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John 3:22-36 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

0:00
Amen and good morning.
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Please take your copy of God's Word and join me in John chapter 3.
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!
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I'm sick and really grieved to not be with you.
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I think last Sunday I slept 20 out of the 24 hours in the day.
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Often on a Sunday morning I'll wake up.
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If I'm sick at home, I'll wake up in the 10 o'clock hour and wish that I was here and be praying for you guys.
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Well, I didn't wake up until 1 o'clock this past Sunday and just said,
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Ah, wish I had been there with them.
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Let's pray before we read this text.
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Father God, we thank you for your Word to us.
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We recognize that it was written by the pen in this case of John,
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but he was carried along by your Spirit and it had an original audience,
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but also was written for us.
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We humbly recognize that it was written ultimately for your glory, but also for our good.
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And so we ask that you would help us as we open it together to believe its promises
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and obey its commands and that we would have affection for its author.
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Father, help us to hear it and respond as we should to it, we pray.
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In Christ's name, amen.
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John chapter 3, beginning in verse 22 and through the end of the chapter.
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John chapter 3, beginning in verse 22 and through the chapter 3,
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John answered,
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A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.
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You yourselves bear me witness that I said,
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I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.
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The one who has the bride is the bridegroom.
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The friend of the bridegroom who stands and hears him rejoices greatly at the bridegroom's voice.
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Therefore, this joy of mine is now complete.
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He must increase, but I must decrease.
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He who comes from above is above all.
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He who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks in an earthly way.
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He who comes from heaven is above all.
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He bears witness to what he has seen and heard, yet no one receives his testimony.
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Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true.
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For he whom God has sent utters the words of God, for he gives the Spirit without measure.
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The Father loves the Son and has given all things into his hand.
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Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life.
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Whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
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The first five verses of our text this morning give us a timing, some locations, and a circumstance.
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The question of their significance must be addressed, and they help set up for us why this text exists at all at the end of chapter 3.
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So before we look at the rest of the passage, and I give you an outline for this morning, let's spend a few minutes here.
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At the beginning of verse 22, we see John the Apostle say,
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After this.
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And he uses this phrase for the passage of some undetermined time.
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He'll do this throughout his gospel account.
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You can note the very same at the beginning of verse 12 of chapter 2, following the miracle of the wedding at Cana.
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So, sometime after Jesus cleanses the temple and interacts with Nicodemus, he and his disciples leave Jerusalem.
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And they head out to the Judean countryside, the same general region, but they are now outside of Jerusalem.
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And he remains with them, he tarries with them, and is baptizing.
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We'll talk about it a bit more next week, Lord willing, but we'll see that John carefully records that Jesus himself was not baptizing, but his disciples were doing so.
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So here we have Jesus and his disciples in one place, the Judean countryside baptizing.
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And then John the Apostle says, verse 23, John the Baptist was also baptizing in another place, anon near Saline.
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This is the northern part of the country.
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Why? Because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized.
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For John had not yet been put in prison.
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I was a great temptation at this point to want to unpack all of this to just talk about baptism, which is not what we're going to do this morning,
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because that is not the driving point of this text.
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We'll see why in just a moment.
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Verse 24 states a fact we see here, for John had not yet been put in prison.
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That is entirely self-evident.
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Clearly, John the Baptist had not been imprisoned.
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Verse 23 tells us where he was and what he was doing.
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So, why the inclusion of the phrase in verse 24?
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It tells us that this event took place in between the baptism of Jesus and his following temptation in the wilderness,
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and John the Baptist's imprisonment.
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The synoptic gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, are silent on the public ministry of Jesus before John was arrested.
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And so this note clarifies the timing of this event.
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John's gospel supplements the synoptics with these earlier events.
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But why?
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What is John the Apostle stressing here that requires this inclusion?
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It seems a little out of place.
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He has introduced his gospel account with John the Baptist's bold testimony to Jesus as the Christ.
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The very purpose that John the Baptist declares he was sent for.
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That's right there in chapter 1.
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John the Apostle has gone on to record Jesus' calling of the first disciples,
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his first miracle, his temple cleansing, and his words of life to Nicodemus.
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It seems that the stage has moved on.
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The entrapments for John the Baptist have been cleared off,
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and Jesus is now full center.
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So why circle back to John the Baptist?
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Doesn't it seem disjointed?
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Like, what is John the Apostle doing here?
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Hasn't John the Baptist served his purpose in setting up the stage for Jesus' ministry?
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I think the next two verses help us to understand why John the Apostle did this.
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Verse 25 says,
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Now a discussion arose between some of John's disciples and a Jew over purification.
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We aren't given the details of the discussion.
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I spend a lot of time looking for the details.
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What's going on?
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What's the context that's happening here?
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This seems really significant to where we're about to go.
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But I think we don't know the details,
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because the details of the discussion are not important
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to the point that I think that John the Apostle intends to make.
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So, it's important to know that their discussion would have been related to baptism
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as it related to the Old Covenant purification practices.
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This is as much as I think we can know about what's happening here.
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There's lots of conjecture, but I think that's what we can know from John chapter 3.
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But whatever the discussion, it raises a question amongst John's disciples.
