Class 6 from this series was used in GCT Episode 363.<\/p>\n
2
\n00:00:02,480 –> 00:00:04,960
\nLawrence from the Cleckheaton UK
\nEcclesia. <\/p>\n
3
\n00:00:05,440 –> 00:00:07,880
\nThe theme for Brother Martin’s
\nclasses this week has been The <\/p>\n
4
\n00:00:07,880 –> 00:00:12,400
\nParadox of Liberty and today’s
\nclass is entitled All Things are<\/p>\n
5
\n00:00:12,400 –> 00:00:15,560
\nLawful.
\nMartin, we added, you might <\/p>\n
6
\n00:00:15,560 –> 00:00:18,920
\nremember last yesterday, I was
\ngoing to say that last night, <\/p>\n
7
\n00:00:18,920 –> 00:00:22,200
\nyesterday, an extra principle,
\ndidn’t we, that service is not a<\/p>\n
8
\n00:00:22,200 –> 00:00:24,640
\ntransaction, that it’s been done
\nin love. <\/p>\n
9
\n00:00:25,120 –> 00:00:27,160
\nAnd we’re going to spend our
\nfinal session just digging <\/p>\n
10
\n00:00:27,160 –> 00:00:30,280
\nthrough the New Testament to
\nopen up one or two more of these<\/p>\n
11
\n00:00:30,280 –> 00:00:32,439
\nfreedom ideas.
\nWe’ve been working our way all <\/p>\n
12
\n00:00:32,439 –> 00:00:34,040
\nthe way through from beginning
\nto end. <\/p>\n
13
\n00:00:34,520 –> 00:00:36,680
\nAnd the point I’ve been trying
\nto bring out my brothers and <\/p>\n
14
\n00:00:36,680 –> 00:00:41,680
\nsisters is this, that the the
\nwall between US and the society <\/p>\n
15
\n00:00:41,680 –> 00:00:46,760
\nin which we live is not quite as
\nsolid as we might think and not <\/p>\n
16
\n00:00:46,760 –> 00:00:49,080
\nperhaps quite as solid as we
\nmight like it to be. <\/p>\n
17
\n00:00:50,280 –> 00:00:53,680
\nDiscipleship is about willingly
\ngiving things up. <\/p>\n
18
\n00:00:54,520 –> 00:00:57,760
\nAnd sometimes we just need a
\ngentle reminder about how we <\/p>\n
19
\n00:00:57,760 –> 00:00:59,880
\nmight best do that.
\nI’m going to take you on the <\/p>\n
20
\n00:00:59,880 –> 00:01:02,080
\nwhistle stop tour of the Gospel
\nof Mark to begin with. <\/p>\n
21
\n00:01:02,080 –> 00:01:03,760
\nCan you come with me to Mark
\nchapter 1? <\/p>\n
22
\n00:01:05,280 –> 00:01:09,160
\nGoing to go flying through four
\nor five passages just to tease <\/p>\n
23
\n00:01:09,160 –> 00:01:18,960
\nout this point once again.
\nSo Mark chapter 1, it’s the <\/p>\n
24
\n00:01:18,960 –> 00:01:20,120
\nbeginning of the Lord’s
\nministry. <\/p>\n
25
\n00:01:20,120 –> 00:01:24,960
\nOf course it comes verse 14,
\npreaching the Kingdom of God, <\/p>\n
26
\n00:01:24,960 –> 00:01:27,160
\nsaying the Kingdom of God is a
\nhand, repent and believe the <\/p>\n
27
\n00:01:27,160 –> 00:01:31,320
\ngospel and Mark one and verse
\n16, as Jesus walked by the Sea <\/p>\n
28
\n00:01:31,320 –> 00:01:34,760
\nof Galilee, he saw Simon and
\nAndrew his brother, casting a <\/p>\n
29
\n00:01:34,760 –> 00:01:36,760
\nnet into the sea, for they were
\nfishers. <\/p>\n
30
\n00:01:37,840 –> 00:01:40,400
\nAnd Jesus said to them, come
\nafter me and I will make you <\/p>\n
31
\n00:01:40,400 –> 00:01:43,600
\nfishers of men.
\nAnd straight away there’s <\/p>\n
32
\n00:01:43,600 –> 00:01:46,760
\nMark’s, Mark’s word, isn’t it?
\nStraight away they forsook their<\/p>\n
33
\n00:01:46,760 –> 00:01:50,720
\nNets and they followed him.
\nSo nothing surprising, nothing <\/p>\n
34
\n00:01:50,720 –> 00:01:53,320
\nrevolutionary.
\nJesus is walking by the sea and <\/p>\n
35
\n00:01:53,320 –> 00:01:57,280
\nhe called Simon and Andrew to
\nleave something behind and then <\/p>\n
36
\n00:01:57,280 –> 00:02:00,040
\nthey carry on and Jameson of
\nZebedee and John his brother are<\/p>\n
37
\n00:02:00,040 –> 00:02:03,600
\nin the ship mending their Nets.
\nAnd straight away he called them<\/p>\n
38
\n00:02:04,800 –> 00:02:09,520
\nand they left their father in
\nthe ship with the hired servants<\/p>\n
39
\n00:02:09,880 –> 00:02:12,240
\nand went on after him.
\nSimon and Andrew leave their <\/p>\n
40
\n00:02:12,240 –> 00:02:15,520
\nNets, their job.
\nJames and John leave the boat <\/p>\n
41
\n00:02:15,520 –> 00:02:18,000
\nbehind and their employees and
\ntheir dad. <\/p>\n
42
\n00:02:19,880 –> 00:02:22,160
\nNothing much to talk about there
\nother than the fact that people <\/p>\n
43
\n00:02:22,160 –> 00:02:25,000
\nare leaving things behind.
\nJust come over to chapter 2 and <\/p>\n
44
\n00:02:25,000 –> 00:02:29,040
\nverse 14, Jesus is walking by
\nthe seaside again and he sees <\/p>\n
45
\n00:02:29,040 –> 00:02:33,240
\nLevi, son of Alpheus, chapter 2,
\nverse 14, sitting at the receipt<\/p>\n
46
\n00:02:33,240 –> 00:02:34,920
\nof custom and says to him,
\nfollow me. <\/p>\n
47
\n00:02:34,920 –> 00:02:37,880
\nAnd Levi rose and followed him.
\nThere’s a pattern emerging, <\/p>\n
48
\n00:02:38,480 –> 00:02:41,640
\nisn’t there already, that we’re
\nseeing that fellowship with the <\/p>\n
49
\n00:02:41,640 –> 00:02:44,480
\nLord doesn’t?
\nJust happen by accident, doesn’t<\/p>\n
50
\n00:02:44,480 –> 00:02:48,120
\njust happen by coincidence.
\nThere is a plan of of teaching <\/p>\n
51
\n00:02:48,120 –> 00:02:51,200
\nand preaching and healing, and
\nthe Lord is going to <\/p>\n
52
\n00:02:51,200 –> 00:02:54,000
\npurposefully recruit a group of
\ndisciples from that. <\/p>\n
53
\n00:02:55,120 –> 00:02:56,960
\nBut it won’t be popular with
\neverybody. <\/p>\n
54
\n00:02:56,960 –> 00:03:01,480
\nJust come on to chapter 3 and
\nverse 31. <\/p>\n
55
\n00:03:03,720 –> 00:03:06,600
\nThere came his brothers and his
\nmother standing outside, sending<\/p>\n
56
\n00:03:06,600 –> 00:03:09,000
\nto him, calling him.
\nAnd the multitude said, Behold. <\/p>\n
57
\n00:03:09,000 –> 00:03:11,160
\nYour mother and your brothers
\nare outside looking for you. <\/p>\n
58
\n00:03:12,240 –> 00:03:13,720
\nAnd he answered and said, well,
\nwho? <\/p>\n
59
\n00:03:14,040 –> 00:03:16,600
\nAre who is my mother or my
\nbrothers? <\/p>\n
60
\n00:03:17,240 –> 00:03:19,000
\nAnd he looked at those around
\nhim and said, behold, my <\/p>\n
61
\n00:03:19,000 –> 00:03:21,640
\nmother’s and my and my mother
\nand my brothers. <\/p>\n
62
\n00:03:22,400 –> 00:03:26,320
\nFor whoever will do the will of
\nGod, the same is my brother and <\/p>\n
63
\n00:03:26,320 –> 00:03:29,960
\nmy sister and my mother.
\nNow there’s a point to be made <\/p>\n
64
\n00:03:29,960 –> 00:03:33,000
\nthat he doesn’t mention father.
\nAnd we could talk about that. <\/p>\n
65
\n00:03:33,000 –> 00:03:35,080
\nBut you know, everybody’s
\nleaving something. <\/p>\n
66
\n00:03:35,480 –> 00:03:37,720
\nPeople are leaving their jobs.
\nPeople are leaving their <\/p>\n
67
\n00:03:37,720 –> 00:03:40,400
\nlivelihoods, their employees,
\ntheir parents. <\/p>\n
68
\n00:03:40,880 –> 00:03:43,160
\nNow the Lord is leaving his
\nfamily behind. <\/p>\n
69
\n00:03:43,520 –> 00:03:46,680
\nThere’s a little marker being
\nlaid down here about the Lord’s <\/p>\n
70
\n00:03:46,680 –> 00:03:51,320
\nown commitment to His, to His
\nministry, to the service to <\/p>\n
71
\n00:03:51,320 –> 00:04:00,640
\nwhich His Father has called Him.
\nChapter 6 and verse 4, I suppose<\/p>\n
72
\n00:04:00,640 –> 00:04:02,440
\nverse 2, just to make sure we
\nknow where we are. <\/p>\n
73
\n00:04:02,440 –> 00:04:04,360
\nThe Sabbath has come and He’s
\nback in the synagogue again. <\/p>\n
74
\n00:04:04,360 –> 00:04:07,720
\nAnd they say of him, is this not
\nthe Carpenter, the son of Mary, <\/p>\n
75
\n00:04:07,720 –> 00:04:10,640
\nthe brother of James and Josephs
\nand Judas and Judas and Simon? <\/p>\n
76
\n00:04:10,640 –> 00:04:14,440
\nAnd are His sisters not here?
\nAnd they were offended by Him, <\/p>\n
77
\n00:04:16,120 –> 00:04:20,600
\nand He could do no mighty work.
\nThere, verse five, save laying <\/p>\n
78
\n00:04:20,600 –> 00:04:23,800
\nhis hands on a few sick folk,
\nthe Lord is giving up things. <\/p>\n
79
\n00:04:23,800 –> 00:04:26,840
\nHe is without honour amongst his
\nown family and in the area in <\/p>\n
80
\n00:04:26,840 –> 00:04:29,920
\nwhich he grows up.
\nDiscipleship is about giving <\/p>\n
81
\n00:04:29,920 –> 00:04:31,920
\nthings up.
\nCome to chapter 8 for the last <\/p>\n
82
\n00:04:32,560 –> 00:04:39,840
\nof this series of references.
\nVerse 34. <\/p>\n
83
\n00:04:39,840 –> 00:04:43,680
\nWhen he had called the people to
\nhim with his disciples, he said,<\/p>\n
84
\n00:04:43,800 –> 00:04:49,880
\nWhoever will come after me, let
\nhim deny himself, take up his <\/p>\n
85
\n00:04:49,880 –> 00:04:53,320
\ncross, and follow me.
\nFor whosoever will save his life<\/p>\n
86
\n00:04:53,320 –> 00:04:56,680
\nwill lose it.
\nWhoever shall lose his life for <\/p>\n
87
\n00:04:56,680 –> 00:05:00,080
\nmy sake and the Gospels, the
\nsame shall save it. <\/p>\n
88
\n00:05:01,880 –> 00:05:03,920
\nJesus.
\nAssumes that people are going to<\/p>\n
89
\n00:05:03,920 –> 00:05:09,360
\ngive up things to follow him.
\nIt’s it’s discipleship 101. <\/p>\n
90
\n00:05:09,760 –> 00:05:12,560
\nHe doesn’t hide it for us.
\nHe’s always upfront about it. <\/p>\n
91
\n00:05:13,800 –> 00:05:17,560
\nIt’s not as if we can work our
\nway through 30 or 40 years of <\/p>\n
92
\n00:05:17,560 –> 00:05:19,960
\ndiscipleship and then suddenly
\ngo, I didn’t realize we had to <\/p>\n
93
\n00:05:19,960 –> 00:05:22,080
\ndo that.
\nLord, this is upfront. <\/p>\n
94
\n00:05:22,080 –> 00:05:24,440
\nThis is happening to everybody.
\nYou have to give up certain <\/p>\n
95
\n00:05:24,440 –> 00:05:26,720
\nthings that you might feel very
\nclose to. <\/p>\n
96
\n00:05:26,720 –> 00:05:33,840
\nYou know, when your phone
\nupdates and shuts down unless <\/p>\n
97
\n00:05:33,840 –> 00:05:36,080
\nyou do something useful to it.
\nSo you have to do a software <\/p>\n
98
\n00:05:36,080 –> 00:05:41,160
\nupdate and you click OK, and
\nthen it says you need to accept <\/p>\n
99
\n00:05:41,160 –> 00:05:45,360
\nthe terms and conditions.
\nAnd you go OK. <\/p>\n
100
\n00:05:46,000 –> 00:05:50,640
\nAnd then it says Are you sure?
\nAnd you go OK. <\/p>\n
101
\n00:05:51,240 –> 00:05:54,840
\nAnd then it says there are 84
\npages of terms and conditions. <\/p>\n
102
\n00:05:54,840 –> 00:05:59,160
\nDo you want to read them first?
\nAnd you say no, but OK. <\/p>\n
103
\n00:05:59,680 –> 00:06:01,520
\nAnd then finally your phone
\nstarts to do something. <\/p>\n
104
\n00:06:01,520 –> 00:06:05,360
\nThis is not like that.
\nThe Lord is making it clear all <\/p>\n
105
\n00:06:05,360 –> 00:06:07,600
\nthe way through the ministry
\nthat discipleship is about <\/p>\n
106
\n00:06:07,600 –> 00:06:11,240
\nleaving your, about turning your
\nback on something important. <\/p>\n
107
\n00:06:12,200 –> 00:06:15,920
\nIt’s about not being as free as
\nsometimes you think it is. <\/p>\n
108
\n00:06:16,760 –> 00:06:18,880
\nNow, some of us have come here
\nthis week having turned our <\/p>\n
109
\n00:06:18,880 –> 00:06:22,040
\nbacks on something extremely
\ndear to us. <\/p>\n
110
\n00:06:22,040 –> 00:06:25,160
\nYou might find that you have to
\nturn your back on your career. <\/p>\n
111
\n00:06:25,440 –> 00:06:29,360
\nYou might find that there are
\nmembers of your family who who <\/p>\n
112
\n00:06:29,360 –> 00:06:34,600
\nwill not accept your faith.
