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 that they
00:17:43 --> 00:17:43 see.
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 Without
00:17:47 --> 00:17:47 that kind
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 of community,
00:17:48 --> 00:17:50 we don't
00:17:50 --> 00:17:51 actually know
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 who we
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 really are.
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 We cannot
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 truly see
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 ourselves.
00:17:57 --> 00:17:59 ever
00:17:59 --> 00:17:59 had the
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 experience,
00:18:00 --> 00:18:01 I had
00:18:01 --> 00:18:01 this
00:18:01 --> 00:18:01 experience
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02 because I'm
00:18:02 --> 00:18:02 recorded
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 often,
00:18:03 --> 00:18:04 but ever
00:18:04 --> 00:18:04 had the
00:18:04 --> 00:18:04 experience
00:18:04 --> 00:18:06 where you're
00:18:06 --> 00:18:06 listening to
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 a recording
00:18:07 --> 00:18:07 of yourself
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 and you
00:18:08 --> 00:18:08 think,
00:18:08 --> 00:18:08 that doesn't
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 sound like
00:18:09 --> 00:18:09 me at
00:18:09 --> 00:18:09 all.
00:18:12 --> 00:18:12 And
00:18:12 --> 00:18:16 someone
00:18:16 --> 00:18:16 says,
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 of course
00:18:17 --> 00:18:17 it's you.
00:18:18 --> 00:18:19 You know,
00:18:19 --> 00:18:19 I mean,
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 it's hard to
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 ignore the
00:18:21 --> 00:18:21 fact when
00:18:21 --> 00:18:21 it's got my
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 name attached
00:18:22 --> 00:18:22 to it,
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 my recording,
00:18:23 --> 00:18:23 and I know
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 I said those
00:18:24 --> 00:18:24 words,
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 it doesn't
00:18:25 --> 00:18:25 sound like
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 me.
00:18:27 --> 00:18:27 Or you
00:18:27 --> 00:18:28 see a
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 photo of
00:18:29 --> 00:18:29 yourself and
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 you go,
00:18:30 --> 00:18:31 oh my
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 goodness,
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 that's a
00:18:33 --> 00:18:33 terrible photo
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 of me,
00:18:34 --> 00:18:34 I look
00:18:34 --> 00:18:34 terrible,
00:18:35 --> 00:18:35 and your
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 friends go
00:18:36 --> 00:18:36 quiet.
00:18:40 --> 00:18:40 That's because
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 that's exactly
00:18:41 --> 00:18:41 how you
00:18:41 --> 00:18:41 look.
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 That's exactly
00:18:44 --> 00:18:44 how you
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 look.
00:18:49 --> 00:18:49 It's
00:18:49 --> 00:18:49 interesting
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 that I
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 find for
00:18:51 --> 00:18:51 myself in
00:18:51 --> 00:18:51 that,
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 I always
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 find myself
00:18:53 --> 00:18:53 look better
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 in the
00:18:54 --> 00:18:54 mirror than
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 I do
00:18:55 --> 00:18:55 in a
00:18:55 --> 00:18:55 photo.
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 I can't
00:18:58 --> 00:18:58 work it
00:18:58 --> 00:18:58 out.
00:18:58 --> 00:18:58 It's the
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 same eyes
00:18:59 --> 00:18:59 looking at
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 both things.
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 I can't
00:19:01 --> 00:19:01 work it
00:19:01 --> 00:19:01 out.
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 Anyway,
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 it's because
00:19:03 --> 00:19:03 I cannot
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 truly know
00:19:04 --> 00:19:04 myself.
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 We need
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 a community
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 who know
00:19:08 --> 00:19:09 us.
00:19:10 --> 00:19:10 If we're
00:19:10 --> 00:19:10 trying to
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 find God
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 and grow
00:19:12 --> 00:19:12 in him
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 as an
00:19:13 --> 00:19:13 individual,
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 if that
00:19:15 --> 00:19:15 is your
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 goal,
00:19:16 --> 00:19:16 to truly
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 know who
00:19:17 --> 00:19:17 you are
00:19:17 --> 00:19:18 and your
00:19:18 --> 00:19:18 God,
00:19:20 --> 00:19:20 then you
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 can't just
00:19:21 --> 00:19:21 simply attend
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 church and
00:19:22 --> 00:19:22 attend
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 classes.
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 You need
00:19:24 --> 00:19:24 to be
00:19:24 --> 00:19:24 known.
00:19:25 --> 00:19:25 We need
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 to be
00:19:26 --> 00:19:26 known by
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 people who
00:19:27 --> 00:19:27 love us,
00:19:27 --> 00:19:27 who affirm
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 us,
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 who confront
00:19:29 --> 00:19:29 us,
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 who challenge
00:19:30 --> 00:19:30 us,
00:19:31 --> 00:19:31 who care
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 for us.
00:19:34 --> 00:19:34 And if
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 you do
00:19:35 --> 00:19:35 not have
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 those people,
00:19:36 --> 00:19:36 don't sit
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 back waiting
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 for it,
00:19:38 --> 00:19:38 create them.
00:19:40 --> 00:19:40 Create
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 those people
00:19:41 --> 00:19:41 for yourself.
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 If you're
00:19:44 --> 00:19:44 not in a
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 group,
00:19:47 --> 00:19:47 let me just
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 say this,
00:19:48 --> 00:19:49 if you're
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 not in a
00:19:50 --> 00:19:50 group and
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 you are
00:19:51 --> 00:19:53 not pursuing
00:19:53 --> 00:19:53 those kinds
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 of relationships
00:19:54 --> 00:19:55 in your
00:19:55 --> 00:19:55 life,
00:19:56 --> 00:19:56 you are
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 in a
00:19:57 --> 00:19:57 church.
00:20:00 --> 00:20:01 You cannot
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 know God
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 individualistically.
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 In his
00:20:06 --> 00:20:06 book,
00:20:06 --> 00:20:06 The Four
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 Loves,
00:20:07 --> 00:20:07 C.S.
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 Lewis has
00:20:08 --> 00:20:08 this great
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 chapter.
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 You should
00:20:11 --> 00:20:11 get the
00:20:11 --> 00:20:11 book,
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 The Four
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 Loves by
00:20:13 --> 00:20:13 C.S.
00:20:13 --> 00:20:13 Lewis,
00:20:14 --> 00:20:14 has this
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 great chapter
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 on friendship.
00:20:16 --> 00:20:18 and Lewis
00:20:18 --> 00:20:21 himself was
00:20:21 --> 00:20:23 one of
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 three friends
00:20:24 --> 00:20:24 who was,
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 the three
00:20:26 --> 00:20:26 of them
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 were BFFs.
