Knowing God
Series: WISDOM FOR LIFE
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 28th August 2016
Passage: Proverbs 1:1-7
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 For the first time in about seven and a half years,
00:00:02 --> 00:00:06 I've produced for you this morning a sermon outline
00:00:06 --> 00:00:09 with some texts in there.
00:00:10 --> 00:00:12 That's either because I'm more organised
00:00:12 --> 00:00:14 than I've been in for seven and a half years
00:00:14 --> 00:00:17 or I'm more confused than I've been for seven and a half years.
00:00:17 --> 00:00:18 And as I go through this,
00:00:18 --> 00:00:20 I don't want you to be as confused as I am.
00:00:21 --> 00:00:23 So hopefully that you can follow along.
00:00:24 --> 00:00:26 Proverbs, as I've said to a number of people
00:00:26 --> 00:00:28 throughout the course of the last couple of weeks,
00:00:28 --> 00:00:29 Proverbs has been doing my head in.
00:00:30 --> 00:00:33 And it's been a lot of work to get to this point.
00:00:33 --> 00:00:36 So there's a sermon in each one of these,
00:00:36 --> 00:00:38 at least in each one of these points I want to make today.
00:00:40 --> 00:00:43 So let's pray that we might get the message
00:00:43 --> 00:00:44 of God's word to us right now.
00:00:45 --> 00:00:47 Father, I pray that you would speak to us
00:00:47 --> 00:00:48 with clarity through your word.
00:00:49 --> 00:00:50 There's a bunch of ideas.
00:00:50 --> 00:00:53 I pray, Lord, as people pursuing wisdom,
00:00:53 --> 00:00:54 that we would not just stop here,
00:00:54 --> 00:00:56 but in fact that we would pursue you
00:00:56 --> 00:00:59 and continue to pursue you regardless of what happens.
00:01:00 --> 00:01:01 In the next little half an hour or so.
00:01:01 --> 00:01:03 Lord, Father, we pray that you would speak to us
00:01:03 --> 00:01:06 with clarity, implant your word deep in our hearts
00:01:06 --> 00:01:09 and particularly your love might be bound around our necks,
00:01:10 --> 00:01:12 that it might be settled in our hearts,
00:01:12 --> 00:01:13 that we might be confident in who we are in you.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:14 Amen.
00:01:14 --> 00:01:19 Alistair McIntyre in his book, After Virtue,
00:01:19 --> 00:01:22 gives an illustration which has become quite famous.
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 Imagine you're standing at a bus stop
00:01:25 --> 00:01:27 and a young man comes, walks up to you and says to you,
00:01:27 --> 00:01:31 hey, the Latin name for the common wild duck
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33 is Historonicus, Historonicus, Historonicus.
00:01:36 --> 00:01:37 How do you make sense of that?
00:01:37 --> 00:01:40 Why did that just happen?
00:01:41 --> 00:01:42 What does it mean?
00:01:42 --> 00:01:46 There's only one way to make sense of that statement
00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 and that is to put it into a story.
00:01:50 --> 00:01:51 You have to ask,
00:01:52 --> 00:01:55 what is the story in which that incident,
00:01:55 --> 00:01:58 that statement makes sense?
00:01:59 --> 00:02:01 Because without the story, it makes no sense.
00:02:01 --> 00:02:07 And so McIntyre says that there's a few options.
00:02:07 --> 00:02:10 For instance, it could be a sad story
00:02:10 --> 00:02:11 that the man is in fact mentally ill
00:02:11 --> 00:02:14 and that would make sense
00:02:14 --> 00:02:16 of that little interaction you've just had.
00:02:17 --> 00:02:20 Another possibility is that it's a case of mistaken identity.
00:02:20 --> 00:02:21 Maybe a few days earlier,
00:02:21 --> 00:02:24 the man was in a library doing some research
00:02:24 --> 00:02:26 on the Latin name of the common wild duck.
00:02:26 --> 00:02:30 He spoke to the librarian about that project he was doing
00:02:30 --> 00:02:32 to get some help
00:02:32 --> 00:02:34 and maybe you look like the librarian
00:02:34 --> 00:02:36 and so that would explain
00:02:36 --> 00:02:41 it was a case of mistaken identity at a bus stop.
00:02:43 --> 00:02:44 A further possibility,
00:02:44 --> 00:02:46 that is that he is in fact a spy
00:02:46 --> 00:02:49 and he's mistaken you for his contact
00:02:49 --> 00:02:52 and he's inadvertently passed on to you
00:02:52 --> 00:02:54 the contact code.
00:02:54 --> 00:02:59 You see, the statement makes no sense
00:02:59 --> 00:03:02 unless you stick it into a story
00:03:02 --> 00:03:04 and the story that you put it in
00:03:04 --> 00:03:07 completely determines how you will respond to it.
00:03:07 --> 00:03:09 Your response might be one of pity
00:03:09 --> 00:03:12 or it might be one of confusion
00:03:12 --> 00:03:14 or it might be one of anxiety
00:03:14 --> 00:03:15 of looking over your shoulder.
00:03:15 --> 00:03:22 How we live is determined
00:03:22 --> 00:03:26 by what we think the story of the world is.
00:03:28 --> 00:03:30 How we live is determined
00:03:30 --> 00:03:32 by what we think the story of the world is.
00:03:33 --> 00:03:35 And the story of the society in which we live,
00:03:36 --> 00:03:37 the secular society,
00:03:38 --> 00:03:40 is that we are here by accident
00:03:40 --> 00:03:43 and that when we die, we rot.
00:03:43 --> 00:03:46 That's the story of our society.
00:03:46 --> 00:03:48 There is no order or pattern.
00:03:48 --> 00:03:50 Everything is by chance.
00:03:50 --> 00:03:52 There's no absolute truth.
00:03:52 --> 00:03:53 There's no moral standards.
00:03:54 --> 00:03:56 This life is all there is
00:03:56 --> 00:03:57 and therefore,
00:03:58 --> 00:04:02 this is the only happiness
00:04:02 --> 00:04:03 that you will ever get.
00:04:05 --> 00:04:09 And that story determines how you live.
00:04:11 --> 00:04:13 Wisdom equals beshainment.
00:04:13 --> 00:04:15 The attitude of happiness here and now.
00:04:17 --> 00:04:18 Sexual ethics,
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 the way you think about your money,
00:04:20 --> 00:04:21 how you raise your children,
00:04:22 --> 00:04:23 what the purpose of your work is,
00:04:23 --> 00:04:24 your relationships,
00:04:24 --> 00:04:25 everything,
00:04:25 --> 00:04:26 everything in life
00:04:26 --> 00:04:28 fits in that story.
00:04:29 --> 00:04:29 Everything.
00:04:30 --> 00:04:32 There's nothing that it does not touch.
00:04:33 --> 00:04:34 Now, the Christian person
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 sees the story of the world quite differently.
00:04:36 --> 00:04:37 Christianity says
00:04:37 --> 00:04:40 that we are all created by God
00:04:40 --> 00:04:42 and so that absolutely everything
00:04:42 --> 00:04:43 that we have is a gift from him,
00:04:43 --> 00:04:44 including the money
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 that we just handed on just then.
00:04:47 --> 00:04:47 Christianity says
00:04:47 --> 00:04:48 that the problems of this world
00:04:48 --> 00:04:49 are all linked
00:04:49 --> 00:04:52 to our rejection of God.
00:04:52 --> 00:04:53 But this same God
00:04:53 --> 00:04:54 who's been rejected
00:04:54 --> 00:04:55 came into his world
00:04:55 --> 00:04:56 to redeem it,
00:04:56 --> 00:04:58 not just to redeem the world,
00:04:58 --> 00:04:59 but that one day
00:04:59 --> 00:05:01 he's going to renew the world,
00:05:01 --> 00:05:02 his broken world.
00:05:02 --> 00:05:03 And Christianity said
00:05:03 --> 00:05:04 that this life
00:05:04 --> 00:05:05 is not the only life.
00:05:06 --> 00:05:08 It claims that this life
00:05:08 --> 00:05:08 is in fact
00:05:08 --> 00:05:10 a relatively small part
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 of our entire existence
00:05:12 --> 00:05:15 and the greatest amount
00:05:15 --> 00:05:15 of joy and happiness
00:05:15 --> 00:05:16 is yet to come.
00:05:18 --> 00:05:19 And so that story
00:05:19 --> 00:05:21 shapes everything in your life.
00:05:23 --> 00:05:24 There's not an area
00:05:24 --> 00:05:25 of your existence
00:05:25 --> 00:05:28 that it does not touch.
00:05:28 --> 00:05:31 And Proverbs shows us
00:05:31 --> 00:05:32 how everything
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 is touched and shaped
00:05:34 --> 00:05:34 and impacted
00:05:34 --> 00:05:36 by that story of existence
00:05:36 --> 00:05:38 with the God of the Bible
00:05:38 --> 00:05:39 behind it
00:05:39 --> 00:05:40 and in it
00:05:40 --> 00:05:41 and through it.
00:05:43 --> 00:05:45 And so this series
00:05:45 --> 00:05:45 is about wisdom.
00:05:47 --> 00:05:48 It's about what wisdom is
00:05:48 --> 00:05:49 and how to get it
00:05:49 --> 00:05:50 and how to grow in wisdom
00:05:50 --> 00:05:51 and it's about
00:05:51 --> 00:05:52 how to allow,
00:05:52 --> 00:05:53 align our lives
00:05:53 --> 00:05:54 with that story,
00:05:55 --> 00:05:56 with ultimate reality,
00:05:56 --> 00:06:01 and Proverbs 9 verse 10
00:06:01 --> 00:06:02 says the fear
00:06:02 --> 00:06:04 of the Lord
00:06:04 --> 00:06:05 is the beginning
00:06:05 --> 00:06:06 of wisdom.
00:06:08 --> 00:06:10 That's the Christian story.
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 It starts with God.
00:06:13 --> 00:06:14 That's where wisdom starts.
00:06:16 --> 00:06:16 Now last week
00:06:16 --> 00:06:17 I went with
00:06:17 --> 00:06:18 the following definition.
00:06:18 --> 00:06:19 I said that wisdom
00:06:19 --> 00:06:20 is becoming competent
00:06:20 --> 00:06:21 with regard
00:06:21 --> 00:06:22 to the realities of life.
00:06:22 --> 00:06:23 I ripped it off
00:06:23 --> 00:06:24 Gerhard von Rad.
