Jesus brings CHANGE
Series: Summer Nights In The Gospel
Speaker: Debbie Gould
Date: 2nd January 2016
00:00:00 --> 00:00:04 Well, I'm wondering how many of you have made New Year's resolutions.
00:00:05 --> 00:00:08 Dare I ask for you to put your hand up ever so slowly
00:00:08 --> 00:00:11 if you think that's a good thing to do.
00:00:12 --> 00:00:14 Because, frankly, I never do it.
00:00:15 --> 00:00:21 I don't do it because I know that it only is going to take an hour or two
00:00:21 --> 00:00:24 and I've actually messed up my New Year's resolution.
00:00:25 --> 00:00:28 But if you are a devotee of John Piper,
00:00:28 --> 00:00:34 John Piper would say we need to be making new resolutions every day.
00:00:34 --> 00:00:37 Every day we are to be turning our eyes towards Jesus.
00:00:38 --> 00:00:40 So I need to take a little lesson from that.
00:00:42 --> 00:00:44 Now, considering it's the beginning of a new year,
00:00:45 --> 00:00:49 I thought it would be good to talk about change
00:00:49 --> 00:00:53 because this is our moment to actually step into a new year
00:00:53 --> 00:00:58 and to be fresh and to go with vigour into what it is
00:00:58 --> 00:01:01 that the Lord actually would wish for us to be doing.
00:01:02 --> 00:01:04 So I want to ask you,
00:01:04 --> 00:01:07 if you were to change something of yourself,
00:01:07 --> 00:01:11 what is it that you would be wanting to start with?
00:01:11 --> 00:01:16 Lots of us would start with things like,
00:01:16 --> 00:01:18 we want to be skinnier,
00:01:18 --> 00:01:19 we want to be taller,
00:01:20 --> 00:01:20 shorter,
00:01:21 --> 00:01:22 better looking,
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 or would you change your eyes,
00:01:24 --> 00:01:24 your hair,
00:01:25 --> 00:01:25 your teeth,
00:01:25 --> 00:01:26 your legs,
00:01:26 --> 00:01:26 your bulges,
00:01:27 --> 00:01:28 maybe just quietly?
00:01:28 --> 00:01:32 If you were to wave a magic wand
00:01:32 --> 00:01:36 and change any part of your appearance,
00:01:36 --> 00:01:38 would it be a light touch-up
00:01:38 --> 00:01:45 or would it be like one of those massive extreme makeovers
00:01:45 --> 00:01:46 that you see on television,
00:01:46 --> 00:01:49 which I personally actually really love,
00:01:49 --> 00:01:53 where you can't even recognise the person
00:01:53 --> 00:01:55 who's had the extreme makeover
00:01:55 --> 00:01:57 from the person who started?
00:01:58 --> 00:01:59 I just think that is amazing.
00:01:59 --> 00:02:04 Well, I think we all go through periods
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 where we desperately want to change something,
00:02:08 --> 00:02:10 something about ourselves.
00:02:10 --> 00:02:13 Teenagers live in a state of wanting,
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 living in a state of constant fear
00:02:16 --> 00:02:18 that they don't look good enough,
00:02:19 --> 00:02:19 that they,
00:02:19 --> 00:02:23 so they tinker and experiment with fads,
00:02:23 --> 00:02:24 with fashion,
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 with this T-shirt,
00:02:26 --> 00:02:26 that hat,
00:02:26 --> 00:02:30 or whatever the latest artist might be wearing.
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 But when we grow older,
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 we get smarter.
00:02:35 --> 00:02:36 Or do we?
00:02:37 --> 00:02:41 We spend hours trying to find just the right dress
00:02:41 --> 00:02:42 or the right shirt
00:02:42 --> 00:02:43 or the right pair of pants
00:02:43 --> 00:02:48 that will fit into whatever the crowd is
00:02:48 --> 00:02:50 that we're trying to impress.
00:02:51 --> 00:02:53 And some diet obsessively
00:02:53 --> 00:02:55 and work out,
00:02:55 --> 00:02:56 which is good for our health,
00:02:56 --> 00:03:01 but it can be a losing battle really,
00:03:01 --> 00:03:01 can't it?
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 Because we might lose weight
00:03:04 --> 00:03:06 and finally look good
00:03:06 --> 00:03:08 and then slowly it all sort of starts
00:03:08 --> 00:03:09 to creep back on again
00:03:09 --> 00:03:12 and we might reach a stage in our life
00:03:12 --> 00:03:14 where we think it's just much better
00:03:14 --> 00:03:15 to cover it up
00:03:15 --> 00:03:17 and not even bother anymore.
00:03:19 --> 00:03:21 Or maybe we just stop caring
00:03:21 --> 00:03:23 about ourselves altogether.
00:03:24 --> 00:03:26 But people change slowly.
00:03:26 --> 00:03:28 If they change at all.
00:03:29 --> 00:03:34 But as hard as it is to change on the outside,
00:03:34 --> 00:03:36 it seems infinitely harder
00:03:36 --> 00:03:38 to change on the inside.
00:03:40 --> 00:03:42 Think about all the struggles
00:03:42 --> 00:03:44 that you might have in your life.
00:03:44 --> 00:03:47 What would you change about yourself
00:03:47 --> 00:03:51 on the inside if you could?
00:03:51 --> 00:03:54 Would it be an impatient spirit,
00:03:55 --> 00:03:56 a critical tongue,
00:03:57 --> 00:03:59 envy of those around you,
00:04:00 --> 00:04:02 a spirit of discontentment,
00:04:03 --> 00:04:04 lingering resentment,
00:04:05 --> 00:04:06 lust you can't conquer,
00:04:07 --> 00:04:08 financial mismanagement,
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10 a guilty conscience,
00:04:10 --> 00:04:13 an inability to work with others,
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 overbearing stubbornness,
00:04:15 --> 00:04:17 a judgmental spirit,
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 a profound discouragement,
00:04:20 --> 00:04:23 an inability to appreciate life,
00:04:23 --> 00:04:24 an ungrateful spirit,
00:04:24 --> 00:04:26 a disorganised life,
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 an inability to say no,
00:04:28 --> 00:04:30 a mean streak that you can't seem
00:04:30 --> 00:04:31 to get rid of?
00:04:31 --> 00:04:34 The list is unending.
00:04:36 --> 00:04:40 We would all want to change something.
00:04:41 --> 00:04:42 But we don't know how to do it.
00:04:43 --> 00:04:45 And we don't know where to begin.
00:04:46 --> 00:04:47 And dare I say,
00:04:48 --> 00:04:50 many of us have areas in our life
00:04:50 --> 00:04:52 that need change
00:04:52 --> 00:04:53 and we are so blinded
00:04:53 --> 00:04:56 by the fact that we need to change that
00:04:56 --> 00:04:58 that we don't even see it.
