Fair Trade Sunday 2015
Speaker: Sam Low
Date: 5th December 2015
Passage: Isaiah 42:1-8
00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 every tribe or every group of people has its defining markers.
00:00:04 --> 00:00:06 I thought for safety's sake, I might start with us.
00:00:07 --> 00:00:12 So North Shore people, you know, has defining markers like boat shoes,
00:00:13 --> 00:00:16 Range Rovers, polo shirts,
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 that thing that we never admit about how we think we're better
00:00:19 --> 00:00:21 than anyone who lives anywhere else in Sydney.
00:00:22 --> 00:00:27 Then, of course, there's the Westies who love stubbies, thongs, tattoos.
00:00:27 --> 00:00:31 Shoes, country people, who, from what I can gather from Steve,
00:00:31 --> 00:00:33 is basically boots, utes and guns,
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 and perhaps a little bit of good hospitality.
00:00:37 --> 00:00:40 Now, I know there are stereotypes, there are general, there are exceptions,
00:00:41 --> 00:00:43 but stereotypes exist for a reason.
00:00:43 --> 00:00:45 There's always something there.
00:00:45 --> 00:00:49 But what I wanted to ask is, what is it that marks this tribe?
00:00:50 --> 00:00:53 What is it that marks Christians as distinct?
00:00:54 --> 00:00:56 Or, if you like to ask it another way,
00:00:56 --> 00:00:58 how do you tell if someone is actually a Christian?
00:00:59 --> 00:01:02 Or whether or not they're just kind of doing lip service
00:01:02 --> 00:01:04 to being a Christian and following Jesus?
00:01:05 --> 00:01:10 What's the most important evidence of faith in Jesus?
00:01:11 --> 00:01:12 Is it attire?
00:01:13 --> 00:01:14 Socks and sandals?
00:01:15 --> 00:01:17 I had a friend in Bible college
00:01:17 --> 00:01:21 who purchased a Bible that was of the perfect size
00:01:21 --> 00:01:23 to fit in a satchel that he also owned,
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 so that he would always be wearing his Bible
00:01:25 --> 00:01:26 in his Bible satchel.
00:01:26 --> 00:01:29 Is that the definitive marker of someone who is genuine
00:01:29 --> 00:01:30 when it comes to following Jesus?
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33 Is it maybe a personality trait,
00:01:33 --> 00:01:34 something that we don't want to admit,
00:01:35 --> 00:01:36 like being judgmental,
00:01:37 --> 00:01:39 being the moral police?
00:01:39 --> 00:01:44 Well, there's probably lots of things that matter
00:01:44 --> 00:01:47 when it comes to being genuine in the way we follow Jesus.
00:01:47 --> 00:01:49 But tonight I want to look at one that,
00:01:49 --> 00:01:50 as you go through Scripture,
00:01:50 --> 00:01:53 is quite conspicuous and unavoidable.
00:01:54 --> 00:01:55 And so I want to throw a whole bunch of verses
00:01:55 --> 00:01:56 at you really quickly.
00:01:56 --> 00:01:57 They're going to be on the screen
00:01:57 --> 00:01:58 so that you can read them with me.
00:01:59 --> 00:02:00 And then we'll come back and look at it in the end.
00:02:01 --> 00:02:03 So first up is Micah 6, verse 6 to 8.
00:02:03 --> 00:02:04 It says,
00:02:04 --> 00:02:24 He has shown you,
00:02:25 --> 00:02:26 O mortal, what is good.
00:02:27 --> 00:02:29 And what does the Lord require of you?
00:02:29 --> 00:02:30 To act justly,
00:02:31 --> 00:02:32 and to love mercy,
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 and to walk humbly with your God.
00:02:35 --> 00:02:36 Again, Luke 3, verse 11.
00:02:37 --> 00:02:39 Anyone who has two shirts
00:02:39 --> 00:02:40 should share with the one who has none.
00:02:41 --> 00:02:43 Anyone who has food should do the same.
00:02:43 --> 00:02:44 Psalm 41.
00:02:45 --> 00:02:47 Blessed are those who have regard for the weak.
00:02:47 --> 00:02:49 The Lord delivers them in times of trouble.
00:02:50 --> 00:02:51 Proverbs 14.
00:02:52 --> 00:02:53 Whoever oppresses the poor
00:02:53 --> 00:02:55 shows contempt for their maker,
00:02:55 --> 00:02:58 but whoever is kind to the needy
00:02:58 --> 00:02:59 honors God.
00:02:59 --> 00:03:00 Isaiah 58.
00:03:00 --> 00:03:03 If you spend yourselves
00:03:03 --> 00:03:04 on behalf of the hungry
00:03:04 --> 00:03:06 and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 then your light will rise in the darkness
00:03:09 --> 00:03:10 and your night will become
00:03:10 --> 00:03:12 like the noonday.
00:03:12 --> 00:03:13 And then James 1.27.
00:03:14 --> 00:03:17 Religion that God our Father accepts
00:03:17 --> 00:03:19 as pure and faultless is this.
00:03:20 --> 00:03:22 That's a significant introduction sentence.
00:03:22 --> 00:03:23 You know you need to pay attention
00:03:23 --> 00:03:24 to what comes after that.
00:03:25 --> 00:03:28 Religion that God our Father accepts
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 as pure and faultless is this.
00:03:30 --> 00:03:32 To look after orphans and widows
00:03:32 --> 00:03:33 in their distress
00:03:33 --> 00:03:35 and to keep oneself
00:03:35 --> 00:03:37 from being polluted by the world.
00:03:39 --> 00:03:42 One of the distinct markers
00:03:42 --> 00:03:43 of those who follow Jesus
00:03:43 --> 00:03:46 is a social conscience.
00:03:46 --> 00:03:48 And more than just a social conscience
00:03:48 --> 00:03:50 and an investment,
00:03:51 --> 00:03:53 a concern for those who are in need,
00:03:53 --> 00:03:55 essential to genuine faith
00:03:55 --> 00:03:57 is a heart that cares about
00:03:57 --> 00:03:58 the less fortunate,
00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 that cares about the widow,
00:04:00 --> 00:04:01 the orphan,
00:04:01 --> 00:04:02 the oppressed.
00:04:03 --> 00:04:03 And look,
00:04:03 --> 00:04:04 on one level that just seems
00:04:04 --> 00:04:05 really obvious.
00:04:06 --> 00:04:07 It just makes sense.
00:04:07 --> 00:04:08 It just kind of fits with
00:04:08 --> 00:04:09 who Jesus is
00:04:09 --> 00:04:10 and what he was like.
00:04:10 --> 00:04:12 The general vibe of Jesus
00:04:12 --> 00:04:13 was to go and hang out
00:04:13 --> 00:04:14 with the downtrodden,
00:04:14 --> 00:04:15 to be nice to those
00:04:15 --> 00:04:16 that everybody else
00:04:16 --> 00:04:18 left to the side.
00:04:18 --> 00:04:22 But you might be wondering,
00:04:22 --> 00:04:23 given that we had
00:04:23 --> 00:04:24 a fair trade expo today,
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 is this sermon
00:04:26 --> 00:04:26 just a bit of a
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 fair trade beat-up?
00:04:29 --> 00:04:30 Am I just trying to
00:04:30 --> 00:04:31 pump the tyres
00:04:31 --> 00:04:32 of a particular cause
00:04:32 --> 00:04:33 that we're focusing on
00:04:33 --> 00:04:34 this week
00:04:34 --> 00:04:35 to try and, you know,
00:04:35 --> 00:04:36 get you revved up
00:04:36 --> 00:04:36 in that direction?
00:04:37 --> 00:04:38 Well, maybe a better question
00:04:38 --> 00:04:39 to ask would be,
00:04:40 --> 00:04:41 why does this matter?
00:04:41 --> 00:04:45 Why is this so significant
00:04:45 --> 00:04:47 when it comes to testing
00:04:47 --> 00:04:47 the genuineness
00:04:47 --> 00:04:49 of someone's faith,
00:04:50 --> 00:04:50 someone's claim
00:04:50 --> 00:04:51 to follow Jesus?
00:04:52 --> 00:04:53 I want to give you
00:04:53 --> 00:04:53 three reasons.
00:04:54 --> 00:04:55 I think there's probably more,
00:04:55 --> 00:04:55 but I want to give you
00:04:55 --> 00:04:56 three tonight
00:04:56 --> 00:04:58 that might be a good question,
00:04:58 --> 00:05:00 a good test for you
00:05:00 --> 00:05:01 in terms of whether or not
00:05:01 --> 00:05:03 this is distinctive
00:05:03 --> 00:05:04 in your life.
00:05:05 --> 00:05:06 Three reasons this matters.
00:05:07 --> 00:05:07 Firstly,
00:05:09 --> 00:05:10 because all people
00:05:10 --> 00:05:11 matter to God.
00:05:12 --> 00:05:13 Not just some,
00:05:13 --> 00:05:13 not just good,
00:05:14 --> 00:05:14 not just Christians,
00:05:15 --> 00:05:16 all people matter to God.