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I think this is going to help us see what the point is.
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They come to John, his disciples, and they said to him,
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Rabbi, or teacher, he who was with you across the Jordan,
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to whom you bore witness, they're talking about Jesus,
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look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.
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Here I think we find the point of John the Apostle's
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spirit-led inclusion of this last part of chapter 3.
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John the Baptist's ministry was being eclipsed.
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The sun was setting on it.
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He had not yet been imprisoned, but his influence was waning.
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The glory of Jesus' ministry was surpassing that of John's.
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It would seem that John's disciples were troubled by this reality.
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How might we know this?
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This is not just sanctified imagination.
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Look what they say.
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Look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.
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We're all going to him?
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No, they weren't.
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He's in a place where the water is plentiful.
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People are still coming to receive the baptism of John,
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but this is the feeling they have, the sense that they have, right?
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They seem to have become envious and troubled by Jesus' rise to frame
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and the setting of their teacher's ministry.
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They devoted themselves to him,
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and suddenly this other one is becoming much, much more important.
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Perhaps they were even feeling less important than they wanted to feel.
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And I think in this text,
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we most readily find ourselves identifying,
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regularly identifying,
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with John the Baptist's disciples.
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Feeling less important than we want to feel.
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Not gaining the success in this life that we'd like to have.
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Seeming overlooked.
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Feeling like everyone is going on out ahead of us,
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and we are falling behind.
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We can become envious.
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We can be jealous.
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We can be bitter.
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John the Baptist's response
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to this attitude of self-importance
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is the significance of this text.
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The expressed humility of John the Baptist
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is why I think John the Apostle circles back to him.
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As Jesus is being exalted in the narrative,
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and John's influence is beginning to wane,
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the words that John the Baptist says
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are why John the Apostle records them.
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serves us by showing us
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the godly response to such a circumstance.
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This response of humility.
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So here's our outline for this morning.
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Number one, the humble rest in God's sovereignty.
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Number two, the humble are self-aware.
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Number two, the humble exalt Jesus Christ.
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Notice first, the humble rest in God's sovereignty.
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Now, why choose the word rest for this point?
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Now here, I am going to use some sanctified imagination
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as I give some tone to the way I think John would have responded.
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Verse 27,
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that maybe it was a rebuke,
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but I think that they come to him,
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they're frustrated.
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They think that things should be going differently
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than they're going.
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They're envious.
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They come to him as they look.
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He's baptizing and all are going to him.
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And rather than rebuke,
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he says with a quiet confidence,
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a person cannot receive even one thing
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unless it is given him from heaven.
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Nothing that we have is ours
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apart from God's sovereign purpose in granting it.
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Not a single thing that we have.
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No possession that we have.
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No gifting that we have.
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Natural or ordained through practice.
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Not a single thing that you can do.
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Nothing that you have to offer at all
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is yours apart from God's sovereign purpose
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in granting it to you.
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We have no space as Christians
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knowing this to be true for boasting at all.
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No threat of it.
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Understanding that nothing that we have is ours
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apart from God's sovereign purpose in granting it
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is the foundation for humility.
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It's the very thing that needs to be worked down
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into the very core of who we are
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if we were going to produce any measure of humility at all.
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Nothing that I have is mine
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apart from God's sovereign purpose
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in granting it.
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I am his.
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He has created me in Christ
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for works prepared beforehand
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for me to walk in.
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Anything that he's given me
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to accomplish that.
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Adversely, nothing that we don't have
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isn't ours apart from God's sovereign purpose
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in not granting it.
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So if we have some measure of success
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in some area of our life
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there's no reason to boast in it
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because God granted it.
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And if we don't
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and God is withholding it
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for our good and his glory.
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What a wonderful promise
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that no matter what comes into our life
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whatever circumstances are happening
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God is in control
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of every single ounce of it.
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It's the foundation for humility.
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God is creator.
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We are not.
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We are creation.
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From our call to worship this morning
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1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 26
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and following
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Paul there exhorts this
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for consider your calling brothers
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not many of you were wise
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according to worldly standards.
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That's the room.
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Not many of us wise
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according to worldly standards.
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Not many were powerful.
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Not many were of noble birth.
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But God chose what is foolish in the world
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to shame the wise.
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God chose what is weak in the world
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to shame the strong.
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God chose what is low
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and despised in the world
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even things that are not
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to bring to nothing
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things that are.
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So that no human being
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might boast
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in the presence
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of God.
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God works in his people.
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He brings his people together
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in such a way
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that the world
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looks at us
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and says
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their God
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must be great.
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Because they are not.
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And because of him
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you are in Christ Jesus
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verse 30 of 1 Corinthians 1
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who became to us
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wisdom from God
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righteousness
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and sanctification
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and redemption
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so that as it is written
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let the one who boasts
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boast in the Lord.
