- So why do you think it
is that when you sometimes
00:00:01.20\00:00:02.46
see something
really, really beautiful,
00:00:02.46\00:00:05.17
it kinda produces a,
well, low-level heartache?
00:00:05.17\00:00:08.90
I mean, how can
you be profoundly happy
00:00:08.90\00:00:11.64
and profoundly sad
at the very same time?
00:00:11.64\00:00:14.68
That's what we're gonna look at
00:00:14.68\00:00:15.68
on today's episode of Authentic.
00:00:15.68\00:00:18.95
[upbeat music]
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Open a Bible to the
first two chapters of Genesis
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and give them a read, especially
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if it's been a little while.
00:00:43.41\00:00:44.91
Actually, if you're
streaming this, just push pause,
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go read those two
chapters and come back
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'cause I think you're
gonna find this interesting.
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Here's what I
want you to notice.
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It's almost impossible to
read those opening passages
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and not start to kind of
pine for what it's describing.
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It's a primeval
description of the world
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and it reveals a
pristine planet that is,
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well, radically different than
the one we live in right now.
00:01:06.70\00:01:10.40
In fact, you'll
notice the creator steps back
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at the end of every single day
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and declares
that his work is good.
00:01:14.37\00:01:17.27
Then on the sixth day,
after making the human race,
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he ups the ante just a little
bit and calls it very good.
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And when you read that,
00:01:23.78\00:01:25.55
there's a part of
you that longs for it,
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especially when the
world we're living in
00:01:27.65\00:01:29.62
appears to be anything but good.
00:01:29.62\00:01:31.85
As of right now,
as I'm sitting here,
00:01:31.85\00:01:34.12
that awful war in
Ukraine is still being waged.
00:01:34.12\00:01:36.99
And of course,
back in October of 2023,
00:01:36.99\00:01:39.83
Hamas launched that
brutal attack on Israel
00:01:39.83\00:01:42.40
and did unspeakable
things to civilians,
00:01:42.40\00:01:44.80
which prompted a massive
military reply from Israel
00:01:44.80\00:01:48.04
and led to an awful lot
of death and destruction
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on the Gaza Strip.
00:01:50.71\00:01:52.87
It's another painful reminder
00:01:52.87\00:01:54.38
that human beings find
themselves mostly helpless
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to solve our
very worst problems.
00:01:56.71\00:02:00.08
And of course, on a
more personal level,
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there's a pretty
good chance that your life
00:02:02.72\00:02:04.75
has been a
constant struggle too.
00:02:04.75\00:02:07.02
Maybe you're working
overtime to make ends meet
00:02:07.02\00:02:09.36
in this new
inflationary economy,
00:02:09.36\00:02:11.36
or you're dealing
with a debilitating disease
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or maybe you've got
serious family problems.
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And then you read these
opening verses in Genesis
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and you can't help but
feel, well, a lot of sadness.
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It's not describing
the world you live in
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and you kind of wish it was.
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And that's the way it is
00:02:29.11\00:02:30.81
with beautiful
things, unfortunately.
00:02:30.81\00:02:32.78
I remember there
was this painting
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in my 12th grade English
lit textbook that captivated me.
00:02:34.42\00:02:38.32
I found it on a day
when we had this really,
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really bad substitute teacher
00:02:40.72\00:02:43.46
who seemed like he
was in love with himself
00:02:43.46\00:02:45.79
because he kept prattling on
00:02:45.79\00:02:47.50
about how unbelievably
intelligent his college papers
00:02:47.50\00:02:51.43
were. I mean, who does that?
00:02:51.43\00:02:52.70
Especially in a
high school classroom.
00:02:52.70\00:02:55.17
He was, in his
not so humble opinion,
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the most
insightful man who ever lived.
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The problem though was
that he was number one,
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deluded about
his own intelligence
00:03:02.94\00:03:04.85
and two, he was also the most
egotistical man I'd ever met.
00:03:04.85\00:03:08.58
So, when I turned
the page in my textbook
00:03:08.58\00:03:11.62
and found this stunning painting
from the Romantic period,
00:03:11.62\00:03:14.82
it was a massive
upgrade from what was happening
00:03:14.82\00:03:17.86
at the front of the classroom.
00:03:17.86\00:03:19.59
I've always wished I could
find that exact picture back
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because to this day,
I still think it was one
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of the most beautiful
works of art I've ever seen.
00:03:24.50\00:03:27.50
If you're
watching me with visuals,
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it's not the one
that's on the screen.
00:03:30.17\00:03:31.61
I tried to
replicate it best I could.
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It was a scene
from the mountains
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with a river
running in the foreground
00:03:36.14\00:03:37.71
and a prominent
castle high up on a hillside.
00:03:37.71\00:03:41.25
The colors were breathtaking.
00:03:41.25\00:03:43.62
The artist had used
light so masterfully
00:03:43.62\00:03:45.82
that it nearly brought
tears to my teenage eyes.
00:03:45.82\00:03:49.06
And I'm not
exactly a squishy guy
00:03:49.06\00:03:51.19
when I walk
through an art gallery.
00:03:51.19\00:03:53.13
I think it was the
first time I'd ever been
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profoundly moved by a painting.
00:03:56.10\00:03:59.20
I mean, I was used to
music making me feel that way,
00:03:59.20\00:04:02.14
but not really visual art.
00:04:02.14\00:04:04.44
And it was a
really strange emotion.
00:04:04.44\00:04:06.91
I remember it well because
it wasn't just joy or happiness.
00:04:06.91\00:04:10.61
That scene was so
hauntingly beautiful
00:04:10.61\00:04:13.21
that it actually caused me
to feel a little bit of sadness.
