JUDGES The Outcast
Series: The Flawed And The Flawless
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 16th September 2018
00:00:00 --> 00:00:03 Groundhog Day is an obscure tradition in North America.
00:00:03 --> 00:00:05 It's in little parts of North America.
00:00:05 --> 00:00:06 It's not right across North America.
00:00:07 --> 00:00:13 It was popularized by the 1993 movie which starred Bill Murray.
00:00:14 --> 00:00:18 It's celebrated on the 2nd of February when the groundhog,
00:00:18 --> 00:00:21 which is really just this furry creature thing,
00:00:21 --> 00:00:24 comes out of its hole from hibernation.
00:00:24 --> 00:00:31 And if the animal sees a shadow, that is if the weather is sunny,
00:00:31 --> 00:00:36 it goes back into its hole because there's six more weeks of winter weather to come.
00:00:37 --> 00:00:40 If not, apparently spring's coming early.
00:00:41 --> 00:00:44 No scientific fact to it, but a good reason for a party, I suspect.
00:00:46 --> 00:00:52 Now, Groundhog Day also describes a situation
00:00:52 --> 00:00:58 in which a series of unwelcome or tedious events
00:00:58 --> 00:01:03 to reappear again and again and again in exactly the same way.
00:01:03 --> 00:01:07 And that's what you feel when you put up the book of Judges
00:01:07 --> 00:01:11 and as you read through it, it's like, oh, here we go again.
00:01:11 --> 00:01:15 We're back into the same cycle again.
00:01:16 --> 00:01:20 And that's what we're going to see as we launch into Judges.
00:01:20 --> 00:01:26 We have this depressing and this familiar cycle in chapter 10, verse 6.
00:01:27 --> 00:01:32 Again, the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord
00:01:32 --> 00:01:36 and they served the Baals and the Ashtoreths
00:01:36 --> 00:01:41 and the gods of Aram and the gods of Sidon,
00:01:41 --> 00:01:44 the gods of Moab, the gods of the Ammonites
00:01:44 --> 00:01:46 and the gods of the Philistines.
00:01:46 --> 00:01:54 So again, we have this picture of idolatry and slavery with Israel.
00:01:55 --> 00:02:00 The Baals and the Ashtoreths, they were the gods of the native Canaanites.
00:02:00 --> 00:02:02 This is the land in which they're in.
00:02:02 --> 00:02:05 And so this is their native gods, their idols.
00:02:06 --> 00:02:10 But notice there are other idols, other gods that are mentioned here as well.
00:02:10 --> 00:02:16 Notice that it says the gods of Aram, they weren't, these are not part of Canaan.
00:02:17 --> 00:02:20 This is Aram, they're up to the northwest.
00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 Sidon, they're up to the north.
00:02:24 --> 00:02:28 Moab and Ammon are to the east.
00:02:29 --> 00:02:32 And then the Philistines are to the south.
00:02:32 --> 00:02:38 And all of these nations belonged outside of Canaan,
00:02:39 --> 00:02:43 but they came into Canaan to oppress the Israelites.
00:02:44 --> 00:02:48 Now, if you've been listening all the way through this series,
00:02:48 --> 00:02:55 then you will remember that in chapter 3, way back then,
00:02:55 --> 00:02:58 we saw that Othniel, remember him?
00:03:01 --> 00:03:07 He helped Israel out of its bind with the king of Aram.
00:03:08 --> 00:03:12 Ehud, we all remember him because he's the guy stuck the sword in the fat guy.
00:03:14 --> 00:03:19 He was against the Ammonites and the Moabites.
00:03:20 --> 00:03:23 And Shamgar, we just went straight over him.
00:03:23 --> 00:03:26 He only got one verse, really, so we just missed him.
00:03:26 --> 00:03:30 He helped Israel against the Philistines.
00:03:31 --> 00:03:34 And in chapter 5, it was Deborah against the Canaanites.
00:03:35 --> 00:03:43 So what we get here is that every time Israel worshipped the idols of a nation,
00:03:43 --> 00:03:47 that nation ended up oppressing Israel.
00:03:47 --> 00:03:55 And this time, it's the God of the Ammonites and the Philistines.
00:03:56 --> 00:04:02 Verse 7 tells us that this is the consequence of them worshipping their gods.
00:04:03 --> 00:04:07 He, that's God, became angry with them.
00:04:08 --> 00:04:13 He sold them into the hands of the Philistines and the Ammonites.
00:04:13 --> 00:04:19 This is the key idea here.
00:04:20 --> 00:04:24 Idolatry leads to enslavement.
00:04:25 --> 00:04:28 And enslavement leads to idolatry.
00:04:28 --> 00:04:32 Now, that doesn't seem logical.
00:04:33 --> 00:04:34 Let's unpack that.
00:04:34 --> 00:04:35 That does not seem logical.
00:04:36 --> 00:04:47 You would think that once a nation like Israel was oppressed by these other nations,
00:04:48 --> 00:04:54 Israel would hate the gods of the nations who they were worshipping that led them into slavery.
00:04:54 --> 00:04:59 They'd wake up one day and go, oh, we hate those gods.
00:05:00 --> 00:05:01 They've not been good to us.
00:05:02 --> 00:05:03 But that's not the case.
00:05:05 --> 00:05:09 The Ammonites had oppressed Israel in chapter 3, verse 13.
00:05:09 --> 00:05:17 And here is Israel serving their gods, which in turn leads to enslavement to the Ammonites once again.
00:05:17 --> 00:05:29 Despite their pain and their misery, Israel continued to worship the same idols that brought them the pain and the misery.
00:05:31 --> 00:05:32 It makes no sense.
00:05:34 --> 00:05:42 It is so easy to sit back here and look at the futility of Israel's behaviour.
00:05:44 --> 00:05:45 What's wrong with you guys?
00:05:47 --> 00:05:53 I wonder whether we can see ours in the same way.
00:05:54 --> 00:05:57 Let me remind you of our definition of idolatry.
00:05:57 --> 00:06:02 You'll find it right there in the little, you know, fine print at the bottom of your service outline.
00:06:02 --> 00:06:11 Idolatry is taking a good aspect of creation, a gift from God, marriage, days at the beach, business, family, money,
00:06:12 --> 00:06:20 and turning it into the ultimate source of security, comfort, identity and power.
00:06:21 --> 00:06:25 It's taking a good thing and making it an ultimate thing.
00:06:25 --> 00:06:34 I've given you a chart there on idolatry and a whole different bits of idolatry.
00:06:34 --> 00:06:41 Ripped it straight out of Tim Keller and his book, Gospel Driven Life.
00:06:43 --> 00:06:43 It's really helpful.
00:06:43 --> 00:06:56 The point here is that our hearts still assure us that when an idol leads to slavery and misery,
00:06:56 --> 00:07:00 that we seem to think that we need more of that idol.
00:07:00 --> 00:07:11 For instance, imagine someone who seeks value and purpose in relationship.
00:07:11 --> 00:07:15 That's where their real sense of worth is, is when they feel loved by someone else.
00:07:16 --> 00:07:22 And they live that out by sacrificing everything in order to get into a marriage.
00:07:22 --> 00:07:24 And that marriage fails.
00:07:25 --> 00:07:25 What happens then?
00:07:27 --> 00:07:30 What normally happens, what we see in our world,
00:07:31 --> 00:07:36 is that they think that what I need now is another relationship.
00:07:39 --> 00:07:43 But what I need is a better relationship than the last one.
00:07:43 --> 00:07:44 But I need another relationship.
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 And so the cycle repeats.
00:07:50 --> 00:07:52 Again and again and again.
00:07:52 --> 00:07:58 We don't seem to ever think that the issue is, in fact, idol worship.
00:07:59 --> 00:08:04 Our behavior tells us that the issue is not our worship of idols,
00:08:05 --> 00:08:07 but that we are not worshiping the idol enough.
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 And that is Israel's behavior here.
00:08:12 --> 00:08:17 Verse 7 tells us that God, in his settled anger at idolatry,
00:08:17 --> 00:08:20 sold them into the hands of their enemies.
00:08:20 --> 00:08:23 That's a very strong phrase.
00:08:23 --> 00:08:29 In fact, it's the strongest phrase so far of God's dealing with his people in the book of Judges.
00:08:29 --> 00:08:34 You see, when you sell a car to another person,
00:08:34 --> 00:08:39 it means that that new owner can do with it what they want to do with it.
00:08:39 --> 00:08:41 It's theirs.
00:08:41 --> 00:08:42 They can do with it.
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 You know, you might have caught it gertie or whatever.
00:08:45 --> 00:08:48 You know, no longer does that apply.
00:08:48 --> 00:08:51 It might have been your child, you know, extra member.
00:08:52 --> 00:08:54 You might have treated really well and washed it and polished.
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57 Once they get it, it's theirs.
00:08:57 --> 00:09:01 They can drive it into another car if they want.
00:09:01 --> 00:09:02 They can do whatever they want.
00:09:02 --> 00:09:03 You no longer own it.
00:09:03 --> 00:09:09 Now, we know from the history of God dealing with these rebellious people
00:09:09 --> 00:09:15 that this doesn't mean that God had abandoned them or canceled his promises to them.
00:09:16 --> 00:09:20 It does mean that he stopped protecting them
00:09:20 --> 00:09:26 so that the things that they chose to serve began to dominate them.
00:09:26 --> 00:09:34 And in fact, in Romans chapter 1, verses 23 to 25,
00:09:35 --> 00:09:40 is a passage that really has the same idea.
00:09:42 --> 00:09:47 It speaks of people who exchange the glory of the immortal God
00:09:47 --> 00:09:53 for images made to look like mortal human beings and birds and animals and reptiles.
00:09:53 --> 00:09:58 That is, it's a description of idolatry.
00:09:59 --> 00:10:01 Reject a God, create our own gods.
00:10:02 --> 00:10:04 And what was the result?
00:10:04 --> 00:10:08 The very next verse, Romans 1, 24,
00:10:09 --> 00:10:15 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts.
00:10:15 --> 00:10:17 He let them do it.
00:10:17 --> 00:10:19 He abandoned them to their desires.
00:10:19 --> 00:10:27 And the phrase desires of the heart means to have an overwhelming desire,
00:10:27 --> 00:10:32 drive, an uncontrollable and therefore an enslaving desire.
