- Hey, we all
know good people suffer
00:00:01.16\00:00:03.13
and bad people often
seem to get away with murder.
00:00:03.13\00:00:06.43
And I mean, literally.
00:00:06.43\00:00:08.17
And for thousands of years,
00:00:08.17\00:00:09.67
we've all been begging
for a little bit of justice.
00:00:09.67\00:00:13.58
Today on "Authentic,"
we're going to explore
00:00:13.58\00:00:15.34
what justice actually means
and when you can expect it.
00:00:15.34\00:00:19.71
[soft music]
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You know, I haven't
been to court very often.
00:00:40.87\00:00:43.14
And when I do go to court,
00:00:43.14\00:00:44.91
I'm usually there as a pastor
00:00:44.91\00:00:46.27
to support somebody who's going
00:00:46.27\00:00:47.71
through a little bit
of a rough patch in life.
00:00:47.71\00:00:50.61
But if I'm perfectly honest,
00:00:51.51\00:00:53.42
I'd have to admit that I have
been to court as a defendant.
00:00:53.42\00:00:57.25
Now, it wasn't a criminal case.
00:00:57.25\00:00:59.45
It was just traffic court.
00:00:59.45\00:01:01.06
But nonetheless, I have had
to plead my case before a judge.
00:01:01.06\00:01:04.86
So here's what
actually happened.
00:01:04.86\00:01:07.23
I was working on the
other side of the country
00:01:07.23\00:01:09.66
and my wife was
expecting our first child.
00:01:09.66\00:01:12.67
And I had planned to
get back home about 10 days
00:01:12.67\00:01:15.74
before the due date,
00:01:15.74\00:01:16.84
not really
understanding just how early
00:01:16.84\00:01:19.41
a first baby might arrive.
00:01:19.41\00:01:21.71
And so to my
shame, I missed the birth
00:01:21.71\00:01:24.78
of our oldest
daughter by about four hours.
00:01:24.78\00:01:28.68
Now, I did have the foresight
not to leave my wife alone
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in those last few weeks.
00:01:32.45\00:01:33.72
And my mother
was there to help her
00:01:33.72\00:01:35.76
if something should happen.
00:01:35.76\00:01:38.13
And of course,
something did happen.
00:01:38.13\00:01:40.76
So my mother drove
Jean to the hospital
00:01:40.76\00:01:43.20
and she parked our car
right next to the hospital
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in a no parking zone.
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And before she could get back
to the car, we had a ticket.
00:01:48.60\00:01:52.01
So when the court date came,
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I knew I was gonna
have to plead guilty
00:01:54.31\00:01:56.34
because the car
was parked illegally.
00:01:56.34\00:01:58.85
But I still plan to make my case
00:01:58.85\00:02:00.75
hoping for a
little bit of mercy.
00:02:00.75\00:02:04.19
So what I planned to do
was plead guilty with cause,
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which means you're guilty but
you think you have an excuse.
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So I sat in the courtroom
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listening to the other
cases that came before me
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and the person who came
right before me was a teacher
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also with a parking ticket.
00:02:20.77\00:02:22.74
And this is the
case that teacher made.
00:02:22.74\00:02:24.77
"Your Worship," he
said, because in Canada,
00:02:24.77\00:02:27.44
that's how you have
to address the judge.
00:02:27.44\00:02:29.44
"Your Worship,
00:02:29.44\00:02:30.88
"I was taking some
students to the public library
00:02:30.88\00:02:33.42
"and they took a
long time checking out
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"so I got a ticket for
being in the drop-off zone
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"for way too long."
00:02:38.79\00:02:41.32
The judge smiled and said,
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"Oh, listen, I understand.
00:02:43.32\00:02:45.09
"I'll dismiss your ticket."
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And the teacher smiled,
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and the judge
smiled, and we all smiled.
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I smiled because now I
knew I had a merciful judge.
00:02:50.67\00:02:54.14
I mean, if he threw out a
ticket because of library books,
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what do you think he's
gonna do with a woman in labor?
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This was going to be easy.
00:02:59.44\00:03:02.01
So my name was called and
I stood up to make my case.
00:03:02.01\00:03:05.28
"How do you
plead?" the judge asked.
00:03:05.28\00:03:07.58
"Guilty with cause, Worship."
00:03:07.58\00:03:09.78
"Okay," he said.
00:03:09.78\00:03:10.75
"Go ahead and state your case."
00:03:10.75\00:03:12.75
"Well, I was out of town, sir,
and my wife went into labor,
00:03:12.75\00:03:15.39
"so my mother drove
her to the hospital,
00:03:15.39\00:03:17.66
"and in their
haste to get inside
00:03:17.66\00:03:19.19
"to get immediate
medical attention,
00:03:19.19\00:03:21.73
"they didn't see the time
limit on the sign by the road.
00:03:21.73\00:03:24.70
"So yes, I know the
car was parked illegally
00:03:24.70\00:03:27.54
"and I know we
deserve the ticket,
00:03:27.54\00:03:29.50
"but given the nature
of what was happening,
00:03:29.50\00:03:31.67
"I'm hoping for some
mercy from the court."
00:03:31.67\00:03:35.18
So now, you tell me
which is the better case,
00:03:36.54\00:03:39.85
kids with library
books or a woman in labor?
00:03:39.85\00:03:42.72
It seems obvious to
me, but not to that judge.
00:03:42.72\00:03:46.79
He threw the book at me.
