WEBVTT 203 00:23:04.795 --> 00:23:06.415 Our small group is just about, um, 204 00:23:06.635 --> 00:23:08.815 how do we help each other just to be better every day? 205 00:23:08.955 --> 00:23:11.775 How do we be be more like Jesus? Uh, whether that's, you know, 206 00:23:11.776 --> 00:23:15.655 being his hands in his feet or, or portraying, uh, being a light in the world. 207 00:23:15.795 --> 00:23:19.375 One of the things I really appreciate about our group specifically is, um, 208 00:23:19.994 --> 00:23:23.255 you can be completely authentic. You know, if someone's got a crisis going on, 209 00:23:23.256 --> 00:23:25.734 we will rally around that person and, uh, and you know, 210 00:23:25.735 --> 00:23:27.255 kind of put some other stuff aside. And I, 211 00:23:27.335 --> 00:23:28.975 I appreciate that about our group specifically. 212 00:23:29.335 --> 00:23:31.975 I find that for many men that, uh, 213 00:23:32.675 --> 00:23:37.335 are in a spot where they're, they're leading well, but they've got dad issues. 214 00:23:38.205 --> 00:23:42.895 They need other men to come alongside of them to be an encouragement maybe where 215 00:23:42.896 --> 00:23:45.845 they've had issues with their fathers in the past, past, um, 216 00:23:46.385 --> 00:23:48.005 to encourage them along the journey. 217 00:23:48.105 --> 00:23:52.725 And the challenges that come with being dads, being husbands, uh, 218 00:23:53.035 --> 00:23:56.005 growing in their work life. We study God's word together. 219 00:23:56.215 --> 00:23:58.365 We'll do some different book studies together. 220 00:23:58.425 --> 00:24:03.085 We typically focus on things like how are we doing in our internal 221 00:24:03.775 --> 00:24:04.608 lives? Uh, 222 00:24:04.665 --> 00:24:08.845 how are we orienting ourselves spiritually toward how God's leading us? Um, 223 00:24:09.065 --> 00:24:12.125 we do, we talk about fatherhood, we talk about manhood. 224 00:24:12.145 --> 00:24:15.045 We talk about how to be the best possible husbands that we can be. 225 00:24:15.215 --> 00:24:19.484 About six of us out of the eight have been together for consistently now for 226 00:24:19.485 --> 00:24:22.685 about seven years. We can trust each other with anything. Three. 227 00:24:22.685 --> 00:24:23.845 Or four people are really into cars. 228 00:24:24.125 --> 00:24:27.045 Two or three people are really into finances. So we almost have these kind of, 229 00:24:27.046 --> 00:24:29.484 these common connections where we're just kind of doing life together. 230 00:24:29.765 --> 00:24:34.165 I don't think I could be the best father, husband, business person, 231 00:24:35.005 --> 00:24:39.765 um, just all around person without having a group of guys that understands, uh, 232 00:24:39.825 --> 00:24:43.765 my deepest fears, uh, my greatest hopes and joys. I think men specifically, 233 00:24:43.805 --> 00:24:46.484 I think we need, um, kind of that network to be able to, 234 00:24:46.485 --> 00:24:49.045 to pour into each other. Um, when, when we need to. 235 00:24:49.315 --> 00:24:51.805 What I think makes up a good small group is, is three things. 236 00:24:52.045 --> 00:24:55.285 I think the first is, um, authenticity and vulnerability. 237 00:24:55.885 --> 00:24:59.125 It's really hard to kind of go deep with folks if no one's willing to actually, 238 00:24:59.505 --> 00:25:02.365 you know, put their cards on the table. The second thing is, uh, 239 00:25:02.366 --> 00:25:03.685 obviously consistently meeting. 240 00:25:03.825 --> 00:25:07.484 The last thing I think is really important is just flexibility. Um, is, 241 00:25:07.545 --> 00:25:09.405 you know, if, if something's going on in someone's life, 242 00:25:09.406 --> 00:25:12.885 it's being able to kind of put aside whatever study or video study you guys are 243 00:25:12.886 --> 00:25:15.845 working on and really just kind of rallying around that person and, um, 244 00:25:15.846 --> 00:25:18.205 being able to lift them up and, you know, pour into them and, 245 00:25:18.225 --> 00:25:19.845 and deal with whatever it's they've got going on. 246 00:25:19.846 --> 00:25:22.885 Whether it's a marriage issue or something going on with kids or, or, you know, 247 00:25:22.886 --> 00:25:26.285 ailing parents. Uh, I think it's just important to be able to, to rally around, 248 00:25:26.805 --> 00:25:29.805 uh, that person. So being, being, being consistent but also flexible. 249 00:25:30.065 --> 00:25:34.365 You can't shortcut your way to relationship with people that are going to be 250 00:25:34.375 --> 00:25:36.645 there to encourage you on your own walk. 251 00:25:36.665 --> 00:25:40.045 And who then God uses you to be an encouragement to them and their walk with 252 00:25:40.046 --> 00:25:40.345 him. 253 00:25:40.345 --> 00:25:43.405 So you gotta spend the time together and you can find creative ways to do it. 254 00:25:43.595 --> 00:25:43.965 Find. 255 00:25:43.965 --> 00:25:46.445 A group, go online. Just there's so many resources. 256 00:25:46.545 --> 00:25:50.165 The more you come to the table, um, with the same set of ideals as other folks, 257 00:25:50.565 --> 00:25:52.685 uh, I think ultimately it leads to a really, really good place. 258 00:25:56.725 --> 00:25:58.205 I mean, a great story. I'm telling you, listen, 259 00:25:58.225 --> 00:26:00.925 if you're not connected to a small group or if you don't have people in your 260 00:26:00.926 --> 00:26:04.045 life that it can encourage you along the way, uh, you're missing out. 261 00:26:04.046 --> 00:26:05.565 If there's anything that we can do to help you, 262 00:26:05.585 --> 00:26:10.045 we would love to do that whole family love y'all. Hope you were doing well. 263 00:26:10.805 --> 00:26:13.484 Uh, we're gonna start right out of the gate with a question. Uh, 264 00:26:13.665 --> 00:26:14.965 has anyone ever thought, 265 00:26:15.275 --> 00:26:18.805 have you ever thought the Bible is intimidating? 266 00:26:20.725 --> 00:26:24.885 I mean, like, I really wanna read it. I know I probably should read it more, 267 00:26:24.886 --> 00:26:29.315 but isn't it like old, like old, old? 268 00:26:30.145 --> 00:26:32.234 Like, is it really going to apply to my life? 269 00:26:32.515 --> 00:26:34.035 Like I want to apply it to my life, 270 00:26:34.275 --> 00:26:39.155 but but isn't there more that I need to know so that I'll know what I need to 271 00:26:39.156 --> 00:26:41.195 know when I actually look at it? 272 00:26:41.195 --> 00:26:44.484 We're in week two of a series that we're calling the Word of the Lord. 273 00:26:44.665 --> 00:26:48.685 And this whole series is really about looking at the Bible. We're calling it, 274 00:26:49.045 --> 00:26:52.605 uh, the word of the Lord. Because I, we think sometimes, 275 00:26:52.606 --> 00:26:55.405 like if we just say the Bible, like it can get lost in white noise. 276 00:26:55.705 --> 00:26:59.605 And the reality is this is God's word to us in our lives. 