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If anything
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anything
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to boast about
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it is in
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our
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God
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who has taken
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wretched sinners
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and rescued us
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called us
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redeemed ones
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adopted us
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called us
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children
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set us on a task
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given us gifts
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John's answer
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to them
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is striking
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a person
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cannot receive
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even one thing
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unless it is given him
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from heaven
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the humble
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rest
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in God's
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sovereignty
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secondly
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and it follows
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the humble
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are
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self
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aware
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verse 28
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John the Baptist
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says
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you yourselves
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bear me witness
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saying
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you saw me say
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I am not
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the Christ
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but I have
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been sent
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before him
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John the Baptist
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summarizes
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the testimony
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recorded in
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chapter 1
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with this phrase
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I am not the Christ
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but I have been
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sent
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before him
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but he says
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a bit
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more than that
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if you look at
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John chapter 1
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beginning in verse
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20
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there John the Apostle
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records
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he confessed
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and did not
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deny
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but confessed
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I am not
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the Christ
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and they asked him
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those who were sent
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to question him
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what then are you
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Elijah
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he said
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I am not
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are you the prophet
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and he answered
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no
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so they said to him
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who are you
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you need to give an answer
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to those who sent us
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what do you say
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about yourself
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he said
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I am the voice
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of one
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crying out
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in the wilderness
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make straight
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the way
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of the Lord
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as the prophet
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Isaiah
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said
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that they had been
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sent from the Pharisees
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they asked him
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then why are you
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baptizing
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if you are neither
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the Christ
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nor Elijah
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nor the prophet
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John answered them
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I baptize
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with water
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but among you
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stands one
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you do not know
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even he who comes
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out to untie
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John knows
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who he is
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he knows the purpose
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for which
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he was sent
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and that was
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the exaltation
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of Jesus Christ
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he was the
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forerunner
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the one to
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go ahead
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and prepare
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the way
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for
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the Christ
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he then goes on
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in verse 29
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to illustrate his point
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with a familiar
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scene
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at a wedding
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the one who has
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the bride
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is the bridegroom
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the friend of the bridegroom
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who stands and hears him
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rejoices greatly
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at the bridegroom's
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voice
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therefore
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this joy
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of mine
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is now
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complete
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the friend of the
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bridegroom
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is
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analogous
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roughly
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with our
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cultural practice
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of a groom
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having a
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best man
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so you can read that
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into the text
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except that
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best men
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these days
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are given
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very few
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responsibilities
