Class 1 from this series was used in GCT Episode 296.<\/p>\n
2
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\nnow, you might want to relocate.
\nI have been told that some of <\/p>\n
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\n00:00:08,400 –> 00:00:10,920
\nthe speakers aren’t working and
\nI can’t shout. <\/p>\n
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\n00:00:10,920 –> 00:00:13,960
\nI don’t have that kind of voice.
\nSo anyways, if you don’t want to<\/p>\n
5
\n00:00:13,960 –> 00:00:16,760
\nlisten today, you could always
\njust like look up up on Chris <\/p>\n
6
\n00:00:16,760 –> 00:00:19,840
\nAdelphian bibletalks.com and you
\ncan listen to it there. <\/p>\n
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\nYou can speed it up, slow it
\ndown, whatever you like. <\/p>\n
8
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\nIt’s that’s the great thing
\nabout technology, isn’t it? <\/p>\n
9
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\nIt’s like now some people tell
\nme I speak too fast. <\/p>\n
10
\n00:00:28,760 –> 00:00:31,480
\nSue used to laugh at me ’cause I
\nwould play tapes and I would <\/p>\n
11
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\nspeed them up when you could
\nactually adjust the speed. <\/p>\n
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\nI like to speed up the classes
\nand listen to them a little bit <\/p>\n
13
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\nfaster.
\nBut anyways, everybody except <\/p>\n
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\nJohn Martin, I could never keep
\nup with him. <\/p>\n
15
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\nSo that was always a great
\nlesson. <\/p>\n
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\nAnyways, so our goal today is to
\nhave a look at the idea of not <\/p>\n
17
\n00:00:47,920 –> 00:00:50,600
\nserving God and mammon.
\nI’ll do that probably for maybe <\/p>\n
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\nhalf the class right there.
\nBut the rest of that I think I’d<\/p>\n
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\n00:00:53,920 –> 00:00:55,800
\nlike to spend some time on God’s
\nelection cause. <\/p>\n
20
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\nA number of you have talked to
\nme about it and I’d like to at <\/p>\n
21
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\nleast give you a a summary of
\nCliff Notes version of that <\/p>\n
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\nclass.
\nIf you want more, you could look<\/p>\n
23
\n00:01:03,160 –> 00:01:05,680
\nthat up in
\nchristopherbibletalks.com and <\/p>\n
24
\n00:01:05,680 –> 00:01:07,680
\nyou could find like an entire
\nclass on that. <\/p>\n
25
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\nSo our goal today was to have a
\nlook at the idea we can’t serve <\/p>\n
26
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\nGod and mam.
\nAnd I think this one, especially<\/p>\n
27
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\nfor the younger people that are
\nhere, this one is the challenge <\/p>\n
28
\n00:01:17,560 –> 00:01:20,280
\nof your life right now about
\nserving God and mammon. <\/p>\n
29
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\nBecause those of us that are
\nolder and have gone through <\/p>\n
30
\n00:01:23,960 –> 00:01:27,440
\nlife, we we pretty well have
\nestablished life patterns. <\/p>\n
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\n00:01:27,440 –> 00:01:30,200
\nAnd we’re we don’t have all
\nthese ideas like what we would <\/p>\n
32
\n00:01:30,200 –> 00:01:33,080
\nlike to to be and what we’d like
\nto buy and what we’d like to <\/p>\n
33
\n00:01:33,080 –> 00:01:35,280
\nhave.
\nLike for Sue and I, we we bought<\/p>\n
34
\n00:01:35,280 –> 00:01:37,880
\na house we’ll probably you know
\nwe’ve retired in that house. <\/p>\n
35
\n00:01:37,880 –> 00:01:40,880
\nWe’ll die in that house and it’s
\nprobably that’s it let’s say put<\/p>\n
36
\n00:01:40,880 –> 00:01:43,080
\nus kids put us in a nursing home
\nor something. <\/p>\n
37
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\nBut that’s probably what I’ll
\nend up with. <\/p>\n
38
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\nAlthough it’s possible we may
\ntrade homes with one of our kids<\/p>\n
39
\n00:01:47,920 –> 00:01:51,200
\nbecause he has A1 level house.
\nWe have a two level house and we<\/p>\n
40
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\nmay get to the point where we
\ncan’t walk up those stairs. <\/p>\n
41
\n00:01:53,960 –> 00:01:57,440
\nBut when you’re younger, right
\nnow, this is a challenging time <\/p>\n
42
\n00:01:57,440 –> 00:01:59,800
\nfor you, for the younger people
\nthat are here. <\/p>\n
43
\n00:01:59,800 –> 00:02:02,960
\nYou’re making decisions about
\nyour career pathways, who you’re<\/p>\n
44
\n00:02:03,000 –> 00:02:05,040
\ngoing to marry, where you’re
\ngoing to live, what kind of <\/p>\n
45
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\nhouse you’re going to have, your
\ncar, all these different things.<\/p>\n
46
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\nAnd if we’re not careful, what
\ncan happen is that we get these <\/p>\n
47
\n00:02:11,920 –> 00:02:14,760
\nideas about, oh, I’d like to
\nhave that, and I’d like to have <\/p>\n
48
\n00:02:14,760 –> 00:02:17,000
\nthat.
\nAnd it’ll be great if I have one<\/p>\n
49
\n00:02:17,000 –> 00:02:19,240
\nof those.
\nAnd sometimes younger people <\/p>\n
50
\n00:02:19,240 –> 00:02:21,440
\nactually want to get a house
\nthat’s bigger than their parents<\/p>\n
51
\n00:02:21,440 –> 00:02:24,080
\never had because maybe you got
\nsquished into a bedroom with <\/p>\n
52
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\nyour brother or sister and, you
\nknow, kind of let that happen <\/p>\n
53
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\nagain, although you probably
\nwouldn’t mind your spouse. <\/p>\n
54
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\nThat would be OK.
\nBut what happens then is that if<\/p>\n
55
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\nwe’re not careful, we make
\ndecisions about our career <\/p>\n
56
\n00:02:35,040 –> 00:02:37,800
\npathways based on all these
\nthings that we want to <\/p>\n
57
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\naccumulate all the stuff of this
\nworld. <\/p>\n
58
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\nAnd before you know it, you can
\nfill up your life with working <\/p>\n
59
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\nand working and working to have
\nall these toys and all this <\/p>\n
60
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\nstuff and you have no time for
\nGod. <\/p>\n
61
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\nAnd I would say probably for all
\nof you that are here in the <\/p>\n
62
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\nfront area, this is probably one
\nof the challenging things you <\/p>\n
63
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\nwill run into in your life.
\nAnd I just, I warn you about <\/p>\n
64
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\nthat because I can still
\nremember when Sue and I bought <\/p>\n
65
\n00:02:59,920 –> 00:03:02,800
\nour first house, a realtor
\nlooked at us and he said what <\/p>\n
66
\n00:03:02,800 –> 00:03:05,280
\nare you doing buying such a
\nsmall house and a cheap house? <\/p>\n
67
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\nHe said we could use Sue’s wages
\ntoo. <\/p>\n
68
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\nShe could work too.
\nAnd then we could get more than <\/p>\n
69
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\nthey.
\nThey try to push you into bigger<\/p>\n
70
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\nand better things.
\nAnd we looked at him and said, <\/p>\n
71
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\nno, we’d like her to stay home
\nwith the kids. <\/p>\n
72
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\nAnd they they just couldn’t
\nunderstand that kind of <\/p>\n
73
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\nphilosophy, philosophy of life.
\nBut it makes a big difference <\/p>\n
74
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\nand the freedom and the time
\nthat you have for the truth and <\/p>\n
75
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\nfor serving God.
\nSo as Matthew said, as Jesus <\/p>\n
76
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\nsaid in Matthew 6 and verse 24,
\nit’s a pretty black and white <\/p>\n
77
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\nstatement.
\nYou really can’t serve 2 <\/p>\n
78
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\nmasters.
\nYou just can’t do that. <\/p>\n
79
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\nIt’s like you can’t go out there
\nand get all the the drinks and <\/p>\n
80
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\nthe coffee and the all those
\nbuns that we ate this morning <\/p>\n
81
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\nand all that good stuff out
\nthere. <\/p>\n
82
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\nYou can’t spend your time out
\nthere and and fill up out there <\/p>\n
83
\n00:03:48,720 –> 00:03:58,040
\nand still get back here on time.
\nYou’re either serve the <\/p>\n
84
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\npresiding brother and get back
\nhere on time or you serve our <\/p>\n
85
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\nbelly and we go fill up anyway.
\nThat’s just funny. <\/p>\n
86
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\nIt’s Christadelphians all around
\nthe world. <\/p>\n
87
\n00:04:07,200 –> 00:04:10,360
\nWherever you go we’re always
\nlate getting back to classes <\/p>\n
88
\n00:04:10,680 –> 00:04:13,480
\nwith with breaks.
\nWe just we like to socialize. <\/p>\n
89
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\nThat is the way we are.
\nDoesn’t bother me at all. <\/p>\n
90
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\nSo, but he says very clearly,
\nyou cannot serve God and mammon,<\/p>\n
91
\n00:04:20,480 –> 00:04:22,760
\n’cause you already either hate
\nthe one and love the other one, <\/p>\n
92
\n00:04:22,760 –> 00:04:25,400
\nor else you’ll be loyal to the
\none and despise the other. <\/p>\n
93
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\nBut you can’t do both.
\nThat’s a pretty, you know, black<\/p>\n
94
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\nand white statement.
\nYou won’t be able to satisfy all<\/p>\n
95
\n00:04:32,760 –> 00:04:35,720
\nthe stuff of this world that you
\nwant to have the God of this <\/p>\n
96
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\nworld.
\nYou can’t do that and also serve<\/p>\n
97
\n00:04:38,200 –> 00:04:40,400
\nGod there.
\nThere just isn’t time. <\/p>\n
98
\n00:04:40,760 –> 00:04:44,120
\nYou don’t have time in your life
\nto do that, You know, It’s it’s <\/p>\n
99
\n00:04:44,120 –> 00:04:48,480
\nfar better to make your
\ndecisions now about what you <\/p>\n
100
\n00:04:48,480 –> 00:04:51,600
\nwant to do spiritually and put
\nthose up at the top of the list <\/p>\n
101
\n00:04:51,960 –> 00:04:54,680
\nand then let the other stuff
\nfall into place and God will <\/p>\n
102
\n00:04:54,680 –> 00:04:56,520
\ntake care of that.
\nHe He really will for you. <\/p>\n
103
\n00:04:56,840 –> 00:04:59,560
\nYou may not have the biggest
\nhouse, You may not have all the <\/p>\n
104
\n00:04:59,560 –> 00:05:03,000
\nbest toys, caravans and boats
\nand all this kind of stuff that <\/p>\n
105
\n00:05:03,000 –> 00:05:07,120
\npeople invest in today and fancy
\ncars, But God promises he’ll <\/p>\n
106
\n00:05:07,120 –> 00:05:09,600
\ntake care of us and you’ll have
\ntime for serving him. <\/p>\n
107
\n00:05:10,040 –> 00:05:12,000
\nAnd that’s what we want to look
\nat this morning. <\/p>\n
108
\n00:05:12,400 –> 00:05:14,240
\nSo you wonder, like, what in the
\nworld is mammon? <\/p>\n
109
\n00:05:14,240 –> 00:05:16,120
\nThose of you that have
\nresearched this, you might have <\/p>\n
110
\n00:05:16,120 –> 00:05:19,200
\nfound out that some people think
\nit originated with an Arabic <\/p>\n
111
\n00:05:19,200 –> 00:05:23,320
\nword, mammon, which was really
\nriches or money, or from a <\/p>\n
112
\n00:05:23,320 –> 00:05:25,800
\nHebrew word that meant that
\nwhich was to be trusted. <\/p>\n
113
\n00:05:26,080 –> 00:05:30,200
\nBut you can see either way, the
\nproblem is we, we trust in the <\/p>\n
114
\n00:05:30,200 –> 00:05:32,840
\nriches of this world.
\nAnd you can see how they’re <\/p>\n
115
\n00:05:32,840 –> 00:05:36,480
\nconnected, that we end up
\nthinking that these riches that <\/p>\n
116
\n00:05:36,480 –> 00:05:39,360
\nwe go out to get and all this
\nstuff that we accumulate, we <\/p>\n
117
\n00:05:39,360 –> 00:05:40,800
\nthink it’s going to make us
\nhappy. <\/p>\n
118
\n00:05:41,480 –> 00:05:43,640
\nThat’s that’s what we think.
\nWe think, oh, I just, I just be <\/p>\n
119
\n00:05:43,640 –> 00:05:46,120
\nso much happier.
\nAnd we sort of deceive ourselves<\/p>\n
120
\n00:05:46,120 –> 00:05:49,000
\ninto thinking that, oh, I could
\nserve God so much better if I <\/p>\n
121
\n00:05:49,000 –> 00:05:52,280
\nhad this bigger house and I had
\nthis more expensive car and I <\/p>\n
122
\n00:05:52,280 –> 00:05:54,200
\nhad all these all these toys out
\nthere. <\/p>\n
123
\n00:05:54,760 –> 00:05:59,440
\nAnd if we read Ecclesiastes and
\nbelieve Solomon, we’d realize he<\/p>\n
124
\n00:05:59,440 –> 00:06:01,560
\nalready ran the test.
\nHe did it. <\/p>\n
125
\n00:06:01,880 –> 00:06:04,800
\nHe had all the money imaginable.
\nHe tried everything he could, <\/p>\n
126
\n00:06:04,800 –> 00:06:06,960
\nall the things you might think
\nabout that were going to make <\/p>\n
127
\n00:06:06,960 –> 00:06:09,120
\nyou happy.
\nAnd he tried them all and he <\/p>\n
128
\n00:06:09,120 –> 00:06:10,840
\nended up concluding.
\nIt’s all vanity. <\/p>\n
129
\n00:06:11,240 –> 00:06:13,200
\nIt’s like striving after the
\nwind. <\/p>\n
130
\n00:06:14,040 –> 00:06:17,800
\nAnd and you, you either believe
\nthem or you go through life and <\/p>\n
131
\n00:06:17,800 –> 00:06:20,480
\nexperience it yourself.
\nThat’s a choice you have to <\/p>\n
132
\n00:06:20,480 –> 00:06:23,280
\nmake.
\nBut God wrote it in Ecclesiastes<\/p>\n
133
\n00:06:23,280 –> 00:06:25,840
\nfor us.
\nHe recorded it so we could learn<\/p>\n
134
\n00:06:25,840 –> 00:06:29,800
\nfrom somebody who made mistakes
\nand hopefully not have to do <\/p>\n
135
\n00:06:31,080 –> 00:06:33,440
\nthose same mistakes and live
\nthrough life and do it all over <\/p>\n
136
\n00:06:33,440 –> 00:06:36,200
\nagain.
\nBut let’s face it, it it happens<\/p>\n
137
\n00:06:36,200 –> 00:06:37,920
\nto a lot of us.
\nWe just go back through <\/p>\n
138
\n00:06:37,920 –> 00:06:40,280
\nEcclesiastes, we relive it at
\nour own life. <\/p>\n
139
\n00:06:40,560 –> 00:06:42,480
\nWe never accumulate what Solomon
\nhad. <\/p>\n
140
\n00:06:42,480 –> 00:06:44,600
\nNo way.
\nWe’re nowhere near what he got. <\/p>\n
141
\n00:06:44,600 –> 00:06:47,840
\nAnd we, but we still think that
\nall that stuff is really going <\/p>\n
142
\n00:06:47,840 –> 00:06:49,920
\nto bring us happiness.
\nAnd it doesn’t. <\/p>\n
143
\n00:06:50,040 –> 00:06:53,000
\nIt, it doesn’t bring happiness.
\nPeople that travel around the <\/p>\n
144
\n00:06:53,000 –> 00:06:56,680
\nworld see that very clearly.
\nIf you travel around to Africa, <\/p>\n
145
\n00:06:56,680 –> 00:06:59,680
\nyou travel around to India and
\nyou Pakistan, and you see that <\/p>\n
146
\n00:06:59,680 –> 00:07:01,880
\nhis brothers and sisters and the
\nway they live, they don’t have <\/p>\n
147
\n00:07:01,880 –> 00:07:05,920
\nall the toys that we have here.
\nAnd yet many of them are very <\/p>\n
148
\n00:07:05,920 –> 00:07:08,400
\nsatisfied in life.
\nThey’re happy with the truth. <\/p>\n
149
\n00:07:08,640 –> 00:07:10,400
\nThey’re thankful for what God
\nhas done. <\/p>\n
150
\n00:07:10,400 –> 00:07:13,800
\nThey are content because they’re
\nnot striving after wind. <\/p>\n
151
\n00:07:14,720 –> 00:07:17,520
\nSo you look at Mammon today and
\nall the different versions of <\/p>\n
152
\n00:07:17,520 –> 00:07:20,360
\nMammon today, I think I may have
\nlost you entirely. <\/p>\n
153
\n00:07:20,560 –> 00:07:23,720
\nI’m not sure there is that if
\nthat happened, but it sounds to <\/p>\n
154
\n00:07:23,720 –> 00:07:25,800
\nme like are the speakers still
\non back there? <\/p>\n
155
\n00:07:25,800 –> 00:07:27,880
\nMaybe a little bit.
\nBut we may have lost the <\/p>\n
156
\n00:07:27,880 –> 00:07:30,080
\nspeakers.
