WEBVTT 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:03.279 So we are in week three of the season of Lent. 00:00:03.359 --> 00:00:07.360 So Lent is the 40 days leading up to Good Friday and Easter. 00:00:07.519 --> 00:00:09.919 Our story this morning comes from John 4. 00:00:10.000 --> 00:00:10.960 It's a well-known story. 00:00:11.119 --> 00:00:15.119 Jesus is traveling, he's moving from Jerusalem to Galilee. 00:00:15.199 --> 00:00:18.800 He's traveling through the most direct way was through an area called Samaria. 00:00:19.760 --> 00:00:22.559 And usually the Jewish people avoided Samaria. 00:00:22.879 --> 00:00:23.920 They despised these people. 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:25.280 The Jews hated Samaritans. 00:00:25.359 --> 00:00:33.280 This went back centuries where the Jews went into exile, they were leaving their land, some stayed behind, and some of those Jewish people married Canaanites. 00:00:33.520 --> 00:00:39.520 Those two people groups mixed in to make a new race and religious group called the Samaritans. 00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:45.840 And so the Jews considered these people to be racially inferior, religious heretics. 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:47.119 They despised them. 00:00:47.200 --> 00:00:54.399 You know, that's the you come on the aisle of Kroger and you turn right back around as you saw that one person you despise at the other end. 00:00:54.560 --> 00:00:55.439 That was this case. 00:00:55.600 --> 00:00:58.000 You don't go through Samaria. 00:00:59.600 --> 00:01:03.200 So this lady in this story, she's an outcast. 00:01:03.359 --> 00:01:05.599 She's beat down and worn out. 00:01:06.159 --> 00:01:08.560 The world and religion want nothing to do with her. 00:01:08.799 --> 00:01:13.439 And yet, Jesus, um, he just can't wait to talk to her. 00:01:13.840 --> 00:01:18.799 And so let's reread the story and break it down for what it might have to say for us. 00:01:19.120 --> 00:01:22.799 John 4, let's start in verse 7, read through verse 15. 00:01:23.040 --> 00:01:25.040 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. 00:01:25.200 --> 00:01:26.560 Jesus said to her, Give me a drink. 00:01:26.799 --> 00:01:29.439 For his disciples had gone away to the city to buy food. 00:01:29.599 --> 00:01:35.519 The Samaritan woman said to him, How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria? 00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:37.920 For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. 00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:47.120 Jesus answered her, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, Give me a drink, you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water. 00:01:47.519 --> 00:01:51.200 The woman said to him, Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. 00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:52.959 Where do you get that living water? 00:01:53.120 --> 00:01:54.799 Are you greater than our father Jacob? 00:01:54.879 --> 00:01:58.560 He gave us his well and drank from himself, as his sons and his livestock. 00:01:58.799 --> 00:02:01.359 So she's not picking up on everything Jesus is teaching here. 00:02:01.519 --> 00:02:07.439 Verse 13, Jesus said to her, Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again. 00:02:07.599 --> 00:02:13.120 But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. 00:02:13.439 --> 00:02:19.199 The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. 00:02:19.360 --> 00:02:25.599 And the woman said to him, Sir, give me this water so that I will not be thirsty, or have to come here to draw water. 00:02:26.159 --> 00:02:33.280 Point number one is this our souls were made for God, and we will only be whole and satisfied in God. 00:02:33.759 --> 00:02:39.599 A few weeks ago I watched the Netflix documentary series Full Swing on the PGA golf tour. 00:02:39.919 --> 00:02:42.639 And episode two, it's a little bit of a heartbreaker. 00:02:42.800 --> 00:02:44.800 It follows Brooks Kepka. 