God's Grand Vision: Transformed people
Speaker: Brian Tung
Date: 15th May 2011
Passage: Isaiah 56:9-57:21
00:00:00 --> 00:00:12 Thanks, Amy. Let's pray and ask God to illuminate his words in our hearts.
00:00:14 --> 00:00:23 Father, these words belong to you, and we believe that you speak to us today by your
00:00:23 --> 00:00:31 spirit, and we pray, Father, that these words might cut us deep inside of us, so they might
00:00:31 --> 00:00:40 change us. We pray that through our hearing of your word, that Jesus' name would be honoured
00:00:40 --> 00:00:52 among us and among the nations, so that all glory might go to you, and we pray this in
00:00:52 --> 00:01:00 Jesus' name. Amen. Years ago, I was involved in a beach mission to a little place called
00:01:00 --> 00:01:10 Windang down the south coast. Yeah? You know Windang? Yeah, it's a pretty dirty little town,
00:01:10 --> 00:01:17 if I could say so. High youth unemployment. It's the first time that I've met Satan worshippers,
00:01:17 --> 00:01:27 and it was really interesting. I was involved with the mission to the adults. There was a,
00:01:27 --> 00:01:31 somebody was giving a talk, and I think it was a heroin addict and dealer and all that sort
00:01:31 --> 00:01:35 of stuff, and at the end of it all, one of the young blokes sort of stood up and said,
00:01:35 --> 00:01:44 you know, I'll believe you if your God comes down and he lights my cigarette. He was going
00:01:44 --> 00:01:48 to say something else, but he thought, you know, he didn't want to offend our Christian
00:01:48 --> 00:01:56 sensitivity. And there was a very interesting proposition to prove the truthfulness of the
00:01:56 --> 00:02:03 gospel. Of course, we were unable to do it, and he left. It might very well be a good question,
00:02:03 --> 00:02:14 and that is, how do we show our peers, people around us, God? Where is our God to be found?
00:02:16 --> 00:02:22 That might be a question for non-Christians, but it might be a question for Christians as well,
00:02:22 --> 00:02:29 too. If you're going through a hard time, difficult patch in your life, you might be asking this
00:02:29 --> 00:02:36 question, well, where is God to be found? Do I need to storm heaven in order to see God?
00:02:37 --> 00:02:46 We see today that there are two significant problems, two significant problems for the presence
00:02:46 --> 00:02:57 of God. The first one is the corruption of his people. That is how our passage begins.
00:02:57 --> 00:03:07 God's people is just terrible. There's nothing to command God's people, and we can see that
00:03:07 --> 00:03:19 the corruption of his people starts from its head, and we can see that in chapter 56, the last few verses.
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 Verse 10,
00:03:21 --> 00:03:27 Come, all you beasts of the field, come and devour all you beasts of the forest. So it is an invitation to summon
00:03:27 --> 00:03:35 by God to the animals to consume his people. Why? Verse 10, Israel's watchmen are blind.
00:03:36 --> 00:03:42 They all lack knowledge. They are like mute dogs. They can't bark. They lie around, dream, scratch their
00:03:42 --> 00:03:48 tummies. They love to sleep. They're dogs with mighty appetites. They never have enough. They're shepherds who lack
00:03:48 --> 00:03:56 understanding, or they all turn to their own way. Each seeks his own gain. Come, each one cries. Let me get
00:03:56 --> 00:04:00 wine. Let us drink our fill of beer, and tomorrow we'll be like today, or even better.
00:04:02 --> 00:04:12 A terrible picture of what Israel is like. The head is corrupt. Verse 10, the watchmen of Israel.
00:04:12 --> 00:04:19 I mean, who were the watchmen presumably in that time? You've got fortress, fortified cities,
00:04:20 --> 00:04:27 and people were assigned to care for the city by warning the city of its danger. The watchmen,
00:04:27 --> 00:04:36 you know, they stand at the turrets and watch for impending danger. It's a great, one of the,
00:04:36 --> 00:04:45 I imagine, prerequisite of being a watchmen is that you have good eyesight. I couldn't be a good watchman
00:04:45 --> 00:04:52 because I've got terrible eyesight. But these watchmen, the watchmen of Israel, they were blind.
00:04:52 --> 00:05:03 They couldn't see. How could they possibly save Israel from danger? They were ignorant and they were lazy.
00:05:04 --> 00:05:13 And unlike me, who's got a genetic thing with my eyesight, these people were willfully blind. They were
00:05:13 --> 00:05:21 deliberately ignorant. And we can see the source of their ignorance and blindness in verses 11 and 12.
00:05:21 --> 00:05:34 They were ignorant and they were blind because they love so much. They were lovers. They love their work.
00:05:34 --> 00:05:41 They love their families. They love themselves. They comfort their ambitions, their hobbies. They love their drink.
00:05:41 --> 00:05:48 They love everything except for the people they were supposed to love and protect.
00:05:48 --> 00:06:00 And as a result, the people of God is devout. It is a sick head, but the body is equally sick.
00:06:00 --> 00:06:04 Have a look at chapter 57.
00:06:04 --> 00:06:16 The righteous perish and no one ponders it in his heart. Devout men are taken away and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil.
00:06:16 --> 00:06:21 Those who walk uprightly, however, enter into peace. They find rest as they lie in death.
00:06:21 --> 00:06:29 You know, the whole place is so bad that even when the little good disappears, no one notices.
00:06:30 --> 00:06:34 This is how bad things were. And the accusation becomes more direct.
00:06:34 --> 00:06:41 But you, not just the head, but the body, you, everyone, come here, you sons of a sorceress,
00:06:42 --> 00:06:45 you offspring of adulterers and prostitutes.
00:06:45 --> 00:06:50 Whom are you mocking? At whom do you sneer and stick out your tongue?
00:06:50 --> 00:06:53 Are you not a brood of rebels, offspring of liars?
00:06:54 --> 00:06:57 You burn with lust among the oaks and under every spreading tree.
00:06:57 --> 00:07:01 You sacrifice your children in the ravines and under the overhanging crags.
00:07:01 --> 00:07:05 The idol among the smooth stones of the ravines, they are your portion.
00:07:06 --> 00:07:07 They are your lot.
00:07:07 --> 00:07:12 Yes, to them you have poured out drink offerings and offered grain offerings.
00:07:12 --> 00:07:15 In the light of these things, should I relent?
00:07:15 --> 00:07:17 Et cetera, et cetera.
00:07:18 --> 00:07:21 This is what the people of God is like.
00:07:21 --> 00:07:27 They are children of sorceress and prostitutes and adulterers.
00:07:28 --> 00:07:31 It's not so much an indictment on their parents.
00:07:31 --> 00:07:34 It's really talking about what they are like.
00:07:34 --> 00:07:41 So if you are a son of rebellion, it's not saying that rebellion gives birth to you,
00:07:41 --> 00:07:43 but you have the characteristic.
00:07:43 --> 00:07:45 You have the family trait of rebellion.
00:07:45 --> 00:07:46 So in other words, you are a rebel.
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 If you are...
00:07:49 --> 00:07:53 So these people, they are children of unfaithfulness.
00:07:54 --> 00:07:58 They are characterized by their unworthiness, their unfaithfulness.
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 They are spiritually promiscuous.
00:08:02 --> 00:08:03 They are sons of liars.
00:08:04 --> 00:08:06 They are people who are deceitful.
00:08:07 --> 00:08:07 They lie.
00:08:07 --> 00:08:08 They mock.
00:08:09 --> 00:08:10 They stick their tang out.
00:08:12 --> 00:08:14 At God, presumably.
00:08:14 --> 00:08:15 At the righteous.
00:08:17 --> 00:08:20 Mind you, it is not that they are irreligious.
00:08:21 --> 00:08:23 Have a look at verses 5 to 8 again.
00:08:24 --> 00:08:27 This is a people full of religion.
00:08:27 --> 00:08:32 But they sacrifice to idols.
00:08:33 --> 00:08:38 Religion is everywhere, from on top of the mountain to the ravines.
00:08:38 --> 00:08:42 They sacrifice everything, even their children.
00:08:42 --> 00:08:46 In verses 9 and 10, we are told that they went down to Molech,
00:08:47 --> 00:08:50 and they send their ambassadors to afar.
00:08:50 --> 00:08:56 They were so eager to seek out their spiritual lovers that they will go far and wide.
00:08:57 --> 00:09:05 Later on, God accused them to acknowledge the futility and the hopelessness of their idolatry,
00:09:05 --> 00:09:09 something that they refused to see.
