[Music playing]
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>>Alright guys
we've come to the second
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part of our conversation about
the big picture of scripture.
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We're just backing up and
looking at the landscape of the
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bible. Let's begin with a little
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creative exercise. I
don't know if you're gonna
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like this or not.
>>I like exercise.
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>>Yeah, ten seconds.
Draw the person, your best
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picture of the
person to your right.
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>>Ten seconds >>Ten
seconds, maybe fifteen.
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>>Okay fifteen seconds.
>>I can't even see his face.
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>>Jeffrey I'm drawing
you like Picasso style.
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You're gonna see.
>>I'm doing your hair right
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now. >>James >>Jeffrey you got
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ten seconds. Over
hear like painting a
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>>Our friendship is.
>>Sorry about your nostrils
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David. >>Oh
don't even worry about
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it. >>Okay that, that.
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>>Time's up.
Time's up, Time's - stop.
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>>Well that's
actually pretty good Jeffrey.
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>>Okay is it the reveal
time. >>That is really good
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[Laughter] >>You wouldn't know.
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>>But you gave him your
lips. >>Michael Angelo >>In an
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unusual sort of way that is
me >>This is mine right here >>I
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only got the lips right
and that was even close.
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>>Is that James? >>I
just got the lips right.
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Just the lips that's all.
>>What's going on with your
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>>I did the pop art thing.
I have a little program here
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that will allow me
to sort of, IS that you?
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>>Yeah >>That's a
mirror right there my friend.
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>>Okay well no artist at the
table, but think about it guys.
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[Laughter] >>No artist?
>>No artist at the table.
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>>Clearly. >>You
gotta give more time.
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>>We're gonna address another
very simple basic question.
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What and who is
God? What and who is God?
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I mean you just drew a picture
of James, James drew one of me,
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I drew one >>A
picture austensively of me.
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>>Yeah, I could, I guess you
could say the picture I drew of
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you approximates
the identity of David.
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But it comes nowhere near
actually communicating the
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totality of the full
package that is David.
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>>Got it. >>It's a caricature.
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It's something that
comes short of the reality.
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We're gonna look at what is
God and who is God and I think
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we're gonna discover that for
sure He transcends anything we
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can imagine. >>So,
just so I can be clear
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on this. The
purpose of the exercise
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then is basically to say that's
an aproximation, that's an
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approximation,
that's an approximation.
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It's nowhere near the reality
and so too in a similar way,
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many of the things that we
would think about God or that
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others would think about God
are just approaching what God
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really is. >>These
are one dimensional
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images. >>Mhm, okay.
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>>Just flat one dimension.
Even if we did our very best
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and we had artistic skills
and we were to draw out the
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features. If we
were to then move from
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flat one dimension to clay
or to stone and fashion an image
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in the bible called idolatry
we would not be approximating
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what and who God is.
>>Okay so I want to just jump
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ahead here. Maybe
we'll come back to this
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point but I
don't want to lose it.
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And that is that you
just mentioned idolatry there.
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And you mentioned image kind
of all in the same language and
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I heard somebody say several
years ago, actually a good
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friend of ours, Nathan Renner.
And I, Pastor Nathan Renner and
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I loved what he said when he
said that the reason that God
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is so averse to
making images of himself.
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You know, you will
not make an image like me.
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No images. No idols.
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And I thought this
was such a great insight.
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He said because God
has already imaged himself.
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>>Oh yeah >>In
mankind. >>Yeah, yeah.
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>>So when God sets out to say
hey this is what I'm like it's
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not a golden calf or a stone
statute or any other >>It's
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not picture on
paper. >>No, exactly.
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It's a living, breathing,
intelligent - I know this is
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skipping slightly ahead but
that's a good starting point
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for us. That these terrible
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approximations
that we've got here.
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These charactures are
crass. They're not even close.
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They don't even begin.
And that's what an idol is.
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God says, naw, that's not me.
Don't, that's an insult to you
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and to me. >>I
think there's a sense in
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which we, we can say things
about God that get nowhere
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close. And it's
just outside of our
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intellectual orbit, so to speak.
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And there are things that
we can say about God that are
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absolutely,
concretely, fully, true.
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And I mean we're gonna talk
about this but I think that in
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the course of the conversation
we'll discover both.
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The question is divided
into two parts, what is God?
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Then who is God? So what is God?
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What? In other
words >>Yeah I got
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that. >>The
nature of God when we
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say well what is
God versus who is God?
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We're talking about the nature
of God versus the character of
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God. >>So the difference between
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what is a human being
and who is Jeffrey Risario?
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>>Yeah, that's a
good illustration.
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>>So let's, well can
I start? >>Go for it.
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>>We good there? Well
first of all our first
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conversation was about the
bible and we talked about how
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the bible is a story.
And it's a love story.
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In my view, and I think that
we would all agree with this.
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There's really kind of two
ways that God makes himself
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known to us. What
we might call general
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revelation. And
special revelation.
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Now what I mean by general
revelation is this idea that
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it's a revelation of who
God is and what God is that's
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generally available.
Nature, our own intuitive
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sense, this is something that
you don't have to have a bible.
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People down through the
ages have had pictures of God.
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They've known there was a
God. So that's sort of that
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picture. And that picture can be
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sometimes accurate, sometimes
clouded, like you were just
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saying. But then
special revelation is
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God's word to us. >>Yeah, yeah.
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>>He's saying okay that's
close and you're on the right
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track or you're way off there.
God knows that because we see
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through a glass darkly because
of the nature of, because of
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the nature of nature,
that is to say it's fallen.
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God says okay
so here's how I am.
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Here's how I
interact. Here's how I relate.
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This, so this is
special revelation.
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And if that's the case then,
then who and what God is our
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textbook is going to
be God's revealed word.
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>>Yeah, yeah >>In the word
being his revealed expression
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of who he is, I think
if I can drop a verse.
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It's important to
acknowledge the limitations.
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>>Yeah, for sure.
>>Because by definition God,
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there is mystery
in that. >>Of course.
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>>By definition.
>>Lots of mystery >>Yes, even
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with the special revelation.
>That's what I'm, well it's
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from the special revelation
that we're reminded remember
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sort of like Moses
by the burning bush.
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Take your shoes off because
you are on holy ground here.
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But in Deuteronomy 29 in verse
29, I'll just read this here.
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>>Deuteronomy is in
the Old Testament, right?
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>>Yep, fifth book.
Deuteronomy 29 verse 29
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there's and interesting verse
here that is very important for
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us to always keep in mind.
Because if we don't understand
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the parameters then we can
cross the line and >>Oh I love
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this. >>enter into mysterious.
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The secret things
belong to the Lord our God.
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But those things which
are revealed belong to us.
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And to our children forever
that we may do all the words of
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this law. >>There
are things we don't
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know and >>That's okay
>>can't know >>And that's okay
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>>What did you say can't?
>>Yeah, there are things >>I
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would say can't >>I
heard an illustration, saw an
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illustration one time.
See if you guys agree with
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this. If you
draw a circle and that
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circle you say
>>back to drawing.
00:08:08.63\00:08:11.06
>>You say, yeah,
represents the whole universe.
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Okay we'll just put a U
there and the universe itself is
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composed of, you
know. We have space.
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We have time. We have matter.
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And if that circle >>You
just spelled the word must.
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>>Oh, I didn't. Okay.
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[Laughter] >>So, so if this
circle represents the totality
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of created reality.
All of reality in the whole
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universe and we ask the
question in relation to that
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circle, where is God?
>>Okay >>The answer would
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have to be
outside of the circle.
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>>Right >>Because, because
God, his nature what God is.
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God made all of this.
>>He can't be, he can't exist
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within it if he
was the creator of it.
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But it, but it has to
be something he him self
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>>transcends >>He can chose
to go inside >>Yeah, yeah >>Yeah
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that's right >>He can come
in to communicate with us but I
00:09:03.86\00:09:10.10
like to say it this way.
That' God is not present in all
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nature but
present to everything.
00:09:16.43\00:09:20.16
So this omnipresence idea, God
is present to us but he's not
00:09:20.16\00:09:24.20
in everything. That's
panthyism, the idea that
00:09:24.20\00:09:27.36
God actually is composed
of the totality of te material
00:09:27.36\00:09:30.43
reality. I mean
we can go so far.
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The bible says in two
scriptures I think of the one
00:09:32.93\00:09:36.03
in Titus 1. For
example you put in the
00:09:36.03\00:09:38.20
circle time, right.
>>Right >>It says there that
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God did this and
this and this before time.
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>>Time began >>
Before time began.
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So time itself is
a created reality.
00:09:47.33\00:09:51.36
God made time. So
he has to transcend it.
00:09:51.36\00:09:54.30
God's eternal. He
transcends space, time,
00:09:54.30\00:09:57.56
matter. He transcends all of it.
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>>So you're saying a lot there.
00:10:00.96\00:10:03.33
I've got several
questions I want to ask.
00:10:03.33\00:10:05.20
And maybe I'm misunderstanding
or maybe I am understanding.
00:10:05.20\00:10:07.70
First of all when you say that
God is present in the universe,
00:10:07.70\00:10:10.73
no excuse me that God is
present to the universe but not
00:10:10.73\00:10:13.83
present in, in terms
of being a part of it.
00:10:13.83\00:10:15.50
>>Right. >>Are
you talking there like
00:10:15.50\00:10:18.06
in terms of what you
might call adjacency?
00:10:18.06\00:10:21.56
>>Yeah adjacency >>So
like I'm here, Jeffrey's there
00:10:21.56\00:10:24.23
>>I'm to David but I'm >>But
we're different >>That's right
00:10:24.23\00:10:27.30
>>I'm not inside of him
>>God is distinct from what he's
00:10:27.30\00:10:28.76
made. >>okay that's the point.
00:10:28.76\00:10:30.40
>>That's the point. He
is not what he made, right?
00:10:30.40\00:10:33.96
So, so when we >>So, so now
let me just quickly pause here.
00:10:33.96\00:10:36.00
This is exactly
what Genesis says.
00:10:36.00\00:10:38.10
I mean the opening verse of the
bible makes this illustration
00:10:38.10\00:10:40.53
right here clear.