00:02:44.879 --> 00:02:46.800 And so here's a picture of Brooks Kepka. 00:02:46.879 --> 00:02:47.840 He's a pro golfer. 00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:50.319 Brooks has won four majors. 00:02:50.479 --> 00:02:51.360 That's a big deal. 00:02:51.599 --> 00:02:53.599 If you don't know about golf, big deal. 00:02:53.840 --> 00:02:54.879 Four majors. 00:02:55.120 --> 00:02:56.560 He was number one in the world. 00:02:56.639 --> 00:03:02.159 He was the best golfer in the entire world for almost a year. 00:03:02.479 --> 00:03:04.639 This is amazing, right? 00:03:05.199 --> 00:03:06.800 I mean, this guy was at the top. 00:03:06.879 --> 00:03:12.879 I mean, he and he has all the wealth and the trophies, beachfront home, beautiful wife that supports him. 00:03:13.039 --> 00:03:13.919 He has a boat. 00:03:14.080 --> 00:03:17.599 I mean, I love I love a boat, and his boat's amazing. 00:03:18.400 --> 00:03:20.000 And he's miserable. 00:03:20.879 --> 00:03:22.159 He's discontent. 00:03:22.960 --> 00:03:24.719 He's unsatisfied. 00:03:25.120 --> 00:03:30.400 He said this in the documentary I go back to the first major I ever won. 00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:37.439 I'd pay back every dollar I've ever made just to have that feeling again for another hour. 00:03:37.759 --> 00:03:47.520 So it seems, I don't want to project on him too much, but it seems he's convinced that only one thing can satisfy his soul. 00:03:48.479 --> 00:03:49.759 And he had it. 00:03:50.639 --> 00:03:52.319 But it didn't really work, did it? 00:03:52.479 --> 00:03:53.599 Because it didn't last. 00:03:53.840 --> 00:03:55.599 It was circumstantial. 00:03:55.840 --> 00:04:03.360 So we keep drinking from wells that satisfy a little bit in that moment, but they never really deliver anything lasting. 00:04:03.520 --> 00:04:11.520 And sadly, I would love to just keep poking at Brooks, but sadly, I'm a lot more like him than I want to admit. 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:16.160 Because I'm pretty sure that I could have forever peace in my heart if I had his boat. 00:04:16.240 --> 00:04:20.959 It looked like a it looked like a center console, like maybe triple engine, dual engine. 00:04:21.040 --> 00:04:24.079 I don't know, but I'm pretty sure you could get to the Caribbean from there. 00:04:24.160 --> 00:04:25.759 I'm pretty sure you could do some good fishing. 00:04:25.920 --> 00:04:27.120 So it would be amazing. 00:04:27.279 --> 00:04:30.720 Like all my problems would be solved if I had his boat, all his problems would be solved. 00:04:30.800 --> 00:04:31.839 He's number one again, right? 00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:33.279 Like this is what we do. 00:04:33.439 --> 00:04:35.680 We keep doing this to ourselves. 00:04:35.920 --> 00:04:36.160 St. 00:04:36.319 --> 00:04:46.720 Augustine wrote at this at the end of the fourth century, after his own life of drinking from other wells, thou hast made us for thyself, O God. 00:04:47.839 --> 00:04:52.959 And our hearts are restless until they find their rest in thee. 00:04:53.680 --> 00:05:00.319 So Jesus says to this lady in verse 14, But whoever drinks of this water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. 00:05:01.439 --> 00:05:06.319 The water that I will give him will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life. 00:05:06.560 --> 00:05:10.959 Now that is something we know and we continue to process in and grow in. 00:05:11.759 --> 00:05:14.399 Bill Wilson, the founder of AA, he wrote this. 00:05:14.480 --> 00:05:16.480 This is a bit of a read, but hang with me. 00:05:16.959 --> 00:05:20.560 Most people try to live by self-propulsion. 00:05:22.000 --> 00:05:26.160 Each person is like an actor who wants to run the whole show. 00:05:26.399 --> 00:05:33.040 He's forever trying to arrange the lights, the ballet, the scenery, and the rest of the players in his own way. 00:05:33.199 --> 00:05:39.839 If his arrangements would only stay put, if only people would do as he wished, the show would be great. 