277 00:26:59.625 --> 00:27:03.405 And so our desire is to help you be able to engage God's word. 278 00:27:03.406 --> 00:27:07.525 But we want to help you be able to do that like confidently on your own so that 279 00:27:07.526 --> 00:27:11.365 you can apply it to your life so that you can actually get to know the God who 280 00:27:11.366 --> 00:27:15.605 created you and actually figure out the, the sense of belonging and purpose, uh, 281 00:27:15.606 --> 00:27:19.685 that you were created for. Um, I want you to hear me say this. I, 282 00:27:19.805 --> 00:27:22.645 I know in my role as a pastor here at Hope, um, 283 00:27:22.765 --> 00:27:26.484 I get up on a stage somewhere to this across any one of our campuses and, 284 00:27:26.744 --> 00:27:29.765 and I say, Hey, listen, as a part of hope and as a part of the family of hope, 285 00:27:29.945 --> 00:27:33.525 you should jump on a ministry team so that you can serve and actually jump in 286 00:27:33.526 --> 00:27:36.845 around here to and what it is that God's doing. Or, hey, listen, 287 00:27:36.865 --> 00:27:40.845 if you're a part of the family at hope, we need you to jump in financially to, 288 00:27:40.846 --> 00:27:44.484 to be a part of the mission and the vision that God's calling us into as a 289 00:27:44.485 --> 00:27:48.005 church. And I say that like as a, 290 00:27:48.006 --> 00:27:51.445 as a shepherd of any church would say, like as a dad would say, for any family, 291 00:27:51.475 --> 00:27:54.925 like he wants his family to function together as healthy as, 292 00:27:55.065 --> 00:27:56.965 as healthy as it possibly can. 293 00:27:58.545 --> 00:28:02.365 But what I want you to hear me say is, as a friend, uh, as a brother, 294 00:28:03.465 --> 00:28:04.298 as a pastor, 295 00:28:05.185 --> 00:28:09.045 is that I don't know that there's anything more important for you in your life 296 00:28:09.795 --> 00:28:12.845 than to actually understand the importance of being able to open up God's word 297 00:28:13.165 --> 00:28:17.645 and to read it for yourself and to see how it applies to your life. Uh, 298 00:28:17.855 --> 00:28:20.405 Psalm chapter one, verse one through three, it says this, 299 00:28:20.555 --> 00:28:24.325 blessed is the man who walks not in the council of the wicked, 300 00:28:24.905 --> 00:28:28.325 nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers, 301 00:28:29.345 --> 00:28:33.484 but his delight is in the law of the Lord. And on his law, 302 00:28:33.485 --> 00:28:34.965 he meditates day and night. 303 00:28:34.994 --> 00:28:39.165 He's like a tree planted by the streams of water that yield its fruit in its 304 00:28:39.166 --> 00:28:39.745 season. 305 00:28:39.745 --> 00:28:44.405 And its leaf does not wither in all that he does. 306 00:28:45.855 --> 00:28:49.955 He prospers. I mean, all of us, all of us wanna prosper. Like, 307 00:28:49.956 --> 00:28:53.955 like my heart for you is that you would prosper in this life regardless of the 308 00:28:53.956 --> 00:28:55.955 craziness that you find yourselves in. 309 00:28:55.956 --> 00:28:59.035 And Jesus himself said in Matthew chapter four, verse four, he said, 310 00:28:59.135 --> 00:29:00.875 man shall not live by bread alone, 311 00:29:01.215 --> 00:29:04.155 but by every word that comes from the mouth of God. 312 00:29:05.455 --> 00:29:08.595 Our goal in this series is simply just to give you handles on what the Bible is 313 00:29:08.935 --> 00:29:12.435 and how we can engage with it for the life that God has for us. 314 00:29:13.425 --> 00:29:16.835 This week specifically, my goal is two part, uh, 315 00:29:16.836 --> 00:29:21.635 number one is I want to actually clearly lay out how the Bible fits together. 316 00:29:21.665 --> 00:29:24.635 Like we know it's a big book, but it's got like a lot of books, 317 00:29:24.755 --> 00:29:27.235 a lot of chapters, a lot of verses like how does it all fit together? 318 00:29:28.335 --> 00:29:29.755 And then secondly, uh, 319 00:29:29.875 --> 00:29:34.355 I want paint a clear picture of the overarching narrative of scripture, uh, 320 00:29:34.405 --> 00:29:39.395 cover to cover. So we got a lot to do and so I'm gonna jump, jump right in. Uh, 321 00:29:39.445 --> 00:29:42.885 we're gonna jump in with the layout of the Bible. So if you have your Bibles, 322 00:29:42.925 --> 00:29:44.325 I want you to go ahead and open them up. 323 00:29:44.345 --> 00:29:46.285 And most bibles have a table of content. 324 00:29:46.865 --> 00:29:50.205 And so I want you to open up there and you were just gonna walk through a few 325 00:29:50.206 --> 00:29:53.365 things, uh, to, to help us understand what's going on. So for starters, 326 00:29:53.366 --> 00:29:56.005 the word Bible, it actually just means book. 327 00:29:56.545 --> 00:30:00.565 And so we need to think about the Bible as one story, 328 00:30:01.385 --> 00:30:04.525 but it is one large book. It's made up of 66 books. 329 00:30:04.545 --> 00:30:07.325 And while it's true that it's 66 books, 330 00:30:07.355 --> 00:30:11.965 it's written by around 40 different writers over a period of about 1600 years, 331 00:30:12.035 --> 00:30:16.325 it's critical for us to understand, like it is one large story. Uh, 332 00:30:16.326 --> 00:30:19.485 there's a protagonist that's consistent throughout. Um, 333 00:30:19.985 --> 00:30:23.085 for those that fell asleep in English class, that means that there's a good guy, 334 00:30:23.845 --> 00:30:28.125 um, that's God cover to cover. Uh, there's an antagonist, there's a bad guy, 335 00:30:28.385 --> 00:30:30.125 that's the devil. There's key characters, 336 00:30:30.126 --> 00:30:33.845 there's key events that there's foreshadowing, uh, there's a hero, 337 00:30:34.315 --> 00:30:38.725 like one person that the entire book revolves around even until he actually 338 00:30:38.726 --> 00:30:42.245 physically shows up on the scene. There's signs that point to him. Uh, 339 00:30:42.275 --> 00:30:45.685 spoiler alert, the hero of the story is not you or me, 340 00:30:47.895 --> 00:30:51.275 but while there's one story, like all the books in the Bible, 341 00:30:51.276 --> 00:30:54.555 they're not the same. You've got history, uh, you've got poetry, 342 00:30:55.335 --> 00:30:57.515 you've got prophecy. Um, 343 00:30:57.795 --> 00:31:00.275 I was talking to Aaron Nelson this past week and we're like, 344 00:31:00.276 --> 00:31:03.595 kind of a less than comparison, please hear me say less than, uh, 345 00:31:03.655 --> 00:31:04.755 is like the MCU, 346 00:31:04.756 --> 00:31:08.835 like the Marvel Comics universe because you've got like the old school comic 347 00:31:08.845 --> 00:31:12.755 books and then you've got like the most recent movies and the chronological 348 00:31:13.155 --> 00:31:16.475 timeline, and then you've got like the, the miniseries, it's on Disney. 349 00:31:16.815 --> 00:31:17.995 And then, um, 350 00:31:18.255 --> 00:31:21.355 now you've got like the multiverse that I'm convinced is just a ploy for them to 351 00:31:21.356 --> 00:31:23.355 make as much money on the whole thing as they possibly can. 352 00:31:23.775 --> 00:31:27.315 But like it all ties together and you see things here that make things make 353 00:31:27.316 --> 00:31:30.875 sense that you saw earlier. And so we gotta understand really what's going on. 354 00:31:30.895 --> 00:31:33.515 So here's the breakdown, here's the layout of the Bible. Um, 355 00:31:33.875 --> 00:31:37.355 ultimately you have two testaments. Uh, the word testament, uh, 356 00:31:37.535 --> 00:31:40.515 is another word for covenant or agreement. 357 00:31:40.735 --> 00:31:43.595 So you have a New Testament and an Old Testament, uh, 358 00:31:43.855 --> 00:31:45.915 an old covenant and a new covenant. 