The Bible is Clear
Series: Your Word is Truth
Speaker: Steve Jeffrey
Date: 9th June 2024
Passage: Deuteronomy 30:11-14
00:00:00 --> 00:00:02 and great to be with you in church this morning.
00:00:02 --> 00:00:03 My name's Steve.
00:00:03 --> 00:00:04 I've not met you before,
00:00:04 --> 00:00:05 senior pastor here at St Paul's.
00:00:06 --> 00:00:09 We are, as Asha said, we're in a series on the Bible.
00:00:10 --> 00:00:11 It's good to be with you specifically in church.
00:00:12 --> 00:00:14 Last week, I wasn't with the staff team.
00:00:14 --> 00:00:16 We were away on retreat.
00:00:16 --> 00:00:19 I'm in Bathurst, and you saw me preaching on the screen.
00:00:20 --> 00:00:21 I just want to clear out one thing.
00:00:22 --> 00:00:23 If you were here last week,
00:00:23 --> 00:00:25 you would have seen fireworks.
00:00:27 --> 00:00:29 The fireworks were unplanned.
00:00:29 --> 00:00:31 We don't know where they came from.
00:00:32 --> 00:00:36 Nick and I have got no idea what happened with that moment,
00:00:36 --> 00:00:37 but take it as an act of God.
00:00:39 --> 00:00:42 And so if you've not listened to that sermon yet,
00:00:42 --> 00:00:44 you might want to go back and do that now.
00:00:45 --> 00:00:49 So let me pray as we launch in to this morning
00:00:49 --> 00:00:52 that there would be genuine fireworks in the heart.
00:00:53 --> 00:00:55 Gracious God, we are grateful for you.
00:00:55 --> 00:00:57 We are grateful for you,
00:00:58 --> 00:01:02 the one who is the instigator of all things,
00:01:02 --> 00:01:04 the one who created all things by the power of your word.
00:01:05 --> 00:01:07 You speak and things happen.
00:01:08 --> 00:01:10 We are grateful that you,
00:01:10 --> 00:01:11 the almighty, the everlasting,
00:01:11 --> 00:01:13 the one who never had a beginning,
00:01:13 --> 00:01:14 never has an end,
00:01:14 --> 00:01:15 you have spoken,
00:01:16 --> 00:01:19 and you have spoken with clarity
00:01:19 --> 00:01:23 so that we are not left without a knowledge of your will,
00:01:23 --> 00:01:25 understanding of who we are,
00:01:25 --> 00:01:26 who you are,
00:01:26 --> 00:01:28 and the way to salvation.
00:01:29 --> 00:01:30 We are grateful to you, God,
00:01:30 --> 00:01:32 and I pray that your word will be clear to each of us
00:01:32 --> 00:01:34 as we explore it this morning,
00:01:34 --> 00:01:37 but as we explore it ourselves individually
00:01:37 --> 00:01:38 in relationship with you.
00:01:39 --> 00:01:39 Amen.
00:01:39 --> 00:01:42 Now there's an ancient parable
00:01:42 --> 00:01:45 that's found in both Hindu and Buddhist texts.
00:01:46 --> 00:01:48 It is known as the parable of the blind man and the elephant.
00:01:49 --> 00:01:52 A group of blind men heard that a strange animal
00:01:52 --> 00:01:56 called an elephant had been brought to town
00:01:56 --> 00:01:57 and they found it
00:01:57 --> 00:01:59 and they were feeling around to work out
00:01:59 --> 00:02:01 what is this strange animal.
00:02:02 --> 00:02:04 The first person grabbed hold of the trunk
00:02:04 --> 00:02:04 and said,
00:02:04 --> 00:02:07 well, it's actually clearly a big, thick snake.
00:02:07 --> 00:02:09 Another one grabs hold of the ear,
00:02:09 --> 00:02:12 thought it seemed like some kind of fan.
00:02:12 --> 00:02:15 Another blind man had his arms wrapped around the leg
00:02:15 --> 00:02:16 and said,
00:02:16 --> 00:02:18 elephants are like tree trunks.
00:02:18 --> 00:02:22 The blind man who placed his hand on the side of the elephant
00:02:22 --> 00:02:22 said,
00:02:23 --> 00:02:24 no, no, it's a great wall.
00:02:25 --> 00:02:27 Another who felt its tail says,
00:02:27 --> 00:02:29 no, it's actually a rope is what it is.
00:02:30 --> 00:02:31 The point of the parable,
00:02:31 --> 00:02:33 it's an ancient parable,
00:02:33 --> 00:02:34 the point of it is that
00:02:34 --> 00:02:36 all people are blamed
00:02:36 --> 00:02:40 when it comes to the things of the divine,
00:02:40 --> 00:02:41 when it comes to God.
00:02:42 --> 00:02:42 We know,
00:02:43 --> 00:02:45 we might know part of him,
00:02:45 --> 00:02:49 but we don't really know all of God.
00:02:49 --> 00:02:51 We don't know all of the divine
00:02:51 --> 00:02:53 and we can only ever know a little bit.
00:02:53 --> 00:02:55 And so the conclusion is,
00:02:56 --> 00:02:57 for all of humanity,
00:02:57 --> 00:02:58 must tread carefully
00:02:58 --> 00:03:02 when discussing anything to do with God.
00:03:02 --> 00:03:06 and basically a whole great deal of humility.
00:03:06 --> 00:03:09 So you don't call anything truth,
00:03:09 --> 00:03:11 you just have perceptions,
00:03:11 --> 00:03:12 is all you have.
00:03:13 --> 00:03:15 Now there are two major problems with the parable.
00:03:16 --> 00:03:17 Two major problems.
00:03:17 --> 00:03:17 Firstly,
00:03:18 --> 00:03:19 the whole parable
00:03:19 --> 00:03:22 is told from the standpoint
00:03:22 --> 00:03:23 of someone
00:03:23 --> 00:03:25 who says that
00:03:25 --> 00:03:27 they can see the entire elephant.
00:03:27 --> 00:03:30 That's the first problem with it.
00:03:31 --> 00:03:33 While the parable is making the point
00:03:33 --> 00:03:35 that no one has the whole picture,
00:03:36 --> 00:03:37 the narrator himself
00:03:37 --> 00:03:38 clearly sees the whole picture
00:03:38 --> 00:03:41 and says,
00:03:41 --> 00:03:43 therefore no one has ultimate truth.
00:03:44 --> 00:03:46 The second problem
00:03:46 --> 00:03:47 is somewhat more serious.
00:03:48 --> 00:03:49 While the parable
00:03:49 --> 00:03:51 is perfectly good description
00:03:51 --> 00:03:52 of human inability
00:03:52 --> 00:03:53 in matters of the divine,
00:03:53 --> 00:03:56 it doesn't consider
00:03:56 --> 00:03:58 a paradigm
00:03:58 --> 00:04:00 shattering question.
00:04:02 --> 00:04:03 What if the elephant speaks?
00:04:05 --> 00:04:07 What if the elephant speaks?
00:04:07 --> 00:04:09 What if the elephant could talk?
00:04:09 --> 00:04:11 What if he was to tell the blind man
00:04:11 --> 00:04:14 exactly who he is
00:04:14 --> 00:04:15 or what he is?
00:04:18 --> 00:04:20 Tell them who they are in fact
00:04:20 --> 00:04:22 because they can't see the world.
00:04:23 --> 00:04:26 Tell them what the world is like.
00:04:26 --> 00:04:27 Would the blind man
00:04:27 --> 00:04:28 in that moment
00:04:28 --> 00:04:30 be considered humble
00:04:30 --> 00:04:33 by ignoring the elephant
00:04:33 --> 00:04:34 who says,
00:04:34 --> 00:04:36 trees have got trunks
00:04:36 --> 00:04:37 and they are green
00:04:37 --> 00:04:38 with leaves?
00:04:39 --> 00:04:41 Would they be considered humble
00:04:41 --> 00:04:42 to ignore the elephant
00:04:42 --> 00:04:43 at that point?
00:04:44 --> 00:04:46 And so today
00:04:46 --> 00:04:47 we're looking at
00:04:47 --> 00:04:49 another attribute
00:04:49 --> 00:04:50 of the word of God,
00:04:50 --> 00:04:51 namely the clarity of scripture.
00:04:51 --> 00:04:54 this is
00:04:54 --> 00:04:55 the doctrine
00:04:55 --> 00:04:56 of the clarity of scripture
00:04:56 --> 00:04:57 is primarily
00:04:57 --> 00:04:59 about God's character.
00:05:01 --> 00:05:02 Is God
00:05:02 --> 00:05:03 wise enough
00:05:03 --> 00:05:05 to make himself known?
00:05:06 --> 00:05:07 Is he good enough
00:05:07 --> 00:05:09 to make himself
00:05:09 --> 00:05:09 accessible?
00:05:10 --> 00:05:12 Is he gracious enough
00:05:12 --> 00:05:14 to communicate
00:05:14 --> 00:05:14 in ways
00:05:15 --> 00:05:16 that are understandable
00:05:17 --> 00:05:18 to the meek
00:05:18 --> 00:05:19 and the lowly
00:05:19 --> 00:05:21 and the broken?
