WEBVTT 00:00:00.640 --> 00:00:03.439 So we are in the season of Advent. 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:07.200 So maybe you've been around church and you know what that means. 00:00:07.360 --> 00:00:14.960 If you're new to church, it just means we're in four weeks of expectation leading up to Christmas. 00:00:15.359 --> 00:00:21.039 This Sunday, this third Sunday in Advent, is known as a Sunday of rejoicing. 00:00:21.519 --> 00:00:24.879 It's an odd text to read on a Sunday of rejoicing, wasn't it? 00:00:25.199 --> 00:00:26.239 We'll make sense of it. 00:00:26.399 --> 00:00:30.320 We have to first begin back in the Old Testament book of Zephaniah. 00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:35.840 The story here is King Manasseh led Judah into idolatry. 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:40.880 Then his son Amon comes and takes power, becomes king. 00:00:41.119 --> 00:00:46.240 And then just after two years of being king, Amon's assassinated. 00:00:46.719 --> 00:00:49.359 This is the soap opera of the Bible that we get. 00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:52.079 Then Josiah becomes king. 00:00:52.159 --> 00:00:54.479 At age eight, he becomes king. 00:00:55.920 --> 00:01:00.000 He becomes king of a people that are in full-on rebellion to the ways of God. 00:01:00.079 --> 00:01:05.439 But at age 16, Josiah's in the temple, kind of like an Indiana Jones scene. 00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:12.159 He discovers a scroll of the law and he begins to reform his people. 00:01:12.239 --> 00:01:20.159 Now it's during this time, all this upheaval, that Zephaniah speaks to the people as a prophet. 00:01:20.719 --> 00:01:22.640 So their lives are a mess. 00:01:22.959 --> 00:01:36.799 Jerusalem is about to fall, and this prophet, he first declares the beginning of Zephaniah, if you read through that little book in the Old Testament, he first declares judgment on the people for how they've lived, judgment over their sin. 00:01:36.959 --> 00:01:42.159 But the judgment is in preparation for the word of grace, as it always is. 00:01:43.200 --> 00:01:48.159 And then here's the climax of the book, the reason we rejoice today. 00:01:48.480 --> 00:01:51.280 Zephaniah 3, 16 and 17. 00:01:51.519 --> 00:01:56.079 On that day the announcement to Jerusalem will be Cheer up, Zion. 00:01:56.319 --> 00:02:00.879 Don't be afraid, for the Lord your God is living among you. 00:02:01.120 --> 00:02:02.959 He is a mighty Savior. 00:02:03.760 --> 00:02:07.120 He will take delight in you with gladness. 00:02:07.920 --> 00:02:11.520 With his love, he will calm all your fears. 00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:16.080 He will rejoice over you with joyful songs. 00:02:16.319 --> 00:02:19.520 Now that's the New Living Translation version. 00:02:19.680 --> 00:02:21.360 Out of that we get point number one. 00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:25.280 We are saved and quieted. 00:02:25.520 --> 00:02:28.560 Like quieted in our souls. 00:02:29.520 --> 00:02:33.120 We're saved and quieted by God's mighty and lavish love. 00:02:33.280 --> 00:02:39.520 So the ESV takes that same idea of calm your fears in verse 17. 00:02:39.680 --> 00:02:43.599 The ESV says, He will quiet you by his love. 00:02:44.080 --> 00:02:45.360 What a beautiful picture. 00:02:45.520 --> 00:02:53.360 I mean, what, like what if, what if that pain, you know it's there? 00:02:54.319 --> 00:02:55.680 It's really deep. 00:02:56.400 --> 00:03:02.719 The sorrow, the thing that drives so many other things, but you don't talk about it to anybody. 00:03:02.960 --> 00:03:07.439 But if you touch it like a little bit, it can almost feel like you're suffocating. 00:03:08.400 --> 00:03:10.080 What if that pain? 00:03:11.039 --> 00:03:12.639 What if that sorrow, right? 00:03:12.719 --> 00:03:14.639 The one that gets triggered, right? 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:21.039 Maybe you hadn't ever told anybody but hear the song and it sends you back to the pain, the sorrow. 00:03:21.280 --> 00:03:24.719 You see that thing, you see the person. 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:32.800 What if that pain could be calmed? 