1 00:00:00,840 --> 00:00:03,180 Heavenly Father, we do thank you for the morning. 2 00:00:03,180 --> 00:00:07,440 We thank you for this chance to come and draw closer to you. 3 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:11,860 We pray, Lord, that your Holy Spirit would be the teacher today. 4 00:00:11,860 --> 00:00:16,700 I pray that you would use me as a conduit to say something of value. 5 00:00:16,700 --> 00:00:20,240 If you do not speak through me, 6 00:00:20,240 --> 00:00:24,540 then the likelihood is that not much of value is going to happen. 7 00:00:24,540 --> 00:00:26,960 So the problem is yours, Lord. 8 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:28,560 We give it to you. 9 00:00:28,560 --> 00:00:30,440 We pray it in Jesus' name. 10 00:00:30,440 --> 00:00:31,520 Amen. 11 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:35,720 Okay, I am going to be in John chapter 1. 12 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:43,180 If you'd like to join me there, you can keep me honest. 13 00:00:43,180 --> 00:00:45,240 Because otherwise, you never know. 14 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:47,520 I can fabricate all kinds of things. 15 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:50,920 Okay, John chapter 1. 16 00:00:50,920 --> 00:00:52,540 John is a great book. 17 00:00:52,540 --> 00:00:55,660 It has a lot of interesting things. 18 00:00:55,660 --> 00:01:00,040 One of the things it has is an explanation of why John wrote the book. 19 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:05,360 John, in chapter 20, starting at verse 30, says the following. 20 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:07,880 I'm reading out of the New King James. 21 00:01:09,640 --> 00:01:10,640 verse 30. 22 00:01:10,640 --> 00:01:17,480 And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. 23 00:01:17,800 --> 00:01:27,920 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name. 24 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:33,320 So the purpose of the book is that you may believe. 25 00:01:33,320 --> 00:01:36,720 What are the other? 26 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:40,520 Well, if there's a purpose like that for this book, what about the others? 27 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:42,600 You ever wonder why there's four Gospels? 28 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:46,300 Well, each of them has a different target audience. 29 00:01:46,440 --> 00:01:48,160 Each of them has a different purpose. 30 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:59,460 The purpose of Matthew was to reassure Jews that Jesus was their king that had been prophesied. 31 00:01:59,460 --> 00:02:06,020 So the book of Matthew, I think I said that right, didn't I? 32 00:02:06,180 --> 00:02:10,520 The book of Matthew is written to present Jesus as king. 33 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:19,500 In order to do that, Matthew quotes a lot of Old Testament scriptures. 34 00:02:19,500 --> 00:02:27,540 It also was written by a tax collector, and part of his job was taking shorthand. 35 00:02:27,540 --> 00:02:34,340 So here is a guy uniquely equipped to write down word for word what was being said. 36 00:02:34,760 --> 00:02:40,220 So if you want to know what Jesus said, Matthew's a great book. 37 00:02:40,220 --> 00:02:44,860 In Matthew, you barely start off and there's a genealogy. 38 00:02:44,860 --> 00:02:53,320 In the genealogy, it traces Jesus' lineage through his adopted father. 39 00:02:53,320 --> 00:02:58,200 And therefore, there's a legal basis for his claim to be king. 40 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:01,720 Let's skip Mark for a minute. 41 00:03:01,720 --> 00:03:02,960 We'll come back to him. 42 00:03:03,800 --> 00:03:06,000 Matthew, Mark, Luke. 43 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:09,260 Luke is a scribe for Paul. 44 00:03:09,260 --> 00:03:14,020 What is the purpose for this book? 45 00:03:14,020 --> 00:03:20,200 Well, it's to reach out to the Greeks and to lay this out methodically. 46 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:21,040 What happened? 47 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:26,860 So Matthew is all about what Jesus said. 48 00:03:26,860 --> 00:03:29,900 Mark is about what he did. 49 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:31,360 It's all action. 50 00:03:31,360 --> 00:03:31,400 It's all action. 51 00:03:31,400 --> 00:03:32,880 Very little dialogue. 52 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:39,220 Luke is talking about who he was in terms of a man. 53 00:03:39,220 --> 00:03:42,600 Luke was a physician. 54 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:45,900 He's very interested in Jesus' humanity. 55 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:47,760 So you get to John. 56 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:51,620 John begins this way. 57 00:03:51,620 --> 00:03:54,780 In the beginning was the word. 58 00:03:54,780 --> 00:03:57,640 And the word was with God. 59 00:03:57,640 --> 00:03:59,640 And the word was God. 60 00:04:01,640 --> 00:04:02,460 pause. 61 00:04:02,460 --> 00:04:09,260 That is a genealogy of Jesus as God. 62 00:04:09,260 --> 00:04:16,020 So each of these three of the four gospels has a genealogy. 63 00:04:16,020 --> 00:04:20,640 Mark is presented as a servant. 64 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:25,860 Do you really care what the genealogy of your servant is? 65 00:04:27,020 --> 00:04:31,940 Well, they didn't think the readers of that book were interested in that. 66 00:04:31,940 --> 00:04:34,820 There was no reason to put that in. 67 00:04:34,820 --> 00:04:40,920 So you have four gospels, four different target audience. 68 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:42,960 Matthew is the Jews. 69 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:44,520 Mark is the Romans. 70 00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:47,920 Luke is writing to the Greeks. 71 00:04:49,300 --> 00:04:51,460 John is writing to the church. 72 00:04:51,460 --> 00:04:58,220 To reassure them that the sound system is up to speed. 73 00:04:58,220 --> 00:05:00,740 Okay. 74 00:05:00,740 --> 00:05:03,380 In the beginning was the word. 75 00:05:03,380 --> 00:05:05,000 And the word was with God. 76 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:06,360 And the word was God. 77 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:09,120 He was in the beginning with God. 78 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:10,600 Okay. 79 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:12,740 The creation. 80 00:05:12,740 --> 00:05:19,220 The reason this is a dear book to me is that I, 81 00:05:19,220 --> 00:05:21,840 it was not a person with deep faith. 82 00:05:21,840 --> 00:05:24,040 I grew up in a Christian home. 83 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:30,740 I went off to secular college where they washed all that Christianity right out of my head. 84 00:05:30,740 --> 00:05:33,880 And then later in life, 85 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:41,540 I was in a Bible study with Chuck Smith teaching on magnetic tape, cassette tape. 86 00:05:41,540 --> 00:05:45,580 And he kept dipping into something called apologetics, 87 00:05:45,580 --> 00:05:47,440 which is the arguments for the faith. 