Because it says in the
00:10:40.53\00:10:42.63
beginning God. So
this, there isn't this.
00:10:42.63\00:10:45.73
>>Yeah >>In the beginning
>>That's an excellent point.
00:10:45.73\00:10:48.73
>>So there's the created
this >>That's right >>You have
00:10:48.73\00:10:50.76
adjacency >>And he can't be
that because he pre - predates
00:10:50.76\00:10:53.43
that. >>That's
right >>But there's
00:10:53.43\00:10:55.20
another point I
think is very powerful too.
00:10:55.20\00:10:57.23
He said that God can at
any time step into that.
00:10:57.23\00:10:59.90
>>Yeah >>Now if you read
Hebrews chapter 1 and that's
00:10:59.90\00:11:02.23
there's a couple verses
here that are really powerful.
00:11:02.23\00:11:04.26
But the one I'm
thinking of is verse 3.
00:11:04.26\00:11:06.03
>>That's funny because in
our first conversation we read
00:11:06.03\00:11:08.90
verses >>1 and 2 >>I think
verses 1 and 2 and now we're in
00:11:08.90\00:11:11.53
verse 3 >>Now verse 3 and
the question we're talking about
00:11:11.53\00:11:13.86
discussing is
what and who is God.
00:11:13.86\00:11:15.93
So here verse 3 says the Son is
the radiance of God's glory in
00:11:15.93\00:11:21.03
the exact
representation of his being.
00:11:21.03\00:11:23.60
So the Son, so we
talked about >>As in Jesus?
00:11:23.60\00:11:27.36
>>Yeah we talked
about special revelation.
00:11:27.36\00:11:30.13
This would be
special, specific revelation.
00:11:30.13\00:11:33.90
This is God himself stepping
into, you look at this again
00:11:33.90\00:11:37.70
and you saw
that God is out here.
00:11:37.70\00:11:39.23
Here is creation. God
now, in the person of his
00:11:39.23\00:11:43.56
Son, he steps into creation.
>>Absolutely >>And everything
00:11:43.56\00:11:46.36
I see in the Son
is God. Who is God?
00:11:46.36\00:11:50.66
Well look at Jesus.
>>Another verse that comes to
00:11:50.66\00:11:52.93
mind along those very same
lines and again maybe we're
00:11:52.93\00:11:55.96
just jumping the gun slightly.
But is it Colossians 1 around
00:11:55.96\00:11:58.23
verse 20 where Paul says that
in Christ dwells the fullness
00:11:58.23\00:12:03.83
of the God head, bodily.
So I think at this point if
00:12:03.83\00:12:08.13
we're sort of, in my mind we're
moving through in a systematic
00:12:08.13\00:12:10.86
way. What our point up to this
00:12:10.86\00:12:14.23
point is, that God is a
being that is mysterious.
00:12:14.23\00:12:17.13
Just by His very nature.
And He's also a God that is not
00:12:17.13\00:12:22.60
- He is not the universe.
He has made the universe.
00:12:22.60\00:12:26.30
>>Yeah, Yeah >>I
mean, think about it.
00:12:26.30\00:12:28.70
I'm a created being.
You're a created being.
00:12:28.70\00:12:32.96
We have certain, a certain
range of perception that is
00:12:32.96\00:12:37.26
limited to what we are.
We can't know what is outside
00:12:37.26\00:12:45.63
of the orbit of time and space.
For example when a person asks
00:12:45.63\00:12:51.10
the question what is God? I
have to say I don't know what
00:12:51.10\00:12:55.90
God is because
the what question.
00:12:55.90\00:12:58.10
You could say it this
way what is God made of?
00:12:58.10\00:13:00.53
And immediately
the language falls.
00:13:00.53\00:13:04.13
The language is not sufficient
>>Of course >>For the thing
00:13:04.13\00:13:06.33
what is God made of? Well
He's not made of anything.
00:13:06.33\00:13:09.66
>>He is. >>Yeah
>>And in the beginning
00:13:09.66\00:13:12.36
God, it doesn't, it doesn't
give any other explanation.
00:13:12.36\00:13:15.23
It assumes >>That's a
great point >>It assumes He's
00:13:15.23\00:13:16.80
already there. The
story begins with He's
00:13:16.80\00:13:19.26
there. >>The
language for that right
00:13:19.26\00:13:22.00
there. The
language that philosophers
00:13:22.00\00:13:25.33
use for that is, that's
what's called a first principle.
00:13:25.33\00:13:27.33
Or a basic reality. Basicality.
00:13:27.33\00:13:29.86
It's the idea
that this is assumed.
00:13:29.86\00:13:32.23
>>Irreducible
>>It's irreducible.
00:13:32.23\00:13:34.73
There's no first
cause. In the beginning God.
00:13:34.73\00:13:38.06
Okay that's declared.
Okay now who is and scripture
00:13:38.06\00:13:41.53
spends infinitely more time.
I'm just speaking figuratively
00:13:41.53\00:13:44.16
here. A lot more
time on who God is
00:13:44.16\00:13:47.70
and comparatively little time
on what God is because we lack
00:13:47.70\00:13:52.06
the intellectual
capacity to even grasp.
00:13:52.06\00:13:55.26
What are we talking about here?
When you talk to me about, you
00:13:55.26\00:13:58.60
say oh, there's my
friend. His name is Mark.
00:13:58.60\00:14:00.43
You need to meet Mark.
He's a really nice guy.
00:14:00.43\00:14:01.96
Okay I have a
picture in my mind.
00:14:01.96\00:14:03.36
Mark has two
arms. He has two legs.
00:14:03.36\00:14:05.70
He has, I can get a
general picture of Mark.
00:14:05.70\00:14:08.13
Even if I have never met
Mark. If you say what is God?
00:14:08.13\00:14:13.00
Well what image
do I get in my mind?
00:14:13.00\00:14:14.90
Well as we've already said
here the closest image that we
00:14:14.90\00:14:18.90
have is >>Jesus >>Well
yeah, and human beings.
00:14:18.90\00:14:21.70
Let us make man in our image.
>>James read Jesus is like
00:14:21.70\00:14:26.80
the fullness >Express image
>>And that doesn't mean that
00:14:26.80\00:14:30.70
God ha - the point that it's
making there let's make man in
00:14:30.70\00:14:34.93
our image. It's not
primarily that God has
00:14:34.93\00:14:37.70
ten finger and God has
a nose and God has ears.
00:14:37.70\00:14:39.46
I'm not denying that there's
a physical element to God's
00:14:39.46\00:14:41.70
reality because
the bible reveals that.
00:14:41.70\00:14:43.46
But it's saying things
like mankind, Adam and Eve were
00:14:43.46\00:14:47.90
moral beings.
God is a moral being.
00:14:47.90\00:14:50.73
Discerning
between right and wrong.
00:14:50.73\00:14:52.56
Mankind is an
intellectual being.
00:14:52.56\00:14:55.13
God is an intellectual being.
Mankind is a creational being.
00:14:55.13\00:14:57.03
He creates. God is a creator.
00:14:57.03\00:14:59.06
>>Volitional >>Volitional.
He can chose to do things.
00:14:59.06\00:15:02.90
Mankind, God said to them
exercise sovereignty over the
00:15:02.90\00:15:06.53
Garden of Eden. God
is sovereign over the
00:15:06.53\00:15:08.10
universe.
>>Emotional, we're emotional
00:15:08.10\00:15:10.03
beings. >>Exactly
>>That should tell
00:15:10.03\00:15:12.00
us something about God.
>>So it is in this sense, in
00:15:12.00\00:15:16.00
this moral sense that we
are made in the image of God.
00:15:16.00\00:15:18.66
Now there are certainly are
pictures in scripture of God as
00:15:18.66\00:15:22.56
a physical reality.
But I think we would >>Eyes
00:15:22.56\00:15:25.90
of the Lord run to and fro
>>The eyes of the Lord, finger
00:15:25.90\00:15:28.46
of the Lord >>Yeah >>Wrote,
you know, on tablets of stone,
00:15:28.46\00:15:30.90
the Ten Commandments.
But that's not to say God is
00:15:30.90\00:15:34.33
confined by that physicality
but he can go into the earth.
00:15:34.33\00:15:37.90
He can manifest in
these physical ways.
00:15:37.90\00:15:40.40
>>Yeah, yeah, I
think that's incredible.
00:15:40.40\00:15:43.86
I have often wondered in my
mind how long God existed, for
00:15:43.86\00:15:47.93
example. And then
immediately I say I
00:15:47.93\00:15:50.96
don't know. And then
the next moment I say
00:15:50.96\00:15:55.43
wrong question. I
can't even - how long
00:15:55.43\00:15:59.23
implies time. Your
brain just begins to
00:15:59.23\00:16:01.36
wobble. What do
you mean how long?
00:16:01.36\00:16:03.83
Well he's existed
forever. What does that mean?
00:16:03.83\00:16:07.66
Because to my mind, to
your mind, that involves days,
00:16:07.66\00:16:12.60
weeks, months, years.
>>You time it >>Yeah it
00:16:12.60\00:16:15.43
involves time. And God
transcends all of that.
00:16:15.43\00:16:19.63
>>In some significant way God
transcends the very things that
00:16:19.63\00:16:24.66
we take for granted and help
us to make sense of reality.
00:16:24.66\00:16:27.90
So you've probably
heard this proverb before.
00:16:27.90\00:16:30.10
A little sort of a riddle.
But I think it's quite clever.
00:16:30.10\00:16:32.40
And the question is sometimes
asked do fish know that water
00:16:32.40\00:16:36.70
exists? And the
answer to that would
00:16:36.70\00:16:41.60
probably have to be no,
right? Because if a fish is,
00:16:41.60\00:16:44.50
especially like
imagine a deep sea fish.
00:16:44.50\00:16:46.73
It's born in
water. It lives in water.
00:16:46.73\00:16:49.86
It breathes in water.
It's whole reality is water.
00:16:49.86\00:16:53.10
The only way it could really
ever know what water is by way
00:16:53.10\00:16:55.66
of comparison would
be to experience dry.
00:16:55.66\00:16:57.90
And then to come, oh, so
this is that and that is this.