00:03:34.639 --> 00:03:36.719 Be quieted by his love? 00:03:37.919 --> 00:03:42.319 I can remember 10 years ago, our oldest two daughters, here's a picture of us. 00:03:42.479 --> 00:03:43.520 It was 10 years ago. 00:03:43.599 --> 00:03:44.400 Here's a picture of me. 00:03:44.719 --> 00:03:48.159 My oldest two daughters, they were younger at the time. 00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:51.360 Our babies, they were in the children's ministries. 00:03:51.680 --> 00:03:53.280 Back when I worked at a different church, there they are. 00:03:53.360 --> 00:03:54.479 They're about this age right here. 00:03:54.639 --> 00:03:55.599 This is about 10 years ago. 00:03:55.680 --> 00:03:57.439 And I was working at a church in Atlanta. 00:03:57.599 --> 00:04:00.319 We had Wednesday night, you know, Wednesday night stuff, right? 00:04:00.400 --> 00:04:01.680 Like, you know, different stuff going on. 00:04:01.759 --> 00:04:03.120 And they went to children's ministry. 00:04:03.199 --> 00:04:05.840 We had dinner, we had we had a prayer service. 00:04:06.000 --> 00:04:13.199 And by the time everything was over, it was like 7:30, 7:45, and bedtime, that's right at bedtime, right? 00:04:14.159 --> 00:04:26.639 And we pick them up, they'd be entertained enough through the church while you're walking out, but by the time you wrestle them into that car seat, you know, 17 buckles that you're cussing at, and you pull out, like everything is starting to fall apart. 00:04:26.720 --> 00:04:29.360 It's just like, can we stay married on the drive home? 00:04:29.439 --> 00:04:30.079 That's the goal. 00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:32.319 Stay married, stay married. 00:04:32.480 --> 00:04:37.759 Driving down I-75, and we the rear view mirror, you know, you don't keep the rear view mirror on the traffic. 00:04:37.839 --> 00:04:38.480 You tilt it, right? 00:04:38.560 --> 00:04:51.680 You tilt it so you can see your two little kids, their eyes are starting to shut, and the the more the pilots come down, the higher up Taylor Swift goes on the radio, just crank it higher and higher, and then they start to fall asleep. 00:04:51.759 --> 00:04:53.439 This would happen every single week. 00:04:53.680 --> 00:04:57.040 It doesn't matter if it's January and it's icy rain. 00:04:57.120 --> 00:05:00.800 The windows will come down on I-75 South. 00:05:01.360 --> 00:05:04.639 Icy rain, pelting them in the face, right? 00:05:05.279 --> 00:05:10.639 Because of this, you're about to ruin my two selfish hours of television watching. 00:05:10.800 --> 00:05:14.160 That's what these two little, those cute, cute, they're cute. 00:05:14.319 --> 00:05:15.759 Don't let them trick you. 00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:18.319 They won't steal stuff from you. 00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:23.920 So windows are down, Taylor Swift is cranked up, we're just trying to get home, right? 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:24.800 It's a battle. 00:05:24.959 --> 00:05:32.319 Finally, we get home, no bads, you know, change the diapers, throw on the pajamas, you lay them in their bed. 00:05:33.439 --> 00:05:34.639 Safe, right? 00:05:35.519 --> 00:05:36.800 Pull a comforter up. 00:05:37.040 --> 00:05:38.480 Give them their lovey. 00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:40.800 Kiss them, pray for them. 00:05:41.360 --> 00:05:47.040 And then one of the most wonderful moments of parenthood is when you walk out of that room. 00:05:51.759 --> 00:05:53.759 Finally, everything's okay. 00:05:54.079 --> 00:05:55.199 They are at peace. 00:05:56.079 --> 00:05:59.279 You you are at peace, which you're pretty sure they're they're gonna fall asleep. 00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:03.759 Their fears are calmed, our fears are calmed, the house is quiet. 00:06:04.000 --> 00:06:05.920 You are quieted. 00:06:06.240 --> 00:06:08.160 They've been quieted. 00:06:09.519 --> 00:06:10.319 You know that. 00:06:10.480 --> 00:06:11.680 That little taste, right? 00:06:11.759 --> 00:06:13.600 Like the taste of being quieted. 00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:16.079 Man, I want more of that. 00:06:17.920 --> 00:06:30.879 Like for my heart, where there that that that sorrow, I told you about all of it, but that sorrow, that pain, the thing that can just get you all bunched up for that to be quieted. 