Class 3 from this series was used in GCT Episode 392.<\/p>\n
2
\n00:00:05,080 –> 00:00:10,560
\nMost speakers know that when you
\ngo off script, the odds highly <\/p>\n
3
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\nincrease that you’re going to
\nsay something that you’re going <\/p>\n
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\nto regret later.
\nBut like many speakers, probably<\/p>\n
5
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\nmost speakers, I pray before I
\nget up here and I ask God to <\/p>\n
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\ndirect my words and to share the
\nmessage that He needs for you to<\/p>\n
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\nhear.
\nSo the tension exists between me<\/p>\n
8
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\nasking God to speak through me
\nand me also being afraid to go <\/p>\n
9
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\noff my notes.
\nAnd it’s, that’s exactly what <\/p>\n
10
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\nhappened one day that was the
\ninspiration for these classes. <\/p>\n
11
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\nActually, I was on a bit of a
\nroll in a, in a class that I was<\/p>\n
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\ngiving and I and I felt the
\nspirit working in the room and <\/p>\n
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\nI, I felt compelled to say
\nsomething that I had never <\/p>\n
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\nthought before and I did not
\nhave in my notes. <\/p>\n
15
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\nI looked at everybody and I
\nsaid, don’t just do the daily <\/p>\n
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\nreadings, do the daily readings.
\nAnd there was a hush over the <\/p>\n
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\nroom and, and it was, you know,
\nit was one of those kind of <\/p>\n
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\nmoments in your life when you
\nhave a little aha and you and <\/p>\n
19
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\nyou realize something.
\nSo before we begin, I want to <\/p>\n
20
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\nmake it very clear my goal this
\nweek is not to encourage you to <\/p>\n
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\nstop reading the Bible.
\nIt feels pretty weird sitting <\/p>\n
22
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\nout there in Bible school,
\nhearing 2 great Bible classes <\/p>\n
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\nand then getting up front and
\nsaying don’t go to Bible classes<\/p>\n
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\nanymore.
\nSo it’s, it’s not my goal and, <\/p>\n
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\nand please give me some grace
\nand, and when you, when you feel<\/p>\n
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\n00:01:52,560 –> 00:01:56,000
\nlike I’m saying that just
\nthinking about it a different <\/p>\n
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\nway, right.
\nI, I fully believe in teach that<\/p>\n
28
\n00:01:58,440 –> 00:02:03,040
\nthere is no better way for us to
\nlearn about what kind of people <\/p>\n
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\n00:02:03,040 –> 00:02:07,160
\nGod wants us to be than regular
\nattention to the Bible. <\/p>\n
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\nWithout our our, our nose in the
\nWord, we will never change. <\/p>\n
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\nWe’ll see that one of the key
\nways that God transforms us into<\/p>\n
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\n00:02:17,560 –> 00:02:20,400
\nHis people is through reading of
\nHis Word. <\/p>\n
33
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\nGod wants us to know Him, and to
\ndo that successfully, we need to<\/p>\n
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\nto read about Him.
\nI’ve been married to a wonderful<\/p>\n
35
\n00:02:30,600 –> 00:02:33,560
\nwoman for over 40 years.
\nI love her and I really want to <\/p>\n
36
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\nmake her happy.
\nFor that reason, I study her. <\/p>\n
37
\n00:02:38,160 –> 00:02:41,800
\nI’m constantly asking her
\nslightly annoying, maybe very <\/p>\n
38
\n00:02:41,800 –> 00:02:45,200
\nannoying questions.
\nDo you prefer Raspberry coulee <\/p>\n
39
\n00:02:45,200 –> 00:02:46,880
\nor fresh raspberries on your
\ncheesecake? <\/p>\n
40
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\nWould you prefer a week alone in
\nthe mountains or a week with <\/p>\n
41
\n00:02:51,160 –> 00:02:54,560
\nfriends at the beach?
\nJust constantly asking you these<\/p>\n
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\nquestions.
\nAnd the more I learned about <\/p>\n
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\nher, the better I equipped I am
\nto make her the most happy I <\/p>\n
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\npossibly can.
\nBut what kind of annoying <\/p>\n
45
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\nhusband would I be if I just
\nconstantly peppered her with all<\/p>\n
46
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\nthese questions but never
\nactually did anything with the <\/p>\n
47
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\ninformation I had gained?
\nI would not be making my wife <\/p>\n
48
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\nvery happy if I offered her a
\npeanut butter pie and I took her<\/p>\n
49
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\nto Disneyland.
\nI can tell you that right now. <\/p>\n
50
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\nThose would not make her very
\nhappy. <\/p>\n
51
\n00:03:25,680 –> 00:03:27,680
\nSo to serve God, we need to
\nunderstand Him. <\/p>\n
52
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\nBetter yet, we need to
\nunderstand what kind of people <\/p>\n
53
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\nGod wants us to be.
\nBut how is this going to please <\/p>\n
54
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\nHim if all we ever do is just
\nkeep learning about what kind of<\/p>\n
55
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\npeople He wants us to be and
\nnever actually becoming the kind<\/p>\n
56
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\nof people he wants us to be?
\nWhat I want to address this week<\/p>\n
57
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\nis a misunderstanding that I
\nfind common in our community is <\/p>\n
58
\n00:03:55,560 –> 00:04:01,040
\nI find that too often we confuse
\nbusyness with service. <\/p>\n
59
\n00:04:03,360 –> 00:04:07,040
\nToo often we fill our lives with
\nBible classes and personal study<\/p>\n
60
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\nin Bible schools and study days
\nand and we leave no time for us <\/p>\n
61
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\nto treat those around us with
\nthe spiritual behaviors that we <\/p>\n
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\nread about in in these classes.
\nToo often we mistakenly start <\/p>\n
63
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\nthinking that the hours and
\nhours and hours that we spend <\/p>\n
64
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\nstudying the Bible is somehow in
\nitself service to our Lord, <\/p>\n
65
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\ninstead of simply preparation
\nfor that service. <\/p>\n
66
\n00:04:34,160 –> 00:04:37,360
\nToo often we think that if we do
\nthe readings every day, attend <\/p>\n
67
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\nmidweek Bible class, and never
\nmiss memorial service, we’re <\/p>\n
68
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\nliving the kind of life that God
\nwants us to live. <\/p>\n
69
\n00:04:45,240 –> 00:04:48,920
\nWe miss the fact that the sole
\npurpose of Bible study is to <\/p>\n
70
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\ntransform us into a holy people
\nthat reflect God’s love, God’s <\/p>\n
71
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\ngrace, and God’s mercy.
\nWe’re so busy doing the daily <\/p>\n
72
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\nreadings that we don’t take time
\nin our lives to fill our lives <\/p>\n
73
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\nwith the things that we read
\nabout in those daily readings. <\/p>\n
74
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\nI think it comes from some
\ncrooked thinking and it’s time <\/p>\n
75
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\nto set it straight.
\nNow. <\/p>\n
76
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\nWhat I’m concerned about is it
\njust not entirely sure that I’m <\/p>\n
77
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\nthe right person that should be
\nleading this discussion. <\/p>\n
78
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\nI’m the guy who finds himself
\ngetting frustrated at arranging <\/p>\n
79
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\nboard meetings.
\nImagine a ranging board <\/p>\n
80
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\ndiscussing meetings that they’ve
\nhad with a young sister, and the<\/p>\n
81
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\npoor girl is dealing with
\nalcohol use disorder and in her <\/p>\n
82
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\nimpaired state, she often sleeps
\nwith whatever guy is in the <\/p>\n
83
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\nbarstool next to her.
\nAnd you can just imagine the <\/p>\n
84
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\ntrouble that this brings into
\nher life and the lives of those <\/p>\n
85
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\naround her.
\nBut it’s 9:54 PM and I’m <\/p>\n
86
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\nfrustrated and I’m tired.
\nI’m probably hangry and I find <\/p>\n
87
\n00:06:01,640 –> 00:06:04,040
\nmyself thinking, I don’t have
\ntime for this. <\/p>\n
88
\n00:06:04,840 –> 00:06:07,440
\nLet’s just get over with us.
\nI want to get home and finish up<\/p>\n
89
\n00:06:07,440 –> 00:06:09,520
\nthat Bible class on forgiveness
\nthat I’m working on. <\/p>\n
90
\n00:06:12,960 –> 00:06:15,520
\nSo, so really like, am I the
\nbest person? <\/p>\n
91
\n00:06:15,520 –> 00:06:20,600
\nAm I really qualified to be
\ntalking about this topic or, or <\/p>\n
92
\n00:06:21,160 –> 00:06:24,800
\nis it specifically because of
\nthose kind of thoughts that I <\/p>\n
93
\n00:06:24,800 –> 00:06:27,560
\nhave in my life that I am
\nqualified to talk about this <\/p>\n
94
\n00:06:27,560 –> 00:06:31,400
\nproblem?
\nI fill my life with many, many, <\/p>\n
95
\n00:06:31,560 –> 00:06:33,960
\nmany things.
\nRemember that section in Second <\/p>\n
96
\n00:06:33,960 –> 00:06:38,320
\nCorona, 2nd Corinthians 11 where
\nPaul boasts about how much <\/p>\n
97
\n00:06:38,320 –> 00:06:41,080
\nbetter a servant he is and
\neverybody else, He’s like, you <\/p>\n
98
\n00:06:41,080 –> 00:06:42,120
\nknow, you think you’re
\nrighteous. <\/p>\n
99
\n00:06:42,120 –> 00:06:45,320
\nHold my beer.
\nHe’s, you know, I’m talking like<\/p>\n
100
\n00:06:45,320 –> 00:06:47,680
\na madman with far greater
\nlaborers, far more <\/p>\n
101
\n00:06:47,680 –> 00:06:50,320
\nimprisonments, with countless
\nbeheadings, and often near <\/p>\n
102
\n00:06:50,320 –> 00:06:53,080
\ndeath, right?
\nA Gentile of agenda, a Jew of a <\/p>\n
103
\n00:06:53,080 –> 00:06:55,160
\nJew.
\nNo, it’s a Pharisee of a <\/p>\n
104
\n00:06:55,160 –> 00:06:56,560
\nPharisee.
\nThat’s what he says, right? <\/p>\n
105
\n00:06:57,120 –> 00:06:59,360
\nI’ll channel that same emotion
\nfor a little while and I’ll talk<\/p>\n
106
\n00:06:59,360 –> 00:07:02,680
\nlike a madman as well.