00:16:57.90\00:17:00.46
So for us right now, just try
to imagine a world without time
00:17:00.46\00:17:02.70
and space. >>We
can't >>You can't
00:17:02.70\00:17:04.66
because you're stuck in
time and this is your reality.
00:17:04.66\00:17:07.06
So at that level this is why
the verse that you read us in
00:17:07.06\00:17:09.50
Deuteronomy verse
29 is so powerful.
00:17:09.50\00:17:12.50
The things that are
revealed they are for us and our
00:17:12.50\00:17:14.13
children. The
things beyond that, those
00:17:14.13\00:17:17.40
are the Lord's. >>Okay
we gotta push the pause
00:17:17.40\00:17:20.03
button and take a break.
But this is a great >>Already
00:17:20.03\00:17:23.50
man I feel like we
were just warming up.
00:17:23.50\00:17:25.13
>>I'm loving this and we're
gonna come back and just launch
00:17:25.13\00:17:27.73
right into who is God.
00:17:27.73\00:17:35.70
But I knew that there was some
definable picture of God in his
00:17:43.86\00:17:47.73
head. Who is
literally the kind of.
00:17:47.73\00:17:51.36
I don't know how anyone
can believe in such a God.
00:17:51.36\00:18:04.03
Not too long ago I had a
super interesting encounter on a
00:18:04.03\00:18:07.73
flight out of Denver as I
took my seat and began reading
00:18:07.73\00:18:11.66
whatever book I happened to
have with me it became obvious
00:18:11.66\00:18:14.53
that the guy sitting next to
me was looking over my shoulder
00:18:14.53\00:18:18.00
and catching a few
glances of whatever it was.
00:18:18.00\00:18:20.66
He must have saw the word God
or some religious terminology
00:18:20.66\00:18:24.93
because rather casually the guy
leaned over and he says looks
00:18:24.93\00:18:28.43
like an interesting book.
But then after a short pause
00:18:28.43\00:18:31.13
just bluntly out of nowhere the
guys says, but I'm an atheist.
00:18:31.13\00:18:35.00
Well evidently he was an
outgoing guy looking for some
00:18:35.00\00:18:38.96
conversation. So I
said actually I'm an
00:18:38.96\00:18:42.10
atheist too.
Clearly he was a little
00:18:42.10\00:18:44.73
surprised no doubt because
of the book I was reading.
00:18:44.73\00:18:47.50
He was like,
seriously. You're and atheist?
00:18:47.50\00:18:50.03
Yeah, absolutely I told
him. Then I threw him and
00:18:50.03\00:18:53.90
unexpected curve ball. I
said describe for me the God
00:18:53.90\00:18:57.63
you don't believe in.
He was jolted, to say the
00:18:57.63\00:19:01.86
least, by the question.
But I knew that there was some
00:19:01.86\00:19:05.46
definable picture of God in
his head that gave rise to his
00:19:05.46\00:19:09.76
atheism. But he went silent so I
00:19:09.76\00:19:12.90
figured conversation over.
But then after thinking for a
00:19:12.90\00:19:20.23
moment or two the guy
opens the conversation again.
00:19:20.23\00:19:23.06
And he says you
know what I mean.
00:19:23.06\00:19:26.06
A super powerful, supreme
being, presiding somewhere in
00:19:26.06\00:19:29.03
the sky, that rules over
us with absolute control.
00:19:29.03\00:19:32.03
He paused again. And
then he just plowed forward
00:19:32.03\00:19:36.73
man. He just let it all out.
00:19:36.73\00:19:39.63
You know before we're born
this God decides who gets to go
00:19:39.63\00:19:41.70
to heaven. forever.
00:19:41.70\00:19:45.13
Of course, we have no say in
the matter because he's mister
00:19:45.13\00:19:48.00
almighty God. His
universe so how dare
00:19:48.00\00:19:50.33
anybody question him.
He can do whatever he jolly
00:19:50.33\00:19:53.10
well pleases. Well
he was on a roll now
00:19:53.10\00:20:00.26
doing a great job of defining
his atheism and mine too.
00:20:00.26\00:20:05.03
It's all utter
nonsense, he went on.
00:20:05.03\00:20:08.73
And we're supposed
to love this tyrant.
00:20:08.73\00:20:11.83
I don't even like him. And
I'm pretty sure that liking
00:20:11.83\00:20:14.50
someone has got to
come before loving them.
00:20:14.50\00:20:19.03
It's more like a
monster than a God.
00:20:19.03\00:20:22.30
I was right with this
guy. I have to tell you.
00:20:22.30\00:20:24.13
Just right with him.
Yeah I totally agree I said.
00:20:24.13\00:20:30.96
It's a pretty
diabolical picture, huh.
00:20:30.96\00:20:32.66
Yeah, he said. I
don't know how anyone can
00:20:32.66\00:20:36.03
believe in such a
God. Me neither, I agree.
00:20:36.03\00:20:40.00
I certainly don't.
I don't believe in the
00:20:40.00\00:20:43.26
existence of any such
God as you just described.
00:20:43.26\00:20:47.00
But I want to ask
you another question.
00:20:47.00\00:20:54.56
I mean hypothetically,
just for the sake of discussion.
00:20:54.56\00:20:56.86
What if a God the exact
opposite of the one you just
00:20:56.86\00:21:02.63
described could
exist? Would you want him to?
00:21:02.63\00:21:07.36
He was jolted again
just thinking about the idea.
00:21:07.36\00:21:11.80
What do you mean,
he says? Like what?
00:21:11.80\00:21:16.43
So I offered a
totally different picture.
00:21:16.43\00:21:20.10
Well what if a God could
exist who is nothing but total
00:21:20.10\00:21:23.13
goodness, perfectly just,
perfectly merciful to everyone
00:21:23.13\00:21:26.00
all the time? A God
who always does the right
00:21:26.00\00:21:31.16
thing toward every person.
A God who would literally give
00:21:31.16\00:21:36.33
everybody total freedom to
decide their own destiny and
00:21:36.33\00:21:41.00
never in a million years
torture anybody who didn't
00:21:41.00\00:21:44.66
agree with him. What
if a God could exist who
00:21:44.66\00:21:49.13
is literally the kind of
person who would rather die than
00:21:49.13\00:21:54.80
commit an
injustice against any person?
00:21:54.80\00:21:57.56
I mean if a God like that could
exist would you want him to?
00:21:57.56\00:22:01.76
I could see that this was
totally new territory for him.
00:22:01.76\00:22:05.86
But after thinking for just
a few seconds he said what any
00:22:05.86\00:22:11.00
rational person
would have to say.
00:22:11.00\00:22:14.10
Well sure, he said. I'd
be a fool not to, right?
00:22:14.10\00:22:16.46
Yeah right. I agreed with him.
00:22:16.46\00:22:19.86
Then he said but, but no way
man we can't just manufacture
00:22:19.86\00:22:24.70
whatever God we want.
And I agreed with him again,
00:22:24.70\00:22:28.66
we can't manufacture
whatever God we want.
00:22:28.66\00:22:32.63
But he was listening so
I elaborated, listen man.
00:22:32.63\00:22:37.20
I totally resumate with your
atheism because I find many of
00:22:37.20\00:22:41.56
the popular views of
God as repulsive as you do.
00:22:41.56\00:22:45.26
But I believe that the one and
only true God is beautiful in
00:22:45.26\00:22:50.00
the extreme. And
you said that you would
00:22:50.00\00:22:55.10
want that kind of
God to exist if he could.
00:22:55.10\00:22:58.40
Well I simply do believe
the very thing that you want to
00:22:58.40\00:23:01.86
believe. So you're not really an
00:23:01.86\00:23:05.00
atheist he says to
me. Well actually I am.
00:23:05.00\00:23:08.73
I'm an atheist in the sense
that I don't believe in the
00:23:08.73\00:23:12.30
cruel tyrannical
God you just described.
00:23:12.30\00:23:14.63
But I do believe in God.
But I believe in a God who is
00:23:14.63\00:23:18.33
nothing like the God
you don't believe in.
00:23:18.33\00:23:22.23
So as far as I can see you
haven't rejected my God because
00:23:22.23\00:23:25.03
the fact is you've
never even considered Him.
00:23:25.03\00:23:29.60
I'm asking you to believe in a
God of sheer beauty and perfect
00:23:29.60\00:23:33.40
goodness. And I
totally commend you for
00:23:33.40\00:23:37.46
not believing in the false God
that you were raised to believe
00:23:37.46\00:23:41.66
in. I mean this
guy's mental wheels
00:23:41.66\00:23:44.20
were turning. You know what?
00:23:44.20\00:23:47.16
I found that many people
who don't believe in God don't
00:23:47.16\00:23:51.36
believe in a
particular picture of God.
00:23:51.36\00:23:53.73
A self-serving, threatening
tyrant, who wants to either
00:23:53.73\00:23:58.70
control us or damn us.
They reject the only option
00:23:58.70\00:24:02.56
they've ever been
taught. While somewhere in their
00:24:02.56\00:24:06.20
hearts they desire a God worthy
of their love and worship.
00:24:06.20\00:24:12.36
I mean, what if? What
if the God who does exist
00:24:12.36\00:24:18.53
is nothing at all like many
popular religions portray God
00:24:18.53\00:24:23.63
to be? What if
God is love in the
00:24:23.63\00:24:27.30
strongest and most
beautiful sense imaginable?
00:24:27.30\00:24:31.96
What if?
00:24:31.96\00:24:41.86
What is God? That
was a great conversation;
00:24:52.10\00:24:55.20
we need to make the transition
now from what is God to who is
00:24:55.20\00:24:58.23
God? I think the bridge there is
00:24:58.23\00:25:05.03
probably I think, all of us
would agree, First John 4:8.
00:25:05.03\00:25:09.06
The three most powerful words
that any human being can take
00:25:09.06\00:25:11.66
to their lips. It
is the most definitive
00:25:11.66\00:25:14.66
statement regarding, not only
the character of God but also
00:25:14.66\00:25:18.16
the nature of God. This is it.
00:25:18.16\00:25:20.46
>>Let me read it.
Can I jump in here?
00:25:20.46\00:25:22.76
>>Yeah do it.