\nSo if I can’t project out there,<\/p>\n
157
\n00:07:30,080 –> 00:07:32,280
\nI’m sorry.
\nThese rooms just really aren’t <\/p>\n
158
\n00:07:32,280 –> 00:07:35,480
\ndesigned for projecting voice.
\nBut you know, the things that <\/p>\n
159
\n00:07:35,480 –> 00:07:39,000
\npeople strive after today we we
\nthink these things are going to <\/p>\n
160
\n00:07:39,000 –> 00:07:41,880
\nbring us happiness that’s that’s
\nour that’s our fallacy. <\/p>\n
161
\n00:07:42,200 –> 00:07:46,000
\nIt’s the deception of the flesh.
\nWe deceive ourselves. <\/p>\n
162
\n00:07:46,240 –> 00:07:49,680
\nBut in reality, if if you talk
\nto people and you ask them what <\/p>\n
163
\n00:07:49,680 –> 00:07:52,120
\nwould really bring them the most
\nhappiness, it isn’t all that <\/p>\n
164
\n00:07:52,120 –> 00:07:54,520
\nstuff.
\nI remember talking to teachers <\/p>\n
165
\n00:07:54,520 –> 00:07:58,040
\nwhen I was I was been teaching
\nfor about 38 years in public <\/p>\n
166
\n00:07:58,040 –> 00:08:01,480
\nschools back in Michigan, and I
\nwould ask the people that were <\/p>\n
167
\n00:08:01,480 –> 00:08:04,160
\nretiring, you know what?
\nWhen you look back at your life,<\/p>\n
168
\n00:08:04,360 –> 00:08:07,560
\nwhat would you change now if you
\ncould what? <\/p>\n
169
\n00:08:07,560 –> 00:08:09,200
\nWhat have you learned from
\nteaching? <\/p>\n
170
\n00:08:09,200 –> 00:08:12,240
\nCause many of them have taught
\nfor 30, some years, 40 years, <\/p>\n
171
\n00:08:12,240 –> 00:08:13,800
\nwhatever.
\nAnd now they’re going to retire.<\/p>\n
172
\n00:08:14,520 –> 00:08:17,760
\nThe sad thing was, and watching
\nthem, I saw that when people <\/p>\n
173
\n00:08:17,760 –> 00:08:21,560
\nretired from school, a lot of
\nthem died within a couple years.<\/p>\n
174
\n00:08:22,200 –> 00:08:25,240
\nThat was really interesting
\nabout teachers, and we don’t <\/p>\n
175
\n00:08:25,240 –> 00:08:27,520
\nlast long.
\nThey always said that about math<\/p>\n
176
\n00:08:27,520 –> 00:08:29,080
\nteachers.
\nWe don’t really die. <\/p>\n
177
\n00:08:29,080 –> 00:08:35,520
\nWe just reduce to lowest terms.
\nBut I I when I asked them about <\/p>\n
178
\n00:08:35,520 –> 00:08:38,679
\nwhat they would have changed
\nabout their life, the vast <\/p>\n
179
\n00:08:38,679 –> 00:08:41,559
\nmajority of them said they would
\nhave spent more time with their <\/p>\n
180
\n00:08:41,559 –> 00:08:44,920
\nfamilies.
\nThat’s a interesting concept to <\/p>\n
181
\n00:08:44,920 –> 00:08:47,000
\nme.
\nThat’s what they learned after <\/p>\n
182
\n00:08:47,000 –> 00:08:49,600
\nall those years.
\nThey gave their whole life to <\/p>\n
183
\n00:08:49,600 –> 00:08:54,240
\ntheir career and died probably
\nsoon afterwards, and wished that<\/p>\n
184
\n00:08:54,240 –> 00:08:57,040
\nthey had made the choice to
\nspend more time with their <\/p>\n
185
\n00:08:57,040 –> 00:08:59,400
\nfamilies.
\nAnd I think for some of us, it <\/p>\n
186
\n00:08:59,400 –> 00:09:02,200
\nmight have been that we would
\nhave spent more time in in being<\/p>\n
187
\n00:09:02,200 –> 00:09:05,160
\ninvolved in our collegias and
\nour and godly activities. <\/p>\n
188
\n00:09:05,840 –> 00:09:08,720
\nIt’s it’s not something that you
\nfolks as young people want to <\/p>\n
189
\n00:09:08,720 –> 00:09:11,560
\nlive to regret.
\nYou have to make those choices <\/p>\n
190
\n00:09:11,560 –> 00:09:14,400
\nnow of putting the priorities
\nright. <\/p>\n
191
\n00:09:14,800 –> 00:09:17,520
\nAnd we don’t want to try to
\nserve God and mammon. <\/p>\n
192
\n00:09:18,080 –> 00:09:20,520
\nSo I just want to look at a
\ncouple of characters that tried <\/p>\n
193
\n00:09:20,600 –> 00:09:22,600
\nand you can see the results of
\nthese things. <\/p>\n
194
\n00:09:22,600 –> 00:09:24,000
\nYou know these stories quite
\nwell. <\/p>\n
195
\n00:09:24,000 –> 00:09:27,080
\nRemember Naaman when he got
\ncured of his leprosy in Second <\/p>\n
196
\n00:09:27,080 –> 00:09:30,000
\nKings Chapter 5?
\nRemember how Naaman tried to get<\/p>\n
197
\n00:09:30,000 –> 00:09:32,600
\nElijah to take a gift?
\nYou know you want to give him a <\/p>\n
198
\n00:09:32,600 –> 00:09:34,840
\ngift.
\nAnd Elijah says no, no, no, I’m <\/p>\n
199
\n00:09:34,840 –> 00:09:37,640
\nnot going to take the gift.
\nYou know, in verse 16 of chapter<\/p>\n
200
\n00:09:37,640 –> 00:09:39,480
\nfive, he says what he said to
\nthe Naaman. <\/p>\n
201
\n00:09:39,480 –> 00:09:42,600
\nAs the Lord lives before whom I
\nstand, I will receive nothing. <\/p>\n
202
\n00:09:42,960 –> 00:09:45,640
\nAnd he urged him to take it, but
\nhe refused. <\/p>\n
203
\n00:09:45,880 –> 00:09:49,200
\nHe wasn’t going to take a gift
\nfor this because Elijah realized<\/p>\n
204
\n00:09:49,400 –> 00:09:51,640
\nhe hadn’t done that.
\nHe hadn’t cured Naaman’s <\/p>\n
205
\n00:09:51,640 –> 00:09:53,880
\nleprosy.
\nGod had done that. <\/p>\n
206
\n00:09:53,920 –> 00:09:56,560
\nIt’s not something he wanted to
\ntake money for then. <\/p>\n
207
\n00:09:56,560 –> 00:09:58,040
\nAnd yet he just says go in
\npeace. <\/p>\n
208
\n00:09:58,040 –> 00:10:00,320
\nSo he departed from him a short
\ndistance. <\/p>\n
209
\n00:10:00,840 –> 00:10:04,200
\nBut then what ends up happening
\nis Gehazi’s watching all this. <\/p>\n
210
\n00:10:04,480 –> 00:10:07,240
\nAnd Gehazi’s eyes are opening up
\nabout the gifts. <\/p>\n
211
\n00:10:07,560 –> 00:10:10,960
\nAnd he’s thinking about, oh wow,
\nwhat can we get this guy? <\/p>\n
212
\n00:10:11,200 –> 00:10:14,720
\nHe’s got connections to a lot of
\nmoney and good things, a lot of <\/p>\n
213
\n00:10:14,720 –> 00:10:17,240
\nthe toys of this world, the
\ngarments of this world. <\/p>\n
214
\n00:10:17,600 –> 00:10:21,440
\nSo Gehazi, he runs after him and
\nhe’s going to get something from<\/p>\n
215
\n00:10:21,440 –> 00:10:22,040
\nhim.
\nAll right. <\/p>\n
216
\n00:10:22,400 –> 00:10:25,960
\nAnd then he goes and tells he he
\ntells Naaman in verse 22, He <\/p>\n
217
\n00:10:25,960 –> 00:10:28,520
\nsays, oh, all’s well, my master
\nhas sent me. <\/p>\n
218
\n00:10:28,720 –> 00:10:31,960
\nHere come the lies.
\nSee this is the deception of the<\/p>\n
219
\n00:10:31,960 –> 00:10:34,120
\nflesh.
\nWe end up thinking that we’re <\/p>\n
220
\n00:10:34,120 –> 00:10:37,400
\ngoing to be able to pull this
\noff and somehow do it within the<\/p>\n
221
\n00:10:37,440 –> 00:10:39,480
\nthe realm of the righteousness
\nof God. <\/p>\n
222
\n00:10:39,480 –> 00:10:43,960
\nAnd we can’t serve 2 masters.
\nSo he makes up a line my master <\/p>\n
223
\n00:10:43,960 –> 00:10:46,560
\nsent me saying.
\nIndeed just now two young men <\/p>\n
224
\n00:10:46,560 –> 00:10:48,520
\nare the sons of the prophets
\nhave come to me from the <\/p>\n
225
\n00:10:48,520 –> 00:10:51,240
\nmountains of Ephraim.
\nPlease give me a talent of <\/p>\n
226
\n00:10:51,240 –> 00:10:55,360
\nsilver and two changes of
\ngarments And Gahe’s eyes was <\/p>\n
227
\n00:10:55,360 –> 00:10:58,560
\nthinking, wow, we’re going to
\ncash in on this one, right? <\/p>\n
228
\n00:10:58,680 –> 00:11:02,320
\nBut you know, he comes back and
\nhe and he talks to Elijah and <\/p>\n
229
\n00:11:02,320 –> 00:11:06,400
\nElijah knows what he’s done.
\nJust like the angels, they know <\/p>\n
230
\n00:11:06,400 –> 00:11:08,720
\nwhere our treasure is.
\nThey know what we’re doing. <\/p>\n
231
\n00:11:08,720 –> 00:11:11,120
\nThey know our goals and our
\nobjectives in life. <\/p>\n
232
\n00:11:11,120 –> 00:11:15,040
\nThey know what we really want.
\nWhat do we really want? <\/p>\n
233
\n00:11:15,200 –> 00:11:18,640
\nWe can’t serve God and mammon,
\nand he lies to him. <\/p>\n
234
\n00:11:18,640 –> 00:11:21,160
\nHe says, Well, your your servant
\ndidn’t go anywhere when Elijah <\/p>\n
235
\n00:11:21,160 –> 00:11:24,040
\nquestions him.
\nAnd Elijah knows and and he says<\/p>\n
236
\n00:11:24,040 –> 00:11:26,560
\nin verse 27.
\nTherefore the leprosy of Naman <\/p>\n
237
\n00:11:26,560 –> 00:11:28,600
\nwill cling to you and your
\ndescendants forever. <\/p>\n
238
\n00:11:28,960 –> 00:11:32,040
\nAnd he went out of his presence,
\nleprous as white as snow. <\/p>\n
239
\n00:11:32,680 –> 00:11:36,280
\nIt it’s it’s just a huge mistake
\nto think that we can pull this <\/p>\n
240
\n00:11:36,280 –> 00:11:40,480
\noff, that we can somehow deceive
\nourselves and go after all the <\/p>\n
241
\n00:11:40,480 –> 00:11:43,680
\nstuff of this world and at the
\nsame time think we can serve our<\/p>\n
242
\n00:11:43,680 –> 00:11:46,280
\nGod.
\nBecause as Jesus said in Matthew<\/p>\n
243
\n00:11:46,280 –> 00:11:50,160
\n6, he said that you know your
\ntreasure, what you really want <\/p>\n
244
\n00:11:50,160 –> 00:11:53,840
\nin life, that treasure that
\nyou’re hoping for, that treasure<\/p>\n
245
\n00:11:53,840 –> 00:11:56,520
\nwill really tell you where where
\nyour heart is AT. <\/p>\n
246
\n00:11:56,840 –> 00:11:59,160
\nAnd God reads the heart.
\nHe knows what we really want. <\/p>\n
247
\n00:11:59,640 –> 00:12:00,960
\nHe knows when we’re young.
\nWhat are you? <\/p>\n
248
\n00:12:00,960 –> 00:12:02,640
\nWhat are you really interested
\nin? <\/p>\n
249
\n00:12:02,960 –> 00:12:06,000
\nAre you interested in a a life
\nand the truth where you can have<\/p>\n
250
\n00:12:06,000 –> 00:12:10,000
\nfree time to get to CYC, to work
\nin Sunday school, to serve in <\/p>\n
251
\n00:12:10,000 –> 00:12:12,160
\nyour ecclesia and be involved in
\nall these things? <\/p>\n
252
\n00:12:12,480 –> 00:12:15,480
\nOr are you really wanting all
\nthe toys of this world? <\/p>\n
253
\n00:12:16,120 –> 00:12:19,520
\nYou want the big house, You want
\nthe fancy car, the fast car, the<\/p>\n
254
\n00:12:19,520 –> 00:12:22,680
\nwhatever it.
\nIt’s just God knows And where <\/p>\n
255
\n00:12:22,680 –> 00:12:26,280
\nyour treasure is, Jesus said
\nthere will your heart be also. <\/p>\n
256
\n00:12:26,640 –> 00:12:29,480
\nSo the question we ask ourselves
\nthis week while we’re sitting <\/p>\n
257
\n00:12:29,480 –> 00:12:31,240
\nhere is, is meditate on the
\nidea. <\/p>\n
258
\n00:12:31,240 –> 00:12:33,240
\nLike where is our treasure
\nchest? <\/p>\n
259
\n00:12:33,240 –> 00:12:36,000
\nWhat’s in it?
\nWhat are we really hoping for? <\/p>\n
260
\n00:12:36,600 –> 00:12:39,080
\nThat that’s a that’s a real
\nquestion that we have to have. <\/p>\n
261
\n00:12:39,080 –> 00:12:42,240
\nAnd then for our children, for
\nthose of you raising children, <\/p>\n
262
\n00:12:42,560 –> 00:12:46,080
\nyou have to decide what are you
\ngoing to tell your children <\/p>\n
263
\n00:12:46,080 –> 00:12:47,640
\nabout what really makes you
\nhappy. <\/p>\n
264
\n00:12:48,360 –> 00:12:51,200
\nBecause they’re watching what
\nyou do you know and they’re <\/p>\n
265
\n00:12:51,200 –> 00:12:53,840
\nwatching how you live and
\nthey’re finding out, well do mom<\/p>\n
266
\n00:12:53,840 –> 00:12:55,720
\nand dad really care about
\ngetting the meeting? <\/p>\n
267
\n00:12:55,800 –> 00:12:58,800
\nDo they really care about being
\ninvolved in the ecclesia? <\/p>\n
268
\n00:12:58,800 –> 00:13:01,720
\nAre they out there working,
\nworking, working, working so <\/p>\n
269
\n00:13:01,720 –> 00:13:04,520
\nthat we can have all the stuff
\nof this world our kids are <\/p>\n
270
\n00:13:04,520 –> 00:13:07,280
\nwatching.
\nThey know where our treasure <\/p>\n
271
\n00:13:07,280 –> 00:13:11,160
\nreally is and you can’t tell
\nyour children to have God as <\/p>\n
272
\n00:13:11,160 –> 00:13:13,680
\nyour treasure.
\nWhen we’re we’re living a lie to<\/p>\n
273
\n00:13:13,680 –> 00:13:17,400
\nthem and and our within our own
\nfamilies we have to show them <\/p>\n
274
\n00:13:17,400 –> 00:13:20,800
\nthat what we really love, what
\nwe really want are the godly <\/p>\n
275
\n00:13:20,800 –> 00:13:24,440
\nthings we want the things that
\nthat that they feed our <\/p>\n
276
\n00:13:24,440 –> 00:13:28,200
\nspiritual life and that God will
\ntake care of us on so many of <\/p>\n
277
\n00:13:28,200 –> 00:13:30,360
\nthese other things.
\nWe don’t have to have the best <\/p>\n
278
\n00:13:30,360 –> 00:13:32,800
\nof everything.
\nWe can just live with smaller <\/p>\n
279
\n00:13:32,800 –> 00:13:36,400
\nthings and less stuff and have
\nmore time for God. <\/p>\n
280
\n00:13:36,680 –> 00:13:39,520
\nThat that was a huge lesson to
\nlearn as we’re young and I <\/p>\n
281
\n00:13:39,520 –> 00:13:41,680
\nreally do believe it.
\nIt affects our children. <\/p>\n
282
\n00:13:41,680 –> 00:13:44,800
\nThey’re watching.
\nThey’re watching what we do, and<\/p>\n
283
\n00:13:44,800 –> 00:13:49,160
\nthey’re making decisions based
\non not so much what we say, but <\/p>\n
284
\n00:13:49,160 –> 00:13:50,960
\nwhat are you really doing at
\nhome? <\/p>\n
285
\n00:13:50,960 –> 00:13:52,000
\nWhere where are you really
\ngoing? <\/p>\n
286
\n00:13:52,000 –> 00:13:54,240
\nIt comes time from Bible class.
\nDo you really care about going <\/p>\n
287
\n00:13:54,240 –> 00:13:57,360
\nto Bible class or do you just
\nfigure I’m too tired tonight? <\/p>\n
288
\n00:13:57,360 –> 00:13:59,760
\nI don’t want to go.