00:03:46.79\00:03:47.99
"The car was parked
illegally, Mr. Boonstra.
00:03:47.99\00:03:50.19
"There's no excuse,
go and pay your fine."
00:03:50.19\00:03:52.66
Bang.
00:03:52.66\00:03:53.93
So of course, I
went and paid it.
00:03:53.93\00:03:55.80
But I was more
than a little irritated
00:03:55.80\00:03:57.57
because it seems
so arbitrary, unjust.
00:03:57.57\00:04:01.97
Why does the other guy
get mercy for library books
00:04:01.97\00:04:04.41
and I get nothing?
00:04:04.41\00:04:05.87
I mean, I would have no problem
if both of us got convicted,
00:04:05.87\00:04:09.68
or if both of us were forgiven.
00:04:09.68\00:04:12.15
That would seem fair.
00:04:12.15\00:04:13.72
But this felt like there
were two different standards,
00:04:13.72\00:04:16.18
and I'll be honest, it
made me a little angry.
00:04:16.18\00:04:19.59
Now, of course, the
car was parked illegally
00:04:19.59\00:04:22.06
and the fine was
completely appropriate,
00:04:22.06\00:04:24.26
but I still got
my nose out of joint.
00:04:24.26\00:04:27.50
I'm guessing, you know
what I'm talking about.
00:04:27.50\00:04:29.83
Because at some point,
somebody's done this to you.
00:04:29.83\00:04:33.07
Anybody who's lived on this
planet for any length of time
00:04:33.07\00:04:36.40
figures out that
life is not fair.
00:04:36.40\00:04:39.64
Now, they tell you
that when you're a kid,
00:04:39.64\00:04:41.98
but you don't really
believe it until you grow up.
00:04:41.98\00:04:44.28
And at some point, you're
going to be treated unjustly.
00:04:44.28\00:04:47.88
It's just the way it works.
00:04:47.88\00:04:50.59
And when it's nothing
more than a parking ticket,
00:04:50.59\00:04:52.49
you mutter, right?
00:04:52.49\00:04:53.69
And then you let it go.
00:04:53.69\00:04:55.59
But when it's something worse,
00:04:55.59\00:04:57.39
something that really
affects your quality of life.
00:04:57.39\00:05:00.73
Well, that's what philosophers
have been wrestling with
00:05:00.73\00:05:04.00
for thousands of years.
00:05:04.00\00:05:06.10
The philosopher
Susan Nieman once said,
00:05:07.30\00:05:09.60
"The problem of evil
00:05:09.60\00:05:11.31
"is the guiding
force of modern thought."
00:05:11.31\00:05:14.48
What does she mean?
00:05:14.48\00:05:15.41
What's the problem of evil?
00:05:15.41\00:05:17.41
Well, traditionally, the
problem of evil goes like this.
00:05:17.41\00:05:21.15
If there is a
God and God is good,
00:05:21.15\00:05:24.52
then why do we have to live
00:05:24.52\00:05:25.72
with things like
pain and suffering?
00:05:25.72\00:05:27.72
Why do good people hurt
and evil people prosper?
00:05:27.72\00:05:31.63
Why do we have natural
disasters and famine and plague?
00:05:31.63\00:05:35.50
Shouldn't a good
and righteous God
00:05:35.50\00:05:37.67
put a stop to all that stuff?
00:05:37.67\00:05:39.47
Now, the way
philosophers talk about this,
00:05:40.77\00:05:42.30
there are only a
few possible answers.
00:05:42.30\00:05:44.97
Either God doesn't exist,
00:05:44.97\00:05:47.51
or maybe he's
powerless to do anything,
00:05:47.51\00:05:50.61
or maybe he's some
kind of moral monster
00:05:50.61\00:05:53.11
who's not actually good.
00:05:53.11\00:05:55.08
Or maybe there's a reason
that God allows these things.
00:05:56.62\00:06:00.66
Trying to explain why we
have a good God and a bad world
00:06:00.66\00:06:03.66
is something that
theologians would call theodicy.
00:06:03.66\00:06:06.90
It's when you try to
vindicate the character of God
00:06:06.90\00:06:09.86
and defend him
against the painful reality
00:06:09.86\00:06:12.47
of human existence.
00:06:12.47\00:06:14.47
No matter what
your concept of God is,
00:06:14.47\00:06:17.47
this has been one
of the big questions,
00:06:17.47\00:06:19.91
driving the practice of
philosophy right from the
00:06:19.91\00:06:23.75
beginning. And what we
get in a lot of the works
00:06:23.75\00:06:25.38
of the great philosophers
is a lot of real estate
00:06:25.38\00:06:28.28
devoted to the
notion of justice.
00:06:28.28\00:06:31.79
Back in my
first year of college,
00:06:31.79\00:06:33.82
I was forced to read
this book, Plato's "Republic."
00:06:33.82\00:06:37.69
And I'm guessing some of you
were forced to read this, too.
00:06:37.69\00:06:40.20
This is actually still the copy
00:06:40.20\00:06:41.63
I bought my
first year of college.
00:06:41.63\00:06:44.13
This book was written
almost 400 years before Christ.
00:06:44.13\00:06:48.07
And the reason we're
still reading it today
00:06:48.07\00:06:50.31
is because nobody has
actually solved the problems
00:06:50.31\00:06:53.14
that Plato brings up.
00:06:53.14\00:06:55.68
And one of the biggest
ideas he wrestles with in here
00:06:55.68\00:06:58.05
is the notion of justice.