00:06:25 --> 00:06:25 Wisdom
00:06:25 --> 00:06:27 is becoming competent
00:06:27 --> 00:06:28 in regard
00:06:28 --> 00:06:29 to the realities of life
00:06:29 --> 00:06:30 and I mentioned
00:06:30 --> 00:06:31 two key areas
00:06:31 --> 00:06:31 that were essential
00:06:31 --> 00:06:33 for the wise life.
00:06:33 --> 00:06:33 Firstly,
00:06:33 --> 00:06:34 you have to see
00:06:34 --> 00:06:35 and admit
00:06:35 --> 00:06:36 that there is a pattern
00:06:36 --> 00:06:36 in this world,
00:06:37 --> 00:06:38 that God has made the world
00:06:38 --> 00:06:39 and there is a pattern.
00:06:39 --> 00:06:40 There are principles
00:06:40 --> 00:06:41 by which life
00:06:41 --> 00:06:42 customarily works.
00:06:43 --> 00:06:43 Secondly,
00:06:44 --> 00:06:45 you've got to see
00:06:45 --> 00:06:46 that you cannot know
00:06:46 --> 00:06:46 the whole pattern.
00:06:48 --> 00:06:49 Much of the pattern
00:06:49 --> 00:06:50 is hidden from us
00:06:50 --> 00:06:53 and so
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55 that's the beginning.
00:06:55 --> 00:06:57 But the beginning
00:06:57 --> 00:06:58 as we just read out
00:06:58 --> 00:06:59 in those passages
00:06:59 --> 00:07:01 in Proverbs 1.7
00:07:01 --> 00:07:02 it says
00:07:02 --> 00:07:03 the fear of the Lord
00:07:03 --> 00:07:05 is the beginning
00:07:05 --> 00:07:06 of knowledge.
00:07:06 --> 00:07:08 That's the Christian framework.
00:07:08 --> 00:07:09 That's the Christian story.
00:07:10 --> 00:07:11 And chapter 9 verse 10
00:07:11 --> 00:07:11 says
00:07:11 --> 00:07:12 the fear of the Lord
00:07:12 --> 00:07:13 is the beginning
00:07:13 --> 00:07:13 of wisdom.
00:07:14 --> 00:07:14 Now they are
00:07:14 --> 00:07:15 very similar statements
00:07:15 --> 00:07:16 but they are
00:07:16 --> 00:07:17 different statements.
00:07:18 --> 00:07:19 Proverbs 1.7
00:07:19 --> 00:07:20 reveals
00:07:20 --> 00:07:21 that the fear
00:07:21 --> 00:07:22 of the Lord
00:07:22 --> 00:07:23 is more comprehensive
00:07:23 --> 00:07:25 than we actually think.
00:07:27 --> 00:07:27 Fear of the Lord
00:07:27 --> 00:07:30 is not just about
00:07:30 --> 00:07:33 how to do moral things.
00:07:35 --> 00:07:36 Relationship with God,
00:07:36 --> 00:07:37 faith in God
00:07:37 --> 00:07:39 completely determines
00:07:39 --> 00:07:41 what you know
00:07:41 --> 00:07:42 about the world
00:07:42 --> 00:07:45 and how you know
00:07:45 --> 00:07:46 the world.
00:07:46 --> 00:07:50 That's a pretty astounding
00:07:50 --> 00:07:52 and controversial statement.
00:07:55 --> 00:07:57 In our modern society
00:07:57 --> 00:07:59 it just does not
00:07:59 --> 00:08:00 think like that.
00:08:00 --> 00:08:01 Our society thinks
00:08:01 --> 00:08:03 it's possible
00:08:03 --> 00:08:03 for people
00:08:03 --> 00:08:04 to have different
00:08:04 --> 00:08:05 faiths,
00:08:06 --> 00:08:07 different personal
00:08:07 --> 00:08:08 individual ideas
00:08:08 --> 00:08:09 about God
00:08:09 --> 00:08:10 but they're to be
00:08:10 --> 00:08:11 kept private
00:08:11 --> 00:08:12 and separate.
00:08:12 --> 00:08:13 That's a matter
00:08:13 --> 00:08:15 of faith.
00:08:16 --> 00:08:17 That's a thing
00:08:17 --> 00:08:18 over there.
00:08:20 --> 00:08:21 The general consensus
00:08:21 --> 00:08:23 is that faith,
00:08:23 --> 00:08:25 that stuff about God,
00:08:25 --> 00:08:26 is opposed
00:08:26 --> 00:08:27 to reason
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 and that reason
00:08:29 --> 00:08:30 and knowledge
00:08:30 --> 00:08:31 can only operate
00:08:31 --> 00:08:33 in its full capacity
00:08:33 --> 00:08:35 if it's separated
00:08:35 --> 00:08:36 from faith,
00:08:36 --> 00:08:36 if it's separated
00:08:36 --> 00:08:37 from God
00:08:37 --> 00:08:38 and knowledge of God.
00:08:40 --> 00:08:41 We're a secular society
00:08:41 --> 00:08:42 and so in the past
00:08:42 --> 00:08:43 couple of weeks
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45 media personality
00:08:45 --> 00:08:46 Andrew Denton
00:08:46 --> 00:08:47 called on those
00:08:47 --> 00:08:49 opposed to euthanasia
00:08:49 --> 00:08:50 on religious grounds
00:08:50 --> 00:08:52 to step aside
00:08:52 --> 00:08:53 from the debate.
00:08:54 --> 00:08:55 Get out of the way.
00:08:57 --> 00:08:58 He's of the view
00:08:58 --> 00:09:00 that if you take
00:09:00 --> 00:09:01 faith out of the equation
00:09:01 --> 00:09:03 we can then have
00:09:03 --> 00:09:04 a sensible,
00:09:04 --> 00:09:05 reasonable,
00:09:06 --> 00:09:06 logical,
00:09:07 --> 00:09:08 knowledgeable discussion
00:09:08 --> 00:09:09 about the issue.
00:09:09 --> 00:09:11 He said this
00:09:11 --> 00:09:12 to the National Press
00:09:12 --> 00:09:12 Club
00:09:12 --> 00:09:13 on the 10th of August,
00:09:14 --> 00:09:14 to those
00:09:14 --> 00:09:15 whose beliefs
00:09:15 --> 00:09:16 instruct you
00:09:16 --> 00:09:18 that only God
00:09:18 --> 00:09:18 can decide
00:09:18 --> 00:09:19 how a human being
00:09:19 --> 00:09:20 should die,
00:09:20 --> 00:09:21 I urge you
00:09:21 --> 00:09:22 step aside.
00:09:24 --> 00:09:25 May your beliefs
00:09:25 --> 00:09:26 sustain you
00:09:26 --> 00:09:27 and those you love
00:09:27 --> 00:09:28 but do not impose
00:09:28 --> 00:09:29 them on the rest of us.
00:09:30 --> 00:09:31 See the thinking?
00:09:31 --> 00:09:32 Faith
00:09:32 --> 00:09:33 and reason,
00:09:33 --> 00:09:34 God
00:09:34 --> 00:09:34 and knowledge,
00:09:35 --> 00:09:36 they don't belong
00:09:36 --> 00:09:37 at the same table
00:09:37 --> 00:09:41 and Proverbs
00:09:41 --> 00:09:42 opens
00:09:42 --> 00:09:43 with a statement
00:09:43 --> 00:09:44 that's exact opposite.
00:09:47 --> 00:09:48 The fear of God
00:09:48 --> 00:09:48 is the beginning
00:09:48 --> 00:09:49 of knowledge.
00:09:51 --> 00:09:52 It's the beginning
00:09:52 --> 00:09:53 of how we know anything.
00:09:54 --> 00:09:55 The fear of God.
00:09:57 --> 00:09:58 Faith is the foundation
00:09:58 --> 00:09:58 from which all
00:09:58 --> 00:09:59 of our reasoning
00:09:59 --> 00:10:00 comes.
00:10:00 --> 00:10:01 Our faith
00:10:01 --> 00:10:02 is the beginning
00:10:02 --> 00:10:03 of our knowledge.
00:10:05 --> 00:10:06 Now Denton's view
00:10:06 --> 00:10:07 is a fairly common view
00:10:07 --> 00:10:08 and it goes like this.
00:10:08 --> 00:10:09 The only things
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 that we can be
00:10:11 --> 00:10:12 really sure of
00:10:12 --> 00:10:13 are the things
00:10:13 --> 00:10:13 that we can,
00:10:14 --> 00:10:14 that can be
00:10:14 --> 00:10:15 scientifically proven.
00:10:16 --> 00:10:17 The facts.
00:10:19 --> 00:10:20 You might have
00:10:20 --> 00:10:20 your belief
00:10:20 --> 00:10:21 about morality
00:10:21 --> 00:10:22 and about God
00:10:22 --> 00:10:23 and that's fine.
00:10:23 --> 00:10:25 That's for faith stuff.
00:10:25 --> 00:10:26 Keep it over there.
00:10:26 --> 00:10:27 The only things
00:10:27 --> 00:10:28 that we're really sure about
00:10:28 --> 00:10:29 are the things
00:10:29 --> 00:10:30 which are scientifically proven.
00:10:32 --> 00:10:33 But
00:10:33 --> 00:10:36 that statement
00:10:36 --> 00:10:38 can't be scientifically proven.
00:10:42 --> 00:10:42 Therefore,
00:10:43 --> 00:10:44 on its own terms,
00:10:45 --> 00:10:46 you can't be sure of it.
00:10:48 --> 00:10:50 If you don't believe
00:10:50 --> 00:10:50 that anything
00:10:50 --> 00:10:51 that happens
00:10:51 --> 00:10:52 in this world
00:10:52 --> 00:10:54 has a supernatural cause,
00:10:54 --> 00:10:55 that's fine.
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58 But understand this.
00:10:59 --> 00:11:00 In and of itself,
00:11:00 --> 00:11:02 that is a belief.
00:11:04 --> 00:11:06 It's not a statement of fact.
00:11:06 --> 00:11:08 It is a belief.
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 Once you've adopted
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13 that particular worldview,
00:11:13 --> 00:11:15 that particular view of reality,
00:11:16 --> 00:11:16 by faith,
00:11:18 --> 00:11:19 all of your reasoning
00:11:19 --> 00:11:22 flows out from it.
00:11:22 --> 00:11:27 to be a convinced atheist
00:11:27 --> 00:11:29 is a position
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 of faith.
00:11:32 --> 00:11:33 And therefore,
00:11:33 --> 00:11:34 all of your reasoning
00:11:34 --> 00:11:35 flows out from that,
00:11:36 --> 00:11:37 of how you view the world.