00:04:59 --> 00:05:00 That's called deception.
00:05:02 --> 00:05:05 We all dream of being someone different at times.
00:05:06 --> 00:05:07 A better person.
00:05:09 --> 00:05:10 Advertisers know this
00:05:10 --> 00:05:15 and so that is why your email box,
00:05:16 --> 00:05:19 your inbox is always crammed filled
00:05:19 --> 00:05:22 with advertising to tell you
00:05:22 --> 00:05:23 that you can lose weight,
00:05:23 --> 00:05:24 you can make money,
00:05:25 --> 00:05:30 you can learn a new language.
00:05:30 --> 00:05:32 I constantly receive,
00:05:32 --> 00:05:33 and I'm not too sure
00:05:33 --> 00:05:35 if the computer actually knows this,
00:05:35 --> 00:05:37 but I constantly receive
00:05:37 --> 00:05:40 unwanted emails about this herb
00:05:40 --> 00:05:43 that you can take in a pill form
00:05:43 --> 00:05:44 from Africa
00:05:44 --> 00:05:46 where you don't have to exercise,
00:05:47 --> 00:05:48 you don't have to worry
00:05:48 --> 00:05:49 about what food you eat
00:05:49 --> 00:05:50 and you lose weight.
00:05:50 --> 00:05:52 I mean, how fantastic is that?
00:05:53 --> 00:05:54 The problem is,
00:05:54 --> 00:05:56 I think the only thing that you lose
00:05:56 --> 00:05:57 is lots of dollars
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59 and maybe not the weight.
00:05:59 --> 00:06:00 So, you know,
00:06:00 --> 00:06:01 sort of unfortunately,
00:06:02 --> 00:06:03 that's not something
00:06:03 --> 00:06:04 that I want to take up.
00:06:05 --> 00:06:06 Change is hard.
00:06:08 --> 00:06:09 Go to any bookstore
00:06:09 --> 00:06:11 and you'll see an entire wall
00:06:11 --> 00:06:13 of self-help books.
00:06:13 --> 00:06:15 Helping people to change
00:06:15 --> 00:06:18 is big business nowadays.
00:06:19 --> 00:06:21 But when we get up in the morning
00:06:21 --> 00:06:23 and we look in the mirror,
00:06:24 --> 00:06:25 it is still the same person
00:06:25 --> 00:06:27 that we see from yesterday.
00:06:30 --> 00:06:34 That's why we sometimes want to move.
00:06:35 --> 00:06:36 We change jobs,
00:06:37 --> 00:06:38 we buy a new car,
00:06:38 --> 00:06:39 we start a new career,
00:06:39 --> 00:06:40 we have a new boyfriend,
00:06:40 --> 00:06:41 we have a new girlfriend,
00:06:41 --> 00:06:43 we have a new outfit,
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 we go and change work.
00:06:46 --> 00:06:49 It's not as easy as those things.
00:06:50 --> 00:06:52 Those things aren't wrong in themselves,
00:06:53 --> 00:06:58 but sometimes we need to make outward changes.
00:06:58 --> 00:07:00 But it's not the outward stuff
00:07:00 --> 00:07:01 that trips us up.
00:07:01 --> 00:07:03 It's the stuff that's on the inside.
00:07:04 --> 00:07:05 Well, the great news is
00:07:05 --> 00:07:07 that there is an answer
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09 and most of you here in this building
00:07:09 --> 00:07:11 would actually know
00:07:11 --> 00:07:11 that the answer
00:07:11 --> 00:07:14 is going to be the Sunday school answer.
00:07:14 --> 00:07:15 It is Jesus.
00:07:16 --> 00:07:17 We all know that.
00:07:18 --> 00:07:18 Do we?
00:07:20 --> 00:07:21 Yes, of course we do.
00:07:21 --> 00:07:22 We all know that it's Jesus,
00:07:22 --> 00:07:23 is the answer.
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26 So why is it that we have so much trouble?
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31 What we learn with our heads
00:07:31 --> 00:07:35 needs to travel 30 centimetres
00:07:35 --> 00:07:38 in my old schooling, one foot,
00:07:39 --> 00:07:41 but 30 centimetres to reach our heart.
00:07:42 --> 00:07:45 And without that journey to our heart,
00:07:45 --> 00:07:48 whatever we know about Jesus,
00:07:49 --> 00:07:52 we'll actually be missing the point.
00:07:53 --> 00:07:55 So the change,
00:07:56 --> 00:07:58 the lasting change that we want
00:07:58 --> 00:07:59 is going to come
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01 by our hearts being transformed.
00:08:03 --> 00:08:05 What does it mean to follow Jesus then
00:08:05 --> 00:08:06 with our hearts?
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 In our reading in Matthew 4,
00:08:11 --> 00:08:12 we see Jesus
00:08:12 --> 00:08:15 walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee
00:08:15 --> 00:08:18 and he calls Peter and Andrew
00:08:18 --> 00:08:20 and also James and John
00:08:20 --> 00:08:21 to follow him.
00:08:22 --> 00:08:23 Two sets of brothers
00:08:23 --> 00:08:25 who are at work
00:08:25 --> 00:08:27 doing what they do daily,
00:08:28 --> 00:08:28 earning a living.
00:08:29 --> 00:08:31 Now these guys
00:08:31 --> 00:08:35 have already met Jesus
00:08:35 --> 00:08:36 either days or weeks
00:08:36 --> 00:08:38 or a couple of months beforehand.
00:08:38 --> 00:08:40 Not sure of how long it is,
00:08:40 --> 00:08:43 but we see their first meeting with Jesus
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 in John chapter 1
00:08:45 --> 00:08:47 from verse 35.
00:08:47 --> 00:08:48 Let me read it for you.
00:08:48 --> 00:08:49 The next day,
00:08:50 --> 00:08:51 John was there again
00:08:51 --> 00:08:52 with two of his disciples.
00:08:53 --> 00:08:55 When he saw Jesus passing by,
00:08:55 --> 00:08:56 he said,
00:08:56 --> 00:08:56 look,
00:08:56 --> 00:08:57 the Lamb of God.
00:08:58 --> 00:08:59 When the two disciples
00:08:59 --> 00:09:00 heard him say this,
00:09:01 --> 00:09:02 they followed Jesus.
00:09:02 --> 00:09:03 Turning around,
00:09:03 --> 00:09:04 Jesus saw them following
00:09:04 --> 00:09:05 and asked,
00:09:05 --> 00:09:06 what do you want?
00:09:06 --> 00:09:07 They said,
00:09:07 --> 00:09:07 Rabbi,
00:09:08 --> 00:09:09 which means teacher.