\nThere may be other things that <\/p>\n
113
\n00:06:34,600 –> 00:06:37,440
\nthat lie deep on your shoulders
\nlate at night when you are in <\/p>\n
114
\n00:06:37,440 –> 00:06:41,680
\nprayer and you are wrestling
\nwith the very idea of giving <\/p>\n
115
\n00:06:41,680 –> 00:06:44,280
\nthem up.
\nFreedom is really hard. <\/p>\n
116
\n00:06:45,080 –> 00:06:48,400
\nAnd yet the Lord is making it
\nclear that we understand that <\/p>\n
117
\n00:06:48,400 –> 00:06:52,560
\nthis is the process that we go
\nthrough and and as and as all of<\/p>\n
118
\n00:06:52,560 –> 00:06:57,160
\nthose examples show, sometimes
\nthings can be very personal for <\/p>\n
119
\n00:06:57,160 –> 00:06:57,440
\nus.
\nSo. <\/p>\n
120
\n00:06:58,520 –> 00:07:00,280
\nI’m going to bring you, if I
\ncan, brothers and sisters, to <\/p>\n
121
\n00:07:00,280 –> 00:07:02,080
\nsome examples that the Apostle
\nPaul lays. <\/p>\n
122
\n00:07:02,080 –> 00:07:05,960
\nDown for us in terms of how we
\ngive up things in our <\/p>\n
123
\n00:07:05,960 –> 00:07:09,920
\ndiscipleship, things that we
\nwouldn’t necessarily expect in <\/p>\n
124
\n00:07:09,920 –> 00:07:14,800
\norder to, whilst seemingly
\nmaking ourselves less free. <\/p>\n
125
\n00:07:15,640 –> 00:07:18,680
\nActually understanding what
\nliberty is all about. <\/p>\n
126
\n00:07:19,520 –> 00:07:21,040
\nBut I ask you.
\nTo turn over to Paul’s first <\/p>\n
127
\n00:07:21,040 –> 00:07:24,480
\nletter to the Corinthians, that
\nwas really just a preamble. <\/p>\n
128
\n00:07:25,000 –> 00:07:27,240
\nWe can spend the rest of our
\ntime in First Corinthians. <\/p>\n
129
\n00:07:27,240 –> 00:07:32,400
\nI’m going to bring you to
\nchapter 6 to some words that you<\/p>\n
130
\n00:07:32,400 –> 00:07:34,400
\nknow very well, not just.
\nBecause they were the title of <\/p>\n
131
\n00:07:34,400 –> 00:07:38,200
\nthe session.
\nBut because Paul is trying to <\/p>\n
132
\n00:07:38,400 –> 00:07:43,960
\ntease out a conundrum for the
\nCorinthian brothers and sisters,<\/p>\n
133
\n00:07:44,120 –> 00:07:48,240
\nyou remember, Paul writes. 4
\nletters to Corinth. <\/p>\n
134
\n00:07:48,520 –> 00:07:51,880
\nWe’ve only got 2 of them.
\nFirst one he writes we don’t <\/p>\n
135
\n00:07:51,880 –> 00:07:55,080
\nhave.
\nAnd the second one he writes, <\/p>\n
136
\n00:07:55,080 –> 00:07:58,840
\nwhich is a response to some
\nthings that they’ve said is what<\/p>\n
137
\n00:07:58,840 –> 00:08:02,640
\nwe call One Corinthians.
\nAnd because it’s a response to <\/p>\n
138
\n00:08:02,640 –> 00:08:04,800
\nthe things that that they’ve
\nwritten to him, we get a whole <\/p>\n
139
\n00:08:04,800 –> 00:08:09,040
\nload of quotations from that
\nCorinthian letter in our One <\/p>\n
140
\n00:08:09,040 –> 00:08:11,440
\nCorinthians.
\nAnd then he writes a third <\/p>\n
141
\n00:08:11,440 –> 00:08:13,040
\nletter, a severe letter that we
\ndon’t have. <\/p>\n
142
\n00:08:13,040 –> 00:08:15,760
\nAnd then he writes a fourth one,
\nwhich is which is what you and I<\/p>\n
143
\n00:08:15,760 –> 00:08:19,280
\ncall Second Corinthians.
\nAnd here in chapter 6 and verse <\/p>\n
144
\n00:08:19,280 –> 00:08:23,440
\n12 Paul is quoting.
\nThem back at themselves all. <\/p>\n
145
\n00:08:23,440 –> 00:08:26,880
\nThings are lawful unto me.
\nIf you’ve got a modern version <\/p>\n
146
\n00:08:26,880 –> 00:08:29,880
\nthat I think it puts it in
\nquotation marks, he’s he’s. <\/p>\n
147
\n00:08:30,400 –> 00:08:32,960
\nQuoting themselves, quoting them
\nback at themselves. <\/p>\n
148
\n00:08:32,960 –> 00:08:34,240
\nThis is what they’ve said to
\nhim. <\/p>\n
149
\n00:08:34,480 –> 00:08:38,600
\nWe think that all things are
\nlawful, but Paul says not <\/p>\n
150
\n00:08:38,600 –> 00:08:42,640
\neverything’s profitable, not
\neverything is expedient, all <\/p>\n
151
\n00:08:42,640 –> 00:08:45,040
\nthings are lawful For me.
\nThere’s the quotation again. <\/p>\n
152
\n00:08:45,480 –> 00:08:49,120
\nBut Paul says I will not be
\nbrought under the power of any. <\/p>\n
153
\n00:08:49,440 –> 00:08:52,240
\nThis is the mentality of the
\nRoman free man. <\/p>\n
154
\n00:08:53,720 –> 00:08:57,880
\nBecause I am free in Roman
\nsociety, I can choose to do what<\/p>\n
155
\n00:08:57,880 –> 00:09:00,320
\nI like.
\nAnd we’ll have a look in a <\/p>\n
156
\n00:09:00,320 –> 00:09:02,640
\nsecond at some of the ways in
\nwhich that particular line could<\/p>\n
157
\n00:09:02,640 –> 00:09:04,640
\nbe indulged.
\nBut Paul is trying to say <\/p>\n
158
\n00:09:05,040 –> 00:09:09,080
\nfreedom doesn’t work like that.
\nFreedom, he says, verse 14, is <\/p>\n
159
\n00:09:09,080 –> 00:09:13,400
\nbecause of the cross.
\nGod has both raised up the Lord <\/p>\n
160
\n00:09:13,840 –> 00:09:17,440
\nand also will raise up us.
\nBy his own power. <\/p>\n
161
\n00:09:18,920 –> 00:09:24,600
\nNow it’s Saturday morning.
\nYou are checked out in part of <\/p>\n
162
\n00:09:24,600 –> 00:09:28,000
\nyour rooms and mentally checked
\nout of the Bible school already.<\/p>\n
163
\n00:09:28,360 –> 00:09:31,000
\nYour children haven’t slept for
\nabout 96 hours. <\/p>\n
164
\n00:09:31,280 –> 00:09:33,280
\nYou’ve eaten more hamburgers
\nthan you’ve got through in an <\/p>\n
165
\n00:09:33,280 –> 00:09:35,400
\nentire year.
\nYou’re thinking about what the <\/p>\n
166
\n00:09:35,400 –> 00:09:38,240
\nfreeway is going to look like,
\nand we’re going to do a Roman <\/p>\n
167
\n00:09:38,240 –> 00:09:42,360
\nhistory lesson just for fun
\nbecause we are now friends. <\/p>\n
168
\n00:09:45,040 –> 00:09:50,040
\nSlavery, wrote one writer, has
\nbeen virtually ubiquitous in <\/p>\n
169
\n00:09:50,040 –> 00:09:53,480
\nhuman civilization.
\nBut the Romans created one of <\/p>\n
170
\n00:09:53,480 –> 00:09:58,240
\nthe few genuine slave societies
\nin the Western experience, <\/p>\n
171
\n00:09:58,520 –> 00:10:00,920
\nstretching across half a
\nMillennium, sprawling across a <\/p>\n
172
\n00:10:00,920 –> 00:10:03,680
\nvast tractor space.
\nRoman slavery existed on a <\/p>\n
173
\n00:10:03,680 –> 00:10:07,680
\ndifferent order of magnitude. 5
\ncenturies, 3 continents, 10s of <\/p>\n
174
\n00:10:07,680 –> 00:10:10,840
\nmillions of souls.
\nRoman slavery stands as the true<\/p>\n
175
\n00:10:10,840 –> 00:10:15,160
\nancient predecessor to the
\nsystems of mass scale slavery in<\/p>\n
176
\n00:10:15,200 –> 00:10:18,640
\nthe New World.
\nSo when we’re reading about <\/p>\n
177
\n00:10:18,640 –> 00:10:23,280
\nwhat’s going on as a freeman in
\nFirst Corinthians 6, when you <\/p>\n
178
\n00:10:23,280 –> 00:10:25,960
\nthink about the circumstances
\nthat your early brothers and <\/p>\n
179
\n00:10:25,960 –> 00:10:28,920
\nsisters lived in and the things
\nthat they had to give up for the<\/p>\n
180
\n00:10:28,920 –> 00:10:35,680
\nGospel, it sits in that context.
\nIn a world where 1\/3 of Rome was<\/p>\n
181
\n00:10:35,680 –> 00:10:42,040
\nnot free, where the notion of
\nliberty meant something that you<\/p>\n
182
\n00:10:42,040 –> 00:10:44,840
\nand I really will struggle to
\nget our get our arms around. <\/p>\n
183
\n00:10:45,400 –> 00:10:47,000
\nThink, for example, about Roman
\nlaw. <\/p>\n
184
\n00:10:47,000 –> 00:10:48,840
\nI’m conscious that text is quite
\nsmall. <\/p>\n
185
\n00:10:49,360 –> 00:10:51,080
\nIt’s even small on my screen.
\nSorry. <\/p>\n
186
\n00:10:51,560 –> 00:10:55,480
\nSlaves didn’t have a vote, which
\nmeant that you couldn’t change <\/p>\n
187
\n00:10:55,480 –> 00:11:02,000
\nthe system legally and if they
\nrebelled they would be executed.<\/p>\n
188
\n00:11:02,200 –> 00:11:04,720
\nSo you couldn’t change the
\nsystem illegally. <\/p>\n
189
\n00:11:05,560 –> 00:11:08,400
\nSpartacus being the most sort of
\nhigh profile example of all of <\/p>\n
190
\n00:11:08,400 –> 00:11:11,000
\nthat.
\nThere were no Social Security <\/p>\n
191
\n00:11:11,000 –> 00:11:13,920
\nlaws.
\nIf you had a slave who got old <\/p>\n
192
\n00:11:13,920 –> 00:11:17,000
\nor a slave who got sick, it was
\nthe equivalent of your toast to <\/p>\n
193
\n00:11:17,000 –> 00:11:19,680
\nhaving broken, and so you just
\ngot rid of it and got a new <\/p>\n
194
\n00:11:19,680 –> 00:11:22,760
\nslave.
\nEverything is utterly <\/p>\n
195
\n00:11:22,760 –> 00:11:25,040
\ndehumanized.
\nYou couldn’t emancipate your <\/p>\n
196
\n00:11:25,040 –> 00:11:26,240
\nslaves.
\nIn other words, you couldn’t set<\/p>\n
197
\n00:11:26,240 –> 00:11:28,480
\nthem free.
\nAnd even though there’s a series<\/p>\n
198
\n00:11:28,480 –> 00:11:31,760
\nof laws that are brought in to
\ndo that, there are limits put <\/p>\n
199
\n00:11:31,760 –> 00:11:34,680
\naround that.
\nSo you can only free a certain <\/p>\n
200
\n00:11:34,680 –> 00:11:40,360
\nproportion of slaves in your
\nhouse in order to make sure that<\/p>\n
201
\n00:11:40,360 –> 00:11:42,320
\nsociety still continued to
\nfunction. <\/p>\n
202
\n00:11:42,960 –> 00:11:45,360
\nIf you were freed, for example,
\nunder the age of 30, you could <\/p>\n
203
\n00:11:45,360 –> 00:11:48,960
\nnever be a Roman citizen.
\nSo there were a whole bunch of <\/p>\n
204
\n00:11:48,960 –> 00:11:51,440
\nchallenges that exist.
\nIn Athens, if you were freed, <\/p>\n
205
\n00:11:51,440 –> 00:11:53,920
\nyou became a a free, not
\ncitizen. <\/p>\n
206
\n00:11:53,920 –> 00:11:57,680
\nBut in Rome, even if you became
\na citizen eventually, you would <\/p>\n
207
\n00:11:57,680 –> 00:12:01,240
\nstill never really be free.
\nYour master could still call on <\/p>\n
208
\n00:12:01,240 –> 00:12:02,960
\nyou.
\nThere’s a famous letter that <\/p>\n
209
\n00:12:02,960 –> 00:12:06,400
\nfloats around that Cicero writes
\nto a former slave and he’s <\/p>\n
210
\n00:12:06,400 –> 00:12:08,680
\nreally just checking in and
\nsays, I just wanted to see how <\/p>\n
211
\n00:12:08,680 –> 00:12:10,600
\nyou’re doing, making sure that
\nyour health is OK. <\/p>\n
212
\n00:12:10,800 –> 00:12:12,840
\nAnd by the way, if you don’t
\nreply, I’ll thrash you. <\/p>\n
213
\n00:12:14,520 –> 00:12:18,320
\nIn other words, even though
\nyou’re free, you’re not really <\/p>\n
214
\n00:12:18,320 –> 00:12:21,400
\nfree.
\nThat’s why Paul says in Romans <\/p>\n
215
\n00:12:21,560 –> 00:12:23,960
\nchapter 8 that slavery is
\nassociated with. <\/p>\n
216
\n00:12:23,960 –> 00:12:28,720
\nFear, because it really was.
\nThere is a proposal. <\/p>\n
217
\n00:12:28,720 –> 00:12:31,840
\nThat turns up in Rome in the 1st
\ncentury that slaves should wear <\/p>\n
218
\n00:12:31,840 –> 00:12:35,360
\nuniforms because in the street
\nyou can’t tell who the slaves <\/p>\n
219
\n00:12:35,360 –> 00:12:37,240
\nare and who the free people are.
