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Philippians 2:14-18 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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We're going to jump back into Philippians tonight.
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Let's see.
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For those of you who haven't really been with us throughout the study,
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! Just to tell you where we've been in chapter 2.
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Paul begins chapter 2 by exhorting the Philippians to not do things out of selfishness or rivalry,
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but rather be united in love and humility towards one another.
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And love and humility are the two things that actually hold the church together,
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keeps them from dividing.
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And then after verse 4, he gives you the ultimate example of sacrificial love and humility in the person of Christ
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and how Christ left the glory of heaven and came as a man and lived a perfect life of obedience
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and then died the most horrendous death on the cross.
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And then God exalted him as a result.
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But then last week, we talked about the mystery of how it is God who is at work in us,
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supposed to work and will for his good pleasure,
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and the mystery of our responsibility and how we're supposed to step forward and be obedient
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and to labor and fight and strive.
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But the whole time, it is God's power that works within us.
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We learned about that mystery last week.
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So with all this stuff in mind, with all this heavy doctrinal truth that we just read,
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obviously Paul has in mind that there's application for life after this.
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Remember that like no theology, no doctrine,
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all theology is practical and all theology actually plays out into our lives.
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It's not like we have the really easy theology that's like live this way and act that way,
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and then we have the upper level thinking.
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It all plays into how we live.
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All of it does.
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All of it.
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And this is where we're going to go.
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So in light of what they discussed in the previous verses,
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Paul says live this way,
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how we're to work out our salvation,
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not work for our salvation,
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but rather to press into the fullness of what is ours in Christ.
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So we get to verse 14,
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and we're going to jump around a little bit,
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but first of all,
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I want to just talk about the world that we live in,
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okay,
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the world that we live in.
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And there's two things from this passage that we can note about the world that we live in.
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The first one is,
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can be seen in verse 15,
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we live in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation,
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or a crooked and perverse generation.
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And definitely was true of Paul's days,
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but it's definitely true of our day.
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So we need to kind of address this.
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And the word crooked here,
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it means like scoliosis.
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It means like something that is like bent out of shape,
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and it's deviated from the intended path.
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It's twisted and perverted,
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and it kind of sums up the lost world around us.
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And so perverse,
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the other picture there,
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being twisted,
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it just means that we have taken the truth of God,
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what is meant to be good and beautiful and right,
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and we've twisted that and perverted that.
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And even the good things that we have,
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that's what we've done to them.
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We've made them into ultimate things,
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giving our lives to them and worshiping them,
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that only God deserves our worship.
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And so that we live in a society, though,
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that doesn't just do evil,
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but they actually like encourage each other to do evil,
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and they give hearty approval to the ones who are acting in evil.
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That's Romans 1.32.
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It says they don't only do these evil things,
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they give approval to those who practice them.
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Proverbs 2.14 says this,
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It kind of sums up this idea of how things are not the way they ought to be.
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They're twisted and they're crooked.
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A mess like the world that we live in
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is a perversion of what God had.
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And so that's something first to note,
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is we live in a crooked and perverse generation.
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Now, this is probably where we're going to be spending most of our time.
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But something else to note,
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as you see in verse 15,
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it says that we're shining as lights in the world,
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and light implies that darkness.
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And it is a characteristic of the lost world around us
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that it's also a generation that lives in darkness.
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The world dwells in darkness.
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And it's a characteristic of a sinful lost world.
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And many dictionaries,
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just English dictionaries,
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if you look at it and you actually look up darkness,
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guess what it says?
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Like absence of light,
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where there's no light.
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That's like what it says.
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The best definition of what darkness really is,
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is an absence of light.
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However, like God is not ever talking about physical darkness.
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Like turn the lights off in here.
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He's talking about a spiritual darkness
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that haunts the souls of men
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that lives in us,
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that lives in the lost world around us.
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And an oppressive spiritual darkness that crushes us.
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And the people that live in darkness currently,
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some of you might,
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if you're without Christ,
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that you still dwell in darkness.
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They're aware of it.
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They know like something's not right.
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I knew that I did.
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I knew that something was not right in my life.
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I didn't really know what.
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But I felt like I had darkness.
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And so the people that we live around,
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they feel that way.
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And elsewhere in the world,
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you see darkness in a variety of forms.
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You see it like in a miscarriage of justice,
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corrupted governments,
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corrupted legal officials,
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and how they use their power
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to starve their people
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and to abuse their people.
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We see so many things.
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We see sex trafficking.
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We see that warlords seize the food
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that's meant to feed the starving people.
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We see all kinds of stuff,
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a darkness that just prevails over the world.
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And then just even in our own lives,
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we feel like the darkness of separation
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and loneliness and broken relationships
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and sickness, death,
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a big uncertainty.
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One of the major characteristics about darkness
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is you can't see where you're going.
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And you have to think of that way spiritually.
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All of you at one time,
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and myself included,
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and many of you know now,
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they have no hope and no peace
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and no joy about the future at all.
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They have no idea
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like what the future holds for them.
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And that's why they only can live in the moment,
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eat, drink, and be merry,
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for tomorrow we die.
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They don't know like what the future holds.
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And so they,
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it's very scary.
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Knowing that,
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knowing what I know now,
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knowing that God is sovereign over my life
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and He has a direction for my life
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and that He only intends good
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and the best for me,
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that brings a peace that the world doesn't know.
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Their lives are headed towards chaos.
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And ultimately,
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it will lead to spiritual death,
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ultimate spiritual death
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and separation from God.
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Proverbs 4, 19 says,
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the way of the wicked
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is like deep darkness.
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They do not know
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where they are going
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and they stumble.
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And that's
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what the wicked live in.
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They live in
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sheer darkness,
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hopelessness,
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and loneliness.
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I know what this is like.
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And the,
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I had a,
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when I was,
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my first,
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I think it was
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sophomore year in college,
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freshman,
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sophomore year in college,
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I lived in Gwinnett County
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and I was just,
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at that time,
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I was probably early Christian
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and I just had like a lot of zeal
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but not like a lot of channeling
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and right thinking
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and what I was doing
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but had good motives.
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And I was a part of my
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old youth ministry,
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just kind of being
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like a youth worker
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and there was a kid
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who was 13
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named Tyler
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and
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Tyler grew up
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very, very lonely
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like teenager.