00:11:37 --> 00:11:38 Everything in life
00:11:38 --> 00:11:41 or every one of us,
00:11:42 --> 00:11:43 every single person,
00:11:43 --> 00:11:43 Andrew Denton,
00:11:44 --> 00:11:45 you, me, whoever,
00:11:45 --> 00:11:47 we all make
00:11:47 --> 00:11:50 faith leaps.
00:11:51 --> 00:11:52 All of us.
00:11:54 --> 00:11:54 And so the struggles
00:11:54 --> 00:11:55 in our society
00:11:55 --> 00:11:56 at the moment
00:11:56 --> 00:11:57 appear to be
00:11:57 --> 00:11:59 religion
00:11:59 --> 00:12:01 against no religion.
00:12:01 --> 00:12:03 When in actual fact,
00:12:03 --> 00:12:04 the real struggles
00:12:04 --> 00:12:05 in our society
00:12:05 --> 00:12:05 is religion
00:12:05 --> 00:12:06 against religion.
00:12:08 --> 00:12:09 It's faith
00:12:09 --> 00:12:10 against faith.
00:12:10 --> 00:12:11 That's the real struggle
00:12:11 --> 00:12:12 in our society.
00:12:13 --> 00:12:13 Including
00:12:13 --> 00:12:14 the religion
00:12:14 --> 00:12:16 of secularism.
00:12:17 --> 00:12:18 A religion
00:12:18 --> 00:12:19 is simply
00:12:19 --> 00:12:19 a system of beliefs
00:12:19 --> 00:12:20 that explains
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 where life comes from,
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 what life means
00:12:23 --> 00:12:24 and how we as human beings
00:12:24 --> 00:12:25 are meant to live.
00:12:27 --> 00:12:27 And so,
00:12:28 --> 00:12:28 Andrew Denton
00:12:28 --> 00:12:29 stood in front
00:12:29 --> 00:12:30 of the National Press Club
00:12:30 --> 00:12:30 and
00:12:30 --> 00:12:34 proclaimed
00:12:34 --> 00:12:35 his religion
00:12:35 --> 00:12:36 is what he did.
00:12:36 --> 00:12:40 Everyone has
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 a faith view
00:12:41 --> 00:12:42 of reality
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 because it is
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 the only way
00:12:44 --> 00:12:45 to get a view
00:12:45 --> 00:12:45 of reality
00:12:45 --> 00:12:46 once you have
00:12:46 --> 00:12:47 taken on
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 that faith view
00:12:48 --> 00:12:50 all of your
00:12:50 --> 00:12:50 reasoning
00:12:50 --> 00:12:51 of how you
00:12:51 --> 00:12:53 understand the world
00:12:53 --> 00:12:55 flows from it.
00:12:56 --> 00:12:57 And everybody
00:12:57 --> 00:12:58 has to base
00:12:58 --> 00:12:59 their entire life
00:12:59 --> 00:13:01 and all of
00:13:01 --> 00:13:01 their reasoning
00:13:01 --> 00:13:03 on some view
00:13:03 --> 00:13:03 about God
00:13:03 --> 00:13:04 that they have
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 taken on by faith.
00:13:06 --> 00:13:06 Whether you're
00:13:06 --> 00:13:07 the committed
00:13:07 --> 00:13:07 Christian
00:13:07 --> 00:13:07 or you're
00:13:07 --> 00:13:08 the atheist.
00:13:10 --> 00:13:11 Even to say,
00:13:11 --> 00:13:12 well,
00:13:12 --> 00:13:13 no one really
00:13:13 --> 00:13:14 knows in the end.
00:13:15 --> 00:13:16 How do you know
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 that statement's true?
00:13:21 --> 00:13:22 It's more true
00:13:22 --> 00:13:22 to say,
00:13:22 --> 00:13:23 well,
00:13:23 --> 00:13:23 I hope
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 no one really
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 knows in the end.
00:13:28 --> 00:13:29 We need faith
00:13:29 --> 00:13:30 to reject God
00:13:30 --> 00:13:32 and we need faith
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 to embrace God.
00:13:34 --> 00:13:35 And the Christian
00:13:35 --> 00:13:36 story that we're
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37 beginning in with
00:13:37 --> 00:13:37 the book of
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 Proverbs
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 is that the
00:13:39 --> 00:13:39 beginning of
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 our knowledge,
00:13:41 --> 00:13:42 the way things
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 actually are
00:13:43 --> 00:13:43 and the way
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 things actually
00:13:44 --> 00:13:45 work
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 and what we're
00:13:46 --> 00:13:47 meant to do
00:13:47 --> 00:13:47 about it
00:13:47 --> 00:13:50 is God,
00:13:51 --> 00:13:52 the God of
00:13:52 --> 00:13:53 the Bible.
00:13:54 --> 00:13:56 He is the
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 God of the
00:13:57 --> 00:13:58 Bible who is
00:13:58 --> 00:13:59 ultimate reality
00:13:59 --> 00:14:00 in and of
00:14:00 --> 00:14:00 himself.
00:14:00 --> 00:14:03 God is the
00:14:03 --> 00:14:03 beginning of
00:14:03 --> 00:14:04 knowledge and
00:14:04 --> 00:14:04 wisdom.
00:14:06 --> 00:14:06 He is the
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 foundation of
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 knowing how
00:14:08 --> 00:14:08 things actually
00:14:08 --> 00:14:09 are, how
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 things actually
00:14:10 --> 00:14:11 work and what
00:14:11 --> 00:14:12 we are to do
00:14:12 --> 00:14:12 about it.
00:14:12 --> 00:14:13 That is how we
00:14:13 --> 00:14:14 are to align
00:14:14 --> 00:14:14 our lives,
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 live our lives
00:14:16 --> 00:14:16 according to
00:14:16 --> 00:14:17 reality.
00:14:18 --> 00:14:18 And what this
00:14:18 --> 00:14:19 means for you,
00:14:19 --> 00:14:19 that if you are
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 a Christian,
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 is that your
00:14:21 --> 00:14:22 relationship with
00:14:22 --> 00:14:23 God, therefore,
00:14:23 --> 00:14:24 is absolutely
00:14:24 --> 00:14:26 central to your
00:14:26 --> 00:14:26 life.
00:14:26 --> 00:14:26 life.
00:14:28 --> 00:14:28 It's not just
00:14:28 --> 00:14:28 something that
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29 you do on
00:14:29 --> 00:14:29 Sundays.
00:14:31 --> 00:14:31 It is
00:14:31 --> 00:14:32 absolutely
00:14:32 --> 00:14:33 central.
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 It means that
00:14:34 --> 00:14:34 God is not
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 an add-on to
00:14:35 --> 00:14:36 your life.
00:14:37 --> 00:14:38 God is not
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 something else
00:14:39 --> 00:14:39 that you have
00:14:39 --> 00:14:42 in your
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 backpack to
00:14:43 --> 00:14:43 help you live
00:14:43 --> 00:14:45 a better
00:14:45 --> 00:14:45 kind of life.
00:14:46 --> 00:14:46 Your
00:14:46 --> 00:14:46 relationship
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 with God
00:14:47 --> 00:14:49 is the
00:14:49 --> 00:14:51 most central
00:14:51 --> 00:14:51 thing in
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 your life.
00:14:52 --> 00:14:52 Jesus
00:14:52 --> 00:14:54 influences and
00:14:54 --> 00:14:56 flavours and
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 shapes and
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 determines
00:14:58 --> 00:15:00 everything you
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 think and
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 do in this
00:15:02 --> 00:15:02 world.
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 Everything.
00:15:06 --> 00:15:07 That's the
00:15:07 --> 00:15:07 book of
00:15:07 --> 00:15:07 Proverbs.
00:15:10 --> 00:15:10 Notice,
00:15:10 --> 00:15:11 though, that
00:15:11 --> 00:15:11 it's not just
00:15:11 --> 00:15:12 that God is
00:15:12 --> 00:15:12 the beginning
00:15:12 --> 00:15:13 point or
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 the foundation
00:15:14 --> 00:15:14 of knowledge
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 and wisdom,
00:15:15 --> 00:15:15 but the fear
00:15:15 --> 00:15:16 of the Lord
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 is the
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 foundation.
00:15:18 --> 00:15:18 It's a
00:15:18 --> 00:15:19 theme, this
00:15:19 --> 00:15:19 idea of
00:15:19 --> 00:15:20 theme of the
00:15:20 --> 00:15:20 Lord is a
00:15:20 --> 00:15:20 theme that
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 runs through
00:15:21 --> 00:15:22 the whole
00:15:22 --> 00:15:22 Bible, not
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 just in
00:15:23 --> 00:15:23 Proverbs.
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 There are
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 over 120
00:15:25 --> 00:15:26 occasions in
00:15:26 --> 00:15:26 the Old
00:15:26 --> 00:15:26 Testament and
00:15:26 --> 00:15:27 New
00:15:27 --> 00:15:28 Testament where
00:15:28 --> 00:15:28 this statement
00:15:28 --> 00:15:29 occurs.
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 It is, if you
00:15:30 --> 00:15:30 like, the sum
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 of everything
00:15:31 --> 00:15:31 that we're
00:15:31 --> 00:15:32 meant to be
00:15:32 --> 00:15:32 and do.
00:15:33 --> 00:15:33 There is a
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 place in
00:15:34 --> 00:15:34 Job where
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 God shows
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 how important
00:15:36 --> 00:15:36 the term
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 is when
00:15:37 --> 00:15:37 he says,
00:15:37 --> 00:15:37 have you
00:15:37 --> 00:15:38 considered my
00:15:38 --> 00:15:39 servant Job,
00:15:39 --> 00:15:40 there is
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 none like
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 him in
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 all the
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 earth, a
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 man who
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 fears God
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 and shuns
00:15:47 --> 00:15:47 evil.
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 But the
00:15:50 --> 00:15:50 concept of
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 fear of God
00:15:51 --> 00:15:53 raises negative
00:15:53 --> 00:15:54 connotations for
00:15:54 --> 00:15:54 it's a sense
00:15:54 --> 00:15:55 of dread,
00:15:56 --> 00:15:56 you know,
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 be scared,
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 be very,
00:15:58 --> 00:16:00 very, very
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 scared of
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 the Lord.
00:16:04 --> 00:16:04 And this
00:16:04 --> 00:16:05 is not what
00:16:05 --> 00:16:05 the sense
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 is when
00:16:06 --> 00:16:06 it's used
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 here or
00:16:07 --> 00:16:07 in fact in
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 other parts
00:16:08 --> 00:16:08 of the
00:16:08 --> 00:16:08 Bible.