88 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:49,020 And so, 89 00:05:49,020 --> 00:05:50,260 man, 90 00:05:50,260 --> 00:05:51,600 if you're going to believe this, 91 00:05:51,600 --> 00:05:55,260 you've got some hills to climb as a non-believer. 92 00:05:55,260 --> 00:05:57,720 The first one is creation. 93 00:05:57,720 --> 00:06:03,660 Jesus is the creator. 94 00:06:04,700 --> 00:06:11,480 Now that is something that non-believers struggle with because they don't even think there is a creation. 95 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:12,920 See, 96 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:13,300 back, 97 00:06:13,300 --> 00:06:14,760 way back when, 98 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:16,560 18 billion years ago, 99 00:06:16,560 --> 00:06:17,800 there was nothing there. 100 00:06:17,800 --> 00:06:18,940 And then it exploded. 101 00:06:21,220 --> 00:06:22,960 Now that doesn't take faith, 102 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:23,460 does it? 103 00:06:23,460 --> 00:06:28,140 You have to have time, 104 00:06:28,140 --> 00:06:28,820 space, 105 00:06:28,820 --> 00:06:29,860 energy, 106 00:06:29,860 --> 00:06:30,880 matter, 107 00:06:30,880 --> 00:06:32,760 all present simultaneously 108 00:06:32,760 --> 00:06:35,200 to make any of this happen. 109 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:36,460 So Jesus, 110 00:06:36,460 --> 00:06:37,700 as the creator, 111 00:06:37,700 --> 00:06:39,960 had to create all of them simultaneously. 112 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:42,420 If you create matter, 113 00:06:42,420 --> 00:06:45,020 and you don't create the others, 114 00:06:45,020 --> 00:06:46,060 where are you going to put it? 115 00:06:46,060 --> 00:06:48,020 You didn't create any space yet. 116 00:06:48,700 --> 00:06:50,480 If you create space, 117 00:06:50,480 --> 00:06:51,720 what are you going to put in it? 118 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:55,080 If you create matter and space, 119 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:56,800 when are you going to put it in there? 120 00:06:56,800 --> 00:07:01,500 You have to have all of them to make any of them useful. 121 00:07:02,500 --> 00:07:03,020 So, 122 00:07:03,020 --> 00:07:06,300 don't all churches believe this? 123 00:07:06,300 --> 00:07:07,820 No. 124 00:07:07,820 --> 00:07:14,200 There's a lot of churches in this day and age that wonder why people don't take Jesus seriously. 125 00:07:14,200 --> 00:07:15,140 Well, 126 00:07:15,140 --> 00:07:17,040 they don't take their scriptures seriously, 127 00:07:17,040 --> 00:07:20,720 because the scriptures clearly teach the creation, 128 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:23,800 and that Jesus was the creator. 129 00:07:23,800 --> 00:07:27,280 In Colossians 1, 130 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:29,120 I'll just read it for you. 131 00:07:29,120 --> 00:07:30,360 It's a brief passage. 132 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:31,880 It reads as follows. 133 00:07:31,880 --> 00:07:33,120 He, 134 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:34,220 that is Jesus, 135 00:07:34,220 --> 00:07:37,020 is the image of the invisible God, 136 00:07:37,020 --> 00:07:39,180 the firstborn over all creation. 137 00:07:39,180 --> 00:07:42,760 Firstborn means preeminent one. 138 00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:44,820 It's not like he was born first. 139 00:07:44,820 --> 00:07:45,240 It was, 140 00:07:45,240 --> 00:07:46,620 he's the top dog. 141 00:07:46,620 --> 00:07:48,560 For by him, 142 00:07:48,560 --> 00:07:54,020 all things were created that are in heaven and are on the earth, 143 00:07:54,020 --> 00:07:55,360 visible and invisible, 144 00:07:55,360 --> 00:07:58,940 whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. 145 00:07:58,940 --> 00:08:01,760 All things were created through him, 146 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:02,820 and for him. 147 00:08:02,820 --> 00:08:05,460 And he is before all things, 148 00:08:05,460 --> 00:08:07,780 and in him all things consist. 149 00:08:07,780 --> 00:08:10,220 Well, 150 00:08:10,220 --> 00:08:12,000 then where did Lucifer come from? 151 00:08:12,000 --> 00:08:15,220 He's a created being. 152 00:08:15,220 --> 00:08:17,520 Jesus created him. 153 00:08:18,060 --> 00:08:21,680 He's not a co-equal with Lucifer. 154 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:23,000 He is God. 155 00:08:23,000 --> 00:08:29,240 There is a church that thinks that they are brothers. 156 00:08:29,240 --> 00:08:32,100 They obviously are not getting this from the Bible. 157 00:08:34,300 --> 00:08:37,540 They also get the idea that there are many gods. 158 00:08:37,540 --> 00:08:40,520 In their book of Abraham, 159 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:41,980 the word gods, 160 00:08:41,980 --> 00:08:42,360 plural, 161 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:44,780 is over and over and over and over again. 162 00:08:47,340 --> 00:08:49,220 So in the beginning was the word. 163 00:08:49,220 --> 00:08:50,600 The word was with God, 164 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:52,180 and the word was God. 165 00:08:52,180 --> 00:08:52,740 That's the, 166 00:08:52,740 --> 00:08:53,460 that's a, 167 00:08:53,460 --> 00:08:56,420 that's a statement of the Trinity. 168 00:08:56,420 --> 00:08:59,920 Within the nature of the one true God, 169 00:08:59,920 --> 00:09:02,520 there are three distinct personalities, 170 00:09:02,520 --> 00:09:04,460 three distinct individuals, 171 00:09:04,460 --> 00:09:08,060 and all three have all the attributes of deity, 172 00:09:08,060 --> 00:09:11,380 and yet they all move in unison. 173 00:09:11,380 --> 00:09:13,360 You think, 174 00:09:13,360 --> 00:09:13,720 wow, 175 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:14,500 that's, 176 00:09:14,500 --> 00:09:16,100 that's far out there. 177 00:09:16,100 --> 00:09:17,040 Well, 178 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:17,340 you know, 179 00:09:17,340 --> 00:09:20,600 if God was small enough for you to comprehend it, 180 00:09:20,600 --> 00:09:22,860 he wouldn't be very impressive, 181 00:09:22,860 --> 00:09:23,400 would he? 182 00:09:23,400 --> 00:09:24,880 You know, 183 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:25,860 I've, 184 00:09:25,860 --> 00:09:29,480 I've grown accustomed to the reality that I got a pea brain, 185 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:31,320 and I'm going to, 186 00:09:31,320 --> 00:09:31,640 I, 187 00:09:31,640 --> 00:09:36,980 when the Bible tells me something that I have a hard time grasping, 188 00:09:36,980 --> 00:09:38,000 I just take it. 189 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:41,140 Because I've eaten crow so many times, 190 00:09:41,140 --> 00:09:43,220 there's no reason to do it again. 191 00:09:43,220 --> 00:09:47,580 He was in the beginning with God. 192 00:09:47,580 --> 00:09:49,920 Matter of fact, 193 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:50,380 he was, 194 00:09:50,380 --> 00:09:52,160 he was the one doing the creating. 195 00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:55,680 Verse three, 196 00:09:55,680 --> 00:09:58,560 all things were made through him and without him, 197 00:09:58,560 --> 00:10:00,720 nothing was made that was made. 198 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:03,280 So Satan was created. 