\nI’m a member of a large ecclesia<\/p>\n
107
\n00:07:02,880 –> 00:07:05,600
\nthat begins each week with
\nSunday school and memorial <\/p>\n
108
\n00:07:05,600 –> 00:07:09,040
\nservice, and then Monday night
\nis softball and Tuesday night is<\/p>\n
109
\n00:07:09,040 –> 00:07:11,200
\nvolleyball and Wednesday night
\nis a Ranger board meetings, and <\/p>\n
110
\n00:07:11,200 –> 00:07:13,800
\nThursday night is midweek class
\nand Friday night is CYC. <\/p>\n
111
\n00:07:13,800 –> 00:07:16,680
\nWe take the Sabbath off and we
\ndo it all again on Sunday. <\/p>\n
112
\n00:07:17,640 –> 00:07:21,000
\nAnd then I work for the Tidings
\nMagazine and between the Tidings<\/p>\n
113
\n00:07:21,000 –> 00:07:23,600
\nMagazine and the Simi Hills
\nEcclesia, the Palm Springs Bible<\/p>\n
114
\n00:07:23,600 –> 00:07:25,800
\nSchool, the Bible Mission, the
\nIdyllwild Bible School in the <\/p>\n
115
\n00:07:25,800 –> 00:07:29,320
\nSouthern California, YOCI sit on
\na lot of boards and I and I <\/p>\n
116
\n00:07:29,320 –> 00:07:32,160
\nattend a lot of meetings and I
\nbalance a lot of checkbooks. <\/p>\n
117
\n00:07:33,080 –> 00:07:35,960
\nAll of this on top of the
\npreviously mentioned Bible <\/p>\n
118
\n00:07:35,960 –> 00:07:38,960
\nclasses and, and then there’s
\npersonal study in Sunday school <\/p>\n
119
\n00:07:38,960 –> 00:07:41,360
\nand study days and Bible
\nschools. <\/p>\n
120
\n00:07:41,560 –> 00:07:43,920
\nYou know, I spent, I counted it
\njust because I’m that kind of <\/p>\n
121
\n00:07:43,920 –> 00:07:46,080
\naway.
\nI spent 68 hours preparing these<\/p>\n
122
\n00:07:46,080 –> 00:07:50,160
\nclasses makes for a very busy
\nlife. <\/p>\n
123
\n00:07:51,960 –> 00:07:57,160
\nAnd meanwhile, my neighbor
\nacross the street, Mark, is <\/p>\n
124
\n00:07:57,160 –> 00:08:00,960
\nclearly searching for the truth
\nand looking for meaning in his <\/p>\n
125
\n00:08:00,960 –> 00:08:03,320
\nlife.
\nAnd he’s reached out to me a <\/p>\n
126
\n00:08:03,320 –> 00:08:05,760
\ncouple of times and he sees me
\ndragging my trash cans out to <\/p>\n
127
\n00:08:05,760 –> 00:08:09,560
\nthe curb.
\nAnd I’ve managed to put off <\/p>\n
128
\n00:08:09,560 –> 00:08:13,960
\nhaving a serious discussion with
\nhim because I’m always busy. <\/p>\n
129
\n00:08:15,120 –> 00:08:18,040
\nI’m always anxious to get back
\ninside, back to the computer, <\/p>\n
130
\n00:08:18,040 –> 00:08:21,680
\nback to the project I’m I’m
\nworking on, or I have to jump in<\/p>\n
131
\n00:08:21,680 –> 00:08:23,280
\nthe car and head back to the
\necclesial hall. <\/p>\n
132
\n00:08:24,760 –> 00:08:32,480
\nI confuse busyness with service,
\nand I’m afraid I’m not alone. <\/p>\n
133
\n00:08:35,360 –> 00:08:36,840
\nWhy?
\nWhy do we do this? <\/p>\n
134
\n00:08:36,840 –> 00:08:39,840
\nI think fundamentally one of the
\nbasic reasons to do this is <\/p>\n
135
\n00:08:39,840 –> 00:08:45,240
\nbecause it’s easier.
\nIt’s it’s it’s literally easier.<\/p>\n
136
\n00:08:45,920 –> 00:08:47,680
\nIt’s clear what you have to do,
\nright? <\/p>\n
137
\n00:08:47,920 –> 00:08:50,760
\nYeah.
\nYou read Leviticus 27, Psalm 140<\/p>\n
138
\n00:08:50,760 –> 00:08:54,120
\nto 142 and Luke chapter 10.
\nYou pray before every meal. <\/p>\n
139
\n00:08:54,200 –> 00:08:57,000
\nYou show up in midweek Bible
\nclass with an insightful comment<\/p>\n
140
\n00:08:57,000 –> 00:08:59,560
\nthat you want to share.
\nAnd and then you take your turn,<\/p>\n
141
\n00:08:59,560 –> 00:09:02,480
\ngiven the expectation.
\nAnd you never be late to your <\/p>\n
142
\n00:09:02,480 –> 00:09:05,600
\nSunday school class.
\nCome with your bright shining <\/p>\n
143
\n00:09:05,600 –> 00:09:09,280
\nfaces.
\nThat’s beautiful singing, isn’t <\/p>\n
144
\n00:09:09,280 –> 00:09:12,680
\nit, Peter?
\nOh man, it’s a lot. <\/p>\n
145
\n00:09:13,040 –> 00:09:15,720
\nIt’s, it’s a, it’s a lot you
\nfill your, you fill your life <\/p>\n
146
\n00:09:15,720 –> 00:09:17,920
\nwith.
\nAnd if you work 50 hours a week,<\/p>\n
147
\n00:09:17,920 –> 00:09:20,960
\nif you’re trying to raise 3 kids
\nto grow up and not become serial<\/p>\n
148
\n00:09:20,960 –> 00:09:24,640
\nkillers, if you’ve got, if you
\ngot grass to cut and leaves to <\/p>\n
149
\n00:09:24,640 –> 00:09:26,440
\nrake.
\nWhen you Add all these things <\/p>\n
150
\n00:09:26,440 –> 00:09:28,960
\ntogether, it’s pretty much a
\nfull time job. <\/p>\n
151
\n00:09:30,080 –> 00:09:32,000
\nAnd it’s a good job.
\nIt’s a nice life. <\/p>\n
152
\n00:09:32,480 –> 00:09:35,240
\nIt’s a busy life, for sure, but
\nit’s a pleasant life. <\/p>\n
153
\n00:09:38,520 –> 00:09:45,400
\nUntil late one night those
\nbitter yeah tacos kick in and <\/p>\n
154
\n00:09:45,400 –> 00:09:49,040
\nyou can’t fall asleep and you
\nlay in bed at 2:00 in the <\/p>\n
155
\n00:09:49,040 –> 00:09:55,240
\nmorning thinking.
\nYou just lie there wondering <\/p>\n
156
\n00:09:55,240 –> 00:09:56,080
\nabout everything.
\nIs it? <\/p>\n
157
\n00:09:56,080 –> 00:09:59,120
\nIs it all true?
\nYou find yourself questioning if<\/p>\n
158
\n00:09:59,120 –> 00:10:03,520
\nall this is worth it, if it even
\nreally means anything at all. <\/p>\n
159
\n00:10:05,520 –> 00:10:13,200
\nMoments when you doubt, times of
\ndoubt are not comfortable. <\/p>\n
160
\n00:10:14,160 –> 00:10:19,760
\nI’ve had those times.
\nI’d like to talk about the path <\/p>\n
161
\n00:10:19,760 –> 00:10:23,560
\nthat I’m going down this path
\nbetween certainty and doubt. <\/p>\n
162
\n00:10:23,840 –> 00:10:27,360
\nNow these it’s, it’s a path and
\nI’m not at the end of it, right?<\/p>\n
163
\n00:10:27,360 –> 00:10:29,360
\nThese thoughts are not fully
\nbaked. <\/p>\n
164
\n00:10:29,400 –> 00:10:30,960
\nYou’re going to find some soggy
\nbottoms. <\/p>\n
165
\n00:10:32,240 –> 00:10:35,680
\nI’m asking you for help working
\nthrough this. <\/p>\n
166
\n00:10:36,080 –> 00:10:39,000
\nI feel that somehow my
\npropensity to fill my life with <\/p>\n
167
\n00:10:39,000 –> 00:10:44,440
\nbusyness of ecclesial things and
\nnot necessarily the simple godly<\/p>\n
168
\n00:10:44,440 –> 00:10:49,880
\nthings that the Bible teaches is
\nsomehow connected to this idea <\/p>\n
169
\n00:10:49,880 –> 00:10:53,400
\nof certainty and doubt.
\nI think it’s important for me to<\/p>\n
170
\n00:10:53,600 –> 00:10:54,880
\ncome to grips with that
\nstruggle. <\/p>\n
171
\n00:10:54,880 –> 00:10:57,920
\nAnd I’m absolutely sure that the
\njourney that you’re on is <\/p>\n
172
\n00:10:57,920 –> 00:10:59,960
\ndifferent than mine.
\nYou’re you’re not the same as <\/p>\n
173
\n00:10:59,960 –> 00:11:01,240
\nme.
\nYou probably see things <\/p>\n
174
\n00:11:01,240 –> 00:11:03,480
\ndifferently.
\nBut hopefully you’ll find some <\/p>\n
175
\n00:11:03,480 –> 00:11:05,720
\nof the things we talked about
\nthis week to be helpful. <\/p>\n
176
\n00:11:06,440 –> 00:11:10,360
\nAnd along the way, I think we
\ncan find an answer for how to <\/p>\n
177
\n00:11:10,360 –> 00:11:13,560
\nmake sure you don’t confuse
\nbusyness with service. <\/p>\n
178
\n00:11:14,120 –> 00:11:16,960
\nI’ve had a few times in my life
\nwhen I’ve questioned my faith. <\/p>\n
179
\n00:11:16,960 –> 00:11:19,920
\nIt’s happened more than once.
\nI question my belief in God, my <\/p>\n
180
\n00:11:20,160 –> 00:11:22,560
\nmy choice of religions to
\nassociate with. <\/p>\n
181
\n00:11:25,280 –> 00:11:29,520
\nThese times are always
\nuncomfortable, disconcerting, <\/p>\n
182
\n00:11:29,720 –> 00:11:31,600
\ndisorienting.
\nSometimes you don’t even tell <\/p>\n
183
\n00:11:31,600 –> 00:11:34,040
\nyour wife about them because you
\nknow she said some things too <\/p>\n
184
\n00:11:34,040 –> 00:11:35,640
\nand you don’t want to push her
\nany further. <\/p>\n
185
\n00:11:36,880 –> 00:11:41,440
\nI’ve tended to to block them as
\nit’s easiest to just not think <\/p>\n
186
\n00:11:41,440 –> 00:11:42,960
\nabout them.
\nAnd besides, we got Bible class <\/p>\n
187
\n00:11:42,960 –> 00:11:45,520
\nto go to in 20 minutes.
\nLike get going, got to finish <\/p>\n
188
\n00:11:45,520 –> 00:11:49,000
\ndinner.
\nBut that’s not a healthy <\/p>\n
189
\n00:11:49,000 –> 00:11:52,520
\nsolution to this problem.
\nI’ve come to believe that I need<\/p>\n
190
\n00:11:52,520 –> 00:11:56,920
\nto try to trust that God is
\npurposely bringing these moments<\/p>\n
191
\n00:11:56,920 –> 00:12:01,960
\ninto my life, not for me to
\nresist them or or or push them <\/p>\n
192
\n00:12:01,960 –> 00:12:05,400
\nunder the carpet, but for me to
\nwork through them, for me to <\/p>\n
193
\n00:12:05,400 –> 00:12:08,000
\nthink through them.
