WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:22.260 Hi, and welcome to the Willow Ridge Church weekly podcast. 00:00:22.760 --> 00:00:25.880 This is where you can find audio for our current and past sermons. 00:00:26.080 --> 00:00:30.420 We hope that you enjoy this week's installment, and be sure to check back next week to hear 00:00:30.420 --> 00:00:31.260 the latest message. 00:00:31.680 --> 00:00:32.460 Thanks for listening. 00:00:46.300 --> 00:00:49.260 I hope you had a wonderful, wonderful Thanksgiving. 00:00:49.260 --> 00:00:54.940 I can tell you with great confidence that this past Thursday, the closest thing to a vegetable 00:00:54.940 --> 00:00:57.600 that touched my plate was macaroni and cheese. 00:00:57.780 --> 00:01:00.920 If you're saying macaroni and cheese isn't a vegetable, I know, right? 00:01:01.160 --> 00:01:03.180 Like, that's as close as it got. 00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:07.760 I did something this morning that I shouldn't have done, but I typically weigh myself every 00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:11.580 Sunday to kind of see what I've done and either maintaining or losing a little bit of weight. 00:01:12.020 --> 00:01:18.280 And this Sunday, I was five pounds bigger than last Sunday, so it was a good week for me, 00:01:18.280 --> 00:01:20.820 right, with all those macaroni and cheese vegetables. 00:01:21.420 --> 00:01:26.140 As we dive into our message this morning, a couple of things that I want to point you guys 00:01:26.140 --> 00:01:26.360 to. 00:01:26.760 --> 00:01:31.300 First off, if you were here with us on campus, I hope you got one of these little communion 00:01:31.300 --> 00:01:33.380 cups as you walked in. 00:01:33.740 --> 00:01:35.740 If you didn't, you're not going to hurt my feelings. 00:01:36.080 --> 00:01:36.880 Get up right now. 00:01:36.960 --> 00:01:38.860 Go ahead and head back to the back of the auditorium. 00:01:39.200 --> 00:01:43.620 Grab one for you or for everyone in your family, because we will be taking the Lord's Supper 00:01:43.620 --> 00:01:45.240 at the very end of the message. 00:01:45.240 --> 00:01:50.180 Now, if you're at home and you're watching us online, hopefully you got Pastor Dave's email 00:01:50.180 --> 00:01:50.700 this week. 00:01:51.020 --> 00:01:52.580 If you didn't, that's okay. 00:01:52.960 --> 00:01:54.780 Go and get something out of the kitchen. 00:01:54.940 --> 00:01:58.120 And if you don't have any grape juice or whatever, it's fine. 00:01:58.180 --> 00:02:01.520 It's all about what this means, not about exactly what it looks like. 00:02:01.820 --> 00:02:02.540 Get some water. 00:02:02.660 --> 00:02:03.680 Get a couple saltines. 00:02:03.760 --> 00:02:08.200 We'll be good to go as we celebrate what God has done in our lives. 00:02:08.380 --> 00:02:14.160 Also, I want to point everyone that's on campus here to something, as you walk out today, as 00:02:14.160 --> 00:02:18.960 we look forward to 2021, and it will be here, I promise, right? 00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:20.260 Like, we will get there. 00:02:20.740 --> 00:02:25.900 One of the conversations that we're having is how do we continue on what God's doing through 00:02:25.900 --> 00:02:28.560 our church and missions all over the world. 00:02:28.840 --> 00:02:30.980 And there's one thing that you can begin to pray about. 00:02:30.980 --> 00:02:35.940 There's some flyers on the table as you leave in the lobby about Greece. 00:02:36.060 --> 00:02:39.960 There's some trips that are planned through the South Carolina Baptist Convention to go 00:02:39.960 --> 00:02:42.780 and to work with refugees in Greece. 00:02:43.100 --> 00:02:46.140 And so if that would interest you, grab one of those flyers. 00:02:46.220 --> 00:02:48.980 It'd be a good opportunity for you to begin to pray through that. 00:02:49.040 --> 00:02:52.140 And if you have any questions, maybe we can get those answered for you. 00:02:52.500 --> 00:02:56.960 But on a day-to-day basis, what we would like to remind you and encourage you to do is 00:02:56.960 --> 00:02:58.660 to pray for missions of what's going on. 00:02:58.660 --> 00:03:02.760 Several weeks ago, we had a missionary from East Asia that was here. 00:03:02.900 --> 00:03:07.460 East Asia represents the largest unreached region of our world. 00:03:07.700 --> 00:03:10.480 And so we have some prayer calendars out there for East Asia. 00:03:10.740 --> 00:03:12.820 I've got one on my desk here at the office. 00:03:13.160 --> 00:03:16.820 And each day, it reminds me of a new people group that I can pray for. 00:03:17.020 --> 00:03:20.700 It shares me their name, a picture of someone from that people group, 00:03:20.800 --> 00:03:22.960 and then specifically how I can pray for them. 00:03:23.180 --> 00:03:25.440 And so maybe that's a good thing for you to grab. 00:03:25.440 --> 00:03:29.420 Maybe it's something that you want to give to someone as a part of their Christmas gift this year. 00:03:29.680 --> 00:03:30.880 Be a wonderful opportunity. 00:03:31.300 --> 00:03:36.300 But then also, right, if that's not enough, we've got these pamphlets for our 2020 week of prayer 00:03:36.300 --> 00:03:39.000 for the Lottie Moon Christmas offering that are out there, 00:03:39.020 --> 00:03:43.380 where it's an intentional time of praying from November 29th through December 6th 00:03:43.380 --> 00:03:48.400 of all of our international missions work that are there, and those are out there as well. 00:03:48.400 --> 00:03:52.980 So lots of stuff that you guys can be praying for and that you can be doing. 00:03:53.700 --> 00:03:58.320 Well, if you've got your Bibles, go ahead and open them up to Judges chapter 19. 00:03:58.940 --> 00:04:04.880 As you turn there, this will be our last week in Judges, our last message in Judges. 00:04:05.200 --> 00:04:06.700 Judges goes through chapter 21. 00:04:06.940 --> 00:04:09.000 We're not going to get 20 and 21 this morning. 00:04:09.120 --> 00:04:11.000 We're going to finish up in 19. 00:04:11.300 --> 00:04:13.200 Next week, we will start our Christmas series. 00:04:13.200 --> 00:04:17.280 I'm really excited as we're going to do something a little bit different than I've done before 00:04:17.280 --> 00:04:22.560 as we celebrate the birth of Christ, as you guys can tell with the decorations in here. 00:04:22.900 --> 00:04:24.740 We are ready to go. 00:04:25.060 --> 00:04:27.600 We added a new inflatable at the Bradbury house, right? 00:04:27.640 --> 00:04:29.900 We got our minion inflatable in the yard. 00:04:30.140 --> 00:04:35.060 And my wife looked at me yesterday and she said, you know, this has to stop at some point, right? 00:04:35.340 --> 00:04:36.120 And I said, yeah. 00:04:36.220 --> 00:04:38.380 So we worked out an agreement. 00:04:38.560 --> 00:04:42.220 We compromised, even though we talked about that you shouldn't last week, right, with God. 00:04:42.220 --> 00:04:48.740 But we compromised with each other and I know that I'm limited now to three additional inflatables. 00:04:48.920 --> 00:04:53.120 So I'm going to make them count as we go forward with this. 00:04:53.200 --> 00:04:55.640 But we're excited about being in the Christmas season. 00:04:56.320 --> 00:05:01.620 Well, as we wrap up the series in Judges, the last week and this week is a little different 00:05:01.620 --> 00:05:03.000 than the previous weeks. 00:05:03.420 --> 00:05:08.520 So throughout the series, we looked basically at nine weeks of looking at different Judges. 00:05:08.640 --> 00:05:10.780 Some Judges we looked at for multiple weeks. 00:05:10.780 --> 00:05:12.400 Some Judges only got a week. 00:05:12.700 --> 00:05:15.480 Some Judges just got mentioned just for a brief moment. 00:05:15.880 --> 00:05:21.720 But what a commonality or common theme throughout the book of Judges is that the people did what 00:05:21.720 --> 00:05:23.600 was evil in the sight of the Lord. 00:05:23.920 --> 00:05:28.860 And we got glimpses of it, but we never got the specific details, right? 00:05:28.900 --> 00:05:31.300 Like we never got like, what is it that they were doing? 00:05:31.660 --> 00:05:34.880 Like what was someone doing that was so horrific? 00:05:34.880 --> 00:05:41.160 We could hear where they practice idolatry and they had forgotten about who God is and what 00:05:41.160 --> 00:05:41.720 God had done. 00:05:41.900 --> 00:05:44.320 But what exactly were these specific stories? 00:05:44.720 --> 00:05:47.140 And so that's what we started looking at last week. 00:05:47.300 --> 00:05:51.720 And that's what we're going to continue to look at this week in chapter 19. 00:05:51.920 --> 00:05:56.560 Now, I want to tell you this kind of parents at home, parents that are here. 00:05:57.200 --> 00:06:06.700 Chapter 19 might be one of the hardest chapters in Scripture in the details of what it talks about. 