And this is the record
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that God hath
given to us eternal life
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and this life is in His Son.
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Welcome to 3ABN
Australia Homecoming.
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Welcome to 3ABN's
Australia's Homecoming 2020.
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We're here for our
homecoming, and that's exciting.
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We're here in our studio,
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in fact, you know,
we've been carrying...
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This is our third program.
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A third homecoming?
Yeah, third homecoming.
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It's been different venues
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but now it's in
our Morisset studios
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because of the COVID situation.
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Yes, we can't go to
a venue. That's right.
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And I'm really excited because
this is our first program.
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Yes, it is.
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And we're studying today,
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what we're
studying during the series,
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it's preparing for eternity
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and we're going through
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the thirteen
chapters of Steps to Christ,
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because knowing Christ
is only preparation we need.
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That's right.
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And it's very important that
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we have a
relationship with Jesus.
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Mm-hmm.
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'Cause if we don't have
that preparation with Jesus,
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there will be
no eternity for us.
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That's right. So
that's what we have to do.
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So that's why we
are doing that today.
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We're going to be
doing this the next,
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we've got 13 programs.
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And today, on
the first Chapter 1
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of Steps to
Christ, we have a speaker
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that's well-known to
3ABN and that's Sven Ostring,
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and we're looking
forward to what he has to say
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because I like Sven,
he is very enthusiastic
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and I'm sure you will
enjoy what he has to say.
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And he's got Chapter 1.
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What's the title?
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The title is...
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God's love for
man. God's love for man?
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God's love for
man. That's fantastic.
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That's a wonderful topic
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and I know that
our audience here
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is going to really be blessed
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and thank you for being here
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with us for our
homecoming in the studio.
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I'll call it our
COVID homecoming.
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Mm-hmm. So that's what it is.
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A homecoming, a
Clayton's homecoming,
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the homecoming you have
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when you don't
have a homecoming.
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So that's what we have,
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but our special
item is Helio Auguste
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and he is going to be singing
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I might not always be there,
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and we have Desiree Sleight
who's playing piano for him,
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and we've Henry
Lorens who's playing guitar.
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So welcome people.
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Welcome, Helio and
come and sing for us now.
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I may not always be there
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To take you by the hand
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I may not always be there
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To listen or understand
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May not always be there
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When life seems all up hill
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But I know
someone who always will
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I know someone who always will
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May not always be there
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To hear you cry
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May not always be there
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To wipe a tear from your eye
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May not always
be at your bed side
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All the times
when you're feeling ill
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But I know
someone who always will
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I know someone who always will
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Jesus will always be there
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He knows how much I love you
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And in every situation
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He'll be there
to see you through
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May not always be there
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So let your heart
be peaceful and still
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For I know
someone who always will
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For I know
someone who always will
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For I know
someone who always will
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His name is Jesus
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Well, are we ready
to go on the journey?
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Imagine this,
preparing for eternity.
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But not only that,
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Steps to Christ
all the way through
00:07:04.05\00:07:06.82
to eternity as well.
00:07:06.86\00:07:08.49
And as we start on
this journey together,
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I'd like to invite
you to join with me
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as we pray together.
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Because we want to
not only go together,
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but we want to be able
to put our hands in hands
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of our loving Father and
do this journey together.
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So let's pray as
we start this journey.
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Father in heaven, I
just want to thank You
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so much for this opportunity
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that we have in
the midst of the world
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which is
terrible and it's chaotic
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and so uncertain that
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we can truly put our hands
in Your hand and walk by faith.
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Lord, we want to
prepare for eternity.
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We want to be able to
journey with You today,
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tomorrow, and forever as well.
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And, Father, as we
dive into Your Word,
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I pray that that
You'd help us to understand
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how we can trust You more,
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how we can grow
to be more like You,
00:08:00.88\00:08:03.38
how we can see into
the depths of Your heart.
00:08:03.41\00:08:06.45
This is my prayer.
00:08:06.48\00:08:07.82
May You fill us
with Your Holy Spirit
00:08:07.85\00:08:09.72
not only here as we
spend time in Your Word,
00:08:09.75\00:08:13.69
but for every person no matter
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where they are in Australia,
00:08:15.92\00:08:18.36
New Zealand and
around the world.
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Lord, fill us with Your Spirit,
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we want to dive
deep into Your love.
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Today, this is my
prayer in Jesus' name.
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Amen. Amen.
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I don't know about you,
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but I've always wanted
to travel through space.
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You know, to be able to travel
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through thousands
and billions of galaxies,
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to be able to
fly through a nebula
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as we've been
watching in our backdrop,
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to actually land on a planet,
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or a moon, or even to
peer into a black hole.
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Wouldn't that be amazing?
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I mean the
scientists may tell us that
00:08:54.70\00:08:56.40
we're not able to do that,
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but I still would like,
kind of like to do it anyway.
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But you know the fact
is this is we're told that
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we will travel through space.
00:09:05.11\00:09:06.64
Do you realize that?
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There's going to come a day
when we travel through space.
00:09:08.24\00:09:12.31
You know, we're told
that when the Lord descends,
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and we're all transformed
in a twinkling of an eye.
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Guess what?
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As Christ calls us,
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we'll be caught up into the air,
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and then we'll be
travelling through space
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for seven days
to the sea of glass.
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Won't that be incredible?
00:09:32.13\00:09:33.97
And I reckon, I
reckon in one of those days,
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at least one of those days,
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we'll be flying
through a nebula.
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Wouldn't that be incredible?
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Through the dust and the colors
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and the inspiring
things of outer space.
00:09:45.71\00:09:49.25
You know, and
when we get to heaven,
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that is going to be the
greatest homecoming ever.
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Isn't that
correct? Isn't that amazing?
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That is the homecoming
we're looking forward to.
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You know, I
know that many of you
00:10:01.80\00:10:03.37
have been looking
forward to this homecoming
00:10:03.40\00:10:06.07
because you're able to
connect with family and friends,
00:10:06.10\00:10:09.97
you know, right
around the world online.
00:10:10.01\00:10:12.61
But I reckon
that homecoming that
00:10:12.64\00:10:15.08
this kind of a
reflection of is the homecoming
00:10:15.11\00:10:18.71
that we'll be able
to have in heaven itself
00:10:18.75\00:10:22.02
reflecting on the space
travel that we have done.
00:10:22.05\00:10:26.19
But don't get
too excited though,
00:10:26.22\00:10:28.82
don't get too excited,
don't step on the accelerator
00:10:28.86\00:10:31.89
or as they say in the
States, step on the gas
00:10:31.93\00:10:34.56
because I want to
00:10:34.60\00:10:35.93
at the next
galactic intersection.
00:10:35.96\00:10:38.27
I want to slow down, I
want to put on the indicator
00:10:38.30\00:10:42.20
and I want to do a U-turn,
00:10:42.24\00:10:44.24
and I want to
come travelling back
00:10:44.27\00:10:46.51
through space to one
of the dark little corners
00:10:46.54\00:10:50.31
of our universe, and
we're heading towards
00:10:50.35\00:10:53.98
one of the most beautiful
spiral galaxies that exists.
00:10:54.02\00:10:59.72
And right in the
middle of that galaxy
00:10:59.75\00:11:02.02
is what is known
as the galactic core.
00:11:02.06\00:11:05.46
The galactic core
is a nuclear furnace.
00:11:05.49\00:11:09.70
In the galactic
core of this galaxy,
00:11:09.73\00:11:12.77
there are 10 million stars,
00:11:12.80\00:11:17.24
and every second
they're fusing hydrogen atoms
00:11:17.27\00:11:23.21
to become helium.
00:11:23.24\00:11:25.58
Trillions of hydrogen
atoms are becoming helium atoms
00:11:25.61\00:11:30.35
every second in
this galactic core.
00:11:30.39\00:11:33.79
But don't worry, don't worry,
00:11:33.82\00:11:35.42
we're not going to head
into this fiery furnace today.
00:11:35.46\00:11:39.09
We're going to kind of
veer off to the right here
00:11:39.13\00:11:43.20
and we're going to head
00:11:43.23\00:11:44.63
to one of the beautiful
solar systems that exist.
00:11:44.67\00:11:49.20
We're going to head
and travel down in space.
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We're going to
go travel through,
00:11:52.37\00:11:54.31
you know, as we look
at some of the planets
00:11:54.34\00:11:56.51
we're going to go by.
00:11:56.54\00:11:58.08
We're going to go by Saturn.
00:11:58.11\00:12:00.68
You know that incredible planet
00:12:00.72\00:12:03.22
which has those beautiful rings.
00:12:03.25\00:12:06.05
The rings which are
made from fragments of ice.
00:12:06.09\00:12:10.49
These stunning rings
00:12:10.53\00:12:12.59
that the planet
Saturn is so well-known for.
00:12:12.63\00:12:16.40
But not only are we going
to travel through the rings,
00:12:16.43\00:12:19.83
we're going to actually fly over
00:12:19.87\00:12:21.60
some of the moons.