\nI’ve come to believe that there <\/p>\n
194
\n00:12:08,000 –> 00:12:13,400
\nis value to be gained by
\nwrestling with doubt instead of <\/p>\n
195
\n00:12:13,400 –> 00:12:17,880
\nignoring it.
\nI would like to prepare you not <\/p>\n
196
\n00:12:17,880 –> 00:12:21,280
\nto give in to doubt.
\nDon’t think to yourself, Well, <\/p>\n
197
\n00:12:21,680 –> 00:12:24,080
\nI’m doubting my beliefs, so must
\nbe they’re not true. <\/p>\n
198
\n00:12:24,680 –> 00:12:26,200
\nI’m just going to leave the
\necclesion. <\/p>\n
199
\n00:12:26,400 –> 00:12:29,160
\nAnd you know, this all must be
\nbaloney because I just doubt it.<\/p>\n
200
\n00:12:30,960 –> 00:12:33,520
\nGod doesn’t want you to give up
\non him just because he’s brought<\/p>\n
201
\n00:12:33,520 –> 00:12:37,640
\ndoubt into your life.
\nAnd yes, I said that God has <\/p>\n
202
\n00:12:37,640 –> 00:12:40,680
\nbrought doubt into life.
\nI believe that God does bring <\/p>\n
203
\n00:12:40,680 –> 00:12:44,400
\ndoubt into your life.
\nThere are so many biblical <\/p>\n
204
\n00:12:44,400 –> 00:12:49,320
\nexamples of people who struggle
\nwith doubt that God must be <\/p>\n
205
\n00:12:49,320 –> 00:12:50,960
\ntrying to teach us a lesson
\nthrough that. <\/p>\n
206
\n00:12:52,960 –> 00:12:54,480
\nAnd I didn’t come to doubt
\neasily. <\/p>\n
207
\n00:12:55,400 –> 00:12:57,800
\nIt took some work.
\nI was brought up in a <\/p>\n
208
\n00:12:57,800 –> 00:13:00,880
\nconservative Sunday school and
\nwe sat every Saturday, Sunday <\/p>\n
209
\n00:13:00,880 –> 00:13:05,640
\nmorning under a plaque that read
\nStudy to Show thyself approved <\/p>\n
210
\n00:13:05,800 –> 00:13:11,400
\nunto the Lord.
\nLike many of you, I grew up in a<\/p>\n
211
\n00:13:11,400 –> 00:13:13,960
\ncommunity that had clearly
\nmarked boundaries of what is <\/p>\n
212
\n00:13:13,960 –> 00:13:18,120
\nexpected to be to be believed.
\nWhen you identify as a <\/p>\n
213
\n00:13:18,120 –> 00:13:20,920
\nChristadelphian, you have fairly
\nclear guidelines of what <\/p>\n
214
\n00:13:20,920 –> 00:13:23,840
\nChristadelphians believe, and
\nyou’re expected to believe those<\/p>\n
215
\n00:13:23,840 –> 00:13:28,000
\nsame things.
\nMy ecclesia in Vermont had a 300<\/p>\n
216
\n00:13:28,120 –> 00:13:32,640
\nquestion examination where you
\nwere supposed to have verses <\/p>\n
217
\n00:13:32,640 –> 00:13:34,720
\nmemorized and answering some of
\nthose questions. <\/p>\n
218
\n00:13:37,680 –> 00:13:43,920
\nNow, 50 years later, I find that
\noften Christadelphians do <\/p>\n
219
\n00:13:44,320 –> 00:13:46,080
\nencourage you to think for
\nyourself. <\/p>\n
220
\n00:13:46,280 –> 00:13:48,120
\nI think that’s healthy.
\nThat’s probably one of the <\/p>\n
221
\n00:13:48,120 –> 00:13:50,240
\nstrongest parts of our
\ncommunity. <\/p>\n
222
\n00:13:50,240 –> 00:13:55,280
\nIt’s one of the advantages of a
\ncommunity that provides quite a <\/p>\n
223
\n00:13:55,280 –> 00:13:58,480
\nbit of leeway on what you can
\nbelieve and still be part of the<\/p>\n
224
\n00:13:58,480 –> 00:14:00,040
\ngroup.
\nOnce you’re in the group, which <\/p>\n
225
\n00:14:00,040 –> 00:14:01,960
\nis odd, right?
\nFirst got to get in the group, <\/p>\n
226
\n00:14:01,960 –> 00:14:04,680
\nbut then they give you quite a
\nbit of leeway on what you want <\/p>\n
227
\n00:14:04,680 –> 00:14:06,880
\nto, what you believe, how you
\nunderstand things. <\/p>\n
228
\n00:14:06,880 –> 00:14:10,080
\nAnd as you grow, obviously as
\nyou grow, your beliefs are going<\/p>\n
229
\n00:14:10,080 –> 00:14:15,000
\nto change and maybe you head out
\na bit from the group and you can<\/p>\n
230
\n00:14:15,000 –> 00:14:18,280
\nstart to feel that it’s
\nuncomfortable for the group to <\/p>\n
231
\n00:14:18,280 –> 00:14:21,400
\nhave people get too far outside
\nof the center. <\/p>\n
232
\n00:14:22,520 –> 00:14:25,840
\nAnd I realize I’m uncomfortable
\nfor some people to be around. <\/p>\n
233
\n00:14:26,320 –> 00:14:28,200
\nYou might be a little bit
\nuncomfortable. <\/p>\n
234
\n00:14:28,280 –> 00:14:30,840
\nSo far in this class, it’s
\ndefinitely not as good as John’s<\/p>\n
235
\n00:14:30,840 –> 00:14:35,560
\nwas.
\nI say some things or maybe I <\/p>\n
236
\n00:14:35,560 –> 00:14:38,960
\nasked some questions that some
\npeople would rather not talk <\/p>\n
237
\n00:14:38,960 –> 00:14:41,520
\nabout.
\nIt’s quite uncomfortable to be <\/p>\n
238
\n00:14:41,520 –> 00:14:44,360
\nthat individual who’s
\nquestioning you might be there <\/p>\n
239
\n00:14:44,360 –> 00:14:47,480
\nyourself.
\nIt’s it’s more comfortable to be<\/p>\n
240
\n00:14:47,480 –> 00:14:50,800
\nsafely centered in thinking the
\nsame way as everyone else. <\/p>\n
241
\n00:14:51,680 –> 00:14:55,080
\nSo what happens in this kind of
\nenvironment is that true faith <\/p>\n
242
\n00:14:55,640 –> 00:14:59,960
\nand correct thinking start to be
\nconsidered the same thing. <\/p>\n
243
\n00:15:02,000 –> 00:15:04,760
\nWe even go so far as to
\ninterchange these words and <\/p>\n
244
\n00:15:04,760 –> 00:15:08,040
\nconcepts, right?
\nWe use terms like the truth and <\/p>\n
245
\n00:15:08,040 –> 00:15:12,040
\nthe faith like they’re
\nsynonymous with being a <\/p>\n
246
\n00:15:12,040 –> 00:15:15,400
\nChristadelphian.
\nWhat can develop, I think, is <\/p>\n
247
\n00:15:15,400 –> 00:15:18,280
\nthat your faith becomes
\nsomething that’s based on your <\/p>\n
248
\n00:15:18,280 –> 00:15:21,720
\nbeliefs.
\nAnd to the best of my limited <\/p>\n
249
\n00:15:21,720 –> 00:15:23,840
\nabilities, I’ve determined that
\nthe Christadelphian set of <\/p>\n
250
\n00:15:23,840 –> 00:15:28,960
\nbeliefs is as close to God’s
\nteaching teachings as I’ve ever <\/p>\n
251
\n00:15:28,960 –> 00:15:30,520
\ndiscovered amongst any other
\ngroup. <\/p>\n
252
\n00:15:30,880 –> 00:15:33,440
\nSo I bathed my life around this
\nset of beliefs. <\/p>\n
253
\n00:15:34,200 –> 00:15:37,120
\nI’ve developed my faith on this
\nset of beliefs. <\/p>\n
254
\n00:15:37,920 –> 00:15:41,360
\nMy faith has been based on
\nknowledge. <\/p>\n
255
\n00:15:43,480 –> 00:15:46,520
\nKnowing this set of beliefs,
\nknowing what the Bible teaches, <\/p>\n
256
\n00:15:46,520 –> 00:15:51,520
\nknowing what God wants from me,
\nknowing has given me a sense of <\/p>\n
257
\n00:15:51,520 –> 00:15:56,280
\nbelonging.
\nAnd here’s the problem. <\/p>\n
258
\n00:15:57,960 –> 00:16:03,920
\nKnowing doesn’t last.
\nDon’t get me wrong, knowing <\/p>\n
259
\n00:16:03,920 –> 00:16:06,600
\ndefinitely has its place.
\nIt’s vitally important that we <\/p>\n
260
\n00:16:06,600 –> 00:16:08,880
\nknow the truth of God’s
\nteachings as clear as we can. <\/p>\n
261
\n00:16:09,240 –> 00:16:11,560
\nReading and studying and
\nunderstanding and knowing the <\/p>\n
262
\n00:16:11,560 –> 00:16:14,320
\nBible is vital.
\nBut I don’t think that should be<\/p>\n
263
\n00:16:14,320 –> 00:16:18,720
\nat the center of our faith.
\nWe shouldn’t have a faith that’s<\/p>\n
264
\n00:16:18,720 –> 00:16:21,600
\nbased on knowledge.
\nWe should have a faith that’s <\/p>\n
265
\n00:16:21,600 –> 00:16:25,520
\nbased on trust.
\nThere’s a saying about life, and<\/p>\n
266
\n00:16:25,520 –> 00:16:27,720
\nI think it applies doubly to
\nBible study. <\/p>\n
267
\n00:16:28,000 –> 00:16:29,360
\nEinstein is famous for saying
\nit. <\/p>\n
268
\n00:16:29,360 –> 00:16:31,960
\nEinstein said.
\nThe more I learn, the more I <\/p>\n
269
\n00:16:31,960 –> 00:16:36,040
\nrealize how much I don’t know.
\nAnd that’s the problem with <\/p>\n
270
\n00:16:36,040 –> 00:16:38,720
\nknowledge.
\nThe more you learn, the more you<\/p>\n
271
\n00:16:38,720 –> 00:16:41,720
\nsee that you still have more to
\nlearn, and you quickly find <\/p>\n
272
\n00:16:41,720 –> 00:16:45,960
\nyourself in this lifelong, never
\nending spiral of studying and <\/p>\n
273
\n00:16:45,960 –> 00:16:49,080
\nlearning.
\nThat’s why it feels very <\/p>\n
274
\n00:16:49,080 –> 00:16:52,600
\ncomfortable and normal and even
\nadvisable to fill your life with<\/p>\n
275
\n00:16:52,840 –> 00:16:55,840
\nBible classes and Sunday schools
\nand study days and Bible <\/p>\n
276
\n00:16:55,840 –> 00:16:59,080
\nschools.