199 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:05,700 Now, 200 00:10:05,700 --> 00:10:08,860 when you're thinking of these things in the modern era, 201 00:10:08,860 --> 00:10:13,140 what you sometimes think of is how big the universe is. 202 00:10:13,140 --> 00:10:14,380 Wow. 203 00:10:14,380 --> 00:10:14,840 How did, 204 00:10:14,840 --> 00:10:17,900 why did God create galaxies? 205 00:10:17,900 --> 00:10:19,240 He can't even see. 206 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:21,460 They're so far out there. 207 00:10:21,460 --> 00:10:23,100 You know, 208 00:10:23,100 --> 00:10:26,620 God must really love stars. 209 00:10:27,920 --> 00:10:28,400 No. 210 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:28,400 No. 211 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:29,620 Think, 212 00:10:29,620 --> 00:10:30,960 think, 213 00:10:30,960 --> 00:10:32,560 just if you will, 214 00:10:32,560 --> 00:10:35,320 your impression of what is valuable to God, 215 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:37,580 to be in terms of what, 216 00:10:37,580 --> 00:10:40,620 what he was willing to die for. 217 00:10:40,620 --> 00:10:41,540 Well, 218 00:10:41,540 --> 00:10:42,200 that's you. 219 00:10:42,200 --> 00:10:44,940 Well, 220 00:10:44,940 --> 00:10:48,320 but you're not as impressive as some star out in the, 221 00:10:48,320 --> 00:10:50,320 in the Orion belt or something. 222 00:10:50,700 --> 00:10:54,960 a star is basically just a big luminous ball of gas. 223 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:58,180 That's not actually too interesting. 224 00:10:58,180 --> 00:11:07,700 Stars don't worry about whether democracy or the republic is the proper form of government. 225 00:11:07,700 --> 00:11:10,040 They don't worry about right and wrong. 226 00:11:10,040 --> 00:11:12,620 They don't worry about their sin nature. 227 00:11:12,960 --> 00:11:14,220 they just go. 228 00:11:14,220 --> 00:11:15,820 That's it. 229 00:11:15,820 --> 00:11:17,020 Now, 230 00:11:17,020 --> 00:11:22,200 God is an infinite intellect and he names them all because, 231 00:11:22,200 --> 00:11:22,740 hey, 232 00:11:22,740 --> 00:11:22,940 he, 233 00:11:22,940 --> 00:11:25,900 he's got the mental horsepower to do it. 234 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:27,080 but don't, 235 00:11:27,080 --> 00:11:31,200 don't think that because you are small relative to the cosmos, 236 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:33,880 that you are small to God. 237 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:35,060 Now, 238 00:11:35,060 --> 00:11:36,680 he didn't die for, 239 00:11:36,680 --> 00:11:37,120 to, 240 00:11:37,120 --> 00:11:39,020 to save Alpha Centauri. 241 00:11:39,020 --> 00:11:41,420 That's just a big ball of gas. 242 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:44,780 verse four. 243 00:11:44,780 --> 00:11:46,940 In him was life. 244 00:11:46,940 --> 00:11:50,840 And the life was the light of men. 245 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:52,380 Okay. 246 00:11:52,380 --> 00:11:53,320 Light. 247 00:11:53,320 --> 00:11:56,640 And it was the light of men. 248 00:11:56,640 --> 00:11:59,160 Light is an interesting metaphor. 249 00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:02,760 It's a figure of speech that covers a lot of territory. 250 00:12:02,760 --> 00:12:05,880 And it survives in our language. 251 00:12:05,880 --> 00:12:09,820 There is an era in history called the enlightenment. 252 00:12:09,820 --> 00:12:13,280 It's right after the dark ages, 253 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:14,980 which actually weren't that bad. 254 00:12:14,980 --> 00:12:17,340 And the enlightenment wasn't all that good. 255 00:12:17,340 --> 00:12:18,880 But, 256 00:12:18,880 --> 00:12:20,240 the, 257 00:12:20,240 --> 00:12:23,680 the idea was that at the time of the enlightenment, 258 00:12:23,680 --> 00:12:24,120 oh, 259 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:27,520 they finally figured out all these amazing things. 260 00:12:27,520 --> 00:12:27,940 They were, 261 00:12:27,940 --> 00:12:31,800 they realized they were never going to turn lead into gold. 262 00:12:31,800 --> 00:12:33,260 And they realized, 263 00:12:33,260 --> 00:12:33,980 you know, 264 00:12:33,980 --> 00:12:36,780 science got its birth then at the, 265 00:12:36,780 --> 00:12:38,200 at the universities, 266 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:41,760 which were made to study the handiwork of God. 267 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:45,080 so light, 268 00:12:45,080 --> 00:12:47,440 if you've ever been lost in the dark, 269 00:12:47,440 --> 00:12:49,180 you know how valuable light is. 270 00:12:49,180 --> 00:12:52,500 Just a little light can light your way, 271 00:12:52,500 --> 00:12:53,620 get you out of trouble, 272 00:12:53,620 --> 00:12:54,340 keep you from, 273 00:12:54,340 --> 00:12:55,800 keep you from tripping. 274 00:12:56,540 --> 00:12:57,480 God, 275 00:12:57,480 --> 00:12:57,480 God, 276 00:12:57,480 --> 00:12:59,960 Jesus was the light of men. 277 00:12:59,960 --> 00:13:01,860 He provided the direction. 278 00:13:01,860 --> 00:13:05,260 He provided the inspiration. 279 00:13:05,260 --> 00:13:09,360 He illuminates the path. 280 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:12,120 If we shut off all the lights in this place, 281 00:13:12,120 --> 00:13:13,380 close all the doors, 282 00:13:13,380 --> 00:13:14,920 man, 283 00:13:14,920 --> 00:13:16,300 this is going to be dark. 284 00:13:16,300 --> 00:13:17,620 But you turn on a light. 285 00:13:17,620 --> 00:13:18,780 Wow. 286 00:13:18,860 --> 00:13:20,260 you see all kinds of things. 287 00:13:20,260 --> 00:13:20,700 You can't, 288 00:13:20,700 --> 00:13:22,460 can't see otherwise. 289 00:13:22,460 --> 00:13:23,760 So, 290 00:13:23,760 --> 00:13:26,120 verse five, 291 00:13:26,120 --> 00:13:31,880 and the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it. 292 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:33,260 Okay. 293 00:13:33,260 --> 00:13:33,720 He's, 294 00:13:33,720 --> 00:13:35,000 he's kind of a, 295 00:13:35,600 --> 00:13:37,800 John is kind of a mystical writer here. 296 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:39,680 What does he mean by that? 297 00:13:39,680 --> 00:13:40,400 The light, 298 00:13:40,400 --> 00:13:41,000 Jesus, 299 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:44,940 shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it. 300 00:13:44,940 --> 00:13:51,380 The world did not comprehend who God was or what he was up to or, 301 00:13:51,380 --> 00:14:03,760 it took him generations and long time to cultivate mankind to where he even had the vocabulary to start dealing with God. 302 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:05,320 So, 303 00:14:05,320 --> 00:14:11,860 darkness does not see things God's way naturally. 304 00:14:13,380 --> 00:14:19,740 people naturally think all kinds of things because it's the natural mode of, 305 00:14:19,740 --> 00:14:21,100 of human thought. 306 00:14:21,100 --> 00:14:29,660 Deductive reasoning had a college professor in history who pointed out that logic is a way of going wrong methodically. 