\nAnd it’s voted down by the <\/p>\n
220
\n00:12:37,240 –> 00:12:41,520
\nSenate because if you’ve got the
\nslaves in the street wearing <\/p>\n
221
\n00:12:41,520 –> 00:12:43,920
\nuniforms, they will realize how
\nmany they are. <\/p>\n
222
\n00:12:45,880 –> 00:12:48,040
\nAnd so it gets turned down
\nbecause you don’t want to <\/p>\n
223
\n00:12:48,040 –> 00:12:50,960
\nferment a rebellion.
\nNow, the gospel is not about <\/p>\n
224
\n00:12:50,960 –> 00:12:55,800
\nfreeing slaves, just like it’s
\nnot about healing everybody who <\/p>\n
225
\n00:12:55,800 –> 00:12:57,360
\nwas sick.
\nYou remember the Lord’s dilemma.<\/p>\n
226
\n00:12:57,360 –> 00:13:00,800
\nDo I stay here and heal, or do I
\ngo on and preach? <\/p>\n
227
\n00:13:01,400 –> 00:13:04,600
\nThe gospel is is about
\nexplaining the condition that <\/p>\n
228
\n00:13:04,600 –> 00:13:08,960
\npeople find themselves in, about
\nallowing people to understand <\/p>\n
229
\n00:13:08,960 –> 00:13:11,680
\ndiscipleship in their particular
\ncircumstances. <\/p>\n
230
\n00:13:12,200 –> 00:13:15,480
\nBecause if you were a slave,
\ncoming to Christ would feel like<\/p>\n
231
\n00:13:15,480 –> 00:13:18,600
\nfreedom.
\nIronically, if you were free, <\/p>\n
232
\n00:13:19,400 –> 00:13:24,560
\ncoming to Christ might feel
\ndecidedly restrictive, which is <\/p>\n
233
\n00:13:24,560 –> 00:13:27,120
\nwhat Paul is trying to help us
\nunderstand here in First <\/p>\n
234
\n00:13:27,120 –> 00:13:29,640
\nCorinthians.
\nThink about what he says to the <\/p>\n
235
\n00:13:29,640 –> 00:13:32,880
\nRomans or the Galatians or the
\nColossians. <\/p>\n
236
\n00:13:33,120 –> 00:13:38,320
\nThink about what comes up in
\nPhilemon where we have a real <\/p>\n
237
\n00:13:38,320 –> 00:13:42,160
\nlife situation of a slave who
\nhas gone free and Paul is saying<\/p>\n
238
\n00:13:42,160 –> 00:13:45,640
\nreconciliation between brothers
\nis actually ironically more <\/p>\n
239
\n00:13:45,640 –> 00:13:48,120
\nimportant than making sure that
\nslaves go free. <\/p>\n
240
\n00:13:48,120 –> 00:13:52,280
\nWhat the Gospel is doing is
\ndeconstructing the Roman social <\/p>\n
241
\n00:13:52,280 –> 00:13:55,160
\nhierarchy without a revolution
\nbecause it will put brothers and<\/p>\n
242
\n00:13:55,160 –> 00:13:59,520
\nsisters lives in jeopardy.
\nAnd so Roman law is going to <\/p>\n
243
\n00:13:59,520 –> 00:14:03,280
\nbump up against the Gospel.
\nWhat about Roman families? <\/p>\n
244
\n00:14:03,840 –> 00:14:05,960
\nWell, of course, one of the
\ncruelties of slavery was that it<\/p>\n
245
\n00:14:06,520 –> 00:14:10,560
\nassaulted the family structure.
\nSlave marriages were not <\/p>\n
246
\n00:14:10,560 –> 00:14:13,840
\nrecognized.
\nYou could sell members of the <\/p>\n
247
\n00:14:13,840 –> 00:14:18,440
\nslaves family or the slave, but
\nnot the family, just on a whim. <\/p>\n
248
\n00:14:19,160 –> 00:14:21,520
\nIf you had your friends round
\nfor the evening and they took a <\/p>\n
249
\n00:14:21,880 –> 00:14:25,120
\nfancy to the slave girl who’d
\nbeen dancing, you would package <\/p>\n
250
\n00:14:25,120 –> 00:14:27,200
\nher up and send her off,
\nregardless of whether she had <\/p>\n
251
\n00:14:27,200 –> 00:14:30,160
\nchildren in your house.
\nSlaves are systematically <\/p>\n
252
\n00:14:30,160 –> 00:14:34,240
\ndehumanized.
\nAnd so when the gospel comes <\/p>\n
253
\n00:14:34,240 –> 00:14:40,280
\nalong, not only does it liberate
\nthe marginalized, not only does <\/p>\n
254
\n00:14:40,280 –> 00:14:42,240
\nit blow a hole in everything
\nthat people are used to, but it <\/p>\n
255
\n00:14:42,240 –> 00:14:45,680
\nmoves family structure to a more
\ncentral position. <\/p>\n
256
\n00:14:45,680 –> 00:14:49,560
\nAnd the number of conversations
\nI’ve had about the value of <\/p>\n
257
\n00:14:49,560 –> 00:14:51,920
\nfamilies at this Bible school
\nshould make us understand how <\/p>\n
258
\n00:14:51,920 –> 00:14:56,600
\nimportant that is.
\nThe entire structure is being <\/p>\n
259
\n00:14:56,600 –> 00:14:59,480
\nturned entirely on its head.
\nThink about some of the things <\/p>\n
260
\n00:14:59,480 –> 00:15:02,560
\nthat the New Testament asks
\nbrothers and sisters to do. <\/p>\n
261
\n00:15:03,200 –> 00:15:07,920
\nSitting with your slave, having
\na meal with your slave, breaking<\/p>\n
262
\n00:15:07,920 –> 00:15:10,320
\nbread and sharing wine with your
\nslave. <\/p>\n
263
\n00:15:12,040 –> 00:15:15,000
\nWhen Paul writes, greet one
\nanother with a holy kiss, he <\/p>\n
264
\n00:15:15,000 –> 00:15:16,520
\nmight as well have asked them to
\ngo to the moon. <\/p>\n
265
\n00:15:17,600 –> 00:15:20,400
\nIt was completely different from
\nwhat they were expected. <\/p>\n
266
\n00:15:22,480 –> 00:15:23,840
\nPaul says in Philemon, doesn’t
\nhe? <\/p>\n
267
\n00:15:23,840 –> 00:15:26,760
\nYou are no longer a bondservant,
\nbut more than a bondservant, A <\/p>\n
268
\n00:15:27,040 –> 00:15:30,960
\nbeloved brother.
\nYour entire social status has <\/p>\n
269
\n00:15:30,960 –> 00:15:35,800
\nbeen moved to another position,
\neven though the idea of greeting<\/p>\n
270
\n00:15:35,800 –> 00:15:40,800
\nyour slave with a holy kiss was
\nutterly, utterly revolutionary. <\/p>\n
271
\n00:15:42,080 –> 00:15:45,120
\nSo Roman law didn’t work in your
\nfavor until the gospel comes <\/p>\n
272
\n00:15:45,120 –> 00:15:47,720
\nalong.
\nFamily life didn’t work in your <\/p>\n
273
\n00:15:47,720 –> 00:15:49,880
\nfavor until the gospel came
\nalong. <\/p>\n
274
\n00:15:51,040 –> 00:15:53,520
\nAnd here’s the humdinger for
\nSaturday morning, when you’re <\/p>\n
275
\n00:15:53,520 –> 00:15:57,720
\nstill a bit sleepy.
\nThe very structure of Roman <\/p>\n
276
\n00:15:57,840 –> 00:16:00,080
\nprivate life.
\nIt wasn’t very private. <\/p>\n
277
\n00:16:00,760 –> 00:16:02,760
\nIt meant that everything became
\ndifficult. <\/p>\n
278
\n00:16:02,760 –> 00:16:06,440
\nRoman women of status were
\nexpected to marry shortly after <\/p>\n
279
\n00:16:06,440 –> 00:16:08,560
\npuberty.
\nMen wouldn’t marry free men <\/p>\n
280
\n00:16:08,560 –> 00:16:11,360
\nwouldn’t marry until what?
\nWhat the Romans called middle <\/p>\n
281
\n00:16:11,360 –> 00:16:12,960
\nage.
\nOK, I’m not looking at anybody <\/p>\n
282
\n00:16:12,960 –> 00:16:15,880
\nin particular, but but late 20s,
\nearly 30s was in the Roman <\/p>\n
283
\n00:16:15,880 –> 00:16:17,920
\nEmpire called middle age.
\nSo I think I’m still in middle <\/p>\n
284
\n00:16:17,920 –> 00:16:18,560
\nage.
\nBut there we are. <\/p>\n
285
\n00:16:19,760 –> 00:16:23,200
\nIf you married or sorry if you,
\nif you, if you violated somebody<\/p>\n
286
\n00:16:23,200 –> 00:16:25,240
\nwho was married, there were
\npenalties. <\/p>\n
287
\n00:16:25,480 –> 00:16:27,400
\nBut of course you had the
\nliberality. <\/p>\n
288
\n00:16:27,400 –> 00:16:31,000
\nYou had the freedom to do pretty
\nmuch whatever you wanted with <\/p>\n
289
\n00:16:31,000 –> 00:16:34,280
\nanybody else.
\nYou and I understand the <\/p>\n
290
\n00:16:34,280 –> 00:16:36,440
\nexpression a double standard on
\nmorality. <\/p>\n
291
\n00:16:37,240 –> 00:16:39,120
\nIt means people are not being
\ntreated equally. <\/p>\n
292
\n00:16:39,120 –> 00:16:43,960
\nIt means there is an imbalance
\nof power and some groups get to <\/p>\n
293
\n00:16:43,960 –> 00:16:45,480
\nindulge themselves and others
\ndon’t. <\/p>\n
294
\n00:16:45,480 –> 00:16:48,000
\nRome did not have a double
\nstandard on morality. <\/p>\n
295
\n00:16:48,800 –> 00:16:52,920
\nIt had a quadruple standard on
\nmorality because you had male <\/p>\n
296
\n00:16:52,920 –> 00:16:56,600
\nand female, you had slave and
\nfree, you had high status and <\/p>\n
297
\n00:16:56,600 –> 00:16:59,360
\nlow status and you had
\nconcubines. <\/p>\n
298
\n00:16:59,640 –> 00:17:01,520
\nWasn’t hypocrisy.
\nIt was just different rules <\/p>\n
299
\n00:17:01,960 –> 00:17:03,920
\nbased on where you stood in the
\nsocial order. <\/p>\n
300
\n00:17:05,079 –> 00:17:08,000
\nAnd then the gospel is here and
\nit doesn’t wipe it all away in <\/p>\n
301
\n00:17:08,000 –> 00:17:10,119
\none moment because it can’t.
\nIt’s not possible to do that. <\/p>\n
302
\n00:17:10,119 –> 00:17:13,079
\nBut it radically changes the
\nexpectation that different <\/p>\n
303
\n00:17:13,079 –> 00:17:17,000
\nclasses of people get to follow
\ndifferent rules with based on <\/p>\n
304
\n00:17:17,000 –> 00:17:20,400
\nwhether or not they’re free.
\nAnd in the Roman world, it <\/p>\n
305
\n00:17:20,400 –> 00:17:21,920
\nwasn’t based on on right or
\nwrong. <\/p>\n
306
\n00:17:21,920 –> 00:17:25,000
\nIt was based on social shame.
\nSo a married man, a married <\/p>\n
307
\n00:17:25,000 –> 00:17:28,720
\nRoman free man could choose to
\ndo what he wanted with somebody <\/p>\n
308
\n00:17:28,720 –> 00:17:32,880
\nin a lower social class, which
\nis pretty unpleasant and not <\/p>\n
309
\n00:17:32,880 –> 00:17:35,000
\nnecessarily something that we
\nwant to spend too much time <\/p>\n
310
\n00:17:35,000 –> 00:17:36,720
\nthinking about.
\nBut Paul is writing, if you’ve <\/p>\n
311
\n00:17:36,720 –> 00:17:39,960
\ngot the chapter open still, he’s
\nhoming right in on this in <\/p>\n
312
\n00:17:39,960 –> 00:17:42,200
\nchapter 6, verse 13.
\nNow the body is not for <\/p>\n
313
\n00:17:42,200 –> 00:17:45,120
\nfornication, but for the Lord
\nand the Lord for the body. <\/p>\n
314
\n00:17:45,120 –> 00:17:48,760
\nAnd he’s striking at the very
\nheart of the Roman free man’s <\/p>\n
315
\n00:17:48,760 –> 00:17:53,560
\nattitude that says all things
\nare lawful, that I can choose to<\/p>\n
316
\n00:17:53,560 –> 00:17:57,320
\nindulge myself in any way that I
\nwant because the premise of, of,<\/p>\n
317
\n00:17:57,360 –> 00:18:00,320
\nof Roman Pagan culture is
\nself-control. <\/p>\n
318
\n00:18:00,480 –> 00:18:03,960
\nLimiting myself is utterly
\nimpossible and freedom is <\/p>\n
319
\n00:18:03,960 –> 00:18:07,320
\neverything.
\nAnd Paul says, hang on a minute,<\/p>\n
320
\n00:18:07,760 –> 00:18:10,200
\nthat’s not how it works.
\nEven though it worked in the <\/p>\n
321
\n00:18:10,200 –> 00:18:13,840
\nAthenian empire as well.
\nThat’s not how the gospel works.<\/p>\n
322
\n00:18:14,400 –> 00:18:17,800
\nself-control is not possible.
\nYes, it is, says Paul. <\/p>\n
323
\n00:18:19,320 –> 00:18:23,760
\nDoes that sound familiar?
\nIt’s never, never wise to draw <\/p>\n
324
\n00:18:23,760 –> 00:18:28,000
\ntoo many comparisons between a
\npoint in time and our day and <\/p>\n
325
\n00:18:28,000 –> 00:18:30,760
\nage.
\nThat sounds remarkably familiar <\/p>\n
326
\n00:18:30,760 –> 00:18:32,040
\nto some of the things that we’re
\nseeing. <\/p>\n
327
\n00:18:33,200 –> 00:18:35,240
\nI asked you the other day
\nwhether anybody had read <\/p>\n
328
\n00:18:35,800 –> 00:18:37,480
\nChronicles of Narnia, and you
\nwere very shy. <\/p>\n
329
\n00:18:37,480 –> 00:18:39,520
\nAll the teens have, by the way.