00:05:22 --> 00:05:23 Or does God
00:05:23 --> 00:05:25 give us commands
00:05:25 --> 00:05:26 that we cannot
00:05:26 --> 00:05:27 understand
00:05:27 --> 00:05:30 and a self-revelation
00:05:30 --> 00:05:31 that reveals
00:05:31 --> 00:05:31 more questions
00:05:31 --> 00:05:32 than answers
00:05:32 --> 00:05:34 about life?
00:05:35 --> 00:05:36 This is primarily
00:05:36 --> 00:05:36 about the character
00:05:36 --> 00:05:37 of God
00:05:37 --> 00:05:38 and who he is.
00:05:38 --> 00:05:41 So this is the third
00:05:41 --> 00:05:42 attribute
00:05:42 --> 00:05:43 of the Bible
00:05:43 --> 00:05:43 that we're looking
00:05:43 --> 00:05:44 at this morning.
00:05:46 --> 00:05:47 God's word
00:05:47 --> 00:05:47 is clear.
00:05:48 --> 00:05:50 So I've got three points
00:05:50 --> 00:05:50 I'm running through
00:05:50 --> 00:05:51 this morning.
00:05:51 --> 00:05:52 Clearing up clarity,
00:05:53 --> 00:05:54 the Bible's clarity
00:05:54 --> 00:05:54 and the Bible's
00:05:54 --> 00:05:55 difficult clarity.
00:05:56 --> 00:05:57 So clearing up clarity.
00:05:57 --> 00:05:58 The clarity
00:05:58 --> 00:05:58 of scripture
00:05:58 --> 00:05:59 historically
00:05:59 --> 00:06:01 this doctrine
00:06:01 --> 00:06:01 has been known
00:06:01 --> 00:06:02 as the perspicuity
00:06:02 --> 00:06:03 of scripture
00:06:03 --> 00:06:04 which isn't
00:06:04 --> 00:06:05 a very clear word
00:06:05 --> 00:06:07 to mean clarity.
00:06:07 --> 00:06:09 But this is how
00:06:09 --> 00:06:10 the Westminster
00:06:10 --> 00:06:10 Confession
00:06:10 --> 00:06:12 of Faith
00:06:12 --> 00:06:13 describes
00:06:13 --> 00:06:13 the clarity
00:06:13 --> 00:06:14 of scripture.
00:06:14 --> 00:06:15 All things
00:06:15 --> 00:06:16 in scripture
00:06:16 --> 00:06:17 are not alike
00:06:17 --> 00:06:18 plain in themselves
00:06:18 --> 00:06:19 nor alike
00:06:19 --> 00:06:21 clear unto all
00:06:21 --> 00:06:21 and yet
00:06:21 --> 00:06:22 those things
00:06:22 --> 00:06:23 which are necessary
00:06:23 --> 00:06:24 to be known
00:06:24 --> 00:06:24 believed
00:06:24 --> 00:06:25 and observed
00:06:25 --> 00:06:26 for salvation
00:06:26 --> 00:06:28 are so clearly
00:06:28 --> 00:06:28 propounded
00:06:28 --> 00:06:29 and open
00:06:29 --> 00:06:30 in some place
00:06:30 --> 00:06:30 of scripture
00:06:30 --> 00:06:31 or another
00:06:31 --> 00:06:33 that not only
00:06:33 --> 00:06:34 learned
00:06:34 --> 00:06:36 but the unlearned
00:06:36 --> 00:06:37 in a Jew's
00:06:37 --> 00:06:38 set use
00:06:38 --> 00:06:39 of the ordinary
00:06:39 --> 00:06:39 means
00:06:39 --> 00:06:40 may attain
00:06:40 --> 00:06:41 unto a sufficient
00:06:41 --> 00:06:42 understanding
00:06:42 --> 00:06:43 of them.
00:06:44 --> 00:06:45 Which basically
00:06:45 --> 00:06:46 means that last
00:06:46 --> 00:06:47 section is that
00:06:47 --> 00:06:49 it's accessible
00:06:49 --> 00:06:50 to everyone
00:06:50 --> 00:06:51 if you use
00:06:51 --> 00:06:51 the normal
00:06:51 --> 00:06:52 means of reading.
00:06:53 --> 00:06:54 That's basically
00:06:54 --> 00:06:54 what that means.
00:06:55 --> 00:06:56 Now there's a few
00:06:56 --> 00:06:57 nuances there
00:06:57 --> 00:06:57 which are really
00:06:57 --> 00:06:58 helpful.
00:06:58 --> 00:06:58 So let me just
00:06:58 --> 00:06:59 quickly hit you
00:06:59 --> 00:07:00 with the nuances.
00:07:00 --> 00:07:00 Firstly,
00:07:00 --> 00:07:01 some bits
00:07:01 --> 00:07:02 of the Bible
00:07:02 --> 00:07:03 are clearer
00:07:03 --> 00:07:03 than others.
00:07:04 --> 00:07:05 Not every
00:07:05 --> 00:07:05 verse or
00:07:05 --> 00:07:06 every section
00:07:06 --> 00:07:08 has a simple
00:07:08 --> 00:07:10 or an obvious
00:07:10 --> 00:07:10 meaning.
00:07:11 --> 00:07:12 Secondly,
00:07:12 --> 00:07:13 the main things
00:07:13 --> 00:07:13 that we need
00:07:13 --> 00:07:14 to know,
00:07:14 --> 00:07:14 we need to
00:07:14 --> 00:07:15 believe
00:07:15 --> 00:07:16 and we need
00:07:16 --> 00:07:16 to do
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 are clearly
00:07:18 --> 00:07:19 seen in
00:07:19 --> 00:07:19 scripture.
00:07:20 --> 00:07:21 Thirdly,
00:07:21 --> 00:07:22 though the
00:07:22 --> 00:07:23 essential doctrines
00:07:23 --> 00:07:24 of Christianity
00:07:24 --> 00:07:25 are not
00:07:25 --> 00:07:26 equally clear
00:07:26 --> 00:07:27 in every
00:07:27 --> 00:07:28 passage of
00:07:28 --> 00:07:29 the Bible,
00:07:29 --> 00:07:30 they are
00:07:30 --> 00:07:31 all made
00:07:31 --> 00:07:31 clear
00:07:31 --> 00:07:32 somewhere
00:07:32 --> 00:07:33 in the
00:07:33 --> 00:07:33 Bible.
00:07:34 --> 00:07:35 Fourthly,
00:07:36 --> 00:07:36 that which
00:07:36 --> 00:07:37 is necessary
00:07:37 --> 00:07:38 for salvation
00:07:38 --> 00:07:39 can be
00:07:39 --> 00:07:39 understood
00:07:39 --> 00:07:40 by even
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42 the uneducated.
00:07:43 --> 00:07:43 Lastly,
00:07:43 --> 00:07:43 the most
00:07:43 --> 00:07:44 important point
00:07:44 --> 00:07:45 in the
00:07:45 --> 00:07:45 Bible
00:07:45 --> 00:07:46 may not
00:07:46 --> 00:07:47 be understood
00:07:47 --> 00:07:47 perfectly
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49 but they
00:07:49 --> 00:07:49 can be
00:07:49 --> 00:07:49 understood
00:07:49 --> 00:07:50 sufficiently.
00:07:51 --> 00:07:51 That's the
00:07:51 --> 00:07:52 nuances that
00:07:52 --> 00:07:52 are in there
00:07:52 --> 00:07:53 in the Westminster
00:07:53 --> 00:07:53 Confession.
00:07:54 --> 00:07:54 So the best
00:07:54 --> 00:07:55 way forward
00:07:55 --> 00:07:55 for us is
00:07:55 --> 00:07:55 to just jump
00:07:55 --> 00:07:56 into the
00:07:56 --> 00:07:56 second point
00:07:56 --> 00:07:57 and have
00:07:57 --> 00:07:57 a look at
00:07:57 --> 00:07:58 one passage
00:07:58 --> 00:07:58 in the
00:07:58 --> 00:07:59 Bible,
00:07:59 --> 00:07:59 the one
00:07:59 --> 00:08:00 that Anne
00:08:00 --> 00:08:00 just read
00:08:00 --> 00:08:01 out,
00:08:01 --> 00:08:02 which talks
00:08:02 --> 00:08:02 about the
00:08:02 --> 00:08:03 clarity of
00:08:03 --> 00:08:03 scripture and
00:08:03 --> 00:08:04 the simplicity
00:08:04 --> 00:08:04 of scripture.
00:08:06 --> 00:08:06 So let's
00:08:06 --> 00:08:07 jump into
00:08:07 --> 00:08:07 that one,
00:08:07 --> 00:08:07 the book
00:08:07 --> 00:08:09 of Deuteronomy.
00:08:09 --> 00:08:09 So we're
00:08:09 --> 00:08:10 into Deuteronomy
00:08:10 --> 00:08:10 30,
00:08:10 --> 00:08:10 if you want
00:08:10 --> 00:08:11 to open
00:08:11 --> 00:08:12 your Bible.