\nBut eventually, no matter how <\/p>\n
277
\n00:16:59,080 –> 00:17:02,160
\nsmart you are, you’re going to
\nrun across something that you <\/p>\n
278
\n00:17:02,160 –> 00:17:06,200
\njust don’t understand, that you
\ncan’t understand. <\/p>\n
279
\n00:17:06,880 –> 00:17:11,319
\nIt might be something simple, it
\nmight be something complex, but <\/p>\n
280
\n00:17:11,319 –> 00:17:14,880
\nprobably it’s going to be
\nsomething personal. <\/p>\n
281
\n00:17:17,560 –> 00:17:19,520
\nWhy did God allow my baby to
\ndie? <\/p>\n
282
\n00:17:22,560 –> 00:17:25,000
\nWhy did I get a terminal
\ndisease? <\/p>\n
283
\n00:17:27,880 –> 00:17:31,840
\nDid God really create the planet
\nthat I live on in the manner <\/p>\n
284
\n00:17:31,840 –> 00:17:34,520
\nthat Genesis 1-2 and three
\ndescribe? <\/p>\n
285
\n00:17:36,520 –> 00:17:41,400
\nAnd why is there suffering on
\nthis planet if God is loving and<\/p>\n
286
\n00:17:41,400 –> 00:17:47,240
\nkind?
\nKnowledge is eventually going to<\/p>\n
287
\n00:17:47,240 –> 00:17:52,400
\nleave you hanging out to dry.
\nLove never ends. <\/p>\n
288
\n00:17:53,640 –> 00:17:55,200
\nAs for prophecies, they’ll pass
\naway. <\/p>\n
289
\n00:17:55,200 –> 00:17:58,960
\nAs for tongues, they’ll cease.
\nAs for knowledge, it will pass <\/p>\n
290
\n00:17:58,960 –> 00:18:00,400
\naway.
\nAnd I think it’s actually even <\/p>\n
291
\n00:18:00,400 –> 00:18:02,760
\nworse than that.
\nI think there’s a deeper problem<\/p>\n
292
\n00:18:02,760 –> 00:18:06,520
\nwith a knowledge based faith.
\nCorrect thinking starts to <\/p>\n
293
\n00:18:06,520 –> 00:18:11,160
\nprovide this sense of certainty.
\nIf our faith is based on correct<\/p>\n
294
\n00:18:11,160 –> 00:18:15,600
\nthinking, then without it we can
\nstart to feel that our faith is <\/p>\n
295
\n00:18:15,600 –> 00:18:21,080
\ngoing to shrivel up and die.
\nIf I’m not correct, I lose my <\/p>\n
296
\n00:18:21,120 –> 00:18:24,840
\nfaith.
\nWhen the unanswerable question <\/p>\n
297
\n00:18:24,840 –> 00:18:29,120
\ncomes up, if we can’t answer it,
\nour faith is weakened. <\/p>\n
298
\n00:18:29,800 –> 00:18:33,640
\nHave this happen enough times
\nor, or sooner or quick, you <\/p>\n
299
\n00:18:33,680 –> 00:18:37,520
\nknow, in a close period of time
\nand your faith can be destroyed.<\/p>\n
300
\n00:18:39,120 –> 00:18:43,080
\nSo this fear of losing a handle,
\nuncertainty can lead to a <\/p>\n
301
\n00:18:43,080 –> 00:18:45,480
\npreoccupation with correct
\nthinking. <\/p>\n
302
\n00:18:46,160 –> 00:18:49,360
\nAnd then different ways of
\nthinking or, or fresh new ideas,<\/p>\n
303
\n00:18:49,600 –> 00:18:54,000
\nyou know, on an issue are seen
\nas a compromise to our faith or,<\/p>\n
304
\n00:18:54,000 –> 00:18:56,160
\nor maybe giving up on faith
\naltogether. <\/p>\n
305
\n00:18:57,440 –> 00:19:00,600
\nIf our faith is based on
\nknowledge and we therefore need <\/p>\n
306
\n00:19:00,600 –> 00:19:05,200
\nto always be in in the right in
\norder to maintain a healthy <\/p>\n
307
\n00:19:05,200 –> 00:19:10,240
\nfaith on a dangerous course.
\nIf I show you a verse that <\/p>\n
308
\n00:19:10,240 –> 00:19:13,120
\nclearly says something in
\nopposition to what you believe, <\/p>\n
309
\n00:19:14,040 –> 00:19:17,640
\nyou can’t believe that because
\nif you do, you’ve lost your <\/p>\n
310
\n00:19:17,640 –> 00:19:20,960
\nfaith.
\nHere’s the rub. <\/p>\n
311
\n00:19:23,120 –> 00:19:29,360
\nGod is greater than we are.
\nWe simply cannot understand <\/p>\n
312
\n00:19:29,360 –> 00:19:32,840
\neverything that God does.
\nWe think we can. <\/p>\n
313
\n00:19:33,320 –> 00:19:36,720
\nIt’s all written down.
\nThere’s 66 books, read them, <\/p>\n
314
\n00:19:36,720 –> 00:19:41,640
\nfigure it out, but we’re unable
\nto comprehend what God is doing <\/p>\n
315
\n00:19:42,000 –> 00:19:47,920
\nin this universe are the problem
\nis our limited human brains <\/p>\n
316
\n00:19:48,240 –> 00:19:52,160
\ntherefore limit the Almighty.
\nWe limit the the all powerful <\/p>\n
317
\n00:19:52,160 –> 00:19:54,120
\nGod.
\nWe restrict God to just those <\/p>\n
318
\n00:19:54,120 –> 00:19:56,480
\nthings that we are able to
\nunderstand. <\/p>\n
319
\n00:19:59,400 –> 00:20:03,680
\nI want to repeat, I’m going to
\nrepeat a lot because they’re <\/p>\n
320
\n00:20:03,680 –> 00:20:07,680
\nrecording this thing.
\nThere’s nothing wrong with <\/p>\n
321
\n00:20:07,680 –> 00:20:11,080
\nseeking to think correctly about
\nGod. <\/p>\n
322
\n00:20:11,800 –> 00:20:14,120
\nThinking about what we believe,
\nlearning more about what we <\/p>\n
323
\n00:20:14,120 –> 00:20:16,720
\nbelieve, and disagreeing and
\ndeliberating with others. <\/p>\n
324
\n00:20:16,920 –> 00:20:20,520
\nIt’s normal for people of faith.
\nThe problem is when we start to <\/p>\n
325
\n00:20:20,520 –> 00:20:24,680
\ntrust our beliefs rather than
\ntrusting God. <\/p>\n
326
\n00:20:26,520 –> 00:20:29,760
\nThe preoccupation withholding on
\nto correct thinking with a <\/p>\n
327
\n00:20:29,760 –> 00:20:35,040
\ntightly closed fist is not a
\nsign of strong faith, it’s <\/p>\n
328
\n00:20:35,040 –> 00:20:39,400
\ndesperation.
\nFaith is about letting go. <\/p>\n
329
\n00:20:41,560 –> 00:20:44,600
\nFaith is about trusting.
\nIt’s about believing in things <\/p>\n
330
\n00:20:44,600 –> 00:20:49,000
\nnot seen, things not understood.
\nIt’s it’s the assurance of <\/p>\n
331
\n00:20:49,000 –> 00:20:52,720
\nthings hoped for, the conviction
\nof things not seen. <\/p>\n
332
\n00:20:53,440 –> 00:20:56,600
\nBy faith we understand that the
\nuniverse was created by the Word<\/p>\n
333
\n00:20:56,600 –> 00:21:01,080
\nof God, so that what is seen was
\nnot made out of things that are <\/p>\n
334
\n00:21:01,080 –> 00:21:05,720
\nvisible.
\nIt’s all about things that are <\/p>\n
335
\n00:21:05,720 –> 00:21:11,560
\nnot visible.
\nThe things you can’t see, the <\/p>\n
336
\n00:21:11,560 –> 00:21:14,000
\nthings you can’t touch, the
\nthings you can’t feel, the <\/p>\n
337
\n00:21:14,000 –> 00:21:19,600
\nthings you can’t understand is
\nwhat faith is made of. <\/p>\n
338
\n00:21:22,840 –> 00:21:26,520
\nNow I cannot give a Bible class
\nabout faith without talking <\/p>\n
339
\n00:21:26,520 –> 00:21:29,600
\nabout Abraham, the father of the
\nfaithful. <\/p>\n
340
\n00:21:29,720 –> 00:21:31,680
\nAnd I love how Paul describes
\nhim in Romans 4. <\/p>\n
341
\n00:21:31,680 –> 00:21:34,600
\nHe says, What shall what then
\nshall we say was gained by <\/p>\n
342
\n00:21:34,600 –> 00:21:36,480
\nAbraham, our forefather,
\naccording to the flesh. <\/p>\n
343
\n00:21:36,760 –> 00:21:39,480
\nFor if Abraham was justified by
\nworks, he has something to boast<\/p>\n
344
\n00:21:39,480 –> 00:21:42,120
\nabout, but not before God.
\nFor what does the scripture say?<\/p>\n
345
\n00:21:42,120 –> 00:21:45,480
\nAbraham believed God and it was
\ncounted him as righteousness. <\/p>\n
346
\n00:21:45,720 –> 00:21:47,440
\nThat’s one of the cornerstones
\nof our belief. <\/p>\n
347
\n00:21:47,440 –> 00:21:50,320
\nIs that this idea that Abraham
\nbelieved God and it was <\/p>\n
348
\n00:21:50,320 –> 00:21:51,880
\naccounted for him as
\nrighteousness. <\/p>\n
349
\n00:21:52,520 –> 00:21:54,720
\nWhat exactly are we talking
\nabout though? <\/p>\n
350
\n00:21:55,600 –> 00:21:58,720
\nWhat an actual event is Paul
\nreferring to? <\/p>\n
351
\n00:22:01,120 –> 00:22:03,800
\nThere’s the famous battle where
\nthe four kings draw up against <\/p>\n
352
\n00:22:03,800 –> 00:22:06,120
\nthe five kings and Sodom and
\nGomorrah is overthrown and <\/p>\n
353
\n00:22:06,120 –> 00:22:08,960
\npeople are carried away captive,
\nand Abraham rounds up 3 and 18 <\/p>\n
354
\n00:22:08,960 –> 00:22:10,440
\nmiss servants and they go and
\nthey rescue him. <\/p>\n
355
\n00:22:10,640 –> 00:22:13,000
\nThat must be what he’s talking
\nabout, right? <\/p>\n
356
\n00:22:13,000 –> 00:22:16,160
\nThis huge amount of faith that
\nAbraham had? <\/p>\n
357
\n00:22:16,760 –> 00:22:20,600
\nNo, that’s not it.
\nWell, how about the defining <\/p>\n
358
\n00:22:20,600 –> 00:22:22,600
\nmoment of his life?
\nMust be the sacrifice of his <\/p>\n
359
\n00:22:22,600 –> 00:22:24,760
\nson, right?
\nGod commands Abraham to take his<\/p>\n
360
\n00:22:24,760 –> 00:22:28,480
\nonly son, the one he’d waited
\n100 years for, up on top of <\/p>\n
361
\n00:22:28,480 –> 00:22:32,160
\nmountain and sacrifice him.