\nSo just admit that. <\/p>\n
330
\n00:18:39,840 –> 00:18:41,520
\nAnybody read Augustine’s
\nConfessions? <\/p>\n
331
\n00:18:43,120 –> 00:18:46,040
\nThat’s the right answer.
\nBy the way, Augustine tells us <\/p>\n
332
\n00:18:46,040 –> 00:18:49,400
\nhe was in a relationship with a
\nconcubine, and then he sends her<\/p>\n
333
\n00:18:49,400 –> 00:18:52,760
\naway when he gets engaged around
\nabout the age of 30. <\/p>\n
334
\n00:18:52,760 –> 00:18:55,000
\nBut the problem is his
\nengagement is quite a long one. <\/p>\n
335
\n00:18:55,560 –> 00:18:57,160
\nAnd he doesn’t get married for a
\nlong time. <\/p>\n
336
\n00:18:57,160 –> 00:18:59,720
\nAnd, well, you know, he’s a
\nRoman Free man, and he wants to <\/p>\n
337
\n00:18:59,720 –> 00:19:01,320
\nindulge himself.
\nSo he writes. <\/p>\n
338
\n00:19:01,680 –> 00:19:05,440
\nAnd I went and got me another
\none because that’s what you do. <\/p>\n
339
\n00:19:05,800 –> 00:19:07,520
\nThat’s the expectation on this
\nman. <\/p>\n
340
\n00:19:07,520 –> 00:19:10,160
\nIt’s a world where people
\nwithout protection, people <\/p>\n
341
\n00:19:10,160 –> 00:19:13,000
\nwithout social honor are utterly
\nexploited. <\/p>\n
342
\n00:19:14,160 –> 00:19:15,840
\nAnd it makes us feel a bit
\nuncomfortable. <\/p>\n
343
\n00:19:17,240 –> 00:19:20,240
\nYou’ve seen this slide before in
\nanother context, but suddenly <\/p>\n
344
\n00:19:20,240 –> 00:19:25,280
\nthe gospel comes along and
\nchanges absolutely everything. <\/p>\n
345
\n00:19:26,360 –> 00:19:30,800
\nFirst, Paul will approach in
\nRomans chapter 1, the issue of <\/p>\n
346
\n00:19:30,800 –> 00:19:34,400
\ngender.
\nAnd he will say, if the ACT is <\/p>\n
347
\n00:19:34,600 –> 00:19:37,480
\nsame gender to same gender, then
\nit is wrong. <\/p>\n
348
\n00:19:37,560 –> 00:19:40,240
\nIt’s so facto.
\nIt is wrong not because God <\/p>\n
349
\n00:19:40,240 –> 00:19:42,240
\nlikes to randomly draw lines in
\nthe sand and. <\/p>\n
350
\n00:19:42,240 –> 00:19:45,160
\nTell you not to cross them, but
\nbecause of the Genesis creation.<\/p>\n
351
\n00:19:46,800 –> 00:19:49,640
\nAnd then in First Corinthians 6
\nand seven, he will focus on <\/p>\n
352
\n00:19:49,640 –> 00:19:53,480
\npartners and he will say, if the
\nACT is with anyone other than <\/p>\n
353
\n00:19:53,480 –> 00:19:57,480
\nyour spouse, then it’s wrong.
\nNot because God is drawing lines<\/p>\n
354
\n00:19:57,480 –> 00:20:00,440
\nrandomly in the sand, but
\nbecause of the Genesis creation.<\/p>\n
355
\n00:20:01,240 –> 00:20:04,320
\nAnd he’s taking care of gender
\nand he’s taking care of partner.<\/p>\n
356
\n00:20:04,720 –> 00:20:08,320
\nAnd suddenly the boundaries of
\nwhat Roman sexual propriety <\/p>\n
357
\n00:20:08,320 –> 00:20:10,920
\ncould be have shrunk
\ndramatically. <\/p>\n
358
\n00:20:12,600 –> 00:20:15,640
\nChapter 6, Verse 15 Know ye not
\nthat your bodies are the members<\/p>\n
359
\n00:20:15,640 –> 00:20:18,400
\nof Christ?
\nShall I then take the members of<\/p>\n
360
\n00:20:18,400 –> 00:20:20,360
\nChrist to make them the members
\nof a prostitute? <\/p>\n
361
\n00:20:20,360 –> 00:20:22,720
\nGod forbid.
\nDon’t you know that he who is <\/p>\n
362
\n00:20:22,720 –> 00:20:25,720
\njoined to a prostitute shall be
\n1 body for two says he shall be <\/p>\n
363
\n00:20:25,720 –> 00:20:27,760
\n1 flesh.
\nThere’s the Genesis creation, <\/p>\n
364
\n00:20:29,320 –> 00:20:33,000
\nbut he that is joined to the
\nLord is 1 Spirit. <\/p>\n
365
\n00:20:33,720 –> 00:20:37,080
\nThe fundamental premise of the
\ngospel is to change the colour <\/p>\n
366
\n00:20:37,080 –> 00:20:41,520
\nof the sky.
\nThe gospel is going to reach <\/p>\n
367
\n00:20:41,520 –> 00:20:42,720
\nout.
\nThe Lord is going to reach out <\/p>\n
368
\n00:20:42,720 –> 00:20:45,920
\nto the marginalized.
\nTo the sexual sinners, to the <\/p>\n
369
\n00:20:45,960 –> 00:20:49,840
\nunloved, he’s going to cut
\nacross social assumptions in the<\/p>\n
370
\n00:20:49,840 –> 00:20:54,640
\nearly Eclesias and obviously in
\nwider society that are built on <\/p>\n
371
\n00:20:54,640 –> 00:20:56,720
\nhierarchy and are built on
\nstatus. <\/p>\n
372
\n00:20:56,720 –> 00:21:01,440
\nAnd he’s going to home in on
\nmorality and and make the point,<\/p>\n
373
\n00:21:01,840 –> 00:21:06,720
\nthe unavoidable point that
\neverybody counts because <\/p>\n
374
\n00:21:06,720 –> 00:21:08,400
\neverybody’s made in the image of
\nGod. <\/p>\n
375
\n00:21:09,000 –> 00:21:12,800
\nFreedom starts with God as
\ncreator, with those those broad <\/p>\n
376
\n00:21:12,800 –> 00:21:15,560
\nliberal opportunities that he
\ngives Adam and Eve with <\/p>\n
377
\n00:21:15,560 –> 00:21:20,960
\nguardrails and says everybody
\nhas agency because everybody is <\/p>\n
378
\n00:21:20,960 –> 00:21:23,120
\nmade in God’s image.
\nIt’s true whether you are the <\/p>\n
379
\n00:21:23,120 –> 00:21:25,160
\nemperor with all the power in
\nthe world. <\/p>\n
380
\n00:21:25,320 –> 00:21:27,880
\nIt’s true whether you are a
\ncraftmaker slave girl. <\/p>\n
381
\n00:21:28,040 –> 00:21:30,440
\nIt’s true whether you are an
\nillegitimate son of a metal <\/p>\n
382
\n00:21:30,440 –> 00:21:32,120
\nworker.
\nYou matter. <\/p>\n
383
\n00:21:32,120 –> 00:21:36,840
\nYou count in a way that you
\ncould never have expected before<\/p>\n
384
\n00:21:37,040 –> 00:21:42,440
\nbecause of a man who said, take
\nmy yoke upon you because my <\/p>\n
385
\n00:21:42,440 –> 00:21:45,240
\nburden is light.
\nThis is not a man, as we said <\/p>\n
386
\n00:21:45,240 –> 00:21:48,160
\nearlier on in the week, for whom
\ndomination matters. <\/p>\n
387
\n00:21:49,080 –> 00:21:52,480
\nEverybody has agency.
\nEverybody now can be free. <\/p>\n
388
\n00:21:54,560 –> 00:21:57,560
\nBut those two issues throw out
\nsome challenges because if you <\/p>\n
389
\n00:21:57,560 –> 00:22:01,120
\nexalt the marginalized and if
\nyou narrow the boundaries of <\/p>\n
390
\n00:22:01,120 –> 00:22:05,200
\nsexual activity, it raises one
\nof two tricky issues. <\/p>\n
391
\n00:22:05,200 –> 00:22:10,320
\nIt raises the issue of rights
\nbecause, you know, it’s not just<\/p>\n
392
\n00:22:10,320 –> 00:22:13,400
\nlimited to our world.
\nAnd it raises the issues of <\/p>\n
393
\n00:22:13,400 –> 00:22:16,120
\nfreedom of activity.
\nDoes a person have to consent or<\/p>\n
394
\n00:22:16,120 –> 00:22:20,400
\nnot to certain acts?
\nThat’s pretty contemporary. <\/p>\n
395
\n00:22:20,920 –> 00:22:23,720
\nDoes a person have the right or
\nnot to certain freedoms? <\/p>\n
396
\n00:22:24,800 –> 00:22:27,000
\nAnd the Lord comes along, and
\nPaul is writing this letter in <\/p>\n
397
\n00:22:27,000 –> 00:22:30,200
\npart to say that our moral
\nactions are fundamental to who <\/p>\n
398
\n00:22:30,200 –> 00:22:35,320
\nwe are.
\nNot that love is love, but that <\/p>\n
399
\n00:22:35,320 –> 00:22:39,040
\nGod is love.
\nAnd so the gospel begins to <\/p>\n
400
\n00:22:39,040 –> 00:22:40,040
\nenhance.
\nIt doesn’t begin. <\/p>\n
401
\n00:22:40,040 –> 00:22:43,960
\nIt does enhance the social
\nstatus and the indignity, the <\/p>\n
402
\n00:22:43,960 –> 00:22:48,000
\ndignity of those who are unfree.
\nAnd ecclesias have to start <\/p>\n
403
\n00:22:48,000 –> 00:22:52,520
\nconfronting the issue of people
\nwho are not normally even given <\/p>\n
404
\n00:22:52,520 –> 00:22:58,520
\nthe time of day, but now are to
\nbe elevated to to the level of <\/p>\n
405
\n00:22:58,520 –> 00:23:00,960
\neverybody else.
\nFreedom means, Paul says, that a<\/p>\n
406
\n00:23:00,960 –> 00:23:04,080
\npowerful male can control his
\ndesires. <\/p>\n
407
\n00:23:05,600 –> 00:23:10,360
\nHe has to make himself unfree.
\nFreedom means that somebody who <\/p>\n
408
\n00:23:10,360 –> 00:23:14,640
\nis subservient in the eyes of
\n1st century society, a slave <\/p>\n
409
\n00:23:14,640 –> 00:23:18,120
\nwoman or a child almost.
\nCertainly also has freedom, <\/p>\n
410
\n00:23:18,600 –> 00:23:20,320
\nwhich means they have agency to
\nresist. <\/p>\n
411
\n00:23:21,120 –> 00:23:23,120
\nThey are more free than they’ve
\never been before. <\/p>\n
412
\n00:23:24,520 –> 00:23:27,440
\nVerse 18 Flee fornication.
\nEvery sin that a man does is <\/p>\n
413
\n00:23:27,440 –> 00:23:30,840
\nwithout the body, but he that
\ncommits fornication sins against<\/p>\n
414
\n00:23:30,840 –> 00:23:34,000
\nhis own body.
\nDon’t you know that your body is<\/p>\n
415
\n00:23:34,000 –> 00:23:37,040
\nthe temple of the Holy Spirit,
\nwhich is in you, which you have <\/p>\n
416
\n00:23:37,040 –> 00:23:40,000
\nof God, and you are not your
\nown, for you are bought with a <\/p>\n
417
\n00:23:40,000 –> 00:23:43,280
\nprice.
\nTherefore, glorify God in your <\/p>\n
418
\n00:23:43,280 –> 00:23:45,960
\nbody and your spirit, which are
\ngods. <\/p>\n
419
\n00:23:46,640 –> 00:23:49,720
\nAnd Paul says you, you are
\nbought with a price. <\/p>\n
420
\n00:23:50,040 –> 00:23:53,240
\nHe’s including the free man who
\nnever considered himself to be a<\/p>\n
421
\n00:23:53,240 –> 00:23:57,120
\nslave.
\nWould have been, would have been<\/p>\n
422
\n00:23:57,120 –> 00:24:00,200
\namazed if you accused him of
\nanything other than being as <\/p>\n
423
\n00:24:00,200 –> 00:24:03,800
\nfree as he wanted.
\nBut a man who suddenly has to <\/p>\n
424
\n00:24:03,800 –> 00:24:08,080
\nmanage his desire towards his
\nactual slave, What a world that <\/p>\n
425
\n00:24:08,080 –> 00:24:11,000
\nthe gospel comes into.
\nWhat a change that this thing, <\/p>\n
426
\n00:24:11,520 –> 00:24:15,560
\nthis thing brings about.
\nFreedom, I guess I’m trying to <\/p>\n
427
\n00:24:15,560 –> 00:24:19,280
\nsay, cuts both ways in terms of
\nthe way we restrict ourselves. <\/p>\n
428
\n00:24:19,760 –> 00:24:22,680
\nAgain, it’s not freedom in a
\n1960 sense. <\/p>\n
429
\n00:24:23,360 –> 00:24:27,080
\nIt’s a freedom because I am
\nwillingly free, because I of <\/p>\n
430
\n00:24:27,080 –> 00:24:32,120
\nwhat I saw as a necessity, I am
\nchoosing to be free. <\/p>\n
431
\n00:24:32,960 –> 00:24:37,840
\nI am choosing to show grace to
\nthose who would normally not get<\/p>\n
432
\n00:24:37,840 –> 00:24:45,240
\nnoticed, not not for me, but to
\nthose for whom the Lord dies. <\/p>\n
433
\n00:24:45,800 –> 00:24:47,760
\nAnd I don’t know about you, and
\nmaybe I just see it around me, <\/p>\n
434
\n00:24:47,760 –> 00:24:50,600
\nbut but I think we fall into
\nthis sneaky kind of dualism <\/p>\n
435
\n00:24:50,600 –> 00:24:53,400
\nsometimes where we say, you
\nknow, just just one more time <\/p>\n
436
\n00:24:53,400 –> 00:24:56,000
\nand I’ll stop.
\nWhatever it is, whatever sin you<\/p>\n
437
\n00:24:56,000 –> 00:24:58,760
\ncarry with you that you know
\nabout most of all, we just say, <\/p>\n
438
\n00:24:58,760 –> 00:25:00,160
\nwell, one more Time Lord, and
\nI’ll stop. <\/p>\n
439
\n00:25:00,160 –> 00:25:03,240
\nIt won’t happen more than once,
\nLord, as if we can somehow leave<\/p>\n
440
\n00:25:03,240 –> 00:25:05,440
\nour physical bodies at the scene
\nof the crime and move on with <\/p>\n
441
\n00:25:05,440 –> 00:25:09,400
\nour lives.