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 There was
00:20:29 --> 00:20:29 Lewis,
00:20:29 --> 00:20:30 a guy named
00:20:30 --> 00:20:30 Ronald,
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 and a guy
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 named Charles.
00:20:33 --> 00:20:33 Tragically,
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 Charles died.
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 As Lewis
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 was grieving,
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 he sort of
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 consoled himself
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 with the
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 thought that
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 at least I've
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 got Ronald
00:20:45 --> 00:20:47 still.
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 And he
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 assumed that
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 now that
00:20:50 --> 00:20:50 Charles is
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 not there,
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 somehow that
00:20:52 --> 00:20:52 he would be
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 able to lean
00:20:53 --> 00:20:54 into Ronald
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 and that he
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 would get
00:20:56 --> 00:20:56 more of
00:20:56 --> 00:20:58 Ronald now.
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 But as the
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 weeks and
00:21:01 --> 00:21:01 the months
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 passed,
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 Lewis came
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 to understand
00:21:04 --> 00:21:06 that in
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 actual fact,
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 he got less
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 of Ronald
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 than more
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 of Ronald.
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 He discovered
00:21:13 --> 00:21:13 there was
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 something
00:21:14 --> 00:21:15 about Charles
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 that drew
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 more of
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 Ronald out
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 that he
00:21:19 --> 00:21:19 was able
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 to discover
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 that he
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 himself could
00:21:22 --> 00:21:22 not draw
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 out of
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 Ronald.
00:21:25 --> 00:21:25 And his
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 point is,
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 it takes a
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 community to
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 really know
00:21:29 --> 00:21:29 an individual.
00:21:31 --> 00:21:31 It takes a
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 community.
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 No individual
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 is enough
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 to draw the
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 whole person
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 out because
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 people made
00:21:40 --> 00:21:40 in the image
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 of God
00:21:41 --> 00:21:41 are way too
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 complex,
00:21:43 --> 00:21:43 way too
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 deep.
00:21:47 --> 00:21:48 It's the
00:21:48 --> 00:21:48 same with
00:21:48 --> 00:21:48 Jesus.
00:21:49 --> 00:21:49 You want
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 to know
00:21:50 --> 00:21:50 Jesus better?
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 Then we've
00:21:52 --> 00:21:52 got to do
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 it together.
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 The deeper
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 we get
00:21:56 --> 00:21:56 into the
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 spiritual
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 life of
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 friends,
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00 the deeper
00:22:00 --> 00:22:01 we get
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 into Jesus
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 together,
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 and the
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 deeper of
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 unity and
00:22:06 --> 00:22:06 our love
00:22:06 --> 00:22:06 as a
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 church
00:22:07 --> 00:22:07 family will
00:22:07 --> 00:22:07 grow.
00:22:07 --> 00:22:07 together.
00:22:09 --> 00:22:11 The third
00:22:11 --> 00:22:11 relationship
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 we need
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 is with
00:22:13 --> 00:22:13 people who
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 are different
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 to us.
00:22:16 --> 00:22:16 Now, when
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 we read
00:22:17 --> 00:22:17 Genesis
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 chapter 2,
00:22:19 --> 00:22:19 and particularly
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 the bits that
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 Aidan read out
00:22:21 --> 00:22:21 for us this
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 morning, we
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 automatically
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 think this is
00:22:24 --> 00:22:24 going to be a
00:22:24 --> 00:22:24 sermon about
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 marriage and
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 sex, and
00:22:26 --> 00:22:26 it's not.
00:22:28 --> 00:22:29 Now, it
00:22:29 --> 00:22:29 does say a
00:22:29 --> 00:22:29 lot.
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 This passage
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 does say a
00:22:31 --> 00:22:31 lot about
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 marriage and
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 sex and
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 gender,
00:22:34 --> 00:22:36 but let's
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 just step
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 back for a
00:22:38 --> 00:22:38 minute and
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 let's not
00:22:39 --> 00:22:39 miss the
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 forest for
00:22:40 --> 00:22:40 the trees.
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 When Adam
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 had a deep
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 relational
00:22:45 --> 00:22:47 need, all
00:22:47 --> 00:22:47 the animals
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 came past
00:22:48 --> 00:22:48 and he's
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 like looking
00:22:49 --> 00:22:49 at them and
00:22:49 --> 00:22:51 going, I
00:22:51 --> 00:22:51 like you,
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 but, you
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 know, and
00:22:53 --> 00:22:53 they kept
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 going.
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 And then
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 God brings
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 him Eve.
00:23:00 --> 00:23:00 Now, does
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 that mean,
00:23:01 --> 00:23:01 therefore,
00:23:01 --> 00:23:03 application that
00:23:03 --> 00:23:03 we must be
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 married to
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 have all of
00:23:05 --> 00:23:05 our deep
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 relational
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 needs met?
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 Well, of
00:23:08 --> 00:23:08 course not.
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 1 Corinthians
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 7 and
00:23:10 --> 00:23:12 Ephesians 5
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 are very
00:23:13 --> 00:23:13 clear in
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 their
00:23:14 --> 00:23:14 affirmation
00:23:14 --> 00:23:16 of singleness
00:23:16 --> 00:23:16 as a
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 viable
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 lifestyle.
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 Absolutely
00:23:19 --> 00:23:19 viable.
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 You are
00:23:21 --> 00:23:21 not less
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 a person
00:23:22 --> 00:23:23 if you
00:23:23 --> 00:23:23 are single
00:23:23 --> 00:23:23 in any
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 way
00:23:24 --> 00:23:24 whatsoever.
00:23:26 --> 00:23:26 And in
00:23:26 --> 00:23:26 fact, I
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 would declare
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 that the
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 Christian faith
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 is unique
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 in its
00:23:31 --> 00:23:31 affirmation
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 of the
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 single
00:23:33 --> 00:23:33 lifestyle.
00:23:33 --> 00:23:36 according to
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 Ephesians
00:23:37 --> 00:23:40 5, the
00:23:40 --> 00:23:40 ultimate
00:23:40 --> 00:23:42 brother you
00:23:42 --> 00:23:43 need is
00:23:43 --> 00:23:43 Jesus.
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 The Bible
00:23:46 --> 00:23:46 does not
00:23:46 --> 00:23:47 say that
00:23:47 --> 00:23:47 unless you
00:23:47 --> 00:23:48 are married,
00:23:49 --> 00:23:49 you cannot
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 have your
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 deepest
00:23:51 --> 00:23:51 relational
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 needs met.
00:23:53 --> 00:23:53 God
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 brings Adam,
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 the animals,
00:23:56 --> 00:23:56 they weren't
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 enough.
00:23:58 --> 00:23:58 But notice
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 God does
00:23:59 --> 00:23:59 not bring
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 Adam another
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 bloke
00:24:01 --> 00:24:01 either.