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His parents
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hated his guts.
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He lived with his aunt
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and
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in school
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he was
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picked on
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a lot
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when he started
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middle school.
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He came around
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every Wednesday
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and we always
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tried to hang out
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with him
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and he was a fun guy
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to be around
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but he also
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did some very crazy things
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just to get attention.
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That's all he wanted
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was like somebody
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to be like,
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hey,
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just to look at him.
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One time he actually
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drove his bike
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like down a hill
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through like a major
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intersection
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just hoping that he
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didn't get like hit
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by the cars.
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He was just trying
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to get attention
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from all his buddies.
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Just very,
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very lonely,
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feeling unwanted.
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just darkness
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in his eyes.
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No hope.
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And I remember
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actually being
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in the hospital
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getting a call
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from a friend of mine
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that said that he had
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hung himself
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the previous night
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and that was the first
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time I had experienced
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something like that
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and had to work
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with all his friends,
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all his middle school
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buddies who just
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didn't understand
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like what happened.
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Just sheer darkness
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and this is what
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it leads to.
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The apex of that
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is just wanting
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not to go on living.
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So,
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a story that I mentioned
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I think last year,
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a story of a girl
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called Judy Bucknell
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and she lived
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in California,
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San Francisco Bay.
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She worked really hard.
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She exercised.
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She was really well
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respected in the community.
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She was never in jail.
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She never got in trouble
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with the law.
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And she,
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but she was miserable.
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She hosted parties
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and designer clothes
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and in 1980,
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at the age of 38,
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she became homicide
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victim 106 in Miami.
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And she was murdered
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on a summer evening
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and stabbed several times
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and strangled.
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And she kept a diary
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of a very lonely life.
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And this is something
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that she wrote
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at the age of 38.
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At the age of 38,
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I'm alone
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and I want to share
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something with somebody.
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Where are the men
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with the flowers
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and the champagne
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and the music?
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Where are the men
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who call and ask
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for a genuine,
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actual date?
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Where are the men
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who like
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to share more than
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my bed
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and my food?
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I would like to have
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in my life once
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before I pass through,
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before I pass on,
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the kind of sexual relationship
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which is a part
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of a loving relationship.
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I see people together
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and I'm so jealous
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and I want to throw up.
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What about me?
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What about me?
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Who is going to love
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Judy Bucknell?
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I feel so old,
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unloved,
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unwanted,
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abandoned,
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used up,
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and I want to cry
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in my sleep forever.
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A picture of loneliness.
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This girl's heart
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had actually died
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way before she died.
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And Jesus said
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in Matthew 6,
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the eye is the lamp
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of the body,
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so if your eye
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is healthy,
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your whole body
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will be full of light.
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But if your eye
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is bad,
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your whole body
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will be full of darkness.
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If then the light
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is in you,
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the light in you
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is darkness,
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how great is that darkness?
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There's something
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about that.
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We can,
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you look in someone's eyes
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and you're just emptiness.
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I mean,
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I know what that
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looks like.
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And so,
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two characteristics
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about the loss
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of what we live in.
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It's crooked,
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it's perverse,
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and it's,
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it lives in darkness.
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And I've,
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been there,
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and I hope that
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if you have been there,
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that you don't forget
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what it was like
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and to remind yourself
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and it's surrounding you
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every day
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with your friends
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and family.
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So,
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in this text,
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we're going to look
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at five verbs
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that are going to change
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into present participles.
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You know what that is?
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Too bad if you don't.
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Come on,
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North Georgia English.
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Okay.
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And,
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and how we're to live
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in the midst
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of a world
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like this.
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And,
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number one,
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there's five.
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Number one,
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our doing.
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Our doing.
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And it comes from
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verse 14
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where it says,
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do
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all things
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without grumbling
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or questioning.
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And,
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the focus there
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is on the manner
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in which things
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are to be done.
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Not just in the doing,
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but like the spirit
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behind the doing.
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And,
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without complaining,
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without grumbling,
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or without questioning.
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So,
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it's a call
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to be obedient,
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the spirit of joy
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and gladness
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and not a grudging
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kind of obedience.
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So,
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it's possible for us
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to do the right thing
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but do it in such a way
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to where
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it deprives us
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of the joy
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and angers
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everyone around us.
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Very possible
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to do that.
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an example.
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So,
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you can,
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well,
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some of you
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probably could
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say this now.
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You're home
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and your parents
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give you a task
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to do.
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Clean something up.
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Go mow the yard.
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Go rake the leaves.
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Clean the house.
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Whatever.
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And,
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they're interrupting
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your chilled out day
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and your entertainment
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that you want.
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And,
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it leads you
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just to grumble.
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And,
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this word
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for grumbling here,
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it means like
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muttering under
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like a low voice.
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This is a grumble
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in your spirit
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and it leads
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to a questioning
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which is,
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why do I got to do this now?
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Why do I got to do that
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today?
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Why can't I do it
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my way
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and not your way?
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It leads to this
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where you're questioning
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and you're grumbling
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about a specific task
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that's been given to you.
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So,
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it's intellectual
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and emotional
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and so it
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it gets to the point
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where your
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your parents
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are just like,
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look,
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just
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put the rake down
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just go in your room
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I'll do the dishes.
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I'd rather
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do it myself
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than to watch
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your mean-spirited
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attempt at obedience.
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Ever had that happen?
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Like,
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just forget about it.
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Just get out of my sight.
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I'm so
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tired of hearing
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this gruntled spirit
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in you.
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and it gets
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to that point.
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So,
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if that's true
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for our
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earthly parents,
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our earthly father,
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how much more
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our heavenly father?
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Paul probably
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has in mind
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Exodus 15,
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turn there.
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This is,
15:46
keep your hand in Philippians.
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Excuse me,
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Exodus 16,
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I was going to mention
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verse 15,
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chapter 15.
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Exodus 16
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and go to verse 6.
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But just to give you
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a context,
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Israel has come
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through the Red Sea.
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They've been delivered
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from the hands
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of the Egyptians.
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And in verse,
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excuse me,
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chapter 15,
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you have the song
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of Moses.
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He's praising God
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for what God has done.
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And you have
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his sister Miriam
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going to town
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on the tambourine,
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kind of going,
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you know,
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going nuts
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to the tambourine.
