For God's Glory
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 27th March 2022
Passage: Isaiah 6:1-7
00:00:00 --> 00:00:04 Good morning, everyone. Great to be with you again this morning.
00:00:05 --> 00:00:09 If you'd like to keep your Bibles open there at Isaiah, that would be fantastic.
00:00:11 --> 00:00:15 This vision series, the title of it is All Your Life.
00:00:15 --> 00:00:17 It's up there on the screen. All Your Life.
00:00:18 --> 00:00:20 And yet, it's not about you.
00:00:20 --> 00:00:25 Well, this is what Rick Warren says in the opening of his book, The Purpose Driven Life.
00:00:25 --> 00:00:33 He goes on to say that the purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment,
00:00:34 --> 00:00:36 your peace of mind, or even your happiness.
00:00:37 --> 00:00:43 It is far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions.
00:00:44 --> 00:00:51 If you want to know why you were placed on this planet, you must begin with God.
00:00:51 --> 00:00:56 You were born by his purpose and for his purpose.
00:00:57 --> 00:01:01 That, in essence, is what we've been engaging with over the course of this term,
00:01:01 --> 00:01:06 as we've looked at this topic of all of your life and God's purpose for you,
00:01:07 --> 00:01:09 for us as a church here at St. Paul's.
00:01:10 --> 00:01:13 But a church like this, multi-ethnic, as we've already heard multiple times,
00:01:13 --> 00:01:21 multi-ethnic, multi-generational, is but a mere reflection of God's ultimate goal in history.
00:01:21 --> 00:01:28 The final picture of history and the goal of God's plan for history is in Revelation 5.
00:01:28 --> 00:01:33 We just had a little bit of it read out to us because we wanted to end there at the point
00:01:33 --> 00:01:37 where there's great tears in the heavenly realms because no one can open the scroll.
00:01:38 --> 00:01:39 That's a problem.
00:01:39 --> 00:01:44 It's a massive problem because this scroll is the revelation of God's plans and purposes
00:01:44 --> 00:01:45 for all of history.
00:01:45 --> 00:01:49 And if you don't know what it is, if you can't open it, you can't read, you don't know what it is,
00:01:50 --> 00:01:52 then everything is purposeless.
00:01:53 --> 00:01:57 And so there's tears because there's purposelessness in life.
00:01:58 --> 00:02:07 And then in verse 9 of chapter 5 of Revelation, the Apostle John tells us that Jesus is able to open the scroll
00:02:07 --> 00:02:12 and tells us why Jesus is worthy to open this scroll, this book of the end of history,
00:02:13 --> 00:02:17 so that everything unfolds according to the plan of God.
00:02:18 --> 00:02:26 And he declares there that Jesus is worthy because of how his death relates to all races and tribes
00:02:26 --> 00:02:27 and peoples of the earth.
00:02:27 --> 00:02:28 We read,
00:02:28 --> 00:02:33 You are worthy to take the scroll to open its seals because you were slain.
00:02:35 --> 00:02:41 And with your blood, you purchased people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.
00:02:41 --> 00:02:46 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God,
00:02:46 --> 00:02:49 and they will reign on the earth.
00:02:49 --> 00:02:56 That is the reason why Jesus is the one who can open the book of history
00:02:56 --> 00:03:01 and bring history to its ultimate goal and ending,
00:03:01 --> 00:03:06 is that by his death, he has ransomed for God,
00:03:06 --> 00:03:09 that is for the glory of God and for the worship of God,
00:03:10 --> 00:03:13 people from every tribe and language and nation.
00:03:13 --> 00:03:22 Notice too that everyone who has been ransomed by Jesus is called a priest.
00:03:24 --> 00:03:32 That is, a Christian by definition is a full-time worshipper of God.
00:03:32 --> 00:03:34 That's your job, if you like.
00:03:34 --> 00:03:35 That's your role, your full-time.
00:03:35 --> 00:03:39 You have been rescued from non-worship for worship.
00:03:39 --> 00:03:46 Jesus died to ransom worshippers for God from every race and language and cultures of the earth.
00:03:47 --> 00:03:54 And the goal of all things is in Revelation 5, verses 13 and 14, if you've got that open.
00:03:56 --> 00:04:02 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea
00:04:02 --> 00:04:05 and all that is in them singing,
00:04:05 --> 00:04:09 to him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb,
00:04:09 --> 00:04:13 be praise and honour and glory and power forever and ever.
00:04:14 --> 00:04:17 The four living creatures said, Amen.
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 And the elders fell down and worshipped.
00:04:22 --> 00:04:22 That's it there.
00:04:23 --> 00:04:24 That's the end of all things.
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 That's the purpose of all things right there.
00:04:27 --> 00:04:30 That right there is what creation is about.
00:04:30 --> 00:04:32 This is what history is about.
00:04:33 --> 00:04:35 It's what the nations are about.
00:04:35 --> 00:04:36 It's what the races are about.
00:04:36 --> 00:04:37 It's what language is about.
00:04:37 --> 00:04:38 It's what St. Paul is about.
00:04:38 --> 00:04:39 It's what my life is about.
00:04:40 --> 00:04:41 It's what your life is about.
00:04:41 --> 00:04:42 Right there.
00:04:43 --> 00:04:48 We exist to worship the magnificent and the gracious God.
00:04:48 --> 00:04:54 And in the end, God's purpose is that we have been ransomed through Christ to do that,
00:04:54 --> 00:04:58 not just now, but for all of eternity, for our joy.
00:05:00 --> 00:05:10 And we will never live out that purpose now or follow through with any commitment that we might have made in this vision series
00:05:10 --> 00:05:14 unless we are captivated by him.
00:05:16 --> 00:05:19 Mere self-will won't do it.
00:05:19 --> 00:05:21 Pulling up our socks and trying harder will not do it.
00:05:21 --> 00:05:23 We must be captivated by Christ.
00:05:25 --> 00:05:33 And our lives will never be captivated and giving glory to God,
00:05:35 --> 00:05:36 worshipping him,
00:05:37 --> 00:05:40 while ever we are captivated by far lesser glories.
00:05:40 --> 00:05:45 While ever we are gazing on far lesser glories,
00:05:46 --> 00:05:49 we will never be captivated by the ultimate glory.
00:05:49 --> 00:05:54 That ultimately, to cut to the chase, is what your devotional life is about.
00:05:55 --> 00:05:59 Your devotional life is about God's presence,
00:05:59 --> 00:06:04 is about seeing Christ in his word for his glory.
00:06:04 --> 00:06:07 We need to see God.
00:06:07 --> 00:06:11 We need to gaze on his glory, to live life well.
00:06:13 --> 00:06:18 That is, we don't exist by bread and water alone,
00:06:18 --> 00:06:22 but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
00:06:22 --> 00:06:30 And my thinking of it is that we need that now more than anything.
00:06:33 --> 00:06:39 Anxiety and apathy are rising in our society
00:06:39 --> 00:06:42 and rising in the church after two years of COVID.
00:06:43 --> 00:06:46 I think that the languishing stuff that I've spoken about previously
00:06:46 --> 00:06:49 is a very real thing for us.
00:06:49 --> 00:06:53 One example is our NextGen project.
00:06:53 --> 00:06:58 Now, don't even, you know, scold you on this.
00:06:58 --> 00:06:59 That's not my intention here.
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02 We've got four days to go,
00:07:02 --> 00:07:07 and so far we've raised about $13 of our $70.
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12 Let me tell you, my experience here is
00:07:12 --> 00:07:19 I've not seen a response like that in 10 years at St. Paul's.
00:07:21 --> 00:07:23 And so therefore, my conclusion is
00:07:23 --> 00:07:25 that what we need now,
00:07:25 --> 00:07:29 even more than we need the rest of that money
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 to make up the $70 that we're after,
00:07:31 --> 00:07:34 we need to see God.
00:07:34 --> 00:07:37 We need to see his glory and be captivated by him.
00:07:37 --> 00:07:40 And so I want to take, as we finish off this vision series,
00:07:41 --> 00:07:44 just take one last glimpse of our great God
00:07:44 --> 00:07:48 and why he is worthy of all of your life.
00:07:50 --> 00:07:54 Why he is worthy for you to be captivated by him,
00:07:54 --> 00:07:56 to worship him, to adore him,
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 to magnify, glorify him,
00:07:58 --> 00:08:00 and do everything to align to him.
00:08:01 --> 00:08:02 So let's go to Isaiah 6.
00:08:02 --> 00:08:05 Isaiah 6 in one hand
00:08:05 --> 00:08:08 and St. Paul's app in the other,
00:08:08 --> 00:08:09 if you've got that.
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 If you haven't, I think there's little code things,
00:08:11 --> 00:08:13 QR codes at the back of the seats.
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 We can get St. Paul's app up.
00:08:16 --> 00:08:18 Isaiah 6, which was just read out to us,
00:08:20 --> 00:08:23 towers like a majestic peak
00:08:23 --> 00:08:27 over the surrounding terrain of Isaiah.
00:08:28 --> 00:08:30 And it is of central importance
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32 to the prophecy of Isaiah.
00:08:33 --> 00:08:37 You see, in Isaiah chapters 1 to 5,
00:08:38 --> 00:08:40 the problem of God's people there
00:08:40 --> 00:08:43 is posed as corruption.
00:08:44 --> 00:08:46 They're described as being corrupt.
00:08:47 --> 00:08:49 And they were corrupt
00:08:49 --> 00:08:54 because their increasing affluence,
00:08:54 --> 00:08:56 God's blessing on their life,
00:08:56 --> 00:08:59 their increasing affluence and wealth,
00:08:59 --> 00:09:03 led them to a dim view of God.
00:09:04 --> 00:09:07 That is, they looked at God
00:09:07 --> 00:09:10 and they loved their shiny money
00:09:10 --> 00:09:11 and bank accounts.
00:09:11 --> 00:09:12 They loved, they were captivated by that,
00:09:13 --> 00:09:14 by the ease of their life,
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 the comfort of their life.
00:09:19 --> 00:09:21 And so vision of God went like this
00:09:21 --> 00:09:23 as vision of their possessions went like that.
00:09:23 --> 00:09:26 And they felt secure.
00:09:27 --> 00:09:29 They were secure in their mediocrity.
00:09:29 --> 00:09:30 They were secure in their sin.
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 Just so long as they went through
00:09:34 --> 00:09:36 the rituals of their religious performance.
00:09:38 --> 00:09:39 What they need to see,
00:09:39 --> 00:09:40 what Isaiah need to see,
00:09:40 --> 00:09:43 was God, a greater glory.
00:09:44 --> 00:09:46 And I'm convinced that what we need to see
00:09:46 --> 00:09:48 is a greater glory.
00:09:48 --> 00:09:50 Because right now,
00:09:50 --> 00:09:51 after two years of COVID
00:09:51 --> 00:09:52 and a whole heap of other things
00:09:52 --> 00:09:53 happening in our world,
00:09:54 --> 00:09:55 frankly, just my own life
00:09:55 --> 00:09:57 in this start of this year
00:09:57 --> 00:09:59 has been awful start of the year,
00:10:01 --> 00:10:05 is to realize
00:10:05 --> 00:10:07 that those things are mere myths.
00:10:09 --> 00:10:10 But God endures forever.
00:10:10 --> 00:10:11 So let's do that.
00:10:11 --> 00:10:13 Isaiah chapter 6.
00:10:14 --> 00:10:15 Three points.
00:10:15 --> 00:10:16 First point, glorious God.
00:10:16 --> 00:10:19 Like Revelation 5,
00:10:20 --> 00:10:21 the scene of Isaiah 6
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23 is the throne room of God.
00:10:25 --> 00:10:28 And there are at least seven glimpses
00:10:28 --> 00:10:30 of the greatness of God
00:10:30 --> 00:10:31 that I see here
00:10:31 --> 00:10:33 in the first four verses.
00:10:33 --> 00:10:34 And I just want to go through
00:10:34 --> 00:10:36 those seven things real quickly.
00:10:36 --> 00:10:37 So you need Isaiah 6 open
00:10:37 --> 00:10:39 so that you don't look at me.
00:10:39 --> 00:10:40 I'm not glorious.
00:10:40 --> 00:10:42 God is glorious in his words.