00:08:12 --> 00:08:12 In fact,
00:08:12 --> 00:08:12 I'd encourage
00:08:12 --> 00:08:12 you to open
00:08:12 --> 00:08:13 your Bible
00:08:13 --> 00:08:13 at this
00:08:13 --> 00:08:13 point,
00:08:13 --> 00:08:14 Deuteronomy
00:08:14 --> 00:08:14 30.
00:08:16 --> 00:08:16 The book
00:08:16 --> 00:08:17 of Deuteronomy
00:08:17 --> 00:08:20 records the
00:08:20 --> 00:08:20 second giving
00:08:20 --> 00:08:21 of the law
00:08:21 --> 00:08:21 of God,
00:08:23 --> 00:08:23 just as the
00:08:23 --> 00:08:24 Israelites are
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26 there on the
00:08:26 --> 00:08:27 brink of
00:08:27 --> 00:08:27 entering the
00:08:27 --> 00:08:28 promised land.
00:08:29 --> 00:08:29 So let me
00:08:29 --> 00:08:30 just work our
00:08:30 --> 00:08:31 way backwards
00:08:31 --> 00:08:33 in Deuteronomy
00:08:33 --> 00:08:34 just to give
00:08:34 --> 00:08:34 us a little bit
00:08:34 --> 00:08:35 of clarity
00:08:35 --> 00:08:35 of what's
00:08:35 --> 00:08:36 going on
00:08:36 --> 00:08:36 here.
00:08:37 --> 00:08:39 In chapter
00:08:39 --> 00:08:41 34 records
00:08:41 --> 00:08:42 the death
00:08:42 --> 00:08:43 of Moses.
00:08:43 --> 00:08:44 Chapter
00:08:44 --> 00:08:45 33, the
00:08:45 --> 00:08:46 final blessing
00:08:46 --> 00:08:47 of Moses.
00:08:48 --> 00:08:49 Chapter
00:08:49 --> 00:08:50 32, the
00:08:50 --> 00:08:51 song of
00:08:51 --> 00:08:52 Moses before
00:08:52 --> 00:08:54 the blessing.
00:08:54 --> 00:08:56 chapter 31,
00:08:56 --> 00:08:57 the selection
00:08:57 --> 00:08:58 of Joshua
00:08:58 --> 00:08:58 to take
00:08:58 --> 00:08:59 over from
00:08:59 --> 00:09:00 Moses when
00:09:00 --> 00:09:01 he dies.
00:09:02 --> 00:09:02 And
00:09:02 --> 00:09:03 chapters 1
00:09:03 --> 00:09:04 to 30
00:09:04 --> 00:09:06 is basically
00:09:06 --> 00:09:07 just one
00:09:07 --> 00:09:08 really long
00:09:08 --> 00:09:09 sermon.
00:09:09 --> 00:09:10 Don't ever
00:09:10 --> 00:09:10 complain about
00:09:10 --> 00:09:10 mine.
00:09:12 --> 00:09:13 Just one
00:09:13 --> 00:09:14 really long
00:09:14 --> 00:09:14 sermon or
00:09:14 --> 00:09:16 a bunch of
00:09:16 --> 00:09:16 sermons.
00:09:16 --> 00:09:17 Let's have a
00:09:17 --> 00:09:17 five minute
00:09:17 --> 00:09:18 break, stand
00:09:18 --> 00:09:18 up, sit
00:09:18 --> 00:09:19 down, and
00:09:19 --> 00:09:19 then we can
00:09:19 --> 00:09:19 jump back in
00:09:19 --> 00:09:20 the next
00:09:20 --> 00:09:20 one.
00:09:20 --> 00:09:21 That's a
00:09:21 --> 00:09:21 really long
00:09:21 --> 00:09:22 sermon.
00:09:23 --> 00:09:23 And it's
00:09:23 --> 00:09:23 a covenant
00:09:23 --> 00:09:24 renewal
00:09:24 --> 00:09:25 ceremony
00:09:25 --> 00:09:27 spoken by
00:09:27 --> 00:09:28 God through
00:09:28 --> 00:09:29 the mouth
00:09:29 --> 00:09:29 of his
00:09:29 --> 00:09:29 servant
00:09:29 --> 00:09:30 Moses.
00:09:31 --> 00:09:32 So
00:09:32 --> 00:09:32 chapters
00:09:32 --> 00:09:33 29 and
00:09:33 --> 00:09:35 30 is
00:09:35 --> 00:09:35 the climax.
00:09:36 --> 00:09:37 It's the
00:09:37 --> 00:09:38 conclusion of
00:09:38 --> 00:09:38 Moses'
00:09:38 --> 00:09:39 sermon.
00:09:39 --> 00:09:40 And more
00:09:40 --> 00:09:40 specifically,
00:09:41 --> 00:09:42 chapter 30
00:09:42 --> 00:09:43 verses 11
00:09:43 --> 00:09:44 to 20 is
00:09:44 --> 00:09:45 the final
00:09:45 --> 00:09:46 appeal.
00:09:48 --> 00:09:49 It's the
00:09:49 --> 00:09:50 landing point,
00:09:50 --> 00:09:50 the appeal.
00:09:51 --> 00:09:53 Moses is
00:09:53 --> 00:09:54 imploring the
00:09:54 --> 00:09:55 people to
00:09:55 --> 00:09:56 choose life,
00:09:57 --> 00:09:58 not death,
00:09:58 --> 00:09:59 choose life.
00:10:00 --> 00:10:00 And choose
00:10:00 --> 00:10:01 life by
00:10:01 --> 00:10:01 keeping the
00:10:01 --> 00:10:02 commandments and
00:10:02 --> 00:10:03 the statutes
00:10:03 --> 00:10:03 of the law.
00:10:04 --> 00:10:05 That's
00:10:05 --> 00:10:06 verses 15
00:10:06 --> 00:10:07 to 20.
00:10:08 --> 00:10:09 And right
00:10:09 --> 00:10:10 there in
00:10:10 --> 00:10:11 15 to 20
00:10:11 --> 00:10:11 of chapter
00:10:11 --> 00:10:13 30 is the
00:10:13 --> 00:10:14 entire point
00:10:14 --> 00:10:15 that Moses
00:10:15 --> 00:10:16 has been
00:10:16 --> 00:10:17 working towards
00:10:17 --> 00:10:18 in the
00:10:18 --> 00:10:18 previous 30
00:10:18 --> 00:10:19 chapters.
00:10:19 --> 00:10:21 verses 15
00:10:21 --> 00:10:22 is the
00:10:22 --> 00:10:22 key.
00:10:23 --> 00:10:24 I
00:10:24 --> 00:10:24 command you
00:10:24 --> 00:10:26 today to
00:10:26 --> 00:10:26 love the
00:10:26 --> 00:10:27 Lord your
00:10:27 --> 00:10:27 God, to
00:10:27 --> 00:10:28 walk in
00:10:28 --> 00:10:29 obedience to
00:10:29 --> 00:10:30 him and
00:10:30 --> 00:10:30 to keep
00:10:30 --> 00:10:31 his commands,
00:10:32 --> 00:10:33 decrees and
00:10:33 --> 00:10:34 laws, and
00:10:34 --> 00:10:35 then you will
00:10:35 --> 00:10:35 live and
00:10:35 --> 00:10:37 increase and
00:10:37 --> 00:10:38 the Lord your
00:10:38 --> 00:10:38 God will
00:10:38 --> 00:10:39 bless you in
00:10:39 --> 00:10:39 the land you
00:10:39 --> 00:10:40 are entering
00:10:40 --> 00:10:40 to possess.
00:10:40 --> 00:10:41 promise.
00:10:42 --> 00:10:43 It's a call
00:10:43 --> 00:10:43 really to
00:10:43 --> 00:10:44 commitment, it's
00:10:44 --> 00:10:45 a call to
00:10:45 --> 00:10:45 covenant
00:10:45 --> 00:10:46 renewal.
00:10:47 --> 00:10:48 It's a
00:10:48 --> 00:10:48 deeply
00:10:48 --> 00:10:50 personal and
00:10:50 --> 00:10:51 whole of
00:10:51 --> 00:10:52 life transforming
00:10:52 --> 00:10:53 relationship is
00:10:53 --> 00:10:55 what Moses is
00:10:55 --> 00:10:56 calling Israel to
00:10:56 --> 00:10:57 at this point.
00:10:58 --> 00:10:59 And it's a
00:10:59 --> 00:11:01 very basic
00:11:01 --> 00:11:02 and straightforward
00:11:02 --> 00:11:04 appeal, very
00:11:04 --> 00:11:04 simple.
00:11:04 --> 00:11:06 and just
00:11:06 --> 00:11:07 before he
00:11:07 --> 00:11:08 issues this
00:11:08 --> 00:11:09 final appeal,
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 he makes it
00:11:11 --> 00:11:12 clear to
00:11:12 --> 00:11:13 them that
00:11:13 --> 00:11:14 the appeal
00:11:14 --> 00:11:16 itself and
00:11:16 --> 00:11:17 all that's
00:11:17 --> 00:11:18 required of
00:11:18 --> 00:11:19 them is
00:11:19 --> 00:11:20 not beyond
00:11:20 --> 00:11:21 them.