00:06:58.05\00:07:00.88
What exactly do
we mean by that word?
00:07:00.88\00:07:02.95
What is justice?
00:07:02.95\00:07:04.69
How do you know for sure if
something is just or unjust?
00:07:04.69\00:07:09.12
And if you do manage
to define what justice is,
00:07:09.12\00:07:12.49
how would you organize a
society to achieve that justice?
00:07:12.49\00:07:16.77
Now, there's a part of me that
just wants to open this book
00:07:18.20\00:07:20.00
and have reading
theater right here on the show.
00:07:20.00\00:07:22.17
But first of all, we'd
never have enough time.
00:07:22.17\00:07:24.27
And secondly, that would
probably be the apex of boring.
00:07:24.27\00:07:28.08
So let me just summarize this.
00:07:28.08\00:07:30.71
Basically what Plato defines
as justice is good order.
00:07:30.71\00:07:35.72
He argues that an orderly city
00:07:36.58\00:07:38.19
or an orderly civilization
would be a just one.
00:07:38.19\00:07:41.32
And then he compares a
good person to a good city.
00:07:41.32\00:07:45.79
And he makes the argument
that just like an orderly city
00:07:45.79\00:07:48.70
is just, an orderly
person is also just.
00:07:48.70\00:07:52.97
Now, personally, I find all
that a bit of a disappointment,
00:07:52.97\00:07:56.17
especially after
waiting through what?
00:07:56.17\00:07:58.24
400 pages.
00:07:58.24\00:07:59.87
But given the way that
Plato was almost the first guy
00:07:59.87\00:08:02.68
to bat on this subject, I'm
gonna have to give him a pass.
00:08:02.68\00:08:05.48
And to be fair, I summarized
a pretty big and masterful book
00:08:05.48\00:08:09.12
in about 20 words.
00:08:09.12\00:08:10.32
And if you ever
find yourself bored
00:08:10.32\00:08:11.89
on a Saturday
night reading this,
00:08:11.89\00:08:13.36
it's probably better for
your brain than a light movie.
00:08:13.36\00:08:16.06
Played it.
00:08:17.33\00:08:18.29
Now let's go to Aristotle,
00:08:18.29\00:08:20.00
that other
superstar of Greek philosophy.
00:08:20.00\00:08:22.53
And Aristotle comes up
with a very political definition
00:08:22.53\00:08:25.80
of justice that
revolves around the idea
00:08:25.80\00:08:28.10
that the burdens
and benefits of society
00:08:28.10\00:08:30.71
should be fairly
divided among all citizens.
00:08:30.71\00:08:33.74
Of course, it's been
more than 2,000 years
00:08:33.74\00:08:36.28
since he said that,
00:08:36.28\00:08:37.81
and we still have no idea what
fairness actually looks like,
00:08:37.81\00:08:41.48
because we've
discovered that all depends
00:08:41.48\00:08:43.89
on your point of view.
00:08:43.89\00:08:45.45
Who gets to
determine what's fair?
00:08:45.45\00:08:48.56
Aristotle did suggest
00:08:48.56\00:08:49.82
that fairness
should be based on law
00:08:49.82\00:08:52.09
rather than the
opinions of leadership,
00:08:52.09\00:08:54.00
so we can at least
partially thank Aristotle
00:08:54.00\00:08:57.27
for helping establish
the idea of the rule of law,
00:08:57.27\00:09:01.24
but only partially.
00:09:01.24\00:09:02.47
Aristotle also
draws a distinction
00:09:03.57\00:09:05.47
between justice and decency
00:09:05.47\00:09:07.58
because he says
sometimes following the rule
00:09:07.58\00:09:09.61
of law too strictly can
actually produce injustice.
00:09:09.61\00:09:13.28
And in that case, it
would be more important
00:09:13.28\00:09:15.35
to behave decently than legally.
00:09:15.35\00:09:18.52
And I hope the judge
who treated me indecently
00:09:18.52\00:09:20.82
is listening to Aristotle.
00:09:20.82\00:09:22.46
Now, I should probably stop
making irresponsible summaries
00:09:23.89\00:09:27.56
of these great thinkers,
because I am doing them
00:09:27.56\00:09:30.57
a little bit of an injustice.
00:09:30.57\00:09:32.80
So let's just jump
past the next 2,000 years
00:09:32.80\00:09:35.30
and I'll just tell you
00:09:35.30\00:09:36.84
that nobody's ever really
figured this question out.
00:09:36.84\00:09:38.84
And let me get to what
I'm actually driving at.
00:09:38.84\00:09:42.04
Why is it so hard for us
to figure out what's fair?
00:09:42.04\00:09:46.25
And why do we even
care about fairness?
00:09:46.25\00:09:49.58
This is an instinct
that shows up very early
00:09:49.58\00:09:52.22
in a human lifetime.
00:09:52.22\00:09:53.56
I mean, take two little kids.
00:09:53.56\00:09:55.16
Parents, you know
what I'm talking about.
00:09:55.16\00:09:56.83
Pour two glasses of orange juice
00:09:56.83\00:09:58.69
and both of those kids are
gonna eyeball those glasses
00:09:58.69\00:10:01.33
to make sure they both
get exactly the same amount.
00:10:01.33\00:10:05.60
So what a lot of
parents do, what we did
00:10:05.60\00:10:07.97
is let one kid pour the juice
00:10:07.97\00:10:09.70
and the other
one gets to choose.