00:06:06.980 --> 00:06:12.700 And because I understand that we've got various age groups with this, I'm going to try to work 00:06:12.700 --> 00:06:19.280 my way and be sensitive to that, to hopefully not create any unwanted questions after this 00:06:19.280 --> 00:06:19.880 is over with. 00:06:20.220 --> 00:06:27.100 But the heaviness of this in chapter 19 is one that as you read through it, as I read through 00:06:27.100 --> 00:06:30.380 it this past week and studying it, it just, it hurt my heart. 00:06:31.380 --> 00:06:38.360 But as we go through this, what I want us to continue to draw from this is to think of all 00:06:38.360 --> 00:06:40.260 that God does as He redeems His people. 00:06:41.320 --> 00:06:47.380 To think as all God does is as you see the horrific scenario that's about to unfold before 00:06:47.380 --> 00:06:54.700 us, as you look at all of the horrific scenarios that are playing out all over the world, some 00:06:54.700 --> 00:07:04.560 in our own community, some in our country, some all over this world, the evil and the depravity 00:07:04.560 --> 00:07:05.520 that is there. 00:07:06.180 --> 00:07:13.140 But that through it all, what God is continuing to do is God is continuing to redeem people. 00:07:13.960 --> 00:07:19.840 And He's redeeming people who don't deserve it because no one deserves it. 00:07:20.460 --> 00:07:24.860 And so let's, let's jump in right here, Judges 19, starting in, in verse one. 00:07:27.140 --> 00:07:33.040 In those days when there was no king in Israel, a certain Levite was sojourning in the remote 00:07:33.040 --> 00:07:41.660 parts of the hill country of Ephraim, who took to himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah. 00:07:41.820 --> 00:07:43.160 So let me just say this. 00:07:44.160 --> 00:07:45.320 He owns her. 00:07:46.580 --> 00:07:49.260 This is a slave for him. 00:07:51.080 --> 00:07:51.860 Verse two. 00:07:53.320 --> 00:07:55.800 And his concubine was unfaithful to him. 00:07:57.040 --> 00:08:04.140 And she went away from him to her father's house at Bethlehem in Judah and was there for some four months. 00:08:05.400 --> 00:08:11.880 Then her husband arose and went after her to speak kindly to her and bring him, and bring her back. 00:08:12.040 --> 00:08:15.280 And he had with him his servant and a couple of donkeys. 00:08:15.280 --> 00:08:19.100 And she brought him into her father's house. 00:08:19.280 --> 00:08:24.420 And when the girl's fathers saw him, he came with joy to meet him. 00:08:24.520 --> 00:08:27.400 All right, let's pause here for a moment also. 00:08:28.320 --> 00:08:31.520 You're going to see words like husband and father-in-law. 00:08:31.700 --> 00:08:38.200 And don't get it confused to what you and I know as a norm of 2020 husband and father-in-law. 00:08:38.200 --> 00:08:44.100 This is still, this woman, is his property that he owns. 00:08:46.940 --> 00:08:52.600 And his father-in-law, the girl's father, made him stay and remained with him three days. 00:08:52.860 --> 00:08:55.680 So they ate and drank and spent the night there. 00:08:56.360 --> 00:09:01.360 And on the fourth day they arose early in the morning, and he prepared to go. 00:09:01.500 --> 00:09:03.880 But the girl's father said to his son-in-law, 00:09:04.680 --> 00:09:09.380 Strengthen your heart with a morsel of bread, and after that you may go. 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:12.600 So the two of them sat and ate and drank together. 00:09:12.600 --> 00:09:14.940 And the girl's father said to the man, 00:09:15.320 --> 00:09:18.800 Be pleased to spend the night and let your heart be merry. 00:09:19.180 --> 00:09:26.260 And when the man rose up to go, his father-in-law pressed him till he spent the night there again. 00:09:26.580 --> 00:09:30.440 And on the fifth day he arose early in the morning to depart. 00:09:30.600 --> 00:09:35.280 And the girl's father said, Strengthen your heart and wait until the day declines. 00:09:35.460 --> 00:09:38.060 So they ate, both of them. 00:09:38.060 --> 00:09:41.600 So here's the players that we meet in this story. 00:09:42.600 --> 00:09:50.100 There's a man who owns a woman, culturally accepted. 00:09:51.260 --> 00:09:58.160 She is his slave to please him and to do what he commands her to do. 00:09:58.520 --> 00:10:04.420 Because he is a piece, she is a piece of property for him. 00:10:05.500 --> 00:10:12.400 And then you meet her dad, who treats her the exact same way. 00:10:12.600 --> 00:10:16.200 Now, there's some cultural things that are happening within this. 00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:22.880 Now, the irony of the phrase is, but to help us understand what Scripture says, 00:10:23.140 --> 00:10:27.240 was she was unfaithful to the man who owned her, right? 00:10:27.260 --> 00:10:30.940 And we don't know that scenario, but she was unfaithful to him. 00:10:30.940 --> 00:10:38.720 So she leaves to go find haven from her dad who allowed her to be sold. 00:10:38.720 --> 00:10:43.540 And what does dad do when the man who bought her comes to his house? 00:10:43.780 --> 00:10:47.420 Hey, come sit on the couch and let's eat some food and drink together. 00:10:48.880 --> 00:10:49.400 Right? 00:10:49.480 --> 00:10:56.160 This is the depth of the depravity of what we begin to see in this family. 00:10:56.600 --> 00:11:03.080 We see that a woman who has been treated like a piece of property, like an object, 00:11:03.600 --> 00:11:12.560 who in this tries to break away from this sense of little of value that she has in and of herself, 00:11:12.820 --> 00:11:19.740 runs from a man who's going to identify as her husband, but is not her husband at all. 00:11:20.740 --> 00:11:24.480 To go find safe haven from her dad to protect her. 00:11:24.740 --> 00:11:26.660 And the dad says, no, no, no, no, just come in. 00:11:26.860 --> 00:11:28.380 Like, let's get some chips out. 00:11:28.480 --> 00:11:29.520 Let's get some Coke out. 00:11:29.600 --> 00:11:32.120 Like, let's just watch TV and hang out here, boy. 00:11:32.240 --> 00:11:32.500 Right? 00:11:32.880 --> 00:11:36.020 Like, I've got a great relationship with my father-in-law. 00:11:36.460 --> 00:11:36.960 I do. 00:11:37.220 --> 00:11:38.420 I love him. 00:11:38.660 --> 00:11:39.780 He loves me. 00:11:39.780 --> 00:11:45.120 He sent me a text message of encouragement this morning before the 930 service. 00:11:45.420 --> 00:11:47.420 And I value our relationship. 00:11:47.860 --> 00:11:48.700 This isn't it. 00:11:49.540 --> 00:11:49.900 All right? 00:11:50.640 --> 00:11:55.220 This is so far beyond unhealthy, it's not funny. 00:11:56.220 --> 00:11:58.100 It's disgusting in what we find. 00:11:59.480 --> 00:12:04.600 And what I want us to see here is that this is just how the Levite lived. 00:12:05.440 --> 00:12:06.700 This was normal. 00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:13.720 There was cultural rules put in place to accept the normalcy of this situation. 00:12:14.040 --> 00:12:23.740 And here's why we know that her running from him and being unfaithful to him meant that she, that he could have her killed. 00:12:25.120 --> 00:12:31.580 Her running to her dad and her dad bringing her in meant that her dad could be killed. 00:12:32.560 --> 00:12:33.900 And it would have been legal. 00:12:35.180 --> 00:12:39.800 And this is what we find in and among God's people. 00:12:40.880 --> 00:12:42.500 This is how the Levite lived. 00:12:42.620 --> 00:12:45.280 This is how the father fought. 00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:52.420 This is how not only this woman, but very much most of the women were treated as an object. 00:12:53.240 --> 00:12:55.500 And it's just simply how they saw things. 00:12:56.460 --> 00:12:58.560 It's simply what the culture looked like. 00:12:59.440 --> 00:13:05.480 And if you're like me, you're like ladies in the room like watching this, you're like, no, no, no, no, uh-uh. 00:13:06.340 --> 00:13:06.560 Right? 00:13:06.620 --> 00:13:14.220 Like dads in the room are like, nope, no, no, you kill me before you do that to her. 00:13:14.420 --> 00:13:14.820 Right? 00:13:15.100 --> 00:13:17.600 And I'm taking some of y'all out with me, you know? 00:13:18.400 --> 00:13:21.580 But this is the situation which we find because this is how they saw life. 00:13:22.500 --> 00:13:31.120 And what I'm going to appeal to us this morning is that as we, as we walk through this, as you and I walk through life as Christians, right? 00:13:31.120 --> 00:13:34.460 The Levite's culture saw this and said it was okay. 00:13:35.280 --> 00:13:41.020 And as Christians, you and I, we should see things differently. 00:13:41.840 --> 00:13:43.020 We should see things differently. 00:13:43.660 --> 00:13:51.400 It's going to be the whole point of the message this morning is how we see God is going to determine how we see other life as a whole. 00:13:51.860 --> 00:13:52.340 But we do. 00:13:52.440 --> 00:13:55.960 We're called to see not just some things, but everything different. 00:13:56.140 --> 00:13:56.280 All right? 00:13:56.320 --> 00:13:58.320 So here's a few challenges for us this week. 00:13:58.960 --> 00:14:03.280 The Bible, God's Word tells us that we're to see work differently, right? 00:14:03.540 --> 00:14:09.200 That when we work, that you and I are to work as if we are directly working for God, right? 