\nSurely that is what Paul’s <\/p>\n
362
\n00:22:32,160 –> 00:22:33,120
\ntalking about.
\nNope. <\/p>\n
363
\n00:22:35,600 –> 00:22:38,000
\nThe verse Paul is referring to
\nis from Genesis 15. <\/p>\n
364
\n00:22:38,160 –> 00:22:40,800
\nIt’s not some daring victory
\nagainst huge odds. <\/p>\n
365
\n00:22:40,800 –> 00:22:43,280
\nIt’s not some amazing displays
\nobedience. <\/p>\n
366
\n00:22:43,440 –> 00:22:46,160
\nIt’s simple.
\nIt’s an old man standing all <\/p>\n
367
\n00:22:46,160 –> 00:22:49,600
\nalone out in the middle of the
\nnight in a field. <\/p>\n
368
\n00:22:52,160 –> 00:22:55,880
\nAnd he said, look toward heaven
\nand Number the Stars. <\/p>\n
369
\n00:22:56,320 –> 00:22:59,320
\nIf you’re able to number them,
\nthen he said so shall your <\/p>\n
370
\n00:22:59,320 –> 00:23:02,800
\noffspring be.
\nAnd Abraham believed the Lord <\/p>\n
371
\n00:23:03,600 –> 00:23:07,160
\nand he counted to him as
\nrighteousness, looking up to the<\/p>\n
372
\n00:23:07,160 –> 00:23:10,080
\nstars in the heaven and hearing
\nvoices. <\/p>\n
373
\n00:23:11,520 –> 00:23:16,080
\nGod promised 100 year old man
\nwith an infertile wife, he’s <\/p>\n
374
\n00:23:16,080 –> 00:23:18,480
\ngoing to be the father of an
\ninnumerable host. <\/p>\n
375
\n00:23:19,600 –> 00:23:26,040
\nCrazy talk.
\nAnd Abraham believed it and that<\/p>\n
376
\n00:23:26,040 –> 00:23:29,160
\nwas counted as faith.
\nNo way it could be proven. <\/p>\n
377
\n00:23:29,480 –> 00:23:34,640
\nAll evidence contrary.
\nI mean I’ve got 100 years of <\/p>\n
378
\n00:23:34,640 –> 00:23:39,320
\ntrying with this woman and we
\ncan’t have kids against all <\/p>\n
379
\n00:23:39,320 –> 00:23:41,880
\nlogic without any historical
\npresident precedents. <\/p>\n
380
\n00:23:42,240 –> 00:23:47,000
\nAbraham believed it even though
\nit made no sense whatsoever. <\/p>\n
381
\n00:23:48,000 –> 00:23:50,120
\nGod is not looking for us to
\nfigure things out. <\/p>\n
382
\n00:23:50,640 –> 00:23:54,320
\nGod’s not looking for us to be
\nconvinced by logic and and math.<\/p>\n
383
\n00:23:55,440 –> 00:23:58,400
\nGod just wants us to trust him,
\nto believe Him. <\/p>\n
384
\n00:23:58,800 –> 00:24:02,800
\nWhen He says something crazy to
\nus, He wants us to believe Him. <\/p>\n
385
\n00:24:03,840 –> 00:24:06,000
\nAnd God doesn’t expect greatness
\nfrom us. <\/p>\n
386
\n00:24:06,240 –> 00:24:08,840
\nHe doesn’t call on us to fight
\nbattles or to sacrifice our <\/p>\n
387
\n00:24:08,840 –> 00:24:10,960
\nchildren.
\nHe simply wants us to believe <\/p>\n
388
\n00:24:10,960 –> 00:24:13,600
\nHim.
\nHe simply wants us to trust Him.<\/p>\n
389
\n00:24:14,120 –> 00:24:17,920
\nAs a matter of fact, it’s
\nspecifically not the great acts <\/p>\n
390
\n00:24:18,080 –> 00:24:21,160
\nthat save us.
\nIt’s not our works that bring us<\/p>\n
391
\n00:24:21,160 –> 00:24:24,520
\nsalvation.
\nThis simple fact of this active <\/p>\n
392
\n00:24:24,520 –> 00:24:28,280
\nof giving your life over to God
\nis what he wants from us. <\/p>\n
393
\n00:24:28,720 –> 00:24:31,840
\nThis illogical, almost
\ncounterintuitive act of <\/p>\n
394
\n00:24:31,840 –> 00:24:35,960
\nacknowledging that we are
\nincapable of resolving our own <\/p>\n
395
\n00:24:35,960 –> 00:24:40,280
\nissues in our own life, that
\nwe’re unsuccessful in fighting <\/p>\n
396
\n00:24:40,280 –> 00:24:44,560
\nthe battle against our own sins.
\nAcknowledging that in the end, <\/p>\n
397
\n00:24:44,680 –> 00:24:49,840
\nwe can’t make it on our own.
\nNo matter how strong your <\/p>\n
398
\n00:24:49,840 –> 00:24:54,160
\nwillpower, no matter how quick
\nyour wits, in the end, you need <\/p>\n
399
\n00:24:54,160 –> 00:24:59,040
\nto turn to God for salvation.
\nAnd that’s the simple faith of <\/p>\n
400
\n00:24:59,040 –> 00:25:01,520
\nAbraham.
\nAnd that’s the faith that I want<\/p>\n
401
\n00:25:01,760 –> 00:25:03,120
\nin my life.
\nAnd that’s the faith that we <\/p>\n
402
\n00:25:03,120 –> 00:25:07,880
\nneed to fill our lives with.
\nTo walk by faith, not by a sense<\/p>\n
403
\n00:25:07,880 –> 00:25:10,120
\nof wanting to obey all the right
\nrules. <\/p>\n
404
\n00:25:10,600 –> 00:25:15,520
\nBelieving that we’re right gives
\nus a sense of order and a very <\/p>\n
405
\n00:25:15,520 –> 00:25:18,320
\nmessy world.
\nWe want to feel like we’re right<\/p>\n
406
\n00:25:18,400 –> 00:25:21,480
\nand the things that we do and
\nthe things that we say, it feels<\/p>\n
407
\n00:25:21,480 –> 00:25:24,800
\ncomfortable and it’s comforting
\nto follow rules and, and feel <\/p>\n
408
\n00:25:24,800 –> 00:25:27,360
\nlike you’re good because you’re
\nfollowing the rules. <\/p>\n
409
\n00:25:28,120 –> 00:25:30,800
\nThis natural human desire to be
\nright extends to our <\/p>\n
410
\n00:25:30,800 –> 00:25:33,800
\nunderstanding of God.
\nWe study and we read and we <\/p>\n
411
\n00:25:33,800 –> 00:25:36,920
\nlisten to classes and lectures
\nand podcasts and, and videos and<\/p>\n
412
\n00:25:36,920 –> 00:25:40,080
\nwe start to believe that we’re
\nright and our understanding of <\/p>\n
413
\n00:25:40,080 –> 00:25:44,480
\nGod.
\nBut we aren’t actually trusting <\/p>\n
414
\n00:25:44,480 –> 00:25:47,080
\nGod.
\nWe’re trusting in our own <\/p>\n
415
\n00:25:47,080 –> 00:25:51,520
\nability to to think correctly
\nand to and to be smart and and <\/p>\n
416
\n00:25:51,520 –> 00:25:56,880
\ndisguising it as trust in God.
\nTrust in God comes when you <\/p>\n
417
\n00:25:56,880 –> 00:26:01,680
\nadmit you don’t understand
\neverything and yet you still <\/p>\n
418
\n00:26:01,680 –> 00:26:06,040
\nbelieve that God exists and that
\nhe’s in control. <\/p>\n
419
\n00:26:06,880 –> 00:26:10,480
\nGod is in control, not you.
\nI’m going to repeat that. <\/p>\n
420
\n00:26:10,480 –> 00:26:14,240
\nGod is in control, not you.
\nYour job is to trust God <\/p>\n
421
\n00:26:14,440 –> 00:26:16,680
\nregardless of whether or not it
\nmakes sense to you. <\/p>\n
422
\n00:26:17,880 –> 00:26:23,200
\nI don’t understand why God does
\nhalf the things he does and <\/p>\n
423
\n00:26:23,200 –> 00:26:25,400
\ndoesn’t bother me.
\nTherefore, when some smart <\/p>\n
424
\n00:26:25,400 –> 00:26:27,840
\nperson says to me, well, how Can
\nyou believe God? <\/p>\n
425
\n00:26:27,840 –> 00:26:30,240
\nYou know he kills babies.
\nWhat kind of God is that? <\/p>\n
426
\n00:26:31,240 –> 00:26:37,200
\nI don’t know, but I trust him.
\nI’ve always loved Daniel’s <\/p>\n
427
\n00:26:37,200 –> 00:26:39,480
\nfriends with their response to
\nthem and Nebuchadnezzar. <\/p>\n
428
\n00:26:40,440 –> 00:26:43,720
\nThey’re just about to be thrust
\ninto the fiery furnace, right? <\/p>\n
429
\n00:26:44,360 –> 00:26:46,800
\nAnd Shadrach, Meshach and Benedo
\nanswered instead of the king. <\/p>\n
430
\n00:26:47,040 –> 00:26:49,120
\nO Nebuchadnezzar, we have no
\nneed to answer you in this <\/p>\n
431
\n00:26:49,120 –> 00:26:52,880
\nmatter.
\nIf this be so, our God whom we <\/p>\n
432
\n00:26:52,880 –> 00:26:55,040
\nserve is able to deliver us from
\nthe burning furnace, and he <\/p>\n
433
\n00:26:55,040 –> 00:26:56,040
\nwould deliver us out of your
\nhand. <\/p>\n
434
\n00:26:56,160 –> 00:27:00,560
\nBut if not, be it known to you,
\nO King, we will not serve your <\/p>\n
435
\n00:27:00,560 –> 00:27:04,520
\nGod.
\nThey were going to do what was <\/p>\n
436
\n00:27:04,520 –> 00:27:10,160
\nright out of trust in God.
\nTheir, their faith was based on <\/p>\n
437
\n00:27:10,160 –> 00:27:15,400
\ntrust, not knowledge.
\nThink about it. <\/p>\n
438
\n00:27:15,400 –> 00:27:17,440
\nI mean, it couldn’t have been
\nbased on knowledge. <\/p>\n
439
\n00:27:17,960 –> 00:27:20,680
\nThere’s no Bible verse telling
\nthem that God would rescue them <\/p>\n
440
\n00:27:20,680 –> 00:27:23,880
\nfrom the fire.
\nThey didn’t have any previous <\/p>\n
441
\n00:27:23,880 –> 00:27:26,040
\nexample of someone been rescued
\nfrom a fire. <\/p>\n
442
\n00:27:27,320 –> 00:27:31,240
\nWhat they did have was trust.
\nAnd that’s what I’m trying to <\/p>\n
443
\n00:27:31,240 –> 00:27:33,480
\ndevelop in my life.