00:04:13.21\00:04:17.42
The only other time
that's ever happened
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is when Gene and I were
driving across New Mexico
00:04:19.05\00:04:21.76
and I saw this
conical-shaped mountain,
00:04:21.76\00:04:24.53
probably an extinct volcano,
00:04:24.53\00:04:26.36
with a simple little
cabin perched on the side of it.
00:04:26.36\00:04:30.10
It was one of the most
peaceful bits of property
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I have ever seen.
00:04:32.27\00:04:33.87
And I suddenly had all
these melancholic feelings.
00:04:33.87\00:04:37.87
Kinda surprised me.
00:04:37.87\00:04:39.91
So here's the question.
00:04:39.91\00:04:41.94
Why is it when we're
faced with incredible beauty
00:04:41.94\00:04:44.85
that the joy we feel
is almost always coupled
00:04:44.85\00:04:48.42
with a hint of sadness?
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Personally, I think it's because
we're looking at something
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that is, for the most
part, completely unobtainable.
00:04:52.59\00:04:56.19
The reality of daily
life doesn't match the beauty
00:04:56.19\00:04:59.49
that you're looking at.
00:04:59.49\00:05:01.20
I'm reminded of
something that the late great
00:05:01.20\00:05:03.50
Lutheran theologian
Helmut Thielicke once said
00:05:03.50\00:05:06.00
when he wrote these words.
00:05:06.00\00:05:07.87
He said, "But why is
it that this encounter
00:05:07.87\00:05:10.91
"with what is perfect and
whole always makes us a bit sad?
00:05:10.91\00:05:14.68
"What is the source of
that faint touch of melancholy
00:05:14.68\00:05:17.11
"on the faces of Greek
statues and their perfection?
00:05:17.11\00:05:20.45
"Why do beauty and
sadness dwell so close together?
00:05:20.45\00:05:24.25
"Why is it that the
clear bell-like tones
00:05:24.25\00:05:26.69
"of a boy
soprano not only delight,
00:05:26.69\00:05:28.86
"but also fill
us with aching pain?
00:05:28.86\00:05:31.53
"Why is the utmost of
beauty so heartbreaking?"
00:05:31.53\00:05:36.20
That's a really good question.
00:05:36.20\00:05:38.13
And it certainly
applies to the creation account
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that you find in
the book of Genesis.
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That describes a world
that actually put a smile
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on the face of God.
00:05:46.47\00:05:48.01
But when you compare it to
the world we're living in now,
00:05:48.01\00:05:51.15
well, the word heartache
is almost a little too tepid.
00:05:51.15\00:05:55.02
One of my favorite
Bible verses is found
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in the book of Ecclesiastes,
where the wise man says this,
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"He," speaking of God,
00:06:00.72\00:06:02.52
"has made everything
beautiful in its time.
00:06:02.52\00:06:04.93
"Also, he has put
eternity into man's heart,
00:06:04.93\00:06:07.60
"yet so that he cannot
find out what God has done
00:06:07.60\00:06:10.30
"from the beginning to the end."
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Honestly, you and
I can't even imagine
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what it would be
like to live in a pristine
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or perfect world, and yet our
hearts still seem to want it.
00:06:17.41\00:06:22.21
There's something inside
all of us that reminds us
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the world was once
a much better place.
00:06:24.55\00:06:27.92
All of us seem to
have this latent memory
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of a better time
and better place,
00:06:29.98\00:06:31.92
and we also somehow know
that we've completely destroyed
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that original innocence.
00:06:35.62\00:06:37.46
We've lost that world forever.
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It's not gonna come back,
at least not in my lifetime.
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The very presence of the
human race on this planet
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and the terrible
things that we do
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have become a blight
on the perfection of God.
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Frankly, the way we live
is a betrayal of the Creator.
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So all we can do now
is look back on a world
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that we have
never actually lived in
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and guess at how
perfect it might have been,
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and then experience
this profound heartache,
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the heartache that comes
when you recognize real beauty.
00:07:05.99\00:07:09.82
And here's the thing.
00:07:10.93\00:07:12.36
We're not the only
ones who feel that.
00:07:12.36\00:07:13.96
God Himself was
actually there to witness
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the perfection of His creation,
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a perfection He
called very good.
00:07:18.00\00:07:21.47
According to Job 38,
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when God spoke this
world into existence,
00:07:23.34\00:07:25.61
the "morning stars," that's
another term for the angels,
00:07:25.61\00:07:29.24
the morning stars sang together
00:07:29.24\00:07:31.45
and all the sons of
God shouted for joy.
00:07:31.45\00:07:35.35
That's how amazing it was.
00:07:35.35\00:07:37.49
So now think about
the fact that God Himself
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has to look at this
unbelievable moral mess
00:07:39.79\00:07:42.46
that you and I have made,
00:07:42.46\00:07:43.79
and He has to
remember what used to be here.
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I know that some
people don't really like
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what it says in Genesis 6,
00:07:48.60\00:07:50.07
where God examines
the evil of humanity
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and He's suddenly sorry that
He made us in the first place.
00:07:52.83\00:07:56.20
Some people
point to that passage
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to say that God's
character must be somehow flawed
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because what kind of
God would want to eliminate
00:08:00.64\00:08:03.24
the whole human race?
00:08:03.24\00:08:05.68
Well, I'll tell
you what kind of God
00:08:05.68\00:08:06.85
would be tempted to do that,
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a God who remembers,
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a God who smiled with pleasure
00:08:10.42\00:08:12.02
when He saw the world
that He originally made,
00:08:12.02\00:08:14.32
a God who took
delight in bringing
00:08:14.32\00:08:16.19
the human race into existence
00:08:16.19\00:08:17.63
because everything was perfect.