00:09:09 --> 00:09:10 Where are you staying?
00:09:11 --> 00:09:12 Come,
00:09:12 --> 00:09:13 he replied,
00:09:13 --> 00:09:14 and you will see.
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 So they went and saw
00:09:16 --> 00:09:17 where he was staying
00:09:17 --> 00:09:19 and they spent the day with him.
00:09:19 --> 00:09:21 It was about four in the afternoon.
00:09:23 --> 00:09:23 Andrew,
00:09:24 --> 00:09:25 Simon Peter's brother,
00:09:25 --> 00:09:26 was one of the two
00:09:26 --> 00:09:27 who heard what John had said
00:09:27 --> 00:09:29 and who had followed Jesus.
00:09:29 --> 00:09:31 The first thing Andrew did
00:09:31 --> 00:09:33 was to find his brother Simon
00:09:33 --> 00:09:34 and tell him,
00:09:34 --> 00:09:35 we have found the Messiah,
00:09:36 --> 00:09:37 that is the Christ.
00:09:37 --> 00:09:39 And he brought him to Jesus.
00:09:39 --> 00:09:41 Jesus looked at him
00:09:41 --> 00:09:41 and said,
00:09:41 --> 00:09:42 you are Simon,
00:09:43 --> 00:09:43 son of John,
00:09:44 --> 00:09:45 you will be called Cephas,
00:09:45 --> 00:09:46 which now means,
00:09:46 --> 00:09:47 translated,
00:09:47 --> 00:09:47 Peter.
00:09:48 --> 00:09:51 It seems that these new followers
00:09:51 --> 00:09:52 of Jesus
00:09:52 --> 00:09:54 had hung out with Jesus
00:09:54 --> 00:09:56 for a time
00:09:56 --> 00:09:59 and then had time
00:09:59 --> 00:10:02 to reflect on who Jesus was.
00:10:02 --> 00:10:04 And so when he's called to them
00:10:04 --> 00:10:06 to drop everything
00:10:06 --> 00:10:08 and to follow him,
00:10:08 --> 00:10:09 they were ready
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 to do so immediately.
00:10:13 --> 00:10:14 That is,
00:10:14 --> 00:10:15 they left their work,
00:10:16 --> 00:10:18 they left their income
00:10:18 --> 00:10:19 and their security,
00:10:20 --> 00:10:21 they left their family,
00:10:22 --> 00:10:23 their focus
00:10:23 --> 00:10:24 was on Jesus
00:10:24 --> 00:10:25 and Jesus alone.
00:10:26 --> 00:10:28 They weren't concerned
00:10:28 --> 00:10:29 about what others
00:10:29 --> 00:10:30 might have thought.
00:10:31 --> 00:10:32 Obedience to Jesus
00:10:32 --> 00:10:35 meant what was important
00:10:35 --> 00:10:36 in life yesterday,
00:10:36 --> 00:10:38 that is work,
00:10:39 --> 00:10:39 income,
00:10:40 --> 00:10:43 now is totally secondary today.
00:10:45 --> 00:10:46 Jesus is now
00:10:46 --> 00:10:47 their focus
00:10:47 --> 00:10:49 and their priority
00:10:49 --> 00:10:50 in life.
00:10:52 --> 00:10:54 They were believers first,
00:10:56 --> 00:10:57 but now
00:10:57 --> 00:11:00 they are obedient followers.
00:11:01 --> 00:11:02 Two very,
00:11:02 --> 00:11:03 very different things.
00:11:03 --> 00:11:06 their world
00:11:06 --> 00:11:08 is about to change,
00:11:08 --> 00:11:10 but will it change quickly?
00:11:11 --> 00:11:12 No.
00:11:14 --> 00:11:16 Will it change with ease?
00:11:17 --> 00:11:18 No.
00:11:19 --> 00:11:21 Will there be lessons
00:11:21 --> 00:11:22 to learn?
00:11:22 --> 00:11:23 Yes,
00:11:23 --> 00:11:24 definitely.
00:11:24 --> 00:11:26 And will there be rejoicing?
00:11:27 --> 00:11:27 Yes,
00:11:27 --> 00:11:28 definitely.
00:11:28 --> 00:11:31 It is the same for us
00:11:31 --> 00:11:34 when we obediently
00:11:34 --> 00:11:35 follow Jesus.
00:11:36 --> 00:11:37 Is Jesus
00:11:37 --> 00:11:39 your main focus
00:11:39 --> 00:11:39 in life?
00:11:40 --> 00:11:42 Are your eyes
00:11:42 --> 00:11:43 fixed on him
00:11:43 --> 00:11:46 over and above
00:11:46 --> 00:11:47 your family,
00:11:48 --> 00:11:49 your work,
00:11:49 --> 00:11:50 your free time,
00:11:50 --> 00:11:51 your sport,
00:11:51 --> 00:11:52 your hobby?
00:11:52 --> 00:11:55 This is a challenge
00:11:55 --> 00:11:55 for me.
00:11:56 --> 00:11:57 My free time,
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 if I have it,
00:11:58 --> 00:12:00 I love watching movies.
00:12:01 --> 00:12:02 Love it.
00:12:03 --> 00:12:05 But I can watch a movie
00:12:05 --> 00:12:06 quite easily
00:12:06 --> 00:12:09 and be sitting there
00:12:09 --> 00:12:10 knowing full well
00:12:10 --> 00:12:11 that I have not
00:12:11 --> 00:12:13 gone and read my Bible,
00:12:13 --> 00:12:14 I have not allowed
00:12:14 --> 00:12:15 Jesus to input
00:12:15 --> 00:12:16 into my life
00:12:16 --> 00:12:17 by reading
00:12:17 --> 00:12:18 his word,
00:12:18 --> 00:12:20 I haven't actually
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 had time
00:12:21 --> 00:12:22 praying that day
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 and committing
00:12:23 --> 00:12:25 my day to the Lord.
00:12:26 --> 00:12:28 I have my priorities
00:12:28 --> 00:12:29 very,
00:12:29 --> 00:12:30 very messed up
00:12:30 --> 00:12:31 at times
00:12:31 --> 00:12:33 and I am certain
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 that
00:12:34 --> 00:12:35 many of you
00:12:35 --> 00:12:36 might have also.
00:12:37 --> 00:12:39 If we were to judge
00:12:39 --> 00:12:40 the adequacy
00:12:40 --> 00:12:42 of a bunch
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 of fishermen
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 by their appearance,
00:12:45 --> 00:12:45 what would we see?