00:14:09.300 --> 00:14:16.300 So that manager you don't get along with, that manager that you think treats you unfairly, that manager who constantly speaks down to you. 00:14:16.440 --> 00:14:18.360 Like all of those things may be true. 00:14:18.580 --> 00:14:24.760 But if your attitude is, well, then I'm not going to do as good of a job as a Christian because of how I'm treated. 00:14:24.760 --> 00:14:33.100 I can tell you that God's Word says your attitude is sinful and it's wrong and that you're to work as if God is your boss because that's who you're representing in the workplace of where he's put you. 00:14:33.800 --> 00:14:36.240 Now, we're supposed to look at money differently, right? 00:14:36.500 --> 00:14:39.000 Jesus tells us, no, pay your taxes. 00:14:39.660 --> 00:14:42.060 But he also says, give to God. 00:14:42.280 --> 00:14:49.160 In fact, he says all of this, we really, all of this is God's anyways and that he's just entrusted it over to him. 00:14:49.160 --> 00:14:55.520 So you and I should see our money differently than the way that the world sees money. 00:14:55.880 --> 00:15:04.580 You know, like you and I, we talk a lot about self-image, about how we view ourselves and having a healthy self-image specifically of our physical bodies. 00:15:04.980 --> 00:15:05.300 Do you know that? 00:15:05.400 --> 00:15:08.960 That we should see our physical bodies differently, right? 00:15:09.100 --> 00:15:20.220 Like, we should work to take care of our physical bodies, not so that we can wear skimpy clothes and show them off, but that we should work to take care of our physical bodies and use them to glorify God. 00:15:20.220 --> 00:15:34.940 Because there should be nothing, right, that stops us from sharing the gospel and in going and being mobilized so that it is a benefit of us that we make sure, right, that we are physically speaking, taking care of ourselves. 00:15:36.060 --> 00:15:42.520 But what we want to look at this morning, that you and I need to see life differently. 00:15:43.580 --> 00:15:45.420 We see life differently. 00:15:46.000 --> 00:16:05.240 And what I want to talk about, kind of the theme of this morning, I want to be on the sanctity of life, that you and I as Christians, that we acknowledge that there is a special nature that comes from all human life. 00:16:05.240 --> 00:16:20.060 And that in that, that we value it, that we respect human life, and that you and I are working toward the understanding that there's a spiritual aspect that plays out in this. 00:16:21.200 --> 00:16:23.940 In Scripture, it's referred to as the Imago Dei. 00:16:24.100 --> 00:16:26.480 It's why this life is so important. 00:16:27.240 --> 00:16:31.660 In Genesis chapter 1, verse 27, it says, 00:16:31.840 --> 00:16:34.260 So God created man in his own image. 00:16:35.060 --> 00:16:38.140 In the image of God, he created him. 00:16:38.680 --> 00:16:43.120 Male and female, he created them. 00:16:43.720 --> 00:16:49.760 That from the very beginning in creation, and we can look at some gender equality stuff that's going on here, 00:16:49.980 --> 00:16:53.540 in the value of male life, in the value of female life. 00:16:53.540 --> 00:17:04.400 But the reason why life as a whole is so important, because human life, unlike anything else, is made specifically in the image of God. 00:17:04.500 --> 00:17:04.620 All right? 00:17:04.840 --> 00:17:09.160 God created the animals, and the sun, and the mountain, and the trees. 00:17:09.320 --> 00:17:12.420 And we need to be respectful of all of creation. 00:17:12.420 --> 00:17:21.720 But there is something sacred in human life, and it is because human life and human life alone is made in the image of God. 00:17:22.620 --> 00:17:30.080 And so what we see in this, what you and I need to work through as we look at life as a whole, 00:17:30.660 --> 00:17:42.100 is every race, every language group, every generation, every sex, all made in the image of God. 00:17:43.960 --> 00:17:53.520 And this is going to, when we read chapter 19, in light of that, it should begin to do something to us. 00:17:54.760 --> 00:18:01.520 That we'll see begin to happen, is the breakdown of the understanding of the Imago Dei. 00:18:02.680 --> 00:18:09.940 The daughter, the woman in the story, is not being viewed in the Imago Dei. 00:18:10.580 --> 00:18:14.980 Instead, she's viewed as a piece of property. 00:18:16.120 --> 00:18:18.460 But we, as Christians, okay? 00:18:19.660 --> 00:18:21.000 Not we as Americans. 00:18:22.360 --> 00:18:24.220 Not we as moral people. 00:18:25.480 --> 00:18:33.620 But we, as Christians, must see life differently than the rest of the world has seen as being made in the image of God. 00:18:33.840 --> 00:18:41.960 And so in that, what we find at this base level is this sense of equality, of value amongst others. 00:18:42.620 --> 00:18:48.860 In fact, what you and I, what I would challenge you to, is we will see people differently. 00:18:49.000 --> 00:18:53.920 But we don't need to see people differently in the way that the world defines us. 00:18:54.040 --> 00:18:57.920 We need to see people differently about how the gospel defines us. 00:18:58.200 --> 00:19:01.040 And so, so Paul says in Galatians 3, 27, 00:19:02.040 --> 00:19:06.880 For as many of you, as were baptized into Christ, have put on Christ. 00:19:07.380 --> 00:19:10.240 And so that in that, there is neither Jew nor Greek. 00:19:10.400 --> 00:19:12.300 There is neither slave nor free. 00:19:12.520 --> 00:19:14.580 There is no male and female. 00:19:14.900 --> 00:19:18.040 For you are all one in Christ Jesus. 00:19:18.380 --> 00:19:24.560 And if you are Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise. 00:19:24.560 --> 00:19:33.860 So that when you and I see each other, what we begin to understand is that you and I, there's neither slave nor free. 00:19:33.960 --> 00:19:35.760 So we wipe out socioeconomic. 00:19:36.540 --> 00:19:39.080 There's neither Jew nor Gentile. 00:19:39.160 --> 00:19:43.380 So we can wipe out race and we can wipe out culture. 00:19:44.100 --> 00:19:47.020 There's neither male nor female. 00:19:47.280 --> 00:19:50.340 And I want to say this, so we can wipe out gender on this. 00:19:50.440 --> 00:19:53.460 Now, that doesn't mean that these things don't matter to us, okay? 00:19:53.740 --> 00:19:56.000 They beautifully matter to us. 00:19:56.180 --> 00:19:57.520 And here's why it matters to us. 00:19:57.660 --> 00:20:07.200 I heard a pastor say one time that race, we should not see people by their race or their nationality or by their gender. 00:20:07.380 --> 00:20:08.540 And I disagree with that. 00:20:08.560 --> 00:20:09.660 And here's why I disagree with that. 00:20:10.260 --> 00:20:15.960 Because God perfectly made me how I am. 00:20:15.960 --> 00:20:18.980 And so God is glorified in that, right? 00:20:21.220 --> 00:20:27.640 So that when I go into the Indian restaurant down on St. Andrews that I love to go to, 00:20:27.720 --> 00:20:32.140 and what's beautiful about going in there is you will, if you listen to the languages that people are speaking, 00:20:32.480 --> 00:20:34.800 you'll hear from people from all over the world in there. 00:20:34.940 --> 00:20:38.980 And I can celebrate God because of the diversity of which God brings, right? 00:20:39.420 --> 00:20:45.380 I can look into the beautiful diversity as God has wired me and God has wired my wife. 00:20:46.020 --> 00:20:49.860 And I can celebrate the beauty of diversity. 00:20:50.260 --> 00:20:56.780 But that in the beauty of diversity, there's the equality of what God gives, right? 00:20:57.360 --> 00:20:59.760 So I am not greater than my wife. 00:20:59.980 --> 00:21:01.620 And she is not greater than me. 00:21:02.500 --> 00:21:07.360 That I, as an American, am not greater than someone from India. 00:21:07.360 --> 00:21:09.460 And they are not greater than me. 00:21:09.540 --> 00:21:10.440 That this is what we see. 00:21:10.540 --> 00:21:15.740 But what we do begin to see people differently is in the lost and the saved. 00:21:16.860 --> 00:21:21.780 That we do understand that when we look through people through the lens of the gospel, 00:21:21.980 --> 00:21:28.420 what we should be able to see and walk away from it is people who have the gospel and people who need it. 00:21:29.420 --> 00:21:35.900 And people who we should be drawn to even though they are different than us. 00:21:37.320 --> 00:21:40.600 I do want to pause for a moment and talk about this. 00:21:40.600 --> 00:21:53.540 Most of the time when sanctity of life is mentioned, it's concerning the unborn and the argument for pro-life as Christians. 00:21:54.960 --> 00:22:00.580 And what I want to be careful of, and I want to make sure that you hear me clearly, is this. 00:22:01.700 --> 00:22:04.420 I'm pro-life, all right? 00:22:05.040 --> 00:22:06.940 I believe in the value of life. 00:22:07.720 --> 00:22:15.180 But in the argument for us as Christians, we cannot simply have the argument of sanctity of life with the unborn. 00:22:15.460 --> 00:22:20.400 But it must be of all life, of the equality that's there. 