>>First John 4:8 He who does
00:25:22.76\00:25:25.60
not love does not
know God for God is love.
00:25:25.60\00:25:28.56
>>The thing that I love
about this statement is it has
00:25:28.56\00:25:32.06
such explanatory power because
it's the only statement in
00:25:32.06\00:25:35.76
scripture that purports to
describe the entire identity of
00:25:35.76\00:25:39.96
God. The total identity of God.
00:25:39.96\00:25:42.73
Everything else that is true of
God is true of God by virtue of
00:25:42.73\00:25:46.73
the fact that God is love.
>>Which is amazing when you
00:25:46.73\00:25:49.80
>>When you think about
what we've just talked about,
00:25:49.80\00:25:54.30
described. All of
creation is in this big
00:25:54.30\00:25:56.66
circle and then you've
got God outside the circle.
00:25:56.66\00:25:58.60
You've got everything that
we can ever imagine and stuff we
00:25:58.60\00:26:02.13
can't even imagine.
And so you're trying to
00:26:02.13\00:26:04.80
describe the being that created
all the stuff in the universe
00:26:04.80\00:26:08.36
who transcends all of
that and stands outside of it.
00:26:08.36\00:26:11.13
And you're trying to describe
that being and you can do it in
00:26:11.13\00:26:13.90
three words. And
be accurate and be
00:26:13.90\00:26:16.80
inclusive. Of everything.
00:26:16.80\00:26:19.06
>>Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, so
some people >>But, but wait a
00:26:19.06\00:26:21.06
minute. The point
here is, you say that
00:26:21.06\00:26:23.76
is deep. The
point here is that word
00:26:23.76\00:26:25.46
love. To be able
to say God is love
00:26:25.46\00:26:28.60
and capture everything
says a lot about that word.
00:26:28.60\00:26:30.83
As well as the
fact it describes him.
00:26:30.83\00:26:33.33
>>And say God is
loving >>Yeah, it's a noun.
00:26:33.33\00:26:35.06
God is love. >>He
is love, He's love
00:26:35.06\00:26:37.53
personified.
>>because love is so cheap.
00:26:37.53\00:26:40.76
Love is so insignificant.
I love >>Tacos >>Yeah and
00:26:40.76\00:26:43.40
yet God is love. >>I
love tacos >>So the word
00:26:43.40\00:26:47.10
has been cheapened.
>>Yes, >>It's been reduced to
00:26:47.10\00:26:48.86
basically something that's been
drained of its meaning in our
00:26:48.86\00:26:53.33
culture at least. So
what does the bible mean?
00:26:53.33\00:26:56.96
>>That's a modern phenomenon.
We can't take our modern
00:26:56.96\00:26:59.76
version or versions of what
love is and apply it to the God
00:26:59.76\00:27:03.53
is love sentence.
>>Exactly >>That's an
00:27:03.53\00:27:05.96
equivalence >>Here's the idea
>>That's an equivalence >>If
00:27:05.96\00:27:08.03
we need to know what, we've
talked about what this part is.
00:27:08.03\00:27:12.13
This God thing. We
say we don't really know
00:27:12.13\00:27:15.26
>>What God is >>But now
we, okay so what is that thing?
00:27:15.26\00:27:18.93
What is love?
>>That's the point.
00:27:18.93\00:27:20.66
I mean think about it.
If we're actually trying to
00:27:20.66\00:27:22.60
understand what
God is and God is love.
00:27:22.60\00:27:25.73
Our journey is not just
trying to discover what God is.
00:27:25.73\00:27:28.43
It's also trying to
discover what love is.
00:27:28.43\00:27:30.86
What true love is? What is love?
00:27:30.86\00:27:32.76
>>And you can only
find that through God.
00:27:32.76\00:27:34.36
>>Is there anything
that >>That's John's point.
00:27:34.36\00:27:36.46
John says if you don't
love. You don't know God.
00:27:36.46\00:27:38.50
That's the thing that God is.
>>And the thing that everybody
00:27:38.50\00:27:41.56
sings about on the radio.
The thing that all the movies
00:27:41.56\00:27:44.13
are about.
Everything is about trying to
00:27:44.13\00:27:46.26
figure out the love
thing. >>Yeah >>But the world is
00:27:46.26\00:27:49.23
trying to do it without first
visiting the definition which
00:27:49.23\00:27:51.93
is God. >>Well in
the culture in which
00:27:51.93\00:27:54.36
the statement is
written God is love.
00:27:54.36\00:27:57.83
John chose a very specific
word that was not invogue in
00:27:57.83\00:28:00.96
the Greek vernacular. It
was a word that, that, that
00:28:00.96\00:28:07.06
was there >>Imported >>Yeah
it was for this >>Basically
00:28:07.06\00:28:09.70
the popular word for love at
the time was Eros from which we
00:28:09.70\00:28:14.40
get words like
erotic. It's aesthetic love.
00:28:14.40\00:28:18.40
In other words, I love you
because of what you do for me.
00:28:18.40\00:28:22.90
There's something.
Maybe, maybe I like the way
00:28:22.90\00:28:25.23
you look so I derive pleasure
from your appearance or maybe I
00:28:25.23\00:28:27.80
like your talents
because they entertain me.
00:28:27.80\00:28:30.43
Or maybe I like, you see
where I am going with this?
00:28:30.43\00:28:35.03
>>A lot like our world now
>>I love you because you are a
00:28:35.03\00:28:37.00
value to me. So
really what I am saying is I
00:28:37.00\00:28:39.76
love me and you are the channel
through which I am focused on
00:28:39.76\00:28:43.26
myself. >>It's an economic love.
00:28:43.26\00:28:45.66
Isn't it. >>Yeah it is.
00:28:45.66\00:28:48.00
>>I love you as
long as you keep me.
00:28:48.00\00:28:50.43
If you're contributing
something to me then I like
00:28:50.43\00:28:52.03
that. I love that.
00:28:52.03\00:28:54.66
>>But what if that winds down?
What if I get old and ugly?
00:28:54.66\00:28:58.30
>>What if I'm no
longer aesthetically pleasing?
00:28:58.30\00:29:03.46
>>Which takes us to the
biblical definition of love?
00:29:03.46\00:29:06.00
I mean God is
love. We looked at that.
00:29:06.00\00:29:07.90
>>Go ahead, go ahead.
>>The biblical definition of
00:29:07.90\00:29:09.66
God actually, of love
actually takes us to a fuller
00:29:09.66\00:29:12.63
understanding of God.
First Corinthians chapter 13
00:29:12.63\00:29:15.03
has this. It's a
whole chapter on what is
00:29:15.03\00:29:17.56
love. But it has this one little
00:29:17.56\00:29:19.50
center that really focuses in.
Let me just read those verses
00:29:19.50\00:29:22.70
in Second or First Corinthians
13 beginning with verse 4.
00:29:22.70\00:29:26.66
Love is, so God is love.
Love is, I'm going to put in
00:29:26.66\00:29:31.23
there God is. Is that okay?
00:29:31.23\00:29:33.63
>>Sure >>God is
patient. God is kind.
00:29:33.63\00:29:36.06
God does not
envy. He does not boast.
00:29:36.06\00:29:39.06
He is not proud. God
does not dishonor others.
00:29:39.06\00:29:43.26
God is not self-seeking.
God is not easily angered.
00:29:43.26\00:29:47.03
God keeps no record of wrongs.
God does not delight in evil
00:29:47.03\00:29:52.13
but rejoices with the truth.
God always protects, always
00:29:52.13\00:29:56.80
trusts, always hopes
and always perseveres.
00:29:56.80\00:30:00.86
>>That's the gospel right there.
00:30:00.86\00:30:03.56
>>That is beautiful
>>That's the gospel right there
00:30:03.56\00:30:06.83
>>Beautiful, beautiful >>So
in reality you can look through
00:30:06.83\00:30:08.86
the bible and every time the
word love occurs you can just
00:30:08.86\00:30:11.33
replace it with the word
God. >>Well >>And vice versa.
00:30:11.33\00:30:13.20
>>You'd probably have to be
a little bit careful with that.
00:30:13.20\00:30:15.23
In other words, I don't
think you'd want to >>Not every
00:30:15.23\00:30:17.83
single, right >>Wait a minute,
we almost lost something there.
00:30:17.83\00:30:20.13
We began by saying
it was a Greek word.
00:30:20.13\00:30:23.30
>>Yeah that's what I wanted to
>>We chose not to use the word
00:30:23.30\00:30:26.50
Eros which was the
popular word like love.
00:30:26.50\00:30:29.00
Like I love tacos. I
love my wife, in our culture
00:30:29.00\00:30:31.10
and there's just no distinction.
00:30:31.10\00:30:34.50
They deliberately chose not
to use the popular vernacular.
00:30:34.50\00:30:36.96
Eros, they chose a word
that was not in common use.
00:30:36.96\00:30:40.66
And that word was Agape.
Agape is, I mean, what's the
00:30:40.66\00:30:46.10
best way to describe it.
It's unilateral love I guess.
00:30:46.10\00:30:50.00
It's God loves
you. God loves me.
00:30:50.00\00:30:54.63
Because of what
God is and who God is.
00:30:54.63\00:30:57.50
It's not condition
>>It's disinterested love
00:30:57.50\00:31:00.66
>>Disinterested love, yeah.
It's not dependent >>Selfless
00:31:00.66\00:31:02.93
>>On something that's
being derived from you.
00:31:02.93\00:31:06.13
So if you fail. God's
love does not turn down
00:31:06.13\00:31:11.80
like a dimmer
switch in the dining room.
00:31:11.80\00:31:14.70
If you succeed
it doesn't turn up.
00:31:14.70\00:31:17.73
He doesn't ever love you more
because of the good things that
00:31:17.73\00:31:20.16
you do. Or less
because of the bad
00:31:20.16\00:31:22.80
things you do. God is love.
00:31:22.80\00:31:24.90
>>For him to stop loving you.
00:31:24.90\00:31:26.73
He would need to cease to exist.
00:31:26.73\00:31:29.13
>>Stop being who he is.
>>Yeah >>Or completely >>I
00:31:29.13\00:31:31.53
don't know where this verse
is but there's a verse that says
00:31:31.53\00:31:34.06
God cannot deny
himself. >>Yes >>Isn't there.