00:10:09.70\00:10:11.54
We're driving for fairness.
00:10:11.54\00:10:13.78
This is an
essential part of who we are.
00:10:13.78\00:10:16.48
But you do have to wonder
00:10:16.48\00:10:18.71
why do we seem to
think that anything could
00:10:18.71\00:10:21.62
or should be fair?
00:10:21.62\00:10:23.85
Why assume that there is a
right and a wrong way to live?
00:10:23.85\00:10:27.89
I'll be right back after this
00:10:27.89\00:10:29.19
to take a kick at
that particular can.
00:10:29.19\00:10:31.43
- [Narrator] Dragons,
beasts, cryptic statutes.
00:10:33.70\00:10:38.00
Bible prophecy can be
incredibly vivid and confusing.
00:10:38.00\00:10:42.57
If you've ever read
Daniel or Revelation
00:10:42.57\00:10:44.77
and come away scratching
your head, you're not alone.
00:10:44.77\00:10:47.81
Our free "Focus
on Prophecy" guides
00:10:47.81\00:10:50.21
are designed to help you unlock
the mysteries of the Bible
00:10:50.21\00:10:53.01
and deepen your
understanding of God's plan
00:10:53.01\00:10:55.42
for you and our world.
00:10:55.42\00:10:57.09
Study online or
request them by mail
00:10:57.09\00:10:59.52
and start bringing
prophecy into focus today.
00:10:59.52\00:11:02.39
- I don't know how
many of you were listening
00:11:03.69\00:11:04.96
to Billy Joel back
in the 1970s and 80s,
00:11:04.96\00:11:07.50
but maybe some of you
remember his 1977 song
00:11:07.50\00:11:10.87
"Only the Good Die Young."
00:11:10.87\00:11:13.40
The premise of the
song is well, awful,
00:11:13.40\00:11:15.94
because he's
trying to get a good girl
00:11:15.94\00:11:17.64
from a Catholic school to be
a bad girl, if you get my drift
00:11:17.64\00:11:21.28
but underneath the attempt
to woo her to the dark side
00:11:21.28\00:11:24.08
is an idea that
well, unfortunately,
00:11:24.08\00:11:26.72
a lot of people agree with
because life has taught them
00:11:26.72\00:11:29.88
that good behavior
never seems to get rewarded.
00:11:29.88\00:11:33.12
Just in case you're
forgetting the song,
00:11:33.12\00:11:34.69
I'll refresh your
memory and don't worry,
00:11:34.69\00:11:36.59
I'm not gonna try to sing it.
00:11:36.59\00:11:38.49
It says, "They say there's a
heaven for those who will wait.
00:11:38.49\00:11:41.66
"Some say it's
better, but I say it ain't.
00:11:41.66\00:11:44.03
"I'd rather laugh with
the sinners than cry with the
00:11:44.03\00:11:47.30
saints. "The
sinners are much more fun.
00:11:47.30\00:11:49.30
"You know that only
the good die young."
00:11:49.30\00:11:52.71
That's a 20th
century pop version
00:11:52.71\00:11:54.91
of the same
philosophical question
00:11:54.91\00:11:57.31
why do bad things
happen to good people
00:11:57.31\00:11:59.41
and the other way around?
00:11:59.41\00:12:01.32
What's the point of
living a virtuous life
00:12:01.32\00:12:03.59
if bad people seem to
get rewarded for being bad?
00:12:03.59\00:12:07.09
I mean, we all like to
think that crime doesn't pay
00:12:07.09\00:12:09.56
and we try to
convince each other
00:12:09.56\00:12:10.83
that's the way the world works.
00:12:10.83\00:12:12.93
But you know that's not true.
00:12:12.93\00:12:15.10
Far too often, it
seems like very bad people
00:12:15.10\00:12:17.97
never get what's coming to
them and really good people,
00:12:17.97\00:12:20.90
the ones who try to be virtuous,
00:12:20.90\00:12:22.74
well, society
kind of spits on them
00:12:22.74\00:12:25.37
and they often live
a painful existence.
00:12:25.37\00:12:28.58
And while you
could wade your way
00:12:29.68\00:12:31.25
through thousands
and thousands of pages
00:12:31.25\00:12:33.21
of really great philosophy,
and maybe you should,
00:12:33.21\00:12:35.88
because I don't think
enough people are actually aware
00:12:35.88\00:12:38.65
of how our
civilization was constructed.
00:12:38.65\00:12:40.66
[mystical music]
00:12:40.66\00:12:42.12
There is one book that
stands head and shoulders
00:12:42.12\00:12:44.79
above all the rest when
it comes to understanding
00:12:44.79\00:12:46.80
this problem of evil.
00:12:46.80\00:12:48.36
And before you dismiss
the Bible as a collection
00:12:48.36\00:12:50.77
of ancient religious propaganda,
I wanna encourage you
00:12:50.77\00:12:53.90
to actually read it.
00:12:53.90\00:12:56.50
Because if this is propaganda,
00:12:56.50\00:12:58.71
this is some of the worst
propaganda I've ever seen.
00:12:58.71\00:13:01.78
It openly discusses the
sins of God's own people.
00:13:01.78\00:13:05.48
It tells us
Moses was a murderer.
00:13:05.48\00:13:07.48
Noah was a drunk.
00:13:07.48\00:13:09.02
David was a philanderer.