00:12:21.64\00:12:23.10
One of largest moons
00:12:23.14\00:12:24.67
that Saturn has is called Titan.
00:12:24.71\00:12:26.71
Very appropriate name
but, you know, Titan, on Titan,
00:12:26.74\00:12:31.25
they're literally
lakes of liquid methane.
00:12:31.28\00:12:36.08
Can you believe that?
00:12:36.12\00:12:37.69
On Titan, there's these
lakes of liquid methane.
00:12:37.72\00:12:41.39
But not only there's
Titan, also this moon Enceladus.
00:12:41.42\00:12:46.80
Enceladus is one of
the most brightest objects
00:12:46.83\00:12:51.57
in our solar
system and the reason is
00:12:51.60\00:12:54.14
because its
surface is frozen ice.
00:12:54.17\00:12:58.67
It's like a mirror.
00:12:58.71\00:13:00.08
It's like this mirror
that reflects light from it,
00:13:00.11\00:13:05.38
and recently they had
a fly over of Enceladus.
00:13:05.41\00:13:09.88
And as they flew over
the surface of Enceladus,
00:13:09.92\00:13:13.19
they found that
they were like geysers
00:13:13.22\00:13:16.02
on the southern
part of the moon.
00:13:16.06\00:13:18.66
These jets of water vapor
00:13:18.69\00:13:21.80
just flowing out
into space continuously.
00:13:21.83\00:13:25.60
Water vapor and hydrogen.
00:13:25.63\00:13:28.14
And what those jets are
doing, is that they are actually
00:13:28.17\00:13:31.44
replenishing the
biggest ring around Saturn.
00:13:31.47\00:13:36.28
Isn't that incredible?
00:13:36.31\00:13:38.01
This incredible space, but
we're not gonna stop there,
00:13:38.05\00:13:40.65
we're not gonna stop at Saturn,
we're gonna fly past Jupiter.
00:13:40.68\00:13:44.69
Wouldn't that be amazing?
00:13:44.72\00:13:46.35
You know, Jupiter,
this biggest planet
00:13:46.39\00:13:49.82
in our solar system
00:13:49.86\00:13:51.19
which is made completely of gas.
00:13:51.23\00:13:54.66
That's why it's
called the gas giant.
00:13:54.70\00:13:57.63
It's a
beautiful, beautiful planet
00:13:57.67\00:13:59.60
with these storms that
00:13:59.63\00:14:01.90
they go on for
hundreds of years.
00:14:01.94\00:14:04.97
But we're having a
stunning cosmic ride
00:14:05.01\00:14:09.44
but the fact is this, is
that both of those planets
00:14:09.48\00:14:14.75
as beautiful as they may
be, they're completely dead.
00:14:14.78\00:14:20.32
There's no life on them at all.
00:14:20.36\00:14:22.89
They're too cold,
00:14:22.92\00:14:24.33
the atmospheric
pressure is too great.
00:14:24.36\00:14:27.60
They're beautiful
planets but dead planets.
00:14:27.63\00:14:32.70
And so we're gonna
continue our journey,
00:14:32.73\00:14:34.64
we're gonna continue
our journey to a beautiful,
00:14:34.67\00:14:37.71
incredibly beautiful planet
00:14:37.74\00:14:40.44
that is known
as the blue marble.
00:14:40.48\00:14:44.55
The blue marble, you
know, this planet has,
00:14:44.58\00:14:47.98
is made up of colors of blue,
of green, of brown, of white,
00:14:48.02\00:14:52.05
like white, like
swirls like a marble.
00:14:52.09\00:14:55.42
And you know, as we
head towards this planet,
00:14:55.46\00:14:58.23
the reality is though that
00:14:58.26\00:14:59.86
we're going to be
flying through something
00:14:59.89\00:15:01.76
which is
invisible to the human eye
00:15:01.80\00:15:04.73
and that is we're going to be
00:15:04.77\00:15:06.40
flying through a magnetic field,
00:15:06.43\00:15:09.64
a magnetic field.
00:15:09.67\00:15:11.47
And this magnetic field is
like this protective shield
00:15:11.51\00:15:17.78
that even though
its nearest star,
00:15:17.81\00:15:21.58
this fiery furnace,
this nuclear furnace
00:15:21.62\00:15:26.45
is blasting this planet
00:15:26.49\00:15:28.49
and all the other
planets with these solar winds,
00:15:28.52\00:15:30.93
these magnetic
fields protect this planet.
00:15:30.96\00:15:35.36
It's like this planet
00:15:35.40\00:15:36.73
is cupped in
big protective hands
00:15:36.77\00:15:40.70
as if there's
someone who wants to keep
00:15:40.74\00:15:44.57
this planet special for someone.
00:15:44.61\00:15:48.31
You know, not only this,
00:15:48.34\00:15:50.11
the blue marble has a moon and,
00:15:50.15\00:15:53.65
of course,
there's nothing special
00:15:53.68\00:15:55.02
about having a moon.
00:15:55.05\00:15:56.38
Lots of planets have moons.
00:15:56.42\00:15:57.75
But, you know,
this planet has a moon
00:15:57.79\00:15:59.69
which is just large enough,
just at the right distance
00:15:59.72\00:16:03.29
to provide a tidal
force on the oceans
00:16:03.32\00:16:07.83
so that the
oceans are replenished
00:16:07.86\00:16:10.30
and refreshed and cleansed.
00:16:10.33\00:16:13.47
It's an amazing, amazing planet.
00:16:13.50\00:16:15.90
It's a beautiful world.
00:16:15.94\00:16:17.97
It's a protective world as well.
00:16:18.01\00:16:20.58
Someone has a special
interest in this planet.
00:16:20.61\00:16:25.28
As not only blue
marble has a moon,
00:16:25.31\00:16:27.12
it's also at just
the right distance
00:16:27.15\00:16:29.58
from its neighboring
star which is called the sun.
00:16:29.62\00:16:33.66
You know, it's just
at the right distance.
00:16:33.69\00:16:35.32
It's not too
close, otherwise the heat
00:16:35.36\00:16:37.99
from the star would
boil away its oceans dry.
00:16:38.03\00:16:42.13
It's not too far away,
otherwise its waters would be
00:16:42.16\00:16:45.53
frozen as well, frozen ice.
00:16:45.57\00:16:48.50
The reality is that this planet
is right at the right place.
00:16:48.54\00:16:55.11
Somebody wants it to be there.
00:16:55.14\00:16:58.91
Somebody wants it to be
there for a special reason.
00:16:58.95\00:17:01.72
And who is that someone special
00:17:01.75\00:17:03.49
that the person
is thinking about?
00:17:03.52\00:17:05.32
Well, life on earth is here
00:17:05.35\00:17:09.16
because of all
of these parameters,
00:17:09.19\00:17:11.93
all of these things
which are just right.
00:17:11.96\00:17:15.30
But it's only because
there's life on planet earth,
00:17:15.33\00:17:19.33
the reality is that
00:17:19.37\00:17:20.70
there's someone something
really special on planet earth
00:17:20.74\00:17:26.01
and that life form is people.
00:17:26.04\00:17:29.78
That is us.
00:17:29.81\00:17:31.21
We're here on this planet
00:17:31.25\00:17:33.05
because someone has
designed this planet for us.
00:17:33.08\00:17:35.98
Amongst all of the
life on planet earth,
00:17:36.02\00:17:38.49
human beings stand unique.
00:17:38.52\00:17:40.86
Human beings are
the only creatures
00:17:40.89\00:17:43.63
that have a sophisticated
form of communication,
00:17:43.66\00:17:47.00
speech and writing.
00:17:47.03\00:17:49.30
You know, people
are the only creatures
00:17:49.33\00:17:51.80
that have the
capacity for imagination.
00:17:51.83\00:17:55.60
You know, people
are the only creatures
00:17:55.64\00:17:57.91
on planet earth
00:17:57.94\00:17:59.27
that have a finely tuned
sense of morality as well.
00:17:59.31\00:18:04.31
You know, someone was thinking
00:18:04.35\00:18:05.85
very, very
creatively when they came up
00:18:05.88\00:18:09.62
with a concept of a human being.
00:18:09.65\00:18:14.56
There's
something even more amazing
00:18:14.59\00:18:15.92
about human beings as well,
because as Ty Gibson has said,
00:18:15.96\00:18:20.66
"We humans are
creatures engineered for love."
00:18:20.70\00:18:26.63
Isn't that beautiful?
00:18:26.67\00:18:28.54
We humans are
creatures engineered for love.
00:18:28.57\00:18:33.91
You know, right from the time
00:18:33.94\00:18:36.08
that we are born,
we hunger for love.
00:18:36.11\00:18:38.18
we reach up for love.
00:18:38.21\00:18:39.95
We long to be
loved. We search for love.
00:18:39.98\00:18:43.45
You know, this
is why song writers
00:18:43.49\00:18:46.05
write about love.
00:18:46.09\00:18:47.42
This is why movie
directors always reinvent
00:18:47.46\00:18:50.33
some kind of
romantic kind of story
00:18:50.36\00:18:53.06
in today's movies as well.