00:31:34.06\00:31:36.46
It doesn't mean self-denial.
It doesn't mean God is
00:31:36.46\00:31:38.73
self-denying. It
means God cannot deny >>Or
00:31:38.73\00:31:42.53
He is >>reality of who He is
>>to His character >>That God
00:31:42.53\00:31:46.06
is love and He
can't deny that reality.
00:31:46.06\00:31:49.26
He will always act
in concert with it.
00:31:49.26\00:31:51.46
>>You know can I take us
down a different road related.
00:31:51.46\00:31:54.86
Related to this concept of God
is love and it goes back to the
00:31:54.86\00:31:59.36
beginning in Genesis there's
a very, very interesting concept
00:31:59.36\00:32:05.53
here about the plurality of God.
00:32:05.53\00:32:08.96
Because in Genesis chapter 1
the first verse it says in the
00:32:08.96\00:32:13.10
beginning God. And
then it describes God's
00:32:13.10\00:32:15.66
creative activity.
But when you read verse 26
00:32:15.66\00:32:18.33
there's like a curve ball and
it's connected to this idea of
00:32:18.33\00:32:22.76
God being love. It
says in verse 26 Genesis 1
00:32:22.76\00:32:29.00
the God said >>Let us
00:32:29.00\00:32:31.76
>>Yeah let us.
00:32:31.76\00:32:33.50
It says let us make men
in our image according to our
00:32:33.50\00:32:39.96
likeness. >>Wow,
so somebody's talking
00:32:39.96\00:32:43.83
to somebody.
>>There's plur - that's
00:32:43.83\00:32:46.16
obvious. All plural pronouns
00:32:46.16\00:32:47.73
>>Yeah, but it says, then God
00:32:47.73\00:32:50.06
>>Singular >>Seemingly
00:32:50.06\00:32:52.33
singular >>It's Elohim, it's
00:32:52.33\00:32:54.53
not singular >>And then it's
00:32:54.53\00:32:56.00
>>That's why I say seemingly
singular because in the English
00:32:56.00\00:32:58.53
it's God. It's in the singular.
00:32:58.53\00:33:01.50
But the Hebrew there is Elohim
>>Right, which, that, I don't
00:33:01.50\00:33:04.96
know what the proper language
is for that but it's God
00:33:04.96\00:33:07.30
introducing himself the first
time in scripture and basically
00:33:07.30\00:33:11.00
through the usage of that
name kind of speaking to us.
00:33:11.00\00:33:15.70
Saying there's more
than one and yet there's one.
00:33:15.70\00:33:19.70
>>yeah >>It makes sense
00:33:19.70\00:33:22.80
because if God
is not self-seeking.
00:33:22.80\00:33:24.73
If God is love by definition
there has to be more than just
00:33:24.73\00:33:27.20
the one. >>Oh exactly
00:33:27.20\00:33:29.10
>>When you think
about it Elohim is used some
00:33:29.10\00:33:32.36
two thousand times in
the bible to represent God.
00:33:32.36\00:33:35.00
It's used in Genesis.
It's used in Isaiah 6, you
00:33:35.00\00:33:36.93
know. God says to
others, who will go
00:33:36.93\00:33:40.96
for us? And Isaiah
says I'm here, send
00:33:40.96\00:33:43.03
me. I mean it's
used over and over
00:33:43.03\00:33:45.66
again to designate
more this selflessness.
00:33:45.66\00:33:49.10
This other
centeredness. >>Yeah, yeah
00:33:49.10\00:33:52.16
>>I think if I could
just even drawing here.
00:33:52.16\00:33:55.53
So let me just
make a quick drawing.
00:33:55.53\00:33:58.20
If you could just imagine.
This line here down the middle
00:33:58.20\00:34:00.63
of the paper
represents precreation.
00:34:00.63\00:34:03.16
I'll just write pre here.
And then I'll just put here
00:34:03.16\00:34:06.86
post or after. So
this line represents God by
00:34:06.86\00:34:11.50
himself quote,
unquote before creation.
00:34:11.50\00:34:14.60
Before those first four words
of the bible or first few words
00:34:14.60\00:34:17.66
in the beginning God created.
And then over here is after he
00:34:17.66\00:34:20.93
started making the earth.
And making angels and galaxies
00:34:20.93\00:34:24.16
and stars and >>And humans
00:34:24.16\00:34:26.63
>>So here's God over here quote
by himself in the preworld.
00:34:26.63\00:34:29.10
And it's true that God is love
here just as it's true that is
00:34:29.10\00:34:34.33
God is love here. God
is not loving, which is
00:34:34.33\00:34:36.06
what he would become after
he made something on which to
00:34:36.06\00:34:40.93
bestow his love. But
he's more than loving.
00:34:40.93\00:34:43.50
He's love in his very
nature. In his very essence.
00:34:43.50\00:34:45.93
Which means then that there
had to be some object on which
00:34:45.93\00:34:49.40
to bestow his love.
Some object toward whom he
00:34:49.40\00:34:53.66
could not be self-centered.
>>To be a receiving end.
00:34:53.66\00:34:55.83
>>That's right. And
that object, according to
00:34:55.83\00:34:57.93
what we're seeing here in
Genesis 1, which is why you
00:34:57.93\00:35:00.26
took us there is found within
the very nature of God himself.
00:35:00.26\00:35:03.86
So God is introduced to us, we
would say it this way and this
00:35:03.86\00:35:07.80
is one of the beautiful,
most beautiful pictures of God.
00:35:07.80\00:35:10.66
In fact it is the most
beautiful picture of God of all
00:35:10.66\00:35:13.06
the competing pictures.
And that is that God is a
00:35:13.06\00:35:16.53
family. He is a
plurality, Father, Son
00:35:16.53\00:35:22.36
and Holy Spirit. These
three coexisting together
00:35:22.36\00:35:25.20
in a selfless reality
of other centered love.
00:35:25.20\00:35:29.53
>>When I was in Thailand
teaching at a university one
00:35:29.53\00:35:32.93
time, the teachers took me
aside and said, you know, you
00:35:32.93\00:35:36.73
need to understand that 80% of
these students are Buddhist and
00:35:36.73\00:35:40.50
they don't believe in the
Any kind of third person kind
00:35:40.50\00:35:47.76
of being that's
separate from what we are.
00:35:47.76\00:35:51.43
And they said it's not really
gonna work if you just start
00:35:51.43\00:35:56.86
quoting the bible.
The bible doesn't mean
00:35:56.86\00:35:58.53
anything to them. So I
began by just asking them,
00:35:58.53\00:36:02.06
I said, I just want you guys
to chat with one another and I
00:36:02.06\00:36:05.06
just want to ask you a question.
00:36:05.06\00:36:07.86
What is the most
important thing in life?
00:36:07.86\00:36:09.73
What's the most
significant thing in life?
00:36:09.73\00:36:10.90
Go. And they just started
00:36:10.90\00:36:12.90
chattering in
their own language.
00:36:12.90\00:36:14.30
And they were laughing.
And then I stopped them and
00:36:14.30\00:36:17.46
said, so what's the
most important thing?
00:36:17.46\00:36:20.70
Well they joked a little
bit. Video Games, you know.
00:36:20.70\00:36:22.70
Whatever, TV, funny
stuff. Then I said ok seriously
00:36:22.70\00:36:25.03
what's the most
important thing in life.
00:36:25.03\00:36:27.63
And every one of them
said, family, friends or
00:36:27.63\00:36:32.23
relationships.
Every single one of them.
00:36:32.23\00:36:34.16
At that point I simply said
wouldn't it be strange if the
00:36:34.16\00:36:39.26
very thing that you intuitively
know is the most important
00:36:39.26\00:36:43.80
thing of life turned out to be
fundamentally disconnected from
00:36:43.80\00:36:49.43
reality as a whole?
What if you are by nature a
00:36:49.43\00:36:53.60
relational being and
ultimately your heading for a
00:36:53.60\00:36:56.56
non-relational future?
What if, on the other hand, you
00:36:56.56\00:37:01.16
hail from a nonrelational past?
Just merge with the cosmos,
00:37:01.16\00:37:07.10
came out of the cosmos?
Immediately it began to make
00:37:07.10\00:37:09.96
sense to them
that wait a minute.
00:37:09.96\00:37:13.70
I'm relational so reality
itself must be fundamentally.
00:37:13.70\00:37:17.16
>>Relational >>Relational
00:37:17.16\00:37:19.10
>>And that was, it was just a
very easy bridge to go straight
00:37:19.10\00:37:21.76
from there and to say, well let
me read one bible verse to you
00:37:21.76\00:37:24.96
and see if it makes
sense it that context.
00:37:24.96\00:37:26.76
John 15:15 where according
to this text God became human.
00:37:26.76\00:37:31.66
And said I want
one thing from you.
00:37:31.66\00:37:35.03
I want you to be my friends.
They were saying throughout
00:37:35.03\00:37:37.73
the classroom is that
God he's talking about?
00:37:37.73\00:37:41.53
Yeah God says I came all the
way from heaven to earth into
00:37:41.53\00:37:45.63
your world because I want to
build a relationship with you.
00:37:45.63\00:37:48.83
And we were off to
the races after that.
00:37:48.83\00:37:53.06
They were so engaged.
And what else does this book
00:37:53.06\00:37:55.10
have to say? >>I
love the idea and it's so
00:37:55.10\00:37:57.70
true, not only did those
students in Thailand understand
00:37:57.70\00:38:00.30
it. Every human
being understands
00:38:00.30\00:38:03.36
that at its most
fundamental nature.
00:38:03.36\00:38:06.16
Its most fundamental basic core.
00:38:06.16\00:38:09.03
Reality is relational.
That's what makes life
00:38:09.03\00:38:11.96
beautiful. That's what makes it
00:38:11.96\00:38:14.50
meaningful, important.
That's what reality is all
00:38:14.50\00:38:16.23
about. Think
about Facebook here just
00:38:16.23\00:38:18.93
for a moment. Mark
Zuckerberg makes his
00:38:18.93\00:38:20.76
billions of dollars. But
how did he make his money?
00:38:20.76\00:38:23.63
Not by creating
a social network.