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 So,
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 therefore,
00:24:05 --> 00:24:05 is the
00:24:05 --> 00:24:05 Bible
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 against
00:24:06 --> 00:24:06 pets
00:24:06 --> 00:24:08 and
00:24:08 --> 00:24:08 against
00:24:08 --> 00:24:10 blokes
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 having
00:24:11 --> 00:24:11 friends?
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 Well, no,
00:24:14 --> 00:24:14 not at all.
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 What does
00:24:16 --> 00:24:16 God
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 does here
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18 is he
00:24:18 --> 00:24:18 brings
00:24:18 --> 00:24:18 someone
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 to him
00:24:19 --> 00:24:20 who is
00:24:20 --> 00:24:22 mysterious
00:24:22 --> 00:24:22 to him.
00:24:22 --> 00:24:25 he
00:24:25 --> 00:24:25 doesn't
00:24:25 --> 00:24:26 bring to
00:24:26 --> 00:24:26 Adam
00:24:26 --> 00:24:26 someone
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 just
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 like
00:24:28 --> 00:24:28 him.
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 Step
00:24:31 --> 00:24:31 back and
00:24:31 --> 00:24:31 look at
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 the general
00:24:32 --> 00:24:32 issue here
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 that's
00:24:33 --> 00:24:33 going on.
00:24:35 --> 00:24:35 We all
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 need people
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 on the
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 other side
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 of the
00:24:39 --> 00:24:39 wall
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 to us.
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 We all
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 need people
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 on the
00:24:43 --> 00:24:43 other side
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 of the
00:24:44 --> 00:24:44 racial,
00:24:45 --> 00:24:45 the
00:24:45 --> 00:24:47 gender,
00:24:48 --> 00:24:48 the
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 temperament,
00:24:49 --> 00:24:50 the class
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 barriers in
00:24:51 --> 00:24:52 our life.
00:24:53 --> 00:24:53 Adam
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 gets a
00:24:54 --> 00:24:54 woman.
00:24:57 --> 00:24:57 God
00:24:57 --> 00:24:58 brings him
00:24:58 --> 00:24:58 someone
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 who we
00:24:59 --> 00:25:01 read there
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 very clearly,
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 God brings
00:25:03 --> 00:25:03 someone who
00:25:03 --> 00:25:05 is equal
00:25:05 --> 00:25:05 to him.
00:25:07 --> 00:25:07 Equal,
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 not lesser,
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 equal to
00:25:09 --> 00:25:09 him.
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 But
00:25:12 --> 00:25:12 different to
00:25:12 --> 00:25:13 him.
00:25:14 --> 00:25:15 Someone
00:25:15 --> 00:25:15 mysterious.
00:25:17 --> 00:25:17 Someone
00:25:17 --> 00:25:18 who's
00:25:18 --> 00:25:19 hard to
00:25:19 --> 00:25:19 get to
00:25:19 --> 00:25:20 know.
00:25:21 --> 00:25:21 Someone
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 who's
00:25:22 --> 00:25:22 going to
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 stretch
00:25:23 --> 00:25:23 him like
00:25:23 --> 00:25:23 he's
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 never been
00:25:24 --> 00:25:24 stretched
00:25:24 --> 00:25:27 before and
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 get him to
00:25:28 --> 00:25:28 see things
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 differently.
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 The key
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 word here
00:25:32 --> 00:25:33 is the
00:25:33 --> 00:25:33 word
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 helper.
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37 The word
00:25:37 --> 00:25:37 helper in
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 this verse
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 does not
00:25:39 --> 00:25:40 mean someone
00:25:40 --> 00:25:40 to take
00:25:40 --> 00:25:40 care of
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 the washing,
00:25:42 --> 00:25:42 the cooking,
00:25:43 --> 00:25:44 the cleaning,
00:25:45 --> 00:25:45 the shopping,
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 the child
00:25:47 --> 00:25:47 raising.
00:25:47 --> 00:25:50 that is
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 not what
00:25:51 --> 00:25:52 the word
00:25:52 --> 00:25:52 helper
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 means.
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 The word
00:25:55 --> 00:25:55 help,
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 and blokes,
00:25:57 --> 00:25:57 this is a
00:25:57 --> 00:25:57 humbling
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 moment for
00:25:58 --> 00:25:58 you,
00:25:59 --> 00:25:59 the word
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 help in
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 the Bible
00:26:01 --> 00:26:03 is nearly
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 in every
00:26:04 --> 00:26:05 instance is
00:26:05 --> 00:26:05 used of
00:26:05 --> 00:26:06 God.
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 And it's
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 used where
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 God helps
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 those who
00:26:12 --> 00:26:12 are different
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 to him
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 and are
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 in need
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 because they
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 are powerless.
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 It's the
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20 exact same
00:26:20 --> 00:26:20 Hebrew word.
00:26:22 --> 00:26:22 Helper
00:26:22 --> 00:26:23 here means
00:26:23 --> 00:26:24 Eve has
00:26:24 --> 00:26:25 stuff that
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 Adam does
00:26:26 --> 00:26:27 not have
00:26:27 --> 00:26:29 and he
00:26:29 --> 00:26:29 needs help.
00:26:31 --> 00:26:32 Not an
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 assistant,
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 not a
00:26:34 --> 00:26:35 support,
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 an addition
00:26:36 --> 00:26:37 to.
00:26:37 --> 00:26:37 Adam and
00:26:37 --> 00:26:38 Eve are
00:26:38 --> 00:26:38 complementary
00:26:38 --> 00:26:40 to each
00:26:40 --> 00:26:40 other.
00:26:41 --> 00:26:41 That's what
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 the word
00:26:42 --> 00:26:42 helper
00:26:42 --> 00:26:42 means.
00:26:43 --> 00:26:46 The
00:26:46 --> 00:26:46 implication
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 here is
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 we all
00:26:48 --> 00:26:48 need to
00:26:48 --> 00:26:49 have a
00:26:49 --> 00:26:49 deep
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 community
00:26:50 --> 00:26:51 with
00:26:51 --> 00:26:51 people
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 on the
00:26:52 --> 00:26:52 other
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 side
00:26:53 --> 00:26:53 of
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 the
00:26:54 --> 00:26:54 barrier.
00:26:55 --> 00:26:55 Now,
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 I'm not
00:26:56 --> 00:26:56 going to
00:26:56 --> 00:26:56 go into
00:26:56 --> 00:26:56 the whole
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 gender
00:26:57 --> 00:26:57 thing
00:26:57 --> 00:26:59 with
00:26:59 --> 00:26:59 this
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 passage,
00:27:00 --> 00:27:00 but it's
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 very helpful
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 in that
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 sense of
00:27:03 --> 00:27:03 understanding
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 what the
00:27:04 --> 00:27:04 word
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 helper
00:27:05 --> 00:27:05 actually
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 means.