00:11:21 --> 00:11:22 Verse 11
00:11:22 --> 00:11:23 to 14,
00:11:24 --> 00:11:24 just read out
00:11:24 --> 00:11:25 to us by
00:11:25 --> 00:11:26 Anne, makes
00:11:26 --> 00:11:27 it clear that
00:11:27 --> 00:11:28 God's word,
00:11:29 --> 00:11:29 all of his
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 statutes, all
00:11:31 --> 00:11:32 of his commands
00:11:32 --> 00:11:33 is not beyond
00:11:33 --> 00:11:35 them and
00:11:35 --> 00:11:38 therefore life
00:11:38 --> 00:11:40 itself is not
00:11:40 --> 00:11:40 beyond them,
00:11:41 --> 00:11:43 not out of
00:11:43 --> 00:11:44 their reach.
00:11:45 --> 00:11:46 Moses says
00:11:46 --> 00:11:47 it's really
00:11:47 --> 00:11:47 clear, you
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 don't have to
00:11:48 --> 00:11:49 go up to
00:11:49 --> 00:11:49 heaven to
00:11:49 --> 00:11:50 get God's
00:11:50 --> 00:11:52 word, God's
00:11:52 --> 00:11:53 word is not
00:11:53 --> 00:11:54 out of reach,
00:11:54 --> 00:11:54 you don't need
00:11:54 --> 00:11:55 to get in a
00:11:55 --> 00:11:56 spaceship and
00:11:56 --> 00:11:57 launch up to
00:11:57 --> 00:11:57 the Netherlands
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 to try and
00:11:58 --> 00:12:01 find answers.
00:12:02 --> 00:12:03 Verse 13,
00:12:03 --> 00:12:05 nor is it
00:12:05 --> 00:12:06 beyond the
00:12:06 --> 00:12:07 sea so
00:12:07 --> 00:12:07 that you
00:12:07 --> 00:12:08 have to
00:12:08 --> 00:12:09 ask who
00:12:09 --> 00:12:09 will cross
00:12:09 --> 00:12:10 the sea to
00:12:10 --> 00:12:10 get it and
00:12:10 --> 00:12:11 proclaim it
00:12:11 --> 00:12:12 to us so
00:12:12 --> 00:12:13 that we may
00:12:13 --> 00:12:13 obey it.
00:12:15 --> 00:12:16 In the
00:12:16 --> 00:12:16 Bible, the
00:12:16 --> 00:12:17 sea is a
00:12:17 --> 00:12:18 symbol of
00:12:18 --> 00:12:18 chaos and
00:12:18 --> 00:12:19 destruction.
00:12:20 --> 00:12:20 In fact,
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 Paul quotes
00:12:21 --> 00:12:22 this verse
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 in Romans
00:12:23 --> 00:12:24 chapter 10
00:12:24 --> 00:12:25 and he
00:12:25 --> 00:12:26 calls it
00:12:26 --> 00:12:27 the abyss.
00:12:28 --> 00:12:28 Revelation
00:12:28 --> 00:12:30 9 calls it
00:12:30 --> 00:12:30 the abyss.
00:12:30 --> 00:12:32 It's the
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 place of
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 destruction,
00:12:35 --> 00:12:36 of death,
00:12:36 --> 00:12:38 of torment.
00:12:39 --> 00:12:40 In
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 ancient times,
00:12:42 --> 00:12:42 the sea
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 represented
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 death and
00:12:44 --> 00:12:45 destruction.
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 Death was
00:12:48 --> 00:12:49 sinking into
00:12:49 --> 00:12:50 the abyss.
00:12:51 --> 00:12:51 And the
00:12:51 --> 00:12:52 great stories
00:12:52 --> 00:12:53 of ancient
00:12:53 --> 00:12:54 cultures were
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 the stories of
00:12:55 --> 00:12:56 adventures taking
00:12:56 --> 00:12:58 on the seas to
00:12:58 --> 00:12:59 discover new
00:12:59 --> 00:13:00 worlds and
00:13:00 --> 00:13:01 explore uncharted
00:13:01 --> 00:13:02 lands.
00:13:04 --> 00:13:05 What Moses
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 is saying here
00:13:06 --> 00:13:07 with these
00:13:07 --> 00:13:08 images is we
00:13:08 --> 00:13:09 do not relate
00:13:09 --> 00:13:10 to God like
00:13:10 --> 00:13:10 that.
00:13:12 --> 00:13:13 It's not that
00:13:13 --> 00:13:13 hard.
00:13:14 --> 00:13:15 We don't have
00:13:15 --> 00:13:16 to search the
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 heavens.
00:13:17 --> 00:13:18 We don't have
00:13:18 --> 00:13:18 to go on a
00:13:18 --> 00:13:19 quest over the
00:13:19 --> 00:13:20 seas.
00:13:22 --> 00:13:23 God has
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 communicated to
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 us.
00:13:25 --> 00:13:25 He says God
00:13:25 --> 00:13:27 has come near
00:13:27 --> 00:13:28 to us.
00:13:34 --> 00:13:35 All ancient
00:13:35 --> 00:13:35 cultures,
00:13:36 --> 00:13:38 all ancient
00:13:38 --> 00:13:39 cultures,
00:13:39 --> 00:13:39 where the
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 divine secrets,
00:13:40 --> 00:13:41 the mysteries of
00:13:41 --> 00:13:41 how to live
00:13:41 --> 00:13:42 life, the
00:13:42 --> 00:13:42 secrets of
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 the universe,
00:13:46 --> 00:13:46 defined
00:13:46 --> 00:13:47 things known
00:13:47 --> 00:13:48 only to the
00:13:48 --> 00:13:49 gods.
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 And it was
00:13:51 --> 00:13:52 only a very
00:13:52 --> 00:13:53 few courageous
00:13:53 --> 00:13:56 people in
00:13:56 --> 00:13:56 those cultures
00:13:56 --> 00:13:57 who were
00:13:57 --> 00:13:57 willing to
00:13:57 --> 00:13:58 go on the
00:13:58 --> 00:14:00 quest beyond
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 civilized
00:14:01 --> 00:14:03 lands to
00:14:03 --> 00:14:04 connect with
00:14:04 --> 00:14:04 the gods and
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 to bring back
00:14:05 --> 00:14:06 the secrets of
00:14:06 --> 00:14:07 the universe.
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 And Moses
00:14:10 --> 00:14:11 doesn't buy into
00:14:11 --> 00:14:11 that at all
00:14:11 --> 00:14:13 in any way.
00:14:16 --> 00:14:16 Deuteronomy
00:14:16 --> 00:14:17 says the God
00:14:17 --> 00:14:18 to whom highest
00:14:18 --> 00:14:19 heaven cannot
00:14:19 --> 00:14:22 contain has
00:14:22 --> 00:14:23 descended to
00:14:23 --> 00:14:23 us.
00:14:23 --> 00:14:23 earth.
00:14:24 --> 00:14:25 He came
00:14:25 --> 00:14:26 down to
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 Mount Sinai
00:14:27 --> 00:14:27 and he
00:14:27 --> 00:14:28 spoke.
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30 To access
00:14:30 --> 00:14:31 the secret
00:14:31 --> 00:14:32 universe,
00:14:32 --> 00:14:33 you do not
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 need to be
00:14:34 --> 00:14:34 an elite
00:14:34 --> 00:14:35 scientist.
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 You don't
00:14:39 --> 00:14:40 need to be a
00:14:40 --> 00:14:40 gifted artist.
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 You don't
00:14:43 --> 00:14:44 need to be a
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45 regular attendee
00:14:45 --> 00:14:46 at an exclusive
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 retreat in the
00:14:47 --> 00:14:47 rainforest.
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 You don't
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 need to climb
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 to the top of
00:14:52 --> 00:14:52 the highest
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 mountain or
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 dive into the
00:14:54 --> 00:14:54 depths of
00:14:54 --> 00:14:55 the sea.
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 The secrets
00:14:57 --> 00:14:57 of the
00:14:57 --> 00:15:00 universe have
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 traditionally been
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 virtually in
00:15:02 --> 00:15:03 every hotel
00:15:03 --> 00:15:03 room in the
00:15:03 --> 00:15:04 Western world.
00:15:06 --> 00:15:07 Just sitting
00:15:07 --> 00:15:07 beside the
00:15:07 --> 00:15:08 bed in a
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 drawer, top
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 drawer normally.
00:15:12 --> 00:15:13 Placed there
00:15:13 --> 00:15:13 by the
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 Gideons.
00:15:14 --> 00:15:18 It's in the
00:15:18 --> 00:15:20 Bible and the
00:15:20 --> 00:15:20 Bible is
00:15:20 --> 00:15:21 everywhere.
00:15:22 --> 00:15:22 With
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 estimated total
00:15:23 --> 00:15:24 sales of
00:15:24 --> 00:15:25 over five
00:15:25 --> 00:15:26 billion copies,
00:15:26 --> 00:15:27 the Bible is
00:15:27 --> 00:15:27 the best
00:15:27 --> 00:15:28 selling publication
00:15:28 --> 00:15:29 of all time.
00:15:30 --> 00:15:32 It has had a
00:15:32 --> 00:15:33 profound influence.