\nAnd the attitude of 2025 just <\/p>\n
442
\n00:25:09,400 –> 00:25:11,080
\nseeps into the way in which we
\nlive. <\/p>\n
443
\n00:25:11,080 –> 00:25:15,440
\nAnd, and there is a temptation
\nsometimes to see the, the, the, <\/p>\n
444
\n00:25:15,520 –> 00:25:21,480
\nthe sexual holiness to which the
\ngospel calls us as some sort of <\/p>\n
445
\n00:25:21,480 –> 00:25:25,680
\noutdated toxic culture.
\nAnd, and I beg and implore you <\/p>\n
446
\n00:25:25,680 –> 00:25:29,280
\nbrothers and sisters to not see
\nit as that, to see it as the <\/p>\n
447
\n00:25:29,280 –> 00:25:34,200
\nelevated, inspired and holy word
\nof God and not to make it start <\/p>\n
448
\n00:25:34,200 –> 00:25:38,960
\nsounding oppressive and limiting
\nand unfree. <\/p>\n
449
\n00:25:39,800 –> 00:25:41,720
\nBecause at that point we go
\nright the way back to the Garden<\/p>\n
450
\n00:25:41,720 –> 00:25:43,160
\nof Eden.
\nWe go all the way full circle to<\/p>\n
451
\n00:25:43,160 –> 00:25:45,160
\nAdam and Eve saying I want more
\nfreedom, Lord, please. <\/p>\n
452
\n00:25:45,360 –> 00:25:49,560
\nI don’t like your boundaries.
\nLord, let’s be more confident in<\/p>\n
453
\n00:25:49,560 –> 00:25:52,520
\nwhat scripture is telling us
\nabout these issues. <\/p>\n
454
\n00:25:55,720 –> 00:25:58,520
\nCS Lewis wrote.
\nI apologize for yet another non <\/p>\n
455
\n00:25:58,520 –> 00:26:01,680
\nChristadelphian author, but this
\none, this one touches me. <\/p>\n
456
\n00:26:01,960 –> 00:26:04,120
\nOne of the great difficulties he
\nwrote back at the end of World <\/p>\n
457
\n00:26:04,120 –> 00:26:06,640
\nWar 2 is to keep before an
\naudience’s mind the question of <\/p>\n
458
\n00:26:06,640 –> 00:26:08,400
\ntruth.
\nThey always think you are <\/p>\n
459
\n00:26:08,400 –> 00:26:11,360
\nrecommending Christianity, not
\nbecause it is true, but because <\/p>\n
460
\n00:26:11,360 –> 00:26:14,760
\nit is comforting and useful.
\nYou have to keep forcing them <\/p>\n
461
\n00:26:14,760 –> 00:26:17,680
\nback and again, back to the real
\npoint. <\/p>\n
462
\n00:26:18,200 –> 00:26:22,000
\nOnly then will you be able to
\nundermine their belief that a <\/p>\n
463
\n00:26:22,000 –> 00:26:24,240
\ncertain amount of religion is
\ndesirable. <\/p>\n
464
\n00:26:24,240 –> 00:26:25,760
\nBut one mustn’t carry it too
\nfar. <\/p>\n
465
\n00:26:26,800 –> 00:26:30,520
\nOne must keep on pointing out
\nthat Christianity is a statement<\/p>\n
466
\n00:26:30,520 –> 00:26:37,360
\nwhich, if false, is of no
\nimportance, and if true, of <\/p>\n
467
\n00:26:37,400 –> 00:26:41,200
\ninfinite importance.
\nThe one thing it cannot be is <\/p>\n
468
\n00:26:41,200 –> 00:26:46,240
\nmoderately important.
\nOf course the gospel is useful. <\/p>\n
469
\n00:26:47,400 –> 00:26:49,160
\nPraise God, the gospel is
\nuseful. <\/p>\n
470
\n00:26:49,160 –> 00:26:52,720
\nIt can help you with any issue
\nyou might ever face. <\/p>\n
471
\n00:26:53,160 –> 00:26:54,680
\nIt can help you with sexual
\ntemptation. <\/p>\n
472
\n00:26:54,680 –> 00:26:57,520
\nIt can help you manage your
\nmoney or deal with grief or <\/p>\n
473
\n00:26:57,880 –> 00:27:02,400
\nunderstand childlessness or or
\nrationalize your declining <\/p>\n
474
\n00:27:02,400 –> 00:27:06,120
\nhealth or your dislike of your
\nbody or whatever issues that we <\/p>\n
475
\n00:27:06,120 –> 00:27:08,240
\nmight come to face.
\nOf course it’s, of course it’s <\/p>\n
476
\n00:27:08,240 –> 00:27:12,160
\nuseful.
\nIt’s not true because it’s <\/p>\n
477
\n00:27:12,160 –> 00:27:15,720
\nuseful.
\nIt’s useful because it’s true. <\/p>\n
478
\n00:27:17,440 –> 00:27:19,240
\nThat’s the point that he was
\ntrying to make as well. <\/p>\n
479
\n00:27:19,520 –> 00:27:21,680
\nOnce we start talking about
\nthese issues, severed from the <\/p>\n
480
\n00:27:21,680 –> 00:27:23,360
\ngospel, we’re just shouting at
\nthe stars. <\/p>\n
481
\n00:27:25,400 –> 00:27:27,880
\nYou and I, brothers and sisters,
\nlive in a world that has sawn <\/p>\n
482
\n00:27:27,880 –> 00:27:31,800
\noff the branch that it’s sitting
\non and wondering why the ground <\/p>\n
483
\n00:27:31,800 –> 00:27:35,600
\nis getting closer.
\nIt’s completely ridiculous. <\/p>\n
484
\n00:27:36,080 –> 00:27:39,320
\nAnd it’s fascinating that the
\nmost explicitly gospel value of,<\/p>\n
485
\n00:27:39,720 –> 00:27:44,120
\nof love is now used as a banner
\nto object to Christianity, to, <\/p>\n
486
\n00:27:44,440 –> 00:27:47,880
\nto object to the true gospel.
\nYou know, people who objected to<\/p>\n
487
\n00:27:47,880 –> 00:27:50,280
\nthe gospel of the Roman world
\nobjected because it promoted a <\/p>\n
488
\n00:27:50,280 –> 00:27:53,080
\nlifestyle that wasn’t manly and
\nvirile enough. <\/p>\n
489
\n00:27:53,080 –> 00:27:54,920
\nAnd it, we’ve touched some of
\nthose issues already. <\/p>\n
490
\n00:27:55,240 –> 00:27:58,600
\nIt was so the line said it was
\nfor fools and women and slaves <\/p>\n
491
\n00:27:58,600 –> 00:28:00,720
\nand, and they flocked to it in
\ntheir droves. <\/p>\n
492
\n00:28:01,880 –> 00:28:05,000
\nWell, now it’s the opposite.
\nNow it’s attacked for being <\/p>\n
493
\n00:28:05,000 –> 00:28:09,080
\nhostile to fools and women and
\nslaves because love is love and <\/p>\n
494
\n00:28:09,080 –> 00:28:13,880
\nLove Is All you need, right?
\nOur 21st century sexual ethics <\/p>\n
495
\n00:28:14,360 –> 00:28:16,160
\nare reduced to a single
\nprohibition. <\/p>\n
496
\n00:28:16,760 –> 00:28:19,080
\nThou shalt not suppress any
\ndesire. <\/p>\n
497
\n00:28:20,360 –> 00:28:22,120
\nAnd the gospel says it doesn’t
\nwork like that. <\/p>\n
498
\n00:28:22,240 –> 00:28:24,400
\nYou need to turn the world on
\nits head. <\/p>\n
499
\n00:28:25,720 –> 00:28:29,400
\nAnd he will begin to go on in
\nthe letter to dig into some more<\/p>\n
500
\n00:28:29,400 –> 00:28:33,160
\nof these freedom issues.
\nPaul’s letter to the to the <\/p>\n
501
\n00:28:33,160 –> 00:28:35,880
\nCorinthians or the 1st letter to
\nthe Corinthians begins to open <\/p>\n
502
\n00:28:35,880 –> 00:28:38,640
\nup all manner of freedom issues.
\nWe will not cover them all, of <\/p>\n
503
\n00:28:38,640 –> 00:28:41,160
\ncourse.
\nSo he’s talking about all things<\/p>\n
504
\n00:28:41,160 –> 00:28:43,920
\nbeing lawful.
\nAs we’ve explained, Chapter 7 is<\/p>\n
505
\n00:28:43,920 –> 00:28:47,720
\ngoing to focus in on the issues
\nof self-control, self-control in<\/p>\n
506
\n00:28:47,720 –> 00:28:51,960
\nparticular within a marriage
\nsituation, and says within that,<\/p>\n
507
\n00:28:51,960 –> 00:28:54,760
\nthat that if a slave is
\nbaptized, there is no stigma to <\/p>\n
508
\n00:28:54,760 –> 00:28:58,880
\nbeing a slave.
\nIt’s OK in society’s eyes to be <\/p>\n
509
\n00:28:58,880 –> 00:29:02,480
\nunfree because in the gospel’s
\neyes you are much more free. <\/p>\n
510
\n00:29:04,280 –> 00:29:06,760
\nYou can even be free, he says,
\nfrom anxiety. <\/p>\n
511
\n00:29:07,240 –> 00:29:09,320
\nYou can be liberated from a
\nwhole series of things. <\/p>\n
512
\n00:29:09,320 –> 00:29:11,960
\nIn fact, in Chapter 7, Paul
\ntakes a very exaltive view of <\/p>\n
513
\n00:29:11,960 –> 00:29:16,760
\nsingleness, which which I think
\nis something that we ought to <\/p>\n
514
\n00:29:16,760 –> 00:29:21,200
\nmake sure we talk about more.
\nWe often either consciously or <\/p>\n
515
\n00:29:21,200 –> 00:29:23,840
\nunconsciously talk about
\nsingleness as a transit point on<\/p>\n
516
\n00:29:23,840 –> 00:29:28,000
\nthe way to marriage, and I don’t
\nthink Paul does that. <\/p>\n
517
\n00:29:28,000 –> 00:29:30,240
\nHe says singleness is an exalted
\nstate. <\/p>\n
518
\n00:29:31,040 –> 00:29:33,560
\nI suspect if he was sat down
\nthere, he would say 50% of us <\/p>\n
519
\n00:29:33,560 –> 00:29:36,600
\nwho are married are going to be
\nsingle again in the future. <\/p>\n
520
\n00:29:37,480 –> 00:29:42,040
\nSo being a disciple and not
\nbeing married, it’s not just OK,<\/p>\n
521
\n00:29:42,760 –> 00:29:46,640
\nit’s an honorable state to be in
\nand you can work out your <\/p>\n
522
\n00:29:46,640 –> 00:29:49,400
\nfreedom in those worlds as well.
\nHe will go on in Chapter 9 to <\/p>\n
523
\n00:29:49,400 –> 00:29:52,280
\ntalk about though he is free,
\nhe’s made a servant of all. <\/p>\n
524
\n00:29:52,280 –> 00:29:55,200
\nHe’s disciplined his body and
\nlimited himself and kept it <\/p>\n
525
\n00:29:55,200 –> 00:29:57,360
\nunder control.
\nHe’s going to talk in chapter 10<\/p>\n
526
\n00:29:57,360 –> 00:30:00,080
\nabout not seeking his own good,
\nbut those of his neighbor. <\/p>\n
527
\n00:30:00,080 –> 00:30:02,360
\nIn other words, voluntary
\nsubmission and giving himself <\/p>\n
528
\n00:30:02,400 –> 00:30:04,120
\nup.
\nHe’ll talk about chapter in <\/p>\n
529
\n00:30:04,120 –> 00:30:08,840
\nChapter 11 about symbols of
\nvoluntary subjection, voluntary <\/p>\n
530
\n00:30:08,840 –> 00:30:11,480
\nsubmission.
\nHe’ll talk a little bit further <\/p>\n
531
\n00:30:11,480 –> 00:30:13,640
\ndown in Chapter 11 about what
\nhappens when the ecclesia <\/p>\n
532
\n00:30:13,640 –> 00:30:18,960
\ngathers, when if you’ve got a
\nmeal and somebody else doesn’t, <\/p>\n
533
\n00:30:18,960 –> 00:30:22,320
\nyou don’t just plow in and fill
\nyour plate, but that you <\/p>\n
534
\n00:30:22,320 –> 00:30:25,680
\nrecognize that you might need to
\nrestrict yourself because others<\/p>\n
535
\n00:30:25,680 –> 00:30:28,160
\ndon’t have what you have.
\nAnd then of course, right the <\/p>\n
536
\n00:30:28,160 –> 00:30:31,280
\nway down in chapter 16 and in
\nthe second letter as well, he’ll<\/p>\n
537
\n00:30:31,280 –> 00:30:34,920
\ntalk about the collections for
\nthe Saints and echo the Exodus <\/p>\n
538
\n00:30:34,920 –> 00:30:38,360
\nmetaphor and say when you make
\nyour collection, you are to <\/p>\n
539
\n00:30:38,360 –> 00:30:40,520
\nfreely give.
\nIt’s a free will offering just <\/p>\n
540
\n00:30:40,520 –> 00:30:43,440
\nlike it was when they came out
\nof Egypt, just like it was when <\/p>\n
541
\n00:30:43,440 –> 00:30:46,320
\nGod gave the manner to them in
\nthe wilderness and they could go<\/p>\n
542
\n00:30:46,320 –> 00:30:48,720
\nout and collect what they chose
\nto collect. <\/p>\n
543
\n00:30:50,200 –> 00:30:52,840
\nAll of these things that are
\ngoing on are telling us that <\/p>\n
544
\n00:30:52,840 –> 00:30:56,680
\nScripture is not giving carte
\nblanche to to any one person. <\/p>\n
545
\n00:30:57,160 –> 00:30:59,680
\nIt’s teaching us to restrict
\nourselves for the benefit of <\/p>\n
546
\n00:30:59,680 –> 00:31:02,920
\nother people.
\nSlaves are not set free, but <\/p>\n
547
\n00:31:02,920 –> 00:31:05,000
\nmasters are told to moderate
\ntheir behaviour. <\/p>\n
548
\n00:31:05,440 –> 00:31:08,120
\nWives are not given authority,
\nbut husbands are told to love <\/p>\n
549
\n00:31:08,120 –> 00:31:11,240
\ntheir wives.