00:10:42 --> 00:10:43 So let's look at there.
00:10:43 --> 00:10:44 First of all,
00:10:44 --> 00:10:45 we notice that God is alive
00:10:45 --> 00:10:47 in the year
00:10:47 --> 00:10:49 that King Uzziah died.
00:10:49 --> 00:10:51 I saw the Lord
00:10:51 --> 00:10:52 seated on a throne.
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 So Uzziah is dead.
00:10:55 --> 00:10:56 He's no longer sitting
00:10:56 --> 00:10:57 on his throne.
00:10:58 --> 00:10:59 He's dead.
00:10:59 --> 00:11:00 But the King of Kings
00:11:00 --> 00:11:01 still sits,
00:11:01 --> 00:11:02 is seated on his throne.
00:11:03 --> 00:11:05 Psalm 90 verse 2 says,
00:11:05 --> 00:11:06 of this God,
00:11:06 --> 00:11:07 before the mountains were born,
00:11:08 --> 00:11:09 or you brought forth
00:11:09 --> 00:11:10 the earth and the world
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 from everlasting
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 to everlasting,
00:11:13 --> 00:11:13 you are God.
00:11:15 --> 00:11:16 That is,
00:11:16 --> 00:11:18 he's the living God.
00:11:18 --> 00:11:19 He was alive
00:11:19 --> 00:11:19 and reigning
00:11:19 --> 00:11:20 on his throne
00:11:20 --> 00:11:22 before he banged
00:11:22 --> 00:11:23 this whole universe
00:11:23 --> 00:11:24 into space
00:11:24 --> 00:11:25 just by the simple
00:11:25 --> 00:11:26 speaking of a word.
00:11:27 --> 00:11:28 He was the living God
00:11:28 --> 00:11:29 when the Great Wall of China
00:11:29 --> 00:11:30 was built
00:11:30 --> 00:11:31 in magnificent feet.
00:11:32 --> 00:11:33 He was the living God
00:11:33 --> 00:11:34 when in 1966,
00:11:35 --> 00:11:35 Time magazine
00:11:35 --> 00:11:37 put on its front cover,
00:11:37 --> 00:11:38 God is dead.
00:11:39 --> 00:11:40 He was alive then.
00:11:40 --> 00:11:43 He will be living
00:11:43 --> 00:11:44 10 trillion
00:11:44 --> 00:11:46 ages from now.
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 Right now,
00:11:49 --> 00:11:50 that is,
00:11:51 --> 00:11:52 every head of state
00:11:52 --> 00:11:52 that's currently
00:11:52 --> 00:11:54 sitting on a throne
00:11:54 --> 00:11:55 or ruling a government
00:11:55 --> 00:11:56 right now
00:11:56 --> 00:11:58 will not be in existence
00:11:58 --> 00:11:59 within 90 years,
00:11:59 --> 00:12:00 including Putin.
00:12:01 --> 00:12:02 He will not be sitting
00:12:02 --> 00:12:03 on any kind of throne.
00:12:03 --> 00:12:03 He will not have
00:12:03 --> 00:12:05 any palace at all.
00:12:05 --> 00:12:06 But the King of Kings
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08 will be ruling
00:12:08 --> 00:12:09 all things
00:12:09 --> 00:12:09 still.
00:12:10 --> 00:12:12 In a brief
00:12:12 --> 00:12:14 120 years,
00:12:14 --> 00:12:15 this planet
00:12:15 --> 00:12:16 will be populated
00:12:16 --> 00:12:17 by more than
00:12:17 --> 00:12:18 apparently
00:12:18 --> 00:12:20 10.9 billion
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 brand new people.
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 And the almost
00:12:23 --> 00:12:25 7.9 billion
00:12:25 --> 00:12:26 that are currently
00:12:26 --> 00:12:27 alive today
00:12:27 --> 00:12:28 will be just like
00:12:28 --> 00:12:29 Uzziah,
00:12:29 --> 00:12:30 dead and buried.
00:12:30 --> 00:12:31 Gone.
00:12:31 --> 00:12:33 And in no time
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 at all,
00:12:35 --> 00:12:35 the face
00:12:35 --> 00:12:37 of the events
00:12:37 --> 00:12:37 of world history
00:12:37 --> 00:12:38 will bear
00:12:38 --> 00:12:40 no recollection
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 of our even existence.
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 We'll be gone.
00:12:45 --> 00:12:45 But not God.
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 He is
00:12:48 --> 00:12:49 and he always
00:12:49 --> 00:12:49 will be
00:12:49 --> 00:12:50 alive.
00:12:51 --> 00:12:52 He never had
00:12:52 --> 00:12:53 a beginning
00:12:53 --> 00:12:54 and he never
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 had an end.
00:12:56 --> 00:12:57 That just blows
00:12:57 --> 00:12:58 the mind.
00:12:59 --> 00:13:00 I don't know,
00:13:00 --> 00:13:00 there's nothing
00:13:00 --> 00:13:01 in our world
00:13:01 --> 00:13:01 that never
00:13:01 --> 00:13:02 had a beginning
00:13:02 --> 00:13:02 and never
00:13:02 --> 00:13:03 had an end.
00:13:03 --> 00:13:04 Everything
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 has a beginning
00:13:05 --> 00:13:05 and an end.
00:13:07 --> 00:13:08 Secondly,
00:13:08 --> 00:13:09 we see this God
00:13:09 --> 00:13:09 is authoritative.
00:13:10 --> 00:13:11 Verse 2,
00:13:11 --> 00:13:12 I saw the Lord
00:13:12 --> 00:13:13 sit on a throne.
00:13:15 --> 00:13:16 There is
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 no vision
00:13:17 --> 00:13:18 of heaven
00:13:18 --> 00:13:19 in the Bible
00:13:19 --> 00:13:20 that ever
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 catches a glimpse
00:13:21 --> 00:13:21 of God
00:13:21 --> 00:13:22 cooking a meal,
00:13:23 --> 00:13:23 cutting the grass,
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 shining shoes,
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 filling out forms,
00:13:27 --> 00:13:27 loading a truck.
00:13:28 --> 00:13:29 Nothing
00:13:29 --> 00:13:30 like that.
00:13:30 --> 00:13:31 He always
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 sits
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 on a throne
00:13:33 --> 00:13:36 and that throne
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37 is his right
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 to rule
00:13:38 --> 00:13:40 the universe.
00:13:41 --> 00:13:42 We do not
00:13:42 --> 00:13:42 give God
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 authority over
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 our lives.
00:13:44 --> 00:13:44 He has it.
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 He has it already.
00:13:47 --> 00:13:47 We don't give it
00:13:47 --> 00:13:48 to him
00:13:48 --> 00:13:49 and he has it
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 whether we like it
00:13:50 --> 00:13:50 or not.
00:13:51 --> 00:13:51 I think there are
00:13:51 --> 00:13:52 a few things
00:13:52 --> 00:13:53 more humbling.
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 Few things
00:13:54 --> 00:13:55 give us that
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 sense of the
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 raw majesty
00:13:57 --> 00:13:59 of God
00:13:59 --> 00:14:00 as the truth
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 that God
00:14:01 --> 00:14:02 is utterly
00:14:02 --> 00:14:03 authoritative
00:14:03 --> 00:14:05 over everything.
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 That is,
00:14:07 --> 00:14:07 beyond him
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 there is no
00:14:08 --> 00:14:09 appeal.
00:14:10 --> 00:14:10 There is nowhere
00:14:10 --> 00:14:11 else to go.
00:14:13 --> 00:14:14 Thirdly,
00:14:14 --> 00:14:14 we see that he
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 is all powerful
00:14:15 --> 00:14:15 and beyond
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 manipulation.
00:14:18 --> 00:14:19 The throne
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 of his authority
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 is not one
00:14:21 --> 00:14:22 amongst many.
00:14:22 --> 00:14:23 He says,
00:14:23 --> 00:14:24 I saw the Lord
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 sit on a throne
00:14:25 --> 00:14:27 high and exalted.
00:14:29 --> 00:14:29 That is,
00:14:29 --> 00:14:31 that God's throne
00:14:31 --> 00:14:33 is higher
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 than every
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 other throne
00:14:35 --> 00:14:37 signifies God's
00:14:37 --> 00:14:38 superior power
00:14:38 --> 00:14:40 to exercise
00:14:40 --> 00:14:41 his authority.
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 No opposing
00:14:43 --> 00:14:44 authority
00:14:44 --> 00:14:46 can nullify
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 the decrees
00:14:47 --> 00:14:47 of God.
00:14:48 --> 00:14:48 Nothing.
00:14:49 --> 00:14:49 Power,
00:14:50 --> 00:14:50 sorry,
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 authority is the
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 right to rule
00:14:52 --> 00:14:54 power,
00:14:54 --> 00:14:54 power is the
00:14:54 --> 00:14:55 ability to
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 rule.
00:14:57 --> 00:14:57 And God's
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 got both.
00:15:00 --> 00:15:00 Nothing
00:15:00 --> 00:15:02 can stand
00:15:02 --> 00:15:03 in the way
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 of his purposes
00:15:04 --> 00:15:05 being accomplished.
00:15:05 --> 00:15:06 Nothing.
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 And as
00:15:10 --> 00:15:10 powerful
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 and beyond
00:15:11 --> 00:15:11 manipulation
00:15:11 --> 00:15:13 he is,
00:15:14 --> 00:15:16 he is the
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 just judge
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 of all
00:15:18 --> 00:15:19 of humanity
00:15:19 --> 00:15:20 and he
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 in the
00:15:21 --> 00:15:21 end
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 will hold
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 every
00:15:23 --> 00:15:23 single
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 person
00:15:24 --> 00:15:24 accountable.
00:15:27 --> 00:15:27 And so
00:15:27 --> 00:15:28 friends,
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 to be
00:15:30 --> 00:15:30 gripped by
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 the all
00:15:31 --> 00:15:31 powerful
00:15:31 --> 00:15:32 sovereignty
00:15:32 --> 00:15:32 of God
00:15:32 --> 00:15:33 is either
00:15:33 --> 00:15:33 marvelous
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 because
00:15:34 --> 00:15:36 you know
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 he is for
00:15:37 --> 00:15:37 you in
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 Jesus
00:15:38 --> 00:15:39 or it
00:15:39 --> 00:15:40 is
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 absolutely
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 terrifying
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 because you
00:15:43 --> 00:15:43 know he's
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 against you.
00:15:44 --> 00:15:48 indifference
00:15:48 --> 00:15:51 kind of
00:15:51 --> 00:15:51 response
00:15:51 --> 00:15:53 simply means
00:15:53 --> 00:15:54 that you
00:15:54 --> 00:15:54 have not
00:15:54 --> 00:15:55 seen him
00:15:55 --> 00:15:56 for who
00:15:56 --> 00:15:56 he is.
00:16:00 --> 00:16:00 Which
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 much of
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 western
00:16:02 --> 00:16:02 Christianity
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 has not
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 seen him
00:16:04 --> 00:16:04 for who
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 he is,
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 we have
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 domesticated
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 God into
00:16:08 --> 00:16:10 our image.
00:16:10 --> 00:16:14 the
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 sovereign
00:16:15 --> 00:16:15 authority
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 of the
00:16:16 --> 00:16:16 living
00:16:16 --> 00:16:16 God
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 is a
00:16:17 --> 00:16:17 refuge
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 full of
00:16:18 --> 00:16:18 joy and
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 power for
00:16:19 --> 00:16:19 those who
00:16:19 --> 00:16:19 are his.
00:16:21 --> 00:16:21 It is
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 terrifying
00:16:22 --> 00:16:22 for those
00:16:22 --> 00:16:23 who are
00:16:23 --> 00:16:23 not.
00:16:25 --> 00:16:26 Fourthly,
00:16:26 --> 00:16:26 we see
00:16:26 --> 00:16:26 that this
00:16:26 --> 00:16:26 God is
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 magnificent.
00:16:29 --> 00:16:29 As I
00:16:29 --> 00:16:29 said,
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 I saw
00:16:30 --> 00:16:30 the Lord
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 sit on
00:16:31 --> 00:16:31 a throne
00:16:31 --> 00:16:31 high and
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 exalted
00:16:32 --> 00:16:32 and the
00:16:32 --> 00:16:33 train of
00:16:33 --> 00:16:33 his robe
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 filled the
00:16:34 --> 00:16:34 temple.