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 In fact, it has
00:15:34 --> 00:15:36 shaped both
00:15:36 --> 00:15:37 Western culture
00:15:37 --> 00:15:37 and history
00:15:37 --> 00:15:40 and most
00:15:40 --> 00:15:40 cultures around
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 the globe.
00:15:43 --> 00:15:43 And to
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 date, it is
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 translated or
00:15:45 --> 00:15:45 currently being
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 translated into
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 about half of
00:15:47 --> 00:15:47 the world's
00:15:47 --> 00:15:48 languages.
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 The secret of
00:15:50 --> 00:15:52 the universe is
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 right under our
00:15:53 --> 00:15:54 noses and it
00:15:54 --> 00:15:56 is accessible.
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 For sure, there
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 are some hard
00:15:59 --> 00:15:59 things to
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 understand.
00:16:01 --> 00:16:01 But the
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 core message of
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 the Bible is
00:16:03 --> 00:16:05 unbelievably
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 accessible.
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 It is right
00:16:07 --> 00:16:07 there.
00:16:07 --> 00:16:09 What God
00:16:09 --> 00:16:09 wants of us
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 is not hidden,
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 it's not far
00:16:11 --> 00:16:12 off, it's not
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 locked up into
00:16:13 --> 00:16:13 some vault.
00:16:14 --> 00:16:15 The word of
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 God can be on
00:16:16 --> 00:16:16 our lips and
00:16:16 --> 00:16:17 taught to our
00:16:17 --> 00:16:18 children.
00:16:19 --> 00:16:20 It is right
00:16:20 --> 00:16:21 in front of
00:16:21 --> 00:16:23 us, ready to
00:16:23 --> 00:16:23 be understood
00:16:23 --> 00:16:25 and obeyed.
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 And yet,
00:16:29 --> 00:16:29 this
00:16:29 --> 00:16:30 accessibility and
00:16:30 --> 00:16:32 simplicity can
00:16:32 --> 00:16:33 be quite
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 deceptive.
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 Because
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 modern people
00:16:37 --> 00:16:39 have the
00:16:39 --> 00:16:39 same problem
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 as ancient
00:16:40 --> 00:16:41 people.
00:16:42 --> 00:16:44 We tend to
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 think that if
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 any insight to
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 be really
00:16:47 --> 00:16:48 important,
00:16:48 --> 00:16:49 then it has to
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50 be brilliant,
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 it has to be
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 sophisticated,
00:16:53 --> 00:16:53 it has to be
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 new.
00:16:55 --> 00:16:56 And the Bible's
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 not any of
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 those things.
00:16:58 --> 00:16:58 things.
00:17:01 --> 00:17:01 And so let me
00:17:01 --> 00:17:02 just say, if
00:17:02 --> 00:17:02 you are
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 exploring
00:17:03 --> 00:17:03 Christianity
00:17:03 --> 00:17:04 right now,
00:17:06 --> 00:17:08 don't be
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 offended by
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 the simplicity
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 and the
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 ordinariness
00:17:12 --> 00:17:12 of the
00:17:12 --> 00:17:12 Bible.
00:17:15 --> 00:17:15 Even
00:17:15 --> 00:17:16 Christians
00:17:16 --> 00:17:16 struggle with
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 the simplicity
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 of their
00:17:18 --> 00:17:20 faith and
00:17:20 --> 00:17:20 the Bible.
00:17:20 --> 00:17:20 people.
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 The Old
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 Testament says
00:17:25 --> 00:17:25 we are
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26 saved by
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 God's grace
00:17:27 --> 00:17:29 to be his
00:17:29 --> 00:17:29 special
00:17:29 --> 00:17:30 possession.
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32 That's the
00:17:32 --> 00:17:32 summary of the
00:17:32 --> 00:17:33 Old Testament,
00:17:33 --> 00:17:34 saved by God's
00:17:34 --> 00:17:36 grace to be
00:17:36 --> 00:17:36 his special
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 possession.
00:17:38 --> 00:17:38 And the New
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 Testament adds
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 that this is
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 done and
00:17:41 --> 00:17:42 completed in
00:17:42 --> 00:17:42 the person of
00:17:42 --> 00:17:43 Jesus Christ.
00:17:44 --> 00:17:45 It's as
00:17:45 --> 00:17:45 simple as
00:17:45 --> 00:17:45 that.
00:17:45 --> 00:17:50 So why
00:17:50 --> 00:17:50 is it so
00:17:50 --> 00:17:51 hard?
00:17:51 --> 00:17:52 Let's move
00:17:52 --> 00:17:52 to the
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 final point,
00:17:53 --> 00:17:53 the difficulty,
00:17:54 --> 00:17:54 the Bible's
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55 difficult
00:17:55 --> 00:17:55 clarity.
00:17:57 --> 00:17:58 The clarity
00:17:58 --> 00:17:58 and simplicity
00:17:58 --> 00:17:59 of God's
00:17:59 --> 00:18:02 word is
00:18:02 --> 00:18:02 in fact
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 its
00:18:03 --> 00:18:03 difficulty.
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 The reason
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 we don't
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 need to
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 ascend to
00:18:08 --> 00:18:09 heaven or
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 cross the
00:18:10 --> 00:18:12 abyss is
00:18:12 --> 00:18:12 because God
00:18:12 --> 00:18:14 is near and
00:18:14 --> 00:18:14 that means
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 his word
00:18:15 --> 00:18:16 to us
00:18:16 --> 00:18:16 is near.
00:18:17 --> 00:18:17 God has
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 made himself
00:18:18 --> 00:18:19 and the
00:18:19 --> 00:18:19 way of
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 salvation
00:18:20 --> 00:18:20 known to
00:18:20 --> 00:18:22 us simply
00:18:22 --> 00:18:23 and clearly.
00:18:24 --> 00:18:24 These
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 analogies
00:18:25 --> 00:18:27 that Moses
00:18:27 --> 00:18:28 uses is a
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 roundabout way
00:18:29 --> 00:18:29 of saying
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 that relationship
00:18:30 --> 00:18:30 with God
00:18:30 --> 00:18:31 is not
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32 something that
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 we have to
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 pursue and
00:18:34 --> 00:18:35 achieve
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 ourselves.
00:18:36 --> 00:18:36 We don't
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 go on a
00:18:37 --> 00:18:39 quest to
00:18:39 --> 00:18:40 connect with
00:18:40 --> 00:18:41 the divine
00:18:41 --> 00:18:41 in order to
00:18:41 --> 00:18:41 have a
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42 relationship
00:18:42 --> 00:18:42 with him.
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 The analogy
00:18:44 --> 00:18:45 Moses uses
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 here is
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 to reveal
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 that God
00:18:48 --> 00:18:48 comes to
00:18:48 --> 00:18:50 us and
00:18:50 --> 00:18:50 he saves
00:18:50 --> 00:18:51 us by
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 his grace.
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54 Relationship
00:18:54 --> 00:18:54 with him is
00:18:54 --> 00:18:55 something that
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56 we receive,
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 not something
00:18:57 --> 00:18:57 that we
00:18:57 --> 00:18:58 achieve.
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 We also
00:19:00 --> 00:19:00 see in the
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 second half of
00:19:01 --> 00:19:01 the passage
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 that Moses
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 seems to
00:19:03 --> 00:19:03 contradict
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 himself in
00:19:04 --> 00:19:04 these verses.
00:19:05 --> 00:19:05 How can
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 Moses say
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 things like
00:19:07 --> 00:19:09 the commandment
00:19:09 --> 00:19:09 is not
00:19:09 --> 00:19:09 too hard
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 for you
00:19:10 --> 00:19:10 in verse
00:19:10 --> 00:19:12 11 and
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13 that you
00:19:13 --> 00:19:13 can do
00:19:13 --> 00:19:14 it in
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 verse 14.
00:19:16 --> 00:19:16 You don't
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 need to go
00:19:17 --> 00:19:17 up to
00:19:17 --> 00:19:17 heaven,
00:19:17 --> 00:19:17 you don't
00:19:17 --> 00:19:18 need to
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 cross the
00:19:19 --> 00:19:19 sea,
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20 it's right
00:19:20 --> 00:19:20 in front
00:19:20 --> 00:19:20 of you.
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 But then
00:19:21 --> 00:19:21 he says
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 in verse
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 17,
00:19:23 --> 00:19:25 but if
00:19:25 --> 00:19:25 your heart
00:19:25 --> 00:19:26 turns away
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 and you
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 are not
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 obedient and
00:19:29 --> 00:19:29 if you
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 are drawn
00:19:30 --> 00:19:30 away to
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 bow down
00:19:31 --> 00:19:31 to other
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 gods and
00:19:32 --> 00:19:33 worship them,
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 I declare to
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 you this day
00:19:35 --> 00:19:35 that you will
00:19:35 --> 00:19:36 certainly be
00:19:36 --> 00:19:36 destroyed.
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 You will
00:19:38 --> 00:19:38 not live
00:19:38 --> 00:19:39 long in
00:19:39 --> 00:19:39 the land
00:19:39 --> 00:19:39 you are
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 crossing the
00:19:40 --> 00:19:40 Jordan to
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 enter and
00:19:41 --> 00:19:41 possess.