359 00:31:46.225 --> 00:31:49.595 Each one of those testaments are made up of four sections. 360 00:31:50.375 --> 00:31:54.915 So we jump into the Old Testament and the first section is called 361 00:31:55.175 --> 00:31:58.755 the Law. Uh, it's the first five books of the Old Testament. 362 00:31:58.795 --> 00:32:00.275 I think we got some slides here to show you. 363 00:32:00.276 --> 00:32:03.155 So it's Genesis through Deuteronomy. Uh, 364 00:32:03.815 --> 00:32:08.515 the Jews refer to this as the Torah. And uh, these are the writings of Moses. 365 00:32:08.615 --> 00:32:12.595 And it covers from creation right up through the first few centuries of the 366 00:32:12.596 --> 00:32:15.635 nations, uh, of the Jews, right up until the death of the Mo of Moses. 367 00:32:16.375 --> 00:32:21.355 Second section, uh, we have the historical section, uh, the next 12 books. Uh, 368 00:32:21.415 --> 00:32:24.235 and here you go from Joshua all the way to Esther. 369 00:32:24.415 --> 00:32:28.435 And this is essentially like the history of the Israelites. Um, 370 00:32:28.795 --> 00:32:30.035 I had someone ask me this week, 371 00:32:30.495 --> 00:32:35.395 why are the Israelites so important in the Bible? It's a great question. Uh, 372 00:32:35.396 --> 00:32:37.355 we're gonna talk a little bit about it in a moment. 373 00:32:37.415 --> 00:32:38.116 But I think we're gonna, 374 00:32:38.116 --> 00:32:41.605 what we're gonna find is we can see ourselves in their story as well. 375 00:32:41.855 --> 00:32:44.365 Third section, uh, we call the poetry section. 376 00:32:44.475 --> 00:32:48.285 Some actually refer to it as well as the wisdom literature. Uh, you've got Job, 377 00:32:48.465 --> 00:32:51.685 Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, song of Solomon. 378 00:32:51.915 --> 00:32:56.365 It's worth noting that these five books don't actually fit chronologically 379 00:32:57.115 --> 00:33:01.285 into the entire story. Like Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, song of Solomon. 380 00:33:01.286 --> 00:33:05.965 They were actually written during One Kings and then the book of job actually 381 00:33:05.966 --> 00:33:08.205 takes place all the way back, uh, in Genesis. 382 00:33:08.425 --> 00:33:11.325 So just kind of giving you some timelines of how this fits together. 383 00:33:11.505 --> 00:33:15.325 And then the fourth section is the prophecy section. Uh, 384 00:33:15.326 --> 00:33:18.565 you've got the book of Isaiah all the way to Malachi as, 385 00:33:18.566 --> 00:33:23.125 as you close out the Old Testament, uh, what you see is prophets, um, 386 00:33:23.305 --> 00:33:27.085 really speaking on behalf of God to all of Israel. 387 00:33:27.085 --> 00:33:29.805 There's a number of predictions that relate to what's gonna happen in Israel. 388 00:33:29.806 --> 00:33:33.445 There's actually predictions that there's going to be a messiah that's gonna 389 00:33:33.605 --> 00:33:37.085 actually come and provide redemption and reconciliation for the world. 390 00:33:37.345 --> 00:33:39.845 The prophets are broken down into two sections, 391 00:33:39.855 --> 00:33:43.765 major prophets and minor prophets. And uh, 392 00:33:44.025 --> 00:33:47.845 the difference between the two uh, is extremely compelling. 393 00:33:48.985 --> 00:33:53.485 The major prophets are just longer books. That's really all there is to it. 394 00:33:53.505 --> 00:33:57.765 So Isaiah, Jeremiah, for example, uh, longer books than Hosea de Malachi. 395 00:33:57.766 --> 00:34:01.525 So if you wanna be a big deal, just write longer or talk longer. But that's the, 396 00:34:01.526 --> 00:34:04.165 that's the first four sections of the Old Testament. You've got the law, 397 00:34:04.475 --> 00:34:07.125 history, poetry and prophecy. 398 00:34:07.715 --> 00:34:10.165 From there you go into about 400 history, 399 00:34:10.235 --> 00:34:15.165 400 years of history where there's no written record of God revealing himself. 400 00:34:15.925 --> 00:34:19.645 Um, that leads to what a lot of people refer to as the inter testament. 401 00:34:20.185 --> 00:34:23.085 And you might open your Bible and say, I don't, I don't see an inter testament. 402 00:34:23.425 --> 00:34:25.325 That's because God didn't say anything. 403 00:34:25.785 --> 00:34:27.325 And so we don't have any recording of it. 404 00:34:27.945 --> 00:34:31.325 And so a lot of people refer to it as 400 years of silence. 405 00:34:32.305 --> 00:34:36.005 But it's important to recognize that even though God wasn't speaking, 406 00:34:37.225 --> 00:34:40.805 God was still moving. Uh, what happened during this time, uh, Greece, 407 00:34:40.975 --> 00:34:44.445 Rosen power, the Hebrew Bible was translated to Greek. Uh, 408 00:34:44.465 --> 00:34:49.285 the Jews were scattered. And then around one BC uh, Rome became a world power. 409 00:34:49.985 --> 00:34:54.955 And you've heard this saying like all roads lead to Rome during this 410 00:34:54.956 --> 00:34:55.156 time. 411 00:34:55.156 --> 00:34:59.755 They were like building a network of roads and these roads were going to be what 412 00:34:59.756 --> 00:35:01.715 was later used for the spread of the gospel. 413 00:35:03.275 --> 00:35:06.594 And so we don't want you to hear there just in that 400 years of silence is just 414 00:35:06.595 --> 00:35:08.355 because we don't see God moving, 415 00:35:10.215 --> 00:35:15.125 it doesn't mean that God's not moving from there. We jump to the New Testament. 416 00:35:16.045 --> 00:35:18.965 Uh, we've got four sections there as well. The first is the gospels. 417 00:35:18.966 --> 00:35:22.605 The word gospel literally translates good news. You've got four books, Matthew, 418 00:35:22.715 --> 00:35:26.005 mark, Luke, and John. Each one of these books, um, 419 00:35:26.006 --> 00:35:29.885 is written by a different man but really gives a different account of Jesus' 420 00:35:29.886 --> 00:35:33.125 life. So they don't tell us everything about Jesus' life, 421 00:35:33.905 --> 00:35:38.445 but they give us different viewpoints from some of the same scenes, 422 00:35:38.515 --> 00:35:41.364 some from different scenes, uh, but just from a different perspective, 423 00:35:41.365 --> 00:35:45.085 different angle, um, but all in harmony with one another. Uh, 424 00:35:45.145 --> 00:35:48.685 so this is really Jesus' birth, uh, his ministry, his life, 425 00:35:48.735 --> 00:35:52.965 death and his resurrection. Second section, another history section. 426 00:35:53.425 --> 00:35:57.285 So you've got the book of Acts. Uh, this is really the history, uh, 427 00:35:57.425 --> 00:36:01.325 of the start of the church after Jesus raises from the dead and the sins to 428 00:36:01.326 --> 00:36:02.765 heaven and the church gets set in motion. 429 00:36:03.555 --> 00:36:05.805 From there you've got the third section of the New Testament. 430 00:36:05.806 --> 00:36:08.485 You guys still with me? I know this is a lot. This is riveting stuff. 431 00:36:09.305 --> 00:36:11.685 So important though really to see how all this stuff fits together. 432 00:36:11.745 --> 00:36:16.364 The third section, 21 books in total, uh, we call these the epistles, 433 00:36:16.955 --> 00:36:21.364 largely written, uh, to churches, uh, to pastors, to the elders. 