WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:00.880 Week of Advent. 00:00:00.959 --> 00:00:05.120 Advent's the season leading up to Christmas, the four Sundays leading up to Christmas. 00:00:05.200 --> 00:00:09.839 And so I thought we'd start off by just thinking through this idea of being rescued, the idea of being rescued. 00:00:09.919 --> 00:00:21.760 So if you were driving down the expressway and you saw a car broken down and you saw a man looking over uh into the hood, the hood's up, he's leaning over the engine, he has a he has his phone to his ear. 00:00:21.920 --> 00:00:23.679 What is he waiting for? 00:00:24.559 --> 00:00:25.440 He's waiting for help. 00:00:25.600 --> 00:00:30.320 Hero, a hero unit, a policeman, you know, somebody, somebody that's me, by the way. 00:00:30.480 --> 00:00:35.840 If I'm looking into an engine, I have a phone to my ear because I I don't know what's going on in there. 00:00:36.079 --> 00:00:37.759 I would need rescuing. 00:00:38.000 --> 00:00:39.359 I would need rescuing. 00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:41.600 Uh, do you remember that the movie Castaway? 00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:46.079 Spoiler alert, but it has been 19 years, by the way, so I don't feel too bad about it. 00:00:46.240 --> 00:00:57.119 So the movie Castaway, uh, we had Chuck, Tom Hanks, there on that island, and he's he's on the island, he's needing rescuing, and he's there with the volleyball Wilson, and they're waiting for something. 00:00:57.200 --> 00:00:58.880 Do you remember what they're waiting for? 00:00:59.759 --> 00:01:03.759 Do you remember distinctly what rescues them? 00:01:06.239 --> 00:01:07.040 The wind, okay. 00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:09.120 I'm looking for an object, that's good. 00:01:10.480 --> 00:01:13.040 A sail, it was a wall of a porta potty. 00:01:13.200 --> 00:01:14.480 That was what they were waiting for. 00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:18.879 They didn't know it, they didn't know that was gonna be the rescue, but that's what they were waiting for. 00:01:19.120 --> 00:01:21.120 That's what they were waiting for. 00:01:21.359 --> 00:01:23.120 All right, a little bit of 80s trivia. 00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:29.040 Do you remember uh the name of the little girl, 18-month-old little girl? 00:01:29.280 --> 00:01:31.680 She fell into an eight-inch wide well. 00:01:32.400 --> 00:01:33.920 Baby Jessica. 00:01:34.159 --> 00:01:35.599 Do you remember baby Jessica? 00:01:35.680 --> 00:01:37.920 If you were alive, then you remember it. 00:01:38.079 --> 00:01:39.599 It was 1987. 00:01:40.239 --> 00:01:43.280 She was 18 months old, baby Jessica. 00:01:43.519 --> 00:01:51.840 Jessica McClure was her name, and she fell 22 feet down into an eight-inch well in her aunt's backyard, and she got wedged. 00:01:52.079 --> 00:01:54.799 She was alive down there, but she was stuck. 00:01:55.439 --> 00:01:56.400 She was stuck. 00:01:57.599 --> 00:01:58.480 She needed help. 00:01:58.959 --> 00:02:04.799 They actually lowered a microphone down to hear her, and she was down there and she knew she was stuck. 00:02:05.040 --> 00:02:08.560 That she was down there and she was singing, but she was crying. 00:02:09.520 --> 00:02:13.280 And for 56 hours, rescuers worked to get her back up. 00:02:13.360 --> 00:02:14.000 You remember that? 00:02:14.080 --> 00:02:15.680 I mean, the president called them. 00:02:15.759 --> 00:02:16.719 This was national. 00:02:16.800 --> 00:02:18.319 I mean, this was huge. 00:02:19.280 --> 00:02:23.120 And rescuing requires a point of recognition of need. 00:02:24.159 --> 00:02:25.520 That we're stuck. 00:02:25.759 --> 00:02:28.479 We're stuck in shame or we're stuck in sin. 00:02:28.800 --> 00:02:33.280 We're stuck in guilt, we're stuck in hurt, we're stuck in exhaustion, we're stuck in condemnation. 00:02:33.759 --> 00:02:39.599 And rescuing requires some point of need of going, like, I'm at the end of myself. 00:02:39.840 --> 00:02:43.199 I need resources from outside of myself. 00:02:43.599 --> 00:02:45.680 Now that's what we call repentance. 00:02:47.280 --> 00:02:51.680 Now here's the passage in Matthew 3, verses 1 through 4. 00:02:52.719 --> 00:02:56.479 In those days, John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea. 00:02:56.879 --> 00:03:07.280 Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand, for this is he who was spoken by the prophet Isaiah when he said the voice of the one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord and make his path straight. 