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I think
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often the best
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man's job
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is to be
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the goofiest
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of all
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the groomsmen
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I've officiated
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a lot of
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weddings
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and he's
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the one
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you have
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to most
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get the
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attention
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of
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sometimes
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we don't
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even trust
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him
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with the
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rings
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anymore
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that's
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usually
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my
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advice
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I usually
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say
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just give
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the
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rings
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to me
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I'll
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hang
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on
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to
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them
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we'll
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make
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sure
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they
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end
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up
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on
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your
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hands
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but not
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so in
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this
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day
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the best
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man
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was
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responsible
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for a
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lot
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that went
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on
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in the
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design
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of the
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wedding
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the
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planning
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of the
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wedding
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he
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brought
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the
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groom
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to
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the
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bride
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he
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protected
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on the
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wedding
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night
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the
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wedding
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chamber
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would
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only
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let
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the
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groom
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go
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in
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to
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his
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bride
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and so
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this
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bride
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groom
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has
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prepared
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himself
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for
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this
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very
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important
21:45
purpose
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for
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the
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groom
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he
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knows
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who
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he
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is
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he's
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not
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the
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groom
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at
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some
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point
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in
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that
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day
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the
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attention
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turns
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from
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him
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and
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it
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turns
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to
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the
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groom
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he's
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merely
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the
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friend
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of
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the
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groom
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and
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so
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he
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rejoices
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he's
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so
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glad
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all
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of
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the
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work
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that
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went
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into
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it
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the
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whole
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point
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of
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it
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for
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him
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is
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to
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see
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the
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bridegroom
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exalted
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and so
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John says
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right
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I am
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not
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the
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Christ
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but
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the
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Christ
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is
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here
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he
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has
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come
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he
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has
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been
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presented
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therefore