00:27:06 --> 00:27:06 Just as
00:27:06 --> 00:27:06 a side
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 point,
00:27:07 --> 00:27:07 which is
00:27:07 --> 00:27:07 not in
00:27:07 --> 00:27:07 your
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 notes,
00:27:08 --> 00:27:08 I'm
00:27:08 --> 00:27:08 looking
00:27:08 --> 00:27:09 forward
00:27:09 --> 00:27:09 to
00:27:09 --> 00:27:09 kicking
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 off
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 2025
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 looking
00:27:12 --> 00:27:12 at
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 five
00:27:13 --> 00:27:15 steadfast
00:27:15 --> 00:27:15 women
00:27:15 --> 00:27:15 of
00:27:15 --> 00:27:16 faith,
00:27:17 --> 00:27:17 historical
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 women
00:27:18 --> 00:27:18 of
00:27:18 --> 00:27:18 faith,
00:27:19 --> 00:27:19 preached
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 by five
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 steadfast
00:27:21 --> 00:27:21 women
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 of
00:27:22 --> 00:27:22 faith.
00:27:23 --> 00:27:23 I'm
00:27:23 --> 00:27:23 looking
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 forward
00:27:24 --> 00:27:24 to
00:27:24 --> 00:27:24 kicking
00:27:24 --> 00:27:24 off
00:27:24 --> 00:27:25 2025
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 with
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 that.
00:27:26 --> 00:27:30 last
00:27:30 --> 00:27:31 point.
00:27:31 --> 00:27:31 What is
00:27:31 --> 00:27:31 the key
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 to
00:27:32 --> 00:27:32 relationships?
00:27:34 --> 00:27:34 Because
00:27:34 --> 00:27:34 there is
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 a key
00:27:35 --> 00:27:35 here.
00:27:36 --> 00:27:36 There is
00:27:36 --> 00:27:36 a key
00:27:36 --> 00:27:37 to these
00:27:37 --> 00:27:37 relationships
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 flourishing
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 that Adam
00:27:39 --> 00:27:39 and Eve
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 had here
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 in the
00:27:41 --> 00:27:41 garden
00:27:41 --> 00:27:42 that we
00:27:42 --> 00:27:42 do not
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 currently
00:27:43 --> 00:27:43 have,
00:27:44 --> 00:27:44 which is
00:27:44 --> 00:27:45 why our
00:27:45 --> 00:27:45 relationships
00:27:45 --> 00:27:46 today are
00:27:46 --> 00:27:47 far from
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 ideal.
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 So the
00:27:49 --> 00:27:49 key to
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 relationships
00:27:50 --> 00:27:50 flourishing,
00:27:51 --> 00:27:51 and if you
00:27:51 --> 00:27:52 want to
00:27:52 --> 00:27:52 take notes,
00:27:52 --> 00:27:53 get your
00:27:53 --> 00:27:54 pens out,
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 here it is.
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 we need
00:27:56 --> 00:27:56 to get
00:27:56 --> 00:27:56 naked.
00:27:58 --> 00:27:58 Let's
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 close in
00:27:59 --> 00:27:59 prayer.
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 Sorry,
00:28:01 --> 00:28:01 hang on a
00:28:01 --> 00:28:01 bit.
00:28:02 --> 00:28:04 Let me
00:28:04 --> 00:28:04 just unpack
00:28:04 --> 00:28:04 that a
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 little bit
00:28:05 --> 00:28:05 for us
00:28:05 --> 00:28:05 before we
00:28:05 --> 00:28:05 start
00:28:05 --> 00:28:06 applying
00:28:06 --> 00:28:06 that.
00:28:07 --> 00:28:07 Hold
00:28:07 --> 00:28:07 the
00:28:07 --> 00:28:07 horses,
00:28:08 --> 00:28:08 people.
00:28:08 --> 00:28:08 Hold
00:28:08 --> 00:28:08 your
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 horses.
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 Adam
00:28:10 --> 00:28:10 and
00:28:10 --> 00:28:10 Eve,
00:28:11 --> 00:28:12 Adam
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 sees
00:28:13 --> 00:28:13 Eve,
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 and he
00:28:15 --> 00:28:16 says,
00:28:16 --> 00:28:16 some
00:28:16 --> 00:28:17 people look
00:28:17 --> 00:28:17 at this
00:28:17 --> 00:28:17 because they
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 just think
00:28:18 --> 00:28:18 it's about
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 sex and
00:28:19 --> 00:28:20 relationships
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 and marriage
00:28:21 --> 00:28:21 and stuff.
00:28:22 --> 00:28:22 So some
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 people,
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 translation
00:28:24 --> 00:28:25 is that
00:28:25 --> 00:28:25 Adam
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 sees Eve
00:28:26 --> 00:28:26 and goes,
00:28:26 --> 00:28:26 whoa,
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28 fantastic.
00:28:29 --> 00:28:30 But that's
00:28:30 --> 00:28:30 not quite
00:28:30 --> 00:28:30 what's
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 happening
00:28:31 --> 00:28:31 here.
00:28:31 --> 00:28:32 Verse 23,
00:28:32 --> 00:28:32 this is
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 now bone
00:28:33 --> 00:28:33 of my
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 bones and
00:28:34 --> 00:28:34 flesh of
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 my
00:28:35 --> 00:28:35 flesh.
00:28:36 --> 00:28:36 She
00:28:36 --> 00:28:36 shall be
00:28:36 --> 00:28:36 called
00:28:36 --> 00:28:37 woman for
00:28:37 --> 00:28:38 she was
00:28:38 --> 00:28:39 taken out
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 of man.
00:28:40 --> 00:28:40 The word
00:28:40 --> 00:28:42 now there
00:28:42 --> 00:28:44 is the
00:28:44 --> 00:28:44 Hebrew word
00:28:44 --> 00:28:45 for
00:28:45 --> 00:28:46 finally.
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 It's the
00:28:50 --> 00:28:50 word,
00:28:51 --> 00:28:51 Adam is
00:28:51 --> 00:28:51 effectively
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 saying here,
00:28:52 --> 00:28:54 all the
00:28:54 --> 00:28:54 animals have
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 gone by
00:28:55 --> 00:28:56 at last.
00:28:58 --> 00:28:59 At last.
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 It's a
00:29:00 --> 00:29:01 word for
00:29:01 --> 00:29:02 finality
00:29:02 --> 00:29:02 and
00:29:02 --> 00:29:04 contentment.
00:29:07 --> 00:29:07 Is that
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08 how you
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 would describe
00:29:09 --> 00:29:10 your
00:29:10 --> 00:29:10 relationships?