00:10:34 --> 00:10:39 For God to give them over means that he has allowed the things
00:10:39 --> 00:10:41 for which they have put their hope,
00:10:41 --> 00:10:43 things for which are not God,
00:10:43 --> 00:10:47 to become the ruling powers of their lives.
00:10:47 --> 00:10:51 And in fact, Romans 1 describes all of humanity.
00:10:53 --> 00:11:00 Once God gave them over because of their idolatry in Romans 1, 24,
00:11:00 --> 00:11:03 what's the next thing that happens?
00:11:03 --> 00:11:06 Romans 25, 1, 25,
00:11:06 --> 00:11:10 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie
00:11:10 --> 00:11:15 and they worshipped and served created things rather than the creator.
00:11:15 --> 00:11:21 The judgment for idolatry is more idolatry.
00:11:25 --> 00:11:28 Idolatry and slavery go hand in hand.
00:11:29 --> 00:11:32 Idolatry leads to slavery and slavery to idolatry.
00:11:33 --> 00:11:35 Let's take money for an example.
00:11:35 --> 00:11:37 God says to us,
00:11:37 --> 00:11:40 If you live for money instead of me,
00:11:40 --> 00:11:43 then money will rule your life.
00:11:44 --> 00:11:47 Money will control your life.
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 It will control your heart.
00:11:48 --> 00:11:49 It will control your emotions.
00:11:50 --> 00:11:51 It will enslave you.
00:11:54 --> 00:11:58 And what you think is the answer to that solution
00:11:58 --> 00:12:01 is I just need to have a bit more
00:12:01 --> 00:12:02 and then it won't control me.
00:12:02 --> 00:12:07 Then I will have freedom if I have a bit more
00:12:07 --> 00:12:09 and then a bit more and a bit more.
00:12:10 --> 00:12:11 Then I'll have freedom.
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15 Idolatry leads to enslavement
00:12:15 --> 00:12:17 and enslavement to more idolatry.
00:12:18 --> 00:12:19 Or popularity.
00:12:19 --> 00:12:21 If you want to live for popularity instead of me,
00:12:21 --> 00:12:22 God says,
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 then popular came
00:12:23 --> 00:12:26 and social media lacks
00:12:26 --> 00:12:28 will rule you and control you.
00:12:28 --> 00:12:31 And there has been some awful scenarios in recently
00:12:31 --> 00:12:33 in the media where we've seen
00:12:33 --> 00:12:35 that people have been controlled
00:12:35 --> 00:12:37 by social media likes.
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 Even death.
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 God says,
00:12:44 --> 00:12:46 If you want another God besides me,
00:12:47 --> 00:12:47 go ahead.
00:12:48 --> 00:12:51 Let's see how merciful it is to you,
00:12:51 --> 00:12:54 how effective it is at saving you
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 and guiding you
00:12:55 --> 00:12:56 and enlightening you
00:12:56 --> 00:12:57 and affirming you.
00:12:57 --> 00:13:01 It will control you
00:13:01 --> 00:13:05 and it will make you sacrifice everything for it
00:13:05 --> 00:13:07 and it will make you miserable.
00:13:08 --> 00:13:10 Idolatry and slavery go hand in hand.
00:13:10 --> 00:13:17 And so in verse 8,
00:13:18 --> 00:13:22 it tells us that Israel's oppression
00:13:22 --> 00:13:24 was the worst oppression to date.
00:13:25 --> 00:13:27 And the sad thing here is
00:13:27 --> 00:13:32 that the way Israel treated their idols
00:13:32 --> 00:13:36 was the way they treated their God as well.
00:13:36 --> 00:13:40 They treated God like one of their idols.
00:13:41 --> 00:13:42 Worst oppression yet,
00:13:42 --> 00:13:42 the Philistines,
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 the Ammonites,
00:13:43 --> 00:13:43 it says,
00:13:44 --> 00:13:46 shattered and crushed them.
00:13:46 --> 00:13:48 For 18 years,
00:13:48 --> 00:13:50 they oppressed all the Israelites
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 on the east side of the Jordan
00:13:51 --> 00:13:53 in Gilead,
00:13:53 --> 00:13:55 the land of the Amorites.
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 And again,
00:13:57 --> 00:13:58 Israel cries out to God.
00:13:58 --> 00:13:59 Verse 10,
00:13:59 --> 00:14:00 We have sinned against you,
00:14:01 --> 00:14:02 forsaking our God
00:14:02 --> 00:14:04 and serving the Baals.
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 And what we see here
00:14:07 --> 00:14:09 is that God doesn't immediately forgive them
00:14:09 --> 00:14:11 or He doesn't jump in
00:14:11 --> 00:14:12 and solve their problem.
00:14:12 --> 00:14:13 In chapter 6,
00:14:13 --> 00:14:15 when the people cry out to God,
00:14:16 --> 00:14:18 He sent them a really stern warning.
00:14:20 --> 00:14:20 And here,
00:14:21 --> 00:14:24 the warning's a little bit harder as well.
00:14:25 --> 00:14:27 They have consistently
00:14:27 --> 00:14:29 turned their backs on God
00:14:29 --> 00:14:33 and He has consistently saved them.
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 And this time,
00:14:34 --> 00:14:36 we get the crushing line
00:14:36 --> 00:14:38 in verse 13.
00:14:39 --> 00:14:42 I will no longer save you.
00:14:42 --> 00:14:46 Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen.
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 Let them save you
00:14:47 --> 00:14:48 when you're in trouble.
00:14:53 --> 00:14:55 Despite a confession of sin,
00:14:55 --> 00:14:59 God has heard this song
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 and this dance before.
00:15:02 --> 00:15:02 Israel's sin,
00:15:03 --> 00:15:05 as we've seen,
00:15:05 --> 00:15:06 as judges progresses
00:15:06 --> 00:15:08 and we'll see the next couple of weeks,
00:15:08 --> 00:15:11 Israel's sin is not so much a cycle
00:15:11 --> 00:15:13 as it is a plunge.
00:15:15 --> 00:15:18 It's like a ball gathering momentum.
00:15:18 --> 00:15:19 It's just a plunge.
00:15:19 --> 00:15:22 And it is a sheer tragedy
00:15:22 --> 00:15:26 when people become so accustomed
00:15:26 --> 00:15:28 to the mercy of God
00:15:28 --> 00:15:30 that they end up despising it.
00:15:31 --> 00:15:32 Even,
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 and especially,
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 in the act of seeking His mercy.
00:15:38 --> 00:15:39 They just despise His mercy.
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 Again,
00:15:42 --> 00:15:42 here,
00:15:42 --> 00:15:44 Israel is sorry
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 for the consequence
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 of their sin
00:15:46 --> 00:15:48 rather than the sin itself.
00:15:49 --> 00:15:51 They are turning
00:15:51 --> 00:15:53 from idolatry
00:15:53 --> 00:15:56 in idolatrous ways.
00:15:59 --> 00:16:01 They are treating God
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 like this great,
00:16:03 --> 00:16:03 warm,
00:16:03 --> 00:16:04 vending machine
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 in the sky
00:16:05 --> 00:16:07 into which you need
00:16:07 --> 00:16:09 to just drop a token or two,
00:16:10 --> 00:16:13 one or two tokens of repentance
00:16:13 --> 00:16:16 and He will spit out
00:16:16 --> 00:16:18 the thing that I really want
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 which is relief
00:16:19 --> 00:16:22 from my troubles.
00:16:23 --> 00:16:25 That's what I really want.
00:16:25 --> 00:16:26 I want relief.
00:16:29 --> 00:16:31 How often do we treat God
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 like that?
00:16:33 --> 00:16:36 I remember doing this so much
00:16:36 --> 00:16:38 before I was a Christian
00:16:38 --> 00:16:40 and especially whenever I knew
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 that I was going to need help.
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 So exam times,
00:16:42 --> 00:16:42 you know,
00:16:42 --> 00:16:43 exams are coming up
00:16:43 --> 00:16:46 and so in those moments,
00:16:47 --> 00:16:47 pray to God.
00:16:48 --> 00:16:48 Sorry,
00:16:48 --> 00:16:48 I've been rejecting you
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 a bit lately
00:16:49 --> 00:16:52 but if you can help me here,
00:16:53 --> 00:16:53 you know,
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 it's going to be different
00:16:54 --> 00:16:54 beyond this.
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 So it's like treating God
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 like this vending machine,
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 throwing some repentance,
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 acknowledgement,
00:16:59 --> 00:17:00 haven't been kicking
00:17:00 --> 00:17:01 the goals lately
00:17:01 --> 00:17:04 but you help me in this exam
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 and then we'll be fine.
00:17:05 --> 00:17:07 So help me pass this exam
00:17:07 --> 00:17:09 and I'd walk out of there
00:17:09 --> 00:17:11 and I would pass the exam
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 most of the time
00:17:12 --> 00:17:14 and I'd go,
00:17:15 --> 00:17:15 man,
00:17:15 --> 00:17:16 I studied,
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 you know,
00:17:17 --> 00:17:19 I just ignored God
00:17:19 --> 00:17:23 and I had this sense
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 that when I did that,
00:17:25 --> 00:17:27 for some strange reason,
00:17:27 --> 00:17:29 I thought God was on my side
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 in that exam room
00:17:30 --> 00:17:32 but not on anyone else's side.
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 The rest of the pagans,
00:17:34 --> 00:17:34 I bet you they didn't think
00:17:34 --> 00:17:35 about praying to God,
00:17:36 --> 00:17:36 you know,
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 helping with the exam
00:17:37 --> 00:17:39 so I've got a leg up here.
00:17:39 --> 00:17:41 I've definitely got a leg up
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 over the rest of these people
00:17:42 --> 00:17:44 because God's on my side.
00:17:44 --> 00:17:47 I remember the time
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 that my attitude
00:17:48 --> 00:17:50 struck home to me
00:17:50 --> 00:17:52 was that I was always
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 trying to manipulate God
00:17:53 --> 00:17:55 to get on my side
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 when it was when I
00:17:56 --> 00:17:58 was actually a Christian
00:17:58 --> 00:18:01 and I was at Bible college
00:18:01 --> 00:18:04 and I remember
00:18:04 --> 00:18:07 sitting down for an exam
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 and praying a similar thing,
00:18:08 --> 00:18:10 God help me with the exam here
00:18:10 --> 00:18:11 and then looking around,
00:18:12 --> 00:18:14 God's on everyone's side here.