00:03:07.439 --> 00:03:13.199 Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:15.599 So he's a bit of a wild man, wilderness guy. 00:03:15.759 --> 00:03:23.599 Then Jerusalem and all of Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him on the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 00:03:23.840 --> 00:03:25.439 So a few points to guide us in this. 00:03:25.599 --> 00:03:28.560 Point number one is this our hearts may be busy. 00:03:28.960 --> 00:03:30.560 Our hearts are busy. 00:03:30.879 --> 00:03:36.879 But even our busy hearts reveal we are truly a waiting and a needy people. 00:03:37.520 --> 00:03:45.919 So when John the Baptist comes on the scene, it's been 400 years of silence since the last prophet from the Old Testament writings. 00:03:46.240 --> 00:03:47.599 400 years of silence. 00:03:47.840 --> 00:03:49.520 There's no Bible yet. 00:03:51.039 --> 00:03:53.199 And prophets spoke for God. 00:03:54.080 --> 00:03:55.680 But the people kept living. 00:03:56.240 --> 00:04:01.120 They kept farming and hunting and caring for their family, caring for their, you know, their kids. 00:04:01.280 --> 00:04:02.479 They kept getting married. 00:04:02.639 --> 00:04:08.080 I mean, for us, this is just us just like us just ordering more off at Amazon and like blowing leaves. 00:04:08.159 --> 00:04:11.199 And anybody's been blowing leaves, a lot of us have been dealing with our leaves. 00:04:11.759 --> 00:04:14.960 And this is just us carrying on with life. 00:04:15.680 --> 00:04:25.360 And into that silence and that busyness of life and heart that these people had and we have comes this really intense, wild man. 00:04:26.560 --> 00:04:28.879 And everyone wanted to hear him preach. 00:04:29.519 --> 00:04:32.879 Because it's been a long time since somebody spoke for God. 00:04:33.360 --> 00:04:39.040 And he begins to talk about repentance for Savior is coming. 00:04:39.279 --> 00:04:43.120 Hey, you're stuck and you need rescuing. 00:04:44.160 --> 00:04:46.720 This past week, our family decorated for Christmas. 00:04:47.040 --> 00:04:51.839 We have our routine as Christy's up in the attic and she's getting down the big plastic bins. 00:04:52.000 --> 00:05:01.839 I'm on the ladder, so I'm the halfway man, and I get it like this, and I kind of lean backward and kind of get it through the gap, and then I hand it down to our oldest daughter who she almost falls down as she stacks them up in the hallway. 00:05:01.920 --> 00:05:04.399 And we just kind of do this over and over again. 00:05:04.560 --> 00:05:05.600 And that's our process. 00:05:05.680 --> 00:05:09.040 And then we set up the tree, and I help set up the tree together. 00:05:09.199 --> 00:05:12.560 Yes, we're a are we anybody else a fall fake tree? 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:18.319 Just admit that and just go ahead and humble yourself because we know the people who like live trees, you think you're better than we are. 00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:19.120 We know that. 00:05:19.279 --> 00:05:20.000 It's true. 00:05:20.240 --> 00:05:20.639 It's true. 00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:22.879 I was like, oh yeah, I don't do fake trees. 00:05:23.199 --> 00:05:24.160 We do fake tree. 00:05:24.240 --> 00:05:25.279 We're fake tree people. 00:05:25.519 --> 00:05:26.000 Love it. 00:05:26.240 --> 00:05:26.800 Love it. 00:05:27.040 --> 00:05:31.920 So I put my tree together, click a little thing on the floor, lit up. 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:32.879 It was amazing. 00:05:33.120 --> 00:05:33.920 Love that. 00:05:34.240 --> 00:05:40.399 And then once it's all there, put together and it's lit up, the girls take over ornaments, and then I go and I set up the candles. 00:05:40.480 --> 00:05:41.839 I'm the candle guy. 00:05:42.079 --> 00:05:49.199 And so I do the candles in the windows and the 57 extension cords to make all that work, plus our normal lamps, you know, because you got to keep everything else. 00:05:49.279 --> 00:05:51.839 And so all that's going on, the candles are in the windows. 00:05:51.920 --> 00:05:56.000 And I read this week priest Paul Walker, who I listen to all the time. 00:05:56.079 --> 00:05:58.560 I listen to this guy preach, an amazing preacher in Charlottesville. 