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 Finality
00:29:12 --> 00:29:13 and contentment?
00:29:16 --> 00:29:16 Because
00:29:16 --> 00:29:17 often in
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 our world,
00:29:18 --> 00:29:18 our
00:29:18 --> 00:29:19 relationships
00:29:19 --> 00:29:19 are
00:29:19 --> 00:29:20 superficial.
00:29:20 --> 00:29:22 Unfortunately,
00:29:23 --> 00:29:23 often in
00:29:23 --> 00:29:24 our world,
00:29:24 --> 00:29:24 our
00:29:24 --> 00:29:24 relationships
00:29:24 --> 00:29:25 are
00:29:25 --> 00:29:25 manipulative
00:29:25 --> 00:29:26 and abusive.
00:29:28 --> 00:29:28 And
00:29:28 --> 00:29:29 even the
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 best
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 relationships
00:29:31 --> 00:29:32 in our
00:29:32 --> 00:29:33 world
00:29:33 --> 00:29:33 will break
00:29:33 --> 00:29:34 down.
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 The
00:29:36 --> 00:29:37 reality
00:29:37 --> 00:29:38 is
00:29:38 --> 00:29:39 every
00:29:39 --> 00:29:40 single
00:29:40 --> 00:29:41 one of
00:29:41 --> 00:29:41 the best
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 relationships
00:29:42 --> 00:29:43 in the
00:29:43 --> 00:29:43 world,
00:29:43 --> 00:29:43 every single
00:29:43 --> 00:29:44 one,
00:29:44 --> 00:29:44 I mean the
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 greatest
00:29:45 --> 00:29:45 relationships
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 in the
00:29:46 --> 00:29:46 world,
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47 I mean
00:29:47 --> 00:29:47 the very
00:29:47 --> 00:29:48 best
00:29:48 --> 00:29:48 marriages
00:29:48 --> 00:29:49 in the
00:29:49 --> 00:29:49 world,
00:29:50 --> 00:29:51 they
00:29:51 --> 00:29:51 will
00:29:51 --> 00:29:51 all
00:29:51 --> 00:29:52 end
00:29:52 --> 00:29:52 with
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 tragedy
00:29:53 --> 00:29:55 and
00:29:55 --> 00:29:55 with
00:29:55 --> 00:29:55 deep,
00:29:55 --> 00:29:55 deep
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 pain
00:29:56 --> 00:29:58 when
00:29:58 --> 00:29:58 someone
00:29:58 --> 00:29:58 is
00:29:58 --> 00:29:58 lost.
00:29:59 --> 00:30:00 That's
00:30:00 --> 00:30:00 the
00:30:00 --> 00:30:00 reality.
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 So can
00:30:02 --> 00:30:02 we ever
00:30:02 --> 00:30:02 say
00:30:02 --> 00:30:03 finality
00:30:03 --> 00:30:03 and
00:30:03 --> 00:30:04 contentment?
00:30:07 --> 00:30:07 Adam
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08 and Eve
00:30:08 --> 00:30:08 had something
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 in the
00:30:09 --> 00:30:09 Garden of
00:30:09 --> 00:30:09 Eden
00:30:09 --> 00:30:10 that we
00:30:10 --> 00:30:10 have
00:30:10 --> 00:30:10 lost.
00:30:12 --> 00:30:12 But it
00:30:12 --> 00:30:13 is something
00:30:13 --> 00:30:13 that we
00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 can get
00:30:14 --> 00:30:14 back
00:30:14 --> 00:30:14 through
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15 Jesus
00:30:15 --> 00:30:15 Christ.
00:30:16 --> 00:30:16 The
00:30:16 --> 00:30:16 key to
00:30:16 --> 00:30:17 all
00:30:17 --> 00:30:17 great
00:30:17 --> 00:30:18 relationships
00:30:18 --> 00:30:18 in
00:30:18 --> 00:30:19 verse 25,
00:30:19 --> 00:30:19 Adam
00:30:19 --> 00:30:20 and his
00:30:20 --> 00:30:20 wife
00:30:20 --> 00:30:21 were
00:30:21 --> 00:30:21 both
00:30:21 --> 00:30:22 naked
00:30:22 --> 00:30:23 and
00:30:23 --> 00:30:23 they
00:30:23 --> 00:30:23 felt
00:30:23 --> 00:30:23 no
00:30:23 --> 00:30:24 shame.
00:30:25 --> 00:30:25 The
00:30:25 --> 00:30:26 issue
00:30:26 --> 00:30:26 here
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27 is one
00:30:27 --> 00:30:27 of
00:30:27 --> 00:30:28 transparency.
00:30:29 --> 00:30:30 They are
00:30:30 --> 00:30:31 able to be
00:30:31 --> 00:30:31 in the
00:30:31 --> 00:30:31 presence of
00:30:31 --> 00:30:32 each other
00:30:32 --> 00:30:33 completely
00:30:33 --> 00:30:34 exposed
00:30:34 --> 00:30:35 and there
00:30:35 --> 00:30:35 is no
00:30:35 --> 00:30:36 shame.
00:30:36 --> 00:30:36 There is
00:30:36 --> 00:30:38 nothing that
00:30:38 --> 00:30:38 they need
00:30:38 --> 00:30:39 to hide.
00:30:40 --> 00:30:40 There is
00:30:40 --> 00:30:41 no
00:30:41 --> 00:30:42 personal
00:30:42 --> 00:30:42 spin
00:30:42 --> 00:30:43 needed
00:30:43 --> 00:30:43 here.
00:30:44 --> 00:30:44 There is
00:30:44 --> 00:30:44 no
00:30:44 --> 00:30:46 control
00:30:46 --> 00:30:46 of an
00:30:46 --> 00:30:46 image
00:30:46 --> 00:30:47 that
00:30:47 --> 00:30:47 needs
00:30:47 --> 00:30:47 to be
00:30:47 --> 00:30:48 projected
00:30:48 --> 00:30:48 in order
00:30:48 --> 00:30:49 for me
00:30:49 --> 00:30:49 to be
00:30:49 --> 00:30:49 loved.
00:30:51 --> 00:30:51 They
00:30:51 --> 00:30:52 weren't
00:30:52 --> 00:30:52 afraid
00:30:52 --> 00:30:52 of
00:30:52 --> 00:30:53 exposure.
00:30:53 --> 00:30:53 They
00:30:53 --> 00:30:54 weren't
00:30:54 --> 00:30:54 afraid
00:30:54 --> 00:30:54 of being
00:30:54 --> 00:30:55 explored
00:30:55 --> 00:30:56 or judged.
00:30:56 --> 00:30:57 They
00:30:57 --> 00:30:57 were
00:30:57 --> 00:30:58 unashamed.