00:08:17.63\00:08:19.09
There was no pain,
there was no death.
00:08:19.09\00:08:22.96
And if my heart is bothered
00:08:22.96\00:08:24.83
when I think about
the hypothetical beauty
00:08:24.83\00:08:26.80
of that place I've never been,
00:08:26.80\00:08:29.00
try to imagine how the one
00:08:29.00\00:08:30.34
who actually
experienced it must feel.
00:08:30.34\00:08:32.67
Let's just think about this.
00:08:33.84\00:08:35.71
You and I are
usually very unhappy
00:08:35.71\00:08:37.81
with the suffering that we
have to experience in life,
00:08:37.81\00:08:40.85
but what about the suffering
that God has to endure?
00:08:40.85\00:08:43.92
Did He really walk
into Eden angry that day,
00:08:43.92\00:08:47.02
the way that some
people tell the story,
00:08:47.02\00:08:48.82
or did He call out to Adam
from a heart crushed by grief
00:08:48.82\00:08:51.79
with tears in His eyes?
00:08:51.79\00:08:53.63
Adam, where are you?
00:08:53.63\00:08:55.43
What have you done?
00:08:55.43\00:08:56.97
I'm guessing if I was in charge
00:08:57.83\00:08:59.30
or if you were in charge,
00:08:59.30\00:09:01.10
we would have acted much faster
00:09:01.10\00:09:02.80
to flood the
surface of the planet.
00:09:02.80\00:09:04.87
I mean, just think
about the revulsion you feel
00:09:04.87\00:09:06.81
when you hear about just
one absolutely horrible crime
00:09:06.81\00:09:10.41
and then
multiply that by millions.
00:09:10.41\00:09:13.28
It's a good thing,
as Peter reminds us,
00:09:13.28\00:09:15.18
that God is patient towards you,
00:09:15.18\00:09:17.32
not willing that
any should perish,
00:09:17.32\00:09:19.49
but that all
should reach repentance.
00:09:19.49\00:09:21.76
I mean, my heart
aches when I see the kind
00:09:21.76\00:09:24.39
of original beauty
that is beyond my grasp,
00:09:24.39\00:09:27.00
but let's be honest,
00:09:27.00\00:09:28.23
I've never actually
known it, not firsthand.
00:09:28.23\00:09:31.03
And so while my sense of loss
00:09:31.03\00:09:32.90
when I'm reading
Genesis is profound,
00:09:32.90\00:09:35.50
it can't even come close to
the loss that God must feel.
00:09:35.50\00:09:39.11
I'll be right back after.
00:09:39.11\00:09:41.18
[soft music]
00:09:42.28\00:09:45.11
- [Narrator] Here at
the Voice of Prophecy,
00:09:45.11\00:09:46.72
we're committed to
creating top quality programming
00:09:46.72\00:09:49.32
for the whole family,
00:09:49.32\00:09:50.72
like our audio adventure
series, Discovery Mountain.
00:09:50.72\00:09:53.92
Discovery Mountain
is a Bible-based program
00:09:53.92\00:09:56.39
for kids of all
ages and backgrounds.
00:09:56.39\00:09:58.73
Your family will enjoy
the faith-building stories
00:09:58.73\00:10:01.50
from this small
mountain summer camp and town.
00:10:01.50\00:10:04.37
With 24 seasonal
episodes every year
00:10:04.37\00:10:06.84
and fresh content every week,
00:10:06.84\00:10:08.97
there's always a new
adventure just on the horizon.
00:10:08.97\00:10:12.27
- There's an old story
about the Russian author,
00:10:14.51\00:10:16.81
Leo Tolstoy, who
decided he'd go and live
00:10:16.81\00:10:19.41
with the peasants
for a little while.
00:10:19.41\00:10:21.38
They were people who actually
lived on his family's estate
00:10:21.38\00:10:24.05
and he became
curious enough to move
00:10:24.05\00:10:26.02
into one of their
dirty little hovels
00:10:26.02\00:10:27.89
to experience life
from their perspective.
00:10:27.89\00:10:30.59
He ate their food, he
worked the fields with them,
00:10:30.59\00:10:33.36
and he slept in their beds.
00:10:33.36\00:10:35.26
It was a pretty
far cry from the wealth
00:10:35.26\00:10:37.30
and privilege he
normally enjoyed.
00:10:37.30\00:10:39.53
And you'd think that the
peasants would appreciate it
00:10:39.53\00:10:42.37
because he was trying
to identify with them.
00:10:42.37\00:10:45.11
But to his great
surprise, they didn't trust him.
00:10:45.11\00:10:47.91
"Look," they said,
"this is just a game for you.
00:10:47.91\00:10:51.01
You're not stuck
here forever like us
00:10:51.01\00:10:52.78
because you can go
back to your daddy's money
00:10:52.78\00:10:54.92
anytime you choose."
00:10:54.92\00:10:57.02
Now, I kinda get that.
00:10:57.02\00:10:58.65
I sometimes have
those same thoughts
00:10:58.65\00:11:00.39
when I see an American president
00:11:00.39\00:11:02.02
or a member of the
British royal family
00:11:02.02\00:11:03.79
spend a few hours with
everyday working people.
00:11:03.79\00:11:07.20
Somebody running for office
suddenly shows up at the factory
00:11:07.20\00:11:09.83
where people live a
monotonous existence
00:11:09.83\00:11:12.20
40 hours a week or more,
00:11:12.20\00:11:14.07
decade after
decade after decade,
00:11:14.07\00:11:17.17
and this candidate will
pretend for just a few minutes
00:11:17.17\00:11:19.64
that he or she can
actually identify with them.