00:05:58.720 --> 00:06:04.399 He said this the act of candles in the window is a way to say, we're here. 00:06:04.959 --> 00:06:08.560 And it's dark, but we're here, and we invite you in. 00:06:08.800 --> 00:06:14.480 Candle lights, a little bit of light in a window to say, hey, we invite you here. 00:06:15.040 --> 00:06:21.120 It's us saying, help our house, help our family, help me. 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:24.079 This is repentance. 00:06:24.879 --> 00:06:35.040 So John builds off of the idea of repentance from the Old Testament, certainly, and he doesn't know the fullness of the concept of repentance that we get fleshed out with Jesus and Paul. 00:06:35.199 --> 00:06:36.319 How could he? 00:06:36.639 --> 00:06:38.160 Jesus hadn't taught yet. 00:06:38.399 --> 00:06:40.240 Paul hadn't written yet. 00:06:40.560 --> 00:06:46.000 And so John comes into this gap and he says, Repent, for wrath is coming. 00:06:46.480 --> 00:06:50.959 Now, Paul approaches the same subject when we get Paul's writings and his letters in the New Testament. 00:06:51.040 --> 00:06:52.160 Paul approaches the same subject. 00:06:52.240 --> 00:06:55.839 He says, the kindness of God leads you to repentance. 00:06:55.920 --> 00:07:01.360 Now that was different, and that was an add-on, it built out the concept that John was saying. 00:07:01.519 --> 00:07:04.079 And here's a little Bible study tip for us. 00:07:04.319 --> 00:07:06.879 This is why you don't isolate passages. 00:07:07.120 --> 00:07:12.240 If your only idea of repentance comes from John, this is very fear-based. 00:07:13.680 --> 00:07:21.519 Because John's just one piece of the larger story that God is unfolding over time that we have in the scriptures. 00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:28.720 By learning the arc of the Bible and the progressive development of a concept, we get the truth. 00:07:29.519 --> 00:07:46.959 And we know by Jesus' life and Paul's writing, along with what John says, we get this robust idea of repentance that is by the kindness of God that welcomes us into this, yes, sorrowful, sure, a turning, but also a joyful collapse. 00:07:48.000 --> 00:08:01.600 Because Jesus is sufficient for your imperfection and your need for forgiveness and a righteousness beyond your own merit and performing. 00:08:01.759 --> 00:08:10.879 So it's not just turn or burn, it's not just turn or burn, but it's also a joyful by the kindness of God. 00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:13.120 We get to be a repentant people. 00:08:13.839 --> 00:08:15.360 This brings us into verse 7. 00:08:15.439 --> 00:08:24.399 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he, John, said to them, You brought of vipers. 00:08:24.639 --> 00:08:27.199 Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 00:08:27.439 --> 00:08:28.319 Bear fruit. 00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:32.799 And here's this is his point, verse 8, bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 00:08:33.360 --> 00:08:38.480 So not for repentance, but in keeping with it, along with it. 00:08:38.799 --> 00:08:47.200 And do not presume to say to yourselves, we have Abraham as our father, for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children from Abraham. 00:08:47.440 --> 00:08:51.759 Here's point number two, same old song for us if you've been in our church for a while. 00:08:52.080 --> 00:08:55.120 The good news, and this is so good. 00:08:55.279 --> 00:08:55.840 I love this. 00:08:55.919 --> 00:08:57.759 I say this is everyday news. 00:08:58.000 --> 00:08:58.879 This is so good. 00:08:59.039 --> 00:09:12.720 We don't have to use our pedigree or our performance to be loved, to be accepted, to be forgiven, or to be righteous before God. 00:09:13.279 --> 00:09:14.720 That never gets old. 00:09:15.840 --> 00:09:21.519 That is a huge exhale of religiosity and performance outside of ourselves. 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:27.519 And John's saying, Are you showing up here with all your religious performance? 00:09:28.399 --> 00:09:29.519 That's never gonna be enough. 00:09:29.679 --> 00:09:31.200 How are you gonna degrade that? 00:09:31.519 --> 00:09:32.720 How would you ever know? 00:09:33.679 --> 00:09:45.440 And this is so good for us because we tend to be a people who dress up pretty good, but underneath that is a heart that is hurting and needy and busy. 00:09:46.399 --> 00:09:54.559 And what a relief to know that we don't have to get into forgiveness and righteousness and acceptance with God by our own merit. 