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this
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joy
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of
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mine
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is
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now
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complete
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I
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have
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finished
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that
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task
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right
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it
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is
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over
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it
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is
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good
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that
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people
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are
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going
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to
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Jesus
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to
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receive
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baptism
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so
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the
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humble
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are
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self
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aware
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beloved
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praise
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God
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not a
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single
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one
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of
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us
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is
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the
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Christ
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we
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are
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not
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perfect
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and we
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could
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not
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bear
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that
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load
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and we
23:00
could
23:00
not
23:00
have
23:00
accomplished
23:01
what
23:01
he
23:01
accomplished
23:02
fully
23:03
God
23:03
and
23:03
fully
23:04
man
23:05
truly
23:05
God
23:06
and
23:06
truly
23:06
man
23:08
thank
23:10
God
23:10
that
23:10
Jesus
23:10
is
23:11
Jesus
23:11
and
23:12
we
23:12
are
23:13
not
23:13
and
23:15
humility
23:15
begins
23:16
at this
23:16
place
23:17
where we
23:18
know
23:18
that
23:18
we're
23:19
not
23:20
and it
23:21
should
23:22
desire
23:22
in us
23:23
to make
23:23
much
23:24
of
23:25
him
23:26
and it
23:28
seems so
23:28
obvious
23:28
when we
23:29
say that
23:30
but we
23:31
are so
23:31
readily
23:32
self
23:33
serving
23:34
trying to
23:35
gain
23:36
people's
23:36
applause
23:37
trying to
23:38
gain
23:38
success
23:39
in worldly
23:40
terms
23:41
we often
23:42
care too
23:43
much
23:43
about
23:44
temporal
23:45
glory
23:46
for
23:46
ourselves
23:47
rather
23:48
than
23:49
eternal
23:49
glory
23:50
for
23:51
Christ
23:52
so
23:55
the
23:56
humble
23:56
rest
23:57
in
23:58
God's
23:58
sovereignty
23:59
the
24:00
humble
24:00
are
24:00
self
24:01
aware
24:01
and
24:02
finally
24:02
the
24:03
humble
24:03
exalt
24:05
Jesus
24:06
Christ
24:07
but
24:08
I
24:09
must
24:09
decrease
24:11
right
24:12
Jesus
24:13
must be
24:14
maximal
24:15
and I
24:16
must
24:16
be
24:17
minimal
24:18
your
24:21
Bible
24:21
translation
24:21
likely
24:22
has
24:22
placed
24:23
as
24:23
mine
24:24
has
24:24
closed
24:25
quotes
24:25
at the
24:26
end
24:26
of
24:26
verse
24:27
30
24:28
which
24:29
suggests
24:30
that this
24:30
is the
24:30
conclusion
24:31
of John
24:32
the
24:32
Baptist
24:32
answer
24:33
to his
24:34
disciples
24:35
Greek
24:37
didn't have
24:39
any
24:39
punctuation
24:39
so this
24:40
is a
24:41
translative
24:41
decision
24:42
and it
24:42
is not
24:43
without
24:43
contention
24:45
the question
24:46
is did
24:47
John
24:47
the
24:47
Baptist
24:48
cease
24:48
speaking
24:48
at the
24:49
end
24:49
of
24:49
verse
24:49
30
24:49
or
24:50
at the
24:50
end
24:51
of
24:51
verse
24:51
33
24:53
and I
24:53
will
24:53
tell
24:53
you
24:54
I
24:54
spent
24:54
too
24:54
much
24:55
time
24:55
trying
24:55
to
24:55
figure
24:56
it
24:56
out
24:56
I
24:57
wasn't
24:57
convinced
24:58
either
24:58
way
24:59
as I
24:59
read
25:00
and
25:00
studied
25:00
these
25:01
past
25:02
weeks
25:02
and
25:03
thankfully
25:03
it
25:05
doesn't
25:05
really
25:05
matter
25:05
it
25:06
just
25:06
really
25:07
doesn't
25:07
matter
25:08
are these
25:09
John
25:09
the
25:09
Baptist
25:10
final
25:10
recorded
25:11
words
25:12
perhaps
25:14
I
25:15
think
25:15
that's
25:15
why
25:16
the
25:16
close
25:16
quotes
25:17
tend
25:17
to go
25:18
there
25:18
seem
25:19
like
25:19
good
25:20
hard
25:21
punctuation
25:22
at the
25:22
end
25:23
of
25:24
this
25:24
speaking
25:25
perhaps
25:27
not
25:27
the
25:27
verses
25:28
go
25:28
on
25:28
I
25:28
think
25:28
to
25:29
explain
25:29
what
25:30
he
25:30
means
25:31
there
25:31
he
25:31
must
25:32
increase
25:33
but
25:33
I
25:33
must
25:34
decrease
25:34
either
25:35
way
25:35
this
25:36
beautiful
25:37
sentence
25:38
does
25:38
not
25:38
lose
25:39
its
25:39
significance
25:40
what
25:41
a
25:42
statement
25:43
he
25:45
must
25:45
increase
25:45
but
25:46
I
25:47
must
25:47
decrease
25:49
the
25:51
Christian
25:51
mantra
25:52
of our
25:53
day
25:53
seems
25:54
to
25:54
be
25:55
he
25:56
must
25:57
increase
25:57
we
25:58
know
25:58
that
25:58
Christ
25:59
is
25:59
supposed
25:59
to
25:59
be
26:00
glorified
26:01
he
26:02
must
26:02
increase
26:03
so
26:04
I
26:05
must
26:05
increase
26:05
I
26:08
must
26:08
be
26:08
successful
26:09
I
26:11
must
26:11
be
26:11
well
26:12
put
26:12
together
26:12
I
26:13
don't
26:14
need
26:14
to
26:14
be
26:14
a
26:15
mess
26:15
on
26:15
Sunday
26:16
mornings
26:17
I
26:17
must
26:18
be
26:18
doing
26:18
well
26:19
in
26:19
my
26:19
job
26:20
and
26:20
gaining
26:20
promotion
26:21
it
26:22
must
26:22
have
26:22
a
26:22
nice
26:23
home
26:23
and
26:23
a
26:23
nice
26:24
car
26:24
it
26:25
must
26:26
have
26:26
a
26:26
platform
26:26
and
26:27
it
26:27
needs
26:27
to
26:27
be
26:28
growing
26:28
in
26:29
size
26:30
right
26:30
how
26:31
might
26:32
I
26:32
magnify
26:32
Christ
26:33
unless
26:34
I
26:34
am
26:34
increasing
26:36
seems
26:38
to be
26:39
the
26:39
thing
26:39
it's
26:40
in
26:40
the
26:40
water
26:40
it's
26:41
the
26:41
it's
26:41
why
26:41
I
26:41
call
26:41
it
26:41
a
26:42
mantra
26:42
it's
26:43
as if
26:43
it's
26:43
being
26:43
repeated
26:43
to
26:44
us
26:44
day
26:44
in
26:45
and
26:45
day
26:45
out
26:45
right
26:46
if
26:46
Christ
26:46
is
26:47
to
26:47
be
26:47
increased
26:47
we
26:48
also
26:49
must
26:49
be
26:50
increased
26:52
and
26:54
this
26:54
is
26:54
not
26:54
this
26:55
is
26:55
not
26:55
the
26:55
way
26:55
of
26:56
Christianity
26:57
just
26:58
simply
26:59
not
27:00
such
27:03
a
27:03
backwards
27:04
thing
27:05
it
27:05
seems
27:05
that
27:07
the
27:07
one
27:07
who
27:07
came
27:08
to
27:09
reign
27:09
over
27:10
his
27:10
people
27:10
to
27:11
set
27:11
them
27:11
free
27:12
from
27:12
the
27:12
power
27:12
of
27:13
sin
27:13
and
27:14
death
27:15
who
27:15
will
27:16
forever
27:16
rule
27:17
his
27:18
enemies
27:18
will
27:19
make
27:19
a
27:19
footstool
27:19
for
27:19
his
27:20
feet
27:20
that
27:20
he
27:20
would
27:20
come
27:21
and
27:21
he
27:21
would
27:21
suffer
27:22
and
27:23
he
27:23
would
27:23
die
27:24
and
27:26
for
27:26
some
27:26
reason
27:26
we
27:27
think
27:27
that
27:27
now
27:27
that
27:27
that's
27:28
been
27:28
accomplished
27:28
we
27:28
get
27:29
to
27:29
flip
27:29
the
27:29
script
27:30
that
27:30
in
27:31
following
27:31
our
27:32
Christ
27:32
being
27:33
his
27:34
disciples
27:34
following
27:35
in
27:36
his
27:36
way
27:37
we
27:37
get
27:37
to
27:38
do
27:38
it
27:38
different
27:38
than
27:39
he
27:39
did
27:40
John
27:43
the
27:43
Baptist
27:43
doesn't
27:43
think
27:43
so
27:44
neither
27:46
did
27:46
Paul
27:46
Paul
27:47
says
27:47
in
27:47
Philippians
27:47
chapter
27:48
3
27:48
verse
27:48
8
27:49
and
27:49
following
27:49
there
27:50
he
27:50
says
27:50
indeed
27:52
I
27:52
count
27:52
everything
27:53
as
27:54
loss
27:55
all
27:56
of
27:56
the
27:56
gain
27:57
that
27:57
he
27:57
had
27:57
in
27:57
his
27:57
life
27:58
all
27:58
of
27:58
the
27:58
spiritual
27:59
credit
28:00
that he
28:01
had
28:01
to
28:01
his
28:01
account
28:02
he
28:02
says
28:02
everything
28:02
I
28:03
count
28:03
as
28:03
loss
28:03
because
28:04
of
28:05
the
28:05
surpassing
28:06
worth
28:07
of
28:07
knowing
28:08
Christ
28:09
Jesus
28:09
my
28:10
Lord
28:11
I
28:12
just
28:12
for a
28:12
second
28:13
want
28:13
that
28:13
phrase
28:14
to
28:14
stick
28:14
in
28:14
your
28:14
mind
28:15
everything
28:15
is
28:16
lost
28:16
because
28:17
of
28:17
the
28:17
surpassing
28:18
worth
28:19
more
28:20
valuable
28:21
than
28:22
everything
28:23
I
28:23
could
28:23
lose
28:24
of
28:25
knowing
28:26
Christ
28:27
Jesus
28:27
my
28:29
Lord
28:29
not
28:30
merely
28:31
knowing
28:32
about
28:33
but
28:34
knowing
28:34
him
28:35
for
28:37
this
28:37
sake
28:38
knowing
28:39
Christ
28:39
Jesus
28:40
for
28:40
this
28:40
sake
28:41
I
28:42
have
28:42
suffered
28:42
the
28:43
loss
28:43
of
28:44
all
28:44
things
28:44
and
28:45
I
28:45
count
28:46
them
28:46
as
28:46
rubbish
28:47
refuse
28:47
in
28:48
order
28:48
that
28:48
I
28:49
may
28:49
gain
28:50
Christ
28:52
and
28:53
be
28:53
found
28:53
in
28:54
him
28:54
not
28:55
having
28:55
a
28:55
righteousness
28:56
of
28:56
my
28:56
own
28:56
that
28:57
comes
28:57
from
28:57
the
28:57
law
28:57
but
28:58
that
28:58
which
28:58
comes
28:59
through
28:59
faith
28:59
in
28:59
Christ
29:00
the
29:00
righteousness
29:01
from
29:01
God
29:02
that
29:02
depends
29:03
!