00:06:32.319 --> 00:06:33.279 Would you dare? 00:06:33.439 --> 00:06:41.920 Would you dare on rejoicing Sunday to go to that place, that sin, that shame, that guilt, that sorrow, that woundedness? 00:06:42.480 --> 00:06:53.600 It's underneath everything else, it's underneath like the churchy stuff we do, it's underneath faking, it's underneath coping, it's underneath escapism, it's underneath religion, it's under all that, it's driving everything else. 00:06:54.480 --> 00:07:01.199 What if right there you were limitlessly loved by God? 00:07:03.040 --> 00:07:04.800 You'd be willing to face that. 00:07:05.199 --> 00:07:08.319 You'd know you were forgiven if there was forgiveness needed. 00:07:08.560 --> 00:07:11.360 An active wound could become a sacred wound. 00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:14.959 Now we go to Luke 3. 00:07:16.480 --> 00:07:18.319 Remember the context from last week. 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:22.959 This wild man preacher, John the Baptist, is preaching, he's calling people to repentance of the heart. 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:26.959 So not a religious repentance about how much you can do and can you get your act together? 00:07:27.439 --> 00:07:29.920 It's about your heart turning toward God. 00:07:32.319 --> 00:07:35.600 And here's our gospel text for today, Luke 3, 7 through 9. 00:07:35.680 --> 00:07:37.120 I'll reread what I already read. 00:07:37.279 --> 00:07:46.399 He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, you broad vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 00:07:47.040 --> 00:07:52.959 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, we have Abraham as our father. 00:07:53.199 --> 00:07:57.920 For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 00:07:58.079 --> 00:08:00.560 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. 00:08:00.639 --> 00:08:04.639 Every tree, therefore, that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into fire. 00:08:04.800 --> 00:08:06.639 How is this rejoicing, right? 00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:07.439 How's that? 00:08:07.600 --> 00:08:09.680 How is that rejoicing Sunday? 00:08:10.720 --> 00:08:18.560 Point number two is this bearing fruit is response to our repentance, and it's inside of and empowered by God's grace. 00:08:18.720 --> 00:08:19.680 It's all of that. 00:08:19.920 --> 00:08:21.279 We need all of that. 00:08:21.519 --> 00:08:29.120 Another way to say it is this our obligation for obedience in the gospel has become our delight. 00:08:32.080 --> 00:08:35.120 Imagine if that transformation happened for you. 00:08:36.879 --> 00:08:38.159 John says, We love. 00:08:38.399 --> 00:08:41.039 We live out of love because we've been loved. 00:08:42.399 --> 00:08:46.240 Then in verse 10, the crowds ask John the Baptist, what then should we do? 00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:50.799 He told us all this, repent, you know, get, you know, oh, thrown in the fire. 00:08:51.039 --> 00:08:51.679 What should we do? 00:08:51.840 --> 00:08:56.240 John goes on to say, well, share your clothing, your food, stop taking advantage of people and stealing. 00:08:56.399 --> 00:08:56.720 Okay? 00:08:57.120 --> 00:08:57.759 Great. 00:08:58.559 --> 00:09:01.360 But John doesn't tell us how we change. 00:09:02.240 --> 00:09:04.320 He just tells us to change. 00:09:04.720 --> 00:09:08.000 John doesn't have a perfectly worked-out theology of grace. 00:09:08.080 --> 00:09:10.000 He doesn't even have a New Testament. 00:09:10.480 --> 00:09:12.080 He doesn't have Paul. 00:09:12.960 --> 00:09:14.960 He hasn't seen the life of Jesus play out. 00:09:15.120 --> 00:09:16.480 He's just pointing to Jesus. 00:09:16.639 --> 00:09:19.200 He knows enough to point, is what John knows. 00:09:20.879 --> 00:09:22.639 Luke 3, 15 through 18. 00:09:22.720 --> 00:09:28.240 As the people were in expectation, all were questioning in their hearts concerning John whether he might be the Christ. 