00:18:14 --> 00:18:17 That's no help to me.
00:18:17 --> 00:18:19 I really should have studied.
00:18:21 --> 00:18:23 And Israel's here
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 trying to push the right buttons,
00:18:25 --> 00:18:29 trying to make the right sacrifices
00:18:29 --> 00:18:31 in order to get God,
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 to manipulate God,
00:18:32 --> 00:18:34 to exert power for them.
00:18:34 --> 00:18:39 And God wants to shatter
00:18:39 --> 00:18:41 those false views
00:18:41 --> 00:18:44 that have been crafted of him.
00:18:45 --> 00:18:47 He's not a Baal.
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 He's not an Asherah pole.
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 Israel just assumed
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 that whenever things got bad,
00:18:52 --> 00:18:55 they'd always just put the right things
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 in the slot machine
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 and they'd get God back.
00:18:57 --> 00:19:01 Now Israel seems to get their point.
00:19:01 --> 00:19:03 They're requesting verse 15
00:19:03 --> 00:19:06 is different than verse 10.
00:19:07 --> 00:19:07 Have a look at it.
00:19:08 --> 00:19:10 We have sinned.
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 Do with us
00:19:13 --> 00:19:15 whatever you think best.
00:19:17 --> 00:19:18 But please rescue us now.
00:19:18 --> 00:19:21 Now that shows
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 at least an element
00:19:22 --> 00:19:24 of a change of heart.
00:19:24 --> 00:19:26 Before they were focused
00:19:26 --> 00:19:26 on their condition,
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 on their comfort.
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 Now they admit
00:19:30 --> 00:19:30 that God is under
00:19:30 --> 00:19:32 no obligation whatsoever
00:19:32 --> 00:19:34 to solve their problem for them.
00:19:34 --> 00:19:38 It's like they're saying to God,
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 we want you
00:19:40 --> 00:19:43 even if it means
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 we will keep suffering.
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 Although we'd rather not.
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 It is much more
00:19:52 --> 00:19:54 a sign of real faith.
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 You see,
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 if we say to God,
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 I want you
00:19:59 --> 00:20:01 because I want
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 or I need you
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 to give me
00:20:03 --> 00:20:04 this particular thing,
00:20:04 --> 00:20:06 whatever it is,
00:20:06 --> 00:20:08 we reveal
00:20:08 --> 00:20:09 that that particular thing,
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 whatever it is,
00:20:11 --> 00:20:11 is our
00:20:11 --> 00:20:13 ultimate
00:20:13 --> 00:20:15 God.
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 Our ultimate hope.
00:20:17 --> 00:20:19 Our ultimate sense of security.
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 God, you exist
00:20:20 --> 00:20:22 to give me
00:20:22 --> 00:20:22 this stuff.
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 That means that
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 this stuff
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 is more important
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 than God.
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 That's idolatry.
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 Things like God,
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 your job is to make me
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 happy.
00:20:36 --> 00:20:36 God,
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 your job is to
00:20:37 --> 00:20:39 give me a family.
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 God,
00:20:41 --> 00:20:43 your job is to make
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 the current family
00:20:44 --> 00:20:44 I got better
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 than what it is.
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 When we say that,
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 we're saying,
00:20:51 --> 00:20:51 God,
00:20:52 --> 00:20:54 you exist
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 to exert
00:20:55 --> 00:20:55 your power
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 to give me
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 what I want.
00:20:58 --> 00:20:59 That's idolatry.
00:20:59 --> 00:21:07 God's
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 God,
00:21:08 --> 00:21:08 God,
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 God,
00:21:09 --> 00:21:09 God,
00:21:09 --> 00:21:09 God,
00:21:09 --> 00:21:13 and so God
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 responds to his people
00:21:14 --> 00:21:15 with mercy in verse 16.
00:21:16 --> 00:21:16 He now
00:21:16 --> 00:21:18 acts to save
00:21:18 --> 00:21:18 Israel.
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 The Ammonite
00:21:20 --> 00:21:23 and the Israelite camps are drawn up for battle.
00:21:23 --> 00:21:25 The men of Gilead search for the person
00:21:25 --> 00:21:27 who's going to lead them into the battle
00:21:27 --> 00:21:29 and beyond the battle in verse 18.
00:21:30 --> 00:21:32 And we're introduced to him in chapter 11, verse 1.
00:21:32 --> 00:21:35 The new judge is now coming to the fore.
00:21:35 --> 00:21:39 It says here, Jephna, the Gileadite, was a mighty warrior.
00:21:40 --> 00:21:42 His father was Gilead.
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 His mother was a prostitute.
00:21:45 --> 00:21:47 Gilead's wife also bore him sons.
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 And when they were grown up,
00:21:49 --> 00:21:52 they drove Jephna away.
00:21:53 --> 00:21:56 You're not going to get any inheritance in our family,
00:21:56 --> 00:21:58 they said, because you're the son of another woman.
00:21:59 --> 00:22:01 So Jephna fled from his brothers
00:22:01 --> 00:22:04 and settled in the land of Tob,
00:22:05 --> 00:22:08 where a gang of scoundrels gather around him
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 and followed him.
00:22:11 --> 00:22:14 Now there's a, if you like, an unsurprising
00:22:14 --> 00:22:19 and at the same time surprising choice of a judge
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 with Jephna.
00:22:21 --> 00:22:24 Jephna, like Gideon before him,
00:22:24 --> 00:22:26 is described as a mighty warrior.
00:22:27 --> 00:22:29 It seems like brawling and stuff's his thing.
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 On the other hand,
00:22:32 --> 00:22:35 he's the illegitimate son of a prostitute.
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 He's been driven out from his home,
00:22:37 --> 00:22:42 most likely as a young person by his half-brothers.
00:22:42 --> 00:22:46 And then he's out there living in the wilderness
00:22:46 --> 00:22:49 and he surrounds himself with a band of robbers.
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 Jephna, as it turns out,
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 is into organized crime
00:22:52 --> 00:22:54 and he's the crime boss.
00:22:55 --> 00:22:57 And so he's the natural choice.
00:22:58 --> 00:23:00 He's a complete outcast.
00:23:01 --> 00:23:04 He's a criminal from a broken home.
00:23:04 --> 00:23:06 And despite all of that,
00:23:06 --> 00:23:08 God chooses him to be the saviour.
00:23:10 --> 00:23:12 And the leaders of Gilead go to him,
00:23:13 --> 00:23:16 but Jephna was not so easily convinced.
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 Verse 7,
00:23:17 --> 00:23:20 Didn't you hate me?
00:23:21 --> 00:23:23 Aren't you the same guys who hate me?
00:23:24 --> 00:23:26 You drove me out from my father's house.
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 Why do you come to me now when you're in trouble?
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 Does that at all sound familiar?
00:23:34 --> 00:23:36 There are so many similarities here
00:23:36 --> 00:23:38 between the way Israel has treated their God
00:23:38 --> 00:23:42 and the way that they are treating their judge,
00:23:42 --> 00:23:42 their leader.
00:23:44 --> 00:23:46 And so what Jephna wants to do here
00:23:46 --> 00:23:48 is he, before he does anything,
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 before he picks up any sword,
00:23:49 --> 00:23:52 he resets the relationship
00:23:52 --> 00:23:56 between the leader of God's people,
00:23:56 --> 00:23:59 the judge, and the people.
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 Verse 8,
00:24:01 --> 00:24:02 The elders of Gilead said to him,
00:24:02 --> 00:24:04 Nevertheless, we are turning to you now.
00:24:04 --> 00:24:07 Come with us to fight the Ammonites
00:24:07 --> 00:24:09 and you will be head over all of us
00:24:09 --> 00:24:11 who live in Gilead.
00:24:12 --> 00:24:15 Then Jephna clarifies the point in verse 9.
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 Jephna answered,
00:24:17 --> 00:24:20 Suppose you take me back to fight the Ammonites
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 and the Lord gives them to me.
00:24:21 --> 00:24:23 Suppose we win.
00:24:24 --> 00:24:26 Will I really be your head?
00:24:28 --> 00:24:30 And the elders of Gilead replied,
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 The Lord is our witness.
00:24:32 --> 00:24:34 You will certainly do as,
00:24:35 --> 00:24:37 we will certainly do as you say.
00:24:37 --> 00:24:39 In other words,
00:24:39 --> 00:24:42 as we've seen already in this series,
00:24:43 --> 00:24:46 rescue and rule are inseparable.
00:24:47 --> 00:24:49 If I'm your saviour,
00:24:49 --> 00:24:51 I am also your ruler.
00:24:54 --> 00:24:56 If you look to an idol
00:24:56 --> 00:24:59 to be your saviour and your hope,
00:25:00 --> 00:25:02 it will rule you.
00:25:02 --> 00:25:05 You don't ask it to,
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 it will,
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 because salvation
00:25:07 --> 00:25:10 and rule go together.
00:25:12 --> 00:25:14 If you look to God
00:25:14 --> 00:25:15 as your saviour and your hope,
00:25:15 --> 00:25:17 he will rule you.
00:25:17 --> 00:25:19 And all of these judges
00:25:19 --> 00:25:21 point us ultimately
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 to the greatest judge,
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 the Lord Jesus Christ.
00:25:24 --> 00:25:26 The way people treat Jesus
00:25:26 --> 00:25:28 is the way that they are treating God.
00:25:28 --> 00:25:32 It is impossible
00:25:32 --> 00:25:34 to respect God
00:25:34 --> 00:25:36 or to truly repent
00:25:36 --> 00:25:38 without acknowledging
00:25:38 --> 00:25:40 Jesus' rule over your life.
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 It's impossible.
00:25:44 --> 00:25:46 As I said earlier in this series,
00:25:47 --> 00:25:49 Jesus cannot be your rescuer
00:25:49 --> 00:25:51 if he isn't your ruler.
00:25:53 --> 00:25:53 And so,
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 here in the text,
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 the battle lines are drawn up,
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 but Jephthah doesn't go up
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 to war immediately.
00:25:58 --> 00:26:00 Turns out that this guy
00:26:00 --> 00:26:02 who's the crime boss
00:26:02 --> 00:26:02 actually happens
00:26:02 --> 00:26:04 with some negotiation skills.