00:09:56.080 --> 00:09:59.039 But because of Jesus' word for us. 00:09:59.200 --> 00:10:05.039 And then John says, hey, because of that, bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:11.759 So seminary professor and author Steve Brown, he describes it this way: we will not look to the screens to follow along with me. 00:10:11.919 --> 00:10:13.200 You're just gonna follow along with me. 00:10:13.279 --> 00:10:16.799 This is one long quote, the next like three or four minutes here. 00:10:17.279 --> 00:10:19.600 It's from his book called Three Free Sins. 00:10:19.679 --> 00:10:22.960 There's a title for you, so it kind of uh it'll pique your interest. 00:10:23.200 --> 00:10:24.960 Here's what he says, and this is so good. 00:10:25.039 --> 00:10:27.600 When I read this years ago, I wrote this out on a note card. 00:10:27.679 --> 00:10:32.480 It has been, it has been paper clipped in the back of my Bible for years. 00:10:33.279 --> 00:10:39.519 He says, number one, you don't have to get any better to get God to love you or to be counted holy in his sight. 00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:40.639 That's number one. 00:10:40.879 --> 00:10:46.320 He says, number two, you will get better and you won't be able to help it. 00:10:46.960 --> 00:10:50.879 Focus on being yourself and living with God, and it'll happen. 00:10:51.200 --> 00:10:56.559 Number three, if you get better, hardly anyone will know it. 00:10:57.840 --> 00:11:06.320 None of us really know what's in each other's hearts, and we've gotten pretty good at wearing masks that are virtually indistinguishable from the real thing. 00:11:06.480 --> 00:11:09.279 So stop worrying about trying to impress everyone. 00:11:09.360 --> 00:11:11.840 You've already got everybody fooled anyway. 00:11:13.279 --> 00:11:18.559 And then number four, he says, if you do get better, you probably won't even know it. 00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:25.360 Not only are you good at fooling others, but the Bible says we're all pretty good at deceiving ourselves. 00:11:25.840 --> 00:11:26.960 So relax. 00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:29.279 God loves you. 00:11:29.519 --> 00:11:35.120 His grace is there for you, and Jesus is calling you to walk with him. 00:11:36.159 --> 00:11:38.480 So this brings us into verse 10. 00:11:39.919 --> 00:11:43.440 Even now, the axe is laid to the root of the trees. 00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:48.879 Every tree, therefore, that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 00:11:49.039 --> 00:11:51.919 So John seems to be thinking about the afterlife here. 00:11:52.480 --> 00:11:54.639 People who refuse to repent. 00:11:55.679 --> 00:12:10.960 And the idea of fire, when we hear about fire, eternal fire, something in the afterlife of fire, the idea here is the refusal of the grace of God, and in that refusal, there is a disintegration of the self and the soul. 00:12:11.679 --> 00:12:14.159 There's nothing more hellish than that. 00:12:15.039 --> 00:12:22.000 And a life moving in the grace of God moves further as you are relieved and healed of self-justification. 00:12:23.120 --> 00:12:32.720 It's a life moving further into an integration of the self and the soul, where you can receive love and give love. 00:12:32.960 --> 00:12:36.720 Not in a justification of yourself, but because you're already loved. 00:12:37.039 --> 00:12:39.039 Verses 11 and 12. 00:12:39.519 --> 00:12:48.159 John continues, I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not even worthy to carry. 00:12:48.320 --> 00:12:49.200 He's talking about Jesus. 00:12:49.360 --> 00:12:52.240 He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit in fire. 00:12:52.399 --> 00:13:02.320 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. 00:13:02.480 --> 00:13:08.159 Now, verse 12, without the preceding verses and without the rest of the New Testament, is horrifying, right? 00:13:09.120 --> 00:13:10.879 Am I in or am I out? 00:13:11.360 --> 00:13:13.120 Do I have enough fruit? 00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:14.480 And what fruit is that? 00:13:14.559 --> 00:13:16.720 And how much of that fruit would be enough? 00:13:17.039 --> 00:13:19.039 Well, that's a horrible way to live. 00:13:19.279 --> 00:13:24.320 That's why all of us were sort of like laughing and relieved when I read the Steve Brown quote. 