00:09:28.399 --> 00:09:40.480 John answered them all, saying, I baptize you with the water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie, he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 00:09:40.720 --> 00:09:50.720 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. 00:09:50.960 --> 00:09:55.759 So with many other exhortations, he preached good news to the people. 00:09:55.919 --> 00:09:58.000 Again, that sounds scary. 00:09:58.159 --> 00:09:59.759 It's rejoicing Sunday. 00:09:59.919 --> 00:10:02.320 And then the last verse says, Good news. 00:10:02.399 --> 00:10:03.360 That's good news. 00:10:03.440 --> 00:10:04.559 So what does this mean? 00:10:06.320 --> 00:10:07.759 Verse 17. 00:10:09.200 --> 00:10:13.360 Now, sphere inducing verse 17 for sure is actually our joy. 00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:19.360 Because Jesus came and took the threshing. 00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:21.759 See, Jesus took the threshing. 00:10:22.639 --> 00:10:29.840 Jesus took the unquenchable fire, so we might become the stalks of wheat that bear fruit. 00:10:32.720 --> 00:10:36.879 This week I read an article, The Top Images of 2021. 00:10:37.919 --> 00:10:42.080 Here's the picture that stuck out to me as I was thinking about this morning. 00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:44.320 Maybe you remember this storyline this year. 00:10:44.480 --> 00:10:50.559 That's the Suez Canal, connects the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Seas through Egypt. 00:10:50.799 --> 00:10:53.600 Huge passageway for tankers. 00:10:53.919 --> 00:10:55.120 Huge passageway. 00:10:55.279 --> 00:10:59.600 This tanker turns sideways, rams into the side, blocks the canal. 00:10:59.759 --> 00:11:02.879 Hundreds and hundreds of tankers are just backing up. 00:11:04.159 --> 00:11:05.679 It's stuck. 00:11:06.639 --> 00:11:08.399 It needs outside help. 00:11:08.720 --> 00:11:12.559 It doesn't matter how much power that tanker has. 00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:18.399 That tanker has tremendous power, but it doesn't matter. 00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:21.919 It has to have outside help. 00:11:22.559 --> 00:11:28.240 So Egyptian, Dutch, and Italian tugboats pull it free. 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:30.080 It's an image for us. 00:11:30.320 --> 00:11:35.440 No matter how strong you are, some of you are so strong, great, fantastic. 00:11:35.919 --> 00:11:38.399 Some of you are disciplined, wonderful. 00:11:39.600 --> 00:11:42.639 You're still a tanker stuck sideways. 00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:50.799 We need outside help when it comes to the condition of sin, that we're just resistant to grace. 00:11:53.039 --> 00:11:54.240 We're resistant to that. 00:11:54.799 --> 00:11:58.639 Even our motives, if you evaluate your motives, your motives aren't perfect, you're our mind. 00:11:59.039 --> 00:12:02.080 That's what it means that we're sinners in need of grace. 00:12:03.279 --> 00:12:10.320 Man, when this grace comes in, God's love to us is limitless and it's not conditioned, it is powerful. 00:12:10.720 --> 00:12:13.200 To go to that place of pain, that sorrow. 00:12:14.080 --> 00:12:16.000 The one you're not talking about. 00:12:17.039 --> 00:12:18.559 It's powerful. 00:12:19.519 --> 00:12:21.039 You know this interpersonally, right? 00:12:21.440 --> 00:12:22.879 You have some pain. 00:12:23.440 --> 00:12:25.519 You have some issue with somebody. 00:12:25.679 --> 00:12:26.559 I don't know what it is. 00:12:26.720 --> 00:12:36.480 Something, she said something, he did something, something happened, there was a wound, something, you're living in pain, you're a little resentful, maybe you're bitter, you're you're clung up about it. 00:12:36.639 --> 00:12:38.080 You know the feeling? 00:12:38.559 --> 00:12:40.000 And then they call. 00:12:41.840 --> 00:12:42.720 You're nervous. 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:48.960 And they so vulnerably just say, I need to apologize to you. 00:12:49.519 --> 00:12:50.399 I'm so sorry. 00:12:50.639 --> 00:12:51.519 I love you so much. 00:12:51.679 --> 00:12:53.440 I'm so sorry I acted like that. 00:12:54.480 --> 00:12:57.440 And all of a sudden, what what happens inside of me? 00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:00.159 You get freed up. 