00:19:42 --> 00:19:43 This day I
00:19:43 --> 00:19:43 call the
00:19:43 --> 00:19:43 heavens and
00:19:43 --> 00:19:44 the earth
00:19:44 --> 00:19:45 as witnesses
00:19:45 --> 00:19:45 against you
00:19:45 --> 00:19:47 that I have
00:19:47 --> 00:19:47 set before
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48 you life and
00:19:48 --> 00:19:48 death,
00:19:49 --> 00:19:50 blessings and
00:19:50 --> 00:19:50 curses,
00:19:51 --> 00:19:52 now choose
00:19:52 --> 00:19:53 life.
00:19:53 --> 00:19:55 So if
00:19:55 --> 00:19:56 it's entirely
00:19:56 --> 00:19:57 by God's
00:19:57 --> 00:19:57 work to
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 establish
00:19:58 --> 00:19:58 relationship
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 with us,
00:20:00 --> 00:20:02 why does
00:20:02 --> 00:20:02 he include
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 that?
00:20:04 --> 00:20:05 Because on
00:20:05 --> 00:20:06 the surface
00:20:06 --> 00:20:06 when you
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 read that it
00:20:07 --> 00:20:07 sounds very
00:20:07 --> 00:20:08 much like
00:20:08 --> 00:20:08 striving.
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10 It sounds
00:20:10 --> 00:20:10 very much
00:20:10 --> 00:20:13 like put
00:20:13 --> 00:20:13 your socks
00:20:13 --> 00:20:13 up and
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 keep them
00:20:14 --> 00:20:14 pulled up,
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 otherwise
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 you're done.
00:20:18 --> 00:20:19 It seems
00:20:19 --> 00:20:19 to contradict
00:20:19 --> 00:20:20 the first
00:20:20 --> 00:20:21 half of
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 the passage,
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 but it
00:20:23 --> 00:20:23 doesn't.
00:20:25 --> 00:20:25 The clue
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 in
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 understanding
00:20:27 --> 00:20:29 this is
00:20:29 --> 00:20:30 in fact the
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 entire
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32 sermon of
00:20:32 --> 00:20:33 Deuteronomy
00:20:33 --> 00:20:37 is almost
00:20:37 --> 00:20:37 the last
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38 thing he
00:20:38 --> 00:20:38 says in
00:20:38 --> 00:20:39 chapter 30.
00:20:40 --> 00:20:40 It's in
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 verse 20.
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 For the
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 Lord is
00:20:44 --> 00:20:46 your life.
00:20:47 --> 00:20:47 Not you
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 are your
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 life, not
00:20:49 --> 00:20:49 your obedience
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50 is your
00:20:50 --> 00:20:51 life, the
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 Lord is
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 your life.
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 That is,
00:20:55 --> 00:20:55 they have
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 life already,
00:20:57 --> 00:20:58 so this
00:20:58 --> 00:20:58 must be
00:20:58 --> 00:20:59 referring to
00:20:59 --> 00:20:59 something a
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 bit more
00:21:00 --> 00:21:00 than just
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 the fact
00:21:01 --> 00:21:01 that they're
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 alive, it's
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 referring to
00:21:03 --> 00:21:03 spiritual life,
00:21:03 --> 00:21:04 it's referring
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 to eternal
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 life.
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 Up to this
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 point in
00:21:08 --> 00:21:08 Deuteronomy,
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 life is
00:21:10 --> 00:21:10 connected to
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11 obedience,
00:21:12 --> 00:21:12 death is
00:21:12 --> 00:21:13 connected to
00:21:13 --> 00:21:13 disobedience.
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14 obedience.
00:21:17 --> 00:21:18 The Bible
00:21:18 --> 00:21:19 is clear, it
00:21:19 --> 00:21:20 is simple, it
00:21:20 --> 00:21:21 is accessible,
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 and God
00:21:22 --> 00:21:23 expects it to
00:21:23 --> 00:21:23 be obeyed.
00:21:24 --> 00:21:24 And so
00:21:24 --> 00:21:25 life is
00:21:25 --> 00:21:25 connected to
00:21:25 --> 00:21:26 obedience and
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27 death is
00:21:27 --> 00:21:27 connected to
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 disobedience.
00:21:29 --> 00:21:29 And yet,
00:21:31 --> 00:21:32 they've already
00:21:32 --> 00:21:33 failed multiple
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34 times.
00:21:35 --> 00:21:35 There's not a
00:21:35 --> 00:21:36 single person
00:21:36 --> 00:21:37 who's righteous,
00:21:37 --> 00:21:37 Romans chapter
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 three.
00:21:38 --> 00:21:41 because the
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 Bible also
00:21:42 --> 00:21:44 reveals our
00:21:44 --> 00:21:46 inability, our
00:21:46 --> 00:21:48 powerlessness, it
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 reveals our
00:21:49 --> 00:21:50 sin, our lack
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 of righteousness.
00:21:53 --> 00:21:54 So verse 20
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 is not saying
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56 that if you
00:21:56 --> 00:21:56 obey God, he
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 will give you
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 life.
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00 It is saying
00:22:00 --> 00:22:03 he is your
00:22:03 --> 00:22:03 life.
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 And Paul
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 explains it.
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 in Romans
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 chapter 10
00:22:10 --> 00:22:10 when he
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 picks up
00:22:11 --> 00:22:11 Deuteronomy
00:22:11 --> 00:22:12 30.
00:22:14 --> 00:22:15 As he's
00:22:15 --> 00:22:15 proclaiming the
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 good news of
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 salvation in
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 Jesus Christ to
00:22:18 --> 00:22:18 the church in
00:22:18 --> 00:22:18 Rome.
00:22:19 --> 00:22:19 I'm going to
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 read it to
00:22:20 --> 00:22:20 you.
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 Christ is the
00:22:22 --> 00:22:23 culmination of
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 the law so
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 that there may
00:22:25 --> 00:22:25 be righteousness
00:22:25 --> 00:22:27 for everyone
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 who believes.
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 Moses writes
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 this about the
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 righteous that is
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 by the law.
00:22:35 --> 00:22:36 The person
00:22:36 --> 00:22:36 who does
00:22:36 --> 00:22:37 these things
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38 will live
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 by them.
00:22:39 --> 00:22:39 But the
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 righteous that
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 is by faith
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 says, do
00:22:42 --> 00:22:43 not say in
00:22:43 --> 00:22:43 your heart,
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 who will
00:22:44 --> 00:22:44 ascend into
00:22:44 --> 00:22:45 heaven?
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 That is to
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48 bring Christ
00:22:48 --> 00:22:48 down.
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 Or who
00:22:49 --> 00:22:50 will descend
00:22:50 --> 00:22:51 to the deep?
00:22:51 --> 00:22:52 That is to
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53 bring Christ
00:22:53 --> 00:22:53 up from the
00:22:53 --> 00:22:53 dead.
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 But what
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 does it say?
00:22:57 --> 00:22:58 The word is
00:22:58 --> 00:22:59 near you.
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 It is in your
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 mouth and in
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 your heart.
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 That is the
00:23:03 --> 00:23:04 message concerning
00:23:04 --> 00:23:05 faith that we
00:23:05 --> 00:23:05 proclaim.
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 If you
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 declare with
00:23:07 --> 00:23:07 your mouth
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 Jesus is
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 Lord and
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 believe in
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 your heart
00:23:10 --> 00:23:10 that God
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 raised him
00:23:11 --> 00:23:11 from the
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 dead, you
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 will be
00:23:13 --> 00:23:13 saved.
00:23:15 --> 00:23:15 What he
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 says there in
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 Romans 10 is
00:23:17 --> 00:23:17 that Jesus
00:23:17 --> 00:23:20 is the end
00:23:20 --> 00:23:20 of the law
00:23:20 --> 00:23:21 of righteousness.
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 The law
00:23:24 --> 00:23:25 still exists
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 to please
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 God and to
00:23:27 --> 00:23:27 change your
00:23:27 --> 00:23:28 life, but it
00:23:28 --> 00:23:29 is never meant
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 to be and
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 never will ever
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 meant to be a
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 means to stand
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34 before God
00:23:34 --> 00:23:35 justified and
00:23:35 --> 00:23:36 accepted.
00:23:38 --> 00:23:38 Why?
00:23:39 --> 00:23:41 Because Jesus
00:23:41 --> 00:23:43 came from
00:23:43 --> 00:23:45 heaven to
00:23:45 --> 00:23:47 us and
00:23:47 --> 00:23:47 then not
00:23:47 --> 00:23:48 just to us
00:23:48 --> 00:23:50 but went
00:23:50 --> 00:23:50 to the
00:23:50 --> 00:23:51 abyss of
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 chaos and
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 destruction and
00:23:53 --> 00:23:55 death to
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 bring eternal
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 life to
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 everyone who
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 will accept
00:23:59 --> 00:23:59 him.
00:23:59 --> 00:24:02 And that's
00:24:02 --> 00:24:03 threatening.
00:24:04 --> 00:24:05 It is so
00:24:05 --> 00:24:05 simple.
00:24:07 --> 00:24:08 The message
00:24:08 --> 00:24:09 of the Bible
00:24:09 --> 00:24:10 is so
00:24:10 --> 00:24:11 simple.