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And then,
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you get to chapter 16.
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And just think
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about what just happened.
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They just were delivered,
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taken through the Red Sea,
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delivered out of bondage
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in Egypt.
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And God,
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and they begin
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to grumble.
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They begin to grumble
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at the beginning
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of the chapter.
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They're basically like,
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we have more meat
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in Egypt.
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We have more
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stuff to eat
16:47
in general
16:47
in Egypt.
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And they're kind of
16:49
grumbling and moaning.
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And then God,
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graciously,
16:52
provides them
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manna and quail
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to eat.
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And Moses
16:58
makes it clear,
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though,
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their complaint
16:59
is not against
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him,
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but against God.
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And so we get
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to chapter 16,
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verse 6.
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We'll just read
17:08
some of this.
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So Moses and Aaron
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said to all the people
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of Israel,
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At evening
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you shall know
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that it was the Lord
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who brought you
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out of the land
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of Egypt.
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And in the morning
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you shall see
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the glory of the Lord
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because he has heard
17:23
your grumbling
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against the Lord.
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And it says,
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For what
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are we
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that you
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grumble
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against us?
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And Moses said,
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When the Lord
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gives you
17:34
in the evening
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meat to eat
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and in the morning
17:37
bread to the full
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because the Lord
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has heard your grumbling
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that you grumble
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against him,
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what are we?
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Your grumbling
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is not against us
17:47
but against the Lord.
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And then Moses
17:49
said to Aaron,
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Say to the whole
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congregation
17:52
of the people
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of Israel,
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Come near
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before the Lord
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for he has heard
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your grumbling.
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So of all people,
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we're really quick
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to do this
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when we study
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the Old Testament
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and study
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the people
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of Israel.
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You'd think,
18:07
they're crazy.
18:08
This got delivered
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out of slavery
18:10
in Egypt
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and seen these
18:11
awesome miracles
18:12
and they're grumbling.
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We're really quick
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to kind of point
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their finger
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at them.
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You'd think,
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they of all people
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should be joyful
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and glad
18:20
to be delivered.
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And we are
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very guilty ourselves.
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Like you need to turn
18:26
like right around
18:27
and like point
18:29
to yourself.
18:30
They experienced
18:31
a worldly
18:31
deliverance
18:33
from physical slavery
18:34
but we have experienced
18:37
even greater
18:37
deliverance
18:39
from our spiritual
18:41
death
18:41
through what Christ
18:43
has done
18:44
and we still grumble.
18:44
we still grumble.
18:47
And you can say
18:49
like God,
18:50
you know,
18:50
why have you stuck
18:51
me in this place
18:52
in my life?
18:54
Why does everybody
18:54
else kind of
18:56
seem to get
18:57
what they want
18:57
and I don't?
19:00
Why is this thing
19:01
happening this way?
19:02
If you just gave me
19:02
this then I would
19:03
be happy.
19:04
We just grumble
19:05
and we complain
19:06
and we argue.
19:07
Even in our service
19:09
to God,
19:10
we argue
19:11
and we grumble.
19:12
I remember being
19:13
in Puerto Rico
19:15
I think
19:16
when I might have
19:18
been like 21
19:18
years old
19:19
and we were doing
19:20
some work
19:21
on the streets
19:21
and doing street work
19:24
painting curbs
19:26
and cleaning up
19:27
things as a means
19:28
to share the gospel
19:29
with the people
19:29
that were coming
19:30
around us
19:31
and there was
19:32
a lady
19:33
on my team
19:35
that,
19:36
man,
19:38
I just,
19:39
the prophet in me
19:40
just started coming
19:41
out towards
19:42
the end of that trip
19:42
but she was just
19:44
grumbling like
19:44
the whole time
19:45
like,
19:46
it's so hot
19:47
out here,
19:48
why do we have
19:49
to do this
19:49
right now?
19:50
Very,
19:52
every little thing
19:52
you can think of
19:53
and like,
19:55
I can't wait
19:55
to go to the beach
19:56
on this day
19:57
and just very,
20:00
it made me really
20:01
sad and angry
20:02
all at the same time.
20:03
Just a persistent
20:05
grumbling
20:05
the whole time
20:07
and just began
20:07
to rob people
20:08
like the joy
20:09
that was there
20:10
and so,
20:12
if we persist
20:14
in long term
20:15
grumbling
20:16
and questioning
20:18
God,
20:19
He'll discipline us,
20:20
He will,
20:21
like He'll say like,
20:21
I've had enough
20:22
of this
20:22
and He'll like
20:23
kindly
20:24
just knock us
20:25
down a little bit
20:26
and turn to
20:28
Lamentations
20:30
right after Jeremiah
20:31
and I'll show you
20:33
an example of this.
20:34
God actually did this
20:38
to Judah
20:40
and Jeremiah
20:41
who wrote Lamentations
20:43
recognized this.
20:45
Lamentations chapter 3
20:46
verse 37
20:48
There's just a few
20:51
other places
20:51
for you to turn
20:52
tonight.
20:54
Getting used to
20:55
flipping that Bible.
20:59
Lamentations chapter 3
21:00
verse 37
21:01
He says,
21:03
Who has spoken
21:05
and has come to pass
21:07
unless the Lord
21:08
has commanded it?
21:10
Is it not
21:11
from the mouth
21:12
of the Most High
21:13
that good
21:13
and bad come?
21:15
So,
21:16
He recognizes
21:17
right here
21:18
in this first verse
21:19
that God's
21:20
sovereign hand
21:21
is what brings
21:22
good
21:23
and allows evil.
21:26
He does both.
21:26
Like it doesn't just
21:27
God is in control
21:28
of all things.
21:29
Things don't just happen
21:30
even when
21:31
even when Satan
21:32
acts
21:32
is because God
21:33
has sovereignly
21:34
allowed him
21:34
to act
21:35
and he only operates
21:36
in the parameters
21:37
in which God
21:38
has set.
21:39
Then it goes on
21:40
and he says,
21:41
Why should
21:42
a living man
21:43
complain
21:44
a man
21:45
about the punishment
21:47
of his sins?
21:49
Let us test
21:50
and examine
21:50
our ways
21:51
and return
21:52
to the Lord.
21:53
Let us lift up
21:54
our hearts
21:55
and hands
21:55
to the God
21:56
of heaven.