\nThat’s that’s what I want is I <\/p>\n
444
\n00:27:33,480 –> 00:27:38,000
\nwant a faith that’s based on
\ntrust, a faith that’s not so <\/p>\n
445
\n00:27:38,000 –> 00:27:44,160
\nmuch defined by what I believe,
\nbut by who I trust. <\/p>\n
446
\n00:27:45,760 –> 00:27:48,800
\nDaniel’s friends really had no
\nidea what was going to happen. <\/p>\n
447
\n00:27:50,800 –> 00:27:54,120
\nThere were surprises
\nNebuchadnezzar when the 4th <\/p>\n
448
\n00:27:54,120 –> 00:27:58,920
\nperson into the the furnace, but
\nthey were confident in who they <\/p>\n
449
\n00:27:58,920 –> 00:28:01,440
\ntrusted.
\nAbraham couldn’t imagine what <\/p>\n
450
\n00:28:01,440 –> 00:28:04,000
\nwas going to happen.
\nSarah been trying to have kids <\/p>\n
451
\n00:28:04,000 –> 00:28:07,800
\nfor 75 years.
\nHow could that possibly change <\/p>\n
452
\n00:28:07,800 –> 00:28:13,200
\nnow at 90 years old?
\nBut Abraham trusted in who was <\/p>\n
453
\n00:28:13,200 –> 00:28:16,080
\nmaking that promise.
\nOur faith has to be based on <\/p>\n
454
\n00:28:16,080 –> 00:28:24,280
\nwho, not what Now maybe like me,
\nyou’ve misunderstood faith as a <\/p>\n
455
\n00:28:24,280 –> 00:28:30,840
\nwhat word and not a who word.
\nOur faith shouldn’t be what I <\/p>\n
456
\n00:28:30,840 –> 00:28:33,200
\nbelieve.
\nOur faith should be who I <\/p>\n
457
\n00:28:33,200 –> 00:28:37,800
\nbelieve.
\nI’ll agree correct beliefs are <\/p>\n
458
\n00:28:37,960 –> 00:28:42,360
\nvery important, but correct
\nbeliefs are not the problem, <\/p>\n
459
\n00:28:43,440 –> 00:28:46,680
\nthey’re just a necessary
\nprerequisite to build your faith<\/p>\n
460
\n00:28:46,680 –> 00:28:49,600
\nupon.
\nFaith needs to be based on trust<\/p>\n
461
\n00:28:50,680 –> 00:28:53,360
\nand not knowledge.
\nA faith that rests on knowing, <\/p>\n
462
\n00:28:54,800 –> 00:28:57,000
\none that requires you to know
\nwhat you believe in order to <\/p>\n
463
\n00:28:57,000 –> 00:28:59,000
\nhave faith.
\nIt’s just a disaster waiting to <\/p>\n
464
\n00:28:59,000 –> 00:29:01,640
\nhappen.
\nIt values too highly our mental <\/p>\n
465
\n00:29:01,640 –> 00:29:04,000
\nabilities.
\nAll it takes to ruin that kind <\/p>\n
466
\n00:29:04,000 –> 00:29:07,840
\nof faith is a better argument.
\nAnd there’s always someone <\/p>\n
467
\n00:29:07,840 –> 00:29:11,800
\nsmarter than you.
\nThere’s always a better argument<\/p>\n
468
\n00:29:11,800 –> 00:29:20,060
\nout there somewhere.
\nLet’s talk a bit about a trust <\/p>\n
469
\n00:29:20,060 –> 00:29:21,980
\nbased faith.
\nI’m going to go back to my <\/p>\n
470
\n00:29:21,980 –> 00:29:23,980
\nexample of my marriage, which
\nKelly loves. <\/p>\n
471
\n00:29:23,980 –> 00:29:28,980
\nEvery time I talk about this, my
\nbeliefs about a person are <\/p>\n
472
\n00:29:28,980 –> 00:29:31,460
\nunavoidable.
\nMy my beliefs about a person are<\/p>\n
473
\n00:29:31,460 –> 00:29:34,700
\noften helpful in determining the
\ndeepening our relationship. <\/p>\n
474
\n00:29:34,780 –> 00:29:38,820
\nAnd yet, I often have mistaken
\nbeliefs regarding my own wife. <\/p>\n
475
\n00:29:39,640 –> 00:29:43,120
\n40 years together and I still
\ndon’t understand her. <\/p>\n
476
\n00:29:44,320 –> 00:29:47,120
\nThankfully, our marriage is not
\nbased on an accurate knowledge <\/p>\n
477
\n00:29:47,120 –> 00:29:49,680
\nof each other or I’d be in deep
\ntrouble. <\/p>\n
478
\n00:29:50,720 –> 00:29:53,680
\nOur vows are based on our
\ncommitment to trust one another,<\/p>\n
479
\n00:29:54,360 –> 00:29:57,000
\nwhether or not we understand
\nwhat they meant. <\/p>\n
480
\n00:29:57,000 –> 00:29:59,400
\nWhen they said get my glasses,
\nyou thought you knew what they <\/p>\n
481
\n00:29:59,400 –> 00:30:00,360
\nmeant, but that’s not what they
\nmeant. <\/p>\n
482
\n00:30:03,120 –> 00:30:06,000
\nWe trust in the commitment that
\nwe’ve made to each other, even <\/p>\n
483
\n00:30:06,000 –> 00:30:08,720
\nif we don’t like each other.
\nEven sometimes we annoy each <\/p>\n
484
\n00:30:08,720 –> 00:30:10,880
\nother or we can’t stand the
\nsight of each other. <\/p>\n
485
\n00:30:11,240 –> 00:30:14,520
\nThe commitment to trust is
\nfundamental. <\/p>\n
486
\n00:30:15,120 –> 00:30:18,440
\nChildren, as soon as they are
\nconscious, trust their parents <\/p>\n
487
\n00:30:18,440 –> 00:30:21,640
\nunconditionally.
\nAs we mature, trust is at the <\/p>\n
488
\n00:30:21,640 –> 00:30:24,200
\nheart of any healthy
\nrelationship, and our <\/p>\n
489
\n00:30:24,200 –> 00:30:25,920
\nrelationship with God is no
\ndifferent. <\/p>\n
490
\n00:30:26,400 –> 00:30:29,240
\nTrust works regardless of where
\nour thinking happens to be at <\/p>\n
491
\n00:30:29,240 –> 00:30:32,160
\nthe moment.
\nWhen we learn that it’s OK to <\/p>\n
492
\n00:30:32,160 –> 00:30:38,240
\nlet go of the need to be right.
\nOh, pro tip, husbands, let go of<\/p>\n
493
\n00:30:38,240 –> 00:30:42,280
\nthe need to be right, OK?
\nWhen you learn to let go of that<\/p>\n
494
\n00:30:43,040 –> 00:30:45,720
\nand that God is not going to
\npounce on you from behind the <\/p>\n
495
\n00:30:45,720 –> 00:30:49,480
\ncorner giving you a whipping
\nbecause you know you stepped, <\/p>\n
496
\n00:30:49,480 –> 00:30:52,400
\nyou know, you stop believing and
\nyou know worrying about what’s <\/p>\n
497
\n00:30:52,400 –> 00:30:57,080
\nright, God actually welcomes
\nthat step of faith. <\/p>\n
498
\n00:30:58,640 –> 00:31:03,280
\nOnly then will that stress of
\nholding on to correct thinking <\/p>\n
499
\n00:31:03,520 –> 00:31:06,880
\nbegin to fade.
\nOnly then are we giving control <\/p>\n
500
\n00:31:06,880 –> 00:31:10,560
\nover to God.
\nThe focus moves from ourselves <\/p>\n
501
\n00:31:10,760 –> 00:31:14,640
\nto God and whom we trust.
\nThat’s what Jesus called dying <\/p>\n
502
\n00:31:14,640 –> 00:31:16,920
\nand losing our lives.
\nHe said if anyone would come <\/p>\n
503
\n00:31:16,920 –> 00:31:20,800
\nafter me, let him deny himself
\nand take up his cross and follow<\/p>\n
504
\n00:31:20,800 –> 00:31:22,960
\nme forever would save his life,
\nwe’ll lose it. <\/p>\n
505
\n00:31:23,400 –> 00:31:25,800
\nWhoever loses his life for my
\nsake will find it. <\/p>\n
506
\n00:31:26,200 –> 00:31:29,600
\nThat’s hard to do.
\nLetting go, letting go of <\/p>\n
507
\n00:31:29,600 –> 00:31:33,360
\nyourself, letting go of your
\nneed to be in control, moving <\/p>\n
508
\n00:31:33,360 –> 00:31:35,720
\nfrom the familiar to the
\nunfamiliar. <\/p>\n
509
\n00:31:36,400 –> 00:31:39,160
\nAnd that’s learning to truly
\ntrust God is hard to do. <\/p>\n
510
\n00:31:39,160 –> 00:31:41,280
\nIt requires courage.
\nIt requires humility. <\/p>\n
511
\n00:31:43,040 –> 00:31:45,840
\nKnowing what you believe is
\nimportant, but most people don’t<\/p>\n
512
\n00:31:45,840 –> 00:31:49,280
\ncome to faith in God by the
\nforce of a good argument. <\/p>\n
513
\n00:31:51,000 –> 00:31:54,640
\nWe come for various reasons that
\naren’t really reasons in the <\/p>\n
514
\n00:31:54,640 –> 00:31:59,600
\nconventional sense.
\nOur reasons are intuitive more <\/p>\n
515
\n00:31:59,600 –> 00:32:02,880
\nthan rational.
\nThey’re emotional more than <\/p>\n
516
\n00:32:02,880 –> 00:32:06,160
\nlogical.
\nThey’re mysterious more than <\/p>\n
517
\n00:32:06,160 –> 00:32:09,520
\nknown.
\nComing to faith in God involves <\/p>\n
518
\n00:32:09,680 –> 00:32:13,440
\ncoming to sense God’s presence
\nin your life, which really kind <\/p>\n
519
\n00:32:13,440 –> 00:32:16,720
\nof defies our ability to
\nrationally process that <\/p>\n
520
\n00:32:16,720 –> 00:32:19,840
\nexperience.
\nDoesn’t mean that our faith is <\/p>\n
521
\n00:32:19,840 –> 00:32:22,520
\nnot real, it just acknowledges
\nthat faith is part of our <\/p>\n
522
\n00:32:22,520 –> 00:32:24,840
\nhumanity, not really an
\nintellectual process. <\/p>\n
523
\n00:32:25,800 –> 00:32:28,320
\nWhat’s interesting is that even
\nthough it wasn’t our <\/p>\n
524
\n00:32:28,320 –> 00:32:31,560
\nintellectual ability that
\nbrought us to God, we really <\/p>\n
525
\n00:32:31,560 –> 00:32:33,680
\nwant to make it a part of our
\nservice to God. <\/p>\n
526
\n00:32:35,240 –> 00:32:37,920
\nSo you were young, you were
\nimpressionable and you just felt<\/p>\n
527
\n00:32:38,480 –> 00:32:42,160
\nthat warm sensation of God
\nfilling your life and you <\/p>\n
528
\n00:32:42,160 –> 00:32:47,680
\ndecided to get baptized and now
\nyou want to make intellectual <\/p>\n
529
\n00:32:47,680 –> 00:32:49,840
\nstudy the way you’re going to
\nserve Him. <\/p>\n
530
\n00:32:50,240 –> 00:32:53,720
\nOur, our minds just they really,
\nthey want to be able to explain <\/p>\n
531
\n00:32:53,720 –> 00:32:55,280
\nour reality through thoughts,
\nright? <\/p>\n
532
\n00:32:55,280 –> 00:32:58,320
\nWe’re thinking creatures.