\nSisters are not given freedom to<\/p>\n
550
\n00:31:11,240 –> 00:31:14,960
\ndo all that we now say they can,
\nbut men are told to stand up and<\/p>\n
551
\n00:31:14,960 –> 00:31:17,080
\ntake a lead.
\nThose who are married are <\/p>\n
552
\n00:31:17,080 –> 00:31:19,960
\nencouraged not to divorce.
\nI’m trying to get my words <\/p>\n
553
\n00:31:19,960 –> 00:31:22,600
\ncarefully here.
\nIt’s about freedom to restrain, <\/p>\n
554
\n00:31:22,840 –> 00:31:27,120
\nnot freedom to dominate in every
\npossible shape and shade of <\/p>\n
555
\n00:31:27,120 –> 00:31:30,680
\nlife.
\nHence Mary’s song. <\/p>\n
556
\n00:31:31,560 –> 00:31:34,680
\nHe’s brought down the mighty and
\nhe’s raised up the humble. <\/p>\n
557
\n00:31:37,560 –> 00:31:39,760
\nSo I’ve scandalized you by
\ntalking about Roman sexual <\/p>\n
558
\n00:31:39,760 –> 00:31:41,200
\nethics.
\nLet’s talk about human rights. <\/p>\n
559
\n00:31:41,200 –> 00:31:51,300
\nJust to round things off.
\nCome on to Chapter 8. 1st <\/p>\n
560
\n00:31:51,300 –> 00:31:54,380
\nCorinthians 8 and verse one.
\nNow as touching things off for <\/p>\n
561
\n00:31:54,380 –> 00:31:57,500
\ntwo idols, we know that and
\nhere’s a quote of them back to <\/p>\n
562
\n00:31:57,500 –> 00:31:59,020
\nthem.
\nWe all have knowledge. <\/p>\n
563
\n00:32:00,100 –> 00:32:04,260
\nKnowledge Paul says, puffs up,
\nbut love builds up. <\/p>\n
564
\n00:32:05,060 –> 00:32:07,740
\nAnd if any man think that he
\nknows anything, he knows nothing<\/p>\n
565
\n00:32:07,740 –> 00:32:11,580
\nas yet as he ought to know.
\nBut if any man love God, the <\/p>\n
566
\n00:32:11,580 –> 00:32:15,240
\nsame is known of Him as
\nconcerning, therefore the eating<\/p>\n
567
\n00:32:15,240 –> 00:32:17,120
\nof those things offered in
\nsacrifice to idols. <\/p>\n
568
\n00:32:17,120 –> 00:32:21,880
\nWe know that an idol is nothing
\nin the world, and there is no <\/p>\n
569
\n00:32:21,880 –> 00:32:24,480
\nother God but one.
\nAnd He will go on to talk in <\/p>\n
570
\n00:32:24,480 –> 00:32:27,680
\nthis chapter about the challenge
\nof food being offered to idols. <\/p>\n
571
\n00:32:28,200 –> 00:32:30,600
\nWe sometimes put this side by
\nside, don’t we with what’s going<\/p>\n
572
\n00:32:30,600 –> 00:32:34,960
\non in Romans chapter 14.
\nJust want to keep this tight <\/p>\n
573
\n00:32:34,960 –> 00:32:37,240
\njust because that clock is about
\nto consume me. <\/p>\n
574
\n00:32:38,080 –> 00:32:41,480
\nYou remember back in Romans 14,
\nPaul sets up a a comparison <\/p>\n
575
\n00:32:41,480 –> 00:32:45,560
\nbetween the strong and the weak.
\nAnd the focus there is the <\/p>\n
576
\n00:32:45,560 –> 00:32:49,720
\nJewish food laws.
\nAnd the point Paul tries to make<\/p>\n
577
\n00:32:49,720 –> 00:32:53,000
\nin Romans 14 is that all food is
\nclean, that the the law has been<\/p>\n
578
\n00:32:53,000 –> 00:32:56,200
\nabrogated.
\nNothing that you eat from the <\/p>\n
579
\n00:32:56,200 –> 00:32:58,400
\noutside can make you unclean,
\nbecause of course it’s what is <\/p>\n
580
\n00:32:58,400 –> 00:32:59,800
\non the inside.
\nBut. <\/p>\n
581
\n00:33:01,320 –> 00:33:04,640
\nIf it feels unclean, if if you
\nbring something to the table, as<\/p>\n
582
\n00:33:04,640 –> 00:33:08,200
\nit were, from your past that
\nmakes you feel that eating food <\/p>\n
583
\n00:33:08,200 –> 00:33:10,560
\nthat under the Law of Moses will
\nbe unclean, then don’t do it. <\/p>\n
584
\n00:33:11,440 –> 00:33:14,040
\nIt’s an individual choice.
\nHe says it’s better to be <\/p>\n
585
\n00:33:14,040 –> 00:33:18,080
\nstrong.
\nPaul says he’s strong, it’s <\/p>\n
586
\n00:33:18,120 –> 00:33:20,560
\nbetter to be strong, but it
\nbrings more responsibility when <\/p>\n
587
\n00:33:20,560 –> 00:33:23,360
\nyou do so.
\nAnd he actually gives us the <\/p>\n
588
\n00:33:23,360 –> 00:33:27,560
\nexample in Romans 15 of the one
\nwho was the strongest, the one <\/p>\n
589
\n00:33:27,560 –> 00:33:30,440
\nwho took the most responsibility
\nupon himself, IE the Lord. <\/p>\n
590
\n00:33:31,520 –> 00:33:35,680
\nSo what Romans 14 is doing is
\nsetting up a comparison between <\/p>\n
591
\n00:33:36,040 –> 00:33:39,560
\nthe strong and the weak, but
\nover an issue that in one way <\/p>\n
592
\n00:33:39,560 –> 00:33:42,280
\nhas already been dealt with, the
\nJewish food laws. <\/p>\n
593
\n00:33:42,760 –> 00:33:46,240
\nWhat First Corinthians chapters
\n8 or chapter 8 is going to do is<\/p>\n
594
\n00:33:46,240 –> 00:33:48,560
\nfocusing on a slightly different
\nfood issue. <\/p>\n
595
\n00:33:49,000 –> 00:33:52,680
\nIt’s not strong V weak, it’s
\nknowledge V conscience. <\/p>\n
596
\n00:33:53,520 –> 00:33:59,000
\nAnd the food is not the law
\nunclean under the Mosaic Law. <\/p>\n
597
\n00:33:59,600 –> 00:34:02,400
\nBut it’s food which has been
\noffered in a Pagan temple. <\/p>\n
598
\n00:34:03,680 –> 00:34:05,520
\nAnd here things are slightly
\ndifferent, aren’t they? <\/p>\n
599
\n00:34:06,240 –> 00:34:09,000
\nBecause what Paul is trying to
\nsay here is don’t offer food. <\/p>\n
600
\n00:34:09,280 –> 00:34:12,560
\nDon’t eat food offered to.
\nIdols because it sends the wrong<\/p>\n
601
\n00:34:12,560 –> 00:34:15,040
\nmessage, it will cause others to
\nstumble. <\/p>\n
602
\n00:34:15,040 –> 00:34:19,600
\nYes, all food is clean, he said.
\nAn idol is nothing, but don’t <\/p>\n
603
\n00:34:19,600 –> 00:34:23,040
\neat it if it causes your brother
\nto stumble. <\/p>\n
604
\n00:34:23,040 –> 00:34:25,760
\nDon’t eat it if it sends the
\nwrong message. <\/p>\n
605
\n00:34:26,280 –> 00:34:28,440
\nIn other words, in the Romans
\nexample, you can make a choice. <\/p>\n
606
\n00:34:29,239 –> 00:34:32,280
\nIn the Corinthians example, he
\nsays it’s better not to do that,<\/p>\n
607
\n00:34:32,840 –> 00:34:36,080
\nnot that knowledge is better or
\nthat conscience is better, but <\/p>\n
608
\n00:34:36,080 –> 00:34:37,760
\nit’s the way in which they are
\napplied. <\/p>\n
609
\n00:34:38,400 –> 00:34:40,480
\nNow there are some Corinthians,
\nhe says, who are insisting that <\/p>\n
610
\n00:34:40,480 –> 00:34:41,840
\nthey can eat food offered to
\nidols. <\/p>\n
611
\n00:34:42,120 –> 00:34:44,280
\nAnd you know, others just have
\nto learn to live with it because<\/p>\n
612
\n00:34:44,280 –> 00:34:45,920
\nit’s my freedom.
\nI can do what I want and you <\/p>\n
613
\n00:34:45,920 –> 00:34:47,880
\njust have to figure it out.
\nVerse seven. <\/p>\n
614
\n00:34:48,000 –> 00:34:51,040
\nHowever, there is in every man
\nnot that knowledge for some with<\/p>\n
615
\n00:34:51,040 –> 00:34:52,960
\nconscience of the idol.
\nTo this hour he says a thing <\/p>\n
616
\n00:34:52,960 –> 00:34:55,280
\noffered to an idol, and their
\nconscience being weak, is <\/p>\n
617
\n00:34:55,280 –> 00:34:58,320
\ndefiled.
\nBut meat commends us not to God.<\/p>\n
618
\n00:34:58,600 –> 00:35:02,440
\nFor neither if we eat are we
\nbetter, neither if we eat not <\/p>\n
619
\n00:35:02,960 –> 00:35:06,240
\nare we the worst.
\nPaul’s response is that <\/p>\n
620
\n00:35:06,240 –> 00:35:09,080
\nknowledge is good.
\nIn other words, ignorance is not<\/p>\n
621
\n00:35:09,080 –> 00:35:12,360
\na target, but that it should
\nlead to love. <\/p>\n
622
\n00:35:12,720 –> 00:35:16,800
\nIt shouldn’t lead to claiming
\nrights over your brother and <\/p>\n
623
\n00:35:16,800 –> 00:35:17,840
\nsister.
\nVerse 9. <\/p>\n
624
\n00:35:17,840 –> 00:35:22,640
\nTake heed, lest by any means
\nthis liberty of yours becomes a <\/p>\n
625
\n00:35:22,640 –> 00:35:25,240
\nstumbling block to those who are
\nweak. <\/p>\n
626
\n00:35:26,200 –> 00:35:28,520
\nStumbling block is not a
\nshorthand for something you do <\/p>\n
627
\n00:35:28,520 –> 00:35:32,080
\nthat I don’t like, which we
\nsometimes think that it is. <\/p>\n
628
\n00:35:32,640 –> 00:35:34,920
\nIt’s about whether or not you
\nand I can agree with something. <\/p>\n
629
\n00:35:34,920 –> 00:35:38,520
\nIt’s a particular kind of
\noffense that leads a disciple to<\/p>\n
630
\n00:35:38,520 –> 00:35:41,240
\nsin against his or her
\nconscience. <\/p>\n
631
\n00:35:42,880 –> 00:35:45,000
\nAnd it’s never right to sin
\nagainst your conscience because <\/p>\n
632
\n00:35:45,000 –> 00:35:47,480
\nit leads you towards sin.
\nIt leads you towards <\/p>\n
633
\n00:35:47,480 –> 00:35:49,320
\ndestruction, as Paul says,
\nDoesn’t he in verse? <\/p>\n
634
\n00:35:49,440 –> 00:35:52,800
\nDoesn’t he in verse 11 if
\nthrough your quote knowledge. <\/p>\n
635
\n00:35:53,840 –> 00:35:57,320
\nThe weak brother perish, for
\nwhom Christ died. <\/p>\n
636
\n00:35:58,080 –> 00:36:01,360
\nThere is an issue there.
\nOf of whether or not we claim <\/p>\n
637
\n00:36:01,480 –> 00:36:04,760
\nour liberty in Christ to choose
\nto do as. <\/p>\n
638
\n00:36:04,760 –> 00:36:08,800
\nWe want in this circumstance and
\nPaul says no, that’s not how it <\/p>\n
639
\n00:36:08,800 –> 00:36:13,280
\nworks if when you sin or but
\nwhen you sin so against your <\/p>\n
640
\n00:36:13,280 –> 00:36:16,600
\nbrother and wound their weak
\nconscience, you sin against <\/p>\n
641
\n00:36:16,600 –> 00:36:20,360
\nChrist and then Paul we’ll go
\non. <\/p>\n
642
\n00:36:21,520 –> 00:36:25,680
\nTo use two examples just to
\nunderpin his argument, and the <\/p>\n
643
\n00:36:25,680 –> 00:36:29,120
\nfirst is in Chapter 9, he’ll
\ngive us the example of himself. <\/p>\n
644
\n00:36:29,720 –> 00:36:33,040
\nThe second is in chapter 10 and
\nhe’ll give us the example of the<\/p>\n
645
\n00:36:33,040 –> 00:36:36,920
\nnation, and they are both there
\nspecifically to underpin this <\/p>\n
646
\n00:36:36,920 –> 00:36:39,240
\nissue of what he can and can’t
\nclaim. <\/p>\n
647
\n00:36:39,840 –> 00:36:44,000
\nSo he will tell us in Chapter 9
\nthat he’s an apostle and <\/p>\n
648
\n00:36:44,000 –> 00:36:47,000
\ntherefore he’s free to claim
\ncertain rights because he’s an <\/p>\n
649
\n00:36:47,000 –> 00:36:50,600
\napostle, but he declines to do
\nso. <\/p>\n
650
\n00:36:50,600 –> 00:36:53,400
\nHe chooses not to claim those
\nrights because he doesn’t want <\/p>\n
651
\n00:36:53,400 –> 00:36:57,160
\nto put any barriers in the way
\nof others when he does that. <\/p>\n
652
\n00:36:58,960 –> 00:37:01,440
\nAnd it’s ironic because Paul
\ntells us that he knows. <\/p>\n
653
\n00:37:01,440 –> 00:37:03,360
\nAnd I’m, I’m just skipping over
\nrather than diving into the <\/p>\n
654
\n00:37:03,360 –> 00:37:06,120
\nverses just because I want to
\nmake sure we don’t run too tight<\/p>\n
655
\n00:37:06,120 –> 00:37:08,480
\non time.
\nPaul says he knows that idols <\/p>\n
656
\n00:37:08,480 –> 00:37:12,080
\nare nothing, but he also
\nacknowledges their influence to <\/p>\n
657
\n00:37:12,080 –> 00:37:14,720
\navoid many being destroyed.
\nThat’s the problem that he goes <\/p>\n
658
\n00:37:14,720 –> 00:37:18,080
\nthrough in Chapter 9.
