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Shawn Brummund: Hello and
welcome to another edition
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of the "Sabbath
School Study Hour."
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We are glad that you have
decided to join us here as we
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come together with our local
church family, the Granite Bay
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Seventh-day Adventist Church
here in the greater Sacramento
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area of California.
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So, welcome, everybody,
and good morning to you.
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We are thrilled to have
our church family come together
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as we continue to study.
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We're always thrilled to be able
to have those who are watching,
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the thousands across
America, as well as those
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who are watching from
different parts of the world.
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We also have online
members of Granite Bay.
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We also want to give a special
warm welcome to you as well.
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So, we are coming together again
to be able to study a quarterly
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that is something that is very
practical, yet very spiritual,
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very important in
the eyes of Jesus,
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and it's concerning
ministering to those in need.
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And so, we have just
recently begun a new quarterly,
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and it is entitled
"The Least of These."
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"The Least of These," of
course, reflecting the parable
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that Jesus had
taught us as recorded
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in the Gospel of
Matthew chapter 25.
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So, we're going to be looking
at lesson study number 4,
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which is entitled
"Mercy and Justice
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as Found in the
Psalms and in the Proverbs,"
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two very important
topics in the eyes of God,
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mercy and justice.
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And so, I'm looking forward to
being able to learn and see what
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God has in store for us from His
Word on that important subject.
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But before we continue on
with our study, before we spend
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some time in song, I want
to invite you to take advantage
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of something that we like
to offer each and every time we
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come together to study, and that
is the free offer of the day.
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Now, today's
free offer is entitled
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"Saved from Certain Death."
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Now, that sounds
pretty important,
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"Saved from Certain Death."
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You want to take advantage
of this if you've never studied
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this particular study guide,
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and so you just
simply need to dial...
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and ask for free
offer number 109.
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Again, that's
free offer number 109.
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Now, many of us have a cellphone
nowadays, and we can take
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advantage of our free offer by
getting a free digital download
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of this as well.
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And you can find that simply
by texting to the number 40544,
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that's 40544.
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In the message box, you want
to be able to send the message
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to that number, "SH060."
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And once you send that, you'll
find almost an instant reply
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of a free digital download
of that free offer for the day.
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So please take advantage of
that as we continue to study.
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Now, there's a number of us that
may be watching this and have
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not found themselves with
a copy of the quarterly yet.
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Perhaps you haven't got
one for your local church.
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If you have a local church
that you can get one from,
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we want to encourage you to go
to your local Adventist church
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and ask for a free copy.
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Now, if that's not feasible,
or if you'd rather have
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a digital copy, you
can go to a website,
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and that website
is lesson.aftv.org.
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That is lesson.aftv.org, and you
can get a free digital download
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of this quarterly so that you
can study throughout the week
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and be prepared
as much as possible.
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So, time is ticking fast.
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We want to invite our
teacher up as soon as we can,
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but before we do that, we
invite you to join us in worship
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as we invite our singers to
sing a song for us even now.
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¤¤¤
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male: We'll be singing
this morning number 515,
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"The Lord is My Light,"
and we'll sing the first
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and the last verses.
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¤¤¤
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¤ The Lord is my light ¤
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¤ Then why should I fear ¤
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¤ By day and by night
His presence is near ¤
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¤ He is my salvation
from sorrow and sin ¤
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¤ This blessed persuasion
the Spirit brings in ¤
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¤ The Lord is my
light, my joy, and my song ¤
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¤ By day and by
night He leads me along ¤
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¤ The Lord is my
light, my joy, and my song ¤
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¤ By day and by
night He leads me along ¤
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¤ The Lord is my
light, my all and in all ¤
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¤ There is in His
sight no darkness at all ¤
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¤ He is my
Redeemer, my Savior and King ¤
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¤ With saints and with
angels His praises I sing ¤
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¤ The Lord is my
light, my joy, and my song ¤
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¤ By day and by
night He leads me along ¤
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¤ The Lord is my
light, my joy, and my song ¤
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¤ By day and by
night He leads me along ¤¤
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male: Thank you
so much for singing.
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¤¤¤
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Shawn: For those of you who
have been faithfully watching
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each and every edition of
"The Sabbath School Study Hour,"
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our teacher will
not be new to you.
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This is the second
time that one of our--
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well, the newest
edition, pastoral edition
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to our team here in Granite Bay.
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Lucas Rodor is
going to be teaching
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our lesson study again today.
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So, he is our new youth pastor.
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We're thrilled to have him,
and we're also happy to be able
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to have him teach
our lesson study today.
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Before he comes up, I wanted
to ask you, all of us here
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as well as those who are
watching to join me as we pray.
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Father in heaven, we want to
thank You for the opportunity
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to be able to come
together to worship You.
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God, we want to thank You so
much for the Sabbath that You
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have set aside from the
beginning of human history that
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we might be able to glorify
You and remember that You
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are the Maker of all things.
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And God in heaven, as we study
Your Bible today, we are looking
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at two things that Your Son
Jesus made very clear as very
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important, three of the biggest
topics we can find in the Bible,
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as Jesus had pointed out:
faith, and justice, and mercy.
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Lord, as we'd look at justice
and mercy today, we want to pray
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that You'll be with our teacher.
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Anoint him with Your Holy
Spirit, and guide us and fulfill
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Your promise as You give
us Your Spirit to guide us
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into all truth.
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And so we thank You and praise
You, in Jesus's name, amen.
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God bless you, Pastor Lucas.
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Lucas Rodor: Hello, it's
so good to be with you here
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this morning, as we study
this very important lesson.
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This lesson, it
doesn't come alone.
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That's the first thing I
want to share with you all.
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This lesson, it's
part of a package.
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And as you all know,
it's part of a package
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of "The Least of These,"
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which is our
quarterly for this, well,
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for this quarter, our
subject for this quarter.
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And up to this point, we've
been studying about creation.
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We've studied about how
God created a perfect world.
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We've studied about how
that world was corrupted by
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something, by a disease called
sin, and we've been studying
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progressively about how God
is dealing with this problem,
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and how He uses us to be of
assistance and to be of help to
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those who are in need, to those
who are suffering around us.
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Now, our memory text this
week--and just to let you know,
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Pastor Shawn already touched
on this, but the title for this
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week was "Mercy and
Justice in Psalms and Proverbs."
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And I find that beautiful.
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The memory text comes from
Psalm 82:3 and 4 that says:
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"Defend the poor
and the fatherless;
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do justice to the
afflicted and needy.
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Deliver the poor and
needy; free them from the hand
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of the wicked."
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Now, that being said,
I'd like to tell you that,
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at least for myself--
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I don't know about
you, but at least for me,
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these two words, "justice"
and "mercy," they present
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to me a kind of conundrum
because if you think about it
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in a certain way,
justice can be seen
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as the opposite of
mercy to many people.
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What is just? What is justice?
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Well, when someone says, "Well,
that's just, that's fair,"
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that means that
that was warranted.
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That was
something that was expected.
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Justice is what I
have by right, right?
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It should be, at least.
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So, I did justice, or
someone did justice for me.
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Someone acted upon what,
well, I already deserved.
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Now, when you go to the
other side of this subject,
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you get to mercy.
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Mercy is the opposite of that.
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If someone is being merciful,
or someone is receiving mercy,
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did they deserve that?
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Was it based on merit?
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No, mercy isn't based on merit.
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Mercy is something completely--
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it's a God-given
trait that, well,
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someone didn't have
to do anything for that.
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Mercy is given freely.
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You don't deserve it.
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You receive it, it's a gift.
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So, these two words, they
present in a certain aspect,
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in a certain way, they present
opposites, they're opposites.
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Justice is what
someone deserves, and mercy is
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what people don't
deserve, they're opposites.
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Something that I find
interesting is that justice,
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at least for a lot of people,
and everything that has to do
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with justice, so a
judge, for example, or judgment,
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is something that today is seen
with good eyes or with bad eyes.
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Bad eyes, for many people,
they don't want to be judged.
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Has someone ever told
you, you know, "Don't judge me.
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I don't want to be judged."
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People today
don't like judgment.
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Bible talks about
judgment in a different way.
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And the reason for this
is because, for many people,
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justice is seen as retributive.
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It's something that
God uses to condemn them.
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I don't want God to judge me.
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I don't want to be judged.
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I'm terrified of biblical
judgment or judgment at all
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because that is a
measure used to condemn me.
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That's why, for example,
that Martin Luther, the great
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medieval reformer, he tells us
that from his ordination in 1507
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in Erfurt, and then later
on in Wittenberg in Germany,
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he used to say that he was
mortified about this topic,
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justice, or the judgment of God.
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He was terrified of it.
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He would
self-flagellate himself.
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He would fast, and he would
punish himself, all of this
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trying to please a
severe, tyrannical God.
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He was terrified of this concept
of justice found in the Bible.
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Luther went on to say that
he would prefer to hear the name
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of the devil than to
hear the name of Christ
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because he was terrified of God.
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He used to be scared of God.
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Later on, he was saved
form this agony when he found,
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through the Bible,
including many texts in Psalms,
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he found that justice in
the Bible was the contrary
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of what he was thinking.
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It was the opposite
of what he believed.
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Through Psalms such as Psalm 71,
verse 2 that says: "Deliver me
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in Your justice, and cause me to
escape; incline Your ear to me,
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and save me."
00:12:21.40\00:12:23.14
Through texts such as these,
Luther found out that justice
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was not the measure
that God used to condemn him.
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You see, justice in the
Bible, judgment in the Bible
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has nothing to do with
what God demands from us.
00:12:32.75\00:12:36.48
It has to do with
something that God offers to us.
