WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:05.200 So it's our third week in Lent, these 40 days leading us up to Good Friday and Easter. 00:00:05.280 --> 00:00:07.679 And this morning we're looking at John chapter 2. 00:00:07.759 --> 00:00:23.839 At the beginning of John chapter 2, Jesus is at that wedding where he turns the water into wine, which was an extreme act of compassion to this wedding party because it would have been a huge embarrassment to run out of wine at a party, as you can only imagine. 00:00:24.239 --> 00:00:35.039 And just when we think that, you have a handle on this Jesus, this compassionate, loving Jesus, we get John 2, 12. 00:00:35.200 --> 00:00:37.600 And so let's reread this passage that Courtney read for us. 00:00:37.679 --> 00:00:40.240 My version is a little bit different on the screen, but you'll hang with me. 00:00:40.399 --> 00:00:41.039 Verse 12. 00:00:41.200 --> 00:00:45.280 After this, he went down to Capernaum with his mother and brothers and his disciples. 00:00:45.439 --> 00:00:47.280 There they stayed for a few days. 00:00:47.520 --> 00:00:51.280 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 00:00:51.439 --> 00:00:57.679 In the temple courts he found people selling cattle, sheeps and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 00:00:57.920 --> 00:01:03.679 So he made a whip out of cords and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle. 00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:07.439 He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:10.480 To those who sold doves, he said, Get these out of here. 00:01:10.719 --> 00:01:13.920 Stop turning my father's house into a market. 00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:20.079 The point number one is this that Jesus is tender and Jesus is fierce. 00:01:20.560 --> 00:01:22.319 Jesus is both of these things. 00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:26.319 Do you remember that conversation between Lucy and the other kids and Mr. 00:01:26.400 --> 00:01:27.599 Beaver and Mrs. 00:01:27.760 --> 00:01:29.760 Beaver in the Chronicles of Narnia? 00:01:30.079 --> 00:01:32.239 I always remember this conversation. 00:01:32.319 --> 00:01:36.159 Here's a picture of them from the movie Lucy is the girl on the far right. 00:01:37.040 --> 00:01:37.280 Mr. 00:01:37.359 --> 00:01:38.879 Beaver's obviously on the right. 00:01:39.359 --> 00:01:41.200 And then the other kiddos. 00:01:41.840 --> 00:01:42.959 Pretty explanatory. 00:01:43.120 --> 00:01:44.079 Here's the conversation. 00:01:44.799 --> 00:01:45.760 Is he a man? 00:01:45.920 --> 00:01:46.879 asked Lucy. 00:01:47.519 --> 00:01:48.480 Aslan a man? 00:01:48.640 --> 00:01:51.680 Remember, Aslan's the lion symbolizes Jesus in the story. 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:53.359 Aslan a man, said Mr. 00:01:53.439 --> 00:01:54.400 Beaver sternly. 00:01:54.560 --> 00:01:55.120 Certainly not. 00:01:55.280 --> 00:02:00.159 I tell you, he is the king of the wood and the son of the great emperor beyond the sea. 00:02:00.319 --> 00:02:02.560 Don't you know who's the king of beasts? 00:02:02.719 --> 00:02:05.680 Aslan is a lion, the lion, the great lion. 00:02:05.920 --> 00:02:07.359 Oh, said Susan. 00:02:07.599 --> 00:02:08.800 I thought he was a man. 00:02:09.039 --> 00:02:10.319 Is he quite safe? 00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:13.120 I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion. 00:02:13.360 --> 00:02:16.479 That you will, dearie, and make no mistake, said Mrs. 00:02:16.560 --> 00:02:17.039 Beaver. 00:02:17.199 --> 00:02:24.000 If there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than most or else just silly. 00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:26.879 Then he isn't safe, said Lucy. 00:02:27.360 --> 00:02:27.759 Safe? 00:02:28.240 --> 00:02:28.639 said Mr. 00:02:28.719 --> 00:02:29.120 Beaver. 00:02:29.360 --> 00:02:30.479 Don't you hear what Mrs. 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:31.520 Beaver tells you? 00:02:31.680 --> 00:02:33.759 Who said anything about safe? 00:02:34.159 --> 00:02:36.960 Of course he isn't safe, but he's good. 00:02:37.199 --> 00:02:39.039 He's the king, I tell you. 00:02:39.759 --> 00:02:51.199 And the point is that Jesus is so good that he will disrupt our lives to lead us to places of growth and to places of healing and places of freedom. 