00:05:40.160 --> 00:05:42.319 Everyone, including himself, would be pleased. 00:05:42.480 --> 00:05:43.680 Life would be wonderful. 00:05:43.839 --> 00:05:48.079 In trying to make these arrangements, our actor may sometimes be quite virtuous. 00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:52.240 He may be kind, considerate, patient, generous, even modest and self-sacrificing. 00:05:52.399 --> 00:05:56.959 On the other hand, he may be mean, egotistical, selfish, and dishonest. 00:05:57.120 --> 00:06:01.279 But as with most humans, he is more likely to have varied traits. 00:06:01.759 --> 00:06:03.439 What usually happens? 00:06:03.680 --> 00:06:06.480 The show doesn't come off very well. 00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:09.680 He begins to think life doesn't treat him right. 00:06:09.839 --> 00:06:16.560 He begins to go, or he becomes on the next occasion still more demanding or gracious, as the case may be. 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:20.480 Our actor is self-centered, egocentric. 00:06:20.959 --> 00:06:26.720 We cannot reduce our self-centeredness much by wishing or trying on our own power. 00:06:27.120 --> 00:06:30.319 We have to have God's help. 00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:39.680 Now, maybe you connect somewhere in that description of what you tend to do and how you tend to control the world and satisfy yourself, right? 00:06:39.759 --> 00:06:45.759 We drink from wells that were never meant to satisfy, and that's why we keep on going, being unsatisfied. 00:06:46.079 --> 00:06:49.759 Yet Jesus shows up to this woman in her unsatisfaction and her thirst. 00:06:49.839 --> 00:06:56.480 That's the amazing thing about this story and about God's love to us and the gospel, is that it comes at us. 00:06:57.120 --> 00:07:03.439 But even that, if we don't realize what Bill Wilson is saying, we don't get it. 00:07:03.680 --> 00:07:06.240 Because we have to be at the end of our rope first. 00:07:06.800 --> 00:07:11.519 We have to realize we're thirsty and that the thing we're drinking of is not satisfying. 00:07:11.839 --> 00:07:19.439 In God's grace, we're growing aware of both of our need and also that God is actually enough for us. 00:07:20.000 --> 00:07:21.680 The story continues, verse 16. 00:07:21.839 --> 00:07:24.959 Jesus said to her, Go call your husband and come here. 00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:28.800 The woman answered him and said, I have no husband. 00:07:30.160 --> 00:07:33.120 Jesus said to her, You're right in saying, I have no husband. 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:35.600 For you have had five husbands. 00:07:35.920 --> 00:07:39.199 And the one you now have is not your husband. 00:07:39.759 --> 00:07:41.759 What you have said is true. 00:07:43.439 --> 00:07:51.439 Point number two is this Christ Jesus knows all of you and continues to pursue and delight in you. 00:07:51.680 --> 00:07:57.279 And that is really good news if you're in touch with like your five husband issues. 00:07:57.920 --> 00:08:01.839 I mean, you gotta remember, it's the middle of the day in the Middle East. 00:08:02.079 --> 00:08:03.040 It is hot. 00:08:03.920 --> 00:08:06.000 It is a hundred something degrees. 00:08:06.079 --> 00:08:09.279 Nobody draws water at this time of the day, right? 00:08:09.600 --> 00:08:12.879 Only if you want to avoid people or pain. 00:08:14.240 --> 00:08:17.519 And so we know this lady is in a tough spot. 00:08:17.839 --> 00:08:21.279 And you know what that's like to try to avoid people or pain. 00:08:21.439 --> 00:08:23.519 You don't go down that one hallway. 00:08:24.160 --> 00:08:26.160 You always leave early. 00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:27.120 Right? 00:08:27.199 --> 00:08:30.160 You avoid that dinner party because that person will be there. 00:08:30.639 --> 00:08:36.399 This lady, that something's going on with her, for her to be here in this situation. 