WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:18.320 So we're officially at the end of our journey through the book of Judges in the Old Testament, and the writer has one more point to make at the end of this story, and he saves the most vulgar story he could tell until the very end of his book that he's writing. 00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:24.480 Now, what's interesting about that is the story doesn't even fit in the chronological order of the storytelling. 00:00:24.800 --> 00:00:41.840 So it's almost like he, as a writer, is holding back the most vulgar story he could tell out of chronological order, and then just puts it on at the end as like shock value mic drop and he walks out. 00:00:42.000 --> 00:00:43.200 I mean, it's kind of what it feels. 00:00:43.280 --> 00:00:44.159 It doesn't make any other sense. 00:00:44.240 --> 00:00:46.320 Why would you hold back this story? 00:00:46.479 --> 00:00:50.960 Tell it out of order, tell it at the end, and then end your book. 00:00:52.320 --> 00:00:58.240 So Judges 1 through 3, we already read of Judges 19, 1 through 3. 00:00:58.799 --> 00:01:03.600 Let's reread those as we work our way through Judges 19, 20, and 21. 00:01:04.239 --> 00:01:13.040 In those days there was no king in Israel, a certain Levite was sojourning in the remote parts of the hill country of Ephraim, who took to himself a concubine from Bethlehem and Judah. 00:01:13.200 --> 00:01:20.719 And his concubine was unfaithful to him, and she went away from him to her father's house at Bethlehem and Judah, was there for some four months. 00:01:20.879 --> 00:01:24.959 Then her husband arose and went after her to speak kindly to her and bring her back. 00:01:25.280 --> 00:01:29.920 He had with him his servant and a couple of donkeys, and she brought him into her father's house. 00:01:30.000 --> 00:01:34.000 And when the father girl's father saw him, he came with joy to meet him. 00:01:34.159 --> 00:01:38.000 So a concubine was a slave mistress. 00:01:38.400 --> 00:01:41.680 So clear violation of God's word in Genesis chapter 2. 00:01:41.760 --> 00:01:52.239 So what we see is that God's people, especially in the Old Testament, we see it a lot, they're conforming to their culture in huge ways, taking on multiple wives, taking on concubines. 00:01:52.319 --> 00:01:55.040 This was not God's heart in the beginning of Genesis. 00:01:55.359 --> 00:02:06.560 So this concubine, for some reason, we don't know why, she's had enough of her owner, husband, quote unquote husband, her owner, has an affair, runs off, and runs home. 00:02:06.719 --> 00:02:13.120 Eventually, the owner, a Levite, so a Levite's supposed to be a holy man in this story, which is ironic. 00:02:13.599 --> 00:02:15.919 He eventually follows her four months later. 00:02:16.159 --> 00:02:18.000 Four months, that's how much he cares, right? 00:02:18.080 --> 00:02:21.439 Like it takes four months to figure out she's gone or figure out he wants her back. 00:02:21.599 --> 00:02:26.000 Four months later, he goes and he stays in the dad's home for many days. 00:02:26.159 --> 00:02:29.120 Finally, the Levite, the concubine, they depart. 00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:35.360 They end up in a town that belongs to Israel and the tribe of Benjamin. 00:02:35.520 --> 00:02:39.680 And a man in that town take them in for the night. 00:02:40.159 --> 00:02:41.439 And here's what happens. 00:02:41.599 --> 00:02:42.639 Buckle up. 00:02:42.960 --> 00:02:44.479 Judges 19, 22. 00:02:44.639 --> 00:02:50.639 As they were making their hearts merry, so they're in the house there with that man in this town in the tribe of Benjamin. 00:02:50.879 --> 00:03:03.520 As they were making their hearts merry, behold, the men of the city, worthless fellows, surrounded the house, beating on the door, and they said to the old man, the master of the house, Bring out the man who came into your house that we may know him. 00:03:03.919 --> 00:03:10.719 Now we could read right over that, but the scene is this in the text of what that means to know him. 00:03:11.199 --> 00:03:16.560 It means that all these worthless men in this town find out there's a new guy in town. 