00:13:26.159 --> 00:13:30.399 And you have to remember, John is leading us into Jesus' life. 00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:32.879 He doesn't have Paul's writing. 00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:37.679 We take John as a piece of a larger puzzle. 00:13:39.279 --> 00:13:41.679 And I like what theologian Fred Craddock says. 00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:43.440 I've read this before in our church. 00:13:43.600 --> 00:13:48.480 He says this when he comes into this idea of burning and judgment and this kind of thing. 00:13:48.559 --> 00:13:56.240 Here's what he says: when repentance and forgiveness are available, judgment is good news. 00:13:56.960 --> 00:14:03.039 The primary aim is to save the wheat, not to burn the chaff. 00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:29.679 So I think what Craddock is saying is in light of the biblical story, the ark, the New Testament, all of the New Testament, not just this I isolated John the Baptist and what he's saying right here, but in light of John the Baptist leading into Jesus' life, and Jesus' life explained by Paul and his writings, the rest of the New Testament, in light of all of that, that ark, in light of that, even judgment drives us into the grace of God because judgment helps us see that we're not perfect. 00:14:30.320 --> 00:14:32.720 And that we need the grace of God. 00:14:33.039 --> 00:14:34.480 We need a rescuing. 00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:36.240 We're baby Jessica. 00:14:37.039 --> 00:14:38.639 22 feet down. 00:14:39.440 --> 00:14:41.759 And we just need somebody to rescue us. 00:14:42.480 --> 00:14:47.840 Last point, and this jumped out at me this week, and man, this has been so relieving to me. 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:50.080 It's kind of hidden here in the story. 00:14:50.159 --> 00:14:52.240 We piece it together later in Matthew. 00:14:52.320 --> 00:14:58.799 And here's the point: God loves us in and through all of our doubts. 00:14:59.759 --> 00:15:04.559 So John generalizes his Jesus' ministry as one of judgment. 00:15:05.519 --> 00:15:09.360 But when Jesus begins to minister, he does it with truth and grace. 00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:12.399 He's most judgmental towards the religious. 00:15:13.039 --> 00:15:18.799 But to the broken, he's incredibly loving and welcoming. 00:15:19.279 --> 00:15:26.879 And Jesus is teaching about the kingdom is not one of division in terms of a judgment. 00:15:27.039 --> 00:15:31.679 It's actually a welcoming in God's care for us. 00:15:32.000 --> 00:15:34.879 This was so jarring for John, right? 00:15:35.039 --> 00:15:40.080 This bold, confident, you know, repent, and people are showing up, and he's so confident. 00:15:40.159 --> 00:15:44.480 Everybody's coming to hear his preaching, and he's the guy, but he's saying somebody mightier is coming. 00:15:44.639 --> 00:15:45.919 This bold, confident guy. 00:15:46.000 --> 00:15:48.320 This was so jarring for him. 00:15:48.559 --> 00:15:58.639 He's later in prison because he was a threat to Caesar, and they put him in prison, and he's in prison, and not our prison, watching TV and having a, you know, like that kind of prison. 00:15:58.799 --> 00:16:01.679 Like he's in a dungeon prison. 00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:11.360 And in comes doubt about Jesus, because he is hearing stories about Jesus that don't match up with what he thought Jesus would be. 00:16:14.159 --> 00:16:17.039 And here's what he says in Matthew 11, verse 2. 00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:28.480 Now, when John heard in prison about the deeds of Christ, so it's not matching up in his mind, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, Are you the one who's to come? 00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:31.360 Or shall we look for another? 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:35.360 I've loved this all week. 00:16:37.440 --> 00:16:39.440 Because who doesn't have doubt? 00:16:40.799 --> 00:16:45.840 I mean, much less that I'm the one who stands up in front of people and makes like proclamation, right? 00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:50.399 And here's a guy making proclamation, and then in his private moments he has some doubt. 00:16:50.559 --> 00:16:51.519 Of course he has doubt. 00:16:51.600 --> 00:16:52.639 He's like human. 00:16:54.000 --> 00:17:00.320 And maybe your doubt is big, like the existence of God, or maybe it's something like, you know, God's timing. 