00:09:09 --> 00:09:13 They just don't see that as a complete waste of time and effort.
00:09:13 --> 00:09:17 And they keep going back to their idols, hoping to get something from them.
00:09:17 --> 00:09:31 Of course, just as an interlude, we might observe that this is not just what the people of God did thousands of years ago.
00:09:31 --> 00:09:35 It's something that we are engaged in in our own time.
00:09:35 --> 00:09:45 In our city, Christians, and maybe even our church, that we prostitute ourselves to our idols.
00:09:46 --> 00:09:50 I don't know whether I mentioned this before.
00:09:50 --> 00:09:56 It is interesting the way Isaiah describes their idols.
00:09:57 --> 00:09:58 Have a look at verse 11.
00:09:58 --> 00:10:04 Whom have you so dreaded and feared that you have been false to me,
00:10:04 --> 00:10:07 and have neither remembered me, nor pondered this in your hearts?
00:10:08 --> 00:10:11 Is it not because I have long been silent that you do not fear me?
00:10:12 --> 00:10:16 The motivation for their idolatry was, in fact, fear.
00:10:17 --> 00:10:19 Whom have you so dreaded and feared?
00:10:20 --> 00:10:22 I can't remember when I said this in this congregation.
00:10:22 --> 00:10:32 The way that you can tell what you worship is by what you fear.
00:10:34 --> 00:10:39 Whatever you have nightmares about, that is the thing that you worship.
00:10:39 --> 00:10:40 That is your God.
00:10:42 --> 00:10:50 If you're afraid of being alone, if you're afraid of losing your financial security,
00:10:50 --> 00:10:52 if whatever it is that you're afraid of, that is your God.
00:10:53 --> 00:10:56 And we prostitute ourselves to our gods.
00:10:56 --> 00:10:59 We sell our souls for all sorts of things.
00:10:59 --> 00:11:00 For pleasure.
00:11:01 --> 00:11:02 For a relationship.
00:11:02 --> 00:11:03 For approval.
00:11:03 --> 00:11:06 For a pat on the back by our boss.
00:11:06 --> 00:11:08 For applause from our peers.
00:11:08 --> 00:11:11 We even place our children on the altar, as it were,
00:11:12 --> 00:11:15 and sacrifice them to the God of success.
00:11:15 --> 00:11:20 I come from a culture where people would send the, you know,
00:11:20 --> 00:11:23 there was someone in my church, previous church,
00:11:23 --> 00:11:27 who offered to coach my four-year-old, Maths.
00:11:33 --> 00:11:35 And I thought about taking her on her offer.
00:11:36 --> 00:11:40 We put our children on the altar of success.
00:11:40 --> 00:11:45 Not just academic, but sporting, or their self-esteem, their popularity.
00:11:47 --> 00:11:49 And we might ask the question,
00:11:50 --> 00:11:52 when we sacrifice to our idols,
00:11:53 --> 00:11:58 when we lay ourselves and our future and our children on those altars,
00:11:59 --> 00:12:01 we better make sure that it's worth it.
00:12:02 --> 00:12:06 You know, when you make that decision to go out with that non-Christian boy or girl,
00:12:06 --> 00:12:15 you better make sure that you're selling your soul for something that is worthwhile.
00:12:16 --> 00:12:19 He better be worth it for your soul.
00:12:22 --> 00:12:24 That's an enormous problem, isn't it?
00:12:24 --> 00:12:29 That the people of God could be so corrupt from the top to the bottom.
00:12:29 --> 00:12:32 But there is a bigger problem.
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 There is a bigger problem.
00:12:33 --> 00:12:36 And it's a little bit subtle.
00:12:36 --> 00:12:37 It's a little bit hard to notice.
00:12:38 --> 00:12:40 And I might need to point it out for you to...
00:12:41 --> 00:12:44 The bigger problem here is the context.
00:12:45 --> 00:12:46 It's the context.
00:12:46 --> 00:12:47 Why is that a problem?
00:12:51 --> 00:12:51 It's hard.
00:12:52 --> 00:12:54 I know it's hard when we go through from week to week.
00:12:55 --> 00:12:57 Isaiah, it sort of all gets a bit lost.
00:12:57 --> 00:12:57 We don't know when...
00:12:58 --> 00:13:00 Just to refresh your memory,
00:13:00 --> 00:13:02 Isaiah, the book itself, is divided,
00:13:02 --> 00:13:03 or could be divided into two parts.
00:13:04 --> 00:13:07 The first part is really looking at the impending judgment of God
00:13:07 --> 00:13:09 for the idolatry of Israel.
00:13:10 --> 00:13:12 That's the first part, first 39 chapters.
00:13:13 --> 00:13:14 God warns his people,
00:13:15 --> 00:13:19 if you don't quit your idolatry and prostituting and all this stuff,
00:13:19 --> 00:13:21 I'm going to come and smash you.
00:13:21 --> 00:13:23 And I'm going to give you a warning.
00:13:24 --> 00:13:26 This is what's going to happen to the Northern Kingdom.
00:13:26 --> 00:13:28 The Assyrians are going to come,
00:13:28 --> 00:13:29 and they're going to smash the North.
00:13:29 --> 00:13:30 And that's what happened.
00:13:30 --> 00:13:32 But I'm going to spare you, the South Jerusalem,
00:13:33 --> 00:13:35 from this, but you need to turn.
00:13:35 --> 00:13:36 They didn't.
00:13:37 --> 00:13:40 And God says, what I'm going to do is I'm going to send something worse than the Assyrians,
00:13:41 --> 00:13:42 the Babylonians.
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 They're going to come,
00:13:43 --> 00:13:46 and they're going to destroy everything that represents me.
00:13:47 --> 00:13:49 They're going to come and destroy the temple,
00:13:51 --> 00:13:52 the symbolic presence,
00:13:52 --> 00:13:53 my presence,
00:13:53 --> 00:13:56 and they're going to take you away from the land,
00:13:56 --> 00:13:59 the symbol of my blessing and protection to you.
00:13:59 --> 00:14:04 Everything that reminds you of me is going to be taken away from you.
00:14:04 --> 00:14:06 A little bit like Eden, you remember.
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 Genesis chapter 3,
00:14:09 --> 00:14:12 Adam and Eve cast out from the garden.
00:14:13 --> 00:14:14 They're not allowed to return
00:14:14 --> 00:14:16 because there's an angel with a flaming sword.
00:14:18 --> 00:14:18 Everything,
00:14:19 --> 00:14:21 the people of God will be cast out once again,
00:14:22 --> 00:14:24 exiled from the presence of God.
00:14:24 --> 00:14:27 That's the first 39 chapters,
00:14:28 --> 00:14:30 but that's not the end of the book.
00:14:31 --> 00:14:32 There's the second part of Isaiah.
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 There will be a return,
00:14:35 --> 00:14:37 a return from exile.
00:14:37 --> 00:14:38 There will be salvation.
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 The people would come back to the land,
00:14:41 --> 00:14:44 the temple would be rebuilt on Zion,
00:14:44 --> 00:14:47 and the nations would come stream to Zion.
00:14:48 --> 00:14:50 This is the second part of the book.
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 Where is chapter 57 in?
00:14:54 --> 00:14:58 The second part of the book.
00:14:59 --> 00:15:02 It sounds a lot like the first part of the book.
00:15:03 --> 00:15:03 Doesn't it?
00:15:05 --> 00:15:06 Here's the people of God
00:15:06 --> 00:15:09 being accused of exactly the same thing
00:15:09 --> 00:15:12 before the Babylonian exile.
00:15:14 --> 00:15:17 They're going back to their old ways.
00:15:18 --> 00:15:22 It reminds me a little bit
00:15:22 --> 00:15:24 of what happened to Noah.
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 You remember.
00:15:26 --> 00:15:26 You know,
00:15:26 --> 00:15:28 God was sick of the wickedness
00:15:28 --> 00:15:31 and the evil of our race,
00:15:31 --> 00:15:32 the human race,
00:15:32 --> 00:15:32 and he said,
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 I'm going to wipe out everyone,
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 but I'm going to save Noah.
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 I'm going to save Noah
00:15:38 --> 00:15:40 and create a new people out of him.
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 So everything on the face of the earth
00:15:42 --> 00:15:44 was wiped out,
00:15:44 --> 00:15:46 except for Noah and his family,
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 the righteous man.