00:18:53.09\00:18:56.30
The problem is,
00:18:56.33\00:18:58.20
we can't seem to find the
love that we're looking for.
00:18:58.23\00:19:03.34
You know, the lead singer
of the band U2 sings that song,
00:19:03.37\00:19:09.58
I still haven't
found what I'm looking for.
00:19:09.61\00:19:15.12
I still haven't
found what I'm looking for.
00:19:15.15\00:19:18.85
The great professor at
Oxford University wrote this.
00:19:18.89\00:19:23.59
He said, "Creatures are not born
00:19:23.63\00:19:25.39
with desires unless satisfaction
00:19:25.43\00:19:27.86
for those desires exists."
00:19:27.90\00:19:31.00
And he goes on to
say, "A baby feels hunger:
00:19:31.03\00:19:33.64
Well, there is
such a thing as food.
00:19:33.67\00:19:36.54
A duckling wants to swim:
00:19:36.57\00:19:39.01
Well, there is
such a thing as water."
00:19:39.04\00:19:42.34
Then he continues
on with this statement.
00:19:42.38\00:19:44.91
"If I find in myself a desire
00:19:44.95\00:19:47.78
which no experience in
this world can satisfy,
00:19:47.82\00:19:52.29
the most probable explanation is
00:19:52.32\00:19:55.39
that I was made
for another world."
00:19:55.42\00:19:58.83
I was made for another world.
00:19:58.86\00:20:00.96
Our eyes end up
looking out beyond the world,
00:20:01.00\00:20:06.84
beyond this world
to find that love that
00:20:06.87\00:20:10.37
we're all searching for.
00:20:10.41\00:20:12.54
You know, as the
Hebrew songwriter David
00:20:12.57\00:20:14.31
wrote about 1000 BC.
00:20:14.34\00:20:16.54
He said this, "When
I look at your heavens,
00:20:16.58\00:20:19.28
the work of your fingers,
00:20:19.31\00:20:21.08
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,
00:20:21.12\00:20:23.85
what is man that
you are mindful of him,
00:20:23.89\00:20:26.76
and the son of man
that you care for him?"
00:20:26.79\00:20:29.99
David was looking out
for that relationship,
00:20:30.03\00:20:33.46
that love as well.
00:20:33.50\00:20:36.33
And, you know, the question is,
00:20:36.36\00:20:37.97
when you read that
piece of Hebrew songs,
00:20:38.00\00:20:42.30
Hebrew poetry.
00:20:42.34\00:20:43.67
The question that I
have for you this morning is,
00:20:43.71\00:20:47.21
who was David speaking about?
00:20:47.24\00:20:48.78
Well, of course,
you say that's obvious,
00:20:48.81\00:20:50.71
he was speaking
about the Creator, the God,
00:20:50.75\00:20:54.55
that's who he
was speaking about.
00:20:54.58\00:20:56.58
And to which my
immediate response is this,
00:20:56.62\00:21:00.62
how big is this God
that we are talking about
00:21:00.66\00:21:04.66
that you are referring
to, that David's referring to?
00:21:04.69\00:21:07.43
Well, of course, you say,
"Well, of course, God's big,
00:21:07.46\00:21:09.96
He's God."
00:21:10.00\00:21:11.33
Well, I want to
know how big is God?
00:21:11.37\00:21:13.77
How big is this God
that we are talking about?
00:21:13.80\00:21:16.54
Well, you know, if
you are someone like
00:21:16.57\00:21:19.97
Isaac Newton or Albert Einstein
00:21:20.01\00:21:23.04
the great physicists
and the great cosmologists,
00:21:23.08\00:21:26.72
they would say, well,
God needs to be as big as
00:21:26.75\00:21:30.45
He needs to be to
create the universe,
00:21:30.49\00:21:32.72
as big as He needs to be,
00:21:32.75\00:21:34.09
He doesn't need to
be any bigger than that,
00:21:34.12\00:21:36.19
which means that
God could be finite.
00:21:36.22\00:21:39.79
He doesn't need to
have any more power
00:21:39.83\00:21:42.16
than He needs to
create the universe.
00:21:42.20\00:21:44.87
That's pretty big,
but the thing is this.
00:21:44.90\00:21:49.77
Could God be bigger than that?
00:21:49.80\00:21:51.74
Well, of course, you say,
00:21:51.77\00:21:53.11
He could be bigger than that
'cause He has infinite power,
00:21:53.14\00:21:56.58
He is omnipotent, you know,
00:21:56.61\00:21:58.58
He has an
incredible man of power,
00:21:58.61\00:22:00.52
infinite amount
of power to be exact.
00:22:00.55\00:22:02.95
Well, I say that's
pretty big. That's pretty big.
00:22:02.98\00:22:06.05
But could God be
bigger than that?
00:22:06.09\00:22:09.26
Could God be bigger than that?
00:22:09.29\00:22:10.89
Well, if I go and talk
to the magisterial reformer
00:22:10.93\00:22:14.60
John Calvin and ask
him, how big is your God?
00:22:14.63\00:22:19.30
Calvin would say to
me that God is sovereign.
00:22:19.33\00:22:23.41
God is sovereign over everything
00:22:23.44\00:22:25.37
that occurs in this universe.
00:22:25.41\00:22:27.68
God is sovereign that
He actually has planned
00:22:27.71\00:22:32.15
out your entire
life into the future,
00:22:32.18\00:22:35.05
just like He predestines
the orbit of the moon.
00:22:35.08\00:22:40.26
So everything is planned out.
00:22:40.29\00:22:43.66
But I ask you this question,
is God bigger than that?
00:22:43.69\00:22:49.63
Because it's possible
that God could be sovereign,
00:22:49.66\00:22:52.60
but He could still
be arbitrary as well.
00:22:52.63\00:22:56.44
Is your God bigger
than John Calvin's God?
00:22:56.47\00:23:00.48
You know, if I were
to ask the Apostle John,
00:23:00.51\00:23:03.91
how big is your God?
00:23:03.95\00:23:05.95
He would say,
the answer is simple,
00:23:05.98\00:23:09.28
God is love.
00:23:09.32\00:23:14.52
And as soon as we've
grasped this concept,
00:23:14.56\00:23:17.39
as soon as we
understood that God is love,
00:23:17.43\00:23:21.16
we have reached the greatest
00:23:21.20\00:23:22.56
understanding
of God is possible,
00:23:22.60\00:23:24.40
because God could
be infinitely powerful
00:23:24.43\00:23:28.10
but not love,
which would mean that
00:23:28.14\00:23:30.54
God would be a
morally deficient God.
00:23:30.57\00:23:33.54
God could be sovereign,
00:23:33.58\00:23:35.38
He could predestine
everything in your lives,
00:23:35.41\00:23:38.15
but God may not be
love, which mean that
00:23:38.18\00:23:41.35
God would be a
relationally stunted God.
00:23:41.38\00:23:44.79
You know, the biggest
picture we have is God is love.
00:23:44.82\00:23:49.82
And that is what
philosophers and thinkers think,
00:23:49.86\00:23:52.36
mean when they say that
God is a maximally great being.
00:23:52.39\00:23:56.26
God is so big,
00:23:56.30\00:23:57.97
and the biggest
concept of God is love.
00:23:58.00\00:24:02.37
And I guess you might
be asking at this point,
00:24:02.40\00:24:04.01
what sort of love does God have?
00:24:04.04\00:24:07.21
And I want you to
explore this concept with you.
00:24:07.24\00:24:10.78
You know, C.S.
Lewis took us on a journey
00:24:10.81\00:24:13.52
and he explored the
four main types of love
00:24:13.55\00:24:17.09
in the Greek
language, the four loves.
00:24:17.12\00:24:20.42
The first type of love
00:24:20.46\00:24:22.49
that C.S. Lewis explores with us
00:24:22.52\00:24:25.39
is Storge love.
00:24:25.43\00:24:27.40
This is family love.
00:24:27.43\00:24:29.16
This is the
familiar kind of love.
00:24:29.20\00:24:32.23
This is a love
that you grow up with.
00:24:32.27\00:24:34.44
It's the reason
00:24:34.47\00:24:35.80
why you love
your mum and your dad,
00:24:35.84\00:24:37.47
you love your
uncle and your aunt,
00:24:37.51\00:24:39.21
you love your grandparents.
00:24:39.24\00:24:40.81
It's a reason why
you love your siblings.
00:24:40.84\00:24:43.18
We know it so well,
00:24:43.21\00:24:44.68
and we will live in
this love in so many ways.
00:24:44.71\00:24:48.65
You know, C.S. Lewis
says it, 90% of the love
00:24:48.68\00:24:52.09
that we experience is
actually this type of love.
00:24:52.12\00:24:55.66
It's the love
00:24:55.69\00:24:57.03
which is just
around us all the time.
00:24:57.06\00:24:59.63
But then, there's
a second type of love
00:24:59.66\00:25:01.56
which C.S. Lewis explores
as well, it's Philia love.