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:04.240 This is how outside love works. 00:13:04.799 --> 00:13:06.960 You get freed up by love. 00:13:09.759 --> 00:13:11.360 Fleming Rutledge. 00:13:12.399 --> 00:13:16.799 She was an episcopal priest, brilliant writer. 00:13:17.120 --> 00:13:20.879 She reminds us how repentance relates to our growth. 00:13:23.360 --> 00:13:31.840 If I am told over and over to repent, to change, to orient my life to God, nothing will ever happen. 00:13:32.080 --> 00:13:38.159 I will cling to the Gucci luggage, not that I could afford it, and the earthly status symbols more desperately than ever. 00:13:38.320 --> 00:13:42.159 I don't need to hear exhortations to repent. 00:13:42.399 --> 00:13:46.480 I need power from outside myself to make me different. 00:13:46.720 --> 00:13:48.720 A power from outside is coming. 00:13:48.960 --> 00:13:58.320 A power that is able to make a new creation out of people like us, stones like us, people who have no capacity of ourselves to save ourselves. 00:13:58.559 --> 00:14:00.960 The power that is coming is not our power. 00:14:01.200 --> 00:14:07.360 Not the power of our deeds, our inner strength, our spiritual disciplines, or our faith, or even our repentance. 00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:16.399 It is God's power that gives good deeds and inner strength and spiritual discipline and faith and repentance. 00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:18.799 Isn't that relieving? 00:14:19.759 --> 00:14:27.600 That it's not even your repentance and your faith, it's God's power that creates your repentance and your faith. 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:32.639 By grace alone, through faith alone, and Christ's work alone. 00:14:35.039 --> 00:14:38.639 See, we're more like Paul than we are like Jesus. 00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:53.600 Because you gave your life to Jesus, and a month went by, or a year, or five years, or 15 years, and then you did realize you didn't change as much as you thought you would. 00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:56.399 You changed some. 00:14:56.720 --> 00:15:05.679 You had some amazing deliverance in some areas, you grew in godliness, but you're discovering more and more stuff that was messed up about you. 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:08.799 We're more like Paul than we are like Jesus. 00:15:12.080 --> 00:15:18.320 Or you're just worn out trying to pretend like you're not like Paul and that you are like Jesus. 00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:20.240 We need Jesus. 00:15:20.799 --> 00:15:22.320 But we're like Paul. 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:24.639 What a wretched sinner I am. 00:15:24.799 --> 00:15:29.679 All this stuff going on is I want to do one thing and then I end up doing the other, and I shouldn't do that, but I do that. 00:15:30.240 --> 00:15:31.919 Man, I need Jesus. 00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:36.399 See, we don't pursue a changed life. 00:15:36.799 --> 00:15:39.120 I know that sounds crazy in church. 00:15:39.919 --> 00:15:41.440 We don't pursue a changed life. 00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:42.720 No, no, no, no. 00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:49.919 We live in greater and greater gaze on Christ, who forgives, heals, and declares righteous. 00:15:50.080 --> 00:15:52.960 We rejoice where John is appointing us. 00:15:53.120 --> 00:15:56.639 We don't stay just with John the Baptist in this passage. 00:15:56.799 --> 00:16:00.320 No, he's pointing us ahead to Jesus. 00:16:00.559 --> 00:16:03.519 And then Paul helps us understand Jesus, doesn't he? 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:07.919 Paul says in Titus that grace teaches us to say no to ungodliness. 00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:08.879 And then look at this verse. 00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:11.200 I read this work this week in my devotion. 00:16:11.440 --> 00:16:13.519 Listen to who is doing the work in this verse. 00:16:13.600 --> 00:16:14.399 It won't be on the screen. 