Class 2 from this series was used in GCT Episode 270.<\/p>\n
2
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\nLord Jesus Christ.
\nThis morning we’re going to <\/p>\n
3
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\nbegin in Ezekiel chapter 16.
\nAgain the word of the Lord came <\/p>\n
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\nunto me, saying, Son of man,
\n’cause Jerusalem to know her <\/p>\n
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\nabominations, and say Thus saith
\nthe Lord God unto Jerusalem, Thy<\/p>\n
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\nbirth and thy nativity is of the
\nland of Canaan. <\/p>\n
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\nThy father was an Amorite, and
\nthy mother and Hittite. <\/p>\n
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\nAnd As for thy Nativity and the
\nday thou was born, thy navel was<\/p>\n
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\nnot cut, neither was thou washed
\nin water. <\/p>\n
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\nTo supperly thou was not salted
\nat all, nor swaddled at all. <\/p>\n
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\nYou know, in these ancient
\nGentile times, brothers and <\/p>\n
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\nsisters, it was a very common
\nthing among Gentile nations, all<\/p>\n
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\nthe way up to the Romans, to
\ntake a child, a newborn baby <\/p>\n
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\nthat you didn’t want, and to
\nexpose them naked somewhere out <\/p>\n
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\nin a rubbish dump area.
\nLittle babies cast out because <\/p>\n
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\nthey were considered to be
\nrepugnant to the parents, to the<\/p>\n
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\nmother of that child.
\nIt might be a child born out of <\/p>\n
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\nwedlock.
\nIt might be a child that was <\/p>\n
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\ndiseased and could not live a
\nnormal life. <\/p>\n
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\nThere were many reasons that one
\nmight not want that child. <\/p>\n
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\nAnd God.
\nGod walks by this child in this <\/p>\n
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\nbeautiful parable, this analogy,
\nthis metaphor. <\/p>\n
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\nAnd he sees that little baby.
\nThere’s nothing attractive about<\/p>\n
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\nthat baby, covered in blood with
\nits umbilical cord, not even cut<\/p>\n
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\nout there in the open, kicking
\naround in her blood, in the <\/p>\n
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\ndust.
\nWhat would you do if you saw <\/p>\n
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\nsomething like that?
\nHe sees this little baby, he <\/p>\n
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\nsays.
\nNone I pitied thee to do any of <\/p>\n
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\nthese things unto thee, to have
\ncompassion upon thee. <\/p>\n
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\nBut thou wast cast out in the
\nopen field to the loathing of <\/p>\n
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\nthy person in the day that thou
\nwast born from the 2nd, that <\/p>\n
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\nIsrael was born apart from God,
\nshe was doomed to death with no <\/p>\n
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\nhope, nothing, nothing that she
\ncould pull upon as any recourse <\/p>\n
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\nto save her.
\nOutside of God, she was nothing.<\/p>\n
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\nBut that’s not just a picture of
\nIsrael, is it? <\/p>\n
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\nIt’s a picture of you and me.
\nIt is exceedingly hard for <\/p>\n
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\npeople in the Western world,
\nwith all of the opulence of our <\/p>\n
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\nmaterial affluence, our wealth,
\nto imagine ourselves to be of no<\/p>\n
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\nvalue, incapable of doing
\nanything that could save us. <\/p>\n
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\nWhen we do so much with this
\nlittle arm of ours, this, this <\/p>\n
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\nflawed and faulty hard drive in
\nour skulls that fitfully, <\/p>\n
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\nsporadically delivers out of
\ntrouble, it’s hard for us to see<\/p>\n
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\nwhat we truly are.
\nAnd that is what we are. <\/p>\n
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\nWe are that baby.
\nWe are that little helpless one <\/p>\n
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\nwith no eye pitying us, doomed
\nto death because of sin and our <\/p>\n
46
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\nnature that we carry inside of
\nus that internal leprosy that is<\/p>\n
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\nours, that that manifests itself
\nin the wrong things that we do <\/p>\n
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\nand think and say.
\nAnd yet God looked at all of <\/p>\n
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\nthat.
\nGod looked at you with <\/p>\n
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\neverything that you are and
\nsaid, I love you and I’m going <\/p>\n
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\nto take care of you.
\nAnd and that is exactly what he <\/p>\n
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\ndid.
\nThat is exactly what he did. <\/p>\n
53
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\nWhen I passed by thee, and saw
\nthee polluted in thine own <\/p>\n
54
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\nblood.
\nI said unto thee, When thou wast<\/p>\n
55
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\nin thy blood, live, Yeah, I said
\nunto thee, When thou wast in thy<\/p>\n
56
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\nblood, live.
\nGod gave Jerusalem life. <\/p>\n
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\nGod gave Israel life.
\nGod gave Judah life. <\/p>\n
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\nGod gave you life.
\nHe gave you life. <\/p>\n
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\nRemember when you were learning
\nabout the truth as a kid or <\/p>\n
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\nsomeone coming in from the
\noutside in to the community? <\/p>\n
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\nRemember that time just before
\nyou were baptized, where you <\/p>\n
62
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\nalmost felt this sense of
\ndesperation. <\/p>\n
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\nYou want to be baptized right
\naway, even before the lessons <\/p>\n
64
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\nhad concluded, because you were
\nafraid God would send his son <\/p>\n
65
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\nbefore you’d been baptized.
\nAnd and what would your <\/p>\n
66
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\ncondition be then?