29:03
on
29:04
faith
29:05
that
29:06
I
29:06
may
29:07
again
29:07
know
29:09
him
29:09
and
29:10
the
29:11
power
29:11
of
29:12
his
29:12
resurrection
29:13
and
29:14
may
29:15
share
29:16
his
29:17
sufferings
29:18
becoming
29:20
like
29:20
him
29:20
in
29:22
his
29:22
death
29:23
that
29:24
by any
29:24
means
29:25
possible
29:25
I
29:26
may
29:26
attain
29:26
the
29:27
resurrection
29:27
from
29:29
the
29:29
dead
29:29
what
29:32
is
29:32
what is
29:33
Paul
29:33
saying
29:33
here
29:35
he's
29:36
saying
29:36
that
29:36
to
29:36
walk
29:37
in
29:37
this
29:37
world
29:38
we
29:39
can
29:39
have
29:40
the
29:40
things
29:40
of
29:40
the
29:40
world
29:41
and
29:41
what
29:41
it
29:41
grants
29:42
to
29:42
us
29:42
or
29:43
we
29:44
can
29:44
suffer
29:44
the
29:45
loss
29:45
of
29:45
all
29:45
those
29:45
things
29:46
that
29:46
we
29:46
can
29:46
have
29:47
Christ
29:48
and
29:49
that
29:49
to
29:49
know
29:50
him
29:50
means
29:51
that
29:51
we're
29:51
going
29:51
to
29:51
walk
29:52
in
29:52
his
29:53
ways
29:54
John
29:57
the
29:58
Baptist
29:58
and
29:59
Paul
29:59
understood
30:01
this
30:01
clearly
30:02
John
30:04
the Baptist
30:05
understood
30:05
it
30:05
in
30:05
such
30:06
a
30:06
way
30:06
that
30:06
he
30:06
would
30:06
someday
30:07
soon
30:07
be
30:09
arrested
30:09
and
30:10
then
30:10
martyred
30:11
Christ
30:13
Christ
30:13
must
30:14
increase
30:14
but I
30:16
must
30:17
decrease
30:18
we
30:20
make
30:20
Christ
30:21
known
30:21
in the
30:22
world
30:22
by having
30:24
hope
30:24
beyond
30:25
this
30:25
world
30:25
as
30:26
we
30:26
suffer
30:27
the
30:27
loss
30:27
of
30:27
all
30:28
things
30:28
in
30:29
this
30:29
world
30:30
world
30:31
we
30:32
say
30:32
to
30:33
people
30:33
we
30:34
have
30:34
a
30:34
greater
30:34
treasure
30:35
there's
30:36
a
30:36
surpassing
30:37
worth
30:37
out
30:37
there
30:38
and
30:38
it
30:38
is
30:38
knowing
30:39
Christ
30:41
and
30:43
being
30:44
known
30:44
by
30:44
him
30:45
now
30:47
whether
30:48
or not
30:49
John
30:49
the
30:50
Baptist
30:50
ceases
30:51
speaking
30:52
at
30:52
this
30:52
point
30:53
and
30:53
John
30:54
the
30:54
apostle
30:54
picks
30:55
it
30:55
up
30:56
it
30:56
doesn't
30:56
really
30:57
matter
30:57
to
30:57
me
30:57
the
30:58
testimony
30:59
of
30:59
the
31:00
Johns
31:00
they
31:00
go
31:01
on
31:01
in
31:02
to
31:03
the
31:03
last
31:03
verses
31:04
of
31:04
this
31:05
text
31:05
he
31:06
who
31:06
comes
31:07
from
31:07
above
31:07
is
31:07
above
31:08
all
31:08
he
31:09
who
31:09
is
31:10
of
31:10
the
31:10
earth
31:10
belongs
31:10
to
31:11
the
31:11
earth
31:11
and
31:11
speaks
31:12
in
31:12
an
31:12
earthly
31:12
way
31:12
he
31:13
who
31:13
comes
31:13
from
31:13
heaven
31:13
is
31:14
above
31:14
all
31:15
he
31:16
bears
31:16
witness
31:17
to
31:17
what
31:17
he
31:17
has
31:17
seen
31:18
and
31:18
heard
31:18
yet
31:18
no
31:18
one
31:19
receives
31:19
his
31:19
testimony
31:20
!