307 00:14:29,660 --> 00:14:32,060 And that's true. 308 00:14:32,060 --> 00:14:37,640 Just because people think they figured it out doesn't mean they really figured it out. 309 00:14:37,640 --> 00:14:39,960 I have actually, 310 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:43,020 of all of my high school, 311 00:14:43,020 --> 00:14:44,740 our college text. 312 00:14:44,740 --> 00:14:46,420 I've thrown away all but one. 313 00:14:46,420 --> 00:14:49,020 And I kept it because it was such a hoot. 314 00:14:49,020 --> 00:14:51,740 Because it was so wrong on everything. 315 00:14:51,740 --> 00:14:53,220 And it was, 316 00:14:53,220 --> 00:14:56,020 it was principles of historic and geology. 317 00:14:56,020 --> 00:14:58,140 And I take a pencil and I, 318 00:14:58,140 --> 00:15:01,260 every time they make a new find that contradicts it, 319 00:15:01,260 --> 00:15:03,240 I write it in there because it's a reassurance. 320 00:15:04,020 --> 00:15:05,020 The human knowledge is passing. 321 00:15:05,020 --> 00:15:05,740 The human knowledge is passing. 322 00:15:05,740 --> 00:15:08,940 If you have a 10-year-old textbook, 323 00:15:08,940 --> 00:15:09,940 it's an antique. 324 00:15:09,940 --> 00:15:13,860 If you have a 20-, 30-year-old textbook, 325 00:15:13,860 --> 00:15:16,000 why? 326 00:15:18,740 --> 00:15:24,980 My uncle, when he died, he gave me one of his college textbooks from the 1940s. 327 00:15:25,460 --> 00:15:32,540 And it had page after page on Piltdown Man. 328 00:15:32,540 --> 00:15:34,680 Oh, Piltdown Man. 329 00:15:34,680 --> 00:15:38,960 Oh, we know all about our human ancestry from Piltdown Man. 330 00:15:39,180 --> 00:15:44,080 And he actually drifted from the face because of Piltdown Man, 331 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:47,140 which was found in Aquarian England. 332 00:15:47,140 --> 00:15:50,060 And finally, in the 1950s, 333 00:15:50,060 --> 00:15:52,680 somebody got to looking at Piltdown Man, 334 00:15:52,680 --> 00:15:54,100 which was two bones, 335 00:15:54,100 --> 00:15:57,760 a jawbone and a skullbone. 336 00:15:58,120 --> 00:15:58,560 He said, 337 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:03,000 you know there's file marks on this jawbone, 338 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:04,260 on the teeth? 339 00:16:04,260 --> 00:16:05,840 What is that? 340 00:16:05,840 --> 00:16:08,900 And see, at the time, 341 00:16:08,900 --> 00:16:09,720 you couldn't, 342 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:13,000 they were too valuable to let people touch. 343 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:16,520 So you would look at a plaster cast of the bone. 344 00:16:16,520 --> 00:16:19,000 So everybody's studying this plaster cast. 345 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:21,780 Somebody finally looked at the original and said, 346 00:16:21,780 --> 00:16:22,260 there's something, 347 00:16:22,260 --> 00:16:24,060 something kind of off here. 348 00:16:24,060 --> 00:16:26,560 So they got to looking and they realized, 349 00:16:26,560 --> 00:16:27,960 oh, this is an ape bone. 350 00:16:28,020 --> 00:16:29,460 it had some filing done 351 00:16:29,460 --> 00:16:31,740 so that it would fit onto this skullcap. 352 00:16:31,740 --> 00:16:33,420 The skullcap. 353 00:16:33,420 --> 00:16:36,340 Oh, that's a skullcap of a donkey. 354 00:16:36,340 --> 00:16:37,440 Hmm. 355 00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:40,560 Who pulled this joke on us? 356 00:16:40,560 --> 00:16:43,500 And for how many decades 357 00:16:43,500 --> 00:16:46,320 did people write PhD theses 358 00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:50,380 about our ancestry with Piltdown Man? 359 00:16:50,380 --> 00:16:53,920 Well, there's a whole stream of those. 360 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:57,480 Six, verse six. 361 00:16:57,920 --> 00:16:59,460 There was a man sent from God 362 00:16:59,460 --> 00:17:00,880 whose name was John. 363 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:02,940 He was not the light, 364 00:17:02,940 --> 00:17:06,700 but John was set to bear witness of the light. 365 00:17:06,700 --> 00:17:08,260 John. 366 00:17:08,260 --> 00:17:10,180 He's an interesting guy. 367 00:17:10,180 --> 00:17:11,280 And one of the reasons 368 00:17:11,280 --> 00:17:13,440 there's four different gospels 369 00:17:13,440 --> 00:17:16,440 is each one has some different information. 370 00:17:16,440 --> 00:17:17,380 John. 371 00:17:17,380 --> 00:17:19,060 As you breathe through it as a new believer, 372 00:17:19,060 --> 00:17:22,480 you don't notice that necessarily. 373 00:17:22,480 --> 00:17:27,260 John was Jesus's cousin. 374 00:17:27,260 --> 00:17:33,400 Now, that meant John had some inside information 375 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:37,200 because Mary, when she was pregnant, 376 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:40,020 went and spent some time with her sister, 377 00:17:40,020 --> 00:17:43,660 who was five months along with John. 378 00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:45,700 So mom could tell you, 379 00:17:45,700 --> 00:17:46,660 yeah, Mary, 380 00:17:46,660 --> 00:17:50,840 you know, we know who the Messiah is 381 00:17:50,840 --> 00:17:53,960 and we know they'll live up around Nazareth somewhere. 382 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:56,480 But when you have to walk everywhere, 383 00:17:56,480 --> 00:17:59,140 when you're on rough roads 384 00:17:59,140 --> 00:18:00,480 and you're having to walk, 385 00:18:00,480 --> 00:18:03,220 you don't go to a lot of family reunions. 386 00:18:03,780 --> 00:18:05,840 So they didn't see much of each other. 387 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:09,400 I don't think John necessarily recognized Jesus, 388 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:11,440 or if he did, it was barely. 389 00:18:11,440 --> 00:18:15,700 But that's an inference on my part. 390 00:18:15,700 --> 00:18:16,960 The bottom line is, 391 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:20,500 John knew the Messiah had been born. 392 00:18:20,500 --> 00:18:23,960 There were some people that were all shook up 393 00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:24,900 because they thought, 394 00:18:24,900 --> 00:18:26,420 you know, where's God? 395 00:18:26,420 --> 00:18:30,060 He should have made his appearance by now 396 00:18:30,060 --> 00:18:33,860 in response to a prophecy in Genesis. 397 00:18:33,860 --> 00:18:35,720 Well, in point of fact, 398 00:18:35,720 --> 00:18:38,800 the Messiah was amongst them. 399 00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:39,900 He was a little boy. 400 00:18:39,900 --> 00:18:41,600 Give him a few years. 401 00:18:41,600 --> 00:18:43,220 Verse 9, 402 00:18:43,220 --> 00:18:45,880 that was the true light 403 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:48,380 which gives light to every man 404 00:18:48,380 --> 00:18:49,560 coming into the world. 405 00:18:50,900 --> 00:18:51,460 Okay. 406 00:18:51,460 --> 00:18:55,500 The true light 407 00:18:55,500 --> 00:18:57,480 needs reflected. 408 00:18:57,480 --> 00:18:59,420 We are reflections 409 00:18:59,420 --> 00:19:01,120 of Jesus. 410 00:19:01,120 --> 00:19:03,120 We're as close to Jesus 411 00:19:03,120 --> 00:19:05,100 as people are going to see 412 00:19:05,100 --> 00:19:06,880 until Jesus returns. 413 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:07,720 And by then, 414 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:09,440 kind of the die is cast. 415 00:19:09,440 --> 00:19:11,940 You hope they've picked sides by then. 416 00:19:11,940 --> 00:19:13,260 But 417 00:19:13,260 --> 00:19:15,220 you are an ambassador. 