00:13:09.02\00:13:11.05
And so if this is trying
to paint a positive image
00:13:11.05\00:13:13.89
of religious
people, if this is nothing
00:13:13.89\00:13:16.06
but a cultural artifact
meant to make people look good,
00:13:16.06\00:13:19.49
I'd have to give it an F on
that front because it fails.
00:13:19.49\00:13:23.06
But that's not what this is.
00:13:23.06\00:13:25.23
What you find in
here is a surprising
00:13:25.23\00:13:27.17
and refreshing
degree of transparency.
00:13:27.17\00:13:30.17
It describes real human
beings with real human problems
00:13:30.17\00:13:34.14
and there is no
attempt to hide the fact
00:13:34.14\00:13:36.48
that our world is
a very unjust place.
00:13:36.48\00:13:39.35
In fact, in one of
the books in the Bible,
00:13:39.35\00:13:41.42
the Book of Job, there are
42 incredibly detailed chapters
00:13:41.42\00:13:45.39
dealing with the
fact that a very good man
00:13:45.39\00:13:47.89
is suffering a horrible fate.
00:13:47.89\00:13:50.33
And it's a story that
predates Plato and Aristotle
00:13:50.33\00:13:53.60
by hundreds of years.
00:13:53.60\00:13:56.13
We don't really know
for sure who wrote it.
00:13:56.13\00:13:57.97
Most people
suspect it was Moses,
00:13:57.97\00:13:59.87
but I've got to tell you,
what you find in the Book of Job
00:13:59.87\00:14:02.57
is pretty profound.
00:14:02.57\00:14:04.54
I mean, it identifies Job as
a good man, a believer in God,
00:14:04.54\00:14:08.71
and very early in the
story, he loses everything
00:14:08.71\00:14:11.88
and wishes he could die.
00:14:11.88\00:14:14.18
Let me give you a sample.
00:14:14.18\00:14:15.15
This comes from Job 3.
00:14:15.15\00:14:17.65
It says, "After
this, Job opened his mouth
00:14:17.65\00:14:21.19
"and cursed the
day of his birth.
00:14:21.19\00:14:22.76
"And Job spoke, and said,
00:14:22.76\00:14:24.16
"'May the day
perish on which I was born,
00:14:24.16\00:14:26.93
"'and the night
in which it was said
00:14:26.93\00:14:28.56
"'a male child is conceived.
00:14:28.56\00:14:30.30
"'May that day be darkness;
00:14:30.30\00:14:32.23
"'May God above not seek it,
00:14:32.23\00:14:34.27
"'nor the light shine upon it.
00:14:34.27\00:14:36.47
"'May darkness in the
shadow of death claim it;
00:14:36.47\00:14:38.74
"'may a cloud settle on it;
00:14:38.74\00:14:40.78
"'may the blackness
of the day terrify it."
00:14:40.78\00:14:44.35
Now, don't forget.
00:14:45.35\00:14:46.85
This is a righteous man
who claims to worship God.
00:14:46.85\00:14:50.05
And so if you can identify
at all with what I just read,
00:14:50.05\00:14:53.25
I think you should
probably take another look
00:14:53.25\00:14:54.79
at this whole book
and see where this goes.
00:14:54.79\00:14:57.39
Because it offers a
depth you're not gonna find
00:14:57.39\00:15:00.80
from the classical philosophers.
00:15:00.80\00:15:02.66
Now, let me show you something
00:15:03.70\00:15:05.57
I was reading just a few
days ago in the Book of Psalms.
00:15:05.57\00:15:08.87
And maybe we'll spend
just a little bit of time here
00:15:08.87\00:15:11.34
because my guess is
that what we're about to read
00:15:11.34\00:15:13.81
will ring a lot of
bells for a lot of people.
00:15:13.81\00:15:16.71
Again, there's a
degree of honesty
00:15:16.71\00:15:18.25
that you don't find in
a lot of modern religions.
00:15:18.25\00:15:21.82
Unfortunately,
here in North America,
00:15:21.82\00:15:24.12
Christianity has become
something of a consumer product,
00:15:24.12\00:15:27.19
where we seem to think
that if we don't all look happy
00:15:27.19\00:15:29.52
and prosperous and perfect,
00:15:29.52\00:15:31.26
nobody's gonna be interested
in what we have to offer.
00:15:31.26\00:15:34.23
And if we're really
honest, we'd have to admit
00:15:34.23\00:15:36.87
there's a bit of a phony
veneer painted over the church
00:15:36.87\00:15:39.67
because in some ways,
we've been trying to sell Jesus
00:15:39.67\00:15:43.47
the same way you
sell fast food or cars.
00:15:43.47\00:15:46.94
But that's not at all
what you find in this book.
00:15:46.94\00:15:48.71
There's not an
ounce of phony in here.
00:15:48.71\00:15:51.28
This is one of the most
authentic things I've ever read.
00:15:51.28\00:15:54.05
And believe me, this book
is going to challenge you.
00:15:54.05\00:15:57.59
So here we go now with Psalm 73,
00:15:57.59\00:16:00.22
which was written by a temple
worker by the name of Asaph.
00:16:00.22\00:16:03.32
Let's just dive right in.
00:16:03.32\00:16:04.63
He says, "Truly,
God is good to Israel,
00:16:04.63\00:16:07.93
"to such as are pure in heart."
00:16:07.93\00:16:10.37
So I could
probably stop right there
00:16:10.37\00:16:11.97
because that's
good advertising, right?
00:16:11.97\00:16:13.94
Just come to church, get to
know God, life will be good.