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:27.520 And they come and surround this house and they pound on the door, demanding for this guy to be put outside with them so they can sexually abuse him. 00:03:28.639 --> 00:03:36.080 Now, the owner of the house, rather than having any bravery or decency, he begins to negotiate. 00:03:36.639 --> 00:03:42.240 And his negotiation is hey, why don't you take my virgin daughter and the concubine? 00:03:42.400 --> 00:03:47.680 Like this is this is his thinking that this is a reasonable way to work your way through the situation. 00:03:47.919 --> 00:03:53.919 And then finally, the owner of the house forces the concubine out with those other men. 00:03:55.199 --> 00:03:59.759 And one of the more disturbing Bible verses hits us in Judges 19, 25 through 26. 00:03:59.840 --> 00:04:01.199 But the men would not listen to him. 00:04:01.360 --> 00:04:02.800 So he's trying to do that new negotiation. 00:04:02.960 --> 00:04:03.680 Wouldn't listen to him. 00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:12.639 So the man sees his concubine and made her go out to them, and they knew her and abused her all night until the morning. 00:04:13.919 --> 00:04:16.959 And as the dawn began to break, they let her go. 00:04:17.519 --> 00:04:25.360 And as morning appeared, the woman came and fell down at the door of the man's house where her master was until it was light. 00:04:26.879 --> 00:04:32.000 So the lady was raped and abused all night. 00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:38.560 So close to death that she laid lifeless in the doorway. 00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:50.879 And then, if we kept reading the text, the verses, the Levite, her owner, her husband, comes out in the morning, sees her, steps by her. 00:04:52.319 --> 00:04:54.160 The holy man, the Levite, right? 00:04:55.600 --> 00:04:57.360 Steps by her and says, Let's go. 00:04:58.000 --> 00:04:58.720 Get up. 00:04:59.439 --> 00:05:00.959 Shows no compassion. 00:05:01.839 --> 00:05:10.720 This is the story that the writer saves until the very end of the book, out of chronological order, as to make a point. 00:05:11.279 --> 00:05:16.959 Now we can remember a very important point before we look at some points in the actual text here in Judges 19. 00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:24.560 And I think a good starting point for us is point number one: every human being is a child of God and holds royal splendor. 00:05:25.680 --> 00:05:27.120 Genesis 1.27. 00:05:27.279 --> 00:05:33.759 So God created man in his own image, and the image of God, he created him, male and female, he created him. 00:05:34.079 --> 00:05:36.480 The word image is the Hebrew word selen. 00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:52.639 So our creation, all of us, me and you, Uncle Ted, Uncle Eddie, cousin Eddie, the concubine, the owner, all of us, all of us are created in the image of God. 00:05:52.879 --> 00:05:55.600 We are a reflection of something greater. 00:05:55.680 --> 00:05:58.160 That's known as the Imago Dei. 00:05:58.720 --> 00:06:02.879 We're all reflections of him, which makes us, makes all of us little royalty. 00:06:03.040 --> 00:06:03.600 That's what we are. 00:06:03.759 --> 00:06:07.439 That's why we're so offended and should be offended when we read a story like this. 00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:19.360 Now, the good news for us is that maybe you're here and you've been abused or oppressed or violated or subjugated in some way. 00:06:19.600 --> 00:06:22.240 And you need to hear the truth about your worth. 00:06:22.560 --> 00:06:24.879 Because it's possible that you live out of a lie. 00:06:25.600 --> 00:06:29.120 But the truth about your worth is your Amago day. 00:06:29.759 --> 00:06:33.360 That you are royal splendor created by God. 00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:35.279 Just because you're here. 00:06:35.600 --> 00:06:38.720 Like just because you're here and you're his. 00:06:40.319 --> 00:06:41.600 Nothing that you do. 00:06:41.920 --> 00:06:43.120 Just because you're his. 00:06:44.000 --> 00:06:48.800 Second point is this thinking about these characters in this story. 00:06:49.040 --> 00:06:53.439 The godly person can be ungodly and also needs deliverance from God. 00:06:54.560 --> 00:07:05.360 Now maybe we don't relate with the Levite in this story, but I think all of us can relate to being ungodly at certain times, if not in deeds, certainly in motive. 