434 00:36:21.605 --> 00:36:25.325 14 letters written by Paul, two by Peter, one by James, three by John, 435 00:36:25.425 --> 00:36:26.258 one by Jude. 436 00:36:26.625 --> 00:36:29.645 And then the fourth section of the New Testament as we wrap this up, uh, 437 00:36:29.646 --> 00:36:32.965 it's the book of Revelation, another book of prophecy. 438 00:36:33.225 --> 00:36:37.925 And what you see there is is Jesus' final act in fulfilling what God said would 439 00:36:37.926 --> 00:36:40.325 be done back in Genesis chapter three. 440 00:36:41.225 --> 00:36:44.045 So if you didn't know how the Bible fits together, like that's it, 441 00:36:44.075 --> 00:36:46.765 it's that simple. Like there really is some intentional effort. 442 00:36:46.766 --> 00:36:49.165 It actually makes sense if you follow it cover to cover, 443 00:36:49.585 --> 00:36:53.165 not always in chronological order, but that's the word of the Lord. 444 00:36:54.385 --> 00:36:56.525 But what's going on throughout those stories? 445 00:36:56.594 --> 00:36:58.405 Like what's the overarching narrative? 446 00:36:58.406 --> 00:37:02.085 What's the common thread that pulls us all the way through, uh, cover to cover? 447 00:37:02.105 --> 00:37:06.005 So here's what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna break this down into five scenes. 448 00:37:06.605 --> 00:37:08.405 Alright? So the first scene, uh, 449 00:37:08.406 --> 00:37:11.965 we're gonna start on the book of Genesis and we're gonna call it the Story of 450 00:37:11.966 --> 00:37:15.844 the garden. Genesis starts with four words 451 00:37:17.645 --> 00:37:20.545 in the beginning, God. 452 00:37:22.844 --> 00:37:25.105 And so before time as we know it started, 453 00:37:25.635 --> 00:37:29.545 there was God all powerful, holy, 454 00:37:30.415 --> 00:37:34.185 perfect, blameless. There was God. 455 00:37:35.445 --> 00:37:38.785 The fifth word is created in the beginning, 456 00:37:39.445 --> 00:37:43.105 God created. And those are five words by the way, 457 00:37:43.106 --> 00:37:45.065 that if we actually believe those and internalize those, 458 00:37:45.205 --> 00:37:49.305 it will change our lives. But we read that the earth was formless and void, 459 00:37:49.306 --> 00:37:50.465 but God had a plan, 460 00:37:50.775 --> 00:37:54.625 like his desire was to create a family that he could love and they could love 461 00:37:54.626 --> 00:37:57.625 him and they could trust him and that that would care for his creation. 462 00:37:57.626 --> 00:38:00.465 So here's what happened. God spoke and as he did, 463 00:38:01.364 --> 00:38:02.825 the light separated from the darkness. 464 00:38:05.605 --> 00:38:09.385 God spoke in the ocean, separated from the skies, 465 00:38:11.185 --> 00:38:15.125 and then God spoke in the waters, gathered together, and then dry land appeared. 466 00:38:16.265 --> 00:38:20.285 He grew plants and flowers and trees, vegetation, 467 00:38:21.505 --> 00:38:25.885 he created the sun, the moon, the stars which set day and night and seasons, 468 00:38:26.075 --> 00:38:29.844 seasons changing into motion. You filled the sea with fish, the sky with birds, 469 00:38:29.995 --> 00:38:30.844 land with animals. 470 00:38:30.985 --> 00:38:35.965 And so I want you to envision this wildly creative and infinite God creating 471 00:38:36.525 --> 00:38:40.165 a world of beauty out of nothing. 472 00:38:42.665 --> 00:38:46.795 And then he looked at everything and he said, this is good, 473 00:38:47.625 --> 00:38:50.555 like we're on the right track. But he wasn't finished. 474 00:38:52.175 --> 00:38:53.075 And then God said, 475 00:38:53.695 --> 00:38:57.875 let us make humans in our image to be like us. 476 00:38:58.855 --> 00:39:00.515 And you catch that, let us, right? 477 00:39:00.516 --> 00:39:03.475 This is like the first picture of the trinity that we see in scripture. 478 00:39:03.505 --> 00:39:05.875 What that tells us is not only was God here, 479 00:39:05.975 --> 00:39:09.594 but also his son Jesus and the Holy Spirit. And they say, they say, 480 00:39:09.685 --> 00:39:14.515 let's make mankind in our image and then we'll let them be in charge of the 481 00:39:14.516 --> 00:39:16.355 earth and the plants and the animals that live on it. 482 00:39:16.356 --> 00:39:21.195 So what happened is God created man and woman and he created man from 483 00:39:21.196 --> 00:39:25.555 dust and he created woman from man's rib right next to his heart. 484 00:39:26.575 --> 00:39:30.395 And then as he breathed life into Adam, 485 00:39:30.455 --> 00:39:31.715 and as they opened their eyes, 486 00:39:31.855 --> 00:39:35.355 the first thing that they ever saw was their loving father. 487 00:39:37.545 --> 00:39:41.645 And then God looks down at them the way that a father would look at a son or a 488 00:39:41.725 --> 00:39:45.725 daughter for the first time. And he says, This is beautiful. 489 00:39:46.755 --> 00:39:50.805 This is very good. Like this is the pinnacle of my creation. 490 00:39:52.205 --> 00:39:54.685 And that God places them in a garden, which is the Garden of Eden, 491 00:39:54.686 --> 00:39:57.645 where they have everything that they need to live life to the fullest. 492 00:39:57.785 --> 00:40:01.125 He told them to be fruitful and multiply, uh, in that garden, 493 00:40:01.265 --> 00:40:03.725 in the center of the garden are two trees. Okay? 494 00:40:03.825 --> 00:40:07.605 You've got the tree of life and then the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. 495 00:40:07.606 --> 00:40:08.765 And God tells him, he says, listen, 496 00:40:09.145 --> 00:40:12.765 you can eat from any tree that's in the garden except for this one tree, 497 00:40:12.785 --> 00:40:15.805 the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. And if you eat from this tree, 498 00:40:16.105 --> 00:40:17.485 you will surely die. And I want, 499 00:40:17.565 --> 00:40:21.725 I want you to see like can you see that God has a desire to create a family that 500 00:40:21.726 --> 00:40:24.765 he can love, that he can protect, that he can provide, that he can care for. 501 00:40:24.925 --> 00:40:29.005 I mean, like a loving father tells his children like, Hey, 502 00:40:29.006 --> 00:40:31.364 you need to be careful if there's something to be careful of. 503 00:40:34.745 --> 00:40:38.325 And every day Adam and Eve, they meet with God. They, 504 00:40:38.326 --> 00:40:41.485 they walk with him in the garden. It says in the cool of the day, um, 505 00:40:41.486 --> 00:40:45.085 they live life with this perfect relationship with one another perfect harmony, 506 00:40:45.114 --> 00:40:47.165 this perfect relationship with God. 507 00:40:47.465 --> 00:40:50.725 But that was life as God intended in scene one. 508 00:40:50.945 --> 00:40:52.125 And I want to ask you a question. 509 00:40:54.344 --> 00:40:55.965 If you had everything that you needed, 510 00:40:58.965 --> 00:41:00.995 would you be tempted to want what you didn't need? 511 00:41:03.295 --> 00:41:07.515 And so that's act one in scene one. From there we move to scene two, 512 00:41:07.765 --> 00:41:11.715 still inside the garden. And uh, we call this the fall. 513 00:41:12.855 --> 00:41:15.675 And right now we're essentially gonna be in Genesis chapter three. 514 00:41:15.676 --> 00:41:17.555 But before we get there, there is something that I, 515 00:41:17.955 --> 00:41:20.715 i want you to see that you only get if you put different sections of scripture 516 00:41:20.955 --> 00:41:23.915 together. And that's actually how an enemy shows up on the scene. 