\nIt doesn’t really help me. <\/p>\n
289
\n00:14:00,000 –> 00:14:03,000
\nThey’re they’re watching all
\nthose things and they’re trying <\/p>\n
290
\n00:14:03,000 –> 00:14:06,840
\nto figure it out and it’s it’s
\nan important thing for us. <\/p>\n
291
\n00:14:06,840 –> 00:14:10,240
\nSo look at the case with with
\nAhab, you know, King Ahab, we <\/p>\n
292
\n00:14:10,240 –> 00:14:12,880
\nknow that he was full of a lot
\nof problems and a lot of <\/p>\n
293
\n00:14:12,880 –> 00:14:15,400
\nmistakes.
\nBut I think the story of Nabat’s<\/p>\n
294
\n00:14:15,400 –> 00:14:20,640
\nvineyard just reveals again this
\nwhole idea that you can’t serve <\/p>\n
295
\n00:14:20,640 –> 00:14:23,800
\n2 masters.
\nAnd in his case, he’s, you know,<\/p>\n
296
\n00:14:23,800 –> 00:14:26,880
\nhe’s looking at this vineyard
\nout there and Ahab spokes. <\/p>\n
297
\n00:14:26,920 –> 00:14:29,920
\nHe speaks to Nabat in First
\nKings 21 at verse two. <\/p>\n
298
\n00:14:29,920 –> 00:14:33,120
\nAnd he says give me your
\nvineyard, that I might have it <\/p>\n
299
\n00:14:33,120 –> 00:14:36,640
\nfor a vegetable garden.
\nYou know that that’s what he <\/p>\n
300
\n00:14:36,640 –> 00:14:38,480
\nwanted.
\nHe’s the king, right? <\/p>\n
301
\n00:14:38,480 –> 00:14:41,280
\nHe can add anything he wants.
\nAnd he figures he can just go <\/p>\n
302
\n00:14:41,280 –> 00:14:43,040
\nafter this.
\nAnd this is going to make him <\/p>\n
303
\n00:14:43,040 –> 00:14:44,880
\nhappy, right?
\nSure. <\/p>\n
304
\n00:14:44,880 –> 00:14:46,000
\nThat’s not going to make him
\nhappy. <\/p>\n
305
\n00:14:46,000 –> 00:14:47,720
\nOnce he gets there, he just
\nwants something else. <\/p>\n
306
\n00:14:48,040 –> 00:14:50,960
\nSee, there’s no end to this.
\nWe we can’t. <\/p>\n
307
\n00:14:50,960 –> 00:14:53,240
\nWe as younger people, we got to
\nset parameters up. <\/p>\n
308
\n00:14:53,240 –> 00:14:56,240
\nI only need this much.
\nAnd then be careful that we <\/p>\n
309
\n00:14:56,240 –> 00:14:57,960
\ndon’t just keep when we get to
\nthat point. <\/p>\n
310
\n00:14:57,960 –> 00:15:00,240
\nWe want more and we want more
\nand we want more. <\/p>\n
311
\n00:15:00,480 –> 00:15:02,320
\nThat’s what happens in this
\nworld today. <\/p>\n
312
\n00:15:02,760 –> 00:15:04,960
\nThat’s the whole strategy behind
\nmarketing today. <\/p>\n
313
\n00:15:04,960 –> 00:15:08,240
\nYou you look at all the toys,
\nthe the phones that we have and <\/p>\n
314
\n00:15:08,240 –> 00:15:11,400
\nTV’s and all these things that
\nthe the cars that we drive. <\/p>\n
315
\n00:15:11,600 –> 00:15:14,680
\nYou know, it used to be that you
\ncould buy a washing machine and <\/p>\n
316
\n00:15:14,680 –> 00:15:18,840
\nit would last for 20 years.
\nEverybody knows that works on <\/p>\n
317
\n00:15:18,840 –> 00:15:20,480
\nthem today.
\nThey don’t last that long <\/p>\n
318
\n00:15:20,480 –> 00:15:22,800
\nanymore.
\nEverything’s designed now so <\/p>\n
319
\n00:15:22,800 –> 00:15:24,920
\nthat you got to get another one
\nand you got to get another one. <\/p>\n
320
\n00:15:24,920 –> 00:15:28,040
\nYou get the upgrades and they
\nadvertise, oh, wow, Now we can <\/p>\n
321
\n00:15:28,040 –> 00:15:29,360
\ndo this.
\nSo we can do that. <\/p>\n
322
\n00:15:29,600 –> 00:15:31,640
\nAnd the kids walk into school
\nand they see, oh, somebody’s <\/p>\n
323
\n00:15:31,640 –> 00:15:34,840
\ngot, somebody’s got an iPhone.
\nAnd then they find out, oh, you <\/p>\n
324
\n00:15:34,840 –> 00:15:38,160
\ngot, you got the new one none.
\nThey line up overnight to get in<\/p>\n
325
\n00:15:38,160 –> 00:15:41,560
\nthe store, to get the new one.
\nAnd and it’s like we don’t want <\/p>\n
326
\n00:15:41,560 –> 00:15:44,320
\nto get caught up in that.
\nBrothers and sisters, we don’t <\/p>\n
327
\n00:15:44,320 –> 00:15:46,880
\nneed the best.
\nWe really don’t. <\/p>\n
328
\n00:15:47,440 –> 00:15:49,720
\nAnd don’t let that drive our
\nlife. <\/p>\n
329
\n00:15:50,160 –> 00:15:52,600
\nBecause if you’re not careful,
\nit takes over and that’s what <\/p>\n
330
\n00:15:52,600 –> 00:15:54,960
\nit’ll do.
\nSo look at what what Ahab does. <\/p>\n
331
\n00:15:54,960 –> 00:15:56,520
\nYou know and and well, Naboth
\ndoes. <\/p>\n
332
\n00:15:56,520 –> 00:15:58,680
\nIn verse three, he gives them
\nthe godly answer. <\/p>\n
333
\n00:15:58,680 –> 00:16:00,800
\nNo.
\nThe Lord forbid that I should <\/p>\n
334
\n00:16:00,800 –> 00:16:03,160
\ngive you the inheritance of my
\nfather’s to you. <\/p>\n
335
\n00:16:03,480 –> 00:16:06,320
\nI’m not going to do that.
\nThis is the way God set up the <\/p>\n
336
\n00:16:06,320 –> 00:16:08,240
\nland.
\nThese are the godly principles I<\/p>\n
337
\n00:16:08,240 –> 00:16:10,280
\nlive on.
\nI can’t give you my vineyard. <\/p>\n
338
\n00:16:10,560 –> 00:16:14,160
\nIt passes down through the
\nfamily and then Ahab goes over <\/p>\n
339
\n00:16:14,160 –> 00:16:16,280
\nto his house, all depressed and
\nsullen. <\/p>\n
340
\n00:16:16,720 –> 00:16:20,240
\nSee what happens when we get our
\nour ideas out there. <\/p>\n
341
\n00:16:20,240 –> 00:16:22,880
\nI need this to be happy now.
\nI need this to be happy. <\/p>\n
342
\n00:16:23,160 –> 00:16:25,760
\nWe go away discouraged when we
\ndon’t have it. <\/p>\n
343
\n00:16:25,880 –> 00:16:29,000
\nWe’re sullen, we’re depressed.
\nWe we got all worried about the <\/p>\n
344
\n00:16:29,000 –> 00:16:32,640
\nfact that I don’t have all this
\nstuff yet and if we never had <\/p>\n
345
\n00:16:32,640 –> 00:16:36,160
\nwanted it in the 1st place, we
\nwould have been a lot happier <\/p>\n
346
\n00:16:36,160 –> 00:16:39,360
\npeople.
\nNo godliness with contentment. <\/p>\n
347
\n00:16:39,360 –> 00:16:43,200
\nIt’s it’s amazing how it changes
\nthe way you live when you learn <\/p>\n
348
\n00:16:43,200 –> 00:16:44,920
\nto be content with what you
\nhave. <\/p>\n
349
\n00:16:45,240 –> 00:16:48,920
\nBut you can’t serve 2 masters as
\nas he found out as well. <\/p>\n
350
\n00:16:48,920 –> 00:16:52,600
\nAnd covetousness.
\nCovetousness is a big one. <\/p>\n
351
\n00:16:53,280 –> 00:16:55,040
\nNever noticed that in the New
\nTestament. <\/p>\n
352
\n00:16:55,640 –> 00:16:58,360
\nCovetousness Paul calls it.
\nIt’s it’s like idolatry. <\/p>\n
353
\n00:16:58,640 –> 00:17:02,440
\nIt’s it’s like idol worship and
\nthe way it controls our life <\/p>\n
354
\n00:17:02,440 –> 00:17:04,359
\nwhen we want what somebody else
\nhas. <\/p>\n
355
\n00:17:04,800 –> 00:17:06,359
\nAnd yet God has given us
\nsomething. <\/p>\n
356
\n00:17:06,359 –> 00:17:08,839
\nAnd we’re looking around at what
\ndo you have and what do you <\/p>\n
357
\n00:17:08,839 –> 00:17:10,359
\nhave?
\nAnd, you know, you watch the <\/p>\n
358
\n00:17:10,400 –> 00:17:13,520
\nkids do this all the time.
\nYou, you hand out ice cream <\/p>\n
359
\n00:17:13,520 –> 00:17:16,160
\ncones to the grandchildren and
\nthey’re looking at, well, how <\/p>\n
360
\n00:17:16,160 –> 00:17:19,000
\nmuch ice cream did Papa put on
\nthat cone? <\/p>\n
361
\n00:17:19,000 –> 00:17:21,160
\nAnd they’re looking at.
\nAnd it’s like, I want one like <\/p>\n
362
\n00:17:21,160 –> 00:17:23,480
\nthat.
\nAnd it’s like it starts early <\/p>\n
363
\n00:17:23,480 –> 00:17:25,680
\non.
\nIt’s this comparison idea and <\/p>\n
364
\n00:17:25,680 –> 00:17:27,680
\nthinking that we got to have
\nwhat everybody else has. <\/p>\n
365
\n00:17:27,680 –> 00:17:30,960
\nAnd yet it’s something that we
\nhave been asked to fight. <\/p>\n
366
\n00:17:31,280 –> 00:17:33,080
\nIt’s part of the thinking of the
\nflesh. <\/p>\n
367
\n00:17:33,680 –> 00:17:36,600
\nAnd so Jesus would say in Mark
\nseven, you know when he’s <\/p>\n
368
\n00:17:36,600 –> 00:17:40,240
\ntalking to the people there And
\nhe enters a house in verse 17 <\/p>\n
369
\n00:17:40,240 –> 00:17:42,680
\naway from the crowd and the
\ndisciples asked him concerning <\/p>\n
370
\n00:17:42,680 –> 00:17:44,240
\nthe parable that he had told
\nthem. <\/p>\n
371
\n00:17:44,560 –> 00:17:48,560
\nAnd he says, well, look it it’s
\ndon’t you perceive that whatever<\/p>\n
372
\n00:17:48,560 –> 00:17:51,360
\nenters a man from the outside
\ncannot defile him. <\/p>\n
373
\n00:17:51,600 –> 00:17:54,280
\nIt’s not about what comes in
\nfrom the outside. <\/p>\n
374
\n00:17:54,280 –> 00:17:55,840
\nIt’s not about the things that
\nwe eat. <\/p>\n
375
\n00:17:55,840 –> 00:17:58,720
\nIt’s not about the stuff that
\nthat come in from the outside, <\/p>\n
376
\n00:17:58,920 –> 00:18:00,600
\nbut it’s the stuff that’s
\nwithin. <\/p>\n
377
\n00:18:00,680 –> 00:18:02,280
\nIt’s in here.
\nOur heart. <\/p>\n
378
\n00:18:02,600 –> 00:18:04,600
\nWhat our what?
\nOur what our brains want. <\/p>\n
379
\n00:18:04,640 –> 00:18:08,120
\nThat’s what defiles us.
\nIt’s the devil in US thinking <\/p>\n
380
\n00:18:08,120 –> 00:18:09,560
\nthat somehow we’re going to be
\nhappier. <\/p>\n
381
\n00:18:09,560 –> 00:18:12,080
\nWe’re going to be better people.
\nAnd you look around. <\/p>\n
382
\n00:18:12,080 –> 00:18:14,120
\nI can imagine like Job’s three
\nfriends. <\/p>\n
383
\n00:18:14,520 –> 00:18:17,160
\nI I can really imagine it from
\nthem looking at Job and thinking<\/p>\n
384
\n00:18:17,160 –> 00:18:19,160
\nwell, look at God.
\nLook, look. <\/p>\n
385
\n00:18:19,240 –> 00:18:22,040
\nNo wonder if he serves you.
\nLook what you gave him. <\/p>\n
386
\n00:18:22,200 –> 00:18:24,320
\nYou put a hedger on him.
\nYou take care of him and his <\/p>\n
387
\n00:18:24,320 –> 00:18:28,080
\nfamily.
\nIf I had what Job had I’d be so <\/p>\n
388
\n00:18:28,080 –> 00:18:29,680
\nmuch better.
\nI’d be serving you. <\/p>\n
389
\n00:18:29,680 –> 00:18:31,600
\nI’d.
\nIf he just gave me what he had, <\/p>\n
390
\n00:18:32,120 –> 00:18:36,360
\ninstead of being content with
\nwhat we have, so Jesus says so <\/p>\n
391
\n00:18:36,360 –> 00:18:39,960
\nclearly, it’s what comes out of
\na man that defiles the man. <\/p>\n
392
\n00:18:40,080 –> 00:18:43,040
\nFor from within, out of the
\nheart of men, proceed Evil <\/p>\n
393
\n00:18:43,040 –> 00:18:46,320
\nthoughts, adulteries,
\nfornications, murders, thefts, <\/p>\n
394
\n00:18:46,600 –> 00:18:50,440
\ncovetousness, right Wickedness,
\ndeceit, lewdness and an evil <\/p>\n
395
\n00:18:50,440 –> 00:18:53,840
\neye, Blasphemy, pride,
\nfoolishness, all these things <\/p>\n
396
\n00:18:53,840 –> 00:18:57,160
\ncome from in here we are the
\nproblem. <\/p>\n
397
\n00:18:57,640 –> 00:19:00,720
\nAnd what God’s trying to do is
\nteach us that, look, if you <\/p>\n
398
\n00:19:00,720 –> 00:19:05,360
\nserve him, if you put God first
\nin your life, he will take care <\/p>\n
399
\n00:19:05,360 –> 00:19:07,960
\nof the rest.
\nAnd it’s just something we, we <\/p>\n
400
\n00:19:07,960 –> 00:19:11,360
\nreally do have to be careful of.
\nSo consciousness, what it really<\/p>\n
401
\n00:19:11,360 –> 00:19:13,240
\ndoes.
\nAnd you see this in children, we<\/p>\n
402
\n00:19:13,240 –> 00:19:14,880
\nsort of laugh at it all the
\ntime, right? <\/p>\n
403
\n00:19:15,080 –> 00:19:18,360
\nBut that’s what happens in my
\nhousehold, is that one one gets <\/p>\n
404
\n00:19:18,360 –> 00:19:20,320
\na Lally, the other one gets a
\nbig old ice cream. <\/p>\n
405
\n00:19:20,560 –> 00:19:23,240
\nAnd the guy with the Lally
\nsitting there, like, wow, I <\/p>\n
406
\n00:19:23,240 –> 00:19:26,200
\nthink I’d like one of those.
\nAnd I want it to be just as big <\/p>\n
407
\n00:19:26,200 –> 00:19:29,000
\nas that, or bigger.
\nAnd that’s how people think. <\/p>\n
408
\n00:19:29,400 –> 00:19:32,400
\nBut what it does to us is it
\neats away. <\/p>\n
409
\n00:19:32,480 –> 00:19:34,480
\nIt eats away us.
\nSo we wish we had that. <\/p>\n
410
\n00:19:34,640 –> 00:19:38,040
\nWe think about somebody else
\nhaving this, and then we become <\/p>\n
411
\n00:19:38,360 –> 00:19:41,880
\nwe become selfish and
\nunthankful, people unhappy. <\/p>\n
412
\n00:19:42,240 –> 00:19:45,040
\nIt takes away your happiness in
\nlife if you’re always thinking <\/p>\n
413
\n00:19:45,040 –> 00:19:48,680
\nabout having something else
\ninstead of being thankful for <\/p>\n
414
\n00:19:48,680 –> 00:19:51,080
\nwhat we have right now.