21:57
Why should we
21:58
complain
21:58
and why should
21:59
we be grumbling?
22:00
If we have been
22:00
delivered
22:01
from our sin
22:03
and now we actually
22:04
continue to sin
22:05
against the Lord
22:06
and God disciplines
22:07
us,
22:08
why should we
22:09
grumble?
22:09
Like what's the
22:10
he's saying like
22:11
obviously God
22:13
would discipline
22:14
us
22:15
and let us
22:16
examine our ways
22:17
and return
22:17
to the Lord.
22:19
So,
22:20
that's the first
22:21
thing is in our
22:22
doing
22:22
we're to
22:23
live in such
22:25
a way
22:26
without grumbling
22:26
or complaining.
22:27
The second thing,
22:29
the second part
22:29
of the civil
22:30
year,
22:31
look at,
22:32
go back to
22:33
Philippians,
22:33
sorry.
22:35
Philippians,
22:36
it's going to be
22:37
in verse 15,
22:40
in our
22:42
becoming,
22:43
our becoming,
22:46
and in verse 15,
22:48
that you may
22:48
be blameless
22:50
and innocent
22:51
children of God
22:52
without blemish
22:53
in the midst
22:54
of a crooked
22:54
and twisted
22:56
generation.
22:56
That's verse 15.
22:58
So,
22:58
in our becoming,
22:59
we're to,
23:01
that you may be,
23:02
I'm just kind of
23:02
adding that on,
23:03
becoming,
23:04
be,
23:04
becoming,
23:06
children of God.
23:08
Not by physical
23:09
birth,
23:09
but as it says
23:10
in John 1,
23:11
by the power
23:12
of God,
23:13
by the spirit
23:13
of regeneration
23:14
the Holy Spirit
23:15
gives to us,
23:16
being born again.
23:19
So,
23:19
pure here
23:20
is not just
23:21
an external activity,
23:22
it has to do
23:23
with the fact
23:23
that,
23:24
that like,
23:25
precious metals
23:26
that are free
23:28
of all the alloys
23:29
that actually
23:29
would bring harm
23:30
to it,
23:31
a purity.
23:32
Purity is what
23:33
paves the way
23:34
for our intimacy
23:35
with God.
23:36
If we give
23:37
ourselves
23:37
and adulterate
23:38
ourselves out
23:39
to a thousand
23:39
different things,
23:41
we don't have
23:41
the purity
23:42
to actually enjoy
23:43
the Lord
23:44
as we could
23:44
enjoy the Lord.
23:46
So,
23:47
that's what
23:47
carves that out
23:49
and purity
23:51
is a shocking
23:52
thing
23:53
to anybody
23:54
in the world
23:55
we live in,
23:55
in any situation.
23:57
It's like
23:58
we actually
23:58
would keep
23:58
ourselves pure
23:59
for something.
24:00
It's mind-boggling
24:02
to the world.
24:03
It transcends
24:04
into the spiritual
24:05
world.
24:07
And notice
24:07
how it says
24:08
in their midst.
24:11
We're to be
24:12
in their midst,
24:12
not separating
24:13
ourselves
24:14
from the world,
24:15
but actually
24:15
being in it.
24:17
And while
24:19
we're in the midst
24:19
of it,
24:20
to be blameless.
24:21
And that just
24:22
means living
24:23
without fault.
24:23
Not perfect,
24:25
but not in such
24:26
a way to where
24:27
they're constantly
24:27
pointing out to us
24:29
the gap between
24:31
our mouths
24:31
and the way
24:32
we actually live.
24:33
We're to show
24:35
people that
24:36
this is real
24:36
and that we
24:38
believe with our
24:39
hearts and
24:39
our minds
24:40
that it goes
24:41
into our actions
24:42
and to live
24:43
upright and
24:44
clean.
24:47
Two other
24:48
places to turn.
24:48
This is one.
24:49
Titus chapter 2.
24:51
Flip there
24:52
and I'm going
24:52
to show you
24:52
something here.
24:56
We don't want
24:57
any gaps to
24:58
exist between
24:59
what we say
25:00
or what we
25:01
claim to
25:01
believe
25:02
and then
25:03
actually
25:03
our actions.
25:05
We want
25:05
them to be
25:06
one.
25:08
Nothing brings
25:09
harm to the
25:10
gospel like
25:12
people who
25:12
talk a lot
25:13
but don't
25:13
really walk
25:14
that way
25:15
at all.
25:18
And remember
25:19
not perfectly
25:19
but we're
25:21
going to look
25:21
at Titus
25:22
chapter 2
25:23
verse 7
25:24
and Paul
25:27
writes to
25:28
them,
25:29
show yourself
25:30
in all
25:31
respects to
25:32
be a model
25:33
of good
25:33
works and
25:34
in your
25:35
teaching show
25:36
integrity and
25:37
dignity,
25:38
sound speech
25:39
that cannot
25:40
be condemned
25:40
so that an
25:42
opponent may
25:42
be put to
25:43
shame,
25:43
having nothing
25:44
evil to say
25:45
about us.
25:46
There's another
25:47
example of
25:47
that.
25:48
Listen to
25:49
this.
25:49
Slaves are
25:51
to be
25:51
submissive to
25:52
their own
25:52
masters and
25:53
everything.
25:54
They are to
25:55
be well
25:55
pleasing,
25:56
not
25:56
argumentative,
25:57
not
25:58
pilfering,
25:58
but showing
25:59
all good
26:00
faith.
26:03
And why?
26:03
Why all
26:04
this?
26:05
Why?
26:06
The last
26:06
part.
26:07
So that in
26:08
everything that
26:09
may adorn the
26:11
doctrine of
26:12
God our
26:12
Savior.
26:14
So when we
26:14
live in that
26:15
way, it
26:16
adorns
26:17
Christ.
26:17
It makes
26:18
Christ look
26:18
beautiful and
26:20
magnificent and
26:21
glorious like
26:21
He really is.
26:23
And that's the
26:24
purpose.
26:25
It's not just to
26:26
live that way,
26:27
just to live that
26:27
way.
26:28
It's to show
26:29
people this is
26:30
where our life
26:30
comes from,
26:31
where our joy
26:31
comes from.
26:33
And so they
26:34
would have
26:35
nothing really
26:35
evil to say
26:36
about us unless
26:36
they're lying.