\nJust come actually to verse 19. <\/p>\n
659
\n00:37:18,120 –> 00:37:22,360
\nIn Chapter 9, though I be free
\nfrom all, yet have I made myself<\/p>\n
660
\n00:37:22,360 –> 00:37:26,240
\nservant to all, that I might
\ngain them more to the Jews I <\/p>\n
661
\n00:37:26,240 –> 00:37:29,320
\nbecame a Jew, that I might gain
\nthe Jews to them under the law, <\/p>\n
662
\n00:37:29,320 –> 00:37:31,760
\nas under the law, that I might
\ngain them under the law. <\/p>\n
663
\n00:37:31,760 –> 00:37:34,080
\nAnd so he goes on verse 22 as
\nwell. <\/p>\n
664
\n00:37:34,080 –> 00:37:36,240
\nTo the weak.
\nI became as weak that I might <\/p>\n
665
\n00:37:36,240 –> 00:37:39,160
\ngain the weak.
\nWhat I am trying to avoid doing,<\/p>\n
666
\n00:37:39,160 –> 00:37:44,360
\nhe says, is or what I am doing
\nis limiting myself for the sake <\/p>\n
667
\n00:37:44,360 –> 00:37:47,080
\nof others so that I serve God
\nand therefore serve my brothers <\/p>\n
668
\n00:37:47,080 –> 00:37:51,280
\nand sisters.
\nFreedom is not about just <\/p>\n
669
\n00:37:51,280 –> 00:37:56,520
\nindulging yourself randomly.
\nI therefore, verse 26, run not <\/p>\n
670
\n00:37:56,520 –> 00:38:00,960
\nas uncertainly, so I fight not
\nas one that beats the air, but I<\/p>\n
671
\n00:38:00,960 –> 00:38:04,560
\nkeep under my body and bring it
\ninto subjection, lest by any <\/p>\n
672
\n00:38:04,560 –> 00:38:07,680
\nmeans when I preach to others, I
\nmyself should be a castaway. <\/p>\n
673
\n00:38:08,240 –> 00:38:11,920
\nRemember Jeremiah 2, that one
\nplace that the Hebrew word avid <\/p>\n
674
\n00:38:11,920 –> 00:38:15,240
\ngets translated as slave in your
\nKing James Version? <\/p>\n
675
\n00:38:15,480 –> 00:38:18,160
\nAnd that verse about the wild
\ncamel running around randomly in<\/p>\n
676
\n00:38:18,160 –> 00:38:19,760
\nthe desert?
\nThat Israel had let themselves <\/p>\n
677
\n00:38:19,760 –> 00:38:23,000
\ngo free and God was going to
\ndeal with the consequences. <\/p>\n
678
\n00:38:23,000 –> 00:38:27,960
\nPaul says I’m trying not to be
\nthat camel and rather helpfully,<\/p>\n
679
\n00:38:27,960 –> 00:38:31,200
\nhe doesn’t use that word at the
\nend of Chapter 9 to make it. <\/p>\n
680
\n00:38:31,480 –> 00:38:33,920
\nThen he talked to us about
\nIsrael, who of course were free <\/p>\n
681
\n00:38:34,280 –> 00:38:37,160
\nin a different sense because
\nthey were God’s first born son. <\/p>\n
682
\n00:38:37,760 –> 00:38:40,640
\nBut they fell.
\nWhy did they fall chapter 10? <\/p>\n
683
\n00:38:40,640 –> 00:38:44,200
\nWell, because despite having all
\nthese things laid out before <\/p>\n
684
\n00:38:44,200 –> 00:38:46,400
\nthem, despite being under the
\ncloud and eating the same <\/p>\n
685
\n00:38:46,400 –> 00:38:49,240
\nspiritual meat and drinking the
\nsame spiritual drink of the <\/p>\n
686
\n00:38:49,240 –> 00:38:51,720
\nwrap, the rock that went with
\nthem, which was Christ with many<\/p>\n
687
\n00:38:51,720 –> 00:38:54,840
\nof them, Paul says God was not
\nwell pleased because they put <\/p>\n
688
\n00:38:54,840 –> 00:38:57,280
\nbarriers in the way of their own
\nfaith. <\/p>\n
689
\n00:38:58,680 –> 00:39:04,520
\nAnd they knew because they were
\ntold in every possible way <\/p>\n
690
\n00:39:05,040 –> 00:39:07,120
\nthrough the law of Moses and
\nthrough the prophets and through<\/p>\n
691
\n00:39:07,120 –> 00:39:12,240
\nthrough those he sent.
\nThe idols were nothing, but they<\/p>\n
692
\n00:39:12,240 –> 00:39:14,080
\ndidn’t acknowledge their
\ninfluence and many were <\/p>\n
693
\n00:39:14,080 –> 00:39:16,200
\ndestroyed.
\nIt’s the exact counterpart of <\/p>\n
694
\n00:39:16,200 –> 00:39:19,400
\nwhat Paul is telling us about
\nhimself in the previous chapter.<\/p>\n
695
\n00:39:21,520 –> 00:39:24,120
\nAnd again, it just rounds off
\nour our look at the Servant <\/p>\n
696
\n00:39:24,120 –> 00:39:24,920
\nsongs, doesn’t it?
\nThe. <\/p>\n
697
\n00:39:24,920 –> 00:39:29,360
\nIsrael who were free to serve
\nGod, but ended up serving idols <\/p>\n
698
\n00:39:29,560 –> 00:39:32,000
\nand giving themselves over to
\nsomething else. <\/p>\n
699
\n00:39:32,400 –> 00:39:35,800
\nPaul is telling us that that one
\nof the reasons we do what we do <\/p>\n
700
\n00:39:35,800 –> 00:39:37,960
\nis love for our weaker brothers
\nand sisters. <\/p>\n
701
\n00:39:38,920 –> 00:39:42,560
\nAnd if I bring you all the way
\ndown to chapter 10 and verse 23,<\/p>\n
702
\n00:39:45,120 –> 00:39:48,960
\nall things he says are lawful
\nfor me, quoting them back at <\/p>\n
703
\n00:39:48,960 –> 00:39:51,160
\nthemselves.
\nBut all things are not <\/p>\n
704
\n00:39:51,160 –> 00:39:52,960
\nexpedient.
\nAll things are lawful for me, <\/p>\n
705
\n00:39:52,960 –> 00:39:58,880
\nbut not all things build up.
\nLet’s no man seek his own, but <\/p>\n
706
\n00:39:58,880 –> 00:40:02,880
\nevery man another’s wealth.
\nThere are limits, Paul says in <\/p>\n
707
\n00:40:02,880 –> 00:40:04,520
\nhow far you need to go.
\nYou don’t need to go and dig <\/p>\n
708
\n00:40:04,520 –> 00:40:06,320
\nthrough the bins to make sure
\nthat the food that you eat in <\/p>\n
709
\n00:40:06,320 –> 00:40:08,680
\nthe kitchen is clean in a
\nparticular way. <\/p>\n
710
\n00:40:09,200 –> 00:40:12,400
\nBut if you know it’s from the
\ntemple, verse 28, if any man <\/p>\n
711
\n00:40:12,400 –> 00:40:15,920
\nsays to you, it’s offered in
\nsacrifice, don’t eat it for his <\/p>\n
712
\n00:40:15,920 –> 00:40:16,600
\nsake.
\nThat showed. <\/p>\n
713
\n00:40:16,600 –> 00:40:19,040
\nYou.
\nAnd for conscience sake. <\/p>\n
714
\n00:40:19,560 –> 00:40:21,680
\nWhy?
\nBecause of the Genesis creation?<\/p>\n
715
\n00:40:22,520 –> 00:40:26,240
\nBecause end of verse 28, the
\nearth is the Lord’s and the <\/p>\n
716
\n00:40:26,240 –> 00:40:29,480
\nfullness thereof.
\nWhat is Sorry, let me get that <\/p>\n
717
\n00:40:29,480 –> 00:40:31,400
\nright.
\nWhat is Paul trying to to get <\/p>\n
718
\n00:40:31,400 –> 00:40:34,440
\nacross?
\nAs I as I fire out these verses <\/p>\n
719
\n00:40:34,440 –> 00:40:38,720
\nto a bunch of very tired looking
\npeople, what is Paul trying to <\/p>\n
720
\n00:40:38,720 –> 00:40:42,120
\ncommunicate to us?
\nHe’s trying to say don’t do <\/p>\n
721
\n00:40:42,120 –> 00:40:45,280
\nanything that gives the
\nimpression you are soft on <\/p>\n
722
\n00:40:45,280 –> 00:40:48,680
\nidolatry.
\nDon’t do anything that gives the<\/p>\n
723
\n00:40:48,680 –> 00:40:52,000
\nimpression that you share in the
\ncult of the city. <\/p>\n
724
\n00:40:53,120 –> 00:40:57,560
\nIn his day and age, it’s me
\noffered to idols in our day and <\/p>\n
725
\n00:40:57,560 –> 00:40:59,240
\nage, it’s a whole bunch of other
\nissues. <\/p>\n
726
\n00:41:00,520 –> 00:41:06,120
\nRainbow flags, right?
\nI I know good friends who will <\/p>\n
727
\n00:41:06,120 –> 00:41:08,800
\nsay we have no issue with our
\nour son or daughter going to <\/p>\n
728
\n00:41:08,800 –> 00:41:11,200
\nschool carrying a bag with a
\nrainbow on it because it’s God’s<\/p>\n
729
\n00:41:11,200 –> 00:41:15,640
\nsymbol, because it’s a symbol of
\nof his power and his creation <\/p>\n
730
\n00:41:15,640 –> 00:41:18,680
\nand his judgement.
\nAnd it’s just a little flag. <\/p>\n
731
\n00:41:20,360 –> 00:41:24,640
\nOnly I don’t think it is because
\nit’s not just a little flag to <\/p>\n
732
\n00:41:24,640 –> 00:41:28,160
\nthe organization that now hang
\ntheir hat on that particular <\/p>\n
733
\n00:41:28,160 –> 00:41:30,160
\nlife.
\nJust like Paul is saying in <\/p>\n
734
\n00:41:30,160 –> 00:41:31,520
\nthese chapters, It’s not just
\nme. <\/p>\n
735
\n00:41:31,960 –> 00:41:34,040
\nIt’s a way of placating an angry
\ndeity. <\/p>\n
736
\n00:41:35,880 –> 00:41:40,120
\nAnd so if you you wear rainbow
\nlaces to fall to school or, or <\/p>\n
737
\n00:41:40,120 –> 00:41:43,160
\nto football or whatever it might
\nbe, you are absolutely 100% <\/p>\n
738
\n00:41:43,160 –> 00:41:46,040
\ncorrect that the rainbow is
\nGod’s symbol and he sent it to <\/p>\n
739
\n00:41:46,040 –> 00:41:49,040
\nprove his promises.
\nVerse 26 Again, the earth is the<\/p>\n
740
\n00:41:49,040 –> 00:41:51,240
\nLord’s and the fullness thereof
\nis absolutely right that it’s <\/p>\n
741
\n00:41:51,240 –> 00:41:54,400
\nhis.
\nBut you’re sending mixed <\/p>\n
742
\n00:41:54,400 –> 00:41:57,560
\nsignals, I think, because that
\nsymbol has now been offered to <\/p>\n
743
\n00:41:57,560 –> 00:42:00,040
\nidols.
\nAnd the way that that symbol <\/p>\n
744
\n00:42:00,040 –> 00:42:04,600
\nlands in the 21st century is
\ngoing to cause people to sin <\/p>\n
745
\n00:42:04,600 –> 00:42:07,800
\nagainst their conscience, which
\nis what all of these chapters <\/p>\n
746
\n00:42:07,800 –> 00:42:09,280
\nare trying to get us to
\nunderstand. <\/p>\n
747
\n00:42:10,560 –> 00:42:12,880
\nOr maybe your company says you
\nneed to put your preferred <\/p>\n
748
\n00:42:12,880 –> 00:42:14,640
\npronouns in your e-mail
\nsignature. <\/p>\n
749
\n00:42:15,960 –> 00:42:17,560
\nAnd the same issue comes up
\nagain. <\/p>\n
750
\n00:42:18,040 –> 00:42:21,600
\nBecause even gender has been
\noffered to idols now, and we <\/p>\n
751
\n00:42:21,600 –> 00:42:24,360
\nneed to be careful not to appear
\nas if we are indulging in the <\/p>\n
752
\n00:42:24,360 –> 00:42:26,600
\ncult of the city.
\nThese are wisdom issues. <\/p>\n
753
\n00:42:27,240 –> 00:42:32,920
\nFreedom is, is about giving
\nstuff up and and maybe there <\/p>\n
754
\n00:42:32,920 –> 00:42:37,120
\nneeds to be a sharper break
\nbetween discipleship and a world<\/p>\n
755
\n00:42:37,120 –> 00:42:40,480
\nthat says my identity is
\nanything that I want it to be. <\/p>\n
756
\n00:42:41,200 –> 00:42:44,000
\nWhich of course was what Paul
\nwas saying in Galatians 5 when <\/p>\n
757
\n00:42:44,000 –> 00:42:47,760
\nwe were there yesterday.
\nDon’t submit again to a yoke of <\/p>\n
758
\n00:42:47,760 –> 00:42:49,240
\nbondage.
\nDon’t go back to Egypt. <\/p>\n
759
\n00:42:49,240 –> 00:42:52,720
\nDon’t go back to lockdown.
\nDon’t choose to voluntarily put <\/p>\n
760
\n00:42:52,720 –> 00:42:58,160
\nyourself in these situations.
\nHow do you consume culture? <\/p>\n
761
\n00:42:58,160 –> 00:43:01,640
\nHow do we consume culture?
\nWell, what’s the late I mean? <\/p>\n
762
\n00:43:02,560 –> 00:43:04,840
\nGave some of these studies last
\nyear when the latest culture <\/p>\n
763
\n00:43:04,840 –> 00:43:06,680
\ncrisis is not what it was last
\nyear. <\/p>\n
764
\n00:43:06,920 –> 00:43:08,480
\nBut you know what’s what’s the
\nlatest one? <\/p>\n
765
\n00:43:08,480 –> 00:43:10,360
\nIs it AI?
\nWell, the media tells us that <\/p>\n
766
\n00:43:10,360 –> 00:43:12,360
\nthe biggest challenge of AI is
\nthat machines are going to <\/p>\n
767
\n00:43:12,360 –> 00:43:16,240
\nbecome like humans.