\nIt does make a big difference <\/p>\n
415
\n00:19:51,080 –> 00:19:55,400
\nand it drives us to work far too
\nmuch in this life. <\/p>\n
416
\n00:19:55,720 –> 00:19:59,400
\nTake on jobs, take on overtime,
\ntravel all over the place and <\/p>\n
417
\n00:19:59,400 –> 00:20:02,160
\nhave all this money that we that
\nwe can get from a job. <\/p>\n
418
\n00:20:02,560 –> 00:20:06,480
\nAnd instead of staying home,
\nworking with our family with our<\/p>\n
419
\n00:20:06,480 –> 00:20:10,720
\ncollegias and taking less
\nbecause it will provide for us <\/p>\n
420
\n00:20:10,720 –> 00:20:12,840
\nto really take care of the
\nthings of God. <\/p>\n
421
\n00:20:13,280 –> 00:20:16,280
\nThese are challenging decisions
\nthat we have to individually <\/p>\n
422
\n00:20:16,280 –> 00:20:19,240
\nmake and you have to do what
\nwhat works for you. <\/p>\n
423
\n00:20:19,680 –> 00:20:22,840
\nBut I would encourage all of you
\nto, like, just think about, you <\/p>\n
424
\n00:20:22,840 –> 00:20:26,240
\nknow, what’s happening to your
\ntime to work in the Ecclesia and<\/p>\n
425
\n00:20:26,240 –> 00:20:28,880
\nif it’s working for you and you
\nhave plenty of time to show up <\/p>\n
426
\n00:20:28,880 –> 00:20:32,000
\nall the classes and work and
\npreach the truth and all these <\/p>\n
427
\n00:20:32,000 –> 00:20:33,840
\nthings that we’d like to do,
\nthat’s great. <\/p>\n
428
\n00:20:34,200 –> 00:20:37,480
\nBut if you find your job pulling
\nyou away all the time, you’re <\/p>\n
429
\n00:20:37,480 –> 00:20:40,280
\nnever around to help the family,
\nto raise the children. <\/p>\n
430
\n00:20:40,520 –> 00:20:42,480
\nYou’re gone.
\nYou’re travelling, which this <\/p>\n
431
\n00:20:42,480 –> 00:20:45,880
\nworld is a big thing today, Get
\non airplanes, fly all over the <\/p>\n
432
\n00:20:45,880 –> 00:20:49,520
\nplace, travel and and be gone
\nbefore you know it. <\/p>\n
433
\n00:20:49,520 –> 00:20:52,520
\nThey hand out the carrot and
\nthey say if you do it, you know <\/p>\n
434
\n00:20:52,520 –> 00:20:56,000
\nyou we will give you bonuses and
\nwe will give you all this stuff.<\/p>\n
435
\n00:20:56,480 –> 00:20:59,040
\nAnd then who’s who’s home with?
\nWith our children? <\/p>\n
436
\n00:20:59,040 –> 00:21:02,000
\nWe’re the dads that are taking
\ncare of the kids or the moms. <\/p>\n
437
\n00:21:02,400 –> 00:21:05,320
\nBefore you know it, everybody’s
\ngone and the kids are raised by <\/p>\n
438
\n00:21:05,320 –> 00:21:08,160
\nsomebody else.
\nAnd that’s not what God was <\/p>\n
439
\n00:21:08,160 –> 00:21:10,640
\nafter in our lives.
\nHe wanted us to raise our <\/p>\n
440
\n00:21:10,640 –> 00:21:12,520
\nchildren.
\nHe wanted us to have time for <\/p>\n
441
\n00:21:12,520 –> 00:21:15,320
\nour families.
\nYou look back at some of the <\/p>\n
442
\n00:21:15,320 –> 00:21:17,760
\nBible stories that we know.
\nYou’ve studied the time period <\/p>\n
443
\n00:21:17,760 –> 00:21:20,120
\nof Ezra and Nehemiah.
\nRemember when they started <\/p>\n
444
\n00:21:20,120 –> 00:21:23,520
\nbuilding the temple in the time?
\nWell, Ezra wasn’t actually <\/p>\n
445
\n00:21:23,520 –> 00:21:25,200
\nmentioned yet.
\nHe was still up in Babylon. <\/p>\n
446
\n00:21:25,200 –> 00:21:27,720
\nBut in the early chapters of
\nEzra, the people came back from <\/p>\n
447
\n00:21:27,720 –> 00:21:29,360
\nBabylon.
\nThey started working under <\/p>\n
448
\n00:21:29,360 –> 00:21:32,000
\nJoshua’s rubble.
\nThey started building the temple<\/p>\n
449
\n00:21:32,000 –> 00:21:34,400
\nand they worked on it.
\nThey got it going and they were <\/p>\n
450
\n00:21:34,400 –> 00:21:36,800
\nworking for a number of years
\nthey did pretty good, but as <\/p>\n
451
\n00:21:36,800 –> 00:21:40,600
\ntime went on over 15 years, the
\namount of work on the temple <\/p>\n
452
\n00:21:40,600 –> 00:21:43,200
\nstarted to die off and people
\nweren’t as interested. <\/p>\n
453
\n00:21:43,640 –> 00:21:47,120
\nIt’s really interesting to me
\nthat in Ezra Chapter 3, it says,<\/p>\n
454
\n00:21:47,120 –> 00:21:50,520
\nor maybe at the end of Chapter
\n2, it says that when they got <\/p>\n
455
\n00:21:50,520 –> 00:21:53,800
\nthe foundation laid, do you
\nremember what happened with the <\/p>\n
456
\n00:21:53,800 –> 00:21:56,800
\npeople when they, when they set
\nout to have like a time of <\/p>\n
457
\n00:21:56,800 –> 00:21:59,920
\ncelebration to like, wow, we got
\nthe foundation done. <\/p>\n
458
\n00:22:00,040 –> 00:22:03,360
\nYes.
\nAnd they got together and what <\/p>\n
459
\n00:22:03,360 –> 00:22:05,120
\nhappened?
\nThere was a lot of yelling. <\/p>\n
460
\n00:22:05,760 –> 00:22:09,800
\nThe the younger people were
\nhappy, they were thrilled, they <\/p>\n
461
\n00:22:09,800 –> 00:22:12,960
\nwere excited.
\nAnd the older ones looked at it <\/p>\n
462
\n00:22:12,960 –> 00:22:15,720
\nand said, wow, it’s not as good
\nas the one we had. <\/p>\n
463
\n00:22:15,720 –> 00:22:20,560
\nDid you never notice that we we
\nhave to be careful, older <\/p>\n
464
\n00:22:20,560 –> 00:22:23,560
\nbrothers and sisters.
\nWe can squash the work of the <\/p>\n
465
\n00:22:23,560 –> 00:22:26,000
\nyoung people.
\nIt may not be the same as what <\/p>\n
466
\n00:22:26,000 –> 00:22:28,320
\nwe did in our day and age.
\nThey don’t have the resources <\/p>\n
467
\n00:22:28,320 –> 00:22:31,880
\nmaybe that we had some of the
\nthings that we had but we have <\/p>\n
468
\n00:22:31,880 –> 00:22:35,280
\nto support what’s going on.
\nIt was the work of God and and <\/p>\n
469
\n00:22:35,280 –> 00:22:39,120
\nSo what what happened over that
\ntime is that people get got <\/p>\n
470
\n00:22:39,120 –> 00:22:41,440
\nthis.
\nThey got so discouraged by what <\/p>\n
471
\n00:22:41,440 –> 00:22:44,640
\nwas going on in the community.
\nPeople all quit working. <\/p>\n
472
\n00:22:44,960 –> 00:22:47,840
\nBefore you know it, God sends in
\nthe Persian army at the end of <\/p>\n
473
\n00:22:47,840 –> 00:22:49,800
\nEzra 4 and he says you’re going
\nto stop. <\/p>\n
474
\n00:22:50,120 –> 00:22:53,600
\nAnd they, the military came in
\nand made them quit until they <\/p>\n
475
\n00:22:53,600 –> 00:22:56,120
\nrealized that, wow, we should
\nget back to work. <\/p>\n
476
\n00:22:56,880 –> 00:22:59,880
\nBut Hagai challenges them during
\nthis period of, you know, when <\/p>\n
477
\n00:22:59,880 –> 00:23:03,040
\nhe comes along, as God raises up
\nHagai and Zechariah to stir up <\/p>\n
478
\n00:23:03,040 –> 00:23:06,760
\nthe people, he challenges them
\nand says, look, is it a time for<\/p>\n
479
\n00:23:06,760 –> 00:23:09,040
\nyou to dwell in your panelled
\nhouses? <\/p>\n
480
\n00:23:09,320 –> 00:23:13,240
\nAnd the temple lies in ruins.
\nAnd we know that what happened <\/p>\n
481
\n00:23:13,240 –> 00:23:16,440
\nthen is that when the people
\nquit working on God’s temple, <\/p>\n
482
\n00:23:16,640 –> 00:23:19,880
\nwhen they weren’t working on
\nGod’s house anymore, they went <\/p>\n
483
\n00:23:19,880 –> 00:23:23,240
\nhome and worked on their own.
\nThat that’s what we do as people<\/p>\n
484
\n00:23:23,240 –> 00:23:25,480
\nwhen we get discouraged.
\nYou don’t want to work in the <\/p>\n
485
\n00:23:25,480 –> 00:23:28,760
\necclesia, had enough trouble, We
\ngo home and we just take care of<\/p>\n
486
\n00:23:28,760 –> 00:23:31,960
\nourselves, our own lives.
\nWe work more, we get more money,<\/p>\n
487
\n00:23:31,960 –> 00:23:34,080
\nwe get all this stuff.
\nYou know, if you’re a farmer, <\/p>\n
488
\n00:23:34,080 –> 00:23:36,920
\nthey build, they they plant more
\nstuff and their farms increase. <\/p>\n
489
\n00:23:37,200 –> 00:23:40,240
\nAnd so he says, look, consider
\nyour ways. <\/p>\n
490
\n00:23:40,560 –> 00:23:43,160
\nI I like the way some of the
\nversions they they translate <\/p>\n
491
\n00:23:43,160 –> 00:23:45,720
\nthat consider how you have
\nfared. <\/p>\n
492
\n00:23:46,080 –> 00:23:47,960
\nHow are things going in your
\nlife? <\/p>\n
493
\n00:23:48,360 –> 00:23:50,120
\nYou know, you’re you’re doing
\nall this stuff, thinking you’re <\/p>\n
494
\n00:23:50,120 –> 00:23:53,480
\ngoing to amass all these things.
\nBut, you know, how’s it working?<\/p>\n
495
\n00:23:53,480 –> 00:23:55,960
\nYou know, you’ve sown much, but
\nyou bring in little. <\/p>\n
496
\n00:23:56,440 –> 00:23:58,680
\nYou know, you eat, but you don’t
\nhave enough. <\/p>\n
497
\n00:23:58,880 –> 00:24:00,960
\nYou drink, but you’re not filled
\nwith drink. <\/p>\n
498
\n00:24:01,160 –> 00:24:03,560
\nYou clothe yourselves, but no
\none is warm. <\/p>\n
499
\n00:24:03,840 –> 00:24:07,400
\nAnd he who earns wages, earns
\nwages to put into a bag with <\/p>\n
500
\n00:24:07,400 –> 00:24:09,520
\nholes.
\nSort of a way of describing <\/p>\n
501
\n00:24:09,520 –> 00:24:11,720
\ninflation, right?
\nWell, you simply think you’re <\/p>\n
502
\n00:24:11,720 –> 00:24:13,920
\ngetting more money, but actually
\nyou’re really not. <\/p>\n
503
\n00:24:14,360 –> 00:24:18,480
\nBut that’s God was working in
\ntheir lives ruining the things <\/p>\n
504
\n00:24:18,480 –> 00:24:20,600
\nthat they thought they were
\ngoing to accomplish and get all <\/p>\n
505
\n00:24:20,600 –> 00:24:22,720
\nthis stuff.
\nAnd he just makes it all. <\/p>\n
506
\n00:24:22,720 –> 00:24:26,040
\nHe blows it all away trying to
\nconvince them to get back to <\/p>\n
507
\n00:24:26,040 –> 00:24:29,040
\nwork on his house.
\nAnd it’s fascinating when you <\/p>\n
508
\n00:24:29,040 –> 00:24:32,560
\nwatch in Zechariah chapter 4,
\nwhen Zechariah comes along <\/p>\n
509
\n00:24:32,560 –> 00:24:35,840
\ntalking about this and the night
\nvisions that he sees in chapter <\/p>\n
510
\n00:24:35,840 –> 00:24:39,360
\nfour, that the word of the Lord
\ncame to him this in this one <\/p>\n
511
\n00:24:39,360 –> 00:24:41,960
\nnight.
\nAnd you see in verse nine that <\/p>\n
512
\n00:24:42,040 –> 00:24:45,040
\nGod assured him the angel’s
\ntalking to him and he says, look<\/p>\n
513
\n00:24:45,040 –> 00:24:48,640
\nZechariah that are Zorbable.
\nHe says, look at the hands of <\/p>\n
514
\n00:24:48,640 –> 00:24:51,080
\nZerubbable have laid the
\nfoundation of this temple. <\/p>\n
515
\n00:24:51,080 –> 00:24:54,720
\nHis hands shall also finish it
\nso that Zechariah could cut him <\/p>\n
516
\n00:24:54,720 –> 00:24:56,760
\nout the next day.
\nAnd he said, I saw this vision <\/p>\n
517
\n00:24:57,000 –> 00:24:59,840
\nand and the vision showed me
\nthat look at Zerubbable, you, <\/p>\n
518
\n00:25:00,160 –> 00:25:02,600
\nyou, Zerubbel, you’re going to
\nbe there when the temple’s <\/p>\n
519
\n00:25:02,600 –> 00:25:03,880
\nfinished.
\nWe’re going to get it done. <\/p>\n
520
\n00:25:04,040 –> 00:25:06,840
\nAnd you are going to operate as
\nthe governor because he would <\/p>\n
521
\n00:25:06,840 –> 00:25:09,760
\nhave been the the king at this
\ntime in the line of Christ, It <\/p>\n
522
\n00:25:09,760 –> 00:25:12,240
\nwould have been Zerubbable.
\nAnd then you will know that the <\/p>\n
523
\n00:25:12,240 –> 00:25:13,720
\nLord of hosts has sent me to
\nyou. <\/p>\n
524
\n00:25:14,680 –> 00:25:18,280
\nBut look at that next section
\nthere for who has despised the <\/p>\n
525
\n00:25:18,280 –> 00:25:22,280
\nday of small things?
\nAnd I think it’s a warning to <\/p>\n
526
\n00:25:22,280 –> 00:25:24,000
\nus.
\nBrothers and sisters, especially<\/p>\n
527
\n00:25:24,000 –> 00:25:27,120
\nas older ones, don’t despise
\nwhat the young people are doing,<\/p>\n
528
\n00:25:27,400 –> 00:25:29,760
\ndon’t despise their enthusiasm
\nfor the truth. <\/p>\n
529
\n00:25:30,080 –> 00:25:33,080
\nWe have young people today that
\nare great with music and do <\/p>\n
530
\n00:25:33,080 –> 00:25:36,560
\nthings that I could never do.
\nAnd they they can use technology<\/p>\n
531
\n00:25:36,560 –> 00:25:38,200
\nin ways that I could never do
\nit. <\/p>\n
532
\n00:25:38,360 –> 00:25:42,240
\nAnd they understand so many
\nthings that we don’t understand.<\/p>\n
533
\n00:25:42,440 –> 00:25:45,520
\nWe got to tap into those
\nresources and and encourage them<\/p>\n
534
\n00:25:45,520 –> 00:25:48,560
\nand and say, this is great that
\nyou can do these things for us <\/p>\n
535
\n00:25:48,880 –> 00:25:51,800
\nbecause this is maybe a day
\nthat’s different than when we <\/p>\n
536
\n00:25:51,800 –> 00:25:53,760
\ngrew up.
\nAnd you might consider it to be <\/p>\n
537
\n00:25:53,760 –> 00:25:57,600
\na day of small things, but the
\nangels didn’t look at it that <\/p>\n
538
\n00:25:57,600 –> 00:25:59,200
\nway.
\nDo you notice that? <\/p>\n
539
\n00:25:59,760 –> 00:26:02,920
\nLook at what it says there about
\nthe angels for these seven. <\/p>\n
540
\n00:26:02,920 –> 00:26:05,920
\nThose are the seven eyes that
\nwere looking on the capstone <\/p>\n
541
\n00:26:05,920 –> 00:26:09,680
\nback earlier in the the seven
\neyes from Chapter 3, waiting for<\/p>\n
542
\n00:26:09,680 –> 00:26:13,120
\nthe capstone.
\nThe angels were looking at that <\/p>\n
543
\n00:26:13,120 –> 00:26:15,360
\nstone, waiting for the day when
\nit would go up. <\/p>\n
544
\n00:26:15,640 –> 00:26:20,160
\nThese seven angels, they
\nrejoiced to see the plumline and<\/p>\n
545
\n00:26:20,160 –> 00:26:23,680
\nthe hand of the eyes of the Lord
\nwas skinned to and fro <\/p>\n
546
\n00:26:23,680 –> 00:26:26,840
\nthroughout the whole earth.
\nNow here we are sometimes, you <\/p>\n
547
\n00:26:26,840 –> 00:26:28,840
\nknow, despising something that’s
\ngoing on. <\/p>\n
548
\n00:26:28,840 –> 00:26:31,880
\nIt’s not as good as what we did.
\nAnd we discourage people. <\/p>\n
549
\n00:26:32,160 –> 00:26:33,920
\nAnd the angels are on the
\nsidelines. <\/p>\n
550
\n00:26:33,920 –> 00:26:36,120
\nThey’re like, yes, we’ve been
\nworking with these people. <\/p>\n
551
\n00:26:36,280 –> 00:26:38,760
\nWe’ve been trying to get this
\nproject going, and it’s going <\/p>\n
552
\n00:26:38,760 –> 00:26:42,200
\nnow, and they’re excited about
\nit and we’re tearing it down. <\/p>\n
553
\n00:26:43,560 –> 00:26:46,320
\nYou ever thought of that before
\nthat that can actually happen? <\/p>\n
554
\n00:26:46,320 –> 00:26:48,640
\nAnd that’s what was going on
\nback here in the time of <\/p>\n
555
\n00:26:48,640 –> 00:26:51,320
\nZechariah.