517 00:41:23.916 --> 00:41:26.114 Because at this moment, like everything is perfect, 518 00:41:26.215 --> 00:41:29.675 we read the story and we're like, man, this is great. Something goes wrong. 519 00:41:29.735 --> 00:41:32.515 So what we need to know is before God created the earth, 520 00:41:32.945 --> 00:41:34.325 he actually created angels. 521 00:41:35.165 --> 00:41:38.045 And we don't know everything that the angels did or everything angels do, 522 00:41:38.046 --> 00:41:41.045 but we do know that worshiping God was a large part of it. 523 00:41:41.315 --> 00:41:43.805 Well one angel named Lucifer, um, 524 00:41:43.806 --> 00:41:47.725 he was the most beautiful of all angels in heaven. He became jealous of God. 525 00:41:49.025 --> 00:41:52.605 He wanted to be like God. He wanted to be God himself. 526 00:41:52.606 --> 00:41:57.125 And so that led Lucifer who we also know as Satan to actually lead a rebellion 527 00:41:57.126 --> 00:41:57.686 against God. 528 00:41:57.686 --> 00:42:01.364 And so he called other angels into following him into that rebellion. 529 00:42:03.405 --> 00:42:06.005 Well, any rebellion against God is called sin. 530 00:42:06.864 --> 00:42:11.445 And because God is perfect and blameless and holy, 531 00:42:11.585 --> 00:42:13.445 he can't have sin in his presence. 532 00:42:13.585 --> 00:42:18.125 And so what happens is God cast out the rebellious angels down to earth with a 533 00:42:18.126 --> 00:42:19.925 plan, uh, for their punishment later. 534 00:42:19.985 --> 00:42:21.925 So we don't know exactly when this happened. 535 00:42:22.985 --> 00:42:27.205 We do know that it happened after God created the earth because it was an earth 536 00:42:27.225 --> 00:42:28.245 for him to send them to. 537 00:42:28.425 --> 00:42:31.605 But it definitely happened before Genesis chapter three. 538 00:42:31.864 --> 00:42:35.325 And so somewhere between Genesis chapter one, Genesis chapter three, 539 00:42:35.385 --> 00:42:39.325 why is this important? It's important because in Genesis chapter three, 540 00:42:39.594 --> 00:42:42.285 Adam and ever joy in the garden, the way that God intended 541 00:42:43.545 --> 00:42:48.165 And the one that we just discussed in all of his anger and all of his jealousy 542 00:42:48.485 --> 00:42:49.318 and all of his hatred, 543 00:42:50.625 --> 00:42:54.364 he sees this beautiful creation that's been set in motion. 544 00:42:55.225 --> 00:42:58.125 And the Bible tells us that he disguises himself as a serpent. 545 00:42:59.344 --> 00:43:03.485 And he finds eve in an opportune moment. And he comes up to the woman, 546 00:43:04.565 --> 00:43:05.805 he comes up to Eve and he says, 547 00:43:06.105 --> 00:43:10.085 did God really say you mustn't eat from any tree in the garden, 548 00:43:10.955 --> 00:43:13.364 from any fruit in the garden? And she told him, she said, no, no, no. 549 00:43:13.545 --> 00:43:15.085 We can eat from any fruit in the garden. 550 00:43:15.185 --> 00:43:18.605 We just can't eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or even touch 551 00:43:18.606 --> 00:43:23.125 it or we'll die. So the serpent looks at Eve and he says, Hey listen, 552 00:43:25.545 --> 00:43:26.378 you won't die. 553 00:43:29.025 --> 00:43:32.405 God knows that your eyes will be open when you eat it. 554 00:43:33.425 --> 00:43:38.325 And then you'll become like God knowing everything good and evil. 555 00:43:41.485 --> 00:43:45.465 And I want you to realize like he tempts her with the same thing that he was 556 00:43:45.466 --> 00:43:48.145 tempted by himself being like, God, 557 00:43:50.445 --> 00:43:51.985 please realize , 558 00:43:52.685 --> 00:43:57.335 we are all tempted by the same thing to want to be like God. 559 00:43:58.575 --> 00:44:02.855 And we find ourselves in the situations where we believe in God must be holding 560 00:44:02.995 --> 00:44:06.015 out on us, there's gotta be something better. 561 00:44:07.775 --> 00:44:10.855 And it says, when he saw what it looked to be beautiful and delicious. 562 00:44:11.635 --> 00:44:15.175 And when she believed God was withholding something from her with his rule, 563 00:44:15.275 --> 00:44:19.495 she took some and she ate it. She also gave some to Adam. 564 00:44:22.114 --> 00:44:26.335 So they choose not to believe God and instead believe in the lie. 565 00:44:26.755 --> 00:44:30.655 And in that moment, innocence lost. 566 00:44:32.195 --> 00:44:35.295 And for those of us that that that are, are raising children, 567 00:44:35.725 --> 00:44:38.175 like you go through seasons and you're like, man, , 568 00:44:38.605 --> 00:44:40.895 they're just not as innocent as they used to be. 569 00:44:41.114 --> 00:44:44.535 And they got to this place where they felt shame and fear. Uh, 570 00:44:44.536 --> 00:44:45.695 they realized they were naked. 571 00:44:45.715 --> 00:44:48.535 The Bible says they sewed fig leaves together to cover their nakedness. 572 00:44:48.575 --> 00:44:51.575 I don't know why I did this. That was weird. Sorry, . 573 00:44:53.065 --> 00:44:57.815 Later in the evening, uh, God's walking through the garden as he often does. 574 00:44:58.355 --> 00:45:01.975 And uh, they had hid from him because they had realized that they were naked. 575 00:45:01.995 --> 00:45:06.535 And so God says, Adam, where are you? And Adam replies, 576 00:45:06.536 --> 00:45:09.935 we heard you coming. And I was afraid because I was naked. 577 00:45:10.955 --> 00:45:15.614 And so I hid. And God says to him, who told you that you were naked? 578 00:45:15.955 --> 00:45:17.655 Why are you ashamed of being naked? 579 00:45:17.795 --> 00:45:21.135 Did you eat from the tree that I told you not to eat from? 580 00:45:22.315 --> 00:45:25.895 And Adam sells out in a minute. He says, the woman that you gave me, 581 00:45:26.295 --> 00:45:27.128 she made me do it. 582 00:45:28.755 --> 00:45:32.335 And then eve like immediately turns the attention, no, no, no, no, someone else. 583 00:45:32.395 --> 00:45:35.575 The serpent, the serpent tricked me into eating the fruit. 584 00:45:37.825 --> 00:45:40.844 And so God looks at the serpent and you pay attention to this. He says, listen, 585 00:45:41.465 --> 00:45:43.965 you will be the enemy of this woman and her children. 586 00:45:45.825 --> 00:45:49.455 You'll bite his heel, but he will crush your head. 587 00:45:51.675 --> 00:45:53.614 And I want you to hold onto that. God says, listen, 588 00:45:53.615 --> 00:45:56.855 there is clearly now a tension between you and my creation, 589 00:45:57.125 --> 00:45:58.935 what I created to be beautiful. 590 00:45:58.955 --> 00:46:02.735 You have now injected yourself into this and you have caused a grave problem. 591 00:46:03.075 --> 00:46:06.255 But I want you to understand something through their offspring. 592 00:46:06.565 --> 00:46:07.975 This will be made right again. 593 00:46:10.995 --> 00:46:12.594 And we gotta see here, um, 594 00:46:13.955 --> 00:46:17.475 an order of things that are very consistent throughout the narrative of 595 00:46:17.635 --> 00:46:20.155 scripture. And it's this God loves 596 00:46:22.075 --> 00:46:25.775 man rebels, but God is faithful. 597 00:46:27.775 --> 00:46:31.094 And so God loves like he creates. He wants us to have this perfect relationship. 