\nThere was a a fervent desire to <\/p>\n
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\nbe associated with him through
\nbaptism, because God had said to<\/p>\n
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\nyou, live, I want you to live,
\nand you wanted that life. <\/p>\n
69
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\nAnd then it says in verse seven,
\nI caused thee to multiply as the<\/p>\n
70
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\nbutt of the field, and thou hast
\nincreased and wax, and great <\/p>\n
71
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\nthou art come to excellent
\nornaments. <\/p>\n
72
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\nThy breasts are fashioned, and
\nthine hair is grown, whereas <\/p>\n
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\nthou wast naked and bare.
\nNow when I passed by thee and <\/p>\n
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\nlooked upon the Behold, thy time
\nwas the time of love. <\/p>\n
75
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\nAnd I took, I took my skirt and
\nI I covered it. <\/p>\n
76
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\nI covered you with it, I married
\nyou. <\/p>\n
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\nYou became my wife.
\nAnd we know that that we came <\/p>\n
78
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\ninto the truth like little
\nbabies, and were washed by God <\/p>\n
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\nin the waters of baptism, And in
\nthat those waters of baptism we <\/p>\n
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\ndied to a king to whom we were
\nslaves. <\/p>\n
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\nKing’s sin, who worked us to
\ndeath with nothing after no <\/p>\n
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\nreward, no hope, a life of sin
\noutside of God’s truth, with <\/p>\n
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\nnothing in the end, not even a
\nhandful of dust. <\/p>\n
84
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\nKing’s sin giving us the wages
\nof sin, death. <\/p>\n
85
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\nAnd when that king lost his
\nservant in the water of baptism,<\/p>\n
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\nbe arose as sons and daughters,
\nas servants of the living God, a<\/p>\n
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\nnew master, someone who didn’t
\njust rule over us with rigor the<\/p>\n
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\nway the Egyptians did with
\nIsrael, but with love and looks <\/p>\n
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\nat us as his children.
\nNow for wealthy people like you <\/p>\n
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\nand me, these words may sound
\nvery commonplace and work a day <\/p>\n
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\n00:08:25,640 –> 00:08:30,400
\nand not that rich in meaning and
\nsubstance. <\/p>\n
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\nBut when you are a poor African
\nbrother making an average of <\/p>\n
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\n$100 a month in the Congo trying
\nto raise 10 kids, and you hear <\/p>\n
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\nwords like that, they mean
\neverything to you. <\/p>\n
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\nAnd when you are a 90 year old
\nsister and your hips give way <\/p>\n
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\nevery time you try to stand up,
\nyou can’t lift your arms above <\/p>\n
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\n00:09:02,640 –> 00:09:05,080
\nyour head.
\nWhen you step down in the <\/p>\n
98
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\nmorning, you feel pain all the
\nway through your lower leg, up <\/p>\n
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\ninto your thigh and up through
\nyour lower back. <\/p>\n
100
\n00:09:14,800 –> 00:09:19,600
\nWhen you turn suddenly because
\nof a loud noise beside you, you <\/p>\n
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\nfeel intense pain in your neck.
\nWhen you’re in that condition, <\/p>\n
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\nthese words mean everything.
\nIt’s only the in between bit of <\/p>\n
103
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\nillusory strength and the
\nability to do things for <\/p>\n
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\n00:09:34,920 –> 00:09:40,480
\nourselves that puts us into that
\ndream state of everything is all<\/p>\n
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\nright.
\nAnd I’m happy with my life as it<\/p>\n
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\nis.
\nI have what I need and I can do <\/p>\n
107
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\nfor myself, and all of that is a
\nperiod of illusion. <\/p>\n
108
\n00:09:53,640 –> 00:09:58,240
\nIt’s gone so quickly.
\nYou were 20 yesterday. <\/p>\n
109
\n00:09:59,040 –> 00:10:03,160
\nYou’re 60 today.
\nYou’re 80 or 90 tomorrow. <\/p>\n
110
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\nAnd you realize that all of what
\nyou thought you could do for <\/p>\n
111
\n00:10:07,560 –> 00:10:10,960
\nyourself, you really couldn’t do
\nfor yourself. <\/p>\n
112
\n00:10:12,760 –> 00:10:17,080
\nAnd so this, this, this woman
\nbecomes beautiful. <\/p>\n
113
\n00:10:17,080 –> 00:10:22,920
\nAnd look what God says.
\nVerse 9 then washed I thee with <\/p>\n
114
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\nwater.
\nYeah, yeah, I truly washed away <\/p>\n
115
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\nthy blood from thee.
\nNow she’s all grown up. <\/p>\n
116
\n00:10:29,640 –> 00:10:31,200
\nBut what God is saying to her is
\nthis. <\/p>\n
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\n00:10:31,920 –> 00:10:35,560
\nWhatever uncleanness I found you
\nin when you were a baby is still<\/p>\n
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\n00:10:35,560 –> 00:10:40,240
\nwith you, and I still love you.
\nI had to wash you and care for <\/p>\n
119
\n00:10:40,240 –> 00:10:44,920
\nyou then, and I’ve had to wash
\nyou and care for you all the way<\/p>\n
120
\n00:10:44,920 –> 00:10:49,440
\nthrough to the day you are my
\nbride. <\/p>\n
121
\n00:10:51,440 –> 00:10:56,440
\nNow if we just take that then
\nand and overlay on top of it our<\/p>\n
122
\n00:10:56,440 –> 00:10:59,960
\nmarriage to the Lord Jesus
\nChrist, which happens at the <\/p>\n
123
\n00:10:59,960 –> 00:11:03,720
\nreturn of the Lord right now, we
\nare His betrothed. <\/p>\n
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\n00:11:04,000 –> 00:11:07,640
\nWe’re engaged.