00:11:19.64\00:11:22.84
But they can't, not really,
00:11:22.84\00:11:24.61
because in a few
minutes after the photo-op,
00:11:24.61\00:11:27.25
they're gonna climb
back into a private limousine
00:11:27.25\00:11:29.52
and spend the night in a
hotel that costs more per night
00:11:29.52\00:11:32.92
than some people fork over
as a monthly mortgage payment.
00:11:32.92\00:11:36.02
So it's not really believable.
00:11:36.02\00:11:39.66
And then if I'm
perfectly honest,
00:11:39.66\00:11:41.73
I'd have to say that
I've actually experienced
00:11:41.73\00:11:44.17
the other side of that equation.
00:11:44.17\00:11:45.90
It's not that I'm wealthy,
because believe me, I'm not.
00:11:45.90\00:11:48.74
I'm anything but.
00:11:48.74\00:11:50.44
But sometimes, when I
travel to a developing country
00:11:50.44\00:11:54.11
where the average worker
makes like 20 bucks a month,
00:11:54.11\00:11:57.31
and I'm suddenly the
richest man in the room,
00:11:57.31\00:12:00.32
I can tell they all know it.
00:12:00.32\00:12:03.18
Now, I can express
all kinds of sympathy.
00:12:03.18\00:12:05.39
I can promise to
raise money and send help.
00:12:05.39\00:12:07.79
I can shed tears when they cry
00:12:07.79\00:12:09.69
about how hard life is there.
00:12:09.69\00:12:12.76
But everyone there knows
that when the visit is over,
00:12:12.76\00:12:15.53
I'm gonna get back on a
plane and return to an existence
00:12:15.53\00:12:18.80
that most of them
could only dream of.
00:12:18.80\00:12:21.50
I remember visiting
an impoverished village
00:12:21.50\00:12:23.54
on the other side of the world,
00:12:23.54\00:12:24.77
and as I was
walking down the street,
00:12:24.77\00:12:26.88
a mother suddenly came up to me,
00:12:26.88\00:12:28.24
shoved a
two-year-old child into my arms,
00:12:28.24\00:12:31.15
turned around and walked away.
00:12:31.15\00:12:33.55
Now, that's a completely
unnatural instinct for a mother.
00:12:33.55\00:12:36.42
Most mothers would
never give a child away.
00:12:36.42\00:12:39.42
But of course,
this lady understood
00:12:39.42\00:12:40.89
that all she had
to offer that kid
00:12:40.89\00:12:42.66
was a life of
unbelievable hardship.
00:12:42.66\00:12:45.23
So she gave her child to
this so-called rich American,
00:12:45.23\00:12:49.00
assuming that I
could take her home
00:12:49.00\00:12:50.80
and give her a much better life.
00:12:50.80\00:12:53.03
What she couldn't
possibly know was that,
00:12:53.03\00:12:55.57
well, A, there was no
way I could take that kid
00:12:55.57\00:12:57.74
out of the country, and
B, by American standards,
00:12:57.74\00:13:00.84
there was really no way I could
00:13:00.84\00:13:01.98
afford to feed another mouth.
00:13:01.98\00:13:04.15
But still, there was
this little moment of guilt
00:13:04.15\00:13:06.85
because I knew full
well that even though
00:13:06.85\00:13:08.92
I was experiencing the awfulness
of these people's lives,
00:13:08.92\00:13:12.65
at the end of the
day, I was going to escape,
00:13:12.65\00:13:16.16
and they never would.
00:13:16.16\00:13:18.83
So now let's
consider God's solution
00:13:18.83\00:13:21.10
to the mess we
made on this planet,
00:13:21.10\00:13:22.73
because some people
are going to think of this
00:13:22.73\00:13:24.73
in similar terms.
00:13:24.73\00:13:26.67
What difference would
it make for the Son of God
00:13:26.67\00:13:29.10
to become human and
live right here among us?
00:13:29.10\00:13:32.11
Was that really an
authentic human existence?
00:13:32.11\00:13:35.24
I mean, couldn't
Jesus just blow the whistle
00:13:35.24\00:13:37.31
at any given moment
and go straight back
00:13:37.31\00:13:39.08
to the glory of heaven?
00:13:39.08\00:13:40.75
Was Jesus some kind
of humanitarian tourist
00:13:40.75\00:13:43.69
who came here to help
repair a few buildings
00:13:43.69\00:13:45.59
before he returned to
the luxury of his own home?
00:13:45.59\00:13:48.92
Was he merely
sympathetic to our predicament?
00:13:48.92\00:13:51.76
The way you feel
sympathy when you see
00:13:51.76\00:13:53.73
those ads of starving kids.
00:13:53.73\00:13:55.90
I mean, how completely
did Jesus identify with us?
00:13:55.90\00:13:59.40
I think there might be an answer
00:13:59.40\00:14:01.14
in the story of his betrayal
00:14:01.14\00:14:02.97
when Judas returned
with the mob to arrest him.
00:14:02.97\00:14:06.21
Peter was understandably upset,
00:14:06.21\00:14:08.14
and he attempted to
help by pulling out his sword
00:14:08.14\00:14:10.11
and chopping off someone's ear.
00:14:10.11\00:14:12.35
Jesus told him to
stop and then said this,
00:14:12.35\00:14:15.98
"Do you think that I
cannot appeal to my Father
00:14:15.98\00:14:18.82
and He will at once send me
more than 12 legions of angels?"
00:14:18.82\00:14:22.89
Now that's the point
I've been driving at.
00:14:22.89\00:14:26.63
At any moment, Jesus
could have tapped out.
00:14:26.63\00:14:28.80
He could have
walked away from the mob
00:14:28.80\00:14:30.73
that was about to spit on him,
00:14:30.73\00:14:32.53
mock him, and whip him
like a common criminal.