00:12:36.52\00:12:40.09
Justice in the Bible
isn't demanded, it's offered.
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It's a gift.
00:12:45.13\00:12:46.66
Living through God's justice,
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and living in
God's judgment is a gift.
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And Luther, when he found this
out, he went on to become the
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great reformer that we've found
out that we know that he was.
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You see, that is how justice
is presented in the Bible.
00:12:58.61\00:13:01.58
Even though these two
words, "justice" and "mercy,"
00:13:01.61\00:13:03.78
can seem as
opposites to us, in the Bible,
00:13:03.81\00:13:06.75
mercy is one of the
arms of God's justice.
00:13:06.78\00:13:10.05
You see, God is,
in essence, just.
00:13:10.09\00:13:14.09
There are two supreme qualities
that, if we could talk about,
00:13:14.12\00:13:17.86
you know, God in two--or
describe God through two words,
00:13:17.89\00:13:22.33
it would be justice and love,
00:13:22.36\00:13:26.13
justice and love.
00:13:26.17\00:13:28.30
And apparently, these two
words, they're contradictions.
00:13:28.34\00:13:30.67
But when applied to
God, they walk hand in hand.
00:13:30.71\00:13:33.71
God's justice requires love,
and God's love requires justice.
00:13:33.74\00:13:40.02
And one of the greatest aspects
of this that we find in this
00:13:40.05\00:13:42.65
lesson is that it is described
through the book of Psalms.
00:13:42.68\00:13:45.52
Now, who--
00:13:45.55\00:13:47.59
We know that many people
wrote the book of Psalms.
00:13:47.62\00:13:49.82
It wasn't just one person.
00:13:49.86\00:13:51.59
But there was one
that wrote many more Psalms
00:13:51.63\00:13:53.93
than anyone else.
00:13:53.96\00:13:55.33
Who was this?
00:13:55.36\00:13:57.03
King David, King
David was the main author
00:13:57.07\00:13:59.50
of the book of Psalms,
and we also know that Psalms,
00:13:59.53\00:14:02.70
it was the hymnal book, right?
00:14:02.74\00:14:04.61
It was the hymnal
book for the Jewish nation,
00:14:04.64\00:14:07.48
for the Israelites.
00:14:07.51\00:14:09.31
So, these were songs
written to God, praise songs,
00:14:09.34\00:14:12.25
songs of praise,
songs of lamentation,
00:14:12.28\00:14:14.05
and so on and so forth.
00:14:14.08\00:14:15.55
So, these songs, most of
them written by King David.
00:14:15.58\00:14:21.99
Who was King David?
00:14:22.02\00:14:23.93
Think about it for a second.
00:14:23.96\00:14:25.66
We're talking about justice,
and we're talking about mercy.
00:14:25.69\00:14:29.56
When you realize that in
the setting of the psalms,
00:14:29.60\00:14:33.40
it becomes very
curious because King David,
00:14:33.44\00:14:37.97
even though the Bible describes
him in the book of Acts as,
00:14:38.01\00:14:40.51
"A man according
to God's own heart,"
00:14:40.54\00:14:44.01
we see that
David, he wasn't perfect.
00:14:44.05\00:14:46.78
One of the greatest defects, or
the greatest sins that we find
00:14:46.82\00:14:50.29
of King David in the
Bible was when he saw Bathsheba,
00:14:50.32\00:14:54.36
became enchanted with her, took
her for himself, devised this
00:14:54.39\00:14:57.73
Machiavellian plan that
ended up with Uriah's death.
00:14:57.76\00:15:06.87
Then Prophet Nathan
comes up to him and says,
00:15:06.90\00:15:08.80
"Look, this what
you did was wrong."
00:15:08.84\00:15:10.64
And we see that
David, this is why, perhaps,
00:15:10.67\00:15:13.98
he was a man after God's
own heart, because even though
00:15:14.01\00:15:16.51
he was caught in his sin,
he didn't make up excuses.
00:15:16.54\00:15:20.08
He had no smart answers for God.
00:15:20.12\00:15:22.65
No, he admitted
freely, "I have sinned."
00:15:22.68\00:15:26.42
Now, in the way that God dealt
with that sin, was God just?
00:15:26.45\00:15:30.93
Yes, a severe consequence
came about in David's family
00:15:30.96\00:15:34.63
because of that sin.
00:15:34.66\00:15:36.43
But at the same time,
was God merciful with David?
00:15:36.46\00:15:39.50
Of course He was.
00:15:39.53\00:15:41.24
David was one of the
recipients of God's mercy.
00:15:41.27\00:15:43.24
He was one of the
greatest examples in the Bible.
00:15:43.27\00:15:45.34
Do you see how these two
subjects, when they're applied
00:15:45.37\00:15:48.21
to God, they have to walk
hand in hand, God's justice
00:15:48.24\00:15:51.65
and God's mercy, God's
justice and God's mercy?
00:15:51.68\00:15:55.12
As a matter of fact, at least
15 times in the Old Testament we
00:15:55.15\00:15:59.82
find that someone cries
out to the Lord, and God says,
00:15:59.85\00:16:03.43
"I have heard their cry."
00:16:03.46\00:16:05.53
Do you remember at least
one instance where this happens?
00:16:05.56\00:16:08.56
The Israelites in bondage in
Egypt, and we read in Exodus 3,
00:16:08.60\00:16:12.70
verse 7: "The Lord said: 'I
have surely seen the affliction
00:16:12.73\00:16:15.90
of My people who are in Egypt,
and have heard their cry because
00:16:15.94\00:16:19.34
of their taskmasters, for I
am aware of their sufferings.'"
00:16:19.37\00:16:23.61
God heard their cry.
God heard their lament.
00:16:23.65\00:16:26.18
At least 15 times in the Old
Testament where God acts with
00:16:26.21\00:16:29.45
mercy because He
hears the cry of His people
00:16:29.48\00:16:32.82
that are suffering.
00:16:32.85\00:16:35.09
God acts with mercy.
00:16:35.12\00:16:36.66
These are examples of how
God is just and how He applies
00:16:36.69\00:16:40.43
His mercy upon His children.
00:16:40.46\00:16:44.13
Now, the biblical books
of wisdom, and we've already
00:16:44.17\00:16:46.53
touched up on this a little
bit, but the biblical books of
00:16:46.57\00:16:49.00
wisdom, they have a lot
to say about this duality,
00:16:49.04\00:16:51.84
these two words.
00:16:51.87\00:16:53.71
The biblical books of wisdom--
00:16:53.74\00:16:55.74
and here's the
amazing fact for the day.
00:16:55.78\00:16:57.85
You know that the
Bible isn't organized
00:16:57.88\00:16:59.71
in a chronological way?
00:16:59.75\00:17:01.52
I'm sure that
all of you know this.
00:17:01.55\00:17:02.95
The Bible's organized
thematically, by themes.
00:17:02.98\00:17:05.32
So, for example, we have the
first five books of the Bible,
00:17:05.35\00:17:07.66
which are the books of
origin, the origin of the world,
00:17:07.69\00:17:10.06
everything that happened.
00:17:10.09\00:17:11.56
God created the world.
00:17:11.59\00:17:13.29
You have the entrance of
sin in the world and how God
00:17:13.33\00:17:15.86
explained that He
would fix this problem.
00:17:15.90\00:17:17.77
Then you have, from
Judges through Esther,
00:17:17.80\00:17:19.63
you have the books of history.
00:17:19.67\00:17:21.44
These are the historical
books of the canon of the Bible.
00:17:21.47\00:17:23.84
Then you have the books of
wisdom, the sapiential books,
00:17:23.87\00:17:27.58
or the books of
poetry, as they're called,
00:17:27.61\00:17:29.98
and these go from Job all
the way up to Song of Solomon.
00:17:30.01\00:17:32.88
And then the last books,
the prophetic books of the Old
00:17:32.91\00:17:35.88
Testament, and that's how
the Old Testament is organized:
00:17:35.92\00:17:38.32
the books or origin, the books
of history, the books of wisdom,
00:17:38.35\00:17:42.29
and the prophetic books.
00:17:42.32\00:17:44.03
And curiously enough, the
New Testament is organized
00:17:44.06\00:17:45.96
in the exact same
way, except there's a shift
00:17:45.99\00:17:48.40
in subject, in theme.
00:17:48.43\00:17:50.33
If the Old Testament is
talking about the world,
00:17:50.37\00:17:52.60
the New Testament is
talking about the church.
00:17:52.63\00:17:54.87
So the first four books of
the New Testament, the Gospels,
00:17:54.90\00:17:58.01
they're the books of
origin of the church.
00:17:58.04\00:18:00.78
Acts is the historical
book of the New Testament.
00:18:00.81\00:18:04.38
The epistles are
called, "The books of wisdom
00:18:04.41\00:18:06.75
of the New Testament."
00:18:06.78\00:18:08.25
And then you have Revelation
being the book of prophecy
00:18:08.28\00:18:10.22
of the New Testament.
00:18:10.25\00:18:11.72
Now, the books of wisdom are
very interesting because they
00:18:11.75\00:18:14.86
hold the content, at
least in the New Testament,
00:18:14.89\00:18:17.56
they hold the
content for the church.
00:18:17.59\00:18:19.36
And in the Old Testament, they
hold the wisdom of the kings of
00:18:19.39\00:18:22.03
Israel and the wisdom
and the songs and the poetry
00:18:22.06\00:18:24.63
of the Jewish nation
that described the Messiah,
00:18:24.67\00:18:27.50
that described
day-to-day things of life,
00:18:27.54\00:18:29.90
and this is the
beauty of the book of Psalms.