00:16:35 --> 00:16:35 Now
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 whenever I
00:16:36 --> 00:16:36 read this,
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 my mind
00:16:37 --> 00:16:37 goes back
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 40-something
00:16:38 --> 00:16:39 years
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 at the
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 wedding of
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 Diana Princess
00:16:42 --> 00:16:43 of Wales
00:16:43 --> 00:16:43 back in
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 1981.
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 I was
00:16:46 --> 00:16:48 a kid,
00:16:48 --> 00:16:48 I was 11
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 or something
00:16:49 --> 00:16:49 at the
00:16:49 --> 00:16:51 time when
00:16:51 --> 00:16:51 she got
00:16:51 --> 00:16:51 married.
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 I remember
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 having to
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 endure the
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 wedding service
00:16:56 --> 00:16:56 as an
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 11-year-old
00:16:57 --> 00:16:57 in the
00:16:57 --> 00:16:57 middle of
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 the night
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 because
00:16:59 --> 00:16:59 parents wanted
00:16:59 --> 00:17:00 to see
00:17:00 --> 00:17:00 this.
00:17:01 --> 00:17:03 It was
00:17:03 --> 00:17:03 like a
00:17:03 --> 00:17:04 wedding
00:17:04 --> 00:17:04 party,
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 not like
00:17:05 --> 00:17:05 a reception,
00:17:06 --> 00:17:06 I mean a
00:17:06 --> 00:17:06 wedding
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 party.
00:17:08 --> 00:17:08 I just
00:17:08 --> 00:17:08 remember
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 going to
00:17:09 --> 00:17:09 this
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 house,
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 all these
00:17:11 --> 00:17:11 kids there,
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 we had
00:17:12 --> 00:17:12 all our
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 beds lined
00:17:13 --> 00:17:13 up because
00:17:13 --> 00:17:14 we had
00:17:14 --> 00:17:14 to go to
00:17:14 --> 00:17:14 sleep and
00:17:14 --> 00:17:15 get woken
00:17:15 --> 00:17:15 up at
00:17:15 --> 00:17:16 like 1
00:17:16 --> 00:17:16 o'clock in
00:17:16 --> 00:17:16 the morning
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 or something
00:17:17 --> 00:17:17 like that
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 to watch
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 the royal
00:17:19 --> 00:17:19 wedding.
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 And I
00:17:22 --> 00:17:22 remember
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 on the
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 little dodgy
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 TV,
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 they were
00:17:26 --> 00:17:26 colour back
00:17:26 --> 00:17:26 in those
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 days,
00:17:27 --> 00:17:27 but this
00:17:27 --> 00:17:27 little TV
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 were all
00:17:28 --> 00:17:28 watching
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 this royal
00:17:29 --> 00:17:29 wedding.
00:17:30 --> 00:17:30 And I
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 remember
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 as she
00:17:32 --> 00:17:32 gets out
00:17:32 --> 00:17:32 of the
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 carriage
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 and starts
00:17:34 --> 00:17:34 to walk
00:17:34 --> 00:17:34 up the
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 stairs of
00:17:35 --> 00:17:35 St.
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 Paul's
00:17:36 --> 00:17:36 Cathedral
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 and the
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 train of
00:17:38 --> 00:17:38 her dress
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 just kept
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 going and
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 going and
00:17:41 --> 00:17:41 going.
00:17:42 --> 00:17:42 And as
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 she's walking
00:17:43 --> 00:17:43 up the
00:17:43 --> 00:17:43 steps,
00:17:44 --> 00:17:45 I think it
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 was mainly
00:17:46 --> 00:17:46 the women
00:17:46 --> 00:17:46 in the
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 house,
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 just went
00:17:48 --> 00:17:48 ooh,
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 ah,
00:17:49 --> 00:17:49 gasp,
00:17:50 --> 00:17:50 you know,
00:17:50 --> 00:17:50 all this
00:17:50 --> 00:17:50 stuff.
00:17:51 --> 00:17:51 And I'm
00:17:51 --> 00:17:51 sitting there
00:17:51 --> 00:17:51 going,
00:17:52 --> 00:17:52 oh,
00:17:52 --> 00:17:52 let me go
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 to sleep.
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 But I
00:17:55 --> 00:17:55 just remember
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 the gasping
00:17:56 --> 00:17:56 that was
00:17:56 --> 00:17:56 happening in
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 the room.
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 It was
00:17:59 --> 00:17:59 spectacular.
00:18:00 --> 00:18:01 It's like it
00:18:01 --> 00:18:01 covered the
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02 steps of
00:18:02 --> 00:18:02 St.
00:18:02 --> 00:18:02 Paul's
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 Cathedral
00:18:03 --> 00:18:03 in London.
00:18:04 --> 00:18:04 So what
00:18:04 --> 00:18:04 would it
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 mean if
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 the train
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 filled the
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 aisle and
00:18:08 --> 00:18:08 covered the
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 seats and
00:18:09 --> 00:18:09 covered the
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 entire
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 cathedral and
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 the choir
00:18:12 --> 00:18:12 loft and
00:18:12 --> 00:18:12 the pulpit
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 and it
00:18:13 --> 00:18:13 was all
00:18:13 --> 00:18:15 woven from
00:18:15 --> 00:18:16 one single
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 piece of
00:18:17 --> 00:18:17 thread?
00:18:17 --> 00:18:17 What would
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 that mean?
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 Oh,
00:18:22 --> 00:18:22 massive
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 gasp.
00:18:25 --> 00:18:25 You see,
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 that God's
00:18:26 --> 00:18:26 robe fills
00:18:26 --> 00:18:27 the entire
00:18:27 --> 00:18:28 heavenly
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 temple,
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 not St.
00:18:30 --> 00:18:30 Paul's
00:18:30 --> 00:18:30 Cathedral,
00:18:30 --> 00:18:31 but the
00:18:31 --> 00:18:31 heavenly
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 temple means
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 that this
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 God is
00:18:34 --> 00:18:34 a God
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 of
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 incomparable
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 splendor and
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 beauty,
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 magnificence.
00:18:40 --> 00:18:40 When you
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 look at it,
00:18:41 --> 00:18:41 it's just
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42 gasp.
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 The best
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 scenes in
00:18:46 --> 00:18:46 all of
00:18:46 --> 00:18:48 creation is
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 just a
00:18:49 --> 00:18:51 fraction of
00:18:51 --> 00:18:51 the representation
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 of the
00:18:52 --> 00:18:54 God who
00:18:54 --> 00:18:54 made it,
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 of his
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 magnificence.
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 I don't
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 even know
00:19:00 --> 00:19:00 if it's
00:19:00 --> 00:19:00 even
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 possible
00:19:01 --> 00:19:03 to get
00:19:03 --> 00:19:03 the
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 Swiss
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 Alps
00:19:05 --> 00:19:05 and to
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 make it
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 even more
00:19:07 --> 00:19:07 spectacular.
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 But you
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 gaze on the
00:19:11 --> 00:19:11 Swiss Alps
00:19:11 --> 00:19:11 and you
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 look at
00:19:12 --> 00:19:12 God,
00:19:12 --> 00:19:12 oh,
00:19:13 --> 00:19:14 he is
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 phenomenal.
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 It just
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 reflects him.
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 His
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 magnificence,
00:19:22 --> 00:19:22 his splendor,
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 his beauty
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 spills over
00:19:24 --> 00:19:25 in excessive
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 creative beauty
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 in the
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 world,
00:19:28 --> 00:19:28 the wonder
00:19:28 --> 00:19:28 of
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 creation,
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 right from
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 this world
00:19:31 --> 00:19:31 to the
00:19:31 --> 00:19:31 depths of
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 the seas,
00:19:32 --> 00:19:32 to the
00:19:32 --> 00:19:33 farthest
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 reaches of
00:19:34 --> 00:19:34 the universe,
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 from the
00:19:35 --> 00:19:35 tiniest
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 atoms to
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 the largest
00:19:37 --> 00:19:39 landscape,
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 simply
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 displays
00:19:42 --> 00:19:44 him in
00:19:44 --> 00:19:44 some
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 measure.
00:19:48 --> 00:19:48 Fifthly,
00:19:49 --> 00:19:49 and you
00:19:49 --> 00:19:49 can see
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 why number
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 five is
00:19:51 --> 00:19:51 important,
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 this God
00:19:52 --> 00:19:52 is revered,
00:19:53 --> 00:19:53 above him
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 were seraphs,
00:19:54 --> 00:19:54 each with
00:19:54 --> 00:19:55 six wings,
00:19:55 --> 00:19:56 with two
00:19:56 --> 00:19:56 wings,
00:19:56 --> 00:19:56 they covered
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 their faces,
00:19:57 --> 00:19:57 with two,
00:19:58 --> 00:19:58 they covered
00:19:58 --> 00:19:58 their feet,
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 and with two
00:19:59 --> 00:19:59 they were
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 flying.
00:20:00 --> 00:20:00 Now,
00:20:01 --> 00:20:01 no Bible
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 commentator
00:20:02 --> 00:20:02 really knows
00:20:02 --> 00:20:02 what these
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 six wing
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 creatures really
00:20:04 --> 00:20:04 are,
00:20:04 --> 00:20:04 they've got
00:20:04 --> 00:20:04 eyes,
00:20:04 --> 00:20:05 they've got
00:20:05 --> 00:20:05 feet,
00:20:05 --> 00:20:05 they've got
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 intelligence.
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 One thing
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 is for sure,
00:20:08 --> 00:20:08 when you
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 look at the
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 heavenly throne
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 room,
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 we should not
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 automatically have
00:20:13 --> 00:20:13 in mind,
00:20:13 --> 00:20:13 when we think
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 of angels,
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 chubby little
00:20:15 --> 00:20:15 babies with
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 wings,
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 fluttering around
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 the head of
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 God in some
00:20:19 --> 00:20:19 way.
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 It's very
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 crucial that
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 when we see
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 here that when
00:20:24 --> 00:20:24 one of them
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 speaks,
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 in verse
00:20:27 --> 00:20:27 four,
00:20:27 --> 00:20:28 the foundation
00:20:28 --> 00:20:28 of the
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 temple shakes,
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 the foundation
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 of the heavenly
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 throne room
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 shakes.
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 That is,
00:20:36 --> 00:20:36 these are not
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 chubby little
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 babies with
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 wings on,
00:20:39 --> 00:20:39 they are no
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 puny creatures,
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 there's no silly
00:20:41 --> 00:20:41 little creatures
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 in heaven,
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 only magnificent
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 one.
00:20:44 --> 00:20:44 And the point
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 of this
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 scene is
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 that not
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 even they
00:20:48 --> 00:20:50 can look
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 upon
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 this
00:20:52 --> 00:20:52 God
00:20:52 --> 00:20:55 and nor
00:20:55 --> 00:20:55 do they
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 feel worthy
00:20:56 --> 00:20:59 to leave
00:20:59 --> 00:20:59 and leave
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 their feet
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 exposed in
00:21:01 --> 00:21:01 his presence.
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 As great
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 and as good
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 as they are,
00:21:06 --> 00:21:06 untainted by
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 human sin
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 as they
00:21:08 --> 00:21:08 are,
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 they revere
00:21:10 --> 00:21:10 their created
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 God with
00:21:11 --> 00:21:13 great humility.
00:21:13 --> 00:21:13 humility.
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 Now,
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 this is crucial.
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 This is
00:21:18 --> 00:21:18 helping us to
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 see the gap
00:21:19 --> 00:21:19 between you
00:21:19 --> 00:21:19 and me
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 and him
00:21:20 --> 00:21:22 because when
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 one of these
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 angels,
00:21:25 --> 00:21:25 these seraphs,
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 appears before
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 a human being
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 in the Bible,
00:21:28 --> 00:21:30 they normally
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 begin their
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 dialogue with
00:21:32 --> 00:21:32 the human being
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 with the words
00:21:33 --> 00:21:33 do not fear
00:21:33 --> 00:21:35 or fear not.
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 That's because
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 when we're
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 confronted with
00:21:39 --> 00:21:39 one of these,
00:21:39 --> 00:21:41 we fear.