598 00:46:31.114 --> 00:46:34.295 He gives us everything that we need. And he even gives us some rules like, Hey, 599 00:46:34.355 --> 00:46:35.415 you need to follow these. 600 00:46:35.416 --> 00:46:38.815 If you wanna experience life the way that I created inevitably man rebels. 601 00:46:38.955 --> 00:46:42.295 But God continues to be faithful even in this moment. He says, 602 00:46:42.296 --> 00:46:44.415 you'll by this heel, but he will crush your head. 603 00:46:44.416 --> 00:46:47.575 And that points to something in the future where we're gonna see God's 604 00:46:47.576 --> 00:46:51.455 faithfulness. We see a promise from God while there's a problem, 605 00:46:51.915 --> 00:46:56.094 I'm gonna make it right now, remember I told you earlier, um, 606 00:46:56.155 --> 00:46:57.855 any rebellion against God is called sin. 607 00:46:57.955 --> 00:47:01.375 And so sin can't be in the presence of God. And so there had to be consequences. 608 00:47:01.475 --> 00:47:06.094 So this decision that that Adam and Eve made led to God 609 00:47:06.095 --> 00:47:09.695 punishing Adam and Eve by sending them out of the garden and ultimately sending 610 00:47:09.696 --> 00:47:12.535 them out of God's presence and out from underneath his protection. 611 00:47:13.155 --> 00:47:16.335 And so God told them like a curse is gonna fall on the earth and now you're 612 00:47:16.336 --> 00:47:20.175 gonna be subject to sickness and pain and heartache and even death. 613 00:47:21.975 --> 00:47:25.855 And so this once beautiful and perfect garden and perfect harmony between God 614 00:47:25.856 --> 00:47:27.815 and man has now been broken. 615 00:47:30.965 --> 00:47:32.565 I do want you to know it. It's obvious, 616 00:47:32.675 --> 00:47:35.405 it's important to know God still loved Adam and Eve, okay? 617 00:47:35.425 --> 00:47:38.844 He clothed them with the skin of animals before he sent them outta the garden so 618 00:47:38.845 --> 00:47:42.485 they wouldn't be ashamed. But understand for God to do that, 619 00:47:42.515 --> 00:47:43.965 like something did have to die, 620 00:47:46.075 --> 00:47:49.645 They experienced death as a result for the first time they had ever seen death 621 00:47:49.885 --> 00:47:52.485 as a result of their rebellion. And so at the end of scene one, 622 00:47:52.795 --> 00:47:56.485 what you've got the scenario is what was once perfect is now broken, 623 00:47:57.065 --> 00:48:01.405 but God has made a promise to restore it. That's the garden. Um, 624 00:48:01.844 --> 00:48:02.885 admittedly, just to give you a heads up, 625 00:48:02.905 --> 00:48:07.165 I'm spending a lot more time in scene one and in scene two because I think we 626 00:48:07.166 --> 00:48:10.965 miss a lot of stuff and it sets a lot of context and a lot of tension for, um, 627 00:48:11.075 --> 00:48:14.285 what happens in the New Testament. Scene two, 628 00:48:14.295 --> 00:48:17.885 we're gonna call the story of Israel. This is largely like Genesis chapter 12, 629 00:48:18.025 --> 00:48:19.685 up through Malachi. Uh, 630 00:48:19.805 --> 00:48:23.805 I want you to hear me say we're gonna go through about 1500 years of history 631 00:48:24.475 --> 00:48:28.645 very, very quickly. Um, but what happens after Adam and Eve leave the garden? 632 00:48:29.364 --> 00:48:34.165 Uh, we see just how quickly and just how far sin and rebellion can take us off 633 00:48:34.166 --> 00:48:38.685 course. Uh, Adam and Eve's child, Cain ends up murdering their other son Abel. 634 00:48:39.165 --> 00:48:42.125 I mean things escalate incredibly quickly. Uh, 635 00:48:42.195 --> 00:48:45.485 just a few generations after that. You see in Genesis chapter six verse five, 636 00:48:45.785 --> 00:48:46.206 it says, 637 00:48:46.206 --> 00:48:51.005 the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that every 638 00:48:51.006 --> 00:48:55.005 intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil 639 00:48:55.555 --> 00:48:56.388 continually. 640 00:48:58.395 --> 00:49:02.695 And so in a few generations we've gone from perfection to 641 00:49:03.135 --> 00:49:03.968 destruction. 642 00:49:06.515 --> 00:49:08.614 So I'm gonna jump ahead another few generations. 643 00:49:08.615 --> 00:49:12.255 But suffice to say we see over and over again despite God's attempt to start 644 00:49:12.256 --> 00:49:15.855 over to build a family that he can love and they can love him back and they can 645 00:49:15.856 --> 00:49:19.815 trust him. And what we continually see is man continuing to rebel against God. 646 00:49:19.835 --> 00:49:23.975 But remember, God loves man rebels. God is faithful. 647 00:49:24.355 --> 00:49:27.175 God loves man rebels. God is faithful. 648 00:49:27.215 --> 00:49:31.895 A few generations later through God's relentless pursuit for this family that 649 00:49:31.896 --> 00:49:35.094 you see him chasing after and creating on day one, 650 00:49:35.675 --> 00:49:38.415 he builds a brand new nation called Israel. 651 00:49:39.795 --> 00:49:43.094 He does this by establish a special relationship with a man by the name of 652 00:49:43.095 --> 00:49:45.094 Abraham. Later his name is changed to Abraham, 653 00:49:45.095 --> 00:49:49.855 but he makes a promise to him that we call a covenant. And he says to Abraham, 654 00:49:49.915 --> 00:49:54.215 he says, I'm going to make out of you a great nation. He says, 655 00:49:54.216 --> 00:49:57.135 the entire earth is going to be blessed through your descendants. 656 00:49:57.136 --> 00:50:00.375 You are going to be blessed Abraham to be a blessing. 657 00:50:02.364 --> 00:50:06.185 And so Abraham leads his home and begins journeying with his wife. 658 00:50:07.185 --> 00:50:10.105 Sarai later changed to Sarah to begin a new life. 659 00:50:10.285 --> 00:50:11.985 And then throughout the rest of the Old Testament, 660 00:50:12.005 --> 00:50:15.545 you see God building this new nation, revealing his presence, his power, 661 00:50:15.565 --> 00:50:18.585 and his plan for these people, for his family, 662 00:50:18.765 --> 00:50:22.785 for God's people to be blessed so that they can in turn bless the world. 663 00:50:23.045 --> 00:50:25.425 But you also see guess what, 664 00:50:27.925 --> 00:50:32.245 as people continuing to rebel, um, throughout this scene, 665 00:50:32.246 --> 00:50:35.725 you see a number of things that are super important not to miss if we're really 666 00:50:35.726 --> 00:50:38.325 trying to dig into what's going on here in scripture. Um, 667 00:50:38.785 --> 00:50:41.925 you see God rescuing and leading Israel, um, out of slavery, 668 00:50:43.185 --> 00:50:43.935 out of Egypt, 669 00:50:43.935 --> 00:50:48.645 which by the way is like a foreshadowing and a picture of us needing to be 670 00:50:48.646 --> 00:50:49.925 rescued out of our sin. 671 00:50:50.864 --> 00:50:55.085 He reveals the law to a man by the name of Moses reveals the 12 commandment, uh, 672 00:50:55.086 --> 00:50:56.165 12, 12 Commandments. 