\nThe angels couldn’t wait to get <\/p>\n
556
\n00:26:51,320 –> 00:26:55,640
\nthis temple done as as small as
\nit was and as unglorified as it <\/p>\n
557
\n00:26:55,640 –> 00:26:57,880
\nwas compared to the one earlier
\nwith Solomon. <\/p>\n
558
\n00:26:58,200 –> 00:27:01,560
\nThey saw that this was the best
\nthese people could do at that <\/p>\n
559
\n00:27:01,560 –> 00:27:04,640
\ntime with the resources the
\nangels had given them, and they <\/p>\n
560
\n00:27:04,640 –> 00:27:08,520
\nrealized it was really never
\nabout the Temple in the first <\/p>\n
561
\n00:27:08,520 –> 00:27:10,880
\nplace.
\nBut it was about people <\/p>\n
562
\n00:27:10,880 –> 00:27:13,880
\nlearning, people growing
\ntogether, finding how to <\/p>\n
563
\n00:27:13,880 –> 00:27:15,720
\nfunction together in the
\ncommunity. <\/p>\n
564
\n00:27:15,960 –> 00:27:19,960
\nAnd they saw this as a mechanism
\nto train people into godliness, <\/p>\n
565
\n00:27:20,200 –> 00:27:22,280
\nand angels totally understand
\nthat. <\/p>\n
566
\n00:27:22,800 –> 00:27:25,760
\nSo be careful that our
\ncovetousness doesn’t really turn<\/p>\n
567
\n00:27:25,760 –> 00:27:28,120
\ninto idolatry.
\nIt’s one of those things that we<\/p>\n
568
\n00:27:28,120 –> 00:27:32,640
\ngot to be careful of ourselves.
\nSo I want to spend the last 20 <\/p>\n
569
\n00:27:32,640 –> 00:27:34,480
\nminutes or so.
\nI’m looking at God’s election. <\/p>\n
570
\n00:27:34,480 –> 00:27:36,120
\nI’ll give you the Cliff Notes
\nversion of it. <\/p>\n
571
\n00:27:36,640 –> 00:27:38,200
\nA number of you have asked me
\nabout this. <\/p>\n
572
\n00:27:38,200 –> 00:27:41,600
\nIt’s one of those topics that it
\nwas, this is not the way I grew <\/p>\n
573
\n00:27:41,600 –> 00:27:43,600
\nup.
\nAnd I it’s, I really think it’s <\/p>\n
574
\n00:27:43,600 –> 00:27:46,560
\nsomething that came to US one
\ntime when we were reading Romans<\/p>\n
575
\n00:27:46,560 –> 00:27:49,440
\n9 with our kids and we used to
\nuse the Children’s International<\/p>\n
576
\n00:27:49,440 –> 00:27:51,440
\nBible.
\nAnd we read through this and it <\/p>\n
577
\n00:27:51,440 –> 00:27:53,400
\nwas like, I got one of those wow
\nmoments. <\/p>\n
578
\n00:27:53,400 –> 00:27:57,040
\nIt’s like I’ve never understood
\nthis before and it and it and, <\/p>\n
579
\n00:27:57,080 –> 00:27:59,640
\nyou know, I remember still
\nworking one day on a lecture, <\/p>\n
580
\n00:27:59,640 –> 00:28:02,640
\nrealizing that when I was
\ntalking about the gospel going <\/p>\n
581
\n00:28:02,640 –> 00:28:05,760
\nout and the coming of Christ and
\nChrist setting up the Kingdom, I<\/p>\n
582
\n00:28:05,760 –> 00:28:08,480
\nfinally realized, oh, that’s
\nwhat Paul was talking about <\/p>\n
583
\n00:28:08,920 –> 00:28:11,280
\nbecause that you start looking
\nat, well, what’s going to happen<\/p>\n
584
\n00:28:11,280 –> 00:28:14,920
\nwhen Christ returns.
\nI think the apostle Paul knew <\/p>\n
585
\n00:28:14,920 –> 00:28:18,120
\nthis, the best of all the
\nwriters of the Bible, because he<\/p>\n
586
\n00:28:18,120 –> 00:28:19,760
\nhad experienced it in his own
\nlife. <\/p>\n
587
\n00:28:20,160 –> 00:28:21,960
\nHe wrote Romans.
\nThis is Paul. <\/p>\n
588
\n00:28:22,400 –> 00:28:24,600
\nHe studied at the feet of
\nGamaliel. <\/p>\n
589
\n00:28:24,600 –> 00:28:28,080
\nHe worked in, worked in his
\nBible, study his Bible marking <\/p>\n
590
\n00:28:28,080 –> 00:28:31,560
\nhis Bible re.
\nHe knew his Bible inside out. <\/p>\n
591
\n00:28:33,240 –> 00:28:37,160
\nHe was on the wrong side.
\nThe wrong side. <\/p>\n
592
\n00:28:37,160 –> 00:28:39,640
\nIt wasn’t about, you know,
\nsincerity. <\/p>\n
593
\n00:28:40,000 –> 00:28:42,280
\nIt wasn’t that he he wasn’t
\nsincere enough. <\/p>\n
594
\n00:28:42,920 –> 00:28:47,160
\nYou know, it’s it’s that God
\nhadn’t opened his eyes. <\/p>\n
595
\n00:28:48,000 –> 00:28:50,840
\nHe actually got blinded, and
\nthen his eyes were open to <\/p>\n
596
\n00:28:50,840 –> 00:28:54,080
\nfinally see it.
\nBut Paul realized he would. <\/p>\n
597
\n00:28:54,080 –> 00:28:57,480
\nHe would have spent his whole
\nlife on the wrong side of <\/p>\n
598
\n00:28:57,480 –> 00:29:00,360
\neverything if Christ hadn’t
\nstopped him on the road to <\/p>\n
599
\n00:29:00,360 –> 00:29:03,240
\nDamascus.
\nAnd he realized more than anyone<\/p>\n
600
\n00:29:03,240 –> 00:29:07,520
\nthat it was all about God
\nrevealing it to him, opening his<\/p>\n
601
\n00:29:07,520 –> 00:29:10,720
\neyes to see it.
\nAnd he understood that a lot of <\/p>\n
602
\n00:29:10,720 –> 00:29:12,720
\nother people never get that
\nopportunity. <\/p>\n
603
\n00:29:13,400 –> 00:29:16,480
\nThey don’t all get their eyes
\nopen and I think you’ll see that<\/p>\n
604
\n00:29:16,480 –> 00:29:19,000
\nas he writes through Romans,
\nRomans Chapter 9. <\/p>\n
605
\n00:29:19,280 –> 00:29:21,400
\nAlthough I could clear from the
\nbeginning, some people have <\/p>\n
606
\n00:29:21,400 –> 00:29:23,800
\nmisread this in the past and
\ntalked to me later on and and I <\/p>\n
607
\n00:29:23,800 –> 00:29:26,480
\nthought I was talking about who
\ngets accepted at the judgement <\/p>\n
608
\n00:29:26,480 –> 00:29:28,320
\nseat.
\nThat’s not what Romans 9 is <\/p>\n
609
\n00:29:28,320 –> 00:29:31,680
\nabout.
\nRomans 9 is who gets invited to <\/p>\n
610
\n00:29:31,680 –> 00:29:34,440
\nthe family of God, not who’s
\nactually accepted. <\/p>\n
611
\n00:29:34,440 –> 00:29:36,200
\nAnd yet this is about the
\ninvitation. <\/p>\n
612
\n00:29:36,520 –> 00:29:39,880
\nWho does God invite into his
\nking, into his family today? <\/p>\n
613
\n00:29:40,200 –> 00:29:42,800
\nWho does he invite?
\nOut of the 8 1\/2 billion people <\/p>\n
614
\n00:29:42,800 –> 00:29:45,040
\non our planet today, who’s
\ngetting invited? <\/p>\n
615
\n00:29:45,560 –> 00:29:49,840
\nWho’s actually given the call?
\nIt’s more about opportunity, and<\/p>\n
616
\n00:29:49,840 –> 00:29:51,440
\nI do think it’s really
\ndifficult. <\/p>\n
617
\n00:29:51,440 –> 00:29:54,080
\nWhen we’ve been raised as a
\nChristadelphian and we’ve grown <\/p>\n
618
\n00:29:54,080 –> 00:29:58,120
\nup in a culture, we sort of had
\nthis cultural viewpoint of how <\/p>\n
619
\n00:29:58,120 –> 00:30:01,440
\nGod’s election worked.
\nBut I would challenge you to say<\/p>\n
620
\n00:30:01,440 –> 00:30:04,160
\nto really look at it today and
\nsee whether your cultural <\/p>\n
621
\n00:30:04,160 –> 00:30:09,280
\nexplanation fits with Romans
\nChapter 9, and mine did not. <\/p>\n
622
\n00:30:09,280 –> 00:30:12,080
\nI have to admit that it didn’t
\nfit with what I read in Romans <\/p>\n
623
\n00:30:12,080 –> 00:30:14,480
\nChapter 9.
\nAnd that God, you know, he <\/p>\n
624
\n00:30:14,480 –> 00:30:17,640
\nbrings things into our lives to
\nhelp us sometimes get outside <\/p>\n
625
\n00:30:17,640 –> 00:30:20,560
\nthe box, which is what I needed.
\nSo here’s the deal. <\/p>\n
626
\n00:30:20,560 –> 00:30:22,960
\nWe got 8 1\/2 billion people on
\nthe planet. <\/p>\n
627
\n00:30:22,960 –> 00:30:26,000
\nI think most of us can’t even
\nreally understand what that <\/p>\n
628
\n00:30:26,000 –> 00:30:29,360
\nnumber is. 8 1\/2 billion people.
\nThat’s a lot of people. <\/p>\n
629
\n00:30:29,880 –> 00:30:32,720
\nYou know, the the population of
\nthe earth was only about 1 <\/p>\n
630
\n00:30:32,720 –> 00:30:36,520
\nbillion at early 1800s and now
\nit’s grown to 8 1\/2 billion. <\/p>\n
631
\n00:30:37,040 –> 00:30:40,440
\nYou know, so does everybody get
\nan opportunity to to come into <\/p>\n
632
\n00:30:40,440 –> 00:30:44,080
\nthe, the, the into God’s family?
\nDoes God invite everybody out <\/p>\n
633
\n00:30:44,080 –> 00:30:47,160
\nthere to come into the family?
\nIs that really how this works? <\/p>\n
634
\n00:30:47,680 –> 00:30:49,840
\nDoes everybody get the same
\nopportunity? <\/p>\n
635
\n00:30:50,440 –> 00:30:53,240
\nAnd I grew up realizing, well,
\nthere’s people that I know who <\/p>\n
636
\n00:30:53,240 –> 00:30:56,160
\nhave never read a Bible in their
\nlife, never heard about a Bible.<\/p>\n
637
\n00:30:56,520 –> 00:30:59,480
\nI met a lot of Muslims and they
\nthey weren’t that that way. <\/p>\n
638
\n00:30:59,800 –> 00:31:03,280
\nThere’s a lot of people that we
\nfound out in China or in North <\/p>\n
639
\n00:31:03,280 –> 00:31:06,320
\nKorea, never had Bibles don’t
\nknow anything about Jesus <\/p>\n
640
\n00:31:06,320 –> 00:31:07,760
\nChrist.
\nThey don’t even know who he is <\/p>\n
641
\n00:31:08,480 –> 00:31:11,880
\nand realized that no, not
\neverybody gets the same <\/p>\n
642
\n00:31:11,880 –> 00:31:15,240
\ninvitation that I got.
\nIt’s really not the same. <\/p>\n
643
\n00:31:15,680 –> 00:31:19,040
\nSo what’s actually going on with
\nthis idea of God’s feeling? <\/p>\n
644
\n00:31:19,960 –> 00:31:23,200
\nTo understand Romans Chapter 9,
\nwe first of all have to realize <\/p>\n
645
\n00:31:23,200 –> 00:31:25,160
\nwe’ve got to.
\nHopefully we read Romans 1-2 and<\/p>\n
646
\n00:31:25,160 –> 00:31:26,800
\nthree before we get to Chapter
\n9. <\/p>\n
647
\n00:31:27,120 –> 00:31:31,080
\nBut in Romans 1-2 and three,
\nPaul lays out so clearly that <\/p>\n
648
\n00:31:31,080 –> 00:31:34,320
\nGod put the gospel out there.
\nHe showed the Gentiles his his <\/p>\n
649
\n00:31:34,320 –> 00:31:36,520
\ncreation, and they turned it
\ndown. <\/p>\n
650
\n00:31:36,520 –> 00:31:40,360
\nThey went into their godless
\nways, and so God gave them up. <\/p>\n
651
\n00:31:41,360 –> 00:31:44,480
\nThat’s the way Romans one ends.
\nHe gave up on the Gentiles. <\/p>\n
652
\n00:31:44,800 –> 00:31:46,680
\nHe called the few here and
\nthere. <\/p>\n
653
\n00:31:46,680 –> 00:31:49,640
\nHe got rehabs and he got roosts,
\nand he got different ones that <\/p>\n
654
\n00:31:49,640 –> 00:31:51,600
\ncame in.
\nBut, but most of the Gentiles, <\/p>\n
655
\n00:31:51,920 –> 00:31:55,520
\nfor some of the time of Abraham,
\nGod only worked with Abraham’s <\/p>\n
656
\n00:31:55,520 –> 00:31:58,240
\nfamily.
\nHe didn’t invite everybody. <\/p>\n
657
\n00:31:58,320 –> 00:32:02,280
\nHe worked with Abraham’s family.
\nSo that Paul would say that look<\/p>\n
658
\n00:32:02,280 –> 00:32:05,760
\nat the Gentiles, they failed.
\nIn chapter 2 of Romans, the <\/p>\n
659
\n00:32:05,760 –> 00:32:08,560
\nJews, you failed.
\nAnd he gets to chapter 3 and he <\/p>\n
660
\n00:32:08,560 –> 00:32:11,600
\nsays, look at all of you have
\nfallen short of the glory of <\/p>\n
661
\n00:32:11,600 –> 00:32:13,680
\nGod.
\nEverybody has. <\/p>\n
662
\n00:32:14,400 –> 00:32:17,880
\nSo then he starts looking at the
\nfact, well, do you deserve to <\/p>\n
663
\n00:32:17,880 –> 00:32:21,040
\nhave a chance?
\nYou deserve an opportunity. <\/p>\n
664
\n00:32:21,760 –> 00:32:23,680
\nIt’s sort of like, you know,
\nyou’re going through Job and you<\/p>\n
665
\n00:32:23,680 –> 00:32:25,800
\nonly Job wants this opportunity
\nto talk to God. <\/p>\n
666
\n00:32:25,800 –> 00:32:28,360
\nHe wants to justify himself.
\nYou know, would would you go to <\/p>\n
667
\n00:32:28,360 –> 00:32:31,840
\nGod at at the resurrection and
\njudgment And we we tell Jesus <\/p>\n
668
\n00:32:31,840 –> 00:32:34,720
\nthat it wasn’t really fair.
\nYou didn’t call my neighbor. <\/p>\n
669
\n00:32:34,720 –> 00:32:37,720
\nI really like that person.
\nYou didn’t call my neighbor. <\/p>\n
670
\n00:32:37,720 –> 00:32:40,440
\nI wish you would have.
\nIs that what we’re going to do? <\/p>\n
671
\n00:32:40,440 –> 00:32:43,560
\nYou know, we look across the
\nworld, look at all. <\/p>\n
672
\n00:32:43,560 –> 00:32:45,760
\nWe saw what’s going on in
\nPakistan right now. <\/p>\n
673
\n00:32:45,760 –> 00:32:49,920
\nThat wasn’t happening back 50
\nyears ago, but it is now God’s <\/p>\n
674
\n00:32:49,920 –> 00:32:53,280
\ncalling people in Pakistan that
\nnever got called before. <\/p>\n
675
\n00:32:53,600 –> 00:32:55,160
\nThat was really fascinating to
\nme. <\/p>\n
676
\n00:32:55,440 –> 00:32:59,160
\nBut this is what changing the
\ncalling in our lifetime. <\/p>\n
677
\n00:32:59,480 –> 00:33:02,600
\nWe’re not using UK so much
\nAmerica. <\/p>\n
678
\n00:33:02,600 –> 00:33:05,560
\nHe’s not using the the
\ncountries, maybe even Australia.<\/p>\n
679
\n00:33:05,720 –> 00:33:08,520
\nThe truth is just sort of
\nstabilized there or the numbers <\/p>\n
680
\n00:33:08,520 –> 00:33:12,360
\nare going down, but they’re
\ngrowing in Africa and India and <\/p>\n
681
\n00:33:12,360 –> 00:33:14,120
\nPakistan and all these other
\nplaces. <\/p>\n
682
\n00:33:14,320 –> 00:33:17,040
\nHe’s calling people in other
\nareas today. <\/p>\n
683
\n00:33:17,720 –> 00:33:23,320
\nSo the key is to realize though
\nfrom the start, nobody deserves <\/p>\n
684
\n00:33:23,400 –> 00:33:26,720
\nthe opportunity.