26:37
We would have a
26:38
clean conscience
26:39
about how we
26:39
live.
26:40
So that's the
26:41
second one,
26:42
our becoming.
26:44
The third
26:44
one, back in
26:46
Philippians in
26:47
verse 15,
26:49
our shining,
26:51
our shining.
26:54
And verse 15,
26:56
in the midst of
26:58
a crooked and
26:58
twisted generation
26:59
among whom you
27:01
shine as lights
27:02
in the world.
27:05
And we've
27:07
talked a lot
27:08
about the
27:09
darkness that
27:10
exists in the
27:11
world before we
27:12
actually dove into
27:13
this.
27:14
So remember
27:16
that Christ is
27:18
the light of the
27:20
world.
27:20
He said in
27:21
John, I'm the
27:22
light of the
27:23
world.
27:23
whoever follows
27:24
me will not
27:25
walk in darkness
27:26
but will have
27:27
the light of
27:27
life.
27:29
So this is the
27:30
light that Christ
27:31
brought to the
27:32
world.
27:34
And so now
27:36
that Christ is
27:37
gone, through
27:38
Christ we become
27:39
children of the
27:40
light.
27:41
We have to have
27:42
Christ in our
27:43
life and we
27:43
become children
27:44
of the light.
27:45
Once we're born
27:46
again, his light
27:48
is given to us
27:49
and it dwells in
27:50
us.
27:52
And it's not a
27:53
light that we
27:53
produce or put
27:55
out on our
27:56
own.
27:56
We have no
27:57
light in and
27:58
of ourselves to
27:59
give anybody.
27:59
It's a light
28:00
that completely
28:00
comes by knowing
28:02
Christ.
28:04
And in
28:05
Ephesians 5
28:06
verse 8, this
28:08
is something Paul
28:08
says,
28:09
For at one
28:10
time you were
28:12
darkness, but
28:14
now you are the
28:15
light in the
28:16
Lord.
28:17
Walk as children
28:18
of light.
28:20
So we have
28:21
in this present
28:22
life, joy and
28:23
direction for
28:25
our lives because
28:25
we have that
28:26
light.
28:27
And we're to
28:28
shine in a
28:29
dark world.
28:31
And think
28:33
about this,
28:35
like the
28:35
moon, you
28:37
ever heard
28:37
like the light
28:38
of the moon?
28:39
The moon
28:39
doesn't have any
28:40
light, you know
28:41
that?
28:41
Like it doesn't
28:41
actually put out
28:42
light.
28:43
It reflects the
28:44
light off the
28:44
sun, does it
28:45
not?
28:45
And that's what
28:46
we see.
28:47
So we're to
28:49
position our
28:50
lives in such
28:51
a way to
28:53
where we
28:53
reflect the
28:53
glory of the
28:54
sun onto the
28:56
world around
28:56
us.
28:57
And people can
28:58
tell that the
28:59
light's not
29:00
coming from us
29:00
but from
29:01
something else.
29:02
And that's
29:03
being the
29:04
light of the
29:04
world.
29:05
And stars, if
29:07
we're to walk
29:08
outside, probably
29:10
around here, you
29:12
see the stars.
29:12
Out in the
29:13
country you can
29:13
see the stars.
29:14
stars in the
29:17
ancient times
29:17
were navigational
29:19
tools.
29:19
They didn't
29:19
have a lot of
29:21
the GPS stuff
29:22
we have now.
29:22
Like they had
29:23
the sailors and
29:26
mariners, they
29:26
had to decide
29:27
where to go
29:28
based on where
29:28
the stars were.
29:30
And they serve
29:31
as a guide.
29:32
And so our
29:33
lives are to
29:35
serve as a
29:36
navigational guide
29:37
to the people
29:38
who are lost
29:39
in darkness.
29:39
We're to show
29:40
them this is
29:41
where the light
29:41
is.
29:42
This is how
29:42
you should live.
29:43
This is where
29:44
to go and
29:44
we're to
29:45
point to
29:45
Christ because
29:46
he's the
29:46
source of
29:47
the light and
29:48
he's the
29:48
source of
29:48
life.
29:50
And I
29:52
think this is
29:52
the last
29:53
place.
29:54
I'm going to
29:54
have you
29:54
turn, but
29:55
look at
29:55
Matthew 5.
29:57
Awesome.
29:58
You can't
29:58
really skip
29:59
over this.
30:00
Matthew 5,
30:01
Summer on
30:01
the Mount,
30:03
verse 14.
30:06
Many people
30:07
around us do
30:08
not know the
30:09
way to go and
30:10
they need the
30:11
light of Christ.
30:14
So,
30:14
yeah,
30:17
Matthew 5,
30:17
verse 14,
30:19
Jesus says
30:20
this,
30:21
You are the
30:22
light of the
30:23
world.
30:24
A city set
30:24
on a hill
30:25
cannot be
30:26
hidden,
30:27
nor do
30:28
people light
30:29
a lamp and
30:30
put it under
30:30
a basket,
30:31
but on a
30:31
stand,
30:32
and it
30:32
gives light
30:33
to all in
30:34
the house.
30:35
In the same
30:36
way, let
30:36
your light
30:37
shine before
30:37
others,
30:38
so that they
30:39
may see your
30:40
good works,
30:41
and give glory
30:41
to your Father
30:42
who is in
30:43
heaven.
30:45
Lights,
30:45
by nature,
30:47
shine.
30:47
They don't do
30:48
any other
30:49
thing.
30:49
That's what
30:49
they do.
30:50
They illuminate.
30:51
Light means
30:52
like illumination.
30:53
It means
30:53
purity,
30:55
clarity.
30:56
In a lot of
30:57
ways, it means
30:57
like goodness.
30:58
That's what
30:59
light means.
30:59
It's the
30:59
opposite of
31:00
darkness.
31:01
And when we
31:03
leave buildings
31:03
like this,
31:04
to put our
31:05
light away,
31:06
does the
31:07
world no
31:08
good.
31:08
It doesn't
31:08
do us any
31:10
good either.
31:10
and notice
31:13
how he
31:15
doesn't
31:15
command them
31:16
to shine.
31:18
He's like
31:18
basically saying,
31:19
you do
31:20
shine.