00:18:29.94\00:18:32.51
You'll find that it goes all the
way from the most day-to-day,
00:18:32.54\00:18:35.14
normal aspects of life all the
way up to the most complicated,
00:18:35.18\00:18:38.61
deep, and profound aspects
of our religion of the Messiah
00:18:38.65\00:18:41.75
and what He was going to come
to do and what they waited for.
00:18:41.78\00:18:45.29
The biblical books of
wisdom have much to say about
00:18:45.32\00:18:47.59
the concept of justice
and the concept of mercy.
00:18:47.62\00:18:51.53
A few of these psalms, a
few of these chapters in psalms,
00:18:51.56\00:18:55.00
a few of these
songs, they are called,
00:18:55.03\00:18:57.83
"The psalms of divine justice."
00:18:57.87\00:19:00.40
There are a few of them, and I'm
sure that you've read them maybe
00:19:00.44\00:19:03.54
plenty times going through this
hymnal book, which is Psalms.
00:19:03.57\00:19:08.48
The psalms of divine justice,
where we often find this plea
00:19:08.51\00:19:13.65
for God to apply His
justice, for God to be merciful
00:19:13.68\00:19:17.79
upon a given situation,
diverse situations of life.
00:19:17.82\00:19:21.16
In a very
practical, day-to-day sense,
00:19:21.19\00:19:23.69
justice is something
that we often want, right?
00:19:23.73\00:19:28.16
We want fairness.
00:19:28.20\00:19:30.43
We want justice.
00:19:30.47\00:19:32.00
I remember many times
when I was a child, you know,
00:19:32.03\00:19:34.04
maybe three or four years
old, sometimes six or seven,
00:19:34.07\00:19:37.47
and you know how
siblings are sometimes, right?
00:19:37.51\00:19:39.81
They're always fighting
and squabbling, you know,
00:19:39.84\00:19:42.04
and arguing with each other.
00:19:42.08\00:19:44.01
And many times, when justice
was done from the power above,
00:19:44.05\00:19:48.95
our parents, I would
say, "That's not fair."
00:19:48.98\00:19:53.82
Have you ever said that
before, maybe to siblings?
00:19:53.86\00:19:56.22
Maybe in your office, in your
school, or I'm sure you have,
00:19:56.26\00:20:00.80
"This isn't fair."
00:20:00.83\00:20:02.56
And you want
fairness. You want justice.
00:20:02.60\00:20:04.67
Now, the problem is
that, oftentimes, what is fair
00:20:04.70\00:20:07.20
to you is
unfair to someone else.
00:20:07.24\00:20:10.07
So that's why it's so
good for us to have a Mediator,
00:20:10.11\00:20:13.01
which is God, Who is unbiased.
00:20:13.04\00:20:15.98
But even that is
something curious.
00:20:16.01\00:20:17.95
We'll talk about
that in a little while.
00:20:17.98\00:20:21.78
One thing that I'd like to
say is that you'll find in these
00:20:21.82\00:20:24.55
psalms of divine justice,
you'll find this tension
00:20:24.59\00:20:29.12
between what is
justice, or the desire,
00:20:29.16\00:20:31.83
the plea for
justice, and at the same time,
00:20:31.86\00:20:34.00
the fact that
sometimes justice doesn't come
00:20:34.00\00:20:36.50
the way we expect it, the way
we want it, or when we want it.
00:20:36.53\00:20:40.67
God is always
just. God is always fair.
00:20:40.70\00:20:43.44
We know this.
00:20:43.47\00:20:44.94
It's one of His
divine qualities.
00:20:44.97\00:20:46.78
But the problem is that
God, oftentimes, He postpones
00:20:46.81\00:20:51.18
His justice, at least
in our way of seeing it.
00:20:51.21\00:20:54.55
And you'll see
this, for example,
00:20:54.58\00:20:56.42
in Psalm chapter 7--
00:20:56.45\00:20:58.09
sorry, Psalm chapter 9,
you'll see this tension between
00:20:58.12\00:21:01.06
a plea for justice and the
fact that justice hasn't arrived
00:21:01.09\00:21:03.99
when he asked for it.
00:21:04.03\00:21:05.63
You'll see this in verse
7 through 9, where it says,
00:21:05.66\00:21:07.50
"But the Lord shall
endure forever; He has prepared
00:21:07.56\00:21:10.70
His throne for judgment.
00:21:10.73\00:21:12.50
He shall judge the world
in righteousness, and He shall
00:21:12.53\00:21:15.44
administer judgment for
the peoples in uprightness.
00:21:15.47\00:21:19.64
The Lord also will be a
refuge for the oppressed,
00:21:19.67\00:21:22.64
a refuge in times of trouble."
00:21:22.68\00:21:24.95
So, what is this text saying?
00:21:24.98\00:21:26.75
It's saying that "God is just."
00:21:26.78\00:21:28.35
It's saying that "God
is a refuge," that "God,
00:21:28.38\00:21:30.12
He will exact justice."
00:21:30.15\00:21:31.85
But at the same time, in
the next part of the chapter,
00:21:31.89\00:21:35.02
you find that
there is wickedness,
00:21:35.06\00:21:37.73
that bad things do happen,
that unfair situations in life,
00:21:37.76\00:21:41.13
they come about.
00:21:41.16\00:21:42.86
And you'll see this,
for example, in verse 13.
00:21:42.90\00:21:45.17
It says: " Have
mercy on me, O Lord!
00:21:45.20\00:21:47.07
Consider my trouble
from those who hate me,
00:21:47.10\00:21:49.60
You who lift me up
from the gates of death."
00:21:49.64\00:21:51.71
And you go on reading and
you see that David is saying,
00:21:51.74\00:21:54.34
"Lord, I know
that You're a refuge,
00:21:54.38\00:21:56.28
I know that You are
just, and I know that You
00:21:56.31\00:21:58.68
will bring justice for my cause.
00:21:58.71\00:22:01.08
But Lord, look
at what's happening.
00:22:01.12\00:22:03.18
I am having troubles.
00:22:03.22\00:22:04.92
I am surrounded by
these pains and afflictions.
00:22:04.95\00:22:06.69
Lord, please judge me fairly.
00:22:06.72\00:22:10.56
Please save me
from these iniquities.
00:22:10.59\00:22:15.00
We live in a
world of corruption.
00:22:15.03\00:22:17.60
We know this, all around us.
00:22:17.63\00:22:19.10
We don't have to go very far
to see that we live in a world
00:22:19.13\00:22:22.10
of corruption, in a world of
injustice, in a world of sin.
00:22:22.14\00:22:27.11
Not long ago, a
few years actually--
00:22:27.14\00:22:29.14
I'm from Brazil, and
Brazil is going through
00:22:29.18\00:22:31.61
a very difficult
political period right now.
00:22:31.65\00:22:34.98
And a few years ago, they
unearthed, they discovered one
00:22:35.02\00:22:39.32
of the worst scandals,
corruption scandals in history,
00:22:39.35\00:22:43.29
where more than $1
trillion had been stolen
00:22:43.32\00:22:46.93
by a political
party, had been stolen from
00:22:46.96\00:22:49.73
the government, $1 trillion.
00:22:49.76\00:22:51.97
That's a lot of money.
00:22:52.00\00:22:54.24
We live in a world of
corruption, in a world of sin.
00:22:54.27\00:22:59.04
And it seems, many
times, that the better you are,
00:22:59.07\00:23:03.31
the more you suffer.
00:23:03.35\00:23:05.31
And it seems that
the wicked people,
00:23:05.35\00:23:07.12
those who will act deceitfully,
those who are corrupt,
00:23:07.15\00:23:10.29
it seems many times that
they are the ones who prosper,
00:23:10.32\00:23:13.29
that they are the
ones who have it good.
00:23:13.32\00:23:15.22
Have you ever
thought about this?
00:23:15.26\00:23:16.76
Sometimes it seems,
"You know, Lord, I am here.
00:23:16.79\00:23:18.79
I'm trying my
best to do the best.
00:23:18.83\00:23:20.80
I'm trying my best
to follow your path
00:23:20.83\00:23:22.63
and to walk in your footsteps.
00:23:22.66\00:23:24.17
And Lord, it seems
that the more I do that,
00:23:24.20\00:23:26.27
the more I
suffer, the more I lose.
00:23:26.30\00:23:30.21
And at the same time,
Lord, look at what's happening
00:23:30.24\00:23:32.24
with these people.
00:23:32.27\00:23:33.68
Look at what they're
doing and how, apparently,
00:23:33.71\00:23:36.01
they're prospering.
00:23:36.04\00:23:37.95
This is the plea
of Psalm chapter 82,
00:23:37.98\00:23:41.55
Psalm chapter 82, verse 2.
00:23:41.58\00:23:43.52
You hear David crying out to God
and saying, "How long will you
00:23:43.55\00:23:47.62
judge unjustly and show
partiality to the wicked?"
00:23:47.66\00:23:50.56
This is--apparently, some people
would assume that this is David
00:23:50.59\00:23:53.50
talking about God: "Lord, how
long will You judge unjustly?"
00:23:53.53\00:23:57.10
Can God judge unjustly?
00:23:57.13\00:23:59.07
Of course not.
00:23:59.10\00:24:01.07
So, in this text we find that
the call of Psalm 82 isn't only
00:24:01.10\00:24:05.14
to God, but it's to
these leaders who are corrupt.
00:24:05.17\00:24:08.58
David is saying,
"Look, you are being corrupt.
00:24:08.61\00:24:10.51
Can't you change your ways?"
00:24:10.55\00:24:12.55
And this is an anthem
in the book of Psalms.