00:31:00 --> 00:31:01 Entirely
00:31:01 --> 00:31:01 transparent.
00:31:02 --> 00:31:02 They
00:31:02 --> 00:31:02 were,
00:31:02 --> 00:31:02 if you
00:31:02 --> 00:31:03 like,
00:31:03 --> 00:31:03 entirely
00:31:03 --> 00:31:04 comfortable
00:31:04 --> 00:31:05 in their
00:31:05 --> 00:31:05 own
00:31:05 --> 00:31:06 skin.
00:31:08 --> 00:31:08 And that
00:31:08 --> 00:31:09 is exactly
00:31:09 --> 00:31:10 what we
00:31:10 --> 00:31:10 all need.
00:31:11 --> 00:31:11 We
00:31:11 --> 00:31:12 all need
00:31:12 --> 00:31:12 to be
00:31:12 --> 00:31:13 fully,
00:31:13 --> 00:31:14 totally
00:31:14 --> 00:31:15 known
00:31:15 --> 00:31:17 and at
00:31:17 --> 00:31:17 exactly
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18 the same
00:31:18 --> 00:31:18 time,
00:31:19 --> 00:31:19 fully,
00:31:19 --> 00:31:20 totally
00:31:20 --> 00:31:21 loved.
00:31:23 --> 00:31:23 We
00:31:23 --> 00:31:24 need to
00:31:24 --> 00:31:24 be
00:31:24 --> 00:31:25 naked,
00:31:25 --> 00:31:26 totally
00:31:26 --> 00:31:26 known,
00:31:27 --> 00:31:28 and yet
00:31:28 --> 00:31:29 unashamed,
00:31:30 --> 00:31:30 totally
00:31:30 --> 00:31:30 loved.
00:31:32 --> 00:31:33 And we
00:31:33 --> 00:31:33 can't get
00:31:33 --> 00:31:33 it.
00:31:35 --> 00:31:36 We
00:31:36 --> 00:31:36 can't get
00:31:36 --> 00:31:36 it.
00:31:38 --> 00:31:39 Too
00:31:39 --> 00:31:39 many
00:31:39 --> 00:31:40 think that
00:31:40 --> 00:31:40 we can
00:31:40 --> 00:31:41 get love
00:31:41 --> 00:31:41 and
00:31:41 --> 00:31:42 acceptance
00:31:42 --> 00:31:42 and
00:31:42 --> 00:31:43 admiration
00:31:43 --> 00:31:45 if we
00:31:45 --> 00:31:46 try to
00:31:46 --> 00:31:46 be
00:31:46 --> 00:31:46 someone
00:31:46 --> 00:31:47 that
00:31:47 --> 00:31:47 we're
00:31:47 --> 00:31:47 not.
00:31:49 --> 00:31:50 Because
00:31:50 --> 00:31:50 we're
00:31:50 --> 00:31:50 ashamed.
00:31:52 --> 00:31:52 We
00:31:52 --> 00:31:53 work so
00:31:53 --> 00:31:54 hard at
00:31:54 --> 00:31:54 hiding
00:31:54 --> 00:31:54 the
00:31:54 --> 00:31:55 flaws,
00:31:56 --> 00:31:56 things
00:31:56 --> 00:31:57 like the
00:31:57 --> 00:31:57 pride,
00:31:57 --> 00:31:58 the
00:31:58 --> 00:31:58 selfishness,
00:31:58 --> 00:31:58 the
00:31:58 --> 00:31:59 ignorance,
00:32:00 --> 00:32:00 the
00:32:00 --> 00:32:00 anxiety.
00:32:02 --> 00:32:03 If we
00:32:03 --> 00:32:03 are truly
00:32:03 --> 00:32:04 known for
00:32:04 --> 00:32:04 who we
00:32:04 --> 00:32:05 are,
00:32:05 --> 00:32:05 we would
00:32:05 --> 00:32:06 be ashamed
00:32:06 --> 00:32:06 and
00:32:06 --> 00:32:07 therefore
00:32:07 --> 00:32:08 we will
00:32:08 --> 00:32:08 not be
00:32:08 --> 00:32:09 loved.
00:32:11 --> 00:32:12 Why is
00:32:12 --> 00:32:12 it so?
00:32:14 --> 00:32:14 We're
00:32:14 --> 00:32:14 going to
00:32:14 --> 00:32:15 find out
00:32:15 --> 00:32:15 in the
00:32:15 --> 00:32:15 coming
00:32:15 --> 00:32:15 weeks,
00:32:16 --> 00:32:16 but the
00:32:16 --> 00:32:16 short story
00:32:16 --> 00:32:17 is this.
00:32:17 --> 00:32:18 The moment
00:32:18 --> 00:32:18 that Adam
00:32:18 --> 00:32:19 and Eve
00:32:19 --> 00:32:20 rejected
00:32:20 --> 00:32:21 relationship
00:32:21 --> 00:32:21 with their
00:32:21 --> 00:32:22 creator
00:32:22 --> 00:32:22 God,
00:32:24 --> 00:32:25 shame
00:32:25 --> 00:32:25 filled
00:32:25 --> 00:32:26 their lives
00:32:26 --> 00:32:27 and they
00:32:27 --> 00:32:28 immediately
00:32:28 --> 00:32:29 had to
00:32:29 --> 00:32:29 cover up.
00:32:31 --> 00:32:31 They
00:32:31 --> 00:32:31 immediately
00:32:31 --> 00:32:32 had to
00:32:32 --> 00:32:32 cover up.
00:32:32 --> 00:32:33 Deep
00:32:33 --> 00:32:33 down,
00:32:33 --> 00:32:34 all of us
00:32:34 --> 00:32:35 know that
00:32:35 --> 00:32:35 there is
00:32:35 --> 00:32:35 something
00:32:35 --> 00:32:36 deeply
00:32:36 --> 00:32:36 wrong
00:32:36 --> 00:32:37 with us
00:32:37 --> 00:32:38 and we
00:32:38 --> 00:32:38 spend
00:32:38 --> 00:32:38 our
00:32:38 --> 00:32:39 entire
00:32:39 --> 00:32:40 lives
00:32:40 --> 00:32:40 and
00:32:40 --> 00:32:41 spend
00:32:41 --> 00:32:41 a
00:32:41 --> 00:32:42 fortune
00:32:42 --> 00:32:42 on
00:32:42 --> 00:32:42 covering
00:32:42 --> 00:32:43 it
00:32:43 --> 00:32:43 up.
00:32:45 --> 00:32:46 That's
00:32:46 --> 00:32:46 why the
00:32:46 --> 00:32:46 fashion
00:32:46 --> 00:32:47 industry
00:32:47 --> 00:32:47 exists.