31:21
If Christ
31:21
is in you,
31:22
this is what
31:23
will happen.
31:23
You will
31:23
shine.
31:24
His light's
31:25
in the world.
31:25
It doesn't
31:26
say, get out
31:26
there and
31:27
shine.
31:27
It's not a
31:28
commandment.
31:29
He's saying
31:29
that you
31:30
shine.
31:31
Because they
31:32
possess Christ,
31:33
the light of
31:34
the world.
31:35
So it's not
31:35
a commandment.
31:36
It's something
31:37
that dwells in
31:38
us that comes
31:38
out.
31:39
So we're
31:40
to shine in
31:41
the world.
31:42
The fourth
31:42
thing is our
31:44
holding out.
31:45
This is in
31:46
verse 16
31:47
back in
31:47
Philippians.
31:48
Holding fast
31:49
to the word
31:50
of life.
31:52
So a
31:53
good rendering
31:54
of that would
31:54
be to hold
31:56
forth, to
31:57
hand something
31:58
out that way
32:00
to someone.
32:01
And so the
32:02
word of God
32:03
that is the
32:03
lamp unto our
32:04
feet, the
32:05
light unto our
32:06
paths, that
32:06
gives us
32:07
direction.
32:09
We're to
32:09
hold it
32:10
out.
32:10
We're to
32:10
hold the
32:11
gospel out
32:11
to others.
32:13
And that's
32:14
it.
32:14
You can't
32:15
save the
32:15
person.
32:16
You can't
32:16
change the
32:17
person.
32:17
We're to
32:18
be offering
32:18
it out to
32:19
them.
32:19
Here is
32:19
life.
32:21
Here is the
32:21
word of
32:22
life that
32:22
will bring
32:23
you salvation.
32:25
It's only
32:25
found in
32:26
Christ.
32:28
So that's
32:28
what we're
32:29
to do.
32:29
God enables
32:30
them to
32:31
lay hold
32:31
of it.
32:32
That one's
32:33
pretty fast.
32:34
Could go on
32:34
that forever.
32:35
But fifthly
32:37
and lastly,
32:38
our rejoicing.
32:40
Our rejoicing.
32:41
This is in
32:41
verse 16.
32:43
Paul says,
32:44
So that in
32:44
the day of
32:45
Christ I
32:46
may be
32:46
proud that I
32:47
do not run
32:47
in vain or
32:48
labor in
32:49
vain.
32:50
Even if I'm
32:50
being poured
32:51
out as a
32:51
drink offering
32:52
upon the
32:52
sacrificial
32:53
offering of
32:54
your faith,
32:55
I am glad
32:56
and I rejoice
32:57
with you all.
32:57
Likewise,
32:59
you also
33:00
should be
33:00
glad and
33:00
rejoice with
33:01
me.
33:02
You know,
33:03
like in a
33:03
lot of
33:04
relays,
33:04
what they
33:05
call fault
33:05
starts,
33:06
and the
33:07
person can
33:08
run a
33:09
long,
33:09
long way,
33:10
and I
33:10
think they're
33:10
doing good,
33:11
and get to
33:11
the end,
33:12
be like,
33:12
sorry,
33:13
fault start,
33:14
you didn't
33:14
actually make
33:15
this happen.
33:16
Paul wants
33:17
no fault
33:18
start.
33:19
He wants
33:19
to be able
33:20
to look at
33:21
the Philippians
33:21
and be able
33:22
to say,
33:23
you know,
33:24
this was
33:25
done right,
33:26
and I can
33:27
rejoice because
33:28
of that,
33:28
and I want
33:29
you to
33:29
rejoice with
33:31
me when we
33:31
get to that
33:31
finish line,
33:33
and to
33:34
share in
33:35
that joy,
33:37
a drink
33:37
offering,
33:37
Paul calls
33:38
himself a
33:39
drink offering,
33:41
to,
33:42
in the Old
33:42
Testament,
33:43
like,
33:44
wine was a
33:44
very valuable,
33:45
rare commodity,
33:47
and it was
33:47
poured out on
33:48
the altar where
33:49
animals were
33:49
sacrificed,
33:50
and it was,
33:51
it would create
33:52
this really nice
33:53
smelling aroma,
33:55
and it was
33:55
symbolic of
33:56
somebody's
33:57
devotion and
33:58
commitment to
33:59
God.
33:59
That's what the
34:01
wine offering
34:01
was,
34:02
the drink
34:03
offering,
34:04
and Paul
34:05
is saying
34:05
that I want
34:06
my life to
34:07
be this way,
34:07
I want it
34:07
to be poured
34:09
out as a
34:10
drink offering,
34:10
that's pleasing
34:11
to God,
34:12
and that the
34:15
Philippians would
34:16
be there as a
34:17
sign of that,
34:17
and they would
34:18
share in that
34:18
joy that
34:19
existed.
34:21
So,
34:22
this is a
34:23
life we're to
34:25
live in the
34:25
midst of a
34:26
dark and
34:26
crooked,
34:28
perverse
34:28
generation.
34:29
all these
34:30
things will
34:31
help us.
34:32
And lastly,
34:34
this is just
34:35
more of an
34:35
exhortation than
34:36
anything.
34:40
If you're
34:40
without Christ
34:41
tonight,
34:42
hear this
34:43
directly like
34:44
out of the
34:44
mouth of
34:45
Jesus himself,
34:47
and let this
34:48
be something
34:49
that spurs us
34:50
on as people
34:51
who know
34:51
Christ to
34:52
go after
34:53
and to
34:55
seek the
34:56
loss around
34:57
us.
34:59
John 12,
35:01
just go ahead
35:02
and turn there,
35:02
we're done
35:02
after this.
35:03
John 12,
35:04
this is right
35:05
out of the
35:05
mouth of
35:06
Christ.
35:07
John 12,
35:09
verse 35.
35:19
John 12,
35:20
verse 35,
35:21
says,
35:23
So Jesus
35:24
said to
35:24
them,
35:26
The light
35:26
is among
35:27
you for a
35:27
little while
35:28
longer.
35:29
Walk while
35:31
you have
35:31
the light,
35:32
lest darkness
35:32
overtake you.
35:34
The one who
35:35
walks in the
35:35
darkness does
35:36
not know
35:36
where he is
35:37
going.