00:08:37.440 --> 00:08:40.320 She's not accepted, even by her own people. 00:08:41.600 --> 00:08:43.440 She just has nothing left. 00:08:43.679 --> 00:08:45.120 She has nowhere to turn. 00:08:45.279 --> 00:08:56.320 And yet, in her mess, before she's put together, Jesus is coming toward her in her own sin and in her own woundedness. 00:08:56.639 --> 00:09:03.120 Now, the five-husband thing, and then she's with another guy, a sixth guy, maybe probably living with him, is what it sounds like. 00:09:03.279 --> 00:09:05.519 I mean, this reveals her sinfulness. 00:09:06.639 --> 00:09:09.120 She's not living in God's way and God's delight. 00:09:09.279 --> 00:09:10.000 We see that here. 00:09:10.080 --> 00:09:15.200 But what we also don't know, which I would love a whole nother chapter on, don't you hit this when you read the Bible? 00:09:15.279 --> 00:09:16.639 You're like, I want more about that. 00:09:16.720 --> 00:09:18.960 Like, I want to know how did she grow up? 00:09:19.120 --> 00:09:20.480 What's her story? 00:09:20.720 --> 00:09:22.879 I mean, five husbands is a lot of husbands. 00:09:22.960 --> 00:09:25.519 I mean, there's some people maybe in this room that have been married that many times. 00:09:25.600 --> 00:09:27.279 I'm just saying, that's a lot. 00:09:27.519 --> 00:09:29.120 You've been through a lot. 00:09:29.360 --> 00:09:31.840 There's probably some storyline before that. 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:37.200 I would imagine there's a narrative of woundedness and trauma to get there. 00:09:38.320 --> 00:09:40.080 So we don't know how this lady grew up. 00:09:40.159 --> 00:09:45.919 We don't know what love or abuse she has endured throughout her life, maybe even from these husbands. 00:09:46.159 --> 00:09:47.440 But we do know this. 00:09:47.600 --> 00:09:48.799 We do know this. 00:09:49.679 --> 00:09:54.000 At the end of her rope, Jesus is pursuing her. 00:09:54.320 --> 00:09:56.159 That's incredibly relieving. 00:09:56.879 --> 00:10:04.960 If you're in touch with your brokenness and your mistakes, and your failure, and your inability, that Jesus holds no condemnation toward her. 00:10:06.559 --> 00:10:16.080 And he invites us, he invites you and me to stop running from our own sin and our failures and our woundedness. 00:10:17.919 --> 00:10:20.480 Romans 5, 6 through 8. 00:10:20.960 --> 00:10:26.720 For while we were still weak at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. 00:10:27.039 --> 00:10:34.799 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person, though perhaps for a good person one would even die there even to die. 00:10:35.120 --> 00:10:39.679 But God shows us his love for us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 00:10:39.840 --> 00:10:41.120 Well, what is Paul teaching here? 00:10:41.279 --> 00:10:45.840 Well, we are lavishly loved even before we have our acts together. 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:51.519 Which is great news because none of us really have our acts together. 00:10:52.080 --> 00:11:00.000 We're all in need of grace, and our maturity or faith walk, our growth, spiritual maturity, is a growth in grace. 00:11:00.399 --> 00:11:10.720 Point number three is this a low anthropology, that's your view of your own sin, creates a high Christology, your view of Jesus. 00:11:11.039 --> 00:11:14.080 A low anthropology creates a high Christology. 00:11:14.240 --> 00:11:18.000 Now, the store anthropology got some of you excited. 00:11:18.159 --> 00:11:23.360 Here's the store, you heard the word, your mind, your mind went there, my mind went there. 00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:26.720 This this gives me my own anxiety, to be honest. 00:11:26.879 --> 00:11:29.759 I have my own storyline with the anthropology. 00:11:29.919 --> 00:11:38.399 After years of me just sort of moping around behind my wife, about 18 inches behind, is the right distance to just pressure her. 00:11:38.559 --> 00:11:39.200 Are we finished? 00:11:39.279 --> 00:11:39.759 Are we finished? 