00:25:01.60\00:25:05.93
Philia love is
the friendship love.
00:25:05.97\00:25:07.80
It's the love
00:25:07.84\00:25:09.17
which is based on
our common values,
00:25:09.20\00:25:12.11
common interests as well.
00:25:12.14\00:25:13.98
It's the kind of
love that you choose.
00:25:14.01\00:25:16.31
You choose your friends.
00:25:16.34\00:25:17.68
You never chose
your parents, right?
00:25:17.71\00:25:19.21
You never chose your
uncles and your aunts.
00:25:19.25\00:25:21.15
They're just
familiar people in your life
00:25:21.18\00:25:23.85
but for your friends,
you choose your friends.
00:25:23.89\00:25:27.06
But there is a problem
00:25:27.09\00:25:28.42
with Philia love
and that is this.
00:25:28.46\00:25:30.26
It can be quite clicking.
Have you ever noticed that?
00:25:30.29\00:25:34.16
You know, just think if you go
to a big church, what happens?
00:25:34.20\00:25:37.20
Very quickly all the people
00:25:37.23\00:25:38.77
just clump into
their friendship groups.
00:25:38.80\00:25:41.57
They so quickly
go into those groups.
00:25:41.60\00:25:44.64
And the problem is this,
00:25:44.67\00:25:46.01
if you're part of a
group, that's great.
00:25:46.04\00:25:48.38
But what if you
are new to the church?
00:25:48.41\00:25:50.75
What if you, you haven't been
00:25:50.78\00:25:52.95
able to break into one
of the friendship groups
00:25:52.98\00:25:56.55
and you left standing there?
00:25:56.58\00:25:58.65
The problem with Philia love
is it can be clicky at times.
00:25:58.69\00:26:02.96
And then the third
type of love is Eros love.
00:26:02.99\00:26:06.46
Eros love is very romantic love.
00:26:06.49\00:26:08.43
This is the love
that singers sing about.
00:26:08.46\00:26:12.37
This is the love
00:26:12.40\00:26:13.74
that movie script
writers write about.
00:26:13.77\00:26:16.94
It's the love
that we all hunger for.
00:26:16.97\00:26:20.11
Yet the problem
with Eros love is it,
00:26:20.14\00:26:22.48
it can actually lead
us to be attracted to
00:26:22.51\00:26:26.31
and connect us with things
00:26:26.35\00:26:28.28
which are
superficially beautiful,
00:26:28.32\00:26:30.59
but ultimately leave
us hungry and unfulfilled.
00:26:30.62\00:26:36.56
Then there's a
final type of love.
00:26:36.59\00:26:38.46
The final type of
love is Agape love.
00:26:38.49\00:26:41.13
Selfless, unconditional love.
00:26:41.16\00:26:44.87
Love that
always thinks about us.
00:26:44.90\00:26:49.04
It's the greatest kind of love.
00:26:49.07\00:26:50.41
It's not based on our
changing circumstances.
00:26:50.44\00:26:53.61
It's a
supernatural kind of love.
00:26:53.64\00:26:56.34
It is the love that
we find from God Himself.
00:26:56.38\00:27:00.38
God is love, Agape love.
00:27:00.42\00:27:04.82
It is only when we experience
this type of selfless,
00:27:04.85\00:27:10.96
unconditional love
then we can truly be free.
00:27:10.99\00:27:13.86
Why?
00:27:13.90\00:27:15.23
Because we are now
living on a foundation,
00:27:15.26\00:27:18.33
a springboard where
we can soar as people.
00:27:18.37\00:27:23.04
And the question we
need to ask ourselves
00:27:23.07\00:27:24.64
is how do we know that God
loves us with an Agape love
00:27:24.67\00:27:28.48
and not one of the other loves,
00:27:28.51\00:27:29.98
Storge or Philia
love or Eros love?
00:27:30.01\00:27:32.68
How do we know?
00:27:32.71\00:27:34.05
And the reason that we know that
00:27:34.08\00:27:35.42
God loves us
with an Agape love is,
00:27:35.45\00:27:37.42
of course, because
the Bible tells us,
00:27:37.45\00:27:39.19
but it's also because no matter
00:27:39.22\00:27:40.86
what we have done in the past,
00:27:40.89\00:27:43.96
God always comes looking for us.
00:27:43.99\00:27:47.90
God always comes looking for us.
00:27:47.93\00:27:50.63
You know, it started way back
00:27:50.67\00:27:52.63
in the beginning
in the Garden of Eden.
00:27:52.67\00:27:54.94
Remember Eve? What she had done?
00:27:54.97\00:27:57.74
She had done what God
had told her not to do.
00:27:57.77\00:28:00.98
Do not eat of the fruit
of the knowledge of the tree
00:28:01.01\00:28:04.08
of the knowledge
of good and evil.
00:28:04.11\00:28:05.51
She had eaten of that fruit.
00:28:05.55\00:28:07.42
And immediately
her eyes were open
00:28:07.45\00:28:10.85
and she knew that
00:28:10.89\00:28:12.22
the spiritual
protection had been taken away.
00:28:12.25\00:28:15.02
It had gone.
00:28:15.06\00:28:17.76
You know, the blaming,
00:28:17.79\00:28:19.13
the hiding had
begun immediately.
00:28:19.16\00:28:21.00
It was incredible.
00:28:21.03\00:28:22.40
And that's what happens
00:28:22.43\00:28:24.03
when you eat the
forbidden fruit, right?
00:28:24.07\00:28:26.80
That's what happens
00:28:26.84\00:28:28.17
when you eat
the forbidden fruit,
00:28:28.20\00:28:29.54
the blaming, the hiding starts.
00:28:29.57\00:28:32.17
But no sooner had
Eve and Adam sinned,
00:28:32.21\00:28:37.08
Adam and Eve sinned,
00:28:37.11\00:28:38.68
then God started
looking for them.
00:28:38.71\00:28:42.32
Where are you?
00:28:42.35\00:28:43.95
We hear the Lord God crying out,
00:28:43.99\00:28:46.45
looking for the
people that He loves.
00:28:46.49\00:28:50.23
That is Agape love.
00:28:50.26\00:28:52.26
That is the selfless,
unconditional love of God
00:28:52.29\00:28:57.23
and you know
00:28:57.27\00:28:58.60
one of the
greatest love messages
00:28:58.63\00:29:00.84
that we find in
the Bible is found
00:29:00.87\00:29:03.57
in one of the
most miserable books
00:29:03.61\00:29:05.77
in the Bible,
00:29:05.81\00:29:07.18
and there is a
reason for the misery.
00:29:07.21\00:29:09.94
You know, God's people
00:29:09.98\00:29:11.78
for centuries
have been unfaithful
00:29:11.81\00:29:14.52
to the covenant that God
00:29:14.55\00:29:16.58
had made with
their ancestor Abraham.
00:29:16.62\00:29:21.32
You know, finally,
00:29:21.36\00:29:23.16
the cup of
mercy had been filled,
00:29:23.19\00:29:26.36
the cup of wroth
been filled to the brim.
00:29:26.39\00:29:29.06
And what happened
was unleashed upon
00:29:29.10\00:29:31.50
God's people was a
barrage of conquering peoples,
00:29:31.53\00:29:34.77
armies and kings as well.
00:29:34.80\00:29:37.54
You know, when you have
the protective power of God,
00:29:37.57\00:29:41.58
you can look an
enemy in the eyes
00:29:41.61\00:29:44.51
and look with absolute
courage and certainty, right?
00:29:44.55\00:29:48.85
You can look with certainty.
00:29:48.88\00:29:50.69
But, you know, when you no
longer have that protection,
00:29:50.72\00:29:54.92
when you don't have
the divine protection
00:29:54.96\00:29:56.93
that leaves you
vulnerable and also exposed,
00:29:56.96\00:30:01.96
and that is
exactly what happened
00:30:02.00\00:30:03.40
with the people of Judah.
00:30:03.43\00:30:05.30
So, you have the
King Nebuchadnezzar
00:30:05.33\00:30:07.60
of Babylon come down
00:30:07.64\00:30:09.40
and he marched
and he stripped them
00:30:09.44\00:30:12.51
of the best young
people that Judah had.
00:30:12.54\00:30:16.14
He just left the very
dregs of the Israelites
00:30:16.18\00:30:20.78
back in Jerusalem,
the weak and affirmed,
00:30:20.82\00:30:24.85
and they were a
very sorry sight.
00:30:24.89\00:30:29.22
And it is no wonder
00:30:29.26\00:30:31.96
that Jeremiah came to be
known as a weeping prophet.
00:30:31.99\00:30:37.80
The prophet that just wept
00:30:37.83\00:30:41.24
for God's people
back in Jerusalem.
00:30:41.27\00:30:44.61
But, you know,
00:30:44.64\00:30:45.97
in the midst of
this sorrow and weeping,
00:30:46.01\00:30:48.84
God came to
Jeremiah with the message.