418 00:19:15,220 --> 00:19:17,440 You are an ambassador of Jesus. 419 00:19:17,820 --> 00:19:19,580 to your friends and neighbors 420 00:19:19,580 --> 00:19:20,540 and your family. 421 00:19:20,540 --> 00:19:23,340 You are the representation 422 00:19:23,340 --> 00:19:25,240 of who they think Jesus is. 423 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:26,120 Now, 424 00:19:26,120 --> 00:19:27,220 that kind of loads you 425 00:19:27,220 --> 00:19:28,440 with a little responsibility. 426 00:19:28,440 --> 00:19:30,300 Maybe be a, 427 00:19:30,300 --> 00:19:30,900 you know, 428 00:19:30,900 --> 00:19:31,540 if you're a kid, 429 00:19:31,540 --> 00:19:32,640 clean up your room. 430 00:19:32,640 --> 00:19:34,340 Help mom with the dishes. 431 00:19:34,340 --> 00:19:35,040 I don't know. 432 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:36,980 Whatever you're doing, 433 00:19:36,980 --> 00:19:38,420 do it to honor God. 434 00:19:38,420 --> 00:19:40,620 Because in honoring God, 435 00:19:40,620 --> 00:19:41,720 you are 436 00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:44,700 revealing God. 437 00:19:44,700 --> 00:19:45,760 Now, 438 00:19:45,760 --> 00:19:47,400 John was just a reflection 439 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:48,720 of Jesus 440 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:50,100 as are we. 441 00:19:50,100 --> 00:19:53,080 Tim, 442 00:19:53,080 --> 00:19:54,840 he, 443 00:19:54,840 --> 00:19:55,520 Jesus, 444 00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:57,180 was in the world 445 00:19:57,180 --> 00:19:57,760 and the world 446 00:19:57,760 --> 00:19:58,840 was made through him 447 00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:00,040 and the world 448 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:01,540 did not know him. 449 00:20:01,540 --> 00:20:03,660 Now, 450 00:20:03,660 --> 00:20:05,220 we think we're great artists 451 00:20:05,220 --> 00:20:06,540 in our time. 452 00:20:06,540 --> 00:20:07,620 No, 453 00:20:07,620 --> 00:20:08,160 we're not. 454 00:20:08,160 --> 00:20:10,580 God creates 455 00:20:10,580 --> 00:20:12,500 the entire known universe. 456 00:20:12,500 --> 00:20:13,760 Everything you know 457 00:20:13,760 --> 00:20:14,720 about reality, 458 00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:16,500 that's his art project. 459 00:20:16,980 --> 00:20:18,240 every, 460 00:20:18,240 --> 00:20:19,140 it encompasses 461 00:20:19,140 --> 00:20:21,260 everybody else's art projects. 462 00:20:21,260 --> 00:20:22,660 And then, 463 00:20:22,660 --> 00:20:24,340 God steps into it 464 00:20:24,340 --> 00:20:25,700 as a human. 465 00:20:25,700 --> 00:20:27,760 Man, 466 00:20:27,760 --> 00:20:29,340 that's a tough trick. 467 00:20:29,340 --> 00:20:31,480 We don't do that. 468 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:34,100 The world 469 00:20:34,100 --> 00:20:35,460 did not know him 470 00:20:35,460 --> 00:20:36,320 because the world 471 00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:37,860 thinks in different terms. 472 00:20:37,960 --> 00:20:38,280 they were, 473 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:39,820 the world thinks 474 00:20:39,820 --> 00:20:41,140 in terms of riches 475 00:20:41,140 --> 00:20:42,800 and power 476 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:44,420 and the luxury 477 00:20:44,420 --> 00:20:46,280 and good looks 478 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:47,120 and height 479 00:20:47,120 --> 00:20:48,360 and all this stuff. 480 00:20:48,360 --> 00:20:49,320 Saul, 481 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:50,040 they thought, 482 00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:50,280 oh, 483 00:20:50,280 --> 00:20:51,580 Saul's going to be a great, 484 00:20:51,580 --> 00:20:53,000 great leader. 485 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:54,860 He is six foot three. 486 00:20:54,860 --> 00:20:56,520 Really? 487 00:20:56,520 --> 00:20:57,300 That'll do it 488 00:20:57,300 --> 00:20:57,900 for you? 489 00:20:57,900 --> 00:20:58,480 Okay. 490 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:02,800 I made the figure up. 491 00:21:02,800 --> 00:21:04,520 Don't try to look it up. 492 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:07,760 But you know what I mean. 493 00:21:08,720 --> 00:21:10,440 if you were worldly 494 00:21:10,440 --> 00:21:11,420 and you were saying, 495 00:21:11,420 --> 00:21:11,760 okay, 496 00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:12,820 it's time for Jesus 497 00:21:12,820 --> 00:21:13,600 to be born, 498 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:14,900 where would you go look? 499 00:21:14,900 --> 00:21:15,340 Well, 500 00:21:15,340 --> 00:21:16,200 you'd look in Rome 501 00:21:16,200 --> 00:21:18,840 or you'd look 502 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:19,820 in Jerusalem 503 00:21:19,820 --> 00:21:20,820 at least. 504 00:21:20,820 --> 00:21:23,320 You wouldn't look 505 00:21:23,320 --> 00:21:24,940 in some bug-tussled 506 00:21:24,940 --> 00:21:25,660 little town 507 00:21:25,660 --> 00:21:27,260 like Bethlehem 508 00:21:27,260 --> 00:21:29,560 or then up to Nazareth. 509 00:21:29,560 --> 00:21:30,380 Those are not 510 00:21:30,380 --> 00:21:31,480 big deal towns 511 00:21:31,480 --> 00:21:33,820 back in those days. 512 00:21:33,820 --> 00:21:35,840 So the world 513 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:36,800 didn't know him. 514 00:21:36,800 --> 00:21:40,180 Back in those days, 515 00:21:40,180 --> 00:21:41,840 there was a controversy 516 00:21:41,840 --> 00:21:42,840 among the Jews 517 00:21:42,840 --> 00:21:44,560 because they believed 518 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:45,440 there might be 519 00:21:45,440 --> 00:21:46,380 two different 520 00:21:46,380 --> 00:21:48,220 Messiahs prophesied. 521 00:21:48,220 --> 00:21:49,620 There's Messiah, 522 00:21:49,620 --> 00:21:50,720 the son of Joseph, 523 00:21:50,720 --> 00:21:53,000 and he's a suffering servant 524 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:55,980 and he lives his life 525 00:21:55,980 --> 00:21:57,160 to save his brother. 526 00:21:57,160 --> 00:21:58,880 or it could be 527 00:21:58,880 --> 00:21:59,600 Messiah, 528 00:21:59,600 --> 00:22:01,040 the son of David, 529 00:22:01,040 --> 00:22:02,760 and he's going to come 530 00:22:02,760 --> 00:22:03,460 as a king. 531 00:22:03,460 --> 00:22:06,000 The reality is 532 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:06,760 he's both. 533 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:10,560 And so they were 534 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:11,560 so busy looking 535 00:22:11,560 --> 00:22:13,040 for the second coming, 536 00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:14,080 they missed the first 537 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:16,260 because that sounded 538 00:22:16,260 --> 00:22:17,280 a whole lot more fun 539 00:22:17,280 --> 00:22:17,580 to him, 540 00:22:17,580 --> 00:22:18,700 kicking the Romans out. 541 00:22:18,700 --> 00:22:19,800 Well, 542 00:22:19,800 --> 00:22:21,180 Jesus is bringing us 543 00:22:21,180 --> 00:22:22,220 something way better 544 00:22:22,220 --> 00:22:23,760 than kicking the Romans out 545 00:22:23,760 --> 00:22:24,580 and that is 546 00:22:24,580 --> 00:22:25,980 we're going to 547 00:22:25,980 --> 00:22:27,420 get to heaven. 