00:22:21.660 --> 00:22:22.880 But God does. 00:22:23.980 --> 00:22:27.560 God does speak about the beauty of life. 00:22:28.260 --> 00:22:31.540 Life that takes place at conception. 00:22:32.420 --> 00:22:37.500 But even for us, we define life, you and I do, by time because that's all we know. 00:22:38.260 --> 00:22:38.440 Right? 00:22:39.140 --> 00:22:43.000 So we define life as conception, right? 00:22:43.380 --> 00:22:44.720 Until death. 00:22:44.800 --> 00:22:45.920 That's what we do. 00:22:46.280 --> 00:22:49.500 But the Bible goes beyond that because God is not bound by time. 00:22:50.200 --> 00:22:52.540 So God's word says this. 00:22:53.540 --> 00:22:57.360 Your eyes saw my unformed substance. 00:22:58.280 --> 00:23:07.300 In your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. 00:23:08.040 --> 00:23:08.240 Right? 00:23:08.540 --> 00:23:12.860 The beauty of the wholeness of how big God is. 00:23:13.640 --> 00:23:16.860 God said, yeah, there's value of life in the womb. 00:23:16.860 --> 00:23:22.700 But I, as God, see the value of life even before the womb so that I determine the days before then. 00:23:23.480 --> 00:23:23.580 Right? 00:23:24.600 --> 00:23:27.600 You see the great picture of what God is painting. 00:23:28.400 --> 00:23:28.880 Right? 00:23:28.940 --> 00:23:32.240 To sum it up in his heart, right, of God's love for the world. 00:23:32.840 --> 00:23:39.040 It's the first verse that we learned in our Sunday school classes growing up or the VBS that we went to. 00:23:39.140 --> 00:23:41.940 Or we'd see it on the sign at the baseball game, right? 00:23:42.200 --> 00:23:43.480 John 3, 16. 00:23:43.740 --> 00:23:45.640 For God so loved the what world. 00:23:46.700 --> 00:23:48.060 That he gave his only son. 00:23:48.060 --> 00:23:52.780 That whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 00:23:52.960 --> 00:23:53.040 Right? 00:23:53.100 --> 00:23:59.420 We see the value of God, of what God places on life as a whole. 00:24:00.780 --> 00:24:08.760 And so for you and I, what we must do is embrace the sanctity of life and what's there. 00:24:09.000 --> 00:24:13.600 But what's happened here in Judges, what's happened from the very beginning, 00:24:14.220 --> 00:24:21.160 what has plagued creation since the fall is the devalue of life. 00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:26.500 Brother takes the life of brother. 00:24:26.500 --> 00:24:32.300 What we see here in Judges 19 is a separation that one life is greater than the other. 00:24:32.640 --> 00:24:36.820 And we see what I like to refer to as a culture of them. 00:24:37.640 --> 00:24:46.300 And when there's a culture of them that is prevalent, then I can remove myself because I'm not a part of those because those are them. 00:24:46.860 --> 00:24:49.000 And now I'm separated from them. 00:24:49.000 --> 00:24:56.840 And the hard thing is this, that in Christianity, what we should be is we should be drawn to the thems. 00:24:57.260 --> 00:25:05.360 We should be drawn to those that have been outcasts, drawn to those who are broken, drawn to those who are different. 00:25:05.600 --> 00:25:11.100 Why? Because we have the hope of the gospel and that we understand the Imago Dei. 00:25:11.320 --> 00:25:18.580 So we celebrate the beauty of the diversity as we look to eliminate the culture of the them. 00:25:19.540 --> 00:25:21.880 But we see this downfall that begins to happen. 00:25:22.660 --> 00:25:27.700 We see the downfall that happens in the life of this man and in the life of the father. 00:25:27.700 --> 00:25:31.900 And we see the victim that is this girl. 00:25:33.360 --> 00:25:34.360 So they leave. 00:25:36.020 --> 00:25:40.360 The dad releases his daughter back into slavery. 00:25:41.940 --> 00:25:43.260 And so they set off on a journey. 00:25:44.120 --> 00:25:49.880 And they head toward a city, but the man doesn't want to go into this city because it's a Canaanite city. 00:25:50.620 --> 00:25:55.520 And he doesn't trust what will happen if they enter into a non-Israel city. 00:25:55.520 --> 00:26:02.580 So instead, they go to another town and they decide to stay there because it's part of the Israel, of the Jewish people. 00:26:02.840 --> 00:26:05.240 So this is where they're going to be. 00:26:05.320 --> 00:26:12.260 But as they enter in into this town where they say, well, this is our people, so we'll be safe, we'll be good here. 00:26:12.360 --> 00:26:14.060 They notice that things are different. 00:26:14.960 --> 00:26:17.220 They notice that it's not like they were used to before. 00:26:17.520 --> 00:26:21.720 And the scripture says what was different is this, that no one's speaking to them. 00:26:22.680 --> 00:26:24.020 No one's talking to them. 00:26:24.520 --> 00:26:26.180 No one's looking at them. 00:26:27.180 --> 00:26:33.540 And finally, there's this older man, the Bible tells us, that comes out and he extends them the gift of hospitality. 00:26:33.900 --> 00:26:34.420 And he says, no, no. 00:26:34.620 --> 00:26:36.640 Well, you can come into my house. 00:26:36.780 --> 00:26:38.080 And then he gives him a warning. 00:26:38.940 --> 00:26:42.120 He says, but whatever you do, don't go into the town square. 00:26:43.000 --> 00:26:43.840 Don't go in there. 00:26:44.540 --> 00:26:47.080 Bad stuff happens there. 00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:51.080 Let's look down at verse 22 of chapter 19. 00:26:51.080 --> 00:27:03.460 So as they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, worthless fellows, surrounded the house, beating on the door. 00:27:04.820 --> 00:27:13.280 And they said to the old man, the master of the house, bring out the man who came into your house that we may know him. 00:27:14.100 --> 00:27:14.340 All right. 00:27:16.280 --> 00:27:21.600 In the sensitivity of the room, they're not asking to learn what his name is, okay? 00:27:23.440 --> 00:27:24.960 They want to victimize him. 00:27:26.200 --> 00:27:30.340 Bring him out so that we may know him. 00:27:31.600 --> 00:27:32.120 Verse 23. 00:27:33.120 --> 00:27:39.140 And the man, the master of the house, went out to them and said to them, no, my brothers, do not act so wickedly. 00:27:39.840 --> 00:27:44.440 Since this man has come into my house, do not do this vile thing. 00:27:45.440 --> 00:27:47.300 So we think here, all right, maybe there's somebody that gets it. 00:27:48.300 --> 00:27:49.320 Maybe there's a hero. 00:27:50.260 --> 00:27:52.860 Maybe there's someone who stands for righteousness. 00:27:53.540 --> 00:27:56.060 Maybe there's someone that can point toward this. 00:27:56.920 --> 00:27:57.560 But no. 00:27:58.680 --> 00:27:59.560 Verse 24. 00:28:01.180 --> 00:28:06.020 Behold, here are my virgin daughter and his concubine. 00:28:06.660 --> 00:28:08.520 Let me bring them out. 00:28:09.660 --> 00:28:14.220 Violate them and do with them what seems good to you. 00:28:15.080 --> 00:28:19.560 But against this man, do not do this outrageous thing. 00:28:23.380 --> 00:28:28.740 And in my mind, I can't fathom what's taking place. 00:28:31.180 --> 00:28:36.420 A dad who is so surrounded by a culture of evil. 00:28:38.260 --> 00:28:39.280 He says, no. 00:28:40.780 --> 00:28:42.360 You're not going to do this to him. 00:28:43.860 --> 00:28:45.400 But you can do this to them. 00:28:47.160 --> 00:28:51.280 And part of them is his baby girl. 00:28:54.240 --> 00:29:05.380 And what we see taking place in Judges, what we see taking place throughout society since sin entered is the evolution of sin. 00:29:06.380 --> 00:29:15.480 We see sin that begins and starts and then it grows and changes into something that it never was before. 00:29:15.620 --> 00:29:18.080 But at the heart of it, it's the exact same thing. 00:29:19.140 --> 00:29:27.460 And so what we see in the evolution of sin where we fall into that still today is we believe the lie, number one, that sin is controllable. 00:29:28.740 --> 00:29:31.020 That I can control my sin. 00:29:31.920 --> 00:29:32.920 That I've got struggles. 00:29:33.100 --> 00:29:34.700 Like we call it pretty stuff, right? 00:29:35.120 --> 00:29:36.260 I've got my weaknesses. 00:29:36.500 --> 00:29:37.500 I've got my struggles. 00:29:37.700 --> 00:29:39.280 I've got the battles that I face. 00:29:39.480 --> 00:29:41.040 But you know, they're just that. 00:29:41.340 --> 00:29:42.380 They're struggles. 00:29:42.780 --> 00:29:44.380 No, you don't have struggles. 00:29:44.560 --> 00:29:45.720 You have what's killing you. 00:29:45.840 --> 00:29:46.600 And it's sin. 00:29:46.740 --> 00:29:48.240 And it's not controllable. 00:29:48.400 --> 00:29:49.880 It's uncontrollable. 00:29:49.980 --> 00:29:51.780 And you can't maintain it. 00:29:53.820 --> 00:29:58.880 But we also, but a little sin's okay. 00:30:00.060 --> 00:30:05.980 So not only is it uncontrollable, but we begin to believe the lie that a little sin is okay. 00:30:06.240 --> 00:30:08.280 Like culturally speaking, it's okay. 00:30:08.560 --> 00:30:11.120 Culturally speaking, it's okay to cheat on your wife, right? 