00:02:51.520 --> 00:02:56.879 Now in John 2, Jerusalem at the time had about 80,000 residents. 00:02:57.280 --> 00:03:02.639 And at festival time, that population would swell to 300,000 to 500,000 people. 00:03:02.800 --> 00:03:09.199 Everyone was coming to the city, to the temple, to bring their sacrifices and make their money offerings. 00:03:09.439 --> 00:03:12.159 So they needed to exchange money and they needed to purchase animals. 00:03:12.240 --> 00:03:17.599 So some of this passage makes sense, but then obviously something was really, really wrong. 00:03:17.919 --> 00:03:20.479 And so Jesus shows up, he's standing in front of the temple. 00:03:20.639 --> 00:03:23.199 The temple probably looks something like this at the time. 00:03:23.680 --> 00:03:32.479 Massive, gleaming house of God, and Jesus shows up, and there's complete consumerism where the temple is, and he goes nuts, right? 00:03:32.560 --> 00:03:35.360 He makes the whip and he tears the place apart. 00:03:35.599 --> 00:03:39.759 So Jesus is tender, and Jesus is also fierce. 00:03:40.639 --> 00:03:44.400 About a month ago, I watched the documentary Quarterback on Netflix. 00:03:44.479 --> 00:03:46.800 Has anybody watched Quarterback on Netflix, right? 00:03:46.879 --> 00:03:49.599 Patrick Mahones, do we have Mahones fans? 00:03:49.919 --> 00:03:52.159 No, no Mahones fans. 00:03:52.560 --> 00:03:54.639 We are so tired of him winning. 00:03:54.719 --> 00:03:57.039 Like we're just like, no, not a fan. 00:03:57.280 --> 00:03:58.560 Not a fan of that much winning. 00:03:58.639 --> 00:03:59.599 Some winnings, fine. 00:03:59.759 --> 00:04:00.960 Too much, we're done. 00:04:01.280 --> 00:04:04.719 Marcus Mariota was also on there, a Falcons quarterback. 00:04:05.520 --> 00:04:08.240 I learned we had uh Atlanta had a pro football team. 00:04:08.400 --> 00:04:10.960 I didn't know if you did you know that? 00:04:11.199 --> 00:04:13.120 I learned that during the documentary. 00:04:13.360 --> 00:04:14.639 So we do, apparently. 00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:17.680 They play in Atlanta some Sundays. 00:04:17.839 --> 00:04:23.439 And then lastly, uh the third quarterback was Kirk Cousins from the Minnesota Vikings. 00:04:23.680 --> 00:04:28.160 And I fell in love with Kirk Cousins. 00:04:28.720 --> 00:04:29.360 Anybody else? 00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:31.920 You watched it and you're like, I'm in love with him. 00:04:32.079 --> 00:04:32.480 I am. 00:04:32.639 --> 00:04:38.240 I'm pretty sure we'd be best friends if we knew each other, if he gave me a chance, it could happen. 00:04:39.120 --> 00:04:46.000 He's like pounding weights, he's working hard, he's dominating, like on the field, he's amazing. 00:04:46.160 --> 00:04:54.560 And then the next moment he's in like fun mode and his shirt's off and he's leaving the whole stadium like in the pregame chant in Minnesota. 00:04:55.279 --> 00:05:03.839 And then we get in the middle of the documentary, suddenly we get to see him go from fierce competitor, fierce, to a tender father. 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:04.879 Let's watch this. 00:05:08.399 --> 00:05:14.639 But you know, it hurt to walk off of our field in front of our fans we had and not want that game. 00:05:18.800 --> 00:05:19.600 That hurts. 00:05:19.759 --> 00:05:20.399 It hurts. 00:05:20.639 --> 00:05:25.759 Um I'm probably missing one, but this is probably the toughest loss I've had in my career. 00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:27.279 So it hurts. 00:05:28.879 --> 00:05:35.519 The plays that you go back and beat yourself up over is just uh mystery. 00:05:37.519 --> 00:05:41.360 There weren't a ton, but there were probably three. 00:05:53.759 --> 00:05:55.839 Walk around your house and you're like, oh, that hurts. 00:05:57.199 --> 00:05:57.920 You comfy? 00:05:58.800 --> 00:06:02.160 You should sleep well tonight because you didn't get a great nap, but it's nine o'clock. 00:06:04.000 --> 00:06:04.879 Alrighty. 00:06:24.720 --> 00:06:26.560 Jesus, thanks for uh today. 00:06:26.720 --> 00:06:31.680 Thanks for protecting Dad and his football game and through this football season. 00:06:32.240 --> 00:06:37.439 And um thanks for mommy and for Turner for the great family we have. 00:06:37.680 --> 00:06:43.199 And God, we uh continue to just give the days ahead to you and trust you for uh what's up ahead. 