\nAnd if you think you do that <\/p>\n
685
\n00:33:26,720 –> 00:33:28,280
\nthis is not going to make sense
\nto you. <\/p>\n
686
\n00:33:29,160 –> 00:33:32,680
\nBut the humanistic spirit gets
\nin there and we think that we <\/p>\n
687
\n00:33:32,680 –> 00:33:36,480
\nall deserve a chance.
\nAnd that’s not what Paul says in<\/p>\n
688
\n00:33:36,480 –> 00:33:38,280
\nRomans Chapter 9.
\nHe says, no, you don’t all <\/p>\n
689
\n00:33:38,280 –> 00:33:41,880
\ndeserve a chance.
\nThe whole world is is God. <\/p>\n
690
\n00:33:41,880 –> 00:33:45,240
\nIt it wanders away from God.
\nYou’re going to see as we get <\/p>\n
691
\n00:33:45,240 –> 00:33:48,640
\ninto Leviathan and Behemoth
\ntomorrow and Job that that was <\/p>\n
692
\n00:33:48,640 –> 00:33:50,480
\nthe challenge that Jack left us
\nwith. <\/p>\n
693
\n00:33:50,480 –> 00:33:51,640
\nHe said he’s going to cover
\ntomorrow. <\/p>\n
694
\n00:33:51,800 –> 00:33:54,360
\nIs that look at can you control
\nthat? <\/p>\n
695
\n00:33:54,880 –> 00:33:57,080
\nCan you get to my Kingdom on
\nyour own? <\/p>\n
696
\n00:33:57,800 –> 00:34:00,200
\nNo, you can’t.
\nYou won’t be a member of my <\/p>\n
697
\n00:34:00,200 –> 00:34:02,320
\nfamily just by striving after it
\non yourself. <\/p>\n
698
\n00:34:02,320 –> 00:34:06,040
\nYou can’t even control pride.
\nYou can’t control these things. <\/p>\n
699
\n00:34:06,040 –> 00:34:10,600
\nYou need me to change your life.
\nAnd when God does that and he <\/p>\n
700
\n00:34:10,600 –> 00:34:15,480
\nsays, look at it’s all up to me.
\nHe gets the right and the <\/p>\n
701
\n00:34:15,480 –> 00:34:19,000
\nauthority and his righteousness
\nto decide, all right, I’m going <\/p>\n
702
\n00:34:19,000 –> 00:34:22,719
\nto do that for you and for you
\nand for you and for you. <\/p>\n
703
\n00:34:22,719 –> 00:34:26,880
\nAnd he picks people that he
\nwants to invite into his family,<\/p>\n
704
\n00:34:27,520 –> 00:34:29,520
\nand he doesn’t invite the whole
\nworld. <\/p>\n
705
\n00:34:30,120 –> 00:34:32,800
\nAnd we read passages like God so
\nloved the world that he gave his<\/p>\n
706
\n00:34:32,800 –> 00:34:35,440
\nonly begotten son.
\nAnd yes, he wished the world <\/p>\n
707
\n00:34:35,440 –> 00:34:37,719
\nwould have responded.
\nBut you look to the history of <\/p>\n
708
\n00:34:37,719 –> 00:34:39,800
\nthe Bible.
\nThey never did. <\/p>\n
709
\n00:34:40,239 –> 00:34:43,320
\nGod loved the world.
\nAnd so he picks people and he <\/p>\n
710
\n00:34:43,320 –> 00:34:46,520
\nopens the eyes of their
\nunderstanding, as Paul says in <\/p>\n
711
\n00:34:46,520 –> 00:34:49,159
\nIn Ephesians One.
\nHe opens their eyes. <\/p>\n
712
\n00:34:49,320 –> 00:34:52,120
\nHe says that the Jews that the
\nveil lies over their eyes and <\/p>\n
713
\n00:34:52,120 –> 00:34:56,480
\nthey cannot see until he removes
\nthe veil, which he will do <\/p>\n
714
\n00:34:57,160 –> 00:34:59,040
\nwithout God’s invention
\nintervention. <\/p>\n
715
\n00:34:59,040 –> 00:35:01,880
\nNobody would make it.
\nNone of us would make it. <\/p>\n
716
\n00:35:02,160 –> 00:35:04,960
\nThe the Marvel brothers and
\nsisters and young people isn’t <\/p>\n
717
\n00:35:04,960 –> 00:35:08,880
\nthat he leaves so many outs.
\nThe miracle of God is that he’s <\/p>\n
718
\n00:35:08,880 –> 00:35:12,600
\nable to save anybody.
\nThat’s the miracle. <\/p>\n
719
\n00:35:12,760 –> 00:35:16,360
\nWithout the active work of
\nangels in your lives and and <\/p>\n
720
\n00:35:16,360 –> 00:35:19,160
\nworking in you and giving you
\nthe Bible to read and sending <\/p>\n
721
\n00:35:19,160 –> 00:35:21,880
\nangels to work with you and on
\nthe community at large to help <\/p>\n
722
\n00:35:21,880 –> 00:35:25,760
\nus and spouses that do and
\nchildren Without that none of us<\/p>\n
723
\n00:35:25,760 –> 00:35:30,360
\nwould make understanding of
\nRomans one and two and three <\/p>\n
724
\n00:35:30,360 –> 00:35:31,880
\nbefore you.
\nChapter 9. <\/p>\n
725
\n00:35:31,880 –> 00:35:35,840
\nIt’s very difficult to save
\npeople, as you’re going to see <\/p>\n
726
\n00:35:35,840 –> 00:35:37,680
\nwith with God’s challenge to
\nJob. <\/p>\n
727
\n00:35:37,680 –> 00:35:40,760
\nYou can’t even control pride.
\nHow do you think you’re ever <\/p>\n
728
\n00:35:40,760 –> 00:35:42,840
\ngoing to save yourself?
\nAnd your righteousness could be <\/p>\n
729
\n00:35:42,840 –> 00:35:45,160
\nmore than God’s.
\nIt just isn’t going to happen. <\/p>\n
730
\n00:35:45,480 –> 00:35:49,160
\nSo God never intended for
\neverybody to have the same <\/p>\n
731
\n00:35:49,160 –> 00:35:51,400
\nopportunities.
\nFrom maybe the time of Adam and <\/p>\n
732
\n00:35:51,400 –> 00:35:54,160
\nEve on up, you know, you get to
\nthe time of the flood and start <\/p>\n
733
\n00:35:54,160 –> 00:35:55,720
\nover.
\nMaybe then he was working with <\/p>\n
734
\n00:35:55,720 –> 00:35:59,880
\nall of Noah’s family, but most
\nof the time God was only working<\/p>\n
735
\n00:35:59,880 –> 00:36:02,800
\nwith select groups.
\nAnd you see that so clear with <\/p>\n
736
\n00:36:02,800 –> 00:36:05,360
\nAbraham, it’s like we’re not
\ngoing to work with everybody <\/p>\n
737
\n00:36:05,360 –> 00:36:06,960
\nanymore.
\nWe’re going to pick Abraham. <\/p>\n
738
\n00:36:06,960 –> 00:36:09,480
\nAnd he says with Abraham, you
\nI’m going to have a family. <\/p>\n
739
\n00:36:09,680 –> 00:36:12,000
\nI know you’re going to train
\nyour children and we’ll work <\/p>\n
740
\n00:36:12,000 –> 00:36:14,560
\nwith that family.
\nAnd then when it comes time to <\/p>\n
741
\n00:36:14,560 –> 00:36:18,520
\nJesus dying, when he dies, now
\nPaul has to give an explanation <\/p>\n
742
\n00:36:18,520 –> 00:36:23,360
\nto the Jews who had for 1500
\nyears there, 2000 years. <\/p>\n
743
\n00:36:23,360 –> 00:36:26,440
\nThey they were the ones.
\nThey were the family God was <\/p>\n
744
\n00:36:26,600 –> 00:36:30,600
\ninviting into his Kingdom.
\nAnd now Paul has to be able to <\/p>\n
745
\n00:36:30,600 –> 00:36:33,880
\nexplain to Jews, God’s not
\nworking with you so much <\/p>\n
746
\n00:36:33,880 –> 00:36:36,480
\nanymore.
\nHe’s turned to the Gentiles. <\/p>\n
747
\n00:36:37,400 –> 00:36:39,640
\nAnd the Jews are like, that’s
\nnot fair. <\/p>\n
748
\n00:36:40,600 –> 00:36:41,720
\nI mean, that’s what they
\nthought. <\/p>\n
749
\n00:36:41,720 –> 00:36:43,960
\nThis isn’t right.
\nHow can you do that? <\/p>\n
750
\n00:36:44,240 –> 00:36:46,440
\nWe’re the people of God.
\nWe’re the ones. <\/p>\n
751
\n00:36:46,880 –> 00:36:49,480
\nWe’re the ones you should be
\nworking with us, not those <\/p>\n
752
\n00:36:49,480 –> 00:36:53,720
\nGentiles.
\nPaul has to explain it’s not <\/p>\n
753
\n00:36:53,720 –> 00:36:58,360
\nabout what you want, and it’s
\nnot about how hard you work. <\/p>\n
754
\n00:36:59,440 –> 00:37:02,680
\nIt’s about God’s mercy.
\nNobody deserves it. <\/p>\n
755
\n00:37:02,760 –> 00:37:07,400
\nNobody can do it on their own.
\nIt’s to have mercy on. <\/p>\n
756
\n00:37:07,840 –> 00:37:11,240
\nAnd because it’s he’s doing all
\nthe work, it’s really it’s his <\/p>\n
757
\n00:37:11,240 –> 00:37:14,040
\nteam he’s financing, He does all
\nthe work for this. <\/p>\n
758
\n00:37:14,360 –> 00:37:16,680
\nHe can pick and choose who he
\nwants. <\/p>\n
759
\n00:37:17,160 –> 00:37:20,160
\nIt’s his choice.
\nIf he decides to leave people <\/p>\n
760
\n00:37:20,160 –> 00:37:22,600
\nout, that’s his choice.
\nIt’s God’s family. <\/p>\n
761
\n00:37:22,920 –> 00:37:26,080
\nSo out of those 8 1\/2 billion on
\nthe planet right now, today, <\/p>\n
762
\n00:37:26,280 –> 00:37:29,640
\nmost of them have been left out.
\nAnd and don’t be fooled by the <\/p>\n
763
\n00:37:29,640 –> 00:37:32,600
\nfact that when I was raised, we
\nwere all told in Matthew 13, <\/p>\n
764
\n00:37:32,600 –> 00:37:34,640
\nwell, they’re not good soil now.
\nThat’s it. <\/p>\n
765
\n00:37:34,640 –> 00:37:36,120
\nThey’re not soil.
\nThat’s what we were told. <\/p>\n
766
\n00:37:36,360 –> 00:37:37,760
\nThat’s why they don’t accept the
\ntruth. <\/p>\n
767
\n00:37:37,760 –> 00:37:40,600
\nThey’re not good soil.
\nBut one day when I was given <\/p>\n
768
\n00:37:40,600 –> 00:37:43,080
\nthis lecture, it just dawned on
\nme through this lecture, I’m <\/p>\n
769
\n00:37:43,080 –> 00:37:45,520
\nlooking at these 8 1\/2 billion
\npeople and thinking, Oh my <\/p>\n
770
\n00:37:45,520 –> 00:37:49,560
\ngoodness, when Jesus comes back,
\nwhat’s he going to do with those<\/p>\n
771
\n00:37:49,560 –> 00:37:54,000
\n8 1\/2 billion people?
\nI mean, if you take, if you take<\/p>\n
772
\n00:37:54,000 –> 00:37:56,720
\nthe averages of the Jews and the
\nland, 2\/3 are going to be cut <\/p>\n
773
\n00:37:56,720 –> 00:37:57,760
\noff.
\nWhat if? <\/p>\n
774
\n00:37:57,760 –> 00:38:00,880
\nWhat if That’s just a a a
\nrepresentation of how difficult <\/p>\n
775
\n00:38:00,880 –> 00:38:03,560
\nit is to save anybody and maybe
\n2\/3 of the world is going to <\/p>\n
776
\n00:38:03,560 –> 00:38:06,200
\ndie.
\nSo take away 2\/3 of the 8 1\/2 <\/p>\n
777
\n00:38:06,200 –> 00:38:07,560
\nbillion people.
\nWhat are you left with? <\/p>\n
778
\n00:38:08,200 –> 00:38:13,640
\nDo you realize over 2 billion
\npeople today who are alive are <\/p>\n
779
\n00:38:13,640 –> 00:38:17,080
\ngoing to respond to the gospel?
\n2 billion? <\/p>\n
780
\n00:38:17,080 –> 00:38:19,640
\nThat’s huge.
\nThere’s no way we can reach <\/p>\n
781
\n00:38:19,640 –> 00:38:23,400
\nthose people today.
\nBut God will open the eyes of <\/p>\n
782
\n00:38:23,400 –> 00:38:26,160
\ntheir understanding.
\nJesus Christ is going to be <\/p>\n
783
\n00:38:26,160 –> 00:38:29,600
\nrevealed to them.
\nThese very same people that I <\/p>\n
784
\n00:38:29,600 –> 00:38:32,520
\nwould have called bad soil,
\nthey’re going to all of a sudden<\/p>\n
785
\n00:38:32,520 –> 00:38:35,800
\nbecome really good soil.
\nThose are the people we’re going<\/p>\n
786
\n00:38:35,800 –> 00:38:38,400
\nto work with in the Kingdom age.
\nThey’re not bad. <\/p>\n
787
\n00:38:38,680 –> 00:38:41,480
\nThey just haven’t been invited
\nyet. <\/p>\n
788
\n00:38:41,480 –> 00:38:46,680
\nAnd if Christ had come back 200
\nyears ago, if the same thing <\/p>\n
789
\n00:38:46,680 –> 00:38:49,680
\nwould have happened with those
\npeople, a huge number of them <\/p>\n
790
\n00:38:49,680 –> 00:38:52,440
\nwould have been converted in the
\nKingdom when all will know me <\/p>\n
791
\n00:38:52,440 –> 00:38:54,000
\nfrom the least unto the
\ngreatest. <\/p>\n
792
\n00:38:54,560 –> 00:38:56,720
\nAnd yet they didn’t have that
\nopportunity. <\/p>\n
793
\n00:38:56,720 –> 00:38:59,600
\nAnd they died not knowing, never
\nbeen invited, and they’re gone. <\/p>\n
794
\n00:39:00,400 –> 00:39:03,640
\nBut when Christ comes back, oh
\nwow, that’s what really <\/p>\n
795
\n00:39:03,640 –> 00:39:07,280
\nclarified it to me, is that it’s
\nnot about so much our preaching <\/p>\n
796
\n00:39:07,280 –> 00:39:09,880
\ntoday, although we do have to
\npreach, and God blesses our <\/p>\n
797
\n00:39:10,400 –> 00:39:11,520
\nefforts.
\nAnd it’s wonderful. <\/p>\n
798
\n00:39:11,760 –> 00:39:14,960
\nI was fascinated by the growth
\nof the truth in Pakistan. <\/p>\n
799
\n00:39:14,960 –> 00:39:18,800
\nIt’s great, but God’s trying to
\nshow us that it’s all about who <\/p>\n
800
\n00:39:18,800 –> 00:39:21,320
\nhe invites.
\nYou can invite everybody you <\/p>\n
801
\n00:39:21,320 –> 00:39:24,880
\nwant here in Australia, and you
\nmay not get many at all, not <\/p>\n
802
\n00:39:24,880 –> 00:39:26,840
\nmany at all.
\nBut boy, over there, he’s <\/p>\n
803
\n00:39:26,840 –> 00:39:30,760
\ninviting a lot of people into
\nhis Kingdom, you know, and it’ll<\/p>\n
804
\n00:39:30,760 –> 00:39:34,000
\nall change when Jesus Christ
\nreturns billions. <\/p>\n
805
\n00:39:34,000 –> 00:39:35,200
\nJust think about that for a
\nminute. <\/p>\n
806
\n00:39:35,400 –> 00:39:39,800
\nBillions of people today who we
\nwould just say won’t accept the <\/p>\n
807
\n00:39:39,800 –> 00:39:41,080
\ntruth.
\nWe write them off. <\/p>\n
808
\n00:39:41,080 –> 00:39:42,520
\nWe don’t think God can work with
\nthem. <\/p>\n
809
\n00:39:42,920 –> 00:39:45,600
\nOh no.
\nHe’s going to open the eyes of <\/p>\n
810
\n00:39:45,600 –> 00:39:49,120
\ntheir understanding, remove the
\nveil that they can’t see and <\/p>\n
811
\n00:39:49,120 –> 00:39:51,480
\nwow, they’re going to become the
\npeople we work with in the <\/p>\n
812
\n00:39:51,480 –> 00:39:54,040
\nKingdom age.
\nSee, you know, you look back, <\/p>\n
813
\n00:39:54,040 –> 00:39:56,320
\nthis is all over the New
\nTestament if we just look <\/p>\n
814
\n00:39:56,320 –> 00:39:58,480
\ncarefully and we start to read
\nthe Bible a little bit <\/p>\n
815
\n00:39:58,480 –> 00:40:00,800
\ndifferently.
\nBut you look at why did Jesus <\/p>\n
816
\n00:40:00,800 –> 00:40:03,840
\nspeak in parables?
\nWhy did he do that? <\/p>\n
817
\n00:40:03,840 –> 00:40:07,480
\nHe said he spoke in parables and
\nhe told his disciples, he said <\/p>\n
818
\n00:40:07,480 –> 00:40:10,640
\nlook to you, it has been given
\nto know the mysteries of the <\/p>\n
819
\n00:40:10,640 –> 00:40:15,800
\nKingdom of heaven to you.