00:14:32.53\00:14:35.47
They were going to
turn him over to the Romans
00:14:35.47\00:14:37.41
to die by the most
cruel method imaginable,
00:14:37.41\00:14:40.04
but the fact is
Jesus did not tap out.
00:14:40.04\00:14:43.98
Tolstoy went back home.
00:14:44.95\00:14:46.65
I got on a plane,
went back to my home.
00:14:46.65\00:14:49.08
But Jesus so
completely became one of us
00:14:49.08\00:14:51.75
that you find him
crying out in the dark,
00:14:51.75\00:14:53.72
"My God, my God, why
have you forsaken me?"
00:14:53.72\00:14:57.39
He was so much
like us that even people
00:14:57.39\00:14:59.93
who do not believe that
he was God in human flesh
00:14:59.93\00:15:02.20
will point to Jesus and admit
00:15:02.20\00:15:04.77
that he was the
most noble example
00:15:04.77\00:15:07.17
of a human being
who has ever lived.
00:15:07.17\00:15:09.77
And it's on this point that
we find another deep heartache
00:15:09.77\00:15:13.24
that is tied to something
really, really beautiful.
00:15:13.24\00:15:16.41
The longer you examine the
life and teachings of Christ,
00:15:16.41\00:15:19.45
the more your heart
aches for the rest of humanity
00:15:19.45\00:15:22.02
because it becomes so obvious
that we are not like Christ.
00:15:22.02\00:15:26.96
Our lives are
broken and imperfect
00:15:26.96\00:15:29.19
and driven by these
dark, selfish impulses.
00:15:29.19\00:15:32.69
In fact, we don't even
see just how broken we are
00:15:32.69\00:15:36.03
until we see the beauty
00:15:36.03\00:15:37.37
of that one and
only perfect human life
00:15:37.37\00:15:39.73
you find
recorded in the Gospels.
00:15:39.73\00:15:42.47
I'm pretty sure I've
told you this story before,
00:15:42.47\00:15:44.34
but quite a few years
ago, I was working for a church
00:15:44.34\00:15:47.14
that decided to
renovate their basement.
00:15:47.14\00:15:49.48
And the first thing they did
was replace the dingy lighting.
00:15:49.48\00:15:53.21
And I remember the
anticipation of going downstairs
00:15:53.21\00:15:56.25
to turn those new
lights on for the first time,
00:15:56.25\00:15:58.62
and we all thought it
would make the basement
00:15:58.62\00:16:00.39
look a whole lot better.
00:16:00.39\00:16:02.16
That's not what happened.
00:16:02.16\00:16:03.53
All it did was
make it look worse
00:16:03.53\00:16:05.63
because now with new lights,
you could see all of the flaws,
00:16:05.63\00:16:09.60
some of which had
been hidden in the dark.
00:16:09.60\00:16:12.57
The basement looked
better with the old lights.
00:16:12.57\00:16:15.90
And that's kind of the way
it is with the person of Christ.
00:16:15.90\00:16:18.87
What you see when you
examine his life and teachings
00:16:18.87\00:16:21.18
is the way that human
life is supposed to be,
00:16:21.18\00:16:24.45
except of course for the
fact that Jesus had to live
00:16:24.45\00:16:27.22
his perfect life
in a broken world.
00:16:27.22\00:16:29.75
And that means that
his perfection is even more
00:16:29.75\00:16:34.29
astonishing. Sometimes
people despair of finding
00:16:34.29\00:16:36.46
a meaningful
relationship with God,
00:16:36.46\00:16:38.16
and they'll tell me
that they don't think
00:16:38.16\00:16:39.93
that God can accept them because
they're so horribly flawed.
00:16:39.93\00:16:43.80
But that's the real
point of the whole thing.
00:16:43.80\00:16:47.14
Seeing your flaws more deeply
00:16:47.14\00:16:49.40
is exactly what should happen
00:16:49.40\00:16:51.34
if you're
examining the life of Christ.
00:16:51.34\00:16:54.01
It's really a bit of a paradox
00:16:54.01\00:16:55.71
because the closer
you get to the light,
00:16:55.71\00:16:57.71
the worse you're gonna look.
00:16:57.71\00:16:59.48
To study Jesus is to see
yourself like you really are.
00:16:59.48\00:17:03.45
There's no more
deluding yourself,
00:17:03.45\00:17:05.09
no more pretending that
it's really not all that bad.
00:17:05.09\00:17:08.32
Honestly, as a minister,
00:17:09.26\00:17:10.59
I'm not really
worried about people
00:17:10.59\00:17:12.06
who feel sadness in
the presence of Christ
00:17:12.06\00:17:14.30
because it means their
conscience is still alive.
00:17:14.30\00:17:17.60
I mean, don't forget
what Jesus taught in John 16
00:17:17.60\00:17:20.27
regarding the
work of the Spirit.
00:17:20.27\00:17:22.70
He said, "And when He comes,
00:17:22.70\00:17:24.57
He will convict the
world concerning sin
00:17:24.57\00:17:26.78
and righteousness and judgment."
00:17:26.78\00:17:29.24
According to the Bible,
00:17:29.24\00:17:30.65
the third person of the
Godhead, the Holy Spirit,
00:17:30.65\00:17:33.42
is Christ's continued
presence in this world.
00:17:33.42\00:17:36.08
And one of the
Spirit's primary roles
00:17:36.08\00:17:38.62
is to convict us of sin.
00:17:38.62\00:17:40.72
That's how you
actually know that your life
00:17:40.72\00:17:42.39
falls way short
of the glory of God.