00:06:43.360 --> 00:06:44.560 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:06:44.800 --> 00:06:45.439 Amen. 00:06:50.079 --> 00:06:53.199 I mean, y'all ready to move to Minnesota? 00:06:56.959 --> 00:06:58.399 Is he coming here? 00:06:59.199 --> 00:06:59.759 Could be? 00:06:59.920 --> 00:07:01.519 Oh, Lord Almighty. 00:07:04.879 --> 00:07:07.920 Don't even get oh, the heart got a little hot. 00:07:12.079 --> 00:07:18.399 He's he's fierce, but he's not just fierce, and he's tender, but he's not just tender. 00:07:19.199 --> 00:07:25.839 We love him because he's like all of this, and it's amazing to see this fullness of character. 00:07:26.480 --> 00:07:28.079 And it's that's just an image. 00:07:28.319 --> 00:07:30.399 That's just an image of Christ. 00:07:30.720 --> 00:07:35.439 Just an image, an imperfect image of this fullness of character that we have. 00:07:35.600 --> 00:07:39.839 Now, now imagine hundreds of thousands of people walking these paths up to Jerusalem. 00:07:39.920 --> 00:07:42.399 They're exhausted, and they're coming for one thing. 00:07:42.560 --> 00:07:44.639 They're coming for forgiveness. 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:51.279 They're coming to bring their sacrifice, their offering, so that they can be forgiven by God. 00:07:51.439 --> 00:07:54.800 And they get there, and there's a shopping mall. 00:07:59.199 --> 00:08:03.120 Verse 16 to those who sold doves, he said, get these out of here. 00:08:03.279 --> 00:08:05.680 Stop turning my father's house into a market. 00:08:06.399 --> 00:08:14.639 Jesus' anger is toward the barriers that people are putting in place of broken people just trying to find relief and forgiveness. 00:08:16.079 --> 00:08:19.120 The church is the place where we just give away forgiveness. 00:08:19.519 --> 00:08:26.160 Like it should be lavish, it should be radical, it should just like we just give it away. 00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:33.519 My friend who's a pastor, he says there's only one rule here for church leaders: don't use the church to sell crap. 00:08:34.559 --> 00:08:37.919 He uses the worst word, but I'm not that edgy. 00:08:38.320 --> 00:08:39.440 Play it safe. 00:08:39.679 --> 00:08:42.720 I don't want any extra emails during the week. 00:08:45.120 --> 00:08:46.879 Now, I don't think that's legalistic. 00:08:47.039 --> 00:08:54.080 Like maybe a church sells coffee, or maybe a church sells we sell some books on a book table and some t-shirts every once in a while. 00:08:54.399 --> 00:09:02.000 The point is that a church does not systematically use the church to sell stuff to people for other people to make profit. 00:09:03.440 --> 00:09:11.200 The church has to remain in a purity of freely dispensing forgiveness and righteousness to all those who are weary. 00:09:11.919 --> 00:09:18.159 There's a story in John 11 where Jesus' friend Lazarus dies, and Jesus sees Mary crying. 00:09:18.240 --> 00:09:21.120 And we get John 11, verse 33 and 38. 00:09:21.360 --> 00:09:28.960 When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in his spirit and greatly troubled. 00:09:29.200 --> 00:09:32.480 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. 00:09:32.559 --> 00:09:34.240 It was a cave, and the stone lay against it. 00:09:34.320 --> 00:09:37.120 So two different times we see great emotion from Jesus. 00:09:37.279 --> 00:09:40.320 Some versions say that Jesus groaned in spirit. 00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:45.519 The revised version says Jesus was moved with indignation. 00:09:46.320 --> 00:09:48.480 So it's more than sadness. 00:09:49.679 --> 00:09:51.039 It's actually anger. 00:09:51.200 --> 00:09:53.679 He's actually incredibly angry. 00:09:54.000 --> 00:10:02.000 Benjamin Warfield, who's a professor of theology at Princeton in the early 1900s, he wrote an article called The Emotional Life of Our Lord. 00:10:03.120 --> 00:10:09.759 And he says the most demonstrated emotion that Jesus has, that we see over and over again, the most demonstrated is compassion. 00:10:09.919 --> 00:10:11.600 Hands down, compassion. 00:10:11.919 --> 00:10:16.399 But then we get these little glimpses, these little stories every once in a while, where he's angry. 00:10:17.200 --> 00:10:26.960 Warfield says the emotion here in John 11, the emotion which tore his breast and clamored for attention and utterance was just rage. 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:29.440 He's fired up. 00:10:30.559 --> 00:10:36.320 Jesus burned with anger toward death, toward sin. 00:10:37.279 --> 00:10:39.279 Because he came to save us from those things. 