\nIt has been given, not you. <\/p>\n
820
\n00:40:16,080 –> 00:40:19,680
\nYou studied, you researched, you
\nworked, you did all this work <\/p>\n
821
\n00:40:19,680 –> 00:40:21,760
\nand so now you’re going to be
\ninvited to the Kingdom. <\/p>\n
822
\n00:40:22,040 –> 00:40:25,920
\nNo to you it has been given to
\nunderstand the mysteries of the <\/p>\n
823
\n00:40:25,920 –> 00:40:28,160
\nKingdom of heaven.
\nGod has opened your eyes, He’s <\/p>\n
824
\n00:40:28,160 –> 00:40:31,640
\nallowed you to see it.
\nBut I speak to all these people <\/p>\n
825
\n00:40:31,640 –> 00:40:36,920
\nin parables in verse 13, because
\nseeing they do not see, in <\/p>\n
826
\n00:40:36,920 –> 00:40:40,000
\nhearing, they do not understand.
\nThey do not hear nor do they <\/p>\n
827
\n00:40:40,000 –> 00:40:43,600
\nunderstand.
\nHe didn’t want all of them to <\/p>\n
828
\n00:40:43,600 –> 00:40:47,120
\nunderstand and see and hear.
\nTheir eyes were not being opened<\/p>\n
829
\n00:40:47,120 –> 00:40:49,560
\nyet.
\nThe Jews, the veil. <\/p>\n
830
\n00:40:51,720 –> 00:40:54,000
\nHe was not inviting those
\npeople. <\/p>\n
831
\n00:40:54,760 –> 00:40:57,840
\nAnd you see the results of that.
\nHe didn’t want all those Jews <\/p>\n
832
\n00:40:57,840 –> 00:40:59,680
\nunderstand.
\nHe started opening the eyes of <\/p>\n
833
\n00:40:59,680 –> 00:41:04,160
\nGentiles and they began to see,
\nsee, that’s so hard for us to <\/p>\n
834
\n00:41:04,160 –> 00:41:07,080
\nunderstand, brother and sister.
\nI fought that for years until <\/p>\n
835
\n00:41:07,080 –> 00:41:10,720
\nrealizing Romans 9 was the key,
\nthat that’s that’s where he <\/p>\n
836
\n00:41:10,720 –> 00:41:14,160
\nfinally lays all this out.
\nSee, as as parents, what we want<\/p>\n
837
\n00:41:14,160 –> 00:41:16,880
\nto do is we want to we want to
\nsay that, you know, if I do all <\/p>\n
838
\n00:41:16,880 –> 00:41:20,080
\nthese things with my children, I
\ncan guarantee that they will get<\/p>\n
839
\n00:41:20,080 –> 00:41:23,440
\nbaptized and be in the Kingdom.
\nThat’s what we want to believe. <\/p>\n
840
\n00:41:24,000 –> 00:41:28,320
\nBut see, that’s humanism that’s
\ncoming from humans up, not from <\/p>\n
841
\n00:41:28,320 –> 00:41:31,320
\nGod down.
\nWhat God wants us to understand <\/p>\n
842
\n00:41:31,320 –> 00:41:35,920
\nis no matter what we do, no
\nmatter how hard we work and how <\/p>\n
843
\n00:41:35,920 –> 00:41:38,360
\nmuch we want our children to, to
\nbe there. <\/p>\n
844
\n00:41:38,920 –> 00:41:41,320
\nIt’s about God who extends
\nmercy. <\/p>\n
845
\n00:41:41,800 –> 00:41:45,040
\nAnd that’s Romans Chapter 9.
\nYou’ll see this all over and <\/p>\n
846
\n00:41:45,040 –> 00:41:47,160
\nover again.
\nThat’s what God wants us to <\/p>\n
847
\n00:41:47,160 –> 00:41:48,920
\nknow.
\nIt’s about His mercy. <\/p>\n
848
\n00:41:49,360 –> 00:41:52,360
\nSo instead of, you know, it’s
\ngood to work hard, it’s good to <\/p>\n
849
\n00:41:52,360 –> 00:41:53,800
\nget our children all these
\nplaces. <\/p>\n
850
\n00:41:53,800 –> 00:41:55,160
\nI I don’t want you to
\nmisunderstand. <\/p>\n
851
\n00:41:55,320 –> 00:41:57,480
\nWe did that with our kids.
\nWe went to everything. <\/p>\n
852
\n00:41:57,800 –> 00:42:00,560
\nSue and I were involved in Cyc
\nand Sunday school. <\/p>\n
853
\n00:42:00,560 –> 00:42:02,160
\nWe taught the midweek kids
\nclass. <\/p>\n
854
\n00:42:02,160 –> 00:42:05,720
\nWe we did all those things for
\nour children, but at the same <\/p>\n
855
\n00:42:05,720 –> 00:42:10,520
\ntime you’re praying and pleading
\nwith God to include them in his <\/p>\n
856
\n00:42:10,520 –> 00:42:13,640
\nelection.
\nIt is his choice and he and he <\/p>\n
857
\n00:42:13,640 –> 00:42:16,600
\ndoesn’t have to.
\nHe doesn’t have to, but he <\/p>\n
858
\n00:42:16,600 –> 00:42:18,480
\nusually does because he loves
\nus. <\/p>\n
859
\n00:42:19,120 –> 00:42:22,320
\nSo you look back in the past,
\nlook at what God has done from <\/p>\n
860
\n00:42:22,320 –> 00:42:24,200
\nAdam on.
\nHe tried working with everybody,<\/p>\n
861
\n00:42:24,600 –> 00:42:26,600
\nbut then he wiped them out in
\nthe flood. <\/p>\n
862
\n00:42:26,680 –> 00:42:29,360
\nHe wiped all those people out
\nand just picked Noah and said <\/p>\n
863
\n00:42:29,360 –> 00:42:31,240
\nI’ll work with you and your
\nfamily, that’s it. <\/p>\n
864
\n00:42:31,240 –> 00:42:34,280
\nWe’ll go from there.
\nAnd then with Abraham, he got to<\/p>\n
865
\n00:42:34,280 –> 00:42:36,840
\nthe same point and instead of
\nwiping them out with a flood, he<\/p>\n
866
\n00:42:36,840 –> 00:42:38,840
\njust picked Abraham and said,
\nI’ll just work with you. <\/p>\n
867
\n00:42:38,840 –> 00:42:41,480
\nI’m going to invite your
\ndescendants into the family. <\/p>\n
868
\n00:42:41,920 –> 00:42:43,960
\nAnd then from there, he chose
\nIsaac and some of his <\/p>\n
869
\n00:42:43,960 –> 00:42:46,320
\ndescendants and so on all the
\nway down the line. <\/p>\n
870
\n00:42:46,320 –> 00:42:48,960
\nAnd finally, in the New
\nTestament, Paul takes the gospel<\/p>\n
871
\n00:42:48,960 –> 00:42:52,680
\nout to the Gentiles.
\nThe the marvelous thing is, when<\/p>\n
872
\n00:42:52,680 –> 00:42:57,440
\nyou’re sitting here today,
\nappreciate that God has called <\/p>\n
873
\n00:42:57,480 –> 00:42:59,480
\nyou.
\nYou’ve been invited to the <\/p>\n
874
\n00:42:59,480 –> 00:43:01,240
\nKingdom.
\nThat’s why you’re here. <\/p>\n
875
\n00:43:01,480 –> 00:43:03,560
\nYou’ve been invited into the
\nfamily of God. <\/p>\n
876
\n00:43:03,560 –> 00:43:07,160
\nYou’ve been given something that
\nthe rest of the people here in <\/p>\n
877
\n00:43:07,160 –> 00:43:11,320
\nAustralia don’t have.
\nAppreciate it and let it grow in<\/p>\n
878
\n00:43:11,320 –> 00:43:12,160
\nyou.
\nLike, that’s good. <\/p>\n
879
\n00:43:12,360 –> 00:43:13,880
\nThat mustard seed.
\nLet it grow. <\/p>\n
880
\n00:43:14,120 –> 00:43:17,640
\nSo in Romans 9, Paul gives the
\nbest exposition you could ever <\/p>\n
881
\n00:43:17,640 –> 00:43:20,680
\nask for about God’s election.
\nThat’s what he calls it, God’s <\/p>\n
882
\n00:43:20,680 –> 00:43:25,400
\nelection, because he’s trying to
\nexplain to the Jews why the <\/p>\n
883
\n00:43:25,400 –> 00:43:27,400
\nGospel’s going out to the
\nGentiles. <\/p>\n
884
\n00:43:27,400 –> 00:43:31,000
\nAnd you Jews, you’re you’re
\nyou’re not really the big family<\/p>\n
885
\n00:43:31,000 –> 00:43:33,320
\nanymore.
\nThe Gentiles are taking over. <\/p>\n
886
\n00:43:33,680 –> 00:43:36,440
\nAnd what he does is he
\nillustrates this idea that it’s <\/p>\n
887
\n00:43:36,440 –> 00:43:39,640
\nGod’s choice of The Who he
\nbrings into his family. <\/p>\n
888
\n00:43:39,880 –> 00:43:43,360
\nAnd it’s he does that to make
\nsure we don’t boast in <\/p>\n
889
\n00:43:43,360 –> 00:43:45,080
\nourselves.
\nHe doesn’t want any of us to <\/p>\n
890
\n00:43:45,080 –> 00:43:46,720
\nglory.
\nIn the fact that Sue and I could<\/p>\n
891
\n00:43:46,720 –> 00:43:49,640
\nlook back, somebody might say at
\nat a restaurant one day, they’d <\/p>\n
892
\n00:43:49,640 –> 00:43:52,040
\nsay, wow, your kids are really
\nwell behaved and they’re amazed <\/p>\n
893
\n00:43:52,040 –> 00:43:53,800
\nat that.
\nAnd you start, you learn over <\/p>\n
894
\n00:43:53,800 –> 00:43:57,600
\ntime, That’s not us.
\nThat’s what God has done in our <\/p>\n
895
\n00:43:57,600 –> 00:43:59,280
\nchildren.
\nIt isn’t us. <\/p>\n
896
\n00:43:59,760 –> 00:44:02,560
\nIt’s the fact that the Bible,
\nthrough the word of God, has <\/p>\n
897
\n00:44:02,560 –> 00:44:05,240
\ntaken over their lives and
\ntaught them how to behave. <\/p>\n
898
\n00:44:05,560 –> 00:44:07,880
\nAnd it’s it’s something that God
\nhas done for us. <\/p>\n
899
\n00:44:07,880 –> 00:44:10,520
\nHe’s allowed us to understand
\nand read his word. <\/p>\n
900
\n00:44:10,760 –> 00:44:13,280
\nThat’s what God has done.
\nSo you just watch in a few <\/p>\n
901
\n00:44:13,280 –> 00:44:16,080
\nminutes here, we’ll look at why.
\nWhy did Abraham, Why did God <\/p>\n
902
\n00:44:16,080 –> 00:44:20,160
\nallow Abraham to have two sons?
\nWhy did he do this by Hagar and <\/p>\n
903
\n00:44:20,160 –> 00:44:22,480
\nSarah?
\nAnd then, you know, later on in <\/p>\n
904
\n00:44:22,480 –> 00:44:26,600
\nThe Next Generation, you have
\nISIS got twins by Rebecca See. <\/p>\n
905
\n00:44:26,640 –> 00:44:28,440
\nAnd reading through Genesis for
\nyears. <\/p>\n
906
\n00:44:28,440 –> 00:44:32,160
\nI got to admit, I I never really
\nsaw this until I read Romans 9. <\/p>\n
907
\n00:44:33,000 –> 00:44:36,160
\nSo Paul says, look it, I could
\nhave prayed for my community. <\/p>\n
908
\n00:44:36,160 –> 00:44:39,080
\nI could have gone for them.
\nBut, you know, Paul realizes <\/p>\n
909
\n00:44:39,080 –> 00:44:41,280
\nthat they were a curse from
\nChrist, his brethren, his <\/p>\n
910
\n00:44:41,280 –> 00:44:42,480
\ncountrymen.
\nBut he loved them. <\/p>\n
911
\n00:44:42,640 –> 00:44:45,800
\nHe wanted his Jewish countrymen
\nto be saved, Look at all the <\/p>\n
912
\n00:44:45,800 –> 00:44:49,160
\nthings that they had.
\nBut he realized God had turned <\/p>\n
913
\n00:44:49,160 –> 00:44:52,120
\naway from the Jews and was
\nturning to the Gentiles. <\/p>\n
914
\n00:44:52,560 –> 00:44:55,880
\nSo he brings out the fact that
\nin Romans 9 and verse six, it’s <\/p>\n
915
\n00:44:55,880 –> 00:44:57,960
\nnot like the word of God has
\ntaken no effect. <\/p>\n
916
\n00:44:57,960 –> 00:45:00,160
\nIn other words, God’s God’s plan
\nhasn’t failed. <\/p>\n
917
\n00:45:00,480 –> 00:45:03,680
\nIt’s not like God failed.
\nSomehow He’s moved on to a <\/p>\n
918
\n00:45:03,680 –> 00:45:07,080
\ndifferent group of people.
\nAnd he points out that look at <\/p>\n
919
\n00:45:07,080 –> 00:45:10,240
\nfolks, you Jews that that think
\nyou were the people, that <\/p>\n
920
\n00:45:10,240 –> 00:45:13,440
\nthey’re not all Israel who are
\nof Israel, nor are all the are <\/p>\n
921
\n00:45:13,440 –> 00:45:15,560
\nthey all children because
\nthey’re the seed of Abraham. <\/p>\n
922
\n00:45:15,760 –> 00:45:18,440
\nThey thought because they were
\nthe seed of Abraham, they were <\/p>\n
923
\n00:45:18,440 –> 00:45:21,280
\nthe chosen people.
\nBut he says look at the promised<\/p>\n
924
\n00:45:21,280 –> 00:45:24,760
\nsaid in Isaac, your seed will be
\nblessed, that is, those who are <\/p>\n
925
\n00:45:24,760 –> 00:45:27,320
\nthe children of the flesh.
\nThey are not the children of <\/p>\n
926
\n00:45:27,320 –> 00:45:30,760
\nGod, but the children of the
\npromised are counted as the sea.<\/p>\n
927
\n00:45:31,160 –> 00:45:34,640
\nSo, so far he’s got them to at
\nleast accept that not all <\/p>\n
928
\n00:45:34,640 –> 00:45:36,800
\nAbraham’s children are God’s
\nchildren. <\/p>\n
929
\n00:45:37,120 –> 00:45:40,120
\nSo you look back at Abraham, he
\nhad what, three different wives?<\/p>\n
930
\n00:45:40,280 –> 00:45:44,320
\nHe had all these different kids.
\nBut in the end, God only picked <\/p>\n
931
\n00:45:44,320 –> 00:45:47,720
\none Isaac, and said that’s the
\none I’m going to work with. <\/p>\n
932
\n00:45:47,720 –> 00:45:50,200
\nI’m going to invite Isaac and
\nhis family, some of his <\/p>\n
933
\n00:45:50,200 –> 00:45:53,720
\ndescendants, not, not the rest.
\nAnd that’s what he did. <\/p>\n
934
\n00:45:54,160 –> 00:45:57,800
\nSo you’ve got God’s election is
\nPaul’s working out one man, one <\/p>\n
935
\n00:45:57,800 –> 00:46:00,000
\nwoman, and Hagar.
\nAnd now we got a child through <\/p>\n
936
\n00:46:00,000 –> 00:46:03,720
\nHagar and a child through Sarah.
\nNow, Paul knew that the Jews <\/p>\n
937
\n00:46:03,720 –> 00:46:06,960
\nwould say, well, the reason God
\ndidn’t work with Ishmael is <\/p>\n
938
\n00:46:06,960 –> 00:46:09,160
\nbecause he was the son of a
\nslave woman. <\/p>\n
939
\n00:46:09,440 –> 00:46:12,640
\nThey knew that, Paul knew that.
\nBut at least that’s where the <\/p>\n
940
\n00:46:12,640 –> 00:46:14,920
\nstart was.
\nBut did you realize that that <\/p>\n
941
\n00:46:14,920 –> 00:46:18,720
\nGod doesn’t even call Ishmael
\nAbraham’s son when he says to <\/p>\n
942
\n00:46:18,720 –> 00:46:20,560
\nAbraham, you know that would
\nhurt Abraham. <\/p>\n
943
\n00:46:20,800 –> 00:46:25,080
\nTake your son, your only son
\nIsaac, and offer him as a burnt <\/p>\n
944
\n00:46:25,080 –> 00:46:27,200
\noffering.
\nThis is the Abraham who had <\/p>\n
945
\n00:46:27,200 –> 00:46:31,320
\nraised Ishmael for 14 years,
\ncircumcised him, taught him the <\/p>\n
946
\n00:46:31,320 –> 00:46:33,720
\ntruth, All these things he’d
\ndone for Ishmael. <\/p>\n
947
\n00:46:33,960 –> 00:46:37,400
\nAnd he’s 14 years old.