00:15:47 --> 00:15:49 And God says,
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 I'm going to make a promise to you.
00:15:51 --> 00:15:52 I'm not going to destroy the earth
00:15:52 --> 00:15:55 by flood water ever again.
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 Even though,
00:15:57 --> 00:15:59 this is Genesis chapter 8, 21.
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 Do you remember what he says?
00:16:01 --> 00:16:06 Even though every inclination of his heart
00:16:06 --> 00:16:09 is evil from youth.
00:16:09 --> 00:16:12 Everything,
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 every inclination,
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 everything that you desire,
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 your proclivities,
00:16:18 --> 00:16:18 everything,
00:16:19 --> 00:16:20 is evil
00:16:20 --> 00:16:23 from when you were a child.
00:16:23 --> 00:16:27 The judgment of God,
00:16:27 --> 00:16:27 it seems,
00:16:28 --> 00:16:29 did not solve the problem.
00:16:30 --> 00:16:33 The earth was almost destroyed,
00:16:34 --> 00:16:36 but what did not change
00:16:36 --> 00:16:40 was the human heart.
00:16:42 --> 00:16:43 And there it is.
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 Again, here,
00:16:45 --> 00:16:47 the exile of God's people
00:16:47 --> 00:16:49 to a foreign land,
00:16:49 --> 00:16:51 everything that represents God
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 is taken away from them.
00:16:52 --> 00:16:54 They brought back into the land.
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 Did that change their heart?
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 Clearly not.
00:17:00 --> 00:17:03 From the head to the toe,
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 still sick.
00:17:06 --> 00:17:08 Something has to be done.
00:17:09 --> 00:17:12 Something much more dramatic
00:17:12 --> 00:17:15 than an exile and a return.
00:17:18 --> 00:17:21 Which takes us to chapter 57,
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 verse 14.
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 The highlight,
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 in my view,
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 of our passage.
00:17:28 --> 00:17:30 The Lord says,
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 and it will be said
00:17:31 --> 00:17:33 on a day in the future,
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 build up,
00:17:36 --> 00:17:36 build up,
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 prepare the road,
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 remove the obstacles
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 out of the way
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 of my people.
00:17:43 --> 00:17:45 There will be a great
00:17:45 --> 00:17:45 returning.
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 returning.
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 Instead of turning away
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 from God,
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 people,
00:17:50 --> 00:17:51 his people will now
00:17:51 --> 00:17:53 turn to God.
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 But there is a greater
00:17:55 --> 00:17:57 reversal in 15.
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 And this was,
00:17:59 --> 00:18:01 this verse just blew me away
00:18:01 --> 00:18:03 during the course of this week
00:18:03 --> 00:18:03 when I read it.
00:18:03 --> 00:18:05 So come and have a look at it.
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 It says,
00:18:06 --> 00:18:06 for,
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 for,
00:18:08 --> 00:18:08 because,
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 this is what the high
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 and lofty one says,
00:18:12 --> 00:18:12 he who lives
00:18:12 --> 00:18:14 in eternity,
00:18:14 --> 00:18:16 whose name is holy,
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 I live in a high
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 and holy place,
00:18:19 --> 00:18:19 but,
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 also with him
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 who is contrite
00:18:22 --> 00:18:24 and lowly in spirit.
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 I live with him
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 to revive the spirit
00:18:26 --> 00:18:27 of the lowly
00:18:27 --> 00:18:28 and to revive the heart
00:18:28 --> 00:18:30 of the contrite.
00:18:30 --> 00:18:32 This is the other
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 great reversal.
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 Did you notice
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 how God is described?
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 High
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 and lofty,
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 dwelling
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 in eternity.
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 When I was teaching
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 scripture,
00:18:45 --> 00:18:47 I get this question
00:18:47 --> 00:18:47 a lot,
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 and I think I got this
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 question from one
00:18:49 --> 00:18:49 of my daughters.
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 The question is,
00:18:51 --> 00:18:53 who created God?
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 Have you ever got that one?
00:18:55 --> 00:18:57 Who created God?
00:18:57 --> 00:18:57 Do you know why
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 they ask this question?
00:18:58 --> 00:19:02 Because it is impossible
00:19:02 --> 00:19:04 for us who do not dwell
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 in eternity
00:19:05 --> 00:19:07 to imagine one
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 who has no beginning
00:19:08 --> 00:19:09 and no ending.
00:19:13 --> 00:19:13 Therefore,
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 God must have been created
00:19:15 --> 00:19:17 like we are.
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 God who dwells
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20 in eternity,
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 who has no beginning,
00:19:22 --> 00:19:24 so no one created him,
00:19:24 --> 00:19:25 and who has no ending,
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 so that no one
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 will judge him.
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 He is the
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 holy one.
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 The holy one.
00:19:32 --> 00:19:33 You know,
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 in the Old Testament,
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 there's the temple
00:19:35 --> 00:19:37 divided into all
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 these sections,
00:19:38 --> 00:19:39 and,
00:19:39 --> 00:19:39 you know,
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 there are all these
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 rituals associated
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 with the temple.
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 There's blood
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 everywhere,
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 splatters,
00:19:45 --> 00:19:45 you know,
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 and every time
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 somebody comes
00:19:47 --> 00:19:47 near the temple,
00:19:48 --> 00:19:49 something has to die.
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 You know,
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 imagine that sort
00:19:52 --> 00:19:52 of church.
00:19:52 --> 00:19:55 and right in front
00:19:55 --> 00:19:56 of this temple,
00:19:56 --> 00:19:56 you know,
00:19:57 --> 00:19:57 if we were to put
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 a sign there,
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 you know what the sign
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 would say?
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 Stay away.
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 That's what the temple,
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 the sign in front
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 of the temple
00:20:08 --> 00:20:08 would say.
00:20:09 --> 00:20:09 Keep out,
00:20:10 --> 00:20:10 stay away,
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 you are not
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 welcomed.
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 That is the temple
00:20:16 --> 00:20:16 of God.
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 That's what it means
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 to be holy.
00:20:19 --> 00:20:19 Did you realize that?
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 No.
00:20:20 --> 00:20:24 Every word
00:20:24 --> 00:20:24 that you could
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 possibly come up
00:20:25 --> 00:20:27 with to describe
00:20:27 --> 00:20:29 the difference
00:20:29 --> 00:20:30 between you
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 and God
00:20:31 --> 00:20:31 is he,
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 in verse 15.
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 The lofty one,
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 the one who dwells
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 on high
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 in eternity.
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 He is so different,
00:20:40 --> 00:20:42 so separate
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 from us.
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 You know,
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 just to reinforce
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 the point,
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 do you remember
00:20:47 --> 00:20:47 Isaiah,
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 what he says
00:20:48 --> 00:20:50 back in chapter 6
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 when he saw
00:20:51 --> 00:20:53 the one
00:20:53 --> 00:20:53 on the throne.
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 Chapter 6,
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 you remember
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 we looked at this
00:20:57 --> 00:20:58 during the course
00:20:58 --> 00:21:00 of our series.
00:21:00 --> 00:21:00 In the year
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 that King Uzziah
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 died,
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 as I wrote,
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 I saw the Lord
00:21:04 --> 00:21:06 seated on the throne,
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 high and exalted,
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 similar to the language,
00:21:09 --> 00:21:09 and the train
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 of his robe
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 filled the temple.
00:21:12 --> 00:21:12 Above him
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 were seraph,
00:21:14 --> 00:21:14 which literally
00:21:14 --> 00:21:16 means the burning ones.
00:21:16 --> 00:21:18 each with six wings,
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 with two wings
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 that cover the faces,
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 two that cover the feet,
00:21:22 --> 00:21:22 and two,
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 with two,
00:21:23 --> 00:21:23 they were flying.
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 The created ones
00:21:25 --> 00:21:27 who have not fallen,
00:21:27 --> 00:21:29 these are unsinful ones,
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 they couldn't even look
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 at the presence of God,
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 they had to cover the faces,
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34 and they were calling out
00:21:34 --> 00:21:34 to one another,
00:21:35 --> 00:21:35 holy,
00:21:35 --> 00:21:35 holy,
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 holy,
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 it's the Lord Almighty,
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 the whole earth
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 is full of his glory.
00:21:40 --> 00:21:40 The sound of the voices,
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 the doorposts,
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 and the threshold shook,
00:21:43 --> 00:21:43 and the temple
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 was filled with smoke,
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 and Isaiah says,
00:21:45 --> 00:21:47 I'm a dead person.