31:21
Whoever
31:21
receives
31:27
utters
31:28
the
31:28
words
31:28
of
31:28
God
31:28
for
31:29
he
31:29
gives
31:29
the
31:29
spirit
31:30
without
31:30
measure
31:30
the
31:31
father
31:32
loves
31:32
the
31:32
son
31:32
and
31:33
has
31:33
given
31:33
all
31:34
things
31:34
into
31:35
his
31:36
hand
31:36
now
31:36
the
31:37
best
31:37
argument
31:38
for
31:38
this
31:38
being
31:38
John
31:38
the
31:39
apostle
31:39
is
31:39
that
31:39
he
31:39
goes
31:40
on
31:40
to
31:40
unpack
31:41
all
31:41
of
31:41
this
31:42
in
31:42
the
31:42
coming
31:42
chapters
31:44
so
31:44
we're
31:44
going
31:44
to
31:44
let
31:44
that
31:45
happen
31:45
these
31:45
phrases
31:46
be
31:46
unpacked
31:48
but
31:48
just
31:48
notice
31:49
that
31:49
whichever
31:49
John
31:50
is
31:50
saying
31:50
it
31:51
they
31:51
are
31:51
expressing
31:52
the
31:57
Jesus
31:58
came
31:58
from
31:59
the
31:59
father
32:00
verse
32:00
31
32:01
Jesus
32:02
is
32:02
preeminent
32:03
verse
32:04
31
32:04
Jesus
32:05
declared
32:06
the
32:07
truth
32:08
first
32:08
part
32:08
of
32:09
verse
32:09
32
32:09
Jesus
32:11
agreed
32:12
with
32:12
God
32:13
verse
32:14
33
32:14
Jesus
32:16
was
32:16
empowered
32:17
by
32:17
the
32:18
spirit
32:18
without
32:19
measure
32:19
verse
32:20
34
32:21
and
32:22
Jesus
32:22
received
32:24
all
32:25
authority
32:26
verse
32:27
35
32:28
Jesus
32:30
Christ
32:30
is
32:31
supreme
32:31
therefore
32:32
he
32:32
must
32:33
increase
32:34
all
32:35
of
32:35
us
32:35
are
32:36
not
32:36
that
32:36
we
32:37
must
32:37
decrease
32:39
the
32:40
humble
32:41
exalt
32:42
Jesus
32:43
Christ
32:46
and
32:48
in
32:48
the
32:49
last
32:49
verse
32:49
whoever
32:51
believes
32:52
in the
32:53
son
32:53
has
32:54
eternal
32:54
life
32:55
whoever
32:56
does
32:56
not
32:56
obey
32:57
the
32:57
son
32:57
shall
32:57
not
32:58
see
32:58
life
32:58
but
32:59
the
32:59
wrath
32:59
of
32:59
God
33:00
remains
33:01
on
33:02
him
33:02
so
33:03
the
33:04
eternal
33:05
destination
33:05
of anybody
33:06
who doesn't
33:07
place their
33:07
faith
33:08
in the
33:08
Lord
33:08
Jesus
33:09
Christ
33:09
is an
33:10
eternal
33:10
destiny
33:11
of
33:11
wrath
33:12
God's
33:14
white
33:14
hot
33:15
anger
33:15
!
33:15
against
33:16
sin
33:17
do not
33:19
dumb
33:19
down
33:20
do not
33:21
dilute
33:21
the
33:22
doctrine
33:22
of hell
33:23
there's
33:23
an
33:23
eternal
33:24
place
33:24
torment
33:25
for
33:26
those
33:26
who
33:26
don't
33:26
place
33:27
their
33:27
faith
33:28
in
33:28
Christ
33:29
bad
33:30
news
33:31
but
33:31
the
33:31
good
33:32
news
33:32
is
33:32
whoever
33:32
believes
33:33
in
33:33
the
33:33
son
33:34
has
33:35
eternal
33:36
life
33:37
and
33:38
this
33:39
gets
33:39
picked
33:39
up
33:39
again
33:40
and
33:40
again
33:40
and
33:41
again
33:41
and
33:41
again
33:42
through
33:42
John's
33:42
gospel
33:43
account
33:43
right
33:44
this
33:44
teaching
33:44
about
33:45
eternal
33:46
life
33:47
as
33:48
John
33:49
states
33:49
his
33:49
purpose
33:50
for
33:50
the
33:50
letter
33:50
in
33:51
John
33:51
chapter
33:51
20
33:52
verse
33:52
30
33:52
and
33:52
31
33:53
he
33:53
says
33:53
now
33:53
Jesus
33:54
did
33:54
many
33:54
other
33:54
signs
33:55
in
33:55
the
33:55
presence
33:55
of
33:55
the
33:55
disciples
33:56
which
33:56
are
33:56
not
33:57
written
33:57
in
33:57
this
33:57
book
33:58
but
33:58
these
33:58
are
33:59
written
33:59
so
34:00
that
34:00
you
34:00
may
34:00
believe
34:01
that
34:01
Jesus
34:01
is
34:02
the
34:02
Christ
34:02
the
34:03
son
34:03
of
34:03
God
34:03
and
34:03
that
34:04
by
34:04
believing
34:05
you
34:05
may
34:05
have
34:06
life
34:06
in
34:07
his
34:08
name
34:09
that
34:10
you
34:10
may
34:10
have
34:11
life
34:12
in
34:13
his
34:13
name
34:17
life
34:18
forever
34:19
and
34:19
we're
34:19
not
34:19
wrong
34:20
for
34:20
doing
34:20
that
34:21
right
34:21
this
34:21
phrase
34:22
eternal
34:22
life
34:23
we're
34:24
all
34:24
eternal
34:25
but
34:25
those
34:25
who
34:25
place
34:26
their
34:26
faith
34:26
in
34:26
Christ
34:26
are
34:26
going
34:26
have
34:26
eternal
34:27
life
34:28
this
34:28
is
34:28
good
34:28
it's
34:29
good
34:29
that
34:29
our
34:29
brains
34:29
go
34:30
there
34:30
but
34:31
I
34:31
think
34:31
it
34:31
doesn't
34:31
quite
34:32
do
34:32
it
34:32
justice
34:33
because
34:33
we
34:33
miss
34:34
what
34:34
it
34:34
does
34:34
right
34:35
now
34:36
and
34:37
for
34:37
ever
34:38
more
34:38
so
34:40
if
34:40
we
34:40
back
34:40
up
34:41
a
34:41
little
34:41
bit
34:41
!