00:24:12.58\00:24:14.88
In Psalms chapter
73, verse 3 and 9,
00:24:14.92\00:24:17.99
we find a similar
request that David makes to God,
00:24:18.02\00:24:21.39
where he says, Psalm
73, verse 3 through 9,
00:24:21.42\00:24:28.66
that tells us: "For I
was envious of the boastful,
00:24:28.70\00:24:31.73
when I saw the
prosperity of the wicked.
00:24:31.77\00:24:34.04
For there are no
pangs in their death,
00:24:34.07\00:24:38.11
but their strength is firm.
00:24:38.14\00:24:39.97
They are not in
trouble as other men,
00:24:40.01\00:24:42.38
nor are they
plagued like other men.
00:24:42.41\00:24:45.88
Therefore pride
serves as their necklace;
00:24:45.91\00:24:49.18
violence covers
them like a garment."
00:24:49.22\00:24:52.12
And David goes on describing
these wicked that prosper.
00:24:52.15\00:24:58.36
And finally, we arrive in
chapter 82, where he just said,
00:24:58.39\00:25:01.10
"Look, how long
will you be like this?
00:25:01.13\00:25:04.10
How long will
you judge unjustly?
00:25:04.13\00:25:07.40
How long will you be corrupt?"
00:25:07.44\00:25:11.74
Can you see that
this isn't anything new?
00:25:11.77\00:25:14.01
It's not from our days
that people are like this,
00:25:14.04\00:25:16.48
that the world is like this.
00:25:16.51\00:25:18.25
It's not from our
time. The world is unjust.
00:25:18.28\00:25:22.32
In the days of David,
in the days of the prophets
00:25:22.35\00:25:24.59
and the kings of Israel, we
find that Israel would go deeper
00:25:24.62\00:25:27.52
and deeper into sin.
00:25:27.56\00:25:29.36
The kingdom of the north in
Israel, when you read the books
00:25:29.39\00:25:32.46
of Chronicles and
Kings, you find that not one
00:25:32.49\00:25:36.10
of the Israelite kings,
not one of them in the kingdom
00:25:36.13\00:25:38.70
of the north was good.
00:25:38.73\00:25:40.67
The Bible describes them
as, "Continuously doing what was
00:25:40.70\00:25:43.91
wrong in the eyes of the Lord,
and walking in the footsteps
00:25:43.94\00:25:46.88
of their fathers."
00:25:46.91\00:25:49.21
Not one good king in
the kingdom of the north.
00:25:49.24\00:25:51.61
In Judah and Benjamin,
the kingdom of the south,
00:25:51.65\00:25:53.92
you find a few good kings,
but in the middle of corruption.
00:25:53.95\00:25:57.99
You'll find one or another
that comes along every few
00:25:58.02\00:26:01.06
generations, and they try to fix
the things that have happened,
00:26:01.09\00:26:04.66
but it's too much
to fix in one lifetime.
00:26:04.69\00:26:07.93
This is not a new problem.
00:26:07.96\00:26:09.96
This has been going on
for a very, very long time.
00:26:10.00\00:26:14.24
And because of this, not only
were the kings and the leaders
00:26:14.27\00:26:17.24
corrupt and unjust, not only
did they treat their population
00:26:17.27\00:26:21.71
unfairly, but the
population, per their influence,
00:26:21.74\00:26:26.28
became corrupt.
00:26:26.31\00:26:28.28
People became corrupt.
00:26:28.32\00:26:29.82
The nation became corrupt,
and there was much suffering
00:26:29.85\00:26:31.85
around them.
00:26:31.89\00:26:33.92
Up to the point where, and
I don't know if you know this,
00:26:33.96\00:26:35.92
but from Babylon on,
from the exile of Babylon on,
00:26:35.96\00:26:39.93
with a small pause between
the kingdoms of Greece and Rome,
00:26:39.96\00:26:44.60
Israel was never free again.
00:26:44.63\00:26:46.94
It always was subject
to one power or another.
00:26:46.97\00:26:50.21
For about 80 years between
the rule of Greece and the rule
00:26:50.24\00:26:53.24
of Rome, Israel was
free, but other than that,
00:26:53.27\00:26:57.61
always in bondage,
always answering to someone
00:26:57.65\00:27:01.52
above them, always.
00:27:01.55\00:27:04.12
Psalm 82 is a call of
desperation, where the psalmist,
00:27:04.15\00:27:07.49
he is calling out, crying out
not only to God for God to act,
00:27:07.52\00:27:11.56
but also for the corrupt leaders
to change, to turn from their
00:27:11.59\00:27:14.86
ways and to act with justice,
for them to act with mercy,
00:27:14.93\00:27:19.03
for them to acknowledge
God in their leadership.
00:27:19.07\00:27:21.57
Look at what he says in
chapter 82, verse 3 and 4:
00:27:21.60\00:27:24.74
"Please defend," I
put in the "please."
00:27:24.77\00:27:27.01
"Please defend the
poor and fatherless;
00:27:27.04\00:27:29.51
do justice to the
afflicted and needy.
00:27:29.54\00:27:31.91
Deliver the poor and
the needy; and free them
00:27:31.95\00:27:34.42
from the hand of the wicked."
00:27:34.45\00:27:36.25
Here is David calling out,
"Look, you who are corrupt,
00:27:36.28\00:27:39.15
you are who are unjust, stop it.
00:27:39.19\00:27:41.32
Defend the cause of the poor.
00:27:41.36\00:27:43.26
Defend the cause of the needy."
00:27:43.29\00:27:45.99
You know, we live in a
world today where people try
00:27:46.03\00:27:48.10
to take matters
into their own hands.
00:27:48.13\00:27:52.50
We see many politicians--
00:27:52.53\00:27:54.20
and I don't know
how many of you--
00:27:54.24\00:27:56.14
I've never been that interested,
00:27:56.17\00:27:58.27
or I don't know
much about politics.
00:27:58.31\00:28:00.04
It's not my calling in life.
00:28:00.08\00:28:02.18
But it's very difficult
for you to see everything
00:28:02.21\00:28:04.08
that's happening,
not only in the country,
00:28:04.11\00:28:06.61
but in the world around us.
00:28:06.65\00:28:08.48
Several politicians promising so
many things, promising justice,
00:28:08.52\00:28:12.32
promising a better life,
promising to better the world
00:28:12.35\00:28:15.29
and better the nation.
00:28:15.32\00:28:17.13
The problem is, is when you've
been lied to so many times,
00:28:17.16\00:28:19.79
you become skeptical.
00:28:19.83\00:28:22.86
There are just so many promises
out there for health and for
00:28:22.90\00:28:26.13
finances and for safety,
and this is something worldwide.
00:28:26.17\00:28:31.31
The solution will
not come through that.
00:28:31.34\00:28:33.64
We discover this
through the Bible.
00:28:33.68\00:28:35.74
Media, mainstream media with
their movies and their series
00:28:35.78\00:28:39.01
and their magazines and
their shows and their books,
00:28:39.05\00:28:42.12
also promise many fixes.
00:28:42.15\00:28:44.22
This is what you'll find
in superhero movies, where,
00:28:44.25\00:28:46.86
ultimately, mankind is the
solution to its own problem.
00:28:46.89\00:28:51.03
Have you noticed this?
00:28:51.06\00:28:52.73
In these movies and these
series and everything in media,
00:28:52.76\00:28:56.33
you'll find that the main theme,
the main idea that they're
00:28:56.36\00:28:59.93
trying to convey is
that we are the fix.
00:29:00.04\00:29:03.00
We are the
solution to our own problem.
00:29:03.04\00:29:07.51
We've been around long enough to
see and to know that we are not
00:29:07.54\00:29:11.61
the solution, as the humanist
philosophy would like us
00:29:11.65\00:29:16.42
to believe,
that we are the cure.
00:29:16.45\00:29:19.02
And you'll find this through
and through, through literature,
00:29:19.05\00:29:21.82
through history,
through politics.
00:29:21.86\00:29:23.73
What was Marxism, but an idea
where mankind can fix its own
00:29:23.76\00:29:28.73
problems, the idea of
the uberman, Superman?
00:29:28.76\00:29:34.54
We can fix our own problems.
00:29:34.57\00:29:37.54
Many believe that it's through
enlightenment, knowledge,
00:29:37.57\00:29:40.84
the advancement of technology,
and this way we will bring,
00:29:40.88\00:29:45.38
finally, we will bring a better
world, a world that is just,
00:29:45.41\00:29:48.12
a world where everyone
can live perfectly in harmony.
00:29:48.15\00:29:54.36
These are not the solution.
00:29:54.39\00:29:57.66
These things are
not the solution.
00:29:57.69\00:30:00.30
The solution is a
just God, a biblical God.
00:30:00.33\00:30:05.80
What's more is
that, unfortunately,
00:30:05.83\00:30:07.54
in many moments of our life--
00:30:07.57\00:30:09.20
and this is
something very real for us.
00:30:09.24\00:30:10.74
I don't know who
you identify with more.
00:30:10.77\00:30:12.31
And you don't have
to answer this, okay,
00:30:12.34\00:30:13.78
because it can
get quite, you know,
00:30:13.81\00:30:15.38
embarrassing, or--
00:30:15.41\00:30:17.45
but who do you
identify with more,
00:30:17.48\00:30:19.65
those who are suffering,
those who are under oppression,
00:30:19.68\00:30:25.95
or those who are
causing oppression?
00:30:25.99\00:30:28.36
I believe that in many moments
of our life, unfortunately,
00:30:28.39\00:30:30.39
we, you know,
humans can be bullies.
00:30:30.43\00:30:33.50
In many moments, we are not
the ones that are oppressed.
00:30:33.53\00:30:36.50
We are the oppressors.
00:30:36.53\00:30:38.57
That's why I find it so
interesting and so important
00:30:38.60\00:30:41.27
that David here, he makes a
call to those unjust rulers:
00:30:41.30\00:30:45.11
"Look, defend the
cause of the poor.