00:05:16 --> 00:05:17 If we go back
00:05:17 --> 00:05:18 to the very beginning
00:05:18 --> 00:05:19 of Scripture,
00:05:19 --> 00:05:20 the first thing
00:05:20 --> 00:05:20 that God does
00:05:20 --> 00:05:22 when He creates people
00:05:22 --> 00:05:24 is He creates them
00:05:24 --> 00:05:25 valuable.
00:05:26 --> 00:05:27 He puts an intrinsic
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 dignity into people.
00:05:29 --> 00:05:30 When He creates humans,
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 He puts His image
00:05:32 --> 00:05:32 on them.
00:05:33 --> 00:05:34 He by default
00:05:34 --> 00:05:35 creates them
00:05:35 --> 00:05:35 as something
00:05:35 --> 00:05:37 that is representative
00:05:37 --> 00:05:38 of Him.
00:05:39 --> 00:05:40 And so we need
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42 to look at all humans,
00:05:42 --> 00:05:43 local,
00:05:43 --> 00:05:43 foreign,
00:05:44 --> 00:05:44 friendly,
00:05:44 --> 00:05:45 enemy,
00:05:45 --> 00:05:45 whatever,
00:05:45 --> 00:05:47 as having some value,
00:05:48 --> 00:05:49 some importance,
00:05:50 --> 00:05:50 whether they're rich,
00:05:51 --> 00:05:51 poor,
00:05:51 --> 00:05:52 or otherwise.
00:05:52 --> 00:05:52 I don't know
00:05:52 --> 00:05:53 if you've noticed
00:05:53 --> 00:05:54 that currently
00:05:54 --> 00:05:55 in our country
00:05:55 --> 00:05:55 as we debate
00:05:55 --> 00:05:56 whether or not
00:05:56 --> 00:05:57 we should accept
00:05:57 --> 00:05:58 refugees,
00:05:58 --> 00:05:59 and particularly
00:05:59 --> 00:06:00 Syrian refugees
00:06:00 --> 00:06:00 at the moment,
00:06:01 --> 00:06:02 well-meaning people
00:06:02 --> 00:06:03 are making suggestions
00:06:03 --> 00:06:04 like,
00:06:04 --> 00:06:05 maybe we should
00:06:05 --> 00:06:06 just have
00:06:06 --> 00:06:08 Christian refugees
00:06:08 --> 00:06:08 come in.
00:06:09 --> 00:06:10 Maybe we should
00:06:10 --> 00:06:11 just have
00:06:11 --> 00:06:12 non-Muslim refugees
00:06:12 --> 00:06:13 come in.
00:06:14 --> 00:06:15 And maybe
00:06:15 --> 00:06:16 if you want
00:06:16 --> 00:06:16 to be generous
00:06:16 --> 00:06:18 it's a security fear,
00:06:19 --> 00:06:19 whatever it is,
00:06:20 --> 00:06:21 but as Christians
00:06:21 --> 00:06:23 from the very
00:06:23 --> 00:06:24 beginning of Scripture
00:06:24 --> 00:06:26 God doesn't
00:06:26 --> 00:06:26 distinguish
00:06:26 --> 00:06:28 values
00:06:28 --> 00:06:28 between different
00:06:28 --> 00:06:29 kinds of people.
00:06:29 --> 00:06:31 He creates
00:06:31 --> 00:06:32 all people
00:06:32 --> 00:06:34 in His image.
00:06:35 --> 00:06:35 Muslim,
00:06:35 --> 00:06:36 Christian,
00:06:36 --> 00:06:37 Syrian,
00:06:37 --> 00:06:38 Iraqi,
00:06:38 --> 00:06:39 Iranian,
00:06:39 --> 00:06:40 Australian.
00:06:42 --> 00:06:42 Have you ever
00:06:42 --> 00:06:43 noticed how
00:06:43 --> 00:06:43 when there is
00:06:43 --> 00:06:44 a disaster
00:06:44 --> 00:06:45 in the world,
00:06:45 --> 00:06:45 whether it's
00:06:45 --> 00:06:46 a natural disaster,
00:06:46 --> 00:06:47 a plane crash,
00:06:47 --> 00:06:47 whatever it is,
00:06:48 --> 00:06:49 that we get
00:06:49 --> 00:06:51 given a particular
00:06:51 --> 00:06:52 emphasis in the story.
00:06:52 --> 00:06:53 So a plane
00:06:53 --> 00:06:54 has crashed,
00:06:54 --> 00:06:55 300 people are dead,
00:06:55 --> 00:06:56 and there was
00:06:56 --> 00:06:57 three Australians
00:06:57 --> 00:06:58 on board.
00:06:59 --> 00:07:00 Or there's
00:07:00 --> 00:07:01 an earthquake,
00:07:01 --> 00:07:02 X amount of people
00:07:02 --> 00:07:03 are displaced,
00:07:03 --> 00:07:03 etc.
00:07:04 --> 00:07:05 This many Australians
00:07:05 --> 00:07:06 were involved.
00:07:07 --> 00:07:07 Now,
00:07:07 --> 00:07:08 on one level,
00:07:08 --> 00:07:09 sure,
00:07:09 --> 00:07:09 we're in Australia,
00:07:09 --> 00:07:10 there's a chance
00:07:10 --> 00:07:11 we might know them,
00:07:11 --> 00:07:13 but have you ever
00:07:13 --> 00:07:14 asked why that
00:07:14 --> 00:07:16 detail is so
00:07:16 --> 00:07:16 important?
00:07:18 --> 00:07:19 Why are those
00:07:19 --> 00:07:20 three Australians
00:07:20 --> 00:07:21 or ten Australians
00:07:21 --> 00:07:22 or fifty Australians
00:07:22 --> 00:07:23 more significant
00:07:23 --> 00:07:24 than the other
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26 300 or 5
00:07:26 --> 00:07:26 or whoever it is
00:07:26 --> 00:07:27 that's lost their
00:07:27 --> 00:07:27 life?
00:07:29 --> 00:07:30 Now,
00:07:30 --> 00:07:31 I want to be
00:07:31 --> 00:07:32 gracious because
00:07:32 --> 00:07:34 it's loss,
00:07:35 --> 00:07:36 it's pain.
00:07:36 --> 00:07:37 There's so much
00:07:37 --> 00:07:38 emotion wrapped up
00:07:38 --> 00:07:39 in this sort of
00:07:39 --> 00:07:39 a topic,
00:07:39 --> 00:07:42 but I wonder
00:07:42 --> 00:07:43 if the reason
00:07:43 --> 00:07:44 that we go
00:07:44 --> 00:07:45 there first,
00:07:46 --> 00:07:47 I wonder if the
00:07:47 --> 00:07:47 reason we
00:07:47 --> 00:07:48 emphasise the
00:07:48 --> 00:07:49 Australians
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51 is because
00:07:51 --> 00:07:52 we tend to
00:07:52 --> 00:07:53 view the world
00:07:53 --> 00:07:53 through a lens
00:07:53 --> 00:07:54 that starts
00:07:54 --> 00:07:55 with me.
00:07:55 --> 00:07:57 and so if
00:07:57 --> 00:07:58 they're Australian,
00:07:58 --> 00:07:59 it's more
00:07:59 --> 00:08:00 closely
00:08:00 --> 00:08:00 associated
00:08:00 --> 00:08:01 with me.
00:08:02 --> 00:08:02 I can more
00:08:02 --> 00:08:03 closely identify
00:08:03 --> 00:08:04 with who
00:08:04 --> 00:08:04 they are.
00:08:06 --> 00:08:07 My value
00:08:07 --> 00:08:07 almost gets
00:08:07 --> 00:08:08 connected to
00:08:08 --> 00:08:08 who they are,
00:08:08 --> 00:08:09 whereas if I've
00:08:09 --> 00:08:10 never met them
00:08:10 --> 00:08:10 or seen them,
00:08:10 --> 00:08:12 then it's still
00:08:12 --> 00:08:12 sad, but it's
00:08:12 --> 00:08:13 not the same,
00:08:13 --> 00:08:13 is it?
00:08:13 --> 00:08:17 But could it
00:08:17 --> 00:08:17 be that the
00:08:17 --> 00:08:18 Bible's painting
00:08:18 --> 00:08:18 a really
00:08:18 --> 00:08:19 different picture
00:08:19 --> 00:08:20 about the way
00:08:20 --> 00:08:20 God calls us
00:08:20 --> 00:08:21 to view the
00:08:21 --> 00:08:21 world?
00:08:23 --> 00:08:24 Could it be
00:08:24 --> 00:08:24 that every
00:08:24 --> 00:08:25 single person
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 matters and
00:08:27 --> 00:08:27 is valuable?
00:08:28 --> 00:08:29 The second
00:08:29 --> 00:08:30 passage that
00:08:30 --> 00:08:30 Jimmy read out
00:08:30 --> 00:08:31 for us in
00:08:31 --> 00:08:31 Matthew 25
00:08:31 --> 00:08:32 is a scary
00:08:32 --> 00:08:33 passage in
00:08:33 --> 00:08:33 many ways.
00:08:34 --> 00:08:34 It's a picture
00:08:34 --> 00:08:35 of the final
00:08:35 --> 00:08:35 judgment.