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 That's immediate
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 response is
00:21:44 --> 00:21:44 the fear.
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 We automatically
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 realize our
00:21:47 --> 00:21:49 lack of power,
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 our impotence
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 at that point.
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 But these
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 angels themselves
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 hide in
00:21:57 --> 00:21:57 holy fear
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 and reverence
00:21:58 --> 00:21:58 in the presence
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 of God.
00:22:00 --> 00:22:01 And the only
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 appropriate response
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 to this God
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 is reverence,
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 service and
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 worship.
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 The sixth thing
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 we see is that
00:22:08 --> 00:22:08 God is holy.
00:22:09 --> 00:22:09 Verse 3,
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 And they were
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 calling to one
00:22:11 --> 00:22:11 another,
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 holy,
00:22:12 --> 00:22:12 holy,
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 holy is the
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 Lord Almighty.
00:22:14 --> 00:22:14 The whole
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 earth is
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 full of
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 his glory.
00:22:18 --> 00:22:18 So what we
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 have here is
00:22:19 --> 00:22:19 the possibility
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 of language
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 runs out.
00:22:23 --> 00:22:23 That is,
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 how do we
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 describe God?
00:22:25 --> 00:22:25 It kind of
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 runs out.
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 The word
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 holy carries
00:22:28 --> 00:22:29 us to the
00:22:29 --> 00:22:29 brink,
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 to the very
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 edge,
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 if you like,
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 of the
00:22:33 --> 00:22:33 possibilities
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 of language,
00:22:34 --> 00:22:35 of description,
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 and beyond
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 which experience
00:22:38 --> 00:22:38 of God is
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 beyond our
00:22:39 --> 00:22:39 words.
00:22:39 --> 00:22:41 The reason
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 I say that
00:22:42 --> 00:22:42 is that
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 every effort
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 to define
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 the holiness
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 of God
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 ultimately
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 winds us
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 back,
00:22:49 --> 00:22:49 right back
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 around,
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 and simply
00:22:51 --> 00:22:51 say,
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 God is
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 God.
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 The meaning
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 of the word
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 holy in the
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 Bible is to
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 cut or to
00:23:00 --> 00:23:00 separate.
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 A holy
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 thing is to
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 cut off or to
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 separate it
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 from the
00:23:06 --> 00:23:06 common
00:23:06 --> 00:23:08 use for
00:23:08 --> 00:23:10 devotion to
00:23:10 --> 00:23:10 God.
00:23:11 --> 00:23:11 That's what
00:23:11 --> 00:23:11 it means to
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 be holy.
00:23:13 --> 00:23:14 So what
00:23:14 --> 00:23:14 happens when
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 you take
00:23:15 --> 00:23:15 that definition
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 and you
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 apply it to
00:23:17 --> 00:23:17 God?
00:23:18 --> 00:23:18 From what
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 can you
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 separate God
00:23:20 --> 00:23:22 to make
00:23:22 --> 00:23:23 God holy?
00:23:23 --> 00:23:23 holy?
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 And the
00:23:26 --> 00:23:26 answer is
00:23:26 --> 00:23:28 the very
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 godness of
00:23:29 --> 00:23:29 God means
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 that he is
00:23:30 --> 00:23:30 in fact
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 separated from
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 everything else.
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 He's
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 separated from
00:23:36 --> 00:23:36 everything that's
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 not God.
00:23:38 --> 00:23:38 He spoke
00:23:38 --> 00:23:39 every single
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 thing into
00:23:40 --> 00:23:40 existence.
00:23:42 --> 00:23:43 He exists
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 in a very
00:23:44 --> 00:23:45 different way
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 than all of
00:23:46 --> 00:23:47 the creation
00:23:47 --> 00:23:47 exists.
00:23:47 --> 00:23:49 We his
00:23:49 --> 00:23:49 creatures
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 exist
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 independent
00:23:51 --> 00:23:53 deprived
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 finite
00:23:54 --> 00:23:54 fragile
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 way
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 but our
00:23:56 --> 00:23:56 creator
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 exists in
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 eternal
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 self-sustaining
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 necessary
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 way.
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 Necessary
00:24:03 --> 00:24:04 in the
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 sense
00:24:04 --> 00:24:06 that God
00:24:06 --> 00:24:06 does not
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 have it
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 in him
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 to go
00:24:09 --> 00:24:10 out of
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 existence
00:24:11 --> 00:24:14 in the
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 same way
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 that we
00:24:16 --> 00:24:16 do not
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 have it
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18 in us
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 to not
00:24:19 --> 00:24:20 go out
00:24:20 --> 00:24:20 of existence.
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 We
00:24:25 --> 00:24:27 necessarily
00:24:27 --> 00:24:29 age
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 and die
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 because that
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 is our
00:24:32 --> 00:24:32 present nature
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 to do
00:24:33 --> 00:24:33 that.
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 We cannot
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 do anything
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 else
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 but that.
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 Oh the
00:24:42 --> 00:24:42 blessing of
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 eternal life.
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 The
00:24:46 --> 00:24:46 blessing of
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 eternal
00:24:47 --> 00:24:47 life.
00:24:49 --> 00:24:50 Only God
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 necessarily
00:24:51 --> 00:24:52 continues
00:24:52 --> 00:24:53 forever
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 unchanged.
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 The God
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56 of the
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56 Bible
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 doesn't
00:24:57 --> 00:24:58 need a
00:24:58 --> 00:24:58 support
00:24:58 --> 00:24:58 system.
00:25:00 --> 00:25:01 He
00:25:01 --> 00:25:01 doesn't
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 need our
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 praise
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 and glory.
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 He is
00:25:07 --> 00:25:07 one of a
00:25:07 --> 00:25:07 kind.
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 He is
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 separated from
00:25:10 --> 00:25:10 everything.
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 And in that
00:25:11 --> 00:25:11 sense it's
00:25:11 --> 00:25:11 just saying
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 he's holy.
00:25:12 --> 00:25:14 God has
00:25:14 --> 00:25:15 life in
00:25:15 --> 00:25:15 himself.
00:25:16 --> 00:25:16 He draws
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 his unending
00:25:17 --> 00:25:19 energy from
00:25:19 --> 00:25:20 himself.
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 His beginning
00:25:21 --> 00:25:23 being and his
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 character are not
00:25:24 --> 00:25:24 determined by
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 anything outside
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 of himself.
00:25:27 --> 00:25:27 He is
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 absolute.
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 Everything that
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 exists derives
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 itself directly
00:25:32 --> 00:25:33 from him.
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 Everything
00:25:35 --> 00:25:36 derives itself
00:25:36 --> 00:25:36 from him.
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 He is
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 incomparable.
00:25:39 --> 00:25:40 His
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 holiness
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 determines all
00:25:42 --> 00:25:42 that he is
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 and all
00:25:43 --> 00:25:43 that he
00:25:43 --> 00:25:43 does.
00:25:44 --> 00:25:44 And it's
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 determined by
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 no one
00:25:46 --> 00:25:46 and by
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 nothing.
00:25:48 --> 00:25:48 Call it his
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 majesty.
00:25:49 --> 00:25:49 Call it his
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 divinity.
00:25:50 --> 00:25:50 Call it his
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 greatness.
00:25:52 --> 00:25:52 Call it his
00:25:52 --> 00:25:52 worth.
00:25:53 --> 00:25:53 Call it his
00:25:53 --> 00:25:53 value.
00:25:54 --> 00:25:54 Call it his
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 magnificence.
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 In the end
00:25:56 --> 00:25:58 language runs
00:25:58 --> 00:26:00 out to
00:26:00 --> 00:26:00 describe this
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 God.
00:26:01 --> 00:26:01 God.
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 There may be
00:26:04 --> 00:26:05 a lot more
00:26:05 --> 00:26:05 to know about
00:26:05 --> 00:26:07 him but it's
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 beyond language
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 to comprehend
00:26:09 --> 00:26:09 it.
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 And so
00:26:15 --> 00:26:15 God
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 graciously
00:26:16 --> 00:26:18 reveals it.
00:26:19 --> 00:26:19 And that's
00:26:19 --> 00:26:19 the seventh
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20 and final
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 thing that we
00:26:21 --> 00:26:21 see about
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 God.
00:26:22 --> 00:26:22 That is he
00:26:22 --> 00:26:23 is glorious.
00:26:24 --> 00:26:25 Verse
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 three again
00:26:26 --> 00:26:28 holy holy
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 holy is the
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30 Lord almighty
00:26:30 --> 00:26:32 the whole
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 earth is
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 full of his
00:26:34 --> 00:26:34 glory.
00:26:36 --> 00:26:37 Now
00:26:37 --> 00:26:38 this is the
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 picture here
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 trying to
00:26:40 --> 00:26:42 get the
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 magnificence of
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 this God.
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 We start
00:26:45 --> 00:26:46 here in the
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 heavenly throne
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 room and we
00:26:48 --> 00:26:49 end Isaiah
00:26:49 --> 00:26:51 in the
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 earth the
00:26:52 --> 00:26:52 world.
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 The very
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 last chapter
00:26:55 --> 00:26:55 we're given a
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 glimpse of God's
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 grandeur again.
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 Let me read
00:26:59 --> 00:26:59 to you what
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 Isaiah this is
00:27:00 --> 00:27:00 what God
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 says.
00:27:01 --> 00:27:01 This is what
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 the Lord
00:27:02 --> 00:27:02 says.
00:27:03 --> 00:27:05 Heaven is my
00:27:05 --> 00:27:05 throne.
00:27:05 --> 00:27:05 That's where we
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 are.
00:27:06 --> 00:27:06 Isaiah 6.
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 And the
00:27:08 --> 00:27:09 earth is my
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 footstool.
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 This is the
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 only place in
00:27:13 --> 00:27:15 the Bible where
00:27:15 --> 00:27:16 the earth is
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 described as the
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 footstool of
00:27:18 --> 00:27:18 God.
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 So just to
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 give you some
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 visual help
00:27:22 --> 00:27:22 here.
00:27:23 --> 00:27:23 This is mine.
00:27:25 --> 00:27:25 The cat
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 sleeps on it
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 most of the
00:27:27 --> 00:27:28 time and
00:27:28 --> 00:27:28 scratches it
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 up.
00:27:29 --> 00:27:30 This is
00:27:30 --> 00:27:30 mine.
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 My footstool.
00:27:34 --> 00:27:34 God's
00:27:34 --> 00:27:36 footstool that
00:27:36 --> 00:27:37 he rests his
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 foot on is
00:27:38 --> 00:27:40 almost 6
00:27:40 --> 00:27:42 kilometers straight
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 through.
00:27:44 --> 00:27:45 40
00:27:45 --> 00:27:46 kilometers if
00:27:46 --> 00:27:47 you go all
00:27:47 --> 00:27:47 the way around.
00:27:48 --> 00:27:48 It weighs
00:27:48 --> 00:27:50 something like
00:27:50 --> 00:27:52 60 million
00:27:52 --> 00:27:53 trillion tons.
00:27:53 --> 00:27:53 I can lift
00:27:53 --> 00:27:54 this one up
00:27:54 --> 00:27:54 with two
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 fingers.
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 It has a
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 surface area
00:27:57 --> 00:27:59 of 510
00:27:59 --> 00:28:00 million square
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 kilometers, a
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 volume of
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 approximately 10
00:28:03 --> 00:28:05 trillion cubic
00:28:05 --> 00:28:05 kilometers.
00:28:06 --> 00:28:09 It spins at
00:28:09 --> 00:28:11 1 kilometers
00:28:11 --> 00:28:12 an hour.
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 And God
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 says this is
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 where I rest
00:28:15 --> 00:28:15 my foot.
00:28:16 --> 00:28:17 My throne is
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 a throne over
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 all the
00:28:19 --> 00:28:20 universe and I
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 rest my foot
00:28:21 --> 00:28:23 on the world.
00:28:24 --> 00:28:26 And so as
00:28:26 --> 00:28:27 Habakkuk 2.20
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28 says, the
00:28:28 --> 00:28:29 Lord is
00:28:29 --> 00:28:30 seated in
00:28:30 --> 00:28:32 his holy
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 temple.
00:28:34 --> 00:28:34 Let the
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 entire earth
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 be silent
00:28:36 --> 00:28:37 before him.