00:30:48.88\00:30:52.51
God told Jeremiah a message
00:30:52.55\00:30:55.88
which He wanted to be told
00:30:55.92\00:30:58.39
to the rest of
the people as well,
00:30:58.42\00:30:59.82
the rest of the Israelites.
00:30:59.85\00:31:01.19
And this is what
He said to Jeremiah,
00:31:01.22\00:31:03.09
I have loved you,
talking to the Israelites,
00:31:03.12\00:31:05.66
"I have loved you
with an everlasting love,
00:31:05.69\00:31:08.46
therefore with lovingkindness
I have drawn you."
00:31:08.50\00:31:12.63
And, of course, God
spoke to Jeremiah in Hebrew
00:31:12.67\00:31:16.44
because that's the language
00:31:16.47\00:31:17.81
which they used at
the time but, you know,
00:31:17.84\00:31:20.34
when the scholars in Alexandria
00:31:20.38\00:31:23.88
in 70 BC translated the Bible,
00:31:23.91\00:31:28.35
the scrolls of
Jeremiah into Greek,
00:31:28.38\00:31:32.02
the scholars
translated in this way.
00:31:32.05\00:31:34.99
I have loved you with
an everlasting Agape love.
00:31:35.02\00:31:40.00
Everlasting Agape love.
00:31:40.03\00:31:41.86
That's what Jeremiah was saying.
00:31:41.90\00:31:43.80
God never stopped
loving the Israelites
00:31:43.83\00:31:46.37
even while they were worshipping
00:31:46.40\00:31:48.44
the Baal idols, the Ashtoreth
00:31:48.47\00:31:50.67
and all of the
idols of the Canaanites.
00:31:50.71\00:31:52.91
God never stopped
loving the Israelites
00:31:52.94\00:31:55.24
when they went
into exile in Babylon.
00:31:55.28\00:31:57.98
God never stopped loving
the Israelites, you know,
00:31:58.01\00:32:00.98
the dregs of the Israelites
who stayed in Jerusalem
00:32:01.02\00:32:03.92
who were living a
subsistent life back there,
00:32:03.95\00:32:07.89
just struggling
to make ends meet.
00:32:07.92\00:32:10.59
God has always loved His
people with an Agape love.
00:32:10.63\00:32:15.36
It's been incredible
and then God went home
00:32:15.40\00:32:18.07
to tell the
Israelites through Jeremiah.
00:32:18.10\00:32:21.34
He said,
"Behold, I will bring them
00:32:21.37\00:32:23.30
from the north
country and gather them
00:32:23.34\00:32:24.94
from the farthest
parts of the earth,
00:32:24.97\00:32:27.28
among them the
blind and the lame,"
00:32:27.31\00:32:29.28
isn't that incredible?
00:32:29.31\00:32:30.65
"The pregnant woman
00:32:30.68\00:32:32.01
and she who is
in labor, together,
00:32:32.05\00:32:33.38
a great company,
they shall return here.
00:32:33.42\00:32:36.55
With weeping they shall
come and with pleas for mercy,
00:32:36.58\00:32:39.49
I will lead them back,
00:32:39.52\00:32:40.86
I will make them
walk by brooks of water,
00:32:40.89\00:32:43.16
in a straight path
00:32:43.19\00:32:44.53
in which they shall not stumble,
00:32:44.56\00:32:46.26
for I am a father to Israel,
and Ephraim is my firstborn."
00:32:46.29\00:32:51.57
This will be the
greatest homecoming ever, right?
00:32:51.60\00:32:55.64
The greatest
homecoming of God's people.
00:32:55.67\00:33:00.08
But God still understands,
00:33:00.11\00:33:04.05
He knows what's
going on in our hearts.
00:33:04.08\00:33:06.15
He knows what's going
on in their hearts as well.
00:33:06.18\00:33:09.45
He even has to say
we're thinking of those words,
00:33:09.48\00:33:12.42
because God went on
to say this to Jeremiah.
00:33:12.45\00:33:14.86
He said this,
"Thus says the Lord:
00:33:14.89\00:33:18.39
'A voice is heard in Ramah,
00:33:18.43\00:33:20.66
lamentation and bitter weeping.
00:33:20.70\00:33:23.10
Rachel is
weeping for her children,
00:33:23.13\00:33:25.67
she refuses to be
comforted for her children,
00:33:25.70\00:33:28.37
because they are no more.'"
00:33:28.40\00:33:32.54
And my question
for you today is this.
00:33:32.57\00:33:36.71
Do you weep for your children?
00:33:36.75\00:33:40.08
Do you know that
some of your children,
00:33:40.12\00:33:44.42
and maybe
children of your friends
00:33:44.45\00:33:47.46
have wandered away spiritually?
00:33:47.49\00:33:50.63
Is that a reality in
your life and your family?
00:33:50.66\00:33:53.86
You know, do you wish that
00:33:53.90\00:33:55.36
not only was
this your homecoming,
00:33:55.40\00:33:58.13
but you wish for a homecoming
00:33:58.17\00:34:00.50
for your children
or your grandchildren,
00:34:00.54\00:34:03.27
or your friends or
the people that you love.
00:34:03.30\00:34:06.84
Do you wish they could be here
with you today and on the day
00:34:06.88\00:34:11.45
when we're
travelling through space?
00:34:11.48\00:34:12.81
Is that on your hearts today?
00:34:12.85\00:34:15.12
Because I want to say to you,
00:34:15.15\00:34:16.92
God has a message for you today.
00:34:16.95\00:34:18.99
Isn't that
amazing? God has a message.
00:34:19.02\00:34:21.09
He says this,
"Thus says the Lord:
00:34:21.12\00:34:22.79
'Keep your voice from weeping,
and your eyes from tears,
00:34:22.82\00:34:26.46
for there is a
reward for your work,
00:34:26.49\00:34:28.96
declares the Lord,
00:34:29.00\00:34:30.33
and they shall come back
from the land of the enemy.'"
00:34:30.37\00:34:33.74
And He goes on to say this.
00:34:33.77\00:34:35.64
He says, "There is hope
00:34:35.67\00:34:37.41
for your future,
declares the Lord,
00:34:37.44\00:34:39.27
and your
children shall come back
00:34:39.31\00:34:40.74
to their own country."
00:34:40.78\00:34:42.11
Isn't this an amazing
promise? Isn't just incredible?
00:34:42.14\00:34:46.45
You know, because
of God's great love,
00:34:46.48\00:34:49.48
His Agape love,
00:34:49.52\00:34:51.55
God is promising you and
your family, your children
00:34:51.59\00:34:54.82
and your grandchildren
a hope and a future.
00:34:54.86\00:34:59.66
And how does God do it?
00:34:59.69\00:35:01.03
In the same chapter
that we read in Jeremiah,
00:35:01.06\00:35:04.80
God actually goes on to
show, how He is gonna do it.
00:35:04.83\00:35:07.97
He is going to make a
new covenant with His people,
00:35:08.00\00:35:11.67
a new covenant.
00:35:11.71\00:35:13.04
And He says this,
"For this is the covenant
00:35:13.07\00:35:15.24
that I will make
with the house of Israel,"
00:35:15.28\00:35:17.38
and that's including
us, "after those days,
00:35:17.41\00:35:19.48
declares the Lord: I
will put my law within them,
00:35:19.51\00:35:22.88
I will make it so
that they follow my laws,
00:35:22.92\00:35:25.85
and I will write
it on their hearts.
00:35:25.89\00:35:27.79
I will be their God and
they shall be my people."
00:35:27.82\00:35:31.39
And He says, goes on to say,
00:35:31.43\00:35:33.16
"No longer shall each
one teaches his neighbor
00:35:33.19\00:35:35.86
and each his brother,
saying, 'Know the Lord,'
00:35:35.90\00:35:38.00
for they shall all know
me, from the least of them
00:35:38.03\00:35:40.64
to the greatest,
declares the Lord.
00:35:40.67\00:35:42.34
For I will
forgive their iniquity
00:35:42.37\00:35:44.37
and I will remember
their sin no more.'"
00:35:44.41\00:35:47.61
You know, it's
an amazing covenant.
00:35:47.64\00:35:50.35
This is a new covenant.
00:35:50.38\00:35:52.08
This is not a
second-hand covenant
00:35:52.11\00:35:54.15
that you inherit
00:35:54.18\00:35:55.52
from your
grandparents or your parents.
00:35:55.55\00:35:57.65
You can't be a nominal Adventist
00:35:57.69\00:36:00.19
or a nominal Christian.
00:36:00.22\00:36:01.69
This is a first-hand covenant.
00:36:01.72\00:36:03.66
This is a covenant
00:36:03.69\00:36:05.03
that you get
personally with God.
00:36:05.06\00:36:07.46
We'll each know God personally.
00:36:07.50\00:36:09.40
Isn't that incredible?
00:36:09.43\00:36:10.77
We'll each know
Him for ourselves.
00:36:10.80\00:36:13.17
God will forgive our iniquities.