00:30:45.14\00:30:47.14
Defend the cause of the needy."
00:30:47.18\00:30:49.01
And that's a call
for me and for you today.
00:30:49.04\00:30:50.58
"Look, stop
being the way you are.
00:30:50.61\00:30:53.05
Defend the cause of the poor.
00:30:53.08\00:30:54.65
Defend the cause of the needy."
00:30:54.68\00:30:56.32
The call of Psalms
82 is for both groups.
00:30:56.35\00:30:59.69
The oppressors
should turn from their ways,
00:30:59.72\00:31:01.82
and the oppressed
should place their hope in who?
00:31:01.86\00:31:03.96
In politics? In technology?
00:31:03.99\00:31:06.96
In media and humanist progress?
00:31:07.00\00:31:09.83
No, in God, in the Lord God.
00:31:09.86\00:31:14.70
Have you ever turned your
eyes upward in a moment in life,
00:31:14.74\00:31:17.47
going through a moment of
injustice, and turned your eyes
00:31:17.51\00:31:21.24
up to God and
sighed, apparently, saying,
00:31:21.28\00:31:24.45
"Lord, why don't You come
back and fix this whole mess?"
00:31:24.48\00:31:28.25
Have you ever done that?
00:31:28.28\00:31:30.69
I do that a
lot. I do that a lot.
00:31:30.72\00:31:34.12
"Lord, please come
back and fix this mess.
00:31:34.16\00:31:37.16
Everything's become so chaotic.
00:31:37.19\00:31:39.39
It's such a big mess."
00:31:39.43\00:31:41.73
But here's the beautiful
thing of the book of Psalms.
00:31:41.76\00:31:44.90
It gives me hope that
God, He will execute justice.
00:31:44.93\00:31:53.91
The dreary days that we
find in the world around us
00:31:53.94\00:31:56.28
and in our lifetime, there
will be an accounting for them.
00:31:56.31\00:31:59.65
God is just. God is just.
00:31:59.68\00:32:03.62
The only answer for this whole
problem around us is a sovereign
00:32:03.65\00:32:06.49
Leader, a sovereign Lord.
00:32:06.52\00:32:09.79
Now, on the same note, and this
is where we find the progression
00:32:09.82\00:32:14.03
of the lesson this week.
00:32:14.10\00:32:15.40
It starts off with Psalm 82
and it goes on to Psalm 101,
00:32:15.43\00:32:18.70
and on the same
note, here's the thing,
00:32:18.73\00:32:20.70
we all exercise
influence over other people.
00:32:20.74\00:32:23.04
We all have opportunities
of acting acts of justice,
00:32:23.07\00:32:28.08
all of us do.
00:32:28.11\00:32:29.88
Now, are we sources of justice?
00:32:29.91\00:32:33.38
As humans, are we
the source of justice?
00:32:33.42\00:32:36.92
No, we're not.
00:32:36.95\00:32:38.85
We reflect justice.
00:32:38.89\00:32:40.52
God is the source of all
justice, and we reflect that.
00:32:40.56\00:32:43.36
You know, I remember
when I was small, I saw--
00:32:43.39\00:32:46.56
and this is very, you know,
I'm sure that you've seen it.
00:32:46.59\00:32:48.73
But I saw this picture
that had three little monkeys,
00:32:48.76\00:32:53.00
and one of the monkeys
had his hands over his mouth.
00:32:53.03\00:32:56.50
Another one had his
hands over his eyes.
00:32:56.54\00:32:58.37
And another one had
his hands over his ears.
00:32:58.41\00:33:00.48
You've seen this?
00:33:00.51\00:33:02.41
All right, and in one of
the pictures, and it had a--
00:33:02.44\00:33:06.08
it was the one with
the monkey over his eyes,
00:33:06.11\00:33:07.62
and this never
left my mind, it said,
00:33:07.65\00:33:09.25
"Monkey see monkey do."
00:33:09.28\00:33:12.22
Have you ever head this?
00:33:12.25\00:33:13.69
"Monkey see monkey do."
00:33:13.72\00:33:15.42
And this is the
reality about humans.
00:33:15.46\00:33:16.86
Humans, we imitate.
00:33:16.89\00:33:18.99
You know, we imitate people.
00:33:19.03\00:33:20.43
I've already told you the story
of my little brother, where we
00:33:20.46\00:33:22.40
caught him one Sabbath morning
shaving because he had seen my
00:33:22.43\00:33:25.67
father shaving that same way.
00:33:25.70\00:33:27.30
My brother was four years
old, and we caught him shaving,
00:33:27.34\00:33:29.70
you know, with all the apparatus
and the shaving, the razor.
00:33:29.74\00:33:34.68
And he looked at us and said,
00:33:34.71\00:33:36.01
"You know, children
imitate their parents."
00:33:36.04\00:33:37.51
That's exactly what he said,
only he said it in Portuguese.
00:33:37.55\00:33:39.98
"Children copy parents."
00:33:40.02\00:33:43.15
Humans are creatures of habit,
00:33:43.18\00:33:45.92
and we are
creatures that imitate.
00:33:45.95\00:33:47.56
That's what we're good at.
00:33:47.59\00:33:49.16
"Monkey see monkey do."
00:33:49.19\00:33:50.53
Now, for you to be just, if you
are not the source of justice in
00:33:50.56\00:33:53.83
this universe, if it
doesn't come from you, you know,
00:33:53.86\00:33:57.40
when it comes to God, God
has two kinds of qualities.
00:33:57.43\00:34:00.54
God has
incommunicable qualities.
00:34:00.57\00:34:03.44
What are they?
00:34:03.47\00:34:04.87
What are the
incommunicable qualities of God?
00:34:04.91\00:34:06.61
Omnipotence,
omniscience, omnipresence.
00:34:06.64\00:34:10.35
God can't
communicate that to us.
00:34:10.38\00:34:12.58
We cannot be omnipotent.
00:34:12.61\00:34:14.25
We cannot be
omniscient, we can't.
00:34:14.28\00:34:16.42
These are qualities
that we simply don't have.
00:34:16.45\00:34:18.92
But God has some
communicable qualities.
00:34:18.95\00:34:21.26
For example, justice and mercy.
00:34:21.29\00:34:23.39
These are things
that we can learn from God
00:34:23.43\00:34:25.66
and we can put into
practice in our own life.
00:34:25.69\00:34:28.76
So, when it comes to justice
and when it comes to mercy,
00:34:28.80\00:34:32.83
we find that for us to be able
to practice these qualities,
00:34:32.87\00:34:36.57
we have to learn them from who?
00:34:36.60\00:34:39.21
From God.
00:34:39.24\00:34:40.98
We have to learn them
from somewhere, from someone,
00:34:41.01\00:34:43.31
and we learn them from God.
00:34:43.35\00:34:46.31
David, he composes this
list of Christian virtues,
00:34:46.35\00:34:50.29
of Christian qualities, and we
find them in Psalm chapter 101.
00:34:50.32\00:34:54.19
We can't read the whole chapter,
but we will go through each
00:34:54.22\00:34:58.33
verse and the lesson learned
so that we can be Christians
00:34:58.36\00:35:01.56
of justice and
Christians of mercy.
00:35:01.60\00:35:03.80
For example, in verse 1, we find
that we need to live a life of
00:35:03.83\00:35:06.74
praise and recognition of
Who and of what God does for us.
00:35:06.77\00:35:11.51
Verse 2 tells us the
importance of seeking wisdom
00:35:11.54\00:35:14.08
to walk before God.
00:35:14.11\00:35:17.11
Verse 3 tells us the importance
of protecting the outlets and
00:35:17.15\00:35:21.82
the inlets of our soul,
everything that we see and hear.
00:35:21.85\00:35:24.75
Again, you can
remember the picture
00:35:24.79\00:35:27.36
of the three little monkeys.
00:35:27.39\00:35:29.56
You have to protect the
inlets of your soul, the things
00:35:29.59\00:35:31.73
that you see, the
people that you walk with,
00:35:31.76\00:35:33.60
the places that you go,
the things that you hear.
00:35:33.63\00:35:36.63
You have to protect the inlets
and the outlets of your soul,
00:35:36.67\00:35:39.20
of your mind, the importance
of distancing ourselves
00:35:39.23\00:35:43.24
from things that
are harmful to us.
00:35:43.27\00:35:45.34
This is done
proactively and actively.
00:35:45.37\00:35:48.91
The way we live, the places
we go, the people we talk to,
00:35:48.94\00:35:52.75
in a very active way, and
sometimes even proactively
00:35:52.78\00:35:55.28
there will be a judge and
there will be an influence
00:35:55.32\00:35:58.35
in how we live.
00:35:58.39\00:36:00.79
We have the importance of being
real, verse 5, of being humble,
00:36:00.82\00:36:04.63
no slandering or being haughty.
00:36:04.66\00:36:07.76
Verse 6 tells us and teaches
us not only the importance
00:36:07.76\00:36:10.87
of keeping away and removing
ourselves from things that are
00:36:10.90\00:36:13.44
evil, things that are bad,
but proactively associating
00:36:13.47\00:36:16.81
ourselves with what is good,
with those who are faithful.
00:36:16.84\00:36:20.58
And in verse 7, we find the
importance of being truthful
00:36:20.61\00:36:23.04
and of upholding integrity.
00:36:23.08\00:36:25.35
Now, I went through a
whole list, and we could preach
00:36:25.38\00:36:27.95
a whole sermon about this
chapter, but unfortunately,
00:36:27.98\00:36:30.05
we don't have the time for that.