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 Every bit
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 of it screams
00:24:15 --> 00:24:16 out, look to
00:24:16 --> 00:24:17 Jesus, look to
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18 Jesus, every
00:24:18 --> 00:24:18 bit of it.
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 And yet it
00:24:21 --> 00:24:23 is so, so
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 hard.
00:24:26 --> 00:24:27 So complex.
00:24:27 --> 00:24:29 So
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 threatening.
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 Because what
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 kind of God
00:24:34 --> 00:24:36 has a bar of
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 salvation that
00:24:37 --> 00:24:38 is so low?
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 What kind of
00:24:41 --> 00:24:41 God does
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 that?
00:24:45 --> 00:24:46 A God of
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47 grace who
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48 allows anyone
00:24:48 --> 00:24:48 to come.
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 A bar so
00:24:51 --> 00:24:52 low that
00:24:52 --> 00:24:52 anyone can
00:24:52 --> 00:24:53 step over
00:24:53 --> 00:24:53 it.
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 Because it's
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56 a bar of
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 grace, not a
00:24:57 --> 00:24:57 bar of
00:24:57 --> 00:24:58 works.
00:25:01 --> 00:25:02 And yet
00:25:02 --> 00:25:02 it's not
00:25:02 --> 00:25:03 such a low
00:25:03 --> 00:25:03 bar, is
00:25:03 --> 00:25:03 it?
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 Not
00:25:06 --> 00:25:06 really.
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 It
00:25:10 --> 00:25:10 demands that
00:25:10 --> 00:25:11 we lose
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 our pride.
00:25:15 --> 00:25:15 It
00:25:15 --> 00:25:16 demands that
00:25:16 --> 00:25:16 we lose
00:25:16 --> 00:25:17 our pride
00:25:17 --> 00:25:17 and the
00:25:17 --> 00:25:17 right to
00:25:17 --> 00:25:18 look down
00:25:18 --> 00:25:18 on any
00:25:18 --> 00:25:19 other human
00:25:19 --> 00:25:20 being.
00:25:21 --> 00:25:21 It also
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 demands that
00:25:22 --> 00:25:22 we surrender
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 control of
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 our life.
00:25:24 --> 00:25:24 life.
00:25:25 --> 00:25:26 If we
00:25:26 --> 00:25:26 are not
00:25:26 --> 00:25:28 prepared to
00:25:28 --> 00:25:28 let go of
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 ourselves,
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 we discover
00:25:30 --> 00:25:31 that the
00:25:31 --> 00:25:31 bar is in
00:25:31 --> 00:25:32 fact far
00:25:32 --> 00:25:32 too high
00:25:32 --> 00:25:33 for us.
00:25:34 --> 00:25:35 Far too
00:25:35 --> 00:25:35 high.
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 This is the
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 threatening
00:25:39 --> 00:25:41 costliness of
00:25:41 --> 00:25:41 the free
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 grace of
00:25:42 --> 00:25:42 God.
00:25:43 --> 00:25:44 The message
00:25:44 --> 00:25:44 of the
00:25:44 --> 00:25:45 Bible is
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46 so, so
00:25:46 --> 00:25:47 simple.
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 It is so
00:25:48 --> 00:25:49 clear.
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 And yet it is
00:25:51 --> 00:25:52 so difficult
00:25:52 --> 00:25:52 to take.
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 If you're
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 exploring
00:25:56 --> 00:25:56 Christianity,
00:25:58 --> 00:26:00 understand the
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01 difficulty of
00:26:01 --> 00:26:02 the simplicity
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03 of the
00:26:03 --> 00:26:04 Christian
00:26:04 --> 00:26:04 faith.
00:26:05 --> 00:26:06 However,
00:26:08 --> 00:26:08 however,
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 grasping the
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 simplicity of
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 the Christian
00:26:12 --> 00:26:13 faith as
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 it is
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 proclaimed in
00:26:15 --> 00:26:16 the Bible,
00:26:17 --> 00:26:17 in all of
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 its difficulty,
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20 is in fact how
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 you become a
00:26:21 --> 00:26:21 Christian.
00:26:23 --> 00:26:24 In that
00:26:24 --> 00:26:24 moment,
00:26:26 --> 00:26:27 the moment the
00:26:27 --> 00:26:27 clarity and
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 the simplicity
00:26:28 --> 00:26:29 of the message
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30 of God's
00:26:30 --> 00:26:30 grace in
00:26:30 --> 00:26:31 Jesus Christ
00:26:31 --> 00:26:32 hits you
00:26:32 --> 00:26:34 and you
00:26:34 --> 00:26:34 are willing
00:26:34 --> 00:26:35 to pay
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 the cost of
00:26:36 --> 00:26:37 surrendering your
00:26:37 --> 00:26:39 pride and
00:26:39 --> 00:26:39 control of
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 your life,
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42 is the
00:26:42 --> 00:26:43 moment that
00:26:43 --> 00:26:44 you enter
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 into a
00:26:45 --> 00:26:45 relationship
00:26:45 --> 00:26:46 with the
00:26:46 --> 00:26:46 God who
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 holds all
00:26:47 --> 00:26:47 the secrets
00:26:47 --> 00:26:47 of the
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 universe.
00:26:50 --> 00:26:51 It really
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 is that
00:26:52 --> 00:26:55 simple and
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 it really
00:26:56 --> 00:26:56 is that
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 difficult.
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 You see,
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 this clarity,
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 this doctrine
00:27:03 --> 00:27:03 that we're
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 looking at
00:27:04 --> 00:27:04 this morning,
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 the clarity
00:27:05 --> 00:27:05 of Scripture,
00:27:05 --> 00:27:06 historical
00:27:06 --> 00:27:06 document,
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 is so
00:27:08 --> 00:27:09 far,
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 so far
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 from some
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 dry
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 biblical
00:27:14 --> 00:27:14 teaching,
00:27:15 --> 00:27:15 Christian
00:27:15 --> 00:27:16 teaching.
00:27:16 --> 00:27:16 There is
00:27:16 --> 00:27:18 so much
00:27:18 --> 00:27:18 at stake
00:27:18 --> 00:27:19 on the
00:27:19 --> 00:27:19 clarity of
00:27:19 --> 00:27:19 Scripture.
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 It insists
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 that even
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 the simplest
00:27:24 --> 00:27:25 disciple can
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 understand the
00:27:26 --> 00:27:26 message of the
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 Bible and be
00:27:27 --> 00:27:28 saved.
00:27:29 --> 00:27:30 The Bible
00:27:30 --> 00:27:31 isn't just
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 for pastors
00:27:32 --> 00:27:32 and scholars
00:27:32 --> 00:27:34 with a working
00:27:34 --> 00:27:34 knowledge of
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 Hebrew and
00:27:35 --> 00:27:35 Greek.
00:27:36 --> 00:27:37 You don't
00:27:37 --> 00:27:37 need to know
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 about Second
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 Temple Judaism.
00:27:40 --> 00:27:40 You don't
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 need to know
00:27:41 --> 00:27:43 about Greco-Roman
00:27:43 --> 00:27:43 customs nor
00:27:43 --> 00:27:44 ancient Near East
00:27:44 --> 00:27:45 religion.
00:27:46 --> 00:27:46 Nor do you
00:27:46 --> 00:27:47 need to be
00:27:47 --> 00:27:47 schooled in
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 redaction
00:27:48 --> 00:27:48 criticism,
00:27:49 --> 00:27:49 source
00:27:49 --> 00:27:49 criticism,
00:27:50 --> 00:27:50 form
00:27:50 --> 00:27:50 criticism,
00:27:50 --> 00:27:51 and all
00:27:51 --> 00:27:51 that other
00:27:51 --> 00:27:52 stuff I
00:27:52 --> 00:27:52 had to
00:27:52 --> 00:27:52 do.
00:27:57 --> 00:27:58 And still
00:27:58 --> 00:27:58 trying to
00:27:58 --> 00:27:58 work out.
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 God is
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 not the
00:28:02 --> 00:28:02 God of
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 the smarty
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 pants only,
00:28:05 --> 00:28:07 as much as
00:28:07 --> 00:28:07 we might want
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08 to make him
00:28:08 --> 00:28:08 such on the
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 North Shore
00:28:09 --> 00:28:09 of Sydney.
00:28:11 --> 00:28:12 The clarity
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 of Scripture
00:28:13 --> 00:28:15 reveals so
00:28:15 --> 00:28:16 much about
00:28:16 --> 00:28:16 the character
00:28:16 --> 00:28:17 of God.
00:28:18 --> 00:28:19 What kind
00:28:19 --> 00:28:20 of God
00:28:20 --> 00:28:20 would reveal
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 his love?
00:28:23 --> 00:28:23 What kind
00:28:23 --> 00:28:24 of God
00:28:24 --> 00:28:24 would reveal
00:28:24 --> 00:28:25 his redemption
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 in terms so
00:28:26 --> 00:28:28 technical and
00:28:28 --> 00:28:29 concepts so
00:28:29 --> 00:28:31 profound that
00:28:31 --> 00:28:32 only an elite
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 group of
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 professional scholars
00:28:34 --> 00:28:34 could possibly
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 understand them?