00:12:46 --> 00:12:47 We would see
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 sun-beaten bodies
00:12:48 --> 00:12:50 they'd be well-tanned,
00:12:50 --> 00:12:51 they'd be muscles,
00:12:51 --> 00:12:53 strong men physically,
00:12:53 --> 00:12:54 not sure
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 how strong
00:12:55 --> 00:12:55 they would be
00:12:55 --> 00:12:56 emotionally,
00:12:57 --> 00:12:59 educated in fishing,
00:13:00 --> 00:13:01 not so educated
00:13:01 --> 00:13:03 academically,
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 hard-working.
00:13:06 --> 00:13:08 Would we look
00:13:08 --> 00:13:09 and choose
00:13:09 --> 00:13:10 them
00:13:10 --> 00:13:11 for the A-team
00:13:11 --> 00:13:13 to be the disciples
00:13:13 --> 00:13:14 of Jesus
00:13:14 --> 00:13:15 the Messiah?
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 I think not.
00:13:17 --> 00:13:19 and why not?
00:13:19 --> 00:13:20 Because we
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 constantly
00:13:21 --> 00:13:23 fall into the trap
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 of looking
00:13:24 --> 00:13:24 at a person
00:13:24 --> 00:13:26 and judging them
00:13:26 --> 00:13:26 by what is
00:13:26 --> 00:13:28 on the outside,
00:13:28 --> 00:13:29 their education,
00:13:29 --> 00:13:30 their financial
00:13:30 --> 00:13:31 security,
00:13:32 --> 00:13:32 what school
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 or college
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 they went to,
00:13:34 --> 00:13:34 what uni,
00:13:35 --> 00:13:36 how they look,
00:13:36 --> 00:13:36 what they wear
00:13:36 --> 00:13:39 and we do
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 this same thing
00:13:40 --> 00:13:42 without knowing
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 what is on the inside
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 and without
00:13:44 --> 00:13:45 realising
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 someone's potential.
00:13:48 --> 00:13:49 And we make
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 the same
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 foolish mistake
00:13:51 --> 00:13:54 and foolish
00:13:54 --> 00:13:55 judgement
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 of ourselves
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 and we
00:13:57 --> 00:13:57 miss
00:13:57 --> 00:13:59 the need
00:13:59 --> 00:14:00 and the potential
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 to change
00:14:01 --> 00:14:02 the inside.
00:14:02 --> 00:14:04 We are in a trap
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 that we
00:14:05 --> 00:14:06 cannot fix.
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 Consider what happens
00:14:08 --> 00:14:09 when a caterpillar
00:14:09 --> 00:14:11 enters a cocoon
00:14:11 --> 00:14:13 only to emerge
00:14:13 --> 00:14:14 later
00:14:14 --> 00:14:16 as a beautiful
00:14:16 --> 00:14:16 butterfly.
00:14:17 --> 00:14:18 The caterpillar
00:14:18 --> 00:14:20 doesn't change
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 its basic nature.
00:14:23 --> 00:14:24 Metamorphosis
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 reveals what
00:14:25 --> 00:14:26 was always
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 there
00:14:27 --> 00:14:28 in the genes
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 of the caterpillar.
00:14:30 --> 00:14:31 Caterpillars
00:14:31 --> 00:14:31 can't fly
00:14:31 --> 00:14:33 but they were
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 born
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 to fly.
00:14:35 --> 00:14:38 when the caterpillar
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 has been changed
00:14:39 --> 00:14:39 into a butterfly
00:14:39 --> 00:14:41 it becomes
00:14:41 --> 00:14:42 what God
00:14:42 --> 00:14:44 always
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 intended
00:14:45 --> 00:14:46 that caterpillar
00:14:46 --> 00:14:46 to be.
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 And we cannot
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 see
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 what God's
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 intentions
00:14:53 --> 00:14:53 for us
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 are either
00:14:54 --> 00:14:55 because
00:14:55 --> 00:14:56 it happens
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 from the inside.
00:14:58 --> 00:14:59 These great
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 men
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 who Jesus
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 called to
00:15:02 --> 00:15:03 follow him
00:15:03 --> 00:15:05 also had
00:15:05 --> 00:15:05 need of
00:15:05 --> 00:15:06 change
00:15:06 --> 00:15:07 on the inside
00:15:07 --> 00:15:08 but the
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 change
00:15:09 --> 00:15:09 was going
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 to be
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 painful
00:15:11 --> 00:15:13 at times
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 at least
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 and dare I
00:15:15 --> 00:15:15 say
00:15:15 --> 00:15:16 downright
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 embarrassing.
00:15:18 --> 00:15:19 We read
00:15:19 --> 00:15:19 in Matthew
00:15:19 --> 00:15:20 26
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 where Jesus
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 predicts
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 his death
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 and also
00:15:24 --> 00:15:24 that Peter
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 was going
00:15:25 --> 00:15:25 to deny
00:15:25 --> 00:15:26 him
00:15:26 --> 00:15:27 not once
00:15:27 --> 00:15:28 but three
00:15:28 --> 00:15:28 times.
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 Of course
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 Peter didn't
00:15:31 --> 00:15:32 believe this.
00:15:32 --> 00:15:33 of course
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 he would
00:15:34 --> 00:15:34 have been
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 offended
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 that Jesus
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 would think
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 such a
00:15:38 --> 00:15:38 thing.
00:15:40 --> 00:15:40 I mean
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 how often
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 have you
00:15:42 --> 00:15:42 been offended
00:15:42 --> 00:15:44 when somebody
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 speaks
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 something about
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 you that
00:15:47 --> 00:15:48 you embarrassingly
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 find out
00:15:49 --> 00:15:49 was correct
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 in the end?
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 This
00:15:53 --> 00:15:53 happens
00:15:53 --> 00:15:54 to me
00:15:54 --> 00:15:56 more times
00:15:56 --> 00:15:56 than I'd
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 like to
00:15:57 --> 00:15:57 count
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 or that
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 I'd like
00:15:59 --> 00:15:59 to share
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 even maybe.
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 my heart
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 is clearly
00:16:02 --> 00:16:04 not pure
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 and not
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 perfect
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 and dare
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 I say
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 nor is
00:16:09 --> 00:16:09 yours.
00:16:12 --> 00:16:12 Look at
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 Peter's
00:16:13 --> 00:16:13 confident
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 answer.
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 He declares
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 even if
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 I die
00:16:17 --> 00:16:17 with you
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 I will
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 never
00:16:19 --> 00:16:19 disown
00:16:19 --> 00:16:20 you.