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 Woe to me,
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 I'm ruined,
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 for I am a man
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 of unclean lips,
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 and I live among
00:21:53 --> 00:21:53 the people
00:21:53 --> 00:21:54 of unclean lips.
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 My eyes have seen
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 the King,
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 the God Almighty.
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 He is dead
00:21:59 --> 00:22:02 because he is unholy,
00:22:02 --> 00:22:04 unlike the Lord.
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 This is the same God,
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 and yet,
00:22:09 --> 00:22:09 in verse 15,
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 did you notice
00:22:10 --> 00:22:12 the great reversal?
00:22:14 --> 00:22:16 But,
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 he who dwells
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 in eternity,
00:22:20 --> 00:22:22 he will also
00:22:22 --> 00:22:24 dwell
00:22:24 --> 00:22:27 with the contrite.
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 Did you notice that?
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 You see,
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 the sign didn't change.
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 The sign to the temple
00:22:36 --> 00:22:36 didn't say,
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 welcome.
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 That's not the change.
00:22:42 --> 00:22:44 Because what does it say?
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 Verse 15.
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 Who's dwelling
00:22:47 --> 00:22:47 with whom?
00:22:54 --> 00:22:54 Sorry,
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 this isn't rhetorical,
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 this is actually
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 inviting you
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 to participate.
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 Who's dwelling
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 with whom
00:23:01 --> 00:23:01 in verse 15?
00:23:01 --> 00:23:09 Yeah.
00:23:10 --> 00:23:12 I can't see who said it,
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 but yes,
00:23:14 --> 00:23:16 that's exactly right.
00:23:17 --> 00:23:19 The unimaginable
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 is not that sinful men
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 and women
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 and boys and girls
00:23:22 --> 00:23:23 are invited
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 into the temple.
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 That is not
00:23:26 --> 00:23:26 what's happening.
00:23:27 --> 00:23:27 Rather,
00:23:28 --> 00:23:30 the holy God
00:23:30 --> 00:23:30 is coming
00:23:30 --> 00:23:32 out from his temple
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 to dwell
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34 amongst
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 his people.
00:23:36 --> 00:23:36 See,
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 we take this
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 so for granted.
00:23:38 --> 00:23:39 It is such
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 a new idea.
00:23:42 --> 00:23:43 God is coming
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 to dwell
00:23:44 --> 00:23:45 among his
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 people.
00:23:46 --> 00:23:47 He will step
00:23:47 --> 00:23:48 out from heaven
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 to do that.
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 And as a result,
00:23:52 --> 00:23:52 there is
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 life.
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 Verses 16
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 to 19.
00:23:56 --> 00:23:59 I will not
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 accuse forever,
00:24:01 --> 00:24:01 nor will I
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 always be angry.
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 For then
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 the spirit of man
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 will grow faint
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 before me,
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 the breath of man
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 that I have created.
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 I was enraged
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 by his sinful greed.
00:24:12 --> 00:24:13 I punished him
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 and hid my face
00:24:14 --> 00:24:14 in anger,
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 yet he kept on
00:24:15 --> 00:24:17 in his willful ways.
00:24:18 --> 00:24:18 I have seen
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 his ways,
00:24:20 --> 00:24:20 but
00:24:20 --> 00:24:22 I will heal him.
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 I will guide him
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 and restore comfort
00:24:24 --> 00:24:24 to him,
00:24:24 --> 00:24:26 creating praise
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 on the lips
00:24:27 --> 00:24:27 of the mourners
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 in Israel.
00:24:29 --> 00:24:29 Peace,
00:24:29 --> 00:24:31 peace to those
00:24:31 --> 00:24:32 far and near,
00:24:32 --> 00:24:32 says the Lord,
00:24:33 --> 00:24:33 and I
00:24:33 --> 00:24:35 will heal him.
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 This
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 is what
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 God will do.
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 He was
00:24:41 --> 00:24:41 angry,
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 but his
00:24:43 --> 00:24:43 anger will be
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 turned.
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 There is
00:24:45 --> 00:24:45 healing
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 and comfort
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 and peace.
00:24:48 --> 00:24:48 Everything
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 will be
00:24:49 --> 00:24:50 reconciled
00:24:50 --> 00:24:50 and restored.
00:24:51 --> 00:24:51 Things
00:24:51 --> 00:24:52 will be
00:24:52 --> 00:24:52 as they
00:24:52 --> 00:24:53 should be.
00:24:53 --> 00:24:55 The disease
00:24:55 --> 00:24:55 that has
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 caused the
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56 people of God
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 to keep
00:24:57 --> 00:24:57 sinning,
00:24:58 --> 00:24:58 the thing
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 that has
00:24:59 --> 00:24:59 led them
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 to their
00:25:00 --> 00:25:00 idolatry
00:25:00 --> 00:25:01 again and
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 again and
00:25:02 --> 00:25:02 the judgment
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 of God
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 will finally
00:25:04 --> 00:25:06 be healed.
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 Because
00:25:08 --> 00:25:08 what is
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 their problem?
00:25:10 --> 00:25:10 Ultimately
00:25:10 --> 00:25:12 is not just
00:25:12 --> 00:25:12 the external,
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 ultimately
00:25:14 --> 00:25:15 is
00:25:15 --> 00:25:16 their
00:25:16 --> 00:25:18 hearts.
00:25:18 --> 00:25:22 the
00:25:22 --> 00:25:22 problem
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 with the
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 world
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 is
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 here.
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 And the
00:25:29 --> 00:25:29 Lord
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 promised
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 he needed,
00:25:32 --> 00:25:32 how could
00:25:32 --> 00:25:33 a holy
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 God dwell
00:25:34 --> 00:25:34 among sinful
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 people,
00:25:35 --> 00:25:37 even when
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 they're forgiven?
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 They need
00:25:41 --> 00:25:41 to be
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 changed
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 in such
00:25:43 --> 00:25:43 a way
00:25:43 --> 00:25:44 that they
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 will not
00:25:45 --> 00:25:45 sin
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 anymore.
00:25:46 --> 00:25:48 cleanse.
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 And the
00:25:49 --> 00:25:49 only way
00:25:49 --> 00:25:49 that that
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 happens
00:25:50 --> 00:25:50 is if
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 their
00:25:51 --> 00:25:51 heart
00:25:51 --> 00:25:52 itself
00:25:52 --> 00:25:52 gets
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 ripped
00:25:53 --> 00:25:53 out
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 and
00:25:54 --> 00:25:54 a
00:25:54 --> 00:25:54 new
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 heart
00:25:55 --> 00:25:55 gets
00:25:55 --> 00:25:55 given.
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 And this
00:25:56 --> 00:25:56 is what
00:25:56 --> 00:25:56 Jeremiah
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 says,
00:25:57 --> 00:25:57 Jeremiah
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 31,
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 31 to
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 33,
00:26:00 --> 00:26:00 behold,
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 the days
00:26:01 --> 00:26:01 are coming,
00:26:01 --> 00:26:01 says the
00:26:01 --> 00:26:02 Lord,
00:26:02 --> 00:26:02 when I
00:26:02 --> 00:26:02 will make
00:26:02 --> 00:26:02 a new
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 covenant
00:26:03 --> 00:26:03 with the
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 house of
00:26:04 --> 00:26:04 Israel.
00:26:04 --> 00:26:04 I
00:26:04 --> 00:26:05 will put
00:26:05 --> 00:26:05 my
00:26:05 --> 00:26:05 law
00:26:05 --> 00:26:06 in
00:26:06 --> 00:26:06 them.
00:26:07 --> 00:26:07 I
00:26:07 --> 00:26:07 will
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 write
00:26:08 --> 00:26:08 it
00:26:08 --> 00:26:08 on
00:26:08 --> 00:26:08 their
00:26:08 --> 00:26:08 hearts
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 and
00:26:09 --> 00:26:09 I
00:26:09 --> 00:26:09 will
00:26:09 --> 00:26:09 be
00:26:09 --> 00:26:09 their
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 God
00:26:10 --> 00:26:10 and
00:26:10 --> 00:26:10 they
00:26:10 --> 00:26:10 will
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 be
00:26:11 --> 00:26:11 my
00:26:11 --> 00:26:11 people.
00:26:12 --> 00:26:12 One
00:26:12 --> 00:26:12 day
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 I
00:26:17 --> 00:26:17 will
00:26:17 --> 00:26:17 give
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 them
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 the
00:26:19 --> 00:26:19 ability
00:26:19 --> 00:26:19 to
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20 obey
00:26:20 --> 00:26:20 my
00:26:20 --> 00:26:20 laws.