00:16:08 --> 00:16:08 It's a
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 little bit
00:16:09 --> 00:16:09 of it but
00:16:09 --> 00:16:09 it's not
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 the entire
00:16:10 --> 00:16:10 sense.
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 Deuteronomy
00:16:12 --> 00:16:12 10.12
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 says,
00:16:13 --> 00:16:13 and now
00:16:13 --> 00:16:14 Israel,
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 what does
00:16:15 --> 00:16:15 the Lord
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 your God
00:16:16 --> 00:16:16 ask of
00:16:16 --> 00:16:16 you but
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 to fear
00:16:17 --> 00:16:17 the Lord
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 your God,
00:16:19 --> 00:16:19 to walk
00:16:19 --> 00:16:20 in obedience
00:16:20 --> 00:16:20 to him,
00:16:20 --> 00:16:21 to love
00:16:21 --> 00:16:21 him,
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 to serve
00:16:22 --> 00:16:23 him,
00:16:23 --> 00:16:23 serve
00:16:23 --> 00:16:23 the Lord
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 your God
00:16:24 --> 00:16:24 with all
00:16:24 --> 00:16:25 your heart,
00:16:25 --> 00:16:25 with all
00:16:25 --> 00:16:25 your soul,
00:16:26 --> 00:16:26 and to
00:16:26 --> 00:16:26 observe
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 the Lord's
00:16:27 --> 00:16:27 commands
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 and decrees
00:16:28 --> 00:16:28 that I'm
00:16:28 --> 00:16:28 giving you
00:16:28 --> 00:16:29 today for
00:16:29 --> 00:16:29 your own
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 good.
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32 Notice it
00:16:32 --> 00:16:32 doesn't say
00:16:32 --> 00:16:33 you either
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 fear God
00:16:34 --> 00:16:35 or love
00:16:35 --> 00:16:35 God.
00:16:36 --> 00:16:36 They're not
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 put up
00:16:37 --> 00:16:37 against one
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 another.
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 The more
00:16:40 --> 00:16:40 in fact
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 you fear,
00:16:42 --> 00:16:42 the more
00:16:42 --> 00:16:43 you love
00:16:43 --> 00:16:43 him and
00:16:43 --> 00:16:43 the more
00:16:43 --> 00:16:44 you love
00:16:44 --> 00:16:44 him,
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 the more
00:16:45 --> 00:16:45 you will
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 fear him.
00:16:46 --> 00:16:46 They are
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 actually
00:16:47 --> 00:16:47 connected and
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 they roll
00:16:48 --> 00:16:48 together.
00:16:50 --> 00:16:50 Sinclair
00:16:50 --> 00:16:50 Ferguson
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 in his
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 book Grow
00:16:52 --> 00:16:52 in Grace
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 describes
00:16:53 --> 00:16:53 the fear
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 of God
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 as the
00:16:55 --> 00:16:57 indefinable
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 mixture of
00:16:58 --> 00:16:58 reverence,
00:16:59 --> 00:16:59 fear,
00:17:00 --> 00:17:01 pleasure,
00:17:01 --> 00:17:02 joy,
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 and awe
00:17:03 --> 00:17:04 which fills
00:17:04 --> 00:17:05 our hearts
00:17:05 --> 00:17:05 when we
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 realise who
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07 God is
00:17:07 --> 00:17:08 and what
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 he has
00:17:09 --> 00:17:09 done for
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 us.
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 Fear of
00:17:12 --> 00:17:13 God does
00:17:13 --> 00:17:14 include some
00:17:14 --> 00:17:15 sense of
00:17:15 --> 00:17:15 dread.
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 There is a
00:17:17 --> 00:17:17 very real
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 sense that we
00:17:18 --> 00:17:19 should dread
00:17:19 --> 00:17:19 God's
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 judgement.
00:17:20 --> 00:17:20 You see,
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 after Adam
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22 sinned,
00:17:22 --> 00:17:22 he was
00:17:22 --> 00:17:23 afraid in
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 Genesis 3.10.
00:17:25 --> 00:17:25 It's a
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 right response.
00:17:26 --> 00:17:26 It's an
00:17:26 --> 00:17:26 appropriate
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 response.
00:17:28 --> 00:17:28 It would
00:17:28 --> 00:17:29 be a
00:17:29 --> 00:17:29 presumption
00:17:29 --> 00:17:29 for him
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 not to
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 be afraid.
00:17:31 --> 00:17:31 When Paul
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 describes the
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 abject
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 depravity of
00:17:34 --> 00:17:34 humanity
00:17:34 --> 00:17:37 which they've
00:17:37 --> 00:17:37 fallen into,
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38 he says in
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 Romans 3.18,
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 there is no
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 fear of
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 God before
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 their eyes.
00:17:45 --> 00:17:45 That is,
00:17:45 --> 00:17:45 people are
00:17:45 --> 00:17:46 neither in
00:17:46 --> 00:17:47 awe of God
00:17:47 --> 00:17:48 nor afraid of
00:17:48 --> 00:17:48 his judgement.
00:17:48 --> 00:17:49 And so,
00:17:49 --> 00:17:49 fear,
00:17:50 --> 00:17:50 dread is an
00:17:50 --> 00:17:51 appropriate
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 response.
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 But it
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 doesn't explain
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 the entire
00:17:55 --> 00:17:55 picture of
00:17:55 --> 00:17:56 the Bible
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 when it
00:17:57 --> 00:17:58 talks about
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 the fear
00:17:59 --> 00:17:59 of the
00:17:59 --> 00:17:59 Lord.
00:18:00 --> 00:18:01 The Bible
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02 tells us
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 that in
00:18:03 --> 00:18:04 his grace
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 and his
00:18:05 --> 00:18:05 mercy,
00:18:06 --> 00:18:06 God
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 allows
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 himself to
00:18:08 --> 00:18:08 be our
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 place of
00:18:09 --> 00:18:09 refuge.
00:18:10 --> 00:18:10 So,
00:18:11 --> 00:18:11 get this
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 from Proverbs
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 14,
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 verse 26.
00:18:15 --> 00:18:15 Whoever
00:18:15 --> 00:18:16 fears the
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 Lord,
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 has a
00:18:18 --> 00:18:19 secure
00:18:19 --> 00:18:19 fortress.
00:18:21 --> 00:18:21 And for
00:18:21 --> 00:18:21 their
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 children,
00:18:23 --> 00:18:23 it will
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24 be a
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 refuge.
00:18:27 --> 00:18:28 The God
00:18:28 --> 00:18:28 we fear
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 is our
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 refuge and
00:18:30 --> 00:18:30 our
00:18:30 --> 00:18:30 fortress.
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 Ferguson
00:18:32 --> 00:18:32 makes a
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 distinction,
00:18:33 --> 00:18:33 I think,
00:18:34 --> 00:18:34 quite helpfully,
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 between servile
00:18:36 --> 00:18:36 fear and
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 filial fear.
00:18:37 --> 00:18:38 The word
00:18:38 --> 00:18:38 servile comes
00:18:38 --> 00:18:39 from the
00:18:39 --> 00:18:39 Latin word
00:18:39 --> 00:18:39 service,
00:18:40 --> 00:18:40 which means
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 slave,
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42 and filial
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 is from
00:18:43 --> 00:18:43 filius,
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 which means
00:18:44 --> 00:18:44 son.
00:18:44 --> 00:18:46 And so
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 servile fear
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 is the
00:18:48 --> 00:18:49 sort of
00:18:49 --> 00:18:50 fear
00:18:50 --> 00:18:52 a slave
00:18:52 --> 00:18:52 would have
00:18:52 --> 00:18:53 towards a
00:18:53 --> 00:18:53 harsh and
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 unyielding
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 master.
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 And Christians
00:18:56 --> 00:18:56 fall into
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 servile fear,
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 in fact,
00:18:58 --> 00:18:58 too often,
00:18:59 --> 00:18:59 if we don't
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 understand the
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 grace of God
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 and his
00:19:02 --> 00:19:02 acceptance of
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 us in the
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 Lord Jesus.
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 If we
00:19:06 --> 00:19:06 believe that
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 we're in a
00:19:07 --> 00:19:07 performance
00:19:07 --> 00:19:08 relationship
00:19:08 --> 00:19:09 with God,
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 then he
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 will always
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12 appear to be
00:19:12 --> 00:19:12 a hard
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 taskmaster
00:19:13 --> 00:19:14 who we
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 can never
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 please.
00:19:17 --> 00:19:18 He will
00:19:18 --> 00:19:18 be the
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 divine ogre
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20 ready to
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 judge us
00:19:21 --> 00:19:21 for our
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 failure to
00:19:22 --> 00:19:22 live up to
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 his standards.
00:19:24 --> 00:19:25 That is,
00:19:25 --> 00:19:25 if your
00:19:25 --> 00:19:25 relationship
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 with God
00:19:26 --> 00:19:26 is a
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 slavish
00:19:27 --> 00:19:27 fear,
00:19:28 --> 00:19:28 then any
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 obedience
00:19:29 --> 00:19:31 is somewhat
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 reluctant.
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 I'm always
00:19:34 --> 00:19:34 looking for
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 the bare
00:19:35 --> 00:19:35 minimum.
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 When it
00:19:37 --> 00:19:37 comes to
00:19:37 --> 00:19:37 radical
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 generosity,
00:19:38 --> 00:19:38 you know,
00:19:39 --> 00:19:39 what's the
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 limit on
00:19:40 --> 00:19:40 radical?
00:19:42 --> 00:19:42 always
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 looking for
00:19:43 --> 00:19:43 the bare
00:19:43 --> 00:19:43 minimum,
00:19:44 --> 00:19:47 rather than
00:19:47 --> 00:19:50 desiring to
00:19:50 --> 00:19:50 please a
00:19:50 --> 00:19:50 loving
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 father.
00:19:52 --> 00:19:53 See,
00:19:53 --> 00:19:53 filial fear,
00:19:53 --> 00:19:53 on the
00:19:53 --> 00:19:54 other hand,
00:19:54 --> 00:19:54 is the
00:19:54 --> 00:19:54 loving fear
00:19:54 --> 00:19:55 of a
00:19:55 --> 00:19:56 child towards
00:19:56 --> 00:19:56 his father.
00:19:56 --> 00:19:58 And what
00:19:58 --> 00:19:58 is central,
00:19:59 --> 00:19:59 I think,
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 to this idea
00:20:00 --> 00:20:02 of fear is
00:20:02 --> 00:20:02 the sense of
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 reverential
00:20:03 --> 00:20:05 awe, just
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 awe at
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 God.