00:16:21 --> 00:16:21 And then
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 it doesn't
00:16:22 --> 00:16:22 take very
00:16:22 --> 00:16:23 long for
00:16:23 --> 00:16:23 Peter's
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 heart to
00:16:24 --> 00:16:24 be shown
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 when he
00:16:25 --> 00:16:25 has the
00:16:25 --> 00:16:26 encounter
00:16:26 --> 00:16:26 with the
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 servant
00:16:27 --> 00:16:27 girl
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 who
00:16:28 --> 00:16:28 confidently
00:16:28 --> 00:16:29 states
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 that
00:16:30 --> 00:16:31 Peter
00:16:31 --> 00:16:31 was also
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 with
00:16:32 --> 00:16:32 Jesus.
00:16:32 --> 00:16:32 And what
00:16:32 --> 00:16:33 does
00:16:33 --> 00:16:33 Peter
00:16:33 --> 00:16:33 do?
00:16:34 --> 00:16:35 Remembering
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 this is
00:16:36 --> 00:16:36 the Peter
00:16:36 --> 00:16:38 who loves
00:16:38 --> 00:16:38 Jesus
00:16:38 --> 00:16:38 declared
00:16:38 --> 00:16:39 he will
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 never
00:16:40 --> 00:16:40 fall
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 away
00:16:41 --> 00:16:41 and
00:16:41 --> 00:16:41 deny
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 Jesus.
00:16:43 --> 00:16:43 Peter
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 lies
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 and he
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 runs
00:16:46 --> 00:16:46 away.
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 Isn't
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 it bizarre
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 that we
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 all believe
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 that if
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 I just
00:16:54 --> 00:16:54 move
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 into a
00:16:55 --> 00:16:55 different
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 space
00:16:56 --> 00:16:58 be it
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 changing
00:16:59 --> 00:17:00 work,
00:17:00 --> 00:17:00 changing
00:17:00 --> 00:17:01 church,
00:17:02 --> 00:17:02 changing
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 friends,
00:17:04 --> 00:17:04 that the
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 problem
00:17:05 --> 00:17:05 won't
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 follow
00:17:06 --> 00:17:06 us.
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 But it
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 does.
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 If the
00:17:11 --> 00:17:11 problem is
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 never
00:17:12 --> 00:17:12 resolved
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 it's
00:17:13 --> 00:17:14 always
00:17:14 --> 00:17:14 going to
00:17:14 --> 00:17:14 stick with
00:17:14 --> 00:17:15 you like
00:17:15 --> 00:17:15 glue.
00:17:18 --> 00:17:18 Another
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 person
00:17:19 --> 00:17:19 confidently
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 says that
00:17:20 --> 00:17:20 Peter was
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 with Jesus
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 and Peter
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 denies it
00:17:23 --> 00:17:23 and then
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 a group
00:17:24 --> 00:17:24 of men
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 challenge
00:17:25 --> 00:17:25 Peter
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 and he
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 denies
00:17:27 --> 00:17:27 that he
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 knows
00:17:28 --> 00:17:28 Jesus
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 the third
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 time.
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 Imagine
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 Peter's
00:17:33 --> 00:17:33 shock
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 when he
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 heard
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 that rooster
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 crow.
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 How
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 devastating.
00:17:41 --> 00:17:41 How
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 utterly
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 terrible
00:17:43 --> 00:17:45 to see
00:17:45 --> 00:17:45 one's
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 own
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 heart
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 for what
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 it truly
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 is.
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 Peter
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 wept
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 bitterly.
00:17:57 --> 00:17:58 Friends,
00:17:59 --> 00:18:00 that too
00:18:00 --> 00:18:01 should be
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02 our response
00:18:02 --> 00:18:04 when we
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 truly see
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 the reality
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 of our
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 hearts.
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 How often
00:18:11 --> 00:18:11 or have
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 you ever
00:18:12 --> 00:18:14 been so
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 struck
00:18:15 --> 00:18:16 by the
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 darkness
00:18:17 --> 00:18:17 of your
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 heart
00:18:18 --> 00:18:19 that you
00:18:19 --> 00:18:19 have
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 wept
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 bitterly.
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 Maybe
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 for us
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 to move
00:18:26 --> 00:18:26 into
00:18:26 --> 00:18:27 2016
00:18:27 --> 00:18:29 we
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 first
00:18:30 --> 00:18:31 all
00:18:31 --> 00:18:31 need
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 to
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 shed
00:18:33 --> 00:18:33 heartfelt
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 tears
00:18:34 --> 00:18:36 of the
00:18:36 --> 00:18:36 darkness
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 of our
00:18:37 --> 00:18:37 own
00:18:37 --> 00:18:37 hearts
00:18:37 --> 00:18:39 and receive
00:18:39 --> 00:18:39 the love
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 and the
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 grace
00:18:41 --> 00:18:41 and the
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42 forgiveness
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 that only
00:18:43 --> 00:18:43 Jesus
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 can actually
00:18:44 --> 00:18:44 bring.
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 Jesus
00:18:47 --> 00:18:47 called Peter
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 to follow
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 him
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 and it
00:18:50 --> 00:18:50 was
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 Jesus
00:18:51 --> 00:18:53 who saw
00:18:53 --> 00:18:53 potential
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 within
00:18:54 --> 00:18:54 Peter
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 even
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 though
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 there was
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 much to
00:18:58 --> 00:18:58 learn
00:18:58 --> 00:18:59 and much
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 change
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 to occur
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 and Jesus
00:19:02 --> 00:19:05 has called
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 us to
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 himself.
00:19:08 --> 00:19:09 He has
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 called us
00:19:10 --> 00:19:10 to follow
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 him.
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 He has
00:19:12 --> 00:19:12 called us
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 to obey
00:19:13 --> 00:19:14 him
00:19:14 --> 00:19:16 and we
00:19:16 --> 00:19:16 too
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 have
00:19:17 --> 00:19:17 much
00:19:17 --> 00:19:18 to
00:19:18 --> 00:19:18 learn
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 and
00:19:19 --> 00:19:19 much
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20 change
00:19:20 --> 00:19:20 to
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 happen
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 within
00:19:22 --> 00:19:22 us
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 and we
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24 wonder
00:19:24 --> 00:19:25 at the
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 beginning
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 of another
00:19:27 --> 00:19:27 year
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 can I
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 change
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 is there
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 potential?
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 In the
00:19:36 --> 00:19:36 year
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 1464
00:19:37 --> 00:19:39 a sculptor
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 named
00:19:40 --> 00:19:42 Agostino
00:19:42 --> 00:19:42 di
00:19:42 --> 00:19:44 Duccio
00:19:44 --> 00:19:46 Apology
00:19:46 --> 00:19:47 if I've
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 said that
00:19:48 --> 00:19:48 incorrectly
00:19:48 --> 00:19:50 began
00:19:50 --> 00:19:50 working on
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 a huge
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 piece
00:19:52 --> 00:19:52 of
00:19:52 --> 00:19:53 floored
00:19:53 --> 00:19:53 marble
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 intending
00:19:54 --> 00:19:55 to produce
00:19:55 --> 00:19:56 a magnificent
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 sculpture
00:19:57 --> 00:19:59 of an
00:19:59 --> 00:19:59 Old
00:19:59 --> 00:19:59 Testament
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 prophet
00:20:00 --> 00:20:01 for a
00:20:01 --> 00:20:01 cathedral
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 in
00:20:02 --> 00:20:02 Florence
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 Italy.