00:38:23.63\00:38:26.26
But by creating a means by
which to access something that
00:38:26.26\00:38:29.83
was already there.
Right he just gave us a modern
00:38:29.83\00:38:32.36
mechanized way to tap
into something that we all
00:38:32.36\00:38:35.40
intuitively want. We
want to be connected.
00:38:35.40\00:38:37.86
And what we're learning
here is the reason we long to be
00:38:37.86\00:38:41.23
connected. Is God
himself within his own
00:38:41.23\00:38:44.10
nature is a
connection. He is a family.
00:38:44.10\00:38:48.16
He is a relationship.
And he made us in his image.
00:38:48.16\00:38:51.90
>>That's so
beautiful, so incredible.
00:38:51.90\00:38:54.86
You read Genesis Chapter 1
in the beginning Elohim, that is
00:38:54.86\00:38:58.06
in the beginning love. In
the beginning a relational
00:38:58.06\00:39:01.90
God existed. And
then created everything.
00:39:01.90\00:39:03.50
What about John 1? >>Hmm
00:39:03.50\00:39:06.43
>>In the beginning was
the word and the word was with
00:39:06.43\00:39:09.10
God and the word was God.
The same was in the beginning
00:39:09.10\00:39:12.36
with God. If you do
just a little bit of
00:39:12.36\00:39:14.43
editorial sculpting,
take out some of the words.
00:39:14.43\00:39:16.53
Basically within the quote
marks the scripture says in the
00:39:16.53\00:39:19.20
beginning God was with
God. I mean it wouldn't make any
00:39:19.20\00:39:25.20
sense for me to say, hey
you guys I just want you to know
00:39:25.20\00:39:27.76
that yesterday I
was with me. >>Because
00:39:27.76\00:39:32.80
>>It makes no sense
00:39:32.80\00:39:35.20
>>You're a singular being.
00:39:35.20\00:39:37.20
But you could say
yesterday I was with my wife.
00:39:37.20\00:39:40.26
>>Yeah, that's right.
>>And you are both Gibson's.
00:39:40.26\00:39:41.86
>>That's right.
>>But you are two persons.
00:39:41.86\00:39:44.83
>>Isn't that incredible?
>>So how do you feel about
00:39:44.83\00:39:46.76
that, the word God being
equivalent to our last name?
00:39:46.76\00:39:49.23
>>Well that's
what David is saying.
00:39:49.23\00:39:50.36
It's God's family >>Family
00:39:50.36\00:39:52.56
name the word God >>Elohim
00:39:52.56\00:39:55.16
>>Elohim is the family name
>>Is the equivalence, that's
00:39:55.16\00:39:57.63
probably the
safest way to say it.
00:39:57.63\00:40:00.10
Is the
equivalence of our family.
00:40:00.10\00:40:02.13
>>Yeah that makes sense.
>>I could introduce myself to
00:40:02.13\00:40:04.80
you and say pleased
to meet you I'm Ty's.
00:40:04.80\00:40:06.40
>>Right >>That would make no
00:40:06.40\00:40:09.60
sense because I'm
a singular person.
00:40:09.60\00:40:11.23
But as David was saying there
is a plural dimension to Ty's
00:40:11.23\00:40:14.43
reality. Ty's
married to a girl named
00:40:14.43\00:40:16.83
Sue. We have three children.
00:40:16.83\00:40:19.76
Together we're the Gibson's.
So there's a plural name that's
00:40:19.76\00:40:21.93
applied to my social
reality in the inner circle.
00:40:21.93\00:40:23.53
>>So that's why we
distinguish between.
00:40:23.53\00:40:25.30
We don't believe in three God's.
00:40:25.30\00:40:27.13
We believe in maybe,
how do you feel about this?
00:40:27.13\00:40:29.20
One God, three
persons. That's a simple
00:40:29.20\00:40:31.10
>>That's exactly
00:40:31.10\00:40:32.33
>>One God >>That's
00:40:32.33\00:40:33.83
the safest way to say
it. >>That's a good, yeah.
00:40:33.83\00:40:36.46
That's a good
point to pause on though.
00:40:36.46\00:40:38.40
And I hate to keep doing
this but we have to pause.
00:40:38.40\00:40:41.23
And we get to come
back. Digma Videos are short,
00:40:41.23\00:40:53.66
engaging messages designed
for opening up discussion with
00:40:53.66\00:40:56.93
individuals and groups
regarding the character of God.
00:40:56.93\00:40:59.73
As well as for your own
personal, spiritual growth.
00:40:59.73\00:41:03.13
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00:41:28.16\00:41:35.03
DVD 1. >>I want
to begin by asking
00:41:35.03\00:41:44.83
what is a bit of
a trick question.
00:41:44.83\00:41:46.90
I want to see if I can lure
any of you into this us, to the
00:41:46.90\00:41:50.20
wrong answer that
feels like the right answer.
00:41:50.20\00:41:52.76
Okay we're talking about
what is God and who is God.
00:41:52.76\00:41:55.60
And here is the question.
Is it good news that there is a
00:41:55.60\00:41:58.16
God? >>I would
have said yes until
00:41:58.16\00:42:01.66
you said [Laughter]
00:42:01.66\00:42:03.13
>>Until he said it
was a trick question
00:42:03.13\00:42:06.06
>>Yes do you know
what the trick is?
00:42:06.06\00:42:07.86
>>No, I'm gonna say yes just
because I don't know what this
00:42:07.86\00:42:10.93
trick is. >>Okay unpack it.
00:42:10.93\00:42:13.70
>>I think the trick is, is it
good news that there is a God?
00:42:13.70\00:42:16.66
Well it all depends on
the character of that God.
00:42:16.66\00:42:19.40
>>That's the answer.
>>There could be a diabolical
00:42:19.40\00:42:21.53
tyrant and that
wouldn't be good news.
00:42:21.53\00:42:24.26
>>This is the
way I like to say it.
00:42:24.26\00:42:26.70
It's a little bit like asking
the question is there good news
00:42:26.70\00:42:29.26
that there is a husband? >>Right
00:42:29.26\00:42:31.20
>>well that totally
depends, what kind of a husband
00:42:31.20\00:42:34.23
are we talking about. So
if the picture that we've
00:42:34.23\00:42:36.80
painted here in the first
two parts of this conversation.
00:42:36.80\00:42:39.36
If this picture is true.
Let's just, let's just take a
00:42:39.36\00:42:42.53
moment and breath and say
Hallelujah because if this is
00:42:42.53\00:42:44.36
true. This is the best good news
00:42:44.36\00:42:47.73
imaginable. If
the universe is built
00:42:47.73\00:42:52.46
around this kind of
a being. Oh hallelujah.
00:42:52.46\00:42:56.53
I mean this is really, really,
incommunicably good news.
00:42:56.53\00:43:00.40
>>yeah, yeah >>The universe
is friendly >>We've been
00:43:00.40\00:43:03.33
talking about the fact back in
Genesis that God is a plurality
00:43:03.33\00:43:07.73
of being. That
God is a relational
00:43:07.73\00:43:10.26
being. One thing
that I've found to be
00:43:10.26\00:43:12.70
really enlightening in
scripture is to ask the
00:43:12.70\00:43:15.86
question of so what was
God doing in that relational
00:43:15.86\00:43:20.00
environment before we existed?
>>Going back to this picture?
00:43:20.00\00:43:22.86
>>Yeah that picture >>So
what's he doing over here?
00:43:22.86\00:43:25.66
>>Precreation. What's going on?
00:43:25.66\00:43:28.00
Is God is God
actively engaged in anything?
00:43:28.00\00:43:30.20
It's just three verses
all throughout on this.
00:43:30.20\00:43:32.46
One is Isaiah 42 and verse
1 and this is where God the
00:43:32.46\00:43:37.60
Father is speaking.
>>What verse was that?
00:43:37.60\00:43:40.93
>>Isaiah 42 verse 1 this
is where God the Father is
00:43:40.93\00:43:43.86
describing an aspect of
his relationship with the Son.
00:43:43.86\00:43:46.90
Jesus is prophesied of here,
as the Messiah who is going to
00:43:46.90\00:43:49.90
come into the world.
And the Father is telling us
00:43:49.90\00:43:51.96
who this is to Him. And
He says in verse 1 behold
00:43:51.96\00:43:55.23
my servant, whom I uphold.
My elect one in whom my soul
00:43:55.23\00:44:02.20
delights. >>Yes
>>Isn't that something?
00:44:02.20\00:44:05.13
So when God is describing
the one that he's sending.
00:44:05.13\00:44:09.26
The one that's
coming into the world.
00:44:09.26\00:44:12.30
He says I just want you to
know that this is one in whom I
00:44:12.30\00:44:15.56
delight. This is
the one in whom I take
00:44:15.56\00:44:17.66
great pleasure,
great relational pleasure.
00:44:17.66\00:44:21.46
There's something
going on. >>Great joy.
00:44:21.46\00:44:24.06
>>Between the Father and the
Son in which, could we say it
00:44:24.06\00:44:26.90
this simply? They
enjoy one anothers
00:44:26.90\00:44:29.63
company. There's
something going on
00:44:29.63\00:44:32.86
there that's relational.
And it involves delight.
00:44:32.86\00:44:34.36
Okay. The
second scripture that I
00:44:34.36\00:44:36.63
want to bring to your attention
is in Zechariah, Zechariah
00:44:36.63\00:44:39.70
chapter 13 verse 7.
This is also the Father who's
00:44:39.70\00:44:42.76
doing the
articulating here about the Son.
00:44:42.76\00:44:46.13
The Son is going to come into
our world and he's going to be
00:44:46.13\00:44:48.73
the Savior and
sacrifice for mankind.
00:44:48.73\00:44:51.60
And God is describing that
horrible painful experience
00:44:51.60\00:44:56.10
that Jesus is going to undergo.
And He says in verse 7 awake
00:44:56.10\00:44:58.86
oh sword, God the Father
is speaking, awake oh sword
00:44:58.86\00:45:02.06
against my shepherd.
Against the man who is my
00:45:02.06\00:45:05.40
companion. So God
describes Jesus as my
00:45:05.40\00:45:09.80
companion. One
version says the one who is
00:45:09.80\00:45:14.56
close to me.