00:10:39.440 --> 00:10:41.919 These things cause brokenness and destruction. 00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:46.240 And in his righteousness and justice, he burns with anger toward them. 00:10:46.320 --> 00:10:51.919 And in this way, Jesus' emotions of anger are actually love. 00:10:53.759 --> 00:10:55.840 He has fierce love for us. 00:10:56.240 --> 00:11:01.200 Because he knows and he wants the whole of our lives. 00:11:01.919 --> 00:11:07.759 And he knows that's the only way in which we are truly joyful and peaceful. 00:11:08.000 --> 00:11:16.480 Point number two is that Jesus holds righteous anger toward that which limits God's glory and our heart's freedom. 00:11:17.200 --> 00:11:21.840 A few Fridays ago, in the morning, I went to run the mountain and I started up the trail. 00:11:22.080 --> 00:11:23.600 Beautiful winter morning day. 00:11:23.679 --> 00:11:24.399 It was sunny out. 00:11:24.559 --> 00:11:26.240 I had my chain and chain worship on. 00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:27.519 I'm running up the trail. 00:11:27.600 --> 00:11:30.480 I'll get to that point about where the guy stole my Patagonia vest. 00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:31.519 Remember that story? 00:11:31.679 --> 00:11:32.799 It's always in my mind. 00:11:32.960 --> 00:11:34.639 Just waiting to see that guy on the trail. 00:11:34.799 --> 00:11:38.480 What kind of anger, righteous anger will come out. 00:11:38.720 --> 00:11:46.080 So I'm not paying a lot of attention when I get to a rock, and there's like a about an 18-inch step down. 00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:51.919 And I'm moving like kind of half speed, and it just it looked like all leaves, like completely flat. 00:11:52.000 --> 00:12:01.360 And so I'm like half speed and I just step down, but I missed that there was one rock right in the middle, and I stepped and I I mean I could I heard it. 00:12:01.440 --> 00:12:04.399 Like I heard it, fell down, old man fall. 00:12:04.480 --> 00:12:14.799 Like I just, old man fell down, bad, hurt, the pain shoots up, and then my left knee hits another rock on the way down. 00:12:14.960 --> 00:12:17.919 I actually took a picture of it to prove to my wife how tough I am. 00:12:18.159 --> 00:12:19.200 There it is. 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:22.399 You know, I want her to keep thinking of me as tough. 00:12:22.480 --> 00:12:24.399 I was like, look what I survived. 00:12:24.480 --> 00:12:26.559 You know, look at that. 00:12:27.759 --> 00:12:29.519 So uh I survived. 00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:30.799 My ankle is okay. 00:12:30.879 --> 00:12:32.080 I did survive. 00:12:32.720 --> 00:12:36.559 All right, my leg did not cut into the rock. 00:12:37.120 --> 00:12:38.159 Clearly. 00:12:39.039 --> 00:12:40.799 My leg did not cut into the rock. 00:12:40.960 --> 00:12:42.960 The rock cut into my leg. 00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:45.039 Now here's what this has to do with God. 00:12:45.200 --> 00:12:49.600 The word glory, glory to God, all to God's glory, everything we do for God's glory. 00:12:50.000 --> 00:12:51.279 We say this word all the time in church. 00:12:51.440 --> 00:12:53.600 This word glory means weight or density. 00:12:53.759 --> 00:12:55.519 That's the imagery of glory. 00:12:55.600 --> 00:12:57.440 It's weight, density. 00:12:58.159 --> 00:13:01.840 When we come up against God, we don't cut into God. 00:13:02.639 --> 00:13:04.240 God cuts into us. 00:13:05.200 --> 00:13:11.919 In his disruptive love, his glory disrupts our motives and thinking and desires. 00:13:12.240 --> 00:13:16.559 So he's tender, like an abba, like a papa. 00:13:17.200 --> 00:13:18.720 But he's fierce. 00:13:19.759 --> 00:13:22.159 And that fierceness is because he's so for us. 00:13:22.320 --> 00:13:26.399 He's on a mission to disrupt anything in us. 00:13:27.440 --> 00:13:32.720 Our sin, our destruction, our idolatries, our woundedness. 00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:34.879 He wants to cut into that. 00:13:37.360 --> 00:13:40.799 We're free and we're still learning how free God wants us to be. 00:13:41.360 --> 00:13:43.840 Now it's also possible maybe you're angry. 00:13:44.399 --> 00:13:44.720 Right? 