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 Ezekiel
00:26:21 --> 00:26:21 says,
00:26:21 --> 00:26:21 a new
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 heart
00:26:22 --> 00:26:22 I
00:26:22 --> 00:26:22 will
00:26:22 --> 00:26:22 give
00:26:22 --> 00:26:22 you,
00:26:22 --> 00:26:22 a new
00:26:22 --> 00:26:23 spirit
00:26:23 --> 00:26:23 I
00:26:23 --> 00:26:23 will
00:26:23 --> 00:26:24 put
00:26:24 --> 00:26:24 within
00:26:24 --> 00:26:24 you.
00:26:24 --> 00:26:25 I
00:26:25 --> 00:26:25 will
00:26:25 --> 00:26:25 take
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 out
00:26:26 --> 00:26:26 of
00:26:26 --> 00:26:26 your
00:26:26 --> 00:26:26 flesh
00:26:26 --> 00:26:26 a
00:26:26 --> 00:26:27 heart
00:26:27 --> 00:26:27 of
00:26:27 --> 00:26:27 stone
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 and
00:26:28 --> 00:26:28 give
00:26:28 --> 00:26:28 you
00:26:28 --> 00:26:28 a
00:26:28 --> 00:26:28 heart
00:26:28 --> 00:26:28 of
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 flesh.
00:26:29 --> 00:26:29 I
00:26:29 --> 00:26:29 will
00:26:29 --> 00:26:29 put
00:26:29 --> 00:26:29 my
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30 spirit
00:26:30 --> 00:26:30 within
00:26:30 --> 00:26:30 you.
00:26:30 --> 00:26:31 The
00:26:31 --> 00:26:31 way
00:26:31 --> 00:26:32 he's
00:26:32 --> 00:26:32 going
00:26:32 --> 00:26:32 to
00:26:32 --> 00:26:32 do
00:26:32 --> 00:26:32 it
00:26:32 --> 00:26:32 is
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 he's
00:26:33 --> 00:26:33 going
00:26:33 --> 00:26:33 to
00:26:33 --> 00:26:33 put
00:26:33 --> 00:26:33 his
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 spirit
00:26:34 --> 00:26:34 in
00:26:34 --> 00:26:35 them.
00:26:36 --> 00:26:36 His
00:26:36 --> 00:26:37 spirit
00:26:37 --> 00:26:37 will
00:26:37 --> 00:26:37 change
00:26:37 --> 00:26:37 their
00:26:37 --> 00:26:38 heart.
00:26:38 --> 00:26:38 They're
00:26:38 --> 00:26:38 all
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 saying
00:26:39 --> 00:26:39 the
00:26:39 --> 00:26:39 same
00:26:39 --> 00:26:39 thing
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 as
00:26:40 --> 00:26:40 I
00:26:40 --> 00:26:40 Jeremiah
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 Ezekiel.
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 They see
00:26:42 --> 00:26:42 the time
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 that is
00:26:43 --> 00:26:43 coming
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 when the
00:26:44 --> 00:26:44 sick,
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 disobedient,
00:26:45 --> 00:26:45 high-hearted
00:26:45 --> 00:26:46 people
00:26:46 --> 00:26:46 will be
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 supernaturally
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 changed.
00:26:49 --> 00:26:49 Their
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 hearts
00:26:50 --> 00:26:50 will be
00:26:50 --> 00:26:51 changed
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 and God
00:26:52 --> 00:26:52 will give
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 them the
00:26:53 --> 00:26:53 ability
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 to live
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 new
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 lives.
00:26:58 --> 00:26:58 This
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 is when
00:26:59 --> 00:26:59 the
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 lofty
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 one,
00:27:01 --> 00:27:01 the one
00:27:01 --> 00:27:01 who dwells
00:27:01 --> 00:27:01 in
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 eternity
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 can now
00:27:03 --> 00:27:03 dwell with
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 them.
00:27:04 --> 00:27:04 Not
00:27:04 --> 00:27:04 just
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 saving
00:27:05 --> 00:27:05 his
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 people
00:27:06 --> 00:27:06 from
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 exile,
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 but
00:27:08 --> 00:27:09 transforming
00:27:09 --> 00:27:09 them
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 so that
00:27:10 --> 00:27:10 they can
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 return
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 to him
00:27:12 --> 00:27:12 so that
00:27:12 --> 00:27:12 the
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 holy
00:27:13 --> 00:27:13 one
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 can
00:27:14 --> 00:27:14 dwell
00:27:14 --> 00:27:14 among
00:27:14 --> 00:27:15 sinful,
00:27:16 --> 00:27:16 corrupt
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 people.
00:27:18 --> 00:27:19 Three
00:27:19 --> 00:27:19 conclusions,
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 really hard,
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 quickly,
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 because I
00:27:22 --> 00:27:22 just noticed
00:27:22 --> 00:27:22 I got a
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 call from
00:27:23 --> 00:27:23 Jan,
00:27:24 --> 00:27:25 and that
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 is making
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 me very
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 nervous.
00:27:29 --> 00:27:30 Firstly,
00:27:30 --> 00:27:30 first
00:27:30 --> 00:27:31 conclusion is
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 where is
00:27:32 --> 00:27:32 God to
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 be found?
00:27:35 --> 00:27:36 Where is
00:27:36 --> 00:27:36 God to
00:27:36 --> 00:27:36 be found?
00:27:36 --> 00:27:37 Is it
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 the case?
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 Could I
00:27:39 --> 00:27:39 have shown
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 the young
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 man where
00:27:41 --> 00:27:41 God could
00:27:41 --> 00:27:42 be found?
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 Well,
00:27:43 --> 00:27:43 yes.
00:27:43 --> 00:27:44 He who
00:27:44 --> 00:27:44 dwells in
00:27:44 --> 00:27:45 lofty
00:27:45 --> 00:27:45 places,
00:27:46 --> 00:27:46 in some
00:27:46 --> 00:27:46 respect,
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 this young
00:27:48 --> 00:27:48 man could
00:27:48 --> 00:27:48 never have
00:27:48 --> 00:27:50 ascended to
00:27:50 --> 00:27:51 heaven to
00:27:51 --> 00:27:51 meet God.
00:27:53 --> 00:27:53 And yet,
00:27:53 --> 00:27:53 this is a
00:27:53 --> 00:27:54 God who
00:27:54 --> 00:27:54 could be
00:27:54 --> 00:27:54 found,
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 who could
00:27:55 --> 00:27:55 be approached.
00:27:57 --> 00:27:58 Instead of
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 a place,
00:27:59 --> 00:27:59 like a
00:27:59 --> 00:28:00 temple,
00:28:00 --> 00:28:00 like a
00:28:00 --> 00:28:00 church,
00:28:01 --> 00:28:01 he's to
00:28:01 --> 00:28:01 be found
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 in Jesus.
00:28:02 --> 00:28:04 I wonder
00:28:04 --> 00:28:04 whether
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 sometimes you
00:28:05 --> 00:28:05 feel the
00:28:05 --> 00:28:05 pressure
00:28:05 --> 00:28:06 yourself to
00:28:06 --> 00:28:07 experience the
00:28:07 --> 00:28:07 presence of
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 God, to
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 demonstrate his
00:28:09 --> 00:28:11 power to
00:28:11 --> 00:28:11 other people.
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 Well, I
00:28:13 --> 00:28:13 think the
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 word to
00:28:14 --> 00:28:14 us is
00:28:14 --> 00:28:18 show where
00:28:18 --> 00:28:18 God is in
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 Jesus,
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 not in
00:28:21 --> 00:28:21 things that
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 are necessarily
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 clever and
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 impressive.
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 Where is God
00:28:26 --> 00:28:26 to be found?
00:28:27 --> 00:28:27 He is to be
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28 found in
00:28:28 --> 00:28:28 Jesus.
00:28:28 --> 00:28:29 Secondly,
00:28:29 --> 00:28:30 what sort
00:28:30 --> 00:28:30 of people
00:28:30 --> 00:28:30 do you
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 think will
00:28:31 --> 00:28:32 dwell with
00:28:32 --> 00:28:32 God or
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 God dwell
00:28:33 --> 00:28:33 with them?
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 You notice
00:28:35 --> 00:28:35 here it's not
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 the strong
00:28:36 --> 00:28:36 people, not
00:28:36 --> 00:28:37 the worthy
00:28:37 --> 00:28:37 people, not
00:28:37 --> 00:28:38 the religious
00:28:38 --> 00:28:38 people.
