WEBVTT 00:00:02.899 --> 00:00:11.032 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you as though something strange were happening to you. 00:00:11.032 --> 00:00:21.399 But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. 00:00:32.600 --> 00:00:35.232 Well, good morning Valley View. 00:00:35.232 --> 00:00:41.299 It's great to be with you today as we start into a new series, going through the book of First Peter. 00:00:41.299 --> 00:00:45.732 And you saw the title there, finding Joy in suffering. 00:00:46.399 --> 00:00:51.432 First, before we dive into that, I want to thank everyone who sponsored Bald Preacher Month last month. 00:00:51.432 --> 00:00:53.466 It was a great month for our church. 00:00:53.466 --> 00:01:00.232 Thank you for Andrew, Colby, and Troy for their role in being up here. 00:01:00.232 --> 00:01:01.466 I'm glad that's over though. 00:01:01.466 --> 00:01:05.965 We can move forward... no, each one of them did a great job and I'm really grateful for them. 00:01:07.066 --> 00:01:13.365 And as I thought about this series and this title, finding Joy in suffering, I was reminded of a story. 00:01:13.365 --> 00:01:14.733 I think I've shared this before. 00:01:14.733 --> 00:01:24.665 When I was just right out of college, I was helping a friend work when I was trying to decide(whether) to go to ministry, to go into engineering, and I was helping him sell concert tickets at the Louisville Orchestra. 00:01:24.665 --> 00:01:30.400 And one day I was driving into work, driving my pickup truck down the Shawnee Expressway, just driving along. 00:01:30.400 --> 00:01:36.365 And it was one of those days where I just felt overwhelmed with joy for the ways God was working in my life in that season. 00:01:36.365 --> 00:01:45.832 I just felt like he was helping me grow, helping me work through some things, feeling some victories in some areas, and I was just praising him as I drove. 00:01:45.832 --> 00:01:54.233 If you had those moments where you just felt his presence, maybe more than normal, you felt a sense of joy for what he's done in your life more than normal. 00:01:54.233 --> 00:02:00.700 And so here I am driving along, and then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, I hear this tremendous noise. 00:02:00.700 --> 00:02:10.133 I mean, it sounded like if Isaac were up here just stomping away and you're under the stage, jumping up and down and also throwing jars of pickles out into the audience, which I hope he doesn't do. 00:02:10.133 --> 00:02:12.932 But you could imagine just this horrible racket. 00:02:12.932 --> 00:02:20.532 So I pull over and I look under the truck, and sure enough, my whole tailpipe from the muffler back had just come loose and it was just kind of teetering there. 00:02:20.532 --> 00:02:21.733 So I had the noise of the engine. 00:02:21.733 --> 00:02:24.000 Plus it was clanking off the ground every once in a while. 00:02:25.099 --> 00:02:26.866 That's how it sounded to me at least. 00:02:26.866 --> 00:02:27.165 All right. 00:02:27.165 --> 00:02:29.432 So what do I do in that moment? 00:02:29.432 --> 00:02:30.233 I didn't know what else to do. 00:02:30.233 --> 00:02:35.000 I just pulled the tailpipe out, threw it in the bed of the truck, and kept driving on to work. 00:02:35.000 --> 00:02:37.099 We’ll deal with it later. 00:02:37.099 --> 00:02:38.900 But in that moment, I thought for just a minute. 00:02:38.900 --> 00:02:40.665 I just had to smile. 00:02:40.665 --> 00:02:44.366 Here I was, in just this overwhelming moment of praising God. 00:02:44.366 --> 00:02:47.366 And then a challenge comes. 00:02:47.566 --> 00:02:49.432 But it didn't really faze me. 00:02:49.432 --> 00:02:49.966 His. 00:02:49.966 --> 00:02:56.165 He had prepared me for that moment because of the joy, because of the delight in him. 00:02:56.199 --> 00:02:59.265 What happens when that's reversed, though? 00:02:59.265 --> 00:03:00.966 When the challenge comes first? 00:03:00.966 --> 00:03:09.233 When the suffering comes first, when the trial comes first and you've got to go find the joy when your immediate reaction isn't joy. 00:03:09.233 --> 00:03:11.866 And thank you and delight. 00:03:11.866 --> 00:03:15.832 How do we find joy in the midst of suffering? 00:03:15.832 --> 00:03:19.733 That's part of the message of first Peter. 00:03:19.733 --> 00:03:24.466 First Peter is going to help us with that, and that'll carry us through the whole series. 00:03:24.466 --> 00:03:40.400 Plenty of other topics will be brought up, but that's probably the main idea that Peter is addressing. How do we find joy in the midst of challenges, trials, suffering? 00:03:40.566 --> 00:03:42.099 Why First Peter for this? 00:03:42.099 --> 00:03:46.199 There's plenty of passages in Scripture we could go to to talk about this. 00:03:46.199 --> 00:03:52.665 You know, my very first message here at Valley View was from First Peter, the message in view of a call. 00:03:52.665 --> 00:03:59.699 And it was about how we get along in relationships and some of the ways we interact with one another and bless rather than curse. 00:03:59.699 --> 00:04:03.765 But ever since then, I've been meditating on first Peter, just thinking about so many of the themes in there. 00:04:03.765 --> 00:04:11.532 And I also noticed in that first year that a lot of people here were carrying around a lot. 00:04:11.800 --> 00:04:19.899 There are a ton of issues, a ton of burdens, maybe a weightiness, a heaviness that many of us are wrestling with, are carrying. 00:04:19.899 --> 00:04:22.333 In fact, it felt that heavy. 00:04:22.333 --> 00:04:30.033 So much so that I asked our prayer team and you may not know this, but there's a number of different people in our prayer team who go out during the service to pray for you. 00:04:30.033 --> 00:04:31.833 They slip out in 15 minute increments. 00:04:31.833 --> 00:04:38.600 They go over to our prayer room just to pray for you while you're wrestling with whatever it is you're wrestling with. 00:04:39.733 --> 00:04:44.000 There just seemed to be heaviness, many more so than normal. 00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:50.100 We're enduring a lot, and so we want to turn to prayer, but we also want to turn to God's Word. 00:04:50.100 --> 00:04:54.500 That's partly why we're memorizing Romans five one through five we did last month. 