34:42
I
34:42
can't
34:42
wait
34:42
to
34:42
unpack
34:43
all
34:43
of
34:43
this
34:43
out
34:43
with
34:43
you
34:44
more
34:44
and
34:44
more
34:44
and
34:44
more
34:44
John
34:45
17
34:46
verse
34:46
3
34:47
there
34:50
it
34:50
says
34:51
Jesus
34:51
says
34:52
and
34:52
this
34:53
is
34:54
eternal
34:54
life
34:56
you better
34:58
pay
34:58
attention
34:58
to what
34:59
comes
34:59
next
35:00
and
35:01
this
35:01
is
35:02
eternal
35:03
life
35:04
streets
35:04
of gold
35:05
mansions
35:07
it's not
35:08
what
35:08
17
35:09
3
35:09
says
35:10
and
35:11
this
35:11
is
35:12
eternal
35:12
life
35:13
that
35:14
they
35:14
know
35:15
you
35:17
the
35:18
only
35:18
true
35:19
God
35:19
and
35:20
Jesus
35:21
Christ
35:22
whom
35:22
you
35:23
have
35:24
sent
35:24
isn't
35:26
that
35:26
astounding
35:27
this
35:30
is
35:30
eternal
35:31
life
35:31
now
35:31
and
35:31
life
35:32
forever
35:32
more
35:32
the
35:33
great
35:34
blessing
35:34
of
35:34
it
35:34
the
35:35
joy
35:36
of
35:36
it
35:36
is
35:36
that
35:36
we
35:36
know
35:38
we
35:38
know
35:39
God
35:40
and
35:41
Jesus
35:41
Christ
35:41
who
35:42
God
35:42
has
35:43
sent
35:45
we
35:46
have
35:46
a lot
35:47
to think
35:47
about
35:48
when we
35:49
think
35:49
about
35:49
what it
35:49
means
35:49
to
35:50
know
35:51
God
35:52
and
35:53
Jesus
35:53
Christ
35:53
whom
35:54
he
35:54
has
35:55
sent
35:56
this
35:57
is
35:57
what
35:58
characterize
35:58
is
35:59
the
35:59
humble
36:00
people
36:01
recognizing
36:02
this
36:02
great
36:03
reality
36:04
nothing
36:06
we have
36:07
is given
36:07
to us
36:07
and
36:08
nothing
36:08
is withheld
36:09
from
36:09
us
36:09
apart
36:10
from
36:10
God's
36:11
good
36:11
design
36:12
in
36:12
our
36:12
lives
36:13
the
36:13
humble
36:14
rest
36:15
in
36:15
God's
36:17
sovereignty
36:17
the
36:20
humble
36:20
are
36:21
self
36:21
aware
36:21
we
36:22
know
36:22
exactly
36:22
who
36:22
we
36:23
are
36:23
we
36:24
know
36:24
who
36:24
we
36:24
would
36:24
be
36:25
apart
36:25
from
36:25
Christ
36:26
we
36:26
know
36:26
who
36:26
we
36:27
are
36:27
in
36:27
Christ
36:28
still
36:29
failing
36:29
yet
36:31
to
36:31
be
36:31
the
36:32
people
36:32
that
36:32
we
36:32
want
36:32
to
36:33
be
36:33
seeing
36:34
ourselves
36:34
change
36:34
from
36:35
one
36:35
degree
36:35
of
36:35
glory
36:35
to
36:36
another
36:36
grateful
36:38
all
36:39
the
36:39
time
36:40
that
36:40
he
36:40
is
36:40
working
36:40
in
36:41
us
36:41
the
36:41
very
36:41
things
36:42
that
36:42
he
36:42
asks
36:43
of
36:43
us
36:44
there's
36:45
no
36:46
boasting
36:47
for the
36:48
Christian
36:48
in their
36:49
salvation
36:49
or in
36:50
their
36:50
sanctification
36:51
or their
36:51
one day
36:52
glorification
36:53
none of us
36:53
have any
36:54
room to
36:55
boast
36:55
in
36:55
anything
36:56
but
36:56
in
36:57
the
36:58
Lord
36:58
and the
37:00
humble
37:00
because we
37:02
have
37:04
Christ
37:04
because we
37:05
know him
37:06
and are
37:06
known
37:07
by him
37:08
we
37:09
spend
37:10
our
37:10
souls
37:11
we
37:11
spend
37:11
our
37:11
very
37:11
selves
37:12
to
37:13
exalt
37:14
Jesus
37:15
Christ
37:17
let's
37:18
pray
37:18
together