00:26:04 --> 00:26:05 And so,
00:26:05 --> 00:26:07 his first option here
00:26:07 --> 00:26:10 is to go for a peaceful resolution.
00:26:10 --> 00:26:10 Who would have thought?
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 The Ammonites
00:26:13 --> 00:26:15 neither respond nor retreat.
00:26:15 --> 00:26:15 So,
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 diplomacy is exhausted,
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 war is inevitable.
00:26:18 --> 00:26:20 And once the spirit of the Lord
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 came on Jephthah
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 in verse 29,
00:26:23 --> 00:26:25 the outcome is certain.
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 The victory is won
00:26:26 --> 00:26:30 before swords are even drawn.
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 And then there's something
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34 terrible happens.
00:26:35 --> 00:26:37 As Jephthah advances
00:26:37 --> 00:26:38 to meet the army,
00:26:39 --> 00:26:41 he makes this vow to God
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 in verse 30.
00:26:42 --> 00:26:45 If you give the Ammonites
00:26:45 --> 00:26:46 into my hands,
00:26:48 --> 00:26:49 whatever comes out
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 the door of my house
00:26:50 --> 00:26:51 to meet me
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 when I return in triumph
00:26:52 --> 00:26:54 from the Ammonites
00:26:54 --> 00:26:56 will be the Lord's.
00:26:56 --> 00:26:58 and I will sacrifice it
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 as a burnt offering.
00:27:02 --> 00:27:04 The Lord gives him his victory.
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 He returns home
00:27:06 --> 00:27:08 as a victorious judge of Israel.
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 What should now follow
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 is the celebration
00:27:12 --> 00:27:14 of the victory
00:27:14 --> 00:27:16 and a time of peace.
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 But instead,
00:27:18 --> 00:27:19 we have verse 34.
00:27:19 --> 00:27:21 When Jephthah returned
00:27:21 --> 00:27:23 to his home in Mizpah,
00:27:23 --> 00:27:25 who should come out
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 to meet him
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 but his daughter
00:27:27 --> 00:27:29 dancing to the sound
00:27:29 --> 00:27:30 of timbrels.
00:27:30 --> 00:27:32 She was an only child
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 except for her.
00:27:33 --> 00:27:34 He had neither son
00:27:34 --> 00:27:34 nor daughter.
00:27:35 --> 00:27:36 And when he saw her,
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 he tore his clothes
00:27:38 --> 00:27:38 and he cried,
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 Oh no!
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 My daughter!
00:27:42 --> 00:27:44 You have brought me down
00:27:44 --> 00:27:46 and I am devastated.
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 I have made a vow
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 to the Lord
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 that I cannot break.
00:27:52 --> 00:27:54 He is distraught
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 and yet at the same time
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 he kind of hard blames
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 his daughter for it.
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 And his daughter
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 remarkably insists
00:28:02 --> 00:28:05 that he keeps his vow to God.
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 After two months of mourning
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 with her friends,
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 she comes back
00:28:10 --> 00:28:11 and Jephthah keeps his vow
00:28:11 --> 00:28:13 and he sacrifices her.
00:28:15 --> 00:28:17 It's a terrible story.
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 In fact,
00:28:19 --> 00:28:20 it's the worst so far
00:28:20 --> 00:28:22 in this terrible
00:28:22 --> 00:28:26 section of Israel's history.
00:28:26 --> 00:28:27 It's going to get worse
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28 in the next two weeks
00:28:28 --> 00:28:30 but up to now
00:28:30 --> 00:28:30 this is the worst.
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 And there is at least
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 three big questions here.
00:28:35 --> 00:28:37 What did Jephthah
00:28:37 --> 00:28:38 actually promise
00:28:38 --> 00:28:39 in his vow?
00:28:39 --> 00:28:42 Why did he promise it?
00:28:43 --> 00:28:45 And why did he keep
00:28:45 --> 00:28:45 the promise?
00:28:47 --> 00:28:48 Firstly,
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 some people have thought
00:28:50 --> 00:28:52 that he just promised
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 to sacrifice
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 anything that came out
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 the door
00:28:55 --> 00:28:56 and he was anticipating
00:28:56 --> 00:28:58 an animal sacrifice.
00:29:00 --> 00:29:00 He was expecting
00:29:00 --> 00:29:01 the family dog
00:29:01 --> 00:29:02 to run out
00:29:02 --> 00:29:02 or maybe the cat
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 or something like that.
00:29:03 --> 00:29:07 And there are,
00:29:07 --> 00:29:07 and I'm not going to go
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08 into all the details
00:29:08 --> 00:29:08 of this
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 but there's a multitude
00:29:09 --> 00:29:10 of reasons
00:29:10 --> 00:29:10 as to why
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 that's not the case.
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 They range from it
00:29:14 --> 00:29:15 being unlikely
00:29:15 --> 00:29:16 that animals
00:29:16 --> 00:29:16 were first of all
00:29:16 --> 00:29:17 even allowed
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 in the homes
00:29:18 --> 00:29:21 through to
00:29:21 --> 00:29:22 if that was
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 what he was thinking
00:29:23 --> 00:29:24 then he would never
00:29:24 --> 00:29:25 have been distraught
00:29:25 --> 00:29:26 by his daughter
00:29:26 --> 00:29:27 coming out.
00:29:28 --> 00:29:28 He would have been
00:29:28 --> 00:29:29 waiting for the first
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 animal to come out.
00:29:30 --> 00:29:34 The reality is
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 Jephthah promised
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 to make a human
00:29:36 --> 00:29:37 sacrifice to God
00:29:37 --> 00:29:39 if he was victorious.
00:29:40 --> 00:29:41 That was his promise.
00:29:42 --> 00:29:43 It was a human sacrifice.
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 He was probably hoping
00:29:45 --> 00:29:45 for a servant
00:29:45 --> 00:29:47 rather than his daughter.
00:29:49 --> 00:29:50 Secondly,
00:29:50 --> 00:29:51 why did he make
00:29:51 --> 00:29:51 that promise?
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 Deuteronomy 12
00:29:54 --> 00:29:55 says that human sacrifice
00:29:55 --> 00:29:57 is a detestable thing
00:29:57 --> 00:29:57 to God.
00:29:57 --> 00:29:58 Jephthah would have
00:29:58 --> 00:29:58 known that.
00:29:58 --> 00:30:01 God is so clear on it.
00:30:02 --> 00:30:03 Jephthah had
00:30:03 --> 00:30:04 clearly been
00:30:04 --> 00:30:06 deeply desensitized
00:30:06 --> 00:30:07 to the violence
00:30:07 --> 00:30:09 and the atrocities
00:30:09 --> 00:30:10 of the pagan cultures
00:30:10 --> 00:30:11 that surrounded him
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 and that he was
00:30:12 --> 00:30:13 participating in.
00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 He's obviously
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15 become desensitized.
00:30:16 --> 00:30:17 It's such an awful
00:30:17 --> 00:30:17 example
00:30:17 --> 00:30:18 of how
00:30:18 --> 00:30:19 believers
00:30:19 --> 00:30:21 in the one true God
00:30:21 --> 00:30:22 who profess
00:30:22 --> 00:30:23 faith in him
00:30:23 --> 00:30:25 hold to some
00:30:25 --> 00:30:26 truth
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27 but allowed
00:30:27 --> 00:30:28 the world
00:30:28 --> 00:30:29 to squeeze
00:30:29 --> 00:30:31 them into
00:30:31 --> 00:30:32 their own
00:30:32 --> 00:30:32 mold.
00:30:38 --> 00:30:39 It's such an awful
00:30:39 --> 00:30:40 example of
00:30:40 --> 00:30:42 churches right
00:30:42 --> 00:30:42 throughout our world
00:30:42 --> 00:30:43 who have the word
00:30:43 --> 00:30:44 of God
00:30:44 --> 00:30:45 who knows what
00:30:45 --> 00:30:46 God's word said
00:30:46 --> 00:30:47 and yet
00:30:47 --> 00:30:48 allow the world
00:30:48 --> 00:30:49 and its priorities
00:30:49 --> 00:30:50 to squeeze the scriptures
00:30:50 --> 00:30:51 out.
00:30:51 --> 00:30:54 these days
00:30:54 --> 00:30:55 it's more likely
00:30:55 --> 00:30:57 as the church
00:30:57 --> 00:30:57 as Christians
00:30:57 --> 00:30:58 we're more likely
00:30:58 --> 00:30:59 to allow worldly
00:30:59 --> 00:31:01 attitudes to sex
00:31:01 --> 00:31:02 and money
00:31:02 --> 00:31:03 come in
00:31:03 --> 00:31:05 and live
00:31:05 --> 00:31:05 alongside
00:31:05 --> 00:31:08 biblical truth.
00:31:08 --> 00:31:12 in his culture
00:31:12 --> 00:31:13 it was different.
00:31:16 --> 00:31:16 But Jephna
00:31:16 --> 00:31:17 wasn't just
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18 impacted by
00:31:18 --> 00:31:19 the moral codes
00:31:19 --> 00:31:20 that surrounded him
00:31:20 --> 00:31:21 he was also
00:31:21 --> 00:31:22 impacted by
00:31:22 --> 00:31:23 their
00:31:23 --> 00:31:24 idolatrous
00:31:24 --> 00:31:25 works
00:31:25 --> 00:31:26 righteousness.
00:31:28 --> 00:31:29 Human sacrifice
00:31:29 --> 00:31:31 is how
00:31:31 --> 00:31:32 all those
00:31:32 --> 00:31:33 gods
00:31:33 --> 00:31:33 that surrounded
00:31:33 --> 00:31:34 Canaan
00:31:34 --> 00:31:36 human sacrifice
00:31:36 --> 00:31:36 is how they
00:31:36 --> 00:31:37 would buy off
00:31:37 --> 00:31:38 their pagan gods.
00:31:41 --> 00:31:42 It's how
00:31:42 --> 00:31:43 it's the tokens
00:31:43 --> 00:31:43 that they would
00:31:43 --> 00:31:44 put in
00:31:44 --> 00:31:45 to the vending
00:31:45 --> 00:31:45 machine
00:31:45 --> 00:31:46 to give God
00:31:46 --> 00:31:46 to give them
00:31:46 --> 00:31:48 what they wanted.