00:08:35 --> 00:08:36 Jesus
00:08:36 --> 00:08:36 gathers
00:08:36 --> 00:08:37 everybody in
00:08:37 --> 00:08:38 front of his
00:08:38 --> 00:08:39 judgment throne
00:08:39 --> 00:08:40 and like a
00:08:40 --> 00:08:41 shepherd begins
00:08:41 --> 00:08:41 to sort between
00:08:41 --> 00:08:42 the sheeps,
00:08:43 --> 00:08:43 those who are
00:08:43 --> 00:08:44 genuinely following
00:08:44 --> 00:08:45 him, and the
00:08:45 --> 00:08:46 goats, those who
00:08:46 --> 00:08:47 maybe have paid
00:08:47 --> 00:08:48 lip service, those
00:08:48 --> 00:08:49 who have claimed
00:08:49 --> 00:08:49 to be Christian,
00:08:50 --> 00:08:50 but for whatever
00:08:50 --> 00:08:51 reason are not
00:08:51 --> 00:08:52 genuine.
00:08:52 --> 00:08:53 And listen to
00:08:53 --> 00:08:53 the words.
00:08:54 --> 00:08:54 It says,
00:08:54 --> 00:08:55 the king will
00:08:55 --> 00:08:56 say to those
00:08:56 --> 00:08:57 on his right,
00:08:57 --> 00:08:58 this is to those
00:08:58 --> 00:08:58 who have been
00:08:58 --> 00:08:59 faithful,
00:09:00 --> 00:09:01 come you who
00:09:01 --> 00:09:01 are blessed by
00:09:01 --> 00:09:02 my father,
00:09:02 --> 00:09:03 take your
00:09:03 --> 00:09:03 inheritance,
00:09:04 --> 00:09:04 the kingdom
00:09:04 --> 00:09:05 prepared for you
00:09:05 --> 00:09:05 since the
00:09:05 --> 00:09:06 creation of
00:09:06 --> 00:09:06 the world,
00:09:07 --> 00:09:07 for I was
00:09:07 --> 00:09:08 hungry and
00:09:08 --> 00:09:08 you gave me
00:09:08 --> 00:09:09 something to
00:09:09 --> 00:09:09 eat.
00:09:09 --> 00:09:10 I was thirsty
00:09:10 --> 00:09:11 and you gave
00:09:11 --> 00:09:11 me something
00:09:11 --> 00:09:12 to drink.
00:09:12 --> 00:09:12 I was a
00:09:12 --> 00:09:13 stranger and
00:09:13 --> 00:09:14 you invited
00:09:14 --> 00:09:14 me in.
00:09:14 --> 00:09:15 I needed
00:09:15 --> 00:09:15 clothes and
00:09:15 --> 00:09:16 you clothed
00:09:16 --> 00:09:16 me.
00:09:16 --> 00:09:17 I was sick
00:09:17 --> 00:09:17 and you
00:09:17 --> 00:09:17 looked after
00:09:17 --> 00:09:17 me.
00:09:17 --> 00:09:18 I was in
00:09:18 --> 00:09:18 prison and
00:09:18 --> 00:09:19 you came
00:09:19 --> 00:09:19 to visit
00:09:19 --> 00:09:19 me.
00:09:20 --> 00:09:20 Then the
00:09:20 --> 00:09:21 righteous
00:09:21 --> 00:09:21 will answer
00:09:21 --> 00:09:21 him,
00:09:22 --> 00:09:22 Lord,
00:09:22 --> 00:09:24 when did
00:09:24 --> 00:09:24 we see you
00:09:24 --> 00:09:25 hungry and
00:09:25 --> 00:09:25 feed you,
00:09:26 --> 00:09:26 or thirsty
00:09:26 --> 00:09:27 and give you
00:09:27 --> 00:09:27 something to
00:09:27 --> 00:09:28 drink?
00:09:29 --> 00:09:30 When did
00:09:30 --> 00:09:30 we see you
00:09:30 --> 00:09:31 a stranger
00:09:31 --> 00:09:31 and invite you
00:09:31 --> 00:09:32 in, or
00:09:32 --> 00:09:33 needing clothes
00:09:33 --> 00:09:33 and clothe
00:09:33 --> 00:09:33 you?
00:09:34 --> 00:09:34 When did
00:09:34 --> 00:09:35 we see you
00:09:35 --> 00:09:35 sick or in
00:09:35 --> 00:09:36 prison and
00:09:36 --> 00:09:36 go to
00:09:36 --> 00:09:37 visit you?
00:09:38 --> 00:09:38 It's the
00:09:38 --> 00:09:39 key line.
00:09:39 --> 00:09:39 The king
00:09:39 --> 00:09:40 will reply,
00:09:40 --> 00:09:41 I tell you
00:09:41 --> 00:09:41 the truth,
00:09:42 --> 00:09:42 whatever you
00:09:42 --> 00:09:43 did for one
00:09:43 --> 00:09:43 of the least
00:09:43 --> 00:09:44 of these
00:09:44 --> 00:09:44 brothers of
00:09:44 --> 00:09:45 mine,
00:09:45 --> 00:09:46 you did
00:09:46 --> 00:09:47 for me.
00:09:51 --> 00:09:51 God
00:09:51 --> 00:09:52 associates
00:09:52 --> 00:09:53 his own
00:09:53 --> 00:09:54 worth
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 with his
00:09:56 --> 00:09:57 image bearers.
00:10:00 --> 00:10:01 The way
00:10:01 --> 00:10:01 that we
00:10:01 --> 00:10:03 treat people
00:10:03 --> 00:10:04 is directly
00:10:04 --> 00:10:05 connected
00:10:05 --> 00:10:06 to the
00:10:06 --> 00:10:07 way that
00:10:07 --> 00:10:07 we're
00:10:07 --> 00:10:07 treating
00:10:07 --> 00:10:08 God.
00:10:08 --> 00:10:09 They're
00:10:09 --> 00:10:09 actually
00:10:09 --> 00:10:10 inseparable.
00:10:13 --> 00:10:13 He has
00:10:13 --> 00:10:15 designed
00:10:15 --> 00:10:15 our
00:10:15 --> 00:10:15 existence,
00:10:16 --> 00:10:16 he's designed
00:10:16 --> 00:10:17 our interactions
00:10:17 --> 00:10:17 and our
00:10:17 --> 00:10:18 relationships
00:10:18 --> 00:10:18 in such
00:10:18 --> 00:10:19 a way
00:10:19 --> 00:10:20 that our
00:10:20 --> 00:10:20 relationship
00:10:20 --> 00:10:21 with him
00:10:21 --> 00:10:22 is not
00:10:22 --> 00:10:22 just some
00:10:22 --> 00:10:23 abstract
00:10:23 --> 00:10:24 spiritual
00:10:24 --> 00:10:24 reality,
00:10:24 --> 00:10:25 but it is
00:10:25 --> 00:10:25 played out
00:10:25 --> 00:10:26 in our
00:10:26 --> 00:10:26 relationships
00:10:26 --> 00:10:27 with one
00:10:27 --> 00:10:27 another.
00:10:27 --> 00:10:31 all people
00:10:31 --> 00:10:32 matter to
00:10:32 --> 00:10:32 God
00:10:32 --> 00:10:32 because he
00:10:32 --> 00:10:33 has created
00:10:33 --> 00:10:33 them as
00:10:33 --> 00:10:34 valuable.
00:10:36 --> 00:10:37 The second
00:10:37 --> 00:10:38 reason that
00:10:38 --> 00:10:39 this social
00:10:39 --> 00:10:39 conscience is
00:10:39 --> 00:10:40 so significant
00:10:40 --> 00:10:41 for us as
00:10:41 --> 00:10:41 followers of
00:10:41 --> 00:10:42 Jesus is that
00:10:42 --> 00:10:43 we've got to
00:10:43 --> 00:10:44 remember that
00:10:44 --> 00:10:44 the world's
00:10:44 --> 00:10:44 not supposed
00:10:44 --> 00:10:45 to be like
00:10:45 --> 00:10:46 this.
00:10:47 --> 00:10:47 Now,
00:10:47 --> 00:10:47 sure,
00:10:47 --> 00:10:48 we live in a
00:10:48 --> 00:10:48 really,
00:10:48 --> 00:10:49 really privileged
00:10:49 --> 00:10:50 part of the
00:10:50 --> 00:10:50 world,
00:10:50 --> 00:10:51 but when we
00:10:51 --> 00:10:52 look at those
00:10:52 --> 00:10:52 news stories,
00:10:53 --> 00:10:53 there's this bit
00:10:53 --> 00:10:54 of us that
00:10:54 --> 00:10:54 goes,
00:10:54 --> 00:10:54 that's not
00:10:54 --> 00:10:55 right,
00:10:55 --> 00:10:55 is it?
00:10:55 --> 00:10:57 That's not
00:10:57 --> 00:10:57 what God
00:10:57 --> 00:10:57 intended.
00:11:00 --> 00:11:00 Again,
00:11:00 --> 00:11:01 Genesis 1,
00:11:02 --> 00:11:02 God's good
00:11:02 --> 00:11:03 design,
00:11:03 --> 00:11:05 creation itself
00:11:05 --> 00:11:06 has an
00:11:06 --> 00:11:07 inbuilt
00:11:07 --> 00:11:07 provision.