00:04:54.500 --> 00:04:57.333 Since that's five verses, we're continuing it this month. 00:04:57.333 --> 00:05:02.733 And there's a key phrase in there I’ve been hinting at that's going to set us up for this study on First Peter. 00:05:02.733 --> 00:05:15.500 He says, we rejoice in hope for the glory of God more than that, though, we rejoice in our sufferings, for our sufferings produce endurance, and endurance produces character. 00:05:15.500 --> 00:05:19.432 Character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint. 00:05:20.033 --> 00:05:25.033 That phrase In there - we rejoice in our sufferings. 00:05:26.266 --> 00:05:27.833 That's a hard one to say. 00:05:27.833 --> 00:05:30.000 I'll be the first to say I don't like to suffer. 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:34.266 Much of my life is structured in a way so that I can suffer as little as possible. 00:05:34.266 --> 00:05:36.600 I try to avoid it as much as possible. 00:05:39.233 --> 00:05:45.766 But make no mistake, it will come no matter who you are, if you are alive. 00:05:45.766 --> 00:05:49.399 Challenges, trials, suffering will come. 00:05:49.399 --> 00:05:52.899 Why is it that we're always shocked by that? 00:05:53.033 --> 00:05:55.632 Look at the very center of our faith. 00:05:55.632 --> 00:05:58.632 Here's what we hang on the wall. 00:05:58.865 --> 00:06:03.100 At the very center of our faith is God, who came in human flesh. 00:06:03.100 --> 00:06:06.100 And what was his main purpose? To suffer. 00:06:07.132 --> 00:06:08.533 To die. 00:06:08.533 --> 00:06:10.065 We have a cross hanging up there. 00:06:10.065 --> 00:06:12.300 Not a yacht. 00:06:12.300 --> 00:06:14.565 Not a private jet. 00:06:14.565 --> 00:06:15.533 Those aren't our end. 00:06:15.533 --> 00:06:16.466 Those aren't our goals. 00:06:16.466 --> 00:06:17.632 Great if that happens. 00:06:17.632 --> 00:06:19.600 But that's our goal. 00:06:19.600 --> 00:06:20.600 That's where we're headed. 00:06:20.600 --> 00:06:23.199 It should be no surprise, then, that suffering comes. 00:06:23.199 --> 00:06:25.565 Yet I'm always shocked by it. 00:06:25.565 --> 00:06:27.199 You think it would be the opposite? 00:06:27.199 --> 00:06:28.932 I should be shocked when things are great. 00:06:28.932 --> 00:06:31.899 Always shocked when challenges come. 00:06:33.665 --> 00:06:37.632 First Peter is going to help us navigate this reality. 00:06:37.632 --> 00:06:41.800 We're going to find hope in the midst of the challenges. 00:06:41.800 --> 00:06:48.233 Hope in Christ, hope in his suffering that will guide us to finding joy in the midst of suffering. 00:06:48.233 --> 00:06:54.033 Because my hope is that not just that we would endure the challenges at the bare minimum. 00:06:54.033 --> 00:06:55.165 I hope we do that. 00:06:55.165 --> 00:07:00.865 But how do we move from just enduring to flourishing to see him work in powerful new ways? 00:07:00.865 --> 00:07:10.766 And I think if we surveyed the room, most of us would say the ways we've seen God move in our life have been more so through the challenges than in the victories. 00:07:10.766 --> 00:07:17.432 Probably every one of us would say, man, he worked in my life in some amazing ways through the hardest times. 00:07:17.432 --> 00:07:19.000 I don't want to go back there. 00:07:19.000 --> 00:07:20.300 I don't want to do that again. 00:07:21.632 --> 00:07:25.833 But he worked in some powerful ways. 00:07:25.833 --> 00:07:27.600 How do we find joy in the midst of suffering? 00:07:27.600 --> 00:07:34.533 We're going to look at First Peter, and if you have a church Bible, that passage should be on the screen with the page number. 00:07:34.533 --> 00:07:36.665 It's going to be on page 953. 00:07:36.665 --> 00:07:42.533 If you don't have a Bible, we have copies of Bibles that are free for you that allow you to follow along with me. 00:07:42.533 --> 00:07:46.266 As I read, I try to get people to turn in God's Word. 00:07:46.266 --> 00:07:47.932 Turn in your copy of God's Word. 00:07:47.932 --> 00:07:49.800 Obviously the page numbers won't match. 00:07:49.800 --> 00:07:51.333 That's okay. 00:07:51.333 --> 00:07:53.300 We want you reading his word. 00:07:53.300 --> 00:07:54.533 That's a huge priority. 00:07:54.533 --> 00:08:02.699 That's going to be one of the ways that you get through suffering with flourishing is to be in his word, to know his word. 00:08:04.000 --> 00:08:05.733 So we're going to look at First Peter. 00:08:05.733 --> 00:08:12.533 And in First Peter we're going to see three things, by the way, that will- you need to know to help endure suffering. 00:08:12.533 --> 00:08:13.766 Three things you need to know. 00:08:13.766 --> 00:08:18.766 First, who you are. Going to see these three things in here. 00:08:18.766 --> 00:08:20.565 First, who you are. 00:08:20.565 --> 00:08:22.399 Second, what he's done. 00:08:22.399 --> 00:08:23.932 And these should be up on the screen. 00:08:23.932 --> 00:08:26.899 Who you are, what he's done. 00:08:26.899 --> 00:08:29.899 And then third, what we need. 00:08:30.233 --> 00:08:36.533 In order to find joy in suffering, you got to know who you are, what he's done and what we need. 00:08:36.832 --> 00:08:42.533 So first of all, look at who we are, who you are in Christ. 00:08:43.000 --> 00:08:50.399 And we're just going to look at the first two verses today as we survey a number of themes in the book of First Peter. 00:08:51.365 --> 00:08:51.932 So here I go. 00:08:51.932 --> 00:09:11.066 I'm going to read First Peter chapter one, verse one, Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who are elect exiles of the dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. 00:09:11.799 --> 00:09:15.133 So here we have a couple of things going on to set the stage. 00:09:15.133 --> 00:09:18.566 First, Peter describes himself before he talks about his audience. 00:09:18.566 --> 00:09:20.932 He describes himself with just two simple words. 00:09:20.932 --> 00:09:23.932 One is his name, Peter. 00:09:24.265 --> 00:09:26.700 Greek word petros, rock. 00:09:26.700 --> 00:09:30.666 It's where we get words like petrified and petroglyph. 00:09:31.365 --> 00:09:34.466 Now we know that wasn't his name originally. 