35:39
While you
35:39
have the
35:39
light,
35:40
believe in
35:41
the light,
35:42
that you
35:42
may become
35:43
sons of
35:45
the light.
35:46
And Jesus
35:47
is saying
35:47
that like
35:47
I'm here
35:48
right now,
35:49
I'm the
35:50
light of
35:51
the world,
35:52
believe in
35:53
me while
35:53
I'm here.
35:55
And it
35:56
carries a
35:57
certain tone
35:57
as if like
35:59
the light
35:59
will not be
36:00
around forever
36:01
for people
36:02
to lay
36:03
hold of
36:03
and to
36:03
come out
36:04
of their
36:04
darkness.
36:05
So Christ
36:06
is all
36:08
that we
36:08
need to
36:09
live this
36:09
life.
36:10
And so
36:11
we're to
36:11
live in
36:12
the world
36:12
and all
36:13
we do
36:15
will be
36:15
without
36:15
grumbling,
36:16
we're to
36:16
be becoming
36:17
children of
36:19
God,
36:19
laying hold
36:21
of what's
36:21
ours in
36:22
Christ,
36:23
and to
36:24
be shining
36:26
in a dark
36:26
world.
36:28
This is,
36:29
I feel so
36:30
convicted when
36:31
I think about
36:31
this.
36:32
I'm not
36:32
doing this
36:33
as often
36:34
as I
36:34
ought,
36:35
but people
36:36
need to be
36:36
able to
36:36
look at
36:36
our lives
36:37
and see
36:37
something
36:37
is not
36:39
quite right,
36:39
something is
36:40
different about
36:40
how we
36:41
live.
36:42
We have
36:42
been given
36:43
the greatest
36:44
thing to
36:44
have hope
36:45
and to
36:46
have joy
36:46
in.
36:46
And if
36:48
we just
36:48
look like
36:48
the rest
36:49
of the
36:49
world,
36:49
there's
36:50
still
36:50
something
36:50
that's
36:51
not
36:51
right.
36:52
We're
36:53
either in
36:55
sin,
36:55
we're
36:55
rebelling
36:55
against
36:56
our
36:56
Father,
36:56
or we
36:58
don't
36:58
have
36:58
the
36:58
light
36:58
at all.
37:00
It
37:00
says that
37:00
you must
37:01
shine.
37:02
If Christ
37:02
is in
37:03
you,
37:03
it has
37:03
to come
37:04
out
37:04
somehow.
37:04
doesn't
37:05
just,
37:05
he just
37:06
said a
37:06
city on
37:06
a hill,
37:08
it shines
37:09
that light.
37:10
And that's
37:10
what we
37:11
want to
37:11
be for
37:11
people.
37:13
And
37:14
it,
37:15
to
37:16
those
37:16
who
37:16
God
37:17
is
37:17
working
37:18
in,
37:19
when they
37:19
actually
37:19
see that
37:20
light,
37:20
such
37:20
freedom
37:21
and such
37:22
joy
37:23
overtakes
37:23
them.
37:25
I remember
37:25
just a
37:26
temporal
37:26
experience
37:28
of this.
37:29
when I
37:31
was hiking
37:32
in
37:32
Scotland
37:34
this
37:35
summer,
37:35
it was
37:35
getting
37:35
late.
37:36
It was
37:37
really,
37:37
really
37:37
dark
37:37
outside.
37:39
And it
37:39
was
37:39
raining
37:39
and I
37:40
was
37:40
really
37:41
hungry.
37:42
I had
37:42
no food
37:43
on me
37:43
at the
37:44
time.
37:45
And
37:45
I just
37:48
didn't know
37:48
where we
37:49
were on
37:49
the trail.
37:50
I just
37:50
knew we
37:50
were on
37:50
the trail.
37:51
And I
37:51
was just
37:52
praying
37:52
like we
37:53
got to
37:53
the next
37:53
town
37:53
really
37:54
quick.
37:54
and just
37:55
wanted to
37:56
get a nice
37:57
shower and
37:58
go get
37:59
some food.
38:00
That kind
38:01
of feeling.
38:03
I'm
38:04
huffing and
38:04
puffing with
38:05
my lungs
38:05
going up
38:07
this last
38:07
hill.
38:08
I didn't
38:09
know how
38:09
far we
38:09
had to
38:10
go.
38:10
And we
38:10
finally
38:10
got up
38:11
there.
38:12
I could
38:12
see the
38:12
town down
38:14
that way.
38:15
It was
38:15
this big
38:16
bright light.
38:17
I was
38:17
like,
38:18
yes!
38:18
I could
38:18
just
38:18
brought
38:19
so much
38:19
freedom
38:20
and joy.
38:21
I felt
38:22
like I
38:22
was going
38:22
to make
38:22
it out
38:23
for a
38:23
second.
38:24
And we
38:25
just kind
38:26
of kept
38:26
going.
38:27
And when
38:27
we got
38:28
there,
38:28
just went
38:29
to the
38:30
hostel,
38:30
threw our
38:30
stuff down,
38:31
got on a
38:32
nice shower,
38:33
put some
38:33
dry clothes
38:33
on,
38:34
went to
38:35
the pub
38:35
and had
38:35
some good
38:36
pub grub.
38:38
And while
38:39
I was
38:39
there,
38:41
you're in
38:41
a room
38:42
with several
38:42
other guys
38:42
that are
38:43
all on
38:43
bunk beds,
38:43
other hikers,
38:45
and guys
38:45
from all
38:46
over the
38:46
place.
38:48
We had
38:49
been sharing
38:49
the gospel
38:50
that day
38:50
with a guy
38:51
from France,
38:52
from Paris,
38:53
and he
38:53
just,
38:54
kind of
38:55
wasn't
38:55
having it.
38:56
We talked
38:56
for like
38:57
15 miles
38:57
about stuff,
38:59
and he
38:59
was kind
39:00
of borderline
39:01
agnostic,
39:02
I guess you
39:03
could probably
39:03
say,
39:04
but he
39:06
got to
39:06
talking about
39:06
women and
39:08
just how
39:08
he,
39:09
you know,
39:11
liked that
39:11
stuff.