\nDoes that washing not happen <\/p>\n
125
\n00:11:07,640 –> 00:11:11,600
\nregularly?
\nAre we not here this morning for<\/p>\n
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\na washing through the Word,
\nthrough the the bread and the <\/p>\n
127
\n00:11:17,120 –> 00:11:20,520
\nwine, and the memory of the Lord
\nJesus Christ, and what he did <\/p>\n
128
\n00:11:20,520 –> 00:11:24,800
\nfor us?
\nI clothed the also with the <\/p>\n
129
\n00:11:24,800 –> 00:11:28,800
\nbroided work that reminds us of
\nthe King’s daughter, all <\/p>\n
130
\n00:11:28,800 –> 00:11:33,720
\nglorious within, and all the
\nneedlework and brocade she has <\/p>\n
131
\n00:11:33,720 –> 00:11:37,040
\non her in Psalm 45.
\nIt also pitches our minds <\/p>\n
132
\n00:11:37,040 –> 00:11:43,080
\nforward to Revelation 19 and the
\nbride clothed in linen that she <\/p>\n
133
\n00:11:43,080 –> 00:11:47,320
\nhas been given, that she’s also
\nprepared for herself, the two <\/p>\n
134
\n00:11:47,320 –> 00:11:53,760
\nworking together, a life she
\nlived and a garment given to her<\/p>\n
135
\n00:11:54,520 –> 00:11:59,240
\nby the Lord.
\nThe righteous acts of the <\/p>\n
136
\n00:11:59,240 –> 00:12:06,240
\nSaints, the revised version
\nsays, And that passage And so <\/p>\n
137
\n00:12:06,240 –> 00:12:14,080
\nGod washes us, God clothes us.
\nBut it doesn’t just end, <\/p>\n
138
\n00:12:14,080 –> 00:12:20,360
\nspiritually speaking.
\nEvery one of us in this room is <\/p>\n
139
\n00:12:20,360 –> 00:12:25,840
\nsitting in clothing that belongs
\nto God and was given us by him. <\/p>\n
140
\n00:12:27,120 –> 00:12:29,200
\nAnd you might think, well, what?
\nI worked hard. <\/p>\n
141
\n00:12:29,200 –> 00:12:32,560
\nI bought this for myself.
\nThis is mine. <\/p>\n
142
\n00:12:32,600 –> 00:12:36,160
\nI bought it for me.
\nBut you see, that’s what Israel <\/p>\n
143
\n00:12:36,160 –> 00:12:43,120
\nsaid about the wine and the
\ncloth and the grain in Hosea. <\/p>\n
144
\n00:12:43,440 –> 00:12:48,560
\nAnd God corrected that and said,
\nno, no, no, it’s my wine, it’s <\/p>\n
145
\n00:12:48,560 –> 00:12:52,520
\nmy grain, it’s my wool that I
\ngave to you. <\/p>\n
146
\n00:12:54,600 –> 00:12:57,680
\nAnd so Israel lost all those
\nthings. <\/p>\n
147
\n00:12:57,680 –> 00:13:02,720
\nAnd it wasn’t till then that she
\nwould realized, realize those <\/p>\n
148
\n00:13:02,720 –> 00:13:06,640
\nthings did not belong to her.
\nThey were not hers. <\/p>\n
149
\n00:13:07,600 –> 00:13:12,640
\nGod had given them to him and to
\nher. <\/p>\n
150
\n00:13:14,440 –> 00:13:19,720
\nNow, brothers and sisters, this
\nwoman begins then to become <\/p>\n
151
\n00:13:19,720 –> 00:13:24,520
\nrenowned for her beauty,
\nSpeaking of Israel, Speaking of <\/p>\n
152
\n00:13:24,520 –> 00:13:31,240
\nJudah, renowned in her beauty,
\nwealthy, prosperous, a place of <\/p>\n
153
\n00:13:31,240 –> 00:13:35,000
\ngreat trade and trade agreements
\nwith foreign nations. <\/p>\n
154
\n00:13:35,400 –> 00:13:38,480
\nAnd as they entered more and
\nmore into these agreements, they<\/p>\n
155
\n00:13:38,480 –> 00:13:43,000
\nbecame more and more tied into
\nthe world and its worship and <\/p>\n
156
\n00:13:43,000 –> 00:13:45,840
\nits cultural norms and
\nbehaviours. <\/p>\n
157
\n00:13:46,840 –> 00:13:52,800
\nSo that it says in verse 15
\nwithout its trust in thine own <\/p>\n
158
\n00:13:53,320 –> 00:13:56,480
\nbeauty.
\nAnd whose beauty should she have<\/p>\n
159
\n00:13:56,480 –> 00:13:59,760
\ntrusted?