00:20:04 --> 00:20:05 He
00:20:05 --> 00:20:05 laboured
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 for two
00:20:06 --> 00:20:06 years
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 and then
00:20:07 --> 00:20:07 he stopped.
00:20:07 --> 00:20:09 In
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 1476
00:20:10 --> 00:20:12 Antonio
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 Rossellino
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 started to
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 work on
00:20:15 --> 00:20:15 the same
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 piece of
00:20:16 --> 00:20:16 marble
00:20:16 --> 00:20:18 and in
00:20:18 --> 00:20:18 time
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 abandoned
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 it also.
00:20:21 --> 00:20:21 In
00:20:21 --> 00:20:23 1501
00:20:23 --> 00:20:25 a 26
00:20:25 --> 00:20:25 year old
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 sculptor
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 named
00:20:27 --> 00:20:29 Michelangelo
00:20:29 --> 00:20:30 was offered
00:20:30 --> 00:20:32 a considerable
00:20:32 --> 00:20:32 sum of
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 money to
00:20:33 --> 00:20:33 produce
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 something
00:20:34 --> 00:20:34 worthwhile
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 from that
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 enormous
00:20:36 --> 00:20:38 block of
00:20:38 --> 00:20:38 marble
00:20:38 --> 00:20:38 called
00:20:38 --> 00:20:38 the
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 giant
00:20:39 --> 00:20:41 and as
00:20:41 --> 00:20:41 he began
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 his work
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 he saw
00:20:43 --> 00:20:43 a major
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 floor
00:20:44 --> 00:20:44 near the
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 bottom
00:20:45 --> 00:20:45 that had
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46 stymied
00:20:46 --> 00:20:46 other
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 sculptors.
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 He decided
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 to turn that
00:20:50 --> 00:20:50 part of the
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 stone into
00:20:51 --> 00:20:51 a broken
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 tree,
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 a broken
00:20:53 --> 00:20:54 tree stump
00:20:54 --> 00:20:54 that would
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 support the
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 right leg
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 and the
00:20:57 --> 00:20:58 rest he
00:20:58 --> 00:20:58 worked on
00:20:58 --> 00:20:59 for four
00:20:59 --> 00:20:59 years
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 until he
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 had produced
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 the
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 incomparable
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 David.
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 Today the
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 17 foot
00:21:07 --> 00:21:09 tall statue
00:21:09 --> 00:21:09 stands on
00:21:09 --> 00:21:11 display at the
00:21:11 --> 00:21:11 Academia
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 Gallery in
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 Florence
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 where people
00:21:14 --> 00:21:15 come from
00:21:15 --> 00:21:17 all around
00:21:17 --> 00:21:17 the world
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 to view it.
00:21:18 --> 00:21:20 more than
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 a masterpiece
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 it is one
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 of the
00:21:23 --> 00:21:23 greatest
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 works of
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 art
00:21:25 --> 00:21:25 ever
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 produced.
00:21:27 --> 00:21:27 It has
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 been said
00:21:28 --> 00:21:29 there is
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 no statue
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 more perfect.
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 You might
00:21:33 --> 00:21:33 have a
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34 different view
00:21:34 --> 00:21:34 as I do
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 but that's
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 what they
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 say.
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 How did
00:21:39 --> 00:21:39 Michelangelo
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 do it?
00:21:41 --> 00:21:41 Well here
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 is the answer
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 in his own
00:21:43 --> 00:21:43 words.
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 He said
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 in every
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 block of
00:21:47 --> 00:21:47 marble I
00:21:47 --> 00:21:48 see a
00:21:48 --> 00:21:48 statue.
00:21:48 --> 00:21:50 As plain
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 as though
00:21:51 --> 00:21:51 it stood
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 before me
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 shaped
00:21:53 --> 00:21:54 and perfect
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 in attitude
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 and action
00:21:56 --> 00:21:58 I have
00:21:58 --> 00:21:58 only to
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 hew away
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00 the rough
00:22:00 --> 00:22:00 walls that
00:22:00 --> 00:22:01 imprison the
00:22:01 --> 00:22:01 lovely
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 apparition
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 to reveal
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 it to
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 other eyes
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 as mine
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 see it.
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 Said in
00:22:09 --> 00:22:09 more colloquial
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 terms
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 I cut
00:22:11 --> 00:22:11 away
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 everything
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 that didn't
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 look like
00:22:14 --> 00:22:14 David.
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 All of
00:22:17 --> 00:22:17 us
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 are works
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 in progress.
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 Now apply
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 this to
00:22:22 --> 00:22:22 the spiritual
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 life.
00:22:24 --> 00:22:24 We're not
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 finished.
00:22:26 --> 00:22:26 We're not
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 glorified.
00:22:28 --> 00:22:28 We're not
00:22:28 --> 00:22:29 perfected.
00:22:29 --> 00:22:29 We're not
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 completed.
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 We're all
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 under
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 construction.
00:22:35 --> 00:22:35 Whilst the
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 chipping away
00:22:36 --> 00:22:38 of unwanted
00:22:38 --> 00:22:38 bits
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 continues
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 it's hard
00:22:40 --> 00:22:42 to imagine
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 what the
00:22:43 --> 00:22:43 final result
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 will be.
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 God
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 God
00:22:46 --> 00:22:46 never
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 stops
00:22:47 --> 00:22:47 working
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 on us
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 because
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 there is
00:22:50 --> 00:22:50 so much
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 work
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 that needs
00:22:52 --> 00:22:52 to be
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 done.
00:22:54 --> 00:22:54 In
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 Isaiah
00:22:55 --> 00:22:55 64
00:22:55 --> 00:22:57 verse 8
00:22:57 --> 00:22:57 it says
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 O Lord
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 you are
00:22:59 --> 00:22:59 our
00:22:59 --> 00:22:59 father
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 we are
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 the clay
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 you are
00:23:02 --> 00:23:02 the potter
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 we are
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 all the
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 work of
00:23:05 --> 00:23:05 your hand.
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 In my
00:23:07 --> 00:23:07 mind's
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 eye
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 I picture
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 God as
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 a sculptor
00:23:10 --> 00:23:12 working with
00:23:12 --> 00:23:12 a rough
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 piece of
00:23:13 --> 00:23:13 marble.