00:09:34.466 --> 00:09:39.732 His given name was Simon, but Jesus gave him a new name. 00:09:40.232 --> 00:09:43.232 Jesus called him the Rock. 00:09:43.566 --> 00:09:46.533 I hope Jesus gives me a cool nickname like that. 00:09:46.533 --> 00:09:50.066 Most nicknames, all nicknames I've been given haven't been cool. 00:09:50.066 --> 00:09:55.566 They're not the ones I wanted, but a cool nickname like the Rock. 00:09:55.799 --> 00:10:00.732 Here's the powerful part of that. Was Peter the Rock when Jesus called him that? 00:10:00.732 --> 00:10:05.365 Jesus knew he would betray him, and yet he called him the Rock. 00:10:05.365 --> 00:10:10.566 Peter, you are going to stand firm, even though I know I know you won't. 00:10:10.566 --> 00:10:13.566 But this is who you are. 00:10:13.765 --> 00:10:22.232 One of the takeaways for us in that is that when Jesus makes you new, he gives you a new name, but you're no longer who you were. 00:10:22.232 --> 00:10:25.232 Will you still go back there at times? 00:10:25.566 --> 00:10:30.865 Maybe. Peter did, but he gives you a new name. 00:10:30.865 --> 00:10:32.533 He gives you a new direction. 00:10:32.533 --> 00:10:37.100 He gives you a new identity and purpose and meaning in life. 00:10:37.100 --> 00:10:38.666 That's part of what he does. 00:10:38.666 --> 00:10:40.232 And Peter calls himself. 00:10:40.232 --> 00:10:43.200 He doesn’t go back to Simon. I’m Peter. 00:10:43.200 --> 00:10:48.133 A part of this ties into the whole purpose of the book of First Peter. 00:10:48.133 --> 00:10:54.100 If you flip over to chapter five just a couple of pages over, you know many books of the Bible will give you this hint. 00:10:54.100 --> 00:10:56.932 They'll say something like, this is why I've written this book. 00:10:56.932 --> 00:10:58.500 Not every book does that. 00:10:58.500 --> 00:11:02.666 But 1 Peter has just a glimpse of that. Chapter five, verse 12. 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:10.200 First he introduces a guy, a faithful brother, and he says, I have written, this is why I've written. 00:11:10.200 --> 00:11:17.932 I've written briefly to you, exhorting and declaring that this is the true grace of God. 00:11:17.932 --> 00:11:19.166 And then he says this. 00:11:19.166 --> 00:11:22.166 Stand firm in it. 00:11:22.432 --> 00:11:25.799 Peter, the one who didn't, is calling us. 00:11:25.799 --> 00:11:32.299 Now, I know the key to moving forward in the grace of God is to stand firm in it. 00:11:32.299 --> 00:11:40.432 This is going to be a hint in how we navigate suffering, how we navigate challenges, how we find joy in the midst of challenges. 00:11:40.432 --> 00:11:47.832 It's to embrace the Peter, to stand firm in the truth, to stand firm in the grace of God. 00:11:47.865 --> 00:11:49.432 So he calls himself Peter. 00:11:49.432 --> 00:11:50.799 Then he uses another title. 00:11:50.799 --> 00:11:53.799 He says Apostle of Jesus Christ. 00:11:53.932 --> 00:12:09.100 And that word apostle just simply meant messenger in ancient times, well before Christ in the New Testament came along, that was just a word used for a messenger, someone who came delivering a message with the full authority of and on behalf of someone else. 00:12:10.133 --> 00:12:15.000 And Peter says, my authority, the one I'm speaking for is Jesus Christ. 00:12:16.133 --> 00:12:20.432 And that term, the apostles in particular, came to be known. 00:12:20.432 --> 00:12:28.633 They really came to be seen as messengers with similar weight of authority as the Old Testament prophets. 00:12:29.332 --> 00:12:37.332 In fact, one thing we're going to see in the book of First Peter that really stands out First Peter is all about the Old Testament. 00:12:37.399 --> 00:12:41.100 Peter is really unpacking the Old Testament all throughout. 00:12:41.100 --> 00:12:46.133 There's something like 20 direct quotes in this short book from the Old Testament. 00:12:46.133 --> 00:12:50.666 There's another 20 strong allusions that are probably close to quotes. 00:12:50.666 --> 00:12:58.265 In fact, one commentator said, almost every verse echoes the Old Testament all throughout. 00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:04.500 We're going to see hints of that as we go through, even just these few short verses today. 00:13:05.732 --> 00:13:28.600 So Peter first describes who he is very briefly, and now he turns to the audience and what we're going to see throughout the book of First Peter is that when Peter gives direction to his audience, the way he is going to bring hope in the midst of challenges, he's going to point them to something interesting. 00:13:28.600 --> 00:13:31.865 In fact, there's a great quote from Paul Tripp. 00:13:31.865 --> 00:13:33.765 I think the timing of this is incredible. 00:13:33.765 --> 00:13:34.732 I've got a group of guys. 00:13:34.732 --> 00:13:36.100 This is why I wasn't here last week. 00:13:36.100 --> 00:13:39.633 I got a group of guys I meet with an accountability group. 00:13:39.633 --> 00:13:43.765 These are guys that were friends of mine in college and we still meet together once a year. 00:13:43.765 --> 00:13:46.399 We get away and we challenge one another. 00:13:46.399 --> 00:13:47.765 We hold each other accountable. 00:13:47.765 --> 00:13:49.033 We encourage one another. 00:13:50.633 --> 00:13:54.700 But over the last few months, one of the guys will take turns picking a book to read and discuss. 00:13:54.700 --> 00:14:02.799 One of them chose a book with the title Suffering the timing of that. 00:14:02.799 --> 00:14:05.799 Certainly Lord had a hand in that. 00:14:06.865 --> 00:14:08.232 Paul Tripp says it this way. 00:14:08.232 --> 00:14:11.865 What does Peter say to his audience about how to endure suffering? 00:14:11.865 --> 00:14:14.700 In fact, we'll put this quote on the screen. 00:14:14.700 --> 00:14:15.566 It says Tedd Tripp. 00:14:15.566 --> 00:14:16.732 It's actually, I think, Paul Tripp. 00:14:16.732 --> 00:14:17.399 They're brothers. 00:14:17.399 --> 00:14:19.500 They won't mind if we get it wrong. 00:14:19.500 --> 00:14:20.765 Either way, here's what it says. 00:14:20.765 --> 00:14:25.732 What Peter gives to his struggling readers is marching orders. 00:14:27.033 --> 00:14:29.500 We're going to see through the book of Peter. 00:14:29.500 --> 00:14:32.399 Peter is constantly giving action. 