00:20:07 --> 00:20:07 Now, it's
00:20:07 --> 00:20:09 unfortunate that
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 we have robbed
00:20:10 --> 00:20:10 the word
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 awe of some
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 of its
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 impact these
00:20:13 --> 00:20:13 days.
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 It's been
00:20:16 --> 00:20:16 lost through
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 a lot of
00:20:17 --> 00:20:18 flippant use,
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 something that
00:20:19 --> 00:20:19 I do way
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 too often and
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 my children
00:20:21 --> 00:20:21 do.
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 Drove into
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 the car park
00:20:23 --> 00:20:23 at Chats
00:20:23 --> 00:20:24 with Chase
00:20:24 --> 00:20:24 the other
00:20:24 --> 00:20:24 day and
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 one of the
00:20:25 --> 00:20:25 kids pointed
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 out a car
00:20:26 --> 00:20:26 and said,
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 oh, Dad,
00:20:27 --> 00:20:27 that is an
00:20:27 --> 00:20:28 awesome car.
00:20:30 --> 00:20:32 And my
00:20:32 --> 00:20:32 immediate
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 response was,
00:20:33 --> 00:20:33 yes.
00:20:35 --> 00:20:35 I said,
00:20:35 --> 00:20:36 why is it
00:20:36 --> 00:20:36 awesome?
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 It's
00:20:37 --> 00:20:37 orange.
00:20:40 --> 00:20:40 Now, it
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 just so
00:20:41 --> 00:20:42 happens it
00:20:42 --> 00:20:42 was a
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 half million
00:20:43 --> 00:20:43 dollar
00:20:43 --> 00:20:43 McLaren.
00:20:44 --> 00:20:46 And orange
00:20:46 --> 00:20:46 wasn't the
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 first thing
00:20:47 --> 00:20:47 that came
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 into mind
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 when I
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 saw it.
00:20:50 --> 00:20:50 I did
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 agree it
00:20:51 --> 00:20:51 was an
00:20:51 --> 00:20:51 awesome
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 car.
00:20:52 --> 00:20:52 You know,
00:20:53 --> 00:20:53 there is a
00:20:53 --> 00:20:54 sense of
00:20:54 --> 00:20:54 dread.
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 You get
00:20:55 --> 00:20:55 behind the
00:20:55 --> 00:20:55 wheel of a
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 McLaren and
00:20:56 --> 00:20:56 put your
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 foot onto
00:20:57 --> 00:20:57 the floor,
00:20:58 --> 00:20:58 there is
00:20:58 --> 00:20:58 going to be
00:20:58 --> 00:20:59 an element
00:20:59 --> 00:20:59 of fear
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 that's going
00:21:00 --> 00:21:00 to come
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 to mind,
00:21:01 --> 00:21:01 I think,
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 and you're
00:21:02 --> 00:21:02 going to
00:21:02 --> 00:21:02 feel that
00:21:02 --> 00:21:02 in a way
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 that I
00:21:03 --> 00:21:03 don't
00:21:03 --> 00:21:03 feel it
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 in my
00:21:04 --> 00:21:04 Ford
00:21:04 --> 00:21:04 territory.
00:21:06 --> 00:21:06 So there
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 is a
00:21:07 --> 00:21:07 sense of
00:21:07 --> 00:21:07 awe,
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 but even
00:21:08 --> 00:21:08 then I
00:21:08 --> 00:21:09 think a
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 McLaren is
00:21:10 --> 00:21:10 pushing the
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 boundary of
00:21:11 --> 00:21:12 the definition
00:21:12 --> 00:21:12 of the
00:21:12 --> 00:21:12 word
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 awe.
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 A
00:21:16 --> 00:21:16 tornado
00:21:16 --> 00:21:18 is awesome.
00:21:18 --> 00:21:18 It's
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 something you
00:21:19 --> 00:21:19 want to
00:21:19 --> 00:21:19 look at,
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 but it's
00:21:20 --> 00:21:20 something that
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 you're afraid
00:21:21 --> 00:21:21 of.
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 A burger
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 is not
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 awesome.
00:21:26 --> 00:21:26 It's
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 tasty,
00:21:27 --> 00:21:27 it's not
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 awesome.
00:21:30 --> 00:21:30 Niagara
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 Falls is
00:21:31 --> 00:21:31 awesome.
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 A music
00:21:32 --> 00:21:32 CD might
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 sound
00:21:33 --> 00:21:33 great,
00:21:33 --> 00:21:33 but it's
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34 not
00:21:34 --> 00:21:34 awesome.
00:21:37 --> 00:21:37 You see,
00:21:38 --> 00:21:38 a fear
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 of God
00:21:39 --> 00:21:39 acknowledges
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 the greatness
00:21:40 --> 00:21:41 of God,
00:21:41 --> 00:21:41 that he
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 is unfathomably
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 great.
00:21:43 --> 00:21:43 He is
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44 infinitely
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 greater than
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 the tornado
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 of Niagara
00:21:47 --> 00:21:47 Falls.
00:21:48 --> 00:21:48 He is
00:21:48 --> 00:21:48 infinitely
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 greater than
00:21:49 --> 00:21:49 the most
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 significant
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 of nations.
00:21:51 --> 00:21:51 He controls
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 all rulers.
00:21:52 --> 00:21:52 He puts
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 the heavens
00:21:53 --> 00:21:54 in place.
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 He spreads
00:21:55 --> 00:21:55 out the
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 earth.
00:21:56 --> 00:21:56 He holds
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 all things
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 together by
00:21:58 --> 00:21:58 the power
00:21:58 --> 00:21:58 of his
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 word.
00:21:59 --> 00:21:59 He is
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00 a God
00:22:00 --> 00:22:00 of transcendent
00:22:00 --> 00:22:01 holiness.
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02 He is
00:22:02 --> 00:22:02 glorious
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 perfection,
00:22:03 --> 00:22:04 more than
00:22:04 --> 00:22:04 moral purity,
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 no darkness,
00:22:05 --> 00:22:06 no evil,
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 no brokenness
00:22:07 --> 00:22:07 at all.
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 He is
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 awesome.
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 He is
00:22:10 --> 00:22:10 worthy
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 of our
00:22:11 --> 00:22:13 awe.
00:22:15 --> 00:22:15 That's
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 why you see
00:22:16 --> 00:22:16 throughout the
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 Bible,
00:22:17 --> 00:22:17 whether anyone
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 is confronted
00:22:18 --> 00:22:18 with God
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 at all,
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 they fall
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 down on
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 their face
00:22:22 --> 00:22:22 and say,
00:22:22 --> 00:22:22 I'm not
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 worthy to
00:22:23 --> 00:22:23 be in your
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 presence.
00:22:24 --> 00:22:29 fear of
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30 the Lord
00:22:30 --> 00:22:30 is
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 trusting
00:22:31 --> 00:22:31 God.
00:22:34 --> 00:22:34 A
00:22:34 --> 00:22:35 relationship
00:22:35 --> 00:22:35 where you
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 trust God
00:22:36 --> 00:22:36 is what it
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 looks like
00:22:37 --> 00:22:37 to fear
00:22:37 --> 00:22:37 God.
00:22:38 --> 00:22:38 Proverbs
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 3,
00:22:39 --> 00:22:39 verses 5
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 and 6,
00:22:40 --> 00:22:40 trust in
00:22:40 --> 00:22:40 the Lord
00:22:40 --> 00:22:40 with all
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 your heart,
00:22:42 --> 00:22:42 lean not
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 on your
00:22:43 --> 00:22:43 own
00:22:43 --> 00:22:43 understanding
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 and in
00:22:44 --> 00:22:44 all your
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 ways submit
00:22:45 --> 00:22:45 to him
00:22:45 --> 00:22:45 and he
00:22:45 --> 00:22:46 will make
00:22:46 --> 00:22:46 your path
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 straight.
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 You see,
00:22:48 --> 00:22:48 fear of
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 the Lord
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 means
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 unconditional
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 trust,
00:22:52 --> 00:22:54 not relying
00:22:54 --> 00:22:54 on how
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 we think
00:22:55 --> 00:22:55 the world
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 works,
00:22:56 --> 00:22:56 not relying
00:22:56 --> 00:22:57 upon our
00:22:57 --> 00:22:57 knowledge
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 and our
00:22:58 --> 00:22:58 wisdom
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 of what
00:22:59 --> 00:22:59 we think
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 the patterns
00:23:00 --> 00:23:00 are and
00:23:00 --> 00:23:00 what the
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 patterns
00:23:01 --> 00:23:01 should be,
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 but trust
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 in God's
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 revelation
00:23:04 --> 00:23:04 of how
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 things actually
00:23:05 --> 00:23:05 are and
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 how things
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 actually work
00:23:07 --> 00:23:07 and what
00:23:07 --> 00:23:07 we're meant
00:23:07 --> 00:23:07 to do
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 as a result
00:23:08 --> 00:23:08 of it.
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 In
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 Isaiah 40
00:23:10 --> 00:23:10 we get a
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 glimpse of
00:23:11 --> 00:23:11 God's
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 infinite
00:23:12 --> 00:23:12 greatness
00:23:12 --> 00:23:14 in holding
00:23:14 --> 00:23:14 the vast
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 waters of
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 the earth,
00:23:16 --> 00:23:16 all the
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 oceans,
00:23:17 --> 00:23:17 it says
00:23:17 --> 00:23:18 he holds
00:23:18 --> 00:23:18 them in
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 the hollow
00:23:19 --> 00:23:19 of his
00:23:19 --> 00:23:21 hand and
00:23:21 --> 00:23:21 he weighs
00:23:21 --> 00:23:22 the
00:23:22 --> 00:23:22 mountain
00:23:22 --> 00:23:23 ranges
00:23:23 --> 00:23:23 on a
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 scale.
00:23:26 --> 00:23:26 End of
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 Isaiah
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 talks about
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 God,
00:23:29 --> 00:23:29 the earth
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 is God's
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 footstool
00:23:31 --> 00:23:33 and in
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34 Isaiah 40
00:23:34 --> 00:23:34 when he's
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 talking about
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 the greatness
00:23:36 --> 00:23:36 of God
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 Isaiah says
00:23:37 --> 00:23:37 this,
00:23:38 --> 00:23:38 who can
00:23:38 --> 00:23:39 fathom the
00:23:39 --> 00:23:39 spirit of
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 the Lord
00:23:40 --> 00:23:40 or instruct
00:23:40 --> 00:23:41 the Lord
00:23:41 --> 00:23:41 as his
00:23:41 --> 00:23:42 counsellor?