548 00:22:27,420 --> 00:22:29,320 You think Rome's 549 00:22:29,320 --> 00:22:29,960 a big deal? 550 00:22:29,960 --> 00:22:30,940 Wait till you see 551 00:22:30,940 --> 00:22:31,840 heaven. 552 00:22:31,840 --> 00:22:34,160 So, 553 00:22:34,160 --> 00:22:35,740 Chan, 554 00:22:35,740 --> 00:22:37,120 he was in the world, 555 00:22:37,120 --> 00:22:38,160 the world was made 556 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:38,560 through him, 557 00:22:38,560 --> 00:22:39,580 the world did not 558 00:22:39,580 --> 00:22:40,140 know him. 559 00:22:40,140 --> 00:22:41,980 He came to his own 560 00:22:41,980 --> 00:22:42,800 and his own 561 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:44,220 did not receive him. 562 00:22:44,220 --> 00:22:46,400 His own is the Jews 563 00:22:46,400 --> 00:22:48,300 in this instance. 564 00:22:51,360 --> 00:22:53,040 all of these prophecies 565 00:22:53,040 --> 00:22:54,180 to let them know 566 00:22:54,180 --> 00:22:55,320 the view is coming. 567 00:22:55,320 --> 00:22:57,580 There was an expectation 568 00:22:57,580 --> 00:22:58,520 in the air 569 00:22:58,520 --> 00:22:59,560 that the Messiah 570 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:00,640 could be near. 571 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:03,960 And yet, 572 00:23:03,960 --> 00:23:04,940 they missed it. 573 00:23:04,940 --> 00:23:05,920 They missed it 574 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:07,500 because of their own ideas 575 00:23:07,500 --> 00:23:09,280 of what this must be like. 576 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:14,340 The leadership 577 00:23:14,340 --> 00:23:15,620 missed it, 578 00:23:15,620 --> 00:23:16,300 especially, 579 00:23:16,300 --> 00:23:17,460 because they had 580 00:23:17,460 --> 00:23:18,540 a vested interest. 581 00:23:18,540 --> 00:23:20,180 The vested interest 582 00:23:20,180 --> 00:23:21,380 was they wanted 583 00:23:21,380 --> 00:23:23,200 to retain their place 584 00:23:23,200 --> 00:23:26,420 as respected leaders 585 00:23:26,420 --> 00:23:27,340 in the community. 586 00:23:27,340 --> 00:23:29,660 So, 587 00:23:29,660 --> 00:23:31,340 what are our 588 00:23:31,340 --> 00:23:33,160 expectations of Jesus 589 00:23:33,160 --> 00:23:34,520 when he comes back? 590 00:23:34,520 --> 00:23:37,840 We've all got some. 591 00:23:37,840 --> 00:23:39,980 I hope that we're 592 00:23:39,980 --> 00:23:40,700 blank enough 593 00:23:40,700 --> 00:23:41,400 on the subject 594 00:23:41,400 --> 00:23:42,600 that when he comes back, 595 00:23:42,600 --> 00:23:43,600 we'll take whatever 596 00:23:43,600 --> 00:23:44,360 he's doing 597 00:23:44,360 --> 00:23:45,400 and run with it 598 00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:48,320 and be pleased with it. 599 00:23:48,320 --> 00:23:50,260 There's a lot of people 600 00:23:50,260 --> 00:23:51,440 that have measured it, 601 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:52,460 thought the first thing 602 00:23:52,460 --> 00:23:52,880 they'll do 603 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:53,840 is see their mansion 604 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:55,220 and measure the drapes 605 00:23:55,220 --> 00:23:56,980 and order some better ones. 606 00:23:56,980 --> 00:23:58,460 No. 607 00:23:58,460 --> 00:24:00,480 The first thing 608 00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:01,880 the Lord is liable to do 609 00:24:01,880 --> 00:24:04,120 is put you in charge 610 00:24:04,120 --> 00:24:05,200 of something mundane 611 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:06,680 to see if you could do it. 612 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:08,740 Chuck Smith 613 00:24:08,740 --> 00:24:10,800 used to do that. 614 00:24:10,800 --> 00:24:12,120 People would come 615 00:24:12,120 --> 00:24:13,220 to the church 616 00:24:13,220 --> 00:24:14,100 at Costa Mesa 617 00:24:14,100 --> 00:24:14,500 and say, 618 00:24:14,500 --> 00:24:15,840 I'm here 619 00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:16,900 because I want to 620 00:24:16,900 --> 00:24:18,680 do mission work. 621 00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:19,300 I'm here 622 00:24:19,300 --> 00:24:20,180 to be a pastor. 623 00:24:20,180 --> 00:24:22,380 And he turned him over 624 00:24:22,380 --> 00:24:24,600 to a second in command 625 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:27,060 and he was a military guy 626 00:24:27,060 --> 00:24:27,460 and said, 627 00:24:27,460 --> 00:24:28,800 you're here to serve? 628 00:24:28,800 --> 00:24:29,760 Yes. 629 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:31,100 Good. 630 00:24:31,100 --> 00:24:32,820 Here's a toothbrush. 631 00:24:32,820 --> 00:24:35,580 Here's some soapy water. 632 00:24:35,580 --> 00:24:36,920 There's the bathroom. 633 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:38,440 Let me know 634 00:24:38,440 --> 00:24:39,100 when you've got 635 00:24:39,100 --> 00:24:40,000 that one done. 636 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:41,740 and no, 637 00:24:41,740 --> 00:24:42,980 I'm here to serve. 638 00:24:42,980 --> 00:24:46,620 My kids went 639 00:24:46,620 --> 00:24:47,780 to the Bible college 640 00:24:47,780 --> 00:24:49,120 and saw Chuck Smith 641 00:24:49,120 --> 00:24:50,120 come and go. 642 00:24:50,120 --> 00:24:51,260 He would sometimes 643 00:24:51,260 --> 00:24:51,820 go out there 644 00:24:51,820 --> 00:24:52,280 and teach 645 00:24:52,280 --> 00:24:54,020 and he would pick up 646 00:24:54,020 --> 00:24:54,700 gum wrappers 647 00:24:54,700 --> 00:24:55,400 and police 648 00:24:55,400 --> 00:24:57,420 the parking lot 649 00:24:57,420 --> 00:24:58,680 before he got in 650 00:24:58,680 --> 00:24:59,500 to see the kids 651 00:24:59,500 --> 00:25:01,340 because he truly 652 00:25:01,340 --> 00:25:02,140 was a servant. 653 00:25:02,140 --> 00:25:03,900 Nobody was watching him. 654 00:25:03,900 --> 00:25:04,760 He just 655 00:25:04,760 --> 00:25:06,560 had a servant's heart. 656 00:25:06,560 --> 00:25:08,640 May we all 657 00:25:08,640 --> 00:25:10,340 have servant's hearts. 658 00:25:10,340 --> 00:25:12,000 Okay. 659 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:14,440 Twelve. 660 00:25:14,440 --> 00:25:15,300 But as many 661 00:25:15,300 --> 00:25:16,420 as received him, 662 00:25:16,420 --> 00:25:20,100 to them 663 00:25:20,100 --> 00:25:20,960 he gave the right 664 00:25:20,960 --> 00:25:21,820 to become children 665 00:25:21,820 --> 00:25:22,540 of God 666 00:25:22,540 --> 00:25:23,380 to those 667 00:25:23,380 --> 00:25:24,040 who believe 668 00:25:24,040 --> 00:25:24,960 in his name. 669 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:26,160 Notice, 670 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:27,740 believing in his name, 671 00:25:27,740 --> 00:25:29,020 that kind of is 672 00:25:29,020 --> 00:25:30,140 the boat we're in. 673 00:25:30,140 --> 00:25:31,640 We've never seen him. 674 00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:33,500 There's no pictures 675 00:25:33,500 --> 00:25:34,220 of Jesus. 676 00:25:34,220 --> 00:25:36,780 I've got a coin 677 00:25:36,780 --> 00:25:39,800 minted by the Byzantine Empire 678 00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:41,980 in about 300 A.D. 679 00:25:41,980 --> 00:25:43,420 and it has a picture 680 00:25:43,420 --> 00:25:44,160 of Jesus. 