00:17:42.39\00:17:45.53
Many people know that
the Greek word for sin
00:17:45.53\00:17:47.60
is actually hamartia,
which means missing the mark.
00:17:47.60\00:17:51.67
It's a word that
an archer might use
00:17:51.67\00:17:53.30
if his arrow went wide and
completely missed the target.
00:17:53.30\00:17:57.51
What God does is allow
you to see the life of Christ
00:17:57.51\00:18:00.48
and know for sure
you're nothing like Him.
00:18:00.48\00:18:03.28
He's the one who
makes your heart ache
00:18:03.28\00:18:05.08
when you recognize that your
life is not all that beautiful,
00:18:05.08\00:18:08.62
or at least not as
beautiful as it should be.
00:18:08.62\00:18:12.02
And there's another paradox
that comes from studying Christ,
00:18:12.02\00:18:14.96
because while we know
that we are not like Christ,
00:18:14.96\00:18:17.96
the Bible underlines the
idea that He is still like us.
00:18:17.96\00:18:21.53
It's a comparison that
seems to run in one direction.
00:18:21.53\00:18:24.17
And as soon as I
take a really quick break,
00:18:24.17\00:18:26.30
we'll come back to that.
00:18:26.30\00:18:27.67
But for right now, grab
a pen and a piece of paper
00:18:27.67\00:18:30.24
so that you can take advantage
of this incredible offer
00:18:30.24\00:18:32.67
from the good people
at The Voice of Prophecy.
00:18:32.67\00:18:35.58
And I'll be
right back after this.
00:18:35.58\00:18:37.61
[upbeat music]
00:18:37.61\00:18:40.25
- [Narrator] Dragons,
beasts, cryptic statues.
00:18:41.85\00:18:46.12
Bible prophecy can be
incredibly vivid and confusing.
00:18:46.12\00:18:50.26
If you've ever read
Daniel or Revelation
00:18:50.26\00:18:52.89
and come away scratching
your head, you're not alone.
00:18:52.89\00:18:55.90
Our free Focus
on Prophecy guides
00:18:55.90\00:18:58.30
are designed to help you unlock
the mysteries of the Bible
00:18:58.30\00:19:01.10
and deepen your
understanding of God's plan
00:19:01.10\00:19:03.54
for you and our world.
00:19:03.54\00:19:05.17
Study online or
request them by mail
00:19:05.17\00:19:07.61
and start bringing
prophecy into focus today.
00:19:07.61\00:19:10.85
- Right before the
break, we were talking about
00:19:10.85\00:19:13.05
how examining the life of Christ
00:19:13.05\00:19:15.15
can make you feel
pretty inadequate.
00:19:15.15\00:19:17.92
And I was mentioning
how when somebody tells me,
00:19:17.92\00:19:20.09
"Look, God can't accept
me because I'm too broken."
00:19:20.09\00:19:23.66
That feeling is
actually a pretty good sign.
00:19:23.66\00:19:26.86
I'm not really worried
about people who feel inadequate
00:19:26.86\00:19:29.46
when they compare
themselves to Jesus.
00:19:29.46\00:19:31.40
It means they're
kind of getting the point.
00:19:31.40\00:19:33.64
It's the boastful people
00:19:33.64\00:19:35.04
or even the apathetic
people that I worry about
00:19:35.04\00:19:37.41
because they're
not getting it at all.
00:19:37.41\00:19:40.58
- Look, if you've been worried
00:19:40.58\00:19:41.54
that your life looks miserable
00:19:41.54\00:19:42.91
by comparison to God's standard,
00:19:42.91\00:19:45.21
that actually means you're
moving in the right direction.
00:19:45.21\00:19:47.22
It likely means that God
is working with you right now.
00:19:47.22\00:19:50.92
What you're going through
00:19:50.92\00:19:52.15
is exactly what's
supposed to happen.
00:19:52.15\00:19:54.29
The Bible calls that conviction.
00:19:54.29\00:19:56.93
You know, I've been in the
ministry for about three decades
00:19:58.29\00:20:00.13
and I can tell you,
00:20:00.13\00:20:01.63
I feel less worthy today
than when I first got started.
00:20:01.63\00:20:05.50
Does that mean I'm a lost cause?
00:20:05.50\00:20:07.54
No, and I can back that up
00:20:07.54\00:20:09.34
with something that Paul
wrote to the church in Rome.
00:20:09.34\00:20:11.91
This might be my
all-time favorite Bible passage
00:20:11.91\00:20:14.44
from Romans 5 and verse 8.
00:20:14.44\00:20:16.31
It says, "But God
shows His love for us
00:20:16.31\00:20:19.58
and that while we were still
sinners, Christ died for us."
00:20:19.58\00:20:24.05
The fact is that God
isn't waiting for you
00:20:24.05\00:20:26.79
to get everything right
before you can approach Him
00:20:26.79\00:20:29.49
as if that was even possible.
00:20:29.49\00:20:31.79
I mean, think about it.
00:20:31.79\00:20:32.93
If you could
achieve moral perfection
00:20:32.93\00:20:34.40
before you came to God,
00:20:34.40\00:20:36.33
that would mean you
don't really need Him.
00:20:36.33\00:20:39.13
God knows full well who you are
00:20:39.13\00:20:41.20
and He invites you anyway.
00:20:41.20\00:20:44.37
But now let's get
back to the paradox
00:20:44.37\00:20:46.57
I mentioned before the break.
00:20:46.57\00:20:48.54
What I said was that you
and I are nothing like Christ
00:20:48.54\00:20:51.61
and that's the reason
that we are both stunned
00:20:51.61\00:20:53.72
by His sheer beauty and feel
00:20:53.72\00:20:55.68
sadness at the very same moment.