00:23:42 --> 00:23:43 Whom did
00:23:43 --> 00:23:43 the Lord
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 consult to
00:23:44 --> 00:23:44 enlighten
00:23:44 --> 00:23:45 him and
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 who taught
00:23:46 --> 00:23:46 him the
00:23:46 --> 00:23:46 right way?
00:23:47 --> 00:23:47 Who was
00:23:47 --> 00:23:48 it that
00:23:48 --> 00:23:48 taught him
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 knowledge and
00:23:49 --> 00:23:49 showed him
00:23:49 --> 00:23:50 the path
00:23:50 --> 00:23:50 of understanding?
00:23:51 --> 00:23:51 In other
00:23:51 --> 00:23:51 words,
00:23:52 --> 00:23:52 so,
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 who was
00:23:53 --> 00:23:53 God's
00:23:53 --> 00:23:54 advisors?
00:23:58 --> 00:23:58 Who
00:23:58 --> 00:24:00 served as
00:24:00 --> 00:24:00 his
00:24:00 --> 00:24:01 advisors?
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 You?
00:24:03 --> 00:24:04 Me?
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 No,
00:24:07 --> 00:24:07 Isaiah,
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 you're
00:24:09 --> 00:24:10 ridiculous.
00:24:12 --> 00:24:13 Who was
00:24:13 --> 00:24:13 there when
00:24:13 --> 00:24:15 he was
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 plotting out
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 the design
00:24:17 --> 00:24:17 of a
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18 DNA and
00:24:18 --> 00:24:18 said,
00:24:18 --> 00:24:18 actually,
00:24:18 --> 00:24:18 God,
00:24:18 --> 00:24:19 you need
00:24:19 --> 00:24:19 to do it
00:24:19 --> 00:24:19 this way?
00:24:20 --> 00:24:20 Anyone?
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 Everyone?
00:24:26 --> 00:24:26 Point of
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 Isaiah 40
00:24:27 --> 00:24:27 is God
00:24:27 --> 00:24:28 wants your
00:24:28 --> 00:24:28 trust,
00:24:28 --> 00:24:28 not your
00:24:28 --> 00:24:30 advice on
00:24:30 --> 00:24:31 how the
00:24:31 --> 00:24:31 world works.
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 It's absurd
00:24:34 --> 00:24:34 to think that
00:24:34 --> 00:24:35 we can add
00:24:35 --> 00:24:35 anything,
00:24:37 --> 00:24:37 and yet so
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 often we want
00:24:38 --> 00:24:39 to be his
00:24:39 --> 00:24:39 advisors.
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 We continue
00:24:40 --> 00:24:40 to tell him
00:24:40 --> 00:24:42 how certain
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43 circumstances
00:24:43 --> 00:24:43 should be
00:24:43 --> 00:24:44 changed,
00:24:44 --> 00:24:44 and we
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 question his
00:24:45 --> 00:24:45 wisdom when
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 we don't
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 understand what
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48 he's doing.
00:24:48 --> 00:24:49 every area
00:24:49 --> 00:24:50 of life.
00:24:51 --> 00:24:51 There are
00:24:51 --> 00:24:52 two questions
00:24:52 --> 00:24:53 for us.
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 Firstly,
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 are you
00:24:55 --> 00:24:55 willing to
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 do whatever
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56 God says
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 in the
00:24:57 --> 00:24:57 Bible on
00:24:57 --> 00:24:57 issue,
00:24:57 --> 00:24:58 whether you
00:24:58 --> 00:24:58 agree with
00:24:58 --> 00:24:58 it or not,
00:24:58 --> 00:24:59 because his
00:24:59 --> 00:24:59 wisdom is
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 infinitely greater
00:25:00 --> 00:25:01 than yours?
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 Are you
00:25:03 --> 00:25:03 willing to
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 trust that
00:25:04 --> 00:25:04 he and
00:25:04 --> 00:25:05 only he has
00:25:05 --> 00:25:05 the whole
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 pattern of
00:25:06 --> 00:25:06 the way the
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 world works?
00:25:07 --> 00:25:07 trust?
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 And second
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 question is,
00:25:12 --> 00:25:13 are you
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 willing to
00:25:14 --> 00:25:15 accept anything
00:25:15 --> 00:25:15 that God
00:25:15 --> 00:25:16 sends to
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 any area
00:25:17 --> 00:25:17 of your
00:25:17 --> 00:25:18 life,
00:25:18 --> 00:25:18 whether you
00:25:18 --> 00:25:19 understand it
00:25:19 --> 00:25:19 or not?
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 Because he
00:25:22 --> 00:25:22 is worthy
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 and he
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 is wise
00:25:24 --> 00:25:25 and he
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 knows what's
00:25:26 --> 00:25:26 best.
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 He knows
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 how to
00:25:30 --> 00:25:30 grow you
00:25:30 --> 00:25:30 in wisdom.
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 See,
00:25:35 --> 00:25:35 the fear
00:25:35 --> 00:25:36 of the
00:25:36 --> 00:25:36 Lord is
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37 a life
00:25:37 --> 00:25:37 of trust
00:25:37 --> 00:25:39 even
00:25:39 --> 00:25:40 through a
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 life of
00:25:41 --> 00:25:41 discipline.
00:25:44 --> 00:25:44 One of
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 the key
00:25:45 --> 00:25:45 things we
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 need to
00:25:46 --> 00:25:46 see and
00:25:46 --> 00:25:46 to lean
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 on is
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 what God
00:25:48 --> 00:25:48 says about
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 the times
00:25:49 --> 00:25:49 when the
00:25:49 --> 00:25:49 patterns of
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 life don't
00:25:50 --> 00:25:50 make sense
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 for us.
00:25:52 --> 00:25:52 Those times
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 when we
00:25:53 --> 00:25:53 can't see
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 what God
00:25:54 --> 00:25:54 is doing.
00:25:55 --> 00:25:55 Now I
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 think that
00:25:56 --> 00:25:56 if we're
00:25:56 --> 00:25:57 to hold
00:25:57 --> 00:25:57 on to
00:25:57 --> 00:25:57 this,
00:25:58 --> 00:25:58 that even
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 when the
00:25:59 --> 00:25:59 bad times
00:25:59 --> 00:26:00 come and
00:26:00 --> 00:26:00 the suffering
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 hits,
00:26:01 --> 00:26:01 I believe
00:26:01 --> 00:26:02 this turbo
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 charges our
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 growth in
00:26:04 --> 00:26:04 wisdom.
00:26:06 --> 00:26:06 It's
00:26:06 --> 00:26:06 right there
00:26:06 --> 00:26:07 in verses
00:26:07 --> 00:26:07 11 and
00:26:07 --> 00:26:09 12 of
00:26:09 --> 00:26:09 Proverbs 3,
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 my son,
00:26:10 --> 00:26:10 do not
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 despise the
00:26:11 --> 00:26:11 Lord's
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 discipline and
00:26:12 --> 00:26:12 do not
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 resent his
00:26:13 --> 00:26:13 rebuke because
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 the Lord
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 disciplines those
00:26:15 --> 00:26:15 he loves.
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 As a
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 father,
00:26:17 --> 00:26:17 the son,
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 he delights
00:26:18 --> 00:26:18 in.
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20 You see,
00:26:20 --> 00:26:20 what a
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 father does
00:26:21 --> 00:26:21 at times
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22 is that
00:26:22 --> 00:26:23 they bring
00:26:23 --> 00:26:24 things into
00:26:24 --> 00:26:24 a child's
00:26:24 --> 00:26:25 life which
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 are painful.
00:26:28 --> 00:26:28 We actually
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 bring them
00:26:29 --> 00:26:29 into a
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30 child's
00:26:30 --> 00:26:30 life which
00:26:30 --> 00:26:31 are painful
00:26:31 --> 00:26:31 in order
00:26:31 --> 00:26:32 for the
00:26:32 --> 00:26:32 child to
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33 grow and
00:26:33 --> 00:26:33 to flourish.
00:26:33 --> 00:26:35 And I'm
00:26:35 --> 00:26:35 assuming that
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 every parent
00:26:36 --> 00:26:37 wants their
00:26:37 --> 00:26:37 child to
00:26:37 --> 00:26:38 make the
00:26:38 --> 00:26:38 right choices
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 in life and
00:26:39 --> 00:26:39 so therefore
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 discipline is
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41 essential.
00:26:42 --> 00:26:42 People who
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 live charmed
00:26:43 --> 00:26:45 lives live
00:26:45 --> 00:26:46 shallow lives.
00:26:48 --> 00:26:48 Our
00:26:48 --> 00:26:49 strengths and
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 our weaknesses
00:26:50 --> 00:26:51 become obvious
00:26:51 --> 00:26:51 when they are
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 tested.
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 God's
00:26:53 --> 00:26:53 discipline shapes
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 us in the
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 same way.
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 You see,
00:26:56 --> 00:26:56 we don't often
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 really trust
00:26:57 --> 00:26:58 God until we
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 are drowning.
00:26:59 --> 00:27:01 We don't
00:27:01 --> 00:27:01 often come
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 to see that
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 Jesus is
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 all that we
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 need until
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 Jesus is
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 all that we
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 have.
00:27:12 --> 00:27:12 God's
00:27:12 --> 00:27:14 discipline is
00:27:14 --> 00:27:15 designed to
00:27:15 --> 00:27:16 grow us in
00:27:16 --> 00:27:17 wisdom.
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 It
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 turbocharges
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 all the
00:27:23 --> 00:27:23 things that
00:27:23 --> 00:27:23 move us
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 towards wisdom.
00:27:25 --> 00:27:25 Bible reading,
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 prayer,
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 the community
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 of believers,
00:27:27 --> 00:27:27 all that sort
00:27:27 --> 00:27:28 of thing.
00:27:28 --> 00:27:28 You see,
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 it's also
00:27:29 --> 00:27:30 true that
00:27:30 --> 00:27:30 suffering can
00:27:30 --> 00:27:31 have exact
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 opposite effect
00:27:32 --> 00:27:32 on someone.
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 It can
00:27:35 --> 00:27:35 make you
00:27:35 --> 00:27:36 prouder.
00:27:36 --> 00:27:37 Suffering can
00:27:37 --> 00:27:37 in fact make
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 you prouder.
00:27:39 --> 00:27:39 You know,
00:27:40 --> 00:27:40 you don't
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 understand,
00:27:41 --> 00:27:41 Steve,
00:27:41 --> 00:27:42 what I've
00:27:42 --> 00:27:42 had to go
00:27:42 --> 00:27:42 through.