00:11:09 --> 00:11:09 There's this
00:11:09 --> 00:11:10 pattern in
00:11:10 --> 00:11:10 Genesis 1,
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 when God's
00:11:11 --> 00:11:11 creating,
00:11:11 --> 00:11:12 he's walking
00:11:12 --> 00:11:12 around,
00:11:12 --> 00:11:13 let there be
00:11:13 --> 00:11:13 light,
00:11:13 --> 00:11:14 let there be
00:11:14 --> 00:11:14 sea,
00:11:14 --> 00:11:14 let there be
00:11:14 --> 00:11:15 land,
00:11:15 --> 00:11:15 let there be
00:11:15 --> 00:11:15 trees,
00:11:16 --> 00:11:16 let there be
00:11:16 --> 00:11:16 all these
00:11:16 --> 00:11:16 things,
00:11:16 --> 00:11:17 let there be
00:11:17 --> 00:11:17 animals,
00:11:17 --> 00:11:18 and eventually
00:11:18 --> 00:11:19 people.
00:11:19 --> 00:11:19 There's a
00:11:19 --> 00:11:20 pattern.
00:11:21 --> 00:11:21 God always
00:11:21 --> 00:11:22 creates what
00:11:22 --> 00:11:23 is required
00:11:23 --> 00:11:24 for life
00:11:24 --> 00:11:25 before he
00:11:25 --> 00:11:26 creates the
00:11:26 --> 00:11:26 life.
00:11:29 --> 00:11:30 He creates
00:11:30 --> 00:11:30 the sea
00:11:30 --> 00:11:31 before he
00:11:31 --> 00:11:31 creates the
00:11:31 --> 00:11:32 creatures to
00:11:32 --> 00:11:32 go in it.
00:11:33 --> 00:11:34 He creates
00:11:34 --> 00:11:34 the plants
00:11:34 --> 00:11:35 and trees
00:11:35 --> 00:11:35 and fruit
00:11:35 --> 00:11:36 and food
00:11:36 --> 00:11:37 before he
00:11:37 --> 00:11:37 creates the
00:11:37 --> 00:11:38 animals and
00:11:38 --> 00:11:38 the people
00:11:38 --> 00:11:39 to live there
00:11:39 --> 00:11:39 and be fed
00:11:39 --> 00:11:40 by it.
00:11:40 --> 00:11:41 Creation
00:11:41 --> 00:11:43 itself has
00:11:43 --> 00:11:45 provision designed
00:11:45 --> 00:11:46 into it.
00:11:47 --> 00:11:47 And in fact,
00:11:48 --> 00:11:49 current statistics
00:11:49 --> 00:11:50 tell us the same
00:11:50 --> 00:11:50 story.
00:11:51 --> 00:11:52 There is enough
00:11:52 --> 00:11:52 food,
00:11:52 --> 00:11:53 enough money,
00:11:53 --> 00:11:54 enough medicine
00:11:54 --> 00:11:55 for everyone
00:11:55 --> 00:11:56 on the earth
00:11:56 --> 00:11:57 right now.
00:11:59 --> 00:12:00 But oppression
00:12:00 --> 00:12:01 and greed
00:12:01 --> 00:12:03 and injustice
00:12:03 --> 00:12:05 mean that there
00:12:05 --> 00:12:06 is an inequality
00:12:06 --> 00:12:07 of distribution.
00:12:10 --> 00:12:10 It's not
00:12:10 --> 00:12:11 supposed to be
00:12:11 --> 00:12:12 like this.
00:12:13 --> 00:12:13 And so we've
00:12:13 --> 00:12:14 got to understand
00:12:14 --> 00:12:15 that what
00:12:15 --> 00:12:16 happened from
00:12:16 --> 00:12:17 that perfect
00:12:17 --> 00:12:18 design that
00:12:18 --> 00:12:18 God had
00:12:18 --> 00:12:20 to our kind
00:12:20 --> 00:12:20 of messed
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 up reality
00:12:21 --> 00:12:21 reality now
00:12:21 --> 00:12:23 is not
00:12:23 --> 00:12:24 something that
00:12:24 --> 00:12:25 we can fix
00:12:25 --> 00:12:25 with money.
00:12:26 --> 00:12:27 It's not a
00:12:27 --> 00:12:27 matter of us
00:12:27 --> 00:12:28 turning around
00:12:28 --> 00:12:28 going,
00:12:28 --> 00:12:28 I need to be
00:12:28 --> 00:12:29 more generous.
00:12:29 --> 00:12:30 I need to be
00:12:30 --> 00:12:31 more caring.
00:12:31 --> 00:12:32 The issue
00:12:32 --> 00:12:32 that takes us
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 from a good
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 garden of
00:12:34 --> 00:12:35 Eden to a
00:12:35 --> 00:12:35 messed up
00:12:35 --> 00:12:36 right now
00:12:36 --> 00:12:38 is sin.
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 The problem
00:12:41 --> 00:12:42 and the reason
00:12:42 --> 00:12:42 this matters
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 for us as
00:12:43 --> 00:12:43 Christians is
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 because this
00:12:44 --> 00:12:44 is our
00:12:44 --> 00:12:45 core issue.
00:12:46 --> 00:12:47 Sin is the
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 reality of us
00:12:48 --> 00:12:49 rejecting God,
00:12:49 --> 00:12:49 telling him that
00:12:49 --> 00:12:50 he doesn't
00:12:50 --> 00:12:50 matter,
00:12:50 --> 00:12:51 living as if
00:12:51 --> 00:12:51 we're more
00:12:51 --> 00:12:52 important,
00:12:52 --> 00:12:53 and sin is
00:12:53 --> 00:12:54 the reason
00:12:54 --> 00:12:54 that there is
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 poverty in
00:12:55 --> 00:12:55 the world.
00:12:56 --> 00:12:57 Sin is the
00:12:57 --> 00:12:57 reason that
00:12:57 --> 00:12:58 there is
00:12:58 --> 00:12:59 suffering in
00:12:59 --> 00:12:59 the world.
00:12:59 --> 00:13:00 Sin is the
00:13:00 --> 00:13:00 reason that
00:13:00 --> 00:13:01 there is
00:13:01 --> 00:13:01 pain and
00:13:01 --> 00:13:02 oppression and
00:13:02 --> 00:13:03 injustice.
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 And what that
00:13:06 --> 00:13:07 does is tell us
00:13:07 --> 00:13:07 two things.
00:13:08 --> 00:13:09 One, this isn't
00:13:09 --> 00:13:09 a money issue,
00:13:09 --> 00:13:10 it's a heart
00:13:10 --> 00:13:10 issue.
00:13:11 --> 00:13:12 And two, this
00:13:12 --> 00:13:13 isn't someone
00:13:13 --> 00:13:13 else's issue,
00:13:14 --> 00:13:14 this is my
00:13:14 --> 00:13:14 issue.
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 Now I want to
00:13:17 --> 00:13:17 take a step
00:13:17 --> 00:13:18 sideways just for a
00:13:18 --> 00:13:19 second and just
00:13:19 --> 00:13:20 talk about sin
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 and consequence.
00:13:22 --> 00:13:23 What I'm not
00:13:23 --> 00:13:23 saying and what
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 the Bible doesn't
00:13:24 --> 00:13:26 teach is that I
00:13:26 --> 00:13:27 be selfish here and
00:13:27 --> 00:13:29 look after myself and
00:13:29 --> 00:13:30 as a consequence God's
00:13:30 --> 00:13:31 going to make me
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 poor later on.
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 It's not sin and
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 punishment like that,
00:13:35 --> 00:13:35 it's not that
00:13:35 --> 00:13:36 direct, but it's
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37 more like the
00:13:37 --> 00:13:39 collective consequence
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 of sin,
00:13:40 --> 00:13:41 everybody's sin,
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 results in this
00:13:44 --> 00:13:45 disproportionate
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 allocation of
00:13:46 --> 00:13:47 wealth and
00:13:47 --> 00:13:48 starvation.
00:13:48 --> 00:13:49 It's kind of like if
00:13:49 --> 00:13:49 you wander along
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 next to Sydney
00:13:50 --> 00:13:52 Harbour, you
00:13:52 --> 00:13:52 might see a
00:13:52 --> 00:13:53 plastic bag floating
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 in the water,
00:13:54 --> 00:13:55 you might see
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 somebody's Coke
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 can, a Snickers
00:13:57 --> 00:13:58 wrapper, some
00:13:58 --> 00:13:59 sort of floating
00:13:59 --> 00:13:59 slick that you
00:13:59 --> 00:14:00 can't quite
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 identify, it's
00:14:01 --> 00:14:02 not real nice.
00:14:02 --> 00:14:03 And you might
00:14:03 --> 00:14:04 sit there at that
00:14:04 --> 00:14:04 moment as you
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 walk past and
00:14:05 --> 00:14:06 think, man,
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 whoever did that
00:14:07 --> 00:14:07 should have to
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 pay.
00:14:09 --> 00:14:09 Those dodgy
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 boat owners or
00:14:10 --> 00:14:11 whoever it is
00:14:11 --> 00:14:12 that's made that
00:14:12 --> 00:14:12 mess, they should
00:14:12 --> 00:14:13 have to clean
00:14:13 --> 00:14:13 that up.