00:28:39 --> 00:28:39 They were
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 religious.
00:28:41 --> 00:28:41 They were
00:28:41 --> 00:28:42 very religious.
00:28:43 --> 00:28:43 I just want
00:28:43 --> 00:28:44 to take you
00:28:44 --> 00:28:46 very quickly
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 to Isaiah
00:28:47 --> 00:28:47 chapter 1
00:28:47 --> 00:28:49 from verse
00:28:49 --> 00:28:49 10.
00:28:50 --> 00:28:50 This is the
00:28:50 --> 00:28:51 accusation that
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 the Lord has
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 directed to
00:28:53 --> 00:28:53 his people,
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 the religious
00:28:54 --> 00:28:54 people.
00:28:55 --> 00:28:55 Chapter 1
00:28:55 --> 00:28:56 verse 10,
00:28:56 --> 00:28:57 the same sort
00:28:57 --> 00:28:57 of accusation.
00:28:57 --> 00:28:58 Hear the
00:28:58 --> 00:28:58 word of
00:28:58 --> 00:28:58 the Lord,
00:28:58 --> 00:28:59 you rulers
00:28:59 --> 00:28:59 of Sodom.
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 Listen to
00:29:00 --> 00:29:00 the law of
00:29:00 --> 00:29:01 our God,
00:29:01 --> 00:29:01 you people
00:29:01 --> 00:29:02 of Gomorrah.
00:29:02 --> 00:29:02 The multitude
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 of your
00:29:03 --> 00:29:03 sacrifices,
00:29:03 --> 00:29:04 what are they
00:29:04 --> 00:29:04 to me?
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 Says the
00:29:05 --> 00:29:05 Lord.
00:29:05 --> 00:29:06 I have
00:29:06 --> 00:29:06 more than
00:29:06 --> 00:29:06 enough
00:29:06 --> 00:29:07 burnt
00:29:07 --> 00:29:07 offerings
00:29:07 --> 00:29:07 of rams
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08 and the
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 fed of
00:29:09 --> 00:29:09 fathed
00:29:09 --> 00:29:09 animals.
00:29:09 --> 00:29:10 I have
00:29:10 --> 00:29:10 no
00:29:10 --> 00:29:10 pleasure
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 in the
00:29:11 --> 00:29:11 blood
00:29:11 --> 00:29:11 of
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 bulls
00:29:12 --> 00:29:12 and
00:29:12 --> 00:29:12 lambs
00:29:12 --> 00:29:13 and
00:29:13 --> 00:29:13 goats.
00:29:13 --> 00:29:13 When
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 you come
00:29:14 --> 00:29:14 to appear
00:29:14 --> 00:29:15 before me,
00:29:15 --> 00:29:16 who has
00:29:16 --> 00:29:16 asked this
00:29:16 --> 00:29:16 of you,
00:29:16 --> 00:29:17 this trampling
00:29:17 --> 00:29:17 of my
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 cords?
00:29:18 --> 00:29:18 Stop
00:29:18 --> 00:29:19 bringing
00:29:19 --> 00:29:19 meaningless
00:29:19 --> 00:29:20 offerings.
00:29:20 --> 00:29:20 Your
00:29:20 --> 00:29:21 incense is
00:29:21 --> 00:29:22 detestable
00:29:27 --> 00:29:28 and your
00:29:28 --> 00:29:28 pointed
00:29:28 --> 00:29:28 feasts
00:29:28 --> 00:29:29 my soul
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 hates.
00:29:30 --> 00:29:30 They
00:29:30 --> 00:29:30 become a
00:29:30 --> 00:29:31 burden
00:29:31 --> 00:29:31 to me.
00:29:31 --> 00:29:31 I'm
00:29:31 --> 00:29:31 weary
00:29:31 --> 00:29:32 of
00:29:32 --> 00:29:32 bearing
00:29:32 --> 00:29:32 them.
00:29:33 --> 00:29:33 When
00:29:33 --> 00:29:33 you
00:29:33 --> 00:29:34 spread
00:29:34 --> 00:29:34 out
00:29:34 --> 00:29:34 your
00:29:34 --> 00:29:34 hands
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 in
00:29:35 --> 00:29:35 prayer,
00:29:35 --> 00:29:35 I
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 will
00:29:36 --> 00:29:36 hide
00:29:36 --> 00:29:36 my
00:29:36 --> 00:29:37 eyes
00:29:37 --> 00:29:37 from
00:29:37 --> 00:29:37 you.
00:29:37 --> 00:29:38 Even
00:29:38 --> 00:29:38 if you
00:29:38 --> 00:29:38 offer
00:29:38 --> 00:29:38 many
00:29:38 --> 00:29:39 prayers,
00:29:39 --> 00:29:39 I
00:29:39 --> 00:29:39 will
00:29:39 --> 00:29:39 not
00:29:39 --> 00:29:40 listen.
00:29:40 --> 00:29:40 Your
00:29:40 --> 00:29:41 hands
00:29:41 --> 00:29:41 are
00:29:41 --> 00:29:41 full
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 of
00:29:42 --> 00:29:42 blood.
00:29:43 --> 00:29:43 This
00:29:43 --> 00:29:44 is an
00:29:44 --> 00:29:44 indictment
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 on
00:29:45 --> 00:29:45 Israel
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 in her
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47 religion.
00:29:47 --> 00:29:48 Imagine
00:29:48 --> 00:29:48 if God
00:29:48 --> 00:29:49 were saying
00:29:49 --> 00:29:49 this,
00:29:49 --> 00:29:49 your
00:29:49 --> 00:29:50 singing
00:29:50 --> 00:29:50 every
00:29:50 --> 00:29:50 Sunday
00:29:50 --> 00:29:51 makes
00:29:51 --> 00:29:51 me
00:29:51 --> 00:29:51 sick.
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 Makes
00:29:54 --> 00:29:54 me
00:29:54 --> 00:29:54 sick.
00:29:54 --> 00:29:54 Who
00:29:57 --> 00:29:57 me
00:29:57 --> 00:29:58 a
00:29:58 --> 00:29:58 favor
00:29:58 --> 00:29:58 by
00:29:58 --> 00:29:59 putting
00:29:59 --> 00:29:59 money
00:29:59 --> 00:29:59 on
00:29:59 --> 00:29:59 the
00:29:59 --> 00:29:59 offer
00:29:59 --> 00:30:00 tree
00:30:00 --> 00:30:00 back?
00:30:00 --> 00:30:01 Your
00:30:01 --> 00:30:01 money
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 makes
00:30:02 --> 00:30:02 me
00:30:02 --> 00:30:02 ill.
00:30:03 --> 00:30:03 I
00:30:03 --> 00:30:03 can't
00:30:03 --> 00:30:04 bear
00:30:04 --> 00:30:04 to
00:30:04 --> 00:30:04 touch
00:30:04 --> 00:30:04 it.
00:30:04 --> 00:30:04 I
00:30:04 --> 00:30:05 wish
00:30:05 --> 00:30:05 you
00:30:05 --> 00:30:05 would
00:30:05 --> 00:30:06 stop
00:30:06 --> 00:30:06 doing
00:30:06 --> 00:30:06 it.
00:30:07 --> 00:30:07 I
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08 can't
00:30:08 --> 00:30:08 stand
00:30:08 --> 00:30:08 your
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 wicked
00:30:09 --> 00:30:09 Bible
00:30:09 --> 00:30:09 studies.
00:30:10 --> 00:30:10 I
00:30:10 --> 00:30:11 hate
00:30:11 --> 00:30:11 your
00:30:11 --> 00:30:11 singing,
00:30:12 --> 00:30:12 your
00:30:12 --> 00:30:13 services,
00:30:13 --> 00:30:13 especially
00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 your
00:30:14 --> 00:30:14 Christmas
00:30:14 --> 00:30:14 and
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15 Easter
00:30:15 --> 00:30:15 service.
00:30:15 --> 00:30:15 In
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16 fact,
00:30:16 --> 00:30:16 frankly,
00:30:16 --> 00:30:17 they
00:30:17 --> 00:30:17 are a
00:30:17 --> 00:30:17 burden
00:30:17 --> 00:30:17 to
00:30:17 --> 00:30:18 me,
00:30:18 --> 00:30:18 and
00:30:18 --> 00:30:18 I'm
00:30:18 --> 00:30:19 sick
00:30:19 --> 00:30:19 of
00:30:19 --> 00:30:19 carrying
00:30:19 --> 00:30:19 it.