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 He's
00:23:15 --> 00:23:15 working on
00:23:15 --> 00:23:15 a big
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 chunk
00:23:16 --> 00:23:16 named
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 Deb
00:23:17 --> 00:23:17 Gould.
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 It's a
00:23:19 --> 00:23:19 hard job
00:23:19 --> 00:23:20 because the
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 chunk is
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 badly
00:23:22 --> 00:23:22 marred,
00:23:23 --> 00:23:23 it's
00:23:23 --> 00:23:23 misshapen,
00:23:24 --> 00:23:24 it's
00:23:24 --> 00:23:24 discoloured
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 and cracked
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 in odd
00:23:26 --> 00:23:26 places.
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 It's about
00:23:28 --> 00:23:28 the worst
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 piece of
00:23:29 --> 00:23:29 marble a
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 sculptor
00:23:30 --> 00:23:30 could ever
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 find.
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 But God
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 is undeterred
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34 and he
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 works patiently
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 at his
00:23:36 --> 00:23:36 job
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 chipping away
00:23:37 --> 00:23:38 the bad
00:23:38 --> 00:23:38 parts,
00:23:39 --> 00:23:39 chiseling,
00:23:39 --> 00:23:41 in an
00:23:41 --> 00:23:41 image
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 into the
00:23:42 --> 00:23:42 hard stone,
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 stopping
00:23:44 --> 00:23:45 occasionally
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 to polish
00:23:46 --> 00:23:47 here and
00:23:47 --> 00:23:47 there.
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 One day
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 he will
00:23:50 --> 00:23:50 finish
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 one section
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 of the
00:23:52 --> 00:23:54 statue.
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55 The next
00:23:55 --> 00:23:55 morning when
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 he returns
00:23:56 --> 00:23:56 to the
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 studio,
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 that section
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 is messed
00:23:59 --> 00:23:59 up.
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 I thought
00:24:01 --> 00:24:01 I finished
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 that yesterday
00:24:02 --> 00:24:02 he says,
00:24:03 --> 00:24:03 who's been
00:24:03 --> 00:24:04 messing with
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04 my statue?
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 It turns
00:24:06 --> 00:24:06 out that
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 I'm the
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 culprit.
00:24:09 --> 00:24:10 I'm my
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 own
00:24:11 --> 00:24:12 worst
00:24:12 --> 00:24:12 enemy.
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 What I
00:24:14 --> 00:24:14 thought would
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 improve
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 things has
00:24:16 --> 00:24:16 only messed
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 them up
00:24:17 --> 00:24:19 by my
00:24:19 --> 00:24:19 actions,
00:24:20 --> 00:24:20 by trying
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 to take
00:24:21 --> 00:24:21 control,
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23 by being
00:24:23 --> 00:24:25 self-centred.
00:24:26 --> 00:24:26 But God
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 is faithful.
00:24:28 --> 00:24:28 He is
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 patiently
00:24:29 --> 00:24:29 picks up
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 his chisel
00:24:30 --> 00:24:30 and goes
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 back to
00:24:31 --> 00:24:31 work.
00:24:32 --> 00:24:32 He's
00:24:32 --> 00:24:32 chipping
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 away
00:24:33 --> 00:24:33 everything
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 that doesn't
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 look like
00:24:35 --> 00:24:36 Jesus.
00:24:37 --> 00:24:37 In my
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 case,
00:24:38 --> 00:24:38 it's evident
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 that he's
00:24:39 --> 00:24:39 got a
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 long way
00:24:40 --> 00:24:40 to go,
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 but I'm
00:24:41 --> 00:24:41 encouraged
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 by the
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 certain
00:24:43 --> 00:24:43 knowledge
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 that he
00:24:44 --> 00:24:44 will not
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 give up.
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 He will
00:24:46 --> 00:24:46 not quit
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 halfway
00:24:47 --> 00:24:47 through a
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48 project.
00:24:49 --> 00:24:49 What God
00:24:49 --> 00:24:50 starts,
00:24:51 --> 00:24:51 God
00:24:51 --> 00:24:51 finishes.
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 After
00:24:54 --> 00:24:54 Peter's
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 huge
00:24:55 --> 00:24:55 debacle,
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 one would
00:24:57 --> 00:24:57 think that
00:24:57 --> 00:24:57 he would
00:24:57 --> 00:24:58 be kicked
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 out of
00:24:59 --> 00:24:59 the list
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 of close
00:25:00 --> 00:25:01 friends and
00:25:01 --> 00:25:01 disciples of
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 Jesus.
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 But if
00:25:04 --> 00:25:04 you turn
00:25:04 --> 00:25:05 with me to
00:25:05 --> 00:25:05 John 21,
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 verses 15
00:25:07 --> 00:25:07 to 18,
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 we read
00:25:08 --> 00:25:08 this.
00:25:09 --> 00:25:09 When they
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 had finished
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 eating,
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 Jesus said
00:25:12 --> 00:25:12 to Simon
00:25:12 --> 00:25:12 Peter,
00:25:13 --> 00:25:13 Simon,
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 son of
00:25:14 --> 00:25:14 John,
00:25:14 --> 00:25:14 do you
00:25:14 --> 00:25:15 love me
00:25:15 --> 00:25:15 more than
00:25:15 --> 00:25:16 these?
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 Yes,
00:25:17 --> 00:25:17 Lord,
00:25:17 --> 00:25:18 he said,
00:25:18 --> 00:25:19 you know
00:25:19 --> 00:25:19 that I
00:25:19 --> 00:25:20 love you.
00:25:20 --> 00:25:20 Jesus
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 said,
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 feed my
00:25:22 --> 00:25:22 lambs.
00:25:23 --> 00:25:23 Again,
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 Jesus said,
00:25:24 --> 00:25:24 Simon,
00:25:25 --> 00:25:25 son of
00:25:25 --> 00:25:25 John,
00:25:26 --> 00:25:26 do you
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 love me?
00:25:27 --> 00:25:27 He
00:25:27 --> 00:25:27 answered,
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 yes,
00:25:28 --> 00:25:28 Lord,
00:25:28 --> 00:25:28 you know
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 that I
00:25:29 --> 00:25:29 love you.
00:25:30 --> 00:25:30 Jesus
00:25:30 --> 00:25:30 said,
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 take my
00:25:31 --> 00:25:31 sheep.
00:25:32 --> 00:25:33 The third
00:25:33 --> 00:25:33 time he
00:25:33 --> 00:25:33 said to
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34 him,
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 Simon,
00:25:35 --> 00:25:35 son of
00:25:35 --> 00:25:36 John,
00:25:36 --> 00:25:36 do you
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37 love me?
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 Peter was
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 hurt because
00:25:39 --> 00:25:40 Jesus asked
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 him the
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 third time,
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 do you
00:25:43 --> 00:25:43 love me?