00:31:50 --> 00:31:51 Jephna
00:31:51 --> 00:31:51 thought
00:31:51 --> 00:31:52 Israel's
00:31:52 --> 00:31:52 God
00:31:52 --> 00:31:53 needed to be
00:31:53 --> 00:31:54 impressed
00:31:54 --> 00:31:55 he needed
00:31:55 --> 00:31:56 to be bought
00:31:56 --> 00:31:57 he needed
00:31:57 --> 00:31:58 to be controlled
00:31:58 --> 00:31:59 through a lavish
00:31:59 --> 00:32:00 gift
00:32:00 --> 00:32:01 of human
00:32:01 --> 00:32:01 sacrifice.
00:32:03 --> 00:32:04 And the
00:32:04 --> 00:32:05 tragedy
00:32:05 --> 00:32:05 is
00:32:05 --> 00:32:06 God
00:32:06 --> 00:32:07 had already
00:32:07 --> 00:32:08 decided
00:32:08 --> 00:32:09 to save
00:32:09 --> 00:32:12 his sinful
00:32:12 --> 00:32:12 people
00:32:12 --> 00:32:13 before he
00:32:13 --> 00:32:14 even made
00:32:14 --> 00:32:15 the vow
00:32:15 --> 00:32:15 to God.
00:32:18 --> 00:32:19 He'd already
00:32:19 --> 00:32:20 decided to use
00:32:20 --> 00:32:21 Jephna
00:32:21 --> 00:32:22 as
00:32:22 --> 00:32:22 his
00:32:22 --> 00:32:23 savior.
00:32:27 --> 00:32:28 So why
00:32:28 --> 00:32:28 did he go
00:32:28 --> 00:32:29 through with it?
00:32:29 --> 00:32:30 this is
00:32:30 --> 00:32:30 probably
00:32:30 --> 00:32:31 the more
00:32:31 --> 00:32:31 difficult
00:32:31 --> 00:32:33 thing
00:32:33 --> 00:32:34 to look
00:32:34 --> 00:32:34 at
00:32:34 --> 00:32:34 or to
00:32:34 --> 00:32:34 answer
00:32:34 --> 00:32:35 it's
00:32:35 --> 00:32:36 hard
00:32:36 --> 00:32:37 to know
00:32:37 --> 00:32:39 but
00:32:39 --> 00:32:39 except to
00:32:39 --> 00:32:39 say that
00:32:39 --> 00:32:40 he had
00:32:40 --> 00:32:40 no concept
00:32:40 --> 00:32:41 of the
00:32:41 --> 00:32:41 God of
00:32:41 --> 00:32:41 grace.
00:32:43 --> 00:32:43 He
00:32:43 --> 00:32:43 sees
00:32:43 --> 00:32:44 God
00:32:44 --> 00:32:45 in the
00:32:45 --> 00:32:46 same
00:32:46 --> 00:32:46 way
00:32:46 --> 00:32:47 as
00:32:47 --> 00:32:48 the
00:32:48 --> 00:32:48 nations
00:32:48 --> 00:32:49 around
00:32:49 --> 00:32:49 them
00:32:49 --> 00:32:50 as
00:32:50 --> 00:32:50 all
00:32:50 --> 00:32:50 the
00:32:50 --> 00:32:50 other
00:32:50 --> 00:32:51 pagan
00:32:51 --> 00:32:51 gods
00:32:51 --> 00:32:52 and
00:32:52 --> 00:32:52 idols
00:32:52 --> 00:32:52 he
00:32:52 --> 00:32:52 sees
00:32:52 --> 00:32:53 the
00:32:53 --> 00:32:53 true
00:32:53 --> 00:32:53 living
00:32:53 --> 00:32:53 God
00:32:53 --> 00:32:53 in
00:32:53 --> 00:32:54 exactly
00:32:54 --> 00:32:54 the
00:32:54 --> 00:32:54 same
00:32:54 --> 00:32:55 way
00:32:55 --> 00:32:55 a
00:32:55 --> 00:32:56 being
00:32:56 --> 00:32:56 whose
00:32:56 --> 00:32:56 favor
00:32:56 --> 00:32:57 has
00:32:57 --> 00:32:57 to
00:32:57 --> 00:32:57 be
00:32:57 --> 00:32:58 earned
00:32:58 --> 00:32:58 through
00:32:58 --> 00:32:59 flattery
00:32:59 --> 00:32:59 and
00:32:59 --> 00:33:00 lavish
00:33:00 --> 00:33:00 sacrifices
00:33:00 --> 00:33:04 and
00:33:04 --> 00:33:04 that's
00:33:04 --> 00:33:04 why
00:33:04 --> 00:33:04 in
00:33:04 --> 00:33:04 this
00:33:04 --> 00:33:05 moment
00:33:05 --> 00:33:06 he
00:33:06 --> 00:33:06 can't
00:33:06 --> 00:33:06 just
00:33:06 --> 00:33:07 break
00:33:07 --> 00:33:07 down
00:33:07 --> 00:33:08 and
00:33:08 --> 00:33:08 he's
00:33:08 --> 00:33:09 distraught
00:33:09 --> 00:33:10 he doesn't
00:33:10 --> 00:33:10 just drop
00:33:10 --> 00:33:10 on his
00:33:10 --> 00:33:11 knees
00:33:11 --> 00:33:11 and confess
00:33:11 --> 00:33:12 his
00:33:12 --> 00:33:12 error
00:33:12 --> 00:33:13 and
00:33:13 --> 00:33:14 repent
00:33:14 --> 00:33:15 and save
00:33:15 --> 00:33:15 his
00:33:15 --> 00:33:15 daughter
00:33:15 --> 00:33:16 it's
00:33:16 --> 00:33:16 because
00:33:16 --> 00:33:16 he
00:33:16 --> 00:33:17 simply
00:33:17 --> 00:33:17 doesn't
00:33:17 --> 00:33:17 trust
00:33:17 --> 00:33:18 this
00:33:18 --> 00:33:18 God
00:33:18 --> 00:33:21 that's
00:33:21 --> 00:33:21 why
00:33:21 --> 00:33:21 he
00:33:21 --> 00:33:21 goes
00:33:21 --> 00:33:22 through
00:33:22 --> 00:33:22 with
00:33:22 --> 00:33:22 it
00:33:22 --> 00:33:22 because
00:33:22 --> 00:33:23 he's
00:33:23 --> 00:33:23 trapped
00:33:23 --> 00:33:24 by
00:33:24 --> 00:33:24 his
00:33:24 --> 00:33:25 mistrust
00:33:25 --> 00:33:25 of
00:33:25 --> 00:33:25 this
00:33:25 --> 00:33:26 God
00:33:26 --> 00:33:29 it's
00:33:29 --> 00:33:30 like
00:33:30 --> 00:33:30 he
00:33:30 --> 00:33:30 believes
00:33:30 --> 00:33:30 that
00:33:30 --> 00:33:31 if
00:33:31 --> 00:33:31 he
00:33:31 --> 00:33:31 doesn't
00:33:31 --> 00:33:31 go
00:33:31 --> 00:33:32 through
00:33:32 --> 00:33:32 with
00:33:32 --> 00:33:32 it
00:33:32 --> 00:33:32 if
00:33:32 --> 00:33:32 he
00:33:32 --> 00:33:33 doesn't
00:33:33 --> 00:33:33 strike
00:33:33 --> 00:33:33 his
00:33:33 --> 00:33:34 daughter
00:33:34 --> 00:33:34 down
00:33:34 --> 00:33:35 this
00:33:35 --> 00:33:35 God
00:33:35 --> 00:33:35 will
00:33:35 --> 00:33:36 strike
00:33:36 --> 00:33:36 him
00:33:36 --> 00:33:36 down
00:33:36 --> 00:33:42 and
00:33:42 --> 00:33:43 this
00:33:43 --> 00:33:43 has
00:33:43 --> 00:33:43 been
00:33:43 --> 00:33:43 the
00:33:43 --> 00:33:43 problem
00:33:43 --> 00:33:44 for
00:33:44 --> 00:33:44 every
00:33:44 --> 00:33:44 human
00:33:44 --> 00:33:45 being
00:33:45 --> 00:33:45 ever
00:33:45 --> 00:33:46 since
00:33:46 --> 00:33:46 Adam
00:33:46 --> 00:33:46 and
00:33:46 --> 00:33:47 Eve
00:33:47 --> 00:33:49 it's
00:33:49 --> 00:33:49 our
00:33:49 --> 00:33:49 problem
00:33:49 --> 00:33:50 in
00:33:50 --> 00:33:50 the
00:33:50 --> 00:33:51 garden
00:33:51 --> 00:33:51 of
00:33:51 --> 00:33:51 Eden
00:33:51 --> 00:33:51 the
00:33:51 --> 00:33:51 very
00:33:51 --> 00:33:52 first
00:33:52 --> 00:33:52 line
00:33:52 --> 00:33:52 that
00:33:52 --> 00:33:53 comes
00:33:53 --> 00:33:53 out
00:33:53 --> 00:33:53 of
00:33:53 --> 00:33:53 the
00:33:53 --> 00:33:54 serpent's
00:33:54 --> 00:33:54 mountain
00:33:54 --> 00:33:54 Genesis
00:33:54 --> 00:33:55 3
00:33:55 --> 00:33:57 is to
00:33:57 --> 00:33:58 cause
00:33:58 --> 00:33:58 human
00:33:58 --> 00:33:59 beings
00:33:59 --> 00:33:59 to
00:33:59 --> 00:34:01 disbelieve
00:34:01 --> 00:34:01 that God
00:34:01 --> 00:34:02 has their
00:34:02 --> 00:34:02 best
00:34:02 --> 00:34:03 interests
00:34:03 --> 00:34:03 at
00:34:03 --> 00:34:03 heart
00:34:03 --> 00:34:04 you
00:34:04 --> 00:34:05 cannot
00:34:05 --> 00:34:06 trust
00:34:06 --> 00:34:06 this
00:34:06 --> 00:34:07 God
00:34:07 --> 00:34:12 and
00:34:12 --> 00:34:12 ever
00:34:12 --> 00:34:12 since
00:34:12 --> 00:34:12 then