00:16:14.639 --> 00:16:15.360 Just listen. 00:16:15.600 --> 00:16:18.559 Listen to the nature of the one doing the work. 00:16:18.960 --> 00:16:20.960 1 Thessalonians 5.23. 00:16:21.120 --> 00:16:28.799 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. 00:16:30.240 --> 00:16:38.559 And may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:16:39.120 --> 00:16:41.759 Now back to Zephaniah 3.17. 00:16:42.000 --> 00:16:44.159 For the Lord your God is living among you. 00:16:44.320 --> 00:16:45.360 He is a mighty Savior. 00:16:45.600 --> 00:16:48.720 He will take delight in you with gladness, with his love. 00:16:49.039 --> 00:16:51.919 He will calm all your fears. 00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:57.120 He will rejoice over you with joyful psalms. 00:16:57.440 --> 00:16:59.120 So point number three, last point. 00:16:59.279 --> 00:17:02.720 We grow in godliness without condemnation. 00:17:03.919 --> 00:17:11.920 As we are rooted in God's saving, God's delight, and God's rejoicing over us. 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:19.279 It's from there the Holy Spirit works in us to create any of this bearing of fruit or growth in godliness. 00:17:20.000 --> 00:17:21.839 Someone singing over you. 00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:26.799 What a picture Zephaniah gives us of intimacy. 00:17:27.599 --> 00:17:28.880 It's powerful, right? 00:17:29.599 --> 00:17:37.039 You rock your little one to sleep and you sing just gently into her ear. 00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:41.039 They close their eyes and they feel safe. 00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:46.559 Or maybe you remember the scene from 1998. 00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:49.359 Adam Sandler's the wedding singer. 00:17:50.000 --> 00:17:51.440 Very profound scene. 00:17:51.680 --> 00:17:52.880 Profound movie. 00:17:56.000 --> 00:18:02.400 A lot of times the wildness of the gospel is more seen outside the church than in the church. 00:18:02.720 --> 00:18:05.759 And you go, a lot of times we have to go to counselors to get gospel. 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:08.799 Or go to AA, go to an AA meeting. 00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:10.960 Or Adam St. 00:18:11.200 --> 00:18:12.480 La Romantic Comedy. 00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:14.079 It's very possible. 00:18:14.559 --> 00:18:16.799 Because Robbie's the wedding singer. 00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:18.319 I'll ruin it. 00:18:18.400 --> 00:18:20.720 You had like 24 years or something, right? 00:18:20.880 --> 00:18:23.440 I'll just ruin it. 00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:26.000 Robbie's the wedding singer. 00:18:26.960 --> 00:18:29.359 And he's left at the altar by his fiance. 00:18:29.599 --> 00:18:30.720 It's just tragic. 00:18:31.599 --> 00:18:32.960 There's his pain. 00:18:33.440 --> 00:18:36.640 He's gonna live out of this pain the rest of the movie. 00:18:38.480 --> 00:18:43.680 But he falls in love with Julia, Drew Barrymore, who's just so wonderful, endearing. 00:18:44.079 --> 00:18:45.519 So endearing. 00:18:46.079 --> 00:18:51.359 More tragic, romantic comedy events happen, they just can't quite get together. 00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:53.359 It just unfolds over time. 00:18:53.440 --> 00:18:55.119 And you think, oh, it's not gonna happen. 00:18:55.279 --> 00:18:57.920 Finally, Drew Barrymore is on a plane to go get married. 00:18:58.079 --> 00:18:59.839 Some putts, just like the putts of the movies. 00:19:00.160 --> 00:19:01.519 And you're like, oh, she's gonna go marry him. 00:19:01.680 --> 00:19:03.200 This is just so awful, right? 00:19:03.279 --> 00:19:08.799 But the great thing about the romantic comedy is the ark, the redemptive arc, you know it's coming, right? 00:19:09.119 --> 00:19:10.160 So profound. 00:19:10.480 --> 00:19:12.720 Robbie gets on the plane. 00:19:13.599 --> 00:19:15.039 You remember the scene? 00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:17.279 Yes. 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:18.960 That's right. 