\nWe want a faith that makes <\/p>\n
533
\n00:32:58,320 –> 00:33:00,000
\nsense.
\nI think we’ve actually published<\/p>\n
534
\n00:33:00,000 –> 00:33:02,880
\nbooks called a faith that makes
\nsense. <\/p>\n
535
\n00:33:04,200 –> 00:33:05,840
\nWe use that phrase when we’re
\npreaching. <\/p>\n
536
\n00:33:06,200 –> 00:33:08,720
\nWe want something we can
\nquantify and classify and <\/p>\n
537
\n00:33:08,720 –> 00:33:12,080
\ncatalog and and compute.
\nI mean, Popo did a mathematical <\/p>\n
538
\n00:33:12,080 –> 00:33:14,720
\nexpression this morning in a
\nBible class, right? <\/p>\n
539
\n00:33:15,000 –> 00:33:18,920
\nHey, we want something that we
\nput such a large value on. <\/p>\n
540
\n00:33:18,920 –> 00:33:22,200
\nKnowing what you believe there
\nshould be very logical and <\/p>\n
541
\n00:33:22,200 –> 00:33:24,600
\nclear, and we should be able to
\narticulate it to anyone that we <\/p>\n
542
\n00:33:24,600 –> 00:33:29,360
\nmeet.
\nOn the other hand, if you don’t <\/p>\n
543
\n00:33:29,360 –> 00:33:31,760
\nknow what you believe, then
\nsomething’s clearly up with you.<\/p>\n
544
\n00:33:31,760 –> 00:33:33,280
\nWhat’s what’s wrong with you,
\nright? <\/p>\n
545
\n00:33:34,280 –> 00:33:36,920
\nThat’s the message that comes up
\nin our community. <\/p>\n
546
\n00:33:37,320 –> 00:33:39,560
\nSo if you have questions about
\nthings, if you’re not quite sure<\/p>\n
547
\n00:33:39,560 –> 00:33:42,440
\nabout things, if you simply
\ndon’t understand why the Bible <\/p>\n
548
\n00:33:42,440 –> 00:33:45,360
\nsays some things, you feel like
\nthere’s something wrong with <\/p>\n
549
\n00:33:45,360 –> 00:33:49,080
\nyour faith.
\nWe often equate faith with <\/p>\n
550
\n00:33:49,080 –> 00:33:51,360
\nknowledge.
\nAnd when we honestly look at a <\/p>\n
551
\n00:33:51,360 –> 00:33:53,760
\nverse and we realize we don’t
\nhave no idea what that verse is <\/p>\n
552
\n00:33:53,760 –> 00:33:56,920
\ntalking about, we start thinking
\nmust be our faith is weak. <\/p>\n
553
\n00:33:57,880 –> 00:34:01,080
\nMost of our experiences with our
\nchurch are based on expanding <\/p>\n
554
\n00:34:01,080 –> 00:34:03,840
\nour knowledge.
\nWe go to Bible class, we have <\/p>\n
555
\n00:34:03,840 –> 00:34:06,960
\nSunday school.
\nEven our expectations, which the<\/p>\n
556
\n00:34:06,960 –> 00:34:11,520
\nword means to urge or admonish,
\nend up being classes, right? <\/p>\n
557
\n00:34:11,560 –> 00:34:13,880
\nYou know, it’s a 45 minute class
\nthat he gives. <\/p>\n
558
\n00:34:15,880 –> 00:34:19,080
\nIf your faith is based on
\nknowledge, then the more Bible <\/p>\n
559
\n00:34:19,080 –> 00:34:21,600
\nstudy you have in your life
\nshould help you to increase your<\/p>\n
560
\n00:34:21,600 –> 00:34:24,639
\nfaith, right?
\nI’m not trying to knock Bible <\/p>\n
561
\n00:34:24,639 –> 00:34:26,560
\nstudy.
\nLearning about the Bible is <\/p>\n
562
\n00:34:26,560 –> 00:34:28,280
\ngood.
\nCan I say that seven more times,<\/p>\n
563
\n00:34:28,280 –> 00:34:29,800
\nright?
\nBut what I want to draw <\/p>\n
564
\n00:34:29,800 –> 00:34:33,159
\nattention to is this
\npreoccupation with correct <\/p>\n
565
\n00:34:33,159 –> 00:34:37,000
\nthinking, which feeds on the
\nmentality that knowing is <\/p>\n
566
\n00:34:37,000 –> 00:34:42,159
\ncentral to faith.
\nKnowing is central to faith. <\/p>\n
567
\n00:34:43,440 –> 00:34:45,719
\nYou say that backwards and it’s
\nobviously not true, right? <\/p>\n
568
\n00:34:46,320 –> 00:34:48,880
\nIf I tell you that if you know
\nyour Bible well enough, you’re <\/p>\n
569
\n00:34:48,880 –> 00:34:51,520
\ngoing to have faith.
\nNo, none of us know that. <\/p>\n
570
\n00:34:51,520 –> 00:34:55,600
\nLike there’s, there’s academics,
\nAI probably knows the Bible <\/p>\n
571
\n00:34:55,600 –> 00:34:57,520
\nbetter than I do, right, But
\ndoesn’t have faith. <\/p>\n
572
\n00:34:59,400 –> 00:35:02,760
\nThere are a lot of professors
\nand critics and students who <\/p>\n
573
\n00:35:02,760 –> 00:35:06,480
\nliterally have PhD in the Bible
\nand they have no faith at all. <\/p>\n
574
\n00:35:07,920 –> 00:35:10,200
\nSo knowing your Bible well
\ndoesn’t guarantee you’re going <\/p>\n
575
\n00:35:10,200 –> 00:35:13,520
\nto be faithful.
\nFaithfulness is supported by <\/p>\n
576
\n00:35:13,520 –> 00:35:17,040
\nknowledge, but it’s created by
\ntrust. <\/p>\n
577
\n00:35:19,120 –> 00:35:25,320
\nOK, we have literally 3 minutes.
\nHere’s AQR code for some <\/p>\n
578
\n00:35:25,480 –> 00:35:26,760
\ndiscussion.
\nThoughts. <\/p>\n
579
\n00:35:28,240 –> 00:35:31,720
\nWe’re not going to do it, but
\ngrab the QR code anyways if you <\/p>\n
580
\n00:35:31,720 –> 00:35:36,920
\nwould.
\nSo if you, if you want, you know<\/p>\n
581
\n00:35:37,120 –> 00:35:38,880
\nyou can tackle.
\nI got 5 questions for you. <\/p>\n
582
\n00:35:39,400 –> 00:35:45,120
\nYou can tackle these maybe with
\nyour friends or if the classes <\/p>\n
583
\n00:35:45,120 –> 00:35:46,840
\nat the food and fellow the
\nquestions, the food and <\/p>\n
584
\n00:35:46,840 –> 00:35:48,440
\nfellowship are boring, you can
\nmaybe tackle these. <\/p>\n
585
\n00:35:48,440 –> 00:35:53,360
\nI’m just saying, hey, you know,
\nor maybe just yourself and and <\/p>\n
586
\n00:35:53,360 –> 00:35:55,800
\nyou don’t have to put it.
\nYou don’t have to reply. <\/p>\n
587
\n00:35:55,800 –> 00:35:57,160
\nYou don’t have to put anything
\nin writing. <\/p>\n
588
\n00:35:57,360 –> 00:35:59,600
\nBut if you went to Chris
\nEvanston school, you’re probably<\/p>\n
589
\n00:35:59,600 –> 00:36:02,280
\ngoing to want to.
\nSo, you know, if you feel free <\/p>\n
590
\n00:36:02,280 –> 00:36:05,840
\nto, if you choose to, I’ll read
\nall the responses I get tonight <\/p>\n
591
\n00:36:06,440 –> 00:36:09,480
\nand if anything in there is
\nhelpful or meaningful, you know,<\/p>\n
592
\n00:36:09,480 –> 00:36:11,760
\nwe’ll include it in the upcoming
\nclasses, right? <\/p>\n
593
\n00:36:14,560 –> 00:36:16,400
\nThe, the questions are, are
\nsimple. <\/p>\n
594
\n00:36:16,400 –> 00:36:20,280
\nThe questions are, you know,
\njust sharing sometimes in your <\/p>\n
595
\n00:36:20,280 –> 00:36:22,280
\nlife when maybe you experienced
\ndoubt. <\/p>\n
596
\n00:36:22,400 –> 00:36:23,680
\nThese aren’t simple questions,
\nright? <\/p>\n
597
\n00:36:25,280 –> 00:36:27,280
\nDefine the difference between
\ntrust based faith and a <\/p>\n
598
\n00:36:27,280 –> 00:36:31,160
\nknowledge based faith pitfalls
\nthat maybe you’ve experienced <\/p>\n
599
\n00:36:31,160 –> 00:36:33,520
\nthat personally or ecclesially
\nwith being certain. <\/p>\n
600
\n00:36:34,080 –> 00:36:37,600
\nI think one thing that comes up
\nwith being certain is arguments.<\/p>\n
601
\n00:36:38,080 –> 00:36:39,920
\nWe just want to, we want to
\nfight things over. <\/p>\n
602
\n00:36:39,920 –> 00:36:42,920
\nWe, you know, I cannot
\nfellowship you until we’re 100% <\/p>\n
603
\n00:36:42,920 –> 00:36:45,320
\nin agreement on this point.
\nYou know, we have to be certain <\/p>\n
604
\n00:36:45,320 –> 00:36:54,480
\nabout this.
\nDid you know that 20 OK, I’m <\/p>\n
605
\n00:36:54,480 –> 00:37:01,760
\ngoing to go slow. 28% of all
\nChristadelphians are illiterate.<\/p>\n
606
\n00:37:05,680 –> 00:37:09,840
\n28% of your brother and sisters
\ncannot read. <\/p>\n
607
\n00:37:10,920 –> 00:37:14,240
\nThat’s hard for us to grasp here
\nin North America because our <\/p>\n
608
\n00:37:14,240 –> 00:37:17,680
\nfocus is so often on Bible
\nstudy. <\/p>\n
609
\n00:37:19,840 –> 00:37:26,520
\nThe idea is that knowing what
\nyou believe places your faith on<\/p>\n
610
\n00:37:26,520 –> 00:37:30,080
\nsolid ground.
\nHow could these people possibly <\/p>\n
611
\n00:37:30,080 –> 00:37:33,440
\nhave any faith or hope if they
\ncan’t even read? <\/p>\n
612
\n00:37:37,240 –> 00:37:44,560
\nWe think that this knowledge
\nplaces us on solid ground, but <\/p>\n
613
\n00:37:44,560 –> 00:37:51,720
\nthen life happens.