00:34:12 --> 00:34:13 the
00:34:13 --> 00:34:13 default
00:34:13 --> 00:34:14 position
00:34:14 --> 00:34:14 of
00:34:14 --> 00:34:14 our
00:34:14 --> 00:34:14 heart
00:34:14 --> 00:34:14 the
00:34:14 --> 00:34:15 wiring
00:34:15 --> 00:34:16 is
00:34:16 --> 00:34:16 to
00:34:16 --> 00:34:16 feel
00:34:16 --> 00:34:17 like
00:34:17 --> 00:34:17 we
00:34:17 --> 00:34:17 have
00:34:17 --> 00:34:17 to
00:34:17 --> 00:34:18 control
00:34:18 --> 00:34:18 God
00:34:18 --> 00:34:19 that
00:34:19 --> 00:34:19 we
00:34:19 --> 00:34:19 have
00:34:19 --> 00:34:19 to
00:34:19 --> 00:34:20 pay
00:34:20 --> 00:34:20 God
00:34:20 --> 00:34:21 that
00:34:21 --> 00:34:21 we
00:34:21 --> 00:34:21 have
00:34:21 --> 00:34:21 to
00:34:21 --> 00:34:22 deserve
00:34:22 --> 00:34:22 God
00:34:22 --> 00:34:23 that
00:34:23 --> 00:34:23 we
00:34:23 --> 00:34:23 have
00:34:23 --> 00:34:23 to
00:34:23 --> 00:34:24 do
00:34:24 --> 00:34:24 something
00:34:24 --> 00:34:24 to
00:34:24 --> 00:34:24 put
00:34:24 --> 00:34:25 something
00:34:25 --> 00:34:25 in
00:34:25 --> 00:34:25 the
00:34:25 --> 00:34:25 vending
00:34:25 --> 00:34:26 machine
00:34:26 --> 00:34:26 to
00:34:26 --> 00:34:26 spit
00:34:26 --> 00:34:27 out
00:34:27 --> 00:34:27 for
00:34:27 --> 00:34:27 us
00:34:27 --> 00:34:27 what
00:34:27 --> 00:34:28 we
00:34:28 --> 00:34:28 want
00:34:28 --> 00:34:29 from
00:34:29 --> 00:34:29 God
00:34:29 --> 00:34:33 our
00:34:33 --> 00:34:34 default
00:34:34 --> 00:34:34 is
00:34:34 --> 00:34:34 never
00:34:34 --> 00:34:35 simply
00:34:35 --> 00:34:35 to
00:34:35 --> 00:34:36 trust
00:34:36 --> 00:34:37 God
00:34:37 --> 00:34:37 to
00:34:37 --> 00:34:38 love
00:34:38 --> 00:34:38 and
00:34:38 --> 00:34:38 to
00:34:38 --> 00:34:39 bless
00:34:39 --> 00:34:39 us
00:34:39 --> 00:34:39 we
00:34:39 --> 00:34:40 instead
00:34:40 --> 00:34:41 turn
00:34:41 --> 00:34:41 from
00:34:41 --> 00:34:41 him
00:34:41 --> 00:34:41 to
00:34:41 --> 00:34:42 other
00:34:42 --> 00:34:42 things
00:34:42 --> 00:34:42 turn
00:34:42 --> 00:34:43 from
00:34:43 --> 00:34:43 him
00:34:43 --> 00:34:43 to
00:34:43 --> 00:34:43 other
00:34:43 --> 00:34:44 things
00:34:44 --> 00:34:44 for
00:34:44 --> 00:34:44 the
00:34:44 --> 00:34:44 acceptance
00:34:44 --> 00:34:45 of
00:34:45 --> 00:34:45 the
00:34:45 --> 00:34:45 love
00:34:45 --> 00:34:45 that
00:34:45 --> 00:34:45 we
00:34:45 --> 00:34:46 crave
00:34:46 --> 00:34:47 it
00:34:47 --> 00:34:47 is
00:34:47 --> 00:34:48 always
00:34:48 --> 00:34:49 worth
00:34:49 --> 00:34:49 asking
00:34:49 --> 00:34:50 ourselves
00:34:50 --> 00:34:50 the
00:34:50 --> 00:34:50 questions
00:34:50 --> 00:34:52 in
00:34:52 --> 00:34:52 what
00:34:52 --> 00:34:53 ways
00:34:53 --> 00:34:53 would
00:34:53 --> 00:34:53 I
00:34:53 --> 00:34:54 live
00:34:54 --> 00:34:54 differently
00:34:54 --> 00:34:56 more
00:34:56 --> 00:34:56 radically
00:34:56 --> 00:34:57 more
00:34:57 --> 00:34:58 restfully
00:34:58 --> 00:34:59 if I
00:34:59 --> 00:35:00 really
00:35:00 --> 00:35:01 really
00:35:01 --> 00:35:01 believe
00:35:01 --> 00:35:01 that
00:35:01 --> 00:35:02 God
00:35:02 --> 00:35:03 was
00:35:03 --> 00:35:04 completely
00:35:04 --> 00:35:04 committed
00:35:04 --> 00:35:05 to me
00:35:05 --> 00:35:05 to
00:35:05 --> 00:35:05 love
00:35:05 --> 00:35:06 me
00:35:06 --> 00:35:06 to
00:35:06 --> 00:35:07 bless
00:35:07 --> 00:35:07 me
00:35:07 --> 00:35:08 and
00:35:08 --> 00:35:08 to
00:35:08 --> 00:35:09 work
00:35:09 --> 00:35:09 what
00:35:09 --> 00:35:09 is
00:35:09 --> 00:35:09 best
00:35:09 --> 00:35:10 for
00:35:10 --> 00:35:10 me
00:35:10 --> 00:35:10 how
00:35:10 --> 00:35:11 would
00:35:11 --> 00:35:11 that
00:35:11 --> 00:35:12 impact
00:35:12 --> 00:35:13 everything
00:35:13 --> 00:35:13 the
00:35:13 --> 00:35:13 way
00:35:13 --> 00:35:13 I
00:35:13 --> 00:35:14 live
00:35:14 --> 00:35:16 if
00:35:16 --> 00:35:16 I
00:35:16 --> 00:35:17 truly
00:35:17 --> 00:35:17 believe
00:35:17 --> 00:35:17 death
00:35:17 --> 00:35:17 to
00:35:17 --> 00:35:18 my
00:35:18 --> 00:35:18 heart
00:35:18 --> 00:35:18 that
00:35:18 --> 00:35:18 that
00:35:18 --> 00:35:18 was
00:35:18 --> 00:35:19 true
00:35:19 --> 00:35:22 the
00:35:22 --> 00:35:23 Bible
00:35:23 --> 00:35:23 makes
00:35:23 --> 00:35:23 it so
00:35:23 --> 00:35:24 clear
00:35:24 --> 00:35:24 that
00:35:24 --> 00:35:24 this
00:35:24 --> 00:35:24 God
00:35:24 --> 00:35:24 is
00:35:24 --> 00:35:25 for
00:35:25 --> 00:35:25 us
00:35:25 --> 00:35:26 and
00:35:26 --> 00:35:27 so
00:35:27 --> 00:35:27 this
00:35:27 --> 00:35:28 episode
00:35:28 --> 00:35:29 is
00:35:29 --> 00:35:30 tragic
00:35:30 --> 00:35:32 in
00:35:32 --> 00:35:33 fact
00:35:33 --> 00:35:33 the
00:35:33 --> 00:35:33 great
00:35:33 --> 00:35:34 victory
00:35:34 --> 00:35:34 against
00:35:34 --> 00:35:35 the
00:35:35 --> 00:35:35 enemy
00:35:35 --> 00:35:36 is
00:35:36 --> 00:35:37 even
00:35:37 --> 00:35:37 barely
00:35:37 --> 00:35:38 mentioned
00:35:38 --> 00:35:41 it's
00:35:41 --> 00:35:42 overshadowed
00:35:42 --> 00:35:42 by the
00:35:42 --> 00:35:43 tragedy
00:35:43 --> 00:35:43 of the
00:35:43 --> 00:35:44 loss
00:35:44 --> 00:35:44 of
00:35:44 --> 00:35:45 Jephna's
00:35:45 --> 00:35:45 daughter
00:35:45 --> 00:35:47 this
00:35:47 --> 00:35:49 victory
00:35:49 --> 00:35:50 is like
00:35:50 --> 00:35:51 a
00:35:51 --> 00:35:52 it's
00:35:52 --> 00:35:52 a
00:35:52 --> 00:35:53 flawed
00:35:53 --> 00:35:53 victory
00:35:53 --> 00:35:56 it's
00:35:56 --> 00:35:56 an
00:35:56 --> 00:35:56 imperfect
00:35:56 --> 00:35:57 salvation
00:35:57 --> 00:36:01 instead
00:36:01 --> 00:36:01 of
00:36:01 --> 00:36:01 dancing
00:36:01 --> 00:36:02 in the
00:36:02 --> 00:36:02 streets
00:36:02 --> 00:36:03 it's
00:36:03 --> 00:36:03 like
00:36:03 --> 00:36:03 there's
00:36:03 --> 00:36:03 this
00:36:03 --> 00:36:04 dark
00:36:04 --> 00:36:04 cloud
00:36:04 --> 00:36:06 this
00:36:06 --> 00:36:06 doesn't
00:36:06 --> 00:36:06 feel
00:36:06 --> 00:36:07 like
00:36:07 --> 00:36:07 a
00:36:07 --> 00:36:07 salvation
00:36:07 --> 00:36:13 it's
00:36:13 --> 00:36:14 an
00:36:14 --> 00:36:14 imperfect
00:36:14 --> 00:36:15 salvation
00:36:15 --> 00:36:15 by an
00:36:15 --> 00:36:15 imperfect
00:36:15 --> 00:36:16 savior
00:36:16 --> 00:36:16 and so
00:36:16 --> 00:36:17 it won't
00:36:17 --> 00:36:17 last
00:36:17 --> 00:36:18 it's
00:36:18 --> 00:36:18 not
00:36:18 --> 00:36:18 worth
00:36:18 --> 00:36:19 celebrating
00:36:19 --> 00:36:22 but it
00:36:22 --> 00:36:23 should
00:36:23 --> 00:36:23 well
00:36:23 --> 00:36:24 in us