00:30:11.160 --> 00:30:13.540 Which is what's happening at the very beginning of this. 00:30:14.700 --> 00:30:20.800 It's okay culturally to have this until we end up in this scenario where you and I say, 00:30:20.800 --> 00:30:24.740 no, we could never do anything like this. 00:30:24.820 --> 00:30:30.900 But you and I are playing this same battle in the evolution of sin where we think I can control this 00:30:30.900 --> 00:30:36.940 or just a little bit of this is okay and begins and presses forward and continues to move forward 00:30:36.940 --> 00:30:40.240 until this is what we see in our society. 00:30:41.300 --> 00:30:43.980 So back to the conversation of the sanctity of life. 00:30:44.700 --> 00:30:52.140 You see a moment and a situation in here where another dad says one life is more valuable than another. 00:30:53.020 --> 00:30:57.920 You see a man that chooses one life is more valuable than another. 00:30:58.080 --> 00:30:59.120 I want to ask you this. 00:30:59.980 --> 00:31:02.400 Is there ever a life? 00:31:03.100 --> 00:31:09.520 Do you know of any one that you think is less valuable than you? 00:31:10.820 --> 00:31:19.140 Now, not what we say, but really at the heart of hearts, those who deserve less than what you deserve. 00:31:20.200 --> 00:31:25.880 Is there life that you and I that we view as property? 00:31:26.620 --> 00:31:28.120 And here's what I mean by that. 00:31:29.800 --> 00:31:33.680 This past January, I had a truck. 00:31:33.800 --> 00:31:35.740 It was a 2007 Ford F-150. 00:31:36.380 --> 00:31:37.460 I loved that truck. 00:31:37.520 --> 00:31:40.200 I'd had that truck for about 10 years. 00:31:40.980 --> 00:31:44.200 Truck had 250,000 miles on it. 00:31:44.240 --> 00:31:48.220 I'd driven it out to hunting trips in Arkansas and in Mississippi. 00:31:48.520 --> 00:31:49.920 And I loved this truck. 00:31:50.040 --> 00:31:51.440 My kids loved the truck. 00:31:51.720 --> 00:31:56.040 Their stories and family vacations were all tied into this truck. 00:31:56.220 --> 00:31:56.900 I loved it. 00:31:57.260 --> 00:32:01.880 And one day I got in this past January and I cranked it up and I started riding down the road. 00:32:02.780 --> 00:32:06.180 And it started, I'd get about 35 miles an hour and it'd start shaking. 00:32:07.080 --> 00:32:07.200 Right? 00:32:07.600 --> 00:32:11.100 Well, if I got up to over 40 and you handed me a glass of milk, 00:32:11.240 --> 00:32:12.660 like it would have made you a milkshake. 00:32:12.720 --> 00:32:13.440 Like it was that bad. 00:32:13.520 --> 00:32:17.140 And so I took the truck to a friend of mine that I know. 00:32:17.220 --> 00:32:21.140 I took it to his shop and I said, 00:32:21.200 --> 00:32:25.200 Hey man, help me figure out what's wrong with my truck and please try to get it fixed. 00:32:25.300 --> 00:32:26.580 I love this truck. 00:32:27.140 --> 00:32:27.780 He said, okay. 00:32:28.380 --> 00:32:31.640 So the next day he calls me and he says, 00:32:31.700 --> 00:32:34.240 Boy, I kind of need to give you the update on your truck. 00:32:34.320 --> 00:32:37.740 He said, you know, your truck is valued at about $1,500. 00:32:39.040 --> 00:32:45.100 But it's going to take about $4,000 to get your truck fixed. 00:32:45.800 --> 00:32:46.920 What do you want me to do? 00:32:47.800 --> 00:32:50.560 Now I'm going to tell you, I love that truck. 00:32:51.740 --> 00:32:54.440 I got memories tied into that truck. 00:32:55.460 --> 00:32:59.180 But what I told him is, don't do anything to that truck. 00:32:59.280 --> 00:33:01.040 I'm getting rid of that and getting me a new one, right? 00:33:01.840 --> 00:33:05.720 And I went and I picked it up and I drove it all the way to another guy that I know in Aiken. 00:33:05.720 --> 00:33:09.780 And it took me two hours to get there going 35 miles an hour, shaking the whole way there. 00:33:09.880 --> 00:33:14.380 But I walked away from that truck and I walked right to my new truck, right? 00:33:14.900 --> 00:33:16.020 And here's what I know will happen. 00:33:16.760 --> 00:33:19.920 In several years, I'll do the same thing with the other. 00:33:20.400 --> 00:33:20.640 Why? 00:33:21.960 --> 00:33:25.860 Because the old truck stopped giving me what I needed. 00:33:26.980 --> 00:33:30.960 The old truck stopped doing what I needed it to do. 00:33:31.600 --> 00:33:35.820 The old truck brought more complications into my life. 00:33:36.740 --> 00:33:38.700 The old truck just wasn't worth it anymore. 00:33:40.020 --> 00:33:46.600 And so in that, I discarded it as a piece of property to obtain a new one. 00:33:47.820 --> 00:33:54.160 And the sad truth is, that while you and I have never owned a slave, 00:33:55.420 --> 00:34:01.180 while you and I can't fathom the depth of depravity that is here in Judges 19, 00:34:02.180 --> 00:34:06.020 that you and I have viewed life in the exact same way. 00:34:06.860 --> 00:34:14.520 As long as you can give me what I want and what I need and what I feel like I deserve, 00:34:14.860 --> 00:34:17.140 then there's value for you in my life. 00:34:17.760 --> 00:34:24.720 But the moment that you break that is the moment that I can discard you to the side 00:34:24.720 --> 00:34:27.320 and move on to the next piece of property. 00:34:28.320 --> 00:34:29.680 It's the same heart. 00:34:30.540 --> 00:34:32.020 It's the same sin. 00:34:32.740 --> 00:34:34.900 Just manifest in different ways. 00:34:36.240 --> 00:34:39.360 So the men, they take the concubine. 00:34:40.820 --> 00:34:42.060 They take the daughter. 00:34:43.640 --> 00:34:45.920 And they keep them for the entire night. 00:34:47.500 --> 00:34:50.900 Can you imagine what took place? 00:34:52.100 --> 00:34:52.580 What happened? 00:34:53.980 --> 00:34:56.760 Can you imagine the scars that will never go away? 00:34:57.900 --> 00:35:01.860 Can you imagine the hurt and the pain that was there? 00:35:03.340 --> 00:35:10.600 The next morning, after a night of terror, the concubine is released. 00:35:12.340 --> 00:35:13.280 You know where she goes? 00:35:15.100 --> 00:35:17.280 Right back to the man who released her. 00:35:18.420 --> 00:35:20.280 But she doesn't even go into the building. 00:35:21.640 --> 00:35:25.360 Instead, like a dog that's been left outside, 00:35:25.580 --> 00:35:28.520 she curled up on the porch and that's where she lay. 00:35:30.260 --> 00:35:33.640 A victim, taken advantage of, 00:35:34.760 --> 00:35:38.020 told and treated that she's worthless, 00:35:39.080 --> 00:35:40.820 finds herself here. 00:35:42.180 --> 00:35:46.180 Where was the man who wants to claim that he's her husband? 00:35:47.140 --> 00:35:51.620 Where's the man who this is his beloved property? 00:35:51.920 --> 00:35:53.520 Where was he during all this? 00:35:53.580 --> 00:35:54.940 Was he going to the authorities saying, 00:35:55.260 --> 00:35:56.000 this isn't right? 00:35:56.960 --> 00:35:59.860 Was he walking through the streets looking for where she was 00:35:59.860 --> 00:36:01.160 so that he could bring her back? 00:36:02.160 --> 00:36:02.420 Mm-mm. 00:36:03.740 --> 00:36:05.020 He got a good night's rest 00:36:05.020 --> 00:36:07.260 and woke up that morning 00:36:07.260 --> 00:36:09.960 and began to prepare for the journey 00:36:09.960 --> 00:36:12.100 that they would have to get home. 00:36:13.260 --> 00:36:15.840 The depth of brokenness 00:36:15.840 --> 00:36:19.200 when sin continues to evolve. 00:36:20.140 --> 00:36:21.360 So he gets her home, 00:36:22.660 --> 00:36:24.180 kills her, 00:36:25.760 --> 00:36:26.460 cuts her up, 00:36:27.260 --> 00:36:29.800 and sends her body 00:36:29.800 --> 00:36:32.740 all over different parts of Israel. 00:36:34.040 --> 00:36:35.820 And culturally, he was saying something. 00:36:36.820 --> 00:36:37.820 And here's what he was saying. 00:36:39.480 --> 00:36:43.200 I'm owed for what was taken from me. 00:36:44.200 --> 00:36:46.680 And so as I scatter these out, 00:36:47.060 --> 00:36:51.760 I promise that revenge would be mine. 00:36:53.220 --> 00:36:54.180 And I'll be honest with you. 00:36:55.040 --> 00:36:57.040 This is a hard passage of Scripture 00:36:57.040 --> 00:36:58.280 to kind of wrap up judges. 00:36:59.640 --> 00:37:01.140 It's a hard passage of Scripture 00:37:01.140 --> 00:37:03.500 to come into the week of Thanksgiving 00:37:03.500 --> 00:37:05.200 and kind of go through 00:37:05.200 --> 00:37:07.280 and wrap my mind around it. 00:37:08.300 --> 00:37:09.940 So I started reading this past week 00:37:09.940 --> 00:37:11.520 and navigating through 00:37:11.520 --> 00:37:13.000 and getting to the end of this. 00:37:14.320 --> 00:37:14.600 You're like, 00:37:14.700 --> 00:37:18.220 God, help me understand the reason. 00:37:18.620 --> 00:37:20.340 Help me understand the purpose. 00:37:20.480 --> 00:37:20.860 And like I said, 00:37:21.060 --> 00:37:22.940 you can go through and read chapter 20 00:37:22.940 --> 00:37:24.180 and chapter 21, 00:37:24.380 --> 00:37:26.860 but what God kept reminding me of was this. 00:37:26.860 --> 00:37:29.120 Like, Bo, these are the snapshots 00:37:29.120 --> 00:37:30.620 of what I'm dealing with 00:37:30.620 --> 00:37:32.040 in the heart of my people 00:37:32.040 --> 00:37:33.200 throughout Judges. 