00:11:39.840 --> 00:11:40.320 Are we finished? 00:11:40.399 --> 00:11:40.879 Are we finished? 00:11:41.200 --> 00:11:42.080 Can we go get ice cream? 00:11:42.159 --> 00:11:42.960 Can we go get ice cream? 00:11:43.039 --> 00:11:45.440 That's what I'm just pressure, pressure, pressure. 00:11:45.679 --> 00:11:49.919 I can be a model husband in this store for about two and a half minutes. 00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:54.879 That's about the length of time before all my low anthropology comes out. 00:11:55.039 --> 00:12:00.559 Like all of my selfishness and impatience and all of that just comes out, right? 00:12:00.720 --> 00:12:04.080 So the store anthropology brings out my low anthropology. 00:12:04.159 --> 00:12:04.559 That's my point. 00:12:04.639 --> 00:12:06.480 And now Christy just makes me stay in the car. 00:12:06.559 --> 00:12:08.399 I'm not even I'm not allowed in the store. 00:12:08.639 --> 00:12:11.679 I take a nap and she shops and it's marital bliss. 00:12:11.840 --> 00:12:15.039 These are just pro tips after years of marriage. 00:12:15.679 --> 00:12:16.879 Here's the greater point. 00:12:17.039 --> 00:12:25.440 A high anthropology, a high anthropology is to believe that people are inerrantly good and always getting better. 00:12:27.120 --> 00:12:41.120 But it means you're constantly centered on yourself and relying on yourself, and then you need to constantly be getting better, which is really problematic because you're not. 00:12:41.679 --> 00:12:47.200 Like you're getting better in some ways, praise God, but then there's other things that start popping up. 00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:49.919 But that's what a high anthropology is. 00:12:50.080 --> 00:12:52.639 Believe that people are inherently good and they're always getting better. 00:12:52.799 --> 00:13:05.039 Now, a low anthropology, it doesn't mean that we're all rubbish, we're creating the image of God, but a low anthropology says this people want to be good, we're just not pulling it off. 00:13:06.399 --> 00:13:13.360 As we improve in one area and we mature, and then all of a sudden you realize your motive or something else, you're like, oh my god, didn't realize that was there. 00:13:14.000 --> 00:13:17.360 Or you disappoint yourself and you didn't see that coming. 00:13:17.600 --> 00:13:19.759 You say something, you do something. 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:22.159 It just means we're not pulling it off. 00:13:22.320 --> 00:13:29.679 And when you're not pulling it off, you become open to help, which is powerful. 00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:40.240 See, inside of our low anthropology, this creates a greater astonishment of God's provision of forgiveness and righteousness in Jesus, our Christology. 00:13:40.320 --> 00:13:46.639 And now, when we're in view of that, now the interesting thing is we actually start to become better in the grace of God. 00:13:47.279 --> 00:13:48.639 The conversation continues. 00:13:48.799 --> 00:13:51.440 Verse 22 You worship what you do not know. 00:13:51.600 --> 00:13:54.639 This conversation of worship between Jesus and the lady starts up. 00:13:54.799 --> 00:13:59.120 You worship what you do not know, we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 00:13:59.200 --> 00:14:05.759 But the hour is coming, and now is here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth. 00:14:06.000 --> 00:14:08.639 For the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:13.039 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. 00:14:13.200 --> 00:14:17.519 The woman said to him, I know that Messiah is coming. 00:14:17.840 --> 00:14:19.600 He who is called Christ. 00:14:19.919 --> 00:14:22.399 When he comes, he will tell us all the things. 00:14:23.039 --> 00:14:26.799 And Jesus said to her, I who speak to you and he. 00:14:27.120 --> 00:14:32.559 Point number four is this our worship is empowered by our belovedness in Christ. 00:14:32.960 --> 00:14:35.120 Our worship is empowered by our belovedness in Christ. 