00:36:13.20\00:36:15.54
He will remember
our sins no more.
00:36:15.57\00:36:18.47
Isn't that beautiful?
00:36:18.51\00:36:20.64
And how is God going to
00:36:20.68\00:36:22.44
establish this
new covenant with us?
00:36:22.48\00:36:25.51
How is God going to do it?
00:36:25.55\00:36:27.15
Well, that brings us
00:36:27.18\00:36:28.52
to one of the most
beautiful love stories
00:36:28.55\00:36:31.82
this world has ever known.
00:36:31.85\00:36:34.16
It begins in the
darkest of nights
00:36:34.19\00:36:36.59
because prophecy tells us,
00:36:36.62\00:36:38.86
"Satan had been
working to make the gulf deep
00:36:38.89\00:36:42.46
and impassable
between earth and heaven.
00:36:42.50\00:36:46.53
By his falsehoods he
had emboldened men in sin.
00:36:46.57\00:36:51.07
It was his purpose to wear
out the forbearance of God,
00:36:51.11\00:36:54.04
and to
extinguish His love for man,
00:36:54.08\00:36:56.34
so that He would abandon
00:36:56.38\00:36:57.85
the world to
satanic jurisdiction.
00:36:57.88\00:37:01.42
Satan was seeking to shut
out from men a knowledge of God,
00:37:01.45\00:37:05.39
to turn their attention
from the temple of God,
00:37:05.42\00:37:07.72
and to
establish his own kingdom.
00:37:07.76\00:37:09.86
The dark shadow that Satan
00:37:09.89\00:37:12.26
had cast over the world
grew deeper and deeper."
00:37:12.29\00:37:16.26
This was the
darkest, darkest hour.
00:37:16.30\00:37:19.73
And, you know,
all of the inhabitants
00:37:19.77\00:37:23.41
of beings on another planets
were watching so intensely
00:37:23.44\00:37:27.74
because prophecy tells us,
00:37:27.78\00:37:29.41
"With intense
interest the unfallen worlds
00:37:29.44\00:37:32.48
had watched to see Jehovah rise,
00:37:32.51\00:37:34.48
and sweep away the inhabitants
of the world, of the earth.
00:37:34.52\00:37:40.12
But instead of
destroying the world,
00:37:40.16\00:37:43.53
God sent His Son to save it."
00:37:43.56\00:37:47.93
You know, as
Apostle Paul tells us
00:37:47.96\00:37:50.30
when he was writing
to the church in Galatia,
00:37:50.33\00:37:54.57
the churches in Galatia.
00:37:54.60\00:37:55.94
He said, "But when the
fullness of time had come,
00:37:55.97\00:37:58.17
God sent forth his Son,
00:37:58.21\00:37:59.71
born of a woman,
born under the law,
00:37:59.74\00:38:02.24
to redeem those
who were under the law,
00:38:02.28\00:38:04.48
so that we might
receive adoption as sons."
00:38:04.51\00:38:07.78
Isn't it beautiful?
00:38:07.82\00:38:09.15
And the curtains of prophecy
00:38:09.18\00:38:11.29
have been drawn aside for
us to see even more clearly
00:38:11.32\00:38:14.86
what we have here.
00:38:14.89\00:38:16.62
And it goes on to say,
00:38:16.66\00:38:18.39
"But through every age
and through every hour,
00:38:18.43\00:38:22.16
the love of God
had been exercised
00:38:22.20\00:38:25.10
towards the fallen race.
00:38:25.13\00:38:27.67
Notwithstanding
the perversity of men,
00:38:27.70\00:38:30.27
the signals of mercy had
been continually exhibited.
00:38:30.31\00:38:34.38
And when the
fullness of time had come,
00:38:34.41\00:38:36.81
the Deity was glorified
00:38:36.85\00:38:38.45
by pouring upon
the world a flood
00:38:38.48\00:38:41.78
of healing grace that
was never to be obstructed
00:38:41.82\00:38:45.59
or withdrawn till
the plan of salvation
00:38:45.62\00:38:48.72
should be fulfilled."
00:38:48.76\00:38:50.23
What an
incredible, incredible story.
00:38:50.26\00:38:52.49
You know they are
floods of love and grace,
00:38:52.53\00:38:56.26
a flood of Agape love.
00:38:56.30\00:38:59.90
You know, this
story takes us back.
00:38:59.93\00:39:02.17
It takes us back
to a little house
00:39:02.20\00:39:05.14
in a small Galilean
village called Nazareth.
00:39:05.17\00:39:10.28
You know, this is no upper-class
00:39:10.31\00:39:13.11
suburb of Sydney or
Melbourne or Brisbane.
00:39:13.15\00:39:17.69
You know, this is
not the royal quarters
00:39:17.72\00:39:19.85
of Buckingham
Palace or The White House.
00:39:19.89\00:39:23.69
You know, this is just
a rough part of the hood
00:39:23.73\00:39:29.06
as they'd say in the States.
00:39:29.10\00:39:30.43
This is the place
where the fishermen,
00:39:30.47\00:39:33.87
where the carpenters
00:39:33.90\00:39:35.70
and the tax collectors
live and do their work.
00:39:35.74\00:39:40.31
This is where the story starts
00:39:40.34\00:39:43.51
and we're standing
there in the living room,
00:39:43.55\00:39:46.61
as we see a,
00:39:46.65\00:39:49.98
just a young teenage Jewish girl
00:39:50.02\00:39:52.15
just preparing some falafels
00:39:52.19\00:39:54.66
and hummus and pita
bread just preparing for lunch.
00:39:54.69\00:39:58.36
And suddenly in the room
00:39:58.39\00:40:00.30
there is this
intense white light,
00:40:00.33\00:40:02.86
this supernatural presence.
00:40:02.90\00:40:05.23
You know, Mary's heart
pounds and as she spins around,
00:40:05.27\00:40:09.17
she sees that there is an
angel in the corner of the room.
00:40:09.20\00:40:14.58
You know, the angel says to her,
00:40:14.61\00:40:16.88
"Greetings, O favored
one, the Lord is with you."
00:40:16.91\00:40:21.32
The Lord is with you.
00:40:21.35\00:40:23.05
What an incredible message,
00:40:23.08\00:40:26.55
the message
from the new covenant
00:40:26.59\00:40:28.62
that God is with us.
00:40:28.66\00:40:32.03
God was with Mary as well.
00:40:32.06\00:40:34.96
O daughter of
Abraham, the new covenant
00:40:35.00\00:40:37.90
is going to be
fulfilled with you.
00:40:37.93\00:40:40.77
Of course, Mary
was understandably
00:40:40.80\00:40:42.67
and very visibly shaken.
00:40:42.70\00:40:44.04
What does it all mean?
00:40:44.07\00:40:45.47
How could all this be
possible? What's going on?
00:40:45.51\00:40:48.94
Why I am being singled out
00:40:48.98\00:40:50.61
to be the
recipient of this message?
00:40:50.65\00:40:53.25
So the angel goes on to explain.
00:40:53.28\00:40:56.08
"Do not be afraid, Mary,
00:40:56.12\00:40:57.92
for you have
found favor with God.
00:40:57.95\00:41:00.72
And behold, you will conceive
in your womb and bear a son,
00:41:00.76\00:41:04.26
and you shall
call his name Jesus.
00:41:04.29\00:41:07.86
He will be great
00:41:07.90\00:41:09.23
and will be called
the Son of the Most High.
00:41:09.26\00:41:12.23
And the Lord
God will give to him
00:41:12.27\00:41:13.64
the throne of his
father David, and he will reign
00:41:13.67\00:41:17.04
over the house of Jacob forever,
00:41:17.07\00:41:19.44
and of his kingdom
there will be no end."
00:41:19.47\00:41:21.61
This is the Son
that God promised
00:41:21.64\00:41:24.41
Eve would conquer
the serpent, right?
00:41:24.45\00:41:27.02
This is the Son that
God promised to David
00:41:27.05\00:41:30.89
would be always one
to rule on His throne.
00:41:30.92\00:41:34.79
This is the king that
Daniel was promised by an angel
00:41:34.82\00:41:39.49
that there would come
a king and his kingdom
00:41:39.53\00:41:44.20
that would never be destroyed.
00:41:44.23\00:41:47.90
This is the person.
00:41:47.94\00:41:49.90
This is the Messiah,
come to save us from our sins.
00:41:49.94\00:41:56.28
And that begins the life
00:41:56.31\00:41:58.51
of the most amazing
person this world has ever seen.
00:41:58.55\00:42:03.39
You know, this life,
00:42:03.42\00:42:05.32
this life is
Agape love incarnate,
00:42:05.35\00:42:09.89
Agape love in the flesh.
00:42:09.92\00:42:13.63
And the beauty of His character
00:42:13.66\00:42:15.16
could be seen right
from when He was born,
00:42:15.20\00:42:19.77
even when He was a boy,
even when He was a child,
00:42:19.80\00:42:23.47
the inspired pen tells
us what His life was like.