681 00:25:44,160 --> 00:25:46,520 No, they don't. 682 00:25:48,460 --> 00:25:49,540 A lot of us 683 00:25:49,540 --> 00:25:50,020 have seen 684 00:25:50,020 --> 00:25:50,600 those pictures 685 00:25:50,600 --> 00:25:51,380 of Jesus 686 00:25:51,380 --> 00:25:52,820 knocking at the door 687 00:25:52,820 --> 00:25:54,120 and 688 00:25:54,120 --> 00:25:55,260 is that what 689 00:25:55,260 --> 00:25:56,000 he looks like? 690 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:56,700 Well, 691 00:25:56,700 --> 00:25:57,560 if he's Dutch, 692 00:25:57,560 --> 00:25:58,100 it is. 693 00:25:58,100 --> 00:26:02,680 I don't know 694 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:03,300 what he's going 695 00:26:03,300 --> 00:26:04,000 to look like 696 00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:05,420 but, you know, 697 00:26:05,420 --> 00:26:05,860 you're going to 698 00:26:05,860 --> 00:26:06,340 check him 699 00:26:06,340 --> 00:26:08,280 for nail prints 700 00:26:08,280 --> 00:26:09,120 in his hands 701 00:26:09,120 --> 00:26:09,980 and, you know, 702 00:26:09,980 --> 00:26:10,620 the fact that 703 00:26:10,620 --> 00:26:11,280 he's coming out 704 00:26:11,280 --> 00:26:11,740 of clouds 705 00:26:11,740 --> 00:26:12,500 is a tip-off. 706 00:26:15,620 --> 00:26:16,980 The Baha'i cult 707 00:26:16,980 --> 00:26:17,740 thinks that 708 00:26:17,740 --> 00:26:19,080 flying in 709 00:26:19,080 --> 00:26:20,480 on a commercial airliner 710 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:21,340 to Tel Aviv 711 00:26:21,340 --> 00:26:22,280 is close enough. 712 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:23,220 They said, 713 00:26:23,220 --> 00:26:23,700 see there? 714 00:26:23,700 --> 00:26:24,300 He came in 715 00:26:24,300 --> 00:26:24,880 on a cloud. 716 00:26:24,880 --> 00:26:27,040 Come on. 717 00:26:27,040 --> 00:26:29,620 Your sights 718 00:26:29,620 --> 00:26:30,720 aren't very high. 719 00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:34,240 Start again 720 00:26:34,240 --> 00:26:34,880 at 12. 721 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:35,580 But as many 722 00:26:35,580 --> 00:26:36,160 as received 723 00:26:36,160 --> 00:26:36,640 and to them 724 00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:37,260 he gave the right 725 00:26:37,260 --> 00:26:38,000 to become children 726 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:38,480 of God 727 00:26:38,480 --> 00:26:38,920 to those 728 00:26:38,920 --> 00:26:39,680 who believe 729 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:40,460 in his name 730 00:26:40,460 --> 00:26:41,940 and who were 731 00:26:41,940 --> 00:26:43,100 born not of blood 732 00:26:43,100 --> 00:26:43,940 nor the will 733 00:26:43,940 --> 00:26:44,680 of the flesh 734 00:26:44,680 --> 00:26:45,580 nor the will 735 00:26:45,580 --> 00:26:46,140 of man 736 00:26:46,140 --> 00:26:47,400 but of God. 737 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:48,420 So, 738 00:26:48,420 --> 00:26:53,080 we are born 739 00:26:53,080 --> 00:26:55,320 not only 740 00:26:55,320 --> 00:26:57,200 bodily. 741 00:26:57,200 --> 00:26:58,600 We are born 742 00:26:58,600 --> 00:26:59,060 bodily. 743 00:26:59,060 --> 00:26:59,680 If you didn't 744 00:26:59,680 --> 00:27:00,480 get here bodily 745 00:27:00,480 --> 00:27:01,400 I want to shake 746 00:27:01,400 --> 00:27:02,100 your hand. 747 00:27:02,100 --> 00:27:04,500 But, 748 00:27:04,500 --> 00:27:05,560 the part that 749 00:27:05,560 --> 00:27:06,740 God is interested 750 00:27:06,740 --> 00:27:07,560 in is the 751 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:08,020 rebirth 752 00:27:08,020 --> 00:27:09,380 that makes you 753 00:27:09,380 --> 00:27:10,140 aware of the 754 00:27:10,140 --> 00:27:10,960 things of God. 755 00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:12,880 There are a lot 756 00:27:12,880 --> 00:27:13,800 of people who 757 00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:14,960 know a lot 758 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:16,180 about God 759 00:27:16,180 --> 00:27:17,860 but they 760 00:27:17,860 --> 00:27:18,560 don't really 761 00:27:18,560 --> 00:27:19,460 know God. 762 00:27:19,460 --> 00:27:20,920 They don't 763 00:27:20,920 --> 00:27:21,820 think in terms 764 00:27:21,820 --> 00:27:22,880 that God 765 00:27:22,880 --> 00:27:23,460 would approve 766 00:27:23,460 --> 00:27:23,760 of. 767 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:24,280 They don't 768 00:27:24,280 --> 00:27:24,960 have faith 769 00:27:24,960 --> 00:27:25,360 in Him. 770 00:27:25,360 --> 00:27:26,520 Part of it 771 00:27:26,520 --> 00:27:26,900 is just 772 00:27:26,900 --> 00:27:27,660 stepping off 773 00:27:27,660 --> 00:27:28,240 the curb 774 00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:29,140 and having 775 00:27:29,140 --> 00:27:29,760 faith. 776 00:27:29,760 --> 00:27:31,840 If you don't 777 00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:32,500 have faith 778 00:27:32,500 --> 00:27:33,200 God's not 779 00:27:33,200 --> 00:27:33,540 going to be 780 00:27:33,540 --> 00:27:34,000 able to do 781 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:34,840 much for you. 782 00:27:36,540 --> 00:27:37,440 when I was 783 00:27:37,440 --> 00:27:38,200 a young man 784 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:39,460 and newly 785 00:27:39,460 --> 00:27:40,000 married 786 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:40,460 and I 787 00:27:40,460 --> 00:27:41,820 finally came 788 00:27:41,820 --> 00:27:42,480 to the Lord 789 00:27:42,480 --> 00:27:44,040 and I realized 790 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:44,840 that all my 791 00:27:44,840 --> 00:27:45,880 science textbooks 792 00:27:45,880 --> 00:27:47,160 were Bravo 793 00:27:47,160 --> 00:27:47,820 Sierra 794 00:27:47,820 --> 00:27:48,640 if you know 795 00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:49,280 what I mean. 796 00:27:49,280 --> 00:27:51,620 That cost me. 797 00:27:51,620 --> 00:27:52,560 You know, 798 00:27:52,560 --> 00:27:54,380 there's all 799 00:27:54,380 --> 00:27:56,100 that book 800 00:27:56,100 --> 00:27:56,940 learning 801 00:27:56,940 --> 00:27:57,980 that, you know, 802 00:27:57,980 --> 00:27:58,700 I had to start 803 00:27:58,700 --> 00:28:00,080 over and I 804 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:01,200 was rejoicing 805 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:06,500 because the reality 806 00:28:06,500 --> 00:28:07,660 that Jesus is a 807 00:28:07,660 --> 00:28:08,780 creator is so 808 00:28:08,780 --> 00:28:10,460 much more 809 00:28:10,460 --> 00:28:12,260 glorious than 810 00:28:12,260 --> 00:28:13,240 He reached down 811 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:14,460 to a group of 812 00:28:14,460 --> 00:28:15,440 monkeys and 813 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:16,640 picked out two 814 00:28:16,640 --> 00:28:17,560 and enlightened 815 00:28:17,560 --> 00:28:19,320 them and they 816 00:28:19,320 --> 00:28:20,480 slowly evolved 817 00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:21,040 and, oh, 818 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:21,860 come on, 819 00:28:21,860 --> 00:28:23,360 there's no glory 820 00:28:23,360 --> 00:28:24,280 and Carl 821 00:28:24,280 --> 00:28:24,740 Sagan 822 00:28:24,740 --> 00:28:25,560 sang it 823 00:28:25,560 --> 00:28:26,660 like it was 824 00:28:26,660 --> 00:28:27,840 a miraculous, 825 00:28:27,840 --> 00:28:28,800 joyous thing. 