00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:38.265 There's something like 35 commands in this short book-- action, action, action, action. 00:14:38.299 --> 00:14:43.265 And there are times where we just need to be comforted, for sure. You've been there. 00:14:43.265 --> 00:14:44.332 Don't tell me what to do. 00:14:44.332 --> 00:14:46.066 I just need comfort in this moment. 00:14:46.066 --> 00:14:48.100 But then there comes the season. 00:14:48.100 --> 00:14:51.232 Or now it's time to move forward and take action. 00:14:52.299 --> 00:14:53.899 And Peter knows who he's speaking to. 00:14:53.899 --> 00:14:55.600 This is what they need to hear in the moment. 00:14:55.600 --> 00:14:57.100 I just want to wallow in my pity. 00:14:57.100 --> 00:15:02.666 No, lean on Christ, trust him to move forward. 00:15:02.666 --> 00:15:07.732 That's why we're calling this whole series finding Joy in the Midst of Suffering. 00:15:08.033 --> 00:15:10.732 Go find it. 00:15:10.732 --> 00:15:13.265 Sometimes if I just wait on it, it may never come. 00:15:13.265 --> 00:15:15.332 How do I be active to go find it? 00:15:15.332 --> 00:15:17.000 There are seasons to just wait. 00:15:17.000 --> 00:15:18.232 You understand what I'm saying? 00:15:18.232 --> 00:15:21.566 You get that? In First Peter he's calling us to action. 00:15:21.566 --> 00:15:26.033 He's giving marching orders all throughout. 00:15:26.432 --> 00:15:33.899 So Peter describes who he is. Now he's going to talk about who they are, which will relate to who we are in him. 00:15:34.600 --> 00:15:36.166 What does he say? What does he call them? 00:15:36.166 --> 00:15:42.232 Look back at verse one to those who are elect exiles of the dispersion. 00:15:43.633 --> 00:15:49.666 Three really important terms that we're going to unpack elect exiles of the dispersion. 00:15:50.133 --> 00:15:51.732 Three pretty loaded terms. 00:15:51.732 --> 00:15:57.500 In fact, when you read those three words, those scream of the Old Testament, all three. 00:15:57.500 --> 00:16:00.500 We'll start with that word exiles. 00:16:00.666 --> 00:16:08.966 That word was often used to refer to those who were living in a foreign land, yet still loyal to their homeland. 00:16:09.500 --> 00:16:16.033 You might think of Daniel and Esther, who said, even though Daniel in particular, yes, I am here. 00:16:16.033 --> 00:16:20.000 I'm living in Babylon, but I'm still holding to the values I was brought up with. 00:16:20.000 --> 00:16:22.566 I'm still holding to my true home. 00:16:22.566 --> 00:16:23.865 Yes, I'm living in a foreign land. 00:16:23.865 --> 00:16:24.799 But I got a true home. 00:16:24.799 --> 00:16:27.600 This isn't it. 00:16:27.600 --> 00:16:31.865 When we lived overseas, we were there willingly. 00:16:31.865 --> 00:16:33.966 We were there doing missions. 00:16:33.966 --> 00:16:38.200 And yet that country still wasn't our true home. 00:16:38.200 --> 00:16:40.365 This was still our true home. 00:16:40.365 --> 00:16:42.432 We were glad to be there. 00:16:42.432 --> 00:16:45.865 You know, probably a modern term instead of exile. Might be expat. 00:16:45.865 --> 00:16:47.299 You might hear if you're overseas. 00:16:48.700 --> 00:16:53.466 And I remember one night in particular, we'd been there about a month, and we were sitting on the back porch of this home. 00:16:53.466 --> 00:16:54.432 We could see the ocean. 00:16:54.432 --> 00:17:06.133 We were living on an island, large island in the South Pacific, but up on the hillside, all of a sudden I could hear these tremendous explosions, huge, loud, booming explosions. 00:17:07.133 --> 00:17:07.900 And look up there. 00:17:07.900 --> 00:17:13.566 It's off a few miles in the distance, and I see this magnificent display of fireworks. 00:17:13.566 --> 00:17:17.865 And I knew up on that hillside was the American Embassy. 00:17:17.865 --> 00:17:21.000 This was the celebration of July 4th. 00:17:21.633 --> 00:17:27.865 It wasn't July 4th there because of the date line at the time, but it was July 4th here. 00:17:27.900 --> 00:17:30.833 And when I saw that I had mixed feelings, my first feeling was, I'm a traitor. 00:17:30.833 --> 00:17:32.932 I'm not up there helping to shoot them off. 00:17:32.932 --> 00:17:35.000 So how did I not know this would happen? 00:17:36.400 --> 00:17:39.900 But the other side of me was, that's my home. 00:17:40.066 --> 00:17:44.566 I wanted to go around all the neighbors and go, look, America, that's my home. 00:17:44.566 --> 00:17:47.965 That's not what you want to hear in your own country. 00:17:47.965 --> 00:17:52.566 But my heart was immediately tugged back home to my true home, my true allegiance. 00:17:52.566 --> 00:17:53.432 Yes, we're here willingly. 00:17:53.432 --> 00:17:54.500 We're glad to be here. 00:17:54.500 --> 00:17:57.500 I got a true home somewhere else. 00:17:59.099 --> 00:18:03.833 We are exiles, every one of us. 00:18:04.165 --> 00:18:10.000 We live in a culture hostile to your faith. 00:18:10.465 --> 00:18:14.932 Plenty of times we don't get direct assaults, but the culture at large is hostile to our faith. 00:18:14.932 --> 00:18:19.532 If you watch the opening ceremony of the Olympics, you got a taste of this. 00:18:19.532 --> 00:18:22.566 And many were upset, maybe outraged. 00:18:23.000 --> 00:18:28.200 In fact, there's one gentleman, Brant Leatherwood of the Southern Baptist Convention, ERLC. 00:18:28.200 --> 00:18:29.932 He sent a letter to the Olympic Committee. 00:18:29.932 --> 00:18:37.000 I'm just going to read you this quote here was his comment because the guy who put it together. 00:18:37.165 --> 00:18:44.633 Thomas Jolly, said he merely wanted to send a message of love and inclusion and not at all to divide. 00:18:45.133 --> 00:18:46.532 Brant Leatherwood said this. 00:18:46.532 --> 00:18:47.232 How did Mr. 00:18:47.232 --> 00:18:52.865 Jolly think that insulting 2 billion Christians worldwide was going to accomplish that? 00:18:53.599 --> 00:18:56.599 One response is outrage. 00:18:56.932 --> 00:18:59.032 That's appropriate. 00:18:59.032 --> 00:19:01.766 It's sad that that happened. 00:19:01.766 --> 00:19:05.633 Another response, I think for us is sorrow. 00:19:06.700 --> 00:19:12.232 You know, France is a country that for centuries has been saying to God, get out of our life. 00:19:12.232 --> 00:19:14.500 We don't want anything to do with you. 00:19:14.500 --> 00:19:18.099 Something like 5% of the country goes to church. 