Another version says my
00:45:14.56\00:45:17.93
intimate friend so this is
phenomenal if you think about
00:45:17.93\00:45:22.56
it. This is, this is like, you
00:45:22.56\00:45:25.46
know you're sending your
child to a foreign country to be
00:45:25.46\00:45:29.83
received by
people on the other end.
00:45:29.83\00:45:34.80
You're saying now I just want
you to know that the one that
00:45:34.80\00:45:37.20
I'm sending you is
my friend. I love him.
00:45:37.20\00:45:41.56
I love her. My son.
00:45:41.56\00:45:43.00
My daughter very much.
And this is the nature of my
00:45:43.00\00:45:45.86
relation. I said I had three.
00:45:45.86\00:45:48.40
>>Yeah what's the third one?
>>Okay John chapter 1 verse 19
00:45:48.40\00:45:50.93
where the bible describes
Jesus' point of origin.
00:45:50.93\00:45:54.16
He comes out of a certain place.
00:45:54.16\00:45:59.33
And the word that the
scripture uses is it says that
00:45:59.33\00:46:02.50
no man has seen God at any time
except for the one who is in
00:46:02.50\00:46:05.13
the bosom of the Father.
So Jesus lands on planet earth
00:46:05.13\00:46:09.16
from where? >>The
bosom of the Father
00:46:09.16\00:46:13.16
>>From the bosom of the Father
>>It's 18 >>Verse 18 John 1
00:46:13.16\00:46:15.80
verse 18 from the
bosom of the Father.
00:46:15.80\00:46:18.33
This is language that
is describing the kind of
00:46:18.33\00:46:21.03
relationship that we're
talking about in Genesis 1.
00:46:21.03\00:46:24.23
>>Now I just want to make a
question rather than a point.
00:46:24.23\00:46:26.20
You say that this is
the origin of the Son.
00:46:26.20\00:46:28.46
Does that somehow infer
that the Son had a beginning in
00:46:28.46\00:46:33.13
existence. >>Oh absolutely not.
00:46:33.13\00:46:35.96
I'm referring to He comes
to earth >>Okay got it >>So he
00:46:35.96\00:46:38.90
came from somewhere to earth
>>I knew that that's what you
00:46:38.90\00:46:41.50
meant. I just wanted that to be
00:46:41.50\00:46:44.53
clarified because the very
point that we're making here is
00:46:44.53\00:46:47.00
that if the Son is not somehow
coeternal with the Father then
00:46:47.00\00:46:49.16
there would be a point at which
you couldn't have said God is
00:46:49.16\00:46:51.53
love. >>Right there would be an
00:46:51.53\00:46:54.20
isolated singularity rather
than a plural relationship.
00:46:54.20\00:46:57.60
>>Okay >>I like this verse
in John 17 the whole of John 1
00:46:57.60\00:47:00.33
kind of builds on this theme.
This idea of that oneness in
00:47:00.33\00:47:03.10
unity. Even in a
sense refers to it,
00:47:03.10\00:47:05.96
pre. But verse 10 says in NIV of
00:47:05.96\00:47:09.50
John 17 All I have is
yours and all you have is mine.
00:47:09.50\00:47:14.33
All I have is yours
and all you have is mine.
00:47:14.33\00:47:18.30
>>It's mutuality.
>>What's mine is yours.
00:47:18.30\00:47:20.60
What's yours is mine. And
then he says the glory has
00:47:20.60\00:47:22.73
come to me through them.
In other words, excuse me.
00:47:22.73\00:47:26.70
And glory has come
to me through them.
00:47:26.70\00:47:30.10
In other words God is speaking
here about not just possessions
00:47:30.10\00:47:34.13
like material possessions.
But he's talking here about
00:47:34.13\00:47:37.60
His character >>Attributes
>>Attributes, His attributes.
00:47:37.60\00:47:40.60
Everything that I have you have.
00:47:40.60\00:47:43.26
And everything you >>All
my attributes >>Yeah all my
00:47:43.26\00:47:45.73
attributes you have.
And it's the same thing in
00:47:45.73\00:47:48.93
Philippians.
Philippians chapter 2 brings
00:47:48.93\00:47:50.60
out the same
idea that Jesus was.
00:47:50.60\00:47:52.50
Well let me just read the
verse because I don't want to
00:47:52.50\00:47:55.23
just misquote it or misstate it.
00:47:55.23\00:47:56.73
>>Philippians 2 >>Philippians
2 and begin there with verse
00:47:56.73\00:47:59.60
what 5 I think it is.
>>Let this mind be in you?
00:47:59.60\00:48:03.96
>>Yeah >>Is that
where you want to be at?
00:48:03.96\00:48:06.96
>>That's the one >>In the
form of God >>yes that's it
00:48:06.96\00:48:09.46
right there. >>Read
those Jeffrey >>Five
00:48:09.46\00:48:12.00
down to what, how
far are you going?
00:48:12.00\00:48:14.83
>>Seven >>I'm looking at the
verse 5 let this mind be in you
00:48:14.83\00:48:17.83
which was also in Christ Jesus
who being in the form of God
00:48:17.83\00:48:20.23
did not consider it robbery
to be equal with God but made
00:48:20.23\00:48:24.86
himself of no reputation taking
the form of a bond servant and
00:48:24.86\00:48:30.03
coming in the likeness of
men. >>Yeah and the thing is
00:48:30.03\00:48:33.36
that's so beautiful here is
who being in the form of God did
00:48:33.36\00:48:37.40
not consider it
robbery to be equal with God.
00:48:37.40\00:48:39.90
But made himself
of no reputation.
00:48:39.90\00:48:42.36
John 17 all that
you have is mine.
00:48:42.36\00:48:44.70
And all I have is you. So
when Jesus empties himself
00:48:44.70\00:48:47.86
of his Godhead. Of
divinity, become a man.
00:48:47.86\00:48:51.36
He's not abandoning the
person of God or who God is.
00:48:51.36\00:48:57.23
But he's revealing
more of who God is.
00:48:57.23\00:48:59.83
Because everything I do is
you and everything you do is me.
00:48:59.83\00:49:02.43
So God is revealed in
this. >>I love verse 6 where it
00:49:02.43\00:49:07.26
says, actually it's a little
awkward there the language who
00:49:07.26\00:49:10.23
didn't consider it robbery
to be made equal with God.
00:49:10.23\00:49:12.63
I think the simplest way to
understand that is that Paul is
00:49:12.63\00:49:15.93
saying that Jesus didn't even
have to consider trying to take
00:49:15.93\00:49:19.66
or steal Godhood
because he already had it.
00:49:19.66\00:49:23.30
It was his. It was
not something to be
00:49:23.30\00:49:26.70
grabbed. It was
something in terms of
00:49:26.70\00:49:30.13
his divine attributes to be let
go for the purpose of reaching
00:49:30.13\00:49:32.93
us where we are.
That's another story.
00:49:32.93\00:49:34.56
But it's part of this story
that God does this because He
00:49:34.56\00:49:37.10
loves us >>You know I been
part of John 17 here but I've
00:49:37.10\00:49:39.76
been waiting for this
point here because in John 17 it
00:49:39.76\00:49:43.33
goes. I think it flows very
00:49:43.33\00:49:46.10
naturally with
what you've said so far.
00:49:46.10\00:49:47.93
It says here.
Let me find it now.
00:49:47.93\00:49:50.40
>>Verse 24 I hope >>It's
verse 23 even better >>Oh
00:49:50.40\00:49:54.00
okay, okay >>It says I in them
and you in me that they may be
00:49:54.00\00:49:58.06
made perfect in one and
that the world may know that you
00:49:58.06\00:50:01.36
have sent me. And
here's my point and have
00:50:01.36\00:50:03.96
loved them as you have loved me.
00:50:03.96\00:50:06.93
>>yeah that's gotta be >>So
when you're talking about this
00:50:06.93\00:50:09.70
companionship. This intimacy.
00:50:09.70\00:50:12.50
This love between the Father
and the Son and surely the
00:50:12.50\00:50:14.66
Spirit. That's
good news for humanity
00:50:14.66\00:50:17.03
because Jesus comes to
this world to declare that, that
00:50:17.03\00:50:22.80
intimacy. That love.
00:50:22.80\00:50:25.33
That companionship is
being poured on humanity.
00:50:25.33\00:50:27.40
>>And not only to declare
it but to demonstrate it.
00:50:27.40\00:50:33.26
>>And to, yeah, that's right.
>>I thought you were gonna do
00:50:33.26\00:50:35.06
verse 24 >>gotta do 24
>>Well verse 24 Father I desire
00:50:35.06\00:50:37.66
that they also,
whom you have given me.
00:50:37.66\00:50:42.66
They be with me.
There's that with concept
00:50:42.66\00:50:45.43
again. With me
where I am but that
00:50:45.43\00:50:48.70
they may behold my
glory which you gave.
00:50:48.70\00:50:50.86
You have given,
which you have given me.
00:50:50.86\00:50:53.46
Now here's the part, for you
loved me before the foundation
00:50:53.46\00:50:56.80
of the world. So
if we ask the basic
00:50:56.80\00:51:00.33
question hey Jesus what were
you doing before you came to
00:51:00.33\00:51:04.50
this world? And
going back further what
00:51:04.50\00:51:06.10
we're you doing before creation?
00:51:06.10\00:51:08.83
His simple answer would be
I was >>In fellowship with my
00:51:08.83\00:51:11.66
Father >>Yeah I
was loving the Father.
00:51:11.66\00:51:14.20
The Father was loving
me. >>And he syncs that up in
00:51:14.20\00:51:16.83
verse 26 I have made you
known to them and continue to
00:51:16.83\00:51:21.23
make you known in
order that the love.
00:51:21.23\00:51:23.70
The love you have
for me may be in them.
00:51:23.70\00:51:26.76
And that I
myself may be in them.
00:51:26.76\00:51:28.76
>>There it is again >>The
love that exists be-within
00:51:28.76\00:51:31.76
>>Okay so we're
talking about the Father.
00:51:31.76\00:51:33.83
We're talking about the
Son. David mentioned the Holy
00:51:33.83\00:51:36.83
Spirit earlier. So
we've got this social unit.