00:14:14 --> 00:14:14 But what you've
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 got to understand
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 is you're part of
00:14:16 --> 00:14:16 the problem.
00:14:17 --> 00:14:18 Every time you
00:14:18 --> 00:14:18 flush your toilet,
00:14:18 --> 00:14:19 it's got to go
00:14:19 --> 00:14:19 somewhere.
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 I mean, it's
00:14:21 --> 00:14:22 treated, it's
00:14:22 --> 00:14:23 looked after, but
00:14:23 --> 00:14:23 it ends up in
00:14:23 --> 00:14:24 the ocean.
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 It's kind of
00:14:27 --> 00:14:28 like that with
00:14:28 --> 00:14:28 sin.
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 It's not so
00:14:30 --> 00:14:30 much that your
00:14:30 --> 00:14:32 sin will have
00:14:32 --> 00:14:33 results for you,
00:14:33 --> 00:14:35 but ultimately a
00:14:35 --> 00:14:36 whole world full of
00:14:36 --> 00:14:37 people living for
00:14:37 --> 00:14:38 themselves instead of
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 for God, a whole
00:14:39 --> 00:14:40 world full of people
00:14:40 --> 00:14:41 trying to look after
00:14:41 --> 00:14:42 themselves instead of
00:14:42 --> 00:14:44 each other, results
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 in some people
00:14:45 --> 00:14:47 missing out, results
00:14:47 --> 00:14:48 in some people
00:14:48 --> 00:14:49 starving, some
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 people living in
00:14:50 --> 00:14:50 what we would
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 consider unlivable
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 conditions.
00:14:54 --> 00:14:55 And so there's an
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 inbuilt warning for
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 us today.
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 Be very careful
00:15:00 --> 00:15:03 as you reflect on
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 issues like poverty
00:15:04 --> 00:15:05 and oppression,
00:15:06 --> 00:15:07 slave labour, all
00:15:07 --> 00:15:08 that sort of stuff,
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 be very careful
00:15:10 --> 00:15:13 not to look down
00:15:13 --> 00:15:15 on the perpetrators.
00:15:15 --> 00:15:16 Don't sit there
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 and tut-tut at
00:15:17 --> 00:15:17 Nike and their
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 sweatshops.
00:15:20 --> 00:15:23 Be sad, be
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 concerned, be
00:15:24 --> 00:15:26 frustrated, but
00:15:26 --> 00:15:27 don't judge.
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 Because you sin
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 too.
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 You're part of the
00:15:35 --> 00:15:35 problem.
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 I'm part of the
00:15:37 --> 00:15:37 problem.
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 You and I
00:15:41 --> 00:15:41 contribute to the
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 issues.
00:15:42 --> 00:15:44 part of the
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 issue.
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 Part of why this
00:15:46 --> 00:15:49 matters for us so
00:15:49 --> 00:15:49 much as Christians,
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 part of why this is a
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 measure of the
00:15:51 --> 00:15:53 genuineness of our
00:15:53 --> 00:15:53 faith is because it
00:15:53 --> 00:15:55 takes us back to our
00:15:55 --> 00:15:55 biggest issue, our
00:15:55 --> 00:15:57 rejection of who God
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 is, our rejection of
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 his plan for our life.
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 And so tonight I want
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 to encourage you, rather
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 than feeling like a
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 victim in a bad world,
00:16:05 --> 00:16:08 maybe instead you can
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 put your hand up and
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 confess that you're part
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 of the issue.
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 And then you can
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 depend on God's
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 goodness to forgive you
00:16:15 --> 00:16:17 and use you in spite of
00:16:17 --> 00:16:19 your weaknesses and
00:16:19 --> 00:16:21 limitations to still be
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 contributing in a
00:16:22 --> 00:16:23 helpful way.
00:16:25 --> 00:16:26 Poverty and inequality
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 and oppression is part of
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 a bigger issue.
00:16:28 --> 00:16:29 It's part of a sin issue.
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 It's the issue that Jesus
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 came to fix.
00:16:32 --> 00:16:32 I want to go to the
00:16:32 --> 00:16:33 Isaiah passage that was
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 read out for us and if
00:16:34 --> 00:16:35 you can get that in
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 front of you, I encourage
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 you to have Isaiah 42
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 open.
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 This passage comes at a
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 point in Israel's history
00:16:41 --> 00:16:43 where they are in exile.
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 That means they've been
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 dragged away from their
00:16:46 --> 00:16:46 homeland.
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 They're living as slaves,
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 if you like, servants of
00:16:49 --> 00:16:52 another country, longing
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 for a better time, crying
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 out to a God who had
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 promised to look after
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 them.
00:16:56 --> 00:16:58 And listen to this short
00:16:58 --> 00:17:00 few verses which is
00:17:00 --> 00:17:01 pointing towards Jesus.
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 Listen to the
00:17:03 --> 00:17:04 description of what
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 Jesus is going to do
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 and how he's going to
00:17:06 --> 00:17:06 do it.
00:17:07 --> 00:17:08 Chapter 42, verse 1.
00:17:09 --> 00:17:11 Here is my servant whom
00:17:11 --> 00:17:13 I uphold, my chosen one
00:17:13 --> 00:17:14 in whom I delight.
00:17:15 --> 00:17:16 I will put my spirit on
00:17:16 --> 00:17:18 him and, this is his job,
00:17:18 --> 00:17:21 he will bring justice to
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 the nations.
00:17:22 --> 00:17:24 He will not shout or cry
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 out or raise his voice in
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 the streets.
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 A bruised reed he will not
00:17:28 --> 00:17:30 break and a smouldering
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 wick he will not snuff out.
00:17:32 --> 00:17:34 In faithfulness he will
00:17:34 --> 00:17:36 bring forth justice.
00:17:37 --> 00:17:39 He will not falter or be
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 discouraged till he
00:17:40 --> 00:17:42 establishes justice on the
00:17:42 --> 00:17:42 earth.
00:17:43 --> 00:17:45 In his law the islands will
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 put their hope.
00:17:48 --> 00:17:50 Jesus comes to bring
00:17:50 --> 00:17:50 justice.
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 Now we know, we read the
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 New Testament, Jesus comes
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 to deal with sin and that's
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 the point.
00:17:56 --> 00:17:58 They're actually connected.
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 It's the same problem.
00:17:59 --> 00:18:01 It requires the same
00:18:01 --> 00:18:01 solution.
00:18:03 --> 00:18:04 In the book of Isaiah,
00:18:04 --> 00:18:06 justice is given a much
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 richer definition.
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 Sometimes when we think
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 justice, our mind goes
00:18:10 --> 00:18:12 straight away to a
00:18:12 --> 00:18:12 courtroom.
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 We think about punishments
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 given out.
00:18:15 --> 00:18:16 We think about people being
00:18:16 --> 00:18:18 maybe vindicated if they've
00:18:18 --> 00:18:19 been wrongly accused.
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 We think about this
00:18:20 --> 00:18:22 judicial decree.
00:18:23 --> 00:18:25 And that's part of the
00:18:25 --> 00:18:25 picture.
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 That's the Matthew 25
00:18:26 --> 00:18:28 picture where the King
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 Jesus sits on the throne
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 and says, you're a sheep,
00:18:31 --> 00:18:31 you're a goat.
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 He does decree, innocent,
00:18:33 --> 00:18:33 guilty, on board.
00:18:33 --> 00:18:35 But there's more going on
00:18:35 --> 00:18:35 here.
00:18:36 --> 00:18:38 What Isaiah does for us
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 is help us to see that when
00:18:39 --> 00:18:41 God talks about justice,
00:18:42 --> 00:18:44 it includes all of his good
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 intention.
00:18:46 --> 00:18:48 It includes essentially his
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 will.
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 What the servant will bring
00:18:51 --> 00:18:53 is what was always supposed
00:18:53 --> 00:18:53 to be.
00:18:53 --> 00:18:56 What the servant will do is
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 fix everything that's
00:18:57 --> 00:18:57 wrong.
00:18:58 --> 00:19:00 What Jesus does when he
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 turns up is not just some
00:19:01 --> 00:19:03 abstract up there, fix some
00:19:03 --> 00:19:05 sin so that one day we go
00:19:05 --> 00:19:05 to heaven.
00:19:05 --> 00:19:07 He turns up to bring justice,
00:19:08 --> 00:19:10 to deal with inequality, to
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 deal with poverty, to deal
00:19:11 --> 00:19:13 with all the symptoms of sin
00:19:13 --> 00:19:15 that exist in our lives, to
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 deal with sickness and pain
00:19:16 --> 00:19:18 and frustration and anxiety
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 and all these things.
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 You can see it in Jesus'
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 ministry.
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 Yes, he preaches.
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 He says, come.
00:19:24 --> 00:19:25 He says, put your trust in
00:19:25 --> 00:19:25 me.
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 Be forgiven.
00:19:26 --> 00:19:28 But he also feeds people
00:19:28 --> 00:19:30 and heals people and deals
00:19:30 --> 00:19:32 with physical needs because
00:19:32 --> 00:19:34 all of the inequality, all of
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 the problems that we face in
00:19:35 --> 00:19:37 life come back to the same
00:19:37 --> 00:19:41 root issue of sin, of rejecting
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 God.