00:32:51 --> 00:32:52 We
00:32:52 --> 00:32:53 cover it
00:32:53 --> 00:32:53 up with
00:32:53 --> 00:32:53 our
00:32:53 --> 00:32:54 Instagram
00:32:54 --> 00:32:57 profiles
00:32:57 --> 00:32:57 and Facebook
00:32:57 --> 00:32:58 profiles
00:32:58 --> 00:32:59 only ever
00:32:59 --> 00:33:00 revealing
00:33:00 --> 00:33:01 the positive
00:33:01 --> 00:33:02 things in
00:33:02 --> 00:33:02 life,
00:33:03 --> 00:33:03 the enviable
00:33:03 --> 00:33:04 things about
00:33:04 --> 00:33:05 our life.
00:33:05 --> 00:33:08 we are
00:33:08 --> 00:33:09 made in
00:33:09 --> 00:33:10 the image
00:33:10 --> 00:33:10 of a
00:33:10 --> 00:33:11 community
00:33:11 --> 00:33:11 God
00:33:11 --> 00:33:12 who for
00:33:12 --> 00:33:13 all
00:33:13 --> 00:33:13 eternity
00:33:13 --> 00:33:15 have
00:33:15 --> 00:33:15 known each
00:33:15 --> 00:33:15 other
00:33:15 --> 00:33:16 totally,
00:33:17 --> 00:33:17 completely
00:33:17 --> 00:33:18 and loved
00:33:18 --> 00:33:18 each other
00:33:18 --> 00:33:19 totally and
00:33:19 --> 00:33:20 completely.
00:33:20 --> 00:33:21 We are
00:33:21 --> 00:33:22 made in
00:33:22 --> 00:33:24 their
00:33:24 --> 00:33:24 image
00:33:24 --> 00:33:26 and we
00:33:26 --> 00:33:26 are made
00:33:26 --> 00:33:26 to mirror
00:33:26 --> 00:33:27 it.
00:33:28 --> 00:33:28 We
00:33:28 --> 00:33:29 desperately
00:33:29 --> 00:33:29 need
00:33:29 --> 00:33:30 that
00:33:30 --> 00:33:31 more
00:33:31 --> 00:33:31 than
00:33:31 --> 00:33:32 anything
00:33:32 --> 00:33:32 else
00:33:32 --> 00:33:33 in
00:33:33 --> 00:33:33 life.
00:33:33 --> 00:33:37 for
00:33:37 --> 00:33:37 instance,
00:33:38 --> 00:33:39 when
00:33:39 --> 00:33:40 someone
00:33:40 --> 00:33:40 who
00:33:40 --> 00:33:41 doesn't
00:33:41 --> 00:33:41 know
00:33:41 --> 00:33:41 you
00:33:41 --> 00:33:42 very
00:33:42 --> 00:33:42 well
00:33:42 --> 00:33:42 at
00:33:42 --> 00:33:43 all
00:33:43 --> 00:33:43 says
00:33:43 --> 00:33:44 to
00:33:44 --> 00:33:44 you,
00:33:45 --> 00:33:45 I
00:33:45 --> 00:33:45 have
00:33:45 --> 00:33:46 literally
00:33:46 --> 00:33:46 never
00:33:46 --> 00:33:46 met
00:33:46 --> 00:33:47 a
00:33:47 --> 00:33:47 finer
00:33:47 --> 00:33:48 human
00:33:48 --> 00:33:48 being
00:33:48 --> 00:33:48 in
00:33:48 --> 00:33:49 all
00:33:49 --> 00:33:49 of
00:33:49 --> 00:33:49 my
00:33:49 --> 00:33:50 life.
00:33:50 --> 00:33:51 Do
00:33:51 --> 00:33:51 you
00:33:51 --> 00:33:52 go,
00:33:52 --> 00:33:53 oh,
00:33:55 --> 00:33:55 that is,
00:33:56 --> 00:33:56 no,
00:33:56 --> 00:33:56 you don't.
00:33:57 --> 00:33:58 You don't
00:33:58 --> 00:33:58 even know
00:33:58 --> 00:33:58 who I
00:33:58 --> 00:33:59 am.
00:33:59 --> 00:34:00 You've
00:34:00 --> 00:34:00 got no
00:34:00 --> 00:34:00 idea
00:34:00 --> 00:34:01 who I
00:34:01 --> 00:34:01 am.
00:34:01 --> 00:34:02 It
00:34:02 --> 00:34:02 doesn't
00:34:02 --> 00:34:03 move you.
00:34:03 --> 00:34:04 if
00:34:04 --> 00:34:04 on the
00:34:04 --> 00:34:04 other
00:34:04 --> 00:34:05 hand
00:34:05 --> 00:34:05 there
00:34:05 --> 00:34:05 is
00:34:05 --> 00:34:05 someone
00:34:05 --> 00:34:06 who
00:34:06 --> 00:34:07 really
00:34:07 --> 00:34:08 knows
00:34:08 --> 00:34:08 the
00:34:08 --> 00:34:08 true
00:34:08 --> 00:34:08 you
00:34:08 --> 00:34:09 through
00:34:09 --> 00:34:09 and
00:34:09 --> 00:34:09 through,
00:34:09 --> 00:34:10 who
00:34:10 --> 00:34:10 knows
00:34:10 --> 00:34:10 your
00:34:10 --> 00:34:11 flaws
00:34:11 --> 00:34:11 and
00:34:11 --> 00:34:12 says
00:34:12 --> 00:34:12 to
00:34:12 --> 00:34:12 you,
00:34:12 --> 00:34:13 frankly,
00:34:13 --> 00:34:13 you are
00:34:13 --> 00:34:14 the
00:34:14 --> 00:34:14 finest
00:34:14 --> 00:34:14 human
00:34:14 --> 00:34:15 being
00:34:15 --> 00:34:15 I've
00:34:15 --> 00:34:15 ever
00:34:15 --> 00:34:15 met.
00:34:17 --> 00:34:17 Oh,
00:34:17 --> 00:34:18 that's
00:34:18 --> 00:34:19 going to
00:34:19 --> 00:34:19 cause you
00:34:19 --> 00:34:19 to sleep
00:34:19 --> 00:34:19 well
00:34:19 --> 00:34:19 that
00:34:19 --> 00:34:20 night.
00:34:21 --> 00:34:22 It
00:34:22 --> 00:34:23 makes
00:34:23 --> 00:34:24 all the
00:34:24 --> 00:34:24 difference.
00:34:24 --> 00:34:24 It's a
00:34:24 --> 00:34:25 totally
00:34:25 --> 00:34:25 different
00:34:25 --> 00:34:26 experience.