\nBut I suspect that for a <\/p>\n
768
\n00:43:16,240 –> 00:43:20,560
\ndisciple, biggest challenge is
\nthat humans start to look like <\/p>\n
769
\n00:43:20,560 –> 00:43:23,640
\nmachines.
\nIt is fine. <\/p>\n
770
\n00:43:23,800 –> 00:43:25,960
\nThis might be a test to see if
\nanybody’s got one in their bag. <\/p>\n
771
\n00:43:25,960 –> 00:43:29,160
\nIt is fine to ask Alexa what the
\nweather’s like tomorrow, though <\/p>\n
772
\n00:43:29,200 –> 00:43:30,920
\nI’d be tempted to say go and
\nopen the curtains. <\/p>\n
773
\n00:43:31,520 –> 00:43:35,400
\nIt is maybe less wise to ask
\nAlexa how to deal with your <\/p>\n
774
\n00:43:35,400 –> 00:43:40,480
\ndepression, or how to fight your
\nmarriage battles for you, or a <\/p>\n
775
\n00:43:40,480 –> 00:43:42,240
\nwhole bunch of other issues that
\nmight come up. <\/p>\n
776
\n00:43:43,800 –> 00:43:46,640
\nNot because it’s necessarily
\ngoing to give you the wrong <\/p>\n
777
\n00:43:46,680 –> 00:43:50,640
\nanswer, though it probably will,
\nbut because when things go wrong<\/p>\n
778
\n00:43:50,640 –> 00:43:52,880
\nthe next time, you’ll just ask
\nthe same box in the corner for <\/p>\n
779
\n00:43:52,880 –> 00:43:55,400
\nthe next answer.
\nAnd we haven’t gained anything, <\/p>\n
780
\n00:43:55,400 –> 00:43:58,280
\nand we haven’t learned anything.
\nAnd we are outsourcing our <\/p>\n
781
\n00:43:58,320 –> 00:44:02,840
\ndiscipleship at our peril.
\nPaul is, is trying to get us to <\/p>\n
782
\n00:44:02,840 –> 00:44:05,400
\nrealize that gospel freedom is
\nreally important. <\/p>\n
783
\n00:44:05,400 –> 00:44:07,880
\nIt’s not a line that you roll
\nout when you’re trying to, to <\/p>\n
784
\n00:44:07,880 –> 00:44:11,600
\nresist falling into line.
\nIt’s not a line that you roll <\/p>\n
785
\n00:44:11,600 –> 00:44:14,240
\nout when you’re trying to bind
\nsomebody else’s conscience in a <\/p>\n
786
\n00:44:14,240 –> 00:44:15,480
\nway that Scripture doesn’t allow
\nus. <\/p>\n
787
\n00:44:15,480 –> 00:44:17,600
\nIt’s why there is so few
\nshortcuts. <\/p>\n
788
\n00:44:17,600 –> 00:44:20,560
\nIt’s why it’s so difficult.
\nI, I gave you this quote right <\/p>\n
789
\n00:44:20,560 –> 00:44:21,480
\nback at the beginning of the
\nweek. <\/p>\n
790
\n00:44:21,480 –> 00:44:24,800
\nThis, this line that, that
\neverybody worships, that the <\/p>\n
791
\n00:44:24,800 –> 00:44:27,480
\nonly choice that we have is what
\nto worship. <\/p>\n
792
\n00:44:28,400 –> 00:44:32,280
\nWell, David Foster Wallace went
\non, and he said something that I<\/p>\n
793
\n00:44:32,280 –> 00:44:33,600
\nthought was really quite
\npowerful. <\/p>\n
794
\n00:44:33,600 –> 00:44:36,960
\nThe only insidious thing he says
\nabout these forms of worship is <\/p>\n
795
\n00:44:36,960 –> 00:44:40,240
\nnot that they’re evil or sinful.
\nIt’s that they are unconscious. <\/p>\n
796
\n00:44:40,440 –> 00:44:44,480
\nThey are default settings, the
\nkind of worship that you just <\/p>\n
797
\n00:44:44,480 –> 00:44:46,840
\ngradually slip into day after
\nday, getting more and more <\/p>\n
798
\n00:44:46,840 –> 00:44:50,240
\nselective about what you see and
\nhow you measure value without <\/p>\n
799
\n00:44:50,240 –> 00:44:52,800
\never being fully aware that
\nthat’s what you’re doing. <\/p>\n
800
\n00:44:54,800 –> 00:44:56,720
\nAnd the world will not
\ndiscourage you from operating on<\/p>\n
801
\n00:44:56,720 –> 00:44:59,280
\nyour default settings, because
\nthe world of men and money and <\/p>\n
802
\n00:44:59,280 –> 00:45:03,120
\npower hums along quite nicely on
\nthe fear of the fuel of fear and<\/p>\n
803
\n00:45:03,120 –> 00:45:06,360
\ncontempt and frustration and
\ncraving and the worship of self.<\/p>\n
804
\n00:45:06,600 –> 00:45:09,440
\nThat’s why freedom is difficult.
\nI’m not holding him up as a, as <\/p>\n
805
\n00:45:09,600 –> 00:45:13,080
\na, as a totem of gospel liberty
\nand nothing like it, but it <\/p>\n
806
\n00:45:13,080 –> 00:45:15,400
\ncaptures the ideas that we’ve
\nbeen trying to get to, doesn’t <\/p>\n
807
\n00:45:15,400 –> 00:45:16,800
\nit?
\nFreedom is about living, <\/p>\n
808
\n00:45:16,800 –> 00:45:20,600
\nbrothers and sisters, as if what
\nthe Lord said about his body is <\/p>\n
809
\n00:45:20,600 –> 00:45:24,920
\ntrue.
\nI am the Lord your God who <\/p>\n
810
\n00:45:24,920 –> 00:45:26,760
\nbrought you out of the House of
\nbondage. <\/p>\n
811
\n00:45:27,800 –> 00:45:29,600
\nYou will have no other gods
\nbefore me. <\/p>\n
812
\n00:45:31,520 –> 00:45:33,320
\nCome very quickly to Romans
\nchapter 8, please. <\/p>\n
813
\n00:45:43,560 –> 00:45:45,120
\nAnd in Romans chapter 8, you
\nknow where we are. <\/p>\n
814
\n00:45:45,120 –> 00:45:50,960
\nWe are back where we started.
\nVerse 19 In Romans 8 the earnest<\/p>\n
815
\n00:45:50,960 –> 00:45:54,160
\nexpectation of creation waits
\nfor the manifestation of the <\/p>\n
816
\n00:45:54,160 –> 00:45:56,800
\nsons of God.
\nFor the creation was made <\/p>\n
817
\n00:45:56,800 –> 00:45:59,800
\nsubject to vanity, not
\nwillingly, but by reason of him <\/p>\n
818
\n00:45:59,800 –> 00:46:03,320
\nwho’s subjected the same in
\nhope, because the creation <\/p>\n
819
\n00:46:03,320 –> 00:46:07,560
\nitself also will be delivered
\nfrom the bondage of corruption <\/p>\n
820
\n00:46:08,160 –> 00:46:11,120
\ninto the glorious liberty of the
\nchildren of. <\/p>\n
821
\n00:46:11,120 –> 00:46:14,880
\nGod, it’s the very way of going
\nfull circle from the beginning <\/p>\n
822
\n00:46:14,880 –> 00:46:17,920
\nof Genesis, isn’t it?
\nAnd it brings us our 10th and <\/p>\n
823
\n00:46:17,920 –> 00:46:22,520
\nfinal freedom principle, that
\ncreation itself. <\/p>\n
824
\n00:46:23,200 –> 00:46:25,640
\nIs going to be set free from
\nbondage. <\/p>\n
825
\n00:46:26,000 –> 00:46:28,920
\nIt’s what Paul is telling us
\nlater on in the chapter, that if<\/p>\n
826
\n00:46:28,920 –> 00:46:32,040
\nGod can be for us, who can be
\nagainst us? <\/p>\n
827
\n00:46:32,320 –> 00:46:38,280
\nIf God can justify if Christ
\ndied, then no one can separate <\/p>\n
828
\n00:46:38,280 –> 00:46:41,680
\nus from the love of Christ.
\nThe love that was in Isaiah’s <\/p>\n
829
\n00:46:41,680 –> 00:46:43,640
\nservant.
\nThe love that was shown in the <\/p>\n
830
\n00:46:43,640 –> 00:46:45,920
\njourney from bondage in the
\nthrough the wilderness. <\/p>\n
831
\n00:46:46,400 –> 00:46:49,720
\nThe love that was shown in the
\ncrucified Messiah. <\/p>\n
832
\n00:46:52,680 –> 00:47:00,560
\nI am well, there’s the ten I I
\ndon’t think you know there will <\/p>\n
833
\n00:47:00,560 –> 00:47:06,000
\nbe a monument to freedom in the
\nKingdom age, or at least not a <\/p>\n
834
\n00:47:06,000 –> 00:47:09,040
\nnational one.
\nI guess that’s what I’ve been <\/p>\n
835
\n00:47:09,040 –> 00:47:10,120
\ntrying to say all the way
\nthrough. <\/p>\n
836
\n00:47:10,240 –> 00:47:13,000
\nEvents do not come naked into
\nthe world. <\/p>\n
837
\n00:47:13,440 –> 00:47:16,320
\nWhen Benjamin Franklin made that
\nchange to the Declaration of <\/p>\n
838
\n00:47:16,320 –> 00:47:18,760
\nIndependence, he was emblematic
\nof a world that was trusting <\/p>\n
839
\n00:47:18,760 –> 00:47:21,600
\nitself.
\nAnd I don’t think there will be <\/p>\n
840
\n00:47:21,600 –> 00:47:26,280
\na a National Monument to freedom
\nin the Kingdom of God because it<\/p>\n
841
\n00:47:26,280 –> 00:47:29,240
\nwill be so much bigger and more
\nimportant than that. <\/p>\n
842
\n00:47:29,640 –> 00:47:33,320
\nWe will sing songs and hymns and
\nspiritual songs. <\/p>\n
843
\n00:47:35,480 –> 00:47:38,880
\nThe paradox of liberty is a is a
\nreminder to you and I that we <\/p>\n
844
\n00:47:38,880 –> 00:47:41,400
\ncan be certain in the deep roots
\nof our faith. <\/p>\n
845
\n00:47:42,560 –> 00:47:44,640
\nYou want to talk about social
\njustice? <\/p>\n
846
\n00:47:45,800 –> 00:47:47,840
\nAmos talked about it 2700 years
\nago. <\/p>\n
847
\n00:47:48,720 –> 00:47:50,640
\nYou want to talk about standing
\nup for your rights? <\/p>\n
848
\n00:47:51,080 –> 00:47:53,080
\nPaul says.
\nI’ll show you whose rights <\/p>\n
849
\n00:47:53,080 –> 00:47:55,640
\nmatter most.
\nYou want to talk about racial <\/p>\n
850
\n00:47:55,640 –> 00:47:57,680
\nequality?
\nRead the promises to Abraham. <\/p>\n
851
\n00:47:57,680 –> 00:48:00,520
\nThey are full of it.
\nYou want to talk about sexual <\/p>\n
852
\n00:48:00,520 –> 00:48:03,320
\ntemptation or managing your
\nmoney, or dealing with grief or <\/p>\n
853
\n00:48:03,320 –> 00:48:06,320
\nchildlessness or declining
\nhealth or all the other issues <\/p>\n
854
\n00:48:06,320 –> 00:48:08,360
\nI’ve mentioned already.
\nYour children not coming to <\/p>\n
855
\n00:48:08,360 –> 00:48:11,560
\nfaith and the heartbreak that
\nthat brings. <\/p>\n
856
\n00:48:11,720 –> 00:48:18,760
\nScripture has.
\nThis verse 38 I am persuaded <\/p>\n
857
\n00:48:21,440 –> 00:48:25,120
\nthat neither death, nor life,
\nnor angels, nor principalities, <\/p>\n
858
\n00:48:26,040 –> 00:48:30,200
\nnor powers, nor things present,
\nnor things to come, nor height, <\/p>\n
859
\n00:48:30,200 –> 00:48:34,760
\nnor depth, nor anything else in
\nall of creation, shall separate <\/p>\n
860
\n00:48:34,760 –> 00:48:38,080
\nus from the love of God.
\nWhich is in Jesus Christ our <\/p>\n
861
\n00:48:38,080 –> 00:48:41,840
\nLord.
\nThere will come a day when the <\/p>\n
862
\n00:48:41,840 –> 00:48:45,800
\ntrumpet will sound.
\nThere will come a day when the <\/p>\n
863
\n00:48:45,800 –> 00:48:51,440
\nsun will rise in the east.
\nThere will come a day when the <\/p>\n
864
\n00:48:51,440 –> 00:48:54,160
\nmantras of the secular age,
\nwhether it’s freedom or <\/p>\n
865
\n00:48:54,160 –> 00:49:00,280
\nhappiness or power or authority,
\nwill will melt away in the light<\/p>\n
866
\n00:49:00,280 –> 00:49:03,840
\nof the glory of Christ.
\nThere will come a day when we <\/p>\n
867
\n00:49:03,840 –> 00:49:08,520
\nwill fly away on the wings of
\ndawn and be as young as the <\/p>\n
868
\n00:49:08,520 –> 00:49:13,240
\nmorning and as old as the sea.
\nThere will come a day when the <\/p>\n
869
\n00:49:13,240 –> 00:49:18,520
\nkingdoms of this world become
\nthe kingdoms of our Lord and of <\/p>\n
870
\n00:49:18,520 –> 00:49:23,320
\nHis Christ, and when the
\ncaptives of all kinds will be <\/p>\n
871
\n00:49:23,320 –> 00:49:23,840
\nset free.\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Class 6 from this series was used in GCT Episode 363. 1 00:00:00,240 –> 00:00:02,480 Well,…<\/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\/107603796\/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2025-7-31%2F8cd1107f-908b-339b-9a25-4cc5856bf803.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:49:25","filesize":"92.00M","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"tags":[],"series":[18],"class_list":["post-1360","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","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\/1360\/martyn-lawrence-paradox-of-liberty-class-6-all-things-are-lawful","player_link":"https:\/\/goodchristadelphiantalks.com\/podcast-player\/1360\/martyn-lawrence-paradox-of-liberty-class-6-all-things-are-lawful","audio_player":"https:\/\/goodchristadelphiantalks.com\/podcast-player\/1360\/martyn-lawrence-paradox-of-liberty-class-6-all-things-are-lawful<\/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":"Martyn Lawrence – Paradox of Liberty – Class 6 – All Things are Lawful<\/a><\/blockquote>