00:36:30.09\00:36:31.49
So when you're interested
and you want a list of qualities
00:36:31.52\00:36:33.99
of how a Christian should live
under justice and under mercy,
00:36:34.02\00:36:37.49
you'll find them
in Psalm chapter 101.
00:36:37.53\00:36:39.89
All of these
qualities are meant for those
00:36:39.93\00:36:43.03
in positions of leadership.
00:36:43.06\00:36:44.80
This is a kingly
psalm. This is what we learn.
00:36:44.83\00:36:48.57
But here's the thing, Christians
are a holy priesthood,
00:36:48.60\00:36:53.17
a holy nation.
00:36:53.21\00:36:54.91
And wherever you go, you
will exercise leadership.
00:36:54.94\00:36:58.61
As a Christian, as someone who
lives for God, you will exercise
00:36:58.65\00:37:02.95
leadership, be that in
your office, be that in school,
00:37:02.98\00:37:05.89
be that with
friends or with family.
00:37:05.92\00:37:09.56
People should look to you as
a leader, as having the quality
00:37:09.59\00:37:13.63
of someone who has
these virtues in their life,
00:37:13.66\00:37:16.50
someone who is
true, someone who is just,
00:37:16.53\00:37:18.53
someone who is
merciful, someone who associates
00:37:18.57\00:37:20.94
with what is good.
00:37:20.97\00:37:22.37
And that's why the king here, he
gives this quality for leaders,
00:37:22.40\00:37:24.87
but they apply for all of us.
00:37:24.91\00:37:27.38
Now, a problem with this is
that, on this side of eternity,
00:37:27.41\00:37:30.51
we're not born with
these qualities, are we?
00:37:30.55\00:37:34.55
We're not born
with all these virtues.
00:37:34.58\00:37:37.99
We're not born with justice.
00:37:38.02\00:37:40.22
We're not born being merciful.
00:37:40.26\00:37:42.12
These are things,
again, monkey see monkey do.
00:37:42.16\00:37:47.40
We imitate what we see.
00:37:47.40\00:37:50.00
These are God-given
qualities, and the question is,
00:37:50.03\00:37:52.70
how do we acquire them?
00:37:52.73\00:37:54.87
How do we become these things?
00:37:54.90\00:37:56.50
How do we practice them?
00:37:56.54\00:37:59.24
There's a story
that's told of this man
00:37:59.27\00:38:01.14
called Jean-Harvey Dunant.
00:38:01.18\00:38:05.71
Sorry, Jean-Henri Dunant.
00:38:05.75\00:38:08.02
And Jean-Henri
Dunant, Jean, he was a young,
00:38:08.05\00:38:11.15
brilliant Swiss banker.
00:38:11.19\00:38:13.42
And in the year 1859, he was
sent by his bank to the Austrian
00:38:13.46\00:38:18.99
Alps, where Napoleon the Second
was waging war against Austria,
00:38:19.03\00:38:23.53
and Dunant went there with
the objective of asking Napoleon
00:38:23.57\00:38:29.84
for permission to
start a new business venture
00:38:29.87\00:38:32.31
in the country of Algeria.
00:38:32.34\00:38:34.74
But when he got there,
he saw the cannons blazing,
00:38:34.78\00:38:38.51
he heard the muskets
firing, he saw the wails of men
00:38:38.55\00:38:42.02
being wounded and dying.
00:38:42.05\00:38:44.29
That day, 15,000 men
died, and that changed him.
00:38:44.32\00:38:49.99
That changed this man.
00:38:50.03\00:38:52.56
The scene broke his heart.
00:38:52.59\00:38:54.30
He spent the entire night
caring for the wounded along
00:38:54.30\00:38:58.80
with the other volunteers,
caring for the wounded,
00:38:58.83\00:39:01.70
taking care of them.
00:39:01.74\00:39:03.57
And he was never the same.
00:39:03.61\00:39:05.37
Money simply didn't
matter that much anymore to him.
00:39:05.41\00:39:10.61
He went back to Europe and
he went from country to country,
00:39:10.65\00:39:13.31
meeting with state governors
and with country presidents,
00:39:13.35\00:39:17.39
and he was eloquently,
very eloquently making
00:39:17.42\00:39:20.19
the cause for peace.
00:39:20.22\00:39:22.46
This man, Jean Dunant, went
on to found what we know today
00:39:22.49\00:39:27.13
as the Red Cross
International, and he received
00:39:27.13\00:39:30.70
the first-ever
Nobel Peace Prize.
00:39:30.73\00:39:35.17
The fact is that when he was
confronted with the reality that
00:39:35.20\00:39:38.04
the world wasn't what he thought
it was, when he was confronted
00:39:38.07\00:39:41.84
with the reality of
those who were suffering,
00:39:41.88\00:39:44.48
he couldn't remain the same.
00:39:44.51\00:39:46.68
God gave him a purpose.
00:39:46.72\00:39:48.75
Now, if he hadn't gone to
the Austrian Alps to the middle
00:39:48.78\00:39:54.19
of that war, would
anything have happened?
00:39:54.22\00:39:57.29
I doubt it.
00:39:57.33\00:39:59.43
He hadn't been confronted with
that reality, with the need.
00:39:59.46\00:40:03.87
You know, Jesus, there is
this song that says that we have
00:40:03.90\00:40:07.00
to go out of our
comfort zone to see Jesus.
00:40:07.04\00:40:10.54
We have to go out of our
comfort zone because Jesus
00:40:10.57\00:40:12.94
isn't in the comfort zone.
00:40:12.97\00:40:15.14
Jesus is not in
the comfort zone.
00:40:15.18\00:40:18.28
That's hard for us.
00:40:18.31\00:40:20.65
We like living with
these shades over our eyes.
00:40:20.68\00:40:23.99
Apparently, everything is fine.
00:40:24.02\00:40:26.22
No one is need of mercy.
00:40:26.25\00:40:28.62
There is no injustice
around us, everything's okay.
00:40:28.66\00:40:32.26
That's our comfort zone.
00:40:32.29\00:40:34.13
But just as Jean Dunant,
sometimes we need to leave that
00:40:34.20\00:40:38.23
comfort zone and be confronted
with the reality that there are
00:40:38.27\00:40:40.90
harsh realities in this world,
there are horrible situations.
00:40:40.94\00:40:45.37
You know, sometimes we
have this idea, this crazy idea
00:40:45.41\00:40:49.34
that "God will use me--"
00:40:49.38\00:40:51.61
And bear with me, okay?
00:40:51.65\00:40:53.55
Don't take out of
context what I'm saying.
00:40:53.58\00:40:55.82
Sometimes we have
this crazy idea that
00:40:55.85\00:40:57.65
"God needs me to go
to bless someone else.
00:40:57.69\00:41:01.56
He needs me."
00:41:01.59\00:41:04.26
The fact of the
matter is, is that God
00:41:04.29\00:41:06.06
is already exercising justice.
00:41:06.09\00:41:08.46
God is already being merciful.
00:41:08.50\00:41:10.37
He is already out
there, out of the comfort zone,
00:41:10.40\00:41:12.53
and He is acting.
00:41:12.57\00:41:14.40
He doesn't need me.
00:41:14.44\00:41:16.47
It's my
privilege to work with Him.
00:41:16.50\00:41:19.24
It's a privilege.
00:41:19.27\00:41:21.14
He doesn't need me.
00:41:21.18\00:41:22.84
Before I have the
brilliant idea of helping God,
00:41:22.88\00:41:24.81
He was already
helping this world.
00:41:24.85\00:41:26.75
He was already
serving this world.
00:41:26.78\00:41:28.68
As we find in the book of Acts,
where it tells us about Jesus,
00:41:28.72\00:41:33.99
Jesus's greatest, well,
His ministry, what He did,
00:41:34.02\00:41:37.26
this is in Acts 10,
chapter 10, verse 38.
00:41:37.29\00:41:41.26
Here we find Jesus's
mission, what He did.
00:41:41.30\00:41:44.27
It says, "God
anointed Jesus of Nazareth
00:41:44.30\00:41:46.94
with the Holy
Spirit and with power,
00:41:46.97\00:41:49.94
Who went about doing
good and healing all who were
00:41:49.97\00:41:53.44
oppressed by the devil."
00:41:53.48\00:41:56.21
That is Christ's
mission statement.
00:41:56.24\00:41:58.58
He went about doing what was
good, acting for those who were
00:41:58.61\00:42:02.22
being oppressed by the devil.
00:42:02.25\00:42:06.42
You see, we need to be near God.
00:42:06.45\00:42:08.52
We need to be close to Him.
00:42:08.56\00:42:10.13
We have to learn from
Him because when we see
00:42:10.16\00:42:13.16
what He does, when we learn
from the true Source of justice,
00:42:13.19\00:42:16.93
when we learn what mercy
truly is, we will want to act.
00:42:16.97\00:42:21.60
One of the greatest
problems that we face today is
00:42:21.64\00:42:23.77
that Christians,
they want to be activists.
00:42:23.81\00:42:26.54
They want to give a lot of
social help and go out and help,
00:42:26.57\00:42:29.94
but the problem
is that many times
00:42:29.98\00:42:31.58
we forget the reason for this.
00:42:31.61\00:42:33.68
What is the reason
for all this activism?
00:42:33.72\00:42:36.45
Is it because we are good?
00:42:36.48\00:42:38.82
No, and that is the main
difference between Christians
00:42:38.85\00:42:42.96
and anyone else
who does anything good,
00:42:42.99\00:42:45.26
but not for the right reason.
00:42:45.29\00:42:49.70
You remember the
parable of the Good Samaritan?
00:42:49.73\00:42:52.97
One of the most well-known
parables in the Bible.