\nIn the beauty of the Lord. <\/p>\n
160
\n00:14:00,920 –> 00:14:06,760
\nThe beauty of his word, the
\nbeauty of his sacrifices, the <\/p>\n
161
\n00:14:06,760 –> 00:14:11,880
\nbeauty of his temple, the beauty
\nof the privilege of priesthood, <\/p>\n
162
\n00:14:12,240 –> 00:14:17,240
\nof service, of all the things
\nthat honoured God, all the <\/p>\n
163
\n00:14:17,240 –> 00:14:19,200
\nbeautiful things that he had
\ngiven to her. <\/p>\n
164
\n00:14:20,600 –> 00:14:23,840
\nNow what do you and I have then
\nthat is like that? <\/p>\n
165
\n00:14:23,840 –> 00:14:28,040
\nWell, there’s the word of God
\nand rejoicing in it and daily <\/p>\n
166
\n00:14:28,040 –> 00:14:32,080
\nengagement with it.
\nBut then there is ecclesial <\/p>\n
167
\n00:14:32,080 –> 00:14:38,560
\nlife, and that’s not a thing
\nthat we can give or take, be <\/p>\n
168
\n00:14:38,560 –> 00:14:42,520
\ninvolved in or not.
\nThat too is a part. <\/p>\n
169
\n00:14:42,840 –> 00:14:48,560
\nThat too is a part of what God
\nhas given us to be continuously <\/p>\n
170
\n00:14:48,560 –> 00:14:53,240
\nengaged in.
\nIt’s a part of our waiting, this<\/p>\n
171
\n00:14:53,240 –> 00:14:57,520
\nlife of waiting for people in
\nthe West. <\/p>\n
172
\n00:14:58,200 –> 00:15:02,520
\nYou just need to go on to Amazon
\nor eBay and click a couple of <\/p>\n
173
\n00:15:02,520 –> 00:15:06,240
\nclicks on their keyboard and
\nthen get what they want tomorrow<\/p>\n
174
\n00:15:06,240 –> 00:15:10,560
\nor today.
\nWaiting is not something we’re <\/p>\n
175
\n00:15:10,680 –> 00:15:14,560
\nwired for, is it?
\nBut we are waiting. <\/p>\n
176
\n00:15:16,200 –> 00:15:19,400
\nWe’re waiting for our Lord to
\nreturn. <\/p>\n
177
\n00:15:20,800 –> 00:15:26,360
\nAnd part of our waiting is a
\nquiet trust and believe that God<\/p>\n
178
\n00:15:26,360 –> 00:15:30,200
\nis going to do everything he
\nsaid he’s going to do with us <\/p>\n
179
\n00:15:30,560 –> 00:15:37,120
\nand with his people, Israel.
\nBut the waiting is an active and<\/p>\n
180
\n00:15:37,120 –> 00:15:42,720
\nbusy waiting too, active and
\necclesial life and in our <\/p>\n
181
\n00:15:42,720 –> 00:15:46,280
\nfamilies.
\nIf we think that we can wait and<\/p>\n
182
\n00:15:46,280 –> 00:15:50,400
\nnot be involved with our
\necclesias, then there’s a whole <\/p>\n
183
\n00:15:50,680 –> 00:15:55,760
\nrealm of what that waiting
\ninvolves, that we are denying <\/p>\n
184
\n00:15:55,760 –> 00:16:02,200
\nourselves and denying ourselves
\ntoo, in service to our brothers <\/p>\n
185
\n00:16:02,200 –> 00:16:04,080
\nand our sisters.
\nNow, you might think to <\/p>\n
186
\n00:16:04,080 –> 00:16:06,800
\nyourself, look, I’m 85 years
\nold. <\/p>\n
187
\n00:16:07,120 –> 00:16:09,640
\nI can barely get up out of this
\nchair. <\/p>\n
188
\n00:16:09,960 –> 00:16:12,600
\nWhat can I do to help my
\nbrothers and sisters? <\/p>\n
189
\n00:16:14,080 –> 00:16:18,920
\nYou can do the most powerful
\nthing a human being can do. <\/p>\n
190
\n00:16:20,360 –> 00:16:22,280
\nNow you might think that’s
\nbuilding their house for them, <\/p>\n
191
\n00:16:23,160 –> 00:16:26,840
\nfixing their car for them,
\ntaking them in your car to the <\/p>\n
192
\n00:16:26,840 –> 00:16:30,560
\nhospital or to the doctor’s
\noffice, taking a brother and <\/p>\n
193
\n00:16:30,560 –> 00:16:34,800
\nsister and being with them as
\nthey journey through their long <\/p>\n
194
\n00:16:34,800 –> 00:16:39,240
\nterm chronic disease.
\nBut none of that is the greatest<\/p>\n
195
\n00:16:39,240 –> 00:16:42,000
\nthing you can do for your
\nbrothers and sisters. <\/p>\n
196
\n00:16:43,320 –> 00:16:48,320
\nThe greatest thing that you can
\ndo for them is to pray for them.<\/p>\n
197
\n00:16:50,040 –> 00:16:53,200
\nJust think what you’re doing
\nwhen you’re praying. <\/p>\n
198
\n00:16:54,800 –> 00:17:02,120
\nYou are engaging the attention
\nof Almighty God Yahweh Elohim, <\/p>\n
199
\n00:17:02,800 –> 00:17:08,160
\nthe great and holy God of
\nIsrael, the Father of our Lord. <\/p>\n
200
\n00:17:08,440 –> 00:17:15,119
\nYou are connecting with him
\nabove all the kings and Queens, <\/p>\n
201
\n00:17:15,359 –> 00:17:22,160
\nPrincess and princesses of this
\nworld, directly to ask His help <\/p>\n
202
\n00:17:22,160 –> 00:17:26,680
\nand involvement the life of
\nsomebody in the Ecclesia. <\/p>\n
203
\n00:17:28,079 –> 00:17:32,920
\nOld brother, old sister.