00:14:35.279 --> 00:14:37.840 Author and Pastor John Piper, he writes this about worship. 00:14:38.080 --> 00:14:41.360 Worship is basically adoration. 00:14:42.240 --> 00:14:45.600 And we adore only what delights in us. 00:14:46.000 --> 00:14:49.279 There's no such thing as sad adoration or unhappy praise. 00:14:49.440 --> 00:14:54.080 That which you delight in, you adore, that which you adore, you're worshiping. 00:14:54.320 --> 00:15:09.440 Now, if we think about that definition, we think about John 4, what we see is out of his delight in us, out of his pursuit of us, when we're not put together, actually, we begin to delight in him. 00:15:09.919 --> 00:15:16.799 And we grow to treasure the one who welcomes us and forgives us and makes us righteous by his sacrifice on the cross for us. 00:15:17.360 --> 00:15:19.200 Psalm 63, 3. 00:15:19.679 --> 00:15:27.360 Because your steadfast love is better than life, because of that, my lips will praise you. 00:15:28.240 --> 00:15:33.440 Jesus knew everything about this lady and he poured out grace and acceptance to her. 00:15:33.759 --> 00:15:37.600 This woman was drawn to Jesus because he was drawn to her. 00:15:38.080 --> 00:15:40.320 Out of his delight in us, we delight in him. 00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:42.000 Out of that delight, there's adoration. 00:15:42.159 --> 00:15:45.440 Out of that adoration that we are worshiping. 00:15:46.159 --> 00:15:48.799 Last month, a horrible earthquake hit Turkey. 00:15:48.960 --> 00:15:50.480 Not sure if you're aware of that. 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:56.399 And last week, this firefighter right here, Ali Kakis, he rescued this cat. 00:15:56.799 --> 00:15:59.360 Big breaking current event news that I'm sharing here. 00:15:59.519 --> 00:16:00.720 This cat rescue. 00:16:00.879 --> 00:16:08.399 So he found this cat, he dug it out, and cactus he rescued this from a collapsed building that turned into rubbish. 00:16:10.320 --> 00:16:11.919 You're like, leave the cat. 00:16:12.320 --> 00:16:14.000 Just let the cat die. 00:16:14.559 --> 00:16:16.639 And we have counseling signups. 00:16:16.799 --> 00:16:20.639 They're on the table right outside for you and your issues. 00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:22.559 But I know that some of you have cat issues. 00:16:22.720 --> 00:16:24.159 Just raise your hand if you have cat issues. 00:16:24.320 --> 00:16:25.840 You're like, leave the cat there. 00:16:26.000 --> 00:16:27.120 Let the cat die. 00:16:27.360 --> 00:16:28.000 No problem. 00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:30.639 Also notice a divisive issue, cats. 00:16:30.799 --> 00:16:31.919 So I have a couple jokes. 00:16:32.159 --> 00:16:34.000 Lighten the mood on cats. 00:16:34.399 --> 00:16:35.679 Just sermon bonus. 00:16:35.759 --> 00:16:37.039 You don't have to take notes. 00:16:37.279 --> 00:16:40.559 How did the cat know she was pregnant? 00:16:42.799 --> 00:16:44.960 Her test was positive. 00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:48.480 It gets worse. 00:16:49.360 --> 00:16:51.200 It gets worse, which I love. 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:55.679 I love just how did how bad how how how far can I dig this hole? 00:16:55.759 --> 00:16:56.480 Here we go. 00:16:57.039 --> 00:16:59.279 What's a cat's favorite TV show? 00:17:01.919 --> 00:17:02.960 Claw in order. 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:05.680 It's horrible. 00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:08.880 They're not perfect. 00:17:09.680 --> 00:17:10.799 That's the best one. 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:12.240 We'll just end there. 00:17:13.599 --> 00:17:15.359 Now back to the cat thing. 00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:19.519 Now that we are all wherever we're at at this point, I don't know. 00:17:20.319 --> 00:17:24.720 This firefighter, Ali Kakas, he goes on to adopt the cat. 00:17:26.240 --> 00:17:28.559 I mean, pull your hanky out. 00:17:28.960 --> 00:17:31.839 Everybody except the six of you that don't like cats. 00:17:32.480 --> 00:17:34.240 The cat won't leave aside. 