00:37:33.520 --> 00:37:35.100 And this is what I'm dealing with 00:37:35.100 --> 00:37:37.060 in the heart of people today, 00:37:37.440 --> 00:37:38.720 that they're missing out 00:37:38.720 --> 00:37:39.900 on the Imago Dei 00:37:39.900 --> 00:37:42.000 created in the image of God, 00:37:42.100 --> 00:37:43.120 that they're looking out 00:37:43.120 --> 00:37:44.660 and they're doing what is right 00:37:44.660 --> 00:37:45.700 in their own eyes. 00:37:45.900 --> 00:37:47.520 And then it struck me, right? 00:37:47.720 --> 00:37:49.080 The message, 00:37:49.560 --> 00:37:51.500 the theme of Judges 00:37:51.500 --> 00:37:54.000 is not that people did 00:37:54.000 --> 00:37:54.900 what was evil 00:37:54.900 --> 00:37:56.100 in the sight of the Lord. 00:37:56.580 --> 00:37:57.940 That's not the theme. 00:37:58.620 --> 00:37:59.820 That's a part of it. 00:38:00.300 --> 00:38:01.300 But that's not the theme. 00:38:01.660 --> 00:38:03.040 Here's the theme then. 00:38:03.820 --> 00:38:05.080 Here's the theme today. 00:38:05.720 --> 00:38:09.560 In spite of all of that evil, 00:38:12.560 --> 00:38:14.200 God continues to save. 00:38:15.940 --> 00:38:17.600 God continues to save. 00:38:18.880 --> 00:38:20.480 God continues to save. 00:38:22.140 --> 00:38:23.660 And so the society did 00:38:23.660 --> 00:38:25.480 what was evil 00:38:25.480 --> 00:38:27.660 in the sight of the Lord. 00:38:28.600 --> 00:38:30.280 And God sent a judge 00:38:30.280 --> 00:38:32.140 and he saved. 00:38:33.800 --> 00:38:35.160 And he sent a judge 00:38:35.160 --> 00:38:36.560 and he saved. 00:38:37.560 --> 00:38:40.660 Time and time again. 00:38:42.100 --> 00:38:43.200 And so that today 00:38:43.200 --> 00:38:45.520 you and I can look 00:38:45.520 --> 00:38:46.540 at our own lives. 00:38:47.660 --> 00:38:48.900 You and I can look 00:38:48.900 --> 00:38:49.520 at culture. 00:38:49.720 --> 00:38:50.940 You and I can look 00:38:50.940 --> 00:38:51.700 at society. 00:38:52.240 --> 00:38:53.560 You and I can look 00:38:53.560 --> 00:38:55.400 at all of these things. 00:38:55.600 --> 00:38:56.340 And the truth 00:38:56.340 --> 00:38:57.600 of all of this 00:38:57.600 --> 00:38:58.020 is 00:38:58.020 --> 00:38:59.380 God 00:38:59.380 --> 00:39:00.740 continues 00:39:00.740 --> 00:39:02.060 to save. 00:39:03.420 --> 00:39:04.460 No one then 00:39:04.460 --> 00:39:05.220 deserved it. 00:39:06.220 --> 00:39:07.100 No one now 00:39:07.100 --> 00:39:07.980 deserves it either. 00:39:08.800 --> 00:39:10.060 But God continues to. 00:39:12.400 --> 00:39:13.480 Scripture tells us 00:39:13.480 --> 00:39:14.560 in Romans 3.23 00:39:14.560 --> 00:39:17.300 For all have sinned 00:39:17.300 --> 00:39:18.580 and fall short 00:39:18.580 --> 00:39:19.460 of the glory of God. 00:39:20.420 --> 00:39:21.240 What I love 00:39:21.240 --> 00:39:22.180 about this verse 00:39:22.180 --> 00:39:24.220 it's the great equalizer 00:39:24.220 --> 00:39:25.420 of what sin brings. 00:39:26.200 --> 00:39:26.960 It doesn't say 00:39:26.960 --> 00:39:28.360 for men like these 00:39:28.360 --> 00:39:29.740 have sinned 00:39:29.740 --> 00:39:30.340 but it says 00:39:30.340 --> 00:39:30.960 for all 00:39:30.960 --> 00:39:32.940 that all of us 00:39:32.940 --> 00:39:34.000 as repulsive 00:39:34.000 --> 00:39:35.520 as you think this is 00:39:35.520 --> 00:39:36.600 you and I 00:39:36.600 --> 00:39:37.180 are linked 00:39:37.180 --> 00:39:38.500 into the same category 00:39:38.500 --> 00:39:39.640 as all of these people 00:39:39.640 --> 00:39:40.800 and everyone 00:39:40.800 --> 00:39:41.940 who's ever 00:39:41.940 --> 00:39:43.220 been created 00:39:43.220 --> 00:39:44.160 who's ever 00:39:44.160 --> 00:39:45.480 walked this earth 00:39:45.480 --> 00:39:46.580 other than Jesus 00:39:46.580 --> 00:39:47.780 all falls into 00:39:47.780 --> 00:39:48.900 Romans 3.23 00:39:48.900 --> 00:39:50.860 We've all sinned. 00:39:51.080 --> 00:39:52.700 We've all fallen short. 00:39:53.020 --> 00:39:54.120 There's this sin 00:39:54.120 --> 00:39:55.700 problem that's there. 00:39:56.080 --> 00:39:56.440 And so 00:39:56.440 --> 00:39:57.600 because of that 00:39:57.600 --> 00:39:59.100 this sin problem 00:39:59.100 --> 00:40:00.920 creates a verdict. 00:40:01.620 --> 00:40:02.900 It creates 00:40:02.900 --> 00:40:03.880 a destination. 00:40:04.560 --> 00:40:05.500 Not for just 00:40:05.500 --> 00:40:06.740 evil men like this 00:40:06.740 --> 00:40:07.860 but for us 00:40:07.860 --> 00:40:09.700 for Romans 6.23 00:40:09.700 --> 00:40:10.240 says 00:40:10.240 --> 00:40:11.200 for the wages 00:40:11.200 --> 00:40:11.920 of sin 00:40:11.920 --> 00:40:12.700 is death 00:40:12.700 --> 00:40:14.380 but the free gift 00:40:14.380 --> 00:40:15.020 of God 00:40:15.020 --> 00:40:16.140 is eternal life 00:40:16.140 --> 00:40:18.060 in Christ Jesus. 00:40:18.540 --> 00:40:19.020 So whether 00:40:19.020 --> 00:40:20.160 if you think 00:40:20.160 --> 00:40:21.080 your sins 00:40:21.080 --> 00:40:22.040 are rated G 00:40:22.040 --> 00:40:22.960 compared to what 00:40:22.960 --> 00:40:23.760 this looks like 00:40:23.760 --> 00:40:24.040 right? 00:40:24.840 --> 00:40:26.020 When there's one 00:40:26.020 --> 00:40:27.980 when there's one 00:40:27.980 --> 00:40:29.660 there's a determination 00:40:29.660 --> 00:40:31.920 of your outcome 00:40:31.920 --> 00:40:34.660 and it is death. 00:40:34.660 --> 00:40:35.880 So what does 00:40:35.880 --> 00:40:36.480 God do? 00:40:37.700 --> 00:40:38.540 What does God 00:40:38.540 --> 00:40:39.080 give? 00:40:40.120 --> 00:40:40.940 What does God 00:40:40.940 --> 00:40:41.500 offer? 00:40:42.660 --> 00:40:43.620 He brings 00:40:43.620 --> 00:40:44.840 us 00:40:44.840 --> 00:40:46.120 Christ. 00:40:47.160 --> 00:40:48.260 Romans 5.8 00:40:48.260 --> 00:40:49.800 God shows 00:40:49.800 --> 00:40:50.300 His love 00:40:50.300 --> 00:40:51.040 for us 00:40:51.040 --> 00:40:52.080 in that 00:40:52.080 --> 00:40:52.700 while we were 00:40:52.700 --> 00:40:53.300 still 00:40:53.300 --> 00:40:54.360 sinners 00:40:54.360 --> 00:40:55.620 Christ 00:40:55.620 --> 00:40:56.840 died 00:40:56.840 --> 00:40:58.080 for us. 00:40:58.080 --> 00:41:00.220 We talk about 00:41:00.220 --> 00:41:00.520 the fact 00:41:00.520 --> 00:41:00.860 that God 00:41:00.860 --> 00:41:01.560 doesn't change. 00:41:01.900 --> 00:41:02.200 Here's what 00:41:02.200 --> 00:41:02.720 this means. 00:41:04.060 --> 00:41:04.400 God 00:41:04.400 --> 00:41:05.080 can't 00:41:05.080 --> 00:41:06.200 forget 00:41:06.200 --> 00:41:08.020 Romans 6.23 00:41:08.020 --> 00:41:10.200 because 00:41:10.200 --> 00:41:11.940 there is sin 00:41:11.940 --> 00:41:12.840 there must 00:41:12.840 --> 00:41:13.380 be death. 00:41:14.540 --> 00:41:14.820 Because 00:41:14.820 --> 00:41:15.980 there is sin 00:41:15.980 --> 00:41:16.980 there must 00:41:16.980 --> 00:41:18.300 be a punishment. 00:41:19.640 --> 00:41:19.920 And so 00:41:19.920 --> 00:41:21.180 God provides 00:41:21.180 --> 00:41:22.860 not only 00:41:22.860 --> 00:41:23.640 the punishment 00:41:23.640 --> 00:41:25.220 but God 00:41:25.220 --> 00:41:26.040 provides 00:41:26.040 --> 00:41:26.660 Him 00:41:26.660 --> 00:41:27.320 who will 00:41:27.320 --> 00:41:28.080 absorb it 00:41:28.080 --> 00:41:28.780 for us. 00:41:29.960 --> 00:41:30.700 So that 00:41:30.700 --> 00:41:31.440 while we were 00:41:31.440 --> 00:41:31.980 sinners 00:41:31.980 --> 00:41:33.740 Christ 00:41:33.740 --> 00:41:34.860 died 00:41:34.860 --> 00:41:36.040 for us. 00:41:37.760 --> 00:41:38.580 and then 00:41:38.580 --> 00:41:39.260 Romans 10 00:41:39.260 --> 00:41:39.960 verse 9 00:41:39.960 --> 00:41:41.680 if you 00:41:41.680 --> 00:41:42.220 confess 00:41:42.220 --> 00:41:42.600 with your 00:41:42.600 --> 00:41:43.100 mouth 00:41:43.100 --> 00:41:44.280 that 00:41:44.280 --> 00:41:44.640 Jesus 00:41:44.640 --> 00:41:44.920 is 00:41:44.920 --> 00:41:45.320 Lord 00:41:45.320 --> 00:41:46.420 and 00:41:46.420 --> 00:41:46.860 believe 00:41:46.860 --> 00:41:47.240 in your 00:41:47.240 --> 00:41:47.780 heart 00:41:47.780 --> 00:41:48.440 that 00:41:48.440 --> 00:41:48.720 God 00:41:48.720 --> 00:41:49.200 raised 00:41:49.200 --> 00:41:49.400 Him 00:41:49.400 --> 00:41:49.600 from 00:41:49.600 --> 00:41:49.780 the 00:41:49.780 --> 00:41:50.100 dead 00:41:50.100 --> 00:41:50.820 you 00:41:50.820 --> 00:41:51.780 will 00:41:51.780 --> 00:41:52.600 be 00:41:52.600 --> 00:41:53.620 saved 00:41:53.620 --> 00:41:54.000 for 00:41:54.000 --> 00:41:54.260 with 00:41:54.260 --> 00:41:54.480 the 00:41:54.480 --> 00:41:54.860 heart 00:41:54.860 --> 00:41:55.160 one 00:41:55.160 --> 00:41:55.740 believes 00:41:55.740 --> 00:41:55.980 and 00:41:55.980 --> 00:41:56.160 is 00:41:56.160 --> 00:41:56.820 justified 00:41:56.820 --> 00:41:57.640 and 00:41:57.640 --> 00:41:57.840 with 00:41:57.840 --> 00:41:58.160 the 00:41:58.160 --> 00:41:58.600 mouth 00:41:58.600 --> 00:41:59.180 one 00:41:59.180 --> 00:42:00.040 confesses 00:42:00.040 --> 00:42:00.420 and 00:42:00.420 --> 00:42:00.600 is 00:42:00.600 --> 00:42:01.000 saved. 