673 00:50:56.165 --> 00:50:59.125 You didn't know it was 12 did you reveals the 10 Commandments. Two more. 674 00:50:59.126 --> 00:51:00.685 We'll talk to you about those later. Uh, 675 00:51:02.844 --> 00:51:06.864 but we've gotta realize like even in that like revealing the law is God's 676 00:51:06.865 --> 00:51:09.864 faithfulness to us as his people. Um, like he, 677 00:51:09.925 --> 00:51:14.065 he shows us through the 10 commandment. This is how you were created to live. 678 00:51:14.375 --> 00:51:18.785 Like if there are things that actually put safety around us in my children's 679 00:51:18.786 --> 00:51:20.385 lives, but I actually don't tell them what they are, 680 00:51:20.386 --> 00:51:23.385 that is not me being a loving father. So he gives them, 681 00:51:23.445 --> 00:51:28.344 but it's also like so we understand why is it that we see brokenness around us 682 00:51:28.345 --> 00:51:31.985 in our lives and it's because we see this is the law that God's given to us, 683 00:51:31.986 --> 00:51:33.825 but we've stepped outside of that. Um, 684 00:51:33.826 --> 00:51:37.425 he also institutes a sacrificial system for when the law is broken. 685 00:51:37.645 --> 00:51:38.905 And this is incredibly important. 686 00:51:39.145 --> 00:51:41.905 It makes everything makes sense once we get to the New Testament. Remember, 687 00:51:42.045 --> 00:51:46.425 God cannot be in the presence of sin and remember how Lucifer was kicked out of 688 00:51:46.426 --> 00:51:49.065 heaven and how Adam and Eve were actually kicked, uh, 689 00:51:49.085 --> 00:51:50.945 out of the garden and he asked them to leave the garden. Well, 690 00:51:50.946 --> 00:51:54.305 for the forgiveness of sin, there has to be shedding of blood. 691 00:51:55.125 --> 00:51:59.545 And so God institutes a sacrificial system of animals to actually pay for the 692 00:51:59.555 --> 00:52:01.344 price of the sins of man. 693 00:52:02.285 --> 00:52:05.105 But because God man continues to sin, 694 00:52:07.025 --> 00:52:10.105 sacrifices continually have to be made in order for God to be with his people. 695 00:52:12.305 --> 00:52:15.344 Um, beyond that, through the rest of the Old Testament, you, 696 00:52:15.345 --> 00:52:17.785 you see some of the greatest history ever shared. I'm telling you, 697 00:52:17.805 --> 00:52:20.985 if you've not read your Old Testament, there's some incredible stories there. 698 00:52:20.986 --> 00:52:23.545 You've got kings coming in, power wars being fought, 699 00:52:23.546 --> 00:52:26.065 you've got giants being slain, poetry being written, 700 00:52:26.075 --> 00:52:30.105 prophecies are being made for the one who is going to come and fulfill God's 701 00:52:30.106 --> 00:52:32.625 promise that he made back in Genesis chapter three. 702 00:52:32.765 --> 00:52:37.385 But really what you see over and over and over again is how God loves 703 00:52:38.605 --> 00:52:43.265 man rebels. But God is faithful over and over and over again. 704 00:52:43.325 --> 00:52:46.185 God tries man cries out God rescues. 705 00:52:46.805 --> 00:52:50.705 But what you also see is that God is willing to allow us to be kind of handed 706 00:52:50.706 --> 00:52:54.705 over to ourselves. Like if we're crying out to God, God rescues, 707 00:52:55.565 --> 00:52:57.545 but if we wanna run in a different direction, 708 00:52:57.645 --> 00:52:59.585 he allows us to run in a different direction. 709 00:52:59.586 --> 00:53:04.025 And so what happens at the end of the Old Testament is you have God's chosen 710 00:53:04.026 --> 00:53:06.785 people. You have the Israelites that have continually rebelled, 711 00:53:06.895 --> 00:53:10.945 continually rebelled, knowing that they can't fix the problem themselves. 712 00:53:11.325 --> 00:53:15.065 And they know there's been a promise of someone who's going to come and who's 713 00:53:15.066 --> 00:53:15.985 gonna put it all back together. 714 00:53:17.205 --> 00:53:22.185 But there's 400 years of silence and just to kinda help 715 00:53:22.186 --> 00:53:24.385 us all get in that moment together, um, 716 00:53:24.685 --> 00:53:27.885 we don't have the time for me to give you 400 years of silence. Um, 717 00:53:29.145 --> 00:53:30.645 but I am gonna give you about 40. 718 00:53:32.625 --> 00:53:36.205 And so what I want us all to do for a moment is just recognize, um, 719 00:53:38.275 --> 00:53:40.295 man, life's not the way it was supposed to be. 720 00:53:42.815 --> 00:53:46.515 And I know for some of us this probably hits closer to home right now, um, 721 00:53:47.395 --> 00:53:51.635 than maybe for others. But there's hurt, there's pain, 722 00:53:52.465 --> 00:53:55.555 there's confusion, there's depression. 723 00:53:58.175 --> 00:54:02.795 And so I just, for a moment, I just want to sit in the space of recognizing man, 724 00:54:02.796 --> 00:54:07.555 there's some things in our world that are broken knowing that God 725 00:54:07.955 --> 00:54:09.594 promised that he was send a savior 726 00:54:25.235 --> 00:54:26.415 and then a baby was born. 727 00:54:29.594 --> 00:54:30.775 He wasn't born in a palace 728 00:54:33.625 --> 00:54:38.364 but in a small town in a stable. And it was Jesus. 729 00:54:39.344 --> 00:54:40.325 He was born to a virgin 730 00:54:41.844 --> 00:54:46.045 by the name of Mary who is married to a carpenter. 731 00:54:47.715 --> 00:54:51.335 And from humble beginnings, he grew was wise beyond his years. 732 00:54:52.155 --> 00:54:56.055 And at the age of 30 started his own ministry 733 00:54:57.875 --> 00:55:02.695 and um, he called other men and women into following him. 734 00:55:03.795 --> 00:55:06.135 He announced that there's a new kingdom at hand. 735 00:55:08.055 --> 00:55:12.835 He actually declared that he was the answer to the prophecies in the Old 736 00:55:13.075 --> 00:55:15.035 Testament, that he was the coming Messiah 737 00:55:18.585 --> 00:55:19.645 and hope starts to build 738 00:55:21.605 --> 00:55:26.165 and people start to believe may maybe this is the one who God promised to send 739 00:55:29.435 --> 00:55:31.415 and he lives his life. He heals the sick. 740 00:55:32.075 --> 00:55:35.455 He teaches people what it really means to follow after the ways of God. 741 00:55:37.114 --> 00:55:40.735 But as he declares that he is the Messiah, um, 742 00:55:41.955 --> 00:55:43.775 the religious leaders of the day say, hang on, 743 00:55:43.776 --> 00:55:46.895 this doesn't fit what we were expecting. This doesn't fit our paradigm. 744 00:55:48.075 --> 00:55:52.895 And he ends up that we lived a perfect life going to a death on a cross. 745 00:55:58.305 --> 00:55:59.885 And after they take him down off the cross, 746 00:55:59.985 --> 00:56:04.805 he gets put into a tomb and three days later he wr he rises 747 00:56:04.806 --> 00:56:07.085 from the grave overcoming sin and death. 748 00:56:10.525 --> 00:56:15.265 And what we now know as the gospel is that when Jesus 749 00:56:15.266 --> 00:56:19.305 went to the cross, he paid the ultimate sacrifice. 750 00:56:19.905 --> 00:56:23.925 We know for the forgiveness of sin there has to be shedding of blood because of 751 00:56:23.926 --> 00:56:26.205 our sin. We have to be separated from God. 752 00:56:26.425 --> 00:56:30.565 But he went to the cross and paid the penalty that we deserve to pay the hero 753 00:56:30.915 --> 00:56:34.645 that we've been waiting for, the savior that we've been waiting for came. 754 00:56:37.685 --> 00:56:38.185 And. 755 00:56:38.185 --> 00:56:41.665 Then he gets together with his, his disciples after he raises from the dead 756 00:56:43.765 --> 00:56:45.225 and he says, listen, here's what I want you to do. 757 00:56:45.265 --> 00:56:48.855 I want you to go into the world and I want you to make disciples of all nations, 758 00:56:50.485 --> 00:56:52.915 which would've been a little strange for them because at this point, 759 00:56:52.916 --> 00:56:55.315 like God's people were the Israelites, they said, 760 00:56:55.316 --> 00:56:58.435 we want you to go into all the nations, make disciples, 761 00:56:58.436 --> 00:57:01.435 baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. 