00:28:37 --> 00:28:38 Not the God
00:28:38 --> 00:28:39 of the Bible.
00:28:42 --> 00:28:42 Relationship
00:28:42 --> 00:28:43 with him
00:28:43 --> 00:28:43 is accessible
00:28:43 --> 00:28:45 to all.
00:28:51 --> 00:28:51 And so
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 if you are
00:28:52 --> 00:28:52 a Christian,
00:28:54 --> 00:28:57 say,
00:28:57 --> 00:28:57 well,
00:28:57 --> 00:28:57 I know the
00:28:57 --> 00:28:57 gospel,
00:28:57 --> 00:28:58 I don't need
00:28:58 --> 00:28:59 to know
00:28:59 --> 00:28:59 anything more,
00:28:59 --> 00:29:00 I've got to
00:29:00 --> 00:29:00 clear on the
00:29:00 --> 00:29:00 gospel,
00:29:01 --> 00:29:01 that's about
00:29:01 --> 00:29:02 it I need.
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03 If that is
00:29:03 --> 00:29:04 your response,
00:29:04 --> 00:29:05 you do not
00:29:05 --> 00:29:05 yet know
00:29:05 --> 00:29:06 the gospel.
00:29:06 --> 00:29:10 You do
00:29:10 --> 00:29:10 not yet
00:29:10 --> 00:29:11 know the
00:29:11 --> 00:29:11 gospel.
00:29:13 --> 00:29:14 You must
00:29:14 --> 00:29:14 mind the
00:29:14 --> 00:29:15 depths,
00:29:15 --> 00:29:16 the depths
00:29:16 --> 00:29:17 of Scripture
00:29:17 --> 00:29:17 to get
00:29:17 --> 00:29:17 clearer and
00:29:17 --> 00:29:18 clearer picture
00:29:18 --> 00:29:18 of who
00:29:18 --> 00:29:19 God is.
00:29:20 --> 00:29:21 The majesty
00:29:21 --> 00:29:21 of this
00:29:21 --> 00:29:21 God.
00:29:28 --> 00:29:28 William
00:29:28 --> 00:29:29 Tindall's
00:29:29 --> 00:29:30 life
00:29:30 --> 00:29:32 was often
00:29:32 --> 00:29:32 in danger
00:29:32 --> 00:29:33 because of
00:29:33 --> 00:29:33 his efforts
00:29:33 --> 00:29:34 to translate
00:29:34 --> 00:29:35 the Bible
00:29:35 --> 00:29:36 into the
00:29:36 --> 00:29:36 language of
00:29:36 --> 00:29:36 the common
00:29:36 --> 00:29:37 people.
00:29:37 --> 00:29:37 It was his
00:29:37 --> 00:29:38 goal in
00:29:38 --> 00:29:39 life was
00:29:39 --> 00:29:39 to make
00:29:39 --> 00:29:39 sure that
00:29:39 --> 00:29:40 the Bible
00:29:40 --> 00:29:41 was accessible
00:29:41 --> 00:29:42 to every
00:29:42 --> 00:29:44 person in
00:29:44 --> 00:29:44 the English
00:29:44 --> 00:29:45 speaking world.
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47 He was
00:29:47 --> 00:29:47 once in
00:29:47 --> 00:29:49 dispute with
00:29:49 --> 00:29:49 what he
00:29:49 --> 00:29:50 called a
00:29:50 --> 00:29:51 learned man
00:29:51 --> 00:29:52 about all
00:29:52 --> 00:29:52 people having
00:29:52 --> 00:29:53 access to
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54 God's word
00:29:54 --> 00:29:54 and this
00:29:54 --> 00:29:55 learned man
00:29:55 --> 00:29:55 said,
00:29:55 --> 00:29:55 no way,
00:29:55 --> 00:29:56 that's
00:29:56 --> 00:29:56 ridiculous,
00:29:57 --> 00:29:57 it's just
00:29:57 --> 00:29:58 for the
00:29:58 --> 00:29:58 pastors and
00:29:58 --> 00:29:59 the preachers
00:29:59 --> 00:29:59 and the
00:29:59 --> 00:29:59 priests.
00:30:00 --> 00:30:01 And he
00:30:01 --> 00:30:01 said to
00:30:01 --> 00:30:01 him what
00:30:01 --> 00:30:01 is now
00:30:01 --> 00:30:02 famous words,
00:30:02 --> 00:30:04 if God
00:30:04 --> 00:30:04 spare my
00:30:04 --> 00:30:05 life before
00:30:05 --> 00:30:06 many years
00:30:06 --> 00:30:06 I will
00:30:06 --> 00:30:07 cause a
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08 boy that
00:30:08 --> 00:30:08 drives the
00:30:08 --> 00:30:09 plough,
00:30:10 --> 00:30:10 that he
00:30:10 --> 00:30:10 will have
00:30:10 --> 00:30:11 more knowledge
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12 of the
00:30:12 --> 00:30:12 scriptures than
00:30:12 --> 00:30:13 the Pope
00:30:13 --> 00:30:13 himself.
00:30:17 --> 00:30:17 Tindall's
00:30:17 --> 00:30:18 pursuit of
00:30:18 --> 00:30:19 the clarity
00:30:19 --> 00:30:19 of scripture
00:30:19 --> 00:30:20 for all
00:30:20 --> 00:30:20 people ended
00:30:20 --> 00:30:21 up costing
00:30:21 --> 00:30:21 him his
00:30:21 --> 00:30:22 life.
00:30:23 --> 00:30:24 As he
00:30:24 --> 00:30:24 died,
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27 his final
00:30:27 --> 00:30:28 cry out,
00:30:28 --> 00:30:28 the final
00:30:28 --> 00:30:29 thing he
00:30:29 --> 00:30:29 said was
00:30:29 --> 00:30:30 effectively a
00:30:30 --> 00:30:30 prayer,
00:30:31 --> 00:30:31 it was a
00:30:31 --> 00:30:32 prayer,
00:30:32 --> 00:30:32 Lord,
00:30:33 --> 00:30:34 open the
00:30:34 --> 00:30:35 king of
00:30:35 --> 00:30:36 England's
00:30:36 --> 00:30:36 eyes.
00:30:39 --> 00:30:40 And I'm
00:30:40 --> 00:30:41 assuming it's
00:30:41 --> 00:30:41 because of
00:30:41 --> 00:30:42 what I
00:30:42 --> 00:30:42 preached last
00:30:42 --> 00:30:43 week,
00:30:43 --> 00:30:44 open his
00:30:44 --> 00:30:44 eyes that
00:30:44 --> 00:30:44 he might
00:30:44 --> 00:30:45 see the
00:30:45 --> 00:30:46 majesty and
00:30:46 --> 00:30:46 the glory
00:30:46 --> 00:30:47 of God
00:30:47 --> 00:30:48 in
00:30:48 --> 00:30:48 scripture.
00:30:51 --> 00:30:52 The God
00:30:52 --> 00:30:52 of grace
00:30:52 --> 00:30:53 in scripture.
00:30:54 --> 00:30:54 And so we
00:30:54 --> 00:30:54 pray,
00:30:55 --> 00:30:55 yes Lord,
00:30:55 --> 00:30:56 open our
00:30:56 --> 00:30:56 eyes too,
00:30:57 --> 00:30:58 that we
00:30:58 --> 00:30:58 might see the
00:30:58 --> 00:30:59 power and
00:30:59 --> 00:31:00 the privilege
00:31:00 --> 00:31:00 that we
00:31:00 --> 00:31:01 have in
00:31:01 --> 00:31:02 reading the
00:31:02 --> 00:31:02 Bible in
00:31:02 --> 00:31:03 a language
00:31:03 --> 00:31:03 that we
00:31:03 --> 00:31:04 can
00:31:04 --> 00:31:04 understand.
00:31:06 --> 00:31:07 Open our
00:31:07 --> 00:31:07 eyes,
00:31:07 --> 00:31:07 Lord,
00:31:07 --> 00:31:08 so that we
00:31:08 --> 00:31:08 might see
00:31:08 --> 00:31:10 clearly the
00:31:10 --> 00:31:11 wonderful things
00:31:11 --> 00:31:12 that are in
00:31:12 --> 00:31:12 your word.
00:31:12 --> 00:31:13 Open our
00:31:13 --> 00:31:13 eyes to the
00:31:13 --> 00:31:15 truth of
00:31:15 --> 00:31:16 salvation by
00:31:16 --> 00:31:17 grace through
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18 Christ alone
00:31:18 --> 00:31:19 that you have
00:31:19 --> 00:31:20 clearly revealed
00:31:20 --> 00:31:21 to us in
00:31:21 --> 00:31:22 every page of
00:31:22 --> 00:31:22 scripture.
00:31:24 --> 00:31:25 Open our
00:31:25 --> 00:31:25 eyes,
00:31:25 --> 00:31:25 Lord,
00:31:25 --> 00:31:25 that we
00:31:25 --> 00:31:26 might see
00:31:26 --> 00:31:26 your majesty
00:31:26 --> 00:31:27 and your
00:31:27 --> 00:31:28 meekness
00:31:28 --> 00:31:30 for our
00:31:30 --> 00:31:30 joy.
00:31:31 --> 00:31:31 Amen.