00:07:05.920 --> 00:07:11.920 But thinking about these characters in this story, the men that surrendered the house, these are men of Israel. 00:07:12.240 --> 00:07:14.079 These are God's people. 00:07:15.040 --> 00:07:18.639 And then the Levite, the holy man, what he does is he takes his concubine. 00:07:18.879 --> 00:07:21.199 He says, come on, he takes his concubine. 00:07:21.439 --> 00:07:27.040 And he takes his knife and he butchers her into twelve pieces. 00:07:27.279 --> 00:07:30.720 And he mails her to the twelve tribes of Israel. 00:07:31.040 --> 00:07:35.680 For all the tribes to know what happened to his property. 00:07:36.879 --> 00:07:44.879 And it's so clear that you could only do something like that if you didn't view this other person as a human being, but as property, like a lamp. 00:07:45.199 --> 00:07:49.680 Like you just took apart a lamp and mailed it around. 00:07:52.079 --> 00:07:57.360 See, these people of God are so immersed in a culture of paganism. 00:07:57.600 --> 00:08:02.000 They desire and they act in ways that are so distant from the heart of God. 00:08:02.160 --> 00:08:06.560 It took me straight to Romans 12, 1 and 2 in the New Testament. 00:08:06.800 --> 00:08:14.800 I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 00:08:14.959 --> 00:08:29.680 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:39.039 So by the mercies of God, this is what this passage is saying, by the mercies of God, any of our growth and grace or godliness, all of that is by God's mercy for us. 00:08:39.279 --> 00:08:47.840 Our entire Christian life, from initial relationship with our Heavenly Father to the journey that we walk with Him is by His tenacious grace to us. 00:08:48.080 --> 00:08:58.639 And part of that is the grace and mercy to not be conformed to the world around us, but to have our mind renewed by what God has for us. 00:08:58.879 --> 00:09:00.639 And we see that in his word. 00:09:01.679 --> 00:09:09.360 So I'm wondering if some of you have sayings that you say, if you have kids, you say to your kids over and over and over and over again. 00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:21.519 Like one is I say, like we give out allowance monthly, and what I always say, and I say it so many times when children know it at this point, is I say, we give, we save, we spend. 00:09:21.679 --> 00:09:23.200 Like it's every month. 00:09:23.440 --> 00:09:28.799 Like I give them the allowance, we give, we save, we spend. 00:09:28.879 --> 00:09:29.039 Right? 00:09:29.200 --> 00:09:30.799 And do you have you probably have a few of these? 00:09:30.960 --> 00:09:36.000 The other ones I have is when all the lights are on in our house, and like we're about to leave. 00:09:36.399 --> 00:09:39.039 Do you know what I sing as I walk around? 00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:42.639 Every lot in the house is on. 00:09:42.799 --> 00:09:43.360 What are you saying? 00:09:43.519 --> 00:09:43.759 Money? 00:09:43.919 --> 00:09:44.879 You just think money? 00:09:45.679 --> 00:09:46.960 Oh, you see money. 00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:48.879 I'm seeing, yeah, money's just going on. 00:09:48.960 --> 00:09:52.080 And I just sing every lot in the house is on. 00:09:52.159 --> 00:09:54.480 And they're gonna have it in their heads like the rest of their life. 00:09:54.559 --> 00:09:55.840 You know, like that's what's gonna be. 00:09:55.919 --> 00:09:57.360 Is dad walking around seeing that country? 00:09:57.600 --> 00:09:59.759 It's just that one line over and over and over again. 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:02.399 As my money is leaving the house, right? 00:10:02.559 --> 00:10:03.679 Like that's what's going on. 00:10:03.759 --> 00:10:05.200 And you have your little sayings, right? 00:10:05.279 --> 00:10:11.600 Like you have something, like you say to your kids over and over and over again, and if something was said to you from your parents, right? 00:10:11.679 --> 00:10:15.279 You can remember something that was said to you over and over and over again. 00:10:15.360 --> 00:10:16.320 And we do this, right? 00:10:16.480 --> 00:10:19.360 We do this because this is what's important to us. 00:10:19.759 --> 00:10:23.120 Like the thing that's important to us is what we say over and over again. 