00:28:40 --> 00:28:42 In other
00:28:42 --> 00:28:45 words, how
00:28:45 --> 00:28:48 dare humanity
00:28:48 --> 00:28:49 make God
00:28:49 --> 00:28:49 in his own
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 image?
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 How dare we
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 decide that we
00:28:53 --> 00:28:53 can give him
00:28:53 --> 00:28:53 the crumbs
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 of our
00:28:54 --> 00:28:54 life and
00:28:54 --> 00:28:54 he'll be
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 just happy
00:28:55 --> 00:28:55 with that
00:28:55 --> 00:28:55 because he's
00:28:55 --> 00:28:55 just a
00:28:55 --> 00:28:55 gracious
00:28:55 --> 00:28:56 God?
00:28:57 --> 00:28:58 How dare we
00:28:58 --> 00:28:59 determine what
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 discipleship looks
00:29:00 --> 00:29:00 like?
00:29:01 --> 00:29:02 How dare we
00:29:02 --> 00:29:02 think we can
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 negotiate with
00:29:03 --> 00:29:05 him about
00:29:05 --> 00:29:05 levels of
00:29:05 --> 00:29:06 commitment?
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 Visions of
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 all tend to
00:29:12 --> 00:29:13 leave us
00:29:13 --> 00:29:13 speechless
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 momentarily,
00:29:15 --> 00:29:16 but not for
00:29:16 --> 00:29:17 long.
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 God's glory
00:29:18 --> 00:29:20 God's glory
00:29:20 --> 00:29:21 is the
00:29:21 --> 00:29:22 revealing
00:29:22 --> 00:29:24 of his
00:29:24 --> 00:29:25 holiness.
00:29:25 --> 00:29:26 That's what
00:29:26 --> 00:29:26 glory means
00:29:26 --> 00:29:26 here.
00:29:28 --> 00:29:28 God is
00:29:28 --> 00:29:29 holy, the
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 whole earth
00:29:30 --> 00:29:30 will see me
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 as glory.
00:29:32 --> 00:29:32 Glorious.
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 God is
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 glorious means
00:29:36 --> 00:29:37 that God's
00:29:37 --> 00:29:38 holiness, his
00:29:38 --> 00:29:39 divine being and
00:29:39 --> 00:29:39 his character
00:29:39 --> 00:29:40 have gone
00:29:40 --> 00:29:42 public and
00:29:42 --> 00:29:42 when it goes
00:29:42 --> 00:29:43 public there is
00:29:43 --> 00:29:44 only one
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 response.
00:29:47 --> 00:29:48 Leviticus 10
00:29:48 --> 00:29:49 verse 3.
00:29:50 --> 00:29:51 Among those
00:29:51 --> 00:29:52 who approach
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 me I will
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 show myself
00:29:54 --> 00:29:55 holy in the
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 sight of all
00:29:56 --> 00:29:57 people I
00:29:57 --> 00:29:59 will be
00:29:59 --> 00:30:00 honoured.
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 When God
00:30:02 --> 00:30:03 reveals his
00:30:03 --> 00:30:03 glory to his
00:30:03 --> 00:30:05 creatures the
00:30:05 --> 00:30:06 response of
00:30:06 --> 00:30:08 his creatures
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 is to give
00:30:09 --> 00:30:11 glory, is
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 to acknowledge
00:30:12 --> 00:30:13 what they have
00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 seen.
00:30:14 --> 00:30:16 Glory, praise,
00:30:16 --> 00:30:16 adoration,
00:30:17 --> 00:30:18 magnification.
00:30:19 --> 00:30:19 To magnify
00:30:19 --> 00:30:20 God is to
00:30:20 --> 00:30:21 respond to
00:30:21 --> 00:30:22 his magnificence.
00:30:25 --> 00:30:25 We cannot
00:30:25 --> 00:30:27 glorify God
00:30:27 --> 00:30:28 without engaging
00:30:28 --> 00:30:29 with his
00:30:29 --> 00:30:30 holiness,
00:30:31 --> 00:30:32 with his
00:30:32 --> 00:30:33 character, with
00:30:33 --> 00:30:34 his being, with
00:30:34 --> 00:30:34 who he is.
00:30:35 --> 00:30:35 You see, God
00:30:35 --> 00:30:36 wants to be
00:30:36 --> 00:30:37 praised for
00:30:37 --> 00:30:38 his praise
00:30:38 --> 00:30:39 worthiness,
00:30:40 --> 00:30:41 magnified for
00:30:41 --> 00:30:42 his greatness
00:30:42 --> 00:30:42 and his
00:30:42 --> 00:30:42 goodness.
00:30:43 --> 00:30:44 He wants to
00:30:44 --> 00:30:45 be appreciated
00:30:45 --> 00:30:46 for who he
00:30:46 --> 00:30:47 is.
00:30:48 --> 00:30:49 God's glory
00:30:49 --> 00:30:51 showing requires
00:30:51 --> 00:30:52 glory giving
00:30:52 --> 00:30:54 and this
00:30:54 --> 00:30:56 is at the
00:30:56 --> 00:30:57 very heart,
00:30:58 --> 00:30:59 the very
00:30:59 --> 00:31:00 heart of
00:31:00 --> 00:31:00 true
00:31:00 --> 00:31:01 fulfilment
00:31:01 --> 00:31:03 for all of
00:31:03 --> 00:31:04 God's creation
00:31:04 --> 00:31:06 and especially
00:31:06 --> 00:31:06 humanity.
00:31:06 --> 00:31:07 glory giving
00:31:07 --> 00:31:10 joy to
00:31:10 --> 00:31:12 people as
00:31:12 --> 00:31:13 we glorify
00:31:13 --> 00:31:14 the glorious
00:31:14 --> 00:31:14 God.
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18 Now, here's
00:31:18 --> 00:31:19 the kicker for
00:31:19 --> 00:31:19 us.
00:31:20 --> 00:31:20 The New
00:31:20 --> 00:31:21 Testament
00:31:21 --> 00:31:23 writers declare
00:31:23 --> 00:31:24 that the public
00:31:24 --> 00:31:25 display of God's
00:31:25 --> 00:31:26 nature, his
00:31:26 --> 00:31:28 character, his
00:31:28 --> 00:31:29 power, his
00:31:29 --> 00:31:31 purpose, his
00:31:31 --> 00:31:33 grace, who he
00:31:33 --> 00:31:34 is, has
00:31:34 --> 00:31:35 gone public
00:31:35 --> 00:31:38 for all
00:31:38 --> 00:31:39 people to
00:31:39 --> 00:31:41 see in the
00:31:41 --> 00:31:42 person and
00:31:42 --> 00:31:42 the role of
00:31:42 --> 00:31:43 God's son,
00:31:43 --> 00:31:44 Jesus Christ.
00:31:45 --> 00:31:45 Now, in
00:31:45 --> 00:31:46 John chapter
00:31:46 --> 00:31:47 12, there's a
00:31:47 --> 00:31:48 little verse
00:31:48 --> 00:31:48 there that,
00:31:49 --> 00:31:49 you know, you
00:31:49 --> 00:31:50 do your daily
00:31:50 --> 00:31:51 Bible reading and
00:31:51 --> 00:31:52 you read straight
00:31:52 --> 00:31:52 past this, you
00:31:52 --> 00:31:53 wouldn't notice it
00:31:53 --> 00:31:53 much.
00:31:54 --> 00:31:54 But John
00:31:54 --> 00:31:55 chapter 12,
00:31:55 --> 00:31:56 verse 41, is
00:31:56 --> 00:31:57 very explicit on
00:31:57 --> 00:31:58 this.
00:31:58 --> 00:32:01 Isaiah said
00:32:01 --> 00:32:01 this, because
00:32:01 --> 00:32:02 it quotes from
00:32:02 --> 00:32:03 Isaiah, and
00:32:03 --> 00:32:03 then it says,
00:32:03 --> 00:32:04 Isaiah said
00:32:04 --> 00:32:06 this because
00:32:06 --> 00:32:08 he saw
00:32:08 --> 00:32:09 Jesus'
00:32:09 --> 00:32:11 glory and
00:32:11 --> 00:32:12 spoke about
00:32:12 --> 00:32:13 him.
00:32:15 --> 00:32:16 See what
00:32:16 --> 00:32:16 John's saying
00:32:16 --> 00:32:17 there?
00:32:18 --> 00:32:19 John is saying
00:32:19 --> 00:32:20 that Jesus
00:32:20 --> 00:32:22 Christ is
00:32:22 --> 00:32:24 who Isaiah
00:32:24 --> 00:32:26 saw in
00:32:26 --> 00:32:27 the throne
00:32:27 --> 00:32:28 room of
00:32:28 --> 00:32:28 Isaiah
00:32:28 --> 00:32:29 chapter 6.
00:32:29 --> 00:32:30 That's who
00:32:30 --> 00:32:30 he saw,
00:32:31 --> 00:32:32 Jesus Christ.
00:32:33 --> 00:32:34 And Jesus
00:32:34 --> 00:32:34 is the one
00:32:34 --> 00:32:35 who radiates,
00:32:35 --> 00:32:36 reflects,
00:32:36 --> 00:32:36 mirrors,
00:32:37 --> 00:32:38 displays the
00:32:38 --> 00:32:38 character, the
00:32:38 --> 00:32:39 purpose, the
00:32:39 --> 00:32:40 power and the
00:32:40 --> 00:32:40 grace and the
00:32:40 --> 00:32:43 magnificence of
00:32:43 --> 00:32:43 our creator
00:32:43 --> 00:32:44 God.
00:32:45 --> 00:32:46 The
00:32:46 --> 00:32:47 magnificence of
00:32:47 --> 00:32:47 what went
00:32:47 --> 00:32:48 public in
00:32:48 --> 00:32:49 Jesus was
00:32:49 --> 00:32:50 the plan,
00:32:51 --> 00:32:52 the work of
00:32:52 --> 00:32:52 grace whereby
00:32:52 --> 00:32:53 he saves
00:32:53 --> 00:32:54 sinners.
00:32:57 --> 00:32:57 And
00:32:57 --> 00:32:58 gathers them
00:32:58 --> 00:32:59 to himself
00:32:59 --> 00:32:59 as his
00:32:59 --> 00:33:00 new people,
00:33:00 --> 00:33:01 his new
00:33:01 --> 00:33:01 humanity,
00:33:02 --> 00:33:03 through his
00:33:03 --> 00:33:03 death and
00:33:03 --> 00:33:04 resurrection,
00:33:04 --> 00:33:05 for his
00:33:05 --> 00:33:05 glory,
00:33:06 --> 00:33:07 for the
00:33:07 --> 00:33:07 worship of
00:33:07 --> 00:33:08 his honour.
00:33:11 --> 00:33:11 He's a
00:33:11 --> 00:33:12 magnificent
00:33:12 --> 00:33:12 God.
00:33:13 --> 00:33:14 But in
00:33:14 --> 00:33:15 Jesus we
00:33:15 --> 00:33:15 also see
00:33:15 --> 00:33:16 he's a
00:33:16 --> 00:33:16 gracious
00:33:16 --> 00:33:17 God.
00:33:18 --> 00:33:19 God's
00:33:19 --> 00:33:20 glory reveals
00:33:20 --> 00:33:21 that he's not
00:33:21 --> 00:33:22 just magnificent,
00:33:22 --> 00:33:22 but he's
00:33:22 --> 00:33:23 gracious.
00:33:23 --> 00:33:25 You see,
00:33:25 --> 00:33:25 if my goal
00:33:25 --> 00:33:27 in life was
00:33:27 --> 00:33:27 to bring
00:33:27 --> 00:33:28 glory to
00:33:28 --> 00:33:28 myself,
00:33:29 --> 00:33:29 which ironically
00:33:29 --> 00:33:30 because of
00:33:30 --> 00:33:30 sin it is,
00:33:30 --> 00:33:31 but imagine
00:33:31 --> 00:33:33 I existed in
00:33:33 --> 00:33:33 my role here
00:33:33 --> 00:33:33 at St.
00:33:33 --> 00:33:34 Paul's,
00:33:34 --> 00:33:35 your job is
00:33:35 --> 00:33:35 to glorify
00:33:35 --> 00:33:36 me.