00:42:23.51\00:42:28.14
It says in the beautiful
commentary of Desire of Ages,
00:42:28.18\00:42:32.01
it says, "Jesus was the fountain
00:42:32.05\00:42:33.88
of healing mercy for the world,
00:42:33.92\00:42:36.95
and through all
those secluded years,"
00:42:36.99\00:42:39.29
the years that we don't have
a good record of in the Bible,
00:42:39.32\00:42:44.06
but we do know that it's true,
00:42:44.09\00:42:46.63
"His life flowed out in currents
00:42:46.66\00:42:49.33
of sympathy and tenderness.
00:42:49.36\00:42:51.83
The aged, the
sorrowing, and the sin burdened,
00:42:51.87\00:42:57.21
the children at play
in their innocent joy,
00:42:57.24\00:43:00.48
the little
creatures of the groves,
00:43:00.51\00:43:02.84
the patient beasts of burden,
00:43:02.88\00:43:05.08
all were happier
for His presence."
00:43:05.11\00:43:07.05
Wouldn't that be amazing?
00:43:07.08\00:43:08.55
Wouldn't you have
loved to just spend time
00:43:08.58\00:43:11.05
in the presence of Jesus?
00:43:11.09\00:43:13.36
You know, He whose word of power
00:43:13.39\00:43:15.26
upheld the worlds would
stoop to relieve a wounded bird.
00:43:15.29\00:43:18.96
There was nothing
beneath His notice,
00:43:18.99\00:43:21.23
nothing to which He
disdained to minister."
00:43:21.26\00:43:24.37
You know,
imagine this that Jesus
00:43:24.40\00:43:27.67
is upholding
planets in His hand,
00:43:27.70\00:43:31.14
but He is reaching down
to pick up a wounded bird.
00:43:31.17\00:43:34.48
Isn't that a beautiful picture?
00:43:34.51\00:43:38.18
You know, it said
what an incredible love.
00:43:38.21\00:43:40.92
What a beautiful Agape love.
00:43:40.95\00:43:43.55
But the fact is this,
it was not only the love
00:43:43.59\00:43:47.12
that Jesus had when
He was a young person,
00:43:47.16\00:43:50.33
it was also the love
that Jesus had when He became,
00:43:50.36\00:43:55.00
entered into His public ministry
00:43:55.03\00:43:57.63
because the flood
of grace and mercy
00:43:57.67\00:44:00.57
and Agape love
continued to widen
00:44:00.60\00:44:03.30
and extend even
during His ministry.
00:44:03.34\00:44:07.18
You know, it's incredible
00:44:07.21\00:44:08.54
that Jesus would
travel to villages.
00:44:08.58\00:44:12.28
And people would just
flood to hear this amazing man.
00:44:12.31\00:44:17.35
And they would flood to Him
00:44:17.39\00:44:19.09
because they
wanted to be healed,
00:44:19.12\00:44:20.46
they wanted to hear Him.
00:44:20.49\00:44:22.29
And, you know,
Jesus would spend time
00:44:22.32\00:44:24.49
in that village during
His ministry of healing.
00:44:24.53\00:44:27.20
He would spend time from
dawn all the way to dusk.
00:44:27.23\00:44:31.17
You know, and
people would then go home,
00:44:31.20\00:44:33.67
they would retire to their beds,
00:44:33.70\00:44:35.47
they'd so amazed
00:44:35.50\00:44:36.91
by their new found
physical abilities.
00:44:36.94\00:44:40.91
But where would Jesus be?
00:44:40.94\00:44:42.98
Jesus would go up to
a mountain side to pray.
00:44:43.01\00:44:46.82
He'd go up to mountain side
00:44:46.85\00:44:48.18
to pray all night and
what was He praying for?
00:44:48.22\00:44:52.22
He was praying for more
power, more power to heal.
00:44:52.25\00:44:56.83
What an
incredible, incredible person.
00:44:56.86\00:44:59.39
You know, the Spirit of Prophecy
00:44:59.43\00:45:00.76
tells us that by the time
00:45:00.80\00:45:02.70
that Jesus
would leave a village,
00:45:02.73\00:45:05.20
there would be not
one single sick person
00:45:05.23\00:45:07.77
left in that village.
00:45:07.80\00:45:09.14
Isn't that incredible?
00:45:09.17\00:45:10.57
And my question
for you today is this.
00:45:10.61\00:45:13.48
Would you love Jesus to
come and visit your town,
00:45:13.51\00:45:17.58
your suburb, your
retirement village?
00:45:17.61\00:45:20.88
Would you love
Jesus to come to you?
00:45:20.92\00:45:23.42
It's an
incredible, incredible thought.
00:45:23.45\00:45:25.55
But, of course,
it was not only that,
00:45:25.59\00:45:26.96
it was not only
His healing ministry,
00:45:26.99\00:45:29.06
it was also His
incredible preaching ministry.
00:45:29.09\00:45:32.06
Jesus says that He healed people
00:45:32.09\00:45:35.00
and then He told
them about Kingdom of God.
00:45:35.03\00:45:37.47
And remember
that day when one day
00:45:37.50\00:45:39.93
there was thousands
of people coming to,
00:45:39.97\00:45:41.80
flocking to hear Him,
00:45:41.84\00:45:43.57
and they came up
to the mountain side
00:45:43.61\00:45:45.31
to hear His message, a message
00:45:45.34\00:45:48.21
which turned the
world upside down.
00:45:48.24\00:45:50.78
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,
00:45:50.81\00:45:53.31
for theirs is the
kingdom of heaven."
00:45:53.35\00:45:55.45
Incredible, you know,
00:45:55.48\00:45:56.82
they spent hours
just listening to Him.
00:45:56.85\00:45:59.42
And there was another
time when He was preaching
00:45:59.45\00:46:01.96
and they had
listened so intently
00:46:01.99\00:46:05.09
that by the end of the day
00:46:05.13\00:46:06.46
they realize we
haven't had food all day.
00:46:06.49\00:46:09.26
And the disciples
came to Him and said,
00:46:09.30\00:46:11.27
"We've got to do something.
00:46:11.30\00:46:12.63
All of these people
are running out of energy.
00:46:12.67\00:46:14.90
They don't have food to eat."
00:46:14.94\00:46:18.04
And then Jesus
would take lunch box,
00:46:18.07\00:46:20.48
a lunch box of a young man.
00:46:20.51\00:46:22.81
Simply five
loaves and two fishes,
00:46:22.84\00:46:25.48
and be able to feed
thousands of people.
00:46:25.51\00:46:28.85
It's a
beautiful, incredible story
00:46:28.88\00:46:32.29
but, you know,
growing up in Nazareth
00:46:32.32\00:46:35.52
and ministering in Galilee
00:46:35.56\00:46:37.19
was not the lowest
point that Jesus descended to.
00:46:37.23\00:46:41.66
The reality is this that
His love for humanity took Him
00:46:41.70\00:46:45.23
much, much further than that.
00:46:45.27\00:46:47.60
It took Him all
the way to rock bottom.
00:46:47.64\00:46:51.37
As Apostle Paul tells
00:46:51.41\00:46:52.94
the Christian
believers in Philippi.
00:46:52.97\00:46:55.68
He says this, "And
being found in human form,
00:46:55.71\00:46:59.25
He humbled Himself
by becoming obedient
00:46:59.28\00:47:02.18
to the point of death,
even death on the cross."
00:47:02.22\00:47:07.22
And I want to
invite you to come with me,
00:47:07.26\00:47:10.29
as we join a throne of noisy
00:47:10.33\00:47:13.70
and bloodthirsty
people, gathering there
00:47:13.73\00:47:17.63
on the cobblestone
streets of Jerusalem
00:47:17.67\00:47:20.60
that Friday morning.
00:47:20.64\00:47:22.80
You know, someone is
coming down the streets.
00:47:22.84\00:47:26.68
Someone is
coming down the streets.
00:47:26.71\00:47:29.04
And, you know, there's shouts
of this angry Roman soldiers.
00:47:29.08\00:47:33.18
As Roman soldiers trying
00:47:33.21\00:47:34.72
to push people aside to make way
00:47:34.75\00:47:37.72
but, of course, what people do
00:47:37.75\00:47:39.09
is they just find
another free space to move into.
00:47:39.12\00:47:43.66
You know, they desperately
00:47:43.69\00:47:45.03
want to see the man
condemned to die on Calvary.
00:47:45.06\00:47:50.10
And then finally we
see the man, it's Jesus.
00:47:50.13\00:47:55.70
It's Jesus, that little boy,
00:47:55.74\00:47:57.77
who would Take
his own lunch box,
00:47:57.81\00:48:00.51
and if there was a
young hungry child,
00:48:00.54\00:48:03.88
He would give the lunch
00:48:03.91\00:48:06.25
and His drink of
water to that child.