00:27:44 --> 00:27:45 You've just
00:27:45 --> 00:27:45 never had what
00:27:45 --> 00:27:46 I've had to
00:27:46 --> 00:27:46 go through.
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 Make you
00:27:48 --> 00:27:48 feel better
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 than other
00:27:49 --> 00:27:49 people,
00:27:50 --> 00:27:50 more noble
00:27:50 --> 00:27:51 than other
00:27:51 --> 00:27:51 people.
00:27:52 --> 00:27:52 Suffering can
00:27:52 --> 00:27:53 also make you
00:27:53 --> 00:27:54 a coward
00:27:54 --> 00:27:55 because you
00:27:55 --> 00:27:55 become so
00:27:55 --> 00:27:56 broken you
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 couldn't face
00:27:57 --> 00:27:57 another thing.
00:27:58 --> 00:27:58 You know,
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 I've had so
00:27:59 --> 00:28:00 many disappointments
00:28:00 --> 00:28:00 with people
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 in life,
00:28:01 --> 00:28:01 I'm just
00:28:01 --> 00:28:01 going to
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 completely
00:28:02 --> 00:28:02 withdraw away
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 from people.
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 That's a
00:28:04 --> 00:28:04 cowardly
00:28:04 --> 00:28:05 response.
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 Suffering can
00:28:08 --> 00:28:08 make you
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 quite bitter.
00:28:10 --> 00:28:10 And so
00:28:10 --> 00:28:11 God's
00:28:11 --> 00:28:11 discipline
00:28:11 --> 00:28:13 that comes
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 from his
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 all-knowing
00:28:15 --> 00:28:15 wise hand
00:28:15 --> 00:28:17 pushes you
00:28:17 --> 00:28:17 in two
00:28:17 --> 00:28:17 different
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 directions.
00:28:19 --> 00:28:20 Either in
00:28:20 --> 00:28:20 growth in
00:28:20 --> 00:28:20 wisdom and
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 greater trust
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 in God,
00:28:22 --> 00:28:22 or it pushes
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 you further
00:28:23 --> 00:28:23 and further
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 towards foolishness.
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 One or the
00:28:26 --> 00:28:26 other.
00:28:26 --> 00:28:28 One or the
00:28:28 --> 00:28:31 suffering is
00:28:31 --> 00:28:32 inevitable.
00:28:33 --> 00:28:33 It will
00:28:33 --> 00:28:33 make you
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 wise,
00:28:35 --> 00:28:35 it will
00:28:35 --> 00:28:35 make you
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 stupid.
00:28:40 --> 00:28:41 The fear
00:28:41 --> 00:28:41 of the Lord
00:28:41 --> 00:28:42 is the
00:28:42 --> 00:28:42 key.
00:28:42 --> 00:28:44 God's
00:28:44 --> 00:28:45 wisdom,
00:28:45 --> 00:28:45 the
00:28:45 --> 00:28:46 God's
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 wisdom,
00:28:47 --> 00:28:47 the
00:28:47 --> 00:28:48 God's
00:28:48 --> 00:28:49 wisdom,
00:28:49 --> 00:28:49 the
00:28:49 --> 00:28:51 God of
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 tremendous
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 wisdom,
00:28:53 --> 00:28:53 this God
00:28:53 --> 00:28:54 who is
00:28:54 --> 00:28:55 awesome,
00:28:55 --> 00:28:56 is the
00:28:56 --> 00:28:57 God who
00:28:57 --> 00:28:57 delights in
00:28:57 --> 00:28:58 you when
00:28:58 --> 00:28:59 it happens.
00:29:00 --> 00:29:00 It's so
00:29:00 --> 00:29:01 essential for
00:29:01 --> 00:29:02 us to know
00:29:02 --> 00:29:02 this,
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 know this,
00:29:03 --> 00:29:03 know this.
00:29:04 --> 00:29:04 The Lord's
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 disciplines
00:29:05 --> 00:29:07 those he
00:29:07 --> 00:29:07 loves.
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08 As a
00:29:08 --> 00:29:08 father,
00:29:08 --> 00:29:09 the son,
00:29:09 --> 00:29:09 he delights
00:29:09 --> 00:29:10 in.
00:29:10 --> 00:29:10 You have
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 to be
00:29:11 --> 00:29:12 absolutely
00:29:12 --> 00:29:12 sure that
00:29:12 --> 00:29:13 he loves
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 you and
00:29:14 --> 00:29:14 delights in
00:29:14 --> 00:29:15 you when
00:29:15 --> 00:29:16 the bad
00:29:16 --> 00:29:17 things happen
00:29:17 --> 00:29:17 or the
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 suffering is
00:29:18 --> 00:29:18 going to
00:29:18 --> 00:29:19 harden you
00:29:19 --> 00:29:20 and it's
00:29:20 --> 00:29:20 going to
00:29:20 --> 00:29:20 make you
00:29:20 --> 00:29:21 turn away
00:29:21 --> 00:29:21 from God
00:29:21 --> 00:29:22 and life
00:29:22 --> 00:29:23 and make
00:29:23 --> 00:29:24 you arrogant
00:29:24 --> 00:29:24 and proud
00:29:24 --> 00:29:27 because you
00:29:27 --> 00:29:27 think you
00:29:27 --> 00:29:28 know better
00:29:28 --> 00:29:28 than God.
00:29:31 --> 00:29:32 Discovering
00:29:32 --> 00:29:32 the love
00:29:32 --> 00:29:32 and the
00:29:32 --> 00:29:33 mercy and
00:29:33 --> 00:29:33 the delight
00:29:33 --> 00:29:34 and the
00:29:34 --> 00:29:34 grace of
00:29:34 --> 00:29:34 God is
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 the key
00:29:35 --> 00:29:35 to the
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 life of
00:29:36 --> 00:29:36 fearing
00:29:36 --> 00:29:37 God,
00:29:37 --> 00:29:38 which is
00:29:38 --> 00:29:39 the beginning
00:29:39 --> 00:29:40 of wisdom
00:29:40 --> 00:29:41 and the
00:29:41 --> 00:29:41 key to
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 growth in
00:29:42 --> 00:29:42 wisdom.
00:29:43 --> 00:29:43 In
00:29:43 --> 00:29:44 Proverbs
00:29:44 --> 00:29:44 3.3
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 it says
00:29:45 --> 00:29:46 let love
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47 and faithfulness
00:29:47 --> 00:29:47 never leave
00:29:47 --> 00:29:48 you,
00:29:48 --> 00:29:49 bind them
00:29:49 --> 00:29:49 around your
00:29:49 --> 00:29:50 neck,
00:29:50 --> 00:29:50 write them
00:29:50 --> 00:29:50 on the
00:29:50 --> 00:29:51 tablet of
00:29:51 --> 00:29:51 your heart.
00:29:51 --> 00:29:52 The words
00:29:52 --> 00:29:52 love and
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 faithfulness
00:29:53 --> 00:29:53 there are
00:29:53 --> 00:29:55 very specific
00:29:55 --> 00:29:55 in the
00:29:55 --> 00:29:55 Hebrew Old
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 Testament.
00:29:56 --> 00:29:57 They are
00:29:57 --> 00:29:57 referring to
00:29:57 --> 00:29:58 God's
00:29:58 --> 00:29:58 covenant
00:29:58 --> 00:29:59 love and
00:29:59 --> 00:30:00 God's
00:30:00 --> 00:30:01 faithfulness
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 and they're
00:30:02 --> 00:30:02 about his
00:30:02 --> 00:30:04 never giving
00:30:04 --> 00:30:04 up,
00:30:04 --> 00:30:05 never dying,
00:30:05 --> 00:30:06 always and
00:30:06 --> 00:30:07 forever love
00:30:07 --> 00:30:07 for his
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08 people.
00:30:09 --> 00:30:09 The grace
00:30:09 --> 00:30:10 of God,
00:30:10 --> 00:30:11 his delight
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 in us
00:30:12 --> 00:30:13 because of
00:30:13 --> 00:30:14 Jesus is
00:30:14 --> 00:30:14 the key
00:30:14 --> 00:30:16 to suffering,
00:30:16 --> 00:30:16 softening
00:30:16 --> 00:30:17 us and
00:30:17 --> 00:30:18 humbling
00:30:18 --> 00:30:19 us and
00:30:19 --> 00:30:19 growing us
00:30:19 --> 00:30:20 in wisdom.
00:30:23 --> 00:30:24 So how
00:30:24 --> 00:30:24 can you be
00:30:24 --> 00:30:25 sure that
00:30:25 --> 00:30:25 God delights
00:30:25 --> 00:30:27 in us?
00:30:28 --> 00:30:28 In
00:30:28 --> 00:30:29 Hebrews 12
00:30:29 --> 00:30:29 in the Old
00:30:29 --> 00:30:30 Testament,
00:30:30 --> 00:30:30 sorry,
00:30:30 --> 00:30:31 in the New
00:30:31 --> 00:30:31 Testament,
00:30:32 --> 00:30:33 back towards
00:30:33 --> 00:30:33 the back,
00:30:34 --> 00:30:36 these verses
00:30:36 --> 00:30:36 from
00:30:36 --> 00:30:38 Proverbs
00:30:38 --> 00:30:39 3,
00:30:39 --> 00:30:39 verses 11
00:30:39 --> 00:30:40 and 12
00:30:40 --> 00:30:40 are picked
00:30:40 --> 00:30:41 up and
00:30:41 --> 00:30:41 they're
00:30:41 --> 00:30:41 dumped into
00:30:41 --> 00:30:42 Hebrews 12
00:30:42 --> 00:30:43 and they
00:30:43 --> 00:30:44 go like
00:30:44 --> 00:30:44 this,
00:30:44 --> 00:30:45 just before
00:30:45 --> 00:30:47 it in
00:30:47 --> 00:30:47 Hebrews 12
00:30:47 --> 00:30:48 it says
00:30:48 --> 00:30:48 this,
00:30:49 --> 00:30:50 let us
00:30:50 --> 00:30:50 fix our
00:30:50 --> 00:30:51 eyes on
00:30:51 --> 00:30:52 Jesus,
00:30:52 --> 00:30:53 the pioneer
00:30:53 --> 00:30:54 and perfecter
00:30:54 --> 00:30:54 of faith,
00:30:55 --> 00:30:56 for the joy
00:30:56 --> 00:30:56 set before
00:30:56 --> 00:30:57 him endured
00:30:57 --> 00:30:58 the cross,
00:30:58 --> 00:30:59 scorning its
00:30:59 --> 00:30:59 shame and
00:30:59 --> 00:31:00 he sat
00:31:00 --> 00:31:00 down at the
00:31:00 --> 00:31:01 right hand
00:31:01 --> 00:31:01 of the
00:31:01 --> 00:31:01 throne of
00:31:01 --> 00:31:02 God.