00:33:36 --> 00:33:36 We would
00:33:36 --> 00:33:37 call that
00:33:37 --> 00:33:37 narcissism,
00:33:38 --> 00:33:38 we would
00:33:38 --> 00:33:38 call that
00:33:38 --> 00:33:40 egotism,
00:33:40 --> 00:33:40 there's a
00:33:40 --> 00:33:40 whole range
00:33:40 --> 00:33:40 of things
00:33:40 --> 00:33:41 we would
00:33:41 --> 00:33:41 probably
00:33:41 --> 00:33:42 call that.
00:33:43 --> 00:33:43 And that's
00:33:43 --> 00:33:45 because I
00:33:45 --> 00:33:45 am neither
00:33:45 --> 00:33:47 glorious nor
00:33:47 --> 00:33:47 praiseworthy.
00:33:48 --> 00:33:49 I'm like you,
00:33:49 --> 00:33:49 I'm a human
00:33:49 --> 00:33:50 being.
00:33:51 --> 00:33:52 For God,
00:33:52 --> 00:33:52 however,
00:33:52 --> 00:33:53 it's not
00:33:53 --> 00:33:54 egotism and
00:33:54 --> 00:33:54 narcissism.
00:33:56 --> 00:33:57 It doesn't
00:33:57 --> 00:33:57 point ultimately
00:33:57 --> 00:33:58 to God's
00:33:58 --> 00:33:59 divine ego,
00:34:00 --> 00:34:01 but to his
00:34:01 --> 00:34:02 divine love.
00:34:02 --> 00:34:03 That is,
00:34:03 --> 00:34:04 his magnificence
00:34:04 --> 00:34:05 is directed
00:34:05 --> 00:34:05 towards love
00:34:05 --> 00:34:06 for us.
00:34:07 --> 00:34:08 God doing
00:34:08 --> 00:34:08 everything for
00:34:08 --> 00:34:09 his glory
00:34:09 --> 00:34:10 is in fact
00:34:10 --> 00:34:11 the foundation
00:34:11 --> 00:34:12 of his love
00:34:12 --> 00:34:12 for us.
00:34:13 --> 00:34:13 God's
00:34:13 --> 00:34:14 commitment
00:34:14 --> 00:34:14 to his glory
00:34:14 --> 00:34:15 means his
00:34:15 --> 00:34:16 commitment to
00:34:16 --> 00:34:18 love and
00:34:18 --> 00:34:19 life for us,
00:34:19 --> 00:34:19 forgiveness
00:34:19 --> 00:34:20 and eternal
00:34:20 --> 00:34:21 fame for
00:34:21 --> 00:34:22 those who
00:34:22 --> 00:34:22 live for
00:34:22 --> 00:34:23 his glory.
00:34:26 --> 00:34:27 But Isaiah
00:34:27 --> 00:34:28 didn't see
00:34:28 --> 00:34:29 this initially.
00:34:31 --> 00:34:32 This vision
00:34:32 --> 00:34:32 of God
00:34:32 --> 00:34:33 produces in
00:34:33 --> 00:34:34 Isaiah not
00:34:34 --> 00:34:35 worship but
00:34:35 --> 00:34:36 sheer terror
00:34:36 --> 00:34:37 initially.
00:34:39 --> 00:34:40 Have a look
00:34:40 --> 00:34:40 there.
00:34:41 --> 00:34:42 Woe to me,
00:34:42 --> 00:34:43 I cried.
00:34:43 --> 00:34:44 I am ruined
00:34:44 --> 00:34:46 for I am a
00:34:46 --> 00:34:47 man of unclean
00:34:47 --> 00:34:47 lips and I
00:34:47 --> 00:34:48 live among a
00:34:48 --> 00:34:49 people of
00:34:49 --> 00:34:49 unclean lips
00:34:49 --> 00:34:50 and my eyes
00:34:50 --> 00:34:51 have seen
00:34:51 --> 00:34:51 the king,
00:34:52 --> 00:34:53 the Lord
00:34:53 --> 00:34:54 almighty.
00:34:54 --> 00:34:56 Woe to
00:34:56 --> 00:34:56 me.
00:34:58 --> 00:34:58 Woe to
00:34:58 --> 00:34:59 me are the
00:34:59 --> 00:35:00 very first
00:35:00 --> 00:35:00 words that
00:35:00 --> 00:35:02 Isaiah speaks
00:35:02 --> 00:35:03 in his
00:35:03 --> 00:35:04 entire 66
00:35:04 --> 00:35:06 chapter prophecy.
00:35:07 --> 00:35:08 Woe to
00:35:08 --> 00:35:08 me.
00:35:10 --> 00:35:10 He pronounces
00:35:10 --> 00:35:11 judgment upon
00:35:11 --> 00:35:12 himself is his
00:35:12 --> 00:35:13 first response
00:35:13 --> 00:35:15 in seeing God
00:35:15 --> 00:35:15 because he
00:35:15 --> 00:35:16 acknowledges that
00:35:16 --> 00:35:17 he himself is
00:35:17 --> 00:35:18 unclean.
00:35:18 --> 00:35:18 unclean.
00:35:18 --> 00:35:19 The word
00:35:19 --> 00:35:20 there unclean
00:35:20 --> 00:35:20 is a general
00:35:20 --> 00:35:21 term in the
00:35:21 --> 00:35:21 Old Testament
00:35:21 --> 00:35:23 for all that
00:35:23 --> 00:35:23 is unfit to
00:35:23 --> 00:35:24 be in God's
00:35:24 --> 00:35:24 presence.
00:35:25 --> 00:35:25 I'm not
00:35:25 --> 00:35:26 worthy to
00:35:26 --> 00:35:27 see this and
00:35:27 --> 00:35:27 I'm not
00:35:27 --> 00:35:27 worthy to be
00:35:27 --> 00:35:28 here in his
00:35:28 --> 00:35:28 presence.
00:35:30 --> 00:35:31 And for the
00:35:31 --> 00:35:31 very first
00:35:31 --> 00:35:32 time Isaiah
00:35:32 --> 00:35:33 sees that he
00:35:33 --> 00:35:34 is typical of
00:35:34 --> 00:35:35 his generation
00:35:35 --> 00:35:37 whose faith
00:35:37 --> 00:35:38 was unthinking,
00:35:38 --> 00:35:39 was glib,
00:35:40 --> 00:35:40 response to
00:35:40 --> 00:35:41 God was just
00:35:41 --> 00:35:43 rote.
00:35:44 --> 00:35:45 Their mouths
00:35:45 --> 00:35:45 were not filled
00:35:45 --> 00:35:46 with worship
00:35:46 --> 00:35:47 but with
00:35:47 --> 00:35:47 flippant
00:35:47 --> 00:35:49 repetitions and
00:35:49 --> 00:35:49 self-justifying
00:35:49 --> 00:35:50 excuses.
00:35:52 --> 00:35:52 And now
00:35:52 --> 00:35:54 Isaiah sees
00:35:54 --> 00:35:54 his heart for
00:35:54 --> 00:35:54 the first
00:35:54 --> 00:35:55 time because
00:35:55 --> 00:35:56 he sees God
00:35:56 --> 00:35:57 for the first
00:35:57 --> 00:35:57 time.
00:35:59 --> 00:35:59 And something
00:35:59 --> 00:36:00 wonderful happens.
00:36:01 --> 00:36:02 A seraph
00:36:02 --> 00:36:04 peels off
00:36:04 --> 00:36:04 from his
00:36:04 --> 00:36:05 flight path
00:36:05 --> 00:36:06 around the
00:36:06 --> 00:36:06 throne,
00:36:07 --> 00:36:08 diving straight
00:36:08 --> 00:36:09 for Isaiah.
00:36:09 --> 00:36:12 He's
00:36:12 --> 00:36:13 holding a
00:36:13 --> 00:36:14 burning coal
00:36:14 --> 00:36:15 that he has
00:36:15 --> 00:36:16 taken from
00:36:16 --> 00:36:17 the altar
00:36:17 --> 00:36:18 with the
00:36:18 --> 00:36:19 tongs.
00:36:20 --> 00:36:21 But he's
00:36:21 --> 00:36:21 taking it from
00:36:21 --> 00:36:22 the altar
00:36:22 --> 00:36:22 with tongs
00:36:22 --> 00:36:23 not because
00:36:23 --> 00:36:23 it's hot.
00:36:23 --> 00:36:23 It's not
00:36:23 --> 00:36:26 that.
00:36:27 --> 00:36:28 He took
00:36:28 --> 00:36:29 this coal
00:36:29 --> 00:36:30 with tongs
00:36:30 --> 00:36:30 because what
00:36:30 --> 00:36:31 he has
00:36:31 --> 00:36:32 taken is a
00:36:32 --> 00:36:32 holy thing.
00:36:33 --> 00:36:34 It's a
00:36:34 --> 00:36:34 holy thing.
00:36:35 --> 00:36:36 It belongs
00:36:36 --> 00:36:37 to the place
00:36:37 --> 00:36:38 of sacrifice.
00:36:38 --> 00:36:40 and atonement
00:36:40 --> 00:36:40 and forgiveness.
00:36:41 --> 00:36:42 And with
00:36:42 --> 00:36:43 it the
00:36:43 --> 00:36:44 seraph flies
00:36:44 --> 00:36:45 to Isaiah
00:36:45 --> 00:36:46 and gets
00:36:46 --> 00:36:47 this burning
00:36:47 --> 00:36:47 coal and
00:36:47 --> 00:36:48 it touches
00:36:48 --> 00:36:48 his lips.
00:36:50 --> 00:36:51 My immediate
00:36:51 --> 00:36:52 response there
00:36:52 --> 00:36:52 is to go
00:36:52 --> 00:36:53 oh man
00:36:53 --> 00:36:55 burn.
00:36:57 --> 00:36:58 But not
00:36:58 --> 00:36:59 with Isaiah.
00:36:59 --> 00:37:00 It doesn't
00:37:00 --> 00:37:00 hurt him.
00:37:01 --> 00:37:02 It in fact
00:37:02 --> 00:37:03 heals him.
00:37:05 --> 00:37:05 The seraph
00:37:05 --> 00:37:06 says to Isaiah
00:37:06 --> 00:37:07 your guilt
00:37:07 --> 00:37:08 is taken
00:37:08 --> 00:37:08 away and
00:37:08 --> 00:37:09 your sin
00:37:09 --> 00:37:09 is atoned
00:37:09 --> 00:37:09 for.
00:37:10 --> 00:37:11 What we
00:37:11 --> 00:37:11 must see
00:37:11 --> 00:37:11 in the
00:37:11 --> 00:37:12 context of
00:37:12 --> 00:37:12 the whole
00:37:12 --> 00:37:13 Bible is
00:37:13 --> 00:37:14 that burning
00:37:14 --> 00:37:15 coal right
00:37:15 --> 00:37:16 there symbolizes
00:37:16 --> 00:37:17 the finished
00:37:17 --> 00:37:18 work of
00:37:18 --> 00:37:18 Christ on
00:37:18 --> 00:37:19 the cross
00:37:19 --> 00:37:19 for you
00:37:19 --> 00:37:19 and for
00:37:19 --> 00:37:20 me.
00:37:21 --> 00:37:22 Jesus is
00:37:22 --> 00:37:22 the one
00:37:22 --> 00:37:23 who went
00:37:23 --> 00:37:23 to the
00:37:23 --> 00:37:23 place of
00:37:23 --> 00:37:24 sacrifice
00:37:24 --> 00:37:25 for us.
00:37:27 --> 00:37:27 His dying
00:37:27 --> 00:37:28 love is
00:37:28 --> 00:37:28 the only
00:37:28 --> 00:37:29 power that
00:37:29 --> 00:37:30 can awaken
00:37:30 --> 00:37:31 people as
00:37:31 --> 00:37:33 dead to
00:37:33 --> 00:37:34 God as
00:37:34 --> 00:37:35 we are
00:37:35 --> 00:37:37 and his
00:37:37 --> 00:37:37 death
00:37:37 --> 00:37:37 heals
00:37:37 --> 00:37:38 us.