\nAll you need to do is listen to <\/p>\n
204
\n00:17:32,920 –> 00:17:38,200
\nwhat’s going on in the ecclesia
\nto know what to pray for. <\/p>\n
205
\n00:17:39,400 –> 00:17:44,120
\nYou can be lying in your bed,
\nimmobile and still doing the <\/p>\n
206
\n00:17:44,120 –> 00:17:47,480
\nmost powerful thing you can do
\nfor your ecclesia. <\/p>\n
207
\n00:17:48,600 –> 00:17:55,160
\nThere’s nothing that God cannot
\ndo in answer to prayer according<\/p>\n
208
\n00:17:55,160 –> 00:17:58,600
\nto His will.
\nAnd when you think you are most <\/p>\n
209
\n00:17:58,600 –> 00:18:03,680
\nhelpless and of no value to the
\necclesia, you’re wrong. <\/p>\n
210
\n00:18:04,480 –> 00:18:07,280
\nAnd when you wake up in the
\nmorning and you think, why am I <\/p>\n
211
\n00:18:07,280 –> 00:18:12,640
\nstill here?
\nWhy didn’t I die last night? <\/p>\n
212
\n00:18:13,760 –> 00:18:18,400
\nIt’s because God’s not done with
\nyou yet, and you still have work<\/p>\n
213
\n00:18:18,480 –> 00:18:21,840
\nto do.
\nYou still have people to pray <\/p>\n
214
\n00:18:21,840 –> 00:18:26,800
\nfor and love to express to your
\nbrothers and sisters. <\/p>\n
215
\n00:18:28,320 –> 00:18:31,800
\nAn old brother hugged me
\nyesterday. <\/p>\n
216
\n00:18:32,120 –> 00:18:37,160
\nI will never forget that for the
\nrest of my life. <\/p>\n
217
\n00:18:39,360 –> 00:18:46,000
\nThat’s the impact, old brother,
\nold sister that you have on the <\/p>\n
218
\n00:18:46,000 –> 00:18:51,000
\nEcclesia.
\nDo not underestimate the value, <\/p>\n
219
\n00:18:51,560 –> 00:18:58,120
\nthe wisdom, the power that God
\nhas given you in your old age. <\/p>\n
220
\n00:18:58,120 –> 00:19:04,160
\nThis woman trusted in her
\nbeauty, in her own strength, and<\/p>\n
221
\n00:19:04,160 –> 00:19:08,720
\nthen she ran with the
\nabominations and the worship of <\/p>\n
222
\n00:19:08,720 –> 00:19:11,840
\nthe world.
\nAnd think of what a short period<\/p>\n
223
\n00:19:11,840 –> 00:19:17,320
\nof time she enjoyed that before
\nshe lost everything. <\/p>\n
224
\n00:19:18,200 –> 00:19:22,880
\nEverything.
\nBut God loved her, this wayward <\/p>\n
225
\n00:19:22,880 –> 00:19:29,560
\nwoman, this Gomer of Judah and
\nof Israel, all the way through <\/p>\n
226
\n00:19:29,560 –> 00:19:33,760
\nher life.
\nYou ask yourself, how can God <\/p>\n
227
\n00:19:33,760 –> 00:19:38,960
\nlove me with all my sin, all my
\nbrokenness? <\/p>\n
228
\n00:19:39,600 –> 00:19:43,800
\nIf my brothers and sisters could
\npeel back the layers of my brain<\/p>\n
229
\n00:19:43,800 –> 00:19:46,360
\nand look inside, they’d be
\nhorrified. <\/p>\n
230
\n00:19:46,360 –> 00:19:48,720
\nThey’d never talk to me again
\nfor the rest of my life. <\/p>\n
231
\n00:19:50,920 –> 00:19:54,040
\nAnd if that’s you, that is also
\nme. <\/p>\n
232
\n00:19:55,480 –> 00:19:59,400
\nAnd if we were to be honest with
\nourselves, that is every one of <\/p>\n
233
\n00:19:59,400 –> 00:20:05,240
\nus in this room.
\nAnd yet God looks at us with the<\/p>\n
234
\n00:20:05,240 –> 00:20:10,320
\nblood, the gore, the frailty,
\nthe weakness, the gaps, the <\/p>\n
235
\n00:20:10,320 –> 00:20:14,800
\ndeficiencies, the defects in
\nevery one of us. <\/p>\n
236
\n00:20:14,800 –> 00:20:18,680
\nAnd he says, I know you,
\nEphraim. <\/p>\n
237
\n00:20:20,240 –> 00:20:28,000
\nAnd I still love you and I still
\ngave my son for you. <\/p>\n
238
\n00:20:29,760 –> 00:20:33,040
\nWe talk about that Greek word
\nagape, Agape. <\/p>\n
239
\n00:20:33,040 –> 00:20:38,080
\nWe say we say it means self
\nsacrificing love and we’re <\/p>\n
240
\n00:20:38,080 –> 00:20:40,600
\nwrong.
\nThat’s not the right definition <\/p>\n
241
\n00:20:40,600 –> 00:20:46,120
\nof that word.
\nThe Greek word means this love <\/p>\n
242
\n00:20:46,120 –> 00:20:52,920
\nthat chooses its object with
\ndecision of will and is devoted <\/p>\n
243
\n00:20:52,920 –> 00:20:55,160
\nto it.