00:19:19.920 --> 00:19:21.440 And he sings this. 00:19:23.359 --> 00:19:24.880 It's not Shakespeare, by the way. 00:19:25.279 --> 00:19:26.720 I mean, it's not what is about to happen. 00:19:26.880 --> 00:19:29.279 I'm not about to read like Shakespeare or Alden. 00:19:29.440 --> 00:19:30.400 I mean, this is Sandler. 00:19:30.480 --> 00:19:31.759 Okay, here's Sandler. 00:19:32.880 --> 00:19:40.640 I want to make you smile whenever you're sad, carry you around when your arthritis is bad. 00:19:41.440 --> 00:19:43.680 All I want to do is grow old with you. 00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:45.119 I'll miss you. 00:19:45.519 --> 00:19:53.839 Kiss you, give you my coat when you are cold, need you, feed you, even let you hold the remote control. 00:19:55.279 --> 00:19:56.319 That's too far. 00:19:56.480 --> 00:19:57.680 That's too far. 00:19:59.680 --> 00:20:02.720 So let me do the dishes in our kitchen sink. 00:20:03.599 --> 00:20:06.400 Put you to bed when you've had too much to drink. 00:20:07.119 --> 00:20:09.759 Oh, I could be the man who grows old with you. 00:20:10.240 --> 00:20:12.000 I want to grow old with you. 00:20:14.079 --> 00:20:15.359 Not Shakespeare. 00:20:19.279 --> 00:20:20.799 That's all we want to hear. 00:20:21.440 --> 00:20:22.559 Somebody would love us. 00:20:24.160 --> 00:20:27.839 Like as we are, and just want to be for us and stay with us. 00:20:28.799 --> 00:20:30.000 It's powerful. 00:20:31.359 --> 00:20:36.079 The only time somebody's singing over somebody else isn't. 00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:38.079 I mean, just think about it. 00:20:38.240 --> 00:20:40.880 Maybe you sung over somebody, maybe a child. 00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:44.319 Maybe to your sweet someone. 00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:46.079 It's intimate. 00:20:46.880 --> 00:20:48.240 It's powerful. 00:20:54.000 --> 00:20:54.640 Wow. 00:20:55.279 --> 00:21:01.839 I mean, he must really be he must really love you and delight in you and like you, right? 00:21:04.880 --> 00:21:06.799 In our sin and our brokenness. 00:21:07.279 --> 00:21:09.119 I mean, their city's about to fall. 00:21:09.519 --> 00:21:13.680 Zephaniah just blasted them with judgment, but the word of grace follows. 00:21:13.920 --> 00:21:16.400 Judgment always leads us to grace. 00:21:17.440 --> 00:21:24.160 And that is the wild pursuing, forceful, transformative power and love of Jesus for us to know. 00:21:25.279 --> 00:21:29.519 So, church, God says, In Christ, in Christ, I sing over you. 00:21:29.680 --> 00:21:31.359 I am mighty to save. 00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:33.279 I delight in you. 00:21:33.359 --> 00:21:34.480 I forget, I forgive it all. 00:21:34.640 --> 00:21:37.039 I forgive all your sin and I deem you righteous. 00:21:37.119 --> 00:21:38.720 It's the work of the cross. 00:21:40.640 --> 00:21:43.039 And I can calm your fears and quiet you. 00:21:43.680 --> 00:21:44.640 Let's pray together. 00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:56.240 God, thank you that Jesus is enough for our fear, for that pain we have not talked about yet. 00:21:56.559 --> 00:21:58.480 For the sorrow over our own sin. 00:21:58.640 --> 00:22:01.680 Thank you that Jesus is enough for the forgiveness of all our sin. 00:22:02.480 --> 00:22:06.160 Thank you that Jesus is enough for all the righteousness we need. 00:22:07.519 --> 00:22:15.039 Thank you that the gospel is enough not just to save us, but to begin to sanctify us. 00:22:15.359 --> 00:22:24.079 May we root deeper and deeper into the great wealth of the identity we have as your beloved children in Jesus, that our lives might honor you. 00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:38.960 As we got the beautiful baptism symbol this morning, that we are buried with Christ in baptism and we are raised to walk in a newness of life, that we are covered by you. 00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:43.279 Teach us what it means to walk with you in grace. 00:22:44.160 --> 00:22:47.359 Allow the Holy Spirit to work in us and through us. 00:22:50.079 --> 00:22:51.519 May our lives honor you. 00:22:51.759 --> 00:22:53.359 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:22:53.680 --> 00:22:54.319 Amen.