39:12
and he,
39:17
it just
39:19
kind of
39:19
was,
39:20
kind of
39:20
began to
39:21
make me
39:21
like really,
39:22
really sad,
39:23
because this
39:23
is what this
39:23
guy worshiped,
39:24
this is where
39:24
he found
39:25
his life,
39:26
and you
39:26
could tell
39:27
that it
39:27
was just
39:28
like all
39:29
he wanted
39:29
and all
39:30
that he
39:30
could look
39:30
for,
39:31
were,
39:31
and so
39:32
when we
39:32
got to
39:33
this hostel,
39:36
there was
39:37
another guy
39:38
that was
39:38
sleeping
39:39
underneath
39:39
me,
39:40
and he
39:41
was from
39:41
Scotland,
39:42
he actually
39:42
was in the
39:42
military,
39:43
and so
39:45
my friend
39:45
Mark and
39:46
I were
39:46
talking about
39:47
this guy,
39:48
and just
39:48
how bad
39:49
we felt
39:50
for him,
39:50
because we
39:50
were holding
39:51
out the
39:52
word of
39:52
life to
39:52
him,
39:53
and just
39:54
didn't want
39:54
it,
39:55
and just
39:56
kind of
39:57
spat on
39:57
it,
39:58
and we
39:59
were just
39:59
kind of
39:59
talking about
40:00
how we
40:00
felt sorry
40:00
for him,
40:01
and how
40:02
he doesn't
40:02
really know
40:02
that real
40:03
joy exists,
40:04
and we
40:05
didn't say
40:05
Christ,
40:06
we didn't
40:06
say anything
40:08
while we were
40:08
just standing
40:09
there,
40:10
and this
40:10
guy kind
40:10
of popped
40:11
out of his
40:12
bed,
40:13
underneath
40:13
me,
40:14
the guy
40:14
from Scotland,
40:16
his name
40:16
was Paul,
40:17
and he
40:18
said,
40:19
are you a
40:19
Christian?
40:20
And I
40:21
was like,
40:21
oh man,
40:22
what's
40:22
about to
40:22
come next?
40:22
Like,
40:23
I hate
40:23
Christians,
40:24
or something,
40:25
I didn't
40:25
know what's
40:25
about to
40:26
come,
40:26
but I
40:28
kind of
40:28
said,
40:29
yeah man,
40:30
just a
40:31
follower of
40:32
Christ,
40:33
lover of
40:33
Christ,
40:34
that's us,
40:35
and he's
40:35
like,
40:36
me too,
40:37
and he
40:38
said,
40:38
I could
40:39
tell,
40:40
and I
40:40
was like,
40:40
really?
40:42
I began
40:42
to ask
40:43
him,
40:43
and he
40:44
said that
40:44
you were
40:44
talking about
40:45
having joy
40:46
that the
40:46
world doesn't
40:47
know,
40:47
and having
40:47
peace that
40:48
the world
40:48
doesn't
40:48
know,
40:49
and he
40:49
was like,
40:50
so I just
40:50
assumed that's
40:51
who you
40:51
guys were,
40:53
and so we
40:54
invited him to
40:55
come out to
40:56
eat with us,
40:57
and we had a
40:58
good time,
40:59
but like,
41:01
the joy that
41:02
seeing the light
41:02
brings in a
41:04
temporal experience
41:04
like that is
41:05
just nothing
41:05
compared to
41:07
having like,
41:07
your chains
41:08
fall off
41:09
from bondage
41:11
and sin,
41:12
and having
41:13
light come
41:14
into your
41:14
life,
41:15
the light
41:16
of the
41:16
world,
41:16
Christ,
41:17
and so this
41:18
is what we're
41:19
to be doing,
41:20
we have to
41:20
stand out,
41:22
Christ is in
41:23
us,
41:23
and he has
41:24
to pour
41:25
out of us,
41:27
so that's
41:28
our sermon
41:30
tonight,
41:31
let's just
41:31
pray,
41:32
and we'll,
41:33
Alex and
41:34
Lauren,
41:34
you probably
41:34
can just
41:35
come back
41:35
up,
41:35
and we're
41:35
going to
41:36
respond,
41:37
just with
41:37
some singing,
41:38
and we'll
41:39
break out in
41:39
groups,
41:41
Father,
41:42
I pray that
41:43
you would
41:46
help us
41:47
just to
41:47
reverence you,
41:49
to work out
41:50
our salvation
41:51
with fear
41:52
and trembling,
41:53
as we've
41:54
read in
41:54
Philippians,
41:56
and that
41:56
we would
41:59
seek to
42:00
live in
42:03
the middle
42:03
of a
42:04
crooked and
42:05
perverse
42:06
generation
42:07
that lives
42:08
in darkness,
42:10
and I pray
42:10
that we
42:12
wouldn't forget
42:13
the darkness
42:13
that we
42:14
once lived
42:15
in,
42:16
and Lord,
42:18
that that
42:19
would break
42:19
our hearts
42:20
and lead
42:21
us to
42:22
shine in
42:24
the darkness,
42:25
to point
42:26
others to
42:26
Christ,
42:27
to hold
42:27
out the
42:28
word of
42:28
life,
42:29
Lord,
42:29
to do all
42:29
things that
42:30
we do
42:30
without
42:31
grumbling,
42:32
complaining,
42:32
but in
42:33
a spirit
42:33
of joy
42:34
and gladness
42:35
that we
42:35
actually can
42:35
do all
42:37
things,
42:38
even eating
42:38
and drinking
42:39
to your
42:39
glory,
42:40
and Father,
42:42
that we
42:42
can see
42:44
you change
42:44
lives,
42:46
you can
42:46
destroy
42:47
the darkness
42:49
that's around
42:49
us,
42:50
and the lives
42:51
of people
42:51
that all
42:53
of us in
42:53
here,
42:53
all of us
42:54
know who
42:55
those people
42:55
are right
42:55
now.
42:57
God,
42:58
so help
43:00
us to
43:00
shine,
43:01
help us
43:03
to step
43:03
out and
43:04
to love
43:04
them and
43:04
to lay
43:05
our lives
43:06
down for
43:07
them.
43:09
God,
43:09
they will
43:10
be freed
43:10
from sin,
43:12
be saved
43:13
for your
43:14
glory.
43:16
Father,
43:16
we love
43:16
you and
43:17
just give
43:17
you praise
43:17
in Christ's
43:18
name.
43:18
Amen.