00:13:45.120 --> 00:13:48.480 You're angry at your mom or your dad, you're angry at your kid. 00:13:48.639 --> 00:13:50.559 Don't get me started about your kid, right? 00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:57.039 Like you're angry about that, you're angry about your friends, or you thought she was your friend, and then she did that thing, you thought he was, and that happened. 00:13:57.120 --> 00:14:02.960 You're angry about work, you're angry about that sickness, you're angry about some disappointment, you're angry about a death. 00:14:03.200 --> 00:14:08.080 You're angry you're not skinnier or taller or shorter, or you wanted brown hair, you got blonde hair, you got gray hair. 00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:09.679 Wish you still had the brown hair. 00:14:09.919 --> 00:14:11.759 I wish I never got biceps. 00:14:12.000 --> 00:14:13.679 Some of y'all got biceps? 00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:15.600 You get that? 00:14:16.080 --> 00:14:18.799 Like we all have something to be angry about. 00:14:18.960 --> 00:14:19.840 We all do. 00:14:20.080 --> 00:14:23.679 Ephesians 4.26 says, in your anger, do not sin. 00:14:24.399 --> 00:14:28.159 Now, most of my anger is just sin. 00:14:28.240 --> 00:14:32.960 It's just self-my self-absorbed plan being disturbed by other people is what it is. 00:14:33.360 --> 00:14:40.720 But there's another type of anger, righteous anger that's birthed out of concern for others or God or the injustices of the world. 00:14:40.879 --> 00:14:46.000 And this anger that is birthed in love, it should stay and it must stay in love. 00:14:47.840 --> 00:14:52.240 But no matter what, when we're angry, it calls us to reflect. 00:14:52.960 --> 00:14:59.120 Some growth in question, growth and grace questions that I was asking myself this week are this. 00:15:00.320 --> 00:15:08.320 Am I living in toxic reactivity or in the calm, non-anxious presence God calls me to? 00:15:10.320 --> 00:15:12.399 Is there anything I need to repent of? 00:15:14.240 --> 00:15:18.480 Is there anything I need to reconcile with someone else? 00:15:19.759 --> 00:15:25.600 Now, if I'm angry, usually I'm afraid of something or I'm sad about something. 00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:27.840 So a few other questions. 00:15:28.320 --> 00:15:30.480 If I'm angry, what am I afraid of? 00:15:31.600 --> 00:15:33.679 If I'm angry, what am I sad about? 00:15:35.279 --> 00:15:39.039 And then am I seeking relief in the news of the world? 00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:48.000 Some good news I'm just waiting on from work, or good news from a friend, or good news from school, or good news from the news. 00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:50.559 Am I waiting on that to give me relief? 00:15:51.200 --> 00:15:58.720 Or am I ultimately primarily using the news of my secure belovedness in Christ? 00:15:59.519 --> 00:16:01.200 Where do I seek relief? 00:16:01.759 --> 00:16:03.600 Back to John 2, verse 17. 00:16:03.759 --> 00:16:08.159 His disciples remembered that it is written, Zeal for your house will consume me. 00:16:08.399 --> 00:16:13.120 The Jews then responded to him, What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this? 00:16:13.279 --> 00:16:16.159 So the Jews wanted him to prove his authenticity with the sign. 00:16:16.320 --> 00:16:20.639 Verse 19, Jesus answered them, Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days. 00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:24.000 They replied, It has taken us 46 years to build this temple. 00:16:24.080 --> 00:16:25.759 And you're gonna raise it in three days? 00:16:26.000 --> 00:16:28.480 But he was speaking about the temple of his body. 00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:32.080 So he's already talking about the cross and the resurrection. 00:16:32.320 --> 00:16:33.039 22. 00:16:33.200 --> 00:16:42.000 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken. 00:16:42.320 --> 00:16:49.440 The Jews are thinking about their building and what they constructed with their efforts to God, and Jesus is talking about himself. 00:16:49.600 --> 00:16:55.440 Point number three is this Jesus is the temple, he's the priest, he's the altar, he's the sacrifice. 00:16:55.759 --> 00:17:06.000 He's essentially saying, I'll be the sacrifice, so you don't have to keep maintaining all of these religious rules and sacrifices as to earn God's forgiveness. 