00:31:02 --> 00:31:04 right there,
00:31:05 --> 00:31:06 right there
00:31:06 --> 00:31:06 in Hebrews
00:31:06 --> 00:31:07 12 is the
00:31:07 --> 00:31:08 confidence that
00:31:08 --> 00:31:08 we need.
00:31:09 --> 00:31:09 We get the
00:31:09 --> 00:31:10 confidence there,
00:31:10 --> 00:31:11 right there,
00:31:11 --> 00:31:11 that we are a
00:31:11 --> 00:31:12 child of God
00:31:12 --> 00:31:13 when we see
00:31:13 --> 00:31:14 what Jesus
00:31:14 --> 00:31:15 has done for
00:31:15 --> 00:31:15 us.
00:31:16 --> 00:31:16 You see,
00:31:16 --> 00:31:16 the baptism
00:31:16 --> 00:31:17 of Jesus,
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18 you might
00:31:18 --> 00:31:18 remember this
00:31:18 --> 00:31:19 back right at
00:31:19 --> 00:31:19 the beginning,
00:31:19 --> 00:31:20 baptism of
00:31:20 --> 00:31:20 Jesus,
00:31:21 --> 00:31:22 the spirit
00:31:22 --> 00:31:22 of God
00:31:22 --> 00:31:23 descended on
00:31:23 --> 00:31:23 him and
00:31:23 --> 00:31:24 a voice
00:31:24 --> 00:31:24 came from
00:31:24 --> 00:31:25 heaven and
00:31:25 --> 00:31:25 said,
00:31:26 --> 00:31:27 this is my
00:31:27 --> 00:31:28 son with
00:31:28 --> 00:31:28 whom I am
00:31:28 --> 00:31:29 well pleased,
00:31:29 --> 00:31:30 or this is
00:31:30 --> 00:31:30 my son,
00:31:30 --> 00:31:31 I delight in
00:31:31 --> 00:31:31 him.
00:31:33 --> 00:31:34 And right
00:31:34 --> 00:31:34 throughout his
00:31:34 --> 00:31:35 life,
00:31:35 --> 00:31:36 whenever Jesus
00:31:36 --> 00:31:37 turns to
00:31:37 --> 00:31:37 God,
00:31:37 --> 00:31:38 he says,
00:31:38 --> 00:31:38 Father,
00:31:39 --> 00:31:39 Father,
00:31:39 --> 00:31:40 Father,
00:31:40 --> 00:31:40 when the
00:31:40 --> 00:31:41 disciples say,
00:31:41 --> 00:31:41 Jesus,
00:31:41 --> 00:31:42 teach us how
00:31:42 --> 00:31:42 to pray,
00:31:42 --> 00:31:43 he says,
00:31:43 --> 00:31:43 Father,
00:31:44 --> 00:31:45 begin with
00:31:45 --> 00:31:46 our Father,
00:31:49 --> 00:31:49 except for
00:31:49 --> 00:31:50 one place,
00:31:52 --> 00:31:53 it's at the
00:31:53 --> 00:31:53 cross.
00:31:55 --> 00:31:56 Jesus cries
00:31:56 --> 00:31:56 out,
00:31:56 --> 00:31:57 my God,
00:31:58 --> 00:31:58 my God,
00:31:59 --> 00:32:00 why have
00:32:00 --> 00:32:00 you forsaken
00:32:00 --> 00:32:01 me?
00:32:01 --> 00:32:04 why have
00:32:04 --> 00:32:05 you abandoned
00:32:05 --> 00:32:05 me?
00:32:09 --> 00:32:10 And the
00:32:10 --> 00:32:10 reason he
00:32:10 --> 00:32:10 cries out that
00:32:10 --> 00:32:11 is because he
00:32:11 --> 00:32:11 was being
00:32:11 --> 00:32:12 expelled,
00:32:13 --> 00:32:14 he's being
00:32:14 --> 00:32:14 rejected.
00:32:17 --> 00:32:18 He was
00:32:18 --> 00:32:19 getting what
00:32:19 --> 00:32:20 we deserve
00:32:20 --> 00:32:21 from God
00:32:21 --> 00:32:22 so that when
00:32:22 --> 00:32:23 we put our
00:32:23 --> 00:32:24 trust in
00:32:24 --> 00:32:24 him,
00:32:24 --> 00:32:25 our sins
00:32:25 --> 00:32:26 are forgiven.
00:32:27 --> 00:32:28 He took
00:32:28 --> 00:32:28 the punishment
00:32:28 --> 00:32:29 from God
00:32:29 --> 00:32:29 that we
00:32:29 --> 00:32:30 deserve so
00:32:30 --> 00:32:30 that when
00:32:30 --> 00:32:31 we believe
00:32:31 --> 00:32:31 in him,
00:32:31 --> 00:32:32 our sins
00:32:32 --> 00:32:33 are dealt
00:32:33 --> 00:32:33 with.
00:32:36 --> 00:32:36 But not
00:32:36 --> 00:32:37 just that.
00:32:38 --> 00:32:38 In John
00:32:38 --> 00:32:39 chapter 1,
00:32:40 --> 00:32:40 which we
00:32:40 --> 00:32:40 looked at
00:32:40 --> 00:32:41 last week,
00:32:41 --> 00:32:42 where Jesus
00:32:42 --> 00:32:42 is the
00:32:42 --> 00:32:43 wisdom of
00:32:43 --> 00:32:43 God,
00:32:43 --> 00:32:43 it says
00:32:43 --> 00:32:44 this about
00:32:44 --> 00:32:47 those who
00:32:47 --> 00:32:47 put their
00:32:47 --> 00:32:48 trust in
00:32:48 --> 00:32:48 the wisdom
00:32:48 --> 00:32:48 of God.
00:32:48 --> 00:32:49 Jesus, it
00:32:49 --> 00:32:49 says,
00:32:49 --> 00:32:50 to all
00:32:50 --> 00:32:51 who did
00:32:51 --> 00:32:52 receive
00:32:52 --> 00:32:52 him,
00:32:53 --> 00:32:54 to those
00:32:54 --> 00:32:54 who
00:32:54 --> 00:32:54 believed in
00:32:54 --> 00:32:55 his name,
00:32:55 --> 00:32:56 he gave
00:32:56 --> 00:32:57 the right
00:32:57 --> 00:32:57 to become
00:32:57 --> 00:32:58 children of
00:32:58 --> 00:32:59 God.
00:33:00 --> 00:33:01 Children
00:33:01 --> 00:33:02 born not
00:33:02 --> 00:33:02 of natural
00:33:02 --> 00:33:03 descent nor
00:33:03 --> 00:33:03 of human
00:33:03 --> 00:33:04 decision or
00:33:04 --> 00:33:05 of a husband's
00:33:05 --> 00:33:05 will,
00:33:06 --> 00:33:06 but born
00:33:06 --> 00:33:08 of God.
00:33:08 --> 00:33:08 God,
00:33:09 --> 00:33:11 Jesus
00:33:11 --> 00:33:11 faced
00:33:11 --> 00:33:12 rejection,
00:33:14 --> 00:33:15 suffering,
00:33:15 --> 00:33:15 rejection,
00:33:16 --> 00:33:16 so that we
00:33:16 --> 00:33:17 can be
00:33:17 --> 00:33:18 included as
00:33:18 --> 00:33:18 sons of
00:33:18 --> 00:33:19 God,
00:33:20 --> 00:33:20 sons to
00:33:20 --> 00:33:20 whom he
00:33:20 --> 00:33:21 delights
00:33:21 --> 00:33:21 him.
00:33:22 --> 00:33:23 Through what
00:33:23 --> 00:33:24 Jesus done,
00:33:24 --> 00:33:25 we adopted
00:33:25 --> 00:33:25 as sons of
00:33:25 --> 00:33:26 God,
00:33:26 --> 00:33:26 brought into
00:33:26 --> 00:33:27 God's
00:33:27 --> 00:33:27 family,
00:33:28 --> 00:33:28 Jesus lost
00:33:28 --> 00:33:29 his sonship
00:33:29 --> 00:33:29 so that we
00:33:29 --> 00:33:30 can be
00:33:30 --> 00:33:30 children of
00:33:30 --> 00:33:31 God,
00:33:31 --> 00:33:32 and therefore
00:33:32 --> 00:33:33 we can trust
00:33:33 --> 00:33:34 him in
00:33:34 --> 00:33:35 suffering because
00:33:35 --> 00:33:36 he himself
00:33:36 --> 00:33:36 has suffered.
00:33:36 --> 00:33:40 let me tell
00:33:40 --> 00:33:40 you that
00:33:40 --> 00:33:41 that story
00:33:41 --> 00:33:42 just there
00:33:42 --> 00:33:43 is the
00:33:43 --> 00:33:44 story that
00:33:44 --> 00:33:44 rewrites
00:33:44 --> 00:33:46 everything
00:33:46 --> 00:33:47 for our
00:33:47 --> 00:33:47 world.
00:33:50 --> 00:33:51 And that's
00:33:51 --> 00:33:51 the story
00:33:51 --> 00:33:52 that is
00:33:52 --> 00:33:53 the story
00:33:53 --> 00:33:54 that rewrites
00:33:54 --> 00:33:55 your story.
00:33:56 --> 00:33:57 Totally
00:33:57 --> 00:33:58 changes
00:33:58 --> 00:33:58 everything.
00:34:00 --> 00:34:00 It
00:34:00 --> 00:34:01 reorientates
00:34:01 --> 00:34:02 your whole
00:34:02 --> 00:34:02 worldview.
00:34:04 --> 00:34:04 It
00:34:04 --> 00:34:05 reorientates
00:34:05 --> 00:34:05 every way
00:34:05 --> 00:34:06 that you
00:34:06 --> 00:34:06 view this
00:34:06 --> 00:34:07 world.
00:34:09 --> 00:34:10 It's the
00:34:10 --> 00:34:10 starting point
00:34:10 --> 00:34:11 and the
00:34:11 --> 00:34:12 foundation of
00:34:12 --> 00:34:13 a life of
00:34:13 --> 00:34:13 wisdom.
00:34:13 --> 00:34:14 Amen.