\nLife is messy, life is <\/p>\n
614
\n00:37:51,720 –> 00:37:57,160
\ncomplicated.
\nYou come home and everything is <\/p>\n
615
\n00:37:57,160 –> 00:37:59,200
\npacked up in boxes and she’s
\nleaving. <\/p>\n
616
\n00:38:01,960 –> 00:38:08,440
\nSooner or later you come to a
\nquestion you can’t answer and <\/p>\n
617
\n00:38:08,440 –> 00:38:10,320
\nyou get knocked down.
\nYou get thrown. <\/p>\n
618
\n00:38:11,520 –> 00:38:15,480
\nTo say that there’s differences
\nof opinions on what the Bible <\/p>\n
619
\n00:38:15,480 –> 00:38:18,200
\nteaches is a vast
\nunderstatement. <\/p>\n
620
\n00:38:19,800 –> 00:38:24,960
\nThere are literally thousands of
\ndifferent churches, each one <\/p>\n
621
\n00:38:25,560 –> 00:38:29,800
\nthinking that they are the ones
\nthat properly understand Bible <\/p>\n
622
\n00:38:29,800 –> 00:38:34,520
\nteaching.
\nEven within those churches, like<\/p>\n
623
\n00:38:34,520 –> 00:38:38,240
\nwithin ours, there’s thousands
\nof individuals who who all think<\/p>\n
624
\n00:38:38,240 –> 00:38:43,200
\ndifferently about thousands of
\ndifferent teachings in the <\/p>\n
625
\n00:38:43,200 –> 00:38:47,720
\nBible.
\nI don’t think it’s possible for <\/p>\n
626
\n00:38:47,720 –> 00:38:51,360
\nus to find two people that agree
\non everything. <\/p>\n
627
\n00:38:52,640 –> 00:38:55,280
\nNow, thankfully, we’ve come to
\nunderstand that not everything <\/p>\n
628
\n00:38:55,280 –> 00:38:57,960
\nis vitally important.
\nWe’ve made a list of the things <\/p>\n
629
\n00:38:57,960 –> 00:38:59,560
\nthat we think are vitally
\nimportant. <\/p>\n
630
\n00:39:00,960 –> 00:39:03,520
\nWe’ve agreed that there’s a a
\nminimum amount of things that we<\/p>\n
631
\n00:39:03,520 –> 00:39:07,880
\nshould agree on, and the rest is
\nnot essential for our salvation.<\/p>\n
632
\n00:39:11,240 –> 00:39:12,320
\nThat’s kind of interesting,
\nisn’t it? <\/p>\n
633
\n00:39:12,320 –> 00:39:14,960
\nMaybe a little bit telling right
\nthere. <\/p>\n
634
\n00:39:15,800 –> 00:39:19,480
\nThe quest to try to understand
\nthe Bible, because it’s thought <\/p>\n
635
\n00:39:19,480 –> 00:39:23,440
\nthat in doing so it’s essential
\nto your faith, hasn’t actually <\/p>\n
636
\n00:39:23,440 –> 00:39:28,000
\nled to a greater certainty about
\nwhat the Bible means, but <\/p>\n
637
\n00:39:28,000 –> 00:39:31,640
\ninstead it’s led to a staggering
\namount of denominations and <\/p>\n
638
\n00:39:31,640 –> 00:39:35,680
\nsubgroups and and belief systems
\nwithin those denominations that <\/p>\n
639
\n00:39:35,680 –> 00:39:42,520
\ndisagree on what the Bible says.
\nThe more and more and more and <\/p>\n
640
\n00:39:42,520 –> 00:39:48,200
\nmore we’ve looked at it, the
\nless and less and less we agree.<\/p>\n
641
\n00:39:51,920 –> 00:39:55,200
\nI’ve asked pretty much every
\nbrother I’ve ever met who’s <\/p>\n
642
\n00:39:55,200 –> 00:40:00,120
\ninvolved in the Union process,
\nyou know, if, if it wasn’t, if <\/p>\n
643
\n00:40:00,120 –> 00:40:02,640
\nit wasn’t the case, would you
\ndivide over today? <\/p>\n
644
\n00:40:02,880 –> 00:40:06,680
\nAnd every one of them, even the
\nstrongest one, says, no, I <\/p>\n
645
\n00:40:06,680 –> 00:40:08,520
\nwouldn’t divide over this issue
\ntoday. <\/p>\n
646
\n00:40:10,240 –> 00:40:14,640
\nBut we spent 75 years or how
\nmany years is it 90 years, you <\/p>\n
647
\n00:40:14,640 –> 00:40:17,680
\nknow, focusing on it and reading
\nit and studying it. <\/p>\n
648
\n00:40:17,880 –> 00:40:20,160
\nAnd we find more and more things
\nwe disagree with. <\/p>\n
649
\n00:40:20,720 –> 00:40:23,960
\nSo where does that leave us?
\nI I believe that the Bible does <\/p>\n
650
\n00:40:23,960 –> 00:40:28,880
\nnot model a faith that depends
\non certainty of knowledge for <\/p>\n
651
\n00:40:28,880 –> 00:40:32,960
\nthe simple fact that the Bible
\nitself does not provide that <\/p>\n
652
\n00:40:32,960 –> 00:40:37,480
\nkind of certainty.
\nThere’s some really good Bible <\/p>\n
653
\n00:40:37,480 –> 00:40:40,720
\nstudents here and I would
\ncontend that no matter what <\/p>\n
654
\n00:40:41,160 –> 00:40:45,080
\nincontrovertible perfect verse
\nyou find, they could find a <\/p>\n
655
\n00:40:45,080 –> 00:40:47,240
\nverse that would you go against
\nthat. <\/p>\n
656
\n00:40:49,680 –> 00:40:56,240
\nI think the Bible models trust
\nin God and and it almost wants <\/p>\n
657
\n00:40:56,240 –> 00:40:59,760
\nto teach us by this mass of
\ninformation it gives us that <\/p>\n
658
\n00:40:59,840 –> 00:41:06,600
\nit’s hard to sort through that
\nyou have to trust in God and <\/p>\n
659
\n00:41:06,600 –> 00:41:10,360
\nyour trust in God does not rest
\non whether able, whether you’re <\/p>\n
660
\n00:41:10,360 –> 00:41:14,600
\nable to be to be clear and
\ncertain and convicted and <\/p>\n
661
\n00:41:14,600 –> 00:41:19,280
\nconfident in what you believe.
\nI want to be careful of what I <\/p>\n
662
\n00:41:19,280 –> 00:41:22,400
\njust said.
\nI’m not saying it doesn’t matter<\/p>\n
663
\n00:41:22,400 –> 00:41:25,200
\nwhat you believe.
\nI made it quite clear that <\/p>\n
664
\n00:41:25,200 –> 00:41:27,120
\nknowing what you believe is
\nimportant. <\/p>\n
665
\n00:41:27,680 –> 00:41:30,440
\nIt’s the certainty issue.
\nThat’s that. <\/p>\n
666
\n00:41:30,440 –> 00:41:33,880
\nThat’s the thing, having to be
\ncertain about it. <\/p>\n
667
\n00:41:35,040 –> 00:41:42,480
\nJesus returns and he calls you
\nto be immortalized and saved and<\/p>\n
668
\n00:41:42,480 –> 00:41:45,200
\nyou say no, no, no, no, no.
\nYou’re supposed to come from the<\/p>\n
669
\n00:41:45,200 –> 00:41:48,760
\nSouth, you came from the east,
\nand that’s not the way it <\/p>\n
670
\n00:41:48,760 –> 00:41:53,080
\nhappens.
\nI’m not going right this kind of<\/p>\n
671
\n00:41:53,280 –> 00:41:58,080
\nresorting to fighting because
\nyou don’t agree 100% with me. <\/p>\n
672
\n00:41:58,200 –> 00:42:06,520
\nCertainty, that’s what kills us.
\nThat’s the problem, and trust is<\/p>\n
673
\n00:42:06,520 –> 00:42:09,200
\nthe solution.
\nI don’t understand. <\/p>\n
674
\n00:42:09,200 –> 00:42:10,800
\nYou don’t understand, but I
\ntrust you. <\/p>\n
675
\n00:42:12,400 –> 00:42:15,000
\nI have given this hours and
\nhours and hours of thought and <\/p>\n
676
\n00:42:15,000 –> 00:42:17,160
\nyou totally disagree.
\nBut I trust you. <\/p>\n
677
\n00:42:20,760 –> 00:42:27,680
\nTrusting in God to save you.
\nAll alone in a field in the <\/p>\n
678
\n00:42:27,680 –> 00:42:32,440
\nmiddle of night looking up at
\nthe stars and God tells you. <\/p>\n
679
\n00:42:33,880 –> 00:42:36,400
\nYou know how you’ve been trying
\nfor 80 years to have a kid? <\/p>\n
680
\n00:42:36,400 –> 00:42:45,200
\nYou’re going to have a ton
\ntrusting that God’s going to <\/p>\n
681
\n00:42:45,200 –> 00:42:47,800
\ncarry you through, that God’s
\ngoing to be there for you. <\/p>\n
682
\n00:42:49,360 –> 00:42:55,160
\nNot always knowing where you’re
\ngoing, but trusting that he <\/p>\n
683
\n00:42:55,160 –> 00:43:00,480
\ndoes.
\nNot having to be right, but <\/p>\n
684
\n00:43:00,480 –> 00:43:04,840
\nhaving to trust.
\nNot having to be certain, but <\/p>\n
685
\n00:43:04,840 –> 00:43:07,640
\nhaving to trust.
\nThat’s what faith is. <\/p>\n
686
\n00:43:09,040 –> 00:43:12,880
\nFaith is a trusting your
\nbrothers and sisters even though<\/p>\n
687
\n00:43:12,880 –> 00:43:17,760
\nthey don’t agree 100% with you
\nkind of a thing. <\/p>\n
688
\n00:43:19,640 –> 00:43:23,680
\nNot filling your life with
\nactivity that makes you feel <\/p>\n
689
\n00:43:23,680 –> 00:43:28,440
\nproductive, but trusting God to
\nlead you to what He wants from <\/p>\n
690
\n00:43:28,440 –> 00:43:31,240
\nyou, not what you think you
\nneed. <\/p>\n
691
\n00:43:33,680 –> 00:43:35,520
\nIt’s not about having to be
\ncertain. <\/p>\n
692
\n00:43:36,640 –> 00:43:42,960
\nCertainty is not the goal.
\nIt’s about being comfortable. <\/p>\n
693
\n00:43:43,320 –> 00:43:46,160
\nWould doubt that’s what we’ll
\ntalk about tomorrow.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Class 3 from this series was used in GCT Episode 392. 1 00:00:00,880 –> 00:00:03,640 There’s…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":495,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"episode_type":"","audio_file":"https:\/\/anchor.fm\/s\/8765608\/podcast\/play\/117249169\/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2026-2-20%2Fee191168-4d93-485d-dc66-a7eabe01eb73.mp3","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"00:43:47","filesize":"100.24M","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":""},"tags":[],"series":[18],"class_list":["post-1460","podcast","type-podcast","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","series-gct-ext"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t