00:19:18.133 --> 00:19:25.432 This is a country known for their magnificent cathedrals, and they're dead inside. 00:19:26.133 --> 00:19:32.099 We shouldn't be shocked that all they know about The Last Supper is that it's a painting by some old guy. 00:19:34.232 --> 00:19:36.599 And that should bring deep sorrow. 00:19:36.599 --> 00:19:38.566 We should be praying for them. 00:19:38.566 --> 00:19:39.700 Yes. Be upset. 00:19:39.700 --> 00:19:40.232 Be outraged. 00:19:40.232 --> 00:19:42.965 That's true. 00:19:42.965 --> 00:19:47.066 And yet we should long for them to know Christ, to really know him. 00:19:47.066 --> 00:19:50.066 That's their hope, not the Olympics. 00:19:50.732 --> 00:19:52.532 That's great. 00:19:52.532 --> 00:20:01.633 You're only going to find hope in him, not in just some semblance of unity, but it's in Christ. 00:20:01.799 --> 00:20:12.932 We are exiles living in a foreign land, but we know where our true homeland is, and that's going to be one of the keys to enduring suffering. 00:20:12.932 --> 00:20:19.566 If you know where your true home is, you'll know what's worth suffering for. 00:20:20.333 --> 00:20:22.900 If you know where home is, you can endure. 00:20:22.900 --> 00:20:27.465 You know this is worth suffering for because I know where my home is. 00:20:27.799 --> 00:20:29.165 So he calls them exiles. 00:20:30.633 --> 00:20:33.266 And then he says they are dispersed. 00:20:33.266 --> 00:20:35.766 They're part of the dispersion. 00:20:35.766 --> 00:20:39.532 Now that word shows up in various places. 00:20:39.532 --> 00:20:46.333 And historically, it was a technical term to describe the Jews who had been dispersed, who had been spread throughout the ancient world. 00:20:46.333 --> 00:20:48.066 They were no longer just in Israel. 00:20:48.066 --> 00:20:49.299 Israel was conquered. 00:20:49.299 --> 00:20:53.865 The Babylonians came, conquered them, dispersed them, spread them throughout. 00:20:55.365 --> 00:20:57.200 But here's the big difference. 00:20:57.200 --> 00:20:59.500 Notice when he calls them exiles who've been dispersed. 00:20:59.500 --> 00:21:09.700 He uses a word that's never used to describe to describe Christians or Jews elect exiles, elect exiles of the dispersion. 00:21:09.700 --> 00:21:16.400 And here's the big contrast between what happened with the Jews and how he's describing the Christians. 00:21:16.400 --> 00:21:17.633 The Jews were dispersed. 00:21:17.633 --> 00:21:21.200 The Jews went into exile because of disobedience. 00:21:21.200 --> 00:21:23.700 All the prophets over and over again, you read through the prophets. 00:21:23.700 --> 00:21:26.000 What are they saying over and over again? 00:21:26.000 --> 00:21:28.500 Repent, turn back to him. 00:21:28.500 --> 00:21:29.633 Follow his commands. 00:21:29.633 --> 00:21:31.732 Stop living the way you're living and stop rejecting him. 00:21:31.732 --> 00:21:33.865 Follow him. Repent over and over again. 00:21:33.865 --> 00:21:35.333 Repent or judgment will come. 00:21:37.566 --> 00:21:39.299 And judgment comes. 00:21:39.299 --> 00:21:43.566 And because of their disobedience, because of their rejection of him, they're exiled. 00:21:43.566 --> 00:21:46.432 They're dispersed, they're spread throughout. 00:21:46.432 --> 00:21:55.732 But the big difference for Christians, when we see in the New Testament, their dispersion comes because of obedience. 00:21:56.032 --> 00:22:04.365 In Acts persecution comes from the Jews to the Christians because of their obedience to Christ, they're spread away from Jerusalem. 00:22:04.365 --> 00:22:06.766 You see the difference? 00:22:06.766 --> 00:22:15.700 God has spread Christians throughout the world, and it all started with because of their obedience, suffering came. 00:22:15.700 --> 00:22:18.700 But that led to him reaching the world. 00:22:18.732 --> 00:22:20.633 Like I said, I don't like suffering. 00:22:20.633 --> 00:22:23.633 I don't like anything to change. 00:22:23.700 --> 00:22:30.833 Sometimes God uses the suffering, the persecution to force us into places we wouldn't go on our own. 00:22:30.833 --> 00:22:32.932 That was true of the early church. 00:22:35.000 --> 00:22:39.333 But here's the beautiful reality of just being called elect exiles of the dispersion. 00:22:39.333 --> 00:22:41.865 Here's what that means all throughout the world. 00:22:41.865 --> 00:22:43.865 You are not alone. 00:22:43.865 --> 00:22:47.700 We know where our true home is and you're not alone. 00:22:47.700 --> 00:22:48.965 You can go to any country. 00:22:48.965 --> 00:23:00.766 You can meet someone who's a Christian and in minutes, in minutes, feel an intimacy with them that you haven't felt with someone you've known for decades because of Christ. 00:23:00.766 --> 00:23:03.465 You're not alone. 00:23:03.465 --> 00:23:13.633 He calls them elect exiles of the dispersion, and he calls them and describes the cities where they live. 00:23:13.633 --> 00:23:20.099 That's all throughout what is now modern day Turkey, one city after another. 00:23:20.099 --> 00:23:34.400 Many believe that's probably some kind of travel route that the person delivering this letter would have gone along to deliver this message, trying to reach many who were following Christ all throughout this area. 00:23:34.400 --> 00:23:35.566 Who are we? 00:23:35.566 --> 00:23:39.200 Who does he say they were and thus who we are? 00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:43.365 We’re people wandering in a foreign land, but we know our true home. 00:23:43.365 --> 00:23:49.465 And when you know your true home, when you know who you are, you you know what's worth suffering for. 00:23:49.799 --> 00:23:51.165 So that's who we are. 00:23:51.165 --> 00:23:54.165 Now let's look at what he's done. 00:23:54.700 --> 00:23:58.766 What has he done to make us who we are? 00:23:59.599 --> 00:24:02.333 Here's what he says in verse two. 00:24:02.333 --> 00:24:09.732 You're elect exiles of the dispersion according to the foreknowledge of God the Father in the sanctification of the spirit. 00:24:09.732 --> 00:24:15.333 For obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood. 00:24:15.333 --> 00:24:22.165 We've got three key phrases here to highlight, and the first thing to notice about this is just a hint of the Trinity. 