00:37:39 --> 00:37:40 What should
00:37:40 --> 00:37:41 hurt us
00:37:41 --> 00:37:42 has healed
00:37:42 --> 00:37:43 us and
00:37:43 --> 00:37:44 he comes
00:37:44 --> 00:37:44 to us
00:37:44 --> 00:37:46 today through
00:37:46 --> 00:37:47 his word
00:37:47 --> 00:37:47 by his
00:37:47 --> 00:37:48 Holy Spirit
00:37:48 --> 00:37:48 and he
00:37:48 --> 00:37:49 says to
00:37:49 --> 00:37:49 us again
00:37:49 --> 00:37:50 and again
00:37:50 --> 00:37:51 and again
00:37:51 --> 00:37:52 your guilt
00:37:52 --> 00:37:53 is taken
00:37:53 --> 00:37:54 away,
00:37:54 --> 00:37:55 your sin
00:37:55 --> 00:37:56 is atoned
00:37:56 --> 00:37:56 for,
00:37:56 --> 00:37:57 welcome
00:37:57 --> 00:37:58 into the
00:37:58 --> 00:37:59 overwhelming
00:37:59 --> 00:37:59 delight of
00:37:59 --> 00:38:00 my presence
00:38:00 --> 00:38:03 until one
00:38:03 --> 00:38:04 day you
00:38:04 --> 00:38:04 will be
00:38:04 --> 00:38:05 there in
00:38:05 --> 00:38:05 my actual
00:38:05 --> 00:38:06 presence
00:38:06 --> 00:38:06 physically
00:38:06 --> 00:38:07 forever.
00:38:11 --> 00:38:12 Which brings
00:38:12 --> 00:38:12 us to the
00:38:12 --> 00:38:13 last point
00:38:13 --> 00:38:13 of treasuring
00:38:13 --> 00:38:14 Jesus because
00:38:14 --> 00:38:14 this is what
00:38:14 --> 00:38:15 stands as
00:38:15 --> 00:38:16 John said,
00:38:16 --> 00:38:16 stands right
00:38:16 --> 00:38:17 over this
00:38:17 --> 00:38:18 church is why
00:38:18 --> 00:38:18 this treasuring
00:38:18 --> 00:38:19 Jesus is
00:38:19 --> 00:38:20 our mission
00:38:20 --> 00:38:20 statement,
00:38:21 --> 00:38:21 it's why we
00:38:21 --> 00:38:22 exist.
00:38:22 --> 00:38:22 You see when
00:38:22 --> 00:38:23 the magnitude
00:38:23 --> 00:38:24 of God's
00:38:24 --> 00:38:25 grace touches
00:38:25 --> 00:38:26 Isaiah,
00:38:26 --> 00:38:27 he's awakened
00:38:27 --> 00:38:28 in that moment
00:38:28 --> 00:38:29 to live for
00:38:29 --> 00:38:29 God.
00:38:29 --> 00:38:31 In that
00:38:31 --> 00:38:31 moment,
00:38:32 --> 00:38:33 God reveals
00:38:33 --> 00:38:34 himself to
00:38:34 --> 00:38:34 Isaiah,
00:38:35 --> 00:38:35 Isaiah is
00:38:35 --> 00:38:36 immediately
00:38:36 --> 00:38:37 terrified,
00:38:37 --> 00:38:37 sees his
00:38:37 --> 00:38:38 guilt,
00:38:38 --> 00:38:39 he's terrified,
00:38:40 --> 00:38:41 his sin
00:38:41 --> 00:38:42 is atoned
00:38:42 --> 00:38:43 for and
00:38:43 --> 00:38:44 he rises
00:38:44 --> 00:38:45 to serve
00:38:45 --> 00:38:45 God with
00:38:45 --> 00:38:46 joy.
00:38:47 --> 00:38:47 When God
00:38:47 --> 00:38:48 says,
00:38:48 --> 00:38:48 well,
00:38:48 --> 00:38:48 okay,
00:38:48 --> 00:38:49 so who
00:38:49 --> 00:38:49 am I
00:38:49 --> 00:38:49 going to
00:38:49 --> 00:38:50 send now?
00:38:51 --> 00:38:52 Pick
00:38:52 --> 00:38:52 me,
00:38:52 --> 00:38:52 pick
00:38:52 --> 00:38:52 me.
00:38:52 --> 00:38:53 Oh,
00:38:53 --> 00:38:53 oh,
00:38:53 --> 00:38:53 oh,
00:38:53 --> 00:38:53 oh.
00:38:57 --> 00:38:58 At least
00:38:58 --> 00:38:59 one major
00:38:59 --> 00:39:00 purpose in
00:39:00 --> 00:39:01 God revealing
00:39:01 --> 00:39:01 his glory
00:39:01 --> 00:39:03 is for
00:39:03 --> 00:39:04 us to
00:39:04 --> 00:39:04 experience
00:39:04 --> 00:39:05 his
00:39:05 --> 00:39:06 compassion,
00:39:06 --> 00:39:06 his mercy,
00:39:07 --> 00:39:07 his grace,
00:39:07 --> 00:39:07 and his
00:39:07 --> 00:39:08 forgiveness
00:39:08 --> 00:39:09 for our
00:39:09 --> 00:39:09 joy.
00:39:10 --> 00:39:10 And what
00:39:10 --> 00:39:11 overflows
00:39:11 --> 00:39:12 from that
00:39:12 --> 00:39:13 is a
00:39:13 --> 00:39:13 life lived
00:39:13 --> 00:39:14 for the
00:39:14 --> 00:39:14 glory of
00:39:14 --> 00:39:15 Christ.
00:39:18 --> 00:39:18 Service of
00:39:18 --> 00:39:19 others.
00:39:20 --> 00:39:21 Every other
00:39:21 --> 00:39:22 glory that we
00:39:22 --> 00:39:22 might have in
00:39:22 --> 00:39:23 our world
00:39:23 --> 00:39:24 gets diminished,
00:39:24 --> 00:39:25 diminished,
00:39:25 --> 00:39:25 diminished,
00:39:25 --> 00:39:25 diminished.
00:39:31 --> 00:39:31 You see,
00:39:31 --> 00:39:32 to effectively
00:39:32 --> 00:39:33 bring glory
00:39:33 --> 00:39:33 to God,
00:39:34 --> 00:39:35 it's got to
00:39:35 --> 00:39:36 be so much
00:39:36 --> 00:39:37 more than
00:39:37 --> 00:39:37 just mere
00:39:37 --> 00:39:38 external
00:39:38 --> 00:39:38 behaviors.
00:39:40 --> 00:39:41 Genuine
00:39:41 --> 00:39:42 worship is
00:39:42 --> 00:39:43 seeing God's
00:39:43 --> 00:39:43 glory and
00:39:43 --> 00:39:44 being moved
00:39:44 --> 00:39:45 with all of
00:39:45 --> 00:39:45 our life,
00:39:45 --> 00:39:46 our
00:39:46 --> 00:39:46 affections,
00:39:47 --> 00:39:48 affections that
00:39:48 --> 00:39:50 overflow with
00:39:50 --> 00:39:51 singing and
00:39:51 --> 00:39:52 praise and
00:39:52 --> 00:39:53 thanksgiving and
00:39:53 --> 00:39:54 living to
00:39:54 --> 00:39:55 please God.
00:39:56 --> 00:39:56 This God
00:39:56 --> 00:39:57 wants us to
00:39:57 --> 00:39:58 love him
00:39:58 --> 00:39:59 according to
00:39:59 --> 00:39:59 Deuteronomy
00:39:59 --> 00:40:01 6, 5.
00:40:01 --> 00:40:02 He wants us
00:40:02 --> 00:40:02 to light
00:40:02 --> 00:40:03 ourselves in
00:40:03 --> 00:40:04 him according
00:40:04 --> 00:40:04 to Psalm
00:40:04 --> 00:40:05 37,
00:40:05 --> 00:40:06 verse 4.
00:40:06 --> 00:40:07 He wants us
00:40:07 --> 00:40:07 to worship
00:40:07 --> 00:40:08 him with
00:40:08 --> 00:40:08 gladness
00:40:08 --> 00:40:10 according to
00:40:10 --> 00:40:11 Psalm 100.
00:40:11 --> 00:40:12 In fact,
00:40:12 --> 00:40:13 he condemns
00:40:13 --> 00:40:14 dutiful
00:40:14 --> 00:40:16 obedience where
00:40:16 --> 00:40:17 there is no
00:40:17 --> 00:40:18 gladness and
00:40:18 --> 00:40:19 no joy in
00:40:19 --> 00:40:20 him in
00:40:20 --> 00:40:20 Deuteronomy
00:40:20 --> 00:40:21 28,
00:40:21 --> 00:40:22 verse 47.
00:40:23 --> 00:40:23 And that
00:40:23 --> 00:40:24 is our
00:40:24 --> 00:40:25 experience in
00:40:25 --> 00:40:25 life.
00:40:25 --> 00:40:26 I mean,
00:40:26 --> 00:40:27 imagine I
00:40:27 --> 00:40:28 was to buy
00:40:28 --> 00:40:28 my wife
00:40:28 --> 00:40:29 Nats and
00:40:29 --> 00:40:31 flowers and
00:40:31 --> 00:40:32 she is
00:40:32 --> 00:40:32 overjoyed in
00:40:32 --> 00:40:33 that moment.
00:40:33 --> 00:40:33 She thanks me
00:40:33 --> 00:40:34 for the
00:40:34 --> 00:40:34 flowers.
00:40:36 --> 00:40:36 Doesn't
00:40:36 --> 00:40:36 happen that
00:40:36 --> 00:40:37 much.
00:40:40 --> 00:40:41 Just to
00:40:41 --> 00:40:42 retrieve
00:40:42 --> 00:40:42 something there,
00:40:43 --> 00:40:43 she is away
00:40:43 --> 00:40:44 for the
00:40:44 --> 00:40:44 weekend,
00:40:45 --> 00:40:46 so it's a
00:40:46 --> 00:40:46 little bit
00:40:46 --> 00:40:46 more than
00:40:46 --> 00:40:47 flowers.
00:40:47 --> 00:40:49 But imagine
00:40:49 --> 00:40:50 in that
00:40:50 --> 00:40:50 moment she
00:40:50 --> 00:40:51 gets the
00:40:51 --> 00:40:51 flowers,
00:40:53 --> 00:40:53 oh, she
00:40:53 --> 00:40:54 comes home
00:40:54 --> 00:40:54 this afternoon.
00:40:55 --> 00:40:56 Thank you,
00:40:56 --> 00:40:56 thank you,
00:40:56 --> 00:40:57 thank you.
00:40:57 --> 00:40:57 And my
00:40:57 --> 00:40:58 response to
00:40:58 --> 00:40:58 her is,
00:40:58 --> 00:40:59 don't mention
00:40:59 --> 00:40:59 it, it's
00:40:59 --> 00:41:00 my duty.
00:41:01 --> 00:41:02 It's my
00:41:02 --> 00:41:02 duty as a
00:41:02 --> 00:41:02 husband.
00:41:04 --> 00:41:05 It's what I
00:41:05 --> 00:41:06 must do.
00:41:06 --> 00:41:07 I must do
00:41:07 --> 00:41:07 this.
00:41:08 --> 00:41:08 I must
00:41:08 --> 00:41:09 sacrifice my
00:41:09 --> 00:41:09 money and
00:41:09 --> 00:41:10 my time for
00:41:10 --> 00:41:10 you.
00:41:10 --> 00:41:14 I'm
00:41:14 --> 00:41:14 assuming in
00:41:14 --> 00:41:15 that moment
00:41:15 --> 00:41:15 she's going
00:41:15 --> 00:41:15 to be
00:41:15 --> 00:41:16 offended in
00:41:16 --> 00:41:16 some kind
00:41:16 --> 00:41:17 of way.
00:41:18 --> 00:41:18 It's an
00:41:18 --> 00:41:19 insult to
00:41:19 --> 00:41:19 her honour
00:41:19 --> 00:41:19 and to
00:41:19 --> 00:41:20 our
00:41:20 --> 00:41:20 relationship.
00:41:21 --> 00:41:21 She is
00:41:21 --> 00:41:22 honoured when
00:41:22 --> 00:41:22 I sacrifice
00:41:22 --> 00:41:23 and I
00:41:23 --> 00:41:23 give because
00:41:23 --> 00:41:23 it's my
00:41:23 --> 00:41:24 delight to
00:41:24 --> 00:41:25 do so.