00:16:13.94\00:16:16.57
And frankly, what Asaph
just said is absolutely true.
00:16:16.57\00:16:19.81
I can personally tell you
00:16:19.81\00:16:21.31
after 30 years of
studying this faith,
00:16:21.31\00:16:23.85
God is good to his people
00:16:23.85\00:16:25.75
and there is a reward
for having a pure heart.
00:16:25.75\00:16:28.75
But that's not the whole story.
00:16:28.75\00:16:30.05
So let's read verse two.
00:16:30.05\00:16:32.35
"But as for me," he says,
"my feet had almost stumbled;
00:16:32.35\00:16:35.42
"my steps had nearly slipped.
00:16:35.42\00:16:36.96
"For I was
envious of the boastful,
00:16:36.96\00:16:39.46
"when I saw the
prosperity of the wicked."
00:16:39.46\00:16:43.33
Hold the phone there.
00:16:44.73\00:16:46.23
He just admitted that he
was tempted to leave the faith
00:16:46.23\00:16:49.17
because wicked people
appear to have a better life.
00:16:49.17\00:16:54.01
This is almost
the ancient equivalent
00:16:55.78\00:16:58.38
of only the good die young.
00:16:58.38\00:17:00.75
What's the point of
living a good and virtuous life
00:17:00.75\00:17:02.92
if being wicked and reckless
is gonna get you places?
00:17:02.92\00:17:06.05
I continue.
00:17:06.05\00:17:06.99
And it keeps going.
00:17:06.99\00:17:08.26
There's some
really amazing stuff here.
00:17:08.26\00:17:09.76
He says, "For there are
no pangs in their death,
00:17:09.76\00:17:13.19
"but their strength is firm."
00:17:13.19\00:17:15.83
So in other words,
the wicked don't even die
00:17:15.83\00:17:17.80
the same
miserable death that we die.
00:17:17.80\00:17:19.67
They have things like
money and comfort and support.
00:17:19.67\00:17:23.07
"They are not in
trouble as other men,
00:17:23.07\00:17:25.71
"nor are they
plagued like other men."
00:17:25.71\00:17:28.38
Now, think about this one.
00:17:28.38\00:17:29.64
When you and I
get a nasty surprise,
00:17:29.64\00:17:31.91
like a broken garage
door, a surprise trip to the ER,
00:17:31.91\00:17:35.78
it means we're gonna
have to make some decisions
00:17:35.78\00:17:37.45
about how we're
gonna pay for it.
00:17:37.45\00:17:39.39
But some people
out there can just live
00:17:39.39\00:17:41.02
with absolute abandonment,
even if they hurt people
00:17:41.02\00:17:43.73
because they'll
just write a check.
00:17:43.73\00:17:46.39
He continues, "Therefore
pride serves as their necklace;
00:17:46.39\00:17:50.27
"violence covers
them like a garment.
00:17:50.27\00:17:52.07
"Their eyes
bulge with abundance;
00:17:52.07\00:17:54.20
"they have more
than heart could wish.
00:17:54.20\00:17:56.37
"They scoff and speak
wickedly concerning oppression;
00:17:56.37\00:17:59.54
"they speak loftily.
00:17:59.54\00:18:01.08
"They set their
mouth against the heavens,
00:18:01.08\00:18:02.88
"and their tongue
walks through the earth."
00:18:02.88\00:18:05.81
This is what made this
author waver in his faith.
00:18:07.22\00:18:10.85
His goodness was
rewarded with a hard life,
00:18:10.85\00:18:13.49
and people who
didn't care about virtue
00:18:13.49\00:18:15.26
seemed to be able to
do whatever they want.
00:18:15.26\00:18:18.69
"Behold," he says in verse
12, "these are the ungodly,
00:18:18.69\00:18:22.56
"who are always at ease;
00:18:22.56\00:18:24.30
"they increase in riches.
00:18:24.30\00:18:26.00
"Surely I have
cleansed my heart in vain
00:18:26.00\00:18:28.04
"and washed my
hands in innocence.
00:18:28.04\00:18:30.17
"For all day long
I have been plagued,
00:18:30.17\00:18:32.91
"and chastened every morning."
00:18:32.91\00:18:35.44
Now at this point,
Asaph the temple worker,
00:18:37.01\00:18:40.32
and Billy Joel are
kind of on the same page,
00:18:40.32\00:18:43.32
only the good die young.
00:18:43.32\00:18:45.52
So you gotta wonder why
godly people would even bother.
00:18:45.52\00:18:48.36
Why persist in a system
that doesn't seem to reward you?
00:18:48.36\00:18:52.09
I'll be right back after
this to show you what it says.
00:18:52.09\00:18:55.66
[bright music]
00:18:55.66\00:18:56.90
- [Announcer] Here at
the "Voice of Prophecy,"
00:18:56.90\00:18:58.37
we're committed to
creating top quality programming
00:18:58.37\00:19:00.37
for the whole family.
00:19:00.37\00:19:01.84
Like our audio adventure
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00:19:01.84\00:19:04.87
"Discovery Mountain"
is a Bible-based program
00:19:04.87\00:19:07.44
for kids of all
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00:19:07.44\00:19:09.78
Your family will enjoy
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00:19:09.78\00:19:12.55
from the Small
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With 24 seasonal
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00:19:15.38\00:19:17.89
and fresh content every week,
00:19:17.89\00:19:20.06
there's always a new
adventure just on the horizon.