\nNow what does that mean? <\/p>\n
244
\n00:20:55,320 –> 00:21:01,840
\nWhen your teenaged boy mum is
\nshaking his fist in your face <\/p>\n
245
\n00:21:01,840 –> 00:21:06,440
\nand swearing at you with the
\nmost gutturally foul language <\/p>\n
246
\n00:21:06,600 –> 00:21:11,600
\nimaginable and you look at that
\nchild and you say to yourself, <\/p>\n
247
\n00:21:11,600 –> 00:21:17,000
\nI’m still going to love you?
\nThat’s agape love. <\/p>\n
248
\n00:21:18,400 –> 00:21:23,160
\nThat’s a love where you choose
\nto love him in his utterly <\/p>\n
249
\n00:21:23,160 –> 00:21:25,960
\nunlovable state.
\nThat’s what it means. <\/p>\n
250
\n00:21:27,560 –> 00:21:32,000
\nAnd when Christ looked at every
\none of us, look down, look down <\/p>\n
251
\n00:21:32,000 –> 00:21:38,320
\nat that surging, raging crowd of
\npeople and all of the poisonous,<\/p>\n
252
\n00:21:38,880 –> 00:21:43,240
\nextravagant, horrific language
\nthat was hurled at him. <\/p>\n
253
\n00:21:44,360 –> 00:21:49,400
\nWhen he saw his mother, his
\naunt, and his disciple at the <\/p>\n
254
\n00:21:49,400 –> 00:21:55,440
\nfoot of the cross, when he
\nlooked at all of that mess, he <\/p>\n
255
\n00:21:55,440 –> 00:21:59,800
\nchose to love all of those
\npeople, Not not just the ones <\/p>\n
256
\n00:22:00,480 –> 00:22:04,720
\nthat were in him, but the one
\nfor the ones for whom he prayed <\/p>\n
257
\n00:22:04,720 –> 00:22:08,880
\nand said, Father, forgive them.
\nThey don’t know what they’re <\/p>\n
258
\n00:22:08,880 –> 00:22:13,960
\ndoing.
\nAnd so God looks at every one of<\/p>\n
259
\n00:22:14,000 –> 00:22:21,600
\nus in all of our palpable
\nugliness, and he says, I love <\/p>\n
260
\n00:22:21,600 –> 00:22:25,480
\nyou in spite of it all.
\nI love you so much. <\/p>\n
261
\n00:22:27,040 –> 00:22:35,360
\nI gave my son for you, and I
\nwant you to love your ugly <\/p>\n
262
\n00:22:35,360 –> 00:22:42,560
\nbrother and sister with their
\nbrokenness the way I love you. <\/p>\n
263
\n00:22:45,520 –> 00:22:46,720
\nAnd that’s what I want you to be
\nlike. <\/p>\n
264
\n00:22:48,480 –> 00:22:51,280
\nAnd so we go then, brothers and
\nsisters, to Hosea, Chapter 11. <\/p>\n
265
\n00:22:53,400 –> 00:22:56,320
\nAnd the nature of the study is
\nsuch that we can’t go through <\/p>\n
266
\n00:22:56,320 –> 00:22:59,640
\nevery chapter and every verse.
\nThat would take 20 weeks of <\/p>\n
267
\n00:22:59,640 –> 00:23:03,320
\neffort.
\nWe can only pick out themes. <\/p>\n
268
\n00:23:04,680 –> 00:23:11,480
\nHosea 11 When Israel was a
\nchild. <\/p>\n
269
\n00:23:15,320 –> 00:23:21,360
\nWhen Israel was that baby in her
\nblood, in the dust, cast out as <\/p>\n
270
\n00:23:21,360 –> 00:23:26,440
\nrefuse with no value assigned to
\nher. <\/p>\n
271
\n00:23:27,160 –> 00:23:36,160
\nWhen Israel was a child, then I
\nloved him, called my son out of <\/p>\n
272
\n00:23:36,160 –> 00:23:42,560
\nEgypt.
\nAnd so God would take that child<\/p>\n
273
\n00:23:44,200 –> 00:23:51,000
\nthat was under the domination of
\nKing Sin in Egypt and bring his <\/p>\n
274
\n00:23:51,000 –> 00:23:57,080
\nchild out into the wilderness.
\nGod would look at his beloved <\/p>\n
275
\n00:23:57,080 –> 00:24:03,200
\nSon, who would fulfill all of
\nthe potential of Israel and do <\/p>\n
276
\n00:24:03,200 –> 00:24:06,880
\nit perfectly and call him out of
\nEgypt. <\/p>\n
277
\n00:24:08,480 –> 00:24:17,080
\nBut God would look at you and me
\nand call us out of the the Egypt<\/p>\n
278
\n00:24:17,080 –> 00:24:22,560
\nof flesh and all the hope that
\nit has, which is nothing at all,<\/p>\n
279
\n00:24:24,320 –> 00:24:33,760
\nand ask us to be his kids, to be
\nhis beloved children, he says. <\/p>\n
280
\n00:24:33,880 –> 00:24:36,520
\nYou know, the more I call them,
\nthe more they went away from me.<\/p>\n
281
\n00:24:38,280 –> 00:24:43,760
\nThey burned incense to things
\nthat didn’t exist, but I’d taken<\/p>\n
282
\n00:24:43,760 –> 00:24:49,280
\nthem and had not only brought
\nthem out of Egypt as babies, I <\/p>\n
283
\n00:24:49,280 –> 00:24:55,840
\ntaught them to walk.