00:41:29 --> 00:41:30 If it
00:41:30 --> 00:41:31 is a
00:41:31 --> 00:41:31 great
00:41:31 --> 00:41:32 sacrifice
00:41:32 --> 00:41:33 for us
00:41:33 --> 00:41:33 to do
00:41:33 --> 00:41:34 anything
00:41:34 --> 00:41:35 for the
00:41:35 --> 00:41:35 glory of
00:41:35 --> 00:41:36 God,
00:41:36 --> 00:41:37 it shows
00:41:37 --> 00:41:37 that we
00:41:37 --> 00:41:38 value
00:41:38 --> 00:41:39 something
00:41:39 --> 00:41:39 else more
00:41:39 --> 00:41:40 than him.
00:41:41 --> 00:41:42 It shows
00:41:42 --> 00:41:43 us what
00:41:43 --> 00:41:43 we value
00:41:43 --> 00:41:44 more than
00:41:44 --> 00:41:44 him.
00:41:47 --> 00:41:48 If we
00:41:48 --> 00:41:48 can't read
00:41:48 --> 00:41:49 our
00:41:49 --> 00:41:49 Bibles
00:41:49 --> 00:41:51 because
00:41:51 --> 00:41:53 I don't
00:41:53 --> 00:41:54 have time
00:41:54 --> 00:41:54 because of
00:41:54 --> 00:41:55 the TV,
00:41:56 --> 00:41:57 it's telling
00:41:57 --> 00:41:58 me that my
00:41:58 --> 00:41:59 comfort is
00:41:59 --> 00:41:59 more valuable
00:41:59 --> 00:42:00 than him
00:42:00 --> 00:42:03 or my
00:42:03 --> 00:42:04 entertainment
00:42:04 --> 00:42:04 is more
00:42:04 --> 00:42:05 valuable than
00:42:05 --> 00:42:05 him.
00:42:07 --> 00:42:08 When he
00:42:08 --> 00:42:08 is our
00:42:08 --> 00:42:09 greatest
00:42:09 --> 00:42:09 treasure,
00:42:09 --> 00:42:10 then choosing
00:42:10 --> 00:42:10 him over
00:42:10 --> 00:42:11 lesser things
00:42:11 --> 00:42:11 is not
00:42:11 --> 00:42:11 even a
00:42:11 --> 00:42:12 sacrifice.
00:42:12 --> 00:42:13 When we
00:42:13 --> 00:42:14 delight in
00:42:14 --> 00:42:14 his power,
00:42:14 --> 00:42:15 in his
00:42:15 --> 00:42:16 perfection,
00:42:16 --> 00:42:16 in his
00:42:16 --> 00:42:17 beauty,
00:42:17 --> 00:42:17 in his
00:42:17 --> 00:42:18 mercy,
00:42:18 --> 00:42:18 then our
00:42:18 --> 00:42:19 worship and
00:42:19 --> 00:42:19 service of
00:42:19 --> 00:42:20 him will
00:42:20 --> 00:42:21 glorify him.
00:42:22 --> 00:42:23 God is
00:42:23 --> 00:42:24 dishonoured
00:42:24 --> 00:42:25 when all of
00:42:25 --> 00:42:26 our worship
00:42:26 --> 00:42:26 is just
00:42:26 --> 00:42:27 purely a
00:42:27 --> 00:42:27 service to
00:42:27 --> 00:42:28 him,
00:42:28 --> 00:42:29 just done
00:42:29 --> 00:42:30 as a
00:42:30 --> 00:42:30 duty.
00:42:30 --> 00:42:35 God is
00:42:35 --> 00:42:36 God desires
00:42:36 --> 00:42:37 to
00:42:37 --> 00:42:38 see him.
00:42:39 --> 00:42:40 That we
00:42:40 --> 00:42:40 savour his
00:42:40 --> 00:42:41 mercy and
00:42:41 --> 00:42:42 his
00:42:42 --> 00:42:42 forgiveness
00:42:42 --> 00:42:43 and his
00:42:43 --> 00:42:43 acceptance,
00:42:44 --> 00:42:45 that we
00:42:45 --> 00:42:46 serve him
00:42:46 --> 00:42:47 with all of
00:42:47 --> 00:42:48 our lives
00:42:48 --> 00:42:48 with joy
00:42:48 --> 00:42:49 and gladness.
00:42:49 --> 00:42:54 God is
00:42:54 --> 00:42:54 so let
00:42:54 --> 00:42:54 me just
00:42:54 --> 00:42:55 end very
00:42:55 --> 00:42:55 briefly.
00:43:01 --> 00:43:01 My
00:43:01 --> 00:43:02 sense is,
00:43:02 --> 00:43:02 as I said
00:43:02 --> 00:43:03 at the
00:43:03 --> 00:43:03 beginning of
00:43:03 --> 00:43:03 this,
00:43:03 --> 00:43:04 so many
00:43:04 --> 00:43:05 of us are
00:43:05 --> 00:43:05 struggling
00:43:05 --> 00:43:06 right now.
00:43:07 --> 00:43:08 Plans are
00:43:08 --> 00:43:09 shifting so
00:43:09 --> 00:43:09 fast.
00:43:09 --> 00:43:11 people who
00:43:11 --> 00:43:12 were signed
00:43:12 --> 00:43:13 up to
00:43:13 --> 00:43:15 serve today
00:43:15 --> 00:43:16 are now
00:43:16 --> 00:43:17 in isolation
00:43:17 --> 00:43:18 and lockdown
00:43:18 --> 00:43:19 because COVID
00:43:19 --> 00:43:19 in their
00:43:19 --> 00:43:20 families and
00:43:20 --> 00:43:21 bang,
00:43:21 --> 00:43:21 bang,
00:43:21 --> 00:43:21 bang.
00:43:22 --> 00:43:23 Last night,
00:43:23 --> 00:43:24 this morning,
00:43:25 --> 00:43:25 a number of
00:43:25 --> 00:43:25 us are going
00:43:25 --> 00:43:26 bang,
00:43:26 --> 00:43:26 bang,
00:43:26 --> 00:43:26 bang,
00:43:26 --> 00:43:27 having to
00:43:27 --> 00:43:27 make changes
00:43:27 --> 00:43:27 shift.
00:43:28 --> 00:43:29 Anything that
00:43:29 --> 00:43:29 we got in
00:43:29 --> 00:43:30 paper lined
00:43:30 --> 00:43:31 up, it
00:43:31 --> 00:43:33 just shifts.
00:43:33 --> 00:43:34 And what
00:43:34 --> 00:43:34 happens there
00:43:34 --> 00:43:35 is constant
00:43:35 --> 00:43:37 fatigue all
00:43:37 --> 00:43:37 the time.
00:43:37 --> 00:43:38 I've not
00:43:38 --> 00:43:38 seen my
00:43:38 --> 00:43:39 parents for
00:43:39 --> 00:43:40 nearly two
00:43:40 --> 00:43:40 and a
00:43:40 --> 00:43:41 half years,
00:43:41 --> 00:43:42 face to
00:43:42 --> 00:43:43 face for
00:43:43 --> 00:43:43 two and
00:43:43 --> 00:43:43 a half
00:43:43 --> 00:43:44 years,
00:43:45 --> 00:43:46 because of
00:43:46 --> 00:43:46 COVID.
00:43:48 --> 00:43:49 And there's
00:43:49 --> 00:43:50 a fear now
00:43:50 --> 00:43:50 that if I
00:43:50 --> 00:43:50 book a
00:43:50 --> 00:43:51 ticket,
00:43:52 --> 00:43:52 if the
00:43:52 --> 00:43:53 airline doesn't
00:43:53 --> 00:43:54 get cancelled,
00:43:54 --> 00:43:55 I might get
00:43:55 --> 00:43:56 cancelled because
00:43:56 --> 00:43:56 of COVID.
00:43:57 --> 00:43:58 And that if I
00:43:58 --> 00:43:59 go there,
00:43:59 --> 00:44:00 a rat test
00:44:00 --> 00:44:01 may be
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01 negative,
00:44:01 --> 00:44:01 but I might
00:44:01 --> 00:44:02 be positive
00:44:02 --> 00:44:02 and give it
00:44:02 --> 00:44:03 to...
00:44:03 --> 00:44:03 I mean,
00:44:03 --> 00:44:03 it's like
00:44:03 --> 00:44:05 multitude of
00:44:05 --> 00:44:05 decisions.
00:44:08 --> 00:44:09 And so
00:44:09 --> 00:44:09 many people
00:44:09 --> 00:44:10 are struggling
00:44:10 --> 00:44:10 right now.
00:44:11 --> 00:44:12 Anxiety,
00:44:13 --> 00:44:14 apathy is
00:44:14 --> 00:44:16 just rising,
00:44:16 --> 00:44:17 languishing.
00:44:17 --> 00:44:17 I've spoken
00:44:17 --> 00:44:18 about that
00:44:18 --> 00:44:18 before.
00:44:20 --> 00:44:21 So if you're
00:44:21 --> 00:44:21 struggling right
00:44:21 --> 00:44:24 now, or if
00:44:24 --> 00:44:25 you're in a
00:44:25 --> 00:44:26 rut spiritually,
00:44:27 --> 00:44:28 maybe you're
00:44:28 --> 00:44:29 steeped in sin.
00:44:31 --> 00:44:32 Your one
00:44:32 --> 00:44:33 prayer right
00:44:33 --> 00:44:34 now should
00:44:34 --> 00:44:36 be, help
00:44:36 --> 00:44:37 me see
00:44:37 --> 00:44:37 you.
00:44:40 --> 00:44:40 Help me
00:44:40 --> 00:44:41 see you.
00:44:43 --> 00:44:44 I'm
00:44:44 --> 00:44:44 captivated by
00:44:44 --> 00:44:45 lesser
00:44:45 --> 00:44:45 glories.
00:44:48 --> 00:44:49 I want
00:44:49 --> 00:44:49 things to
00:44:49 --> 00:44:50 return that
00:44:50 --> 00:44:50 they were
00:44:50 --> 00:44:50 because to
00:44:50 --> 00:44:51 me that
00:44:51 --> 00:44:52 was glorious.
00:44:53 --> 00:44:53 When I
00:44:53 --> 00:44:54 could plan
00:44:54 --> 00:44:54 my travel
00:44:54 --> 00:44:55 and I
00:44:55 --> 00:44:55 could plan
00:44:55 --> 00:44:55 my life,
00:44:56 --> 00:44:56 but now I
00:44:56 --> 00:44:56 can't.
00:44:58 --> 00:44:59 Captivate me
00:44:59 --> 00:44:59 with your
00:44:59 --> 00:45:00 glory as
00:45:00 --> 00:45:01 you open
00:45:01 --> 00:45:03 God's word.
00:45:03 --> 00:45:03 And this
00:45:03 --> 00:45:04 might be the
00:45:04 --> 00:45:04 challenge for
00:45:04 --> 00:45:05 every single
00:45:05 --> 00:45:06 one of us
00:45:06 --> 00:45:06 right now
00:45:06 --> 00:45:07 and God's
00:45:07 --> 00:45:08 word.
00:45:10 --> 00:45:10 Your one
00:45:10 --> 00:45:11 prayer might
00:45:11 --> 00:45:13 be, as I
00:45:13 --> 00:45:15 read your
00:45:15 --> 00:45:16 word, help
00:45:16 --> 00:45:17 me to see
00:45:17 --> 00:45:18 your face
00:45:18 --> 00:45:19 and to know
00:45:19 --> 00:45:20 your presence.
00:45:21 --> 00:45:21 I want to be
00:45:21 --> 00:45:22 captivated by
00:45:22 --> 00:45:22 you.
00:45:22 --> 00:45:22 Thank you.
00:45:22 --> 00:45:24 Thank you.
00:45:24 --> 00:45:25 Thank you.
00:45:29 --> 00:45:31 Thank you.
00:45:31 --> 00:45:32 Thank you.
00:45:32 --> 00:45:32 Thank you.
00:45:32 --> 00:45:33 Thank you.
00:45:33 --> 00:45:33 Thank you.
00:45:33 --> 00:45:33 Thank you.
00:45:33 --> 00:45:34 Thank you.