00:17:06.720 --> 00:17:09.359 We have this statement in our communion liturgy prayer. 00:17:09.519 --> 00:17:12.079 We've been praying it for 11 years now. 00:17:12.319 --> 00:17:13.759 Maybe you recognize it. 00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:15.759 It's the last sentence of our prayer. 00:17:16.079 --> 00:17:30.640 All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ, who made the perfect, complete, final sacrifice, all that was needed to take away the sins of the whole world, and to satisfy your just demands in full. 00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:31.599 Amen. 00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:38.079 Jesus satisfies all of God's just demands. 00:17:38.559 --> 00:17:45.519 So any of his righteous anger toward our own destruction and sin that we cause is satisfied in Jesus. 00:17:46.079 --> 00:17:50.480 And he takes away all of our sins, all our sins put upon Jesus, all his righteousness given to us. 00:17:50.640 --> 00:17:55.440 So this means that all your shoulds are they are complete in Jesus. 00:17:56.400 --> 00:18:00.559 And all of God's righteous anger is satisfied in Jesus. 00:18:00.799 --> 00:18:08.799 And Jesus is saying, no more self-reliant journeys of you bringing your own sacrifices to earn God's love. 00:18:08.960 --> 00:18:09.680 So what does this mean? 00:18:09.759 --> 00:18:10.240 What does it mean? 00:18:10.319 --> 00:18:11.359 Well, I think it means this. 00:18:11.599 --> 00:18:15.519 I think it means he is fiercely for you. 00:18:16.160 --> 00:18:21.839 And at times that feels like compassion, and at times that feels like a lot of disruption. 00:18:22.799 --> 00:18:26.640 And it means that you're not a worker trying to earn his love. 00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:30.319 You are a child that receives his love. 00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:37.200 Listen to how Pastor Tim Keller words us being God's children by grace and not by works. 00:18:37.359 --> 00:18:38.640 And I close with this. 00:18:39.680 --> 00:18:44.160 But don't you see what it means to receive rights as children of God? 00:18:45.119 --> 00:18:47.680 You're not on the spectrum, you're off the spectrum. 00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:50.400 Your identity is received, not achieved. 00:18:50.640 --> 00:18:57.440 Your identity is rooted in God's love for you, and the fact that God is now your father, not just your boss, not just your king. 00:18:57.599 --> 00:18:58.559 He is that. 00:18:59.359 --> 00:19:00.559 But he's your father. 00:19:01.200 --> 00:19:05.119 There's an unconditionality, as it were, to his regard for you. 00:19:05.920 --> 00:19:11.039 That is so different from any other kind of identity. 00:19:11.599 --> 00:19:14.160 You've got a new identity, and it's remarkable. 00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:17.519 It's nothing like anything that you've ever had before. 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:25.759 You get your identity in Christ, and then you realize you've become who you are, who you really are, who you were made to be. 00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:26.880 Let's pray together. 00:19:27.359 --> 00:19:28.480 God, we come before you. 00:19:28.559 --> 00:19:39.279 You are the Abba Father, and we are your children, not workers to earn your love, not those making the journey to Jerusalem to make our own sacrifices and purchase them. 00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:45.359 But we are here with open hands because Jesus is enough for us. 00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:53.200 Help us to see you in a bigger and a greater way, that you are compassion and you also have anger. 00:19:53.519 --> 00:19:55.839 You are tender and you are fierce. 00:19:56.480 --> 00:19:58.640 And you are fiercely for us. 00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:04.880 For so many of us that actually have anger in our own hearts. 00:20:05.200 --> 00:20:07.519 Would you help us bring it before you? 00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:11.440 And that we would not sin in our anger. 00:20:14.400 --> 00:20:25.440 Help us to be your children, to trust you as a Abba, to let you be tender with us, to let you cut us open, and to do the hard work that you want to do inside of us. 00:20:25.680 --> 00:20:27.359 In Christ's name we pray. 00:20:27.519 --> 00:20:28.079 Amen.