00:42:01.740 --> 00:42:02.100 So 00:42:02.100 --> 00:42:02.260 that 00:42:02.260 --> 00:42:02.440 it's 00:42:02.440 --> 00:42:02.720 you 00:42:02.720 --> 00:42:02.900 and 00:42:02.900 --> 00:42:03.080 I 00:42:03.080 --> 00:42:03.200 that 00:42:03.200 --> 00:42:03.360 we 00:42:03.360 --> 00:42:03.620 know 00:42:03.620 --> 00:42:03.840 this 00:42:03.840 --> 00:42:04.000 that 00:42:04.000 --> 00:42:04.200 we 00:42:04.200 --> 00:42:04.620 know 00:42:04.620 --> 00:42:05.000 that 00:42:05.000 --> 00:42:05.400 Christ 00:42:05.400 --> 00:42:05.780 died 00:42:05.780 --> 00:42:06.000 for 00:42:06.000 --> 00:42:06.260 us 00:42:06.260 --> 00:42:06.700 there's 00:42:06.700 --> 00:42:06.860 a 00:42:06.860 --> 00:42:07.500 response 00:42:07.500 --> 00:42:08.440 the 00:42:08.440 --> 00:42:09.080 response 00:42:09.080 --> 00:42:09.280 is 00:42:09.280 --> 00:42:09.580 a 00:42:09.580 --> 00:42:10.180 confession 00:42:10.180 --> 00:42:10.660 the 00:42:10.660 --> 00:42:11.260 response 00:42:11.260 --> 00:42:11.520 is 00:42:11.520 --> 00:42:12.160 belief 00:42:12.160 --> 00:42:12.660 it's 00:42:12.660 --> 00:42:12.980 to 00:42:12.980 --> 00:42:13.300 in 00:42:13.300 --> 00:42:13.640 those 00:42:13.640 --> 00:42:14.020 that 00:42:14.020 --> 00:42:14.180 I 00:42:14.180 --> 00:42:14.380 not 00:42:14.380 --> 00:42:14.620 only 00:42:14.620 --> 00:42:15.320 believe 00:42:15.320 --> 00:42:15.820 who 00:42:15.820 --> 00:42:16.160 Jesus 00:42:16.160 --> 00:42:16.520 is 00:42:16.520 --> 00:42:16.860 but 00:42:16.860 --> 00:42:17.060 that 00:42:17.060 --> 00:42:17.340 I 00:42:17.340 --> 00:42:17.920 confess 00:42:17.920 --> 00:42:18.260 it 00:42:18.260 --> 00:42:18.540 and 00:42:18.540 --> 00:42:18.720 it's 00:42:18.720 --> 00:42:18.920 not 00:42:18.920 --> 00:42:19.160 just 00:42:19.160 --> 00:42:19.600 words 00:42:19.600 --> 00:42:19.920 that 00:42:19.920 --> 00:42:20.100 come 00:42:20.100 --> 00:42:20.260 out 00:42:20.260 --> 00:42:20.340 of 00:42:20.340 --> 00:42:20.500 our 00:42:20.500 --> 00:42:20.860 mouth 00:42:20.860 --> 00:42:21.180 but 00:42:21.180 --> 00:42:21.320 it's 00:42:21.320 --> 00:42:21.440 the 00:42:21.440 --> 00:42:21.940 positioning 00:42:21.940 --> 00:42:22.380 of 00:42:22.380 --> 00:42:22.540 our 00:42:22.540 --> 00:42:22.940 hearts 00:42:22.940 --> 00:42:23.060 and 00:42:23.060 --> 00:42:23.180 the 00:42:23.180 --> 00:42:23.540 positioning 00:42:23.540 --> 00:42:23.820 of 00:42:23.820 --> 00:42:23.980 our 00:42:23.980 --> 00:42:24.320 lives 00:42:24.320 --> 00:42:24.620 that 00:42:24.620 --> 00:42:24.800 say 00:42:24.800 --> 00:42:25.320 I 00:42:25.320 --> 00:42:26.180 surrender 00:42:26.180 --> 00:42:26.640 to 00:42:26.640 --> 00:42:26.920 you 00:42:26.920 --> 00:42:27.340 it's 00:42:27.340 --> 00:42:27.620 not 00:42:27.620 --> 00:42:27.900 just 00:42:27.900 --> 00:42:28.260 enough 00:42:28.260 --> 00:42:28.400 to 00:42:28.400 --> 00:42:28.560 have 00:42:28.560 --> 00:42:28.740 the 00:42:28.740 --> 00:42:29.000 head 00:42:29.000 --> 00:42:29.340 it's 00:42:29.340 --> 00:42:29.480 the 00:42:29.480 --> 00:42:29.920 connection 00:42:29.920 --> 00:42:30.140 of 00:42:30.140 --> 00:42:30.300 the 00:42:30.300 --> 00:42:30.540 head 00:42:30.540 --> 00:42:30.660 and 00:42:30.660 --> 00:42:30.800 the 00:42:30.800 --> 00:42:31.060 heart 00:42:31.060 --> 00:42:31.400 that 00:42:31.400 --> 00:42:31.680 leads 00:42:31.680 --> 00:42:31.840 to 00:42:31.840 --> 00:42:31.980 the 00:42:31.980 --> 00:42:32.360 life 00:42:32.360 --> 00:42:32.880 and 00:42:32.880 --> 00:42:33.000 then 00:42:33.000 --> 00:42:33.200 the 00:42:33.200 --> 00:42:33.520 hope 00:42:33.520 --> 00:42:33.680 that 00:42:33.680 --> 00:42:33.860 we 00:42:33.860 --> 00:42:34.320 have 00:42:34.320 --> 00:42:34.700 what 00:42:34.700 --> 00:42:34.900 we 00:42:34.900 --> 00:42:35.100 can 00:42:35.100 --> 00:42:35.420 cling 00:42:35.420 --> 00:42:35.660 to 00:42:35.660 --> 00:42:36.200 every 00:42:36.200 --> 00:42:36.540 single 00:42:36.540 --> 00:42:36.940 moment 00:42:36.940 --> 00:42:38.460 is 00:42:38.460 --> 00:42:38.600 that 00:42:38.600 --> 00:42:38.760 when 00:42:38.760 --> 00:42:39.000 we 00:42:39.000 --> 00:42:39.500 fall 00:42:39.500 --> 00:42:39.960 into 00:42:39.960 --> 00:42:40.240 the 00:42:40.240 --> 00:42:40.660 trap 00:42:40.660 --> 00:42:41.820 of 00:42:41.820 --> 00:42:42.260 believing 00:42:42.260 --> 00:42:43.620 I 00:42:43.620 --> 00:42:43.800 can 00:42:43.800 --> 00:42:44.180 control 00:42:44.180 --> 00:42:44.440 my 00:42:44.440 --> 00:42:44.680 sin 00:42:44.680 --> 00:42:46.580 when 00:42:46.580 --> 00:42:46.740 we 00:42:46.740 --> 00:42:47.020 fall 00:42:47.020 --> 00:42:47.240 into 00:42:47.240 --> 00:42:47.460 the 00:42:47.460 --> 00:42:48.000 trap 00:42:48.000 --> 00:42:48.840 of 00:42:48.840 --> 00:42:49.140 saying 00:42:49.140 --> 00:42:49.340 but 00:42:49.340 --> 00:42:49.740 it's 00:42:49.740 --> 00:42:49.940 just 00:42:49.940 --> 00:42:50.140 a 00:42:50.140 --> 00:42:50.320 little 00:42:50.320 --> 00:42:50.620 bit 00:42:50.620 --> 00:42:52.240 we 00:42:52.240 --> 00:42:52.380 can 00:42:52.380 --> 00:42:52.520 be 00:42:52.520 --> 00:42:53.000 reminded 00:42:53.000 --> 00:42:53.220 of 00:42:53.220 --> 00:42:53.440 Romans 00:42:53.440 --> 00:42:53.720 10 00:42:53.720 --> 00:42:54.120 13 00:42:54.120 --> 00:42:55.540 for 00:42:55.540 --> 00:42:56.380 everyone 00:42:56.380 --> 00:42:57.260 who 00:42:57.260 --> 00:42:58.040 calls 00:42:58.040 --> 00:42:58.660 on 00:42:58.660 --> 00:42:58.860 the 00:42:58.860 --> 00:42:59.320 name 00:42:59.320 --> 00:42:59.580 of 00:42:59.580 --> 00:42:59.800 the 00:42:59.800 --> 00:43:00.200 Lord 00:43:00.200 --> 00:43:01.200 will 00:43:01.200 --> 00:43:02.280 be 00:43:02.280 --> 00:43:03.380 saved 00:43:03.380 --> 00:43:04.860 not 00:43:04.860 --> 00:43:05.400 maybe 00:43:05.400 --> 00:43:07.140 not 00:43:07.140 --> 00:43:07.520 hope 00:43:07.520 --> 00:43:07.880 to 00:43:07.880 --> 00:43:09.480 not 00:43:09.480 --> 00:43:09.880 stands 00:43:09.880 --> 00:43:10.060 a 00:43:10.060 --> 00:43:10.500 chance 00:43:10.500 --> 00:43:10.920 for 00:43:10.920 --> 00:43:12.420 but 00:43:12.420 --> 00:43:12.900 will 00:43:12.900 --> 00:43:14.020 be 00:43:14.020 --> 00:43:15.380 saved 00:43:15.380 --> 00:43:17.420 yesterday 00:43:17.420 --> 00:43:18.060 at our 00:43:18.060 --> 00:43:18.980 at our 00:43:18.980 --> 00:43:19.260 house 00:43:19.260 --> 00:43:19.500 it was 00:43:19.500 --> 00:43:19.960 decoration 00:43:19.960 --> 00:43:20.340 day 00:43:20.340 --> 00:43:20.760 you know 00:43:20.760 --> 00:43:22.140 and so 00:43:22.140 --> 00:43:22.340 we 00:43:22.340 --> 00:43:22.940 put up 00:43:22.940 --> 00:43:23.080 our 00:43:23.080 --> 00:43:23.460 tree 00:43:23.460 --> 00:43:23.840 and 00:43:23.840 --> 00:43:24.320 we 00:43:24.320 --> 00:43:24.560 put up 00:43:24.560 --> 00:43:25.100 ornaments 00:43:25.100 --> 00:43:26.360 we 00:43:26.360 --> 00:43:26.640 hung up 00:43:26.640 --> 00:43:26.800 our 00:43:26.800 --> 00:43:27.560 stockings 00:43:27.560 --> 00:43:29.020 we 00:43:29.020 --> 00:43:29.460 decorated 00:43:29.460 --> 00:43:29.680 the 00:43:29.680 --> 00:43:30.060 yard 00:43:30.060 --> 00:43:30.300 I 00:43:30.300 --> 00:43:30.880 decorated 00:43:30.880 --> 00:43:31.120 the 00:43:31.120 --> 00:43:31.560 yard 00:43:31.560 --> 00:43:31.880 Aaron 00:43:31.880 --> 00:43:32.100 took 00:43:32.100 --> 00:43:32.280 care 00:43:32.280 --> 00:43:32.360 of 00:43:32.360 --> 00:43:32.460 the 00:43:32.460 --> 00:43:32.780 tree 00:43:32.780 --> 00:43:34.200 but 00:43:34.200 --> 00:43:34.360 one 00:43:34.360 --> 00:43:34.440 of 00:43:34.440 --> 00:43:34.540 the 00:43:34.540 --> 00:43:34.800 special 00:43:34.800 --> 00:43:35.220 things 00:43:35.220 --> 00:43:35.360 that 00:43:35.360 --> 00:43:35.480 I 00:43:35.480 --> 00:43:35.620 get 00:43:35.620 --> 00:43:35.780 to 00:43:35.780 --> 00:43:36.080 do 00:43:36.080 --> 00:43:37.240 every 00:43:37.240 --> 00:43:37.520 single 00:43:37.520 --> 00:43:37.760 year 00:43:37.760 --> 00:43:37.880 is 00:43:37.880 --> 00:43:38.060 I 00:43:38.060 --> 00:43:38.200 get 00:43:38.200 --> 00:43:38.300 to 00:43:38.300 --> 00:43:38.400 put 00:43:38.400 --> 00:43:38.560 out 00:43:38.560 --> 00:43:38.680 the 00:43:38.680 --> 00:43:39.040 nativity 00:43:39.040 --> 00:43:39.380 scene 00:43:40.340 --> 00:43:40.680 and so 00:43:40.680 --> 00:43:40.820 we're 00:43:40.820 --> 00:43:41.140 putting 00:43:41.140 --> 00:43:41.560 out 00:43:41.560 --> 00:43:41.760 the 00:43:41.760 --> 00:43:42.120 nativity 00:43:42.120 --> 00:43:42.540 scene 00:43:42.540 --> 00:43:43.840 and the 00:43:43.840 --> 00:43:44.200 very 00:43:44.200 --> 00:43:45.160 last 00:43:45.160 --> 00:43:45.900 piece 00:43:45.900 --> 00:43:47.620 is the 00:43:47.620 --> 00:43:47.980 one 00:43:47.980 --> 00:43:48.200 that 00:43:48.200 --> 00:43:48.660 reminds 00:43:48.660 --> 00:43:49.180 us 00:43:49.180 --> 00:43:50.440 a little 00:43:50.440 --> 00:43:50.820 baby 00:43:50.820 --> 00:43:52.600 that's 00:43:52.600 --> 00:43:53.140 placed 00:43:53.140 --> 00:43:53.800 into a 00:43:53.800 --> 00:43:54.100 manger 00:43:54.100 --> 00:43:55.720 and so 00:43:55.720 --> 00:43:55.960 this 00:43:55.960 --> 00:43:56.420 