00:24:22.165 --> 00:24:31.365 You see all three members of the Trinity at work, bringing us to the place of where we can say we know him, elect exiles of the dispersion. 00:24:31.365 --> 00:24:37.000 God the father is at work, the Holy Spirit's at work, and Jesus Christ is at work. 00:24:37.000 --> 00:24:41.833 We're going to unpack each of these three phrases that describe what he's done. 00:24:43.432 --> 00:24:54.066 So look first at this first phrase, verse two, according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, that word foreknowledge shows up in one other place in the New Testament in the noun form. 00:24:54.066 --> 00:25:03.165 It's in Acts chapter two, and it refers to the fact that God knew, he had a plan, that Jesus Christ would come and suffer and die. 00:25:03.299 --> 00:25:08.500 He knew from the beginning of things what would happen. He is in control. 00:25:08.500 --> 00:25:13.000 He's not surprised that his people rejected him and said no thanks. 00:25:13.000 --> 00:25:14.066 He knew that Jesus. 00:25:14.066 --> 00:25:16.865 He wasn't shocked that Jesus was put to death. 00:25:16.865 --> 00:25:18.665 It didn't unravel everything for him. 00:25:18.665 --> 00:25:25.133 He had a plan he knew from the beginning, and he knew that those who were formerly rejected would come to follow him. 00:25:26.766 --> 00:25:29.766 Which, by the way, is all of us. 00:25:29.833 --> 00:25:33.465 Every single one of us. 00:25:34.232 --> 00:25:40.099 He knew there would come a day when we would follow him. 00:25:40.333 --> 00:25:43.232 Now the beautiful part of that is just the reminder. 00:25:43.232 --> 00:25:50.865 Even when things are spinning out of control, even when you can't imagine going through anything harder, he's still in control. 00:25:50.865 --> 00:25:52.133 He's still there. 00:25:52.133 --> 00:25:54.465 We saw that all throughout the book of Esther. 00:25:54.465 --> 00:26:05.400 His God's name wasn't even mentioned in the Book of Esther, but there was just one moment after another where you saw, he's there, he's there. 00:26:05.400 --> 00:26:10.965 And I think in your life, no matter what you've been through, you can look back. 00:26:10.965 --> 00:26:12.200 Maybe not in the moment. 00:26:12.200 --> 00:26:14.665 Whatever trial you're facing. Right. 00:26:14.665 --> 00:26:17.665 Somebodies got one, I hear you. 00:26:18.700 --> 00:26:20.365 They come sometimes. 00:26:20.365 --> 00:26:21.400 I hope it's not the preaching. 00:26:23.932 --> 00:26:28.432 But whatever comes, you can look back and see. 00:26:28.432 --> 00:26:32.333 I couldn't see it at the time, but he's at work. 00:26:32.333 --> 00:26:33.532 He was there. 00:26:33.532 --> 00:26:35.032 He was working in the background. 00:26:35.032 --> 00:26:37.000 Even when I don't feel it, he's working. 00:26:37.000 --> 00:26:38.799 Even when I don't see it, he's working. 00:26:38.799 --> 00:26:39.633 He never stops. 00:26:39.633 --> 00:26:40.400 He never stops. 00:26:40.400 --> 00:26:43.165 He never stops working. 00:26:43.165 --> 00:26:44.732 That's what this word is pointing at. 00:26:44.732 --> 00:26:45.833 That's what it's hinting at. 00:26:45.833 --> 00:26:48.833 The foreknowledge of God the Father. 00:26:49.266 --> 00:26:54.932 Now, the second person of the Trinity at work is the sanctification of the spirit. 00:26:55.432 --> 00:26:56.465 That's a big word. 00:26:56.465 --> 00:27:00.400 In fact, Colby spent some time unpacking that word sanctification. 00:27:00.400 --> 00:27:02.965 There's two different senses of that word. 00:27:02.965 --> 00:27:08.200 One is just the reality of the initial act of being set apart for God. 00:27:08.200 --> 00:27:11.566 The Jewish people were to be set apart from the countries around them. 00:27:11.566 --> 00:27:16.365 They were to have different religious practices, different food laws, different ways of living to set them apart. 00:27:16.365 --> 00:27:17.200 They would be separate. 00:27:18.700 --> 00:27:20.833 So there's that reality to sanctification. 00:27:20.833 --> 00:27:22.900 I've been sanctified, set apart for him. 00:27:22.900 --> 00:27:26.932 But then there's also the element of continued growth in him. 00:27:26.932 --> 00:27:28.633 I continually become sanctified. 00:27:28.633 --> 00:27:33.700 I grow in what it means to follow him and understand him and know him and love him. 00:27:33.700 --> 00:27:36.000 And both are true. 00:27:36.000 --> 00:27:48.965 I think of when Julie and I first married that day, our wedding day, we both were saying, I am now set apart off the market, no longer in the dating game. 00:27:48.965 --> 00:27:50.566 There's no one else for me. 00:27:50.566 --> 00:27:51.700 It's just you. 00:27:51.700 --> 00:27:53.032 It's just us. 00:27:53.032 --> 00:28:05.633 That day was a declaration of being set apart, and yet there were still many years of learning what it meant to be married and growing and understanding and what it meant to be married. 00:28:07.000 --> 00:28:10.865 Thankfully, I have that all figured out now. 00:28:12.532 --> 00:28:16.833 It doesn't matter who you are, it doesn't matter how much you think you have figured out. 00:28:16.833 --> 00:28:19.900 It's true of marriage and it's true of walking with Christ. 00:28:19.900 --> 00:28:22.900 There's no one who says I'm good. 00:28:23.400 --> 00:28:26.766 That's a big red flag if you do. 00:28:26.766 --> 00:28:29.965 We are continuing to grow, continuing to lean on him. 00:28:29.965 --> 00:28:34.099 And it's the Holy Spirit who sets us apart. 00:28:34.099 --> 00:28:36.232 Here's the beautiful reality of that. 00:28:36.232 --> 00:28:47.633 There was a moment when you, when me, when I, when we were either indifferent to Christ, I don't care. 00:28:47.633 --> 00:28:50.066 I don't need to mess with that. Whatever. 00:28:50.066 --> 00:28:53.566 Or hated him. 00:28:53.566 --> 00:28:58.266 The hated Christ, hated religion, hated the church. 00:28:58.266 --> 00:29:01.266 I don't want anything to do with it. 00:29:01.566 --> 00:29:04.833 And the Holy Spirit is the one who turned you from there to love. 00:29:06.200 --> 00:29:08.200 How did you go from you remember this? 00:29:08.200 --> 00:29:15.665 How did you go from I don't know, I don't want anything to do with him to I love him, I love him more than anything else. 00:29:15.665 --> 00:29:17.032 That's what we sang this morning. 