00:51:36.83\00:51:40.10
God is a communitarian
type >>Family >>Family, okay.
00:51:40.10\00:51:43.33
So you've got God,
Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
00:51:43.33\00:51:47.13
What do you guys
think of this idea.
00:51:47.13\00:51:49.50
I was thinking this through
I was thinking why three.
00:51:49.50\00:51:52.90
What do you think of this
idea? The number 3 really is the
00:51:52.90\00:51:57.90
minimum numeric value of love.
>>Okay I gotta process that
00:51:57.90\00:52:02.73
>>Explain it >>Three is the
minimum numeric value of love.
00:52:02.73\00:52:06.63
So far so good. Keep going.
00:52:06.63\00:52:09.36
>>Relationally
because think about it.
00:52:09.36\00:52:11.63
If there's just
one love can't occur.
00:52:11.63\00:52:14.03
We've already established that.
00:52:14.03\00:52:16.40
Go in the bathroom, lock
the door, spend your whole life
00:52:16.40\00:52:18.53
there. You
can't experience love.
00:52:18.53\00:52:21.50
It's other centeredness As
James read in First Corinthians
00:52:21.50\00:52:23.63
13. Okay so you can't experience
00:52:23.63\00:52:26.10
love as a singular being.
But then you add one person
00:52:26.10\00:52:28.50
>>We got two >>Yeah >>It
seems like you could have love
00:52:28.50\00:52:31.23
>>You could but there's
and exclusive attention.
00:52:31.23\00:52:34.06
I love you and you love
me. But watch what happens.
00:52:34.06\00:52:36.66
Did this happen to any of
you when >>I know exactly where
00:52:36.66\00:52:38.63
you are going with this
>>Where you had a best friend
00:52:38.63\00:52:40.83
and a third party
was introduced into the
00:52:40.83\00:52:42.86
relationship. What
does that third party
00:52:42.86\00:52:46.50
introduce? Now it's
necessary for my love
00:52:46.50\00:52:49.90
to be exclusive and divided.
I need to have a selfless
00:52:49.90\00:52:56.66
quality to my love with you
that is perfectly happy with
00:52:56.66\00:53:00.66
you loving somebody else.
>>You're deferring >>Isn't
00:53:00.66\00:53:03.16
that something >>I love that,
you know I love that >>Up to
00:53:03.16\00:53:05.66
recently it was just my
wife, it's been my wife.
00:53:05.66\00:53:09.10
And >>You recently had a child.
00:53:09.10\00:53:13.80
Did you >>Not quite but
recently we've included a third
00:53:13.80\00:53:15.86
entity, a teenager into
our family and so I totally
00:53:15.86\00:53:22.10
resonate with that.
It's changed the game.
00:53:22.10\00:53:26.03
It's changes the game.
>>This is huge, this is huge.
00:53:26.03\00:53:30.26
Married couples,
child comes along.
00:53:30.26\00:53:31.83
It changes the game.
>>We run a school here at
00:53:31.83\00:53:34.43
a rise and we have
had many instances.
00:53:34.43\00:53:36.43
And this is something that
you would've seen in your own
00:53:36.43\00:53:38.76
experience whether in high
school or college or whatever.
00:53:38.76\00:53:41.93
But we will sometimes see when
the guy develops the interest
00:53:41.93\00:53:44.33
in the girl and
the girl for the guy.
00:53:44.33\00:53:46.53
As long as that's healthy
and it stays social and it stays
00:53:46.53\00:53:48.60
open that can be good.
But we've all seen those
00:53:48.60\00:53:50.83
relationships where it becomes
so doting that it's just the
00:53:50.83\00:53:54.76
guy and the girl. And
it's as if the rest of the
00:53:54.76\00:53:57.83
world doesn't exist.
In a sense, tell me if you
00:53:57.83\00:54:01.13
think there's something to this.
00:54:01.13\00:54:04.00
That, if that was
all that love was.
00:54:04.00\00:54:06.16
I understand
that for a short time.
00:54:06.16\00:54:07.56
I get that. That
itself becomes kind of
00:54:07.56\00:54:10.43
selfish because I have your
completely undivided attention.
00:54:10.43\00:54:13.23
You have my completely
undivided attention so what
00:54:13.23\00:54:15.43
Ty's saying is three is
the, how did you say it?
00:54:15.43\00:54:17.20
The minimum >>The
minimum numeric value of love.
00:54:17.20\00:54:18.80
>>Because you
introduce now a third party.
00:54:18.80\00:54:21.50
And now I think you are
exactly on to something.
00:54:21.50\00:54:24.30
>>This is probably, it is I
think in evidence of the truth
00:54:24.30\00:54:27.23
of scripture. The
bible conveys this idea
00:54:27.23\00:54:29.86
that God is a relationship
between Father, Son and Holy
00:54:29.86\00:54:34.43
Spirit. And that
bears testimony to
00:54:34.43\00:54:36.60
the fact that this
is an inspired text.
00:54:36.60\00:54:39.73
This is >>You wouldn't have
made that up >>No you wouldn't
00:54:39.73\00:54:42.26
have made that up >>If I'm
not mistaken Oxford scholar C.S.
00:54:42.26\00:54:46.16
Lewis said something like this
that the triune nature of God,
00:54:46.16\00:54:49.36
Father Son and Holy Spirit
is either the greats farce ever
00:54:49.36\00:54:53.63
invented or the
greatest truth ever revealed.
00:54:53.63\00:54:57.60
>>yeah, yeah >>If this is
what reality is like no wonder
00:54:57.60\00:55:00.73
we are so wired
for relationality.
00:55:00.73\00:55:05.66
We long for it because
God himself >>We have his
00:55:05.66\00:55:08.66
fingerprints on our souls.
>>Another thought on this just
00:55:08.66\00:55:12.40
building on this John 7
verse 39, yeah it's okay.
00:55:12.40\00:55:16.60
But especially John >>17?
>>John 7:39 >>Oh >>7:39 okay
00:55:16.60\00:55:19.90
>>And especially John chapter
16 >>Oh you're talking about
00:55:19.90\00:55:24.76
the Spirit >>I'm talking
about the Spirit and how Jesus
00:55:24.76\00:55:27.23
promised the
comforter, the Spirit.
00:55:27.23\00:55:30.56
But not until he was glorified
because when the Spirit comes.
00:55:30.56\00:55:33.60
John 16 specifically the Spirit
is going to come specifically
00:55:33.60\00:55:36.40
to glorify me. >>Oh that's other
00:55:36.40\00:55:39.36
centeredness >>Check this
out we just read John 17 and the
00:55:39.36\00:55:43.33
whole mission of Christ
was to glorify the Father.
00:55:43.33\00:55:47.40
So Jesus -- each and every
time you hear about precreation
00:55:47.40\00:55:52.60
and through the life
of Christ, the Father.
00:55:52.60\00:55:56.53
What is he doing? He
is magnifying the Son.
00:55:56.53\00:55:58.96
Listen to Him. I am
well pleased in Him.
00:55:58.96\00:56:02.10
This is my Son.
>>This is my beloved Son in
00:56:02.10\00:56:04.56
whom I am well pleased.
>>So each one continues in
00:56:04.56\00:56:06.53
this and you see the Spirit.
To me we think the essence of
00:56:06.53\00:56:11.33
love is God giving his Son.
The essence of love is the Son
00:56:11.33\00:56:15.66
dying. Look at the Spirit.
00:56:15.66\00:56:17.23
He's standing in the
background the whole time.
00:56:17.23\00:56:19.70
Standing there and in a sense
just waiting to just come with
00:56:19.70\00:56:21.96
a mighty rushing wind.
Are you getting the feeling?
00:56:21.96\00:56:26.40
>>I got it. >>Ty
said something the other
00:56:26.40\00:56:30.73
day, I loved this. When
we were doing one of our
00:56:30.73\00:56:35.53
Sabbath school commentaries.
He said that the job of the
00:56:35.53\00:56:37.26
Spirit. Scripture
says that the job of
00:56:37.26\00:56:40.63
the Spirit is not
to talk about himself.
00:56:40.63\00:56:43.06
When he comes
he will glorify me.
00:56:43.06\00:56:45.70
He won't speak of
himself. He will speak of me.
00:56:45.70\00:56:48.10
Jesus says this over and over
again in John 14, 15 and 16.
00:56:48.10\00:56:50.16
So he says if the Holy Spirit
held a seminar it would be all
00:56:50.16\00:56:51.70
about Jesus. It
wouldn't be a Holy Spirit
00:56:51.70\00:56:53.46
seminar. It
would be a seminar all
00:56:53.46\00:56:55.43
>>Oh this is so good we
have just merely seconds left.
00:56:55.43\00:56:58.60
>>I just feel this
conversation is just starting
00:56:58.60\00:57:01.00
>>yeah, yeah well it's a good
thing we are going to continue
00:57:01.00\00:57:02.93
the conversation then.
Because as one bible verse
00:57:02.93\00:57:07.20
says God's love is
oceanic in one version.
00:57:07.20\00:57:12.70
It's huge, so >>Good way
to end >>Yeah we're going to
00:57:12.70\00:57:15.83
continue this conversation.
Bottom line is in answer to the
00:57:15.83\00:57:18.86
question what is God?
Basic answer, uh, we don't
00:57:18.86\00:57:23.40
know. Outside
of our intellectual
00:57:23.40\00:57:25.83
>>We don't fully know.
>>We don't know what God is.
00:57:25.83\00:57:29.16
Bottom line
answer to who God is.
00:57:29.16\00:57:31.20
God is love. >>Yeah that's right
00:57:31.20\00:57:34.83
>>Glorious good news.
And I love that David.
00:57:34.83\00:57:36.40
If God is love ultimately
everything is going to work out
00:57:36.40\00:57:39.56
in the universe as
friendly in the end.
00:57:39.56\00:57:42.20
And we're headed somewhere
really beautiful and really
00:57:42.20\00:57:44.80
great. And yeah
that's the bottom
00:57:44.80\00:57:47.20
line. God is love.
00:57:47.20\00:57:49.93
Amen. Praise God.
00:57:49.93\00:57:52.10
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