00:19:44 --> 00:19:46 There's something really cool
00:19:46 --> 00:19:48 about the way that the servant
00:19:48 --> 00:19:49 will bring justice.
00:19:49 --> 00:19:51 on one level, it doesn't
00:19:51 --> 00:19:53 sound inspiring when you
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 think about the kind of
00:19:54 --> 00:19:56 opposition that you would
00:19:56 --> 00:19:58 face if you were on a justice
00:19:58 --> 00:20:00 crusade in our world now.
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 But listen to them.
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 Verse 2.
00:20:04 --> 00:20:06 He will not shout or cry out or
00:20:06 --> 00:20:08 raise his voice in the streets.
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 A bruised reed he will not
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 break.
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 A smouldering wick he will not
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 snuff out.
00:20:13 --> 00:20:17 In faithfulness, he will bring
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 forth justice.
00:20:19 --> 00:20:21 He will not falter or be
00:20:21 --> 00:20:23 discouraged till he establishes
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 justice on the earth.
00:20:25 --> 00:20:28 He will face opposition, but the
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 means by which he will bring
00:20:29 --> 00:20:33 justice is not force, but sacrifice.
00:20:33 --> 00:20:44 At his cost, at his expense, we
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 can be vindicated.
00:20:51 --> 00:20:53 God goes to extraordinary lengths
00:20:53 --> 00:20:55 to fix what's wrong with the
00:20:55 --> 00:20:55 world.
00:20:57 --> 00:20:59 He sends his son so that people
00:20:59 --> 00:21:01 like us who tell God whatever we
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 don't care can actually have a
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 relationship with him.
00:21:03 --> 00:21:05 But more than that, he sends his
00:21:05 --> 00:21:07 son so that people like us who
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 treat each other like we don't
00:21:08 --> 00:21:10 matter, or at very least treat
00:21:10 --> 00:21:12 each other like I'm number one,
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 can actually have the kind of
00:21:14 --> 00:21:15 relationships we were supposed to
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 have.
00:21:16 --> 00:21:18 The kind of relationships we were
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 designed to have of service and
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 love.
00:21:23 --> 00:21:25 This matters for us as Christians
00:21:25 --> 00:21:27 because all people matter to God
00:21:27 --> 00:21:29 and it matters because it's not the
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 way it's supposed to be.
00:21:31 --> 00:21:33 It's not the picture of God's good
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34 design at the beginning.
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 It's not the picture of what Jesus
00:21:35 --> 00:21:37 has achieved and we're going to
00:21:37 --> 00:21:37 enjoy in heaven.
00:21:40 --> 00:21:43 And now that Jesus has come, the
00:21:43 --> 00:21:45 work he has begun, he has entrusted
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 to us to continue.
00:21:50 --> 00:21:52 To defend the cause of the
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 fatherless and the widow.
00:21:53 --> 00:22:00 plus this is evidence of his grace to
00:22:00 --> 00:22:00 us.
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 This is how grace plays out.
00:22:04 --> 00:22:06 It shifts our perspective on life and
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 the things that we do.
00:22:08 --> 00:22:11 In my previous church, I had a friend
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 who I did ministry with.
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 I'm not going to mention his name
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 because it's a pseudo-incriminating
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 story.
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 He's a good guy.
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 I love him.
00:22:18 --> 00:22:18 He loves Jesus.
00:22:19 --> 00:22:19 He's fantastic.
00:22:19 --> 00:22:21 He was a great resource for me.
00:22:21 --> 00:22:23 One of the rules that you have in
00:22:23 --> 00:22:25 ministry or that I have in ministry
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 is that you should never pay full
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 price.
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 Mainly because I don't have enough
00:22:28 --> 00:22:28 money.
00:22:29 --> 00:22:29 And so whenever we're running
00:22:29 --> 00:22:31 anything, I'm trying to get a
00:22:31 --> 00:22:31 discount.
00:22:31 --> 00:22:33 I'm trying to sort of wrangle a deal.
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 I want a cheap bus.
00:22:34 --> 00:22:35 I want a free bus.
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 I want the pizzas for a discount.
00:22:36 --> 00:22:38 I want whatever I can do to not pay
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 the full price for things.
00:22:40 --> 00:22:43 He took this to a whole other level.
00:22:43 --> 00:22:45 We used to run quite a big youth
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 ministry camp.
00:22:46 --> 00:22:48 We had sort of 400 plus people on
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 this camp.
00:22:49 --> 00:22:52 And he would get us like seven
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 minibuses for free like that.
00:22:54 --> 00:22:56 Like he had people tripping over
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 themselves, competing with one
00:22:57 --> 00:22:59 another to give us good deals.
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 He just, I don't know how he did it.
00:23:00 --> 00:23:02 One year on camp, it was like 40
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 degree plus.
00:23:03 --> 00:23:05 We were in this big barn for our
00:23:05 --> 00:23:05 meetings.
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 It was horrific.
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 Kids would get bleeding noses from
00:23:07 --> 00:23:07 the heat.
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 It was terrible.
00:23:08 --> 00:23:10 And so one year he turns around to
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 me after being on the phone for 15
00:23:11 --> 00:23:11 minutes.
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 He goes, oh, I've convinced a company
00:23:13 --> 00:23:15 to travel down, set up portable air
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 conditioning in the hall.
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 And then at the end of the week,
00:23:17 --> 00:23:19 pack it up and take it away for free.
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 I'm like, that's great.
00:23:23 --> 00:23:23 But how?
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 I remember one time in particular,
00:23:27 --> 00:23:29 we were just out to dinner.
00:23:29 --> 00:23:29 It wasn't ministry.
00:23:29 --> 00:23:32 We went to the good old all-you-can-eat
00:23:32 --> 00:23:32 Pizza Hut.
00:23:33 --> 00:23:35 Really is a sad reality that they're
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 all gone.
00:23:36 --> 00:23:38 Just have a moment of pause and
00:23:38 --> 00:23:40 lament over the fact that that's not
00:23:40 --> 00:23:40 around.
00:23:41 --> 00:23:43 Anyway, we went to Pizza Hut all-you-can-eat.
00:23:43 --> 00:23:45 It was a good value restaurant.
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 For those of you who missed that
00:23:46 --> 00:23:48 reality, which actually might be a few
00:23:48 --> 00:23:51 of you, it was just like a smorgasbord
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 of pizza and you could just keep going
00:23:52 --> 00:23:54 back and back and back.
00:23:54 --> 00:23:56 They had like a dessert bar as well,
00:23:56 --> 00:23:58 so all the soft serve you can eat.
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 It was amazing.
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 So the only thing lacking was
00:24:00 --> 00:24:02 refillable soft drinks, but you know,
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 that's for another day.
00:24:03 --> 00:24:04 So we're in Pizza Hut.
00:24:05 --> 00:24:05 We're eating pizza.
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 We're chatting.
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 We're having a good time.
00:24:07 --> 00:24:09 And it comes to the end of our meal
00:24:09 --> 00:24:11 and it's almost time to pay.
00:24:11 --> 00:24:13 And I notice he, my friend gets up
00:24:13 --> 00:24:13 and disappears.
00:24:14 --> 00:24:16 Sort of didn't think heaps of it.
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 Maybe he's going to the bathroom,
00:24:17 --> 00:24:17 whatever.
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 And the manager happened to be sitting
00:24:19 --> 00:24:21 in a booth a couple of spots away.
00:24:21 --> 00:24:23 I think she was doing the figures for
00:24:23 --> 00:24:23 the night.
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 They were getting ready to close up.
00:24:25 --> 00:24:27 And I noticed out of the corner of my
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 eye that my friend sat down on her
00:24:28 --> 00:24:31 table and obviously they were chatting.
00:24:31 --> 00:24:33 And a few minutes later he comes back
00:24:33 --> 00:24:35 and he goes, okay, we can go.
00:24:35 --> 00:24:38 And I said, did you pay for dinner?
00:24:39 --> 00:24:39 He said, no.
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 I said, do we need to pay for dinner?
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 He said, no.
00:24:43 --> 00:24:45 I went, okay.
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 Sounds good.
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 And out we go.
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48 And it wasn't until we got outside
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 that I went, wait a minute.
00:24:49 --> 00:24:50 Why don't we have to pay for dinner?
00:24:51 --> 00:24:51 What just happened?
00:24:52 --> 00:24:55 And he says to me, well, I just explained
00:24:55 --> 00:24:57 to the manager that the pizza available
00:24:57 --> 00:24:59 on the All You Can Eat bar wasn't of
00:24:59 --> 00:25:01 sufficient variety that I could actually
00:25:01 --> 00:25:01 call it All You Can Eat.
00:25:02 --> 00:25:04 And also the time, amount of time that
00:25:04 --> 00:25:06 it took for our drinks to arrive after
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 ordering at the beginning weren't
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 sufficient to be serviced that we should
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 pay for.
00:25:09 --> 00:25:11 And she agreed, and so they agreed,
00:25:12 --> 00:25:13 that our dinner would be free.
00:25:15 --> 00:25:16 Now let's remember that All You Can Eat
00:25:16 --> 00:25:19 Pizza Hut was a whopping $5.95.