00:20:55.68\00:20:58.69
It's a little like that
painting I found in my textbook.
00:20:58.69\00:21:01.16
I suddenly knew that I could
00:21:01.16\00:21:02.62
never live in a place that nice.
00:21:02.62\00:21:05.26
And the same way I know
00:21:05.26\00:21:06.56
that my life will
never be like Christ's.
00:21:06.56\00:21:10.10
But at the same time,
00:21:10.10\00:21:11.37
the Bible teaches
that Christ is like me.
00:21:11.37\00:21:14.17
I mean, just listen to
this unbelievable passage
00:21:14.17\00:21:17.61
from the book of Hebrews
00:21:17.61\00:21:18.84
and I'm gonna read
quite a bit of this.
00:21:18.84\00:21:20.58
Listen to this.
00:21:20.58\00:21:21.91
It says, "Since
therefore the children share
00:21:21.91\00:21:24.58
in flesh and blood,
00:21:24.58\00:21:25.98
He Himself likewise
partook of the same things,
00:21:25.98\00:21:28.65
that through death
He might destroy the one
00:21:28.65\00:21:30.69
who has the power of
death, that is the devil,
00:21:30.69\00:21:33.79
and deliver all those
who through fear of death
00:21:33.79\00:21:36.39
were subject to
lifelong slavery.
00:21:36.39\00:21:38.93
For surely it is not
angels that He helps,
00:21:38.93\00:21:41.33
but He helps the
offspring of Abraham.
00:21:41.33\00:21:44.23
Therefore He had to
be made like His brothers
00:21:44.23\00:21:46.53
in every respect so that
He might become a merciful
00:21:46.53\00:21:50.01
and faithful high
priest in the service of God
00:21:50.01\00:21:52.87
to make propitiation
for the sins of the people.
00:21:52.87\00:21:56.41
For because He Himself
has suffered when tempted,
00:21:56.41\00:22:00.28
He is able to help
those who are being tempted."
00:22:00.28\00:22:03.85
You know, the reason we
call this show authentic
00:22:03.85\00:22:06.52
is because we're
exploring what it means
00:22:06.52\00:22:08.92
to live an authentic human life.
00:22:08.92\00:22:11.19
That's why we spend
so much time looking
00:22:11.19\00:22:13.19
at our very best
efforts to understand ourselves.
00:22:13.19\00:22:16.20
And for the most part,
00:22:16.20\00:22:17.60
we've seen that human
philosophers are at a loss
00:22:17.60\00:22:20.00
to figure this out.
00:22:20.00\00:22:21.77
We conceive of
these very high ideals,
00:22:21.77\00:22:24.21
but every time we
try to implement them,
00:22:24.21\00:22:26.01
every time we try
to construct utopia,
00:22:26.01\00:22:29.31
we completely blow it.
00:22:29.31\00:22:31.31
But in Christ, we have
this person who pulled it off
00:22:31.31\00:22:35.48
against all odds,
and in spite of the fact
00:22:35.48\00:22:37.95
that the world was fighting
Him every step of the way,
00:22:37.95\00:22:41.62
He could have.
00:22:41.62\00:22:42.86
He could have
tapped out at any moment,
00:22:42.86\00:22:44.76
and it would have
been His right to do that.
00:22:44.76\00:22:46.76
He owed us exactly nothing,
but He went the distance
00:22:46.76\00:22:50.50
and lived an
authentic human life
00:22:50.50\00:22:52.10
that continues
to amaze everybody,
00:22:52.10\00:22:54.97
I mean, even the
most dedicated skeptic.
00:22:54.97\00:22:58.24
Most people just
instinctively understand
00:22:58.24\00:23:00.31
that Christ's life is
the best example we've got.
00:23:00.31\00:23:04.55
That's why reading
the Bible can become
00:23:04.55\00:23:06.21
such a roller
coaster of emotions.
00:23:06.21\00:23:09.25
On the one hand, you
feel this profound sadness
00:23:09.25\00:23:12.02
because the beauty of
this person is so profound,
00:23:12.02\00:23:16.66
but then somehow you're
still irresistibly drawn
00:23:16.66\00:23:18.96
in His direction,
and He helps you realize
00:23:18.96\00:23:21.10
you are not alone in this world.
00:23:21.10\00:23:23.37
There is a God who has
noticed your suffering,
00:23:23.37\00:23:25.70
and He's actually
doing something about it.
00:23:25.70\00:23:28.17
Even after Christ
came back from the grave,
00:23:28.17\00:23:30.17
you'll notice that He
retained His humanity.
00:23:30.17\00:23:33.31
The disciples
were able to touch Him.
00:23:33.31\00:23:34.98
He even had a bite to eat.
00:23:34.98\00:23:36.61
He did not go back to the way
it was before the incarnation.
00:23:36.61\00:23:40.72
He has identified
with us so completely
00:23:40.72\00:23:43.45
that He adopted
humanity forever.
00:23:43.45\00:23:47.36
I'll be right back after this.
00:23:47.36\00:23:49.49
[pensive music]
00:23:53.40\00:23:55.00
- [Narrator] Are you
searching for answers
00:23:55.00\00:23:56.23
to life's
toughest questions like,
00:23:56.23\00:23:58.30
where is God when we suffer?
00:23:58.30\00:23:59.77
Can I find real happiness?
00:23:59.77\00:24:01.84
Or is there any hope
for our chaotic world?
00:24:01.84\00:24:05.01
The Discover Bible
Guides will help you find
00:24:05.01\00:24:06.91
the answers you're looking for.
00:24:06.91\00:24:08.81
Visit us at biblestudies.com
00:24:08.81\00:24:11.35
or give us a
call at 888-456-7933
00:24:11.35\00:24:14.18
for your free
Discover Bible Guides.