00:10:23.279 --> 00:10:31.120 There's a reason why our church says over and over and over again, like we are created beautiful in God's image, but we are more broken than we originally thought. 00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:35.679 Well, that's a freeing diagnosis to come in touch with, yet we're more loved by God than we could dare to dream. 00:10:35.840 --> 00:10:39.039 We say it over and over and over again because it's really important to us. 00:10:40.159 --> 00:10:42.159 Now think about this text. 00:10:42.799 --> 00:10:50.559 Two weeks ago, we were in chapter 17, 18, the writer told a whole nother story, and he barely weighed in his opinion. 00:10:50.879 --> 00:10:52.399 Barely weighed in his opinion. 00:10:52.720 --> 00:10:55.200 Except for Judges 17, 6. 00:10:55.360 --> 00:10:58.240 In those days there was no king in Israel. 00:10:58.399 --> 00:11:00.799 Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. 00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:03.519 Judges 18 1, he finally weighed in again. 00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:06.000 In those days, there was no king in Israel. 00:11:06.159 --> 00:11:16.559 And to start this most vulgar chapter in the Bible, again, in those days when there was no king in Israel, Judges 19, 1. 00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:19.840 So chapter 20 starts. 00:11:20.480 --> 00:11:26.559 All the tribes of Israel, they unite, they have a little civil war against the tribe of Benjamin. 00:11:26.799 --> 00:11:28.480 Desolate Benjamin. 00:11:29.200 --> 00:11:31.440 Then the story turns in chapter 21. 00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:33.519 It's a really odd turn of events. 00:11:33.840 --> 00:11:40.559 Because this group of people just fought a civil war against Benjamin, and then immediately they feel sorrow for Benjamin's plight and situation. 00:11:40.720 --> 00:11:43.120 So Judges 21, 1 through 3. 00:11:43.759 --> 00:11:50.080 Now the men of Israel had sworn in Mizpah, no one of us shall give his daughter in marriage to Benjamin. 00:11:50.159 --> 00:11:52.399 They just wanted Benjamin gone, right? 00:11:53.200 --> 00:11:54.159 Then verse 2. 00:11:54.320 --> 00:12:00.799 And the people came to Bethel and sat there till evening before God, and they lifted up their voices and they wept bitterly. 00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:09.679 And they said, O Lord, the God of Israel, why has this happened in Israel that today there should be one tribe lacking in Israel? 00:12:10.559 --> 00:12:12.159 So here's what they do. 00:12:12.799 --> 00:12:20.799 The eleven tribes that enacted all that judgment toward Benjamin that allowed that thing to happen to that concubine. 00:12:21.679 --> 00:12:23.039 They're filled with sorrow. 00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:24.240 They hold an assembly. 00:12:24.399 --> 00:12:48.559 One of those eleven tribes doesn't show up, which is like maybe a lesson about not showing up to a church meeting, because what happens here is the other ten tribes decide, hey, let's go attack that tribe that didn't come to the meeting, and they attack them, and they take 400 virgin girls from that tribe, take them and give them to Benjamin, and then they realize that's not even really enough women to repopulate this tribe of Benjamin. 00:12:48.639 --> 00:12:54.399 So let's give Benjamin permission to go steal even more women from Shiloh so they can repopulate. 00:12:54.639 --> 00:12:55.519 What, like what? 00:12:55.679 --> 00:12:57.039 Like what? 00:12:57.519 --> 00:13:01.840 Like if you're just reading that, you're like, like some of you are like, that's why I don't read the Bible. 00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:05.600 Like you just told the story why I don't read the Bible. 00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:09.840 Like, how are they getting to these decisions, right? 00:13:11.919 --> 00:13:24.879 Now, in case you're wondering how God actually feels about all this and what how the writer feels about this, we can think about Judges 17, 6, 18, 1, 19, 1, and then Judges 21, 25. 00:13:25.360 --> 00:13:27.759 In those days, there was no king in Israel. 