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 Generous savings.
00:25:25 --> 00:25:27 Now, like I said, I love my friend.
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 He's good value.
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 He is a blessing in many ways.
00:25:29 --> 00:25:33 But I was reflecting this week on something
00:25:33 --> 00:25:37 that he maybe has in hyperversion,
00:25:37 --> 00:25:39 but is true of all of us.
00:25:40 --> 00:25:44 The way we approach all of our interactions
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 like that, where there's money involved,
00:25:45 --> 00:25:47 where it's shopping, eating, whatever,
00:25:47 --> 00:25:50 the number one dictating factor for us is,
00:25:51 --> 00:25:52 maybe I'm speaking out of turn,
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 but I don't think I am.
00:25:53 --> 00:25:55 The number one factor is,
00:25:56 --> 00:25:58 how can I get the best deal for me?
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 Think about it.
00:26:01 --> 00:26:03 You go shopping for something,
00:26:03 --> 00:26:05 you go from shop to shop to find the cheapest place,
00:26:06 --> 00:26:07 and then you go online to get it even cheaper
00:26:07 --> 00:26:09 once you've found the right size.
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 It's how we shop.
00:26:12 --> 00:26:14 And it makes sense in so many ways,
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 that like, that's logical,
00:26:15 --> 00:26:17 I don't want to pay any more than I have to.
00:26:18 --> 00:26:20 But can you see that behind that mentality
00:26:20 --> 00:26:22 is an attitude of,
00:26:22 --> 00:26:25 this is all about my outcome.
00:26:28 --> 00:26:30 This is all about my experience.
00:26:30 --> 00:26:32 There's not even a level of awareness or engagement
00:26:32 --> 00:26:34 of the person on the other side of the counter,
00:26:34 --> 00:26:36 let alone the person who drove whatever it is
00:26:36 --> 00:26:37 and delivered it to the shop,
00:26:37 --> 00:26:38 let alone the person who made it,
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 let alone anyone else.
00:26:40 --> 00:26:42 The driving thing for us is,
00:26:42 --> 00:26:42 me.
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 Me.
00:26:47 --> 00:26:49 The reason issues like poverty
00:26:49 --> 00:26:52 and caring for those in need
00:26:52 --> 00:26:54 matter when it comes to being a Christian
00:26:54 --> 00:26:57 is because it's a reflection
00:26:57 --> 00:27:00 of the change that God has worked in us.
00:27:02 --> 00:27:04 See, it makes sense
00:27:04 --> 00:27:07 to look after yourself.
00:27:08 --> 00:27:09 It makes sense
00:27:09 --> 00:27:11 to try and provide for yourself.
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 It makes sense
00:27:13 --> 00:27:15 to get the best scenario for you
00:27:15 --> 00:27:15 unless
00:27:15 --> 00:27:20 somebody else has already done it.
00:27:25 --> 00:27:25 See,
00:27:25 --> 00:27:28 if you claim to be a follower of Jesus,
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 what you're saying is,
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 God loves me.
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 God provides for me.
00:27:38 --> 00:27:40 God gives me so much more
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 than I could possibly need or deserve.
00:27:41 --> 00:27:44 God has guaranteed
00:27:44 --> 00:27:45 my eternal future.
00:27:46 --> 00:27:47 God has forgiven me.
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 God has given me
00:27:50 --> 00:27:52 every good thing in my life.
00:27:53 --> 00:27:54 And so actually,
00:27:54 --> 00:27:56 it doesn't make sense
00:27:56 --> 00:27:59 to then go out into the shops
00:27:59 --> 00:28:02 and live as if you need to look after number one.
00:28:04 --> 00:28:06 You need to get the best deal for you.
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 Because actually,
00:28:08 --> 00:28:10 God is already looking after you
00:28:10 --> 00:28:11 and He's told you in Scripture
00:28:11 --> 00:28:12 that He cares about the person
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 on the other side of the counter.
00:28:13 --> 00:28:15 He cares about the person
00:28:15 --> 00:28:16 that made that shirt
00:28:16 --> 00:28:17 or that coffee
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 or whatever else it is.
00:28:19 --> 00:28:20 They're valuable to Him.
00:28:26 --> 00:28:28 The Christian life
00:28:28 --> 00:28:30 is a redefined reality.
00:28:30 --> 00:28:32 We have a new starting point.
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 See,
00:28:34 --> 00:28:34 the issue
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 back at the beginning
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 when we talked about
00:28:36 --> 00:28:37 that news story
00:28:37 --> 00:28:37 that tells us about
00:28:37 --> 00:28:38 the three Australians,
00:28:38 --> 00:28:39 and again,
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 I do it.
00:28:40 --> 00:28:42 I'm not casting judgment on you.
00:28:42 --> 00:28:43 I do it as well.
00:28:43 --> 00:28:43 I go,
00:28:43 --> 00:28:44 oh, you know,
00:28:44 --> 00:28:45 three Australians.
00:28:45 --> 00:28:45 That's really sad.
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 The issue there is
00:28:47 --> 00:28:48 that the reason that's sad
00:28:48 --> 00:28:49 is because
00:28:49 --> 00:28:51 that connects
00:28:51 --> 00:28:51 to where I am.
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 Because the way
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 I view justice
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 and poverty
00:28:55 --> 00:28:56 and everything else
00:28:56 --> 00:28:56 in the world
00:28:56 --> 00:28:57 is defined
00:28:57 --> 00:28:58 by how it connects
00:28:58 --> 00:28:58 to me.
00:29:00 --> 00:29:01 But as a Christian,
00:29:02 --> 00:29:02 that's not
00:29:02 --> 00:29:04 how we view the world.
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 The world is defined
00:29:05 --> 00:29:07 and sin is defined
00:29:07 --> 00:29:07 and the issues
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08 in the world
00:29:08 --> 00:29:08 are defined
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 by how does this
00:29:09 --> 00:29:10 relate to God.
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 And God says,
00:29:11 --> 00:29:11 every person
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 on that plane
00:29:12 --> 00:29:12 matters to me.
00:29:13 --> 00:29:13 God says,
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 every person
00:29:14 --> 00:29:15 who's making a shirt
00:29:15 --> 00:29:15 or a shoe
00:29:15 --> 00:29:16 or a meal
00:29:16 --> 00:29:17 or whatever it else is
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 matters to me.
00:29:20 --> 00:29:21 And then He says,
00:29:21 --> 00:29:23 I'm going to look after you.
00:29:24 --> 00:29:26 So we don't have
00:29:26 --> 00:29:27 to shop anymore
00:29:27 --> 00:29:28 with this fear
00:29:28 --> 00:29:29 of who's going
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 to look after me.
00:29:30 --> 00:29:32 We don't have
00:29:32 --> 00:29:33 to live our lives
00:29:33 --> 00:29:34 anymore with this fear
00:29:34 --> 00:29:36 of what about me?
00:29:38 --> 00:29:39 God's got that covered.
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 So I guess just to finish,
00:29:47 --> 00:29:48 I wanted to ask the question,
00:29:48 --> 00:29:49 where does a Fair Trade Expo fit?
00:29:50 --> 00:29:51 Whether you made it here today
00:29:51 --> 00:29:52 for the Fair Trade Expo
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 or not,
00:29:53 --> 00:29:53 you know roughly
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 the gist of it.
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 Fair Trade basically
00:29:56 --> 00:29:57 means two things.
00:29:57 --> 00:29:58 One is you pay
00:29:58 --> 00:29:59 a little bit more
00:29:59 --> 00:30:00 for the same product.
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 Then you have to.
00:30:03 --> 00:30:03 And two,
00:30:05 --> 00:30:06 the person who's making
00:30:06 --> 00:30:07 that product
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08 gets paid
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 what they deserve.
00:30:10 --> 00:30:11 That's what Fair Trade is.
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 There's a whole bunch
00:30:12 --> 00:30:13 of other stuff
00:30:13 --> 00:30:13 about investing
00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 in their businesses
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15 and enabling them
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16 to be sustainable
00:30:16 --> 00:30:17 and doing training
00:30:17 --> 00:30:19 and lending of money
00:30:19 --> 00:30:19 and a whole bunch
00:30:19 --> 00:30:19 of other things
00:30:19 --> 00:30:20 which you can research
00:30:20 --> 00:30:21 and all sorts of stuff.
00:30:21 --> 00:30:24 But a Fair Trade Expo,
00:30:24 --> 00:30:25 where does it fit
00:30:25 --> 00:30:26 when it comes to checking
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27 our social conscience,
00:30:28 --> 00:30:29 our love for the poor?
00:30:29 --> 00:30:30 Well, it's not the solution.
00:30:33 --> 00:30:33 Buying Fair Trade
00:30:33 --> 00:30:35 won't fix poverty
00:30:35 --> 00:30:35 in the world
00:30:35 --> 00:30:36 because we know
00:30:36 --> 00:30:37 that poverty
00:30:37 --> 00:30:38 is a symptom of sin.
00:30:39 --> 00:30:39 Only Jesus
00:30:39 --> 00:30:41 can fix that.