00:17:35.200 --> 00:17:36.640 I mean, isn't this darling? 00:17:36.880 --> 00:17:37.920 The cat won't leave aside. 00:17:38.079 --> 00:17:39.119 I mean, isn't that lovely? 00:17:39.359 --> 00:17:42.000 Even cats, here's my great sermon illustration point. 00:17:42.240 --> 00:17:48.480 Even cats are endeared to the one who rescues them and loves them. 00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:51.680 Okay, I'm not going to end on a cat illustration. 00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:53.920 I'm a wiser preacher than that. 00:17:54.160 --> 00:17:59.200 About 200 years ago, a guy named George Matheson was born in Scotland. 00:17:59.359 --> 00:18:02.000 He goes on, he becomes a successful Scottish minister. 00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:03.519 He has a huge church. 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:06.559 People travel all over Scotland to hear this guy preach. 00:18:07.359 --> 00:18:12.240 Now, his origin story of how he grew up, he said he grew up with losing sight. 00:18:12.400 --> 00:18:15.759 By the age of 17, he's completely blind. 00:18:16.559 --> 00:18:18.640 And then something happens along the way. 00:18:18.799 --> 00:18:21.200 Nobody knows because he would never talk about it. 00:18:21.519 --> 00:18:27.200 But on the day that his sister was married, the most traumatic event of his entire life happens. 00:18:27.359 --> 00:18:30.079 He never says or writes what happened. 00:18:30.160 --> 00:18:32.319 He just says it's unspeakable. 00:18:32.720 --> 00:18:40.640 But after this event happened, whatever trauma this was, in five minutes, he wrote one of the most famous hymns that we have. 00:18:40.880 --> 00:18:41.920 In five minutes. 00:18:42.160 --> 00:18:51.119 He never spoke of the trauma, not a word, too much hurt, unspeakable, but he writes what actually holds us. 00:18:51.359 --> 00:18:56.400 When we're hurting, when we make the failure, when we're some hurt has come upon us. 00:18:56.720 --> 00:18:58.640 What actually holds us? 00:18:58.799 --> 00:19:00.240 What rescues us? 00:19:03.039 --> 00:19:05.519 And here's the first verse of that hymn. 00:19:05.759 --> 00:19:08.000 O love that will not let me go. 00:19:08.400 --> 00:19:10.799 I rest my weary soul in thee. 00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:13.599 I give thee back the life I owe. 00:19:13.839 --> 00:19:18.559 That in thine ocean depths its flow may richer, fuller be. 00:19:18.799 --> 00:19:19.920 Let's pray together. 00:19:21.200 --> 00:19:25.920 God, we thank you for your grace to us that you find us in our own mess and rubbish. 00:19:26.400 --> 00:19:27.359 Helpless. 00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:34.000 God, thank you that you are for us and with us. 00:19:35.279 --> 00:19:46.319 There are those of us here this morning that feel helpless, that are discontent or disappointed, or hurt in some way. 00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:54.000 And thank you that you pursue us even in our mess before we get our acts together. 00:19:54.240 --> 00:19:55.920 You want to grow us beyond that. 00:19:56.079 --> 00:19:57.839 We are so thankful for that. 00:19:59.440 --> 00:20:09.519 And thank you that our story can be more than our sin, and our story can be more than our woundedness, and our story can be more than our discontent. 00:20:10.960 --> 00:20:16.960 Because you delight in us, because you pursue us, because you find us, because you engage with us. 00:20:18.079 --> 00:20:21.599 We thank you for this great story that finds us in our thirst. 00:20:23.839 --> 00:20:29.839 May we know a spring of life inside of our hearts and soul. 00:20:32.240 --> 00:20:38.559 May we know a love that does not let us go, and may our souls, may our souls not rest in peace. 00:20:38.799 --> 00:20:39.759 In Jesus' name. 00:20:40.000 --> 00:20:40.319 Amen.