00:19:20.06\00:19:23.19
- Jesse Ventura was one of
the more interesting characters
00:19:26.63\00:19:29.30
to enter the world
of American politics,
00:19:29.30\00:19:31.23
and some of the things he
said when he was in office.
00:19:31.23\00:19:34.17
Well, they raised
a lot of eyebrows.
00:19:34.17\00:19:37.41
From promoting
conspiracy theories, alien stuff
00:19:37.41\00:19:40.28
about Area 51 to, well, a
comment he made in Playboy in
00:19:40.28\00:19:45.28
1999 when he said, "Organized
religion is a sham and a crutch
00:19:46.61\00:19:49.05
"for weak-minded people
who need strength in numbers."
00:19:49.05\00:19:53.69
Now, unfortunately, it's
not an uncommon sentiment.
00:19:53.69\00:19:56.66
From the very first
days of Christianity,
00:19:56.66\00:19:58.76
people have looked down on
this faith as a system, frankly,
00:19:58.76\00:20:02.00
built for losers.
00:20:02.00\00:20:03.70
And from the perspective
of success and prosperity,
00:20:03.70\00:20:06.27
I guess I can see why
they come to that conclusion.
00:20:06.27\00:20:09.00
Genuinely good people
often lead hard lives.
00:20:09.00\00:20:12.27
And unless you understand
why they're willing to do that,
00:20:12.27\00:20:15.31
it can look
foolish to an outsider,
00:20:15.31\00:20:17.21
especially when
being just a little bit
00:20:17.21\00:20:19.91
unethical or ruthless
00:20:19.91\00:20:21.18
can apparently pay
some pretty big dividends.
00:20:21.18\00:20:24.32
Ideas like
self-sacrifice and self-denial
00:20:24.32\00:20:27.46
just don't make sense to people
00:20:27.46\00:20:29.39
who don't believe there's
anything more to this life
00:20:29.39\00:20:31.73
than right here and right now.
00:20:31.73\00:20:34.86
So just before the break,
00:20:34.86\00:20:37.03
we were reading the 73rd Psalm,
00:20:37.03\00:20:39.30
where the author was
honest enough to admit
00:20:39.30\00:20:41.67
that it can be very
tempting to give up on virtue
00:20:41.67\00:20:44.71
in godliness, because well,
00:20:44.71\00:20:47.14
it looks like
wickedness pays better.
00:20:47.14\00:20:49.48
Let's pick that up
again now in verse 16.
00:20:49.48\00:20:52.38
He says, "When I
thought to understand this,
00:20:52.38\00:20:55.98
"it was too painful for me,
00:20:55.98\00:20:57.92
"until I went into
the sanctuary of God;
00:20:57.92\00:21:01.16
"then I understood their end."
00:21:01.16\00:21:04.36
The teachings and
values of the Bible
00:21:05.53\00:21:07.96
require a degree
of self-discipline.
00:21:07.96\00:21:11.17
Now, it's true.
00:21:11.17\00:21:12.53
You don't have to
earn your salvation.
00:21:12.53\00:21:14.30
And God's the only one
who puts any real effort
00:21:14.30\00:21:17.54
into your salvation,
00:21:17.54\00:21:19.17
but still, what
this book promises
00:21:19.17\00:21:21.74
is not what most people
would think of as a good life.
00:21:21.74\00:21:25.31
And I'll admit, there are
times when trying to be godly
00:21:25.31\00:21:28.32
can be painful
because a lot of the things
00:21:28.32\00:21:30.92
that other people might be
willing to consider to get ahead
00:21:30.92\00:21:34.09
are no longer an option for you.
00:21:34.09\00:21:36.56
And anybody who tells you
that they never have doubts
00:21:36.56\00:21:39.26
and they never question
00:21:39.26\00:21:40.50
why bad people
seem to get good things
00:21:40.50\00:21:42.13
probably, well, they're
not being entirely honest.
00:21:42.13\00:21:46.43
I mean, if I wanted to,
I could cheat on my taxes
00:21:46.43\00:21:49.74
and keep just a
little more of my money.
00:21:49.74\00:21:51.77
I doubt I'd get caught.
00:21:51.77\00:21:53.58
I could lie my way
through a job interview
00:21:53.58\00:21:56.04
to get a better position.
00:21:56.04\00:21:57.31
I could step on
people to rise to the top.
00:21:57.31\00:22:00.25
And there are people who
succeed in doing those things,
00:22:00.25\00:22:03.28
which is
precisely why they do them.
00:22:03.28\00:22:06.29
But the moment you step
into the sanctuary of God,
00:22:06.29\00:22:09.49
where you learn to see the
world from God's perspective,
00:22:09.49\00:22:12.29
that's when the game changes.
00:22:13.16\00:22:16.16
Now, I wish I had more time
00:22:16.16\00:22:17.53
because there's a
lot to think about
00:22:17.53\00:22:19.57
when you study this
sanctuary that Asaph refers to.
00:22:19.57\00:22:23.34
There's so much, in fact,
00:22:23.34\00:22:24.57
we could probably have
a mini series about it,
00:22:24.57\00:22:26.21
but let me hone in on
just one particular detail.
00:22:26.21\00:22:30.25
The Sanctuary was the
place where God's people
00:22:30.25\00:22:32.38
brought their sacrifices.
00:22:32.38\00:22:34.38
And those sacrifices
were symbols pointing forward
00:22:34.38\00:22:36.95
to the moment when
Messiah would appear
00:22:36.95\00:22:39.69
and give his
life to redeem them.