762 00:57:03.295 --> 00:57:05.675 And then he leaves, but giving them this mission. 763 00:57:05.735 --> 00:57:08.955 And that's the end of scene three. We get to scene four, which is the church. 764 00:57:12.325 --> 00:57:16.705 And what you see is like this new church that's filled with hope busting at the 765 00:57:16.755 --> 00:57:20.585 seams and they're living life together. They're loving one another that they, 766 00:57:20.586 --> 00:57:23.185 they're sitting under the apostles teaching, they're praying together. 767 00:57:23.186 --> 00:57:24.625 They're meeting one another's needs. 768 00:57:25.575 --> 00:57:29.785 They're understanding their call to actually go out into the world and share the 769 00:57:29.786 --> 00:57:31.705 hope of the gospel with other people. 770 00:57:34.945 --> 00:57:36.725 And I want you to realize like it's kind of weird. 771 00:57:36.845 --> 00:57:38.845 I mean it's easy to think like we close the Bible 772 00:57:42.235 --> 00:57:46.495 and then that's the end of this scene is the church. The truth is like 773 00:57:47.795 --> 00:57:51.775 We all as a part of the family of God are still in scene four. 774 00:57:52.775 --> 00:57:56.495 Like we're an extension of that hope that the world has 775 00:57:57.755 --> 00:57:58.588 in Jesus. 776 00:58:00.385 --> 00:58:03.085 And so we're actually called as the family of God, 777 00:58:03.525 --> 00:58:06.925 to love God as he originally created us to live, 778 00:58:06.945 --> 00:58:11.285 to actually follow into the ways of Jesus and to go out and to share that hope 779 00:58:11.515 --> 00:58:12.565 with the world around us. 780 00:58:15.545 --> 00:58:16.645 And we move to scene five, 781 00:58:19.645 --> 00:58:23.995 which we'll call the New Guarded. And this is the Book of Revelation. 782 00:58:24.335 --> 00:58:27.955 And in the book of Revelation, you have the Apostle John who has a vision. 783 00:58:30.215 --> 00:58:32.435 And the easiest way that I can explain this 784 00:58:35.665 --> 00:58:37.005 is that he sees that 785 00:58:38.865 --> 00:58:42.375 Jesus just as he came to earth one time some 2000 years ago, 786 00:58:43.165 --> 00:58:47.695 he's coming back and this time when he does, 787 00:58:47.765 --> 00:58:51.935 he's gonna put a final end to the brokenness that all of us experience in our 788 00:58:51.936 --> 00:58:56.695 lives. It says all of this brokenness is gonna be put back together again. 789 00:58:57.695 --> 00:59:01.095 It says that every tear will be wiped away from our eyes 790 00:59:03.695 --> 00:59:05.815 and is gonna establish a new heaven and a new earth. 791 00:59:10.055 --> 00:59:14.715 That's the overarching narrative of scripture. One hero from the moment, 792 00:59:14.985 --> 00:59:19.135 from the very beginning when creation is happening, Jesus is there. 793 00:59:20.605 --> 00:59:25.245 God loves Man rebels, God is faithful. 794 00:59:27.445 --> 00:59:31.605 So I hope you see like the Bible is 66 books written by over 40 authors over a 795 00:59:31.606 --> 00:59:34.765 period of 1600 years. But there really is only one narrative. 796 00:59:35.425 --> 00:59:38.605 And that is the story of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, 797 00:59:38.606 --> 00:59:42.805 fulfilling the greatest rescue mission that the world has ever known like that 798 00:59:42.945 --> 00:59:45.445 is the story of God. That is our story. 799 00:59:47.005 --> 00:59:51.625 And while the Bible itself, it is not something that we worship, okay, it's not, 800 00:59:53.545 --> 00:59:56.205 but it does point us to the one that we do worship. 801 01:00:00.865 --> 01:00:05.515 God loves man rebels. God is faithful 802 01:00:07.455 --> 01:00:08.355 and his faithfulness, 803 01:00:08.975 --> 01:00:13.075 it culminates with the Son of God rescuing all of humanity. 804 01:00:14.305 --> 01:00:16.395 John three 16 says, for God's whole of the world, 805 01:00:17.635 --> 01:00:18.795 least in his only begotten son, 806 01:00:18.955 --> 01:00:21.675 that whoever would believe in him would not perish but have everlasting life. 807 01:00:21.855 --> 01:00:24.475 The reality is when Jesus comes back, there will be a day of judgment. 808 01:00:25.955 --> 01:00:30.815 But we're called into this story. And my prayer for us, 809 01:00:30.825 --> 01:00:32.255 which I'm gonna pray in just a moment, 810 01:00:32.355 --> 01:00:35.215 is that we would be men and women and students who don't just go through this 811 01:00:35.216 --> 01:00:37.455 life thinking, man, the Bible's like this book. 812 01:00:37.485 --> 01:00:39.455 It's old and I don't know if it's gonna apply to my life. 813 01:00:39.456 --> 01:00:43.295 And we would understand like the Bible has the word of the Lord in it. 814 01:00:44.235 --> 01:00:47.935 The Bible helps us find our place throughout the course of human history. 815 01:00:48.155 --> 01:00:51.095 The Bible points us to the one who has come to save us. 816 01:00:52.835 --> 01:00:57.175 And so would we be a church who understands? 817 01:00:57.975 --> 01:01:01.445 Would we be a church who, who wants to be like we read about in Psalms, 818 01:01:03.295 --> 01:01:07.005 would we be a church that prospers because we understand that we need to live 819 01:01:07.006 --> 01:01:11.605 life, engage in God through his scripture? Did you pray with me? Father? Um, 820 01:01:16.545 --> 01:01:21.475 Lord, we thank you for the gift of your word and it's so easy in this life to 821 01:01:23.435 --> 01:01:26.395 and to be distracted by all the things that get thrown at us and to think, yeah, 822 01:01:26.396 --> 01:01:29.435 maybe I just get in this rhythm and I show up and I go to church once a week and 823 01:01:29.465 --> 01:01:34.115 lose sight of the fact that you have actually given us a way to come to know who 824 01:01:34.116 --> 01:01:37.315 you are in your heart for us on a personal and intimate basis. 825 01:01:39.665 --> 01:01:41.035 Lord, you've given us away 826 01:01:42.535 --> 01:01:45.315 to see the depths and the lengths that you have gone to, 827 01:01:46.415 --> 01:01:49.235 to rescue us out of what we deserve, which is separation from you. 828 01:01:50.735 --> 01:01:55.475 And you provided us away through your son Jesus to have a restored relationship 829 01:01:55.476 --> 01:01:59.555 with you and to be welcomed back into the family of God. Lord, 830 01:01:59.556 --> 01:02:01.635 I pray that we would be men and women and students 831 01:02:04.375 --> 01:02:09.035 who understand That the word of the Lord is a gift. Lord, 832 01:02:09.036 --> 01:02:12.595 would it be like honey on our lips? Would he, would we chase after it? 833 01:02:12.596 --> 01:02:14.155 Would you put a passion on our heart 834 01:02:15.855 --> 01:02:18.635 to engage you through the word of the Lord? 835 01:02:19.105 --> 01:02:22.245 We love you when we pray and ask all these things in the name of Jesus. 836 01:02:23.045 --> 01:02:25.925 And everyone said, amen. Love y'all.