00:24:16.79\00:24:19.19
Study online on
our secure website
00:24:19.19\00:24:21.99
or have the free guides
mailed right to your home.
00:24:21.99\00:24:24.83
There is never a
cost or obligation.
00:24:24.83\00:24:27.50
The Discover Bible
Guides are our free gift to you.
00:24:27.50\00:24:30.60
Find answers in guides like,
00:24:30.60\00:24:32.10
does my life
really matter to God?
00:24:32.10\00:24:34.30
And a second chance at life.
00:24:34.30\00:24:36.44
You'll find answers to the
things that matter most to you
00:24:36.44\00:24:38.81
in each of the 26
Discover Bible Guides.
00:24:38.81\00:24:41.44
Visit biblestudies.com
and begin your journey today
00:24:41.44\00:24:45.55
to discover answers to
life's deepest questions.
00:24:45.55\00:24:49.48
- I've always been a
lover of beautiful things.
00:24:52.45\00:24:54.86
At least I like to think I am,
00:24:54.86\00:24:56.36
especially when
it comes to music.
00:24:56.36\00:24:59.09
One of my all time
favorites is the second movement
00:24:59.09\00:25:02.30
from Beethoven's
Seventh Symphony.
00:25:02.30\00:25:05.00
It really just starts
out with this one single note
00:25:05.00\00:25:08.24
being repeated over
and over and over and over,
00:25:08.24\00:25:11.24
but the harmonies
underneath it are so stirring.
00:25:11.24\00:25:14.78
And the great
composer just pulls you in
00:25:14.78\00:25:17.55
with this relentless
march that makes you feel
00:25:17.55\00:25:19.71
like you're moving
to something great.
00:25:19.71\00:25:23.05
And again, as I'm
sitting there listening to it,
00:25:23.05\00:25:24.99
I experience this
mixed bag of emotions.
00:25:24.99\00:25:28.22
On the one hand, it's
so irresistibly wonderful
00:25:28.22\00:25:31.73
that I can't stop listening.
00:25:31.73\00:25:34.10
But on the other
hand, it's so beautiful
00:25:34.10\00:25:36.40
that it stirs up
feelings of sadness.
00:25:36.40\00:25:39.47
Why?
00:25:39.47\00:25:40.84
Well, it's
because in this world,
00:25:40.84\00:25:42.60
that kind of beauty is
the exception, not the rule.
00:25:42.60\00:25:46.54
Beethoven makes use of such
a broad range of harmonic color
00:25:46.54\00:25:49.91
that by comparison,
my own daily existence
00:25:49.91\00:25:52.85
begins to feel like
I'm just living grayscale,
00:25:52.85\00:25:55.15
black and white.
00:25:55.15\00:25:56.92
The same is true for a
handful of other pieces
00:25:56.92\00:25:59.25
like Brahms' Romance in F major
00:25:59.25\00:26:01.49
or the Nimrod Adagio by Elgar.
00:26:01.49\00:26:04.73
There's just
something about those works
00:26:04.73\00:26:07.23
that reminds me that
there is still beauty out there
00:26:07.23\00:26:10.03
that completely
transcends my monotonous,
00:26:10.03\00:26:13.17
painful daily existence.
00:26:13.17\00:26:15.40
There is something greater,
00:26:15.40\00:26:16.87
something higher than
this horrible mess we live in.
00:26:16.87\00:26:20.44
For a guy who loves music,
00:26:20.44\00:26:23.08
these kinds of compositions
serve as a powerful reminder
00:26:23.08\00:26:26.51
that the world was
not always like this,
00:26:26.51\00:26:28.78
not always this painful.
00:26:28.78\00:26:30.75
And the sadness we feel
when confronted with the beauty
00:26:30.75\00:26:34.22
of those opening
chapters of the book of Genesis
00:26:34.22\00:26:36.76
or the beauty of
the person of Christ,
00:26:36.76\00:26:40.60
there's a really good
reason for those feelings.
00:26:40.60\00:26:43.67
It's an
expression of that eternity
00:26:43.67\00:26:46.50
that God has
placed in our hearts
00:26:46.50\00:26:48.17
because God refuses
to let us just drift off
00:26:48.17\00:26:51.77
into the darkness of oblivion
00:26:51.77\00:26:53.78
to reap a fate that,
frankly, we richly deserve.
00:26:53.78\00:26:57.91
The fact that we
still long for what we lost
00:26:57.91\00:27:01.18
is proof positive that our
Creator has not abandoned us
00:27:01.18\00:27:04.99
and He plans to
restore us completely.
00:27:04.99\00:27:08.09
It's proof that
God's heart also aches
00:27:08.09\00:27:11.33
over the condition of our world
00:27:11.33\00:27:12.89
because He feels the disconnect
00:27:12.89\00:27:15.50
just as profoundly as you do
00:27:15.50\00:27:17.43
and then some.
00:27:17.43\00:27:19.50
And God is determined
to do something about it,
00:27:19.50\00:27:22.47
to do something to redeem you.
00:27:22.47\00:27:25.11
I mean, if that wasn't true,
00:27:25.11\00:27:26.88
then our hearts
would just turn to stone
00:27:26.88\00:27:28.71
and we would all stop caring
00:27:28.71\00:27:30.85
as the lights
just slowly went out.
00:27:30.85\00:27:34.25
Thanks for joining
me again this week.
00:27:34.25\00:27:36.45
I'm Shawn Boonstra,
00:27:36.45\00:27:37.82
and this has been
another episode of "Authentic."
00:27:37.82\00:27:40.52
[upbeat music]
00:27:41.29\00:27:44.03