Christmas 00:43:56.420 --> 00:43:56.760 we'll 00:43:56.760 --> 00:43:56.980 sing 00:43:56.980 --> 00:43:57.540 songs 00:43:57.540 --> 00:43:58.820 about 00:43:58.820 --> 00:43:59.180 Jesus 00:43:59.180 --> 00:44:00.480 we'll 00:44:00.480 --> 00:44:00.880 talk 00:44:00.880 --> 00:44:01.120 about 00:44:01.120 --> 00:44:01.340 his 00:44:01.340 --> 00:44:02.180 miraculous 00:44:02.180 --> 00:44:03.160 birth 00:44:03.160 --> 00:44:04.200 we'll 00:44:04.200 --> 00:44:04.760 see all 00:44:04.760 --> 00:44:05.140 that is 00:44:05.140 --> 00:44:05.440 there 00:44:05.440 --> 00:44:05.880 but may 00:44:05.880 --> 00:44:06.380 we not 00:44:06.380 --> 00:44:06.940 forget 00:44:06.940 --> 00:44:08.540 that 00:44:08.540 --> 00:44:08.760 this 00:44:08.760 --> 00:44:09.140 boy 00:44:09.140 --> 00:44:09.360 who 00:44:09.360 --> 00:44:10.000 stepped 00:44:10.000 --> 00:44:10.320 out 00:44:10.320 --> 00:44:10.480 of 00:44:10.480 --> 00:44:10.940 heaven 00:44:10.940 --> 00:44:12.540 and 00:44:12.540 --> 00:44:12.860 stepped 00:44:12.860 --> 00:44:13.140 into 00:44:13.140 --> 00:44:13.360 a 00:44:13.360 --> 00:44:13.700 manger 00:44:13.700 --> 00:44:15.260 would 00:44:15.260 --> 00:44:15.460 take 00:44:15.460 --> 00:44:15.660 a 00:44:15.660 --> 00:44:16.060 journey 00:44:16.060 --> 00:44:16.720 to 00:44:16.720 --> 00:44:16.880 the 00:44:16.880 --> 00:44:17.320 cross 00:44:17.320 --> 00:44:18.960 and so 00:44:18.960 --> 00:44:19.100 we 00:44:19.100 --> 00:44:19.400 always 00:44:19.400 --> 00:44:19.660 take 00:44:19.660 --> 00:44:20.040 Lord's 00:44:20.040 --> 00:44:20.220 Supper 00:44:20.220 --> 00:44:20.640 together 00:44:20.640 --> 00:44:21.900 on 00:44:21.900 --> 00:44:22.220 Christmas 00:44:22.220 --> 00:44:22.680 Eve 00:44:22.680 --> 00:44:23.800 as a 00:44:23.800 --> 00:44:24.200 reminder 00:44:24.200 --> 00:44:24.520 and we 00:44:24.520 --> 00:44:24.720 will 00:44:24.720 --> 00:44:25.180 do 00:44:25.180 --> 00:44:25.400 that 00:44:25.400 --> 00:44:25.640 again 00:44:25.640 --> 00:44:25.880 this 00:44:25.880 --> 00:44:26.120 year 00:44:26.120 --> 00:44:27.500 but 00:44:27.500 --> 00:44:27.740 this 00:44:27.740 --> 00:44:27.900 year 00:44:27.900 --> 00:44:28.060 we 00:44:28.060 --> 00:44:28.240 want 00:44:28.240 --> 00:44:28.360 to 00:44:28.360 --> 00:44:28.640 start 00:44:28.640 --> 00:44:29.040 off 00:44:29.040 --> 00:44:29.720 the 00:44:29.720 --> 00:44:29.960 Christmas 00:44:29.960 --> 00:44:30.340 season 00:44:30.340 --> 00:44:30.680 a little 00:44:30.680 --> 00:44:30.880 bit 00:44:30.880 --> 00:44:31.320 differently 00:44:31.320 --> 00:44:32.480 by 00:44:32.480 --> 00:44:32.780 taking 00:44:32.780 --> 00:44:32.980 the 00:44:32.980 --> 00:44:33.280 Lord's 00:44:33.280 --> 00:44:33.420 Supper 00:44:33.420 --> 00:44:33.960 together 00:44:33.960 --> 00:44:34.980 as we 00:44:34.980 --> 00:44:35.220 enter 00:44:35.220 --> 00:44:35.520 in 00:44:35.520 --> 00:44:36.420 so 00:44:36.420 --> 00:44:36.680 hopefully 00:44:36.680 --> 00:44:36.920 you've 00:44:36.920 --> 00:44:37.080 got 00:44:37.080 --> 00:44:37.240 your 00:44:37.240 --> 00:44:37.620 cup 00:44:37.620 --> 00:44:37.860 and 00:44:37.860 --> 00:44:38.940 you'll 00:44:38.940 --> 00:44:39.160 notice 00:44:39.160 --> 00:44:39.480 there's 00:44:39.480 --> 00:44:40.180 two 00:44:40.180 --> 00:44:40.600 layers 00:44:40.600 --> 00:44:40.860 if you 00:44:40.860 --> 00:44:40.980 can 00:44:40.980 --> 00:44:41.120 just 00:44:41.120 --> 00:44:41.280 peel 00:44:41.280 --> 00:44:41.440 off 00:44:41.440 --> 00:44:41.580 that 00:44:41.580 --> 00:44:41.880 top 00:44:41.880 --> 00:44:42.200 layer 00:44:42.200 --> 00:44:49.000 there's 00:44:49.000 --> 00:44:49.220 a little 00:44:49.220 --> 00:44:49.600 wafer 00:44:49.600 --> 00:44:49.920 that's 00:44:49.920 --> 00:44:50.260 there 00:44:50.260 --> 00:44:54.940 and this 00:44:54.940 --> 00:44:55.260 wafer 00:44:55.260 --> 00:44:55.940 will represent 00:44:55.940 --> 00:44:56.540 the bread 00:44:56.540 --> 00:44:57.420 for us 00:44:57.420 --> 00:44:58.980 that'll 00:44:58.980 --> 00:44:59.440 represent 00:44:59.440 --> 00:45:00.180 the body 00:45:00.180 --> 00:45:01.400 of Jesus 00:45:01.400 --> 00:45:03.480 the body 00:45:03.480 --> 00:45:04.120 of Jesus 00:45:04.120 --> 00:45:05.520 that would 00:45:05.520 --> 00:45:05.980 be nailed 00:45:05.980 --> 00:45:06.360 to a 00:45:06.360 --> 00:45:06.800 cross 00:45:06.800 --> 00:45:08.660 and 00:45:08.660 --> 00:45:08.980 scripture 00:45:08.980 --> 00:45:09.760 tells us 00:45:09.760 --> 00:45:10.040 that on 00:45:10.040 --> 00:45:10.440 the night 00:45:10.440 --> 00:45:10.660 that 00:45:10.660 --> 00:45:11.280 Jesus 00:45:11.280 --> 00:45:12.120 was 00:45:12.120 --> 00:45:12.660 betrayed 00:45:12.660 --> 00:45:14.100 that he 00:45:14.100 --> 00:45:14.500 gathered 00:45:14.500 --> 00:45:14.960 with his 00:45:14.960 --> 00:45:15.600 closest 00:45:15.600 --> 00:45:16.200 followers 00:45:16.200 --> 00:45:17.880 and he 00:45:17.880 --> 00:45:18.400 took 00:45:18.400 --> 00:45:18.700 some 00:45:18.700 --> 00:45:19.100 bread 00:45:19.100 --> 00:45:21.000 and he 00:45:21.000 --> 00:45:21.340 broke 00:45:21.340 --> 00:45:21.600 it 00:45:21.600 --> 00:45:23.240 and he 00:45:23.240 --> 00:45:23.680 passed 00:45:23.680 --> 00:45:24.160 it out 00:45:24.160 --> 00:45:25.060 to all 00:45:25.060 --> 00:45:25.420 that was 00:45:25.420 --> 00:45:25.800 there 00:45:25.800 --> 00:45:27.480 and he 00:45:27.480 --> 00:45:27.860 said to 00:45:27.860 --> 00:45:28.180 them 00:45:28.180 --> 00:45:29.360 this is 00:45:29.360 --> 00:45:29.960 my body 00:45:29.960 --> 00:45:31.260 which was 00:45:31.260 --> 00:45:31.620 broken 00:45:31.620 --> 00:45:32.240 for you 00:45:32.240 --> 00:45:33.840 do this 00:45:33.840 --> 00:45:35.060 in remembrance 00:45:35.060 --> 00:45:36.060 of me 00:45:36.060 --> 00:45:47.900 and then 00:45:47.900 --> 00:45:48.520 scripture tells 00:45:48.520 --> 00:45:48.920 us 00:45:48.920 --> 00:45:51.520 that in the 00:45:51.520 --> 00:45:51.940 same way 00:45:51.940 --> 00:45:52.300 he took 00:45:52.300 --> 00:45:52.820 the cup 00:45:52.820 --> 00:45:56.180 that he 00:45:56.180 --> 00:45:56.520 took the 00:45:56.520 --> 00:45:56.920 wine 00:45:56.920 --> 00:45:59.140 and he 00:45:59.140 --> 00:45:59.360 said 00:45:59.360 --> 00:46:00.060 that this 00:46:00.060 --> 00:46:02.360 represents 00:46:02.360 --> 00:46:03.860 not the 00:46:03.860 --> 00:46:04.320 old 00:46:04.320 --> 00:46:05.640 but the 00:46:05.640 --> 00:46:05.840 new 00:46:05.840 --> 00:46:06.200 covenant 00:46:06.200 --> 00:46:07.780 that is 00:46:07.780 --> 00:46:08.260 found in 00:46:08.260 --> 00:46:08.600 him 00:46:08.600 --> 00:46:10.520 that is 00:46:10.520 --> 00:46:10.880 you and 00:46:10.880 --> 00:46:11.420 I as 00:46:11.420 --> 00:46:11.700 we 00:46:11.700 --> 00:46:12.800 believe 00:46:12.800 --> 00:46:13.480 and as 00:46:13.480 --> 00:46:13.700 we 00:46:13.700 --> 00:46:14.400 confess 00:46:14.400 --> 00:46:15.660 that the 00:46:15.660 --> 00:46:16.120 blood of 00:46:16.120 --> 00:46:16.480 Jesus 00:46:16.480 --> 00:46:17.420 covers 00:46:17.420 --> 00:46:17.940 us 00:46:17.940 --> 00:46:19.340 washing 00:46:19.340 --> 00:46:19.880 away 00:46:19.880 --> 00:46:20.420 of our 00:46:20.420 --> 00:46:20.960 sins 00:46:20.960 --> 00:46:22.520 and sealing 00:46:22.520 --> 00:46:22.920 us 00:46:22.920 --> 00:46:23.860 for 00:46:23.860 --> 00:46:24.340 eternity 00:46:24.340 --> 00:46:24.660 with 00:46:24.660 --> 00:46:25.000 him 00:46:25.000 --> 00:46:26.760 and he 00:46:26.760 --> 00:46:26.900 says 00:46:26.900 --> 00:46:27.120 this 00:46:27.120 --> 00:46:27.600 blood 00:46:27.600 --> 00:46:28.880 represents 00:46:28.880 --> 00:46:29.200 the 00:46:29.200 --> 00:46:29.400 new 00:46:29.400 --> 00:46:29.800 covenant 00:46:29.800 --> 00:46:31.000 do 00:46:31.000 --> 00:46:31.420 this 00:46:31.420 --> 00:46:31.940 in 00:46:31.940 --> 00:46:32.360 remembrance 00:46:32.360 --> 00:46:33.040 of me 00:46:33.040 --> 00:46:47.700 thanks again 00:46:47.700 --> 00:46:48.220 for listening 00:46:48.220 --> 00:46:48.580 to the 00:46:48.580 --> 00:46:49.020 Willow Ridge 00:46:49.020 --> 00:46:49.360 Church 00:46:49.360 --> 00:46:49.720 weekly 00:46:49.720 --> 00:46:50.160 podcast 00:46:50.160 --> 00:46:51.100 we hope 00:46:51.100 --> 00:46:51.340 that you 00:46:51.340 --> 00:46:51.680 enjoyed 00:46:51.680 --> 00:46:51.980 listening 00:46:51.980 --> 00:46:52.360 to this 00:46:52.360 --> 00:46:52.640 week's 00:46:52.640 --> 00:46:52.960 message 00:46:52.960 --> 00:46:53.860 if you'd 00:46:53.860 --> 00:46:54.140 like to 00:46:54.140 --> 00:46:54.520 learn more 00:46:54.520 --> 00:46:54.960 about who 00:46:54.960 --> 00:46:55.360 we are 00:46:55.360 --> 00:46:56.020 or explore 00:46:56.020 --> 00:46:56.440 additional 00:46:56.440 --> 00:46:56.980 resources 00:46:56.980 --> 00:46:57.980 visit us 00:46:57.980 --> 00:46:58.760 online at 00:46:58.760 --> 00:47:02.040 www.willowridgechurch.com 00:47:02.040 --> 00:47:03.240 or by searching 00:47:03.240 --> 00:47:03.900 for Willow Ridge 00:47:03.900 --> 00:47:04.520 Church on 00:47:04.520 --> 00:47:05.220 Facebook and 00:47:05.220 --> 00:47:05.600 Instagram