\nI had them hold on to my hands <\/p>\n
284
\n00:24:55,840 –> 00:24:58,480
\nas they walked, like the
\nbeautiful picture that is on <\/p>\n
285
\n00:24:58,480 –> 00:25:01,800
\nscreen.
\nI put little cords around their <\/p>\n
286
\n00:25:01,800 –> 00:25:05,680
\narms, near their shoulders, so
\nthat they would learn to walk <\/p>\n
287
\n00:25:06,120 –> 00:25:10,960
\nstep by step in the truth.
\nI did all of that for them. <\/p>\n
288
\n00:25:12,120 –> 00:25:25,000
\nI drew them with cords of a man,
\nwith bands of love, love, <\/p>\n
289
\n00:25:26,680 –> 00:25:36,760
\nperfect love, Love that made a
\nchoice to love the unlovable and<\/p>\n
290
\n00:25:36,760 –> 00:25:45,400
\nhas stayed loyal and faithful
\nand at your side every day of <\/p>\n
291
\n00:25:45,920 –> 00:25:52,920
\nyour life, every day you’ve been
\nin the truth has been with you <\/p>\n
292
\n00:25:53,600 –> 00:25:56,760
\nas you’ve struggled and had your
\ntrials. <\/p>\n
293
\n00:25:57,800 –> 00:26:00,160
\nHas never, ever walked away from
\nyou. <\/p>\n
294
\n00:26:00,440 –> 00:26:02,560
\nEven when anyone else would walk
\naway from you. <\/p>\n
295
\n00:26:02,560 –> 00:26:09,360
\nHas had moments when you have
\nwalked away from that love or <\/p>\n
296
\n00:26:09,360 –> 00:26:12,800
\nnot realize the way that that
\nlove applies to you and how you <\/p>\n
297
\n00:26:13,240 –> 00:26:20,320
\nlove one another.
\nAnd that love, that drawing, the<\/p>\n
298
\n00:26:20,320 –> 00:26:28,800
\ndrawing of all men unto God
\nthrough Christ, continues even <\/p>\n
299
\n00:26:28,800 –> 00:26:34,920
\ntoday as we preach God’s truth
\nand as we remember the things <\/p>\n
300
\n00:26:34,920 –> 00:26:37,760
\nthat we do today with the bread
\nand the wine. <\/p>\n
301
\n00:26:39,400 –> 00:26:43,720
\nAnd then we see the heart of God
\nopen up like a flower. <\/p>\n
302
\n00:26:43,720 –> 00:26:49,440
\nWe see it in its fullness.
\nAnd he says, How shall I give <\/p>\n
303
\n00:26:49,440 –> 00:26:56,640
\nthee up, Ephraim, with all of
\nyour behaviour, with all the <\/p>\n
304
\n00:26:56,680 –> 00:27:01,800
\nvadnais of your life, with all
\nof your disloyalty, with all of <\/p>\n
305
\n00:27:01,800 –> 00:27:04,680
\nyour forgetfulness, of
\neverything I’ve done for you all<\/p>\n
306
\n00:27:04,680 –> 00:27:09,080
\nthrough your lives?
\nPsalm 78 says to you, old <\/p>\n
307
\n00:27:09,080 –> 00:27:15,200
\nbrothers and sisters, give
\ntestimony to the generations of <\/p>\n
308
\n00:27:15,200 –> 00:27:18,880
\nwhat God has done for you in
\nyour life. <\/p>\n
309
\n00:27:20,120 –> 00:27:22,920
\nTell them how God got you
\nthrough problems. <\/p>\n
310
\n00:27:23,560 –> 00:27:28,040
\nHow God saved your marriage or
\nsaved you when it fell apart. <\/p>\n
311
\n00:27:29,000 –> 00:27:33,680
\nHow God saved your children.
\nHow God got your ecclesia <\/p>\n
312
\n00:27:34,640 –> 00:27:38,560
\nthrough a tunnel of fire.
\nTell them those stories. <\/p>\n
313
\n00:27:40,440 –> 00:27:42,160
\nHow shall I give thee up,
\nEphraim? <\/p>\n
314
\n00:27:43,240 –> 00:27:47,600
\nHow shall I deliver thee?
\nHow shall I make thee as Admah? <\/p>\n
315
\n00:27:47,680 –> 00:27:53,880
\nHow shall I set thee as Zeboim?
\nHow will I destroy you like <\/p>\n
316
\n00:27:53,880 –> 00:27:58,400
\nthose cities of the plain?
\nI can’t do that to you because <\/p>\n
317
\n00:27:58,400 –> 00:28:04,920
\nyou’re still my wife and I still
\nlove you, though you don’t love <\/p>\n
318
\n00:28:04,920 –> 00:28:10,880
\nme and have forgotten me, he
\nsays. <\/p>\n
319
\n00:28:11,400 –> 00:28:16,440
\nWhen I was angry, I turned
\nmyself away from expressing that<\/p>\n
320
\n00:28:16,440 –> 00:28:20,760
\nand feeling that my heart is
\nturned within me. <\/p>\n
321
\n00:28:22,360 –> 00:28:27,640
\nThere’s an internal turmoil that
\nGod feels because of his love <\/p>\n
322
\n00:28:27,640 –> 00:28:31,920
\nfor her.
\nMy compassions are kindled <\/p>\n
323
\n00:28:31,920 –> 00:28:35,080
\ntogether.