00:34:29 --> 00:34:30 And
00:34:30 --> 00:34:30 the
00:34:30 --> 00:34:31 reason
00:34:31 --> 00:34:31 it
00:34:31 --> 00:34:31 moves
00:34:31 --> 00:34:32 you so
00:34:32 --> 00:34:32 much
00:34:32 --> 00:34:32 is
00:34:32 --> 00:34:33 because
00:34:33 --> 00:34:33 it's
00:34:33 --> 00:34:33 what
00:34:33 --> 00:34:34 you
00:34:34 --> 00:34:34 were
00:34:34 --> 00:34:34 made
00:34:34 --> 00:34:35 for.
00:34:37 --> 00:34:38 It's
00:34:38 --> 00:34:38 part of
00:34:38 --> 00:34:38 your
00:34:38 --> 00:34:39 design.
00:34:40 --> 00:34:41 What we
00:34:41 --> 00:34:41 need to
00:34:41 --> 00:34:42 know
00:34:42 --> 00:34:42 is that
00:34:42 --> 00:34:43 on the
00:34:43 --> 00:34:43 cross
00:34:43 --> 00:34:45 Jesus
00:34:45 --> 00:34:45 Christ
00:34:45 --> 00:34:46 was
00:34:46 --> 00:34:46 crucified
00:34:46 --> 00:34:47 naked.
00:34:49 --> 00:34:50 They
00:34:50 --> 00:34:50 gambled
00:34:50 --> 00:34:51 for his
00:34:51 --> 00:34:51 clothes.
00:34:52 --> 00:34:53 He
00:34:53 --> 00:34:53 was
00:34:53 --> 00:34:54 exposed
00:34:54 --> 00:34:55 to the
00:34:55 --> 00:34:55 world.
00:34:57 --> 00:34:57 It
00:34:57 --> 00:34:57 was the
00:34:57 --> 00:34:57 ultimate
00:34:57 --> 00:34:58 shame
00:34:58 --> 00:34:58 and
00:34:58 --> 00:34:59 humiliation
00:34:59 --> 00:35:01 and he
00:35:01 --> 00:35:02 did
00:35:02 --> 00:35:02 that
00:35:02 --> 00:35:02 for
00:35:02 --> 00:35:03 us.
00:35:04 --> 00:35:04 He
00:35:04 --> 00:35:05 became
00:35:05 --> 00:35:05 naked.
00:35:07 --> 00:35:07 Our
00:35:07 --> 00:35:07 God
00:35:07 --> 00:35:08 looked
00:35:08 --> 00:35:10 deep
00:35:10 --> 00:35:10 into our
00:35:10 --> 00:35:11 hearts
00:35:11 --> 00:35:11 and he
00:35:11 --> 00:35:12 saw
00:35:12 --> 00:35:12 all the
00:35:12 --> 00:35:13 mess that
00:35:13 --> 00:35:13 we have
00:35:13 --> 00:35:14 created
00:35:14 --> 00:35:14 for
00:35:14 --> 00:35:14 ourselves
00:35:14 --> 00:35:15 because of
00:35:15 --> 00:35:15 our
00:35:15 --> 00:35:16 rejection
00:35:16 --> 00:35:16 of
00:35:16 --> 00:35:16 relationship
00:35:16 --> 00:35:17 with
00:35:17 --> 00:35:17 him.
00:35:18 --> 00:35:18 He
00:35:18 --> 00:35:19 saw
00:35:19 --> 00:35:19 all
00:35:19 --> 00:35:20 that we
00:35:20 --> 00:35:20 should
00:35:20 --> 00:35:20 be
00:35:20 --> 00:35:21 ashamed
00:35:21 --> 00:35:21 of
00:35:21 --> 00:35:35 nap
00:35:35 --> 00:35:36 and he
00:35:36 --> 00:35:36 entered
00:35:36 --> 00:35:37 our
00:35:37 --> 00:35:38 world.
00:35:38 --> 00:35:39 Jesus
00:35:39 --> 00:35:39 Christ, the
00:35:39 --> 00:35:39 much-loved
00:35:39 --> 00:35:40 and perfect
00:35:40 --> 00:35:41 son of
00:35:41 --> 00:35:41 God,
00:35:41 --> 00:35:42 became
00:35:42 --> 00:35:43 naked.
00:35:44 --> 00:35:44 He
00:35:44 --> 00:35:45 experienced
00:35:45 --> 00:35:45 the shame
00:35:45 --> 00:35:50 so that we, the ones who should be on display,
00:35:50 --> 00:35:52 the shame-worthy ones,
00:35:53 --> 00:35:58 might experience ultimate, complete, full, true love.
00:35:59 --> 00:36:03 He did it to pay for our sins against God, against himself.
00:36:05 --> 00:36:07 And so when we come to him and we trust him,
00:36:08 --> 00:36:15 what happens is his nakedness on our behalf
00:36:15 --> 00:36:18 becomes our covering
00:36:18 --> 00:36:25 in such a way that we can be naked and unashamed
00:36:25 --> 00:36:27 before our creator God,
00:36:28 --> 00:36:32 fully exposed and unashamed before our creator God.
00:36:32 --> 00:36:36 He knows us fully and he loves us totally.
00:36:37 --> 00:36:41 Through Jesus Christ, we are totally known,
00:36:42 --> 00:36:43 completely known,
00:36:43 --> 00:36:46 and fully and unconditionally loved.
00:36:48 --> 00:36:52 The creating word becomes naked for us.
00:36:54 --> 00:36:57 So if we take his sacrifice for us
00:36:57 --> 00:37:00 deep into the middle of our lives
00:37:00 --> 00:37:03 and continue to dwell over it
00:37:03 --> 00:37:05 and over it and over it and over it
00:37:05 --> 00:37:09 and see that his love and his approval and his acceptance,
00:37:11 --> 00:37:13 take that constantly into your life,
00:37:14 --> 00:37:16 then we actually have the power
00:37:16 --> 00:37:18 to be vulnerable and transparent in our relationships.
00:37:18 --> 00:37:19 relationships.
00:37:20 --> 00:37:22 Because what it means ultimately
00:37:22 --> 00:37:24 is I don't need to extract
00:37:24 --> 00:37:27 the deep approval that I need
00:37:27 --> 00:37:29 from other people,
00:37:29 --> 00:37:31 from my spouse,
00:37:32 --> 00:37:33 from my children,
00:37:34 --> 00:37:34 from my church,
00:37:34 --> 00:37:35 from my work colleagues,
00:37:35 --> 00:37:36 from society as a whole.
00:37:38 --> 00:37:40 This is the key
00:37:40 --> 00:37:41 to having the relationships
00:37:41 --> 00:37:43 that we were created for
00:37:43 --> 00:37:45 and that we can only get back
00:37:45 --> 00:37:46 in Jesus Christ.
00:37:46 --> 00:37:46 Thank you.