00:29:17.032 --> 00:29:18.232 And of course I'm singing it going. 00:29:18.232 --> 00:29:19.133 I hope that's true. 00:29:19.133 --> 00:29:22.133 There are days where I wonder if it's true. 00:29:22.133 --> 00:29:23.865 I sing it by faith. 00:29:23.865 --> 00:29:25.365 But I do love him. 00:29:25.365 --> 00:29:27.099 Is it perfect love? By no means. 00:29:27.099 --> 00:29:29.400 But I love him more than anything else. 00:29:29.400 --> 00:29:32.200 I hope. 00:29:32.200 --> 00:29:34.532 There are days where I wonder. 00:29:34.532 --> 00:29:37.932 But I know there's nothing else that I've put my hope in that matters in comparison. 00:29:37.932 --> 00:29:40.365 Nothing. 00:29:40.365 --> 00:29:44.032 It's the Holy Spirit who does that, who set you apart. 00:29:44.032 --> 00:29:47.766 Now look at this third phrase God the Father, the Holy Spirit. 00:29:47.766 --> 00:29:52.465 And then he says, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood. 00:29:54.432 --> 00:29:55.599 This is a complicated one. 00:29:55.599 --> 00:30:03.465 We're going to get a little in the weeds here, because the way this is translated, I love the ESV for how it normally sticks close to the original language, but here it does something interesting. 00:30:03.465 --> 00:30:07.532 It separates two phrases obedience and sprinkling. 00:30:08.000 --> 00:30:12.400 In the original language those are right together, for obedience and sprinkling. 00:30:12.400 --> 00:30:13.365 And they've been separated here. 00:30:13.365 --> 00:30:15.500 And I look that happens, I get it. 00:30:15.500 --> 00:30:17.333 Part of it is for readability. 00:30:17.333 --> 00:30:24.200 Part of it is to draw out different emphasis, but something gets missed by doing that because there's another passage. 00:30:24.200 --> 00:30:27.066 This takes us back to First Peter's burden for the Old Testament. 00:30:27.066 --> 00:30:32.665 There's another passage that directly links obedience and sprinkling of blood. 00:30:32.665 --> 00:30:33.900 We're going to look at that briefly. 00:30:33.900 --> 00:30:36.900 This is going to be in Exodus chapter 24. 00:30:37.266 --> 00:30:43.532 If you have a church Bible that's on page 60, flip over there, because I want to show you a couple of verses, sprinkling of blood and obedience. 00:30:43.532 --> 00:30:45.599 Where else did that occur in Scripture? 00:30:45.599 --> 00:30:49.500 A great way to study Scripture is to look for where else does what I'm looking at show up? 00:30:49.500 --> 00:30:51.232 How does the Bible talk about the Bible? 00:30:51.232 --> 00:30:53.266 Let Scripture interpret Scripture. 00:30:53.266 --> 00:30:54.266 Commentaries are great. 00:30:54.266 --> 00:30:55.000 Go to those later. 00:30:55.000 --> 00:30:58.900 Start with what does Scripture say about Scripture? Exodus chapter 24. 00:31:00.833 --> 00:31:15.599 We're going to read verses three through eight or so, and you're going to see a moment where the nation is set apart, the nation is sanctified through obedience and sprinkling of blood. Blood. 00:31:15.599 --> 00:31:18.532 This is right after Moses had received the Ten Commandments. 00:31:18.532 --> 00:31:19.500 He had received the laws. 00:31:19.500 --> 00:31:20.700 He's been up on the mountain. 00:31:20.700 --> 00:31:22.633 It comes back to the people. 00:31:22.633 --> 00:31:25.532 And he says, look, we need to make an agreement between you and God. 00:31:25.532 --> 00:31:26.232 Look at verse three. 00:31:26.232 --> 00:31:36.232 Moses came up and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the rules, and all the people answered with one voice and said all the words that the Lord has spoken. 00:31:36.232 --> 00:31:38.500 We will do. 00:31:38.500 --> 00:31:41.432 And Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. 00:31:41.432 --> 00:31:48.532 He rose early in the morning, built an altar at the foot of the mountain, and 12 pillars, according to the 12 tribes of Israel. 00:31:49.599 --> 00:31:57.266 And he sent young men of the people of Israel who offered burnt offerings, sacrifice, peace offerings of oxen to the Lord. 00:31:57.266 --> 00:31:59.032 Look what he does with these sacrifices here. 00:31:59.032 --> 00:32:07.865 And Moses took half of the blood and put it in basins, and half of the blood he threw against the altar. 00:32:07.865 --> 00:32:12.665 Then he took the book of the covenant and read it in the hearing of the people. 00:32:12.665 --> 00:32:18.633 And they said once again, all that the Lord has spoken, we will do, and we will be obedient. 00:32:18.633 --> 00:32:21.633 They declare their obedience. 00:32:21.932 --> 00:32:24.532 And here's how Moses responds to that. 00:32:24.532 --> 00:32:30.500 Moses took the blood, and he threw it on the people and said, behold, the blood of the covenant. 00:32:30.500 --> 00:32:36.032 He sprinkled them with the blood, the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you, in accordance with all these words. 00:32:38.066 --> 00:32:39.599 Here we get a glimpse 00:32:39.599 --> 00:32:43.465 obedience and the sprinkling of the blood. 00:32:43.465 --> 00:32:49.266 When this happened previously, this was the very establishment of God's relationship with his people. 00:32:49.266 --> 00:32:56.032 This was God's moment of saying, you are my people and here's what I require. 00:32:56.165 --> 00:33:12.232 My first reaction to that is, I'm glad that we baptize with water instead of sprinkling with blood to establish our relationship with him, but also note how the people respond. 00:33:12.232 --> 00:33:14.932 I've often read this in verse three and verse seven. 00:33:14.932 --> 00:33:18.066 All the words the Lord has spoken, we will do all that the Lord has spoken. 00:33:18.066 --> 00:33:18.532 We will do. 00:33:18.532 --> 00:33:19.432 We will be obedient. 00:33:19.432 --> 00:33:24.465 I've often read that and I thought, how naive, or deceptive, which way? 00:33:24.465 --> 00:33:33.000 I don't know, but I read a quote by one commentator that I think helped me understand what's going on here. 00:33:33.000 --> 00:33:34.865 You really think you're going to be obedient? 