00:13:27.919 --> 00:13:31.360 Everyone did what was right in his own eyes. 00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:40.080 So point number three is this the king of our hearts reigns with lavish acceptance, forever justification, and ongoing care. 00:13:42.159 --> 00:13:45.919 So the writer's hitting hard their need for a human king. 00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:50.399 That some of that's political at the time. 00:13:50.559 --> 00:13:53.279 He's weighing in their need for a human king. 00:13:53.519 --> 00:13:54.879 We need a human king. 00:13:55.039 --> 00:13:56.639 We're going off the rails. 00:13:57.600 --> 00:14:01.440 The prophets come later and teach us we need a lot more than a human king. 00:14:01.600 --> 00:14:03.440 Political leaders are not enough. 00:14:04.639 --> 00:14:06.240 And we have a greater king, right? 00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:11.279 Like we have one that reigns not just over our society, but over our actual hearts. 00:14:11.440 --> 00:14:20.000 Now, if we think back over the last many weeks, we've been talking about these idols and the idolatry of our hearts that we've seen all these different characters in judges. 00:14:21.200 --> 00:14:25.200 Desires, good and bad, that can become kings of our hearts. 00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:27.440 Let's just remember these as we put all this together. 00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:29.440 Romance or sex idolatry. 00:14:29.600 --> 00:14:32.960 If I don't have him or her, I won't be okay or enough. 00:14:33.039 --> 00:14:35.120 So I need him, and if I get him, I'll be okay. 00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:36.720 If I get her, I'll finally be okay. 00:14:36.799 --> 00:14:37.440 I'll be enough. 00:14:37.679 --> 00:14:38.960 Power idolatry. 00:14:39.200 --> 00:14:44.000 If I don't have power or influence, I won't be okay or enough. 00:14:44.240 --> 00:14:45.440 Money idolatry. 00:14:45.519 --> 00:14:51.679 If I don't have that amount, that salary, that investment, I won't be okay or enough. 00:14:51.840 --> 00:14:58.320 Religious idolatry, if I don't adhere to those religious activities, I won't be okay or enough. 00:14:58.639 --> 00:15:03.440 Meaning, I only have meaning as I observe a particular set of religious activities. 00:15:03.759 --> 00:15:09.039 Pleasure idolatry, if I don't have this pleasurable experience, I won't be okay or enough. 00:15:09.440 --> 00:15:16.639 Autonomy idolatry, if I don't have complete independence and self-reign, I won't be okay or enough. 00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:18.960 Now how that's how it brings us into this. 00:15:19.200 --> 00:15:23.919 I read this quote this week by author Rebecca Pepper. 00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:28.080 Whatever controls us is our Lord. 00:15:28.960 --> 00:15:32.960 The person who seeks power is controlled by power. 00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:38.480 The person who seeks acceptance is controlled by the people he or she wants to please. 00:15:38.639 --> 00:15:41.120 We do not control ourselves. 00:15:41.440 --> 00:15:45.120 We are controlled by the Lord of our life. 00:15:46.159 --> 00:15:47.120 All of us. 00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:48.320 We all have a Lord. 00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:49.759 We all have a king. 00:15:50.159 --> 00:15:53.519 There's this little phrase, it's always been, it felt so religious to me. 00:15:53.600 --> 00:15:58.559 Almost, I never could connect with it really until the last week or so. 00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:00.879 You've heard it if you've been around church. 00:16:01.039 --> 00:16:03.919 Jesus is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:05.440 That just felt so religious to me. 00:16:05.519 --> 00:16:07.200 Jesus is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lord. 00:16:07.279 --> 00:16:09.600 It's like one of those things I just heard so many times growing up. 00:16:09.759 --> 00:16:12.080 I never really connected with that. 00:16:12.639 --> 00:16:17.039 But it shows up in Revelation, it shows up in 1 Timothy. 00:16:17.600 --> 00:16:31.120 And I just reflected on that the past week or so because that is such a good confession that we overly depend on little K Kings and little L lords in our hearts. 00:16:31.279 --> 00:16:34.320 And yet it's also a celebration that we do have a true king. 00:16:34.399 --> 00:16:39.519 We need one, and we have one that created us. 