00:22:39.69\00:22:42.09
In other words, the
lambs in the sanctuary
00:22:42.09\00:22:44.56
were pointing
forward to the lamb of God.
00:22:44.56\00:22:47.50
So what you
have in the Sanctuary
00:22:47.50\00:22:49.03
is the story of God
himself taking on human flesh
00:22:49.03\00:22:52.37
and living the
hardest possible existence
00:22:52.37\00:22:55.24
right here among us.
00:22:55.24\00:22:57.64
The author of the
Book of Hebrews tells us
00:22:57.64\00:23:00.24
that Jesus of Nazareth
experienced all the same pain
00:23:00.24\00:23:03.98
that we experience and worse,
00:23:03.98\00:23:07.68
which means that God actually
gets what it means to live
00:23:07.68\00:23:10.99
an authentic human life.
00:23:10.99\00:23:13.02
Now, I gotta take one last
quick break, so hang in there.
00:23:13.02\00:23:15.96
This is a big thought.
00:23:15.96\00:23:17.09
I'll be right back.
00:23:17.09\00:23:18.16
[bright music]
00:23:20.23\00:23:21.70
- [Announcer] Are
you searching for answers
00:23:21.70\00:23:22.96
to life's toughest questions,
00:23:22.96\00:23:24.57
like where is
God when we suffer?
00:23:24.57\00:23:26.87
Can I find real happiness?
00:23:26.87\00:23:28.67
Or is there any hope
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00:23:28.67\00:23:31.81
The Discover Bible Guides
00:23:31.81\00:23:33.24
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00:23:33.24\00:23:35.64
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00:23:54.30\00:23:57.47
Find answers in guides like
00:23:57.47\00:23:58.87
"Does My life
Really Matter to God?"
00:23:58.87\00:24:01.10
And "A Second Chance at Life."
00:24:01.10\00:24:03.24
You'll find answers to the
things that matter most to you
00:24:03.24\00:24:05.61
in each of the 26
Discover Bible Guides.
00:24:05.61\00:24:08.28
Visit biblestudies.com
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and begin your journey
today to discover answers
00:24:10.45\00:24:13.72
to life's deepest questions.
00:24:13.72\00:24:16.08
[bright music]
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- [Announcer] Life
can throw a lot at us.
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Sometimes we don't
have all the answers.
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But that's where
the Bible comes in.
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It's our guide to a
more fulfilling life.
00:24:30.07\00:24:32.30
Here at the "Voice of Prophecy,"
00:24:33.17\00:24:34.70
We've created the
Discover Bible Guides
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to be your guide to the Bible.
00:24:36.84\00:24:38.47
They're designed to
be simple, easy to use,
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and provide answers to many
of life's toughest questions.
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And they're absolutely free.
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So jump online now
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or give us a call and
start your journey of discovery.
00:24:47.48\00:24:50.55
- You know, the stuff
Jesus taught his disciples
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completely flies in the face
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that a lot of prosperity
preachers are preaching
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in the 21st century.
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What they're
teaching is nonsense
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compared to what Jesus says.
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He tells his disciples, look,
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if you're gonna wanna follow me,
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that means picking up a cross.
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And people are gonna hate you.
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They're gonna persecute you.
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They're even
gonna want you dead.
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So you've got to
wonder why in the world
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would anybody want to do that?
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Well, that's
because of where it goes.
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Look, it is absolutely easier
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to just drift with the
current, take the easy road.
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But what the Bible suggests
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is that it's better to
swim against the current
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and get back to the
source of the river.
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That's where you find
an authentic human life.
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And I can tell you that
some days going upstream,
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sure, it's exhausting.
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It's easy to think why bother?
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Especially in a
world where most people
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expect the rewards right now.
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Think about this.
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Most of our demands are met
pretty much instantaneously.
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You can go on your laptop
shop with a couple of clicks
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and the package is at your door
as fast as tomorrow morning.
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We have 24-hour pharmacies.
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You can get your
prescription filled
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at three in the morning.
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You don't have to
wait for 8:00 a.m.
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We amuse ourselves by
clicking on any movie we want
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and it starts playing right now.
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It's market-driven.
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But the Bible isn't
exactly market-driven,
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at least not in
the classical sense.
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It doesn't strictly adhere
to the supply and demand curves
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that proved so
useful to our economists.
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And that's because God
plays the really long game.
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He's given us free will,
and there are sinners to save.
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And he places the same premium
on your neighbors redemption
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that he places on yours.
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And God knows where the
effortless current of depravity
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is ultimately
going to take people.
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It's taking them to a waterfall
just around the corner,
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and it's gonna
cost them everything.
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And so what God does
is asks us to be patient.
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You and I live as
visitors in a world
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that frankly has
gone off the rails
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and it's getting
worse by the day.
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This is a tough place to live
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a good and
virtuous and godly life.
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But I gotta tell you,
the long game is worth it.
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And the Bible says
that Jesus was willing
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to suffer the agonizing
humiliation of the cross
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for the joy that
was set before him.
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You know what that joy was.
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That joy was you.
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And right now,
God is not asking you
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to do anything he hasn't done.
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And I think you're gonna
find that playing the long game
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is gonna make the
passing pain of this existence
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seem like a
really, really small deal.
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Let me tell you this.
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There is real justice coming
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and it'll be worth waiting for.
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Thanks for joining me.
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I'm Shawn Boonstra.
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This has been "Authentic."
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[soft music]
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