00:33:34.865 --> 00:33:38.000 You really think you're going to follow all that he said? 00:33:40.432 --> 00:33:41.700 Listen to what Karen Jobe said. 00:33:41.700 --> 00:33:44.700 She said their response to God's Word is telling. 00:33:44.700 --> 00:33:57.700 Even though the human heart is undeniably depraved, there is nevertheless, at the same time, a deep urge within people to obey God. 00:34:00.532 --> 00:34:04.133 And I thought, oh, I'm more like them than I thought. 00:34:06.900 --> 00:34:12.233 When I said, yes, Christ, I'll follow you, I will obey you. 00:34:12.233 --> 00:34:15.233 Did I have any idea what I was saying? 00:34:16.733 --> 00:34:18.400 A little. 00:34:18.400 --> 00:34:20.965 A glimpse. 00:34:20.965 --> 00:34:23.833 And was it sincere? 00:34:23.833 --> 00:34:26.833 Absolutely. 00:34:27.233 --> 00:34:31.532 And would I follow his commands perfectly? 00:34:32.565 --> 00:34:35.565 As well as you did. 00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:38.965 No. 00:34:38.965 --> 00:34:42.800 But there's something within us that says I long to follow him. 00:34:43.199 --> 00:34:44.500 And you know what the beauty of that is? 00:34:44.500 --> 00:34:45.500 He still loves you. 00:34:45.500 --> 00:34:48.365 He knows you won't follow him perfectly. 00:34:48.365 --> 00:34:52.065 He's got to be chuckling as they're saying, oh yeah, we got this. 00:34:52.065 --> 00:34:53.865 We're yes, we're obedient. 00:34:53.865 --> 00:34:58.932 We're fine. Yeah okay good. 00:34:59.800 --> 00:35:01.132 I still love you. 00:35:01.132 --> 00:35:04.400 You're still mine I'll still make this covenant. 00:35:04.400 --> 00:35:07.400 You will still be called my people. 00:35:08.400 --> 00:35:12.599 And when you know who you are, you know what's worth suffering for. 00:35:12.599 --> 00:35:14.032 When you know you're his. 00:35:14.032 --> 00:35:19.365 You know what's worth suffering for when you know he has chosen you, elect exiles of the dispersion. 00:35:19.365 --> 00:35:22.365 You know what's worth suffering for. 00:35:22.932 --> 00:35:25.932 So we know who we are. 00:35:26.400 --> 00:35:28.500 We know what he's done on our behalf. 00:35:28.500 --> 00:35:30.833 And then lastly, what do we need? 00:35:30.833 --> 00:35:37.900 Peter's writing this to a group of people, and the setting is those who are faithful to Christ, who call Christ their Lord. 00:35:37.900 --> 00:35:41.565 And yet because of that, they're enduring suffering. 00:35:41.565 --> 00:35:43.132 They're enduring ridicule. 00:35:43.132 --> 00:35:46.132 They may be being persecuted. 00:35:47.932 --> 00:35:49.465 Here's what we need in the midst of that. 00:35:49.465 --> 00:35:56.000 May grace and peace be multiplied to you. 00:35:57.500 --> 00:36:00.666 May grace and peace be multiplied to you. 00:36:01.166 --> 00:36:09.199 You know most every New Testament epistle, most every letter, especially those written by Paul, starts with grace and peace. 00:36:10.065 --> 00:36:13.400 Grace and peace to you from our Lord Father Jesus Christ. 00:36:13.400 --> 00:36:18.199 This is the one book that says, Grace and peace be multiplied to you. 00:36:19.032 --> 00:36:29.666 I don't know about you, but every day I need grace and peace, and there are some days where I need it in abundance, especially those who are in the midst of suffering. 00:36:29.666 --> 00:36:34.132 Those are the moments where you go, Lord, I needed you before, but now I really need you. 00:36:34.132 --> 00:36:35.266 I need your grace and peace. 00:36:35.266 --> 00:36:38.065 Like I didn't realize I need it before. 00:36:38.065 --> 00:36:41.065 Please, would you multiply that to me? 00:36:42.166 --> 00:36:53.965 Peter knows that, and he prays that for his people, because what they need in the midst of the suffering is abundant, overflowing, multiplied grace and peace. 00:36:55.932 --> 00:36:59.166 I had a friend up shared this story before as well. 00:36:59.166 --> 00:37:02.500 We graduated seminary together at the same time a month later. 00:37:02.500 --> 00:37:06.099 The moment when you're most excited about finding a ministry job. 00:37:06.099 --> 00:37:10.432 Beginning to serve in ministry, his wife leaves him. 00:37:10.432 --> 00:37:13.300 She had a trip planned for a degree she was pursuing. 00:37:13.300 --> 00:37:14.400 He dropped her at the airport. 00:37:14.400 --> 00:37:15.865 She gave him this big kiss and hug. 00:37:15.865 --> 00:37:16.733 He comes back home. 00:37:16.733 --> 00:37:20.532 There's a letter and the bank accounts are empty. 00:37:21.699 --> 00:37:29.900 And he said to me, John, I don't know what in the world God's going to do through this, and I don't know how I'm going to get through it. 00:37:29.900 --> 00:37:35.766 And I'm not finding joy right now, but I'm going to turn to Christ through this. 00:37:35.766 --> 00:37:37.132 I don't know what he's going to do. 00:37:37.132 --> 00:37:38.932 I don't know how I'm going to get through it. 00:37:38.932 --> 00:37:41.233 I'm going to lean on him through this. 00:37:41.233 --> 00:37:42.599 I'm not going to run from him. 00:37:44.065 --> 00:37:44.833 And we watched him. 00:37:44.833 --> 00:37:53.666 He had his ups and downs, but we watched him continue to turn to Christ through that, to watch Christ work in his life. 00:37:54.000 --> 00:37:57.000 And it was a powerful testimony. 00:37:57.599 --> 00:38:01.833 And look, I don't pretend to know what you're going through. 00:38:01.833 --> 00:38:02.632 Everybody. 00:38:02.632 --> 00:38:05.599 I know some challenges in the room. 00:38:05.599 --> 00:38:11.666 Look, everybody has a different level of challenges, some greater than others. 00:38:12.965 --> 00:38:15.632 But this is where we go. 00:38:15.632 --> 00:38:17.199 This is where we find hope. 00:38:17.199 --> 00:38:20.199 We find joy in the midst of suffering. 00:38:20.199 --> 00:38:23.333 We rejoice in hope for the glory of God. 00:38:24.199 --> 00:38:29.900 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, sufferings, produce endurance. 00:38:29.900 --> 00:38:32.400 Endurance produces character. 00:38:32.400 --> 00:38:35.400 Character produces hope. 00:38:36.199 --> 00:38:38.266 Hope does not disappoint. 00:38:38.266 --> 00:38:44.833 For the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit has been given to us. Let's pray.