00:42:53.00\00:42:56.57
And Jesus is asked a question.
00:42:56.60\00:43:00.04
The Pharisee asked Jesus,
after a series of sentences
00:43:00.08\00:43:03.88
and a conversation
that goes on with them,
00:43:03.91\00:43:07.28
the Pharisee asked Jesus,
"Well, who is my neighbor?"
00:43:07.32\00:43:09.62
Remember that question?
00:43:09.65\00:43:11.32
Do you know why he
was asking this question?
00:43:11.35\00:43:13.92
"Who is my neighbor?"
00:43:13.96\00:43:15.69
automatically draws a
line because if someone
00:43:15.72\00:43:19.06
is my neighbor,
what does that mean?
00:43:19.09\00:43:21.66
That someone isn't.
00:43:21.70\00:43:24.00
So, basically, what
the Pharisee was asking is,
00:43:24.03\00:43:25.93
"Well, okay, Lord,
well, then who is my neighbor?
00:43:25.97\00:43:28.74
Who will I treat with justice?
Who will I have mercy on?
00:43:28.77\00:43:32.91
And who can I
forget? Who can I ignore?"
00:43:32.94\00:43:37.31
That's the
nature of the question.
00:43:37.35\00:43:39.75
And then Jesus, He goes on.
00:43:39.78\00:43:41.52
He doesn't answer him outright.
00:43:41.55\00:43:43.32
He gives him a parable, the
parable of the Good Samaritan,
00:43:43.35\00:43:44.89
that we all know.
00:43:44.92\00:43:46.69
And at the end, Jesus
asks him the same question,
00:43:46.72\00:43:48.59
but with a little change.
00:43:48.62\00:43:51.86
What does Jesus ask him?
00:43:51.89\00:43:54.10
"Whose neighbor was he?"
Do you see the difference?
00:43:54.10\00:43:58.13
On the first question,
on the Pharisee's question,
00:43:58.17\00:44:00.40
the question is,
"Who is my neighbor?"
00:44:00.44\00:44:03.44
And then Jesus's question is,
00:44:03.47\00:44:05.07
"Well, whose neighbor
was he, was the Samaritan?"
00:44:05.11\00:44:08.38
And the answer that is
invoked by the text is,
00:44:08.41\00:44:11.05
"Everyone, anyone, all are
my-- I am the neighbor to all."
00:44:11.08\00:44:15.28
The question isn't,
"Who is your neighbor?"
00:44:15.32\00:44:17.12
The question is, "To
whom are you the neighbor?"
00:44:17.15\00:44:19.62
That is the
beauty of this message.
00:44:19.65\00:44:21.89
When God talks about justice
and of mercy, it is to everyone.
00:44:21.92\00:44:25.53
When we read the book of
Proverbs, when we read the book
00:44:25.56\00:44:29.13
of Proverbs, and this
only appears on Thursday
00:44:29.16\00:44:31.17
in the lesson, only one
day for the book of Proverbs,
00:44:31.20\00:44:33.57
but we'll find that,
through the text presented,
00:44:33.60\00:44:36.50
we see that sometimes people,
they--people make bad decisions.
00:44:36.54\00:44:42.81
And if it were up to
them deserving our mercy,
00:44:42.84\00:44:46.68
they would never deserve it.
00:44:46.72\00:44:48.68
There are some people that
simply make many bad decisions.
00:44:48.72\00:44:51.02
There are people
that dig their own graves.
00:44:51.05\00:44:54.29
You understand, right?
00:44:54.32\00:44:56.66
There are some people
that dig their own graves.
00:44:56.69\00:44:59.13
Now, if you were to
ask, "Well, you know,
00:44:59.16\00:45:00.86
do they deserve my mercy?"
00:45:00.90\00:45:03.47
the answer would be no,
because mercy is something that
00:45:03.50\00:45:06.10
many times we
assume to be by merit.
00:45:06.13\00:45:08.50
You know, "They were bad.
00:45:08.54\00:45:10.04
I won't be merciful upon them."
00:45:10.07\00:45:11.31
But if I am to take the Bible
seriously, if I am to take the
00:45:11.34\00:45:16.08
parable of the Good Samaritan
seriously, everyone deserves
00:45:16.11\00:45:19.88
mercy because mercy has
nothing to do with merit.
00:45:19.91\00:45:24.45
Mercy has to do with
me understanding how just
00:45:24.49\00:45:28.06
and merciful God was to
me, and I will pass that on.
00:45:28.09\00:45:33.70
It is about
reflecting His character.
00:45:33.73\00:45:37.27
So, when I read these
texts in the Bible about mercy,
00:45:37.30\00:45:40.47
about love, about
the justice of God,
00:45:40.50\00:45:44.17
I have to
understand them biblically.
00:45:44.21\00:45:47.61
Not through the encyclopedia,
not through the dictionary,
00:45:47.64\00:45:50.25
because then I'll have
missed the whole lesson.
00:45:50.28\00:45:53.08
In the Bible, mercy is
the right arm of God's justice
00:45:53.11\00:45:57.42
because without it, there
would be no salvation for us.
00:45:57.45\00:46:01.02
If it were
purely through justice,
00:46:01.06\00:46:03.06
there would be
no salvation for us.
00:46:03.09\00:46:05.89
But praise God,
because He is merciful.
00:46:05.93\00:46:08.56
He is abounding in mercy,
and He gives us the privilege
00:46:08.60\00:46:13.74
of acting out His
mercy through our life.
00:46:13.77\00:46:20.34
Who is your neighbor? Everyone.
00:46:20.38\00:46:23.31
To whom are you a
neighbor? Everyone.
00:46:23.35\00:46:26.98
May God bless you, everyone
here at the Granite Bay Church,
00:46:27.02\00:46:30.92
and also those who are
watching far away from us,
00:46:30.95\00:46:33.89
perhaps in another country.
00:46:33.92\00:46:35.69
May God bless you
and give you the ability,
00:46:35.72\00:46:37.26
the strong desire
to reflect His justice
00:46:37.29\00:46:40.43
and His mercy to all
of the people around you.
00:46:40.46\00:46:44.50
May He use you.
May He bless you.
00:46:44.53\00:46:46.57
We are going to
be turning off now,
00:46:46.60\00:46:48.54
signing off from
our Bible study hour.
00:46:48.57\00:46:51.01
May God bless you.
00:46:51.04\00:46:53.68
male announcer:
Don't forget to request
00:46:53.71\00:46:54.98
today's
life-changing free resource.
00:46:55.01\00:46:56.95
Not only can you receive
this free gift in the mail,
00:46:56.98\00:46:59.25
you can download a digital
copy straight to your computer
00:46:59.28\00:47:01.75
or mobile device.
00:47:01.78\00:47:03.28
To get your digital
copy of today's free gift,
00:47:03.32\00:47:05.92
simply text the key
word on your screen to...
00:47:05.95\00:47:10.03
or visit the web
address shown on your screen.
00:47:10.06\00:47:12.79
And be sure to select
the digital download option
00:47:12.83\00:47:15.10
on the request page.
00:47:15.13\00:47:16.53
It's now easier than every
for you to study God's Word
00:47:16.56\00:47:19.43
with "Amazing Facts"
wherever and whenever you want,
00:47:19.47\00:47:22.77
and most important,
to share it with others.
00:47:22.80\00:47:26.31
announcer: "Amazing
Facts: Changed Lives."
00:47:30.28\00:47:34.68
Charlie Green: My
life was in turmoil.
00:47:38.39\00:47:40.52
My wife and I were
fighting all the time,
00:47:40.56\00:47:42.76
and I got away from
everything and everybody.
00:47:42.79\00:47:45.46
I don't know, I just, I
always had this emptiness
00:47:45.49\00:47:47.56
in my heart I wanted filled.
00:47:47.60\00:47:50.17
I just felt like I went
my whole life, you know,
00:47:50.20\00:47:52.67
just searching for
something, and my father died,
00:47:52.70\00:47:56.91
and that ruined me a lot.
00:47:56.94\00:47:58.31
My father didn't believe in
suicide, and I didn't want to
00:47:58.34\00:48:01.54
live, but rather than disrespect
him, I decided I would just
00:48:01.58\00:48:05.28
become so mean that
someone else would do it to me,
00:48:05.31\00:48:07.72
and I wouldn't have to.
00:48:07.75\00:48:09.18
So I joined the Army, thinking,
00:48:09.22\00:48:10.69
"What better place to
get killed than in the Army?"
00:48:10.72\00:48:12.65
And while I was in the
Army, my daughter got injured.
00:48:12.69\00:48:15.49
She was in an accident, and
she was blind and paraplegic,
00:48:15.52\00:48:21.30
and it's just like I
felt the whole world was
00:48:21.33\00:48:23.93
coming down on me.
00:48:23.97\00:48:25.43
And one morning, I
just really got mad,
00:48:25.47\00:48:27.74
and I gave God a cussing
like you wouldn't believe.
00:48:27.77\00:48:30.74
I said, "I'm not Moses.
I'm not Abraham, you know?
00:48:30.77\00:48:33.98
I don't--but I put my
sandals on just like they do,
00:48:34.01\00:48:37.51
and I'm a man.
00:48:37.55\00:48:39.11
I don't want to know
why this is happening to me.
00:48:39.15\00:48:40.98
I just want to know that
it's happening for a reason.
00:48:41.02\00:48:43.92
If You tell me right now
that this is all for a reason,
00:48:43.95\00:48:46.69
then You can stack it on me
from here to the end of time,
00:48:46.72\00:48:50.49
and I will
never complain again."
00:48:50.53\00:48:53.80
And that little TV came on.
00:48:53.83\00:48:56.16
It had been sitting there,
just static all night long,
00:48:56.20\00:48:59.30
and there was this minister.