00:36:24 --> 00:36:25 a sense
00:36:25 --> 00:36:25 of
00:36:25 --> 00:36:26 where is
00:36:26 --> 00:36:26 the
00:36:26 --> 00:36:27 true
00:36:27 --> 00:36:27 salvation
00:36:27 --> 00:36:29 where is
00:36:29 --> 00:36:30 the
00:36:30 --> 00:36:30 perfect
00:36:30 --> 00:36:31 salvation
00:36:31 --> 00:36:32 where is
00:36:32 --> 00:36:33 the one
00:36:33 --> 00:36:33 that's
00:36:33 --> 00:36:33 worth
00:36:33 --> 00:36:34 celebrating
00:36:34 --> 00:36:38 and if
00:36:38 --> 00:36:38 we want
00:36:38 --> 00:36:38 a
00:36:38 --> 00:36:38 perfect
00:36:38 --> 00:36:39 salvation
00:36:39 --> 00:36:39 we have
00:36:39 --> 00:36:40 to look
00:36:40 --> 00:36:40 beyond
00:36:40 --> 00:36:40 Jephna
00:36:40 --> 00:36:41 to one
00:36:41 --> 00:36:42 that is
00:36:42 --> 00:36:42 greater
00:36:42 --> 00:36:43 than he
00:36:43 --> 00:36:44 the
00:36:44 --> 00:36:45 imperfect
00:36:45 --> 00:36:45 savior
00:36:45 --> 00:36:46 Jephna
00:36:46 --> 00:36:46 points us
00:36:46 --> 00:36:47 to the
00:36:47 --> 00:36:47 perfect
00:36:47 --> 00:36:47 savior
00:36:47 --> 00:36:48 Jesus
00:36:48 --> 00:36:49 Jephna
00:36:49 --> 00:36:50 didn't
00:36:50 --> 00:36:50 rise
00:36:50 --> 00:36:51 to be
00:36:51 --> 00:36:51 judged
00:36:51 --> 00:36:52 despite
00:36:52 --> 00:36:52 his
00:36:52 --> 00:36:53 rejection
00:36:53 --> 00:36:53 and his
00:36:53 --> 00:36:54 suffering
00:36:54 --> 00:36:55 he is
00:36:55 --> 00:36:55 fitted
00:36:55 --> 00:36:56 for
00:36:56 --> 00:36:57 his
00:36:57 --> 00:36:57 role
00:36:57 --> 00:36:58 as the
00:36:58 --> 00:36:59 judge
00:36:59 --> 00:36:59 of
00:36:59 --> 00:37:00 Israel
00:37:00 --> 00:37:04 through
00:37:04 --> 00:37:04 his
00:37:04 --> 00:37:05 rejection
00:37:05 --> 00:37:05 and his
00:37:05 --> 00:37:06 suffering
00:37:06 --> 00:37:08 and in
00:37:08 --> 00:37:09 this he is
00:37:09 --> 00:37:10 a pale
00:37:10 --> 00:37:10 shadow
00:37:10 --> 00:37:12 of the
00:37:12 --> 00:37:12 greatest
00:37:12 --> 00:37:13 savior
00:37:13 --> 00:37:13 Jesus
00:37:13 --> 00:37:15 John
00:37:15 --> 00:37:15 1 11
00:37:15 --> 00:37:16 tells us
00:37:16 --> 00:37:16 that Jesus
00:37:16 --> 00:37:17 came to
00:37:17 --> 00:37:17 that which
00:37:17 --> 00:37:18 was his
00:37:18 --> 00:37:18 own
00:37:18 --> 00:37:18 but his
00:37:18 --> 00:37:19 own
00:37:19 --> 00:37:19 did not
00:37:19 --> 00:37:20 receive
00:37:20 --> 00:37:20 him
00:37:20 --> 00:37:23 this is
00:37:23 --> 00:37:24 the Jesus
00:37:24 --> 00:37:25 who spent
00:37:25 --> 00:37:25 his time
00:37:25 --> 00:37:26 in the
00:37:26 --> 00:37:26 wilderness
00:37:26 --> 00:37:28 and was
00:37:28 --> 00:37:29 tempted in
00:37:29 --> 00:37:29 every way
00:37:29 --> 00:37:30 but was
00:37:30 --> 00:37:31 without
00:37:31 --> 00:37:32 sin
00:37:32 --> 00:37:33 according to
00:37:33 --> 00:37:33 Hebrews
00:37:33 --> 00:37:34 4 15
00:37:34 --> 00:37:35 he was
00:37:35 --> 00:37:36 rejected
00:37:36 --> 00:37:37 and unlike
00:37:37 --> 00:37:37 Jephna
00:37:37 --> 00:37:38 lived a
00:37:38 --> 00:37:39 holy
00:37:39 --> 00:37:40 righteous
00:37:40 --> 00:37:40 life
00:37:40 --> 00:37:41 a life
00:37:41 --> 00:37:41 of
00:37:41 --> 00:37:41 perfection
00:37:41 --> 00:37:43 and both
00:37:43 --> 00:37:43 his
00:37:43 --> 00:37:43 rejection
00:37:43 --> 00:37:44 and his
00:37:44 --> 00:37:44 perfection
00:37:44 --> 00:37:46 prepared him
00:37:46 --> 00:37:46 for his
00:37:46 --> 00:37:47 ultimate
00:37:47 --> 00:37:48 act of
00:37:48 --> 00:37:48 weakness
00:37:48 --> 00:37:52 a criminal
00:37:52 --> 00:37:53 death
00:37:53 --> 00:37:54 on a
00:37:54 --> 00:37:54 cross
00:37:54 --> 00:37:56 the death
00:37:56 --> 00:37:56 of a
00:37:56 --> 00:37:56 criminal
00:37:56 --> 00:37:58 on a
00:37:58 --> 00:37:59 cross
00:37:59 --> 00:38:02 and it
00:38:02 --> 00:38:02 also
00:38:02 --> 00:38:03 qualified
00:38:03 --> 00:38:03 him
00:38:03 --> 00:38:03 for
00:38:03 --> 00:38:03 his
00:38:03 --> 00:38:03 greatest
00:38:03 --> 00:38:04 victory
00:38:04 --> 00:38:05 the
00:38:05 --> 00:38:05 great
00:38:05 --> 00:38:06 victory
00:38:06 --> 00:38:06 where
00:38:06 --> 00:38:06 he
00:38:06 --> 00:38:07 bore
00:38:07 --> 00:38:07 our
00:38:07 --> 00:38:08 sin
00:38:08 --> 00:38:09 as
00:38:09 --> 00:38:09 the
00:38:09 --> 00:38:09 human
00:38:09 --> 00:38:10 sacrifice
00:38:10 --> 00:38:12 through
00:38:12 --> 00:38:12 his
00:38:12 --> 00:38:13 death
00:38:13 --> 00:38:14 so that
00:38:14 --> 00:38:15 he could
00:38:15 --> 00:38:16 give
00:38:16 --> 00:38:16 his
00:38:16 --> 00:38:16 people
00:38:16 --> 00:38:16 his
00:38:16 --> 00:38:17 righteousness
00:38:17 --> 00:38:18 and lead
00:38:18 --> 00:38:18 them
00:38:18 --> 00:38:18 into
00:38:18 --> 00:38:19 peace
00:38:19 --> 00:38:20 you
00:38:20 --> 00:38:20 see
00:38:20 --> 00:38:21 Jesus
00:38:21 --> 00:38:21 the
00:38:21 --> 00:38:21 son
00:38:21 --> 00:38:21 of
00:38:21 --> 00:38:22 God
00:38:22 --> 00:38:22 is
00:38:22 --> 00:38:22 the
00:38:22 --> 00:38:23 great
00:38:23 --> 00:38:24 savior
00:38:24 --> 00:38:25 who
00:38:25 --> 00:38:25 chose
00:38:25 --> 00:38:26 to
00:38:26 --> 00:38:26 offer
00:38:26 --> 00:38:26 his
00:38:26 --> 00:38:27 life
00:38:27 --> 00:38:27 as
00:38:27 --> 00:38:27 a
00:38:27 --> 00:38:28 sacrifice
00:38:28 --> 00:38:29 for
00:38:29 --> 00:38:29 the
00:38:29 --> 00:38:29 sin
00:38:29 --> 00:38:29 of
00:38:29 --> 00:38:30 the
00:38:30 --> 00:38:30 world
00:38:30 --> 00:38:31 he
00:38:31 --> 00:38:32 wasn't
00:38:32 --> 00:38:32 trapped
00:38:32 --> 00:38:32 into
00:38:32 --> 00:38:32 it
00:38:32 --> 00:38:33 wasn't
00:38:33 --> 00:38:33 surprised
00:38:33 --> 00:38:34 by it
00:38:34 --> 00:38:34 his
00:38:34 --> 00:38:34 dad
00:38:34 --> 00:38:35 didn't
00:38:35 --> 00:38:35 all of a
00:38:35 --> 00:38:35 sudden
00:38:35 --> 00:38:36 pop
00:38:36 --> 00:38:36 it
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00:38:36 --> 00:38:37 and
00:38:37 --> 00:38:37 go
00:38:37 --> 00:38:38 well
00:38:38 --> 00:38:38 okay
00:38:38 --> 00:38:40 he
00:38:40 --> 00:38:41 chose
00:38:41 --> 00:38:41 it
00:38:41 --> 00:38:42 it
00:38:42 --> 00:38:43 was
00:38:43 --> 00:38:43 his
00:38:43 --> 00:38:44 plan
00:38:44 --> 00:38:44 to
00:38:44 --> 00:38:45 pay
00:38:45 --> 00:38:45 for
00:38:45 --> 00:38:45 the
00:38:45 --> 00:38:45 sin
00:38:45 --> 00:38:46 of
00:38:46 --> 00:38:46 humanity
00:38:46 --> 00:38:47 and
00:38:47 --> 00:38:47 turn
00:38:47 --> 00:38:48 God's
00:38:48 --> 00:38:48 anger
00:38:48 --> 00:38:48 away
00:38:48 --> 00:38:49 from
00:38:49 --> 00:38:49 us