00:30:42 --> 00:30:43 But what something
00:30:43 --> 00:30:45 like Fair Trade does
00:30:45 --> 00:30:46 or just giving generally
00:30:46 --> 00:30:47 to those in need
00:30:47 --> 00:30:48 does
00:30:48 --> 00:30:53 is it gives us
00:30:53 --> 00:30:53 a chance
00:30:53 --> 00:30:55 to remember,
00:30:56 --> 00:30:57 to remind ourselves
00:30:57 --> 00:30:59 that we don't have
00:30:59 --> 00:31:00 to be worried
00:31:00 --> 00:31:01 about me
00:31:01 --> 00:31:03 because God is.
00:31:05 --> 00:31:06 It's a chance
00:31:06 --> 00:31:07 to remind ourselves
00:31:07 --> 00:31:08 that as we go
00:31:08 --> 00:31:09 looking for the things
00:31:09 --> 00:31:09 that we need,
00:31:10 --> 00:31:10 and I use that
00:31:10 --> 00:31:11 very loosely,
00:31:13 --> 00:31:14 God has already
00:31:14 --> 00:31:15 provided it all.
00:31:15 --> 00:31:19 Maybe it gives us
00:31:19 --> 00:31:20 a chance
00:31:20 --> 00:31:20 to get a bigger picture
00:31:20 --> 00:31:21 of the kinds of people
00:31:21 --> 00:31:22 that live
00:31:22 --> 00:31:23 in the world
00:31:23 --> 00:31:23 with us
00:31:23 --> 00:31:24 that God cares about
00:31:24 --> 00:31:25 that matter
00:31:25 --> 00:31:26 and the kind of situations
00:31:26 --> 00:31:27 they're living in.
00:31:30 --> 00:31:32 But more than anything else,
00:31:33 --> 00:31:35 shopping,
00:31:35 --> 00:31:36 Fair Trade,
00:31:36 --> 00:31:37 giving to those in need,
00:31:37 --> 00:31:38 caring for people
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 who need it
00:31:38 --> 00:31:41 is a chance
00:31:41 --> 00:31:41 for us
00:31:41 --> 00:31:42 to come back
00:31:42 --> 00:31:44 and just again
00:31:44 --> 00:31:46 be reminded
00:31:46 --> 00:31:47 of the confidence
00:31:47 --> 00:31:48 and hope
00:31:48 --> 00:31:49 we have in Jesus.
00:31:51 --> 00:31:52 A Fair Trade Expo
00:31:52 --> 00:31:53 is not designed
00:31:53 --> 00:31:54 to make you feel guilty.
00:31:54 --> 00:31:55 This sermon
00:31:55 --> 00:31:56 is not designed
00:31:56 --> 00:31:56 to make you go
00:31:56 --> 00:31:57 and spend more
00:31:57 --> 00:31:58 on Fair Trade
00:31:58 --> 00:31:58 this Christmas
00:31:58 --> 00:32:00 or feel guilty
00:32:00 --> 00:32:01 about every present
00:32:01 --> 00:32:01 you buy
00:32:01 --> 00:32:02 or anything like that.
00:32:02 --> 00:32:03 It's kind of not the point.
00:32:06 --> 00:32:07 The point is
00:32:07 --> 00:32:09 God loves you.
00:32:11 --> 00:32:13 God has provided
00:32:13 --> 00:32:14 for you in Jesus
00:32:14 --> 00:32:16 and so you don't have
00:32:16 --> 00:32:16 to stress
00:32:16 --> 00:32:17 with the what about me
00:32:17 --> 00:32:18 question anymore.
00:32:18 --> 00:32:19 You're released
00:32:19 --> 00:32:21 to go and love
00:32:21 --> 00:32:21 and invest
00:32:21 --> 00:32:22 in people
00:32:22 --> 00:32:23 that you'll never meet
00:32:23 --> 00:32:28 but who right now
00:32:28 --> 00:32:29 live in conditions
00:32:29 --> 00:32:30 that we just
00:32:30 --> 00:32:30 wouldn't tolerate.
00:32:33 --> 00:32:34 It's a chance
00:32:34 --> 00:32:34 for you
00:32:34 --> 00:32:35 to be reminded
00:32:35 --> 00:32:35 that the things
00:32:35 --> 00:32:36 of this world
00:32:36 --> 00:32:37 are temporary
00:32:37 --> 00:32:38 and all the things
00:32:38 --> 00:32:39 that really matter
00:32:39 --> 00:32:40 can't be taken away
00:32:40 --> 00:32:40 anyway.
00:32:45 --> 00:32:46 It's a chance
00:32:46 --> 00:32:46 for you
00:32:46 --> 00:32:47 to loosen your grip
00:32:47 --> 00:32:48 on the things
00:32:48 --> 00:32:49 that God has given you
00:32:49 --> 00:32:50 so that you can
00:32:50 --> 00:32:51 tighten your grip
00:32:51 --> 00:32:51 on Him.
00:32:56 --> 00:32:57 Let's pray.
00:32:57 --> 00:32:57 Let's pray.
00:33:02 --> 00:33:03 Father God,
00:33:03 --> 00:33:04 we want to admit
00:33:04 --> 00:33:05 that sometimes
00:33:05 --> 00:33:05 when we look
00:33:05 --> 00:33:06 at things like this
00:33:06 --> 00:33:07 it's really easy
00:33:07 --> 00:33:08 to realize
00:33:08 --> 00:33:09 that we suck
00:33:09 --> 00:33:10 at this.
00:33:11 --> 00:33:11 It's really easy
00:33:11 --> 00:33:12 to get distracted
00:33:12 --> 00:33:13 by feeling guilty,
00:33:14 --> 00:33:16 to get distracted
00:33:16 --> 00:33:16 by failure,
00:33:17 --> 00:33:18 to maybe push
00:33:18 --> 00:33:19 this message away
00:33:19 --> 00:33:21 because it's not
00:33:21 --> 00:33:21 comfortable
00:33:21 --> 00:33:24 but God,
00:33:24 --> 00:33:24 but God,
00:33:24 --> 00:33:24 help guilt
00:33:24 --> 00:33:25 not to be the
00:33:25 --> 00:33:25 destination
00:33:25 --> 00:33:26 for us.
00:33:28 --> 00:33:29 If there is guilt,
00:33:29 --> 00:33:30 help us to give it
00:33:30 --> 00:33:30 to you.
00:33:31 --> 00:33:32 Help us to remember
00:33:32 --> 00:33:33 that you love us
00:33:33 --> 00:33:34 in spite of who we are.
00:33:35 --> 00:33:37 That one of the gifts
00:33:37 --> 00:33:37 that you give us
00:33:37 --> 00:33:38 is to take our guilt
00:33:38 --> 00:33:39 on yourself,
00:33:40 --> 00:33:41 to take our shame
00:33:41 --> 00:33:42 away,
00:33:42 --> 00:33:43 to release us.
00:33:44 --> 00:33:45 God,
00:33:45 --> 00:33:45 thank you for your
00:33:45 --> 00:33:47 patience with us
00:33:47 --> 00:33:49 as we stumble
00:33:49 --> 00:33:50 and as we keep
00:33:50 --> 00:33:51 trying to grow
00:33:51 --> 00:33:51 into this life
00:33:51 --> 00:33:52 that you have
00:33:52 --> 00:33:53 designed for us.
00:33:55 --> 00:33:55 God,
00:33:55 --> 00:33:56 right now
00:33:56 --> 00:33:57 there are so many
00:33:57 --> 00:33:58 people in this world
00:33:58 --> 00:33:59 that you cherish,
00:34:00 --> 00:34:03 that live with
00:34:03 --> 00:34:04 less than what
00:34:04 --> 00:34:04 they need.
00:34:08 --> 00:34:09 Please enable us
00:34:09 --> 00:34:10 to be a blessing
00:34:10 --> 00:34:11 for them.
00:34:12 --> 00:34:13 Enable us
00:34:13 --> 00:34:14 to be bringers
00:34:14 --> 00:34:15 of your justice,
00:34:16 --> 00:34:16 to proclaim
00:34:16 --> 00:34:17 the hope
00:34:17 --> 00:34:18 of Jesus,
00:34:18 --> 00:34:19 to use what
00:34:19 --> 00:34:20 you have entrusted
00:34:20 --> 00:34:21 to us so that
00:34:21 --> 00:34:22 you might get glory,
00:34:22 --> 00:34:23 so that people
00:34:23 --> 00:34:23 might recognize
00:34:23 --> 00:34:24 that you are
00:34:24 --> 00:34:25 a God who cares.
00:34:26 --> 00:34:27 You are a God
00:34:27 --> 00:34:28 who provides.
00:34:30 --> 00:34:31 Father,
00:34:31 --> 00:34:31 thank you for
00:34:31 --> 00:34:32 placing us
00:34:32 --> 00:34:34 here in this church
00:34:34 --> 00:34:35 at this time
00:34:35 --> 00:34:36 with these resources.
00:34:38 --> 00:34:39 Please so shape
00:34:39 --> 00:34:39 our hearts
00:34:39 --> 00:34:40 that we might
00:34:40 --> 00:34:41 be faithful
00:34:41 --> 00:34:41 with what you
00:34:41 --> 00:34:42 have entrusted
00:34:42 --> 00:34:42 to us.
00:34:44 --> 00:34:44 Amen.