826 00:28:28,800 --> 00:28:29,700 No, it isn't. 827 00:28:29,700 --> 00:28:32,480 Creation is. 828 00:28:32,480 --> 00:28:34,120 And we live 829 00:28:34,120 --> 00:28:35,500 in this era 830 00:28:35,500 --> 00:28:36,440 that technology 831 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:37,500 has allowed us 832 00:28:37,500 --> 00:28:37,960 to see 833 00:28:37,960 --> 00:28:39,800 miracles of creation. 834 00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:41,920 There's a palm 835 00:28:41,920 --> 00:28:42,320 scum, 836 00:28:42,320 --> 00:28:43,860 little bitty thing. 837 00:28:43,860 --> 00:28:44,500 You might get 838 00:28:44,500 --> 00:28:45,060 a microscope 839 00:28:45,060 --> 00:28:45,820 to see it 840 00:28:45,820 --> 00:28:47,260 and it has 841 00:28:47,260 --> 00:28:48,260 an indoor-outdoor 842 00:28:48,260 --> 00:28:49,140 electric 843 00:28:49,140 --> 00:28:50,980 rotary motor 844 00:28:50,980 --> 00:28:51,680 with an old 845 00:28:51,680 --> 00:28:52,820 fueled by 846 00:28:52,820 --> 00:28:53,880 banks of 847 00:28:53,880 --> 00:28:54,720 little batteries, 848 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:56,360 little generators, 849 00:28:56,360 --> 00:28:57,580 electric generators. 850 00:28:57,580 --> 00:28:58,880 You're like, 851 00:28:58,880 --> 00:28:59,320 wow, 852 00:28:59,320 --> 00:29:01,000 I think people 853 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:01,600 can build 854 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:02,540 something like that 855 00:29:02,540 --> 00:29:03,900 and it has 856 00:29:03,900 --> 00:29:04,480 babies. 857 00:29:04,480 --> 00:29:05,780 Now, 858 00:29:05,780 --> 00:29:06,880 that's 859 00:29:06,880 --> 00:29:07,260 cool, 860 00:29:07,260 --> 00:29:07,720 that. 861 00:29:07,720 --> 00:29:10,800 We are not 862 00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:11,540 up to the point 863 00:29:11,540 --> 00:29:12,020 of having 864 00:29:12,020 --> 00:29:13,240 self-duplicating 865 00:29:13,240 --> 00:29:13,920 submarines 866 00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:14,600 or something, 867 00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:17,780 so we still 868 00:29:17,780 --> 00:29:18,320 aren't up to 869 00:29:18,320 --> 00:29:18,740 the level 870 00:29:18,740 --> 00:29:19,620 of technology 871 00:29:19,620 --> 00:29:20,520 of pond scum. 872 00:29:20,520 --> 00:29:21,820 That's a 873 00:29:21,820 --> 00:29:22,700 humbling thought. 874 00:29:22,700 --> 00:29:25,100 so, 875 00:29:25,100 --> 00:29:28,300 so let's 876 00:29:28,300 --> 00:29:30,060 enjoy our 877 00:29:30,060 --> 00:29:31,220 privileged position 878 00:29:31,220 --> 00:29:32,280 as ambassadors 879 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:33,540 of the coming 880 00:29:33,540 --> 00:29:34,020 king. 881 00:29:34,020 --> 00:29:35,480 Let's have 882 00:29:35,480 --> 00:29:36,300 enough faith 883 00:29:36,300 --> 00:29:37,980 to rely on 884 00:29:37,980 --> 00:29:38,700 him to get 885 00:29:38,700 --> 00:29:39,220 us through 886 00:29:39,220 --> 00:29:40,580 the days 887 00:29:40,580 --> 00:29:41,540 and our health 888 00:29:41,540 --> 00:29:42,140 problems 889 00:29:42,140 --> 00:29:42,680 and our 890 00:29:42,680 --> 00:29:43,340 finances 891 00:29:43,340 --> 00:29:44,880 and all 892 00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:45,460 of the rest 893 00:29:45,460 --> 00:29:45,800 of it 894 00:29:45,800 --> 00:29:47,520 and let's 895 00:29:47,520 --> 00:29:48,520 just rejoice 896 00:29:48,520 --> 00:29:50,020 that we 897 00:29:50,020 --> 00:29:50,500 in this 898 00:29:50,500 --> 00:29:51,080 world 899 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:52,760 have been 900 00:29:52,760 --> 00:29:53,980 lifted out 901 00:29:53,980 --> 00:29:54,460 of the mud 902 00:29:54,460 --> 00:29:55,160 by God, 903 00:29:55,160 --> 00:29:56,340 dusted off 904 00:29:56,340 --> 00:29:57,340 and allowed 905 00:29:57,340 --> 00:29:58,200 to know him 906 00:29:58,200 --> 00:29:59,620 and when he 907 00:29:59,620 --> 00:30:00,380 comes back. 908 00:30:00,380 --> 00:30:01,600 We will 909 00:30:01,600 --> 00:30:02,520 fall on our 910 00:30:02,520 --> 00:30:03,200 faces in 911 00:30:03,200 --> 00:30:03,540 worship. 912 00:30:03,540 --> 00:30:05,140 We hopefully 913 00:30:05,140 --> 00:30:06,520 are worshiping 914 00:30:06,520 --> 00:30:06,980 now, 915 00:30:06,980 --> 00:30:09,060 but I think 916 00:30:09,060 --> 00:30:09,620 from reading 917 00:30:09,620 --> 00:30:10,400 scriptures when 918 00:30:10,400 --> 00:30:11,000 you actually 919 00:30:11,000 --> 00:30:11,640 are in his 920 00:30:11,640 --> 00:30:12,240 presence, 921 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:13,180 we're all 922 00:30:13,180 --> 00:30:13,720 doing a 923 00:30:13,720 --> 00:30:14,380 face plant 924 00:30:14,380 --> 00:30:14,920 first, 925 00:30:14,920 --> 00:30:16,340 and then he'll 926 00:30:16,340 --> 00:30:16,920 get us up 927 00:30:16,920 --> 00:30:17,320 and shake 928 00:30:17,320 --> 00:30:17,940 our hands 929 00:30:17,940 --> 00:30:18,880 if he wants 930 00:30:18,880 --> 00:30:19,180 to. 931 00:30:19,180 --> 00:30:20,440 So, 932 00:30:20,440 --> 00:30:21,160 let's pray. 933 00:30:23,220 --> 00:30:24,360 Heavenly Father, 934 00:30:24,360 --> 00:30:25,400 we do 935 00:30:25,400 --> 00:30:25,940 thank you. 936 00:30:25,940 --> 00:30:28,020 We thank you, 937 00:30:28,020 --> 00:30:28,320 Lord, 938 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:31,540 that you 939 00:30:31,540 --> 00:30:32,540 foreknew us. 940 00:30:32,540 --> 00:30:34,580 We thank you, 941 00:30:34,580 --> 00:30:34,940 Lord, 942 00:30:34,940 --> 00:30:35,680 that you 943 00:30:35,680 --> 00:30:36,880 reached into 944 00:30:36,880 --> 00:30:37,620 this world 945 00:30:37,620 --> 00:30:38,540 to touch 946 00:30:38,540 --> 00:30:38,880 us, 947 00:30:38,880 --> 00:30:40,960 to stir 948 00:30:40,960 --> 00:30:41,640 our hearts, 949 00:30:41,640 --> 00:30:42,320 stir our 950 00:30:42,320 --> 00:30:42,740 minds, 951 00:30:42,740 --> 00:30:44,760 and to prepare 952 00:30:44,760 --> 00:30:45,360 us for a 953 00:30:45,360 --> 00:30:46,240 life of service 954 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:47,080 of him. 955 00:30:47,080 --> 00:30:48,960 May we do 956 00:30:48,960 --> 00:30:49,400 it well, 957 00:30:49,400 --> 00:30:49,820 Lord. 958 00:30:49,820 --> 00:30:50,880 May we do 959 00:30:50,880 --> 00:30:51,720 it so well 960 00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:52,740 that it 961 00:30:52,740 --> 00:30:53,080 touches 962 00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:53,920 our families, 963 00:30:53,920 --> 00:30:54,820 our friends, 964 00:30:54,820 --> 00:30:56,300 our co-workers. 965 00:30:56,300 --> 00:30:58,220 We thank you, 966 00:30:58,220 --> 00:30:58,460 Lord, 967 00:30:58,460 --> 00:30:59,280 for your presence 968 00:30:59,280 --> 00:31:00,120 in our lives. 969 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:01,860 We pray it all 970 00:31:01,860 --> 00:31:03,200 in Jesus' name. 971 00:31:03,200 --> 00:31:04,460 Amen. 972 00:31:04,460 --> 00:31:06,060 Thank you. 973 00:31:06,060 --> 00:31:07,060 Thank you. 974 00:31:07,060 --> 00:31:08,060 Thank you. 975 00:31:08,060 --> 00:31:38,040 Thank you.