00:38:49 --> 00:38:50 his
00:38:50 --> 00:38:50 sacrifice
00:38:50 --> 00:38:51 was
00:38:51 --> 00:38:51 once
00:38:51 --> 00:38:52 for
00:38:52 --> 00:38:52 all
00:38:52 --> 00:38:53 time
00:38:53 --> 00:38:53 for
00:38:53 --> 00:38:54 all
00:38:54 --> 00:38:54 people
00:38:54 --> 00:38:57 that's
00:38:57 --> 00:38:57 why
00:38:57 --> 00:38:58 we
00:38:58 --> 00:38:58 celebrate
00:38:58 --> 00:39:00 that's
00:39:00 --> 00:39:00 why
00:39:00 --> 00:39:00 we
00:39:00 --> 00:39:00 sing
00:39:00 --> 00:39:01 what
00:39:01 --> 00:39:01 we
00:39:01 --> 00:39:01 sing
00:39:01 --> 00:39:04 and
00:39:04 --> 00:39:04 because
00:39:04 --> 00:39:04 of
00:39:04 --> 00:39:05 this
00:39:05 --> 00:39:05 sacrifice
00:39:05 --> 00:39:06 there
00:39:06 --> 00:39:06 is
00:39:06 --> 00:39:07 only
00:39:07 --> 00:39:07 one
00:39:07 --> 00:39:08 sacrifice
00:39:08 --> 00:39:08 that
00:39:08 --> 00:39:08 God
00:39:08 --> 00:39:09 requires
00:39:09 --> 00:39:09 of
00:39:09 --> 00:39:09 you
00:39:09 --> 00:39:10 and
00:39:10 --> 00:39:10 me
00:39:10 --> 00:39:11 he's
00:39:11 --> 00:39:12 not
00:39:12 --> 00:39:12 the
00:39:12 --> 00:39:12 great
00:39:12 --> 00:39:13 vending
00:39:13 --> 00:39:13 machine
00:39:13 --> 00:39:15 it's
00:39:15 --> 00:39:15 the
00:39:15 --> 00:39:16 self
00:39:16 --> 00:39:16 sacrifice
00:39:16 --> 00:39:17 of
00:39:17 --> 00:39:17 offering
00:39:17 --> 00:39:17 God
00:39:17 --> 00:39:18 lordship
00:39:18 --> 00:39:18 over
00:39:18 --> 00:39:18 every
00:39:18 --> 00:39:19 area
00:39:19 --> 00:39:19 of
00:39:19 --> 00:39:19 our
00:39:19 --> 00:39:19 life
00:39:19 --> 00:39:21 because
00:39:21 --> 00:39:22 with
00:39:22 --> 00:39:22 salvation
00:39:22 --> 00:39:23 comes
00:39:23 --> 00:39:23 rule
00:39:23 --> 00:39:27 and
00:39:27 --> 00:39:28 this
00:39:28 --> 00:39:28 is
00:39:28 --> 00:39:28 not
00:39:28 --> 00:39:29 done
00:39:29 --> 00:39:29 to
00:39:29 --> 00:39:29 secure
00:39:29 --> 00:39:29 his
00:39:29 --> 00:39:30 favour
00:39:30 --> 00:39:31 we
00:39:31 --> 00:39:32 don't
00:39:32 --> 00:39:32 offer
00:39:32 --> 00:39:32 him
00:39:32 --> 00:39:33 lordship
00:39:33 --> 00:39:33 he
00:39:33 --> 00:39:33 doesn't
00:39:33 --> 00:39:33 take
00:39:33 --> 00:39:34 it's
00:39:34 --> 00:39:34 not
00:39:34 --> 00:39:34 it's
00:39:34 --> 00:39:34 not
00:39:34 --> 00:39:34 to
00:39:34 --> 00:39:35 secure
00:39:35 --> 00:39:35 his
00:39:35 --> 00:39:35 favour
00:39:35 --> 00:39:36 Jesus
00:39:36 --> 00:39:36 has
00:39:36 --> 00:39:37 already
00:39:37 --> 00:39:38 secured
00:39:38 --> 00:39:38 the
00:39:38 --> 00:39:38 favour
00:39:38 --> 00:39:39 of
00:39:39 --> 00:39:39 God
00:39:39 --> 00:39:40 for
00:39:40 --> 00:39:40 us
00:39:40 --> 00:39:42 our
00:39:42 --> 00:39:43 sacrifice
00:39:43 --> 00:39:44 is
00:39:44 --> 00:39:44 in
00:39:44 --> 00:39:45 response
00:39:45 --> 00:39:45 to
00:39:45 --> 00:39:45 him
00:39:45 --> 00:39:46 Romans
00:39:46 --> 00:39:47 12
00:39:47 --> 00:39:47 1
00:39:47 --> 00:39:48 calls
00:39:48 --> 00:39:48 us
00:39:48 --> 00:39:48 to
00:39:48 --> 00:39:48 deal
00:39:48 --> 00:39:48 with
00:39:48 --> 00:39:49 our
00:39:49 --> 00:39:49 idols
00:39:49 --> 00:39:49 when
00:39:49 --> 00:39:50 it
00:39:50 --> 00:39:50 says
00:39:50 --> 00:39:50 I
00:39:50 --> 00:39:51 urge
00:39:51 --> 00:39:51 you
00:39:51 --> 00:39:51 brothers
00:39:51 --> 00:39:51 and
00:39:51 --> 00:39:52 sisters
00:39:52 --> 00:39:52 in
00:39:52 --> 00:39:53 view
00:39:53 --> 00:39:53 of
00:39:53 --> 00:39:54 God's
00:39:54 --> 00:39:54 mercy
00:39:54 --> 00:39:54 because
00:39:54 --> 00:39:55 of
00:39:55 --> 00:39:55 his
00:39:55 --> 00:39:55 mercy
00:39:55 --> 00:39:56 to
00:39:56 --> 00:39:56 offer
00:39:56 --> 00:39:57 your
00:39:57 --> 00:39:57 bodies
00:39:57 --> 00:39:57 as
00:39:57 --> 00:39:57 living
00:39:57 --> 00:39:58 sacrifices
00:39:58 --> 00:39:59 holy
00:39:59 --> 00:39:59 and
00:39:59 --> 00:40:00 pleasing
00:40:00 --> 00:40:00 to
00:40:00 --> 00:40:01 God
00:40:01 --> 00:40:01 this
00:40:01 --> 00:40:01 is
00:40:01 --> 00:40:02 your
00:40:02 --> 00:40:02 true
00:40:02 --> 00:40:03 and
00:40:03 --> 00:40:03 proper
00:40:03 --> 00:40:04 worship
00:40:04 --> 00:40:05 do
00:40:05 --> 00:40:06 not
00:40:06 --> 00:40:06 conform
00:40:06 --> 00:40:07 to
00:40:07 --> 00:40:07 the
00:40:07 --> 00:40:07 pattern
00:40:07 --> 00:40:07 of
00:40:07 --> 00:40:07 this
00:40:07 --> 00:40:08 world
00:40:08 --> 00:40:13 Jesus
00:40:13 --> 00:40:13 perfect
00:40:13 --> 00:40:14 sacrifice
00:40:14 --> 00:40:14 results
00:40:14 --> 00:40:15 in his
00:40:15 --> 00:40:15 perfect
00:40:15 --> 00:40:16 rule
00:40:16 --> 00:40:17 he
00:40:17 --> 00:40:18 can
00:40:18 --> 00:40:18 be
00:40:18 --> 00:40:18 trusted
00:40:18 --> 00:40:20 his
00:40:20 --> 00:40:20 rule
00:40:20 --> 00:40:21 is
00:40:21 --> 00:40:21 the
00:40:21 --> 00:40:21 only
00:40:21 --> 00:40:22 rule
00:40:22 --> 00:40:23 that
00:40:23 --> 00:40:23 is
00:40:23 --> 00:40:23 not
00:40:23 --> 00:40:24 oppressive
00:40:24 --> 00:40:26 Matthew
00:40:26 --> 00:40:26 11
00:40:26 --> 00:40:28 28
00:40:28 --> 00:40:29 it's
00:40:29 --> 00:40:30 Jesus
00:40:30 --> 00:40:30 who
00:40:30 --> 00:40:30 says
00:40:30 --> 00:40:30 to
00:40:30 --> 00:40:31 us
00:40:31 --> 00:40:31 come
00:40:31 --> 00:40:32 to
00:40:32 --> 00:40:32 me
00:40:32 --> 00:40:33 all
00:40:33 --> 00:40:33 who
00:40:33 --> 00:40:33 are
00:40:33 --> 00:40:33 weary
00:40:33 --> 00:40:34 and
00:40:34 --> 00:40:34 burdened
00:40:34 --> 00:40:35 and
00:40:35 --> 00:40:35 I
00:40:35 --> 00:40:35 will
00:40:35 --> 00:40:35 give
00:40:35 --> 00:40:36 you
00:40:36 --> 00:40:36 rest
00:40:36 --> 00:40:37 take
00:40:37 --> 00:40:38 my
00:40:38 --> 00:40:38 yoke
00:40:38 --> 00:40:38 upon
00:40:38 --> 00:40:38 you
00:40:38 --> 00:40:38 and
00:40:38 --> 00:40:39 learn
00:40:39 --> 00:40:39 from
00:40:39 --> 00:40:39 me
00:40:39 --> 00:40:39 for
00:40:39 --> 00:40:39 I
00:40:39 --> 00:40:40 am
00:40:40 --> 00:40:40 gentle
00:40:40 --> 00:40:40 and
00:40:40 --> 00:40:40 humble
00:40:40 --> 00:40:41 at
00:40:41 --> 00:40:41 heart
00:40:41 --> 00:40:42 and
00:40:42 --> 00:40:42 you
00:40:42 --> 00:40:42 will
00:40:42 --> 00:40:42 find
00:40:42 --> 00:40:43 rest
00:40:43 --> 00:40:43 for
00:40:43 --> 00:40:43 your
00:40:43 --> 00:40:43 souls
00:40:43 --> 00:40:44 for
00:40:44 --> 00:40:44 my
00:40:44 --> 00:40:45 yoke
00:40:45 --> 00:40:45 is
00:40:45 --> 00:40:45 easy
00:40:45 --> 00:40:46 and
00:40:46 --> 00:40:46 my
00:40:46 --> 00:40:46 burden
00:40:46 --> 00:40:47 is
00:40:47 --> 00:40:47 light