00:30:19 --> 00:30:20 I've
00:30:20 --> 00:30:20 had
00:30:20 --> 00:30:20 enough
00:30:20 --> 00:30:20 of
00:30:20 --> 00:30:20 your
00:30:20 --> 00:30:20 prayers
00:30:20 --> 00:30:21 for
00:30:21 --> 00:30:22 so
00:30:22 --> 00:30:22 long
00:30:22 --> 00:30:22 that
00:30:22 --> 00:30:23 I
00:30:23 --> 00:30:23 have
00:30:23 --> 00:30:23 stopped
00:30:23 --> 00:30:24 listening
00:30:24 --> 00:30:24 to
00:30:24 --> 00:30:24 you.
00:30:28 --> 00:30:28 Imagine
00:30:28 --> 00:30:28 that.
00:30:29 --> 00:30:29 Could you
00:30:29 --> 00:30:30 imagine
00:30:30 --> 00:30:30 if this
00:30:30 --> 00:30:31 was said
00:30:31 --> 00:30:31 of a
00:30:31 --> 00:30:31 church,
00:30:32 --> 00:30:33 not ours,
00:30:33 --> 00:30:33 of course,
00:30:35 --> 00:30:35 the
00:30:35 --> 00:30:36 Presbyterians?
00:30:42 --> 00:30:42 You
00:30:42 --> 00:30:43 know,
00:30:43 --> 00:30:43 I wonder
00:30:43 --> 00:30:43 whether
00:30:43 --> 00:30:44 that's
00:30:44 --> 00:30:44 what we
00:30:44 --> 00:30:44 think is
00:30:44 --> 00:30:45 our
00:30:45 --> 00:30:45 problem
00:30:45 --> 00:30:45 with
00:30:45 --> 00:30:45 God.
00:30:46 --> 00:30:47 If
00:30:47 --> 00:30:48 we
00:30:48 --> 00:30:48 do
00:30:48 --> 00:30:48 more
00:30:48 --> 00:30:49 ministry,
00:30:49 --> 00:30:50 or maybe
00:30:50 --> 00:30:50 it's
00:30:50 --> 00:30:50 somebody
00:30:50 --> 00:30:51 else's
00:30:51 --> 00:30:51 fault
00:30:51 --> 00:30:52 that
00:30:52 --> 00:30:52 we
00:30:52 --> 00:30:53 don't
00:30:53 --> 00:30:53 experience
00:30:53 --> 00:30:54 God.
00:30:54 --> 00:30:54 You
00:30:54 --> 00:30:54 see,
00:30:54 --> 00:30:55 what
00:30:55 --> 00:30:55 does
00:30:55 --> 00:30:55 the
00:30:55 --> 00:30:56 Lord
00:30:56 --> 00:30:56 require
00:30:56 --> 00:30:56 of
00:30:56 --> 00:30:57 his
00:30:57 --> 00:30:57 people?
00:30:57 --> 00:30:57 Is
00:30:57 --> 00:30:57 his
00:30:57 --> 00:30:58 sacrifices?
00:31:03 --> 00:31:04 Psalm 51,
00:31:05 --> 00:31:05 17.
00:31:07 --> 00:31:08 It's not
00:31:08 --> 00:31:08 your
00:31:08 --> 00:31:08 sacrifice
00:31:08 --> 00:31:09 that I
00:31:09 --> 00:31:09 desire.
00:31:09 --> 00:31:09 The
00:31:09 --> 00:31:10 sacrifice
00:31:10 --> 00:31:10 of the
00:31:10 --> 00:31:10 Lord
00:31:10 --> 00:31:11 is a
00:31:11 --> 00:31:11 broken
00:31:11 --> 00:31:12 and
00:31:12 --> 00:31:12 contrite
00:31:12 --> 00:31:13 heart.
00:31:14 --> 00:31:14 The
00:31:14 --> 00:31:14 two
00:31:14 --> 00:31:15 men
00:31:15 --> 00:31:15 who
00:31:15 --> 00:31:15 went
00:31:15 --> 00:31:15 to
00:31:15 --> 00:31:15 the
00:31:15 --> 00:31:16 temple,
00:31:16 --> 00:31:16 there's
00:31:16 --> 00:31:16 a
00:31:16 --> 00:31:17 Pharisee
00:31:17 --> 00:31:17 and
00:31:17 --> 00:31:17 there's
00:31:17 --> 00:31:17 a
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18 tax
00:31:18 --> 00:31:18 collector.
00:31:19 --> 00:31:19 Who
00:31:19 --> 00:31:19 left
00:31:19 --> 00:31:19 the
00:31:19 --> 00:31:20 temple
00:31:20 --> 00:31:20 justified.
00:31:21 --> 00:31:21 The
00:31:21 --> 00:31:22 one
00:31:22 --> 00:31:22 who
00:31:22 --> 00:31:22 threw
00:31:22 --> 00:31:22 himself
00:31:22 --> 00:31:23 at
00:31:23 --> 00:31:23 the
00:31:23 --> 00:31:23 mercy
00:31:23 --> 00:31:23 of
00:31:23 --> 00:31:23 God.
00:31:24 --> 00:31:25 This
00:31:25 --> 00:31:25 is
00:31:25 --> 00:31:25 what
00:31:25 --> 00:31:26 the
00:31:26 --> 00:31:26 Lord
00:31:26 --> 00:31:26 desired,
00:31:26 --> 00:31:27 not
00:31:27 --> 00:31:27 your
00:31:27 --> 00:31:27 religion.
00:31:29 --> 00:31:29 He
00:31:29 --> 00:31:30 desires
00:31:30 --> 00:31:30 you to
00:31:30 --> 00:31:30 be
00:31:30 --> 00:31:31 broken,
00:31:31 --> 00:31:31 to
00:31:31 --> 00:31:32 recognize
00:31:32 --> 00:31:32 that
00:31:32 --> 00:31:32 you
00:31:32 --> 00:31:32 are
00:31:32 --> 00:31:32 a
00:31:32 --> 00:31:33 sinner,
00:31:33 --> 00:31:33 so
00:31:33 --> 00:31:33 that
00:31:33 --> 00:31:33 you
00:31:33 --> 00:31:34 might
00:31:34 --> 00:31:34 throw
00:31:34 --> 00:31:34 yourself
00:31:34 --> 00:31:34 down
00:31:34 --> 00:31:35 at
00:31:35 --> 00:31:35 his
00:31:35 --> 00:31:35 feet
00:31:35 --> 00:31:36 for
00:31:36 --> 00:31:36 his
00:31:36 --> 00:31:37 mercy.
00:31:37 --> 00:31:37 And
00:31:37 --> 00:31:37 it
00:31:37 --> 00:31:37 is
00:31:37 --> 00:31:38 there
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 that
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 you
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 will
00:31:38 --> 00:31:39 find
00:31:39 --> 00:31:39 mercy.
00:31:41 --> 00:31:41 Lastly,
00:31:42 --> 00:31:42 being
00:31:42 --> 00:31:42 mission
00:31:42 --> 00:31:43 month,
00:31:43 --> 00:31:43 we
00:31:43 --> 00:31:43 come
00:31:43 --> 00:31:43 back
00:31:43 --> 00:31:44 to
00:31:44 --> 00:31:44 mission.
00:31:45 --> 00:31:45 Of
00:31:45 --> 00:31:45 course,
00:31:46 --> 00:31:46 it
00:31:46 --> 00:31:46 was
00:31:46 --> 00:31:47 quite
00:31:47 --> 00:31:47 disappointing
00:31:47 --> 00:31:47 nobody
00:31:47 --> 00:31:48 says,
00:31:48 --> 00:31:48 oh,
00:31:48 --> 00:31:48 you
00:31:48 --> 00:31:48 know,
00:31:48 --> 00:31:48 we
00:31:48 --> 00:31:49 really
00:31:49 --> 00:31:49 motivated
00:31:49 --> 00:31:49 for
00:31:49 --> 00:31:50 global
00:31:50 --> 00:31:50 missions
00:31:50 --> 00:31:50 since
00:31:50 --> 00:31:51 looking
00:31:51 --> 00:31:51 at
00:31:51 --> 00:31:51 Isaiah.
00:31:53 --> 00:31:53 Sad,
00:31:53 --> 00:31:53 really.