00:48:06.28\00:48:08.42
It's Jesus, the young man
00:48:08.45\00:48:10.49
who even though He
knew from the age of 12 that
00:48:10.52\00:48:14.02
He was going to carry the weight
00:48:14.06\00:48:15.76
of the salvation of the
world upon His shoulders,
00:48:15.79\00:48:18.53
never missed an
opportunity to be able to go up
00:48:18.56\00:48:21.90
to someone who is
way down by worry,
00:48:21.93\00:48:24.60
by anxiety and by sin to
give them encouraging words.
00:48:24.63\00:48:28.54
You know, this is
the great physician
00:48:28.57\00:48:30.51
who could touch
a blind man's eyes
00:48:30.54\00:48:32.91
and restore sight.
00:48:32.94\00:48:34.71
This is the great
and powerful preacher,
00:48:34.74\00:48:37.91
who could keep people
thousands of people on the edge
00:48:37.95\00:48:42.38
of their grassy
seats for hours and hours.
00:48:42.42\00:48:46.49
This is Jesus.
00:48:46.52\00:48:49.76
It's Jesus who is
bent double underneath
00:48:49.79\00:48:53.83
that rough Roman cross.
00:48:53.86\00:48:56.80
It's Jesus.
00:48:56.83\00:48:58.80
"He was bleeding from a beating.
00:48:58.83\00:49:01.07
There were
stripes upon His back.
00:49:01.10\00:49:03.64
And He wore a
crown upon His head,
00:49:03.67\00:49:07.08
and He bore with
every step the scorn
00:49:07.11\00:49:10.35
of those who
cried out for His death.
00:49:10.38\00:49:14.32
Down the Via Dolorosa
call the way of suffering
00:49:14.35\00:49:19.02
like a lamb came the
Christ Messiah the King.
00:49:19.05\00:49:24.19
But He chose to walk that road
00:49:24.23\00:49:26.86
'cause of His
love for you and me
00:49:26.90\00:49:31.77
down the Via Dolorosa
00:49:31.80\00:49:34.04
all the way to Calvary.
00:49:34.07\00:49:36.94
That's love.
00:49:36.97\00:49:38.97
That's Agape love.
00:49:39.01\00:49:41.34
That's God's
love for sinful people
00:49:41.38\00:49:45.51
like you and I.
00:49:45.55\00:49:47.55
That's the love
00:49:47.58\00:49:49.15
we've all been searching
for all through our lives.
00:49:49.18\00:49:52.89
Let's pray.
00:49:52.92\00:49:54.26
Father in heaven,
00:49:54.29\00:49:55.62
I just want to
thank You so much.
00:49:55.66\00:49:57.49
I want to thank You
so much for Your care
00:49:57.53\00:49:59.96
not only from
way back in creation,
00:50:00.00\00:50:03.67
where we see
00:50:03.70\00:50:05.03
You forming this world in
a tremendous creation week,
00:50:05.07\00:50:10.84
where we see
00:50:10.87\00:50:12.21
You creating
those magnetic fields
00:50:12.24\00:50:15.34
and a magnetic shield.
00:50:15.38\00:50:18.51
Lord, we see You
creating the moon
00:50:18.55\00:50:20.42
and the stars and the sun.
00:50:20.45\00:50:22.92
Lord, it's a
beautiful, beautiful story.
00:50:22.95\00:50:25.89
But, Father, we
want to recognize that
00:50:25.92\00:50:28.76
we wandered away from You.
00:50:28.79\00:50:31.13
Our forefathers, our foremothers
00:50:31.16\00:50:33.50
made the
decision to not trust You,
00:50:33.53\00:50:36.97
to doubt Your love,
and picked that fruit
00:50:37.00\00:50:41.37
from the tree of
knowledge of good and evil.
00:50:41.40\00:50:44.17
Lord, we've been
suffering ever since,
00:50:44.21\00:50:47.18
we truly, truly have.
00:50:47.21\00:50:49.44
But, Lord, out of
Your great Agape love,
00:50:49.48\00:50:53.42
you come down to us,
00:50:53.45\00:50:55.12
you find us, you
are looking for us,
00:50:55.15\00:50:58.55
where are you is Your call.
00:50:58.59\00:51:01.79
And, Father, I
just want to thank You
00:51:01.82\00:51:04.43
to down through the centuries
00:51:04.46\00:51:05.86
that You
recorded messages of love.
00:51:05.89\00:51:09.56
I have loved you
00:51:09.60\00:51:10.93
with an everlasting
love, an Agape love.
00:51:10.97\00:51:13.70
And, Father, I just wanna pray
00:51:13.74\00:51:16.04
that every person here today
00:51:16.07\00:51:18.91
would be able to
understand that message,
00:51:18.94\00:51:21.54
would be able to hear
00:51:21.58\00:51:22.91
the voice of Your Holy
Spirit speaking to them
00:51:22.94\00:51:26.01
that You want
to make a covenant,
00:51:26.05\00:51:27.98
a new covenant,
a personal covenant
00:51:28.02\00:51:30.39
with each and every one of us.
00:51:30.42\00:51:32.42
Father, I want to pray that
00:51:32.45\00:51:33.79
we might be able to
walk in Your Agape love,
00:51:33.82\00:51:38.09
confident in Your love
00:51:38.13\00:51:39.83
with the ability
to grow and flourish.
00:51:39.86\00:51:44.00
Father, most of
all, we want to thank You
00:51:44.03\00:51:46.67
even though this world
was captive in the hands
00:51:46.70\00:51:50.37
and the grip of sin and Satan,
00:51:50.41\00:51:52.77
that You stepped into our world.
00:51:52.81\00:51:55.01
Father, that You
sent Your only Son
00:51:55.04\00:51:57.48
to walk in our
midst to win us back,
00:51:57.51\00:52:01.52
to love us with an Agape love.
00:52:01.55\00:52:04.05
And, Father, I
just want to thank you,
00:52:04.09\00:52:05.49
we look at the cross,
00:52:05.52\00:52:06.86
we stand at the
foot of the cross,
00:52:06.89\00:52:08.76
we kneel at the cross.
00:52:08.79\00:52:10.99
Lord, we want to cry out to You,
00:52:11.03\00:52:13.80
thank You for this love.
00:52:13.83\00:52:16.06
We love because
You first loved us.
00:52:16.10\00:52:19.10
Lord, fill us
with Your Holy Spirit,
00:52:19.13\00:52:20.84
transform us and,
00:52:20.87\00:52:22.60
Lord, we look
forward to that homecoming
00:52:22.64\00:52:24.84
where we are able to
join with Your angels
00:52:24.87\00:52:27.64
and to sing forever
more beside the sea of glass.
00:52:27.68\00:52:31.95
But, Lord, we also want to pray.
00:52:31.98\00:52:34.18
We wanna pray for our
friends and neighbors,
00:52:34.22\00:52:37.25
our work colleagues.
00:52:37.29\00:52:38.95
We wanna pray for our
children, our grandchildren.
00:52:38.99\00:52:42.89
Lord, we want them
to be there as well.
00:52:42.92\00:52:45.66
Lord, may You continue
to search for them as well.
00:52:45.69\00:52:49.70
Lord, may You
continue to seek us.
00:52:49.73\00:52:52.27
Lord, may You
surround us by Your Agape love,
00:52:52.30\00:52:56.37
the love that we
have been searching
00:52:56.40\00:52:58.07
for all these years.
00:52:58.11\00:53:00.71
Thank you. Thank
you for Your love.
00:53:00.74\00:53:03.41
Thank You for surrounding us,
00:53:03.45\00:53:05.05
lifting us up
like that wounded bird.
00:53:05.08\00:53:07.92
Lord, we look forward
to seeing you face to face.
00:53:07.95\00:53:10.95
What a day of
rejoicing that will be,
00:53:10.99\00:53:14.79
is our prayer in the powerful
and wonderful name of Jesus.
00:53:14.82\00:53:19.23
Amen. Amen.
00:53:19.26\00:53:20.73
Thank you so much, Dr. Sven,
00:53:25.83\00:53:29.10
for that wonderful
sermon on the love of God.
00:53:29.14\00:53:33.61
I took my notes of his sermon.
00:53:33.64\00:53:35.61
I hope that you are
all going to do the same.
00:53:35.64\00:53:38.08
It's worthwhile taking notes
00:53:38.11\00:53:39.68
because then you can
go over and over again.
00:53:39.71\00:53:42.82
The Agape love of God
00:53:42.85\00:53:45.35
that He would not
only search for us,
00:53:45.39\00:53:47.66
but He would send
His Son to die for us
00:53:47.69\00:53:50.69
so that we can
be with Him forever.
00:53:50.73\00:53:52.26
Well, this is our
first chapter of the book,
00:53:52.29\00:53:55.96
Steps to Christ in our
3ABN Australia Homecoming 2020.
00:53:56.00\00:54:00.64
Stick around for
our second chapter
00:54:00.67\00:54:02.64
with Pastor Mike Browning,
00:54:02.67\00:54:04.11
and I know that
you will be blessed
00:54:04.14\00:54:06.17
by watching every one of these.
00:54:06.21\00:54:08.01
God bless you.
00:54:08.04\00:54:09.38