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:44.399 And that there's a love better than anything this world can offer. 00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:53.919 And then we can go and remember Jesus as he's coming, he's marching into Jerusalem, that triumphant entry, ultimately to his death. 00:16:54.639 --> 00:16:56.720 In John 12, 12 through 15. 00:16:56.879 --> 00:16:58.720 This is what we celebrate on Palm Sunday. 00:16:58.799 --> 00:17:04.640 The next day, the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 00:17:04.799 --> 00:17:13.440 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the king of Israel. 00:17:14.880 --> 00:17:20.480 And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, Fear not, daughter of Zion. 00:17:20.640 --> 00:17:25.440 Behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt. 00:17:26.960 --> 00:17:28.480 So we need a king. 00:17:28.720 --> 00:17:29.440 We need a king. 00:17:29.519 --> 00:17:30.880 That's the writer's point and judges. 00:17:31.039 --> 00:17:31.839 We need a king. 00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:42.799 I think the writer only knew that in part, but as we put it together in the meta-narrative of the scriptures, it takes us that we don't just need a king for our society, we need a king for our hearts. 00:17:44.319 --> 00:17:45.920 I love verse 15. 00:17:46.240 --> 00:17:47.119 Fear not. 00:17:47.920 --> 00:17:50.960 This is the kind of relationship we have with the king of our hearts. 00:17:51.519 --> 00:17:52.480 Fear not. 00:17:52.880 --> 00:17:56.799 So fear is over as perfect love casts out fear. 00:17:58.720 --> 00:18:03.279 So what that means is with King Jesus, we are free of fear. 00:18:04.160 --> 00:18:07.759 And of course, we're learning how to be free of fear. 00:18:08.240 --> 00:18:13.119 The word behold, what an invitation that is for us to stop and embrace. 00:18:21.680 --> 00:18:25.599 Not just obligatory religious ritual. 00:18:26.720 --> 00:18:29.200 Your king is coming on a donkey. 00:18:29.519 --> 00:18:33.839 So our king comes riding on a symbol of peace. 00:18:34.079 --> 00:18:46.480 So with King Jesus, he doesn't come to make demands for us to be good enough, then we'll be okay with him, but to love us and die for us and take on our sin and forever welcome and accept us. 00:18:46.640 --> 00:18:48.720 And all of that is objective. 00:18:49.200 --> 00:18:52.079 It's not necessarily how we feel this morning or about it at a given time. 00:18:52.160 --> 00:18:55.279 It's objective because it's based in Christ's word for us. 00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:57.519 He can change our hearts. 00:18:58.319 --> 00:19:00.480 That Christ fully knows us and fully loves us. 00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:02.640 So the writer and judges was right. 00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:10.079 And he saves this vulgar, nasty, awful story to say to the people, you need a king. 00:19:10.640 --> 00:19:14.720 And then the meta-narrator of the scriptures builds this out for us to understand. 00:19:14.880 --> 00:19:15.920 Yes, we do. 00:19:16.559 --> 00:19:18.880 And this is how bad it can get in society. 00:19:19.119 --> 00:19:24.400 And there's also a lot of stuff in my heart that needs to be dealt with by a redeemer, by a king. 00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:29.200 And that there is a love, that there is a love better than anything this world can offer. 00:19:29.680 --> 00:19:30.720 Let's pray together. 00:19:33.920 --> 00:19:40.799 God, thank you that Christ as our king is Christ as our peace. 00:19:43.119 --> 00:19:50.960 Thank you that you rule us and reign in us as love, as a redeemer. 00:19:52.799 --> 00:20:03.359 That you are not waiting to zap us as a powerful, vengeful king, but you desire to reign in us as a friend and an advocate. 00:20:06.160 --> 00:20:23.039 Help us to come in greater awareness and astonishment of how good you are for us and to us, and to rest not in our work, but in your work for us on the cross, where all of our sin is handled and all of our righteousness is provided for us. 00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:24.480 In Jesus' name we pray. 00:20:24.799 --> 00:20:25.279 Amen.