00:48:59.33\00:49:00.74
Well, he pops up, and he says,
00:49:00.77\00:49:02.37
"Today's lesson's
from the book of Job.
00:49:02.40\00:49:04.27
God only lets those
suffer that He loves the most."
00:49:04.31\00:49:07.64
And I said, "Well, that's
all You had to say, Lord."
00:49:07.68\00:49:09.48
I appreciated Him.
00:49:09.51\00:49:10.98
From that day forward,
I knew that He was there
00:49:11.01\00:49:13.08
and He was in my life,
and that He would help me.
00:49:13.11\00:49:16.99
I went to prison just
almost immediately after that.
00:49:17.02\00:49:21.02
I was in prison
for aggravated assault.
00:49:21.06\00:49:23.22
I was in one of the
worst prisons in the state
00:49:23.26\00:49:25.69
of Tennessee.
00:49:25.73\00:49:27.03
It was full of gang activity.
00:49:27.03\00:49:28.80
I got my throat
cut, 52 stitches.
00:49:28.83\00:49:32.40
I mean, I could
take both fingers,
00:49:32.43\00:49:33.97
and stick them all the
way through, out my mouth.
00:49:34.00\00:49:36.20
I'd gone to the library
that day because it was really
00:49:36.24\00:49:39.24
about the only thing to do.
00:49:39.27\00:49:41.18
And I ran across
this little book called
00:49:41.21\00:49:42.91
"The Richest Caveman."
00:49:42.94\00:49:44.61
This book, it's
hilarious, but it is great.
00:49:44.65\00:49:48.15
I'm sitting there
with this big beard.
00:49:48.18\00:49:49.78
I'm thinking, "Hey, I
know what it's like to look
00:49:49.82\00:49:51.39
like a caveman, but--"
00:49:51.42\00:49:53.02
[laughing]
00:49:53.05\00:49:54.66
I'm not an educated
person, I guess you'd say,
00:49:54.69\00:49:56.09
but I'm a simple guy.
00:49:56.12\00:49:57.76
I'm just really a simple
guy, and that's what I loved
00:49:57.79\00:50:00.30
about Doug Batchelor because
this guy is just straight out
00:50:00.33\00:50:05.13
as you can get.
00:50:05.17\00:50:06.80
And my wife and I, we've kept
contact through all these years,
00:50:06.84\00:50:10.47
and so much has gone on.
00:50:10.51\00:50:14.91
And I told her, I said,
"Listen, this is the center
00:50:14.94\00:50:18.95
of my world right now."
00:50:18.98\00:50:20.75
And I said, "I really want you
to be involved in it with me.
00:50:20.78\00:50:23.82
I need it."
00:50:23.85\00:50:25.32
And I said, "And you will too if
you ever just take hold of it."
00:50:25.35\00:50:28.22
I told my wife, I said, "Listen,
they've got this 'Amazing Facts'
00:50:28.26\00:50:30.79
Bible study on here,
and this is the best way for
00:50:30.83\00:50:34.86
you to get this
information, I think."
00:50:34.93\00:50:37.73
I said, "Because
it's broken down,
00:50:37.77\00:50:39.93
and they give you questions to
make you look for these things,
00:50:39.97\00:50:46.98
you know?"
00:50:47.01\00:50:48.71
I says, "It's not
anyone telling you.
00:50:48.74\00:50:50.28
You find it on your
own, and they teach you
00:50:50.31\00:50:51.91
to actually use the Bible."
00:50:51.95\00:50:53.88
She was there faithfully every
Wednesday until we decided,
00:50:53.92\00:50:58.02
you know, she
wanted to be baptized also.
00:50:58.05\00:51:01.96
She saw it coming around.
00:51:01.99\00:51:04.06
The choice was made.
00:51:04.09\00:51:05.73
And October the
4th, 2014, my wife and I,
00:51:05.76\00:51:09.50
we were baptized in
the water at the same time,
00:51:09.53\00:51:12.73
and we started our walk
together, I guess you'd say.
00:51:12.77\00:51:18.21
I went through everything that
a man could possibly go through,
00:51:18.24\00:51:21.51
I guess, from marital
trouble, loss of family members,
00:51:21.54\00:51:27.18
death in my family.
00:51:27.22\00:51:29.12
My children were
harmed, and my daughter
00:51:29.15\00:51:31.72
was handicapped for life.
00:51:31.75\00:51:33.96
I went to prison.
00:51:33.99\00:51:35.82
But still, I kept my word to
God that He could stack it on me
00:51:35.86\00:51:41.00
as much as He wanted, and
I'd never question Him again,
00:51:41.03\00:51:43.83
and I didn't.
00:51:43.87\00:51:45.93
But I can say this much,
He never put nothing on me
00:51:45.97\00:51:49.67
that I couldn't handle, and He
walked with me through it all.
00:51:49.70\00:51:53.81
And I'd like to say to anyone
who is in prison not to give up.
00:51:53.84\00:52:00.55
Don't lose hope.
00:52:00.58\00:52:02.35
Put your faith in the
Lord, and study, and seek Him,
00:52:02.38\00:52:06.25
and He will seek you.
00:52:06.29\00:52:08.12
And my name is Charlie
Green, and I want you to know
00:52:08.16\00:52:10.59
that you and "Amazing
Facts" have changed my life.
00:52:10.63\00:52:14.50
¤¤¤
00:52:19.00\00:52:25.37
female announcer: Let's face it.
00:52:27.54\00:52:29.08
It's not always easy to
understand everything you read
00:52:29.11\00:52:31.25
in the Bible.
00:52:31.28\00:52:32.81
With over 700,000
words contained in 66 books,
00:52:32.85\00:52:36.42
the Bible can
generate a lot of questions.
00:52:36.45\00:52:38.89
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00:52:38.92\00:52:42.26
Answers Live, a live
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00:52:42.29\00:52:45.73
where you can talk
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00:52:45.76\00:52:48.00
and ask him your most
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00:52:48.03\00:52:50.53
For times and stations in your
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00:52:50.57\00:52:53.94
online, visit
bal.amazingfacts.org.
00:52:53.97\00:52:58.07
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00:52:59.94\00:53:09.62
Doug Batchelor: For
over 60 years, Jeepneys
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have been the
virtual king of the road
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here in the Philippines.
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These unique vehicles that
are festooned with colorful
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stickers, lights, and
chrome have grown into the chief
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source of
transportation in the country.
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Let's go.
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Doug: These iconic
4-wheel-drive military vehicles
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made by the Willys
company were known as "Jeeps"
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because it stood
for "general purpose."
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But it also came from a
character in a "Popeye" cartoon
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that was known
as Eugene the Jeep.
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He was an imaginary dog that
could crawl across the ceilings
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and the walls, and
these Jeeps could go anywhere.
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When the Americans
left the Philippines
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following World War II,
it was just cheaper for them
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to leave these
thousands of military vehicles
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behind rather than to transport
them back to the States.
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The creative Filipino people
modified these military vehicles
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by extending the
frame about 6 feet.
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They added a couple of opposing
benches that are designed
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to carry about 18 people.
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They put a cab over
it to prevent the water
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from coming in.
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Well, I've seen what looks like
20 to 25 people hanging on every
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possible edge and ledge of
a Jeepney, and jumping off,
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jumping on as it goes through
congested Manila traffic.
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Every Jeepney is a
little bit different.
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Some are just held together
with patches of baling wire
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and bubblegum, a
little but of duct tape.
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Some are a little
more ornate and modern.
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They've got chrome
and stainless steel.
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Now, there's good reason
that the ceilings are padded.
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When one of the local Filipinos
wants a ride on a Jeepney,
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they just flag them down.
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They shout,
they tap on the hood,
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and then they jump onboard.
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They may not even slow
down when they do this.
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Then they pay about 8
pesos, which is the equivalent
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of 16 cents for us.
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It's by far the
most economical way
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to get around in the country.
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Some Jeepneys are even equipped
with their own emergency privy.
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One little downside to the
Jeepneys is because the cabs
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are open like this,
they're not air conditioned.
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It gets pretty hot in the
summertime, and all the fumes
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from the street come
in, which can make it
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an exhausting experience, whew.
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Part of the downside of a
Jeepney is they don't have
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all of the modern
safety features, no seatbelts.
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You have to take advantage
of the padding if you hit a hard
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bump, and if you're in a serious
accident, there's no airbags
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other than the friends that
might be sitting around you.
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And that's the
upside of the Jeepney.
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Because you're up close
and personal with everybody,
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you make some new friends.
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Riding on a
Jeepney requires teamwork.
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If you buy something
from one of the vendors,
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you all sort of pass
it back to each other.
00:55:54.62\00:55:56.52
And when
passengers get on board,
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just pass your money up front.
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Thanks a lot.
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Friends, it's safe to
say there are no two Jeepneys
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that are exactly the same.
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They're all unique and
distinct, and so are you.
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Have you ever felt that you
get lost in a mass of humanity
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and God doesn't notice you?
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The Bible tells us that He
knows your name, the very hairs
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of your head are numbered,
and He hears your prayers.
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More than that, the Lord wants
to take you to His kingdom.
00:56:29.62\00:56:32.52
You just have to get on board.
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Doug: Jesus was baptized, that
the Heavens were parted for Him.
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The Holy Spirit came down.
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This is what God
wants you to experience.
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You come to Christ.
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Your sins are washed away.
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You become a new creature.
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It's a land of beginning
again, and how many of you wish
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you could get a new start?
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male announcer:
"For I was hungry,
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and you gave Me
something to eat.
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Inasmuch as you do it to one of
the least of these My brethren,
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you did it to Me."
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