00:25:44 --> 00:25:44 He said,
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 Lord,
00:25:45 --> 00:25:45 you know
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 all things,
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 you know
00:25:47 --> 00:25:47 that I
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 love you.
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 And Jesus
00:25:49 --> 00:25:49 said,
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 feed my
00:25:50 --> 00:25:50 sheep.
00:25:51 --> 00:25:52 Isn't that
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 beautiful?
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 that is
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 no accident
00:25:55 --> 00:25:57 that Jesus
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 asked that
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 question three
00:25:59 --> 00:25:59 times.
00:26:01 --> 00:26:02 Three times
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 Peter disowned
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 Jesus and
00:26:04 --> 00:26:06 three times
00:26:06 --> 00:26:07 Jesus wanted
00:26:07 --> 00:26:07 to show
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 Peter that
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 he is still
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 Jesus'
00:26:10 --> 00:26:10 man.
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 Jesus knew
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 the change
00:26:14 --> 00:26:14 in Peter's
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 heart and
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 he was
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 reinstated as
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 it was to
00:26:18 --> 00:26:19 the role that
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20 Jesus had
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 always planned
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 for him.
00:26:23 --> 00:26:23 Peter had
00:26:23 --> 00:26:25 the role of
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 feeding Jesus'
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 sheep to
00:26:28 --> 00:26:28 lead his
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 people.
00:26:30 --> 00:26:30 It was a
00:26:30 --> 00:26:32 ministry beyond
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 anything a
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 simple fisherman
00:26:34 --> 00:26:35 would ever
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 have dreamed.
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 We see the
00:26:39 --> 00:26:41 transformation of
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 Peter, the
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 change that was
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 orchestrated by
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 Jesus when we
00:26:45 --> 00:26:45 read Peter's
00:26:45 --> 00:26:46 address to the
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 crowds in Acts
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 2.
00:26:48 --> 00:26:49 The Holy
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 Spirit comes
00:26:50 --> 00:26:50 and fills all
00:26:50 --> 00:26:51 the followers
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 of Jesus and
00:26:52 --> 00:26:54 miraculously they
00:26:54 --> 00:26:54 speak in
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 different tongues
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 with eloquence,
00:26:57 --> 00:26:57 with power,
00:26:57 --> 00:26:58 with authority.
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 This is a
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 change that
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 cannot be
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 achieved by
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 human effort
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 or by positive
00:27:05 --> 00:27:07 thinking or by
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 any self-help
00:27:08 --> 00:27:08 book.
00:27:09 --> 00:27:09 This is a
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 change that
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 Jesus makes
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 for those who
00:27:12 --> 00:27:14 follow and
00:27:14 --> 00:27:14 obey him.
00:27:15 --> 00:27:16 Remember right
00:27:16 --> 00:27:16 at the
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 beginning we
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 saw Peter
00:27:18 --> 00:27:18 and the
00:27:18 --> 00:27:19 others leave
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 everything to
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 follow Jesus.
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 Being a
00:27:23 --> 00:27:23 disciple of
00:27:23 --> 00:27:25 Jesus is
00:27:25 --> 00:27:27 dependent upon
00:27:27 --> 00:27:27 us being
00:27:27 --> 00:27:31 100% devoted
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 and in love
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 with Jesus
00:27:33 --> 00:27:34 above all
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 other
00:27:35 --> 00:27:35 distractions.
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 Jesus needs
00:27:38 --> 00:27:38 to be our
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 priority for
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 change to
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 occur.
00:27:42 --> 00:27:42 Do you want
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 change?
00:27:43 --> 00:27:43 change?
00:27:44 --> 00:27:45 Do you want
00:27:45 --> 00:27:46 change on the
00:27:46 --> 00:27:47 inside that
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 will last?
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 Then we need
00:27:50 --> 00:27:51 to make
00:27:51 --> 00:27:54 2016 a
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 year of
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 being devoted
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 to the
00:27:57 --> 00:27:59 only one
00:27:59 --> 00:27:59 who can
00:27:59 --> 00:28:00 change us
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 into the
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 people that
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 he envisions
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 us to be.
00:28:05 --> 00:28:06 Let me
00:28:06 --> 00:28:07 encourage you
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 this week
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 to spend
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 time with
00:28:10 --> 00:28:11 God and
00:28:11 --> 00:28:12 ask him
00:28:12 --> 00:28:14 what area
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 of your
00:28:15 --> 00:28:17 life this
00:28:17 --> 00:28:17 year needs
00:28:17 --> 00:28:19 changing on
00:28:19 --> 00:28:19 the inside.
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 It will not
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 happen overnight
00:28:22 --> 00:28:24 but it will
00:28:24 --> 00:28:25 happen if you
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 obey Jesus
00:28:26 --> 00:28:26 and keep your
00:28:26 --> 00:28:28 eyes on him
00:28:28 --> 00:28:29 day by day
00:28:29 --> 00:28:31 moment by
00:28:31 --> 00:28:31 moment.
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 How wonderful
00:28:33 --> 00:28:35 it will be
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 that when we
00:28:36 --> 00:28:37 are in heaven
00:28:37 --> 00:28:38 we will get
00:28:38 --> 00:28:38 to see the
00:28:38 --> 00:28:39 masterpiece
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40 that the
00:28:40 --> 00:28:41 Lord is
00:28:41 --> 00:28:42 working on
00:28:42 --> 00:28:42 right now
00:28:42 --> 00:28:43 for each
00:28:43 --> 00:28:44 other.
00:28:45 --> 00:28:46 Remember we
00:28:46 --> 00:28:46 are all
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 works in
00:28:47 --> 00:28:48 progress and
00:28:48 --> 00:28:49 we all have
00:28:49 --> 00:28:51 potential if
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 we follow and
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 obey the
00:28:53 --> 00:28:53 master.
00:28:55 --> 00:28:55 We may
00:28:55 --> 00:28:57 even choose
00:28:57 --> 00:28:58 the same
00:28:58 --> 00:28:59 engraving on
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 our headstones
00:29:00 --> 00:29:00 when the day
00:29:00 --> 00:29:01 comes that we
00:29:01 --> 00:29:03 die that Ruth
00:29:03 --> 00:29:04 Graham, the
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 wife of the
00:29:05 --> 00:29:06 great evangelist
00:29:06 --> 00:29:06 Billy Graham,
00:29:07 --> 00:29:07 has on her
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08 headstone.
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 and it
00:29:09 --> 00:29:09 says,
00:29:09 --> 00:29:11 end of
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 construction.
00:29:13 --> 00:29:13 Thank you
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 for your
00:29:14 --> 00:29:14 patience.