00:17:01.360 --> 00:17:02.639 Or God's love. 00:17:05.119 --> 00:17:06.640 God's character. 00:17:08.319 --> 00:17:14.880 And it's almost ironic to a certain point that this guy has doubt. 00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:16.559 This guy. 00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:20.880 I mean, this guy, Jesus came down to the river. 00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:26.319 And when Jesus came down and John was baptizing, John says, Behold the Lamb of God. 00:17:26.799 --> 00:17:30.160 John baptized Jesus, saw the Spirit descend on Jesus. 00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:31.680 This was the guy who had doubt. 00:17:31.839 --> 00:17:36.720 If he has doubt, don't you think that perhaps you might have some doubt every once in a while? 00:17:37.119 --> 00:17:38.000 Maybe. 00:17:39.359 --> 00:17:43.039 And can't you just imagine him there in that dark, horrible prison? 00:17:44.799 --> 00:17:46.240 Of course he has doubt. 00:17:47.920 --> 00:17:54.720 But what I kept thinking about this week is how wonderful it would have been for him to have the rest of the New Testament. 00:17:58.240 --> 00:18:10.960 He didn't know Paul's letters about the security we have as the beloved of God that is not based on how much fruit we have or how much belief we have. 00:18:14.960 --> 00:18:21.359 But Paul saying, you know what, you are secure as the beloved of God because of Christ finished work for you, not your work for him. 00:18:24.240 --> 00:18:32.400 And then in the story, Matthew 11, it gets so good because Jesus responds to him, but Jesus' response to him is not condemnation for his Tao. 00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:34.559 He doesn't belittle him. 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:38.559 Jesus answers. 00:18:39.200 --> 00:18:43.279 He says, Go and tell John what you hear and see. 00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:48.720 The blind receive their sight, the lame walk. 00:18:49.599 --> 00:18:56.559 Lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 00:18:56.880 --> 00:19:00.640 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me. 00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:03.680 So here's what Jesus says to all of our doubts. 00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:08.400 He says, Consider me. 00:19:09.519 --> 00:19:10.720 Contemplate me. 00:19:10.960 --> 00:19:19.680 Just keep contemplating my life, my love, my ministry, my work, my death, and my resurrection. 00:19:20.400 --> 00:19:24.559 Because it's his word for you that is making you his beloved. 00:19:25.039 --> 00:19:26.000 Not your word for him. 00:19:26.400 --> 00:19:27.839 Let's pray together. 00:19:28.240 --> 00:19:34.720 God, thank you for this good word that reminds us of the great repentance we can have. 00:19:36.240 --> 00:19:40.799 A sorrowful and joyful falling into your sufficiency. 00:19:45.279 --> 00:19:48.799 And also that even in our doubt that you're sufficient. 00:19:50.880 --> 00:19:54.480 God, we we confess that there's things we need to repent of. 00:19:56.079 --> 00:19:58.640 Things that we have great shame over. 00:19:59.519 --> 00:20:08.480 And there's even doubt that we need to repent of and say, I've lived in a life out that area, and I need to contemplate you more. 00:20:08.640 --> 00:20:10.480 Just who you were. 00:20:11.440 --> 00:20:14.480 And help us cast our eyes on you and you alone. 00:20:15.599 --> 00:20:26.160 God, in all our areas that produce doubt and all the areas of our lives that we fall short, increase our trust in you and in you alone. 00:20:28.799 --> 00:20:35.519 And give us greater and greater insight of your sufficiency by the entire biblical story. 00:20:37.039 --> 00:20:40.319 And we thank you that what you have given us is enough. 00:20:40.559 --> 00:20:42.400 That your work is enough. 00:20:44.079 --> 00:20:49.519 We thank you for the season as we prepare our hearts for your coming of Christmas. 00:20:50.960 --> 00:20:52.559 And it's exactly what we need. 00:20:52.720 --> 00:20:54.079 We need more of you. 00:20:54.319 --> 00:21:01.759 That at the same time we have enough of you and we always will, the same time we we need to deepen our trust in you. 00:21:06.400 --> 00:21:11.200 God, thank you for your goodness to us, even while we are not always perfect. 00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:12.160 Amen.