\nI will not execute the full <\/p>\n
324
\n00:28:35,080 –> 00:28:38,520
\nfierceness of my anger towards
\nyou, because then I would <\/p>\n
325
\n00:28:38,520 –> 00:28:42,280
\ndestroy you and I’m not going to
\ndo that to you. <\/p>\n
326
\n00:28:44,640 –> 00:28:53,240
\nThis God did not destroy you in
\nyour sin and has not destroyed <\/p>\n
327
\n00:28:53,240 –> 00:28:58,160
\nyou in your failure sins.
\nHe brought you out of flesh. <\/p>\n
328
\n00:29:00,280 –> 00:29:05,520
\nThis God has continued to take
\ncare of you and love you, but <\/p>\n
329
\n00:29:05,520 –> 00:29:14,320
\nthere is a place every one of us
\nhas to go to that we do not want<\/p>\n
330
\n00:29:14,320 –> 00:29:18,600
\nto go to.
\nChapter 12, verse three. <\/p>\n
331
\n00:29:21,360 –> 00:29:25,920
\nSpeaking of Jacob the womb, he
\ntook his brother by the heel, <\/p>\n
332
\n00:29:26,440 –> 00:29:29,040
\nand in his manhood he had power
\nwith God. <\/p>\n
333
\n00:29:31,280 –> 00:29:38,200
\nAnd therein lies that split in
\nour hearts. <\/p>\n
334
\n00:29:39,360 –> 00:29:44,400
\nBecause Jacob, through his wits,
\nthrough his arm, could do so <\/p>\n
335
\n00:29:44,400 –> 00:29:49,800
\nmuch for himself.
\nBut there had to come a moment <\/p>\n
336
\n00:29:49,800 –> 00:29:55,520
\nin his life when Jacob couldn’t
\nuse peeled steaks. <\/p>\n
337
\n00:29:56,640 –> 00:30:01,280
\nHe couldn’t do anything.
\nHe was completely and utterly <\/p>\n
338
\n00:30:01,960 –> 00:30:05,960
\nhelpless and Western man and
\nwoman. <\/p>\n
339
\n00:30:06,920 –> 00:30:10,400
\nIf you haven’t had that day,
\nit’s coming for you. <\/p>\n
340
\n00:30:13,160 –> 00:30:15,720
\nBecause that’s when you meet
\nyour God. <\/p>\n
341
\n00:30:17,360 –> 00:30:24,000
\nThat’s when you finally know who
\nhe is, in a pool of tears, <\/p>\n
342
\n00:30:24,600 –> 00:30:29,720
\nutterly and completely broken in
\npieces, with no one else around <\/p>\n
343
\n00:30:29,720 –> 00:30:35,360
\nyou but you and God in that
\ndarkness, wrestling with him as <\/p>\n
344
\n00:30:35,360 –> 00:30:39,320
\nhe puts your hip out, as he
\nbreaks through and into your <\/p>\n
345
\n00:30:39,320 –> 00:30:44,720
\nlife, as you see everything fall
\napart around you and you can’t <\/p>\n
346
\n00:30:44,720 –> 00:30:47,040
\ndo a thing.
\nNot one thing. <\/p>\n
347
\n00:30:49,440 –> 00:30:53,360
\nAnd then none of your power,
\nnone of your might, none of your<\/p>\n
348
\n00:30:53,360 –> 00:30:56,080
\nmoney, none of your friends,
\nnothing. <\/p>\n
349
\n00:30:56,080 –> 00:30:58,920
\nYou drive No title you have in
\nthis world. <\/p>\n
350
\n00:30:58,920 –> 00:31:01,840
\nNone of that does anything for
\nyou. <\/p>\n
351
\n00:31:03,840 –> 00:31:07,600
\nWhat becomes powerful for you is
\nwhat’s powerful for old brothers<\/p>\n
352
\n00:31:07,600 –> 00:31:15,960
\nand sisters.
\nYour tears and your pain and <\/p>\n
353
\n00:31:16,000 –> 00:31:20,440
\nyour crying out to God with a
\ncertain belief. <\/p>\n
354
\n00:31:21,320 –> 00:31:26,480
\nHe’s with me.
\nHe can hear every word I say, <\/p>\n
355
\n00:31:27,320 –> 00:31:36,200
\nand he gave his Son for me.
\nMany of you have been there. <\/p>\n
356
\n00:31:38,480 –> 00:31:43,720
\nSome of you are there right now.
\nKnow that in the middle of that <\/p>\n
357
\n00:31:44,080 –> 00:31:50,880
\npain, that loss, God is saving
\nyou. <\/p>\n
358
\n00:31:52,480 –> 00:31:55,400
\nIn the middle of the
\nexcruciation of the crucifixion,<\/p>\n
359
\n00:31:57,080 –> 00:32:05,040
\nGod was saving you and brothers
\nand sisters, as you eat this <\/p>\n
360
\n00:32:05,040 –> 00:32:16,760
\nbread and drink this wine, God
\nis saving you and me even now.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Class 2 from this series was used in GCT Episode 270. 1 00:00:00,520 –> 00:00:03,000 Good…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":786,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"episode_type":"","audio_file":"https:\/\/anchor.fm\/s\/8765608\/podcast\/play\/78865023\/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2023-10-20%2F9de7f946-1431-d554-b77c-699de224dfc1.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:32:17","filesize":"59.21M","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"tags":[26],"series":[18],"class_list":["post-1038","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-season-6","series-gct-ext"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t