\nAnd now God says, I’m going to <\/p>\n
948
\n00:46:37,400 –> 00:46:39,960
\nwork with Isaac, not with
\nIshmael. <\/p>\n
949
\n00:46:39,960 –> 00:46:42,120
\nAnd in the end, you’ve got to
\nsend Hagar and Ishmael away. <\/p>\n
950
\n00:46:42,200 –> 00:46:44,600
\nYou’re going to divorce Hagar,
\ndisown Ishmael. <\/p>\n
951
\n00:46:44,760 –> 00:46:48,240
\nThey’re not going to be part of
\nthe family because it’s not what<\/p>\n
952
\n00:46:48,240 –> 00:46:52,800
\nwe want rather than sisters or
\nhow hard we work, but it’s of <\/p>\n
953
\n00:46:52,800 –> 00:46:55,760
\nGod who shows mercy.
\nSo that’s his start. <\/p>\n
954
\n00:46:55,920 –> 00:46:58,920
\nBut he realizes that the Jews
\nwould have made-up this huge <\/p>\n
955
\n00:46:58,920 –> 00:47:01,320
\nexcuse about why they didn’t
\ncall Ishmael. <\/p>\n
956
\n00:47:01,600 –> 00:47:03,360
\nHe realized they were both
\ncircumcised. <\/p>\n
957
\n00:47:03,600 –> 00:47:06,400
\nThey were both in the covenant
\nor whatever you want to call <\/p>\n
958
\n00:47:06,400 –> 00:47:08,960
\nthat.
\nBut God chose to only work with <\/p>\n
959
\n00:47:08,960 –> 00:47:11,360
\none He’s going to work with
\nIsaac’s descendants. <\/p>\n
960
\n00:47:11,800 –> 00:47:15,240
\nSo what happens next though, is
\nthat in verse 9, the word of the<\/p>\n
961
\n00:47:15,240 –> 00:47:18,520
\npromise at this time I will come
\nand say we’ll have a son. <\/p>\n
962
\n00:47:18,560 –> 00:47:22,760
\nSo now we have Isaac who’s come
\nalong, and Isaac is going to be <\/p>\n
963
\n00:47:22,760 –> 00:47:26,560
\nthe child of the promise.
\nSo what happens then in Chapter <\/p>\n
964
\n00:47:26,560 –> 00:47:30,120
\n9 at verse 10, if Paul goes on
\nand says, did you catch that <\/p>\n
965
\n00:47:30,120 –> 00:47:33,880
\nreading through Genesis?
\nNot only this, but when Rebecca <\/p>\n
966
\n00:47:33,880 –> 00:47:39,120
\nin the next generation conceived
\nby one man the same dad, and <\/p>\n
967
\n00:47:39,120 –> 00:47:44,720
\nshe’s having twins born at the
\nexact same time, look at verse <\/p>\n
968
\n00:47:44,720 –> 00:47:47,600
\n11.
\nNow this is challenging for us. <\/p>\n
969
\n00:47:47,760 –> 00:47:52,520
\nThis is Paul challenging us for
\nthe children, not yet being <\/p>\n
970
\n00:47:52,600 –> 00:47:58,440
\nborn, nor having done any good
\nor evil that the purpose of God <\/p>\n
971
\n00:47:58,440 –> 00:48:00,840
\naccording to election might
\nstand. <\/p>\n
972
\n00:48:00,840 –> 00:48:06,280
\nIn other words, who God wants to
\ninvite, not who we want, Not of <\/p>\n
973
\n00:48:06,280 –> 00:48:09,920
\nworks, but of him who calls.
\nIt’s all about God’s calling. <\/p>\n
974
\n00:48:09,920 –> 00:48:12,520
\nIt was said to her, the older
\nwill serve the younger. <\/p>\n
975
\n00:48:12,560 –> 00:48:15,240
\nAnd as it’s written, Jacob I
\nhave loved and Esau I have <\/p>\n
976
\n00:48:15,240 –> 00:48:17,080
\nhated.
\nNow I know you can be sitting <\/p>\n
977
\n00:48:17,080 –> 00:48:19,040
\nthere thinking, well, God knows
\nthe future. <\/p>\n
978
\n00:48:19,080 –> 00:48:21,640
\nYou know how Jacob would be and
\nEsau would be. <\/p>\n
979
\n00:48:21,640 –> 00:48:24,720
\nAnd we make up all these excuses
\nabout why God chose Jacob. <\/p>\n
980
\n00:48:25,360 –> 00:48:28,040
\nBut when you’re reading through
\nGenesis, is Jacob really a great<\/p>\n
981
\n00:48:28,040 –> 00:48:30,120
\nguy from the beginning?
\nAll right. <\/p>\n
982
\n00:48:30,120 –> 00:48:32,920
\nAnd think about it.
\nHe had a lot of things God had <\/p>\n
983
\n00:48:32,920 –> 00:48:39,840
\nto work out of him, and we don’t
\nknow what, what what Esau would <\/p>\n
984
\n00:48:39,840 –> 00:48:42,120
\nhave been like if God hadn’t
\nworked in his life. <\/p>\n
985
\n00:48:42,320 –> 00:48:45,720
\nThese are two people that Paul
\nhad said earlier in Romans. <\/p>\n
986
\n00:48:45,720 –> 00:48:47,680
\nNone of them deserve to be
\nthere. <\/p>\n
987
\n00:48:48,120 –> 00:48:52,160
\nThey’re not really good at all
\nin terms of like good people, <\/p>\n
988
\n00:48:52,400 –> 00:48:56,200
\ntheir soil, their lumps of clay
\nthat God could work with or not <\/p>\n
989
\n00:48:56,200 –> 00:48:59,480
\nwork with.
\nAnd he chose to work with Jacob <\/p>\n
990
\n00:48:59,720 –> 00:49:02,480
\nand not with Esau.
\nThat was God’s choice. <\/p>\n
991
\n00:49:02,840 –> 00:49:07,080
\nPaul, you can’t read into this
\nGod’s, for Paul says nothing <\/p>\n
992
\n00:49:07,080 –> 00:49:09,920
\nabout God’s foreknowledge.
\nHe says look at it. <\/p>\n
993
\n00:49:09,920 –> 00:49:13,040
\nGod chose to invite Jacob and
\nnot Esau. <\/p>\n
994
\n00:49:13,360 –> 00:49:16,640
\nIt was God’s choice.
\nHe has the prerogative, the <\/p>\n
995
\n00:49:16,640 –> 00:49:19,160
\nright, it’s the righteousness of
\nGod to choose. <\/p>\n
996
\n00:49:19,440 –> 00:49:22,760
\nSo this time we got one mom, one
\ndad, twins born at the same <\/p>\n
997
\n00:49:22,760 –> 00:49:24,640
\ntime.
\nAnd God says I’m going to work <\/p>\n
998
\n00:49:24,640 –> 00:49:27,040
\nwith Jacob.
\nAnd you see what he does is he <\/p>\n
999
\n00:49:27,040 –> 00:49:30,120
\ndid this because brethren and
\nsisters, he wanted the Jews to <\/p>\n
1000
\n00:49:30,120 –> 00:49:33,280
\nknow forever.
\nHe wanted them to realize it was<\/p>\n
1001
\n00:49:33,280 –> 00:49:36,760
\nnot about what they wanted.
\nYou aren’t better people than <\/p>\n
1002
\n00:49:36,760 –> 00:49:39,600
\nall those Gentiles out there.
\nIt was never about that. <\/p>\n
1003
\n00:49:39,600 –> 00:49:41,840
\nIt’s that I chose to work with
\nyou. <\/p>\n
1004
\n00:49:42,120 –> 00:49:44,760
\nI’m extending mercy to you that
\nI didn’t extend. <\/p>\n
1005
\n00:49:44,760 –> 00:49:48,920
\nTo Esau and his descendants.
\nIt’s all about what God did for <\/p>\n
1006
\n00:49:48,920 –> 00:49:53,240
\nyou, not about how hard you
\nworked or what you wanted. <\/p>\n
1007
\n00:49:53,560 –> 00:49:57,600
\nAnd that’s what he’s the Potter.
\nAs Paul develops later on in the<\/p>\n
1008
\n00:49:57,600 –> 00:50:01,040
\nchapter, So what if God decided
\nto just work with South America <\/p>\n
1009
\n00:50:01,040 –> 00:50:03,200
\nand that’s all.
\nAnd from that, that’s when <\/p>\n
1010
\n00:50:03,200 –> 00:50:05,040
\nChrist comes back.
\nHe just wants to save South <\/p>\n
1011
\n00:50:05,040 –> 00:50:06,640
\nAmerica.
\nCan he do that? <\/p>\n
1012
\n00:50:07,520 –> 00:50:10,600
\nIs that fair?
\nSee, if we’re struggling with <\/p>\n
1013
\n00:50:10,600 –> 00:50:12,840
\nthat idea, We don’t understand
\nGod’s election. <\/p>\n
1014
\n00:50:13,280 –> 00:50:17,360
\nGod can choose to work with
\nwhoever he chooses. <\/p>\n
1015
\n00:50:17,560 –> 00:50:20,280
\nIt’s his prerogative.
\nHe’s the Potter, and if he <\/p>\n
1016
\n00:50:20,280 –> 00:50:23,760
\ndoesn’t work with with you,
\nnobody will make it. <\/p>\n
1017
\n00:50:24,120 –> 00:50:27,040
\nNobody.
\nAnd so he has the right to pick <\/p>\n
1018
\n00:50:27,040 –> 00:50:30,280
\nwho he chooses to work with.
\nSo what this does, for me at <\/p>\n
1019
\n00:50:30,280 –> 00:50:33,360
\nleast, is it teaches me that
\nover time I’ve learned to pray a<\/p>\n
1020
\n00:50:33,360 –> 00:50:35,920
\nlot more, that God will work
\nwith our children, with all of <\/p>\n
1021
\n00:50:35,920 –> 00:50:39,240
\nyou, with your children.
\nWe we pray that God will choose <\/p>\n
1022
\n00:50:39,240 –> 00:50:41,960
\nthem for his election.
\nBut that’s what God has done. <\/p>\n
1023
\n00:50:41,960 –> 00:50:45,160
\nAnd Paul reveals in Romans 9 is
\nthat out of all the people <\/p>\n
1024
\n00:50:45,160 –> 00:50:48,200
\nalive, there are some who are
\nsoft clay, but there’s a whole <\/p>\n
1025
\n00:50:48,200 –> 00:50:49,880
\nbunch of them that never get
\ninvited. <\/p>\n
1026
\n00:50:50,000 –> 00:50:52,360
\nThey could have been, but they
\nwere never invited. <\/p>\n
1027
\n00:50:52,360 –> 00:50:53,680
\nMaybe they will be in the
\nKingdom. <\/p>\n
1028
\n00:50:53,680 –> 00:50:56,840
\nFinally, out of those thought
\nopens the eyes of some of those <\/p>\n
1029
\n00:50:56,840 –> 00:50:59,400
\npeople.
\nAnd he calls, Paul goes on and <\/p>\n
1030
\n00:50:59,400 –> 00:51:03,080
\nsays all of those people, some
\nof those are justified or <\/p>\n
1031
\n00:51:03,080 –> 00:51:05,840
\nthey’re chosen because they
\nresponded by their free will. <\/p>\n
1032
\n00:51:06,040 –> 00:51:08,560
\nAnd finally, in the end, some of
\nthose are going to be glorified.<\/p>\n
1033
\n00:51:08,960 –> 00:51:10,440
\nAnd you know, that’s the the
\nproblem. <\/p>\n
1034
\n00:51:10,560 –> 00:51:13,000
\nWhat Paul knew is that he knew
\nthose Jews were going to say <\/p>\n
1035
\n00:51:13,000 –> 00:51:16,200
\nthat’s not fair.
\nSome of our Bible versions <\/p>\n
1036
\n00:51:16,200 –> 00:51:18,960
\nactually say that in verse 14.
\nBut he also says, I know what <\/p>\n
1037
\n00:51:18,960 –> 00:51:20,640
\nyou’re going to think, you’re
\ngoing to all step there and say <\/p>\n
1038
\n00:51:20,640 –> 00:51:23,360
\nthat’s not fair.
\nAnd he keeps reminding them that<\/p>\n
1039
\n00:51:23,360 –> 00:51:26,520
\nGod’s the Potter, None of you
\nwould make it without the <\/p>\n
1040
\n00:51:26,520 –> 00:51:30,720
\ninfluence of God in your life.
\nAnd it’s a lot of work to save <\/p>\n
1041
\n00:51:30,720 –> 00:51:33,000
\npeople.
\nAnd if God has picked this one <\/p>\n
1042
\n00:51:33,000 –> 00:51:36,240
\nand this one and this one, he
\nhas the right to pick who he <\/p>\n
1043
\n00:51:36,240 –> 00:51:39,200
\nwants to invite into his family
\nand who he would like to save. <\/p>\n
1044
\n00:51:39,800 –> 00:51:42,800
\nSo, you know, balance out
\nbrothers and sisters from all of<\/p>\n
1045
\n00:51:42,800 –> 00:51:44,240
\nthis.
\nYes, we want to get our <\/p>\n
1046
\n00:51:44,240 –> 00:51:45,880
\nchildren.
\nWe want to get them out to we <\/p>\n
1047
\n00:51:45,880 –> 00:51:48,200
\nhave teachers Sunday school.
\nWe want to get them to Cyc. <\/p>\n
1048
\n00:51:48,200 –> 00:51:50,480
\nWe want to get them out to all
\nthese things. <\/p>\n
1049
\n00:51:50,480 –> 00:51:53,360
\nBut at the same time, balance
\nthat with God. <\/p>\n
1050
\n00:51:53,360 –> 00:51:57,360
\nPlease do what I can’t do.
\nOpen their eyes, change them, <\/p>\n
1051
\n00:51:57,640 –> 00:52:01,200
\nGet involved in their life, Send
\nangels to work in their lives <\/p>\n
1052
\n00:52:01,360 –> 00:52:05,240
\nand recognize all along the way
\nthat when it’s successful, it <\/p>\n
1053
\n00:52:05,240 –> 00:52:09,000
\nwasn’t because of what I did,
\nbut it was because of God who <\/p>\n
1054
\n00:52:09,000 –> 00:52:09,840
\nshows mercy.\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Class 1 from this series was used in GCT Episode 296. 1 00:00:01,480 –> 00:00:05,200 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,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"episode_type":"","audio_file":"https:\/\/anchor.fm\/s\/8765608\/podcast\/play\/86920182\/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2024-4-19%2Feac65958-8ff6-14c5-7aa4-84cc00daaed0.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:52:10","filesize":"119.44M","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"tags":[26],"series":[18],"class_list":["post-1130","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-season-6","series-gct-ext"],"aioseo_notices":[],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/goodchristadelphiantalks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/1319730-1546836077275-ad9b1fa65b482-scaled.jpg","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/goodchristadelphiantalks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/1319730-1546836075997-e4feb369d8bf.jpg?fit=400%2C400&ssl=1","download_link":"https:\/\/goodchristadelphiantalks.com\/podcast-download\/1130\/jim-styles-living-as-a-member-of-gods-family-class-4-you-cannot-serve-god-and-mammon","player_link":"https:\/\/goodchristadelphiantalks.com\/podcast-player\/1130\/jim-styles-living-as-a-member-of-gods-family-class-4-you-cannot-serve-god-and-mammon","audio_player":"https:\/\/goodchristadelphiantalks.com\/podcast-player\/1130\/jim-styles-living-as-a-member-of-gods-family-class-4-you-cannot-serve-god-and-mammon<\/a>","episode_data":{"playerMode":"dark","subscribeUrls":{"anchor":{"key":"anchor","url":"https:\/\/anchor.fm\/gct-extended","label":"Anchor","class":"anchor","icon":"anchor.png"},"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/good-christadelphian-talks-extended\/id1451458376?mt=2&uo=4","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"breaker":{"key":"breaker","url":"","label":"Breaker","class":"breaker","icon":"breaker.png"},"castbox":{"key":"castbox","url":"https:\/\/castbox.fm\/channel\/id1440738","label":"CastBox","class":"castbox","icon":"castbox.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"https:\/\/www.google.com\/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy84NzY1NjA4L3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"overcast":{"key":"overcast","url":"https:\/\/overcast.fm\/itunes1451458376\/good-christadelphian-talks-extended","label":"Overcast","class":"overcast","icon":"overcast.png"},"pocketcasts":{"key":"pocketcasts","url":"https:\/\/pca.st\/s6u6","label":"PocketCasts","class":"pocketcasts","icon":"pocketcasts.png"},"podbean":{"key":"podbean","url":"","label":"Podbean","class":"podbean","icon":"podbean.png"},"radio_public":{"key":"radio_public","url":"https:\/\/radiopublic.com\/good-christadelphian-talks-extend-8X4LpA","label":"Radio Public","class":"radio_public","icon":"radio-public.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/572NtU94bGKGknHF4gmlM6","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"},"stitcher":{"key":"stitcher","url":"https:\/\/www.stitcher.com\/podcast\/anchor-podcasts\/good-christadelphian-talks-extended","label":"Stitcher","class":"stitcher","icon":"stitcher.png"},"youtube":{"key":"youtube","url":"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/c\/GoodChristadelphianTalksPodcast","label":"YouTube","class":"youtube","icon":"youtube.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/goodchristadelphiantalks.com\/feed\/podcast\/gct-ext","embedCode":"Jim Styles – Living as a Member of God’s Family – Class 4 – You Cannot Serve God and Mammon<\/a><\/blockquote>