00:31:57 --> 00:31:58 But if
00:31:58 --> 00:31:58 you notice
00:31:58 --> 00:32:00 chapter 57,
00:32:00 --> 00:32:00 how does
00:32:00 --> 00:32:01 it end?
00:32:01 --> 00:32:01 end?
00:32:03 --> 00:32:04 How does
00:32:04 --> 00:32:04 it end?
00:32:05 --> 00:32:05 It ends
00:32:05 --> 00:32:06 with a
00:32:06 --> 00:32:06 warning.
00:32:07 --> 00:32:08 But notice
00:32:08 --> 00:32:09 in verse
00:32:09 --> 00:32:10 19,
00:32:10 --> 00:32:10 creating
00:32:10 --> 00:32:11 praise on
00:32:11 --> 00:32:11 the lips
00:32:11 --> 00:32:11 of the
00:32:11 --> 00:32:12 mourners
00:32:12 --> 00:32:12 in Israel,
00:32:13 --> 00:32:13 peace,
00:32:14 --> 00:32:14 peace to
00:32:14 --> 00:32:15 those far
00:32:15 --> 00:32:15 and near,
00:32:15 --> 00:32:16 says the
00:32:16 --> 00:32:16 Lord,
00:32:16 --> 00:32:17 and I
00:32:17 --> 00:32:18 will heal
00:32:18 --> 00:32:18 them.
00:32:19 --> 00:32:19 Far
00:32:19 --> 00:32:20 and near.
00:32:20 --> 00:32:21 The message
00:32:21 --> 00:32:21 for those
00:32:21 --> 00:32:22 who can
00:32:22 --> 00:32:23 experience
00:32:23 --> 00:32:24 the presence
00:32:24 --> 00:32:24 of God.
00:32:25 --> 00:32:25 Far
00:32:25 --> 00:32:26 and near.
00:32:27 --> 00:32:28 Not
00:32:28 --> 00:32:28 just near,
00:32:29 --> 00:32:29 far.
00:32:30 --> 00:32:30 It sort
00:32:30 --> 00:32:31 of makes
00:32:31 --> 00:32:31 me think,
00:32:31 --> 00:32:32 wow,
00:32:32 --> 00:32:32 you know,
00:32:32 --> 00:32:33 God sees
00:32:33 --> 00:32:34 beyond the
00:32:34 --> 00:32:34 generation
00:32:34 --> 00:32:35 in his
00:32:35 --> 00:32:35 time.
00:32:37 --> 00:32:38 That his
00:32:38 --> 00:32:38 purpose is
00:32:38 --> 00:32:39 to save
00:32:39 --> 00:32:40 the nations
00:32:40 --> 00:32:43 beyond the
00:32:43 --> 00:32:43 wars of
00:32:43 --> 00:32:44 Israel.
00:32:45 --> 00:32:45 And it is
00:32:45 --> 00:32:46 being fulfilled.
00:32:46 --> 00:32:47 Us sitting
00:32:47 --> 00:32:47 here in
00:32:47 --> 00:32:47 Sydney,
00:32:48 --> 00:32:48 more than
00:32:48 --> 00:32:49 2
00:32:49 --> 00:32:50 years later,
00:32:50 --> 00:32:51 have been
00:32:51 --> 00:32:51 saved by
00:32:51 --> 00:32:52 him.
00:32:53 --> 00:32:53 Did you
00:32:53 --> 00:32:54 know that
00:32:54 --> 00:32:54 global
00:32:54 --> 00:32:55 mission is
00:32:55 --> 00:32:56 part of
00:32:56 --> 00:32:56 God's
00:32:56 --> 00:32:57 plans and
00:32:57 --> 00:32:58 purpose for
00:32:58 --> 00:32:58 the world?
00:32:58 --> 00:32:59 God's
00:32:59 --> 00:33:00 love
00:33:00 --> 00:33:01 and it
00:33:01 --> 00:33:01 will not
00:33:01 --> 00:33:02 fail.
00:33:03 --> 00:33:04 It will
00:33:04 --> 00:33:05 not fail
00:33:05 --> 00:33:05 even if you
00:33:05 --> 00:33:06 don't give
00:33:06 --> 00:33:06 one single
00:33:06 --> 00:33:07 cent to
00:33:07 --> 00:33:08 it and
00:33:08 --> 00:33:09 if you're
00:33:09 --> 00:33:09 not part
00:33:09 --> 00:33:09 of it.
00:33:12 --> 00:33:12 You're not
00:33:12 --> 00:33:13 doing him
00:33:13 --> 00:33:13 a favor
00:33:13 --> 00:33:15 if you
00:33:15 --> 00:33:16 don't
00:33:16 --> 00:33:16 pledge.
00:33:18 --> 00:33:18 In fact,
00:33:18 --> 00:33:19 what God
00:33:19 --> 00:33:19 does is he
00:33:19 --> 00:33:21 includes us
00:33:21 --> 00:33:22 in his
00:33:22 --> 00:33:22 wonderful
00:33:22 --> 00:33:22 plans so
00:33:22 --> 00:33:23 that we
00:33:23 --> 00:33:23 can be
00:33:23 --> 00:33:24 blessed,
00:33:24 --> 00:33:26 so that
00:33:26 --> 00:33:27 the presence
00:33:27 --> 00:33:28 of the
00:33:28 --> 00:33:29 Lord will
00:33:29 --> 00:33:30 be all
00:33:30 --> 00:33:30 over the
00:33:30 --> 00:33:31 world,
00:33:31 --> 00:33:31 not just
00:33:31 --> 00:33:32 amongst us.
00:33:33 --> 00:33:33 Wouldn't
00:33:33 --> 00:33:33 it be
00:33:33 --> 00:33:35 wonderful to
00:33:35 --> 00:33:35 see God's
00:33:35 --> 00:33:37 presence in
00:33:37 --> 00:33:38 the Middle
00:33:38 --> 00:33:38 East?
00:33:39 --> 00:33:40 That people
00:33:40 --> 00:33:41 come to
00:33:41 --> 00:33:42 experience the
00:33:42 --> 00:33:43 forgiveness and
00:33:43 --> 00:33:44 the presence of
00:33:44 --> 00:33:45 the one who's
00:33:45 --> 00:33:46 created them and
00:33:46 --> 00:33:47 he forgives
00:33:47 --> 00:33:47 them?
00:33:48 --> 00:33:49 Do you think
00:33:49 --> 00:33:49 he could do
00:33:49 --> 00:33:50 it?
00:33:50 --> 00:33:53 Do you
00:33:53 --> 00:33:54 want to be
00:33:54 --> 00:33:54 blessed,
00:33:55 --> 00:33:55 to be
00:33:55 --> 00:33:56 included as
00:33:56 --> 00:33:56 part of
00:33:56 --> 00:33:57 that work
00:33:57 --> 00:33:58 so that
00:33:58 --> 00:33:59 in 10
00:33:59 --> 00:34:00 years' time
00:34:00 --> 00:34:00 when we
00:34:00 --> 00:34:01 stand shoulder
00:34:01 --> 00:34:02 to shoulder
00:34:02 --> 00:34:03 with our
00:34:03 --> 00:34:03 Arab brothers
00:34:03 --> 00:34:04 and sisters
00:34:04 --> 00:34:06 we can be
00:34:06 --> 00:34:07 giving praise
00:34:07 --> 00:34:07 to our
00:34:07 --> 00:34:08 Lord Jesus
00:34:08 --> 00:34:08 Christ?
00:34:09 --> 00:34:10 That's what
00:34:10 --> 00:34:11 Mission Month
00:34:11 --> 00:34:11 is about.
00:34:12 --> 00:34:12 That's what
00:34:12 --> 00:34:13 the 29th
00:34:13 --> 00:34:13 is about.
00:34:15 --> 00:34:16 It's saying
00:34:16 --> 00:34:16 that we
00:34:16 --> 00:34:17 believe that
00:34:17 --> 00:34:18 this is God's
00:34:18 --> 00:34:19 plan for the
00:34:19 --> 00:34:19 world and
00:34:19 --> 00:34:20 it will not
00:34:20 --> 00:34:21 fail and
00:34:21 --> 00:34:22 we would
00:34:22 --> 00:34:22 love to be
00:34:22 --> 00:34:23 part of
00:34:23 --> 00:34:23 this.
00:34:25 --> 00:34:26 Would you
00:34:26 --> 00:34:26 like to be
00:34:26 --> 00:34:26 part of
00:34:26 --> 00:34:26 it?